by Monica Chamness
Staff Writer
Blending cuisines from around the globe, Daniel’s, is the newest addition to the San Marco dining scene.
Chef/owner Daniel [pronounced Danielle] Adam incorporates his experiences with foreign cultures into the food he creates. Colombian by birth, Adam grew up in Africa and went to school in France. His French accent is borrowed from his father. His mother is from Montana. The dishes reflect his diverse heritage.
“The cuisine is a mix of South American, North African and Mediterranean,” said Adam. “We open at 5:30 p.m. and close after the last reservation.”
Daniel’s held a soft opening May 15. He’s looking at a grand opening next month after becoming a bit more settled. Having recently moved here from Georgia, where he operated two Mediterranean restaurants, Adam is still learning his way around town.
Like his father, Adam’s wanderlust has led around the world. He immigrated to the United States 30 years ago after graduating from culinary school in Nice, France. He began his cooking career in Washington, D.C. Over the years, he has worked as a chef in San Francisco, ran a restaurant/bakery in Aspen, Colo., cooked in Annapolis, Md. and maintained fine dining establishments throughout Florida. For the past decade, he has been inching up the East Coast, moving from Key West to Miami, West Palm Beach, and now Jacksonville. Adding to his international repertoire are his adventures working in Galway, Ireland and Guinea (one of the countries off the coast of Brazil).
Bar, a special type of sea bass imported from Ireland, is Adam’s specialty. The signature dish is prepared table-side. They even clean the fish in front of the customer. The small, upscale restaurant occupies the space vacated by L’Orient Chez Guy a few months ago. Friends in the area helped the multilingual Adam (he speaks English, French, Spanish and Arabic) to locate the space.
To modernize the venue, Adam removed the bankheads from the wall and installed metal paneling. A decorative divide was erected to lend a less traditional feel. All of the tables and chairs were replaced and the bathrooms were remodeled. An artist from Indianapolis was hired to complete the look. The result is a comfortable, chic atmosphere.
Adam also brought all of his former employees to staff the venture.
“Most of my cooks have been working with me for 20 years,” he said. “I bring them with me [wherever he’s working], but the waiters are from here.”
The kitchen staff and manager also travel with him.
Most entrees hover in the $20-30 price range, with some exceptions. The menu includes escargot, lobster bisque, Dover sole, duck, lamb, veal shank, free range chicken, chilled gaspacho (cold Spanish soup), plus 20 different kinds of souffles and a wine list of 400 labels.
“Basically, it is a blend of all continents and flavors,” he explained. “It’s a little bit of everywhere.”
So far, business has been slow, but Adam expects the numbers to increase once people know he’s there. To get the word out, he was scheduled to prepare a ribeye steaks on television Tuesday morning.
“It’s been dead so far,” he said of the 40 seat restaurant. “I’ve had 25 people since Thursday. But other restaurants like Matthew’s have been there awhile and are doing fine. I’ve only been open a few days.”
Down the road, Adam hopes to expand his hours for lunch, after his dinner crowd is established.