- April 28, 2024
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With the Jan.21, 2013 opening of the new Jack Dusty restaurant, the Ritz-Carlton of Sarasota closes one chapter on hotel dining while simultaneously opening another.
If one ever needed a recipe for reinventing a restaurant, the Ritz-Carlton of Sarasota's is the one to follow. Recognizing the current trend toward more casual, light, healthy, yet upscale dining, the Ritz decided to launch an entirely new restaurant concept that incorporates diners’ evolving preferences. No small undertaking for an ongoing operating hotel, the decision was to build a completely new restaurant space from the ground up, one which complemented and supported the intended dining experience. The plans for Jack Dusty were set in motion and would take shape over a number of months.
Jack Dusty Opens
Jack Dusty---so named for the 18th century short-hand term for the naval store clerk whose responsibility included doling out the daily lot of rum to sailors and maintaining the ship’s inventory of food supplies---now supplies Sarasota foodies, locals and visitors with a fresh, flavorful and unique dining experience.
With a bright, vibrant, open-spaced area, subtly punctuated with Ritz elegance, Jack Dusty’s environs set a unique and balanced tone. Jack Dusty is amply ready to serve breakfast, lunch, dinner, coffee or cocktails with ease and a casually elegant vibe.
Coastal Cuisine and Crafted Cocktails
The menu at Jack Dusty will offer modern American cuisine with a seafood sensibility. A vast array of raw bar and appetizer offerings ($14 - $20) are perfect for a post-work nibble or pre-dinner starter and include local caviar from Mote Marine sturgeon; Crab and Fried Green Tomatoes with charred tomato vinaigrette; a tasty Grouper Cake with mango beurre blanc and fruit salad; Burrata & Tomato Salad, served with oven-cured tomatoes and arugula; as well as selections of local, Northeast and Northwest oysters. Also on offer is a gorgeous seafood platter that serves two or four ($40 - $80), featuring a whole lobster, whole crab, peel-and-eat shrimp, oysters and Jack’s ceviche.
Main plates are categorized By Land ($26 - $30) and By Sea ($18 - $28). Discerning palates will delight with entrees such as a grilled pork chop with black-eyed peas and seasonal greens; Red Brick Chicken, a modern twist on the Sicilian classic Chicken Mattone, weighed down by a brick in a cast-iron skillet and served with Anson Mills grits and market veggies; and the 1855 Beef Tenderloin with smashed potatoes and seasonal mushrooms.
Sumptuous seafood dishes include Blackened Grouper Étouffée with red beans and rice and braised greens; Speared Hog Snapper, fried whole and served with grilled vegetables and a coconut and curry broth; and Sarasota Cioppino, gulf shrimp, bay scallops, clams, mussels and grouper in an orange peel and tomato broth. Guests can also indulge in the signature Seafood Boil, available for two or four ($40 - $80), which features seasonal crab, gulf shrimp, clams, mussels, chorizo, oysters, potatoes and corn on the cob.
Desserts ($12) will be equally enticing, such as the Baileys Warm Chocolate Cake, a sweet confection served with whiskey caramel and stout ice cream; the Key Lime Bar with crispy meringue and tropical fruit chutney; and Sweet Potato-Pecan Cheesecake served with Steen’s Cane Syrup.
Jack Dusty’s bar will play a central role in the restaurant with an emphasis on craft microbrews, a broad selection of rums and spirits and an array of specialty Sarasota-inspired cocktails made with farm-fresh ingredients. A collaboration between the restaurant’s mixologists and culinarians, cocktails will include Sippers (a cocktail that one is advised to sip and savor), Gulpers (long, refreshing and swiggable beverages) and Sandy Bottoms (big punches for sharing). A Tidewrack Martini is an herbaceous Sipper featuring herb-infused vodka, dry sherry, Cointreau and kümmel, and served with house-infused herbs and vermouth olives; while the Gulper Sling Hook brings together Don Julio tequila, Grand Marnier, honey, mango, lemon and celery bitters topped with soda and served in a blue salt-encrusted glass.
More than a hotel restaurant
Jack Dusty is an indoor-outdoor space featuring various seating styles that promote a comfortable and relaxed vibe. Guests can linger over cocktails and bites in the lounge or bar, accented by wood-paneled millwork, comfy leather seating, a rustic stone raw bar and the warm, inviting wine library. Reclaimed oak floors and board-and-batten wood paneling create the backdrop for the sculptural bar and pantry, where hand-mixed cocktails and seafood specialties are featured. Partnering with Sarasota's Ringling College of Art + Design, the restaurant will showcase various works of art to complement the space.
Jack Dusty will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Hours are 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. or “close”.
Jack Dusty at the Ritz-Carlton Sarasota
1111 Ritz-Carlton Drive
Sarasota, FL 34236
(941) 309-2000
www.facebook.com/JackDustySarasota
