Mr. Five Star

body {behavior: url(http://www.mrfivestar.com/modules/mod_lxmenupro/csshover.htc);} table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro { background: transparent; width: auto; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul { margin: 0; padding: 0; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li { float: left; position: relative; list-style: none; margin: 0; padding: 0; height: 20px; width: 190px; background-color: #000000; background-image: url(http://www.mrfivestar.com/modules/mod_lxmenupro/images/background/menu_back_f01.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: left; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li:hover, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentsub, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li:hover, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentsub { background-color: #000000; background-image: none; background-image: url(http://www.mrfivestar.com/modules/mod_lxmenupro/images/background/menu_back_f02_f02.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: left; z-index: 20; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem { height: 20px; width: 110px; background-color: #000000; background-image: url(http://www.mrfivestar.com/modules/mod_lxmenupro/images/background/menu_back_f01.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: left; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem:hover, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentmain, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem:hover, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentmain { background-color: #000000; background-image: url(http://www.mrfivestar.com/modules/mod_lxmenupro/images/background/menu_back_f02_f02.jpg); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-position: left; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li a { display: block; padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 3px; color: #88cccc; font-size: 11px; font-family: tahoma,verdana,arial; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-transform: none; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; text-decoration: none; margin-right: 0px; padding-right: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-left: 3px; width: auto; height: auto; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li:hover>a, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentsub>a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li:hover>a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentsub>a { color: #ddffff; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-transform: none; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; text-decoration: none; margin-right: 0px; padding-right: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-left: 3px; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem>a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem>a { padding-top: 2px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 2px; padding-left: 3px; color: #88cccc; font-size: 13px; font-family: tahoma,verdana,arial; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-transform: none; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; text-decoration: none; border-top-width: 0; border-right-width: 0; border-bottom-width: 0; border-left-width: 0; margin-right: 0px; padding-right: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-left: 3px; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem:hover>a, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentmain>a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.mainitem:hover>a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.currentmain>a { color: #ddffff; font-weight: normal; text-align: left; text-transform: none; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: bidi-override; text-decoration: none; border-top-width: 0; border-right-width: 0; border-bottom-width: 0; border-left-width: 0; margin-right: 0px; padding-right: 0px; margin-left: 20px; padding-left: 3px; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level1 a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level1 a { width: auto; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.folder>a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.folder>a { } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro>ul a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro>ul a { width: auto; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul ul, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul ul { display: none; position: absolute; width: 190px; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.folder li.folder>a, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro li.folder li.folder>a { background-image: url(http://www.mrfivestar.com/modules/mod_lxmenupro/images/symbol/arrow_gr2.gif);background-position:98% 50%;padding-right:15px; background-repeat: no-repeat; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level0 li.folder:hover ul.level1, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level1 li.folder:hover ul.level2, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level2 li.folder:hover ul.level3, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level3 li.folder:hover ul.level4, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level4 li.folder:hover ul.level5, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level5 li.folder:hover ul.level6, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level6 li.folder:hover ul.level7, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level7 li.folder:hover ul.level8, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level8 li.folder:hover ul.level9, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level0 li.folder:hover ul.level1, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level1 li.folder:hover ul.level2, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level2 li.folder:hover ul.level3, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level3 li.folder:hover ul.level4, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level4 li.folder:hover ul.level5, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level5 li.folder:hover ul.level6, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level6 li.folder:hover ul.level7, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level7 li.folder:hover ul.level8, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level8 li.folder:hover ul.level9 { display:block; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level0, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level0 { -moz-opacity: 0.8; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level1, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level1 { top: 20px; left: 0px; } table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level2, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level3, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level4, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level5, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level6, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level7, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level8, table.moduletable div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level9, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level2, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level3, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level4, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level5, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level6, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level7, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level8, div.module div#mainmenu1lxmenupro ul.level9 { top: 0px; left: 190px; }

#mainmenu1_menu { display: none; }

Home	Friday, March 12 2010

Circa 1926, Restaurant, Winter Park, Florida, Wonderful

Written by Mr Five Star

Circa 1926 Restaurant is located in the heart of historic Winter Park, Florida, a trendy, wealthy, upscale bedroom community located next door to Orlando on the north side. If you have never had the pleasure of visiting Winter Park, shame on you. This is a great little college and artsy town with history dating back to 1858. Home to Rollins College, Full Sail University, and the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art with the largest collection of Tiffany glass on earth. If I were to live in the Orlando area Winter Park would be my first choice.

