7119-1 Bonneval Road

Jacksonville, Florida 32256

(904) 332-0891

Midtown Deli

If you are driving through and looking for a restaurant in the area of I-95 and Butler Boulevard you could easily drive passed Midtown Deli. This is not what I would recommend though. This is a good size restaurant at this very busy corner of Jacksonville. In this area of town you will find all of the chain burger places, but it is worth the time to drive around the corner from the arches. At Midtown Deli you will enjoy a much better meal than you would ever get from the clown. To let you know, most of the reviews that we do at www.piesplate.com are not from the chains. The only reason I mention this is that Midtown Deli is a small chain that is based in South Carolina with only three locations, and the only one outside of S.C. is the one in Jacksonville, Florida.

Midtown Dining Room

On this particular visit to Midtown Deli I was craving a sandwich. After looking at the menu I now was craving a pot roast potato. Even thought they offer Paninis, Roll Ups (wraps), Salads, and many varieties of sandwiches the baked potatoes really caught my eye. The potato choices were either the classic with butter, sour cream, cheese, and bacon for $5.49 or the big chili filled with chili, cheese, onions, and sour cream for $5.79 or the pot roast potato loaded with tender pot roast and gravy for $5.99. There was something about the day that made it feel like a good day for pot roast, of course I asked if I could add sour cream on it and that would not be a problem the guy said. When he was completing our order I saw that they had Pepsi and as in some of my past reviews, you may remember that I am a Coke person. So I ordered an Arnold Palmer. ‘IF’ you still do not know what an A.P. is, it is a half tea and half lemonade. The guy told me that the lemonade was really good here, so I thought that would be a nice and refreshing drink.

Pot Roast Potato

We find a table in the corner, next to a window looking at some of the last of undeveloped land in the Butler Blvd/95 area. I take a sip of my Arnold Palmer and was not impressed with the tea or the lemonade. This concoction can really be a matter of taste, so I will not criticize Midtown Deli for a drink that can go either way depending of preference. But, now I am really wanting a Diet Coke *sigh*. After a 5 or 6 minute wait the guy that took our order comes to our table with my potato and Rhonette’s salad. He takes off as quickly as he showed up and brought me more pot roast in a cup telling me that he thought that there should have been more pot roast on the potato. Asking us if we need anything else and us telling him no, he lets us be alone to enjoy our food.

Chicken Salad

For the cost I have got to say that I feel like I got the steal of the day. In case you are not aware of my eating habits, well, I can eat, and I did not finish my potato. If the pot roast is not made in house I would be absolutely surprised. It had the flavor of homemade in it, not that of frozen. If in case it is frozen or from a refrigerated bag then someone at a food company got it right. It was delicious and stuffed this good sized potato that was dusted on the out side with course salt. My adding the sour cream to it gave it the little extra something to it that I was looking for; of course sour cream is good on so many things (personal commentary).

If you passing through the Jacksonville, Florida area and are looking for a good, quick, and not a chain place to eat then exit off of I-95 and J. Butler Blvd, go west and then look to the left. When you see the retention pond and the golf store, Midtown Deli is in that plaza. If you live in Jacksonville you should make it a point to stop by and see for yourself. They will serve really good food and serve it very fast, without the hassle of eating another processed burger from a drive thru. If you want to eat healthy then you have the option of 10 different salads on the menu at a good price (as low as $3.29 and none over $7). Of course being a deli they offer an almost endless sandwich menu, even the chance to ‘create your own’ sandwich for as low as $6.79. There is a very limited kids menu with chicken fingers, grilled cheese and a ‘PBJ’. You can even get a cookie or a brownie for your sweet tooth. Stop in and enjoy Midtown Deli and don’t be surprised if you see me there.

Review by Pie, email:  pie@piesplate.com

10206 River Coast Dr
Jacksonville, FL 32246

(904) 997-6528

www.wasabi-steakhouse.com 

Wasabi

There are so many Japanese steakhouses in Jacksonville that are named Wasabi; it’s hard to keep straight who is who.  It turns out that most of the Wasabi restaurants are not related.  This was my first time at this Wasabi restaurant on the outskirts of the St. John’s Town Center.  We arrived at 5pm on a Friday night.  The restaurant didn’t open until 5 according to their signs, so the place wasn’t crowded at all and we had great parking.  We were seated in a dining room around the sushi bar.  There were 2 other parties seated in our area when we arrived.   

Salad

Our waiter quickly took our drink order and gave us our menus.  Looking around, we saw that they had a “Specials” board and ESPN was on the flat screen tv in the corner.  I ordered a hot tea and started to look at the menu.  Most of the dinner entrees I was interested in were close to $20 and above.  I like to order the hibachi meal, but I usually get a sushi roll too.  Pie pointed out that there was an “Early Bird Special” for the hibachi meal that just happened to apply to the time of our visit.  Instead of $20 for the steak & shrimp hibachi, it was $14.50 and came with clear soup, salad, grilled veggies and fried rice.  Perfect!  The sushi was moderately priced, about $6 for your average roll.  There were some definitions missing for some of the sushi rolls and when I asked the waiter what some of them where, he gave me a list of rolls and definitions that was in his pocket.  I would have liked to have seen these attached to the menu, not in his pocket.  I also noticed that our waiter didn’t mention the specials that were on the board and failed to tell us his name.  Anyhoo, I ordered the Early Bird Steak & Shrimp Hibachi and a caterpillar roll. 

