On weeknights, these days, it seems like Ybor is deserted. A few folks gather for a local band, or grab a quick dinner, but the streets and sidewalks are empty. So are many of the restaurants, including Sunday’s Fine Dining, a new spot east on Seventh.
It’s a big place to stand empty like that, the open and airy dining room complete with a long bar along the side and a high loft in back that’s big enough to host a large party, or collect the overspill on busier nights. More importantly, Sunday’s Fine Dining (named for owner/chef David Sunday) is too good to stand empty.
The lobster tank near the back and the deceptively bland name of the place might imply an old-fashioned supper club type of experience, but one look at the menu will disabuse you of that notion. Korean pork tacos with homemade cucumber kimchi, scallops crusted with spicy Sri Racha sauce, mashed cauliflower, braised bison atop spaghetti squash — it’s all a bit more than anyone could expect.
And Sunday’s delivers on its promise. Those Korean pork tacos are really lettuce wraps, the leaves topped with strips of tender grilled pork drizzled with a salty and sweet soy reduction and piled high with pickled veggies and herbs that bear a sharp kick of vinegar and heat. Salty, sour, spicy and sweet? Yes, a riot of it, sometimes sharp and sometimes smooth but good enough to weather the occasionally unbalanced bite. An appetizer special of crispy fried calamari is served atop a puddle of bright tomato sauce, chunky and packed with slices of barely cooked garlic that cut through the fry of the breading with every bite. Big flavors, across the board.
Lobster, as evidenced by that gurgling tank in the back, is a specialty and focus for the restaurant. Even there, the kitchen doesn’t shy away from bold, resulting in a luxurious bisque with a punch of sherry and a base that’s more distilled lobster than heavy cream. The stuffed lobster, which changes from day to day, is more about the cornucopia of fish and shellfish crammed into the shell than breadcrumbs and herbs. It may not qualify as a seafood symphony — like many stuffed seafood dishes, there’s a little too much going on — but it’s an impressive sight and a more impressive meal.
Duck is brick-pressed, which essentially means it’s flattened to cook evenly, resulting in luxurious meat seasoned by the fat rendered from the now crisp skin. Underneath the fowl is a rustic fried rice studded with tender vegetables and accented with a little dry heat and the occasional burst of the same sweet soy reduction that graced the pork tacos. Here, that sharp salt and dry heat works better than in the tacos, an accent to surprise the tongue during the rich entree.
Sunday’s scallops are cooked just past rare, with not quite enough sear to provide contrast with the smooth, buttery centers, and paired with mashed cauliflower laced with truffle oil, corn kernels and crimini mushrooms. Those mushrooms are a tad rubbery to chew, and the truffle oil’s heady aroma permeates the entire dish. Still, maybe that’s the price you pay for going after powerful foods.
Sadly, that adventurous spirit doesn’t extend to the desserts, capable but typical items like key lime pie and a variety of cheesecakes, some made in-house, some not. None shows the élan of the rest of the menu, a plague that affects too many restaurants in town.
Grab a drink and you might be able to find something special, like cocktails made with bourbon infused in-house with bacon fat. The modified Jim Beam adds a smoky and viscous touch to Kahlua or an old fashioned, but it needs a little work before bacon-bourbon shooters become a house drink for Sunday’s bar. In any case, now that Sunday’s is no longer just a BYOB destination, most folks are just happy to be able to enjoy a cocktail or bottle of wine that they didn’t have to bring from home.
On weekdays, those slow evenings are tempered a bit by busier lunches and breakfasts, the daytime offerings featuring stripped-down versions of the nighttime cuisine. At lunch, lobster is shelled and served on a sandwich with mayo seasoned with Old Bay; grilled cheese is built with havarti, smoked salmon and horseradish chive aioli; a slider selection runs the gamut from shrimp and avocado to fish cakes. Breakfast features lemon ricotta pancakes glazed with citrus butter; french toast with rum-soaked bananas; and some seriously fancy Benedict. Still, you’ll miss out if you don’t head over there for dinner. Plan to go on a weekday and you’ll likely have the place to yourself, a cozy and intimate dining experience, just you and some powerful and tasty food.
This article appears in Jun 9-15, 2011.