The Capital Grille 1/5/10

My husband and I had dinner at Capital Grille on 1/5 and it was our second time dining here. We had received a certificate for $100 from the first time we dined, because our meal was terrible. We thought we would give them another shot. It was better, but not good by any means.

We went in, gave our name, and were brought to a table. Our waiter was very nice, but could have been a little more on top of refilling drinks. We sat and felt uncomfortable with the atmosphere. We had a creepy painting of a woman starting down at us. Our waiter came and took our drink orders, and then we ordered our appetizers and starters: I ordered the New England clam chowder, and my husband the Caesar salad and the calamari. Our calamari arrived and the waiter asked if we wanted lemon squeezed on (so he could do it for us) and then wanted to serve us. I am a very picky eater and do not like to have my food chosen for me, so I politely declined his service. The calamari was okay. It tasted very fried. Not something I would expect from a higher class restaurant.

Our soup and salad arrived. My soup was less than satisfying. It was very thin and watery - not what New England clam chowder should be, and was lacking in flavor. My husband's salad was a disappointment, too. The lettuce was yellowed and seemed to be going bad. The salad itself was not up to par.

We had both ordered the filet mignon and a side of mashed potatoes. (Everything is a la carte.) Our steaks were good, but not any better than I could have made at home. The potatoes were fine. These aren't words that should be used to describe a meal in an expensive restaurant.

I definitely expect a lot more out of a meal that costs well over $100 for two people. Our steaks alone were $40 each. Add to that all of the a la carte items, appetizers, soup and salad, and drinks, and you're probably going to spend around $200 for a less than satisfying meal. My husband and I both agreed that we would much rather prefer to go to Outback, spend $40 for our whole meal and be happier than we were at Capital Grille.

If you have a lot of money to spend and if you like feeling important by having your food scooped out for you, than this may be the place for you. If you want to go somewhere for an excellent meal, The Capital Grille falls extremely short.

Ted's Montana Grill 12/21

If you haven't tried Ted's Montana Grill, you need to! Every time my brother visits from Charlotte, this is one place that he can't pass up. They are known for their bison meat. We have gone various times, and I can't stray from my bison cheeseburger. The bison meat is leaner than regular beef and is a little sweeter, giving it a taste no other restaurant can. They are very eco-friendly using recycled products and biodegradable to-go cups instead of horrible Styrofoam.

On to the food...the various times my family and friends have visited has allowed me to try many different dishes without having to give up my burger of choice. They have a different soup featured each day which is always delicious. Bison short ribs (served only on Saturday) are very tasty, though sometimes a little too fatty. Most of the time when we go, it is lunch time so we get a round of burgers. We have tried the bacon cheeseburger, the SOB (swiss, grilled onions, & bacon), Blue Creek (bleu cheese & bacon)and a chicken George's Cadillac (BBQ sauce, cheese & bacon). While the prices for a burger are a little higher than other places, I think it is worth it!

Yesterday we had my brother and sister-in-law's nephew who is 5 years old and instead of the usual crayons for kids, they gave him Wikki sticks. They are kind of like bendable strips of wax that kept him busy from the time we sat down and long after we left the restaurant! Very cool idea!

If you haven't yet, get out there are try some bison at Ted's! 2 locations - Orange Park & St. John's Town Center

Menu

European Street Cafe 12/20

This afternoon, my husband and I went out to eat with my brother and sister-in-law. We agreed on trying European Street Cafe for lunch. We went to the one in Jax Beach around 1:00. They weren't too busy. We were invited to seat ourselves and we did. I think that they could use some updating on their decor - it just seems a little cheesy inside. Our drink order was taken promptly and our waiter was with us soon after that. We had to ask about the specials - those of which the waiter wasn't quite sure of. We ordered 2 soups: one beer cheese and the other black bean. The beer cheese soup was piping hot when it came out, but the black bean soup was lukewarm. I did not care for either soup. We ordered our food- I, a pastrami sandwich - I asked the waiter if mayonnaise comes on it because it was not something I wanted, "I don't think so." was his response, my husband ordered the Canadian triple club, my brother corned beef, and my sister-in-law the brie and beef.

