The meat at Council Oak — stacked in a gigantic, glass-walled room in the foyer — is prime, aged and exquisite. Here, though, that’s just a starting point. The rest of the food, from subtle, brothy soups to classic steakhouse sides, easily competes with the finest non-steakhouse restaurants. And once you navigate past the obstacle course of Hard Rock slots, Council Oak will soothe your soul with a modern dining room that few non-casino restaurants in the area can compete with.
5223 Orient Rd., Tampa, 813-627-7625 or hardrockhotelcasinotampa.com.
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2000.