The Bijou Cafe - Sarasota, FL

When we first moved to Sarasota back in May, one of the first events we attended was the Forks and Corks Grand Tasting (reviewed here).  One of the restaurants that we have wanted to try since then is The Bijou Cafe and last night we finally got the opportunity to do so.

We arrived about 30 minutes early for our reservation, but they seated us immediately.  Of course this was the day before Thanksgiving, but it was still nice since we were both hungry.  We had both looked at the menu briefly online, we still needed some time to make our decisions.

To start the evening off, we both had a glass of NV Charles de Fere Blanc de Blanc Brut.  These are served as splits (187ml bottle) which is great --- every glass is fresh.  This was a nice, lighter style sparkling with notes of apples and melon.  For $7 this was a great start.

Allison knew that she wanted the trio of pate - duck, pork and mushroom - for an appetizer and I am always a sucker for bisque so these were our starters.  The shrimp and crab bisque was delightful, full of rich savory flavors and a hint of the Cognac used to finish it.  The only, albeit minor, complaint is that I would have like to have had more meat in it.  Allison loved the duck pate, declaring it the best that she has had in an awfully long time.  She like the mushroom ok but did not care for the pork at all.  This was served with a small salad and bread.

For dinner I decided to give the special a try -- seared Virginia striped bass with shitake couscous, topped with fennel, grilled zucchini and paprika oil for color.  This was wonderful. The fish was nicely seared on the outside while remaining moist on the inside.  The shitake couscous was very good, though I would have personally preferred more shitake.

Allison decided on the Bijou pepper steak, which is NY strip steak crusted with freshly cracked black pepper and seared in what was called an outrageous spicy hot sauce.  Unfortunately, while it was still very good, the sauce was not at all spicy hot but it did remind us of A-1 steak sauce.  Allison asked our waiter what the base for the sauce was and he came back with vinegar and molasses.  So, not sure what the spicy hot is all about but otherwise the steak was very good.  It was served with a generous portion of mashed potatoes and green beans.

With dinner we split a bottle of 2007 Foley Rancho Santa Rosa Pinot Noir which worked very well with both plates.  Moderately full-bodied, with notes of dark cherry fruit it did not overpower the finish but held up well with the steak.  Our waiter recommended this to us, and I think he did a great job.

Allison closed out the evening with the molten lave cake which is infused with Grand Marnier and served with raspberry sorbet and vanilla bean creme anglaise.  She thought it was quite tasty.

Overall, this was definitely one of the best dining experiences we have had to date in Sarasota.  There were only 2 things that detracted from the evening -- Allison ordered a side of pommes gratin dauphinois with her meal.  Our waiter did not deliver our dinners when they came up, and the one who did serve us did not realize that the side was ours as well.  Not a huge deal as there was plenty of food without them, and they did comp us an order with our take home so all is well.

The other thing that we found odd is that the wines were served poor wine glasses.  While the shapes were basically correct, they were thick, heavy glass with a rolled edge which is terribly for tasting wine as it floods the mouth.  As a previous Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner, we had hoped to have decent wine glasses.  We understand that restaurants can not necessarily have the proper Riedel stems due to cost but there are a lot of great wine glasses out there.

We will definitely go back, even if we do have to take our own wine glasses!

Cheers!

Pacific Thai Cuisine - Oldsmar, FL

Allison gets her hair done at a salon in Oldsmar, which is part of Tampa on the southern side, so on Saturday we were in the area looking for a place to eat lunch.  Pacific Thai Cuisine is in the same shopping center, and since it had been a while since we'd had Thai decided to give it a try.

Our lunch orders included a bowl of vegetable soup which included a nice mix of fresh vegetables, scallion and garlic in a wonderful broth.  This was some of the best soup I have had in a long time.  Lunch also included a basic salad of lettuce, cucumber and celery with a ginger dressing.

We split an order of fried Thai Spring Rolls.  Wrapped in rice paper and filled with shrimp, pork, mushroom, clear noodles, carrot, onion and scallions and then deep fried and served with a sweet sauce.  These were good, but a touch on the oily side.  There were 4 rolls, cut in half for 8 pieces, which is a large order (especially for the price - $5.95).

As is customary, Allison ordered chicken pad thai.  Rice noodles sauteed with egg, bean sprouts, green onion and ground peanuts topped with grilled chicken.  This was a very tasty plate, but I did not think that it was better or worse than a lot of other pad thai we have had.

I decided on a lunch special of shrimp with garlic and black pepper.  This was fantastic!  Fresh garlic and black pepper are sauteed with steamed mixed vegetables in a thick sauce and then topped with shrimp that had been stir fried with garlic and herbs.

The best part of the meal?  $21.25 for all of this food, including a to-go box for some of Allison's pad thai.

We picked up a copy of the menu, and the dinner selections look as amazing as the lunch.  I only wish that this were closer to home.  If you like Thai cuisine and are in Oldsmar, then you definitely need to be dining here!

Cheers!

