Coco Loco Cantina, Winter Park - Closed

I had some food to go at this Mexican+ restaurant on Fairbanks near Spatz Pool Hall on Wednesday. I had the (get this) 4 tacos with a drink for $5. It's one of five $5 lunches they offer. To put this in perspective, 4 tacos and a soda at Taco Bell is approximately the same price. But, at Taco Bell you get 1/4 of the "meat" (wasn't it proven they barely can claim meat). This is a steal and any self respecting college student or skin flint needs to get their ass over here before they smarten up. Back to the tacos. The ground beef was a little bland. It's like what you get when you try and make tacos at home. But, did I mention - $5! The owner said he hails from Buffalo and has recreated the Anchor Bar's (where they invented the Buffalo Wing) experience with regards to chicken wings (the + in Mexican+). I went there this summer and if they are anywhere near the same I demand that you go and try them. If we can get the Anchor Bar experience without having to go to Buffalo I will be recompensed for all these gratuitous, philanthropic posts. Pressure's on Coco Loco. The place is small. It used to be a barbeque place. I forget the name and couldn't get a result when I searched this site for barbeque or BBQ. I guess that didn't work out. I can't remember when 4 Rivers opened. Maybe that crushed them. At any rate, it's mostly the same layout. They said they re-did the floors this summer. They have TVs and and a bar and are trying every way imaginable to get customers. They have a gimmick/special every day. I just hope the location isn't a dead zone. It may be too far away from the school and offices. I doubt they want the riff raff that remains. The theme may also be too saturated. Maybe the wings can be the hook. Maybe they can get the Dads who have to watch their kids play lacrosse in the park behind them. Good luck. I know you are trying. Somebody has to respect that.

Cocina 214, Winter Park

I had lunch at this Tex-Mex restaurant in an alley off of Park Ave on Wednesday. I had a half order of the Cocina Chop Salad for $5 and a half order of the Mushroom and Spinach Quesadilla for $7. The salad had too much dressing that had too much orange in it. I couldn't taste the corn, roasted peppers, apple, tortilla strips or field greens. Which was too bad because it was a large serving (enough for a normal person) and orange was a poor substitute. The quesadilla was another story. Again a half serving was plenty. The tortillas were golden and not burnt. The mushroom and spinach provided a pleasing flavor and made me feel halfway health conscious. I would have probably preferred a less pungent cheese, but, there was plenty of it for those who judge it by that metric. The meal came with a tray of guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream on the side. The pico was a little old, but, the guacamole was fresh and tasty. This was the first time I've had this combo and as a meatatarian I can offer my approval. Nice to switch it up every once and a while. The meal came with complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were a little over cooked. I believe they were un or lightly salted which is heart smart. They ended up serving as a third course (I recommend this manoeuvre) of "nachos" when I used them and the components on the "tray" as dips. The salsa was slightly spicy and seemed fresh as evidenced by the carcass of a tomato in the middle of it. That's what I call extra chunky. The service was great. The food came out expeditiously and consistently. Every course was well spaced out. They were all dressed in black uniforms. There were enough of them. The place is beautiful. They really spent some money here. There is a main dining area (80), a private dining area (?), an enclosed patio (40) and a bar area (35). The bar is separated from the other rooms by the hostess/welcome area. The main dining room is separated by the patio by glass doors. The place has every type of table configuration (2-10). It was about one quarter full. It is decorated in high Ranchero style. Modern yet traditional. It looks like every spec house in Scottsdale. The menu says 215 is the Dallas Area Code. Not sure if that is where they made their bones. The menu isn't revolutionary. Obviously, it's pricey for peasant food. But, you should be expecting it when you realize the town it's in and what the build out and overhead probably are. I would suggest you go when you want their "especialidades" not when you just want a taco or burrito. Those entrees will run you $20+. 3 tacos by comparison are $13. A little excessive. And that may be their down fall. I don't know too many people who crave Mexican riffs on filet mignon and seafood. And I do know alot of really good, "authentic" Mexican restaurants in the area that serve the "basics" at cheaper prices. And probably do it better or more to what people are accustomed to. I hope I am wrong. Try it. Just order discriminatingly. Parking may be a problem depending on the time of day.

I suggest they lower the taco prices and allow customer's to mix and match them. You have a better shot at satisfying a new customer with three tries instead of one. At worst, you won't reinforce a bad experience/selection. Deep six the beans and rice if you have to. Americans don't eat 400 calorie piles of diarrhea and also think rice is for Asian restaurants. The same with the $10 "choose two" lunch plate (no beans and rice). The tacos have avant garde names but not ingredients (except for the El Ronnie - duck). Get fully pregnant or not pregnant at all. And hire some cooks from Puebla (that's a region in Mexico not a competitor). It's a goldmine.

