Bill_H

Adding on to your points about the chef coming to check on your happiness and the miraculously replaced napkin, I always enjoy: 1) The waiter greeting us by name 2) Dark/Light napkins matched to the clothes we're wearing 3) Little surprises like amuse's (if that's the plural ) even when not eating off a tasting menu 4) Waitstaff who have sampled everything on the menu and can offer recommendations with panache and rationale 5) Proper etiqutte in service (right/left, scraping crumbs, etc) 6) I really like it when everyone is served their main courses in unison by as many servers are required to pull it off. 7) A cheese course and fine apertifs. There are many specific things depending on the specific restaurant and cuisine, but in general any establishment can raise it's classy factor by adding the above.

Thanks for the look man, I actually worked with Chef Blitz a few years ago when he was a guest chef at Disney, and I was a prep guy intern. His stuff seemed ok, but I am going to have to check it out. That is awesome about the skate, I am going to have to take you up on that offer, Tampa seems like a nice place, I driven though I think twice since moving in April. Bill, thanks for the look also, and welcome to the forum!! I did do a short stint at Seasons working there, as I am personal friends w/ the former Exec. Chef who they canned, and I wasn't impressed with anything. I was able to walk into the restaurant, and w/out any training kick half of the line cooks butts off of the line (needless to say, half of them were my students, a bunch of good guys, but not a ton of skill, then again, how much skill can you add into something when there are 35,000 worth of business to be done a night?) K I wasn't impressed w/ at all, except for thier sellection fo cheese (which I am wondering where they get). I did have the tuna trio, and me and my companion who went with me did not order the fillet, but to be truthfull, I am pretty sick of filet. I would rather have a Ribeye.... anyway, the plates at K were very dungy, as if someone had rubbed the gray stuff on teh bottoms of sheetpans on them, so I was pretty turned off by the china to begin with, and if that didn't do it, the big "K" of siracha on teh rim of the plate was the deal breaker. Still haven't gotten over to Primo or to NOrmans, which again, I do have plans to do soon (I am now working mornings, easier to eat out that way!), but until then, I don't think my idea of great local cuisine is going to change... nonexistent!! BTW, I had BBQ at BubbaLou's (sp?) the other day off of Conroy and Kirkman, and it was fair to good. Definatly not as good as Capitol Q's in DC!!!!! Merry Christmass from a COLD AND SNOWY Maine ← I called to find out where K gets their cheese, turns out they order it from Artisinal in NYC. They're online site is pretty spiffy, but I was surprised that's where they got their cheese from - Norman's has a better cheese selection and more knowledgable staff to help with selections. As far as your opinion of the local cuisine, you certainly seem to be a tough judge, so I'll leave you to your opinion. But to others that may view this topic, I do recommend trying the places I mentioned - I think you'll enjoy your meal there. I have often been accused of being a "positivist", so I tend to look for the good in my experiences (whether dining, travel, movies, etc). So if you're a tough critic, you might take my recommendations with a grain of salt, but if you have an open mind and a good attitude, I think you can find some positive dining experiences here. I find it the biggest problem with people who move to Florida. YOU DON'T LIVE UP NORTH ANYMORE. THINGS ARE DIFFERENT HERE. GET OVER IT OR GO HOME. Just kidding. But remember, Tony's the chef, I'm just an "eater"

I realize this is a somewhat lapsed topic, but I just joined yesterday and I thought I'd add my two cents. We dined at Norman's about 9 months ago, and although we enjoyed the food (and they had the best cheese selection in Orlando), we were quite disappointed in the atmosphere. We were seated around the central hub, which is ringed with a bench and a series of 2-top and 4-top tables and accompanying facing chairs. Because of the circular nature of the seating, those on the benches are basically right on top of the diners at the next table. My wife and I had the misfortune of sitting next to a nosy couple who not only listened in on our conversations, but also felt the need to comment on them and on our food as it arrived ("Ooh, that looks good, I should've gotten that....", and "I don't know HOW you can eat cheese after such a filling meal and before dessert!" ). Add to this the nature of it being a convention hotel, and you also have large groups on expense accounts getting loudly inebriated through out the larger tables in the dining room. I agree with the local food critic that Norman's offers some of the best food in Central Florida, but for the level of restaurant it is we prefer to go somewhere we can have a little privacy and some peace and quiet to enjoy our meal and my birthday....alone! We'll tolerate tight dining quarters in Manhattan or Paris, but not in Sprawlville Orlando. Now, for some recommendations for Tony to try out. I'm not surpirsed you were disappointed by the choices you have already tried, especially the HIGHLY overrated Seasons 52. And some of the others you pooh-poohed are hit-and-miss - if you get the right entrees (the filet or the tuna trio at K for instance), you'll likely be happy. What this area lacks in consistency. That said, try the following: Chatham's Place - BEHIND the Sand Lake Road Restaurant Row area - been there for years and it's our favorite place Cedar's - Lebanese food on Restaurant Row Memories of India - Also in the Sand Lake area Hanamizuki - Japanese worth braving I-Drive traffic Julianna's (I think, it's a new name) - in College Park, used to be Edgewater Grille, hurricane blew down the sign and he changed the name Shari - slick downtown sushi joint Boheme - in the the Downtown Westin Bohemian - revisted it recently and had a fantastic meal with exceptional service - much improved Le Bon Appetit - little French place in Ocoee/Winter Garden Taquitos Jalisco - dive Mexican place on West Colonial in Winter Garden Le Coq Au Vin - surprised you were unimpressed - has the best reputation in town, but it is country French, nothing too ambitious. Chez Vincent - in Winter Park, nice little menu in a bisto setting Anyway, try a few of these, since I noticed they had not been mentioned by others. Perhaps your palate is more developed than ours, but we enjoy these places as much as most of what we ate when we lived in NYC.