Shiraz Grill, I Drive - Closed

I finally found this Iranian restaurant on Westwood Blvd on Sunday. That's the road on I Drive after the convention center. You make a right and pass by that decrepit first strip mall and then look for a little office complex after a Best Western. It serves mainly skewered meat (chicken, lamb, beef). I had a stew called Khoresht-e Qoreh Sabzi for $15. It was made of sirloin steak, kidney beans, spinach, parsley, onions, fenugreek and dried lime. I ordered it to go. It was very black and bitter. The steak was tender. They give you a S load of basmati rice. I ate all the steak out the first night. And then I dumped some hot sauce I had left over from Nar last week and some chicken from my chicken quesadillas from Taco Bell and ate the rest on Monday (with the rice). That helped a little. I still don't have that Middle Eastern love of those bitter desert herbs. I haven't looked up fenugreek yet. I wonder if it is mache? This was only my second Iranian meal, so, I probably still dig the novelty and pull my punches. This is the only Iranian restaurant in town, so, I am afraid you will have to get your ass over here if you want to sample what they do. The place is big. It seats over 100. Lots of big tables. I would guess Iranians eat as a group. The guy at the Orlando Weekly is full chub over it.

*A place with the same name is now open near UCF on Alafaya. Not sure if it the same owner.

Magic Wok, Universal

I finally found my initial objective on Sunday. I drove right past it. It's not as hard to find as I made it. It is in that first strip mall after you cross the turnpike after Kirkman on Conroy. They have been there since 2002. It is supposed to have some of the most authentic Shanghai food in town. I was already full-ish and the menu seemed about 50% too high, so, I just settled on some Steamed Shrimp dumplings for $6 and Sticky Wrap Rice with Fried Dough and Pork Sung Filling for $6. I love the first and the second was on the "authentic" side of the menu. The dumplings were disappointing. I've had this exact mixture of shrimp paste and tiny pieces of whole shrimp before. So often that I think it is mass produced. The wrappers were also a little chewy. The (2) rice wraps were good. The pork is dried and shredded. The place seats about forty. It's your typical Chinese sit down. They aren't trying to wow you with ambiance. It has a fish tank with those weird fish that look more like eatables than pets. The owners (seemed to be the staff) were very nice. My main complaint is that the food better be 50% better if they are going to charge like they do. Obviously, they haven't priced themselves out of the market. I'm just speaking as how the world should work if it were just. Hey, It might very well be worth the premium. I will have to check back.

Bistro Clo Clo, Sand Lake Rd - Closed

This place in that strip mall on SL and Dr Phillips replaced Press 101. It's a modern bistro, I settled on a vegetable omlette for $10. That was about the median price of things and I wanted to see (as best I could) if they could cook. The rest of the Sunday menu was more "plating" pre-prepared items. It was a good omlette. I would guess two eggs. It was long, but, very thin. Franco-philes would say it was a little dry, but, Americans probably prefer it that way. The spinach was extremely pristine. The goat cheese was good. The mushrooms (3 or 4 types) were excellent and plentiful. Some on top. Most inside. It came with some great potato cubes. I would say they were fried (because crisp), but, they were also so non-oily that I would guess - baked. Maybe a combo. Half a plate full. They also offered up some respectable bread and butter. Sodas were a bit steep at $3. The menu is predictable - escargot, pate, burgers, sandwiches, etc. The place looks inauthentic. Like a Disney-fied reproduction. Most bistros (hearken back to Jack's Bistro on Three's Company) are depressing, ill furnished relics anyway, so, that isn't a problem. It's just that a shiny new euro (would have loved to type franc) like this let's you know that you aren't really in the French countryside. It seats about 100. There is a patio still. Unfortunately, they had a trio with a singer there while I ate. It was pretty empty inside (it was getting near 2pm though). It's fine, but, not worth a huge effort. I would like to compliment them (and this isn't snark) for not doing a whole tear down. The place was perfectly acceptable when it was Press and I hate these idiots that tear down a perfectly nice interior only to put in another equally nice interior. If the space doesn't fit your vision find another (preferably one in need of a face lift) location. Civilization will never evolve (and your industry will have less choice) if we keep tearing down and rebuilding the same structures. This goes for you idiots re-developers too.

