Folio Weekly 12/24/14 by Folio Weekly

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EDITOR’S NOTE

THE PENSION DEAL: A PRIMER

should apologize in advance for what I’m an appetite there is around here for tax hikes about to do. The Police and Fire Pension Fund — maybe once every dozen years, he estimates (PFPF) crisis is the single-most important — “I don’t want to see that big weapon in our issue the city faces right now. It is also mind- arsenal taken out and used for the pension plan.” Carlucci called up his friend Charles numbingly dense, and incredibly boring. I’m going to spend the next thousand words or so Appleby, a longtime local business titan (earlier this year, the Advanced Disposal founder was talking about it anyway. Deal with it. If your eyes have already begun glazing inducted into the National Waste & Recycling over, let me direct you a few pages to your right, Hall of Fame, which exists) and JEA board where our way-more-fun DRINK package member, and the duo began hatching a plan. resides. If you’re still with me (thanks), we’ll Appleby is a number-cruncher, the kind of guy begin this dive down into the weeds of pension who can work a spreadsheet in his sleep. After financing and municipal debt service (you still he figured out that Brown’s original proposal there?) with a quick primer on where we are and was untenable, he went to JEA to figure out how we got here. what it could afford. And he worked something Long story short: The PFPF is $1.7 billion out, something that he thinks benefits both in the red, or in accountant-speak, it has $1.7 the city and the utility, and more important, billion in unfunded liabilities. That is a crippling gets the $400 million monkey off taxpayers’ amount that hangs over everything else the city backs. (The mayor’s office, which is trying like wants to do. It has injured our bond rating and hell to sell this thing, arranged for me to meet made it more difficult and expensive to borrow with these two last week. What follows is their money. And if nothing is done to fix it, the explanation of the deal they crafted, presented problem could spiral out of control. Everyone, more or less without comment.) so far as I’m aware, agrees on these points. I’ll spell this out as simply as I can, though Earlier this year, Mayor Alvin Brown there’s really no good way to do that: Under negotiated a deal with the fund to rein in some their proposal, the city will borrow $120 benefits, particularly for new hires, though not million. JEA will also put up $120 million nearly enough for many of the fund’s critics. (I’ll (likely from borrowing as well, though that’s not leave that for another time.) Earlier this month, certain). Another $61 million will come from the City Council approved an amended version already-existing PFPF monies. That’s a hair of this agreement. The pension fund’s board will north of $300 million; assuming the PFPF gets a 7 percent rate of return vote soon — perhaps by over the next decade, the time you read this — which Appleby assured on whether to accept the me was a safe bet, that council’s changes or kick $300 million today is it back, which would be a “I don’t want to see that easily the equivalent of first-class headache for million a decade all involved. big weapon in our arsenal $400 from now. Voila. But even assuming And what does JEA it all goes through — a taken out and used for get in return for its big political win for the the pension plan.” $120 million ante? For mayor, no doubt — the starters, its own pension big issue for January will be the deal’s financing; plan, which, again, it specifically, what’s been wants. In addition, an called the 400-millionadvantageous change in dollar question. its annual contribution to the city. That is, for the deal to work as envisioned, This part gets (more) complicated: Back the city will need to contribute an extra $40 in the Delaney administration, JEA agreed to million a year to the pension fund over the a deal in which its annual contribution to the next 10 years. Brown wanted to hit up JEA, and city was taken off a formula that was indexed to he wanted the utility to fork over the money growth and instead automatically increased by without raising rates. By moving JEA employees $2.5 million per year. Problem is, growth didn’t out of the city’s general employees pension plan keep up, and now JEA is paying too much — into a JEA-specific plan, which the utility very about $30 million a year more than it would much wants to do, JEA could save a half-billion have had it kept to the formula. That agreement dollars over 30 years, Brown argued, so it could ends in 2016, and when that happens, JEA’s afford to spot the city the dough. contribution reverts to the old formula, which Money for nothing, chicks for free. would mean a substantial and sudden hit to Trouble was, JEA didn’t have $400 million city coffers. Under Appleby’s proposal, JEA’s lying around in the office sofa, and most of the contribution would decrease bit by bit, initially savings Brown’s plan proposed would come in by $2.5 million a year, a slower climb down. the final few years of the deal, while the costs In the end — and as Carlucci points out, this will be vetted by council auditors — the would come up front. So, that was a no-go. There was talk of raising property taxes, total savings to the city, even factoring in JEA’s but neither the mayor nor City Council was decreased contributions and the increased debt terribly keen on that idea. Then came talk of the borrowing will entail, will amount to $820 raising sales taxes instead, and that’s when Matt million in today’s dollars. “The pension problem has kept the city in Carlucci decided to get involved. Carlucci, of course, is the former longtime the weeds,” Carlucci says. “If we can get out of City Council member who’s the scion of the weeds on this thing, the tax base is already another City Council member, the late Joe growing. Construction is starting to rise at Carlucci. During his time in office, he says, “We unprecedented levels again. Now we can start used the sales tax for things that moved the talking about Downtown development.” needle forward on progressing Jacksonville.” Jeffrey C. Billman They took the tolls off the bridges. They twitter/jeffreybillman funded Better Jacksonville. And given how little jbillman@folioweekly.com

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FIGHTIN’ WORDS

LENNY CURRY’S INSIDE GAME The state GOP has — surprise! — rallied behind its former leader. Will Jacksonville?

onths back, around the time Peter Rummell announced his break with Mayor Alvin Brown (a footnote that seems more interesting in the wake of Brown patron Shad Khan’s break with Rummell’s One Spark, and rumors that Khan may be backing out of his Laura Street Trio commitment), it became clear that then-Florida Republican Party chairman Lenny Curry was going to be the local kingmaker’s chosen candidate — and by implication, the chosen candidate of the entire Republican establishment. I’ve had some issues with Mayor Brown — the inaction on the human rights ordinance is one of them — and when it became clear that Curry was running, I thought that he might represent a breath of fresh air. Curry has been the consummate insider for years, yet he seemed to get the urban core — he likes it, he lives there, he frequents the neighborhood spots. And so I mused in this space that “Curry doesn’t have to be all things to all people. Just serve up a little Audrey Moran, a little John Delaney, and a little bit of One Spark energy. The real question won’t be if he can turn Republicans out, but if he can turn out independents. To do that, he’ll have to give the hipsters a little of what they want — at least make it look good. Some moderation on the human rights ordinance, coupled with Not Being Mike Hogan, should do the trick” [“Party Fouls,” May 14]. Seven months have passed since I wrote that, and so we have plenty of data points to analyze. Has Curry served up a little Moran, a little Delaney, and a little bit of One Spark energy? Has he given the hipsters what they want? No and no. Early in his campaign, when Curry was pressed to take a position on the HRO, he handled it with doubletalk, going on WJCTFM’s First Coast Connect and telling Jacksonville that to “throw a piece of legislation at me that I had no input and no part of, that ended up in the form that it did because the mayor hid from it, the mayor hid from the issue, that’s not a relevant question right now. I will lead on this issue as mayor.” Part of his reluctance to take a position was driven by fundraising concerns: “In order to run against a powerful incumbent with access to millions of dollars in campaign money, and

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build an organization with grassroots support, our initial focus is on raising financial resources to accomplish this,” Curry told me in July. Curry has more than $1.4 million in the bank now (he’s been killing Brown in fundraising lately), so we can assume the financial resources have been raised and the grassroots support has been built (if it ever will be). He got endorsements last week from Florida’s Cabinet — Adam Putnam, Jeff Atwater and Pam Bondi — who gave him props for financial stewardship chops and a “deep understanding of the challenges facing law enforcement in a city like Jacksonville.” That triad’s word had better be good enough for you, because when it comes to issues that matter, Curry’s still not saying much. He can’t. He plays the inside game, doing his work behind the scenes, with softball ads your grandmother would love and due diligence on anyone who might represent a threat to his campaign. Word is, though, he’s done some campaigning in the Moncrief Road area, and he did the behind-the-scenes work to push for Duval GOP secretary Kim Crenier and chairman Rick Hartley out the door. He’s also brought on three new high-level staffers, two of whom are fresh off the successful Cassidy senate campaign in Louisiana — an election, like the Jax mayoral contest, with a blanket primary and then a runoff. It gets real next month. Doorknockers and mailpieces for the Republican faithful. Harder-hitting ads on the current mayor, combined with the hope that Curry or some “concerned citizens” who are on his side don’t have to body-check some naysayer (read: Mike Hogan) out of the political arena. Regarding Bill Bishop, some who are familiar with the Curry operation’s thinking believe that the former City Council president will fall in line sooner rather than later, joining Team Curry even before the primary. That would be a blow to the (actual) grassroots coalition of moderates, progressives and small-government conservatives Bishop has assembled. Bishop’s team, for what it’s worth, says the notion is absurd. AG Gancarski twitter/aggancarski mail@folioweekly.com

