Jax Mag’s Food Issue
A city that stretches across more than 800 square miles means hungry diners have many options and many miles to travel to reach them all. Undeterred by $4 gas and a lack of reservations, the intrepid Jax Mag crew set out to present a delectable collection of 100 local dining hot spots in a variety of categories. Some are fancy, some are anything but. All have something special that caught our eye and taste buds. Comfort foods, messy grub, quick lunches, business dinners, chef specialties, hot wings, vegan havens and late night haunts—all this and more are presented on the following 14 pages. Yes, you’re going to need extra napkins for this one.
100 Great First Coast Restaurants, Eateries, Bakeries, Chefs, Takeout Joints, Diners, Dives & Drive-ins…
Northeast Florida and seafood go together like shrimp and grits. If you have a hankerin’ for something salty and tasty, there are numerous options from which to choose. Here’s a select menu of area eateries that know a thing or two about fish, shrimp, scallops, crabs… The Reef Restaurant Bistro Aix Azurea at One Ocean Whitey’s Fish Camp The Blue Fish O.C. White’s Chart House Blackstone Grille Aqua Grill Cap’s on the Water Saltwater Cowboys Ocean 60 Mitchell’s Fish Market Bonefish Grill Marker 32 Mezza Luna Salt Life Food Shack Clark’s Fish Camp |
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Down-home cuisine comes in many forms, but we’re particularly fond of most anything loaded with carbs, deep-fried and served with a smile. comfort food (n): Food that is simply prepared and gives a sense of well-being; typically food with a high sugar or carbohydrate content that is associated with childhood or with home cooking. Yummy! |
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Finger Lickin’ Good
It wasn’t that long ago that an order of chicken wings meant they would be prepared Buffalo-style—deep fried and coated in a spicy hot and buttery sauce. One could adjust the level of heat but that was about it. Today, wings are sold just about everywhere and come in more flavors and varieties than ice cream. Recently, Jax Mag traversed the River City in search of tasty chicken bites. After many miles traveled—and even more napkins and discarded bones—we settled upon seven purveyors offering different culinary takes on the humble wing. Here they are, along with a quick critique of our order (from top). Wing It - Volcanic, $9.62 • meaty, slightly chewy, spicy; but we expected the sauce would be hotter. |
| What a Mess!
pass the napkins!!! Silverware? No thanks. These five grub halls revel in their messy, hands-on glory. • “Sandwich” is a loose description of the popular rib, sauce and bread concoction at Jenkins Quality Barbecue (830 Pearl St., 353-6388; plus locations Southside and Northside). It doesn’t easily fit between two hands, generous portions of meat and sauce tend to pour out from beneath the bread, and the scent of the thing will linger on your clothes for days—not to mention…there are really big bones involved. But it’s a Jenkins classic and diners wouldn’t want it any other way. |
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Late Night Nosh
Night owls looking for a break from standard 24-hour diner fare face a bit of a dilemma in a town where many restaurants turn out the lights long before midnight. But there are a handful of eateries that cater to the (very) early morning crowd. • Riverside regulars flock to Kickbacks Gastropub (910 King St., 388-9551). The menu boasts favorites like chicken wings, flatbread pizzas and build-your-own pasta, plus old school classics like a PB&J sandwich, tater tots and Spaghetti-O’s. Open until 3 AM. |
| Veg Out
An herbivore’s guide to dining in Jacksonville. The health benefits of a plant-based diet are plentiful; unfortunately, dining options for such lifestyles in Northeast Florida are limited. With some careful consideration, though, even the strictest of vegans and vegetarians can enjoy a variety of restaurants on the First Coast. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind: |
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25 of the top chefs in Jax dish out personal tips for the everyday home cook, advice earned from years on the frontlines of top local eateries. “My Le Creuset braising pan is indispensable. I love that it can go from stove top to oven, and is then beautiful to serve from.”Liz Grenamyer, executive chef of Bella Sera “Don’t head to the grocery store with a recipe in hand. Head to the grocery store or farmer’s market and look for what’s in season, buy it, then go home and look up recipes to figure out what you’re going to make with your fresh, locally grown produce.”Brian Siebenschuh, executive chef at Restaurant Orsay “I personally like Misono knives; one of the most well-established Japanese knife producers. Quality craftsmanship, and they hold a great edge. Also, look for specialty products at Whole Foods and independent Asian markets. I always find interesting things to cook there, and always for a great price.”Sam Efron, executive chef at Taverna “My favorite cooking tool is the Kom Kom Miracle Knife. It’s made in Thailand, and it does so many things. I use it to shred fruit and vegetables to make cucumber or papaya salads, and core apples