When our sandwiches arrived, I pulled off the top of my bread to put mustard and to my surprise there was a nice white layer of mayonnaise. Inconvenienced and hungry, I had to send it back to be remade. The food was good, nothing that I can't wait to have again, but the service was lacking. While we finished up our plates, our waiter came over and said something along the lines of, "Do you want to go get your check now?" Maybe I was brought up differently, but I think there is a more professional way to ask if a person is ready to pay; ie: "Is there anything else I can get for you?" which could be followed up with, "No, thank you. We'll just take the check." While we had a decent lunch, I think I will try to find a better place for next time.

Chow Down Alley 12/18

My husband and I went out to breakfast on Friday morning and decided to try Chow Down Alley on Old St. Augustine Road. We walked in and it seemed less than appealing on the inside, but we decided not to judge a book by its cover. We went up to the counter to place our order and were not greeted; in fact, we were somewhat ignored. After a few minutes, the woman came to us and asked what we wanted. I ordered 2 eggs with a side of bacon, home fries and toast, while my husband ordered a cheese omelet with a side of bacon. A big thing for me at breakfast is fresh orange juice - this was not the place for that. We got the last 2 bottled orange juices that they had. We sat down at an old table with taped up chairs and waited for our food. It was brought out to us in about 15 minutes. Our eggs had no flavor at all (my husbands had some due to the cheese) and our bacon was burned to a crisp. I would say that sadly, the toast was the best part. I definitely could have made a better breakfast at home with orange juice not from concentrate - also, it would have cost a lot less than $15. This is one place that we will not return again for breakfast.

La Nopalera

La Nopalera is by far my favorite Mexican restaurant in Jacksonville. I have been to 3 of the locations (Baymeadows/Philips, Beach/San Pablo, San Jose) and have yet to be disappointed. It is very resonably priced, have a huge menu, and I have never left hungry. They serve you with unlimited chips and salsa which are pleasantly washed down with a delicious margarita. I am a big fan of the quesadilla rellenas. My husband has tried various different entrees and has never been unhappy with any of his choices. I think that if you are in the mood for Mexican, La Nopalera will definitely satisfy your craving.

Various locations: 1629 Hendricks Ave, 8206 Philips Hwy. Ste. #29, 8818 Atlantic Blvd, 11700 San Jose Blvd. Ste. #4, 14333 Beach Blvd. Ste.#39

Menu

Happy Hour Specials:
2-for-1 Frozen and On the Rocks House Margaritas (M-TR)
$4.99 Margaritas
$2.00 Corona Bottles
$3.75 Domestic 32oz drafts
$14.99 Margarita Pitchers (all day, everyday)

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Basha Mediterranean Restaurant 12/12/09

What better thing to do on a rainy and stormy night than to try a new restaurant? Disappointed with our usual Mediterranean restaurant, we searched for a new one close to home. After doing some research, we decided to try Basha. We called ahead to see if we needed reservations and were assured we would not have a problem. Upon arrival around 7pm on a Saturday night, we found ourselves to be the only patrons in the restaurant. During our whole meal, only one other couple came in to eat. I'm not sure if the weather was keeping people from going out, but it was very quiet. The inside has a nice decor and a friendly staff.

We were instantly greeted and asked for our drink order. We ordered an appetizer of hummus which was delicious. My only complaint was that their pita needs to be fluffier! We ordered our food - 3 shish kabobs and 1 chicken kabob. When our food arrived, the 3 of us who ordered the shish kabobs found our food to be a little cold. The chicken kabobs were very warm, though. The food itself wasn't spectacular. The rice was doused in black pepper and did not appeal to me at all. My husband's meat had a lot more flavor than mine did. I honestly think I could have made a better meal at home, but we will go back again and give it another chance.

They also have a wide variety of hookahs and are running a special of 25% off. All in all, it was a nice night, but not a spectacular meal.

The restaurant has recently relocated to:
13799 Beach Blvd
Jacksonville,FL32224-0234