I went these places on Bumby and on Livington (I think) for dinner last Tuesday. If Livingston is wrong then it's the main street that has all the bars. It was their food truck night, but, all the trucks were unappealing. They only had a dozen trucks to begin with.
Pho K5 - This Vietnamese place is new (1 month) and is a pun on the island the owner hails from. I just had some snacks because I thought I was going to have to sample a list of places. I had Shrimp Soup with Noodles for $2.50 and Beef Guides (sp?) for $3.50. The soup was really a chicken broth with two shrimp. It was a small bowl, but, it did the trick. It was nice not to have to buy a huge Pho to satisfy a soup craving. The guides were little bundles of beef steamed in a leaf. I forget what kind. There were five pieces to an order. They were good. The service (1) was good. They food came out fast. The place is clean and bigger than most Vietnamese places. The decor is minimal. There were around five people there at 7pm. They had adequate parking. The menu was mostly phos, noodle and rice dishes. Prices are low.
Lou's Lounge - I went to this dive bar next to Pho after my snack. I asked for a shot of Jack and they served me a glass. I actually think he stopped the pour when my eyes dilated from the shock of the glass getting fuller and fuller. The shot cost $4. Now the down side is that the clientele (at that time of the day) was mostly bar flies and the smoke is excessive. I think the place has been there since the Eisenhower administration.
Barley and Vine Biergarten - I came down here for this new bar. It's more of an American Craft Brew Pub than a German biergarten. It is next to Pho (on the other side). Look for the rub out room in front of it. It was cool. They have a beer garden and an enclosed area. The beer selection was pretty good.
Bull and Bush - I had a beer at this old Irish Pub now next to Gringos Locos. It is another relic. I think it opened in 1987. It's a reproduction of an Irish Pub. It's small.
If you come down here, you can also try Sportstown Billiards, Space Bar and Sandwich Bar. The last two have little to no signage. Look for black doors. They are in the middle of the block. I was going to try Se7en Bites (a dessert place on Primrose that I tried once when it was a restaurant), however, they close at 3pm. I may try these at another time, but, parking is pain and the food truck selection isn't the draw I was hoping for. It's on the back burner again.
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Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Grub Crawl - Ocoee: Red Eye Bar and Grill, Rusteak (Closed) and House Blend Cafe
I'm going to review these two places in Ocoee together because they are psuedo-competitors and close to each other. I went to them last Tuesday for lunch.
Red Eye Bar and Grill - This place is more of a barbeque/steak place than a gastro pub. It's in a strip mall near a Publix on Maguire Rd (about a mile south of 50). I had their brisket sandwich platter (1 side) for $9. It was good. It came on a monstrous brioche bun. It was fresh. They allocated four strips of 3/8th inch thick brisket to the order. It was above average. Maybe a bit dry. They have a smoker on site. I think they said they smoke for nine hours. I chose mac and cheese for the side. It was a very "loose" cheese sauce with fusilli pasta in a small bowl. It was good. The menu is mostly barbeque, steaks and burgers. The desserts seemed to be the most original components offered up. The wine and beer selection seems like it was "suggested" by their liquor distributor (nothing too obscure). The place seats about 60 in a ranch like setting (wood paneling). There were three others there at lunch. It has a rectangular floor plan with booths and tables. They have a beer garden. It has been open for two years. The service (1) was a little uneven. I think it was being done by a partner or a relative of a partner. There was also only one cook on duty, so, the food took a little time getting to the table. It was first come first served and it didn't matter if your order could have been taken care of in a minute. I can't really recommend it as a destination spot. If you live near there then enjoy it. If you don't, I'll bet you can find something equivalent in your area. They don't have a signature dish that is one of a kind.
Rusteak - This is another place that gets alot of press and word of mouth. It's on Maguire Rd just past the turn you'll make on 50. It's more of a artisan venture. I had their short rib sandwich so I could compare it to the sandwich I had at Red Eye. It cost $12 and came with a guava bbq suace, goat cheese, dried cranberries, crispy potato strings on a pretzel bun and a side. I chose Imperial Bacon Brussel Sprouts. I found it a little "much". The sauce was too sweet and prevalent. There was too much goat cheese and potato strings. Pretzel buns are played out. The short ribs were a bit dry. I have no doubt that some people will say "what's the problem with more of everything". I just prefer balance if I'm dining at a ostensibly gourmet establishment. The sprout portion was huge. It also suffered from too much dressing (sweet and caustic). If I recall correctly, the owners took over the name and relocated this place from a guy in Metro West. I think he is still involved somehow. The owners are CIA graduates from NYC. To tell you the truth, I expected more from that resume. The menu has a few idiosyncratic or interesting dishes (Curry Short Rib Pasta, Scallop BLT or Lobster Roll with Mozzarella). However, it's mostly "me too" apps or burgers or sandwiches. I do applaud them for serving grouper or listing it (they were out). It's a little pricier than Red Eye. They do have a nicer decor and larger menu though. Service was great. They train and clothe their staff. The have enough staff (4-5). The place is smaller than I expected. They have a bar room up front and the main dining area seats around 50. Alot of hightops. There were about ten people in there when I came in and more came and went while I ate. The crowd was hipsterish. The decor is earthy/modern. It's the sort of place where they write on chalkboards. They had an educated wine and beer list. It has been open for two years. The name is a play on the word "rustic". I wouldn't put it on the top of your "to do" list, but, it could be worth while if you order the right thing. What the right thing would be, I couldn't say. It may all sound better than it tastes or I could just have been served by someone a little too over exuberant on that date and time.