or tomatoes. Every house should have one.”Aura Sellas, chef and owner of Taste of Thai “When serving dishes that need to be kept warm, or re-heated, meat holds well. Vegetables don’t. You can’t keep heating them up, because they get mushy. Meat holds longer, and even starches like potatoes hold heat pretty well.”Shawn Stoddard, owner of Anthony’s Gourmet Catering “Source out the actual and authentic ingredients to make global dishes. Don’t try to cut corners when doing authentic cuisine. Nowadays people travel more, so they can taste the difference.”Pete Silvano, executive chef at Blu Tavern “One of the things we teach at the studio is how to entertain without being chained to the stove for your entire dinner party. There’s a reason restaurants have staff present at noon when they open at 5 PM; it’s called prep time, and the home cook can do this, too. Resist the urge to go for the fewest-ingredients, two-step recipe and find something that you can begin the preparations for a few days in advance, and build up to the final cooking.”Andrea E. Rosenblatt, head chef of A. Chef’s Cooking Studio “Thai food is about flavor and using the freshest ingredients. It’s not heavy, but light and healthy. Fresh ingredients make great food. Most of our ingredients are organic.”Guy Boonsanong, executive chef at Buddha’s Belly “Whenever roasting any large meat, from chicken, to pork, to beef, brine the large muscles in a seasoned salt water 24 hours in advance. Make brine with one cup of kosher salt to seven cups of water, simmered for two minutes. Additional seasonings are limitless, from citrus to herbs and berries. Cool the brine before adding the meat.”Steven Gaynor, executive chef at Biscottis “When working with dried chili peppers, soak them in hot water. When you’re ready to make sauce, use the water as well. The chili extracts into the water, so you get the full flavor of the dried chili. Use that to make sauces and salsa.”Kennon Reed, kitchen manager at Cantina Laredo “Depending on the dish, cooking is all about time and temperature. A delicate dish doesn’t need to cook for three hours at 400 degrees. Take care of the ingredients while you’re cooking. You can go to any restaurant and get chicken; it’s all about the presentation and flavors.”Chris Faurie, executive chef at Corner Bistro “Rosemary, thyme and garlic enhance the flavor of meat. When possible, use homemade mozzarella—we use it in many dishes on the menu, and it’s made fresh every day.”Julio Echeverri, chef de cuisine at Enza’s Italian Restaurant “When adding Asian flavor to your repertoire, always start with ginger, garlic and scallions. Those flavors are the basis for all Asian dishes. We’re always talking about it, thinking about it, tasting it.”Dennis Chan, executive chef and owner of Blue Bamboo “Everybody likes to BBQ at home. Use wood charcoal; I recommend mesquite wood. If you use that instead of bricks, the mesquite has fewer chemicals and gives a nice flavor to hot dogs, burgers or anything else on the grill.”Breno Verlangieri, owner and meat chef at Espeto “Put salt, pepper and olive oil on everything. Just like the old give and go in basketball, that’s all you ever need to know.”Dwight Delude, owner and executive chef of Dwight’s Bistro “Use sofrito, olive oil, garlic, bell pepper and tomatoes to add Cuban flavor. For example, when making chicken and rice, start with the sofrito. It gives that combination of flavor to the food. The big basis in any Cuban kitchen is sofrito.”Silvia Pulido, owner of Havana-Jax Cafe “I enjoy cooking with a lid. When I do that, it creates condensation and steam that makes fish puff up with moisture. I have the same All-Clad brand pan that I’ve been using for years. It has a heavy bottom, so it heats up evenly and stays hot. Most recently I started experimenting with the Staub line that I picked up at Williams-Sonoma. I bought a heavy cast-iron skillet with a lid on it, as well, and I’m finding the same success with it.”Matthew Medure, executive chef and owner at Matthew’s Restaurant “Serving large crowds is a matter of making sure the head count is correct ahead of time. Don’t miss anything. Communicate with guests and make sure that everyone is on the same page about what is being prepared. Make sure the communication line is open.”Mark Sofia, executive chef at The Hilltop “The fewer the ingredients, the better. A lot of ingredients are versatile. A piece of high-quality fish can be served raw in a tartare, or in a ceviche, or grilled with fresh lemon and olive oil, or fried quickly in a nice batter. The cleaner the taste, the less you have to do with it. I like to buy fish from Fisherman’s Dock—those guys know fish, and they know what to look for. Reaching out to local fishermen is so important.”Eric Fritsche, executive chef at Patio at Pastiche “I like to work with a lot of fresh herbs, lemongrass and Thai basil. We also do a lot with Thai eggplants. They’re round and green instead of purple, and they have a different flavor and texture. They’re a bit firmer and not as mushy, and the flavor works well in our curry.”Susie Sysouvanh, executive chef at Indochine “We do a lot with cilantro and cumin, not just in Spanish dishes but also in Mediterranean, Italian and French dishes. It’s a subtle thing that sometimes