When I read restaurant recommendations for the downtown St. Petersburg area, everyone insisted on Ceviche. Ceviche is a Spanish tapas restaurant with three different dining experiences depending on your preference. We opted for the outdoor patio complete with wrought iron tables, chairs and umbrellas. It was 9:45pm when we finally got out to our dinner destination so there was concern that we might not even get to sample the acclaimed menu. Good news! They take their last tables in this side of the restaurant at 10 and we made it just in time. While the tapas we sampled were well constructed I was disappointed (again) with the standard of service and knowledge of local fish by the wait staff. The disappointment appeared again at dessert, but we will talk about that in a minute. 
Good news! We made it for "Tapas Tuesday" and I love a deal! $4 for the tapas menu and deals on Sangria as well. My foodie friend and I chose three small plates (tapas) but again hesitated to order fish due to the server's minimal knowledge of fresh fish on the menu. In a waterfront community such as St. Petersburg should we not expect a well respected restaurant such as Ceviche to educate their staff on the important aspects of the menu? Maybe it is just my own journey to find local food but in my experience as a part time Florida resident that locals know what their local fish are and if it is served on the menu.
The first pleasant surprise was fresh bread loaf with in house made pesto, wonderfully fragrant and herb filled pesto! The deep green blend was submerged in a pool of the kind of olive oil you want to dip your bread in, not the kind you find in a store brand label. And this pesto was no bottled pesto either! Right away a bright citrus flavor balanced the basil and oregano but what were the other herbs inside! I spread the blend on the bread to smell, taste and further inspect but could not identify all the flavors. One of the many wait staff that assisted at our table (which was a bit confusing and inconsistent) was able to tell us the pesto included not just cilantro but thyme as well. Very well done! Wonderful pesto!
Espinacas arrived first, lightly sauteed spinach with figs, honey, roasted red pepper and garlic- and onion which was not listed in the menu. The spinach alone is underwhelming but when you can construct a bite with each ingredient then the dish melds well and the flavors come through.
Next Croquetas de Bacalo which is a dish I will attempt to recreate in the Nutrisha Test kitchen. A flattened cod filet dipped in a bechamel, rolled and deep fried. The interior is creamy with the light and flaky fish and does not require the marinara style sauce that comes on the side.
The final arrival Patatas Bravas which looked like homefries covered in nacho sauce, not the delivery expected. For the visual component this dish could have use some green, such as a sprinkle of chives or parsley. The potatoes were cooked well, lightly crisped and cubed well. The house made avioli was rich and indulgent so the paprika and red pepper helped to slow down consumption.
The biggest disappointment in a much anticipated meal was the dessert. A three layered mouse with white, milk and dark chocolate mousse topped with white chocolate sauce on a whipped cream bed. The fresh berry combination offered a light and tart break from the richness of the mousse, however the plate on which is was served was a little large for the amount of food presented. Yes that all sounds wonderful but the mousse was freezer or refrigerator burned and was either stored incorrectly or too long prior to service.
Given the reviews I read of this establishment I was further disappointed when the server we told about the dessert mistake offered a response of "Aww oh no, I'm sorry" but never an offer to take the plate or remove the expense from the bill. In letting her know about the problem I was not seeking any free deals but in hindsight it is restaurant ethic to make good on a clearly fumbled service such as this dessert. The second person that asked about the meal and we also let him know of the dessert issue asked if it was taken off the bill but did not offer any other compensation when he found out that it was not. Again, I was not seeking any free food but after knowing the restaurant and service industry I do know that more should have been done to make good on the complaint.
Both diners ordered unsweet tea for our beverages and I found out later in the evening after asking the brand of tea, because it tasted flavored, that is was actually a tea concentrate from a soda gun and not true unsweet tea, again, not expected from this restaurant's reputation. Overall I was really looking forward to this meal and will hope I can assume that the mediocre service was due to our late arrival but know as a food service veteran that the evening did not meet the standards one would expect from this restaurant. I look forward to trying Ceviche again and offering a more positive review in the future.
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