TerrelK

We always go to the Norwegian restaurant at the Norwegian pavillion in Epcot for the herring. I like it better now that the hot dishes are ordered and not left sitting out on the buffet. But, it's really a waste, if you love herring as we do, to have anything but the herring and other fish specialities (gravlax!!!) on the cold buffet. We went to the bar at Todd English's Bluezoo in the Dolphin hotel one night and had bar food that was excellent. (Mediterranean) Would like to try the spit-roasted fish sometime. If you want an adventure, find out if the Branch Ranch in Plant City is still in operation. It had huge southern comfort dishes (fried chicken, ham) and lots of sides including, but not limited to, homemade strawberry jam and beaten biscuits that could float off the plate (slather with butter and then jam).

Sapore in Fort Myers is quite good -- on Summerlin near Winkler. Sasse's on Evans avenue is good. And, just written up in the New York Times -- don't miss Norman Love's chocolate factory & store near the airport. Curiously the Fort Myers News Press had an article about chocolate in NY while the NYT had an article about chocolate makers with Norman Love at the top of the list. The store also has coffees and pastries. Norman Love was the executive chef for the Ritz Carlton hotels before opening his chocolate factory. The chocolate is fantastic and the creations are artworks as well. PS If your staying on Sanibel, Riviera and La Dolce Vita are good. Timbers fish market has the freshest fish to sell.

Sapore in Fort Myers is quite good -- on Summerlin near Winkler. Sasse's on Evans avenue is good. And, just written up in the New York Times -- don't miss Norman Love's chocolate factory & store near the airport. Curiously the Fort Myers News Press had an article about chocolate in NY while the NYT had an article about chocolate makers with Norman Love at the top of the list. The store also has coffees and pastries. Norman Love was the executive chef for the Ritz Carlton hotels before opening his chocolate factory. The chocolate is fantastic and the creations are artworks as well. PS If your staying on Sanibel, Riviera and La Dolce Vita are good. Timbers fish market has the freshest fish to sell.

I have lived in Ft. Myers, NY and Seattle and there's no doubt the big cities have the best restaurants, but I do think FL is improving. If you want a real culinary treat of the chocolate variety go to Norman Love's chocolate factory & store near the Ft. Myers airport. We always assumed the food was so bad in SW FL because midwesterners came here while people from the East Coast went to Miami.

Fresh Market in the Bell Tower shopping mall is excellent. The best fish I have bought has been at Timbers on Sanibel -- out of the way. The farmer's market is now too far afield for me. I don't remember their ever having fish.

Rose's is excellent. The foodstore part has great cheese, a huge wine selection and terrific baked goods. The restaurant part has made to order thin crust pizza and other daily selections. It is a counter space with an open kitchen and tables and chairs - bistro style. Other excellent restaurants on Orcas: Sunflower cafe in the Outlook Inn (Jim Bean fried oysters!) Callaloo - Caribbean food -- terrific spare ribs. Christina's -- upstairs restaurant with view of Eastsound. Fresh seafood appetizers, always excellent salmon and steak. Ship Bay Inn - on road to Rosario's out of Eastsound. Great view and excellent food -- homemade ice cream. Probably avoid Rosario's this weekend due to Subaru Primal Quest race "prologue." The Artworks and Olga Cafe combines local artists and good food. Chef has changed but food seems to remain excellent -- salmon, of course. If you are from the area you will know that it's hard to find bad salmon, but Christina's and Ship Bay have excellent halibut and other fish as well.

Thank you for your recommendations. We do tend toward ethnic places (we moved here to Orcas from NYC). You have given us alot of choices. I was hoping a university area would have alot of ethnic places. Thanks again. I love Orcas restaurants, but they are not ethnic.

We are going to be staying in the University District near the end of Sept. Recommendations, please?

Just for the record, my husband is a burger chaser and he has tried the Wollensky burger and pronounced it not worth the money. (Should be crispy on outside edges.)

Just back from Orcas Island and have to let those on the way know that The Inn at Shipyard Bay restaurant is now fantastic. The chef from Rosario Resort, Geddus Martin, has leased the restaurant and is now free of the constraints of working for a hotel chain organization. The dining room is beautiful as well and now the outdoor porch and lawn area are being used. Had nothing but great meals there (four of us). Seafood is prime -- seafood stew, salmon, scallops, halibut. Everything cooked perfectly. And I usually find halibut and salmon pretty pedestrian. Desserts are delicious as well -- one memorable blueberry ice cream that must have been made on the premises. There are other excellent restaurants on Orcas -- Christina's, Sunflower, but we returned to the Inn at Shipyard Bay many times. (Christina's deck on the Eastsound Bay with a moon shining on the water makes an evening special too.)

I remember Taylor Pork roll sandwiches from a little spot on the Atlantic City boardwalk. By the time we got them down to the beach they had a little sand in them (for fiber) and we washed them down with birch beer. Nothing since has ever been as great a lunch. (It was a woody, dark place with split log benches on the side.) Lebanon bologna & spam -- good grief!

I think I might try adding pancetta-embossed chicken to sausage, red peppers, onions & herbs for a new version of chicken scarpariello.

The Sunflower Cafe in Eastsound is Usually great. (But, there are good days and not as good days.) Rosario Resort may/may not be open, but it has a great chef (unless he's disappeared, and excellent bar food). (On Orcas things seem to be in flux frequently). Christine's an "upstairs" restaurant in Eastsound is also usually excellent and has bar food as well. The Starfish in Deer Harbor is also excellent. All these restaurants have irregular hours at this time of year. Personally I love Orcas Cafe in the late afternoon after a long walk. Despite being hippie it has terrific cooks. Hope for the modified Moroccan chicken potpie thing. Would vote for Orcas Cafe over Orcas Store -- too too special.

I haven't tried this with canned corn beef, but I do make it with packaged corn beel. Simmer the corned beef in water to cover with more pickling spice added for 5 hours. Should be very tender. Score the fat on top and add a mixture of brown sugar, mustard and five spice powder (as well as other spices if you wish). Put it in baking pan with baby carrots and thin sliced potatoes. Then cut a can or two of frozen orange juice into pieces and put on top. Can add the juice of a jar of watermelon pickles and the pickles to the pan. Bake at 350 degrees for half an hour. Slice.