Folio Weekly Bite by Bite 03/23/16

2 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 3

FROM THE EDITOR

Able-bodied adults in Florida to LOSE SNAP BENEFITS

FARE THEE WELL

PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE FOOD STAMPS ARE not lazy, ungrateful, deviant abusers of the system. Well, maybe some of them are. We should still provide public assistance that enables them to buy food.

But we’re not going to.

Beginning Jan. 1, 2016, Florida brought back the three-month limit on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for adults who aren’t on disability and don’t have dependents, which had been suspended during the Great Recession. Beginning April 1, these so-called able-bodied adults who don’t have dependents and aren’t working or participating in job training a minimum of 20 hours per week will be cut off from SNAP benefits. And unless their employment, dependency or disability situation changes, they will be prohibited from participating in the program for three long, hungry years. It could be 2019 before the 500,000 to 1 million Americans that the Center on Budget & Policy Priorities estimates the limit will affect this year alone can afford a decent meal.

On paper, it makes sense to require adults who are capable of taking care of themselves to do so; in practice, able-bodied is a subjective category that encompasses thousands of people who, for whatever reason — and many insist that the reasons are as inexplicable as Keith Richards surviving into his 70s — can’t get approved for disability benefits. Folio Weekly Magazine has previously reported on this issue; trust that it is not so black-andwhite as “able-bodied” = “can work.” (“AbleBodied in the Coverage Gap,” June 17, 2015) Before you go off on one of those rants about slothful, entitled mooches on society that are so popular with the kids these days, take note that the SNAP cutoff also affects adults who want to work but can’t find a job. There are lots of reasons why it can be difficult for the less-fortunate to get hired: obesity, illiteracy, appearance discrimination aka lookism, prejudice, accent, lacking education, bankruptcy, undesirable social media footprint, etc.

In addition to all these (legal) forms of workplace discrimination, there’s no 4 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

denying that it can be next to impossible for people who have to check that box that asks about criminal convictions to get a job.

What do you think is going to happen when they stop receiving SNAP benefits? They’re either going to go hungry or find another way to fill their stomachs, which could be private assistance, friends and family or a return to crime. It costs a helluva lot more to house someone in jail or prison than it does to provide him or her with a monthly stipend to buy food.

In 2014, nonprofit organization Feeding Northeast Florida reported that there were 348,000 food-insecure people, or people who weren’t sure where their next meal was coming from, in the 17 counties of this region. That means 1 in 6 people in the region did not know if they were going to be able to afford their next meal.

Is this the kind of society that we should strive to create, the kind that would rather its citizens starve than spend a little bit extra making sure everyone can eat? (Well, everyone except people with drug trafficking convictions, who are running from a felony warrant or intentionally break Food Assistance Program rules; all such individuals are banned from receiving SNAP benefits. This is Florida, after all.)

Let’s be clear about one thing that is missing from much of the criticism of welfare: Living on the public dole ain’t no great life with all the comforts of the middle class. It’s scratching out an existence in a shitty apartment in a dangerous neighborhood, getting by on so few dollars and cents that no reasonable person would ever choose that life.

No greater good is served by letting people starve in the land of plenty, which, make no mistake, is where we live. (Thanks, Monsanto!)

And the only victory in trimming fat from the 2.3 percent of the total federal budget that went to providing food stamps in 2014, per the Washington Post and White House data, is perceived in the shriveled hearts of those who have never gone without, a hollow, callous celebration that their blessed tax dollars aren’t being spent feeding hungry people who could possibly feed themselves. Maybe they’re right and every single able-bodied adult without dependents who receives SNAP benefits should get a job, stop sucking the government teat and take care of him or herself. But they’re not going to. Instead they’re going to find another way to get food, if they can. If they can’t, well, there is no amount of strangers’ judgment that is capable of filling stomachs.

Claire Goforth claire@folioweekly.com

THIS WEEK // 3.23-3.29.16 // VOL. 28 ISSUE 52 COVER STORY

BITE

BY BITE NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT

[14]

DIRECTORY 2016

Northeast Florida’s most anticipated and comprehensive dining guide, from popsicles to haute cuisine FISHING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT [ 19 ] Seeking sustainable variety, restaurateurs and diners venture beyond standard sea fare BY MARY MAGUIRE FORTY DAYS OF BEER A toast to the German monks who invented dopplebock BY MARC WISDOM

[ 26 ]

TAKING IT TO THE HOUSE [ 39 ] Food delivery services find a niche in Northeast Florida BY MATTHEW B. SHAW

FEATURED ARTICLES

WE DON”T WIN ANY MORE

[9]

KIDS BEHIND BARS

[10]

BY JULIE DELEGAL Tackling JUVENILE INJUSTICE in Duval County

BY AG GANCARSKI An autopsy of THE FLORIDA PRIMARY

WHAT ABOUT BOB?

[51]

BY DANNY KELLY Funnyman BOB SAGET has become a veritable Renaissance Man who’s still not afraid to WHIP OUT the raunch

COLUMNS + CALENDARS FROM THE EDITOR OUR PICKS MAIL/B&B FIGHTIN’ WORDS FILM/MAGIC LANTERNS

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ARTS MUSIC LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR THE KNIFE PETS

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EDITOR • Claire Goforth claire@folioweekly.com / ext. #115 SENIOR EDITOR • Marlene Dryden mdryden@folioweekly.com / #ext. 131 A&E EDITOR • Daniel A. Brown dbrown@folioweekly.com / ext. #128 WRITER-AT-LARGE Susan Cooper Eastman sceastman@folioweekly.com CARTOONIST • Tom Tomorrow CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Rob Brezsny, John E. Citrone, Brenton Crozier, Josue Cruz, Julie Delegal, Jordan Ferrell, AG Gancarski, Dan Hudak, Dale Ratermann, Shelton Hull, MaryAnn Johanson, Keith Marks, Pat McLeod, Nick McGregor, Jeff Meyers, Greg Parlier, Kara Pound, Chuck Shepherd, Marc Wisdom VIDEOGRAPHERS • Doug Lewis, Ron Perry, Carl Rosen

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45 West Bay Street, Suite 103 Jacksonville, Florida 32202 PHONE 904.260.9770 FAX 904.260.9773 MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 5

MUSICAL GAMES

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES

THU

If you’re looking for a reason to actually leave your gamer’s cave, check out the latest show from “The Legend of Zelda,” the aptly named “Symphony of the Goddesses.” During this multimedia extravaganza, a live orchestra performs music from the Zelda games, as colorful visuals are displayed onscreen. Meanwhile, you can try to enjoy the night as you nervously sit and wonder when you’ll be able to get back home and finally begin round 678 of the hot new game, “Trump Apocalypse 3: Fury of the Trumplodytes.” Arrive in your cosplaying finest. 8 p.m. Thursday, March 24, TimesUnion Center for the Performing Arts’ Moran Theater, Downtown, $35-$85, ticketmaster.com.

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OUR PICKS

REASONS TO LEAVE THE HOUSE THIS WEEK

FEELING LOOPY

WILLIAM BASINSKI Los Angeles-based composer and musician William Basinski cites musical roots as divergent as Sex Pistols and Television to John Cage, Steve Reich, and Brian Eno. A master at creating hypnotic dronescapes through loops, Basinski pushes minimalist composition into the sonic ether. At this week’s appearance, he performs his piece Cascade/The Deluge with live video projection by James Elaine.

8 p.m. Thursday, March 24, Sun-Ray Cinema, 5 Points, free, sunraycinema.com.

FRI

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CATCHIN’ A (TAIL) WAVE DOG SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP Surf’s up, Fido, and stay on that leash! The 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship includes Frisbee dogs, dock jumping, a dog surfing competition, along with adoptable, lovable mutts from the Nassau County Humane Society. Friday, March 25-Sunday, March 27, Main Beach Park, Fernandina Beach, for details and to register, go to dockdogs.com/ eventscal/2016-florida-international-dog-surfing-championship, idsc.com.

FRI

25 SAT

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SKATE AND DESTROY

I’M BOARD

GET RHYTHM NRBQ & THE BASEBALL PROJECT Talk about a full-tilt rockin’ show! Cult rock legends (we mean that in the best way, believe us) NRBQ (pictured) have been serving up their potent and singular mix of rock, country, and jazz since 1966, and are still helmed by founding keyboardist-lunatic, Terry Adams. The Baseball Project is a super group formed by members of R.E.M. and The Dream Syndicate who sing solely about America’s other great national pastime: Wait for it … baseball! 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 25, St. Augustine Amphitheatre Backyard Block Party, $20 advance; $25 day of (SRO), staugamphitheatre.com.

6 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

Hit the deck! Combining high art and heel-flips, the exhibit I’m Board 6 features customized designed skateboard decks by an army of artists working in differing styles. Curator/ organizer Chad Landenberger estimates 120 submissions this year, and previous artists, including Clay Doran, Crystal Floyd, and Shaun Thurston, have all created custom boards for this way cool show. Opening reception held 6-10 p.m. Saturday, March 26, CoRK Arts District’s East Gallery, Riverside, corkartsdistrict.com.

MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 7

THE MAIL THE CROSSWORD’S ON US

RE: “Be Careful What You Wish For,” by Claire Goforth, March 9 WE’RE NEW TO THE JACKSONVILLE AREA, AND I just now picked up a copy of the Folio, primarily for the crossword puzzle, since I’m well aware that publications of this ilk (free, because liberals such as yourself believe that someone else should buy it for them, and conservatives such as myself would never spend a cent on the drivel) are simply propaganda outlets for the intellectually dishonest.

I did get a big kick out of reading your editorial entitled “Be Careful What You Wish For.” Certainly one of the best liberal spin pieces that I’ve read in some time. Hopefully you thank God (somehow I doubt that) every morning when you awaken that 50 percent of the folks in the country (and a majority of your readership) are of below average intelligence.

Attorney, contributor to Al “Jazeera” Gore’s failed network, you’re the poster child for what is wrong with this country, and to paraphrase your rude, nasty, and tasteless lead in for the above referenced editorial, “I’ll be glad when you’re dead.”

People like yourself make me ashamed to be an American.

Bill Wallace via email

PURE POLITICS

RE: “What’s the Cost of Solar?” by Susan Cooper Eastman, March 9 AS A RESIDENT OF JACKSONVILLE, THE proposal by JEA to reduce the incentive for rooftop solar panels from 11 cents to 7.5 cents is a POLITICAL DECISION. It is not a user-friendly or JEA pro-diversity energy solution that has been around since 2011. Why the change? Why the political decision?

The bottoming out of coal and oil use for electricity is happening. The transition to solar and wind is happening. Equal diversification of energy sources is the only feasible way to hold down costs for me and you and for JEA to stay in business.

There are 450,000 JEA members. There are only 500 solar rooftop panel customers.

The JEA proposal is a political decision to appease the Koch Brothers. It is not a proposal for the future of energy needs for you and me and JEA. Sonja Fitch via email

THE RIGHTS CHOICE

RE: “Zika Virus and Our Reproductive Freedom,”

by Claire Goforth, March 2 THANKS FOR SUCH A GREAT PIECE ON women’s reproductive freedom; you made some excellent points. Many of the people who are

against abortion also don’t want to pay taxes to support these unwanted children. You just need to be born, and it doesn’t matter if you are going to live in poverty and neglect. To make matters worse, if you are born into poverty in this country now, you have very little chance of escaping it.

I am from Indiana and spending the winter in St. Augustine. Last night the Indiana legislature passed an anti-abortion bill that would ban an abortion if there is a diagnosis of disability or potential diagnosis of a disability. This is one of five provisions that will impact abortion access in the state, and it is truly frightening.

Stacey Roesch via email

LEND YOUR VOICE If you’d like to respond to something you read in the pages of Folio Weekly Magazine, please send an email (with your name, address, and phone number for verification purposes only) to mail@folioweekly.com, visit us at folioweekly.com, or follow us on Twitter or Facebook (@folioweekly) and join the conversation.

BRICKBATS + BOUQUETS BRICKBATS TO THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ATTORNEY In spite of Darlene Farah’s fervent wish that the SAO not show her son the video of his sister being fatally shot, in an effort to convince him to support the death penalty in the case, the SAO reportedly showed him the video anyway.

BOUQUETS TO SHERI NICHOLSON On March 19, Nicholson hosted the ninth annual New Age Hippy Coastal Cleanup. While you were sleeping off Friday night’s revelry, Nicholson and 18 volunteer kayakers launched from Mike McCue Park & Boat Ramp to spend their Saturday morning picking up trash in the Intracoastal Waterway, ultimately collecting 11 large bags of refuse.

BRICKBATS TO JTA On March 20, the Florida Times-Union reported that JTA said it had no idea that its subcontractor, Von Alexander, also worked for Congresswoman Corrine Brown. Considering her 15 years on Brown’s payroll and the fact that Alexander has been described as Brown’s aide in news reports for years, somehow we’re not buying that ignorance defense.

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO DESERVES A BOUQUET? HOW ABOUT A PROVERBIAL BRICKBAT? Send your submissions to mail@folioweekly.com. Submissions should be a maximum of 50 words and concerning a person, place, or topic of local interest.

8 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

FOLIO VOICES : FIGHTIN’ WORDS An autopsy of the FLORIDA PRIMARY

WE DON’T

WIN ANY MORE LAST TUESDAY EVENING WAS A RECKONING for local Republicans. They knew it was coming. But, just like the Alvin Brown supporters in the 2015 election, they fronted like it wasn’t happening until it happened.

Marco Rubio did finish relatively strong in Duval and St. Johns, two of five area counties where he was over 25 percent. Clay and Nassau saw him just over 20, yet still in second place. In Baker, he came third behind Cruz.

And Baker was “idiosyncratic.” Baker County gave Sanders a plurality at 46 percent, and gave Martin O’Malley 13 percent of the vote … so strong the antipathy was to Clinton.

The constant in Northeast Florida? Trump.

He won so much in Florida that we bored of him winning. I was on WJCT election night; we closed it down at 8 p.m. Even the smartest analysts have only so much to say about an ass-kicking with very little in the way of regional variation.

In Duval, interestingly enough, the highest turnout in the GOP primary was in neighborhoods that have objectively worsened since the last term of George W. Bush — those middle and lower-middle class neighborhoods that never actually recovered from the crash of 2008, where there are vacancies in the strip malls, and where the businesses are markers of downward mobility: a tax place where the Statue of Liberty dances out front, smoke shops, pawn shops, check-cashing emporiums.

Trump goes over big there. Just as he does in the Appalachian Mountains, and in other places where white dudes with limited skill sets have realized they really aren’t all that special after all.

We have seen, in this country, a tragicomic misappropriation of resources. NAFTA killed the industrial base, which was already in decline, and we replaced it with prisons. We fought a war on weed, which begat a culture of pill-poppers (legal pills, developed with government money), then shut down the pill mills and stoked a heroin crisis that we have no goddamned clue, not one, how to address.

Donald Trump is the perfect presidential candidate for Northeast Florida. He appeals to the products of broken homes, busted economic orders, desiccated and distressed neighborhoods.

Sure, there are some folks who support him who didn’t get kicked between the slats by life. But those rallies suggest they are a minority.

Smart Republicans I know are still amazed that Jeb Bush and Marco got shivved by Trump.

Seriously. Jeb talked to people like they’d all been to college. His pitch was tailored for 1996.

Not 2016. And it was remarkably low-energy.

And Marco? He’d show up with his Ronald Reagan mask on, give the optimistic, canned

movement conservative spiel, but all the curdled National Greatness symbolism of the post-9/11 right meant nothing.

Rubio didn’t resonate with Trump voters, and a big part of why was that at least Trump was willing to admit the reality that they saw: The world that they have been promised is crumbling, and WE ARE THE CHILDREN OF THE REAGAN REVOLUTION doesn’t fix anything.

There was, ultimately, no Reagan Revolution. No expansion of personal freedom. Instead, there was a devastation of the industrial base, a devolution of educational and cultural standards. You see that in the GOP, cannibalizing itself this election season.

And here’s why: Trump, not the professional pols, talks about what the people see before their eyes. They work as hard as they were programmed to work, yet they’re deeper in debt, and their kids show no likelihood of flipping the script. The story of the last 50 years for the white middle class has been a gradual descent into oblivion. First the slow walk. Then the measured jog. Now it’s a dead sprint toward the void.

Fascism, the police state, the crap at the rallies: It’s what these people crave. The next time Donald Trump mentions a personal freedom not associated with rounds of ammo, it will be the first.

The joke’s on us. We get the leaders we deserve. Because we are incapable of selfgovernance, we want our presidents to be father figures. Obama was Ward Cleaver, measured and restrained. Trump is Rodney Dangerfield’s character in Natural Born Killers.

That’s America in 2016: 320 million people, belching and farting over the sneeze guard at the Golden Corral buffet.

People like to say Trump can’t win. They are, of course, delusional. All you have to do, if interested in a local analogue, is remember the HRO debate that just wrapped.

The loudest, the angriest, the most intemperate voices won. Then the moderates made excuses about why those people deserved to win. In the words of Roy Orbison, they were “just running scared.”

Hillary Clinton, as exciting as a Lean Cuisine dinner, doesn’t inspire that kind of two-minute, hate-styled passion. Donald Trump does.

He’s not “conservative.” But no one else is anymore, either. For more of us every day, there’s nothing left to conserve.

A.G. Gancarski mail@folioweekly.com twitter/AGGancarski MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 9

FOLIO COMMUNITY : NEWS

Tackling Juvenile Injustice in Duval County

10 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

WHEN JACKSONVILLE RESIDENTS THINK OF juvenile justice, they remember 12-yearold Cristian Fernandez being charged as an adult in the 2011 death of his 2-year-old half-brother. The case spurred outrage, triggered national media coverage and a Change.org petition urging State Attorney Angela Corey not to try Fernandez as an adult that garnered nearly 200,000 signatures. The direct file process by which children like Fernandez are charged in adult court is one of many topics that will be discussed at an upcoming forum on juvenile delinquency.

On March 29, the Jacksonville Center for Children’s Rights, a project of The Children’s Rights Initiative of Jacksonville, will cohost a panel discussion on juvenile justice at Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business. The Public Defender’s Office, Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville’s Children’s Ombudsman, the ACLU and Three Rivers Legal Services are co-sponsors of the event, titled, “904-DATA: Delinquent Acts, Community Answers.”

Assistant Public Defender Rob Mason, who directs the Public Defender’s juvenile division and serves on the board of directors for Jacksonville’s System of Care Initiative, as well as numerous other legal and community organizations, will lend his 26 years of experience and expertise to the event. Mason is concerned about the potential for lifelong consequences for children entering the delinquency system.

“When kids get arrested,” he said, “it creates a permanent record.” He pointed out that those records don’t always get expunged or sealed and, while they are supposed to be confidential, private companies often harvest arrest information and sell it to prospective employers. Information about adjudications of delinquency, which are not considered as serious as “criminal convictions,” can nevertheless affect applications for military service and other specific jobs, eligibility for public assistance or public housing, immigration status, and, under certain circumstances, eligibility for financial aid for college.

When it comes to the grown-up consequences of getting arrested, Garry Bevel, the Children’s Ombudsman for Jacksonville’s System of Care, said, “We are treating children like adults, but not in terms of power, influence, or voice.”

“We won’t have a future if we keep locking kids up,” said Natishia June, regional organizer for the American Civil Liberties Union in Northeast Florida. June, Mason, Bevel, and Assistant Public Defender Betsy Dobbins told Folio Weekly Magazine that they’re taking a good, hard look at what the

numbers are telling them about juvenile justice in Jacksonville.

“Numbers don’t lie,” said June. And the numbers are leading advocates to question Jacksonville’s approach to juvenile justice.

“We need to talk about what they’re telling us,” she added.

Information from Department of Juvenile Justice records can give us a starting point to talk about the data, June said.

For example, Duval’s juvenile commitment rate is nearly twice the state average. The community’s high-risk commitments for juvenile offenders are three times the state rate, and Duval’s maximum risk placements – the most restrictive commitment program for juvenile offenders – occur 4.5 times more than Florida’s rate.

Duval also outnumbers the statewide rate of direct file cases by 12 percent.

Florida is one of only 15 states that mandates children are charged as adults in some circumstances, Mason said, and 12 of those 15 states have processes for removing adult charges to juvenile court. Florida is among the three that do not. The statute also outlines circumstances where adult charges may be brought against children, at the prosecutor’s discretion. And that’s where the system loses its systematic nature, according to Human Rights Watch. In its 2014 report on Florida direct-file cases, “Branded for Life,” HRW researchers wrote: [T]he overwhelming power Florida has handed to prosecutors is playing out in arbitrary and unjust ways. Florida’s judicial circuits send arrested children to adult courts at vastly different rates.

This variation cannot be explained by the seriousness of offenses, the size of circuit youth populations, or other data Human Rights Watch examined. Even more disturbingly, once children are charged in adult court, some Florida circuits impose severe adult penalties at frequencies that are out of proportion to the levels of youth crime in those circuits.

Mason maintains that defense attorneys have no way to challenge adult charges in court, because the law gives prosecutors all the discretion.

“Judges are just ratifying the plea bargains,” he said. Given the choice between adult and juvenile sanctions, children often plead out before the discovery phase, when evidence would be presented. While Mason and other advocates believe children should be given a hearing to determine whether they’re charged as juveniles or adults, proposed legislation reflecting that change flopped in the Florida’s House of Representatives.

KIDS BEHIND BARS

“Judges have the discretion in adult court to impose juvenile and/or adult sanctions,” said Assistant State Attorney Julie Taylor, who directs juvenile prosecutions and county court for the Office of the State Attorney.

“We have to look at the discretionary points in the system and ask, ‘Why does this child get arrested when another doesn’t?’”

Dobbins said.

Dobbins and Bevel said that room for discretion usually occurs at the first responder level and the zero tolerance approaches that have characterized school discipline policies don’t help. Dobbins said that, for example, a disabled child having a tantrum need not enter the juvenile justice system for “battery on a school employee.”

Other factors play in to children’s behaviors: mental health issues, cognitive disabilities, trauma, and the stress of poverty.

June said that many children from lowincome, high-crime neighborhoods describe their experience as being “shell-shocked.”

“That is 100 percent affecting your development, your ability to attach,” June said.

“Arming people with the right information can go a long way,” Bevel said. The Children’s Rights Initiative now educates high school principals on how to handle disciplinary problems without an arrest.

In partnership with Duval County Public Schools, Bevel and Dobbins have formed “Due Process Peer Advocacy” programs at Wolfson and Lee High Schools.

“We’re expecting children to obey the laws without teaching them about civic processes,” Bevel said.

They are also training parent and community stakeholders and guardian ad litem volunteers.

June said that the sheriff ’s policy shift to using civil citations for nonviolent juvenile offenders holds children responsible for their behaviors in a manner that educates them and connects them to the community, without the serious consequences of an arrest and criminal charge. Jacksonville’s ICARE, the Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation and Empowerment, has pushed for years to increase use of civil citations, which refer children to Teen Court, Neighborhood Accountability Boards, and other diversionary programs.

“We need to put our energy into things that do work, where we’re not putting children into the deep end of the system,” June said.

Julie Delegal mail@folioweekly.com _____________________________________ “904-DATA: Delinquent Acts, Community Answers” is held 6 p.m. March 29 at Jacksonville University’s Davis College of Business, 2800 University Blvd N., Arlington. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

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BiTE BY BiTE

n e i g h b o r h o o d

r e s t a u r a n t

People are the core unit of families, of tribes. When families and tribes congregate for common safety and progress, they create a community. Those communities are built from blocks that, in 2016, we call neighborhoods. Each neighborhood has its own unique characteristics and characters, and an attitude that’s the sum of the energy and spirit of those who live there. That’s why neighborhoods are so important.

Throughout history, people have come together most poignantly across the table from one another, breaking bread, sharing wine and stories, and learning how they all fit together.

Join us now for Folio Weekly Magazine’s 2016 Bite by Bite Neighborhood Restaurant Directory, and learn about the places where you and your people can sit down and build your relationship, make a plan, and discover why good meals and conversation are what people remember the most.

AMELIA ISLAND, FERNANDINA BEACH, YULEE

29 SOUTH 29 S. Third St., 277-7919, 29southrestaurant.com Located in Fernandina’s historic downtown, this popular bistro’s Chef Scotty Schwartz serves traditional regional cuisine with a modern twist. • $$ L Tue.-Sat.; D Mon.-Sat.; R Sat. AMELIA ISLAND COFFEE & HOMETOWN GOODS 207 Centre St., 321-2111, ameliaislandcoffee.com The spot offers fresh-roasted coffee, cappuccino, frozen drinks, sandwiches, soups, baked goods and gelato. • $ TO Daily ARTE PIZZA 109 N. Third St., 277-1515, artepizzafernandina.com The wood-fired oven renders specialty pizzas like a traditional Napoli pizzeria, topped with imported cheeses, plum tomatoes and other fresh ingredients. Arté serves authentic Italian dishes like eggplant parmigiana and caprese salad. Outside seating. • $$ TO L Fri.-Sun.; D Wed.-Mon. BARBERITOS SOUTHWESTERN GRILLE & CANTINA 1519 Sadler Rd., 277-2505 463867 S.R. 200, Ste. 5, Yulee, 321-2240, barberitos.com The idea is quick serve, not fast food. Specializing in Southwestern fare, Barberitos offers made-to-order fresh faves, like burritos, tacos, quesadillas, nachos and salads. The salsa is handcrafted from fresh tomatoes, cilantro, onions and peppers. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily BEACH DINER 2006 S. Eighth St., 310-3750, beachdiner.com Innovative breakfast: Eggs on the Bayou, fish-n-grits; French toast, riders, omelets. Lunch fare: salads, burgers, sandwiches, shrimp & crabmeat salad. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily BEECH STREET Bar & Grill 801 Beech St., 572-1390, beechstreetbarandgrill.com In a restored 1889 home, Chef Charles creates with fresh, local ingredients. Local seafood, handcut Florida steaks, housemade pasta, daily specials, small plates, street food. • $$$-$$$$ FB D Tue.-Sat.; Brunch, D Sun. BRETT’S WATERWAY CAFÉ 1 S. Front St., Ste. 2, 261-2660 On the water at historic Centre Street’s end, it’s Southern hospitality in an upscale atmosphere; featuring daily specials, fresh local seafood and aged beef. • $$$ FB L D Daily BRIGHT MORNINGS BISTRO & CAFE 105 S. Third St., 491-1771, brightmorningscafe.com The small café, hidden behind Amelia SanJon Gallery, serves breakfast sandwiches and bowls, burgers, salads, business lunches, sandwiches. Indoor and outdoor dining; dog-friendly backyard. • $ TO B R L Thur.-Tue. BURLINGAME Restaurant 20 S. Fifth St., 432-7671, burlingamerestaurant.com The menu at this brand-new refined casual dining place changes quarterly, focused on elegantly prepared dishes (eight apps, eight mains) made with quality seasonal ingredients. Duck confit, grilled pork chops. • $$$$ BW D Tue.-Sat. COAST 4750 Amelia Island Pkwy., The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, 277-1100 It’s a fresh new taste on coastal cuisine with a seasonal menu offering local seafood, steaks, fresh pasta, salads and small plates created with great passion. • $$$ FB B, L, D Daily CAFE KARIBO 27 N. Third St., 277-5269, cafekaribo.com Housed in a historic building in downtown Fernandina, family-owned Café Karibo serves worldly taste fare, including made-from-scratch dressings, sauces, salads and desserts, in support of local purveyors and sourcing fresh greens, veggies and seafood. Dine inside or al fresco out under the oak-shaded patio.

The microbrew Karibrew Pub offers beer brewed onsite, imports and full bar. Live music Fri.-Sun. • $$ FB K TO R, Sun.; L Daily, D Tue.-Sun. in season CHEZ LEZAN BAKERY COMPANY 1014 Atlantic Ave., 491-4663, chezlezanbakery.com European-style breads and pastries, including croissants, muffins and pies are baked daily. Most breads made at Chez Lezan are made without fat or sugar. • $ TO B R L Daily CIAO ITALIAN BISTRO 302 Centre St., 206-4311, ciaobistro-luca.com

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Owners Luca and Kim Misciasci offer fine Italian bistro fare in an intimate, friendly atmosphere. Traditional items include veal piccata, rigatoni Bolognese and antipasto; house specialties include chicken Ciao and homemade-style meat lasagna. • $ L Fri. & Sat.; D Nightly THE CRAB TRAP 31 N. Second St., 261-4749, ameliacrabtrap.com For 30-plus years, family-owned-and-operated Crab Trap has been serving fresh local seafood and steaks. Food and drink specials are featured. • $$ FB L D Daily DAVID’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 802 Ash St., 310-6049, ameliaislanddavids.com The fine-dining place serves steaks and fresh seafood, like rack of lamb and ribeye, and Chilean sea bass, in an upscale atmosphere by an attentive waitstaff. Chef Wesley Cox has created a new lounge menu. Live music two nights a week. • $$$$ FB D Nightly DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 474313 E. S.R. 200, 310-6945 450077 S.R. 200, Callahan, 879-0993 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

EIGHT BURGER BAR & SPORTS LOUNGE 4750 Amelia Island Pkwy., The Ritz-Carlton, 277-1100 The contemporary sports lounge features billiard tables and multiple flatscreen TVs along with classic sports-bar fare. Local craft brews are on tap, and an extensive wine list is offered, along with a variety of cocktails. • $ FB L D Daily ELIZABETH POINTE Lodge 98 S. Fletcher Ave., 277-4851, elizabethpointelodge.com Award-winning B&B. Seaside dining, inside or out. Hot buffet breakfast daily. Homestyle soups, sandwiches, desserts. • $$$ BW B L D Daily GILBERT’S UNDERGROUND KITCHEN 510 S. Eighth St., 310-6374, undergroundkitchen.com In this neighborhood-driven place, Chef Kenny Gilbert (season seven of Top Chef) serves Deep Southern American cuisine. Dine indoors or out on the patio. • $$ BW K TO L Fri.; D Wed.-Sat. & Mon; R Sun. GREEN TURTLE TAVERN 14 S. Third St., 321-2324, greenturtletavern.com Housed in a historic shotgun shack, this local hangout offers Chicago-style Vienna beef hot dogs and pub fare, cold beer and a chill atmosphere. Live music. • $ FB L D Daily HALFTIME SPORTS BAR & GRILL 320 S. Eighth St., 321-0303 This spot offers sports bar fare including onion rings, spring rolls, burgers, wraps and wings. Plenty of TVs show nearly every sport imaginable. • $ FB L D Daily THE HAPPY TOMATO COURTYARD CAFE & BBQ 7 S. Third St., 321-0707, thehappytomatocafe.com This historic district restaurant serves fresh salads, deli sandwiches and barbecue – pulled pork, smoked turkey and ribs – in an easy, laid-back atmosphere. Homemade walnut chocolate chunk cookies are a specialty. • $ BW K TO L Mon.-Sat. HANA SUSHI JAPANESE CUISINE 1930 S. 14th St., 277-8838 Hana’s bright shop offers a sushi bar and a full menu, including teriyaki, tempura, hibachi, katsu, udon and bento boxes. • $$ L D Daily HOLA CUBAN CAFE 117 Centre St., 321-0163, holacubancafe.com Tucked away behind the Palace Saloon and owned by real Cubans, Hola serves authentic Cuban sandwiches and Cuban coffee. Dine inside or outside under umbrella tables. Delivery within Downtown Fernandina available. • $ TO L D Daily JACK & DIANE’S 708 Centre St., 321-1444, jackanddianescafe.com In a renovated 1887 shotgun home, the café serves favorites: jambalaya, French toast, pancakes and mac-n-cheese. The specialty is crepes, in several varieties. There’s a vegan selection, too. Dine indoors or on a porch overlooking historic downtown Fernandina. • $$ BW K TO B L D Daily JADE’S BISTRO 1484 Sadler Rd., 321-2777 The menu here is Asian/Thai fusion, and it ranges from traditional General Tso’s chicken to Thai-style mango prawns. • $$ BW TO L D Daily

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inside

BITE BY BITE 2016

FISHING for something different [ 19 ] Seeking sustainable variety, restaurateurs and diners venture beyond standard sea fare [ BY MARY MAGUIRE ]

forty days of BEER

[ 26 ]

A toast to the German monks who invented dopplebock [ BY MARC WISDOM ]

taking it to the HOUSE

[ 39 ]

Food delivery services find a niche in Northeast Florida [ BY MATTHEW B. SHAW ]

JOE’S 2ND STREET BISTRO 14 S. Second St., 321-2558, joesbistro.com Joe’s offers upscale New American fine dining with French, Creole, Asian and low country influences. Seating is available in the dining room, out in the large, New Orleans-style courtyard, or upstairs on the porch with a view of the Intracoastal. • $$ BW L D Wed.-Mon. KABUKI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR 1147 Amelia Plaza, 277-8782, kabukijapanesesteakhouse.com Kabuki serves certified Angus steaks and fresh seafood all MSGfree. The Japanese dishes and items from the unlimited sushi bar can be customized to suit any taste, and the teppan art of cooking entertains as chefs prepare food before you. • $$ BW TO D Tue.-Sun. KARIBREW BREW PUB & GRUB 27 Third St. N., Amelia Island, 277-5269, cafekaribo.com Amelia Island’s first microbrewery, Karibrew is next door to its sister restaurant, Cafe Karibo. Karibrew offers a variety of beers, spirits and pub food. • $$ FB TO R Sun.; L Daily; D Tue.-Sun. LEDDY’S PORCH 22 S. Third St., 491-3322, floridahouseinn.com The Florida House Inn has reopened its family-style restaurant, now named for the home’s owner after the Civil War. Chef Marshal Sands serves traditional dishes, like fried chicken and fish-ngrits, as well as Cajun rémoulade, plus cornbread and biscuits.

Bottomless mimosas, too. • $$ BW R Sat. & Sun.; L Wed.-Fri. LULU’S AT THE THOMPSON HOUSE 11 S. Seventh St., 432-8394, lulusamelia.com An innovative lunch menu includes po’boys, salads and seafood little plates served in a historic house. Dinner is fresh local seafood, Fernandina shrimp. Reservations recommended. • $$$ BW K TO R Sun.; L D Tue.-Sat. MARCHÉ BURETTE 6800 First Coast Hwy., Amelia Island, 491-4834, omnihotels.com This old-fashioned gourmet food market and deli, in The Spa & Shops at Omni Amelia Island Plantation, offers a Continental breakfast; lunch features flatbreads. • $$$ BW K TO L D Daily MOON RIVER PIZZA 925 S. 14th St., 321-3400 2015 Best of Jax winner At this pizzeria, local artists work hangs on the walls and rock music is pumped into the dining room. Northern-style pizzas, available with more than 20 toppings, are served by the pie or the slice. • $ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat. MUSTARD SEED CAFÉ 833 TJ Courson Rd., 277-3141, nassaushealthfoods.net Awarded Slow Food First Coast’s Snail of Approval, the casual organic eatery and juice bar, in Nassau Health Foods, offers allnatural, organic items for breakfast, and smoothies, veggie juices and coffees and herbal teas. Daily specials from wild-caught fish and organically raised chicken and produce. • $$ K TO B L Mon.-Sat. PABLO’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT 12 N. Second St., 261-0049 Pablo’s is in Fernandina’s historic district and serves authentic Mexican fare like chimichangas, fajitas – and vegetarian dishes.

Dine inside or out on the brick patio. • $$ K D Nightly PARKWAY GRILLE 5517 S. Fletcher Ave., 277-6614, parkwaygrille.net The breakfast and lunch items are prepared daily with fresh ingredients, including a selection of Boar’s Head deli meats, in a bright and casual atmosphere. • $ TO B L Daily THE PECAN ROLL BAKERY 122 S. Eighth St., 491-9815, thepecanrollbakery.com This neighborhood bakery features sweet and savory pastries, cookies, cakes and breads. Everything’s made from scratch. • $ TO B L Wed.-Sun. PI INFINITE COMBINATIONS 19 S. Third St., 432-8535, pi32034.wix.com/piinfinite It’s all bar service at the New York-style pizza joint. Specialty pizzas, by the 20-inch pie or huge slice, with toppings like sliced truffle mushrooms, whole little neck clams, grapes, foie gras, eggs or shrimp. Dine inside or in the courtyard, featuring a fountain. • $$ BW TO L D Tue.-Sat. THE PICNIC BASKET 503-A Centre St., 583-0197, thepicnicbasketfernandina.com The small shop focuses on fresh food, like cheeses, confits, charcuteries and wines. • $$ BW B L D Mon.-Sat.

PLAE 80 Amelia Village Circle, 277-2132, plaefl.net Bite Club certified Located in the Spa & Shops at Omni Amelia Island Plantation, this bistro-style venue offers an innovative menu (with such crowdpleasers as whole fried fish and duck breast), artistic décor and live music Mon.-Sat. Outdoor dining available. • $$$ FB D Nightly POINTE RESTAURANT 98 S. Fletcher Ave., Amelia Island, 277-4851, elizabethpointelodge.com Award-winning B&B Elizabeth Pointe Lodge offers elegant seaside dining, now open to the public. Dine indoors or outside. There’s a hot buffet breakfast daily and a full lunch menu. Homestyle soups, specialty sandwiches, desserts, wines and beers. • $$$ BW K B L Daily SALT 4750 Amelia Island Pkwy., The Ritz-Carlton, 277-1100 2015 Best of Jax winner Chef de Cuisine Richard Laughlin’s award-winning menu has New American cuisine made with simple elements from the earth and sea, like tuna and watermelon tartare and wagyu ribeye, served in a contemporary coastal setting. An extensive wine list has more than 500 wines. • $$$$ FB D Tue.-Sun. THE SALTY PELICAN BAR & GRILL 12 N. Front St., 277-3811, thesaltypelicanamelia.com 2015 Best of Jax winner View the sunset over the ICW from the second-story outdoor bar. Owners T.J. and Al feature a menu of local seafood, Mayport shrimp, fish tacos, po’boys and the original broiled cheese oysters.

Live music Thur.-Sat. • $$ FB K L D Daily SLIDERS SEASIDE GRILL 1998 S. Fletcher Ave., 277-6652, slidersseaside.com The oceanfront restaurant serves award-winning handmade crab cakes, fresh seafood and fried pickles. Outdoor dining is offered, kids have a beachfront playground. There’s an open-air second floor and balcony. Live music. • $$ FB K L D Daily THE SURF RESTAURANT & BAR 3199 S. Fletcher Ave., 261-5711, thesurfonline.com Oceanview dining is featured at The Surf, inside or out on the deck. The menu includes steaks, fresh fish and nightly specials, and there’s a Sunday lobster special. Live music. • $$ BW B Sat. & Sun.; L D Daily TIMOTI’S SEAFOOD SHAK 21 N. Third St., 310-6550, timotis.com The casual seafood PLACE features fresh, local wild-caught shrimp, fish and oysters, Wraps, salads, tacos and soup, as well as blackboard specials, supporting local fishermen, farmers and brewers and building a sense of community. Dine indoors or out, where’s a pirate ship playground. And a new Five Points location is opening soon. • $ BW K TO L D Daily TONY’S PIZZA 1425 Sadler Rd., 277-7661, fernandinatonysnewyorkpizza.net Tony’s serves New York-style brick oven pizza, along with dinner selections (like baked ziti and chicken broccoli alfredo). Subs, salads and wings complete the picture. Free delivery on the island.

