516 N. Tampa St. Tampa, FL 33602
Bamboozle…to be bamboozled is defined as to fool or cheat. But if you pass up this place you will only bamboozle yourself. I must admit, I myself had been bamboozled and passed by this place several times. Yesterday I finally mustered up the courage to go in and give it a try. Perhaps the words Bahn Mi Tacos had a slight influence on my decision but that is neither here nor there. Bamboozle seems to be a favorite amongst the downtown lunch crowd.
Bahn Mi Tacos
I decided to get a combo of chicken and pork. These tacos were bite size but they were so flavorful. The carrot and daikon slaw with the cucumbers was perfection. I just topped these babies with some Chinese 5 spice sauce and gobbled them up. It was the daily special so I’m not sure how often they feature these tacos but in honor of Taco Tuesday I couldn’t pass them up and you shouldn’t either.
Spring Rolls
I only tried one spring roll because I didn’t want to look gluttonous. Besides, one spring roll is a pretty decent portion alone. The way the restaurant is set up is similar to an assembly line. You pick your protein and then you are given the option of choosing four veggie toppings. There are two things I like about this set up. First, you get to see them roll your spring rolls in front of you. Second, you get to pick the options so your spring roll is unique to you. I chose duck as my protein and decided to top it with cilantro, carrot and daikon, cucumber and roasted shallots. It’s okay you can stop salivating now… After I got my food, I moved over to what I will call the sauce station. There were about five different sauces to choose from. I paired mine with peanut sauce and hoisin sauce and it was super delicious. Bamboozle has really created a cool concept of customization without much effort – no two rolls, salads or tacos are the same.
Finally the decor is unique. There are paintings all along the walls but these aren’t just any paintings. These paintings appear to be from local artists and are actually for sale. I included three in my feature photo because I thought this was a cool concept.
If you are in the downtown Tampa area for lunch, stop by and give it a try. The prices are fair and the food is great…don’t be bamboozled like I was.