SAVOUR RESTAURANT — Restaurant in Cape Coral

We visited Savour in Fort Myers for a date night, drawn by its fine dining presentation and European-inspired menu. We ordered the escargot, butter clams, five-spice short rib, a glass of wine each, and the bread and butter, which is a paid item, not complimentary as is typical in many fine dining restaurants. Service started smoothly but quickly lost momentum. Though the restaurant wasn’t packed, it was moderately busy with four tables and a couple at the bar, and only one server on duty, on a Saturday night. We waited over 35 minutes for our appetizer and bread. During that time, the table next to ours was served their entrée and dessert while we still hadn’t received our first course. That lack of pacing was hard to ignore. When the food finally arrived, the bread was warm and came with what appeared to be warmed, whipped butter and a separate ramekin of green liquid, which didn’t add anything to the experience. The escargot was tender and cooked differently than the traditional French style. You could clearly taste the red wine in the sauce, which was well balanced and complemented the dish nicely.The short rib was the standout dish, tender, rich, and well complemented by a parsnip purée. The butter clams were generously portioned and the clams themselves were enjoyable, but the sauce was over-salted to the point of being inedible, so we avoided it. Throughout the meal, our server never returned to check in or offer a second glass of wine, even though we were there for over two hours. On a positive note, the chef made rounds during the evening, personally greeting every table and stopping by ours to apologize for the long wait on the appetizer, which we appreciated. We finished with the Dubai Chocolate Mousse, which was excellent, light, smooth, and beautifully layered with pistachio cream. What stood out most was that after such a long delay, nothing was offered to make up for it, not a comped appetizer or dessert, which would have been an appropriate gesture. In true fine dining, hospitality is about more than the food, it’s about how a guest is treated when something goes wrong. That...

I’ve always enjoyed dining at Azure, but the new owners Mimi and Chef Matt Geiger are really taking it in the right direction. I had dinner there with a friend last Saturday and our food was excellent. We both enjoyed the summer gazpacho especially when paired with a great wine from their wine list… in this case it was a French Sancerre Rose. Even the bread service is worthy. We ate every bite! Moving on to the main course, my friend raved about the duck breast on the “limited specials” menu while I loved my beautifully served roasted red beet and mushrooms risotto from the regular menu offerings. It was almost too pretty to dig into, but I did!!! Last but not least desserts have always been special at Azure, but this time Chef Matt told us about his chocolate mousse currently being made with Dubai chocolate. I’ve never had Dubai chocolate before but knew that it is really something special in the culinary world. So we shared one and left nothing behind. Now I know what’s so special about it and will never turn any down! Our service was great by the whole Azure team, and I am glad this cozy little restaurant is not far...

In early February, 2025, I visited Azure for a lovely change from the multiple coconut shrimp choices throughout the beach! This charming European-French Restaurant was the highlight of my two month visit to Ft. Myers Beach!

I called ahead for reservations and to be sure I could bring my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and upon arriving I was delighted by Owner Lee Riley, welcoming me at the door with a bowl of water for Charlie. Lee shared with me that swordfish was just brought in fresh, and I took him up on the entree recommendation, which was most delicious and appreciated! Without a pause and with much restaurant experience, I can assure readers that this was one of the most delicious meals I have ever eaten. From wine, bread, salad, entree, and through dessert, I was delighted. Co-Owners Lee Riley and Eddie Garces visibly check to make certain that all patrons in the restaurant are well served.

Thanks to both of you for making my “eating alone” experience one of the best restaurant adventures I have had! And beaucoup thanks to your...