The 3rd annual Vendor Showcase on October 26 featured different foodservice vendors and distributors, showcasing hundreds of tasty and innovative products. This is where chefs see and sample, how to can add better quality and variety to their cuisine.Denise Muir's Rabbit Run’s hydroponic produce via
Jimmy Augustine's The Fresh Garden, gets my vote for tasty and beautiful. 
Chefs like Brian Roland artfully combine their produce with proteins, and customers fill up seats to savor his creations. Patrick Fevrier has long used his organic produce to create the best French cuisine in South Florida at Escargot 41.Gourmet Gardener’s Kim and Randy’s Little Cypress Organics from Clewiston have the prettiest eggplant and squash blossoms 
I’ve seen in a long time. I think IM Tapas uses their produce
Sysco, presents Creekstone Farm’s new meats, Earthbound Farm’s organic veggies,
and other non-organic produce.
and other non-organic produce. Erik Tibcken of Halperns steaks and seafood offers the best in seafood. His ice sculpture 
incorporationg fish and crabs is created by David Calandra of Run the Gamut’s “Ice Magic.”
incorporationg fish and crabs is created by David Calandra of Run the Gamut’s “Ice Magic.”North Star Seafood also features top quality fresh seafood. 
One lobster’s claw is larger than my hand, the crustacean must weigh 15 lbs!
Boar's Head provisions make the rounds.
Cory's Seafood rocks!
Gourmet Resources has amazing desserts at great price points-they have my vote!
Albert Uster Imports features clever molds, topped eggs, tartlets and cornets. 
Ricardo Ramirez of US Foodservice cooks delicious chorizos in Colombian (paprika), Brazilian (cilantro) and Argentinean styles. His empanadas and cheese arepas make some homesick for the real South American delights.
Cusano’s Bakery’s display says it all, for geat quality and variety. 
Fior di Frutta has the best organic, chemical free jams and spreads from Italy. When sweetening is needed, it comes from natural apple juice, not gloppy high fructose corn syrup.
Wanna cook like El Bulli Chef Ferran Adrià with a Molecular Gastronomy’s chemistry set? Get “For the Gourmet” Texturas tiny set. It has about 10 tiny grams each of 12 products-alginate, lecithin, gums and gels for $30 on Amazon. Read Alinea, and make carrot, mango, or even pizza “caviar.” While the kit lacks tapioca maltodextrin and other fun things-for $30, I’m not complaining! Soon, my mad scientist, you’ll use Chicken Mcnuggets transglutaminase meat glue to craft more creative cuisines, play with lobster and banana foams, edible menus, and prepare powdered olive oil and rum.
Carlos and Paul from R. L. Schreiber offer a wide selection of spices, spice blends rich gravies and stocks. 
The American Culinary Federation Caxambas Chapter of Naples and Marco Island generously supports the students and the Culinary Arts programs of the Collier County School District through their Scholarship Fund and Grant Program.
One lobster’s claw is larger than my hand, the crustacean must weigh 15 lbs!Boar's Head provisions make the rounds.
Cory's Seafood rocks!
Gourmet Resources has amazing desserts at great price points-they have my vote!
Albert Uster Imports features clever molds, topped eggs, tartlets and cornets. 
Ricardo Ramirez of US Foodservice cooks delicious chorizos in Colombian (paprika), Brazilian (cilantro) and Argentinean styles. His empanadas and cheese arepas make some homesick for the real South American delights.
Cusano’s Bakery’s display says it all, for geat quality and variety. 
Fior di Frutta has the best organic, chemical free jams and spreads from Italy. When sweetening is needed, it comes from natural apple juice, not gloppy high fructose corn syrup.
Wanna cook like El Bulli Chef Ferran Adrià with a Molecular Gastronomy’s chemistry set? Get “For the Gourmet” Texturas tiny set. It has about 10 tiny grams each of 12 products-alginate, lecithin, gums and gels for $30 on Amazon. Read Alinea, and make carrot, mango, or even pizza “caviar.” While the kit lacks tapioca maltodextrin and other fun things-for $30, I’m not complaining! Soon, my mad scientist, you’ll use Chicken Mcnuggets transglutaminase meat glue to craft more creative cuisines, play with lobster and banana foams, edible menus, and prepare powdered olive oil and rum.
Carlos and Paul from R. L. Schreiber offer a wide selection of spices, spice blends rich gravies and stocks. The American Culinary Federation Caxambas Chapter of Naples and Marco Island generously supports the students and the Culinary Arts programs of the Collier County School District through their Scholarship Fund and Grant Program. 
brother can polish minerals. Decent new smaller tumblers go for $40-60.
I now needed to tumble the foodsaver's container, with marinade and a steak inside, to match the pricey Reveo for less.
