“I started this journey, to create a brand new model for Hilton, a year-and-a-half in the past,” says James King, the Govt Chef at Che Vita, the brand new Italian restaurant within the Hilton Tampa Downtown. “Che (pronounced “Kay”) Vita means ‘What a Life!’ in Italian and we wish everybody who eats right here to say ‘Che Vita!’ after they end their meal!”
King, who spent the final 4 years on the Hilton by Logan Airport in Boston, working Connolly’s Publik Home, an Irish pub, additionally earned certifications in French delicacies, at Le Cordon Bleu, and a number of Grasp certifications in Italian cooking — together with pizzas and pastas — throughout his coaching in Naples, Florence and Rome.
“However I’m a New York child,” he says. “I grew up in Brooklyn on New York-style pizza and Italian cooking, however I went to a marriage in Puerto Rico and received bit by the palm tree ‘bug,’ as a result of I used to be uninterested in snow. So, when this chance got here up in Tampa, I stated, ‘I by no means heard of Tampa, I’ve solely heard of Miami.’ However, I got here down right here and this restaurant was an American fusion place with a giant buffet. However, after the pandemic, buffets weren’t as fashionable anymore. So, I got here up with a small, seasonal menu that we are going to change possibly six occasions per yr.”
That menu, designed by Chef King (at left in high photograph) and his equally superb sous chef Fabio Zaniboni (at proper in identical image) has a mixture of Italian favorites and native seafood, with Antipasti (appetizers) like arancini (risotto balls with a cacio e pepe sauce fried inside and served with a lemon pesto aioli; photograph proper), zucchini & artichoke fritti, calamari and polpette (beef, pork & veal meatballs), in addition to my favourite starter of the night, the ahi tuna crudo (under photograph), which is thick slices of uncooked sushi-grade tuna with a chili aioli, saba (or candy grape should) and soy glaze, caperberries, bottarga (a Mediterranean roe) and microgarden herbs. It was barely spicy and superb.
“I like combining all of my influences and the crudo offers you an expertise like an incredible Japanese restaurant,” Chef King says.
The polpettes (left) and arancini have been no slouches, both, particularly the meatballs, which have been tender, delicately spiced and had simply the correct amount of tomato sugo (much like marinara) on creamy burrata.
“I wanted a sous chef like Fabio, who’s from Italy, however got here right here from St. Thomas within the Virgin Islands after one of many hurricanes final yr closed the yacht membership the place he was working,” Chef King says. “He advised me, ‘I’m your Italian chef, however I don’t wish to cook dinner Italian. I like sushi, I like fish. I like Latin.’ I stated, ‘You’re employed,’ with out even tasting his meals, as a result of we shared the identical imaginative and prescient for Che Vita. He’s like my brother from one other mom with regards to Italian delicacies.”
Jannah and I didn’t pattern any of the “Zuppe & Insalata,” however they embody a child kale Caesar, a tomato & mozzarella salad and a cannellini bean and Tuscan kale soup with garlic fennel sausage, ditalini pasta, sofrito and herb brodo (broth), in addition to a calming tomato freddo soup.
It was super-hard to resolve on our “Primi” or pasta dish, however we needed one thing completely different, so we tried the agnolotti blue crab (proper), which is a scrumptious stuffed pasta (completely different from ravioli) from the Piedmont area of Italy. It was absolutely full of blue crab, lemon-basil artisan ricotta and served with crispy parmesan in a Tampa citrus gremolata (a inexperienced sauce made with chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic). The pasta was al dente and the crab and ricotta mixed with the lemon and garlic completely.
Different pastas on the menu embody rigatoni salsiccia (with spicy sausage and broccoli rabe), which I’ll positively strive on my subsequent go to, shrimp scampi, a tagliatelle tre pomodori, which is served with three completely different sorts of tomato sauce, a primavera and, in fact, spaghetti & meatballs.
Chef King insisted that we strive one in every of his Neapolitan-style pizzas, as a result of he says he makes use of the identical Italian wheat that you would be able to’t get at most locations serving Neapolitan (wood-fired) pizzas right here. “Should you love a Margherita pizza (left), we use that lovely dough, San Marzano tomatoes, genuine mozzarella di Buffala and basil…Italians don’t eat pizza by folding it. They eat it with a knife and fork. The crust blisters and is crisp on the surface, however is fluffy smooth on the within.”
