Kazu’s Sushi and Asian Bistro is just off the Trail on Southgate Drive. It’s a tiny place with maybe 10 tables, but the sushi tastes much bigger, with impeccably fresh fish masterfully handled and assembled into mouth-watering morsels. There’s an intimacy about Kazu’s that inspires unhurried conversation and leisurely forays into the menu. On the sushi side, don’t miss the tornado. And the tampopo noodle bowl will make you swear off those packaged ramen noodles forever.

Osprey is a pretty unlikely spot to find a French patisserie, but from the depths of a renovated juice stand on the Trail appeared Gabby’s. With its engaging green and purple harlequin-patterned logo, it burst upon the scene shortly before last Thanksgiving and has been SRO since. The pastry is divine: croissants stuffed with almond paste or dark, truffle-like chocolate, yeasty cheese Danish, cake-like muffins perfect for a tea party—all delectable. The coffee is delicious, too. Bertha Palmer would be delighted.

Just a few miles south is Ilia’s Mediterranean Cuisine, a warm and pleasant Greek outpost in a sea of fast food joints and early bird specials. Although Ilia offers a range of foods from the Mediterranean region, go for the Greek. The spanakopita is flaky and stuffed with an intriguing mixture of spinach and cheese. Moussaka is traditional and comforting. Ilia’s condiments, especially the yogurt, are absolutely authentic and leave a satisfying tanginess. You’ll find enough beer or wine on the list to complement any dish you chose.

 

 

Dishes I Dream About

All the single-malt Scotches I haven’t tasted at MacAllister’s call to me on a semi-regular basis. The bar in this Lakewood Ranch Main Street eatery is intimate and, when not swarming with people, inviting. I want to work my way through MacAllister’s list of Scotches and become part of their club, one of those credentials every foodie longs for.

La Tosca’s pappardelle alla Tosca features wide egg noodles I remember from my grandmother’s kitchen in a toss with sausage, porcini mushrooms, Parmesan cheese and the secret ingredient that keeps it in your dreams, truffle oil. You’ll keep this Osprey trattoria on your speed dial after you taste.

Forget what you think you know about yucca. It’s neither dry nor dreary, but oh so reminiscent of hearts of palm. Yucca a la Huancaina at Red Peruvian Restaurant lays out strips of yucca with a creamy cheese dip for a new taste and texture sensation.

Derek Barnes likes culinary gadgets, and his new ice cream machine turns out some exquisite flavors. Of course, he’s the one filling the machine with inventive combinations, and when he takes those flavors and presses them between equally inventive cookies—well, it’s the ice cream sandwich from heaven.

Cafe Bologna sits in a strip of shops at a bend in the Tamiami Trail just south of Phillippi Creek. It’s easy to miss, but those in the know make a beeline for the espresso bar. The dense liquid comes in a quaint demitasse, served with a glass of mineral water to wash it down. It’s the best and most authentic espresso this side of the Adriatic.

 

KRISTINE'S LIST

Brava, Italy

Treviso, 5401 Bay Shore Road, Sarasota (941) 360-7390.

La Tosca, 576 Blackburn Point Road, Osprey (941) 918-8041.

Bologna CafÈ, 5770 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota (941) 927-9262.

Esca Restaurant & Bar,1888 Main St., Sarasota (941) 365-3722.

Broccolini’s Restaurant, 6525 Superior Ave., Sarasota (941) 926-8525.

Urban Energy

Rustic Grill, 400 N. Lemon Ave., Sarasota (941) 906-1111.

Derek’s Culinary Casual, 514 Central Ave., Sarasota (941) 366-6565.

The Grape, 1413 Main St., Sarasota (941) 364-9463.

Americano CafÈ, 1409 Main St., Sarasota (941) 365-1026.

Cinco de Mayo, 1551 Main St., Sarasota (941) 917-0043.

Rounding Up the Ranch

Astoria Fine Russian Cuisine, 8126 Main St., Lakewood Ranch

(941) 907-3873.

Saijo Sushi & Japanese, 8126 Main St., Lakewood Ranch (941) 388-9506.

MacAllister’s, 8110 Lakewood Main St., Lakewood Ranch (941) 907-9706.

Island Time Grill, 8225 Cooper Creek Blvd., Sarasota (941) 351-5128.

MTS Martinis & Tapas, 8473 Cooper Creek Blvd., Sarasota (941) 360-0007.

On the Trail

Mattison’s Riverside, 1200 First Ave. on the Memorial Pier, Bradenton (941) 748-8087.

Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, 2001 Siesta Drive, Sarasota (941) 952-0109.

Red Peruvian Restaurant, 1960 Hillview St., Sarasota (941) 954-6956.

Kazu’a Sushi & Asian Bistro, 2063 Siesta Drive, Sarasota (941) 951-7778.

Gabby’s Patisserie, 106 N. Tamiami Trail, Osprey (941) 966-2253.

Ilia’s Mediterranean Cuisine, 625 N. Tamiami Trail, Nokomis (941) 480-0095.