[shcisamax]

Is it possible the OP just wanted a catchy title and did not really believe he or she was starving to death? It is an exaggeration to make a point? tongue in cheek? Perhaps people are taking the title too literally?

[floridagirl94]

Bamboo Bistro offers dim sum Monday-Saturday 11am-4pm and all day Sunday, 12pm-9pm. They also serve Vietnamese Pho and Summer Rolls. Pig ears can be available upon request. Check Thursday's Village Sun for coupons.

[Skip]

Originally Posted by l2ridehd

WOW Jane. Love your ideas. Lets start a progressive dinner or monthly rotating dinning club.

There's already a club that does this. The Villages Gourmet Club. Their next meeting should be in two weeks (10/7/12).

Skip

[GrandmaP]

Originally Posted by Richard1366

Let me be the first to say that I feel sorry for us. Here we live in a wonderful “village” with all the beauty of nature, companionship, and activities…yet we are in a gastronomic wasteland. Our “Italian” restaurants are “red sauce’ dispensers, pasta with a variety of red and white sauces slathered on. Where are Italian restaurants that serve contemporary Italian cuisine; Gnocci, hot pastas with cool fresh and light sauces, simple wonders such as cacao e pepe (fresh spaghetti with cheese and ground pepper?) Where are the authentic Oriental restaurants? Isn’t everyone tired of fried rice, General Tso’s chicken, sweet and sour pork. Why hasn’t some Asian restaurant provided us with a variety of dim sum (even if only on weekends} adding such dishes as scallion pancakes, pigs ears (really delicious,) and wonderful noodle soups? With a large number of Vietnamese veterans, why doesn’t any restaurant offer Vietnamese Pho with spring rolls and that wonderful Vietnamese iced coffee. No restaurants anywhere around offer any spicy and delicious Korean dishes.
Hopefully one of these days a restaurant investor will take a leap of faith and provide this community with something other than chain restaurant pap.

Lots of us agree

[jane032657]

Originally Posted by Skip

There's already a club that does this. The Villages Gourmet Club. Their next meeting should be in two weeks (10/7/12).

Skip

Thanks, did not know!

[eweissenbach]

I will admit that I am not a picky eater, and tend to be pretty easily satisfied. I have known people who were "descerning" and often sent food back to the kitchen that I would have gobbled up contentedly. I used to be in management for a major insurance company and would go to meetings at world class hotels in places like Maui, San Francisco, Palm Springs, etc. and they would feed us gourmet meals three times a day - usually at some point in the week I would tell my wife "man I would love to have some of your meatloaf right now. My feeling is you can go through life happily satisfied most of the time, or unhappy and dissatisfied - it is up to you. We stay two months in TV and eat the evening meal out probably 55 out of 60 days and lunch at least 50% of the time. For me, there are more good options than I can take advantage of including most of the country clubs. Perhaps I am naive and unsophisticated, but I will continue happily along my way thank you (and I am not obese).

[Villages PL]

Originally Posted by Geewiz

The proper term is "obese." "Fat" is a perogative word that is ignorant and obnoxious.

Good food with strong flavors will reduce the desire for large portions. The obesity problem in this country directly relates to processed foods that substitute fat, sugar and salt for fresh ingredients and real nutritional value. Eat good, fresh food and you will eat less and be more satisfied.

I agree with most of what you said but a person can be "fat" without being obese. I, myself, hardly ever use the word "fat". I will say "overweight" or "obese". But I don't think it's offensive if someone else uses it. It may not be the most tactful way of putting it, but it's an accurate description because we are talking about people who have an excess amount of "fat" cells.