2006 Agostino Pavia Barbera d'Asti "La Marescialla"

I was recently browsing through the Italian selection at the ABC Fine Wine & Spirits when I spotted this Barbera d'Asti Superiore.  We generally are fans of barbera, and for a superiore at this price ($20.39) I hoped to find a one that we could enjoy on a more regular basis.

The nose was promising enough, with lots of black plum and cocoa.  However, the initial palate was very bitter and sharp with almost no fruit showing.  As it opened up over 15-20 minutes, it mellowed somewhat and revealed some blueberry, plum and oak along with subtle hints of cocoa.  Unfortunately, the tannins remained pretty ragged throughout and never quite seemed to integrate into the whole.

Overall we thought that this was an okay wine after it opened up but it was not very representative of what really good Barbera d'Asti should be.

Cheers!

2006 Chateau Ste. Michelle "Indian Wells" Cabernet Sauvignon

For some reason Chateau Ste. Michelle is one of those wineries that just seems never to quite be on my radar when shopping for wine.  I have no idea why this is, especially considering that they produce some really good wines at very reasonable prices.

Take this Cabernet Sauvignon for instance.  I paid $18.99 for it at the ABC Fine Wine & Spirits the other day; had this been produced in Napa Valley it would probably retail for $30 or more but the quality would be no better.

According to the winery, the "Indian Wells" series of wines are intended to showcase a more fruit forward style of winemaking.  They have succeeded rather well.  The nose on this was pure cabernet -- cassis, leather and black fruit.  On the initial palate there was a blast of black cherry and currant.  As the wine expanded we picked up some green olive, vanilla and a touch of leather.  The tannins were somewhat moderate and a touch on the sharp side but overall this was a fantastic bottle of cabernet.

If you like (or love) good cabernet, I would highly recommend that you try this one.

Cheers!

Libby's Cafe and Bar - Sarasota

For Allison's birthday, I asked her where she would like to have dinner and she listed a couple of places we had not been to but were wanting to try.  At random, I picked Libby's.  Okay, it really wasn't at random - they were an option on Open Table and whenever we get a chance to earn points we do so.

Because I knew where we were going, I was able to peruse the menu beforehand.  I was really excited as the menu looked very exciting.  Then I happened to read some Urban Spoon reviews and I was concerned.  But as we have said before: have an open mind!

When we arrived, we were startled to find that the valet parking is across the street.  In fact, had I not driven past the restaurant looking for a street parking space we would have missed valet altogether.  Not an auspicious start.

We went in and were immediately seated.  I had requested a nice table since we were celebrating a birthday; unfortunately, we were put at a two-top right by the sidewalk and the doors were wide open!  In deference though, the place was busy and I did not really see any tables that would have been much better.  The noise level was very high, but not unbearably so.

The wine menu was decent, with average depth of choices.  The by-the-glass selection was pretty good and overall the prices did not appear to be too out of line; even in some cases appearing to be close to retail.  Unfortunately, there was not much depth at the lower end of the scale - the average price for what we would typically drink being above $50 and rapidly heading for 3 digits.  We started with a glass of Schramsberg Blanc de Blanc 2005 at $14 each and then split a bottle of Sonoma Cutrer Pinot Noir at $55 for dinner.

For an appetizer, Allison went with the beef tartare which could have been a meal by itself.  She said it was very, very good.  I went with the waitress' recommendation of wasabi seared yellowfin tuna which was good but not great.  While perfectly cooked, the crusting was not to my liking and the ginger-thai chile emulsion did not seem to go with it at all.

For dinner Allison chose the jumbo lump crabcakes which were fantastic.  There was tons of crabmeat in these guys and they were plenty big which is always a nice surprise.  I had the miso glazed Chilean sea bass, which I was looking forward to a lot.  Unfortunately, this appeared to be my night for disappointment.  The fish was completely overcooked.  While the flavor was good, it was like chewing cardboard it was so dry.  Yikes!  But, the overcooked fish was complemented by the undercooked bok choy which was almost raw.

Overall, I think that Allison was pleased and though mine was disappointing, I think that the opportunity is there so I will reserve judgement and give them another try at some point.

Cheers!

2005 d'Arenberg "The Footbolt" Shiraz

d'Arenberg Wineries first vineyards were purchased in 1912 due to the winnings of the founder's colt which was named Footbolt.  This Shiraz is produced as a tribute to both.

This is a big, full-bodied Shiraz that is somewhat of the inky and brooding style that we like, but is just a bit more fruit forward.  Dark, inky-purple in color with a nose of mushroom and spice.  On the palate, there are notes of cherry, plum and fresh black pepper.  Flirting on the edges of the wine there is also some bell pepper and a hint of dust.  The tannins are mostly subdued but still present with a clean, silkiness that softens up the end palate nicely.  The finish is good, but shorter than I would have expected.

d'Arenberg produces a range of wines at various price points.  This one is $18.99 but could easily be more.  It is a very good example of Australian Shiraz and certainly one of the better ones that we have had in a while.

Cheers!

