Restaurant Review
"Up Town funk you up! Said Up Town funk you up!"
Sorry guys, I couldn't help myself! Haha!
Isn't it crazy when someone new in town introduces you to restaurant in the town you've been living in for years? I guess you can't know about everything but Uptown is definitely some good eats I have been missing out on. My friend Yuri and I ventured out to Uptown Kitchen and Bar after she raved about how great they were. Tucked away in the Springfield neighborhood, near downtown Jax, this restaurant is definitely a hidden gem. I've since been back a few times and every time, I'm more and more impressed with the food.
During my most recent visit, I went in ready to order the Shrimp and Andouille Sausage with Grits. The dinner menu didn't start until 5pm and it was 4:30pm so lunch was still being served. We decided to sit, order mimosas, and wait 30 minutes. It was well worth the wait because both of our dishes were incredible.
This was my dish and it was full of flavor. It was loaded with juicy shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and savory sausage. The spinach and portobello mushroom were perfect additions to the shrimp and sausage. The flavors were very complimentary of each other.
 |
| These Mimosas were pretty good! |
My friend ordered the fried chicken and creamed collard greens. So quick story, I was a full grown adult before I tried collard greens for the first time. 
It just wasn't something that we ate growing up.
When I moved to Florida, Jacksonville to be exact, I was served my first plate of collard greens with hot sauce and a piece of cornbread on the side. I haven't turned back since.
Now back to these creamed collards. BOMB dot COM! I have never had greens, let alone creamed greens, that tasted this amazing! It was my friend's dish but In scooped out at least half of her greens. Amazing! The fried chicken was cooked perfectly as well. The outside had that perfect crisp and the inside was juicy! Everything was so good!
Make sure you go at the right time if you want entrees like the ones I mentioned previously. The lunch menu only serves salads and sandwiches.
Now don't get me wrong, the sandwiches are great too!
This was the Yard Bird sandwich. It was made with grilled chicken breast, bacon, BBQ sauce, and cheddar cheese. It was super tasty and very filling. Of course, it was served with a side of fries. my friend ordered the hot turkey on Rye which was amazing as well. For sandwiches, they were very flavorful and worth going back for.
I want to try breakfast or brunch the next time I visit Uptown. From what I hear, the buckwheat pancakes are everything and so are the fried green tomatoes. My experiences at Uptown thus far have been pleasant. It reminds me of an posh diner. The food is amazing and the service has always been exceptional! They get an A in my book!
I'd love to know your thoughts if you try them out!
As always, thanks so much for stopping by!
XOXO
Uptown Kitchen and Bar
"Up Town funk you up! Said Up Town funk you up!"
Sorry guys, I couldn't help myself! Haha!
Isn't it crazy when someone new in town introduces you to restaurant in the town you've been living in for years? I guess you can't know about everything but Uptown is definitely some good eats I have been missing out on. My friend Yuri and I ventured out to Uptown Kitchen and Bar after she raved about how great they were. Tucked away in the Springfield neighborhood, near downtown Jax, this restaurant is definitely a hidden gem. I've since been back a few times and every time, I'm more and more impressed with the food.
During my most recent visit, I went in ready to order the Shrimp and Andouille Sausage with Grits. The dinner menu didn't start until 5pm and it was 4:30pm so lunch was still being served. We decided to sit, order mimosas, and wait 30 minutes. It was well worth the wait because both of our dishes were incredible.
This was my dish and it was full of flavor. It was loaded with juicy shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and savory sausage. The spinach and portobello mushroom were perfect additions to the shrimp and sausage. The flavors were very complimentary of each other.
|
| These Mimosas were pretty good! |
My friend ordered the fried chicken and creamed collard greens. So quick story, I was a full grown adult before I tried collard greens for the first time.
It just wasn't something that we ate growing up.
When I moved to Florida, Jacksonville to be exact, I was served my first plate of collard greens with hot sauce and a piece of cornbread on the side. I haven't turned back since.
Now back to these creamed collards. BOMB dot COM! I have never had greens, let alone creamed greens, that tasted this amazing! It was my friend's dish but In scooped out at least half of her greens. Amazing! The fried chicken was cooked perfectly as well. The outside had that perfect crisp and the inside was juicy! Everything was so good!
Make sure you go at the right time if you want entrees like the ones I mentioned previously. The lunch menu only serves salads and sandwiches.
Now don't get me wrong, the sandwiches are great too!
This was the Yard Bird sandwich. It was made with grilled chicken breast, bacon, BBQ sauce, and cheddar cheese. It was super tasty and very filling. Of course, it was served with a side of fries. my friend ordered the hot turkey on Rye which was amazing as well. For sandwiches, they were very flavorful and worth going back for.
I want to try breakfast or brunch the next time I visit Uptown. From what I hear, the buckwheat pancakes are everything and so are the fried green tomatoes. My experiences at Uptown thus far have been pleasant. It reminds me of an posh diner. The food is amazing and the service has always been exceptional! They get an A in my book!
I'd love to know your thoughts if you try them out!
As always, thanks so much for stopping by!