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crowded out by tequila shots and cottoncandy-flavored vodkas. Then came the whiskey revolution. As cocktail culture grew and the mixologists — people who treated drink-making not as a job, but as a craft — it birthed came into their own (and as Don Draper reintroduced his cocktail of choice to Mad Men’s audience), the Old Fashioned became a pop culture phenomenon. “When we say it is our most popular drink,” Matthew Carson, managing partner of Sidecar, told me recently, “I really wonder what No. 2 is.” It is this phenomenon — these two phenomena, actually: the rise of the Old Fashioned and, more generally, of cocktail culture in Northeast Florida — that I set out to explore. (And, yes, in the process, do some company-sponsored drinking. This gig does have the occasional perk.) Over the past few weeks, I visited five bars that are driving Northeast Florida’s craft cocktail scene — Sidecar, The Volstead, The Ice Plant Bar, Grape & Grain and Dos Gatos — drinking Old Fashioneds along the way and chatting up owners and managers at each, both about their takes on my drink of choice and on the ongoing evolution of the area’s cocktail culture. We’ll begin where I did, at the youngest bar of the bunch.

SIDECAR

1406 Hendricks Ave., San Marco 527-8990, drinksidecar.com Matthew Carson and Kurt Rogers, Carson’s partner and bar manager (and the president of the local USBG chapter), had both been in the Jacksonville bar game for years, had both grown up in it. Carson had slung booze at dives around town. Rogers had helped start the cocktail program at Orsay and then at Black Sheep. Around 2010, Carson moved to Washington, D.C., where the craft cocktail scene was in full bloom. He managed two bars there, one a speakeasy. When he moved back and started working with his friend Kurt at Black Sheep, they began kicking around ideas for a bar of their own — in Rogers’ words, they wanted “to elevate the neighborhood bar.” Sidecar, which opened May 29, is very much a neighborhood bar. There are few accouterments. A bar, some tables, a homey outdoor patio. They

make a point, they tell me, to keep drink prices down. Six-dollar classics at happy hour — Old Fashioneds, Sazeracs, Manhattans, Vespers. Even the super-top-shelf stuff — the lonely bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue that’s been sitting on the shelf since they opened, the occasional Van Winkle that comes in — is priced to move, or at least well below what you’d see at a hotel bar. Admission to their New Year’s Eve party is free. It’s that kind of place. Just a bar with good beer on tap, a good booze selection, and a staff with a knack for making good, affordable drinks. Their next venture, however, will have something of a theme. In January, the two plan to open a rum-forward “urban tiki” bar in Jax Beach called Flask & Cannon. “It’s not gonna be kitschy,” Rogers assures. The Old Fashioned: There are two schools of thought on the Old Fashioned. The first is the purists. (We’ll discuss the second later.) These are the people who look to the pre-Prohibition era when crafting their cocktail. Kurt Rogers is among them: “Simplicity at its best. Four ingredients. Anybody can do it at their house.” Four ingredients: Michter’s Rye, turbinado simple syrup, orange and Angostura bitters, ice, as well as an orange peel and cherry for garnish. Rogers says he chose Michter’s because it’s “spicy. It stands up well to the sugars and bitters.”

THE VOLSTEAD

115 W. Adams St., Downtown 414-3171, thevolsteadjax.com When The Volstead opened at the end of 2013 — it had been in the works for several years before that, but renovating the building and securing all the right permits and licenses proved unexpectedly difficult — they would tell people that they “majored in whiskey, minored in gin.” Only they found out that not many people really cared about gin. They wanted whiskey. And, yes, The Volstead has whiskey. The Volstead also has history. Housed in a renovated historic building, its aesthetic is an elegant love letter to the pre-Prohibition era, “the height of classic cocktails,” as bar manager Alexa DiMaio puts it. “We love classic cocktails. We love history.” (The bar, of course, is named for the congressman who sponsored the National Prohibition Act of 1919.) It’s a sort of neo-speakeasy — you don’t need a password to

Dettra first pitched the idea of a distillery — the St. Augustine Distillery adjoins the bar — four years ago. It took years to get the building in order. But it didn’t take long after it opened, in September 2013, for the crowds to come in. Part of it’s the food. Part of it’s the atmosphere — the ice and the old-timey outfits and all that. And part of it’s the drinks. “A lot of people who haven’t had the opportunity to have fresh ingredients are just blown away,” says co-owner Patricia McLemore. The bar hired one person to come in, 9 to 5, to do nothing but juice fruits. “At the end of the day, it’s all about the quality of the cocktails,” Dettra says. The Old Fashioned: The Ice Plant falls decidedly into the purist camp. Old Forester Bourbon — which Lynch swears by, and says he could pick out blindfolded — a tiny bit of sugar, bitters, a pretty big chunk of ice, orange peel and cherry garnish. Here again, the whiskey does the talking; Old Forester has subtle notes of caramel, vanilla and honey, which all contrast nicely with the bitters and the acidity of the orange peel. Zachary Lynch, bar manager, The Ice Plant Bar in St. Augustine get in, but there aren’t signs out front, and they don’t do much advertising. You have to know where it is to find it. DiMaio frames The Volstead’s ambitions as being bigger than the bar itself: “We’re trying to inspire another age of progress for Jacksonville.” That is to say, the success of The Volstead is inexorably linked to the success of Downtown — this kind of bar has the best chance of long-term viability in a thriving, sophisticated urban market, and this kind of bar will help make that market a reality. The Old Fashioned: Remember the two schools of thought? Ironically, perhaps, The Volstead doesn’t really fall into the purist camp — they muddle fruit. To explain: After the 13 years of Prohibition, bartenders forgot how to make the classic Old Fashioned. They began to augment the traditional ingredients with cherries and oranges mashed in the bottom of the glass and mixed with the sugar and bitters, making the drink considerably sweeter — and, purists would say, papering over any deficiencies in the spirit. The Volstead chose to adopt this recipe because “it’s more approachable,” DiMaio says. (For the first two weeks they were open, The Volstead also added club soda to their Old Fashioned, but stopped after customers reacted negatively.) Rounding out the drink are Michter’s Bourbon, simple syrup, Luxardo cherries and oranges, and Angostura bitters. And it is approachable, in that it’s sweet but not sickly sweet, and the sweetness is balanced by a really nice, complex bourbon, resulting in an exceedingly quaffable beverage.

THE ICE PLANT BAR

Matthew Carson, managing partner, Sidecar in San Marco

110 Riberia St., St. Augustine 829-6553, iceplantbar.com You can’t talk about The Ice Plant Bar without talking about the ice. The Wednesday afternoon I visited, bar manager Zachary Lynch was out on the upstairs deck, with his chainsaw, cutting a 300-pound block while bartenders from other cocktail bars looked on. The ice program is their calling card — their cocktail menu shows the shape of ice that comes with each drink (cube, sphere, crushed). Downstairs, there are two tubs in which purified water is being frozen into these 300-pound blocks, which will then be sliced into manageable chunks with the chainsaw. Like at The Volstead, there’s a premium on history here. The building itself — an early 20th-century ice plant — was intrinsic to the experience they wanted to provide. “Ice,” coowner Ryan Dettra told me, “had an important part in cocktail culture.”

