A Casual Sip At CIP’s
Sanibel Island, Florida
Cuisine Style: New American
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 4/5
Dined: June 2019
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
**A full article and index glossary of restaurants, wines, recipes and travel for
Wine Dine and Play are in the pages section above, or by following these links:
Cip’s Place Zomato rating:
CIP's Place (pronounced “Sip”) is located in the Forever Green Shopping Center on Sanibel Island. My wife and I were staying at the Sanibel Beach Resort for the weekend and were driving around looking for a place for dinner when we came across CIP’s. The restaurant is named for long-time Islander Jimmy Cipriani, the former owner of the property, and the bar is modeled after one of Sanibel’s original ferries, the Islander. The restaurant is a casual, comfortable place to relax, in a higher class atmosphere while still reminding you of the island life. The restaurant has many scrapbooks of the island's history that customers are welcome to look through while you sip on a cocktail or wait for food. A mural painted by two local artists called the Sanibel and Captiva’s wall of island faces depicts many of Sanibel and Captiva's most well-known and instrumental people in molding the Islands into what they are today. The portrait includes island locals like Porter Goss, J.N. “Ding” Darling, The Bailey Brothers, and the late Jimmy Cipriani.
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| CIP's Place / Mural |
CIP's Place Menu:
- Cip’s Starters
- Cip’s Salads and Soups
- Islander Favorites
- Seasonal Lunch
- Sandwiches
- Pasta
- From the Grill
- Sides
- Kids Menu
- Desserts
We sat at the Islander bar, looking around the dining room which reminded me of a steakhouse with the wood fixtures, though brighter than one. My wife started with a glass of Centine Tuscany Rosé by Banfi, a dry rose varietal mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Sangiovese. According to the winemakers’ notes, the soil is calcareous and well-drained. The grapes are vinified for 14 days, with brief skin contact, in stainless steel tanks at 64˚F. The color is an intense pink with a very aromatic bouquet. It is fresh with hints of woodland berries, with a long crisp, clean finish. I had a red wine blend called the Raig de Raïm by Celler Piñol with a blend of Garnacha, Cariñena, Syrah, and Merlot. The winemaker states that the blend is fruity with full red color and blue overtones. Tastes are lush, with red ripe berries and balsamic herbs integrated with hints of oak. A beautiful, lingering finish hints at grapefruit peel. It’s the right wine to accompany any meal.
We started by sharing the rebel roquette stack, arugula and mixed greens salad tossed in a pear vinaigrette topped with candied pecans, bleu cheese, roasted beets, and crispy sweet potato hay. The tart flavors and texture of the arugula went very well with the sweet tones of the pairs and vinegar, match with lightly potent blue cheese, made wonderful undertone to the start of the meal.
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| CIP's Place / Rebel Roquette Stack |
The Garden Vegetable fettuccini was our choice for the main entree and though we are not vegetarians every once in a while we have a meatless Monday on a Friday. The dish had a mixture of seasonal vegetables sautéed in olive oil with fresh minced garlic, then tossed in a sun-dried tomato pesto and basil. Finally, a house-made spinach fettuccine pasta was added then all garnished with parmesan cheese. There is also the option of adding shrimp, Mahimahi, salmon or chicken from Joyce Farms all-natural family poultry farm in North Carolina. The dish was very fresh, and not too salty from the pesto, but very fresh basil flavors and great fragrance with every bite of the vegetables.
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| CIP's Place / Spinach and Vegetable Fettuccine |
Dessert:
For dessert, we had the rum cake with whipped topping and toasted coconuts garnish with a cherry. I had a caffè caramel macchiato an espresso coffee drink with the dessert. The drink is sometimes called an espresso macchiato and in Italian, macchiato means "stained" or "spotted" so the literal translation of caffè macchiato is "stained coffee,” or coffee with a spot of milk.
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| CIP's Place / Rum Cake |
Plus check out some of these wonderful selections:
Please see these guidelines for Tipping in Restaurants and on following proper etiquette, customs, cultures, and avoiding assumptions when you dine out.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
European Union:
Italy:
Spain:
Other noteworthy New American cuisine articles and restaurants similar to CIP's Place:
Also known as Modern American cuisine, or Contemporary American cuisine, the term "New American" refers to the wave of modernized cooking predominantly served at upscale fine dining restaurants that began in the 1980s. It is generally a type of fusion cuisine which assimilates flavors from the melting pot of traditional American cooking techniques and mixes it with foreign and sometimes molecular gastronomy components. There is an innovative use of seasoning and sauces, originally based on French, and Nouvelle cuisine, and it has progressed to include elements of Asian, Latin American, Mediterranean, and other cuisines.
