Wednesday, April 2, 2025

St Pete's: Dale Chihuly Collection & Bonu Italian

 




The first custom-designed building to showcase the works of Dale Chihuly is a wonderland of glass and light. Presented by the Morean Arts Center in St. Pete's, the Museum is a stunning, permanent collection of world-renowned artist Dale Chihuly's unique glass artwork housed in a magnificent 10,000 square foot setting designed by award-winning architect Albert Alfonso. Marked at the entrance by an iconic 20-foot sculpture created especially for the site, the Chihuly Collection includes the artist's spectacular large-scale installations such as Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier created for the collection and also featuring 18 installations spanning several of the artist’s most popular series including the impressive Mille Fiori. In addition to the collection, there is a small theatre that runs a loop of interviews and information about the artist with some of his more well-known installations around the world. Absolutely well worth a visit.



Impressive Florida Rose Crystal Tower by Dale Chihuly stands outside the Museum

Chihuly 'Carnival' Chandelier

Azul de Medianoche Chandelier

Selection of Dale Chihuly drawings

Ruby Red Icicle Chandelier, 2010, installed 2017

Chihuly 'Float Boat' 2007 

Morean 'White Seafoam' set

Mille Fiori, 2010, installed 2017

Persian ceiling overhangs passage through Chihuly Glass Museum

Bonu Taverna Italiana in St Pete's

Bonu Taverna with beautiful bougainvillea

Bonu Italiana menu

'Love' neon sign art on green moss wall

Fresh flowers on table

Stella Artois Beer in Peroni glass

Glass of Chianti Reserva

Crispy Arancini made with riso carnaroli, beef ragu, peas, mozzarell and saffron

Hot and crisp

Delightfully gooey and delicious

Pasta Puttanesca with capers, black olives, anchovies, tomato sauce and red chili

Pasta al Limone with lemon cream sauce, basil and lemon zest



























Monday, March 31, 2025

The Waterfront Restaurant on Anna Maria

 




The Waterfront Restaurant on Anna Maria Island is a lovely escape to a simpler time — tropical, laid-back Florida the way it used to be. Lush foliage, warm wood paneling and an expansive open air patio with picturesque views of the emerald green waters of Tampa Bay, provide the perfect atmosphere for enjoying the island charm of Anna Maria. A popular spot to enjoy a delicious lunch overlooking Anna Maria's sugar-white beaches and the island's historic pier, The Waterfront Restaurant has been praised by locals and out-of-town visitors alike for its inspired New American style of cuisine and impeccably curated beer and wine list. But it’s not until recently that fans of the restaurant have begun to see the Waterfront’s quietly sustainable side. As it turns out, this longstanding Island favourite was eco-friendly before eco-friendly was 'cool' and this focus on being as low-impact and environmentally conscious as possible has played a big part in elevating its exquisitely adventurous fare.

Almost everything on the menu is prepared entirely on-site: the kitchen team do their own butchering, make their own stocks, bake their own breads, and even smoke their own salmon. This way they can ensure that every aspect of their cuisine lives up to their very high standards. Local seafood vendors stop by to deliver their freshest catch, while produce vendors come by frequently with an array of fresh, seasonal produce. Not only does this sourcing system help support the local economy and ensure that customers are getting the freshest and tastiest foods available, it serves as an inspiration for the Waterfront’s kitchen team. The passion for sourcing and creating only the finest ingredients comes across in every bite, and now in every sip. The Waterfront Restaurant doesn’t just provide a great view and a warm community atmosphere — it also serves some of the finest sustainable cuisine that Florida has to offer.



The Waterfront beachside menu

Waterfront Restaurant Owner Jason Suzor 

Small cacti on each table

Stella Artois Beer in Waterfront glass

Waterfront Signature Hamburger with Angus Beef, Pimento Cheese and Bacon Jam, 
and House Pickles on a Toasted Brioche Bun with frites

Sensational Lightly Blackened Grouper Tacos on Grilled Flour Tortillas with Jicama Slaw,
Jack Cheddar Jack and Pico de Gallo with Waterfront Pineapple Coleslaw

Waterfront signature Pineapple Coleslaw














Shrimp ’n’ Grits
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of chef Justin Hibberts

Grit cake:
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/3 cups of grits
4 cups water or stock
4 oz butter
2 oz Bulliard’s hot sauce
Salt and pepper

Sauté:
2 Andouille sausage link, cooked fully and cut into strips
12 to 14 16/20 shrimp, skinned and deveined
8 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 cups white wine
6 oz vegetable or chicken stock
12 oz heavy cream
6 oz Parmesan, grated


Bring stock and milk to a slow boil. Whisk in the grits slowly, and keep whisking for two to three minutes to ensure a smooth texture. Allow the grits to fully set, then add butter and hot sauce. Pour onto a tray to set in refrigerator, and portion into desired shapes. Batter and deep fry for creamy inside and crispy crust. Yields 9 to 10 grit cakes.

Heat a 9 or 12-inch sauté pan on medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Start with half-ounces of canola oil, and swirl the oil to cover the pan. Add the sausage and let the it render and start to crisp. Then add the shrimp. When they start to turn pink, add the red peppers, lemon, wine and stock. At this point, pull the shrimp from the pan to prevent overcooking. Let the sauce reduce until less than an ounce of liquid is left. Add the cream, bring to a boil, and reduce. When the cream is reduced, add Parmesan cheeses and let the sauce thicken, placing the shrimp back into the pan. Pour over crispy grit cake and serve.



