Spy Sushi

As many tourists and locals from St. Augustine headed out for the beginning of Nights of Lights in downtown, so did my girlfriends and I.  After seeing the Mayor light up the Christmas tree and the plaza, we decided to check out the sushi bar Spy.  My friend suggested this place because of the chilled out atmosphere and their Saki martinis.  I myself had never been there, but several of the girls had and thought it would be the best place to grab some drinks and maybe a roll or two.  After battling the massive crowd of people downtown to reach the restaurant is was quite surprising that it was only a few minutes before we had a table.  The second floor dining room was dimly lit with crystal chandlers and candles along with colorful couches and mosaic glass tables.  Once we were seated my friend and I agreed this was a great choice for drinks with the girls. 

Our waiter came to the table and took our drink order seemly friendly and nice.  Little did we know his demeanor would soon change.  After he took our order about 10 minutes went by and we still had no drinks.  The owner stopped by and asked if we had our orders taken and we told him we had and we understood it may take a few minutes because they were busy.  About five more minutes went by and we all chatted about the end of the semester and holiday plans.  Our waiter came to the table and told us he had just now put our drink order in at the bar and we needed to be patient because he was busy.  I have eaten in a lot of restaurants as well as worked in two or three so I am aware that sometimes servers and bartenders get backed up, but never have I told a table they needed to be patient or had a server tell me this.  After he left we all looked at each other in shock that he had said this to us, especially since non of us seemed upset in the first place.  About 15 minutes rolled by and the one girl that had ordered food had been served her sushi.  Her Alaskan roll was fresh and looked quite appatizing, it would only be better if we had drinks to go along with it.

After watching her eat for 10 minutes, one of the girls got up to find the owner and explain that we had been sitting there for 50 minutes and still no drinks.  He came up and apologized to us and said the drinks would be half off and they'd be there in 5 minutes.  Sure enough there are drinks were in the 5 minutes alotted along with the bill of all the drinks half off.  By this time we were all somewhat frusturated and in the mood for our drinks.  Once we finished we tried to get the server to take the check and that was easier said than done.  By this point he wanted nothing to do with us and basiclly ignored our table until my friend began waiving her hands in the air saying excuse me.  After the round that took an hour to get, we paid and left.  On the way out, one of the girls stopped to owner to explain how disrespectful our server was and how disappointing the evening had been.  He assured her this would never happen again because he had just fired our server.  All in all the jury is still out as to whether or not I will be back on a busy night.  It was a great atmosphere and my Espresso Saki Cocktail was also really good.  I can also say that if the owner wasn't on top of the situation none of us would be back.  The fact that he was concerned, apologetic and made it right shows that this place definitely deserves a second chance.

Meehan's on Matanzas

One of my favorite places to eat in the Ancient City is Meehan's on the Matanzas.  When I'm looking for some good pub food along with a great atmosphere and some dark lagers this is my first choice.   I first came upon Meehan's while my mother was visiting from Pennsylvania and we were walking around downtown looking for somewhere to grab a quick bite and check out the waterfront.  I was really in the mood for some fresh fish and chips and when we  took a look at the menu, we decided to give it a try.

My mom tried the Bog Burger (beef burger with Irish whiskey BBQ and onion relish) and I had a Blackened Mahi Mahi sandwhich.  Both came with an ample amount of fresh cut french fries seasoned with salt and a little bit of parmesian cheese (if my taste buds are correct).  We both got a pint of Shock Top and enjoyed the heat and  the sunset.  I also couldn't help but try the Johnny Mac mac & cheese.  Aside from good Italian food I have a compleate soft spot for different kinds of home made mac & cheese. With all do respect to my mom, this mac & cheese is my absolute favorite.  It had just the right amount of cheese and cream so that it wasn't too saucy or too dry.  The  bread crumb topping really made the extra bonus on top. We both had dinner, a beer and an extra side for about $50.

A few weeks later my boyfriend and I went back so I could try their fish and chips.  This time we had two Smithwick's (usually on  draft), the fried seafood combo and of course another order of the Johnny Mac.  There was more than enough food and we had left over Mac to take home.  Every time I visit the owner always stops over to check on how things are going and the staff is always friendly.  This place is sure to be a good

Amici's

A week or so away I went to Amici's Italian Restaurant for the first time. It was my best friend's birthday and there were about 15 of us there. Walking in I noticed a display case full of homemade canoli, cakes and cheesecake, I automatically said to my boyfriend we should split something so I could have room for canoli.