Tumbling alone, IS wonderful for efficient marination. Tumbling plus vacuum does NOT not add any benefit. The tumbling and the weight of the steak, repeatedly stretches and retract the meat fibers, allowing the marinade to penetrate. There, you saved $100 by not getting a small Reveo, and you have a big mineral tumbler! If you really, really, must tumble steaks for pennies, double bag your steak/marinade in freezer Baggies, tape it in Tupperwear, and put it in your clothes dryer, along with clothes to soften the impact.
Don't blame me if your whites look and taste like teriyaki.
Don't try that trick with gas or regular elecric burners or it'll flame up! After searing the steak's surfaces, I finish it in a 400 degree (toaster) oven for about 8-10 minutes, (med-rare to med)
then let it rest for 10 minutes before serving. Delicious, with a seared crust! Cleanup is fast. While steaks (and guests) rest, I use the pan's tasty bits for a sauce reduction. I then clean remaining oil off with clumped paper towel, add 1/3 inch of warm water, and boil. With tongs, I hold a clumped paper towel with tongs to clean off any stuck bits, 
then dry the pan. Next, lightly oil, then heat the pan-seasoning it. Wipe off excess oil, and put it away. This goes fast. Supper's ready! 
Steaks tumbled for a 20-30 minute marinade taste as if marinated for 24 hours. 
She knows hundreds of customers’ names and stories. They have worked together for 40+ years! One starts, and the other easily finishes a sentence. For flashy décor, vertical food, frozen foods, faux finishes, Frankenfood or chirpy robotic servers, get thee to a chain restaurant!
Another lady had her 50th birthday here. This is family,with regulars like the Snedikers, who have dined all over Naples. They choose to celebrate events, large and small, here with friends. There’s no robotic patter of “Hi, my name’s Biff. I’m from Lalaland” at Richie's. You are never rushed, as often happens elsewhere in season.
as Richie work his magic! He grills the beef, then tops it with grilled onions, and adds lettuce, tomato, a pickle, and chips on the plate. It’s enough for two people, and only $4.99! Tender and juicy, it's too big for the bun! This truly two-fisted burger beats out any of 
the pricey, greasy, smaller and often previously frozen, overcooked burgers that may be found at spots like McDonald’s, Five Guys, Steak 'n Shake, Lindburgers , etc. No other hamburger comes close to Richie’s fresh, monstrous hamburger!
that comes with two scoops of vanilla ice cream. Lynn’s Strawberry Shortcake is a huge portion. Kids go for the Zebra; a crepe filled with vanilla ice cream, and topped with chocolate sauce and powdered sugar. I want to try the Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie and the Frozen Turtle Pie, rich with caramel and chocolate.
Joy of Cooking somehow left out balut recipes, as did other cookbooks. Googling “balut cooking” wasn't helpful- boiling times varied from 15 to 40 minutes. This egg was smaller than most duck eggs, so I warmed up water, put it in, and boiled it for 20.” I gathered salt, sweet chili dipping sauce, white vinegar, a Meyer lemon, and bagel chips, to better see what would best fit with balut. Sipping on a Chardonnay, I also had a cold beer at the ready.
Twenty boiling minutes passed, and the intact, inscrutable egg calmly faced me, silently daring me to open its secrets. Would I face a tiny blob, or worse, a feathered and footed apparition? I set it in an egg cup, (incorrectly) pointy, smaller end pointed up. Tapping around the egg, I opened it toward the top, removing the resultant round “cap.” I gingerly took a sip of the warm, clear broth within. Not bad. I added a pinch of salt, and downed the rest of the broth, in a shot. It was tasty. “Tastes unlike chicken,” I thought. Attached to the cap is a nut-hard, clearly inedible concave disk of cooked egg white (below, on right), unlike anything I’ve seen. I set that aside. The disc of soft yolk looked up at me from within the shell. 
Gingerly, I turned the yolk over, and an embryonic blob, half the size 
of the yolk, was attached. "Whew, no feathers or feet,” I thought, “dodged that bullet. ” Still, at some level, I was not prepared to see this. I hesitated, put a dash of salt and lemon juice on the pair, and took a nibble. “Hmmm, Not bad.” In fact, it had a pleasantly rich foie gras taste, and unique creamy-solid consistency. The next mouthful was drizzled with Thai sweet chili dipping sauce. Its strength covered up the delicate taste. Another bite, and the balut was history.
Ginourmous swamp buggies, High School bands, ROTC students, airboats, and knee- high Shriners vehicles parade down
US 41 in the Annual Swamp Buggy Parade. Later, the buggies competed in time trials, blew engines and bolts, readying for the real competition on Sunday 
I love a parade! The annual parade started long before condo's obstructed beach views and access, prissy SUV's were detailed, and hoity-toity shops with $300 shoes sprang up on once dusty 5th Avenue South. The community joins in to see their kids, neighbors, and vehicles that slog through swamps on six foot tall tires. Condo dwellers from New York sit next to Native Indians. Adults from Nicaragua cheer alongside bewildered Swiss and Syrian visitors. It's quite a crowd that gathers for a couple hours-the spectators are more colorful than those in the parade! 
