Famous Italian

If you haven’t been to the Main Bar Sandwich Shop in awhile, make it a point to get there. Any place that serves 300 sandwiches a day must have something going for it. They’ve been in business for 54 years for a good reason. Just take a look.

MAIN BAR SANDWICH SHOP
1944 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-955-8733

I’m always on the prowl for a great Chicago beef sandwich. Guess what? Found another one!

Little Joe’s Italian Beef on South Tamiami Trail. It’s a recent addition to our restaurant scene and they’re serving up some pretty authentic Chicago beefs in their brand new digs. Have a look…

Tender slow cooked beef tucked inside of a fresh “Gonnella” style roll (if you’re from Chicago you know what I’m talking about). Get yours dry or dipped. With sweet or hot (my fav) giardiniera. Add a bag of REAL Jay’s Potato Chips and you have a Chicago feast right here in sunny SRQ.

Of course, they have Chicago hot dogs too. I’m sure you had figured that out for yourself.

This place is so new the paint is almost still wet. It could use a little more Windy City character. Maybe a Bears, Bulls, Sox, Cubs, or Hawks pennant/poster or two. They do have a nice flat screen TV in the dining area. If it was blaring Chicago’s Very Own, Channel 9 (aka WGN) it would be a nice touch.

Joe is off to a great start. He has a good menu that reminds me of so many places I’ve enjoyed up north. Prices are reasonable and the service was quick. What more could you ask from your beef stand?

ONE MORE THING: Tony’s Chicago Beef in Gulf Gate also puts out a mean beef. I’ve been going there for years. They always come through if you need a beef fix. Great fries too! You really can’t go wrong at either place.

LITTLE JOE’S ITALIAN BEEF
6115 S. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34231
941-554-8088

Class is now in session.

I’m going to teach you a new word today. Some of you may know it. But, I feel fairly confident that for most of you (and me) it will be an addition to your already extensive vocabulary. Ready. Here we go.

Falernum – (pronounced fah-learn-um)

Hands please. Yes, you in the back row… Nope, not even close. I’ve got some guesses of my own. Most of them are PG-13, a few can’t be printed here. Give up?

For those of us who aren’t serious students of the drink, falernum is probably a mystery. Maybe mystery is the wrong word. More of a question. Like what in the world?

Get your pencils ready. Have you ever heard of a Frosty Dawn? How about a Corn N’ Oil? That’s Falernum. Yes, I’m talking cocktails here. And, not just any cocktails. High end, delicious, refreshing cocktails. Cocktails that scream special.

You can get a Jack and Coke anywhere. It’s a classic combo and any amateur bartender can mix one up. But, how about a Wicked Pineapple Swizzle? I thought so. I know a place right here in Sarasota where the Wicked Pineapple Swizzles flow like… (insert your favorite metaphor here).

Back to the falernum lesson. It’s a simple syrup that’s flavored with almond, ginger and clove. Oh, and sometimes allspice or vanilla. It’s certainly not something you’re going to find at your neighborhood watering hole. Unless that happens to be in Anguilla.

It’s also the “secret” ingredient to Tommy Bahama’s super refreshing Wicked Pineapple Swizzle. A great light and flavorful drink for a warm spring or summer day.

Best of all, you don’t have to go to a Caribbean island to grab one. A quick trip to their tropical oasis on St. Armands Circle is all that’s required.

Oh, in case you were wondering, Yes, they serve some pretty tasty food too.

Class is dismissed.

TOMMY BAHAMA’S TROPICAL CAFE
300 John Ringling Boulevard
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-388-2888

Since January 29^th, I think every food related news outlet in Sarasota has posted a piece on one of Sarasota’s biggest and best food events. Not being one to ever follow the pack, I took the unorthodox route of reporting on the news a full month after it’s occurred. I figured I would wait until all the noise died down so I wouldn’t get lost in the crowd AND I would have your full attention. I think I’ve got it now.

Back ALL THE WAY at the end of January, the Sarasota-Manatee Originals held their annual all out food and wine orgy. They timidly call it Fork & Corks. I would suggest a better and more descriptive name might be the Sarasota Super Delicious Feeding Festival of Food (and wine). On second thought that might be a tad cumbersome. OK, Forks & Corks it is.

Why don’t we have a look back at what went down at the Ringling on that beautiful sunny Sarasota day.

There was wine.

And, of course there was food. Lots of it.

