Dining Divas of Sarasota “Eclectic Eateries off the Eaten Path”: 2009

Monday, May 18, 2009

Divas do the numbers

Flemings has the perfect lighting – enough to read your menu, but not too bright to ruin the atmosphere. Detail Diva was very pleased. The other Divas were relieved that she wasn’t going to make us change our seat or discuss lighting issues with the manager. Blissfully we settled in, eager to make our decisions from the Happy Hour Selections – 5 different cocktails, 5 choices of wine and 5 delightful appetizers, all at $6 and available from 5pm to 7pm, hence the Happy Hour Name: “5 for 6 til 7”. Get it? And, unlike many happy hours, it’s offered 7 days a week But here is the best part - Visit them Sunday or Monday and these prices are available all evening long not just til 7pm. So now you are in the know on where to go on a slow Sunday or Monday night !
Many happy hours serve well drinks but not here - Flemings after all - their cocktails are top shelf quality. Now that’s respect ! Don’t you just love that. Our daring diva dove right in to a Fleming’s Mojito with Bacardi Limon Rum with just the right amount of mint flavor and garnished with of course mint. Have you ever ordered one of those drinks that come with an entire plant ? She wished she had brought her garden clippers - Really now, what are they thinking? … Although the other cocktails did look tempting wine was the choice for the rest of us divas, and we were not disappointed with their happy hour wine list – all well known wineries and all delightful!
To the appetizers! Tenderloin Capaccio with creole Mustard sauce, Sweet Chili Calamari, Wicked Cajun Barbecue Shrimp, Seared Ahi Tuna with a spicy mustard sauce and Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes with red pepper sauce. Now, we’d like to tell you what we would recommend but we all had our favorites. So, you need to either go with a big appetite or with 4 other friends so you can taste one of each!
It’s definitely one of the best deals in town without compromising quality !

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota
941-358-9463
www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Friday, May 15, 2009

Divas Do Happy Hour.. Coming soon

In the mean time.......Passion flower and bee - the perfect match on a warm spring day !

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Divas,Cupcakes and Chrome

Two worlds collide in Southgate Village on Siesta Drive. One…. a dainty little retro bakery decorated with pastels and anything to do with cupcakes. They even have a cupcake gallery in the back featuring local artists. And the other… black, red, chrome and leather. Very techno, very macho…… However, the two coexist quite nicely. In fact they work together in this small little strip plaza allowing customers the best of both worlds.
You see… you take your Cupcake to gogo to Fuel and enjoy it with your espresso or your choice of 10 different coffee selections. Vroom Vroom.
This sounded eclectically good to us.
Cupcakes a gogo uses every square foot of their tiny store front to artfully display their cupcake designs for every occasion. Very detailed, very clever colorful works of art that takes the cake ! They also have a catalog of designs to choose from or you pick a theme. And what diva wouldn’t love a dozen red cupcakes….. But for our purposes we were there to sample their baking skills. We ordered a mixed box of chocolate, vanilla and mango and walked them over to Fuel. With cupcakes on our minds we took a seat close to the front near the diner style counter. In the back they have a large TV where that day some guys were sitting on the couch watching off road racing…..
Before we even looked at their lunch menu we couldn’t stop ourselves from getting into the cupcake box ! They did not disappoint. Very delicious, moist little cakes {vanilla and chocolate} with light chocolate, vanilla or mango icing… In fine diva fashion we sampled them all {happily} bringing back childhood memories of birthday parties gone by….
Vroom, Vroom…oh yes Fuel…. switching gears…we asked for the menu.
The lunch menu at Fuel is simple.. In one word - Panini ..However there are 11 to choose from and all come with a salad…
We had “The Doctor” - grilled chicken, prosciutto,provolone cheese and spinach balsamic vinaigrette, “Achilles Wheelie” – Plain hummus, baby spinach, grilled mushrooms, tomatoes,chopped red onions, and feta cheese, “Fuel Tank” – grilled chicken strips, zesty salsa jack cheese, salsa and lettuce and “Paddock Stack” – Ham,Pineapple,colby jack cheese and Thai sweet chili sauce.
They were all great. The perfect ending to our cupcake lunch.

Cupcakes a gogo - A cupcake for every event
Tuesday thru Friday 10:00am – 5:30pm
Saturday 10:0am thru 2:00pm
Monday, Sunday - Closed but leave your order on their msg machine
2079 Siesta Dr. 941-952-1114 www.gocupcakes.com

Fuel Motorcycle & Espresso Bar - Rev up. Refuel. Relax
Mingle with other motorcyclists every Monday night from 6:30 to 10pm.
Go out to Fuel for Scooter Night every Tuesday from 7 to 9pm.
Open 7 days a week.
Monday thru Saturday: 11am - 10pm
Sunday: 8am - 6pm
2161 Siesta Dr. 941-373-1222 www.fuelsrq.com

Friday, April 3, 2009

Out of sight Cupcakes from Cupcakes a go go..review coming soon....

http://www.cupcakesago-go.com/

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

A Diva Touchdown

Sports, value and southern cooking attracted the Divas to Lee Roy Selmon’s – a sports restaurant with deep-rooted southern recipes, many from Lee Roy’s mother.
Lee Roy, youngest of 9, lived on a farm in Oklahoma appreciating home cooking and fresh ingredients they gathered directly from the land. Lee Roy, a #1 draft pick, spent his 10-year professional sports career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, after which they retired his #63 jersey. (Note ‘63’ next to the family recipes – took Divas a while to figure that one out!). He was inducted into both the College and NFL Hall of Fames. The restaurant slogan, “Play hard. Eat Well. And don’t forget to share” reflects Lee Roy – the athlete, restaurateur, family man and community leader.
There was a wait for tables the night we were there, but the veranda seating was a great place to hang out and sample some ‘Play List’ drink specialties.
On the Divas lineup was:
#1: Smokin’ Tampa Tea (yeah, it really smokes!)
#2: Patron Lemonade – a smooth combination with Patron Silver Tequila, Citronge and fresh squeezed lemonade
#3: Passion Fruit Martini
#4: Classic Mojito
#5: Selmon’s Bloody Mary made with their secret infused vodka and served with a lazy susan of garnishes: horseradish, Worcestershire, celery salt and 3 different hot sauces. Almost a meal on its own.
#6: For Designated Driver Diva – fresh squeezed lemonade. And when they say fresh, they mean fresh!
Before we could finish the lineup, we were seated. Don’t be misled – this is NOT a sports bar. It feels more like a steakhouse but with most entrees under $15. The restaurant is split into two sections – restaurant seating and the lounge with high top tables. The lighting was complimentary and there were 19 non intrusive televisions. Sporty Divas could enjoy sporting events and Yakky Divas could converse. Sporty Divas thought this was definitely a great place for NCAA action.
After browsing the menu we were delightfully surprised to see that it fit into the Diva budgets quite well. Our wonderful server, Coach Graham, explained that Lee Roy & Company had cut prices, but not portions and quality, in consideration of today’s economy (many dinner entries are $9.99). We were really hungry, so…. get ready…. and don’t be shocked by our unDiva-like appetites.......We ordered: the Hall of Fame Ribs, (63)Fried Green Tomatoes kicked up with their garlic horseradish aioli sauce (divalicious!), Smokin’ Quesadillas with pulled pork drizzled with BBQ sauce and a side of BBQ sour cream and fresh salsa, Kickin’ Queso served with warm tortilla chips (OMG – chorizo sausage, sautéed with fresh bell peppers, jalapenos blended in a creamy cheese sauce, served with warm chips – very unDiva like), (63)Selmon Brothers Wings – marinated and slow cooked and grilled, not fried and served with their spicy Oklahoma Sauce, chips and guacamole, (63) Mama Selmon’s Cajun Gumbo, (63)Mama’s Meatloaf with decadent smashed potatoes and a mushroom herbed gravy, Idaho Rainbow Trout, (63)SweetHeat Fried Chicken Sandwich. All BBQ entrees come with Lee Roy’s 4 Signature Sauces – Tangy, Spicy, Zesty and Thick. On the sidelines we had cheese and bacon grits, greens medley, home style baked beans, and corn bread casserole. WOW.....This was southern soul satisfying comfort food at its best!
Coach Graham was awesome and when it came time to ordering dessert, he suggested one of each. And why not, we had gone this far. Let’s do it for the home team! …. Georgia Peach Cobbler with vanilla ice cream, (63)Selmon’s Bread Pudding, Melt in Ya’ Mouth Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Rush – 5 decadent layers of chocolate cake with mousse filling and fudge icing. OMG! If your favorite team is playing (and even if they’re not) and you’re looking for real value, this is the place to head!

The night was a Touchdown!

