Simply Incredible!. I've lived all over the country, including such wonderful food cities as New York, Chicago, Aspen, South Beach, New Orleans, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and San Francisco- just to name a few. Imagine my chagrin when my husband's job brings us to Jacksonville- conjuring images of corporate cookie cutter establishments and barbeque galore. Would I ever have a sublime dining experience again, or would I be relegated to the ranks of hoardes of diners shuffled in and out of manufactered mediocrity machines like the Bonefish Grilles and Outbacks of the world? Well, what I found in Jacksonville thus far has surprised me. Yes, the aforementioned chains do exist in alarming numbers here, but there are some sparkling little gems as well, and none has shone as brightly or brilliantly thus far as Marker 32. Allow me to explain.
Tucked away on the Intracoastal waterway, the rather unassuming building from the outside shows little promise of what is to come when you open the doors. Imagine my surprise to find a beautifully cozy dining room filled with local artwork, stunningly original antique pieces, lovely fresh flower arrangements dotting each and every table, and a breathtaking view of the water where boats traverse in and out, making the most of a lazy summer day. A good start, I thought, but ever the skeptic, I was witholding judgement until later.
We approached the host with our group of four, sans reservation, as often times, our outings are unplanned and rely on group consensus to get us in gear. He asked if we had an opportuntity to make a reservation, which I thought was a nice touch, as too many times I've gotten the snotty, clipped door nazi implying that had I not made a reservation, somehow that made me a lesser patron. I was sad to know that the waterfront tables were, indeed, booked for reservations, but he found us a nice, comfortable booth where we could enjoy our meal and our conversation with our friends. OK- game on.
Our server approached us, greeted us warmly and professionally, and asked if we would prefer bottled or iced water for the table. We were then pointed to the specialty drink menu and wine list to peruse as she mentioned some of her favorite pre-meal cocktails, or specialties of the house. My friend and I went with a Strawberry Mojito and Cucumber Melon Mojito (so refreshing- just the epitome of summer), while the boys went with a classic Maytag Blue Cheese Olive Grey Goose Martini and a single Malt Scotch, of which they had a nice, diverse selection. So far, so good.
As we sipped our drinks and began to relax, taking in the soft candlelight twinkling in the dining room and watching plate after plate of beautiful food whisk by, we cracked open our menus and began to contemplate our choices. Our server then offered to suggest a wine from their list to complement our meal- often a hard task with us because we have such diverse tastes and because their wine list has some stellar selections- but we settled on a yummy little Pinot Noir from Oregon, the Four Graces, and proceeded to discuss the menu. It all looked good, but our server approached and further complicated our decisions with her descriptions of the nightly specials, which sounded spectacular as well. Oh yeah, we needed a few minutes to decide on this one! Well, we were definitely torn on this one- we all wanted to try so many things- and, I suppose sensing our quandry, our server again approached with a basket brimming with freshly baked breads from the restaurant's bake shop on premise and asked if she might be of service or answer any questions. We had some appetizers in mind, so we asked if she had any favorites. She suggested perhaps choosing 2 to 3 different things that we all wanted to try and presenting them platter style, meaning we all had a chance to try a bite of everything. We chose the Broiled Oysters, rather like Oysters Casino with Applewood Smoked Bacon, Sundried Tomatoes, Sauteed Spinach, Pecorino Cheese and a Sherry Dijon Cream Sauce, the Wood Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Beef, Blue Cheese and Brandy Demi Glace, and the Smoked Salmon over Potato Pancakes with Boursin Mousse and Black Lumpfish Caviar. When they arrived at the table, perfectly portioned and beautifully presented, we all dove in with giddy abandon. Could it be? Fantastic food in Jacksonville, FL? Oooooohhhh, yeah. The only problem was that there were six oysters and 4 of us. The stare down- who would get the other two? We agreed to remain friends and quickly put in for another order! A good idea, because you definitely cannot have just one.
With the appetizer course cleared and salads to come, I wondered- should I have settled for the complimentary house salad or gone with one of the a la carte specialty salads, like the Warm Spinach Salad my husband ordered? Well, one taste and I quickly realized that there was no settling here. The house salad is a small, albeit lovely combination of fresh spring greens, roasted peanuts, raisins, and tomatoes with a Georgia Peanut Vinaigrette, and my hubby's Spinach Salad was definitely worth every penny with it's decadent blend of baby spinach, chopped egg, smoked bacon, and tomatoes, tossed in a honey whole grain mustard tarragon vinaigrette and covered in shredded swiss cheese, then allowed to broil in the oven to a warm golden hue. My friend had the fresh berry salad, equally good, with fresh blueberries and strawberries set off nicely with a port wine vinaigrette, crunchy toasted almonds, a tang of crumbled feta, and a drizzle of cilantro oil. My friend's husband asked for ranch dressing with his salad- they don't have that here- but our server instead suggested perhaps a fresh homemade blue cheese dressing with blue cheese crumbles that met soundly with his approval. All this, I thought, and we hadn't even made it to entrees... what next?
With salads done, we made a pact: we would all let each other try the entrees, and, though we were tempted to repeat orders amongst ourselves, our server, recognizing that she had a group that liked to share, made four solid recommendations for us. My husband, a die hard meat lover, got the Beef Tenderloin, a fork tender Filet Mignon over Black Truffle Risotto with Truffle Butter, Brandy Demi Glace and Asparagus. To die for. I opted for the Yellow Fin Tuna, a special of the night, with Roasted Pineapple Salsa and Sweet Soy Chile Glaze with Horseradish Mashed Potatoes. The tuna was so fresh and Ruby red in the center. Heavenly. My friend had the Seared Sea Scallops over Orrichette Pasta with Chorizo Sausage (also home made) and a Pernod Cream Sauce, and her hubby had another of the evening's specials, the Hog Snapper with Sundried Tomato Risotto, Lemon Braised Spinach, Grilled Mayport Shrimp and a fresh herb cream sauce. Everything was excellent- but I confess, I think I got the winner.
There was no room for dessert, although the next time I go back I will definitely try their bread pudding- it sounds amazing with a combination of white chocolate, fresh fruit, and homemade vanilla ice cream- but upon the presentation of the check, we had just the right amount of sweetness with a parting gift of praline triangles and a genuine thank you from our sweet and gracious server.
My verdict is still out on Jacksonville, but Marker 32 is every bit as world class as any of my favorites around country and the globe.
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