There truly are prizes here. Sample over fifteen (15) different feta cheeses alone, and a broad selection of perhaps 30 other cheeses, priced way less than at grocery stores. Muenster, Mozzarella, Swiss, Provolone, you know the ones!
Let’s talk yogurt. Yoplait and other “yogurt foods” sadly are artificially sweetened with funky chemicals. A Yoplait Yogurt product’s label discloses the presence of gloppy “high fructose corn syrup”, and “modified” corn starch as the 2nd and 3rd most prevalent ingredients. Yoplait then tosses in MSG’s controversial chemical cousin- Aspartame, and Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid, Yellow #5, and Blue #1 to preserve and color the corn syrup, and make it cling like mucus to your lips. “Frankenyogurts” contibute to tooth cavities. Do corn syrup and MSG-type chemicals really belong in your food? There’s an easy, healthy solution.
touch of tartness with real Bulgarian Lactobacillus bulgaricus. Live longer, avoid Frankenyogurt’s corn syrup, calories and cavities. It’s that easy.
as they buy and start drinking and nibbling, while still in the store! There are over 40 different cold cuts, at prices less than grocery stores, and more authentic in taste. I bought some Hickory Smoked Dried Beef (Suva Govedina) that is as tasty as any charcuterie from France or Italy.
The Cured Pork Loin Elena is as beautifully lean and tasty as any Pastrami imaginable. The Beef
(Sudzuk), and Pork Sausages sell fast. Take home slices of the best of Mortadella, Bologna, Dry Salami (Moskovskaya), Smoked Bologna, and Sorpressata. 
Slice these thin, have a sip of wine, and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
Like pierogies? Try these, or the similar looking pelmeni, all free of preservatives.
Have a sweet tooth? There’s rows of sweets, free of Aspartame and MSG!. 
Vegetable spreads, caviar, Bulgarian flour? All here. Soon there will be wines and beer, as the store expands its offerings and customer base.
There’s a few dozen fruit drinks like sour cherry, that others were buying by the armful. With 900 items, stock up on halva, sauerkraut, Greek and other coffee beans-you start to understand the variety that’s here!
Moe will give you recipes. Take your casserole pot from oven to table, so your family and guests know your food is cooked and served from your heart.
The Mercato is designed for foot traffic. Bravo’s broad front patio area is attractively conducive to walking, with curved grassy areas. There’s outdoor plush seats, and tables under broad umbrellas. Inside, one is quickly greeted, and escorted to the indoor/outdoor bar, or to the large central room, with white Corinthian columns supporting truncated trusses-this is “dining among the ruins”, Bravo style. The walls are golden brown stucco, faux finished, with Italian influenced artwork. Huge, 5 foot diameter hemispheric brown and white speckled Murano-styled glass ceiling fixures
supply light, along with hidden high-hat fixtures Nicely placed greenery adds color and warmth. I made a beeline to the open, perhaps 60 foot long open kitchen, as waitstaff repeatedly cried “guest on the line.” The food is cooked to order. It’s a beautiful showpiece, a frenetic, controlled chaos, both where the chefs are, and where the servers and public briefly can mingle. 
This working kitchen is well worth a view. For everyone’s safety, have a quick look.
Though billed as a “family” restaurant, it’s perfect for well behaved kids, couples and moderate sized adult parties. There’s a private room opening out on the patio. Its single table seats 10 or, better, 8.
she never had to ask, and correctly filled each glass.
The Caesar salad is fine for $4. I prefer the more sensual Insalata Rustica (6), with its contrasting tastes and textures. Romaine, arugula and radicchio are tossed with fresh pears, dried cherries, spicy pecans, tender grape tomatoes, and my favorite, the crunchy taste bursts of crispy pancetta.
The balsamic vinaigrette is applied just right.
Highly recommended.
covered with a nice tomato sherry cream sauce is as good as many other places’ versions.
Kalamata olives, onions and pine nuts, then drizzled with a warm caper vinaigrette. Recommended.
It’s a filling meal. Recommended.
dominating every bite. The price and good quality are in line with other spots’ crab cakes-I’m just a fan of big lumps of crab and scant filler. My type can cost almost double this. As this review is from Bravo’s first week; crab cakes and other things may be tweaked.
topped with vanilla bean gelato. A beautifully served, delight. Highly recommended. Other dessert include Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding (6), Warm Berry Cake (6), Tiramisu (7), Cheesecake with Caramelized Sugar and Crème Anglaise (7), and Crème Brûlée (5).
