Restaurants

[MidWestIA]

I like going to Restaurants that are not just the usual or are better than normal. Especially since they change hands here and good goes bad or mediocre. To start

- Braised Onion Ocala
- Los Magueyes Mexican Restaurant - Wildwood

[retiredguy123]

Sam's St. Johns Seafood
O'Shucks
Texas Roadhouse

[pauld315]

Katya - Ocala
Morevino's - Ocala
Mark's Prime - Ocala
La Cuisine - Ocala
Stirrup's - Ocala

[Two Bills]

McDonald's.
Burger King.
Pizza Hut.
Denny's.

[Stu from NYC]

Sam's St. Johns Seafood
O'Shucks
Texas Roadhouse

The problem with O Shucks is sharing the table with tons of flies and mosquitoes, especially when sitting outside.

[JSR22]

I like going to Restaurants that are not just the usual or are better than normal. Especially since they change hands here and good goes bad or mediocre. To start

- Braised Onion Ocala
- Los Magueyes Mexican Restaurant - Wildwood

Prime 3 Leesburg
Rose Plantation Fruitland Park
Oaks on 4 at Continental Country Clu
Stirrups and Yellow Pony World Equestrian Center Ocala
Mesa de Notte Ocala
Villages Blue Fin, Chop House, Harvest, Lopez, Palmer and Prima
Riccardo's Belleview not fancy but excellent Italian food

[retiredguy123]

The problem with O Shucks is sharing the table with tons of flies and mosquitoes, especially when sitting outside.
I won't sit outside at any restaurant.

[Michael 61]

The restaurant scene is the one draw back for me as I soon move to TV. I’ve just become too used to non-chain mom and pop ethnic restaurants in my adulthood (Thai, Indian, Greek, Lebanese, Cuban, Filipino, Ethiopian, etc.). I’ve spent most of summer in TV, trying out almost every restaurant. So many on the square serve the same, generic, Sysco-purchased bar food (World of Beer, City Fire, Gators, TooJays, Cody’s Roadhouse) - nothing special about any of these places, though they seem extremely popular with so many. To me, all these restaurants are interchangeable, and their food is mediocre at best. Within the bubble, I have only found one restaurant that I find good (Harvest), with Blue Fin being OK. The Italian, Mexican and Chinese restaurants are not good, I can do much better cooking myself at home. McGradys, Fenney Grill and the country club restaurants are all disappointments. I liked O’Shucks, and luckily there are many good restaurants less than an hour south in the Orlando area, to get authentic and fresher sushi, and more variety than just bar-food type restaurants. Do you if just one French-type bistro opened in TV it would be successful? Check out the rating for the restaurants within TV on Yelp, almost all have average to poor ratings. Sad.

[Two Bills]

The restaurant scene is the one draw back for me as I soon move to TV. I’ve just become too used to non-chain mom and pop ethnic restaurants in my adulthood (Thai, Indian, Greek, Lebanese, Cuban, Filipino, Ethiopian, etc.). I’ve spent most of summer in TV, trying out almost every restaurant. So many on the square serve the same, generic, Sysco-purchased bar food (World of Beer, City Fire, Gators, TooJays, Cody’s Roadhouse) - nothing special about any of these places, though they seem extremely popular with so many. To me, all these restaurants are interchangeable, and their food is mediocre at best. Within the bubble, I have only found one restaurant that I find good (Harvest), with Blue Fin being OK. The Italian, Mexican and Chinese restaurants are not good, I can do much better cooking myself at home. McGradys, Fenney Grill and the country club restaurants are all disappointments. I liked O’Shucks, and luckily there are many good restaurants less than an hour south in the Orlando area, to get authentic and fresher sushi, and more variety than just bar-food type restaurants. Do you if just one French-type bistro opened in TV it would be successful? Check out the rating for the restaurants within TV on Yelp, almost all have average to poor ratings. Sad.

It is my experience that most Villagers mindset regarding restaurants, is quantity over quality.
Michelin Stars in TV are awarded for the cheapest bill, not the chefs expertise!

[fdpaq0580]

The problem with O Shucks is sharing the table with tons of flies and mosquitoes, especially when sitting outside.

Love O'Shucks! Never had that problem there. Besides, they don't eat much.

