CUAISR ITNE
AN EXCEPTIONAL EXPERIENCE
Ava Inspirato Italiano
By Margaret Word Burnside and Aaron R. Fodiman
Photography by Gram
This whole wood-grilled fish at Ava is a special treat that
MAY/JUNE 2019 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 171
If you like Italian food, you will love
Ava’s new twists on classic dishes. If
you are not a fan of Italian cuisine, be
prepared to change your mind. Even
the pizza here is different from what you
are accustomed to having. Baked in an
imported 800-degree wood-fired oven for
a minute-and-a-half from sour dough that
has spent three days rising, and topped
with quality products, the pizza at Ava
has a flavorful chewiness that will spoil
you for what you can find elsewhere. Their
rustic Italian pastas are hand-rolled and
cooked al dente.
This comfortable, eclectically designed
space has something for everyone and
is the brainchild of restaurateur Michael
Stewart and his good friend, baseball
legend Joe Maddon. It is little wonder
that Ava seems to have been created to
satisfy everyone from young hipsters to
mature sports fans.
The menu begins with a bevy of starters
such as pei mussels or crispy pork belly
that makes choosing one or two a difficult
task, as they all sound so tempting. We
chose the wood-roasted vegetables and
the shrimp scampi. Each was a perfect
rendition of what we expected, only better.
Another great way to begin your meal
here is with one of their salumi and cheese
platters. They are special because of the
quality of each ingredient, particularly
the salumi that is made in-house in their
custom curing chamber. They also offer
five salads, so we ordered the roasted beet
and orange, and an apple and walnut, both
of which “hit it out of the park” to use a
Maddon phrase.
The remainder of the offerings ranged
from great steaks that are butchered in
house for maximum flavor and freshness
to traditional rustic Italian items such
as chicken or eggplant Parmesan, or a
combination of the two that Maddon
claims as his favorite. We had the
handmade in-house Bucatini pasta with
a decadent oxtail sauce, or what some call
“gravy,” and a whole wood-fired fish that
was perfectly prepared and easy to eat.
Our server was one of those psychics who
seemed to know exactly what to bring us
and when. We never had to ask for extra
plates or silverware since they were always
there when we needed them. Thankfully,
our server would not let us leave until
we tried several desserts, one from the
menu and two chocolate concoctions that
were specials for the evening. Wow! Each
was sensational. Despite having already
eaten so much, we sat and enjoyed every
bite until the three desserts were gone.
Relaxed and ready to return home, we
discussed when we would return to Ava,
even before leaving the table. Ava stands
out for both its creativity and its adherence
to traditional tastes and flavors. We can’t
wait to return. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Ava Inspirato Italiano is
located at 718 S. Howard Ave. just south of
Swann Avenue in Tampa, (813) 512-3030,
avatampa.com.
demonstrates the extraordinary skill of its chef.