Marcel

Marcel occupies a thoughtful corner of Sarasota's dining scene at 1568 Main Street — open daily from 4:30pm, it's built for the kind of evening that unfolds slowly over small plates and a good bottle of wine.

The food leans contemporary French-European: steak tartare with quail egg and cornichons, chilled octopus with Galician potato and saffron, snapper ceviche with passion fruit and mango. There's real technique here — braised beef short rib in burgundy sauce, hanger steak frites with maître d'butter, a cacio e pepe made with spaetzle instead of pasta that shows the kitchen isn't afraid to riff on classics.

The room is intimate and modern, exactly what the name implies. It's the kind of place that rewards regulars who want to work through the menu over several visits. If you appreciate French discipline applied to fresh, seasonal ingredients without the stuffiness of a traditional French restaurant, Marcel is worth making a reservation.