New/Interesting Food Stores And Other Things in JAX (Jacksonville: 2013, lofts) - Florida (FL) - City-Data Forum

Robyn55 · 03-02-2014, 03:56 PM

I like to cook. And am willing to drive to buy ingredients I want. I've been to 2 places recently that some of you who like to cook may not know about - and thought I'd mention them.

The first is Penzeys Spices. It's a national chain with a large mail order operation. OTOH - it's more fun to shop at a place where you can smell/taste things before buying than ordering them on line. Penzeys used to have a location in Regency that closed quite a while back. It has now reopened in the Publix/Total Wine shopping center near the Town Center. If it's an herb or a spice - unless you're looking for something fresh - odds are 99.9% you can find it here.

The second is Circle Japan - located in a nondescript strip shopping center on the north side of Beach Blvd. between I295 and Kernan. A place to get most Japanese ingredients (I was looking for dried kelp and bonito flakes) - and exchange a few words of Japanese with the proprietress (who was born in Osaka).

Only because it's a small store and doesn't have the huge selection of Asian food items you'll find at a place like the JAX Oriental Market.

. Which is located in a strip shopping center at the intersection of Shad/Hood/Hartley (same road - 3 names at various points) and Old St. Augustine Roads (between Philips Highway and San Jose Blvd.). If you don't live in this part of town (and I don't) - it's nice to combine a shopping trip here with a trip to Whole Foods. And just FWIW - if you go during the week - there's a good art gallery on Shad Road you can explore too. Florida Mining Gallery:

florida mining

It's a division of/located in the Harbinger operation (Harbinger - which makes

commercial lighting signs - is pretty interesting IMO too). Note that Florida Mining has gallery opening "parties". If interested - sign up for its email invite list.

Anyway - if anyone has run across something that's new/interesting here - or that people might not be likely to stumble on because it's not on the "beaten path" - chime in. I think we'll all start defrosting and drying out the next couple of weeks. Time to get out and explore! Robyn

P.S. Don't forget that both One Spark (

last year - its first year - and I'm hoping for

this year) and the Clay County Fair (

for most people -

for fried food/rodeo/rides that make you sick to your stomach fans) are in early April. The early Florida Village at the Clay County Fair is a

Florida history exhibit:

Early Florida History | Clay County Fair

Everyone in the area should see it it at least one.

jcmh3 · 03-02-2014, 04:37 PM

Circle Japan is a truly unique shop in Jacksonville with authentic Japanese food items. And if you're into sake at all, they have an incredible selection! It's definitely worth a visit if you have a taste for Japanese food. It's tucked away in a small strip mall, so you're not likely to notice it if you're not looking for it. Good recommendation, Robyn!

ocarolyn · 03-03-2014, 05:40 AM

I am going to make Sushi at home sometime this week...well not sushi but maki rolls. tuna, salmon, Krab (or California roll as it is called here) maybe a futomaki mmmmm and some Iniri oh and an eel roll. There will be NO CREAM CHEESE in any of my rolls....sorry I had to say that..
lol Anyway I stopped by Circle Japan yesterday, Sunday, and they were closed. I had never noticed the shop before and I've driven past hundreds of times, thought better of going back because it looks so small, but now I will go back.

Any tips on the tuna or salmon that I am going to use in the rolls. I have done some research online and there seems to be some discrepancy about Sushi Grade some say there is really no such thing as Sushi Grade and the fish just needs to be frozen for a certain amount of time to kill any possible parasites.

There is a store called Myre Asian Market at 11900 Atlantic Blvd #204, I really like this place because sometimes I do not know exactly what I am looking for, the owner is American and can understand what I am asking for. I don't remember what this name is and he is very nice BUT the prices there are not as cheap as say Harry's Produce/Asian Market on Beach (in the shopping center with the big dinosaur) just as an aside, I bought, among other things there yesterday, a three pack of red bell peppers for $1.49. Publix has the same thing for $4 almost $5... but like I said he is VERY helpful. He does have a much better price on the tuna than other places I have called.

There is another place I have been in once or twice and it was very good but I can not remember the name it is beside the Family Dollar at 10732 Atlantic Blvd if you Google it it comes up Mike Cell not sure if that is REALLY the name but you should check it out.

Ok this is no longer a "quick Reply" lol

fsu813 · 03-03-2014, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robyn55

And just FWIW - if you go during the week - there's a good art gallery on Shad Road you can explore too. Florida Mining Gallery:

florida mining

It's a division of/located in the Harbinger operation (Harbinger - which makes

commercial lighting signs - is pretty interesting IMO too). Note that Florida Mining has gallery opening "parties". If interested - sign up for its email invite list.

Steve Williams, owner of Florida Mining & Harbinger is a very cool person (as is the curator, Adelaide). Steve is currently looking for a large mixed-use building Downtown to renovate into lofts/art studios/commercial space.

Robyn55 · 03-03-2014, 06:49 AM

Re Sunday shopping - JAX Oriental Grocery is open on Sunday IIRC.

Re "sushi grade" tuna. There really isn't such a thing (in the sense that you have official grading for beef - prime/choice/select). All you have to be concerned with is freezing the stuff to kill parasites. E.g.:

Costco Ahi tuna...sushi grade? - Home Cooking - Chowhound

Note that local markets aren't going to carry the extremely high quality (and extremely expensive - Bluefin Tuna Sells For Record $1.76 Million in Tokyo - World Record Food - Eater National) bluefin tuna you'll find in some higher end restaurants in north America and Japan. So I would just buy the freshest I could find locally - and freeze it. Ditto with salmon.

FWIW - this is kind of a bad time of year to buy fresh fish IMO - because most of what's available is farmed. Can't wait for the start of sockeye salmon season (sockeye is my favorite salmon) in a few months. I buy almost all of my fish (especially salmon and halibut) at Costco. Not only is it very fresh - it's relatively inexpensive. Costco also has excellent relatively inexpensive peppers (big red ones and smaller mixed red/yellow/orange ones most of the time) if you're in the market for those. Robyn

fsquid · 03-03-2014, 07:39 AM

been using Penzeys for years

jcmh3 · 03-03-2014, 06:51 PM

The safest and best sushi-grade tuna is flash-frozen at sea immediately after the catch. They're frozen at such low temperatures that the muscle tissue is protected from the damage caused by ice crystals which can form when freezing at higher temperatures. But freezing it at any point is far safer than eating raw fresh tuna.

In my area, the only place I've found that offers sushi-grade tuna is Fresh Market. We get it there and it makes the most delicious tuna tataki!