The Margherita pizza was glorious and there are many different pizza choices to strive, together with the Rossa Moderna, with San Marzano tomatoes, Calabrian chili oil, oregano and beekeeper’s honey that Chef King says he produces in his personal bee hives. There’s additionally Romana type (with ricotta, mozzarella, cracked peppercorns, lemon and arugula); Capricciosa (with pomodoro, artichoke hearts, olives, unique mushrooms and Parma ham); and Diavola (house-made spicy Italian sausage, Calabrese salami, crushed tomato sauce, Fior di Latte cheese, chili oil and oregano) pizzas on the menu.
Regardless of already being full, Chef King stated we additionally needed to strive a minimum of one of many “Secondi” (or foremost course) dishes on the menu. We had steak the evening earlier than, so we stayed away from each the Steak Tagliata (grilled & shaved Ocala Ranch tenderloin with crispy rosemary potato spears, arugula, parmigiana, lemon and aged balsamic) and the NYC-Model Strip Steak. If we weren’t so stuffed, we in all probability would have ordered the hen parmesan, however as an alternative, we opted for the one fish entrée — the Acqua Pazza, though Chef King modified it to be used as a result of it’s alleged to be a spicy “fumetto di pesce” served with gulf shrimp, mussels and clams, in addition to the native catch of the day, with Calabrian chili oil, crisp fingerling potatoes, blistered tomatoes, Tuscan kale and house-made biga focaccia bread. However, as a result of (as you readers know) I’m allergic to the to the shrimp and mussels, Chef King had Fabio put together the dish with simply the contemporary catch — an enormous filet of grouper — sitting atop simply these yummy facet dishes in that delectable broth (above proper). The Acqua Pazza was a superbly grilled piece of fish and a spectacular dish. The biga focaccia was crispy, with an authentically ethereal inside, and was good for mopping up the broth. Now, we thought for positive we have been accomplished.
“However in fact, you should even have dessert,” Fabio stated as he poured Jannah an Aperol spritz, and it’s actually onerous to say no to him or Chef King, so we every ordered a dessert — simply to pattern, in fact. Yeah, proper.
Jannah received a scoop of raspberry sorbet (one in every of her favorites) and I received the house-made tiramisu semifreddo (under). It fills an enormous cup with espresso martini-soaked ladyfingers with wealthy marscarpone cream and is topped with powdered chocolate and chocolate-covered espresso beans. I like a great tiramisu and this was an incredible one.
After all, it was onerous to not additionally pattern the triple (darkish, white & milk) chocolate mousse layered over Genoise sponge cake with chocolate fudge and biscotti crostini, or the cannolo with Nutella & ricotta mousse, luxardo cherries, pistachio crumbs and Chantilly cream. There’s additionally an olive oil cake, lemon thyme sorbetto (house-crafted lemon-thyme sorbet served in a frosted lemon cup with a shot of Limoncello liqueur), a number of different sorbets and 4 completely different gelato flavors (chocolate, vanilla bean, pistachio and salted caramel). Decadence.
Che Vita additionally incorporates a full premium liquor cocktail listing, with two Negroni cocktails, a Limoncello martini and three sorts of spritzes, together with the Naples spritz Jannah began her meal with (which is Riondo prosecco, with Limoncello and St. Germain liqueurs, plus membership soda).
There is also a pleasant collection of crimson, white, rosé and glowing wines by the glass and bottle, together with the Maggiolo Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico Sangiovese I began my meal with a glass of, in addition to Italian and different imported, home and craft beers, onerous seltzers and extra.
And, though Che Vita is open for breakfast (there’s even a breakfast buffet), Chef King says the breakfast crew is separate from his dinner line cooks, as a result of, “Che Vita isn’t a lodge restaurant,” he says, “it’s its personal factor. It’s Che Vita!”
The lunch menu has lots of the identical Antipasti, Zuppe & Insalata and Pizzas because the dinner menu, but additionally provides a pleasant number of panini sandwiches, together with a grilled hen pesto, a parma panino (with prosciutto, sopressata, mozzarella, provolone, arugula, sundried tomato pesto and a pepperoncini remoulade), “The Native” (fried or blackened grouper), a caprese panini and two completely different burgers — all served with parmesan herb fries (or improve with truffle fries for $6 further or a facet salad for $2 extra).
“For me, it’s in regards to the three Fs — household, meals & futbol (soccer),” Chef King says.
All I can say is: What a meal! What a chef! What a spot! What a life!
Che Vita is situated contained in the downtown Tampa Hilton (211 N. Tampa St.) and is open day-after-day for breakfast, lunch & dinner. For reservations and extra information, name (813) 222-4975 or go to CheVitaTampa.com — and please inform them I despatched you!
