Old Florida Cafe: Micanopy, FL

I find that some of the best places to eat are never easily seen straight off the main road. In fact, you may have to travel back in time with Chris Lloyd to a near abandoned town to get there. "GREAT SCOTT!". Along route 441 driving south from Gainesville, you'll eventually come upon a small town called Micanopy. Turn right onto the only flashing traffic light for miles and you're there. According to their town website, its referred to as the " town that time forgot" and by visiting it you can see that statement to be all too true. The town is absolutely Historic, like the mansion hotel you can still book rooms in that was built in 1845. Micanopy is a town of roughly 700 people and is rarely ever disturbed. It reminds me of the small town in the film "Big Fish" in which you come and their pie and then never leave because the people are just so damn nice! With every nice small town, comes its oddities. Every time I take a trip to Micanopy for lunch, i stop to eat and then wander into the antique shops and general stores for fun .Among my discoveries over the years, I found an old gas mask from WWII, action figures from the 40's and 50's and an ancient enema kit. Why anyone would want to purchase the enema kit, I've no idea. But it looked very uncomfortable and I got a good laugh out of it.

But despite these quirky little shops and disturbing discoveries, there lies a small cafe that everyone can relax at and eat a good lunch. In fact, it is half cafe and half antique store. Almost every building in micanopy is an antique store in some strange way. While you're ordering, don't hesitate to take a look around you. From ceiling to floor, this place is covered in old novelties. The food, however, is very fresh. Old Florida Cafe is a small sandwich shop settled among a patio garden. Everytime I go I have unique experience and strangely take on a Southern accent. Their specialties include reubans, cubans, and BLTs. They are simple sandwiches that aren’t so simple when entering the mouth. The Reuben’s are smothered in corn beef cheese and sauerkraut . I know it sounds simple, but sometimes less is more.The BLT- just as it sounds. The best part about this is that the bacon is actually still sizzling and crispy when it makes its way to your plate. My friend ordered this and the bacon was actually glistening. Lets face it, one of the things that Southern folk can do is fry bacon. Fry Bacon and make the best sweet tea. Another great part about this hidden gem is that the sweet tea is also made every day. Served in a styrofoam cup with a huge chunk of ice stuck in the bottom to suck on later, drowned to the top with tea. Am I crazy or do drinks taste better in styrofoam? Everyday at the cafe feels like a lazy Sunday. And while you’re still hungry, grab some cakes and pies that peek at you in the window when you are ordering at the counter. (Warning: Pecan pie may cause involuntary drooling).

Don't be surprised however to have visitors while you’re eating. No, im not talking about cranky panhandling hobos. Im talking about the cats. It is widely know that the cafe's cat with a lazy eye and a chipped ear makes its way systematically around from table to table as the food is served. Using his unbareable cuteness, you'll soon notice that he'll usually get a piece of food from every table he visits. There are actually a couple of cats that wander the town hoping to get stray scraps. Oh, and they also love to be pet.

Sitting under your umbrella table eating your scrumptualities, you can look on the town. It feels like the town was literally forgotten, and that the people never left. The buildings are old with the paint scraping off. You’ll find small dirt roads crisscrossing in and out of the road like Peach and Magnolia Avenue. The people there take their time.It's comforting to know that simple places like this still exist despite cities with useless traffic jams and iphone takeovers. If you come to Old Florida Cafe, you'll feel it to be an absolute escape.

****Remember that Old Florida Cafe takes cash only, but prices are very reasonable.

Mr. Han's Chinese Restaurant: Gainesville, FL

For those who have never been to China like myself, there is always a curiosity to find authentic Chinese food in the United States that thinks outside the takeout box. For those who don’t have air miles to travel to China to get it, there is a place in Gainesville, Florida that is hidden just like all "good" restaurants but emits a secret certain elegance. Mr. Han's Chinese Restaurant is one such place.

No this isn't your neighborhood chinese buffet serving doubtful pet meats in dirty chicken water. Hidden behind a motel this restaurant sits on the 2nd floor of a nightclub. From the road its impossible to see, but when you curve your way back down the single road, the place seems so obvious that you might slap yourself from not seeing it before. Upon entering, you notice that it’s dark with only tinges of lights gracing each table and beautiful, fresh pink flowers in the middle. Where you sit is almost holy. The place looks nothing under the standards of the best chinese mafia dining room. Only the best.

But what you come here for is legendary. The Duck. The Peking duck to be exact. It is their own recipe that directly comes from the recipes they use in those dark secret alleys in China and in the past dynasties, was only used to serve the royal dynasties. When I first came here, I had a craving for a crispy marinated, slow roasted duck. And that’s exactly what I got. Sitting down in a quiet corner, you are served complimentary Oolong tea, which relaxes you to the core until the excitement builds up again when your entree arrives.

