Wow. Wow and More Wow! Say it with me! Seasons 52.
It opened at UTC Mall a short while back and I always make it my business to let a restaurant work out there ‘kinks’ before I pay it a visit. Based on everything I experienced I can safetly say that if there were any kinks? They’re gone.
I don’t want to say it’s a ‘well oiled machine’, because it’s not cold or impersonal. It’s just a restaurant whose time has come. Can you imagine no butter except for a Maine Lobster Tail they serve? (And you don’t miss it). No deep fat fryer? (And you don’t miss it). And every single recipe (full plate) is under 500 calories?
Here’s my favorite thing about the place: They don’t give you a bread appetizer. You know. The basket that is sooo good, but when you’ve polished off 2 or 3 rolls, especially if you do butter, (which of course they don’t serve) you have had the calories of an appetizer.
Well, I like to say that if a restaurants bread is good, that’s a ‘tell’. So we asked for bread. And they have the small incredible (I think it was) whole grain chewy breadsticks that come with the soup. OMG. Good. Served with Olive Oil and Balsamic. Portion controlled. Just a bite or two. Great beginnings.
And so for those of you not addicted to your bread basket, you get to save those calories for an incredibly good appetizer…. stuffed mushrooms with a parmesan crisp.
Mmmmmm.
Chefs don’t usually get this right. But ya know, the ‘group’, even though they call themselves only ‘sista’ companies of Eddy V’s and several others nationwide, really have picked the right players in their kitchen.
Aw, c’mon. We’ve seen it over and over again, where the Executive Chef creates an amazing menu and kitchen staff who just can’t ‘execute’ or the Exec Chef is just ok, but ridding on his or her laurels while seeking the next best place to work…. and you rarely get it where the Exec Chef is brilliant and his staff is seriously executing. I felt like I was in Europe! lol
WOW! CHEF! YOU’RE PRETTY ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT THIS PLACE!
Ikr. But when a restaurant knocks it out of the park? You’ve got to stand up and cheer! BRAVO!
You can order a Maine Lobster Tail for under $10, cooked to perfection and you can add that to anything you order. Stuffed mushrooms? Yeah baby! They rock that too.
It’s a chocolatey dream come true!
Speaking of chocolate, how ‘bout dem desserts? Chocolate and more! Whoa! So good.
And like I preach with my three bite rule? Look at that picture. Each one is just a couple of bites. You can even splurge and have two, or share and have 3 or 4. It’s enough to satiate… just perfect for me. And what was it? $2.50 each? lol Just nuts!
Now let me say this was only my first experience. And sometimes restaurants miss their mark with consistency. So now that you’ve got my first impressions, I’ll go sit in the corner and wait. You go try it and email me your review and I will post all the reviews on ChefMarian.com in a couple of months. Let’s do this experiment together!
Happy Eating,
Chef Marian