1. Far and away, Lotsa Lobsta wins Best Overall for a take-home New England Feast. For Mother’s Day we chowed down on huge fresh steamers and 2 lb. lobsters. Trust me, it isn’t the best price that matters, it is the quality–and Lotsa Lobsta is the most consistent and has best lobsters and steamers in town!
2. The meatball parm grinders at Piccolo’s . Get two and an antipasto salad and head to Siesta for the sunset.
3. Whiteberry frozen yogurt. I have tried them all, and for truly tart frozen plain yogurt with strawberries and mango on top, I say this one is the best.

Mango bubble tea at Pho Cali.

4. Speaking of mango, the mango bubble tea at Pho Cali is a must. Switch your order to fresh shrimp spring rolls and cold rice noodle bowls now instead of the steaming bowls of soup, and slurp up this frozen yummy (which has tapioca pearls at the bottom).
5. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar‘s $6 beef carpaccio at the bar. From 4-7 p.m. nightly, this is luscious both in terms of the quality of the meat and the minced basil and crostini that accompany it.
6. The Arizona roll and a spring salad with avocado at JPan‘s new location in Lakewood Ranch–cooling and light. (Plus, a little sip of a sake martini  will chill the palate, too.)
7. Any giant salad at Monterey Grill. My buddy Tony from the Team Tony Foundation has a stamp on those babies, especially the fruit salad.

Sun Garden’s bikini bagel.

8.The bikini bagel at Sun Garden Cafe–forget that style for my bathing suit, but the theme–a whole wheat bagel with sprouts, portabello mushrooms, avocado and figs–sings to me.

Ceviche cones at Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar.

9. Ceviche cones and spoons at Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar–and a dozen chilled oysters, of course

Spring drinks at Carmel Cafe.

10. The spring tea at Carmel Café. Sip it alongside a small plate of hummus. A perfect beat-the-heat combo.
11. Owen’s Fish Camp‘s fish spread. No other compares here–they win hands down. And make sure to order a root beer float for dessert–ahhhhhhhh.

Fish spread at Owen’s Fish Camp.

12. A cold meatloaf sandwich at Star Keeper Cafe, with a side of fresh broccoli slaw. Any grandma would be proud.
13. The new bucket of fried chicken at Fresh Market–a hint of spice and you are there. The Colonel has nothing on this. Pick up a pint of Graeter’s ice cream for dessert–some of the best in the land!
14. The quintessential summer treat: A Key lime pie from Floribbean Flo’s. She’s got the touch–and now that your visitors are gone, you can pig out on a whole one and not have to share!
15. Flavio’s luscious house-made burrata cheese with speck and tomatoes–and, of course, a glass of limóncello with dessert.

Housemade burrata from Flavio’s.

I could continue forever, but maybe I’ll just let you get started on this list–and you let me know when you need some more tips!

Full disclosure: I’m a restaurant and hospitality-industry consultant and some dining picks do come from my clients; however, all opinions are my own.

Click here to read our readers’ and editors’ picks for best food and drink in the Best of Sarasota 2013.

The post Chef Judi Shares 15 Sarasota Summer Dining Favorites appeared first on Foodie’s Notebook.

OK, I confess: I don’t like Mexican food in general. I have a bad relationship with corn, black and red beans (actually, legumes in general), and forget about jalapenos or chili peppers. However, I do like frozen margaritas and love to entertain, so I am playing around with some reinvented Cinco de Mayo recipes for this weekend. This is Asian-meets-South of the Border, and you will definitely find it in my kitchen. Of course, I am using our friends as the proverbial culinary guinea pigs, but just in case the Asian theme lacks luster, I have a few traditional recipes to coax me back to Cinco de Mayo authenticity (even if I send out for pork fried rice).

Frozen Mango Margaritas
1 (10-oz.) bag frozen diced mango (if you are using fresh mangos, make sure you cut them up and freeze them)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2/3 cup tequila (silver, 80 proof or a very good gold)
2 Tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
2 Tablespoons superfine sugar
2 cups ice water

Combine all ingredients and blend. Serve and enjoy.

Use citrus elements and colors for your Cinco de Mayo tablescape.

Chicken Enchiladas 
Chicken enchiladas are inexpensive and just the right Cinco de Mayo fiesta-style dish. This recipe serves four.

