On The Fly is Full of Flavor

I drove down Adams Street towards I-95 resigned to  grabbing something unexciting to eat on my way back to Tallahassee.  Passing the sprawling new Court House I noticed a food truck in a parking lot on the corner of Jefferson Street.  A sign indicated the parking lot was not open for the food truck’s customers, and I circled back around and luckily found an on street parking space within walking distance of On The Fly Sandwiches & Stuff.

It was a few minutes before noon and a small line formed in front of the truck.  I queued up and looked over the menu written on two black boards in colorful markers.  On The Fly offers a wide variety of sandwiches and wraps including one called “El Diablo” that consisted of sliced pepperoni and Genoa salami topped with spicy mustard, melted cheddar cheese, crushed Doritos and a variety of fresh vegetables.

Wracked by indecision I approached the window and punted.  I asked the guy what he recommended and without hesitation he told me to get one pulled pork tacos and one shrimp taco.  I took his advice and added a can of coke, and waited for my names to be called.  While I did, people began to stream down Adams Street and the line in front of the truck stretched towards the entrance of the parking lot.

A short time later my name was called and I grabbed my two tacos arranged in a cardboard container.  Seating at On The Fly is provided by a series of black metal cafe tables and chairs.  The ones located closer to the truck sported red fabric umbrellas whole those at the far end of the lot offered protection from the sun.  I selected a table at the far end, cracked open my coke and checked out the tacos.

The pulled pork taco was served in a flour tortilla full of pork and topped with coleslaw, a slice of avocado, and fried onion pieces.  The pork was tender and the combination of the slaw and avocado complimented the meat.  The shrimp taco was up next.  It was also served in a flour tortilla and full of fresh sauteed shrimp topped with a corn and black bean salsa, shredded lettuce, an a tangy sauce.  Both were excellent, but of the two my favorite was the shrimp taco.  The other thing I really liked about On The Fly was their downtown location.  It was fun eating in downtown Jacksonville with the city’s skyscrapers over my shoulder.  

On The Fly is open Monday – Friday on the corner of Adams and Jefferson Streets from 11:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.  They accept cash and all major credit cards.  They can be contacted at (904) 302-2933, found on Facebook and online at www.ontheflyjax.com.

Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating:
Atmosphere: A
Taste: A
Presentation: A
Service: A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $