A.2C.R. Alachua County Culinary Review

ACR is a term used to describe a person who lives in Gainesville, FL for a longer period of time than just attending college. It stands for "Alachua County Resident" and is generally used in a negative fashion. I use this title with pride. I have lived in Gainesville, FL for most of my life, and know that it had more to offer than just football and college life. The budding food and beer scene is one of these. From sushi, to grub stuffed poblano peppers I'm going to find every edible morsel in Alachua County and beyond. This is A2CR, Alachua County Culinary Review.

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So Fresh and So Green

A current trend in healthy and sustainable eating is to emphasize food from the local area. This food tends to be both better tasting as well as more nutritious. The Jones Eastside believes whole heartedly in this idea; from what I have seen, they try and source as much of their food from the surrounding area. Their eggs are from Stark, the fish from St. Augustine, and fresh produce from all over North Central Florida. The food is American fare with a very large vegetarian selection, as well as vegan friendly options. We decided to have dinner here, so we pulled off of South Main St. into the unassuming strip mall that The Jones Calls home.

                The interior of The Jones is quite deceiving; very simple, and small with barely enough seats to sit thirty comfortably. Eclectic local art adorns the wall, while silverware holders make due as light shades form the lights hanging from the ceiling.  The farthest wall from the entrance was painted with chalkboard paint, and displayed all the current specials.[KJ1]  Today, that wall had my full attention as I have learned from previous visits that these specials are just that, special.

                My party decided the current incarnation of their brie special as our appetizer, which happened to be brie with olive tapenade. It came shortly after accompanied with a fruit salad, a green salad, and some crustini with a drizzle of balsamic over it. The cheese was savory, with a slight greasiness that was surprisingly pleasant. The olive popped up occasionally, adding to the richness of the cheese. When the fruit salad was paired with the cheese it sweetened the cheese and brightened up the dish.

                For dinner, the rib eye medallions on the specials chalk board wall caught my eye. They were served with a poached egg on top, with fried leaks and an eggplant puree on the side. It brought to mind one of my favorite breakfast dishes, steak and eggs. Give me a runny poached egg on top of a piece of rare slightly bloody cow protein and I am generally a very happy man. Sadly, the steak was a bit overdone; fortunately, the egg was done perfectly and made up for it.  The meat was savory and the egg added creaminess to the whole dish. The fried leeks added a saltiness which paired well with the steak and eggs, but were a little over salted. Strangely the eggplant puree acted like a sort of horse radish sauce that complemented the steak quite well.

                Overall, The Jones is usually a great place to experience locally sourced food. This time, however, the meal was not up to par. The steak was not done to my order, and the fried leeks truly were over salted, like thin slices of salt lick.  Despite this, the meal itself was still of high quality and superior to the offerings at similar restaurants. If you have not visited The Jones, I would suggest you do so, I just hope the next time that I visit they will bring their A game, as it is a force to be reckoned with. 

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Me Too! Me Too!

I was just watching food network, and started to notice that almost every show they air is their version of a already popular food show airing on another network. "The Next Iron Chef" is very similar to "Top Chef", while "Kitchen Impossible" is a copy of "Kitchen Nightmare." Even Adam Richmond's "Man Vs. Food" gets the Food Network xerox treatment with "Outrageous Food." Of course "Iron Chef" speaks for itself. In fact I think the only show that is originally theirs is "The Great Food Truck Race" which is actually a pretty good show. Come on Food Network! Get some originality!

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Fish, Food, or Both

         If you were driving south on 13th street past campus in search of seafood, it is quite likely that you would pass this restaurant as it is truly hidden in plain sight. Located on the ground floor of the new Shands parking garage and mixed in with the other store fronts, it is quite easy to overlook this new restaurant from Chef Bert Gill. Even the sign – “Quality Foods Blue Gill” – does it no favors as it sounds more like a grocer than an eatery. Despite the difficulty in finding this restaurant, find it I did and I can now happily direct you there.

