By Noel Mullins
The Tavern at Bayboro will be adding a few new menu items, as well changing names of classic sandwiches to better honor university faculty and friends who passed away.
“The Adventurer” is a new grouper sandwich dedicated to Terry Tomalin, who suffered a heart attack last year. He was 55.
Tomalin was the Tampa Bay Times’ outdoors editor and an adjunct professor. In his career as a journalist, Tomalin exposed restaurants that were serving fake grouper. He also fought tarpon for catch and release fishing.
A portion of the proceeds from this item is donated to the Terry Tomalin Memorial Scholarship.
“The Adventurer” is a grilled grouper topped with a sesame seaweed salad and finished with cucumber wasabi.
“The Social Chair,” originally known as “The Recruiter,” is a Buffalo chicken wrap dedicated to Vembu Subramanian, who died in a tragic car accident in Jan. He was 55.
Subramanian was a research associate and data manager for 11 years. He left the university to found The Southeast Coastal Ocean
Observing Regional Association (SECOORA). The company provides coastal and oceanographic data for state and federal agencies.
A portion of the proceeds will go toward family and friends of Subramanian.
“The Journalist,” originally known as “The Dardenne,” is a grouper sandwich dedicated to Robert “Bob” Dardenne, who passed away unexpectedly in 2013. He was 66.
Dardenne was an experienced journalist and dedicated teacher as the associate professor of journalism.
A portion of the proceeds is donated to the Robert Dardenne Memorial Scholarship.
Dardenne worked at the university for 22 years and helped mold the campus into what it is today.
“He was a great guy. He was one of the first professors here in the (department of Journalism and Digital Communication) and was the chairman for a long time,” said Casey Peterson, former student and coworker of Dardenne.
“After I graduated, I came into this role as academic program specialist, so in addition to being my teacher he was also my peer. He was the best. He was so personable and never took anything too seriously, even in class. He fostered an atmosphere in his classes and in this department that I like to believe we carry on today, as professional but also personable,” Peterson said.
The Tavern also added a new “Mac & Cheesey” burger as well as a house Manhattan grouper chowder as a daily soup option. It will also reintroduce homemade Sicilian pizzas.
