Members of the Jacksonville TasteCasting team recently spent a memorable evening at The Bridge Waterfront Bistro – a casual fine dining oasis in toney Ponte Vedra.
You know the kind of experience where everything just clicks into place? Delicious dishes, convivial hosts, excellent service and great conversation – it’s the way they converge that set The Bridge apart.
The restaurant has been in operation for just a few years and seems to have struck just the right mix of beach-town casual – as befits its waterfront location, and white tablecloth elegance.
On the evening of or tasting it was clear chef/owner John Cakmis and his wife, co-owner Jill Gustafson-Cakmis aimed to please, and they hit the mark. Both spent time with us at table, when there was clearly a lot of work to be done in the kitchen.
Every time this writer has dined at The Bridge, the chef or his wife have made an appearance to ensure that our dining experience was enjoyable. Many of their employees have been with them for years, and watching them work together they seem like a close-knit family.
After guiding one of our tasters in via GPS (the sizable restaurant is dwarfed by the massive SR 210 bridge over the intracoastal waterway) our tasting began with lovely crusty bread from the amazing French Pantry bakery, served with olive oil and herbs for dipping (or slathering), beverages and a medley of salads / appetizers.
They’ve got a decent wine list with something for every price-point, but another popular choice was the evening’s special Sangria, with white peaches, nectarines, peaches, apples, oranges in a blend of pinot grigio, chardonnay, sauvignon blanc and brandy. There are nightly martini specials as well, and happy hour specials in the bar most nights.
For years before John and Jill opened The Bridge, this space housed a popular “fish camp” style restaurant, and even with lots of clean up / brighten up work to the decor, the property still retains that rustic charm that is the hallmark of a really good waterfront restaurant. The open kitchen is bustling, and glass cases gleam with impressive whole fish and shellfish.
Salads included the Fried Oyster BLT – salad greens with a spicy Caesar dressing, and tomatowedges, with a crown of applewood smoked bacon and crispy fried oysters. This dish alone or paired with a cup of soup would make a delightful and satisfying meal.
The Avocado and Lump Crabmeat salad fills a perfectly ripe avocado half with a generous pile of lemon dressed jumbo lump crab. Tomato slices at the peak of ripeness are drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette – lending acidity and visual appeal.
Crawfish Spring Rolls are a 
popular appetizer and have been on the menu since day one. Crispy wonton wrappers with a tasty crawfish filling, served with a wowza Asian dipping sauce.
Word to the wise – not to take anything away from these apps, but if you go save room for the Cajun Bayou Gumbo ($6 – cup $9 – bowl, $12 – entree).
Full flavored, dark and delicious, this is the real deal. Stuffed with crawfish tail, shrimp, sausage and fresh, tender fish, it transported one taster back to memories of growing up along the Apalachicola River. If there is better gumbo anywhere in Jacksonville or the Beaches, I’ve not tasted it. Even knowing we still had entrees and desserts coming our way, we savored every last morsel.
The arrival of our entrees was timed perfectly, and the assortment put before us boggled our minds! Where to start?
Fish at the Bridge is locally sourced, diver shot fresh. Shellfish is in abundance locally, and it shows up in many of the offerings. The chef delighted in explaining that “you can get any fish wth any dish – it’s all good.” They also proudly serve Certified Angus Beef
On this night, Chargrilled Grey Grouper Eleni was topped with fresh local shrimp and mushrooms in a lemon herb butter sauce, served with roasted red potato wedges and sauteed spinach.
Pan seared tender sweet Jumbo Scallops were served with sauteed spinach and roasted red potatoes, topped with a citrus beurre blanc. These are on their dinner menu for $23 – and the value is outstanding.
Athena Chicken Pasta ($17) is a generous portion of chopped chicken breast sauteed with artichoke hearts, sun dried tomatoes, basil and garlic in a white wine and lemon sauce, served over linguini and topped with feta.
The Mediterranean influence was evident in the perfectly seasoned and chargrilled Greek Lamb Chops. ($27).
Chef Cakmis is Greek, and his Lamb Chops are one of many tributes to that heritage.
His passion for his craft, his staff, purveyors, and their clientele came through loud and clear with every word, and it echoed on every plate.
Nothing could have prepared us for the Snapper New Orleans. Delicate Red Snapper (it was still legal to fish for it at the time of our visit) topped with plenty of jumbo lump crabmeat, in a lemon butter sauce with a roasted red potatoes and vegetable medley.
I’ve lived at the coast most of my life, and I have never had fish so perfectly cooked. Moist, tender with the delicate flavor of the sea, this fish was so fresh and so well prepared we were literally speechless as we sampled it. Words were superfluous, but some wild tweeting was definitely taking place. This preparation is featured on the menu with Grouper – but if they have it, splurge on the Snapper.There are plenty of varieties, so if Red isn’t being fished, just ask the chef to recommend a substitute – he won’t steer you wrong.
