Casual Beach Feel with Serious Food and Reasonable Prices

The Cottage, located in the village of Siesta Key, is a small, casual, nautically styled restaurant. Offering three distinct dining areas: front deck/porch, wood paneled indoor dining room, and the backyard patio, The Cottage projects a definite “I am on vacation!” feel; very relaxing. However, do not be fooled by the laid back attitude and assume the food is your typical beach bar basic. It is not!

Chef Darwin Santa Maria, formerly of Selva Grill, joined The Cottage less than a year ago. His innovative and creative style of blending various ingredients, spices, and cuisines are apparent throughout the menu. A Peruvian influenced menu, The Cottage offers a range of appetizers, salads, Ceviche, shellfish, sandwiches, and entrees. The menu does offer something for everyone; however, it is ideal for those that like to try a number of items and share. For our meals we chose the following:

• Cottage House Chopped Salad: Spring mix and romaine lettuce with tomato, onion, avocado, cuzco corn, black beans and queso fresco with orange honey chipotle vinaigrette. $9.99 add 5 shrimp $4.00
  Large portion, very flavorful, mixture of textures, delicious
• Teriyaki Mahi Mahi Sliders: Garnished with slaw, pickled ginger and wasabi mayo. $12.99
  Fresh and flavorful, a great combination of flavors
• Siesta Fiesta Caesar Salad: Romaine lettuce, manchego, red onions, and plantains with rocotto dressing. $9.99
  Very fresh, a large portion offering a nice mix of flavor and textures.
• Mixed Ceviche: Fresh fish, shrimp, mussels, and octopus in Cottage yellow pepper lime juice with cilantro, red onions, cuzco corn skewer, and cancha and yam. $14.99
  Deliciously fresh, citrusy, with nice texture; summertime at its best
• Steamed Calms: Eastern little necks $11.99
  A delightful alternative to the longneck  softer shell steamer, firm and briny, very nice.

The wait staff was very friendly, fast and attentive. The Cottage offers a full bar service, beer, wine and soft drinks. In addition to the fine food and drink, Happy Hour is offered Monday through Friday 12-7pm with live music nightly.

If you are looking for a fun, relaxed, easy going type of place with some really interesting food, look no further than The Cottage.

The Cottage
153 Avenida Messina
Sarasota, Fl 34242
941-312-9300 

http://www.cottagesiestakey.com