Some things just naturally go together You get the idea. I dont have to magically conjure up remembrances of autumns past. Or, do I? Fall is a little different in the Sunshine State then in other parts of our great country. But, many of us who relocated here from points … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Cuba 1958
FIRST LOOK - Cuba 1958 Authentic Cuban cuisine just hit downtown Sarasota 🐊 It's Florida. Anyone who's been here for more than a second and a half knows that you can get Cuban cuisine just about anywhere. And I do mean ANYWHERE! It's not just some crazy FL urban … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Faicco’s Italian Heros
FIRST LOOK - Faicco's Italian Heros Let's take a look at the sandwich shop that everyone is talking about. I guess you can't technically call this a "First Look." A lot has already been written about this new sandwich spot. But we think it deserves a little more … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Focaccia Sandwich + Bakery
FIRST LOOK - Focaccia Sandwich + Bakery Fresh Baked Italian Bread is the Calling Card of Focaccia! 🟰 THE BASICS • WHAT: Focaccia Sandwich + Bakery • WHERE: 2300 Bee Ridge Rd. (941) 924-2268 (The … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Little a
FIRST LOOK - Little a Southside Village gets a delicious sandwich spot 🥪 a Sandwich is a Sandwich, but... No, this is not a piece extolling all of the wonders of the Manwich®. Maybe that's a story for another day. No, this piece is about a Sarasota fine dining … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – LobsterCraft
FIRST LOOK - LobsterCraft I remember when I was growing up. Eating lobster was a BIG deal. It was a meal that was strictly reserved for special occasions; New Year's Eve, your birthday, or maybe an anniversary. Definitely not just because it was Tuesday! Back in the 70s, … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Meliora
FIRST LOOK - Meliora A New Hotspot Opens Its Doors On Hillview Street Meliora (MEH-lee-OR-ah). Meaning: Latin term for BETTER. That's a big statement AND a whole lot to have to live up to. So the question is, can Meliora and its staff live up to their … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Namo Izakaya
FIRST LOOK - Namo Izakaya Downtown Sarasota has a brand new ramen option! One of my readers dropped an email into my inbox the other day (I love it when you send your thoughts over). It wasn't on today's topic, but he did ask a question in response to something I had … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Osteria Southside
FIRST LOOK - Osteria Southside Two Sarasota restaurateurs combine for one great place! Opening a restaurant is challenging. It doesn't matter how much experience you have in the "business"; things still happen. But experience does go a long way to help make those "things" … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Palm Avenue Deli
FIRST LOOK - Palm Avenue Deli Sarasota is turning into a deli town! Dare I say it? After several false starts, Sarasota may actually be turning into a deli town! 🥪 I have deli in my blood. Sometimes it feels like I actually do, but I think you know what I really mean. … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Pazzo on Orange
FIRST LOOK - Pazzo on Orange A Sarasota favorite gets a brand-new start! ⏱️ Time Flies! Thirteen years go by in the blink of an eye. At least, that's what it seems like to me. 2011 was the year Michael and Victoria Calore burst onto Sarasota's dining scene with an … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Shebeen Irish Pub & Kitchen
FIRST LOOK - Shebeen Irish Pub & Kitchen An Irish Pub Comes To Siesta Key! With St. Patrick's Day 2023 a mere 72 hours away, we thought it would be the perfect time to pose the question, "Who doesn't just love a good Irish pub?" It's not something that I really need … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Siesta Poke
FIRST LOOK - Siesta Poke Siesta Key Village gets its very own Poke shop! Poke (/ˈpoʊ.keɪ/) a Hawaiian salad made typically from cubed pieces of raw seafood (such as tuna) marinated with soy sauce and sesame oil and mixed with onions or other ingredients. - … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – The Breakfast Company
FIRST LOOK - The Breakfast Company This Bradenton breakfast and lunch spot adds a Sarasota location! 2020 does not seem that long ago. Does it? I think time flies by pretty damn quickly, but 2020 still seems "current." I wonder if it does for Dimitri Syros and his mother, … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – The Duo – Döner & Deli
FIRST LOOK - The Duo - Döner & Deli Siesta Key's Culinary World Gets a Little Bigger! 🌍 775 Words = 4 minutes read time 🧡 SK Gets More Culinary Diversity. I LOVE ethnic cuisine. I'm not particularly particular, either. I love it all! The discovery of new … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – The Green Orchid
FIRST LOOK - The Green Orchid What's Happening at the Selby?... Sarasota has a secret garden! I'm not talking about a tiny plot tucked away in someone's backyard. I am talking about a full-on garden. Above is the visual proof that this garden does … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – The Toasted Yolk Cafe
FIRST LOOK - The Toasted Yolk Cafe A new breakfast and lunch spot opens on South Tamiami Trail It goes by A LOT of aliases. Here's just a small sampling: Eggs in a Frame, Eggs in a Nest, Hole in One, One-Eyed Pete, and Toad in a Hole. But the name I know this dish by is … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Toastique
FIRST LOOK - Toastique 🍞 IS GOURMET TOAST REALLY A THING? WORDS: 615 = READING TIME: 3 MINUTES We’ve got a new FIRST LOOK for you. And we’re mixing things up a little and using a bit of a new format. Let us know what you think. 📕 You could win a dining book! 🟰 THE … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Tzeva
FIRST LOOK - Tzeva Palm Avenue gets a tasty new resident Sarasota's vibrant dining landscape is colorful. So maybe it's appropriate that one of the newest faces on the Sarasota restaurant scene has a name that carries that meaning. Tzeva (zee-va) translates to color, and … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Yokoso Ramen
FIRST LOOK - Yokoso Ramen Let's slurp some noodles at this new Sarasota restaurant! I like soup more than most people. At least most people that I know. I would be perfectly content to have a cup/bowl for lunch most days. I’m really not all that particular either. When it … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK – Florence & The Spice Boys
FIRST LOOK – Florence & The Spice Boys Can A Mobile Restaurant Make the Transition to Brick and Mortar? Growing up in the Chicago suburbs in the 60s and 70s was not a diverse culinary experience. It was pretty much the polar opposite. Ethnic cuisine choices were not … [Read more...]