Now, for those of you who don't know, Peking duck is a specialty in China. It was first made in the 1300's, and as said before it was only served to royalty. In the 20th century it began to spread internationally. It is a duck that is slow roasted with crispy brown bubbling skin served with a plum sauce, or often with pancakes. Mr. Han’s likes to make it pretty simple, which is always the most delicious route. The flavors never get too complicated. Sprawled out, its served on a plate with the crispy skin pieces laid about on top, and the moist meaty goodness hidden underneath in a plum sauce topped with snowpeas. Just writing this has made me make plans tonight with a friend to go get more. There is plenty to go around even for two people, remember this is a whole duck and for about $30 you’re getting the best of the best. I had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Han himself for about an hour about the restaurant business and about his passion for food and travel. He told me that their Peking duck is what made them famous because of their technique related to old traditional Chinese methods of cooking the duck, not the more modern techniques.

NOW, for those of you who arent so favored to quacking creatures, fear not. There’s an entire other menu besides the duck that is delicious. The 4 star dumplings are a great starter, or their many soups like the dragon and phoenix soup. Do not worry there is no mythical creature fee. Entrees include, the Prime Steak which is made with a soy-based sauce, lobster with cream sauce or South African lobster, House chicken(a very large portion) smothered in a murderously amazing 17th century sauce recipe, shrimp, pork dishes, and Mu-Shi which are meats that you wrap in pancakes. One of the strangest yet most delicious sounding dishes is called the Beggar's chicken. You actually have to order this dish a whole DAY in advance because they are special chickens fed on President Jimmy Carter's peanuts. Don't worry, this won’t cost you the entire contents of the Oval office including Ms. Lewinsky, it’s only about 25 dollars and big enough for a few people to share. It’s marinated overnight, wrapped in bamboo leaves and stuffed with crabmeat and roasted for many hours with the dripping chicken juices basting it, making it ever so tender.

Mr. Han's is a true traditional experience. The staff is very accommodating, friendly, and catering and they make damn sure that this won't be your last visit. On all my visits to the restaurant, Mr. Han actually made an effort to come around to all the tables and make sure that everything was going swimmingly. However, Catastrophic news suddenly hit the restaurant after my last visit. While eating at one of my favorite Hibachi restaurants, I overhead from other guests and later confirmed that Mr. Han was killed in a car accident not 2 weeks after my last visit to the restaurant. May he rest in peace and his legendary recipes live on forever. I feel so honored I got to have a meaningful conversation with him before this tragedy.

Frog's BBQ Pad: Gainesville, FL

This review is dedicated to every BBQ lover that had that one gasping, sauce dripping, fall off the bone BBQ experience they will never forget and will compare every BBQ place they visit in the future to that particular experience.
There is a small shack about 10 miles west of Gainesville in the rural town of Williston. I have now confirmed from my own experiences with food that the local shacks in every small town usually make the best comfort food and put the most care in their food. They don’t have time to make the place look pretty because they are making sure the food tastes the way its supposed to taste.

Frogs BBQ Pad is one such shack that makes mouthwatering BBQ. Don't worry, no Amphibians were harmed in the making of this BBQ. Their specialties include, ribs, pulled pork, beef plates, and classic BBQ sandwiches that set your taste buds ablaze. They have sides like fried okra, homemade baked beans and other Southern favorites. My favorite items on the menu would have to be the gigantic titanous beef ribs and the pork plate because they are cooked to absolute perfection and the portions are large. For about 10 dollars, you can get a 1/2 lb of "fall off the bone" ribby goodness or a mound of delicious pulled pork smothered in sauce in between two pieces of garlic toast. Now there is a good amount of sauce on the BBQ itself when it comes out, BUT you can always ask for more and what you get is quite a surprise. One of the employees will hand you a Styrofoam cup filled to the brim with their tangy smokey, thick BBQ sauce so you dunk and dip your BBQ in it as much as you’d like. You may become so drunkenly obsessive with this BBQ sauce that you may find yourself drinking the cup of sauce rather than your cup of Coca Cola.

The atmosphere is not much to look at from the outside. Off of Highway Route 27, you'll see this little rugged shack from the road and its dusty parking lot. When you enter, you’ll see there isn’t much room for sitting: a couple of tables and a long antique green velvet bench. When you order, you have to speak through a small window barely big enough for the employees face to fit through. This tactic makes me think that these people take their BBQ seriously, and like to keep it a secret. That is what is so magical about good BBQ; people go to great lengths to protect their recipes and keep their guest wondering.

Take a chance on this place. The food is full-bodied, and you can tell that someone behind that mysterious window put alot of time into making it. Trust me when I say that you will leave there full and belly-busted so that you can go home and pass out on the couch watching Seinfeld completely satisfied.

Nippon Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi. Jupiter, FL

This is probably my favorite restaurant in my hometown of Jupiter, FL. I’ve been a regular customer there for more than 15 years.