GRAPE & GRAIN EXCHANGE

2000 San Marco Blvd., San Marco 396-4455, grapeandgrainexchange.com

For a guy who sells a whole lot of whiskey — 40 to 50 percent of the Grape & Grain’s business — general manager (and USBG chapter vice president) Ford Roberts doesn’t sound terribly enthusiastic about its popularity. “People think it’s a club people need to be a part of.” His drink is mescal. “It’s not generic. It doesn’t taste like charcoal. It doesn’t taste like corn.” We’re sitting in The Parlour, the bar’s speakeasy-style back room, separated from the front bar/package store by a faux bookcase. “We’re really blessed to be in the middle of a trendy concept,” says owner Bob Smith. “In the ’80s, everything became big and corporate. In the late ’90s, [people] started going back to caring what goes in your body.” Smith, a sommelier who’s spent his adult life in the restaurant biz, says the most important thing is education — educating people about spirits and cocktails, helping them expand their horizons. “People are pretty open-minded,” he says. “They know we make a good drink.” Roberts, meanwhile, is hyped about what the USBG certification means for the local bar scene. There may come a point when the competition becomes necessarily cutthroat. But that’s not really the case now. Now, what’s good for the goose is good for the gander — the better the cocktail culture, the better the cocktail business. “We’re the family,” Roberts says. “As a chapter, we’re really strong on education, community and party.” He laughs. “And not being pretentious.” The Old Fashioned: Roberts may not be terribly keen on whiskey, or at least our collective exuberance toward it, but he makes a good whiskey cocktail nonetheless. He, too, is an Old Fashioned purist — no muddled fruit, though he does muddle the orange peel with the bitters, to accent the citrus notes. (At least, I think that’s what he did.) The spirit is Riverboat Rye, a young, unfiltered whiskey, rich and spicy and fruity, with a slight bite. It’s a distinctive rye, to be sure, but I thought it worked well here, in tandem with the usual accompaniments.

DOS GATOS

123 E. Forsyth St., Downtown 354-0666, dosgatosjax.com

I’ll conclude with a visit to what Ford Roberts described as the OG of Jacksonville’s craft cocktail scene. Except that Dos Gatos doesn’t really market itself as a craft cocktail bar. Sure, they make cocktails, and sure, they think those cocktails are pretty good. But Jason Albertelli, who opened Dos Gatos at the end of 2009 (as well as The Shim-Sham Room in 2012, and a St.

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CRAFT COCKTAIL ALOFT TAPESTRY PARK 4812 Deer Lake Dr. W., Southside, 998-4448 Mix, meet, and mingle over music and cocktails. From pints to pinot noirs to signature drinks, plus a snack-attack menu, music, and events. Open 5 p.m.-mid. Sun.-Thur., 4 p.m.-1 a.m. Fri. and Sat. Live music Tue. and Thur. Happy hour; $3 domestic bottles, $4 wells, $5 house wines.

bb’s RESTAURANT & BAR 1019 Hendricks Ave., San Marco, 306-0100, bbsrestaurant.com Full bar with hand-crafted cocktails. Happy hour features house infused cocktails, 4-7 p.m. Mon.-Thur. Half-price specialty martinis every Wed. night. Open 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Mon.-Thur., 11 a.m.-mid. Fri. and Sat. $$$

BLACK SHEEP RESTAURANT 1534 Oak St., Riverside, 355-3793, blacksheep5points.com Awesome rooftop bar. Restaurant full bar on the first floor. Brunch, lunch, dinner, fine dining, signature cocktails, wine list. Open 10:30 a.m.10 p.m. Mon.-Thur. 10:30 a.m.-mid. Fri., 9:30 a.m.-mid. Sat., 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Sun. Happy hour 3-5 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 3 p.m.-close Sun.; $6 craft cocktails, special wine pricing, $1 all drafts. $$$

THE BLIND RABBIT WHISKEY BAR 901 King St., Riverside, 337-0146, theblindrabbitwhiskeybar.com 311 Third St. N., Ste. 107, Jax Beach, 595-5915 This new-ish gastropub has an extensive beer selection, including 10 local drafts, and stellar whiskey offerings. Open 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. daily. Lunch and dinner are served. Happy hour 4-7 p.m. daily, all day Mon. and Wed.; $2.50 wells, $2.50 drafts, $4 house wines. $$

FLYING IGUANA TAQUERIA & TEQUILA BAR 207 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 853-5680, flyingiguana.com This spot serves a full bar with an emphasis on craft tequilas — more than 100 are served — and 24 drafts. Live music Thur.-Sun. Open 11 a.m.-mid. Sun.-Thur.; 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fri. and Sat. The menu’s a fusion of Latin American and Southwesterninfluenced fare. Outdoor seating. Happy hour 3-6 p.m. Mon.-Thur., 9 p.m.-close Sun.-Wed.; $2 draft Bud Light and Yuengling, $5 house margarita, $4 Fireball shots and Jose Cuervo Cinge. $

GRAPE & GRAIN EXCHANGE, THE PARLOUR 2000 San Marco Blvd., San Marco, 396-4455, grapeandgrainexchange.com The venue offers a full bar as well as Bold City, Intuition, Bold Bean, Steele Wines and Flat Creek Lodge quaffs. Scotch pairings and trunk shows held occasionally. Craft cocktails and visiting “gypsy” bartenders are featured. No smoking, no cover, no food. Open noon-mid. daily. TVs. Trivia on Wed. Live music 9 p.m.-mid. Thur.-Sat. $$

YOUR GUIDE TO ALL THE BEST WATERING HOLES

IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA Photos by Dennis Ho D6 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | DECEMBER 24, 2014-JANUARY 6, 2015

THE ICE PLANT 110 Riberia St., St. Augustine, 829-6553, iceplantbar.com The cocktails are hand-crafted with fresh, housepressed juices and a wide assortment of housemade bitters, specially developed syrups and craft liquors, three kinds of ice and custom cubes. Open 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. daily; lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner nightly. DJs spin. Happy hour 10:30 p.m.close nightly; Whiskey Club Wednesdays feature $10 flights 9 p.m.-mid. The farm-to-table menu utilizes locally sourced ingredients. $$$

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A hunt for the best bargains in (decent) bubbly

Illustration by Shan Stumpf

CHAMPAGNE TASTE, BOONE’S FARM BUDGET

hat rockin’ New Year’s Eve party is fast approaching, and with it comes the annual dilemma: On the one hand, you don’t want to show up empty-handed or with whatever bottle a fiver got you at the 7-Eleven — you’ll look like a schmuck. On the other, who wants to shell out boocoo scratch for a nice bottle that everyone else will drink? Lucky for you, we’re here to help. We slithered like a viper through these suburban streets in search of the best popped cork for our buck, hitting up wine purveyors throughout Northeast Florida and picking their brains. A quick overview of the subject

THE GROTTO

2012 San Marco Blvd., San Marco 398-0726 Justin Tichy, manager RECOMMENDATIONS: BAUMARD, France, $18.99 “This is one of my favorite producers in the world. He’s making a dry chenin blanc from Loire Valley that

matter: Most champagnes — and keep in mind that technically, Champagne with a capital C has to come from the Champagne region of France, like Scotch has to come from Scotland; everything else is considered sparkling wine — are going to set you back at least $30 a pop, pun intended. However, you can find many sparkling wines that are just as good and have just as interesting origins and backstories, for less. Using $20 as a (somewhat-arbitrary) cutoff, we’ve compiled a comprehensive list of sparkling wine recommendations made by some of Northeast Florida’s foremost authorities on the subject. has honeysuckle and it’s very delicate and beautiful.” GRUET, New Mexico, $17.99 “This is made by a family from Champagne who landed in New Mexico. They went to New Mexico ’cause the weather in Champagne is real screwy and it’s hard to grow grapes there, and they needed a climate like that, [and that’s] where Continued on page D17

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they ended up. This is the closest thing to true Champagne that you’ll find in an area like that. It’s made in the Champagne method. This is a rose, and it’s excellent for the price.” GERARD BERTRAND, France, $14.99 “This is from an area called Limoux, in the south of France. The monks of Limoux were making sparkling wines before Champagne, so this is really neat. They make them in a style called methode ancestral; when they do the secondary fermentation, they don’t disgorge the yeast like they do in Champagne. It’s an ancient style of making sparkling wine.” J.P. CHENET, ICE EDITION, France, $9.99 “Served over ice, extra effervescence in it. Meant to be refreshing. Very trendy drink in France right now. Off-sweet, off-dry. A nice balance.” Pro Tip: “In Europe, when they write what it is on the label, they’re not concerned with the variety of the grape. They write the place where it comes from, the individual area or village that it comes from, ’cause they’re more concerned about the climate and the soil and the people and culture that actually made the wine, and that’s what makes wine what it is. The fascination with the actual variety is considered blasphemy in France; that’s why they never put it on the label. The grape variety’s really not that important.”