Lacomka, Winter Park

I took some things to go from this Russian Bakery and Deli in a strip mall on 436 near Yae Sushi (where they won't serve you one of their goldfish in a tank no matter how much money you promise them) on Friday. I had an order of Blinchiki (3 Russian pancakes rolled with ground beef) with sour cream for $4. The pancakes were slightly thicker than a crepe, freshly made and tasty. The beef and sour cream had little flavor. But, Russian food is not exactly famous for its intensity. I also had an order of Borshch (their spelling) for $4.50. Their version is meant to be eaten hot and contains beets, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions and beef. Don't confuse it with the beet only cold Borscht. It was adequate. I also had a loaf looking brownie (2) with walnuts that seemed like it had a dusting of minced Cocoa Peebles on top for $4. It was ok. Lastly, I had a commercially produced cheese ice cream bar called Dadu for $1. It tasted like cheesecake and didn't melt in the heat like ice cream. It could be something for the ice cream conglomerates to look into. The place has four tables in the corner where you can eat. It is more of a market/deli. They say they've been at this location for ten years, but, this is the first time their signage caught my eye. I can honestly say it is the best Russian restaurant in Orlando that I've been to. Wait for the rim shot. It is also the only Russian restaurant I've been to or I think exists down here. Some of the dishes state that they have Georgian spices. That and the dark hair and beauty of some of the staff leads me to believe that at least some of the dishes may not be traditionally Russian. And by traditionally Russian, I mean pre Peter the Great. I bring this up not to disparage the more recently but now independent annexed portions of Russia or start a debate as to who is a "real" Russian but to illustrate that you may find a larger selection of dishes than you would expect if I told you this is a Russian restaurant. Holy run on sentence. They have a pretty well stocked pantry with items such as: wild honey, Kvas, herring, pickled what not, pirogi, cheese, dried meats, etc. If you have some Russian heritage or are just curious, I say give it a try. It's not the tastiest food on the planet, but, it will give you an appreciation for what is. Plus it expands your consciousness. They have some sandwiches that have potential.

I suggest they market the fact that they are Russian and a restaurant more aggressivelyon their lit and store front signage.

Thai Villa, Winter Park

I had lunch at this Thai restaurant near a Dance Studio on Aloma last Friday. I had Tom Kha Kai which is a spicy, coconut milk based soup that I chose to add chicken to. It was $3.50. I also had a Thai Beef Salad for $9 because they were out of Chicken Rolls at 2pm. The soup was fine. I could do without a mouth full of bay leaves and lemongrass husks. But, I guess they want you to know how it's flavored. The Thai Beef Salad was ruined by the ignoramus who saturated it with the salt/rice powder/chili condiment that they season it with. The beef seemed to be cooked as warranted. The quality was typical for this dish (which I always think is overpriced for flank steak). The portion was smallish. The biggest complaint I have for this place has nothing to do with cooking. It is about effort. It seems like they have a "take it or leave it attitude". This must have been about the fifth time I tried to get served at this uninspiring, hovel in the middle of a ghetto (the bad side of Winter Park where even the street changes its name out of embarrassment). There was always a problem. They close at 2pm for lunch. They close at 9:30pm for dinner. They are on vacation. It's 5pm and they haven't opened. Always a hassle. This time they almost didn't seat me (and turned away another group of 4) because it was a quarter to 2. Then they rushed me through the ordering process. But, still found time to try and up sell me and add on. Look you aren't doing anyone a favor. You are providing a service. A service that we don't need. Maybe at one time you were the only Thai place around, but, now they are ubiquitous. I suggest you decide whether you want to run a business or not. If not, please hand over the reins to someone who is not afraid to work. The place seats about 40. They try and make it seem like you are in the middle or outside of a Thai palace. They really can't do much with the decrepit location. It looks worn. The food may be good when you aren't inconveniencing them. However, I would only suggest those who live near by to bother. If you don't live in the neighborhood, I would suggest you patronize your local Thai restaurant. It's Thai food after all. Not exactly a difficult feat to pull off.

