Nancita's Salt Life Summer

The boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave. ~ Thomas Jefferson
If you really know me, you know I am most at home at sea-level. 

My heart beats to the rhythm of the waves coming ashore. In my adopted home at Florida's First Coast, there's a lifestyle brand that embodies this philosophy in two words: Salt Life. 

Welcome to Nancita's Salt Life Summer! You can bet there will be plenty of seafood on the menu, and plenty of Jimmy Buffet on the playlist. Frozen fruity concoctions with rum floaters will factor in somehow. 

But first, let's eat!

Sunny and sizzling Jacksonville Beach boasts at least nineteen restaurants that purportedly specialize in seafood. Add eleven in Ponte Vedra, two in Neptune, and twelve in Atlantic Beach, and you've got choices, my friend.

What draws you to select one restaurant over another? Is it their website? Location? Word of Mouth? For me, after great food, ambiance plays an important role. Comfort, service, and the predictability of a good experience (read: consistency) are all factors I consider. 

Then there's that one dish - you know the one - the thing you crave when you think of a place and when you go you want to get that over and over but you know you should try other things on the menu so it's a fight to the finish to decide will you get the craveable dish and satisfy that longing or try something new - something that will be judged not on its own merits but for how much you would rather have ordered the object of your obsession.... 

Or is that just me?

I present to you - in no particular order - my personal top ten most craveable seafood dishes from the First Coast Beaches restaurants:

Lobster Potstickers - Roy's - Jacksonville Beach

Poke Bowl (modified) - Salt Life Food Shack - Jacksonville Beach

Crabcakes - Palm Valley Fish Camp - Ponte Vedra

Clam Bellies! - Palm Valley Fish Camp - Ponte Vedra

Scallop Taco - Taco Lu - Jacksonville Beach

Oysters on the half shell - The Fish Company - Atlantic Beach

Crab Louis - North Beach Fish Camp - Neptune Beach

Espresso Blackened Fish Tacos - Corner Taco Food Truck - Various Locations

Conch Fritters w Lemon Aoli - North Beach Fish Camp - Neptune Beach

Thai Shrimp Curry - Simply Tasty Thai - Atlantic Beach

Are any of these your faves too? What have I missed that should be on the list? Let me know and I'll do some research of my own.  Check out Nourish The Beast on Instagram too. 

Business is Hot at Simply Tasty Thai

Recently, my sister and I set out in search of a hot lunch, and found ourselves in Mayport at one of my favorite "hidden gem" type restaurants - Simply Tasty Thai.

I've only been here five or six times over the years, but it is, in my opinion, the best Thai restaurant I've found in the Jacksonville Metro area.

Don't get me wrong, I like Lemongrass, Tuptim, the Thai Room, Lime Leaf and all of those cookie-cutter spots, but this place, Simple Tasty Thai, is one of those little indy-style places that makes me happy-happy. Real people cooking real food.

Simply Tasty Thai offers both Thai and Filipino favorites, and I noticed on this visit that they have added a few Asian restaurant staples such as Gyoza and Crab Rangoon to the menu. We couldn't resist trying a few - including the Spring Rolls, which my sister proclaimed were the best she'd ever tasted.

The next addition will debut in a couple of weeks - they've torn out the wall to the space next door and are about to expand their seating capacity by over 150%. I assume it's to handle their bustling weekday lunch crowds, because I've never had a problem stopping by on the weekend and grabbing a table for a quick bite.

Here's hoping they are successful in this endeavor - and manage to grow without losing that indy charm that makes them unique and well worth the drive to Mayport.

If you know me, you know I love Thai food. Curry, Stir-fries, Noodle Dishes - my favorite depends on the time of year. Spring Rolls are a fave any time. When the weather gets nippy (which is rare for Florida) I crave steamy-hot green curry.

I find the sweet aroma of coconut milk and Thai basil, a comforting and colorful mix of stewed vegetables, and the heat from the pretty little Thai bird chilis can really chase away the chill.

I like mine with chicken or shrimp, but since I was planning to buy shrimp at Safe Harbor after lunch, I chose chicken. My sister nearly always goes for shrimp if it's on the menu, so she chose the Shrimp in Red Curry. She opted for hot-hot - and it was - with a pleasant balance of sweet, heat and savory tastes. The shrimp were plump and fresh.

We were happy to sit and savor, and catch up on each other's busy lives. From there it was on to Safe Harbor where we scooped up a few pounds of fresh, sweet Mayport shrimp for our dinner.

Congratulations and much luck to the owners of Simply Tasty Thai on the new expansion! We'll be back for more Thai and Filipino favorites.



Simply Tasty Thai
(904) 372-26002292
Mayport Rd Suite 8
Jacksonville, FL 32233
simplytastythai.com