The Toasted Mango, A Crescent Beach Classic
By Jane Bartnett
ACrescent Beach and Siesta Key landmark, the Toasted Mango Café, on Midnight Pass, is the go-to breakfast and lunch spot on the south side of the island. Always busy and filled with happy customers who come back again and again, it’s a favorite of both locals and visitors.
For Kim Duffy, who, along with her business partner Sandi Wagner, launched the Toasted Mango Cafe in Siesta Key, nearly 10 years ago, it’s been an exciting and busy decade. In addition to the Siesta Key location, this spring, the duo opened a Toasted Mango in Holmes Beach, on Anna Maria Island. Weeks ago, on May 19, the pair celebrated their newest Toasted Mango at 1371 Boulevard of the Arts, in downtown Sarasota’s Rosemary District. The new eatery takes the place of the original downtown venture on North Tamiami Trail that started the whole enterprise. The Siesta Key restaurant with its cheery yellow walls filled with artwork from celebrated Sarasota artist Mary Lou Johnson, was the duo’s second location.
Casey Key Fish House: Fun Waterfront Dining
By Ned Steele
Casey Key Fish House has achieved the Grand Slam of waterfront dining: Great marine views, great food, great service, and reasonable prices. And one more: a great owner, Jimmy Von Hubertz, who started the place as a novice and has built a devoted staff that has stayed for years, even decades.
Located just over the Casey Key Bridge at 801 Blackburn Point Road in Osprey as part of a serene marina and tiki bar complex, it serves up a wide menu of seafood delights, from simple
to fancy.
They must be doing something right: crowds line up for lunch a half hour before it opens and the place is packed at dinner. Reopening after hurricane damage, the Fish House is back better than ever. Also distinctive is its “Old Florida” décor and vibe, which owner Jimmy says is his pride and joy in carrying on grand old traditions.
Offering “a true taste of coastal Florida,” as it says on its website, Casey Key Fish House is built around fresh, locally caught seafood, with “a
blend of traditional seafood dishes with subtle Asian accents.”
As soon as you arrive, an immediate sense of serenity sets in. The restaurant is on an active marina property – a steady stream of diners arrives by boat all day and night. There is an outdoor dining deck right on the marina, and an indoor room with relaxing waterfront views. There are grounds to stroll, and at the other end of the complex is a lively tiki bar scene that is a nightly gathering spot. On many nights, there’s live music.
“It’s very hard to believe,” said Duffy, as she looked back on the past 10 years. “We’ve had so much fun doing it, and now our children are involved.” Friends for 20 years, the two women worked together at different restaurants and made the decision one day to open their own place and do it together. “We created a menu we’re proud of. Between the two of us,” Duffy said with a laugh, “we have about 70 years of restaurant experience.”
As Siesta Key has grown and evolved over the past 10 years, so too has the Toasted Mango. “The south end has blossomed and come into its own,” said Duffy. “It’s now equally as important as the village.” Their secret recipe for success, says the restauranteur, is their fresh food and “incredible staff.”
The avocado toast that Duffy calls “hugely popular,” is a best-seller and their French toast is also in demand. Then, there are those award-winning waffles. In 2018, the national Food Network traveled the nation as part of their “50 States, 50 Waffles” program, and discovered the Toasted
The Casey Key Fish House welcomes guests with old Florida charm. (Photo provided)
Toasted Mango owners Sandi Wagner (left) and Kim Duffy( right) are celebrating 10 years in Siesta Key. (Photo provided)
Arts on the Horizon
By Rodger Skidmore
Double Header
No, not baseball...and not a two-headed tiger, but two magical mystery tour exhibitions at the Ringling Museum. The first is Conjuring the Spirit World: Art, Magic, and Mediums, which runs through July 13. The word conjure comes from a similar Latin word meaning to join a plot or conspiracy. And joining a conspiracy with the spirit world sounds kind of diabolical, to say the least. The concept of spirits, or ghosts, has been with us since forever. But, in years past, they were always just shadows hidden by darkness and mist. Almost there, but always behind the wind rustled curtain. Seeing a hint of a spirit yourself, or hearing of someone else “actually” seeing a spirit was commonplace, but “proving” there were spirits was another thing altogether.
