Amore: Modern Italian Cuisine on Longboat Key

Opened in 2014 by chef Andrea Bozzolo and real estate developer Howard Rooks in the former Mattison's Steakhouse on Longboat Key, Amore was completely renovated and reconfigured as part of a half-million upgrade, which took some effort since the space had sat vacant since 2008. Originally built in 1986, Rooks made significant improvements to the building, tripling the size of its bar, installing a new electrical system, new carpeting, landscaping, and added new artwork to the restaurant’s collection. He declined to say how much he invested in the building, which he bought for $1.4 million in 2004. "It's one of the old grand dames of restaurants in Sarasota. There are no restaurants like this anymore." Rooks’ original partner in the venture was chef Andrea Bozzolo, owner of Andrea’s The Art of Food & Wine on Siesta Drive in Sarasota, however just before this past Christmas 2016, Bozzolo left Amore to focus on his Siesta Drive restaurant, and Angel Torres became the new head chef, who was previously the sous chef for almost a decade, working with executive chef Jamil Pineda, at Longboat Key’s Monkey Room Restaurant at the Colony. “If you want to become a great chef, you have to work with great chefs, and that’s exactly what I did.” That's amore!

Amore managers Liana and Tito Vitorino worked at The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort 
from 1997 until it closed in 2010, and now manage the day to day operations at Amore

The outdoor Palm Garden of Amore

Amore's menu features modern Italian dishes

Fresh focaccia and mini baguettes

Whipped garlic butter, basil pesto and puréed sweet potato for dipping the bread and focaccia

Our server Ed opening our bottle of 2014 Picollo Gavi Di Gavi 'Rovereto'

Classic Caesar Salad with light homemade dressing and anchovies

Chicken Liver Paté served with caramelized onions, toast points and fresh fruit

Sweet Potato Soup

Arugula Salad served with ripe tomato, shaved parmesan cheese and house vinaigrette

Pan Seared Sea Scallops with garlic and basil white wine herb butter sauce

Lobster Ravioli

Cannelloni Amore stuffed with lobster, shrimp and crabmeat in lobster béchamel cream sauce

Spaghetti Bolognese with meatballs

www.amorelbk.com

Chicken Marsala
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Amore

4 chicken breasts, slightly pounded
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/3 cup veal demi-glace
1/2 cup flour
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons chopped parsley

Season the chicken with salt pepper and sprinkle with flour. Melt the butter in a sauté pan, add the chicken and sauté for 2 minutes on each side till golden. Add the Marsala wine let it evaporate. Add the demi-glace and cook for 5 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.



Classic Sausage & Peppers
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Amore

1 pound of Italian sausage, cut in 3-inch pieces
1 red, 1 green and 1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
1 red onion, julienned
1 cup fresh tomato sauce
3 oz white wine
Salt and pepper
3 tbsp fresh chopped basil and parsley
2 tbsp extra virgin oil 
1 cup of water


In a large sauté pan, sauté the sausage with the oil about 4 minutes until the meat is light brown. Add the white wine, cook and when the wine is evaporated add the bell peppers and onions. Cook together for 5 minutes and then add the tomato sauce and water. Cook on low heat for 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season with the salt, pepper and the chopped herbs. Serve hot.



Zuppa di Mare
Serves 6  
Recipe courtesy of Amore

1 lb baby octopus
2 lb Florida spiny lobster
1 lb fresh clams
1 lb Prince Edward Island mussels
1/2 lb stone crab meat
1 lb fresh grouper filet
1 lb fresh snapper filet
2 garlic cloves
1/2 quart fresh pureed tomatoes
1 small bunch parsley, coarsely chopped
1 small bunch basil
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste



In a large Dutch oven, combine the olive oil and garlic. Then, add the tomatoes, mussels and clams. After 1 minute, mix in the lobster meat, shrimp, grouper and snapper, and cook covered for 3 minutes. Add the crabmeat and octopus, but do not overcook or the octopus will toughen. Simmer for 2 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, parsley and basil. Serve with garlic bruschetta.

