Relax, Eat & Play at Streamsong Resort
Friends, get ready for a post filled with gorgeous sights and droolworthy eats - and while the scene of this post looks as though it's set somewhere in the Midwest, you'll be surprised to discover that this hidden gem is located only an hour away from Tampa, 16,000 acres somehow tucked away in the city of Bowling Green.
Those who know of Streamsong Resort know it primarily as a golfer's paradise, but it is so much more than that. pH and I were recently invited to Streamsong Resort for a weekend getaway to experience its glory for ourselves, and I had the chance to partake in a 12-course tasting tour throughout four of its five dining options located on the property.
We arrived at the resort's lodge around noon on Saturday to check in, get settled and do some exploring before the evening's food tour. We were both mildly bewildered that this gorgeous place was located in the middle of nowhere, but delighted by the idea that such a staycation resided just an hour away. The biggest thing noted upon stepping out of the car was how peaceful it was. Whether you're standing outside by valet or laying out by the infinity pool, the ambiance of the resort exudes serenity.
And the views, guys - from the lobby to the hotel room, there are so many spots to take in the beauty of the property.
When we arrived to our room, we were greeted by a surprise flight of smoked manchego, candied bacon and chocolate bark, paired with make-your-own Bulleit rootbeers and glasses garnished with candied ginger and smoked blood orange wheels. Although I usually dislike the taste of bourbon/scotch (these are a few of pH's favorite things), I actually really enjoyed the cocktail - the house-made rootbeer made all the difference in this refreshing drink!
The room, and the resort's architecture in general, was a mid-century modern-lover's dream. It did not take long for us to fall in love.
After taking some time to explore the grounds, we took a brief nap on our perfectly firm and comfortable bed-- sideways (because that's just how we do). Then, while pH got some extra time to relax in our room, I headed down to the lobby to meet with the folks embarking on the evening's food journey with me.
Our group took a shuttle to The Clubhouse at Streamsong, a short drive from the resort's suites and positioned atop Streamsong's golf courses. From there, we were driven via golf carts to the first hole of Streamsong Blue, greeted with Chambord bellinis and the most breathtaking views of the terrain. Jim Bullock, Director of Sales and Marketing at Streamsong Resort, gave us a warm welcome to the weekend, and Chef Mike Ford, Executive Chef at Streamsong Resort, treated us to a special cooking presentation of Key West Pink Shrimp paired with a kumquat-horseradish chutney.
After we toasted to the exciting weekend ahead of us, and watched the sun set in the distance, we took the golf carts back down to The Clubhouse at Streamsong and its Restaurant Fifty-Nine.
Restaurant Fifty-Nine
This first leg of our culinary tour felt like home to me, especially with the whole Key West yellowtail - while many patrons oohed-and-ahhed over its head being intact, that's all I've known growing up with Asian cuisine. Plus, most fish-lovers are well aware of the fact that a fish's jaw contains a surprising sum of delicious meat.
The most notable dish was, of course, the Miyazaki ribeye - the texture was like butter, with a beautiful-crusted exterior and full of savory flavor.
After eating all the Miyazaki ribeye slices in sight, we hopped back on the shuttle for a brief ride to Bone Valley Tavern, the resort's newest dining option located at the Streamsong Black Clubhouse.
Bone Valley Tavern
Only halfway through my Bloody Mary did I realize it was bourbon-based and not vodka - I texted pH excitedly to let him know that I was now officially a fan of bourbon. The common theme throughout this trip was that Streamsong thoroughly surprised me with its cocktails. While I usually let pH do the drinking for me, I found myself sipping away (and enjoying myself!) throughout the experience.
The Rotisserie Chicken was an incredible take on your typical chicken and mashed potatoes dish. Paired with just the slightest amount of jus, it packed a punch of flavor and left me wanting more with its ultra-tenderness and crispy skin.
After listening to some of the resort's patrons try a hand at some karaoke, we shuttled back to the lodge to immerse ourselves in the dishes of Streamsong Resort's flagship restaurant, SottoTerra.
