Jacksonville Reviews

The New Orleans Cafe in Mandarin

2009-10-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

They don't have a website, however, their myspace has upcoming events and their menu posted!

I won't give a full-fledged review on this spot, but went there last night and was pleasantly surprised. Things are starting to cool off in Jax (the 80s) so we sat outside and listened to live music while chowing down on some delicious Creole food. We had fried craw fish tails to start (big, tasty and light, crunchy breading). I had fried shrimp with sauteed veggies and hush puppies. My husband had the Indecision Medley which included gumbo, sausage, jambalaya, red beans & rice and garlic bread. Everything was just wonderful and we would totally go back. Service was a bit slow, but the top deck along the river was packed full of people, a bunch who I bet are regulars. It was their "open-mic" night and they had several different people singing cover songs and playing guitar. It really was a nice night-out. I would go back here with out a doubt and it was nice to find a place in Mandarin that has some flavor and charm to it. The crowd itself was mixed and seems like a place most people would be comfortable at.

The prices are moderate and the portions are generous. We saw several monsters of a po-boy being delivered - next time!

FUSION art wine jazz bar

2009-10-02T07:19:00.000-07:00

View Website

FUSION art wine and jazz bar is having their grand opening tonight! Go check it out. After my first visit, I'll be sure to report back with details.

The interior shots of the place are georgous, definitely my kind of place!

They are located on Pearl Street (in between 8th and 9th) in Springfield.

Cummer Museum is FREE on Tuesdays

2009-09-29T06:17:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder, for those who aren't aware - The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens is FREE on Tuesday evenings from 4:00 - 9:00 PM. Check it out!

Taverna Restaurant in San Marco

2009-09-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

TAVERNA

Visit Website

Official Opening: October 1, 2009

1986 San Marco Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904.398.3005

A few friends and myself went to Taverna on Friday, September 18 for the soft opening. I can honestly say this is one of the best meals I have had in Jacksonville since last dining at Orsay in Avondale. The setting is contemporary and comfortable with a few rustic touches.

Their full-menu will entail a variety of Tapas, Appetizers, Salad, Sandwiches, Pasta, Pizza and Entrees. They intend on regularly incorporating new menu items and seasonal options, while also maintaining staple dishes.

Here is a sneak peak at their full-menu:

Wines by the glass are in the $5 - $10 per glass range including Sparkling Wine. Our server was helpful and offered us a tasting before committing to one specific glass. The service was marvelous, attentive and well paced. We had everything we needed from full water glasses, to warm bread with oil and balsamic for dipping without feeling like the staff was hovering.

We started off with a beautiful Cheese Plate of three assorted cheeses (Saint Andre, Triple Crème, France; Manchego, Sheep Milk, Spain; Trumboldt Fog, Goat Milk, California) accompanied by Fig Compote, Honey, Pecans and Oil Brushed Bread. The Fig Compote was a nice alternative to the standard dates, apricots and berries you traditionally see with cheese plates. Meat Selections are also available a la carte.

1 for $4
3 for $12
5 for $20

On to the next course: Salads!

We sampled three tasty leafy dishes.

Caesar, Boquerones (white anchovies), Parmesean Croutons ($12)
Refreshing spin on a Caesar Salad. The white anchovies, if you haven’t had them, are enjoyable and significantly less salty.

Olive Oil, Poached Artichokes, Shaved Fennel, Baby Arugala, Marcona Almonds, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Oranges, Picholine Olives ($10)
While I enjoyed this salad, I feel there could have been slightly more citrus to balance out the Olive Oil.

Baby Spinach, Roasted Pears, Gorgonzola, Candied Pecans, Bacon ($9)
The pears were cooked perfectly and added just a subtle touch of sweetness.

Main Course

Gambas al Ajillo (shrimp with garlic & chili) - from the Tapas/ Appetizer offerings ($10)
The server forewarned us that this flavorful dish comes with the heads of the shrimp on – something that may turn some individuals off. My friend was cool with it and thoroughly enjoyed these three jumbo shrimp.

Fresh-made Pappardelle (pasta), Lamb & Wild Mushroom Ragu (half $10/ full $20)
This fresh pasta can best be described as a wide fettuccini with a thinner, lighter texture. I could order this again and again. The lamb was tender, plentiful and married perfectly with the mushrooms and fresh cheese. The half order on this is the perfect size if you are ordering a salad or appetizer as well.