• $ L D Daily T-RAY’S BURGER STATION 202 S. Eighth St., 261-6310, traysburgerstation.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This hidden gem is in an old gas station, but it doesn’t escape the notice of tourists or locals. Family-owned-and-operated for 18 years, T-Ray’s often wins Best Burger on Amelia Island in our Best of Jax reader’s poll, and is known for its blue plate specials. Go for the food, stay for the gossip. • $ BW TO B L Mon.-Sat.

ARLINGTON, REGENCY

BBQ BARN 14025 Mt. Pleasant Rd., 619-0237, bbqbarnjax.com This casual place has Southern-style barbecue pork, brisket, turkey, chicken, and chicken wings. Draft beers and wine are available. • $$ BW K TO L D Tue.-Sun. BLUE BOY SANDWICH SHOP 5535 Ft. Caroline Rd., 743-3515, blueboysandwiches.com Breakfast and lunch since 1973. Breads are made onsite, as well as subs, camels, salads and desserts. • $ TO B, L D Mon.-Sat. BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 8011 Merrill Rd., Ste. 23, 743-3727 See Northside.

BOW LEG’Z 4347 University Blvd. S., 337-1603, bowlegzbbq.com The menu here is inspired by traditional Southern smoked barbecue with a Caribbean flair, with a twist on savory and sweet that blends in harmony. The family-friendly environment welcomes diners. • $ TO L D Mon.-Sat. CAFÉ EXPRESS 1706 Southside Blvd., 724-3997, cafeexpress.us This cozy café offers hot and cold sandwiches as well as breakfast dishes. The homemade potato chips are a specialty. • $ TO B L Mon.-Sat. COTTEN’S BAR-B-QUE 2048 Rogero Rd., 743-1233 2623 N. Main St., Downtown, 356-8274 Fred Cotten Jr. has been offering his pit-cooked barbecue, at moderate prices in a casual spot, for more than 25 years. All the sauces are made in-house from original recipes. • $ K TO L D Mon.-Sat. CRAB CREEK CAFÉ 7404 Atlantic Blvd., 724-8050 A seafood shack with a yacht club attitude, Crab Creek Café offers oysters, gator tail, seafood and pasta in a family-friendly atmosphere. • $ K TO L D Daily DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 9119 Merrill Rd., Ste. 19, 745-9301 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

EINSTEIN BROS. BAGELS 2800 University Blvd. N., 256-7539, einsteinbros.com With more than 25 varieties of fresh-baked-in-store bagels, Einstein Bros. has breakfast covered. Throw in some egg sandwiches, paninis and wraps, and you’re done. Lunch offers healthful cold sandwiches, melts, soups and salads. Coffees, smoothies and sweet treats complete the menu. • $ TO B L Mon.-Fri. FIREHOUSE SUBS 4347 University Blvd. S., Ste. 1, 731-1888 13245 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 9, 220-7140 See Mandarin.

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Enjoy delicious weekly specials, live music, craft cocktails and craft beer brewed on-site at Ragtime in Atlantic Beach.

FUJI SUSHI 660 Commerce Center Dr., Ste. 155, 722-9988, fujisushiregency.com A respite from the busy Regency-area bustle, this casual, modern restaurant serves sushi and sashimi, tempura, soups and entrées.

• $$ L D Daily GRINDERS AMERICAN DINER 10230 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 8 & 9, 725-2712, grindersdiner.com For 30 years, Grinders Café has been serving homestyle veggies, burgers, meatloaf, pork chops, seafood and desserts. • $ K TO B L Daily THE HOT DOG SPOT & MORE 2771 Monument Rd., Ste. 32, 646-0050, thehotdogspotjax.com In Cobblestone Crossing, Hot Dog Spot serves sausages, all-beef hot dogs, and items like wings, Philly cheesesteaks and burgers, all cooked to order. • $ K TO L Daily LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 8818 Atlantic Blvd., 720-0106 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 1301 Monument Rd., Ste. 5, 724-5802 See Orange Park.

MATT’S ITALIAN CUISINE 2771 Monument Rd., Ste. 8, 646-4411, mattsitalian.com The menu includes pizza, seafood, stromboli and veal, cooked-to order. Delivery is available. • $$ BW TO L D Daily MILLER’S ALE HOUSE & RAW BAR 9541 Regency Square Blvd. S., 720-0551, millersalehouse.com The Ale Houses specialize in generous portions and friendly service in a nautical atmosphere. Customer favorites are fresh fish, specialty pastas, and fresh oysters and clams. There are 32 draft beer varieties, along with lots of TVs, pool tables and video games. • $$ FB K L D Daily THE MUDVILLE GRILLE 1301 Monument Rd., Ste. 1, 722-0008 See San Marco.

NAPOLI’S PIZZA CUISINE 5629 Arlington Rd., 745-1500 This small, family-owned Italian cuisine and pizzeria placed has been serving authentic fare since 2001. • $$ BW K TO L D Mon.-Sat. NERO’S CAFÉ 3607 University Blvd. N., 743-3141, neroscafe.com Nero’s has been serving traditional Italian-style food for over 30 years.

Along with nightly dinner specials, Nero’s features veal, seafood pasta dishes and New York style pizzas. • $$ FB K TO D Nightly THE SHEIK SANDWICH DELI 9720 Atlantic Blvd., 721-2660 Family-owned-and-operated, The Sheik restaurants have served Northeast Florida for more than 40 years, offering a full breakfast – from pitas to country plates – and an extensive lunch menu. • $ TO B L D Mon.-Sat. SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q 12719 Atlantic Blvd., 220-9499 See Orange Park.

SOUPLANTATION & SWEET TOMATOES 1115 Mary Susan Dr., (off Atlantic Boulevard), 722-9889, souplantation.com The 60-foot salad bar has four types of salads, fresh cut vegetables and deli items, pasta salads and a dozen dressings, plus soups, pizza and desserts. • $ TO L D Daily The STEAKHOUSE @ Gold Club 320 Gen. Doolittle Dr., 645-5500, jacksonvillegoldclub.com Lunch and dinner specials, free HH buffets Thur. & Fri. • $$$ FB L D Daily TABOULEH MEDITERRANEAN CAFE 7645 Merrill Rd., Ste. 201, 745-6900, taboulehjax.com The menu at this seasoned eatery includes classic Middle Eastern and Greek favorites like kababs, hummus, falafel, gyros, shwarmas, baba ghanou and, of course, tabouleh. Full lunch and dinner menu. Vegan specials on Wed., authentic Greek specials on Fri. • $$ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat.

AVONDALE, ORTEGA

ALE PIE HOUSE 3951 St. Johns Ave., 503-8000, alepiehouse.com Pizza made your way, subs, paninis, calzone, stromboli, wraps, dinners. Gluten-free, vegan cheese available. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily

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ARDEN’S KAFE & KATERING 4555 St. Johns Ave., Ste. 3, Ortega, 240-1404, ardens-kafe-and-katering.com From gourmet to Cajun, Chef Arden deSaussure can create it, using fresh ingredients, including local seafood, veggies and meats. Something new: Friday night seafood buffet and hot wing bar. • $$ TO B Sat.; L Sun.-Fri.; D Fri. BAGEL LOVE 4114 Herschel St., Ste. 121, 634-7253, bagellovejax.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This comfy locally-owned-and-operated spot offers Northern-style bagels, a variety of cream cheeses, sandwiches, wraps, subs and bakery items. Fresh-squeezed lemonade and coffees and teas.

Free WiFi. • $ K TO B L Daily BISCOTTIS 3556 St. Johns Ave., 387-2060, biscottis.net 2015 Best of Jax winner Biscottis serves everything from innovative pizzas to a large selection of almost-too-pretty-to-eat desserts. • $$$ BW B R L D Daily BRICK RESTAURANT 3585 St. Johns Ave., 387-0606, brickofavondale.com This casual eatery’s exposed-brick façade and interior are modern, but still classic Avondale. Despite the expensive fixtures, you can still grab a burger and watch a game or get the best lamb chops in town. And their veggie burger? Killer. • $$$ FB L D Daily THE CASBAH CAFE 3628 St. Johns Ave., 981-9966, thecasbahcafe.com 2015 Best of Jax winner The Casbah serves Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine on the patio or inside the hookah lounge, where customers sit on ottomans at low tables. Wi-Fi is available, belly dancers perform some nights, hookah pipes are offered. Live jazz on Sun. • $$ BW L D Daily CLAUDE’S CHOCOLATE 3543 St. Johns Ave., 829-5790 Located inside Green Man Gourmet, this shop offers wines, spices, fresh fruit ice pops and Belgian chocolates. See Ponte Vedra.

FLORIDA CREAMERY 3566 St. Johns Ave., 619-5386, floridacreamery.net Florida Creamery offers premium ice cream, fresh waffle cones, milkshakes, sundaes and Nathan’s grilled hot dogs, served in Florida-centric décor. Low-fat and sugar-free choices are also offered. • $ K TO L D Daily THE FOX RESTAURANT 3580 St. Johns Ave., 387-2669 Owners Ian and Mary Chase offer fresh diner fare and homemade desserts. Breakfast is served all day, along with signature items such as burgers, meatloaf and fried green tomatoes. A Jacksonville landmark for more than 50 years, The Fox is open daily. • $$ BW K L D Daily GREEN MAN GOURMET 3543 St. Johns Ave., Shoppes of Avondale, 384-0002, greenmangourmet.com This market features organic and natural products, spices, teas and salts, and beer and wine. • $ BW TO Daily HARPOON LOUIE’S 4070 Herschel St., 389-5631, harpoonlouies.net Locally-owned-and-operated, this American pub has been a fixture in the Avondale area for 20-plus years. The menu has halfpound burgers, fish sandwiches and pasta. HH during the week. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 4530 St. Johns Ave., 388-8828 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

LILLIAN’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL 5393 Roosevelt Blvd., Ortega, 388-4220, lillianssportsgrill.com This family sports bar serves wings, ahi tuna, meatloaf, steaks, pasta, daily specials, burgers, salads and sandwiches. TVs show sports. Daily HH. • $$ FB TO L D Daily MELLOW MUSHROOM PIZZA BAKERS 3611 St. Johns Ave., 388-0200 Bite Club certified 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

MOJO NO. 4 URBAN BBQ & WHISKEY BAR 3572 St. Johns Ave., Ste. 1, 381-6670

2015 Best of Jax winner Mojo offers pulled pork and Carolina-style barbecue along with Delta fried catfish. Avondale’s Mojo also offers shrimp and grits, and specialty cocktails. Local musicians perform weekends. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily THE OLD CUP CAFÉ 3604 St. Johns Ave., Ste. 2, 389-2122 The artisan bakery serves coffees, croissants and muffins in the morning, then a variety of cupcakes, pastries and desserts throughout the day. Whole cakes can be made-to-order. • $$ TO Tue.-Sat. PINEGROVE MARKET & DELI 1511 Pinegrove Ave., 389-8655, pinegrovemarket.com 2015 Best of Jax winner For more than 40 years, Pinegrove has been serving hearty breakfasts and lunches featuring Cuban sandwiches, burgers, subs, wraps and homemade chicken salad in a family atmosphere. The onsite butcher shop sells USDA choice prime aged beef cut to order. Craft beers are available. • $ BW TO B L D Mon.-Sat. PULP 3645 St. Johns Ave., 379-6908 See San Marco.

SIMPLY SARA’S 2902 Corinthian Ave., Ortega, 387-1000, simplysaras.net This spot offers down-home cooking, from scratch like Grandma’s: eggplant fries, pimento cheese, baked chicken, fruit cobblers, chicken & dumplings, desserts. BYOB. • $$ K TO L D Mon.-Sat., B Sat. SUSHI CAFÉ 4530 St. Johns Ave., 388-8285 See Riverside.

YOBE FROZEN YOGURT 3578 St. Johns Ave., 384-0733 See Beaches.

BAYMEADOWS

AL’S PIZZA 8060 Philips Hwy., Ste. 105, 731-4300 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

BELLA VITA RISTORANTE ITALIANO 3825 Baymeadows Rd., 646-1370, bellavitajax.com Authentic Italian cuisine. • $$ FB L D Daily BOWL OF PHO 9902 Old Baymeadows Rd., 646-4455 This spot has a big, varied menu of Vietnamese and Thai dishes with authentic ingredients, prepared fresh, including egg rolls, grilled pork and chicken, lotus root salad, and salted fish fried rice.

Boba is also served. • $$ L D Daily THE COFFEE GRINDER 9834 Old Baymeadows Rd., Deerwood Village, 642-7600 Owner Slavisa Micukic runs this coffee gallery, which features the work of local artists. Seating is available indoors and out, and a full coffee/espresso menu includes several frozen mochas and frozen jet teas. Beer is served after 7 p.m. DJs spin Thur., Fri. and Sat. • $ BW L D Daily DEERWOOD DELI & DINER 9934 Old Baymeadows Rd., 641-4877, deerwooddiner.com The menu includes fresh local seafood, Angus steaks, salads, sandwiches and burgers, and there’s flatscreen TVs all over. • $$ BW TO K B L Daily THE 5TH ELEMENT 9485 Baymeadows Rd., 448-8265, my5thelement.com A variety of authentic Indian, South Indian and Indochinese dishes form the menu, along with a large lunch buffet of lamb, goat and chicken dishes, as well as tandoori and biryani items. • $$ BW K L D Daily FIREHOUSE SUBS 8380 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 8, 737-3473 See Mandarin.

FLAVORS ESSENCE OF INDIA 9551 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 10, 733-1525, jaxflavors.com Master chefs create contemporary and traditional dishes from all over India, including lamb, fish and prawn entrées. Clay oven kabobs and breads, vegetarian dishes and desserts are also served. A lunch buffet includes vegetarian items. $ BW L D Daily FUJI SUSHI JAPANESE RESTAURANT 10920 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 30, 363-8888 Fuji Sushi offers fresh sushi, steak, chicken, tempura, teriyaki and seafood. • $$ BW K L D Daily GATOR’S DOCKSIDE 8650 Baymeadows Rd., 448-0500 See Westside.

HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS 10920 Baymeadows Rd., 363-2503, hurricanewings.com This island-themed restaurant offers more than 35 flavors of wings, garlic and parmesan fries, Firecracker shrimp, burgers and chicken. The beverage cups are biodegradable. Kids’ night, trivia, live music and drink specials, too. • $ FB K TO L D Daily INDIA’S RESTAURANT 9802 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 8, 620-0777, indiajax.com 2015 Best of Jax winner India’s has claimed several Best of Jax awards for authentic cuisine, serving a popular lunch buffet. Curry and vegetable dishes are offered, along with lamb, chicken, shrimp and fish tandoori. $$ BW L Mon.-Sat.; D Nightly LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 8206 Philips Hwy., Baymeadows Junction, 732-9433 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 8616 Baymeadows Rd., 739-2498 See Orange Park.

LEMONGRASS 9846 Old Baymeadows Rd., 645-9911, lemongrassjax.com Innovative Thai cuisine in a hip, metropolitan atmosphere. Chef Aphayasane’s creations include crispy whole fish with pineapple curry reduction. A customer favorite is The Amazing. • $$ TO L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. LITTLE BLACK BOX BAKED GOODS 8106 Old Kings Rd. S., 683-1346 The small-batch bakery and scratch kitchen uses local and organic ingredients when possible for their fresh, homestyle fare and yummy desserts. • $ TO L Mon.-Fri. LOS LOROS MEXICAN RESTAURANT 5210 Baymeadows Rd., 367-8633 Authentic Mexican fare, including fajitas and vegetarian dishes.

Margaritas are featured. • $ FB K L D Daily

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MANDALOUN MEDITERRANEAN LEBANESE CUISINE 9862 Old Baymeadows Rd., 646-1881, mandalounjacksonville.com Bite Club certified With restaurants in London, Paris, Rome and the Middle East, owner Pierre Barakat offers authentic Lebanese cuisine, like charcoalgrilled lamb kebabs, fattoush, baba ghanouj and falafel. Belly dancing every Fri. and Sat. Monthly dinner parties. Outdoor seating.

• $$ FB K TO L D Daily MEDITERRANIA RESTAURANT 3877 Baymeadows Rd., 731-2898, mediterraniarestaurant.com With an Old World atmosphere, this family-owned-and-operated Greek and Italian restaurant has been a local favorite for more than 27 years. Fresh seafood, veal chops and rack of lamb are among the specialties. • $$ BW L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. METRO DINER 9802 Baymeadows Rd., 425-9142 2015 Best of Jax winner See San Marco.

MINT INDIAN RESTAURANT 8490 Baymeadows Rd., 367-1821, jaxmint.com Mint serves a new style of authentic and traditional Indian cuisine. A daily lunch buffet is available. HH daily. • $ L D Daily NATIVE SUN NATURAL FOODS MARKET & DELI 11030 Baymeadows Rd., 260-2791, nativesunjax.com Natural and organic soups, sandwiches, salads, wraps, baked goods, prepared foods, juices and smoothies that cater to vegans, vegetarians and those with special diet needs. A juice, smoothie and coffee bar, and all-natural and organic beers and wine are available.

Indoor and outdoor seating. • $ BW TO K B L D Daily PATTAYA THAI GRILLE 9551 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 1, 646-9506, ptgrille.com Family-owned Pattaya Thai – Northeast Florida’s original authentic Thai restaurant – offers an extensive menu of traditional Thai, vegetarian and new-Thai, including curries, seafood, noodles and soups. In business since 1990, Pattaya features dishes that are low-sodium and gluten-free, too. A video screen displays the open kitchen, so you can watch your order being prepared. • $$$ BW TO L D Tue.-Sun. STICKY FINGERS 8129 Point Meadows Way, 493-7427, stickyfingers.com A true Memphis-style smokehouse, Sticky Fingers slow-smokes meats over aged hickory wood. The menu includes award-winning ribs, barbecue and rotisserie-smoked chicken. HH held weekdays. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily STONEWOOD GRILL TAVERN 3832 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 3, 739-7206, stonewoodgrill.com The casual, upscale Stonewood Grill offers a flavorful dining experience with a classic American menu. The full bar features a large wine list and daily HH. • $$ FB L D Daily SUSHI HOUSE 9810 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 12, 997-0966 This quaint spot has a variety of specialty rolls, sushi and sashimi, offers tempura, katsu, teriyaki and hibachi entrées. • $$ BW TO L D Daily TEQUILA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT 10915 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 101, 363-1365, tequilasjacksonville.com Authentic fare, fresh ingredients. Vegetarian dishes; drink specials.

Nonstop HH. • $$ FB L D Daily FIVE F(x) ICE CREAM & WAFFLES 9802 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 6, 928-9559 Ice cream made-to-order. Your choice of milk (whole, soy, almond, lowfat), toppings and flavors, all quick-frozen to fill a taiyaki – Asian waffles in a dozen flavors. At about 170 calories, it’s a no-brainer.

Fillings available in breakfast and lunch options, too. • $ K TO B R L Daily TIDBITS EXPRESS 8535 Baymeadows Rd., 516-4144, clarastidbits.com This little spot serves the same lunch items as Tidbits. Place your order at a terminal – but there are real people there in case you need assistance. • $ TO L Mon.-Fri. TIJUANA FLATS 9942 Old Baymeadows Rd., 641-1090, tijuanaflats.com The fresh Tex-Mex menu features a hot bar with rotating sauces.

There’s not a microwave or freezer in sight – everything’s fresh. • $ BW K TO L D Daily VINO’S PIZZA & GRILL 9910 Old Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 1, 641-7171, vinospizzabaymeadows.com Vino’s has hand-tossed New York-style, thin-crust pizzas, as well as Sicilian-style, thick-crust pizzas. Big salads, baked dishes, subs, stromboli, wings and wraps round out the menu. • $ K Daily THE WELL WATERING HOLE 3928 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 9, 737-7740, thewellwateringhole.com The bistro features local craft beers, varietal wines by the glass or bottle and champagne cocktails. Meatloaf sandwiches, pulled Peruvian chicken and homestyle vegan black bean burgers, too. HH specials. • $$ BW L D Mon.-Sat. WHISKEY JAX KITCHEN + COCKTAILS 10915 Baymeadows Rd., Ste. 135, 634-7208, whiskeyjax.com The popular gastropub offers a variety of craft beers, burgers, handhelds, tacos and of course whiskey. Live music. • $$ FB L D Sat. & Sun.; D Daily.

WOODY’S BAR-B-Q 8206 Philips Hwy., Ste. 25, 265-0066 See Southside.

ZESTY INDIA 8358 Point Meadows Dr., 329-3676, zestyindia.com The chefs combine Asian methodology with European template to produce layers of flavors for their dishes, like tandoori lamb chops and rosemary tikka. The vegetarian items are cooked separately in vegetable oil. Lunch platters are a favorite. • $ BW TO L D Tue.-Sun.

BEACHES

(All locations are in Jax Beach unless otherwise noted.)

3RD STREET DINER 223 Ninth Ave. S., 270-0080 Greek/American fare served for 12-plus years, features a variety of homestyle dishes: gyros, ribs, lamb, liver and onions. Specialty desserts, too. • $ FB K TO B L D Daily A LA CARTE 331 First Ave. N., 241-2005, alacarte-jax.com

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Going on 24 years now, Authentic New England fare like Maine lobster rolls, fried Ipswich clams, crab or clam cake sandwich, fried shrimp basket, haddock sandwich, clam chowder, birch beer and blueberry soda. Dine inside or on the deck. Gluten-free options are available; some menu items in the shop. • $$ TO L Tue.-Sat. AL’S PIZZA 303 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 249-0002, alspizza.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Folio Weekly readers often vote for Al’s for Best Pizza in our annual Best of Jax poll. Celebrating more than 20 years and seven locations, Al’s offers a selection of New York-style and gourmet pizzas. All-day HH Mon.-Thur. • $ FB K TO L D Daily ANGIE’S GROM SUBS 204 Third Ave. S., 246-7823 2015 Best of Jax winner This little sister to the original Angie’s serves a variety of subs, with the freshest ingredients. • $ BW TO L D Daily ANGIE’S SUBS 1436 Beach Blvd., 246-2519 2015 Best of Jax winner Home of the original baked sub, Angie’s has been serving a variety of subs, made with the freshest ingredients, to devoted locals for more than 25 years. One word: Peruvian. In addition to hot or cold subs, Angie’s offers huge salads and blue-ribbon iced tea. • $ BW TO L D Daily AZUREA 1 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 249-7402 Located within the One Ocean Resort hotel, Azurea offers elegant oceanfront dining with a menu influenced by flavors of Europe, the Caribbean and the Americas. An extensive wine list is offered. • $$$$ FB K B L D Daily BEACH DINER 501 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 249-6500, beachdiner.com The locally owned diner has indoor and outdoor seating and Southern comfort items including fresh seafood, sandwiches and hot lunch specials. Cooked-to-order breakfast is available all day. • $ K B R L Daily BEACH HUT CAFÉ 1281 Third St. S., 249-3516 Celebrating more than 25 years in the biz, Beach Hut Café often wins the Best Breakfast category in our Best of Jax readers poll. The full breakfast menu is served all day (featuring some darn good grits), and hot plate specials are offered Mon.-Fri. • $ K TO B R L Daily BEACHSIDE SEAFOOD RESTAURANT & MARKET 120 Third St. S., 444-8862 A full fresh seafood market, Beachside serves lunch and dinner featuring seafood baskets, fish tacos, daily fish specials and Philly cheesesteaks. There are tables indoors and on the second-floor open-air deck, with a great view of downtown Jax Beach. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily BLUE WATER ISLAND GRILL 205 First St. N., 249-0083 This casual spot features American fare with a Caribbean soul.

There’s live music on weekends. • $$ FB K L D Tue.-Sun. BOLD BEAN COFFEE ROASTERS 2400 S. Third St., Ste. 201, boldbeancoffee.com 2015 Best of Jax winner See Riverside.

BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 1266 Third St. S., 249-8704 1307 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 270-2666 See Northside.

301 10th Ave. N., 712-4444, buddhathaibistro.com The proprietors of this Thai restaurant are from Thailand, and every dish is made with fresh ingredients from tried-and-true recipes, beautifully presented. • $$ FB TO L D Daily BURRITO GALLERY EXPRESS 1333 Third St. N., 242-8226 2015 Best of Jax winner Burrito Gallery’s kid sister Burrito Express is mostly take-out, featuring the same great chow and fast service. • $ BW TO L D Daily CAMPECHE BAY CANTINA 127 First Ave. N., 249-3322, campechebaycantina.com Campeche Bay has repeatedly won our readers’ poll awards for Best Mexican Restaurant, Best Fajitas and Best Margaritas. Customers favor chili rellenos, tamales, fajitas, enchiladas, fish tacos, fried ice cream and homemade margaritas. Two daily HH. • $$ FB K D Nightly CANTINA LOUIE 725 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 372-0123 The affordable, fun Mexican cantina specializes in innovative tacos and authentic Mexican street food. • $ FB K L D Daily CASA MARIA 2429 Third St. S., 372-9000, casamariajaxbeach.com This family-owned-and-operated restaurant offers authentic Mexican food, including fajitas and seafood dishes, as well as a variety of hot sauces – ones made in-house. The specialty is tacos de asada. • $ FB K L D Daily CASA MARINA INN & RESTAURANT 691 First St. N., 270-0025, casamarinahotel.com The historic 1924 restaurant is the oldest structure in Jax Beach; dine indoors, on the verandah or in the oceanfront courtyard. The daily menu features crab cakes, Kobe sliders, and homemade breads. Lunch includes salads, burgers, tacos and sandwiches.

Penthouse Lounge offers a martini bar and a terrific view of the Atlantic Ocean. • $$ FB R, Sun.; L Tue.-Fri.; D Nightly CINOTTI’S BAKERY, DELI & BOUTIQUE 1523 Penman Rd., 246-1728, cinottisbakery.com Four generations of Cinottis have been serving the Beaches since 1964, offering cakes, pies, breads and desserts as well as party trays. The deli has bagels and breads for breakfast items, plus lunch items like chicken salad, corned beef and club sandwiches, made with baked-right-there bread choices. • $ K TO B R L Tue.-Sat. CRUISERS GRILL 319 23rd Ave. S., 270-0356, cruisersgrill.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Locally owned and operated for more than 15 years – Bobby Handmaker is a pro – this casual restaurant serves half-pound burgers, fish sandwiches, big salads, award-winning cheddar fries and sangria. • $ BW K L D Daily CULHANE’S IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE 967 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 249-9595, culhanesirishpub.com Bite Club certified An upscale Irish pub and restaurant owned and managed by four

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FISHING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT Seeking sustainable variety, restaurateurs and diners venture beyond standard sea fare THE PISCINE TRIFECTA OF GROUPER, SNAPPER and flounder, long favored by Florida fishing and food enthusiasts alike, is undergoing a transformation. Owing as much to environmental and regulatory pressure as to changes in consumer dining preferences, species that in the past rarely appeared on Florida menus are now taking star turns, and are as likely to come from waters a half-world away as they are from either of the state’s coastal waters.

On a recent weekend in Fernandina Beach, where shrimp is so prevalent it’s used in place of a glowing ball during public New Year’s Eve festivities, local restaurant specials were featuring wahoo and tilefish, and several chefs spoke excitedly about the prospects for lionfish, an unwelcome invader that is nevertheless said to be flaky and flavorful.

“The season is so short for local grouper and snapper, and prices can get to be so high, we have to have other options,” says Carey Todd, a chef at Brett’s Waterway Café. Cobia, for example, is excellent when in season, though it may have as narrow a window of availability as local grouper.

Mahi, the popularity of which has increased in recent years, is more frequently featured as the Catch of the Day, and is still brought in from the state’s Atlantic coast; the term used by local fishermen is dolphin fish, to differentiate it from the dolphin mammal.

The restaurant’s flounder comes from South Carolina, and its haddock, used for fish and chips, comes from Alaska.

“Exotic for us is blue marlin,” Todd says, adding that other once-popular alternatives such as swordfish and sole have simply become too expensive for most peoples’ palates.

At Atlantic Seafood, which does doubleduty as a bait shop and a fish market for consumers and restaurants, owner Charley Taylor similarly feels the effects of seasonal rules and regulations on local grouper and snapper, and has had to find other sources as well as other fish. Since bringing in salmon for the first time in the 1980s, he now sells more than 100 pounds a week. He also sells corvina drum from the southeastern Pacific, sturgeon from the northern Pacific, and cobia, monkfish and pompano from Florida waters.

Things have changed so much since the decline of grouper and snapper hauls that some people have even experimented with baitfish. “I had a chef once request 25 pounds of finger mullet,” he says. “He fried them whole, like smelt.” Consumer demand for fried finger mullet never took off, however.

Adam Fortenberry, a chef at Le Clos, praises the virtues of the relatively unheralded tilefish, a flaky white fish that he says substitutes well for grouper, and which routinely sells out whenever it’s featured as a special. On a busy Saturday night, the

restaurant did brisk business offering a parmesan-crusted tilefish.

“We have it for only two or three weeks,” says Fortenberry, of the fish that comes from the deep, cold waters of the Atlantic.

As compared to red drums, which feed off muddy bottoms closer to shore, he says the tilefish has a cleaner taste. “When we have it, and do the parmesan-crusted special, I could sell 10 times as much tilefish as anything else on the menu.”

As the sustainability movement has spread to the seafood business, pressure on populations of wild-caught mainstays like grouper and snapper has helped propel the menu presence of varieties such as tilapia, catfish and salmon, which have proved successful in farming environments. For more adventurous eaters, however, farm-raised varieties may seem too pedestrian.

Enter the lionfish. Native to tropical waters in the Pacific and Indian oceans, it is an aggressively invasive species now wreaking havoc on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. Its colorful stripes and poisonous spines make the term “exotic species” particularly apt, and the fact that it has practically no natural predators here allows it to proliferate virtually unchecked.

There is one predator that may yet help bring its numbers under control. We’ll call it the “foodie.” Just as man’s voracious appetite for tuna and cod have decimated the populations of those once-ubiquitous fishes, so too could we reverse the fortunes of the lionfish swimming off Florida’s coast.

Eric Johnson, assistant professor of biology at the University of North Florida, has seen how consumer appetites affect fish populations, and is a fervent believer in the dining potential of lionfish. He has eaten it, says it’s delicious, and he agrees that consumers have the potential to drive demand high enough to have an appreciable impact on their populations.

“I’ve had it in ceviche, and fried whole, and it’s very good,” he says. “It’s not supposed to be here. So, you’re doing ecological good and eating a good dinner without taking a hit on flavor or quality.”

Johnson believes that most of us want to eat what’s good and what’s right, and if we understood the ecological effects of our choices, we would readily switch from grouper and snapper to alternate options like lionfish.

“People fall back on grouper because they don’t know these other fish, like lionfish, wahoo, cobia. They’re all delicious, but they’re unknown.” As for the perception that these are somehow lesser fish than the longtime menu staples, he says this could be turned around in just a meal or two. “Tilapia was once a garbage fish,” he says, “and then it became the new kid on the block.”

Mary Maguire mail@folioweekly.com MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 19

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Situated in Unity Plaza, Sbraga & Co. is among the finest places for a craft cocktail the burgeoning Brooklyn neighborhood sisters from County Limerick, Ireland, Culhane’s menu includes favorites like shepherd’s pie and corned beef. • $$ FB K R Sat. & Sun.; L Fri.-Sun.; D Tue.-Sun. D&LP SUBS 1409 Third St. S., 247-4700, dlpsubs.com This sub place in Jax Beach offers a variety of subs, gourmet salads, wings, pizzas with all the toppings, and pasta dinners. • $ K TO L D Daily DaVINCI’S PIZZA 469 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 241-2001, davincispizzabar.com The customers are loyal to the family-owned-and-operated pizzeria, which uses fresh, quality ingredients for its pies. Free beaches area delivery. • $$ BW TO L D Tue.-Sun. DELICOMB DELICATESSEN & ESPRESSO BAR 102 Sixth Ave. N., 372-4192, delicomb.com The folks at this newly relocated family-owned-and-operated deli make everything with natural and organic ingredients — no hydrogenated oils or high-fructose corn syrup. Granola, tuna salad, kimchi, wraps and spicy panini melts are part of the varied menu. Delicomb — just steps from the sand — uses coffees from Strongtree and George Howell Coffee Company. WiFi, too. • $ TO B L Tue.-Sun. DWIGHT’S MEDITERRANEAN BISTRO 1527 Penman Rd., 241-4496, dwightsbistro.com This small, cozy bistro next to Cinotti’s Bakery specializes in hand-rolled pasta and grilled vegetables. Owner and Chef Dwight DeLude, member of La Chaine des Rotisseurs, prepares meals in his exhibition kitchen and all dishes, including sea scallops and the popular crab cakes, include pasta and veggies. Reservations suggested. • $$$$ BW D Tue.-Sat. EL POTRO 1553 Third St. N., 241-6910, elpotrorestaurant.com Family-friendly and casual, and everything’s fresh and made-toorder. It’s a friendly place – there’s even a photo of an ICE agent on the wall! Daily specials and a buffet are featured at most locations.

• $ FB L D Daily ELEVEN SOUTH 216 11th Ave. S., 241-1112, elevensouth.com An elegant addition to the Jax Beach dining scene, Eleven South serves New American eclectic cuisine. In addition to a mesquite grill and courtyard dining, Eleven South offers a selection of fine wines. • $$$ FB L Tue.-Fri.; D Daily ENGINE 15 BREWING COMPANY 1500 Beach Blvd., Ste. 217, 249-2337, engine15.com This popular restaurant serves gastropub fare like soups, salads, flatbreads and specialty sandwiches, including BarBe-Cuban and beer dip. Craft beers, too – ask how you can sign up for brew groups. • $ FB K L Tue.-Sun.; D Nightly ESPETO BRAZILIAN STEAK HOUSE 1396 Beach Blvd., 388-4884, espetosteakhouse.com The churrascaria (Portuguese for steakhouse) is the only Brazilian steakhouse in town, with gauchos who carve the meat onto your plate from serving tables. Beef, pork, lamb, chicken and sausage, and a full menu and bar fare, craft cocktails, Brazilian beers. Also serving caipirinha, Brazil’s national drink, made with cachaça (sugar cane hard liquor), sugar and fruit, most commonly lime. Live music.

• $$$ FB D Daily EUROPEAN STREET CAFÉ 922 Beach Blvd., 249-3001, europeanstreet.com 2015 Best of Jax winner With more than 130 imported beers, and 20 on tap, European Street knows its beers and ales. The menu includes a classic Reuben and overstuffed sandwiches. Outside seating at some locations. • $ BW K L D Daily FIRST WATCH 544 Marsh Landing Pkwy., Ste. 4, 834-3789, firstwatch.com Breakfast is French toast, egg dishes, pancakes, sides. Lunch offers sandwiches and salads. • $ K B L Daily THE FISH COMPANY RESTAURANT 725 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 12, Atlantic Beach, 246-0123, thefishcojax.com Bite Club certified This restaurant and oyster bar in North Beach Center serves fresh local seafood including Mayport shrimp and oysters, crab and lobster. Patio seating is available and there’s an all-day HH every Sun.; Oyster Night specials are Tue. and Wed. • $$ FB K L D Daily

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FLYING IGUANA TAQUERIA & TEQUILA BAR 207 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 853-5680, flyingiguana.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This popular spot serves a fusion of Latin American and Southwestern-influenced fare, with tacos, seafood, carnitas, Cubana sandwiches and more. More than 100 tequilas are served. Outdoor seating available. Live music Thur.-Sun. • $ FB L D Daily FLY’S TIE IRISH PUB 177 Sailfish Dr. E., Atlantic Beach, 246-4293 The Sunday brunch menu features variations on corned beef hash, black and white puddings, bangers and mash. Dinner served on some Friday nights. • $$ FB TO R Sun. GUSTO 1266 Beach Blvd., 372-9925, gustojax.com Classic Old World Roman cuisine means an extensive Italian menu: homestyle pasta, a variety of beef, chicken and fish delicacies all made in an open pizza-tossing kitchen. Reservations encouraged.

Live music. • $$ FB TO D Nightly HAPPY CUP FROZEN YOGURT 299 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 2, Atlantic Beach, 372-4059, myhappycup.com Self-serve frozen yogurt made with organic ingredients and flavored with real fruit, crowned with favorites from the toppings bar. • $ TO Daily HARMONIOUS MONKS 320 First St. N., 372-0815, harmoniousmonks.net See Mandarin.

HOPTINGER BIER GARDEN & SAUSAGE HOUSE 333 First St. N., 222-0796, hoptinger.com A modern “Baverican” bier garden with 62 taps flowing craft beers, as well as creative liquor libations. The menu features sausage dogs, burgers, handhelds and more somewhat Bavarian-inspired gastropub fare. • $$ FB TO L D Daily HOT DOG HUT 1439 Third St. S., 247-3641, hotdoghut.net This spot serves a vast selection of dogs and sausages, and a variety of toppings, as well as hamburgers, beer-battered onion rings and seasoned French fries. • $ BW TO B L Daily HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS 628 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 6, Neptune Beach, 247-3031 See Baymeadows.

ICHIBAN JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 675 Third St. N., 247-4688 Three distinct dining areas: teppan or hibachi tables, where you watch the chef prepare your food; the sushi bar; and Western-style seating with a menu of tempura and teriyaki dishes. Japanese plum wine is served. • $$ FB K L D Daily 30 Ocean Blvd., Beaches Town Center, Atlantic Beach, 270-1122, josephsitalian.com For nearly 60 years, Joseph’s has been family-owned-and-operated.

In addition to hot pasta dishes, gourmet pizzas and veal entrées, Joseph’s has an extensive beer and wine selection. Open Mon. from Memorial Day to Labor Day at the beach. • $$ BW TO L D Daily KAMIYA 86 1286 Third St. S., Jax Beach, 853-6602 This place features new Asian fusion cuisine, sushi – takka don, octopus, red clam, eel – and Thai dishes, like panang curry. Noodle and rice dishes. • $$ FB TO L D Daily LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 1222 Third St. S., 372-4495 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 657 Third St. N., 247-9620 See Orange Park.

THE LOOP PIZZA GRILL 211 Third St., Neptune Beach, 241-8476, looppizzagrill.com The Loop has been serving made-to-order pizza, wraps, fire-grilled items and truly great burgers for more than 30 years. It started here and now there are nine locally, 13 overall. One NB lifeguard we know just lives for the vanilla milkshakes. • $ BW K TO L D Daily THE LOVING CUP HASH HOUSE 610 Third St. S., 422-0664 This place offers locally sourced fare, locally roasted coffee, glutenfree, vegan, vegetarian, healthful and un-healthful dishes – no GMOs or hormones allowed. • $ K TO B R L Tue.-Sun.

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The Savory Market, located in Yulee, specializes in farm fresh organic produce both on their shelves and in their cuisine.