[Garywt]

Eating in the Villages is definitely different than the eating I have done all my life. Just the fact that no one knows what a steak tip is changes what I eat. I hate fancy and just want my food on my plate, places that smooth out the mash potatoes etc are not for me. Give me Red Sauce or The Back Porch any day.

[JSR22]

Eating in the Villages is definitely different than the eating I have done all my life. Just the fact that no one knows what a steak tip is changes what I eat. I hate fancy and just want my food on my plate, places that smooth out the mash potatoes etc are not for me. Give me Red Sauce or The Back Porch any day.

What is a steak tip?

[Stu from NYC]

Love O'Shucks! Never had that problem there. Besides, they don't eat much.

We each had over 25 bites and when we mentioned it to the waitress she brought over a can of bug spray.

[JoMar]

The diversity of taste is why we have the diversity of places to eat. We all have prejudices and bias (you know, those places where we came from where the best restaurants are) so the market will always decide.

[ThirdOfFive]

Villa Pinar Cuban Cafeteria. Family-run, very low-key, great food and reasonable prices.

[Garywt]

What is a steak tip?

Steak tips can come from two areas of the cow. One kind comes from tender, expensive cuts in the middle of the cow, such as the tenderloin. These tips are a superior cut but not what we consider to be a true steak tip, which should be a more pedestrian cut that is magically transformed into a desirable dish through marinating and cooking.

[Ecuadog]

Cafe Havana in Ocala serves the best Cuban Sandwich that I have had around here. They're open for breakfast and lunch, Monday thru Friday. Very popular and reasonable.

Cafe Havana
923 N Magnolia Ave
Ocala, FL 34475

[Worldseries27]

cafe havana in ocala serves the best cuban sandwich that i have had around here. They're open for breakfast and lunch, monday thru friday. Very popular and reasonable.

Cafe havana
923 n magnolia ave
ocala, fl 34475
opens at 5pm. Reservation suggested. Reviews available
am is darrell's

[Villages Kahuna]

We’ve NEVER had those problems at O’Shucks. Great Friday fish fry, and great fresh shucked oysters!

[Travelhunter123]

We’ve NEVER had those problems at O’Shucks. Great Friday fish fry, and great fresh shucked oysters!

Looks better now with a sloppy coat of paint on the outside
Too bad they don’t paint over the dirt on the inside
Stained floor
Sticky tables
Spotted utensils
Regular and documented health violations
One of my favorite restaurants

[midiwiz]

It is my experience that most Villagers mindset regarding restaurants, is quantity over quality.
Michelin Stars in TV are awarded for the cheapest bill, not the chefs expertise!

while I can agree with you on this, I also have to note part of the reason for that is the older people get the less they can tell with their tastebuds. a lot of senses go and you notice, tastebuds fade and they don't really notice it.

[HJBeck]

I like going to Restaurants that are not just the usual or are better than normal. Especially since they change hands here and good goes bad or mediocre. To start

- Braised Onion Ocala
- Los Magueyes Mexican Restaurant - Wildwood

Bern’s Steak House, outstanding but expensive. Almost to Tampa. No one has a wine list like they do. Everything is ala cart.

[NotGolfer]

Remember our community has been built in a primarily rural area of "the south". You probably won't find epicurian places to eat here....expecially if you're from a HUGE metro-area up north. I'm not a "foodie" but like good food....and I eat to live, not live to eat. I think you "might" find at the "fine-restaurants" that they too get their supplies from a Sysco type supplier. It's just the nature of most businesses these days.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

The diversity of taste is why we have the diversity of places to eat. We all have prejudices and bias (you know, those places where we came from where the best restaurants are) so the market will always decide.

There is no diversity of places to eat here. That's the point. Every steak house and burger joint is pretty much interchangeable. Most restaurants here are national or regional chains, there are very few independent restaurants within the perimeter of the Villages. And most that are independent, get their sauce from a bag they cut open with a scissor and heat in a steam pan. Add a little ground beef and you can call it greek-style sauce.

If you want a pita sandwich it's greek style pita only, that slightly raised stuff. Lay it out flat and dump stuff on it, then roll it up. Instead of the middle-eastern style flat bread that you cut at the edge, separate the two sides, and stuff with the ingredients.

If you want tahini on your falafel, you'll need to ask me to make it. You can't get that combo at any restaurant in the Villages.

