[raynan]

Would love another seafood restaurant to eat healthier in Brownwood. Legal Seafood with a retail counter full of cold water fish choices.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by rubicon

People on TOTV touted Harbor Lights off I-75 as a great place to eat . My wife and I decided to give it a try and on the way back from Ocala on a Friday continued our drive to Harbor Lights.

We found the owners/operators to be gracious hosts. We found the ambience to be pleasing to the eye.

We found the Friday buffet to be wanting.

We also celebrated our anniversary a few months back at Bonefish. Again just a major disappointment.

We are not big eaters but I swear that we get better tasting food at Golden Corral then we have at the aforementioned and just about every country club in TV.

I don't want to be right here and I understand its only one person's opinion but it is a mystery as to why so many restaurants disappoint here?

I will give you some of my guesses.

Most restaurant food is bought pre-prepared these days from large suppliers. I am guessing that pasta is dropped at the end but the sauces come in packets or frozen.

Most people who live in The Villages are seeking fairly yummy food at a fairly low price.

Most people are trained to prepare food in tech high school or have no formal training and are not paid much here, because of the thin margins.

Given all that, timing is one of the most important factors in good cooking. WHEN to drop the pasta, WHEN to drain it, WHEN to turn the seared meat, WHEN to remove it, WHEN to serve all the tables orders HOT. Seems simple but it isn't and it requires a heads up attitude and quite some skill.

Working in a kitchen may not be perceived by some to be a job that has prestige, maybe some folks working in the kitchen aren't real big on not getting hung over or in arriving at work after a holiday or their birthday and maybe I am a cold hearted judgmental old person.

Money and the cost of things is probably in there somewhere...........hugely.

[mark47]

Anyone have a meal at Enrico Ristorante in Inverness? I'm told it is a five star Italian restaurant. Inverness isn't really that far away for a good meal

[mperzow]

any body wanna go partners in a high quality sit down Italian restaurant that would put anything in the villages to shame? My wife Carmen is a gourmet cook
and we have a game plan but need some backing think we can do 1M firat year w bottoms line of 25%
just a thought...to see if anyone interested ....Hard to find any "fine dining in the Villages" altogether

regards
mike

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by mark47

Anyone have a meal at Enrico Ristorante in Inverness? I'm told it is a five star Italian restaurant. Inverness isn't really that far away for a good meal

The Villages Gourmet Club Restaurant Reviews Page 3

No Gourmet review yet but does have a customer one for Enrico's Ristorante.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by raynan

Would love another seafood restaurant to eat healthier in Brownwood. Legal Seafood with a retail counter full of cold water fish choices.

This is currently my favorite seafood restaurant. Cold Dishes >> Nobu Restaurants

Don't think many Villagers very often would be happy to pay as much as a place like this charges.

I ate at one of these last night, had the cauliflower side dish with the Steelhead main course. Fabulous and healthy! True Food Kitchen | Menu

My favorite steak place. Yum! 2441 East Coast Highway | Corona del Mar, CA | (949) 673-6585

[Topspinmo]

Originally Posted by rubicon

People on TOTV touted Harbor Lights off I-75 as a great place to eat . My wife and I decided to give it a try and on the way back from Ocala on a Friday continued our drive to Harbor Lights.

We found the owners/operators to be gracious hosts. We found the ambience to be pleasing to the eye.

We found the Friday buffet to be wanting.

We also celebrated our anniversary a few months back at Bonefish. Again just a major disappointment.

We are not big eaters but I swear that we get better tasting food at Golden Corral then we have at the aforementioned and just about every country club in TV.

I don't want to be right here and I understand its only one person's opinion but it is a mystery as to why so many restaurants disappoint here?

Golden Corel is by far IMO the best bang for the buck, only problem is NOT over eating there. I was hungry for pizza yesterday and tire of the same old same old, so I just got $7 Paul Newman's and added some more topping at home for my tastes and was pretty good to me. At least I think (reading on the box) all profits goes to charity? Paul one of the few Dollywood actors I respect and liked. Talk to the talk and walk the walk IMO!

[Mleeja]

We had some guest visiting during the last Brownwood Strawberry Festival. We went into this restaurant to have some adult beverages. They would not seat us because we did not plan on ordering food. The place was nearly empty! We went to the outside bar and was told they only served beer and wine outside. We left never to return.

[Twodogs]

Only been a few times, but never had good service. This actually happened: My wife and I were the only two people at the bar one Saturday afternoon. I had stepped away for a few minutes so my wife was alone. We had moved a few seats to see the TV better. While I was away the OWNER brought out our food and gave my wife grief for moving seats because the food was to be delivered to the original seats. Really?....... One person at the bar!.............. I feel for the employees but the owner, what a loser.

[rivaridger1]

This dining establishment deserved to go out of business. The owner could not figure out how to run a restaurant. The managers and servers were unresponsive to complaints. The quality of the food was sometimes okay, and otherwise not. We need restaurateurs in The Villages, They are trying at the Rose Plantation which is working out just fine based on our last visit. Let's hope the apparent success of this place does not ruin it.

[autumnspring]

Originally Posted by mperzow

any body wanna go partners in a high quality sit down Italian restaurant that would put anything in the villages to shame? My wife Carmen is a gourmet cook
and we have a game plan but need some backing think we can do 1M firat year w bottoms line of 25%
just a thought...to see if anyone interested ....Hard to find any "fine dining in the Villages" altogether

regards
mike

The facts are that restaurants have one of the highest rates of failures for any business. Partnerships, have A higher failure rate than sole proprietorships.

Your wife,"gourmet cook." It is far different to cook a great meal compared to hundreds day after day. Partly teasing BUT, read these posts. You have your family wealth tied up in your place and someone wonders who the hell cooked this crap.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU-

[manaboutown]

It takes a "gift" for dealing with people and organizing, scheduling and managing talent to run a restaurant. Those who have it do very well. Those who do not go broke. Then restaurants are popular and "in" for a while and all of a sudden "out". It is a tough business.

[KennyP]

I don't ever seen any good restaurant coming here. As you read through most threads, it always comes down to price, or who has a early bird special. Any good restaurant that would want to open here would just read most of these posts and say "why would I want to put up with complaints and wanting stuff for free"

Who here would be even willing to pay for a meal if it was 50 bucks a person? If they hired a great Chef, and hired the best workers they could find who gave a crap, those people need paid.

[manaboutown]

Originally Posted by KennyP

I don't ever seen any good restaurant coming here. As you read through most threads, it always comes down to price, or who has a early bird special. Any good restaurant that would want to open here would just read most of these posts and say "why would I want to put up with complaints and wanting stuff for free"

Who here would be even willing to pay for a meal if it was 50 bucks a person? If they hired a great Chef, and hired the best workers they could find who gave a crap, those people need paid.

This is a nice summation. The entrees alone at a high end restaurant run in the neighborhood of $24 for pasta to $46 for steak. Wine, $7 to $20 per glass. Salad, appetizer, dessert...and TIP! $$$$