Lee Roy Selmon’s Restaurant, 8253 Cooper Creek Blvd, Sarasota 941-360-3287And also located at 6510 Cortez Road, Bradenton 941- 798-3287

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Divas Do Raw

We must start off by saying that, Rebel Divas that we are, the idea of Raw food did not appeal to us. Doubting Diva had been trying to avoid visiting our dear friend Jenna Norwood’s restaurant Vibe Cuisine (formerly Veggie Magic) since it opened a year ago. As well as a restaureaur Jenna’s known as Sarasota’s passionate raw food guru and documentary video producer Supercharge Me– 30 Days Raw.
Finally, the day had come. We were locked in. Off to the southeast corner of Bee Ridge and McIntosh, located deep in the corner of the plaza is Vibe Cuisine (Veggie Magic). It’s ironic that when explaining how to find her place, Jenna says, “we’re just behind Firehouse Subs”. Now, you know where it is – but you won’t find any heat in her kitchen!
Raw, by definition is: natural, uncultivated, uncooked, or unrefined state: not having undergone a process of manufacturing ....No problem..it was lunch.....
Vibe was hopping with regulars knowing exactly what to order the day we were there. It is a destination for them… The space is fresh and airy with citron green curtains that close you off from the outside world… leaving your senses open for what’s to come. There are cozy couches, regular seating, lots of informative materials to read on the walls….but the most impressive feature is the open kitchen where the food magicians are busy at work.
Vibe Cuisine is certified green. The water they serve is reverse osmosis, they compost….of course, their take out containers are bamboo and the utensils are potato starch all biodegradable. And did we mention kosher? This is the only Rabbi certified Kosher Kitchen within 60 miles.
We started our adventure with a Chocolate Goji Love Smoothie. A mix of young Thai coconut meat and water, raw cacao powder, dates, hemp seeds and goji berries. Full of antioxidants, protein and electrolytes. As we were warming up to the idea of eating raw (gulp!), we noticed the menu teased us with the names of some of our favorite dishes like pizza, pasta, cheeseburgers, fried rice, brownies, apple pie????? Say what ??? However, this is deceptive. No glutens here and all foods will lower your cholesterol. So get that greasy cheeseburger out of your head. Their version of the all American double cheeseburger stack with all the condiments you’d expect was surprisingly delicious. No meat. No cheese. No bread. Veggie patties, thinly sliced, with all the raw burger toppings. You must eat it to believe it. Even Doubting Diva enjoyed it. There was no stopping us! We also enjoyed the Mama Mia Pasta. Wheat free! Raw zucchini pasta dressed with a warming garlic and herb creamy sauce with sun dried tomatoes, red onions sprinkled with pine nut ‘parmesan’. And… Pizza! Did someone say pizza?!! Not what you would expect, but fabulous just the same. And oh! Those sun dried tomatoes! Delicous. As a side we had the Chinese ‘Fried Rice’ that is actually cauliflower, celery, red onions, carrots, ginger, garlic, tamari and sesame oil. Looked and tasted a lot like CFR.
We finished off our meal with three sweet treats – Apple Pie, Black and White Brownies and White Chocolate Blueberry Bars. Delightfully scrumpdilicious.
There are so many ingredients that go into all of these flavorful dishes we just simply can’t do them justice. You must experience then for yourself. Tell them Doubting Diva sent you!
Speaking of, just guess who purchased the Delicious Dish Meal Program? Doubting Diva herself! After speaking to Mike, the in house manager, and discovering that he had lost 140 pounds in less than a year, she was encouraged (surely I can lose that 10!) 6 meals – 6 days – for $105. (Other programs available) All meals include a side and a salad. They’re available for delivery or pick up. She’s hoping to reach her ultimate health and wellness in the purest and most delicious way. Yikes! We won’t recognize her!
Eat in, Take out, call for delivery, mini market, Check it out!

Vibe cuisine {previously known as Veggie Magic} 4428 Bee Ridge Rd. 377-6209
Also at the downtown farmer’s market every Saturday
www.vibecuisine.com

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Divas Love Harry’s

The Dining Divas “Eclectic Eateries Off the Eaten Path”Weekly eating adventures, in which we set out to explore Sarasota Area Culinary hits (or misses). The objective is to discover those restaurants, pubs or cafes that are locally owned, have soul, offer entrees under $15.00 and possibly entertain us with wonderful music. This is not your typical food review. More important to us is the ambiance, pricing, service and all around fun, as we are simply the ‘Dining Divas’ out to have a good time.
Now…. Our review.
It was time to get off the mainland. It was time to experience the romance of the islands. The Divas consulted. Darling Diva, Detail Diva, Brilliant Diva and Granola Diva have been working very diligently in their real estate careers and it was ‘rule breaking in the making‘, the $15.00 bar was raised a tad. We remembered the bygone magic of Sarasota’s mainland restaurant, Alley Cat, we reminisced, or should I say, Granola Diva reminisced the culinary delights from far off places such as Northern Michigan’s Rowe Inn and Tapawingo. It was that certain je ne sais quoi that we were in search of and it was our own Matt Man who led the way.
We boarded the big white luxurious ride of our Intrepid Diva’s chariot, we sailed over the Ringling Bridge to the manicured landscape of Longboat Key. The sun was setting, palm tree portraits lined the horizon as we ventured in the direction of Lands End, our leadersstomping grounds. The ultimate destination, HARRY’S Continental Kitchens, aglow with sparkling lights, tropical colors, and an eclectic, warm, and interesting mix of patrons. We were in the arms of Harry’s heavenly creation about to embark on an orgasmic and fanciful feast.
We were in luck. It was Thursday night, that means wine tasting at HARRY’S.
Son of Harry, Hal, took us under his wing and for only a $5.00 admission we were able to sample Ridge Vineyard Wines, hors d’oeuvres and the ultimate Diva deal of a $5 coupon to be used for dinner or a purchase of their select wines. We sipped, we sampled, we chatted up Harry and his 30 year experiences as owner, resident and all around bon vivant. The Divas were reluctant to have this experience end, wanting more Michael stories, we so look up to her.
Piece de resistance, it was time for dinner, the Divas were seated. Art lines the walls, candles glimmer, the outside is brought in, we toasted our host Hal with the most magnificent Pineapple Fusion Martinis.
Dinner decisions we left to our handsome host and our pretty, courteous and knowledgeable server, Denise. Let the party begin!
The best Sushi ever, Salmon Bisque to die for, PBR Soft Shell Crab with coconut milk beer batter, Scallop Salad, all of that and the main course yet to come. We were blessed.
The chef with the cherubic face and his CIA culinary degree, Harry’s very own, Ian Clark, created our climactic dining experience. The finest fresh local fish were served and the most prime cuts of beef. The perfect marriage of sauces, scalloped potatoes your mother never served, asparagus el dente and the wine. Hand selected by Hal. Yes Harry, it was delightful dining.
We want to go back. Breakfast starts at 9am and runs until 2:30. We will be there! The word on the street is that their Brunches are dynOmite.
At Harry’s Continental Kitchens, wonderful breakfasts, lunches and dinners; a deli, stylish catering, gourmet gift baskets, fine wines & spirits and a bakery.

525 St. Judes Drive
5600 Gulf of Mexico Drive
Longboat Key, FL 34228
Phone 941.383.0777
Fax 941.383.2029
www.harryskitchen.com

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Diva's Italian Fix

Third times a charm as they say…something about this place kept us intrigued enough to try, try again. During one of our other outings in the Gulf Gate area, we saw a little Italian Restaurant and added it to our list of ‘must visit’. The first time we had hoped to dine there it was not open (must have been a Monday), and the next time we visited they were closed (perhaps a holiday) – note to Divas, perhaps best to verify hours of operation….so this time the doors opened for us and we were refreshed with the fragrance of garlic – YUM! Pleasant décor and friendly faces welcomed us and promptly seated us at a nice table in the corner. We were happy to see that many others decided to dine here too. In fact, the couple seated beside us had just finished their meals and were excited by how much they enjoyed theirs. They wanted to give the Divas some suggestions for our order, and cheerfully lifted their glasses to toast ….oh, right! Time for some wine – Diva’s know a nice red wine always helps bring out the best in a meal, especially Italian food. With the guidance of our server we selected the Nero D’Avola 2006 (Sicily) ….”Delicious and fun!” as described by Darling Diva.
For our meals there was some debate, so we settled on appetizers while we continued studying the menu - Diva’s do not like to study – so really we simply continued our conversation with the friendly couple next to us and ordered with their help. The appetizers were; Bruschetta, fresh tomato, olive oil, and fresh basil atop grilled Italian bread; and the Portobello Mushrooms, sautéed with sun-dried tomato, rosemary, garlic, and olive oil, served over polenta. Bruchetta – yes. Portobello Mushrooms – good, not great. Main course choices were; Veal Sorrento (Carnivore Diva), veal scaloppini with prosciutto, eggplant, fresh tomato, and mozzarella cheese, light white wine tomato sauce; and Eggplant Surprise (Veggie Diva), eggplant filled with Ricotta cheese and spinach baked with tomato sauce served with side of angel hair pasta. Delicious to all …was it the wine? Maybe, but more than likely it was the perfect combination of enough garlic, wine, and good service to leave each Diva with a nice warm fuzzy memory of an evening well spent!
Broccolini’s Restaurant, 6525 Superior Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34231 941-927-5100

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Divas Do Peruvian

The weather is extremely cold for Floridians, but you still have to eat. So the Divas pulled up their collars against the cold and set out for the evening. That is, everyone but Darling Diva who couldn’t be coaxed out from under the covers, even with the promise of a little chocolate or Jack Daniels. Wandering down Beneva Road just north of Clark in one of those non-descript little plazas, we found a very small restaurant. Tucked away and over powered by car repair places, a smoky bar and a tattoo parlor sits Peruvian Grill. The majority of the 7 tables were occupied by their local following… folks anxious to tell us what their favorite dishes are.
Sounded good to us.. we quickly took a seat at the only remaining table.
The walls are decorated with wonderful Peruvian tapestries which brought out reminising stories from Detail Diva about her adventures in South America.
Jessica and her husband/chef Jorge, wearing cheerful chili pepper chef pants, are the proud owners of this tiny establishment and deliver giant tastes. Their son was our server but Jorge would come out of the kitchen in between his chef duties to help explain some of their dishes. Firstly he recommended an Argentinian and Spanish chardonnay which we enjoyed as we sat back to peruse the menu munching on corn kernals with their secret jalapeno dipping sauce. Such delightful decisions to be made! Soon our tastebuds were feasting on hearty Coriander Chicken Soup, a huge house salad with a yummy homemade house dressing, a Peruvian Tamale, and Calamari like no other served with a “relish”… a mixture of red onions, cilantro served ceviche with a tang of lime. The crisp lightly breaded calamari and bits of yucca were one of our favorites. How could the main meals be any better? Oh, just you wait Divas! The Pollo Saltado { chicken } and The Lomo Saltado, { strips of beef } both with sauteed onions, tomatoes, and sides of rice and plantains made our mouths water. Visiting International Diva had an incredible dish of Mahi Mahi and shrimp served with plantains and potatoes. A feast for two, yet somehow she managed to finish it all, much to our surprise. Aren’t you envious of those people who are sooo thin yet they eat everything in sight? Anyway……We also were thrilled with the Churraaco a la Parrilla, grilled beef sirloin in chimichurri sauce oh my ! Needless to say we enjoyed everything…
The food is full of yummy flavor and well priced. The restaurant is intimate and friendly.
Divalicious!

