Kickbacks (910 King St 904-388-9551) is now one of the late night/early morning spots where you can get your grub, from breakfast to bar foods, all of which is reportedly really tasty. They’ve also got a staggering 60 beers available for your drinking pleasure.
Chew (117 W Adams St 904- 355-3793) will now be open from 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm on Tuesdays through Saturday, a slight expansion of their hours earlier in the week.
Joining a host of other area restaurants, Zaitoon Mediterranean Grill (13475 Atlantic Blvd. Intracoastal. 904 221-7066) will be participating in the upcoming “Dining Out for Life” charity event on April 24th. Dining Out For Life was created by an ActionAIDS volunteer in Philadelphia. In 1993, ActionAIDS made it an international event offering licenses to AIDS Service Organizations around the country. Since Dining Out for Life International's founding the event has grown throughout North America and is now produced in over 46 cities. Each eatery involved gives a portion of their profit towards AIDS research. Go to diningoutforlife.com, for a list of additional participating restaurants.
If you have a favorite family coffeecake recipe and you’d also like a little r&r, take enter the Inn on Charlotte’s (52 Charlotte Street, St. Augustine) Coffeecake Challenge recipe contest. The grand prize winner will get a 2-night stay at the Inn on Charlotte (Sunday thru Thursday excluding holiday periods), gourmet lunch for two and Claude’s Chocolates – exquisite European chocolates made in St. Augustine. The prize-winning recipe will be incorporated into the gourmet breakfast menu that is served to Inn guests and be prominently featured on the Inn’s website. Visit innoncharlotte.com for official rules and entry. Entries must be received by June 15th.
Executive Chef Craig Dion will be opening Penman Square Market and Café (1289 Penman Road, Jacksonville Beach) this Spring. Dion was the innovative chef for Jacksonville Beach’s Dolphin Depot in its first six years and also owned and operated Six Burner, a fine dining restaurant of Atlantic Beach. Dion and his wife sold Six Burner in 2005. Both Dolphin Depot and Six Burner have been nationally accredited and recognized consistently as one of Jacksonville’s top 25 restaurants.
Penman Square Market and Café will feature chef-prepared entrees, sides, salads, soups, cappuccinos, espresso and desserts. Food will be hand-crafted with no preservatives.
If you’ve got any local food news you’d like us to dish—please email us at jacksonvilledish@gmail.com.
The Casa Marina Hotel & Restaurant at Jacksonville Beach will offer a special courtyard menu and live music by the Johnston Duo every Wednesday from 6-9 pm in the oceanfront courtyard. Live music will be performed every Sunday by local musicians such as Billy Bowers and Mike Shackelford on the oceanfront deck of the Penthouse Lounge from 2-5 pm. The Penthouse Lounge features martinis, rooftop dining, and a majestic ocean view. The Casa Marina Hotel & Restaurant is located at 691 North 1st Street, Jacksonville Beach, (904) 270-0025.
The Fairgrounds get fancy at this large annual fundraiser for the Duval County Unit of the American Cancer Society. Gourmet food will be served. Expect live entertainment, auctions and dancing. Jacksonville Fairgrounds Info: (904)398-0537.
The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will host its 13th annual ExZOOberation fundraising gala benefiting the Zoo. The theme for this year’s event is “A Night in TUSKany” using an Italian theme, with an animal twist. The casual, adult-oriented gala has become one of Jacksonville’s premier events with a total of over $1.6 million raised for the care and feeding of the Zoo’s animals as well as educational programs and conservation initiatives. Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served in the Zoo’s new Stingray Bay interactive exhibit and then guests will proceed to the Zoo gardens to enjoy animal encounters, entertainment, a silent and live auction, a delicious dinner and dancing. Tickets begin at $175 per person and can be purchased online at jacksonvillezoo.org or by calling the Development Department at 904-757-4463, ext. 196.
Take this night to dine out at Ragland’s, Matthew’s, Matthew’s Market, The Tasting Room, Plaza III, Park Place or Biscottis, where a percentage of your bill will go to benefit local services, providing relief to AIDS victims. Info: nfanjax.org
Enjoy the tasty delights as St. Augustine showcases the unique flavors available in the area. More than 30 area restaurants sell signature “tastes” throughout the festival. Taste tickets are $1 each with restaurants charging between 1 and 5 tickets per taste. Plus there will also be a small $2 charge for admission. Info: (904) 829-3295 epiccommunityservices.org
Personal instruction from a five star chef and a look at the kitchen in at the Ritz makes the drive to Amelia Island worthwhile. The two day cooking school might encourage you to stay in this top-rated hotel. Cost varies from about $339-$639. Call the Ritz-Carlton (4750 Amelia Island Pkwy., Amelia Island 904-277-1100) for more info.
Blue Bamboo’s (3820 Southside Blvd 904- 646-1478) will be holding an Indonesian cooking class on April 19th. Please call to schedule in advance.
Cork & Keg Wine, beginning in April, will be teaching short courses on wine topics to include growing regions of the world, varietals, tasting techniques, history, and vinification. If you think vinification is something you need to say Hail Marys for, and you love wine, these are the classes for you. Classes will be conducted weekly on Tuesday at 6:30pm (except on the second Tuesday of each month) and will last about an hour. It’s just $10 per class to cover materials and wines. The first class will be held on Tuesday, April 1. RSVPs will not be necessary unless you intend to bring a large group.
If Tuesdays are bad for you, sign up for Sips & Tips wine school, which will be held on Thursdays from 6:30 - 8:00pm. These classes will begin on April 3 and will be held for four weeks. Please contact UNF at learnjacksonville.com or by calling (904) 620-4200.
Q: My husband and I are going to the Jacksonville area for our anniversary this weekend. I am intrigued by the Tapas restaurants. There is nothing like them around here. Is it considered rude to eat at one of these establishments if you don’t drink?
A: You’re not obligated to drink anything anywhere, even at a wine bar. Even though waiters love lushes (because the price of alcohol drives up the bill price and their tip) as the customer, the staff is serving at your pleasure. If you’re worried about what the people dining with you think, most of the time as long as you don’t make a big deal about it, they won’t. If they do, they’re the one being rude. A person who doesn’t know you might be curious and ask why, but that’s no reason for you to fret. What you do or don’t drink is your choice, whatever the reason. Just an FYI though, call ahead to find out what you’ll be drinking. Non-alcoholic beverages are often limited at a tapas place, so you might be drinking water.
If you have any dining questions for Dish, email us at jacksonvilledish@gmail.com
Article Published in the April 2008 Issue of EU Jacksonville
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