We had a long day and by the time we could eat dinner it was too late to cook, and we were too tired anyway. So, where to go? We started ticking off the local eateries from fast food to bar food to — oh...
Read MoreWe had a long day and by the time we could eat dinner it was too late to cook, and we were too tired anyway. So, where to go? We started ticking off the local eateries from fast food to bar food to — oh wait, what about the osso bucco at City Fire!?
Disclaimer: this review is not about the osso bucco, although my dinner partner, a very difficult person to please, had it for the 3rd time in a row and raved over it.
No, this is about my beef stroganoff. I didn’t have high expectations because my mother always told me to be careful of ordering dishes that have the potential for using up the kitchen’s leftovers disguised as a classic dish. Who cares? I hadn’t eaten anything yet and it was already 7:00 on a record setting cold day in Florida and I wanted some good old fashioned comfort food for dinner.
Comforting it was, and it was better than good. I wanted to convey a message to the chef to express my overwhelming satisfaction but our server was so incredibly busy that it was impossible.
The dish was served in a cast iron skillet with a side of fresh, hot baguette. On top of a bed of curly wide noodles was the beef, beautifully marinated and seasoned, complemented by a gravy that screamed Depth of Flavor at me with every bite. I halfway expected to run out of pieces of meat and be left with noodles and gravy, but such was not the case: there were enough chunks of beef for every forkful of noodles. (Sorry, but the accompanying photo was taken after a few bites.)
Back to the overwhelmingly busy server: by the attention she gave us throughout the meal, the quick and efficient service, and friendly smile, one would never know just how busy she was; but she never stopped moving. When we entered the restaurant on this very cold evening we truly expected it to be nearly empty. Afterall, who else would go out on a night like this? Oh wait… it’s Florida and snowbird season, so while it was so cold that the nightly outdoor entertainment was canceled, it was not so cold for our friends from the north to come out for the music but finding no live band had nowhere to go but inside. It was wall-to-wall people and we expected to sit forever waiting for service. In fact, even our host warned us that it could take some time before we see a server.
Then like lightning, there she was, taking our drink orders, then our food orders which arrived without delay and piping hot fresh.
When we returned to our car after dinner we remarked that that was the fastest, most delicious dinner we’ve had in a very long time.
Last but not least, the live indoor entertainment was fantastic.
To summarize: fast and friendly service on a crowded night, excellent food consistent with past visits, and overall DEPTH OF FLAVOR!
Yes, chef, you nailed it!
Osso bucco and beef stroganoff never fails. Try the flatbreads, too. You won’t be disappointed.
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