W90+

works for you. There’s no ‘bad’ wine.”

TOTAL WINE & MORE 4413 Town Center Pkwy., Ste. 300, St. Johns Town Center 998-1740 Ryan Woodhall, champagne specialist RECOMMENDATIONS: LOUIS BOUILLOT, France, $18.99 “Created in a traditional method, so it’s got the same process that they use to make Champagne. It’s made in Burgundy, which is where Champagne is, so you’re still getting that French aspect, unfortunately, you just lose that soil content that is very chalky, which is what makes Champagne Champagne, but you still get a very good balance. The bubbles are very nice. It’s very elegant and the citrus isn’t over-thetop, so it’s a very good sparkling wine.” SANT’ORSOLA, Italy, $16.99 “This is for someone who wants something a little on the sweeter side; you can shift over to Italy and do something called a bruschetta d’acqui. Those are made with a bruschetta grape, which are basically sweet red grapes. These are actually sweet, red sparkling wines. So if you’re not into the super-dry style, the traditional offer, you can get something a little bit sweeter.” TESORO DELLA REGINA, Italy, $16.99 “If you want something a little more on the citrus-based side, I always tell people to go prosecco. A real good balance, and it’s inexpensive.”

3548 St. Johns Ave., Avondale, 379-0983 1112 Third St. S., Jax Beach, 853-5559 9210 San Jose Blvd., Mandarin, 503-2348 Abigail Falconer, manager

Pro Tip: “When you’re shopping at Total Wine, talk to the people who work here. We train these guys, they spend hundreds of hours of training and they have a great knowledge base.”

RECOMMENDATIONS: GRAHAM BECK, South Africa, $17.99 “From South Africa, superinteresting. A chardonnay and a pinot blend. Tangerine, spicy oak and a hint of exotic fruits on the nose. A little yeasty, some nice complexities, fairly dense. Finishes dry and crisp.”

1045 Park St., 5 Points, 379-4969 Ian Ranne, owner

SCHARFFENBERGER, California, $17.99 “Brut. A lovely sparkler. Two-thirds chardonnay, one-third pinot noir. Nice apple-honey aromas. Crisp, dry, soft with a long finish.” LA MARCA, Italy, $14.97 “A prosecco from Italy. A luminous sparkling wine with some peach and honey, touch of sweetness with a nice bubbly finish.” Pro Tip: “All of our wines at W90+ are 90 points and above on the Wine Enthusiast/Wine Advocate scale, hence our name. So you can find awesome bottles for under 20 bucks. It’s just kind of finding what you like and what

C.A.S.K./rain dogs.

RECOMMENDATIONS: WYCLIFF, BRUT, California, $12 “This is our house champagne at rain dogs. Good standard dry brut champagne.” TOSO, BRUT, Argentina, $14 “A brut, sparkling chardonnay. This is sort of our higher-end stuff. I’d say it’s a little less dry than Wycliff and a little more wine-like, but still good and sparkling.” ZONIN, Italy, $18 “Our sparkling rosé wine. It’s pink, it’s very, very sparkly. A little on the sweeter side, and the ladies tend to love it a whole lot, partially for the color, but just ’cause it’s good wine also.” Pro Tip: “Definitely always pick one with a cork, man. A plastic screw-off one is always a sure sign that you probably don’t want it.” Richard David Smith III mail@folioweekly.com DECEMBER 24, 2014-JANUARY 6, 2015 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | D17

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LIVE MUSIC CLUBS AMELIA ISLAND, FERNANDINA BEACH

DAVID’S RESTAURANT & LOUNGE, 802 Ash St., 310-6049 John Springer every Tue.-Wed. Aaron Bing 6 p.m. Fri. & Sat. GREEN TURTLE TAVERN, 14 S. Third St., 321-2324 Buck Smith every Thur. Yancy Clegg every Sun. Vinyl Record Nite every Tue. HAMMERHEAD, 2045 S. Fletcher Ave., 491-7783 DJ Refresh 9 p.m. every Sun. PALACE SALOON, 117 Centre. St., 491-3332 Wes Cobb every Wed. Schnockered every Sun. Buck Smith every Tue. THE SURF, 3199 S. Fletcher Ave., 491-8999 Live music every Fri. & Sat.

AVONDALE, ORTEGA

CASBAH CAFÉ, 3628 St. Johns Ave., 981-9966 Goliath Flores 9 p.m. every Wed. Live jazz every Sun. Live music every Mon. ECLIPSE, 4219 St. Johns Ave. DJ Icey, Baby Anne 9 p.m. Dec. 25. KJ Free 9 p.m. every Tue. & Thur. Indie dance 9 p.m. Wed. ’80s & ’90s dance 9 p.m. every Fri. Live music every Sat. MELLOW MUSHROOM, 3611 St. Johns Ave., 388-0200 Paul Miller Duo Dec. 26. Jameyal Jan. 2. Live music every Thur.-Sat.

THE BEACHES

(All venues in Jax Beach unless otherwise noted)

BILLY’S BOATHOUSE, 2321 Beach Blvd., 241-9771 Jaxx or Better 6 p.m. Dec. 26. Reggae SWAT Team 3 p.m. Dec. 28. Open mic every Wed. BRASS ANCHOR PUB, 2292 Mayport Rd., Ste. 35, Atlantic Beach, 249-0301 Joe Oliff 8 p.m. Dec. 24 & 27. Open mic Wed. CASA MARINA HOTEL, 691 First St. N., 270-0025 Charlie Walker 3 p.m. Dec. 28 & Jan. 4 CULHANE’S IRISH PUB, 967 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 249-9595 Robby & Felix 7 p.m. Dec. 31. Irish music 6:30 p.m. every Sun. DJ Hal every Sat. FLYING IGUANA, 207 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 8535680 “3” the Band 10 p.m. Dec. 26. Ryan Crary, Johnny Flood 10 p.m. Dec. 27. Fat Cactus 10 p.m. Dec. 31 & Jan. 1. Live music every Fri. & Sat. Red Beard & Stinky E 10 p.m. every Thur. Darren Corlew 8:30 p.m. every Sun. FREEBIRD LIVE, 200 N. First St., 246-2473 Double Tap, Madhaus Dec. 26. Inspection 12, Jug-or-Not, Flag on Fire 8 p.m. Dec. 27. The Corbitt Brothers Band, Grandpa’s Cough Medicine 8 p.m. Dec. 31. Minor Influence, Brick’s Grenade 8 p.m. Jan. 2. Danka, Sea Floor Explosives, Jameyal 8 p.m. Jan. 3. Misery Head, Crashmir, The Embraced 8 p.m. Jan. 10. Live music every weekend HARMONIOUS MONKS, 320 First St. N., 372-0815 Live music 9 p.m. every Fri. & Sat. Dan Evans, Spade McQuade 6 p.m. every Sun. Back From the Brink 9 p.m. every Mon. LILLIE’S COFFEE BAR, 200 First St., Neptune Beach, 2492922 X on Dec. 26. Blue Muse Dec. 27. Live music every Fri. & Sat. LYNCH’S IRISH PUB, 514 N. First St., 249-5181 Blistur 10 p.m. Dec. 26 & 27. Ivy League 10 p.m. Dec. 31. Root of All Jan. 3. Dirty Pete every Wed. Split Tone every Thur. Live music every Fri. & Sat. Who Rescued Who every Sun. MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1018 N. Third St., 246-1500 Danka Dec. 26. Well-fed Boy Dec. 31. Root of All Jan. 2 MEZZA RESTAURANT & BAR, 110 First St., Neptune Beach, 249-5573 Neil Dixon 6 p.m. every Tue. Gypsies Ginger 6 p.m. every Wed. Mike Shackelford & Steve Shanholtzer 6 p.m. Thur. MOJO KITCHEN, 1500 Beach Blvd., 247-6636 Toots Lorraine & the Traffic, Half-Ton Jack 9 p.m. Dec. 31 NIPPERS BEACH GRILLE, 2309 Beach Blvd., 247-3300 Catfish Rodeo 6 p.m. Dec. 26. Mr. Natural 6 p.m. Dec. 27. Brent Byrd Dec. 28. Chillakaya, Paul Lundgren Dec. 31. Chillakaya Jan. 3. Brent Byrd Jan. 4. Live music every night NORTH BEACH BISTRO, 725 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 372-4105 Dan Coady 7 p.m. Dec. 26. Elizabeth Rogers 7:30 p.m. Dec. 27. DJ Chris L Dec. 31 OCEAN 60, 60 Ocean Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 247-0060 Taylor Roberts 7 p.m. Dec. 25 & Jan. 1. Live music Thur., Fri. & Sat. RAGTIME TAVERN, 207 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, 2417877 Live music Thur.-Sun.

