Starting April 17, Council Oak Steaks and Seafood at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida will open in a temporary location. The move is part of the property’s $1.5 billion expansion, including a 450 foot, 640-room guitar-shaped hotel tower, set to open in summer 2019, a new indoor retail and dining area where Council Oak ultimately will be located.
Council Oak’s signature Sunday brunch now will be served at Kuro, a high-end Japanese eatery, and the price has been increased from $69 to $79, said Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Director of Restaurants Pablo Astardjian. He explained the price hike is due to several more expensive cuts of sushi and sashimi now offered in the brunch buffet. The lavish brunch includes unlimited mimosas, Bloody Marys or sparkling wine, plus 10 food stations: sushi; raw bar with Alaskan king crab legs, shrimp and oysters; omelets, waffles, pastas, charcuterie and salads; and a carving station with Beef Wellington, lamb chops and pork belly. Pastry Chef Ross Evans will present a rotating dessert selection.
“Kuro is one of the areas that we are not going to touch,” Astardjian said. The restaurant features an open kitchen and sky-lit bar overlooking the resort pool. The Bol, Hard Rock Café, Blue Plate and the food court remain open for now, but resort officials said other changes could occur. “Who’s coming, who’s staying, it’s too early to say. Everything is up for conversation. We’re seeking to elevate our dining offerings and service, comparable to what guests find in Las Vegas or anywhere in the world,” Astardjian said.
In its temporary new location, Astardjian said Council Oak built 180-seat dining room, a private dining room and a full bar, and moved more than 4,000 bottles of wine. “Everything on that side of the hotel is new: new kitchens, new banquet space. We spent more than $1 million on renovations to make it feel like you’re not sitting in the middle of a ballroom,” Astardjian stated. He noted all key Council Oak staffers have remained at the restaurant.
