The place: Lolita Tartine, 1419 Fifth St., Sarasota, (941) 952-3172

The goods: Something new and delightful from the folks behind Main Street’s treasured C’est La Vie. Breakfast, lunch and dinner served Tuesday through Saturday.

The drill: A tartine is a fancy open-faced French sandwich, and this fresh face in the Rosemary District delivers a master class in the art of concocting them, each one named for a celebrated French artist. We’re concentrating here on lunchtime tartines, although a number of panini also are offered, and appropriately named for Italian artists.

Ten tempting tartines feature ingredients ranging from smoked duck breast to pear and blue cheese, each elegantly topped, served with a yummy side salad or potatoes and priced at between $8.90 and $12.90. My pick is the Gauguin ($11.90), which layers country bread with cucumbery tzatziki, generous smoked salmon, sliced cuke and fresh herbs under a balsamic vinaigrette drizzle. Très bon!

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This article appears in the March 2014 issue of Sarasota Magazine. Like what you read? Click here to subscribe. >>