Old Hickory Steakhouse   

Housed within the Everglades area of the eye-popper, the grand Gaylord Palms Hotel, this large clapboard-style chophouse caters primarily to hotel guests with hefty expense accounts. The restaurant's unique architectural approach -- it rests on stilts that rise out of a faux swamp below -- and its interior reflects an obstensibly oxymoronic upscale/backcountry ambiance. Each room in this sprawling wooden complex exudes a rustic down-home warmth, right down to the plates covered with mosquito netting. Executive chef Guy Reinbolt has brought a French twist to the cuisine, offering four savory sauces -- a rich bernaise, bordelaise, au poivre and diable -- to complement your steak dinner. The signature cut here is the 16-ounce, aged-prime, center-cut New York strip, but with a $44 price tag, you might want to opt for the equally satisfying bone-in Kansas City strip which is larger and considerably less pricey. All cuts come from grain-fed certified black Angus from the Midwest so you're assured of a quality hunk of beef. For a different sort of meaty dish, try the tenderloin of American buffalo or the rack of lamb, and you won't regret getting the steamed asparagus with hollandaise sauce or the sauteed wild mushrooms for your side. For a unique apres dinner treat, consider the selection of cheeses. All come from Artisinal, a trendy and well-respected Manhattan fromagerie run by celebrity chef Terrance Brennan. Service can be hit or miss, but the outstanding food and unique setting will ensure your dining experience will be a memorable one.