Peruvian Grill, 5769 Beneva Road, Sarasota, FL 941-923-8902Open from 11:30 to 9:00

If you are 4 or more during the peak dinner hours we advise you to call ahead.

And their second location, El Warike, 4226 26th St, W Bradenton, FL 34205 941-755-4222

Monday, January 19, 2009

Divas do Sushi

Last minute decisions led the Divas to make a quick choice. We were driving our
separate vehicles, having come from a hectic day of appointments, showings, and inspections. Ravished, thirsty and in need of delicious, healthy cuisine, Brilliant Diva's light bulb lit and we convened at.....KAZU'S SUSHI & ASIAN BISTRO.

A small intimate bistro it is, all of the tables were filled. We took this as a positive omen as we perused the menu. The prices fit our criteria, the choices were divine. Worlds collided again....all at this gem on Siesta Drive. 'Bistro' is not just defined as a French restaurant; 'tapas' can be served in an Asian fare, sushi by the names of Hemingway, Philly, Siesta, John Lennon, and Dynamite.
Well, dynOmite, yes it is. This is an Asian Restaurant with an edge.

The edge comes by way of the owners, husband and wife, Kazu and Akiko, chef, musician, world travelers, and parents to daughter Ellie. Kazu attended Berklee College of Music, studying jazz piano. This led him to performing at the Summerhouse Restaurant and the Gator Club to name a few. Akiko went into the travel agency business after graduating from college in Japan. A stint as the head sushi chef at Pacific Rim for Kazu and the foresightedness of Akiko led them to open Kazu's Bistro.

Our order to go was a wide assortment, you cannot go wrong. 'The Bento Box' is a vision and a treat for your palate. The sushi is the best in town. The Miso Soup will more than satisfy and keep you healthy at the same time. Read all about the power of shitake mushrooms, buckwheat soba noodles and tofu on Kazu's web site

We convened at Detail Diva's home. A wonderful oasis that has been the focus of previous Diva blogs. Wine was poured, toasts were given, divas divulged with each tasty morsel.

The Divas would love to have feedback on your experience at Kazu's.

Kazu's Sushi & Asian Bistro
2063 Siesta Dr., Sarasota, FL. 34239
Across from South Gate Mall, next to the post office in the Southgate Plaza
Call your order: 941.951.7778
Fax your order: 941.951.7783

Monday, January 12, 2009

Divas visit Walts

Seafood seemed to be on everyone’s mind as we headed down Tamiami Trail when a huge fish caught our eye. Why not! We’ve passed it so often and never stopped in to explore. That was definitely our loss! Walt’s Fish Market has been around for over 60 years, starting as a little market on Whitaker Bayou for the Wallin family to sell what they had caught that day. Customers began asking for fried fish sandwiches and a restaurant was in the making! Their current location is a down home place divided into two sections – the store and the restaurant – and their slogan “The fish we sell today, slept in the bay last night” prominently hanging overhead. We liked the friendliness of the place immediately. It’s extremely casual, well lit (much to the dismay of Detail Diva) and a very knowledgeable staff. We perused around the store checking out interesting spices and sauces and the wonderful deli counter with fresh fish. This is definitely a place to consider when you’re looking for the freshest fish around!

They serve beer and wine, thank goodness, so the Divas set about trying to make up their mind. Fortunately the selection is not large so we weren’t overwhelmed by too many choices. A variety of white wines for everyone and we were ready to review the menu. What choices! Twenty different appetizers, a few delicious sounding soups, green salads and seafood salads, sandwiches and dinners. Our mouths were watering as we scanned the menu. We decided on Broiled Amberjack with new potatoes and corn on the cob, Seafood Scampi – shrimp, flounder and scallops broiled in garlic and white wine, and Red Snapper filet. While we waited for dinner we sampled a wonderful clam chowder soup, crab cake, smoked mullet and shrimp cocktail. So many fishy delights! The dinners were served promptly and we dug in. All dinners had generous portions but we did our best to follow our mothers’ orders and eat everything on our plates. The food was simple, tasty, very good, and the cost was under $20 apiece! Stop by and check out this Sarasota institution! Divas appreciate your comments!

Walt’s Fish Market
4144 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34242 941-921-4605

Thursday, January 8, 2009

Indian Cuisine to Go-Go

Tandoor, advertised as “Fine Indian Cuisine”, was fine with us. The Divas consulted and a 'to go' order was got. Adventure Diva, always the one to delve into the unknown with far reaching cuisine in keeping with her exploratory lifestyle, did us the honor of choosing our menu for the evening. We knew we were in good hands with her, intrepid, saucy girl that she is, which brings to mind those flavorful sauces!

Detail Diva volunteered her home for the evening. We knew another treat was in for us! Our Detail Diva is much more than mere details with her history of being in the film and rock & roll business, this is a home that rocks. A compound in the Payne Park neighborhood, very edgy, What lies within and behind these Florida houses of hers? Our senses were piqued! The aroma of the food, the art on the walls, the 50's booth with it's very own table top juke box. The Divas were in for an orgasmic evening, the unscrewing of corks, the sounds of Styrofoam parting, the great tunes enveloping. Is there anything better than mouth watering cuisine and great real estate? I'll have to consult our Darling Diva on that, she with a history of breaking hearts and healing souls (stories to be told at a later time).

'Tandoor', the definition: an igloo-shaped clay oven which originated in Afghanistan and was brought to India by Mughai rulers. The food is impaled on long skewers and is gently, slowly lowered into the tandoor after marinating in juicy roseate spice mixtures. A very savory method of cooking for our pleasure. The Divas thank the Mughai rulers.

Things were heating up and the delectables were served. Papadom, wonderful thin bean wafers made in India, a taste like no other. Sighs of delight were heard. The Tandoor Special Appetizer consisting
of vegetable and meat somosa and mix pakora, loved by all. The Chicken Tikka Masals, white meaty chunks of chicken, slowly roasted in the hard clay oven and then tenderly folded in a ripe tomato sauce with finely chopped green peppers and onions. The Lamb Saag, lamb cooked with the freshest spinach, spices and the loved curry sauce. Veggie Diva especially enjoyed the Navratan Shahi Korma, mixed veggies cooked with almonds, cashew paste and raisons in a creamy korma sauce. All of this
enjoyed with their Garlic Naan, a very light bread made with fresh garlic and coriander.
The Divas were satiated for the time but knew they would be back for more.

The evening carried on in the moonlit night with exotic plants surrounding us as we made our way through the winding paths to an opening, an oasis. We gathered at the thatched roofed tiki bar, thoughts of Mughai rulers filled our heads as the Indians had provided us with shelter.
Multiple worlds can collide is such wonderful ways.

Tandoor Indian Restaurant 3400 Clark Rd. 926-3077

Friday, January 2, 2009

Marina Jack's Deep Six

Deep Six Dinner Lounge - you may wonder where that is, and you may already have been there and decided that you have done that, but it bears going again. The Deep Six is the Marina Jack piano bar and restaurant where the famous Rock has entertained Sarasotans for decades, or perhaps a decade? By way of the grapevine we heard it was his birthday. Diva’s love birthdays, especially when it is someone else’s.

That evening Daring Diva (you can always count on her), Sketchy Diva and our Vivacious Diva better known as Detail Diva, were joined by none other than Radio SRQ Maddy, Political Patricia and “Right Arm” Mr Frey! As always, please blog us with any questions you may have, we would love to fill in the blanks.

Our menu choices of the evening were several flatbreads which are served on an individual wooden board. These are great for shared appetizers or a single entree. We tried the Spinach Portobella, which we would definitely order again and the Spicy South of the Border Flatbread. An order of Asian Potstickers were served and quickly disappeared. Divas stayed under budget and a tad hungry by design. Daring Diva was off the next day on a whitewater rafting trip and I had a wedding to attend. Excess calories did not weigh us down that night.

The cunundrum, how can one incorporate live piano music, the outdoor waterfront view and the indoor menu? You can’t. Divas want it all.

Visit Marina Jack, one of Sarasota’s few Waterfront Restaurants on the Bay at 2 Marina Plaza, Sarasota, FL 34236

941.365.4232 www.marinajacks.com

Divas do Dylan's Fondue

We decided on Dylan’s Fondue Fusion, a new spot on The Trail hidden in the plaza behind Chili’s.