In our current world, we’ve seen how rudimentary technology could crop an “unwanted” politician or general from Russian photos - someone standing next to Stalin in one edition of a book and gone forever in the next. With Photoshop, those wishing to deceive could go a lot further. And now with AI, who knows what wonders will be foist upon us.
In America, with so many dead in the Civil War, questions were easily created in grieving minds. With cheaply printed posters and flyers, stages in every town, and penny newspapers seeking increased circulation, the time was right for charlatans and frauds to dupe the unskeptical. Or, for those with special powers to pass little known truths to a wider audience.
One wonder discussed in the exhibit is the tapping hand. Ask a question and the hand would tap once for a yes or twice for a no. On display is an updated version–ask a question into a microphone and a voice on a TV gives an answer. One question asked was, “Will the LA Dodgers move back to Brooklyn?” The answer given was “No.”
This exhibition in the Ringling’s Searing Galleries shows and tells the who, what, and sometimes why, of the unnatural world.
Currents of Resistance, a solo exhibit on display through August 10 in the Monda Gallery, melds the past into the present, critiques systems of power, and envisions alternative futures. Sandy Rodriguez takes plant specimens containing medicinal properties, mixes them with variously colored earths, and infuses them with water collected from the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of Florida, creating pigments for her site-specific inks and watercolors.
Updating 16th century colonial codices and maps with more current geopolitical images, she has found a way to reconnect memory to land as a healing process. These inks are applied onto amate, a ceremonial bark paper outlawed by the Spanish during their colonial period.
Some of the larger works are mounted on curved walls producing, in one’s mind, a 3D Cinerama-type effect. In the past, parts of this series were based on colonial aggression along the US-Mexico border, in the American Southwest, and in Mexico. Ms. Rodriguez, a recipient of the Hermitage Greenfield Prize, has based these new works, created at the Hermitage Artist Retreat on Manasota Key, on the stories of resilience and resistance in the Gulf region. More info on both exhibitions at ringling.org
Why do we move?
Oh, so many reasons: To a bigger, newer house or later to downsize; to retire to Florida or to the south of Spain; to move away from our past or later to move back nearer to our parents, or closer to our children..........or to live somewhere, where we can live a better life. Or to a place where our children can have a better life. Yes, we can be migrants in our own land.
In a way, we all live in a ghetto. A ghetto is not just where a certain type of underprivileged people’s lives, it can also be a place where a group of like individuals have to, or choose to, live. Chinatown, Little Italy, Grosse Point, Harlem, our HOA, or wherever.
Some questions are: Does someone enjoy where they live? Do they find enough in common with those people that are supposed to be like them? Do they like the way those similar people act? Do they like how those who don’t live in their particular ghetto act towards them just because they live in that particular ghetto? Is there a place to which they can move–perhaps into a different ghetto, or, maybe into that really diverse place which they believe actually exists?
Even if one packs all of one’s physical belongings into
Continued on page 9V
Above information is subject to change. We suggest calling venues for confirmation.
Millions have basked in the pleasures of Siesta Beach, but one man believes he has the most “footprints in the sand.”
Meet Kenny Kier, who has sat and walked on the sand since childhood – since 1964, in fact.
“That was the year my two sisters moved here. I came to visit and I said this was going to be my place.”
“That 1964 trip with my family – as soon as I saw the water and the palm trees when we came over the bridge, I told my dad, “This is where I want to live.”
He’s here today. That adds up to a lot of footprints. All the beach regulars and the lifeguards know him. “There’s not a day goes by that somebody doesn’t greet me.”
Kenny is so much of a beach guy that when he finally decided to marry his girlfriend Wendy, they tied the knot on the beach –on a lifeguard stand.
After many more childhood visits, grownup Kenny moved here from his childhood hometown in Indiana, making the long drive in his 1978 Cougar. He still remembers the day, May 26, 1980, his birthday. “I needed a change. I hated winters,” he said. In time he moved into a townhouse on the mainland where he still lives today.