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 (7-8 oz.) bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (buy them when they are on sale and you would be amazed how many you get for a budget-friendly meal).
¼ cup cream cheese, at room temperature
2-3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
2 cups chopped onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ tsp. ground red pepper
¼ tsp. cumin, ground
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
¾ cup water
1 (14.5-oz.) can diced tomatoes
9 (6-inch) corn tortillas, divided
½ cup shredded Mexican cheese
½ cup sour cream
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet. Add chicken to pan and sauté about 6 minutes on each side. Place skillet in oven and bake at 375 for 10 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pan and let rest 15 minutes. Remove meat from bones and discard bones. Mix chicken with cream cheese, cilantro, sea salt and pepper.

Heat medium sauté pan with oil and add onions. Sauté for about 5 minutes, until tender but not brown. Add garlic, sauté quickly. Add about ¼ cup onion mixture to chicken mixture.

Add chili powder, cumin and red pepper to onions in pan, mix, and add chicken stock, 1/4 cup water and tomatoes. Bring to a boil.

Tear 1 tortilla into small pieces and add to tomato sauce. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Cool slightly, then blend tomato mixture in a blender until smooth.

Spray an 11×7 baking dish (preferably glass or ceramic) with cooking spray. Spread tomato mixture in the bottom of the pan. Lay tortillas out on counter and spoon about ¼ cup chicken mixture down the center of each tortilla. Roll up and place in pan atop tomato mixture, seam side down. Sprinkle with cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes until bubbly and lightly brown. Serve with sour cream and scallions.

Ancho Chile Soft Pork Tacos
This recipe, adapted from Cooking Light, is a winner. To enhance the flavor, I put a teaspoon of espresso sugar ( available at The Spice and Tea Exchange on St. Armands Circle) into the seasoning.

Serves 4

1 Tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon espresso sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt or green chili salt (green chile salt is available at The Spice and Tea Exchange on St. Armands Circle)
1 lb. pork tenderloin (currently on sale at Fresh Market)
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage
1 cup guacamole (I am hooked on Fresh Market’s own brand, found in the produce section)
4 large or 8 small La Tortilla-brand soft tortillas*
1 bunch minced green onions

Garnishes (blend together):
Chopped cilantro
1 cup sour cream
½ chipotle with drizzle of oil from can, mashed (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place pork on broiler pan and spray pork with cooking spray.

Combine ancho chile powder, brown sugar, espresso sugar and salt in a small bowl and mix. Rub directly on the pork tenderloin.

Place the pork on a broiler pan and bake at 425 for 20 minutes or until the pork reaches 160 degrees.

Rest pork for 12-15 minutes before thinly slicing.

Spread each tortilla with guacamole. Top with 2 oz. sliced pork, Napa cabbage and minced green onions. Serve with chipotle sour cream.

*Note: if you prefer to not have the carbs in the tortillas, you can toss the Napa cabbage with half a head of iceberg lettuce and serve the pork layer on top of the salad with a dollop of guacamole, salsa and sour cream, then garnish with tomato wedges.

Avocado never tasted this good.

Asian-Spiced Pulled Pork Tacos with Asian Citrus BBQ Sauce and Asian Slaw
My “ringer recipe.” I consider my son Eric a master of the smoker and grill. He can cook 100 steaks and they will all come out a perfect medium rare. He loves to create his own rubs and sauces, and this batch was out of sight. Since there are so many ingredients, I recommend that you make the rub and BBQ sauce with friends, to share in the price of ingredients, and then everyone can go home with a batch for their own BBQ party. The rub and Asian sauce is also perfect on chicken and duck.

5 lbs. pork butt
3 cups wood chips (maple and mesquite), soaked in cold water for at least 1 hour**

For the rub (this will make enough for several pork butts and ribs):
¼ cup Chinese five spice powder
2 Tablespoons star anise, ground
2 Tablespoons ginger
1/2 cup paprika
1/4 cup chili powder
1/4 cup onion powder
1/4 cup Italian seasoning
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup cracked black pepper
1/4 cup cumin
1/4 cup coriander seeds
3 Tablespoons mustard powder
1/4 cup dried red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dried chipotle

Add spice mixture to coffee grinder and pulse to make into powder.

Rub approximately ¼ cup Asian Chili garlic sauce all over pork butt, then rub pork butt with Asian BBQ rub.

Heat coals for about 15 minutes in your Big Green Egg or other dome-type grill.

Add wood chips around coals in a spiral motion so flavor will disperse all over the meat.

