The Conch House (Saint Augustine, FL)

Resturant Name: The Conch House

City: Saint Augustine, Florida

Visit Date: 3/23/12

Food Type:  Seafood + American

Meal: Lunch

Address: 57 Comares Avenue  St. Augustine, FL 32080

Food Rating: 9/10

Environment Rating: 8/10

Price: 7/10

Service Rating: 10/10

Overall Rating: 34/40 (Excellent)

tl;dr Great location to grab lunch or dinner. Friendly staff and lovely view. Slightly more expensive than I would have liked and could do without the random birds walking around.

A good friend from out of town drove up to Saint Augustine for the day and wanted to have lunch. I of course scrambled online to check out a location nearby that wasn’t too far away and that would be tasty.

Google tossed me this recommendation as one of its top 5 listings for the Saint Augustine. And so as it stands I didn’t have much reason not to at least try it out.

First of all I have to say that the out of the way location is great for having a meal. Now I do realize that out of the way means a tad bit of a drive. But going over the Bridge of Lions is a lovely view if you aren’t stopped one side of it or another because of bad traffic or a boat crossing.

Anyway parking was plentiful and today wasn’t that unbearably hot. The hostess area had no wait when we arrived at 12:30. Apparently there’s 3 seating zones. One outside with umbrella coverage, another set under tiki style thatched roofing and the final set that is indoors but with large glass doors that can be moved to allow the breeze in.

Interestingly enough there weren’t traditional cloth napkins that I had originally expected. Instead there are what appears to be wash cloths wrapped around the cutlery. Not necessarily a detraction from the appeal of the place but that’s just because I’m too used to standard cloth napkins. Anyway these were perfect for the intended purpose of keeping one’s hands clean.

The biggest draw for me in deciding this particular location was the fact that it was near the water front yet offered a slightly out of the way feel. Situated next door to the marina the Conch Restaurant offers its guests a charming view of the Saint Augustine salt-grass that fits well with the seafood theme of the location.

Our server was a lovely gentleman named Erik. Friendly and polite, he was by far one of the best waiters I’ve ever had in ANY establishment. He offered us just amount of time between getting our appetizers situated and then asking for our main orders as well as being able to crack jokes and in general being a welcoming host to keep the meal enjoyable.

Conch Fritters

For an Appetizer we decided on the Conch Fritters. For the price I would have liked a few more of the delicious morsels but I feel it’s acceptable for the 6 balls of deliciousness that we received. At the Conch House, their fritters are made with what I can assume is Atlantic-caught conch. The meat is sliced and mixed with an interesting but delicious blend of red peppers, cornmeal and a few spices as well as something that leaves a refreshingly sweet afternote. These fritters are deep fried until a delightful shade of golden and served with a side of key lime mustard. As I would like to note, the perfect beginning to a delightful meal.

While we were waiting for our main courses to arrive, I had the opportunity to look around. We ended up deciding to sit inside and enjoy the comforts of air-conditioning. At this point I must make a small note that arguably would be one of my only 2 real negative points as to the restaurant. And while I understand that based on the location as well as the idiocracy of guests there is no possibility of the contrary, I have to make the note. I think it’s slightly unsanitary that more than one pigeon simply walked through the doors and began pecking at my feet before I shoo-ed it away with great gusto.

Yes I’m quite happy that it was a pigeon and not the somewhat aggressive sea-gulls that my time in Florida has exposed me to. But even then a restaurant should realize that animals randomly walking around and pecking at scraps is less than slightly. And while this may be due to location as well as guests who feel inclined to toss scraps at said animals… I would hope something could be done.

But aside from that the rest of my luncheon was a charm. In the middle of the lunch hour there were several other parties of individuals present but the builders and restaurant planners had enough foresight to leave space between tables. Thusly we were able to actually hear each other even with the baby behind us and the random kids (probably staying at the motel) running out of the pool. The thatched roofing, regae music and random tiki-themed statues aren’t over the top and offer diners a pleasant view.

Conversation flowed freely between myself and my friend and likewise the server was EXCELLENT about everything I expected from him. Even before my soda was empty, he rushed back with a refill; he was polite and actually stopped by to check up on us every few minutes and arguably the best part of it was that he knew what was on the menu and made real recommendations as to what he could personally vouch for.

Fried Oysters and Fries - Amazing

As for the main course of the meal, I chose the fried oysters; arguably an odd choice. However I wasn’t in the mood for the fish and my companion had already decided on a burger and I didn’t want to seem too traditional with my visit to a new restaurant.  The plate which I felt was slightly overpriced at $10 consisted of 6 lightly friend oysters accompanied by fries and a Cesar salad.

