Ophelia’s on the Bay
Baguette Basket with Whipped Butter
Blackberry Martini
Hudson Valley Foie Gras en Torchon – Savory Turkey Confit, Raclette Bread Pudding, Cranberry-Thyme Puree, Streusel, Crispy Sage
Goose Breast – En Sous Vide with Garlic and sage, Sweet Gooseberry Compote, Spiced Orange Gastrique, Okinawa Purple Potatoes
Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner – Brined Turkey, Cranberry Smoked Cheddar Stuffing, Turkey Gravy, Crème Fraiche Potatoes
Key Lime Pie – Coconut and Rum Baked on a Graham Crust, Served Over Mango Coulis with Butter Cream and Zest
Chocolate Pecan Tart – Sweet Dough, Georgia Pecans, Brown Sugar Caramel Custard, Milk Chocolate Ganache, Dark Chocolate Curls, Wild Turkey Sauce and Whipped Cream
Suffice it to say that while I’m generally happy to dine with anyone, provided the experience is worth the expense, Thanksgiving 2014 presented a bit of a conundrum – where does one take an 87 year old grandmother that they haven’t seen in over a decade, and moreso one who rarely travels outside a two-mile radius of her Venice home that considers Denny’s tilapia a meal worth dressing up for? The answer, within a ‘reasonable’ distance, was Sarasota’s twenty-two year old waterfront destination Ophelia’s on the Bay.
Located on Midnight Pass Road, on a small peninsula overlooking Little Sarasota Bay, Ophelia’s is one of those restaurants one might assume to cater to the local septuagenarians as well as those celebrating special events and with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the waterfront while service is the feigned-formal sort common to country clubs across the country the kitchen features an ever changing menu largely focused on locally sourced proteins as produce, as well as a surprising collection of wild game including goose, venison, and boar on the afternoon of our Thanksgiving feast.
Pricey per my grandmother, though exceedingly affordable per my own fortunate standards, it was with a duo of appetizers, three mains, and a pair of desserts that our meal progressed and with the elderly lady enjoying an iced-down glass of $9 wine to ‘make it last longer’ while my mother imbibed in a delicious $12 hand-muddled martini the first round of plates was an impressive start, a caprese-style salad featuring a generous portion of soft cheese over crisp tomatoes amidst aromatic dressings while the torchon of foie gras served over a round of briny bread pudding with cranberries to add balance was the sort of thing I’d be happy to see on the tasting menu at a place like The Inn at Little Washington or even Per Se.
Progressing rather quickly to entrees, prices ranging $29 to $36 with an premium placed on more ‘exotic’ meats, it was in a plate of lobster from which she only ate 1/3 (before packaging the rest) that my grandmother placed her faith and marveled by the fact that she did not need to shuck the crustacean, served over gnocchi, herself it appeared she loved every bite – or perhaps just spending time with family without having to worry about the check – while my mother and I enjoyed a duo of well prepared traditional Thanksgiving birds with decidedly non-traditional sides, her stuffing and my potatoes both exceptional, though the later appeared entirely alien to the contented lady across the table from me.
Explaining that she ‘couldn’t possibly’ eat dessert, but was happy to share bites of mine, suffice it to say that I was glad to have some leftover treats from Dough in the car for the ride home when my grandmother decided she ‘loved’ the decadent Chocolate Pecan Tart enough to take more than a few bites, and although trending more sweet than one would hope beneath a layer of buttercream frosting the Key Lime Pie was pleasant enough, much like the conversation amongst our trio in a space that proved more than suitable for such an event.
http://www.opheliasonthebay.net/
