by erin thursby scopes1925@msn.com
If you haven’t been to Sequinos in six months or a year, it’s time to go back and check out what they’re putting on the plate today.
Their new chef and partner Steve Dominick excels in New Orleans cuisine, as he learned his trade in the city, working with some of the finest French chefs. He put time in at Arnaud’s, Louis XVI, Braussard’s, Plimsall Club and La Louisiard. I’d like to see even more of his Orleans background reflected on the menu.
Creole, Latin, classic French, Italian and American Southern cooking are his strengths. Locally he served as the executive chef who designed and executed the menu at the Bridge Market and Bistro, selling over one ton of fresh seafood every month.
The décor at Sequinos struck me as dated, with Chicago style brick arches throughout the main dining room and colorful Italian scenes in stained glass placed in some of those arches. Others might find the effect of the bricked arches to be cozy and romantic, but I felt it was too much brick. The window treatments seemed newer and more upscale. Even with white table cloths, it’s hard to think of Sequinos as place to get fine food, even if that’s what they’re known for. I must admit, though, I like their bar set up. It looks like a super place to chill with a glass of wine. The bar is large but seems intimate because it’s separate from the main dining room.
Re-branding a name can be difficult, especially when you also want to keep your old base of customers content, but that’s precisely what they’re trying to do. Sequinos has been marketed in the past as a place to get expensive Italian fare, but they’ve revamped their menu, heading in a bistro-style, world cuisine direction. While they still have some of their old favorites on the menu such as lasagna, they’re introducing new items to keep up with the times. There has been a slight name change, from Ristorante Sequinos to Sequinos Bistro and Bar.
The wine list will also be transitioning to a worldwide selection instead of a solely Italian selection. Right now they are still featuring Italian wines, but they’ll soon be shifting.
Prices on the dinner entrée menu range from about $15 to $20, a comfortable range in bistro pricing. Appetizers go from the $7 bruschetta to their $11 Antipasto platter.
During lunch (which is quite reasonably priced) they place red and white checked plastic table cloths on the tables. It reminded me of the family Italian restaurant I used to frequent in Miami as a kid. Brunch or lunch will run you anywhere from about $9-$15.
My pick out of the things I sampled was the Vietnamese spring roll. These crispy rolls brim with savory roast pork. They don’t skimp on the pork as they do at most places, so this roll is a satisfying choice. The Asian sauces complement the almost American Southern prep of the pork in a liberating East meets West collision of flavors.
Far East flavors can be found mostly in the appetizers, with Tandoori Shrimp and the spring rolls. Tex-Mex can be found mostly in the wrap menu. Otherwise the menu has a solid base of Italian dishes, with plenty of Southern-style and Cajun entrées thrown in the eclectic mix. You’ll also find standard American steakhouse stuff, under their grilled entrées. Some of the more expensive options are the seafood specialties, including Snapper Vera Cruz, Barbecue Glazed Salmon and Parmesan Crusted Scallops, among others.
The menu is certainly varied in both price and style of cuisine. If Mom wants a taste of Italy, Dad wants Southern home cooking, and the kids want Asian flavors, you’ll find something on the menu each of them can order.
They saved the best for last with an Orleans-style bread pudding. Bread puddings are popular right now, but if you want an authentic New Orleans version, do order Sequinos’ delectable offering.
The bottom line for Sequinos is this—it’s a restaurant on its way to a new identity, but it hasn’t quite solidified that identity yet. The food was adequate and affordable, but Sequinos has tons of fine and bistro style dining competition in the beaches area. While following the current trend of world cuisine is fine, it’s also what everybody else is doing. What Sequinos needs, apart from that, is something distinctive that makes their food stand out from the rest.
1021 Atlantic Blvd., Atlantic Beach, Fl 32233 (Publix Shopping Center) 904- 249-0101
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