Breakfast at the Broken Egg, Baby! April 4, 2009
Posted by dixiedining in Uncategorized.Tags: Broken Egg, Dick Vitale, Pumpkin French Toast, Siesta Key
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We celebrated my son’s 14th birthday with a family breakfast at the Broken Egg on Siesta Key. There is also a Broken Egg in Lakewood Ranch, but the SK location is just a short bike ride from our pad. If the name Broken Egg rings a bell, it may be because it is Dick Vitale’s favorite morning haunt and he promotes them relentlessly on ESPN.
I tried their famous Pumpkin Bread French Toast and it was indeed tasty. I added a little whipped butter and topped it all off with some pancake syrup. Eileen had some coffee and a big bowl of fresh fruit, while the boys woofed down eggs, bacon and hash browns with jam and white toast.
The Broken Egg is a neat little place. It is certainly no secret and you may have to wait a few minutes to be seated. But don’t stress about that. Hey, you’re on beautiful Siesta Key! Relax, grab a cup of complimentary coffee, gaze at the cool local art, or simply watch the world go by along the sidewalks of Siesta Village. It is truly a wonderful place to be!
The Sun Garden on Siesta Key December 30, 2008
Posted by dixiedining in Uncategorized.Tags: Fish Tacos, Fried Shrimp, Siesta Key, The Sun Garden, Tomato Bisque
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Eileen and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary with a “Love Lunch” at the Sun Garden on Siesta Key. This was our first time dining here, although the restaurant is within walking distance of our pad right here on beautiful Siesta.
The menu is kept fresh with daily specials.
Most everything is very healthy.
I started my meal with a bowl of Tomato Bisque topped with basil and sunflower seeds. It was very fresh tasting — and not so creamy. This makes for a less fattening experience. Imagine a warm gazpacho and you’ll get the general idea.
Eileen, after some deliberation, ordered the fried shrimp salad. She let me try a shrimp and I was impressed. It was meaty and fried to a nice, crispy texture.
My Yucatan fish taco entree was really tasty. I would strongly urge you to try this if you’re a fish taco aficionado. The grilled mahi-mahi was spiced just right and topped with chopped cilantro and pico de gallo. The accompanying guacamole was super smooth and flavorful. Squeeze on a little fresh lime juice and you are in business!
Make sure you sit in the patio, where The Sun Garden lives up to its name.
Christmas Time on Siesta Key November 30, 2008
Posted by dixiedining in Uncategorized.Tags: "Dickie V", Barber Shop Quartet, Dick Vitale, Florida, Merry Christmas, Santa Claus, Siesta Key
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Christmas season is now in full swing on beautiful Siesta Key, FL. Last night marked the Key’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting celebration. Baseball great Tim McCarver flipped the switch last year, this year it was former basketball coach and present ESPN TV personality Dick Vitale (AKA “Dickie V”).
Vitale addressed the crowd and asked one & all to dig deep this holiday season for the Jimmy V Cancer Fund. Dickie V was a good friend of the late NC State hoops coach Jim Valvano and he continues to wage Valvano’s battle to find a cure for cancer. Vitale had some books he was selling and signing for $25 with all the proceeds going to the foundation. Great job, Dickie V … you are indeed AWESOME BABY!!!!
I kicked in our donation to the cause & paused for a snapshot with Dickie V.
It was then time to turn on the tree lights. It is a beautiful (and very tall) tree this year. It can be seen thru Christmas in front of Gabbiano’s Italian Restaurant in the heart of Siesta Village. Stop on by, do a little shopping, grab a bite to eat, and say hello to our good friends at the Siesta Key Chamber of Commerce. Debbie, Mike and Charlie will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have. They are truly wonderful folks!
Santa also arrived on Siesta Key last night. All the kids were thrilled to see him.
Sure, Christmas shopping is now fully underway. But there was another kind of shopping going on last night — Barber Shopping! These brightly clothed gents busted out some familiar harmonies inside the Village Barber Shop. Our kids enjoyed this very much. We believe it was the first time they had ever seen barber shoppers in action — excepting for a recent episode of “Flapjack” on Cartoon Network. I have always been partial to “My Wild Irish Rose” … and no, I’m not so partial to the cheap wine of the same name!
Merry Christmas from Siesta Key, where the sand is as white as freshly fallen snow!
Lunch at Captain Curt’s November 11, 2008
Posted by dixiedining in Uncategorized.Tags: Captain Curt's, Clam Chowder, Crabs, Mahi Mahi, Ohio State Buckeyes, Siesta Key
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When the summer heat fades away, I always have a taste for a good soup or chowder. The place to go on Siesta Key is Captain Curt’s. As you can see from the picture above, they serve a wicked bowl of New England Clam “Chowda.” Sure, it’s creamy and very tasty, yet it’s the clam to potato ratio (3/1?) that makes this bowl of goodness an award winner. Tons of meaty clams — and they are extremely tender.
For my entree I called for the Mahi Mahi sandwich served Cajun style. I squirted some fresh lemon on top, slathered the fish with a little lemon dill mayo, and the rest is history. Captain Curt’s is very much an Old Florida style family establishment. They also have a bar and nightclub in the back and a very cool Tiki Bar if you want to hang outside. This is a local hub for Ohio State Buckeye fans, so Michigan Wolverines beware.
Before you set sail, check out Captain Curt’s gift shop. All sorts of funky swag to take back to the poor landlubbers who had to stay home. The little beanies seen above are just a small example of the booty you’ll find at Captain Curt’s. If you’re ever gonna pick up some crabs, this is definitely the way to go!
Visit soon and tell them Dixie Dining sent you.
Lifeguard Stands of Siesta Key November 9, 2008
Posted by dixiedining in Uncategorized.Tags: Beach Life, Lifeguard Stands, Photography, Siesta Key
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Another Siesta Key Celebrity August 20, 2008
Posted by dixiedining in Uncategorized.Tags: Florida, Siesta Key
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De Day of Siesta Key Fitness
I never watched this show, so I had no clue that De Day was featured on American Gladiators. Eileen and I have met her and her husband — they run the fitness club here on the key. Nice folks! As for her name, I believe it really is her real moniker. Hard to believe, I know. The brief blurb seen below was pulled from a Tampa Bay area blog —
Maybe she was just too nice to win. Or the gods decided Florida didn’t need another reality TV superstar. Regardless of the cause, Siesta Key fitness trainer De Day came up short Monday night in her quest for a new Toyota truck and status as a victor on American Gladiators — unable to finish the final leg of the show’s grueling Eliminator obstacle course before her opponent, Tiffaney Florentine, a 25-year-old business consultant and former military police officer from Royal Oak, Michigan.
