- October 19, 2022
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Ah, Summer. The snowbirds have long taken flight, the Publix line is shorter, and it’s suspiciously easy to snag a parking spot at Siesta Key Beach.
But for local restaurants, this means less business. That’s why Visit Sarasota created Savor Sarasota, a culinary event consisting of more than 90 restaurants offering multicourse meals for a fixed, discounted price. This year, several restaurants decided to extend their deals. Here’s the scoop on four of them.
Where: 243 N. Cattlemen Road (and 313 W. Venice Ave., Venice)
Call: 355-8615
Deal: $16 for a two-course lunch or $32 for dinner, the latter of which consists of one salad or soup, one entree and one dessert
Extended through: Sept. 30
Chef: Antonio Pariano
Spotlighted dish: Filetto maiale funghi e marsala (has been on the menu for 10 years)
Ingredients: Pork tenderloin, prosciutto, Broccolini and mushroom Marsala, over polenta
How it works: “The pork tenderloin is a classic,” Pariano said. “It’s savory with a little bit of sweet taste. So we have that, caramelize it, so the flavor comes out; toss it with the mushroom; and then take the pork tenderloin and wrap it in prosciutto. The prosciutto is salty, and the Marsala is sweet, while the polenta is very mild, so it doesn’t overcome the other flavors, and it has a nice soft texture, like you’re eating bread. And we also have the Broccolini with its unique flavor.”
Why this dish for Savor Sarasota? “Today, people [eating out] want an experience — something new aesthetically and in flavor,” Pariano said. “We have a big portfolio of customers after opening in Venice 13 years ago, and this dish sticks in the mind of people. … This is an expression of love, otherwise we wouldn’t do it. Savor Sarasota is a good channel to offer more to the community. A lot of people walk through the door for the first time because of Savor Sarasota, so now it’s up to us to serve them excellent food and make them come back.
Where: 6516 Superior Ave.
Call: 906-9444
Deal: $32 for dinner (no lunch), which consists of one salad, crepe or soup to start; one entree; and one dessert
Extended through: Aug. 31
Chef: Tamas Benkovics
Spotlight dish: Hungarian stuffed cabbage (entree)
Ingredients: Mangalitsa pork, sauerkraut, cabbage, cheese, rice and seasonings
How it works: “Basically, I make the stuffing with the mangalitsa pork and a little bit of rice and seasonings, and then after that I cook the sauerkraut as a kind of stew,” Benkovics said. “The flavor is hard to describe because it’s so unique.
Why this dish for Savor Sarasota? “We’re trying to introduce Hungarian food to other people,” Benkovics said. “It’s a big opportunity for local people to visit at an affordable price — visit the restaurants that they wouldn’t go to that often. We only focus on local people. If we get tourists, we’re happy with them, but we focus on locals to get a year-round business and make a connection.”
Where: 1419 Fifth St.
Call: 952-3172
Deal: $16 for a two-course lunch or $32 for dinner, the latter of which consists of one soup, salad or other starter; one entree; and one dessert
Extended through: Aug. 31
Chef: Thomas Grzybinski
Spotlight dish: Lamb tajine (entree)
Ingredients: Lamb, couscous, prunes, apricots, sauteed snow peas, bell peppers and pears
Why it works: “Our lamb was very popular [even] before Savor Sarasota,” Grzybinski said. “It has a combination of spices that are tasty, and the couscous is best with lamb. It’s both sweet and salty — Moroccan style.”
Why this dish for Savor Sarasota? “We’re the only ones in Sarasota doing this kind of lamb,” Grzybinski said. “It’s more niched than traditional French dishes like beef bourguignon, and it’s not as heavy. You won’t feel too full leaving.”
Where: 420 St. Armands Circle
Call: 388-3964
Deal: $16 for a two-course lunch or $32 for dinner, the latter of which consists of one soup, salad or other starter; one entree; and one dessert
Extended through: Oct. 15
Chef: Troy Torman
Spotlight dish: Yellowtail (entree — fish changes depending on what’s the catch of the day)
Ingredients: A whole yellowtail fish with jasmine rice, sauteed vegetables, mango habanero sweet and sour sauce, and Caribbean chimichurri
How it works: “The spice comes in the beginning, then it’s just sweet,” Torman said. “It’s lighter, isn’t so heavy. … And I tried to make it acidic and tone it down with some mango.”
Why this dish for Savor Sarasota? “At first it wasn’t on the Savor menu because when we have that menu going, that’s all we sell,” Torman said. “But we made the decision to take advantage of people coming in for the night who wouldn’t come in otherwise. I didn’t think this [dish] would go over as well as it does because of the habanero, but it’s not that spicy — good food, happy people.”
To see a list of all the Savor Sarasota restaurants that have extended deals through the end of summer, click here.