A&E // MUSIC

WIPEOUTS GRILL, 1589 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 2474508 Live music 7:30 p.m. every Thur., 9:30 p.m. every Fri. ZETA BREWING COMPANY, 131 First Ave. N., 372-0727 Live music every Thur.-Mon.

DOWNTOWN

1904 MUSIC HALL, 19 Ocean St. N. Mama Blue, Herd of Watts Dec. 27. Greenhouse Lounge, S.P.O.R.E., Sir Charles, Bells & Robes, Willie Evans And Paten Locke, Whetherman, Danka, Lava, Matthew Connor, Vlad The Inhaler, Twinki, Beach Mob, Dilectable Beats, Jvillins 7 p.m. Dec. 31. Open mic jam every Mon. BURRO BAR, 100 E. Adams St., 353-4686 Public Suicide, Protestor 8 p.m. Dec. 29. Forsaken Profits, Rotten Stitches, Gross Evolution 8 p.m. Dec. 30. Post-Junk Fest 2: Post-Junk Fest 2: JE Double F, Twinki, Gov Club, Lake Disney, Electric Water & the Super Funky Funk, The Great White Horse, Whisperer 8 p.m. Jan. 2. The Brothel Spouts, Send Him Off!, Moon Cheese Babies, A Selfless Lot, Mother Superior, Dagger Beach 8 p.m. Jan. 3 FIONN MacCOOL’S, Jax Landing, Ste. 176, 374-1247 Mikey Clams Duo 8 p.m. Dec. 26. Spade McQuade 8 p.m. Dec. 27. Austin Park 9 p.m. Dec. 31. Live music every Fri. & Sat. JACKSONVILLE LANDING, 2 Independent Dr., 353-1188 Stevie Fingers Band 7 p.m. Dec. 26. 7 Street Band 7 p.m. Dec. 27. 418 Band 4 p.m. Dec. 28. Spanky 9 p.m. Dec. 31. George Aspinall Band Jan. 2 MARK’S DOWNTOWN, 315 E. Bay St., 355-5099 DJ Roy Luis every Wed. DJ Vinn every Thur. DJ 007 every Fri. Bay Street every Sat. MAVERICKS, Jax Landing, 2 Independent Dr., 356-1110 Smokin’ Aces 6 p.m. Dec. 31. Joe Buck, Big Tasty Thur.-Sat. UNDERBELLY, 113 E. Bay St., 699-8186 The Reunion Band 8 p.m. Dec. 26. Pixelated 6 p.m. Dec. 27. Miguel Alvarez, Robert Goodman, Pam Alvarez 9 p.m. Dec. 31. Daryl Hance Power Trio, Brent Byrd & the Suitcase Gypsies 8 p.m. Jan. 3

FLEMING ISLAND

MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1800 Town Center Blvd., 541-1999 Live music every Fri. & Sat. WHITEY’S FISH CAMP, 2032 C.R. 220, 269-4198 DJ Throwback 8 p.m. every Thur. Deck music 5 p.m. every Fri. & Sat., 4:30 p.m. every Sun.

INTRACOASTAL WEST

CLIFF’S BAR & GRILL, 3033 Monument Rd., Ste. 2, 6455162 Bandontherun 8 p.m. Dec. 24. Live music every Fri. & Sat. DJ Big Rob every Thur., Sun. & Tue. JERRY’S SPORTS GRILLE, 13170 Atlantic Blvd., 220-6766 Jaxx or Better Dec. 31. Live music every Fri. & Sat. YOUR PLACE, 13245 Atlantic Blvd., 221-9994 RadioLove Dec. 25. Fat Cactus 10 p.m. Dec. 26. Chuck Nash Band 10 p.m. Dec. 27

MANDARIN, JULINGTON

HARMONIOUS MONKS, 10550 Old St. Augustine Rd., 880-3040 Open mic: Synergy 8 p.m. every Wed. World’s Most Talented Waitstaff 9 p.m. every Fri.

ORANGE PARK, MIDDLEBURG

THE HILLTOP, 2030 Wells, 272-5959 John Michael every Wed.-Sat. PREVATT’S SPORTS BAR, 2620 Blanding Blvd., 282-1564 DJ Tammy 9 p.m. every Wed. THE ROADHOUSE, 231 Blanding Blvd., 264-0611 Glass Camels Christmas Reunion Party 10 p.m. Dec. 26 & 27. DJ Corey B every Wed. DJ Big Mike every Thur. Live music every Fri. & Sat.

PONTE VEDRA, PALM VALLEY

PUSSER’S CARIBBEAN GRILLE, 816 A1A N., 280-7766 Live music every Wed.-Sun. TABLE 1, 330 A1A N., Ste. 208, 280-5515 DiCarlo Thompson Dec. 26. Wes Cobb 7:30 p.m. Dec. 27. Paxton & Mike 6 p.m. Dec. 31. Billy Bowers 7:30 p.m. Jan. 2. Live music Thur.-Sun.

RIVERSIDE, WESTSIDE

ACROSS THE STREET, 948 Edgewood Ave. S., 683-4182 Scott Elley 8:30 p.m. Dec. 24 & 31. Backwater Bible Salesman 9 p.m. Dec. 26 & 29. The Areolas, Status Faux, Gross Evolution 9 p.m. Dec. 27. The Happy Faced Mistakes, Poor Richards Jan. 2 MURRAY HILL THEATRE, 932 Edgewood Ave. S., 388-7807 Ember Anthem 7:30 p.m. Dec. 27. Amongst the Forgotten, Secret Keeper, Convalesce, Searching Serenity 5 p.m. Jan. 3

ST. AUGUSTINE

THE CELLAR UPSTAIRS, 157 King St., 826-1594 Mojo Roux Dec. 26. Deron Baker 2 p.m., Mojo Roux 7 p.m. Dec. 27. Vinny Jacobs 2 p.m. Dec. 28 CAFE ELEVEN, 501 A1A Beach Blvd., St. Augustine Beach, 460-9311 Fred Eaglesmith 8 p.m. Jan. 9 MILL TOP TAVERN & LISTENING ROOM, 19-1/2 St. George St., 829-2329 Sam & Seejay Milner 1 p.m. Dec. 25. 2/3rds Band 9 p.m. Dec. 26 & 27. Katherine Archer 1 p.m. Dec. 28. Live music every night PIZZALLEY’S CHIANTI ROOM, 60 Charlotte St., 825-4100 Michael Howard 3 p.m. every Mon.-Fri. SHANGHAI NOBBY’S, 10 Anastasia Blvd., 547-2188 Colleen Green, Nostradogmus, Nutter, The Jellyfish Brothers, Ben Katzman Degreaser, Mental Boy 10 p.m. Jan. 5 TRADEWINDS, 124 Charlotte St., 829-9336 Red River Band 9 p.m. Dec. 26 & 27. Matanzas Dec. 31. Matanzas every Sun.Thur. Elizabeth Roth 1 p.m. every Sat.

