Originally Posted by rivaridger1 (Post 1354524)

High end dining restaurants to a great extent are reliant on business managers utilizing expense accounts. I do not really believe the like of The Palm, Morton's, Ruth Chris, etc. could maintain their business models without them. There is no shortage of money in The Villages. If there were, we'd not have three financial advisory firms on every street in every town square and most of the professional centers. I just think the majority of the residents, even those with significant personal wealth, came up the " hard way " and are perfectly happy to eat a $ 10.00 hamburger with a beer as opposed to a $ 47.50 Porterhouse with an $ 70.00 bottle of wine. " Been there, done that " for a number of wealthy residents, has to have some application to the lack of high end dining. With that said, I'd love to see a consistent high end steak/ seafood restaurant within the boundaries of The Villages. I doubt though, even if any couple were to eat there a half dozen times a year, and spent $ 275 to 400, it would stay in business. The demographics and geometrics simply do not work.

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328 (Post 1357805)

The Lopez CC is definitely the best restaurant in The Villages both in food and in service.

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan (Post 1358071)

For me, Cane Garden has the best food and service. We play golf at every championship course and eat after every round; CG hands down the best; just my opinion, to each their own.

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan (Post 1358071)

For me, Cane Garden has the best food and service. We play golf at every championship course and eat after every round; CG hands down the best; just my opinion, to each their own.

Originally Posted by carlosinthevillages (Post 1358137)

Why dont we open a high end resturant?

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore (Post 1355369)

Why are there no Bugatti Veyron dealers, or certified service shops, near The Villages?

Why should I have to take mine to Miami to be serviced?

Originally Posted by IndianaJones (Post 1356725)

It's 35-40 minutes to Mark's Prime Steakhouse in Ocala - there are high-end restaurants all around TV. If you're on the south end, it's not that far to Winter Park, Winter Garden - even Mt. Dora has a couple of decent places. If you want a "dining experience", you can find it (and pay for it). I taught business for years, and of course, the restaurant business is one of the toughest out there - everyone so far is correct, TV's populace won't support a Ruth Chris or Morton's on a year-round basis. It's like putting another pizza joint in a college town - the fall, winter & spring are great, but the summers are murder for them, including the difficulty in getting & keeping good help! There IS life "outside the bubble" - go explore!

Originally Posted by banjobob (Post 1363001)

I guess high end means small portion and large price, with all the service falling over themselves to add to your water glass the fancy tableware and cloths overkill from wait staff awesome atmosphere There are snobs among us but I think for the most part good service good food and a reasonable atmosphere is all that is needed for successful restaurants. Oh sure there are plenty of people with their stash of coupons and doing the bogo meals and taking the free one home for later or splitting dinners . I have eaten in those high end restaurants and frankly was not that impressed to want to use them on any kind of regular basis, special occasions when you really want to boost your ego is OK , no thrill for me in 100 150 dollar dinners or more.

Originally Posted by DonH57 (Post 1363014)

No thrills in those 100 to 150 dollar dinners for us either. We want a decent filling meal at a decent price and decent service.

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 1355817)

For a simple meal, a wonderful salad (with house dressing, a sweet poppy seed) A perfect crepe, good sausage and perfectly prepared eggs, go to the new Bob Evans near you. You may not try it because they don't serve alcohol, but the breakfast is so good sometimes for dinner. Also try the bean soup and half a roast beef sandwich. This is simple farmland cooking from Ohio. OH...and the pie. Wonderful cakebreads too.

Originally Posted by banjobob (Post 1363001)

I guess high end means small portion and large price, with all the service falling over themselves to add to your water glass the fancy tableware and cloths overkill from wait staff awesome atmosphere There are snobs among us but I think for the most part good service good food and a reasonable atmosphere is all that is needed for successful restaurants. Oh sure there are plenty of people with their stash of coupons and doing the bogo meals and taking the free one home for later or splitting dinners . I have eaten in those high end restaurants and frankly was not that impressed to want to use them on any kind of regular basis, special occasions when you really want to boost your ego is OK , no thrill for me in 100 150 dollar dinners or more.

Originally Posted by Bonny (Post 1357229)

I always wonder why some people have to brag about money.
What's nice is we can all spend money on things that are important to us.
We love to travel so that's where we like to spend our money. We can't eat big meals like we used to so sometimes we're good with appetizers. If I get a meal, it always ends up coming home with me.
I have had many expensive wines. I actually like some of the less expensive wines. I'm a Napa Valley kind of girl. :D

Originally Posted by Abigal (Post 1395339)

The Morse Family have private eatery upstairs in Sumter Landing. Mostly all their food I guess comes from Fresh Harvest Food Store, and I'm sure they have a top notch chef. So good luck for us.

