Dubbed the “Yellow Ribbon Riot,” the event will benefit Freedom Is Not Free, a non-profit organization that serves wounded veterans and their families.

There will be a poker run with starting points in North Port, Ellenton and Arcadia. Participants will attempt to win a two-night stay at a three-bedroom villa in Orlando’s Reunion Resort.

Music begins at 1:30 p.m. outside Pastimes Pub and there are 14 bands in the lineup: The Gladezmen, James Hunnicutt, Owen Mays, Molly Gene, One Whoaman Band, Mudtown, the Crestliners, the Downshifters, Coon Doggin’ Outlaws, After the Fact, John Q. Public, the Caffiends, Jump Salty, the Dielectrics and Judicator.

Post-10 p.m. until 2 a.m., punk and hardcore acts will perform inside Pastimes, and there will be country tunes in King George Pub (including a public jam session).

Admission is free. Raffle prizes abound. And a $10 event cup gets you discounted food and drinks at Pastimes, Mad Hatter, King George Pub, Monk’s Steamer Bar, Mr. Beery’s, Hurricane Mike’s, West End Pub and the Thirsty Turtle.

Pastimes Pub is located at 6540 Superior Ave., Sarasota. Info. 400-3071; facebook.com/yellowribbonriot, freedomisnotfree.com.

SCHNITZEL KITCHEN OPENS

The quaint establishment was formerly Broccolini’s restaurant. The interior is a pleasing setting of neutral tones, wood trim and high gloss tables where up to 42 diners enjoy authentic German fare and steins of beer (or glasses of wine).

Schnitzel Kitchen offers appetizers and salads (mini sausages, potato pancakes), the quintessential schnitzels (pork or chicken with gypsy-style red sauce, mushroom sauce or Holstein-style with a sunny-side-up egg); fish of the day, chicken paprika, goulasch, sauerbraten and curried bratwurst. Among the sides are spatzel, dumplings, apple pancakes and red cabbage. Then, of course, there is Kerstin’s signature apple strudel and the requisite rich Black Forest cake.

Schnitzel Kitchen is open daily from 4:30 to 10 p.m.

GILLIAN’S DELI OPENS
Gillian’s Deli on St. Armand’s Circle (7 South Boulevard of the Presidents, 388-1671, gilliansdeli.com) took over space that was once an ice cream shop. The co-owners, Gary Thornton and Pam Magee, do offer homemade ice cream and yogurt (sugar-free), but their fudge, deli food and entertainment several days a week are equally popular.

Named after Gary’s daughter, Gillian, the upbeat café features breakfast and lunch fare (with sandwiches named after family members – grandmothers Nannie, Delsa and Mahga).

The bright blue awning welcomes shoppers, while the upbeat interior features lime green walls accented with dark blue, circus posters and a large map for visitors to pinpoint their homes. Gillian’s seats 40 inside and out, where local artists perform several days a week.

For breakfast, customers can choose from freshly baked pastries, bagels and muffins, breakfast sandwiches and smoothies as well as coffees, espresso and teas. Among lunch choices are sandwiches, ranging from a pb&j with sliced bananas to stacked turkey, ham and roast beef with accoutrements. There also are quesadillas, wraps and salads, plus Cubans, Reubens and vegetarian selections. In addition to their signature ice cream, chocolate chip and peanut butter cookies please adults as well as the kids.

Gillian’s Deli is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and Sunday; until p.m. on weekends.

GRAMPY’S ITALIAN GRILL OPENS
Grampy’s Italian Grill & Deli has graduated from space in a Sunoco gas station on U.S. 41 to the former Howling Wolf restaurant in Gulf Gate (6550 Gateway Avenue; 822-2718; grampysgrill.com). David Learn – who was executive chef for a chain of Italian restaurants in Chicago, his daughter Darcy and her fiancée Shannon Jinkens – a graduate of St. Louis Culinary school, are collaborating on the new concept, which features favorite deli selections plus an array of dishes created on their new wood fired grill.

“We’re offering an alternative to fried foods such as skewered wings and stuffed jalapenos cooked on the new grill,” said David. “All the food is prepared to order and we use only fresh, local ingredients – even home-grown herbs. There are no shortcuts here.”

The chef added that an Italian sausage burger (sausage made on the premises), grilled meats on a choice of salads and the Italian marinated grilled steak or chicken are new on their menu. Among other selections are chicken gumbo, Texas chili, burgers, and veggies on a stick, plus party platters to go. The Italian creamy risotto pudding is a pleasing twist on the standard dessert. Beer and wine will soon be available.

