This past weekend Siesta Village was crowded with vacation families, locals enjoying one of the first warm days in months and college Spring Breakers. Something else happened in the village this weekend that was a little more under the radar. The very soft, soft opening of what I’ve been calling the “No Name” Oyster Bar.

Wedged in between The Hub Baja Grill and Blu Smoke Island Grill is a new addition to the local Siesta dining and drinking scene. The building was most recently the rental office for the Tropical Breeze Resort. It was just transformed into a great casual place to meet for a drink.

Ultimately, it will be more bar than restaurant. When it’s fully up and running, they plan on serving a limited raw bar menu. That should include fresh oysters and clams as well as some steamed items. The details on their menu will be coming soon.

In the meantime, you can stop by for an ice cold beer and check out Siesta Village’s newest place to soak up some island lifestyle. The “No Name” Oyster Bar (I’m calling it that until something better comes along), should be a hit with locals and visitors alike. Oh, if you would like to suggest a “real” name, leave a comment here or drop us an email.

For the week ended March 6, 2010

Munchies 420 Cafe regains the top spot in our bi-weekly rundown of the Sarasota restaurants that you’re searching for on dineSarasota.com. The newly opened Owen’s Fish Camp makes a return to our Top SIX, as does comfort food favorite, Yoder’s Amish Home Cooking. You can always view the full breakdown for the month just passed by clicking here.

Click on the image below for more info on each restaurant.

Just about making the cut: The Old Salty Dog, Solorzano’s, Braza Brazilian Steakhouse and Moroccan Restaurant.

How about something a little less traditional this St. Patrick’s Day season?

I know you’re probably thinking, “what no green beer?”. Instead of the usual Black & Tan, how about a Fleming’s Go Green wine dinner!

From March 5th through March 14th Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar will be hosting this unique wine experience. For $55.00 (including wine), this is what you’ll be treated to:

PASSED HORS D’OEUVRES
Irish cheeses featuring Sage Derby & Cahill’s Farm Cheddar and fresh fruit
LOOSEN BROS., Riesling Mosel Dr. L Germany, 2008
Organic & Sustainable

APPETIZER
Citrus-cured Celtic Salmon on potato boxty with chive sour cream
PARDUCCI, Sustainable White Mendocino County, 2008
Organic, Biodynamic & Sustainable

ENTRÉE
Irish-style Filet Mignon served on a deconstructed sauce
with bacon, carrots, new potatoes and thyme
CHELSEA GOLDSCHMIDT, Merlot Dry Creek Valley, 2006
Organic & Sustainable

DESSERT
Guinness Stout Chocolate Cake with chantilly cream
Coffee and Tea

Looks like you can still get a little taste of Guinness just by eating dessert! Maybe they’re on to a new St. Patrick’s tradition.

Reservations are sure to go fast for what should be an evening of great food, wine and fun.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
2001 Siesta Drive
Sarasota, Florida 34239
941-358-9463

I’m always on the lookout for a healthy meal that doesn’t taste like it.

Writing about Sarasota restaurants and food definitely has its upsides. But, there are a few downsides too, like a rising LDL and a potentially new record high on the bathroom scale. You’ve got to be careful, it’s dangerous out there.

Years ago I was diagnosed, like so many others have been, with a cholesterol problem. To be more specific, a high cholesterol problem. Since then, I’ve tried to be mostly on my best behavior. Breakfast is tough for me. I like bacon! But, every problem has potential solutions.

Enter the scrambled egg white.

This is probably not the dish the folks at Station 400 would have picked for me to tell you about. They do have a fantastic menu of much more interesting offerings than egg whites, but, it’s my breakfast.

Chef Eric Bein is known around town as someone who is creative and inventive in the kitchen. So how would a simple dish like a plate of scrambled egg whites test his culinary abilities? Probably not so much. But, egg whites are not as easy as they would seem. With the potential to be bland and nondescript or cooked in gobs of butter (thereby defeating the whole healthy thing), it can be a breakfast gamble. It’s a lot riskier than ordering a bowl of steel cut oatmeal or some dry rye.

You’re talking about someone who over the course of the past 10 years has eaten a mountain of egg whites. Am I a connoisseur of the half egg? Yes I am.

So how were the whites? In a word, excellent. Cooked to perfection. Nice and fluffy, not at all dried out. They were not cooked in a pool of butter or some other cooking fat, so they maintained their healthy status. But, they still had great mouth feel and flavor. An accomplishment.