Clear Soup

Our salad’s came right away.  Nothing fantastic, just some iceberg lettuce and carrots with ranch dressing.  Then our clear soup came out.  I had one mushroom slice in mine, kinda skimpy I thought.  The broth…I’ve had better; this tasted like it came out of a packet.  Then they brought out my caterpillar roll.  I thought this would be an interesting choice.  It has eel, which I love, cream cheese and avocado.  The avocado was on the outside of the sushi roll.  You can see from the picture below how it resembles a caterpillar, Aha! we will name it caterpillar roll.  Anyone who likes avocado knows that it is, well…a little slippery, which made it very difficult to pick up if not hold on to long enough to dunk it into the shrimp sauce and into my mouth.  So I picked off the avocado and ate what was left. 

Caterpillar Roll

Our meals started to come out of the kitchen, mine came first.  The steak was done perfectly and so were the shrimp.  I find that so many times the shrimp is overcooked.  Dear Restaurants:  If the shrimp is shaped like an ‘O’ it is overcooked, if the shrimp is shaped like a ‘C’ it is cooked to perfection.  Pie’s came out next and he asked for some more shrimp sauce.  They came out with a couple of bowls and filled them right up.  Now that is what I’m talking about!  Don’t skimp on the shrimp (sauce)!  We finished our dinners and there was absolutely no room for dessert.  They promptly brought us our check, we paid our bill and out the door we went.  Hey, wait a minute; I just realized they didn’t give us a mint with our bill!  Japanese restaurants always give you a mint, right?

Steak & Shrimp Hibachi

The restaurant and the parking lot were starting to fill up with the Friday night crowd.  Wasabi also has the Japanese chefs that slice and dice at the table.  I think I want to go see that on my next visit.  If you are looking for a great Japanese meal, check out Wasabi Japanese Steakhouse in the St. John’s Town Center.  However, go early so you can take advantage of the “Early Bird Specials”. 

Review by Rhonette, email:  rhonette@piesplate.com

3rd Street (A1A) & 9th Street South

Jacksonville Beach, Florida

(904)270-0080

www.thirdstreetdiner.com

3rd Street Diner

OPA! OPA! OPA!  Yeah! Sorry, I had just got into the Greek spirit. The 3rd Street Diner is a Greek influenced restaurant in the beaches area of Jacksonville, Florida. For years there has been a restaurant in this location either a Chinese place or as in the last few years the 3rd Street Diner. When these guys opened, they were a 24 hour diner, but now they are known as a late night diner. Now instead of around the clock they are opened till 2 am. They also offer a large menu of both American and Greek food, either for dine in or delivery.

Dining Room

On the day that we stopped in, neither one of us had been to the 3rd Street Diner before. This would be a new experience for the both of us. As we were seated we noticed the table was extremely uneven and would wobble back and forth to the point that drinks would spill. Rhonette had to take a small stack of napkins to wipe the old food off of her chair, and we needed the server to wipe down the table that had dried food on it. So the beginning of this visit is taking its toll and we are on very edge of getting up to leave and go to get tacos down the street. We really wanted to give another place a try and so we allowed this beginning flaw to slide for now.

After looking at this menu of 5 full pages and watching other’s food come out we are still at a bit of a loss of what to order. When our server comes we both just go with the first thing that we see on the menu at that time and hope for the best. My order was for the Chicken Rueben but instead of the French fries I asked if they would substitute the roasted Greek potato wedges, to which they were glad to accommodate. Our server took off to put in our order and we were still talking about the place in a manner of negativity. This will always happen to either someone who is writing a review or anyone who has an opinion. Notice it for yourself, the next time that you are with friends at a restaurant, if you start off with a bad experience you will look for every negative aspect of the rest of the time that you are at that place. 

Chicken Rueben

With this in mind we are hoping that we have not made a mistake by not going to the taco place down the street. We are glad we stayed; the 3rd Street Diner hit a home run with our meals. Typically I only talk about my meals in these reviews, but in this case I will mention that both my meal and the potato salad that Rhonette ordered was great. Let me start with the Chicken Ruben, the server gave me a small dish with the Russian dressing to put on the sandwich. This dressing was amazing, so amazing that I asked the waitress to tell me about the recipe that is a specialty of the chef on duty. It was the must have on the Chicken Ruben, and the flavor was so full and not overbearing. The roasted potatoes were in the Greek style, drenched in olive oil and spices on top. These potatoes are not listed on the main menu but on the Greek section near the back. Not having had the French fries at 3rd Street Diner I cannot tell you that you must get the roasted potatoes, but I will tell you that the next time that I am there that I will get the roasted potatoes. 

