seviya's Profile
Visiting Jacksonville, need recs
Downtown Jax and San Marco have some of the best eateries, IMO.
Bistro Aix - has lovely outdoor seating for when the weather's nice. Their smoked tomato soup and home-made potato chips with blue-cheese drizzle are to *die* for. So is the roast chicken. And many of their signature cocktails are made with Hangar One infused vodkas (yumyumyum). http://www.bistrox.com/index2.html
bb's - try the rock shrimp salad with the tangerine cream. *bliss* Also, their calamari is gorgeously plated and very tender. Really, everything here is good. www.bbsrestaurant.com
Chew - my current fave. Try the ham, brie, and apricot jam pannini. Also, I heartily recommend the fried green tomatoes with gorgonzola. Surprisingly, they also make really great tea! www.chewrestaurant.com
Cafe Nola at MOCA - I haven't been here yet (to my dismay) but everyone I know says it's wonderful. www.mocajax.com/cafe
Matthews - Haven't been, but hear it's fantastic. Italian. Very expensive. www.matthewsrestaurant.com
The owner of Matthews also has a little deli-thingy across the street from the restaurant - you can get prepared foods, breads, sauces, meats, etc., plus lots of weird but excellent sodas and drinks. It's well-priced, too. Great for taking on picnics, or just stopping in to grab lunch.
At the beaches, try 11 South - truly *the* most technically precise and perfect food I've ever had the pleasure to view with my eyes or place in my mouth. I seriously can't say a single bad thing about it. Well, except that it's pretty expensive. I'd go more often if I could afford it. Try the Lobster Mac & Cheese, the Roasted Butternut Squash Soup (your server will bring you a sample if you like!), the Sea Bass, the Shrimp & Sausage, and I'm not a dessert person at all BUT their Blueberry and White Chocolate Bread Pudding SERIOUSLY made me almost faint. www.elevensouth.com/index.html
Fuji Sushi at Baymeadows and 9A does a very, very different Dynamite Roll - it's smaller than usual, but fried up very nicely inside a thick, fluffy, clean tasting tempura-esque batter that just ROCKS. Plus they add two really different sauces, and to pair it with ginger and wasabi is to come close to heaven.
Strange Pairings that Taste Uncommonly Good
Pickles and Dubliner cheese (it melts in your mouth plus has crunchy bits in it!!) (also for some reason really good with milked-up tea)
Cheeze-its and Louisiana hot sauce, Cheeze-its and pickles! (these got me through law school!)
Banana guacamole with LOTS of ground ancho
Avocado and sauerkraut sandwich with mayo and mustard (I will only eat BUBBIE'S sauerkraut)
Oh, Cheeze-its and sauerkraut!!! mmmmmm
A bite of peanut butter on toast, followed by a mouthful of V8 heavily spiked with Louisiana hot sauce (my morning ritual)
Chicken sandwiches with blue cheese and sliced peaches (discovered that one in the UK)
Watermelon is a MUST for the beach - completely counters all the salt taste in your mouth.
Peanut butter whipped up with apple cider vinegar over noodles . . . mmmmmm
p.s. once I discovered the beauty of Cheeze-its with all things pickle-y, I quickly packed on like 20 lbs. So beware, thar be dragons!!
