The Back 40 Urban Cafe

Many great restaurants are hidden in plain sight, some are just plain hidden. Without performing a search on Urbanspoon, I would never have heard about St. Augustine's Back 40 Urban Cafe, nor would I have noticed it at all on the remote chance I happened to drive by. Not only is it located on Old Dixie Highway, a small road running parallel to US 1 at a point where most of the traffic is limited to residents of the area, but the restaurant looks like a house... because it was a house.

Despite its old Southern charm, the small wooden cottage is easy to ignore and one is liable to question their judgment when approaching the porch. But once inside, doubts and concerns all quickly evaporated. The layout of the restaurant retains the structure of a house. When business is slow you can choose from an array of empty rooms, each with their own individual color schemes and ambiance. The atmosphere and tone are warm and welcoming, truly engendering an at-home level of comfort. For such a small place, the menu is relatively large and varied with an emphasis on fresh, healthy food and leaning towards Southern and Southwestern inspired cuisine.

Forever unable to resist the allure of fish tacos, I ordered the Ollie Tacos (lightly seasoned mahi topped with shredded cheese lettuce, salsa, cilantro and cilantro white sauce). I've eaten many a fish taco at restaurants across the globe and I must say that these were truly some of the most delicious I've ever had. The meat had a perfect flavor and consistency, the accompanying vegetables were crisp and fresh, and the sides were delightful in their own right. The Vegetarian 3 Bean Chili was far better balanced in flavor than many others I've tasted; neither weak nor overly spiced with a good consistency. Not being able to see even the smallest amount of food go to waste, I cleaned up what was left of the amazing Shrimp Curry Salad; best dressing ever, and that's coming from someone who routinely refuses salad dressings all together.

There's an incredible number of options to choose from for such a low-key place and, if our meal is anything to go by, the more well known places around town have something to be afraid of. There are a handful of truly superb restaurants in St. Augustine and the Back 40 Urban Cafe is the unknown champion among them. Delightful food made with fresh ingredients and served in an intriguing old house with a unique atmosphere. A real hidden gem and yet another reminder that there are some incredible places to eat and things to do around the area that are just waiting to be found by anybody willing to do a little searching.

The Back 40 Urban Cafe
40 South Dixie Highway
St Augustine, FL 32084
(904) 824-0227

Panda House

"Chinese" food. We all know it's not authentic, that it's not real Chinese cuisine but that doesn't mean it can't be good. Even at it's worst, sometimes you just find yourself craving some indeterminate fried creature slathered in a soy based sauce and served with enough calories in the form of fried rice to keep you going for a full week.

I've always found the fast food Chinese restaurants a little distasteful. I mean, it's all fast food but I appreciate the illusion of authenticity put forth by tiny little hole-in-the-walls with names like the Lucky Dragon and the Golden Buddha. One such place is Panda House on Gate Parkway.

Affectionately called The House in order to avoid confusing it with that other Panda place over by the Town Center, this little restaurant embodies everything you've grown to love about Chinese take-outs. Bad lighting, a little griminess, one person who can speak English, and food made fast upon order. Please, don't read me wrong and assume any sarcasm in tone, I sincerely appreciate these qualities in certain restaurants and the overall ambiance they create. If you want uniformly sterile and banal experiences, go to one of the large franchises. If you don't mind a bit of grit or perhaps even enjoy it, then the local dive is the place to be. And besides, they're nowhere near as dirty or awkward as some of the great little restaurants I've visited in third world countries.

But enough of my grandstanding, how about the food? Much of what you'd expect, I'd say, perhaps even a notch up from the typical Chinese take-out. I had been craving sesame chicken for over a month and this really hit the spot. Satisfying when fresh and, as an added bonus, it was even good the next day.

Sometimes the craving hits you and, while it may not come that often, it's impossible to fight. When the time comes, here's one place you can go… or not; they also deliver.




Panda House
7643 S Gate Pkwy
Jacksonville, FL 32256
(904) 642-6333