Things to do on and around Siesta Key
A U G U S T 2 0 2 3 | S I E S TA S A N D . U S | 9 4 1 . 3 1 2 . 0 6 6 5
Step right up! Porthole Grille, parked outside hotel, becomes Village’s first food truck By Hannah Wallace
F
A Porthole Grille food truck now resides in front of the Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites on Ocean Boulevard in Siesta Key’s Village, offering a large variety of menu items. (photo by John Morton).
or all our varied and wonderful Village eateries, food trucks have been a long time coming. But the Porthole Grille, currently parked alongside the Big Tiki Lounge at the Siesta Key Beach Resort and Suites, might just have been worth the wait. Since opening in May, the mobile kitchen has been gaining fans with extravagant beach fare like Wagyu beef smash burgers, “Lobster Trap Mac,” wasabi broccoli slaw and flamegrilled octopus. “We’re fast, we’re casual, we’re doing octopus, we’ve got a footlong Wagyu hot dog,” said Porthole proprietor Maurice Dentici with his trademark enthusiasm. “I don’t want to just serve a frozen beef patty. I want to serve the best foot-long Frankfurter. I want to do lobster quesadilla.” Dentici knows what local diners like. A
Sarasotan since age 13, Dentici graduated Sarasota High and went into the family restaurant business, embracing a long line of culinary influences from Sicily to New Jersey to the Gulf of Mexico. He currently operates four local Rico’s pizzerias and opened Siesta’s own Spearfish Grille in 2018. A food truck was a logical extension of Dentici’s established catering operations. The problem was where to put it. Barred by a variety of state and local ordinances for decades, food trucks had never been allowed to set up shop in Siesta Village. But mobile vendors have finally gained a sliver of permission in recent years as laws changed and regulations loosened. On Siesta, a licensed food truck can now Continued on page 6V
What’s new ... on Siesta Key
Lookin’ good, neighbor
Southern Tide manager Jodi Faaborg gives a warm welcome at the new store in Davidson Plaza. (photo by Jane Bartnett)
SouthernTide brings active fashion to Davidson Plaza, right next door to a friend By Jane Bartnett Southern Tide, the classic ocean-inspired, coastal lifestyle and performance clothing and accessories brand for men, women and boys, came ashore on Siesta Key this summer. Shoppers will feel a definite beach vibe at this welcoming and bright boutique located in the heart of Siesta Key Village and
adjacent to the Lily Pulitzer store in Davidson Plaza. “Siesta Key has been on our radar for some time,” reported Jodi Faaborg, manager of Southern Tide. “Everyone is so excited to be here. It’s an ideal location for who we are. The response has been wonderful. “This fall, we plan on having a grand opening and a kickoff party.
Having our sibling brand, Lily Pulitzer, next door to us is also a win-win.” Southern Tide is owned by Greenville, North Carolina-based Oxford Industries. The firm also owns Lily Pulitzer, Tommy Bahamas, Johnny Was and the Continued on page7V
Page 11V
Page 5V
Page 4V
Page 7V
You’ll say yum to this recipe with rum
August is a good month for singers
Putting fishing fans in the know
Scenes from Siesta Beach
Subscribe to the Siesta Sand
Go to SiestaSand.US
SWIMWEAR | RESORT WEAR | ACCESSORIES
Only $60 per year -----------------
-----------------
SIESTA KEY 1960 Stickney Pt Rd 941.922.4545 DOWNTOWN SARASOTA 50 N Tamiami Trl 941.954.8800 LONGBOAT KEY 3170 Gulf of Mexico Dr 941.383.2288 www.SwimCity.com
SHOP In-Stores or Online NOW!