Savor Sarasota: B&B Chophouse and Market

LAKEWOOD RANCH — I recently had the chance to visit B&B Chophouse and Market in Lakewood Ranch for the annual Savor Sarasota event, during which participating restaurants offer three-course prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus for $25 and $40, respectively.

It was my first visit to B&B, and I was instantly impressed with the warm ambiance and eclectic design of the restaurant, which is located in the San Marco Plaza, just off University Parkway and Nature's Way. Beautiful cuts of steak dry age in a glass case as you pass through the lobby before entering the industrial Midwest-themed interior. The lighting is appropriately low, and the tables are generously spaced.

For the first course, we had rich and creamy crab bisque and a petite Caesar. I knew I had made the right choice from the first spoonful of bisque, which was rich and creamy perfection. The Caesar was standard fare, and other options included a petite wedge and the "Makers Mark" Burgoo stew, the last of which sounded very appealing and made my choice all the more difficult.

For our entrees, we ordered Diane's Wagyu and Kvaroy Salmon. The 6 oz. Jack's Creek Australian Wagyu sirloin was boiled to a perfect rare and bursting with savory juices. The 7 oz. Arctic salmon was dry-rubbed and pan-seared, arriving surprisingly moist and flaky considering the beautiful sear on its crust. A deep-dish chicken pot pie was also on the menu.

The dessert options are old-fashioned cheesecake and the ultimate chocolate mousse cake. Normally, the latter would be my hands-down go-to, but while it was perfectly serviceable, the cheesecake was definitely the crowd-pleaser.  It started with an above-average slice of classic cheesecake but was elevated significantly by the semi-dried whiskey cherries in a burnt orange sauce that had my taste buds dancing with delight.

B&B is a serious bourbon bar with a collection that will appeal to enthusiasts. The wine list is on the pedestrian side but well-crafted and very reasonably priced.

Overall, B&B adds an attractive mid-tier steakhouse option to the University corridor, one that easily surpasses the nearby Outback Steakhouse and is much more moderately priced than the nearby Capital Grille. 

Savor Sarasota runs through June 14, and this year, a whopping 62 restaurants are participating. Visit the event website to view participating restaurants and their Savor Sarasota menus.