What can I say about Tony's except that they are the most popular place in Cedar Key to dine, ask any local, this is the place they recommend. We decided to have lunch here on a Friday in April. We got there at about 11:45 a.m. and we were not the first ones.
You can't have lunch here without trying the clam chowder. It is New England style and I can't even believe as a New Englander that I am saying this, it is the best clam chowder I have ever taste. I'm not the only one that thinks that it is award-winning chowder. We liked it so much, we bought a quart to take home for later. They have even canned it.
While the chowder is
certainly a winner, the rest of the food isn't lacking in any way.
Tony's offers a wide variety of steamed and fried seafood. This is the combo platter and it was a platter full of deliciousness.
We were lucky enough to find a parking spot literally in front of the restaurant, otherwise, parking can be a bit tricky but take the time to find a spot, you won't be disappointed.
Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville offers numerous dining options. If you are craving steak then Old Hickory is the place to satisfy you. Located in an antebellum-style mansion built to mimic the General Beauregard House from New Orleans you will find the cuisine can satisfy even the most discriminating palate. The location is in the Delta Section and if you are sitting on the upper terrace you will have a front row seat to the water show that takes place at regular intervals.
The appetizer choices are sophisticated. Escargot with parsley butter, artisan cheeses, a jumbo shrimp cocktail and crab cakes made with 95 percent lump crab meat held together with breadcrumbs, they come served with aioli and a spicy Asian slaw that adds the bite of vinegar. They offer lobster bisque that is divine and the onion soup is a very close second. Salad choices run from the expected Caesar to a delicious wedge. The Old Hickory garden salad however with the heirloom tomatoes is one of the best I have ever eaten. Imagine eating tomatoes in January that taste garden fresh, it seems impossible but they even smelled like garden tomatoes and the ranch dressing is outstanding.
The most difficult part of dining here is deciding what to have for your entre. The carnivores are well provided for with the 22 oz cowboy ribeye, porterhouse steak, strip steak and two filets. All of their beef except for the 10 oz grass fed filet is from a cattle ranch in Grand Island Nebraska. It isn't all beef, however, there is a rack of lamb, organic chicken, and salmon steak. The meals are ala carte so you will need to choose your sides which will be served family style in servings that will feed 3 to 4 people excessively. No matter what your preferences, smashed red bliss potatoes, creamed spinach¸ asparagus with hollandaise sauce or Mac and cheese, they offer it.
Try to save room for dessert. I know it will be hard, but it would be a terrible shame to deny yourself the opportunity. There is the most amazing crème Brulee made with vanilla from Madagascar and served so that all the elements melt in your mouth. The bread pudding is dense and redolent with raisins and cinnamon, and what I think was a rum or brandy sauce. The most amazing dessert of all h, however,s the popcorn ice cream, I know popcorn ice cream? But yes served in a waffle cone with caramel sauce it will knock your socks off, close your eyes and let the salty taste of popcorn send your senses reeling.
If you didn't choose the artisan cheeses as one of your appetizers don't leave without having some. They make an excellent savory after dinner presentation. The choices will vary but will be outstanding. They will span the European continent as well as the U.S. and offer goat, cow, sheep and combination cheeses from small farms where the art of cheese making is a cherished tradition. You may get to taste the most luscious triple cream Fromager D'Affinois from France a brie type cheese with an amazing creamy texture or a Primmadonna from Holland with a sweet slightly nutty taste and a complexity that is sure to please. You can choose a tasting plate of three or six varieties and it may just be the highlight of your meal. All the cheeses will be explained to you so that you can make an informed choice but rest assured the quality will be outstanding.
Service at every level within the restaurant is friendly and efficient. The staff is knowledgeable and will make you feel like a cherished member of the family. Your glass will never sit empty nor will empty plates linger on your table. From the moment you are welcomed in to the restaurant you will feel just that, welcomed.
The Old Hickory can only be classified as fine dining in a comfortable and business casual atmosphere. It is sure to be the highlight of your stay at the Gaylord Opryland Resort or your visit in Nashville if you are not a resort guest.
