Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse    5770 Ranch Lake Blvd. Bradenton  😋😋😋😋

If you are looking for your typical Benihana Of Tokyo style restaurant, where the chef prepares the food in front of you while putting on a show, this restaurant is supposedly the one to go to. Personally, I have never been there to experience this there, but check back with us later. I will be arranging a small group of neighbors to try it out.

Meanwhile, we found that it has a great lunch menu. I am a creature of habit, so I keep coming back for their bento box meal. When you find something that's really good, why switch?!

Lunch Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box

Served with Miso Soup, House salad w. Ginger Dressing, 2 pcs Gyoza, 

4 pcs California Roll and Steamed Rice

Comes in either steak, vegetable, shrimp breaded pork, salmon; 

or for the exotic taste buds you can have it in raw fish or eel.

It can even be ordered tempura style, but to me the tempura batter is a bit heavy on my stomach and it takes away from the flavor of the meat.   

Have you figured out by now that my wife is a fan of "chicken anyway they make it"?  It doesn't look as fancy as the bento box meals, but it taste won't disappoint.

Chicken Lunch Hibachi

Served with Clear soup, Salad w. Ginger Dressing & Fried Rice

You can also get it with either steak, vegetable, shrimp or filet mignon. 

If you are sushi fan, you won't be reading any reviews from me. But I have been there weekdays when the counter around the sushi station is abuzz with people slurping their sushi. Or at least, that's what I guess you do when you eat slippery food! Give me an oven or a fry pan cooked food any day!

Cassariano Italian Eatery    243 N Cattleman Rd UTC Mall Sarasota  😋😋😋😋😋

When you go to this restaurant, you won't know whether you are eating in a restaurant or if you went into an art studio by accident. The appearance of the food is so amazing that you almost don't want to eat it! Well, not really almost! As soon as your eyes devour the beauty of the presentation, your nose will tell your mouth to get busy.

We took 28 of our best friends there recently and had dinner in a private room. I was pleasantly surprised at how fast the service was. And more importantly, the quality didn't suffer!

My wife always starts her meal her with the minestrone soup. She uses only one word to describe it... EXCELLENT! Of course, that assumes that she will stop long enough while eating it to say a word! I know it doesn't look like your traditional minestrone soup, but at dinner time, for some unknown secret reason, its actually red like you would expect. Color aside, you will love it.

I would have added a picture here, 

but by the time her soup arrived 

and I got my cell phone out of my pocket, 

the soup was just about gone! 

They have a very large menu, but don't have the traditional chicken parmigiana that I use to gauge any Italian restaurant.  To say I settled for a veal chop, is an insult to the poor little creature who gave its life so I could have a great meal. 

Veal Chop alla Caprese Breaded veal chop, marinated tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella

This guy came out perfecto and ridiculously large.  Good thing I am a growing boy, or I wouldn't have been able to eat all of this. It comes out on its own wooden table! 

If you are looking for a flavorful pasta dish, look no further than the 

Pappardelle in Salsa di Funghi e Salsicci.  

Its Homemade pappardelle, sausage, mushroom sauce, with ricotta salata. 

The aroma is almost as good as the taste. A crowd pleaser for sure.

If a seafood dish is in your thoughts, try the 

Salmone ai Ferri Grilled salmon, spinach, in a mild lemon sauce. 

Once my wife finished her minestrone soup, which didn't take her long to consume, 

she moved on to her favorite dish, 

Scaloppine di Vitello ai Porcini. 

Veal scaloppini, porcini mushroom sauce, medallion potatoes

No need to ask for a knife with this dish. The veal is so tender it practically cuts itself! 

Cassariano is the latest addition to a stellar line up of restaurants at University Town Center. Be sure to stop by and delight in its scrumptious menu. 

By the way, did I tell you I gave it a five out of five rating??!!

Chianti Ristorante Italiano 3900 Clark Road Sarasota

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Probably the best overall Italian restaurant when it comes to menu, friendly atmosphere and price, bar none! Located at 3900 Clark Road in an obscure professional business center, Chianti's is an Italian lover's favorite. The food is excellent, the wait staff is un-paralleled and prices are very reasonable.

