Luca's Pasta has quickly become one of my go-to dinner spots. It happens to be on my way home from work, so it's a great choice if Alex and I don't feel like cooking but still want a homey, satisfying meal. Luca's Pasta is speedy create-your-own pasta served in containers similar to chinese take-out.
Atmosphere:
Most of Luca's business probably comes from take-out customers, although they do have plenty of seating and a mod decor.
Service:
Amazing. Really. Alex and I still haven't figured it out, but they get your pasta to you in about 5 minutes. The amazing part is the pasta still tastes fresh! It doesn't seem like it's been sitting around. They must par cook it somehow, but it results in al dente pasta that doesn't clump. You walk up to the counter to order and can serve yourself Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes that they keep up there, which is very thoughtful since most of their customers are taking the pasta home and may not have parm for it. No parm for your pasta is a tragedy.
Menu:
Luca's Pasta is create-your-own. Choose a sauce, choose a pasta, and choose a topping if you like. They'll put it all together. This isn't just red sauce or Alfredo here, either. Some sauce choices include Creamy Ginger, Olive Oil and Herbs, Sun Dried Tomato Pesto, or Curry and Roasted Red Pepper. The sauces rotate, so you'll have to stop by to see what they've got. You can add toppings to your pasta for an extra fee, including chicken, Italian sausage, and broccoli.
Food:
Great! As I said, the pasta comes out fast, but it's not clumpy or sticky and perfectly al dente. My favorite is the cheese tortellini with sun dried tomato pesto or spicy marinara. I only got the toppings once, but I didn't think it was worth it. The pasta is good enough on its own and ordering a topping only gets you 4-5 pieces of it. If you get a pasta other than the tortellini, you might want to consider a topping or a strong sauce so you don't get bored.
Price:
The sauces and toppings have different prices, but expect to pay about $6-$9. It doesn't look like a lot of pasta in that to-go container, but it fills you up quick. They also have different sized containers to fit your appetite.
Overall:
8/10. Great for a quick bite when walking by or when you just don't have the energy to cook.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Friday, February 6, 2009
Reggae Shack
Reggae Shack is a surprising gem hiding among all the restaurants along the University Avenue strip. They serve traditional Caribbean dishes in a small but comfortable setting. They are just off 6th street on University, between Luca's Pasta and Otter & Trout Trading Company (both new favorites of mine as well).
Atmosphere/Service:
Casual. It's a white room with a big kitchen. The other walls have interesting memorabilia and posters from Reggae musicians. Green, red, and yellow are the theme colors, of course. It seems to be family owned, and that's what really makes the atmosphere for me. The same woman always takes your order, with her amazingly cute baby in a fabric sling on her hip. Her apparent husband is the cook. The woman is kind and completely willing to describe every single dish to you if you like. She'll even warn you if a particular dish is too spicy or too odd for most patrons. I have to say, I have tremendous respect for any woman that can run a restaurant (including cashiering, serving and busing) with a baby on her hip and a smile on her face. Props to the baby as well, it seems to have the most calm temperament in the world. Ordering is nice and fast, and you'll get your drinks immediately. The food takes a bit longer since they seem to make it all from scratch when you order. It takes about 15-20 minutes.
Menu:
Interesting. They have plenty of side dishes/snacks, entrees, vegetarian options, wings, and salads. And you probably have never heard of at least 75% of them. There are lots of non-alcoholic drink options. It seems they have wine and beer, but I didn't notice their selection. I was all about the guava-aloe juice, which is quite possibly the most refreshing drink since water.
Food:
This is why you come to Reggae Shack. The food is delicious, well-seasoned, and different. My first time there I tried the Calalloo and Salt Fish. Mrs. Reggae Shack made sure to ask if I liked greens. Who doesn't like greens? Calalloo is a collard green-like vegetable. The salt fish was most likely salted cod, which I mainly know by its Spanish name, Bacalao. This dish was seasoned perfectly, which is tough to do with greens. It was a traditional dish that you don't typically see here, but I'm glad I ordered it. Alex had the brown stew chicken, which was tender and flavorful. He has said he would definitely order it again. The festivals were a light, sweet end to my meal. Festivals are fried dough pieces, similar to a cakey doughnut.