XOXO
Hi Dolls,
We all have our go-to restaurants and usually they're our go-to because we can always count on them to have exactly what we're looking for. At least, that's the case for me. I do, however, love it when restaurants add new items to their menu, along with fan favorites! Applebee's has always kept up that element of surprise by providing their patrons with new menu items through out the seasons. I am loving the Bigger and Bolder Grill Combos that are new to the menu! Right in time for summer, we can now enjoy a delicious and filling meal, choosing from five big and bold combinations, with some of your favorite sides, for as low as $12.99! 
I recently stopped in with my bestie to try a few things from the new Bigger, Bolder Grill Combos and we had a wonderful time! Our host, Jason, was so delightful and so was our lovely waitress (who's name I can't remember..so sorry!). They made our dining experience enjoyable which is always appreciated. They were very attentive and provided us with great recommendations. All though there are a few new appetizers on the menu like the Brisket Quesadillas, we had to start with my all time favorite appetizer, the Chicken Wonton Tacos! Those things are crack! I'm so happy they are a staple on the Applebee's menu! I'd be so sad if they ever took them away!
 |
| Applebee's Bigger & Bolder Grill Combo's |
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| Applebee's Bigger and Bolder 1/2 Baby Back Ribs w/ Grilled Whiskey Chicken Breast Combo |
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| Applebee's Bigger and Bolder Grilled Shrimp Skewer, Crispy Shrimp, and Top Sirloin Combo |
Krystle ordered the Grilled Shrimp Skewer, Crispy Shrimp, and 6 oz. USDA Select Top Sirloin. Of course I tasted her food and though it was all good, my favorite were the crispy shrimp! They were juicy, plump,and flavorful! She enjoyed everything as well! There was nothing left on either of our plates by the time we got through everything!
#ConfessionsofTwoGreedyGirls
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| Applebee's Frozen Lemonade |
I almost forgot to mention that the Frozen Lemonades are also new to menu and are the perfect refresher in this Florida heat! We tried the Mango and the Wild Berry flavors and they were delicious! We jokingly mentioned they should be spiked but in all seriousness, these would make bomb frozen cocktails!
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| Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar |
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!
Applebee's graciously agreed to sponsor a giveaway for a Dinner For Two, gift certificate to one of my fabulous readers! There are only a couple of stipulations and rules for the giveaway.
1.) The gift certificate will only be valid at Applebee's locations owned and operated by Doherty Enterprises in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Long Island.
2.) Comment below telling me which new Bigger & Bolder Grill Combo you would be the most interested in trying! Leave your email address as well.
3.) Of course, you should be a follower of mine here and on any of my social media pages to be qualified for the giveaway.
That's it! The giveaway will run until next Thursday and I will notify the winner next Friday, May 25, 2018.
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| Applebee's Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sundae |
To end on a sweet note, this was just a little something extra because you can't have a meal with out dessert, right?!?!? It was the Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sundae and it was seriously EVERYTHING!!! Just looking at this made me tell myself to run an extra mile this weekend!
Applebee's never disappoints! Whether I'm there enjoying my go-to favs like the Chicken Wonton Tacos, or a new menu item like the Bigger and Bolder Combos, I can always count on them to serve up delicious meals with great service on the side! Make sure you stop in at one of your local Applebee's to try the new items and
as always, thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a fabulous weekend!
XOXO
Applebee's never disappoints! Whether I'm there enjoying my go-to favs like the Chicken Wonton Tacos, or a new menu item like the Bigger and Bolder Combos, I can always count on them to serve up delicious meals with great service on the side! Make sure you stop in at one of your local Applebee's to try the new items and
as always, thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a fabulous weekend!
XOXO
4507 Town Center Pkwy, Jacksonville, FL 32246, USA
Applebee's Bigger and Bolder Grill Combos and a Giveaway!
Hi Dolls,
We all have our go-to restaurants and usually they're our go-to because we can always count on them to have exactly what we're looking for. At least, that's the case for me. I do, however, love it when restaurants add new items to their menu, along with fan favorites! Applebee's has always kept up that element of surprise by providing their patrons with new menu items through out the seasons. I am loving the Bigger and Bolder Grill Combos that are new to the menu! Right in time for summer, we can now enjoy a delicious and filling meal, choosing from five big and bold combinations, with some of your favorite sides, for as low as $12.99! I recently stopped in with my bestie to try a few things from the new Bigger, Bolder Grill Combos and we had a wonderful time! Our host, Jason, was so delightful and so was our lovely waitress (who's name I can't remember..so sorry!). They made our dining experience enjoyable which is always appreciated. They were very attentive and provided us with great recommendations. All though there are a few new appetizers on the menu like the Brisket Quesadillas, we had to start with my all time favorite appetizer, the Chicken Wonton Tacos! Those things are crack! I'm so happy they are a staple on the Applebee's menu! I'd be so sad if they ever took them away!
|
| Applebee's Bigger & Bolder Grill Combo's |
|
| Applebee's Bigger and Bolder 1/2 Baby Back Ribs w/ Grilled Whiskey Chicken Breast Combo |
|
| Applebee's Bigger and Bolder Grilled Shrimp Skewer, Crispy Shrimp, and Top Sirloin Combo |
Krystle ordered the Grilled Shrimp Skewer, Crispy Shrimp, and 6 oz. USDA Select Top Sirloin. Of course I tasted her food and though it was all good, my favorite were the crispy shrimp! They were juicy, plump,and flavorful! She enjoyed everything as well! There was nothing left on either of our plates by the time we got through everything!
