Caddy Shack is a great local restaurant for our St. Augustine golf course community residents to take advantage of. Not only do they have delicious food, they also provide lots of fun and entertainment for the whole family. It’s the perfect place to stop by for lunch or a few drinks after a day on one of our pristine golf courses.

Their daily specials spice up their regular menu and their trivia keeps the place packed. They have recently added a few new items to their menu, one of which is what keeps me coming back. The All Wrapped Up is perfection in the chipotle tortilla. I’m a little bit of a wuss when it comes to spice, so I opt for the mild wing sauce and of course, a side of blue cheese. They also have Don’t Be Crabby Fritters and Say Cheeeese & Ham Melt that were recently added.

If you are in the mood for some fun after your long work day ends try some of their entertainment:

• Karaoke/Bingo – Tuesday 8 pm
• Trivia – Wednesday 7- 9 pm
• Football Sundays – Starting at 1 pm they have all your favorite football games on the TVs at the bar, not to mention specials on draft beer.
• Happy Hour –  Every Day from 4 – 7 pm at the bar

Caddy Shack’s 12^th Annual Charity Golf Tournament is coming up on March 30-31^st. The two day event combines parties, golf, and a whole lot of fun. For more information visit: http://www.murraybroscaddyshack.com/.

Taps Bar & Grill on CR 210 has become the go-to restaurant for my family and friends. You really can’t beat 24 beers on tap including 10 seasonal beers that are constantly changing and great food! Personally, I like to start with an order of Taps Bangin’ Shrimp for the table and try one of their seasonal beers, then move onto one of their delicious entrees like the Mushroom Pepper Cheesesteak Philly or the Taps Burger. My family always orders their fried pickles and cheesesticks. We try and switch our orders up as much as possible and have yet to be let down by anything on the menu.

For those of you who want somewhere to watch the game, Taps has 13 flat screens throughout the restaurant, so no matter where you are sitting you can follow your team. They also have special events throughout the week including trivia night on Tuesdays and live music three times a week.

Lunch Specials (every day 11 am – 3 pm)
Monday: Salads $6.99
Tuesday: Any Philly for $6.99
Wednesday: All you can eat fried shrimp with fries & coleslaw for $8.99
Thursday: Fish and chips $8.99
Friday: Wraps for $6.99 �
There is also lunch pricing on some regular menu items as well

Nightly Specials include:
Thursday night: 50 cent wings 6 pm – close
For Monday Night Football: 10 wings and a pitcher of domestic beer for $11.99
Tuesday Night: Kids eat free with purchase of regular entrée

All of these things combined with their friendly service make Taps a great place to go!

Ruth’s Chris is still one of the few places I will order a Cosmopolitan. For the last couple of years we’ve made a Christmas Eve tradition of going to Ruth’s Chris for dinner.It’s a nice way to relax with family before the craziness kicks into high gear.

My husband & I split the harvest salad to start. The combination of greens with the crispness of the well done bacon & the sweetness of the cherries was like a well orchestrated dance across my tongue. The spiced nuts & goat cheese definitely made their appearance known. Certainly ordering that the next time I’m there.

Being a creature of comfort, I usually always go for the filet. Sometimes I’ll change it up with the horseradish crust and/or the shrimp, but the petite filet rarely changes. Until this year. Having tasted one recently & at the advice of my husband, I went for the ribeye and impressed the waiter when I ordered it medium rare. When my sizzling plate arrived with my glorious slice of USDA beef, I was ready to dig in. Armed with my knife & fork, I sliced into the middle. The marbled goodness of a first bite melted on my tongue as I savored the flavor of a well prepared steak.

We had a variety of sides for the table to share: au gratin potatoes, asparagus, creamed spinach, mashed potatoes, broccoli au gratin. And they all disappeared. Not one morsel of a side was left to take home. Ruth’s Chris is one of those ‘special occasion’ places & that’s exactly what the restaurant is: Special.

– Daisy Reed, Lamplighter

We have started doing restaurant reviews for something fun on our WGV website. Instead of getting reviews from others, I decided to take matters into my own hands this time and find a restaurant that I have wanted to try. I’ve lived in the St. Augustine  golf course community for almost four years but have not explored much of the St. Augustine historic district other than shopping, of course! Several people have suggested the Columbia Restaurant for its amazing and authentic food and old world charm. I also have been told about the fabulous sangrias, which I personally am a fan of! So three of my girlfriends decided they would go with me to help with my blog…Thanks ladies!

