Columbia Restaurant

Has anyone visited one of Columbia's restaurants in Florida. I will be in Orlando next week and I wanted to visit a good Cuban restaurant and this one is close to where I will be staying. Columbia has several locations in Florida and my guess is that they are not particularly roadfood but I will have a guest and I sincerely hope that one of our group has been there and can give me a review.

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/locations.asp

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sundancer,

How did you do in Vegas?

I have been to the Columbia in Sarasota a lot of times but I haven't been for years. The ambiance is great and the food is quite good. My problem was that I would fill up on the 1905 salad and black bean soup and would not have room for the entree. When the company is picking up the check we would order the Australian lobster tail. This is a spiney lobster like the Florida lobster but larger and with the sweet taste of Maine lobster. If you were lucky you would get one big tail instead of two smaller ones.

A friend of mine who is a fan of nice restaurants was at the Columbia about 2 weeks ago and was impressed. He found some Spanish wine that he said was very nice.

All in all I think you will be pleased.

Cakes

Cakes, we stunk in Vegas. Cars are in Pomona this weekend for the final race of the year. Next stop, Pomona in February.

Thanks for your thoughts on Columbia. Chezkatie thought about it and sent me the site. Probably a tad bit expensive but what the heck.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

quote:

Originally posted by Cakes

Sundancer,

How did you do in Vegas?

I have been to the Columbia in Sarasota a lot of times but I haven't been for years. The ambiance is great and the food is quite good. My problem was that I would fill up on the 1905 salad and black bean soup and would not have room for the entree. When the company is picking up the check we would order the Australian lobster tail. This is a spiney lobster like the Florida lobster but larger and with the sweet taste of Maine lobster. If you were lucky you would get one big tail instead of two smaller ones.

A friend of mine who is a fan of nice restaurants was at the Columbia about 2 weeks ago and was impressed. He found some Spanish wine that he said was very nice.

All in all I think you will be pleased.

Cakes

Same here: Have eaten at several but mostly the Sarasota branch. We had a great waiter there, a Rodney Dangerfield look alike from New York. He would walk around doing bird imitations and folks would look around trying to figure out where the bird noises were coming from. What a "Hoot"! He would occasionally keep a cocktail on our table which he would sip as he passed by (why not)but he was a terrific waiter. Gone but not forgotten.

We too love the 1905 salad and the black bean soup. Good quality food. The old one in Ybor city has flamenco from time to time. Hope you enjoy it.

Cakes and Twodales: Tell me about the 1905 salad. I read a little about in on their menu.

Thanks,
Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

The 1905 salad is a tossed salad that they prepare at your table. Lots of garlic.

Finely cut lettuce, oil and vinegar dressing. I guess it is not that special except one doesn't get a tossed salad at a restaurant that often these days. They call them tossed but they aren't. Too much salad in too small of a bowl and then you are supposed to toss it yourself.

Cakes

quote:

Originally posted by Sundancer7

Has anyone visited one of Columbia's restaurants in Florida. I will be in Orlando next week and I wanted to visit a good Cuban restaurant and this one is close to where I will be staying. Columbia has several locations in Florida and my guess is that they are not particularly roadfood but I will have a guest and I sincerely hope that one of our group has been there and can give me a review.

http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/locations.asp

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Sundancer,
My experience is with the original Columbia location in Ybor City in Tampa. To tell you that it's excellent is an understatement. You will spend some money for what you get, but you won't feel cheated. I cannot vouch for the other locations, although I understand that they are run by various members of the same family.
If you make it to Tampa, there are a slew of neighborhood restaurants on West Columbus Boulevard, which locals refer to as "Boliche Boulevard." I especially liked a dish called "Ropa Vieja," which is shredded beef (how they got that from the literal translation of "old clothes" is beyond me!).
Boliche is also known as "Eye Steak" in Tampa.
Chicken and yellow rice may be the signature dish at The Columbia. There is an entire "Tampa Spanish" subcuisine that doesn't go any farther than the city. Tampa was settled by Asturianos from Spain (Asturias), and they brought a different cuisine with them than did the Spanish who settled elsewhere in Florida. Not to mention that the first wave of Cubans came to Tampa after the 1898 Spanish-American war!
Let us know what you find.
Hungrily, Ort. Carlton in Athens.

Sundance, I've been to the ones in St. Augustine, Sarasota, and St. Petersburg. The original is in Ybor City, but I haven't eaten there.

I LOVE these places. I recommend the 1905 salad (it's heavy on garlic, so don't eat this before a client meeting or a date) and one of their "combination" plates.

Also, if you need a snack for later, take one of there Cuban Sandwiches.

Sundancer (Paul): FYI I posted the 1905 salad recipe for you over on the recipe board. It's kind of a Spanish Chefs salad, so good with that Cuban bread...

I love the Columbia! The food is always great and I personally have a hard time deciding between entrees. It is true that if you fill up on the 1905 salad and Cuban bread, you may be too full for your entree. Try the Ropa Vieja, it's yummy. Enjoy, Sundancer!

Sundancer7,you have received some excellent advice,let me just add something as I live in Tampa. By all means,try the Columbia then seek out Columbus Ave,near Dale Mabre hwy and try one of the smaller places that are in abudance...La Terecita is one and there are others....right on Dale Mabre,near Kennedy Blvd,is the 'Havana Village' which has great Boliche,Cubans and wonderful home-made soups,have a great trip.