Al's Pizza

Look, we've been to Italy. We've eaten authentic pizza in Napoli, its hometown and uncontested birthplace of Pizza Margherita, the ancient ancestor of the standard cheese pizza that we've all survived on at various low points in our lives. So excuse me while I audibly roll my eyes as you argue about the merits of Chicago-style pizza vs. New York-style pizza or agonize over whether to order from Dominos or Papa John's. I'll be over here in a full-on, shameless proclamation of pizza snobbery.

But although there are no authentic Neapolitan pizza places to be found anywhere near here (at least not that I'm aware of and I fully admit that there are plenty of things I am completely unaware of), Jacksonville does have a few respectable pizza joints where you can pick up some quality slices of pie. We've already covered the almighty Mellow Mushroom, one of the best to come in and grace the area, but Jacksonville is also fortunate enough to have a local, homegrown contender who I dare say can give the aforementioned hippie haven a run for its money (although Mellow Mushroom does have a better beer selection and that can definitely enhance the flavor of the food).

Al's Pizza isn't just another local restaurant chain, it's a Jacksonville icon, a staple in the diet of anyone who cares about either a) quality pizza or b) supporting worthwhile local businesses.

The pizza itself can come on a hand tossed, New York style thin crust or a sicilian style thick crust. I'm a big fan of a thinner crust, as are the Neapolitans, so after I'm done rolling my eyes during the aforementioned argument, I guess I'll be voting New York style. The default configuration includes cheese and tomato sauce but there are a variety of predefined pizzas available on the menu or you can choose from a vast array of available toppings. I have never seen a list this long:

Available Toppings on Any Pizza
Extra Cheese, sliced Red Onion, Fresh Mushrooms, Green Peppers, Black Olives, Green Olives, Broccoli, Spinach, Pineapple, fresh Roma Tomato, fresh Garlic, fresh Basil, Banana Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Pepperoni, Beef, Sausage, Ham, Anchovies, Meatball or Genoa Salami.

Specialty Toppings on Any Pizza
Feta Cheese, Chicken, Eggplant, Sundried Tomato, Fire Roasted Red Peppers, Spicy Chorizo Sausage, Kalamata Olives, Bacon, Artichoke.

Anyone who offers slices of tomatoes (you'd think everybody would) and jalapenos gets three thumbs up from me. And, most importantly, all the pizza I've had at Al's has been free of the excessive oily buildup found floating about atop most mediocre cheese pies parading as pizza.

But Al's doesn't just do pizza. On our most recent visit we both opted for one of the many alternatives to their signature food item. The lasagna, I have been assured, is exceptional and my salad was quite nice as well.

Sorry, no pizza pics, you'll just have to take my word for it on the quality. Maybe next time, and believe me, there will be a next time. With six branches conveniently located in or near almost every one of Jacksonville's major regions, you can't use distance as an excuse to pass up on this one.

Until teleportation allows me to grab lunch in downtown Napoli, Al's pizza will be one of the worthy substitutes, and that's not a bad position to be in.

Al's Pizza
Intracoastal West: 14286 Beach Blvd. 223-0991
Ponte Vedra: 635 A1A N. 543-1494
Beaches: 303 Atlantic Blvd. 249-0002
Riverside: 1620 Margaret St. 388-8384
Baymeadows: 8060 Philips Hwy. 731-4300
Mandarin: 11190 San Jose Blvd. 260-4115

Kayak Amelia

As this past week of non-stop rain has reminded us, Florida is a wet place. Here in Jacksonville we're conveniently nestled between the ocean and the St. Johns River with a myriad of streams and marshes cutting through the land between. And as the warm summer months approach, the impetus to move outdoors grows, thrusting us into welcome encounters with local water bodies.

One great way to stay cool and active is to go kayaking but unless you're going to make it a regular part of your repertoire, the cost of acquiring all of the necessary materials (kayak, paddle, life jacket, keg of mosquito repellant) can be quite high and transporting them is cumbersome (to say the least), so it's more advisable that the casual paddler rent rather than own.

Nestled in amongst the sparsely populated and protected areas of Little Talbot Island, Big Talbot Island, and the Timucuan Preserve, Kayak Amelia is a great place to go to satisfy your Kayaking needs. And when I say nestled I do mean it. The turn is easy to miss so look for that sign. You can rent a single kayak for 4 hours at $30 or $45 for more than 4 hours. The price for a tandem kayak is $45 or $60 for the same time periods. There are also classes for those looking to improve their paddling skills.

But the most attractive offerings, and what drew us to the place, were the guided tours. These can be as simple as paddling around the marsh and learning about the wildlife, hopping between sandbars, or navigating the Fort George River along the same route that river traders took to the Kingsley Plantation. For the more adventurous there's the Sunset tour and the Moonlite tour that take you out paddling at dusk and under the cover of darkness. Trust me, wandering through the marsh under the glorious, colorful skies at sunset is an experience you won't forget.

Most of these tours cost around $60 per person which covers the rental and usually a snack. Recently they've also added Bike tours on Mondays from 10am to noon for $45 per person.

Even if Kayaking is not your thing, I still highly recommend heading to the general area. It's a lovely region and refreshingly unmarred by expansive development.

Kayak Amelia
13030 Heckscher Drive
Jacksonville FL, 32226
888-30-KAYAK
904-251-0016

Cafe Karibo

Many of our favorite eateries have something in common, something major: proximity, or the lack thereof. Pressed to make a list of the top ten restaurants I've had the pleasure of dining at, most of them would be far beyond the borders of our city; many would be far beyond the borders of this country. And while there are a respectable few at a distance allowing for regular visits, even if they are a decent haul away, some lie in a region just beyond reasonable but not far enough to be resisted.

