Recently went on a Saturday night for the first time. Had a reservation and we were seated immediately. Had no trouble parking. Service was friendly and professional, no attitude - which we were worried about upon reading some of the reviews. Great beer choices got the evening off to a good start. The tater epidermises was a clever take on potato skins and was excellent, as was the steak frites parmentier. Tanglewood chicken also was very good - the chicken was juicy and flavorful, the okra cooked just right, although the fennel bread pudding was a little dry. We were intrigued by the lavender smoked peppercorn pound cake with bacon honey gastrique - despite being very full already, we gave it a try and it was delicious - moist and just the right amount of sweetness. We give the place lots of credit for using local ingredients, etc - Prices also were quite reasonable, considering the quantity and inventiveness of the food, and portions were generous. We will be back!

We just went tonight and really enjoyed it. They have an interesting, extensive menu with, as you pointed out, dishes you won't find at other Indian restaurants in SRQ, including south Indian specialties. Ragada appetizer was delicious. Level of heat on our entrees was just as we ordered - truly hot for husband (not "Sarasota" hot), and mild for me. Service was very good -we thought menu and service was better than Gateway to India on Hillview. Decor is reminiscent of previous Moroccan restaurant in same location. A nice addition to Sarasota.

I believe the French Affair in Gulf Gate remains open. The relatively newer French place, whose name I can't recall but was located around the corner from the French Affair, closed. We never went there, but have gone to French Affair for years.

Restaurants are advertisers, too -- which is part of the reason it's tough to find completely accurate reviews in local magazines/newspapers.

We went to Lavanda years ago, shortly after it opened, and never went back, thinking it would be gone in a few months. We'll have to give it another try since we've heard such good things about it lately!

We ate at Ristra last week and had a great experience. Great mix of French and Southwest. Squash blossom tempura was wonderful, as was the arugula/fig/crispy yucca salad. Thoroughly enjoyed the crispy salmon and the filet. Service was friendly and attentive but not overbearing or stuffy.

Other favorites -- Pasquals' blue corn pancake with veggies, Tia Sophia's breakfast burrito. We also really liked the Shed. Had a good time watching the World Series at the Blue Corn Cafe's bar, munching on loaded nachos.

Wow, this is a tall order. Moore's is still open. (Although they had to close today because of a storm surge from hurricane Ike!) You can try the Colony Resort on Longboat -- they have several options ranging from casual/poolside to fine dining, and they're right on the beach with great views on the south end of the key, not too far from st. armand's. They can also probably accommodate your large group if they're not booked. The resort also hosts a stone crab festival every year, so if anyone would have stone crabs, it would be them. They may be pretty pricey, but you probably won't find great deals on stone crabs anywhere. You could also try the Columbia Restaurant on St. Armands -- it's one of several in Fla. -- traditional spanish cuisine -- paellas, tapas, etc.. A very touristy landmark, but fun and centrally located on St Armand's.
We really like Derek's. Not sure if any of the major foodies in your group will be impressed by these choices, but you certainly can't beat the views at the Colony....

Dry Dock on the south end of Longboat Key is a great casual place (usually very crowded) with both entrees and reasonably priced sandwiches/seafood pasta dishes and nice view -- right on the water, you can eat outside if it's nice. Good fish chowder. I beg to differ on Marina Jacks -- great views and atmosphere, but I would stick to drinks and maybe appetizers rather than a meal -- we've had many office lunches/events there, and the food has always been mediocre, but it's fun for happy hour. I second the rec on Phillippi Oyster Bar -- we always take out-of-towners there. Also, Capt. Curt's on Siesta Key recently won a big award for best clam chowder --- we go to cape cod every year, and Capt Curt's chowder actually stacked up to some good ones on the cape, so you may want to go there just to compare or if you get homesick! The rest of the menu is traditional fla. touristy seafood.

We'll be in Santa Fe in October, and are struggling with fine dining selections, particularly with the recent changes in chefs at some of the highly recommended places. We're trying to pick one, maybe 2 southwestern choices. Has anyone eaten at the Inn of the Anasazi since Martin Rios left? Do you recommend it? We're also considering Ristra (the french-SW combo sounds intriguing). A couple of years ago, we ate at Geronimo's (loved it) and Coyote Cafe (thought it was OK), and wanted to try new places this time around. I guess if these 2 places have new chefs/redesigns, etc.. we would consider going back if you all consider them "don't misses."

Also, we heard good things about La Boca, but are a little wary, as we can get good tapas at home - we're really focused on SW/New Mexican/Mexican cuisine this trip. So does La Boca have a SW bent or is it traditional spanish tapas? Looks like El Farol hasonly a couple of SW selections.

Thanks for any and all recs.