#ConfessionsofTwoGreedyGirls
|
| Applebee's Frozen Lemonade |
I almost forgot to mention that the Frozen Lemonades are also new to menu and are the perfect refresher in this Florida heat! We tried the Mango and the Wild Berry flavors and they were delicious! We jokingly mentioned they should be spiked but in all seriousness, these would make bomb frozen cocktails!
|
| Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar |
GIVEAWAY TIME!!!!
Applebee's graciously agreed to sponsor a giveaway for a Dinner For Two, gift certificate to one of my fabulous readers! There are only a couple of stipulations and rules for the giveaway.
1.) The gift certificate will only be valid at Applebee's locations owned and operated by Doherty Enterprises in Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, and Long Island.
2.) Comment below telling me which new Bigger & Bolder Grill Combo you would be the most interested in trying! Leave your email address as well.
3.) Of course, you should be a follower of mine here and on any of my social media pages to be qualified for the giveaway.
That's it! The giveaway will run until next Thursday and I will notify the winner next Friday, May 25, 2018.
|
| Applebee's Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sundae |
To end on a sweet note, this was just a little something extra because you can't have a meal with out dessert, right?!?!? It was the Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sundae and it was seriously EVERYTHING!!! Just looking at this made me tell myself to run an extra mile this weekend!
Applebee's never disappoints! Whether I'm there enjoying my go-to favs like the Chicken Wonton Tacos, or a new menu item like the Bigger and Bolder Combos, I can always count on them to serve up delicious meals with great service on the side! Make sure you stop in at one of your local Applebee's to try the new items and
as always, thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a fabulous weekend!
XOXO
Applebee's never disappoints! Whether I'm there enjoying my go-to favs like the Chicken Wonton Tacos, or a new menu item like the Bigger and Bolder Combos, I can always count on them to serve up delicious meals with great service on the side! Make sure you stop in at one of your local Applebee's to try the new items and
as always, thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a fabulous weekend!
XOXO
Hi Dolls,
Wanna know what this monstrosity of a milk shake is all about? Of course you do, but you'll have to read to the end. I promise to tell you all about it but I have to share the healthier options first!
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the fairly new Juice Tap and I was blown away by everything they had to offer from ambiance all the way down to menu items. They are locally owned, the food is locally sourced, and they are dedicated to providing the freshest of juices, smoothies, and bowls.
As an adult, walking into Juice Tap gave me the same feeling as I had walking into a candy store or ice cream parlor as a child. It sort of reminds me of a healthy candy store. There are loads of fresh fruit hanging out!
Now don't get me wrong, they're definitely in the business of providing you with indulgent options as well so as you can see, all of our favorite candy bars are in the building as well.
So let's get to what we had! I went to Juice Tap with a few of my foodie friends and they sort of went all out for us! We started with a smoothie bowl called The Supreme and let me tell you, it was true to its name.
This bowl consisted of a mixture of different bases including pitaya, peanut butter, and chia flax seed pudding, which was my favorite. As you can see, it was loaded with fruit! One thing I really love about Juice Tap is that they don't use added sugars or syrups so the sweetness you get is from the fruit, juices, and an occasional helping of Nutella!
I'm not even gonna front, this bowl was so massive, I didn't know how to get into it! It looked like an edible arrangement. Once I figured it out, I was blown away at how yummy it was! Whoever said, healthy is boring, knows nothing about good food! It was incredibly filling and tasty!
We were given the Darth Vader Acai bowl to sample next! It was May 4th so it was only right! So this bowl was quite interesting. It consisted of Nutella, Banana, Strawberries. Peanut Butter, Almond Milk, Almonds, and Charcoal...yes Charcoal. I never realized charcoal could be edible and I never knew it had health benefits but in an activated form, it is good for digestive and oral health. Hey, you learn something new everyday. I personally don't care for the texture but I still enjoyed the fruit and Nutella from this dish.
Besides the delicious bowls and smothies, Juice Tap also serves toasts, salads, detox juices, health shots, lemonades, and FREAK SHAKES! I don't know if these massive shake creations originated in New York or Chicago, or wherever, but ladies and gentlemen, we have them in Jacksonville, Florida now! You can get a monstrosity of a shake at Juice Tap! This is the Unicorn Dream Shake! I affectionately call it the DiabEEtus! With everything it's topped with from cotton candy to pixie stix, three scoops of ice cream with the cones, just to name a few, you would not only consume all of the recommended calories for two days, but your blood sugar would be through the roof! Nevertheless, if you have 10 friends to share it with, I say go for it! You only live once!
The next time you're in the mood for a healthy place that serves real fruit smoothies and bowls, or if you're in the mood to blow all of your weeks calories for a shake, head on over to Juice Tap! They seriously are delicious. The service is awesome and the atmosphere is friendly and inviting. You'll enjoy your food experience there!
