While it's been far too long since I last posted some restaurant reviews, we haven't stopped trying new places (and revisiting old ones) over the past two months. Below is a quick run-down on our latest hits-and-misses in and around Gainesville. As always, drop me a line with suggestions.
So here's goes with the latest and greatest:
- Blue Desert Cafe: Last night we were in the mood for something different. One restaurant that has intrigued us each time we've passed it on the way to Cedar Key is a funky-looking, little place called Blue Desert Cafe. So yesterday evening we called ahead to make sure they were open and then took the 45 minute drive out to Cedar Key. Little did we know the long drive would be the quickest part of our dinner. While the server was pleasant (and she warned us of the wait), we literally sat and waited for over an hour from the time we placed our order until we were served. Traci ordered a personal sausage pizza and I had a shrimp and scallop burrito. The menu is an eclectic mix and our meal was good, but this still couldn't make up for such a long wait on top of our drive. For a kicker, we were pulled over leaving for supposedly "speeding". Cedar Key's finest graciously gave us a warning (We were doing "41" in a "30"; the sign said "35", anyways).
- New Deal Cafe and Sweet Dreams: This evening we stayed much closer to home and went back to New Deal Cafe for dinner. New Deal is the casual accompaniment to the adjoining upscale Mildred's Big City Food. After having eaten at both, we prefer to save our money and enjoy New Deal's very reasonably priced menu. We tried New Deal for the first time last month. On this second visit, I ordered a Maytag blue cheese burger and Traci had a regular hamburger. Both burgers were winners. For an appetizer, we shared a Mediterranean plate (a sampling of vegetable spreads with fresh bread). After dinner, we walked down to Sweet Dreams where I was able to twist Traci's arm into ordering some ice cream. She selected a cup of Mojito italian ice and I had a cup of chocolate hazelnut and toffee flavors. I've heard multiple people rave about Sweet Dreams having the best ice cream in town, and it's easy to see why (Sweet Dreams is also available at Buddha Belly and goes down great after a hot, spicy plate of curry).
- Five Guys Burgers and Fries: I guess we've been on a bit of a burger kick lately. A few
weekends ago we hopped in the car one Saturday and drove down to Ocala. Why there isn't a Five Guys Burgers yet in Gainesville I have no clue. I think a Five Guys would be a slam dunk in a college town. It's likely only a matter of time as new locations are popping up all over Central Florida. Originally started in Virginia, Five Guys is all about serving up big giant, sloppy hamburgers and bags full of fries. Nothing is frozen and the fries are cut daily. The Ocala location, which was swarming with retirees (maybe a steady diet of burgers and fries are the real secret to a long life?), didn't disappoint. On an unrelated note, there is a surprising amount of new construction on the southwest side of Ocala. There's several Five Guys now open in Jacksonville and a growing number sprouting up in and around Orlando and Tampa.
- The Original Pizza Palace: Dan Rua of the Florida Venture Blog turned me on recently to the re-opening of the Original Pizza Palace on NW 13th Street a few blocks from campus. Apparently,
before it closed in 1999, Original Pizza Palace was something of the Satchel's of its day. The Sun recently did an interesting piece about the back story of the restaurant's re-opening. On our first visit, we had a spunky server and a pretty good meal. I had a tasty lasagna and Traci had a plate of "mama's meat sauce." On our second visit with two friends, the level of service went down the tubes and our food was mediocre at best. Plus, unless we're imagining things, it seemed like the place had already raised prices since our first visit. The pizza was fairly plain tasting. I like the laid-back vibe of Original Pizza Palace and I hope it makes it, but the food isn't Satchel's or Blue Highway caliber. If you've been since Original Pizza Palace re-opened, I'd love to hear about it.
That's all for now. With a little luck, I'll have the chance to post more frequently this summer...