Deep red walls, mood lighting…
A hot plate for one fondue pot on every table for four, doubles for tables of 8 or more.
We were a little overwhelmed with all of the decisions to be made. There were so many different choices and combinations on the menu. It seems Fondue is more complicated than cheese, bread, oil, veggies and meat. After all this is “fondue fusion” so pay attention.
Ok, so this is how it works…..
Each dinner comes with a Cheese fondue to start as appetizers{ there are 4 cheese choices }, a salad { there are five }, the choices of 8 different entrees, six extremely different broths or oils which they call cooking styles and too many to count dipping sauces.. Whew…
We were at a one pot table so we really could only choose one cooking style, which, of course, brought forth a diva dilemma…..
How do we cook the vegetables in our pot along with the seafood or meat without insulting our Vegetarian Diva…. Well we figured that one out for ourselves…. we ordered the seafood assortment and cooked the veggies first, then the seafood.
There are also Entrees for two that offer wonderful combinations like a surf and turf or their Pacific Platter that includes duck, pork, shrimp, chicken sirloin and potstickers for example. A wonderful and fun dining experience. You are guaranteed not to go home hungry!

Dylan’s Fondue Fusion, 4141 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota
941-926-1289

What’s Cooking at Megaera’s

“What’s Cooking at Megaera’s?”, a private dinner club, that you too can have the pleasure of enjoying! Megaera is the chef premier and the dining experience is intimate, mood enhancing and filled with tantalizing vegetarian tastes. All divas were present and the seating allows for seven. We opened the invitations to a few of our friends: the one and only Matt; renown foodie and great person to dine with, Ms. Judi; and our scoundrel/poet/intellectual, Andrew. We do love a party.
Our menu for the evening was Middle Eastern Cuisine. We entered this private, centrally located home to the sounds of music from Istanbul, via internet radio, a stroke of genius Megaera. The focal point as you walk into this spacious, open home is the large, dark, wooden rectangular table overlooking a wall of glass, which separates the dining area from the plant filled patio. We nibbled on appetizers of olives, feta and pita, while pouring the wine and espousing the virtues and vices of diets, our defeats and our triumphs. Analogies were made and books were quoted. The conversation was quieted, the dishes passed. Red Lentil soup flavored with Baharat (an Arabic spice mix from Oman) was ladled in our bowls, and dinner was served. Our plates filled with Eggplant Pilaf, a Turkish rice dish with eggplant, tomatoes, mint and parsley. Our vegetable was Green Beans, sautéed with fresh tomatoes and mint. A simple and tantalizing salad of Romaine and Watercress was lightly dressed with a Persian sweet & sour mint syrup. The Red Lentil mixed so well with our rice, add to that a bit of yogurt with the infusion of spices, as our Daring Diva said, “It’s textual”. Desert was served, an Orange/Rosewater Sherbet, Megaera’s recipe of Turkish Water Ice. It smelled so good that I was tempted to use it as a perfume. Better yet the ending to our meal was aromatic, and sweet The perfect finish to a meal that touched all of our senses!
Another whiff of the Black Cardamom please…….
Thank you Megaera!

Megaera can be reached at 941.953.5296

Roy's

Long afternoons fading into hot summer nights ….”Where to dine!?”, Divas ponder…too hot to think clearly, we decided to splurge once again and took our appetites to Roy’s – a well known local hotspot that provides a delicious selection of Hawaiian cuisine. “The first Roy’s restaurant opened 20 years ago in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 1988 Chef Roy Yamaguchi was the first chef to ever blend European cooking techniques with the flavors of fresh local ingredients found in Asia and the Pacific Rim. Roy Yamaguchi was and is the innovator of Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine”, as described on Roy’s website.

Tiki torches lead the way “Aloha Ahiahi” (good evening) ….Diva’s are learning new languages all the time (that is, as it relates to our dining). Once inside the Divas found décor and aromas which awakened our taste buds. The restaurant centers around a magnificent open kitchen where one can sit and enjoy their meal should they choose. Sophisticated, clean lines are complimented with warm earthy textures, perfect lighting, and highlighted with touches of Hawaiian influence.

The Divas decide to sit in the elegant dining room to enjoy the fusion of flavors soon to be delivered. Before delving into the menu (thinking ahead to the Summer Fusion Prix Fixe Menu) we selected a few savory drinks to wet our appetites even more. Cool, refreshing Mojito Martinis and Hawaiian Coconut-Pineapple Martinis….well ladies, no umbrellas or twirly straws…but wow what flavors!!!! We take time to enjoy our martinis - and for one voracious Diva appetite, an order of the Hong Kong Bay Crab Rangoons – all agree best ever!!!!

We review the menu and decide to indulge with the Summer Fusion Prix Fixe Menu (note that Roy’s offers a Prix Fixe Menu tailored for 4 seasons throughout the year) $35 and you enjoy a three course meal. Appetizer choices are; Nori Charred Yellow Fin Ahi, mirrored in a wasabi ogo fusion; Japanese Pear Baby Arugula & Chevre Salad, with candied macadamia nuts & passion fruit vinaigrette; Asian Spiced Shumai Meatballs, served on a Japanese mushroom cassoulet. Entrée choices are; Prosciutto Wrapped Tiger Shrimp & Fried Egg Fried Rice, served in lemon, caper & herb butter sauce; Gorgonzola & Spinach Crusted Salmon, served with a roasted garlic red wine sauce; Mongolian Grilled Top Sirloin Barbecue, served with a natural soy mustard butter sauce; Tender Braised Hawaii Kai Beef Short Ribs, served with a natural braising sauce. Dessert choices are; Roy’s Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé, flourless chocolate cake with a molten hot center served a la mode; Sweet Summer Time Strawberry Shortcake. Indecisive as Divas are, we enjoyed all that was offered on the Summer Fusion Prix Fixe Menu ….Hula lessons are in order to work this off!!!!

How can a Diva summarize such cuisine!? ….a few words…fresh…fusion… succulent …celebration of flavors. All dishes were presented with artistic flair! Chef Ryan is an artist after all – not only in the kitchen - a few of his paintings are displayed in the restaurant. With a sweet soul (not to mention a great smile) he took time to visit our table and share with us his culinary knowledge, perspective, and true understanding of his clientele’s desire for healthy, and flavorful, high quality food. His success is reflected nightly as the dining room fills up.

Aloha - Mahalo nui loa (Goodbye – thank you very much!) ….as the valet brought us our cars they gave a true Hawaiian send off, “Kipa hou mai”, (come visit again). Delighted Divas!

Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion Restaurant, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota Florida 34239
941-952-0109 www.roysrestaurant.com

Urban Flats

On Cooper Creek Road, north of University Park, this plaza has been a popular shopping spot for Lakewood Ranchers and those folks who are in denial that they actually live in Bradenton.
In the north east corner of the plaza and hidden close to Lee Roy Selman’s we found a place called Urban Flats. Not easy to find!!
Just opened in May, we thought we would give it a try. Many people have mistaken it for a shoe store…but not us….. Divas don’t do flats…except for Granola Diva and Dancing Diva {now wearing a cast...seems extreme twirling and flats don’t mix well …. stay tuned for Divas after Dark, the Diva Diaries} .
Urban Flats is a hip fun place despite it’s not so hip urban location. Two 12 seater high top tables are in the front bar that boasts a state of the art wine dispensing system that has 24 by the glass selections from around the world. The lighting is dim with hand blown amber lamps and there is photography of local Sarasota architectural landmarks all throughout. Nice touch - we felt right at home! Towards the back is the dining room with casual booths adding to the urban ambience. We forgot we were in a shopping plaza out east.

The open oven in the back cooks the flats in a 500 degree oven very quickly {don’t have the exact time but trust us, it’s fast}. Flats start with whole wheat unleavened dough and can be topped of with 18 different combinations. Very practical……

It was Wednesday evening and it was their Wine tasting for only $20.00 which included a small buffet. Great choice for one Diva but the rest of us wanted to get into the full menu and zero in on some highlights.
For starters we ordered the Baked Cheese and Tomato Bisque that came with a warm goat cheese dollop in the middle. It was creamy and delicious and enough to share. Sesame Crusted Seared Tuna with steamed baby spinach and wild mushrooms was served with a teriyaki and orange chili sauce that we all agreed was an excellent suggestion by Debbie, our wonderful waitress. Moving on to the flats we couldn’t resist the Fig and Prosciutto with bleu cheese and mozzarella that we could have sworn had a touch of cinnamon, but perhaps it was in the fig jam. Anyway, undeniably our favorite until we ordered the Oven Roasted Vegetable Flat which was loaded with sun dried tomato, pesto, roasted Portobello mushrooms, spinach, roasted red peppers, yummy caramelized onions and topped with mozzarella and parmesan cheese. We would have tried the Black and Blue (steak with bleu cheese), but we were satisfied with our orders. However our little “$20-all-you-can-eat-and-drink” Diva kept going and going and going……. Thank goodness for Designated Driver Diva!

For an affordable night out, with energetic atmosphere, we all agreed it was well worth the drive. Entrees are priced from $7.00 and go up to $12.00. Another Diva Success! And for all you night hawks, Thursday night ladies drink for free from 10:00pm to 1:00am. They have live music on Fridays and Saturdays too.
Urban Flats Restaurant, 8235 Cooper Creek Blvd, University Park 941-360-3528 www.urbanflats.net

Taqueria Aquascalientes

This week we decided to be daring divas and venture where no divas have gone before …… north of 12th along 301. …the first place we tried was Mexican Grill, it was closed….But in the same little strip plaza we came upon…
Taqueria Aguascalientes {translation: Mexican Taco Stand - Aguascalientes is a city in Mexico - agua scalientes is hot water }.
We remembered a trusted friend had suggested it.
What the heck nothing ventured nothing gained so we pulled up in front and parked.
We couldn’t help but notice the bars on the windows, hmmmm, our minds were going…… better to have bars than no bars, we thought, so we entered.
Taqueria Aguascalientes is much like what you see on almost every street corner in almost every small town in Mexico. Inside, the décor was typical with Corona, Pacifico, Tecate and Dos XX “adorning” the light colored walls, plastic flowered table cloths on each table, and our favorite, a “painting” of a Spanish drama diva in a chunky “gold” frame set between a stuffed deer head on the wall wearing a sombrero and draped with a colorful blanket, and a 7 ft. chief smokin totem thing. And if that wasn’t enough….. A Spanish soap opera played on a gigantic TV in only 2 colors { orange & black } in the corner as it competed with a juke box blaring loud Mexican disco music when ever some one decided to drop a coin into it.
Except for the lack of tequila it was perfect!
Our beautiful waitress with child showed us to our table. We tried to ask her a few questions about drinks but, no English….She yelled for Eduardo…..he came to our table to try and help but, no English. We used a few Spanish sounding words with our finest Spanish accents but …no Spanish.
The scenario repeated itself over and over as we had our usual frequent diva questions and requests – Divas always have requests –
- ED-UAR-DO!
Linguistic note to Divas: Speaking loud with a Spanish accent or making up words that sound Spanish does not make it anymore Spanish …it only makes us feel we are at least trying.