SAN MARCO, SOUTHBANK

INDOCHINE, 1974 San Marco Blvd., 503-7013 Dance Radio Underground, Sugar & Cream, Black Hoodie, Bass Therapy Sessions 10 p.m., Allan GIz-Roc Oteyza, Scott Perry aka TrapNasty and Cry Havoc rotate, mid.-3 a.m. every Saturday JACK RABBITS, 1528 Hendricks Ave., 398-7496 Tomboi, Ricklous, Speaking Cursiv, Sunspots 8 p.m. Dec. 25. Bryce Alastair Band, Mojo Gurus, Yankee Slickers 8 p.m. Dec. 26. Sons Not Beggars 8 p.m. Dec. 27. Tropic of Cancer, Flagship Romance, Canary in the Coalmine, Matthew Fowler 8 p.m. Dec. 28. Hydra, General Power Outlet, Big Boi Moneymakers, Mike SB, Tunk & Denver 8 p.m. Dec. 29. Powerball, Forsaken Profits, Rotten Stitches, Southern Alabama Pie Cookoff, Minor Influence Dec. 30. Pleistocene, Routine Involvements Jan. 4 MUDVILLE MUSIC ROOM, 3104 Atlantic Blvd., 352-7008 Michael Peter Smith 7:30 p.m. Dec. 27. Ruby Beach 7:30 p.m. Jan. 3. Songwriting Contest Jan. 6

SOUTHSIDE, BAYMEADOWS

COMEDY CLUB, 11000 Beach Blvd., Ste. 8, 646-4277 The Fascinating Rhythm Orchestra 7 p.m. every first & third Wed. DANCIN DRAGON 9041 Southside Blvd., Ste. 138D, 3639888 A DJ spins every Fri. & Sat. HAMBURGER MARY’S, 3333 Beach Blvd., 551-2048 Stacey Q. 9:30 p.m. Dec. 31 LATITUDE 360, 10370 Philips Hwy., 365-5555 Be Easy 7:30 p.m. Dec. 25, 8:30 p.m. Dec. 26, 9 p.m. Dec. 31. VJ Fellin, Darrel Rae Dec. 26. Jesse Cruces Duo Dec. 27. RadioLove Dec. 28. Be Easy 7:30 p.m. Jan. 1. Who Rescued Who Jan. 2 MELLOW MUSHROOM, 9734 Deer Lake Ct., Ste. 1, 997-1955 Jameyal 10 p.m. Dec. 26. Crusoe Dec. 27. Aaron Koerner Dec. 31. Charlie Walker 10 p.m. Jan. 1. This Frontier Needs Heroes Jan. 2. Live music every Thur.-Sat. MY PLACE BAR & GRILL, 9550 Baymeadows, 737-5299 Aaron Sheeks 10 p.m. Dec. 24. Dirty Pete 10 p.m. Dec. 25. Chuck Nash Band 10 p.m. Dec. 26. Fat Cactus Dec. 27. Fat Cactus every Mon. Live music every night WILD WING CAFÉ, 4555 Southside Blvd., 998-9464 Chris Brinkley 7:30 p.m. Dec. 24 WORLD OF BEER, 9700 Deer Lake Ct., Ste. 1, 551-5929 Carl & the Black Lungs 9 p.m. Dec. 26. Last to Leave 9 p.m. Dec. 27. Mitch Kuhman Dec. 31. Live music every Fri. & Sat.

SPRINGFIELD, NORTHSIDE

THREE LAYERS COFFEEHOUSE, 1602 Walnut St., 355-9791 MauFeSha Production 8 p.m. Dec. 29 & Jan. 5. Open mic every Thur.

DECEMBER 24, 2014-JANUARY 6, 2015 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 51

THE KNIFE

PUSSY GALORE H

52 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | DECEMBER 24, 2014-JANUARY 6, 2015

eavy metal has a dark and ominous history, one plagued by rumors of demonic possession, child murder and back-masking. In the world of extreme metal, bands have embraced the stigma by now venturing further into the blackness, playing faster, more offensive metal than ever before. Some of these bands take themselves very seriously, blazing a path of destruction across Europe and into the States, burning churches, killing each other and even themselves. On the other hand, there have been intentionally offensive bands that imbue their metal with levity. I mean, who isn’t a fan of The Mentors, GWAR, Dead Serios, Gardy Loo & The Impotent Sea Snakes? We all are, right? But those bands, great as they may have been, are sort of, you know, comedy-ish, donning costumes, penning absurd lyrics and engaging in humorous if wholly imbecilic acts on stage. What’s been missing from the metal scene is a thoughtful extreme metal band that writes quality songs with meticulous attention paid to performance. Jacksonville’s own very serious grindcore band Cute & Cuddly Kittens is about to become that selfsame band: a band committed to making earnest, offensive metal for the discerning listener. Case in point: Tales from the Litterbox, released this year on Feline Grind Records. I must emphasize before continuing with this review that C&CK is a profound, deep-thinking group of musicians who are offensive in the most artistic and sincere way. I mean, if they were trying to be funny, they’d have titled their the album TAILS from the Litterbox. Am I wrong? I am not wrong. (Of special note, and in recognition of their poetic leanings: The titles of each song are written in all lowercase, a fitting tribute to their inspiration, e.e. cummings, to be sure.) The 14-song CD opens with “everything

about me keeps getting fatter except for my dick,” an introspective look at approaching middle age. I think. I can’t be sure because I can’t understand a thing anyone is saying. Or growling, or screaming or choking. But as I approach my 50s, this song touched me in a way that I am too embarrassed to mention in print. Track 3, “i make my girlfriend eat anchovies so I can tell which hole the farts are coming from” is a similarly moving song about one of the most challenging aspects of a maturing relationship: FOL (flatulence origin location). Let’s be honest. We’ve all dealt with it. It isn’t pretty, but it’s an essential building block just the same. Track 6, meanwhile, is a brutal moshinducing epic about getting high and inserting one’s penis into various, um, things and stuff. The subtle way the band opens the conversation about substance abuse among teenagers is especially heartwarming. Any hormone-laden teen male will relate to the narrative, which involves pig oinks, grunts and gurgles. The band does lighten things up a bit with the obvious parody “harry butthole & the chamber of secrets,” but the humor stops there. Songs like “we are the cute & cuddly kittens” are rich and inspiring trips into our collective psyche, plumbing the depths of the human experience like few others before them. The band even covers other very serious artists, including The Dwarves and S.O.D. If you are tired of being jerked around by empty bands, and you want to go headfirst into the abyss of serious, thoughtprovoking metal, let Cute & Cuddly Kittens take you there. It’s no joke. Me. Ow. John E. Citrone theknife@folioweekly.com

Listen to songs from C&CK at cuteandcuddlykittens.bandcamp.com.

GRILL ME!

