Taking Care of Business - Soccer at the Beach Anyone? - IgoUgo Atlantic Beach Journal

Azurea Restaurant at One Ocean Resort

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Restaurant | "Fantastic Dining Experiences"

Patio Dining Photo - Azurea Restaurant at One Ocean Resort, Atlantic Beach, Florida

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While attending the GotSoccer event held at One Ocean Resort & Spa, there were several meal events hosted at the hotel. Each was beautifully choreographed with outstanding attention to detail. Truly One Ocean Resort & Spa . . . and Azurea (their restaurant) is a five star experience.On Friday night guests of GotSoccer were treated to a lavish cocktail party, complete with a nice assortment of appetizers and dessert type items. Held on their open air patio, the night air did get a bit nippy around 9:00pm as they were closing the bar.For breakfast on Saturday and Sunday, we gathered in the same patio area for a full hot breakfast buffet complete with a full beverage se...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 14, 2010

Azurea Restaurant at One Ocean Resort
One Ocean Blvd
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
(904) 249-7402

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One Ocean Resort

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Hotel | "Outstanding Pristine Beach Location"

One Ocean Resort & Spa Photo - One Ocean Resort, Atlantic Beach, Florida

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This hotel property changed ownership (formerly the Sea Turtle Inn) approximately five years ago. The current owners invested significant money for a full remodel, with first class features throughout. Admittedly I had not been here when it was the Turtle Inn, but I can attest for the high caliber experience provided to guests today at One Ocean Resort.As far as resorts in Florida go, it is not unlike resorts elsewhere in the United States or for that matter, the world . . . location . . . location . . . location! And this property sits at a primo address . . . One Ocean smack dab on the Atlantic Ocean where Atlantic Blvd ends at the oceanfront.As one of approximately 50 gue...Read More

This hotel property changed ownership (formerly the Sea Turtle Inn) approximately five years ago. The current owners invested significant money for a full remodel, with first class features throughout. Admittedly I had not been here when it was the Turtle Inn, but I can attest for the high caliber experience provided to guests today at One Ocean Resort.

As far as resorts in Florida go, it is not unlike resorts elsewhere in the United States or for that matter, the world . . . location . . . location . . . location! And this property sits at a primo address . . . One Ocean smack dab on the Atlantic Ocean where Atlantic Blvd ends at the oceanfront.

As one of approximately 50 guests, a private car was sent for me upon arrival at the Jacksonville Airport. My driver's name was Don, a wonderful Air Force retiree who returned to Florida after leaving a 20 year career serving the USA. Ironically, we had a lot in common, including a tie to the bowling chain Bowl America . . . a NoVA company with bowling centers in locations including Florida. I grew up bowling and working in Bowl America centers while my dad worked in management positions with them.

Don was very helpful in providing some history about Atlantic Beach as well as Neptune Beach to include restaurant recommendations. While an employee of East Coast Transportation, from what I gathered, One Ocean utilizes their services exclusively in order to set an initial first class experience that will be the standard throughout the guest's stay at the resort. Don served that purpose well.

After the 30 minute ride, we arrived at the resort where a young man named Keith greeted us. He had me checked in completely by-passing the front desk. With keys in hand, he escorted me to my fourth floor balcony suite overlooking the glorious Atlantic Ocean.

Inside my room, i loved the lovely aqua hues juxtaposed with the bright white linens. The bedding was a pillowtop mattress that just engulfed you when you laid down for sleep. Bathroom amenities were H2O Spa products and the towels were soft and plush.

The suite's wall coverings and colors really added to the ambiance, meant to be shared with that special partner. But alas, I was traveling alone and would have to enjoy the romantic ebb and flow of the waves below on my own. In room features included complimentary WiFi and a fully stocked beverage fridge and a snack drawer, also free of charge to guests.

As for the resort, everything was first class in every regard. The interior of the lobby and all public areas felt much like an underwater oasis. The aqua was throughout in color and theme. Simply delightful.

Included in the special on-site amenities were the large outdoor swimming pool and a full service spa that also oceanfront with a great view. They also have a very nice meeting space, ideal for groups of ten to 100. I bet this is a meeting planner’s delight as the property sells itself with the rich appointments and tranquil atmosphere. (See my separate review on dining at One Ocean.)