On another occasion, I had the Curry Goat. I have recently decided that more people should try eating goat. It has a very interesting, earthy flavor. The curry sauce was a thicker, sweeter version that what I was used to, but it complimented the goat meat perfectly. Alex had the jerk tofu. He got MANY warnings for this from Mrs. Reggae. He assured her that he liked spicy food. Let me tell you now, unless you can handle hotter than Steamer's medium spice (if you haven't gone to Steamers, you should), don't order the jerk anything. It was delicious and Alex loved it, but he was definitely teared up by the end and had trouble finishing. The spice doesn't hit you in the first few bites. It builds up gradually until there is a fire dancing on your tongue with 6 of its buddies.
Warning: Reggae Shack cooks bone-in. Be watchful when eating something covered in sauce. The bones are pretty big chunks, so it's easy to pick them out. Just pay attention. Bone-in cooking is worth it. You get much stronger flavors out of the meat when the marrow comes into play.
The patties. Oh, the patties. I would eat those breakfast, lunch and dinner. Especially at only $2-$3 for a giant one.
Price:
Expect to spend $7-$12 per dish. The meals feed me twice. Alex could probably finish a dish in one sitting if he pushed himself, but why do that when you're plenty full already?
Overall:
10/10. Go to Reggae Shack, especially if you're craving something different. Oh, and get the aloe juice.
Atmosphere/Service:
Casual. It's a white room with a big kitchen. The other walls have interesting memorabilia and posters from Reggae musicians. Green, red, and yellow are the theme colors, of course. It seems to be family owned, and that's what really makes the atmosphere for me. The same woman always takes your order, with her amazingly cute baby in a fabric sling on her hip. Her apparent husband is the cook. The woman is kind and completely willing to describe every single dish to you if you like. She'll even warn you if a particular dish is too spicy or too odd for most patrons. I have to say, I have tremendous respect for any woman that can run a restaurant (including cashiering, serving and busing) with a baby on her hip and a smile on her face. Props to the baby as well, it seems to have the most calm temperament in the world. Ordering is nice and fast, and you'll get your drinks immediately. The food takes a bit longer since they seem to make it all from scratch when you order. It takes about 15-20 minutes.
Menu:
Interesting. They have plenty of side dishes/snacks, entrees, vegetarian options, wings, and salads. And you probably have never heard of at least 75% of them. There are lots of non-alcoholic drink options. It seems they have wine and beer, but I didn't notice their selection. I was all about the guava-aloe juice, which is quite possibly the most refreshing drink since water.
Food:
This is why you come to Reggae Shack. The food is delicious, well-seasoned, and different. My first time there I tried the Calalloo and Salt Fish. Mrs. Reggae Shack made sure to ask if I liked greens. Who doesn't like greens? Calalloo is a collard green-like vegetable. The salt fish was most likely salted cod, which I mainly know by its Spanish name, Bacalao. This dish was seasoned perfectly, which is tough to do with greens. It was a traditional dish that you don't typically see here, but I'm glad I ordered it. Alex had the brown stew chicken, which was tender and flavorful. He has said he would definitely order it again. The festivals were a light, sweet end to my meal. Festivals are fried dough pieces, similar to a cakey doughnut.
On another occasion, I had the Curry Goat. I have recently decided that more people should try eating goat. It has a very interesting, earthy flavor. The curry sauce was a thicker, sweeter version that what I was used to, but it complimented the goat meat perfectly. Alex had the jerk tofu. He got MANY warnings for this from Mrs. Reggae. He assured her that he liked spicy food. Let me tell you now, unless you can handle hotter than Steamer's medium spice (if you haven't gone to Steamers, you should), don't order the jerk anything. It was delicious and Alex loved it, but he was definitely teared up by the end and had trouble finishing. The spice doesn't hit you in the first few bites. It builds up gradually until there is a fire dancing on your tongue with 6 of its buddies.
Warning: Reggae Shack cooks bone-in. Be watchful when eating something covered in sauce. The bones are pretty big chunks, so it's easy to pick them out. Just pay attention. Bone-in cooking is worth it. You get much stronger flavors out of the meat when the marrow comes into play.