Club Crawl - Downtown: Hansen's Shoe Repair, Hen House and Patio

I went to these bars on Saturday night.

10-11pm: Hansen's Shoe Repair - I finally nagged my way in after a year. It's the private, room deck over NV that you are supposed to call ahead for a reservation. It was fun. It has a little "library" and a little outdoor deck. The best part was watching them try and keep people from taking photos. They really take themselves very seriously. That's probably a good thing, but, my inner puck always rolls his eyes at authoritarianism. They were very quick to acknowledge your existence and order. They have a lot of artisanal elixirs and they practically jizz on you if you want a crafted cocktail. Got to love the passion if you don't understand it. The crowd was full of swells (most from the Gatsby party). People were friendly and the close environs (and stiff drinks) forced people to acknowledge your presence.

11pm-12am: The Hen House - I walked around the now cover free Wall St area and only liked the vibe at the former Sauced BBQ locale. it's now made up to look like a whore house. I mean brothel. The main attraction (other than by omission - undesirables) was the bartender. A little pixie-ish blond that looked like a pretty Kristen Chenowith.

12am-2am: I settled in at the Patio (old Eye Spy). It was such a freak show that I ended up bird watching all night. The bartender here was pretty nice too. *by alerted that this was supposed to be called Spy Bar.

FHSAA Finals, Citrus Bowl

I went to the final between Apopka and Miami Columbus. I wanted to see the "improvements", what the folks from that school looked like and I had nothing to do before the clubs filled up. It was fun. The Columbus fans were laughing at a little sophomore (like 5' 2") on Apopka during the introductions. He shredded them. Apopka won. Their "great" OT didn't seem so dominant to me. Maybe the opponents were to small to lock up. Columbus' part of Miami (south) may be the last area that still has actual white people. I don't know how they made it to the final. Their first in thirty years.

The stadium is better. It was, of course, still an operational mishit. They didn't tell you only one ticket window was open (the opposite of the usual window), they didn't cross sell bowl tickets, they charged more for the good (reserved now) seats, they roped off alot of areas. it seemed like only one speaker was working, no shuttle buses, people were taunting cops, etc. They do now take credit cards and the food was better (very expensive),

Grub Crawl - OBT: Taste of Peru, Tu Casa and Rossi's (Closed)

I stopped at these places on South OBT on Saturday afternoon.

Taste of Peru - They have been open for a few months. They are located near Taft Vineland Rd. It seats about 40. There were three tables of 14 people eating while I was. I had Cau Cau Mariscos for $15. It was an Incan recipe for seafood "stew" with potatoes, red peppers and rice. The party list included; two bay scallops, baby squid (tails and bodies), two mussels (New Zealand), and two types of shrimp (tiny and mediums). They were in a yellowish sauce that was probably a reduction of some stock and some regional plant matter. It was silky and good. The seafood was mostly not overcooked. It was a good choice on my part. The menu is fairly large and divided into starters, chicken, beef and seafood. The starters are about three quarters the price of entrees. I prefer that ratio to be 1 to 2. The place is a hole. They self-re-modeled. You can see the spray can squirts where they tried to paint the light covers. The ceiling and curtains are black. The walls and tablecloths are red. However, the food and the service were good. I find Peruvian food a little pricey for the merit it deserves. But, hey, at least it's not Italian American garbage at that price. I also didn't love paying $2 for a can of soda.