LYNCH’S IRISH PUB 514 N. First St., 249-5181, lynchirishpub.com 2015 Best of Jax winner A Beaches landmark, Lynch’s serves a fresh green menu: corned beef and cabbage, shepherd’s pie, and fish and chips. All day Irish breakfast, too. There are 50 imported and domestic draft beers on tap, plus beer flights. Live music nightly. • $$ FB L D Daily MARLIN MOON GRILLE 1183 Beach Blvd., 372-4438, marlinmoongrille.com The sportfishing themed restaurant has fresh crab cakes – owner Gary Beach’s from Maryland’s Eastern Shore – and burgers, daily specials, craft beers, Orange Crushes and fresh-cut fries. Lots of TVs to watch all the Maryland teams, too. • $$ FB K TO R Sun.; D Wed.-Mon. MELLOW MUSHROOM PIZZA BAKERS 1018 Third St. N., Ste. 2, 241-5600, mellowmushroom.com Bite Club certified 2015 Best of Jax winner This psychedelic spot serves gourmet pizzas, hoagies and salads.

Pies range from the Mighty Meaty to vegetarian pizzas like the Kosmic Karma. Mellow Mushroom offers 35 beers on tap and a full bar. HH all day, every day. Live music some locations. • $ BW K TO L D Daily METRO DINER 1534 Third St. N., 853-6817 2015 Best of Jax winner See San Marco.

MEZZA RESTAURANT & BAR 110 First St., Neptune Beach, 249-5573, mezzarestaurantandbar.com This near-the-ocean eatery (in Beaches Town Center) has been around more than 20 years, serving casual bistro fare like gourmet wood-fired pizzas to nightly specials. Dine indoors or out on the patio. Musical HH Tue. and Thur. Valet parking. • $$$ FB K D Mon.-Sat. MILANO’S RESTAURANT, PIZZA & BAR 1504 Third St. N., 339-0909 See Intracoastal.

MOJO KITCHEN BBQ PIT & BLUES BAR 1500 Beach Blvd., 247-6636, mojobbq.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This Southern blues kitchen offers pulled pork and Carolina-style barbecue along with Delta fried catfish. Live national and local blues acts perform. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily MONKEY’S UNCLE TAVERN 1728 N. Third St., 246-1070, monkeysuncletavern.com Newly relocated and ready to go! For more than 25 years, Monkey’s Uncle has served pub grub, including burgers, sandwiches, seafood and wings. Dine inside or out on the deck. Karaoke Wed., Sat. & Sun. • FB TO L D Daily M SHACK 299 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 241-2599, mshackburgers.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Brothers David and Matthew Medure are flippin’ burgers, hot dogs, fries, shakes and more familiar fare at moderate prices. Dine indoors or outside for great people-watching at Beaches Town Center. On April 28, order a burger at any M Shack location during the second annual Pay It Forward Day campaign: Eat a Burger. Give a Burger. Nourish a Soul. • $$ BW L D Daily NATIVE SUN NATURAL FOODS MARKET & DELI 1585 Third St. N., 458-1390 See Baymeadows.

NORTH BEACH BISTRO 725 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 6, Atlantic Beach, 372-4105, nbbistro.com Bite Club certified This casual neighborhood eatery serves hand-cut steaks, fresh seafood and a tapas menu. An extensive wine list and HH are offered. Live music. $$$ FB K R Sun.; L Tue.-Sun.; D Nightly NORTH BEACH FISH CAMP 100 First St., Neptune Beach, 249-3474, thenorthbeachfishcamp.com Ben and Liza Groshell bring their Palm Valley Fish Camp vibe smack dab in the middle of the Beaches Town Center, with a roof-top bar and ocean view. Fresh, creative Southern fare, fresh seafood, and bread pudding. • $$ L Wed.-Sun.; D Nightly OCEAN 60 RESTAURANT, WINE BAR & MARTINI ROOM 60 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 247-0060, ocean60.com

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Continental cuisine, fresh seafood, nightly dinner specials and a seasonal menu in a formal dining room or the more casual Martini Room. Local artists are featured, along with live Latin and blues. • $$$ FB D Mon.-Sat. OCEAN GRILLE & BAR 333 First St. N., Jax Beach, 595-5965, oceangrille.net This spot serves modern American fare, featuring fresh seafood, steaks and wraps. Live music and outdoor oceanfront dining complete the casual upscale experience. • $$ BW K R, Sun.; L D Daily OHANA HAWAIIAN SHAVED ICE 469 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 12, Atlantic Beach, 249-0555 Delicately shaved ice is served in 52 flavors, made without corn syrup, some without sugar. There are also crab cakes sandwiches and salads with mango salsa. • $ TO Tue.-Sun. PHILLY’S FINEST CHEESESTEAKS & PIZZA 1527 N. Third St., 241-7188, phillys-finest.com This casual restaurant serves authentic Philly cheesesteaks made with Amoroso’s bread and steaks flown in direct from Philadelphia.

The Ice Bar features a wide selection of beer. • $ BW L D Daily THE PIER CANTINA & SANDBAR 412 N. First St., 246-6454, thepierjax.com The casual oceanfront restaurant offers a Mexican-influenced menu.

Downstairs in the Sandbar, there’s live music Tue.-Sun. Dine indoors or on the oceanfront patio. HH Mon.-Fri. • $$$ FB L D Daily THE PITA PIT 500 Third St. N., 685-4567 See Fleming Island.

POE’S TAVERN 363 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 241-7637, poestavern.com Named for Baltimore’s own macabre poet Edgar Allan Poe, the American gastropub has 50-plus beers, gourmet hamburgers, ground in-house and cooked to order, along with hand-cut French fries, fish tacos, entrée-size salads, Edgar’s Drunken Chili and a daily fish sandwich special. • $$ FB K L D Daily RAGTIME TAVERN & SEAFOOD GRILL 207 Atlantic Blvd., Beaches Town Center, Atlantic Beach, 2417877, ragtimetavern.com In business for 30 years, this seafood restaurant has scored several awards in our Best of Jax readers poll. Menu items include blackened snapper, sesame tuna and the Ragtime shrimp. There’s a daily HH and live music Wed.-Sun. • $$ FB L D Daily ROYAL PALM VILLAGE WINE & TAPAS 296 Royal Palms Dr., Atlantic Beach, 372-0052, royalpalmwines.com Locally owned and operated, this retail and restaurant spot offers more than 1, 200 bottles of fine wine, 200 bottles of beer and 15 rotating microbrewed draft beers to pair with the chef’s creative tapas. • $$ BW D Mon.-Sat. ROY’S HAWAIIAN FUSION CUISINE 2400 S. Third St., Ste. 101, 241-7697 High-end dining with friendly aloha service, Roy’s serves Hawaiian fusion with Asian aromatics using fresh local ingredients, European sauces and bold Asian spices. • $$$$ FB K D Nightly SAFE HARBOR SEAFOOD MARKET & RESTAURANT 4378 Ocean St., Mayport Village, 246-4911, safeharborseafoodmayport.com 2015 Best of Jax winner No doubt the seafood’s fresh – boats unload at the dock. What Safe Harbor sells in the market – shrimp, oysters, clams and scallops – they’ll cook to order. Dine inside or on the dock overlooking the confluence of the St. Johns River and the Atlantic Ocean. • $$ BW TO L D Tue.-Sun. SALA PHAD THAI 1716 Third St. N., 246-7490 The family-owned-and-operated Thai place has extensive menus, with spring rolls, fried squid, beef with oyster sauce and a variety of curried dishes. Vegan-friendly: bean curd delight, noodles and veggies. • $$ TO L D Daily SALT LIFE FOOD SHACK 1018 Third St. N., 372-4456, saltlifefoodshack.com Salt Life offers a wide array of specialty menu items, including the signature tuna poke bowl, fresh rolled sushi, Ensenada tacos and local fried shrimp, served in a contemporary open-air space. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily SEAFOOD KITCHEN 31 Royal Palms Dr., Atlantic Beach, 241-8470 Serving seafood in Atlantic Beach for more than 20 years, Seafood

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appetizers and cigars. Live music Fri.-Sun. and wine tastings are offered. • $ BW D Nightly WIPEOUTS GRILL 1585 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 247-4508, wipeoutsgrill.info This casual, beachy sports place serves burgers, wings, fish tacos and plenty of cold beer – wine, too – in a relaxing atmosphere. • $ FB K TO R, Sun.; L D Daily YOBE FROZEN YOGURT 544 Marsh Landing Pkwy., Ste. 1, 280-9652, myyobe.com 309 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 246-0080 Choose from 30-plus flavors of fat-free frozen yogurt and nine kinds of smoothies, made with lowfat milk and no artificial sweeteners.

Toppings: fresh fruit, nuts, granola, cereal, chocolate, sprinkles. • $ TO Daily ZETA BREWING 131 First Ave. N., 372-0727, zetabrewing.com Tapas and sharing plates, flats, salads, sandwiches, burgers. Latenight upscale urban fusion. • $$ FB L D Daily

DOWNTOWN

Il Desco’s family-oriented menu makes it a unique destination in Riverside for Italian fare.

Kitchen offers reasonable meals in a no-frills atmosphere. The emphasis is on fresh local seafood prepared to order, with a variety of dishes served. • $ BW TO L D Daily THE SECRET GARDEN CAFÉ 798 S. Third St., 372-0915, secretgardencafe.net See Southside.

THE SHIM SHAM ROOM 333 First St. N., Ste. 150, 372-0781, shimshamroom.com This joint in the entertainment district offers a seasonal menu of “cheap eats”: tasty bar bites like chicken and waffles, badass fries and tacos. Live music. • $$ FB D Nightly SINGLETON’S SEAFOOD SHACK 4728 Ocean St., Mayport Village, 246-4442 Just steps from the Mayport ferry, the ramshackle haunt has been serving seafood to locals and Navy men and women since the ’60s.

Customer favorites include fried shrimp dinner and blackened or grilled fish. Dine inside or on the enclosed porch right on the St. Johns River – literally. • $ FB K TO L D Daily SLIDERS SEAFOOD GRILLE & OYSTER BAR 218 First St., Beaches Town Center, Neptune Beach, 246-0881, slidersseafoodgrille.com Beach-casual atmosphere for lovers of fresh fish. Customer favorites include fish tacos and gumbo. The dessert menu features Key lime pie and homemade ice cream sandwiches. • $$ FB K L Sat. & Sun.; D Nightly SNEAKERS SPORTS GRILLE 111 Beach Blvd., 482-1000, sneakerssportsgrille.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Sneakers offers a full bar (with more than 20 beers on tap), TV screens covering entire walls and cheerleaders serving the food. HH Mon.-Fri. • $ FB K L D Daiy SUN DELI 1011 S. Third St., 270-1040, sundelisubs.com Traditional subs like Reubens, triple-decker and chicken club, as well as build-your-own from corned beef, salami, pastrami, turkey and liverwurst. Signature subs include the Radical Side (tuna salad, egg salad, American cheese, lettuce, tomato) or 9.0 (Philly-style steak, American cheese, bacon, pepperoni, blackened seasoning). • $ TO L Mon.-Sat. SURFING SOMBRERO 221 First St. N., Jax Beach, 834-9377 This place serves a substantial menu of authentic items diners can enjoy gazing at the Atlantic Ocean — like paella. Drink specials.

Dine inside or out. • $ FB L D Daily TACOLU BAJA MEXICANA 1712 Beach Blvd., 249-8226, tacolu.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Fresh, Baja-style fare with a focus on fish tacos, tequila (more than 135) and mezcal (20 and counting). Highlights include bangin’ shrimp, carne asada and carnitas; daily fresh fish selections. • $$ FB K R Sat. & Sun.; L D Tue.-Fri. TAMA’S SUSHI RESTAURANT 106 First St., Beaches Town Center, Neptune Beach, 241-0099, tamasushi.com The casual spot has a full sushi bar, and tempura, teriyaki and katsu dishes. Sake is served. • $ BW D Tue.-Sun. TOMO JAPANESE CUISINE & ART 1253 Penman Rd., 372-4369, tomojapanesejacksonville.com Fresh, authentic, upscale Japanese cuisine – it’s Japanese-owned.

Fresh handmade sushi, hibachi grill items and homemade-style dishes. • $$ FB K D Nightly UGLY CUPCAKE MUFFINRY & CAFE 115 Fifth Ave. S., 339-5214, theuglycupcakemuffinry.com Sweet, and savory giant muffins, breakfast and lunch made from organic, locally sourced ingredients are served at this charming place by the sea. Outside seating available. • $$ TO B L Daily V PIZZA 528 First St. N., 853-6633, vpizza.com This new place specializes in the art of traditional pizza Neapolitana, a rare class of artisan pizza from Naples — Italy, silly, not Florida. • $$ FB TO L D Daily THE WINE BAR 320 N. First St., 372-0211, thewinebar.us The casual neighborhood wine bar has a wide variety of wine, beer,

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(Jacksonville Landing venues are at 2 Independent Drive) AKEL’S DELICATESSEN 50 N. Laura St., Ste. 125, 665-7324, akelsdeli.com The New York-style deli offers freshly made fare — create from the extensive menu, or order a specialty sandwich: subs (Three Wise Guys, Champ, The Godfather), burgers, gyros, wraps, sides, desserts and vegetarian dishes. There’s a full breakfast menu, too. • $ TO B L Mon.-Fri. THE AMERICAN GRILL Jacksonville Landing, Ste. 201, 353-7522 Traditional fare; chicken pot pie is a favorite. Burgers, steaks, ribs, pizza, pasta dishes, sandwiches, and vegetarian items complete the menu. • $$ FB L D Daily THE ATRIUM CAFÉ 1 Independent Dr., Ste. 110, 634-1811, atriumcafe.net Located at Independent Square, Atrium Café features hot entrées and traditional sandwiches, including a buffalo chicken sandwich.

Dine outside, inside or take it to go. • $ TO B L Mon.-Fri. BIG PETE’S OLD STYLE PIZZERIA 118 N. Julia St., 356-2680, bigpetes.net Everything from scratch, including pizza, calzones, baked ziti and wraps. Barbecue, too. • $$ TO L D Mon.-Fri. BURRITO GALLERY & BAR 21 E. Adams St., 598-2922 2015 Best of Jax winner Popular Burrito Gallery serves Southwestern cuisine with an emphasis on innovative burritos, including ginger teriyaki tofu and beef barbacoa, as well as wraps and tacos. Local art is displayed, and live music or DJs are on the back deck during Art Walk and other special events. The Gallery’s kid sister Burrito Express is mostly take-out, featuring the same great chow and fast service. $ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat. THE CANDY APPLE CAFÉ & COCKTAILS 400 N. Hogan St., 353-9717, thecandyapplecafe.com Enjoy delightful and hands-on fare inspired by the best in confections, which you can score right next door at Sweet Pete’s.

Sandwiches, entrées, salads. • $$ FB K L, Mon.; L D Tue.-Sun. CASA DORA 108 E. Forsyth St., 356-8282, casadoraitalian.com Chef Sam Hassan has been serving genuine Italian fare to Jacksonville for 40 years with dishes like veal, seafood and gourmet pizza. The homemade salad dressing is a specialty. • $$ BW K L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. CHAMBLIN’S UPTOWN 215 N. Laura St., 674-0870, chamblinbookmine.com Breakfast sandwiches made with fresh Healthy Bagel bagels and croissants, unique lunch wraps, coffees, homemade soups, salads, desserts, weekly specials. Vegan/vegetarian fare, too. • $ BW TO B L Daily CHOMP CHOMP 106 E. Adams St., 762-4667 This spot has eats at moderate prices – most less than $10.

Chef-inspired street food includes panko-crusted chicken, burgers, chinois tacos, bahn mi and barbecue. • $ L Tue.-Fri.; D Thur.-Sat. DE REAL TING CAFÉ 128 W. Adams St., 633-9738 This Caribbean restaurant features jerk or curried chicken, conch fritters and curried goat and oxtail. • $ FB TO L Tue.-Fri.; D Fri. & Sat. FIONN MacCOOL’S IRISH PUB & RESTAURANT Jacksonville Landing, Ste. 176, 374-1547, fionnmacs.com This pub offers casual dining with an uptown Irish atmosphere, serving fish and chips, Guinness lamb stew and black-and-tan brownies. Live music is featured daily. And now there’s a new calendar — we like March.• $$ FB K L D Daily FRED COTTEN’S LANDMARK BBQ 2623 N. Main St., 634-7571 See Arlington.

INDOCHINE 21 E. Adams St., Ste. 200, 598-5303, indochinejax.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Thai and Southeast Asian cuisine in the urban core. Signature dishes include chicken Satay, soft shell crab, and mango and sticky rice for dessert. • $$ FB TO L D Mon.-Fri.; D Tue.-Sat. JENKINS QUALITY BARBECUE 830 N. Pearl St., 353-6388, jenkinsqualitybarbecue.com For nearly 60 years now, family-owned Jenkins Quality Barbecue has served some of the best down-home barbecue around. Slather sauce on a whole smoky chicken or a basket of crinkle-cut French fries. Convenient drive-thru. • $ TO L D Daily THE MAGNIFICAT CAFE 231 N. Laura St., 353-3588, themagnificat.net On Hemming Plaza, this French-style café serves French onion soup, quiche Lorraine, sandwiches and fresh fruit salad. Freshly baked breads, too. Dine indoors or out on the covered patio. • $$ TO B L Mon.-Sat. OLIO MARKET 301 E. Bay St., 356-7100, oliomarket.com A foodie favorite, Olio serves made-from-scratch soups, salads and sandwiches. They even cure their own bacon and pickle their own pickles. It’s home to the duck grilled cheese, seen on Travel Channel’s Best Sandwich in America. Open late during every First Wednesday Art Walk.• $$ BW TO B R L Mon.-Fri.

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A toast to the German monks who invented doppelbock

FORTY DAYS OF

BEER

FROM ASH WEDNESDAY TO EASTER SUNDAY, many Christian denominations participate in the Lenten season, to commemorate the Biblical story of the 40 days and nights Jesus Christ spent in the wilderness, being tempted over and over by the Devil as he fasted and prayed. Lent is observed the world over by those who have devoted their lives in service to their Lord.

Right about now, you’re wondering what this has to do with beer.

The German Paulaner monks at Cloister Neudeck ob der Au in Munich practiced their Lenten fasting so seriously, they partook of no solid food during the holy time. Proving necessity is the mother of invention, they brewed beer — which they called liquid bread — to sustain them through the long season.

Over the centuries, the brew they created has transitioned through several names, including Fastenbier and Starkbier, and today it’s widely known as Doppelbock. According to the Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines, this brew should be very rich and malty, with a touch of chocolate, but still crisp and smooth. Doppelbock, which translates to double bock, is typically high in alcohol with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 7 to 12 percent. Consuming the higher alcohol content iterations, drinkers may notice a mild burn.

This classic Bavarian style has a long and checkered history. Depending on which documents you believe, the style was invented sometime between 1630 and 1670. Being men of the cloth, the monastic brothers were not sure they should be indulging in such an intoxicating, delicious brew during Lent. So they sought guidance from their earthly leader, the Holy Father himself, in Rome.

The monks dispatched a keg of their brew to The Vatican, but because the journey was long and wound through the Alps and the hot plains of Italy, the beer was warmed in the sun and shaken on the road, less than ideal storage conditions. When it arrived in Rome, it was hardly fit for papal consumption. The pope took one taste and decided that such a vile brew was a fitting beverage for a time 26 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

when the monks were supposed to be denying themselves earthly pleasures.

The monks eventually named their brew Salvator, after the Savior. In deference to that original brew, when imitators began making their own versions, most had an “ator” ending to the appellation of their choice.

Monks are not the only ones to have used the brew as a means of nourishment during the period of denial and penance. A few years ago, beer blogger and homebrewer J. Wilson approached an Iowa brewery and asked it to create a doppelbock just for him.

His goal was to imitate the Paulaner monks and go on a liquid diet for the entire Lenten season. Wilson drank four beers on weekdays and five on weekends, along with water, and ate nothing during his fast. At the end of his Lenten observance, he was 25 pounds lighter and reporting few ill effects. However, in an interview for Men’s Health Magazine, Wilson said he would not recommend the diet as a healthful way to lose weight.

The proof is in the taste. Try these dopplebocks: SPATEN OPTIMATOR Deep, dark color and rich, roasted malt flavor.

At 7.5 percent ABV, Optimator pairs well with a wide variety of food.

AYINGER CELEBRATOR Rich and dark, Celebrator features malt complexity balanced by elegant hops. Flavors to expect from this brew include toffee, caramel and dark-malt roast. At 6.7 percent ABV, it’s milder than many dopplebocks.

ABITA ANDYGATOR An American doppelbock is in the Nawlins swamps. Andygator is specifically fermented to have a dry finish, with a slightly sweet flavor and subtle fruit aroma. At 8 percent ABV, it’s rather potent, pairing well with fried food and pungent cheeses.

Marc Wisdom marc@folioweekly.com

PHO A NOODLE BAR 117 W. Adams St., 353-0320, indochinejax.com Authentic Vietnamese and Thai dishes: egg rolls, pot stickers. Pho bowls: standard, vegan, pho tom yum, sukiyaki and kelp noodle substitute. Boba, teas, coffee. • $ L Mon.-Fri.; D Wed.-Sat. SWEET PETE’S 400 N. Hogan St., 376-7161, sweetpetescandy.com This all-natural sweet shop offers features candy and other treats made the old-fashioned way: all natural flavors, no artificial anything. Choose from candies and natural products, including several kinds of honey. Candy making classes, too. • $ TO Daily URBAN GRIND COFFEE COMPANY 45 W. Bay St., Ste. 102, 866-395-3954, 516-7799, urbangrindcoffee.com 50 W. Laura St., 866-395-3954, 516-7799 Urban Grind offers a variety of locally roasted whole bean brewed coffee, espresso drinks, smoothies, fresh pastries and bagels with homemade cream cheeses. Lunch includes chicken salad (best ever) and tuna salads and sandwiches. Free Wi-Fi. • $ B L Mon.-Fri. URBAN GRIND EXPRESS 50 W. Laura St., 516-7799 See above.

ZODIAC BAR & GRILL 120 W. Adams St., 354-8283, thezodiacbarandgrill.com Since 2000, Zodiac’s been serving Mediterranean cuisine and American favorites in a casual atmosphere, plus panini and vegetarian dishes. The daily lunch buffet is a downtown favorite.

Espressos and hookahs are available. HH Wed.-Sat. There’s live music on Fri. • $ FB L Mon.-Fri

FLEMING ISLAND

BRICK OVEN PIZZERIA & GASTROPUB 1811 Town Center Blvd., 278-1770, brickovengastropub.com Family-owned-and-operated, this spot offers freshly made brickoven pizzas, specialty burgers, melts and wraps. Craft beers and gluten-free items. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily FIVE GUYS FAMOUS BURGERS & FRIES 1605 C.R. 220, Ste. 130, 592-4896 2015 Best of Jax winner See Orange Park.

GRASSROOTS NATURAL MARKET 1915 East-West Parkway, 541-0009 2015 Best of Jax winner See Riverside.

JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS 1647 C.R. 220, Ste. 102, 264-0022 See San Marco.

MELLOW MUSHROOM PIZZA BAKERS 1800 Town Center Blvd., 541-1999 Bite Club certified 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

MERCURY MOON GRILL & BAR 2015 C.R. 220, 215-8999 Mercury Moon serves a variety of burgers and wings and signature sandwiches, including Philly cheesesteak, fried fish sandwich and the half-pound Moon burger. Live music. • $ FB D Nightly MOJO SMOKEHOUSE 1810 Town Center Blvd., Ste. 8, 264-0636, mojobbq.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Southern smokehouse offers pulled pork, Carolina-style barbecue and Delta fried catfish. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily MR. CHUBBY’S WINGS 2349 Village Square Pkwy., Ste. 101, 272-9464, mrchubbyswings.com Apps, salads, wraps, burgers and … wings. served in various quantities: platters, by pieces — sauce flavors include barbecue, jerk, blue cheese, smokey garlic, sweet & sour, maple Cajun and more. Boneless wings, too. Food and drink specials; live music.• $ FB K TO L D Daily THE PITA PIT 1810 Town Center Blvd., Ste. 5, 579-4930 The upbeat place serves breakfast, lunch and dinner all day. All of the fresh ingredients are available in a pita or a salad. All-natural smoothies are also served. • $ TO B L D Daily TAPS BAR & GRILL 1605 C.R. 220, Ste. 145, 278-9421, tapspublichouse.com This restaurant offers more than 50 premium domestic and imported beers on tap along with a full bar. The menu features starters, burgers, sandwiches, entrees and a kids’ selection, all prepared to order with fresh ingredients. Lots of TVs for watching sports. • $$ FB K L D Daily TIJUANA FLATS 1647 C.R. 220, 264-1766 See Baymeadows.

WHITEY’S FISH CAMP 2032 C.R. 220, 269-4198, whiteysfishcamp.com This authentic fish camp serves gator tail and fresh-water river catfish, as well as traditional meals and daily specials on the banks of Swimming Pen Creek. Whitey’s features an outdoor Tiki bar and live music Wed.-Sun. Come by boat, motorcycle or car. • $ FB K TO L Tue.-Sun.; D Nightly YOUR PIE 1545 C.R. 220, Ste. 125, 379-9771, yourpie.com Owner Mike Sims has a fast, casual pizza concept: Choose from three doughs, nine sauces, seven cheeses and 40-plus toppings and create their own pizza pie. Then stick it in a hot brick oven for just five minutes and ta-da: It’s your pie. Subs, sandwiches and gelato, too. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily

INTRACOASTAL WEST

AL’S PIZZA 14286 Beach Blvd., Ste. 31 (at San Pablo), 223-0991 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

BITTER SWEET BAKERY & EATERY 14286 Beach Blvd., Ste. 29, 223-0457 Traditional desserts just like Grandma’s, with a modern twist, are featured here, along with sandwiches wrapped in butcher paper and tied with twine. Ah, the good old days. Plus breakfast items to-go. • $$ TO B L Tue.-Sun. BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 3303 San Pablo Rd. S., 223-1391 See Northside.

BRUCCI’S PIZZA, PASTA, PANINIS 13500 Beach Blvd., Ste. 36, 223-6913, bruccispizza.com Brucci’s offers authentic New York-style pizza, Italian pastas and

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The newly-opened Patio Place, so named for its spacious and comfortable patio, specializes in savory and sweet crepes, as well as beer and wine. desserts in a family atmosphere. HH Mon.-Fri. • $ BW K TO L Mon.Sat.; D Nightly CASTILLO DE MEXICO 12620 Beach Blvd., Ste. 19, 998-7006, castillodemexico.net Castillo de Mexico, in business for more than 16 years, offers an extensive menu served in authentic Mexican décor. Weekday lunch buffet. • $$ FB L D Daily CLIFF’S ROCKIN BAR-N-GRILL 3033 Monument Rd., Ste. 2, 645-5162 Cliff’s features 8-ounce burgers, wings, seafood, homemade pizza and daily specials, including the weekend handcut 12-ounce New York strip. Weekday HH. There’s music every night. Smoking is permitted. • $$ FB TO L D daily COPPER TAP HOUSE 13500 Beach Blvd., 647-6595 Regional craft cuisine and beers, live music Fri. and Sat., brunch Sat. and Sun., trivia, beer flights – Copper Tap has it all. HH daily. • $$ FB K TO D Daily DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 14286 Beach Blvd., Ste. 32, 223-0115 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

EL RANCHITO 14333 Beach Blvd., Ste. 22, 992-4607 This restaurant features Latin American cuisine, including dishes from Colombia, Cuba and Mexico. Closed Tuesdays. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily EPIK BURGER 12740 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 105, 374-7326, epikburger.com More than 35 chef-inspired gourmet burgers made from quality grass-fed beef, bison, chicken and tuna plus gluten-free options are available. The go-to burger is the Epikurean (it won 2015’s Burgers & Brew prize), topped with Maytag bleu cheese mousse, blackberry jam, parmesan, Panetta, mushrooms and balsamic mayonnaise.

Sides, milkshakes, too.• $ BW K TO L D Mon.-Sat. FIVE GUYS FAMOUS BURGERS & FRIES 3267 Hodges Blvd., Ste. 6, 992-4680 2015 Best of Jax winner See Orange Park.

GUMBO YAYA’S 14333 Beach Blvd., Ste. 101, 223-0202, gumboyayas.com New Orleans/Cajun fare features gumbo (obvee, right?), po’boys, muffuletta, etouffée, jambalaya, shrimp, oysters, catfish. Daily specials and weekend low country boils, too. There’s a new climatecontrolled patio for outdoor dining. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily JIMMY HULA’S 13170 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 63, 220-9001, jimmyhulas.com Beach-themed place serves fish tacos and burgers, craft beers and wines. • $ BW K TO L D Daily LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 14333 Beach Blvd., Ste. 39, 992-1666 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 10750 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 14, 642-6980 See Orange Park.

MAHARLIKA HALL & SPORTS GRILL 14255 Beach Blvd., Ste. E, 992-1112, maharlika.mayumibeats.com The Filipino-American restaurant and market features pancit bami, lumpia, turon strudel and halo halo with ice cream. • $-$$ FB K R L D Daily MAMA MIA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA 12220 Atlantic Blvd., 221-1122, mamammiasjax.com Mama Mia’s offers casual dining, with lunchtime specials. The menu includes veal, seafood dishes, and New York-style and big-crust Sicilian-style pizzas. Free delivery is available. • $ BW L D Tue.-Sun. MAMBOS CUBAN CAFE & PIZZERIA 13770 Beach Blvd., Ste. 9, 374-2046, mamboscubancafe.com Authentic Cuban cuisine and cocktails, including ropa vieja, bistec, pollo, picadillo and lechon asada and mojitos. The Cuban sandwich is a customer favorite. DJs spin Latin music every Fri.-Sat. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily MARKER 32 14549 Beach Blvd., 223-1534, marker32.com Established in 1992, with an ICW panoramic view, Marker 32 offers an innovative American eclectic menu, featuring fresh, local seafood served overlooking the ICW. Customer favorites include shrimp and

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Andouille fettuccini, herb-grilled local fish with hoppin john and basil pesto rice, broiled oysters and yellow fin tuna poke. • $$$ FB K D Nightly MILANO’S RESTAURANT, PIZZA & BAR 12620 Beach Blvd., Ste. 21, 646-9119, mymilanospizza.com The casual, family-owned restaurant and pizzeria serves homestyle Italian fare, like thin-crust New York-style pizzas, veal and baked dishes. Daily delivery service. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily MR. CHAN ASIAN CUISINE 13947 Beach Blvd., 992-1388, mrchanasiancuisine.com Mr. Chan offers a variety of Pan-Asian fare, chef’s specialties including a classic spicy-cabbage kimchi, as well as traditional dishes. • $$ L, Wed.-Sun.; D Tue.-Sun. MVP’S SPORTS GRILLE 12777 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 5, 221-1090 Wings and burgers in a sporty spot. Free pool and trivia are featured on Mon., Texas Hold ’Em is on Sun. and Tue., Karaoke is held every Thur., a DJ spins every Wed., Fri.-Sat. Sports on 22 TVs. • $ FB L D Daily MY MOCHI FROZEN YOGURT 13546 Beach Blvd., Ste. 1A, 821-9880 See St. Johns Town Center.

OCEANA DINER 13799 Beach Blvd., Ste. 3, 374-1915 Traditional American diner fare served in a family atmosphere. • $ K TO B L Daily ORANGE TREE 13000 Beach Blvd., Ste. 43, 551-3661, orangetreehotdogs.com Serving hot dogs and freshly made personal size pizzas since 1968, this spot also offers Hershey’s ice cream and milkshakes. • $ K TO L D Daily THE POTTERS HOUSE SOUL FOOD BISTRO II 11876 Atlantic Blvd., 394-2801, thesoulfoodbistro.com 2015 Best of Jax winner See Riverside.

SID & LINDA’S SEAFOOD MARKET & RESTAURANT 12220 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 109, 503-8276 This fresh seafood market and restaurant lets you pick your actual whole fish, have it cleaned, filleted and cooked to order, to dine in or take out. Housemade sauces are featured. • $$ K TO L D Daily SIENA’S AUTHENTIC ITALIAN CUISINE 13170 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 26, 220-9192, sienasjax.com The varied menu offers Italian cuisine including lasagna, calzones and stuffed shells, as well as pizza and wraps. Live music is also presented. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily THE HOOKAH LOUNGE 12041 Beach Blvd., Ste. 4, 551-2962, thetenthookahlounge.com Authentic fare features falafel, kibbeh, musabhaha and baklava.

Hookahs and flavored tobacco, Arabic coffees, specials and live belly dancing and floor seating, in keeping with that authenticity thing.

Open late. • $ BW L D Daily THAI ORCHID 12620 Beach Blvd., Ste. 4, 683-1286, thairestaurantjacksonville.com The restaurant serves authentic Thai cuisine made with fresh ingredients, including pad Thai, Thai curry dishes and rice dishes. • $$ BW L Mon.-Sat.; D Nighty TIME OUT SPORTS GRILL 13799 Beach Blvd., Ste. 5, 223-6999, timeoutsportsgrill.com This locally-owned-and-operated grill serves hand-tossed pizzas, wings and specialty wraps in a clean, sporty atmosphere. Daily drink specials, tons of HD TVs, pool tables, darts and trivia. A late-night menu is offered. • $$ FB L Tue.-Sun.; D Nightly XTREME WINGS 12220 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 108, 220-9464 This family sports grill has TVs airing UFC, NFL MLB and college games, and there’s games and pool tables. There’s food, too: wings (try the Pit Road), burgers, sandwiches and wraps. • $ FB K TO L D Daily

MANDARIN, JULINGTON, ST. JOHNS AKEL’S DELICATESSEN 12926 Gran Bay Pkwy. W., 880-2008 See Downtown.

AL’S PIZZA 11190 San Jose Blvd., 260-4115 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

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ATHENS CAFÉ 6271 St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 7, 733-1199, athenscafejax.com From the dolmades (stuffed grape leaves) to the baby shoes (stuffed eggplant), Athens has all the favorites, including Greek beers. • $$ BW L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. AW SHUCKS 9743 Old St. Augustine Rd., 240-0368, awshucksjax.com This seafood place features an oyster bar, steaks, seafood, wings and pasta. Favorites are ahi tuna, shrimp & grits, oysters Rockefeller, pitas and kabobs. Sweet potato puffs are the signature side. • $$ FB K L D Daily BEACH DINER 11362 San Jose Blvd., 683-0079 See Beaches.

BLACKSTONE GRILLE 112 Bartram Oaks Walk, Ste. 102, 287-0766, blackstonegrille.com Modern American fusion cuisine, served in a trendy bistro-style setting. • $$$ FB L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 100 Bartram Oaks Walk, Fruit Cove, 287-7710 12620 Bartram Park Blvd., 652-2989 9820 San Jose Blvd., 268-2666 See Northside.

CASA MARIA 14965 Old St. Augustine Rd., 619-8186 See Beaches.

CHOW DOWN ALLEY 14775 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 3, 880-7900 Family-operated Chow Down serves breakfast sandwiches, burgers, salads and specialty sandwiches. • $ B L Mon.-Fri. CLARK’S FISH CAMP 12903 Hood Landing Rd., 268-3474, clarksfishcamp.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Known for its array of taxidermed critters, Clark’s features gator and turtle, steak, ribs and daily all-you can-eat catfish dinners.

Dine indoors, outdoors, or in a glass-enclosed room with a view of Julington Creek. • $$ FB K L D Daily DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 10391 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 1, 880-7087 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

DON JUAN’S RESTAURANT 12373 San Jose Blvd., 268-8722, donjuansjax.com With a focus on friendly, family-oriented service, Don Juan’s has a touch of Old Mexico: patio dining. A full bar – with tequila selections – is served, and HH is held Mon.-Fri. • $ FB K L D Daily ENZA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT 10601 San Jose Blvd., 268-4458, enzas.net 2015 Best of Jax winner This family-owned restaurant offers casual fine dining, specializing in Italian cuisine, veal and seafood dishes like seafood lasagna, daily specials. • $$$ FB K TO D Tue.-Sun. FIRST COAST DELI & GRILL 6082 St. Augustine Rd., 737-7477 First Coast offers traditional diner fare like oversized pancakes and bacon, sandwiches, salads and burgers. • $ K TO B L Daily FIRST WATCH 11111 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 14, 268-8331 See Beaches.

FIVE F(x) ICE CREAM & WAFFLES 10950 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 13, 647-9903 See Baymeadows.

FIVE GUYS FAMOUS BURGERS & FRIES 10061 San Jose Blvd., 493-5414 13760 St. Augustine Rd., 402-8036 2015 Best of Jax winner See Orange Park.

GIGI’S RESTAURANT 3130 Hartley Rd., 694-4300, gigisbuffet.com 2015 Best of Jax winner In the Ramada, Gigi’s serves a prime rib and crab leg buffet Fri. and Sat., blue-jean brunch on Sun., a daily breakfast buffet and lunch and dinner buffets. Ramada Inn is home to The Comedy Zone, featuring national comedians Tue.-Sat. • $$$ FB B R L D Daily HARMONIOUS MONKS 10550 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 30, 880-3040, harmoniousmonks.net The American-style steakhouse features a 9-oz. choice Angus center-cut filet with gorgonzola shiitake mushroom cream sauce, 8-oz. gourmet burgers, fall-off-the-bone ribs, wraps and sandwiches. Dennis Klee & the World’s Most Talented Waitstaff every Fri. & Sat. • $$ FB K L D Mon.-Sat. HURRICANE GRILL & WINGS 3055 C.R. 210, Ste. 101, St. Johns, 230-6445 12795 San Jose Blvd., Julington Creek, 260-8338 See Baymeadows.

JENK’S PIZZA 2245 C.R. 210 W., Ste. 112, Julington Creek, 826-1555, jenkspizza.com Family-owned-and-operated Jenk’s offers subs, New York-style pizzas, calzones and a variety of Italian dishes. Delivery available. • $ BW K TO L D Daily KANKI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR 11154 San Jose Blvd., 292-2400 See Fleming Island.

KAZU JAPANESE RESTAURANT 9965 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 35, 683-9903, kazujapaneserestaurant.com The family-friendly place offers a variety of soups, dumplings, appetizers, bento boxes, sushi, entrées, maki handrolls and sashimi.

The up-to-the-minute fresh sushi especially is artfully presented.

The interior of the restaurant is clean, spacious and inviting. Spicy Thai basil chicken is the specialty. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 11112 San Jose Blvd., 288-0175, lanopalerarest.com 2015 Best of Jax winner You may see servers carry five or more dinner plates at a time.

Tamales, fajitas and pork tacos are customer favorites. Some Nops have a full bar. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 11365 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 3, 674-2945 See Orange Park.

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MAMA FU’S ASIAN HOUSE 11105 San Jose Blvd., 260-1727, mamafus.com MSG-free pan-Asian cuisine is made to order in woks with fresh ingredients. Authentic Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai dishes are served. Take-out up to 15 minutes before closing. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily MAPLE STREET BISCUIT COMPANY 1627 Race Track Rd., Fruit Cove, 460-2483 See San Marco.