The menu is quite extensive and includes daily specials. Tuesday is Lobster Night that includes a whole Maine lobster, soup or salad, veggies, potatoes and warm Chianti bread. At $19.95 it's a great deal. If you are able to get there early enough to be seated between 4PM and 530PM any night, they have a three course early bird special that includes many of our favorite dishes, again for only $19.95.

Check out some of the favorite meals we have had there off the regular menu:

Chicken Marsala is always a fan favorite. The marsala sauce is thick and incredibly rich in flavor. So rich in fact, that you think you are drinking marsala wine by the glass!

 

If you prefer piccata sauce, try it with chicken or the veal shown below. You can hear the chef tenderizing the veal before you even walk in the door!

 



Can you see how big these meatballs are? Well, you wont believe how big they are in taste too! Your choice in pasta. When someone talks about a "meat lovers special", this is what they are referring to.

The rack of lamb is my favorite. Skip the sharp knife! You wont need one. And while Mary had a little lamb, you won't have a little lamb portion at Chianti's.

 Try the minestrone soup. You wont find any better.

 

Make sure you leave room (if possible ) for dessert. Sarasota Magazine raves about the bread pudding made from fresh croissants topped with rich vanilla ice cream. You will rave too!

 



 

Overall, a great place to dine!

Popi's Place on the Ranch 5820 Ranch Lake Blvd. Bradenton

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If you have lived around here for more than a few months, you have no doubt heard of a local "chain" of eight family restaurants called Popi's Place. Our local venue is called Popi's Place on the Ranch. Its located in the Walmart shopping center at the State Road 70 exit off Interstate 75.

Popi's Place calls themselves a Greek American comfort food family style restaurant. I don't understand the Greek influence except for the Greek salad or the hero sandwich on their menu. Frankly, people don't go there for Greek food. If you want real Greek food drive north to Tarpon Springs. We go to Popi's because it serves great food at a great price. The menu is extensive and their daily specials contain surprisingly great food at a ridiculously low price. If you have kids and don't want to break the bank, this is the place to go to.

If you are lucky enough to be there when they have their chicken pot pie special, you have to try it to believe it. But you better be hungry!  If you are really lucky they will be serving veal shank (or osso bucco as they call it at pooh pooh restaurants!). Its quite good and even better since they only charge around $10 for what I have paid $25 elsewhere for the same portion and quality. Your plate may not look as pretty as at fancy restaurants, but you will overlook that the second the first piece of meat crosses your lips!



I would say that they are probably best know for their breakfast menu, which is available all day long. Their pancakes are the best and their combo specials provide you with an abundant breakfast meal. You probably don't want to eat this right before you have your cholesterol check! But then again, you only live once.

Sunny Wok 8756 E State Rd 70 Bradenton

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Sometimes you just want inexpensive but good Chinese food for lunch or dinner. There are literally dozens of little Chinese restaurants in our area. While many are very inexpensive, very very few serve good tasting food.

Having moved here from the DC area where great Chinese restaurants could be found at almost every street corner, we were shocked to find the quality of the Chinese food here was severely lacking. So, after having been to at least a dozen contenders, we found this little restaurant hidden off State Road 70 in that shopping center that houses a big Goodwill store. The owner says he has been at this location for 12 years. How did we not see this place in the 5 years we have been here? I guess it would have helped if his main sign wasn't obscured by the façade of the shopping center. If you don't look straight on, you'll never see it.

When you walk in the door, you'll note that there aren't many places to sit down. I count 3 booths and three small tables. You'll stop looking at the floor space when that whiff of sensational aromas come swirling out of the kitchen located just a few feet behind the counter. Frankly, its more of a take out place than a sit down diner. However, if you choose to eat there, the owner will provide you with metal silverware rather than the plasticware provided for take out customers.

Its a typical Chinese restaurant with pictures of meals they serve. But what will surprise you is that lunch specials include white or fried rice, your choice of soup, and a selection of two dozen or more entrees at the low price of $5.95! Seriously?! A larger dinner portioned size includes an egg roll for $7.95 .