Curry that is NOT thai? Real genuine Indian curry? Gulab jamun? Samosas? Tandoori Chicken? Properly saffroned basmati rice? Fuggedaboudit. Go to Mt. Dora or Ocala, it doesn't exist in the Villages. Or learn how to make it.

This isn't even "gourmet" food I'm talking about. It's ordinary garden variety ethnic food. The closest bodega is in Winter Park. There /is/ one actual genuine taqueria, that's wayyyy over in Oxford. It's a food truck on 301 by County Line Road. I'll have to check it out next time I'm out that way. Very much missing having carne asada with chopped onion and cilantro with a squeeze of lime and a splash of habanero sauce on top.

[FredJacobs]

In my opinion the primary problem with restaurants in TV is the population. TV is a conglomeration of people from all over the U.S. - large cities, small towns and villages. If you are from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, etc. you are accustomed to a wide variety of restaurants serving authentic cuisine and with more competition. In New York City, I once counted 28 Indian restaurants on the same block. Palates are different. People from the Midwest seem to be accustomed to eating their food lightly seasoned and spiced. I once to a friend from St. Louis to Nathan's in Coney Island and he felt that the hot dog was too spicy.

My point is that because there are so many different palates to please in TV, the restaurants have to prepare food somewhere in the middle. It's like having to choose between the Betty Crocker cook book or James Beard.

[retiredguy123]

In my opinion the primary problem with restaurants in TV is the population. TV is a conglomeration of people from all over the U.S. - large cities, small towns and villages. If you are from New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, etc. you are accustomed to a wide variety of restaurants serving authentic cuisine and with more competition. In New York City, I once counted 28 Indian restaurants on the same block. Palates are different. People from the Midwest seem to be accustomed to eating their food lightly seasoned and spiced. I once to a friend from St. Louis to Nathan's in Coney Island and he felt that the hot dog was too spicy.

My point is that because there are so many different palates to please in TV, the restaurants have to prepare food somewhere in the middle. It's like having to choose between the Betty Crocker cook book or James Beard.
But McDonald's seems to do well all over the world.

[Stu from NYC]

We’ve NEVER had those problems at O’Shucks. Great Friday fish fry, and great fresh shucked oysters!

Well if you sit inside they can use enough bug spray to kill them all including the dead ones that fall to the table.

[NewtoFL]

Why does every restaurant offer mashed potatoes? How about redskins, augratins or sweet potato casserole? I won’t order a steak if it comes with a lump of lukewarm mashed potatoes.

[Nemcfo]

Eating in the Villages is definitely different than the eating I have done all my life. Just the fact that no one knows what a steak tip is changes what I eat. I hate fancy and just want my food on my plate, places that smooth out the mash potatoes etc are not for me. Give me Red Sauce or The Back Porch any day.

Steak tips are a New England thing. They're on almost every menu. Hard to find in the rest of the country. Once in a while we've found them at BJ's. But no where at a restaurant.

[JSR22]

Steak tips are a New England thing. They're on almost every menu. Hard to find in the rest of the country. Once in a while we've found them at BJ's. But no where at a restaurant.

I am from NJ and have never heard of steak tips.

[golfing eagles]

Well if you sit inside they can use enough bug spray to kill them all including the dead ones that fall to the table.

Actually, if you use the bug spray directly on your food the insects won't come near it :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[kkingston57]

Cafe Havana in Ocala serves the best Cuban Sandwich that I have had around here. They're open for breakfast and lunch, Monday thru Friday. Very popular and reasonable.

Cafe Havana
923 N Magnolia Ave
Ocala, FL 34475

Coming from S. Florida have not found a good Cuban Sandwich but will check it out. Long way to drive for a sandwich.

[laboutj]

I am from NJ and have never heard of steak tips.

New Jersey is not in New England. I believe they're most readily available in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I went to Publix two years ago and asked for steak tips at the meat counter and they had no idea what I was talking about.

This place is supposed to have some of the best, but the prices are sky high: Steak Tips | Order Online from Dom's Sausage! (https://domsausage.com/collections/steak-tips)

[Michael 61]

There is no diversity of places to eat here. That's the point. Every steak house and burger joint is pretty much interchangeable. Most restaurants here are national or regional chains, there are very few independent restaurants within the perimeter of the Villages. And most that are independent, get their sauce from a bag they cut open with a scissor and heat in a steam pan. Add a little ground beef and you can call it greek-style sauce.

