The Rez Grill at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is set to host an exclusive three-day pop-up event with Celebrity Chef Michelle Bernstein.
The Rez Grill at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is set to host an unforgettable three-day pop-up featuring James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein. From Friday, March 28, through Sunday, March 30, guests will experience the vibrant flavors, handcrafted cocktails and lively ambiance of La Cañita, Bernstein’s acclaimed Latin-Caribbean restaurant concept based in Kendall, Florida.
La Cañita, which translates to "little sugarcane" in Spanish, is a celebration of the rich culinary traditions of Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and beyond. The restaurant first debuted in 2021 at Miami’s Bayside Marketplace before opening its flagship location in Kendall (Miami) in January 2025. The concept brings together bold Latin-Caribbean flavors, island-inspired cocktails and a dynamic nightlife scene featuring live music.
This exclusive pop-up at The Rez Grill will offer a vibrant dining experience inspired by the bold flavors and warm hospitality of La Cañita, featuring dishes prepared in The Rez Grill’s signature woodfire oven, infusing each plate with smoky depth and rich flavor. Guests can also enjoy an elevated cocktail program and lively bar scene, paired with live music throughout the weekend.
Born and raised in Miami of Jewish and Latin descent, Chef Michelle Bernstein (affectionately known to many as “Michy”) has been a culinary trendsetter since her emergence in the late-1990’s. In the years since she has opened some of Miami’s most definitive restaurants, including her beloved Sra. Martinez, the original Michy’s, Café La Trova , a robust catering operation (MBC Catering) and, most recently, La Cañita.
Beyond her ubiquity in the culinary world, she is widely-recognized by virtue of her two television shows, PBS Television’s “Check, Please!” and “SoFLo Taste” on WPLG ABC 10. Her cooking style – celebrated in her cookbook, “Cuisine a Latina” – draws from her taste experiences around the world not to mention her rich culinary cultural heritage. In 2008, she made history as the first woman to win the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Southeast.
Highlights from Chef Bernstein’s pop-up menu, available to order à la carte, will include Prawn Trifongo with yuca-green-ripe plantain, grilled shrimp and red chimichurri; Ricotta Gnocchi with rabo encendido; Cuban Panzanella Salad with toasted Cuban bread, queso blanco, tomato, avocado, and mojo vinaigrette; and for dessert, a Passion Fruit Tres Leches.
Specialty cocktails include the Mojito Criollo, a refreshing blend of rum, lime juice, sugar, mint, soda water, and bitters; the Disco Inferno, a bold mix of reposado tequila, passion fruit, and spicy agave; the Domino OF, a rich combination of rum, rye whiskey, demerara, and chocolate bitters; and La Cañita, a tropical fusion of classic rum, banana liqueur, guava, strawberry, and lime.
During the pop-up, The Rez Grill will also offer some of its signature selections including Maryland crab cakes; Benton's Ham; and Prime-Bone-In Ribeye. Additional cocktail specials will include Lychee Martini; Rum Runner, Espresso Martini; Spicy Ginger Rita and Rezzie or Not mocktail with guava nectar, prickly pear puree and ginger beer.
The Rez Grill is located on the mezzanine level of the casino at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, accessible from the Orient Road Garage. For reservations or more information, please call(813) 627-8120 or visit casino.hardrock.com.
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