Braised Onion — Restaurant in Ocala

This was TRULY a 5-star experience. Arrived at 11.30a - opening time - and were greeted warmly and sat promptly. The server, TREVOR, was very attentive throughout our visit but never made us feel rushed. The menu is fabulous and we decided to each try an appetizer, an entree and a dessert. What a great decision.

In spite of the ordinary recognizable names of the menu items, like fried green tomatoes and bread pudding, nothing they served was ordinary. Their interpretation of every dish and dessert is a huge improvement on the STANDARD that we imagined those items to be. In other words, each time a plate was served we were wowed with the beauty of the plated food and the evident creativity and skill of the chef. I have reviewed many places but this restaurant stands out from the rest.

The appetizers we chose were the fried green tomatoes and the shrimp and grits. If you look at the pictures they tell the story. Three beautifully prepared and cornmeal breaded green tomatoes served with crab and corn salad and the house made creole mustard dressing. To die for! The shrimp were similar. Three beautifully prepared and plated colossal Tiger Shrimp that were blackened and served over house made Gouda cheese grits with corn relish and cilantro oil. Just decadent.

The main course we had the short rib stroganoff made with braised short ribs and their house made stroganoff sauce, using pappardelle noodles and gorgeous crimini mushrooms. Perfect balance of seasoning and texture. The other entre was the kurobuta pork loin. Made from Berkshire pork, marinated and then wrapped in bacon and oven roasted, with a mango salsa. I got a side of additional mango salsa, it was an unbeatable harmony of flavors with the pork. The green beans had chunks of pork belly and the mashed potatoes served in a small dish were combined with roasted herbs and garlic parmesan butter. And then toasted to a beautifully textured, crusted top layer.

Then we got dessert. They employ a world class pastry chef that makes all of the desserts in-house, daily. Even and the ice cream is made in house.

The coconut cream pie - toasted coconut mixed into the house made filling which has fresh shaved vanilla, topped with whipped cream, caramel and more toasted coconut. Delectable! The bread pudding was a work of art! Served chilled with amaretto soaked raisins and a creamy vanilla base, finished with caramelized sugar and toasted almond. And the bread topping was charred toasted to bring out the flavor. The bread pudding is plated with diagonally placed mirror servings of whipped cream garnished with blue berries, raspberry and a strawberry. A true delicacy that looked as good as it tasted. We both ate the desserts completely!

This restaurant is NOT to be missed! I drove an hour to visit for the first time and will definitely be back. And will...

I went to a luncheon seminar hosted by Coast to Coast with my friends. Two of them were running late and made it at the end of the seminar- which we all thought would last alot longer. I had ordered their meals since the waitress was gathering all the menus. When they got there the staff at the restaurant would not let them in saying that they had missed the seminar so they could not come in and eat their meals or talk to the Coast to Coast people. First off that would have been Coast to Coast's call and they didn't even know about it until I said something. The waiter was rude (which I found out was the owners father) from the beginning and was asking everyone around me-even those that got there after me- what drinks they wanted. He was salty because when he tried to remove my things from the saved seats I had told him that I had permission to save those seats and he got an attitude. I had to ask the waitress that was taking orders to please bring me a drink. After everyone was almost done eating and I found my friends weren't allowed to enter I told the waitress that my friends weren't allowed in but their dinners had been served.... Omg .... You would a thought I was robbing them! "Well who's paying for this?! (Meals) You're paying for this!" They were ugly about it and intimidated my friend into saying she would pay for the meals, but I had already explained the situation to the Coast to Coast people and they were upset that my other friends were turned away without their permission and said they would pick up the tab for the meals since they were hosting the luncheon and the fact that my friends should have been allowed to join the seminar. When I went back to my friend (that came with me) the rude waiter had brought out a bill for the meals to her and got a big attitude and acted like I was lying when I said Coast to Coast was paying for it.... When he checked with the host and she affirmed that they would pay for the meals he stormed away saying "Wow!..... Really?!"..... What an extremely rude man! I don't care if your son is the owner you don't act like that and none of what transpired was your business.... You got your money...Be happy. As for the food, I had the fish and chips. The fish was too salty- I couldn't finish it, but the fries were delicious. Due to this bad experience I nor my friends are going back and would not...

It was our first time visiting because we've heard positive experiences from our friends and family that have visited many times themselves. I can say it was a positive experience with just encouragement of improvement, if I may. When we first arrived, I did like the ample parking spaces and entering the building it was really nice. It seemed like a calming, intimate atmosphere that you can visit for a date night or a family gathering especially when the volume of the other patrons that were already there was not overwhelming. The hostess and the host, I did not get their names, but they were very welcoming and courteous as well as very attentive even throughout our visit.

Once we were sat down, we were greeted by Erik and he was very awesome. Super professional but down to earth. He answered our questions and made recommendations throughout our meal especially when it came to dessert options. I have to say that he made the meanest Old Fashioned ever and it was balanced in taste...It was nice to have a good drink with my meal.

The one encouragement for improvement that I would offer is that the Beef Wellington wontons; I was a little sad that I didn't see or tasted the prosciutto and that the protein was a little into the well-done taste perhaps if it was accompanied with a cup of demi glaze right with the horseradish sauce. Just a personal opinion, respectfully. I enjoyed the lobster bisque and the bread that came out....so gooooooood.

The rest of the meal was really good. I enjoyed the braised short ribs and that the veggies were tender. I'm not a veggie person at all and here I am eating those up first and the mash was perfect (please don't change it) but the short ribs? So tender and hearty! I had a food coma that night.

To top it off...I was talked into getting dessert by my husband and Erik was definitely a good persuader because I picked the very last piece of the Peach cobbler. All I have to say is: YES. Homemade peach cobbler on an iron skillet with homemade vanilla ice cream...food coma 10 times over and it was worth every bite.

I appreciate all the staff that were kind and personable, especially the young man whose name I also didn't get came to bring the plates or take them because he was very lovely as well. Erik is epic and made our night.

I recommend this spot for...