METRO DINER 12807 San Jose Blvd., 638-6185 2015 Best of Jax winner.

Now serving dinner nightly.

See San Marco.

MIKADO JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 10460 Avenues Walk Blvd., Greenland, 260-8860, mikadojax.com Traditional Japanese cuisine for more than 20 years. The big sushi bar seats more than 25 diners. A lunch buffet is offered Mon.-Fri. and there are 12 hibachi tables. • $$ FB TO L D Daily MIZU SUSHI & GRILL 14965 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 124, 880-0889, mizusushijax.com Master chefs prepare fresh sushi, seafood, steak and vegetables.

Indoor or outdoor dining. Live music. • $$ BW K L D Daily MOCHA RITA’S 9446 Philips Hwy., 806-3923, mocharitas.com Sandwiches made with Boar’s Head meats and cheeses. • $$ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat. MONKEY’S UNCLE TAVERN 10503 San Jose Blvd., 260-1349 See Beaches.

NATIVE SUN NATURAL FOODS MARKET & DELI 10000 San Jose Blvd., 260-6950 See Baymeadows.

NEWK’S EXPRESS CAFE 11112 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 28, 328-5930 See Southside.

OSAKA GRILL SUSHI BUFFET 11701 San Jose Blvd., 886-7778 More than 150 items are offered at the Chinese and Japanese buffet, including soups, spareribs, a sushi bar, roast duck and ice cream. Kids under 12 dine at a discount. Carry-out from the buffet is available. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily PICASSO’S PIZZERIA 10503 San Jose Blvd., 880-0811, jaxpicassos.com Picasso’s specializes in hand-tossed gourmet pizza along with calzones, homemade New York-style cheesecake and handmade pasta. Fresh local seafood and steaks, too. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily RACK ’EM UP BILLIARDS 4268 Oldfield Crossing Dr., Ste. 205, 262-4030 See Arlington.

THE RED ELEPHANT PIZZA & GRILL 10131 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 12, 683-3773, redelephantpizza.com This casual, family-friendly eatery serves pizzas, sandwiches, grill specials, burgers and pasta dishes. Gluten-free friendly. • $ FB K L D Daily RENNA’S PIZZA 11111 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 12, 292-2300, rennaspizza.com The casual New York-style pizzeria serves calzones, antipasto, parmigiana, homemade breads. Buy by the slice – they’re humongous – or full pie. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily ROMA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT & PIZZERIA 14965 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 101, 880-2000, romasitalian.com Roma’s menu has more than 100 items, each made with authentic Italian spices and herbs. Specialty dishes include veal, seafood and gourmet pizzas. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily SAN JOSE DELI & GRILL 9545 San Jose Blvd., 880-6091 Family-owned-and-operated restaurant has 20-plus years of experience, serving freshly made homestyle fare, made to order.

Known for their chicken salad, awesome tabouli and steak-n-sacks.

• $$ B L Mon.-Sat. SANTIONI’S CUCINA ITALIANA RESTAURANT 11531 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 8, 262-5190, santionisjax.com Bruno and Silvana Santioni have been in the business of Italian dining since 1987. Their menu features rack of lamb and veal saltimbocca with homemade bread. Espresso is available. • $$ BW L D Daily SAUCY TACO 450 S.R. 13 N., Ste. 113, 287-8226, saucytaco.com Authentic light Mexican and American influences are apparent in each dish. There are 40 beers on draft. • $$ FB K TO B, Sat.-Sun.; L D Daily SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q 12485 San Jose Blvd., 288-7928 See Orange Park.

SORRENTO ITALIAN RESTAURANT 6943 St. Augustine Rd., 636-9196 Luciano Russo and his family opened Sorrento more than 20 years ago. The menu at this romantic spot includes fish Francese and lamb Torinese, and entrées include a salad, bread and a side of spaghetti. • $$$ BW D Tue.-Sun. SWEET FROG 10991 San Jose Blvd., 292-0901, sweetfrogyogurt.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Sweet Frog Premium Frozen Yogurt offers guilt-free, made-freshdaily treats in more than 40 nonfat flavors, like Maple Bacon Donut and Thin Mint Cookie. The toppings bar has every item you’d want to load up your froyo. • $ TO Daily TAPS BAR & GRILL 2220 C.R. 210 W., Ste. 314, St. Johns, 819-1554 See Fleming Island.

TIJUANA FLATS 13820 Old St. Augustine Rd., 262-0484 See Baymeadows.

VINO’S PIZZA & GRILL 4268 Oldfield Crossing Dr., Greenland, 268-6660 Hand-tossed New York-style, thin-crust pizzas, and Sicilian-style, thick-crust pizzas. Big salads, baked dishes, subs, stromboli, wings and wraps, too. • $ K L D Daily V PIZZA 12601 San Jose Blvd., 647-9424, vpizza.com See San Marco.

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WAKAME JAPANESE & THAI CUISINE 104 Bartram Oaks Walk, Ste. 108, 230-6688, wakamejax.com The fine dining restaurant offers authentic Japanese and Thai cuisine, including a full sushi menu, curries and pad dishes. • $ BW K L D Daily WHOLE FOODS MARKET 10601 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 22, 288-1100, wholefoodsmarket.com Whole Foods offers an expansive prepared-food department with more than 80 items at a full-service and self-service hot bar, salad bar, soup bar and dessert bar, as well as pizza, sushi and sandwich stations. • $$ BW TO L D Daily YOBE FROZEN YOGURT 119 Bartram Oaks Walk, Ste. 101, 230-0201 See Beaches.

ZOËS KITCHEN 13920 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 101, 374-3552 See Ponte Vedra.

ORANGE PARK, EAGLE HARBOR & MIDDLEBURG

(All venues are in Orange Park unless otherwise noted.)

ARON’S PIZZA 650 Park Ave., 269-1007, aronspizza.com The menu at the family-owned place has eggplant dishes, manicotti and New York-style pizza. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 1765 Town Center Blvd., Eagle Harbor, 269-8870 2640 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 211, Middleburg, 282-4288 See Northside.

BRUSTER’S REAL ICE CREAM 9590 Applecross Rd., 771-0722 See Intracoastal.

BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL & BAR 1940 Wells Rd., 215-4969, buffalowildwings.com Along with buffalo-style wings fixed up with 14 sauces (ranging from mild to better-be-ready blazin’), BWW serves wraps, burgers and ribs. Sports on big-screen TVs. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily CHEERS PARK AVENUE 1138 Park Ave., 269-4855, cheersparkave.com Not your usual bar food here — Cheers’ menu is a Southern/ Cajun mix of quality ingredients, like Boar’s Head and Nathan’s, plus homestyle sauces, salads and soups, hand-battered flounder sandwiches, Cajun BLTs, burgers and wings. • $$ FB TO L D Daily EL PALERMO 2177 Kingsley Ave., 276-7701 The flavor focus is Caribbean and Puerto Rican at the family-friendly spot. The authentically crafted dishes are served in a clean, no-frills atmosphere. Empanadas, black beans and rice, plantains, flan and cafe con leche are offered. There’s free Wi-Fi, too. • $$ K L D Tue.-Sat. FIVE GUYS FAMOUS BURGERS & FRIES 1910 Wells Rd., Ste. C02D-5, 637-0414 9630 Applecross Rd., Ste. 106, 573-0900, fiveguys.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Five Guys offers burgers made with fresh ground beef and finished from a wide selection of toppings, including fried onions, jalapeños or sautéed mushrooms. Fries, kosher hot dogs and soft drinks round out the menu. • $ TO L D Daily GATORS DOCKSIDE 9680 Argyle Forest Blvd., Ste. 1, 425-6466 See Westside.

THE HILLTOP 2030 Wells Rd., Orange Park, 272-5959, hilltop-club.com The Hilltop serves dinner in formal, Southern-inflected dining spaces. Specialties include New Orleans shrimp, certified Black Angus prime rib and she-crab soup. Homemade desserts are featured, along with a piano lounge (Tue.-Sat. nights), a large collection of antiques and a garden setting. • $$$ FB D Tue.-Sat. JOEY MOZZARELLA’S 930 Blanding Blvd., Ste. D, 579-4748 At this Italian restaurant, calzones, stromboli and lasagna are customer favorites, and all the pizza pies are available stuffed.

BYOB. • $$ K TO L D Daily LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 9734 Crosshill Blvd., Argyle, 908-4250 2024 Kingsley Ave., 276-2776 1571 C.R. 220, Ste. 100, 215-2223 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 1330 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 165, 276-7370 1545 C.R. 220, 278-2827 700 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 15, 272-3553 1401 S. Orange Ave., Green Cove Springs, 284-7789 With locations all over Northeast Florida, Larry’s Giant Subs is known for piling subs high and serving ’em fast for nearly 30 years.

In addition to a wide selection of hot and cold subs, Larry’s features soups and salads. • $ K TO B L D Daily THE LOOP PIZZA GRILL 550 Wells Rd., 269-0756 See Beaches.

METRO DINER 2034 Kingsley Ave., 375-8548 2015 Best of Jax winner.

Now serving dinner nightly.

See San Marco.

OSAKA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 9651 Crosshill Blvd., Ste. 102, 317-0224, osakaoakleaf.com Located in Oakleaf Town Center, Osaka features a sushi bar and hibachi tables. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily PASTA MARKET ITALIAN RESTAURANT & CLAM BAR 1930 Kingsley Ave., 276-9551, pastamarketitalianrestaurant.com This family-owned-and-operated restaurant offers gourmet pizzas, veal, chicken, mussels, shrimp, grouper and (of course) pastas: spaghetti, fettuccine, lasagna, ziti, calzones, linguini, tortellini. • $$ BW K D Nightly PREVATT’S SPORTS BAR & GRILL 2620 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 17, Middleburg, 282-1564 This is what a neighborhood sportsbar should be: Familiar fare, all the spirits you’d want and live music every weekend. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily THE ROADHOUSE 231 Blanding Blvd., 264-0611, roadhouseonline.net Serving sandwiches, wings, burgers and quesadillas for more than

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35 years. Six pool tables, dartboards, foosball and TVs (two are big screens). Live music Mon., Thur.-Sat. More than 75 imported beers.

• $ FB L D Daily SALSAS MEXICAN RESTAURANT 1635 Wells Rd., 579-3579 See Intracoastal.

SANTIONI’S LA CUCINA 3535 U.S. 17, Ste. 15, 264-1331, santionisitalianrestaurant.com Bruno and Silvana Santioni offeri authentic cuisine, desserts and an extensive wine list. Live music. • $$ BW K D Nightly SNACSHACK 179 College Dr., Ste. 19, 682-7622, snacshack.menu Bakery and café; sandwiches, coffees, bagels, muffins, breads, cookies, brownies, snack treats. • $$ K BW TO B, L & D Daily SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q 1976 Kingsley Ave., 272-4606, sonnysbbq.com For more than 30 years, Sonny’s has been a Northeast Florida gem. The beef, pork, chicken and ribs are cooked in a wood-fired pit; sides include Vidalia onion rings, corn nuggets, potato salad, barbecue beans and coleslaw. All-you-can-eat specials daily. • $ BW K TO L D Daily SOUPLANTATION & SWEET TOMATOES 1625 Wells Rd., 269-6116 See Arlington.

SWEET FROG 1581 C.R. 220 E., Ste. 100, 215-1300 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

TED’S MONTANA GRILL 8635 Blanding Blvd., Westside, 771-1964, tedsmontanagrill.com Modern classic comfort food features fine cuts of bison: signature steaks, award-winning gourmet burgers served in a sophisticated atmosphere. Chef-inspired items include crab cakes, cedar-plank salmon, fresh vegetables, desserts. Private label Bison Ridge wines are served. • $$$ FB K TO L D Daily TEXAS ROADHOUSE 550 Blanding Blvd., 213-1000, texasroadhouse.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Steaks and ribs, seafood and chops. The atmosphere’s casual and family-friendly. Daily specials are featured, and there’s a daily HH , ice-cold beer and legendary margaritas. • $ FB L D Daily THAI GARDEN 10 Blanding Blvd., Ste. B, 272-8434 Thai Garden offers traditional Thai menu items, including pad kraw powh with roasted duck and kaeng kari (yellow curry with potatoes and a choice of meat). Fine wines, and imported and domestic beers are available. • $$ BW L Mon.-Fri.; D Nightly WOODY’S BAR-B-Q 8540 Argyle Forest Blvd., 772-7675 950 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 1, 272-1419 See Southside.

YOBE FROZEN YOGURT 8635 Blanding Blvd., 317-2125 See Beaches.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, PALM VALLEY, NE ST. JOHNS

(All restaurants in Ponte Vedra unless otherwise noted.)

619 OCEAN VIEW 619 Ponte Vedra Blvd., Sawgrass Marriott, 285-6198, sawgrassmarriott.com At the Cabana Beach Club, 619 Ocean View offers dining with a Mediterranean touch, featuring fresh seafood, grilled steaks and weekly specials. Dine on a balcony over looking the Atlantic Ocean.

• $$$ FB D Wed.-Sun. ALICE & PETE’S PUB 1003 PGA Tour Blvd., Sawgrass Marriott, 285-7777, sawgrassmarriott.com Inspired by World Golf Hall of Famers Alice and Pete Dye, architects of the Stadium and Valley golf courses, this pub offers a menu of Northeast Florida flavors along with Alice & Pete’s favorites, like Dominican black bean soup and Pete’s bourbon pecan pie. Outside dining available. • $$$ FB L D Daily AL’S PIZZA 635 A1A N., 543-1494 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

AQUA GRILL 950 Sawgrass Village Dr., 285-3017, aquagrill.net Since 1988, this American-eclectic restaurant has served fresh local seafood, aged prime steaks and vegetarian entrées. Patio seating is available. Reservations accepted. • $$$ FB L D Daily BARBARA JEAN’S 15 S. Roscoe Blvd., Palm Valley, 280-7522, barbarajeans.com Barbara Jean’s specializes in easy Southern dining, including legendary crab cakes, seafood, meatloaf and 15 fresh vegetables.

Dine indoors or outside, with a real back-to-nature view of the Intracoastal Waterway. • $$-$$$ FB K B Sat. & Sun.; L D Daily BEACH DINER 880 A1A N., 273-6545 See Beaches.

BRUCCI’S PIZZA, PASTA, PANINIS 880 A1A, Ste. 8, 280-7677 See Intracoastal.

CAFFE ANDIAMO 500 Sawgrass Village Dr., 280-2299, caffeandiamo-pvb.com The Recupito family’s Caffe Andiamo offers fresh seafood, veal, steak and pizza prepared in a copper wood-burning oven, as well as daily specials. Customer favorites include fracosta loco and cappesanti di mare. Dine on the outdoor patio or inside in the upscale surroundings. 75 wines by the glass. • $$$ FB L D Daily DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 100 Marketside Ave., Ste. 301, 829-8134 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 830 A1A N., Ste. 6, 273-3993 See Orange Park.

LULU’S WATERFRONT GRILLE 301 N. Roscoe Blvd., Palm Valley, 285-0139, luluswaterfrontgrille.com On the Intracoastal Waterway, Lulu’s can be reached by land or

water. The menu offers fresh seafood, hand-cut steaks, burgers and specialty salads. Seating is available on the screened waterfront porch. • $$$ FB K TO R Sat.-Sun.; L D daily MULLIGAN’S PUB 43 PGA Tour Blvd., 285-1506, mulliganspubpontevedra.com The Irish pub, at the Hilton Garden Inn, offers a variety of favorites and Irish dishes. A full bar is served, including Guinness. • $$ FB B L D Daily NAPOLI’S PASTARIA 3787 Palm Valley Rd., Ste. 104, 273-0006, napolispastaria.com Napoli’s features a variety of traditional Italian dishes including veal, pasta and traditional hand-tossed and specialty pizzas. Delivery is available. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily NINETEEN AT TPC SAWGRASS 110 Championship Way, 273-3235, tpc.com In the Tournament Players Club, Nineteen features more than 230 varieties of wines. The restaurant features an array of freshly prepared American and Continental cuisine, including local seafood, served in an inviting interior or al fresco on the verandah. • $$$ FB L D Daily PALM VALLEY FISH CAMP 229 N. Roscoe Blvd., 285-3200, palmvalleyfishcamp.com Ben Groshell presents this dining experience on the Intracoastal in Palm Valley, serving dishes made with fresh ingredients, including daily specials. Call in your order and pick it up dockside. • $$$ FB K TO L Tue.-Sun.; D Nightly PLAYERS CAFÉ 262 Solana Rd., 273-5595 Owner Mike Furgal runs a family-friendly, golf themed restaurant, serving fresh grouper sub, Cuban sandwiches and Philly cheesesteaks. • $$ B L Daily POPPY’S ITALIANO 832 A1A, Ste. 1, 273-7272, poppysitaliano.net Family-owned-and-operated Poppy’s serves fresh gourmet Italian dishes along with familiar favorites. Dine inside in the relaxed atmosphere, or outdoors; carry out or drive-through. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily PUSSER’S CARIBBEAN BAR & GRILLE 816 A1A N., Ste. 100, 280-7766, pussersusa.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Bite Club certified Named for the rum, Pussers serves innovative Caribbean cuisine and regional favorites, like Jamaican grilled pork ribs, Trinidad smoked duck, lobster macaroni & cheese dinner. Tropical drinks, including Pussers Painkiller, are popular house remedies. Live entertainment on the Upper Deck. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily RESTAURANT MEDURE 818 A1A N., 543-3797, restaurantmedure.us Chef David Medure creates dishes with a wide range of flavors from around the world. The lounge offers small plates, creative drinks and entertainment, including HH twice daily. Live music is presented nightly. • $$$ FB D Mon.-Sat. RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 814 A1A N., Ste. 103, 285-0014 2015 Best of Jax winner See San Marco.

TABLE 1 330 A1A N., Ste. 208, 280-5515, table-1.com The upscale, casual restaurant offers a variety of items, from appetizers to entrées to salads, as well as a wine bar featuring an extensive list of wines by the glass. Live music Wed.-Sun.• $$$ FB L D Daily TRASCA & CO EATERY 155 Tourside Dr., Ste. 100, 395-3989, trascaandco.com This one-of-a-kind vintage neighborhood eatery specializes in handcrafted Italian-inspired sandwiches, craft beers and craft coffees. • $$ BW K TO B L D Daily VERNON’S RESTAURANT 1000 PGA Tour Blvd., Sawgrass Marriott, 280-3405 Bite Club certified Named for the developer who helped craft Sawgrass courses, this new restaurant features fresh Florida seafood, hand-cut chops and a stellar wine list. HH 5-7 p.m. daily, live music. • $$$$ FB B Daily; D Nightly WOK N ROLL 3791 Palm Valley Rd., Ste. 203, 543-7666, woknrollpontevedra.com This spot in the Valley serves authentic Chinese cuisine made with fresh ingredients. • $ TO L D Daily YOBE FROZEN YOGURT 103 Marketside Ave., Ste. 303, 824-2678 See Beaches.

ZOËS KITCHEN 240 A1A, Ste. 5, Merchant’s Plaza, 273-1100, zoeskitchen.com 13920 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 101, 374-3552 Original recipes, with Greek and Mediterranean influences, include made-to-order sandwiches, grilled feta sandwiches and whole dinners, all available to go. Desserts include homemade ya-yas (a chocolate sheet cake). • $$ K L D Daily

RIVERSIDE, 5 POINTS, WESTSIDE, MURRAY HILL

(Venues are in Riverside unless otherwise noted.)

13 GYPSIES 887 Stockton St., 389-0330, 13gypsies.com 2015 Best of Jax winner The intimate bistro serves authentic Mediterranean peasant cuisine updated for American tastes, specializing in tapas, blackened octopus, risotto of the day and coconut mango curry chicken. • $$ BW L D Tue.-Sat. AL’S PIZZA 1620 Margaret St., Ste. 201, 5 Points, 388-8384 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

BLACK SHEEP RESTAURANT 1534 Oak St., 355-3793, blacksheep5points.com Orsay’s sister spot serves New American favorites with a Southern twist, made with locally sourced ingredients. Awesome rooftop bar.

• $$$ FB R Sat. & Sun.; L D Daily BOLD BEAN COFFEE ROASTERS 869 Stockton St., Stes. 1 & 2, 855-1181, boldbeancoffee.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Bold Bean brings a small-batch, artisanal approach to sourcing and roasting single origin, direct trade coffees and signature blends, hand-crafted syrups, espressos, craft beers and classic pastries. • $ BW TO B L Daily BREW FIVE POINTS 1024 Park St., Riverside, 374-5789, brewfivepoints.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This craft beer and espresso bar in the heart of historic 5 Points

Taverna has happy hour menu items including their own craft cocktails and their take on parmesan truffle fries. offers local craft beers, soft drinks and toast from Community Loaves. • $$ B L Sun. & Mon.; B L D Tue.-Sat. BURRITO GALLERY BROOKLYN 90 Riverside Ave., Ste. 601, 355-4889 2015 Best of Jax winner Brand new place. See Downtown.

CORNER TACO 818 Post St., 240-0412, cornertaco.com Made-from-scratch “Mexclectic street food,” tacos, nachos, glutenfree, vegetarian options. • $ BW L D Daily DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 6055 Youngerman Cir., Westside, 778-1101 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

COOL MOOSE CAFE 2708 Park St., 381-4242, coolmoosecafe.net The New England-style café offers a full breakfast menu, classic sandwiches, wraps and soups, and brunch all day Sunday. Beer and an extensive gourmet coffee menu available. • $$ BW R L D Tue.-Sun. CORNER TACO 818 Post St., 234-8843, facebook.com/cornertaco Made-from-scratch “semi-swanky street food” – tacos, nachos and salads – is served with an innovative presentation, with gluten-free and vegetarian options, in a bricks-and-mortar building. • $ BW L D Tue.-Sun. CROSS CREEK 850 S. Lane Ave., Westside, 783-9579, crosscreeksteakhouse.com Steaks, ribs, burgers, Mayport shrimp, sandwiches, combos and from the pit: brisket, chicken, pork, turkey and burnt ends (our favorite!). • $$ FB L D Daily DERBY ON PARK 1068 Park St., 379-3343 New American cuisine, upscale retro air in historic landmark building. Shrimp & grits, lobster bites, 10-oz. gourmet burger. Dine inside or out. ¶ $$-$$$ FB L D Tue.-Sun., R Sat. & Sun. EUROPEAN STREET CAFÉ 2753 Park St., 384-9999 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

THE FRINGE EATERY ON EDGEWOOD 934 Edgewood Ave. S. The steampunk gallery and performance space also serves soups, salads, wraps, coffees and teas. Open mic is held every second and fourth Wed. • $$ TO Tue.-Sun. FUJI SUSHI 9542 Argyle Forest Blvd., Ste. C-18, Westside, 778-1998 The skilled chefs create sushi items vegetarian or regular style.

Dinner dishes include rice, soup and salad. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily GATORS DOCKSIDE 6677 103rd St., 777-6135, gatorsdockside.com For more than 20 years, the sports-themed family restaurant has been serving a varied menu of grilled wings, ribs, sandwiches and salads. Sports on TVs; Tuesday is kids’ night. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily GRASSROOTS NATURAL MARKET 2007 Park St., 384-4474, thegrassrootsmarket.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Grassroots juice bar uses certified organic fruits and vegetables. The store also offers three dozen artisanal cheeses, more than 300 craft and imported beers and 50 organic wines, and organic produce and meats, vitamins and herbs. Organic wraps, sides, sandwiches and salads are available to go. • $ BW TO B L D Daily HAWKERS ASIAN STREET FARE 1001 Park St., 508-0342 2015 Best of Jax winner This spot is based on the idea of Asian street vendors, peddling their authentic dishes from mobile stalls. A collection of hawker recipes is served under one roof. • $ BW TO L D Daily HOBNOB 220 Riverside Ave., Ste. 110, 513-4272, hobnobwithus.com This new place serves cuisine driven by global inspirations and local intentions, like ahi poke tuna and jumbo lump crab tacos. Dishes are served deconstructed, to encourage interaction and experimentation through collaborative dining. • 44 FB TO L D Brunch Daily HOVAN MEDITERRANEAN GOURMET 2005 Park St., Ste. 1, 381-9394 2015 Best of Jax winner Hovan offers traditional Mediterranean cuisine, including freshly

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made hummus, baba ghannoush and gyros, served in a setting that attracts indie rockers and businesspeople alike. Patio dining.

Hookahs available. $ BW L D Mon.-Sat. IL DESCO 2665 Park St., 290-6711, ildescojax.com Modern, authentic Italian cuisine and handcrafted cocktails are served. • $$-$$$ FB TO K L D Daily JOHNNY’S DELI & GRILLE 474 Riverside Ave., 356-8055 Johnny’s experienced staff cooks up made-to-order breakfast and lunch fare, including grilled wraps, gyros and grilled chicken salad.

• $ TO B L Mon.-Sat. KNEAD BAKESHOP 1173 Edgewood Ave. S., 634-7617 Knead is a locally-owned, family-run bake shop specializing in freshly baked, made-from-scratch creations like classic pastries, artisan breads, savory pies, specialty sandwiches and seasonal salads and soups. • $ TO B L Tue.-Sun. LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 1509 Margaret St., 674-2794 7895 Normandy Blvd., 781-7600 5733 Roosevelt Blvd., Westside, 446-9500 8102 Blanding Blvd., Westside, 779-1933 See Orange Park.

LITTLE JOE’S CAFÉ BY AKEL 245 Riverside Ave., Ste. 195, 791-3336 This bright, river view café inside the Raymond James Building serves breakfast and lunch in a casual atmosphere. Fresh soups, salads and signature salad dressings round out the New York-style deli experience. • $ TO B L Mon.-Fri. METRO DINER 4495 Roosevelt Blvd., 999-4600 2015 Best of Jax winner See San Marco.

MOON RIVER PIZZA 1176 Edgewood Ave. S., Murray Hill, 389-4442 2015 Best of Jax winner See Amelia Island.

THE MOSSFIRE GRILL 1537 Margaret St., 355-4434, mossfire.com Just a stone’s throw from the 5 Points intersection, Mossfire manages to satisfy indie kids’ and conservative business folk alike.

Southwestern dishes like fresh fish tacos and chicken enchiladas are popular HH runs Mon.-Sat. in the upstairs lounge. Sunday is HH all day. • $$ FB K L D Daily O’BROTHERS IRISH PUB 1521 Margaret St., 854-9300, obrothersirishpub.com The restaurant features traditional Irish fare like shepherd’s pie with Stilton crust, Guinness mac-n-cheese and, of course, fish-n-chips.

Outdoor patio dining is available. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily ORSAY 3630 Park St., 381-0909, restaurantorsay.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This French/American bistro serves steak frites, mussels and Alsatian pork chops in an elegant setting, with an emphasis on locally grown organic ingredients. • $$$ FB R, Sun.; D Nightly PATTAYA THAI GRILLE 1526 King St., 503-4060 See Baymeadows.

PRIMI PIATTI 2722 Park St., 389-5545 This Northern Italian-style restaurant (the name means first plate in Italian) offers a menu made from fresh ingredients, which includes daily specials, pastas and she-crab soup. • $$$ BW K L D Mon.-Sat. SBRAGA & COMPANY 220 Riverside Ave., Ste. 114, 746-0909, sbragadining.com Chef Kevin Sbraga has a contemporary approach to local influences.

Go-to dishes: hog & hominy, fish fry, carrot ceviche. • $$-$$$ FB TO L D Daily SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q 1923 S. Lane Ave., Westside, 786-0081 4434 Blanding Blvd., Westside, 777-0730 See Orange Park.

SOUL FOOD BISTRO 5310 Lenox Ave., Ste. 1, Westside, 394-0860 2015 Best of Jax winner Owned by the Potters House Christian Fellowship, this cafeteriastyle restaurant serves traditional Southern food: fried chicken, greens, mac-n-cheese, cornbread and other regional favorites. • $ TO L D Tue.-Sun. SOUP’S ON JACKSONVILLE 1526 King St., 387-9394 xxx See Beaches.

SOUTHERN ROOTS FILLING STATION 1275 King St., 513-4726, southernrootsjax.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Healthy, light vegan fare made fresh daily with local, organic ingredients. Specials, served on bread, local greens or rice, change daily. Sandwiches, coffees, teas. • $ Tue.-Sun. SUN-RAY CINEMA 1028 Park St., 5 Points, 359-0047, sunraycinema.com 2015 Best of Jax winner First-run, indie and art films are screened at the oldest theater building in Jacksonville. Beer, some drafts from Bold City and Intuition Ale Works, wine, pizza – with names like Godbold, Black Lagoon Supreme, Cowford Pie – hot dogs, hummus, sandwiches, popcorn, nachos and brownies are available. • $$ BW Daily SUSHI CAFÉ 2025 Riverside Ave., Ste. 201, 384-2888, sushicafejax.com A variety of sushi, including Monster Roll and the Jimmy Smith Roll, along with faves like Rock-n-Roll and Dynamite Roll. Sushi Café also offers hibachi, tempura, katsu and teriyaki. Dine indoors or on the patio. • $$ BW L D Daily SWEET THEORY BAKING COMPANY 1243 King St., 387-1001 2015 Best of Jax winner Small batch, all-natural and organic, allergy-friendly bakery featuring items made with no egg, dairy, soy or peanuts. Gluten-free options, too. • $ TO Tue.-Sat. TASTI D-LITE 1024 Park St., 900-3040

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A four-ounce serving of the creamy dairy dessert can weigh in at fewer than 70 calories. It’s offered in a gazillion flavors, in cones, cups, shakes and smoothies. • $ TO Daily TIJUANA FLATS 2025 Riverside Ave., Ste. 205, 389-5630 5907 Roosevelt Blvd., Ste. 100, Westside, 908-4343 See Baymeadows.

TOM & BETTY’S 4409 Roosevelt Blvd., 387-3311, tomandbettys.com After 45 years in business, Tom & Betty’s is a Jacksonville institution. The car-themed menu features big sandwiches, burgers and favorite homestyle entrées like pot roast. Daily HH features $1.75 domestic bottles. Live bands perform every Fri. and Karaoke is every Sat. • $$ FB K TO L D Tue.-Sun. THE CAFE AT THE CUMMER 829 Riverside Ave., Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens, 3566857 2015 Best of Jax winner Light lunch, quick bites, beer, wine, locally roasted coffee and espresso-based beverages, homemade soups, sandwiches, gourmet desserts and daily specials. Dine indoors or out in the museum’s gardens. • $ BW K L Tue.-Sun. WHITEWAY DELICATESSEN 1237 King St., 389-0355 This King Street mainstay has an extensive sandwich selection, including some items you’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere else.

It’s also a good spot to catch current and former politicos talking about the city’s future over tabouli or ham sandwiches. • $ TO B L Mon.-Fri. ZOËS KITCHEN 1661 Riverside Ave., 355-9637 xx also at town center xxx See Ponte Vedra.

ST. AUGUSTINE, ST. AUGUSTINE BEACH

(All places are in St. Augustine unless otherwise noted.)

95 CORDOVA 95 Cordova St., 810-6810 In the restored Casa Monica Hotel, this restaurant exudes elegance.

The cuisine is a blend of Moroccan, Asian, Mediterranean, Caribbean and European influences. The adjacent Cobalt Lounge features a variety of fine wines. • $$$ FB R Sun.; B L D Daily A1A ALE WORKS 1 King St., 829-2977, a1aaleworks.com This two-story brew pub, overlooking the restored Bridge of Lions, makes six varieties of beer and serves New World cuisine, indoors or out on the balcony. • $$ FB L D Daily ACAPULCO MEXICAN RESTAURANT 12 Avenida Menendez, 808-9933 This sprawling Mexican restaurant overlooks Castillo de San Marcos and serves all of the favorites as well as weekly specials. Beer, including Mexican brands, wine and margaritas are served. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily AL’S PIZZA 1 St. George St., 824-4383 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

AMICI 1915B A1A S., St. Augustine Beach, 461-0102 This family-owned-and-operated Italian restaurant, at the intersection of S.R. 312 and A1A, has a variety of traditional pasta, veal, steak and seafood dishes. Daily HH . • $$ FB K L D Daily ANN O’MALLEY’S DELI & PUB 23 Orange St., 825-4040, annomalleys.com Across from the Old City Gates, Ann O’Malley’s serves a casual menu of soups, salads and sandwiches – favorites include the Reuben and the chicken salad – with familiar, friendly service. Dine indoors or out on the porch. Irish beers on tap. Open mic, trivia, live music. • $ BW K L D Daily ATHENA RESTAURANT 14 Cathedral Place, 823-9076 Located on St. Augustine’s historic downtown Plaza, Athena has an extensive menu of Greek and American dishes, including moussaka, lamb kabobs and spinach pie. Dine inside at a booth or table. • $$$ BW TO B L D Daily AUNT KATE’S 612 Euclid Ave., Vilano Beach, 829-1105 This casual spot features an expansive view of the Tolomato River and a menu with a focus on seafood, from oysters Rockefeller to maple-rubbed salmon. Burgers, wraps, pasta dishes, steak and ribs are also served. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily AVILES RESTAURANT & LOUNGE 32 Avenida Menendez, 829-2277, avilesrestaurantstaugustine.com Located in Hilton Bayfront Hotel, Aviles’ Chef Chris Proulx offers a progressive European-flavored menu, featuring a made-to-order pasta night, wine dinners, chophouse nights and a deluxe breakfast buffet. And a champagne brunch every Sunday – two words: bottomless mimosas! Free valet parking, too. • $$$ FB K B L D Daily BARLEY REPUBLIC IRISH PUBLIC HOUSE & RESTAURANT 48 Spanish St., 547-2023, barleyrepublicph.com The Irish bar and gastropub offers traditional burgers and sandwiches, favorites like fish & chips and bangers and mash, as well as craft cuisine, from the historic district. More than 70 beers and wines are served, including 10 on draft daily, as well as craft beers and spirits. Live music. Dine indoors or outside on the deck. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily BARNACLE BILL’S 14 W. Castillo Dr., 824-3663, barnaclebillsonline.com For 30-plus years, this family restaurant has been serving seafood, oysters, gator tail and steak, along with the popular fried shrimp.

Some dishes are infused with their Datl Do It hot sauce products. • $$ FB K TO L D Nightly THE BISTRO at CULINARY OUTFITTERS 9 S. Dixie Hwy., 829-2727, culinaryoutfitters.org The Bistro is where locals lunch on crab cakes, chicken burritos, hamburgers, wraps, salads and soups, each dish made with fresh ingredients. • $$ BW TO L Mon.-Fri. BISTRO DE LEON 12 Cathedral Place, 810-2100 Jean-Stephane Poinard is a fifth-generation French chef who creates dishes with fresh American produce, herbs and seafood.

The bread is baked on the premises. • $$$ BW K B Sat. & Sun.; L Thur.-Sun.; D Sun.-Tue.

BLACKFLY THE RESTAURANT 108 Anastasia Blvd., 201-6300 The popular place features semi-casual dining with a fly-fishing theme, focusing on a variety of fresh Atlantic seafood, steaks, brick-over pizza and specialty drinks. • $$$ FB K TO D Tue.-Sun. THE BLACK MOLLY BAR & GRILL 504 W. Geoffrey St., Cobblestone Plaza, 547-2723 Fresh, local seafood, steaks cut from the loin, and unique pasta dishes in a casual atmosphere. Nonstop HH . • $$ FB K L D Daily BLUE HEN Café 117 MLK Ave., 217-3777 In the heart of Lincolnville, Blue Hen serves breakfast all day.

Local faves include buttermilk chicken biscuits, corned beef has and Datil barbecue shrimp tacos. • $ BW B L Tue.-Sun. BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 2420 U.S. 1 S., 794-9424 See Northside.

BREWZ N DAWGZ 1974 U.S. 1 S., 429-7149, brewzndawgz.com Guilt-free fare: this places uses only organic, non-GMO ingredients whenever possible. Craft beers — 24 on draft — and gourmet hot dogs … what else is there to say? OK — all the meats are from real farms providing humanely raised grassfed product without antibiotics, hormones or nitrates/nitrites. Also vegan/vegetarian and gluten-free options. • $ BW TO L D Tue.-Sun. THE BRITISH PUB 213 Anastasia Blvd., 810-5111 This pub offers darts and serves ale, beer and wine, as well as traditional meat pies, Cornish pasties and sausage rolls. Varieties of authentic British food and candies are sold at the shop within.

• $$ FB D Nightly THE BUNNERY BAKERY & CAFE 121 St. George St., 829-6166 In the heart of St. Augustine’s historic district, the Bunnery offers homemade almond-chocolate croissants, assorted brownies and cookies, and pastries in addition to serving up full Southern breakfasts, sandwiches and espressos. • $ TO B L Daily BURRITO WORKS TACO SHOP 114 St. George St., 823-1229 671 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 217-7451, burritoworks.com Baja-style tacos and burritos, 100 percent vegetarian bean burritos, fish tacos and hormone-free meats, along with homemade guacamole. • $ TO L D Daily CAFE ATLANTICO 647 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 471-7332 This white-tablecloth restaurant serves traditional and new Italian dishes in an intimate space. Master Chef Paolo Pece, from Naples, Italy, prepares risotto alla pescatora, with shrimp, scallops and seasonal shellfish served in a parmesan cheese basket. • $$$ BW D Nightly CANDLELIGHT SOUTH 1 Anastasia Blvd., 819-0588 The casual restaurant offers fish tacos, sandwiches, wings, desserts and sangria. Daily specials.• $ BW K TO L D Daily CAP’S ON THE WATER 4325 Myrtle St., Vilano Beach, 824-8794 This restaurant is a Vilano Beach mainstay, serving coastal cuisine indoors or out on the large, oak-shaded deck. Kids romp along the water while grownups enjoy a long meal (fresh local shrimp, raw oyster bar) or a stunning sunset. Boat access available. • $$ FB K L Fri.-Sun.; D Nightly CARMELO’S MARKETPLACE & PIZZERIA 146 King St., 494-6658 In addition to New York-style brick-oven-baked pizza, Carmelo’s offers freshly baked sub rolls, Boar’s Head meats and cheeses, stromboli and garlic herb wings. Outdoor seating and Wi-Fi. • $$ BW TO L D Daily CATCH 27 40 Charlotte St., 217-3542, catchtwentyseven.com The name stands for locally caught, Florida seafood. The staff believes in cooking everything from scratch with local ingredients.