Ashraf and Feibi holding Falafel Sampler
It's only been open a few weeks, and already the customer demand has them staffing up for dinner It’s a couple’s spot, a family spot, and a popular take out delight. I enjoyed dining and people watching, while talking with nearby people. It is very casual- come as you are, and you’re fine. The interior is simple, not fancy, with pale green walls, tan tile floors, and comfortable seating at six gray topped tables. There's no definite "atmosphere" yet, that will follow.
Feibi Shows How to Wash Chickpeas
Falafel is a vegetarian tradition. Chick peas are soaked overnight, crushed, and combined with onion, cilantro, parsley, and garlic. There may be caramelized onions, olive oil, and other local ingredients. Cumin and coriander are popular spices. Egyptian style favors fava beans Coptic Christians take credit for starting falafel. It has become a favorite of Palestinians, Israelis, and Syrians. A patty, cylinder, or more commonly a ping pong ball sized portion is quickly deep fried at about 370 degrees F., The falafel thus cooked have crispy goodness outside, and are luscious inside. Serve them plain, drizzled with tahina/tahini, or wrapped in a pita with lettuce and tomato. Falafel Grill’s Classic Falafel dish serves falafel with a mix or organic greens, tomatoes, onions and tahina sauce ($4.95).
drizzled with tahina. Deep fried pita bread wedges are wonderful on their own, or with the dips!
Chicken Kabab (10.95, and Beef Kabab for $12.95. Mix and match!
hint of vanilla, eggs and nuts cooked, then drizzled with simple syrup. This is best paired with a dollop of its whipped cream in every bite. Baklava is also available.
kaffir lime trees,
and a Meyer lemon tree. 
There's a trio of tree ripened fruits, in search of a recipe. Join them with a sweet tooth, and it's Avocado Pie time!
Best Avocado Pie
Before serving, top with whipped cream, meringue, or Cool Whip in a pinch. Garnish with thin sliced lemon, lime, crushed nuts, and serve.
The restaurant is in the Pavillion, east of Bha Bha and Publix, with ample parking. It’s cozy and casually elegant. The long yellow-orange wall displaying a mural of Americana, 
denoting the showcased five broad USA regions. Tables are elegantly set with linen napkins and fresh flowers. Music ranges from light jazz to Latino, and the volume stays low for conversation.
applied at the last moment, so every taste and texture nuance, be it soft or crisp, clearly stands out. Three diners raved over this!
blue crab and flecks of green onion. I’ve tasted many corn chowders; this is one of the best. Highly recommended!
then wrapped with of dry-cured ham. It’s drizzled with a balsamic syrup reduction, and paired with arugula and julienned jicama . The whole is synergistically better than its parts. Recommended.
needs and reactions.
perfectly fried sweet plantains (plantanos maduros), and a light, crisp julienned jicama salad (jicama has a pear’s crisp, crunchy texture). This would sell for over $30 on 5th Ave South, and would not have the delicate nuances as served here.
comes with spaghetti squash, creamy herb-roasted fingerling potatoes. It is topped with fried leeks, and ringed with a green creamed leek fondue. Highly recommended.
do well to taste, and learn from these simply elegant presentations, made by one chef, one meal at a time.
These dishes encompass America’s bounty, representing the Southwest with Smoked Pepper Duck; the Heartland -Lamb Chops and Strip Steak; Southeast's Red Snapper; the Pacific's Apple Glazed Salmon, and Northeast's Seared Diver Scallops. 
Boston Cream Pie (6) is the real thing, with a luscious vanilla cream filling and beautiful icing, on a rich raspberry reduction.
Nine crabbing boats lined up, and docked behind the over 100 year old club. Some boats included Jenny, Miss Holly II, Slim Pickins, Flirtin with Disaster, KitKat, Lil Liza, and Mine and Yours.
The event started at noon, warming up with a kids frog-jumping contest, a serenading guitarist, restaurant food on the patio, and a dining room church bake sale, with cakes, muffins and cookies. Outside, people stood in the shade of the white and yellow canopy until the fleet docked,
then moved into the hot sun along each boat for the individual blessing of each boat and its crew. 
People then moved back into the Club's cool pecky cypress lobby and the rustic dining room to take home bake sale items.
and enjoy the screened, covered patio-a a popular lunch spot. 
There are cupcakes, and then, oh my, there are Gracie’s Cupcakes! What a difference compared to ones you’ve in the past. Each of Gracie’s lusciously fresh cupcakes is a perfect portion of delicious cake and icing. My friend Laura brought by a dozen mini cupcakes, and by the time I polished off the eighth, I drove straight to Gracie’s and started on a half dozen full size ones. I then returned for yet another half dozen, a few days later... you see where this is going…and Gracie keeps bringing out new recipes! The cupcakes, baked fresh every day, are super moist – each one’s icing is uniquely different in texture and taste.
