Another fall season has arrived in Gainesville, and with it comes a new school year filled with to-do lists, plans with friends and aspirations for the coming year. While for some, goals might include attending every home game in The Swamp, finally trying out that total-body workout class or snagging tickets to see Jerry Seinfeld at the Phillips Center. My goals for my final year in Gainesville center around food. My objective for my senior year is to try out as many eateries in the city as I can afford (both monetarily and calorically). I suppose you could call it a dining “bucket list” of sorts.
While many might not view Gainesville as the gastronomic mecca of the country, it has a plethora of hidden gems unknown to the majority of the city’s population. In an attempt to uncover the delicious, unique and experiential dining spots of the city, my first visit was to Emiliano’s Café, located in the heart of downtown.
Opened 25 years ago, the Pan-Latin eatery states on its website that it draws inspiration for its dishes from the traditions of Puerto Rico, Spain, Cuba and South America. Serving lunch and dinner daily, with brunch on the weekends, Emiliano’s doesn’t just focus on food, it also emphasizes the experiential value of a meal. Live jazz is offered twice a week and pairs nicely with its happy hour, known as Sundowner. From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday through Sunday, you can find drink specials such as two-for-one sangria and $5 mojitos (I highly recommend the Pineapple Basil Mojito).
After securing a drink order, it was time for the real reason we came — the food. With everything from seafood ceviche to the vegetarian black bean cakes, Emiliano’s offers something to please everyone in your group of friends (and if not, just order them a second Pineapple Basil Mojito). During my visit last Wednesday night, I chose the paellita, which is the small serving of paella, which consists of rice, chicken, shrimp, clams, mussels, artichoke hearts and asparagus. It was the perfect portion for me but could easily be amped up with an order from the hot tapas menu — may I suggest the warm Brie with a spicy mango glaze?
My dining companions selected the shrimp and plantains, black bean cakes topped with spinach and red onion, and chicken breast with the spicy mango jalapeño salsa. The last dish is a new addition to Emiliano’s menu. The restaurant has also recently added a section that allows diners to select his or her choice of meat in two sizes, one of four unique sauces and two sides, such as black beans with Spanish rice, fried yucca wedges or plantains (or you can be healthy and choose the asparagus like my roommate).
While Emiliano’s is not the most inexpensive of Gainesville’s dining options, the price is worth the experience. Walking into the warmly lit restaurant with the band playing next to the bar, you feel like you have been transported to a café in Havana, which, in my opinion, is completely for the $20 price tag.
Emiliano’s Café
Address: 7 SE 1st Ave., Gainesville, FL 32601
Website: http://emilianoscafe.com/
Hours:
11 a.m. – 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday
11 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday
Chicken with spicy mango jalapeño salsa, black beans over Spanish rice and asparagus.
Paellita