Originally Posted by dillywho (Post 1395369)

Bonny, you have been here longer than we have, so I have a question for you. Wasn't the restaurant at the Hacienda CC called The Palm, Palm, or Palms? We never ate there because it was a coat and tie, somewhat semi-formal place. I just remember that it didn't last, but then I don't know how long it had been there, either. The only places like that that I remember from back home were the country clubs and they were high-dollar to join, then you paid dues monthly including dining charges whether you ate there or not. Being cattle country, it was not hard to find a great steak other places.

Believe it or not, seafood was actually excellent and much more reasonable there than here in Florida, which totally surprised us. My favorite is still the Tex-Mex from places there like Paradise Too and Abuello's. Mmmm!:icon_hungry:

Originally Posted by Abigal (Post 1395339)

The Morse Family have private eatery upstairs in Sumter Landing. Mostly all their food I guess comes from Fresh Harvest Food Store, and I'm sure they have a top notch chef. So good luck for us.

Originally Posted by Bonny (Post 1395399)

Not understanding why you posted this. What do you mean "good luck for us" & what is Fresh Harvest Food Store?

Originally Posted by EPutnam1863 (Post 1376482)

All of these postings remind me of Cracker Barrel. We stopped at one somewhere along I-95, and I ordered Swedish pancakes. When the dish was brought to me, I nearly had a heart attack. The pancakes were swimming in one inch of melted butter. I asked the waitress if she had not heard of the ongoing cholesterol problem. She answered with "This is what the senior citizens around here want."

Originally Posted by Abigal (Post 1395339)

The Morse Family have private eatery upstairs in Sumter Landing. Mostly all their food I guess comes from Fresh Harvest Food Store, and I'm sure they have a top notch chef. So good luck for us.

Originally Posted by Bonny (Post 1395399)

Not understanding why you posted this. What do you mean "good luck for us" & what is Fresh Harvest Food Store?

Originally Posted by Abigal (Post 1395339)

...their food I guess comes from Fresh Harvest Food Store, and I'm sure they have a top notch chef. So good luck for us.

Originally Posted by skip0358 (Post 1396298)

If you live here you should know why High End would only be for a select few and I'll bet there would still be complaints. I see very few people in TV that look like they're starving on what eateries we have available.If you wanted High end I guess you didn't do your homework before you moved here. As for the Private Restaurant above Red Sauce it's a place where those who belong can go and eat a privately cooked meal and not have to put up with someone recognizing them and having to listen to half the bull crap that's posted on TOTV. JMO

Originally Posted by Taltarzac725 (Post 1396322)

I wonder if they have an elevator up to there?

Originally Posted by skip0358 (Post 1396298)

If you live here you should know why High End would only be for a select few and I'll bet there would still be complaints. I see very few people in TV that look like they're starving on what eateries we have available.If you wanted High end I guess you didn't do your homework before you moved here. As for the Private Restaurant above Red Sauce it's a place where those who belong can go and eat a privately cooked meal and not have to put up with someone recognizing them and having to listen to half the bull crap that's posted on TOTV. JMO

Originally Posted by Carl in Tampa (Post 1396216)

OK, help me understand what you consider a "high end" restaurant. I would think that the prices in some of the Country Clubs would be pushing toward "high end" prices, but still affordable. Is it price, or is it a matter of ambiance and presentation of the meal?

Let's take for example the Lunch and Dinner menus and prices of one of my favorite restaurants in Tampa. Please look at the food available and the prices and tell me if you consider this "high end" enough, or are you seeking something fancier.

Columbia Restaurant

And then take a look of one of the longest running and most successful steak houses in Tampa, and tell me if prices and presentations need to be at this level to be considered "high end."

Bern's Steak House - Our Steaks

Which, if either, would you be inclined to frequent regularly if they had a presence in The Villages? Incidentally, the Columbia is a Spanish Cusine restaurant (not Mexican or Tex-Mex.) Bern's Steak House also has excellent fresh seafood.

Originally Posted by Cedwards38 (Post 1395518)

The Top Ten Reasons Why There Are No High End Restaurants In The Villages

10. None of the Villages men own long pants.
9. Not that many people understand French.
8. Everything is too expensive, no matter what it costs.
7. We wouldn't have anything to complain about.
6. High end doesn't serve dinner at 4:00 PM.
5. High end doesn't stock the boxes of wine we love.
4. Servers would expect a tip.
3. Chateaubriand doesn't go that well with Bud Light.
2. You can't get fries with the entrees.
1. Most of us can't tell the difference.

ALERT: The above are intended to add humor. As jokes they should not be taken seriously or in any way assumed that they are intended to offend the residents of The Villages.........no matter how true they may be!