OK, so we got through ordering our Cervezas {Beers}. That is all they serve along with Sodas, Coffee and Traditional Mexican natural flavored drinks. They also have Michelada {Beer mixed with cilantro, lime juice, black pepper, Tabasco and Valentina Salsa}. We did not have the nerve.

For dinner we ordered the:
• Chile Relleno combo
• 3 Tamales….. dos “chicon” “ No dos pollo ! ” { chicken } and uno Puerco { pork }
• Bistek { beef } Fajita with flour tortillas not corn.
• Caramones { shrimp } Quesadilla
• Mole Poblano “chicon” “No pollo ! ” { chicken }.
We really wanted our Mole with white meat, no bones but didn’t have a clue how to order it - charades came to mind but we decided against it { too weird }- so we ended up with the dark meat bones and all.

Rice, beans and salad came with every dish. We ordered extra verde { green } sauce which was fabulous on everything.

Everything was amazing {except for the Mole and that was because of the meat not the Mole}. The taste sensations were endless. We would especially recommend the shrimp quesadilla and the chile relleno. Oh, but the Tamales were great too….
Definitely worth the trip if you are in the mood for a true authentic {casual} Mexican dining experience to employ all of your senses… with out Tequila.

Taqueria Aguascalientes
2211 N. Washington Blvd.

Ceviche

Ceviche, OK, you may think “off the eaten path, don’t be absurd”, the
latest taste of the town, was a not miss spot for the Divas. Even if
there seemed to be a constant flow of young nubile long legged ladies
parading through the front door, the Dining Divas held their own.
The choices of where to imbibe within the aged walls of this historic
building was of short consideration; street level, out of doors, and
within the viewing parameters of the entranceway. A pitcher of
Sangria was served.
Before our readers take their seats an exploration of the multilevel
architecture is recommended. The interior is authentic in it’s
design with the ‘what’s old is new again’ Mexican tile, warmly
painted stucco walls, and the voluptuously clothed and unclothed Goya
diva “The Maja”. We were feeling very svelte and the menus were
requested. Our lovely server, so patient and attentive, the darling
valets, so warm and welcoming, we should never take Sarasota for
granted.
True to the Diva mantra there were multiple choices to be had in this
tapas cuisine. That was the difficult part. One may need to return
again and again in determining what is to ones liking. Word was out
by none other than the fabulous Denise, of her love for the Patatas
dish. Patatas Bravas was ordered. What to choose next? The
description of “Woodland mushrooms sauteed with sherry over goat
cheese toasted bread’, Champinoes De Sevilla was requested. Red meat
decision followed, that resulted in ordering Banderillas Mixtas, an
assortment of skewered grilled tenderloin, mild chorizo, marinated
chicken and vegetables. To finish out our order we did not want to
shy away from octopus, that would be Pulpo A La Gallega, which is
sliced octopus in virgin olive oil and fresh herbs with paprika, and
served over potatoes.
The best of the best, the Divas loved the woodland mushrooms. Fairy
nymphs danced in our head with this delight. Now Denise, if we could
all have your statuesque beauty with the potatoes, well, maybe, we
would try it again, and then again maybe not. The Carnivore Divas
loved the Banderillas Mixtas, with the tenderloin done medium rare,
El perfecto! Octopus, yikes, take it away, which our kind and
beautiful server did. We were down a Diva anyway and had more than
enough food for the three of us.
Readers please respond, there are many exotic dishes to choose from
and life is so short, we need your input on your hits and misses
(although we are sure there are few misses) on Ceviche’s menu. If
Divas are going to consume calories we want them to be well spent!
Our after dinner drinks were served on the rooftop, under the stars,
with more of the best views in town; of the people and our
breathtaking city sites. Our applause is out to Mr. Murphy, I am even
starting to like the faux exterior embellishments. He has saved a
wonderful building and given so much back for us to enjoy.
And by the way, who was that handsome gentleman seated next to us
dining with two ladies? So many reasons to return……….
Ceviche, 1216 First Street, Sarasota 34236
941.952.1036
www.ceviche.com

Sahara Cafe

Our aim for the evening was to write up our reviews (procrastinating Divas), explore a ‘to go’ menue, embibe on affordable wines and one of the best parts, dishing with our Divas, never lacking for great conversation.
The setting was at the home of ‘granola diva’ (a misnomer perhaps, a sketchy diva at best). Atmosphere early cottage, weather gorgeous, music from Patti Smith to Chet Baker, dog, somewhat well behaved.
Detail Diva determined that dining el fresco would fit the evening, linen napkins and wine glasses were set.
As the corks were popped our Industrious Diva arrived with an abundance of food from……..
Sahara Cafe & Mediterranean Food ! Applause shall be forthcoming.
Delectible smells filled the air as the evenings offerings were served. An assortment of three appetizers were chosen -Kibbeh, a bulgar wheat mixed with ground beef stuffed with pine nuts, onions and spices served with pita and tahini sauce (the Divas love tahini, we love to say “tahini”), wonderful it was. Next on the appetizer list was the venerable Stuffed Grape Leaves filled with rice, onions, parsley, lemon, olive oil, and spices. This was a taste treat with all of the flavors combined in perfect harmony. And finally Baba Ghanouj, an eggplant dip with lemon, garlic and tahini, served with pita bread. This was a very robust taste for eggplant, nothing benign about it!
Our pie choice was Spanakopita which is a special blend of spinach, feta cheese and seasonings, baked in a light and flaky phyllo crust.
These divas were certainly not shy on the carbs tonight, and it keeps on going!
Our choice for the ‘Hot Pita Wraps’ was Gyros Pita which is a combination of beef and lamb vertically broiled and served with lettuce, tomato, onions and Tzatziki sauce. Delicious but some of the discerning diva’s were hoping for an ‘all lamb’ gyros, but it was enough to sway veggie diva from her chosen path!
On to authentic Lebanese Wraps, ‘Mediterranean Diet’, this is not!
Shawarma Pita, and thoughts of Danny Thomas, marinated beef served with flat bread, hummus and veggies. Just try it even if you don’t know who Danny Thomas is.
The big ticket item was the….Vegetarian Platter…. at a whole $5.99! Delicious Falafel Platter, balls served with baba ghanouj (we like to say that too, more fun that hummus), tabouleh salad and, of course, pita bread. Detail Diva gives great lessons on how to properly prepare this delight for ones consumption. It has to do with mashing.
Warning too much pita along with too much wine leads to a difficult next day!
We agreed that this is one of the ‘all time best’ Diva eateries.
Sahara Cafe & Mediterranean Food, 1121 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL
34236
941.954.1423

Primo !

While still early in the week, a couple of Divas were already exhausted from their time spent w*&#ing…. doing that thing we don’t like to talk about (four letter word – end result – income – allowing us to be The Dining Divas). Any-hooo …. nothing better to nurture a Diva’s spirit than Italian cuisine! Garlic, wine, more garlic, adorable waiters, more wine ….something about the comfort of family comes to mind too when thinking of Italian food. After slight deliberation (Detail Diva and Expressive Diva, if left on their own, might not be able to make the decision before the kitchen closed!!!) off we went …. North on the Trail, US 41, very near the airport, to Primo! Ristorante.

Although we had seen the signs …. You know the ones with the rather buxom Italian woman presenting a nice plate of pasta and a glass of wine …. The Divas had not yet experienced the delights ahead. Ahhh … a nice dimly lit, aromatic, and inviting entrance …. Definitely on the right track so far (Hardworking Divas beginning to relax). A pleasant greeting and invitation to follow the hostess and before we knew it we were transported to Italy … (ok – we know we weren’t really, but please play along). The décor overflowed with pictures of Italy, fun family type photos, and quirky familiar Italian tchotchkes (you know – knick knacks!), while Frank serenaded us …. We noticed a combination of tables, bar seating, and cozy booths, options to please all.

Now ….The Food

First was the usual dilemma over wine….Fortunately for us our waiter had a few excellent choices and we allowed him to make the selections – good decision! We selected the Amalfi Salad with shrimp, mussels, scallops and calamari served on greens with balsamic vinaigrette (world famous Colucci Dressing is for sale on the premises for $4.99 a bottle) – Exotic and delectable – don’t stop too early – the dish improves with each bite! Next was Rigatoni Julian sautéed with bacon, peas and vodka tomato cream sauce. This was the tastiest choice for the evening. The Sophia Loren with capellini, crabmeat, fresh asparagus and sun dried tomatoes sautéed in pinot garlic light cream sauce. It was light, fresh and delicious! The Eggplant Rollatini was traditional. The showstopper of the evening was the tiny side dish of pasta with fresh tomatoes and garlic – classic fresh, delicious Italian food! The service was exceptional! All this said, Brilliant Diva was not along to keep us in check …..we enjoyed far too much wine and blew the budget! And to make matters worse, we realized Primo! offers coupons on their website that could have helped us avoid overspending (as for the wine – it was a necessity). Ciao!

