A TASTE OF JACKSONVILLE

Must try dishes for your Jacksonville stay

By Stacey Zable

Marker 32’s Seared Filet Mignon is a must for meat lovers

On the water, downtown and in historic neighborhoods, Jacksonville’s culinary scene offers travelers diverse dishes that are sure to please any palette.

DUCK CONFIT HASH, RESTAURANT ORSAY Say yes to weekend brunch and French techniques with a Southern flair at this French-American bistro in the Historic Avondale district of Jacksonville. The Duck Confit Hash incorporates the classic country French-style duck confit and roasted fingerling potatoes with fried eggs and a Tabasco-beurre rouge (Tabasco and red wine butter sauce), which is served on the side in a pitcher. The restaurant boasts a lounge and bar area that offers modern industrial décor, while the Park Street Dining Room exudes an old-world ambiance with an open kitchen. restaurantorsay.com

FISH CAMP SHRIMP & GRITS, NORTH BEACH FISH CAMP Jacksonville has its own self-guided Mayport Shrimp Passport for those serious about finding the top shrimp dishes in the area. The shrimp are caught locally at the namesake nearby fishing village. One of the 30 stops included in the passport is North Beach Fish Camp in Neptune Beach. Choose the Fish Camp Shrimp & Grits with white wine butter sauce or the Fried Shrimp Basket that comes with Mayport shrimp, fries, hush puppies and coleslaw. Owners Ben and Liza Groshell focus on “Southern fare” and “fresh coastal cuisine” at their four “Fish Camps” and other area restaurants. The Neptune Beach property located at Beaches Town Center offers a casual beachside atmosphere for diners. thenorthbeachfishcamp.com

SEARED FILET MIGNON, MARKER 32 Another restaurant owned and operated by the Groshell family and on the Mayport Shrimp Passport also just happens to be a place to get a really great piece of meat. Served with truffle-parmesan potatoes, haricots verts, a red wine demi-glace and bleu cheese fondue, the Seared Filet Mignon at Marker 32 is a must for meat lovers. No need to miss out on the seafood specialties when you order the Rosemary Grilled Octopus as a starter. It comes with a smoky tomato puree, giant white bean and arugula salad, chorizo, sherry smoked paprika vinaigrette and potato crispies. Ask for a window seat overlooking Palm Cove Marina and the Intracoastal Waterway. marker32.com

SILKIE’S BISCUIT SAMPLER, SILKIE’S CHICKEN AND CHAMPAGNE BAR Former “Top Chef” contestant Kenny Gilbert is the owner and head chef of what he describes as “an upscale casual restaurant” with counter service. Gilbert opened Silkie’s in November 2020 in Historic Springfield near downtown Jacksonville after starting to make meals of fried chicken and biscuits out of his home during the pandemic quarantine. Silkie’s offers four types of fresh baked drop biscuits: Buttermilk, Jalapeño Cheddar, Truffle Smoked Gouda with Chives and Plantain Ginger with Turmeric. The biscuits are served with different complementing butters, jams and pickles. Silkie’s Biscuit Sampler gets you all four types. You can also pair a biscuit with a choice of chicken styles for tasty sandwiches that can include a combo with one side and beverage. Even Oprah Winfrey, who Gilbert has personally cooked for, is a fan. meetatsilkies.com

SOUTHERN-STYLE BUTTERMILK CHICKEN, THE BREAD & BOARD The Southern-Style Buttermilk Chicken was “inspired by the best fried chickens we’d

The Southern-Style Buttermilk Chicken sandwich at Te Bread & Board

Enjoy the Duck Confit Hash for weekend brunch at Restaurant Orsay

had as kids in the South,” says The Bread & Board chef Dwayne Beliakoff, who is also the co-founder with Jonathan Cobbs of the “funloving sandwich shop and fine dining kitchen.” The chicken breasts are soaked for 24 hours in buttermilk, house hot sauce, fresh garlic and other spices before they are fried. The dish is served either on fresh house baked ciabatta or as an entree board with sweet slaw, homemade dill zucchini pickles, white BBQ sauce and a spicy pimento spread with blue cheese. The Bread & Board has two locations: St. John’s Town Center and downtown Jacksonville at the VyStar Credit Union Headquarters. thebreadandboard.com

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