The patties. Oh, the patties. I would eat those breakfast, lunch and dinner. Especially at only $2-$3 for a giant one.
Price:
Expect to spend $7-$12 per dish. The meals feed me twice. Alex could probably finish a dish in one sitting if he pushed himself, but why do that when you're plenty full already?
Overall:
10/10. Go to Reggae Shack, especially if you're craving something different. Oh, and get the aloe juice.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Satchel's Pizza
If you haven't been to Satchel's pizza yet, you are missing out. Both Alex and I agree they're the best pizza joint in town. Pair their delicious crust and fresh ingredients with an amazing atmosphere, and you can't go wrong. Please don't forget the are CASH ONLY. There is an ATM, but you don't want to have to pay those service fees.
Atmosphere:
The best. Satchel's is a hippie joint. There is cool local art on the walls, great music playing (live on busy nights), a junk shop and greenhouse in the back, and even an old VW van you can sit in. There is beautiful garden seating out front and a great fountain built out of old junk the owner, Satchel, collected. Each menu has a different back to it, thoughts and photos from Satchel. He started with one menu back for people to read while they waited for their food, but he added more since all of his regulars had read it. Now there are about 45 different menu backs.
Satchel's is a real treat. So take your time, explore the junk shop and back patio, and have a beer while you wait. They tend to have live music Thurs-Sat. They are closed Sunday and Monday. Check the website for live music dates.
Service:
Very good. The servers all share the tables and tips. This makes sure that someone is always looking at your table. All the servers will make sure you have drinks and that someone took your order. A warning... SATCHELS TAKES A LONG TIME. Don't go for a quick bite. It takes about an hour to make your pizza, but believe me it's worth the wait. On a busy night when the live music is going, it can also take an hour or more just to get your table. Again, worth it. Go with some friends and enjoy your time there. One way to get around the wait is to order your pizza to go and walk it out to the back patio to eat. They allow it and you enjoy fresh air.
On a side note, Satchel also offers his workers great benefits. They are happy, and this shows through their service. Check out the website for more info: www.satchelspizza.com .
Menu:
Satchel's offers slices, whole pizzas, calzones, and a delicious salad. They also have a deep dish pizza that you have to order in advance. They also have some fresh-baked desserts by the register. They have about 30 different fresh pizza toppings. Pretty good beer and wine selection. Plenty of other beverages, as well.
Food:
Delicious! Like I've said, the pizza is worth the wait. Do me a favor, though. Don't just get a slice of cheese or pepperoni and a Coke. Okay? They have great toppings. Be adventurous! Alex and my favorite is the Mama, which is a 4 topping pizza. We always get ricotta as our first topping. Some of our other favorites are fresh basil, mushrooms, garlic, spinach, roasted red pepper, or feta. You can always ask your server for suggestions. The different kinds of meat they offer are good, too. We always start with one of their salads. It has pieces of apple, Romano cheese,almonds, sunflower seeds, and a great vinaigrette they sell by the bottle. Try it.
Price:
They are pretty affordable, but you don't want to eat there every day.They have a good lunch special of a salad and a slice for $6.25. The whole pizzas range anywhere from $16.50 to $26, but they're a good size and pretty filling. Calzones are $10-15.
Overall:
Amazing. The best place in Gainesville overall. This is the one place I will miss dearly whenever I move away. You'll never find a more unique, relaxing, and welcoming place to eat. 10/10
Atmosphere:
The best. Satchel's is a hippie joint. There is cool local art on the walls, great music playing (live on busy nights), a junk shop and greenhouse in the back, and even an old VW van you can sit in. There is beautiful garden seating out front and a great fountain built out of old junk the owner, Satchel, collected. Each menu has a different back to it, thoughts and photos from Satchel. He started with one menu back for people to read while they waited for their food, but he added more since all of his regulars had read it. Now there are about 45 different menu backs.
Satchel's is a real treat. So take your time, explore the junk shop and back patio, and have a beer while you wait. They tend to have live music Thurs-Sat. They are closed Sunday and Monday. Check the website for live music dates.