Sautéed Mussels & Clams, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes, Saffron Chorizo Broth (half $12/ full $24)
Here you will see the half order, which is a pretty sizeable portion. Just like the Gambas al Ajillo, the broth on this is full of flavor and well seasoned.

Desserts

Cream Catalana with Summer Berries & Biscotti ($8)
Very close to traditional Crème Brulee and just as delicious.

Assortment of Cookies included Hazelnut Biscotti, Lemon Thyme Cookies and Pine Nut (Pignoli) Cookies
These were compliments of Taverna, which is why you do not see a price. Pignoli Cookies are one of my favorite, favorite cookies and these did not disappoint.

Chocolate Pavé with Whipped Mascarpone and Candied Pistachios ($8)
This can best be described as chocolate cake meets a wonderfully rich chocolate mousse. It is moist, sweet and almost impossible to stop eating.

We ended our meal perfectly; enjoying these sweet treats over cappuccino and espresso.

I look forward to visiting this eclectic spot in San Marco again and welcome the addition to the neighborhood! If you have the opportunity, be sure to check it out.

Puerto Plata Restaurant

2009-08-21T07:11:00.000-07:00

Puerto Plata Restaurant in Ortega
Latin Cuisine

2045 Blanding Blvd | Jacksonville, FL 32210
(904) 388-5888

Menu:
http://www.allmenus.com/fl/jacksonville/209984-puerto-plata-resturant-/menu/

Karoake Saturday Evenings 10 PM – 2 AM
Happy Hour on Sundays 2 PM – 6PM

Myself and some friends headed out to Puerto Plata on a typical hot, steamy Thursday evening in Jax and started off with some delicious Sangria ($3.50 per glass). It was sweet, but not too sweet, with a nice kick to it. The only thing that would have made it better, is if they scooped some fresh fruit into each glass.

Yours Truly being goofy

We opted to share a couple of appetizers. We ordered the Tostones ($2.25) which are fried green plantains served with a tasty garlic sauce and an Empanada De Pollo ($2.75). The Empanada is a fried pastry turnover filled with shredded chicken and veggies and is also available in beef. The plantains were hot, fresh and plentiful. The Empanada was a bit on the dry side, but nothing an extra side of garlic sauce couldn't cure.

After appetizers, we were ready for them to bring on the entrees! Most dinners come with a small tossed salad with house dressing (garlicy Italian-style vinaigrette) and your choice of yellow or white rice and red or black beans. We ordered the Pernil ($8.95 Roast Pork), Camarones Al Ajillo ($10.95 Garlic Shrimp) and the Ceviche con Tostones ($10.95 Shrimp marinated in citrus juice with diced onions, tomatoes and spices and served with fried green plantains).

Pernil

Camarones Al Ajillo

Ceviche con Tostones

The pork was tender and flaky and topped with sautéed onions. I ordered the Camarones Al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp) and was pleased. I really enjoyed both the garlic sauce on the shrimp and the yellow rice. I can see how some people might expect larger and more plentiful shrimp, but I felt the portions were fair for the price. The citrus marinade on the Ceviche was refreshing and a nice compliment to the shrimp.

All in all, we enjoyed our meal. The atmosphere is comfortable and great for families. The service, while I won't rave on and on about it, was decent.

Next time I go back, I'm trying the Cuban Sandwich or the Chivo (Goat Stew) for something different!

Fu Hao Bistro

2009-07-30T20:25:00.000-07:00

Fu Hao Bistro - Asian Fusion Cuisine in 5 points

1001 Park St
(904) 798-8686

M - T 11 AM - 10 PM
F 11 AM - 11 PM
Sat 5 PM - 11 PM
Sun 5 PM - 10 PM
Closed 3 PM - 5 PM

Checked out Fu Hao in 5 points for the first time this evening and had a great experience! The interior space, as well as the service, is warm, friendly and inviting. They offer a nice mix of traditional Chinese and Thai food offerings.

My husband and I started out with two appetizers - Crab Ragoon (6 for $5) and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps ($8). Both were wonderful. The Crab Ragoon was hot, crunchy and served with a tasty duck sauce. The Lettuce Wraps consisted of lettuce leaves, a thick teriyaki style sauce with a hint of peanuts and lightly breaded shrimp over crunchy rice noodles. Let me also mention that for appetizers, they were sizable portions.

