nourish the beast: Reuben, Reuben, I've been thinking.

I've been on a sandwich jag lately.

Metro Diner, Jacksonville Beach

Reubens, in particular, have captured my attention. I am a fan. Always have been. It's just lately, when I see the Reuben on the menu, all other choices seem to melt away. I don't know how this fixation came about, and I am not looking for it to end any time soon, so be prepared for my next few posts to feature my latest food crave.

Case in point: this whopping good Reuben was served up at Metro Diner. And what a great addition to the Jacksonville Beach restaurant scene, by the way! Everything you want a diner to be, Metro Diner is. CLEAN, for starters. FAST. HEAPING portions - not by Stage Door Deli standards, but then we're a few blocks south of NYC and north of Miami Beach.

My fave order at Metro Diner is the Breakfast Pie - heaping layers of eggs, cheese, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, red skinned potatoes... ask them to add spinach and ham - trust me! It is way more food that one person can / should eat at one sitting... but it warms up nicely for a snack later...

This might be a good time to mention - breakfast at this place is hopping. There will probably be a wait for a table, but not too long - the line really moves pretty fast, and the service is always on point. If you prefer quiet, sit outdoors or ask for a table in the smaller room to the left.

If you're a fan of restaurant operations, a seat at the counter buys you an eagle-eye view of the show. Cooks, expediters, runners, all making sure food gets out fast - and as ordered. It's a well-oiled machine.

One dish I probably won't order again is the Crab Cakes Benedict. The crab cakes were mushy. Flavor was ok, but texture left a lot to be desired. I have come to believe this dish is on beaches breakfast menus strictly for the tourist trade. Stick with standard bennies - or one with Canadian Bacon, maybe.

The Madre ate this humongous fried fish sandwich, or the fish, anyway. She wasn't a fan of the bread, and she wishes there had been some other "good sauce" to go with it besides tartar. I should note, she almost always orders a fried fish sandwich, and she almost always doesn't like it. Just an observation. Apparently there was a good one once, and she's been chasing that dream ever since. So maybe skip the fish sandwich here too.

You can't go too far wrong with basic deli faves like the Reuben, and short order breakfast staples like eggs, bacon, toast, etc., but if you want to go fancy, Yo Hala on the Square will get you there.

See you at the Metro Diner - Jax Beach or any of three First Coast locations.