Like a good wine or stinky cheese, Sarasota’s culinary scene only gets better with age. Savor Sarasota, our version of “Restaurant Week,” gives the area’s most inventive chefs the arena to craft specialty menus that hone in on their foodie dreams. This year, over 60 local restaurants give Sarasotans a taste of what they’re made of with 14 days of culinary exploration. 

Two restaurants pushing the boundaries of their craft are The Table Creekside and Brasa & Pisco. At The Table, you’ll find three courses full to the brim with subtle spices and melt-in-your mouth adornments. Start with the Roman tenderloin carpaccio—tender slices of blood-red meat easily separate with just a pull of the fork and are sprinkled with tangy teeny bites of pickled cantaloupe and honeydew mignonette. The “can’t miss” aspect of this dish lies in the perfect saltiness of the crunchy, crispy, flaky baked chickpeas. Go for the Chilean sea bass for the entrée; baby pink shrimp and slivers of Albariño grapes compliment the lightweight white fish’s sweetness.

Brasa & Pisco adds a flare of Peruvian deep spice to the palate—lime and cilantro the superstars of the menu. Begin with classic Corvina cevice, a chilled mild fish marinated in fresh-squeezed lime juice, topped with a roasted red bell pepper rocoto sauce, fragrant red onions, grilled choclo corn and chunks of sweet potato. The unassuming “Seco” proves a winner for the entrée—a giant Portobello mushroom steak is cooked in a savory cilantro green sauce with Chilean Carmenere wine and served alongside earthy roasted garlic quinoa. Finish with a trio of traditional Peruvian Alfajores cookies—the dulce de leche is to die for. 

Savor Sarasota; The Table Creekside, 5365 S Tamiami Trl., Sarasota, 941-921-9465, Brasa & Pisco, 8347 Lockwood Ridge Rd., Sarasota, 941-360-0300