This time around, I am in Naples, FL visiting some customers. While anywhere this close to the open water I like find good seafood. What better cuisine to sample seafood then Sushi?

I asked some of my customers where might be a good place and they all recommended Blu Sushi. Blu Sushi has a couple of locations and I was staying very close to their Naples location. Click here for link to the site and menu.

The decor is ultra hip with blue neon lights, of couse. They seem to have good drink specials to lure in the happy hour crowd. For dinner you find well-dressed folks looking to grab a bite before they paint the town. Looked like a pretty happening date scene, too. This definitely seemed like it was a popular joint with the locals. The menu has a wide selection of Japanese dishes and of course some really original sushi rolls.

I was with a group so I had the pleasure of ordering a lot of menu items. My faves included the following rolls:

Blu Special
Crab and cucumber wrapped in avocado and topped with baked scallops and shrimp in a cream sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds, served hot.

Lava Drops
Crab chopped and mixed with spicy mayo, a hint of cream cheese, cut and individually tempura dipped and deep fried each brushed with sweet eel sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

LoyalTV.com
Tuna chopped in hot sriracha sauce with flying fish roe, cucumber, avocado and tamago wrapped in soypaper, cut into quarters and served with a side of our spicy ponzu sauce.

This is totally my kind of place. I like the fun, energized atmosphere and more importantly, the food was really good. Original rolls and fresh ingredients led to a great night out with co-workers. Plan on about $20 per head when with a group of 4.

Last week I attended a conference in Orlando, FL - not one of my favorite places to go, especially since we were stuck on Disney property most of the week. The Disney experience usually means some pretty big dollars! For the most part it's pretty hard to find decent food at a reasonable price while on the resort. However, I did manage to find some reasonable items, at least as good as it gets given the location.

First off, Wolfgang does it right. If you have ever dined at one of his restaurants you know it's top notch when it comes to service and atmosphere. Even in the commercialized world of Disney he has managed to create a restaurant where it is fun to dine with a great, vibrant atmosphere and a friendly, knowledgeable crew. The crowd is diverse, you will find some of the patrons dressed to the nines coming out of the Cirque Du Soleil show while many are casual theme park-goers looking to recharge after a long day of Mickey madness.

The menu is just as diverse as the crowd. Click here to see the website with menu options. You will find something for even the pickiest of eaters. From sushi, to pizza, steaks to pasta - take your pick! I opted to sample the sushi, specifically the Chef's Sushi Special roll. It was eight pieces of yum. The roll was a spicy tuna roll, with crispy tempura bits inside and topped with smoked salmon, drizzled with a spicy ginger sauce. I enjoyed the combination of the flavors and loved the heat of the spicy tuna and sauce that was on top. As other dishes went by me to neighboring tables they all looked well assembled and the faces of the people eating them looked very satisfied.

For being in the middle of tourist trap overpriced restaurants, Wolfgang delivers on the reputation his brands are known for at a reasonable price. A drink and the Chef's Sushi Special set me back $18.00. If I find myself back in Downtown Disney, you can bet I will be heading back.