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Cortez Kitchen to reopen Jan. 14

Cortez Kitchen to reopen Jan. 14

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Business, Restaurants | Bars.

CORTEZ –The grand reopening of the Cortez Kitchen, 4528 119th St. W., is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 14.

The newly-remodeled restaurant and bar is an upgraded version of its former self, featuring a new bar and seating, a state-of-the-art kitchen and TVs throughout, while still keeping the casual atmosphere that it had when John Banyas and Peter Barreda opened it in 1996.

“It was remodeled and beautifully upgraded, but with the same Florida charm that it always had,” said Adam Sears, general manager of Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar, also owned by Banyas.

Banyas previously leased the Cortez Kitchen to Joe Oelker for 19 years. When Oelker retired last August, Banyas decided to take over the restaurant business.

“We’re all about serving up the freshest catches with that old Florida flavor. Our place is on the water, so you can enjoy your grub with a killer view,” according to the Cortez Kitchen website. “We love being part of the Cortez crew, so come hang with us and enjoy the flavors that everyone around here loves. Swing by the Cortez Kitchen for a laid-back dining experience where good eats are the main event.”

The menu features some new items along with some traditional Cortez Kitchen favorites.

“Two of the favorites are still on the menu,” Sears said. “We’ll have the royal red peel ‘n eat shrimp and the buffalo grouper.”

Other menu items include appetizers like smoked wings, Cortez Kitchen ceviche, fried okra and Atlantic lobster quesadilla. Entrées include a steamer pot with local crab, clams and shrimp, scallop risotto and braised short rib. A variety of sandwiches include softshell crab, lobster roll, Pete’s pressed Cuban and grouper or mahi. Seafood, short rib and chicken baskets round out the menu, along with salads and a kids menu.

Seating along the windows on the west side of the restaurant affords patrons a water view of Sarasota Bay.

“It’s nice that we’re able to reopen after nearly five months,” Sears said. “We’ve been working really hard to get this done.”

Sears said some of the employees of the restaurant when it closed in August will be back.

“There will be some old faces along with some new faces,” he said.

Live musical entertainment will be featured on weekends. Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones will play on Sunday, Jan. 14 from 4-7 p.m.

The music lineup and menu can be seen at www.cortezkitchenfl.com.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez

Written by Leslie Lake on . Posted in Entertainment, Festivals.

CORTEZ – The stone crab harvest season was celebrated under sunny skies at the two-day 11th Annual Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival.

Held on Nov. 11-12 at the Swordfish Grill and Tiki Bar parking area, the festival typically draws more than 5,000 attendees with more than 2,000 pounds of stone crab consumed.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
More than 2,000 pounds of stone crab claws are sold at the Cortez Stone Crab Festival each year. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
This youngster rode the shark at the Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival. – Leslie Lake | Sun

Live music, local seafood, crafts and a kid’s zone were featured.

“The festival celebrates the heritage of Cortez and the kickoff to stone crab season,” said Adam Sears, general manager of Swordfish Grill.

This year’s theme was “Crack a Cold One” since stone crab claws are served cracked and cold.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
The 11th Annual Cortez Stone Crab Festival theme was “Crack A Cold One.” – Leslie Lake | Sun
Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Lance Plowman prepares coconuts for the Cortez Curse Rum Nuts drinks. – Leslie Lake | Sun

Stone crab season runs from Oct. 15 to May 1. Stone crabs are harvested for their claws and then returned to the water, where the claws will regenerate.