And I must say these were amazing oysters. Now in the past I’ve had fried oysters. And I was kinda hesitant on that matter because the ones I had previously consumed were almost jerkey like strips of some type of shellfish in a rock hard batter dipping. The ones at the Conch House are near perfect. The batter they use is light enough to make a good shell but taste neutral and amplified the flavor of the meaty oyster within. The oysters themselves had clean crisp flavor of the ocean and were pleasant enough that I wish I had gotten more than 6 of them. Fries were as expected decent and the Cesar could have done without the croutons but I’m ok because the focus of the meal was exactly how they deserved to be.

At the end of our meal, Erik offered to grab us each a slice of key lime or mud-cake but we were both quite stuffed with the luncheon and kindly refused.

I would definitely come back here.  The theme, the feel, the location; all of it proved to be perfect in making me enjoy my luncheon.  Thank You Erik. If you get a chance to read this, you did your job perfectly and I would be honored if you would serve me again if I get the chance to visit your restaurant again :)

Writing Again

I do apologize for my absence in writing. I won't lie and say that I've been busy because while it's true that I am slightly busier, I could easily have taken an hour day off any day to write my reviews in full.

Well a mix of lethargy and general depression over various situations caused me to decide not write.

I'm back though. I've thusly updated a bit of my original criteria for judging restaurants and tonight I'll be done writing my most recent lunch visit.

I hope this is a help to others who decide to purvey their pallets at said restaurants.

Thank You and have a great day :)

Back from California

My red-eye flight dropped me off at JAX yesterday morning. I'm still trying to get over all of the jetlag but as soon as I do, I'll be typing like crazy to put up all of these reviews for places I ended up at.

Overall I'm quite satisfied with my stay in California. I ended up making friends with some pretty awesome people and because I had a native of the area with me this time, I was considerably more comfortable going places and in general nomming on things with people.

But yeah give me a few more hours and I'll start writing again!

Hugs and general well wishes to you and yours!

01/09 Off to California Soon

On Wednesday I'll be flying half way across the country to California. There should be many many delicious nomz there for me to taste. And for anyone I happen to bump into there, a fun time to be had.

01/06 Pho Saigon (Orlando, Fl)

Resturant Name: Pho Saigon


City: Orlando, Florida
Visit Date: 01/01/12
Food Type: Asian (Vietnamese)
Meal: Lunch


Address: 5100 West Colonial Drive  Orlando, FL 32808-7604


Food Rating: 9/10
Environment Rating: 6/10
Service Rating: 7/10
Overall: 22/30 (Good)


tl;dr: Food's not bad but if you don't come during the off-hours, expect limited service, crowds/lines, NOISE, SO MUCH NOISE.


So on New Year's day, me and my mom drove down to Orlando to do some grocery shopping. This sorta expedition isn't very common for the family but there are a few ingredients and vegetables and what not that really can't be gotten except for in a large city. Which is of course to say that the Saint Augustine area doesn't have a high enough Asian sub-population to warrant it's own ethnic (Asian) neighborhoods and large groceries. 


Orlando of course is a different story. A sprawling city of the world's many ethnicities, it attracts individuals of all backgrounds (even more so because of it's close proximity to Kissimee and the many many tourist attractions that area is known for). 


So yeah we got into town about 1-ish and my mom had her sights on shopping at 1st Oriental Supermarket. Granted to be honest I really can't say I know any other real locations to shop at in the Orlando area, I kinda would have liked to just explore a bit and find some tasties. 


But back to the review. 


I've been to this restaurant one time previous. (Likewise with family). Last time we arrived rather late and was able to enjoy the quiet not so crowded version of the establishment. This time... yeah we weren't so lucky. There apparently were 2 parties of Koreans in the place and the server sat us right next to the larger of the two Koreanated tables. And though I personally have nothing against Koreans, I would have preferred to enjoy my noodles in relative quiet instead of with noise pollution sogging the background. 


Mom decided to go wash up before the meal and so while I sat there trying to tune out 3 or 4 different languages being simultaneously used, I got to examining the decorations. Pho Saigon is interesting, on the right wall there appears to be a dead water sculpture built along the whole of the wall. At one time it may have been meant to be filled with water, and even while dry, it's still something to look at. The tables function for their purposes and the chairs are comfortable. The random assortment of spices, seasonings and sauces could  be arranged nicer, but knowing the fact that large families of Asians frequent this location, I really can't fault them for what parties of people (especially those with children) do to the tables.

