Roadfood in North Florida

Eating like a local:
Regional food specialties 
- Passing thru Jacksonville 

We drove down to South Florida at the end of December and stopped overnight in both Nashville and Jacksonville. We didnt have a ton of time in either spot as we arrived in the late afternoon and left the next morning. But since we were only four hours from South Florida we weren't in a rush to get out of town thus I was able to check out some spots on my list. But we didn't stay directly in Jacksonville instead opting to stay near the water in Atlantic Beach and most of my roundup reflects that. 

Atlantic Beach Florida
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Lubi's Hot Subs (Jacksonville)

As longtime readers know - I love the unique roadfood stops. It's not always about the food at places like Lubi's Hot Subs in Jacksonville. I'd had plans to stop in Jacksonville previously to this and Lubi's was a spot I found while searching around. I knew I wanted to go there as soon as I saw the pictures of it. It's a prototypical 1970's sandwich shop having first opened in 1969. I visited Lubi's semi early on a Sunday morning and it was pretty busy with customers mostly there for a bacon, egg, and cheese on pita. There's a very obscure regional sandwich thought to originally be from Jacksonville called the Camel Rider or sometimes Desert Rider, as it can also be called. It's a pita stuffed with cold cuts plus lettuce, tomato, and Italian dressing. You can read all about the Camel Riders history in this fun and informative read in the New York Times by Southern Food Historian and fellow regional food aficionado John T. Edge by clicking HERE. All the popular spots known for their Camel Riders were closed on Sundays. They did have one on the menu at Lubi's but I was there for a steamed sub. 

Sign inside Lubi's

According to my friend / fellow food blogger Sef Gonzalez (aka Burger Beast) - Lubi's was founded in 1969 by a lady looking for a new hobby. It grew to five locations in the Jacksonville area at its peak but today there's just one left which I believe is ran by the founders daughter and grand daughter. As you can read in the picture above Lubi's is popular for their steamed subs which are made with ground beef, steamed onions and cheese. They offer six different steamed subs ranging from the original Lubi to the Fiesta Lubi which is the original Lubi topped with chili, sour cream and both American and Mozzarella cheese plus lettuce and tomato. That sounded like a bit much plus from what I read in reviews it seems like the Mozzarella Lubi is the most popular - ground beef, onions, and American cheese is topped with sour cream, mozzarella and marinara and the whole thing is steamed on a boat made of Aluminum foil. Lubi's sandwiches are served with a fork and a knife as they basically morph into a soggy mess when steamed. I'm glad I stopped but not sure I'll plot a return. 

Mozzarella Lubi at Lubi's Hot Subs
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Singleton's Seafood Shack (Mayport Village)

Unfortunately O’Steens down in St. Augustine was closed the Sunday we would be passing through. The 2022 S'C'&C 'Stop of the Year' serves up the best fried shrimp I've ever had but they aren't the only popular stop for fried shrimp in these parts. So we visited another old Roadfood favorite instead as I’d never been to Singleton's Seafood Shack. It's located in the Village of Mayport which some call a fisherman's dream, it's an authentic Old Florida waterfront village located on the St. Johns River two miles east of the Atlantic Ocean. The locally caught Mayport fried shrimp isn’t as good at Singleton's as it is at O’Steens but it’s still better than the majority of fried shrimp elsewhere. The Minorcan chowder, another local specialty, was bland but improved with a few drops of locally produced Datil Pepper Hot Sauce. I feel like this place may have passed it's prime as it too opened in 1969 and although it's still the definition of a shack it seems like more of a tourist trap than a locals stop as the shrimp wasn't cheap despite it being abundant in the area but it is on the water so there's that.

Fried Shrimp and Minorcan Clam Chowder at Singleton's Seafood Shack
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Safe Harbor Seafood (Mayport Village)

If you only have time (or the stomach space) for one Mayport Village stop I would go to Safe Harbor Seafood Market / Restaurant. We started off at their seafood market where locally caught large head on Mayport shrimp was on sale for $3/lb. I had planned ahead and brought a cooler down with me so we went ahead and got ten pounds of shrimp to bring down to South Florida with us - it took forever to shell and devein all of it but we ate well for a couple weeks. After procuring our shrimp which they loaded up on ice for us we went across the street to the restaurant. The setup at Safe Harbor is like pretty much every other popular fried seafood stop in that you order at the counter and then take a number to the outside deck where they come find you. We got an order of the fried shrimp which was thinly coated with just the right bite. I wish they sold it by the pound as the fries and cole slaw that comes with it aren't much more than filler. We also got a 1/2 lb of the steamed shrimp which was nice and plump and had the taste and texture of mini lobsters. Safe Harbor is a smooth sailing operation. 

