Alto2's Profile
Good eats in Naples/Estero/Bonita Springs?
Another suggestion for breakfast: Chrissy B's in the Tanglewood Plaza, near Outback and Snyderman's Shoes. Delicious pancakes and french toast. Try the skillets, too -- I had one recently with lots of fresh vegetables (spinach, mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes), over a hash-brown casserold and topped with eggs. The Bananas Foster french toast is positively decadent.
Naples moderately price
That pizza place is called Rosedale's (as in Rosedale, Queens, NY).
Naples Family Trip - August
Yes, Val, I've eaten at Em On a couple of times. I found the food mediocre, but I haven't been there in at least 5 years. I understand Ivan likes it, but he and I don't always agree on what's authentic.
Naples Family Trip - August
Let me caution you against wasting your money or time at Bravo. The food is mediocre. The restaurant is loud. The prices are high for what you get, and the service is inattentive. All in all, not a family-friendly place.
However, Bravo has a sister restauarant, Brio, in the same shopping center as Bricktops. Brio's food is consistently good as is the service. It's big enough that you could accommodate the children easily and enjoy the meal. You will look brilliant if you reserve the chef's table at Brio: it seats 14 and is in a separate room. The shopping center is Waterside and is approximately 3.5 miles from the Ritz Beach. Bricktop's food is also good, but there aren't large tables or much space to stash a stroller.
If your crew will eat Japanese or Thai food, I recommend Sushi Thai (original or Too). The original location is on Tamiami Trail just south of Immokalee Rd. ST Too is practically across the street from the Ritz Golf Resort, at the corner of Vanderbilt Beach Rd and Airport Rd.
Bha, Bha's food is great. The atmosphere and service are very accomodating. It's a great choice overall. I would avoid shlepping down to The Dock at Crayton Cove. The food is decidedly mediocre -- fried everything -- and it will be too hot to sit out by the water. You'll do just as well at your hotel's Gumbo Limbo. The Bay House is a hidden little gem; I'm sad to read it's closed while you're here.
Lots of locals like Randy's Fishmarket, 10395 Tamiami Trl N, Naples, FL 34108-1902. The seafood is fresh and prepared well, but the real star is their key lime pie. That pie is the best anywhere! If you want a more upscale seafood experience, try USS Nemo, 3745 Tamiami Trl N
Naples, FL 34103. Nemo's food is excellent. They can accommodate a large party, and the noise level isn't too bad. With younger children, I always opt for eating on the early side.
As another chowhound mentioned, Pazzo is always good. You can count on quality from their sister restaurants, Yabba Island Grill and Chops.
There are plenty of restaurants to choose from at The Mercato, but all are not suitable. I've already cautioned against Bravo. AZN is pretty good; they have a side room that could fit your crowd. However, their prices are high for small portions. The Pub is not at all a good choice: it's a very loud bar. Stage 62 is a good deli restaurant, although you'd have to split the group into a couple of tables. Capital Grille is consistently good but expensive. McCormick and Schmick's is mediocre. Chipotle Grill is loud and basically fast food. If you can convince the crowd to go for dinner and a movie, a novel concept is Silverspot Cinema. You can reserve theater seats in advance, and the theater has its own restaurant with pretty good food. If you choose dinner and a movie, allow 2 hours for dinner at Silverspot.
Another thought is a new restaurant, Latitude, 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd., in the Naples Walk Shopping Center, on the SE corner of Vanderbilt Beach and Airport Rds. (Sushi Thai Too is on SW corner of that intersection.) Latitude is a Florida-fusion restaurant headed by a well-known local chef, Ross Peterson, who opened the first Roy's in the area. Latitude is a large restaurant and has good music on the weekends. I recently hosted a book club there in their private room: we were 12 people and very comfortable with lots of room to spare there. The food is inventive and pretty good (just nitpicky food prep whining from me).
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Randy's Fishmarket Restaurant
10395 Tamiami Trl N, Naples, FL 34108
Yabba Island Grill
711 5th Ave S Ste 207, Naples, FL 34102
Bricktop's Restaurant
5555 Tamiami Trl N Ste 18, Naples, FL 34108
Bay House Restaurant
799 Walkerbilt Road, Naples, FL 34110
McCormick & Schmick's Naples
9114 Strada Place, Naples, FL 34108
The Capital Grille
9005 Mercato Drive, Naples, FL 34108
Sushi Thai Too
7935 Airport Pulling Rd N, Naples, FL 34109
Bha!