Crab Ragoon

Shrimp over Rice Noodles for Lettuce Wraps

For entrees, we decided on Szechuan Style Chicken ($11) with fried rice and Mongolian Beef ($13) with white rice. Most entrees come with rice (your choice) and either soup (your choice) or salad. Their house salad comes with a delicious house ginger vinaigrette that is amazing (notably different than Japanese-style ginger dressing). They offer several soups - my husband opted for Hot & Sour Soup which did not disappoint. This can best be described as an egg drop soup that packs some heat with fresh mushrooms and tofu tossed in for even more flavor.

House Salad and Hot & Sour Soup

Mongolian Beef

The Mongolian beef was tender, flavorful and the veggies added a nice semi-crunchy texture.

Szechuan Style Chicken

So far no complaints. Fu Hao actually reminds me a bit of P.F. Chang's but with more charm and local flavor. On each table you will find a bottle of spicy chili sauce (a necessity!) and soy sauce.

We finished with the "Xango" ($6) dessert. If Fu Hao had a banana split, this would be it. Banana egg rolls surrounded by fluffy cheesecake, vanilla ice cream, fresh strawberries, whip cream and drizzled with strawberry sauce and chocolate sauce, this sweet ending is heaven on earth.

For the food portions and overall quality of the experience (food and service), the prices are reasonable and this isn't a typical Chinese take-out spot by any means.

When they brought us the check, we each got a fortune cookie. Mine said, "A fun party is soon to be in your future".

Here is a link to their menu online at Urbanspoon: menu

Cool Moose Cafe in Riverside

2009-07-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

They do not have a website or Facebook, here is a link to their MySpace

2708 Park St
(904) 381-4242‎

M - Closed
T - F 8am - 3pm
Sat 8am - 4pm (Breakfast served until noon)
Sun - 8am - 2pm

Scroll down for pics.

Surprisingly, this was my first visit to Cool Moose. I lived in Avondale in 2002 and have been meaning to visit since then. For some reason (not that this would have been a bad thing), I was expecting it to be small and have a very light menu - maybe some bagels, muffins and a few light sandwiches. I was pleasantly surprised when I walked into a space with 2 rather good sizes rooms full of people. People playing scrabble, reading, talking and eating. They offer an extensive breakfast and lunch menu, but not to the point of being overwhelming. I also had no idea they offer some decent beers on draft (Redhook IPA and more), wine and morning-time cocktails.

They offer daily specials and yesterday I opted to try one out. I went with the Portabello Mushroom, Fresh Mozzarella and Basil Pesto on pressed panini with a side of cheese grits and an unsweet tropical iced tea for $10. Cheese grits probably wasn't the best accompaniment, but it sounded good and I wasn't disappointed. My friend Mandy went with the French Dip and Sweet Potato fries and polished most of hers off.

I love the vibe of this place and would definitely go back with friends or alone to read and grab a bite to eat or a cup of coffee (they serve Green Mountain). They have a good chunk of one wall dedicated to Moose "stuff" which I thought was pretty cute.

A+

French Dip + Sweet Potato fries

Portabello Mushroom Panini + Cheese Grits

Five Points Coffee & Spice Company

2009-07-17T06:51:00.001-07:00

Here is a link to their Facebook page - their website is a bit outdated, under-construction. Scroll down for pics.

Become a Fan of Five Points Coffee

Phone:
(904) 791-3427

Mon - Sat:
3:00 pm - 3:00 am

They are located on Lomax right next to Steamworks and Sake House.

Went here yesterday after work to get an espresso and work on some illustrations for a project. Very charming and reminds me of Uncommon Grounds (in San Marco, that unfortunately closed), except I like it better. For a $1.50 I got a piping hot delicious double-espresso with the perfect crema. They offer a light menu, sandwhiches and dessert and maybe a few more items that I failed to notice :)

After I had been there a while some guy came in to DJ and was spinning some awesome old 80s/ early 90s music - Madonna - Like a Prayer, Bobby Brown - Every Little Step. I love 80s music so this was a treat for me and kinda fun to draw to. They also have a small TV that was playing some bizarre 80s movie that was cracking me up... they don't have an 80s theme or anything... it just added to the charm somehow. I felt like I was in an old relative's living room or something.

