Sendo De Café Magic ☕, Art in Mercato, Jerry Seinfeld, & Naples Buzz

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In this week’s issue, you’ll get the Top 7 Events This Week, a longform review of Sendo De Café and your feedback on the most outrageous prices in Naples. It is honestly hard to understand how ice cubes and bread baskets are such hot commodities. 

Let me know what you think. Let me know what you think about Naples.  And, let me know what I should be writing about. Reply to this email or send your thoughts to [email protected]. 

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Table of Contents

• I’m Sending You To Sendo

• Top 7 Events this Week

• Foodie Feedback: Outrageous Prices

• Outdoor Activities: Let’s Dial it In!

I’m Sending You To Sendo

Impossibly small layout, postage stamp kitchen, and one of the most extensive menus I’ve seen at a café in Naples. 

“There’s no way this concept works,” I muttered to my friend as we entered Sendo De Café last week. “And there’s no way they can whip up all this food in this space!”

Sendo De Café is the third concept from the owners of Ichi Togarashi, the excellent Asian street food spot on 8^th Street N. Sendo is located in a small strip of restaurants and shops along Park Street - a short walk from Fifth Avenue and Cambier Park. The public lot on Park Street ensures that parking is (for once) relatively painless. 

I love Asian street food, and I am a big fan of Ichi Togarashi, so I’ve been anxious to visit Sendo De Café since I first heard about its debut early last month. I finally had a free morning last week, so I dragged my friend Olga – who is still recovering from her role in my Breastaurant Review - downtown to try it out. 

We arrived shortly after they opened at 11am, and were greeted by a friendly woman who was setting up behind the counter. The interior is as trendy as it is tiny, with a handful of small tables lining the walls and a central counterspace lined with traditional Asian snacks like Poky. We picked one of the larger tables near the window and began to wrap our heads around the multiple menus stacked in front of us. 

Sendo’s menu is impossibly vast, especially once you see how small the space is that all of these creations emerge from. Sendo’s focus is Japanese-inspired cuisine and beverages. The menu includes an onigiri (rice balls) section, a sandwich section, a small bite section and a “classic toasted” section.  The dessert selection is a menu unto itself, featuring multiple cake rolls, matcha tiramisu and cheesecake and ice cream in flavors like matcha green tea, yuzu, sweet red bean and purple yam. A separate menu page featured an array of udon soup options, featuring a variety of toppings and broths. The beverage menu comprises two separate pages. The writing is small. 

After some debate, Olga and I reluctantly opted for a yuzu refresher, yuzu slushie, a spicy beef gochujang onigiri and a chicken teriyaki sandwich. I say ‘reluctantly’ to underscore the fact that there were many, many, other items we would have liked to try. We ordered at the counter and anxiously awaited the wide range of items we’d ordered to emerge from the mini kitchen. 

Our food and beverages did more than emerge – the drinks arrived simultaneously, with ten minutes to spare before the food. Olga’s yuzu refresher was much better than my slushie. Good enough to return just for that. The sandwich and perfectly shaped rice ball were also excellent and perfectly portioned. Like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat, everything arrived on time and at temperature out of their impossibly small kitchen. 

Both of us are eager to return and reluctant to recommend this new gem to the general population. However – in the spirit of “spreading the love” – I had to write this review and spread the news. Stop on by Sendo when you get a chance and make sure to let me know what you ordered and what you think (email = [email protected]). 

Top 7 Events this Week

Tonight, Tuesday January 21^st @ 8:30pm, The Hit Men of Country @ Artis

Where? Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples, FL 34108

As of publication time, there are still tickets available for The Hit Men of Country at Artis-Naples. 

The Hit Men of Country (like last week’s Nash 2 Naples event) are Nashville musicians and singers who have supported some of country music's biggest stars. These stars include the Oak Ridge Boys, Keith Urban, Alabama, Trace Adkins, and Wynonna. The multimedia show shares behind-the-scenes stories from their careers, studio sessions, and tours. Performing classics like "No One Else," "Somebody Like You," and "I Swear," they offer audiences an engaging experience filled with beloved country hits.

Thursday January 23^rd, 6pm to 8pm, Paint & Sip Class at Ankorlab

Where? 3555 Bayshore Dr, Naples, FL 34112

Looking for a chill adult event with brews and creativity? Check out Ankorlab’s Paint & Sip Class this Thursday for a relaxed night out. While at Ankorlab, you can experience an up-and-coming part of Naples (Bayshore) and visit one of the trendier spots in town (Ankorlab). 

Saturday January 25^th, 8pm, Jerry Seinfeld @ Hard Rock Live

Where? 1 Seminole Way, Davie, FL 33314

Did you know that the Hard Rock Casino / Hotel in Hollywood, Florida is just a short 90 minute drive from Naples? 