Firstly, Blue Gill takes everything seriously - not just their food, but their beverage selection as well. They offer flights of bourbon and tequila, as well as serving four Swamphead brews on tap for $3 a pint. The décor is very basic, stainless steel, wood, and concrete floors bring to mind wood shops or fish markets. We started our meal with an order of corn and crab fritters. Fresh corn and clams mixed with filling on a bed of tartar sauce sprinkled with banana peppers for a little kick. It had good flavor with a satisfying salty edge to it. The cake primarily showcased the corn and the filling; however the clam made an appearance here and there. Normally, having an ingredient in the name and not having it as a primary flavor is a huge pet peeve for me; this time it only annoyed me since what was presented was pretty darn good, plus it went very well with my pint of midnight oil. More clam would be preferable, however.

                My entrée of stewed chicken was pretty much what I expected: a nice selection of tender oily dark meat stewed in a mixture of tomatillos and spices. If I could use a word to describe it I would say it was ‘pure’. The chicken was simple but nicely cooked: tender not dry. The tomatillos, an ingredient that I have not had often, but find intriguing, added a medley sweet but tart flavor to the dish. The dirty rice served as a side was a basic white rice mixed with a vegetable medley with the addition of raisins. Combining this with the stewed chicken almost seemed a soul food version of the classic Indian curry. A hint of roasted red pepper can be detected in the dish as well completing the dish.

                Eating the food at Blue Gill seemed very familiar, yet new at the same time. The dishes have a hint of “just like mama used to make” but there is also a distinct modernity to it. Perhaps it is the ingredients; ‘Mom’ certainly wouldn’t use tomatillos, yet alone be able to spell it (I sure wasn’t able to with good ‘ol Webster to help me out...). There is a certain appealing quality to the food that leaves you wanting more. If you do decide to pull off of 13th and attempt to find a place to park to partake in this intriguing southern fare, you will not be disappointed. 

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A store of deliciousness

       Down 13th street, in an area where the progress of Gainesville seems to have passed it by, is La Tienda. You might drive past it not giving it a second look, but that would be a mistake. Normally, I stick to Mexican restaurants on the edge of the suburbs, but we decided to try La Tienda on a recommendation. Walking through the door our eyes were greeted with a myriad of bright colors. Greens, reds, blues, golds, and silvers decorate the order counter and the massive seating area. A row of humming coolers lined  the entrance wall with all sorts of sodas from Mexican Coke to a myriad of tropical fruit drinks. The order counter had soccer memorabilia and luchador masks on a shelf behind it, as well as mild medications you might find in a drugstore. Something I would expect from its namesake.

            When placed our order and then sat down in the dining room surrounded with tv’s playing soccer games.  The basket of chips, that arrived first, didn’t last very long. The chips were served fresh and piping hot. The guacamole was thick, and it was clear that the avocado was the star. A hint of cilantro brought up brightness in the tail end. The salsa was vibrant and tasted as if the tomatoes were pulled off the vine that morning. The salsa also conveyed a kick that burned like a smoking coal in the back of the throat.

            The chicken chimichanga’s were the size of two fists. Lettuce and tomatoes topped the dish with a dollop of sour cream resting on top. The plate itself was blanketed with creamy queso and the chimichanga rested right in the middle of it. As large as the chimichanga was you would think that there would be some filler like beans or rice maybe, but bite after bite only delicious juicy shredded chicken was evident. It was stuffed so full it was bulging.

            Overall, I learned something at La Tienda, that I should have dined there much sooner. The food was fresh and delicious, cooked to perfection, plus the portions sizes were large. The meal was satisfying, and filling. It was also outstanding proof not to judge a restaurant for its surroundings or appearance, great food can still be veiled within. I will be going back again to try some of their other dishes. 

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Forgettably Delicious, but in a good way

                Some days you just need a pizza. Fortunately, the newest Piesano’s (www.Piesanostogo.com) recently opened close by at the intersection of Archer and Tower Rd. The restaurant was pretty non-descript seeming to be an amalgamation of clean Italian decor, sports bar, and atypical Americana décor. It was simple, clean, comfortable but not very memorable. Upon entering I checked the tap selection, and saw a positive sign, a Swamp Head Big Nose tap handle. Settling into our booth I ordered a cold Big Nose, and looked over the menu. It ranged from their signature stone-fired pizza, to calzones, to some classic Italian dishes like Lasagna.

                My party decided on an appetizer of BBQ wings to start things off, and I decided on a house salad and a broccoli rabe and sausage calzone to finish it. Oddly the salad was served before the appetizer. It was pretty run of the mill combination of romaine and iceberg lettuce accompanied with fresh sliced carrots. The Italian house dressing was tart, oily and sour. It was an interesting flavor profile that I am still on the fence about. In a unique/odd choice the same dressing was used on their freshly baked rolls that were both crusty and fluffy at the same time.

