Columbia Restaurant Drive To – 2018

     On Saturday, July 21, the club had an early dinner at the Columbia restaurant on St. Armand’s Circle. Members met at the “Siesta Row Shoppes” on Tamiami Trail in Sarasota to form a caravan for the short drive to Lido Key and St. Armand’s.
     The Columbia restaurant family now has seven locations in Florida. The original Columbia in Ybor City (Tampa) dates to 1905. The Columbia on St. Armand’s opened in 1959, and now claims to be the oldest restaurant in Sarasota. Noting its huge windows connecting the hand-painted tile dining room to a sprawling covered patio amidst tropical foliage, Southern Living magazine declared the St. Armand’s establishment as the prettiest and most romantic.
     The restaurant offers traditional cuisine from Spain and Cuba. Since their menu is huge, everyone was able to find something delectable to enjoy, all while taking in the aroma of fresh-baked Cuban bread. Twenty members and guests enjoyed great food and service.