Ok. Here we go. I should begin be stating that if I was being sufficiently critical that this list would have three names on it and one of them would be a "fast food" chain. The real "artistry" in 2016 came from the various breweries that proliferated throughout the year. Remember that this list is composed of places I tried in 2016. It is not a complete compilation of all the restaurants in CF.
$$$$ - Urbain 40, Eddie V's, 1921 (Mt Dora), Bulla. DoveCote
$$$ - Naru Sushi, North Quarter Tavern (Closed), Ootoya, Maestro
$$ - Black Rooster Taqueria, Nonno's, Antonella's Pizzeria, Dave's Boathouse, Manzano's (New Smyrna Beach), Street Corner Eat + Drink (Mt Dora), Saigon Blvd, Third Wave (New Smyrna Beach)
$ - Freddy's, Fuzzy's Taco Shop, Dreamy Cakes, The Taste of the Yucatan (Closed)
Use lousy Search by Google feature (try quotation marks around word) to find: Travel Notes, Tutorials, PSAs, Events and Enterprises
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
Nonno's, Altamonte Springs
I tried this new Italian venture (1 week) on 436 yesterday at lunch. It is in that nearly barren GFS strip mall near Appliance Direct and the train tracks that last housed a forgettable breakfast cafe (Mom's Kitchen). I think I recall reading that it is a collaboration between the unretired Stephano Lacommare (Il Pescatore, Stefano's Trattoria) and his son. Not to be confused with Stephano Tedeschi who has the place I didn't like at Dr Phillips. I didn't like Il Pescatore at all. I liked what his daughter and son in law did at Antonellsa's in Winter Park and I liked what they are doing here as well. I had the chicken piccata on penne with a soup or salad (soup) for $13. The three medallions of white meat were soft and juicy. The "coating" was a little rustic (thick) for me, but, I am quibbling. The penne was al dente. I still think they (all chefs) need to find a better partner for that tart piccata sauce than pasta. The plating was simple and nice. The soup (cup) was a pasta e fagiole (pasta and beans). The broth was home made. The beans and pasta rings were plentiful and cooked perfectly. It was seasoned nicely (sparingly). They also gift the table a whole round loaf of warm homemade bread (with pesto dip). The pesto is all a bit rustic. They did offer butter though. Service was attentive and quick. They even plied me with a to go soda. They didn't do much to the layout. You can still envision the old place. They painted the walls a light gray and reupholstered the booths an a slightly darker gray. The other colors are wood and black. They blew up a photos of the dishes they serve and the town he was born in. A mural of Marsala Sicily (western most region). The place seats around sixty. In addition to the booths that line the right hand wall, they have seven bar seats, a family sized banquette in the back and tables of four. They added some ornamentation like an embossed gold metal shield below the bar and a twigs inside glass partition as you enter. The lunch menu tops out at $13. That is for the pastas and the mains. The sandwiches, flatbreads and panini are mostly $9 (veal parm is $12). Dinner is more involved. A whole section of seafood ($16-$27). Some more mains ($12-$18). Stephano was telling the table in front of me that he is an avid fisherman and really investigates what the fishmonger brings in. Now it is grouper. The Italian dishes are all over the map. Northern. Southern. East. West. Sicilian. They also offer specials. I was sort of ambivalent about trying out the place, but, I was pleasantly surprised. I'm kind of shoe horning this into "The Best of 2016" list at the second level of pricing. The lunch pricing. I hope that the quality doesn't suffer when the excitement of the grand opening subsides. I've seen alot of people lose heart or concentration if things don't break their way right off the bat. Let's hope that worry is unfounded and people will find this place. Because they will have to. They aren't getting any foot traffic in that strip mall. I'll likely go back to try the seafood. It's perfect for lunch every day though too. I really wanted to write a review that had "No. No. No. No. No. No. No" in it. From that song that continues "nobody does (some word I forget) like you do." Oh well. Can't be funny all the time.