Recently my wife and I were weekending in Orlando and decided to have Sunday breakfast in Winter Park. First we checked Zagat and the Internet, nothing jumped out at us. 10 minutes later we were cruising the winding, Live Oak, canopied brick streets looking for that perfect spot to enjoy our morning together. Every once in a while we get lucky. This was our day.. There, on the corner of Park Avenue and West Canton Avenue was our Sunday morning dream come true. And yes it gets better. We stared in through the open French doors to what we were afraid might be a mirage. No, no mirage. This is a fabulous upscale restaurant complex. What caught our eyes first was the alabaster bar with a back wall of water trickling down somewhat like a small waterfall accented with great lighting. In the front corner is an ebony grand piano and the tables were set with black napkins and that fun flatware knives that stand up with the knife edge perpendicular to the table.

I approached the Matre d stand to inquire about the menu. This was exactly what we were looking for. After 30 seconds we were on our way to a table. As the host ushered us to our table Jessica the manager welcomed us as she passed by with a genuine warm friendly, “thank you for joining us today”. Already we were sure we had found the right spot. Immediately upon being seated Matthew our waiter greeted us with a friendly smile. “May I offer you a complimentary Mimosa or Champagne to start”? My kind of Sunday morning breakfast.

The menu for Sunday Brunch is wonderful, There is something for everyone, just to mention a few items. “French toast in a basket”with bacon, Spinach Omelet with Gruyère cheese and bacon with Potato Hash, Eggs Benedict with Ciabatta Toast, crisp Pancetta and Potato Hash, Herb Blini with Citrus and Vodka Cured Salmon served with Lemon Creme Fresh. I wanted to try everything. My wife had the Eggs Benedict and I had the Salmon. Service was perfectly paced to permit us to enjoy a first cup of coffee, then came the champagne and then the entrée. Matthew was prompt, efficient,and knowledgeable, everything you could ever want in a fine dining restaurant. If we had not had a midday appointment I am sure we would have spent the better part of the morning sipping champagne, chatting with friends and just enjoying our time together in this most inviting corner of heaven. What does this cost you ask? You better get here soon because the prices will have to increase at least for the Brunch since there is nothing on the Brunch menu over $15.00 and most items are in the $12.00 range including the complimentary glass of champagne.

All this is pulled together by Chef James Slattery. Slattery has evolved from the world of chemistry into the culinary field. I suppose the knowledge of blending things together in chemistry go hand and hand with designing well balanced dishes. Chef Slattery launched himself into cooking after meeting Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse at a book signing. Lagasse immediately recognized Slattery's talent and the next thing you know Slattery is working his way up through the ranks in the kitchen with Emeril to opening one of Lagasse's restaurants in Orlando.

This is not just a Brunch Restaurant, quite to the contrary. This is a full service Fine dining restaurant open daily from 11 AM to 10 PM with the bar open till 2 AM. The Sunday Brunch is great but the dinner menu looks fabulous as well. Since we did not have dinner here we can't comment, however the next time we are in Orlando, Circa 1926 will be our first stop for dinner. Check back here for further reports.

Wait, there is more. In February 2009 they are opening an authentic Irish Pub in the same complex. Following our Brunch we took a tour of the facilities. The Pub was three quarters finished and it looks great. Then there is a more formal dining room that could be used as a small banquet room with several small intimate tables behind sheer curtains.

On the second level is the Jazz Lounge. Now this room has the South Beach feel with wonderful lounging chairs and living room cluster couch seating to relax and enjoy the music with small groups of friends.

I only have two additional comments about Circa 1926. First the wine list is excellent accenting moderate priced wines, for that my compliments. So often the wine list in a fine restaurant like this is out of sight. However, my suggestion is that they do add 25% more to the list and include some premium wines in addition to the present list. My second comment is, “Come on guy's, a fine restaurant like this deserves a much better web site”. Give us some pictures, and include the menus. Click here to go to the Circa1926 web site.

Summary: you can be sure when we are in the Orlando area (Winter Park) we will entertain our friends and ourselves at Circa 1926. The food is excellent, the service is the best and the staff is top notch. This is a destination restaurant for us. Try it you won't be disappointed.

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