Demshar's is out of our comfort zone--Spanish Springs is a little too far to drive home after a good drink and a bottle of wine

The menu posted by the Gourmet Club looks like the limited menu that was used for their soft opening. From what we were told the menu will have more items on it. We enjoyed the food we had at the soft opening and will be back to see what the rest of the menu looks like and give it a try.

I'd think ANY distance is too far to DRIVE after a good drink and a bottle of wine.

We gave it a try last night. Beautiful view and great friends, but the food and service were underwhelming to say the least. One person in our group ordered the lobster mac and cheese. We found exactly two pieces of lobster?! A guy was walking around who appeared to be a manager. We mentioned it to him - he basically said they were "talking to the kitchen." No apology or follow-up. The other meals were "ok" but nothing special. Our waitress was pretty much non-existent. We may give it another try, but will wait a while in hopes they get some things corrected. We are not difficult to please - still enjoyed a nice evening with friends. :)

We had dinner there last night. I had a shrimp cocktail and calamari both were great My husband something called the stack which he said was good. The other couple both had the Salmon St. Croix. They liked it but preferred the Hemingway version. Our waiter was very good. The are switching to their full menu Monday evening. We have a reservation for a group of 7. I will post the highlights of the full menu on Tuesday.

JSR22==did you get there on Tues with your party of 7?==Looking fwd for your review

Looking at the pictures of the plated food--didn't look too appetizing--kinda reminded me of how navy food was served

View
 

7 of us ate there Monday evening. It was the 1st night of the full menu. There were many choices. 5 pastas and chicken parm with pasta, steak, lamb, pork and salmon. Additionally 4 large salads that you could add chicken, shrimp or steak. A lot of appetizers including mussels, clams and shrimp cocktail. Many different choices were selected at our table. Everyone like their food! Service was very good and we will return.
I had the green lip mussels and the baked french onion soup and both were great.

Hemmingway's tried the unusual menu and you see where that got them.

Sorry, Typo - Hemingway's

Just had lunch there...............Great service and all four of our meals were very good.

Will return.


:BigApplause:

It is unfortunate that all the Country Clubs end up with very generic menus. It’s like going from one “Denny’s” to another.
The food isn’t bad, it’s just not that good.
We did love Hemingway’s when under Lopez management. Excellent food and unique menu.
This new menu sounds just like Evan’s Prairie, Bonifay, Belle Glade, and The chain CC north of Spanish Springs.
There are many of us who dine out several times a week and we really could use some unique themed CC restaurants. I just think the owners/managers are missing a great opportunity.
And thus, so are we.

You said it very well and I totally agree. I mostly go off the reservation to eat because we are surrounded here by mediocrity.

I've been saying the same-and I've been accused of being a snob--, you can blindfold the average villager sit them in a the average CC restaurant , feed them --they would never know what restaurant they're in based upon the food

The "unusual menu" happened when they lost their top chef and abandoned the best seafood oriented menu in TV. The follow on menu was what did them in.

Hemmingways WAS to seafood what Palmers is to steak in TV. I still don't understand why the old ownership never saw this. Great location, views, etc. Should have been a no brainer to find and hire a Chef who could deliver and advertise the heck out of it. We always enjoyed the fish flown in from Hawai'i, fresh gulf fish and shrimp, top shelf Martinis with blue cheese stuffed queen olives, and excellent key lime pie. Dang, making me sad that's all gone.

The chef split and went to Turner's -- the difference was enormous--had to send back entrees on several occasions--

Now that Sam's sells "prime" steaks-- we no longer have to go out for steaks

We go out for what we can not cook well at home--my wife doesn't eat fish, our choices are very limited in TV

I was there for lunch last weekend with 3 other people. Everyone was very happy with their meal. I was very pleasantly surprised. I haven't been there for dinner yet but based on my lunch experience I will definitely go back.
I don't think you can judge a restaurant until you try it. I had a Cuban at Views. I thought it was very good... much better than the Cuban at Hemmingway's. But based on comments here (based on the fact people judge a restaurant solely on the menu), a Cuban is the same whether it's from a restaurant in The Villages or South Beach or Columbia in Tampa. Seems a bit presumptuous to me.
But I I think you have to walk into the restaurant with an open mind. Not sure everyone will do that.

It’s not so much an open mind as the fact that sandwich is a sandwich in any restaurant. If we go out to eat I’m looking to find something that can be done better than what I can cook at home. I think that’s what most everybody is looking for is a good meal. Chefs are few and far between in TV. It’s one of the reasons we go outside the bubble.

as far as sandwiches go,IMHO-idon't believe any restaurant in TV has a sandwich that is super to the sandwiches you can buy @ the Fresh Market-so why would I go to restaurant for a meal-we go out to dine

Robert and I went to Views yesterday for lunch. I had the Ropa Vieja sandwich, he had the sirloin. Both were quite good. Also had to try the cheese curds. I thought they were tasty with an unexpected chewy-ness, that might not be to everyone's taste.