The Spring Rolls and Peanut Sauce

We ended up ordering some shrimp spring rolls and a large Pho Saigon. (I don't really remember how to do the special characters, so pardon to any Viet readers on the spelling of the above). 


The spring rolls pictured to the right were a lovely appetizer, Each rice paper circle is filled with boiled shrimp, napa cabbage hearts and rice noodles. Served with the accompanying peanut sauce, the combination is perfect for breaking one's fast before the ensuing deluge of savory pho. 


And though I would have liked a few more of them, I think to myself the ramifications of getting stuffed eating random tidbits before the main course arrives. 


I should probably contemplate the dipping sauce specifically. It has a sweet finish and a mild saltiness. If I had to guess, it must contain a bit of hoison sauce that's been blended with something that dulls the sweetness. And for presentation purposes it's topped with diced peanuts as an eye catcher. The particular choice of serving plates has a similar color to the actual sauce and for me personally, this trait adds to the appeal of the otherwise bland-colored spring rolls. 


But I digress. For after all the main reason we came to this restaurant was for the PHO! And while I'm still quite peeved that none of my spell checkers seem to know what pho is; I realize that many Americans are likely to not know what it is either. (I'd hope you did...)


Anyway... Pho is a delicious noodle soup and broth with various choices of meat and sauces to accompany it.  At the very base, Pho is a savory clear broth made by stewing beef bones for several hours on end. When cooked to the chef's specifications, the fat that's cooked out the bone marrow is skimmed off and the subsequent broth is ladled into a bowl with rice noodles. At this point, pho becomes anyone's game. For the choices of accompaniments and other stuff that go in it are almost endless. 

Tasty Tasty Pho

Pho Saigon (the dish we ordered) is the above broth and rice noodles with thin slices of beef skirt, tendon and Asian style meat balls (the meat is pulverized first to achieve a specific smooth texture). This restaurant differs from others in that they use whole pieces of scallions to add another level of savoriness to the broth. Also as to be expected there was a plate of green bean sprouts, thai basil, lime slices and jalapeno peppers to the diner's discretion.


Mom and I ended up splitting the ginormous bowl. Well it's really not that large in pho standards but we still ended up splitting the bowl. I personaly enjoy my pho with a dash of sugar, 3 or 4 squirts of sriracha, some fish sauce (as needed to add savoriness) and the juices of several limes. In the process, my broth becomes a fiery red color that has a lovely tart flavor. But to each his own and I must admit that at times this combination could be considered too strong for other individuals. 


I would have liked a second cup of water half way through my meal but our server seemed to have forgotten us and never really walked back around. However over all the restaurant was pretty good. I enjoyed the food there and even if the noise pollution was a bit much, my personal displeasure at one aspect won't allow me to feel negatively towards to whole. As such, I resolve to leave a rating of GOOD for this establishment. In the future though if I get a chance to go back, I'll make sure to visit during off hours.

1/1 Happy New Years!

G'day (well technically night). It's actually almost the second day of the new year but that's of little consequence. I had a lovely foodie experience today and though I'm quite in the mood to write about it, I'm a tad bit busy at the moment with other things :(

As such my restaurant review will sadly be delayed until the 2nd at which time I'll have the pictures uploaded and thusly proceed to offer my culinary experiences.

I hope this year brings many fond wishes to you and yours!

As for myself I forsee lots of delicious food in my future.

12/31 - Mr. Chan's Asian Cuisine (Jacksonville, FL)

Resturant Name: Mr. Chan's Asian Cuisine

City: Jacksonville, Florida
Visit Date: 12/30/11
Food Type: Asian (Chinese)
Meal: Lunch

Address: 13947 Beach Blvd #110, Jacksonville, FL 32224

Food Rating: 8/10
Environment Rating: 9/10
Service Rating: 10/10
Overall: 27/30 (Excellent)

tl;dr: Nice Restaurant. (Asian people actually eat here) Come early as it's packed at certain times of day. Watch out for over-greasy foods.

In my travels to various places, I often get the chance to back track per say and visit some of the locations I've been to in the past. And now that I have a working camera phone and a desire to write about it, My meals at some of the restaurants I often frequent can finally be cataloged for personal interests.

To open, Mr. Chan's is small off the beaten path place. It's on Beach Boulevard and though it's relatively easy to locate since their sign is reasonably sized, the locale gives it a nice out of the way feel. My mom actually frequents this place as she works down the road from it and would likewise give a pretty good rating for it.