The new owners have remodeled the space, opening up the interior to include casual booth seating for 28 and a larger area for counter service. Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Delivery services are provided.

SOFRITO MAMA’S OPENS
When Alicia and Jason Bolden couldn’t find a company that specialized in multi-cultural food for their wedding reception in New Jersey, they established a catering company, which they ran for five years. The two recently moved their business, AJ Caterers, and a take-out restaurant, Sofrito Mama’s to Sarasota Commons (935 N. Beneva Road; 554-8786, sofritomamas.com).

“Sofrito Mama’s is all about authentic, home-style Puerto Rican food,” said Alicia, “while the catering business offers Italian, Latin and soul fare. Sofrito is a staple in Puerto Rican cooking that is a blend of cilantro, red and green peppers, onions and garlic, which is used in almost every dish.”

Sofrito Mama’s, which formerly housed Paneolio, has seating for 12 outside and a take-out area and kitchen in the completely renovated interior. Alicia manages the kitchen where she creates “Latin comfort food” such as roast pork, the ubiquitous beans and rice and various stews (codfish, chicken and beef). There are fritters, soups, plantains prepared several ways, meats, sandwiches and desserts (three-cream cake, flan, bread and rice puddings).

The owners offer 10 percent off for the military, policemen and firemen daily and for seniors on Wednesdays. Take-out meals are available daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; lunch specials from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

CONTINENTAL CAFE PATISSERIE TO OPEN
South Gate Mall shoppers will be delighted to discover another breakfast or lunch option, with Café Continental Patisserie moving from its Siesta Key location to Siesta Drive across from the mall (2117 Siesta Drive; 954-3171). Though the café’s name is French, the owners Gerald and Dorota Presland are from Southeast England and moved to Sarasota four years ago after falling in love with the area when they vacationed here. They are planning to open the new patisserie in early March., which will feature some dishes from their homeland.

For breakfast, there will be freshly baked scones (cranberry, blueberry, raisin), pastries, a traditional English breakfast (bangers, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms), omelets, huevos rancheros, French toast made from scones and typical American choices. Among luncheon selections are fish & chips, soups, salads, burgers and pananis (a popular Greek version with veggies and feta cheese). Specialty coffees and teas will be available as well as desserts like cookies, brownies and cakes, all made on the premises.

The small café was formerly Solarzano’s Italian Restaurant and has been spruced up with lighter colors, cream linens on black tables and colorful paintings of European scenes gracing the walls.

Eating Companion (EC) and I have been trying to figure out a cheap but romantic lunch spot to take our not-yet-significant others. Upon the recommendation of a certain lady, we found ourselves trying to find a parking space within walking distance of Jim’s Small Batch Bakery, on Gulf Gate Drive. We luck out and park right next door, in front of a business called Muscleintensity.com which apparently sells supplements and whatnot to very aggressive exercisers. Ladyfriend is waiting out front, more or less twiddling her thumbs.

Jim’s Small Batch Bakery just celebrated its one-year anniversary. The place has made quite a name for itself in that short time, earning a reputation for exquisite artisan breads, some tasty sandwiches made from the aforementioned loaves, as well as some seriously decadent desserts and pastries. It’s a tiny little place, hidden at the end of a strip mall riddled with the most bizarre variety of shops — everything from Asian and British gift boutiques to vacuum repair and jewelry stores.

Owner James Plocharsky was previously Michael’s on East’s pastry chef, and is the type of dude that greets you by saying, “Hello, is this your first time in my bakery,” without the faintest shred of affectation or tone, just flat and deadpan. The smell inside is downright ridiculous, a combination of heady warmth and sugary sweetness with an undertone of … wait for it … yep: bacon. There is only one table inside, which is kind of charming, honestly.

We resist the urge to go straight for the bakery case, which is chock-full of sinful sweets, and order some sandwiches. Jim’s menu is very small, but cleverly curated. All the sandwiches are a whopping $6 and served on various fresh-baked breads. We go for a chicken salad, a ham and brie baguette, and what sounds like the most delicious sandwich of all time: the candied bacon BLT, or (C)BLT.

