Ellen's Daytona with a side of JACKSONVILLE

Can you handle one more Daytona report?
Flew in to JAX from Philly, rented a car for the drive to Daytona
Nov 1st -3rd, 2008

BLACKJACK'S BBQ, Jacksonville, FL
(I had read some good reviews on internet.. fairly new place)

Note the Krystal Burgers peeking out in the background
This place is southwest of downtown, off Roosevelt Blvd, on San Juan

I asked if the brisket had good crusted edges, the nice waitress said "no; you can see the brisket over there the man is eating"
The menu said "pulled and chopped"... well, I really like CRUSTY and SLICED...
So I got the CHICKEN...gotta get something, so I can share it with you

VERY nicely prepared dish, extremely FRESH tasting chicken..
definitely did NOT have that "sitting around" taste that we often encounter in BBQ joints... had a smokey flavor; not really my kind of flavor, but it was real decent overall... PRICE $8.25

Then I stumbled on this CHICKEN KOOP place on Beach Blvd.
MY kind of place!!!!
Got the buffalo fingers...5 locations around town, I found out.
Note the Piccadilly Cafeteria sign peaking through the middle..

I'll spare you guys the pic of the chicken fingers...
they were decent, though

Pit stop to get my free samples ...the peach cider was good
Hey, $1.00 a bag for all those oranges?!? Such a deal !

Got off at the exit for the city of PALM COAST. However, it was such an exclusive type of town that I could'nt find any public beach access. Just lots of real nice houses, and lots of "private" signs..

FINALLY, I noticed this little parking lot, and finally I was going to see my first view of the BEACH!

Somewhere between Palm Coast and Flagler Beach...

Appeared to be a locals' fishing spot.

Arrived in Daytona Beach around 5 pm. Just enough time to find a motel and settle in before "meating up" with the Bluemaxx gang 6:30
I had read some good reviews on Trip Advisor about this motel
OCEAN COURT, Daytona Beach Shores, right on the beach

The owner Dave was so accomodating. He showed me 4 different types of rooms. I'm big on comfy mattresses, so I try and see rooms first.
(unless I'm bidding blindly on Priceline, etc)
He gave me a nice room for $50. Normally it would've been $65, but he said it was slow, and he was glad to have me.

This was a nice little MOM and POP joint...reminded me of the places in Miami Beach , (Sunny Isles) that they tore down for all those high rise condos.

Ocean view at the Ocean Court!
Notice the 10 MPH signs on the beach. I think it's ridiculous that driving on the beach is still allowed, as there's such little beach left in certain parts, (like this part) due to erosion
It can be dangerous for anyone laying out trying to suntan!


DINNER TIME at the BRICKYARD, Daytona Beach, Sat. Nov. 1st
Rich (Bluemaxx) was so generous to treat the 10 of us Roadfooders.
SK BOB and his lovely wife show up via motorcycle.

They are lucky to live only 7 miles away ..

L-R: John A, SK BOB, his lovely wife, Rich (AKA Bluemaxx), Chuck (Baah Ben), me, Greg, and Miami Don

My BRICKYARD burger...yum

Sharing some happy moments with 2 of my favorite Roadfooders,
Chuck (Baah Ben) and Miami Don...

It was my first time "meating up" with Miami Don, and the suspense was building up after months of sharing Roadfood thoughts online..
Glad you made the drive from Miami, Don, and thanks so much for that "Philippe's French Dip" T-shirt gift!! Very thoughtful of you..

I'd met Chuck before at the Brickyard in June.
Chuck, it was so wonderful schmoozing with you again!!

Here's Greg(wheregregeats) who flew all the way in from Massachusetts
(so nice meeting you, Greg)...Bluemaxx is in middle..
and here's lovely Cindy, who was a member of Bluemaxx's pit crew

Cheers! Hold those burgers up!


Please come back for "Part 2" !

Thanks for the view down the streets. They look so different from LA.

Did you try all the different sauces? I'd definitely have to do that.

