1921 Mount Dora — Restaurant in Mount Dora

Thank you for three great meals (2 dinners and 1 lunch) and incredible service with lots of patience!!! My husband chose this restaurant because they purchase vegetables from Frog Song. (Our local organic farmers.)and being mindful of my many food allergies and sensitives. (I don't eat out much having autoimmune liver disease). We started with lunch upon arrival. I ordered salad and added my protein that I travel with. It was busy so I needed time to ask questions and as suggested by Chef Brenton, he would come out to see how he could help me which eleviates our waitress Madison from running back and forth. (Madison was very patient) After much discussion with the Chef, he was able to come up with a meal for dinner (sticking to the menue/inventory) which was Wreckfish and roasted vegetables (baby bok choy, tomatoes, baby turnips.) Which was incredibly delicious and enjoyed both nights. I wanted the oysters but can't have butter so the oysters were baked plain and I used a little lemon. My husband had the oysters as is on the menu which he enjoyed the mix of herbs and garlic. Because we had lunch and time to talk with the head Chef they put my info into the system. Upon arrival for dinner they printed out my information so I didn't have to start from the beginning. On the second night, Brenton came out to see how our meals were the night before. One of the nights Danny cooked. Brett was our waiter the first night. I just want to say a saint as we watched him handle a table of a few people who seemed unsettled within themselves. The somnelier took over so the waiter could focus on his patrons. I just want to say what we observed by the patrons was shocking and disturbing and praise the waiter and sommelier on their level of professionalism where truly no other patrons seemed to know what was taken place. We just so happen to be in earshot and facing this unfold. Amazingly the second night another table/ family a bit quieter in tone but actions much bolder shocked us. The situation was handled again seamlessly. Again, it would be wrong to comment but it was clear both nights was to no fault of the staff. No scene or loud voices by employees rather all service with a smile to "please" the patron(s)! Should we go back to vacation in the area or want superb food, service, and ambience this is the only place we will eat at! Thank you to all of the employees from reception, wait staff, and chefs for putting me at ease and having a quiet romantic dinner out with my husband allowing us to celebrate my life! Blessings to all. May you be blessed with a wealth of health, happiness and pleasant patrons! Happy New Year to all! (My husband chose dishes from the menu and was very pleased with the soup, cioppino (sp?), gumbo and wines: Mathew, Williamette, and...

I wandered out to Mount Dora one day, for an excellent outdoor local art festival, and I saw this restaurant that I had been hearing good things about for years. I asked them and they didn't really have a wait around 3PM, so I thought to myself, it is time. I get out of the sweltering sun, and seated in the neato bar area, and get to work.

I wanted an app, but I didn't want to get anything too big, so I saw Tiffany's Handmade Yeast Rolls (with Whipped Florida Sugar Cane Butter & Maldon Sea Salt), and knew it was the app for me. Oh so soft. A fluffy roll, fluffier than a Hawaiian, for that really zingy butter. Sweet and salty at the same time. A really impressive app.

The mains I ate I cannot find on the online menu of the restaurant anymore, which is a good thing. Seasonal menus don't keep things the same for very long. That's another level of wanting to try and put your best restaurant foot forward.

So while you can't order it right now, I got the Wood-Grilled Tilefish Collar (with Charred Spring Vegetable Slaw & Fennel Pollen Tartar Sauce), and wow, it was fantastic. The big mess of a collar was so charred and so moist and juicy. Eating it off the bone like that makes you think that you're eating ribs. Solid showing; one of the best showings of seafood I've seen in Central Florida.

I also got to try the Lake Meadow Naturals Fried Chicken (with Ben's Buttermilk Biscuit, Strawberry Hot Sauce & Asher Bleu). Very nicely fried, with a ton of seasoning in the breading. The crumbly biscuit held up well against the giant cutlet, and the hot sauce was very southern. It was hot and a little sweet, I was a fan. I hope they bring it back for other dishes in the future.

Overall, there had been a lot of hype for me about this place for the past few years that I've known about it. And the hype was real. I recommend coming out here and trying it out. You don't be...

Very Blah Experience. Made reservations for 7pm in Dining Room. Sat for almost 40 minutes at front because table wasn’t ready. Server was the worst. Never smiled, mumbled the whole time, just very blah as if she didn’t want to be there. She seemed very uncomfortable in her role. Ordered the Roasted Oysters and Caesar Wedge Salad - they were fantastic. The octopus had good flavor but, was over cooked, chewy, and barely warm. Wife ordered filet. The quality of the steak was top notch and cooked perfectly. I had the quail. Keep in mind - it’s fried. It was overcooked and greasy. Not the meat but fryer oil greasy. It was served on a bed of a marinated cabbage and greens mix. It had good flavor but you’re given a pound of it. And that’s all it comes with. Picture fried chicken on a mound of Cole slaw for $45. Their claim is everything is locally farmed which is great. But just because someone buys the best paints and brushes, doesn’t make them a great artist. The ambiance in the restaurant should have been the tip off. It’s very reminiscent of a wood paneled Brady Bunch home from the 70’s. Everything is wood and all the same color. The floors, the walls, the tables and chairs, the artwork. All wood - all the same color. There are some nice paintings on the wall but they don’t distract from the cafeteria feel of the dining room. This seems to be one of the more expensive places in town. It’s not very unreasonable but there is definitely better food and service with better prices in town than 1921. Maybe you will have a different experience but would...