Plocharsky fries the bacon, then bakes it with maple syrup, brown sugar and a dusting of red pepper. He makes all the sandwiches fresh, one by one, so we take a minute to pick out some desserts: the magic bars look pretty killer, as do pecan sticky buns and cheese crumble rolls. We also nab the very last candied bacon croissant, sweet heavens. We order all four, then notice something we had missed: sticky toffee pudding. Jim demands he warm it up while we eat our sandwiches, which are ready by this point. EC and Ladyfriend look ravenous.

The place has an almost unfair advantage in the sandwich department, using such majestic bread. The baguette with ham and brie is airy and dense, the meat thin and delicate, the brie thick and smoky. The chicken salad comes on a fresh artisan white bread, with slices of deep-red ripe Florida tomatoes, and romaine. The salad has walnuts and cranberries (take note: all chicken salads should involve fruits or nuts — cranberries, raisins, fresh grapes, apples; walnuts or almonds, maybe even cashews, though I’ve never tried it) and the mayo tastes fresh made, light and smooth. The bread is so airy, so light.

It is actually kind of romantic in here, EC is saying, talking about the one table and the warm, lovely smell of baking bread and sweet bacon, which gets us to the (C)BLT. Although bacon is one of those catch-all, put it on something and someone will swoon meats, BLTs have been seemingly forgotten about. Shameful.

Jim’s (C)BLT is a dream, the bacon sweet and spicy, rich and crisp, the snap-fresh romaine and juicy tomato balancing the whole thing out on sliced French bread. We’ve almost forgotten about the desserts, we’re so ensconced in the sammies.
Jim brings out what we have come to call our dessert sampler, as well as the warmed toffee sticky pudding, with a few fresh raspberries and some whipped cream. The candied bacon croissant is tiny, a tender pocket of flaky pastry with a dense stack of the aforementioned bacon, which I’m not kidding I would pretty much put on anything. The other rolls are tasty and warm, especially the pecan sticky bun, which would be perfect at 8 a.m. with some good coffee.

The sticky toffee pudding lives up to its name, a pool of warm toffee sauce oozing out all over the plate. We dig in, ooh-ing and ahh-ing. The thing is unreal, rich and smooth, set off with the tang of fresh raspberries and whipped cream. The toffee is thick and dense, salacious.

We are a mess. We are gluttons. If lunch could ever be romantic solely based on the food, this is it. We’re golden.

Green Flash Brewing from San Diego, maker of some very hoppy beers, will be bringing their beers to Florida, according to a report from Gerard Walen on Beer in Florida.

Walen writes:

The award-winning San Diego craft brewery is well-known for its hops-forward brews, especially those in the California IPA style, though it produces stouts, Belgian-styles, barleywines and others.

…

An official roll-out party is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Friday, February 10, 2012, at Pour House Tampa, which is tagging the event as “California Beer Night,” so expect some other tasty West Coast beers on tap.

It’s been a long time since I had any of their beers, but I remember liking them.

Check out Walen’s story for more details.

Justin Forgea of A Body of Art Tattoo in Gulf Gate applies ink to a massive tattoo on Josh Taylor of Palmetto. (Photo by Carla Varisco-Williams)

Inside A Body of Art, Gulf Gate’s well-loved tattoo shop, artist Rhada Pizzo is talking about how her beloved neighborhood has changed. Pizzo has worked, drunk, eaten and spent most of her time in Gulf Gate for the past decade. She’s inking a stunning art nouveau shoulder piece — a painting by Alphonse Mucha — on fellow artist Abby Swartz’s left bicep, while we rap about how her neighborhood has changed before her eyes.

“It’s definitely changed,” Pizzo says. “It seems like it’s become more of a destination spot.” In the last year, there has been a great deal of commercial turnover. Many a local’s haunt has closed up, but just as many new businesses have opened up.

“The people coming are coming for a specific reason,” she says. “They’re coming to eat breakfast at Word of Mouth, or to watch soccer at the King George Pub. They’re here for a beer at Mr. Beery’s, or a cupcake from Heavenly Cupcakes.”

This may seem a subtle change, but for those familiar with the history of the area, it has been nothing short of seismic. The bar scene has waned in importance, and in its place an incredibly varied business community has risen up. And there are always people willing to stake a claim when a spot opens up. In the past few years, Gulf Gate lost both the Irish Rover and the Paddy Wagon, two of the area’s celebrated pubs. Last year, The Angry Pickle opened where the Irish Rover was, while the Paddy Wagon has remained an Irish pub, now called Kevinnigan’s. Danny McMullen has worked in Gulf Gate off and on for the past decade, at the Paddy Wagon and now at Monk’s Steamer Bar. For him, it’s still the neighborhood he learned to love when he was a teen, coming to see bands play in the early 1990s, despite the changes.