Do you like eating on those woven wood plates? I'm not so sure about those. Wonder if they're porous.

Last question....

You didn't have the Fried cheesecake?

Next up -- I hope -- Beach Road Chicken....

TJK

Welcome back. Looked like a good time based on the other reports. Looking forward to the rest of your report.


TJK, Welcome aboard!

Thanks -- been lurking for years and years. Which is to say, my mouth was full.

TJK

Chicken looked good...but white toast...kind of very basic!!!

As always, looking forward for the rest of another great report, Ellen.

quote:

Originally posted by leethebard

Chicken looked good...but white toast...kind of very basic!!!

What would you rather have ???
A 13 multi-grain baguette ???

quote:

Originally posted by leethebard

Chicken looked good...but white toast...kind of very basic!!!

You really should get out an experience some BBQ joints outside the 30-miles radius around NJ.

All of the best BBQ joints in Lockhart, TX - widely consider the Mecca of BBQ - wouldn't even take the time to toast their plain white bread. Yet, it compliments the meat - as opposed to overwhelming it. It is merely provided as a means to sop up juices or hold multiple pieces of meat together. In Memphis, I was given plain white bread. In Kansas City, most places served plain white bread. As stated elsewhere, what were you expecting?

If I am not mistaken, what is shown in the photo is called "Texas Toast" - a slightly thicker cut, buttered and toasted, sometimes with a garlic and herb flavoring (but I don't really see it here).

That is interesting, toast never seen that in a BBQ house. Different

quote:

Originally posted by The Travelin Man

quote:

Originally posted by leethebard

Chicken looked good...but white toast...kind of very basic!!!

You really should get out an experience some BBQ joints outside the 30-miles radius around NJ.

All of the best BBQ joints in Lockhart, TX - widely consider the Mecca of BBQ - wouldn't even take the time to toast their plain white bread. Yet, it compliments the meat - as opposed to overwhelming it. It is merely provided as a means to sop up juices or hold multiple pieces of meat together. In Memphis, I was given plain white bread. In Kansas City, most places served plain white bread. As stated elsewhere, what were you expecting?

If I am not mistaken, what is shown in the photo is called "Texas Toast" - a slightly thicker cut, buttered and toasted, sometimes with a garlic and herb flavoring (but I don't really see it here).

Live and learn!!!

Ellen, Any good airport food? Is this the trip you were connecting in Charlotte?

I can't get anyone to try Blue Boy Sandwich Shoppes....Maybe next time....

quote:

Originally posted by The Travelin Man
If I am not mistaken, what is shown in the photo is called "Texas Toast" - a slightly thicker cut, buttered and toasted

You called right Travelin Man! That WAS Texas Toast ....
(and it tasted better than it looked)

"Texas toast," notably never seen by me in Texas.

TJK

quote:

Originally posted by TJK

Next up -- I hope -- Beach Road Chicken....

I WISH ! Unfortunately, their hours were NOT conducive to my schedule.
I arrived Saturday to Jacksonville at 11 am...
but they don't open till 4 pm on Saturdays.
(and I had to be on the road to Daytona by then)

And they are closed on MONDAYS, the day that I made the trip back through Jacksonville.
Too bad, cause I had seen some great Beach Road Chicken pics that TRAVELIN' MAN posted on here a bunch of months ago, and I was game!

HEY,TJK, Welcome to Roadfood, officially!
Good to see you out of "LURKER-LAND"!

quote:

Originally posted by joerogo

Ellen, Any good airport food? Is this the trip you were connecting in Charlotte?

YES to both questions! I connected in DCA on the way from PHL-JAX.
Had a real good breakfast burrito, complete with home fries mixed in, from California Tortilla.

I connected on my trip home thru Charlotte. Wanted to try Brookside BBQ (I believe that was the name) but it was in the other concourse, and my connection time only ended up being a half hour or so.
Ended up having a very DRY biscuit from Bojangles.

Thanks.

