Old Spice Classic, Disney

This was the bargain of the year. $10 (1/2 off $20 if a Florida resident - not mentioned in the ads) got me the runner-up game and the finals last night. Parking was free too. I could have had almost any seat. I chose the second row, three seats to the right of center court. I had no one next to me! This venue is called The Milk House. I saw Alabama win at the end against a horrible Michigan team and FSU win at the end against Marquette. Some lady kept screaming Jeremy Butler for one of their players. Too bad for her that he was Jeremy "Takes It Up The Butt-ler" as he missed about a dozen free throws to cost them the game. The place must seat 2500. I would guess 750 showed. They did their best to create some excitement. It still cracks me up how much old women from the mid west support their mediocre sports teams. They even wear uni's! This session started at 5pm and ended at 9:45pm. Session 1 started at 10am. They played 2 sessions a day on Thursday and Saturday. They have seats not benches. If you are in town and you do not go to this next year, you are depriving yourself of a real treat. They have 8 D1 teams every year.

Taco Maker, Winter Park - Closed

I had dinner/snack 2 at this chain on Friday. I believe they are a western chain. My only encounter with them was in Park City, Utah. I had a regular ground beef taco ($.75) and a chicken soft taco ($1.29) . The chicken was better. I found the beef taco to be flavorless in Utah and here. It tastes like a Jack In The Box taco (that's not a compliment). Almost any other chain is better for ground beef tacos. It was clean and new. It was totally empty. It's on Fairbanks half way between Rollins and 436.

Palmano's, Winter Park - Closed

Last Friday I had dinner/snack at this annex of the similiarly named deli on Park Ave. I tried their individual pizza (Christie) for $9. It was a whole wheat dough with artichokes and pepperoni. The toppings were of a good quality but I wish they would eschew my health and do away with the tree bark. They have a limited dinner men (pasta/sandwichs). Most offerings are just under or over the pizza price range. It seats about 12 inside, 5 at the bar, and 12 outside. They have wine and espresso and gelato. Unfortunately, they have perpetrated the soft Italian crime of distributing tiny, beaker sized servings of soda. I feel like Zoolander looking at the tiny school (model) when I see one of these disappointments coming. It's not like they charge half the price. What is the point? They must be harder to get. They aren't that cute. Anyway. The service was good. The place is cozy. It looks like an italian gelatoria. The owners seemed to be minding the store.

Club Crawl - Tastings, Ceviche, Ember

Forgot to add this one last week. Most places were dead because the FAMU-BC fans scared people away from downtown. Is it my imagination or are the performers at Ceviche going through the motions? And did they wall of the back of the hall? It looks different (and by different I mean worse). Update - Tastings is closed. 11/18/2013

Gurtzberry, Winter Park

I had a chocolate yogurt at this frozen yogurt place off Park Ave. It tasted like rasberry. I tossed it after 2 bites. It cost $4 for a small which was large. You can add fattening candy, etc which defeats the purpose of yogurt btw. On the plus side the cashier was hot.

Seito Sushi, Winter Park

I had dinner at this sushi restaurant in the Winter Park Village  on 17-92 last Saturday. I've been here before, but not since blogging. It was top quality as usual. I had urchin, salmon, snapper, scallop, and yellowtail sushi. Most were $5 for 2 pieces. The urchin was not perfect, but good. I believe the snapper was not talapia. The cuts of fish were large. The rice was ok (a little chilly) and packed tight. The place looks like a sushi restaurant should. The service was attentive. It seats about 80. Parking is a problem.

Jax, Lake Mary

I had lunch at this pub on Lake Emma Rd last Saturday. I've been here many times and only ordered wings or drinks. My loss. I had a bagel with salmon and avocado cups with shrimp. You're saying big deal. The bagel was large. The salmon was good. They topped it with caviar. The tomatos and onions were fresh and not just cut in a hunk and dropped on it. It came with a plentenous side of chips. I think it was a scant $7. Take that Einstein's. I also had a shrimp cup because I didn't think the bagel would be enough. It was. This was no mere tiny shrimp out of a can in pitted avocado halves. They scooped out the avocado and mixed it about with real shrimp and put it back in the shell so the shrimp were coated with avocado. Everyone should do it this way. It also came with chips. I must have left a bag full. I think it was $6. The service was good. For those who don't know, the place looks like a Swiss chalet. It seats 150+. It's usually mostly full on game days. They have many beers on tap and in the bottle.

