Beachcomber Restaurant! New Menu!

Owners Danielle and Chef Steve LeClair

If you cruise down “A” Street on St. Augustine Beach towards the ocean, you will find the Beachcomber Restaurant. St. Augustine Beaches’ only beachside Bar and Restaurant has attracted both locals and tourists alike for many years and has become a landmark of St. Augustine Beach. Recently, there has been a slight change to the Beachcomber as Don and Ashley Samora, Danielle and Steve LeClair became the new owners. With them they brought fresh new ideas for the restaurant both menu wise and structurally. “We are going to do things in phases,” Danielle LeClair says, “it’s going to take a while but we will get there.”

Chef Steve LeClair meanwhile has been coming up with the new menu items which just came out last week for both lunch and dinner. The new lunch menu includes a variety of new sandwiches such as the Rueben ,Tuna Melt, the reinvented “Schomburger” called “Schoms revenge III” , which is 1/3 lb. burger topped with pulled pork, grilled ham, bacon, and sweet Datil BBQ sauce, and  the talk of the beach lunch item , the Cuban. But what the

Fresh Fried Drum with Cucumber Dill Potato Salad

Beachcomber is really looking forward to is getting folks in for dinner. I had the pleasure of trying out the dinner menu myself, which I found, new, fresh, and delicious. I had fresh fried Drum with a side of dilled cucumber potato salad which was an awesome twist to potato salad. But I won’t lie, the Jumbo Cheese Ravioli and the Chargrilled Andouille Sausage was awfully tempting! Chef Steve also makes it a priority to buy his product from local vendors.  Danielle says (referring to Steve), “He’s always looking for fresh ideas, and he likes to stay ahead of trends. We noticed that there was a lot of fresh local ingredients here and we wanted to put our own little twist on them.” The LeClairs have both been in the restaurant business for over 20 years having owned a successful restaurant and food truck in Syracuse, New York. It was Don Samora, Danielle’s brother who convinced them to make the move down south and continue their success by the beach, the Beachcomber that is. For all the locals, you will still find local oysters when the water is cold and you will still find cold beer when it’s hot outside. And yes, for all those inquiring minds, Tijuana Tuesday is still on with both beer specials and chimichangas.

Beachcomber Restaurant
Open daily for lunch and dinner: 11a.m.- 9p.m.
Happy Hour 3-6 , Daily specials
904.471.3744
2 A Street
St. Augustine, FL 32080




 

Visit the Princess Place Preserve : Oldest Homestead in Flagler County

Just a short drive out of St. John's County into Flagler County , you will find the Princess Place Preserve. With the wonderful weather we St. Augustinians are lucky to have in December (with the exception of today , it should clear up later this week) , this is a perfect place to explore not only Old Florida history but the scenic nature and wildlife the preserve offers as well.
Originally this land was a grant given to Francisco Pellicier from Spain in 1791. During this time the land was transformed into an orange grove and was referred to as Cherokee Grove. Nearly a hundred years later , a man by the name of Henry Cutting in 1887 bought the property and built a lodge designed by Architect William Wright., equipped with Florida's first in ground pool. Sadly, Cutting died a few years later , leaving his widow Angela the property and after Cutting's death she returned to New York and remarried a stock broker which subsequently ended in a nasty divorce. Throughout those years , Angela continued to visit Cherokee Grove. Then in 1922 , she met an exiled Russian prince by the name of Boris Sherbatow ,whom she later married , thus giving her the title of "Princess". In the years following , Princess Angela entertained many affluent socialites at the property which became known as the Princess Place. The Princess sold the property in 1954 , and later died in 1956 in St. Augustine at the age of 87.
In 1993, Flagler County was able to purchase and preserve the land. Amenities include: Camping, bicycling, kayak/canoeing , equestrian trails , fishing , Eagle nesting preservation area and of course the Princess Place Historic Site and Lodge.
Preserve hours: Monday-Sunday 7a.m.-6p.m.
Historic Lodge Tours 2p.m Friday - Sunday
Pets Allowed
Park Admission: FREE!
386.313.4020

Nightcaps for Thanksgiving!

