What a gem! This is the best restaurant in the Tampa Bay Area hands down. Chef BT creates dishes that are unique and incredibly well balanced. The food is spectacular and the service is amazing! You truly get a fine dinning experience. It I were to improve something is the shaken beef latest presentation ( bento box style) it doesn't match the place. I have seen this dish served in many ways and last time I was there it came in a bento box. I was disappointed and so my guest who ordered the same ( the amazing flavors still intact) the look doesn't go well with the $42.00 price tag. Other than that. You must go and experience this food. read more

EVERYTHING: FIVE STARS. All of the food here is traditional Vietnamese food with a modern and delicious twist with global influences. You will not find another place like BT's. And if you do, it won't be as good as it is here. Although the food is super pricey, it is well worth every dollar! I say go for the bo tai chanh or tuna tai chanh, 'bun' noodle bowls, salmon soba, banh mis, or BT's infamous Hanoi Beef Pho for lunch. As for dinner, get any of the specials, amazing tuna sashimi or... actually, EVERYTHING on the lunch or dinner menus will not disappoint. Ask your server or BT for recommendations on cocktails (Sake-tinis or homemade bloody marys are great) or wine pairings from her extensive wine list with your meal. You will definitely fall in love. Bon appetit! read more

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I'm officially obsessed with this place. I've eaten lunch twice and both times the food has been amazing. Both times I've eaten out on their lovely patio and it's been so nice sitting outside during the workday that I would eat there every day if I could. The restaurant is basically French/Vietnamese and having eaten at a similar eatery in Orlando, I was just as impressed. The first meal I tried was the beef pho and it was perfect. Delicious vermicelli noodles in a warm broth with light veggies and perfectly cooked beef taking a nice little bath. The second meal I had was the beef bun noodle salad. It was even better than the pho! Again, delicious sliced beef served over the "bun" noodles with lettuce and peanuts and a light dressing I want to drink. Instead of drinking that though, I had Jasmine tea. It's slightly sweet and served nice and chilled over ice. I can't wait to eat here again and order a Vietnamese sandwich. I implore you all to eat here and help make this place a local favorite! Pho real! read more

The food, atmosphere and service was amazing. Very nice cozy place for family dinner or special occasions.

We were thoroughly pleased with our dinner here. Started with the escargot en croute ($13) which had an excellent sauce in it and the pastry was nice and flaky. Moved on to the squash blossom soup ($11) which was just loaded with flavors. The mushrooms in it were amazingly good and a nice twist to the traditional squash blossom dishes I've had. Dinner consisted of Chipriones Richard ($23) which is baby squid stuffed with shrimp, pork, mushrooms. It was so good! I don't know where they get their exotic mushrooms when their theme is eat locally cause you sure can't find them around here! Hubby had the Duck breasts ($28) served with Goji berries and figs with a compote with a side of lemon risotto. It was delicious. We could hardly keep our forks off each others plates! The service was spot on and they have a great drink selection. Definitely a repeat place for us! read more

Five stars. This was my surprise birthday dinner spot, and my boyfriend couldn't have done any better. Restaurant BT is a hidden treasure in South Tampa and I cannot wait until we return. The inside is pristine and dimly lit. The Chef personally comes around to check on your meal and also runs food. Incredible, amazing, delicious....there aren't enough words to describe the experience we had. I only took one picture throughout our meal because I was too caught up enjoying every aspect of our meal. -Tuna tartar app, the flavors are so unique and fresh. Next time we will try the beef carpaccio. -Salmon entrée, I had to refrain myself from drinking the leftover sauce on the plate through a straw -Beef entrée that every other review raves about is excellent -We never get dessert, but we did and it was a delight (bread pudding) Everyone deserves to dine at BT at least once. For me, once wasn't enough! read more

Restaurant BT - Tuna App - French Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Came here with my girlfriend to celebrate our anniversary and had a really nice meal. Started with the Tuna Tartar and Peking Duck Burrito. I got the Red Snapper a la Saigon and my gf got the dinner special, lamb and prawns. My snapper was well cooked and had a nice crisp at the bottom of the fillet. It was seasoned well and I really enjoyed it. The snapper was served over a bed of coleslaw that was dressed with a fish sauce based dressing, all surrounded by slices of cucumber. The special was decent, the shrimp was served with a tomato based sauce and was cooked well. The lamb chops on the other hand were a tad bit undercooked. I believe lamb should usually be served medium rare, but this was pretty much rare. Must have just been seared for a minute or two. Overall the food was good and I would go again to try other dishes. read more