Nippon is a small Japanese Steakhouse settled close to the beach in the corner of a crowded plaza. Its one of those hard to find nooks in Jupiter, but every time I want it I can taste it immediately from pure memory. I think there is a little soldier in my brain who hides behind the grey matter and sets off food grenades every time I think of this place. You would not expect much from the outside, but when you’re inside you automatically feel drawn in.

*Nippon is a great place to take your family, friends or go on a date. There are several sections of the restaurant you can choose to eat in. Even in such a small from the outside, there really is a ton of space inside. Here is a list of the different sections of the restaurant*

A. The hibachi grill- for those of you who don't know, a hibachi grill is a huge sizzling iron grill that the Japanese use to cook large amounts of food on at the same time. The chef cooks the entire table's food in front of its guests and uses tricks with his knives and food to entertain the guests.
B. Regular tables- you can order anything on the menu and have it made in the kitchen or the sushi bar to have brought to you.
C. Traditional Japanese tables- authentically eaten upon in Japan, these low to the floor tables allow you to sit on the floor and order both sushi and any other menu item. No shoes allowed.This is great to try if you like something more unique. No other Japanese restaurant in Jupiter or surrounding town has this type of seating style
D. Sushi bar- watch the owner of the restaurant, a great sushi chef make the freshest pieces of raw fish you have had in a while. I still think that most of the places in Palm Beach County don't have as fresh of fish as Nippon. I recommend the spicy tuna roll, the spider roll or the Jupiter roll.

When you walk in you hear the chimes ring on the door announcing your arrival to a totally different country. If you are lucky you will be welcomed by the owner's wife who is a family friend of ours and is as sweet as could ever be. She makes such an effort to make sure her guests are at home and on special nights she will even wear an authentic Japanese kimono. The entire staff is well known for remembering their customers and their menu favorites when they return.

*The main menu besides the amazing sushi consists of hibachi meat dishes such as hibachi steak and chicken, scallops, shrimp, Filet Mignon, etc.
*Each hibachi meal comes with a starter of clear onion soup or crisp ginger salad. The homemade ginger dressing for the salad, is good enough to drink. Of course I always attract stares from the customers as I literally pour the remainder of the dressing at the bottom of my salad bowl down my gullet.
*Along with your starter, you receive a giant pile of delicious fried rice and vegetables cooked right in front of you. The portion sizes of rice are big enough to make 50 pigeons explode after a wedding.
* The meats come next and are always tender and fresh. Especially the shrimps and filet mignon. The combination of terryiaki sauce, soy oil, butter, lemon, and the leftover flavors from the charred grill when the rice and vegetables were made...makes these items extraordinary.
* Its always a treat to see the hibachi tricks the chef does for the audience of the table as well, making a starter fire which will almost singe your eyebrows off and a volcano made of onions. *
*May I recommend as well, if your dip happy like me ...to dip all your foods in the ginger and seafood sauce that they provide you with. Although called seafood sauce, I put this creamy, garlicky sauce over everything on my plate. and i mean EVERYTHING.


One of the things you can count on with Nippon is that they never run out of Sake, and the sake they use is so incredibly smooth. It is very easy to drink down a few bottles and find yourself face planting the concrete as soon as you say goodbye to the waitress.

Its a cozy place that you can always come back to and expect a good meal. The food never fails, which is why for me the 15 years has passed by so quickly. As for price, the sushi is reasonably priced ranging from 5-14 dollars just about. And the dinners from about 12-30. ALL IS WORTH IT and ALL IS AUTHENTIC. SAYONARA.

Satchel's Pizza. Gainesville, FL

Owned by the same people who run Leonardo’s pizza in Gainesville, this place really extends the word strange to a different level. Satchels can be spotted from the street with its jolly Christmas lights lit all year round. It’s usually a crowded place so while your waiting you can admire the decore from the outside and inside. Take a gander at their junk store called Lightning Salvage. There you can buy a beer or a soda in the glass bottle and shop for a few of the hundreds of little fun trinkets they sell that date back to your childhood. Tops, bouncy balls, horns, tiny action figures, flip books, fake mustaches for every day of the week, puzzle boxes, and dashboard Jesus's (the list goes on). Enjoy a live folk band playing every week in the bar next to the shop.

