Tag: Venice Island

Papa’s Meat Market in Venice

I have memories as a child of going with my grandmother to the butcher for fresh meats, cheeses and various other goods. Now that I’m an adult, I still seek out these specialty shops in Venice, especially a butcher.

Papa’s Meat Market offers a wide variety of meats, cheeses and prepared foods for sale. Jason’s favorite item is the shrimp salad and once we walk in the door, they know exactly what he wants first. (I can pretty much guarantee that the container will be gone before I have even finished shopping.)

Recently adding a new take out menu, we also grabbed teriyaki wings. I have to say that these wings are my favorite in all of Venice. Slightly sweet teriyaki sauce that is made in-house coats the outside (It is the same marinade as the tri-tips if you have had them!) Unlike so many other places, the wings and drumsticks have a lot of meat on the bone, perfectly juicy on the inside and has a nice crispy crunch on the outside without the extra carbs of breading.

Elena loves the Shepard’s pie, so we brought that home for dinner tonight. Creamy mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas and meat, it’s total comfort food! Best part is it only took 20 minutes in the oven so we could have a princess movie night instead of me cooking!

Cormicks in Venice

After a busy morning with my daughter at the pediatrician’s office, we need a quick breakfast on Venice Island before I drove her back to school.

*Side Note: If you are looking for a pediatrician in Venice, I highly recommend Sunshine Pediatrics on the island across from Venice Elementary School. The office is extremely friendly and Dr. Khan is wonderful!

Elena was really hungry by the time we left the doctor’s office and asked for a bagel. I remembered hearing about Cormicks and knew that it was close by and we drove right over. One key point to remember is that it is cash only, you will want to stop at an ATM before heading over!

As a Jersey native, my idea of bagels are much different than the ones being served at Cormicks. Instead of a harder exterior with a light fluffy inside, these bagels are more reminiscent of a croissant. Buttery, flakey and light, Elena loved it! With crazy low prices, it’s definitely a spot to check out.

Cormicks is located in the little shopping center at the corner of Tampa Ave and 41 (the building with the beautiful mural painting)

Cafe Longet in Venice

Nestled in at the end of the Miami Avenue shops, sits Cafe Longet. A delightful French restaurant in Venice.

Upon walking in, the restaurant was bright and welcoming. We were seated and given menus which had a number of delicious descriptions of dishes. We decided to start with the naughty french fries and for entrees, I went with the CAB (chicken, apple and brie on a baguette, my husband and sister went for the Marseille Crepe and our friend went for the BCB (Angus burger with swiss and bacon).

The fries were unlike any I have had in the area. They are cut like thin steak fries so that they are crazy crispy and served with melted raclette cheese and thinly sliced prosciutto.

The CAB was a deliciously seasoned grilled chicken breast with thinly sliced apples, bites of brie and sweet honey mustard with lettuce and tomato on the best baguette I’ve had in the area. The bread is all made in-house. For those that understand the difference between northern bread and bread here, the crust was spot on and the interior was light and fluffy. I chose the house salad on the side; mixed greens with their house dressing and a delicious seed mixture.

    The Marseille Crepe is a buckwheat crepe stuffed with a scrumptious creamed leek and topped with perfectly pan-seared scallops. I almost regretted not ordering it myself.

    Our friend ate in silence, just in awe of his burger. He said that it was cooked well with caramelized onions and a secret sauce.

    I don’t know why we waited so long to try this place. It may have been our first visit, but it will not be our last. Add this to our hometown favorites!

    Côté France in Venice

    We had a fabulous lunch today at Côté France, French Bistro, Venice, FL. If you are looking for a French restaurant on Venice Island, this is one to try.

    It took us forever to find parking, but it was absolutely worth it. I ordered the lobster bisque, Jason ordered the escargot and we split the croque monsieur.

    The lobster bisque was creamy and delicious, with real lobster shredded through the entire bowl. I would have liked larger bites of lobster, but the flavor is definitely top notch.

    My husband raved about the escargot, I wasn’t brave enough to try it to be honest. He says they were cooked perfectly and just melted in his mouth. It was served with a few slices of a fresh French baguette that has a nice crust on the outside, which is rare to find in Florida.

    The croque monsieur was delicious. Perfectly cooked bechamel sauce and gooey melted cheese made this a fantastic sandwich. It was served with a small salad of mixed green dressed lightly in a tasty balsamic vinegarette.

    Another fantastic place to try here in Venice!