mcsue
9 Sep 06, 03:59 PM
Seasons 52
I’ve been hankering after a visit to this place for a few years, but I’m rather ashamed to admit that we are usually too lazy to leave WDW property to eat out, especially when we have so many good choices onsite these days.
I keep on reading rave reviews from the mainly local clientele and the menu has always appealed to me. So at long last I am so pleased to report that we finally made the effort to dine here. Apart from the great reputation and string of awards Seasons 52 has gained, another enticement for me was learning that the head chef is Clifford Pleau who was formally the head chef at California Grill.
The menu is constantly changing as they concentrate on using fresh ingredients that are naturally in season – hence the name.
The emphasis is on healthy eating and they aim to keep all the dishes low in calories and fat, but high in flavour and satisfaction, which means being extra creative with the ingredients and cooking methods.
In fact they boast that every dish on the menu is less than 475 calories!
Do not worry though if you are afraid of being too virtuous, just wait till you get to dessert time – the server brings a tray of mini indulgences to the table to tempt you. The smallish - thus very manageable - delightfully presented temptations of scrumptiousness were impossible to resist. If they skimped on the calories with these I wasn’t aware of it. They were incredibly delicious.
It was a Friday night when we went, and by 8pm queues were out of the door, so be sure to make a reservation if you don’t like waiting for a table. I’m glad we had!
We were rather surprised to see how limited the parking was in the evening.
The restaurant is on Sand Lake Road almost next door to Publix and also shares the parking lot with a number of other eateries in the area.
Seasons 52 offers complementary valet parking for its patrons though, so we very gladly took them up on the offer.
Service was exceptionally professional, yet warm and enthusiastic from beginning to end and the atmosphere, though quite sophisticated, was very relaxing indeed.
People all around us seemed to be enjoying their visit as much as we were and the feel-good factor was very apparent.
The whole environment was very welcoming and we quickly sensed we were in for a good evening.
To start with I had Asparagus with a Tomato, Feta cheese and Balsamic vinegar dressing and Paul had globe Artichokes with Ancho Chilli and Citrus dipping sauces.
I find artichokes a bit of a faff to eat, but Paul was in his element, pulling away the leaves dipping them in the tasty sauce before scraping the leaves between his teeth on the way to the prized heart.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_450.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_449.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_451.jpg
I then had some exceptionally fresh Grilled Trout, which was served with oven roasted potatoes, roasted carrots and mushrooms with herby, garlicky spinach stuffing.
I love the recent fashion for roasted lemons, the juice content is doubled and the caramelised edges taste zesty and sweet.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_004.jpg
Paul had the Spring Roasted Vegetable Plate. Our server said the veggie plate was one of their most popular dishes and they serve loads of them every night. It certainly looked tasty.
There were the same roasted vegetables as I had, plus a selection of other tasty veggie delights.
There were roasted golden beets, asparagus, oak grilled mushrooms skewered on a sprig of rosemary, sweet red onion, some sticky-glazed tofu and some fruity couscous with cranberries.
I’m not fond of tofu, but Paul insisted I try some and I’ll declare that this was the best I’ve ever tasted.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_003.jpg
I’m not a big dessert fan, but it would have been sinful to refuse a taster of these delicious delights.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_009.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_011.jpg
The second pic is of the four we chose. Rocky Road, Boston Cream Pie, Pecan Pie and … I seem to have blanked out the other one. All were fabulous though. A worthy indulgence indeed!
In fact everything we sampled tonight was so fresh and flavourful, the service so friendly and inviting and the atmosphere so utterly relaxing but very contemporary, that if we lived locally I’m sure we’d eat here every weekend!
I’ve been hankering after a visit to this place for a few years, but I’m rather ashamed to admit that we are usually too lazy to leave WDW property to eat out, especially when we have so many good choices onsite these days.
I keep on reading rave reviews from the mainly local clientele and the menu has always appealed to me. So at long last I am so pleased to report that we finally made the effort to dine here. Apart from the great reputation and string of awards Seasons 52 has gained, another enticement for me was learning that the head chef is Clifford Pleau who was formally the head chef at California Grill.
The menu is constantly changing as they concentrate on using fresh ingredients that are naturally in season – hence the name.
The emphasis is on healthy eating and they aim to keep all the dishes low in calories and fat, but high in flavour and satisfaction, which means being extra creative with the ingredients and cooking methods.
In fact they boast that every dish on the menu is less than 475 calories!
Do not worry though if you are afraid of being too virtuous, just wait till you get to dessert time – the server brings a tray of mini indulgences to the table to tempt you. The smallish - thus very manageable - delightfully presented temptations of scrumptiousness were impossible to resist. If they skimped on the calories with these I wasn’t aware of it. They were incredibly delicious.
It was a Friday night when we went, and by 8pm queues were out of the door, so be sure to make a reservation if you don’t like waiting for a table. I’m glad we had!
We were rather surprised to see how limited the parking was in the evening.
The restaurant is on Sand Lake Road almost next door to Publix and also shares the parking lot with a number of other eateries in the area.
Seasons 52 offers complementary valet parking for its patrons though, so we very gladly took them up on the offer.
Service was exceptionally professional, yet warm and enthusiastic from beginning to end and the atmosphere, though quite sophisticated, was very relaxing indeed.
People all around us seemed to be enjoying their visit as much as we were and the feel-good factor was very apparent.
The whole environment was very welcoming and we quickly sensed we were in for a good evening.
To start with I had Asparagus with a Tomato, Feta cheese and Balsamic vinegar dressing and Paul had globe Artichokes with Ancho Chilli and Citrus dipping sauces.
I find artichokes a bit of a faff to eat, but Paul was in his element, pulling away the leaves dipping them in the tasty sauce before scraping the leaves between his teeth on the way to the prized heart.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_450.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_449.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_451.jpg
I then had some exceptionally fresh Grilled Trout, which was served with oven roasted potatoes, roasted carrots and mushrooms with herby, garlicky spinach stuffing.
I love the recent fashion for roasted lemons, the juice content is doubled and the caramelised edges taste zesty and sweet.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_004.jpg
Paul had the Spring Roasted Vegetable Plate. Our server said the veggie plate was one of their most popular dishes and they serve loads of them every night. It certainly looked tasty.
There were the same roasted vegetables as I had, plus a selection of other tasty veggie delights.
There were roasted golden beets, asparagus, oak grilled mushrooms skewered on a sprig of rosemary, sweet red onion, some sticky-glazed tofu and some fruity couscous with cranberries.
I’m not fond of tofu, but Paul insisted I try some and I’ll declare that this was the best I’ve ever tasted.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_003.jpg
I’m not a big dessert fan, but it would have been sinful to refuse a taster of these delicious delights.
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_009.jpg
http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h277/Suzyfoodpics/2006/Disney_May06_Res_011.jpg
The second pic is of the four we chose. Rocky Road, Boston Cream Pie, Pecan Pie and … I seem to have blanked out the other one. All were fabulous though. A worthy indulgence indeed!
In fact everything we sampled tonight was so fresh and flavourful, the service so friendly and inviting and the atmosphere so utterly relaxing but very contemporary, that if we lived locally I’m sure we’d eat here every weekend!