Savor Sarasota returns for two weeks of gastro delight on Jun 1

Savor Sarasota, our region’s equivalent of “Restaurant Week,” is a prix-fixe dining promotion that’s become one of the hottest reservations of the season. Back for its 21st year, running June 1 through June 14, the event has already seen more than 63 restaurants sign up, with more expected to join the list.

What began as an effort to keep restaurants busy and locals and visitors dining out during the dog days of summer has grown into an event popular with foodies all through the region. This year, participating restaurants will offer exclusively crafted prix-fixe menus: a three-course dinner for $45 and, for those serving the midday crowd, a two-course lunch for just $25, with many offering premium upgrades featuring higher-end and signature dishes, and nearly every kitchen will be curating a menu of cocktails and wines.

On Monday, organizers hosted a media sneak preview at Tripletail Seafood & Spirits in south Sarasota, where some participating restaurants cooked samples and mixed cocktails from their upcoming Savor menus. All of the offerings were quite good, but a few stood out even among such worthy competition.

Bridges Restaurant, located in the Embassy Suites off the roundabout at Fruitville Rd and the Tamiami Trail, wowed me with exquisite ocean scallops over roasted corn. Their Milano sandwich was also top shelf. At the very next table, Mimi Brasserie & Speakeasy served up impossibly tender braised pork Shank with Guajillo, shallot, and herb salad.

The crab cocktail lettuce wrap with Orange, Chive, and red onion by Arts & Central was chock full of premium crab meat and made for a perfectly refreshing offering on a rather humid evening outdoors. Café on St. Armands’ beet hummus with roasted beets, garbanzo beans, tahini, lemon, garlic, extra-virgin olive oil, and cucumber slices for dipping offered similarly delicious relief from the heat.

The crispy brussels sprouts featuring bacon, goat cheese, dried apricots, candied pecans, and honey-vinegar from Wink Wink Food & Drink inside the Sarasota Modern were bursting with scrumptiously complex flavor. The Malfadine Bolognese from BOCA was like a perfect lasagna, only spaghetti style, and paired nicely with Beringer Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Pop’s Sunset Grill wowed me with Baked Lobster Couscous, featuring lobster on a bed of couscous with corn, green peas, shitake mushrooms, garlic butter, parmesan, and citrus butter sauce. Yum! And I’d be remiss not to mention the host restaurant's signature dish, Seared Tripletail with yellow rice and a citrus cream sauce that was as delicate as any grouper you’ll find.

On the cocktail side, Wink Wink knocked it out of the park with its Grapefruit Paloma: Reposado Tequila, Mezcal, Grapefruit, Lemon, Agave, garnished with a small, charred grapefruit wedge that was the chef’s kiss on a first-rate cocktail.

Trippletail’s Crystal Cosmo (white cranberry juice, vodka, and elderflower) was a perfect offering on such a balmy night. Pop’s Sunset Grill also stood out with its Blood Orange Aperol Spritz, featuring Sharktooth Blood Orange Vodka, Aperol, and Prosecco topped with club soda.

One of my favorites was AMOB restaurateur John Horne’s tribute to his late father. Purdy’s Florida Old Fashioned replaces bourbon with Don Q Reserva 7-Year Rum, Munyon’s Paw-Paw Citrus & Herbal Liqueur, Cointreau, craft ice, black cherry, and an orange slice. What’s more, they pour it over ice from a cute little pill bottle to signify it’s a cure for whatever ails you.

The Ernestly Tiki from Mimi Brasserie & Speakeasy was another favorite. Coconut oil-washed Papa's Pilar Dark Rum, pistachio, lemongrass falernum, Giffard apricot liqueur, lemongrass honey, grapefruit juice, lime juice, and lemongrass ginger essence all play together quite nicely.

“Savor Sarasota really is my favorite time of the year,” said Erin Duggan, President and CEO of Visit Sarasota County. “It’s exciting to see our restaurant community come together to create memorable multi-course dining experiences, while giving chefs a chance to showcase new dishes and guest favorites. With the incredible variety of restaurants throughout Sarasota County, you could enjoy a different lunch and dinner every day for two weeks — and never have to do the dishes.”

Menus, chef bios, the Flavor Trail, and the full restaurant list are available at SavorSarasota.com.