I think it would be a great spot for me and some friends to gather on a Sunday afternoon to play board games. The owner was friendly and the fact that they keep such late night hours is an added bonus. Check it out!

The Cellar Wine Bar at Three Layers

2009-07-13T12:14:00.000-07:00

The Cellar Wine Bar

I'm going to keep this one short and sweet. Checked this place out last week - it's awesome.

a) happy hour 4 - 7pm. $2 Bold City and $3 house wine (that doesn't taste like rubbing alcohol)

b) a beautiful sanctuary of a garden that I would have enjoyed more had it not been raining

c) great service

d) delicious chicken salad

Go. There. Now.

Poppy Love Smoke Cigar Bar comes to Downtown!

2009-07-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

Poppy Love Smoke doesn't have a website right now, but they are on Facebook - do a search for "Poppy Lovesmoke" and they'll pop right up. Scroll down for photos.

Here are their hours:
Mon - Thur >> 3 pm to midnight
Fri - Sat >> 3 pm to 2 am

A friend and myself went to check out this new spot this past Wednesday for Art Walk from about 5:30 - 7:00. There was a steady stream of people coming in and the guy taking care of us (which I am assuming was the owner or manager) was really nice. He had a genuine interest in what we thought of the place and what side of town we lived on, etc.

The interior of the space has a nice urban, modern feel while still being comfortable and casual. While we were there, a lady passed out home-made mini cheesecakes with fresh fruit on top - tasty!

They offer domestic beers starting at $3.25 and wine starting at $7/glass. My wine was rung up at $6, so I am thinking they must have happy hour pricing. For just opening, they had a decent selection, although it would be nice to see them expand upon it in the future.

I didn't have a cigar this time around, but plan on it during my next trip when I'm not as pressed for time. Great new addition to the downtown area and I can't wait to go back!

Board we got to sign.

Art above Bar Area.

Who ever made these treats - thank you!

The Blue Crab Crabhouse Restaurant & Bar

2009-06-30T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Blue Crab Crabhouse Restaurant & Bar

3057 Julington Creek Rd.
Jacksonville, FL 32223

904-260-CRAB

Hours:
Tue - Sat 5-10 pm
Sun 12:30-9 pm

Menu

On Friday, June 26, 2009, Brett and I headed out to try a seafood place in Mandarin. Not sure how long it’s been there, but it’s new to us – The Blue Crab! It was exactly what I was hoping for – a seafood place kind of like Sliders out at the beach but closer to us (we live in Mandarin now).

We opted to sit on their outside deck since it was below 90 degrees. All of their tables are covered in craft paper – ready for people wanting a pound of blue crabs. Our server was friendly and helpful. We were surprised it wasn’t busier for a Friday, but he said since it was the weekend after Father’s Day, they anticipated being slower.

For appetizers, we got the Crabmeat Martini ($5.95), Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail ($6.95) and Steamed Mussels in Garlic Butter ($5.25). All were tasty and for the prices, the portions were on target. At a lot of places, shrimp cocktail and mussels can run $9 and $10. For the Crabmeat Martini, I think Brett was expecting something more citrus-y vs. a dip or a tuna salad with mayonnaise, but it was tasty, had a nice kick to it and went great on club crackers.

Crabmeat Martini

Shrimp Cocktail and Mussels - after already eating some (I always forget to take pics!)

For dinner, I couldn’t decide between 1lb of Snow Crab or Dungeness Crab – both entrees are $19.95 and come with 2 sides and hush puppies. I asked the server the difference and he said they are about the same but he prefers the Dungeness. You can get either with Old Bay Seasoning, but I opted for plain Dungeness since I enjoy the taste of the meat solo. I thoroughly enjoyed the Dungeness, but now having both that and Snow Crab, I think I will stick with Snow Crab. The bodies on the Dungeness were delicious and stuffed with tons of flakey white crab meat. The legs are where the difference is; Dungeness to me is a bit less sweet and a little drier. The broccoli, cole slaw and hush puppies all accompanying my meal were great too.