A couple of his hometown friends eventually joined him. Even today he said, when friends from Indiana come down, “They look 10 years younger. They’re
Siesta Key Oyster Bar, or “SKOB” as the locals call it, is the hangout with the laid-back, beachy atmosphere that will get you right into the Island Spirit. One of the things that set SKOB apart from the other restaurants in Siesta Key Village is that we have some of the best food on the Key.
still vibrant.” Steadily, he began meeting more friends on the beach and in the community, building his friendship network.
Kenny loves to reminisce about the old days almost as much as he enjoys living the present.
“Back then there were only three lifeguard stands, and they were chairs on top of piles of sand,” he recalled. “The water line back in the ‘80s was way back. It was 20 yards from homes.”
“In summer you had years when you could come to the beach and there might not be anyone else within 20 yards. The northerners didn’t come down in October like they do now.”
Since then, the changes have been vast. He most appreciates
the current gleaming pavilions and their amenities. Another change he has noticed is the presence of northern European visitors. “The water temperature today is 67 and it isn’t even cold to them.”
Why does Kenny love the beach so much? “I don’t see anyone arguing here. You look at the Gulf, and how could it be better than this?”
About that wedding: It was his wife Wendy who first popped the question during a dinner date –after 43 years of living together with him. “I didn’t know if she was joking, he recalled. “On the way home, I said okay.”
A crowd of around 20 attended the sunrise ceremony at the red
ACCOMMODATIONS
Beach Palms B-#74
Siesta Key Beach Resort & Spa Map-A #38A
ATM / BANKS
PNC ATM Map-C #61
Sun Trust Bank & ATM Map-E #4
BARS & NIGHTCLUBS
Blase Café Map-A #38
Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar Map-B #42-43
Gilligan’s Map-B #33
My Village Pub Map-C #53/54
Siesta Key Oyster Bar Map-B #45
The Beach Club Map-D #22
The Cottage Map-C #58
The Hub-Baja Grill Map-D #59
COFFEE SHOPS
Bean Coffeehouse Map-D #62
Mojo Risin’ Coffee Company Map-B #31
Project Coffee.....................................Map-D #9
FASHION & ACCESSORIES
Beach Bazaar’s & Swin Shack Map-C #28 Blvd. Beachwear Map-B #30
Comfort Shoes-Birki & More Map-D #64
Foxy Lady Fashions Map-A #40
Gidget’s Coastal Provisions Map-B #44
Island Boutique Map-B #50
Island Style Map-C #53
Lilly Pulitzer Map-D #66
Sandbar Swimwear............................Map-B #50
Sea Shanty Map-C #24
Siesta T’s Map-B #30
Southern Tide.....................................Map-D #60
The Sandal Factory Map-B #46
GAS STATION Circle K Store Map-E #6
GIFTS & SOUVENIRS
By Ned
Kenny Kier, who has sat and walked on the sand since 1964, (Photo by Ned Steele)
lifeguard stand. “Plus, passersby,” he joked. Friends flew in for the event from Rhode Island and Kentucky. Kenny wore his
dress shorts and a white
The whole group celebrated afterwards with a backyard party. Needless to say, Kenny is one well-tanned man. He sits on his chair and suns for hours. He also takes walks and plays bocce and other games with his circle of friends, which, in season, can grow into a dozen or more people sitting together. But mostly, he says, “We sit around and tell a bunch of lies to each other.” Some of the group call him Mayor Kenny, which may or may not be one of the lies.
All in all, he concluded, it’s a
very good life: “It’s pretty much like paradise here. We’re lucky to live in it.”
Does Kenny have any regrets? “I wish I was born here,” he smiled.
Beach attendance at Siesta Key, as reported by Sarasota County. The season ended on a sunny note, with April showing a significant jump up from the prior year. Numbers are estimates.
