Cafe’ C

Jamie says: One of my all-time favorite lunch spots in Gainesville is… (drum roll please)…Cafe’ C (424 NW 8th Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601; tel. 352-377-7433; you can “like” them on their Facebook page, too).

I LOVE everything about this place.  I love the food, I love the atmostphere, I love the positive vibe, I love the convenience of the location, I love the iced tea, I love the free brownie I get every visit, I love the time I spend with my friends here… what’s not to love? Get my drift? I have a slight crush on this place and that might be an understatement, too.

Cafe C’

With nothing spectacular around it, it’s a hidden gem.

Here’s a view of the backside of it

The outdoor patio has got some charm to it. I’ve never dined outside, but I’ll have to one day soon…

Such a charming outdoor patio

The lanterns and lights are so cute.

View of the outdoor patio from the inside dining area

You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you.

This is where you order the amazing food

Check-in on Facebook every time you visit for a free brownie- every visit. No catches. You always get one. And they are outrageous. Lots of delicious options to choose from… it usually takes me a few minutes to decide. Some with peanut butter, others with a sunflower seeds, others with a cake-like bottom…I’m starting to drool.

Don’t forget to check in on Facebook for a free brownie

They also have a Sunday brunch, buffet-style. I’ve never had it, but it looks delicious. One day I will.

They also have a nice buffet on Sundays for brunch

It’s cool. You can even pick your own glass, one of an eclectic bunch, just like at your own home. They have tasty sangria and the best iced tea in the world.

The beverage station

What’s my favorite iced tea in the world? It’s right here. I mix the blueberry iced tea with the unsweetened iced tea. It then has the perfect sweetness and flavor. (The dietitian in me feels better about mixing it, too.)

Blueberry iced tea mixed with unsweetened iced tea = my favorite iced tea in the world

The restaurant is so stylish, colorful, and upbeat. No wonder I always feel good when I come here.

I love their decor, too

Even their bathroom is ridiculously adorable.

Cute bathroom

And just wait, the dining area is so fun, too…

Into the dining area we go…

Don’t you just love the bundt pans on the walls, the curtains, lights, paintings, and decorative pillows?

We sat here

I want to sit at every table…

Each table has got its own charm

I’ve come here with quite a few friends now. (Thanks Monique, for introducing me to this place.)  When K was in town, we met Laura for lunch. (This was the day I decided it was time to blog Cafe C’, so she made the picture, but I love all you guys, too.)

Ladies’ lunch

I love the Tango Chicken Salad Plate- mixed greens with chicken salad, toasted almonds and sesame seeds, sliced mangoes, grapes, cucumbers, and crackers with an Asian Ginger dressing. It’s healthy, filling, colorful and absolutely delicious. Sounds like my type of food, right?

Tango Chicken Salad Plate

Here’s my next meal… The Smiling Buddha Noodle Salad- greens with fettuccine noodles in a spicy peanut sauce with broccoli, asparagus, mung bean sprouts, toasted sesame seeds and chopped peanuts. I love this concept- of lettuce and pasta. It’s the best of both worlds. And the peanut sauce is killer.

Smiling Buddha Noodle Salad

And another good meal… the Good Afternoon Vietnam Salad- “Vermicelli rice noodles with a chili-lime seasoned chicken breast, fresh mint and cilantro, cucumbers, and peanuts” with garlic-lime dressing.

Good Afternoon Vietnam Salad

And the next… Cypress Salad- “Greek salad with cheese tortellini and Greek feta vinaigrette dressing, feta cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes, pepperoncini, and black olives” with “a sprinkle of lemon pepper.” I love the bright colors of the meal and the table cloth!

Cypress Salad

My next adventure to Cafe’ C was for the Wacky Wednesday Brunch. I finally made it to a brunch! I went with my awesome co-worker/office-mate Kathleen. We started a recent tradition of choosing a lunch place that the other person has not tried yet. I think she liked it a lot. I did.

Wacky Wednesday Brunch

My friend Clarissa inspired me by saying she wanted to try everything on their menu. Every time I get something, I love it, so it’s hard to not keep coming back to the favorites, but I want to try it- to try everything. So I’ve got my menu, and I’m checking ‘em off as I go. What will be next?

The Lunchbox

Jamie says: I’ve been dying to check out The Lunchbox (104 SE 1st Ave; Gainesville, FL 32601; tel. 352-505-6341) in Downtown Gainesville for a couple of months now. I finally made it. I met my friend Cameron there for an early dinner so we would be sure to catch it before closing time.  Don’t be deceived by the name, you can go there for dinner, too. (Their hours changed from the times listed in the menu- right now it’s open Monday through Friday from 11 AM to 8 PM, but double check before you go.)