If you’re a fan of Jerry Seinfeld, you can see this iconic comedian perform live for as little as $81 a seat this weekend at the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. Tickets are still available here. 

Saturday & Sunday, January 25^th & 26^th, 10am to 5pm (extended to 6pm Saturday), Second Annual Mercato Art Celebration

Where? 9110 Strada Pl, Naples, FL 34108

The Mercato Art Celebration is a juried art show in Naples, featuring a curated selection of highly talented artists. Held outside amidst the hustle and bustle of Mercato, this event provides art enthusiasts with the opportunity to view and purchase unique works of art in a cool outdoor atmosphere. 

Saturday, January 25^th @ 2pm, Dial M for Murder

Where? Gulfshore Playhouse, 100 Goodlette-Frank Rd, Naples, FL 34102

Dial M for Murder - the latest show to be held in the shiny, new, Gulfshore Playhouse - opened last week. 

I first encountered Dial M for Murder as the classic thriller adaptation directed by Alfred Hitchcock (a film that I loved in my first film class in high school). I am excited about the Naples version of Frederick Knott's play, and the 2PM show on Tuesday still has some great seats left. 

Saturday, January 25, 2025 @ 10:00am - 11:30am, Children's Programs on Animal Adaptations

Where? 375 Sanctuary Road West, Naples, 34120, FL

This is a wonderful new event for Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary members (for $75 to $1000 a year – depending on the package – this is a must-do membership (and they have no idea I’m writing this)). 

How unique is this? Corkscrew Sanctuary is now hosting a boardwalk educational program on the last Saturday of each month from January to March 2025 that focuses on animal adaptations for swamp survival. Each session runs from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and highlights a different species:

January 25^th is American alligators, so go check out this event - held in a private section of the boardwalk - designed for children aged 6-12. 

Monday, January 27^th @ 4pm, Four O’clock at the Movies featuring Conclave

Where? Artis-Naples, 5833 Pelican Bay Blvd, Naples, FL 34108

I’ve been meaning to see the new Ralph Fiennes movie for a while now, and I see there’s still seats available at Artis next Monday for its showing the “Four O’clock at the Movies” series. 

Conclave dramatizes the process through which the Catholic Church picks a new pope. I vividly remember watching the process in college following Pope John Paul II’s death. It is shrouded in mystery and ripe for a Hollywood thriller. 

Check it out and you might see me sneak in if I can! 

Monday, January 27^th @ 7:30pm, Bob Marley @ Off The Hook Comedy Club

Where? 2500 Vanderbilt Beach Rd #1100, Naples, FL 34109

Are you (1) from New England and (2) have a sense of humor? 

Wait. Let me rephrase. 

Do you find people from New England funny? 

The fact that most of Bob Marley’s shows are already sold out at Off The Hook next week indicates that many people here in Naples think New Englanders are pretty hilarious. If you fall into this set, I highly recommend scooping up one of the last tickets to Bob Marley’s Monday show. 

Foodie Feedback: Outrageous Prices

I am eternally grateful that I didn’t get any reader emails about the negatively-skewed poll “Outrageous Prices Poll” we launched last week. 

I get it, we live in Naples, and it’s extremely expensive. At the same time, however, there are some prices that are downright abusive this season, and I’m glad I’m not the only one that thinks so. 

In that spirit, here’s the results of last week’s craziest prices poll, along with a few of your comments. 

The $27 pour of of Santa Margarita was the clear winner (pick up a bottle for less than half of that at your local CVS, by the way), but our famously profiled LoLa 41 Shrimp Fried Rice and the new Lujack’s hamburger were a close second. 

Here’s a few of my favorite comments from readers:

““La Tavola on Marco Island is $11 for French bread service!” D.M.

“The $41 fish tacos are a close second is the $27 Santa Margarita - you can literally buy TWO BOTTLES at Total Wines for that price! ” P.G. 

“They charged me $4 f-ing dollars for a round ice cube. What planet am I on?!?” C.B. 

Outdoor Activities: Let’s Dial it In!

Let me know what your favorite is…and I’ll do my best to send the best dates / deals your way! 

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Why It Matters

The best meals don’t always come from the flashiest spots—and sometimes, a simple drink can leave you with sticker shock. Knowing where to go (and what to avoid) can turn an average week into a great one.

So tell me—what’s the most outrageous price you’ve seen in Naples lately? Hit reply and let’s compare notes.

Until next time, eat smart & explore more!

Carolyn Cervoni
Editor-in-Chief
Naples, Florida
The Naples Florida Review

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