Chomp, There It Is

by Orin Anne Heidelberg
Picture this: It’s Friday in Jacksonville. You’re hungry. It’s late! Where do you go? What will you eat? Until recently, you’ve probably had to settle for miserable chain food, everyone’s favorite house of waffles, or a bowl of cereal. Nowadays, gourmet food trucks are the stars of the late-night dining scene in other cities; however, due to restrictive local laws and lack of community enthusiasm, they haven’t taken off here. That’s a bummer, but here’s the good news: a brash new Downtown spot called Chomp Chomp is applying the same after-hours gourmet approach of the food truck in a stationary kitchen on one of Jacksonville’s most happening streets.
Chomp Chomp is located on 106 E. Adams Street, sandwiched in between Burro Bar and Poppy Love Smoke. It’s around the corner from Dos Gatos and the Florida Theatre, making it basically the smartest place ever to run a late-night food operation. It’s small, clean and bright, with a couple of tables and some counter space. Here’s how it works: You walk in, consult a large menu board on the wall, and order at the counter. The menu features creative and budget-friendly specials that vary depending on availability of locally-sourced ingredients and, I’m guessing, the whims of the proprietors. If you recognize the crew at Chomp Chomp, it’s probably because you’ve seen them slinging some of the best breakfast in town at a beloved Avondale institution called The Fox Restaurant. Chomp Chomp is co-owned by The Fox owner Ian Chase and longtime Fox employees John Touchton and Mark Lynn. These dudes know how to hustle in a kitchen and they’ve brought the same magic that keeps people lining up on the sidewalk for breakfast in the rain and stifling heat every Saturday, year after year, to this new nighttime venture. Aren’t you excited now?
The standout sandwich at Chomp Chomp is the banh mi, a Vietnamese sub with marinated pork and pickled vegetables on a baguette. It’s a little sweet and a little spicy and the baguette, crafted by Bakery Moderne, stands up to the substantial juiciness and heft of the sandwich filling. Sandwiches come with your choice of homemade chips or salad, and the crisp, salty chips are seriously addictive. Opt for the salad and you’ll get a generous pile of mixed greens with a light balsamic dressing, proving that you don’t have to eat like an unhealthy jerk just because it’s 1 am. Other winners are the spring rolls, served with a citrusy homemade ponzu sauce that I’d honestly drink straight, and succulent and spicy curry chicken satay.
Yes, all of this can be yours at midnight. In the near future, Chomp Chomp plans to expand their hours to include lunch service. With Downtown lunch favorite Chew Restaurant vacating their Adams Street location soon, Chomp Chomp is poised to be a hit with office workers and Downtown residents who demand high-quality, imaginative fare that won’t blow their wallets. We may not have a food truck scene in Jacksonville, but Chomp Chomp is proving that interesting food doesn’t need to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to disappear when the sun goes down. Right now, they’re open Thursday through Saturday nights, from 6 pm to midnight on Thursday and 6 pm to 2 am on Friday and Saturday. You can find them on Facebook (just search for Chomp Chomp), where they’re posting daily specials and more.