Where does a chef eat?

Mir Ali, left, and me.

The upside to being a chef is that I can prepare nearly anything I would ever want to eat.

The downside is that, after a day – a long day – cooking for me is the last thing I want to do. Eating at home usually means PB&J, or take-out Chinese or almost anything that someone else will deliver.

That means I eat out a lot. And one of my favorite destinations is the funky, eclectic little beachside eatery on Tybee Island, GA – North Beach Grill.

Chef Mir Ali grew up loving his mother’s Indian food. Since becoming a full-time chef in 1998, Mir has developed a really international repertoire: French, Spanish, Middle Eastern, Indian and Caribbean. He’s passionate about his craft and digs deep to put out plates that are rich with flavor, stunning in appearance and definitely one-of-a-kind on this narrow strip of sand off the Savannah coast.

Seared tuna and seaweed salad.

A recent trip with a couple of friends found our table filled with dishes we had ordered and a rich tour of Mir’s creations he sent out for us. From jerk goat over greens to his signature seared tuna and seaweed salad – the plates and the flavors seemed endless. The jerk sauce here is the real deal: Spic and hot which lends a layer of distinction to whatever gets a marinate. The goat was killer, another dish of jerk pork with black beans and rice and pineapple cubes was the bomb.

Mir’s skill goes far beyond the islands but you’ve got to try his escovitch, a whole fried fish dish from Jamaica. His fried plantains with sweet and tangy fresh salsa is a great meal starter.

Duck confit, with mashed potatoes and broccolini.

I ordered Duck confit for my main course and couldn’t have been happier. The duck was tender and moist, the skin fatty and delicious. Sides of mashed potatoes and broccolini added color, texture and more layers of flavor. An appetizer of seared foie gras with sautéed mushrooms in veal jus was as decadent as you might expect – but I was sad when that last forkful was swallowed.

Daily specials.

Desserts are prepared off-site by a truly remarkable baker. Don’t be embarrassed to ask if Chef Mir has something special. By his own admission, he gets a charge from cooking for real food lovers.

The place is casual and probably best known by locals for its burgers, hot dogs and cold beer. Live music rocks the patio during season. There’s no pretense here. Daily special are on a dry erase board, which the server will gladly drag to your table for a better look.

B.B. King, Spanish eats in Jacksonville

I road-tripped to Jacksonville Sunday night with food and wine writer Tim Rutherford to catch a live show by legendary bluesman B.B. King. The performance was amazing – and a more and more rare chance to catch the 87-year-old perform. B.B. laid down a blend of his classic tunes, backed by that amazing band of his, told plenty of stories and seemed truly reluctant to leave the stage after a nearly two-hour, intermission-free set. The Florida Theatre is beautiful...and not a bad seat in the house. I got some nice video of BB's entrance -- you can see it on my Facebook page.

Georgia finger-style guitarist Shaun Hopper opened for King. This due is a veritable one-man band – playing percussion on his flat-top guitar body and never missing a beat with his thumb plucking bass on the sixth string. Dude has a ton of energy.

Before the show, we caught dinner at Taverna, a self-titled Spanish restaurant set in a trendy little street in downtown Jacksonville. We sampled more than a half dozen dishes from the appetizer menu.

What caught our attention? Tim and I agreed that a special that night – a ceviche of calamari, shrimp and scallops with citrus foam, was a winner. So too was the bargain priced ($10) charcuterie plate of prosciutto and Brillat Savarin, a triple cream cow cheese from France. The board was accompanied by plenty of toasted crostini, grain mustard, fig compote, nuts, grapes and cornichon. A nice-sized ramekin of wildflower honey added just the right touch of sweetness.

A bowl of whipped ricotta dressed with herbs was also very, very good.

The restaurant is kind of austere – and almost looks incomplete. It quickly filled up beginning at 6 p.m. but by 7:30 was beginning to empty. Service was off to a good start – but fell apart at the end when Tim’s last glass of wine never arrived. We both agreed the place doesn’t take many chances with its food – and apparently plays right in line with local favorites. Tim, who ordered wine BTG, found the small list good enough – but was surprised to find at least two options not available.

Of course, we’re food and drink geeks and tend to really dissect a place, it’s staff and its food. Looking back, I think another visit may be in order.

The oyster is your pearl...

It has been reported that the French consume the bulk of that nation's oyster harvest between Christmas and January.

I say, "Hoo-ray for the French!"

The popularity of oyster roasts along the Georgia coastline also soars in this season. Maybe it's because the pesky gnats are at their lowest population. Maybe because it's the experience of standing around a shucking table, the smell of wood smoke and wafting steam around our heads makes this a great social event.

Regardless, let the oysters rule.

How does one eat a steamed oyster? Many so-called oyster fans simply load the oyster with hot sauce and swallow it down in one gulp. Blasphemers, I say. The practice is equivalent to claiming a love of cheap milk chocolate.

Chew my friends. Taste the brininess, taste the sea, taste so that this oyster did not sacrifice himself in vain.

And, above all, enjoy...