Eating

Some basics of Southern eating:

Vegitarians are likely to be challenged finding something to eat.  Salads are usually safe, but vegetables are often cooked with pork. 

Southern iced tea is by definition very sweet-loaded with sugar.  In some places you will be asked if you want sweet or unsweet tea.  You may also ask for half and half, which is still plenty sweet.  Since Florida is a move down place, there are many restaurants that serve unsweet as standard.  Just ask.

BBQ sauces come in sweet, mustard, hot, hotter.  Ask your server.

A word about wine.  During our travels in Europe, we were surprised at how good the house wines were.  Do not expect that here.  House wine is often below our basic standards.  You can often get a decent wine by the glass, but go to the wine list. 


In Dunnellon

There are only two places we recommend in Dunnellon.  Don Peppe is our Mexican fave.  It's merits are being convenient and having great salsa and chips and being cheap.  It is pretty standard Mexican fare.  Ice cold Dos Equis and frozen (plastic) mugs.  There is often a wait for a table.  Can also do take out. 

Carmela's has credible Itallian food because she makes a good sauce.  Do not expect much of the wine list.  The salad bar is OK.  It's merits are convenience and sauce.  Also does take out.

I understand that Angler's Resort/ Blue Gator is the new hot spot, for pub fare.  Check it out just before the bridge on 41 going south.  Parking lot is usuall very full but you can find public parking across the street at the boatramp.


In Beverly Hills


Small Thai restaurant is in the group of stores with the Sheriff's office-coconut soup is very rich and very good.  Other nice entrees as well.

Not so far from Dunnellon

Stumpknockers-a seafood restaurant on the Withlachoochee.  Weekends are packed.  Ambiance is Florida Cracker.  Food is good-best if you stick with fried, but they can broil as well.  Decent coleslaw and hushpuppies.  They have alcohol-better beer list than wine list.  Sweet tea! 
http://www.stumpknockers.net/locations.html

In Williston

Ivy House-more genteel and refined Southern Cooking.  Not open all the time.  Call ahead.  In an big old Florida Cracker house.  Do not expect to get alcohol, and the iced tea will be sweet.

In Bronson

Bubba Que's-worth the drive for the food and ambiance.  Authentic Southern BBQ with authentic southern BBQ seating.  Some beer, but not much of a selection-basic Bubba and Budweiser beer.  Sweet ice tea!

In Crystal River

Charlie's Fish House and Fish Market is the place on US 19.  It is on a little canal where the fish and shrimp boats come in, so seeing pelicans on the back porch is almost certain.  The fare is fairly simple-fried seafood with sides, but the shrimp and mullet is fresh.  The wines are nothing to write about, so either go with the iced tea or a beer.  Our guests who have asked that their shrimp be broiled were disappointed. 
There is a good fresh seafood store right next to the restaurant.  The Fish Market always has fresh caught local fish and shrimp plus seasonal delicacies.

Vintage on 5th-  A fine dining experience offers an excellent variety of seafood, chicken, beef, and other specials done to perfection.  Wine list is very good as is their menu and service .  Reservations are a good idea as the place is popular as the only place for really fine dining.  http://www.vintageon5th.com/

In Gainesville

In Gainesville we have so many favorites it will be hard to limit ourselves.  Remember that Gainesville is a university town, so things can get crowded on weekend nights.  Expect a line on weekend nights and game nights-especially if Gator basketball is going well.

Flying Biscuit-recently opened.  The original has been on our list of favorite restaurants in Atlanta for years.  The cookbook is in the kitchen, but they omitted their signature dish, creamy dreamy grits.  Though they have lovely lunch and dinner entrees, I cannot resist the two eggs over easy with applewood smoked bacon and creamy dreamy grits.  If you have a problem with the idea of grits, just think of it as polenta, but  don't try to order polenta here.  http://www.flyingbiscuit.com/


Paramount Grill-fine dining $$$$.  Great wine list and excellent food.  Also has a Sunday Brunch (not so many $$$) that is as good as dinner.  Cliff, the chef, is the best crabcake maker we know.  They work as an appetizer or for Sunday Brunch they appear with poached eggs and hollandase.  Call for reservations especially on weekends and holidays.  http://www.paramountgrill.com/



Sachel's Pizza-by the box or lunch of a slice and salad, Sachel's is THE place for pizza in Gnville.  If you order by the pie, you have a choice of red, green (pesto) or white (ricotta) pizza and a long list of toppings.  If by the slice, red is your choice with a long list of toppings.  The salad is pretty magnificent with slices of granny smith apples and sunflower seeds.  I always want it by the trough rahter than the big bowl.  Calazone is not bad either.  Probably decent wines and beers and tea-sweet or un. Ambiance, ambiance, ambiance!  http://www.satchelspizza.com/


David's BBQ-For me David's is all about the onion rings.  Cole slaw gets my approval as well.  If you dine in, David's offers a wall of hot pepper sauces to enhance the BBQ sauce.  I don't believe they serve alcohol.  http://www.davidsbbq.com/


A BBQ comment here.  For me, BBQ is all about pork and chicken.  Why anybody bothers to order beef is beyond me.  Ribs are good, but baby back ribs are better.

Sonny's BBQ-they are a chain that can be found all over the southeast.  They are decent and worth doing.  Inexpensive.  Sweet tea.

Northwest Grille-located next to David's BBQ.  Good seafood with a few other selections for the non-seafood eater.  Marcia likes the grouper-generally fried, but the drunken grouper is quite good as well.  I am rather fond of the sesame crusted tuna, but be sure to tell them to keep it on the sushi side if you like it that way.   This is a place you can order seafood cooked most any way you like.  Some decent wines, beer, unsweet tea.  http://nwgrille.com/

Civilization-newly opened somewhat innovative simple menu and chalk board.  We had shrimp burrittos and they were kick-butt.  Nice decor in vintage building.  Love the arched beamed ceilings.  Good fresh squeezed lemonaide.  http://www.welcometocivilization.com/invest/invest.html
Their food is better than their web site.

Ocala

Given the choice between eating in Ocala and Gainesville, Gainesville wins hands down.  However, there are a few places we enjoy when we are hungry in Ocala.

Vicky's Grille-way on the other side (SE) of Ocala.  We love their burgers and order the fries extra crispy.  My second favorite is the taco salad.  Lots of good stuff, especially for lunch.  Apparently Vicky is too busy flippin burgers to do a web site.

5 Guys Burger-not so far from Dunnellon.  This is a chain restaurant, but there are not many of them and they have a niche market.  The burgers are excellent and fries fresh-note the bags of potatoes in the dining area.  A regular order of fries is plenty for two people.  Lots of choices of condiments for your burger.  No alcohol.  Actually, not much besides hamburgers, fries and hot dogs.  http://www.fiveguys.com/home.aspx


Lakis Greek Restaurant-Greek salad for me, but not for vegetarians-ham involved.  I do like the moussaka and Marcia like the gyro.  Wine is not great. 

I wouldn't go to Ocala looking for a fine food and dining experience.  Go to Vintage on 5th http://www.vintageon5th.com/index.cfm in Crystal River or Paramount Grill in Gainesville

KG