The festival was the brainchild of John Banyas, a fourth-generation fisherman from Cortez and owner of the Swordfish Grill, Cortez Kitchen, Cortez Bait and Seafood Inc., and N.E. Taylor Boatworks – named for Banyas’ grandfather.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Fresh stone crabs were the stars of the Cortez Stone Crab and Music Festival. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Josh Calvert cracked and served the fresh stone crabs, as he’s done at every Cortez Stone Crab Festival since the festival began. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The Cortez Kitchen is closed for renova­tions and is expected to be open around the end of November, but during the festival, the space was used for festivalgoers to enjoy Rum Nuts coconut-filled rum drinks.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Cortez Kitchen is scheduled to reopen soon. The space was used at the Cortez Stone Crab Festival to serve Cortez Curse Rum Nuts rum coconut drinks. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Jeff and Summer served “Rum Nuts” cocktails inside the renovated Cortez Kitchen. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Saturday’s music lineup on the festival main stage was Mikey Silbaugh of Concrete Edgar, Mushroom Soup, Uncle John’s Band and Doug Deming and the Jewel Tones. On the Swordfish Grill Tiki Deck, the Saturday music line-up was Ted Stevens, the Stockton Brothers and Tim Chandler.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
RJ Howson played with Berry Oakley & Friends. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The festival’s main stage music lineup on Sunday was Ted Stevens and the Doo-Shots, Berry Oakley and Friends, Twinkle and Rock Soul Radio and Trever Bystrom’s RX featuring Zion Albert. On Sunday, playing at the Swordfish Grill Tiki Deck were Taylor Opie, the Billy Rice Trio and Steel Vibes.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Folks stood in line Sunday afternoon to get a serving of fresh stone crabs. – Joe Hendricks | Sun
Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
A large tent provided attendees with a shaded area to eat, drink and listen to the live music. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

The festival has a charitable component. All proceeds from draft beer sales will benefit the non-profit Blessing Bags Project. The Bradenton-based organization is dedicated to providing basic critical needs to the homeless and less fortunate. Blessing Bags volunteers manned the draft beer area.

“Big Storm Brewery is graciously donating the beer trailer,” Sears said.

Parking was available at the FISH (Florida Institute for Saltwater Heritage) Preserve, adjacent to the festival and was manned by FISH volunteers. Parking proceeds benefited the non-profit FISH.

Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Shoppers perused the arts and crafts offerings at the Cortez Stone Crab Festival. – Leslie Lake | Sun
Stone Crab Festival draws crowd to Cortez
Artist Mike Parrott displays his paintings for sale at the Cortez Stone Crab Festival. – Leslie Lake | Sun

Festival sponsors were Anna Maria Banana Boat Rides, A. Shadow Designs, Big Storm Brewery, Blenker Boat Works and Marina, Cortez Bait and Seafood, Florida Fishing Fleet, Fun Boat Tours, Visit Gulf Islands of Manatee County, N.E. Taylor Boatworks, The Suncoast Post, Sande Caplin and Associates, Swordfish Grill, The Anchor Inn, Wieffenbach and Reinhart Law, Wine Bow, Ameris Bank, Anderson Dock and Seawall, Duncan Real Estate, Junk-it-away, Spectrum Reach and Taylor High Pressure Washing

Delmar Apolonio Benefit

Delmar Apolonio remembered and celebrated

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Community News, Cortez, Obituaries.

CORTEZ – The Cortez Kitchen and the friends of longtime employee Delmar Apolonio held a fundraiser on Tuesday, Dec. 18. The money raised will help grant Apolonio’s final wish: to be returned to his Brazilian homeland.

Apolonio, 54, was recently hospitalized and his short battle with cancer ended on Friday, Dec. 14. The fundraiser was planned prior to his passing. The remaining funds will be used to aid Apolonio’s family.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, Dec. 21 at 6 p.m. at St. Jude Catholic Church, 3930 17th St. in Sarasota. Apolonio’s body will then be sent home to Brazil.

Apolonio’s sister, Dagmar Apolonio and her daughter Ashiley Livingston (Delmar’s niece) live in Sarasota and attended Tuesday’s event.

“Thank you for everything,” Dagmar said of the fundraising efforts.

“We’re going to fly him back home. My mom, my brothers and all my family want to see him. They can’t believe what’s going on. Everything happened in two weeks,” she said of the sudden turn of events.

Barreda and Delmar Sister
Former Cortez Kitchen owner Pete Barreda attended Tuesday’s fundraiser, as did Delmar’s sister, Dagmar Apolonio, and his niece, Ashiley Livingston. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

Apolonio’s longtime friend Linda Ames and her husband Gene helped organize the fundraiser. Ames, a local business owner, met Apolonio more than 20 years ago when Pete Barreda opened the Cortez Kitchen.

“His last wish was to get back to Brazil and that’s what this is about. He was a beautiful soul and he will be missed. I think we’re going to make our goal and then some,” Ames said during the event.

“It was an amazing turnout and the business community gave so much. The community came together to cover the cost of Delmar’s last wish,” she said later in the week.

A friend remembered

Earlier this year, Apolonio and Marisela Vega started their Sarasota-based M&D Residential Cleaning service. Prior to that, Cortez Kitchen manager Nancy Taillon-Alloe worked with Apolonio for more than a decade.

