5 great bites at new and old Naples restaurants

Borrowing from the nuptial tradition of something old, something new, this week’s best bites are from two new restaurants and one longstanding popular destination at Waterside Shops.

I won't wait another 6 years

Had it really been six years since my last visit?

Yes. I’m no stranger to Waterside Shops, but my usual go-to is True Food Kitchen.

But my friend Mary didn’t want to eat there.

We were heading to Artis—Naples for Miami City Ballet’s stunning performance. I’ve been a fan of that ballet company since seeing them at Jacob’s Pillow in the 1970s when I was a camper at Belvoir Terrace in Lenox, Mass.

I bought the tickets, so she insisted on buying dinner. BrickTop's was her choice.

Why the lag between visits?

Last time, my sushi dinner never made it to the table, though it was on the check. When our waiter was informed of that mishap, he apologized profusely and discovered the sushi waiting in the kitchen.

Did I still want it? Nope.

Bygones.

April’s visit was terrific from start to finish. The restaurant was jammed, but the line for guests with reservations moved quickly. We were warmly greeted (no 'hey guys' heard here) then escorted to our cozy and lovely table for two.

While everything was quite good, my favorite dish was Shanghai Shrimp, six delectable pieces of bite-sized perfection. When I return, it will be sooner than six years, and I hope it’s still on the menu.

(5555 Tamiami Trail N.; 239-596-9112; bricktops.com )

The executive chef's favorite dishes

Originally, my plan was to wait a month from its March 29 opening, but when my good friend Lauren’s sister-in-law couldn't make it, she didn’t want to give up what is proving to be one of Naples’ toughest reservations.

She asked me if I wanted to go.

Heck yes! I always love spending time with her. And of course, I was curious about all the ado.

When interviewing LoLa 41’s team days before opening, I asked Executive Chef Pablo Torre what his favorite dishes were on the restaurant’s expansive menu.

He mentioned Wagyu beef tartare and beef bulgogi.

The tartare’s precise mincing (often around town, it seems like it comes out of a food processor instead of being hand-chopped) and unusual toppings won me over. All that was missing were more “Calabrian chili” crackers to scoop every bite. When asked, they were promptly delivered.

As for the beef bulgogi?

Lauren makes a fierce one at home (it’s her granddaughter’s favorite) but instead uses chicken; she wanted to compare the versions. Our server asked our spicy-heat preference on a scale of 1 to 10 and suggested 6.

One bite in, my scalp started sweating, ruining what had been a rare good hair day until that moment.

But I was fine with that.

By the way, everything we ordered, including sushi, was the tops.

(560 Ninth St. S., Naples; 239-399-3300; lola41.com )

Call of the Sea...and the burger

Syren is among Naples' prettiest restaurants ever and boasts a waterfront location.

And the food is good too.

Circles collided Sunday evening as my pal Lyn was pulling out of the parking lot when she spotted me driving in. She then called from her car to say our mutual friend Jenny was sitting outside.

Since opening Jan. 18 , Syren has become one of the most buzzed-about and busy restaurants in town.

Another friend named Jennifer (Schiff in this case, who you may have read about in our pages recently) made the reservation. I’m glad she did because the place was nearly at capacity, with just a few open seats outside.

For work reasons, I had to order a burger for research. You might be thinking, like Queen Gertrude in Hamlet, this lady doth protest too much.

Here, it’s a hefty double-smash version with pimento cheese. It's unusual and good.

For the first time in what seems like my year of eating burgers for professional reasons, the bun was actually perfectly sized for the patties.

But the best dish we tried? Soft-shell crabs over a bed of refreshing vinegar-y cole slaw.

I have a thing for soft shells. As a senior manager at '21' Club, one perk was that I could pretty much order anything I wanted for lunch.

When those seasonal crustaceans were on the menu, instead of ordering as a fancy dish like our guests did, I’d ask the kitchen to sauté them with minimal batter for a sandwich.

At Syren, they're available as a special likely through summer, according to co-owner Peter Tierney, so ask. Reservations are a must if you want a table inside.

(909 Tenth St. S., Naples; 239-610-1559; syrenoysterbar.com )

This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: 5 great bites at new and old Naples restaurants