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Belly Dancing On Menu At Plant City Restaurant

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By JAN HOLLINGSWORTH | The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 14, 2008

PLANT CITY - PLANT CITY - Somewhere beneath the hum of dinner conversation, the muted strains of ney flutes and harmoniums announce the show is about to begin.

The diners look up from heaping plates of hummus, couscous, kebabs and cupra -- some puzzled, others expectant -- as "Misha" glides into the room.

The music rises, the lights dim, and for the next 15 minutes, the night belongs to Melissa Cain, whose alter ego, Misha, mesmerizes the Saturday night crowd with a taste of Middle Eastern slinks and shimmies that complement the extraordinary cuisine.

With gas topping $4 a gallon, folks have to travel no farther than the local Days Inn off Interstate 4 for an exotic night out at the Turquoise Mediterranean Grill. There, the infusion of food and culture has transformed an otherwise mundane motel restaurant into a singular experience.

"I consider the place an undiscovered treasure," said Amber Ballinger, better known in local belly dancing circles as "Cerice Janan."

Misha, 30, and other members of the troupe dance 7 to 9 p.m. Saturdays at the Turquoise Grill, which specializes in authentic Turkish-style Mediterranean cuisine and Middle Eastern hospitality.

The restaurant, which features Mediterranean soups, salads, appetizers and entrees as well as all-American fare, is open from 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

For information, call (813) 659-8400 or go to the restaurant's Web site, www.turquoisemedgrill.com.

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