New buzzword hereabouts is "American Fusion" cuisine. (Your guess is as good as mine). As somewhat of a traditionalist, I find it difficult to swallow the idea of the "food-style of the day" Elitist posturing and overly-creative "Chefs" simply annoy me. In my experience, food trends resemble fashion trends. No one really cares; knowledgeable foodies realize they''ll soon change. Michael's is the perfect example. Elitist, "fashionable", trendy, over-priced, over-rated and arrogant. Food quality is not as important here as being seen and rubbing elbows. Michael and crew could serve buffalo chips, call it by a fancy name, tell guests it was "Fabulous, Darling!", announce it as a new trend a get away with it. And Sarasota's daily Mullet Wrapper would give it an award.So much for taste among the trendsetters. That said, my favorites include LBK's Euphemia Haye; the new Burns Lane Cafe. Alley Cat is finally receiving well-earned kudos. J. Ryan's has some interesting dishes, their Chef Christian has made the rounds of better area eateries. My list of safe bets includes Cafe Baci, Cafe L'Europe, Poseidon, Cafe on the Bay, Bijou Cafe, Caragiulo's, Mamma Onesti's for southern Italian dishes & good pizzas; Moore's (Stone Crab season ends May 15th), Hillview Grill, Augie's, Cafe of the Arts; Mr Wong's & China Palace for above-average Chinese food; Harry's on LBK does nice work with seafood. Beach Bistro may be among the top 5 Best in the area. Siesta Key's Ophelia's is also among the best. Maybe it's just nostalgia, but I still enjoy going to Siesta's Beach Cafe (name change from Inn Between, same owners), I was there in 1971 on opening night. Try the seafood at Nokomis' Captain Eddie's, but don't go for the atmosphere. There ain't any. The Mutiny Inn on Anna Maria is worth mention. Ditto, Ristorante Bellini. Have breakfast at Siesta's Broken Egg. My personal pick for traditional German fare is the tiny Little Bavaria, in Venice. Coaster's is always at the top, and one of the area's best casual, fun seafood joints is Venice's Crow's Nest. After 23 years, the venerable El Adobe was voted "Best Mexican Restaurant; 97" by area foodies." Many old favorites are no longer with us, lots more on the horizon. Downtown Sarasota is experiencing a restaurant-building boom. Hope this helps. If you're coming to Sarasota, it's wise to call ahead to reserve at these eateries. Email me if you need data on other area dinner spots. Enjoy Sarasota. Bon Apetit [email removed] ******TableTips Dining Guide (Since 1976) ******* Coming to the Web with data, reviews, Freebies and links to interest Foodies and Restaurateurs. ***emailto: [email removed] Fax: 941-927-5029***
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