The Orange Coconut is a coconut milk cake with orange-flavored creamcheese frosting, sprinkled with toasted flakes. Red Velvet is a Southern classic, with a pinch of cocoa, and creamcheese frosting. The Hazelnut Chocolate Swirl has hazelmut chocolate swirled in a vanilla cake, topped with a hazelnut chocolate layer and then a light hazelnut buttercream frosting. Brown Sugar Caramel. is a moist brown sugar cake with Madagascar vanilla buttercream frosting, drizzled with luscious homemade caramel and a pinch of sea salt.
Two of several Fresh Baked Cupcake Towers 
Grace, formerly in computer software consulting, wanted a business that gave her time with the kids, and a business that was rewarding in many ways to her. With her creativity, pleasant manner, and amazing baking skills, this career move is superb for Grace, and for you and me. I used to bring a nice bottle of wine when I visited friends, now it’s wine and a box of cupcakes, and I may soon be asked to ditch the wine, and bring more cupcakes!
The Tiramisu is a coffee infused vanilla cake with a light Madagascar vanilla buttercream topping. Buttercream is not as sweet a frosting as other frostings.
A Trio of Strawberry Cakes with Fresh Strawberries 
The peanut center of a Butterfinger Cupcake!
Lemon Cakes-light & fluffy with a sweet lemon frosting made with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Ice Cream Cone, ready for Royal Scoop’s Ice Creams
Ice Cream may be enjoyed by the scoop, cone, cup, sundae, or taken to go. There's no shortage of toppings!
Gracie, writing down a new cupcake idea.
Customers Erick, Leo and Marco 
Open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Marta, or husband Hubert, warmly greet you. They are fun to talk to-ask them to join you for conversation! The Bakery’s first birthday is October 11th, and they may well have a 25th birthday!
Entering the Café is like entering a welcoming home, with its couch, antiques, antique organ, woodsy warmth, golden window treatments, wooden tables with character, cushy red chairs, old paintings, antique curved mirrors and flowers.
multibrain bread and butter (5.99) or go for the European cold meats and cheese for two (14). There's a long list to select from.
and Coconut layer cake.
A real treat is the Angel wings, AKA Chrusciki or Faworki in Polish, which are heavenly light, crisp pasties, dusted with powdered sugar, that are devoid of calories!
and other healthy ingredients. It is rich with taste, heavy with goodness, and with its perfectly browned crust, one of the best I’ve had in SW Florida. 
I’ve enjoyed the homemade natural Lentil soup with tender chicken, carrots, and onions 
the classic Cabbage soup, 
and the oh-so-lusciously rich Mushroom soup. 
Each is well worth taking home, with Marta’s blend of spices and herbs. 
and other traditional treats.
It’s signed by so many happy customers from around the world in many languages, with unique writing flourishes, and sketches The words of appreciation and thanks come from the heart. 
Some Days it's Filled with Friendly People!
Guests of all Nationalities and Ages
71 9th Street South, Naples 263-0096 (just south of Corner of Central Ave and US 41 Starbucks Plaza) 
natural enemies or insecticides. I tried picking them off each morning, however after plucking over 200 weevils in an hour, I realized I was out gunned! They drop, and fly up to 60 feet away if you touch them. Because they are on fruit trees, great care must be taken with 
sytemic poisons, which get in the fruit. I've tried several different non sytemics like Bonide's Fruit Tree Spray, and none work on this bug. Pro's try Danitol, Sevin, Imadan, Kyrocide, Micromite, and Orthene. So far, Bayer Complete Insect Killer does the job, however it should NOT be put on edible fruit trees, unless the tree's very survival is in question, as it is taken up into the fruit, even months after it is applied. Key thing, spray the foliage, and really spray the ground under the trees, then water soak the ground to get the poison deeper down, getting the next crops of baby weevils before they emerge from the soil. Spray at noontime on a dry day. Keep well away from water and fish. I prefer using it on ficus trees. If you have a safer, non-systemic way to rid fruit trees of these weevils, let me know! 
They do not kill wild birds, as domestic cats do by the millions each year, and proudly bring them to their owners. Frederika, below, favors Cesar foods, and prefers it lightly pan sautéd before serving. If she eats all her portion, I'll give her a smidgen of my pan seared steak and its reduction of the day. Ah, pleasing the French palate! 
Mushrooms, pop up after the afternoon summer rains. 
Sugar Apple Last Hurrah!
I like to feel like a tourist in my own backyard. It's a stunning backyard, with miles of beaches, leaping dolphins, and breathtakingly beautiful sunsets. This one was so gloriously dramatic, it made a tough guy stop in mid conversation, and he just stared in awe.
Dominic of Costal Wines and Spirits,
and Mack of Noble wines. This quartet set up four tables with some very delicious and well priced wines, for a private group's tasting. 
The Princess had a custom, beautiful spread of oodles of crab claws, 
smoked salmon, 
BBQ ribs, and various dips. The ship has three decks. 60 people felt like sixteen, as the ship can fit over 200 people.