When you can finally sit down to eat, you have a choice of eating outside on a patio (including inside a hollowed out legendary Hippie bus) or inside the restaurant. If you prefer inside like me, its a really cozy space. Decorated with countless pieces artwork on the walls and mobiles hanging from the ceiling, your eyes eventually wander to the menu. The pizzas range in size from a slice to THE MAJOR ( 4 toppings) and you can order from 30 different toppings. I would definitely recommend the spicy sausage or steak n’ onions on your pizza and make sure you sample the crust of the pizza because it has a distinct garlic and olive oil taste with a moist center. Try the salad as well; its famous at Satchels and smothered in a homemade balsamic dressing. You can buy the dressing in bulk at Lightning Salvage if you drool over it like I do. But don't try to ask for the recipe, the dressing is top secret and locked in a safe somewhere underground with a polar bear carrying a chainsaw guarding it. A small salad is big enough for 2-4 people to ravage over. Like Leonardo’s, they don't skimp on portions; a great way to keep their customers coming back.

Now the thing to remember about Satchels, in my opinion, is that it’s the atmosphere that makes the good time for its visitors. The pizza is great but its what’s around you that makes it memorable. On your way out pick up a free bumper sticker to promote the restaurant and express your undying goofy teenage love for the place. They are all a little different. Mine reads " ATCHELSAY IZZAPAY"…that’s pig Latin for Satchel’s Pizza.

(One more thing to remember, BRING CASH, this is a cash only joint but they do have an atm inside if you happen to forget. Its a great place for a date or a big dinner with all your buddies). Parking spots can be difficult to find on the weekends so carpool on Friday and Saturday if you can. Enjoy!

Leonardo's Pizza. Gainesville, FL

Id like to start here because it was the first place I went to eat when I was a starving freshman at the University of Florida, just dying to gain those expected 15 lbs for every entering student. Leonardo's is known in Gainesville for its pizza, soft doughy rolls with garlic sauce, and its Indie feel.

This little joint has more than just your average mafia pizza place with the 3 basic toppings of pepperoni, sausage, and cheese. It lacks the crabby Italian waiter staring your table down from the kitchen. This place offers an odd and different experience. Using 2 large scalding pizza ovens, the topping varieties skyscraper to such selections as: The spin tom ( tomatoes, basil, and white cheese), the Greek, the Florentine ( my personal favorite: a mix of spinach, sun dried tomatoes, feta cheese, mozarella cheese, and fresh tomatoes). They even have pizzas for those that are vegetarian or vegan...although no offense to the proud vegans, but I can't imagine a pizza without real cheese. And of course for the classic pizza diner, they have excellent Pepperoni, sausage, and cheese toppings. Other than pizza, Leonardos offers a variety of pastas and salads with homemade dressing. And may I recommend the organic salad served with raspberry vinaigrette or just the basic garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious and again its fresh tasting and the dressings are made right in the restaurant.

I would have to say though, that my favorite item at Leonardo's..are the rolls. Made fresh daily, these pizza dough rolls are crispy on the outside and hot, moist and doughy on the inside. You can literally tear the roll apart leaving moist strings of dough in the middle. Just like a Pillsbury commercial, where you are ripping apart one of the doughboy's cousins. And the garlic sauce is great to dip the rolls in or even pour on your pizza.
***Warning: garlic sauce is so good that you may find yourself drinking it in shots***

What really makes this place unique is something that is found throughout Gainesville. Gainesville is almost a refuge, at least the downtown area, for those who follow the Indie culture. This can include people who cover themselves in tattoos, wear tight pants, cut their hair purposefully uneven, and listen to that music that you can't exactly put your finger on. But somehow, despite the love for the extreme, these young people have an amazing knack for cooking. Leonardos is one such place that exhibits this in its customers and employees. I like it because when you walk in, you are welcomed by real cooks, not a chain gang of uniforms with chicken hats. You get real people taking your order, and you sit with real people. There is nothing artificial about this place, and what you see is what you get.

With the good, there is always the bad. One of Leonardos best characteristics is its LOCATION. On the corner of 13th street and University Avenue,this location is possibly one of the most crowded intersections and therefore it draws alot attention and drooling customers. Its also less than 100 ft. from campus, so you have the constant waves of undergraduates dragging their feet in and causing a chaotic experience at the ordering counter. I have been known to get hot -headed about the ordering situation because there is no specific organization for a set "line". Generally during the week however, its a pleasant atmosphere. The bottom line, however, is that no matter how long you wait, the food is the pacifier.

As far as price? Just be ready to spend no more than 10 or 15 dollars on everything. By everything I mean a slice of pizza, a drink, 2 rolls (or more), and a salad. A really reasonable price which gives you A LOT of food for A LITTLE cash.

One of the things I always look for in restaurants is the amount of food you get with the price. Are their any sides? Does it come with anything? IF it doesn’t, it had better be pretty damn good by itself! Luckily most of the items on the menu allow you to sample some of the garlic rolls free of charge. If it doesn't however, a couple of rolls don't cost more than 3 dollars.


An adventure in itself when you open the door, Leonardos will leave you crawling back for more. How do they make their rolls so moist, and their dressings lip-smacking and their pizza toppings so fresh? It’s a mystery, and one of the best mysteries I have encountered in Gainesville, FL.