Explorations of a Life
Last week I had the good fortune to visit Jacksonville, if only for one night. I had the misfortune of staying near the airport where I faced Chain Restaurant hell. Becoming desperate, I dug thru my little black restaurant book and came up with Chowder Ted’s. Aha! A quick check on google maps showed it only 13 miles away.
I had been told that this place could redefine dive, but in a good way. I threw on some jeans, headed out into the rain for Hecksher Blvd. I’ll warn you now, if you blink, you’ll miss it. My guess is that if you don’t live or work within a mile of the place, you would never hear of it unless you are serious about your food. It’s on the North side of the road, just before the bridge, down the hill. Don’t worry, those directions will make sense once you’re on Hecksher. After driving past it the first time, I finally arrived at Chowder Ted’s. From the outside, you will look twice, asking yourself if this could possibly be the place. There is a sign, but at night in the rain, you’ll never see it.
Walking in (and looking like a drowned rat) you are presented with a small place that immediatly takes you back 30 years or so. This is down home Jacksonville at it’s finest. Looking around, you can picture dock workers filling the table and lined up at the bar. I sat at the small bar and pulled out a menu…Woah, imported beers for 2.75? Domestic taps for $1.25? Tie that to the great smells wafting from the kitchen and you know you’re gonna be here awhile. I ordered a New Castle, and took a look at the menu. Settling on a pot of the chowder, cajun shrimp and onion rings, I settled back to enjoy my beer. A few minutes later, the pot of chowder arrived. more like a pan really, steaming hot and direct from the stove. Thick with conch, tomatos, and green olives, it smelled delicious and tasted even better. I can tell you now that anytime I’m within 2 hours, I’m heading to Chowder Ted’s to get my fix…this stuff could be addicting.
Finishing the chowder, the cajun shrimp and rings arrived. Both were excellent. A healthy serving of shrimp, laced with great cajun seasoning and some of the best rings I’ve had in years. Several beers later, the rain let up and it was time to head back to the hotel.
If you love fancy restaurants and are wearing your sunday finest, Ted’s isn’t for you. If you want to meet a bunch of friendly locals, have some of the best chowder you’ve ever tasted and get out of there for well under $20 all in. You owe it to yourself to check out Chowder Ted’s. Be warned though, it’s cash only.