Danny McMullen and Geoff Aldridge, bartenders at Monk's Steamer Bar in Gulf Gate, share a laugh and a bear hug. (Photo by Carla Varisco-Williams)

“Gulf Gate to me is still a working-class neighborhood,” McMullen says. “We have a lot of old-school regulars, and then there’s people just popping in for a shot, making their rounds. You can still bounce around.” McMullen attributes the success of new ventures in the neighborhood to a certain kind of atmosphere that people have come to expect in Gulf Gate.

“People come to Gulf Gate for service, and for quality,” he says. “It’s a small neighborhood, and there are a lot of places that I won’t step foot in. But the places most people love are places where service and quality are taken seriously.”

One of the things many agree about Gulf Gate is that the most successful new businesses have carved out a niche for themselves. Where once people came to Gulf Gate as a destination in itself — to bar hop, or cruise the restaurants — nowadays people have their individual haunts, and those places have become more and more specialized.

“The businesses that seem to be doing well now are the ones that do one thing and do it better than anyone,” Pizzo says.

Walk the neighborhood’s streets, and you’ll see this does seem to be the case. There’s Veg, a vegan and vegetarian haven; every soccer fan in the 941’s favorite English pub, The King George; the well-loved Oh Mamma Mia!, which many claim to be the best Italian place in the area; the gritty punk pub, Pastimes, which is the only bar in the area grandfathered into the area’s noise ordinance exemption, allowing it to host some of the best live music in Sarasota.

Mark Tuchman, owner of Mr. Beery's. (Photo by Carla Varisco-Williams)

No place seems to embody this do-one-thing-and-do-it-well ethos better than Mr. Beery’s, which celebrated its two-year anniversary last week. Owner Mark Tuchman was drawn to the neighborhood for its variety, and among that variety a certain quality and attention to craft.

“There are 150 unique businesses in two blocks, and almost all of them are mom-and-pop places,” Tuchman says. “And somehow all the businesses complement each other.”

Before opening in 2010, Tuchman was aware of the area’s previous reputation for being more or less a bar-hopping neighborhood. But he agrees that that’s changed in recent years, and for the better. “All of the businesses are doing their craft better than anyone in the area,” Tuchman says. “These businesses are bringing a different type of clientele that might not have had Gulf Gate on their radar. They’re drawing unique patrons. Now, there’s everything from Jim’s Small Batch Bakery, or the King George Pub, to Solorzano’s white tablecloth restaurant, and you could go on and on. Monk’s has the best shellfish in town. Ooh La La does incredible French pastries. There’s everything here now.”

While you can still cruise the bar scene at night, there is just as much to peruse during the day — from retail shops like children’s consignment boutique Snappy Turtle Trading Company, to the venerable Sarasota Trophy & Awards, to the aforementioned tattoo and piercing shop A Body of Art, which also curates an art gallery.

“It’s like an outside walking mall,” Tuchman says. “But there’s nothing more strange to me than when people come in and say, ‘I live in Gulf Gate and I never knew you were here!’”

Although he’s a relative newcomer, Tuchman knows that these days bar-crawlers can’t even begin to scratch Gulf Gate’s surface, and destination eaters likely won’t notice the breadth of what’s contained in the tidy few blocks.

“People should come and explore it,” Tuchman says. “It’s going to take a while; you can’t take it all in in one day. And maybe that’s the beauty of Gulf Gate.”

Angry Pickle

ANGRY PICKLE: Homemade pickles and bar food, plus a decent beer selection, make this new Gulf Gate pub a prime destination. 6518 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 487-8983. (Read our Bar Tab about Angry Pickle.)

BADDA BING: Sports bar atmosphere, and great place to shoot pool. 6528 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 921-5109; baddabingbar.com

CHOCOLATE, NUTS AND MORE: This chocolatier has been creating the sweetest goodies for several years. Great place for gifts for all celebrations. 2114 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 925-1111; chocolatebarkcompany.com

Dolce Italia

DOLCE ITALIA: Casual style and décor for salad, pasta, a handful of entrees, wine and beer. 6606 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 921-7007. (Read our review of Dolce Italia.)

