Sarasota’s best summer plates arrive by way of Spain, Greece, Mexico, Costa Rica and Japan. When the temperature soars, these international kitchens make the most of the coast and bring you the sea. From fresh herbs and just-caught seafood to gazpacho and and sushi, these four restaurants know how to capture the flavors and the spirit of summer on every plate. —S. E. Miano
Alma de España
Chef Elier Rodriguez learned to cook back in Cuba, watching his grandmother fry croquettes and braise oxtail. After honing his craft in multiple Michelin-starred kitchens from Vegas (Picasso, Le Cirque) to Hollywood (Petrossian), he and his wife, Claudia, opened Alma de España. At this Southside village spot, tapas and an imported wood-fired grill do most of the heavy lifting. But come summer, the standout is Spain’s most traditional warm-weather dish: chilled Andalusian tomato soup. The Gazpacho con Langosta blends very ripe tomatoes, fresh vegetables and a dash of olive oil till smooth, then finishes with succulent lobster and crunchy migas. “In Spain, gazpacho has always been the perfect way to beat the heat while savoring simple, high-quality ingredients,” Chef Rodriguez says, wanting to create “an experience that is more refined and distinctly coastal.” 1830 S. Osprey Ave, Suite 104, Sarasota, 941-365-8426, almatapasandgrill.com
Blu Kouzina
Blu Kouzina was born over a decade ago, when founders Effie and Dennis Tsakiris transformed a vacant space on St. Armands Circle into a serene slice of Greece. Stroll into the new UTC location, and you might as well have landed in the Aegean: whitewashed walls and tables, blue accents and basket lights. Order the Sari Lavraki or whole branzino, about 700g, enough for two, says co-owner John Atanassov—served with roasted lemon potatoes and garlicky green beans. Have the fish filleted tableside for even more leisure. A classic Greek salad makes a cool-down addition: tomatoes, cucumber, sliced red onion, black olives and triangles of feta, glossed with premium, early harvest EVOO from the Tsakiris family’s grove in Messinia, Greece—bottled as “Green Gold.” 295 N. Cattlemen Rd, Suite 4, Sarasota, 941-377-0050 blukouzina.com
Kolucan
In Gulf Gate, chef-owner Gino Calleja named his Mexican bar and grill, Kolucan, after a variation on his family’s hometown in Puebla. Calleja cooked in Manhattan before settling in Sarasota, but his mother, Doña Reyna Europa, presides over the menu in spirit (and her name graces his popular taqueria down the road.) The Ceviche de Mariscos mingles Gulf shrimp, cold-water lobster and Spanish octopus with rocoto pepper, mango, fennel, red onion and freshly-squeezed lime, cooled down with sliced avocado. The rocoto builds slowly, a spice that lifts off the heels of the citrus and fruit. “Our ceviche is a balance of precision and flavor,” Calleja says, “bright, pristine seafood, and a level of heat that evolves with every bite.” 6644 Gateway Ave., Sarasota, 941-921-3133, kolucan.com
Waffle Monkey Sarasota
Waffle Monkey Sarasota, run by Pete and Kathryn Collins, is the local outpost of the Costa Rican-born breakfast cafe that began in the surf town of Tamarindo. Pete says the name clicked while his partners were brainstorming (“putting words in front of and behind Waffle”) when a monkey dropped out of the rainforest—inspiring the sunglasses-wearing mascot. Several locations have since cropped up in sunny places from Grand Cayman to Bonita Springs. Downtown Sarasota, the Fruit of the Day Waffle, handmade and Belgian-style, arrives “golden and crispy at the edges,” he says, loaded with juicy strawberries, whipped cream and powdered sugar. The dish, “indulgent yet fresh,” is “as irresistible as a summer morning.” Pair it with a cold milkshake—like cookies and cream or bananas and nutella—and eat al fresco while the galleries open up around you. 52 S. Palm Ave, Sarasota 941-210-3830 wafflemonkey.net
ZÅtÅ
At ZÅtÅ, UTC’s upscale Japanese izakaya, Executive Chef Atsushi Okawara embraces seasonality, flying fish in from Japan, then stepping back to let the ingredients shine. The Madai Crudo appetizer “leans into everything people crave when it’s hot,” says General Manager Chris Makapedua. Thinly sliced, translucent Japanese sea bream is delicately wrapped with slices of Asian pear, then drizzled with herb oil and lemon zest, and finished with homemade citrusy tosazu. “You can taste the freshness, citrus and bright flavors,” he says. The pear gives each bite just enough snap; the bream is clean and faintly sweet–broth give just enough snap of cold. “Unlike heavier, oilier fish, it doesn’t weigh you down,” Makapedua says, “which is exactly what you want before a meal in warm weather.” 190 N. Cattlemen Rd, Unit 5, Sarasota, 941-359-9517, zotosushi.com
