I Eat on 5th Ave: Sophie's at Saks

"But Becca, I can't afford to eat in such a fancy schmancy establishment with chefs who have worked in Michelin Starred restaurants!"

OF COURSE YOU CAN!

Sophie's at Saks Fifth Avenue in UTC is serving up some of the finest fare Sarasota has to offer, and they are known to have specials like the one I just experienced. $15 for a three course meal! Sophie's also participates in Savor Sarasota, which has a similar lunch deal. It has a simple elegant-meets-contemporary feel that evokes a feeling of class without shaming one for coming in more casual attire.


If I wanted to, I could actually end this post with the first dish. The Chicken Liver Parfait is one of those Mic-Drop-Let's-All-Go-Home kind of dishes because it is THAT stupid good. This is what dreams are made of. The pate is ethereally creamy and flavorful, the onion confit jam is a sweet and savory punch that balances out the mildness of the pate, the lettuce and sprouts bring a bright freshness to an otherwise dense dish, and the grilled garlic sourdough gives that perfect little crunch for texture. 


THIS MAY BE ONE OF MY FAVORITE DISHES IN ALL OF SARASOTA. I had it last year at Savor Sarasota, and I remember loving it even then, but when I ordered it again this year, I thought, "maybe it's not actually as incredible as I remember" until I saw the look of pure ecstasy spread across my dear friend Anna's face as she took the first bite. 

Our second starter was the respectable Beet Carpaccio Salad. It was a gorgeous work of art with baby greens, warm goat cheese, and nuts. This was also a beautifully harmonious balance of cool and refreshing acidity, and earthy, warmer flavors. 


I was delighted to discover that this dish was lovingly constructed by good friend, Chef Brian Briones, who trained in Le Bernardin in New York City. I loved it before I knew he had prepared it, but then I loved it all the more when I found I had reason to be biased.

For our entrees Anna and I selected the Chef's Set Lunch, which was a petite sandwich of roast beef and Taleggio cheese on focaccia served with house made fries, and the Chicken Cacciatore.


The roast beef and Taleggio sandwich was pretty much like an elevated grilled cheese with ooey gooey goodness in every bite. The melted Taleggio was reminiscent of a brie with a pungent rind, yet oh-so-creamy body. For me, the only thing to be desired was perhaps a light drizzle of truffle honey.  The fries were just perfect. 

The Chicken Cacciatore was yummy and well prepared, but it was just that. Chicken Cacciatore. No real surprises there. I did, however, have a roast chicken during last year's Savor Sarasota that knocked my socks off in taste, texture, and presentation. The Chicken Cacciatore, in my opinion was not quite at that level, but it more than satisfied.


You know how the handle of the gas nozzle clicks when your tank is full, but there's always room for just another click or two? That was Anna and I when it was time for dessert. The tanks were full, but how could we not just push through for that little extra something sweet? Thankfully, these desserts were the perfect portions where they didn't send us over the edge into food comas and self-loathing, neither were they so minuscule that they left us feeling as though we had not had enough.

If we are being completely honest, even though I readily agreed with her choice, I was massively disappointed when Anna ordered the Orange Sorbet. How good could orange sorbet actually be? OH BOY, WAS I IN FOR A SURPRISE. Everything you love about fresh squeezed orange juice was frozen into a snowball of bright, citrusy perfection. It was like eating a frozen orange sans pulp and seeds (well, actually I found a tiny, pin-sized seed in it, which only added to the credibility of its freshness).


The creme brulee also did not fail to impress. It was The Form of Creme Brulee. Not anything innovative, but flawlessly executed from just slightly burnt sugar shell to creamy, vanilla beany base. Texturally superb.


Overall, both my companion and I left feeling quite blissful at such a successful lunch date, and we look forward to doing it again come Savor Sarasota 2018.

Ambience: 8.5/10
Service: 9.5/10 (Professional and polite)
Food: 9.5/10
Good for: Relaxed Lunch or Happy Hour
(Not kid or pet friendly)

http://sophies.com/sarasota/

*If you love fine dining, you may also like my post on Indigenous. Click here to read more!
https://beccaeatssrq.blogspot.com/2018/01/i-eat-sustainable-seafood-indigenous.html

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