Circle K Store Map-E #6
Morton’s Siesta Market Map-C #25
MASSAGE
Hands of Light Massage Map-B #35
The Spa at Calle Minorga Map-E #74
MEDICAL - DENTAL
Siesta Village Dentistry Map-D #63
Siesta Dental Map-B #49
Siesta Key Physical Therapy Map-D #20
MISCELLANEOUS
Prime Audio Video Map-E #1
Roberti Enterprises Map-A #39
Village Arcade Map-C #53
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Attorney Fleming Map-E #1
Edward Jones Investments Map-D #68
Smith Architects Map-E 74
REAL ESTATE / RENTAL SERVICES
Amy Robinson RE Map-E #1
Beach Palms B-74
Coldwell Banker Realty Map-D #20
EXP Realty Map-E #4
Judith Guzzi & Assoc Map-E #74
Keller Williams Real Estate Map-D #11
Michael Saunders Realty Map-E #72
ReMax Alliance Group Map-C #29
RentSiestaKey.com Map-D #9
Robasota Rentals & Real Estate Map-A #39
Siesta Key Rental Prop Map-D #10
The Ringling Beach House Rentals Map-D #9
Tropical Sands Accommodations Map-D #67
RESTAURANTS / CAFÉS
Another Broken Egg Map-C #54 & 55
Blase Café Map-A #38
Bonjour French Cafe Map-C #47
Café Gabbiano Map-D #71
Daiquiri Deck Raw Bar
After 43 years together, Kenny and Wendy share a kiss after exchanging vows on the beach. (Photo by John Doble)
Tarpon fishing will be the main event for many anglers this month. Set up in travel lanes.
Usually several
hundred yards offshore, along the beach at first light in the morning and cast live crabs, baitfish, DOA Baitbusters and DOA Shrimp to them. I usually drift a couple of live baits under a float while we wait for tarpon schools to pass by. You can anchor or drift, depending on conditions. Give other anglers several hundred yards of space, since fish may be moving both north and south. Setting up too close to another angler may negatively affect their fishing. Tarpon fishing is very dependent on conditions and there are a lot of variables that need to come together to be successful.
When fly fishing, I use 12-weight rods and large arbor reels capable of holding 300-yards or more of backing.
I use a variety of baitfish, shrimp or crab fly patterns fished on floating fly lines. The shallower the water, the easier it is to get your fly in front of a fish when fly fishing. Stake out or anchor in travel lanes to get shots at them.
You should find snook in the surf, in passes and around docks and bridges in the ICW near passes. You can walk the beach and sight fish them in the surf with fly or spinning tackle. Small baitfish fly patterns, CAL jigs with shad tails and jerk worms or DOA Shrimp should all work well. The same lures and flies that work in the surf will also work well at night. Snook will
Capt. Rick Grassett’s Fishing Report
CB’s Saltwater Outfitters (941) 923-7799
should be good
congregate in passes around the new and full moons to spawn. They will usually be in deep channels in these areas. Bouncing a DOA TerrorEyz or Baitbuster in bridge channels or passes can be an effective technique in these areas.
Fishing for reds should also be good in June. Look for them over shallow grass along mangrove shorelines or around oyster bars when the tide is high. You’ll find them in potholes or edges of flats when the tide is low. I like to cover water with CAL jigs and shad tails or jerk worms to find them. Fly anglers should score with baitfish fly patterns like my Grassett Flats Minnow.
You may find trout, Spanish mackerel, bluefish or pompano in passes or on deep grass flats this month. I like to drift deep grass flats and cast ahead of my drift with CAL jigs and shad tails or jerk worms or DOA Deadly Combos. Fly anglers should score by drifting and casting ahead of the drift with lightly
Capt. Rick Grassett
• FFI (Federation of Fly Fishers) certified fly casting instructor (CI)
• Private and group fly casting instruction
• Fly casting instructor for CB’s Saltwater Outfitters Orvis-Endorsed fly fishing schools
Hosted group destination fly fishing trips (Bahamas, Montana and more)
Capt. Rick Grassett (941) 923-7799
Email snookfin@aol.com www.snookfin-addict.com www.flyfishingflorida.net
weighted baitfish fly patterns tied on long shank hooks on an intermediate sink tip fly line. You’ll need to add a few inches of heavy (40 or 50-pound) fluorocarbon when toothy fish are in the mix. Full regulations and details for all species can be viewed at https://myfwc.com/ . In addition to tarpon, look for Spanish mackerel, false albacore, cobia and tripletail in the coastal gulf this month. Although none of them may be thick, I’ve encountered all of them before in June. Keep your eyes open for bird
activity or “breaking” fish to find albies and mackerel. Cobia and tripletail may be found around crab trap floats; however, I’ve seen cobia swimming with tarpon schools before. Medium spinning tackle and a DOA Shrimp or CAL jig will get the job done for all of them, although your tarpon tackle would also work well for a big cobia. An 8 or 9-weight fly rod with a floating or clear sink tip fly line is adequate to catch everything except a big cobia, in which case your 12-weight tarpon fly tackle will work
well.
