Tapas, tequila coming to Word of Mouth space

After nearly 10 years of owning the Word of Mouth at 711 S. Osprey Ave., Shannon Lugannani is ready to try something new.

Don’t worry — Word of Mouth isn’t going away for breakfast and lunch. But Lugannani is preparing to open a new concept in the same space for dinner and late-night hours: Sabrosa, a Latin American-inspired restaurant and bar.

The name, Spanish for “tasty,” conveys the type of simple, casual environment Lugannani hopes to foster. It also conveys his love of music, which will be reflected in the restaurant’s decor.  “Sabrosa” is his favorite Beastie Boys song, he said.

“At this point in my career and my life, I really want to bring something to Sarasota that I like and that I think people will like,” Lugannani said.

Construction is underway on a covered patio, which will allow the restaurant to add the seating necessary to get a full liquor license. Lugannani is partnering with Adrian Langford, who previously worked at The Mill in St. Petersburg and is devising an agave-focused drink menu.

Langford is confident the concept will go over well with Sarasota residents, filling a niche in the restaurant and bar environment.

“Tequila is extremely hot right now,” Langford said. “At the same time, I’m going to be careful in the way I go about it. … I’m not going to shove tequila down somebody’s throat. I want them to be exposed to this really cool spirit in a way that’s comfortable.”

Langford emphasized that food will be Sabrosa’s primary focus, and that the character of the restaurant isn’t going to be raucous.

“We’re trying to create a bar, a restaurant and atmosphere we’d try to go to — where we want to go on our night off,” Langford said. “We’ll have a very friendly, low-key atmosphere.”

Lugannani said he hopes to open Sabrosa later this summer. The new concept will result in some changes at Word of Mouth, including more Latin dishes, though he’ll always serve eggs, bacon and pancakes, he said.

He knows Word of Mouth is an established brand in Sarasota, and that people in the area are attached to it. He’s hopeful people will feel just as at home in his new concept.

“Instead of having people over at your house, you can meet at Sabrosa,” Lugannani said. “It’s going to be a very comfortable place. That’s the vibe that I’m going for.”