“Immigrants, we get the job done!”
So say the Marquis de Lafayette and Alexander Hamilton as they exchange a high five in the new Broadway phenomenon tracing the rise of our “ten-dollar founding father.” Given Donald Trump’s recent immigration diatribes, the audience responds with a hearty laugh. But Lady Liberty’s siren song still attracts dreamers.
Count among that group two young, 20-something French brothers, Tommy and Kevin Gautheron, from Lyon (France’s foodie capital), who follow in their countryman Lafayette’s footsteps, in this instance to embrace Florida sunshine and try their hand at the American Dream.
When Cafe European, opposite the University of Tampa, closed last August, the Gautherons snatched up the space with visions of pizza and French pastry. They renovated, adding Bakers Pride pizza deck ovens and a pool table to lure students across Kennedy Boulevard.
Last March, I reported in depth on my pizza marathon, which surveyed all sorts of pies at 32 locations across the bay; check the CL online archives if you want more arcane details to understand pizza variations. I use the margherita as a touchstone for its simplicity and focus on core elements. There’s simply no place to hide. It’s merely a question of the tang, chew and char of the crust, tomato sauce acidity, creamy mozzarella, and pungent fresh basil.
The thin crust pizza is a generous 12 to 13 inches across, with little edge (the puffy cornicione) — a blank canvas for sauce. Ours looks like a pale watercolor brushed with a thin orange wash, as though the painter were laying down the base for a Florida sunset; it barely registers. It’s topped with very thin slices of fresh mozzarella and a sprig of bright green basil.
The strength of this thin crust is its crisp texture, and although the dough is made fresh daily, there’s no tang or discernible char, so the overall effect is bland, especially with the lack of sauce. While the basil leaves look pretty clustered at the center, your palate wants a bit in every bite. This one, named for the Eiffel Tower, needs an overhaul.
The charcuterie platter of four aged Italian dry meats with flatbread has lots of competition around the region, as there’s been a renaissance for cured meat. By comparison, this plate lacks the flair of many others that offer nuts, fig jam, cornichons, honeycomb and more. Still, it’s a welcome dining option.
More successful is the rustic bread bruschetta with Italian olive oil and herbs. The toppings are fresh, as is the salad, which is included. The restaurant’s menu offers both “build-your-own” bruschetta and thin-crust pizza that share 28 different toppings. The pie starts with tomato or cream sauce, but also lists barbecue, pesto or honey add-ons. In each case, they have five standard combos if making your own proves daunting. Like the aforementioned Eiffel Tower, the pizzas are named after transporting tourist locales close to their native home: Lyon, Paris, St. Tropez and Monaco.
We try Monaco as part of the combo that’s half salad, half pizza. This downsized pizza is oblong and a bit thicker, featuring shredded mozzarella topped with eggplant, caramelized onions, mushrooms, black olives and pesto. It’s a tasty rendition, as is the crisp mixed green salad featuring grilled goat cheese toast, artichokes, prosciutto and black olives. There are also chicken, seafood and Italian salad variations.
Though we pile on lots of ingredients for another build-your-own pie, this time the thin crust has a few burned edges. The cream sauce with multiple add-ons has plenty of flavor, as one might expect. The goal now is to tweak every detail, eliminating the burnt and bland.
The vanilla-lime crème brûlée has a beautiful dark sugar crust, while the creamy custard needs to decide what it wants to be; the vanilla and citrus seem to cancel each other out. But TamPiz’s Facebook page has wonderful pictures of previous items that show high technique. I expect the sweets will be a highlight when the dust settles.
The restaurant carries soft drinks, tea, a few popular bottled beers, and a small group of simple, affordable wines by the glass or bottle. For good or ill, most Americans dine at a quicker rate than the leisurely pace embraced in France. TamPiz is continuing to work out the kinks. At least on my visit, the service was congenial but haphazard, with the brothers juggling food and waiting tables.
Still, I’m pulling for them. They couldn’t be more charming with their guests. My dining companions are totally seduced by the French accents, though it’s the outgoing, friendly charm that makes a lasting impression. My table is ready to follow
them anywhere.
Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system.
This article appears in Jan 28 – Feb 3, 2016.