There are lots of options in inshore waters or the coastal gulf this month. Fishing pressure is usually light inshore this month so snook, reds, trout and more should also be good options. Our natural resources are under constant pressure from red tides fueled by industrial, agricultural and residential runoff, toxic spills and discharges, freezes, increasing fishing pressure and habitat loss and degradation. Please limit your kill, don’t kill your limit!
JUNE 2025 TIDE CHART
Sarasota, FL - Jun 2025
There
action in the coastal Gulf of Mexico this month. Dave Reinhart (left), from MA, with a tarpon caught on a live crab and
Dennis Ondercin (right), from OH, with a cobia caught on a DOA Shrimp, both released while fishing with Capt. Rick Grassett in a previous June
Continued from page 3V
one 9” x 14” Spirit Airlines carry-on bag, they bring a lot of extra baggage with them wherever they go. Old ways, old beliefs or others seeing you in the same way, ghetto or no ghetto.
Yes, life is hard, and then your family becomes characters in a play. The distance From 145th to 98th Street is just 47 blocks in big old New York. It could also be the distance from wherever you are to the moon. When the Curtly family makes that move, to bring their two children into a different world where they can build a better life, the push/pull from within and without becomes another set of obstacles which must be overcome. Join the Curtlys (at the Urbanite Theatre on 2nd Street until June 29) on their journey to their better/ different/other world and see where they, and you, wind up. Info at urbanitetheatre. com.
Jesus Christ / Eva Peron, what’s the difference?
Well, on the surface, none. Both, Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita were musicals from the pens of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, along with another Broadway/London shows on which they collaborated. But dig a bit deeper and, while they were eons and continents apart, there were complicated similarities and differences.
Ms. Peron, born on 5/7/1919, supported labor rights and women’s suffrage. Jesus, on the other hand, was born on 1/1/0, and supported all rights and suffered for his people.
Jesus lived for about 33 years, a bit long to include all of life’s details in an hour and forty-minute musical, so Rice and Webber have zeroed in on his last three days. They start with Jesus and the twelve apostles approaching Jerusalem, basically to fulfill prophecies related to Jesus’s suffering, death, and resurrection.
Anxious and tired Jesus stops to rest and is comforted by Mary Magdalene. Judas Iscariot sees this and begins to complain about Jesus to the other apostles. And to the community leaders. And to the Roman authorities. Kvetch, kvetch, kvetch. Maybe he tried to be a mensch, but eh.
While all the action takes place within a short period of time, it gives Jesus time to question his role in these events, and its value. And for Judas, the authorities, the apostles, the religious leaders and the community, to question their roles as well. Naturally each only can do so based on their knowledge of the situation, which shows the conflicts that must be brought to a conclusion.
Like many movies and TV shows, they say that this musical is based on a true story. Of course, there are many versions of this story, so it is nice that this one has great music and lyrics. And since this story, and this version of Jesus Christ Superstar (running through June 28), is directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes (who also brought Cabaret, The Sound of Music, and Evita to the Asolo Rep at the Florida State Center for the Performing Arts) there is a high probability that this will be great also. More info at asolorep.org
From Bach to Villa-Lobos, and lots of music in between
Last month’s column mentioned that the Sarasota Music Festival was starting with a lovely concert on the 1st of June at Holley Hall. That’s one down and 12 more to go.
