Pub Crawl - Metro West: Crafted and Pacific Rootz

I tried these two "neighbors" in that strip mall off Hiawassee Rd that has the Yard House on Saturday night.

Crafted - A... wait for it...new gastropuke... I mean pub. I only drank, but, the menu seemed very (ok compartively) intriguing. Watermelon radishes. Pave paotatoes. A "block" burger = filet mignon. Tasso. Sofrito. Etc. The place took over the Taquitos Jaliscos location. The people also run Embers. They did a nice job. High ceilings. Open floor plan. A few focus pieces. It has a big patio. There was a large communal table seated that night. I'm not sure if that was a special seating or not. They have a decent beer selection. They were serving a late night menu after dinner hours. I may even go back to try the food.

Pacific Rootz - A place only open after 5pm. They serve "fresh" kava drinks. They said it has a mellowing effect. I think this is a fad. They said their's is superior because the home make it from real roots (not powder - although I saw powder at the bottom of my bowl) from the Pacific Islands. It's a very rustic process. They keep the "juice" in old milk containers and serve it in miso soup bowls. They were making it on the side of the building (to the left of the main strip mall). They have 6 versions. Some affect the head more and some the body. I'm not sure what it did to me because I started drinking after. It numbed my tongue and did make me a little zoned out. They gave me the first bowl on the house then I came back for a nightcap for $5. They are mostly from Tonga. It might be worth it just to meet someone from Tonga. I think they have recently opened.

The Whiskey, Sand Lake Rd

I had a Lassahn (owner's name) burger for $12 at this burger and whiskey-centric restaurant that takes the place of Cricketer's Arms. I had come to the area to try a Spanish place on Turkey Lake, but, it looks like that place has closed (no news on the net). The last thing I wanted was a burger. But, I have been to almost everything not annoying in the area and I needed to test this place out. The burger was really good. They didn't squeeze all the juice out of it and perhaps even under cooked it from the medium rare I asked for. The burger came with good cheddar and really good bacon. The bun may have been a little to big, but, it was fresh. The fries were good. I knew this place was all about burgers, so, I did that for you. I really wanted the $10 GC with pork belly or the $15 shrimp and grits. Those and a semi-expensive salmon are the non-burger/non app options. The burger selection is pretty much predictable. On egg one. A veggie one. Etc. They have a few nuances. The vibe is straight out of the Hard Rock Hotel (LV) - Eighties edition. Even all the customers seemed to be from that era. The definitely music was. They have memorabilia and posters of rock gods (mostly drinking whiskey) on the walls. The tones are very dark. They use wood for effect. It was pretty full. It sets about sixty. It's a rectangular lay out. Service was great. A real surprise. The concept is a bit stale in the bigger cities (est. around 2005), so, I can't go crazy over it. And I'm starting to loath gourmet burger places, but, at least they execute well. I guess that beats a ham handed attempt at the latest fad. I think they have been there for around six months. I can't believe the difference between this burger and the piece of shit I just had for the same price at the Tilted Kilt in Lake Mary.

Grub Crawl - Michigan Ave: Bakery Plus and Cornerstone Pizza

I stopped at these dumpy looking places in between I-4 and Crystal Lake on Saturday.

Bakery Plus - A bakery that serves sandwiches. Asian owned. I just grabbed a chocolate frosted donut for 70 cents. I like Dunkin's better. The just take their glazed and dump chocolate on it = too sweet then. Not a new space.

Cornerstone - I drove by at noon and they hadn't opened yet. I drove by at 2 pm and they didn't have any pizzas made. My next sentence probably would have gone - I drove by at 3 and the pizza sucked. The space is even grubbier than Bakery Plus. I would be shocked if anything is good here.

Grub Crawl - Orlando: Vanbarry's, Uncle Henry's (Closed) and Stone Fired Pizza

I went to these places on or off S. Orange near Belle Isle on Saturday afternoon.