Egg whites are one thing. Hash brown potatoes are quite another. It’s safe to say they’re not health food, but they’re not as bad for you as you might think. That is provided you don’t consume an entire trough of them. The hash browns pictured above were an unexpected surprise. Nice and lightly fried with an accent of thyme. Fantastic. I didn’t eat them all I swear. And, that was tough.

The bottom line: If you’re looking for something a little lighter to start you day, Station 400 delivers with a plate of scrambled egg whites and thyme hash browns that you will love and will do your heart and waistline proud. Sure, you’re not going to mistake this breakfast for an order of eggs Benedict with a side of bacon, but, you may not wear out your bathroom scale so quickly either.

If you know of a place that serves a great healthy breakfast dish, leave a comment and let all of us know about it.

Gecko’s Grill & Pub will be bringing their famous casual dining style to the Southside Village neighborhood. The fifth Gecko’s location will open at 1900 Hillview Street in about a month.

The space which was formerly occupied by Big Sugar, will be transformed into what is sure to be a Southside Village dining draw. The upscale dining and shopping district already boasts a good number of great places to eat, Gecko’s will be a nice addition to the area.

They have four other locations spread throughout Sarasota and Bradenton and are famous for their fantastic casual dining. It’s a great place to watch a game or just relax for lunch or dinner with family and friends.

We’re sure the newest Gecko’s will deliver the same excellent experience as the other locations do.

Can’t wait to go to Gecko’s newest spot? Try one that’s already open!

The Landings
4870 S. Tamiami Trl.
Sarasota, FL 34321
941-923-8896

Braden River Plaza
4310 SR 64E
Bradenton, FL 34208
941-744-2664

Twelve Oaks Plaza
SR 70 and I-75
7228 55th Avenue E.
Bradenton, FL 34203
941-727-8988

Palmer Crossing
5585 Palmer Crossing Dr.
Sarasota, FL 34233
941-923-6061

It’s arrived! Our 2010 Little Sarasota DINING Book is now available around town.

This year we are celebrating our 5th year in print! It doesn’t even seem possible that this is our 5th annual edition, but it is. Time sure does fly.

Just like in previous years, the 2010 guide is filled with up to date information on 200 of Sarasota’s best restaurants. There have been a lot of new additions to this years book, so, even if you have a 2009 edition you’ll want to pick up a new one.

Every year we include recipes from a number of Sarasota restaurants. This year is no exception. We’re happy to be bringing you dishes from. the Siesta Key Oyster Bar, MacAllisters, Mattison’s, Hemingway’s Retreat, Javier’s, The Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar, The Village Cafe and The Broken Egg. They’re not a substitute for enjoying a nice meal out at the restaurant, but, now you can have a crack at making these delicious recipes in your own home.

You can pick up a free copy of the 2010 Little Sarasota DINING Book at restaurants around Sarasota. The Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce always has a supply. If you’re not currently in town, you can purchase a guide online by clicking here.

The versatile Reuben. You normally don’t think of sandwiches in those terms, but, that’s what the famous Reuben has become. You see it on almost every deli menu. Lately I’ve been seeing some interesting and delicious variations on the traditional version.

Depending on which story you believe, the original Reuben sandwich was created either by Reuben Kulakofsky, a grocer from Omaha Nebraska between 1920 and 1930 or Arnold Reuben of Reuben’s Delicatessen in New York around 1914. I’m sure the debate rages on in deli circles around the globe. I’m choosing not to pick a favorite.

No matter which story you believe to be true, the outcome is still the same. A tasty and satisfying deli treat. The traditional sandwich is made with corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese, topped with Russian or Thousand Island dressing and served on grilled rye bread. Variations abound!

Here’s one that caught my eye at the Oasis Cafe on Osprey Avenue. The Blackened Basa Reuben.

Now, I’m going to admit something right now which will fuel the Reuben debate. I don’t like sauerkraut. And, too make matters worse, I ask for my Reubens sans sauerkraut. I’m sure some of you are probably saying, “well, it’s not really a Reuben then is it?”. In technical sandwich terms it’s probably not, but, I think you should eat what you like versus coloring inside the lines one hundred percent of the time. So, for me, it’s hold the kraut.

My kraut aversion actually works to my advantage in the case of the Blackened Basa Reuben. I think if sauerkraut was added to my sandwich it would have been too much for the delicate taste and texture of the basa. In the “Larry” version, I could effortlessly taste all of the components of the sandwich without one flavor or texture overpowering the dish.

Here’s the anatomy of an Oasis Cafe Blackened Basa Reuben. Start with a couple slices of marble rye. Top with a nice big piece of basa. For the uninitiated, basa is basically a type of Asian catfish. Top with sauerkraut (if that’s your thing). Add Swiss cheese on top AND bottom. Spread on some remoulade sauce and grill. The end result is fantastic. On the advise of my server, Denise, I added a side of Spanish potato salad and my noontime feast was complete.

