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!