Tag: St. Augustine

There is an Italian restaurant that I found in St. Augustine that has a wood-fire oven that they do their cooking in. The thought of some wood-fire pizza really made me hungry, so I made a reservation for Simone’s.

When I looked over the menu, I was pleasantly surprised about how many things they offered.

I did get the wood-fire pizza that I was craving. I got it with fresh Italian sausage and anchovies. The pizza was cooked exceptionally well. There was the right amount of char on the crust. The dough was sweet and paired great with the salty cheese and pizza sauce. The sausage got crispy in the oven which I enjoyed. There was a nice fennel taste in the sausage. The anchovies, which are not everyone’s thing, added additional saltiness to the pizza.

Another dish I ordered was the homemade meatballs. The meatballs were a blend of veal, pork, and beef. They were covered in a Pomodoro sauce. They were placed in the wood-fire oven to get a little crispy on the outside. The parmesan cheese that was shredded on top melted and melted right away from the heat.  The meatballs were very moist, light, and fluffy with a great savory flavor.

They had arancini on the menu too. This was a pleasant surprise because not all Italian restaurants have these. These were smaller in size and there was no meat and peas on the inside. But they were really cheesy and were the perfect size for dipping in the Pomodoro sauce.

Finally, the other item I tried was their soup on the day. It was a corn chowder. It sounded good and to my surprise the waitress offered to give us a sample to make sure it was something that we wanted to order. I have never seen this at a restaurant before and I really appreciated it.

The sample did the trick, I loved it. I ordered a bowl of the chowder. It was a simple chowder but still full of complex flavors. The corn was sweet and was a perfect match for the savory nature of the broth.

Simone’s is not a large restaurant, so they fill up fast. Even if you have to wait for a table, it is well worth it. There were several pasta dishes on the menu that looked delicious. The next time I visit St. Augustine, I would go back to try something new.

Check out their website at www.simoneswoodfiredwgv.com

Enjoy!

T

It is National Rum Day.  I decided to celebrate it with some fresh made rum runners at Trade Winds Lounge in St. Augustine, Florida.

It is one of the oldest bars in the city. It is full of character. He bartenders are friendly. They have live music to keep you entertained.

My favorite part of this bar is their popcorn machine. You can help yourself to as much popcorn as you want. I was so excited because I love popcorn.

This is a perfect spot to grab a drink. Come on over and celebrate National Rum Day.

www.tradewindslounge.com

Enjoy!

T

So, it is Sunday in St. Augustine and I was ready for brunch. What better was to enjoy brunch the along the water. That is what Nero’s Waterfront Café offered. I was able to get a seat on their patio.

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Their menu offered an array of breakfast and lunch type items. I made sure to try their corned beef hash and eggs. They make their own corned beef. It was shredded, almost like pulled pork. It was tender and juicy. It was cooked well done so it allowed it to get a little crispy. It was fresh hash with great flavor.

My meal was the fish and chips. The fish they used was a fresh Mahi Mahi. They breaded and fried the fish in a seasoning blend that was slightly spicy. The entire thing reminded me of fried chicken.

The flavor of the seasoning was amazing. It was the right amount of heat. There was a nice crunch and the breading sealed in the moisture of the fish. The Mahi Mahi was till so flakey even after being fried.

It came with French fries on the side. They were crispy, having just come out of the fryer. They were good with the ketchup but even better with the homemade tarter sauce.

It was such a nice brunch at Nero’s. I would want to go back and try some of their other dishes. If you want a nice and relaxing meal, you will get that at Nero’s Waterfront Café.

Check them out at www.neroswaterfrontcafe.com

Enjoy!

T

I have loved the Spanish restaurant Columbia for years. I have written about two of their locations in Clearwater and Ybor City in Tampa. While I was visiting St. Augustine, I wanted to make sure I checked out this location too. It was in the Historic District which is a wonderful experience.

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They were busy the evening I was there, so I was not able to get a table. I was able to get a seat at the bar.

As with every visit to Columbia, it starts out with the waiter bringing out fresh baked Cuban bread. It comes out wrapped up, which makes me feel like I am opening a yummy birthday present. Since the bread is so warm, as soon as the butter is placed on, it melts into all the nook and crannies of the bread. The crust of the bread is crispy and inside is so soft. It is a carb-lovers paradise.