• $$BW K TO L D Daily CELLAR 6 ART GALLERY & WINE BAR 6 Aviles St., 827-9055 Bite Club certified An inviting space, Cellar 6 serves an international array of fine wines, Wolfgang Puck coffees, handmade desserts and light bistro-style fare amid local art. • $$ BW Daily CLAUDE’S CHOCOLATE 6 Granada St., 829-5790 Located inside The Market, this shop offers wine and chocolate pairings, soft-serve ice cream, a coffee bar, fresh fruit ice pops, cookies and gift items. See Ponte Vedra. • $$ TO COLLAGE 60 Hypolita St., 829-0055 Located in an intimate space in the historic district, Collage offers high-end dining with a global menu. Everything is made from scratch. A specialty dessert, The Bougainvillea, commemorates the Brazilian tree. An extensive wine list is offered. • $$$$ BW D Nightly CONCH HOUSE RESTAURANT 57 Comares Ave., 829-8646 This restaurant offers indoor seating as well as Tiki huts built out over Salt Run. Signature dishes include the Cracker combo platter and St. Augustine fried shrimp. Tropical drinks are a specialty. Live music. • $$$ FB K L D Nightly THE CORAZON CINEMA & CAFE 36 Granada St., 679-5736 Sandwiches, combos, salads, pizza at this cinema house, showing indie and first-run movies. • $$ Daily COQUINA BEACH SURF CLUB 451 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 471-2434 This beach-centric restaurant’s chefs Tony Philpott and Cole Smalley offer seasonal seafood, select beef entrees, seasonal produce, burgers, unique sandwiches and creative specials. Casual outdoor dining, extensive wine list. • $$ FB K R Sat.-Sun.; D Nightly CREEKSIDE DINERY 160 Nix Boatyard Rd., 829-6113 Tucked behind a commercial stretch of U.S. 1, Creekside is an old Florida respite, with an outdoor deck with a fire pit. Overlooking Gonzales Creek, Creekside serves a variety of beef, chicken and seafood dishes, with an emphasis on low-country cooking. Live music weekends. • $$ FB K D Nightly CRUISERS GRILL 3 St. George St., 824-6993 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

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DIANE’S NATURAL MARKET 240 S.R. 312, 808-9978, dianesnaturalmarket.com The lunch counter inside this health food store serves everything made-to-order using organic ingredients. Sandwiches include avocado, peanut butter with honey, falafel, hummus, tofu salad and a veggie burger. Smoothies and fresh juices also available. • $$ TO L Mon.-Sat. DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 4010 U.S. 1 S., 547-2669 965 S.R. 16, Ste. 101, 825-4540 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

DONOVAN’S IRISH PUB 7440 U.S. 1 N., Ste. 108, 829-0000, donovansirishpub.com This spot features a mix of classic Irish entrées and traditional American dinners, as well as appetizers and pub grub. Irish beers and whiskeys are served. Six HDTVs, pool tables and Wii are available. • $$ FB K L D Daily DOS COFFEE & WINE 300 San Marco Ave., 342-2421, dosbar.com Pour-over bar offers espressos, nitro cold brew coffees roasted inhouse, craft beers, wines, desserts. Outdoor seating available. Live music. • $$ BW TO B L D Daily THE DUNES CRACKER HOUSE 641 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 461-5725 This rustic Florida-style spot is popular for drinks, dinner, dancing and daily specials. Jazz on Mon. nights, and there’s a DJ Wed. and Fri.-Sun. • $$ B L Fri.-Sun.; D Nightly EL POTRO 226 San Marco Ave., 819-0390 See Beaches.

FIVE F(x) ICE CREAM & WAFFLES 1000 S. Ponce de Leon Blvd., Ste. 5, 429-7668 See Baymeadows.

FLAVORS EATERY 125-C King St., 824-4221 A favorite among college students and locals, this casual restaurant serves quesadillas, pizza and smoothies. Local musicians play Thur.Sat. Indoor and outdoor seating. • $ BW L D Mon.-Sat. FLORIDA CRACKER CAFÉ 81 St. George St., 829-0397 A contemporary dining room and outdoor garden dining in the heart of St. Augustine’s busy St. George Street. Customer favorites include blackened scallops, crab cake-stuffed shrimp and Florida gator tail.

• $$ BW K L D Daily THE FLORIDIAN 39 Cordova St., 829-0655 2015 Best of Jax winner Paying homage to Old Florida, The Floridian serves updated Southern fare, with fresh, local ingredients from area farms. Vegetarian and gluten-free options, too. Signature items include fried green tomato bruschetta, the blackened fish cornbread stack and the grits with shrimp, fish or tofu. • $$$ BW K TO L D Wed.-Mon. FRATELLI’S ITALIAN AMERICAN CUISINE 415 Anastasia Blvd., Anastasia Island, 819-1760 The neighborhood Italian place with a cozy atmosphere offers Italian-American specialties, including meat lasagna, veal parmigiana, almond-crusted salmon and chicken Verona. • $$ BW TO D Mon.-Sat. FUSION POINT 237 San Marco Ave., 823-1444 The theme is Japanese, but the menu is fusion, a blend of Far East favorites, vegetarian, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Korean and Thai. The menu includes sushi and is constantly changing. • $$ BW TO D Nightly GEORGIE’S DINER 100 Malaga St., 819-9006 Georgie’s serves homestyle fare, including Greek specialties from owner George Chryssaidis, who also owns the nearby Athena Restaurant. Outdoor seating available. • $$ BW B L D Daily GYPSY CAB COMPANY 828 Anastasia Blvd., 824-8244 A mainstay for a quarter-century, Gypsy’s menu changes twice daily.

The signature dish is Gypsy chicken; there’s also seafood, tofu, duck and veal dishes. The Sunday brunch draws everyone from churchgoers to bikers. • $$ FB R Sun.; L D Daily HARRY’S SEAFOOD BAR & GRILLE 46 Avenida Menendez, 824-7765 Located in a historic house with a large outside patio, this New Orleans-style eatery features Cajun, Creole and Southern flavors infused with a modern twist: fresh seafood, steaks, pork, chicken and definitive dishes like jambalaya, etouffée and popular shrimp.

Daily HH . Live music on most weekends. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily HAZEL’S HOT DOGS 2400 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd., 824-8484 Named for the owners’ Chihuahua, Hazel’s offers a variety of wieners and all the embellishments from its modest digs west of downtown. • $ K TO L D Daily HOT SHOT BAKERY & CAFE 8 Granada St., 824-7898, hotshotbakery.com Hot Shot offers freshly baked items, coffees and handcrafted breakfast and lunch sandwiches as well as Datil B. Good sauces and pepper products. • $ TO B L Daily HURRICANE PATTY’S AT OYSTER CREEK 69 Lewis Blvd., 827-1822 At Oyster Creek Marina east of U.S. 1, this spot has a large creekfront deck, lunch specials and all-you-can-eat dinners. Daily HH , and dock space is available for boaters. Live music is presented nightly. • $$ FB L D Daily THE HYPPO 15 Hypolita St., 217-7853 1765 Tree Blvd., Ste. 5, 342-7816 This popular spot offers popsicles of unexpected flavors, created with premium ingredients, as well as coffee pour-overs and coldbrew coffees. Freshly handcrafted sandwiches and salads, too. The Hypolita location offers popsicles only. • $ TO Daily THE ICE PLANT 110 Riberia St., 829-6553 2015 Best of Jax winner This vintage-inspired place (a former ice plant, obvee) in the historic area. The farm-to-table menu uses locally sourced ingredients; drinks are hand-crafted with house-made bitters and syrups. • $$$ FB D Nightly JACK’S BBQ 691 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 460-8100 This place has lured regulars and locals for more than six decades.

The bait? A real pit barbecue, tiki bar, large wood deck, stage and a

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small swimming pool. Live music Thur.-Sat. • 0$ FB TO L D Daily THE KING’S HEAD BRITISH PUB 6460 U.S. 1 N., 823-9787, kingsheadbritishpub.com Owner Ann Dyke and staff serve British draught beers and cider in 20-ounce Imperial pints in an authentic pub, along with Cornish pasties, and fish and chips. Look for the red double-decker bus in front. • $$ FB K L D Daily LA COCINA INTERNATIONAL 530 A1A Beach Blvd., 461-8288 In Castillo Real Hotel, La Cocina serves global cuisine with Latin flair.

Owner Juan Solano creates international specialties including paella Valenciana and nightly specials. • $$$ BW B Tue.-Sun.; D Daily LA COCINA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 3290 U.S. 1 S., 794-1610 Sister restaurant to the La Cocina at the beach, this La Cocina offers gourmet Mexican cuisine in a fine-dining atmosphere. Patio dining.

• $$-$$$ BW L D Daily LE PAVILLON 45 San Marco Ave., 824-6202 One of the oldest restaurants in Northeast Florida, Le Pavillon is family-owned and operated. Gisele Sinatsch recommends the rack of lamb and the bouillabaisse. Norwegian salmon is popular, as are duck and Dover sole. • $$ FB D Nightly LITTLE MARGIE’S FA CAFÉ 303 A1A Beach Blvd., 471-2006, littlemargiesfacafe.com “FA” is short for First Access; this beachy café is located north of the County Pier, directly across from the first beach access to St. Augustine Beach. The tiny kitchen cranks out daily specials, like jerk fish and mango wrap. • $ BW K L D Tue.-Sun. LULI’S CUPCAKES 82 San Marco Ave., Ste. 2, 824-5280 The cupcakes, baked fresh daily, include Grandma’s Coconut, Fire Engine Red Velvet, What’s Up Doc (carrot cake) and Funky Monkey, banana and chocolate chip cake with milk chocolate frosting. Minicupcakes are also available. • $ TO Mon.-Sat. MANATEE CAFÉ 525 S.R. 16, Ste. 106, 826-0210 Manatee Café serves organic, vegetarian/vegan meals. Owner/ chef Cheryl Crosley prepares veggie omelets, tofu Reubens, miso and hummus and tabouli. The Health Food Market offers the same ingredients used in the café’s dishes. • $ TO B L Daily MANGO MANGOS BEACHSIDE BAR & GRILL 700 A1A Beach Blvd., 461-1077 Just steps from the A Street beach access, this Caribbean kitchen offers comfort food with a tropical twist. Specialties include coconut shrimp and fried plantains. • $$ BW K L D Daily MARDI GRAS SPORTS BAR 123 San Marco Ave., 347-3288, mardibar.com This place offers wings, nachos, shrimp, chicken, Phillys, sliders, soft pretzels and more. There’s billiards, trivia, 23 TVs, an outdoor deck and the kitchen’s open till midnight. Live music.• $$ FB TO L D Daily MEEHAN’S IRISH PUB & SEAFOOD HOUSE 20 Avenida Menendez, 810-1923, meehansirishpub.com This pub, just south of the old fort, offers burgers, traditional pub fare, seafood and a raw bar, along with signature dishes including steak O’Shay’s, Dubliner chicken and Irish Benedict. • $$$ FB K Daily MELLOW MUSHROOM PIZZA BAKERS 410 Anastasia Blvd., 826-4040 Bite Club certified 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

METRO DINER 1000 S. Ponce de Leon Blvd., 758-3323 2015 Best of Jax winner.

Now serving dinner nightly.

See San Marco.

MOJO OLD CITY BBQ 5 Cordova St., 342-5264, mojobbq.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This funky Southern whiskey bar offers pulled pork and Carolinastyle barbecue along with Delta fried catfish. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily MOJO’S TACOS 551 Anastasia Blvd., Anastasia Island, 829-1665 This family-owned spot offers double-decker style tacos, big, tasty burritos and fresh salads. Cash only. • $ BW TO L D Daily NED’S SOUTHSIDE KITCHEN 2450 U.S. 1 S., 794-2088, nedssouthside.com Popular Ned’s features Mediterranean dishes, tacos, meat loaf and shrimp and grits, in addition to vegetarian options. There’s a drivethru to pick up orders. • $ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat. NEW YORK PIZZA COMPANY 163 Palencia Village Dr., 825-4545 All of the authentic New York-style pizzas are hand-tossed, made with their own dough and specially spiced tomato sauce, and baked in a stone oven. Other items include cheesy calzones, pasta dishes, hot hero sandwiches and desserts. Delivery available. • $ BW TO L D Daily OASIS RESTAURANT & DECK 4000 A1A and Ocean Trace Rd., 471-3424 Just one block from the Atlantic Ocean, The Oasis is a favorite among bikers and tourists. The menu includes burgers and daily specials. 24 draft beers, and a HH Mon.-Fri. Live music, TVs. • $ FB K B L D Daily OLD CITY HOUSE INN & RESTAURANT 115 Cordova St., 826-0184 St. Augustine’s only Historic Inn with a full-service restaurant and bar. Global cuisine influences are evident in everything from the crab and sweet corn to spring rolls. • $$$$ FB B L D Mon.-Sat. ONE TWENTY THREE BURGER HOUSE 123 King St., 687-2790 The new spot, just opened by the owners of Carmelo’s Pizza down the street, has premium burgers, made with beef sourced from renowned NYC butcher Schweid & Sons. Wood-fired pizzas and an ice cream bar turning out Old World milkshakes, too. Outdoor dining.

• $$ BW K TO L D Daily THE ORIGINAL CAFÉ ELEVEN 501 A1A Beach Blvd., 460-9311, originalcafe11.com The former convenience store serves coffee drinks, vegetarian meals and meaty Southern comfort dishes. At night, it features some of the best bands in indie rock. Just a block from the beach, Café Eleven serves breakfast (brunch on weekends). • $ FB B L D Daily PACIFIC ASIAN BISTRO 159 Palencia Village Dr., Ste. 111, 808-1818 Fresh, artfully crafted sushi, sashimi and classic rolls. Best Chef Mas Liu creates authentic sushi – Crazy Girl (shrimp tempura, asparagus,

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TAKING IT TO THE HOUSE Food delivery services find a niche in Northeast Florida BEYOND THE 1993 DECLARATION THAT brought the Jaguars to town, or the proclamation in 2000 that the city would host a Super Bowl, or even the 2015 bombshell that everyone’s favorite Swedish-based purveyor of Allen wrenches and meatballs (oh, and cheap furniture, too), IKEA, had plans to open a store in the 904, there is one announcement that, more than any others in the history of Northeast Florida, elicits the kind of self-reflective nostalgia that transports a person back to a time, place, and state of mind where they can say, “I remember where I was when … ” That moment came in June 2015, when grocery-delivery service Shipt declared it had developed the extraordinary ability to deliver Publix submarine sandwiches (affectionately known as “Pub Subs”) directly from the hands of the sweet little hair-netted sandwich artists directly to customers’ mouth-holes (or at least to their front doors).

And the entirety of Northeast Florida rejoiced.

In all seriousness, the expansion of Shipt’s services to include a popular local fave is representative of a growing market for food delivery services beyond the borders of the First Coast. Out West in Silicon Valley, food delivery startups have become one of the hottest sectors of startup activity. Between 2014 and 2015, investors poured more than $730 million into delivery firms like DoorDash, Instacart and Postmates, up more than 1,100 percent from the same period a year-and-ahalf ago, according to an article in The New York Times. When looking at prevailing trends in food from the last decade or so — real foods, farm-to-table, specialty diets like Paleo and gluten-free — as well as larger societal trends — technological advancements that offer instant, or more protracted access to, gratification — it’s easy to see why food delivery services are so popular in 2016.

Chef James Phelan saw the writing on the wall when he started his meal delivery service in the Riverside neighborhood of Jacksonville in 2011. His company, J. William Culinary, is booming, cooking up more than 3,000 restaurant-quality meals each week (half of which he says are delivered to customers).

Though Phelan, who was once the executive chef at fine-dining favorite Matthew’s Restaurant in San Marco, may have had the foresight to get in the game early, he says it wasn’t always easy to explain his vision.

“Five years ago, I was constantly having to explain the concept to people,” Phelan said.

“A lot of them didn’t really understand why people wouldn’t just cook for themselves or go out and get this stuff.”

Some of J. Culinary’s early acolytes came from the fitness world, says Phelan. “We had a lot of health-conscious, or ‘gym-rat’-type people; people who want to eat quality food, but may not have the time to do it themselves,” he said.

J. Culinary has an ardent following among the Paleo community, who inundate his

kitchen with orders for lean beef meatballs over brown rice pilaf and Texas-style (no beans) turkey chili.

Phelan says he’s been amazed at the growth of his business. In the last two years, he’s noticed a marked increase in the number of orders from young professionals. “I think there are just more people who want to eat healthy.

They exercise and work all day, but they can’t be Martha Stewart and do it all,” he said.

Kathy Godwin’s meal delivery service, Kathy’s Table, off Philips Highway on the Southside, shares some DNA with J. Culinary.

Like Phelan’s, Godwin’s customers tend to be health-conscious, working professionals. And as Phelan has, Godwin’s seen her business undergo a tremendous growth spurt in the last two years or so.

Godwin, whose background is in nutrition and personal training, began cooking for herself as she battled Crohn’s disease — a digestive illness with special dietary implications. Godwin shared the recipes on her blog and soon after began preparing meals for her personal training clients. As demand increased, she moved the operation into a small warehouse space.

Godwin says her decision to offer delivery was borne out of necessity.

“The first warehouse space was just so sketchy; we didn’t even have a front door,” she said. “I didn’t really want my customers seeing the place.”

That was three years ago. Today Godwin employs 12 full-time staffers in her kitchen and 10 part-time drivers deliver food from her new Philips Highway digs, which is also a retail store (with a front door!). Meals, which can be ordered as meal plans or a la carte, are cooked on Sundays and delivered to customers on Mondays.

Godwin says her typical client is a “25-to40-year-old working professional, who is busy, enjoys working out, has little time to cook, but still values quality food.”

Godwin also has a large following within the allergen community, as all the food prepared is gluten- and dairy-free, including the popular vegan protein bars (nuts, dried fruit, cacao plant protein) and Kathy’s classic meatballs (ground chuck, garlic, onion, and almond flour instead of bread crumbs).

As the market for the services Godwin and Phelan offer expanded, it was only a matter of time before corporate America threw its proverbial hat in the ring. With Amazon and Walmart broadening their grocery delivery services and Groupon buying up meal delivery services across the nation, the competition to provide (or at least convey) convenience and quality will be as stiff as ever.

“That’s OK. How could they not try?” said Phelan of the proliferation of new delivery services. “I think we’ll have the advantage, in that we know our customers, and nobody can match our quality.”

He may be right.

Matthew B. Shaw mail@folioweekly.com

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Like their locations in Baymeadows and the Beaches, the original Native Sun on San Jose Boulevard offers organic produce, healthy wraps and sandwiches served with friendly faces. salmon); Mango Tango (salmon, crab, tuna, flying fish egg, mango sauce). Traditional dishes, sake. • $$-$$$ BW L D Daily PANAMA HATTIE’S 361 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 471-2192 Across A1A from the St. Johns County pier, this restaurant serves casual beach fare in a Key West-style atmosphere. Live bands are featured. Dine inside or out on the ocean-view deck upstairs. Bar’s open till 2 a.m. • $ FB L D Daily PIZZALLEY’S 117 St. George St., 825-2627 The downtown St. Augustine eatery offers wings, salads and, of course, pizza – including free samples to passersby. There’s the Garbage Can pizza: a supreme with everything. Outdoor patio seating is available. • $$ BW TO L D Daily PIZZALLEY’S CHIANTI ROOM 60 Charlotte St., 825-4100 Sister restaurant to the St. George Street location, Pizzalley’s Chianti Room serves homemade Italian ristorante fare in a warm Tuscany setting. Live music is presented Mon.-Fri. • $$ BW TO L D Daily PLANET SARBEZ! 115 Anastasia Blvd., 342-0632, planetsarbez.com This place serves gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, craft beers and more in a funky chill alt atmosphere. Live music. • $$BW K TO L D Tue.-Sun. PLAYA CHAC-MOOL 105 D St., St. Augustine Beach, 471-1131 True Yucatec cuisine, this family owned restaurant serves Mayan influenced favorites like ceviche and quesadillas, along with beer and wine. Covered patio seating outside. • $$ BW L D Tue.-Sun. THE PRESENT MOMENT CAFÉ 224 W. King St., 827-4499 Serves organic, vegan and vegetarian dishes, pizza, pastas, hummus and milkshakes made without meat, dairy, wheat or an oven. Organic beer and wine. • $$ BW TO B L D Mon.-Sat. PURPLE OLIVE INTERNATIONAL BISTRO 4255 A1A S., Ste. 6, St. Augustine Beach, 461-1250 This family-owned-and-operated restaurant’s dinner menu includes local seafood, prime cuts of beef, lamb, pork, vegetarian choices, local produce, and an option to create your own plate with a selection of entrées, sauces and sides. • $$$ BW D Tue.-Sat. RAINTREE RESTAURANT 102 San Marco Ave., 824-7211 Located in an 1879 Victorian home for more than 33 years, this place specializes in favorites like steak and seafood. HH. Reservations accepted; outdoor patio dining. Live music. • $$$ FB D Nightly RED FROG & McTOAD’S GRUB-N-PUB 5545 A1A S., 814-8430, redfrogandmctoads.com This casual spot offers award-winning chowder, seafood, chicken, pasta and sandwiches. • $$ FB K TO B L D Daily RENDEZVOUS RESTAURANT 106 St. George St., 824-1090 Beer is the specialty at this German style beer house, with more than 200 varieties from around the world, with a rotating draft selection. Pair one with a hot or cold deli sandwich. Take-out orders may be phoned ahead. The kitchen’s open for late lunch during the week, till 2 a.m. Fri. and Sat. • $$ BW TO L D Daily SALT LIFE FOOD SHACK 321 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 217-3256, saltlifefoodshack.com See Beaches.

SALTWATER COWBOYS 299 Dondanville Rd., St. Augustine Beach, 471-2332 This popular landmark restaurant, which serves tourists and locals in a turn-of-the-century fish camp surrounded by saltwater marshes, is always packed. Local seafood, barbecue, ribs and chicken. • $$ BW D Nightly SANGRIAS TAPAS & PIANO BAR 35 Hypolita St., Ste. 201, 827-1947 The balcony of this historic building overlooks busy St. George Street, making it an ideal place to while away the afternoon while sipping one of seven signature (and individually prepared) sangrias.

Spanish-style tapas also served. Live music. • $$ BW L D Daily SOUTH BEACH GRILL 45 Cubbedge Rd., Crescent Beach, 471-8700 Located off A1A, one block south of the S.R. 206 bridge, this twostory beachy destination offers casual oceanfront dining and fresh

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local seafood. Dine indoors or on beachfront deck. Weekday HH. • $$$ FB B L D Daily STIR IT UP 18 A St., St. Augustine Beach, 461-4552 Reggae-named fresh sandwiches, wraps and smoothies are served just steps from the ocean. Try the Burrita Marley (hummus and avocado burrito) or the Pita Tosh (turkey, hummus and sprouts). • $ K TO L Daily; D Thur.-Sat. SUMO SUSHI 107 Nature Walk Pkwy., 230-1999 See Riverside.

SUNSET GRILLE 421 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 471-5555 This Key West-style restaurant serves fresh local seafood, steaks and sandwiches inside or at open-air counters. Celebrating 20-plus years, Sunset Grille has a new deck. • $$$ FB K TO L D Daily TANK’S SUSHI BISTRO 46 Tuscan Way, Stes. 302 & 303, 940-8799, tankssushibistro.com Japanese cuisine made New York City style. Hibachi fare is also served.

And the sushi is authentic Japanese-style. • $$ BW Sake K TO L D Daily THE TASTING ROOM, WINE & TAPAS 25 Cuna St., 810-2400 This upscale contemporary Spanish restaurant fuses innovative tapas with an extensive wine list. Owned by Michael Lugo, The Tasting Room features live music nightly. • $$$ BW L Tue.-Sun., D Nightly TEMPO 16 Cathedral Place, 342-0286 The fusion restaurant specializes in healthful American fare with a Latin flair. Live music every weekend. • $$ BW TO L D Tue.-Sun. TERRA & ACQUA 134 Seagrove Main St., 429-9647, terraacquarestaurant.com This pizzeria means casual modern Italian dining. Chef/owner Simone Parisi creates innovative dishes with authentic ingredients.

• $$ FB TO L D Mon.-Sat. THEO’S RESTAURANT 169 King St., 824-5022 Located on the banks of San Sebastian River, Theo’s is just far enough away from the heart of downtown that it’s a popular haunt for locals and tourists alike. Favorites include seafood and Greek dishes; the hearty breakfast is popular. • $ B L Daily VILLAGIO ITALIAN GRILLE 500 S. Legacy Trail, 940-8623 Inside The Renaissance World Golf Village Resort, Villagio specializes in farm to fork Italian fare using fresh, local ingredients in each handcrafted dish infused with fresh flavors, local fish and produce grown hydroponically at their farm. Live music. • $$$ FB K TO B L D Daily WILDFLOWER CAFÉ 4320 A1A S., St. Augustine Beach, 471-2691 One block from the beach, the Provençal-style cafe’s signature dishes are Wildflower grouper – sautéed, with blue crab meat and toasted almonds. • $ BW K B L Tue.-Sat. YOGURT MOTION 163 Palencia Village, Ste. 102, 610-2220 This spot offers a healthful, nutritional cool treat in a nondairy frozen yogurt (with no table sugar, lactose, chemicals or preservatives) in a variety of flavors. • $ TO Daily

ST. JOHNS TOWN CENTER

BAHAMA BREEZE 10205 River Coast Dr., 646-1031 Bahama Breeze offers Caribbean-inspired cuisine and tropical drinks in an island atmosphere. Menu items include lobster quesadillas, West Indies beef patties and Creole baked goat cheese.

• $$$ FB K TO L D Daily BENTO CAFE PAN ASIAN & SUSHI 4860 Big Island Dr., 564-9494 Casual dining at a quick pace is the Bento way, serving sushi and Pan-Asian cuisine, as well as vegan items. Sake; outdoor dining. • $$ BW TO L D Daily BLACKFINN AMERICAN GRILLE 4840 Big Island Dr., 345-3466 With four dining rooms, BlackFinn offers classic American fare: beef, seafood, pasta and flatbread sandwiches. Dine indoors or on the patio. • $$$ FB K R L D Daily BRIO TUSCAN GRILLE 4910 Big Island Dr., 807-9960 This upscale Northern Italian restaurant offers wood-grilled and

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oven-roasted steaks, chops and seafood. Dine indoors or al fresco on the terrace. Private dining available. • $$$ FB K TO R Sat. & Sun.; L D Daily CALIFORNIA PIZZA KITCHEN 4712 River City Dr., Ste. 105, 421-0179 This upscale yet casual spot offers innovative Cali-inspired dishes, pizzas, salads and sandwiches. Curbside pickup; free valet service with orders $20 or more. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily CANTINA LAREDO 10282 Bistro Dr., 997-6110 Authentic Mexican dishes are served in a sophisticated atmosphere.

The daily fish specials, grilled chicken and steaks are complimented by signature sauces like chipotle-wine with portobello mushrooms or sautéed artichoke hearts and roasted red bell peppers. • $$ FB K R L D Daily THE CAPITAL GRILLE 5197 Big Island Dr., 997-9233 The Capital Grille serves dry-aged, hand-carved steaks and fresh seafood, in dishes made from local, seasonal ingredients. An extensive, award-winning wine list has 350 Old and New World wines; 25 wines by the glass. • $$ FB K TO L Mon.-Fri.; D Nightly MAGGIANO’S LITTLE ITALY 10367 Midtown Pkwy., 380-4360, maggianos.com Italian-American cuisine, this upscale restaurant features classic and contemporary dishes – pasta, steaks, seafood, chef’s specials and specialty desserts – made in a scratch kitchen. • $$$ FB K TO L D Daily MIMI’S CAFE 10209 River Coast Dr., 620-0660 Signature quiches, salads, sandwiches, chicken pot pie, beef bourguignon and roasted turkey breast are served in a French cottage-themed spot. • $ FB K TO B L D Daily MITCHELL’S FISH MARKET 5205 Big Island Dr., 645-3474 The ever-changing menu (it’s printed twice daily) has more than 180 fresh items, featuring cedar-roasted Atlantic salmon, kung pao calamari and seared rare salt-and-pepper tuna. • $$$ FB K TO L D Daily MOXIE KITCHEN + COCKTAILS 4972 Big Island Dr., 998-9744 2015 Best of Jax winner Chef Tom Gray’s latest venue features innovative contemporary American cuisine – seafood, steaks, pork, burgers, salads, sides and desserts – using locally sourced ingredients when possible. • $$$ FB K L Mon.-Fri.; D Nightly MSHACK 10281 Midtown Pkwy., 642-5000 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

OVINTE 10208 Buckhead Branch Dr., 900-7730 2015 Best of Jax winner This comfortable, chic place features tapas and small plate items made with Spanish and Italian flavors, including ceviche fresco, pappardelle bolognese and lobster ravioli. A 240-bottle wine list, 75 by the glass, and craft spirits are available. Outdoor dining is offered and there’s a bocce court, too. • $$ FB R, Sun.; D Nightly P.F. CHANG’S 10281 Midtown Pkwy., Ste. 137, 641-3392 The popular chain restaurant has traditional chicken, pork and beef dishes, plus vegetarian plates and gluten-free selections. • $$ FB K L D Daily SEASONS 52 5096 Big Island Dr., 645-5252 This casual, sophisticated fresh grill and wine bar offers a seasonally changing menu and an award-winning international wine list. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily SWEET BY HOLLY 4624 Town Crossing Blvd., Ste. 137, 564-2711 2015 Best of Jax winner Hollis Wilder, a winner on Food Networks Cupcake Wars, offers 30 flavors of cupcakes made from scratch daily, plus 12 flavors of frozen yogurt with 48 toppings. • $ TO Daily TED’S MONTANA GRILL 10281 Midtown Pkwy., Ste. 221, St. Johns Town Center, 9980010, tedsmontanagrill.com Modern classic comfort food features fine cuts of bison: signature steaks, award-winning gourmet burgers served in a sophisticated atmosphere. Chef-inspired items include crab cakes, cedar-plank salmon, fresh vegetables, desserts. Private label Bison Ridge wines are served. • $$$ FB K TO L D Daily WASABI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR 10206 River Coast Dr., 997-6528 2015 Best of Jax winner Wasabi serves up authentic Japanese cuisine and features teppanyaki shows. A full sushi menu is served. • $ K L D Daily ZOËS KITCHEN 4624 Town Crossing Dr., Ste. 149, 641-2130 See Ponte Vedra.

SAN JOSE, LAKEWOOD, UNIVERSITY WEST

CRUISERS GRILL 5613 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 1, San Jose, 737-2874 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 1610 University Blvd. W., Lakewood, 448-2110 2015 Best of Jax winner See Northside.

FUSION SUSHI 1550 University Blvd. W., Lakewood, 636-8688 New upscale sushi spot serves a wide variety of fresh sushi, sashimi, hibachi, teriyaki and kiatsu. • $$ K L D Daily GENE’S SEAFOOD RESTAURANT 1571 University Blvd W., Lakewood, 448-9888, genesseafood.com A Jacksonville landmark, Gene’s menu includes gator tail, calamari and Cajun shrimp. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily JENKINS QUALITY BARBECUE 2025 Emerson St., Lakewood, 346-3770 Closed Sundays. See Downtown.

MOJO BAR-B-QUE 1607 University Blvd. W., 732-7200, mojobbq.com 2015 Best of Jax winner

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This funky Southern kitchen offers pulled pork and Carolina-style barbecue along with chicken-fried steak and Delta fried catfish. A full bottled beer selection is available. • $$ FB K TO B L D Daily SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q 5097 University Blvd. W., Lakewood, 737-4906 See Orange Park.

TIJUANA FLATS 5635 San Jose Blvd., Lakewood, 371-7884 See Baymeadows.

SAN MARCO, SOUTHBANK, ST. NICHOLAS

(All venues are in San Marco unless otherwise noted.)

ALLURE THAI BISTRO & BAR 1004 Hendricks Ave., 674-0190 New name, new menu but still Thai. Allure serves fresh sushi and authentic Thai cuisine, including ginger-infused salad, classic Pad Thai, all curry dishes, ebi roll, sashimi and daily specials. Craft cocktails. • $$ FB L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. bb’s RESTAURANT & BAR 1019 Hendricks Ave., 306-0100 There’s sophistication to spare, from the ever-changing selection of fine cheeses to the coffee bean carefully placed in each espresso martini. • $$$ FB R L D Mon.-Sat. BEACH DINER 1965 San Marco Blvd., 399-1306 See Beaches.

BEACH ROAD CHICKEN DINNERS 4132 Atlantic Blvd., St. Nicholas, 398-7980 Just like Sunday dinner at home — if your family could cook fried chicken, okra, sweet corn nuggets, country-fried steak, gizzards and chicken livers. And creamed peas, gravy, cole slaw, biscuits, fruit cobbler, fries, rice … Beach Road does it all. At the same location since 1939, the multiple award-winner also offers fish and shrimp.

• $ K TO L D Tue.-Sun. BISTRO AIX 1440 San Marco Blvd., 398-1949 Bistro Aix serves French- and Mediterranean-inspired fare in an urban-chic atmosphere. The menu changes seasonally, and the wine list includes more than 250 choices. HH is Mon.-Fri. • $$$ FB L D Daily BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 4907 Beach Blvd., 398-4248 See Northside.

CHART HOUSE 1501 River Place Blvd., Southbank, 398-3353 Located on the Southbank of the St. Johns River since 1982, this upscale waterfront restaurant serves fresh fish, seafood and prime rib. • $$$$ FB K TO D Nightly EUROPEAN STREET CAFÉ 1704 San Marco Blvd., 398-9500 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

THE FRENCH PANTRY 6301 Powers Ave., 730-8696 This bakery is a cut above, offering freshly made pastries as well as sandwiches and salads, with a European flair. There’s usually a line out the door, so bring your patience. • $$ L Mon.-Thur.

FUJI SUSHI 1950 San Marco Blvd., 399-3305 Right on San Marco Square, Fuji Sushi is under new management with an all-new sushi menu. Sake is served. A sushi lunch is special is offered daily. • $ BW K L D Daily GREEN ERTH BISTRO 1520 Hendricks Ave., 398-9156, green-erth-bistro.com Green Erth serves Cali-inspired fare – vegan and vegetarian – made with natural, organic ingredients, including breakfast items, big salads, soups, paninis, sandwiches, hot dishes and desserts.

Organic teas, coffees and juices and Intuition Ale Works brews. • $$ BW L Mon.-Fri.; D Tue.-Sat. THE GROTTO WINE & TAPAS BAR 2012 San Marco Blvd., 398-0726 Serving a varied tapas menu of artisanal cheese plates, empanadas, bruschettas and homestyle cheesecake, this upscale wine bar features a list with more than 60 wines by the glass. • $$$ BW Tue.-Sun. HAMBURGER MARY’S Bar & Grille 3333 Beach Blvd., 551-2048, hamburgermarys.com 2015 Best of Jax winner Wings, sammies, nachos, entrées, burgers. • $$ K TO FB L D Daily HAVANA-JAX CAFE/CUBA LIBRE BAR 2578 Atlantic Blvd., St. Nicholas, 399-0609 Bite Club certified The Cuban sandwiches served in this clean, bright café are the real thing: big, thick and flattened. Other favorites include traditional Cuban fare like black beans and rice, plantains, steaks, seafood, chicken and rice, and roast pork. Spanish wine and Cuban drink specials, including mojitos and Cuba libres, are served. HH all day, every day. • $ FB K L D Daily HIGHTIDE BURRITO COMPANY 1538 Hendricks Ave., 683-7396 Locally-owned-and-operated by Alejandro Juarez, this casual Mexican place offers homemade salsas, marinades and tortillas.

Beef, pork, fish or cactus are served in burritos, tacos, salads or tortas. • $ FB K L D Daily HON KOREAN RESTAURANT 5161 Beach Blvd., Ste. 5, St. Nicholas, 396-4008 Hon serves home-style Korean, focusing on healthy soups, casseroles, entrées and side dishes, all made with fresh meats, vegetables and seafood. The chef has more than 30 years of experience dishing out authentic Korean meals, using original methods passed down through her family. • $$$ BW TO L D Tue.Sun. INDOCHINE 1974 San Marco Blvd., 503-7013, indochinejax.com 2015 Best of Jax winner See Downtown.

KITCHEN ON SAN MARCO 1402 San Marco Blvd., 396-2344, kitchenonsanmarco.com 2015 Best of Jax winner This popular new gastropub has local and national craft beers, specialty cocktails and a seasonal menu focusing on fresh, locally

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Brewz ‘N’ Dawgz, newly located in St. Augustine, specializes in — you guessed it — craft brews and specialty dogs. sourced ingredients and cuisine. Now serving Sunday brunch. $$ FB L D Daily LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT 1629 Hendricks Ave., 399-1768 2015 Best of Jax winner See Mandarin.

MATTHEW’S 2107 Hendricks Ave., 396-9922 This is Chef Matthew Medure’s flagship restaurant, offering fine dining in a refined, European-style atmosphere. Matthew’s specializes in artfully presented cuisine, and the lounge offers small plates, an extensive martini and wine list and a HH Mon.-Fri. Reservations recommended. • $$$$ FB D Mon.-Sat. METRO DINER 3302 Hendricks Ave., 398-3701 2015 Best of Jax winner The original upscale diner is located in a historic 1930s-era building amid San Marco’s residential district, and there are several other locations. All serve meatloaf, chicken pot pie and homemade soups.

This location is now serving dinner nightly. • $$ B R L Daily THE MUDVILLE GRILLE 3105 Beach Blvd., St. Nicholas Plaza, 398-4326, themudvillegrille.com This original St. Nicholas location and its sister restaurants are family-oriented sports spots serving steaks and wings. Trivia is featured every Thur., Karaoke every Fri. and Texas Hold ’Em every Wed. There are big-screen TVs and three satellite dishes for sports fans. The adjacent Music Room features live music every weekend.

• $ FB K L D Daily THE OLIVE TREE MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 1705 Hendricks Ave., 396-2250 The Olive Tree serves Mediterranean homestyle healthy plates, including hummus, tabouleh, grape leaves, veggie kibbi, gyros, potato salad, Greek salad and more. • $$ BW L D Mon.-Fri. PIZZA PALACE 1959 San Marco Blvd., 399-8815, pizzapalacejax.com The relaxed, family-owned restaurant serves homestyle cuisine.

Local faves include spinach pizza and chicken spinach calzones.

Ravioli, lasagna and parmigiana. Outside dining, HD TVs. • $$ BW K TO L D Daily PLAYERS GRILLE 4456 Hendricks Ave., 448-6670 This sports bar and grill serves burgers and wings, teriyaki stir fry and homemade soups. A kids’ game room is open (TV monitored, so parents can watch), and TVs are situated in all the booths. Texas Hold ’Em is held every Wed., Thur., Sat. and Sun. • $$ FB K R L D Daily PULP 1962 San Marco Blvd., 396-9222 The juice bar offers fresh juices, frozen yogurt, teas, and coffees made one cup at a time, along with 30 kinds of smoothies. Some are blended with flavored soy milks and organic frozen yogurts and granola. • $ TO B L D Daily RIVER CITY BREWING COMPANY 835 Museum Circle, Southbank, 398-2299 Situated on the Southbank Riverwalk overlooking the St. Johns River and popular with the downtown business set, River City offers fresh seafood, steaks and daily chef’s creations. Nosh in the enclosed dining room or out on the marina dining deck. • $$ FB R L D Mon.-Sat. RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE 1201 Riverplace Blvd., Southbank, 396-6200, ruthschris.com 2015 Best of Jax winner A consistent Best of Jax winner for Best Steaks, Ruth’s Chris serves Midwestern custom-aged U.S. prime beef, cooked in 1,800-degree broilers. Fresh seafood, live Maine lobster and an extensive selection of wines are also on the menu. Reservations suggested. • $$$$ FB D Nightly SAN MARCO THEATRE 1996 San Marco Blvd., 396-4845 The historic movie house offers pizza, nachos, quesadillas, sandwiches, and beer and wine. The theater shows first-run films.