Service:
Very good. The servers all share the tables and tips. This makes sure that someone is always looking at your table. All the servers will make sure you have drinks and that someone took your order. A warning... SATCHELS TAKES A LONG TIME. Don't go for a quick bite. It takes about an hour to make your pizza, but believe me it's worth the wait. On a busy night when the live music is going, it can also take an hour or more just to get your table. Again, worth it. Go with some friends and enjoy your time there. One way to get around the wait is to order your pizza to go and walk it out to the back patio to eat. They allow it and you enjoy fresh air.
On a side note, Satchel also offers his workers great benefits. They are happy, and this shows through their service. Check out the website for more info: www.satchelspizza.com .
Menu:
Satchel's offers slices, whole pizzas, calzones, and a delicious salad. They also have a deep dish pizza that you have to order in advance. They also have some fresh-baked desserts by the register. They have about 30 different fresh pizza toppings. Pretty good beer and wine selection. Plenty of other beverages, as well.
Food:
Delicious! Like I've said, the pizza is worth the wait. Do me a favor, though. Don't just get a slice of cheese or pepperoni and a Coke. Okay? They have great toppings. Be adventurous! Alex and my favorite is the Mama, which is a 4 topping pizza. We always get ricotta as our first topping. Some of our other favorites are fresh basil, mushrooms, garlic, spinach, roasted red pepper, or feta. You can always ask your server for suggestions. The different kinds of meat they offer are good, too. We always start with one of their salads. It has pieces of apple, Romano cheese,almonds, sunflower seeds, and a great vinaigrette they sell by the bottle. Try it.
Price:
They are pretty affordable, but you don't want to eat there every day.They have a good lunch special of a salad and a slice for $6.25. The whole pizzas range anywhere from $16.50 to $26, but they're a good size and pretty filling. Calzones are $10-15.
Overall:
Amazing. The best place in Gainesville overall. This is the one place I will miss dearly whenever I move away. You'll never find a more unique, relaxing, and welcoming place to eat. 10/10
Monday, December 29, 2008
Original Pizza Palace
Shirley here, guestblogging again. Although, this may become the more usual setup since Alex finds himself very busy with work/grad school stuff.
Original Pizza Palace isn't quite the real original. About 9 years ago, there was a Pizza Palace in the same location that was a great success, having been there on and off since 1953. It was a popular student hangout with food good enough to please the locals as well. Now the Pizza Palace has returned to the same location, a big house at 604 NW 13th street, after some legal proceedings way too complicated to go into here and some subsequent changes in management. Alex and I were excited at the prospect of trying what was once an age-old tradition in Gainesville. We got a big group of friends together to visit Original Pizza Palace when it reopened a few months ago. Unfortunately, we were embarrassed at having hyped the place up for so many of our close friends. We literally had to apologize to them for putting them through the ordeal that this trip became.
Atmosphere:
The atmosphere in Original Pizza Palace is actually pretty cool. It is laid-back hippie style, reminiscent of Satchel's Pizza on NE 23rd street (our favorite pizza spot). It is warm and welcoming, with plenty of interesting art and objects to look at, and a thrown-together, homey feel.
Service:
Horrendous. Granted, they had only been open two weeks, so it was still busy, but I didn't expect servers to be rude. It took about 2 hours to get a table.
Our server literally ignored us when we asked her to come over many times for missing items or water. An older man came over at one point who seemed to be a manager or superior of some sort, and we told him our server hadn't been over to check on us in about 45 minutes. Instead of apologizing and getting our server, he simply said, "Oh, she's busy, she'll come over in a minute." It took another 10 minutes before she actually did.
Alex and I returned a couple of months later to give the place another chance, and service was much nicer. We got a table pretty quickly, but the food still took a while. Basically, don't expect your server to check on you often, and don't go during a busy time of day. Perhaps they've gotten better with time, but the servers seemed completely unable to handle a busy night.
Menu:
Good selection of pizzas and pastas. Even a good selection of beer. The menu actually had us fairly excited.
