Pisco's revisited

I almost had a heart attack the other week. Cruising along Southside on an early Saturday afternoon we glanced over at Pisco's and saw no cars in the parking lot and no perceptible glow emanating from the "open" sign. You know that sinking feeling you get when something awful has just happened and you realize that everything has been irrevocably altered? Perhaps it wasn't as pronounced as such a moment of great tragedy but I still felt unsettled for the next few hours.

The next day, concerned and unable to think of an unfamiliar place to visit, we made the decision to face our fears and head to Pisco's. Cruising along Southside again, a violent shriek calls out. "The sign is gone!" Peering towards the edge of the impending strip mall, there is indeed no sign and, for a brief moment, everything is lost.

Wrong strip mall.

Driving a little further we are met with a comforting sign. Cars, a glowing sign, and Pisco's delivery mobiles. What, you didn't know they deliver? I wouldn't pass up the chance to visit in the flesh but I'd gladly have Pisco's come cater my next lunch meeting. Now, if only there were an online menu.

But back to the story. We hadn't stopped by Pisco's since actually going to Peru. As such, I felt almost responsible for the demise I had imagined. Elated to see that they were still open and going strong (with some renovations made and some others in progress), we were perhaps a little sad to see some of the faces had changed (may have just been the day) but the staff were all super nice, as we've come to expect from the place but certainly never take for granted.

According to Wikipedia, fount of all modern knowledge:

Peruvian cuisine is considered one of the most diverse in the world and is on par with French, Chinese and Indian cuisine. In January 2004, The Economist stated that "Peru can lay claim to one of the world's dozen or so great cuisines."

While not the fanciest of dishes, the Pollo Saltado, still our ultimate favorite by far, is a chicken dish stir fried with onion, tomato, soy sauce, vinegar, and chili. It is commonly served with rice and french fries but we prefer to substitute the fries with yuca, which has a more solid texture and more pungent flavor. Add some of their special hot-sauce to the mix for an even more sublime experience. This was the first dish we tried on our first visit and I don't think there's a single time we've gone when one of the group didn't order it.

For sushi fans, the ceviche should be a pleasant deviation from the usual rolls and thin slices of raw fish on rice. This fish is marinated in lime juice and served with onions, potatoes, and corn. It's a real treat but not as filling as the other dishes.

If you're looking for a hearty meal full of proteins, fats, and carbs, get the beef and eggs. It's a good way to recharge after a long day of physical labor.

Pisco's is important, and I don't think I just speak for myself, even though it is probably my favorite restaurant in Jacksonville (against some really stiff competition). I would be distraught if they were to disappear from the scene, another sunken treasure in a thriving metropolis of mediocrity. So please, if you already haven't, give Pisco's a try. And if you like the food enough that it inspires a trip to Peru, then get in touch. We've got plenty of tips and recommendations for your travels.


Pisco's Restaurant
4131 Southside Blvd
Jacksonville, FL 32216
904-646-3888

El Rinconcito - Latin Cuisine

You know you're in an authentic, ethnic restaurant when communication problems border on the uncomfortable. But all can be rectified with a pleasant attitude and, of course, stellar food. Coincidentally, that's just what's being served at El Rinconcito. Spanish for "the corner", El Rinconcito (whose sign says Latin Cuisine in very big letters for those without google translation services on their phone). Although not quite on the corner, this cute little hole-in-the-wall is inconspicuously tucked into a small strip of restaurants flanked by a horde of fast-food chains where JTB meets US 1.

While their menu contains items from the general Latin American region, their specialty is Colombian cuisine. Colombian food takes its influence from European, African, and indigenous cuisines. What you get in turn is a blending of the regional chillies and spices with the stodginess of the grain and bean based cuisine of Africa and Europe's heavy use of meat. Latin American staples, like cassava (yuca), plantains, beans, rice, and corn, are featured quite prominently.

Now, I'm going to betray all illusions of good taste and say that Don Pablo's had some of the best fajitas in Jacksonville. Yes, it was a big, evil chain so we're all supposed to hate them but the fajitas, on their good days, were super tasty and reasonably priced. Now that we've discovered El Rinconcito, we can all finally stop mourning the loss of Don Pablo's. These fajitas are way better. And so is the service. Properly seasoned and not overly oily, I challenge you to buy me a better fajita platter.

