SAIGON  PARIS BISTRO

12995 South Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers Florida, (239) 936-2233

Decided to go out to breakfast before leaving Florida.  So we went to the Saigon Paris Bistro, next to the Seven Lakes Fort Myers community that we were staying in.

We arrived hungry and ready for a hearty breakfast.

One of us ordered the peach filled crepes.  They were filled with a pasty peach goop that looked a bit like baby food - instead of canned peaches or fresh peaches.  At least there were some fresh fruits on the side.

One of us ordered the cream cheese crepes filled with raspberry and cream cheese.

Two of us had the French Combo, which included two sausages or two bacon strips, eggs, french toast and a side  of fresh fruit.  It was a typical big breakfast, however the french toast was very light and quite good.  One of us had the eggs scrambled and one of us had the easy over eggs.

It was a typical breakfast selection that was made more palatable in that the price was two for one.  The service was very good and the server Patricia was well known in the area.



http://www.saigonparisbistro.com/index.html

ON OCEAN 7 CAFE 4 out of 5

660 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach Florida 33139 (305) 455-3285

There is a group of open air restaurant patios on Ocean Drive South Beach.

They are unusual in many ways; you walk right through them on the sidewalk with patrons on both sides of you.

You can make a deal by counter offering their offers - we were able to get 4 glasses of wine included with our meal (one of them was champagne) - we were able to get 20 % off our mains and we even counter offered on our appetizers.  We also got a second round of wines 2 for 1.  I have never seen anything like it, but it added to the experience.

After we had settled on the terms of our meal we began to order our wine and appetizers.  We decided to split fried calamari and fried shrimp.

fresh bread and butter

fried calamari

One of us ordered ravioli stuffed with veal in a herbed olive oil.  It was melt in your mouth delicious.

veal stuffed ravioli

One of us ordered blackened mahi mahi that was grilled perfectly and was outstanding. It was accompanied by a crisp salad and plain boiled rice, which offset the spiced rub covering the fish.

blackened mahi mahi

One of us ordered the barbecued back ribs smothered in a barbecue sauce and they were very tender and meaty.  It came with thin french fries and shaved raw vegetables.

a tender and a large portion of back ribs

I ordered the coconut shrimp, they were large and very well done with a sweet and spicy lemon mustard dip and a wonderful coleslaw.

coconut shrimp and lemon mustard dip

We followed our meals with the house special drinks called Miami Vice - they tasted as good as they looked.  It was a great meal in a wonderful location on a beautiful day on Ocean Blvd. at South Beach.

tasted as good as they looked

SPIGA RISTORANTE ITALIANO 

1228 Collins Ave.  Miami Florida,  33139, Tele. (305) 5342465

Having researched some South Beach restaurants we decided to try Spiga on a hot Sunday night in December.  We made reservations for 7:30 and arrived to find the restaurant quite full for a Sunday evening.  After reviewing the menu we decided to each try something different from the menu.  We started with a great bread selection with a herb infused olive oil.  

Then we ordered a nice reasonably priced Merlot.

For appetizers one of us had the grilled vegetables, including grilled artichoke heart, zucchini, eggplant and tomato.

Two of us had the insalata dello chef salad which included barbecued shrimp and palm hearts and tossed romaine lettuce and cherry tomato.  

One of us had insalata di spinaci, indivia e gorgonzola which included baby spinach, endives and gorgonzola cheese with walnuts.

For our mains one of us ordered the homemade fettucini with, shrimp, garlic and white wine sauce, asparagus, fresh tomato and olive oil.  It was a perfect combination of flavours.

One person ordered the sauteed pork tenderloin with peppercorn and brandy sauce.  It had a tart and tasty finish.  It was accompanied by seasonal steamed vegetables and roasted potato.

Third person had the charcoal broiled new york sirloin angus 10 ounce, medium rare and it was delicious and substantial. It was also accompanied by steamed seasonal vegetables and roasted potato.

I had the veal scallopini with prosciutto and sage in a white wine sauce, also accompanied by vegetables and roasted potatoes.  It was delicious.

We all decided to share a large tiramisu.  And ended with a rich cappuccino. 

It was a surprisingly great meal in a busy tourist area of South Beach.  There is a wonderful patio on the front of the restaurant and a small bar area inside.  It was a fabulous evening with my wife, her sister and husband (who are snowbirds spending the winter in Fort Myers). The service was quick, however they seemed to be running around the restaurant like bees.  A warning though - be careful in Florida, most restaurants include the tip in the final total and you have to be careful not to double tip by mistake.



http://www.spigarestaurant.com/html/index.html

CAFE LUNA 3 out of 5

467 5th Avenue, S. Naples Florida, 34102,  (239) 213-2212 

Went to Cafe Luna after checking a few locations on 5 th Avenue South in Naples Florida.  We were attracted by the menu displayed on the street front.  Having seen a variety and size of dishes coming out of the kitchen, we decided to skip appetizers and we were glad we did.  The price was very attractive and the patio was very busy.  Two dinners (mains) and a bottle of wine for $29.99, it seemed too good to be true.  

WOW!!

nice atmosphere al fresco

I am always surprised when a restaurant calling itself Italian, does not provide bread - it is usually a bad omen for the meal.
One of us ordered the shrimp linguine with garlic and wine sauce.  It was very garlicky and had too much sauce.

linguine with shrimp

gnocchi with a cheese based cream sauce

chicken and broccoli with penne

veal parmigiana with cheese, pasta and sauce

After the mains were finished there was no room for anything let alone a desert or coffee.  It was a rather ordinary italian meal, with an inexpensive California wine.  The evening's weather and the fact that it was outside on a rather full patio was a big factor in choosing this restaurant.  
The seating was rather uncomfortable with low backed chairs and bulky cushions.  After further walking around the area and seeing the other options that were surrounding us, we regretted the choice we made.  The area is filled with a large number of very enticing restaurant choices, most with glamorous interiors and lovely patios.




http://www.cafelunanaples.com/

BAHAMA BREEZE 4 out of 5
14701 S Tamiami Trail, Fort Myers Florida 33912 (239) 454-9234
Went to Bahama Breeze Island Grill today after landing in Fort Myers airport.  We started with a cocktail that they are famous for - it is called The Ultimate Margarita and was delicious on an 82 degree day in Florida at the end of November.

ultimate margarita

a nice entrance to a nice grill 

island feel

a real tropical feel

The Ultimate Margarita

Our waitress was wonderful, Eileen was enchanting and very efficient.  The entire crew here seemed to work seamlessly together. 

For our appetizer we started with coconut shrimp with an amazing mustard lemon dipping sauce, edamame, and a salad. 

coconut shrimp with lemon mustard sauce

edamame with sea salt and spices

salad with a sweet garlic dressing

For our mains we all ordered blackened grilled grouper with different sides, including rice, garlic mashed and fries.

blackened grouper with garlic mashed

blackened grouper with seasoned rice

blackened grouper with fries

The grouper was well cooked and the sides matched well.  We had some good simple California Merlot.  All in all it was a great atmosphere to enjoy our first meal in Florida after a long  morning of travel and the hassle of customs and airports.

www.bahamabreeze.com