So of the three items I mentioned, which one would you choose? Let me know in the comments below and as always, thanks so much for stopping by!
XOXO
Juice Tap
Hi Dolls,
Wanna know what this monstrosity of a milk shake is all about? Of course you do, but you'll have to read to the end. I promise to tell you all about it but I have to share the healthier options first!
I recently had the pleasure of visiting the fairly new Juice Tap and I was blown away by everything they had to offer from ambiance all the way down to menu items. They are locally owned, the food is locally sourced, and they are dedicated to providing the freshest of juices, smoothies, and bowls.
As an adult, walking into Juice Tap gave me the same feeling as I had walking into a candy store or ice cream parlor as a child. It sort of reminds me of a healthy candy store. There are loads of fresh fruit hanging out!
Now don't get me wrong, they're definitely in the business of providing you with indulgent options as well so as you can see, all of our favorite candy bars are in the building as well.
So let's get to what we had! I went to Juice Tap with a few of my foodie friends and they sort of went all out for us! We started with a smoothie bowl called The Supreme and let me tell you, it was true to its name.
This bowl consisted of a mixture of different bases including pitaya, peanut butter, and chia flax seed pudding, which was my favorite. As you can see, it was loaded with fruit! One thing I really love about Juice Tap is that they don't use added sugars or syrups so the sweetness you get is from the fruit, juices, and an occasional helping of Nutella!
I'm not even gonna front, this bowl was so massive, I didn't know how to get into it! It looked like an edible arrangement. Once I figured it out, I was blown away at how yummy it was! Whoever said, healthy is boring, knows nothing about good food! It was incredibly filling and tasty!
We were given the Darth Vader Acai bowl to sample next! It was May 4th so it was only right! So this bowl was quite interesting. It consisted of Nutella, Banana, Strawberries. Peanut Butter, Almond Milk, Almonds, and Charcoal...yes Charcoal. I never realized charcoal could be edible and I never knew it had health benefits but in an activated form, it is good for digestive and oral health. Hey, you learn something new everyday. I personally don't care for the texture but I still enjoyed the fruit and Nutella from this dish.
Besides the delicious bowls and smothies, Juice Tap also serves toasts, salads, detox juices, health shots, lemonades, and FREAK SHAKES! I don't know if these massive shake creations originated in New York or Chicago, or wherever, but ladies and gentlemen, we have them in Jacksonville, Florida now! You can get a monstrosity of a shake at Juice Tap! This is the Unicorn Dream Shake! I affectionately call it the DiabEEtus! With everything it's topped with from cotton candy to pixie stix, three scoops of ice cream with the cones, just to name a few, you would not only consume all of the recommended calories for two days, but your blood sugar would be through the roof! Nevertheless, if you have 10 friends to share it with, I say go for it! You only live once!
The next time you're in the mood for a healthy place that serves real fruit smoothies and bowls, or if you're in the mood to blow all of your weeks calories for a shake, head on over to Juice Tap! They seriously are delicious. The service is awesome and the atmosphere is friendly and inviting. You'll enjoy your food experience there!
So of the three items I mentioned, which one would you choose? Let me know in the comments below and as always, thanks so much for stopping by!
XOXO
Have you ever thought about what kind of new diet fads are going to be around in the next 10 years? I mean seriously, when I was a kid you either ate meat or you didn't. To be quite honest, fad or not, I'd be a pescatarian if the lifestyle wasn't too expensive to maintain. In fact, I've tried it once before. My grocery bill got a little too pricey for me to keep it up though... and I missed chicken. Anywho, I love seafood so when I was recently invited to Brio Tuscan Grill to try out their new seafood celebration menu, I was ALL IN! I love Brio and have always had pleasant dining experiences there. As I've mentioned before, they truly live up to the meaning of their name, "lively" or "full of life" and it definitely shows in their food! From now until June 17th, you can enjoy the new Spring menu at Brio! If you love seafood, you're going to be hooked, pun intended, because each and every one of these seafood dishes are delicious!
SEAFOOD CELEBRATION!
There are certain things that are must-haves when I dine out. For some that's appetizers and for others it might be dessert. For me, it's a cocktail or glass of wine and what's better than one cocktail? Three cocktails! My friend and I sampled all three of the new cocktails from the new Spring menu and all of them were light, fresh, and tasty!
(From L-R)
Blackberry Infused Cosmo:
This was my friend's favorite cocktail. It was a blackberry and pineapple infusion with black raspberry liquor, lime juice, and basil simple syrup.
Blackberry Cooler:
Blackberry infusion with rum, black raspberry liquor, pineapple and lime juice, and basil simple syrup.
Blackberry Fizz:
This was my favorite. It reminded me of a wine cooler. It was a blackberry infusion of black raspberry liquor, Moscato, lemon, and lemon & lime juice.
Chef's Seasonal Bruschetta
I love that Brio switches up the bruschetta every season. This spring bruschetta is dangerous. I believe I ate 4 of them while we were waiting on our main course. These delicious little pieces of Italian bread were topped with olive oil, cheese, red wine cooked onions, asparagus, and proscuitto. Ummmmm...AMAZING!