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I don't know how this place is Michelin rated. Table for 4. 3 apps, 4 entrees, 2 desserts. All the food was terrible except for one entree and the sides on that were awful. One dessert was decent. Won't be going back. What a disappointment! The server was not very attentive either. read more

This may very well be the best restaurant in the Tampa Bay area if not the entire Southeast! I helped BT open this restaurant in the historic Hyde Park Village many years ago! It honestly changed many aspects of my life in helping me pay attention to detail not to mention my fine dining serving skills. I truly cherish everything that I was taught and I carry it with me today! Having the bar set so high at the beginning of my fine dining knowledge has made me be very picky LOL. I've never honestly found too many restaurants that are on this level with the attention to detail. BT has done an excellent job in leading the way and being a trendsetter! I will forever promote this restaurant and pray there will be continued success! I cannot wait to bring my fiancé and soon to be wife back down here within the next month or two to go experience all that has influenced me with restaurant BT! read more

After months of thinking about checking this place out, we finally did, and I'm glad we did. The wine, beer and mixed drink list is impressive. The decor is subtle. The waiters are attentive and courteous. We started out with the spring rolls and one of the appetizer specials, the steamed pork dumplings. Both were lovely and very tasty. The spring rolls reminded me of ones I had at fantastic restaurants in Los Angeles. The dumplings were tender and perfectly cooked. For entrees, my husband had the squid stuffed with pork. He enjoyed it, although he didn't like the coconut in the fragrant black rice. I had the cassoulet. The duck confit's fat wasn't as rendered as I would have liked, and the pork belly didn't quite melt in my mouth, but the flavor was good. We didn't try the dessert because we were full, but I liked the dessert beverage list and would like to try some of the desserts in the future. read more

I'm still stunned by this place. Innovative, yet subtle and nuanced. Each dish looks and tastes glorious. The attention to detail impressed us to no end. Impeccable, thoughtful and informative service. Visually engaging presentations. Nuanced, refined execution. What a wonderful, elegant hidden treasure of a place. read more

Restaurant BT - The herb garden's just out back. - French Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Good luck finding this one!! Parking is in the back and a very small sign on the front. Look for Subway. Beautiful modern interior, the bar has a wonderful cocktail list and thanks to yelpers I had the lemongrass martini. I also had the beef Bahn mi. The sub was wonderfully fresh unlike neighboring Subway, the bread here was a delight. It was served with a cucumber salad that I put squarely on the sub. While a nice asian beef salad on a roll, I miss the mayo and pate that is often found on more traditional versions. read more

The cassoulet here--my God, or I should say mon dieu! I'll be back for that alone. Plus the ambience was cozy-tropical, relaxed, and they've got quiet patio dining too. read more

Wonderful spot tucked away on Mac Dill. Fine dining with a sustainable flare. Incredible meal, gorgeous plating, interesting menu, good service, and a cute spot. We sat on the patio for covid precautions, but the interior has these nice dividers up between tables as well. Highly recommend the coconut panna cotta! read more

I've been meaning to try Restaurant BT out for awhile, but it somehow always kept slipping off my radar. Probably as it's somewhat hidden on busy MacDill and not talked about that often. I was finally able to try it out for my recent birthday and loved the whole experience. Valet parking is available in the back and the entrance way is romantically designed and lighted. The restaurant is smaller with lower ceilings, but the owner has decorated it beautifully and fully made use of the space available. Service was top notch and the food presentation is probably the prettiest I've seen here in Tampa Bay. Every plate and drink came out adorned with fresh, beautiful garnishments. Some were almost too pretty to even eat. You could tell that a lot of the diners there were regulars and the Chef/Owner made her rounds to greet and check in with the diners which is always a nice touch. If you're looking for a romantic, intimate place to dine to celebrate a special occasion, I would recommend checking this place out. read more

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One of the best that Tampa has to offer! The cuisine is delectable and will have your taste buds dancing with joy! Chef BT uses locally grown natural ingredients and a wide variety of herbs, spices, and flavors to give you a unique experience. The service is meticulous and you may even get a visit from Chef BT herself!! Shirley and Erin are experts at making your experience one of a kind and describe the food to perfection! This is a gem! Dress up and get ready for a fantastic treat! read more

Always amazing. Definitely a must if you haven't been. Perfect for a date night and equally enjoyable with a close group of friends.

