'town

[Metro Jacksonville]

'town



Gastronomist and happy Riverside resident, Cari Sanchez-Potter takes MetroJacksonville's readers to the newest spot on the Avondale Lineup.  Join her as she parses and peruses the selection of a seriously well designed brunch menu and reviews the dining selections.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-jul-town

[BridgeTroll]

Mmmm... THIS I gotta try!

[77danj7]

wow...Incredible review!  May have to go to 'town this weekend!

[finehoe]

we are far, far behind other cities

This should be on the Seal of the City of Jacksonville.

'town sounds great, can't wait to try it.

[ChriswUfGator]

I love her reviews, but not sure what to make of this restaurant. Their food is bizarre and the prices are nuts....

[SPR Nole]

I really do not get the complaints about price.  If you get the 3 for $33 you will have plenty to eat and when I go to a place like Orsay or Aix I always spend more than that for an entree and 1 other item.  It may not be cheap, but price is not a reason to complain about this place.

And the duck confit was very, very tasty!

[ChriswUfGator]

I really do not get the complaints about price.  If you get the 3 for $33 you will have plenty to eat and when I go to a place like Orsay or Aix I always spend more than that for an entree and 1 other item.  It may not be cheap, but price is not a reason to complain about this place.

And the duck confit was very, very tasty!

What do you mean you don't get the complaint about price? Nobody goes to a high-end restaurant to order a super-cheap special with a side of nothing and an ice-water. That defeats the whole point of going! In the real world everybody is generally going to have an app, an entree, and some kind of cocktail(s) and/or wine.

So understanding that's the case, then the reality is that this place is pricey for what's delivered.

[konstantconsumer]

i have to disagree, chris.  i've been there several times now.  for about $40-45 i get two glasses of wine and more food than i can eat.  the meal is excellent, the staff is great and it's a beautiful restaurant.  if you want cheaper, you have to be willing to eat lower quality food in a lower quality setting.

[reednavy]

if you want cheaper, you have to be willing to eat lower quality food in a lower quality setting.

Now that is a crock of shit.

[ChriswUfGator]

i have to disagree, chris.  i've been there several times now.  for about $40-45 i get two glasses of wine and more food than i can eat.  the meal is excellent, the staff is great and it's a beautiful restaurant.  if you want cheaper, you have to be willing to eat lower quality food in a lower quality setting.

Well, again, let's be realistic here. That's $45 for ONE PERSON, which is actually pretty outrageous for this particular product. That comes out to roughly $60 a head, after you include tax and tip. But then you have to figure most people have a spouse, or a date, or kids, etc. etc. I don't think most folks don't go out to a nice restaurant to sit all by themselves.

So even by your own figures, a simple dinner for 2 adds up to the very same $100-$150 price point that everybody has observed with this place. That's pretty pricey. I also disagree that if I want lower prices I have to tolerate a crappy setting and bad food. That's not true.

As a case in point, IMHO, this place is really trying to channel/copy BBs vibe and style, but BBs has much better food at 1/2 the price. Orsay is also better and costs less. Ruth's Chris is, while admittedly a different type of dining, also better and costs about the same. There's a pretty long list of better places for less, actually.

Hell, some of the best meals I've had in this city were at dinner get-togethers where Stephen Dare happened to be attending and cooking, and then I didn't have to go to any restaurant at all. That guy knows his way around a kitchen. And I still can't get used to watching people buy shoes 10ft away from where I'm supposed to be eating. At least it sets you up for a great line if the meat's tough..."miss...sorry, but I think this was supposed to go to the other side" LMAO

[BridgeTroll]

My Wife, daughter and myself had the pleasure of dining at 'town Saturday night.  In a word... Awesome!  We were seated by Patrick (Manager) at the counter with a great view of the Head Chef... Scott, and his staff prepare and plate the food.  I enjoyed watching them in action and conversing with the chefs.  The food is great... the staff is great... the vibe is great.  I will certainly return and recommend all to give 'town a try.  I think you will enjoy!

Thank you Patrick and Scott!  You have a great staff!

[konstantconsumer]

i'm glad someone else has enjoyed it, bridgetroll.  it's my favorite place to eat now!

[floridaforester]

My wife and I went for the first time and dined with another couple.  We all had a great time and thoroughly enjoyed every one of the dishes.  We all split a couple of the 3 for $33 prix fixe plus a cheese selection and it was the perfect amount of food.  $70-75 for four is not a bad price. If it hadn't been for the 2 bottles of wine plus a few beers (the Abita was quite tasty;), our total tab would have actually been quite reasonable. Town uses all quality, fresh and local ingredients and that is what we need more of in this town.  It was the perfect amount of food and, as much as I like leftovers, it was refreshing not to have so much food on our plates that we HAD to take it home.  Since their approach to fresh and local ingredients is very green, I'm assuming that they also offer biodegradable to-go boxes like E St does now.

[ChriswUfGator]

If it hadn't been for the 2 bottles of wine plus a few beers (the Abita was quite tasty;), our total tab would have actually been quite reasonable.

Most folks have cocktails, beer, or wine with a nice dinner, so excluding that from the total price is kind of like saying "if I hadn't ordered an entree, then the total tab would have been reasonable." And speaking of that, your party only ordered 2 entree menu items and a cheese plate and then split that among 4 people. Even after you excluded the drinks, tax, and tip, your bill was still $75.00 for what really amounted to just the food in a dinner for 2.

I still think this place is mega-overpriced...

[konstantconsumer]

It's funny how different perspectives can be.  I find the place to be a steal.