It rained for 20", as usual in the summer, and was dry during our 6:15-8:15 cruise. We cruised Port Royal's canals-some folks are upgrading their homes. We exited Gordon Pass to the Gulf, a few minutes before the sun set. All eyes were alert for the green flash. Alas, there wasn't one. I've seen thousands of sunsets, and only two green flashes. I carry a camera to capture number three, if conditions are so willing.
My point and shoot camera did its best to show you this sunset; you'll just have to be out on the water, and see a Naples sunset with your own eyes. 
At night, the atmosphere ranges from lively, with families early on, to couples and quartets after 7:30 or so. It’s a warm setting with comfortable low light. The red and gold walls are accented by stonework. Chairs are comfortable. The noise volume, when packed, is reasonable for conversation. We were quickly greeted, seated, and our drink and food orders taken promptly. The food soon followed, freshly made, hot and tasty. Servers are friendly and attentive. As pizza, flatbreads and sandwiches can be quickly made and served, this is a good spot for a quick meal. We had a leisurely meal, and were never rushed by staff. Naples Flatbread is comfortably in its groove. This will be a great chain, as this first spot only opened in February. Owner Ralph Desiano’s second restaurant will open in October at Estero’s Miromar Outlet’s east entrance.
People return for the prices and the quality. Daily lunch specials are $5.99. Pizzas, sandwiches and most salads are under $10, with fancier flatbreads fairly priced at $10-13. Kids have mac & cheese, chicken bites, grilled cheese, and 6” pizzas, all priced under $5. (Note: Actual prices are 10% higher on some menu items, compared to those on the handy “Dine in or Take out” flyer at the counter. The prices need to be updated.)
A small side salad can be had for $2. 
The “Tuffo” Tuscan flatbread ($14), below, has bits of duck confit, sautéed figs, gorgonzola, caramelized onions, caramelized pecans and a squirt of balsamic reduction. This is a creative mix, a synergistic success, as the flavors nicely form a pleasureable taste and textural delight. The lushness of the figs, the pecans’ sweet crunchiness and the balsamic sweet tartness offer a well balanced contrast. I could be happy with a salad and half of this! Highly recommended! 
The Roasted Veggie Tuscan Flatbread (10) is decent, just not as creative as some others. It has eggplant, zucchini, Portobello, peppers, onions goat cheese, mozzarella and balsamic reduction. 
Dessert has S’mores for two (8), Heavenly Cream Cheesecake, Chocolate Lava Cake (6), and Chocolate Pocket Cookie. We had to try the the Tiramisu Flatbread (8), with Mascarpone cheese, chocolate-hazlemut spread, and crumb topping. No, it didn’t make me think of any tiramisu, lacking ladyfingers and espresso coffee, I’ve had, however it’s still good!
We had several wines. I like the assortment, with a Borsao Rose Garnacha ($6), Chilean Sant Alicia Carmenere ($8) Tuscan Sangiovese (12) , Paso a Paso Tempranillo (10), Peter Lehman Cabernet (14). Favor a white? Try Argentinian Zolo Torrontes (12), or the curious Teruzi & Puthod :”Super Tuscan” novel blend of four white wines (14)!. Soon to follow may be a “Champagne-style Super Tuscan”! Have a Port (8-22) or Schmitt Sohne Ice Wine (14) for dessert. Beers incude Bud, Miller Light, O’doul’s, blue Moon, Guiness, Bass Ale, and Paulaner Pilsner. The bases are well covered.
It’s like walking into a time warp, as you enter the Saw Grass (Sawgrass) Grill. Picture sitting down on a town's village green, and neighbors and strangers come over and chat with you. Not sure what to order? Someone may politely ask if you’d like a recommendation.
landscaping company behind. They heard the place, Granny’s Hideaway, was for sale, talked to the owner, and 5 weeks later, opened Sawgrass Grill. Neither had even worked in a restaurant before! Some of the regulars helped them along. They spent thousands on advertising the first year, and it brought in one person! After that, word of mouth has kept tables filled, as regulars bring snowbirds friends in for a taste of genuine community caring, and they too become regulars, even if it’s a 15 minute drive for breakfast. 
Neighborly is the spirit, and the word here. Someone’s moving? A few folks in earshot ask if they can volunteer a hand. The Sawgrass Grill is intricately woven into the neighborhood’s social fabric. Sherry mentions she may need a hand getting food to a big catering job. Not a problem, a nearby woman volunteers her Suburban for transport, and a few hours of her time as well. These are real people. This is small town, neighborly America. You’d expect Charles Kuralt to come in and start filming any second. After the last hurricane, it was a social center of the area, as people checked on their dining friends and neighbors. Strangers whose houses were damaged, or who were suddenly without work, were clothed and fed, and helped back on their feet. Not to mention that as soon as a path was cleared to the restaurant, Peg and Sherry donated all the food to cook and feed the neighborhood, and neighbors brought fresh food and generators to keep them going, in turn.
