b'uleleA Florida Original.S ITUATED ALONG THE BANKS of thescenic Hillsborough River in Tampastands the beautifully-restored 1906Water Works Building. A little morethan a year ago, it opened with muchfanfare as Ulele, the newest restaurantconcept from fourth generationfamily member and president ofColumbia Restaurant Group,Richard Gonzmart. As part of the restoration proj-ect, the spring, now called UleleSpring, has been fully restored to itsnatural freshwater flow of 2,000 gal-lons per minute. Over the bridge, justbeyond the bronze statue of PrincessUlele, is Water Works Park, an exten-sion of Tampas Riverwalk. Theres adog park, picnic areas, playground,splash pad and performance pavilion.The food, ambiance and Ulelesadjacent 2100 square foot breweryhave garnered praise, rave reviewsand awards since its opening.Celebrity chef and restaurateurEmeril Lagasse featured Ulele on hisCooking Channel show, EmerilsFlorida, earlier this year. Then, therestaurant was named a winner inOpenTables Diners Choice Awards.The unique menu fuses Native-American and multi-cultural influ-ences with local ingredients that aresourced fresh every day.There is a fun vibe with a lot forthe eyes to feast on as well - fromthe art on the walls to the sunsets offthe water. The outdoor dining area,with bright yellow Ulele umbrellasamply covering each table, invites aleisurely, quiet dining experience.Our party of three tagged will-ingly along to enjoy a feast, as Bailey,The New Barker Dining DoggieDiva, did what she has becomefamously known for: politelyaccommodating her growing armyof adoring fans.82 THE NEW BARKER www.TheNewBarker.com'