Lunch at Safe Harbor Seafood (click pics to enhance)
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AB Kitchen (Atlantic Beach)

We stayed at a cute little boutique hotel in Atlantic Beach which is the northernmost of Jacksonville's three beach communities. The menu at AB Kitchen looked more like one you would find in a trendy food neighborhood in the city than that of a popular beach vacation community. We stopped in for an appetizer and some drinks while waiting for a table at another restaurant nearby. The crab fried rice was the reason we stopped in as Erica had scoped it out - good call by her, she learned from the best. Haha. After a few runs of average fried rice in hip and trendy restaurants like this I was very much surprised with the cooking quality of this version served with snow crab, shiitakes, scallions, bean sprouts, fish sauce, cilantro, lime. The rice was smoky and the taste of the crab was clear. 

Crab Fried Rice at AB Kitchen
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North Beach Fish Camp (Atlantic Beach)

I wasn't sure what to expect from this popular stop with tourists and what not. But North Beach Fish Camp is ran by a local restaurant group who also owns a popular seafood restaurant in the city so we decided to give it a go. After all it was a short walk from the hotel and I was very much intrigued with the many mentions of their shrimp and grits. We started out with their fried shrimp dinner and it was the best fried shrimp of the trio of plates we tried. It was bigger than the previous two spots and had slightly better texture to it too. The breading was a bit thicker and it did slip off a bit but in the end we both agreed this was the best of the bunch. The shrimp and grits are served with a white wine butter sauce and was one of the best preps I've tried. This makes sense when you come to understand this part of Florida is considered a part of the Low Country region which extends up the coast thru Georgia and into the Charleston South Carolina area. Every aspect of their shrimp and grits was good from the plump and abundant locally caught shrimp to the rich and creamy grits loaded with butter.  

Fried Shrimp at North Beach Fish Camp

Shrimp and Grits at North Beach Fish Camp
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Oaxacan Food in Lakeview

Chicago’s biggest food strength outside of its homegrown cuisine is its Mexican food scene - it’s arguably the best in the country east of LA. This is driven by the fact we have a perfect mix of both mom and pop taqueria types and also a large group of classically trained chefs cooking up cutting edge Mexican cuisine. But even still there’s room for growth and a newish Mexican restaurant in Lakeview is focusing in on Oaxacan cuisine, which has always been somewhat lacking in Chicago (the majority of Chicago's Mexican population hail from three states - Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero).

Recently Opened in Lakeview

Istmo opened on Clark just north of Belmont last summer. It’s the product of Chef Carlos López Muñoz who hails from Oaxaca. Istmo de Tehuantepec is the largest region in the state of Oaxaca and according to a story I read over at Eater Muñoz became interested in Mexican gastronomy while living in Finland, where real deal Mexican food is basically non existent. The Chicago chapter of his life story starts out at the Michelin-starred Mexique where he staged for Chef Carlos Gaytán after returning from Mexico upon completing his culinary studies down there. He also worked with Rick Bayless. Say what you will about Skip’s brother but him and his restaurant(s) have pushed Chicago's Mexican food scene forward with all the chefs that have come and gone thru his kitchen(s). Many of whom have gone on to open their own spots. Istmo is the latest and one of the more interesting due to a couple things 1) it’s very regional choosing to hone in on the flavors of Oaxaca and 2) it chose to roll with breakfast and lunch upon first opening, though they recently introduced a dinner menu.

a peek inside

The inside of Istmo feels like a spot you might come across in a hip and happening Oaxaca City neighborhood. It’s modern and bright and a very nice place to meet up with friends and or family. Visit on the weekend and you’ll feel a very uplifting energy upon entering. Locals have very much shown up for the modern takes on Oaxacan breakfast classics like the Enfrijoladas ($19). This dish traces its origins back to pre-Columbian times in Oaxaca and is one of the most popular versions of enchiladas in all of Mexico. Silky black bean sauce is poured over handmade corn tortillas topped with queso and crema and served aside plantains and a fried egg. You can add grilled steak, chicken tinga or green chorizo made locally by Santa Masa Tamaleria though it’s a pretty perfect plate of breakfast as is.