 

With Thanksgiving tomorrow , the stress levels are high , visiting family are in town , traditional Thanksgiving dishes are being meticulously timed and prepared, and last minute runs to the grocery store are being made. After all is said and done it's TIME FOR A DRINK!
Here are some local watering holes that will be open on Thanksgiving :

The Sandbar
7025 A1A South
St. Augustine , FL 32080
904.461.4671
Hours: 5-Close

Tradewinds Lounge
124 Charlotte St.
St. Augustine , FL 32084
904.826.1590
11a.m.- Close

St. George's Tavern
116 St. George St.

St. Augustine , FL 32084
904.824.4204
11a.m.-Close

Panama Hattie's
361 A1A Beach Blvd
St. Augustine, FL 32080
904.471.2192
4-Close

Dunes Cracker House
641 A1A Beach Blvd.
St. Augustine, FL 32080
904.461.5725
4-Close

Zaharias Restaurant
3945 A1A South
St. Augustine, FL
904.471.4799
11a.m.-9p.m.

Scarlett O'Hara's
70 Hypolita St.
St. Augustine , FL 32084
904.824.6535
11a.m.-11p.m.

Giggling Gator
121 King Street
St. Augustine, FL 32084
904.824.0444
5-Close

Please everyone have a fun and safe holiday!
St. Aug Blog encourages everyone to drink responsibly and cab it !

Eco-Ride Taxi 
904.827.7206

Abraxi Taxi
904.599.6666

Restaurants open on Thanksgiving Day!

Thanksgiving is a wonderful holiday to spend with friends, family and food but lets get serious, the cooking part is not for everyone! Here is a list of a few GREAT restaurants that are open on this glorious turkey eating day that offer both the traditional dinner as well as other options.


Zaharias Restaurant
3945 A1A South
St. Augustine , FL 32080
904.471.4799
Reservations offered.Thanksgiving menu with traditional turkey dinner as well as other options.
11a.m.-9p.m.

Columbia Restaurant
98 St .George Street
St.Augustine , FL 32084
904.824.3341
Regular menu is offered as well as the traditional turkey dinner.

Le Pavillion
45 San Marco Ave.
St. Augustine , FL 32084
904.824.6202
Reservations required and offers a Thanksgiving menu.
11:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Aunt Kate's
612 Eucild Ave.
Vilano Beach, St. Augustine , FL, 32084
904.829.1105
Taking reservations as well as walk-ins. Dinner specials and Turkey dinner offered.
11:30a.m.-5:30p.m

95 Cordova
Located in Casa Monica Hotel
95 Cordova Street
St. Augustine , FL 32084
904.810.6810
Reservations. Thanksgiving buffet offered. 69.00 /adult , 14.95/ children (4-10)
11a.m.-8p.m..

Gypsy Cab Co.
828 Anastasia Boulevard
St. Augustine , FL 32080
Walk-ins and call-ahead seating offered.
Thanksgiving menu offered , dine-in or take-away.
1p.m.-7:30p.m.

La Cocina
530 A1A Beach Boulevard
St. Augustine , FL 32080
904.461.8288
Reservations. Four-course dinner menu offered. 39.99 per person.
12p.m.-7p.m.

Everyone have a wonderful and safe holiday !

You had me at Brie: Red Rabbit Eatery

If heaven had a taste, I’m pretty sure it would come in the form and flavor of Brie cheese and that’s exactly what I had at the Red Rabbit Eatery. Yes, a little slice of Heaven called the Turkey Max sandwich. Home-roasted turkey breast, melted brie, spinach, tomatoes, red onions, drizzled with balsamic glaze, may just be one of the most delicious sandwiches I have had the pleasure of experiencing in quite some time.