Rhonette's Potato Salad

If the Chicken Ruben for $8.95 is not your style then you can get a hot dog for $3.95, a club sandwich for under 9 bucks, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, salads, or if you want a seafood dinner they have the option of fried seafood dishes in the $15 range or even broiled selections for just a bit more. For those of you that have little ones, the 3rd Street Diner has several items on the kids menu including pancakes, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti with meatball and more. All the kids’ items include a soda or iced tea and they are willing to substitute fresh veggies for the French fries all for under five dollars.

Desserts

I will let you know that on the way out of the 3rd Street Diner I looked at the desserts that are almost all made on location. The items that are not made there are ordered directly from a bakery in New York. Also, I got a cannoli, typically I do not like a cannoli, however this one was calling my name and boy was it good. 

If you find yourself at the beaches of Jacksonville and are hungry I highly recommend 3rd Street Diner, it is worth the wait and the dirty tables.

Review by Pie, email:  pie@piesplate.com

1061 Mason Avenue

Daytona Beach, Florida 32117

(386)255-2256

Store Front

In my many visits to the Daytona Beach area it is easy to overlook certain shopping centers and various restaurants if they are not on one of the main drags. You see Daytona has a few sections that people go to, such as International Speedway Blvd, or A1A or maybe even US 1. But Mason Avenue is down the street and around the corner from any of the main sites that might bring you to the center of racing (or) the world’s most famous beach. Off of Mason Ave is a restaurant known as Tropical Gourmet and they are tucked away in the corner of the MasoNova Park plaza. This area is depressed and filled with bingo halls and rent you appliance stores. But with having almost 20 years of food service in Daytona Beach, Daniel and the other owners/managers deserve some recognition as having an authentic Caribbean restaurant that will delight your taste buds.

When I stepped into the restaurant/Caribbean market I was overwhelmed but the fact the a/c was not on. Then in consideration I thought to myself, they are Jamaican, and the warmth is not unbearable, so deal with it. Soon after I came in a gentleman named Daniel came out from the kitchen area to greet me. He stood at a counter that was adorned with pictures of Bob Marley, Obama, and various scenes from Jamaica. On the counter was a display case with beef patties in it. Having fallen in love with beef patties years ago, I decided to get one as a starter for me. Daniel notified me of the lunch specials that were still available for the day. Including curried goat, ox tail, and jerk chicken all served with either a salad or steamed cabbage with rice and beans. Not familiar with curried goat I need to stick with what I know, I got the jerk chicken.

While I was sitting there customers were coming in and going straight to the counter to get beef patties to go, the whole time I was there I was the only customer that sat in the dining area. Daniel soon brought me my bowl of steamed cabbage filled with carrots and green beans to my table. So there I sit with my cabbage steaming, a roll that looks like a biscuit, my beef patty, and a Jamaican drink simply known as cola champagne. Daniel tells me that the drink is very refreshing and that he thinks I will like it, well he was right. The cabbage was great; it was so hot that it continued to steam the whole time that I was eating it. He told me that the beef patty was authentic and not frozen; this is one of the signature items that the Tropical Gourmet is known for. Having discovered the Jamaican beef patty over twenty years ago I am a fan of them, but this one was rich with flavor with a not too flaky crust.

While still eating my beef patty and steamed cabbage, Daniel brings me a very large plate of jerk chicken with a side of rice and beans. If you are not familiar with jerk flavoring, you should know that it is typically hot in spice. Some people will just make an item spicy and call it jerk, however if you are looking for a real jerk flavor find a real authentic Jamaican restaurant or chef to serve it. Not only is jerk a spicy hot item it is a fantastic blend of spices that the islands are known for. The Tropical Gourmet not only knows the art of making a good jerk chicken item they also sell various spices on the wall along with certain sweet breads and authentic sodas to take home with you.

In conversation with Daniel I was inquiring about the history of Tropical Gourmet. He let me know that they have been opened in Daytona for almost 20 years and in the current location for almost 10 of those. I asked about the desserts available and on this particular day they had none available. He let me know (only after my asking questions about it) that the economy has hurt them in many ways. For now they are open and operating as a full functioning restaurant, but as he let me know, things have to get better to keep them open. I for one will say that if Tropical Gourmet becomes a casualty of the current recession then Daytona will lose out on one of the best Jamaican restaurants available. If you are in Daytona I highly encourage you to swing into Tropical Gourmet for at least a beef patty to go. The food is very good, very fresh and worth every penny you will spend.

My meal was huge and I got a soda and a beef patty to start with. I only paid 11 bucks. You can easily get in and out of there for under ten dollars, or if you go with the various Jamaican soups with a beef or chicken patty as a side you will spend less than $6 for the soup and about a buck fifty for the patty. As I could see there were customers who stopped in and would by 2 or 3 patties and take them to go for less than $5. They are opened from 10 am till 10 pm Monday through Saturday taking Sunday off. You should give them a try, tell them Moonpie sent you.

