| Tampa, FL
– No dinner is more memorable than one with savory cuisine, fine wine
and a captivating view. On Valentine’s Day night, CK’s Restaurant will
offer guests the chance to experience these ingredients for romance
amid its revolving restaurant and its special Valentine’s-themed menu.
Created by chefs Henry Nagel and Gabe Duffy, the five-course
special is available for $75 per person from Feb. 11-14. The full menu,
which was recently revised, is also available nightly. Guests who
prefer the special Valentine’s Day menu will start with an Amuse course
featuring Cannelloni of Jamaica and Crab Salad with a citrus honey
vinaigrette. An appetizer of Baked Oysters with Champagne Sabayon and
Osetra Caviar follows. The salad is a baby spinach, frisee and
watercress with gorgonzola, sugared walnuts and raspberry balsamic
dressing.
The main course is highlighted by Crab and Boursin Stuffed Filet
Mignon and Spice-Crusted Shrimp with orange aioli, cauliflower-potato
puree, grilled asparagus and baby beets. Dessert features a Trio of
Tropical Flavors, including raspberry cream macaroon passion fruit,
coconut pave and chocolate macadamia nut crunch. The dinner also
includes a champagne toast and the choice of coffee or tea.
Comfortable and lavish, CK’s Restaurant is one of the most
memorable destinations to dine by its location alone. Perched atop the
Tampa Airport Marriott – 10 stories high – CK’s revolves at an
undetectable half-mile an hour to provide guests spectacular vistas of
the bay, downtown Tampa, and the departure and landing strips, which
are illuminated in blue at night. Yet breathtaking sunsets are
not the only treasures served here. Executive chef Henry Nagel sees to
that.
Many revolving restaurants around the world rely on the view so much they forget about the quality of their food. But CK’s (www.ckstampa.com)
is turning that idea on its head with a new dinner menu created by
Nagel that emphasizes fresh fish and beef and organic chicken, pork and
lamb dishes accentuated with herbs, spices and seasonings rather than
creamy sauces.
“This is not a restaurant with a view, it’s a destination,”
Nagel explained. “Especially wit h this new menu, CK’s is a place where
guests come for exceptional cuisine, a relaxing and romantic ambience
and an incredible view. Dinner at CK’s is an experience.”
Established in 1974 and adorned with a decor that was inspired
by a heroic World War I aviator, CK’s outstanding cuisine and
magnificent range of wines and spirits superbly complement the view and
interior design. A recent fall night illustrated the ambience that led
to CK’s recognition as one of the best romantic restaurants in Tampa
Bay as guests sipped on orange cosmopolitans and melon martinis and
dined on pan roasted range chicken and chipotle maple glazed t-bone
pork chops. The background was accentuated by soft jazz performed by
local musician Derrick Williams as the sun slowly set over the Gulf of
Mexico, the vista of endless water replaced by the lights of boats in
the distance.
At CK’s steaks and seafood are enlivened with dry rubs of herbs
and spices. Nagel also decided to make potatoes a side dish option and
serve all entrees with vegetables, reflecting America’s passion for
healthier fare and fewer carbohydrates.
“Some older guests who are accustomed to the traditional meat
and potatoes dishes don’t like the chance, but most people have
responded favorably,” said Nagel, who has earned multiple American
Culinary Federation gold, silver and bronze medal awards. “The
presentation is much better, and the meals are healthier that way. Of
course, you are free to substitute potatoes in place of the vegetables
if you prefer.”
Nagel takes pride in being an integral part of a landmark that
represents a part of American pop culture that is becoming a rarity in
the 21st century.
Captivating guests with savory cuisine and breathtaking views
from China to the United States, the revolving restaurant is an
American idea that conquered the world. What began as an architectural
folly for the 1962 World's Fair has spread to almost every corner of
the globe, atop broadcast towers like the Space Needle and crowning
modern glass-and-steel hotels. These spinning dining rooms became
symbols of optimism, progress, and success in post-World War II America.
Yet the number of revolving restaurants continues to dwindle.
Some have simply stopped rotating; others have been refurbished into
conference centers. The Stratosphere in Las Vegas is one of the few
revolving restaurants that have been built in the United States in
recent years. In regions such as Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, the
revolving restaurant is still considered as a sign of progress - an
emblem of prosperity, not kitsch. During the 1990s, a new wave of
revolving restaurants sprouted around the world - from Lebanon to
Jakarta to Cairo.
Though revolving restaurants are becoming a relic of the past –
much like the malt shop and the corner hardware store - CK’s has
remained one of Tampa Bay’s most enduring fine dining institutions – an
impressive feat in a city whose restaurant scene changes swiftly. CK’s
opened in a decade that marked the pinnacle of revolving restaurants in
the United States, yet the idea of dinner accompanied by a
high-altitude view dates back at least to the Eiffel Tower, which has
featured a restaurant at its second platform since debuting in 1889.
The moment guests walk out of the elevator that opens to CK’s
casual chic bar decorated with nostalgic aeronautical artifacts, they
are treated to a true dining experience – from the impeccable service
and exceptional cuisine to the captivating view and the romantic mood.
Every seat in the restaurant provides a panoramic picture 150 feet
above the busy tarmac. As the restaurant revolves, it passes the
lighted open kitchen where chefs carefully prepare the selections.
Since opening in 1974, CK’s has paid homage to the legend of
World War I aces like Duerson C. Knight with its aviation decor. At the
same time, the restaurant has created a renowned reputation of its own
as the perfect place for a memorable dinner and captivating vistas.
With Nagel’s culinary touches, CK’s has infused a new identity while
retaining the original charm and nostalgia of a revolving restaurant
where the cuisine is as rewarding as the view.
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