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
The Habit Burger Grill, Mall at Millenia Area
I've been trying to knock this one of the list for months but they never opened. I got my chance yesterday. I was looking to knock off another irritant (some steak and pizza place), but, they seemed to have already shuttered. I tried here and they had just opened the day before. It is chain from Santa Barbara. Based on the cheese burger I had, I don't see how they ever evolved as a chain. Although, the company I am going to compare them to evolved. The burger they sell is similar to a Hardee's/Carl's Jr burger. A salisbury steak/meatloaf like sponge. And like those places, they think it is worth north of $4 (cheese is extra). Now I was expecting at least a level of quality to match Shake Shack or Burger Fi. Especially when they also offer tuna filets, tri tip and tempura green beans. That is not the case. Maybe those other items are better. They can't hold In & Out's or Freddy's jock burger wise. I also had fries. They are half way between shoe string and home fries. The half that were properly fried were good. The best part of the combo I bought for $8. The rest of the menu is chicken and salads. They are in the shopping plaza with the Target (Millenia Plaza Way) near the Zoe's and the Chipotle. It won't become a habit.
Grub Crawl - Sand Lake Rd: Bartaco and Pincho Factory (Closed)
I ate at these two new comers in the shopping plaza at Dr Phillips and Sand Lake yesterday at lunch time. I was hoping to shoe horn the first one into the best of list. Alas, it was unworthy. Even if I put them in the cheap classification.
Bartaco - It seemed to have it all. Cheap, fashionable tacos. Point Break sounding owners. Unpretentious cool. It sounded...well now that I think about it...it sounded kind of shallow. A restaurant is essential and existentially about food, right? And that is where they dropped the ball for me. Now that is fixable. And it may have been an anomaly. However, we rate the experience and not the promise around here. I had their $10 lunch tray (soup or salad with three tacos). I chose the chicken, the pork pastor and fried fish tacos and a bowl of pork pozole. The chicken was slightly undercooked thigh meat. It was flabby and cut in overly large hunks. The pork in the pastor was bland on its own and overwhelmed by the pineapple. The fish was the worst. Soggy. Old. Brittle. Cod? I just purchased some frozen cod at Winn Dixie that was priced at two for one (so you know it was old) and it was of a better quality than this. All the tacos were near "naked" with the exception of some spice on the meat and raw onions. The small soft tortillas needed more browning. I will stipulate that the tacos tasted better as a sum of their parts than they did when I picked them apart. The pozole had almost no pozole (hominy). I think I counted four. The "stock" was really on the "stew" side. It was like a red mojo sauce. There was plenty of braised pork in it though. The serving was big for it to be in the lunch tray. I regular bowl runs $7. I prefer chicken based pozole. Those tacos and some veggy ones, some rice bowls and a ceviche are really the whole menu. The place looks great. The main room is white and blue with upturned hampers turned into lampshades and potted plants hanging from the ceiling. The bar is towards the back (with the kitchen). They had some baskets with fake fruit for color at the rear right wall. The patio area in front is backed by garage doors that close off the main room. It seats about 100. The booths and tables are natural wood. The walls showcase photo posters from the owners' travels as well as sport (golf, tennis, surfing) themed collage poster art. Service was good. They are dressed in matching outfits (blue checkered shirts and khakis). They even gave me a chip for a free taco. Like I said, I really want to praise them, but, that food needs to be better. They do so little that they better do it right. I was there early, so, maybe the cooks were still getting thawed out. Although, that fish quality makes me wary. It was understandably empty-ish when I started eating. It (especially) the patio picked up as the day went on. If I had to choose Rocco's Tacos or Bartaco, I would choose Bartaco. It fits my sensibilities better. I grew up surrounded by the things in here. Just fix the food! I believe they opened a few weeks ago. It is part of a chain that started in Georgia for some reason even though at least the owners is South American and they describe the place as being influenced by Brazilian, Uruguayan and Californian beach culture. I didn't love that they charged $3 for about four shots of Coke (with refill). It's almost worse when the tacos are only $2.50. I will recommend it based on the decor and the pricing and the elan. If you get better execution from the kitchen than I did then you will really like it. It's next to the French place around the center of the marketplace.