We just ate here on Tuesday. I am SO in love with this restaurant. From the moment we walked in to the moment we left, we were treated like royalty. BT is a phenomenal chef with a creative and delicious mind. Everything we had was amazing (the lobster claw and avocado appetizer, the chicken entrée and the prawn entrée)! Each dish was unique and incredibly full of flavor. Our server - who also appeared to be the bartender - was a great bartender (I had a delicious sake cucumber martini) and fantastic server. Well knowledged when it came to the food and drinks. Not to mention, a joy to talk to. There was also a younger gentleman who helped seat us and bag our food - he was very pleasant as well and always made sure we were enjoying ourselves. BT stopped by our table which was a nice surprise as well. We cannot wait to go back! read more

Restaurant BT - My entrée! tangle wood farms organic chicken breast, grilled leek, baby carrots, quinoa, macerated grapes, herbs jus - French Near Me - Tampa, Florida

What a delightful gastronomical experience! Everything was prepared with great attention to detail and presented beautifully. Every bite reminded me that a creative genius was working behind the scenes. We had: the duck pho, Vietnamese spring rolls, Salmon a la Plancha, trio of creme brûlée and croissant bread pudding. We shared a very nice white burgundy that was a great accompaniment to our meal and was very reasonably priced. Needless to say I will back as I am already contemplating what I will have next! read more

We had another glorious and fantastic meal at Restaurant BT. This Tampa pillar of fine dining always satisfies. Bo thai chan is one of my favorite dishes ever. The croissant bread pudding is something you want to swim in. They say a good meal can be life changing, and Restaurant BT always delivers. Consistently excellent. Fantastic service. Impeccable dining. Love it! read more

Our meal was absolutely amazing and the service was spectacular! The many layers of flavor with each bite.... Unreal! Rich and fresh!!! I highly recommend you try this establishment out.... You will not be disappointed! I look forward to my next visit. read more

This restaurant is the perfect combination of elegance, creativity and cuisine! I never visit Tampa without having a meal here. It is an experience that always delivers. read more

Delicious food, nice wine list, beautiful atmosphere. Easy to eat healthy. One of my favorites.

My fiance and I found this restaurant one day on our way to Channelside. I've only been here a couple of weeks so I had never heard of the Village at Hyde Park. But what a quaint little area!! And this restaurant is AWESOME!! My fiance was just saying that we need to find a Pho' place... and this place served it up!! BT serves traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a modern twist. All the flavor is there but better!! The pho' was delicious... it was served with all the accoutrements in the soup already - the mint, the meat, bean sprouts but everything was still very fresh! I had the lemongrass beef "bun" noodle bown which is wonderfully seasonned strips of beef served over a bed of rice vermecilli, lettuce, and bean sprouts with a tangy sauce. The decor was very modern contemporary. Huge wine and specialty drinks menu. I saw some ladies order the Vietnamese rum punch which looked delicious but I didn't have one since i was driving. Service was okay. only reason I gave it four instead of five stars is that it was a little overpriced. $12 for pho? $8 for duck dumplings which were delicious but there were only two pieces... We're still glad we went, and will go again.. but we won't order the dumplings. read more

Extremely flavorful and wonder presentations I highly recommend the duck burrito and or the salmon entrée with Vietnamese cabbage. They have a wonderful garden outside you can sit in. I would recommend eating out there versus inside. And you get to walk through the kitchen as you walk outside. When I first heard it was a French Vietnamese restaurant I wasn't so sure if I would like it but I gave it a try and it is a must go to place if you're in Tampa. read more

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Nice small place with great food. I'm a big fan of the Bo Tai Chanh. It's not like a typical steak-tartare, but if you're coming here to eat, you probably aren't looking for "typical", right? read more

Restaurant BT - Bo Tai Chanh - French Near Me - Tampa, Florida

This is, by far, my favorite restaurant in the Tampa Bay area. I have been here three times in the last 7 months. Each time the culinary "adventure" was memorable. Nearly every dish presentation can be classified as "food porn", Use of herbs, spices and adventurous ingredients provides a unique experience each time. Food quality and design is among the best I have found anywhere in the world. And that includes France and Vietnam, which is the basis for BT's fusion. It may be a little speedy for some. However, I have found the culinary "memories" to be worth the "investment. Kudos to BT and her team. read more

Absolutely beautiful setting and well hidden like most Gems. Nice service they treat you like you matter. Incredible food with a really creative style that is a marriage of two fascinating food cultures. Romantic and exciting. read more