Primo! Ristorante, 8076 N Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34243 941-359-3690

Shakespeare's Pub

This week we decided ” to be or not to be” and ventured out for English fare at Shakespeare’s British Pub. It is hidden away in a little plaza with a couple of tables out front …you’d miss the place if you sneezed. But don’t be fooled by the exterior! Inside they have a substantial size bar, a number of tables, darts and a pool table tucked in the back. They had 70’s music playing in the background {” If music be the food of life, play on ” } and soft lighting. The atmosphere was friendly, comfortable and casual – a typical neighborhood pub feel. We immediately felt right at home {”sigh no more ladies, sigh no more ” }. We had arrived at 8:30 on a weekday, which can sometimes be late for Sarasota, but not here! The place was still rolling and attracts quite a variety of people. { “What a piece of work is a man” } That’s always a good sign for us! The kitchen is open until 10pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, until 11pm on Wednesday and Thursday and on Friday and Saturday they serve until midnight. {”Parting is such sweet sorrow”} Thank goodness they also serve lunch 7 days a week.

Now for the food……
Upon our arrival at Shakespeare’s, we stopped to chat with the diners seated outside. { “All the world’s a stage” } They were regulars and busy munching away with great pleasure at their meals. Bob encouraged us to try the burgers and insisted they’re the best in the area. Barbara was delighted with her fish and chips – North Atlantic Cod dipped in a light batter – just like they’d had in England! It looked delicious and our mouths were watering. Since they were not willing to share we saddled up to the bar to make our own orders. They serve only beer and wine, so we decided on a few tall drafts to start the evening and then began to review the menu carefully. The Shakespeare’s Combination Plate sounded like the perfect appetizer to start the evening. It had English Walleye, Sausage Rolls and Dustbin Lids with dipping sauces. Curious? Well, an English Walleye is a dill pickle dipped in beer batter and deep fried. The sausage was encased in puff pastry and Dustbin Lids are potato skins filled with sausage, onions, mushrooms, topped with cheddar cheese and sour cream on the side. Oh my… we all agreed we would have to hit the gym the next day but what can we say…….Yummy…. Divas live in the Now ! With our appetites revved up, we approached the rest of the menu with enthusiasm. The 8 oz Black Angus burger with balsamic caramelized onions and brie cheese was large enough to almost feed two, but delicious enough to not want to share. Bob was right – it was one of the best burgers in town! Dieting Diva ordered the Crispy Duck Salad – a nice size entrée with crispy duck strips, almonds and an orange ginger dressing. A wonderful combination of textures and flavors. They also serve different pasties daily and highly recommended them, so we gave those a try. The flaky puffed pastry was stuffed with chicken in a sun dried tomato and basil cream sauce. Well, anything with too many carbs is always appealing and this was no different. It was delicious! …. And for dessert……They had deep fried Milky Way Bars on the menu…thought we had struck gold!!. But turns out we were very disappointed Divas (understatement of the year) when we discovered that they were sold out. { “Is that a dagger which I see before me” }. However we got over it and consoled ourselves with an order of English Bread Pudding – the bread part was very good, and it was topped with pudding but it was nothing like what we had looked forward to….we still had those bars on our minds. { “Love looks not with the eyes but with the minds”} Anyway…..we decided the pudding needed a bit of cinnamon and a splash of whiskey to give it a punch. But we did scrape the bowl so obviously we didn’t think it was that bad! { “All’s well that ends well”}. As for those decadent Milkyway bars………”We will return” ”

This is a great spot {”out damn spot”} … but hard on the waste line…. Our cost was about $20 a person. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
Shakespeare’s English Pub, 3550 S Osprey Ave, Sarasota, FL 941-364-5938

Diva Note: Please don’t be shy about recommending your favorite “Off the Eaten Path” restaurant or café below so we can add it to our list. Your comments are always welcomed!

The Bungalow

As ‘Delayed Diva’ made her entrance she asked about the experience of the
others as they entered the Bungalow ……Upon approach we scoped out the
interior, but found it way too bright and decided to brave the chilly
outdoor air for dining (note it was too dark outside but we divas love the
dark) …. turns out the entertainment is staged outside anyway (diva’s do
find their way) there were four men all equipped with string instruments –
at first glance one would think guitars, however, one was actually a
Mandolin (cool!). We did enjoy the music, I think mainly the fresh air and
energy of a live band drifting in the breeze – Skull Duggery played away to
a small mid-week crowd. While the new owners (Ron and Danae O’Leary) are
not new to Sarasota, they have revived what was formerly known as Mickey’s
and are working to create a longstanding local establishment geared towards
the promotion of our blossoming talent and local artists.
Food ….we are here to eat, right?!
Thirsty as divas are, the limited choices did not get in our way ….beer
recommended was dubbed ‘snowman’ beer by the server and was delicious (sorry
our next visit we’ll remember to get the name – but the snowman handle on
the tap was cute!). House red was okay (after glass number 2 – it was quite
good!) Now for the food!!! To begin, we chose Eggplant Fries – sliced and
baked to a crisp, served with our special sauce. They were delicious ….and
so much so ‘granola diva’ says the sauce was unnecessary, the raw nature of
the eggplant was delightful. This could actually be a ‘signature appetizer’
should they decide to take our advice. Speaking of ‘granola diva’ she was
quite pleased as her options were open …..the menu is quite accommodating
for vegetarians. We ordered Ron’s Pasta – spaghetti, roasted red pepper,
artichoke hearts, spinach, calamata olives, feta cheese, fresh garlic, and
tomatoes, tossed with olive oil. It was delightful! Many flavors
harmoniously combined – divas dug in and savored every bite. Another entrée
ordered was the Boulder Veggie Specialty Pizza – a blend of mozzarella,
parmesan & goat cheese, fresh spinach, sliced roma tomatoes & fresh garlic.
Pizza …. yes, flavors however speak of fresh vegetables nicely delivered on
a crisp, light crust…..all divas agree a taste treat! Too full for desert
after all these delicious flavors – the divas were out the door. Definitely
a place to visit!
The Bungalow 301 S. Pineapple Avenue Sarasota, Florida 34236 941-365-4430

Cheating at Flemings

Well, what are Divas to do when their motto is entrees under $15.00 and they want to dine at a well know steakhouse…..they hesitate momentarily and then decide they are entitled to splurge every once in a while, of course ! And besides we hate rules and love valet. Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar was the popular choice. The atmosphere immediately put us in the mood for an evening of fine dining. The soft lighting and warm wood tones (that makes a Diva look her best) was just perfect. Ahhhhh..We deserved this.
There’s a nice sized bar that’s wonderful to lounge in while you wait for a table or just stopping by to unwind after a full business day. The view’s not bad either as it attract handsome men in suits with generous expense accounts.
The staff’s warm welcome made the Divas feel at home. We were escorted to our table and in for a treat!
Now….The Food.
First, of course, was the wine. Flemings serves 100 wines by the glass. Whew – what decisions! Since it was as difficult as deciding on only one pair of shoes at Nordstrom’s, we decided to enjoy a “flight of wine”, or two. What a fabulous idea when a Diva can’t make up her mind! We put our trust in the capable hands of our wine manager to make the selections. The first flight consisted of three white wines varying from mild to full intensity and was served on a stand holding all three glasses. This was going to be fun! We selected a delightful shrimp appetizer to start us off. Flemings has a phenomenal menu, but it was Sunday and we had our hearts set on their Prime Rib Sunday Special for $33.95 which includes a choice of salad, 12 oz. prime rib, a side dish and dessert. Their philosophy is to bring back the Sunday family dinner.
We all ordered different salads so we could sample each……the House Salad with seasonal greens, candied walnuts, dried cranberries, tomatoes and croutons with a refreshing citrus dressing, a Classic Caesar with fresh parmesan and anchovies, and their famous ¼ Iceberg Wedge with fresh crumbled bleu cheese and creamy dressing {which fell between each layer of the wedge - genius!}, grape tomatoes and red onions. They were all delicious! By now we were ready for the next flight of wine and this time we had the red selections from around the world. We love this idea! Next, the main entrée….of course we all had the prime rib, except for Granola Diva who avoids meat and instead ordered the New Zealand King Salmon in a cabernet butter sauce. Ohhh, what a wonderful choice! The prime ribs were cooked to perfection and served with three sauces; au jus, creamy horseradish and a Dijon sauce. Yum! As we passed around the grilled asparagus, creamed spinach, chipotle cheddar macaroni and cheese, Flemings potatoes {similar to scalloped} and sugar snap peas with a soy chili glaze ….we were in Diva dining heaven.
Portions were generous so we decided to pause and save the rest for a wonderful next days lunch. After all there was dessert to be considered! Goodness!……Chocolate lava cake, cheesecake, crème brulee, baked peach cobbler and fresh berries with chantilly cream. Decisions, decisions…..We ordered one of each, naturally. Everything was amazing but if chocolate is your thing go for the lava cake! { it takes a little time to prepare so order it in advance }. You will be glad you did it’s out of this world! But then again, what Diva doesn’t love chocolate.
Through out the evening, in between sips and bites, we each shared our own eclectic memories of Sunday family dinners. Before we knew it we were the last ones left in the restaurant. Where did the time go…..
The Diva splurge was well worth it and Fleming’s Steakhouse has definitely become one of our favorites!
Fleming’s Steakhouse and Wine Bar, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota, FL
941-358-9463 www.flemingssteakhouse.com

Spanish Pointe

In 1910 Chicago socialite, and widow of Potter Palmer, Bertha Honore Palmer, came to Sarasota to establish a winter estate. She purchased thousands of acres for cattle ranching, citrus groves, and real estate development. The Webb homestead was part of the land she chose for her 350-acre estate which she named "Osprey Point" which is now know as Historic Spanish Point. It is now a museum/park open to the public.
Just south of that is a little Restaurant & Pub by the same name called Spanish Pointe.
It is well know to some but many people do not know it is there and locals would prefer that it stays that way. It is truly old Florida waterfront dining…not sure if dining is the right word as most meals are served out of a baskets but yes it is right on the water. In fact, many arrive by boat. There’s a large dock the accommodate boaters, and the little wooden structure teeters on the edge of the waterfront welcoming everyone.