Calamari Fritto Misto:
I usually don't care much for calamari, but these were pretty good. They were fried to a golden brown with pepperoncini, and aoili and pomodoro sauce for dipping. It was a perfect starter for the seafood dinner coming up!
Grilled Salmon Fresca:
This dish was so beautiful to me! I am going to try to recreate this at home. Not only was is appeasing to the eye, it tasted great too. The salmon was grilled and seasoned to perfection and topped with grilled asparagus, sweet potatoes, spinach, red peppers, pesto vinaigrette, Feta cheese, tomatoes, and finished with a balsamic drizzle.
Shrimp Mediterranean:
This dish was pretty light and very flavorful. The shrimp were grilled and had a little kick. They were on a bed of orzo, farro, broccoli, asparagus, grape tomatoes. spinach, Feta, and a pesto vinaigrette.
Lobster and Shrimp Ravioli
This dish was AMAZEBALLS! It came with the same spicy black pepper cream used in the Spicy Shrimp & Eggplant dish and I could literally drink the stuff it's so good! The ravioli were full of the lobster and shrimp mixture and there were loads of spinach and tomatoes throughout the dish. Seriously guys, this dish is everything!
As if we could handle anything else after the amazing meal, we were brought the seasonal Creme Brulee cheesecake. It was made with vanilla bean, caramelized sugar, and a drizzling of caramel. It was delicious and incredibly decadent! We shared it and still couldn't finish it.
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed dining at Brio. Everything is always deliciously prepared. As I mentioned earlier, the Spring Seafood menu will be available until June 17th so you can take your mom for Mother's Day, your Dad for Father's day, and your friends and family members for a Graduation dinner! It is that time of year ya know! If you do, you can partake in the gift card promotion Brio is having during this time. For every $100 spent in gift card purchases, guests will receive a free $25 bonus card that can be used towards all of these amazing dishes!
Head over to Brio's website and read more about their new menu, purchase a gift card, and make your next dinner reservation and as always, thank you for stopping by! Have a fabulous day!
XOXO
4663 River City Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32246, USA
Seafood Celebration at BRIO Tuscan Grille
Have you ever thought about what kind of new diet fads are going to be around in the next 10 years? I mean seriously, when I was a kid you either ate meat or you didn't. To be quite honest, fad or not, I'd be a pescatarian if the lifestyle wasn't too expensive to maintain. In fact, I've tried it once before. My grocery bill got a little too pricey for me to keep it up though... and I missed chicken. Anywho, I love seafood so when I was recently invited to Brio Tuscan Grill to try out their new seafood celebration menu, I was ALL IN! I love Brio and have always had pleasant dining experiences there. As I've mentioned before, they truly live up to the meaning of their name, "lively" or "full of life" and it definitely shows in their food! From now until June 17th, you can enjoy the new Spring menu at Brio! If you love seafood, you're going to be hooked, pun intended, because each and every one of these seafood dishes are delicious!
SEAFOOD CELEBRATION!
There are certain things that are must-haves when I dine out. For some that's appetizers and for others it might be dessert. For me, it's a cocktail or glass of wine and what's better than one cocktail? Three cocktails! My friend and I sampled all three of the new cocktails from the new Spring menu and all of them were light, fresh, and tasty!
(From L-R)
Blackberry Infused Cosmo:
This was my friend's favorite cocktail. It was a blackberry and pineapple infusion with black raspberry liquor, lime juice, and basil simple syrup.
Blackberry Cooler:
Blackberry infusion with rum, black raspberry liquor, pineapple and lime juice, and basil simple syrup.
Blackberry Fizz:
This was my favorite. It reminded me of a wine cooler. It was a blackberry infusion of black raspberry liquor, Moscato, lemon, and lemon & lime juice.
Chef's Seasonal Bruschetta
I love that Brio switches up the bruschetta every season. This spring bruschetta is dangerous. I believe I ate 4 of them while we were waiting on our main course. These delicious little pieces of Italian bread were topped with olive oil, cheese, red wine cooked onions, asparagus, and proscuitto. Ummmmm...AMAZING!
Calamari Fritto Misto:
I usually don't care much for calamari, but these were pretty good. They were fried to a golden brown with pepperoncini, and aoili and pomodoro sauce for dipping. It was a perfect starter for the seafood dinner coming up!
Grilled Salmon Fresca:
This dish was so beautiful to me! I am going to try to recreate this at home. Not only was is appeasing to the eye, it tasted great too. The salmon was grilled and seasoned to perfection and topped with grilled asparagus, sweet potatoes, spinach, red peppers, pesto vinaigrette, Feta cheese, tomatoes, and finished with a balsamic drizzle.
Shrimp Mediterranean:
This dish was pretty light and very flavorful. The shrimp were grilled and had a little kick. They were on a bed of orzo, farro, broccoli, asparagus, grape tomatoes. spinach, Feta, and a pesto vinaigrette.
Lobster and Shrimp Ravioli
This dish was AMAZEBALLS! It came with the same spicy black pepper cream used in the Spicy Shrimp & Eggplant dish and I could literally drink the stuff it's so good! The ravioli were full of the lobster and shrimp mixture and there were loads of spinach and tomatoes throughout the dish. Seriously guys, this dish is everything!