But onto the actual restaurant! Mr. Chan's has a truly Asian feel. Unlike sell-out Asian restaurants that feature stereotypical fat buddahs or well ya know what I mean, the plastic crap that you'd see at a flea market, Mr. Chan's keeps with the slightly upper-class feel of wooden ornaments and paintings on the wall. The chairs are quality wood and though the addition of some seat cushions would make my personal comfort better (suffering from lumbago still), I am quite satisfied with the table settings and the general view of the positioning in the restaurant. There aren't many tables/chairs in the restaurant so crowding is an issue at times. As is noise when large groups are present but it's all tolerable.

Our server, Helen was polite and courteous and genuinely seemed as if she wanted to be of service. Our meal started with several twisted cruellers (油条). And though they're generally eaten as a breakfast item in China, they're a bitch to make (deep frying forms oil smoke) and without practice, the strips of dough used to fry them often come out poorly. I personally didn't partake upon them but the family devoured them with much gusto.

As for the dishes ordered, our lunch was comprised of 4 general dishes. A garlic sauteed eggplant, some varient of beef noodle soup, squid with chive flowers and half of a roast duck.

Garlic Sauteed Eggplant

The eggplant isn't bad. It's generalized 鱼香茄子. And as such it's quite an interesting dish by itself. A favorite of my family, it's supposed to be pretty fast to make and healthyish.

Mr. Chan's however was a bit lacking in my opinion. Generally the flavor mix for this dish should be spicy, savory with a robust but non-overpowering touch of garlic. The preparation varies greatly from location to location and that I won't fault them on. In particular, the dish we ordered was on the sweet side. This doesn't pair well with the fact that Mr. Chan's preparation style involves deep frying their eggplant first. As such though the coloration of the finished product was quite tempting to the eyes, the flavor was lacking :(. I will say that it was at the very least ok and my younger brother seemed to enjoy the sweet-ness. I however would have preferred a spicier or more savory dish. Any flavor of garlic that was present in the presentation was dimmed by the mix of sugar and not-so great hot sauce. It could easily have been improved on by draining some of the excess oil before plating.

On to the next dish!

Squid with Chive Flowers

My personal favorite of the set. Chive flowers are the of course the flowering tops of the allium schoenoprasum plant. They're usually picked before the buds have opened and have a lovely garlic/onion and uniquely chive flavor. In my opinion this worked perfectly with the texture and mild flavor of the squid. There was a mild grit of some kind that was only present in 2 or 3 bites of the dish, and I'd likely suspect that the mushrooms or chive ends weren't perfectly cleaned when the dish was prepared. As for the seasoning, I can't say I've ever seen this particular flavor combination on any other menus so I don't really know if there's supposed to be a set norm. Personally though, the dish was perfect salt-balance wise and the sauce (or jus/whatever you want to call it) worked quite well with the rice that accompanied the dish.

And finally:

Roast Duck

Duck is interesting on many levels. It's overly fat for whatever reason, but this fat is full of umami qualities. I can't really explain what specifically about duck fat is so delicious but I do enjoy it.

The duck presentation at Mr. Chan's goes for the minimalist approach. The duck is most likely roasted/baked/broiled for x amount of time, taken out of the oven and cleaved into chunks before a flash fry to make sure the skin is extra crispy. I didn't ask the chefs about this, so I could be 100% wrong, but given my background in Chinese cookery, I'd suspect that my suppositions have some validation.

Greasy. In a word the duck was greasy. As I enjoyed that hacked up duck leg with a smear of salty-sweet hoison sauce, the only word that would come to mind is that this duck is greasy. Where I had expected duck to have a fat quality; this one was literally dripping and as I gnashed into it's leg, a dribbly mixture of whatever it was fried in + duck fat slowly ran from the corners of my mouth. I paused midway as the gristle had decidingly lodged in my teeth and as I sat there irate over the piece of duck that refused to get out my teeth, I reached for a napkin to remove the mess.

That about sums up the duck. It's really nothing special. The ducks they use are a bit tough, but I expected about as much. Flavor-wise the duck was reasonably seasoned, though an extra sprinkle of salt wouldn't have hurt. Paired with the hoison sauce it would be quite delicious if one can get over the copious amounts of fat s/he was consuming.

All in all I like this restaurant. The food I regularly order is always available on the menu. The staff are polite and seem reasonably knowledgeable on the dishes they serve. And so with my blessing I rate this establishment with an Excellent. It's not perfect, but I don't expect I'll ever find any place truly perfect. There's always room for improvement.