Pincho Factory - I grabbed a daily special to go at this South American/Latin "finger food" (burger and hot dogs and chicken sandwiches) spot a few door down from Bartaco (near Einstein's) yesterday. The special was Vaca Frita (beef). It cost $8. It was the best thing I ate all day. It was served on tostones like a hamburger. The shredded beef was moist. The pan frying added a little crispness. The plantains could have been fried a little longer. That's all it was. That's all it needed to be. The rest of the menu is made up of those overly complicated hot dogs and burgers that they seem to love south of the border and on the islands. Unnecessary to me. I don't like what the do to a dog in Chicago. It's wiener molestation if you ask me. And when it triples the price, I'm really out. It's a burgeoning chain from Miami. It has been open for eight months. It is run like a fast food place. It was clean and new and simply decorated. Fine for what it is. Prices are from $6 to $9.
Bartaco - It seemed to have it all. Cheap, fashionable tacos. Point Break sounding owners. Unpretentious cool. It sounded...well now that I think about it...it sounded kind of shallow. A restaurant is essential and existentially about food, right? And that is where they dropped the ball for me. Now that is fixable. And it may have been an anomaly. However, we rate the experience and not the promise around here. I had their $10 lunch tray (soup or salad with three tacos). I chose the chicken, the pork pastor and fried fish tacos and a bowl of pork pozole. The chicken was slightly undercooked thigh meat. It was flabby and cut in overly large hunks. The pork in the pastor was bland on its own and overwhelmed by the pineapple. The fish was the worst. Soggy. Old. Brittle. Cod? I just purchased some frozen cod at Winn Dixie that was priced at two for one (so you know it was old) and it was of a better quality than this. All the tacos were near "naked" with the exception of some spice on the meat and raw onions. The small soft tortillas needed more browning. I will stipulate that the tacos tasted better as a sum of their parts than they did when I picked them apart. The pozole had almost no pozole (hominy). I think I counted four. The "stock" was really on the "stew" side. It was like a red mojo sauce. There was plenty of braised pork in it though. The serving was big for it to be in the lunch tray. I regular bowl runs $7. I prefer chicken based pozole. Those tacos and some veggy ones, some rice bowls and a ceviche are really the whole menu. The place looks great. The main room is white and blue with upturned hampers turned into lampshades and potted plants hanging from the ceiling. The bar is towards the back (with the kitchen). They had some baskets with fake fruit for color at the rear right wall. The patio area in front is backed by garage doors that close off the main room. It seats about 100. The booths and tables are natural wood. The walls showcase photo posters from the owners' travels as well as sport (golf, tennis, surfing) themed collage poster art. Service was good. They are dressed in matching outfits (blue checkered shirts and khakis). They even gave me a chip for a free taco. Like I said, I really want to praise them, but, that food needs to be better. They do so little that they better do it right. I was there early, so, maybe the cooks were still getting thawed out. Although, that fish quality makes me wary. It was understandably empty-ish when I started eating. It (especially) the patio picked up as the day went on. If I had to choose Rocco's Tacos or Bartaco, I would choose Bartaco. It fits my sensibilities better. I grew up surrounded by the things in here. Just fix the food! I believe they opened a few weeks ago. It is part of a chain that started in Georgia for some reason even though at least the owners is South American and they describe the place as being influenced by Brazilian, Uruguayan and Californian beach culture. I didn't love that they charged $3 for about four shots of Coke (with refill). It's almost worse when the tacos are only $2.50. I will recommend it based on the decor and the pricing and the elan. If you get better execution from the kitchen than I did then you will really like it. It's next to the French place around the center of the marketplace.
