b'Shrimp & Grits Hair Of The Dog ParkA love storyThere is a sense of calm with this Seminole Heights dog park. Grab a beer, on tapfrom one of the eight locally-brewed craft beers, take a seat, and enjoy a quietmoment with your dog. There is no loud music or large screen TVs to interfere withyour thoughts atHair of the Dog Park. The only thing big about this place is the giantbeautiful oak tree that provides a lot of shade. Entirely fenced in with a spot forlarge dogs and small dogs, the open space provides them with plenty of room torun around. The best thing about Hair of the Dog Park is that youre able to do absolutelynothing, which for some people is hard to do. Who has the time? we ask our-selves. But, really, are we doing nothing, by taking some time to enjoy nature andbeing one-on-one with our dogs?Its easy to take much of whats good in our lives for granted, said ToddGoldfarb, owner of Hair of the Dog Park. Creating the space was a dream-come-true for Todd and his wife Mara. Four years in the making, all with the help of astranger who became a good friend, Hair of the Dog Park finally opened in 2020.Then, they had to temporarily close with the rest of the country.WhenwevisitedCob& Pen,ChefJasonandteamwerehardatwork, We were open for four weeks and were really taking off, said Todd. Earlierdeveloping a new menu. We shared a this year, Hair of the Dog Park reopened, and is doing well. On any given day, youlldelicious plate of Fish & Chips which find Todd there with his dogs Diego and Frida.cameoutpipinghot,andaudibly People meet their friends here. Other people come by themselves, just withcrispy. Chippie, as the dish is known, is their dogs, and enjoy the solitude. traditionally, enjoyed outdoors, which Hair of the Dog Park is the kind of place where you can let your dog be a dog,wedidonthedog-friendlypatio. and let yourself just be. UThere is also an expansive lawn with avariety of seating options for diningorenjoyingoneoftherestaurantscraft cocktails, or any one of the 16rotatingtapsofcraftbeers.Onanygiven evening, youll see locals enjoy-ing the fare and friendship alongsidetheir canines.Another item on the new menuis their version of Shrimp and Grits,with a cheesy, creamy risotto replacinggrits. The Buddha Bowl is a vegetari-ans field of dreams with little bites ofeverything. Its a black bean stew andquinoa,toppedwithroastedbeets,pickled red onion, and fried arugula.During our visit, we were gracedwith the presence of Lulu and Kiwi,bothFrenchBulldogs.Theywere Todd, Frida and Diego.immediatelytreatedtotheirownbowls of ice-cold bottled water.Creating a dining experience that Photographs by Jacqui Silla.balances history with a modern touchis a work of art. The frame surround-ing the art of a restaurants story, is thefoodandmenu.Craftthestoryascarefully and thoughtfully as you doselecting the fresh ingredients for yourdishes. This is your time to shine, and Hair of the Dog Park is a members-only off leash dog park/bar in Seminole Heightswere ready to immerse our senses inthe experience. U at 4211 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa. 813.850.4038. www.HairOfTheDogParkAndBar.comwww.TheNewBarker.com THE NEW BARKER 89'