What is authentic Italian food for one person may not be authentic to another. Who's to say? I wouldn't be surprised if there's a difference based on different locations throughout Italy.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

I will admit that I am not a picky eater, and tend to be pretty easily satisfied. I have known people who were "descerning" and often sent food back to the kitchen that I would have gobbled up contentedly. I used to be in management for a major insurance company and would go to meetings at world class hotels in places like Maui, San Francisco, Palm Springs, etc. and they would feed us gourmet meals three times a day - usually at some point in the week I would tell my wife "man I would love to have some of your meatloaf right now. My feeling is you can go through life happily satisfied most of the time, or unhappy and dissatisfied - it is up to you. We stay two months in TV and eat the evening meal out probably 55 out of 60 days and lunch at least 50% of the time. For me, there are more good options than I can take advantage of including most of the country clubs. Perhaps I am naive and unsophisticated, but I will continue happily along my way thank you (and I am not obese).

Ditto and Amen. A lot of folks feel the same way.

P.S. I am a person who loves to cook, so I can pretty much have what I want to eat at any time but rarely do I run into food that is terribly disappointing here in TV. You don't have to be from New York to have fine dining experiences. But every meal doesn't have to be a home run to be enjoyable.

Toojays chicken livers and onions are the best I have ever had. The lighthouse has wonderful butterfish and catfish and their slaw with pineapple is always fresh and yummy. It is hard to beat Oakwood's barbecue, even if it is slightly off campus. ADD fun folks around the table and it is FINE dining.

[bluedog103]

Originally Posted by shcisamax

I wonder about real ethnic food as well. People like what they are accustomed to and their taste buds are used to. Most people who have not lived in major cities are used to the Americanized version of these ethnic foods.

I can speak to Mexican food having lived in Mexico for many many years. The food I have tasted here does not resemble any food I have had in Mexico. But, in general, the throughout the states Mexican food is TexMex or some concoction that isn't Mexican. For example, chili rellenos are not stuffed with American cheese. Red salsa does not contain any ketchup.
So I think that the majority of people here are truly happy with the food available because they are used to it.

I think you're right. For most people, the perfect Italian food is what their mothers made. I'm pretty sure there are no authentic Italian restaurants on this side of the Atlantic. Surely there are people from Brooklyn or the Bronx and maybe even Chicago who would disagree. That's not to say you can't get great Italian food along Arthur Ave. in the Bronx or in Brooklyn. You can but it isn't what you get on the other side of the pond. People love it because they're used to it. Same with Mexican. I learned to love Mexican food in Mexico with my Mexican girlfriend many years ago. Then later on along came Taco Bell and my first thoughts were "you gotta be kidding me".
As you point out, ethnic food in the U.S is Americanized but I think that includes large cities as well.

[Bruiser1]

:iagree: Try Koyame and for dim sum try Bamboo Bistro.

I think you'll (the original poster) be pleased.

[shcisamax]

Nothing like Italian food from Italy... The water, the soil, the process is different and it is as close to heaven as you can get...But there are a lot of old italian families in New York in the boroughs like Brooklyn and mama is still making dinner. Doesn't make the pasta necessarily from scratch but the food is so much better than any restaurant. BTW: There are amazing markets with ingredients from Mexico in Mamaroneck, NY not to be pronounced Mama ro neck as was mentioned in one thread and you can get absolutely the most authentic ingredients for anything in NY. Yeah, taco bell is pretty scary.

[Mikeod]

I've lived here about six years and have seen several restaurants come and go. Italian, Mexican, seafood, etc., all closed. Those that remain provide a level of cuisine and service that the majority of residents and visitors enjoy. This isn't New York, or Chicago, or LA, or Dallas, or Nawlins. The demographics here will not support the type of restaurants you describe.

Villagers vote for places they like with their wallets. Those that remain do so because they meet the expectations of most customers. If the establishments here are so mediocre, why is it difficult to get in January through April?

Frankly, I moved here for much more than the local cuisine. I don't need anyone to feel sorry for me. I do wonder about people who come to Central Florida and expect to find the same things they had in a major metropolitan area. Ain't happening.

[gomoho]

Aren't we lucky to have such trivial problems?!? we should all count our blessings we have food on the table every night. Just saying.

[mrbillmidlo]

For TexMex, try San Juan in Leesburg.

[sunglow]

Right on, Richard! Maybe if we start demanding it....
I did find a place with really good bagels... Brooklyn Water Bagels? Not sure of the name but I was impressed with the bagels.