Junkyard Barbeque, College Park - Closed

I had lunch at this barbeque restaurant/bar where Roly Poly used to be on Wednesday. I had a half Brisket dinner for $10. The brisket was ok. It was a little cold so I can't vouch for how recently it had been smoked. The smoke flavor was a little uneven. The pieces that appeared to be more in the center of the brisket (wider) didn't have much smoke flavor at all. Most pieces did have some fat. Which can be a requirement for some, but, can be a sign of poor pre-trimming or lack of low and slow cooking technique. The portion was large. It was about 7 or so finger width slices. More than enough as a full portion for lunch or dinner. They were served bare. They give you three choices of Carolina inspired sauces (Sweet, Sweet and Slightly Spicy and Mustard). The dinner comes with a choice of three sides. I chose cole slaw. It was a vinegar based dressing with a touch of mayo. It was the way I prefer it and helped break up the savoriness of the meat. I also chose Ho' cakes. It's just fun to say. Ho's gotta eat too. They are two palm sized corn pancakes with jalapenos mixed in. Very good. The final side was mac and cheese. I didn't like it. It seemed old. The pasta was overcooked (either originally or upon subsequent reheats) and overworked (when they keep stirring it so often that the pasta disintegrates). The cheese blend (gouda and sharp cheddar) made it taste rancid. I'm sure they were trying for something that would cut through the beef, but, it didn't work for me. The plating was a bit spartan. The brisket was served on a white dish with the Ho' cakes and the sides were in styrofoam cups around them. The place is similarly unpretentious. It looks like a bar. The floors are cruddy and scratched up. The booths are ratty. There is alot of junk strewn around the environs. Nascar memorabilia decorates the walls. It has a bar on one side that seats about 12. The left side is booths (about three of them). There are some seats in the back hallway that appear to be an afterthought. There were three other people there while I was there. The service (1) was attentive and cordial. The place is owned by the same people who own Grafitti Junction. They envision creating a pathway in the back to "combine" the two restaurants. I describe it as like The Wall Street Cantina and One Eyed Jacks. I see Junkyard reverting to a bar and the barbeque menu filtering to GJ. Let's hope they can avoid being subsumed in the integration. But, entrepreneurs have a habit of exorcising the complexity out of their lives as soon as people start using the "test restaurant" as a scape goat for whatever is going wrong with the "original" spot. In any case, there is now an adequate Carolina Barbeque spot in College Park. The menu is a bit limited, but, it is an experiment or work in progress. Management seemed open to feedback. Which is not always the case if you read the comments on this blog. Plus they have Moonshine infused cherries. Where else are you going to find that? Parking is a problem. *Update - Now part of a Grafitti Junction. 11/18/2013

Grub Crawl - College Park : Cookie Cousins, Credo, Les Petits Pleasures

Cookie Cousins - A modern looking bakery off of Edgewater Dr near Grafitti Junction and behind some sort of furniture/antique store. Interesting cookies. They seem to do mostly special order cookies. I had an oatmeal raisin for $1 that tasted like marzipan. I liked that one. The package of three little circle with button icing for $1.50 were better looking than tasting.

Credo - A socially conscious coffee bar that only "suggests" prices. I had a Guatemalan 10 ozer for $1.50. The coffee was fresh. The place was packed. The barista is cute. Almost a cliche it was so coffee bar-esque. On W. Smith St off of Edgewater.

Les Petits Pleasures - A brand new French bakery near the Chinese place and the new unopened fish place on Edgewater. I had an Apple Strudel for $3. I didn't love it, but, that was more because of the raisins they put in it. They also added nuts. It looks like a great little niche player. They pump in French radio. They have breakfast all day. They have crepes. They have quiche. They have sandwiches. And of course - pastries. I can't wait to give it a real go.

Shang Hai, Lake Mary

I had lunch at this Chinese restaurant in the Amstar shopping area off 46a on Monday. I had the Szechuan Style Chicken "Lunch Special" for $5.59. It was a very big serving of thin, white meat chicken strips in a brown sauce. It came with green peppers, baby corn, carrots, onions and broccoli. They didn't pad the dish with the cheap and superfluous peppers and onions. Maybe two slabs of both. The vegetables were not overcooked (soggy and limp). They added a generous portion of fried rice and soda or soup. The rice wasn't over soy sauced (dark brown) or recycled numerous times (dry). It had a surprising amount of pork cubes and some peas and carrots and egg. You aren't guaranteed that anymore at this price point. It came out piping hot in under two minutes. The one (major) problem with this dish in particular is that I ordered it at a restaurant called Shanghai. I assume they are from Shanghai. Shanghai is known for sweet dishes. Sugar is a main ingredient. Szechuan (more southerly) is known for spiciness. This dish was not spicy at all. There is another band box Chinese take out in Lake Mary (near Taco Bell) that does it properly with a clear sauce. I can't remember the name. However, this was a good Chicken with Mixed Vegetables dish. I can definitely recommend almost anything eatable at this price point. I would have no problem going here again. They said they have been open for a month so I am surprised that they are still turning out this type of meal at this price point. Most places try and win you over in the first few weeks with quality ingredients and oversized portions. Let's hope they aren't still in that phase. And let's hope they aren't in the "we have so few customers that we dump all our about to spoil produce onto the few customers who do show" phase. That would mean they are on their way out. The place seats exactly 12. I know this because they have four tables of four that are each missing a chair. Four people were there when I ordered. About four others came in to pick up orders while I ate. It's clean (I think they are the first tenants in that spot). They even have a sliding door to hide the kitchen. It's half glass windows and half white walls. They have one of those lit up murals of the Shanghai skyline on the right wall. The exposed bathroom in the left corner can make for some interesting sights and smells. But, at least they have one if you develop a pressing need. The tables are black lacquer. They have some unique dishes - Singapore Chow Mei Fun, Ma Po Tofu and Sha Cha Beef. I'm not sure what any of them are and they may just be ordinary dishes with reconfigured names, but, I'm keen to try them. They take all credit cards. Even Discover and Amex. A Chinese takeout that takes Amex? Hallelujah! Lastly, I found the price of the lunch special intriguing. At first I thought it would make the meal $6 with tax. But, it came out to $5.98. Is 559 or 598 a lucky number in China? I know that can be important to them. If not, try and increase their prospects regardlessly. It's Chinese take-out. Don't expect the world, but, don't be apprehensive. And remember the average Chinese meal has around 3,000 calories. Love ya!

Pint, Lake Mary - Closed

I had lunch at this American Gastropub in the Amstar shopping enclave off 46a on Saturday. I had the Short Rib Sliders (2) for $9. I'll try and remember how they were prepared, but, I didn't pay as close attention to the menu as I should have. I saw they had a website and stupidly assumed the menu would be on it if I needed to reference it. Silly me. It's just a one page site with some redundant information and a form to put you on their email list. Very professional! The sliders had short ribs. That much I'm sure of. It's in the title after all. Then I'm fairly certain there was a bun. Two buns to be exact. A White Castle/Krystals sort of bun. Not sure if it was steamed. There was also some sort of cheese. I want to say Boursin, but, that might have been on another dish. It was definitely a runny cheese. There was also some sort of gravy. There, you have the basics. The short ribs were well braised. The meat was moist and split easily. The portions were large. The meat was double the size of the bun and hung off it on both sides. Nice! The buns were soft. The cheese melted well. But, I didn't love how it played with the short ribs and the gravy. There just has to be a better alternative. Not terrible though. The gravy was savory. It was made from beef stock. Originally I thought it was going to be barbeque sauce and was a bit turned off by the thought. But, it's not barbeque sauce. It is gravy. So it multiples the flavor profile (savoriness) instead of competing or adding that all consuming "next level" that chefs seem to be obsessed with. It came with waffle fries. Which would have been good (waffle fries are great) if they didn't coat them with that insipid starch coating that is all the rage at Burger King. They came piled on a skewer (nice presentation). The sliders also came with a slaw of pickled onions and peppers. It was kind of necessary to cut through the inevitable cloyingness of the dish. Not because that flavor wasn't enough on its own, but, because savoriness can be a bit overwhelming (especially on a hot summer day). The service was good, but, the kitchen was slow. It was partly my fault. I should have expected that the kitchen wouldn't be perculating at 12pm after a Friday night. So on one hand I'm glad it took a half hour to get my food (it was likely freshly cooked) while on the other hand you would think that a kitchen would start prep so that they can deliver food when they open. Maybe it always takes a half hour from order to delivery. I don't think the short ribs were to blame. I wasn't the only table to wait a half hour. I was the third table seated and the plates came out pretty much at the intervals our orders were placed. In any event, the waitress was good about checking in and giving updates. She even gave a timely refill. The place seats about 30 outside and 60 inside. It's mostly high tops. They have a bar. It has flatscreens that show sporting events. The main color scheme is black. It has been open for about a year. I have gone many times for drinks and sampled their cheese curds and mac and cheese before. They were good. But, I didn't think it was enough to write a review about. They serve high end pub food. Mussels, fish and chips, lamb and beef burgers, salads, etc. It's like a higher class Tilted Kilt. The waitresses wear the same slutty skirts. They flirt. They grab your shoulder and call you Hon. All the usual insincerity. However, I can confirm that it is good for a drink or a meal. I just wish they were open for lunch during the week. There is no way I could have dinner there and not get bored or drunk by the time the bar crowd arrived. The cool bar crowd! It's one or the other for me. Give it a go and maybe your patronage will give them the seed money for another page on their web site. BTW. I'm back! If it wasn't already apparent.