“Eat, Live, Be Social.” That’s the motto of Tampa newcomer Sociale. After hosting a couple of charity events leading up to its opening, the Italian tapas and pizza bar at 5427 Bayshore Blvd. — where The Bake/Noi formerly operated in Ballast Point — is set to premiere Friday night.
Sociale provides patrons with “a unique take on what going out means,” according to its website.
Driven by classic Italian flavors, the shareable dishes were designed with moderation in mind. Braised short rib with veal demi-glace and polenta, roasted eggplant rollatini with ricotta and mozzarella, and sautéed mussels with Pernod are among the tapas, priced between $6 and $28. But the menu itself is kind of a pain to read, as it features an amalgam of font sizes and styles, brackets and capitalized letters. One Facebook user said it looked like a chemistry equation.
Five offerings, ranging from $10 to $16, are available on the pizza side: margherita, insalata (arugula, capers, prosciutto, shaved Parmesan, balsamic glaze), white, rustica (sausage, pancetta, peppers, onions) and inferno (spicy sausage, pepperoni, pepperoncini). Plus, there’s a build-your-own pie option to accompany the create-your-own pasta.
Guests of Sociale can wash their food down with drafts, bottles and cans of beer, specialty cocktails and a wide array of wine.