Black Olive, Downtown - Closed

I had dinner at this Mediterranean Italian restaurant on Pine St last Friday. I had the grilled octopus for around $10 (I lost the receipt) and the scallops for around $24. The octopus was served in an attractive bowl/dish with some microgreens. The octopus was a tad overcooked. The scallops came on a plate with swashes of yellow sauce at the edges and bean hash below the 4 crustaceans. The scallops were plump. The hash was a bit bland, but, at least it was an original accompaniment. It also came with a slice of fried proscuitto which was why I ordered it, but didn't add much to the course. The place has an operatic feel which reminded me of an Austrian restaurant David Bouley used to have. The cielings are high. The decor aims at being received as high end. They have a glass enclosed wine room/private room. They have a piano with chanteuse. The service was attentive. It seats about 100. It was half full at 9pm. The crowd was foppish. It was good, but, just missing something. It didn't feel lived in. It didn't have an aura or personality. I find that I feel that way when I frequent a restaurant that is part of a chain. This is not so I don't know why I picked up that vibe. It's the difference between the show room of a rental property and one that is actually lived in.

Loving Hut, Colonial

On my way home last wednesday, I had to stop at the giant hot dog that used to be in the Chevron station to see if it had changed. I thought that it was attached to a building now and renamed Loving Hut International Restaurant. It is not. Loving Hut is a cute vegan restaurant that has everything from sushi to burgers. I ordered a little snack to go to be polite. I was well pleased. They served me a hot bowl of vegetable soup while I waited. It was very good. And not very good for a vegetarian restaurant. They serve this - gratis - as a matter of course. The steamed tofu dumplings that I had at home were also very good. I believe they were a scant $2.95. They were filled with carrot and ginger, etc. The place was a Vietnamese restaurant around a year ago. They have maintained the physical structure and painted the walls yellow. I believe the tables and chairs are new. They exude a modern vibe. They have framed posters of famous vegetarians on the wall as well as big screen tvs. The place is small (50). It is cheery and light like their food and service. There were two other people there at 2pm.

I would suggest that they get a larger sign that makes it more clear that they are Vegan and not associated with the hot dog stand.

Pho Vinh, Colonial

Last Wednesday I had lunch at these Vietnamese restaurant on 50 near Total Wine on North Primrose. I had shrimp and pork in vermicelli rice for $8. It was fine. I was a little scared when the waiter ran back to the kitchen with the sauce and then returned too soon for him to have poured out the old bowl and refreshed it with a new batch. I swallowed my reserve and thought back on all those occasions in foreign countries or sketchy curb side vending carts and ate as if I was blissfully unaware of what ever critter of human debris had fallen into that sauce cup. The shrimp (3) were over grilled (burned). I should have gone with one of the soups with french bread accompaniments, but, I wasn't very hungry. The service was good otherwise. It seats about 120. It was pretty empty. There is a small bar in the back. the cielings are low. It has windows on the street side. The art is conducive to this type of food. Not all the furniture matches.

Club Crawl - Paddy Murphy's, Odin's Den, Shakers, Wine Room

8:30-9pm: Paddy Murphy's - Almost empty. Big space. Clean. New. More of a sports bar/restaurant than club. It's in Baldwin Park.

9-9:30pm: Odin's Den - Almost empty. Dirty, smokey, head banger bar. Although they started playing Rihanna and country as I left. Had to try it once. It's on Howell Branch Rd in Casselberry.

9:30-9:31pm: Shakers - Didn't want to deal with valet service at a spot that used to be a Bennigan's. Note to owners. If you don't have a congested parking situation we don't want some druggie fiddling around with our nice automobiles. We don't want to wait to get our cars either. It's on 436 in Casselberry.

10-11:45pm: Wine Room. Usual suspects. Everyone left at 11pm like clock work. Wish they could do something to keep the crowd. It's on Park Ave in Winter Park.

Colibri, Baldwin Park

Last night I ate at this Mexican restaurant in Baldwin Park. I had the Chicken Mole Cajete for $15.99. Interestingly, the wheezer Rick Bayless just did a show on Mole this morning. Mole is a paste made of many ingredients and comes in many varieties. It's base is usually peppers. It's turned into a sauce by adding stock. This was a red mole. It was a portion fit for 2 served in an earthen pot. The 4 cutlets of chicken were well cooked (grilled). The mole was tasty if a bit salty. I wonder if they use salted chicken stock. It was infused with melted cheese. It came with the usual sides - beans and rice plus the sides used in crafting fajitas. It didn't really need the tortillas. It was good as just a chicken dish. The guac and sour cream competed with the mole. They provided chips and salsa gratis. Both were good. The service was excellent. The place seats about 60 inside and 40 outside. They overlook the lake. The decor was urbane - big celings, fresh colors, lots of windows. The inside is broken up into a bar section with tables and a main dining room. There is even a private nook with a booth. It was about half full. They have an extensive tequila and marguerita menu. Most dishes were in the low teens. They are also open for lunch. Very hip. Poor wine menu.

HS Football - Seminole v Lyman

Last night I went to see Lyman v Seminole. Lyman has some poor facilities. The game was horrible. Two players on the field were worth watching - Toby Durham and Erik Farkas of Seminole. I left after the first half due to boredom and indegestion from the cheeseburger at the concession stand. Lyman is across from the Seminole Dogtrack off 17-92.