Enfrijoladas at Istmo

On another visit I tried the Huevos Divorciados ($18) which translates to “divorced eggs” which is a humorous name for this Mexican breakfast favorite featuring two eggs sitting in two different salsas, and they're not on speaking terms. The version at Istmo is made with a green tomatillo salsa and a red roasted tomato salsa split directly down the middle with a fried egg on each side plus a few slices of avocado, also split down the middle. It comes with fried made in house tortillas which have that distinct corn flavor plus creamy Oaxacan black beans and again it’s an exciting plate of breakfast and a meat free one at that. If you’re really hungry I suggest adding a side of their extra flavorful Papas Bravas breakfast potatoes ($7) which come doused in a spicy and smoky Guajillo and Chipotle aioli.

Papas Bravas

Huevos Divorciados at Istmo

If you want some red meat in the morning I suggest trying the Garnachas Istmeñas ($13) which was the most intriguing menu item to me as I’m always on the prowl for dishes you won’t find elsewhere and these tasty treats are a regional specialty of the previously mentioned Isthmus region of Oaxaca. Little boats of heirloom corn are patted out and cooked before being filled with red adobo marinated steak and topped with queso istmeño (a dried age cheese). They come with a cup of pickled vegetables on the side and are served two to an order so they make for a good appetizer option. I do find the prices at Istmo a bit off putting as nobody really wants to pay $25 for a meatless breakfast these days but that seems to be the norm. That said Mexican breakfast is underrated and the prices here are no different than other popular brunch places though the food feels much more personal. 

Garnachas Istmeñas at Istmo

Istmo Oaxacan Cuisine
3231 N Clark St
Chicago, IL 60657
(872) 315-2034
Website

Central Asian Food in Chicago

-Grubbing in Chicago (land)
Five of a Kind: Central Asian Restaurants

 A few years ago I started to notice quite a few Central Asian restaurants were opening up around Chicagoland. This is usually the first sign of a growing Ethnic community. According to Wikipedia Central Asia is made up of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. “The Stans” were once a part of the Soviet Union until they gained independence in 1991. Fast forward to today and there’s a few thriving Central Asian communities across the country. One of the largest is in NYC where there’s said to be more than 30,000 people of Uzbek descent. But the largest Central Asian community in the U.S. resides right here in the Chicagoland area where there’s said to be more than 40,000 people from Kyrgyzstan - that number differs depending on where you look but there’s enough that they felt the need to open a Kyrgyzstan General Consulate in downtown Chicago back in 2022. There’s also a Kyrgyz community center out in Arlington Heights. As is the case with most immigrant groups they came to the U.S. to seek a better life and in many cases to avoid the war between Russia and Ukraine. Many of them got jobs driving for cabs or rideshare services and others found jobs with trucking companies which is one of the big reasons they settled in Chicago - it’s geographic location in the middle of the country means there’s lots of truck routes in the area. Today we’re going to check out five spots that have opened up shop during this current boom in Chicago. Overall the total number of people in this community is pretty small but their economic footprint is expanding thanks to a network of people that really seem to stick together as far as supporting their own goes - these places are constantly packed with groups there to support their fellow people. 

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Tary Coffee House (River North)

Our first stop is in a bit of an unlikely place. Tary Coffee House in River North is the first U.S. outpost of a famous Central Asian chain based out of Kazakhstan - important to note the four countries that make up Central Asia are all similar in terms of food and culture. Tary is named after a variety of millet grown only in Western Kazakhstan. This Ancient Grain with a toasty taste to it finds its way into a few menu items at Tary. I visited early one Sunday morning which meant breakfast was being served. The early morning menu consists of a few egg based dishes plus a couple of porridge options. Even though I’m not much of a porridge eater I wanted to try the namesake porridge which is clearly one of their most popular dishes. It starts out with a bowl of those distinct grains of millet sitting in the bottom of a warm bowl of whole organic milk dotted with pomegranate seeds and served with sides of raspberry jam and organic ghee. The first sip without the sides was pretty standard as in it didn’t taste like much of anything but that changed when the jam and ghee were added in and it became a bit more flavorful. The texture of the tary was pleasant too but since I didn’t grow up eating oatmeal or porridge it wasn’t quite my style. I liked it then and there but don’t think I’ll seek it out again though don’t let that deter you from trying it or any of the other interesting Central Asian dishes on offer. I’ll likely be back to check out some of the interesting pastries made with tary. Read more about this unique spot over at The Reader where the great Mike Sula got the complete story - Click HERE.