Add pork butt onto grill rack and close the grill cover. Do not cook over 225 degrees.

Cook one-and-a-half hours per pound of meat at no higher than 225 degrees. Refresh wood chips after 4 hours.

Remove pork when done. Let it rest 15 minutes then pull meat with two forks.

For the Asian citrus BBQ sauce:
3 Tablespoons minced garlic
½ sweet onion, diced
2 Tablespoons butter
2 Anaheim chiles, roasted
1 large bottle Heinz ketchup
1 bottle dark beer
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
½ cup Ponzu sauce (soy sauce with citrus)
½ cup chili-garlic sauce
3 Tablespoons fresh minced ginger
1 cup hoisin sauce
¼ cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons liquid smoke
½ cup sweet chile sauce
1 Tablespoon allspice
1 Tablespoon Chinese five spice powder
1 mango, chopped
Half a lime, zest and juice (save the lime’s “shell”)
2-3 cups pineapple juice
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1-2 Tablespoons lemongrass puree or minced lemongrass

Melt butter in large pot. Saute ginger, onion and Anaheim chiles with lemongrass until soft and translucent. Add garlic and rest of ingredients except the fresh lime juice. Simmer for half an hour. Add lime zest and lime juice to mixture, then add “shell” of lime into pot. Heat over a very low simmer for one to one-and-a-half hours. Remove lime shell, then blend until sauce is smooth.

For the Asian slaw:
1/2 head Napa cabbage, shredded
½ cup red cabbage, shredded
1 Asian pear, julienned
1 bunch cilantro, torn
2 Tablespoons fresh grated ginger
Sliced avocado, for garnish
Lime, for garnish

Dressing:
1 cup Hellman’s mayo
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. sweet chili
2 Tbsp. ponzu sauce
¾ cup pineapple juice
2-3 Tbsp. rice wine vinegar
½ cup honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all dressing ingredients together and toss slaw veggies into the dressing. Garnish with sliced avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

Assemble the tacos: Lay out the warm flour tortillas. Add two slices avocado and some pulled pork with a drizzle of BBQ sauce to each tortilla, then top with slaw and a squeeze of fresh lime juice. (You can also top with shredded cotija cheese, if you like)

Enjoy the piñatas and tequila and a few Asian tacos for me!

See more from Chef Judi right here.

The post Cinco De Mayo Recipes from Chef Judi appeared first on Foodie’s Notebook.

It started as a hot dog joint, and a darn good one, but let’s face it—hot dog eaters don’t necessarily make it their nighttime meal. Thus the change to Kacey’s Seafood and More. Sure, those Chicago dogs, Cincinnati dogs and Rueben dogs are still on the menu–and as a matter of fact, those hot dogs won a place of distinction with Sarasota Magazine last year.

But with diners wanting more, the owners decided to use their Lazy Lobster know-how to add to the menu baskets of fried shrimp, coconut shrimp with fries, slaw and a kickin’ hush puppy, and a variety of new favorites like fish tacos (loved), shrimp and grits, and a lobster roll that would make a Maine fisherman jealous.

Glad to see Chef Darrell Mizell, a Sarasota nice guy for many years, at the helm.

Kacey’s is now packed every night thanks to word of mouth. My sister-in-law, Carole Peterson, has become a regular and actually turned us on to the new menu. Lobster bisque is delish, and Sundays are a special day for chicken n’ dumplings–a half roasted chicken, fluffy dumplings and homemade gravy. Get this: It also comes with broccoli-cheese soup and a house salad. That is kind of the premise at Kacey’s: The prices are incredibly fair for the amount of food you get.

I would like to see something other than that ’70s staple, rice pilaf, served with some of the entrees, and although almost everything else was spot on, the seared ahi tuna entrée needs to drop the seaweed rice. It just doesn’t work. Instead, add cold seaweed salad and perhaps fresh snap peas.

Service was just the best–friendly and attentive, especially when the place was so busy and accommodating a much older crowd. Thanks for the recommendation, sis, and keep those lobster rolls coming.

BTW: Don’t forget one of Sarasota’s best food events of the year–“Men Who Cook”, my man included–is happening on Sunday April 28th, benefiting the Asolo Rep. Good guys like Jerry Feinstein and Jeff Sedacca create magic, serving their favorite dishes to a glowing crowd at the Longboat Key Club. For tickets, call 351-9010 ext. 4702. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this fun.

