Where to Find Great Desserts: Michael's on East in Sarasota, Florida

It’s been far too long since I’ve put together a post about my love of chocolate, and I wanted to write about some kick-ass desserts I had while in Sarasota, Florida.

Michael's On East—a hidden gem tucked away in a strip mall—is an old school fine dining establishment that has a very romantic vibe to it. The bar is dim, as is the rest of the restaurant. Expect guests to rest drinks on the piano as they sing along to the likes of Frank Sinatra and “Here Comes the Sun.” I could see plenty of couples celebrating anniversaries here. And I wouldn’t be surprised to learn if this place is the site of many a marriage proposal. But now that I’ve described the atmosphere, let’s get down to what’s really important: the food. 

 Hello, magnificent chocolate creation. 

It’s been far too long since I’ve devoured truly impressive desserts, and this is where you’ll want to go to get ‘em. I loved the decadent Brownie Ice Cream Stack (and really, with a name like that, how could you go wrong?). This creation features layers of dark chocolate brownie, heath bar crunches, espresso crunch ice cream and vanilla ice cream that's all drizzled with chocolate sauce. This creation was so stuffed, it looked like it might collapse under the weight of all the deliciousness. Once you’ve toppled it and dug in though, you won’t regret destroying this beauty one bit. It’s the perfect example of a high-end ice cream cake--with just enough texture and ice cream to balance all the other ingredients out.

 Some minty goodness, right there.

Another true stand out for me was the Big Top Chocolate Icebox Pie. The plating was gorgeous, with an artful smear of chocolate on the plate. And the dessert itself resembled a multilayered brownie. A piece of chocolate rested on top of this dessert, which also featured a layer of cool mint, followed by a layer of bittersweet chocolate mouse that all rested on top of a bed of Oreo cookie crumbles. The entire thing was like a giant Girl’s Scout Thin Mint. I could simply not get enough of this cool and refreshing dish. 
 

Perfect meals always conclude with great desserts. For a truly memorable ending, head to Michael’s.

Please note: The restaurant covered the cost of my meal. All thoughts are my own, as always.