                The wings were served, and we dug in hungrily. At the first bite I could tell that the wings were unique to what I have had in Gainesville. They had more in common with actual BBQ than Buffalo wings. They had a grilled flavor rather than fried, and were quite substantial and meaty seeming to be almost one half larger than the average wing. The BBQ sauce was average, but the way they were cooked more than made up for it.

                The main event arrived next, the broccoli rabe and sausage calzone. It is very rare that I see any type of green on a menu, let alone such a spicy and bitter green as rabe. However, when paired with a sweet Italian sausage, the two harmonize and create a delicious combination. The crust of the calzone was cruchy on the outside and yeasty on the inside. The center was cheesy and creamy while the rabe added a spicy bite to it. The sausage and broccoli played well in this representation, balancing the bitter of the greens with the savory slightly sweetness of the sausage.

                In retrospect a majority of the meal was forgettable , or that type of “interesting” that you say because you don’t want to hurt feelings. However, since then I have caught myself craving the delicious breads and crusts of their baked entrees, even the salad dressing covered crusty rolls. I was very impressed by the calzone, and believe this is my new go to pizza place. If you are looking for a good pizza or calzone look Piesano’s up. 

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A burger to Relish

                There are very few foods that are more American than the hamburger. Sadly, there are generally very few places that serve a decent burger that isn’t dumbed down by the generic mass produced hamburger. I decided to give Relish (Relishusa.com), a shot to see if they could provide a burger that was both unique and tasty.

                The layout is familiar, similar to a Subway sandwich line, only new age looking. Accents of black marble and chrome decorate the cooking and seating area that is no larger than a back alley in a big city. Three people could barely stand side by side. Fortunately, they had spill over seating in Pita Pit its sister restaurant. The layout lends itself to its concept: build your own burger.

                First thing that is needed, is a foundation. Choose between single, double, and triple; then decide if you want bacon strips, cheese, or a fried egg. Next comes the toppings. Lettuce, tomato and onion are some of the more mundane options; while hummus, coleslaw, and fried onions represent the more exotic. Of course with a name like Relish, there are a bevy of sauces and relishes available to sauce your burger. Sweet thai chili, mango habanero, and avocado relish are just some of the relishes available to enhance your burger.

                I chose a single patty, topped with cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. It was grilled right in front of me. While I waited the line attendant built my burger. Starting with traditional toppings lettuce, tomato, and onion, ketchup and mustard; I added some avocado relish and jalapeno’s to spice it up. Add a side of fries, and a coke with crushed ice (who doesn’t like crushed ice?) and I was ready to eat.

                I attacked the fries first, after all cold fries just aren’t as good. They were hot and crispy with a fluffy, starchy center. There was no need for ketchup for they were perfectly seasoned with salt and another spice I couldn’t put my finger on. The wrapper then came off of the burger. It was beautifully messy, with sauces and toppings oozing out of the corners of the hamburger buns trying to contain them. Fortunately, the bread was nicely thick, and unlikely to give way under such pressure.

                From the first bite the bacon is crispy and cooked just the way I like it, no soggy bacon here. The egg added a little sulfur flavor to the mix. The avocado relish added a rich creaminess, while the pickle chips added a crunch. Not to be out done, the burger itself was cooked to a perfect medium temperature. Each bite was just a juicy as the first.

                Finishing the burger, I leaned back in my chair and had a sip of my soda. Strangely, I didn’t feel overly full. My stomach was actually satisfied. This didn’t normally happen when eating such a big burger with so many flavors. The whole meal was delicious and light, and proved that in Gainesville, it was still possible to get a good burger that played outside the traditional box of established burger chains. God bless America!

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Adam's Rib Co. Not the Pits

Every now and then you just get a craving for meat (vegetarians excluded…… or maybe not), and nothing satisfies such a craving quite like BBQ. So to quiet my craving we headed to Adams Rib Co. (www.adamsribco.com), an unassuming BBQ restaurant on North 13th Street near Lowes & Gainesville High School. As the saying goes “Never trust a skinny chef”, well, I say never trust a fancy BBQ joint. Adam’s Rib Co. certainly is not fancy … setting up shop in what was once a Big Boy Burger, it’s clear the location has some “history.” A few stools line the serving counter, and some wooden diner booths sit against the window. It looks like it couldn’t seat more than 50 people and if you look closely enough you can see areas of wear denoting the buildings age.

