Derek's Rustic, Coastal, Cuisine, 5516 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, 941-794-1100

Derek’s Culinary Casual was a bright spot in the perpetually up-and-coming landscape of Downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District for seven years. The definition of destination dining, Derek Barnes' inventive, award-winning cuisine relied on flavor, rather than foot traffic, to establish a devoted local following. When Derek decided to relocate his restaurant in 2013, I mourned the loss of one of my favorite neighborhood eateries but looked forward to the establishment of a new location in West Bradenton. Circumstance had prevented me from visiting Derek’s Rustic, Coastal, Cuisine until recently and I’m happy to report Derek’s new location and menu does not disappoint. We visited on a Monday, which our server informed us is Laundry Day, a New Orleans ritual whereby women put on a big pot of red beans and rice to cook all day whilst tending to laundry and other household chores. We opted for an intensely flavorful Roasted Pumpkin Bisque that warmed down to the soul and a twist on a Caprese Salad featuring creamy burrata, fresh strawberries and arugula.

Derek's Rustic, Coastal, Cuisine, 5516 Manatee Avenue West, Bradenton, 941-794-1100