We arrived for lunch around one and I was instantly impressed by the historic beauty. Christmas had visited the Columbia Restaurant. It was decked out for the holidays. A huge Christmas tree from floor to ceiling greeted us when we walked in. The floor was lined with Poinsettias. Without delay, my girlfriend took the initiative and ordered us a pitcher of white sangrias. The sangrias are white because they are made with champagne and simple syrup. Our server put a bowl of fruit into the pitcher and began “muddling” the fruit into the syrup, then dumped a split of Cristalino champagne on top. She served our sangrias in wine glasses with orange and lime slices with a cherry. Let me just tell you, they are even better than they look. I would highly recommend stopping in the Columbia House for white sangria while out exploring St. George Street. YUM YUM YUM!!!!!

Pacific Asian Bistro

159 Palencia Village

Suite 111

904-808-1818

My wife and I absolutely love sushi. We’ve enjoyed sushi in Japan, Vancouver, Hawaii, California and Orlando. Needless to say, we are sushi connoisseurs!

We heard of one sushi place in Saint Augustine called Pacific Asian Bistro, an eatery offering Japanese, Chinese, and sushi cuisine. We were told it was the best sushi restaurant in the area, so we hoped it could match our palate.

Owner and Chef Mas Liu greeted us like old customers when we went there the first time. Little did we know that Mas treats all his customer like they were old and dear friends.

His creations of sushi are awesome, the best I ever tasted as long as I can recall. His imagination to create dishes that are not only different and attractive, but great tasting!

But enough said…go and try it yourself or order take out! Just tell Mas that Papa sent you!

For more information, visit Pacific Asian Bistro’s website at http://www.pacificasianbistro.com/ or call (904) 808-1818

–Jurgen May, Turnberry

Cucina Giovanni’s
2730 State Rd 16
St. Augustine, FL 32092
904.823.8999

My husband and I order Giovanni’s take out a couple of times a month. The food is always hot and the service is impeccable.  My favorite is the Shrimp Fra Diavolo Parmigiana.  I love the sauce so much; I order extra shrimp and extra sauce.  If my husband does not order the Veggie Pizza, then he orders the Eggplant Parmesan.  The first time he ordered it, it was soggy. I called the owner. He said he would cut the Eggplant extra thick and send us a new one.  It was delivered and tasted amazing. Now my husband always orders it that way.  Try the garlic knots and their house dressing too.  I would give Giovanni’s a 5 star rating for their Italian delivery.  – Jennifer Beall, GroveWood

Cucina Giovanni’s offers dine-in, delivery, takeout, and catering services. They are located by the Prime Outlet Mall in St. Augustine, FL. Give them a try and let us know what you think about their food and service! You can comment right below this post!

To read more reviews on Cucina Giovanni’s please visit http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&rlz=1G1GGLQ_ENUS375&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=giovanni’s+st.+augustine+fl&fb=1&gl=us&hq=giovanni’s&hnear=St+Augustine,+FL&cid=15158079123200289430

To view Cucina Giovanni’s lunch and dinner menus: http://www.cucinagiovanni.com/

Going out for sushi is as much a social experience as a culinary one.  For me, sushi makes for an ideal lunch out with friends. It’s lighter than a burger, healthier and easy to eat while chatting.  And, asking a friend or colleague if they want to “go out for sushi?” always seems to wet the appetite and spark interest more than the usual ho-hum dining out.  Now with the opening of Sushi Bistro at The Shoppes at Murabella in St. Augustine, sushi has become part of my routine.

The buzz about its opening was hard to miss.  It seems like all of us living and working around the World Golf Village area, along International Golf Parkway and C.R.16, were starved for some more exotic fare.  Sushi Bistro doesn’t disappoint with its fresh and savory japanese cuisine. The extensive sushi menu offers traditional selections like Tuna Roll, Spicy Tuna Roll and California Roll as well as a great variety of vegetarian options like Fried Tofu Roll, Sweet Potato Roll (a personal favorite) and Avocado Roll.  The Sashimi selections are plentiful too – from Yellowtail and Shrimp to Mackerel and Salmon.  For the more adventurous diner, there’s a Conch Roll, Squid and Spicy Tobiko (Flying Fish Roe), among others. Those who preferred cooked sushi to raw will also love the options here: Fried Chicken Roll anyone?