Pincho Factory - I grabbed a daily special to go at this South American/Latin "finger food" (burger and hot dogs and chicken sandwiches) spot a few door down from Bartaco (near Einstein's) yesterday. The special was Vaca Frita (beef). It cost $8. It was the best thing I ate all day. It was served on tostones like a hamburger. The shredded beef was moist. The pan frying added a little crispness. The plantains could have been fried a little longer. That's all it was. That's all it needed to be. The rest of the menu is made up of those overly complicated hot dogs and burgers that they seem to love south of the border and on the islands. Unnecessary to me. I don't like what the do to a dog in Chicago. It's wiener molestation if you ask me. And when it triples the price, I'm really out. It's a burgeoning chain from Miami. It has been open for eight months. It is run like a fast food place. It was clean and new and simply decorated. Fine for what it is. Prices are from $6 to $9.
Friday, December 23, 2016
Grub Crawl - Winter Park: Kona Grill and Hummus House
I ate at these two restaurants on Orlando Ave/17-92 at lunch time on Wednesday. The first is in that new development opposite Houston's (with Bulla) and the other is closer to Mills near Marlowe's Tavern. I would like to have it on record that I think this strip between Lee Rd and Mills is getting so congested that it should be renamed I Drive North. Traffic is absurd. And yet, Fairbanks (the first thing anybody encounters when the come to the "upscale" enclave of Winter Park) is still an eyesore full of repair shops, rub out joints and weirdo specialty (lord knows what) shops. Great urban planning.
Kona Grill - I'm going to say that they are a rip off of of Roy's and not the other way around because I remember going to a Roy's before I ever heard of them. Maybe they came first. If so I apologize. It is a chain (44) with a modern (something white people will order) Hawaiian menu. I think I've eaten at one before in another city. I don't love chains as you know and I didn't come here purposefully (some dumb friend of mind said it was a new sushi place) to try IT, but, I could have experienced a worse fate. The place looks great. I saw it in a very unfinished for when I ate at Bulla a few weeks back. They open just before Thanksgiving. It's laid out in an L (maybe a P) shaped room with a patio. They put the long bar between the patio area and the dining room. The kitchen is at the rear. It is semi-obstructed by some booths and an illuminated glass partition. The floors are wood with a triangular carpet inlay. The main color choices are brown and light gray. They have hanging lamps with shades that look like seashells or jelly fish. There is a bubbling water tank by the entrance. I'm not sure what the layout was past the bar. I was still in the grip of the latest strain of flu and I forgot to do a pass through on my way out. Pretty good if this is a corporate design. The area where I was seated had five spacious booths and around fifteen tables of four. Lots of space between tables. It's a big space. High ceilings. They gave me a booth though I was just a party of one in shorts and a T. I ordered salmon sushi for $6 because I had prepared my stomach for that, but, then reached for the chopped salad for you people (to try the macadamia nut chicken) and for my still shriveled flu ravaged stomach. It cost $15. The sushi was very good. Long and thick pieces of fatty salmon on properly prepared rice. The salad was enormous. I ate what I could then had some for dinner then some for the next day's lunch. It consisted of tons of the chicken, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, cheese, croutons, a fanned out avocado half and a melange of fancy field greens (really fresh). They dressed it in honey dijon. I can't believe I'm saying this, but, they may add TOO much chicken. The rest of the menu is pretty extensive. 8 apps. 7 salads. 5 flat breads. 8 sandwiches. 4 soups. 15 entrees. 6 desserts. The Hawaiian inspired dishes kind of start and stop with their braised pork and the chicken I had. The rest is straight up American (clam chowder, lobster mac and cheese, steak), Pan Asian (potstickers, pad thai, lettuce wraps, miso sake sea bass) or esoteric (jambalaya, cuban sandwich, greek salad). Service was pretty good. There were a few times when I waited a little to long than I should have (ie getting my credit card and bill back), but, they were trying hard. The clientele (and the staff) was a little less Winter Park-ish than I expected. But, hey. It isn't WP. It's I Drive North. I can't say that I'll be back. But, that has more to do with the so many restaurant openings rather than with anything to do with my experience here. I really can't complain about anything and I'm not sure you will either. It's probably a really good choice when you have some provincials in your group who are scared to try things and you can't imagine wasting a night at Chili's/Chessecake Factory. A nice compromise. Now don't get me wrong. It is a little pricey. You will spend twenty bucks on a soda and a non-entree. Thirty on a soda and an entree. Just know that they probably deliver enough in a serving that you can go app/sandwich/flat bread/salad or entree and you don't have to order both for a full meal. The place was about half full on a rainy day a little past regular lunch dining hours.
