Down the long road of San Jose, past fast food, shopping centers, and doctor’s offices rests a small restaurant called Tidbits. Also known as Clara’s Tidbits, named for the Jacksonville native who started the business.
I decided to visit Tidbits after hearing they opened up a new location nearby my house. They currently boast two other locations, one near the heart of Jacksonville and another right off Interstate 95 on Baymeadows.
Tidbits is a soup, salad, and sandwich shop that is known for their homemade chicken salad. When ordering, customers have a slew of options for sandwiches, with six different types of meat, 12 bread choices, 15 toppings, and six cheese options. That is only for the build-your-own sandwich option! The menu also includes six specialty sandwiches, five hot sandwiches, five types of soup, six salad options, several different sides, and to top it all off, there is also three homemade dessert choices! Tidbits also offers catering, online ordering, and to go ordering.
Upon entering the restaurant I immediately noticed the brightly painted walls, the almost farmhouse feel of the furnishings, and the COVID-19 safety precautions on the floor, outlining social distancing measures. The staff all wore gloves and face masks were required unless seated. For the most part, it seemed that Tidbits was taking all appropriate measures to remain safe during these times.
After looking through the extensive menu, I settled on the classic chicken salad with all the standard toppings, but I decided to try it on a croissant. My parter ordered the daily special: Pasta Primavera with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. After ordering, we served ourselves some water and meandered over to the outdoor seating. The temperature outdoors was perfect due to the convenient awning above us. However, about halfway through our meal some loud construction started up right next-door and was almost overpowering our closely seated conversation. I would suggest a seat indoors for next time.
Our orders were brought out promptly, and we had to resist digging in immediately so I could document the food. As some say, camera eats first! My chicken salad on a croissant was huge, they were not skimping on the amount of meat in the sandwich. It was served with a side of choice, I went with potato salad, as well as a pickle spear. My partner’s primavera also came as a very generous serving.
Digging into our meals, I noticed straight away how fluffy and well made the bread was containing my sandwich. The slight sweetness of the croissant complemented the tangy and creamy chicken salad. In addition, the lettuce and tomato aided in creating a full and satisfying bite. I added cheddar cheese onto the sandwich, but the flavor of the chicken salad overpowered it immediately. The lettuce was mostly there for a differentiation in texture, and the tomato provided a juicy touch. Overall, I can see why Tidbit’s chicken salad is very popular among customers.
The pasta primavera my partner ordered is not a normal menu item, and I was curious to see how it held up to a menu staple. The dish was made up of a bed of lettuce, some sprouts, a few chunky slices of tomato, black olives, and three generous scoops of creamy pasta with chicken, shredded carrots, and some other unknown veggies. Again, the lettuce provided a refreshing crunch against the cream based noodles. The balsamic dressing that was drizzled over the entire dish was very tangy and tasted almost wine-like, in other words, very grapey. A very filling dish to get just for a quick lunch, but you will definitely get your money’s worth!
While there, I decided to try one of their homemade desserts. Personally, I am a huge fan of
lemon cakes, and was excited to see it listed as one of the three desserts offered.
However, the cake itself was disappointing. After unwrapping the individually packaged slice, the saran wrap was slick with oil, and the frosting was falling off the cake in chunks. It seems that there was an overload of butter in the cake. The taste was overwhelmingly sweet, and it was hard to taste the lemon. The icing was thick, but I was able to sense a hint of lemon in it. The cake was $2.59 for just the one slice, and I’m unsure if I would be willing to spend it again.
Speaking of money, let’s talk pricing. Going in, I was unsure if paying $8.99 for a sandwich would be worth it. To get a regular drink along with it would be an extra $1.99! The special was actually less expensive than their most popular dish, weighing in at only $8.79 including a drink. The price of the sandwich was definitely worth the money, as I couldn’t finish the whole thing in one sitting. Just a half of the sandwich was stuffed with enough chicken salad for a regular sized sandwich! However, charging $1.99 for a drink separate from the meal I already bought was a little pricey. I went with just a water cup for $0. The pasta primavera was also worth the money paid. Again, my partner could not finish the whole dish at the time, but he claims that it holds up well as leftovers!
Jared Alexander experienced Tidbits for the first time alongside me, and he says that he will definitely be coming back. “The food was refreshing and crisp, and I would definitely go there again. It was nice. Very clean, good small spot to get a filling lunch. The primavera was a wonderful blend of texture and flavor.”
All in all, Tidbits is well worth your visit.
12276 San Jose Blvd #709, Jacksonville, Florida
(904) 379-7068
Open Monday thru Saturday, 10:30am - 2:30pm
Price ranges from $6 - $10, not including drinks
Written by Samantha Fitzgerald
Photography by Samantha Fitzgerald
October 15, 2020