Crabs - there were 2 clusters, I just already ate them. That and most of my broccoli and cole slaw haha

Brett got the Mandarin Shrimp for $11.95 with broccoli, red beans and rice, and hush puppies. The Mandarin Shrimp is two skewers of medium-sized shrimp glazed in a pleasing teriyaki sauce. I sampled the shrimp and would have been just as happy ordering that.

Overall, the prices are reasonable for a seafood place, the portions are good and the environment is casual and comfortable. We’ll be back!

* Full bar, beer, wine and Kid’s Menu available.

Safe Harbor Seafood Market & Cafe

2009-05-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Safe Harbor Seafood Market
4378 Ocean St # 3,
Atlantic Beach, FL
(904) 246-4911‎

Unfortunately, they do not have a website with their menu posted, but here are their hours of operation:
9:00am to 5:30pm Monday to Thursday
9:00am to 6:00pm Friday and Saturday
Closed Sunday

Checked this place out at about 5 pm on Saturday, May 2, 2009. I have been wanting to go here a while and was excited to finally have the chance to check it out. It's right down the road from Singleton's Seafood Shack (also a great spot) in Mayport. I thought it was a sit-down restaurant, but was pleasantly surprised to find out it is a seafood market and a cafe/counter-order food spot.

We ordered shrimp and octopus ceviche $8 (basically means served cold in a light citrus dressing/marinade) which was mixed with a little cilantro and other spices and served with hot delicious tortilla chips. You get a nice portion and this was super tasty. We also ordered a side of hush puppies 5 for 99 cents and broiled sea scallops $8. All were awesome. For the sea scallops I was expecting just 4 or 5 by themselves but they came on top of a large bed of sauteed string beans and onions.

This place has a lot of charm... being able to walk around the expansive market side while waiting for your number to be called was enjoyable - you can see dozens of large fish on ice spread out. They had several varieties I have never even heard of before like Milk fish and Pompano. There is seating outside and inside to enjoy your food. Outside you can see some people's fresh catch of the day being cleaned and chopped up (the scraps being tossed to patiently waiting pelicans) and gaze at some of the old fishing boats.

They also serve buckets of beer, single beers, wine and wine by the bottle starting at just $11. Some of their other food offerings are fish sandwiches, fried shrimp and french fry platters, fish tacos and crab cakes. Great spot to head to after a day in the sun.

I would definitely go back here again to eat or to bring something fresh home to cook up myself.

Chew Restaurant - Downtown Jacksonville

2009-05-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

Chew Restaurant

So I have wanted to try Chew for at least a year, maybe longer. I’ve always heard good things about it. We went last night for dinner around 6:30. The place was steady but not packed. Overall, I like the décor; it’s clean and modern. Not quite as warm as some of my favorite spots, but seeing something different was nice. It is downtown after all and feels more like Manhattan on the inside than Jacksonville.

My husband ordered a cup of the Lobster Bisque ($6) to start that was tasty and I had the Ricotta Gnocchi. On the menu, it states that it comes with seasonal mushrooms. I love, love, love gnocchi and had high expectations of the dish. The fact that it is called Ricotta Gnocchi ($13), had me expecting something cheesy and rich with a mushroom sauce. What I received was mushroom everything. There was no balance of flavors. The gnocchi was brown and tasted like mushrooms and the sauce was much like a salty Marsala. The flavor was ok, just not what I was expecting. I could get past that except that every other bite was gritty – the same texture and feeling as oysters that haven’t been cleaned well. When the waiter came by, I told him I enjoyed the dish but wondered what the grittiness was. I figured maybe the mushrooms because I know mushrooms aren’t supposed to be cleaned rigorously. Sure enough, that’s what it was and they took it off the bill. Although I didn’t care either way, I ate most of it and wasn’t expecting it for free.

Our server was polite and attentive the whole meal, so I don’t have anything bad to say about their service.

Next, our entrees came. Brett had the Braised Duck Leg salad ($14) and I had the Vanilla-Peppercorn Lobster salad ($18). Brett’s again was awesome. The duck was tender, delicious and not greasy. My salad however was a disaster, I only ate it because I was starving and I don’t really like to complain – I took the chance ordering it. It says the salad comes with vanilla pouched lobster, red peppers, Romano cheese, mixed greens and lemon-Dijon vinaigrette. With Peppercorn being in the name, you would expect some pepper somewhere. The lobster was flavorless and horribly over-cooked. Gum that has been chewed for an hour would be more tender. The red peppers were missing. The best thing about the dish was the mixed field greens and light dressing.