Located at 233 State Road 16, the Red Rabbit Eatery, formally known as The Spot, is owned and operated by Chef Cyndi Haworth and her husband Greg. “We are a great team,” Haworth says, “We actually really enjoy what we do and we actually love working together.” Haworth, a St. Augustine native has been in the restaurant business since she was 15 years old, so practically her entire life. She started out as a hostess and eventually worked her way up to becoming a chef. Initially, the Haworth’s started a catering company called, A Step Above, until they decided to open a restaurant, which has been open for a little over two months. Inspiration for the name, simple, but only true St. Augustinians would immediately understand. “Well, the building was already painted red and they used to call this area of St. Augustine Rabbit Hill, so I just thought, why don’t we just call it Red Rabbit Eatery?” Haworth explains.

 

Several years back, the chef decided to take a six month hiatus and traveled all around the United States to try different types of cooking styles and foods which truly reflects in her menu. She has everything from Bahn Mi to a Falafel Bomb to a Stuffed Meatball Sandwich. All of her meats are roasted in house, all her dressings are homemade, and all her produce is purchased locally. Literally, everything you find on the menu is made in-house, a growing, but not yet common practice amongst restaurant owners. Even down to her products such as cups, straws, napkins are eco-friendly. Haworth says she feels that it’s just  responsible to be conscious of our environment. But what I loved most about meeting with Cyndi Haworth was her ideology concerning not only her profession but her business, “Good food doesn’t have to be complicated, and it can be affordable.”

The Red Rabbit Eatery is open Monday through Friday 11-4

904.679.3281

Soups. Salads. Sandwiches. Kids Menu.







 

A Flagler Alum and A Food Truck : Tropicali Food Truck

 

It’s not a secret that the food truck business has spread nationwide, giving chefs the opportunity to show case their unique “foodie” creations or to simply provide the public with some good ole fashioned traditional food on the fly and St. Augustine, Florida is no exception to this ongoing, ever growing food phenomena.

Tropicali Food Truck, located on 246 San Marco Avenue, next to Old City Tire, is one of St. Augustine’s newest editions to the Food Truck scene, providing Southern Californian – Baja Style food with Caribbean flavored infused meats and vegetables. Delicious items on the menu include , burritos , tacos , rice bowls , and lunch platters which include your choice of pulled pork , jerk chicken , shredded beef , chipotle shrimp and of course veggies for those of the vegetarian persuasion . Sides include Spanish rice, Salsa Fresca, Plantains and Avocado. I myself had a shredded beef taco with “Cali” cabbage , Salsa Fresca , cheese , avocado and topped with a lime , which by the way really brought out the delicious flavor of the beef , made fresh daily.

I was fortunate enough to get a few minutes to sit down with Co-Owner Troy Blevins. A Florida native, Blevins grew up in Deland, Florida. “I actually leaned how to swim in the Deleon Springs,” Blevins recalls. A graduate from Flagler College in 1989 with a degree in Recreation, Blevins then started his career with St. Johns Parks and Recreation and has since retired in 2011.  Retired being the operative word, in conjunction with his employment to Parks and Recreation, he also had and still has his Trivia business, where he MC’s Trivia games at local restaurants. This in turn is where he met Co-Owner of Tropicali Food Truck, Chef Rick, having over 30 years experience and the food mastermind of their new adventure, as Chef’s son worked for Blevins’ Trivia business and introduced the two.

One thing that struck me and what will make me continue to support this local business, I asked Blevins what he wanted the goal of Tropicali Food Truck to be. He said, “I want people to feel good about being here, people forget what you do or say, but people never forget how you made them feel.”

Tropicali Food Truck is open Monday through Saturday 10 A.M. to 8 P.M. and they also DELIVER!!! So please check them out! Both indoor and outdoor seating provided.  Tropicali can be reached at 904. 466.4527.