Jacksonville Hole in the Wall Restaurants, Part V

Sunrise Bakery & Restaurant

By far my favorite restaurant of the four in Part V. Sunrise owns one corner of a stand alone building off of North Main St, past the 20th St. expressway overpass. When I arrived the high school next door had just let out and the students were trickling in and out. That would have fulfilled everything I wanted in high school, a good restaurant to visit after the final bell.

Th spicy aroma of jerk chicken and their various curries greet you at the door. Note, it's not a smell that will linger on your clothes after you leave. It's actually light and airy. The young woman behind the counter, gracious and kind. My meals were ready in less than ten minutes.

You may have noticed my tendency to be over the top when I like some place, "OMG, everything is fresh!"  At least, that's what I sound like in my head.

Maybe it's time to develop some sort of scale that distinguishes "hole in the wall" restaurants. It's not fair to put Sunrise in the same category as Chopstick Charley's. Chopstick Charley's is like unexpectedly good drunk food. It's what you and your girlfriend eat when you just want to do nothing, while watching TV and drinking cheap wine. Sunrise, that's the stuff you bring home to your mom after church or to your girlfriend after you propose, "I got you this ring and the goat curry from Sunrise. Say yes?"

When I have these random really stand out experiences at a restaurant it calls to question every other restaurant I think is good. Sunrise took me to my inner place. My first thought after taking a bite of their chicken curry was "Why don't we have good indian in this city?" I know, Bombaymeadows. Many those restaurants are good but I've yet to have stewed meat in an Indian restaurant that's so moist that the meat falls of the bone just by taking a breath, so moist that the bone is almost edible. That's what I experienced at Sunrise.

There is only one person that can make amazing ox tails and that's my brother-in-law, Dwayne Breaker. Sunrise Oxtails are good but they are a distant 2nd place when compared to what comes out of the BIL's oven. This is where I'll be critical, I think the oxtails needed about one more hour of stewing to really hit their sweet spot. They were still, fall off the bone moist and the flavors were right on. I've just been spoiled.

If you order their wings do not think you are ordering sports bar style wings. Sunrise wings are some combination of grilling and stewing. They're moist with a blitz of powerful flavor,  BBQ or Jerk. Again, fall off the bone moist.  

If you pick one place to try from this series go here.  

Tip: The small size entree feeds one. The regular size feeds two. The large feeds you and your extended family.


4106 N Main St
Jacksonville, FL 32206
(904) 355-0405

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Article by Arash Kamiar
Arash@MetroJacksonville.com
@ArashWaiting

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