Bradenton Times News Articles

Apparently the Beach Bistro’s Eat Here offspring do not fall far from the award-winning tree. When checking that the Beach Bistro was still enthroned in Florida Trend’s “Golden Spoon Hall of Fame,” owner Sean Murphy was thrilled to discover that his two Eat Here restaurants on Anna Maria Island and in Sarasota were both winners of the “Best New Restaurants in Florida” award.

Once again, the Beach Bistro was named the No. 1 restaurant in Tampa Bay and the Florida Gulf Coast Region in Zagat’s 2013 America’s Top Restaurants Survey. The upscale waterfront eatery received an impressive 28 out of 30 points for cuisine, and 27 out of 30 for service.

Some culinary elitists thumb their nose at the deep fried turkey, but anyone with taste buds knows that this is a tasty way to prepare the bird – and it’s catching on. More and more Thanksgiving tables are featuring this succulent alternative to the age-old roasting method.

Thanksgiving is a time to share good times with family and friends. Every year I seem to have a house full of family, relatives and friends. In order to entertain them, I need to be ready and not running around making food all day. So proper planning is essential for a fun and tasty holiday. Here are some preparation tips that I’d like to share with you to help make your own Thanksgiving more memorable and a recipe for my Thanksgiving Green Bean Casserole.

Arts & Eats Restaurant and Gallery, located in the center of the Village of the Arts in Bradenton at 1114 12th St. West, will celebrate its Grand Opening on Friday, November 16th and Saturday, November 17 from noon-8 p.m. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Food Bank of Manatee. There will also be a $20 "tasting buffet" where you can meet the chef and sample various menu fare, and on Saturday, a benefit for the Creative Percussion Ensemble. A portion of proceeds will go to the Food Bank of Manatee. 

Tickets go on sale today for the much anticipated sixth annual Forks & Corks Food & Wine Festival, January 25-28, 2013. Presented by The Sarasota-Manatee Originals, the four-day culinary festival features the anchor event, the Grand Tasting (January 27), in the courtyard of The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art; Forks & Corks University's food and wine and seminars (January 26) in Michael’s Wine Cellar and Ballroom; and various winemaker events at area restaurants (January 25, 26). Last year's Grand Tasting sold out well in advance.

You know Savory Street Cafe for their pastries, delicious breakfast and lunch menu, and as a neighborhood place in The Rosemary District, where you can feel at home with a cup of coffee and a great meal. But Savory Street at Night is so much more, with a gourmet dinner menu at a great price. Chef Claudia is nothing less than inspiring. She has a passion for food that shines in every bite of her new menu for Savory Street at Night.

Trader Joe's clearly picked the right spot to open their second Florida location, as their new store on South Tamiami Trail in Sarasota has been a mob scene since its grand opening September 7. Though the chain is popular for its competitively-priced organics, the first thing most loyalists shout at its mention is THREE BUCK CHUCK!, the store's exclusive discount wine by Charles Shaw. While many imitators have failed, Aldi's exclusive Winking Owl line has begun to build a similar cult following. Now that our area has both, I decided to see how they stacked up head to head.

Southeast graduate and Manatee County native Bruce Blunt makes a tasty sauce, but until recently his Mr. Bojack's line was hard to find in the Manatee area. But with the opening of the new Fresh Market on Manatee Avenue, locals can finally enjoy his BBQ, wing and hot sauces anytime they want. 

Fleming's is the quintessential prime steakhouse. With a luxurious atmosphere, a thoughtful wine list, a delicious menu, and attentive knowledgable staff, Fleming's is often thought of as a treat – somewhere you only go for a special occasion. However, I am here to tell you that Fleming's is much more approachable than that.