Tidbites

+ Caragiulo's is another family affair
Go to Caragiulo’s website and you’ll not only see family photos, you’ll hear a transcription of the Bach-Gounod “Ave Maria” for piano and violin. Over the music, the text tells us that everything is made fresh, even the mozzarella, and “the biscotti is still baked by Mrs. Caragiulo, herself.”

Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Caragiulo’s is a familiar hangout for singers on their way to or from a chorus rehearsal, families who want a good, home-cooked Italian meal, and singles who are looking for a fun place, indoors and out, where they can catch up on some reading, people watch and have something cooked specially for them.

Last week, when the internationally renowned Curtis Institute of Music — the most selective conservatory in the country — brought a quartet of singers from its opera division for a concert at First United Methodist Church, there was a dinner and post-concert reception at Caragiulo’s for donors and Sarasota Friends of Curtis.

There’s something fun and relaxing about Caragiulo’s. The artful decorations are fun and the drinks are good. They have some interesting infusions like espresso and citrus bourbon, and caballero (Spanish orange liqueur) and rum. But it’s their pastas and sauces that really turn one’s head. Garganelli and lobster carbonara is tempting. So is the variety of linguine, penne, tortelloni and capellini. Every shape and size of pasta, but the texture is always al dente and the sauces are inspired. A good way to start, and end, a performance.

+ Jalea sent out a valentine
For reasons we’ve not yet understood, Sarasota seems to be a magnet for great Peruvian restaurants. Darwin’s on Fourth, Selva Grill, and now Jalea, at 1532 Main St., are serving up some incredibly inventive dishes that taste like a wonderful mix of Spanish and South American recipes with splashes of Asian je ne c’est quoi.

Last week, Jalea went all out in its celebration of Valentine’s Day with a prix-fixe dinner that was filled with love bites. From its creative salad that combined spinach, berries, garbanzo beans and pine nuts with a passion fruit dressing, to the pan-fried white fish with a seafood and aji Amarillo sauce served over white rice, and the luscious dulce de leche with whipped cream and strawberries, Jalea was one of the best bets for a heart-felt and loving celebration.

Fortunately, Jalea is always celebrating something in its intimate downtown space. There are hot and cold tapas running all day. Ceviche, paella, empanadas, slow-braised lamb and a great assortment of seafood are beautifully served with a great collection of wines. And happy hour starts at 3 p.m. and lasts until 6 p.m. Very happy hours.

+ The Serving Spoons serves up more than brunch
I’ve been going to the Serving Spoon almost since I moved to Sarasota, first to the branch on Clark and, after that restaurant closed, I followed it to its mainstay on Osprey, near Hillview. My husband and I love it, not just for the food — to which we’ve become addicted — but also for the friendship of the wait staff and the owners.

Natasha and Craig, who shepherd the place in the kitchen, out front, at the tables and, well, just about everywhere you look, are our friends away from home. When I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer two years ago, Craig was right there, sharing his experiences with cancer and, you should excuse the pun, egging me on with his wonderful courage and wisdom. And Tasha always has a smile and open arms for hugs, sitting with us when she has a few moments, and sharing stories, asking questions and telling us what’s new.

We’ve followed at least two of their kids as they’ve entered college and come home for holidays to work in the restaurant. And we’ve been grateful to them when they’ve posted flyers of our upcoming performances on their bulletin board and in the windows.

The Serving Spoon has been our favorite breakfast-lunch place because it feeds us —body and soul. When we’re not dieting, we go for its soft scrambled eggs with bacon, tomato and swiss rolled into a toasty tortilla. The menu calls it the B.E.S.T sandwich, and it is. We drool as pancakes float to other tables and are awestruck as others down those carbs and stay slim. (Someday …) We’re addicted to Craig’s New Favorite: soft scrambled eggs with feta and scallions, but we ask them to add bacon to the mix and revel in the textures and tastes.

The chicken club salad is also a favorite, but we ask for it chopped and tossed with toasted pita on the side. In fact, this is one of the best salads we know and, when we want something a little lighter, we get just a half and that does the trick.

The Serving Spoon is open only until 2:30 p.m. (1:30 p.m. on Sundays) and sometimes we wish, for a light dinner before a concert, it was open for dinner. But we’ll take what we can get: great mid-day meals served by dear friends.