I actually didn't order the fajitas but I did steal plenty of bites. My meal was the unimaginatively named Colombian Platter. But as plain as the name may be, the food itself was quite marvelous. The closest analogue would be a proper English Breakfast. Beans, rice, sausage, fried plantain, beef, a fried egg, arepa (a bread made from sweet corn), and pig skin. While it doesn't look nor sound like much, there was plenty of flavor and it sure hit the spot.

If none of this sounds appealing then please don't write the place off. The menu is not only large but varied enough to create some tough decisions for even the most picky of eaters.

The staff aren't as fluent in English as you or I but it's still far better than my Spanish. They also happen to be incredibly and genuinely nice. This seems to be a common theme among small, regional or ethnic focused restaurants. Rather than being happy to take your money, they seem more enthusiastic about sharing their food and culture. And a warm smile can be one of the best ingredients in a good meal out.

El Rinconcito
7159 Philips Hwy
Jacksonville, FL 32217
(904) 446-9866

Tommy's Pizza

I try to avoid pizza whenever possible, willfully abstaining when at events or work functions where free slices are in abundance. However, it's not the taste that fuels my aversion. A well made pizza is truly a sublime delight to eat. My avoidance instead stems from my desire to minimize the refined carbs in my diet and most pizzas, even of the thin crust variety, have an unnecessary amount of bread.

But master pizza chef Tommy d’Esterhazy of Tommy's Pizza has solved this problem for me. His hand-tossed pizza crusts are so thin that they more closely resemble tortillas than the bread bowls with a bit of cheese and sauce on top that you might get delivered to your door by one of the many large, unmentionable chain pizzerias. Tommy proudly constructs and serves traditional, New York-style pizza to us fortunate residents of the South. And while I know I thumbed my nose at the New York vs. Chicago pizza battle in my post about Al's Pizza a couple months ago because of my adulation of the original Neapolitan variety, it's the New-York style that most resembles this pinnacle of pizza-craft and Tommy's Pizza is about as close as you can get to this symbol of perfection.

Walking into Tommy's, it can be easy to underestimate the quality that you're about to experience. Just glancing at the store front, an unassuming facade in a non-descript strip mall on Southside, it can be easy to simply pass up or write off. And such is the tragedy of the small restaurant. What incentive do you have to stop by other than a desire to act on a whim to explore the unknown? An unfamiliar place; an unglamorous location; a plain name. But there's nothing plain about the food, nothing ordinary about the taste, and taking the minor gamble of stopping by for the first time will earn you a jackpot experience.

It's not just the incredibly thin crusts that get me all worked up about Tommy's Pizza, there's also the super fresh ingredients that still retain so much flavor, even after being cooked in the brick oven; try to get that delivered to your door. And don't wantonly discard the crust as you might do with any ordinary pizza. With a light slathering of garlic butter baked into the crispy bread, you're going to want to savor that little end piece. Please believe me when I say this, and I don't want to downplay the awesomeness of the other fine pizzerias around town, I have not eaten a more delicious pizza in Jacksonville than what I had at Tommy's.

Another thing: when you go into any of the other places around town whose name follows the pattern [some guy's nickname] Pizza, what are the chances that the man whose name graces the sign is actually going to make your food? Probably pretty slim. Well, Tommy himself made my pizza and I hope he never goes on vacation because I'm tempted to invite him to make all of my pizzas from now on.

Not in the mood for pizza? Although I can't offer first-hand advice on the matter, I have it on good authority that the salads, sandwiches, calzones, and various appetizers and entrees are all just as amazing as the pizza. Also, if you're too busy to stop by, you can order online or over the phone and pick it up when it's ready.

Try Tommy's Pizza, you won't regret it. And try more of those unassuming little restaurants you barely notice but pass by everyday. You might find a new favorite that has been within arm's reach for years. Let me know of your discoveries.

Tommy's Pizza
4160 Southside Blvd
Unit 2
Jacksonville, FL 32216
(904) 565-1999
(904) 565-1046 (fax)