A recent excursion to Amelia Island (the details of which will be covered at a further date) prompted us to make a quick visit to Fernandina Beach for a bite to eat. We had a destination in mind but, upon arrival, we thought it better to change the course of action and, having done some minor research that morning, I had a backup plan in mind. We hastily trotted back down the street, sorely lacking in time but too hungry to forgo the risk.

When we arrived at our destination, Cafe Karibo, we were immediately presented with too many choices: a lovely garden area, a cozy inner restaurant, a bar, and some tables on the far wall of the pub side. Entering the bar area, I knew I'd made the right choice of restaurant; there were the fermentation tanks, I was at a microbrewery.

I think I've already explained enough times that we are not big drinkers. One beer between us is always enough to satisfy and we definitely don't drink to get drunk. Ergo, one might be accurate in labeling us snobs. That pale yellow liquid you drink and call beer? Yeah, I'm not going anywhere near that. But give me the occasional thick brown ale, lightly spiced wheat, or a mouth-puckering IPA and I'm all smiles.

So, naturally, I couldn't resist ordering one of the house brews. Spoiled by Seven Bridges, Bold City, and their ilk, I was initially a little disappointed to find that they only had four varieties and no seasonal batches but I'll take four microbrew beers over a full array of Buds and Millers any day. I settled on the Down Town Nut Brown which, as it turns out, is a blend of the Karibrew Pilsner and Dorado Dark Bock which resulted in a Newcastle-esque nut brown ale.

The picture looks awful, I know, but the beer was absolutely sublime. I overheard the bartender (and perhaps he was also the brewmaster) telling a lone patron at the stools that they don't filter their beer so there's still a lot of sediment in there, giving it a bolder texture. They also use a single tank per beer for the entire brewing process, a technique I hadn't encountered before. Seriously, as I write this it's very difficult for me not to run to the car and make the hour plus journey up to Fernandina to grab another drink; it was that good. Because we were in a hurry, I had to fight the urge to try another of the varieties but, mark my words, I will go back and try them all... but probably not all on the same day.

So you might think that after such an incredible experience with our pre-meal adult beverage that the food would pale in comparison. Let's just say that if Cafe Karibo opened another restaurant here in Jacksonville, I would have a hard time not eating there everyday, even if they didn't brew their own beer (well, maybe every other day if the microbrewery wasn't there). I ordered the Baja Chicken Wrap: roast chicken breast, spicy baja black bean salad, monterey jack cheese and basmati rice wrapped in a spinach and herb tortilla with a side of potato salad, all for $8! The lovely lady ordered a bowl of the chili, served with cajun cornbread, a mere $6.

Let me just start with the side. I don't like mayonnaise based "salads". If it's drenched in mayo, I assure you, it's not salad. However, this potato salad appeared to be hybridized mashed potatoes. The mayo was very light, the potatoes coarse but not predominantly solid cubes. The wrap? Incredible. Fresh, perfectly cooked, and absolutely delicious. I have not had the pleasure of eating a better wrap anywhere, ever. I was only able to sneak a small bite of the chili but I was assured that it too was amazing.

We left full, euphoric, and in a hurry. The discomfort of walking briskly after just eating and the subsequent unsettling of our stomachs couldn't dampen our spirits about the wonderful meal we'd just enjoyed. Daily I am asked by a certain someone if we can go back, right then, on the spot and I can't say it's not tempting. The distance makes it a little easier to resist, but like the torment that lies between two separated lovers, the distance makes it all the much harder to cope without.

Cafe Karibo
27 North 3rd St.,
Amelia Island, FL 32034,
904-277-5269

Riverside Arts Market

The local blogs and news sources have been all over the opening of the Riverside Art's Market so there's little we can say that hasn't already been covered. Regardless, the addition of an art/craft/produce market of this magnitude to the Jacksonville scene is more than appreciated and we wouldn't want to give the impression that we were neglecting the area's latest step towards creating a vibrant local culture.

Every Saturday from 10am to 4pm, the area underneath the Fuller Warren Bridge in Riverside explodes into a hive of commerce. The number of booths far exceeds what you may estimate on first glance but the magnitude of the affair becomes far more apparent as you make your way back towards the water. Fresh produce, paintings, sculptures, plants, apparel, crafts, food, and entertainment, all produced by local (or semi-local) people. If you want to discover what Jacksonville is all about then this might be a good place to start. You may be surprised at what your neighbors have been up to.

Parking is a bit spotty. Unless you have difficulties, I'd recommend stashing the car a good distance from the festivities and enjoying the pleasant walk to the market. Maybe if city officials see people attempting to walk around town they might put some money towards facilitating such activity. One can only hope.

Be forewarned, the market will be packed and I, for one, hope it continues. Though it may be a little anxiety inducing for us agoraphobes, the large crowds only guarantee that this service will be perpetuated. For those fond of taking their quadrupeds with them on such ventures, it appears that [well-behaved] dogs are welcome. This, of course, means that there's a definite poo on shoe risk. And trust me, this is not just a theory but, quite unfortunately, a tested fact.

You've heard it everywhere else and now here. Arts, crafts, plants, produce, and lots of food to be had at the Riverside Arts Market. You may even recognize many favorites from the Beaches Green Market and the St. Augustine Farmer's Market. Fun for the whole family. Bring the dog (and please bring a plastic bag). Oh, and bring cash.

Riverside Arts Market
Saturday, April to December
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Under the Fuller Warren Bridge