Since becoming part of the Where The Food Comes From crew my life has completely flipped-flopped. I have gotten stuck in a lot of mud, milked a goat, hopped fences, climbed cranes at seaports, witnessed a Falcon 9 rocket carrying NASA Crew 11 launch from the media platform at Kennedy Space Center, and – by far my least favorite thing – spent way too many nights in hotels.
Making a TV show – and a companion website – is hectic work, and we all wear a lot of hats. As a producer, I’ve carried cameras, ran camera two, packed up gear, written dozens of Behind-the-Scenes articles. As our Food Editor, I’ve compiled a cookbook and written about products and people – and somehow managed to become our official show photographer.
But there is one thing I absolutely said I would never-never do. Curious? Restaurant reviews. Yes sir, I didn’t want to ever go there. Afterall, I am no Anthony Bourdain (though secretly host and producer of WTFCF Chip Carter wishes he were).
Usually, our meals on the road consist of Bojangles (in the South – their Pinto beans are delicious and high in fiber) and supermarket takeout. We have eaten at places that look like they should have been condemned only to discover how delicious the food actually is. I will admit, I do keep a list of the places I have truly enjoyed just in case I ever decide it’s time for me to break my no-review pledge.
Main Entrance
Well, the just in case moment has come and it turns out to be a restaurant located in WTFCF’s hometown, right in the heart of downtown Tampa, FL – Che Vita, a neoclassical Italian surprise set in Hilton Hotel. Please understand the hotel does not operate the restaurant. As Assistant Food & Beverage Manager Jennifer Welch explains, “It’s a restaurant in a hotel. Not a hotel restaurant.” And folks – I cannot agree more
Full disclosure, we were invited to the restaurant as part of a media event but had to decline at the last minute. The PR folks from Che Vita offered us an additional opportunity and we figured why not – after all a night out is a night out right?
Main Dining Room
We were seated at a table for two by the window overlooking a busy street in downtown Tampa. The traffic and rain outside were a stark comparison to the brightly lit, neutral-toned, understatedly elegant décor. The main dining room is split into distinct sections, roomy, no tables piled on top of each other. Italian music of varying styles played in the background at a volume that allowed for comfortable conversation. That’s something I find pretty important while sharing a meal. To me good food is synonymous with good conversation.
Dining Room 1
Our server came to the table and gave us a brief history of Che Vita. He explained the restaurant specializes in Southern Italian cuisine. Southern Italian cuisine mainstays include light olive oils and fresh seafood, eggplant, peppers, and artichokes. With an amuse-bouche (a complimentary small bite of a Chef’s favorite) of crusted bread and crab in front of us and a flute of Prosecco in hand we were ready to order.
Arugula & Prosciutto Salad
Up first was an Arugula & Prosciutto Salad featuring pear, pistachio, shaved Reggiano, lemon, and honey. What an amazing blend of flavors and texture. The arugula was not swimming in the liquid ingredients allowing its crispness and flavor to shine. The sweetness of the honey and pear balanced the bitterness of the arugula. But the prosciutto was the star as it added an overall creaminess to each bite.
Chip had a hard time deciding between Chicken Parmesan and Shrimp Scampi – Shrimp Scampi won at our server’s recommendation. I am allergic to shellfish so I decided to go with the Steak Tagliata – grilled & shaved tenderloin steak served with rosemary potato spears. But I really wanted the Agnolotti Blue Crab. I didn’t have any Benadryl with me and I must have said that out loud – so imagine my delight when our server suggested I check the hotel gift shop just outside the door and that’s exactly what I did.
Shrimp Scampi
As you can see in the above picture the Shrimp Scampi has a very unique appearance. The pasta is made with squid ink, same flavor and texture but with a hint of brine. And the robust sauce – made with bottarga (delicate tuna caviar) wine, garlic & lemon butter, and herbs – made the dish absolutely perfect! The shrimp garnished pasta was not drowning in the sauce allowing individual flavors to come through.
Agnolotti Blue Crab
With Benadryl on board, I was ready to taste the Agnolotti Blue Crab. Traditionally, agnolotti is a type of pasta stuffed with meat or vegetables – think ravioli. But this was not the case. Che Vita’s agnolotti has a creamy lemon basil ricotta filling. The addition of blue crab, parmesan, and a citrus gremolata topping created an amazingly delicate and sweet explosion of flavor making my mouth very happy.
Tiramisu Semifreddo
What would fine dining be without dessert? Our server brought the house favorite Tiramisu Semifreddo. The dessert was extremely light and moist with just the right amount of sweetness I crave after a satisfying meal.
Throughout the evening Sous Chef Fabio dropped by just to check on us. I was really happy to see this was not special treatment as I watched him check in on all the tables. Such a nice personal touch.
And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shoutout to our server. I caught him constantly watching our table and the others he was taking care of. He was like a spy peaking around the corner ready to be at our side at a moment’s notice.
The Menu
The menu is divided into six sections with just the right number of choices. My theory: This is a testament to the attention given to each item.
The Antipasti – before the meal – section offers amazing appetizers. From a Zucchini & Artichoke Fritti, Ahi Tuna Crudo – with aioli, saba & soy glaze, caperberries, bottarga and Polpette – beef-pork-veal meatballs to name a few.
The Primi or first dishes typically include pastas. Both our meals came from this section, but don’t worry — traditional Spaghetti & Meatballs is present and accounted for.
Secondi portion includes meat, like Steak Tagliata, and fish. Acqua Pazza – yeah, I had to look it up – is a classic Italian dish made with poached white fish in an herbed broth, but there are many variations. Che Vita’s twist includes shrimp, mussels, clams in a tomato-based broth.
Not all entrees include a side or vegetable but no worries that is where the Contorni section comes in handy. You can enjoy Parmesan Herb Fries, Charred Lemon Broccolini, or old-fashion Spaghetti.
What about the all-important dessert or dolci? As I mentioned, the house specialty Tiramisu Semifreddo was amazing. But I look forward to trying the Cannolo, a Nutella & chocolate mousse or Olive Oil Cake made from Florida Orange Marmalade.
Fratelli Pizza
What I am most excited about, no translation required, is pizze. But please don’t expect a simple cheese or pepperoni pizza.
We can’t wait to try that – and so many other promising things on the menu. WTFCF will definitely be stopping by again. So, as they say, “stay tuned.”
Che Vita is located inside the Hilton at 211 North Tampa Street. Oh, feel free to valet park your car – they validate. A very nice bonus to a lovely evening.
All product and place reviews by Where The Food Comes From are unpaid and independent. If you have a favorite food product or restaurant you’d like to share with us, drop us a line at info@WTFCF.com.