Tu Casa - This place is closer to the Florida Mall (and near the Turnpike - I think). It has been open for nine years. A plaque on the wall from Trip Advisor gave it 5 stars. The place seats around fifty and every seat was full and there were forty people in line and the line didn't die while I was there. It's just Dominican food, but, I'm starting to really respect the exchange they offer their customers. They are either one of the most generous cultures or one of the most efficient operators or really bad business people. I mean as a people. After every Dominican place I go to, I say to myself - "Is every other place ripping me off?". I had a plain Pernil (roasted pork) sandwich for $4. I was huge and loaded. I ate it for dinner. The meat was perfect. It most have been twice the width of Subway sandwich and as long. It was pressed. Loved the bread. Sandwiches top out at around $5. Breakfasts at $4. They have ambitious specials every day. Platters (of everything from fish to to beef to pork to chicken) are around $9. It would be worth eating here even if the food sucked. The people in line with me said they eat there two or three times a week and have been doing so for years. Go see what all the fuss is about. The place has puke green walls and isn't going to win any awards, but, it was clean. The line moved pretty fast.

Rossi's - I stopped at this place near Oakridge because the fat lady at the Sentinel put it on some list of stupid places you should eat at while X-mas shopping. I have no idea why. It's 50 years old and looks it. It looks like a sports bar. It smelled like my flip flop. I love history, but, c'mon. I had a terrible, conveyor belt pizza they said was 12 inches. If it was, so am I. Just awful. Hard as a plate. Well that does sound like me. A tooth breaker. It cost $7. The menu is value Italian. I doubt any of the dishes satisfy anyone who doesn't represent what I suspect was the clientele in Orlando 50 years ago. If you're Italian, you might see that it has an "electrical fire". Hard pass.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: New Orleans Cajun Seafood and Jandaia's (Closed)

I ate at this two restaurants on Aloma (east of 436) yesterday.

New Orleans Cajun Seafood - This is their second location (original on E. Colonial). It took over a spot called Cheddar Jack's. I just bought a pound of crawfish because they had no bread in which to make Po Boys. It cost $6. They were fine. It looks like they just hang up different pictures and posters. Not even a paint job. See original post for more info. Not worth my time repeating that.

Jandaia's - I have to start off by opining that I think Brazilian's are a little delusional about market pricing and the tier on which the culinary world places their cuisine. I find it overpriced and unremarkable. It's just grilled chattel. Here you get an extensive "buffet" of rotisserie chicken (mostly thighs and sticks) in two sauces, flavorless black beans with "sausage" (it's a needle in a haystack situation), plain white rice and some massacred stewed vegetables. They even charge extra for the salad bar or soup (probably the chicken leftovers). It cost $7. That's not highway robbery, but, I can go to a Latin/Asian buffet and get thirty dishes (including sushi) for that. The chicken was also spongy. the texture of the tenderloin part of the chicken if you know what I am talking about. The space itself hasn't changed a lick since they took over for Rooster's. The owner said she makes most of her money off catering and parties. It looks it. I'd save this place for when you have to have an overdose of chicken. $7 worth. Like in the price of a whole chicken. Chicken is a profit center for restaurants. They also make no exception to the tipping policy on their POS system. It STARTS at 18% (to be given a glass of water). They also choose not to supply you with a printed receipt. Finally, it's in the middle of a sad area of town in a sadder (mostly deserted) strip mall. I wouldn't make the effort to find it.

Grub Crawl - UCF: Nar and Ice & Bites

I ate at these two places in a strip mall across from Knight Library on University on Sunday

Nar Mediterranean Grill - I had a beef doner kabob sandwich to go for $8. The meat (I think it's beef and lamb) was very good. The owner says he makes it in house. The pita was more like a flat kaiser roll than the flimsier pita you usually get. The lettuce were ok. They offer a hot and a traditional sauce on the side. I thought the white sauce would already be on it, so, I asked for hot. It was pretty plain as it was, so, I just ate the meat and then used the rest to make myself a fish sandwich. The place used to be a pizzeria. They still offer that. It didn't look that good. They have a pretty small selection. You can get the five-ish types of fare on rice or in a platter too. It's a small, non-descript place. The owner was nice. He's from Istanbul. The name means pomegranate. Not a destination spot.

Ice & Bites - This place was called Sno Tea. It's a Taiwanese boba, shaved ice, tea, etc place. It's hip inside. I had one of the two hot items (fried wontons or french fries) they serve. I had wontons for $3. They were fine. proably store bought. At least they didn't nuke them. Not a destination spot.