DINING DIRECTORY

A WEEKLY Q&A WITH PEOPLE IN THE FOOD BIZ

NAME: Breno Verlangieri RESTAURANT: Espeto Brazilian Steak House, 1396 Beach Blvd., Jax Beach BIRTHPLACE: Porto Alegre, Brazil YEARS IN THE BIZ: 10 FAVORITE RESTAURANT: Santo Antonio, Porto Alegre BEST CUISINE STYLE: Brazilian GO-TO INGREDIENTS: Sage and shallots IDEAL MEAL: Picanha with fresh tomatoes and onions WILL NOT CROSS MY LIPS: Liver INSIDER SECRET: Marinade CELEBRITY SIGHTING @ Espeto: Will Blackman CULINARY TREAT: Chicken hearts fried catfish, all the sides. $$ FB K TO L D Daily M SHACK, 299 Atlantic Blvd., Bchs Town Ctr., AB, 241-2599, mshackburgers.com. F BOJ. David and Matthew Medure flip burgers, hot dogs, fries, shakes, familiar fare. Dine in or outside. $$ BW L D Daily NORTH BEACH BISTRO, 725 Atlantic, Ste. 6, AB, 372-4105, nbbistro.com. Bite Club. Chef-driven kitchen; hand-cut steaks, fresh local seafood, tapas menu. HH. $$$ FB K R Sun.; L D Daily OCEAN 60 Restaurant, Wine Bar, Martini Room, 60 Ocean Blvd., Bchs Town Ctr., AB, 247-0060, ocean60.com. BOJ. Continental cuisine, fresh seafood, dinner specials and a seasonal menu in a formal dining room or casual Martini Room. $$$ FB D Mon.-Sat. POE’S TAVERN, 363 Atlantic Blvd., AB, 241-7637. Named for Baltimore’s macabre poet Edgar Allan Poe, American gastropub has 50+ beers, gourmet hamburgers, ground in-house, cooked to order; hand-cut French fries, fish tacos, Edgar’s Drunken Chili, daily fish sandwich special. $$ FB K L D Daily RAGTIME TAVERN & Seafood Grill, 207 Atlantic Blvd., Bchs Town Ctr., AB, 241-7877, ragtimetavern.com. F For 30+ years, the iconic seafood place has scored many awards in our BOJ readers poll. Blackened snapper, sesame tuna, Ragtime shrimp. Daily happy hour. $$ FB L D Daily SALT LIFE Food Shack, 1018 Third St. N., 372-4456, saltlife foodshack.com. BOJ. Specialty items: signature tuna poke bowl, fresh rolled sushi, Ensenada tacos, local fried shrimp, in a modern open-air space. $$ FB K TO L D Daily SLIDERS Seafood Grille & Oyster Bar, 218 First St., Bchs Town Ctr., N.B., 246-0881, slidersseafoodgrille.com. Beachcasual. Faves: Fresh fish tacos, gumbo. Key lime pie, ice cream sandwiches. $$ FB K L Sat. & Sun.; D Nightly SNEAKERS SPORTS GRILLE, 111 Beach Blvd., 482-1000, sneakerssportsgrille.com. BOJ. More than 20 beers on tap, TV screens, cheerleaders serving the food. Happy hour Mon.Fri. $ FB K L D Daily TACOLU BAJA MEXICANA, 1712 Beach Blvd., 249-8226, tacolu.com. BOJ. Fresh, Baja-style fare with a focus on fish tacos, tequila (more than 135 kinds) and mezcal. Bangin’ shrimp, carne asada, carnitas, daily fresh fish selections. Madefresh-daily guacamole. $$ FB K R Sat. & Sun.; L D Tue.-Fri.

DOWNTOWN

AKEL’S DELICATESSEN, 21 W. Church St., 665-7324, akelsdeli.com. F New York-style deli offers freshly made fare: subs (3 Wise Guys, Champ), burgers, gyros, breakfast bowls, ranchero wrap, vegetarian dishes. $ K TO B L Mon.-Fri. BURRITO GALLERY & Bar, 21 E. Adams, 598-2922, burrito gallery.com. BOJ. Southwestern burritos, ginger teriyaki tofu, beef barbacoa, wraps, tacos. $ BW TO L D Mon.-Sat. CASA MARIA, 12961 N. Main St., Ste. 104, 757-6411. F SEE BEACHES.

CHOMP CHOMP, 106 E. Adams St., 762-4667. F Chef-inspired street food: panko-crusted chicken, burgers, chinois tacos, bahn mi and barbecue. $ L Tue.-Sat.; D Thur.-Sat. FIONN MacCOOL’s Irish Pub & Restaurant, The Landing, Ste. 176, 374-1547, fionnmacs.com. Casual dining with an uptown Irish atmosphere, serving fish and chips, Guinness lamb stew and black-and-tan brownies. $$ FB K L D Daily OLIO MARKET, 301 E. Bay St., 356-7100, oliomarket.com. From-scratch soups, sandwiches. Home to duck grilled cheese, seen on Best Sandwich in America. $$ BW TO B R L Mon.-Fri.

FLEMING ISLAND

GRASSROOTS Natural Market, 1915 East-West Pkwy., 541-0009. F BOJ. SEE RIVERSIDE. LA NOPALERA, 1571 C.R. 220, 215-2223. F BOJ. SEE MANDARIN. MELLOW MUSHROOM, 1800 Town Center Blvd., 541-1999. F Bite Club. BOJ. SEE BEACHES. MOJO SMOKEHOUSE, 1810 Town Center Blvd., Ste. 8, 264-0636. F BOJ. SEE BEACHES. WHITEY’S FISH CAMP, 2032 C.R. 220, 269-4198, whiteysfish camp.com. F Real fish camp. Gator tail, freshwater catfish, daily specials, on Swimming Pen Creek. Tiki bar. Come by boat, bike 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’ concept: Choose from 3 doughs, 9 sauces, 7 cheeses, 40+ toppings. 5 minutes in a brick oven and ta-da: It’s your pie. Subs, sandwiches, gelato. $$ BW K TO L D Daily

INTRACOASTAL WEST

AL’S PIZZA, 14286 Beach Blvd., Ste. 31, 223-0991. F SEE BEACHES.

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1401 S. Orange Ave., Green Cove Springs, 284-7789, larryssubs.com. F For 30+ years, all over town, they pile ’em high and serve ’em fast. Hot/cold subs, soups, salads. $ K TO B L D Daily POMPEII COAL-FIRED PIZZA, 2134 Park Ave., 264-6116. Family-owned-and-operated, offering pizzas and wings made in coal-fired ovens. Espresso, cappuccino. $ BW TO L D Daily THE ROADHOUSE, 231 Blanding Blvd., 264-0611, roadhouseonline.net. F For 35-plus years, Roadhouse has been offering wings, sandwiches, burgers, quesadillas; 75+ imported beers. $ FB L D Daily THE SHEIK, 1994 Kingsley Ave., 276-2677. SEE ARLINGTON.

DICK’S WINGS & GRILL, 14286 Beach Blvd., 223-0115. F BOJ. SEE PONTE VEDRA. LA NOPALERA MEXICAN RESTAURANT, 14333 Beach Blvd., Ste. 39, 992-1666. F BOJ. Tamales, fajitas, pork tacos. Some La Nops have a full bar. $$ FB K TO L D Daily LARRY’S GIANT SUBS, 10750 Atlantic Blvd., Ste. 14, 642-6980. F SEE ORANGE PARK. TIME OUT SPORTS GRILL, 13799 Beach Blvd., Ste. 5, 223-6999, timeoutsportsgrill.com. F Locally-owned-andoperated. Hand-tossed pizzas, wings, wraps. Daily drink specials, HDTVs, pool tables. Late-nite menu. $$ FB L Tue.-Sun.; D Nightly

JULINGTON CREEK

DICK’S WINGS & GRILL, 525 S.R. 16, Ste. 101, 825-4540. BOJ. SEE PONTE VEDRA. METRO DINER, 12807 San Jose Blvd., 638-6185. F BOJ.

PONTE VEDRA, PALM VALLEY, NW ST. JOHNS

AL’S PIZZA, 635 A1A N., 543-1494. F SEE BEACHES. CLAUDE’S CHOCOLATE, 145 Hilden Rd., Ste. 122, 829-5790, claudeschocolate.com. Hand-crafted premium Belgian chocolate, fruits, nuts, spices. Cookies, popsicles. $$ TO DICK’S WINGS & GRILL, 100 Marketside Ave., 829-8134, dickswingsandgrill.com. F BOJ. NASCAR-themed; 365 kinds of wings, half-pound burgers, ribs. $ FB K TO L D Daily LARRY’S SUBS, 830 A1A N., 273-3993. F SEE ORANGE PARK. PUSSER’S BAR & GRILLE, 816 A1A N., Ste. 100, 280-7766, pussersusa.com. BOJ. Bite Club. Innovative Caribbean cuisine features regional faves: Jamaican grilled pork ribs, Trinidad smoked duck, lobster macaroni & cheese dinner. Tropical drinks. $$ FB K TO L D Daily RESTAURANT MEDURE, 818 A1A N., 543-3797, restaurant medure.us. Chef David Medure offers global flavors. Small plates, creative drinks, happy hour. $$$ FB D Mon.-Sat.

RIVERSIDE, 5 POINTS, WESTSIDE

SEE SAN MARCO.

PIZZA PALACE, 116 Bartram Oaks Walk, 230-2171. F SEE BAYMEADOWS.