Vanbarry's - The third time is not the charm for this year old gastropub from the Ollie's and Finnhenry's guys. And given that those lackluster places predated this one, I'm not surprised. All places like this do is give the great white masses more expensive versions of the old pub slop. They try and make it au courant, but, they rarely deliver a better mousetrap. Their ill bred customers barely notice the hoodwink. The prime example for this meal and this spot was their short rib bowl at $9+. Boston Market has a pot roast frozen tv dinner that is the spitting image/tasteage. Even the over reduced, salt-acious "sauce" compares. Here's a tip. Don't salt it until AFTER the diluting solution (that's water) has evaporated by half. You just might have twice as much salt as it warrants if you do it your way. The beef had a game-y taste and wasn't exactly falling apart. The potatoes and veg were ok. I can't imagine this meat in a taco (one of their items). The best part of the meal was the pickle jar. And I just got through ripping the self-pickle guys in a previous article. I ordered it for the onion rings. They were one inch wide and the beignet the coating wasn't cooked through. Oil not at 350. The menu was very Mexi-centric. That and copy cat burgers and sandwiches dominated the menu. The place looks casual. Lived in. Any real estate agents want to translate that? They have patio chairs in the main room. Most of the seats are uncomfortable high tops. They have a patio. It seats over 100. It's across from that Julie's Waterfront place. I'd skip it if you don't have infinite dining game plays.

Uncle Henry's - This is a cafe that closes at 2 pm. I reviewed one in Winter Park (these guys say it closed) previously. I had a chicken fried steak sandwich to go for $6. It came with chips. It was fine. I'm sure it comes frozen and they just have to fry it. Bun was fresh. I don't think it needed to be buttered. But, I can see my toes. The place is kind of gritty. Uncle Henry (a 80 year old white guy) seems to start these then sell them and watch them go under. The current owners have had control for two years. The location has been open for ten. It has breakfasts and lunches. You turn onto Hansel (I think) from Orange. People were nice.

Stone Fired Pizza - A dinky Italian place in a stand alone shack off S Orange and Hoffner. I just grabbed a slice for $1.75. Pretty Bad. Chewy crust with undertones of soap water (did he grab it with soapy fingers?). Too white cheese - origin unknown. Salty. Spicy sauce. They also serve pasta, salads, sandwiches cals and stroms. Would go undrafted if we did that with restaurants.

The Bistro on Park Avenue, Winter Park - Closed

I revisited (pre-blog) this German/French/American melange Thursday night. It's in an alley at the end of Park Ave (near Boca). It was formerly (pre-2006) Maison des Crepes. They boast about it being voted the most romantic restaurant in WP or Orlando, I even dispute that. The meal was mediocre. It reminded me (please excuse the very tiny portion of people that may get this reference) of Shippy's in Southampton. A "locals" place that serves ok, old world fare to an obdurate clientele. The "townie" in a cohort of big city satellite outposts. I tried the wienerschnitzel because I had had a crepe here before and I really didn't trust them to deliver on the other items and I didn't want to reward the presumptuous pricing calculation. The schnitzel was pretty good. Over salted. Not on the bone. It cost $21 (too much by far). I think it's $14 at most of the German restaurants in town. The mashed potatoes were terrible. Maybe the first time I haven't finished a serving. They said they just had butter and half and half in them. Something curdled in there. It tasted sour and you could see "ricotta" like curds in it. The squash slices were over garlic-ed. The cherry tomatoes were sweet. The vegetables weren't overcooked. I didn't get bread. Not that I wanted it. Other tables did. Service was good, though it seemed like a two and a half person staff. For dinner! One in the kitchen. One serving. And an owner floating as a dinner guest/host. I can't imagine the chaos if they get a full house. The menu is all over the place and dull. The three apps are banal (seafood dip) and cost as much as an entree should. Most entrees besides a $12 burger and some salads and the crepes are over $20. The drinks are similarly over priced. They have an extensive set of special deals that get monotonous to keep up with. I would guess this serves their mantra of fleecing the few tourists or "romantic spot" believers without thoroughly alienating their older, budget conscious, repeat customers. The place seats about 80. Thirty six in the enclosed patio, forty in a hardly romantic inside room, ten in a "private, one table loft and four at the bar. There were eight others (couples) there on Thursday. It has been roughly ten years since I was last there and it probably will be another ten before I return. I don't hate it. I just have a lot of choice and I can live without anything they do/have. I didn't help that they would put on the AC. Now that I think about it, all the warning signs are there that it is a "dead business walking" and it won't be there in another ten years. The "romance" boils down to being in that alley and enclosing a brick patio and hanging Christmas lights around the periphery. Pretty pedestrian if you ask me.

Grub Crawl - Sanford: Pacino's and PDQ

I went to these places on Rinehart Rd on Thursday at lunch.

Pacino's - I had the two slice special (topping and a soda) for $6. I wasn't even sure they served slices, so, I came in just to see. They were ok. At least they weren't cooked on a conveyor belt. Spicy sauce. Too much poor quality cheese that turned to Oxy Seal. Crust was average. Toppings (sausage and pep seemed like they came from a ten pound bag). They do pizzas in sizes from 10" on up. The usual pricing. They have more than pizza. I would guess everything they serve is about average. They have been open for a yearish. I thought the spot was vacant before they moved in, so, I don't know why the tables and chairs were worn. Service was polite. Hoo Ha.