Boca, Winter Park

I was going to pick up dinner in the area, so I chose what must be the tenth and latest iteration in ten years of the space at the end of Park Ave. It's now called Boca. The prices were too high and the selection too perishable to risk getting it home and waiting until dinner. I sat at the bar and ponied up the $17 for coriander crusted ahi tuna. I busied myself by composing in my mind how I would tear apart the shoddy contracting (stained ceiling, sloppy outlets, etc), the over priced ($20-$40) dinner menu, the quasi-gastro-bore dishes, the lethargic staff and a host of other things and then I received the tuna. The tuna itself was tiny (like a Milky Way bar) and the coriander was a bit overpowering, but, the wilted spinach and fresh green beans and sweet beets around some heavy cream drops and a shower of dry aged cheese was fantastic. It almost became a "fisherman's" borscht (beets and cream). There is a hunter's borscht. Maybe we have something new here. I suspect it wasn't what they were going for and I don't like borscht, but, it just popped into my mind. The prices still are ridiculous. Burgers were near $20 for dinner. They had a ribeye above $40. If you go here just go for brunch. Prices are almost two thirds lower. The interior looks like they hired the same guy that did Prato. Very faux-rustic. The main room is almost all bar and hightop seating. The back has some fabric covered booths (not most of the space) and they seem to have a retail area back there. I think upstairs may still be a club, though I think they halved the space. They have a wood burning oven that they unfortunately dedicate to flat breads. They source conscientiously and locally (except I suspect the things in the exposed refrigerator). The place was packed. A post thirties crowd. I recommend it if you have money to burn and your curiosity isn't too adventurous. Or just use it as a bar.

Extract, Hannibal Square - Closed

I had brunch at this little round tower in Hannibal Square on Sunday. They sell smoothies and pizzas (really open faced sandwiches on pita), etc during the week and brunch on the weekends. I was just going to grab a tapa and knock this off the list before I saw the creativity of the brunch menu. It's just as well because the are transitioning (dropped) the tapas. It's a three course brunch for $18. Look for the menu in the dismantled gas pump. I had an eggs (egg) benedict over pulled pork with a blueberry and barbeque hollandaise sauce over arugula. The egg was over cooked, but, the sauce was a revelation. Plump blueberries. A real treat. Like nothing I've had before on a benedict. A sauce that should be patented. Put it on a bumper and I'd eat it like Emeril says. The second course was a chicken and waffle (wait for it) pot pie. They made the waffle with corn meal and although I like the creativity, it was a little "mealy' in the mouth. It combined with mushiness of the peas. Too much soft texture in the mouth feel. I'd pull back on the peas or add something to the batter to give it resiliency. The creamed chicken topping (home of the peas) also had corn nibblets and a dollop of a spicy cream sauce. Course three was an excellent fruit crumble with fresh whipped cream. A beverage came along with the meal. Each course had three options. They had what looked to be an excellent peanut chocolate pie and ahi tuna for examples. The seating is all outdoor. Little round tables with some kind of drink level that stuck right in your face. That and the insipid bean bag in the hole game were the only annoyances. Two idiots were playing the game and the thumping of the bags became bothersome. The owners were very cordial. They have opened a second branch downtown in the arcade that holds Hamburger Mary's. Recommended.

Bar Crawl - Winter Park: The Porch and Frank & Stein's (Closed)

I went to these bars in Winter Park on Saturday night.

The Porch - This place is diagonally across from Fiddler's Green. It has been open for 10 months (I think). I could swear there was something with name on I Drive a few years back, but, couldn't find a reference in my blog. It's nice. It has an outdoor area you see from the street and a much bigger inside. The inside is divided into two sections. It reminds me of the old O-Boys. The FSU game was on, so, it had that crowd. Mostly thirty and over. It was packed. The menu was funky. They have things like Grown Up TV Dinner. Alcohol prices were good and they actually listed them. They have $5 Jack all night. I didn't stay because I had to try the newest place in town (next paragraph) and the noise from the maxed out TV speakers was ear splitting.

