Seasons 52 review: health-conscious choices can be delicious

Seasons 52 is one of my "go to" restaurants that I never hesitate to recommend. If you want a delicious meal without the guilt, you can't beat it. With a casually elegant decor and usually top-notch service, Seasons 52 is a restaurant that fits the bill for so many occasions.

Recently I was invited to sample their new Summer menu. Seasons 52 changes its menu quarterly to offer fresh, seasonal ingredients. And to top it all, none of its menu items have more than 475 calories.

We started with the Chilled Lobster & Shrimp Spring Rolls ($10.75) with salsa verde, lemon grass and sweet-hot chile. Man, what a refreshing appetizers. When it's hot outside (when is it not in Orlando), this has to be the perfect appetizer - light, flavorful, cool and delicious.

While delicious, the spring rolls weren't really enough for two, so we next sampled the Lump Crab, Roasted Shrimp and Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms ($9.75). Definitely a change of pace from the rolls, the mushrooms were served piping hot with a wonderful crunchy Parmesan-planko crust. Some diners love a mushroom with bite, but I love them when they melt in your mouth. These melted my mouth.

For my main dish, I chose the Piedmontese All-Natural Bone-in Strip Steak ($26.25) topped with a wonderfully rich cremini mushroom sauce and served with asparagus and garlic mashed potatoes. At 11 oz. and with the accompanying sides, I thought the dish was the perfect size and unbelievably less than 475 calories. From a quick Wikipedia search I learned that Piedmontese beef is "meat from cattle having 1 or 2 copies of the inactive myostatin gene. This attribute provides a higher lean-to-fat ratio as well as a less marbled with less connective tissue cut of red meat than from cattle having the active version of the gene." Healthy and amazingly tender. What more do you want in a steak?

For dessert, Seasons 52 offers "Mini Indulgences." And that's truly what they are. Each is an individual dessert served in a shot glass. It's easy to order just one and be done or sample a few of them. I tried two: Key Lime Pie and Pecan Pie ($2.50 each). Both were decadent but since they're so small I didn't give it much thought. Other choices include Mocha Macchiato, Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse, Blueberry Cheesecake, Belgian Chocolate Rocky Road, Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cannoli and Market Fresh Fruit. Have one or have them all!

Needless to say, I love Seasons 52 and this month they've unveiled a fantastic new tasting experience to help guests explore Seasons 52's adventurous wine list and signature flatbreads. For only $15 per person, guests enjoy the personalized wine tasting by first selecting a flight of three pours from a hand-selected list of eight varietals chosen by Master Sommelier George Miliotes. Upon completing the tasting, guests will then receive a full glass of their favorite selection and an accompanying flatbread of their choosing. This limited-time only experience is available daily until 6 p.m., and will run through August 31st.

“Beginning the dining experience with one of our wine flights provides guests the opportunity to taste new, unique selections and let their own personal palate decide how to proceed,” said Miliotes. “Whether red or white, bold or clean, our wine tasting selections are the perfect accompaniment to the crisp and fresh flavors of our signature flatbreads.”
Wine selections include:

· Indaba Chardonnay, West Cape ’11 - a favorite white with aromas of tropical fruit, flavors of apple, pear, and fig, and a touch of oak for a little butterscotch creaminess.

· Santa Julia Pinot Grigio, Mendoza ’11 - a crisp, clean Argentine with aromas and flavors of lemon, pear, and pineapple with a long, almond finish.

· Paso a Paso Verdejo, La Mancha ’10/’11 - an innovative wine that’s highly aromatic, with flavors of apple and melon and a hint of lemon and lime at the finish.

· Selbach Qba Riesling, Mosel ’10/’11 - handmade specifically for Seasons 52 by Johannes Selbach himself, a blend of sweet melon, grape, apple, star fruit, and quince flavors and Meyer lemon finish.

· Anna’s Merlot, Slovenia ’09 - a plummy, ripe raspberry flavor with long, smooth tannins.

· Mirassou Pinot Noir, California ’10/’11 - a balanced blend of pomegranate, cherry, and red currant flavors, a touch of earthiness, and a silky smooth finish.

· Wrongo Dongo Monastrell, Jumilla ’10/’11 - flavors of ripe blueberry and rich black currant combine with fine, smooth tannins and a pleasantly mineral finish.

· Gascon Malbec, Mendoza ’10/’11 - arguably one of the richest, most flavorful red varietals, this vintage is velvety and full-bodied, with flavors of black raspberry, plum, & blueberry, with a powerful yet smooth tannic finish.

Note: I dined compliments of Seasons 52.

475 calories out of 500