                We took a seat and started to peruse the menu, and we immediately noticed that every major food group is represented: pork, beef, and chicken. First choice was a no brainer, an order of sweet tea. Upon tasting it, it was clear that they did it right.  One sip could send you into diabetic shock. Our appetizers arrived; a half order of fried corn nuggets and a half order of fried pickles (we just couldn’t decide between the two). The nuggets had a crispy battered shell, no trace of soggy texture which can come when things are poorly fried. In the center, the shell contained the sweet creamed corn center in all its creamy goodness. The pickles had a light batter and a flavor reminiscent of processed pickles you find in a hamburger. Not the most welcome flavor usually, but add the battered shell and it became a guilty pleasure.

                My entrée, called “The City Boy” allowed the choice of two of the three major BBQ food groups, so I chose chicken and pulled pork. Nestled next to the two meats were generous servings of baked beans, collard greens, and french fries. To make some room on the plate I started with the sides first. The baked beans had whole chunks of pork in them. The taste was sweet and savory, the tender beans, and the bits of pork complemented each other nicely. The fries were run of the mill crinkle cut fries, but like the corn nuggets and fried pickles were fried just right. The collard greens seemed stewed, and served in their own juices.

                The BBQ itself was masterfully done. The chicken skin was crispy and chewy, like a delicious piece of flattened chicken jerky. A dry rub was apparent, giving the skin a little extra flavor. The white meat at its core was juicy with a hint of smoke to it. The meat practically melted in my mouth. The pulled pork was also delicious. There was a nice seasoning to it giving it a little pepper kick. The meat was fork tender, dry on the outside, but juicy in the middle, similar to the chicken.

                Many will say that when it comes to BBQ they like to let the meat speak for itself. While I like the meat to speak, I think that a good sauce can definitely amplify its voice. Adam’s has a whole chorus of sauces; I counted 12 and I think there were more. Original, mustard, hot, and honey to name a few of them that I tried. There was one that was called Swamp, aptly named. It had a little spice, was a little watery, and generally gave the overall impression of a delicious marsh that you wanted to dunk you recently grilled meat in. The sauces definitely didn’t suck.

                After our sumptuous southern feast, I have to say that Adam’s Rib Co. satisfied my craving for BBQ. The portions were ample, the flavor of the meat told the story of a competent pit master, awhile the nicely fried pickles and corn nuggets relayed that they paid attention to the little things like changing fire oil. The bottom line: Adam’s Rib Co. serves tasty BBQ that will satisfy the most primal craving for meat grilled over an open fire. If you want some well made BBQ don’t pass Adam’s Rib Co. by. 

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And then some Dim Sum

  As mentioned before, we were wandering around Haile Plantation trying to locate the only Dim Sum restaurant that I know of in Gainesville. Sadly, when we found it, a disappointing sign hung in the window. “For summer, Dim Sum will be served only on Saturday,” it read. Of course we had visited on a Sunday. Undaunted we recently returned to South Garden , on a Saturday this time, to partake in the amazing meal that is Dim Sum. For those who don’t know Dim Sum consists of many food choices that generally come two to three to a plate, and are served in steaming baskets or tiny plates. These dishes are also meant to be shared. In a way it is similar to tapas, in that it is best eaten with family and friends. Many times a majority of the options are dumplings or buns of some sort, but can range to more exotic like tripe or chicken feet

                South Garden (352-378-8776) looks small from the outside, and on the inside… it is small. There are about six two to four top tables, and about three tables that seat eight, with optional outside seating. Upon entering it is clear that South Garden used to be a townhouse. The seating area used to be the living and dining room, while the kitchen was now the waiter’s bussing station. The owners used their space well, however, because the restaurant was packed with people happily eating away with various plates and steaming containers on their tables. We were fortunate enough to get the last four top, and we immediately set out to choose our tastings for our meal.