SottoTerra Ristorante
I opted out of the wine pairing for this part of the adventure, as I wasn't going to allow myself to be lethargic by dessert-time. I was incredibly impressed by the 1 lb. meatball - considering its thickness and the amount of time it'd need in order to cook all the way through, it was moist and full of flavor with its robust tomato sauce pairing.
I've been on such a scallops kick lately, and the Linguine Pesto & Scallops dish definitely satisfied my craving - the diver scallops were cooked and seared to perfection, and as you can imagine with a basil pesto, the pasta was quite flavorful.
With the feeling that we've almost had enough, but still have room for dessert (I swear, there's a separate reservoir in your stomach for dessert), we took the elevators up to the 6th floor for our fourth and final stop-- Fragmentary Blue.
Fragmentary Blue
Fragmentary Blue is one of Streamsong Resort's special gems, as it boasts an incredible 360-degree panoramic view atop the lodge. We ended the evening with a memorable assortment of desserts, and I couldn't begin to select a favorite, because they were all amazing in their own unique way.
If you're in the mood for something light, but filling, to wind down with, I recommend the Mason Jar Strawberry Shortcake and Cast Iron Skillet Cherry Cobbler. But, if you're down for an indulgent finish, the Candied Bacon Churro and S'Mores are the way to go.
After we all said our good nights, I was more than ready to collapse on our cozy bed and allow myself to be induced into a serious food coma. But, we couldn't sleep in for too long, because the next morning contained some fun plans for us.
P2O5
But first, breakfast. P2O5 is the lodge's casual dining option, and we eased ourselves into the day with coffee and breakfast. While pH opted for the buffet, I chose to keep it simple with some hash browns, sausage and seasonal berries.
After breakfast, we headed to the lobby to meet with our sporting clays guide, Bill, who is legitimately the kindest person you'll ever acquaint yourself with. During the 15-minute ride to the sporting clays range, I explained to Bill that I'd been clay shooting before, and experienced terrible bruising to the shoulder due to a heavy recoil - with that in mind, he recommended a 20-gauge shotgun and assisted me with proper stance in order to minimize the impact of the gun to my shoulder.
Sporting Clays
We had such a fun time out on the range with Bill - I only managed to hit one clay, but pH was a pro (must be from all that gaming time at home) and hit several. While our time with Bill was short-lived due to our spa appointment, we really enjoyed ourselves and will be back for more fun!
AcquaPietra Spa
Spa time at AcquaPietra was quite the unique experience - it features a European grotto-style design that takes your breath away, and most importantly, services designed to relax and revitalize.
While pH went off to his deep tissue massage service, I enjoyed the most relaxing massage with Patrice - my service of choice was the Shirodhara Signature Massage, which combines deep tissue techniques with a revitalizing Shirodhara oil stream to the forehead. This technique calms the nerves and has a cleansing effect on the mind.
The massage was exactly what I needed after a long work week, and the Shirodhara oil stream was a really neat thing to experience, unique from all the spas that I've been to. The only thing to note is that there's quite a bit of oil that's massaged into your scalp - for me, it took about four washes to finally remove the excess oil from my hair.
For lack of a better way to fully encompass my feelings about Streamsong Resort - I'm blown away. It's not just a paradise for golfing aficionados - it's a getaway for romantics, those craving a little adventure and the food-obsessed who need to make an escape from the daily life. I'll be be forever dreaming about Streamsong Resort until I can make my way back.
Streamsong Resort is located at 1000 Streamsong Drive in Bowling Green, FL. In addition to the golfing experiences offered at The Clubhouse at Streamsong, Streamsong Lodge features 216 guest rooms, spa, fitness center and lakeside pool along with outdoor adventures such as guided bass fishing, hiking trails, bird watching and sporting clays. To stay updated on the latest happenings at Streamsong Resort follow along on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
*Disclosure: The accommodations featured in this post were provided by Streamsong Resort for editorial consideration. This post was written on my own accord, and opinions expressed here are my own and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Streamsong Resort.
