Hangar Bay Cafe & Gallery

I have been on a ramen search in Jacksonville for a while now. I almost gave up, then I came across a photo on Instagram posted by my friend Joe from I Know Jax. It was ramen from Hangar Bay Cafe & Gallery!!! I got instantly excited and made plans to check them out. I grabbed my friend Brittny (from Jax Restaurant Reviews) and headed down there on a Saturday night. The place wasn't hard to find, it's right in front of the Navy Exchange in Mayport. We walked in and went up to the counter to order. We talked to the owner (Chris Straw) a bit and decided on a few different items.

The food came out really fast, which was great since I was starving! I ordered the Shoyu Ramen and Brittny ordered the Curry Ramen. The meat inside the ramen was a slow roasted pork and was very tender. There were tons of noodles and the broth had a very rich and hearty taste. The curry ramen had a mild curry flavor and was not very spicy (as you might expect in a curry). I was really happy since it tasted like my favorite curry ramen in Chicago.

 

Shoyu Ramen

Curry Ramen  

(Photo by Brittny Lowrey)

We also got a few appetizers - Fried Mac & Cheese and Jalapeno Poppers. We were both in love with the fried mac and cheese! The batter was crunchy and thick enough that the inside stayed creamy and delicious. I was fully expecting a dry mac on the inside, but luckily that is not what we got! It was cheesy Heaven.

Fried Mac & Cheese

 Jalapeno Poppers

While we were eating, the owner brought us out a treat to try. It was a Fried Biscuit and it was everything I hoped and dreamed it would be! I was really shocked to find that the inside of the biscuit was very flaky and soft. It was unbelievably good and I have been thinking about it ever since! Do yourself a favor and get a few while you are there!

Fried Biscuit 

(Photo by Brittny Lowrey)

We finished off the meal with their 3x Fudge Chocoholic Cake. It certainly lived up to the name! It was very rich and chocolatey!

They also serve Fried Chicken! I didn't have it on this visit, but I have been informed that it is fantastic!

Fried Chicken

(Photo by Brittny Lowrey)

Verdict: Loved it!

 I went there for ramen, but ended up getting a lot more! Everything we had was really good and we were very impressed. We chatted a bit with the owner and he told us that the decor is a work in progress. He is hoping to get some murals and other art on the walls soon. He is a Navy veteran and the restaurant does a great job of showcasing that. In case you were wondering, he told us that he was stationed in Japan while in the Navy. So I'm telling you not to doubt his ramen knowledge :) When we stopped in, they had only been open 12 days, so I can't wait to see where the restaurant goes from here!

Their menu really has something for everyone! Check it out below!