Food:
The first night we went, most of my friends were pretty sure they had been served Ragu or some sort of off-the-shelf sauce brand. I had a pasta that was supposed to have anchovy fillets in it, but there was just half an anchovy to one side of the plate. I had never really tried anchovy, so I was pretty disappointed when Alex ate that one and we found out I didn't have any more.
The friends that ordered the pizza didn't really like it. It was a thin crust with minimal toppings and sauce. Not too much flavor to it. It was suspiciously round, far too perfect to be a freshly made crust. Honestly, I feel that the pizza Alex and I make at home using pizza dough from Publix tastes better. When our friends requested some red sauce for dipping to help with the blandness of the crust, after waiting at least 20 minutes for it, it was cold and almost certainly Ragu or some equivalent.
Only one person of the group liked what they got - pesto pasta. And her comment was: "It tastes like canned pesto and pasta from a grocery store." Basically, it tastes good, but why go to a restaurant for it? Its saving grace was its cheap price.
On our second trip, Alex and I decided to try the pizza. It had improved a little bit. It was good, but still not quite up to par with Satchel's, Big Lou's or Mellow Mushroom. It was a decent thin crust pizza, fairly crispy.
The friends that ordered the pizza didn't really like it. It was a thin crust with minimal toppings and sauce. Not too much flavor to it. It was suspiciously round, far too perfect to be a freshly made crust. Honestly, I feel that the pizza Alex and I make at home using pizza dough from Publix tastes better. When our friends requested some red sauce for dipping to help with the blandness of the crust, after waiting at least 20 minutes for it, it was cold and almost certainly Ragu or some equivalent.
Only one person of the group liked what they got - pesto pasta. And her comment was: "It tastes like canned pesto and pasta from a grocery store." Basically, it tastes good, but why go to a restaurant for it? Its saving grace was its cheap price.
On our second trip, Alex and I decided to try the pizza. It had improved a little bit. It was good, but still not quite up to par with Satchel's, Big Lou's or Mellow Mushroom. It was a decent thin crust pizza, fairly crispy.
Price:
Mid-range. It's not cheap, but it won't break your wallet. The pizzas are not large for the price, unfortunately.
Overall:
I don't like to be mean. Maybe go once during a slow time of day, have some pizza or the pesto pasta, and be able to say you've been there. Don't take someone there to impress them. 3/10 stars...4/10 if I'm being extra nice. 0/10 if I'm only basing it on that first experience on opening night where they apparently ran out of everything and started serving Ragu.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Louis' Lunch
Exploring Gainesville, one might believe that it has little history, at least in a culinary sense. It seems as though sometime around the mid-70's, some enterprising young fellows looked around, realized there were no restaurants, and finally opened a few.
And that's where Louis' Lunch comes in. Opened shortly before the Great Depression, a family business for about 80 years, this is a piece of Gainesville history. And it's also incredibly easy to miss. From Main Street and University, go South on Main Street, take a Left onto 5th Avenue, and Louis Lunch will be to your left on the corner of 2nd street and 5th Avenue.
In Gainesville's downtown before downtown eventually shifted and left it behind, it is now buried amongst houses. Normally a place such as this would go out of business. But they're doing something right, and that's keeping the locals coming.
Atmosphere:
It looks it's age. Don't expect a spotless stainless steel and white tiled floor sort of place. This is a burger joint. The burger goes down on an old flat top, and the fries are fried in a pot. This is old school, and it's awesome because of that.
Service:
Friendly. We went during a very slow time, but I can't imagine they would be any less friendly while it was busy. You go up to the counter to order and they let you know when the food is done. Pretty simple stuff.
Menu:
About what you would expect. Shakes, fries, a wide variety of burgers, onion rings, and other assorted goodies.
Food:
Delicious. The fries are not seasoned heavily, so if you enjoy them salty you might want to put some on yourself. They however are fresh, hot, and enjoyable.
The burgers are fried in such a way that the edges are crispy while the interior is still juicy. It makes for a delicious burger, with plenty of onion, lettuce, tomato, and mustard. This seriously is exactly what you want from a fast food burger. It's sloppy, a little greasy, but phenomenal.
The shake was very good, though not exceptional.