Review by Pie, email: pie@piesplate.com

5310 Lenox Avenue Suite 1 (in the Kingdom Plaza)

Jacksonville, Florida 32205

(904)394-0860

Soul Food Bistro

A few years ago I was a member of a national program to help me lose weight. It was one of those programs that you would go to in a large meeting once a week, weigh in, share recipes, and make friends with others that were looking to lose weight. What I found most comical about the group was the topic of discussion with many in the group. Sure we shared recipes and talked about places to go, but usually these were not foods that were on our ‘plan’. We would compare the stories of which restaurant had the best fried chicken and how to make the best pecan pie. It was here that a friend of mine told me about The Soul Food Bistro. The actual name is The Potter’s House Soul Food Bistro, but since that name is so long I will refer to it as The Bistro for the rest of this review.

Located on Jacksonville’s Westside in what once was the Normandy Mall, The Bistro is a part of one of the largest churches in the city. You don’t have to be a member of the church or even a member of any church to visit. As a matter of fact you should know that other than the ownership on the sign, you would have no idea that they have a church affiliation. I only mention this for those who may shy away thinking that they are gonna be preached to while there. You won’t. But, the food is so good; I might even still go there if they did. After my first visit to The Bistro a few years ago I knew this was a place I would come back to. Ironically The Bistro is located literally feet away from a very busy gym. Both the gym and The Bistro have large windows that almost seem to have a stare off with each other on a daily basis.

When we walked in and went towards the cafeteria style line, there was a large sign telling us that the special of the day was the meatloaf. Having sampled the shrimp, chicken, and the smothered pork chops here in the past I decided to try the special. First in the line I bypassed the salads (I know I should have got something, but oh well). Next in the line were the ox tails, pork chops, tilapia, and shrimp. But there was that meatloaf that I now was wanting so badly. Ok, sorry to sound so dramatic, BUT I love meatloaf! And the fact that it was made at The Bistro would have to be a plus. With the ladies behind the counter serving the other customers in line, I waited patiently. Now it was my turn, I had it all planned out, meatloaf, yellow rice, broccoli and some of their cornbread. Almost to the end of the line I see the desserts and decided on the lemon cake as well.

Meatloaf Special

We get to the table to set everything down when a young man asks if there is anything he can get for us, we decline. We now stand in line for our drinks, of which they serve Coke products (which makes me happy). This is one area that The Bistro could improve, is to either get another machine or to add a second station for more ice and (or) tea. This area was rather congested. The dining room is split up into two separate rooms. There is one as soon as you walk in that is in plain view of the food line. Then there is another that is a little bit more secluded, that one is only open during the busiest of hours. At the time that we came to The Bistro we sat very close to the drink machines. As we sat there to eat you could see the other families there enjoying their meals as well.

As I dig in on my meatloaf, I needed to add a little bit of ketchup to suit my taste. This is not to say that the meatloaf was not good, or dry, just not enough ketchup to my liking. When it comes to my meal the only complaint that I really have is that the yellow rice was rather bland. Usually yellow rice has either a spice or saffron in it and this particular dish did not. My broccoli was steamed and perfect and the cornbread was good. The cornbread that they serve at The Bistro is moist and a little sweet. The serving size is very, very good. In a time where some restaurants are cutting back on portions The Bistro does not. The meal that I had just enjoyed was so much food that I took my lemon cake home, and oh was that good as a midnight snack.

The Bistro is a pure soul food kitchen and even offer t-shirts for sale that state “GOT SOUL?”. The staff is always kind and very helpful. For the both of us we spent just over $15. That is a deal for any family looking for a great meal at a great price. My understanding (and I might be incorrect here) is that the origin of The Bistro came from The Potter’s House offering catering at first. If they did or didn’t does not really matter to me, BUT, so you know they do offer catering now. They have chicken, pork chops, and the major sides that are on the hot bar daily, Such as collard greens, candied yams, yellow rice, mac and cheese and actually about 5 more veggies. They also offer the cakes and pies, even peach cobbler. The catering is offered at various pricing and you can call them for the details.

If you have any difficulty finding The Bistro, you should know that if you see the Winn-Dixie on Normandy near Cassat and The Kingdom Plaza is right behind that. If you see me there one afternoon be sure and say hi. Hey if you wanna go (and you have my number) then give me a call, I am always up for The Bistro. Give them a try if you haven’t already and enjoy.

Review by Pie, email: pie@piesplate.com

463797 SR 200

Suite #1

Yulee, Florida 32097

(904) 548-0650

Store Front

There was a time that was not that long ago when people in north Florida made Yulee, Florida the butt of all the redneck & hick jokes. In all reality, Yulee has become a place to shop and not just a punchline. Along with it being a place to shop, the town of Yulee, Florida is starting to acquire a bunch of fast food restaurants. But to break from the fast food trend, there is a new Mexican place that is nice and refreshing. San Jose Mexican Grill is typical of most of the Mexican places with margarita specials, an item called the ‘Speedy Gonzalez’, fajitas, and a Mexican staff member waiting with a basket of chips and a bowl of salsa as soon as you walk into the place. Now before you think that they are boring with nothing special, they have a few items to peak any food fans interest, such as the guacamole salad and the items on the ‘Los Favoritos’ menu.