Frank & Stein's - They did a bang up jump retro-fitting the old Shipyard space on Fairbanks. The bar area cascades against all of the far wall. They have a lot of tables. TVs everywhere. The noise from the foozball games wasn't as prevalent as at Porch. You could hear yourself think. The staff was polite and knowledgeable. They have huge beer label murals on the ceiling/ They have a great selection of craft beer (with prices and lists on a menu). They have food. The pizzas are probably bad (those conveyor belt "ovens"), I would stick to a hot dog. Good job. Better than the downtown location. The clientele was even older than Porch (if you can believe that). This was their first official week open.

The Alpine, Antiques District - Closed

I had an Americano ($2) at this spot on N Orange (across from The Imperial) on Saturday. It was (until very recently) Caffe Divina. Apparently the poor retired guy who bankrolled that place for a daughter who found out that owning a business requires work couldn't shoulder the load anymore once she ran and hid. I smell an engagement party in the works. A kindly customer took it off his hands. He wants to make the place an educational environment for coffee die hards. He's an engineer by day. He is bringing his experience from his time in coffee obsessed San Francisco to O-Town. The space open now is small with a tiny counter. He has decorated the place with minimalist shelves stocked with books that you should be ashamed to never have read. He has a space next door that may evolve as a retail/educational area. He makes each cup fresh. The sandwich selection (6ish) was above the humdrum. I wish him luck. He said he is waiting on a freshly milled sign for the front of the shop. That should make it easier to spot as you are driving through the neighborhood.

Mamak, 50

The winning streak continued at dinner on Saturday night. I tried the new (three weeks) Asian Street Food place in Vietnam town on 50 (off Mills). I had a Kari Wonton Mee dish that was wonton noodles in a curry "gravy" with shrimp, roasted pork, some kind of leafy green, steamed wontons and a dusting of dried, fried onions or something. It was beautifully plated and tasted even better. A perfect serving size. It cost $8.50. The wontons were so good that I ordered an app portion of them (shrimp and chicken) in a peanut hot sauce for "dessert". They (6) cost $5.50. They serve a mostly Malaysian and Indonesian menu with nods to Thailand, China and Vietnam. Rice dishes, noddle dishes, soups and a plethora of "bites". The name translates into street food stalls. I was just expecting another urbanized Vietnamese place, but, received a gift of a mostly unrepresented geographical food experience. The place looks great. it must seat over 100. It's the most sophisticated looking spot in the area. The interior designer has a lot of talent. They line the walls with stands of rope from ceiling to floor. The tables and chairs are IKEA chic. They have two common tables (in addition to the numerous four seaters) that seat twenty a piece. They have a bar counter. They also offer wine and craft beer. Most dishes are around $8. They had plenty off well uniformed (black from head to toe) wait staff. It would be a destination play if only for the idiosyncratic menu, but, the execution was top notch too. In a simple comparison, I found the food superior to Hawker's and with none of the wait and parking problems. Get to it!