Price:
Incredibly cheap. Cost is not an issue here. Bring cash though.
Overall:
Go. This is part of Gainesville's history, one that relies on customers to stick around. Try it and realize why it's been around for so long.
And that's where Louis' Lunch comes in. Opened shortly before the Great Depression, a family business for about 80 years, this is a piece of Gainesville history. And it's also incredibly easy to miss. From Main Street and University, go South on Main Street, take a Left onto 5th Avenue, and Louis Lunch will be to your left on the corner of 2nd street and 5th Avenue.
In Gainesville's downtown before downtown eventually shifted and left it behind, it is now buried amongst houses. Normally a place such as this would go out of business. But they're doing something right, and that's keeping the locals coming.
Atmosphere:
It looks it's age. Don't expect a spotless stainless steel and white tiled floor sort of place. This is a burger joint. The burger goes down on an old flat top, and the fries are fried in a pot. This is old school, and it's awesome because of that.
Service:
Friendly. We went during a very slow time, but I can't imagine they would be any less friendly while it was busy. You go up to the counter to order and they let you know when the food is done. Pretty simple stuff.
Menu:
About what you would expect. Shakes, fries, a wide variety of burgers, onion rings, and other assorted goodies.
Food:
Delicious. The fries are not seasoned heavily, so if you enjoy them salty you might want to put some on yourself. They however are fresh, hot, and enjoyable.
The burgers are fried in such a way that the edges are crispy while the interior is still juicy. It makes for a delicious burger, with plenty of onion, lettuce, tomato, and mustard. This seriously is exactly what you want from a fast food burger. It's sloppy, a little greasy, but phenomenal.
The shake was very good, though not exceptional.
Price:
Incredibly cheap. Cost is not an issue here. Bring cash though.
Overall:
Go. This is part of Gainesville's history, one that relies on customers to stick around. Try it and realize why it's been around for so long.
Friday, August 8, 2008
The Jones
After hearing so much about this place, I was dying to try it. But I just did not have the time. With it being on the east side of Gainesville, and only being open until 3; things never worked out.
Until Shirley and I had a day off a few days ago. So, we decided we'd have lunch at this little place.
Atmosphere:
Nestled between a laundromat and a pawn shop, I'm sure it could be better. However, the inside of the shop has great art, and the place is arranged to make for a warm and inviting dining experience. The place screams having a nice breakfast and reading the paper in the morning.
Service:
Friendly, on the ball, and knowledgeable. The staff are all very helpful and made us feel welcome.
Menu:
I'll be honest, looking at the menu I was very disappointed that we had gone here for lunch instead of breakfast. The breakfast menu looks amazing! In addition to several original dishes, they have basic stuff that is "bare" and has a very low base price, which you then add accompaniments onto for an additional price. Kind of a neat concept, though I can see it being a bit frustrating for some. I'm sure the wait staff would be helpful enough to make it not a bother.
The lunch menu is your basic sandwich fare. They offer almost everything with a vegan or vegetarian option and use tempeh from Jose's Tempeh Shop. I prefer Artie's stuff, but no biggie. I ordered their tempeh reuben and Shirley ordered the tempeh samsara, which was described as the tempeh reuben on a salad.
Food:
The tempeh reuben was very good. The sauerkraut was very tasty, the tempeh was prepared well, and the bread (from Gainesville's own 2nd Street Bakery) was very good. An incredibly solid reuben. I had rice and beans as a side, and my only complaint was that it was about room temperature.
Shirley's general opinion of the tempeh samsara seemed to be that it should probably remain a sandwich. It tasted pretty good but the sandwich probably would have been better.
We had a frozen blueberry and honey mousse for dessert, and I have to say it was absolutely fantastic. Probably the highlight of the meal.
Price:
Very reasonable. Both the lunch and breakfasts can be enjoyed for under 8 dollars a person.
Overall:
I would very much like to come back here for breakfast as that seems to be the highlight of the Jones. The lunch is still worth a visit though, so don't fret if you can't make it for the breakfast. A reasonably priced, tasty, and vegetarian friendly option in east side Gainesville.