FIRST LOOK: Fork & Hen
FIRST LOOK: Fork & Hen People have been buzzing about this new North Trail restaurant In a smallish corner of a fairly non-descript North Tamiami Trail strip center is a place where they have figured out the art of perfectly frying chicken. We're not talking KFC … [Read more...]
Fleming’s Adds Some “New Classics” To Their Old Favorites
Food is funny. Sometimes we scour our city in search of the latest in new and fresh cuisine. Other times we long for our culinary comfort zone. Can a steakhouse fit in to both categories? Its a question that has plagued mankind for centuries (OK, maybe not), but, it still … [Read more...]
Fleming’s Celebrates its Month of Discovery
September is a month of discovery over at Fleming's Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar. All this month they will be celebrating the addition of great new wines, menu selections and specials. Here's is some of what the folks at Fleming's have in store for you. The new Fleming's 100 … [Read more...]
Fleming’s Serves Up A Memorable Meal At A Great Price
Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar located on Siesta Drive has put together a great deal on a classic and delicious combination. Through September 30th they are offering a Filet Mignon and Lobster meal for two for the very special price of $99. This fantastic meal … [Read more...]
Fleming’s Steakhouse: Lump Crab Louis Wrap
I was flipping through a pile of old images from some of our Sarasota restaurants and came across some from a Flemings Steakhouse photo shoot I did a while back. This is their Lump Crab Louis Wrap. I had forgotten what a great appetizer it was. I thought I would dust off a … [Read more...]
Follow Lots of Sarasota Restaurants on Twitter
Seems like everywhere you look people are talking about or using Twitter. Our Sarasota restaurant community is no exception. Many of our local restaurants have started using the popular social networking tool as a way to promote their business. And, judging by the number of … [Read more...]
Food and Wine Meet in the Perfect Spot
Food and Wine Meet in the Perfect Spot The 2023 edition of Forks & Corks still shines! It took a few years, but The Sarasota-Manatee Originals got the food and wine train running on time once again. 🚂 Yes, Sarasota food people, Forks & Corks has returned to claim … [Read more...]
Football Season – The Best Excuse to Eat Wings!
Football Season - The Best Excuse to Eat Wings! Fall is here. Football season has started. Bring on the wings! Yes, it's that time of year when you can eat wings a couple of times a week, and no one will be all that judgmental (well, almost no one). That's correct; it's … [Read more...]
Forks & Corks 2013 | Best in Show | Sarasota Restaurants Journal
What more can be said about Sarasotas premier food and wine event? What more can you say about the best food and wine event in Sarasota that hasn't already been printed or spoken? Yes, there is fantastic food. And, yes there are countless cases of silky smooth … [Read more...]
Forks & Corks 2014 | Best In Show | Sarasota Restaurants Journal
Its not a simple choice. Nothing as easy as steak or fish. Choices can be hard. Its great to have them, but No Im not whining or complaining, Im just stating a fact that becomes painfully obvious the moment you walk through the entryway and enter the spacious and … [Read more...]
Forks & Corks 2015 | Sun Drenched Deliciousness | Sarasota Restaurants Journal
It’s hard to beat a day of sun filled food and fun. The Sarasota-Manatee Originals know how to throw a party. That much is for sure. They’ve been at this Forks & Corks thing for a while now. It’s pretty safe to say that they’ve got it down pat. When the doors swing … [Read more...]
Forks & Corks: A Food and Wine Spectacular | Sarasota Restaurants Journal
In todays frenetic news driven media world there's a rush to be first. First out with the big scoop, first to hit the web with a breaking news flash, first in a race to be first. I guess the timing of this post doesn't fit with any of that. Since January 29th, I think every … [Read more...]
Forks & Corks. Food, Wine, and Sarasota Sunshine!
Forks & Corks. Food, Wine, and Sarasota Sunshine! This annual food and wine fest really shines! It's "That" Time of Year. Yes, the official start to "season" is still a couple of weeks off. But MY very unofficial start to season has just taken place. For the … [Read more...]
Forks and Corks 2017. The Food & Wine Still Shine!
A few sprinkles and a little cloud cover can't dampen the spirits of 1500+ Sarasota food enthusiasts. Quite they contrary. The lucky eaters (and drinkers) who gathered at the John & Mable Ringling Museum on Sunday were more than ready to go. Usually, this annual food and … [Read more...]
Forks and Corks U: More Than Wine 101 | Sarasota Restaurants Journal
Trying to de-mystify the wine world is a noble pursuit. Image courtesy of the Sarasota-Manatee Originals. © Peter Aker. When I went to college back thirty years ago, course offerings were pretty unimaginative. OK, boring. There was your usual complement of core classes, … [Read more...]
Forks and Corks: The Originals Hit It Out Of The Park!
Food and wine events around Sarasota are about as common as dolphin sightings in our clear blue gulf waters. These festivals all vie for our attention, dollars and palates. Not that there's a bad one in the bunch mind you. But, now we have clear winner in the race for our … [Read more...]
Freshly Shucked Oysters: Slurp Them Up!
A full platter of freshly shucked oysters is a sight to behold. They can be elegantly displayed or thrown onto a beer tray with a bed of ice. No matter the presentation, oyster lovers will slurp down these culinary delights with glee. Here are a few examples of what the ocean or … [Read more...]