EZ PIEZ: Decadent pastry stuffed with savory fillings like black pepper steak or chicken and mushroom, plus sweet treats as well. 6609 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 993-0780; ezpiez.com

FRENCH AFFAIR: A storefront bistro that has served the Francophiles for years. Classic French food in a cozy atmosphere. 2637 Mall Drive, Sarasota. 925-3414. (Read our review of French Affair.)

HAIR OF THE DOG SALOON: 6523 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 922-4066

HAM HEAVEN & DEVIL DOGS: Great sandwich and hot dog spot that serves the hungry from nearby bars without food service. Symbiosis at its best. 2647 Mall Drive, Sarasota. 923-2514; hamheavenanddevildogs.webs.com (Read our Cheap Eats review of ham Heaven and Devil Dogs.)

HEAVENLY CUPCAKES: Edible art — moist and yummy! 6538 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 922-0024; myheavenlycupcakes.com

HURRICANE MIKES: Billiards, trivia, happy hours and happy smokers in this neighborhood bar. 2639 Mall Drive, Sarasota. 923-9827; geckosgrill.com.

Il Panificio

IL PANIFICIO: The second location for this popular Italian deli and pizzeria. This location offers a wider array of foods for eating in or take-out with appetizers, pasta and its famous pizza. 6630 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 921-5570; panificiousa.com. (Read our review of Il Panificio.)

JC’S PIT STOP: Ice cream and plenty of it. 2301 Gulf Gate Dr., Sarasota. 922-3187

JIM’S SMALL BATCH BAKERY: This bakery uses natural ingredients and doesn’t stock up — when they sell out, it’s gone until the next day. 2336 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 922-2253

KING GEORGE PUB: The place to go to watch soccer, this is a sports pub for Anglophiles. Be prepared to down a pint and throw some darts. 6525C Superior Ave., Sarasota. 925-1966; thekinggeorgepub.com.

MAK’S CHINESE AND THAI RESTAURANT: Mak’s has been a Gulf Gate takeout staple for more than 20 years. 2224 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 922-6765

Monk's Steamer Bar

MONK’S STEAMER BAR: Oysters, crab legs, shrimp, mussels and more – in a casual, comfortable place. 17 TVs for sports lovers. 6690 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 927-3388; monkssteamerbar.com

MR BEERY’S CRAFT BEER BAR: Center of the craft beer universe for the south side of Sarasota, Mr. Beery’s offers tastings and classes as well as a revolving list of newly-on-the-scene brews. 2645 Mall Drive, Sarasota. 343-2854; mrbeeryssrq.com

MUNCHIE’S 420 CAFÉ: Late night — they’re open until 4:20 a.m. — place for, well, munchies — and they deliver. Known worldwide thanks to a feature on“Man vs. Food”. 6639 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 929-9893; munchies420cafe.com. (Read Tom Becnel’s Overnight at Munchie’s 420.)

OH MAMMA MIA: Legions of fans will tell you this is the real deal, totally authentic Italian food bathed in a family atmosphere. Reservations are a must. 2324 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 706-2821; ohmammamiarestaurant.com

OOH LA LA FRENCH BAKERY: Incredible pastries, from eclairs to cakes, plus excellent brioche and some lunch-style snacks. 2705 Mall Dr., Sarasota. 922-0169

ORIENTAL FOOD & GIFTS: This busy thoroughfare of the Orient representing China, the Philippines, Korea, India, Vietnam and Japan offers everything from Korean sushi on Saturdays to the perfect tea set and wonderful cooking classes. The place to go for any Oriental ingredient for which your recipe calls. 2234 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 924-8066; orientalfoodandgifts.com

PASTIMES PUB: Pastimes is Gulf Gate’s live music hub, with acts that range from local standards to international celebrities. Great bar, too. 6540 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 924-7782

The wine cellar at Piatti

PIATTI: This Italian bistro and martini bar was opened by the people behind Il Panificio, featuring a cozy dining room and beautiful lounge area. 6630 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 923-5570; panificiousa.com. (Read our Bar Tab about Piatti.)

