Located at 1990 Main St. in the space formerly occupied by Buddha Belly Donuts and Brasserie Belge, a new Sarasota restaurant has emerged. M.A.D.E., an acronym for Modern American Delicious Eats, is the shared vision of two friends, Michael Ripatranzone and Mark D. Woodruff.
Offering an updated and, dare I say, upscale version of American comfort food, the team at Made has created a casually elegant setting with bits of Americana accents. Even though the overall restaurant space is large, comprising outdoor seating, a good-sized dining room, a roomy bar and lounge area, the configuration provides a cozy comfortable space for meeting, eating and drinking.
The menus at Made (brunch, lunch, dinner, happy hour and late night) are varied but share the common theme of American comfort food---with a twist. Indeed, all my tasting experiences included a delightful surprise ingredient or texture that made the dish pop. For our meals we had the following:
- Empanadas: Crispy duck, sweet potato, radish slaw, navel orange and cherry chimichurri. $10.00
Four good-sized empanadas. The dough was perfectly browned; the filling was rich and flavorful. The corn on the plate had a wonderful kick!
- Grilled Caesar: Grilled romaine, Texas toast croutons, MADE peppercorn Caesar dressing, shaved Parmesan. $6.00
A clever presentation of the classic Caesar, crispy and flavorful.
- MADE Chopped Salad: House-blended greens, grilled corn, cucumber, roasted pork shoulder, deviled egg, ranch. $8.00
Fresh! Just the right proportions of pork and corn to the crisp lettuce made this salad lighter than most chopped salads.
- Salad: Local greens, roasted vegetables, hard cheese, maple-balsamic vinaigrette. $6.00
The perfect size to start your meal. Fresh greens with a sweet, tangy dressing.
- Ribs: Dry rubbed, applewood smoked, peach BBQ glaze, slaw. $13.00
A large-sized portion of meaty, smoky ribs coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. Fall-off-the-bone tender and finger-licking good!
- Burger: MADE beef blend, barbacoa, barbecued peppers and onions, pepper jack, fried heirloom tomato and butter lettuce, accompanied by cheese tots with malt mayo. $12.00
A hearty, juicy and flavorful burger with complementary toppings, perhaps one of the best in SRQ! The crunchy, soft and creamy cheese tots were addictive.
- Short Rib: Shiner Bock braised with a char finish, Shiner BBQ glace, skin-on mashed potatoes, greens, fried onion. $23.00
A very artistic presentation. Fork-tender beef, dark and rich, served atop creamy mashed potatoes. My mouth is watering just thinking about this dish again. Full disclosure: On my initial sampling of this dish, I found the sauce to be much too salty. I mentioned this to the staff. Subsequent visits and tastes demonstrated the saltiness I initially experienced was an anomaly.
- Scallops: Pan seared with jalapeño grilled cream corn “risotto style” and micro wasabi green salad. $18.00
Outstanding presentation of sweetly seared scallops, dark and richly caramelized, placed upon a sweet and spicy bed of grilled corn. I loved the contrasting tastes and complementary textures. A signature dish in my book.
- Double Dipped Fried Chicken: Buttermilk and Cholula brined, hot-n-honey crust, crispy herbs, Gruyère and black pepper waffle. $15.00
Dark and crunchy on the outside, just the way I like it. A tender, juicy explosion of flavor. Full disclosure: I am not a big fried chicken fan, but this is one of the best around!
- Apple Pie: Deep dish apple pie with cinnamon crumble. $5.00
A light, tasty slice of America, supplemented with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Delicious.
- Banana Pudding Crème Brulee: With vanilla wafers. $5.00
A silky, rich, creamy mouthfeel, full of banana flavor and not too sweet.
The full bar service at Made offers a good selection of premium American spirits, beer, wine and soft drinks to accompany your meal. We found the staff to be very friendly, helpful, fast, efficient and genuinely interested in making the experience a pleasant one!
Modern American cuisine has become a hot new trend in dining. Creating a unique, upscale culinary experience centered on American comfort food can be a challenge. However, if creativity and culinary quality are indicators of future success, then Made is off to a great start.
Simply put, Made is a fun place to dine or meet up with friends. Whether you are interested in brunch, lunch, happy hour, dinner or late night snacks, Made is making it!
Made Restaurant
1990 Main Street
Sarasota, FL 34236
941-953-2900
maderestaurant.com/
facebook.com/pages/Made-Restaurant/445996928767981?fref=ts