PDQ - A chain based in Tampa that started in NC. Opened last Sunday. A Zaxby/Raising Canes sort of chicken strip place. 40 stores. This is the only in CF. Some connection with Outback management. Turned out to be quite good. The place was packed. It's an order at the counter type place with tables. I had the staple three piece, crispy meal (ff and soda) for $7. The tenderloins were large. Double the size of a place say like Arby's. And that's counting those places' 50% batter composition). The coating was tasty. It was crisp. The dipping sauce had actual chunks of bleu cheese and didn't taste like chemical ooze. The fries were a little undercooked. I think this was just because they were so busy. They gave me a ton of them. The staff seemed like they were motivated to keep up with the rush. They were actually putting in an effort. The place is shiny as a new penny. It seats about ninety. They have a drive through. All sorts were eating there. They have a limited menu of sandwiches (chicken/turkey), strips and salads. Also desserts. An Arby's strip meal is $4. Even if you use a two for one coupon to get a similar portion of chicken, it is $5 with a soda. I'd rather have this combo at $7 with the fries and I eat those Arby's strips every week. And Arby's is the best value on strips. This is a great fast casual place that has a small enough menu that quality should be consistent. This is fast food you can afford and trick yourself into thinking you ate out at a real restaurant. Plus there are no waitresses to tip and prices don't jump at dinner time. As Jim Carrey said in Dumb and Dumber - "I like it alot".

Mi Raza, Winter Park

I grabbed three things to go (dinner) from his Honduran/Mexican place on 436 in between Winter Park and Casselberry today. I went here once when it was a Peruvian place and then bypassed it for years when it was a bar under this name. It has been a restaurant again for one year according to the owners. Their English was almost non-existent, so, I could have mis-interpreted. I had a sopes with chicken and a papusa with pickled cabbage slaw for $2.50 each and a Honduran taco they call something like Carnacho (chicken flauta) for $3. All were good and home made right then and there. The sopes was loaded. It had a pan pizza like shape (a first). The papusa came with that slaw. The taco came with an odd variety of topping (sliced ham, avocado and shredded cabbage in a tomato salsa). They have the full Mexican assortment and around ten Honduran dishes. If I were to guess, I'd guess they are Honduran and added Mexican out of fear/necessity. The prices are great. Nothing over $10. They do B, L and D. It seats around 50. It has two pool tables and a stage. Not much in way of decor, but, it was clean. If I lived near here, I would eat here once a week. This area is turning into a little Central American food nexus.

Jamaican Cuisine Jerk Spot, Winter Park

I grabbed a jerk chicken platter for lunch at this Jamaican restaurant in the old Yae Sushi spot in a strip mall off 436 near Aloma today. It cost $8. It was fine. It came with white rice (a ton), fried plantain slices (2) and a stewed cabbage. The bird was tiny. I really can't figure out where you'd get such a meager bird in today's steroid fueled America. Drumstick, hunk of something and a pubescent breast. The spicing was good. The rice was a little crunchy. Probably days old. The cabbage was buttery. The plantains were good They only serve six tings. They did nothing to the space. There aren't alot of options for this in the area. so, it's fine as representative. All the customers seemed like regulars and took there food to go. It's open seven days a week. You will be subjected to church music.

Cloddagh Cottage, Curry Ford - Closed

I grabbed a chicken and mushroom pie for a late dinner at this pub next to a funeral parlor about a week ago. It has been in business for 25 years. The pie was home made and surprisingly good. It cost $8. The place looks like a cartoon version of an Irish pub. It was pretty packed at ten on a Tuesday. The crowd was all young and I think they were teachers (some seemed gay). Not what I expected at a place like this. It also pleased me that they didn't allow smoking. You could do a lot worse in the pub genre. The bartender was running a one man show and was accommodating.

JJ's Grille, Curry Ford

I had lunch at this Mexican/Middle Eastern fastish food location in the strip mall off Crystal Lake Rd and Curry Ford Rd about two weeks ago. It was ok. Nor sure why the fat lady at the Sentinel felt it was worth the trouble. I had chicken burrito for $7. It was fine. The twist is that you can add Middle Eastern ingredients. I added feta and some tomato "salsa" that had something like tabouli in it. The place is modern. Seats about ten. You order ala Subway. They do bowls, etc too. Not revolutionary, but, adequate for a cheap, fusion meal.