We ate last night at the Bar at Havana, it is not Views anymore, The Villages didn't want them using the name, so now it's just Havana CC. Talked to the manager and bartender and they confirmed the name change. Menus were printed before they were told about the change of not using Views.
I ordered mussels, which I love them at Red Sauce, and since same owners I was told by bartender they are the same recipe, they were great! Husband had spaghetti and meatballs, meatballs were frozen cocktail meatballs in sauce, not good.. but the bartender picked up on our conversation and by the end of the meal we had one of the managers over asking us and very concerned about the spaghetti meal, they said they are going to fix the recipe or take it off till it's fixed, or eliminate it, which is a good thing, seemed to care and want the feedback. We will go back, really want them to succeed. Lovely restaurant and beautiful view of golf course..

Thanx for the heads up on the meatballs, it obvious they are prepackaged boil in the bag meatballs--

Most food served in The Villages is all for the most part prepackaged, frozen, dull, tasteless slop.
When asked and voiced our concerns at various times to the management the same old tired excuse is " We Cater to The Villages Taste ".....Boring ! The Cane Garden, Bonefish, Red Sauce, are the exception.

The rest yes The Rest of them....Slop !

Sounds you might be a snob, too

Regrettably, many people can't handle hot-spicy food. Ruby Thai or Thai Ruby, whichever, should be much more deeply spiced. Not just heat, but richness and depth. They will make it "hot" for you (and they have that delicious relish tray) but it's just not the same. Still, we did enjoy lunch at View the other day.

If by "snob" you mean someone who wants quality food and drink at an acceptable price, then count me in. Worked hard for what I have and when I choose to eat out, I want it to be as "Asianthree" said; something I can't or wouldn't cook at home but at least as GOOD as what I can cook...and I can cook. :)

I've been called a snob so many times , I lost count--like several people I will not go out to eat pre=packaged food from SYSCO, Gordons and others

My wife and I have been to the Thai Ruby " Once " and once was enough. I actually have been to Thailand a few times way back when, and I can assure all of you this is not ...NOT Thai food,.

It is terrible and a disgrace. But people go and are apparently satisfied but honestly your better off going to the frozen food section of most Supermarkets and pick out a Thai food to your liking...and add a few spices..much, much better off.

Bottom line I think most who have been to Thailand would agree..:plane:

The Calamari was the best I've has in The Villages. Chicken wings are great also.

What about a real entree,all I've real seen are sandwiches, and fried frozen pre packaged apps

This looks like another post critizing the restaurant without even being there. They mentioned a Red Sauce as being one of the exceptions. Guess they missed the part where the operators of Havana and Red Sauce are the same.

I kind of take offense to the word "slop".
Just because food is not gourmet & up to some people's standard, doesn't mean the rest of us are eating "slop".
I can cook, but mostly choose not to. That doesn't mean I have to go out and get gourmet meals. We are good with decent food at a decent price.
We cruise a lot and vacation a lot so we get our share of delicious gourmet meals.

I hate to throw shade on a restaurant, but Thursday our group of 12 stayed there (Havana) after golf and to be honest, the prices were a bit higher than expected and the food didn't have that "wow" factor we thought a new place would have. The consensus was that we would go to Beef O'bradys the next time for food less expensive.

What did you eat, and based on what you ate what would generated "wow" factor

Lets see...tonights "wow" at Hemingway...

Ketel One Martini comes out in a rock glass with ice. They ran out of olives. My guess it was rack vodka too.

Broccoli was frozen and barely warmed up

Rolls were brought out halfway through the entree. Most likely store bought small rolls

Carrots lukewarm

Salmon bruchetta app was 95 percent chopped tomato.

Pork chop was very good. Tender with a nice sauce

Salmon was good too.

So after a few weeks under new management are they still working the kinks out or are they doomed to failure?

Ten of us went there after golf today. Due to the late time of 2:30 I did not order food. While we were there David S. (don't know the spelling), who is one of the owners, stopped and talked to the group in general then walked around and introduced himself to each of us. We offered compliments and constructive criticism and I found him very receptive to both. His response was they would make things better and I believe he was sincere.

I hope folks who have a less than satisfying experience will take the time to talk to management on duty or find out how to contact the owners to provide the feedback they need to provide a satisfying dining experience to the majority of their customers. They will NEVER satisfy 100% of the Villagers!

Looks like they need to read the instruction manual for the microwave or maybe they need a timer for the boil in the bag veggies==no excuse for cold veggies

Better yet...hire a sous chef to make fresh vegetables. Perhaps even invest in a profressional bartender.

Why should they do anything different from the majority of the other CC restaurants- as long as its cheaper, supposed to be warm and its @ happy hour prices the masses will be happy

Honestly what could have been--should have been--gone forever in its initial days Hemingways was a gift, the food and the bar service was great

So sad

They did so well that they are out of business !!

We stopped in after golf today, about 5:00. I’ve been following all of these posts and was curious. We sat at the bar and had cocktails and decided to order an appetizer. We chose the calamari and loved it. Presentation was terrific, sauce was delicious. Noel, our server was a delight. Our bill for a great appetizer and cocktails was unbelievably reasonable. We will return. 5 star? Maybe not. Made us happy? For sure.