2008 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc

In looking back through the blog to see what previous vintages of Cloudy Bay had been reviewed, I was shocked to discover that we have not posted any!  Which frankly I find to be amazing, as this is absolutely one of our favorite wines and certainly one of our top white wines.  Unfortunately, it has crept up so that it is not one that we can drink everyday but neither is it priced in the stratosphere either.  I picked this up for $24.99, which seems to be pretty typical price wise.  It is definitely worth the money in our opinion.

The nose is exquisite, with bold passionfruit, melon and citrus.  There is no mistaking that this is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.  The palate bursts with grapefruit, fresh hay and a soft undercurrent of white pepper spice which lasts forever.  The weight is full-bodied, but it is not heavy at all.  Bracing acidity rounds everything out nicely.

We drank this by itself and it was absolutely lovely.  If you wanted to have something to eat with it, I would go for some grilled shrimp or perhaps a cold lobster salad (no butter!).  You could also enjoy this with fresh fish or even a lemon-herb baked chicked.

This is a consistently great sauvignon blanc, and to us typifies what the New Zealand style should be.  If you have not experienced it, I would urge you to pick up a bottle.  You will not be disappointed!

Cheers

2007 Alexander Valley Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon "Wetzel Family Estate"

On numerous occasions I have lamented that it is difficult at times to find high-quality Cabernet Sauvignon at a reasonable price.  But it is a great surprise when you find one that is not only very, very good but also extremely well priced.

It has been a number of years since I'd last tasted an Alexander Valley Vineyards cabernet, but I did remember that they were always pretty good.  So, when looking for an inexpensive cabernet the other day I spotted this for $12.99 and decided to give it a try.  Boy, I am sure glad that I did!

The initial nose was somewhat shut down, but opened rather quickly and gave it some black cherry and currant.  On the palate there were notes of bell pepper, cedar and plum.  The tannins were definitely present, but they were pretty silky and well integrated.  A lingering finish of light oak rounded this out nicely.

According to their website, this would age for a decade or more but I can not see it going that long.  Yes, there is some potential there for another 5 years in my mind but much beyond that and I think it will begin to fall off.  The problem is going to be actually keeping them that long as opposed to popping the corks now.

Cheers!

2004 Clos Floridene

Graves is a region within Bordeaux, and has a number of levels of classification within it.  The most notable of these is probably Sauternes and Barsac, but also includes Pessac-Leognan.  White wines are generally blends of Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc, and apart from the Sauternes and Barsacs are meant to be drunk within a short period of time after release.  Graves is probably better known for its white wines, although there are a lot of red wines produced and some very notable Pessac-Leognan ones including Ch. Haut-Brion which is a first growth estate.

I had picked up a bottle of the 2004 Clos Floridene a couple of weeks ago, not making note of the vintage, and Allison drank it one Saturday while working on the final tan of the year.  She thought that it was very good at the time.  I was sipping on a Rose, so did not try it at the time.  The past week, remembering her favorable review I picked up another bottle which we tried last night.

Either the bottle we had last night was over the hill or the bottle she had the other week was a fluke.  In either case, this one last night was definitely not representative of a good white Bordeaux.  Interestingly enough, it had the same feel in the mouth as a chardonnay - both weight wise and in flavor profile.  There was none of the expected acidity but rather more of a fat, flabbiness.

I suspect that this could be a good white Bordeaux if younger, but I can not recommend this vintage at this point in time.

Cheers!

2006 Ferrari-Carano Sienna

Ferrari-Carano makes some pretty good, if somewhat overpriced, wines in our opinion.  It had been a while since I had tasted the Sienna, and Allison had never tried it, so I grabbed a bottle last week at the local ABC Fine Wine & Spirits.

The 2006 is a blend of 68% Sangiovese and 32% Malbec.  On the nose, there were hints of blueberry and a lot of bright, red fruit including cranberry and red cherry.  The palate was somewhat lighter than expected, with dusty tannins surrounding a core of fruit flavors, a touch of acidity and some woodsy, vegetal nuances on the finish.  Speaking of the finish, it was moderate with to us just a bit too much harshness.

Overall, this was a easy to drink, simple red wine.  If it did not finish quite so harshly it would have been much better.  Unfortunately, this one was $24.99 which was way too expensive for what was delivered.

Cheers!

Sea Star Cafe - Lakewood Ranch, FL

I can't believe that we haven't reviewed Sea Star Cafe, as it one of our favorite lunch spots on the weekends.  Another breakfast and lunch spot that is locally owned and uses some really fresh ingredients.

We have been numerous times, as evidenced by both of our Sea Star Cafe punch cards.  For every nine meals you buy, the tenth is on the house!  So far, I have been most impressed with their cooked to order hamburger and fries, but have also enjoyed the BLT, grilled chicken sandwich, and philly cheese steak.  Allison has had the Sea Star Club wrap several times - I believe that is her favorite.

We haven't sampled the breakfast offerings yet but they look equally impressive.  You can find the full menu on their website.

The only negative that we have had, and it is consistent on each visit, is the slower service.  It is especially noticable if you sit outside.  Otherwise, this is a great little spot for a very good meal.

Cheers!