Tary Porridge at Tary Coffee House
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Arzan Cafe (Albany Park)

There’s lots of intriguing options on the menu at this Central Asian cafe on Kedzie. So many in fact that on my first visit I had to hold off on the kebabs and dumplings (two of my favorite foods) in favor of the Boso Lagman which is a stir fried noodle dish - noodles being another one of my favorite things to eat. At Arzan Cafe they stir fry hand pulled noodles with beef and vegetables to make a dry version of the Uzbeki beef noodle soup known as Lagman which is commonly found in Central Asia and much of Russia. The noodles were nice and wholesome with a delicious tomato based sauce clinging to them while the beef was tender and the vegetables crisp. I also tried a Samsa which is similar to a Russian Pirozhki in that it’s a savory pastry. The Samsa is typically filled with beef and onions and not much different than the Pasty by way of Michigan's Upper Peninsula or Empanadas estilo Argentina. Though Samsa are traditionally baked in a tandoor oven which goes all the way back to its Silk Road roots. I talked to the owner of Arzan and he told me he comes from Kyrgyzstan as does much of the customer base with Chicago having the largest Kyrgyz community in the country. I’ll be back for for some of that manti as well as the shawarma. I was also intrigued with a weekend only special of Uzgen Plov, a rice pilaf cooked with devzira, a special type of rice grown in southern Kyrgyzstan. 

Samsa at Arzan Cafe

Lagman at Arzan Cafe
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Anor 1985 Restaurant (Lincoln Park)

One of the more interesting things about Chicago's Kyrgyz community is there doesn’t seem to be a single area where they settled. There is a big group of them out in the city’s Northwest suburbs but their restaurants are scattered throughout the Chicagoland area. Our next stop takes us to Anor 1985 which opened across the street from the Webster Place movie theatre in Lincoln Park a few years ago. I came here not too long after they first opened with John Kessler, my colleague and lead food writer at Chicago Magazine. We tried a handful of items incl. two different soups, Samsa, Manty, and a plate of the Plov. Both the Samsa and the Plov were clearly reheated but I liked the Mastava soup made with chopped beef, potatoes, onions, carrots, peppers, tomato paste, broth, and spices. It was basically a Central Asian style beef and veggie soup. The Manty were pretty good. Manti / Manty being a dumpling that originated in Central Asia. Kyrgyz style Manti is typically larger in size and commonly filled with lamb or beef and lots of chopped onions. The address here has been home many restaurants over the years but it seems like they finally found a match that can last. 

Dinner at Anor 1985 Restaurant
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Donerka Alma-Ata (Mount Prospect)

Next stop up takes us out to Mount Prospect where Donerka Alma Ata opened their doors back in the summer of 2023. According to their website they’re “the only 100% Halal Central Asian fast food restaurant in Chicagoland.” I added this place to my hit list when I saw they specialize in Central Asian style Doner kebab which was first brought to Anatolia (modern day Türkiye) by the Turks of Central Asia. Doner Kebab is truly the world’s most well traveled and influential dish in that you can variations of it all across the globe. Central Asian Doner is primarily lamb or chicken and toppings can differ depending on which country you’re in. Donerka makes a few different varieties and each of them are named after cities in Central Asia. The Almaty is named after the Capital of Kazakhstan, the Bishkek is named after the Capital of Kyrgyzstan and the Kyiv after the Capital of Ukraine (technically not Central Asia but they share similarities). We tried both the Almaty, as that’s the one the young owners wanted to showcase when they came up with the idea to open, and the Bishkek which seemed to be the most unique of the three. You can choose to do beef or chicken or both based on whichever style you choose. The Almaty comes stuffed with fries while the Bishkek is coated with sesame seeds on the outside. Diners can choose between hot sauce, garlic sauce or both. They just opened a second location in Lincoln Square so I plan on going there and trying the Kyiv variety. 