The Lunchbox

It’s in the heart of downtown Gainesville in Bo Diddley Community Plaza. I love how it’s outside and you can take in the downtown atmosphere. If you go on a Wednesday, you can enjoy the fun of the farmers’ market which surrounds the restaurant on three sides.

Here it is!

They keep their menus in a basket. When you decide what you’d like, you go up the counter and order and wait for them to call your name. Then you pick up your meal and choose a table or high-top to dine at. (Don’t forget to bring the basket back at the end.) The menu is unique and the prices are very reasonable, too.

Grab a menu, order, and pick-up your meal. Then grab a table and enjoy!

They have specials and alcoholic beverages, too.

Specials and drinks

To order, you pick a protein and then pick the dish.

See, you pick a protein and then a dish (just don't go by the restaurant hours listed)

I chose Slow Roasted Pork in the Asian Sandwich, “a warm baguette, topped with sweet ginger-infused soy sauce, citrus slaw with carrot & daikon, pickled cucumbers, fresh cilantro & jalapenos with a side of prawn chips.”

Asian Sandwich with Slow Roasted Pork with Prawn Chips

The sandwich was quite flavorful and the pork was tender. The jalapeno slices were a little spicy so I cut them up into little pieces and spread them throughout the sandwich. (That worked well.) The chips were light and airy and had a nice, mild hint of prawn.

Now you can see the pork

If you’re looking for a quick, unique, and tasty meal outdoors for a very reasonable price, The Lunchbox is your place. Check it out. I’ll be back.

The Wine & Cheese Gallery

Jamie says: Who would have thought that after living in Gainesville for 6 years, there would still be so many great new food places to discover! The Wine & Cheese Gallery (113 North Main Street, Gainesville, FL 32601; tel. 352-372-8446; Facebook page) is definitely one of them. I got to go for the first time when Kathryn’s boyfriend’s family came into town and treated us to lunch.

The Wine & Cheese Gallery is a quaint, little hole-in-the wall restaurant and store! I can’t believe I’ve driven past it a million times, but didn’t notice it was there. It’s across the street from The Top restaurant.

The Wine & Cheese Gallery

Yes, in this small place you can shop, drink, and/or eat. The choice is yours.

It's a restaurant and a store

Being a WINE and cheese gallery, they definitely have a lot of wine…

Vino!

Wine bottles filled almost every wall of every room.

More wine

I’m definitely no wine connoisseur, so I wouldn’t even know which wine to choose. But have no fear, they have wine tastings! (It’s now on my Gainesville bucket list.)

Please don't wine, have some wine

They also had lots of condiments and snacks. I want to come back and pick out a jam one day.

In addition to wine, they had lots of cute jams and chocolates and other treats

And, they have to have cheese, of course.

Cheese, please

For dining accommodations, You can choose to dine inside if you’d like…

They have indoor seating

…or outside.

And outdoor seating

Our crew chose the beautiful outdoors.

The Deen family and the Stolarz sisters

I thought it looked cool how they had the guest checks posted on the wall.

What will you order?

We started with a beautiful Cheeseboard- “Three selected cheeses of the day (3 oz.of each), a small french loaf, butter, and Fruit Du Jour. A house specialty.”

Cheeseboard

I ordered the Fig, Turkey & Cheese sandwich- “Adriatic fig spread adorns a sliced turkey and Havarti sandwich with cucumbers, sprouts and fresh tomatoes on a ciabatta roll.” It was so tasty. I loved the sweet fig spread.

Fig, Turkey & Cheese sandwich

I substituted the chips for a side tossed salad. The green salad dressing was killer. An epic event of the afternoon was how I convinced Adam, Kathryn’s boyfriend’s brother, to eat vegetables.

The killer salad dressing (and some more bread)

K got the Turkey Breast and Jarlsberg Swiss sandwich . It came with a pickle and a side of chips.

Turkey Breast and Jarlsberg Swiss sandwich

I love the charm and food at The Wine & Cheese Gallery! I can’t wait to go back to try more of their delicious creations and to do some food shopping and wine tasting.