Hummus House - I had the mis-fortune of espying this Middle Eastern fast food disaster while looking for the new breweries in WP a couple of weeks ago. It is to gyros what Subway is to any decent deli. That means it sucks for any of you so far ensconced from civilized society that you don't puke when I mention the name - Subway.I have a $5 foot long in my toilet that they wish they had the recipe for. I had a gyro to go for $8. I didn't see it, but, they had to have used gyro meat that came in sheets like bacon or Steak Ums. The worst gyro meat I've ever had. And they only gave me five slices if it. It was as thin as a sheet of paper. Salty. Maybe they use that company that sells the deli meat in those white pouches for 49 cents? They then slopped on terrible spreads and limp veggies. The wrapper was stale. It fell apart. I almost threw it out. I probably should have. It caused stomach pain, but, no bowel explosions. Which is nice. The place looks sterile in a cosmetic sense but not in a sanitary sense. The workers were sleep walking. Parking is next to non-existent. Are these terrible Middle Eastern restaurants that are showing up all over town the next stage in their jihad? Please tell me it is Americans screwing up another culture's food and not them destroying their own culture for a buck. Somehow they have survived there for a year. Avoid.
Kona Grill - I'm going to say that they are a rip off of of Roy's and not the other way around because I remember going to a Roy's before I ever heard of them. Maybe they came first. If so I apologize. It is a chain (44) with a modern (something white people will order) Hawaiian menu. I think I've eaten at one before in another city. I don't love chains as you know and I didn't come here purposefully (some dumb friend of mind said it was a new sushi place) to try IT, but, I could have experienced a worse fate. The place looks great. I saw it in a very unfinished for when I ate at Bulla a few weeks back. They open just before Thanksgiving. It's laid out in an L (maybe a P) shaped room with a patio. They put the long bar between the patio area and the dining room. The kitchen is at the rear. It is semi-obstructed by some booths and an illuminated glass partition. The floors are wood with a triangular carpet inlay. The main color choices are brown and light gray. They have hanging lamps with shades that look like seashells or jelly fish. There is a bubbling water tank by the entrance. I'm not sure what the layout was past the bar. I was still in the grip of the latest strain of flu and I forgot to do a pass through on my way out. Pretty good if this is a corporate design. The area where I was seated had five spacious booths and around fifteen tables of four. Lots of space between tables. It's a big space. High ceilings. They gave me a booth though I was just a party of one in shorts and a T. I ordered salmon sushi for $6 because I had prepared my stomach for that, but, then reached for the chopped salad for you people (to try the macadamia nut chicken) and for my still shriveled flu ravaged stomach. It cost $15. The sushi was very good. Long and thick pieces of fatty salmon on properly prepared rice. The salad was enormous. I ate what I could then had some for dinner then some for the next day's lunch. It consisted of tons of the chicken, eggs, bacon, tomatoes, cheese, croutons, a fanned out avocado half and a melange of fancy field greens (really fresh). They dressed it in honey dijon. I can't believe I'm saying this, but, they may add TOO much chicken. The rest of the menu is pretty extensive. 8 apps. 7 salads. 5 flat breads. 8 sandwiches. 4 soups. 15 entrees. 6 desserts. The Hawaiian inspired dishes kind of start and stop with their braised pork and the chicken I had. The rest is straight up American (clam chowder, lobster mac and cheese, steak), Pan Asian (potstickers, pad thai, lettuce wraps, miso sake sea bass) or esoteric (jambalaya, cuban sandwich, greek salad). Service was pretty good. There were a few times when I waited a little to long than I should have (ie getting my credit card and bill back), but, they were trying hard. The clientele (and the staff) was a little less Winter Park-ish than I expected. But, hey. It isn't WP. It's I Drive North. I can't say that I'll be back. But, that has more to do with the so many restaurant openings rather than with anything to do with my experience here. I really can't complain about anything and I'm not sure you will either. It's probably a really good choice when you have some provincials in your group who are scared to try things and you can't imagine wasting a night at Chili's/Chessecake Factory. A nice compromise. Now don't get me wrong. It is a little pricey. You will spend twenty bucks on a soda and a non-entree. Thirty on a soda and an entree. Just know that they probably deliver enough in a serving that you can go app/sandwich/flat bread/salad or entree and you don't have to order both for a full meal. The place was about half full on a rainy day a little past regular lunch dining hours.