Chips and Salsas

Shortly after we were seated they had already dropped off the chips and salsa. The chips were warm and the salsa was fresh but common. So we asked for something with a little extra kick to it. At this time they provided us with a green chili salsa and a thicker salsa that was not quite as bright red as the original. When I scooped the last of the salsas onto my chip and tried it my friend asked me if I liked it. I said it was good, and it was, BUT after a few moments in your mouth it has a kick of heat that was not only hot but had flavor. You don’t have to be a good cook to make a hot sauce. But there is a real talent to make a hot sauce that has a rich flavor. This may be the best hot salsa that I have ever had. The waitress saw our affection and appreciation for the salsa and could see us sweating. She giggled and gave us a phrase in Spanish that is loosely translated into ‘It’s painful but I like it’.

Being lunch time and the extensive lunch menu that they have I went with the ‘Lunch #3′. Which consist of two tacos and one cheese quesadilla. Not wanting the ground beef I asked if they would substitute grilled chicken, and they did. After the waitress had left I looked closer at the menu and wished that I had ordered something else. When I saw the ‘Los Favoritos’ , it was then that I started to crave the Camarones Al Mojo De Ajo. This item is sautéed shrimp in garlic and seasonings with rice, flour tortillas, and a salad. Just the sound of it is great. There is also an item with whitefish and garlic shrimp grilled with onions and tortillas that also sounded wonderful. When my food came I will say that the tacos were very, very good, the cheese quesadilla was just that, a cheese quesadilla. There are certain items that even a kid cannot mess up; cheese quesadilla is one of them. I did order a side of sour cream to top off my food. Looking around at other tables that were being served, I will say that I had meal envy. The next time I go to San Jose Mexican Grill (and there will be a next time) I will need to explore the menu a bit more.

Tacos

The restaurant is not too large and so on this being a colder day we needed to sit away from the door. To let you know, there might be only 15 tables in the entire place. The atmosphere is good and not stuffy. I must say that the staff was very kind and all were attentive. Even though you sit at a table and are fully served, you do need to take your bill to the counter when you are done. The lunch menu has items that start at just over $4.00 and go up to $7.99. The most expensive is the fajitas or the rib eye steak. They do offer 20 different items for the lunch with an average cost of just under six bucks. For those of you with the young ones they offer a kids menu as well. The kids menu has 8 different items that are kid friendly not just Mexican. They have everything from tacos to hot dogs. All of the items on the kids menu are priced at $3.99.

 So the next time you are on your way to Amelia Island or Fernadina Beach then be sure to feed your Mexican craving at San Jose Mexican Grill in Yulee, Florida. You might not be able to see the actual building from the road due to the bank that is in the way. If you see the Starbucks you should know that San Jose Mexican Grill is behind them. As of November 2009 they are still a new place. I mention this so you know that the furniture, tables, plates, and the overall feel is still fresh and clean. If you find yourself stopping by you MUST try the variety of salsas, but beware that they have a kick. Swing by and give them a try, as a matter of fact, I might even go out of my way.

Review by Pie, email:  pie@piesplate.com

1012 S. Edgewood Ave.

Jacksonville, Florida 32205

(904) 389-8054

www.edgewoodbakery.com 

Edgewood Bakery

When you walk into the Edgewood Bakery in the Murray Hill area of Jacksonville, Florida you will first notice the cakes, cookies, donuts, pies, pastries, fresh baked bread and more cakes and more cookies. I could go on. The first impression at Edgewood Bakery is that you get something sweet at the counter and then leave. Most people are overwhelmed by all the baked goods they forget to look at the sign above the (mostly) ladies working behind the counter. The sign above the counter is almost identical to the sheet of paper that you can grab from the counter giving you the breakfast items on one side, and the lunch items on the other.

Dining Room

In the past I have stopped by for the breakfast. The past experience was good but not great. My thought from the past was that they are best at the baked goods. And let me tell you the pies, cookies, cakes, so on and so on are fantastic. This particular day I stopped by for lunch. The menu filled with items like Panini’s, Wraps, and your typical deli style sandwiches. They also offer a soup of the day along with the regular soup of Baked Potato. The soup of the day on this day was Chicken and Rice. Before I placed my order I decided to ask if the soup was made there. They informed me that it was all made from scratch. All the way to the point of they roast the chicken there. The day seemed like a good soup day, with the weather being overcast and the temperature outside starting to drop. They offered a deal where you order the soup for $ 2.99 and you can add a half Panini or Salad for only $2.75 more. My original thought was to get a full Panini with a Three Bean Salad for just under $8.00, BUT no this is a soup day.

