It's interesting to see Taps and Rawbar anchoring adjacent corners of downtown Tampa's Skypoint building. Both are owned by the same man — James DeVito — and both are attempts to fill niches in downtown Tampa nightlife. The jury's still out as to whether DeVito is meeting a need, or creating one in a "build it and they will come" moment, but the results are shockingly different at the two joints.
Taps always seemed unfocused, a beer bar with lounge aspirations. DeVito's brand new Rawbar is entirely different, the concept distilled to the bare essentials, which are then taken to extremes. It's a Miami scene bar built around an updated sushi menu, the decor almost self-consciously hip, the entire package almost veering into poseur territory. Almost.
Rawbar's black-on-black decor is displayed in shades of charcoal and levels of gloss, the aesthetic extended to the gray-on-gray bathrooms. There are splashes of red in the long banquette separating the dining room and lounge from the bar, but otherwise the walls, chairs, staff and tables all mesh into a seamless mass at night, leaving the customers as the decor. That works well enough, but this isn't Miami so there's no quality control officer manning the front door.
The food, is another story entirely. Instead of the repetitive palette of the interior design, chef Naohiro Higuchi dips his brush into every conceivable culinary pot available. And having worked at high-end spots from Miami to Monte Carlo, he has the chops to tie it all together.
That said, some of Higuchi's sushi styling takes a little getting used to. You won't find the typical list of kitschily titled makimono at Rawbar; instead there are a few classics and a some innovative creations. Like a salmon roll laced with basil and topped by bright tomato concasse and a parmigiano cracker. So what if the flavors never come together, and fully overpower the fish — at least it's interesting. Better is the more subtle and composed scallop roll dressed with a tease of white truffle and a side of rich plum sauce.
Higuchi gives even the more common compositions surprising touches, like a side of spiced peanut sauce with a simple roll of rice and fried shrimp. Those straightforward rolls are also where you see the chef's exceptional talent for sushi construction, each piece tight and uniform, each flavor structured to appear according to his formula. The sushi and sashimi are even more impressive, if only because the fantastic quality of Rawbar's fish has a chance to shine.
Sounds great, doesn't it? Funny thing is, Rawbar is even better when you glance past the sushi. Higuchi's array of hot and cold plates are a joy to read, and fun to eat. Thin slices of hamachi are tossed with jalapeno and red onion, sections of sweet yuzu and a dressing accented by bright ponzu in a kind of Japanese ceviche. Yellowtail is given a more technical treatment, each slice topped by a pile of gelatinized soy sauce cut into tiny cubes. They simultaneously burst and melt as they hit the heat of your mouth, spreading in a salty slick across the fish.
Everything at Rawbar is pushed a little — or a lot — further than at other Tampa Japanese spots, like seaweed salad featuring four profoundly different species of greens, glistening fried shishito peppers dotted by tender flakes of sea salt, or crunchy balls of fried sushi rice on top of decadent edamame puree.
Although the food is obviously the star here, Rawbar is also designed to develop a hip, young lounge crowd. The sidewalk in front of the restaurant is topped by an astroturf area rug and chunky plastic club chairs and couches. Cocktails are forward thinking, with Restaurant BT-style ingredients like lychee, yuzu and yamamomo combined with a bit more refined subtlety. Servers — when you can see them move amidst the black-on-black background — are solicitous, cheery and seem to have bought into Rawbar's potential. That's always a good sign at a new restaurant.
But, not as good as all the other excellent things Rawbar has going for it, mostly thanks to relocating chef Naohiro Higuchi from Miami. Although I often decry the ever ebullient optimism of downtown mixed-use development proponents, I may change my tune. Rawbar might be the type of destination spot that introduces the joys of downtown living to commuter types, just like they've always dreamed of.
This article appears in Jun 24-30, 2009.