Shore: Florida Coastal Cuisine on St Armands Circle

Shore Diner is the creation of longtime Sarasota restaurateur Mark Caragiulo and partner Tom Leonard, whose previous triumphs include the wildly popular Owen’s Fish Camp and Nancy’s Bar-B-Q, both in the historic Burns Square district, plus the highly anticipated new Shore on Longboat Key on the spectacular waterfront location of Moore’s Stone Crab. Perched above the luxury surf-retail store located below the restaurant, also called Shore, the sleek, bright modern space makes a bold architectural statement, with lots of natural wood, stone and two 'living walls' — vertical gardens that frame the end walls of the open-air terrace. Opened in 2012, the menu focuses on Florida-inspired coastal cuisine using locally sourced farm produce plus baby lettuces, tomatoes, radishes and beets grown in the raised kitchen gardens on the roof of the restaurant. The interior of Shore is stunning, with outdoor seating overlooking St Armands Circle, and a large, high-ceilinged main dining room with handsome long bar and enclosed patio with a retractable roof for stargazing on fine Florida evenings. But it's not just the good looks that attract diners. Shore's inspired menu of creative coastal cuisine showcases sensational dishes such as Key West Shrimp and Scallop Risotto, Lump Blue Crab Cakes, Lobster Sliders, Fish Tacos and their sensational Lobster, Shrimp & Crab Cobb Salad with avocado, bacon, egg and chopped romaine lettuce with a yuzu-tarragon vinaigrette. Happy hour runs from 3:00-6:00pm and features six small plates and six cocktail specials for just $6 each, including Shore's popular 'Tequila Mockingbird', and bartender Mike Yoder with his 'Nice Guy Mike's Barrel Aged Cocktails' — it's a "shore" thing on St Armands!

Beautifully designed with lots of natural wood and stone, and an ultra-clean design with walls of doors that can open wide for a cool breeze on hot days

Set on the second floor above its namesake surf-chic store, this decidedly retro restaurant is an open-air space modeled after Southern California's mid-century beach cafés

Overlooking palm trees and blue skies from the Shore's second floor aerie

Shore's menu features creative Florida coastal cuisine

Mediterranean Chicken Sandwich with house roasted peppers, fresh mozzarella, lemony cress, 

and basil mayonnaise on a toasted olive bread

Lobster, Shrimp & Crab Cobb Salad with avocado, bacon, egg and chopped romaine lettuce 

with a yuzu-tarragon vinaigrette 

www.dineshore.com

Tahitian Vanilla Diver Scallops with Wild Mushroom Ragout

Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of chef Mark Traugutt, Shore

1 lb diver scallops

8 oz lobster stock

4 oz fresh chanterelles mushrooms

4 oz fresh Royal clamshell mushrooms

1/2 cup sherry

2 tbsp clarified butter

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1/2 oz black caviar

1 tbsp chopped Italian parsley, for garnish

1 tbsp chopped chives, for garnish

1 Tahitian Vanilla pod

8 oz heavy cream

1 finely chopped shallot

In a pot heat the lobster stock to a simmer. In a sauté pan melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, add the shallots and cook until translucent, then pour in the sherry and reduce the mixture by 1/4. Add the mushrooms to the pan let cook for 5 minutes then add the lobster stock and set aside.

Season the scallops on both sides with sea salt and black pepper. In a nonstick sauté pan, heat the remaining butter and oil and when wisps of smoke appear, place the scallops in the pan and cook for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown. Scrape the vanilla seeds from the pod with the back of a knife into the heavy cream and mix with a blender or hand whisk, then add to the stock mixture. Plate the scallops with the lobster stock and mushroom mixture and garnish with chives, parsley and caviar.

Michael's on East: Award-Winning Cuisine in Sarasota

Michael's on East is a Sarasota institution. Founded in 1987 by partners Michael Klauber and Phil Mancini, the duo built their unmatched reputation for exceptional service and inspired cuisine on the principle that "each guest should be treated the way they expect to be treated, every moment of each and every visit". And they seem to have done just about everything right for Michael’s on East has been a treasured fixture on Sarasota’s culinary landscape for years, which is especially impressive given that it's tucked away in the back of the Midtown Plaza in downtown Sarasota. The sophisticated décor by Anne Folsom Smith Interior Design from Sarasota, sets the tone and ambiance for the restaurant: the interior space is conceived as an Art Deco luxury liner, and we’re all guests cruising to some exotic port while being royally entertained en route. The décor scheme is rich in comfortable, opulent fabrics, deep colors and art work that favour the heavy use of gold and copper metal work. It all enhances the concept that you’re being pampered on a glamorous cruise ship — and pampered we are.