The Bishek Doner at Donerka Alma-Ata
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Sorry Mommy (Rolling Meadows)

I met up with a group of people including the aforementioned Mike Sula out in da burbs last May to further investigate this current wave of Central Asian restaurant openings in the Chicagoland area. I had a good feeling about the oddly named Sorry Mommy in Rolling Meadows - this was based on their menu which has much more than the typical Central Asian dishes of Manti, Lagman, Plov etc. In fact they had just introduced a new “Wok Menu” featuring many intriguing dishes you won’t find at other Central Asian spots. I was given the reigns on what to order and we started with the ‘Da Pan Ji’ aka "Big Plate Chicken" which we all agreed was a winner. This Uyghur dish had a very nice spice profile that seeped into the potatoes, tender bone-in chicken, and the toothsome made in house noodles with just the right texture. The ‘La Zi Ji’ aka Dry Chili Chicken was also a winner with crisp chunks of fried chicken mixed with peanuts, chilis, and fresh dill which worked surprisingly well. I forget the name of the crispy eggplant dish but it too was a hit. They seem to do noodles well judging by an order of the stir fried Lagman noodles which were texturally some of the best I’ve had in Chicagoland. I’ll have to further explore their kebab offerings as a 'Beef Roulette' was texturally unique with that smoky taste and smell that usually comes from the use of charcoal but I forgot to ask about that. Manty passed the dangling test (they were soft and sturdy) but I always feel like they could be a bit more spiced up as far as flavor but even still I thought these were pretty good with some of the spicy sauce rubbed on. This place has definitely changed my look on Central Asian cuisine and that’s likely due to the food we had from here being influenced by China as much as it is Russia. 

'Da Pan Ji' aka Big Plate Chicken

‘La Zi Ji’ aka Dry Chili Chicken at Sorry Mommy

Fried Eggplant

Lagman Noodles at Sorry Mommy

Manti Dumplings 

Beef Roulette at Sorry Mommy
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See ya next time @chibbqking

Void

-Grubbing in Chicago  
Italian-ish Food in Avondale

We're back for another season of chowing - the 18th to be exact! This very well may be the last hoorah but plans can change so we'll see. We're kicking it off in Avondale where Void opened last August. The Italian-ish restaurant is a joint project from three Chicago restaurant vets. According to a story I read in Time Out Chicago the three of them met while working at Analogue which was a few blocks down on Milwaukee but closed in 2016. Void replaced an old tavern and they did a great job keeping the old school feel of the place. Walking in feels like you're entering a longtime neighborhood staple.

Recently Opened in Avondale

The menu at Void reads like an old school red sauce spot with a handful of updated Italian-ish dishes mixed in. The housemade focaccia seems to be a crowd favorite early on. It's got a wonderfully springy texture and comes with a delicious fermented garlic honey butter. The "Spaghetti Uh-O's" toe the line between fake and great. This fun and delicious dish features little rings of Annelli Siciliani tossed in vodka sauce and mixed with mini meatballs in a play on SpaghettiOs. I loved the texture of both the pasta and the meatballs, which were abundant. The sauce wasn't spicy but it did have a nice red pepper kick to it. They even go so far as to serve this dish in a copycat labeled can but since the pasta doesn't sit in it too long it's void of that nasty metallic taste you get with SpaghettiOs.

Housemade Focaccia


Spaghetti Uh-O's

Gnocchi is a real hit or miss dish and because of that I don't order it unless there's a significant amount of recommendations for it. Well the gnocchi at Void comes highly recommended so I gave it a go as I loved the idea of it dressed like a fully loaded baked potato. Soft and tender gnocchi is tossed with pancetta, creme fraiche, Hooks 8 Year Cheddar, and crispy potato skins topped with chives. If I scored dishes this would earn the highest score of my two meals at Void. I'd also heard good things about the chicken parmesan which is a dish I commonly yearn for this time of the year. Void serves up a super solid version using half of a chicken meaning it's made with both white and dark meat. It's good to get to get if eating with a group, just make sure to score a piece of the dark meat as it has better texture. That said the white meat seemed to have been velveted so it was juicer and more texturally pleasing than most chicken parms made with breast meat. The dessert menu features a sundae of the month which was another gimmicky dish made with peanut butter gelato, raspberry sorbet, corn flake butter crunch and wait for it ... Malort caramel. I hate Malort but gave this dessert the benefit of the doubt since the Spaghetti Uh-Oh's were good. It tasted like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the Malort being very minimal - another fun dish. The cocktails are supposed to be good and I bet a few of them are also pretty fun but I chose to drink Peroni from the keg on my visits. Void reminds me alot of Analogue (minus that delicious dirty rice) in that it's a great neighborhood place. 

Gnocchi at Void

Chicken Parmesan at Void

Sundae of the Month

Void
2937 N Milwaukee Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
(872) 315-2199
Website