Restaurant BT - Wonderful date night! - French Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I want to go back already! I'm thankful that we couldn't get an available table at Bern's so we can give this gem of a place a chance! They have excellent and unique dishes, quick service, and a lovely ambiance (dim lights, clear seamless chairs, curtains, bamboo plates and silverware). For starters we had the pecking duck burrito and truffle burrata salad (it's not a starter, but we made it our 2nd course, which I highly recommend ordering). For our entrees we had the ahi tuna and the avocado and mango claws salad. The plates a uniquely decorated and each dish has a healthy twist to it and there are unique flavors that I've never tried before. My favorite dish here was the croissant bread pudding. That stuff is like manna from heaven! Seriously, I was ready for another one despite how full I was! I made a comment wondering where the chef trained. Lo and behold, the chef came out a few minutes later to greet the patrons and I was so happy to meet her and extremely shocked to hear that she is self-taught! For drinks we had the homemade jasmine tea (could be skipped), lavender oolong tea, and the passion fruit saketini. Side notes: The entrance to the restaurant is from the parking lot. Our Uber dropped us off on the other side of the restaurant which led us to their kitchen. It was kind of awkward but the lovely host happened to be in the kitchen, graciously welcomed us and led us to our seats in the restaurant. The restaurant does not have many tables, so the volume and mood can be greatly affected by the other guests in the room. We had a loud party by us and it wasn't ideal to hear most of their conversation; furthermore the neighboring guests raised their voices over the neighboring table and soon the restaurant got so loud! read more

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Have been supporting her since cafe bt. Great meals when a steak is "just not what u want". Miss the whole snapper though!!

Absolutely Delicious service is wonderful and the out door setting was Beautiful. My Company was Gorgeous

BT continues to impress! Our dinner Tuesday night was amazing. I had the red snapper special. My wife had coq au vin. Started with fried spring rolls. As always, the preparations were creative, imaginative, technically perfect, delicious. Service was on point. I would put BT up against the finest restaurants we've enjoyed around the world. read more

I cannot wait to go back. Went here while at a conference in Tampa for work. I will be making the trip back to Tampa to that I can bring my wife to this place and share an amazing meal. Plan on sharing food and enjoying a great atmosphere, waitstaff and fantastic food. read more

I joined a friend of mine for a meal at Restaurant BT with 8 other acquaintances. My friend (not in the food/restaurant business) has known BT for a number of years and always stops in when he's traveling through the area. I certainly don't know if this affected the level of attention we received from BT and her staff, but my friend assured me she and her crew have treated him the same since day one when he first read about the restaurant in Zagat, went there for a meal and met her. Simply said, the meal was incredible, and the service was first rate. Everyone seemed to try a different dish, so we had a wide variety of entrees to respond to. To the last person, we all found each meal delightful. I chose the shaken beef, which features cubed filet mignon, Courvoisier cognac, Swiss soy sauce, crispy shallots, watercress, tomatoes and jasmine rice. The flavors exploded on my palate, and I could not only taste the flavor of each ingredient and how they mingled, but I could definitely taste the freshness of each of them. I've been fortunate enough to dine in many major cities in over 40 countries, and I can say without question this meal on that night was in the top 3 meals I've ever had. Seriously, it was that good. I had high expectations based on what my friend had told be about Restaurant BT, but I didn't expect the meal to blow those away and exceed them so much. My friend ordered the Vietnamese Bouillabaisse, which includes gulf prawns, baby calamari, salmon, pineapple, okra, bean sprouts, lily stem, and tomato in a tangy-aromatic seafood broth. While his work takes him to most every major city in the US where he dines widely, he described it as "extraordinary". The service by the staff was prompt and attentive, with never a wait for anything we wanted or needed. When many of us commented on the freshness of the ingredients, our waiter took a moment to bring us out several of those ingredients from the kitchen, explained more about each of them, and then showed us how to tell how fresh they are should we ever buy them ourselves. Truly, a very nice touch. I'm anxious to return and try out more of the menu, and that will definitely happen soon. Atmosphere: 5 Service: 5 Food: 5 Value: 5 read more

