BellaBrava - Raising The Bar

BellaBrava is a Beach Drive staple. Recently BellaBrava won Best Italian Restaurant and Best Downtown St. Pete Restaurant from Creative Loafing's Best of the Bay awards. BellaBrava is a "New World Trattoria" featuring modern Italian dishes and old classics kicked up a few gourmet notches. Simply stated, BellaBrava is an authentic taste of Italy in our own backyard.

I was honored to be invited to try some of the new dishes coming soon to BellaBrava - courtesy of Executive Chef Jeffrey Jew and Chef Antonio Garcia. These dishes will make their official debut in mid-October, and focus on using locally sourced ingredients. Joined by some local food bloggers and foodie friends, we took a short jaunt to Italy courtesy of some truly delicious dishes.

These guys make some pretty good food

The star of the night was the Housemade Ricotta. The light ricotta on a slightly crisped crostini was a crowd favorite amongst our group of local foodies. My personal favorite was the Wood-Fired Traditional Margherita Flatbread. This is a perfect lunch dish if you're in the Beach Drive area!

Other dishes that will be coming soon to BellaBrava include:

Ahi Tuna Carpaccio - fried capers, pickled fennel, calabrian chili, lemon oil, and micro basil

Trattoria Nachos - house potato chips, gorgonzola & asiago fonduta, housemade sausage, basil

Calamari Fritti - rhode island calimari, peppadew peppers, pomodoro sauce

As if all of that wasn't delicious enough, then came dessert. We were treated to a sampling of Marsala Cake with Sea Salt Gelato. Heavenly! I've never had Marsala Cake but after trying this sweet dish, I would definitely order it over some of my traditional dessert choices. I ate mine up before I could snap a picture - I'm sure you can understand!

Thanks to the BellaBrava and RKC teams for a great event!

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Marchand's Farm to Fork at the Vinoy Renaissance Hotel #VinoyF2F

The Renaissance Vinoy Hotel is a St. Petersburg landmark. The history and the ambiance of the Vinoy provide charm that you can’t find anywhere else. Since the grand opening in 1925, the historic hotel has played host to countless guests, including Presidents, professional athletes, and A-list Hollywood stars.

I was recently invited to wine and dine my way through the main dining room at the hotel – Marchand’s Bar and Grill. Lucky for us, Marchand’s is open to the public - not just hotel guests.

The six course tasting dinner at Marchand’s featured locally sourced ingredients. Chef Mark Heimann and Chef de Cuisine Ross Clingman turned these locally sourced ingredients into pure food magic. At the presentation of each course, we marveled at the dish presented to us. Each course built upon the last to create a memorable dining experience that I won’t soon forget. Not only did every course look fabulous, they tasted even more fabulous.

The start of a perfect meal

Here is a look at the dishes we tried:

Florida avocado, crisp prosciutto, pickled radish, duck egg, rocket greens, buttermilk dressing

Not your mama’s typical lettuce and tomato salad! This salad was a great way to start the meal, and a tasty preview of the meal ahead.

Spiny lobster cake, celery seed, chipotle-lemon grass remoulade

Before the dinner, I saw a tweet hinting at this glorious spiny lobster cake. I was looking forward to this because I love lobster. What could be better than a bunch of lobster meat stuffed together to form this tasty cake? Mmm. And see those little black squid-ink croutons? They were unique and so tasty. A return trip to Marchand’s would be in order based on this dish alone.

Braised veal cheeks with cabernet linguini, escarole, bronzed sweet onion, pecorino

Lots of firsts for me on this dish. Veal cheeks? Cabernet linguini? They both sound intimidating but were both super delicious. The veal cheeks were melt-in-your-mouth tender. The cabernet linguini was fresh and not too bold or too heavy.

Lake meadow’s game hen, orange-honey crust, charred cabbage, saison beignets

I’m not sure if the best part of this dish was the orange-honey glaze or the saison beignets. I could have easily had a few spoonfuls of the orange-honey glaze and a few saison beignets and been happy. Together, this dish was spectacular. And then…

Fried flounder, corn spoon bread, Andouille stuffed peppers, jalapeño butter

Save the best for last! Just when we thought the meal couldn’t get any better, out came this stunningly delicious (and adorable) plate. The flounder was fried to crispy perfection with a light batter. The corn spoon bread tasted like a spoonful of Southern happiness. Then I tried the Andouille stuffed peppers - a mini bite of sweet heat and the perfect way to wrap up the savory portion of the meal.

Plant City strawberry cannoli and banana cream pie duo

Dessert is always a requirement for me. Marchand’s dehydrated local strawberries and turned them into this cannoli shell and stuffed it with a smooth creamy filling. This duo also contained a deconstructed banana cream pie. Both mini desserts were refreshing and light. This was the perfect ending to a perfect meal.

Along with every course we had a pairing from Marchand’s in-house sommelier. As if the food wasn’t enough, here’s what we enjoyed sipping on throughout the evening:

Chardonnay – Hahn SLH Estate, California

Sauvignon Blanc – Starmont, California

Malbec – Trivento Amado Sur, Mendoza Argentina

Jai Alai IPA – Cigar City Brewing, Tampa

Key West Sunset Ale – Florida Brewing, Melbourne

Prosecco – Mionetto, Italy (does this place know the way to my heart or what?!)

You can have your own Chef's Surprise Tasting dinner at Marchand's (with or without wine pairings) or try these dishes a la carte. There are lots of other dishes on the current menu I'd love to try, like the Lobster and Oxtail Ravioli Duo and the Sea Scallops. 

Another awesome feature of Marchand’s is the new tabletop sommelier. This iPad feature has the full bar/wine menu, suggested pairings, and other nifty features. You’ll even be able to save and send yourself notes on the drinks you enjoyed so you’ll be able ask for them again at a return visit or purchase them to enjoy at home.