I’ll give Chew a C+ and a second chance. I’m sorry though, for the prices, I expect everything to be spot-on like Orsay, Biscotti’s and Bistro AIX. Consistently good, every time.

Riverside Arts Market - Opening Day

2009-04-06T06:48:00.000-07:00

Riverside Arts Market

Saturday, April 4, 2009 from 9 AM - 4 PM was the grand opening of the Riverside Arts Market. We rode our bikes up their from a friend's house on Post and were able to lock our bikes up to a nearby tree. We were going to use the free bike valet service but the line was a bit long and we already had locks on us.

I was really impressed by the turnout for this event and happy to see one of my favorite sides of town bustling with all sorts of people and TONS of dogs. As a dog lover, I could have sat by the water for a good hour watching people go by.

It was a gorgeous warm sunny day - perfect for the opening. I wasn't there as long as I liked, as a few people were anxious to head over to European Street for lunch and brews... I definitely plan on going back next Saturday to walk around, even if it's by myself! I did get a chance to stop by a friend's booth Pinstripe Paws and placed an order for a pink bandanna for my boxer Izzi.

I did see they had a play area / crafts table set-up for kids and a huge variety of food vendors from Pizza and Ribs to Seafood Bisque and Shaved Ice. Food prices were reasonable too which was nice to see - it wasn't like a sporting event in that regard.

Here's a few pics:

Walkers Wine Bar coming to Riverside

2009-04-06T06:32:00.000-07:00

Friday night a few friends and myself went to the soft opening of Walkers Wine Bar in Riverside. They are on Post Street directly across from Park Place, and around the corner from Kickbacks. Their official opening is Saturday, April 18, 2009.

While the inside is not quite as casual as Bold City Brewery, the staff is just as friendly and helpful. For the soft opening they had bowls of Wasabi peas and spicy corn chips around the bar, but do have a Tapas menu "coming soon". The prices were reasonable and the owner said he plans on having a 100+ bottle selection available and frequently bringing new wines into the rotation. And by reasonable I mean their glasses start at $5 (not $9+ like some places) and they have a nice dry bottle of champagne for $20 that they kept on ice for us.

They are going to have live music on the weekends, definitely some Jazz. The space really is perfect for this type of venue. The exposed brick walls, ceiling beams and abundance of lit candles is just the sort of ambiance I love.

Unfortunately, I could not find a website or official address for them right now.

Below are some pics for your viewing pleasure:

The Bungalow on Park

2009-02-26T07:08:00.000-08:00

The Bungalow on Park

Last night I went there for a friend’s 30th Birthday Celebration. I think the inside of the place is charming. We had a back room all to ourselves that was full of black and white photos, some from France, and a few large-scale paintings. We could see from the room that there was a nice outdoor patio with space heaters for chilly nights. One thing, that we found hilarious, was a realistically painted headless mannequin in the Ladies Restroom of a woman breast-feeding. Completely creepy, unexpected and bizarre, but with my circle of friends, made for a great laugh.

Our server, Kyle, was great – but I have to admit, we know him from a previous establishment he worked at, where we are regulars. Either way, he always provides quick, friendly service and it was nice to see a familiar face.

It’s my understanding that the Bungalow has a bit of a before and after existence - that they had a rough patch and then revamped their menu and pricing. I was never there “before”, but my friends tell me they did lower their prices substantially (maybe by $2 -$3 an appetizer and $4 - $5 an entrée).

Ok, on to the food.

My husband and I shared the following to start:

Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad – Marinated Roma tomatoes with fresh mozzarella cheese and basil over mixed field greens with our house balsamic vinaigrette and our port and balsamic syrup.
$9

This was tasty and a good portion. Enough to share.

He had the:
Stuffed Chicken Marsala – Pan-seared chicken breast stuffed with black forest ham and Swiss cheese topped with our rich Marsala wine and mushroom sauce.
$16

They have 6 sides to choose from, he got the Sweet Potato Fries and Tator Tots. This was also a big portion. I wasn’t blown away by it, but I am pretty picky about Marsala sauce because I make it at home fairly often. He enjoyed it.

