A Food, Spirits & Wine Blog

Last week we started my countdown of the top ten best Sarasota restaurants for burgers. Now that we've dispensed with the 10 th through 6 th  place finishers, let’s countdown the best of the best – the top five places for the best burgers in the area!   3 Keys Brewing and Gastrobrew in Bradenton, Burger Fi in Lakewood Ranch, Central Café in Bradenton, Whiskey Joe’s Bar and Grill in Ellington, and Yard House at UTC – those were my first five picks for local restaurants in the

I love a great burger!! Luckily, we have plenty of options for fantastic hamburgers down here in Sarasota. While we are far from sampling anywhere close to all of the great burger joints down here, we’ve tried enough for me to feel confident sharing my top ten best Sarasota restaurants for burgers – so far! Let’s talk burgers!! Burgers are my first choice when I sit down at a casual restaurant for a good meal. They tend to be my “canary in a coal mine” to determine whether a

You can tell a good Asian restaurant by the quality of their fried rice. If they can’t do fried rice right, how on earth will they be able to deliver delicious Kung Pao Chicken or Twice Cooked Pork? But mastering fried rice isn’t easy and making a healthier version of the original is even more challenging. Here’s an easy AND healthy version of Korean fried rice that you will love!   Anyone who visited Laurie and I when we lived in Alexandria, VA likely joined us for takeout a

Laurie and I just spent the past six weeks enjoying another epic holiday season! We are now winding down from the hectic pace and almost non-stop celebrations but also continuing to reflect fondly on an absolutely wonderful holiday season! Here’s a quick recap for you in case you weren’t here to enjoy it all with us! The 2025 holiday season kicked off for us on November 17 th  when Laurie and I decorated the house for the season! We love getting an early start on the festivit

I never trust recipes that claim they can be made in 30 minutes or less. It usually takes me considerably longer to make these dishes than the advertised 30 minutes. But here’s a “no-kidding recipe for a delicious vegetable soup that can be made in 30 minutes, guaranteed! I’m always on the lookout for quick, easy recipes that I can make in short order – some days I just don’t feel like spending two hours in the kitchen making dinner. Turns out these recipes aren’t difficult t