Pies & Cakes

There are a few tables and chairs to the left of the counter as well as a few outside. I chose to sit indoors with the sweet smells of pastry. I grabbed a seat and decided to ‘people watch’. The place was very busy. There were kids wanting cookies and families buying bread, very now and again a customer would order a lunch to go. My wait time was a kind of long for what I had ordered but the place was very busy. As I waited and people watched I saw the consultants in a separate room planning a wedding cake for a young bride. For those who may be more impatient than me, they do offer a little shop of mugs, plate, aprons, and knick-knacks.

Soup and Panini

When my lunch arrived I could smell the soup and the Panini, and it smelled goooood. Even though you order at a counter they bring the food to your table. Now my only question about my lunch is this. With a cheese Panini, what is the difference between that and a grilled cheese sandwich? In no way am I complaining, but, are they just trying to fancy the name? Where I come from a grilled cheese is a grilled cheese. The soup was very rich with flavor and full of thick chunks of chicken, peas, rice, and onions. The broth was obviously fresh and not from a can. The grilled cheese was fantastic as well. They even topped off the meal with a sugar cookie. Including my drink I was able to get a filling lunch, a Diet Coke, and a sugar cookie for just over seven bucks.

Baked Goods

Now I will come back to Edgewood Bakery for lunch again in the future. Now for my complaint about the place. It is not the cleanliness; the place is very, very clean. Not in the variety of the food, they do a good job on offering really good food at a good price. No way is it in the sweet shoppe, they offer it all and it is all delicious. My complaint is this, the Edgewood Bakery is always, ALWAYS busy. Not all of the customers are kind and patient. They really need to either install a roped off area or a take a number system. While I was there I was jumped in front of by two separate customers. Both were little old ladies. I think they do it because they know that no one is gonna yell at them, ya know being a little old lady and all. It is almost like they plan on skipping in the line when they walk in. Very conniving they are. So if the staff at Edgewood Bakery is looking to improve, work out a better system than just a crowd at the full counter area.

Counter Area

If you don’t stop by Edgewood Bakery for breakfast or lunch, you should stop by for the sweets. Personally I will stop again for breakfast, lunch, and the pastries. Enjoy it y’all.

Review by Pie, email: pie@piesplate.com

1605 County Road 220 #145

Fleming Island, Florida 32003

(904) 637-0152

Box Seats

Most people who have been in and around the northeast Florida region have at some point either has been to or at least heard of Box Seats. This is an establishment that has many years of history for the sports bar lovers in the Jacksonville area. Even my waitress on this particular day has worked for Box Seats for over a decade. The current location and definitely the best facility that Box Seats has ever had is now in Fleming Island near the Home Depot just off of county road 220. If you live in the Jacksonville, Orange Park, Green Cove, or Fleming Island area you are well aware of the commercial explosion along 220. Box Seats has made this area home and they are a good fit for Fleming Island.

Box Seats Store Front

My server was quick to seat me; actually she let me pick my own seat as to the fact that it was a slow lunch crowd on this day. She gave me the typical sports bar menu and told me her name was Brenda as she went to get my Diet Coke. On my way in I saw the lunch specials that were written on the folding board that was set in front of the door. Included on the board was a double cheeseburger special, 5 wings fries and a drink, even a fried and smothered steak with mashed potatoes. Each of the specials was available for under eight bucks. My interest was to get an appetizer of either the broccoli bites, corn nuggets, or the battered mushrooms, but the biggest drawback was that all of these items were over $7. Either they were overpriced compared to other places or they give you a heaping pile on the starters.  So I decided not to get an appetizer, maybe a salad but again the cost was in the way. Of all the salads that I saw they were all eight dollars or more. The Pecan Cranberry Chicken Salad looked great but it was almost $10.00. So I decided to go with one of the ‘Packer Sandwiches’, my decision was for the Philly Cheese Steak with chicken instead of beef. This item was $7.99 and served with fries.

Meal at Box Seats

After I placed my order Brenda stood at my table and talked for a little while giving me the history of Box Seats. Slowly as customers came in Brenda went to tend the bar and knew many of the customers by name. This is a place that really has a ‘regulars’ feel but allows you to come in without feeling out of place. The inside has (my guesstimation of) 25 televisions some large and some average size but there is definitely a TV in site of every seat. If you are in need of a cigarette with your meal then you should know that there is outdoor seating available too. But do not worry, there are televisions outside as well.

 Not having to wait too long my chicken Philly was ready. This sandwich came as a recommendation from Brenda. The sandwich was very good, my disappointment was in the size. For paying almost eight bucks I would have expected a larger sandwich, or at least a more filled sandwich. Seeming like that was a complaint, I did enjoy the food and I did not leave hungry. My plans are to come back to Box Seats and I think the next time I go will be during a game or at least with some friends. This particular day was just a lunch time stop but I can see where this can be a fun place to go with a group.

Box Seats Patio

Brenda is one of the bartenders and waits on the tables in the bar area. The bar does have full liquor as well as the beer and wine. The menu has a good variety and all the items are in the same price range except for the shrimp or steak. These items will run you in the $15 to $16 range. In one corner they have a few arcade style games, dart boards and in another corner they have a stage for local bands. If they have any trivia tournaments, dart competitions, or live music there were no signs to let you know.

