One of the perks of being a magazine editor is sneak peeks at new and exciting things happening in your area. As we barrel toward season, a slew of new restaurants are opening their doors in hopes of having all the kinks worked out before season starts.
Last week, the media got a preview look at Agave, the new Southwestern restaurant from the folks behind Angelina’s in Bonita Springs. If you’d ever been to the Uno Chicago Grill on Vanderbilt Beach Road, the transformation of the building into this new restaurant is amazing.
From the moment you walk in, it’s like you are in a different world. Instead of wood paneling and TVs turned to sports, you are greeted by a tortilla and ceviche making operation. To your left, the bar is flanked by a tower of tequila, home to some 200 varieties. In the middle of the dining room is a stunning glass-enclosed private dining room buffeted by a wall of tequila bottles on one side and a wonderful water feature on the other.
At an informal lunch preview this week, guests couldn’t get enough of the fantastic guacamole and the beautiful hand-hewn wood soffits suspended from the industrial-style ceilings.
The interior design alone, is reason to go check out Agave in the coming weeks, before the crush of Northerners means long lines for a table.
For more on the food they’ll be serving, check out Ivan Seligman’s take in the “Hot Dish” blog: http://www.gulfshorelife.com/BLOGS/Hot-Dish.aspx