As if we could handle anything else after the amazing meal, we were brought the seasonal Creme Brulee cheesecake. It was made with vanilla bean, caramelized sugar, and a drizzling of caramel. It was delicious and incredibly decadent! We shared it and still couldn't finish it.
As always, I thoroughly enjoyed dining at Brio. Everything is always deliciously prepared. As I mentioned earlier, the Spring Seafood menu will be available until June 17th so you can take your mom for Mother's Day, your Dad for Father's day, and your friends and family members for a Graduation dinner! It is that time of year ya know! If you do, you can partake in the gift card promotion Brio is having during this time. For every $100 spent in gift card purchases, guests will receive a free $25 bonus card that can be used towards all of these amazing dishes!
Head over to Brio's website and read more about their new menu, purchase a gift card, and make your next dinner reservation and as always, thank you for stopping by! Have a fabulous day!
XOXO
Hey Lovelies!
When I was in college, myself and several of my classmates survived on Top Ramen noodles! I'm pretty sure many of you can relate whether you attended college or not. It was a $0.10 staple to get you by when the fridge was looking bare! If you were anything like me, you "doctored" up your ramen by adding all sorts of toppings and protein! I loved adding chicken or shrimp, a little cheese, and scallions if I was feeling fancy! Remember I was a college student. I never would've thought that there would be an abundance of restaurant concepts, popping up, that specializes in craft ramen! Crane Ramen recently opened in Jacksonville and it's been all the craze!
We started off with appetizers or OTSUMAMI which means "small snack" in Japanese.
Kimchi Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with garlic mushrooms, lardons, and kimchi puree. These were some of the best Brussels sprouts I've ever eaten. They were perfectly flavored and had pieces of pork through out that were the perfect addition.
Chicken Steamed Buns
Kara-age chicken tossed in rayu mayonaisse and pickled radish. This was a nice starter. The buns were some of the softest pieces of bread I've ever eaten. The flavor of the chicken and mayo with the radish meshed together well. I'd definitely order them again.
House-made Kimichi
When I was a kid, there was nothing on this side of heaven that would get me to eat this. Thank God for a matured palette. I actually really like it! (It's actually pretty good Mommy! lol)
The Ramen is craft and scratch made! At Crane, whenever possible, the meat, eggs, and poultry are local, and the vegetables come from farms with in a 100 mile radius.
SHIO
Sea salt favor ramen with a blended chicke and sadhi broth topped with snow crab, pork belly, six-minute egg, nori, enoki mushrooms, garlic oil, and scallions. This was my friend Christin's ramen. She said it was good but needed more heat. I wouldn't mind trying this ramen next time around for the crab meat alone!
PAITAN
Rich, ginger-scented chicken broth topped with confit lemon chicken, bok choy, oven-roasted tomato, soy-marinated egg, pickled onion, nori, and scallions. This was my friend Yuri's ramen. It looked super safe and super healthy in my opinion. She got it without the egg and said she really enjoyed it that evening and again the next day for lunch.
SHOYU
This was made with soy sauce and chicken and dashi broth topped with pork chashu, bokeh hoy, soy marinated egg, menma,nori, saba oil, and scallions. I added pork belly for a couple of bucks because I mean....it's pork belly and it was only a couple of bucks. I'm so glad I did because it was cooked to perfection and brought the entire dish together for me.
The ramen was cooked well! The noodles were perfectly al dente and there was lots of flavor. I will add though that the flavors were more developed when I had the rest for lunch the next day.
Macha Green Tea Ice Cream
This was the dessert for the evening. There is no dessert menu per say because they vary depending on the day. I didn't taste it but if it was made with match green tea and orange zest, I imagine it was a very refreshing dessert.
Overall, I am very pleased with Crane! I really enjoyed the Otsumami and everything was reasonably priced. They recently opened and I believe restaurants get better and better with time. This was my first craft ramen experience and I look forward to going back!
Have you ever been to a craft ramen restaurant? Let me know in the comments below!
As always, thanks so much for stopping by!
XOXO
Riverside, Downtown, FL, USA
Crane Ramen (Jacksonville)
Hey Lovelies!
When I was in college, myself and several of my classmates survived on Top Ramen noodles! I'm pretty sure many of you can relate whether you attended college or not. It was a $0.10 staple to get you by when the fridge was looking bare! If you were anything like me, you "doctored" up your ramen by adding all sorts of toppings and protein! I loved adding chicken or shrimp, a little cheese, and scallions if I was feeling fancy! Remember I was a college student. I never would've thought that there would be an abundance of restaurant concepts, popping up, that specializes in craft ramen! Crane Ramen recently opened in Jacksonville and it's been all the craze!
We started off with appetizers or OTSUMAMI which means "small snack" in Japanese.
Kimchi Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Brussels sprouts tossed with garlic mushrooms, lardons, and kimchi puree. These were some of the best Brussels sprouts I've ever eaten. They were perfectly flavored and had pieces of pork through out that were the perfect addition.
Chicken Steamed Buns
Kara-age chicken tossed in rayu mayonaisse and pickled radish. This was a nice starter. The buns were some of the softest pieces of bread I've ever eaten. The flavor of the chicken and mayo with the radish meshed together well. I'd definitely order them again.