As the guests of a major soccer vendor, all attendees of this youth soccer symposium were treated first class all the way, including the overnight accommodations here. I did check the going rate for this hotel for the dates of my stay. At "just" $179, I can say this is an outstanding location and value especially when compared to other hotels around the US that go for $200+ per night.

For more information including online reservations, www.oneoceanresort.com is your one stop.
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Member Rating 5 out of 5 on November 13, 2010

One Ocean Resort
1 Ocean Blvd.
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32233
(904) 249-7402

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Ragtime Tavern Seafood and Grill

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Restaurant | "Nice Dinner in Comfy Atmosphere"

Ragtime Tavern Seafood & Grill Photo - Ragtime Tavern Seafood and Grill, Atlantic Beach, Florida

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Ragtime Tavern Seafood and Grill is a member of the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant chain, which was a surprise to me. It came highly recommended by a couple of locals plus several in our group who had dined here last year while attending the symposium that brought me here. The menu was clearly a touch of Na'Orleans on the beach . . . with dishes such as beans and rice, gumbo, po'boys and Bourbon Street (pecan) pie.There were three of us for dinner and we all wanted to enjoy what Florida is known for . . . good seafood. I have never heard of the fish wahoo, so being adventurous; I ordered it off the nightly dinner special. It is a fresh fish from waters in the region, a bit on the h...Read More

Ragtime Tavern Seafood and Grill is a member of the Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant chain, which was a surprise to me. It came highly recommended by a couple of locals plus several in our group who had dined here last year while attending the symposium that brought me here. The menu was clearly a touch of Na'Orleans on the beach . . . with dishes such as beans and rice, gumbo, po'boys and Bourbon Street (pecan) pie.

There were three of us for dinner and we all wanted to enjoy what Florida is known for . . . good seafood. I have never heard of the fish wahoo, so being adventurous; I ordered it off the nightly dinner special. It is a fresh fish from waters in the region, a bit on the hearty side, but not quite as firm as say tuna. It was a lighter white fish, however, with great flavor. One other person in our group ordered it while the third ordered the NY strip steak with a side of shrimp skewers.

All dinners came with their fresh veggie medley and a starch. I enjoyed the beans & rice, while the steak came with mashed potatoes. Asparagus was also a substitute option, which the others did order.

Before dinner, we did enjoy appetizers . . . seared tuna and calamari. They were both outstanding and a great starter to our meal. I have never been much of a fan of rare tuna, but this was very good. The fried calamari rings were also flavorful, although I needed to order a side of marinara to go with them as I didn't care much for the sauce that came with it.

The menu also offered a number of other meal options including several fish dishes (mahi mahi and salmon to name a couple), beef, pasta, chicken and burgers . . . along with a very robust wine and adult beverage selection.

As a member of the Gordon Biersch Brewery family, they of course had a nice assortment of microbrews. I enjoyed by Dolphin's Breath . . . a light lager not too dissimilar to a Miller Lite.

Meals were very affordable, in the price range of $16 to $25, but did not come with a salad. With the appetizers, however, I was fine without one. Overall I thoroughly enjoyed my dinner and the good company with soccer friends. The service was outstanding and the atmosphere perfect for conversation.

They are open for lunch and dinner. You can find their menu on their website: http://www.ragtimetavern.com/index.php?pg=location⊂loc&location_id=24 .

p.s. I looked up the fish "wahoo" on Wiki and learned that it is also known as ono in Hawaii . . . a fish I've had many times so no surprise (now) that I enjoyed it. Read Less

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 13, 2010

Ragtime Tavern Seafood and Grill
207 Atlantic Blvd.
Atlantic Beach, Florida 32266
(904) 241-7877

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Sticky Fingers

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Restaurant | "Opps - Another Chain Restaurant"

Sticky Fingers - Altantic Beach, FL Photo - Sticky Fingers, Atlantic Beach, Florida

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Don't get me wrong, our meal was good . . . I was just shocked to learn that Sticky Fingers is part of a regional chain with locations in Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida. I really must get out more I guess.With lunch on our own, a friend and I wandered up Atlantic Blvd to find a bite to eat. After passing several options, we stopped at Sticky Fingers. Ordinarily I don't like eatting sloppy food when out for work but I felt I could handle a sandwich of some sort without making too much of a mess of myself.Their menu was pretty much what you would expect in terms of southern barbeque. They focused primarily on pork and chicken, however, no beef ribs to be found...Read More

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 14, 2010

Sticky Fingers
363 Atlantic Blvd.
Atlantic Beach, FL 32266
(904) 241-7427

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Sun Dog Diner

Best Of IgoUgo

Restaurant | "A Sun Dog in Florida?"

