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West Coast Woman
1997
Service That Matches the Cuisine -
Hillview Grill Delights in Many Ways
by Louise Bruderle
Everyone, it seems, has written about the
Hillview Grill's food…there seems little left to say. Okay,
then forget the food. This will be about the stuff that comes
before, serving, and after the cuisine. But first, think for a
moment why you go back to a restaurant. Good food? Price?
Ambiance? Now think about those places where the food was good,
and you still didn't go back. Chances are, amidst the sauces and
selections was a key missing ingredient: service. More simply
put, we may not realize it, but the reason we go back to a
restaurant is because we just like being there. Come to think of
it, the little things add up – like when they know your name,
or that you like your drink on the rocks or straight up, or that
you prefer your fish lightly seasoned.
You can expect that kind of personal attention at the Hillview
Grill. Along with its food, service is one of its finest
features: courteous, prompt and just plain friendly. The smiles
are warm and genuine from Mary or Pam or Miles and Mindy Millwee
(the owners) or Dave at the bar or any of their other staff.
Want a special table? No problem. Don't want too much sauce on
your fish? Okay. Blacken the grouper lightly? Can do.
If you haven't read any of their reviews pre- or post-fire, then
it should be said that Hillview Grill is a medium-sized
restaurant that sits midway between U.S. 41 and Osprey Avenue in
Sarasota. It's been around for a decade, and most know of their
catastrophic fire followed by their reopening in 1994. The
rebuilt restaurant is much larger, expanding from 65 to 150
seats.
Hillview Grill serves lunch and dinner. Daily you'll often see
beeper-clad hospital workers, some in scrubs, others in suites,
or others taking in a lunch that can be rushed or slow-paced —
they don't seem to mind. Evenings are quieter. Parking has
improved tremendously on Hillview Street, and the Hillview Grill
manages its reservations well, so forget that rumor that you
can't get a table in season.
Lunch or dinner, the main feature is fish – fresh, well
prepared, not overly done. For lunch you can always get a fish
sandwich, prepared grilled or blackened with a variety of
sauces. They also have tuna – either pan-seared a la Miami
with tropical seasonings and served with pineapple salsa with a
side of potatoes, black bean and rice salad, soup or salad –
or simply as a sandwich. Mandarin Chicken Salad ($5.50) is a
favorite for its generous amount of tender chicken over a large
bed of greens. If you can't decide, then try the Three Salad
Sampler ($6.25) which gives you their mild version of a Caesar,
mandarin Chicken Salad and a delightful Black Bean and Rice
Salad. You'll also find turkey and chicken sandwiches, quiche,
and a selections of pasta dishes to choose from.
Dinner or lunch, be sure to check out their homemade soups. Be
on the lookout for their mushroom soup, in particular. Forget
the calories, its creamy texture is like velvet accented by
fragrant, fresh mushrooms. I also miss the corn chowder which
was also equally creamy with lots of fresh, sweet corn.
Christine's Creole Onion Soup ($3.95) always prompts a
discussion because it is not the usual, often overly salty
version most restaurants offer. This one is decidedly mild or
"sweet", and the menu calls it, and quite good, and
still has the obligatory crouton and melted cheese. The black
bean is also good, and over the summer I found the gazpacho to
be a refreshing starter to dinner. Heck, their soups are all
good!
If you're a regular at dinner, a few of the favorites remain:
Chicken Gilroy, Louisiana Delight, and Mediterranean Shrimp.
Gilroy is a garlic lover's delight. Best bet: order one of their
usual fishes – grouper, amberjack, tuna, or salmon – and
have it grilled or, if you like, blackened. They can lay the
blackening on thick, so if you want a lighter touch, again,
they're happy to accommodate you. Accompanying the fish is an
ever-changing slection of sauces. One night it might be
pineapple salsa, another it might be a creamy dill. Regardless,
they make them all fresh. The fish comes with a soup or salad
and a side of pasta (which they make themselves) and sauted
vegetables. Don't want pasta with your fish? Again, no problem
with that; they'll substitute roasted potatoes.
Of the newer menu items, we give thumbs up to their Black Bean
Cakes, Lobster Quesadilla (sometimes with a heavy hand on the
cilantro), and Eggplant Lobster Roulade ($14.95). The roulade is
a rich dish with its three cheeses stuffed along with lobster
and spinach into crepes made of eggplant and served over pasta,
but they obliged me with a bistro, or half portion, which was
just right. Chicken and duck are also good, but we always seem
to gravitate back to the fish.
Hillvew's chefs are Christine Earp and George Kingston. She's
been with Hillview since Miles took it over 9they both used to
work at Bennigan's), and the consistency shows. Christine and
George like to get creative, and you'll see it in their
ever-changing soups, appetizers and sauces. The heated bread
pudding is Christine's version, and it is dense and exquisite.
Hillview has a good wine selection and a number of beers to
choose from as well as a full bar. Be sure to check out the
blackened wine bottles that over the bar that survived the
blaze.
(Our original review back in 1990 didn't
survive, but a reprinted version along with a bevy of others are
also on view near the bar.) Lastly, be sure to say
"Hi" to Dave Lapointe, one of the most cordial and
warm bartenders you'll meet.
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