The only fried chicken I've had that is better than Beach Road is made by Bertha, the cook at Keystone Camp in Brevard, NC. And unless you're a girl or have a connection (I used to), you're not getting any of Bertha's chicken. Bertha is from Jacksonville though but denies any connection to Beach Road with a stern look and rolling eyes. But her chicken is akin to Beach Road.

Creamed peas and mashed potatoes.... Is it lunchtime yet?

TJK

quote:

Originally posted by mar52[/i
Did you try all the different sauces?
Do you like eating on those woven wood plates?
You didn't have the Fried cheesecake?

Yes, I tried all the sauces. I liked the sweet BBQ the best.
The mustard sauces were a little too sugary for me.

It did'nt bother me eating off those woven plates. Sounds like maybe it should have?!?!

No, did'nt do the Fried cheesecake. Named after me, by the way, as that's my last name, FRIED.

That's why I capitalized it!

Ellen,
I just love your reports! The pictures and your descriptions are fantastic.....Do you ever make it to Michigan for any of your journeys? We have great "Roadfood" here too.

Ellen, another wonderful report. Also, nice to put faces with names on those I haven't seen before. That little motel you stayed at is sitting on some pretty valuable beach property, I would assume.

For those of you who have never been to South Daytona, it really is nice. The motels are very different...almost like efficiencies. But they really are nice and you are literally right on the beach in most of them.

It's a quieter type of vacation than going further south to Ft. Lauderdale and South Beach. It depends what you are looking for. But the beaches are very nice. Motel prices are much more reasonable. And, we do have the Brickyard and some other pretty decent places to eat! You're about an hour and 30 minutes from Disney, if that helps.

And the WELCOME MAT was really out for BLUEMAXX!
They even named a sandwich after him!

NO, I did not try "DER BLUE MAX"...
(I'm real picky with my pastrami; tough to match the Carnegie and Irving's)

Next trip try Caps. http://www.capsonthewater.com/ I think you'll like it.

I don't know, El, whether it's my computer or this site, but I just typed something and it totally disappeared. Interesting. I'll retype, or try to, what I just typed. I notice you've just added Part 2 a few minutes ago!

Anyway, I dream of taking a week off, or even a few days, from both jobs, so I could join you. We'd have SO much FUN! I got your second postcard yesterday; the U.S. Mail is so quick, huh!?! Ocean Court looks so cute - I'd stay in a place like that because it looks old-school but CLEAN. I can lay out in the sun, but unfortunately I have to use a block and a hat and sunglasses and etc. LOL but I just had two more "things" removed at my dermatologist's on Thursday. So I have to be very careful; yet I LOVE the sun, the beach, and most things Floridian! I have been to Ormond Beach in the early 70s and it was just basically a drive-through on the way to points south, but I do remember driving on the beach there. It was sunrise and it was just AWESOME...

Everybody looks great, too - Don's a real cutie. The best place so far for me looks like the Brickyard. I had seen Don's pics of the burger(s) and that's right up my alley.

More later; I've been up since 1:45 this morning and have to get some laundry done.

Jay - Been to Cap's. Not bad..Terrific outdoor dining!

Harriet, maybe you did what I do over and over again.

Hit the button on the right which is the reset forum button. I lose everything when I do that.

Took me awhile to find out why my posts weren't showing up.

Ellen, Somewhere on a beer thread, there was a question about what kind of beer you were drinking. Oh yeah, the Bud lime thread.

Inquiring minds want to know.

quote:

Originally posted by joerogo

Ellen, Somewhere on a beer thread, there was a question about what kind of beer you were drinking. Oh yeah, the Bud lime thread.

Inquiring minds want to know.

My first beer was a draft (the one I am holding). It was a Belgian Shock Top.

My 2nd beer was a Land Shark. You can see it in the background of my close up burger shot.

I prefer local handcrafted beers. The closest they said they had was that Florida Land Shark.
Or else I like good, imported ones; I prefer stuff that's a little unusual (in other words, no Bud Light or Michelob for me)