Addendum:
So, Shirley and I decided to go back to the Jones for some breakfast sooner or later, and felt it would be appropriate to put up the results of our trip for everyone. The verdict? Excellent. Gainesville has a hip, comfortable, and delicious breakfast spot in The Jones.
I ordered the Smoked Salmon Omelet, an omelet folded with red onions, dill cream cheese and smoked salmon. It was accompanied by homefries and some toast. The omelet was absolutely delicious, and the homefries were well-seasoned.
Shirley ordered The Jones Rancheros (don't kill me if I remembered this wrong!), which was very good. Definitely good for someone looking for a unique breakfast.
The Jones is open 7 days a week from 7am-3pm. Check it out.
Until Shirley and I had a day off a few days ago. So, we decided we'd have lunch at this little place.
Atmosphere:
Nestled between a laundromat and a pawn shop, I'm sure it could be better. However, the inside of the shop has great art, and the place is arranged to make for a warm and inviting dining experience. The place screams having a nice breakfast and reading the paper in the morning.
Service:
Friendly, on the ball, and knowledgeable. The staff are all very helpful and made us feel welcome.
Menu:
I'll be honest, looking at the menu I was very disappointed that we had gone here for lunch instead of breakfast. The breakfast menu looks amazing! In addition to several original dishes, they have basic stuff that is "bare" and has a very low base price, which you then add accompaniments onto for an additional price. Kind of a neat concept, though I can see it being a bit frustrating for some. I'm sure the wait staff would be helpful enough to make it not a bother.
The lunch menu is your basic sandwich fare. They offer almost everything with a vegan or vegetarian option and use tempeh from Jose's Tempeh Shop. I prefer Artie's stuff, but no biggie. I ordered their tempeh reuben and Shirley ordered the tempeh samsara, which was described as the tempeh reuben on a salad.
Food:
The tempeh reuben was very good. The sauerkraut was very tasty, the tempeh was prepared well, and the bread (from Gainesville's own 2nd Street Bakery) was very good. An incredibly solid reuben. I had rice and beans as a side, and my only complaint was that it was about room temperature.
Shirley's general opinion of the tempeh samsara seemed to be that it should probably remain a sandwich. It tasted pretty good but the sandwich probably would have been better.
We had a frozen blueberry and honey mousse for dessert, and I have to say it was absolutely fantastic. Probably the highlight of the meal.
Price:
Very reasonable. Both the lunch and breakfasts can be enjoyed for under 8 dollars a person.
Overall:
I would very much like to come back here for breakfast as that seems to be the highlight of the Jones. The lunch is still worth a visit though, so don't fret if you can't make it for the breakfast. A reasonably priced, tasty, and vegetarian friendly option in east side Gainesville.
Addendum:
So, Shirley and I decided to go back to the Jones for some breakfast sooner or later, and felt it would be appropriate to put up the results of our trip for everyone. The verdict? Excellent. Gainesville has a hip, comfortable, and delicious breakfast spot in The Jones.
I ordered the Smoked Salmon Omelet, an omelet folded with red onions, dill cream cheese and smoked salmon. It was accompanied by homefries and some toast. The omelet was absolutely delicious, and the homefries were well-seasoned.
Shirley ordered The Jones Rancheros (don't kill me if I remembered this wrong!), which was very good. Definitely good for someone looking for a unique breakfast.
The Jones is open 7 days a week from 7am-3pm. Check it out.
Pho Hanoi
So there's a new pho place in town, looking to muscle in on Saigon Legend's monopoly on Vietnamese food in Gainesville. This one is on 34th street, just south of Archer Road, across from the Kangaroo. I'm a sucker for pho (pronounced fuh) of all types, and Vietnamese food is always tasty.
To the review...
Atmosphere:
Unfortunately, Pho Hanoi is in a strip mall. Restaurant owners can't really help this though, so while it's not the most scenic location you can't hold this against them. They have done a nice job on the interior, with a nice paint job and tasteful decorations. The seating is... cramped. But in a way, I think it fits. If you've never tried it, pho is an excellent hangover cure and generally good pick me up. Filing in, taking your seat next to someone else and eating seems a good part of the experience.