I came here for what was a very impressive dining experience after receiving a suggestion from my fellow yelpers via the Talk thread. I was looking for an upscale Asian restaurant near south Tampa or the malls and many people had fabulous things to say. I chose this as our dinner destination to bring some of my "foodie family" who was visiting from out of town. We arrived around 7 PM on a Thursday night. The maitre d' greeted us and asked if we had a reservation, we did not, but it was not an issue as there was plenty of seating available. The very first thing that impressed me about Restaurant BT was the decor and upscale, yet relaxing & hip ambience. The feeling of being inside the restaurant was enough to make me want to stay all night! I was promptly greeted by more than one server within a moment of arriving as they came by to take my drink order. I was waiting for the rest of the party to arrive, but they were kind enough to bring me water in the mean time. Shortly thereafter, the entire party was seated and we began to browse the menu. For starters, we chose the vietnamese mini spring rolls, escargot and bo tai chanh (beef tartare). I enjoyed the spring rolls and the escargot (which was served in a bowl with a large puff pastry atop all of the escargot, rather than individual puffs). I didn't care for the bo tai chanh much, but that's just my personal preference as I'm never a huge fan of anything tartare. Next came the difficult decision of deciding what to have for our entree. The server presented 2 different specials, but I opted to stay classic and go for the fresh rolls and an "appetizer" sized bowl of pho. The pho had a phenomenal flavor and was loaded with goodies. Good thing I opted to not get the large dinner sized bowl as it would have been far too much food. Fresh rolls were tasty and the accompanying peanut sauce complemented them well. My family tried a variety of seafood entrees and were very impressed with everything. The service continued to be stellar throughout the entire experience in every way, I cannot stress enough that the service is what brought this review to 5 stars. In my opinion, the food was 4 stars, but the service was nothing short of top notch. The only thing I would comment about is that I do wish they had a few more options on the menu, as the choices seemed somewhat limited to me. However, I suppose this is a case of quality over quantity in regards to ingredients and care taken with each entree. Finally, we wrapped up the evening with dessert. I chose the banana tapioca pudding, served warm with coconut milk and nuts on top. Absolutely delectable. I had the pleasure of sampling with coconut panna cotta that one of my relatives ordered and let me just say it was out of this world amazing. Unlike anything I've ever had. In fact, I'd go back again just for that. Regardless, all 4 of us were very satisfied with restaurant BT from start to finish and we all agreed we'd like to return again in the very near future. Two thumbs up to BT & staff for serving up perfection in Vietnamese - French cuisine. read more

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What can I say, BT is simply one of the absolute BEST options in Tampa for food lovers. Dishes are beautiful and incredibly flavorful; it's quickly obvious that a talented chef oversees each night's service versus phones it in. It's actually one of the very few restaurants I've been to in South Tampa that puts an emphasis on presentation as well as flavor. The bar is not big, but there's something about its positioning in the restaurant and the surrounding design that transports you out of Tampa and into NYC, West Hollywood or maybe Silverlake (CA). I wouldn't recommend BT for "just drinks"; but I would recommend that you arrive 20-30 minutes ahead of your reservation to grab a drink at the bar first. Decor is refreshingly unique; I remember once congratulating BT for not subscribing to the typical restaurant decor or IKEA fall-back options. On weekends, have cash on hand for valet tip (valet itself is free); it's a necessity unless you want to try and squeeze onto a side street. The BT lot is tiny; it probably fits 10 cars at most. An early-eve reservation mid-week may snag you a lucky lot spot. Service is smart, brisk and efficient. My only (minor) complaint is the chair selection in the restaurant. The chairs are clear acrylic (read: hard), which is chic and airy, but they lose any comfort they had after an hour or so. BT isn't a dine-and-run kind of place; you kind of want to stay for a couple hours. I always find myself squirming toward the end of my meal. read more