• $ BW D Nightly SOUTHERN CHARM 3566 St. Augustine Rd., 398-9206 Chef Art Jennette runs the show here (the former Checker BBQ), serving up all manner of barbecue, seafood and down-home comfort food. Ask for the Trailer Trash Special, which features a pulled-pork sandwich, 15 of Art’s fried white shrimp, hand-cut fries and fresh fried green tomatoes. • $ K L D Daily

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TAVERNA 1986 San Marco Blvd., 398-3005 Chef Sam Efron serves authentic Italian made with local produce and meats. Craft beers, craft cocktails. Tapas, small-plate items, Neapolitan-style wood-fired pizzas, homestyle pastas and entrées are served in a rustic yet upscale interior. • $$$ FB K TO R L D Daily TIDBITS RESTAURANT 1076 Hendricks Ave., 396-0528, tidbitsfood.com For more than 25 years, Clara’s Tidbits has specialized in good food served in a friendly atmosphere, including popular lunch items like chicken salad and unique avocado sandwiches. Delivery available.

• $ TO L Mon.-Fri. TOSCANA LITTLE ITALY 4440 Hendricks Ave., 900-1059 The 150-seat restaurant features Tuscan yellow walls, cherry wood tables and chairs, and tile floors. The extensive menu includes traditional Italian dishes. • $$ FB TO L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. VINO’S PIZZA & GRILL 1430 San Marco Blvd., 683-2444 Hand-tossed New York-style, thin-crust pizzas, and Sicilian-style, thick-crust pizzas. Baked dishes, subs, stromboli, wings and wraps, daily lunch buffet. • $$ K L D Daily V PIZZA 1406 Hendricks Ave., San Marco, 527-1511, vpizza.com V Pizza offers true Neapolitana pizzas with the freshest ingredients.

They claim a 55-second cook time — put them to the test.• $$ FB L D Daily WINE CELLAR 1314 Prudential Dr., Southbank, 398-8989 This Jacksonville landmark offers classic Continental and New World cuisine in an Old World setting. Dine outdoors under majestic oaks or indoors in intimate dining rooms. • $$$$ FB L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat.

SOUTHSIDE

AKEL’S DELICATESSEN 7077 Bonneval Rd., 332-8700 See Downtown.

ALHAMBRA THEATRE & DINING 12000 Beach Blvd., 641-1212, alhambrajax.com The nation’s longest continuously running dinner theater (now in its 49th year), the renovated Alhambra features cuisine prepared by Executive Chef DeJuan Roy, who coordinates his menus with each stage production. Reservations are suggested. • $$ FB D Tue.-Sun. ALL AMERICAN HOT DOG 10365 Beach Blvd., 641-5794, allamericanhotdog.com This family-owned casual spot has been around since 1967, offering all-beef hot dogs served in toasted buns, dressed up with a variety of homestyle toppings, as well as steak pitas, burgers and subs. • $ K TO B L D Mon.-Sat. BARBERITOS 4320 Deerwood Lake Pkwy., 807-9060 See Amelia Island.

BAYARD CAFE 12525 Philips Hwy., Ste. 201, Bayard, 551-3026, bayardcafe.tripod.com This casual, family-owned restaurant serves homemade-style breakfast all day, as well as soups, awesome barbecue and daily specials. And the café now offers desserts, lattes and espressos. • $ K TO B L Daily BISTRO 41° 3563 Philips Hwy., Ste. 104, 446-9738 Daily specials, burgers, salads, paninis, gyros, fresh homemade soups. • $ TO B L Mon.-Fri. BONO’S PIT BAR-B-Q 10065 Skinner Lake Dr., JTB & Gate Parkway, 998-1997 10645 Philips Hwy., 886-2801 5711 Bowden Rd., 448-5395 See Northside.

BRUCCI’S PIZZA, PASTA, PANINIS 7860 Gate Pkwy., 232-8373 See Intracoastal.

BUCA DI BEPPO 10334 Southside Blvd., 363-9090 This popular chain restaurant gets to the heart of fresh Italian cooking with recipes like lasagna and rosemary potatoes. Dishes are available in three generous portion sizes (half-pound meatballs!) and served family-style in a whimsical, old-Italy setting. Gluten-free dishes. • $$$ FB K TO L D Daily

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The recently-opened Fernandina Beach restaurant Burlingame promises fresh ingredients, seasonal menus and beautiful food.

BUFFALO WILD WINGS GRILL & BAR 10300 Southside Blvd., Ste. 2430A, 363-0410 See Orange Park.

CHARLIE’S DINER 8929 Philips Hwy., 363-0990 The place is remodeled and has a new diner menu, featuring “country boy” style breakfast and lunch items. The morning side order selection is massive. Lunch includes big salads and specials, still focusing on favorites. • $ B L Mon.-Sat. THE CORNER BISTRO & WINE BAR 9823 Tapestry Park Circle, Ste. 1, 619-1931 The Corner features casual fine dining, with a menu that blends modern American favorites served with international flair. A full bar is served featuring fine wine, cocktails and martinis. • $ FB L D Daily CRAZY SUSHI 4320 Deerwood Lake Pkwy., Ste. 202, 998-9797 This cozy getaway serves a full sushi bar as well as hibachi, sashimi, katsu, sake and tempura dishes. Favorites are the Dynamite roll, Cold roll and Manhattan roll. • $$ FB L D Daily DAVE & BUSTER’S 7025 Salisbury Rd. S. (I-95 & JTB), 296-1525, daveandbusters.com This 40,000-square-foot restaurant/entertainment complex includes a dining room for a quiet meal away from the games. But what fun is that? D&B’s Million Dollar Midway has the latest electronic interactive games and simulators as well as traditional favorites. • $$ FB K L D Daily DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 10750 Atlantic Blvd., 619-0954 2015 Best of Jax winner EUROPEAN STREET CAFÉ 5500 Beach Blvd., (University & Emerson), 398-1717 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

FIVE GUYS FAMOUS BURGERS & FRIES 9039 Southside Blvd., 538-9100 2015 Best of Jax winner See Orange Park.

THE FLAME BROILER 9822 Tapestry Park Circle, Ste. 103, 619-2786 7159 Philips Hwy., 337-0007, flamebroilerusa.com Built on the concept of healthy, inexpensive fast food prepared with no transfats, MSG, frying, or skin on meat. Fresh veggies, steamed brown or white rice along with grilled beef, chicken and Korean short ribs. • $ K TO L D Mon.-Sat. GREEK STREET CAFÉ 3546 St. Johns Bluff Rd. S., Ste. 106, 503-0620, greekstreetcafe.com Fresh, authentic and modern Greek cuisine made by Greek owners.

Gyros, spanakopita, dolmades, falafel, salads, Greek nachos and more. • $$ BW K TO L D Mon.-Sat. HALA CAFE & BAKERY 4323 University Blvd. S., 733-5141 This remodeled Jacksonville institution, serving since 1975, has homemade pita bread, hummus, kibbie, grape leaves, rider sandwiches, kabobs, falafel, tabouli and a daily lunch buffet. • $$ K TO L D Mon.-Sat. III FORKS PRIME STEAKHOUSE 9822 Tapestry Park Cir., Ste. 111, 928-9277, iiiforks.com III Forks offers a contemporary evolution of the classic steakhouse, updated and stylish with a savvy menu featuring USDA prime beef, seafood, distinctive wine and local favorites. More than 1,500 wines are available. Dine indoors or out on the patio. • $$$$ FB K D Mon.-Sat. JC HOMEMADE PASTRIES FILIPINO CUISINE & KARAOKE 12192 Beach Blvd., Ste. 3, 619-4303 Authentic Filipino fare, like halo-halo, smoothies, bobo tea, flan, cheesecake, lumpia, empanada and awesome apps. • $$ BW K TO B L D Tue.-Sun. JOHNNY ANGEL’S 3546 St. Johns Bluff Rd. S., Ste. 120, 997-9850 This diner, near University of North Florida, serves dishes that reflect its 50s-style décor, including Blueberry Hill pancakes, Fats Domino omelet and Elvis special combo platter, as well as burgers and hand-dipped shakes. Live entertainment, trivia, monthly car shows.

• $ BW K TO B L D Daily KYOTO STEAK & SUSHI HOUSE 8221 Southside Blvd., Ste. 16, 645-8788 The experienced sushi chefs, trained in Japan, offer traditional Japanese style fare and a full sushi bar in a family atmosphere.

Plum wine and sake served. • $$ BW K L D Daily

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LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 3611 St. Johns Bluff Rd. S., 641-6499 4479 Deerwood Lake Pkwy., 425-4060 See Orange Park.

LECI’S ITALIAN CAFE 4076 Belfort Rd., 332-8144 Everything here is made from scratch, with authentic Italian ingredients. Dine indoors or outside. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily LIME LEAF 9822 Tapestry Park Cir., Stes. 108 & 109, 645-8568 Lime Leaf offers definitive Thai cuisine, from fresh papaya salad to pad Thai to seared ahi tuna, as well as crispy duck, all elegantly presented. Desserts include mango sweet rice. Limited delivery is available. • $$ BW L D Mon.-Sat. MAMMA LUCIA 11380 Beach Blvd., 645-0081 Near University of North Florida and owned by real Italians, Mamma Lucia serves definitive Northern Italian cuisine, like risotto, osso buco and the specialty dessert, bomba al cioccolato, cake with ice cream and Amaretto. The pasta and tiramisu are made fresh.

Espresso is served. • $$ BW K TO L D Tue.-Sun. MARIANAS GRINDS 11380 Beach Blvd., Ste. 10, 206-612-6596 This new place offers Pacific Islander fare with an emphasis on the chamorro culture. Soups and stews like fitada, beef oxtail and katden pika, plus spicy empanadas, lumpia and fave chicken relaguen. There’s BBQ style ribs and chicken, too. • $$ TO B L D Tue.-Sun. MELLOW MUSHROOM PIZZA BAKERS 9734 Deer Lake Court, Ste. 1, 997-1955 Bite Club certified 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

THE MELTING POT 7860 Gate Pkwy., Ste. 101, 642-4900 Participatory dining is the philosophy at The Melting Pot, with a variety of fondues from chocolate to cheese and entrées ranging from filet mignon to ahi tuna. • $$ FB K D Nightly MI VERACRUZ MEXICAN RESTAURANT 3109 Spring Park Rd., 396-2626 Authentic Mexican fare is served, for dine in or take out. Margaritas are featured. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily MIKEY’S PIZZA & ITALIAN RESTAURANT 7544 Beach Blvd., 721-7333, mikeys-pizzajax.com Family-owned for 35-plus years, Mikey’s serves fresh-made-toorder Old New York style thin-crust pizzas, pasta, chicken and seafood dishes. An Italian lunch buffet is offered. Take-out and delivery within three miles are available. • $ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat. MY DREAMS CUBAN CAFÉ 9938 Beach Blvd., 330-7455 The new place offers Cuban fare like rojas vieja, congri, plantains, tamales, Cuban sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches and more. • $$ B L D Mon.-Sat. OTAKI JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE 7860 Gate Pkwy., Stes. 119-122, 854-0485 Otaki features a sushi bar, hibachi grill tables and an open kitchen. • $$$ FB K TO L D Daily PISCO’S RESTAURANT 4131 Southside Blvd., Ste. 101, 646-3888 This Peruvian restaurant offers ceviche, jalea, lomo and pollo saltado, arroz con marisco, Inca Cola and Peruvian wines. • $$$ BW K L D Daily SAHARA CAFE & BAR 10771 Beach Blvd., Ste. 110, 338-9049 From tiled floors to the pillowed lounge area, the family-owned-andoperated restaurant exudes Mediterranean style. Flavored hookahs and hot tea are offered in the lounge. Belly dancers perform every weekend. • $$ BW D Nightly SAKE SUSHI 8206 Philips Hwy., 647-6000 Sushi, hibachi, teriyaki, tempura, katsu, donburi and noodle soups are served. Popular rolls include Fuji Yama, Ocean Blue and Fat Boy. • $$ FB K L D Mon.-Sat. THE SECRET GARDEN CAFÉ 10095 Beach Blvd., Ste. 600, 645-0859, secretgardencafe.net This café serves homestyle breakfast and lunch in a gothic garden setting. Southern comfort menu items include eggs Benedict, Hot Mess, French toast, fried green tomatoes, meatloaf, burgers, and

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Try India’s lunch buffet, including naan, rice and a variety of curries and chutneys, on the corner of Baymeadows Road and Southside Boulevard. made-from-scratch desserts. Work by local artists is displayed. • $$ BW K TO B L Brunch Daily SEVEN BRIDGES GRILLE & BREWERY 9735 Gate Pkwy. N., 997-1999 This grill and brewery features a variety of made-from-scratch fare, including local seafood, steaks and pizzas. Brewer Aaron Nesbit handcrafts award-winning freshly brewed ales and lagers.

Dine indoors or out; use of the pool tables is free until 4 p.m. Live entertainment is featured on Fri., weather permitting. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily SULTAN MEDITERRANEAN GRILL 11757 Beach Blvd., 379-0692 Savory, juicy kabobs, vegetarian hummus wraps, and all manner of healthful Mediterranean fare is available at this family friendly place.

• $$ K TO L D Daily TAVERNA YAMAS 9753 Deer Lake Ct., 854-0426, tavernayamas.com Bite Club certified This lively Greek restaurant serves char-broiled kabobs, seafood and traditional Greek wines and desserts, and there are belly dancing shows. A DJ spins Fri. and Sat. A hookah lounge has a full bar and menu. Daily HH, drink specials; kids eat free Mondays. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily TILTED KILT PUB & EATERY 9720 Deer Lake Court, 379-8612, tiltedkilt.com The latest installment in restaurants whose specialty is hot waitresses (their tagline is “the best-looking sports pub you’ve ever seen”), this Jacksonville joint offers 40 big-screen TVs and pub fare – including wings, salmon and shepherd’s pie. And did we mention cute girls in kilts? Open for late night. • $$ FB L D Daily TOMMY’S BRICK OVEN PIZZA 4160 Southside Blvd., Ste. 2, 565-1999, tbopizza.com Tommy’s creates New York-style thin crust, brick-oven-cooked pizzas – gluten-free – as well as calzones, salads and sandwiches made fresh to order, using Thumann’s no-MSG meats and Grande cheeses. Beer, wine and Boylan’s soda are served. Curbside pick-up.

Slices available for lunch. • $$ BW K TO L D Mon.-Sat. TOSSGREEN 4375 Southside Blvd., Ste. 12, 619-4356 The “fast-casual” place offers custom salads, burritos or burrito bowls from fresh ingredients like fruits, vegetables, 100 percent WORLD OF BEER 9700 Deer Lake Court, Ste. 1, 551-5929, worldofbeer.com They do have food here. Apps and bar food from, well, around the world: German pretzels, hummus, pickle chips, flatbread and salads. But it’s the beer: craft drafts from Germany, California, Florida (Bold City brews), Ireland, Belgium and Delaware. The selection of bottle beers is vast and varied. Live music Thur.-Sat. • $$ BW L D Daily YOUR PIE 4828 Deer Lake Dr. W., 337-0155 See Fleming Island.

YUMMY SUSHI 4372 Southside Blvd., 998-8806 Yummy’s menu has everything from teriyaki, tempura and hibachistyle dinners to sushi and sashimi, as well as a variety of more than 30 specialty rolls. Lunch roll specials run Mon.-Fri. Sake is served.

• $ BW L D Daily

SPRINGFIELD & NORTHSIDE

BOSTON’S RESTAURANT & SPORTSBAR 13070 City Station Dr., 751-7499 Bite Club certified A full-service restaurant, Boston’s serves sports bar favorites, including pizzas, pasta, wings, burgers and steak, till 2 a.m. (and there’s a lunch menu with items for less than $7). There are 30 TVs (and major sports packages) and live music every weekend. • $$ FB K TO L D Daily CASA MARIA 12961 N. Main St., Ste. 104, 757-6411 See Beaches.

DICK’S WINGS & GRILL 12400 Yellow Bluff Rd., Ste. 101, 619-9828, dickswingsandgrill. com 2015 Best of Jax winner This NASCAR-themed restaurant serves 365 varieties of wings. The

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menu also features half-pound burgers, ribs and salads. • $ FB K TO L D Daily EL POTRO 7200 Normandy Blvd., Ste. 12, 378-9822 See Beaches.

HOLA Mexican Restaurant 1001 N. Main St., 356-3100, holamexicanrestaurant.com Fajitas, burritos, specials, enchiladas. HH ; sangria. • $ BW K TO L D Mon.-Sat. JENKINS QUALITY BARBECUE 5945 New Kings Rd., 765-8515 See Downtown.

LARRY’S GIANT SUBS 12001 Lem Turner Rd., 764-9999 See Orange Park.

MELLOW MUSHROOM PIZZA BAKERS Max Leggett Parkway Bite Club certified 2015 Best of Jax winner See Beaches.

MILLHOUSE STEAKHOUSE 1341 Airport Rd., 741-8722, millhousesteakhouse.com This locally-owned-and-operated steakhouse is a favorite among Northsiders, serving choice steaks from the signature broiler. The menu includes seafood, pasta dishes and Millhouse gorgonzola, plus homemade desserts. Live acoustic music is on Tue. and Fri. • $$$ FB K D Nightly MOLLY BROWNS PUB & GRILL 2467 Faye Rd., 683-5044, mollybrownspubandgrill.com American (traditional), brunch, burgers, diner fare, hot dogs, sandwiches, seafood, Southern and vegetarian dishes. • $$ FB TO L D Daily NAGASAKI SUSHI & GRILL 12400 Yellow Bluff Rd., 751-2311 This Japanese restaurant offers an authentic traditional menu, including a variety of teriyaki and tempura dishes, as well as hibachi, sushi and satsumi items. Bento boxes and lunch specials are also featured. • $$ L D Daily SANDOLLAR RESTAURANT 9716 Heckscher Dr., 251-2449, sandollarrestaurantjax.com Right on the banks of the St. Johns, Sandollar offers seafood, steaks, chicken and pasta. Dine inside or out on the deck featuring a panoramic view of the river. Seafood buffet every Wed. Live music. • $$ FB R Sun.; L D Daily SAVANNAH BISTRO 14670 Duval Rd., 741-4404 Low Country Southern fare, with Mediterranean and French inspiration, is offered in a relaxing atmosphere at Crowne Plaza Airport. Favorites include crab cakes, New York strip, she crab soup and mahi mahi. • $$$ FB K B L D Daily SONNY’S REAL PIT BAR-B-Q 10840 Harts Rd., 751-4225 See Orange Park.

STICKY FINGERS 13150 City Station Dr., 309-7427 See Baymeadows.

TAPAS OLD WORLD 1417 N. Main St., 615-4000 Authentic Spanish restaurant with a European flair serves fresh food and homestyle desserts in a casual, cozy atmosphere. Live music Sat. • $$ BW K TO L D Mon.-Sat. THREE LAYERS CAFE 1602 Walnut St., 355-9791 Homemade desserts and pastries, light lunches and ready-to-go bistro salads in a renovated space. Beer (featuring Bold City Brewery beers) and wine are served. Indoors and courtyard dining. Live music Wed.-Sun. • $$ BW B L D Daily TIJUANA FLATS 651 Nautica Dr., 738-7642 See Baymeadows.

UPTOWN KITCHEN & BAR 1303 Main St. N., 355-0734, uptownmarketjax.com Bite Club certified Fresh food created with the same élan that rules at Burrito Gallery.

Innovative breakfast, lunch and dinner farm-to-table selections and creative daily specials. • $$ BW TO B L Daily

FOLIO A+E : FILM

SO-SO SCI-FI

The new installment of the popular Divergent series is grounded by a HUMDRUM SCRIPT

I

’ve been onboard with the dystopian adventures of Tris Prior (Shailene Woodley) in her post-apocalyptic future Chicago, but this third outing — with the fourth and final installment due next year — is a disappointing downfall from the first two films, which only just about skated by on the novelty of a cool female action hero and the appealing metaphor for the struggle against enforced conformity her world offered. Here, in Allegiant, based on the first half of the novel of the same name, the reasons for the apparently precarious foundations of her world are revealed, the metaphor suddenly fails as a metaphor, and the concrete reality that replaces it is far less intriguing.

Classified as dangerously “Divergent” in a society where almost everyone is

slotted into five “Factions” based upon their temperament and skills, Tris had — in the first two, Divergent and Insurgent — been leading a fight in Chicago to regain control from a ruthless leader cracking down on

THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT PART I **@@

Rated PG-13 Divergents and rogue Factionless. That culminated, at the end of Insurgent, with the revelation that Chicago was in fact the site of a grand experiment, that the rise of Divergents meant the experiment had been a success, and that the people of Chicago

TIME HAS COME TODAY

WHAT’S NOT TO LIKE ABOUT TIME TRAVEL? Before the concept hit filmmaking, it was already a popular fictional trope in 19th-century writers as dissimilar as Charles Dickens (A Christmas Carol), Mark Twain (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court) and Edward Bellamy (Looking Backward). It was H.G. Wells, however, who invented the concept of a machine (rather than a dream) that might carry man through time, in the process converting time travel from fantasy to science-fiction.

Originally published in 1895, The Time Machine itself, surprisingly, did not make it to the movies until 1960, though by then the viewing public had already become enamored of the plot gimmick. In the last 30 years or so, of course, movies about time travel have engendered franchises of their own (like Back to the Future and Terminator, to name two of the most prominent).

Back to the beginning, however; it was in 1960 that we got the fi rst (and best) of three film versions of Wells’s revolutionary novel. Starring the relatively then-unknown Rod Taylor as the Time Traveler, director George Pal’s The Time Machine won the Oscar for Best Special Effects, which were quite impressive for the time.

However, the real genius of the film is its screenplay by the under-appreciated David Duncan, whose career was mostly limited to sci-fi B films like The Monster that Challenged the World and Monster on Campus and later, all kinds of TV series. Despite their goofy titles, Duncan’s scripts always managed to imbue the preposterous plots with intelligence and coherence.

His version of The Time Machine could serve as a textbook example for a screenplay that adapts

(and enhances) its original source material, updating that story without sacrificing its basic theme and integrity. While the novel jumps without any real stops from the closing years of the 19th century to the year 802,701 and ultimately beyond to the end of the world, the 1960 film includes stops during the 20th century’s two world wars and a final third war (in keeping with the grim mood of the atomic age).

The world of the Morlocks and the Eloi is thus precipitated, not by a class division as in Wells’ novel, but as a result of a nuclear catastrophe. The film also makes the Traveler’s relationship with Weena (then-18-year-old Yvette Mimieux, positively ethereal) more of a love story and provides a far more hopeful ending than the novel’s. Duncan’s teasing suggestion about the mysterious three books that George takes with him into the future to assist in the rebuilding of Man is a brilliant touch.

I suspect Wells would’ve approved. His later sci-fi work grew much more optimistic as well, the ultimate proof lying in his script for Things to Come, the brilliant 1936 British film by William Cameron Menzies.

In 2002, expectations were considerably higher for a new big-screen version of The Time Machine, directed by Simon Wells (great-grandson of the novelist) with a cast headlined by Guy Pearce (L.A. Confidential) and Jeremy Irons (as the Head Morlock). Nonetheless, despite impressive set designs and state-of-the-art special effects, the rendering fizzled badly.

The fly in the ointment was an ill-advised script, written by John Logan (Gladiator, The

were welcome to rejoin the rest of humanity outside the wall that has contained them.

And this is the big decision to be made as Allegiant opens: Shall they go out to meet the people who have been experimenting with them, and if so, how can such people ever be trusted? But Factionless leader Evelyn (Naomi Watts), effectively in control of the city and inciting mob hatred against the defeated Erudite Faction, has pushed Chicago to the brink of total civil war, and perhaps those unknown outsiders can help restore peace. So off go Tris, her boyfriend, LT. Four (Theo James), and a handful of others, over the wall and through a blasted, inhospitable hellscape to see what — and who — is out there.

The small pleasures of getting answers to the mysteries of Tris’ world are overwhelmed by the practical considerations of what those answers bring … and those aren’t,

CONTINUED NEXT PAGE >>>

MAGIC LANTERNS

Aviator, and the two most recent Bond films, Skyfall and Spectre). Striving to do something different, Logan lost sight of the intelligence and spirit of the original. The first part of the film is a rehash of the 1980 hit, Somewhere in Time, in which Christopher Reeve tried to return to the past to save a lost love.

That effort failing, the broken-hearted Traveller heads to the distant future and a very different set of Eloi and Morlocks. Unlike the novel and the first film, the former species (including a sexy love interest and her little brother) are intelligent and at least somewhat advanced. The Morlocks, on the other hand, controlled by Jeremy Irons (looking like Edgar Winter), are unaffected by sunlight, hunting their prey much like the apes in the new Planet of the Apes remakes.

The ’02 version exhibits more ecological concerns than its predecessor (the moon blows up, thanks to aggressive mining interests), as well as a holographic librarian, Vox (Orlando Jones), who somehow survives into the distant future without power. Like so much, it simply didn’t make sense.

In conclusion, the 1960 film is a classic; its successor, a bad idea.

Pat McLeod mail@folioweekly.com MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 49

FOLIO A+E : FILM <<< FROM PREVIOUS alas, further questions and more intriguing mysteries, just accidental conundrums of plot and character that smarter scripting and a more cohesively considered sci-fi culture-scape could’ve avoided. (I haven’t read Veronica Roth’s Divergent novels, I can’t say if these problems exist in the books or are unique to this adaptation.) There’s one honking huge plot hole here that brings the whole story crumbling down into obviousness, which echoes through the rest of the film: Why didn’t those experimenters just do X? Without spoiling, it concerns a matter of how order and control are handled in the city Tris and her friends find beyond the wall, and it’s something she and they should’ve found themselves subjected to as well. There’d barely be a story if they had, but that’s hardly an excuse … and if there is good reason why they are spared this treatment, it’s never offered — no one among those they meet even seems to think it was an option.

We see it, though, and the stakes for the experimenters — led by David (Jeff Daniels)

— are so high, its wildly implausible it wasn’t part of their plan all along.

Between that plot hole and the loss of the metaphor about conformity that has informed Tris’ journey up till now, all we’re left with — if we want to find anything of substance and meaning in Allegiant — is a weak, barely acknowledged philosophical clash between Tris’ young, eager idealism and the messy, complicated reality she discovers beyond the wall, as embodied by the pragmatic David. Even that quickly gives way to the dullest sort of black-and-white, good-versus-evil battle that throws away the potentially complex sci-fi concepts it had been playing with and reverts to a simplistic box-checking exercise in action filmmaking, complete with a ticking-clock countdown that must be stopped. The ending is so foregone as to be downright anticlimactic; and there’s still another whole movie to sit through. I’d been looking forward to seeing where Tris’ story would go, and now I feel as if I can confidently guess.

MaryAnn Johanson mail@folioweekly.com

FILM LISTINGS FILM RATINGS

WUNDERKIND **** WONDER WOMAN ***@ ONE DIRECTION **@@ ONE TREE HILL *@@@

AREA SCREENINGS

SUN-RAY CINEMA The Brothers Grimsby, Only Yesterday and 10 Cloverfield Lane screen. 1028 Park St., 5 Points, 359-0049, sunraycinema.com. William Baskinski appears 8 p.m. March 24. Rams and Batman versus Superman: Dawn of Justice start March 25. The Talkie Series includes Wakefield Poole’s Bijou at 7 p.m., with a live commentary and discussion by Poole and Bruce LaBruce; LaBruce’s Hustler White is 9 p.m. March 26; $10; $14 for double feature.

THE CORAZON CINEMA & CAFÉ Room and Suffragette screen at 36 Granada St., St. Augustine, 679-5736, corazoncinema andcafe.com. The Maltese Falcon, noon and 6 p.m. March 24.

IMAX THEATER The Divergent Series: Allegiant Part I, Zootopia and Living in the Age of Airplanes screen, World Golf Village Hall of Fame Theater, St. Johns, 940-4133, worldgolfimax.com.

NOW SHOWING

10 CLOVERFIELD LANE Rated PG-13 This scary sci-fi thriller sequel costars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Bradley Cooper, John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr. BATMAN VERSUS SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE Rated PG-13 This seems to us like the boys in Stand By Me arguing about who would win if Superman fought Mighty Mouse. Ben Affleck plays Batman, Henry Cavill is Superman, Amy Adams is Lois Lane, Jesse Eisenberg plays Lex Luthor and, in a nice twist, Laurence Fishburne is editor Perry White. Costars Diane Lane, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, Gal Godot, Charlie Rose, as Charlie Rose, and Neil deGrasse Tyson as … Neil deGrasse Tyson. Genius casting!

THE BRONZE Rated R Melissa Rauch (Big Bang Theory) plays Hope – an ex-Olympic medalist of a lower class of athlete than America usually enshrines. She’s more like Tonya Harding – and looks like ONJ as Sandy – and now she must train young Maggie (Haley Lu Richardson), a future gymnastics superstar. Costars Gary Cole, Thomas Middleditch, Cecily Strong, Craig Kilborn, Olga Korbut (!) and Dominique Moceanu.

THE BROTHERS GRIMSBY Rated R If you don’t like Sacha Baron Cohen, don’t see this. He’s a soccer hooligan whose brother Sebastian (Mark Strong) is a squared-away MI6 spy guy; they have to work together to stop world destruction.

Whatevs. Costars Rebel Wilson, Isla Fisher, Penélope Cruz and Gabourey Sidibe.

DEADPOOL Rated R Another ultramilitary type goes rogue and gets powers. BFD. Costars Ryan Reynolds, T.J. Miller.

THE DIVERGENT SERIES: ALLEGIANT PART I **@@ Rated PG-13 Reviewed in this issue.

EDDIE THE EAGLE Rated PG-13 Michael Edwards (Taron Egerton) was a British ski-jumper who beat the odds yet did not do well at the 1988 Winter Olympics. True story! It’s about perseverance, people. Costars Hugh Jackman.

GODS OF EGYPT Rated PG-13 Chisled physiques in shiny armor, sweating and rippling … oh … uh, didn’t see you sitting there. Mortals and, apparently, gods fight for the right to rule the empire. Costars Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gerard Butler and Geoffrey Rush.

I SAW THE LIGHT Rated R Finally! Doesn’t open till March

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25, but it’s already got 6.5 on IMDB. The biopic of country & Western god Hank Williams – so unlike his son and so like his grandson – costars Tom Hiddleston as Hank, plus Elizabeth Olsen, Bradley Whitford and Jeff Pope.

LONDON HAS FALLEN Rated R There’s a plot to assassinate a slew of world leaders who are in London for the funeral of England’s prime minister. Costars Alon Aboutboul, Waleed Zuaiter and Mehdi Dehbi.

MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN Rated PG It’s the ideal moment to put out a weepy melodrama starring Jennifer Garner, since we’re on her side against that two-timing … sorry; I got carried away by the tragedy of yet another Honey, I Shtupped the Nanny incident. Anyway, this is based on a true story about a little girl with a rare illness being cured after she falls out of a tree. Or so I gathered from the trailer. Costars Kylie Rogers, Martin Henderson, Queen Latifah and Courtney Fansler.

MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2 Rated PG-13 The whole gang’s back for another joyful occasion. Costars Nia Vardalos, John Corbett, Michael Constantine and Lainie Kazan. And Joey Fatone. Joey Fatone. … [drop mic] THE PERFECT MATCH Rated R Young, successful, good-looking man says all he wants is benefits without strings. Then he meets a gorgeous woman who seems to feel the same – but damn if they don’t start wanting a real relationship. Costars Terence Jenkins, Cassie Ventura, Paula Patton and Donald shoulda-been-a-bigger-star Faison.

RACE Rated PG-13 The struggle to become the greatest track and field athlete on Earth is profiled in this historical drama about the peerless Jesse Owens (Stephan James), whose accomplishments in the sport catapulted him to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Adolf Hitler ruled that sphere – and hated all non-Aryans. Jesse showed him how a black man could not only compete against Der Fürer’s fair-haired automatons, but beat them decisively, with grace and poise. Costars Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons, William Hurt, David Kross and Carice van Houten.

RISEN Rated PG-13 This is the story of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ – from the view of a nonbeliever. Costars Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton, Peter Firth and Cliff Curtis.

WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT ***@ Rated R The seriocomic film is based on Kim Barker’s book The Taliban Shuffle. Tina Fey plays Barker, a TV newsperson sent to Afghanistan in 2003 to cover Operation Enduring Freedom.

In Kabul, she meets journalists Brit Tanya (Margot Robbie) and Iain (Martin Freeman), who’s Scottish. — Dan Hudak THE YOUNG MESSIAH Rated PG-13 Everybody on Earth started out as a kid – Bernie Sanders, Chris Rock, Mother Teresa, Dick Cheney (well, maybe not Cheney) – and Jesus Christ (Adam Greaves-Neal) was no different. His young mother Mary (Sara Lazzaro) and father Joseph (Vincent Walsh) have fled to Egypt to keep their son from evil King Herod. Herod dies, so they go home to Nazareth. On the way, he’s told about his special place on Earth … and beyond.

ZOOTOPIA ***G Rated PG The animated movie has memorable furry characters, humor and warmth. Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) is an ambitious bunny who wants to be a big city cop. Her parents (Bonnie Hunt, Don Lake) want her to stay and be a carrot farmer, but Judy dreams of the Zootopia police department. Police Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), a cape buffalo, gives her parking ticket duty, even though there are 14 missing mammals and no other cop has done much with the investigation.

Costars Jason Bateman, Nate Torrence, Tommy Chong, J.K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer and Shakira. — DH

FOLIO A+E : ARTS

WHAT ABOUT

BOB? B

ob Saget has done it all, pretty much. We all know he was Danny Tanner on Full House for eight seasons. He was also the first host of the greatest collection of dads getting hit in the crotch with Wiffle Ball bats, America’s Funniest Home Videos. He’s done HBO specials, guested on Entourage and taken a stab at a classic joke in the ’05 comedy documentary, The Aristocrats. Saget had his own A&E show, Strange Days, following different groups of folks around and exploring their lifestyles. (Bikers love him).

If that’s not enough to elevate his status, Saget has directed movies, written a bestselling book (Dirty Daddy) and, most recently, appeared in a Tony-Awardnominated Broadway production. Currently, the now-59-year-old Saget is on the road doing what he loves, telling dirty jokes and engaging in playful banter with folks in his audiences who invariable call him “Danny” and ask where the Olsen twins are.

But it isn’t just his impressive résumé of roles and projects that defines Saget. He’s a board member of the Scleroderma Research Foundation, and does tons of charity work to raise money to help fight a disease that took a sister from him. Recently, Saget took time to speak to Folio Weekly Magazine about Full/Fuller House, his charity work and Dave Coulier’s underwear’s guest spot on Friends.

Folio Weekly Magazine: Your standup is a tad different than what people may be expecting from you. Do your crowds realize how raunchy it is?

Bob Saget: It’s actually a lot less raunchy than it used to be. My standup has always been blue, or what I find funny. I did an HBO Special when Full House was on the air and I was doing America’s Funniest Home Videos, and I dropped F-bombs and did what I normally do, which is whatever I found funny. But the guy on stage was a character I played, but I’ve played many characters. I just [recently] got done playing a character on Broadway (the Tony Award-winning Hand to God). I was a Texan pastor trying to cure a boy whose puppet was possessed by the Devil. I’m also in a movie now called A Stand Up Guy playing a country singer who just sings about stalking.

But Danny Tanner was a character I embraced that had a lot of parts of me I do possess. When I started Full House, my oldest daughter was one year younger than Ashley and Mary Kate. When it went off the air, I had a seven-year-old, and a four-yearold and a one-year-old. My life kind of mirrored it. I think if Groucho was starting right now, he’d be throwing in more dick jokes, because it’s a different time.

Funnyman Bob Saget has become a veritable Renaissance Man who’s still not afraid to WHIP OUT THE RAUNCH

Do you see shocked faces when you perform standup?

No. That question was asked of me 25 years ago.

More people know me now as the Entourage guy, or from my standup, or from The Aristocrats or the movie Half-Baked. It’s been so many years of me not playing a character like Danny Tanner, but it’s really fun now. It becomes a town meeting, people just yell out all sorts of stuff and we just engage in dialogue.

My show is intended to be entertainment for people. I tell stories, I do jokes, I sing, I talk about death, but in the end, it’s entertainment.

I was doing a show in Milwaukee Friday night, and I heard Carly Rae Jepsen was in town, and she sings the theme of the Fuller House show, so I ran over to where she was performing and sang it with her. It’s really quite fun. I think it’ll come to a point where I’m 90 and sitting in an urn and coughing up jokes. There is nothing like standup.

What did you deal with more on Full House, donkey erections or a naked Dave Coulier?

Dave doing tricks with his body parts was the biggest distraction we had. The donkey

BOB SAGET

8 p.m. March 24, The Florida Theatre, Downtown, $25-$45, floridatheatre.com

(youtube.com/watch?v=GyhJx1nEd90) was only there once. One time, Dave took his underpants off because he had a skid mark in them and he slingshot them up above the dressing rooms, up to the second story above the stage. Friends shot in there after us, so we believe that his dirty, skid-marked underpants were also present during the shooting of Friends. Who would want to get them down?

Dave was the kind of guy that would make origami out of his private parts. He would fold the lower parts of himself over the upper parts and say, “Look, I’m a turtle.” He’s a funny guy; I just love him so much.

How did Fuller House come about, and what drew you back?

It just kind of snowballed. It was really John Stamos not wanting to let go of the tiger’s tail. They’ve tried for 10 years to get the thing done. People wanted to do it, but they wanted to give it some integrity. The thing that they did — for the audience, not for the critics — is to focus on where the girls are in their 30s.

I think they did a really nice job. Full House was a walking trendsetter, and it doesn’t seem to want to go away. John was always really interested in getting it going again, and the fans loved it so much, I mean, I’ve been doing standup about it for years, so has Dave. John goes out and plays drums with the Beach Boys, and so it’s part of our lives. It’s like Leonard Nimoy walking around saying, “I’m not Spock,” and then one day giving in and saying, “OK, I’m Spock.” The fans made Fuller House happen. It makes me kind of giddy, because I know they are appreciative. It makes them really happy because it’s their childhood, and it makes me feel old as shit, but what’re you going to do? You gotta get older, unless you’re John Stamos. I think he froze his blood from 30 years ago. He had women suck it out of him and squirt it into Tupperware.

He’s a modern-day, shaved, jean-vestwearing vampire.

Yeah, maybe he is Dorian Gray. If you stand real close to him, maybe you can find a wrinkle.

In 2014, you wrote a book called Dirty Daddy: The Chronicles of a Family Man Turned Filthy Comedian. It’s not just dick jokes and backstage gossip, there’s some real life lessons and loss in the book.

