Circus Trains and Chocolate Spaghetti

     Our recent vacation was spent in several different places. After a couple of days at the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival, my husband, daughter and I headed to my dad’s place on Siesta Key, Florida. Siesta Key has won numerous awards for the beautiful beaches and we all love it. My parents have owned a place there since the 70’s.

 

     My dad has been telling me for months about a new restaurant he found, Bob’s Train. On our way into Sarasota, he decided we would stop there and have lunch before heading out to Siesta Key. I have to tell you, my first impression was a bit of shock. After hearing about it so much, as we pulled into the neighborhood, I was a little afraid to get out of the car. This is a real train, on real tracks in a neighborhood that isn’t exactly a place I would normally go. However, it is certainly an interesting eating experience.

 

     Bob’s Train is an actual train... a circus train. In fact, it's the only circus train in the world owned by an individual. Bob Home, the owner and chef is a walking, talking history book and expert on Sarasota and it’s circus history. His vast collection of vintage circus photographs and posters line the walls of the train cars and you can even walk through his largest collectible, JOMAR (JOhn and MAble Ringling), the famed private train car of circus magnate John Ringling. It is in the early stages of restoration and very interesting and still quite a mess!

This woman looks so much like my sister when she was younger!

 

     The food is very good. My daughter and I had salads, the men had burgers and homemade chips. The surprise item was dessert. My dad insisted we try the Chocolate Spaghetti. Now, I didn’t think it sounded good at all, but I was wrong. The flavor was a rich chocolate which coated the spaghetti perfectly. Bob came to the table and explained that it is basically a thinned down ganache (what’s not to love) stirred into angel hair pasta that has been tossed with butter, brown sugar and vanilla. A bit of peach schnapps and lots of whipping cream and you have a very rich, unusual dessert.

     Bob has led a very interesting life and when he isn’t cooking, he is quite the talker. If you happen to go at a time when they aren’t busy, he can give you quite the education on food and all things circus related.

 

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