Bite Club: Sesh serves a toast to pop-horror nostalgia

On a recent visit to Tampa Bay, my wife Carly and I were in search of a dog-friendly mid-afternoon hangout and found our way to Sesh St. Pete .

• Housed in a historic (and possibly haunted ?) building at 2221 4th St N., Sesh has an expansive food and drink menu and a huge tap list.

• We enjoyed our stop-in enough that we came back the next night for dinner.

The vibe: Think Lovecraft meets Child's Play . The decor is gothic, with tentacles, horned skulls and black paint. But you're as likely to spot Slimer as Cthulhu .

• In other words, this place celebrates the popular horror (and horror comedy) franchises of the '80s and early '90s: Ghostbusters, Candyman, Beetlejuice, etc.
• As a millennial, I approve. And our dogs approved of the patio, which was large and well-shaded, with prompt water bowl service.

Best bevs: Carly liked the Ghosted ($11), a vanilla-coconut rum cocktail garnished with a toasted " Stay Puft Head." And I enjoyed the Countess ($14); creamy and cocoa-flavored.

Best brews: The Berried Alive is a solid and very approachable smoothie-style sour. On the hoppier side, the Citra SMASH scratched my IPA itch.

Best bites: We started with the tuna tartare ($18), drizzled with a sesame and agave dressing and served with crispy ginger wontons.

• Carly ordered gnocchi al pesto ($16), served with a creamy burrata. A dish fit for an upscale Italian kitchen.
• I went the other direction: the Brewpub burger ($18), topped with a sausage patty, pulled pork, beer cheese, onions and barbecue sauce.

My five-word review: Slimer would leave here full.