Servandos, 1525 4th Street, Sarasota, 941-954-7400.

Thin, supple slices of melt-in-your-mouth eggplant layered with a delicate san Marzano tomato sauce and chiffonade of fresh mint served with buttery garlic bread. A bright and fresh julienne of green apple and chive dressed with pure extra virgin olive oil and Meyer lemon juice studded with savory prima donna cheese. Creamy Burrata with roasted beets and oven roasted heirloom tomatoes decorated with a glossy smear of fuchsia beet lacquer. I’ve just described a handful of the best dishes I’ve tried in recent memory and I haven’t even told you about the crispy pizza crust that had me decrying all low carb diets. The chef’s table dining experience at Servandos is a tour de force of gustatory pleasures that can’t be missed. Chef Joe DiMaggio, Jr. honored my lovely friend Kirsten Sponseller’s vegetarian preferences with a masterful flourish that we both thoroughly enjoyed. I’m no vegetarian but the lemon roasted potatoes and the earthy mushroom grits delivered the same level of extreme satisfaction that I derived from the thinly sliced chargrilled short ribs that I happily demolished. Welcome to the neighborhood, Servandos. Please don’t ever leave. 

Servandos, 1525 4th Street, Sarasota, 941-954-7400.