JAX- Best restaurant near the airport??

[sockster]

Spending an overnight in JAX- Where is the best place for a great meal?? Thanks

[marelyisdead]

The deafening silence you are hearing is illuminating. There's just not much near the airport. A few chains and that's about it. The best restaurants are in Riverside, Avondale, San Marco and downtown. If you staying near the airport you will not have much to choose from. So sorry! If you come thru again try one of the aforementioned neighborhoods or even visit Amelia Island.

[sockster]

Amazing....so we have a car....where to eat?? Thanks

[marelyisdead]

I like Pastiche and Orsay in the Avondale neighborhood. 13 Gypsies in Riverside is good for small plates. If you come to Amelia Island I like Le Clos, Kelley's Courtyard, Lulu's at the Thompson House and Merge. Avondale is about 20 -30 minutes from the Airport. Same for Amelia Island. Be sure to call ahead. Restaurants close early and take days off.

Orsay http://www.restaurantorsay.com/
Pastiche http://www.mypastiche.com/
13 Gypsies http://www.13gypsies.com/

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Le Clos
20 S 2nd St, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

[sockster]

THANKS...anything downtown worthy??

[marelyisdead]

I hear good things about La Cena. And Chew is very good but is only open for lunch during the week. (Chew is Orsay's sister restaurant.) Again, call ahead for hours and days of opening.

[Allan D]

Thanks all for the recommendations. Chew is open for lunch Mon-Fri and dinner on Thursday, Friday and (starting September 11th) Saturday night. If you are coming this week and we didn't miss you already, we are open all week for dinner to promote Eat Up Downtown.

[karenfinan]

going there tonight! can't wait to try it , the menu looks great.

[sockster]

Great...let us know what you think.

[karenfinan]

well, it was good, but not great. Service was top notch, and food was good enough that I would certainly give it another try, but didn't rise to say Orsay or 13 Gypsies level in my opinion. I do like going downtown, and hope that the folks trying to make a go of it downtown succeed. We had pork belly with roasted corn polenta, the sauce with it was great, a spicy tomato lime sauce that complimented the dish nicely. Pork belly was very so-so though, not much taste. I had the snapper,a nd my companion had the chicken. We both wanted the PEI mussels they had advertised, but they were unable to get them in (Understandable, those things happen, but disappointing). the snapper was very good, cooked perfectly, but a pretty small portion. Chicken was slightly dry. Dessert was a chocolate/earl grey concoction( its been a week since we ate there, my mind is fuzzy on the details) It was fine, but no taste of the earl grey at all. As I said, service was exceptional, and I would definitely give them another try when they have the regular menu in place.