There are a few chefs here in Sarasota who can make pairing great wine and great food seem effortless. Chef Paul Mattison is one of them.

On Friday, September 25th Mattison’s Forty-One will be showcasing Chef Paul’s pairing skills at their Premium Wine Pairing Dinner. Guests will be treated to a specially prepared five course meal paired with some exceptional California wines.

Have I got your taste buds attention now? Here’s a look at the menu for the evening.

Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare
cucumber, shiso leaf, citrus ponzu, sesame crisp served with a 2007 Morgan Metallico Chardonnay, Monterey, California

Butter Poached Halibut
sake braised bok choy, oyster mushrooms, vanilla-coconut beurre blanc,
spiced pineapple syrup served with a 2006 ZD Chardonnay, California

Seared Maple Leaf Farms Duck Breast
sweet potato and scallion risotto, drunken cherries, five spice cream served with a 2005 Rutz Cellars Maison Grand Cru Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley, California

Wild Mushroom Crusted Beef Tenderloin
basil mashed potato, haricot verts, almonds, truffle-cognac demi served with a 2005 Caravan Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, California

Vermont Maple Semifreddo
hazelnut tuile and Frangelico syrup served with a Taylor Fladgate 10yr Tawny Port

The cost for the evening is $65.00 per person. Reservations are required and space is limited. This should be a fantastic event.

With the hot summer weather here, lots of folks are turning to a little lighter fare for mealtime. With that in mind, Chef Paul Mattison has rolled out his Summer-Sized Menus. Enjoy a fantastic three course dinner menu for $25 or a two course lunch menu for $15.

Each of these specially designed summer menus includes light and healthy choices that Chef Mattison has designed with the summer season in mind. In addition to the prix fixe menus, lighter, a la carte portions of other menu items are available. You can check the full menus online.

Looking for a little more than just dinner? At Mattisons City Grille you can do Dinner and a Movie for just $29.  That’s a great meal at the downtown restaurant and then a movie at the Burns Court Cinema (Sarasota or Lakewood Ranch).

Looks like summer is the perfect season for taking advantage of all our local Sarasota restaurants have offer.

Mattisons Forty-One
7275 South Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, Florida 34231
941-921-3400

Mattison’s City Grille
1 North Lemon Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34236
941-330-0440

Mattison’s Riverside
1200 First Avenue West
Bradenton, Florida 34205
941-748-8087

The Thanksgiving holiday is a time to be with family, maybe see some old friends, reflect back on the past year and of course eat. Well, with the latter in mind, I decided to give the new Sunday brunch at Mattison’s Forty One a try. It’s not like I hadn’t eaten my fair share over the past few days, but a good Sunday brunch is hard to pass up and as it turned out a nice way to end four days of seemingly non stop eating.

Mattison’s puts together a well thought out selection of breakfast and lunch items. Mini bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon is always a great way for me to start off a brunch buffet and Sunday was no exception. One table carried a selection of cheese and a variety of green salads to choose from. The hot entrees included a nice Maple Wood Farms duck dish, orange roughy,and eggs benedict. The carving station which was positioned at the end of the hot food table had a boneless leg of lamb with mint jelly and au jus.

Of course, no respectable brunch would be complete without an omelet station and Mattison’s has a good one. They offer plenty of ingredients to choose from so you can create whatever egg delicacy your heart desires. In addition to omelets, they were also were making very tasty dessert crepes at the station, a nice way to finish the meal.

The atmosphere at the restaurant is elegant without being uncomfortably formal. The service was in keeping with what you would expect from any of Paul Mattison’s restaurants, excellent. You were able to relax and enjoy your meal without feeling rushed.

The cost per person is $21.95 which is a great for all that you get. If you are celebrating a special occasion or just want a weekend treat for yourself, the Sunday brunch at Mattison’s Forty One would be a fantastic choice.

I for one love a great Sunday brunch. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy a wide assortment of breakfast and lunch foods. Usually, most of us don’t really do the brunch thing unless it’s a special occasion, Mother’s Day comes to mind. But now we have the chance to enjoy all the best brunch trappings and trimmings without having to wait for the entire family to assemble in honor of something.

Mattison’s Forty One located at 7275 S. Tamiami Trail is now open for Sunday brunch. Chef Paul Mattison has been hard at work creating tasty new brunch dishes to be served at his south trail eatery. Mattison’s brunch is served from 10am to 2:30pm every Sunday. The price is $21.95 for adults and $11.95 for children 12 and under.

This amazing spread includes all of your brunch favorites, plus Paul’s new creations. Mattison’s Forty One has a great casual but elegant atmosphere. It would be a fantastic way to start off a Sarasota fall Sunday or to celebrate a special occasion.

It’s time to start digging around in your closet, attic or crawl space for just the perfect costume. As we approach the witching day, many of our Sarasota restaurants will be hosting Halloween parties and events and the Mattison group of restaurants is out front with their “Monster Mash Halloween Bash”.

On Friday, October 31st each of the Mattison’s locations will be celebrating the day with food and drink specials. Mattison’s Riverside will feature sushi specials, the City Grille will be offering a special burger platter and a “dead-pan” appetizer platter. Over at Mattison’s Forty One you can catch music from Jennifer and Her New Digs starting at 7pm. There will also be live music at Riverside and City Grille.

It wouldn’t be Halloween without a big costume contest now would it? There will be a winner for the men and one for the ladies. Contest winners will receive a $50 Mattison’s gift certificate. All in all it’s shaping up to be a frighteningly good time. Check the Mattison’s web site for more details.