At the southernmost reaches of Morse Boulevard, on Moyer Loop in The Villages, managers and staff are all very excited — training hard, and looking forward to the grand opening of Belle Glade, the newest Country Club restaurant in The Villages.
General Manager, Earl Weiss, Managers James Pyles and Frank Webber, and Director of Operations Jose Rodriguez, were all in ‘sleeves-rolled-up’ training mode on Monday, going over protocols and procedures with chefs, cooks, wait staff — everyone associated with the smooth running of Villages restaurants residents and guests have come to enjoy. Operations Director Jim Haghayegh was lending his expertise to the mix as well.
The Belle Glade layout is not unfamiliar. Outside the rugged stone facade meets honey dew melon and cantaloupe hued surfaces connecting the restaurant and pro shop entrances.
Several of The Villages” beautiful country club restaurants feature a wrap-around bar and open-air terraces with wide views of rolling golf courses — and on that score, Belle Glade is no exception. Terrace tables to the right overlook the starter shack for the Tequesta nine, the first section of the Belle Glade professional golf course to be opening.
And as Yogi Berra would say, “it’s deja vu all over again” for Villages residents who have watched earlier country club construction in progress — because scanning the view from Belle Glade’s bar, n arrow bands of newly grow n green turf give way to mounds of sand. In the distance, earth movers raise small clouds of sandy dust, and groundskeepers are raking greens to perfection.
The first words that come to mind upon entering the Belle Glade restaurant is… well, ‘belle glade.’ The atmosphere is open and cool, suggesting the calmness of being in a beautiful dell or glade. Tranquil shades of green meld with a range of tans, with beautiful palm-textured wall panels, together creating a relaxing ambiance for afternoon or evening dining. And rich walnut-toned wood is everywhere — from the floors and wainscotting, to the bar and barstools, to the ceiling beams.
“We’re very proud of our menu,” manager Frank Webber said. “There’s something for just about everyone, from light appetizers, wraps and salads, to sandwiches, a nice selection of pastas and specialty dishes.”
For seafood lovers, there is lobster bisque, New England clam chowder and ‘lobster pie’ as one of the specialty entrees, with lobster meat and creamy vegetables in a ‘scratch-made’ butter crust. There are specialty filet and New York strip steaks with portobello mushrooms, mozzarella cheese or just helpings of roasted veggies. Lamb shank, a chicken enchilada and mustard-crusted salmon are also sure to become favorites — as are the decadent desserts.
In true Villages tradition, where golf courses and restaurants are built before the surrounding homes, only the gate sign exists so far for the nearby soon-to-be born new Village of Pine Hills. While polite ‘no trespassing, please’ signs keep the curious from driving further south, one knows full well, new Villages homes and landscapes will soon be springing up beyond those signposts.
As snowbirds return to line up golf course rosters, residents will applaud the opening of the Belle Glade professional links — and soon will be able to savor the ambiance and tastes of the newest Belle Glade Country Club restaurant.
