Fresh

Olivia Loomis

Scenerio Intro:

Imagine walking through the magnificant landscape of Tuscany, the capitol of Florence. The smells of rich wines slowly fill your nose, tickleing your scences. A quick glance to either side would show you the beautiful sight of rolling green hills. Wouldn't it be great to be able to experience this beauty without having to fly to Italy for a night?
Scenerio Conclusion:

South Daytona's 'Fresh' Restauarant is an extraordinary taste of Italian cuisines, along with the 'almost' experience of sharing a meal in Tuscany. With the mix of delicious meals, beautiful murals and serene music, it would be ridiculous for you not to stop by 'Fresh' to experience the real atmosphere of Italy without having to buy a passport!

While driving down the road, it would be hard to miss the neon red sign in front of the road that glows the name 'Fresh'. The restaurant is convieniently located on US1 in South Daytona; A perfect place for buisness men and woman to stop in and enjoy a delicious meal on their lunch breaks or after work.
As soon as I pulled into the parking lot I was blown away by the atmosphere. Turning down the option of valet parking, I parked my car and gazed into the large glass window ahead of me, filled with various forms of Italian art and gorgeous wine bottles. The sidewalk leading upto the large, wooden front doors was aligned with wine barrels that were filled with many different types of blooming flowers. Walking into the restaurant, I was immediatly greeted by a pleasent hostess dressed in vibrant orange. The walls of the retaurant are covered with assorted artworks and little knick-knacks from Italy itself. A large brick fireplace separtes the dining room in two, preventing the area from becoming too crowded. Above the fireplace is a variety of Italian wines to be purchased by guests. The wines can be reached by the sliding wooden ladder propped up against the fireplace. The inside of the restaurant is dully lit in a romantic way. The tables were made from the bottom half of wine barrels and maroon umbrellas stood above the tables in the middle of the room, outlined with rope lights. The Italian theme flows thouroughly through the entire retaurant; flowing from the small, private bar on one side of the retaurant, to the large banquet room on the other end. There is a lot of Italian theme throughout the entire restaurant, but not enough to be considered overkill.
After purusing the restaurant, we was seated to begin ordering drinks and meals. The menus were easy to read and the prices were resonable. A variety of food, from pastas, seafood, steak and salads were accompanied by acceptable prices ranging from around $10-$25 a meal, with an early bird menu available, which has great discounts on the same magnificant food. The mood of Italy was set even more with soft live music playing; a solo man stringing soothing guitars chords. The waiter was cheerful and friendly. He served our drinks and we ordered our meals. Shortly after, we were served dinner rolls with a delightfully looking plate of oil and wine for dipping. The rolls and dipping sauce were delectable, leaving me to expect much to come from the upcoming meal. I was not surprised at the heavenly taste that hit my mouths taste buds once the food eventually arrived. Everything about this restaurant so far was exquisite. The waiter continuously kept checking up on the table to refilling our drinks and make sure everything was okay, to say the least. As soon as we were finished with our meals, we were offered deserts. The meal was very filling but I had high expectations and couldn't take the chance to turn down dessert. The waiter offered a choice that was a low $2; a large shot glass that holds the mousse flavor of your choice. Not only was the dessert also delectable, but adorable too.
Nothing about this restaurant dissappointed me. Although I had never set foot in Italy, while sitting in the restaurant the atmosphere made me feel like I was there. The owner of the restaurant recently worked as a chef at New Smyrna Beach's 'The Garlic'. The inspiration for the restraurant came from a first person experience, while he and wife, (co-owner) traveled through Tuscany, the capitol of Florence. He then decided to break away from 'The Garlic' and start his own restaurant about a year and a half ago, based on his travels through Tuscany. The two are
thrilled about the success of the restaurant.