House Blend Cafe - I just had an iced coffee for $2 here because it was on my way home. It's in some triangular strip mall with a Dan's Fans outside of Ocoee on 50. It has been there for 8 years. I think they are aligned with a charity. It had more than coffee. They had a full breakfast and pizza and paninis and specials. It seemed like a reasonably priced lunch option.
Red Eye Bar and Grill - This place is more of a barbeque/steak place than a gastro pub. It's in a strip mall near a Publix on Maguire Rd (about a mile south of 50). I had their brisket sandwich platter (1 side) for $9. It was good. It came on a monstrous brioche bun. It was fresh. They allocated four strips of 3/8th inch thick brisket to the order. It was above average. Maybe a bit dry. They have a smoker on site. I think they said they smoke for nine hours. I chose mac and cheese for the side. It was a very "loose" cheese sauce with fusilli pasta in a small bowl. It was good. The menu is mostly barbeque, steaks and burgers. The desserts seemed to be the most original components offered up. The wine and beer selection seems like it was "suggested" by their liquor distributor (nothing too obscure). The place seats about 60 in a ranch like setting (wood paneling). There were three others there at lunch. It has a rectangular floor plan with booths and tables. They have a beer garden. It has been open for two years. The service (1) was a little uneven. I think it was being done by a partner or a relative of a partner. There was also only one cook on duty, so, the food took a little time getting to the table. It was first come first served and it didn't matter if your order could have been taken care of in a minute. I can't really recommend it as a destination spot. If you live near there then enjoy it. If you don't, I'll bet you can find something equivalent in your area. They don't have a signature dish that is one of a kind.
Rusteak - This is another place that gets alot of press and word of mouth. It's on Maguire Rd just past the turn you'll make on 50. It's more of a artisan venture. I had their short rib sandwich so I could compare it to the sandwich I had at Red Eye. It cost $12 and came with a guava bbq suace, goat cheese, dried cranberries, crispy potato strings on a pretzel bun and a side. I chose Imperial Bacon Brussel Sprouts. I found it a little "much". The sauce was too sweet and prevalent. There was too much goat cheese and potato strings. Pretzel buns are played out. The short ribs were a bit dry. I have no doubt that some people will say "what's the problem with more of everything". I just prefer balance if I'm dining at a ostensibly gourmet establishment. The sprout portion was huge. It also suffered from too much dressing (sweet and caustic). If I recall correctly, the owners took over the name and relocated this place from a guy in Metro West. I think he is still involved somehow. The owners are CIA graduates from NYC. To tell you the truth, I expected more from that resume. The menu has a few idiosyncratic or interesting dishes (Curry Short Rib Pasta, Scallop BLT or Lobster Roll with Mozzarella). However, it's mostly "me too" apps or burgers or sandwiches. I do applaud them for serving grouper or listing it (they were out). It's a little pricier than Red Eye. They do have a nicer decor and larger menu though. Service was great. They train and clothe their staff. The have enough staff (4-5). The place is smaller than I expected. They have a bar room up front and the main dining area seats around 50. Alot of hightops. There were about ten people in there when I came in and more came and went while I ate. The crowd was hipsterish. The decor is earthy/modern. It's the sort of place where they write on chalkboards. They had an educated wine and beer list. It has been open for two years. The name is a play on the word "rustic". I wouldn't put it on the top of your "to do" list, but, it could be worth while if you order the right thing. What the right thing would be, I couldn't say. It may all sound better than it tastes or I could just have been served by someone a little too over exuberant on that date and time.
House Blend Cafe - I just had an iced coffee for $2 here because it was on my way home. It's in some triangular strip mall with a Dan's Fans outside of Ocoee on 50. It has been there for 8 years. I think they are aligned with a charity. It had more than coffee. They had a full breakfast and pizza and paninis and specials. It seemed like a reasonably priced lunch option.
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