Full disclosure: I’m a restaurant and hospitality-industry consultant and some dining picks do come from my clients; however, all opinions are my own.

Click here to see our guide to Sarasota restaurants.

The post New Restaurant Alert: Kacey’s Seafood and More appeared first on Foodie’s Notebook.

Before the nights for outside dining get a bit too swampy, consider a table with an outdoor view of peach trees, flocks of baby lambs, flower fields and an old pick-up truck with soft music coming from the open back. No, this is not a 1960s family movie or a rerun of Lassie, this is a Table to Farm dinner. And yes, you read that correctly: Table to Farm, meaning they bring the table right out to the field. 

The BYOB evening is relaxed and full of pleasure and good, wholesome foods from the land. The dinner costs between $50 and $65 per person (inclusive) and the servers will label your wine or beer and bring it out to the table in chilling buckets.

But first, you’ll take a tour of the farm or jump on the back of the hayride flatbed and head over to the simple setting of long tables dressed in pretty cloths and adorable place settings. Caterer AJ, of The Loft 5, and King Family Farm create an evening where cell phones should be turned off and the only thing to worry about is whether you can find your belongings after dark to hitch a ride on the haystack truck.

Simple songs and guitar playing from Trevor Bystrom waft through the air while you sit at a community table nibbling at pickled Brussels sprouts with tangerine oil and AJ’s now-famous tomato water before enjoying roast chicken over wilted kale straight from the farm.This style of dining is perfect for a bridal shower, rehearsal dinner or even a small wedding. After all, life can be simple and the table does not always need to have a James Beard Award-winning chef fussing over each guest. At Table to Farm dinners, you can expect hugs and orange water and the sound of baby lambs bleating in the fields wafting through the night. But remember, the heat is coming on strong and soon the dinners will need to wait until the crops begin to bloom again, so hurry up and book a Wednesday-night dinner by June. Go to www.theloft5.blogspot.com or call King Family Farm in East Bradenton at (941) 779-9801.

Click here to see more Sarasota restaurant news from Chef Judi in our April issue.

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Cosimo’s is back, thank goodness!

Waiting for an authentic Cosimo’s margherita pizza was like waiting for your best friend to come visit after a long journey. You keep looking out the window, hoping for their return–and when they finally do come back, you pick up where you left off as if it were yesterday. Well, the wait is over and the pizza is back, along with all those other Cosimo’s favorites from the past 10 years.

Now located at 5501 Palmer Crossing Circle, Cosimo’s seems to have found itself a good spot with more of a casual feel and a trattoria-style patio outside, cooled by ceiling fans and ready for a large group of al fresco diners. The industrial-looking interior makes for a fun loud, happening Italian restaurant, that also has photos of owner John and Susie Ganley’s grandchildren slurping pasta–something every parent and grandparent proudly displays. The photos make you feel like part of the family–and you are!

And I must be honest: if the Ganleys opened up just about anywhere, I would be thrilled. They put out great food at moderate prices, and their charitable hearts have raised thousands of dollars for local nonprofits throughout the past 12 years or so. But, let’s get back to the food, shall we?

For non-carb lovers, you will adore the fresh grilled asparagus drizzled with lemon-infused olive oil, roasted red peppers and Asiago cheese. Light for spring, and a good opener before you tuck into the ever-so-decadent and award-winning waffle fries with Gorgonzola cream sauce.

I have asked Cosimo’s for some time to sell their salad dressing (hint, hint!)–it is bold and balanced and packs just enough garlic in the Caesar salad and Insalada Moderna (with grilled chicken, baby greens, fresh mozzarella and kalamata olives) to make a bold statement.

Signature entrees include grilled marinated pork chops, one for $14.99 and two for $17.99, that are moist and tender, brined with pineapple juice and served with mango chutney, house sweet potato fries and wilted fresh spinach. Trust me, one is enough, but go ahead and get two and bring one home for the next day.

Chicken Milanese, another favorite, is also $14.99 and topped with the classic baby arugula, red onion and cherry tomatoes, along with Cosimo’s roasted rosemary potatoes–a comfort meal indeed.

Pasta is plenty–the sausage ricotta fusili is another fave, and it’s topped with ricotta.

And yes, there’s that incredible wood-burning pizza oven that makes, in my opinion, Sarasota’s best pizza. Heck, don’t just take my opinion: a few years back, Sarasota Magazine voted the quattro fromaggio best overall pizza in Sarasota. My mainstay is the margherita, with fresh tomatoes, plum tomato sauce, mozzarella and fresh basil. Ah, I can barely stop myself from getting in the car right now!