“I worked with Delmar from day one, when I first started here almost 13 years ago. He was here when the previous owners Pete Barreda and Marisela Vega had it. He’s been an icon here in the village and he’s going home to Brazil. That’s what this fundraiser is all about. Initially it was to assist with his treatment,” Alloe said.

Barreda spoke highly of his friend and former employee.

“Delmar was an incredible individual and somebody we could all learn something from. He worked for me for many years. He was always even-keeled. I never had to tell him what to do and he always did the dirty work. It’s amazing how many people’s lives he touched, which I never realized until last week when we started putting this together. I’m proud to be his friend and see all these people come together whose lives were touched by Delmar. He’s touched my life immensely. The guy was just unbelievable,” Barreda said.

Cortez Kitchen owner Joe Oelker said Apolonio worked for him off and on for 14 years: “He was dishwasher, sushi roller and cook. Whatever you wanted done, he’d do it. He was good at everything he did. He had a great work ethic and he was a real good friend. We’re definitely going to miss him.”

The fundraiser included two 50/50 drawings, a silent auction and raffles for several items donated by local businesses, including restaurant certificates, limousine rides, fishing trips and more. Tim Chandler and TH&C both performed free of charge and contributed their tips to the fundraising efforts.

Swordfish Grill General Manager Bob Slicker met Apolonio more than 10 years ago and served as Tuesday’s master of ceremonies.

“Delmar was probably the nicest guy I ever met. He gave one of his kidneys to his brother years back and we had a fundraiser here for that when Pete owned it. I called him ‘Delmar the Magnificent’ since the day I met him because he was always happy and up,” Slicker said.

Local artist Rose Lipke was among those selling raffle tickets and assisting with the fundraising.

Delmar Raffle Tickets
Nancy Taillon-Alloe, Kim Thomas and Rose Lipke were among those selling raffle tickets as part of the fundraising efforts. – Joe Hendricks | Sun

“When Pete opened The Kitchen, Delmar, me, Pete, Marisela, Kris Vingelli and Misty Smith were part of the first crew here. He was one of the most fun and easiest people to work with. He never had a bad word. He’d do anything for you and he was the first one in and the last one out,” Lipke said.

Lipke said Delmar had only been sick for a couple weeks and his cancer metastasized rapidly, including into his remaining kidney.

“He was a sweet guy. It’s sad,” said longtime Cortez resident Jane von Hahmann.

Delmar Apolonio Benefit

Benefit for Delmar Apolonio Tuesday

Written by Joe Hendricks on . Posted in Uncategorized.

CORTEZ – The Cortez Kitchen will host a benefit for longtime employee Delmar Apolonio on Tuesday, Dec. 18 from 4-9 p.m.

Apolonio, 54, is hospitalized and battling Stage IV cancer, according to Apolonio’s friend Linda Ames.

Ames and her husband, Gene, own and operate Coastal Marine Canvas & Upholstery in Cortez.

“He’s been there at The Kitchen since Pete Barreda first opened the place. He’s been working at The Kitchen for over 20 years and I’ve known Delmar all this time. He does just about anything they ask him to do and he does it with a smile. And he and Marisela Vega just started a cleaning business, M&D Cleaning Service. He’s just a lovely person. He’s such a happy-go-lucky guy. It’s a damn shame,” Ames said.

“His last wish is to get back to Brazil. That’s what the fundraiser is for,” Ames said, noting that she does not anticipate this final journey taking place while Apolonio is still alive, due to his failing health.

“It will also help his sister and niece that are here in the states. It’ll go toward medical bills and whatever needs they have,” Ames said.

“We’re going to do a 50/50 raffle and we’ll have an auction for a limo ride, dinner at the Beach Bistro, dinner at other restaurants and more. We’ll also have a couple bands playing. Please show up, we have a lot of items to auction. Come celebrate Delmar’s life with us,” Ames said.

“Join us in showing our favorite Brazilian all of the love and support as he fights advanced-stage cancer. Let us do what we do best and come together as a community and support one another #CORTEZSTRONG,” says the benefit poster.

The Cortez Kitchen is located at 4528 119th St. W. in Cortez. If your business would like to contribute an item to the auction, or if you need additional information, contact Ames at 941-812-0212.