Treasure Island is a sleepy beach town with an endless strip of oceanfront resorts and vacation rentals. John's Pass Village is a quaint section with a boardwalk full of seafood restaurants, souvenir shops, an ice cream shop every two doors, and even a salt water taffy store with more than one hundred flavors. I had fun filling a bag with flavors such as Mojito, Egg nog, and Belgian Waffle.
Nearby, the Tampa/St. Petersburg area sparkles with city life that includes some top of the line restaurants. Haven is the sister of iconic Bern's Steakhouse, which I learned requires almost a month of advance reservation. Not getting in was a disappointment that turned into a blessing. Haven delivered an unforgettable tenth anniversary meal for Hubby and me. In fact, with their cheese cellar and cheese bar, I do believe this restaurant may be the mother ship I've been waiting for to take me to the cheese planet where I belong.
Haven's phenomenal team of Chad Johnson and Courtney Orwig, Executive Chef and Chef de Cuisine, respectively, does mediterranean cuisine with precision and care. Their service is inspired by Spanish tapas where almost all dishes are small, and you tailor a menu for everyone at the table to enjoy. We created the most delectable charcuterie plate worthy of the greatest sensualist. Along with Iberico ham, in my opinion the best ham in the world, we had Finocchiona fennel salami, Prima Donna Gouda, a mild and triple creamy Brillat Savarin from France, and Cambozola blue cheese from Germany. The plate came with glazed California almonds, Cornichons, Medjool date puree, fruit chutney, and seedless red grapes.
To go with this voluptuous beginning, I ordered a Pool Boy, a potion containing Soul cachaça, coconut liqueur, blackberry-mint shrub, coconut salted caramel, and lime, which added a hint of tartness to the drink, but it didn't deter from the refreshing and subtle sweetness. John ordered a Legacy 4, a bourbon barrel aged IPA beer in a rich amber color. He expected the bold flavor to leave a slight bitter aftertaste, but he found it acceptable.
By the time our entrees arrived, I was already in love with the surroundings, the impeccable service, and the quality of the meats and cheeses. I could hardly wait for the next course. I ordered the Israeli salad, a refreshing yet rich combination of couscous and chopped cucumbers and tomatoes dressed in extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice. John ordered the colossal Miso Glazed Dry-Aged (for weeks) Ribeye with gloriously sauteed maitake mushrooms and tomatoes. The meat was gently touched by a tamarind, red wine, garlic, ginger, and brown sugar sauce. If this steak is a preview of what to expect at Bern's, I can hardly wait to pay them a visit.
As time for dessert approached, I began to get a little sad, not something I usually feel in expectation of sweets. But I knew this delicious evening was coming to an end, and I didn't want to leave. I cheered up quickly, though, when the Dirt Pie arrived, an adorable mason jar with three levels of chocolate intensity, including dark chocolate cremeaux, milk chocolate mousse, topped with coffee "soil", a mint leaf growing out of it, and its own denizen, a gummy worm. I dare you not to smile in the presence of such cuteness.
It's possible that you can forget nine out of ten meals you eat. You will never forget the Haven experience. And to punctuate the top-notch service at this establishment, after dessert, the bartender delivered glasses of champagne to toast our anniversary. Haven is class all the way!
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