At Elliott Aster, stunning decor and St. Pete's best Caesar salad
I had dinner this week at the Vinoy Resort & Golf Club's fancy new restaurant, Elliott Aster.
Dig in: St. Pete's newest culinary destination opened last month, on the heels of a massive renovation of the historic hotel.
It adds to the Sunshine City's growing fine-dining scene, joining spots like Juno & the Peacock and Allelo.
The vibe: I've never eaten in such a beautiful space, which was probably obvious by the way I kept gazing up wide-eyed at the ornate painted walls and sleek chandeliers.
Plus, it's in the Vinoy! I'm always looking for a reason to spend time in our glamorous pink landmark.
Yes, but: The food, cocktails and service were also memorable.
My boyfriend and I arrived a few minutes early for our reservation, so we stopped at one of the restaurant's two bars for an Elliott Aster martini ($22).
The addition of celery bitters was a refreshing twist on the traditional cocktail, and the bartender made me feel like the only patron in the room.
Best bites: The whipped ricotta ($9) was delicious, although I'd recommend ordering the focaccia with it so you have bread to dip rather than the crackers the dish comes with.
My entree, the beef cheek tortelli, was also excellent, and I appreciated that the pasta menu's prices hovered around $25. (The steak menu, on the other hand, starts at $65.)
The real standout, though, was the baby gem Caesar ($16). I've eaten a lot of Caesar salads in my life, and this was one of the best.
The bottom line: Caesar salad-martini happy hour, anyone?
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