Jacksonville Restaurants: Hole in the Wall, Part 11

[Metro Jacksonville]

Jacksonville Restaurants: Hole in the Wall, Part 11



5 more "hole in the wall" restaurants to experience.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-oct-jacksonville-restaurants-hole-in-the-wall-part-11

[acme54321]

Really? None of these (especially the last 3) are a whole in the wall.  They're just regular restaurants.

[02roadking]

Olio, a hole in the wall? Nah. Killer cheesesteak though.

[camarocane]

If you think Fuji is good for all you can eat sushi, please try Katea Sushi off of Roosevelt over by Ardens! Fuji on Hodges has been getting dinged by the restaurant inspector so I decided to try this place and will NEVER go back to Fuji.

[TheCat]

Really? None of these (especially the last 3) are a whole in the wall.  They're just regular restaurants.

Yeah, I go back and fourth on how to define "hole in the wall".

Sometimes, I define it as the totally ob-skewer place; hopefully, a bit run down but still serving excellent or at least, good food. Chopstick Charley's is a prime example.

French Pantry, for now,  is probably the ultimate HW place. It's off the beaten path. It's located in a warehouse district. The interior is shabby, at best. The carpets are faded. The tables and chairs are wobbly. And, you're definitely cramped in the space. Yet, the food is probably some of the best in Jax. Their desserts are some of the best I've had, ever.

Many people agree that Chomp Chomp is also a HW but what's the difference between Chomp Chomp and Knead in terms HW classification? Is it about the aesthetic and being packed into a space?

Maybe, it's the attitude, and I don't mean that as a pejorative. When I order from Chomp Chomp, I feel like I'm in a modern day diner-esque place. At Knead, it's modern-day yuppie-ish, which I think we're calling that hipster now. I'm not sure. Is that the distinguishing point?

Other considerations I have are about its well-knowness. Olio, may not be a HW in the classical sense (if such a definition exist) but I think very few people outside of those who work or live near DT know about Olio. That's one reason for their inclusion. The other is the quality to price ratio. Olio for example, serves high-end-ish quality food at mediocre franchise prices. I can go to Firehouse Subs and pay the same amount as I would for Olio. That puts a place closer to the hole in the wall category for me.

Ultimately, I can agree and disagree with you. I can see how these restaurants are not HW but I still feel justified in including them.

Maybe, it's time to build a "hole in the wall" matrix for easy classification.

Something that defines how much of a hole in the wall a particular restaurant is, that could be a fun pursuit.

[blfair]

Man, those cheese fries at Olio... so good.

[Gators312]

Olio is a true gem.  I don't even question driving from NAS Jax area for lunch.