And of course there is take out, and diners at lunch will love the new wraps and extended sandwich menu.

Welcome back, old friend!

Click here to see our guide to Sarasota restaurants. 

The post Sarasota Restaurant News: Cosimo’s is Back! appeared first on Foodie’s Notebook.

This is the last week for a Taste of Asia fix on Siesta Key. Get your fill of Sarasota’s best shrimp pad Thai, award-winning “lum”-lings and a cauliflower fried rice this week, or you’ll have to wait until the beginning of May.

We fell in love with Taste of Asia when it first opened on Main Street, then followed it to Siesta Key (next to Café Gabbiano), and now we will have our a last feast of duck with ginger sauce, red curry shrimp and tom yom soup for about 5-6 weeks. Oh, the wait will be tough but knowing they are coming back–at 4413 S. Tamami Trail with a larger dining room, outdoor seating and full bar to come–we will somehow get by.

In the meantime, I’ll head to the new Cosimo’s on Clark Road and Kacey’s Seafood on Fruitville to fill my belly–I’ll report back to my food followers.

In other food news, fans of Fully Belly Stuffed Burgers at the farmers market will be happy to know they’ve opened their first restaurant in Manatee County. Want to know more? Tune in to my new Friday segment, “Lunch with Judi,” every Friday on ABC 7 at noon. The menu promises homemade mac ‘n’ cheese, stuffed burgers galore and a few surprises. I can hardly wait. So much for the diet, huh?

Full disclosure: I’m a restaurant and hospitality-industry consultant and some dining picks do come from my clients; however, all opinions are my own.

Click here to see our Sarasota restaurant guide.

The post Restaurant News: Taste of Asia Moving; Full Belly Stuffed Burgers Opening in Manatee appeared first on Foodie’s Notebook.

MADE’s cool interior.

Where once stood a Belgian restaurant that never quite built enough of an audience for Flemish stew now stands Main Street’s newest reincarnation: MADE. And if my first experience is any indication of what good American food should be, MADE is going to be downtown’s new darling, thanks to its casual, full-flavored comfort dining.

Rebecca Baxter gets MADE.

Modern American Delicious Eats, or MADE, is the brainchild of two good friends who have been in the business for quite some time and who have a dream, vision and, dare I say, some bad-ass recipes.

Open only two weeks, the place was hopping and smiling servers carried plates of bacon-wrapped corn dogs, duck confit-fried chicken wings with peach BBQ sauce (watch out, they carry quite a kick) and fried green tomatoes with marinated tomato salad and pan-seared scallops.

The restaurant’s menu is a bit similar to a few others in the downtown area, but the twists and play on their comfort food makes their own unique flavor statement. Take the onion soup: MADE doesn’t claim to be inspired by any French chefs; their version of the soup is more like a Bravo Top Chef contestant’s spin, with smoked shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions and an ooey-gooey Gruyere crostini. I loved it.

Feeling some guilt about what was to come for our entrees, I chose the MADE chopped salad on the recommendation of foodie Beth Littman Quinn. Delish, and a better version of most, since this was lighter than expected, with roasted pork shoulder tossed into the crisp lettuce, marinated tomatoes and whimsically topped with a deviled egg.

The best fried chicken in Sarasota? It gets my vote.

So much for my attempt at healthy eating—next I dove straight into a giant burger and fried chicken. The double-dipped fried chicken was an explosion of juicy, flavorful, crispy goodness. I am ready to anoint this the best fried chicken in town, especially since you can scoop up the honey-laden juiciest parts left on your plate with the accompanying black pepper waffle.

MADE’s towering burger and cheesy tots.

As for the burger—wow! It’s a tower of grilled beef with barbecued peppers and onions, a fried heirloom tomato, pepperjack cheese and aweosome cheesy tater tots with malt mayo. Get the cardiac paddles now, please.

Banana pudding creme brulee.

No matter how full you are—and you will be full—I insist you order the banana pudding crème brulee. Based on chef/partner Mark Woodruff’s grandma’s recipe, this is beyond creamy, with a classic crunchy brown sugar torched banana topping. Going out on another limb—best dessert of the year.

Hats off to designer Kurt Lucas for the restaurant’s cool American look, and to the entire staff of friendly and experienced servers, including Joe and Carrie on the bar.

