‘Best deal in town’ could be Miguel’s
By Paul Roat
Foodies like to talk about their best of the best when it comes to dining out.
Miguel's French Continental Cuisine restaurant provides intimate dining for patrons. (Photo by Paul Roat) Miguel's French Continental Cuisine restaurant provides intimate dining for patrons. (Photo by Paul Roat)
Best drink. Best appetizer. Best entrée. Best dessert. Best … you get the idea.
Best deals also comes to mind. Fine dining aficionados should bring Miguel’s French Continental Cuisine restaurant on Siesta Key to mind for good dining, service, and ambiance.
This restaurant has been offering classic dishes for 29 years. In the dining world, that translates into several lifetimes in the Sarasota restaurant lifetime.
Let’s go down the “best” list from above
Full liquor and an extensive beer and wine list enhance the meal for best drink.
Les Escargot Bourgogne ($8) in garlic, butter and white wine is a greater starter for a meal for best appetizer.
Entrees? For seafood, go with La Sole d’Ourre Saute Meuniere ($39.95). The whole Dover sole is deboned tableside. Be sure to keep and eat the roe, a true delicacy.
Carnivores should sample Le Chateaubriand Bouquetiere for two ($65) in the entrée category. The beef is carved tableside, served with fresh vegetables and béarnaise sauce, and probably will suffice for lunch the next day or two.
Desserts change daily. Here’s a suggestion: forget anything said except the Chocolate Mousse.
Miguel Garcia of Miguel’s is from Spain. His wife Betty is French-Canadian. Gabriel Garcia is head chef. The restaurant offers mostly French food with a touch of Continental.
Tableside dining with entrees or other items on a restaurant menu once were normal. That wonderful experience seems to have fallen out of the usual restaurant experience of late, but not at Miguel’s. A few of the tableside dishes include the following.
Le Salade Caesar for two ($15.50) is the classic dish of romaine lettuce served with croutons and a savory dressing of anchovies, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and Parmesan cheese. Pay attention closely to the server and you too can mimic, or come close to mimicking, the dish at home.
Carre d’Agneau Persille is a rack of lamb, served with herbs and prepared to your desire. Go for medium-rare on this $35.95 item.
Another old-school wonder is Mixed Grille ($28.95), a mix of lamb chops with mint sauce, veal with bordelaise sauce, and filet mignon with béarnaise.
All entrees come with tossed green salad with a choice of dressings, garlic bread, vegetables, and potato.
And then there is the “best deal” at Miguel’s, one of the best values in the area.
Miguel’s offers an assortment of early dining specials from 5 to 6 p.m. daily. There are 13 entrees which include appetizer of the day, soup du jour or the garlic soup; salad; bread, veggies, and potato; and dessert. All are less than $20.
The Early Complete Dinners include a half Long Island Roast Duck with raspberry sauce ($19.95). Expect lunch the next day with this item.
Supreme de Volaille au Champagne ($15.95) is chicken breast sautéed with mushrooms, asparagus and shallots tossed in a light champagne sauce.
Popular is the Grilled Salmon Provencal ($17.95), grilled Atlantic salmon with the Provencal sauce of onions, garlic, tomatoes, olives, herbs and other special Miguel’s add-ons.
Wait staff service is energetic, friendly, attentive, and informed on the menu. Ask for Chris Earl for special attention at the 150-seat restaurant.
Miguel’s is at 6631 Midnight Pass Road on Siesta Key. Reservations are suggested at 941-349-4024 or miguelsrestaurant.net. Hours are daily from 5 p.m.
As mentioned, Miguel’s has been serving Siesta Key dining patrons for 29 years. In the flash-bang world of restaurants in Sarasota, call Miguel’s a bright shining star.
Author: Siesta Sand
- Tags: Feature