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Lona, Wine, & Sinatra
"I feel sorry for the people who don't drink - when they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they are going to feel all day." -- Frank Sinatra
The above quote appeared on the menu of our restaurant of choice in Orlando, so at least the owner has a sense of humor. We attended the Florida Restaurant Show at the nearby
Convention Center and one look at Vines Grille & Wine Bar is all that was needed. If you actually walk in their door, forget about it, you'll never want to leave. This spot has a vibe going for it that won't quit, and the ambiance matched the quality of the food and the service.
Wine is the theme at Vines and they have dedicated an entire wall to the subject. That being said, we sat down and I ordered a Samuel Adams Brown Ale. Jaime did the right thing with a bottle of wine. The food was sensational (my roasted natural chicken with rosemary mashed potatoes) was incredible, and everything about this place felt good.
I have always said that the quality of a restaurant's general manager is directly proportional to the quality of the restaurant in question, and Vines proved my point. Lona Kicinski (technically the Director of Operations) stopped by our table and even gave us a tour of the restaurant. She could have easily passed for the owner as this woman completely understands the concept of hospitality.
The entire staff behaved like she did and her philosophy of managing became self- evident. She sees her people as a family that works together and has fun together. They love what they do and it shows. A waiter from another station helped to bus our table, and he said something interesting to me… "Sir, I noticed that you ordered the chicken. It happens to be my favorite entrée, and I think our chef prepares the best chicken dish in all of Florida. Chicken is somewhat under appreciated, but we do it so well". The man was right, and you have to love the fact that he would say something like that.
You go to a place that is somewhat unfamiliar; you hope to find a great restaurant. We hit the home run in Orlando.
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