Back to the treadmill now so I can go get MADE again soon!

MADE is closed on Mondays and serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday. Dinner only Saturdays and Sundays. Full bar, specialty cocktails and happy hour.

MADE | 1990 Main St., Sarasota | (941) 953-2900

Full disclosure: I’m a restaurant and hospitality-industry consultant and some dining picks do come from my clients; however, all opinions are my own.

Click here to see our Sarasota restaurant guide.

The post New Sarasota Restaurant: MADE appeared first on Foodie’s Notebook.

You know what they say: Want to know a good place to eat? Ask your hairdresser or your physical therapist. Besides being skilled at stretching and healing my aching back, Mark at Back in Motion is a bit of a food spy for me. By that I mean he has a knack for finding obscure little places that are often overlooked. So when he told me about Goodfellas on Clark Road for the third time, I figured I had better go.

Goodfellas is kind of what you expect: The quintessential pizza joint that houses some wonderful imported olive oils and balsamic vinegars, some good pizza, meatballs and a bowl of pasta that could feed a lumberjack. Goodfellas also boasts that it’s a winery, and the wines that are sold are homemade. As another customer said, most batches are good, but occasionally you get one that’s like your Italian great uncle’s wine he made in a cellar in Jersey. I chose to focus on the food–a good idea.

The salad is abundant and crisp. You go over to the olive oil and balsamic vinegar bar to select several different types to adorn your salad–cute idea and impulse buyers definitely purchase a bottle or two to take home.

For thin-crust lovers, the pizza is a very good choice. Our pizza, a Wise Guy special, was delicious–the saltiness of the salami blending into the melted mozzarella. Best part? They make sure the ends are crusty, the cheese brown and that there’s just the right pull. Pizza well done!

Meatballs were really good, too; orders come with two jumbo and a sauce similar to what some call Sunday gravy.

Good tip: When it comes to pasta, you get a choice of regular or fresh pasta (about $1 more). Go for the fresh, though I applaud the choice of either. Linguine with clam sauce was the northern Jersey version, with a bit of milk in the sauce–very nice and full of clams; a bountiful dish.

Make sure you save some room for a cannoli–small or large–and take a few home. They are filled to order, with the cannoli shells straight from New York and a divine filling of creamy ricotta and chocolate chips.

Goodfellas is a neighborhood joint that just feels easy on a rainy Tuesday night. Enjoy the pizza and pasta, bring home some salami, focaccia and a few bottles of balsamic, and you’re all set.

Goodfellas | 4571 Clark Road, Sarasota | (941) 538-6535

Full disclosure: I’m a restaurant and hospitality-industry consultant and some dining picks do come from my clients; however, all opinions are my own.

Click here to see our guide to Sarasota dining.

The post Goodfella’s Pizza Hits the Spot appeared first on Foodie’s Notebook.

It seems The Sandbar, at the tip of Anna Maria Island, has come of age. Not chronologically, of course, but in stature and style in both structure and menu. The Sandbar is not the fish sandwich shack on the beach anymore.

Long known for its grouper sandwiches, fried fish plates, peel-and-eat shrimp, frozen mango and strawberry cocktails and outdoor tables with a damn good view—aka, ON THE BEACH–the Sandbar lacked finesse both inside and on its menu. Well, building and menu renovations have made me a believer–the new Sandbar is for EVERYONE!

As a longtime fan and friend of Ed Chiles, I can tell you that Ed has always had a passion for the small island that he grew up on with his family. In fact, the Chiles have long-supported the island community’s arts and preservation efforts, as well as the fundamentals of employing key people. So, it is not surprising that Ed has given the Sandbar’s building a facelift and the menu a reincarnation.

Relax, old fans of fried grouper sandwiches and sesame grilled salmon salad: The menu boasts all our old favorites (in fact, look for the grouper sandwich in Sarasota Magazine’s April issue). But now think of items like heirloom tomato and burrata cheese salad, yellowfin tuna wonton tacos with housemade kimchee, New England squid, lightly battered and fried with sliced banana peppers–amazingly tender–and red curry scallops with toasted coconut and Thai basil.

If that’s not enough to tickle the food enthusiast’s palate, how about local bottarga on your crostini, hothouse organic greens for your salad and sweet succulent stone crab topped with osetra caviar, Mote sturgeon and crème fraiche? Ha, I knew that would get ya!

