Word of Mouth - Downtown
We have been enjoying breakfast and lunch at Word of Mouth for years. The owners, staff, food and ambiance keep us coming back. We often stop at our local warm and friendly Gulf Gate cafe for homemade style breakfasts several days in a row.
The news is that now the downtown restaurant is serving delicious, value packed dinners.
Just as I begin to assemble ingredients for a heathy start to the day, someone often says “Oh why not just go to Word of Mouth?” I cannot cook at home as well for less.
The coffee is generous and delicious. Everything they prepare is fresh daily. Dressings, soups, muffins, biscuits and scones are made in-house. Nothing is a day old. The juice is fresh squeezed.
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Most of the well trained staff have been there since day one. Owners, Jeremy Adams and Shannon Lugannani are hands-on.
Although my typical meal is a simple serving of perfectly poached farm eggs, or a fresh veggie omlet, I am including a favorite Flounder Florentine recipe from their downtown location, now serving dinner. Besides a different special each night there is a selection of good beer and wine by the glass.
Each night brings a different special, for under $10.00. I rarely mention
prices, only value. But this restaurant is exceptional. I especially enjoy their healthy alternatives, such as fruit cup directly from the farm.
This is Chef Stephen Wahle’s recipe from the downtown – 711 S. Osprey Ave. location. Phone: 941-365-1800.
Hours vary at each location. The Cattlemen Road, near Bee Ridge, and Gulf Gate cafes serve breakfast and lunch.
Flounder Florentine
Ingredients
Flour
Old Bay seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons oil
5 ounces flounder filet
1/2 cup half and half
Salt and pepper
1 1/4 cups baby spinach, loosly packed
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Dredge flounder in seasoned flour. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter over high heat until foam subsides.
Quickly saute’ fish on both sides.
Transfer to oven to finish cooking, approximately 10 minutes, or until cooked to your desire. We prefer our lightly cooked to doneness.
Heat half and half. Work remaining tablespoon of butter and an equal amount of flour into a paste and whisk it into hot liquid in small bits until desired thickness. Season with Old Bay, salt and pepper. We prefer sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
Quickly sauté spinach in remaining tablespoon of oil, drain well and add to sauce.
To plate, place fish on a bed of yellow rice and top with sauce. We add a
few lemon slices.
We like this dish with lemonade, a glass of house white wine, or a cold beer.
The recipe was given to me by Molly Schechter, Food Editor of the The Observer. Molly calls Word of Mouth, Sarasota’s ‘Cheers’. We agree. Let me know if you try Word of Mouth or the chef’s great recipe.
DOWNTOWN SARASOTA
711 South Osprey Ave
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-365-1800
SOUTH SARASOTA
6604 Gateway Ave
Sarasota, FL 34231
941-925-2400
EAST SARASOTA
3981 Cattleman Road
Sarasota, FL 34233
941-377-0239