I had the:
Captain Crunch Chicken Strip Platter – By popular demand these juicy chicken tenders breaded in captain crunch cereal are now no longer just on the kids menu! Sorta silly… but really tasty… Served with your choice of sauce.
$11

I had mine with Sweet Potato Fries and Asparagus (and Honey Mustard Sauce for the chicken). The Sweet Potato Fries are AMAZING. I have had them before but these were perfect. Right size, salted well and not over-cooked. The asparagus were good too, but there were only 3 tiny ones. The chicken was good, and tasted slightly different than most chicken strips, but I didn’t taste a trace of Captain Crunch, which made me a little sad.

At first I felt it was a bit over-priced. But now that I have had time to mull it over, for the amount of food you get it actually isn’t bad. It may not be as unique and flavorful as Biscotti’s or Orsay but the food quality is good and you get a lot of it. Let me mention that I am not the type of person who expects hoards of food on my plate when I order, but it is nice to have leftovers for work the next day.

A few friends had the Cajun Meatloaf and they all liked it. Unfortunately, a lot of people ordered the Fettuccini and all mentioned it came out cold. I’m sure if they commented, the situation would have been remedied, but I think at that point everyone just wanted to eat.

The birthday girl ordered the Fried Gouda appetizer and one was an empty pocket with no cheese, so they brought out a second full order of it, which was really nice. Someone else ordered the Cheese Tray appetizer and for $7 you get SIX different cheese, crackers and apricot sauce - this was truly a bargain and delicious.

My husband had 2 beers and I had 2 house chardonnays ($5.5 a glass).
Without drinks our bill was $39 plus tip. Not terrible for a nice dinner out and enough leftovers for 2 full lunches.

One thing I think they could do to attract more business is to offer some sandwiches on their dinner menu. The Brick for example, has some great options, like a French Dip, that fall into the $10 - $14 range. Other than a salad, the dinner options are all pretty hearty and some people don’t want to eat that much (especially on a week night).

I can definitely see myself coming back here, especially on a nice day to sit outside on the patio, either for happy hour or brunch. The service and atmosphere were nice and that alone will have me going back for more. Eating out isn’t just about the food, it’s about the experience and environment with friends and family.

B+

View Menu

orsay

2009-01-16T06:40:00.000-08:00

So last night my husband and I had 8 pm reservations at Orsay for our 5-year anniversary.

We enjoyed a cocktail at the bar first. Our bartender Jackson was friendly, quick and easy to talk to. Best of all, he made a great drink! I had a Bellini and a Pear Martini and Brett had a Classic Manhattan. This was our second time to Orsay - we were there one time before during the soft opening. Both times he has sworn they make the best Manhattan in town, hands-down.

The restaurant was full but not packed and we were seated on time for our reservation at a nice, private table. For appetizers, we had the Marinated Calamari and Hudson Valley Foie Gras. The Calamari was served cold seafood salad style with diced tomatoes and olives in a very light Italian-type dressing. It was really tasty and refreshing. Think Bruschetta without the bread. This was about the 4th or 5th time I have had Foie Gras (duck liver) and each time it has been served differently. My husband mentioned that Orsay's taste almost like breakfast and I have to agree. It was served with a slightly sweet homemade bread (they call brioche) and roasted pears. Overall, the dish was great, I think I have just come to the conclusion I am not a huge Foie Gras fan. And for $22 there are other appetizers I would love to try. It doesn't make sense to spend that much on something I am luke warm about - but I had to see what Orsay had to offer on this popular dish.

For entrees, we had Braised Duck Leg served with white beans and Andouille Sausage and Filet Mignon served with Asparagus and Mashed Potatoes. The Duck was amazing, super tender. Some people may be taken a back at the fact that there are a lot of beans and only about 5 oz. of meat... but anyone who orders duck frequently knows that you will get a small portion. My Filet Mignon was also wonderful and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The asparagus were flavorful and prepared just right - sometimes they can be a little on the crunchy and stem-y (Is that a word?) side.

I almost forgot to mention, our waitress Natalie was excellent. Best service ever, she was helpful, friendly and didn't rush us.

I give Orsay an A+. For just two entrees you are looking at $60 + tip, not including appetizers and drinks. So while it was wonderful, it will only be a place we visit on special occasions as we did last night.

For another review on Orsay, please visit Jacksonville Confidential.