We have been dining out with our dear friend, Cat, for the last couple of months. She told us about Council Oak at the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa. It is a spectacular restaurant but on the pricey side. She usually eats there once a year to celebrate her birthday. When she invited us to join her this year, we couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

We arrived at the casino a little early for our 8:30 reservation, so Chris decided to play the slots. We walked through the myriad of slot machines looking for his favorite, DaVinci Diamonds. Once we found the slot machine, Cat and I went to the bar to order drinks. Before the drinks were ready, Chris joined us, indicating that he had not won anything on the slot machine.

We made our way to Council Oak, where we looked at the outside menu. It was still too early to go in, so we wandered upstairs to find a sushi place and a private club. We returned to the bar. Chris spotted another DaVinci Diamonds game as we walked, but it was a quarter machine instead of the penny slot. He put a $20 bill in, and it hit on the first spin for $110. That was enough. He cashed out, and we returned to the restaurant.

The hostess showed us to a table. As we walked by, we marveled at the dry-aging room full of gorgeous cuts of beef. We sat down at our table, thrilled that we were right next to the open kitchen. Soon after we sat down, a back waiter came by to ask for our drink order. We asked for a cocktail list, which was on a tablet. Chris was happy to see mezcal on the menu. I ordered White Tea and was impressed when the cocktail arrived with a delicate primrose floating on top.

We ordered the Raw Bar Sampler for four. The dish is served as a tower and assembled at the table. We indulged ourselves with the Maine lobster, crab, East and West coast oysters, and shrimp. Our server was kind enough to hold off on the Osetra Russian Caviar until we had finished the seafood tower.

The caviar was beautiful. First, I spread a little bit on the delicious wafer to taste the delicacy on its own before adding the egg, capers, shallots, scallions, and crème Fraiche. The caviar, served with a pearl spoon, was rich, buttery, and absolutely amazing. While it did not need the accouterments, the extra flavors created a masterpiece that we thoroughly enjoyed.

As we enjoyed the caviar, our server returned to the table to let us know the kitchen would be closing soon if we would like to order anything else. We looked at the menu one more time, finally deciding on Seared Scallops, Japanese Wagyu Carpaccio, and Prime Beef Tartare. I had some trouble deciding between the salmon and a steak. Our server pointed out that they are known for their dry-aged meat, so I went with the New York Strip. When he mentioned the sides were large enough for sharing, we settled on the Asparagus & Hollandaise and the Wild Mushrooms & Cipollini.

We watched as the kitchen put our asparagus on the grill, eager with anticipation for the rest of the meal. When the food arrived, we split it up between the three of us so we would each get to taste everything. I realized that I had forgotten to order the Bearnaise sauce for my steak. However, when I cut into the perfectly medium-rare beauty, I realized that it did not need the sauce at all. The steak had the most spectacular flavor, definitely the best I’ve ever tasted.

The large, perfectly cooked scallops, served over a roasted Calabaza squash puree, topped with brown-butter sage and toasted almonds, were fantastic. The thin-sliced carpaccio with grated Manchego, Maldon salt, and a lemon garlic vinaigrette was also delectable.

We didn’t realize the beef tartare would be a show when we ordered it. The tartare, topped with quail egg and capers, arrived in a glass box at our table. Next to the box was a plate of crostini and smoked pepper aioli. When our server opened the box, we could see the wisps of smoke drift out. It was an impressive display. Our server proceeded to put the beef on the aioli and then expertly mix the ingredients with two spoons. The show was one of the highlights of our meal. The tartare was magnificent as well.

Once we had eaten our fill, we asked for boxes. They brought a tray to the table and expertly packed the food up for us right there. While we had seen several enticing desserts at tables around us, we decided to keep it simple and ordered a selection of chocolate truffles. We each received a glass of champagne, which perfectly complemented the delectable chocolates.

All of the food was fantastic. With the poor service in restaurants these days, we were thrilled with our server, the back waiter, and the food runner. All three treated us to impeccable service. We couldn’t have been happier with our experience.

After dinner, we ended our night with some fun at the bowling alley.