Photo courtesy of St. Petersburg Foodies.
By Mahika Kukday
Local coffee favorite, Bandit Coffee, announced its first prix-fixe dinner event of 2024, with tickets selling out within a day. The event, and its feverish popularity, are part of the coffee shop’s ongoing rebrand.
The monthly community tasting dinners began in June of last year, according to Bandit’s Instagram, with the last one being on Oct. 19. The fifth installment of Head Chef Ben Pomales’ prix-fixe dinners delivered a uniquely relaxing community-oriented spin on a sophisticated eight-course tasting menu.
“It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, right?”
Pomales explained his desire to cater to people of all tastes, fashion senses, and culinary attitudes. He said that he wanted to provide a casual space where one could come to do something different and enjoy an elevated meal.
“To wear a suit and try to act like something we’re not, that makes no sense in this space,” he said.
It’s vital to note that this is unlike the typical upscale dinner.
In lieu of the sleek and often sterile dining rooms associated with Michelin-quality food, Pomales’ tasting dinners are hosted at a 12-seater community table in the middle of Bandit.
The event is open to the public, and strangers gather in the familiar environment of their favorite coffee shop to enjoy an elevated meal.
This is an important distinction to make, as according to local cuisine connoisseur Kevin Godbee St. Petersburg locals may be reluctant to visit a fancier, gourmet eatery.
“Being in Florida, the land of vacations, fun and casualness, the term ‘fine dining’ is not a favorite of some restauranteurs here as they are concerned it might make their establishment unapproachable to some potential customers,” Godbee wrote for the blog St. Petersburg Foodies
Though he is not a formally trained ‘Chef,’Godbee has taken classes from elite institutes like the Culinary Institute of America, and is also the co-owner and writer of St. Petersburg Foodies.
“I think the reputation of St. Petersburg has not caught up to the reality, some people still think of St. Petersburg like it was 10 years ago,” said Godbee when asked about his views on the city’s food scene.
The culinary enthusiast has been in St. Petersburg for over 14 years, and firmly believes that contrary to somewhat-popular opinion, Tampa does not have the better food scene.
However, Godbee recognizes that the Tampa Bay area as a whole is gaining traction as an emerging culinary hotspot. This is mostly due to the first-ever Michelin stars awarded to three Tampa restaurants in May 2023.
“When I first moved to downtown St. Pete, I used to tell people that in a one-block radius, I could walk to like two or three restaurants. Now I’d have to triple that number.”
While the offerings have increased and somewhat diversified, Godbee said that there is still progress to be made in terms of ethnic cuisine choices.
Now spearheading Bandit’s kitchen, Chef Pomales attended the Culinary Institute of America immediately after graduating from high school in Tampa, in 2012. Post-culinary training, he was hired at the Rooster and the Till, where he stayed for six years.
During the pandemic, Pomales hosted private dinners for small groups out of his apartment. This was when cooking “became fun again” for him, he said.
The Kitchen Lead at Bandit is Chef Adrianna Siller, who is also Pomales’ partner. Referring to Siller’s Mexican heritage and his own appreciation of global food values, Pomales said he respects the sharing-style, family aspect of dining from various cultures.
These influences were prevalent in the menu on Oct. 19.
Ingredients one would expect to see at an expensive gastronomic experience were featured wonderfully, such as uni and confit duck. However, the sixth course was what set this menu apart from an average ‘fancy dinner,’ so to speak, and cemented itself in values of humility, joy and family.
The sixth course featured three different cuts and preparations of beef – suadero (from the belly region), barbacoa (from the cheek) and costillas (short ribs). The meats were set out on two large sharing platters, accompanied by various classic taco toppings, house-made sauces and fresh tortillas.
At this point in the evening, as the diners settled into the atmosphere, they exchanged life stories and mini-reviews of each course as it was delivered. Piping hot tortillas were passed around, tacos dripping with sauce were eagerly shovelled down, and satisfied, amusing looks were shared between strangers.
Each course featured high-quality ingredients that were expertly manipulated to create a luxurious meal. Simultaneously, nostalgia and warmth were prominent themes in courses like the ‘Flaming Hot Masa Cheeto’ and ‘Choco Taco.’
“When we sat down, I told them I want to break rules. I don’t care the stifling, stagnant rules of fine eating; I want tasty food that I can eat with my freaking hands,” said Chef Michael Roberts of Wild Child on initial planning for the menu.
Roberts mentioned that he never formally trained, but has been cooking seriously for a decade.
“I can probably cook you 30 different cuisines, and I’d say I’m proficient at about 15 and extremely proficient at five or six,” he said.
This deep fascination with global cuisines and strong intrinsic yearning to cook bold, eclectic food is Roberts’ self-proclaimed identity.
He is currently Chef de Cuisine at Wild Child, one of St. Petersburg’s most celebrated restaurants.
At Bandit’s tasting dinners, a safe space is created for enthusiasts of cuisine to enjoy a sophisticated meal and connect with fellow foodies, without the out-of-reach, affected air that often scares people away in a Michelin-star location.
“We want Bandit to say ‘Coffee | Restaurant | Bakery’,” Pomales commented on the coffee shop’s rebrand. He said that the location is heading towards a concept shift, with regular private dinners, consistently high-quality product, and more in the works.
Bandit soft-launched their brand’s new identity on Instagram in November, with an eclectic new logo and creative theming. Funky, hand-drawn illustrations – often featuring their love of raccoons – is prominent on their new merchandise and menu.
Since then, the local favorite has launched a new menu and appeared at both Indie Flea markets that have happened since November.
The tasting dinner on Oct. 19 was priced at $125 without the wine pairing option, which was an additional $40.
While that was the last dinner of the year, Pomales said they will make a return in 2024. Information about tickets and dates for additional events can be found on the Bandit Instagram.