For dessert – and who knew we had room for it even – there was a humbly offered bread pudding – luscious and sweet, sitting in a vibrant pool of Whiskey Hard Sauce and topped with crunchy toasted chopped pecans. This dish is a little like the restaurant itself – deceptively simple and low-key on the outside, but upon tasting you get that you are in for some seriously good food.
Jill has perfected the recipe after years of featuring it on the menu at the Bridge. There might be other dessert options, but this is what I’ll be eating next time I go. Provided I’ve saved room that is.
Aside from the large main dining area, there are several other little spaces tucked away – some indoor, some outdoors. Most have a stellar view of the intracoastal and the veritable parade of boats gliding by.
Our tasting was an evening event, so the water wasn’t visible but the trunks of palms lent a soft glow to the ambiance.
It’s easy to lose track of time here. Before we knew it, three hours had slipped by. We were the only diners left in the previously busy main dining room. To our hosts’ credit, we were oblivious of that fact as we hung on every word, savored and shared every dish that came to the table, each more impressive than the one before.
An arrangement with the Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra provides local artists with another setting in which to showcase their work, and The Bridge donates their percentage of any sales back to the Cultural Center – so diners get to view beautiful art, the local artists gain exposure with The Bridge’s clientele, and the CC at PVB benefits. On this evening, the work of local artist Gordon Meggison graced the walls and lined the halls.
It’s the type of place you want to bring a special date or tell all your friends about.
Early Evening Specials are offered Tues, Wed, Thurs and Sunday from 4-7 pm. (Glass of wine, salad, entree and dessert for $19.95. Without wine and dessert $13.95)
There is a semi-private lounge area for private parties or meetings seats up to 30. There is plenty of room for large parties/groups, and the service is accommodating. The Bridge Waterfront Bistro may be rented out on Mondays.
The Bridge Waterfront Bistro
Ponte Vedra, FL
377 S Roscoe Blvd
Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32082
Open for lunch and dinner.
Tues., Wed., Thurs., Sun. 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Fri. & Sat. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m., closed Monday.
The yogurt is the star at yogaberry – the original is a clean, fresh, not too sweet, not too sour, FAT FREE soft serve frozen yogurt – with an organic twist! It’s made with organic milk, real fruit, and no artificial sweeteners. The featured yogurt flavors change weekly. Popular flavors include:
Toppings include fresh fruit, candies, nuts, coconut, mochi, even cereal. In fact there was a whole discussion about cereal on yogurt – someone in our group was excited about the fruity pebbles – and let’s just say it WASN’T the four year old! :^)
One taster was very pleased indeed to find Taro flavored yogurt – it reminded her of her childhood in Hawaii. Discovering that they have little balls of Mochi (Japanese sticky rice cakes) as a topping put her over the moon.
Mingle, the small, semi-private lounge area near the front of the restaurant, is no exception.
The next dish was served to us by its creator – Chef Mark Peters.
We were given a taste of each flavor, and then chose our favorites for a full serving.
or Clinton Bush and his lovely wife (and City Kids C.O.O.) Sonya treated our TasteCasting team to a lively evening in Springfield. Their obvious passion for their food, the business, and one another made for a truly memorable time.
Some pretty good shrimp at a good price. Who says you have to go to the beach to get good seafood in Jax? Case in point:
Pastor Bush generously shared his unique recipe for this and many of his special creations.
Next up was the Chicken Salad Panini. Finely chopped all-white chicken breast is expertly seasoned and dressed – with organic lettuce and tomato, nuts and raisins (optional, but go for it) on specially made panini bread – grilled when you’re ready for it, not a moment before. Served with a side of chips – for $5.75! – it’s a big sandwich – you’ll want to eat the whole thing though.
Wally Waffle Sundae ($6.99) – is a homemade Belgian waffle topped with two scoops of ice cream, toppings and sauces of your choice. We had Pastor Bush choose our flavors for us – and he loaded us up with Butter Almond and Sara Lee Strawberry Cheesecake ice cream scoops, with chocolate and caramel sauces, whipped cream, cherries and nuts.
City Kidz also makes several varieties of fresh-baked-to-order cookies. Call the cafe a minimum of 25 minutes before pick-up. Cookies are $1 each, 2 for $1.50, 6 for $4.95 or $9.95 per dozen. They come specially boxed and ready to enjoy.
SPECIAL – Sunday October 25 and Monday October 26 – Mention TasteCasting and get a $10 Citi Kidz gift card when you purchase a sandwich and drink combo – that’s a GREAT MEAL DEAL! 
Jacksonville’s new TasteCasting team recently assembled at one of Jacksonville’s Top 25 restaurants and perennial favorite – bb’s – where we were treated to a four course tasting menu – courtesy of owners Barbara and Karin. Our host for the evening was Executive Chef Carlos Ramirez.
Among the selections the night we visited:
