FHSAA Championships, Citrus Bowl

I saw Palm Beach Dwyer (or Matt Elam) destroy Niceville at the Citrus Bowl yesterday afternoon. Some kid with an Irish last name was also all over the field. He even punted. I spent some time in the Niceville section (wish I lived with all those beautiful people - it's near Destin) and some time in the endzone (actual seats with backs). I got a sun tan, saw some great players and only spent $10 (park downtown on the street and save $10 and get some exercise - day games only). I won't reveal where you can get $5 parking. My secret. They said 5000 were there. I doubt it. PB brought nobody. I hope Niceville makes again next year. I heard it had been 20 years. And I hope they can their QB who rotates the ball so the fat side is pointing towards his target. Maybe that's why all his passes fly out of the reach of his receivers. And does anyone teach footwork any more. These kids need to know that the shoulders follow the feet and the shoulders determine where the ball will end up. His one TD was a under thrown, dead duck heave that his reciver stole from double coverage. I would also like to warn OU that their RB commit was begging to come out during the last drive. He had quit. Potential attitude problem? And can the Niceville coaches run more than 7 plays? It wasn't like they were working.

Pesca, Downtown - Closed

I had an early dinner at this sushi/seafood restaurant on Lake Eola next to Starlight Lounge yesterday. It was an uneven meal. The good - happy hour rolls ($2 off), great booth view of the lake, nice service. The bad - not all seats overlook the lake, the decor is a mish mosh, they gave me Coke instead of DC, the sushi rice was old and coarse, the fish didn't have much flavor (probably hadn't defrosted yet). The rice was the big let down. I know it should be al dente but I really think it was just old not undercooked. If it was warm then maybe they could argue cooking preference. The place definetly strives to be first class. But, I would wager that they can't pull off the extensive menu. When I see one of these Cheesecake Factory like menu's, I start to worry. It's hard to be an expert at all these dishes at the same time. They did sound good though. The restaurant has a sushi area, an ugly middle room and the expansive lake side room with bar. This room has high cielings and some type of artistic ambition. The bottles of wine on wine crates have to go. You're not a steakhouse or cheesy Italian Trattoria. I would also try and cram more tables into the main room. It looks a little empty and no one should be taunted into sitting in that Siberian middle room. It's like having a seat at the children's table when the adults are sitting in the main dining room. I'm sure they say it's for private functions, but, even they will feel screwed when they see the lake view room. It's not open for lunch - a waste. I hope it means they are doing well enough that they don't need to bother. But, why waste that view when it can be seen. I'm sure it isn't as nice at night. It seat 100+. It was mostly empty at 5pm. And that is another thing. The sign on the door says 7pm-11pm, but, another sign outside says 5pm-11pm. Which is it? The wine list was good.

Piper's, Downtown - Closed

I had lunch at this sports bar on Orange and Church under the movie theater yesterday. I had a turkey sandwich with Apples and Brie on a Croissant for $9. I know not typical sports bar fare. It was ok. The Croissant was a bit old. The Brie must have been cut by the guy who cut the garlic in prison in Good Fellas. It was almost see thru. They also included 22 fries. I know it was 22 because they were visibly scarce. I've never had fries that didn't form a pile. The place is decorated disjointedly. Probably because it used to be a UK themed pub. Now that pub decor is blended with sports objects. And those two themes are set against the original build out that must have been searching for a trendier tenant. The black backdrop and floors make it somber and show all signs of wear. It must seat 100. They have a bar. Six people were eating or drinking with me. The price range averages just under $10. It was one of the few restaurants open for lunch. It took a little while to get served.

Hoops With A Heart Tournament, Oviedo

I attended the Oviedo Hoops With A Heart Basketball Tournament on Saturday night. I saw Oviedo beat Liberty and Winter Park beat Montverde Academy. Cost = $5. I don't know how WP won. Montverde is an all star team. Actually, I know. They don't care to rebound the ball. The gym was about half full. More people should care. They had teams playing all day. This was better basketball than I saw last year at Rollins. Austin Rivers needs to learn how to shoot. His form is atrocious.

Mings, Colonial

I attempted to recover from my Azteca experience at this Chinese restaurant just one block behind 50 at 17-92. I had Har Kow (Steamed Shrimp Dumplings). They were great. Large quantities of real shrimp. Properly cooked noodle coating. They serve Dim Sum all week. Thank God they do it right because we don't have many options and usually only on weekends. The place is typical Hong Kong drab - monochrome. Glass chandeliers over round white clothed tables (covered with glass). Gross fish tanks with today's catch. View of the kitchen. There is no real (any) effort given to sartorial splendor. It cracks me up. It's so unappetizing but so ubiquitous. Throw in the cranky owner/cashier and you've got your unintentional franchise strategy. They seat about 100 in mostly large tables. It was about 1/4 full at 2pm. It doesn't seem to be an absolute insider secret. I can't wait to try the rest.

Azteca D'Oro, South Orlando

I had lunch at this Mexican restaurant on South OBT on Saturday. It was not worth the effort. It's almost at 417 and SOBT. I had the Borego for $13.95. It was lamb shank with rice and beans. The shank was tiny and tough. I've had larger pig knuckles. It was also gamey. The beans were served in their own liquor. They made me naseous after three bites (ok before that). The rice was Mexican red rice. Typically flavorless. The one slice of avocado was abused. The salsa was rubbery and old. It came with tortillas. Why? Oh yeah, to hide the taste under a canopy of spicy mole. The best thing they served was half of the bowl of tortillas. Why some were hot and others not is a mystery. The salsa with the tortillas was probably canned. They even had the audacity to charge $2+ for a soda. No refills. The service was fast and polite. The silverware had dried cilantro on it. The place looks like a hacienda from a Anglo-cartoon depicting Mexico in the Fifties. It seats over 100. It was pretty full. It is a chain. Much better options than this. Don't let their ads in My City Eats fool you. This is not high end Mexican. Which means it's...well you know.

Ali Baba, Longwood

On Friday I had lunch at this Middle Eastern restaurant on 434 in between I4 and Ronald Reagan Blvd. I had the lunch buffet for $11.95 ($6.95 with coupon). $9.95 M-Th. It's a bargain at either price. They offered a huge assortment. Most of the items were fresh and flavorful. Let me try and remember most of what was on offer - Persian Soup, Chicken Soup, Hummus, Tabouleh, Babaganoush, Garlic Dip, Sesame Paste, Tzatziki, Feta Cheese, Cucumber Salad, Salad, Minced Chicken Kabob, Minced Beef Kabob, Chicken Cooked with Tomato, Tandori Style Chicken, Linguini, Lamb, Beef with Tumeric, Beef Saudi Style, Beef in little pieces, Pita, Baklava, Rose Water Cake. The Persian Soup was bland (noodles and beans). The Chicken Soup was not as tart as I've had (thankfully). The Tumeric beef was tasty. The dips were good (garlic will stay with you for days). The Baklava seemed a little stale. The Rose Water Cake tasted like soap (it's supposed to). The service was good. Quick on refills and dirty plates. The place was clean. The decor was culturally appropriate. They played Arab music. It seats about 80. It was 1/4 full. All types. They have belly dancing at night if you go for that. They sell Arab products. The buffet went the extra mile. They didn't just serve the basics you can find anywhere else.

Four Rivers Smokehouse, Winter Park

I had "dinner" (brought it home) at this BBQ restaurant on Fairbanks near I-4 today. Now I know you know my penchant for attacking bad experiences immediately, but, this time I had to log on because it was soooo good. I had a Angus Beef Brisket Sandwich with 2 sides (Smoked Jalapenos and Baked Cheese Grits) for $7.49. Outrageous. Outrageously good! I was full half way into it but I powered my way through. The Brisket was so smokey, so tender, so good that the roll (although good) had to be discarded. I eventually put the bacon wrapped, cheese filled jalapenos in it for another sandwich. The grits were served in a square like Polenta. So cheesy. So good. And let me reiterate. I nuked this for dinner and it was still amazing.

The place is brand new so it is clean. They have picnic tables outside. The place must be called Four Rivers because that is what the line to get into this place looks like. People were parking on neighbors lawns! But, the line moved quick. The servers were knowledgeable and polite. They explained where the Brisket is on the cow (front leg/shoulder). They explained how they carve it. They explained the sides. No lip or frustrated sneers. They took AMEX. They serve Pork and Chicken and Turkey and Sausage and Ribs and Quesadillas and Salads and Wings and 15 sides. They are open until 8pm (9pm on Sat). If I lived near here I would go for a week straight - check my weight - and if I hadn't gained 5 lbs, I would come back every day. They even have desserts and froo-froo beverages. High end, high quality BBQ. Outstanding. Will be on National Best Lists soon.

