[mrsanborn]

If a high end restaurant does come to The Villages, will service dogs be required to wear ties?

[lanabanana73]

Originally Posted by asianthree

We do enjoy a restaurant that has good quality food, not out of a box or frozen. We rarely order wine out the mark up to drink inexpensive wine just isn't worth it.

We do frequent the culinary school that has very good multi course meals paired with wine or crafted cocktail's. We know the director and head chef, and enjoy watching the group of young chefs crafting their skills. Once a month we have her come to our home, teaching skills, and preparing about four dinners for the week. It's remarkable food and a learning experience that we use often. Processed fast food is just not right for us, we grow most of our veggies in containers, and our meat comes from a small farm that we have raised, and butchered.

So I guess there are some that would think we are food snobs, because of what we choose to put on our table.

Where is there a culinary school? That sounds fabulous!

[biker1]

It is often true that those who brag about money don't really have much. Those who don't say much generally do. It is a matter of how you were raised.

Originally Posted by Bonny

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.

[Hummintwo]

Well hear ye, hear ye, what about the hard work dedicated, loyal employee that never earned more than $50,000 a year in earnings, has a spouse, children they raised themselves, were supportive and helpful friends to their neighbors, may or may not have a church affiliation but a good American that contributed much in their lives and would love to enjoy the Villages lifestyle and not worry that occasional eating out will cost them a months pension. For those who can, go ahead spend the bucks just don't expect to shut out the rest of residents because they can't and won't. I now step down off my soapbox. Just having too much fun reading the really hilarious responses. I wish I said at least half of them.

[Love2Swim]

After reading a lot of these posts, it is clear that a lot of Villagers feel threatened if someone voices an opinion that is in some way critical of The Villages, in this case that there isn't much fine dining here. That is okay. You may not realize it, but The Villages is not perfect. But live in your dream world. People who do appreciate fine dining will find it in other places, like Ocala, Orlando, Mt. Dora, and the like. As a Villages resident, I just wish I didn't have to drive so far.

[collie1228]

Originally Posted by rivaridger1

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.

This post is absolutely correct. Without expense account customers, high end restaurants will not be able to operate here. I really miss my expense account with a Fortune 500 company, and admit that I spent way more on food and drink on expense account than I ever did (do) on my own nickel. Human nature I guess.

[Sandtrap328]

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

[kcrazorbackfan]

Originally Posted by Sandtrap328

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

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.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

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.

Hate to admit it, but a couple months ago was the first time we went to CG. Loved it. The service as great (fun people working there) and we went back the next night.

I need to get out more.

[carlosinthevillages]

Why dont we open a high end resturant?

[rivaridger1]

When I was fifteen I started my working career in a high end restaurant washing dishes and emptying the garbage can into a dumpster when finished with that. Usually got home at 1:00 PM in the morning. Sorry, but 55 years have since passed and I do not feel like starting over. Will have to pass on this opportunity.

[Sandtrap328]

Originally Posted by kcrazorbackfan

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.

Cane Garden is excellent! I have never been disappointed there. The noise level can be a little too high when it is full but I still really like it.

However, Lopez is a little more high end in quality, service, and ambiance.

Both are great!!

[Shimpy]

How often would a resident use a high end restaurant? Maybe a couple times a year. For most including myself rarely or never. That wouldn't support a restaurant. It would need tourists that would spend on vacation way above what they normally would to add to their vacation experience. This isn't a tourist area.
South Florida in the 50's had many high end restaurants that would close all summer long and only open in the winter tourist season. This was true of the top hotels also. They made their money in the winter when the well-to-do spent their winter on Miami Beach. The horse and dog racing tracks brought a huge number of gamblers.
Years later they promoted summer and cut prices drastically to stay open year around.

[Golf View]

Originally Posted by carlosinthevillages

Why dont we open a high end resturant?

Sounds good Carlos, how much are you willing to invest?

[EnglishJW]

Originally Posted by ColdNoMore

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?

I'll drive it down for you. You do have ePass right?