The Beach House on Bradenton Beach

Recently renovated with a new outside beach front bar and sunken lounge area offers relaxing spaces with an all-weather deck featuring rotating louvers for shade or dappled sun, as well as misters and heaters to keep the temperature perfect for outside dining, the Beach House Restaurant has taken on a new life. The deck is an extension of the inside dining room with comfortable seating, controlled temperatures and a soothing atmosphere perfect for indulging in fresh local seafood and fresh produce from the restaurants own farm. "We wanted it to be a world-class location and adhere to the principals of sustainability and eco-consciousness while providing a space where our guests feel welcome and invited to enjoy," said Ed Chiles, owner of the Beach House Restaurant. "Causal waterfront dining at its best, that was our goal."

Sandy white Bradenton Beach

The menu at The Beach House has a daily changing menu of featured seasonal dishes

Beach House Bloody Mary 

Iced Tea

Seafood Bruschetta with crab, baby shrimp, diced tomatoes and scallions, baked with shredded Swiss and Romano cheese on focaccia, drizzled with basil garlic pesto and balsamic glaze

Beach House Burger with Swiss cheese served on a house-made bun with leaf lettuce, red onion, tomato and pickle with chips

Fish Tacos with fresh catch fish fried or blackened, served with slaw and fresh Pico De Gallo in soft corn and flour tortillas with 'Boom Boom' sauce and tortilla chips

Stone Crab Claws served with cole slaw and drawn butter

beachhousedining.com

Tropical Shrimp Salad 

Serves 2

Recipe courtesy of Chef Will Manson, Beach House Restaurant

12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 oz mixed greens

4 oz heirloom tomatoes cut into odd shapes

2 oz cucumbers sliced thin

2 oz diced mango

2 oz strawberries, halved

2 oz diced Papaya 

2 oz sliced Kiwi 

1 raw candy cane beet, sliced for garnish

Tropical Vinaigrette:

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup raspberry vinegar

1/2 cup your favourite fruits puréed

1 tbsp garlic

1 tbsp shallots

1 tsp fresh tarragon

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp sugar

Blend all of the vinaigrette ingredients together except the oil. Slowly add the oil while whisking vigorously. Lightly season and grill the shrimp. Toss the lettuce with the vinaigrette. Arrange the fruit and shrimp over the salad and serve with a slices of raw beet.

Beach Bistro on Anna Maria: A Culinary Gem

Award-winning dining on the Gulf of Mexico, Beach Bistro is one of the finest restaurants in South Florida, having received more awards for their outstanding cuisine than perhaps any other restaurant in the area, and for good reason — the restaurant’s focus from inception was perfection. Relaxed and sophisticated, Beach Bistro’s relentless pursuit of culinary and service excellence has earned owner Sean Murphy regional and national acclaim from the Sarasota Herald, Tampa Tribune and the St. Petersburg Times, in addition to being heralded one of the top restaurants in Florida and awarded the highest Zagat ratings in the state. 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 Sean 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. My parents have been making a culinary pilgrimage to Beach Bistro since it opened in 1985 so it's now a family tradition, and one of our favourite gastronomic traditions, especially during the Christmas holidays. 

Owner of Beach Bistro, the enigmatic Sean Murphy

Beach Bistro is one of the finest restaurants in South Florida

Water with lemon and a sprig of fresh rosemary

Glass of champagne to begin the evening

A complimentary aperitif of Vodka Cocktail with pomegranate and St Germain on ice garnished with a fresh blueberry

Amuse-Bouche of Beach Bistro seasoned Parrish plum tomatoes with sweet cream

and blue cheese soup plus focaccia with basil pesto and grilled tomato topped with black olive tapenade

One of the paintings by local artists for sale at Beach Bistro

2018 Cantina Zaccagnini Tralcetto Pinot Grigio from Abruzzo

A smooth, light, crisp and refreshing wine

2017 Tinto Negro Malbec from Argentina

Inky and concentrated, the vines for this wine were planted in 1955

Nova Scotia Smoked Salmon by Willie Krauch’s smokehouse in Tangier, Nova Scotia, with capers, red onion and Key lime crème fraiche

“One Helluva Soup”– Bistro Blue Tomato Seasoned Parrish plum tomatoes with sweet cream

and blue cheese

The Tucker-McKay Salad: warm Maple Leaf duckling with arugula, watercress and a cognac-citrus bacon vinaigrette, with seasonal fruit, red onions, and candied walnuts