House-made Kimichi
When I was a kid, there was nothing on this side of heaven that would get me to eat this. Thank God for a matured palette. I actually really like it! (It's actually pretty good Mommy! lol)
The Ramen is craft and scratch made! At Crane, whenever possible, the meat, eggs, and poultry are local, and the vegetables come from farms with in a 100 mile radius.
SHIO
Sea salt favor ramen with a blended chicke and sadhi broth topped with snow crab, pork belly, six-minute egg, nori, enoki mushrooms, garlic oil, and scallions. This was my friend Christin's ramen. She said it was good but needed more heat. I wouldn't mind trying this ramen next time around for the crab meat alone!
PAITAN
Rich, ginger-scented chicken broth topped with confit lemon chicken, bok choy, oven-roasted tomato, soy-marinated egg, pickled onion, nori, and scallions. This was my friend Yuri's ramen. It looked super safe and super healthy in my opinion. She got it without the egg and said she really enjoyed it that evening and again the next day for lunch.
SHOYU
This was made with soy sauce and chicken and dashi broth topped with pork chashu, bokeh hoy, soy marinated egg, menma,nori, saba oil, and scallions. I added pork belly for a couple of bucks because I mean....it's pork belly and it was only a couple of bucks. I'm so glad I did because it was cooked to perfection and brought the entire dish together for me.
The ramen was cooked well! The noodles were perfectly al dente and there was lots of flavor. I will add though that the flavors were more developed when I had the rest for lunch the next day.
Macha Green Tea Ice Cream
This was the dessert for the evening. There is no dessert menu per say because they vary depending on the day. I didn't taste it but if it was made with match green tea and orange zest, I imagine it was a very refreshing dessert.
Overall, I am very pleased with Crane! I really enjoyed the Otsumami and everything was reasonably priced. They recently opened and I believe restaurants get better and better with time. This was my first craft ramen experience and I look forward to going back!
Have you ever been to a craft ramen restaurant? Let me know in the comments below!
As always, thanks so much for stopping by!
XOXO
Hi Dolls,
I recently had the pleasure of sampling the new winter menu items at one of my favorite restuarants at the St. John's Town Center. Brio Tuscan Grill continously lives up to the meaning of their name by providing "lively" or "full of life" Tuscan dining experiences. Along with some of my favorite, fellow influencers from around town, we enjoyed an afternoon of good company, good laughs, and good food! We tried several of the classic Tuscan dishes and indulged in the new delectable risotto dishes from their winter menu. From now until March 25th, you can do your tastebuds a solid and follow suit! Let's get right into these dishes shall we?!?!
THE RISOTTOS
"It's a Risotto Celebration!"
Shrimp Risotto and Broiled Lobster Tail
I have to start off with this beautiful dish. It was as enjoyabe to eat as it was to look at. I mean it is literally picture perfect. Sheer lusciousness! This risotto was made with succulent lobster and shrimp, mushrooms, red peppers, asparagus, and basil. It was jam packed with flavor and was definitely the crowd pleaser. It was easily my favorite of the evening and it goes without saying that I will return to it the next time I visit Brio.
Sea Scallop Risotto
It was pretty hard to choose but if I had to, this would be the dish that was my second favorite for the evening! The pan seared scallops were cooked to perfection with ratatouille vegetables, basil, and red pepper. The flavors were magical together and with the tender scallops, it literally melted in your mouth.
Salmon Risotto
This was another star! I loved the flavor of the grilled salmon. It also had mushrooms, asparagus, red pepper, and basil in it. All flavors for a killer risotto. As a matter of fact, the next time I make risotto at home, I will be sure to add mushrooms, asparagus, and basil to the dish. The work together perfectly.
Sweet Potato & Chicken Risotto
One thing I love about risotto is that you can add just about anything you'd like into it. Along with the sweet potatoes, it had pancetta, oven roasted chicken, asparagus, and toasted pine nuts. It was the perfect marriage of sweet and savory.
THE APPETIZERS
Spicy Shrimp & Eggplant
I'm normally not a huge eggplant fan but I thoroughly enjoyed this appetizer. The shrimp were tossed in a delicious black pepper cream sauce so they had a little kick to them and the eggplant was fried to a golden crisp. The flavors meshed well together and I very much enjoyed it.
Chef's Seasonal Bruschetta
I am a sucker for bruschetta! To know me is to know that I love bread so to give me little slices of it doused in olive oil and topped with seasonal yumminess, I am all the way here for it! This bruschetta had slices of pepperoni, perroncini peppers, and mozarella....need I say more? It was delicious!
Beef Carpaccio
The thinly sliced beef was accompanied by field greens. capers, and a delicious mustard aioli.
CLASSIC FAVORITES
Pesto Chisken & Quinoa Salad
I'm so happy we had the opportunity to sample some of the classic items from the regular menu. This was my favorite of the two. The pesto chicken was very flavorful and came dressed with red peppers, asparagus, quinoa, farro, cucumbers, chickpeas, tomatoes, Feta, arugula, and a creamy herb dressing. It was very light but so delicious!
