the article: https://www.gulfshorelife.com/2021/09/01/sugar-baby/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=taste
Tue, Sep 14, 2021 12:18 pm
Gulfshore Life (newsletters@gulfshorelife.com)
Tables Turned
Hotel restaurants have rehabilitated their reputations, which now imply gorgeous waterside locations, high-end design, top culinary talent, and the finest food and drink money can buy in Southwest Florida.
Sugar Baby
The Oyster Society on Marco Island reinvents a classic Big Easy cocktail with upgraded ingredients, creating a refreshing tipple for September’s sizzling temps.
Sweet Success
The Caloosa Kitchen bakery in LaBelle focuses on Florida-specific flavors that highlight the seasonality of the region.
Mildreds
Known for home-cooked soul food, Mildred’s returns to downtown Fort Myers. The popular restaurant, which closed its dine-in operation in 2008, opened a takeout-only location last month to the utter elation of the neighborhood.
ON THE HORIZON
Family-owned BCN Paella & Tapas will open this fall in Bonita Springs, specializing in its namesake Spanish cuisine, sangria and wine. It will occupy the former location of Ahana’s Bombay Grille, which has moved to Sunshine Plaza.
On Oct. 1, CMX CinéBistro launches at the Coastland Center mall in Naples. The elevated dinner-and-a-movie experience will feature an American bistro, full bar with marquee craft cocktails, and an extensive wine selection—all of which can be delivered to luxe theater seats.
Naples restaurateur Sal Sinzieri, known for MiraMare Ristorante at The Village Shops on Venetian Bay and Bice Ristorante on Fifth Avenue South, plans to open Italian restaurant Mare Terra in Bonita Springs this November.
KUDOS
“A Teaching Chef,” a film featuring Asif Syed from Naples’ 21 Spices by Chef Asif, won Best Documentary Short at the Dreamachine International Film Festival in Los Angeles. The A L Nitin Kumar documentary focuses on Asif's passion for educating people about Indian cuisine and cooking.
Last month, Narrative Coffee Roasters announced the launch of its canned cold brew—the first of its kind produced in Southwest Florida. Initially, the canned coffee will be available at Narrative’s Mercato and Naples Design District locations, before adding wholesale distribution.
Beacon Social Drinkery at Luminary Hotel & Co. in Fort Myers partnered with three other Florida hotel rooftop bars to hold a one-day Raise the Roof for Hurricane Ida Relief fundraiser on Sept. 2. The event raised $7,000, with $2,500 coming from Beacon Social.
The Naples Winter Wine Festival has engaged pioneering San Francisco chef Nancy Oakes as its 2022 chef de cuisine. The festival, which takes place Jan. 28-30, will honor the chef/owner of Boulevard Restaurant for her innovation in the food and wine industry.
Through Sept. 29: Sizzle Dining Restaurant Week is running three weeks of specials that showcase the local culinary scene via prix-fixe restaurant menus at more than 30 participating restaurants in Collier and Lee Counties.
Sept. 16: Ben Allen's Backyard Grill & Pub in East Naples hosts A Night with Nashville Songwriters, headlined by Ben Allen, Wynn Varble and Gary Hannan.
Sept. 16: Le Cordon Bleu-trained blogger and TV personality Blakely Trettenero hosts a three-course French wine dinner with a late-summer harvest menu at Luminary Hotel & Co.’s Workshop Culinary Theater.
Sept. 18: Jimmy P’s three locations in Naples and Bonita Springs celebrate National Cheeseburger Day with a Burger Madness lunch special: Get a cheeseburger with fries and a soft drink for just $12.
Sept. 19: The South Cape BBQ Pub Crawl returns with a tour of 11 locations, where guests enjoy drink and appetizer samples. Hosted by the South Cape Hospitality & Entertainment Association, the event runs from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. in the city’s entertainment district.
Sept. 23: Lighthouse of SWFL hosts its 11th annual Dining in the Dark. The unique, sensory awareness experience demonstrates the challenges of living with vision deficiencies and supports the organization’s mission of guiding people to independence.
Sept. 23: For its Rosé Renaissance dinner, Sea Salt in Naples pairs prestigious wines from Château d'Esclans in Provence with a four-course seafood-heavy menu.
Oct. 5: As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Sanibel Captiva Business Women’s Association (SCBWA) partners with Sundial Beach Resort & Spa for Pink Flamingo High Tea on Sanibel Island. The collaborative fundraiser will support breast cancer needs and fund scholarships in the community.