                The menu was set up similar to a sushi menu, you are given a list of choices, and off to the right you mark how many of each you would like. We ordered a variety from the listing, though this time I decided not to get tripe. Some dishes I had never had before, like the pan fried taro cake. It was a mixture of savory, salty and sweet. The taro was similar to potato, and the way it was pan fried made is seem like a hash brown made with big chunks of potato. Pieces of dried shrimp mixed in added a sweet and briny flavor.

                Some dishes were a little different than what I was used to. The steamed spare ribs were a harmony of tender meat and delicate savory fatty bits. The overall impression was similar to a sausage, with a few bits of cartilage left in. Since the bone was still in I had to eat it like a chicken wing, and just gnaw on it a little bit, but that was half of the fun.

                I was very excited to see that they had Chinese broccoli on the menu. I am always pleased when a dining establishment has a vegetable on the menu other than potatoes and microwaved broccoli or green beans. Chinese broccoli has fewer flowers, larger spinach like leaves, and thinner stems. At South Garden, the broccoli was served with an oyster sauce that tasted like a combination of soy and sesame. The broccoli itself was cooked so the stem had a slight crunch to it, while the leaves were tender but not over cooked. It was perfect.

                Perhaps my favorite item on the menu was the sticky rice. It was served last in a steaming basket. The rice was wrapped in a lotus leaf while it was steamed which imparted a black teal like flavor to the rice. Unwrapping my culinary present I discovered a gummy type rice nestled in with a tender pork, and savory sweet mushrooms.

                The food seemed to be never ending, wave after wave was brought to the table, and I just as quickly gobbled it down. After eight dishes our table looked like a battle field, tiny plates, and steaming baskets littered the table top. I was hoping the Dim Sum at South Garden would be good, but what I got was simple perfection. Every bite was satisfying. The only regret I have is that we were not able to eat there sooner. 

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Ichiban? I'll be the judge of that....

In the mood for sushi after a long day at work, my wife and I headed downtown to Ichiban Sushi (Ichibanflorida.com). We arrived at just the right time, when the dinner crowd was heading out, which allowed us to grab a booth against the far wall across from the sushi bar. As it was a Friday, first things first, I ordered a beer. Best of all they served Swamp Head Stump Knocker, an award winning pale ale from the local brewery.

                Looking over the menu we chose an appetizer of fried pork gyoza, the mandatory spicy tuna hand rolls, the special of the month - The Bull Gator Roll - and we took a leap of faith and asked for an original creation from the chefs. The gyoza arrived shortly, fresh from the fryer. Its shell was nicely crisp with the center being juicy and tender. Bits of onion added some brightness to the dumpling, and a dipping sauce brought a tangy soy and sesame flavor to the dish. The only complaint was that there was not much pork flavor overall, but it was tasty.

                The sushi was served next, being hungry I had ordered two spicy tuna hand rolls, and those being my favorite, I ate them first. Their presentation looked like a green cornucopia overflowing with pink meaty tuna. The tuna was cut in ample strips providing a great tuna flavor, hugged by perfectly cooked rice, and wrapped in seaweed that put up just enough fight before your teeth could tear through it. The spicy sauce was judiciously applied allowing a creamy spicy flavor, with a subtle amount of heat that didn’t overwhelm the overall dish.

                The Bull Gator Roll was the first roll that I have encountered that used sriracha as a topping sauce. The roll’s foundation utilized crispy tempura shrimp, along with slices of ripe avocado, next to tuna. On top an almost radioactive red glow from the sriracha was flecked with tempura flake. Initially the flavor of the shrimp, rice, and seaweed were front and center, but after a second bite the sriracha kicked in like a glowing coal of peppery heat lodged in the back of your throat. After the roll was gone, I had developed a light sweat, as well as a craving for more of the roll.

                The best was saved for last, the chef’s concoction. There was no name to it as far as I know, but it was impressive to say the least. It was loaded with tuna, escolar, and shrimp. Tucked in among the fish was perfectly cooked asparagus, which combined with the tempura flake on top give the roll a delicious crunch. While the ingredients freshness shone through, the chefs added a little icing to the cake, their lava sauce. It looked like liquefied red hots, but tasted like a sweet and sour sauce with a kick from some spicy peppers. Nothing overwhelming, but just enough to let you know the spice was there.

                We passed on dessert, and were shortly out the door into the warm Florida evening. Reflecting on our meal I have to say Ichiban did not disappoint. The ambiance was the right mixture of class and casual. The servers and sushi chefs were attentive and happy to accommodate, and everything that came out of the kitchen was unique and fresh. With so many sushi places in Gainesville to choose from I will defiantly be back to Ichiban for another round of expertly crafted sushi.  