Zinncredible Pizza and Panini

Jamie says: Mom and K have been talking about “gas station” pizza for weeks now. I really wasn’t too sure how their favorite pizza in town could come from a gas station, but I figured I didn’t want to miss out. So I texted Mom and made plans for a Mother-Daughter dinner date to Zinncredible Pizza and Panini (4450 South Pine Island Road, Davie, FL 33328; tel. 954-452-0101; they also have a Facebook page), after trap shooting with K and Dad, of course…

Zinncredible Pizza and Panini

It’s really quite convenient- you can get gas for your car, mail a package, pick up a snack or lotto ticket, and have delicious Italian food- all in the same little place.

It's inside the Chevron gas station plaza in Davie on Pine Island Road and Orange Drive

Yes, the restaurant is really inside a gas station…but that’s part of the fun of it!

Chevron gas station

But it’s got an Italian restaurant feel on the inside.

Here's the restaurant

You order at the counter and they bring the food out to you.

It's small but it does the trick (and they're expanding)

The owner was a really nice guy. He came to our table and talked to us about New York and Italy- two wonderful food places. He’s very passionate about his pizza- and it shows. One thing that he said really resonated with me- “When you do things with your heart, you will always be successful.” I believe that to be true.

The owner is a really cool guy!

We each ordered a slice of pizza and a few “salads” and shared it. (The wine came from the gas station.)

Mangia, mangia! Want in?

Mom chose the margarita Sicilian. It had a nice, thin sweet sauce, slices of fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, and parmesan cheese. It was really awesome! I was having flashbacks to our recent trip to Italy.

Sicilian pizza by the slice

I went the traditional route- with a big slice of thin crust cheese pizza. It was perfect. I dipped my crust in the oil on top like usual.

Thin crust pizza by the slice

The antipasto salads were incredible, too. The one on the left was an artichoke antipasto salad. And the one on the right was a red pepper antipasto with black olives and garlic. There were even whole cloves of garlic! I was really impressed.

Antipasto salads- artichokes and roasted red peppers with olives, garlic, and parmesan cheese- and a little bottle of wine (from the Chevron gas station)

The dressing on the side salad was really tasty, too! And I liked how there was a hint of cheese on top.

Side salad with Italian dressing

Mom and I had a great girls’ night. We laughed and ate and talked about her days when she was dating my Father.

A fun dinner with my Mom

I loved my “gas station pizza” night with Mom. You’ve got to try “gas station pizza” at Zinncredible’s! It really is some of the best pizza in town!

Burrito Brothers Taco Co.

Jamie says: My Mom used to go to Burrito Brothers Taco Co. (1402 W. University Avenue  Gainesville, FL  32603; tel. 352-378-5948) when she was a student at UF. It’s one of those restaurants that’s stuck around Gainesville because the food is good and the price is fair. So when Mom, Dad, and K came to visit me, we dined at Burrito Brothers for a taste of tried and true Gainesville.

Burrito Brothers Taco Co.

It’s really quite hidden (this is the parking lot view), but it’s worth the effort to find it. (There’s practically no street view from University Avenue, but it’s behind the Presbyterian Student Center.) Here’s the gate that you see from the parking lot.

It's a hidden secret of Gainesville

There’s only outdoor dining or takeout, but that’s part of the fun.

Here's the dining area

It’s so close to campus you could walk or ride your bike here.

We sat at that table on the right

The menu is posted on the wall.

The menu is on the wall

And you order at this little window. They have awesome guacamole that’s made fresh daily, but you have to get there early for it. (We missed it this time- note the guac light is not on.)

And you order at the window (note that the guac light is not on meaning no guac at this time)

When you’re food is ready, they call your number and put it through the window on the door.

You're food's ready!

I got the pork burrito… I made mine a “primo” for a little more money. That means you get more of the main ingredients plus sour cream; if you ask me, it’s well worth the 80 cents.)

What's inside?

The pork burrito is “braised pulled pork shoulder with Monterey Jack, green salsa and cabbage dressed with lime.” (You can add free veggies, too, which include- “ tomatoes, onions, black olives, pickled jalapenos, roasted jalapenos, serranos, habaneros, red sauce, hot red sauce, green tomatilla salsa, chipotle salsa and roasted corn salsa.”) It’s quite flavorful.

Check out that pork!

Mom, K, and I are UF alum! Go Gators!

Gator girls- K, J, & Mom

We all had a good time!

The guys- Dad & Andy

If you’re looking for a local, hole-in-the wall Mexican restaurant with good food at a good price, you’ve come to the right place-find Burrito Brothers!

