still on the list

So yesterday we went to Louie's Modern for dinner for the first time since our November return.  We were a little skeptical after checking out the menu online because there was obviously a new hand in the kitchen. The menu seemed slanted to the middle east in a way it hadn't been before. Having things on a bed of Israeli couscous is fine as long as it is one of many options but having all dishes with that set-up was more concerning. But we went.

We hit the jackpot with our server Jacquie. Top notch woman with a vast understanding of food and ingredients and opinions.  We always hate it when you ask a server "Between X and Y which would you recommend?" and the response is "they are all good" - that does NOT answer the question and is a very lazy and non interactive way of dealing with the customers - it says I simply don't have the time for you or the understanding of our food to make a recommendation.  Jacquie was NOT that way. She knew her food and because she wasn't too busy in this week before the holidays was able to give us plenty of details to help us make terrific decisions.

We had gone through the menu and picked out some things we were interested in but upon hearing the specials made some changes. Each of us ordered one item from the specials and one from the menu and then we shared a stater of amazing Chicharones (maybe the best ever.)

so let's start with that and then go on-

actually all the SHARES sounded pretty good- and I was leaning towards the burrata but when I decided on the special salad with farro and currents and butternut squash, we went with the amazing  chicharones....

 Both wines showed really well - and the red was a perfect accompaniment for the salmon (my main)

Phil had the crab and shrimp Louie salad with egg, avocado and tomato and I had the special salad with the currants and farro.

then Phil had the special (Maine lobster with a scallion risotto) and I had the salmon from the menu

we both had gelato for dessert - mine vanilla bean and his chocolate hazelnut

since we were the last customers (other than stragglers from a party of thirty in the back room) we were able to catch up on all that is new at both Tableseide (first generation retired and next has stepped into the management roles) and several new places around town that they have opened.

overall we were VERY happy with the food and especially with the service.  #itsallgood - so it stays on the list!

uninspired

Last night we tried the sister restaurant to Louie's Modern and found it uninspired.  We went with John and Barb. We had a great server and the staff were extremely welcoming -seating us right away even though it was a busy night and we were early.  Sadly the menu - which would be called eclectic if the food were fabulous but was really more "all over the map".  I think they are trying to be too many things to too many people.

We ordered starters of a Chinese style shrimp and calamari dish (which was very good) deviled eggs (better other places including Louie's) clam chowder (didn't hear any raves from the other side of the table) and tuna seared with wasabi and ginger sides.  Then a second course for B & J of tomato bisque (which they didn't finish between the two of them) while Phil and I split a wedge salad which was a huge portion but the lettuce to other ingredient proportions were off and the addition of proscuitto was a "miss" on the texture and flavor both- it needed to be crispy and stronger in flavor and seemed redundant with the smattering of bacon (tip to chef- go with more bacon and ditch the prosciutto).

I actually thought the Double Dragon Flash Fry was the winner here-

by the way the super seed crackers were terrific! (devile egg accompaniment)

The mains -

I went for the grouper BLT, to do a head to head with the one across the street at Veronica that was such a winner last week, and this one lost - and lost badly. This sadnwichcould be beaten out in a taste test by any self respecting Florida seafood joint (Star Fish, Tide Tables come to mind)

Phil had grouper crusted with crab and said the idea was good but execution lacking as the grouper itself wasn't hot under the crab.

Barb had the lamb chops and that seemed to be the winning choice - they were nicely prepared and she was happy with them.

John's main was the lobster french toast, which looked VERY good but I wasn't hearing ooohing and aahhing from across the table-

Desserts WERE good- so we ended on a high note- P and I shared a cookie (skillet sized) and Barb and John shared key lime pie... which looked very nice and they seemed happy with based upon the clean plate.

As I said - our server Theo was excellent and the rest of the staff did an exemplary job on the tough night of Valentine's Day - only wished the food lived up to the level of the service - just not brilliant... the photos are kind of decieving because everything actually looked pretty darn good... and the place is big and spills on to the sidewalk with a nice atmosphere - so a nice place to eat outdoors in the cute southside village area of Sarasota... but there are other options (see "we win" post of just last week)

Because this is the sister restaurant to one of our favorites in town we wanted to love it - so maybe we went with too high expectations - and don't get me wrong - it is a fine restaurant just not a special restaurant.  And in thinking about it a bit more - it is perfect for what it is - a place around the block that many can walk to for dinner and feel at home - kind of like a Cheers for food in southside village... and in that it completely succeeds.  But destination dining it is not - it will have to leave that to brother Louie's Modern....