Sherry runs the culinary side, and Peg keeps the “front of the house” happy and joking. It seems like everyone walking in gives or gets a big hug. “It’s been a lot of fun,” Peg says, “We’re off the main track, you have to search to find us, and once you come in , you’re part of the family.”
The fried chicken is a favorite!
I went for the weekend special, lightly fried fresh mullet. I haven’t had this since mullet used to swim by the hundreds in rivers-now they are rarely seen on menus, unless “smoked”. Saw Grass Grill’s is super fresh, tender, and the corn meal light, crisp batter is one of the best fried fish I’ve had in years. 
With sides of hot cheese grits and fresh cole slaw, it’s highly recommended! For dessert, there’s different pies and cakes. Red Velvet Cake or pudding comes free with each meal- it’s the real home made fresh Southern delight.
While I visited, a recent Swamp Buggy Queen came in with her family, and kept the place in laughter as she told of her latest experiences. A dental student, she’s comfortable with low and high tech. Sophistication and small town friendliness; that describes many of the customers. Some of the others dining were previosly in construction, and Peg and Sherry have seen them since reinvent themselves, adapting to the economy. One woman, formerly in construction, now runs a day care, and for free, has a riding school for handicapped children.
Brown Bag BBQ is a Naples-Golden Gate institution. It’s been 24 years on Golden Gate Parkway, cooking tasty BBQ. There’s no glittering sign; no neon signaling its presence. It’s easy to drive by and miss it, perched 60 feet behind the tall pole holding the Coronado Pkwy sign. The parking lot is small and tight From the parking lot and fading sign outside, to the smoky interior, the place could use a cosmetic (or cosmic) tune up, every 25 years. Why bother? Just follow the regulars inside. There’s a single table for four. There's no counter stools. this is good BBQ, finished while you wait. Food’s cooked to order. The kitchen is wide open. A glass fronted refrigerator has cold soft drinks and beer. The hand lettered menu is up on the wall, and on single sheets of paper on the counter, near the crock pot of baked beans. 
It’s been a family business for 24 years. Phil Nix, and sons Matthew, Dan and occasionally other family members, cook in this small, rectangular spot, and it can get smoky! Food is served 7 days a week, 11 am till 7 pm, or till it runs out. Don’t come late expecting ribs- call first, if in doubt.
The ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, meaty, and addictive. You can cut it with a glance. No need for a knife, fork or smothering sauce with truly good BBQ. The BBQ chicken is also wonderful, so tender and tasty! I’m not one for ordering chicken, let alone at a rib place! Both ribs and chicken are highly recommended. (A note to the BBQ fanatics-neither ribs nor chicken have the tell-tale 2 mm pink "smoke ring" rim, just under the surface, that comes with a classic, long, slow BBQ smoking process.) The BBQ sauce has a vinegar base, like western N. Carolina, not sweet like Kansas City. I also had the pulled pork sandwich- a good sized portion of tender meat and sauce. How about the sides? Stick with the ribs and chicken-that's why you are here. 
The cole slaw is a somewhat watery mayo base with too finely cut bits of cabbage. The fries are a generous portion, just not crisp, and could use another minute or two in the hot oil (all sampled as soon as I got in the car).
The Brown Bag BBQ- 4748 Golden Gate Parkway, on the south side, at the Coronado Parkway huge street sign, Naples, 455-4366. Cash only.
The breakfast menu has a varied assortment, with breakfast burritos ($5), bagel sandwich topped with fried egg, choice of sausage or bacon, tomato and cheese and fries ((5), various omelettes, bacon benedict, cheese stuffed French toast, and sides oof corned beef hash, eggs, bacon, sausage, muffins fresh fruit, yogurt and granola.
reduction (5.50). The grilled romaine lettuce is popular, served with cornbread. 
The Caprese salad has sliced tomatoes, fresh pulled mozzarella on greens, with balsamic reduction, basil, oil 
and black pepper $8.All salads are served with Caribbean style cornbread. Add chicken to a salad for $3, or add shrimp or tuna for $5.
slaw and choice of French fries or freshly fried sweet potatoes, it is enough for two lunches. Recommended!
dressing for $7.There's quite a variety of choices- Hot and spicy wings, homemade tortilla chips, mac ‘n cheese, fried green tomatoes, and a chicken penne pasta with Portobello ‘shrooms and snap peas in a pink sauce. Yes, there’s variety when a caterer opens a restaurant!
Daily specials, each $6.99, are: Monday-Meatloaf Madness with smashed potatoes; Tuesday Chicken and biscuit, with veggies;
Wednesday-Pot roast with smashed potatoes; Thursday-BBQ pulled pork, and Friday is Fabulous fish fry, with coleslaw and fries.