Service:
So-so. Friendly enough, but a bit forgetful. We received our spring rolls after the pho had been brought out and only after reminding the waiter we had ordered them. It was also only one person covering the restaurant for a little while, so it's certainly forgivable. I'm sure as this place comes into it's own and the employees gain more experience, it will improve.
One very negative point was that Shirley's pho was accompanied by a dirty soup spoon. We're talking several splotches of dried food. This is the kinda thing that can really kill a restaurant for me, so I hope that this was just a very rare mistake.
Menu:
I'll be honest and say I mostly came here for the pho. Everything else was secondary. But the quick glance at the rest of the menu showed a lot of names that are familiar to me from Saigon Legend, so I assume they are standard Vietnamese entrees. pho Hanoi offers some different choices than Saigon Legend in it's phos. They offer beef, beef tendon, tripe, chicken, and tofu as options. They also have bowls that have a combination of the beef, tendons, and tripe.
Food:
I ordered the pho with just the beef, while Shirley ordered the beef & tripe pho. The first thing that struck me upon seeing the dish was that it was not a clear broth as I am used to, you could easily tell the beef broth by it's color. It also had a stronger smell of anise than the pho at Saigon Legend. The accompaniments were the usual lime and bean sprouts, along with culantro and thai basil. This is the first time I've had thai basil in my pho, and I have to say I'm glad they include it. It's delicious.
The beef was sliced perfectly thin for the soup, and the broth was incredibly flavorful. I absolutely loved it. Shirley's pho with the tripe was very good too, and the tripe was very flavorful.
Price:
Expect a bowl of pho to run you around 7$. It's a pretty huge soup, so trust me that this is a pretty cheap meal for what you get.
Overall:
This is a promising new restaurant that offers what is currently the best pho in town. The service could stand to improve, but the quality of the food and the good prices would keep me coming back even if the service stayed the same.
To the review...
Atmosphere:
Unfortunately, Pho Hanoi is in a strip mall. Restaurant owners can't really help this though, so while it's not the most scenic location you can't hold this against them. They have done a nice job on the interior, with a nice paint job and tasteful decorations. The seating is... cramped. But in a way, I think it fits. If you've never tried it, pho is an excellent hangover cure and generally good pick me up. Filing in, taking your seat next to someone else and eating seems a good part of the experience.
Service:
So-so. Friendly enough, but a bit forgetful. We received our spring rolls after the pho had been brought out and only after reminding the waiter we had ordered them. It was also only one person covering the restaurant for a little while, so it's certainly forgivable. I'm sure as this place comes into it's own and the employees gain more experience, it will improve.
One very negative point was that Shirley's pho was accompanied by a dirty soup spoon. We're talking several splotches of dried food. This is the kinda thing that can really kill a restaurant for me, so I hope that this was just a very rare mistake.
Menu:
I'll be honest and say I mostly came here for the pho. Everything else was secondary. But the quick glance at the rest of the menu showed a lot of names that are familiar to me from Saigon Legend, so I assume they are standard Vietnamese entrees. pho Hanoi offers some different choices than Saigon Legend in it's phos. They offer beef, beef tendon, tripe, chicken, and tofu as options. They also have bowls that have a combination of the beef, tendons, and tripe.
Food:
I ordered the pho with just the beef, while Shirley ordered the beef & tripe pho. The first thing that struck me upon seeing the dish was that it was not a clear broth as I am used to, you could easily tell the beef broth by it's color. It also had a stronger smell of anise than the pho at Saigon Legend. The accompaniments were the usual lime and bean sprouts, along with culantro and thai basil. This is the first time I've had thai basil in my pho, and I have to say I'm glad they include it. It's delicious.
The beef was sliced perfectly thin for the soup, and the broth was incredibly flavorful. I absolutely loved it. Shirley's pho with the tripe was very good too, and the tripe was very flavorful.
Price:
Expect a bowl of pho to run you around 7$. It's a pretty huge soup, so trust me that this is a pretty cheap meal for what you get.
Overall:
This is a promising new restaurant that offers what is currently the best pho in town. The service could stand to improve, but the quality of the food and the good prices would keep me coming back even if the service stayed the same.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
