To preface; my wife and i have dined at about a dozen Michelin star restaurants across NY, DC, and Chicago. Mostly one stars, but one two star slotted in there. However, Tampa is our home. So the growth of the culinary scene here is exciting.
I think what they’re doing at Koya is really special. And to be doing it at a 9 seat, sort-of-hybrid-omakase in an otherwise very unassuming space is even more unbelievable – given that Tampa really only sort of “arrived” as a culinary destination in the last couple years (Koya opened in 2020).
We went here for my wife’s birthday and opted for the tasting menu, which was $225 per person. She got the wine and sake pairing, which was an extra $150. I am not a big alcohol drinker, so i didn’t (i probably have max 2-3 alcoholic drinks a month).
Was it the best meal I’ve ever had? I don’t think so. But there was an inventiveness, an innovation of ingredients and flavor combinations that i can’t say I’ve experienced anywhere else recently.
Standouts to me were the uni starter; the flavor balance was just perfect. The richness of the uni, the slight subtle sweetness and tartness of the apple…if i could conjure the “perfect” bite in my head, this flavor combination was pretty damn close.
The Kinoko and Nori (img #10), despite being by far the least “pretty” dish, was absolutely lovely. The gamtae seaweed was a pleasant textural surprise. The mushrooms were cooked well. At the end of the meal, the staff asked everyone what their favorite dish was, and 3 of the 9 people there that night listed this one as their favorite.
The shima aji was so unusual in flavor and texture – i will be thinking about that piece of nigiri every time i have sushi for the next 6 months.
And finally the salted banana caramel. The flavor combination with the caviar – delightful. Caviar on a dessert; maybe it’s an obvious combination for some, but it was still paired perfectly here.
Almost all the dishes (with the exception of the Wagyu) were prepared, or at least assembled in front of us at the counter. Which made for great theater and banter with the chefs.
Now on to the down sides. Despite the server/chefs being very upbeat and attentive, you could definitely tell the two younger chefs lacked the polish you would expect at a traditional Michelin experience. We saw a couple courses go out with small smears, smudges, or bits of collateral food spill on the plate. Attempts were made to wipe off or clean the plates, but not always to success.
The mackerel nigiri that i enjoyed so much…the chef actually knocked it over as he was placing it on my plate, causing the fanning of mackerel slices to slide sort of off-kilter. Rather than remaking the piece of nigiri (which i think would be a reasonable expectation), the chef simply adjusted/reassembled it on the plate, which is obviously a no-no.
Some of the food and plating combos didn’t necessarily work: the oyster shell bowl sort of slid around on the base plate underneath it. The duck was a bit difficult to slice and manage in the “crumbled paper” plate it came in.
And finally – i know i probably sound pretentious and entitled AF saying this. But they have you pre pay for your meal. Our meal, including tip, ended up being close to $800. At the restaurant itself, i ordered a Sprite about halfway through the meal because i was craving something bubbly. As we were getting up to leave, the server grabbed me to give me my bill for…$4. It was a little odd to me. I understand they have a protocol in place, but it seemed a little off to me to run after me with a $4 check when we had prepaid for an $800 dinner. It’s not like i got a $30 glass of wine. Maybe I’m just being a bit of a brat.
Anyway, local gossip is they’re gunning hard for a second star. They supposedly want to be the first in Tampa. I think they have a way to go to get there. While i cannot stress the slight lack of polish and plating really did not take anything away from my enjoyment of the meal – those are the small touches that obviously take a restaurant from one to two star territory. Would i dine here consistently for $800? Even if i was a millionaire and money was no object…probably not. I feel like a reasonable ceiling for this meal was probably in the $600 range. Just my opinion.
Overall, definitely worth it to try if you’re in Tampa. Innovative, quality, unique ingredients. Tons of thought and care go into the menu and the flavors. IMO probably the best restaurant in Tampa right now. But at the same time, still looking for the level of polish that other cities with more restaurant experience obviously have.
by Tropical_Jesus