Our guests often ask us where the locals like to eat.
We love us some St. Augustine restaurants–and we love the same ones that visitors to our city love. We go to Collage or Old City House for special events; we hang out at the Gourmet Hut or Harry’s when we want to eat outside; we hit Mojo’s when we want BBQ.
But sometimes, on a Saturday night for instance, we just want to sit down and have a great meal. We don’t want to wait for a table (and we’re not smart enough to have made a reservation).
Those nights, we hop in the car and check out one of the great restaurants on the outside of town. Like Black Molly (www.theblackmollygrill.com), in the Publix shopping center on Route 312. It’s a short drive, but the food is always good, and there’s (almost) never a wait.
Last night (a Friday night), we swung by there after working at the inn all day. We figured that we would get our “usual” meals–the datil chicken for me (a chargrilled split chicken breast, with a coin of goat cheese and spicy sweet datil pepper sauce on top), and the Aviles chicken for the hub (a pasta dish with penne, chicken, sundried tomatoes and artichokes).
I noticed that the menu was new, but I quickly spotted my dish and was ready to order. That’s when I saw it…under the pasta entrees…a dish that Black Molly offered as a special in the winter of 2012, and haven’t served since (to my knowledge, anyway…and we go pretty frequently). The Flamingo pasta is a corkscrew pasta, dotted with big sweet shrimp, and covered in a light tomato cream sauce.
I had to tell the hub that it was on the menu again (as usual, he didn’t bring his reading glasses and so was completely dependent on me reading it for him); he almost did a handstand next to the table.
The dish was just as good as he remembered: sweet but tangy, with a sauce that he’s dreamed about for two years.
And, like most Black Molly meals, there was enough to bring home for lunch. Which is what we did…giving us four amazing meals for under $40. (The entrees come with a fresh house or ceasar salad, and great warm rolls with a honey butter).
So if you visit St. Augustine a lot, and want to try something a little off the beaten path, you should swing by the Publix shopping center. Tell them the hub sent you!