Stop at the Cookie Jar on the way out for a large fresh cookie or muffin to go. Cookie Lady Joyce Vaughan 
has sold her delicious large, Cookie Jar baked-from-scratch cookies and muffins at the Goodlette Road Farmers 
Market at the North Naples United Methodist Church parking lot. She has now joined with Patric, offering a delicious assortment of fresh baked goods. Take home a bunch! Today's cookies include molasses, peaunut butter, M&M’s, and sugar cookies. Today's muffins include apple cranberry, cranberry orange, blueberry, strawberry and banana nut muffin. There’s a half dozen brownies, including black and white, and peanut butter styles.
As you sit down, a ramekin of traditional seasoned, baked large corn kernels comes, with a tray of three dipping sauces-the Rocoto Peruvian pepper sauce, a lighter mint sauce, and a yellow pepper (aji amarillo) sauce.
The red onion strips are nicely marinated. This is a gourmet meal for a lighter eater, at only $10. Highly recommended!
We started with a nice glass of Sangria (4.25 ), a light Pilsner Callao beer (4.25) and a slightly fuller Cusquena beer (4.25). 
My favorite is Franca Peruvian beer, here with a sugar apple, like Peru's cherimoya. 
The best ceviche is created in Peruvian hands. The Ceviche de Pecado (12) with fish, or the Ceviche Como te Gusto’s (14) perfectly marinated mix of calamari, shrimp and fish, 
bathed in key lime juice. A huge portion! The sides of crisp toasted corn, and the larger tender corn are a traditional ceviche accompaniment. Recommended.
Continuing on a super fresh seafood “roll”, the Inca’s Duo Tiradito (13) is two sashimi like portions of fresh fish, served with two different mild chile sauces-aji amarillo and the orange-red ricoto sauce, separated by a row of fresh corn. Delicious! The bonus is the exquisitely seasoned sweet potato quartet,
glazed with lusciously caramelized chancaca, perched at the plate’s corners. Highly recommended for sashimi lovers.
The Papa Rellena (8) is mashed potato filled with seasoned ground beef, onions, garlic and sliced egg, then deep fried. 
It is served with classic salsa criolla-a bright mix of feather-cut red onion, cilantro, mild yellow chili pepper and lime juice.
topped with a few drops of bitters, sometimes a touch of nutmeg. Like the Mojito and Caipirinha, the Pisco Sour is popular in the USA. 
Time for some main courses.
black olive, hardboiled egg and pecans. Put this over the white rice. Enjoy the crisp, slender flame shaped fried plantain slice.
tasty Inca aioli dipping sauce. Sides are crispy fried yucca logs, and a delicious criolla salsa-sparkling bright lime juice- marinated sliced red onions and yellow pepper. I think it can feed three people!
The fish is masterfully cooked! The grilled red and green bell peppers and slender asparagus could make a great vegetarian meal. The sautéed fresh spinach is lovingly prepared. This is one of the top fish offerings in South Florida. Highly, highly recommended!
Some of the Chupe's Fish, Shrimp and Broth, in a Small Cup
The special Costa-Sierra (19) is a must-have when it is offered! It is a wonderful trio sampler. The tenderloin is delicious-properly grilled and perfectly spiced. Next to it are two seared diver scallops, atop a bed of pureed sweet potato, butternut squash and onion. Then two fresh large succulent shrimp, perfectly grilled, and wonderfully spiced, are perched on a a creamy bed of quinoa mixed with 
onion, garlic and two creamy cheeses. On the side is spinach and sliced mushrooms in olive oil. The pyramid of crisp golden potatoes, has a mango marinade on top. It’s large for one person, and a great tasting plate. Highly recommended.
and garnished with crisp green asparagus and sliced carrots, with baked potato slices and mango-corn salsa. Recommended.
crunchy nuts, and a large scoop of cherimoya ice cream. Cherimoya, a sugar apple cousin, is a large green fruit with a moderately sweet, custard like rich interior. Red Delicious apple slices and an artistic duet of sweet sauces complete an elegantly simple presentation. Recommended.
slight caramel like natural flavor is a delight. I’ve not seen the fruit offered outside of Peru, Chile or Ecuador, as it thrives at 9-10,000 feet elevation..
with anise and cinnamon. This molasses or rich honey like syrup is made of heated natural brown cane sugar (panella or piloncilla), and flavored with orange and cloves. Picarones have a crunchy exterior, and a wonderful rich, dense center. They (and also anticuchos) are traditionally eaten during El Señor de los Milagros celebrations in October. On my second visit, I asked to have these also served with the lucuma ice cream. I put the goofy blackberry "eyes" on the delicious lucuma ice cream.
There are special children’s platters, including Salchipapa (7) with chopped hot dog with golden fried potatoes, a Mini Burger with Inca style cheese sauce ($8), Pesto fettuccini (8) with choice of chicken or fish, and others.