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The Limerock Road Restaurant Less Traveled

     Recently, we were in Haile Plantation looking for a restaurant that serves Dim Sum. However, we didn’t realize they closed at 3pm on Saturday. Oh well, their loss…undaunted, we decided to try a restaurant we had never heard of, The Limerock Road neighborhood grill that was located next door. From the various craft beer signs I knew that at least they had good beer, and I was right. Bell’s, Cigar City, Abita, and Brooklyn breweries were all represented either on tap or in bottle form and, best of all, we had made it in time for happy hour.

                Looking over the menu it seemed like traditional Americana fare, burgers, ribs, salads, etc... the usual dishes you would find at a bar and grill restaurant. After I ordered a Bell’s Two Hearted ale, we chose fried green beans as an appetizer. The first thing that I noticed about the dish was that they used what looked like fresh green beans. Upon biting into them it was confirmed, that these were no frozen beans. They had body, with the perfect amount of crunch. The batter was light and crispy, and overall it was perfectly seasoned.            

                A salad was included with the fish stew I ordered; it was a garden salad with spring mix, tomatoes, red onions, and julienned carrots. Once again there was a handmade touch here; the carrots were cut either by hand or by mandolin. The herbed vinaigrette was house made, very fresh, and the herbs could be both tasted and seen.

                Along with my second beer, a Cigar City’s Maduro Brown Ale, my fish stew arrived. It was ample to say the least, with large chunks of fish, jumbo shrimp and mussels. The fish seemed to be breaded, and was tender and flakey, while the mussels had an intense salty flavor of the ocean. The shrimp were large, juicy, and well cooked (i.e., not stringy or tough). The stew was topped with strips of zucchini, and squash that were steamed perfectly, and it was all sitting in an interesting looking pinkish brown broth. Sadly, the broth didn’t really add much flavor, which made me wonder why they even bothered with it.

                The whole experience at Limerock left me with this: they serve real food. Nothing was frozen, all made from food that came in fresh, and unprocessed. From the green bean fries to their fish stew they didn’t compromise that principle. That being said, the place didn’t wow me, but it didn’t underwhelm me either. Overall it was a good time, with solid food, and I would be happy to patron their establishment again. 

                www.limerockroad.com

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Delicious Boricuas Cuisine

Driving down Archer Rd the other night I caught something unexpected out of the corner of my eye, although in retrospect it seems odd that this type of dining has only finally cropped up in Gainesville. What I saw was a food truck sitting in front of the abandoned auto repair shop next to Papa John’s at 3543 SW Archer Rd. On the side of the truck in artfully drawn script was the name ‘El Cemi Boricuas Cuisine’. Looking up the definition of Boricuas on Google, I received this result: Bo·ri·cua. Noun. “A Puerto Rican, esp. one living in the United States.” Armed with that information, I will assume that El Cemi serves Puerto Rican cuisine. I can also say with certainty that it is delicious.

            I asked the woman at the register what she would recommend to a first time patron, and without hesitation she recommended the tripleta sandwich. We also wanted to try an empanada ( one of the seven other items on the menu). The only one they had left for the night was beef, but they normally have pork and chicken also. Our food was out in a matter of minutes and felt like about a pound and a half of food. As I unwrapped the tripleta, it seemed to just keep going; I would say that it had to be about a foot long on a fluffy hoagie roll. Its namesake comes from the fact that three meats are used to stuff it. The chopped up pork, chicken and steak were tender and juicy. Even the fatty bits blended with the meats, adding flavor instead of the odd texture that fat can sometimes bring. Tomato, lettuce and ample melted white cheese rounded out this masterpiece of a sandwich. The empanada too was executed perfectly – it was fried to perfection. The outside of the pastry was crispy, but as soon as the outside shell is penetrated it gives way to the flakey under-layer. The ground beef encapsulated by the outer shell is well seasoned and juicy.

            Overall, my first experience at El Cemi was memorable. Food trucks are a growing dining option in America, and it’s about time one showed up in Gainesville. The food was well prepared, delicious, and filled a niche in the city. With a rotating menu, you are guaranteed something new to eat each time you visit. They don’t have a website, but they do communicate with their customers via Facebook (search for ‘El Cemi Boricuas Cuisine’) for their menus and location of the day. I will be seeking this food truck out again to try some of their other offerings.  

