I made a detour on my way back from Jacksonville to pick up a bike Becky bought from a friend, and soon found myself in Nassau County. Pulling into her daddy’s yard I waited for her Uncle Mike to arrive and open the garage. Minutes later Cadillac Man drove up in a red pick-up truck. After loading a retro styled bike into the back of my SUV he finished off half of a beer and sped off. Before leaving Hilliard I called Becky’s Uncle Jerry to see about meeting up for lunch. He agreed, and we decided to eat at R & R Wings Cafe, a local place that serves burgers, wings, and seafood. I arrived a few minutes after noon and parked in front of the brick clad building. A bright yellow sign stood against a green metal gable. Pick-up trucks filled the lot and a small group of men stood near the front door, two smoking cigarettes.
I walked around them and through a double set of glass door rimmed with silver metal. A girl in a black t-shirt and black hat stood behind a cash register. She looked up when the door opened, gave me a warm greeting, and told me to take a seat wherever I liked. I selected a booth towards the rear of the restaurant. The benches were clad in black vinyl. A roll of paper towels, mustard, and ketchup bottles occupied the middle of the table. Behind me a small bar area was deserted.
A waitress came and slid two plastic covered menus onto the table. She took my drink order, and by the time she returned Jerry had taken the seat across from me. A generally happy person, we chatted about my father-in-law, his granddaughter’s successes at Jacksonville University, and how my family was doing. While we caught up we both looked over the menu. Jerry wanted a cheeseburger while I as usual had trouble deciding what to order. I usually go with wings at a wing place, but did not feel like possible indigestion of the ride back to Monticello. Ultimately I decided to order the fried oyster basket with a baked potato and side of broccoli.
Following a short wait two white and blue checkered clad baskets arrived. Jerry’s was filled with a burger and what appeared to be previously frozen French fries. He ate with gusto, made short work of the burger, and gave it a thumbs up. My basket was filled with about a dozen fried oysters, a whole baked potato, and a small bowl of steamed broccoli. The oysters were moderately breaded and had a nice flavor. The potato was fluffy and I topped it with sour cream, salt and pepper. As for the broccoli, it was bright green, and served with a slight crunch (which I appreciated.)
Lunch was very good and it was great to see Jerry again. After paying the bill and getting a to go cup of water I gave him a hug before heading on my way. R & R Wings is located at 551630 U.S. 1, Hilliard, Florida. The restaurant is open Sunday – Wednesday 11 – 9:30 pm and Thursday – Saturday 11 – 10:30 pm. R & R Wings can be found online at randrwings.com, Facebook, and can be contacted by telephone at (904) 845-3919.
Sweet Tea & Bourbon’s Rating
Atmosphere: B
Taste: B+
Presentation: B+
Service:A
Cleanliness: A
Price: $