If you want a pita sandwich it's greek style pita only, that slightly raised stuff. Lay it out flat and dump stuff on it, then roll it up. Instead of the middle-eastern style flat bread that you cut at the edge, separate the two sides, and stuff with the ingredients.

If you want tahini on your falafel, you'll need to ask me to make it. You can't get that combo at any restaurant in the Villages.

Curry that is NOT thai? Real genuine Indian curry? Gulab jamun? Samosas? Tandoori Chicken? Properly saffroned basmati rice? Fuggedaboudit. Go to Mt. Dora or Ocala, it doesn't exist in the Villages. Or learn how to make it.

This isn't even "gourmet" food I'm talking about. It's ordinary garden variety ethnic food. The closest bodega is in Winter Park. There /is/ one actual genuine taqueria, that's wayyyy over in Oxford. It's a food truck on 301 by County Line Road. I'll have to check it out next time I'm out that way. Very much missing having carne asada with chopped onion and cilantro with a squeeze of lime and a splash of habanero sauce on top.

You have completely made my point - there is no food diversity in TV, it’s all the same stuff from Sysco-this is not cooking, it’s merely cutting bags open and heating them up - you could train a 5 year old to do that. The so-called “ethnic” restaurants in TV are so dumbed-down to American palates, with very little seasoning or spices. This apparently is what most in TV want and tolerate. If not, then there would be a clamor and demand for better restaurants. I have lowered the bar in TV, but can only lower it so far. Luckily we are near/sorta near many good ethnic places (visited Tarpon Springs last week, and had a delicious authentic Greek meal). I’m a pretty good cook, and can usually out-do any restaurant meal. I’m making my way through Cook’s magazine recipes, as well as all the DVDs of America’s Test Kitchen - so much fun, and all recipes turn out excellent. I’ve also challenged myself to once a week cook the national dish of every country in alphabetical order, starting with Albania. Sometimes, I need to order unusual ingredients online.

[laboutj]

I have not been able to find decent hot dogs either. In New England I would regularly get Kayem or Deutschmaker, I refuse to buy the Nathans or Ball Park in the package that seems to be available everywhere.

[JSR22]

New Jersey is not in New England. I believe they're most readily available in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I went to Publix two years ago and asked for steak tips at the meat counter and they had no idea what I was talking about.

This place is supposed to have some of the best, but the prices are sky high: Steak Tips | Order Online from Dom's Sausage! (https://domsausage.com/collections/steak-tips)

Obviously, I know NJ is not in New England. I googled and looked at phots of steak tips and would never buy order them. To me steak is NY strip, filet, Delmonico or Porterhouse.

[JSR22]

I have not been able to find decent hot dogs either. In New England I would regularly get Kayem or Deutschmaker, I refuse to buy the Nathans or Ball Park in the package that seems to be available everywhere.

I order hot dogs, corned beef, pastrami and brisket from Katz's Deli in NYC.

[Stu from NYC]

I order hot dogs, corned beef, pastrami and brisket from Katz's Deli in NYC.

When can we pop over for dinner?:mmmm: Do miss the food we grew up on.

[Stu from NYC]

Actually, if you use the bug spray directly on your food the insects won't come near it :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Did they teach you that in med school?:a20::a20::a20:

[JSR22]

When can we pop over for dinner?:mmmm: Do miss the food we grew up on.

Order 100 and shipping is free.

[birdawg]

If anyone think’s Darrell’s is good they never ate in a Jersey Dinner

[Babubhat]

I have not been able to find decent hot dogs either. In New England I would regularly get Kayem or Deutschmaker, I refuse to buy the Nathans or Ball Park in the package that seems to be available everywhere.

Dietz and Watson at WD

[Ecuadog]

Coming from S. Florida have not found a good Cuban Sandwich but will check it out. Long way to drive for a sandwich.

I think the roast pork that the Cafe Havana uses is the part that makes it for me.

[Worldseries27]

if anyone think’s darrell’s is good they never ate in a jersey dinner
love the one your with ??????

[Worldseries27]

obviously, i know nj is not in new england. I googled and looked at phots of steak tips and would never buy order them. To me steak is ny strip, filet, delmonico or porterhouse.
eating them philly

[Paul1934]

I have not been able to find decent hot dogs either. In New England I would regularly get Kayem or Deutschmaker, I refuse to buy the Nathans or Ball Park in the package that seems to be available everywhere.
That is why we bring the bags (not the watered down sealed packages of what once were good dogs) of Hummels (regular skin on and big bites) whenever we come down.

[bimmertl]

Try the pork dogs at the Polish Deli in Leesburg. Homemade with natural casing.

https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/183347208_4032352216785947_816352467658920153_n.jp g?stp=dst-jpg_s600x600&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=Y1O7M4jeztsAX-jtNL8&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AT_vPNyj_P2TuBQm-Bq8ErZwSvrVolse2TYLaNRpn4j2Ug&oe=63762372

[Stu from NYC]

If anyone think’s Darrell’s is good they never ate in a Jersey Dinner

NY diners were equally as good especially the cheesecake

[Paul1934]

Most any of the Greek diners are worth the stop. They get you with the bakery case as you walk in…

[PaulUnderwood]

Obviously you are not from New England go online to Dom’s Sausage best steak tips around and they ship to Florida.

[Stu from NYC]

Most any of the Greek diners are worth the stop. They get you with the bakery case as you walk in…

Always wondered if they did their own baking or is their one huge bakery that makes all the cheesecakes?

[Koapaka]

Bern’s Steak House, outstanding but expensive. Almost to Tampa. No one has a wine list like they do. Everything is ala cart.

While we agree totally on Bern's, unless you make reservations 90 days in advance, the only dining options ever available is 9pm. :(

[Koapaka]

[QUOTE=laboutj;2148616]New Jersey is not in New England. I believe they're most readily available in eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. I went to Publix two years ago and asked for steak tips at the meat counter and they had no idea what I was talking about.

This place is supposed to have some of the best, but the prices are sky high: Steak Tips | Order Online from Dom's Sausage! (https://domsausage.com/collections/steak-tips)[/QUOTE

When in Tampa, there is a gas station just before you get back on the turnpike that has a sign named "Box of Cubans"....OMG, I know it is a gas station, but stop and get their sandwiches in the little kitchen inside....the best damn Cuban food we had and we have been to Cuba!!! Sometime we make the drive just for the sandwich, that good. BOX OF CUBANS - 159 Photos & 194 Reviews - 10451 Gibsonton Dr, Riverview, FL - Menu - Yelp (https://www.yelp.com/biz/box-of-cubans-riverview-3?osq=box+of+cubans)

[Koapaka]

Try the pork dogs at the Polish Deli in Leesburg. Homemade with natural casing.

https://scontent-atl3-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/183347208_4032352216785947_816352467658920153_n.jp g?stp=dst-jpg_s600x600&_nc_cat=100&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=8bfeb9&_nc_ohc=Y1O7M4jeztsAX-jtNL8&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-2.xx&oh=00_AT_vPNyj_P2TuBQm-Bq8ErZwSvrVolse2TYLaNRpn4j2Ug&oe=63762372

This place is a GEM but you gotta prepare because the darling ladies that run the place take most of Sept off as vacation

[Indydealmaker]

Turners Kitchen and Bar, Leesburg. Excellent food, quiet and no tables of twelve screaming seniors. They accomodate parties of 4 or less.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

You have completely made my point - there is no food diversity in TV, it’s all the same stuff from Sysco-this is not cooking, it’s merely cutting bags open and heating them up - you could train a 5 year old to do that. The so-called “ethnic” restaurants in TV are so dumbed-down to American palates, with very little seasoning or spices. This apparently is what most in TV want and tolerate. If not, then there would be a clamor and demand for better restaurants. I have lowered the bar in TV, but can only lower it so far. Luckily we are near/sorta near many good ethnic places (visited Tarpon Springs last week, and had a delicious authentic Greek meal). I’m a pretty good cook, and can usually out-do any restaurant meal. I’m making my way through Cook’s magazine recipes, as well as all the DVDs of America’s Test Kitchen - so much fun, and all recipes turn out excellent. I’ve also challenged myself to once a week cook the national dish of every country in alphabetical order, starting with Albania. Sometimes, I need to order unusual ingredients online.