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Pink Aggression

Sabore is a relatively new restaurant located in the Town of Tioga shopping center a few miles west of Gainesville. They describe themselves as “a world-fusion restaurant featuring a variety of European, South American, Mediterranean and Asian-inspired tastes.” The name Sabore, according to their website, comes from the word ‘sabor’, meaning ‘flavor. When I first laid eyes on the restaurant, I would have thought it would have meant 'pink', because this color is everywhere. In fact, I would almost say aggressively pink. From the tables, to the chairs, to the trim, even the sign: pink, pink, pink, pink.

We decided to dine on the patio since the restaurant was packed – generally a good sign. Looking over the menu I could tell that the food was served tapas style. We chose around seven things between the three of us so we could get a good sample of everything. First up was the beef carpaccio: thin slices of beef with cucumber, and a mayonnaise like sauce. The beef was very tender, however, with the mayo it reminded us of a Jimmy Johns roast beef sandwich. Also, the plate that the carpaccio was served on was green which, when combined with the almost translucent slices of beef, made the bottom pieces looked like they had actually oxidized and turned green. Very un-appetizing.

Next was the house lobster roll which was visually impressive. The chef used the tail and a banana leaf stuffed with tempura lobster. The roll was splayed out wrapped in what looked like egg. We couldn't get much lobster flavor form the roll, but the eel sauce was very intense. The lobster roll was followed by pear fiocci with a light Gorgonzola sauce. This was one of the stars of the evening. The sweetness of the pear played perfectly with the creamy, salty richness of the sauce. This was the first good dish of the evening and I could have eaten another plate of it.

Lobster ravioli's in a yellow bisque sauce came next. The ravioli was well cooked, no chewiness, but still al dente. The bisque sauce complemented it well giving it a creaminess that acted like a cheese sauce. The lobster in the ravioli, however, seemed to be slightly off. The flavor of the lobster had a fishy flavor to it, almost like sushi that you purchased at the supermarket.

The Kobe slider was next. I was really excited to try it, especially due to the Kobe beef. Also, along with the tomato and field greens was a quail egg, and I am a big fan of egg on any burger. These three ingredients would be a sure fire success, however, the ultimate downfall of this dish was the bun. It was sweet and doughy, similar to a Hawaiian roll. With each bite the sweetness eclipsed the flavor of the beef which should have been the star. In the end, all I could taste was sweet bread with a feint echo of Kobe beef.

Fortunately, the lamb came next which was a resounding success in my opinion. It was properly cooked with a pink center making the meat tender and juicy. There was a great char adding a smokiness to the dish, and it was seasoned with the right amount of rosemary. Then, the final dish, bacon wrapped figs, was served. The bacon was crisp, and the dates were wrapped well. When biting into it there was the texture of sweet potatoes which left a starchy feeling in my mouth. Overall though it was good, it was not great.

Overall out of seven dishes two were very good, two were average, and three could have gone back to the drawing board. That is one of my biggest problems with trendy tapas style restaurants; it’s like throwing darts blind. If you throw enough of them you will hit a bulls-eye, but you're going to miss a lot as well. Sabore seems to try and draw its customers in with its bright gaudy decor, and delicious sounding entrees. Sadly, they can't deliver on all of them. I'm not sad that I tried Sabore, however, I will leave it to the martini drinkers, and Sex in the City gals having a girls’ night out.

www.saborerestaurant.com/

[a2cr-blog]

Saison du Swamp

This Saturday marks a milestone in Swamphead's, Gainesville's local brewery, history. The release of its first ever bottled beer, Saison du Swamp. Up until now Swamphead has only been able to distribute their beers via tap, but this Saturday their beer becomes portable, with a longer shelf life allowing more people to be exposed to their brewing genius. The event “Saison Saturday” starts at 1pm and goes until 6pm. There will be music, food, and of course beer. I can't wait, it's the perfect way to end the Spring semester!

[a2cr-blog]

Frog Leg Heart Shaped Box er Taco

                                                                                             4-2-11

      Boca Fiesta has been nestled in the west corner of the Hippodrome square in downtown Gainesville for almost two years now. They have been serving some of the best tacos, burritos, and taco salads in town. They have offerings for the meat eater as well as the vegetarian/vegan. From gator tail to tvp each dish has its own recipe that makes it unique and delicious. 