Chef Jamil Piñeda's sensational menu changes frequently, but some classics have been at Micahel's from the start and will probably never go away. Starters such as Maine Lobster Bisque with Tempura Blue Crabmeat, Brandied Creme Fraiche, Espresso-Crusted Yellowtail Tuna Carpaccio, and House-Cured Salmon Crostini with Olive Oil Crostinis with Roasted Yellow Beets and Montchevré Goat Cheese Drizzled with Caper Oil, and their outstanding Hoisin Duck and Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls with Sweet-Sour Chile Dipping Sauce and Pickled Ginger. The steak and seafood menu at Michael's is legendary with dishes such as the delicious Pan-Seared Scallops with Maine Lobster and Housemade Ricotta Gnocchi with Roasted Butternut Squash in a Sage Brown Butter Sauce with Crushed Amaretti, Grilled Provimi Veal Chop with Crushed Red Bliss Potatoes & Garlic Scented Broccoli Rabe, and selection of gorgeous steaks from the meltingly tender Filet Mignon to Phil’s Porcini-Rubbed 14-ounce New York Strip served with Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms, Arugula and Lemon-Oregano Fingerling Potatoes. Side dishes are equally tempting with Potato Croquettes, Fresh Creamed Spinach, Royal Trumpet Wild Mushrooms and Molly’s Truffled Macaroni and Cheese with Manchego, Gruyere, Parmesan. Welcome to Michael's on East — food heaven.

The courtyard entrance to Michael's on East with hanging twinkle-lights 

Michael’s on East has been a treasured fixture on Sarasota’s culinary landscape 

since opening in 1987

Castello Banfi San Angelo Pinot Grigio 

Hoisin Duck and Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls with sweet and sour chili sauce, 

wakame salad and pickled ginger

East Avenue Caesar Salad

Pompano Casbarian topped with gulf shrimp, tomatoes and haricot verts topped 

with a lemon beurre blanc sauce

Pan-Seared Jumbo Diver Scallops and Maine Lobster with housemade ricotta gnocchi,

roasted butternut squash, sage brown butter and Crushed Amaretti

Southwestern Seared Mahi Mahi with roasted garlic tomatoes, corn-avocado salsa, 

yellow tomato gazpacho and sautéed spinach

Roasted Bone-In Niman Ranch Pork Chop served with caramelized sweet potatoes,

candied pecans in a Creole mustard reduction sauce

Chef Jamil Piñeda

Sweet Onion, Baby Kale & Sausage Stuffed Chicken Roll with roasted garlic fingerling potato, 

baby carrots and grilled red bell peppers

Down South Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Icing and Candied Pecans

and Pan-Seared Scottish Salmon with black Eyed Pea & Tasso Casserole, Roasted Tomatoes, 

Ham Bone Broth, Garnished with Crispy Leeks

bestfood.com/restaurant

Black Pepper Corn-Crusted Salmon with Fennel-Onion Confit, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes & Lemon Beurre Blanc
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Chef Jamil Piñeda, Michael's on East 

Salmon:
4 7-ounce salmon filets
3 oz olive oil
Kosher Salt & black pepper for seasoning

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes:
1 lb fingerling potatoes, thinly sliced lengthwise  to about 1/8-inch thick
3 tbsp olive oil
Kosher Salt & black pepper for seasoning

Lemon Beurre Blanc:
1 shallot, minced
1 cup white wine
3 oz champagne vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
1 lb unsalted butter, cut into cubes
4 oz fresh lemon juice
Kosher Salt & black pepper to taste

Fennel-Onion Confit:
2 medium fennel bulbs
1 medium Spanish onion
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/4 cup vegetable stock
Kosher salt to taste


Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. In a large bowl, toss the potato slices with the oil, 1 1/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, and then spread the chips flat on the baking sheet. Bake the potatoes, turning after 10 minutes, until they brown and start to crisp, approximately 25 to 30 minutes. They should be tender and browned. Set aside the potatoes until the dish is ready to be plated.