That’s really how we dealt with death in my family. The dick jokes are still there, but in between real people stuff. I lost two sisters, one to a brain aneurysm at 34 and one from scleroderma at 47, and I do as many benefits as I can to help raise funds for research. I’m just trying to do my best to help fund research to help people going through what my sister went through and what my friends have gone through. When I was in my 20s and 30s, I did a lot of irreverent humor to run away from things. I am a completely different person now. I’ve been through so much therapy and done so much work on myself, I can have actual conversations with people. When I was doing Full House, I was always skirting [around things] and trying to get by.

One time, the talent director for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson told me my act was like a stone skipping on the water; it never quite dug in. It was like a very Kung Fu, Yoda sort of thing to say to me. I kept that with me, and now I entertain, but also take people on a journey for an hour or so.

Danny Kelly mail@folioweekly.com MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 51

ARTS + EVENTS PERFORMANCE

ONCE UPON A MATTRESS Kidzfactory Spring Musical features child actors in the comedic musical set in 15th-century Europe, 5 p.m. March 25; 11 a.m. & 3 p.m. March 26, Limelight Theatre, 11 Old Mission Ave., St. Augustine, 825-1164, $5-$10, limelight-theatre.org.

JACKSONVILLE DANCE THEATRE Local ensemble presents In Here, An Evening of Solos, 8 p.m. March 26, The 5 & Dime, 700 E. Union St., Downtown, $10-$20, jacksonvilledancetheatre.org.

ALMOST MAINE Players by the Sea stages John Cariani’s comedy of small town romance, 8 p.m. March 24-26, 106 Sixth St. N., Jax Beach, 249-0289, $23; $20 seniors/military/ students, playersbythesea.org.

TUNA DOES VEGAS Atlantic Beach Experimental Theatre stages Ed Howard, Joe Sears and Jaston Williams’ farce about small-town eccentrics from the Greater Tuna productions who wreak havoc on Sin City, 8 p.m. March 25 and 26, Adele Grage Center, 716 Ocean Blvd., 249-7177, $20, abettheatre.com.

A FACILITY FOR LIVING Limelight Theatre presents Katie Forgett’s dark comedy; a retired actor moves to a prisonturned-elder-care-facility, 7:30 p.m. March 24-26, 11 Old Mission Ave., St. Augustine, 825-1164, $26; $24 seniors, $20 military/students, limelight-theatre.org.

SPAMALOT Amelia Musical Playhouse stages a merry musical adaptation of Monty Python & the Holy Grail, 7:30 p.m. March 24 & 25, 1955 Island Walkway, Fernandina, 277-3455, $20; $15 students; through April 3, ameliamusicalplayhouse.com.

THE WIZ The Tony-winning sensation, a musical interpretation of The Wizard of Oz in rock, soul, and gospel, runs through April 24. Dinner 6 p.m.; brunch noon; Executive Chef DeJuan Roy’s themed menu (chicken gumbo, dirty rice, Southern-style fried catfish, pork ossobuco, maple-glazed chicken, eggplant parmesan, Mississippi mud pie, strawberry shortcake); Alhambra Theatre & Dining, 641-1212, alhambrajax.com.

CLASSICAL, CHOIR & JAZZ

SHAKUHACHI FLUTIST Shakuhachi flutist Riley Lee plays 7:30 p.m. March 24, University of North Florida’s Recital Hall, 1 UNF Dr., Southside, 620-2878, unf.edu/coas/music/calendar.aspx.

WILLIAM BASINSKI Minimalist composer Basinski, using loops to create ambient soundscapes, plays 8 p.m. March 24, Sun-Ray Cinema, 1028 Park St., 359-0049, sunraycinema.com.

THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: SYMPHONY OF THE GODDESSES An orchestra plays music from the “Zelda” video game series with video footage of game segments, 8 p.m. March 24, Times-Union Center’s Moran Theater, 300 W. Water St., Downtown, 633-6110, $35-$85, ticketmaster.com.

MARIMBA DUO WINGS Marimbists Takayoshi Yoshioka and Reiko Shiohama play 7:30 p.m. March 25, Bldg. 50, University of North Florida, 620-2878, unf.edu/coas/music/calendar.aspx.

RITZ CHAMBER PLAYERS Local, celebrated string ensemble performs a solo repertoire, 7 p.m. March 25, the Cummer Museum Of Art & Gardens, 829 Riverside Ave., 356-6857; free concert, registration required, cummermuseum.org.

UNF SHOWCASE CONCERT Music students perform 7:30 p.m.

March 26, UNF’s Robinson Theater, 620-2878, unf.edu/coas/ music/calendar.aspx.

ELIZABETH A. BAKER NeuSonics Music Initiative presents experimental musician-composer Baker, utilizing a toy piano, 7 p.m. March 27, Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, 101 W. First St., Springfield, 356-2992, $5, neusonics.org.

OSPREY CHORAL SHOWCASE Pianist Yukino Miyake and the Men’s and Women’s choruses perform, 7:30 p.m. March 29, UNF Recital Hall, 620-2878, unf.edu/coas/music/calendar.aspx.

A TRIBUTE TO JOHNNY MERCER Pianist John Thomas and band perform Mercer’s music, 7:30 p.m. March 29, Mudville Music Room, 3104 Atlantic Blvd., San Marco, 352-7008, $10, raylewispresents.com/mudville-music-room.html

COMEDY

BOB SAGET Comedian Saget, known for Full House, Fuller House, host of America’s Funniest Home Videos, and author of an acclaimed memoir, Dirty Daddy, appears 8 p.m. March 24, The Florida Theatre, 128 E. Forsyth St., Downtown, 355-2787, $25-$45; mature audiences only, floridatheatre.com.

FRED’S ALL-STAR COMEDIANS NEFlorida comics Forest Scott and David Emanuel, 7:30 p.m. March 23, The Comedy Zone, 3130 Hartley Rd., Mandarin, 292-4242, $10, comedyzone.com.

DEON COLE Comic Cole, Shaq’s All Star Comedy Jam, 7:30 & 9:45 p.m. March 25 & 26, The Comedy Zone, 292-4242, $20-$25, comedyzone.com.

CALLS & WORKSHOPS

LEGO ROBOTICS SPRING CAMP Shiva Robotics Academy has half- and full-day camps for ages 3-13 in LEGO model building, science/technology, robotics, power function, and springtime gardening, March 23-25; drop-off 7:30-9 a.m., pick-up 3-6 p.m., 7044 Beach Blvd., Southside, 704-7046, $40 half-day; $70 full-day; $330 full session. Limited space.

To register, go to shivarobotics.com/springcamp2016.

CAMP BROADWAY SEEKS ACTORS Ages 10-17, for 40-hour summer camp with singing, dancing, master classes, taught by 10 Broadway performers, choreographers, musicians. $575 includes participation in June production of Legally Blonde the Musical or How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, (by age group), headshot and Camp Broadway T-shirt; register at fscjartistseries.org/education/camp-broadway.

ART WALKS & MARKETS

MANDARIN ART FESTIVAL The 48th annual Mandarin Art Festival, with arts and crafts, a green market, food court, music, kids’ art show/activities, bake sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

March 26 & 27, Mandarin Community Club, 12447 Mandarin Rd., 268-1622, mandarincommunityclub.org.

RIVERSIDE ARTS MARKET Local and regional art, local music – Alternate Coast, Tomboi, Four Families, Roy Peak, Thommy Berlin – food artists and a farmers market, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

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March 26 under the Fuller Warren Bridge, 715 Riverside Ave., free admission, 389-2449, riversideartsmarket.com.

UPTOWN SATURDAY NIGHT Self-guided tour of galleries, antique stores and shops open 5-9 p.m. March 26 in St. Augustine’s San Marco District, 824-3152.

MUSEUMS

BEACHES MUSEUM & HISTORY PARK 381 Beach Blvd., Jax Beach, 241-5657, beachesmuseum.org. Lights Up: 50 Years of Players by the Sea is currently on display.

CUMMER MUSEUM OF ART & GARDENS 829 Riverside Ave., 356-6857, cummermuseum.org. Archipenko: A Modern Legacy, works by modern sculptor Alexander Archipenko, through April 17. Conservation, Beautification, and a City Plan: Ninah Cummer and the Establishment of Jacksonville Parks through Nov. 27. Julien De Casablanca: The Outings Project through May 1. Rockwell Kent: The Shakespeare Portfolio through May 15. David Hayes: The Sentinel Series, sculptures of geometrically abstract, organic forms, through Oct. 2.

MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART JACKSONVILLE 333 N. Laura St., 366-6911, mocajacksonville.unf.edu. Andy Warhol’s Factory Films, exploring Warhol’s film work, 7 p.m. March 24.

Project Atrium: Shinique Smith, Quickening, a fabric-based installation with elements of graffiti, Japanese calligraphy, and collage, through June 26. The Other: Nurturing a New Ecology in Printmaking, works by women printmakers, through April 10. In Living Color: Andy Warhol & Contemporary Printmaking and Time Zones: James Rosenquist & Printmaking at the Millennium, through May 15. Allegory of Fortune: Photographs

by Amanda Rosenblatt, through March 27.

RITZ THEATRE & MUSEUM 829 N. Davis, Downtown, 807-2010, ritzjacksonville.com. Through Our Eyes 2016: Sensory Perception, by 18 African-American artists, through Aug. 14.

WORLD GOLF HALL OF FAME & MUSEUM St. Augustine, worldgolfhalloffame.org. Interactive exhibit Major Moments: Celebrating Golf’s Greatest Championships is on display.

GALLERIES

233 WEST KING ART GALLERY 233 W. King St., St. Augustine, 217-7470. Sculptor Joe Lemmon’s works show through March.

ADELE GRAGE CULTURAL CENTER 716 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 247-5828, coab.us. Heather and Holly Blanton’s works show through March.

THE ART CENTER Jacksonville Landing, Ste. 139, Downtown, 233-9252, tacjacksonville.org. An opening reception for Primal Archetypes is 5:30 p.m. March 24; the exhibit is on display through May 23. Lora Wood is the featured artist for March.

CoRK ARTS DISTRICT 2689 Rosselle St., Riverside, corkarts district.com. An opening reception for I’m Board, 120 customdesigned skateboards, is 6-10 p.m. March 26 at East Gallery.

CRISP-ELLERT ART MUSEUM 48 Sevilla St., St. Augustine, 826-8530, flagler.edu/news-events/crisp-ellert-art-museum.

Kristan Kennedy’s paintings, Sunday, display through April 16.

THE CULTURAL CENTER at Ponte Vedra Beach 50 Executive Way, 280-0614, ccpvb.org. Natural Currents, works by John Bunker and Brian Frus, displays through April 8. Jacksonville Watercolor Society Spring Show through March 22.

CYPRESS VILLAGE 4600 Middleton Park Cir. E., Southside, 677-5112, brookdale.com. Jacksonville Coalition for Visual Arts exhibit runs through May 11.

FIRST STREET GALLERY 216-B First St., Neptune Beach, 2416928, firststreetgalleryart.com. Mermaid Magic, through April 5.

JACKSONVILLE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT 741-3546, flyjax. com. Haskell Gallery: The Weirdness & Beauty, by Jeff Whipple; Connector Bridge: The Spirit of Jacksonville, through March.

KARPELES MANUSCRIPT LIBRARY MUSEUM 101 W. First St., Springfield, 356-2992. Evita, Eva Perón’s papers, through May 1. Susan Schuenke’s Bold and Beautiful, through April 30.

MONYA ROWE GALLERY 4 Rohde Ave., St. Augustine, 217-0637, monyarowegallery.com. Find Your Way, works by Gianna Commito, Matthew F. Fisher and Jim Gaylord, is on display through May 1.

SPLIFF’S GASTROPUB 15 Ocean St., Downtown, 844-5000.

Jessica Becker’s 3D paintings are on display.

ST. AUGUSTINE ART ASSOCIATION 22 Marine St., 824-2310, staaa.org. Miniature Marvels displays through March 26.

ST. PAUL’S by the Sea Episcopal Church 465 11th Ave. N., Jax Beach, 249-4091. Eve Albrecht’s works, through March 30.

EVENTS

HEARTBEAT OF THE BOLD CITY Christina Wagner discusses helping cultivate local music and arts. Live music, beer/wine, food truck, 5-8 p.m. March 24, Hemming Park, 135 W. Duval St., Downtown, 255-7900, hemmingpark.org.

HEATHER M. PETERS READING Northeast Florida author Peters reads and signs books 6-8 p.m. March 25, Chamblin’s Uptown, 215 N. Laura St., 674-0868, chamblinbookmine.com.

DOG SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP Florida International Dog Surfing Championship, with Frisbee dogs, dock jumping, dog surfing competition, and adoptable mutts from Nassau County Humane Society, March 25-27, Main Beach Park, Fernandina Beach; to register, go to dockdogs.com/eventscal/2016florida-international-dog-surfing-championship, idsc.com.

COLOR ME RAD 5K A colorful (pun!) race, with tie-dye-clad racers, Slime Station, color throws, contests, music, 9 a.m.

March 26, Metro Park, Downtown, $50 early registration; $55 day of; includes T-shirt, RAD tattoo, more; proceeds benefit Special Olympics; colormerad.com/location/jacksonville-fl.

WORLD FAMOUS CLYDESDALES Anheuser-Busch Brewery’s massive equines through March 27; budweisertours.com.

URGENT NEED FOR BLOOD An immediate need at OneBlood (former Blood Alliance). Photo ID required; igiveblood.com. _____________________________________________ To list your event, send time, date, location (street address, city), admission price, contact number to print to Daniel A. Brown, email dbrown@folioweekly.com or by mail, 45 W. Bay St., Ste. 103, Jacksonville FL 32202. Events run on a space-available basis. Deadline noon Wed. for next Wednesday’s publication.

FOLIO A+E : MUSIC

Los Angeles prog-metal band Intronaut will MELT YOUR FACE OFF with metric modulation

PRODIGIES OF

PERIL I

ntronaut are bad-ass. They are more than just drop-tuning and 47-string guitars — they create thoughtful, yet ballistic, music.

Their prog-metal is a combination of heavyand-hurky, jolting back and forth between sick riffs and jazzy interludes, clean tones, and harsh distortion. Veterans of the road (including tours with Mastadon, Meshuggah and Tool) and studio (five studio albums to date), Intronaut have been receiving critical acclaim for their latest release, The Direction of Last Things, with metal-motivated critics lauding their unique sound.

Intronaut guitarist/vocalist Dave Timnick recently spoke with Folio Weekly Magazine about future plans, what prog-metal really is, and shitty Internet service.

Folio Weekly Magazine: Let me see if I can figure this out. An astronaut explores the vast deepness of space. I’m betting that an Intronaut, then, would be someone who explores the deepness of music internally?

Dave Timnick: Yes, or really just someone who explores inner-space. It was basically just the least shitty name that we could come up with at the time.

What makes prog-metal different from the heavy metal most people may know?

As an uninitiated listener, it sounds to me like complex song structure, different time signatures, a balance between riffs and a sort of jazz-like improvisation. Is that fair to say? How

did you gravitate toward writing music with this type of complexity? I bet there has to be some music theory experience in the band.

Our idea of progressive is really anything that’s forward-thinking and innovative in some way. It doesn’t necessarily have to be complex, but all of us have a lot of musical influences that range from straightforward to extremely intricate and complicated. So we try to blend all the different aspects of music that we love together to make the music we want to hear. There is definitely a lot of music theory experience in the band, but we try

INTRONAUT, SCALE THE SUMMIT, NORTH

7 p.m. March 26, 1904 Music Hall, Downtown, $13 advance; $15 day of, all ages, 1904musichall.com

to write from our hearts and not from our brains. However, sometimes the brainy stuff finds its way into our hearts.

Did you record this live? If you did, that’s absolutely amazing. What is Intronaut’s recording process like? With so many tempo/time changes and tight riffs, it must be challenging.

We tracked the album live (without vocals) in four days. It was nerve-racking, but ultimately very rewarding, as the finished product sounds and flows better than any of our

previous releases. We rehearse like crazy, so by the time we’re in the studio, we’re all nailing our parts pretty well. We don’t really have a lot of tempo changes. I think there’s only one on the entire album. But we use a lot of metric modulation, which gives a listener the impression that the tempo has changed.

When I think of gerrymandering, I think of politics. You have a song called “Digital Gerrymandering.” What inspired that?

Joe and I live in one of the poorer neighborhoods in LA, and we only have access to one Internet provider (which shall remain nameless.). But our Internet connection is really shitty, and so we joke that it’s basically digital gerrymandering. So there you go.

Sul ponticello is a bow technique for stringed instruments that produces a scary, horrormovie sound. It’s also the name of one of your songs on The Direction of Last Things.

What’s this one about?

That song is about the abuse of power, and more specifically, police brutality. I used a lot of the terminology associated with sul ponticello as metaphors for the song’s true meaning (“the sound of dying on the bridge,” etc.).

I read that album opener “Fast Worms” was inspired by the story of Robert Durst. How did that influence how you wrote the song musically? The transition from shredding destruction to a mellowed breakdown in the middle with jazz chords, back to all-out mutilation is, to me, the musical embodiment of Robert Durst.

Ha! Ha! Thanks! Honestly, the music was already done when I wrote the lyrics to that song. I just found his story fascinating (and terrifying), and I thought musically, that song provided a good musical backdrop to explore it.

What’s next for Intronaut? As vets with five albums to your credit and worldwide tours, what do you aim for?

We’re constantly trying to evolve as musicians, as artists, and as human beings. We’ll continue to push the envelope as far as our music is concerned, tour as much as possible so that we can share it with others in a live setting, and we plan on being around for a long, long time.

Danny Kelly mail@folioweekly.com MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 53

FOLIO A+E : MUSIC Concert series kickoff brings PHILLY FOLKIES Strand of Oaks to town for free event

made St. James Building its City Hall. Today, Fridays at Hemming are anchored by local farmers markets, an Art Walk is held every first Wednesday and Jaxson’s Night Market occupies the every-third-Thursday slot.

And now, the nonprofit Friends of Hemming Park has entered a deal with the city to manage the park and move it forward, bringing Philadelphia folk band Strand of Oaks to town to kick off Hemming’s inaugural concert series.

So why Hemming Park — and why Strand of Oaks?

“Our decision to bring in Strand of Oaks comes from the vision we have for Hemming Park to become a premier outdoor performance venue in downtown Jacksonville,” says Friends of Hemming Park CEO Vince Cavin. “With our plans to build a main stage, we approached Tib Miller at Flying Saucer Presents to help us coordinate the logistics of booking a quality act and hosting a concert h, Hemming Park — does anything better from beginning to end. Tib has been a true personify the endless ups and downs of professional through the entire process — Jacksonville than this 1.5-acre Downtown [he’s] dedicated to a quality outcome and we’re space first established in 1857? Deeded to the excited to work with him in the future.” city by the family of city founder Isaiah Hart Timothy Showalter, Strand of Oaks in 1865 for a $10 song, for the ensuing three frontman, says he can’t wait to make his decades, Hemming served as a quiet, peaceful inaugural trip to Jacksonville. “I hate touring village green of the prestigious St. James Hotel. in the winter, so from now on, we’re just going In 1899, Civil War veteran Charles Hemming to tour Florida in the winter — like, never installed a 62-foot-tall Confederate monument leave the state,” he laughs. “I like it down in the park, followed just two years later by there — maybe I’ll even live in a trailer park The Great Fire of 1901, which decimated the eventually and never be seen again.” Of course, St. James and most of Downtown. that might be easier said than done: Showalter That tragedy led to the first round of is a big man with massive beard, and his revitalization around Hemming Park, though. last album, 2014’s HEAL, was hailed as a Henry John Klutho brought the Prairie School masterpiece for combining pleasant folk-rock of architecture to the Bold City, starting with musicianship with intensely personal lyrics, the Cohen Bros.’ Department Store, which written just days after Showalter nearly died in became known as the St. James Building, a traffic accident. serving as the centerpiece of a bustling “Once we heard Timothy’s music, we Downtown for six decades. In 1960, John F. knew he was the one we wanted to get for our Kennedy and Richard M. Nixon both spoke in first show,” Vince Cavin says. “His vibe hits Hemming Park on the same October day, and a nerve for our audience, and we thought he Lyndon B. Johnson visited in 1964 after the struck the right balance of taste and style.” passage of his Civil Rights Act. In between those speeches, And for Strand of Oaks, this though, came Aug. 27, 1960 one-off show in Florida provides — more commonly known a perfect pick-me-up from recent STRAND OF OAKS as Ax Handle Saturday. That’s recording sessions. “We toured 8 p.m. March 25 when 200 white men (including for almost two years off the last Hemming Park avowed KKK members) attacked record, which was hyper-focused Downtown hemmingpark.org a group of black students who’d on me,” Showalter says. “So been sitting in for weeks at touring was exciting because we Woolworth’s, Morrison’s Cafeteria, had so much fun meeting people and other stores that faced Hemming Park. The and feeding off that outward expression. But tragedy made national news and catalyzed the now we’re completely focused inward on Civil Rights Movement’s non-violent march making a new record, which will be about toward progress. bringing people together and making them With segregation effectively over, things feel less isolated in this time of heavy Internet around Hemming Park seemed to be getting loneliness. And the best thing you can do better — until white flight, suburbanization, when you’re in that mode is to have a weekend and the rise of the big-box mall phenomenon away in a place like Florida, without touring drove nearly all the businesses from Hemming for three months straight.”

Park in the 1970s. That was followed by various “I want to make people feel good because city government agencies repeatedly dropping I feel good playing for them,” he continues. the ball on master plans, revitalization efforts, “It’s not dour, sad-guy folk songs, which and other clean-up policies meant to discourage can fall into what I call the Springsteen the homeless residents who made Hemming dichotomy: ‘I’m nodding my head, raising my their home base. beer, and smiling even though he’s singing But this story doesn’t end tragically: The about some of the saddest shit I’ve ever heard U.S. government spent $84 million to build in my life.’”

Nick McGregor a magnificent U.S. Federal Courthouse on mail@folioweekly.com Hemming Park, and the city of Jacksonville

NEW LIFE FOR

HEMMING

PARK

O

54 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

Baxley, Georgia’s greatest (and most likely, only) country rap duo THE LACS perform March 25 at Mavericks Live, Downtown.

LIVE + LOCAL MUSIC CONCERTS THIS WEEK

SPADE McQUADE 6 p.m. March 23, Fionn MacCool’s Irish Pub, Jacksonville Landing, Ste. 176, 374-1247.

DAN VOLL 6:30 p.m. March 23, Alley Cat Seafood, 316 Centre St., Fernandina Beach, 491-1001.

CHICAGO, EARTH, WIND & FIRE 7:30 p.m. March 23, Veterans Memorial Arena, 300 Randolph Blvd., Downtown, 630-3900, $46-$124.

THE MOVEMENT, JAHMEN, DANKA 8 p.m. March 23, Jack Rabbits, 1528 Hendricks Ave., San Marco, 398-7496, $15.

VOX 7:30 p.m. March 24, Mudville Music Room, 3104 Atlantic Blvd., San Marco, 352-7008, $10.

SETH GLIER 8 p.m. March 24, The Original Café Eleven, 501 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 460-9311, $10 advance; $13 at the door.

“3” the BAND 9 p.m. March 24, Flying Iguana, 207 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 853-5680.

RADIO LOVE 6 p.m. March 25, Slider’s Seaside Grill, 1998 S. Fletcher Ave., Fernandina, 277-6652.

ONE-EYED DOLL, EYES SET to KILL, OPEN YOUR EYES, VISIONS 6:30 p.m. March 25, Harmonious Monks, 320 First St. N., Jax Beach, 372-0815, $11-$20.

EMPTY VESSELS 7 p.m. March 25, Burro Bar, 100 E. Adams St., Downtown.

THE LACS 7 p.m. March 25, Mavericks Live, 2 Independent Dr., Downtown, 356-1110, $15-$20.

NRBQ, THE BASEBALL PROJECT 7:30 p.m. March 25, St. Augustine Amphitheatre Backyard Block Party, 1340 A1A S., 209-0367, $20 advance; $25 day of (SRO).

MIKE SHACKELFORD, STEVE SHANHOLZTER 7:30 p.m.

March 25, Mudville Music Room, $10.

LION IN THE MANE, CITY UNDER SIEGE, SUNSPOTS 8 p.m.

March 25, Jack Rabbits, $8.

OZONE BABY 9 p.m. March 25 & 26, The Roadhouse, 231 Blanding Blvd., Orange Park, 264-0611.

CHUCK NASH BAND 10 p.m. March 25 & 26, Flying Iguana.

WET BRAIN, RUKUT, TWINKI, The MOLD March 25, Rain Dogs.

Riverside Arts Market: ALTERNATE COAST, TOMBOI, FOUR FAMILIES, ROY PEAK, THOMMY BERLIN 10:30 a.m. March 26, 715 Riverside Ave., 389-2449.

INTRONAUT, SCALE the SUMMIT 7 p.m. March 26, 1904 Music Hall, 19 Ocean St., Downtown, $13-$15.

LARRY MANGUM, ELAINE MAHON, TOM EDWARDS 7:30 p.m. March 26, Mudville Music Room, $10.

KEITH SWEAT, TANK 7:30 p.m. March 26, T-U Center for the Performing Arts’ Moran Theater, 300 W. Water St., Downtown, 633-6110, $55-$120.

BLACK STACHE, 100 WATT VIPERS 8 p.m. March 26, Jack Rabbits, $8.

STRAND of OAKS 8 p.m. March 26, Hemming Park, 135 W. Duval St., Downtown, free, hemmingpark.org.

BOYTOY, The COSMIC GROOVE, TEENAGE LOBOTOMY 8 p.m.

March 26, Shanghai Nobby’s, 10 Anastasia Blvd., St. Augustine, 547-2188, $6.

5 O’CLOCK SHADOW 9:30 p.m. March 26, Whiskey Jax, 10915 Baymeadows Rd., Southside, 634-7208.

FINAL DRIVE, ABSCENE of DESPAIR, OPPRESSIVE NATURE, LETHAL SKRIPTUREZ 7 p.m. March 29, Jack Rabbits, $8

advance; $10 day of.

NEIL & RYAN 7 p.m. March 29, Culhane’s Irish Pub, 967 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 249-9595, $25.

DURAN DURAN 7 p.m. March 30, St. Augustine Amphitheatre, $64.50-$94.50.

HIGH FUNCTIONING FLESH, BODY of LIGHT, BURNT HAIR, ALGAE GUCK 9 p.m. March 30, Burro Bar, $6.

UPCOMING CONCERTS

CECILE McLORIN SALVANT March 31, The Ritz Theatre COODER, WHITE & SKAGGS March 31, P.Vedra Concert Hall ANDY ANDERSON (Fuel), TRAVIS T. WARREN (Blind Melon), JOSH GASTON April 1, The Birdhouse ACE FREHLEY, GEOFF TATE April 1, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall AFROMAN April 1, The Green Room Springing the Blues: TOOTS LORRAINE & the TRAFFIC, SEAN CHAMBERS BAND, SELWYN BIRCHWOOD, VICTOR WAINWRIGHT, KIM RETEGUIZ & BLACK CAT BONES, RED DIRT REVELATORS, CORBITT CLAMPITT EXPERIENCE, MR. SIPP, TORONZO CANNON, SAMANTHA FISH, CAT McWILLIAMS, PARKER URBAN BAND, CONRAD OBERG, DIEDRA BLUES DIVA & PRO RUFF BAND, COLIN LAKE, JAREKUS SINGLETON, The LEE BOYS, SMOKESTACK April 1-3, SeaWalk Pavilion CONRAD OBERG April 1, Mojo Kitchen WHISKEY DICK April 1, Burro Bar AUDREY CHEN, FLANDREW FLEISENBERG April 1, UNF Gallery Inaugural Fool’s Paradise: LETTUCE & FRIENDS, GRIZ, CHRIS ROBINSON’S SOUL REVUE (George Porter Jr., Ivan Neville, Eric Krasno, Nikki Glaspie, Neal Casal, Shady Horns), GOLDFISH, The NTH POWER, VULFPECK April 1 &

2, St. Augustine Amphitheatre Stevie Stiletto Third Annual Memorial & Benefit Show:

WHISKEY DOGS, APPALACHIAN DEATH TRAP, SNAKE BLOOD REMEDY, POWERBALL, GRABBAG, LOVE CRIME April 2, Burro Bar OF MONTREAL April 3, Mavericks Live JOHNNY MILLER, BAY STREET April 3, Mojo Kitchen CHAD VALLEY, BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD April 4, 1904 Music Hall DAILEY & VINCENT April 7, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall SUNN O))), BIG BRAVE April 7, Sun-Ray Cinema STICK FIGURE April 8, Mavericks Live LIVING COLOUR April 8, Harmonious Monks WILD SHINERS, THIN SKINS, SAND FLEAS April 8, Planet Sarbez CITIZEN & TURNOVER, SORORITY, MILK TEETH April 10, 1904 Music Hall BLACK UHURU April 10, Harmonious Monks The DUSTBOWL REVIVAL April 11, Original Café Eleven AMY HELM April 12, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall PEARL JAM April 13-16, Veterans Memorial Arena Wanee Music Festival: WIDESPREAD PANIC, GREGG ALLMAN, GOV’T MULE, LES BRERS, UMPHREY’S McGEE, BRUCE HORNSBY, STANLEY CLARKE, MELVIN SEALS & JGB, KARL DENSON April 14, 15 & 16 LAS PIÑAS, KENNY & The JETS, The COSMIC GROOVE April 14, Shanghai Nobby’s

RITA WILSON April 15, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall Oyster Jam Music Festival: GRANDPA’S COUGH MEDICINE, SPLIT TONE, The BAND BE EASY, FIREWATER TENT REVIVAL, The RIP CURRENTS, AUSTIN PARK, DIRTY PETES, CHILLULA, The BEN CARTER BAND, EMMA MOSELEY BAND, The UNDER the BUS BLUES BAND, JACKSONVILLE JAZZ HOUR: ANTON LAPLUME BAND, MJ BAKER April 16 & 17, Metropolitan Park The BRONX WANDERERS April 16, The Florida Theatre BARRAGE 8 April 17, The Florida Theatre ESTER RADA April 17, The Ritz Theatre BILLY CURRINGTON, KELSEA BALLERINI April 18, St. Augustine Amphitheatre JESSE COOK April 18, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall Generation Axe: STEVE VAI, ZAKK WYLDE, YNGWIE MALMSTEEN, SO THIS IS SUFFERING, NUNO the CONVALESCENCE April 19, Jack Rabbits BETTENCOURT, TOSIN ABASI April 20, The Florida Theatre One Night of Queen: GARY MULLEN & the WORKS April 20, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall A NIGHT with JANIS JOPLIN April 21, The Florida Theatre IRATION April 21, Mavericks Live SKINDRED April 21, Harmonious Monks FOSTER CARE, CRAZY BAG LADY, The MOLD, TIGHT GENES April 21, Rain Dogs BEN FOLDS April 22, The Florida Theatre RASCAL FLATTS, JANA KRAMER April 22, St. Augustine Amphitheatre SLEEPMAKESWAVES, MONUMENTS, ENTHEOS, The CONTORTIONIST April 22, 1904 Music Hall MYSTIKAL, JUVENILE, TRICK DADDY, BUN B, PROJECT PAT, TOO SHORT April 22, Veterans Memorial Arena NOFX April 23, Mavericks Live MATTHEW WEST, SIDEWALK PROPHETS April 23, First Baptist Church CHRIS ISAAK April 24, The Florida Theatre WOLVES at the GATE, HOUSEHOLD, SEARCHING SERENITY, DROWNING ABOVE WATER, DAYSEEKER April 27, Murray Hill Theatre TOMMY EMMANUEL, The LOWHILLS April 28 & 29, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall JOHN MORELAND April 28, St. Augustine Amphitheatre Backyard Stage OBN IIIs, BROWN PALACE, The MOLD April 29, Shanghai Nobby’s JJ GREY & MOFRO April 29, Mavericks Live ANJELAH JOHNSON, BON QUI QUI, GROUP 1 CREW April 30, The Florida Theatre ALABAMA SHAKES, DYLAN LeBLANC April 30, St. Augustine Amphitheatre Welcome to Rockville: ROB ZOMBIE, ZZ TOP, FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH, A DAY to REMEMBER, MEGADETH, LAMB of GOD, CYPRESS HILL, SEVENDUST, ANTHRAX, CLUTCH, YELAWOLF, P.O.D., WE CAME as ROMANS, MEMPHIS MAY FIRE, ISSUES, CROWN the EMPIRE, BEAR TOOTH, TEXAS HIPPIE COALITION, AVATAR, From ASHES to NEW, GLORIOUS SONS, WILD THRONE, DISTURBED, SHINEDOWN, 3 DOORS DOWN, BRING ME the HORIZON,

MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 55

LIVE + LOCAL MUSIC SIXX:A.M., COLLECTIVE SOUL, PENNYWISE, BULLET for my VALENTINE, HELLYEAH, ASKING ALEXANDRIA, CANDLEBOX, ESCAPE the FATE, PARKWAY DRIVE, ENTER SHIKARI, MISS MAY I, WILSON, RED SUN RISING, LACEY STURM, MONSTER TRUCK, CANE HILL April 30 & May 1, Metropolitan Park GIPSY KINGS, NICOLAS REYES, TONINO BALIARDO May 1, St. Augustine Amphitheatre LA LUZ, MASSENGER, The GUN HOES May 5, Burro Bar Funk Fest: LL COOL J, NEW EDITION, MASTER P, FLOETRY, DRU HILL, JON B. May 6 & 7, Metropolitan Park JBOOG, COMMON KINGS May 6, Mavericks Live PHIL VASSAR, RUSSELL DICKERSON May 7, Thrasher-Horne BILL BURR May 8, T-U Center The 1975, JAPANESE HOUSE May 10, St. Aug. Amphitheatre The FRONT BOTTOMS, BRICK + MORTAR. DIET CIG May 11, Mavericks Live ELLIS PAUL May 13, The Original Café Eleven MICHAEL CARBONARO May 13, Times-Union Center STYX, .38 SPECIAL, The OUTLAWS May 14, St. Augustine Amphitheatre AMY SCHUMER May 15, Veterans Memorial Arena OTEP FEST 2016 May 15, Harmonious Monks DEFTONES, CODE ORANGE May 17, St. Augustine Amphitheatre SHAKEY GRAVES, SON LITTLE May 17, P.Vedra Concert Hall NIGHT RANGER May 19, The Florida Theatre KING & the KILLER May 20, Mavericks Live FOALS May 20, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall SALT-N-PEPA, KID ’N PLAY, ROB BASE, COOLIO, TONE LOC, COLOR ME BADD May 21, St. Augustine Amphitheatre HERE COME the MUMMIES, NOAH GUTHRIE May 26, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall MODERN ENGLISH May 26, Burro Bar R. KELLY May 26, Veterans Memorial Arena ALEJANDRO ESCOVEDO June 5, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall “WEIRD AL” YANKOVIC June 11, St. Augustine Amphitheatre CYNDI LAUPER June 12, St. Augustine Amphitheatre DEATH CAB for CUTIE, CHVRCHES, PURE BATHING CULTURE June 14, St. Augustine Amphitheatre CHRIS CORNELL June 17, The Florida Theatre REBELUTION, The GREEN & J BOOG, STICK FIGURE, THROUGH the GREEN June 23, St. Augustine Amphitheatre JUSTIN BIEBER June 29, Veterans Memorial Arena SUBLIME with ROME, TRIBAL SEEDS July 1, St. Aug. Amp. BARENAKED LADIES, ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES in the DARK, HOWARD JONES July 2, St. Augustine Amphitheatre TWENTY ONE PILOTS July 3, St. Augustine Amphitheatre SHAWN MENDES July 16, St. Augustine Amphitheatre FLIGHT of the CONCHORDS July 17, St. Augustine Amphitheatre 5 SECONDS of SUMMER July 20, Veterans Memorial Arena TED NUGENT July 20, The Florida Theatre

Local musicians CHUCK NASH BAND play March 25 & 26 at Flying Iguana, Neptune Beach.

311, MATISYAHU July 26, St. Augustine Amphitheatre BRING IT! LIVE July 29, The Florida Theatre

LIVE MUSIC CLUBS

AMELIA ISLAND, FERNANDINA

ALLEY CAT Beer House, 316 Centre St., 491-1001 Dan Voll March 23. Gitlo Lee March 25 LA MANCHA, 2709 Sadler Rd., 261-4646 Miguel Paley jazz show every Fri.-Sun. SLIDERS Seaside Grill, 1998 S. Fletcher Ave., 277-6652 Radio Love 6 p.m. March 25 SURF Restaurant, 3199 S. Fletcher Ave., 261-5711 Yancy Clegg every Tue. & Thur. Black Jack Band every Fri.

AVONDALE, ORTEGA

CASBAH Café, 3628 St. Johns Ave., 981-9966 Goliath Flores every Wed. Live jazz every Sun. Live music every Mon. ECLIPSE, 4219 St. Johns Ave. KJ Free 9 p.m. Tue. & Thur.

Indie dance 9 p.m. every Wed. ’80s & ’90s dance every Fri.

THE BEACHES (All venues in Jax Beach unless otherwise noted)

BRASS ANCHOR PUB, 2292 Mayport Rd., Ste. 35, Atlantic Beach, 249-0301 Joe Oliff March 23 CULHANE’S, 967 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 249-9595 Neil & Ryan 7 p.m. March 29 FLYING IGUANA, 207 Atlantic Blvd., NB, 853-5680 “3” 9 p.m.

March 24. Chuck Nash Band 10 p.m. March 25 & 26. Cody Nix March 27 GUSTO’S, 1266 Beach Blvd., 372-9925 Groov every Wed. Monica DaSilva every Thur. Murray Goff Fri. Under the Bus Sat. HARMONIOUS MONKS, 320 First St. N., 372-0815 The Living Deads March 23. One-Eyed Doll, Eyes Set to Kill, Open Your Eyes, Visions 6:30 p.m. March 25. Bleeding in Stereo, DamnEdged, lowercase g March 26. Bobby Amaru March 27.

Back from the Brink Mon. LYNCH’S, 514 N. First St., 249-5181 Austin Park 10 p.m.

March 25 On Guard 10 p.m. March 26 MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1018 Third St. N., 241-5600 Lyons March 24 MEZZA Restaurant & Bar, 110 First St., NB, 249-5573 Ginger every Wed. Mike Shackelford, Steve Shanholtzer every Thur.

