The rapid expansion of south Sarasota County is something the Valentino brothers have been ready for since 2003. That’s the year David and Dennis Valentino took over Donato’s Italian Restaurant, founded by their father in the once sleepy town of Port Charlotte. Since then, the brothers have defined that region’s dining scene with steakhouse, pizza and lobster roll concepts.

With The Banyan Tree, opened this summer, they deepen their roots and expand their offerings. The upscale casual restaurant sits next to the 80-acre lake in downtown Wellen Park, surrounded by lush greenery that provided aesthetic cues to the interior. There, the coastal ambiance gives flip-flops and sundresses the same warm welcome as high heels and sports jackets. And the menu gives a similar warm welcome to all. Featuring New American cuisine—much of it cooked over a fruit wood fire—The Banyan House offers a robust list of small, shareable plates to go along with sizable entrees and signature cocktails, all of it inspired and accessible. A local golden beet salad is earthy and surprisingly filling thanks to the generous portion of goat cheese it’s topped with. Locally grown hydroponic watercress is the primary leafy green, with a small handful of candied pecans providing a dash of sugar and crunch. Pair it with the Banyan cosmo, a blend of vodka, lime, Cointreau, cranberry and raspberry.

The Maryland blue crab tower is a bright and light shareable starter. The crab meat is generous, topped by a creamy, fluffy avocado mousse. The hint of lime in the mousse complements the orange slices served around the tower for a Sunshine State twist on a Mid-Atlantic staple. A seared ruby red tuna is savory with a satisfying firmness. The soy glaze and sesame crust add a nice bit of umami to an otherwise clean flavor profile that lacks the polarizing “fishiness” of many seafood offerings. 

On the opposite end of the fishiness spectrum is the hefty housemade linguine with lobster. The massive, meaty tail comes butter poached, the creaminess of the butter blending deliciously with the pecorino cream sauce. Considering the Valentinos’ success with Italian concepts, it’s no surprise that the generous portion of pasta could work as an entree on its own. 

And then there’s the meat. The Colorado rack of lamb practically glows with the promise of protein. Rocky mountain lambs grow a little larger than their cousins in New Zealand thanks to their grain finish, which can add almost a pound to the rack alone. Here, the smoke from the wood grill has a lot of surface area to add flavor. As if the rack wasn’t enough, the addition of Moroccan kefta skewers lets a diner know that the Valentino’s are, unequivocally, here to feed people. Somewhere beneath the lamb are delicious confit marble potatoes and roasted brussels sprouts, while harissa roasted carrots lie in the shadow of the towering rack. Try the accompanying tzatziki. On everything.

While the menu’s extensive seafood offerings play well to the many transplants for whom Gulf-caught anything is a novelty—and rightfully so—there’s something universally, timelessly likable about a perfectly cooked steak. And the Brasstown ribeye was a perfectly cooked steak. First, while the Valentinos bring the pedigree of a successful steakhouse to The Banyan House, cooking with fire is vastly different from cooking on a range. It’s less predictable, more nuanced. But by the grace of sweat, trial and error, the Brasstown ribeye is a triumph. Cooked medium rare, it’s so tender it barely requires chewing. The fat is perfectly rendered, the sear even and smokey. Does it come with a side of charred broccolini and an aged cheddar mac-and-cheese? Yes, and both are good too. But they are wholly overshadowed by the exquisite steak. The smokiness of the ribeye pairs especially well with The Banyan House’s smoked old fashioned. Michter’s whisky, angostura bitters, luxardo cherries and an orange twist are fine and dandy on their own, but when smoked before serving, the experience is altogether elevated.