Today a food tour of St Armand's Circle and then dinner with Carol and Al!

what's going on...

so I haven't posted in a while- and here is what is going on-  the election results have been traumatic in our household-  you think you participate and live in a country where most everyone is open and peaceful and has the best of intentions for ALL people - not just white people and straight people, but everyone.  I guess I have spent the last six decades in some kind of "nice and kind"cocoon... I just really couldn't and still cannot fathom the amount of hate out there and the apparently overwhelming desire to deny people the right to live as full citizens and marry whomever they want to marry and raise their kids in the religion of their choice and all those things my parents taught as values when I was growing up- so I have been in shock- and withdrawal and finally recovering a bit from the shock of finding that I now live in a country that is a different country than I knew for the last six decades. My open, freedom loving, diversity accepting country is gone (clearly it didn't exist - only the facade of it did) and now Donald Trump is president with all the consequences that will bring for my gay friends and my Latino friends and my black friends and my non-Christian friends and family members. It was a tough week- ten days.

but of course, as with everything- as our president so ably pointed out on the night before the election- the sun rises in the morning - so I am back to semifreelife having spent the last week in my own hideout.

After the election night - we spent the next four days at home and on Sunday finally ventured out to start back into the social swing again... we went to Cafe Baci and to Columbia and to Louie's Modern for dinner (having made a visit to Blue Marlin on the night before the election). I signed up for a winter class and started to read the assigned books before the January/February class sessions begin at Temple Beth Shalom (a new venue for the Lifelong Learning Academy here in Sarasota) oh and I took a lot of pictures of my cat- LOL- it is a positive thing to do in dealing with all the negativity of the election results.... oh and distracting myself with the terrific PBS series called Soundbreaking about recorded music---

so a few photos - our entrees at Columbia-

some photos of Blue Marlin-

The 2005 St Aubin showed so well we took a second bottle to Louie's Modern-

 below the pizzetta and the charcuterie plate

then the lobster risotto thermidor and the short rib

not shown the chocolate beignets- which were very nice-

this weekend Barb and I have the ballet and we will meet up with John and Phil for dinner after our matinee- then we will catch up with Al & Carol & Lily at their place and later in the week we have Asolo tickets and then it's Thanksgiving and brother Larry will be up for the holiday- soon it will be time for our trip to Cartagena in Colombia... time flies -

and now the Lucy photos- LOL-

 LOL - after a while, even she got aggravated being the subject of so much attention LOL

and the weather has been lovely so we spent some time reading outdoors-

so on we go - despite finding out that roughly half the country think it is alright to vote for a guy who professes racist views and thinks we shouldn't have immigrants coming to this country despite being married to a couple of them along the way... three wives and numerous bankruptcies and half the country thinks this is just fine.... oh and his vice president thinks it's OK not to serve gay people in pizza parlors run by "Christians" - where I grew up Christians were much more forgiving and loving as Jesus was- obviously a different country than these folks grew up in....

but I promise the blog will not turn into a political diatribe for the next however many months or years and will continue along in the same spirit it always has-  so stay tuned....

travel, food, theater, and an occasional rant.... 

this week

Our week has been pretty darn busy- we think we had reached agreement on two real estate deals (hopefully including our house) and we between us - started three new classes at USF-SM and got together with friends Al & Carol for dinner, tried a new lunch place, had a "farewell" dinner with our favorite sommelier in town, James at Michael's on East (he's headed off to Portland with wife and child to start a new life) and we ended our week with the symphony.

and next week things get really busy-  classes, theater, lecture, baseball (spring training game in Lakeland with CBGB) and then we are off to visit Angela & Lee for the weekend (Durham NC)

never a dull moment- oh and yeah, I forgot - the tickets for the Sarasota Film Festival go on sale on Thursday!!!! which means a lot of picking and planning on Thursday before we head out of town....

so here are a few photos/scans from the week-

dinner venue with Al & Carol-

I did a whole post about lunch but here is the reminder of the place- go back a post or two and you can read the whole thing-

text book for my 1890's history class- which seems like it will be extremely interesting - Phil's class is on the civil war and my other class is on the middle ages-

food from terrific dinner at Michael's on East- shrimp tempura and wedge salad appetizers

one bite- amuse of halibut (overcooked but one bite so who cares? LOL)

tuna- with the forbidden rice- for me and sea bass for Phil-

this is the perfect dessert- one layer of coffee (espresso) ice cream for me and the other layer vanilla with heath bar crunch for Phil- he also gets the fudgy topping LOL - Oh and the chocolate stick- he is the chocoholic in this household...

and tonight- the orchestra - playing a nice selection of classical and more contemporary works - Copland, Brahms, and Dvorak. (below the conductor Anu Tali, and soloist from tonight's concert)

our time is drawing near for the end of the winter- and we have only two plays and one more orchestra concert scheduled- but who knows how long we will be here if the house sells per the agreed upon closing date of 4/14.... we will see how that goes...