So, I checked out the taqueria over near Oxford on 301. I was the only female customer. I was the only white customer. I was the only customer who at least appeared to be over the age of 50. I was the only customer who was not on a lunch break from some type of physical job (construction, landscaping, and a tree service truck I saw). I was the only customer who spoke English as their primary language. I was THRILLED. It meant I was in exactly the right place. Mexicans and other Latinos are every decent taqueria's #1 customers. It's not a restaurant, it's a food truck that's been set back from the road on a private lot with a big tent canopy over it, with some picnic tables and apartment-sized refrigerators for the GLASS bottles of refreshments, and a single outdoor spigot coming up from a pipe in the ground outside the eating area to rinse off your hands.

The taco tortillas, I believe, were pressed there, and set on the grill with just a tiny bit of oil to get the edges - not crispy exactly, but sturdy. They were definitely not fried or deep fried or sauteed. Just set down and left a minute to heat up and reinforce those edges. Two shells per taco, as expected.

The carne asada was delicious. Very lightly seasoned, chopped in small pieces, not even a hint of gristle or extra fat. With fresh diced onion, fresh chopped cilantro, a full 1/4 of a lime, and their salsa roja tasted like it was also prepared in-house (or, in-truck, if you must), not as hot as the habanero sauce back home but very flavorful.

Washed it down with a mandarin Jarrito (a brand of Mexican soda that comes in a variety of flavors).

Total was just over $6, before tip.

Their stew appeared to be the popular choice among the "regulars." I forget what it's called, but it's not on the menu, and is a popular "not on the menu item" at taquerias.

[Michael 61]

Ok this sounds like my kinda place - will certainly check it out when I come back To TV in a few weeks (in process of tying to get a home in the Richmond lottery) - I am from the west, and am used to the “real thing’ when it comes to street tacos, and you are correct in that the best are from food trucks that cater to Spanish speakers. Along that same line, I learned years ago from my Asian co-workers, never to patronize a Chinese restaurant in which 50% or more of the patrons are white. The best Asain restaurants are the one wheee you walk in, and you are one of a handful of white people, and the server barely speaks English.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Ok this sounds like my kinda place - will certainly check it out when I come back To TV in a few weeks (in process of tying to get a home in the Richmond lottery) - I am from the west, and am used to the “real thing’ when it comes to street tacos, and you are correct in that the best are from food trucks that cater to Spanish speakers. Along that same line, I learned years ago from my Asian co-workers, never to patronize a Chinese restaurant in which 50% or more of the patrons are white. The best Asain restaurants are the one wheee you walk in, and you are one of a handful of white people, and the server barely speaks English.

Viva Mexico Taqueria | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vivamexicotaqueriafl) is the place. If you're heading north on 301 it's on the right side, opposite the Villages Sports Complex and before you get to the junction of 42.

If you're coming from Chatham and similar on 42, take a left on 301, then make a u-turn at the Sports complex to get into their driveway on the right.

[coffeebean]

The restaurant scene is the one draw back for me as I soon move to TV. I’ve just become too used to non-chain mom and pop ethnic restaurants in my adulthood (Thai, Indian, Greek, Lebanese, Cuban, Filipino, Ethiopian, etc.). I’ve spent most of summer in TV, trying out almost every restaurant. So many on the square serve the same, generic, Sysco-purchased bar food (World of Beer, City Fire, Gators, TooJays, Cody’s Roadhouse) - nothing special about any of these places, though they seem extremely popular with so many. To me, all these restaurants are interchangeable, and their food is mediocre at best. Within the bubble, I have only found one restaurant that I find good (Harvest), with Blue Fin being OK. The Italian, Mexican and Chinese restaurants are not good, I can do much better cooking myself at home. McGradys, Fenney Grill and the country club restaurants are all disappointments. I liked O’Shucks, and luckily there are many good restaurants less than an hour south in the Orlando area, to get authentic and fresher sushi, and more variety than just bar-food type restaurants. Do you if just one French-type bistro opened in TV it would be successful? Check out the rating for the restaurants within TV on Yelp, almost all have average to poor ratings. Sad.
Evidently, my palate is not as sophisticated as yours. I enjoy the restaurants in this area. I'm happy to cook at home but look forward to dining out in most of the restaurants The Villages has to offer.