Specials Board

I do look forward to being back at Box Seats in the future. If there is a special event coming there be sure and let me know, I am always looking for a reason to go out.

Review by Pie, email: pie@piesplate.com

803 E Duval St

Jacksonville, FL 32202-1123

(904) 358-6429

Ann's Sandwich Shop

One of the exciting things about this site (at least for me) is to try new places or places that I have always wanted to try. For the many years that I have lived in Jacksonville, Florida, I have been a regular to a little sandwich place near the football stadium downtown. That place is Russ-Does, of which I have not yet written a review for. The history of these little sandwich shops is kind of cool. Most were built to cater to the blue collar workers at the shipyards in that region. In just a few miles of the stadium there are several options for a sandwich, only avail during lunch Monday thru Friday. At some of these places you can get a nice breakfast as well. Someone once told me that I needed to go across the street from Russ-Does Sandwich Shop and try Ann’s. On this particular day I did.

This is the point that I want to give a disclaimer. This review is from a personal experience and greatly formed my opinion that I will share with you the reader. If you are a big fan of Ann’s then I will not fault you for that. In no way shape or form do I want to seem as if I am trying to cause any kind of slander towards this establishment. At the same rate, I do not want to apologize for this summary. The reason for this ‘disclaimer’ is that my personal experience at Ann’s Sandwich Shop on Duval St in the shipyards area of Jacksonville was so bad that I cannot imagine someone going there as a regular. Let alone feel the need to recommend Ann’s to anyone, ever.

Ann's Store Front

As I was en route to Russ-Does I had to pass Ann’s Sandwich Shop, so I thought, let me give them a try. I parked in the front of the main door noticing the numerous hand written signs taped to it. The signs mentioned the new hours, the burger and fries, the hot dogs, and other ’specials’ available. As I walked in to the empty restaurant at just after 1 pm on a weekday I was first hit with a stuffiness that almost made me walk straight out the door. It was then that one of the workers there yelled to another worker that was closer to the air conditioner switch “WE HAVE SOMEONE HERE, TURN BACK ON THE AIR”. (I can’t make that up). In Florida there are only two times when the a/c should be turned off in a restaurant, never and never. Luckily the a/c did not take long to cool the place down. When I walked towards the dining area to see that there was really no clean tables in the whole place, one of the workers told me to go back and order at the counter. Already in an uncomfortable mood I looked at the menu of burgers and hot dogs and fries, basically all the items that were on the door were repeated on the sign. But the special of the day was fried fish, corn, fires, a roll, and a tea for just over $7. It looked as good as anything else.

Lunch at Ann's

As I ordered I thought about the strawberry cake that was pre sliced and sitting under plastic wrap at the register, but I could see that most of the slices were not completely covered. Well, they did have sweet potato pie, but it looked like a couple of customers wanted to test the pie to see if fingers could mash into the slices, they can. I ordered the special and went to get my drink. The un-sweet tea was less than tasty. I had to take some of the ice out of my cup because there were ‘things’ or ’specs’ in the ice. Now the task to find a clean table, I gave up. The table that I settled with had a used drink cup on it and I had to get a few napkins to wipe it down. The table next to me was a little cleaner but had a broom leaning against it. That broom was never touched the whole time I was there. Behind me were a few tables filled with garbage bags full of holiday decorations that I am guessing they intend to put up. My suggestion to the staff and owners would be to clean the tables and scrub the floor that was stained with the rust stains from the tables and chairs first. The two televisions that I saw were turned off and there was no music playing which prompted me to ask if they were about to close. They informed me no, that they are open until 3. So all I got to listen to was the staff complain about having to wipe tables or the schedule and their personal life.

Broom Against Table

Now my food is ready, seeing as to how busy they were (sarcasm)…. They left it at the counter for me to go and get, and not bring it out to me. I found a little bit of humor that they did not even put the dry stale roll on a plate or even a napkin. The corn was scooped straight from a can and heated up. It was still in the cans juices and not even heated to a proper temperature. The fries were from a frozen bag and not served hot enough to soften them up. The fish was good, it was very good. The tartar sauce was horrible and served warmer than the fries. I picked at the bread, ate a couple of fries tasted the corn ate most of the fish and decided to find a drive thru to finish my lunch experience. On my way out I could see the kitchen though the pass through window, I am not a health department worker but from what I could see did not look sanitary. I am absolutely amazed at the number of workers in the shop (maybe 6) and the filth and lack of quality provided to the customer.

There are so many things that went wrong with my visit to Ann’s Sandwich Shop that I cannot even think of how they are able to stay in business. Not only for the bad service, and the bad food, the cleanliness of Ann’s makes me wonder if they get a pass from the health department. Those of us that do these visits to restaurants and sandwich shops for Pie’s Plate try to give a second chance in hope the establishment has been able to redeem themselves. Maybe they can fix their errors, but I will never go back to Ann’s Sandwich Shop and will never recommend it to anyone. 