Pig Floyd's Urban Barbakoa, Mills Ave

The king is dead. Long live the king. I never thought I'd speak those words, but, 4 Rivers has been dethroned. This new restaurant on Mills is not only the best barbeque et al spot in CF, I think it would do well in a national competition. It's the brainchild of the Treehouse Food Truck (never tried it) ownership. It blends traditional barbeque with Asian and Latin influences. I tried it out Saturday afternoon. I had a Big Floyd for $9.49. It was a sandwich with smoked brisket, pulled pork, sausage, citrus peanut slaw, bbq sauce on a Hawaiian roll. It came with fries. The brisket (3 pieces) was perfect (moist, tender, flavorful). The pork was moist. The sausage (often a dried out, caustic thing) was juicy and crumbly. The roll was the best of the type I have ever had. It was more croissant than roll. The slaw and sauce were great complements. The thing was so good I ate most of the meat with my fingers and then put the fat back in the sandwich and ate that with the remaining pieces of meat. And I'm a reluctant fat eater. Ask your wife. The fries could have been crunchier. There were some in my sandwich and I'm not sure if that was on purpose or not. They also have a cheese steak, and a bahn mi, and a brisket with egg, and plain pork and brisket sandwich. They also have four tacos. I had a great shrimp and sausage taco for $3.79. It was three medium sized shrimp (it would be better which chopped up large shrimp) and some chorizo like sausage out of the casing with a Mandarin Orange Sambal, Greek yogurt, mint and toasted almonds. It was delicious. They also have a butter chicken (tikka), an chicken al pastor and a pork belly taco. They also had daily specials like chili and a brisket taco. They add ribs and chicken to the combo plates. The sides are scant and Latin leaning, but, I don't go to a barbeque place for them any way. They have rice and beans, fried plantains, fried yuca, grilled corn on the cob, apple fennel slaw and grilled veggies. They have three desserts (interesting) and Mexican and regular sodas. The place looks great. There's alot of wood. The inside table tops are black and the seats are pewter. The outside patio tables are wood. The place was packed and was a Noah's ark of people. I saw hippies, hipsters, uniformed military, golden oldies, nuclear families and even a dog. You order at a counter and a wait person brings the food out. The most expensive thing is 3 lb rack of ribs for $23. However that is an outlier. The highest priced platter (brisket) is $14. Most stuff is under $10. It is a definite destination restaurant. I can't wait to go back.

Pub Crawl - Sanford: Wop's Hops and The Purple Grape

I had drinks at these two new comers on South Sanford Ave on Friday night.

Wop's Hops - The first good (non watery) locally brewed beer I've had. I had a Sweet Potato Ale (I think) for $6. It was flavorful and had body. They serve around eight home brews and several other brands. The place is cute and the have a very large fenced in outdoor area. It was pretty full. They are the head of the class. Actual females even patronized this place.

The Grape Room - A few folks at Wop's said this place would have a darker clientele and they were partially right. The main group was composed of middle aged Latinas, but, some white devils came in while I was there. The wine selection is lower end. I had a blase Carmenere for $8. The owner was nice and seemed happy to be doing what he is doing. The place looks inviting.

Vayda's Gypsy Rib Ranch, Sanford - Closed

I grabbed dinner to go at this spot on 17-92 near 46a on Friday. It has seen a lot of ownership in the past. Now it is a barbeque place again. This time it has a Latin influence. I had a crazy chicken sandwich with fries for $7. It was head and shoulders better than Southern Moon. The chicken wasn't pulled like I think the menu said but chopped. It was very good and the portion was large. The right amount of smoke. Even the sauce (probably bottled) was better than Southern Moon. They fries could have used a minute or two in the fryer, but, it was a to go order and they may have been rushing to please me. They get a pass. They have done nothing to the interior. It still has all the bric a brac that the previous owners put in. The two embellishments I noticed were a Bahamian mask and a mini flag of Columbia. The menu has more than basic barbeque and seemed to have daily specials. Prices were in line. It had some traffic at 2pm. It's been open for three months. It probably has the best BBQ in the area other than 4 Rivers.

Southern Moon, Curry Ford Rd

I had lunch at this barbeque joint next to Rogue Pub on Crystal Lake and Curry Ford Rd on Friday. It is run by the guys that had the Fork In The Road food truck. I wrote about them that they earned a 9 out of ten for creativity and 7 out of 10 for execution. That score hasn't improved. I had three other barbeque items this weekend. All were better than them. I would put them in the bottom half of their cohort. I had quarter pound servings of pulled pork ($2.59), brisket ($3.59) and pork belly ($3.59). The fat lady at The Sentinel said the brisket was juicy and tender. It was dry and way to smoky. The pulled pork tasted like it was over brined. The "juice" tasted like salt water, It was dry too. The pork belly seemed 100% smoked. Like a cold smoked salmon. You couldn't eat the skin. It was like a rind. The sauces were even worse. They have 5 and I tried 3. The Texas one tasted like gazpacho. The Carolina one was pure vinegar. The Memphis (I think) was red vinegar. Sodas also cost $3.50. They won't be brewing their own beer. The outside looks like an abandoned building. One sad sign that says BBQ. The place was empty and I just sensed desperation in air. The place looks nice inside and they have a bar. They just need to run down to Pig Floyd (review coming) and take a master class. Avoid.

