Hungry stomachs are forced to contemplate cooking their own food while our brains are busy plotting ways to make Hollywood starlets fall in love with our ungainly cousins. Quell an insurgent appetite with today’s Groupon: for $20, you get $40 worth of fine dining at Della's After Dark, located in Brandon.

Della's After Dark is the Teen Wolf of eateries, morphing from a demure deli into a swanky spot for savories come sundown. Start with a sweet-potato-and-peanut soup ($5) before forking into lush salads such as the duck confit salad with spinach, walnuts, figs, and more skinny-dipping in a light puddle of pomegranate vinaigrette ($10). Della's menu also offers a variety of protein-based plates, from char-grilled giant squid ($17) to New Zealand rack of lamb with sweet-potato gnocchi ($25). Desserts change nightly; recent sweets include bananas foster and sticky date pudding.

Live jazz and creatively presented plates help morph the deli into a swanky hot spot. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, the counter is covered with black curtains, and tables are decked out with white linens and candles. Conceived as a small, family-run deli, owner Beverly DellaGrotta's son Alex took the reins in 2001 and envisioned the space as a sleek destination for fine dining or for being seen dining in fine-fitting tricorns. Check the website for details on music and specials.

Reviews

Della's After Dark has been featured by the Tampa Tribune. Five Yahoo! Locals give Della's After Dark an average of five stars, and six TripAdvisors give it an average of four owl eyes.

We liked the fresh catch, Ginger and Plantain Crusted Grouper, served with wasabi mashed potatoes atop julienned vegetables. – Tampa Tribune

Della's After Dark is probably the best-kept secret in town. I've dined there twice, now...and the food, service, and ambience has been wonderful both times. – ocalagal13, Yahoo! Local