I love General Tsos chicken. I don't know what battle he fought in to earn the right to have his name enshrined forever in this tasty dish, but I am glad someone came up with this recipe. For me, I can never decide between egg drop or wonton soup, but the owner humors me by throwing in a few wontons in his egg drop soup. And as you can see here, that's a lot of food for $5.95.

My wife is a traditionalist and loves the chicken and broccoli dish. The chicken is always tasty and tender. Never been bland or dry in all the times we have been there. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture for you now. While I was arranging to take pics from my order, my wife already dug into her meal!

Besides the great food, which I will proclaim as the best around despite what the paid "best of the best" advertisements say, you will love the friendly atmosphere. After only my second time there, the owner and chef knew my order before I even opened my mouth.

Give it a try. You won't go wrong!

Mi Pueblo El Restaurante 8405 Tuttle Ave and University Bradenton

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Its not surprising that this area has so many Mexican restaurants, but it is surprising that there are only a few decent ones and, in my opinion, only one very good one!

Mi Pueblo has two locations. The other one is on Bee Ridge. I have not eaten at the Bee Ridge location, but I can't imagine its any different from the one off University.

From the minute you enter the front door, you can smell the savory sauces and hear the sizzle of fajitas brought to a table nearby. I have been there many times and its funny, but I have barely been able to get my butt in my seat before someone drops off a huge bowl of warm tortilla chips with your choice of salsa! I love the yellow, red and green chips. Nice touch since that's the colors of the Mexican flag. So, from the start, you know its authentic!



I am a big fajita fan! Steak is my favorite. Don't get me wrong, the chicken is very good, but there is something about the seasonings on the steak version that make it a standout. The onions and peppers are cooked to perfection. And in all the times we have eaten here, they have never been overcooked or under done by any stretch of the imagination. I am not a big fan of the yellow rice, but the refried beans are yummy.

 

On our last visit, my wife switched it up and ordered the Tacos El Carbon Pueblo. When I hear the word "taco", I immediately envision the hard shell that cracks and drops all its goodies on your plate (if your lucky its on your plate and not your shirt or lap!). But this menu item uses two soft tortillas filled with strips of chicken, topped with cheese, onions and peppers. Sounds like a fajita, doesn't it?! But they saved you the effort of building your own fajita.

 

I am not a fan of hot and spicy foods, but I was there once when the guy at the table next to me cried "OMG!! This is hot!...…... I love it!"

 

You will love Mi Pueblo too.

 

 





 

Paris Bistro 8131 Lakewood Main Street Lakewood Ranch

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There is no place like Paris when it comes to food. Even a good old American hamburger tastes better in Paris with the Eiffel Tower looming in the background. But of course, it might be more than you want to spend for that meal what with airfare, hotels, etc. So, let me give you the next best thing - The Paris Bistro on Main Street in Lakewood Ranch. The Chef and owner, Christopher and his wife will do everything possible to make you feel like you are in Paris. So, sit back and enjoy your meal. I don't think you will have a better experience west of Paris!

How can you have a French meal without getting escargot as an appetizer? I will warn you, if you don't like garlic, don't order this delicacy. Fortunately, the only way to eat snails is with as much garlic and parsley butter as possible. You wont be disappointed. And don't forget to dip their warm, incredible baguette bread in the drippings left behind!

 

When your stomach cries out for the next round, you can't go wrong with the Pork Parmesan or the Chicken Normande (yes, its not a typo here. That's how they spell Normandy at this restaurant, and who am I to point that out to them?! It was America that saved France at the beaches of Normandy, after all.)

 

The pork was prepared of tenderloin medallions served in a puff pastry with a cream of parmesan cheese and shredded prosciutto. The chicken Normande is made of diced chicken breast and mushrooms flambee Cognac in a cream sauce. My mouth waters just thinking of them.

 

 

Did I mention that they make crepes for dessert? Okay, they make crepes for dessert! I think I counted 24 concoctions that will make it almost impossible to choose just one. Unfortunately for me, when I was there last, I filled up on their incredible fresh bread with imported European butter to leave any room for dessert! But that gives me another reason to come back.

Speaking of bread.... stop by there for lunch and order a sandwich and salad. Ridiculously reasonable in price and excellent!