JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Barrique Kitchen and Wine Bar is a local restaurant in Avondale neighborhood that says it's all about enjoying life with good friends, good food, and good wine.
The restaurant's name, barrique, is derived from the old world dialects of France, Italy and Spain and means a small oak cask barrel used for making fine wines.
Barrique offers a wide range of cuisines including Mediterranean, French and Italian. The menu includes rustic food, artisanal cheeses, cured meats, thin-crust pizza, pan pressed sandwiches, and mini desserts.
The restaurant also has an extensive wine program with more than 200 carefully selected wines. Even the decor resembles an old-world winery or wine cellar.
The weekend brunch features small plates, entrees, bottomless mimosas, and sangrias. Popular on the brunch menu is southern comfort Mayport Shrimp and Grits.
"It’s our sautéed shrimp with a little kick on it because it has a blackened seasoning on it," Executive Chef, Donald Richardson said. "And then it’s our own version of the shrimp and grits sauce with pancetta in it and the sauce has plenty of vegetables like peppers onions celery mixed together to make an awesome taste."
The sautéed seared salmon is also a hit.
"It goes with spinach and edamame and then we add a carrot ginger purée which gives a little different taste of everything," Richardson said. "I put the carrot and the ginger with the salmon and then I add a little soy glaze on top of it that makes it a great dish."
If you’re in the mood for Italian, the chicken rigatoni pasta is made with an alfredo sauce that is cooked fresh-to-order.
"The sauce is made from scratch with a little onion, garlic, and shallots and then we mix in a little white wine with it and a little heavy cream," Richardson said. "Then we add chicken and mushroom in it, rigatoni pasta fresh spinach and it comes out great."
Barrique is located at 3563 St Johns Ave.
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