Let’s take things downtown…
Ah, Savor Sarasota day 3. Glad you’re still keeping up. Today we’re heading downtown.
Fresh and local. Those two words have been trending restaurant themes for the past couple of years. Don’t get me wrong. I love both fresh and local. The better news is when a place uses those terms and actually delivers the goods. Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood does just that!
Executive Chef Nils Tarantik has put a thoughtful menu of creative, locally influenced dishes together for this years Savor Sarasota Restaurant Week. Thanks for that.
Let’s have a look at what you can expect when you crack open that menu.
Lunch First Course (Choice of one)
Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms
Baked and served with sautéed spinach and lemon butter.
French Quarter Gumbo
N’Awlins style with spicy Andouille sausage, rice, and a trinity of bell pepper, onion and celery.
Signature Salad
Mixed spring greens tossed in raspberry vinaigrette with red onion, blue cheese, cashew, and grape tomato.
Lunch Second Course (Choice of one)
Baha Shrimp Tacos
Lightly blackened shrimp, creole slaw, Pico de Gallo, and chipotle rémoulade in grilled tortillas served with French fries.
Cashew Chicken Sandwich
Cashew encrusted chicken on French baguette with Napa cabbage, Roma tomato, and knucklehead sauce served with French fries.
The Portobello Shroom
Grilled Portobello mushroom, tomato, spinach, and onions on focaccia with melted provolone served with French fries.
Pan Seared Gulf Fish
Fresh local fish pan seared and served with herb scented rice pilaf, shoestring vegetables, and citrus Beurre Blanc.
Lunch Third Course (Choice of one)
Chocolate Brownie Sundae
With vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, Chantilly cream, and walnuts
Key Lime Pie Bars
With a graham cracker crumble and Chantilly cream.
Dinner First Course (Choice of one)
Crab and Shrimp Stuffed Mushrooms
Baked and served with sautĂ©ed spinach and lemon butter. Optional wine pairing (Benvolio – Pinot Grigio – Friuli, Italy)
Grilled Cheese and Candied Pepper Bacon Sliders
Served with creamy tomato and bleu cheese soup. Optional wine pairing ( Souverain – Chardonnay – North Coast)
Blackened Ahi Tuna
Accompanied by a cellophane noodle salad, wasabi vinaigrette, and sweet soy glaze. Optional wine pairing ( Wine by Joe – Pinot Noir – Oregon)
Dinner Second Course (Choice of one)
Signature Salad
Mixed spring greens tossed in raspberry vinaigrette with red onion, blue cheese, cashew, and grape tomato. Optional wine pairing (Etude- Pinot Gris – Carneros)
French Quarter Gumbo
N’Awlins style with spicy Andouille sausage, rice, and a trinity of bell pepper, onion and celery. Optional wine pairing ( Michel Torino – “Coleccion” Malbec – Calchaqui Valley, Argentina)
The Wonderful Wedge
Iceberg lettuce, candied pepper bacon, onion, tomato, bleu cheese, balsamic glaze, and bleu cheese dressing. (d’Arenberg – “The Hermit Crab” Viognier-Marsanne Blend – McLaren Vale, Australia)
Dinner Third Course (Choice of one)
Filet Medallions
Pan seared beef tenderloin with red wine demi, five cheese potato croquettes, and garlic asparagus. Optional wine pairing (Familglia Pasqua – Passimento – Veneto,Italy)
Dijon and Cornbread Encrusted Salmon
Roasted and served with herb scented rice pilaf, asparagus, and lemon butter. Optional wine pairing (Meiomi – Pinot Noir – Sonoma Coast)
Grilled Shrimp
Grilled jumbo shrimp served over lobster and sweet corn casserole. Optional wine pairing (Sokol Blosser – “Evolution” White Blend – Oregon)
Blackened Gulf Fish
Fresh local fish lightly blackened atop a bed of cheddar cheese infused grits and topped with citrus Beurre Blanc. Optional wine pairing (Cambria – “Katherine’s Vineyard” Chardonnay – Santa Maria Valley)
Fourth Course (included)
Choice of: Chocolate Brownie Sundae or Key Lime Pie Bars.
OK. So, let’s talk. Duval’s has been serving NOLA influenced dishes since they opened their doors.
One afternoon I had the most perfectly cooked piece of salmon for lunch. It’s going to be super hard for me not to order the Pan Seared Gulf Fish for lunch or the Blackened Gulf Fish for dinner. Baha Shrimp Tacos would also be a nice lunch choice. The gumbo is great. If that’s your thing (it’s mine) you should absolutely go for the French Quarter Gumbo. It’s just too damn hard not too. I’m sure you understand.
For dinner, Duval’s is throwing in a fourth dessert course at no extra charge. That’s very nice of them. A wine pairing is also available for an extra $20PP. Want an easy way to get to and from Duval’s for your Savor Sarasota meal? The restaurant has a complementary shuttle service. Call the restaurant or visit their website for details.
Duval’s Fresh. Local. Seafood
1435 Main Street, Sarasota
941-312-4001
www.duvalsfreshlocalseafood.com
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