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Valentine’s Day Dining: Chef Judi’s Picks
By Judi Gallagher I know most of you are probably going out to dinner on February 14–but please take my suggestion and go the 13, 15 or 16. I personally have dinner plans to be at home, grilling out and enjoying fresh strawberries. For those of you who prefer a little romantic meal at home, [...]
Read More >>A New Owner and a Little More Style at Bellagio; Plus The Table Creekside’s Global Brunch
By Judi Gallagher We hadn’t been to Bellagio since the new owners came in, did some styling to make the window that faces 301 much better, and brought a little uptick to the menu. While the location might throw you off, think of this, as Nancy Kaplan suggested, as an Italian hideaway. Off 301, just [...]
Read More >>Chef Judi Visits Downtown Sarasota’s Drunken Poet
By Judi Gallagher Several years ago I remember trying Drunken Poet on Main Street and really enjoying my lunch. I also remember taking a photo of chef-owner Oy’s herb garden just outside the restaurant. Well, what the heck took me so long to go back? I have been missing so much goodness. I solemnly pledge [...]
Read More >>Chef Pino Arrives at Siesta Key’s Flavio’s; Chef Judi Tastes and Dishes
By Judi Gallagher As a longtime fan of Bella Roma, I’m pleased to tell you that we now have even more to love about this Siesta Key eatery. Get ready for this score: The new chef is none other than our all time favorite Italian chef: Pino Luongo! Yup, you heard it straight from the [...]
Read More >>Food and Wine Weekend at The Gasparilla Inn
By Judi Gallagher Just down the road, about an hour and twenty minutes away, Boca Grande Island recreates the magic of years gone by. I recall my nana telling me that she used to take the train to St. Petersburg from Yonkers, N.Y., but others, mostly New Englanders and people from Michigan, took the train [...]
Read More >>Eat Here Opens on Siesta Key
Yup, he did it again. Sean Murphy, the man behind Eat Here Sarasota, Eat Here Anna Maria Island and Beach Bistro, has hit the ground running again, opening his third Eat Here location on Siesta Key. The space is a bit larger than the downstairs of the Main Street location and has a sprawling bar [...]
Read More >>Chef Judi’s Best Bites of 2012
A year of eating in the eyes of the beholder–here’s a montage of what I ate and savored in 2012. (Full disclosure: I’m a restaurant and hospitality-industry consultant and some of these picks do come from my clients; however, all opinions are my own.)
Read More >>The Holiday Brunch Bunch
Entertaining during the holidays does not have to be stressful. In fact, it can be downright relaxing and enjoyable, especially when you limit the number of guests, serve a brunch which acts as two meals, set the table outside to enjoy this glorious weather and let your guests contribute.
Read More >>Yummy Is What Yummy Says
By Judi Gallagher I knew fellow restaurant blogger Jack Littman-Quinn and food writer Abby Weingarten would be the first to try Yummy House. What I didn’t expect was for each of them to tell me they had been there three times in the first week. So much for my theory of letting a restaurant get [...]
Read More >>Artisan Cheese Company and As Good As It Gets
By Judi Gallagher As good as it gets? Well, Sarasota is getting there, it seems. Specialty stores have had a tough time during the recession years. We saw a few wines stores flounder; a cheese store went by the wayside on Tamiami and some spice stores have struggled to keep higher-end seasonings afloat. Walk downtown, [...]
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