The Beachhouse located on Anna Maria Island served some great Tuna Nachos. An imaginative twist on an old party favorite.

Siesta Key’s Blue Que Island Grill dished out a seemingly endless supply of their delicious Pulled Pork.

Not quite ready for lunch yet? The Broken Egg has a Bagel Bite that helps bridge the gap between breakfast and lunch. Light and refreshing.

To me fried food is one of the hardest things to get right. We’ve all had to endure dishes that were heavy and grease soaked (think state fair). It takes some expertise and experience to master the fryer. The Tempura Shrimp that Cosimo’s featured were as light and tasty as it gets.

Did someone say Oyster Shooter? I thought I heard that, OK maybe not. Anyway, just have a look at the spread from the Crow’s Nest. It’s pretty hard to resist.

Check out the one bite Taylor Bay Scallop Crudo. Fresh, light and packed with flavor. What would you expect from one of Sarasota’s most creative chef’s? I’m talking about Derek Barnes from Derek’s Culinary Casual, of course.

We’ve all been to a salad bar, right? But, have you ever seen one that looks this amazing? And, outdoors to boot. Fast n Fresh really pulled out all the stops to make this colorful and delicious display. It turns the traditional salad bar on its head.

When you first walk into the Ringling courtyard, you can see the smoke rising. Walk a little further and you can smell the unmistakable scent of grilling meat. Who can resist that? Michael’s on East had everybody drooling for a taste of a perfectly grilled Flank Steak Sandwich. They weren’t disappointed.

The Polo Grill & Bar out in Lakewood Ranch created a dish that tasted even better than it looked, if that was possible. Their Spicy Korean Pork Belly Happy Bun had tasters smiling from ear to ear.

A colorful platter of fresh Bruchetta Pomodoro by Salute!. Big Italian taste delivered in a small package.

And, finally, one of most unique items of the day. The Siesta Key Oyster Bar rolled out the smoker to make their Mesquite Smoked Oysters with Caper Dill Compound. This flavor packed dish had them standing in line all day long.

WOW! What a day. I’m stuffed just going back over it. I think I said this last year. If you love food and wine this is an event that cannot be missed. You owe it to yourself to be there next year. The tickets for this event sell out quickly. And, there are none available on the big day. You can relax. You don’t have to worry for a while. We’ll let you know when.

NEWS (This actually is time sensitive): If you want to experience some of the dishes from these great Sarasota restaurants but can’t wait until next year, we can help. The Sarasota-Manatee Originals are having a 30% discount sale this Thursday, March 8^th. CLICK HERE and get yourself some amazing food at an even more amazing price.

I always marvel at the sheer volume of stories that can be told through food. It might take the form of a frequently re-lived family tale that is rooted in a particular dish. Or, it may be a meal that triggers memories in us of an unforgettable time and place. The reality is, food history is powerful.

Sarasota it seems has the just right mix for fueling some great food history. Even though it’s not quite as diverse as some other parts of Florida, we still have an interesting assortment of folks from different parts of the world.

We’re pretty lucky when it comes to the diversity of our dining scene. If you’re looking for local restaurants dispensing their own unique versions of food history, you’ve come to the right town. Pick a cuisine style and chances are we have something to satisfy that desire.

Things are really getting interesting in downtown Sarasota, north of Fruitville Road. It’s there that a great local breakfast and lunch place is now serving dinner six nights a week. If you haven’t been to the Savory Street International Café for dinner yet, you’re behind the curve. If you have already been, you get a gold star for coolness.

Without a ton a fanfare, Savory is becoming one of this towns best dispensaries of food history. Mexican food history. If you’re looking for typical “American” Mexican fare, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Owner Claudia Johnson is serving up dishes that are part of her culinary past. And, they’re fantastic.

Savory’s take on the traditional Christmas Salad says all that you need to know about this menu of innovative dishes.

They call this little beauty the Seven Wonders Salad. This colorful salad sports roasted beets, goat cheese, citrus segments, Jicama, toasted peanuts and Palmitos. It’s all on a bed of red oak lettuce with citrus mustard dressing and nestled tenderly in a delicious parmesan shell. WOW! Can’t Christmas come every day?

It’s a fantastic example of using a recipe that has deep roots as a base for the dish and then making it your own. I loved this and I don’t even like beets!

