Want to live like “The Great Gatsby’s” Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan if only for an evening? You can capture that experience at the Maritana Grille inside the Loews Don Cesar Resort and Spa in St. Pete Beach, Florida.
The “Don” as it is lovingly referred to, was the playground for the rich and famous during the height of the Jazz era and although the restaurant’s genesis came after the passing of Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald, you can see the influences of that era throughout. Fitzgerald was a frequent guest at the resort and a dinner date inside Maritana Grille is reminiscent of what a modern Jay and Daisy rendezvous would have looked like.
Voted one of the Top 10 Seafood Restaurants in the United States by Gayot Guide and for the past 15 years, the recipient of the AAA 4 Diamond Award.
Downtown St. Petersburg is well known for its Saturday Morning Farmer’s Market. It’s an attraction unto itself with over 200 local purveyors. The market is in full swing from October to May and then downsizes during the Summer months. The Loews Don Cesar Resort has sourced the freshest ingredients from this thriving local market and prepared dishes highlighting those ingredients in Maritana Grille’s “Saint Petersburg Farmer’s Market” Tasting Menu.
ST. PETERSBURG FARMER’S MARKET TASTING MENU
$85 per person; $125 with wine pairing
AMUSE BOUCHE
GROUPER CEVICHE
BREAD SERVICE
BREAD SERVICE
pumpernickel | focaccia | baguette | dinner roll | lavash | hummus | butter
FIRST COURSE
LAKE MEADOW NATURAL CRISPY FARM EGG
grilled asparagus | serrano jamoń | lemon truffle vinaigrette
Paired with Huegl “Tradition” Pinot Gris, Alsace, FR
OR
STONE CRAB
wagu carpaccio | corn blini | violet mustard | asparagus
paired with Cade Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, CA
SECOND COURSE
PALMETTO CREEK PORK BELLY
black truffle grits | kale | malbec | smoke
Paired with Langtry Petite Sirah, Guenoc Valley, CA
OR
SEELY’S ARC RABBIT
english peas | carrots | bacon | spring onion | sherry
Paired with Paul Jaboulet Syrah, Crozes Hermitage, FR
THIRD COURSE
CHILEAN SEA BASS
anson mills carolina gold broken rice| tomato | rainbow chard | riesling
Paired with Estancia Meritage, Paso Robles, CA
OR
ANDERSON LAMB RACK
soubise | turnips and their greens | chocolate port demi glacé perigord truffle
Paired with Provenance Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, CA
FOURTH COURSE
KEY LIME SEMI FREDO
graham cracker whip cream | crushed blackberry sauce | meringue kiss | blackberry sherbet
Paired with Black Muscat, Ferrari Carano, ‘Eldorado Noir’
OK…So this is where my husband and I kind of ran the tasting menu off the rails. I spotted a Warm Croissant Bread Pudding with Salted Caramel Custard and Orange Marmalade Ice Cream on the dessert menu and it was “GAME OVER”. I had to have it! Sadly…I destroyed it before taking a photo. Bad Food Blogger Etiquette 101. But I did capture my husband’s Key Lime Semi Fredo.
Here’s what the dessert offerings on the tasting menu were supposed to be. My server indulged me with the substitution. Both of these dishes would have been solid options were it not for my wandering sweet tooth.
IBERICO JAMON
artisan cheese | marcona almonds | winter harvest honey
Paired with Merryvale “Antigua” Muscat, Napa Valley, CA
OR
STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
white chocolate vanilla mousse | almond croquant | honey milk gel | cornbread ice cream
Paired with Chateaux De Strong Muscat, Icewine, NZ
Maritana Grille inside the Loews Don Cesar Resort
Open daily at 5:30 pm
3400 Gulf Boulevard
St. Pete Beach, FL, 33706
Reservations – 727-360-1882
Maritana Grille Dinner Menu Here
This post was created in partnership with the Loews Don Cesar Resort and Spa. As always all opinions are my own.