847 Vanderbilt Beach Rd, Naples, FL 34108
AZN Azian Cuizine
9118 Strada Place, Naples, FL 34108
Stage 62 Delicatessen & Restaurant
9105 Strada Pl, Naples, FL 34108
Need the BEST Mexican Restaurant in Naples Fl???
We ate at Taco Mix early on, and it was entirely forgettable. I lament the change in ownership of El Paisano in Old Bonita, which was, IMHO, the best Mexican restaurant around. Now, El Paisano's food is bad, and the place looks really scary.
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Taco Mix
4288 Bonita Beach Rd, Bonita Springs, FL 34134
El Paisano
5803 15th St E, Bradenton, FL 34203
Need the BEST Mexican Restaurant in Naples Fl???
We recently discovered a wonderful little taco place out in Immokalee. It's called Anthony's and is on Main St. just south of CR 846 (Immokalee Rd). The tacos were great, and the gorditas were out of this world. Yes, I know, it's a hike, but drive out there for lunch and then stop at the Paleteria Tierra Caliente, 317 New Market W., for amazing frozen confections (popsicles called "paletas") made of fresh tropical fruits.
Looking for gems in Bethel or Newry, ME
I must travel to Newry, ME in mid-July 2010 to attend a parent seminar for my son's Outward Bound program. It looks like I'm going to stay in a B&B in the center of Bethel, ME, but I will not have a car. I definitely need some suggestions for good places to eat because this seminar is going to suck the life out of me. OTOH, Maine will be a welcome respite from the brutal SW Florida summer.
Thanks!
What's great in Boca or Delray Beach?
I ate at Bluefin in Boca last night, upon the general consensus of the folks here. The decor was dark and inviting. I sat at the sushi bar and watched the expert chefs crank out platter after platter of gorgeous fish. I was particularly impressed with the item that contained several rolls and a whole lobster tail.
My appetizer was a lightly fried softshell crab served over rice noodles and shredded carrots. While a bit puny, the crab was perfectly fried and served very hot. The citrusy ponzu proved a perfect foil for the oil and also served as a great dipping sauce for the noodles and carrots underneath.
My entree was the Tokyo Sashimi platter, which included octopus and scallop. The octopus was incredibly fresh and sweet. The scallops were sweeter yet and served with a shred of scallion and slivers of lemon. Also on the platter were tuna, yellowtail, salmon, tuna tataki, cucumber salad, amongst other things. Each piece of fish glistened with freshness and was appropriately sliced thin. The sushi chefs gladly served me with a side of ponzu sauce with which to enjoy my fish.
Dessert was tempura ice cream: a luscious ball of vanilla ice cream quick-fried in tempura batter and drizzled with chocolate sauce. The service was attentive but not overbearing. My small complaint was that they did not provide a hot towel or cloth at the beginning of the meal; that would have been a great way to de-grease from another hot summer day in South Florida.
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Bluefin Sushi & Thai Grill
861 Yamato Rd # 1, Boca Raton, FL
Fort Lauderdale Sushi
I need some suggestions for good sushi (or sushi + Thai) restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, preferably near I-95 or east of the highway. I'm looking for outstanding fresh fish and some unusual creations.
BTW, I took general Chowhound advice and ate at Bluefin in Boca this week. It was excellent, especially the scallop.
Arigato!
Dim Sum Distilled
It's a chick weekend in Seattle. We're staying at the Warwick -- think public transit, no car. A few of us want dim sum on either Saturday or Sunday morning. Three of us are foodies and experienced dim-sum eaters; one is a newbie. We'd like to give her a first-rate, delicious introduction to the dumplings.
I have read three or four threads in this forum. Since I'm not from the area, I'm having trouble deciphering what will be geographically desirable for our group.
What is your #1 recommendation for dim sum in or accessible to downtown Seattle? Can we get there on public transit?
Thanks! (or should I say "hsieh-hsieh")
Upscale Bonita Springs / Marco Island?
Yeah, yeah, Chops, Pazzo, Yabba, Blue Water Bistro are all owned by the same corporation, Culinary Concepts. Whatever they do, they do well, but it all feels so ... scripted. Here's a truly unique idea for your event: a private cooking class and chef's dinner at the Robb and Stucky KitchenAid Culinary Center in Bonita Springs. The furniture retailer entered into a joint venture with the appliance company. Executive chef, Martin Murphy, conducts top-notch cooking classes and serves his creations for dinner. These dinners have good wines paired with them also. Go to www.robbstucky.com and click on Culinary Center for more information.