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I also love the fresh made sangrias they make right in front of you. They had a new version on the menu, a Sangria de Rose. They used Rose wine along with Torres brandy and fresh citrus juices. Of course, they added cherries and fresh orange slices. This sangria was not too sweet or too dry. It was right in the middle and felt kind of light.

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I also split their famous 1905 salad. If there is one thing that you must try on the Columbia menu is this 1905 salad. It is so filling it can be your entire meal. They chop up crispy iceberg lettuce to make it easier to eat. They then toss in julienne style ham, turkey, and swiss cheese. Not to be outdone, they add tomatoes, olives, grated Romano cheese, Worchester sauce, and their famous homemade garlic dressing. Every aspect of the salad gets coated with the dressing.

The garlic flavor shines through. The Worchester sauce added a nice salty, savory taste. The meat and cheese help to fill you up, while the lettuce adds a fresh crunch.

There are so many great dishes on the Columbia menu. But there is something so simple about a salad and a pitcher of sangria that makes me so satisfied.

I highly recommend you check them out. They have seven locations across Florida, so make sure to find one near you.

Visit their website at www.columbiarestaurant.com

Enjoy!

T

St. Augustine is a magical city, filled with a rich history. From wineries to ghost tours, St. Augustine has something for everyone.  Walking along the historic streets downtown, I came across a little crepe shop called Mimi’s Famous Crepes. I decided to check them out for dessert.

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They had an assortment of savory and sweet crepes. Since I wanted dessert I went sweet. I ordered the Banana Cream Pie crepe. What was fun about this place is I could watch my crepe being made.

I watched as the crepe batter was poured onto the hot grill and moved around to create a perfect circle.

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Once it was perfectly golden brown, it was folded and filled with a vanilla pudding, sliced bananas, and crushed up vanilla wafers.

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Then it was folded again a topped with a caramel drizzle, more vanilla pudding, and whipped cream.

I could not wait to try this crepe. They had a beautiful garden, so I went there to sit and enjoy my dessert.

The crepe was still warm, so the pudding melted around the bananas. This created a rich bite. The whipped cream added a cool element and the caramel sauce added extra sweetness. With the addition of the vanilla wafers for crunch, this really did taste like a Banana Cream pie. They captured this beautifully.

This crepe was so satisfying. All the ingredients went perfectly together. I would recommend everyone going to Mimi’s for a dessert crepe. You will not be disappointed.

Check out their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/mimisfamouscrepes/

Enjoy!

T

I love going to wineries when I travel. It gives me a chance to try something new. When I was visiting the beautiful city of St. Augustine I came across the San Sebastian Winery. I had arrived just in time for their winery tour, and to my surprise this tour and the tasting that followed was free.

The tour started off with a video talking about the history of the winery and how they were able to get a hybrid grape to grow in the Florida climate. I also learned that there is a native grape in Florida called the muscadine grape. They also have a sister winery in Central Florida where many of the grapes are grown.

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After the video we took a quick walk through the tank room. Here they explained how many gallons of wine the metal tanks hold.

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After the tour we headed downstairs to their tasting room. We were going to get to try pretty much everything they make. Our tour guide did a fantastic job describing the wines as we tasted. I tried the best I could to make notes about everything I tried. I ended up buying 6 bottles to take home.

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Here are the wines I tired, all in order.

• Pinot Grigio – this was not a sweet wine nor was it dry. I felt this was mild. It was recommended to enjoy this wine with some fresh Florida seafood.

• Chardonnay – Now I am not usually a fan of Chardonnay because they tend to be really dry to me. I was willing to try this one. It was smooth and not that dry. I could see someone drinking this with a nice chicken dish.

• Rosa – This was a sweet wine that is made with the native Florida muscadine grape. I felt this was perfect for sipping, no food is needed to enjoy this wine.

• Cabernet Sauvignon – This is a very classic dry red wine. It did have some oak flavor. It had a great aftertaste. When I tasted this, I could see myself eating some pasta while enjoying a glass.

• Vintner’s White – This was another sweet wine. It was sweeter than the Rosa. It had a fruity taste. It is recommended that this wine be drunk within 2-3 days after opening the bottle. This wine is also made with the Florida muscadine grape.

