The Star Keeper Café: Casual comfort, seemingly undiscovered

When is a downtown restaurant not quite a downtown restaurant? Answer: When it is the Star Keeper Café. Let me explain. Most downtown restaurants share a few common attributes, such as visibility, street presence, familiarity and a storefront-like entrance. Although the Star Keeper Café is located downtown, it would be a stretch to apply any of the aforementioned attributes to its description. It is unique in appearance and history.

The Star Keeper serves breakfast, lunch and a bit of nostalgia, too! Nestled between Main Street and Ringling Avenue in downtown Sarasota, the site is squarely downtown but off the “beaten path." The antique (circa 1925) "Old Florida" cottage was originally built in Palmetto and transported to its current location. Its décor oozes charm, character and casual comfort. One step inside and you are transported to a simpler place and time, suspending the downtown hustle and bustle if only for an hour or so.

Reinforcing and perhaps amplifying the ambience, the menu serves healthy, wholesome food (just like “grandma” used to make), with an emphasis on homemade quality, fresh ingredients, fresh roasted meats and daily baked goods. From the array of breakfast items, soups, salads and sandwiches---all quality comfort food with a slightly Southern twist---we chose the following:

• Coconut, Ginger, Chicken & Veggie Soup:  $4.00 Homemade chicken soup with added layers of flavor: sweet, slightly spicy, chunky and very flavorful. A perfect winter day’s meal.
• Roasted Chicken Salad:  Fresh garden greens topped with fresh roasted chicken and choice of dressing  $8.75 Fresh, crisp and colorful greens topped with real roasted chicken, very good. This is the real deal!
• Grilled Stuffed Portobello Salad with Goat Cheese: A blend of iceberg and romaine lettuce topped with a goat cheese-stuffed Portobello  $8.75 Although the menu said iceberg and romaine, baby spinach was substituted, which was a nice addition. The mushroom was not really stuffed but rather marinated and topped with some crumbled goat cheese. Tasty, but not exactly what we expected. 
• Grilled Monte Cristo: Turkey, ham and cheese served on grilled bread, served with a side salad or broccoli slaw  $8.75 A surprising presentation of roasted turkey and ham served on French toast-like bread, topped with powdered sugar. Surprisingly delicious.
• Kentucky Hot Brown: Open-faced sandwich, turkey breast, Parmesan, bacon and tomato on sourdough bread; served with a side salad or broccoli slaw  $9.75 A hearty combination of textures and flavors: rich, slightly salty but not overpowering, filling and very satisfying. Delicious; will definitely order again.
• Fruited Chicken Salad: Chunks of chicken, grapes, celery, apples and strawberries over romaine lettuce and spinach.  $8.00 Good size portion, fresh, colorful presentation, sweet with a bit of crunch in each bite.
• Chicken Salad Sandwich: Choice of fresh bread, side of slaw or fruit.  $8.75 A very large-sized sandwich with chunky chicken salad. Crunchy and sweet with each bite.

Star Keeper offers a selection of soft drinks, coffees and teas. Additionally, a limited selection of beer and wine is also available. Overall, the waitstaff was friendly, attentive and ready to answer questions about the menu---which is important because some of the menu descriptions are limited. Since all of the food is homemade and prepared to order, the service, at times, can be slower than expected. This is not necessarily bad, but people who are on a tight schedule should plan accordingly.

Sometimes it is nice to take a break from your regular lunch routine. If you are downtown, the Star Keeper Café may be just the spot. In a warm, casual and charming setting, set apart from most other downtown dining spots, lunch at Star Keeper provides an escape from the ordinary. Try it. I think you will like it.

- But wait, there's more: Check out the monthly burger cook-out and open mic nights at the Star Keeper every Monday night from 6 to 9 p.m. Video by McFadden Creative.

Star Keeper Café

1734 Bamboo Lane

Sarasota, FL 34236

941-955-9434

Hours

Tues. - Sat.,  9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Sun, 9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.

starkeepercafe.com/

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