Review by Pie, email: pie@piesplate.com

637 Hwy 17 North, Palatka, FL
Palatka, FL 32177
386-328-6881

www.bigdssmokehouse.com 

Big D's Smokehouse

There is a restaurant that I have seen in my travels of US 17 in North Florida for a few years now. This place is quite noticeable as you are traveling between Green Cove Springs and Palatka Florida. If these cities are absolutely foreign to you I will let you know where we are talking about. For those of you who are not from the south the directions would go as follows. Drive South from Jacksonville on US 17 about 40 minutes toward Palatka. Big D’s is on the right. Now, for those of you from the south the directions are like this. Just when you go South of Bostwick, Florida on 17 and you can see the power plant stacks on the left but before you get to the Rice Creek Bridge you will see Big D’s Smokehouse on the right. Now before anyone gets upset with my description of the directions. I am from the South and give you these directions because I know they are true. 

When I go into Big D’s I see that the restaurant is not quite as large as I thought. It is a seat yourself place with a partial view to the kitchen from most tables. The walls are decorated with photos from the family memories of the owners of Big D’s. My first stop before grabbing my table was the restroom. This was just a large room with a commode. It really could have used a cleaning, trash was on the floor and there was a little bit of an odor. It was during lunch so I gave them a pass on that. I then grabbed a table near the front door and sitting there, my waitress (Terri) got my order of a Diet Coke and water. Terri hands me a menu and goes off to get my drinks. Before I look at the menu I can see the specials on the board. I then asked my server if I could try the soup of the day. The soup was a mixture that the guys in the back had come up with. It was a cream of chicken with rice and wild mushroom. Now I was really interested in a beef brisket. But the shot of soup that she brought me was so good, I caved in, I ordered the soup with a side of mac n cheese. The mac n cheese was by Terri’s recommendation. It was a close race between that and the baked beans but ultimately I went with Terri’s choice. When I got my food just a couple of minutes after I ordered it, I heard some guys talking. They were telling the owner of Big D’s how they have been wanting the beef brisket for days. So now I am thinking to myself that I may have made a mistake. But once I start to eat this meal I know that I have made the right decision. This was a perfect meal for what I needing. The soup really was fantastic. Now the macaroni and cheese was good, but it wasn’t my mama’s. It was very buttery to the point of really noticing it. The butter gave it such a distinct rich flavor that I decided to save for a kind of dessert.  

Soup

Terri did a very good job of keeping my drinks filled and seemed to enjoy what she does. She soon brought me my bill and for a good size bowl of soup, side of mac n cheese and a Diet Coke it was $7.25.  Looking at the menu I have to say that the prices are a little bit high for a standard BBQ place. They offer a hot dog, bun and baked beans for $5.99 with most of the ’sammiches’ (as the menu says) over $7.75 and even a couple of them close to $8.50. All of the ’sammiches’ are served with French fries. If you are interested in a different side such as beans, slaw, or jambalaya you are going to spend almost 3 bucks. They do offer a kids menu of burgers, dogs, and even shrimp. The kids menu seems to be a much better bargain than the adults menu. The ’suppa’s’ (as the menu says) has most of the items priced over 12 bucks. They do offer the cajun catfish, jambalaya, and the chicken strip dinner for just under 10 dollars. All of the ’suppa’s’ offer a choice of 2 vegetables. The vegetables available are beans, ‘tater’ salad, mac salad, and slaw. When I go to most BBQ places there seems to be more cost effective items or meals available. This is a very good meal but a family or a couple on a date can expect to be shelling out $25 to 35 dollars without ordering dessert or even beer and wine.

Even with the drawbacks of the menu cost I do believe that this would be a good place to order a featured special. At the time of my visit they did have a chicken wing special available that would not break you. The bowl of soup is priced at $2.99. So just be aware that this place is good but can be costly. Terri did not offer me a dessert and that is okay because I was stuffed. But looking at the dry erase board they did have a home made sweet that sounded wonderful. Apparently all of the desserts are homemade even the apple, chocolate chip bread pudding with vanilla drizzle that I was interested in. I decided not to ask for a sample of the bread pudding because I knew that might be pushing my luck. So the next time I am in Palatka I will stop by Big D’s. But I will make sure I have an extra few dollars in my pocket. 

Smokehouse Sign

When you stop by Big D’s you should be able to find at least one of the owners there at all times. They are a very sweet couple from Maine. His name is Wayne and hers is Betty. So I asked Wayne if he was also known as Big D. He told me yes, he stated that he has been called big dummy (while he chuckled). When you visit Big D’s Smokehouse you should know the hours are Mon – Thur 10:30 am until 8:00 pm, Fri and Sat 10:30 am until 9:00 pm and the Sunday hours of 11:00 am until 6:00 pm. They do offer eat in or take out. If you wish to call them the number is (386) 328-6881. You can also find them on the World Wide Web at www.bigdssmokehouse.com

 Review by Pie, email:  pie@piesplate.com