The Council Oak Steaks & Seafood staff proudly display their most recent Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine.

TAMPA, Fla. (July 15, 2016) – For the ninth consecutive year, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood in Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa has been awarded the prestigious Award of Excellence by Wine Spectator Magazine for its impressive menu of 278 fine wines and staff trained in all of the exacting nuances of proper wine service.

“Our wine list is fun and incredibly approachable,” said Patrick House, Wine Sommelier for Council Oak Steaks & Seafood. “It’s a list that is tailored to a wine enthusiast and/or the curious drinker who is ready to expand his or her palate. Honesty and integrity also go into our list as we offer several items that you can’t find at a retail store or wine shop and they are only poured here in Council Oak.

“Our culinary team has crafted an incredible menu of the finest and highest quality steaks and seafood and the wine list is written in the same way.”

The Award of Excellence recognizes wine lists that offer interesting selections and are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers. To qualify, the list must present complete, accurate wine information. It must include vintages and appellations for all selections, including wines available by the glass. Complete producer names and correct spellings are mandatory, while the overall presentation and appearance of the list is also taken into consideration.

After meeting these basic requirements, lists are judged for one of the three awards. The Award of Excellence is offered for lists that feature a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Typically, these lists offer at least 100 selections.

Council Oak provides its staff with an intensive six-week training program with wine training as a key component. In addition, regularly scheduled informational meetings on the topic are held, including visiting wine experts who share their expertise during special staff seminars. Each and every food server is educated on wine and regularly tested on this knowledge.

About Council Oak Steaks & Seafood
After its 2007 opening inside Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa, Council Oak Steaks & Seafood quickly became Tampa’s number one destination for prime steaks, fresh seafood and an award-winning wine list served in a contemporary upscale atmosphere. It’s considered fine dining at its best. All steaks are dry aged 21-28 days and cut right in the restaurant’s very own on-site butcher shop. The fresh fish is line-caught in Florida and the Alaskan king crab legs are right from the Bering Sea. Custom salt water tanks also keep the live Maine lobsters fresh.

The namesake for Council Oak Steaks & Seafood comes from an actual tree located on the Seminole Tribe of Florida (STOF) reservation in Hollywood (Fla.) where ceremonial and official STOF business is conducted.

About Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is the premier entertainment destination of Central Florida. Owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the property is one of the most successful and largest casinos in the world. Located off I-4 at North Orient Road and Hillsborough Avenue, about 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa, the casino features high stakes table games, thousands of the hottest slot machines as well as a new smoke free slots area offering 250 popular games. The hotel is AAA Four Diamond rated and offers seven award-winning Zagat-rated restaurants, including the fine dining venues Council Oak Steaks & Seafood and Grey Salt. A newly renovated Rock Spa® is also available along with a plethora of VIP services. For more information, please call 866-502-PLAY or visit us online and via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

About Hard Rock International
With venues in 70 countries, including 165 cafes, 23 hotels and 11 casinos, Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s greatest collection of music memorabilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. Hard Rock is also known for its collectible fashion and music-related merchandise, Hard Rock Live performance venues and an award-winning website. HRI owns the global trademark for all Hard Rock brands. The company owns, operates and franchises Cafes in iconic cities including London, New York, San Francisco, Sydney and Dubai. HRI also owns, licenses and/or manages hotel/casino properties worldwide. Destinations include the company’s two most successful Hotel and Casino properties in Tampa and Hollywood, Fl., both owned and operated by HRI parent company The Seminole Tribe of Florida, as well as other exciting locations including Bali, Chicago, Cancun, Ibiza, Las Vegas, Macau and San Diego. Upcoming new Hard Rock Cafe locations include Reykjavik, Shanghai, Baku and San Juan. New Hard Rock Hotel projects include Abu Dhabi, Atlanta, Berlin, Dubai, Itapema, London, Los Cabos, New York City, Tenerife, and Shenzhen, Dalian and Haikou in China. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com.

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