Sun Dog Cafe Photo - Sun Dog Diner, Neptune Beach, Florida

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For those of you already lost on the pun in the title, let me help you out. A sun dog is an atmospheric phenomenon caused by ice crystals in the skies, that cause a halo rainbow affect typically around sunrise or sunset. Given they don't have much in the way of ice crystals in Florida, even in the winter, the expectation of seeing those types of sun dogs down there is pretty much nonexistent. When I saw the diner a couple of blocks from my hotel bearing the name, I knew I would be stopping in for at least an adult beverage or two. As it turned out, I had the opportunity for my first lunch while in town.Sun Dog Diner is located actually in Neptune Beach, which is another story all to it...Read More

For those of you already lost on the pun in the title, let me help you out. A sun dog is an atmospheric phenomenon caused by ice crystals in the skies, that cause a halo rainbow affect typically around sunrise or sunset. Given they don't have much in the way of ice crystals in Florida, even in the winter, the expectation of seeing those types of sun dogs down there is pretty much nonexistent. When I saw the diner a couple of blocks from my hotel bearing the name, I knew I would be stopping in for at least an adult beverage or two. As it turned out, I had the opportunity for my first lunch while in town.

Sun Dog Diner is located actually in Neptune Beach, which is another story all to itself. Atlantic Blvd dead ends into the Atlantic Ocean. To the north, is Atlantic Beach and to the south is Neptune Beach. In fact, the stores and restaurants on either side of Atlantic Blvd are in different towns (Atlantic Beach or Neptune Beach) . . . and I thought Wisconsin was messed up!

The bright exterior of the diner was very inviting, bright and colorful. They also had limited patio dining available. With the temps in the mid 70's, the patio was filled to capacity on this Saturday afternoon . . . so inside I went.

Offered a spot along the bar, I asked to be seated in a booth. There were probably 20 booths along with the 20 or so rail seats at the bar. There were also several high-top tables in the area where their evening entertainment (local live bands) play. I enjoyed my seat where I could watch the world pass by the window. Atlantic errrrr Neptune Beach was humming with what appeared to be mostly locals based on the number of family pets (mostly dogs although I did see one man with a cockatiel and a women with big fat cat on a leash).

My driver the night prior suggested Sun Dog as a nice lunch spot and with the number of outstanding restaurants in the area for dinner, it was an easy choice to make. They bill themselves actually as Sun Dog Steak & Seafood, and since I was at the beach, I was looking forward to what I hoped would be a decent crab cake sandwich.

When my server brought out my meal, I was shocked at the size of the crab cake. I was afraid that would not bode well for me, as just how much real crab meat can be in a huge patty for $10 (including a side of fries, cole slaw or kettle chips)? I was pleasantly surprised that while yes, there was quite a bit of filler in the cake, it wasn't a disappointment. I must admit however, the crab flavor was actually more overwhelmed by the spicy tartar sauce that had a healthy dose of horseradish in it. The cole slaw was very good and creamy and was the perfect accompaniment to my sandwich.

After lunch, I was offered dessert which included key lime pie which was very tempting. I took a pass however.

As for their menu, it appears they have all of the types of appetizers, sandwiches and salads that you would expect. Nothing extravagant and nothing noticeably missing. Their dinner menu included a number of meat and fish choices and they had a very nice bar selection of beers, wines and cocktails. I found their pricing to be very reasonable and fair.

On Sundays they do feature a brunch menu 10:00am to 2:00pm. I bet this would be a fun place to watch a Sunday football game. Too bad Jacksonville's team stinks! Some of our soccer group was here the night before and had a great time enjoying the live band. For more information, including hours and menus, check them out at: http://www.sundogjax.com/ .
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Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 13, 2010

Sun Dog Diner
207 Atlantic Blvd.
Neptune Beach, Florida 32233
(904) 241-8221

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Taking Care of Business - Soccer at the Beach Anyone?

Azurea Restaurant at One Ocean Resort

One Ocean Resort

Ragtime Tavern Seafood and Grill

Sticky Fingers

Sun Dog Diner

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