Musicians that Sarasota love often return here. So, appropriately, Tessa Lark Returns will be at Holley Hall the afternoon of June 5. The first piece on the concert is Heitor Villa-Lobos’ flute and cello piece titled The Jet Whistle. Who knew that noise pollution could sound so pleasant. The balance of the program features Ms. Lark on violin with Jeffrey Kahane at the piano on two of the
selections.
The next evening Lark and Kahane assist others at the Sarasota Opera House on Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 4. One piece on the program is Mike Block’s Global Music Collaboration with Block on cello.
On the 12th, the Miró Quartet Plays Schubert is an aptly named concert. Specifically, his Rondo in B Minor (with extra violin and Robert Levin on piano) and String Quintet in C Major (with extra cello). There will also be selections by Henri Tomasi and Daniel Bjarnason. The Miró Quartet hangs around the Opera House till the next evening and plays Ginastrea’s String Quartet No. 1. Also on the program is Schubert’s String Quartet No. 14 (Death and the Maiden). It was written when he learned that he, himself, did not have much longer to live. This is an orchestral version arranged by Mahler some years later.
Robert Levin, who is giving a lecture at Holley Hall the afternoon of the 11th, is also conducting (and featured in) Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major) on the 14th at the Opera House. Pieces by Coleridge-Taylor and Dvořák round out that concert.
The piano and cello are wonderful instruments. If these two are your favorites, then the Holley Hall concert on the 19th is a must. Rachmaninoff’s Cello Sonata in G Minor, performed by Clive Greensmith, cello, and Jeffrey Kahane, piano. Haydn’s Divertimento: No. 1 and Turina’s Piano Quartet in A Minor precede this masterwork.
As everyone knows, summer is here, and Summer Music by Samuel Barber starts the concert at the Opera House on the 20th. It is followed by Strauss’s Metamorphosen and then two compositions by Gabriel Kahane, October 1, 1939 / Port of
Hamburg and Heirloom: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra with Gabriel›s father at the piano and conducting.
The Festival Finale at the Sarasota Opera House on the 21st starts with Erich Korngold’s Violin Concerto in D Major featuring Elena Urioste on violin. Korngold, seeing the future written in broken glass, moved permanently from Germany to America in 1938. He vowed to write only music for the movies (he had to support his family) until Hitler was defeated. In 1945 he transitioned back to classical music with this piece which contained references to his movie work. The three movements include themes from Another Dawn, Juarez, Anthony Adverse and The Prince and the Pauper. FYI: Korngold won three Oscars for his movie music (in ’39, ’40 and ’41). The concert ends with Schumann’s Symphony No. 2 in C Major.
There are three Rising Stars concerts at Holley Hall during the festival on the afternoons of the 8th, 15th and 20th, where younger Festival Fellows perform movements from their favorite chamber works.
Had enough great music played by great musicians? No? Then get a pass for one (or more) of the rehearsals and masterclasses held at Holley Hall during the festival. More info on everything at sarasotaorchestra.org.
Really?
Most people, living in or just wandering around Sarasota, know that this fair city is located on (actually, next to) Sarasota Bay. But did you know that The Bay Park is just south of the Van Wezel. It includes two giant metal ibis that children can climb into and slide out of? Also, did you know that there is an amphitheater where you can watch movies at night or do Pilates, Tai Chi, Namaste, Qigong and other healthy stuff during the day? Check out this great gift from Sarasota to you at thebaysarasota.org/calendar.
Toasted Mango
Mango on Siesta Key. Of their discovery, writer Patty Lee wrote on the Food Network webpages, (that remain online today): “With one of the country’s most-beautiful beaches just steps away, Toasted Mango Cafe serves several tropical items that perfectly set the tone for a day in the sun. The morning menu includes an excellent chef’s special waffle created by owners Sandi Wagner and Kimberly Duffy. The airy malted discs — pressed for exactly three minutes — arrive crisp and warm, adorned with cubes of ripe mango, toasted coconut flakes and whipped cream. It’s a true taste of paradise.”
