Seasons 52 – restaurant review

It’s hard to imagine that that same people who brought us Olive Garden and Red Lobster are responsible for Seasons 52. If you’ve ever had the chance to visit a Seasons 52, you know that the restaurant focuses on fresh, seasonally available, health-conscious dishes. There are twenty-one locations (several of which open in late Fall 2011 and Spring of 2012).

Seasons 52 offers a main dining area – reservations are highly recommended – and a bar with open seating. On a Wednesday night at 6pm there was a 45 minute wait for dining room seating and a hoping bar!

My colleagues and I ordered the Grilled Steak and Cremini Mushroom Flatbread with fresh spinach and Wisconsin Blue Cheese. It was delicious. The flatbread was crisp and the toppings were flavorful. We also ordered the Caramelized Crab & Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms with roasted garlic and parmesan cheese. The mushrooms were served Escargot Style and were very delicious. The flatbread and mushrooms are a great appetizers for sharing with a group.

For dinner, I had the Grilled Turkey Tenderloin Skewer. It’s normally served with vegetable pearl pasta, but because I have a tomato allergy, I substituted truffle mashed potatoes. It was accompanied with haricots verts and a tamarind glaze. The Turkey was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The skewer was wonderful.

My favorite part of the meal are the mini indulgences – shot glass sized desserts. The shot glasses are presented table-side and include choices like Key Lime Pie, Old Fashioned Carrot Cake, Rocky Road, Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse, Mocha Macchiato and Pecan Pie. They were also featuring a seasonal option of Blueberry Cheesecake. I tried the Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse and it was delectable. The small portion was perfect after the meal.

The fact that Seasons 52 is a chain amazes me. The food is fresh, innovative and sophisticated. I love the food and will continue to visit when I find myself in a city with a Seasons 52.

Flatbread

Dessert