After this exquisite dinner, Marchand’s is moving up to the top of my list for go-to special occasion dining. There’s no need to spend lots of money on a chain steakhouse when you can have locally sourced gourmet fare for practically the same price. To top it all off, you can’t beat the charm of The Vinoy for any celebration. And even when not celebrating special occasions, Marchand’s is perfect for your next date night, girls night out, or whenever you’re in the mood for a delicious meal.

PS: Marchand’s also has weekend brunch, sushi on select nights, and a special prix fixe menu. I can’t wait to try these soon.

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Enjoy Arts & Tastes St. Pete

Celebrity chefs are often found wondering around in Tampa Bay. Emeril Lagasse, Robert Irvine, and Wolfgang Puck have been known to dine at their favorite local eateries like Cassis and Cafe Ponte when they are in town. While I personally haven't been lucky enough to spot Emeril strolling down Beach Drive, I know others who have. Soon enough, famous chefs like Masaharu Morimoto and Ming Tsai will not only be in town, but we will all have a chance to dine on the culinary creations we've only seen on TV.

The Enjoy Arts & Tastes Festival will be happening in St. Pete this November. As a huge fan of culinary cooking shows, I am super excited to have the chance to get to see these chefs in person AND taste their dishes! All of the major chefs at the Enjoy Arts & Tastes Festival have names you'll recognize from your favorite culinary channel or TV show. This will be the largest gathering of celebrity chefs ever assembled on Florida's Gulf Coast. And, the best news is that all proceeds benefit Florida ProStart. Florida ProStart is a 501(c)(3) organization that sponsors high school students interested in the restaurant and foodservice industry.

Who can you expect to see at Enjoy Arts & Tastes St. Pete? Donatella Arpaia, Scott Conant, Todd English, Lorena Garcia, Duff Goldman, Ingrid Hoffman, Masaharu Morimoto, and Ming Tsai!

I am happy to present you with the lineup of events:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15^th

SENSE IMMERSION DINNER HOSTED BY TODD ENGLISH & DUNCAN MCCLELLAN

A kick-off to the festival weekend, this dinner will combine culinary arts with fine arts through teams of celebrated chefs and artists. Teams will present a one-of-a-kind menu inspired by the sensibility and style of each artist, accompanied by fine wines and spirits. Seated dinner. Location: Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE, St. Petersburg, FL

Time: 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm

Ticket Price: $200 (includes all food & beverage)

NOCTURNAL CRAVINGS HOSTED BY DUFF GOLDMAN

A late-night dessert tasting party that celebrates Salvador Dali’s art, and plays on his delicious lithograph, Les Pios Nonoches. The evening will feature notable regional pastry chefs and chocolatiers offering an array of desserts inspired by the artist’s work. A selection of fine wines and spirits will be served. Walk-around tasting.

Location: The Dali Museum, 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg, FL

Time: 10:00 pm – 1:00 am

Ticket Price: $85 (includes all food & beverage)

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16^th

GRAND TASTING

The centerpiece of the festival, the Grand Tasting will feature top regional culinary talent who will present tasty portions of their signature dishes, both savory and sweet. To top off this gourmet experience, fine wine and spirits will be poured.

VIP tickets grant access to HSN’s VIP tent, where guests get a chance to mingle with celebrity chefs who will stop by throughout the day.

Location: Tented area at The Mahaffey Theater Plaza and Albert Whitted Park, Bay Shore Drive SE, St. Petersburg, FL

Time: 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Ticket Price: $95 General Admission/$125 VIP Access (includes all food & beverage)

CULINARY DEMONSTRATIONS BY GUEST CELEBRITY CHEFS & PERSONALITIES

An exciting array of interactive culinary demonstrations led by guest celebrity chefs and personalities who will reveal their tricks of the trade. Demonstration-only, no tasting.

Location: Mahaffey Theater at the Progress Energy Center for the Arts, 400 First St. S,

St. Petersburg, FL

Time: 11:00 am – 6:15 pm

Demonstration schedule will be available on the festival website

Ticket Price: $50 per demo

SIP, SAVOR & SWING HOSTED BY INGRID HOFFMANN

A Latin-inspired celebration featuring tastings from regional and guest celebrity chefs. Fine wines and spirits are not the only accompaniment - lively music will set the mood at the Vinoy Renaissance’s grand Palm Court Ballroom. Featured chefs will be on hand to present their dishes and interact with guests. Walk-around tasting.

Location: The Vinoy® Renaissance St. Petersburg Resort & Golf Club, 501 5th Ave. NE, St. Petersburg, FL

Time: 6:30 pm – 10:00 pm

Ticket Price: $225 (includes all food & beverage)

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17^th

BATTLE OF THE ‘BURG HOSTED BY DONATELLA ARPAIA

Enjoy burgers at this afternoon poolside party, featuring St. Pete and the Bay Area’s most popular chefs and restaurants. Celebrity judges, including HSN, Inc. CEO Mindy Grossman and host Donatella Arpaia, will crown the Best ‘Burger, and attendees can cast their vote for a People’s Choice award winner. Music will make this a lively finale to a great weekend. Walk-around tasting.

Location: The Club at Treasure Island, 400 Treasure Island Causeway. Treasure Island, FL

Time: 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Ticket Price: $75 (includes all food & beverage)

Tickets for Enjoy Arts & Tastes went on sale today! Tickets are available at http://www.enjoyartsandtastes.com/

Special shoutout to those making this event possible: Bill Edwards Presents, HSN, Visit St. Petersburg/Clearwater, and Florida ProStart.

Which event would you most like to attend? 

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