Uncle Henry's, Maitland - Closed

I had lunch at this Country Kitchen in between 436 and 17-92 on Howell Branch Road today. I had The Country Boy (3 eggs over hash browns, sausage lumps and smothered in white gravy with toast) for $5.95. It must be called The Country Boy because you will never become a Country Man if you eat this regularly. It wasn't bad, but, it was covered with sooo much gravy that I couldn't will myself to finish it. I picked at it. I tried to scrape away as much gravy as possible, but, it was impossible. Now let me re-iterate. It wasn't prepared badly and the other items are probably cooked with equal care, but, this plate in particular was the wrong order for me.

That said. The place is a cute southern country restaurant. You will know it's Southern by the whisky voiced waitresses and good old clientele. This place makes Cracker Barrel look urbane in comparison (not that there is anything wrong with that). It has a very homey appeal. It looks like a Granny's sun room. It even has a sun unbrella at the bar. It seats about 80. It was 3/4 full at 12. It's only open from 6am to 3pm (2pm on weekends). It's cheap. They serve big portions. It was pretty clean (plastic glass was a little sticky). The service was fast and polite. The cashier was hot.

Caddies Pub, Lake Mary - Closed

Last Wednesday I had lunch at this Pub off 46A in between Sanford and Lake Mary. It has been Harvey's Bistro and Spice Modern Steakhouse (maybe others) in the past. They haven't changed much. They added video games in the back, golf themes in the front, and furnished spartanly. All but one long table and a 4 seater are high tops (for the inner child longing for their high chair). I find high tops bad for the back (even in non-codgers). There is no art work in the ravine-like middle dining area. They have TVs instead. It must seat 40 in the middle, 20 at the bar and 20 outside (the patio area was always great). I had the Bogey Burger for $9. It was a Deluxe BBQ Cheeseburger with bacon and fries. To be honest, the burger had so much going on in it that I couldn't really tell if it had any flavor on its own. I think it did have some sort of rub on it (not a plus). It was mostly Medium (some Well Done). The fries were those awful battered fries that BK made famous (it supposedly tastes good to their target demo). The service was good. They had two cute waitresses and a bartender. All were friendly. They serve typical pub apps and entrees. Nothing too fancy. I'm not a pub type of guy. I don't get places like Chili's or Applebee's that load you up with empty calories. I'll succumb if I'm watching a game and have no choice. If you have read Eat This Not That places like this scare you. They specialize in 1500-2000 calorie meals. There is also nothing fanciful on the menu. You don't feel transported to a different place or time. I guess I'm more Player than Caddie. That being said, there was nothing wrong with the execution if you are satisfied with this type of establishment.

Nico Globos, Lake Mary - Closed

I had lunch at this European style restaurant on Monday. Don't try and predict anything from the name. It is made up. I had the soup and sandwich for $8.95. I felt as if I had pulled out a gun. The Lobster Bisque Cup of Soup looked like a bowl to me. It came with three slices of bread. The soup was a little thick and I don't recall any lobster per se, but, it was passable. The sandwich was a Chicken Waldorf. It was huge. It came on artisinal bread that had a touch of sweetness to it. The chicken salad wasn't too mayonaised. It had the expected apple and grapes. They also added pine nuts. I love pine nuts. They are always welcome. On anything! I'm serious. It also came with half a basket of kettle chips. I stumbled out of there simultaneously proud and ashamed of myself for finishing my plate. The place is cute. It has four booths, 3 two seaters and some outdoor tables. It was almost full (mostly women). The table tops are shadow boxes layed on their side. The walls are brick. It has a wine cellar feel if wine cellars had windows. They had 5ish people pitching in. Service was good. The silverware was clean. It is located near The Sweet Shoppe near City Hall. I thought That Deli fed you. This place out does them on that front and destroys them on ambience. They make crepes too (but only in the morning - for now). The Delano has some stiff competition (these guys even take AMEX).

Passage To India, I Drive

I had a late (10:30pm) snack at this Indian restaurant on the Fun Spot side of I Drive. It is the oldest of three locations in south Orlando. I just grabbed some Whole Wheat Naan ($2) (for variety) and a Vegetable Samosa appetizer ($6) for the road. It was ready before I signed my name to the bill. Not that this meant it wasn't fresh. It was. The samosa's were mostly potato and not greasy. The bread tasted like bark, but, I expected it to. I used it and their dipping sauces to make Indian fish tacos last night. The place looks like ass from the outside. Really scary. But, inside it isn't half bad. It is a little worn in, but, I will call that "character". It has the expected Indian flair. The owners couldn't have been nicer. They even threw in a free soda. Who says Indians are skin flints? We are fortunate to have so many good Indian restaurants in the area. This one is certainly no exception. It must seat 90. There were still about 10 people there at 10+pm on a Sunday. I had to read A Passage To India in high school. This was a much more enjoyable experience.