Prince Edward Island Mussels
Duck Two Ways
Braised Lamb Shank
Banana Cream Custard
Poached Pear
Smores
Our Protagonist had heard many good things about Derek's, and he was not to be disappointed. It was truly eye-rolling pleasure from start to finish. The mussels came in a treatment of a spicy tomato broth with garbanzos that still had "bite" to them, and the addition of sweet peppers and house-made chorizo meant that every last drop of sauce was consumed, thanks to the grilled bread that was served alongside. Speaking of bread, the tiny brioche/biscuit/mini-popover that was served to the table was just lovely in its cheesy goodness. One dining companion shared his Yellow Fin Tuna Tartare, a generous portion accompanied by kimchee; the taste combination subtle, but good. Another dining companion ordered the lamb shank, a quasi-Morrocan dish featuring a fig puree and preserved lemons, but served alongside root vegetables to anchor a hearty wintertime meal. It was fall-apart tender, just as it should be; in short order, his plate was empty. Our Protagonist went with the Duck Two Ways; the duck breast was perfectly seared outside, with a juicy medium rare inside. The pecan crusted leg confit was extraordinary, especially paired with the creamed spaetzle. The bacon braised greens with burnt honey jus were a perfect complement to the comfort food-like concept of the platter; it was exactly what he wanted. Dessert proved a slight argument, but all ended up happy. One companion's banana cream custard with riccotta doughnuts was nice, but didn't approach the show stopping power of the flavors of the Pear poached in lavender and honey, topped with goat cheese ice cream, and sitting in a spicy bed of black pepper caramel sauce. Eyeopening, to say the least. Our Protagonist's choice was switched from the Frozen Trio due to a change of menu to the Smores; a homemade marshmallow caramelized atop a coffee mug of chocolate pate, or, the most haute cuisine take on Swiss Miss one could ever imagine. All that was missing was the crackling fire and cozy blanket. The silent nods of approval abounded, just as they had throughout the course of the meal. Service was unhurried, to say the least, but when the food was finally ordered, the dishes arrived in good order. One would become easily frustrated if they were in a rush to be somewhere afterward. Thankfully, a good bottle of wine softens the edge of such things...and paves the way for a second visit in the hopefully-not-too-distant future.
Derek's Culinary Casual
514 Central Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34236
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