J.F. Mix
Burger fans will be ravin' about Poe's Tavern in Atlantic Beach.
In this theme restaurant, Edgar Allan Poe's dark eyes stare you down at every turn. The walls are cluttered with countless portraits for the famed author. Everywhere it seems but in the restrooms, where the walls are papered with pages of his writings. The shadowy decor, with its yellow stained glass, dark wood and dimly lit chandeliers, looks touristy - sort of like the Haunted House at Disney World. A reprieve from this Poe onslaught can be found on the patio, where the sun shines through and diners can embrace a sea breeze.
I'm no English major and about as well read as a Kardashian sister, but I don't recall any connection with Poe and ground meat. But at Poe's Tavern, meat, chicken and faux meat on a bun are the specialty. The menu has a dozen gourmet sandwich options.
Poe's menu isn't very prolific. Appetizers are limited to various takes on tortilla chips, quesadillas, nachos and fries. The Grilled Vegetable Quesadillas ($7.50) are a good-sized starter for two to share. However, the veggies that were encased in the melted cheese were a bit cold and limp.
With the weather beginning to turn, I strongly recommend instead opting for the Manhattan Fish Chowder ($5.75).
It is a heaping bowl of stew that is loaded with large chunks of fish and coarsely chopped tomatoes and topped with fresh scallions. It is a very generous portion, one I wish I could have enjoyed more had our entrees not been rushed to the table.
Bare fish
The Fish Tacos come stuffed with either mahi-mahi, yellowfin tuna or buffalo shrimp and are accompanied inside a soft tortilla by shredded cabbage and little else. They come in servings of two or three. But there is nothing else. The tacos sit on a bare plate without an additional garnish to accompany them. The Citrus Marinated Mahi-Mahi ($9.75 for 2, $12 for 3) was uninspiring. The fish was tepid.
The Chicken Gold Bug Plus ($8.75) is a gratifying chicken sandwich. It comes with your choice of Pimiento Roasted Garlic Blue Cheese, Sweet Pepper Goat Cheese or Jalapeno Jack Cheese.
The Goat Cheese was a melted blanket of flavor that covered the entire chicken breast. The thin part of the breast was a bit overdone, but the meaty part was juicy and rewarding. The skinny fries that accompanied the dish were limp, but hot, and served their purpose.
On to the burgers. This is where the plot gets interesting.
Burger fans will rejoice in knowing that the cooks leave your health to your own peril and will cook the meat to order, meaning a medium rare or even a rare burger can be had at Poe's.
The Tell-Tale Heart ($9.75) is an artery-clogging sandwich - a hefty burger topped with applewood bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. The egg flavor got lost in the amalgamation. Maybe if it had been done over easy to allow the yolk to make a bolder statement it would have been worth including.
That said, it was one of the best bacon cheeseburgers I have had in quite awhile.
Surf and turf
The Annabelle Lee ($11.75) proved to be the favorite. This burger is topped with a Charleston-style crabcake and is garnished with a fresh vegetable remoulade sauce. The crabcake is a great accompaniment to the burger. It's a variation of surf and turf that works superbly.
Two sides worth mentioning are the Potato Salad and the Marinated Bacon and Blue Cheese Cole Slaw. The Potato Salad is chunky but the potatoes are cooked through. They have a consistency of a mashed potato. It had wonderful flavor and mouthfeel. The slaw is a great idea. I loved the combination concept, but the blue cheese was too dominant and rich. I couldn't finish the bowl. Back down on the blue cheese a bit and this slaw will soon become a signature dish.
Desserts are made in house and the Key Lime Pie ($5.75) is a delightful mix of tart and sweet. The graham-cracker crust is thick, rather than crumbly. It takes on the consistency of a cookie.
Poe's is a beer drinker's dream but a wine lover's nightmare. It offers an array of gourmet beers on draft and in the bottle. However, the wine list is lacking and consists of only four whites, four reds and two varietals.
Poe's Tavern is a welcome addition to the beach dining scene. It caters to locals and tourists alike. It won't have any problem scaring up business.