Limerock Road Neighborhood Grill

Jamie says: I was so excited to have my family come visit me at my new apartment that I started planning all sorts of fun activities for my “family weekend.” Unlike visits of the past, I had no homework to worry about (a perk of finishing school and having a job).

One of the restaurants on my restaurants-to-try list was Limerock Road Neighborhood Grill in Haile Plantation Village (9158 SW 51st Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608; tel. (352) 240-6228. So the four of us ventured out to Haile Plantation, which I like to call “Pleasantville,” for lunch at Limerock Road.

Limerock Road Neighborhood Grill

It’s cute, isn’t it?

Cool name, cool sign

We sat outside, but here’s a look at the inside…

They have indoor and outdoor seating

They have Happy Hour every day from 3-6 PM (according to their website).

They have a bar, too

Here’s one side of the restaurant…

There's another smaller section with indoor seating, too

And there was art (and more tables) on the other side…

Some fun artwork

I don’t normally take pictures of bathrooms, but I thought it was too nice to leave out…

Even the bathroom was pretty

They post their menu online. They said they were going to update it soon.

That dog looks so happy!

I love bright colors- like the green on this glass…

 

Cool glasses (and I'm not talking about shades here)

We orded the Heart of Palm salad as an appetizer to share. I really enjoyed the hearts of palm and their house dressing.

Heart of Palm salad

K got the Limerock Wings- “Hot & Spicy, Guava BBQ or a combo”- with the Daily Soup Special- Cream of Spinach. The soup rocked! It was the favorite item of the table!

Limerock Wings and Cream of Spinach Soup

And the wings were tasty, too. (I got to enjoy K’s leftover wings for lunch.)

Check out that guava and sauce on those wings

I ordered the Monterey Chicken sandwich, ” grilled breast with guacamole, sprouts, tomatoes and Jack cheese on toasted brioche bun” and the Tomato Soup. (Dad got chicken, too.) I enjoyed the soup and the sandwich was good.

Monterey Chicken Lunch Basket with Tomato Soup

The bun on the sandwich was so flavorful- tasted buttery like garlic bread without the garlic… It was my favorite part of the sandwich.

Check out that bun!

Mom got the Blackened Haddock Sandwich “with lettuce and tomato on Pullman white bread” and the Cream of Spinach soup (the same soup K got). She loved the soup, too.

Blackened Haddock Sandwich with Cream of Spinach Soup

We enjoyed the restaurant and our day together.

The Riverside Market Cafe

Jamie says: A few days before I left town to start my new job, my Godparents (aka my aunt and uncle) took me to The Riverside Market Cafe (608 SW 12th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312; tel. 954-358-8333) for lunch. My uncle had been speaking highly of the place for quite a few weeks and had been inviting me to check it out, so we decided to make the plan a reality.

So one beautiful and sunny afternoon last month, I drove to his house and hopped in his car with my aunt and we headed off down a bunch of side streets to get to the restaurant/cafe.

I soon discovered it’s in a residential neighborhood- cool!

The Riverside Market Cafe

I liked their storefront sign…

That's their name- proudly displayed so you can find it in this local, residential neighborhood

If you’re a local, you can ride your bike there…

Even from the outside, this restaurant/cafe has a cool, local vibe

Check out those vibrant chairs they have on the front porch…

Have a seat (and a bite to eat or a drink) outside in one of these brightly colored chairs

Even the inside of the restaurant is fun!

The view of the dining area when walking in

There were customers dining and enjoying drinks on the high top tables and on couches!

You eat on high-top tables

They had a lot of beer options, too.

In addition to food, they offer a wide range of beers

I almost ran into a “floating” bottle opener… I laughed to myself and thought it was fun and unique.

The bottle openers hang from fishing wire- fun!

They also had a case of non-alcoholic beverages.

The back of the restaurant/cafe

It was Christmas-time when we were there. They decorated a tree…

Look how they decorated their Christmas tree!

I asked someone at neighboring table to snap a picture of me and my Godparents.

My Godparents took me to lunch before I left town for my new job

They’re were some good options on the menu, but I went with the special…

Today's special... is what I ordered!

And here it is…

The special- Curry Chicken Salad Wrap with a side of potato salad with bacon (they were out of orzo)

It was good and filled me up. I liked the idea of a curry chicken salad and homemade potato salad with bacon. It made me want to try to make both at home.

A peak at the inside of the wrap

Overall, it was a cool experience. I liked the atmosphere and local vibe the most since it was so unique. Check it out, and let me know what you thought.