The Bottom Line. I was a little unsure going into it. I’ve had the traditional Reuben, turkey, pastrami and probably a few other adaptations, but, never one using fish as the basis. Now I’m thinking of all the other seafood possibilities and there are many. The end result is a winner.

Is a Blackened Basa Reuben not your thing? Click here to check out the entire Oasis Cafe menu. If you have a non-traditional Reuben variant that you’d like the world to know about, leave a comment below and tell us about it.

The Oasis Cafe
3542 S. Osprey Ave.
Sarasota, FL 34239
941-957-1214

For the week ended February 14 2010

Last week saw the newest Kumo Japanese Restaurant location ascend to the top of our Top SIX list. The Sarasota restaurant opened not long ago and is already building a steady and loyal following among area diners. Their other locations are in Cape Coral and Venice. Solorzano’s Italian Restaurant in Southgate makes it’s Top SIX debut this week.

Click on the image below for more info on each restaurant.

Just about making the cut: Yoder’s, Owen’s Fish Camp, First Street Chop House and Sangria Tapas Bar.

Sarasota is not a hotbed of “real” deli food. I think we all know that. But, being from Chicago, I love a good corned beef sandwich. I was out in search of one today.

Now, this is a very subjective area we’re getting into here. Lots of discussion, lots of disagreement. Let’s just start and end the argument by saying that everyone is right! There I said it. You have your fav and I have mine.

The topic is so hot that Toronto Journalist, David Sax has written an entire book on the subject. Save the Deli, is an L.A. Times bestseller.

Today’s corned beef search has led me to the Corkscrew Deli on Tamiami Trail in the Landings. Corned beef sandwich here I come.

The menu board at the restaurant says: Hot Pastrami or Corned Beef “piled high on NY rye”. That’s a big statement. So, that’s the expectation.

The yardstick against which all others are measured (at least in my humble, corned beef eating opinion), is Manny’s Cafeteria and Delicatessen in Chicago. Located at Jefferson and Roosevelt in the west loop, Manny’s has been loading up corned beef sandwiches since 1942. You have to be good to stay in business that long in a hungry city like Chicago.  Check out the photo below. That’s ONE sandwich. And, it’s only $10.95! A pretty good deal too.

But, enough dreaming. Let’s talk about the corned beef sandwich I can actually get here in Sarasota. The sandwich at the Corkscrew is made with Boar’s Head Corned Beef. I used to have a hard time getting past the name to enjoy the product. I’m over that now (thankfully). And, over time I have learned to appreciate Boar’s Head products. They have good tasting, good quality meats and cheeses. Plus, they’re right here in Sarasota and I like to shop locally.

Oh, yeah, the sandwich. Well, it’s not exactly “piled high”. Especially if you are comparing it to exhibit A (Manny’s monster corned beef). Is that fair? I think it is, especially since the carry out menu adds that it has “more meat”. More meat than what?

Even though it’s not a giant, hulking, meat monstrosity, it tastes great. It’s a first class corned beef sandwich even for those of us whose portion sizes are a little out of whack from years of eating true, big city deli food. One of the side benefits of the Corkscrew Deli sandwich was that I didn’t have to go home at 3pm and take a two hour nap or drink three gallons of water. That’s nice.

Also, if you notice in the top left image, the Corkscrew sandwich has a fantastic looking pickle. Not joking here.  At first you may think “so what”, but, I can’t tell you the amount of pickles I have been served in this town that look like they were taken directly out of the trash and placed on my plate. This was a first class, cold, crunchy, awesome pickle!

The bottom line. If you’re dying for a GIANT NY/Chicago corned beef sandwich your S.O.L.. Can’t be had in Sarasota at any price. But, if you’re just trying to satisfy that urge for a delicious, salty, tender, comforting corned beef, the Corkscrew Deli comes through in fine fashion.

Here’s where you can get it:

The Corkscrew Deli
4982 S. Tamiami Tr.
Sarasota, FL 34231
941-925-3955

For the week ended February 7 2010

Another Super Bowl week is in the books. These days the game is as much about food and commercials, than it is about football. Here’s a look back at what you were searching for on dineSarasota.com last week.  Munchies 420 Cafe heads this past weeks Top SIX.

Click on the image below for more info on each restaurant.

Just about making the cut: Solorzano’s, Owen’s Fish Camp, Braza Brazilian Steakhouse and Cafe Amici.