Located in the Walmart/Walgreens plaza at the intersection of Lockwood Ridge Rd and University Parkway is the home of Heinrich’s German Grill.  I spent six months in Austria and enjoyed German food daily – what a treat to have authentic German cooking in our very own Sarasota!  The owners are extremely pleasant and grateful, the portions are large, they always have specials and the beer is fantastic. 

If you don’t know what German cuisine is, I’ll give you the low-down.  Unfortunately Heinrich’s doesn’t have an online menu but don’t let that stop you!

• Wiener schnitzel is one of the most popular dishes – wiener meaning Vienna, schnitzel meaning cutlet.  This boneless entrée is typically veal, although Heinrich’s offers pork and chicken as well.  It’s pounded thin, coated in breadcrumbs and fried.  The schnitzel in Austria was the size of two hands spread out – Heinrich’s isn’t that big but it’s a very generous portion!  Many varieties of schnitzel are offered – plain with a wedge of lemon, covered in mushroom sauce, with an egg on top, you name it!   
• “Spätzle” is Heinrich’s homemade pasta.  It’s normally shaped to look like mini dumplings – made with flour, eggs, and water.   I’ve tried to cook spätzle and it’s not easy so I’d recommend getting it where you know the chef’s a pro. 
• Goulash is a stew originating from Hungary.  It consists of beef, onions, and paprika – yummy. 
• Bratwurst – german sausages
• Potato pancakes – with apple sauce, sour cream and/or mushroom sauce – soooooo good! 
• And the usuals such as red cabbage, sauerkraut, potatoes, etc. 

If you like different beer, Heinrich’s is the place to go!  You can get a ½ liter, 1 liter or “das boot” which is 2 liters of beer in the shape of a boot!  Come on, how cool is that?!?  Minus the fact that it might get warm if you don’t drink it quick enough… 

Prost!! (cheers in German)

8420 Lockwood Ridge Road

Sarasota, F 34243

941-355-5453

More cute photos that really have nothing to do with Sarasota, Florida.

Someone emailed this to me today. I thought it was cute.

Clocked Out™ is a series of episodes that broadcast what Amy and Amanda, two servers at one of the largest privately held daytime only restaurant companies in the country (First Watch), do when they are clocked out – because there’s clocked out and there’s CLOCKED OUT! Thank you for watching. New episodes airing on the 15th and 30th of each month. Subscribe to ggproductionsinc.

It’s October and we’re having record high heat in Sarasota. 93 degrees is hot no matter how you dress it up or down. Unless you are lucky enough to be in your swim suit at the pool or gulf, you are probably in air conditioning or dashing to the next air-conditioned oasis.

Here is my dreamy vision for Sarasota: ladies sporting parasols. I am a one-person campaign to bring back parasols. Frilly, flowery or practical (mine is a polka-dot umbrella doing double duty), parasols cut the sun and about 5 degrees from your outside stroll. Many of us worry about skin cancer, and this is such an easy way to reduce sun exposure. (Hats work well and look great on some, but I find them hot and I’m prone to bad hat hair.)

Why don’t I see other ladies sporting a parasol on the streets of Sarasota? Especially in the summer, when that morning sun is likely to morph into an afternoon thunderstorm! A cheerful umbrella is an all-weather asset in tropical climes like ours.

I get a lot of looks and comments as I stroll with my parasol. Just today, as I walked the 10-minute stroll to lunch downtown I overheard, “Now that lady has the right idea!” Yes I do! So why don’t I see more parasols on the streets of our fair town?

Even the word umbrella has its roots in the shade. According to Wikipedia: “The word umbrella is from the Latin word umbra, which in turn derives from the Ancient Greek ómbros. Its meaning is shade or shadow.”

I’d like to see this become a “tipping point” experiment for Sarasota. Next time the sun is beating down and you are heading out, take your cheeriest umbrella along as a parasol. Rain or shine, you’ll be ready!