Since the fearless and unique Mr. Chatterbox announced his very own Best Of picks, how could I resist picking my own? There must be a best of second-tier list somewhere. Certainly we all have our own best of lists--some unique and some worthy of their own holidays. Heck, if there is a National Stinky Cheese Day, Cherry Turnover Day and--wait for it--Swiss Winegrowers Day, Sarasota deserves a special list of Best Ofs that didn’t  quite make the magazine.

Best cheap burger with the most “worth it” calories: Grass-fed burger stand downtown Saturday Farmer’s Market

Best Bad Attitude of a Restaurant: Sorry, I am not allowed to say, but they do wear their honor well.

Best Egg Salad Sandwich on Toast (add a side of bacon on top): Where Elvis ate, of course. Edith Barr Dunn got me hooked years ago

Best Place to Meet a Gourmet Chef: Shamrock Bar cookouts.


Best Jewish Deli: Still in NYC

Best Coffee-Flavored Yogurt that Really Tastes Like Coffee (eaten after shopping at Target on Fruitville): Orange Leaf


Best Restaurant to Take Norman and RJ, the Dogs: A tie between Gecko's on Hillview (they each get their own water bowl) and Taste of Asia--they get a standard order of rice with chicken broth, hold the chopsticks.

Best Good News About the Restaurant Scene: Good Chinese is coming this year!

Best Excuse I've Heard for Closing a Restaurant: “I thought the landlord was going to finance it”



Best Place to Order One Meal and Feed Your Cul de Sac: Country Pancake House on Lakewood Ranch

Best Oyster shooter with Bloody Mary Foam: The Table

Best Place to Spot a Cardiologist Eating Lunch: JR’s Packinghouse

Best Bang for Your Buck: A full basket of pick-your-own tomatoes at Hunsader farms-$1.00

Do you have a quirky "Best Of"? Let me know by clicking on the comment button.

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It was a near out of body experience this past Friday evening. Yara and David Shoemaker celebrated their marriage with an incredible party that made us all feel like royalty. Yara, certainly one of the best additions to the style and hostess scene in Sarasota, created an elegant experience, from the invitation to the performance of young opera star Jackie Evancho, the fireworks and the white lounge desserts tent.


The tables glistened at sunset while guests were treated to strolling trays of caviar and champagne. I must say that Michael’s On East deserves their continued awards for best caterers. Even the Who’s Who of local restaurants were admiring the flawless dinner of pan-seared Chilean sea bass with lobster in a light curry broth and the perfectly seared rack of lamb. Phil Mancicni, you outdid yourself on this one. And by the way: Happy 25th anniversary of being the Top Man.


The next day was a special treat as Marsha Fottler, our own Martha Stewart (only prettier and nicer), hosted a true Lilly Pulitzer baby shower for her beautiful niece Zadie.


The flowers were pink and green, as was the hostess’s outfit and little Zadie's, and the cake was a perfect pink, of course, too. Tea sandwiches and sparkling lemonade were served up with trinkets for each guest the way only Marsha can do it. And truth be told, when I am hosting a dinner party, Marsha often runs over to decorate the table.

So, as you can see, I would confidently say it was a stellar weekend of friends and celebrations--let them eat cake!

Not every week is filled with rock concerts and a New York/ New Jersey pig out (but I sometimes wish it was—see last week’s post).

Still, in our own backyard there are those weeks where you just smile and say, "Darn good meal!" This was one of them. So, in no particular order, I would like to recap the highlights:


•    Clam chowder and fish n chips at Owen’s Fish Camp. Gosh, I love this place. Go healthy, go wild, go fresh—it is all a fantastic bite and has something for everyone. Unfortunately, I rarely choose the healthy option--therefore, I won’t be tight-roping any time soon like the feat at the Sarasota Film Festival.


•    Cream of wild mushroom soup at Morel, with a side of potato latkes and an artistic arugula salad. Every time we dine at Morel (located on Tuttle Avenue), I ask myself, "Why don’t we come here more often?"

•   Cauliflower rice at Taste of Asia. I had one order of cauliflower rice and one order of broccoli rice and was in heaven. Although the owner was a bit miffed that I didn’t want any protein, the flavors are ridiculously good on their own and need not one more thing to make these dishes a perfect vegetarian meal--and I wasn’t even trying!

•    Sliced stuffed pork at the Asolo's Men Who Cook event-what a good time, and so many terrific dishes by local men who support the Asolo. A stand out was the pork with cider au jus. (And Bob Plunket got ill and couldn’t bring his much-anticipated deviled eggs, so we will have to wait until next year to see if the eggs outdo last year’s infamous Twinkie casserole.)


•    The grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, coleslaw and sweet potato fries we just ate at home with a slice of watermelon while feeling summer in the air can taste oh-so-good!

What were your best food moments of the week?

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For more foodie bits and bytes, become a fan of Chef Judi on Facebook or follow @ChefJudi on Twitter.

And for even more ways to get Sarasota Magazine, become a fan on Facebook or follow @SarasotaMagazin on Twitter.