We had a nice table set up for the party with a few tables so we all had enough room. As soon as we sat down our servers made sure we all had our drink orders in and asked if we needed any suggestions for dinner. There were several dinner specials along with a 3 course option for around $25.  All the food sounded so good and it definitely smelled amazing throughout the restaurant.  There was however a $2 fee to split a meal but considering the portion size it was definitely the best bet.  We tried the eggplant rollitini, which is similar to an eggplant Parmesan rolled into a log.  We also split a calzone with pepperoni.  My favorite part about the meal was their marinara sauce.  It reminded me of grandma's Sunday gravy with chunky tomato bits and hints of parsley and basil. 

After finishing every bite (only because it was so delicious) and being completely stuffed I HAD to try the canoli.  As a kid growing up canoli was one of my favorite deserts.  The mixture of marscapone cheese inside the crispy, flaky shell sometimes with a little bit of chocolate chips..mmm so good!  The Amci's canoli was a little bit different than ones I had tried before, but had a great flavor.  When it came time for the check I was surprised that with tip it was under $30!  I can't remember the last time my boyfriend and I had dinner and desert for under $50, let alone such a huge portion of food.  I can't wait until my family comes to town so I can take another trip there.  Next time I'll be trying their baked pasta. Amici's is a good place for some rustic Italian food.

Colorado Buritto Company

With so many places in the St. Augustine area offering types of Tex Mex and taco shops its hard to decide which one to choose.  For my own personal taste I like the Colorado Burrito Company off the World Golf Village exit of I95.  To find this place you almost have to stumble upon it because it is located right next door to a BP gas station and across the street from a Shell, and most people go in thinking it is part of the BP station.  Aside from being a fresh, made to order Mexican restaurant, the one thing that really seperates the Colorado Burrito Company from other area taco shops is that they make Colorado burritos smothered in the regional specialty of pork green chili.  

I myself am not a fan of chili, something about the texture of  beans and I never enjoyed the spices in it, but this pork green chili is something completely different.  It reminds me more of a thick gravy or stew similar to a Verde sauce rather than a hearty chili.  Not really sure what to make of it, the owner suggested trying it over my Big Ass chicken burrito. Aside from the fact that I tried  to be a hot shot and tried the Hot version rather than the Mild, I absolutely loved it.  The green chili added a new flavor dynamic that really separates the Colorado Burrito from a normal burrito from say Moe's or Chipotle.  I suggest that anyone that wants the hot tries it first because it really has a nice bite to it, one that may be too hot for some.

One of the best things about this place is the low prices and the portion size.  My burrito and drink costs around $8.00 and I barley finished eating it all. Aside from a variety of different quesadillas, tacos, burritos and two types of green chili, Colorado Burrito Company offers a children's menu as well as daily specials most running $6.99 including a drink.  I would highly recommend this place to anyone in the mood for fresh made Mexican with a twist.  Also, for those college kids in the area you can like them on Facebook and receive a coupon for free chips and salsa with any purchase!

Carmelo's Marketplace

Being a native to the Northeast and half Italian, pizza is one of those things that is almost a religious experience.  When I first moved to St. Augustine it was hard for me to find pizza comparable to New York thin crust or homemade mom and pop shops from my area in PA.  Finding Carmelo's was the closest I could get to the style of pizza I knew and loved from up north.  My first Carmelo's experience was this past summer when a friend of mine suggested grabbing a slice or two for lunch on our break from work.

We walked down the street to the Shell station/ Carmelo's Marketplace conveniently located on West King St. across from the Flagler College FEC dorms, walked in and I was surprised to see how many people were in line to order lunch.  Until now I hadn't really seen a pizza place this packed or offering this many options for reasonable prices.  As soon as I walked up to order I noticed they not only offered MASSIVE slices, but also had Sicilian as well as white pizza which is one of my favorites. They also offer fresh deli sandwhiches, wings, and a full menu of Italian favorites.  Carmelo's also offers table service in the next room if you have a little bit more time for lunch or dinner.

I opted  to order the daily lunch special of two XL slices and a medium drink for $5.99.  When I got to the front of the line to order and the friendly cashier suggested the special (which I of course ordered) but with one slice of white pizza and a slice of cheese.  She said they could do it but it would be an extra $.60 to get specialty slice.  It only took about 5 minutes for my slices to be done and we sat down to eat.  Hands down it was one of the top five pizzas I've ever had.  The other members of that group are located in Manhattan, Denville, NJ and Williamsport, PA all well known areas for good Italian food and pizza.  I usually end up doing take out or delivery for an alternative to cooking or a quick bite between classes and work.  I definitely recommend Carmelo's for anyone looking for a place to grab a quick slice or a nice place to sit down, have some of your favorite dishes like grandma use to make and just relax.