Light and Lively

Restaurant: Cristof's on McGregor

Address: 10231 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers

Phone: 239-791-8473

Website: Under construction

Recommended by: Joe Gammons, president, Office Furniture & Design Concepts

Reservations: Recommended when the weather doesn't permit outdoor seating. The restaurant can seat 200 people.

Parking: Plentiful in the rear of the restaurant.

One-hour lunch test: Passed. Service was efficient and our server was attentive without being overbearing. However, the harried hostess kept one guest waiting 15 minutes in the lobby even though we asked her to be on the lookout for him while we were seated in the dining room.

Location: Gammons says Cristof's is a great place to meet clients who have offices in downtown Fort Myers. That's because the restaurant is located a few minutes south of downtown Fort Myers on picturesque McGregor Boulevard, but it has none of the parking challenges that can make going downtown a challenge.

Privacy: If you do business in Fort Myers, you'll likely run into people you know. On the day we had lunch, we ran into Dean Schreiner, the president of Fort Myers-based software development firm dESCO who was entertaining his employees there. There's enough room between tables inside and outside to have private conversations, but we wouldn't recommend the restaurant for serious negotiations.

Ambiance: Situated in a restored home, the restaurant is located on McGregor Boulevard near the historic homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. Outside seating is delightful on pleasant days and indoors it feels light and airy. If you prefer less noise from the lively conversations going on around you, we recommend you sit on the porch or outside. If you're meeting someone who hasn't yet arrived for lunch, the seating area in the lobby is small and congested.

Food: For lighter fare, the shrimp salad included two generous skewers of the crustacean on a bed of fresh spinach, croutons and tomatoes in a light Parmesan dressing. The chicken Caesar sandwich wrap was flavorful but one guest could only finish half of it. The grilled fish sandwich was equally large, so be prepared with a hearty appetite for dishes other than a salad. Cost of the meal for three people, excluding tip, was $32.

Ownership: Cristof Danzi is the executive chef and owner. Danzi, originally from Italy, is a veteran chef who seized the opportunity to open his own restaurant just more than a year ago when the property on McGregor became available. Danzi knows the area well because he used to own the McGregor Cafe down the street before starting another business importing olive oil and balsamic vinegar from Italy. Danzi restored the 1935 home using wood from another structure on the property to build a new bar. He also built a new kitchen and added the porch. Danzi says he tries to use locally grown products and his menu has a Louisiana-style influence with lots of seafood.

Review date: March 2013