• Vintner’s Red – This is the red version of the white wine I wrote about above. They make the red version from the Noble variety of the muscadine grape. They served this wine chilled. It would be perfect to make a sangria out of this wine.

• Proprietor’s Reserve – This is a special blend of the Vintner’s Red and sherry. This is a true sipping wine that is sweet. It would be good after dinner with some cheese.

• Cream Sherry – This is the perfect dessert wine. It had almost a caramel taste to it. It was recommended to enjoy this sherry with an assortment of cheeses. This is good for 8-10 months once it has been opened.

• Ruby Port – The port I got to try had been aged 6 months. It was fresh and had a hint of nuttiness. It was light and the perfect dessert wine. This port is also good for 8-10 months once the bottle has been opened.

• Blanc de Fleur – This is their sparkling wine. The create these by the traditional method called Methode Champenoise. This means that each bottle is fermented individually, aged and rotated by hand until it is ready to be sold. This bubbly wine was sweet and full of fruity flavor. It would be perfect for any special occasion.

• Mulled Wine – This was a special treat right at the end. They have a blend of spices that include cinnamon and cloves that they let simmer in their Vintner’s Red wine. They do this until the flavors are amerced into the wine. The smell and the taste of the mulled wine feels like Christmas in a glass. It would be perfect to serve on a cold winter night. You can buy their bag of spices and make it with any red wine.

The wine tour and tasting was a fabulous experience. Now it was time to head upstairs to their roof top bar. There you can order some food, enjoy a cocktail or a bottle of wine, and look out over the city of St. Augustine.

I decided to order a sangria. They used the Vintner’s Red wine, chilled it and added some fresh slices of fruit. It was very refreshing and sweet. It was perfect for a warm Florida afternoon. My friend got a glass of port since he enjoyed it so much during the tasting. The roof top was a fun place to hang out. We left before the band arrived but I am sure everyone there had a blast.

If you are in St. Augustine and you enjoy wine, then stopping by San Sebastian Winery is a must. And the good thing is they can ship the wine to you.

Visit their website at www.sansebastianwinery.com

Enjoy!

T

Some friends of mine told me that I had to go eat at The Conch House when I was visiting St. Augustine. They said I would not be disappointed.

The restaurant is pretty big. They have tons indoor and outdoor seating. They also have these tiki hut tables that you can sit at for a better view of the water. When I visited it was really cold and windy outside, so I got a table inside.

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To start out with I ordered a Bloody Mary. They had a basic one and then some specialty ones that almost put an entire meal on the glass. Since I was going to be ordering food, I did not want to fill up on the cocktail.

I could not come to a place called The Conch House and not order any conch. I settled on an order of the conch fritters. The fritters were amazing. They were full of pieces of conch. The breading had a sweet taste to it. They served a homemade key lime mustard sauce. It had a sweet and tangy flavor. It accented the conch fritter perfectly.

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The other starter I got was the Banana Pepper Calamari. They coated the fresh calamari in a flour loaded with Cajun spices. This fried up crispy and had a wonderful spicy flavor. They sprinkled fresh parmesan cheese on top. They served on the side, banana peppers, red peppers, and scallions in a lemon garlic butter sauce.

The waitress recommended that the pepper mixture get poured over the calamari. This adds additional tangy flavor.

The restaurant has a bottle of sauce on their tables called Datil Pepper Sauce. This locally made sauce is very much like a cocktail sauce on steroids. It has the cocktail sauce base with additional seasonings blended in that gave it a sweet taste. It tasted fantastic with the calamari. To me this sauce would be good with anything.

For my main dish I ordered the Jamaican Jerk chicken. This was a bone-in quarter chicken. They baked this chicken and then covered it in a Jamaican jerk sauce. They served it with a pineapple salsa. The chicken was not as spicy as I was expecting, but it did have a hint of spice. The pineapple salsa added a sweetness to the spice. It was the perfect blend of sweet and heat.

The chicken also came with fresh fried plantains and coconut rice. The plantains were perfectly ripe, full of sweet flavor and a nice soft texture. The coconut rice had a wonderful subtle coconut taste. I ended up mixing some of the pineapple salsa into the rice to create a completely tropical dish.

I really enjoyed what I ordered at The Conch House. I also loved that Datil Pepper Sauce so much I bought a bottle for home.

