Savor Sarasota at Harry’s Continental Kitchens

LONGBOAT KEY — As Sarasota and Manatee Counties continue to celebrate culinary excellence during Savor Sarasota, I finally had an opportunity to get out to Harry’s Continental Kitchens on Longboat Key. The classic restaurant, which opened in 1979 and has become an island institution, did not fail to impress.

The charming cottage exuded distinctly beachy vibes as we approached, with ample well-shaded outdoor seating. Once we made our way inside, I was further charmed by the beautiful retro decor, particularly the rustic oak bar and silver-framed art adorning the walls.

Savor Sarasota offers three-course prix fixe dinner menus for just $45, and Harry’s menu is substantial, with several options and the ability to add a two-glass wine pairing for $15, which I highly recommend.

The star of the first course was crispy fried green tomatoes with bacon, pimento cheese, baby arugula, hot honey, and tomato jam, paired perfectly with a light and crisp Spanish rosé called Bodegas Muga Rioja Rosado, a blend of 60% Garnacha, 30% Viura, and 10% Tempranillo. The fried green tomatoes were as good as any I’ve encountered, setting high expectations for the rest of the meal.

If you prefer something lighter, the pear salad, featuring crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, glazed walnuts, and mixed greens with a mango-basil vinaigrette, was exquisite and perfect for the scorching hot weather we’ve been experiencing.

The choice of entrees was more difficult, but I’ve always been a fan of softshell crab and decided I wouldn’t mind another fried delicacy, even though it was difficult to bypass the duck genovese. Still, it was a choice I was quite happy with, lightly dusted with cornmeal and accompanied by a scrumptious sweet potato chorizo hash, with creamed sweet corn and a chipotle aioli. It was again very well paired with Nortico Alvarinho, a delightfully crisp and clean white grape from Portugal.

The pan-seared golden tilefish is the sleeper on the entree menu. Accompanied by an exquisite leek risotto, champagne saffron cream sauce, scorched lemon, and roasted asparagus, it flirts with perfection and is perfectly paired with Hartford Court’s Russian River Valley Chardonnay.

The dessert of the day was a blissful banana cream pie on one of the best graham crusts I’ve come across. Harry’s is Savor Sarasota at its very best! While you're there, stop by Harry's corner store and gourmet deli, where you can take some of the goodness with you. Harry's will also be hosting a progressive wine dinner on June 26, titled Coast to Coast: A Summer in Italy.

Savor Sarasota continues through June 20.  Click here for a list of participating restaurants and their menus.