MANDARIN

AKEL’S DELICATESSEN, 12926 Gran Bay Pkwy. W., 880-2008. F SEE DOWNTOWN. AL’S PIZZA, 11190 San Jose Blvd., 260-4115. F SEE BEACHES. ATHENS CAFÉ, 6271 St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 7, 733-1199. F Dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), baby shoes (stuffed eggplant). Greek beers. $$ BW L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. BROOKLYN PIZZA, 11406 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 3, 288-9211. 13820 St. Augustine Rd., 880-0020. Brooklyn Special. Calzones, white pizza, homestyle lasagna. $$ BW TO L D Daily THE COFFEE BARD, 9735 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 13, 260-0810, thecoffeebard.com. New world coffeehouse has coffees, breakfast, drinks. $$ TO B L D Tue.-Sun. DICK’S WINGS, 10391 Old St. Augustine, 880-7087. F BOJ. SEE PONTE VEDRA.

GIGI’S RESTAURANT, 3130 Hartley Rd., 694-4300, jaxram ada.com. In Ramada. Prime rib, crab leg buffet Fri. & Sat., blue-jean brunch Sun., daily breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. $$$ FB B R L D Daily GILMON’S BAKERY, 11362 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 13, 288-8128, gilmonsbakery.com. Custom cakes, cupcakes, gingerbread men, pies, cookies, coffee, tea. $$ B L Tue.-Sat. HARMONIOUS MONKS, 10550 Old St. Augustine Rd., Ste. 30, 880-3040, harmoniousmonks.net. F American-style steakhouse: Angus steaks, gourmet burgers, ribs, wraps. $$ FB K L D Mon.-Sat. KAZU Japanese Restaurant, 9965 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 35, 683-9903, kazujapaneserestaurant.com. BOJ. Wide variety of soups, dumplings, appetizers, salads, bento boxes, sushi, entrées, maki handrolls, sashimi. $$ BW TO L D Daily LA NOPALERA, 11700 San Jose Blvd., 288-0175. F BOJ. Tamales, fajitas, pork tacos. $$ FB K TO L D Daily LARRY’S SUBS, 11365 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 3, 674-2945. F SEE ORANGE PARK.

NATIVE SUN Natural Foods Market & Deli, 10000 San Jose Blvd., 260-6950, nativesunjax.com. Natural, organic soups, sandwiches, wraps, baked goods, prepared foods, juices, smoothies. Juice, smoothie and coffee bar. All-natural, organic beers, wines. Indoor, outdoor dining. $ BW TO K B L D Daily THE RED ELEPHANT PIZZA & GRILL, 10131 San Jose Blvd., Ste. 12, 683-3773, redelephantpizza.com. F Casual, familyfriendly eatery serves steaks, seafood, chicken grill specials. Five topping selections. Salads, sandwiches, pizza. Gluten-free friendly. $ FB K L D Daily STEAMIN, 9703 San Jose Blvd., 493-2020, eatsteamin.com. Classic diner serves steam burgers, fat dogs and chili, 50+ craft beers. $ FB TO B Sat.-Sun.; L D Daily

ORANGE PARK, GREEN COVE

ARON’S PIZZA, 650 Park Ave., 269-1007, aronspizza.com. F Family-owned restaurant has eggplant dishes, manicotti, New York-style pizzas. $$ BW K TO L D Daily DICK’S WINGS & GRILL, 1540 Wells Rd., 269-2122. BOJ. SEE PONTE VEDRA.

THE HILLTOP, 2030 Wells Road, 272-5959, hilltop-club.com. Southern-style fine dining. New Orleans shrimp, certified Black Angus prime rib, she-crab soup, desserts. $$$ FB D Tue.-Sat. LA NOPALERA, 9734 Crosshill Blvd., 908-4250. 2024 Kingsley Ave., 276-2776. F BOJ. SEE MANDARIN. LARRY’S GIANT SUBS, 1330 Blanding Blvd., 276-7370. 1545 C.R. 220, 278-2827. 700 Blanding Blvd., Ste. 15, 272-3553.

13 GYPSIES, 887 Stockton St., 389-0330, 13gypsies.com. BOJ. Intimate bistro serves authentic Mediterranean peasant cuisine updated for American tastes, specializing in tapas, blackened octopus, risotto of the day, coconut mango curry chicken. $$ BW L D Tue.-Sat. AKEL’S DELI, 245 Riverside Ave., 791-3336. F SEE DOWNTOWN. AL’S PIZZA, 1620 Margaret St., Ste. 201, 388-8384. F SEE BEACHES.

BLACK SHEEP RESTAURANT, 1534 Oak St., 355-3793, blacksheep5points.com. New American fare has a Southern twist, made with locally sourced ingredients. Rooftop bar. $$$ FB R Sat. & Sun.; L D Daily BOLD BEAN COFFEE ROASTERS, 869 Stockton St., Stes. 1 & 2, 855-1181. BOJ. F Small-batch, artisanal coffee roasting. Organic, fair trade. $ BW TO B L Daily CORNER TACO, 818 Post St., 240-0412. Made-from-scratch “Mexclectic street food,” tacos, nachos, gluten-free and vegetarian options. $ BW L D Daily. DICK’S WINGS & GRILL, 5972 San Juan Ave., 693-9258. BOJ. SEE PONTE VEDRA. EDGEWOOD BAKERY, 1012 S. Edgewood Ave., 389-8054, edgewoodbakery.com. BOJ. 66+ years, full-service bakery. Fresh breakfast, pastries, petit fours, pies, cakes. Espresso, sandwiches, smoothies. $$ K TO B L Tue.-Sat. EUROPEAN STREET CAFÉ, 2753 Park St., 384-9999, europeanstreet.com. BOJ. 130+ imported beers, 20 on tap. NYC-style classic Reuben, sandwiches. Outside seating at some EStreets. $ BW K L D Daily GRASSROOTS NATURAL MARKET, 2007 Park St., 384-4474, thegrassrootsmarket.com. BOJ. F Juice bar; certified organic fruits, vegetables. 500+ craft/import beers, 250 wines, organic produce, humanely raised meats, plus a deli, as well as raw items, vegan, vitamins, herbs. $ BW TO B L D Daily HAWKERS ASIAN STREET FARE, 1001 Park St., 508-0342, hawkerstreetfare.com. BOJ. Authentic dishes from mobile stalls. $ BW TO L D Daily KNEAD BAKESHOP, 1173 Edgewood Ave. S. Locally-owned, family-run bake shop; made-from-scratch pastries, artisan breads, pies, specialty sandwiches, soups. $ TO B L Tue.-Sun. LARRY’S, 1509 Margaret, 674-2794. 7895 Normandy, 781-7600. 8102 Blanding, 779-1933. F SEE ORANGE PARK. METRO DINER, 4495 Roosevelt Blvd., Ortega, 999-4600. F BOJ. SEE SAN MARCO. MONROE’S Smokehouse BAR-B-Q, 4838 Highway Ave., 389-5551, monroessmokehousebbq.com. Wings, pulled pork, brisket, turkey, ribs. Homestyle sides: green beans, baked beans, mac-n-cheese, collards. $$ K TO L Mon.-Sat.; D Fri. MOON RIVER PIZZA, 1176 Edgewood Ave. S., 389-4442. F BOJ. SEE AMELIA ISLAND. MOSSFIRE GRILL, 1537 Margaret St., 355-4434, mossfire. com. F Southwestern fish tacos, enchiladas. Happy hour Mon.-Sat. upstairs lounge, all day Sun. $$ FB K L D Daily O’BROTHERS IRISH PUB, 1521 Margaret St., 854-9300, obrothersirishpub.com. F Traditional shepherd’s pie with Stilton crust, Guinness mac-n-cheese, fish-n-chips. Patio dining. $$ FB K TO L D Daily THE SHEIK, 7361 103rd St., 778-4805. 5172 Normandy Blvd., 786-7641. SEE ARLINGTON. SUN-RAY CINEMA, 1028 Park St., 359-0049. F Beer (Bold City, Intuition), wine, pizza, hot dogs, hummus, sandwiches, popcorn, nachos, brownies. $$ BW Daily SUSHI CAFÉ, 2025 Riverside Ave., Ste. 204, 384-2888, sushicafejacksonville.com. Sushi variety: Monster Roll,

DECEMBER 24, 2014-JANUARY 6, 2015 | FOLIOWEEKLY.com | 9