Another option, Shrimp over Grits







Thursday, March 27, 2025

EnRich Bistro with Chef Rich Knowles in Bradenton

 



A Bradenton native who honed his culinary talent in Montana before returning to his community to share the best of what he learned while he was away, chef/owner Rich Knowles opened EnRich Bistro in 2015, the restaurant's New American-style menu draws on flavours from around the globe with hints of Latin America, Italy, France and Japan, but they’re just that: subtle injections of international ingredients. Knowles isn’t trying to recreate any important cultural dishes. Instead, he’s allowing the best parts of those cuisines to weave through his own creations to appeal to the American palate, which is unfortunate. The menu is definitely meat-centric with a few dishes for those who prefer fish or lighter fare, such as their tuna poke with wonton chips and wasabi kale slaw, calamari salad with wasabi vinaigrette, and bestselling buttermilk-fried chicken breast with honey truffle butter. As a Bradenton native, Knowles is committed to farm-to-table-dining sourcing local ingredients to create fresh, seasonal dishes with vegetables from Geraldson Family Farm, Gamble Creek Farm, and O’Brien Family Farms, Daikin Dairy products and fresh seafood caught in the Gulf of Mexico. Invited to join friends for dinner at EnRich Bistro, we were introduced to one of Bradenton's more well known restaurants. Apart from the food which was very ho-hum, the service was appalling. Will we return? I think not.



Chef/owner Rich Knowles of EnRich Bistro

The restaurant's signature wines

With a list of signature craft cocktails, the restaurants serves 'Art in a Glass'

Margarita with jalapeño garnish

Cozy banquette of EnRich Bistro

The menu

Mushroom Bisque

Caesar Salad

Absolutely saturated with dressing, this was the most horrible Caprese Salad 
I have ever experienced 

Buttermilk Fried chicken Breast with sautéed kale and whipped Yukon potatoes

Rosé

'Big Mikes' 21oz Bone-in Cowboy Rib-Eye

Tuna Poke with avocado, red onion, cilantro, ginger-sesame sauce, 
served with wonton chips and wasabi-kale salad










Shallot Crusted Grouper with Stone Cab Rice and Spicy Ponzu
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of chef Rich Knowles

1 lb fresh Grouper, cut into 2 8-ounce pieces
2 tbsp seasoned flour, with paprika, salt and pepper
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
4 oz stone crab meat, boiled - leave meat in claws for better presentation
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 cup Jasmine rice
1 large egg, scrambled
6 sprigs cilantro, for garnish

Spicy Ponzu:
4 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp orange juice
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch and 1 tbsp water, whisked to make into a slurry
2 tsp Sriracha 


In a small pot, make the ponzu sauce by adding the mirin, soy, orange and lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Then add the cornstarch slurry, and whisk slowly until it thickens. Finally, add in the Sriracha and remove from the heat.

Boil the jasmine rice until cooked through, but still a little al dente. Meanwhile, while the rice is cooking, scramble the egg and set aside. Then heat up a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. While the pan is heating, season the grouper filet with salt and pepper, and place the thinly sliced shallots on top. Add the seasoned flour evenly atop the shallots and lightly press down, then carefully place the filets shallot-side down in the hot pan and cook until a golden crust is formed. Finish, shallot side up in a preheated 375°F oven, for 8-10 minutes until the fish is cooked through but still moist.

Prepare the fried rice while the fish is baking. Heat up the sauté pan with the final tablespoon of olive oil and add the jasmine rice. Stir the rice around for a few minutes and add the ponzu sauce. Keep the het high and stir for a minute or two until it starts bubbling, then add the scramble egg, sliced green onions and stone crab meat. After 30 seconds, turn off the heat. 

To serve, place the fried rice on 2 plates with the grouper on top. Place  a few crab claws around the rice and drizzle any extra sauce around the plate. Garish with cilantro sprigs or green onion. Serve immediately.









Monday, March 24, 2025

The Shore on Longboat Key: Coastal Cuisine



Overlooking the sparkling blue waters of Sarasota Bay, Shore opened on Longboat Key in 2019 replacing Moore’s Stone Crab which operated for over 40 years. With clear, panoramic views of Sarasota Bay, Shore has quickly become a Longboat Key staple. Tiered "stadium-style" seating gives every table an uninterrupted view of the water, and large windows allow natural daylight to flow through the building. The design aesthetic has an old Florida feel with a mid century and modern twist, with all of the booths and tables made reclaimed Balinese teak and locally sourced cypress. 

Shore's inspired menu of creative coastal cuisine, dreamed up by talented chef Dylan Elhajoui, features dishes from around the globe, and showcases dishes such as Key West Shrimp and Scallop Risotto, Lump Blue Crab Cakes, Lobster Sliders, Fish Tacos and chef Elhajoui's sensational Miso Marinated Black Grouper served with crystallized ginger basil sticky rice cake and sake-braised shiitake mushrooms. Former Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant co-owners Alan Moore and Robert Hicks even act as consultants during stone crab season, making it a culinary marriage of the old and the new — it's a 'shore' thing.



Glass of Prosecco

Roasted Red and Gold Beet Salad with mixed greens, walnuts, citrus,
pistachio goat cheese and walnut porto vinaigrette

Pinot Grigio

Miso Marinated Black Grouper with crystallized ginger and basil sticky rice cake,
sake braisee shiitake mushrooms and miso coconut vin blanc sauce

Pasta al Fresco with half lobster tail, shrimp, mussels, octopus, fresh baby corn, 
baby zucchini, sautéed heirloom tomatoes, leeks, creamy tomato sauce and fresh basil