Alinea Highly creative New American molecular gastronomy tasting menus in Chicago, Illinois
Brick and Mortar Rustic-chic new American dining in St. Petersburg, Florida
Bridge Street Bistro Third-floor terrace seafood-centric New American dining, Bradenton Beach, Florida
Harvest Moon Café Farm-to-Fork daily changing new American fare menu in Sonoma, California
Lobby at Twelve Boutique hotel bistro, new American, and Southern favorites at Atlantic Station, Atlanta
Moshulu New American dining on a restored ship in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
O’Bistro A casual style bistro focusing on the Mediterranean and New American Cuisine with a small eclectic flair in St Petersburg, Florida
Samantha’s Restaurant Mellow new American dishes in North Canton, Ohio
Zinc Bistro and Bar Southwestern-inspired new American fare in San Antonio, Texas
Zink Kitchen + Bar Restaurant Modern and sleek American cuisine in Centennial, Colorado
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
Other Sanibel Island restaurants, and articles on Wine Dine and Play:
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Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
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Contemporary dining for all meals featuring both land and sea
Sanibel Island, Florida, USA
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A few Florida restaurant favorites:
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A Causal seafood cafe on the inlet to the Pass-a-Grille Channel
Pass-a-Grille / St Pete Beach
|
Contemporary Twist on American favorites
Palm Beach, Florida, USA
|
Modern Upbeat Mexican Hangout
Tampa, Florida, USA
|
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
Final notes, review basics, observations, and more pictures:
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors based on individual experience. They include wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambience, food quality, and wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Overall from this experience and the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ section, based on my individual experience and rating, I give CIP's Place a 4 out of 5 stars, meaning that they not only exceeded my expectations and were far above the average dining experience of most restaurants, and they were just outstanding.
Scores are detailed in the factor chart below:
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings for Cip’s Place
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Max Points Possible:
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Total Points Awarded:
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Total Points deducted:
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Ambience
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11
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11
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0
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Food quality
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11
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8
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2
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Plate presentation
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11
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9
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2
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Customer service
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13
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12
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1
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Alcohol and other beverages
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10
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9
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1
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Total regular points awarded
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56
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49
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6
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Total percentage — less the Bonus
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0.875
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“Wow” factor BONUS
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5
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0
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0
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Total bonus percentage
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0
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Total percentage and bonus for a final star rating
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0.875
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Stars Awarded (see chart below)
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0 - 5
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4
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**A full break down and explanation of the observations and point disbursement is available in the linked article above. To receive a detailed copy of your score, feel free to contact me at any time and I will provide it to you.**
***
Overall Star Rating:
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4 of 5 Stars:
88% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
An Outstanding Dining Experience
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Corkage fees:
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CIP's Place does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
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Restaurant style:
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Casual dining
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Cuisine Style at CIP's Place:
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New American
Allergen or dietary accommodations:
Gluten-Free choices, Grass Fed, Low Carb Choices, Pescatarian, Vegetarian Options
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Reservations:
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Not Required, but Recommended
Walk-Ins:
Accepted, but not guaranteed
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Dress code:
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Casual attire
It’s Florida, everybody wear’s flip-flops!
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Child policy:
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The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a kids menu or cater to them; however, for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended that kids not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette.
If not then:
Hire a Babysitter!
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CIP's Place
Experiences:
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Place for foodies, Contemporary, Modern, Trendy, Romantic, Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Tourist grabber, and a Neighborhood Gem.
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Payments:
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Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
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Parking:
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CIP's Place has a public lot
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Wifi
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The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
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Noise level:
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Medium
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Smoking:
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CIP's Place is a non-smoking restaurant with a non-smoking patio
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Patio or terrace:
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Yes
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Food Prices
(excludes, alcohol, taxes & 20% gratuity’s)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00 (inexpensive)
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00 (moderate)
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00 (pricey)
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00 (expensive)
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00 (very expensive)
**Currencies reflect the world’s major travelers, restaurant, or wine connoisseur’s**
Currency:
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Price
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United States Dollar (USD)
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$$
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Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
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££
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Canadian Dollar (CAN)
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$$
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Chinese Yuan (CNY)
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¥¥¥¥
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European Union (EUR)
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€€
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CIP's Place:
2055 Periwinkle Way
Sanibel, Florida
33957, USA
Contact Information:
Restaurant website:
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Maître d or host:
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+1 239-472-0223
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Website Contact:
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Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Mon - Sun
11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Happy Hour: Mon - Sun
4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for CIP's Place:
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****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi
Key West, Florida, USA
|
Levant, Jordanian, and Lebanese cuisines
Amman, Jordan
|
Southwestern-inspired New American fare
San Antonio, Texas, USA
|
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
