Yoder’s Amish Restaurant and Village
Sweet Bun
Fried Corn Mush
Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Bacon Egg & Cheese Biscuit
Buttermilk Biscuit with Apple Butter
Yoder’s Style Key Lime Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Butterscotch Pie
Pecan Pie Bar
Chocolate Chip Whoopie Pie / Oatmeal Raisin Whoopie Pie
Declined breakfast at 11:02am on Monday, the hard and fast dogma of “the chefs change at eleven o’clock” apparently as strict as some of the laws guarding Mennonite traditions, it was just past eight AM that a party of two was sat in the same section that was walked out on one day prior, the waitress no doubt remembering the incident but a perfect picture of graciousness with an ever present smile.
Opened in 1975, an Amish family moving south from Indiana at first serving their own needs, as well as those of the community, by way of a restaurant and grocery that has grown to the fame it sees today, Yoder’s Amish Village comprises three buildings stretching along Bahia Vista Street in Sarasota and although known best for their pies and fried chicken there is little doubt that ramped production has diminished some aspects of scratch cooking, packets from Smucker’s standing in for housemade preserves while “Table Syrup” is pure garbage for those unwilling to pay for the real Maple supplement.
Still baking breads, pies and confections each day, the market oddly selling Strawberries from California as opposed to those locally grown, it was with medium roast coffee made specifically for Yoder’s that the meal got started, the refills so rapid that one could have easily drank a gallon if not paying attention while water glasses were also kept brimming at each and every table.
Decorated quaintly, dresses and stitchery with a few knick-knacks here and there, it was after perusing the pie case as well as the menu that decisions were made and with a sizable order to follow the only question was where to get started, the suggestion of a Sweet Bun popular for good reason given the pronounced yeastiness while liberally applied cream cheese frosting slowly melted and slid to the plate below.
Unabashedly fond of baked goods, though the other person at the table was craving something less sweet, entrees consisted of Amish Country staple “Fried Mush” with a crisp sear overlying a toothsome center lightly kissed in salt and butter, the biscuits fluffy but in some cases undermixed with small pockets of raw baking powder while the sandwich-style French Toast was golden, buttery and perfect as a result of the custard-infused egg bread regardless of the Strawberries’ providence.
At this point approaching the main event, some two dozen pies offered by the slice as early as 6am, it was in showing some restraint that only three were selected and although the “Yoder’s Style” Key Lime Pie was a bit unexpected with light citrus whipped directly into cream there is no doubt that the Butterscotch Pudding and Strawberry Rhubarb lived up to the legends, a trio of take-home treats including Whoopie Pies and Crusted Pecan Bars no less delicious and available for purchase in the next door deli/market.
http://www.yodersrestaurant.com/
