Eating out poses problems if you’re watching your weight, and I’ve long wondered why restaurants couldn’t offer food choices that are both seasonal and unique, while keeping things delicious.

Finally, a breakthrough! While visiting relatives in Tampa, Florida, we dined at Seasons 52, a restaurant chain offering a seasonal menu, with many wine choices. The trump card; an ‘under 500 calories’ part of the menu, with choices from grilled turkey tenderloin to grilled fish.

The best tasting dish was the avocado tomato salad with balsamic vinaigrette, which was absolutely fantastic in the taste department (and the presentation, for that matter). I confess to forgetting to take a photo before I took a bite of the salad.

Avocados are a favorite in our household, and though they are high in fat, studies have shown that they are a good fat (which is more than I can say for bacon, which is obviously not a good fat).

Seasons 52 does not have a printed kids menu, but they offer entrees for children such as spaghetti and meatballs. This Italian dish is always a big hit with my kids, as I don’t make meatballs at home. The waitress kindly had the kitchen put a rush on the kids’ dinners, so that they weren’t starving and irritable throughout our time in the booth.

Tasty Turkey Tenderloin

The grilled turkey tenderloin with bell peppers was beautifully presented over brown rice with a dipping sauce. It was lightly marinated and basted with a dijon vinaigrette, and was quite good (according to my husband).

Perfect Rainbow Trout

The grilled rainbow trout looked and tasted delicious. It was simply seasoned with a little salt and pepper, and served with a grilled lemon half. I squeezed the lemon overtop the trout, and it gave the fish a livelier flavor. Fish can be tricky; overcook it and it’s tough; undercook it….very problematic, to say the least! The trout was grilled to perfection, and my hat is off to the chef for that achievement.

Veggies Problematic

However, the asparagus, roasted carrots and potatoes served with the trout were C quality at best. The quartered red potatoes, served underneath the trout (hidden well) were very shrunken and overcooked, and impossible to eat.

Worst Potatoes Eaten

I have to say they were the worst roasted potatoes I’ve eaten at a restaurant.  The carrots were not roasted long enough, and were mostly hard.

Disappointing Vegetables

The asparagus had little taste, and, as you may guess, was not cooked to perfection. The vegetables were a disappointment, and I mentioned at the end of our meal to our waitress the overly roasted red potatoes. She immediately brought the manager to our table, who thanked us for bringing the problem to our attention and offered us a vegetable to take home. As we were leaving early the next morning, we declined the offer.

Rocky Road Dessert Nice Apology

The manager left our table to go speak to the chef about the problem potatoes. The waitress offered a couple mini desserts for us to take back, and I took her up on one mini dessert, the Rocky Road (served in what looked like a tall shot glass). My 7-year-old daughter quickly scarfed up the Rocky Road dessert about an hour later. All I know is what she told me it tasted like: delicious chocolate cake pieces with chocolate pudding and mini marshmallows.

Quality Check in Kitchen Needed

The service at Seasons 52 is excellent. Offering a variety of entrees that are under 500 calories is a smart business move. But there needs to be a quality check on the vegetables that go with some of the dishes. No one likes to find wizened, inedible roasted potatoes underneath a delicious, large fillet of rainbow trout.

We’ll definitely go back to Seasons 52. And hopefully next time, there will be delicious, tender and tasty roasted red potatoes, carrots and asparagus.

What is your favorite restaurant that has a seasonal menu?

Photos by Kelly Estes