JJ's Liberty Bistro

Having enjoyed such an incredible lunch at The French Pantry, it was only logical that we seek out an authentic French experience (as in owned and operated by a French expatriate) in hopes of another amazing experience (besides, it was a weekend and The French Pantry was closed). This quest lead us to JJ's Liberty Bistro in Ponte Vedra. Although we'd passed JJ's Bistro de Paris on Gate Parkway many times and had wanted to try it for a while, we though it better to visit the Ponte Vedra restaurant first because it is the original and is where owner-operator JJ himself works.

JJ's Bistro, which is far cuter on the inside than its strip mall location implies, goes beyond the scope of a regular restaurant. It doubles as a wine, cheese, and baked goods store and you'd be hard pressed to find as much variety and quality elsewhere (especially in the cheese department). For some reason or another, I wasn't feeling up to having a drink on the day of our visit but I wish I had been in the mood for wine at the time because they have an incredible selection and I'd love to go back and give a few a try.

As you would expect in all cultured restaurants (at least those that represent cultures where it is customary) we were given some bread to nosh on before the meal. My expectations for bread have been exceedingly high lately and, much to my relief, I was not disappointed.

The salad nicoise: sping mix with tomato, hard boiled egg, fresh tuna, green beans, red potatoes. kalamata olives, and anchovies, was beyond wonderful. Light yet filling and incredibly delicious. The anchovies are optional but I'd highly recommend their inclusion. Their saltiness and pungency compliment the crispness of the other ingredients. The sliver of quiche I was given to try was good and the mere fact that I was given only a small portion to try speaks volumes. I can't vouch for the onion soup although I take it on good authority that it too was delicious. I did, however, get to try the cheese that stuck to the outside of the bowl and I'd gladly embarrass my wife again to pick away at that delicious glue.

Breaking with convention, we actually indulged in a dessert: a macaroon. I must say, even as a habitual dessert avoider, it was quite divine and I can imagine it would please even the most notorious confection snob.

As an added bonus, JJ himself came and talked to us (he seems to chat up much of the clientele) for a bit about some upcoming wine dinner events. He's a stand up guy; passionate, knowledgeable and engaging.

The wine dinners sound fascinating and I'd definitely like to try one in the near future. I'll be sure to post about upcoming events in case any of you are likewise interested in attending.



JJ's Liberty Bistro
330 SR A1A N
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
(904) 273-7980