Restaurant Week Redeemed – Dinner at Rocca

I was once a fan of Restaurant Week. I would eagerly await the release of the list of participating restaurants and then assiduously comb the list selecting those restaurants I would visit during RW. I had some great meals – Mistral, Radius – and not so great – Aquitaine. Yet, over the years, the thrill diminished –  RW began to seem like an overworked gimmick. And I was never able to get a reservation for a civilized dining time at the former flagship of the grupo. However, when Katrin mentioned a visit to Rocca which would also provide a chance to spend time with Rodney who was back for a brief State-side visit, I was eager to once again head out for RW. My interest in going to Rocca was sparked by Devra First’s laudatory review in “The Globe” of the restaurant and its new chef, Tiffani Faison. I knew that Tiffani had been on a food show but since my interest in food TV is confined to the classics – reruns of  ”The French Chef” and “Jacques and Julia” – I didn’t know which one, nor very much care;  the proof of a chef’s ability and palate isn’t on TV but on the plate in front of me. It was time to sample Tiffani’s talents.After a well crafted cocktail mixed by the most genial bartender in Rocca’s soaring, glass-walled bar, we were escorted upstairs for dinner. Restaurant Week provided Rocca with a great opportunity to capitalize on the review in “The Globe”, which they did. During RW, the dining room was entirely devoted to the RW menu - there was no hassle trying to get a reservation for one of the often limited number of tables other restaurants set aside for RW diners.

The menu was extensive and followed the Italian custom of antipasti, primi, secondi and dolci; yes – four courses, not the usual three. We each ordered separate dishes for a total of twelve items from which to gauge the work going on in the kitchen. I plied our server with questions about Chef Faison and she couldn’t say enough good things about her. When a hostess stopped by our table to ask about our meal, I gently interrogated her about the chef. Again, nothing but praise. And we ourselves were suitably impressed with Tiffani’s cuisine. It was a wonderful dinner – the dishes were all well thought out and executed -   restoring my interest in Restaurant Week. Visit Rocca and see for yourself that Tiffani Faison is not just a one-time contestant on a reality food show, but the real thing.

Tagged as: Restaurant Week, Rocca Restaurant and Bar, Tiffani Faison