I've attended some events there. The food was delicious. The interaction with the chef was priceless for an amateur cook like me. The experience was memorable. I can't wait to go back. Oh, and i didn't buy a thing!
If you really want upscale, I can easily recommend Roy's in Bonita Springs (better than Naples) and Ruth's Chris. Other excellent choices are Escargot 41 in Naples, the best French food in all SW Florida, and The Tropical Reef in Naples, an intimate seafood restaurant featuring fresh local ingredients in classically innovative preparations.
Looking for the Restaurant Essence of Florida
Here in SW Florida, you must take a trip out into 'cane and orange country to LaBelle (in Hendry County). There you will find Flora and Ella's, home of real Southern cooking and the most delicious pies anywhere. Flora and Ella's is on SR 80 (Palm Beach Blvd.) in the heart of LaBelle, just west of the main intersection in town (SR 80 and SR 29); LaBelle is approx. 25 miles east of Fort Myers. When you get there, and you must, order the fried chicken and be prepared to wait, b/c they make it from scratch. It's juicy and succulent and terrible for your arteries! Make sure you try the fried green tomatoes with the remoulade-like sauce; try the Hoppin' John; order the chicken pot pie if it's on the menu. The sides are as good as the main dishes: the cole slaw is the perfect harmony of cabbage, vinegar, and mayo; the corn nuggets are little fried delights of fresh corn; okra-lovers will not want to miss the fried okra, and the mashed potatoes and gravy are true comfort food. Whatever you do, save some room for the pie. In fact, call ahead and find out what whole pies are available to take home; the ladies will put some aside for you. I recommend the coconut cream, the pecan, and the Dutch apple. The chocolate cream and peanut butter pies are delicious, too. Flora and Ella's is Old Florida at it's all-too-rare finest. Go soon because one of the big developers is buying up the entire town and the restaurant, too.
I live in Naples, and my husband is an ardent 'hound. He reads these boards constantly, but he's too reticent to post. Going the other direction from Naples, head down Tamiami Trail forever until you come to Everglades City. This is the home of the state's stone crab fishing fleets. You know all those shimmering, salmon-colored crab claws they serve at Joe's on Miami Beach? They all come from the fleets in Everglades City. When you get to this last stretch of paradise, avoid the Rod & Gun Club at all costs. The food is toxic. Instead, head over to City Seafood (702 Begonia St.), which is situated right on the Barron River. You can order freshly-caught stone crabs, fish smoked in-house, and some great seafood chowder. Feel free to order whatever they've caught fresh. You might even see a manatee or dolphins as you sit and eat your meal on the deck overlooking the river. If you're smart, you'll remember to bring a cooler and some ice with you so you can take some goodies back home or to your hotel. For dessert, drive down to the circle, and stop at Susie's Station for a key lime pie.
Although I'm a Naples expert for Tripadvisor.com, I'm not a frequent visitor to Chowhound. Looks like I'll have to add this to my weekly routine.
Ft. Myers
The Fort Myers newspaper, The News-Press, has a pretty good dining section. The food reviewer has pretty accurate taste, and you can trust his reviews. Take a look at www.news-press.com; scroll down the left side of the page to Entertainment, and click on Dining.
Roy's is everywhere and could easily be avoided. The food at certain Naples places previously mentioned -- Real Macaw, Cuban Cafe, Origami, Fernandez de Bull -- is decidedly mediocre and not worth the trip here to Naples.
If you're willing to travel down here to Naples, there are a few places worth the drive: The Tropical Reef (contemporary seafood), Bha Bha (Persian food), Escargot 41 (French), Sushi-Thai of Naples -- all in or near North Naples. Down on 5th Avenue South, check out Bella Maria Cafe for outstanding Chilean food, including ceviche, tapas, zarzuelas, and desserts. Other good choices on 5th Ave S. are Bistro 821, Chops, Yabba, and Pazzo. The latter three are owned by the same restaurant corporation, but the food is always innovative and fresh.
There isn't good Cuban food in Naples anymore since the World closed. However, there are some excellent Mexican restaurant choices in Bonita Springs. For superb cold seafood cocktails, hot seafood soup, shrimp with nopales, and the best guac you've ever had, go to El Paisano on W. Terry St., west of Old 41 in Old Bonita. For excellent meat-based dishes, like tacos, fajitas, and seriously good cabrito (braised goat), head to Los Primitos #2 on Old 41 in the Bernwood Plaza. There is reasonably good Indian food at India House in Fort Myers. In the north end of Bonita Springs you'll also find Big Hickory Fishing Nook, a great local spot for seafood.
Welcome to SW Florida and happy eating.
