Lilac — Restaurant in Tampa

TL;DR - Don't believe the mediocre reviews, this place is amazing (and probably the best in Tampa for a real fine-dining experience).

I did a lot of research before pulling the trigger on a reservation here. Tampa-based influencers have been flooding my social media feeds with trendy pictures of the new Tampa EDITION hotel touting great food and impressive ambiance, so it surprised me that Lilac, led by Michelin-star chef John Fraser, received so little praise online. I read (literally) every review trying to figure it out, and determined that people either gave it 5/5 for exceptional service and a unique dining experience, or 1/5 for cost and inflexibility in offerings. I took a chance that I would fall in the 5/5 category (I just moved to Tampa from a large metropolitan city so I'm familiar with the true meaning of "overpriced") and I'm so glad I did!

I came on Valentine's Day, sat in the dining room, and was presented with a 5-course pre fixe menu for $175/per person plus a drink menu that offered specialty cocktails for $17-20/per drink (they also had a sommelier that we did not meet because we wanted cocktails). I understand the menu on non-V-day is typically 4-courses for $140, but the choices were nearly identical save for the the additional fifth course of Risotto Invernale (white truffle risotto usually offered as an appetizer for a $95 supplement) that was served between the appetizer and dinner. We ordered:

Set hors d’oeuvres (for both) (there were about 5 small bites, including a lobster pastry, duck liver mousse and pain lyonnais) Spiced Braised Rabbit (for both) Risotto Invernale (for both) Short Rib (for me), Pork Chop (for him) Dark Chocolate Souffle (to share)

Each and every dish was not only delicious, but memorable. The Pain Lyonnais - a simple bread with sweet onions - blew us away with a crispy, caramelized crust and buttery, moist crumb. The Spiced Braised Rabbit came in a large, stuffed pasta pocket about the size of my palm topped with a "parmesan-potato cloud" -- a heavenly heap of potatoes and cheese whipped to light, creamy perfection. The Risotto Invernale was silky savory with a generous portion of white truffle shavings that did not disappoint given the usually high price tag. The Short Rib melted in my mouth in almost absurd fashion--the darkened-sweet pistachio gremolata dissolved into the juicy, tender meat in a way that made me throw my head back and sigh. The Pork Chop was the "best thing I've ever eaten in Tampa" according to my husband (and because I took a bite, I concur it was fabulous). By the end of the meal I was too full to function, but the Souffle was worth stuffing myself a little more for: airy, rich dark chocolate souffle caved in with a long stream of saffron Anglaise, served with gelato and orange marmalade. Chef's kiss!! Unlike another reviewer's disdain for what seems like the overcomplication of simple classics, I felt every flavor complimented each other uniquely and purposefully rather than a cooking experiment gone wrong.

Of course, the service was impeccable and the decor and ambiance of the main room is chic and modern, but also surprisingly warm and comfortable - the bustling kitchen is fully open to the dining room and table settings are minimal (no tablecloths or extensive cutlery and glassware), which was a nice offset to the luscious greenery and impressive light fixtures and drapery framing the small area. It drew a well-dressed crowd (on V-day at least) and most importantly, it didn't feel stuffy despite being a true fine-dining experience.

I have tried a lot of restaurants in Tampa in the 2 years since I moved here, many of which have been "good" or "pretty good". This was the best dinner I've had in Tampa--and worth the...

If you are coming here for a heightened culinary experience with masterful techniques and complex flavors this is not the restaurant. If you want to dine in an hotel lobby with drunk college kids using fake IDs to get into the nightclub upstairs, then this is for you. The food was nothing spectacular for $200 a head, the dishes were not whimsical or creative. The “HORS D’OEUVRES” first course looked like defrosted Costco appetizers. A small loaf of bread, mini croissant, fish puff pastry? No color, no flavor, no excitement. The second course was the best of all, my favorite was the Spanish octopus with pork belly, or the tuna tartar, which were both executed spectacularly with great flavor. The rabbit was interesting. The smoked” scallops were disgusting. How could you use such strong tobacco-like smoke to flavor with delicate sea scallops? The result was the taste of an ashtray with a hint of the sea. The third course was fine, all dishes could be ordered at a high-end steakhouse. I had the lamb chops that were cooked excellently but again, there was nothing that excited me about the dish. The Dover sole was dry, not buttery. The filet was … a filet.. The Duck Au Poivre was the most exciting of all but it wasn’t good enough to keep eating. The dessert course was a complete FAIL. Dark Chocolate Soufflé was far below average. A chocolate souffle has been done time and time again, to include on a menu, it should be perfected.

Caramelized Honey Bombe Was cloying sweet, but if you like white chocolate this dessert may be for you.

Olive Oil Gâteau Taste like a DRY lemon POPPYSEED muffin?

The portion sizes of the desserts were incredibly large aside from the honey bomb. There was no consistency.

Who is their pastry chef?!?! What are they thinking? DISGRACEFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dessert should be playful, not boring but if it is boring it should at least be good.

Now let's talk about the ambiance. Apon arriving we greeted by a belligerent fight that was restrained by the police steps away from where we would be dining. Luckily the plants provided privacy in the dining area. The edition was filled with DRUNK college kids and ladies slurring their words in the bathroom. The attire is club casual, the tighter and more revealing the better. Lingerie as an outfit is a great choice. Ladies, 4 inch heels are the minimum high, please wear your highest pair. Fake IDs are excepted.

I am being exceptionally harsh because of the exceptionally high price tag.

$200 per person the experience should be much better. Please work on the dishes and clean...

We have dined all over the world and try to experience a Michelin star chef in each major city we travel to. So when our hometown finally got a Michelin guide and OpenTable rated Lilac in the top 100 we knew we had to try it.

It is worth noting here that Lilac does have a Michelin star award for service, which was phenomenal. However that was the only thing above mediocre in the entire experience (or lack there of.) We entered The Edition through the main lobby doors. The lobby is filled with "Gram" worthy photo moments but not great signage so we thought we were headed up and boarded the elevator. Upon arrival we realized Lilac was not the same rooftop we all thought it was in fact it is located on the ground floor behind the lobby bar. We were greeted and seated immediately upon arrival. The dining room is small, tight even, considering they prepare a few things tableside. From where we sat you could see the lobby bar which was responsible for a small specialty cocktail list, and even shorter wine by the glass selection, with a very limited list of higher-end spirits. (Timpano in Hyde Park has a separate beverage manager and an impressive spirit offering, Rocca also has an extensive list.) This wasn't a deal breaker but a disappointment for sure. All four of us progressed through an entirely different meal. After Hors D'oeuvres (which are served to the entirety of the table without selection) appetizers of a Dressed Shrimp Cocktail , Diver Scallop, and Spice Braised Rabbit were all good but oddly disproportionate. Entrees chosen were Dover Sole, Swordfish, Short Rib, and the Duck au Poivre all again good but nothing to write home about. Dessert isn't my favorite part of a meal and we were all rather full at this point in the night (it was close to 11pm by this course) so while tasty it wasn't worth clearing the plate and everyone sent most of it away still on the plate. The food was good, well prepared, but didn't overwhelm any of us at any point. Overall the experience was just a miss, they offered no warm towel, the meal took 3 hours, and the Mediterranean just never showed up to the party. It was like the whole menu had an identity crisis, the food was good but not crave able, oddly American without much experimentation. There are several restaurants more enjoyable at or below this price point in Tampa. Michelin star or not we won't be circling back and we definitely won't be...