Chicken Limone
This was lightly battered, topped with lemon and capers and served with delicious Yukon gold mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. It was definitely a dish made for comfort.
DESSERT
Of course we ended the evening on a sweet note, sampling the new molten chocolate cake with marscapone cream and white chocolate raspberry gelato! Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds.
There were also samples of the classic menu trios, Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse, and Caramal Marscapone Cheesecake. All of them were sinful to say the least. Sweet and decadent, especially the cheesecake!
This was an delightful experience and I am very thankful to be given the opportunity to share an evening with wonderful individuals in the name of food! I thoroughly enjoyed sampling each of the new items from the Brio Winter menu. Everything was amazing! As I mentioned earlier, the majority of these menu items, including the risotto dishes and Molten Chocolate Cake are seasonal and will only be available until March 25th. They were delicious and you won't want to miss out on them so make sure to get out to your nearest Brio Tuscan Grille and indulge in some Tuscan-inspired comfort meals.
As always thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a wonderful day!
XOXO
Brio Winter Menu 2018
Hi Dolls,
I recently had the pleasure of sampling the new winter menu items at one of my favorite restuarants at the St. John's Town Center. Brio Tuscan Grill continously lives up to the meaning of their name by providing "lively" or "full of life" Tuscan dining experiences. Along with some of my favorite, fellow influencers from around town, we enjoyed an afternoon of good company, good laughs, and good food! We tried several of the classic Tuscan dishes and indulged in the new delectable risotto dishes from their winter menu. From now until March 25th, you can do your tastebuds a solid and follow suit! Let's get right into these dishes shall we?!?!
THE RISOTTOS
"It's a Risotto Celebration!"
Shrimp Risotto and Broiled Lobster Tail
I have to start off with this beautiful dish. It was as enjoyabe to eat as it was to look at. I mean it is literally picture perfect. Sheer lusciousness! This risotto was made with succulent lobster and shrimp, mushrooms, red peppers, asparagus, and basil. It was jam packed with flavor and was definitely the crowd pleaser. It was easily my favorite of the evening and it goes without saying that I will return to it the next time I visit Brio.
Sea Scallop Risotto
It was pretty hard to choose but if I had to, this would be the dish that was my second favorite for the evening! The pan seared scallops were cooked to perfection with ratatouille vegetables, basil, and red pepper. The flavors were magical together and with the tender scallops, it literally melted in your mouth.
Salmon Risotto
This was another star! I loved the flavor of the grilled salmon. It also had mushrooms, asparagus, red pepper, and basil in it. All flavors for a killer risotto. As a matter of fact, the next time I make risotto at home, I will be sure to add mushrooms, asparagus, and basil to the dish. The work together perfectly.
Sweet Potato & Chicken Risotto
One thing I love about risotto is that you can add just about anything you'd like into it. Along with the sweet potatoes, it had pancetta, oven roasted chicken, asparagus, and toasted pine nuts. It was the perfect marriage of sweet and savory.
THE APPETIZERS
Spicy Shrimp & Eggplant
I'm normally not a huge eggplant fan but I thoroughly enjoyed this appetizer. The shrimp were tossed in a delicious black pepper cream sauce so they had a little kick to them and the eggplant was fried to a golden crisp. The flavors meshed well together and I very much enjoyed it.
Chef's Seasonal Bruschetta
I am a sucker for bruschetta! To know me is to know that I love bread so to give me little slices of it doused in olive oil and topped with seasonal yumminess, I am all the way here for it! This bruschetta had slices of pepperoni, perroncini peppers, and mozarella....need I say more? It was delicious!
Beef Carpaccio
The thinly sliced beef was accompanied by field greens. capers, and a delicious mustard aioli.
CLASSIC FAVORITES
Pesto Chisken & Quinoa Salad
I'm so happy we had the opportunity to sample some of the classic items from the regular menu. This was my favorite of the two. The pesto chicken was very flavorful and came dressed with red peppers, asparagus, quinoa, farro, cucumbers, chickpeas, tomatoes, Feta, arugula, and a creamy herb dressing. It was very light but so delicious!
Chicken Limone
This was lightly battered, topped with lemon and capers and served with delicious Yukon gold mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables. It was definitely a dish made for comfort.
DESSERT
Of course we ended the evening on a sweet note, sampling the new molten chocolate cake with marscapone cream and white chocolate raspberry gelato! Yes, it was as amazing as it sounds.
There were also samples of the classic menu trios, Creme Brulee, Chocolate Mousse, and Caramal Marscapone Cheesecake. All of them were sinful to say the least. Sweet and decadent, especially the cheesecake!
This was an delightful experience and I am very thankful to be given the opportunity to share an evening with wonderful individuals in the name of food! I thoroughly enjoyed sampling each of the new items from the Brio Winter menu. Everything was amazing! As I mentioned earlier, the majority of these menu items, including the risotto dishes and Molten Chocolate Cake are seasonal and will only be available until March 25th. They were delicious and you won't want to miss out on them so make sure to get out to your nearest Brio Tuscan Grille and indulge in some Tuscan-inspired comfort meals.
As always thanks so much for stopping by!
Have a wonderful day!
XOXO
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