Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News

When one of the grand dames of shelter magazines anoints your restaurant among the world’s 20 most beautiful, how do you top that?

For Le Colonial’s partners Rick Wahlstadt and Joe King, you up the ante by opening a new locale on one of Naples’ most iconic streets.

Their newest spot debuts Dec. 14 on Fifth Avenue South. Wahlstadt believes the look of this location tops the one in Atlanta that made Veranda’s list. Both were designed by Knauer, the Chicago-based architecture, interior design and engineering firm who are no strangers to Naples, having created Del Mar across the street.

“Fifth Avenue is a pristine and beautiful culinary destination, and we designed the restaurant to reflect the sophistication of the Naples market,” said King.

And while hotel décor often influences home interiors, this might be the first Naples restaurant exuding exotic and luxe vacation vibes that guests want to emulate in their own abodes, especially the sexy lounge.

It’s that gorgeous.

Read the full article and view photos on naplesnews.com.

Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News

Love is on the menu in a new report naming Florida’s eight most romantic restaurants.

FloridaRentals.com, which boasts five stars from Trustpilot, is a statewide website for rental homes. It listed its eight favorite Sunshine State date-night restaurants.

According to the website, the restaurants they selected are based on “customer reviews, menu, service, and ambiance, great service and delectable menus, perfect for a dinner for two.”

The two spots listed in Naples are exclusively from Chef-Owner Vincenzo Betulia: The French Brasserie Rustique and Osteria Tulia, across the street from each other on Fifth Avenue South.

Executive Chef and Partner Vincenzo Betulia at The French in Naples.
“The menu at The French is full of casual French classics, lighter fare and coastal dishes. The atmosphere is best described as informal and vibrant with a romantic street-side setting,” noted the site.

Read the full article on naplesnews.com and find out why Osteria Tulia should be on your list of romantic evening venues.

Diana Biederman | Naples Daily News

One of JLB’s highest priorities when recommending restaurants is the value factor. Does a restaurant’s pricing correlate with the overall experience and quality?

In Naples, spending $300 on disappointing mediocre dinners for two is, sadly, way too frequent.

But when a well-respected downtown restaurant owner says the best deal in town is Capital Grille’s lunch, my interest is piqued and warrants investigating.

My companion du jour was longtime resident Valerie Miller, whose name may ring a bell because, for the past 17 years, she’s been the author/publisher of the annual Naples Restaurant Guide, our local Zagat-like directory sans the sarcastic quotes.

Shameless plug: The new edition arrives at Paper Merchant and Bruno’s on Third Street South (the most fun, super high-end store in town if you’ve never been) in November.

She’s dined everywhere in town but seldom visits Capital Grille.

It was JLB’s first visit to the Naples location. I’ve not been inclined to go despite enjoying the Darden-owned chain’s sisters in New York City and Washington, D.C., seen as the backdrop for scenes in “Special Ops: Lioness” ― a must-watch ― and “Jason Bourne” (2016).

If JLB opened a hospitality college in Southwest Florida, one of her first hires as a distinguished professor would be Aldo Mazreku, Capital’s captain of gracious service who lends professional polish and old-school panache to a simple lunch outing between friends.

Aldo doesn’t hover.

Instead, with a sense of anticipation and intuition, he miraculously appears seconds before we even think of summoning him with various requests.

Since Friday was my day off, why not indulge in cocktails, request number one?

Read about the Capital Grille meal on naplesnews.com