We were on our way back up from Captiva Island a few years back and thought we'd stop to eat at this Italian Restaurant we spotted. The parking lot was empty, so we had fears that the locals didn't like it but thought we'd give it a shot. Oh. My. God. It was incredible. The place was called Limoncello Trattoria. All of the staff was Italian, and I don't mean their great grandparents are from Italy, but Grandma (she had to be around 90, she looked like Estel Getty from Golden Girls) that was doing the cooking didn't speak English and the two ladies serving had heavy accents.I had Linguini alle Vongole in white wine sauce and DW had Pasticcio alla Bolognese, or beef lasagna. I've never had such incredible sauce in my life, the meal was full of life. DW's lasagna had a little sausage mixed in and was heaven and exploded with flavor.
There is also a place in Lake Wales, Fl that is pretty well known, Burt Reynolds often flies in just to eat there ... yes, the restaurant has it's own landing strip and hangar. The food was good, the atmosphere was incredible, and the service is unheard of. But of course a 20% tip for them would typically be $100 or more.
The place is called
Chalet Suzanne. It's truly an experience that shouldn't be passed by. We had a rich friend of ours that took my DW, my MIL, and myself there because it was my DW and my birthdays (we're only 7 days apart). It's a 5 course meal with
aperitifs and other drinks served in between. The menu is simple, but it changes as I've just seen and the price is now much lower (probably due to the recession). There's 3 entree's to choose from at any one time, but all of the courses are very good made by chef's with great creds, and it is a la carte, so each of the courses cost extra and has it's own menu. And no 2 dishes are the same; they'd made on site. All plates are made on site and you can search their entire collection and wont find a twin. It's also a hotel of sorts too, we never stayed, but we hear it's nice. The tab with tip for 4 people was over $600, so come with a heavy wallet.
And one more in Fl we had on Captiva Island a few days prior to Limoncello's was a well known place on the island called the
Thistle Lodge. We stayed at the attached resort, Casa Ybel and left very begrudgingly. Not only is the restaurant facing the Gulf for a beautiful view, but they have incredible food and an unbelievable wine and liquor list. This is where I tasted a well aged single malt scotch that is roughly $1000/bottle.
I had the escargot app, it's since changed I see from their site, but it was a mouthwatering delight that will never be matched. The tender snails were swimming in a garlic, herb, and white wine sauce that stopped my heart while I ate them. Now I see they've added spinach & prosciutto and may have taken out the wine.
For my entree, I had the lump crab stuffed beef filet and lobster tail with yucca puree and found another wonderful dish. The filet was incredible, cooked just right and stuffed nicely with exquisite lump crab. The lobster tail was another treat, IIRC though it was Rock Lobster and not Maine Lobster. But still very good.
After the meal, I ordered the aged Talisker for about $200 and received about 3 oz of the most incredible flavored scotch I've ever had, served in a giant snifter you could practically get your whole face in to take in the aroma. I WILL go back to this place, it was so beautiful, the people are fantastic, and the food exquisite. It is what Florida used to be, the old Florida that drew people here in the beginning and not the Mickey Mouse tourist crap. The island itself is exclusive, anyone can go there, but almost no one lives there. A lot of it is a nature preserve and non-buildable, keeping the population on the mainland and not on the island. The island is also shaped perfectly to catch sea shells, so if you like walking the beach and collecting what the sea has to offer, they claim it to be the best place in the world to search for shells.
I live in an area with no original restaurants.....but if I travel 45 minutes to Athens Ohio, this is my favorite restaurant....Casa Nueva