Hummus House - I had the mis-fortune of espying this Middle Eastern fast food disaster while looking for the new breweries in WP a couple of weeks ago. It is to gyros what Subway is to any decent deli. That means it sucks for any of you so far ensconced from civilized society that you don't puke when I mention the name - Subway.I have a $5 foot long in my toilet that they wish they had the recipe for. I had a gyro to go for $8. I didn't see it, but, they had to have used gyro meat that came in sheets like bacon or Steak Ums. The worst gyro meat I've ever had. And they only gave me five slices if it. It was as thin as a sheet of paper. Salty. Maybe they use that company that sells the deli meat in those white pouches for 49 cents? They then slopped on terrible spreads and limp veggies. The wrapper was stale. It fell apart. I almost threw it out. I probably should have. It caused stomach pain, but, no bowel explosions. Which is nice. The place looks sterile in a cosmetic sense but not in a sanitary sense. The workers were sleep walking. Parking is next to non-existent. Are these terrible Middle Eastern restaurants that are showing up all over town the next stage in their jihad? Please tell me it is Americans screwing up another culture's food and not them destroying their own culture for a buck. Somehow they have survived there for a year. Avoid.
Monday, December 19, 2016
Grub/Pub Crawl - Sanford: Tennessee Truffle, El Zocalo, Dreamy Cakes and Sanford Brewing Company
I tried out these places Saturday during the day. The first two are on 1st St (the main street) closest to 17-92. The cupcake place is on 2nd St behind those two. The brewery is down on Sanford Ave a few blocks up on the right.
Tennessee Truffle - I'm not sure if I should have had any higher expectations than I did when I read that the exec chef went to CIA and worked at Cafe de France, but, I guess I did. That is why I was mostly disappointed by this glorified food truck. To start with, they really just do biscuit sandwiches. And only three of them when you get down to it. They add an egg to a BLT and make salad out of the chicken, but, it is really just bacon and pork loin and chicken breast in the fridge. And I get that you need a hook. But, biscuit always have and always will suck. There is a fiction that they can be light and flavorful. They never are. Maybe if you get them within five minutes of being out of the oven. And that is just a hypothesis. They and hush puppies and scones and jonny cakes are English culinary refuse. These were no better. Hard shell. Pockets of salt or baking soda or baking powder or whatever doesn't work to lighten them up. And they don't work well as a food conveyance. They are too tall. You can't fit them in your mouth. Even open faced. I had the pork tenderloin one for $9 because it seemed like it required the most effort. If you are CIA approved, you are going to get nit picked for overdone pork. I don't subscribe to the pink in the middle pork doctrine, but, this was dry. Maybe why it took fifteen minutes to appear. They also didn't trim the fat. The best part was whatever jam it came with and the pickled onions. I also won't mention that I just ate an upscale pizza place and they had a pork HERO for $7. I'm sure that was bigger. The sides seem to be the star here. Now if their execution was as bad as my bland mayo/celery/onion potato salad then this place is totally still born. The place is ratty. I think they used reclaimed booths and tables. My table had some sticky imprint on it. The one area that isn't awful is the register. The went through all the bother of creating a corrugated tin overhang. It seats about forty. They don't do dinner. The cooking crew looked zombified. This just seems like a place run by a chef who doesn't put out and doesn't crack a whip. Sometimes a chef goes solo because he/she is so good. Sometimes it is because they have a character flaw (ie lassitude) that an owner can't live with. I wonder if this is case of the latter. I've been to alot of biscuit places all over the country (because of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives) so this place isn't a curiosity to me. Maybe some of the rest of you will dig it. No amount of imagination or obscure potions or powders can stiffen this limp biscuit. They have been open for a couple of weeks.