That wasn’t the only honor that Duffy and Wagner have received over the years. In 2022, they won the coveted Trip Advisor Traveler’s Choice Award, having ranked #25 among 632 restaurants in Sarasota. Several years earlier, in 2015, MSN recognized the Toasted Mango with their “Best Diners in Every State” award.
What lies ahead for this pair of dedicated restauranteurs who excel at their craft?
“I think we’ll have a really busy summer on Siesta Key,” said Duffy. “People have been waiting to come back. We have a lot of time shares on the south end.”
But let’s get back to the main attraction.
The restaurant serves everything from fresh fish broiled perfectly and crunchy shrimp in a basket to more exotically sauced and flavored specialty dishes. There is something for everyone.
The specialties include cod with fruit salsa – the salsa is homemade on site – as is everything from the kitchen, Jimmy says with pride.
Shrimp and lobster cream sauce – a personal favorite of this author –shrimp scampi, blackened grouper tacos, black bean and freshly roasted corn salsa, artichoke and tomato capers. Fish and chips too, of course.
Featured appetizers include smoked mahi dip, portobello mushroom crab cakes, coconut shrimp, mussels and conch fritters. Desserts include the classic Key lime pie sparkle. Like it on the classic simple side? There are baskets with grouper or
It hasn’t always been easy. Before the hurricanes ravaged Siesta Key, the duo had remodeled the Siesta Key store. “We put in new floors, and we painted.” Due to the elevation of the plaza, the restaurant did not flood, but like the rest of Siesta Key, the hurricanes kept loyal customers away for a time. They customers returned and now, Duffy is looking ahead. Grateful for her staff and her family, she said, “we have five kids who work with us now,” referring to her own, and Wagner’s children.
Looking ahead to the Siesta Key location’s 10th anniversary, Duffy says that they will do “something fun.”
What is it that diners at the Siesta Key restaurant come back for? In addition to those special waffles, French toast and avocado toast, at lunch time, Duffy said, fish is the big seller. “People love the mahi tacos with the mango sauce. The closer you get to the water, it seems everyone wants fish,” she said knowingly.
Looking back, Duffy has every
mahi sandwiches, battered shrimp, burgers and chicken. Family friendly, the restaurant offers a children’s menu that will satisfy the young ones.
The most expensive items on the dinner menu are about $30, Jimmy says.
What’s also amazing about Casey Key Fish House is its back story.
Jimmy, a native Long Islander who’s lived here locally for 35 years, had always wanted to run a marina. When he saw the Casey Key property, which had been home to the old Salty Dog eatery, he fell in love and bought it.
“I didn’t want to buy a restaurant,” he recalls. “I wanted to buy a marina.”
right to be proud. “For me it was my calling,” she said of her career. As the pair wrote on their website, “Everything runs very smoothly when everyone has a mutual respect for the others’ responsibilities and is always willing to jump in and help in any area that needs it. This philosophy creates a well-oiled machine. We feel very fortunate to have such a wonderful staff of family and friends.”
Siesta Key is fortunate to have the Toasted Mango. Happy 10th anniversary Toasted Mango! Visit the Toasted Mango at 6621 Midnight Pass, seven days a week. Hours are 7:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Call 941-552-6485. Toastedmangocafe. com
he says with pride. People started coming. The first years, he worked in the kitchen 10 hours a day, seven days a week. Eventually, a full staff came on board, many of them staying on 10 and 20 years with him – a rare occurrence in the restaurant business, as any restaurateur knows.
But to this day, Jimmy designs the menu and updates it regularly. Many of the dishes are his own innovation.
“I’m a food guy,” he says.
But fairly quickly, restaurant industry people started coming around with plans and offers to reopen and run the Salty Dog. Jimmy didn’t cotton to the idea of outsiders. He began to think “Why can’t I do it myself?”
“I jumped in with no experience,”
The tiki bar was also his own invention. A classic thatched hut, it serves everything from beer and basics to an extensive menu of exotic tropical cocktails – rum runners, mai tais and all the rest.