Scallop Pan Roast: seared scallops in Beach Bistro's famous Bouillabaisse broth, finished with sweet cream and a soupçon of curry

Almond crusted American Red Snapper with mango and Myers dark rum beurre blanc

Warm fresh baked rolls with butter and honey

Beach Bistro's Famous Bouillabaisse - one of my favourite dishes and an absolute triumph 

Praline Alexandra : Bistro made praline with vanilla bean ice cream and Frangelico

www.beachbistro.com

The Famous Beach Bistro Bouillabaisse

Serves 6-8

Recipe courtesy of Sean Murphy, Beach Bistro

"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"

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 cup finely chopped celery

1 leek, white parts only, finely chopped

2 tbsp shrimp or crab base

1 tbsp dried tarragon

1 tbsp fennel seed

2 cups white wine

1/4 cup pernod

1 quart seafood stock or clam juice

2 cups tomato juice

1 tbsp tomato purée

1 dash Tabasco

3 medium tomatoes peeled, seeded, and roughly chopped

1 pinch of saffron

3 pounds firm-fleshed fish

14-18 jumbo shrimp

2 lobster tails

2 dozen mussels, bearded and cleaned

2 dozen littleneck or sweet clams, well cleaned

8 oz cleaned, sliced calamari tubes and tentacles

Heat a heavy bottom stockpot over high heat. Add the oil and garlic. Sauté the garlic for 5 minutes and then add the onion, leek, and celery. Stir the vegetables well to prevent burning and allow to cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until translucent. Next add the shrimp or crab base, dried herbs, white wine, and Pernod, bring to a simmer and allow to reduce for 5 minutes. Add seafood stock (can substitute clam juice), tomato juice, tomato puree, Tabasco, tomatoes, and saffron and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add all the seafood and cook for 6 minutes, or until the shells have opened. Discard any shells that do not open. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with a dollop of aioli and toasted French bread and garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.

Michaels on East in Sarasota: A Culinary Legend

Founded in 1987, partners Michael Klauber and Phil Mancini seem to have done everything right, for the restaurant has been a treasured fixture on Sarasota’s culinary scene for over three decades now, having built an unsurpassed 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. "Quite a lot has changed in Sarasota since 1987 and we’ve been proud and privileged to be a part of so many evolutions in the culinary scene, festivals and community events," says Klauber. Both partners enjoyed traveling the world and bringing back the very best from their adventures, whether it’s a new wine that Klauber and his wife Terri discover on a trip to South Africa or a new fad ingredient like kale that they find a unique way to utilize, the team at Michael’s are always reinventing their menu, but some classics have been there from the start and will probably never go away.

Starters such as Chef Jamil Pineda's fabulous Maine Lobster Bisque with Tempura Blue Crabmeat and my Mom's favourite 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 sage brown butter sauce, Grilled Provimi Veal Chop with crushed red bliss potatoes and garlic scented broccoli rabe, and selection of succulent 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 and Parmesan. After 30 years, Michael's on East is still food heaven.

Christmas tree at Michaels on East

The cruise ship-sale interior of Michaels on East

Big white fragrant rose in the centre of our table

Michael's on East sensational menu features seafood, steak and fabulous appetizers

Warm fresh baked bread and papadam with signature wrap on the butter bowl

One of the last bottles of 2017 Z'Ivo Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley in Oregon,

as the vintner is going to grow cannabis instead

Michaels on East Sommelier pouring the Z'Ivo Pinot Noir

Rich and full flavoured, it's a shame the winery is going into the cannabis growing business, because the pinot noir was superb

Hoisin Duck and Crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls with sweet-sour chile dipping sauce and pickled ginger

Baby Romaine Wedge Salad with Crispy Pancetta, Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Julienne Red Onions and Blue Cheese Crumbles

Lobster and Escargots: Sautéed Maine Lobster with Escargots, Scampi Butter, Shiitake Mushrooms, Thyme Roasted Tomatoes and Toasted Baguette

Chef Jamil Pineda's fabulous Maine Lobster Bisque with Tempura Blue Crabmeat and Brandied Créme Fraîche

7 oz Filet Mignon

Pompano Casbarian: Sautéed Pompano Filet and Gulf Shrimp with Tomatoes, Fresh Herbs and Garlic, Crushed Chili Peppers, Lemon Beurre Blanc and Haricots Verts