PICCOLO ITALIAN DELI: Dine in or take-out homemade Italian sausages and an array of baked goods and other foodstuffs. 2128 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 923-2202; piccolomarket.com

PIEROGI INN POLISH DELI: For the past decade, the center of Polish food in Sarasota. The enterprise has expanded to include an online store for pierogi lovers everywhere. 6611 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 929-0101; polishdelipierogiinn.com

POKI JOE’S CATERING AND CAFÉ: A Gulf Gate landmark; casual café with an extensive catering menu and some late night eats for the bar crowd. 6614 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 922-5915

PONTILLO’S PIZZERIA: Casual spot for pizza, wings and subs for lunch or dinner. 6592 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 921-0990

RICO’S PIZZERIA: New Jersey-style, thin-crust pizza. No relation to the rest of the Sarasota Rico’s pizza joints. 6547 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 922-9604

SAL’S PIZZERIA AND PASTA HOUSE New Jersey-style pizza, plus capable pastas, salads and other neighborhood Italian fare. 6582 Gateway Dr., Sarasota. 926-0022.

Sarasota Brewing Company

SARASOTA BREWING COMPANY: The area’s first microbrew pub, for 20 years or so this Gulf Gate icon has maintained its popularity as a great meeting spot and sports bar. 6607 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 925-2337; sarasotabrewing.com

SCANDINAVIAN SHOP: This spot has it all: textiles, gifts, clogs, carvings, rugs and delectable baked goods and groceries. 2166 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 923-4313; scandinavian-south.com

SOLORZANO’S: Classic NY/New Jersey Italian cuisine, from hearty pasta dishes to meat and fish. 6516 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 906-9444

SUPERIOR LIBATIONS: A small wine and beer bar that’s just getting started. 6616 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 923-6616

TASTEFULLY BRITISH: A tea room and shop and must stop for all Anglophiles. Tea is served from 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. with extended hours for the store, which offers a wide array of merchandise — from toys to British tea sets. 2236 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 927-2612; tastefullybritish.com

THAILAND SUSHI & STEAKHOUSE: The local Thai spot also sports a sushi bar, open for lunch and dinner. 2238 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 927-8424

THIRSTY TURTLE: Carries a reputation for an outstanding happy hour, along with a quiet, cozy vibe, pool tables and a great staff. Grab some chow at the “Ham” and drop by. 2615 Mall Drive, Sarasota. 927-3426

Tony's Chicago Beef Company

TONY’S CHICAGO BEEF COMPANY: Windy City dogs at their best, hand-cut fries and classic Italian beef sandwiches dunked in jus. 6569 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 922-7979; tonyschicagobeef.com. (Read our Cheap Eats review of Tony’s Chicago Beef.)

TOUCHÉ: This breakfast and lunch spot’s mantra is fresh and organic. 6540 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 297-2233

TRANSATLANTIC SAUSAGE & BAKERY: All the good things our European grandmothers baked are here, plus hand-crafted sausages and specialty meats. 6620 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 921-2253; transatlanticsausage.com

VEG: After two years, Veg has become the spot for organic, vegetarian, gluten-free and all-around healthful and taste-good food. Wine and beer, too. 2164 Gulf Gate Drive, Sarasota. 312-6424; vegsrq.com. (Read about the culinary philosophy behind Veg.)

Vizen

VIZEN: One of the best (if not the best) sushi places in Sarasota, thanks to the careful craft and innovative ingredients of the chef. 6559 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 926-0830; vizen-sarasota.com. (Read our review of Vizen.)

WEST END PUB: 6500 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 554-8905.

WORD OF MOUTH: The breakfast and lunch spot that has birthed a small Sarasota chain, the Gulf Gate location still packs them in, especially during season. Don’t miss the cinnamon rolls. 6604 Gateway Ave., Sarasota. 925-2400; wordofmouthsrq.com. (Read about how Word of Mouth has served over two million eggs.)

ZANTE GYROS Meat, sliced from a spit, served in pita with all the fixin’s. 6500 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 404-2099; zantegyros.com.

ZEST CATERING: While a catering company at heart, Zest keeps a few tables for café-styled innovative dining. 6584 Superior Ave., Sarasota. 685-6030; zestofsarasota.com

Sat. Feb. 4, 9 p.m., Pastimes Pub, 6540 Superior Ave., $3

This Saturday Pastimes will be showcasing newly formed SRQ trip-rock five-piece Pink Taco Talk, which features MeteorEyes drummer David Curran on guitar and vocals with Completely From Mountains drummer Matthew Rogers back on the skins. Also on hand will be long-running local punk trio Rational Anthem, now with Cassolette drummer Pete Stolp laying down the beats. As if this drummer hodgepodge wasn’t enough, Seattle female-fronted rock three-piece Big Eyes will make a stop off on their current tour to kick out a few jams. Help them out with some gas money if you can. It’s gonna be a long drive home.