We wanted to catch sunset and arrived early for cocktails….. it was still very sunny & hot. Coincidently all of the Divas arrived in black tanks tops. We were hot in more ways than one. We sat outside, ordered margaritas and Bloody Marys, then settled in to watch the sun go down.

There is no table service so we went into the little bar to place our order. They called out our name from the side window when our order was ready. Get the picture. The inside is classic…. very small and raw, a few tables and a long bar, again old Florida.

FOOD…….

We dug into conch fritters, nachos, crispy calamari and toasted ravioli. The fritters and calamari were good, but the ravioli was not a big hit with the Divas. A cup of Spicy Conch Chowder tantalized the taste buds. Our favorite was the Sesame Seared Tuna – delicious!

We had just finished munching and all of a sudden the skies turned and it started to pour. We grabbed our salty rim plastic cups and darted into the bar. It was a down pour. The bartender said “you ain’t going no where”. So we ordered another round. And another….. After a while it became apparent that they were waiting for us to close.
Outside the wind and rain would not let up and from the kitchen we heard a voice say..
“it’s like a river out there in the parking lot so just keep to your right”.
As we prepared for our exit they gave us each a large white plastic bag and poked a hole for our faces to pop through. Nice look. We had turned into diva bags. We went from sleek black to nun white. Anyway….We proceeded out the door to the tune of “how do you solve a problem like Maria” while laughing hysterically.
In the parking lot {yep, the voice was right} we were knee deep in water. We couldn’t make it to the right, the current was so strong. We could barely see a foot in front of us. We didn’t think we would make it out alive…..kidding…. Thank goodness for those key things that make a beep sound and unlock your car…we followed the lights to the cars and were safe! Adventure Diva, of all people, experienced wardrobe malfunction when the bag slipped and she lost the face hole that the bartender had carefully executed with his thumb. Clawing at her car, she finally found the door handle. Whew!
So that ended our adventure at the Spanish Pointe Restaurant & Pub where you can
come by land or sea.
By land: 135 Bay view Dr. By sea: between markers 38 & 39.
Open 7 days a week - 11:30am – 10:00pm or until they throw you out with bags over your heads. 941-966-5746

Irish Rover

Friday, March 7th, 2008
This week we decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a little early
and made our way to The Irish Rover Pub.
When we arrived, the place was already full so we grabbed the last available table. The room is simple and spacious with appropriate Irish Shamrock green colored walls that are covered with typical Irish beer { mostly Guinness } posters. There are photos of Ireland everywhere. Because of the size and openness of the room it feels more like an Irish hall than a pub. But that’s a good thing. The space lends itself perfectly to their musical stage. { If you are looking for something more intimate you can go into their adjoining pub. }. When the musicians are not perfoming they have a continuous slideshow playing of someone’s recent trip to “The Homeland” reflecting the beautiful countryside.
The owners, Bobby Vesey and Paul Duffy are long time musicians from the New York City area who were
drawn to Sarasota because of the circus. Circus? Yes, Paul’s family has its roots in the Dublin circus and he felt right at home in our lovely surroundings with John Ringling’s influences. Bobby played the
night we were there along with Mike - the Bohdran player. Can he play that thing! A bohdran is an Irish frame drum that goes back 2000 years it has a goat skin head and is hand held. The sound that emits transports you to the hills of Ireland. “When Irish Eyes are smiling” ……and there were so many of all ages singing along and clapping to the music. Oh to be Irish or at least for the evening. Even we Divas have a little Irish in us. Wednesdays are Bohdran night and many of the patrons had brought along their drums to accompany Bobby for the evening. And who doesn’t know the words to “My Wild Irish Rose”? We don’t ! But we do know all the words to “What Would You Do With a Drunken Sailor”! Check their website or call for their music schedule. It’s mostly Irish influence, for course, except for Tuesday nights they play Jazz.

Now for the food review… An order of Guinness was on tap. Perfect! Ummm! It was so good we
could go for one right now! They have a very nice selection of beers on tap and bottled beers, a few wines and pseudo Irish liqueurs. They have applied for a liquor license and are hopeful that it should be coming through soon. That means Irish Wiskey, and that also means trouble for one Irish Diva who is known to do a little Jig , on tables, no less, whenever the feeling moves her ! The menu has something for everyone, but this was an Irish establishment so we orderd Bangers and Mash, Dublin Fish and Chips, Shepard’s Pie, Chicken Curry over Rice and Irish Soda Bread. Oh, where to start?!! The soda bread is the best we’ve ever had - sweet, moist and delicious. We know …it’s only bread…but sometimes - it’s just the little simple things that make us happy. The Fish with the Fish and Chips was cooked to perfection and very lightly breaded, Chips were average. The Shepard’s Pie - magnificent with a great combination of veggies, gravy, ground beef and mashed potatoes, topped with bacon..watch those arteries!
The Chicken Curry was a tantalizing taste treat with just the right amount of spice and sauce! The B-B-B-Bangers and Mash (sausage and mashed potatoes) were suprisingly delicious and can also be ordered as an appetizer. Portions were modest but sufficient. We have to admit that expectatios were low going in and we were more than willing to just let the Irish music be the star of the evening. But the kitchen proved us wrong and what a treat ! We will be back for the food and the music …and not soon enough! We’ll be the ones leading the dancing among the tables! Of course there are special events planned at The Irish Rover Pub for March 15, 16 and 17. Be sure to head that way to celebrate St.
Patrick’s Day! See you there!
The meal was $21 per person.
The Irish Rover Pub, 6518 Gateway Avenue, Sarasota, FL 34231
941-926-1060 www.IrishRoverSarasota.com

Miss Saigon

Thursday, February 28th, 2008

This week we explored Vietnamese food at Miss Saigon Restaurant.
Like so many Asian establishments, it was clean, stark and overly well lit. We tried to get them to lower the lights to create a more pleasing ambiance for us, but our request must have got lost in the translation. What’s up with that bright lighting anyway. Maybe they want to make sure we can see what we are eating. Anyway, it seems we’d already frustrated our poor waiter with the lighting issue because the owner, Tony, came over to assist. Because we were the only ones in the restaurant at the time he agreed to dim the lights ….but our victory was short lived - as other diners came in - up they went again. And by 8:45 the place was very busy and very bright. Must be the hungry, hard of seeing, early movie crowd - No offfense.
Now for the food review…..
The choices of wine were simple red, white or sake. Obviously, it’s about the food here and not overwhelming Divas with a huge selection of wines. We easily made our decision and then Tony suggested the Vietnamese Special Appetizer which was a big hit. It was a great selection of egg rolls, spring rolls, and shrimp puffs served with their hoison and other tasty sauces. ”YUM”. Always a good start! And because one of our Divas has been celebrating life a little too enthusiastically lately, soup was ordered to soothe the threat of pending illness. Thanks to her we had a wonderful Seafood with Rice Noodle Soup laden with shrimp, squid, crab . The squid looked like a little accordion and had a bit of bounce to it. We added fresh basil, sprouts and jalapenos to the soup and it was just what the doctor ordered! The wine, the soup…. Droopy Diva came alive again! We were on a roll and ordered the Special Combination Stir Fry with thin egg noodles, beef, chicken, shrimp and mixed vegetables with another one of their special sauces. We had the noodles served soft and the dish was deliciously delightful. We were thrilled with our choices, however, we did have to interrupt another diner when we noticed the beautiful presentation of his stir fried meal served in a crispy noodle shaped bowl resembling a large bird’s nest. Back to our table…Next we thoroughly enjoyed a dish of diced beef with jasmine steamed rice, onions, tomatoes and lettuce. It was served with a small dish of salt and pepper with a wedge of lime to dip the beef in. Now, you must try this. The mix of flavors was a joy to the palate. And for something really different we decided to try the dessert - Three Flavored Bean served with Jellies, ice and Icy Coconut Milk. It is served like a sundae but we found it to be quite a strange mixture of wierd textures and flavors.
The Divas found this establishment to be delightfully delicious but suggest you bring your sunglasses.
The meal was $19 per person.
Miss Saigon Restaurant, 560 N Washington Blvd, Sarasota, FL 34236
941-955-4662

Diva Note…Please don’t be shy about recommending your favorite “Off the Eaten Path” restaurant or café below, so we can add it to our
list.

Mi Tierra and the Firemen

February 22nd, 2008

Authentic Columbian and Cuban Cuisine seemed the appropriate choice from Mi Terra, which is in a building reminding us of a Jersey style 50’s diner – come on you people, you know what we’re talking about - that is - if you’ve ever been through Jersey. The exterior is deceiving, blending in with the surrounding mechanic shops, but the interior is clean, and welcoming with a comfortable family restaurant feel. We especially loved the little terra cotta roof barrel tiles above the Spanish tile counter. Luis, who has owned Mi Terra for the past 7 years, and the manager Patrice were delightful! However, the heat was getting to us and we were on a Diva Mission ….we decided on take-out for 20 and headed for the nearest fire house. With trays of hot food in tow and donning firemen hats (Divas do love props!) we were ready for our diva dining adventure. Hot men, hot divas, and hot food – whew (can you feel the heat?!!)…led by a full man, oops – did we say that!?……..What we meant was a full moon we arrived at our destination !!!!