Potato Croquettes with Bacon and Gruyère

Royal Wild Mushrooms sautéed with garlic

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Butternut Squash and Caramel Fish Sauce

Caramelized Sweet Potatoes with Candied Pecans and Scallions

Roasted Asparagus with Aged Balsamic Vinegar

bestfood.com

Tarta de Santiago
Serves 8
Recipe courtesy of Head Pastry Chef, Ray Lajoie

2 1/3 cups almond flour, or finely ground almonds
6 large eggs separated 
Zest 1 orange
2 tbsp almond liquor
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract


Cream yolks and sugar until smooth then add all other ingredients to the yolks and sugar mixture, then set aside. In another bowl, whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, then fold into the yolk mixture 1/3 at a time. Pour into a prepared 8-inch cake pan and bake at 350°F for 35-40 minutes. Let cool then remove from the pan dust with powdered sugar. Serve with a berry coulis and fresh blackberries for extra panache. 

Pompano Casbarian
Serves 1
Recipe courtesy of Sous Chef, Kory Minor

6 oz Pompano fillet
1 oz vegetable oil, for searing
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 large shrimp
1/2 tbsp fresh basil, thyme, parsley and spicy pepper
1 tsp chopped garlic and leeks
1/2 cup oven-roasted grape tomatoes
4 oz green beans
3 oz butter at room temperature
1/4 cup dry white wine
Fresh flat leaf parsley sprig or micro greens, for garnish
Salt and Pepper to taste for seasoning


Add the oil to a sauté pan over medium heat, then season and sear both sides of pompano fillet with the skin last. Add the herbs and finish in a 350°F oven for 4 minutes and set aside. Heat the garlic and butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn pink, about 2 minutes. In another pan, sauté the green beans with garlic salt and pepper. To serve, place the pompano on a dinner place and top with the shrimp. Garnish with parsley sprig or micro greens. Serve immediately.

Rape Envuelto en Jamón Serrano
Serves 6
Recipe courtesy of Sous Chef, Kory Minor

6-7oz portions of fresh monkfish
12 thin sliced of Serrano ham
Salt and pepper to taste

Clams:
30 littleneck clams, rinsed very well
2 jalapeños, seeded and julienne
8 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 cups of chardonnay 
2 yellow tomatoes
2 red tomatoes
2 fresh limes
1/2 cup of virgin olive oil
1/4 cup blended oil
Salt and pepper to taste 


Season the fish and sear to medium-rare. Let cool, then wrapped with ham. Bake for 5 minutes in a standard oven at 500°F or 5 minutes in a convection oven at 350°F. For the clams, chop the tomatoes roughly and set aside. Heat up a medium-sized sauté pan, then add the blended oil, garlic, clams, and tomatoes. Cook for 4 minutes then add the wine and cover the pan until the clams open, about 3 minutes. To serve, in a small bowl place 5 clams with sauce then place the fish on top. Serve the dish with vegetables, rice, roasted potatoes or sautéd spinach.

Bowtie Chicken Pasta
Serves 2
Recipe courtesy of Sous Chef, Kory Minor

1/2 oz blended oil
1/4 tbsp chopped garlic
3/4 oz rendered pancetta
1 oz Shiitake mushrooms
4 oz diced marinated roasted chicken (recipe follows)
3/4 oz sun dried tomatoes
1 oz white wine
6 oz half and half cream
8 oz Bow Tie Pasta
1 1/2 oz grated parmesan cheese for dish, plus 1/2 oz for garnish
1/2 oz julienne snow peas
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Chicken Marinade:
8 oz chicken breast, boneless 
1/4 tsp powdered ginger
1 cup Teriyaki sauce
1/2 tbsp sesame oil
3/4 tbsp dark mushroom soy
1/2 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp brown sugar


Marinate the chicken breast in the marinade for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Sear on a grill, then roast in 350°F oven until moist and tender, about ten minutes. Cut chicken into medium diced sections for pasta.

Cook the pasta until al dente, then reserve. Heat the blended oil in sauté pan over medium heat. Add the pancetta, then the garlic and sauté until it's golden brown. Add the mushrooms, chicken and sun dried tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds then deglaze with white wine.

Add the cream, then the cheese and cook until thickened. As the sauce thickens, immerse the pasta in boiling water for 15 seconds to heat, strain, then add to sauté pan. Add the Parmesan and sauté until all of the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper then place in a pasta serving bowl. Garnish with julienne snow peas and a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.