Tampa, Florida
Last June was my first of many trips to Tampa over the following six months. My employee was with me, and knowing exactly what kind of foodie she was dealing with, she found a one-star Michelin restaurant. Her logic was sound — you can’t go wrong there. The restaurant was Rocca, an Italian place with a formal Michelin star and the reputation to match.
She was half right.
The Setup
Even midweek, we got reservations and showed up ready to be impressed. The ambiance delivered exactly what you’d expect: upscale, lively, full of energy and noise — the good kind of noise that comes with a room full of people who are happy to be somewhere special.
One caveat: with a party of two, we waited about twenty minutes past our reservation time to be seated. At a Michelin-starred restaurant, that’s a little long. Everything after that, however, ran smoothly.
The Appetizer: Michelin Quality, Full Stop
They brought out the mozzarella cart, and what followed was one of the best appetizer experiences I’ve ever had.
The chef arrives in large waterproof insulated gloves, pours boiling water over fresh mozzarella curd, and kneads it tableside into a smooth, supple ball. It’s not making cheese from scratch — that takes months — but what it is, is transforming curd into the freshest mozzarella you will ever eat. Once formed, they flatten it slightly, slice it, and serve it alongside fresh basil, Kumato tomatoes (a deep purple variety I’d never encountered before, and now want to encounter again), and ten-year aged balsamic vinegar — the kind you can really only get from Italy.
This was one of the best appetizers I have ever had. Rich, elegant, every component earning its place on the plate. We started to wonder whether we’d have room for dinner.
We worked it out.
The Entrees
My friend ordered the Fettuccine al Tartufo — fettuccine in a rich, well-balanced cheese sauce with black truffle, finished tableside with freshly shaved truffle on top. It was very good. Close to Michelin quality. Definitely the better of our two entrées.
I ordered the Aged Rohan Duck, because I love duck and few restaurants do it well. The presentation was striking — a large platter with sliced duck breast arranged around the perimeter and duck confit in the center. Visually impressive.
The problem: there was simply too much duck, and it was average. Not bad. I ate it without complaint. But I’ve had far better duck at non-Michelin restaurants, and at this price point and this reputation, average isn’t good enough. Rohan duck is cooked medium rare, which also means no taking leftovers home to reheat the next day — it doesn’t survive that. So what didn’t get eaten, didn’t get saved.
My entrée was a disappointment. I’ll say it plainly.
The Dessert
Their specialty that evening was a dish called Bird in a Nest, and visually it was stunning. A white chocolate custard “egg” with a mango jam “yolk,” nestled on a large bed of shaved phyllo dough. The egg components were good but not remarkable.
The phyllo dough was the problem. When the Greeks use phyllo in baklava, it’s soaked in olive oil, spices, and honey — it’s magnificent. This shaved phyllo was just… dough. No fat. No flavor. No seasoning. Eating it was like eating paper. Neither of us had more than one bite of it. The presentation earned a Michelin star. The flavor did not.
The Verdict
Here’s where things stand: the mozzarella appetizer was unquestionably one-star quality. The fettuccine came close. The duck was average. The dessert looked extraordinary and tasted like nothing.
Will I go back? Yes — once more, at least. For the appetizer alone, and to give the kitchen a second chance to show me what that star is really about. They have it for a reason, and I’d like to believe last night was an off night.
But if the decision were mine to make? I’d take that star back until the duck and the dessert catch up to the mozzarella.
The Menu
Rocca — Tampa, FL Cuisine: Italian Michelin Star: ⭐ (1 Star) Rating: ⭐⭐⭐½