Along with the sinfully uptick menu additions, The Sandbar’s aesthetics are something of an architectural phenomenon. Huge sliding glass doors with views of the Gulf of Mexico open to the beach’s white sands, and the new bar is part art gallery, part stunning beach views. Along with the new bar comes new wines, with some being barreled and bottled specially for the Sandbar from none other than Robert Mondavi’s grandson and the Lola winery. Sure, you can get the ginger beer, bottles of brew and plenty of bar concoctions, but it is pretty impressive to partner with any Mondavi, and Lola makes a Russian River pinot noir, a Sonoma Coast chardonnay and a dry Riesling from Santa Lucia Highlands.

The verdict? Our group unanimously decided to give the Ana Maria Island restaurant of the year makeover to The Sandbar.

The Sandbar | 100 Spring Ave., Anna Maria Island | (941) 778-0444

As a restaurant and hospitality industry consultant, I sometimes write about my clients; however, all opinions expressed are solely my own.

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Ziti.

It calls itself Italian, American and Asian. And here comes the cynicism: I thought for sure the new restaurant that replaced Cosimo’s in Southgate Mall was going be a fusion mess. I envisioned stir-fry pasta and Asian lasagna. Well, shame on me for over-thinking what the restaurant was doing. Ziti is actually pulling it off, with defined dishes that are either Italian or American or Asian, and all delicious. With James Beard award-winning executive chef Jason Stevens at the helm, Ziti expresses its special flavors well.

Whether you eat there or not–and I say you should eat there–check out the space and décor, beautifully done with wooden sculpted light fixtures and a modern, dark-wood vibe that makes you feel relaxed and certainly not like you’re in a mall setting. This is especially noticeable when you focus on the music. Light jazz and piano solos, apparently specifically created for the restaurant, soften the mood and keep you focused on the more upscale feel.

Now for the food. Two of my favorite cuisines are Asian and Italian–no surprise there. I started with the Shanghai shrimp for $8. A great beginning, with a boost of flavor from the wasabi aioli, Asian sweet chili sauce and plump, juicy shrimp. And don’t just admire the crispy noodle garnish–it has a slight sweet crunch that’s the perfect complement to the spice of the appetizer.

Next up, we tried the wasabi scallops ($13). The two scallops were cooked perfectly and served with thin diagonal slices of crispy asparagus, shiitake mushrooms, wasabi sauce and black sesame seeds. Another dish that I will order again.

For salad I was torn between the “bacon and bleu” or the Asian sesame. Asian again won out–it’s a very light, small salad with wasabi peas and edamame for $9, and Ziti gets a point for offering grilled-to-order Kalbi-glazed grilled chicken instead of cold precooked (it’s an additional $6).

The flatbreads are also a highlight, featuring abundant, well-thought-out combinations like spicy sausage with roasted fresh fennel, sweet white onion, crushed red pepper, mozzarella and Parmesan. Be careful: It boasts a mighty kick, but the chef can easily cut down on the crushed red pepper for you. There are only four pasta dishes, but I like the option of smaller or larger portions. Again, I opted for sausage, going for the sausage ziti, which is tossed in a red and a white sauce with garlic, roasted red peppers and sweet peas in the smaller size which was quite generous ($11). And our second pasta was yummy, too: Gorgonzola cream sauce and toasted hazelnuts with more Gorgonzola crumbles and fresh scallions hit a luscious mark ($11 for the smaller size).

The only possible (slight) miss was the pesto grouper. Although fresh and tender, the pesto conflicted with the wasabi-potato puree, which, BTW, paired perfectly with the grilled sushi-grade ahi tuna.

Where you will save money is on the wine list. The average glass is about $6, and there are bottles of wine for about $24-$30 and above. Ziti also offer a full bar and happy hour.

The restaurant also offers gluten-free rice noodle pasta dishes and a gluten-free Nutella hazelnut cake with caramel for those with dietary issues, which is a nice touch.

All in all, Ziti is delicious and balanced and a beautiful space. I do worry about the pricing, however. A grilled ribeye steak will run you $28, and I don’t think most people want to pay that in a mall. However, I have no doubt my friends and I will become regulars at Ziti,  as I am totally hooked on the pasta and appetizers and that spicy sausage flatbread already. Kudos to our server, Steve Shelby–a gentle “Mr. Hospitality” that made the night–and Ms. Helen Romar, one of Sarasota’s best managers.

Welcome, Ziti.

Ziti | 3501 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota | (941) 706-1281

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