"This spring I had a chance to stop by Element in beautiful downtown Sarasota for an early dinner before catching a performance at the Van Wez' with my father. In a sentence, Element delivers incredible food presented in a sophisticated way at an exquisitevenue with extraordinary staff to assure you an impeccable dining experience. My father and I reserved a 4:30PM dinner toensure ample time to get to our performance we were attending. The restaurant was slow at first, but after 5:00PM things got alot busier, and this was midweek. I am sure on the weekends it's a good idea to ensure a reservation, as I imagine the placewould be quite busy. Of note, you'll need to try to find street parking or take advantage of any of the convenient parkinggarages located around the Sarasota downtown. Having used these for years, they're safe as is walking around the city. We werepromptly seated and provided beverages. It took a few moments to receive some bread, and wow was that worth it. Sumptuous andsoft with flaky crust, it was challenging to limit ourselves to reserve room for our meal! My father ordered the shrimpcocktail as an appetizer and baked halibut. I went with the coconut curry mussles and black garlic and squid ink linguini. Theappetizers were ready within about 20 minutes of arrival. I thought that reasonable considering we were seated right as therestaurant opened. The appetizers were delicious. The shrimp with the cocktail were some of the largest I ever seen, and thesauce was brimming with flavor all very fresh. The mussles were a treat. There must have been 30+ of them in a silky sweetcurry sauce that paired well with the seafood. In reality, the appetizers were so substantial, I think they could be easilyshared by 2 people with no problem. Our entrees arrived about 10 minutes after we had finished our appetizers. Once again, theplating and presentation were commendable. My father exclaimed that his entree was one of the best dishes of his life."
