Get your sushi on at Wasabi Japanese Sushi, Brooksville, Florida

Rachel and I with our favorite sushi chefs at Wasabi

About once a month, my sister and I take the opportunity to spend quality time together with a visit to Wasabi Japanese Sushi.  

Located in Brooksville, the sushi chefs know us as regular visitors.  The staff is always very friendly and the food is very tasty.

Sashimi is delicious at Wasabi

We are the typical customers who like our sushi "Americanized".  We love our rolls to include eel sauce, cream cheese, avocado and spicy mayo!  However, when ordering traditional sushi, Wasabi's sashimi is always fresh and delicious!

Sake with the sister

My sister, Rachel, was ready to venture out this visit and try sake.  You can order sake warm or cold, sweet or dry.  If you haven't experienced sake, you have to try it!  Sake is created by fermenting rice.  

On this day, we went with the Takara Sho Chiku Bai Sake Nigori. It is a silky sake with a sweet, rice flavor.  Rachel was pleasantly surprised with the Nigori sake! Below is a video to help you pick out a sake that you will love.

We always prefer sitting at the sushi bar.  If you have not done this before, you have to try it.  You can watch the talented sushi chefs make their creations.

Sunomono appetizer

Many times, when you sit at the sushi bar, it is tradition to provide the customers with a free tasting.  Our tasting was Sunomono.  Sunomono is kani, tako & shrimp wrapped in sliced cucumber with sweet vinegar.  It is a delicious, low-carb appetizer.
  

Pink Girl roll and Sushi Cake roll

Rachel and I always get one roll that we absolutely love, the Pink Girl roll. The girly girl in us can not resist this sushi rolled in pink paper! The Pink Girl roll includes shrimp tempura, cream cheese, spicy crunch tuna, masago with eel sauce and spicy mayo.

For our second roll, we try to get something new every time.  We ventured out and tried the sushi cake.  You have to love tuna, fresh salmon, kani, avocado, scallion, caviar, crunch, eel sauce and spicy mayo. And it is topped with a cherry! 

Cheers to good times and good food!

Rachel and I were very pleased with our

choices.  If you are on a budget, Wasabi provides reasonable lunch specials.  Wasabi provides a quality atmosphere and is always very clean.  

Visit Wasabi Japanese Sushi next time you are in Brooksville!

Bikinis, Burgers and Beer- Skinny's Place, Anna Maria Island, Florida

Skinny's was voted the #1 burger

Since 1952, Skinny's Place has served locals with mouth-watering burgers and beers in frosted mugs.  We headed down to Anna Maria Island on Friday night for the annual Sticken Pigz Redtrout Slam fishing tournament.  This year there were 51 teams in the tournament. But there was only one team named the Throcksawyer Cloggers! 

51 teams in the Sticken Pigz Tournament in Bradenton/Anna Maria Island, Florida

Our Saturday started at 6:30 am and didn't end until around 1:00 am.  We didn't get hardly any bites the entire day. Skinny's made up for our losses with their juicy burgers!

Our Team: Captain Brian Sawyer, Ryno Lopez, the Hans-inator Arndt, and me!

Team Throcksawyer Cloggers enjoying a great bite at Skinny's

Team Name: The Throcksawyer Cloggers

Cash only- and worth every penny

Skinny's is located just across the street from the Holmes Beach.  It is truly an Old Florida original location.  There is no air conditioning and it is cash only.  But these characteristics are part of what makes Skinny's Place so unique.  You can come with a big appetite since the food is inexpensive and the servings are large!

"Our burgers are cooked to order medium well and made with fresh beef daily!"

  

Double cheese burger with jalapenos and bacon

Our team ordered double cheeseburgers (with jalapenos and bacon, of course).  Oh yeah and Ryno ordered a chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread with no cheese and no mayo. So if you are looking for a healthier option, Skinny's can assist you! Click here to view the menu.

The beers are ALWAYS served in a frosted mug. You can also order classic bottles of your favorite Coca-Cola products for only $1.50! 

Skinny and Janice- 1952

Every great Old Florida spot comes with a tale. The story goes that in 1936 a young couple, Carl "Skinny" Freeman and his wife, Janice, came to Anna Maria Island on their honeymoon.  They told themselves that they would return one day and own a small restaurant on the island.  

Sixteen years later, they returned and bought the property where Skinny's is located.  It was originally named "Mid-Island Drive In". In 2001, Carl "Skinny" Freeman passed away at the age of 84.  To honor him, the children and grandchildren renamed the place to "Skinny's Place".

The walls are covered with the Freeman family history.

Skinny's wife, Janice, is celebrating her 96th birthday this month. Maybe if you are lucky you will get to say hello to her when she visits the spot she started with her husband over 61 years ago.

Look for the big green arrow on the map to find Skinny's!

Whenever you are on Anna Maria Island, make sure you stop by Skinny's Place.

Like them on Facebook.

Skinny's is listed on the Florida Secrets website.

Photos courtesy of Brian Sawyer, Ryno Lopez, Sea to Sky Realty, Sticken Pigz, Skinny's Facebook page,