[coffeebean]

Steak tips can come from two areas of the cow. One kind comes from tender, expensive cuts in the middle of the cow, such as the tenderloin. These tips are a superior cut but not what we consider to be a true steak tip, which should be a more pedestrian cut that is magically transformed into a desirable dish through marinating and cooking.

This description brings me back to when I worked in East Meadow, Long Island. There was a bar called Potter's Pub about 1/4 mile away from where I worked and my friends and I would go there after work at 11:30 at night. Nine times out of ten I would order the Steak Tid Bits. They may not have been "steak tips" but your description reminded me of the dish served at Potter's Pub. The Steak Tid Bits were delectable bites of marinated filet served in a dark sauce in a hot caste. OMG......so good.

Thanks for the memories.

EDIT: I just found this article..........
Potter's Pub to close its doors | Herald Community Newspapers | www.liherald.com (https://www.liherald.com/stories/potters-pub-to-close-its-doors,46247)

[Stu from NYC]

This description brings me back to when I worked in East Meadow, Long Island. There was a bar called Potter's Pub about 1/4 mile away from where I worked and my friends and I would go there after work at 11:30 at night. Nine times out of ten I would order the Steak Tid Bits. They may not have been "steak tips" but your description reminded me of the dish served by Potter's Pub. The Steak Tid Bits were delectable bites of marinated filet served in a dark sauce in a hot caste. OMG......so good.

Thanks for the memories.

EDIT: I just found this article..........
Potter's Pub to close its doors | Herald Community Newspapers | www.liherald.com (https://www.liherald.com/stories/potters-pub-to-close-its-doors,46247)

Some day we will find a good coffee shop serving good cheese cake in the villages open past 9 pm. Not likely though as it would violate the curfew.

[coffeebean]

If anyone think’s Darrell’s is good they never ate in a Jersey Dinner

I have eaten in a NJ diner as I lived in NJ 16 years. I like the way Darrell's whips us the eggs for their omelettes. I've never had the eggs made that way anywhere I have lived.......Long Island, NJ or South Florida.

My favorites are right here in The Villages. I also adore the menu at First Watch for both breakfast and lunch. They have a Tuscan Fritatta that is my all time favorite dish for breakfast. Hands down.

[coffeebean]

Some day we will find a good coffee shop serving good cheese cake in the villages open past 9 pm. Not likely though as it would violate the curfew.

I know what you mean.

[Stu from NYC]

For breakfast Billy's is by far the best.

[Babubhat]

The after 9 crowd is at World of beer or Margarita republic

[rjn5656]

Never had a problem. Always had a good meal and staff very friendly.

[BobnBev]

There is no diversity of places to eat here. That's the point. Every steak house and burger joint is pretty much interchangeable. Most restaurants here are national or regional chains, there are very few independent restaurants within the perimeter of the Villages. And most that are independent, get their sauce from a bag they cut open with a scissor and heat in a steam pan. Add a little ground beef and you can call it greek-style sauce.

If you want a pita sandwich it's greek style pita only, that slightly raised stuff. Lay it out flat and dump stuff on it, then roll it up. Instead of the middle-eastern style flat bread that you cut at the edge, separate the two sides, and stuff with the ingredients.

If you want tahini on your falafel, you'll need to ask me to make it. You can't get that combo at any restaurant in the Villages.

Curry that is NOT thai? Real genuine Indian curry? Gulab jamun? Samosas? Tandoori Chicken? Properly saffroned basmati rice? Fuggedaboudit. Go to Mt. Dora or Ocala, it doesn't exist in the Villages. Or learn how to make it.

This isn't even "gourmet" food I'm talking about. It's ordinary garden variety ethnic food. The closest bodega is in Winter Park. There /is/ one actual genuine taqueria, that's wayyyy over in Oxford. It's a food truck on 301 by County Line Road. I'll have to check it out next time I'm out that way. Very much missing having carne asada with chopped onion and cilantro with a squeeze of lime and a splash of habanero sauce on top.

Your post gave me heartburn and indigestion.

[pauld315]

Your post gave me heartburn and indigestion.

There is actually a very good Mexican store (bodega) in Ocala on 40 just off 75. It is located in the same location as La Hacienda Restaurant which is also very authentic. There are several good taquerias in Ocala as well. Being in horse country,there are thousands of Hispanics living there and working in the horse industry.