The Savory@Night menu has a little something for everyone to enjoy. They’ve even included some creative vegetarian options. Here’s a peek at traditional dish with a little modern accent.

Ancho Seared Salmon. The two things that make this dish really shine are the tamalito and the cilantro crema. Similar to a tamale, this tasty little aside is wrapped in a banana leaf, rather than a corn husk. I could eat a plate of those alone.

History is a funny thing. It’s always open to interpretation. The dishes of Claudia’s culinary past have been interpreted in way that will have people standing in line at the corner of Orange and Fourth. Do yourself a favor and taste some REAL history.

THE SAVORY STREET INTERNATIONAL CAFE & BAKERY
411 North Orange Street
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-312-4027

Click here to check out more images from the Savory Street International Café.

Busy. Big city. Buzz.

Those are some words that flashed through my head the minute I first walked in the door of Sean Murphy’s new Sarasota dining destination, Eat Here.

When you’re a local culinary legend like Sean, expectations are sky high. We’re talking Beach Bistro high. Even though the PR conversation centers around less fancy (think upscale casual), more accessible dishes, it’s hard for consumers to shift gears. We’ve been trained to complete this equation: Sean Murphy = elegant, fine dining. And, to his credit, that training has worked.

But, can those expectations that have been so carefully cultivated and that are so hard to forget, be met by a new dining concept? In short, the answer is yes. A BIG yes.

The first Eat Here restaurant opened up in Holmes Beach last year. It’s a stones throw away from Sean’s iconic Beach Bistro. They tried to tamp down expectations. It’s not “Beach Bistro light” was the pre-opening the mantra. And, the truth is, it’s not. And that’s OK.

The new place has its own very distinct and unique personality. The food and atmosphere certainly stand on their own. Even without the lead in from its famous sibling. When you walk through the front door, Eat Here, as the name suggests, makes you want to do just that. The small plate format begs you to try it all.

Located at the corner of Links and Main in downtown Sarasota, Eat Here is bringing sorely needed new life to that part of the business district. Between that and the opening of the Half Shell Oyster House across the street, that corner is once again humming with activity. It’s great to see.

The restaurant is almost three separate experiences rolled into one neat little package. Before or after your meal, enjoy a drink at the upstairs bar. The bar has a menu all its own. Great light bites to get you started or finish you off.

They put together a fantastic cheese plate. My favorite dessert. I only wish this were available at my dinner table on the first floor.

You can choose your own downstairs dining experience. Either in (fast paced and busy) or out (quiet and laid back). Having both options covers all the bases.

One of my favorites on the menu is the Cedar Key Clams. They are pan cooked with chardonnay, a splash of pernod, a little garlic and sweet cream and a soupcon of curry.

Oh, you certainly can’t forget the frites. Crunchy and delicious.

Opening a new restaurant is not child’s play. Most times, it’s hard for the result to meet the expectation. In the case of Eat Here, the result exceeds it. Let’s hope Sean is holding down his little corner of Sarasota for years to come.

Click here to have a peek at the rest of our Eat Here photos.

EAT HERE
1888 Main Street
Sarasota, Florida 34236
941-365-8700

It’s supposed to be all about the burgers. And, mostly it is. When you have the word burger prominently featured in your name it had better be. But, what happens when a alternative menu item is as good as the featured items?

When I was about ten I thought, incorrectly I might add, that a grilled cheese sandwich could only be made with cheese that came individually wrapped. I just assumed this attention to each slice meant that each perfectly formed piece of cheese was special. I had no idea at that age what the term processed cheese food meant. Good thing.

Here’s the recipe for all of you who haven’t been “privileged” enough to have enjoyed it.

Method
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Butter one side of both bread slices. Place one bread slice buttered side down in skillet. Top bread with cheese slices. Place second bread slice on top of cheese butter side up.

When the bread is golden brown on underside of sandwich, flip and brown side two. When both sides are browned and cheese is melted remove from heat. Eat immediately for maximum roof of mouth and lower lip burn.

Fast forward about forty years. Grilled cheese is making a huge resurgence in popularity. And, it’s not about the little kids anymore. It’s about the big kids. Adult grilled cheese sandwiches are gracing menus all over the country. Some of these new renditions are beyond imaginative and pretty damn tasty.

Here’s a prime example.

