by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
At the Landing downtown, there’s a decent selection of restaurants and clubs. One of these is the Twisted Martini, a martini and tapas bar. On ground level with a view of the Landing Courtyard, Twisted Martini has become an after work and weekend hotspot. Take a seat in the covered outdoor section to watch the action on the river and the courtyard. Inside you’ll find plenty of bar top space, and under the bars there’s a great feature for the ladies--hooks for purses. Ashtrays on top of the bar indicate that smokers are welcome and cigar brands like Mancanudos are available upon request. The hallway to the bathrooms is indicated by a neon sign that says “VIPP room,” something that often confuses the slightly smashed.
Smoking and drinking aren’t the only oral fixations you can satisfy at Twisted Martini; there’s also a terrific selection of appetizers to pleasure your palate. The well-priced appetizers are large enough to share and heavy enough to soak up the alcohol you might be drinking. Remember that Wednesday nights are Lady’s Nights, when women can down a martini for a mere $3 from 4pm-12am. Get 25% off all food during happy hours from 4pm-8pm Wednesday through Sunday, as well as 2-for-1’s on select drinks.
My bartender was sociable and well-informed about the various vodkas and martini mixes. The martini menu runs a pretty decent gamut of martinis, but if you don’t see something you crave, bartenders are happy to take requests. If you aren’t much for mixed drinks, Twisted does have a selection of beers (bottled and on draft) as well as wines. A huge variety of different vodkas is available for your drinking pleasure, from the classic Smirnoff to the rainbow of flavors available in Stoli. Higher end vodkas like Grey Goose and Van Gogh are also on hand.
Hangar One Vodka is also served at Twisted. Touted as “insanely great vodka” the brand started out in an airplane hangar in 1986 and they liked the space so much that when they could move, they just rented a larger hangar. They make their vodka using craft methods in small-batch pot stills rather than the mass production column stills. Hangar One’s flavored vodkas aren’t made with artificial flavorings but are infused with whole fruits, and they use no additives.
I started out with the bar’s signature Twisted Martini, a sweet, neatly layered drink. Each ingredient of the concoction is a different weight, so the effect is a martini with three distinct stripes of color. Behind the bar I watched a newbie barkeep practice flipping empty bottles to better entertain his customers.
The head chef at Twisted, Josh Manning, pays close attention to serving up delish appetizer dishes. Manning is proud to have won third place overall for Twisted Martini in Jacksonville’s annual Food Fight, because they beat out many restaurants that serve a full menu. His natural “taste for food” may have come from his grandfather, who was a chief commissary officer in the Navy for about thirty years. His experience includes two years of culinary school and he says that he “helped open two restaurants in Montana.” While out west Manning worked with cooking exotic meats like buffalo, bear and elk. When he came back to Jacksonville he served as a sous chef at Sterling’s for about six months. For Manning, experience has been the best teacher; “I’ve been fortunate enough to work with some classically trained and some more modern chefs.” He’s been the head chef at Twisted Martini’s for two years now.
The first, and perhaps the best appetizer I sampled, was the smoked duck quesadilla. It was the smoked paprika that really made this dish sizzle. The savory dark meat of the duck is tucked into a quesadilla along with sautéed peppers, onions, cheddar and pepper jack cheese. A roasted corn pepper relish tops it and it’s served with an incredible fire roasted salsa, guacamole and a tame chipotle cream sauce.
I also loved the crab stuffed mushrooms. Fresh mushroom caps filled with a delectable mixture of lump crab, artichoke hearts, fresh spinach and parmesan cheese made for a pleasantly filling first course. The lemon butter sauce served with the dish added just the right touch of velvety tartness.
If you’re looking for something a bit out of the ordinary, try one of Twisted’s flats. The flats are basically described as a “thin pizza crust” but they end up being more like crispy, thin bread—almost cracker-like and very easy to handle. I tasted the Thai Chicken flat, which features slices of peanut curried chicken, veggies like carrots and peas, scallions and slightly sweet, crispy rice noodles. Other selections in the flat section encompass prosciutto & arugula, spinach & artichoke, pomodoro, terigo and ultimate cheese.
The menu is divided up into sections that sort of capture the mood of the food, instead of the type. The “Chill” section encompasses cold served tapas like the horseradish encrusted shrimp cocktail or a fresh fruit and cheese platter. These, like most selections on the menu, are substantial enough to share with your table. If it’s fried or seared you’ll most likely find it in “Sizzle” and grilled items are slipped into the “Grill” section. “Munch” has an assortment of dips and chips to choose from.
The kitchen at Twisted serves later than most kitchens in Jax. They generally serve food after 1am and they normally do a last call from the kitchen to let patrons know they’ll be shutting down for the night. So if you’re looking for a late night bite after ten, and you don’t want to go the fast food route, Twisted Martini is a great place to catch a drink and a hearty appetizer.
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