can’t be identified quickly. We coarsely chop it and fold it into our tapenade. It makes a beautiful flavor and great color.”Chris Cantabene, executive chef and owner at Raintree “I like the Sho Chiku Bai brand of sake, especially the Gin Jo flavor served cold. It goes well with edamame, grilled salmon teriyaki, tuna sashimi and the hummer roll (tuna and avocado, deep-fried, topped with shrimp sauce, spicy crab salad and scallions).”Jon Won, owner and executive chef at Sake House “Stay true to Southern flavors, and use local and sustainable ingredients. Our signature spices are salt and pepper, and I love cooking with bacon grease and bacon fat.”Nick Robson, executive chef at Speckled Hen Tavern and Grille “Trial and error has created some of my best dishes. One of our popular appetizers, Mayport shrimp and grilled polenta, was created with the idea of using local shrimp. We wanted to do a shrimp and grits type of dish, but we didn’t have the grits we wanted that day so we improvised and used polenta.”David Seavey, executive chef at North Beach Bistro “Use quality ingredients imported straight from Greece, especially virgin olive oil, kalamata black olives and feta cheese.”Abraham Gungor, general manager at Taverna Yamas |
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| Dining Hall of Fame | |
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Gypsy Cab Co. 828 Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine, 824-8244 This Oldest City culinary pioneer opened its doors in 1983. Over the years, the place has grown and new things have been added here and there. However, on the whole, the recipe for success has remained the same. The menu covers lots of ground and draws upon a melange of influences. Sautéed escargot, mussels in white wine garlic broth, chili rellenos, baked ziti, roasted duck with raspberry glaze, braised lamb shank, sesame-crusted tofu, seafood fra diablo—the menu is something of a world tour. Never been for dinner? Head toward the lighthouse beacon and look for the neon out front. Order This: The signature dish is Gypsy Chicken, and for good reason. |
| Luigi’s Italian & American Restaurant 5912 University Blvd., 731-0338 This year marks the 37th that pizzas and pasta have been served from the kitchen at Luigi’s, a neighborhood eatery that pleases with traditional Italian classics. The pizzas topped with the standards—pepperoni, homemade sausage, onions and green peppers—provide a brisk take-out business. And entrées are downright cheap. In fact, $14 gets you most anything on the menu. The chicken parmigiana and the thin-sliced eggplant parmigiana with spaghetti on the side are house specialties. Cheaper still are the $5 sandwiches, $2 draught beers and $4 glasses of wine. Order This: Baked lasagna with meat sauce and meatballs. |
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Sliders Seafood Grille 218 1st St., Neptune Beach, 246-0881 Proving an establishment need not be fancy to be loved, Sliders has been a Beaches mainstay for more than 20 years. Its longevity is the result of its no-frills simplicity, consistently good eats and a location about a block off the beach. The picnic tables out front fill up fast, as patrons shuck and slurp through trays of raw and steamed oysters. Other menu favorites include smoked fish dip, grilled mahi, dungeness crab, steamed shrimp and fish tacos. Seating is tight and waits can be long. So, order a cold drink, relax and enjoy the sand-between-your-toes vibe. Order This: Oysters casino, six oysters baked with cheddar, smoked bacon and scallions. A dozen raw on the half-shell is pretty good, too. |
| Whiteway Delicatessen 1237 King St., 389-0355 Back in late 2008, Whiteway Deli moved—well, sort of. It relocated about a block away and the interior layout in the new spot is almost exactly the same as before. Change doesn’t come easily to an 80-year-old community institution. The breakfast and lunch menus reflect that. Eggs, grits, bacon, toast, hash browns and ham and cheese in a pita cause regulars to arrive shortly after 7 AM. The tabouli is outstanding and is added to long-time faves like the Mac Special and the Dr. Berk. Smile when you pay at the register. You never know when owner Sammy Salem is taking your picture. Order This: The Anne Beard Special with turkey, feta cheese, tabouli, peppers and Italian dressing in a pita. |
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European Street Cafe Four Locations: 2753 Park St., 384-9999; 1704 San Marco Blvd., 398-9500; 5500 Beach Blvd., 398-1717; 992 Beach Blvd., 249-3001 Remember Mr. Dunderbaks at the Regency Square Mall? If you lived in Jax during the 1980s, you do. The single New York-style deli/bar grew into European Street, a homegrown string of four restaurants famous for huge sandwiches and huge beers. The sandwich menu is a mile long and offers everything from stuffed pitas to wraps to heroes to vegan to good old classics like ham and Swiss. The list of beers (on tap and bottled) is just as long. The Art Deco building on Park Street is a Riverside landmark. Order This: Pastrami Reuben with smoked pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and 1000 Island dressing. And a Hacker-Pschorr Weisse, tall. ] |
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