Thursday, June 26, 2008

Antiquarian News

ANTIQUARIAN 5-COURSE TASTING MENU
Friday June 27th AND Saturday June 28th
Reservations from 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm
RSVP: (863) 682-1059

Please join us this Friday or Saturday night for our special Antiquarian 5-course tasting menu. We've also put together a wine flight that pairs each course with a different wine (2 1/2 ounce tasting pours of each wine). Cost for the dinner and wine flight combined is $50 (plus tax and gratuity). Our regular dinner menu will be available, just let us know when you make your reservation if anyone in your party will be ordering from the regular menu. In addition, all wines in the flight and other wines will be available by the glass.

5-COURSE TASTING MENU:
Cobia Appetizer – grilled cobia with mango pineapple salsa
Antiquarian Salad – mixed greens with honey Dijon dressing
Kobe Beef Patty – ground Kobe beef with mousse truffee
Double Cut Lamb Chop – pan seared lamb chop with goat cheese and balsamic glaze
Choice of Dessert - all of our desserts are handmade

WINE PAIRING FLIGHT:
Albarino
Bell Sauvignon Blanc
Bianchi Malbec
Bell Syrah
Sparkling Wine with dessert

Tea and Coffee also included.

Preparation and/or wines subject to change based on availability.

ONGOING BIRTHDAY SPECIAL:
Come in anytime within 7 days prior or 7 days after your birthday (id required) and receive $20 off a regular priced dinner entrée (with the purchase of one regular priced entrée) and/or $5 off a regular priced lunch entrée (with the purchase of one regular priced entrée).

LUNCH MENU:
There are some new items on our lunch menu that we are proud to announce:

Antiquarian BLT - Panchetta bacon, plum tomatoes, salad greens on toasted sourdough bread with Brie cheese and a Dijon dill sauce. Served with a cup of soup. $10

Kobe Burger - Two Kobe beef patties, grilled, topped with blue cheese and onion marmalade on a croissant with lettuce and tomato. Served with sweet potato fries. $10

Vegetarian Sandwich - Basil pesto, plum tomato, fresh mozzarella on ciabatta bread. Served with pasta salad. $10.00

Coq Au Vin - Chicken breast and thigh braised in a red wine and thyme sauce. Served with roasted potatoes and vegetable of the day. $11

Antiquarian Meatloaf - Meatloaf stuffed with smoked ham and Swiss cheese with rich fig gravy. Served with mashed potatoes. $11

We have many other delicious offerings that have made our restaurant a popular destination for lunch and dinner in downtown Lakeland over the last 10 years.

MEETINGS AND PRIVATE EVENTS:
The Antiquarian is available for private events Sunday thru Saturday for lunch or dinner for parties of 10 or more.

LOCATION & PARKING:
The Antiquarian Restaurant & Bay Street Art Gallery is located at 211 East Bay Street. There is usually plenty of free parking across the street in the Home Essentials parking lot. Our phone number is (863) 682-1059.

GALLERY:
We currently have a great display of artwork from local artist Tom Mack. The photographic art is pictures from Scotland.

Cheers!
Bill Watts

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Things You Might Have Been Wondering About

There's a lot of activity in Downtown Lakeland. Let's catch up.

The Cask & Barrel on South Kentucky should open in a few weeks. That's the long awaited retail wine shop that will sell wine by the glass, as well as by the bottle, and host wine tastings and private parties. Rumor has it that appetizers and desserts from one of Downtown's upscale restaurants will be featured.

SugaRush, the new confectioners on South Kentucky, is set to open shortly. Sheila King promises sinfully delicious homemade fudge and candy, as well as hand-dipped ice cream.

Word on the street is that a scrapbooking shop is coming to the space previously occupied by Imperial Art Gallery on south Kentucky.

Soloman Wassef says Fresh Choice Plus will rise from the ashes of the fire a few weeks ago.

If you saw activity in and around the former "Lillian's" it was the owners just cleaning up to show the property. We haven't heard of anyone specific interested in the space.

Gosh! should open in early July. That will expand the restaurant choices on North Kentucky and we're looking forward to it.

Stay tuned.

Monday, June 9, 2008

When Your Dreams Go Up in Flames

My shop is next door to Fresh Choice Plus, the restaurant Downtown lost to fire Sunday afternoon (6/8/08) . Within minutes of the fire department being called a neighbor rousted my husband and I out of our Sunday afternoon reverie with the news. We live nearby so it took us no time at all to get Downtown.

In the few minutes it took to get to the scene I wondered how I would react.

Cloud of thick, black smoke billowed out of Fresh Choice. The firemen were concentrating on putting out the fire and making sure the rest of the block didn't go up in flames. My immediate thoughts were grim. "I'm out of business," I said to no one in particular. I was heartsick. It wasn't the financial loss that made me sick. My dream was in jeopardy of going up in flames, literally. My dream.

I love what I do. I love working with people to preserve their memories and decorate their spaces. Many of my clients become friends. I love to encourage new artists. I love the fact that when I was a tot, my mom owned a frame shop. She was an artist. I loved the thought of following in her footsteps.

As I sat, waiting for events to unfold, I mulled over different scenarios. If my shop burned, would I reinvest the insurance money and reopen in this economy? If I didn't, what kind of "straight job" would I get? What boss would tolerate my independent, but highly competent, self? I would deeply miss the friends I have made along South Kentucky Avenue. I'd be adrift.

As the fear subsided, my optimistic self took over. Well, if the shop burned I would be able to rebuild and make those changes in the business plan and floor plan that I'd developed over the last three years. I could make it better. Maybe it wouldn't be the end of the world after all. It would just be The Dream-Part II.

Soloman and Said showed up. I will never forget the look on their faces. I recognized it. It was the look one gets when they are watching their dream go up in flames. Although I know their minds were dizzy with grief and fear, I hoped subliminally they heard me when I said, "Think of this as a clean slate. You can make all those little changes you've thought of since the doors opened on your dream."

I imagine that's what my grandmother had in mind when she always told me to try, try again.

Fresh Choice Plus Fire

On Sunday afternoon, June 8th, Fresh Choice Plus experienced a fire that involved the entire restaurant. Thankfully, Sheila King and her family were at their shop, SugaRush, next to the restaurant, and quickly sounded the alarm. SugaRush experienced smoke damage that will delay their opening. FastFrame, on the other side of Fresh Choice Plus, smells a little like smoke but suffered no damage.

Thanks to the Lakeland Fire Department the fire was quickly extinguished and the remainder of the block on South Kentucky was unharmed.

The DLP and its members extend their condolences to Soloman and Said Wassef and the Fresh Choice Family. The Wassefs are an important thread in the fabric of Downtown and we eagerly await their return!

Friday, June 6, 2008

Quality Health Plans Host Member Picnic


On May 22, 2008, Quality Health Plans Inc. In cooperation with the Lakeland Downtown Partnership held our first annual member appreciation picnic. We hope this will be the first of many such events. QHP wanted to let our members know in a tangible way just how much we appreciate them. In spite of somewhat threatening weather, the turnout was great. Everyone enjoyed the fellowship and the food that was catered by Good Buddies here in downtown Lakeland.

Timothy E. Baggett Sr.

Regional Manager
Quality Health Plans Inc.
2435 U.S. Highway 19 Suite 470
Holiday, Florida 34691