Décor is classic from the old days. “Old funky Florida,” Jimmy says. “There aren’t many of us left. I’m an old Florida boy. Everything else is changing, so I love to preserve Old Florida.”
The Food Network proclaimed the Toasted Mango’s waffles a national treasure. (Photo provided)
DISCOVER GULF GATE’S SHOPPING VILLAGE
With our map on the next page you’ll be able to navigate your way to our featured shops with ease.
The Shop SRQ (G-2) offers flattops, fades, tapers, blowouts, razor cuts, and straight razor shaves. Owners, Erick and Dawn use a back to basics approach to grooming with a precise attention to personal detail.
Their commitment to excellence has provided them with many loyal customers. They welcome the opportunity to earn your trust. Hours: Tues. thru Fri. 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sat., 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Gulf Gate Barber Shop (G7) has been an institution in the community for years, owned by Kyle Flannery. The super-clean barbershop’s clientele is comprised of primarily men, but the shop services children as well. Scott Reich, formerly of the Siesta Key Village Barber Shop has relocated to this location.
Tony’s Chicago Beef Company (S-16) is owned and operated by true Chicagoans. Dedicated to deliver Chicago’s best food, Chicago style Hot Dogs wit’ the works ... dragged through the garden on poppy seed buns with fresh cut fries, Italian Beef Sandwiches anyway you like, dipped or dry, sweet or hot.
Solórzano’s Late Night Pizzeria (S-34): At every Solórzano’s, they offer an experience familiar to those who understand the importance of family and dedication. Their recipes and techniques have been perfected through three long generations based on the traditional simplicity of the methods used by their Italian ancestors. Dine inside, outside, pick up, or DELIVERY anywhere on Siesta Key, or in Sarasota until 3:30 a.m. 6574 Superior Ave., 941-9245800.
Gulf Gate Food + Beer (S-51): Sarasota’s late-night hot spot for the service industry, night owls, and midnight snackers. It’s not your typical sports bar, offering unique menu selections for carnivores and vegetarians. Be sure to check out their menu online at: eatfooddrinkbeer.com. Hours: 11 a.m. – 1 a.m. (Sun. - Thurs.) open until 2 a.m. (Fri & Sat.).
Roberts Realty, Inc. (M-5)
John Garner, Broker Assoc. & Diane Shane, Broker Assoc. have a combined 40 years’ experience in Sarasota of making dreams come true for our clients. For buyers, we have had great success in finding the right property for our clients
because we listen closely to their wants and needs and matching that as close as possible. For sellers, over the years we have successfully listed and sold many, many properties throughout Sarasota County. Our philosophy is to have fun, enjoy the experience, achieve great results, make friends and receive referrals. We’re with you every step of the way! Call 941-924-2330 or drop by our office.
Only Eyes Optical (S-24) brings a new, exotic, eclectic, eccentric, unique collection of vintage, hipster, contemporary eyeglasses and sunglasses to the community. Licensed and experienced optician available to fill your prescriptions.
Only Eyes Optical has a large assortment of free frames with the purchase of new lenses. Call 941444-7984 to set up an appointment with their licensed optician.
Seascape Aquarium & Pet Center (GG39) Serving the area since 1975, this lively critter emporium features
10,000 feet of showroom, 25,000 gallons of freshwater, saltwater and coral, and adventures galore. Hours are Monday-thru Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 10 am. 5 p.m., Sunday noon to 4 p.m.
Scandinavian Gifts Baked Goods and Grocery (GG-37) A fixture in Sarasota for 32 years, Scandinavian Gifts offers an assortment of linens, glassware, cookbooks, jewelry, candles, food items, and Christmas collectibles. Located at 2166 Gulf Gate Drive, the store is open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Taste of Spain (M13) We are a catering service specializing in authentic paellas and tapas, serving Sarasota, Manatee, and the Tampa Bay area in Florida. Treat your guests to the sight and aroma of Spain’s famous dish being prepared at your event. With exquisite Spanish cuisine, top-notch service, and customizable options, we ensure an unforgettable experience.
Big Water Fish Market