Grub Crawl - SoDo: Sugar Divas Cakery and Smoothie Room

I grabbed some uselessness at these two spots in that condo complex on S Orange yesterday.

Sugar Divas - I bought a brownie for $3 at this cupcake, wine and specialty cake place. I haven't tried the brownie yet. The cupcakes were tiny and around $3. The selection was small. I think their raison d'etre is expensive, custom made cakes. The place a spick and span. They have opened recently. They won't take AMEX.

Smoothie Room - This pointless smoothie, tea, nonsense bar has somehow stayed in existence for three years. I though I lampooned it the last time I was down here, but, I guess I was more sensible back then. I suffered through a Yerba Matte tea for $3 for you people. All they did was put a tea bag in a cup. And the tea bag must have leaked because I was imbibing some kind of dust from the beginning. And no I didn't leave it in there to long. They are so pointlessly green (cheap) that they wouldn't give me a receipt. Can someone check with the licensing commission and see if that is legal?

Le Gourmet Break, Downtown

I just grabbed a pumpkin tart from this French breakfast, lunch and snack spot on Magnolia near Church on Friday. Since it closes at 2pm everyday, I find it hard to get to it. It was to be part of a trifecta that included another pastry shop and coffee bar near by. I screwed up the coffee address (in a different area and the bakery closed down, so, I decided to just grab a to go item here and go to plan b (you'll see plan b in proceeding posts). The tart cost $4. It was good. There were some sand like particles in it. They have sandwiches, pastries, quiches, salads, soups, omelets, crepes, coffee, etc. It looks clean. I think the owner may be French Canadian or Flemish French by look. The accent didn't sound Canadian though. In any event, the food seemed authentically French (good quality). It seats around fifty. It was pretty full. Sandwiches were around $7 (for reference).

Cavallari Gourmet, Lake Mary - Closed

I had a turkey sandwich at this meat/gourmet market on 46A and Int'l Parkway (in the shopping plaza across from the one with the Amstar) on Thursday. It cost $8. It was the closest thing I've had to a basic NY deli sandwich since I've been down here. It had about six times the meat and cheese as a Jersey Mike's sandwich (like a proper sandwich should). Plus, their large is as big or bigger than a JM's and therefore cheaper. I had the cheaper turkey (a buck or two less) and the quality still surpassed JM's (and I think they are the best fast food sandwich chain). The roll was good. You could choose from around seven cheeses ( I chose havarti). Greens were included (a little wilted). As were condiments. I was full after half a sandwich, but, powered through because it was so good. They have around twenty sandwich varieties. They make their own roast beef (and I think - turkey). You can get half sandwiches. I also bought a rice ball for $2.69. It was decent. They have prepared meals, a ton of meats, delicacies and a variety of pantry items. They also have beer and wine. It 's a pretty decent specialty market (Italian oriented). It's a little more expensive than a major supermarket,so, I'd buy the stuff they duplicate there and then supplement your stores with these guys. And drop all chain sandwich places from your rotation and go here. They also have a place in Oviedo.

Small Cakes, Lake Mary

I bought a Chocolate Cream cupcake at this bakery on Lake Mary Blvd (next to Chopsticks Chinese) on Wednesday. It was ok. It cost almost $4 with tax. The cake was moist (sugar). The icing was a fudge that tasted like molasses or artificial sweetener.It was the icing equivalent of water based frozen yogurt to ice cream. It was a large cupcake. I still don't get the appeal. They have a pretty wide range of cupcakes that they say are baked daily. If they don't get more customers that will be a lot a waste. They also have cakes, cookies brownies, etc. It's a couple of weeks old. It's spit polished. I would half the portion size and prices, But like those infernal fro-yo and ice cream shops, the goal seems to be to make the third ugliest city in America the ugliest (or at least the fattest). It's a national chain.