My husband and I arrived in Fernandina Beach mid-afternoon, and we were hungry. Most of the regular restaurants were closed between lunch and dinner, so we wandered the streets looking for someplace that was open. Lucky for us we found this little inauspicious gem, (open from 11:00 am until 5:30 pm), tucked just off the main street in a sort of casual patio courtyard. Most of the seating is outside at picnic style tables, but there are 3 or 4 little metal tables inside. Since it was chilly, we opted to eat inside, where the owner took our order and could not have been more hospitable, nor more enthusiastic--both in general and about his wonderful barbeque. He explained the slow-cooking/smoking process, using oak, which imparts a delectable flavor into the meat. In fact, the ribs were so tender and delicious with just the oak and dry spices that we really did not need the barbeque sauce options (mustard, spicy, and traditional) that were served on the side--although they were good, too.
We got to talking with the owner, whose name is Richard, and found that he had attended culinary school and worked as a chef for several years before opening his own place last September--the name Happy Tomato came from a now defunct cafe which was in a different location. (He's a great conversationalist--he described to me how to make a proper "fond", a French term for what sounded like making a very tasty gravy. Then we talked about football.)
But back to the food: These were the best barbeque ribs we had ever tasted. So good, in fact, that we opted to forego the other restaurants in Fernandina Beach and returned to The Happy Tomato the next afternoon to try the pulled pork and chicken--incredibly wonderful. The chocolate chip cookies, made by Richard's wife, are also yummy and well worth the calories.