If you are in St. Augustine or just driving through to get to Jacksonville, I recommend you make a stop. Check out their website and menu at www.conch-house.com

Enjoy!

T

Driving along the coast in St. Augustine, Florida is beautiful. The tranquil sound of the waves is extremely relaxing. After spending some time on the beach, you can easily work up an appetite.

Just across A1A (the main road that follows the coastline) is Sunset Grille. The place was extremely busy so I figured the food had to be pretty good.

  

  

As always I started off with a tropical drink – The Captain’s Coconut. They blended Captain Morgan Rum, Malibu Rum, pineapple juice, and blue curacao. They accented the glass with a fresh orange. This truly was a tropical drink. It was the perfect drink to enjoy at the beach. The rum was strong but the pineapple juice calmed down the flavor.

It was time to order a few things off the menu. I ordered a cup of the Minorcan Conch Chowder. It was a great vegetable based broth that was full of flavor. The fresh conch was cut up into smaller pieces and as very tender. I just love fresh seafood.

 

I also tried a little of the clam chowder. Someone else in the group ordered a bowl and I got to have a taste (actually a few spoonful’s). It was very creamy. There was a nice amount of fresh clams throughout. I really liked the chunks of potatoes.

I ordered the appetizer size of the coconut shrimp. I love coconut shrimp so I always like ordering it when I see them on a menu. They are so much more interesting than just plain fried shrimp. The breading was not overly sweet because of the coconut. It was very crispy too. They tasted wonderful with the pina colada dipping sauce. It added an extra tropical taste.

One of the last things that I ordered was the chowder fries. The waitress recommended these. She says they are extremely popular, plus they are perfect for sharing. These French fries were covered in their homemade  clam chowder. Then they were topped with bacon and cheddar cheese. The cheese was a nice accent to the chowder. The bacon added a crispy element to the dish. I have never had chowder on top of fries before but it was a delicious adventure.

Sunset Grille was a fun place. It was an extremely busy, popular place. I would definitely want to go back and try something else from their menu. And to remember where they are located, just remember the sign they had on the wall “Somewhere on A1A”.

Check out their website at http://www.sunsetgrillea1a.com/

Enjoy!

T

St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest city in the United States. It is extremely fascinating to think about the generations of people that have walked the shores and streets. It was cool to see a stone fort along the inlet that has protected Florida since before it was a state. Traveling this beautiful country is amazing.

St. Augustine is a magical city filled with the old and the new. Part of that new is the St. Augustine Distillery. There they make vodka, bourbon, gin, and rum. If you get there early enough you can take a tour of the distillery.

  

I did not make it there in time for the tour but luckily for me they also have a bar / restaurant located inside called Ice Plant.

Inside is a beautiful, industrial feeling place. There are beams on the ceiling and walls. The bar was a tall wooden, decorative piece that reminded me of something out of a 1920s bar.

  

The bar staff was an entertaining group. When they made cocktails, they put a lot of care into each ingredient they used. Watching them shake cocktails in unison was funny.

  

The drink menu alone had six different options for ice. Each one was used in a different cocktail. The coolest thing I watched the bartender do was make an ice ball. A cube of ice is put into an aluminum press that melts the ice and molds it into a ball. I took a video to show the process. You can check it out on my Twitter page (@GatorGirl_Swamp).

Because I missed the opportunity to tour the distillery my bartender let me sample each one of their homemade liquors. They all tasted wonderful and were smooth. My favorite was the vodka.

  

They did have a menu with a few small bites to try. While they sounded wonderful, I had already eaten so I was not very hungry. However, the few items I saw looked delicious.

I wanted to try one of their hand crafted cocktails. I ordered the Florida Mule. It used St. Augustine Distillery vodka, ginger, lime, and soda. The bartender took a sprig of mint, slapped it on the bar, and then added that to my cup.

  

This was a great tasting mule that was extra cold because of the copper mug. The vodka was smooth and paired well with the tanginess of the ginger.

Ice Plant is a fun environment to enjoy food, drinks, and friends. I would definitely want to go back to experience the food and another crafted cocktail. If you are visiting St. Augustine I would recommend you stop by. I plan on going back so I can take the distillery tour.

http://iceplantbar.com/

Enjoy!

T