I'm not buying into what they are selling here. Upon arrival, you are greeted by a valet, which is a good thing because they don't have enough parking. Once inside, you are greeted by a friendly host who is dressed very nicely. He takes you to your table, and for the most part the patrons are all dressed nicely and no one is talking loudly. So far, so good. As you sit in your $50 clear plastic chair in the stark white dining room, a waiter dressed in a suit and speaking with a heavy French accent asks if you'd like sparkling or plain water. He returns with the water and proceeds to explain the daily specials. Listen carefully because, while they've certainly hired "Pierre" to add to the ambiance and sell you on the high prices, you can barely understand him. The prices are laughably outlandish for the quality. What you essentially have here is a poor attempt to create a fusion restaurant between Vietnamese, Sushi, and Seafood. That poor attempt includes overpriced Pho, way overpriced salads, substandard and overpriced tuna sashimi, and average seafood offerings. But, hey, you get a waiter with a French accent, so it must be worth it, right? Here's a rundown of what we ordered: Caprese Salad Special - SEVENTEEN FRICKIN DOLLARS! Our fault for not asking, but I've never paid more than $10 for a Caprese and this one was only worth $9. Escargot - $13. I will admit that we thoroughly enjoyed this dish. It was actually the very best thing we had and we liked their take on it. Bo Tai Chanh - $16. This so called beef tartar dish was edible, but not very good. I tasted mostly peanuts. Tuna Sashimi - $27. Yeah - don't order this. It was presented very nicely but the quality was nothing better than you'd get by stopping by the Publix sushi counter. If you want sashimi, go to your favorite sushi restaurant instead. Salmon A La Plancha - $29. This was good. Not spectacular, but good. If you get roped into coming here, then this is not a bad choice. After five items, one glass of wine (not one each, but ONE), and water we spent $156 with tip. There are sooooooooooooo many better places to drop that kind of money on dinner. In my opinion, the lunch menu prices are what the dinner prices should be here. Everything was plated and presented very well, but presentation only goes so far. At these prices, my taste buds better fire off the "better than sex" receptors, and this place fails to meet my expectations at this price point. I really don't get the 4.5 stars that the rest of the reviewers have seen fit to bestow this restaurant. I think the South Tampa address and waiter with a French accent has everyone snowed. For Pho, go to a Vietnamese restaurant. For Sashimi, visit your favorite sushi restaurant. For Seafood, find a great seafood restaurant. If it's French you're looking for, this is the wrong restaurant except for the waiter's accent and the use of the word "poulet" on the menu to help you feel better about spending almost $30 for chicken. If you want to pay double in order to have mediocre versions of these things available under one roof, then maybe you'll like this place, but I don't get it. read more

Very good. Some flaws. The high points made up for them. Cucumber/aloe martini was very interesting and pretty tasty. They obviously put a lot of thought into the recipe (cucumber + Hendricks gin is a great combination). Unfortunately, it was far too watered down by the "cucumber water." Otherwise successful. Appetizers were good. The roasted sea eel was a little tough for some reason, but otherwise excellent, not ruined by an over-sweet sauce as it is elsewhere. Vegetarian spring rolls and tuna sashimi were superb. Salmon in dill and white wine sauce was almost perfect, just slightly overcooked, but beautiful flavor. Vegetables along side were delicious in the sauce. The lemongrass-infused rice was out of this world. Ginger prawns were good but the three of us felt they were clearly overcooked. This was by far the biggest mistake of the kitchen. Dad loved his special of venison with black truffles--I didn't try it. Good selections of beers, teas, wines, and spirits. Dad and I shared a large Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale, which was very nice with the food. Service and atmosphere were excellent. I was disappointed by the dessert menu, wishing it had some more exotic options (there are amazing SE Asian desserts). Maybe the best dining experience I've had in Tampa. With drinks but without splurging, $60 or so per person + tip. read more

Restaurant BT is just an absolutely fantastic restaurant. I'd say it's equal to any of the top Tampa Bay restaurants from a service and quality standpoint. Where it stands out is in the uniqueness of the menu and presentation. As the only high-end French-Vietnamese restaurant I can think of in Tampa, it stands out when you're looking for a great dining experience that's different from most offerings in the region. read more

Best in class for Viet cuisine. Ate there years ago at the original Gandy location. Very elegant, extremely smooth service, and wonderful food. I served in Vietnam but mainly ate C-Rats, LRRP rations or other GI cookery, rarely eating Viet food except when invited to a memorable Tet family dinner. Then after the war, we hosted some Viet refugees who shared their recipes with us as we exposed them to grits, hot dogs, gumbo, sauerkraut/brats, and similar eclectic Yank cuisine. So I know good Viet food. And their higher prices are merited by quality of the experience. Wish they were closer to my West Tampa neighborhood. Unless you work at MacDill, South Tampa is not "on the way" to anything. My test dishes for evaluating Viet restaurants are Pho soup, nuoc mam sauce and unfried Spring rolls. BT excels in all and the servers are delighted to have a customer that relishes and asks for nuoc mam sauce on the side....the fermented fish sauce also used in Thai cookery but not always disclosed to squeamish American guests. BT also offers some dishes blending basic Viet cuisine with French elements. The French may have gotten run out of Vietnam, but they left a culinary legacy. We yanks had a "strategic withdrawal with honor (!?!)," but no particular influence on cookery. However, we have now prevailed economically as the nominally socialist Viet government mightily competes to get more US sneaker and T-shirt assembly plants. C'est la guerre. read more