That is the X-Rated Grilled Cheese Sandwich from Square 1 Burgers & Bar. Obviously, not created with a six year old in mind. That is, unless your tyke likes Gruyère and sharp cheddar cheese, dill pickle slices, beefsteak tomato, mayo and sourdough bread. Oh, I almost forgot, you can also add bacon (and who wouldn’t do that?).

Here’s the story I was told. So many adults were ordering grilled cheese off the kids menu that the restaurant owners felt they needed to do something. I’m not sure why, but, they did. As it turns out, it was a good thing. If not for those crazy grown ups ordering all that kids food, this super delicious sandwich would probably never have been invented.

You can grab one of their great grilled cheeses at either of the Square 1 locations here in Sarasota. Oh, what about the burgers you may be thinking.

They still have those too.

1737 S. Tamiami Trail
Sarasota, FL 34239
941-870-8111

University Park Center
5239 University Parkway
Sarasota FL 34201
941-359-0001

And, onward we go. Last week we revealed ninety of the 100 top Sarasota restaurants on dineSarasota.com for 2011. Now it’s time to get to the next five. I feel a little like Casey Kasem here, no long distance dedications please…

Yume Sushi has been serving some of Sarasota’s best sushi for years now. What was once a newcomer to the downtown dining scene, is now a mainstay. Yume has some incredibly creative dishes that their expert sushi chefs prepare using only the freshest ingredients. One trip to the Main Street hotspot and you’ll be a regular.

9 – Café Gabbiano

Located on Siesta Key, Café Gabbiano offers a unique and charming place to have a romantic Italian dinner. Gabbiano’s also sport’s one of the most extensive wines lists on the island.

8 – Nancy’s Bar-B-Que
301 South Pineapple
Sarasota, Florida 34236
941-955-3400 | Visit the Website

The opening of Nancy’s this past year was one of the most widely anticipated culinary events in Sarasota. OK, that may be a bit strong, but, people were drooling waiting for her fantastic BBQ. Every day the barbeque experts at Nancy’s slow smoke some of Sarasota’s best Q. I’m only glad my office isn’t within wafting distance. That would be hard to resist on a daily basis.

7 – Pegasus Greek Family Restaurant
2833 Bee Ridge Road
Sarasota, FL 34239
941-926-4461 | Visit the Facebook Page

This Bee Ridge Road eatery offers a menu filled with traditional Greek fare. From appetizers through desserts you will be delighted with the homemade quality. Make no mistake, this isn’t fine dining, but, the casual, family atmosphere is easy to get used to.

6 – Trader Vic’s Island Bar & Grill
341 N. Cattlemen Rd.
Sarasota, FL 34232
941-378-3900 | Visit the Website

The casual, little brother of the original home of the Mai Tai. Trader Vic’s delivers great island style food in a location that happens to be nowhere near the water. Not a problem. You get the same great island feel without the craziness of Siesta, Lido or Longboat during season. A lot of days that can be a huge plus.

During the course of the year there are tons of “Best of” lists in our local newspapers, magazines and on websites. Along with the awarding of these honors come our local Sarasota restaurants pleading for your votes on Facebook, Twitter and any other soap box they can find to stand on. I don’t fault them for that, those are the rules. Those best of lists seem to take on an air more like an election for senior class President than anything else.

Over here at dineSarasota.com we have always done things a little differently. There is no begging, groveling or pandering for votes. Our “voting” process has been taking place all year long. And, the only influencers are YOU.

Our dineSarasota.com LIST is comprised of the most popular restaurant pages on our website over the past twelve months. We figure if you’re searching for it, you must be interested in dining there. During 2011 you have come to our site from, Google, Bing, Yahoo, AOL and just about every other place on the web. Over the past 10 years, dineSarasota.com has become a popular destination for hungry diners seeking information on Sarasota restaurants. We thank you for that.

So. with the formalities out of the way, why don’t you pull up a chair, sit back and enjoy the show…

12 – Shakespeare’s English Pub
3550 South Osprey Avenue
Sarasota, Florida 34239
941-364-5938 | Visit the website

14- The Savory Street Café
411 North Orange Street
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-312-4027 | Visit the website

153 Avenida Messina
Siesta Key, Florida 34242
941-312-9300 | Visit the website

November was a great month at dineSarasota.com. It would be bad form for me not to share some of the highlights with you. So…

Here are our top ten most popular posts from last month. Click, read, enjoy.

If you know folks who may have missed out on all the above deliciousness from November. Please feel free to share. They’ll thank you for it.