       Consistency and good flavor are both excellent reasons to visit, but what keeps me coming back is their monthly exotic selection. In the past they have experimented with rattlesnake and rabbit, kangaroo, and grubs stuffed in a poblano pepper. All ingredients that might cause the feint of hart to pause, but thanks to the skill of the chefs at Boca Fiesta, almost all have been successes. 

       For this month the selection was entitled “The Kermit and Miss Piggy Taco”. It is described as: Bacon wrapped frog legs on a puffy taco nestled on a bed of spinach and red cabbage drizzled with a poblano aioli. It sounded good, however, the delivery method for all of the components were awkward to say the least. The puffy taco formed the base, and the spinach and cabbage was placed on top of it. The frog legs came next, but they were not wrapped in bacon, the bacon was instead on the plate separately. The separation of the bacon, combined with the fact that the frog legs still had bones in them, made this one awkward taco to eat. It was more like a deconstructed taco since I had to eat each component separately. That’s not to say that it tasted bad, nothing could be farther from the truth. The frog legs were cooked perfectly, tender and not stringy. The bacon was crunchy and not oily, and the spinach and cabbage were al dente. Boca Fiesta has built a restaurant on what I find to be consistently good flavor combinations. They have earned the right to experiment with new ingredients because their base menu is so solid. Sometimes this leads to undesired outcomes. I would not classify this dish as such, just one that needs to go back to the drawing g board presentation wise.

www.bocafiesta.com

[a2cr-blog]

Dragonfly fly?

If there was an “it” place to eat in Gainesville, there would be an argument that Dragonfly was it. Many a night have my wife and I walked past this bastion of Pan Asian food with flocks of club goers waiting outside, hoping to get a seat before they went out to drink and dance the night away. I often wondered, passing by, if the flavor of the food improved the shorter your skirt got, or the tighter your shirt was. Needless to say this type of crowd is not our thing, so we took the opportunity to try Dragonfly on a Sunday evening when the barflies were scarce.

                        We were seated in a new age ambiance with an Asian kick, while an androgynous soundtrack that could be techno, could be trance played in the background. There was a tapas menu, as well as a sushi menu with a plethora of choices available between the two. For appetizers we ordered two items. The Shiso Pretty is a tuna tartar dish wrapped in a shiso leaf (Japanese basil), and then tempura fried. The shiso flavor comes through as a pleasant astringent, green leafy flavor. However, the shiso is balanced out well by the savory tuna, and sweet and spicy sauce.

                        Shiso played a role in our second appetizer as well, an heirloom tomato salad. This dish was an Asian spin on a classic Italian pair, tomato and basil. The twist was that the basil used was shiso. Some roasted garlic added an aromatic sweetness to the flavor profile too. Sadly, I wish the shiso flavor was more prominent because the tomato and the dressing dominated the flavor making the dish taste more like tomato in wishbone Italian dressing.

                        Following the appetizers, was a sashimi of tilapia which had a pleasant, briny flavor of a warm day on a Florida beach. Along with the tilapia came a spicy tuna hand roll. I like to order these because this item is like a signature for the restaurant; each one has their own take on it. Dragonfly’s showcases the seaweed wrap, with a little bit of tuna leaving the roll limp and empty. The spicy sauce was good though, allowing the spice to stand alone from the mayo. Our main course was a taps order of vegetable tempura, and we added shrimp at $1 each. We also had to pay for our white rice (lame). The batter for the tempura was light and buttery with a good balance of flavor. Sadly the serving size was tiny. The flavors of the vegetables were fresh and bright allowing their flavor to shine. Oddly, there was a mix of vegetable strings that seemed to be fried in a different batter that was heavier and stale tasting.

                        Overall, there were some high points of the meal. The shiso pretty, tilapia sashimi, and the tempura all had great flavor. However, the heirloom tomato salad was average, and the tuna in the spicy tuna hand roll was non-existent. Most importantly though, after five different dishes I was still hungry and the bill was over $40 at this point. I should not pay so much and still be looking for more food to feel full. Personally, I will leave Dragonfly to the short skirts and spray on shirts.

Dragonfly Website www.dragonflysushi.com