It’s summertime, and the living is hot and sticky. The myriad galas and social events have slowed to a trickle, and the kids are bored and constantly in search of food. It’s a great time to pick up a casual meal someone else has prepared and kick back by the pool or take a leisurely sunset cruise. Here are three spots that can provide relatively speedy meals without resorting to standard fast-food fare.
Have your dinner and decadent dessert, too, now that Mikkelsen’s Pastry Shop and Wicked Eats have teamed up. Billy Vasseur, a longtime chef at top Naples country clubs, operates Wicked Eats and is creating meals to go at Paw and Elizabeth Mikkelsen’s acclaimed pastry shop. Vasseur makes a rotating lineup of soups and entrées available on a first-come, first-served basis. Six-layer lasagna, chicken saltimbocca or Marsala, crab cakes, and baked stuffed shrimp are among the possibilities. Crowd favorites include his meatloaf and New England clam chowder. All the generously portioned meal kits come with simple instructions on how to heat them for serving.
“You go home, throw them in the oven, set the timer, sit down, and have a drink until they’re done,” Vasseur says. “It’s exciting to see so many people who have followed me over the years come here and be so excited to have my food again. And it’s great to see so many who have never been to Mikkelsen’s shop discover Paw’s incredible desserts. It’s a win-win.”
Crisp & Green is among the latest bowl-based restaurants to open in Southwest Florida, first in Founders Square in Naples, then at Estero Town Commons Place. The Minnesota-based fast-casual chain offers made-from-scratch healthy selections that include salads, grain bowls, acai bowls, and smoothies. There are hearty salads, such as the BBQ Smokeshow, with greens, barbecue chicken thigh, roasted corn and poblano, napa cabbage, carrot, pickled onion, blue corn chips, and smoky barbecue ranch dressing. The Thai & Stop Me features greens, citrus shrimp, orange slices, daikon radish, mint, cilantro, peanuts, lime squeeze, and peanut dressing. Children’s plates are available, too. The local restaurants are run by Opus Foods 2.0, a woman-owned Naples restaurant management company.
For a broader selection that includes some creative adult beverages, consider the open-air Lake Park Diner, where you can dine in or take out. The website allows for online ordering in advance. There’s something for everyone here, including vegans, vegetarians, carnivores, those who avoid gluten, and kids. Portions are large. Start off with buffalo cauliflower or chicken-stuffed lettuce wraps, and then move on to an entrée-size bowl of Japanese eggplant and farro. Or, try a bison burger. When you order Adam’s fish and chips, $1 goes to fight cancer. A chilled hemp hibiscus tea with muddled raspberries is an alcohol-free refresher on a steamy night. For something more indulgent, consider a shake or root beer float.
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