Halloween Party, Downtown

I tried the party at Wall Street last week. It gets crazier every year. I went in the Jack's entrance (smallest line). The only downer was that aside from a beer tub in the rear, it was impossible to get a drink. Oh, and they traffic. The costumes always crack me up. I wish every day was like this. I want to know where all these hot girls are the rest of the year. The only downer is the trash that pours over from Parramore sans costumes. Why don't they dress up as non-criminals? It's a no-brainer. I wish they would barricade all of downtown. It would keep out the riff raff and give you room to breath.

Thai Cafe, Downtown

I bought a take home dinner at this Thai restaurant next to Philly Style Hoagies near the Comerica building yesterday. I tried Drunken Noodles for $7 for the first time. I usually don't love Thai noodle dishes such as Pad Thai because of the calories and the consistency of the noodles. I have to say the same about this dish. The flavors were good, but, even these broad flat noodles didn't do it for me. They are just too pasty. The noodles were steeped in the sauce. They came with some carrot slivers, sweated onions, and chicken. I ordered it medium spicy and it was hot. The portion size was good. It came with a side 'salad" (hunk of iceberg). The place isn't stylish. The decor is sparse. The room is rectangular. The kitchen is semi open in the middle of the floor plan. It seat about 50. Two people were there. They served quickly. It's now open for dinner.

Philly Style Hoagies, Downtown - Closed

I had a sandwich at this sub shop near the new Comerica building yesterday. I had a Tino (turkey, pepperoni, and pepperoni cheese) for $6.09. The place is a chain and this franchise is nothing more than a garage with a meat slicer. The only decorations are Philly area sports signage (I refrained from asking them their thoughts on the WS loss). The sandwich offerings are inventive. The Tino I had was a mixture I had never tried. I didn't even know they made pepperoni cheese. It was ok. The pepperoni (one thin layer) was poor quality (I mean Hormel makes a better product). The turkey loaf wasn't as awful as the loaf the serve at Chuck's, but it was loaf. You got about three layers of it. The bread was a nice attempt at a baguette, but it was not fully baked. It's a take out place with a slightly different spin than Mike's or Subway or Quiznos. Of course they make a cheese steak. They even have Whiz.

Breakfast Club, Downtown - Closed

After years of arriving past closing or forgetting it existed, I finally had a meal at this diner. It always piqued my curiosity because of it's referential relationship with an 80's movie and pop band. It's on Pine St across from Napasorn. I had something called Buttered Buttons because of its unfamiliarity. It cost $7.95. It was your basic choice of eggs (2) with choice of home fries, hash browns or fruit and and english muffin. The buttered button part was a portion of mushroom caps (10) covered with cheese. It was ok. The caps were wet and bland. Wet didn't exactly compliment the cheese or eggs. But, dry, stale caps would have been worse. The dish doesn't really work as a whole. The service was great. My over-caffienated waitress threw a glass of water in my face so quickly I decided to save 2 bucks and bypass my usual Diet Coke pick me up. The place looks like a coffe shop/diner. It's split into two rooms with the kitchen open in the back. The menu listed breakfast items, but, I saw a whiteboard with some sandwichy possibilities. It seats about 100. It was about half full with all types. Now if we could only get them to work a full day.

Pho Pasteur, East Orlando

I had dinner at this Vietnamese restaurant south of 408 on Goldenrod Rd on Saturday. I had the Curry Soup for $2.75 and the Thit Nurong, Bi, Cha, and Trung for $7.50. It was 4 types of pork with rice and cold pickled vegetables (pork pate, grilled pork, pork skin, and shredded pork). The grilled pork was kind of Mongolian in preparation. It was stir fried in a paste. The pate was like a quiche (warm and delicious). The soup had chicken in it. It was a large portion. Either selection could have been a meal on it's own. Service was good (although only 1 person was on call). The place had that 70's Chinese restaurant feel. The antiseptic, white tile floor feel. The decor was a few patoral paintings from the region. I really liked the food. They have big, laminated menus that are more functional than attractive. It seats about 80. 8 people were there on Saturday.

Tony's, Mills Avenue - Closed

Last Wednesday I had a snack at this Middle Eastern restaurant up from Chuck's. I had a chicken shwarma for $6. It was ok. Thin, crepe like wrapper. Nice amount of chicken. The place is small. It's very white. It has some bad murals. It was pretty busy though. I think you can have take out or sit down and eat it there. I didn't get the sense they had table service. The younger girl had an attitude. Don't ask me why they don't advertise the type of cuisine in their moniker. When I think Tony, I think pizza. You'd drive by it anyway. Poor signage. They did have some of those best of award plaques. Although, it seems like everyone else has them too.

Chuck's, Mills Avenue - Closed

Last Wednesday I had lunch at this coffee shop on Mills North of 50. I had a club sandwich for $7.50. It was made with really bad turkey loaf. And the fact that it is English themed does not excuse the quality. The place is a dive or a front. It's dirty. The decor is a few maps of merry old England. They have one waitress who I think made the meal. Around 5 people were dining.