At the Firehouse we were enthusiastically greeted by hungry firemen who were more than happy to help carry the food into the mess hall. Ahhhh….. Firemen, uniforms, equipment, a mess hall…a Diva mind does drift…These hard workers were happy to get a free meal, as they usually cook for themselves. Andy, it was agreed, was the best cook among them and they look forward to his turn in the kitchen. (He needs to share his enchilada recipe with us as the others said they are ‘amazing!”) The spread was laid out and we all dug in. We had the Biscet de Lechon (pork steak with onions), Sobrebarriga a la Criolla (flank steak creole style with potatoes and cassava), and the Pollo—-oh, how embarrassing the Spanish version of this one slipped passed us!——(yummy breaded chicken). The black beans on top of the plain white rice was absolutely delicious, as a side to these great main dishes, and the sweet green fried plantains received raves from everyone.

Although there was no alcohol allowed in the firehouse, it wasn’t missed (I know….we were surprised too). The camaraderie and storytelling made up for it. We found it amazing to witness their immediate response without hesitation, in the middle of dinner, to the numerous emergency calls that evening…like the stabbing on Bikini Rd. (seriously we didn’t make that up). However, a real highlight of the evening was
allowing us to play dress up.
Wow! Is that equipment heavy! These guys work hard and carry the load so easily. There were a couple of other surprises too, but Divas don’t dine and tell - everything…..at least not here…..you will have to wait until the Diva Diaries…..Divas after Dark.

We all agreed the food and the company was deliciously divine and very HOT!

For information on these fabulous Firemen and the Sarasota Fire Department go to:

http://www.co.sarasota.fl.us/EmergencyServices/FireDepartment/fireoperations.asp

Mi Tierra Restaurant 1068 N. Washington Blvd. Sarasota, Florida 34236 941-330-0196
Just next door to Zippy Lube – where a diva can get a Transmission flush for only $ 79.99

Terra Nossa Cafe

Friday, February 15th, 2008
Now…..Our review.
This week took us to South America….we had a taste for Brazilian food
and found our way to Terra Nossa. The entrance has a small almost
take out atmosphere and to the right was their dining room. The owner
was surprised we chose to sit where we sat, she would have preferred
us in the dining room, ….but Divas do what Divas do and we were
quite comfortable in the smaller front section { the original part of
the restaurant before they expanded }. It was simple and had all the
elements for a “typical” Latin evening with an authentic, cozy feel.
We especially enjoyed the Spanish television playing in the
background with clips of Mardi Gras celebrations. It felt like we
could have been in someone’s home. A couple of things to note: They
were playing soft music in the dining room and we understand that
they have a buffet daily, and on Saturday they serve Feijoada which
is the Brazilian National dish for $9.90. Ok….enough about all of
that. Now for the food review………….
First and foremost we needed to decide on a wine (always a difficult
choice for diva’s – The choice was limited… Whew ! That was easy.
We had the Teldeschi Chardonnay, from California and the Tenuta S.
Anna Cabernet Sauvignon from Italy. We enjoyed them both.
And on to the menu …after much debate we enlisted the help of our
server to interpret many of the dishes (as our Portuguses is not
strong). For the appetizers we ordered the Linguica no Palito
(sausage on a skewer). It was a mild sausage with onions served in a
skillet – no skewer in sight - maybe that’s how they say skillet in
Brazil!? Then we had the Risole de Camarao (shrimp cakes) and the
Coxinhas de Frango (chicken cakes). They were both light on the
shrimp and chicken. As we were discussing how they reminded us of
croquettes…….. out from the dining room a man in scrubs with a
plate full of chicken hearts approached our table. It was Dr.
Chicken Heart himself { just joking, I am sure his heart is much
bigger than a chicken’s - he was charming and actually plays a Doctor
in real life }. He insisted we taste these little organs and a few of
us did. He was dining with another MD and loves the place. Anyway,
back to the Chicken hearts aka Coracao de Frango, they are grilled
with onions, chewy and I think the jury is still out if we liked them
or not. But we did meet a couple of new friends. I believe we have
all made appointments and we will keep you posted……..stay tune
for The Diva Diaries, Divas after Dark.
On to our entrees, if you still care.….along with a green salad,
black beans and fried bananas. We had the Picanha (Brazilian
Sirloin Steak with Shrimp), which was tasty but nothing very
exciting….and Divas love excitement. And, against our servers
recommendation we ordered the Bacalhau ao Forno (salt cured Codfish
fillet, with potatoes, onions, green peppers, tomato and olives
cooked in the oven). It was a very authentic olde world dish, which
inspired us to make this choice but we were told it is an acquired
taste. It is prepared by packing the fish in salt for seven days and
seven nights (sounds like a Diva escapade – with tequila), once
cured, there is a rinsing process and then it’s ready for cooking.
We found it dry and a little tough, which is to be expected after
such an ordeal. Note to Divas, listen to your waitress! And for
the dessert we had Acai (the acai berry is found in the Amazon and
is known to be an antioxidant) sorbet with bananas and nuts. A nice
finish to our meal. All in all it was an interesting experience and
we learned that many dishes are an acquired taste. The meal was $23
per person.
Terra Nossa Café at 5758 S. Tamiami Trail Sarasota, Florida 34231
941-929-9778

Old Packing House Cafe

Friday, January 25th, 2008
Now……Our review.
This week took us out to J.R.’s Old Packinghouse Café - known for good food, cold beer, and live entertainment; originally it was used for packing locally cultivated celery beginning in the 1920’s. While celery can still be found in the “Celery Plate with Dip” they are really better known for their southern cooking and live music six days a week.
Surprised to find this great place hidden amongst warehouses in a mainly industrial setting, where Bahia Vista meets Cattleman, we arrived at 7pm to find the regular crowd packed in enjoying the live music of Randy Tracy’s Trio of Doom (although their third did not show up, the duo played on in fine form!). We had to wait for a table to clear so we joined Charlie (a fixture at the OPC bar) and enjoyed an icy cold beer while he shared fun stories of times passed. He has been frequenting OPC for 25 years – note this is also how long owner J.R. has been running the place. Both old and young were enjoying the rustic décor, photos of good times, and folksy blues music.
It took about fifteen minutes for us to get settled at our table. We were enjoying the music so much including shouting requests to the band (Corrina Corrina, Muddy Water, Rolling Stones Dead Flower, various James Taylor and Neil Young tunes to name a few) our waitress politely reminded us that she was ready to take our order. We had the Catfish dinner, blackened, with southern style vegetables, along with famous OPC Special potatoes (also blackened) served with cheese, real bacon bits, and sour cream; and the Pork Loin center-cut, Mojo spiced with grilled onions served with black beans and rice. Good ole’ home-style Southern cooking. The pork dinner, which came unexpectedly thinly sliced, was good for the first bite or two, but there was so much on the plate it became redundant to the taste buds. The black beans were a nice touch, but portion of all was overwhelming – perhaps meant more for a truck driver than a diva. We loved the catfish dish (hey that rhymes!) the potatoes were decedent and the overall meal was perfect for the atmosphere!
For a finishing touch we snuck in an order of bread pudding – thank goodness only one to share – it was bigger than our heads!!!! (We try to keep this a diva rule – eating nothing larger than one’s head) We made an exception and enjoyed the delicious creation anyway – swimming in the live music, taking in the setting and décor, the divas truly enjoyed this lively, fun, and fulfilling outing for under $20.00 each including our beer and wine.
J.R.’s Old Packing House Café is located at 987 S. Packing House Drive. They can be reached at 941-371-9358. Check out their website at www.oldpackinghousecafe.com

Sarasota Brewing Company

What could be more ‘down home’, more enveloping, more palate pleasing, and less nouveau everything than the….. Sarasota Brewing Company! We loved everything about it. The location, Gulf Gate Village, so very cool in it’s inauspicious address. The architecture speaks more to what is inside than out, no need to over present itself. The content is the jewel; the Divas adored its unassuming confidence. The Divas were down to three with the added benefit of Detail Diva’s husband (yes there is even one of those, rare though they are) and their lovely adorable pre-pubescent boy nephews. What could be better? I will tell you. The crowd is generational, familiar, and friendly. The decor is that of a true brewpub, fraternity type mugs hang from every nook and cranny waiting for their owner’s arrival, the huge brewing tanks ready to begin their work of hand crafting the brew. Our patient wait staff received our order and my drink was served. I ordered a ‘honey brew’, dark and a tad sweet, great it was. I can’t remember what the others had but there were no complaints and our Adventure/Daring Diva sweetly sipped her water. Daring she is in other ways (thank goodness she returned Matt’s moped after slipping away with it at top speed). We all delved into the “best ever” sweet potato fries served with a delectable sweet mustard. My Veggie Burger was soul satisfying, the Salmon Burger was very round (never having seen a round salmon), and Detail Diva and her crew feasted on their Cobb Salads. A choice they always make when the destination is the ‘Sarasota Brewing Company’, a testament to their fine taste and described as “a crazy sensation, the blending of nuts, blue cheese, garden greens, chicken, olives, eggs, strawberries topped with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing with a bite.” Sarasota Brewing Company holds the title of ‘Reader’s Choice Award Winning Menu’ and Sarasota’s first and only micro brewpub. Be comforted by the food, the staff, the customers, the huge fireplace and even the multiple TV’s, it is after all Sarasota’s sport connection. Long may they live. Sarasota Brewing Company, 6607 Gateway Ave, Sarasota, FL 34231 941-925-2337

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