MONKEY’S UNCLE Tavern, 1728 N. Third St., 246-1070 Ace Winn 10 p.m. March 24. DJ Wed., Sat. & Sun. Live music every Fri. RAGTIME Tavern, 207 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 241-7877 Cody Johnson 6 p.m. March 23. Decoy March 24. Love Monkey March 25 & 26. T. Martin & the Troublemakers March 27 SEACHASERS, 831 First St. N., 372-0444 Savanna Leigh Bassett 6 p.m. March 30 SLIDERS Seafood Grille, 218 First St., NB, 246-0881 Bill Ricci 6 p.m. March 25. Live music every Thur., Fri. & Sat. WIPEOUTS GRILL, 1589 Atlantic Blvd., NB, 247-4508 Billy Bowers 7 p.m. March 30

DOWNTOWN

1904 Music Hall, 19 Ocean. Intronaut, Scale the Summit 7 p.m.

March 26 The BIRDHOUSE, 1827 N. Pearl St., 634-7523 Sista Otis March 25 BURRO BAR, 100 E. Adams St. Empty Vessels 7 p.m. March 24. High Functioning Flesh, Body of Light, Burnt Hair, Algae Guck 9 p.m. March 30 DOS GATOS, 123 E. Forsyth St., 354-0666 BlackJack every Wed. DJ Brandon every Thur. DJs spin dance every Fri. DJ NickFresh every Sat. DJ Randall Mon. DJ Hollywood every Tue. FIONN MacCOOL’S, The Landing, 374-1247 Spade McQuade March 23. Jimmy Solari 8 p.m. March 25. Ace Winn 8 p.m. March 26 JACKSONVILLE Landing, 353-1188 Spanky the Band 8 p.m. March 25. The Party Cartel 8 p.m. March 26 MARK’S DOWNTOWN, 315 E. Bay St., 355-5099 DJ Dr. Doom 10 p.m. every Fri. DJ Shotgun 10 p.m. every Sat. MAVERICKS LIVE, Jax Landing, 356-1110 The Lacs 7 p.m.

March 25. Wade B March 27. Ghastly March 29. Joe Buck, DJ Justin every Thur.-Sat.

FLEMING ISLAND

WHITEY’S Fish Camp, 2032 C.R. 220, 269-4198 Boogie Freaks 9 p.m. March 25 & 26. Reggie Lee 3 p.m. March 27

INTRACOASTAL WEST

CLIFF’S Bar, 3033 Monument Rd., 645-5162 Circus Band 8 p.m. March 23. Second Shot March 25. Fratello March 26. Anton LaPlume March 27 JERRY’S Grille, 13170 Atlantic Blvd., 220-6766 Cloud 9 March 25. Hard to Handle March 26

MANDARIN, JULINGTON

DAVE’S Music Bar, 9965 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 48, 575-4935 The Hounds March 26 HARMONIOUS MONKS, 10550 Old St. Augustine, 880-3040 Live music most weekends. Open jam 7 p.m. Mon.

56 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

LIVE + LOCAL MUSIC The Cosmic Groove, Teenage Lobotomy 8 p.m. March 26 TRADEWINDS Lounge, 124 Charlotte St., 829-9336 Cottonmouth March 25 & 26

SAN MARCO, SOUTHBANK

Shadowplay: Los Angeles electro-punk band HIGH FUNCTIONING FLESH play with BODY of LIGHT, BURNT HAIR and ALGAE GUCK March 30 at Burro Bar, Downtown.

ORANGE PARK, MIDDLEBURG

The HILLTOP, 2030 Wells Rd., 272-5959 John Michael Tue.-Sat. The ROADHOUSE, 231 Blanding Blvd., 264-0611 Clinton Lane Darnell & Shayne Rammler March 23. Ozone Baby 10 p.m. March 25 & 26

PONTE VEDRA

PUSSER’S, 816 A1A, 280-7766 Ryan Crary 6 p.m. March 23.

Billy Buchanan 6 p.m. March 24. Aaron Koerner 8 p.m. March 25. Cody Nix 7 p.m. March 26 TABLE 1, 330 A1A, 280-5515 Samuel Sanders & Darren Escar March 23. Gary Starling March 24. Way Back Wednesday March 25. Latin All Stars March 26

RIVERSIDE, WESTSIDE

ACROSS the STREET, 948 Edgewood Ave. S., 683-4182 snOre, Mother Strange March 26. DJ JStreet 8:30 p.m. every

PIANO MAN

AS I HAVE STATED HERE PREVIOUSLY, THERE is nary a musician in this town I haven’t worked with in some capacity. So writing objectively about some of my friends in the local music biz can sometimes pose a challenge, but I’m enough of a dick that that hasn’t been much of an issue in the past.

But when I was asked to write about pianist/ songwriter Tom Bennett, I felt a special pang.

We’ve worked very closely in many projects, including his own Tom Bennett Band, for which I played drums, engineered and coproduced a recent album. Bennett, a classically trained pianist, has also assisted me on several productions, including my most recent album, charting and performing material for a musical, and performing live with a few ensembles I’ve put together.

So the challenge was to see his work through the same prism through which I view a stranger’s.

And so here is my brief assessment of his work, before I default to a Q&A style interview with the man himself.

What I like about Bennett’s approach to music: He isn’t afraid to mix genres and styles in an attempt to create something new. I’ve heard some compare him to Billy Joel, Steely Dan, and Ben Folds, but he’s just as influenced

by Motörhead, Deep Purple, and Slayer along with prog rockers and fusion artists of the ’70s.

Bennett also places himself in awkward musical situations as a learning tool, playing music he might not necessarily enjoy or prefer, simply for the experience of doing it.

What I don’t like: Bennett’s lyrics are a bit too angst-y for my taste. And not ’90s grunge angst-y.

Bennett, who lives in a stucco home deep in the strip-mall-cluttered Jacksonville/Orange Park borderland, has a particular dislike for modern suburbia and its inhabitants, and it shows in his songwriting. Songs of his last album like “Soccer Dad” and “Wine & Prozac,” along with new songs like “Creepy People,” can come across as nihilistic redundancies. Especially if you’re one of those soccer dads or wine-ingesting moms.

It must be said that I appreciate his sarcasm and humor, and hope that he expands his sardonic lyrics into wider areas with his new work. Bennett is a talent for sure, and when he’s not battling

Sun.-Tue. & Fri. Higher Ground 8:30 p.m. every Thur. Live music 8:30 p.m. every Sat. MURRAY HILL Theatre, 932 Edgewood S., 388-7807 878, Unmasked, Majors 7 p.m. March 25. Jonathan Lee, Sam Herb, Chase Fouraker, Justen Harden March 26. Rooted March 30

RAIN DOGS, 1045 Park St., 379-4969 Wet Brain, Rukut, Twinki, The Mold March 25 RIVERSIDE Arts Market, 715 Riverside Ave., 389-2449 Alternate Coast, Tomboi, Four Families, Roy Peak, Thommy Berlin March 26

ST. AUGUSTINE

CAFE ELEVEN, 501 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Aug. Bch, 460-9311 Seth Glier March 24 THE CELLAR UPSTAIRS, 157 King St., 826-1594 Chillula March 25. Billy Buchanan & Free Avenue March 26 SHANGHAI NOBBY’S, 10 Anastasia Blvd., 547-2188 Boytoy,

constant lineup changes and booking schedules, he’s busting his ass in the woodshed and studio, something more local musicians should be doing more often.

Folio Weekly Magazine: Give me the fiveminute version of your musical development in Jacksonville.

Tom Bennett: I started playing piano when I was 14. The family was pretty into music so it was sort of natural to start hammering the keys – violently.

I had anger issues. My jazz band teacher Mr. Ogilvie was a super-cool guy who supported me as a musician, and I studied classical piano with Burt Carasquero, Kevin Sharp – from whom I learned a lot in a short time even though I was a horrible student – and Gerson Yessin – from whom I learned a lot even though I was a horrible student as well.

When did the Tom Bennett Band first rear its ugly head?

I think five or six years ago, maybe more. I have always played in bands but time forced me to get to work on my own music rather than languish in unresolved musical frustration.

You’re a strong opponent of cover band work. Explain.

To characterize me as a “strong opponent” of cover band music would be incorrect. I’m definitely more drawn to creative projects than cover projects, however, last weekend I played a Friday and Saturday cover gig with Paul Ivey & Friends and have been playing in cover bands for well over a decade. I’m all for musicians making money. I think I just prioritize the creative projects more for myself.

Talk a little bit about the difficulties of keeping a steady lineup.

This is a constant challenge for growing bands.

Finding the perfect fit for a band seems almost to be the key to having a great band. I’ve just kept moving forward each step of the way. I don’t know how else to do it. Currently, the guys I play with – Chris Poland, Keith “Bongo-Boy” Everett, Andy “Ocala Y’all” Jones and Dan Luft – are awesome team players and superb musicians. I love these guys.

Your last record, the one I engineered, lambastes suburban American culture.

Why the disdain?

JACK RABBITS, 1528 Hendricks Ave., 398-7496 The Movement, Jahmen, Danka 8 p.m. March 23. Lion in the Mane, City Under Siege, Sunspots 8 p.m. March 25. Black Stache, 100 Watt Vipers 8 p.m. March 26. Final Drive, Abscene Of Despair, Oppressive Nature, Lethal Skripturez 7 p.m. March 29 MUDVILLE Music Room, 3104 Atlantic Blvd., 3527008 Vox 7:30 p.m. March 24. Mike Shackelford, Steve Shanholzter 7:30 p.m. March 25. Larry Mangum, Elaine Mahon, Tom Edwards 7:30 p.m. March 26

SOUTHSIDE, BAYMEADOWS

MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1800 Town Ctr. Blvd., 541-1999 Charlie Walker March 24. Whetherman March 25 SEVEN BRIDGES, 9735 Gate Pkwy., 997-1999 Chilly Rhino 8 p.m. March 25 WHISKEY JAX, 10915 Baymeadows, 634-7208 Savanna Leigh Bassett March 23. Roger That 9:30 p.m. March 25. 5 O’Clock Shadow 9:30 p.m. March 26 WORLD OF BEER, 9700 Deer Lake Ct., Ste. 1, 551-5929 Who Rescued Who 9 p.m. March 25. Radio Love March 26

SPRINGFIELD, NORTHSIDE

MOLLY BROWN’S Pub, 2467 Faye Rd., 683-5044 Black Creek March 25. Milltown Road March 26 SHANTYTOWN Pub, 22 W. Sixth St., 798-8222 Live music most weekends _______________________________________________ To list your band’s gig, send time, date, location (street address, city), admission price and contact number to print to Daniel A. Brown, email dbrown@folioweekly.com or by mail, 45 W. Bay St., Ste. 103, Jacksonville FL 32202. Events run on a space-available basis. Deadline noon Wed. for next Wednesday’s publication.

THE KNIFE

Interesting question because I think artists write about what they know and who they are. My song ideas come to me from a place that I can’t really identify other than to say that when I “lambaste,” it’s done with love and self-deprecation.

What’s on the horizon for the band?

I’m two songs – “Wine and Prozac” and “Hot Yoga” – into a song cycle about a dysfunctional suburban family and their interactions with death, drugs, alcohol, yoga, military enlistment, Starbucks, and a tense “standoffish” family relationship. I’m very excited to be working on it. It’s blossoming into a six-to-eight-song project.

What’s the biggest problem with Jacksonville’s original music scene?

The biggest challenge to the original music scene is probably geography, but it has always been that way. There are good established venues in town with more opening all the time. More people seem to be going out to enjoy local shows, which is great. I see a lot of good things right around the corner for Jacksonville with the Elbow, so kudos to the venue owners and patrons who support original music.

What’s its biggest asset?

Jacksonville has an unbelievably good pool of great – not good – musicians. We have a lot of superb players here.

John E. Citrone theknife@folioweekly.com ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– Tom Bennett Band plays with the Jacksonville University Percussion Ensemble on Saturday, April 16 at Jacksonville University.

MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 57

PET EVENTS PE

COMEDY FOR CRITTERS: THE PREQUEL • Mad Cowford Improv hosts this fundraiser at 7:30 p.m.

March 31 at Green Room Brewing (dog friendly), 228 N. Third St., Jax Beach. Tickets available at the door for a $10 suggested donation; includes one free beer. Proceeds benefit Friends of Jacksonville Animals; friends ofjaxanimals.com.

2016 FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL DOG SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP • Nassau Humane Society partners with Team Surfdog, Dockdogs and Redbones to present this contest starting at 9 a.m.

Friday, March 25 through 2 p.m. Sunday, March 27 at 2500 Atlantic Ave., Fernandina Beach. Frisbee

ADOPTABLES

BUCK

Handsome Hunk Seeks Furever Family • Howdy! My name’s Buck and I’m looking for the real thing. I don’t want a one-night walk in the park – I want a soul-mate-level match. Yes, I’m a bit bigger and a bit older, but remember, with age comes wisdom. I have two requirements.

The first is that I be your only pet because I just love humans so much I can’t stand to share. The second is that you let me have a soft blanket because I love to crawl under the covers. Please come meet me! For adoption information, visit jaxhumane.org dogs, dock jumping and dog surfing competition.

310-3350, dockdogs.com.

DOGGONE EASTER EGG HUNT • The fourth annual hunt is held noon-2 p.m. Saturday, March 26 at Town Hall, 2042 Park Ave., Orange Park. Separate hunts for large and small dogs. Bake sale, silent auction, Easter Bunny photo ops and Mojo BBQ. Proceeds benefit Friends of Clay County Animals.

All dogs must be on leash; pawfectionbakery.com.

DOGGIE DIPS • Fernandina Beach Parks & Recreation Department sponsors a swimming pool activity for dogs and their owners, 2-3 p.m.

Saturday, March 26 and April 23 at the MLK Center, 1200 Elm St., Fernandina Beach. $5 per dog.

No dog bullies are allowed, two dogs per owner maximum, and no humans in the pool. 310-3350 ext. 1. Proceeds support a free swimming lessons program for humans.

ADOPTABLES

ALFRED

Distinguished Cat Loves the Finer Things in Life • If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind cat with the purrsonality of a panther, I’m the one for you. The company of other cats doesn’t bother me, but it’s really human companionship I crave. Let’s get together over some Ahi tuna in the candlelight. We can share our hopes and dreams … and maybe a little catnip. Please come meet me at the Jacksonville Humane Society. Ask for the stud in the cat room! For adoption information, visit jaxhumane.org LB REPTILE EXPERIENCE • This group, a member of the Jacksonville Herpetological Society, offers educational shows for schools, daycares, libraries, corporate events, and birthday parties. Owners are designated Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission nuisance alligator trappers. 703-0249, lbreptileexperience.com.

To see your pet event here, send event name, time, date, location with complete street address and city, admission price, contact number/website to print, to mdryden@ folioweekly.com – at least two weeks before the event.

58 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

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Davi interviews All-American SURF DOG Booker D

B

ooker D is an All American Surf Dog — hitting the waves and hanging paws with the best of them.

The 11-year-old senior champion has made her mark competitively surfing breaks all over North America.

She’s knocking retirement to challenge top dogs from East to West, hoping to snatch the grandmaster title — again — at the 2016 Florida International Dog Surfing Championship on March 25 and 26 in Fernandina Beach.

Pooches from across America are judged on rad skills in four categories, none of which are cuteness, as they shred waves. Longtime surfer Booker D is poised to rip through her sesh and show the others which end of the wave is up.

I was lucky to meet this bitchin’ veteran of the surf dog scene.

Davi: How long have you been a surf dog?

Booker D: I’ve been competing all 11 years of my life. I’m one of the PAWriginal surf dogs. We started the craze on the East Coast and it spread like wildfire across the country.

Who is your surf coach?

My pops. He taught me half of what I know — I figured out the rest on my own!

How do you stay balanced on your board?

Staying balanced takes natural ability and a lot of hard work. Having the added advantage of two goofy paws rather than one goofy foot helps, too.

Do you like a longboard or a shortboard?

There isn’t a surfboard made I can’t ride.

Do you wear a board leash?

No! That is absolutely against the rules and extremely dangerous. Never tie a surf dog to a board — that’s a human thing.

Do you wear safety gear?

Yes. I don’t go anywhere without my Paws Aboard life jacket.

What do you eat before a competition?

Usually something quite tasty, and healthful, too. High protein, carbs, lots of

vegetables, coconut oil and turmeric — my basic diet.

Do you wear sunscreen?

Pops gives me an aloe vera bath after I’m in the sun or wind for too long.

Have you ever bailed on a wave?

Sure. Waves are like life. There are many roads, many paths to take, not all of them good, and some don’t even get you to shore.

What’s your biggest fear while surfing?

I am Booker D Surfdog — I am fearless.

Aren’t you scared of sharks?

Weren’t you paying attention? I am fearless, but Pops sure gets out of the water fast when he sees one. He says sharks are the landlords of the ocean.

How many categories are in the surf dog contest?

Four. The divisions are lightweight, welterweight, heavyweight and a grandmasters mystery round. Oh, and there will be two wildcard amateur rounds.

What advice do you have for adventurous dogs interested in surfing?

Attempt surfing only if you love the water and the beach. If you do, then take a lesson from a pro to find out if you have what it takes to be a surf dog.

Davi mail@folioweekly.com _____________________________________ Catch a wave with your pup at the Florida International Dog Surfing Championship, March 25, 26 & 27, 2500 Atlantic Ave., Fernandina Beach, free to attend, 330-241-4975, d o c k d o g s . c o m / e v e nt s c al / 2 0 1 6 - f l o r i d a international-dog-surfing-championship.

Frisbee dogs and dock-jumping are featured.

PET TIP: BARK IN BLACK LOSING A LOVED ONE CAN BE EXTREMELY TRAUMATIC FOR A PERSON. But did you know that dogs also mourn the loss of a companion – be it fourfooted or two-legged? Petplace.com reports that dogs can become depressed when a loved ones dies. You may notice changes in their sleeping habits, disinterest in favorite activities or food, increased vocalizing, or see your pup staring disconsolately out the window, waiting for their friend to return. (Try not to tear up at that image.) During this time, it’s important to give them lots of love and interaction. But if your pooch doesn’t perk up within a week or so, you might want to consult your veterinarian or an animal behaviorist.

MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 59

FREEWILL ASTROLOGY

FOLIO WEEKLY MAGAZINE CROSSWORD by DALE RATERMANN. Presented by

SAN MARCO 2044 SAN MARCO BLVD. 398-9741

PONTE VEDRA

THE SHOPPES OF PONTE VEDRA

330 A1A NORTH 280-1202

CHOCOLATE, CHEKOV, BEATLE MOVIES, RIMBAUD & THE WRIGHT BROTHERS

SOUTHSIDE

AVONDALE 3617 ST. JOHNS AVE. 10300 SOUTHSIDE BLVD. 388-5406 394-1390 AVENUES MALL

To celebrate Folio Weekly Magazine’s Bite by Bite by Neighborhood issues this week and next, Dale has thrown in some words of wisdom from that Nawlins culinary king, Paul Prudhomme.

ACROSS

56 I-10 roller 3 College website address ending 57 One living month to 1 Moved slowly month, say 4 Spin one’s wheels? on I-95 60 Kitchen invader 5 One way to fish 6 Coffee order 61 End of quote 6 Yoga class needs 11 Smart ___ (wise guy) 66 ___-Mart 7 Florida State Fair 14 JTA passenger barn sound 67 Holy book 15 Put on WJCT 8 Half of half and half 68 Jags’ Brad Meester, 16 Like sashimi by birth 9 ___ Haw 17 Start of a Paul 10 Recipe direction Prudhomme quote 69 Pub option 11 An ocean for our Bite by Bite 70 Sylvan clearing 71 JAX carrier 12 Virtuoso

by Neighborhood 13 Jax Suns batters’ 2016 issues attempts 19 106, in Latin class DOWN 18 Local musician: 20 It’s about a 57-hour 1 Act like a baby Chuck ___ drive from Jax 2 1982 Duran Duran 21 Camp Blanding 21 Florida House album Museum locale member Jordan 22 Resides 25 Frosty’s fear Solution to Dale’s 3.16.16 Puzzle 28 JEA unit R U S T G H A N A V A M P 29 Toque, e.g.

L A B E L U H O H A N T E 32 Flinches, perhaps M I R A M A R C O I S L A N D 33 Dutch export B I G A T O M I Z E S 36 Scrimpy or skimpy D E B D E M F I N A N C E 38 Quote, part 2 S P A R A P S A S E A 42 Sausage in a can T I P A C E D P R E 43 Chez Lezan Bakery T E Q U E S T A R K E supply A R E S P O T U S F 45 Foxy Lady Cruises D E A R N A P C H I P excursion A B S A T L S C R I M P S 48 AARP members D O A O N E H O R S E 50 That Navy ship B A L D W I N T E R H A V E N 51 “Doonesbury” cartoonist N O T R E F E L T I D O L 53 Difficult experience D O L E S T O A T S Y F Y

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24 Jacksonville Zoo big birds 26 Start of a conclusion 27 Somewhat suspicious 30 Grace period?

31 Jax Beach fliers 34 Split 50-50 35 Skirt style 37 Not even close 39 Bygone Chevy 40 Stun with a gun 41 Labor Dept. agency 44 Hill, in Hebrew 45 Northern capital 46 Spot for a leak 47 Shelled swimmer 49 C-worthy 52 Marine leader?

54 Staged a revival 55 Creator of Robinson Crusoe novel 58 “Good grief!”

59 Sound measure 61 Ticker tape, briefly 62 Verizon subsidiary 63 Ocala National Forest hooter 64 Grains found at Pecan Roll Bakery 65 JSO forensic evidence

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ARIES (March 21-April 19): In 1878, when Orville and Wilbur Wright were kids, their father gave them a toy helicopter powered by a rubber band. Twenty-five years later, the brothers became the first humans to sail above the Earth in a flying machine. They testified the toy helicopter had been a key inspiration as they worked to develop their pioneering invention. In the spirit of the Wright Brothers’ magic seed, revive your connection to a seminal influence from your past. The weeks ahead are a good time to feed a dream that was foreshadowed in you a long time ago.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): “The task of a writer is not to solve the problem but to state the problem correctly,” said Russian writer Anton Chekhov. Whether or not you’re a writer, that’s also your special task in the next weeks. The riddle that’s begun to captivate your imagination isn’t yet ripe enough to work on in earnest. It’s not been defined with sufficient clarity. Luckily, you have resources to research the contingencies, and you have the acuity to create empowering questions.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The good news? If you eat enormous amounts of chocolate, you’ll boost your memory.

Science has proved it. The bad news? To get the full effect of the memory enhancement, you’d have to consume so much chocolate, you’d get sick. Consider this as a metaphor for what may be going on in your life. Is it possible you’re doing things healthy in one way but diminishing in another? Or are you perhaps getting or doing too much of a good thing — going to unbalanced extremes as you pursue a worthy goal?

Now’s a good time to figure it out, and change it.

because you mistakenly think you already know the answers. There are questions you don’t ask because the answers would burst your beloved illusions, which you’d rather preserve. Risk posing all these types of questions. You’re strong and smart enough, in just the right ways, to deal constructively with the answers. Not saying you’ll be pleased with what you find out, but you’ll be glad you made inquiries.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): If you’re enmeshed in a jumble that makes you squirm or if you’re caught in a tangle that stifles your self-love, you have three choices. Here’s how Eckhart Tolle defines them: 1. Get out of the situation. 2. Transform the situation. 3. Completely accept the situation. Is that reasonable? The time has come to act. Don’t wait to make your decision. Do it soon. Afterward, there’ll be no whining allowed. You can no longer indulge in excuses. You must accept consequences. On the bright side, imagine the new freedom and power you’ll have.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Here’s a proposed experiment. Sidle up to a creature you’d love to be closer to, and softly sing: “Come with me, go with me. Burn with me, glow with me. Sleep with me, wake with me.” At this point, run three circles around the creature, flapping your arms like wings. Then sing: “Rise with me, fall with me. Work with me, play with me. Pray with me, sin with me.” At this point, leap into the air three times, laughing each time you hit the ground. Continue singing: “Let me get high with you. Laugh with you, cry with you. Make me your partner in crime.” At this point, blow three kisses toward the creature, then run away. (The lyrics I’m quoting here were composed by songwriter Fran Landesman.)

CANCER (June 21-July 22): When young director Richard Lester got his big break, he took full advantage. It was in 1964, when the Beatles asked him to do their fi rst movie, A Hard Day’s Night. Lester’s innovative approach to the project propelled his career to a higher level, opening many more opportunities. Writing of Lester’s readiness, critic Alexander Walker said, “No filmmaker … appeared more punctually when his hour struck.” That’s what you’ll soon be doing in your chosen field. Do you understand how important it is to have impeccable timing? No procrastination. Be crisply proactive.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In getting energy from food, we humans have at our disposal more than 50,000 edible plants.

And yet we choose to concentrate on just a few.

Wheat, corn, rice, and potatoes make up two-thirds of our diet, and 11 other staples comprise most of the rest. Use this as a metaphor for the kind of behavior to avoid in the weeks ahead. It’ll be crucial to draw physical, emotional, and spiritual sustenance from a relatively wide variety of sources. There’s nothing wrong with the usual providers, but for now you need to expand your approach to get nurturing.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As a young man, poet Arthur Rimbaud (1854-’91) left his home in France and settled in Abyssinia, known as Ethiopia now. “I sought voyages,” he wrote, “to disperse the enchantments that had colonized my mind.” You might want to consider a similar strategy in the weeks ahead. From an astrological perspective, it’s going to be a great time to wander free of usual haunts and disperse enchantments in your mind. Find ways to synergize these.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): “We teach each other how to live.” Poet Anne Michaels said that, and I’m passing it on to you — just in time for a phase of your cycle when acting like a curious student is your sacred duty and best gift to you. I don’t mean take a workshop or enroll in school.

Your task is to presume everyone you meet and every encounter you have may bring rich learning experiences.

If you’re willing to go as far as I hope, even your dreams will be opportunities to get further educated.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Author C.S. Lewis had a rude awakening as he took stock of the progress he thought he’d been making. “I am appalled to see how much of the change I thought I had undergone lately was only imaginary,” he wrote. Make sure something similar doesn’t happen to you. You’re in the midst of what should be a Golden Age of Self-Transformation. Make sure you’re actually doing the work you imagine you’re doing — not just talking and thinking about it.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): In her poem “Time,” Piscean poet Lia Purpura wonders about “not picking up a penny because it’s only a little luck.” Presumably she’s referring to a moment when you’re walking down a street and you spy an almost-but-not-quite-worthless coin on the concrete. She theorizes you may just leave it there.

It adds next to nothing to your wealth, right? Which suggests it also doesn’t have much value as a symbol of good fortune. Reject this line of thought in the next few weeks. In my astrological opinion, you’ll be wise to capitalize on the smallest opportunities. There will be lots of them, and they will add up.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): “There are questions that you don’t ask because you’re afraid of the answers,” wrote Agatha Christie. There are also questions you don’t ask

Rob Brezsny freewillastrology@freewillastrology.com

NEWS OF THE WEIRD GLACIERS & GENDER

University of Oregon professor Mark Carey produced a 10,300-word journal article in January proposing a new sensitivity to Earth’s melting icecaps: a “feminist glaciology framework” to “generate robust analysis of gender, power and epistemologies” with a goal of more “just and equitable” “human-ice interactions.” The jargonized, densely worded tract suggests melting icecaps can be properly understood only with more input from female scientists since, somehow, research so far disproportionately emphasizes climate change’s impact on males. The New York Post reported the paper was funded by a National Science Foundation grant of $412,930.

CHUTZPAH!

Trying to put (as a critic charged) “lipstick on a pig,” Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder boasted in March that the lead-in-the-water crisis plaguing the city of Flint for months now had actually spurred job growth. Though Snyder has been heavily criticized for tight-fisted budgeting that enabled the crisis, 81 temporary workers have been recently hired — to hand out bottled water so residents wouldn’t have to hydrate themselves with poisoned municipal water.

CAN’T POSSIBLY BE TRUE

A senior federal administrative law judge recently claimed (and then, for good measure, repeated and emphasized) that, in his experience, “3-year-olds and 4-year-olds” do not need the help of lawyers to advocate for them in immigration proceedings. Teaching those kids their rights, Judge Jack Weil said, “takes a lot of time” and “a lot of patience,” but there’s no need for government to provide lawyers. Weil, a U.S. Department of Justice employee, was contesting an American Civil Liberties Union claim at a recent deposition in an immigration case in Seattle.

CART OFF GUARD

Homeless people frequently store their few possessions in commandeered shopping carts, but New Yorker Sonia Gonzalez, 60, became a legend recently on Manhattan’s West Side by maneuvering a stunning, block-long assemblage of more than 20 carts’ worth of possessions along the sidewalks. Among the contents: an air

conditioner, a laundry hamper, shower curtain rods, a wire shelving unit, wooden pallets, suitcases, bottles and cans. She moved along by pushing carts two or three at a time, a few feet at a time, blocking entrances to stores in the process. (The day after a New York Post story on Gonzalez’s caravan, Mayor DiBlasio ordered city workers to junk everything not essential, leaving her with about one cart’s worth.)

THE ZOO, MEXICAN-STYLE

Mexico’s latest female accessorizing craze is shellacking tiny dead scorpions onto fingernails, using the second-most venomous species of the arachnid, selling briskly at the Miss Unas parlor in Durango. In fact, while in town (according to a London Daily Mail item from Durango), shoppers may check out the Raices restaurant, which pioneered tacos filled with still-wriggling scorpions (that had been soaked in surgical alcohol to neutralize the venom).

POWER OF PRAYER

Businessman Induvalu Suresh cut off, and donated, the little finger of his left hand recently at the Hindu pilgrimage site Tirupati, India, as homage to the gods for the granting of bail to prominent India leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who are charged with fraudulent business practices in a case heavily politically weighted.

BOILING FAITH

In October, a regional court in Nizhegorodsky, Russia, decided the Russian Orthodox Church could pay off part of a debt for its new boiler spiritually. According to an Associated Press dispatch from Moscow, the church can settle the remaining debt, about $6,585, to the boiler company by paying $2,525 in rubles and the remainder by prayer.

THE CASH ECONOMY

China’s Peoples Daily reported in January that Mr. Cai Zhanjiang (described as “tuhao,” or “uncultured but still well-off ”) had just bought a new truck from a dealer by driving another truck to the showroom and unloading 100,000 renminbi (about $15,300 U.S.) all in small bills — a stash weighing about a half-ton.

Chuck Shepherd weirdnews@earthlink.net

Love is in the air … just inhale, right? Hah! Let Folio Weekly Magazine clear your path to partnership and passion. Connect with that surfer hunk you saw at the Young Vegan Professionals meet-up, or the goddess at Target who “accidentally” dropped a jasmine-scented kazoo in your cart.

Go to folioweekly.com/i-saw-u.html and fill out the FREE form correctly (40 words or fewer, dammit) by 5 p.m. Friday – next stop: Bliss!

COME DELIVER PIZZA AGAIN! Me: Male in jeans, navy polo, bumbled over receipt.

You: Male, delivered Pizza Hut to my door. I didn’t say much, but would’ve liked to! When: March 12. Where: My condo near The Avenues. #1601-0316

YOU: THE FIRE First saw you at Fat Kat, September 2003. You: Most beautiful woman I’d ever seen; still most gorgeous woman I know, my heart’s desire.

Cannot wait for our lips to reunite! I love you most!

Love, M.P. When: 2003. Where: Fat Cat. #1590-0217

LISTENING PUNK ROCK IN TRUCK You: In blue/black truck, 8 p.m. When I came out, you turned radio up so I’d look; you flashed best grin.

Sandy, maybe curly hair, bright eyes, that dang smile!

Who ARE you? Gotta know. When: March 7. Where: Welcome Food Mart, St. Augustine. #1600-0316

PRETTY SMILE SAW U TWICE You: Blonde, pretty smile; 4:30 p.m. Me: Black cowboy hat; cold outside. You smiled at me (think it was me) passing by. Passed again, smiling, caught off-guard. Love to get to know you! When: Jan. 23. Where: Publix@Southside/Touchton. #1589-0217

TIJUANA FLATS DROPPED SODA SHERRY? You: Fletcher lacrosse sweatshirt; dropped soda, came back. Me: Waiting too patiently for table, talking to you while you waited for takeout. (Insert cheesy line here, preferably including queso.) Single? Let’s grab a drink. When: Feb. 23. Where: Hodges Tijuana Flats. #1599-0316 GANESH TATTOOED HOT BLONDE GODDESS With ball cap. Thanks for letting me take pic of adorable Ganesh on your beautiful arm! I was totally intrigued, want to connect over chai sometime. The pic got overwhelming likes on IG! When: Feb. 27. Where: SeaWalk Pavilion Jax Beach. #1598-0309 SCRUBS FROM ST. V @ PUBLIX We checked out at same time; you had St. V lanyard, pinenuts (or similar), yogurt and other things.

Handsome! I was too shy to say anything; regret not speaking when I left parking lot. When: Feb. 18.

Where: Publix Riverside. #1597-0224 LOVE THY NEIGHBOR Sharp-dressed man getting out of blue car to check mail. Me: Dark hair, blue eyes. Speechless at such a good-looking man in the complex. Your building’s somewhere in the 20s. Let’s do some neighborhood loving?! ;) When: Feb. 16. Where: Green Tree Place Apartments. #1596-0224 MY ANSWER IS YES You: Very shy. Me: Waiting by the phone. Please call again sometime; I really love your voice! I don’t have your number or I’d text you like I used to. That was fun, wasn’t it? When: Feb. 11. Where: Telephone line. #1595-0217 ENAMORADA DE TI...

Cada vez que puedo me escapo y regreso a donde tu y yo nos vimos por primera vez. Tu: Alto, distinguido. Yo: Chiquita, ojos grandes. Tu tenias un Polo negro, con tu pelo canoso muy buena combinacion. Espero seguirte viendo para siempre. When: Hoy, manana, siempre.

Where: En mis suenos. #1594-0217 PIERCED GIRL WITH DOG You: White SUV, cool shirt, septum piercing, pitbull Scout with heartworm. Me: Guy dressed too warmly for cold morning, with bull mastiff. You tried to talk; I’d been awake 20 minutes. Thinking about missed chance. Let’s meet. When: Feb. 9. Where: Baymeadows Animal Hospital. #1593-0217 TANGO FOR TWO Dance Shack free lesson night. You: Brunette, cute smile, gray booties. Me: Tall, dark eyes, black V-neck.

You wanted to stay and tango; didn’t hear you. My friend told me later! Offer still stand? Lesson’s on me.

When: Feb. 5. Where: Dance Shack. #1592-0217 RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE You: Looking fine, dressed sharp in sweater vest for Bible study. Me: In church parking lot, to go to Firehouse; did triple-take when I saw you. You make this girl want to go back to church. When: Jan. 27. Where: Southside Baptist Church parking lot. #1591-0217

HAD ME AT GO ’NOLES! Seminole/Armada games, losing beer pong, Pub subs, laughs, cheek kisses = last “first date” I want. You stole my heart; don’t want it back. The start of something sweet? Say you agree; stay forever! When: Oct. 3, ’15. Where: The Garage/ Baseball Grounds. #1587-0120 WATER AISLE You: Commented on water price; beautiful blond hair, jeans, sweater, very warm and kind. Me: Gray hair, blue eyes, shirt, jeans. We both drink coffee; would love to share a cup with you.

When: Jan. 9, morning. Where: Walmart@foursquare/ U.S. 1 & Southside. #1586-0113 CHAMBLINS CHAMPION You had two enormous boxes of books. I held the door open for you. You: Blonde hair, glasses, great smile. Me: Tall, blonde. Would love to discuss literature sometime! When: Dec. 29. Where: Chamblins Uptown. #1585-0106 WELCOME TO ME! You: Tall, dress shirt, tie. I walked by to get your attention; you were on Bible app on phone.

Please come back next Sunday, and I will try again.

When: Jan. 3. Where: Moe’s @ Avenues. #1584-0106 NEED TLC You: Raven-haired nurse; funky glasses, chatting with co-worker. Me: Curiously smitten; backpack, sling; visiting pre-op over year ago, saw you eating fresh. We have some FB friends in common. Who are you? When: Oct. ’14 & now. Where: St. Vincent’s Subway/FB. #1583-0106 RIDE TOPLESS TOGETHER You: Sexy, dark, handsome, ballcap, BMW convertible. Me: Hot pink, caramel-covered sweetness, MB convertible. Pressed horn, blew a kiss.

Like real one in woods? Know where I am. When: Dec. 26. Where: Leaving UNF Nature Trails. #1582-1230 JAX BEACH EARLY A.M. PHOTOS Enjoy sunrise near 34th Ave.; struck up conversation. Asked to take your photos. You: White shorts; got wet as waves caught you.

Never gave you my card to send the pix. When: Sept. 28.

Where: Jax Beach 34th Ave. S. #1581-1230 TATTOOED REDHEAD, ARCHAEOLOGY BOOKS After clarifying sweater was indeed women’s, you laughed at my remark about you fitting into clothes. Our interaction made my day. Judging from book cover, know carbon dating’s your thing. Coffee dating sometime? When: Dec. 11. Where: UNF Bookstore. #1580-1230 PUT MY FIRE OUT You: Cute fireman, glasses, looking at stuffed dinosaurs. Wish you’d put my burning desire for you out with your big fire hose. Me: Brunette, yoga pants, hoodie. Too shy to introduce myself. Wish I’d said hello.

When: Dec. 9. Where: Publix/Kernan/Atlantic. #1579-1216 ALRIGHT NOW! You: Tall, handsome, sweet leaf. Me: Just a duck. Let’s play Jenga @ Across The Street!

When: Dec. 1. Where: Post & Edgewood. #1578-1216 GOOD LUCK CHARM TEACHER You: Blonde, glasses, long red skirt and shirt, wrist tattoo, near where I studied for final, grading papers. We talked, you said good luck, get sleep. Me: Gray sweater, white collared shirt. Coffee, talk again? When: Dec. 3. Where: Bold Bean Coffee Roasters Riverside. #1577-1209 MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 61

CLASSIFIEDS HELP WANTED

PHONE ACTRESSES FROM HOME Must have dedicated landline, great voice. 21+. Up to $18 per hour. Flex Hrs./most Wknds. 800-403-7772. Lipservice.net. (AANCAN) (3/30/16) BE PART OF A MIRACLE ... BECOME A SURROGATE MOTHER Help a loving and infertile couple become parents! Earn $32,000 & up plus expenses paid. Contact: Call 888-363-9457 or ReproductivePossibilities.com Reproductive Possibilities, an established Surrogacy Agency, seeks loving women to carry couples biological babies. Requirements: Between the ages of 21-43, Nonsmoker, and have previously given birth. (3/30/16)

CAREER TRAINING

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HEALTH

HOUSING WANTED

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AUTOS WANTED

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ADULT

PHONE Actress / Web CAM models from HOME. Must have good working phone, Great voice. For cam you must have good PC/Mac. Excellent pay. Flex Hrs. 18+ 1-800-403-7772 Lipservice.net (AAN CAN)(3/30/16) Viagra!! 52 Pills for Only $99.00. Your #1 trusted provider for 10 years. Insured and Guaranteed Delivery. Call today 1-888-403-9028 (AAN CAN)(3/30/16)

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ADOPTION

PREGNANT? THINKING OF ADOPTION? Talk with caring agency specializing in matching Birthmothers with Families Nationwide. LIVING EXPENSES PAID. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions. 866-413-6293. Void in Illinois/New Mexico/Indiana (AAN CAN)(3/30/16)

VEHICLES WANTED

CARS/TRUCKS WANTED!!! We Buy Like New or Damaged.

Running or Not. Get Paid! Free Towing! We’re Local! Call For Quote: 888-420-3808. (AAN CAN)(3/30/16)

LIVE LINKS

62 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | MARCH 23-29, 2016

MARCH 23-29, 2016 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 63