Slice the fennel and onion vertically into long strips 1/2-inch thick. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pan. Add the onion and sauté‚ over medium-high heat until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the heat to low. Add the fennel, salt and pepper. Partially cover the pan with a lid. Stir once or twice, adding the stock and cook until the fennel is soft and brown, and the onion slightly caramelized, approximately 15 minutes. Remove the fennel-onion mixture from the heat and set aside until the dish is ready to be plated.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, simmer the shallots, wine and vinegar, until reduced. Add the cream and let cook until thickened. Then incorporate the butter with a whisk until fully emulsified. Season with salt and pepper, add the lemon juice, stir and simmer for 2 minutes. Set the Beurre blanc aside until the dish is ready to be plated.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat a sauté pan to medium high, add the oil and heat until it begins to smoke. Season the salmon with salt and black pepper. Place the salmon top down on the pan and cook for 1 minute. Turn the salmon and finish cooking in the oven for 4 minutes for a medium temperature. Set aside the salmon until the dish is ready to be plated.

On a plate of your choosing, place a small ladle of Beurre Blanc and spread all around the plate covering the inside the rim. Place a portion of the fingerling potatoes in the middle of the plate, add the salmon on top of the potatoes and top with fennel-onion confit. Garnish with micro greens and serve!

Padang-Style Snapper Curry with Lemongrass, Jasmine Rice & Fresh Cilantro
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Chef Jamil Piñeda, Michael's on East 

For the Paste:
5 small Asian shallots or 2 regular shallots, peeled
6 fresh red Thai chilies, stemmed
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 oz fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
3/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 cup macadamia nuts

For the Fish and Curry:
4 each pieces of 7 to 8 oz Red Snapper
2 tsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp canola oil
3 fresh or frozen Kaffir lime leaves
2 fresh or dried red Thai chilies, stemmed and halved lengthwise
2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed, crushed, and tied into knots
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cup coconut milk,
1 1/2 tbsp tamarind concentrate
3 tbsp coconut cream,
1 tbsp grated sugar
Kosher salt, to taste
Cooked jasmine rice, for serving
Chopped cilantro for garnish


Purée shallots, chilies, garlic, ginger, turmeric, coriander, macadamia nuts, salt, and 2 tbsp water in a small food processor into a smooth paste. Set aside until the dish is ready to be plated.

Rub snapper with lime juice and season with salt; let sit 10 minutes. In a 12” skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add reserved paste, Kaffir lime leaves, chilies, lemongrass and bay leaf. Cook, stirring constantly, until golden and aromatic, approximately 3–4 minutes. Stir in coconut milk and 1¼ cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add snapper and tamarind; cook until fish is done but not falling apart, 4–6 minutes. Stir in coconut cream, sugar, and salt. Serve with jasmine rice and fresh cilantro on the side.





Pan-Roasted Bluefin Crab Cakes with Herbed Tartar Sauce
Serves 4
Recipe courtesy of Chef Jamil Piñeda, Michael's on East 

Crab Cakes:
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 oz Dijon mustard
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp basil, chopped
1/2 tbsp garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp. coriander
2 oz. mayonnaise
4 stalks celery, minced
1 Spanish onion, minced
4 3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs, divided
8 oz jumbo lump crab
12 oz lump crab
1 large egg

Herbed Tartar Sauce:
1 1/2 oz cornichons
2/3 oz capers
1/2 a shallot
6 oz mayonnaise
3/4 oz parsley
1/2 oz dill
1 oz lemon juice
1/2 oz Dijon mustard
1/8 oz garlic
1/4 oz extra virgin olive oil



Process all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor, then cool until ready to plate and serve dish.

In a medium sauté pan over low heat, sweat the celery, onion and garlic. Take care not to allow them to brown; the low heat will take liquid out of vegetables. Set aside and allow to cool. Mix together all ingredients except the crab meat, then fold in the lump crab. Gently mix in the jumbo crabmeat. Do not break up the jumbo lump meat.
To portion each cake, use a 3-ounce scoop or mold into cakes with your hands. Coat the exterior of the cakes in Panko breadcrumbs. Set aside until ready to sauté and finish.

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil, then four crab cakes. Sauté crab cakes on one side until golden brown, flip in pan and place in 350-degree oven for 5 minutes to finish. Repeat with the additional four cakes.

To plate individual servings, nestle two crab cakes together in the center of a rectangular plate. Prop asparagus between crab cakes and spoon tartar sauce on plate. Place potatoes on other side of cakes, drizzle with truffle oil, garnish with parsley and serve.

Beach Bistro: The Ultimate Gulf Coast Cuisine

Relaxed and sophisticated, Beach Bistro’s relentless pursuit of culinary and service excellence has earned owner Sean Murphy regional and national acclaim. One of Zagat’s “Top Restaurants in America”, Beach Bistro has been the island’s most romantic, fine-dining destination for more than 30 years, and its spectacular waterfront location makes it the perfect place to catch a spectacular sunset and enjoy some of the best cuisine in South Florida. And the cuisine is always consistently excellent, from their Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon on Parade with capers, caviar and key lime crème fraiche, outstanding Bouillabaise with lobster tails, jumbo shrimp, shellfish and calamari with garlic toasts and aioli, Herb Rubbed Pan Seared Rack of Lamb finished with a port rosemary demi-glace to the over-the-top 'Food Heaven' — Beach Bistro's rich marriage of Colorado lamb, butter-poached Nova Scotia lobster and Hudson Valley foie gras, all on a brioche bread pudding and served with a port, demi-glace and a sip of Essensia, which Sean christened — "a Dionysian vision from the end of a pier in Maine."

With it's spectacular setting overlooking Holmes Beach on beautiful Anna Maria Island, Beach Bistro is like a painting, complimented by the finest food in the area, an extraordinary wine list and dedicated professional staff that have been with owner Sean Murphy for years. White tablecloths, a rose on each table and romantic sunset view sets the scene for an outstanding menu that celebrates coastal cuisine at the highest level. Sean’s ambition has been the same throughout Beach Bistro’s history — to provide his guests with one of the best dining experiences they've ever had, and he's definitely succeeding, reflected in all of the glowing accolades that Beach Bistro consistently receives, and his dedicated following that return over and over again. Our family has been making a culinary pilgrimage to Beach Bistro over and over again since it opened in 1985, and it's definitely one of our favourite gastronomic traditions. Sean’s ambition has been the same throughout the Bistro’s 30 year history — to provide patrons with one of the best dining experiences that they've have ever had. Mission accomplished.

The cozy beachfront interior

Even a simple glass of water gets the royal treatment with lemon and rosemary

Complimentary cocktail with vodka, St Germaine elderflower liquor and lime juice over ice

Amuse-Bouche of "Helluva Tomato Soup" and grilled focaccia with tapenade, 

basil pesto and oven roasted tomato

2014 Nebel Rheinhessen Riesling

Orange blossoms and summer peaches perfume this delectably fruity wine

Bella Roma Tomato Salad with heritage plum tomatoes, warmed with an herbed vinaigrette, and garnished with baby greens, herb toast and Parmesan crisp

“One Helluva Soup” seasoned with Parrish plum tomatoes, sweet cream and Maytag blue cheese

Grouper Cooper with Gulf Coast grouper, pan-seared and crowned with a butter poached lobster tail then kissed with aurora cream

American Ranchland's Rack of Domestic Lamb from Colorado: Herb-rubbed, pan-seared and oven-roasted then finished with a port, rosemary demi-glace, and served with a glass of port

Grahams Six Grapes Reserve Porto

With a seductive, rich aroma of ripe plums, cherries and dark chocolate, the port was sensational

Floribbean Grouper with a toasted coconut and cashew crust caressed with a red pepper-papaya jam

Bistro Bouillabaisse: first, you hire a bunch of pros to build a killer broth, poach to order “Nova Scotia” lobster tails, jumbo shrimp, premium market fish, shellfish and calamari, served with clever asides of herbed, garlic toast and aiöli

www.beachbistro.com

Beach Bistro's Famous Bouillabaisse
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of Sean Murphy

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup vertically sliced onion
1/4 cup julienne-cut leek
1/4 cup thinly sliced celery
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 cup diced plum tomato
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp dried tarragon
Dash of crushed saffron threads
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp Pernod 
1 cup bottled clam juice
1/2 cup tomato juice
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 littleneck clams
4 oz grouper, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 medium mussels, scrubbed and debearded
6 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 5-oz lobster tail, split in half lengthwise
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Sprigs of fresh thyme for garnish


Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, leeks, celery and garlic and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the tomato, fennel seeds, thyme, tarragon, and saffron and cook 1 minute. Stir in the wine and Pernod, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the clam and tomato juices and freshly ground black pepper, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the clams and grouper and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes or until the clams begin to open. Then add the mussels, shrimp, and lobster, and cook for 4 minutes or until the mussels open. Discard any unopened clams or mussels and garnish with fresh parsley and thyme.