El Zocalo - This place replaces Tony's which replaced Cafe Rouge in the corner location. I had a combo to go for $8 because I didn't know they were in business and I already had eaten and I didn't want to come back to Sanford just for them The combo was two tacos and a flauta. I chose a shredded beed taco and chicken in the others. The beef had flavor. The chicken did not. I waited too long to eat the combo and the tortillas (hard shell) wilted. They looked cool. Crinkly. Not your average crap. They stuffed the tacos with guac and cheese and lettuce and tomato. They also included a small cup of rice and beans and a tiny salad. Nothing to write tomes about. They did nothing to the decor or layout. The menu is large and draws from all over Mexico. At least they don't serve biscuits. Deserves a longer look. I think they said they have been open for two months. *Moved to Sanford Ave.
Dreamy Cakes - I had a chocolate cupcake with mint icing that was dipped in chocolate and crowned with a peppermint "cherry" for $3. Not bad. The cake was really moist. I kept looking at my fingers to see if chocolate sauce was all over them. The chocolate coating helped mitigate my distaste for over icing. The cake was on the smaller size. They have been open for six months. They are not a chain. They had four lunch options. The place looks like a cute little doll house. It seats about four. Next to Fuel barbeque.
Sanford Brewing Company - They finally tapped their own kegs a week ago. I had four out of five. All were very good. Hoppy. Hopefully that isn't a masking trick. The one with celery was the most interesting. If I didn't mention it in my first "visit", they also serve food. It doesn't look that bad. I saw a bag of fries that was potato spears in Velveeta sauce that looked tempting. It seats about sixty.
*I saw that another brewery is being built diagonally from Celery City. It will be called Inner Compass. And Smiling Bison is only open at night.
Tennessee Truffle - I'm not sure if I should have had any higher expectations than I did when I read that the exec chef went to CIA and worked at Cafe de France, but, I guess I did. That is why I was mostly disappointed by this glorified food truck. To start with, they really just do biscuit sandwiches. And only three of them when you get down to it. They add an egg to a BLT and make salad out of the chicken, but, it is really just bacon and pork loin and chicken breast in the fridge. And I get that you need a hook. But, biscuit always have and always will suck. There is a fiction that they can be light and flavorful. They never are. Maybe if you get them within five minutes of being out of the oven. And that is just a hypothesis. They and hush puppies and scones and jonny cakes are English culinary refuse. These were no better. Hard shell. Pockets of salt or baking soda or baking powder or whatever doesn't work to lighten them up. And they don't work well as a food conveyance. They are too tall. You can't fit them in your mouth. Even open faced. I had the pork tenderloin one for $9 because it seemed like it required the most effort. If you are CIA approved, you are going to get nit picked for overdone pork. I don't subscribe to the pink in the middle pork doctrine, but, this was dry. Maybe why it took fifteen minutes to appear. They also didn't trim the fat. The best part was whatever jam it came with and the pickled onions. I also won't mention that I just ate an upscale pizza place and they had a pork HERO for $7. I'm sure that was bigger. The sides seem to be the star here. Now if their execution was as bad as my bland mayo/celery/onion potato salad then this place is totally still born. The place is ratty. I think they used reclaimed booths and tables. My table had some sticky imprint on it. The one area that isn't awful is the register. The went through all the bother of creating a corrugated tin overhang. It seats about forty. They don't do dinner. The cooking crew looked zombified. This just seems like a place run by a chef who doesn't put out and doesn't crack a whip. Sometimes a chef goes solo because he/she is so good. Sometimes it is because they have a character flaw (ie lassitude) that an owner can't live with. I wonder if this is case of the latter. I've been to alot of biscuit places all over the country (because of Diners, Drive Ins and Dives) so this place isn't a curiosity to me. Maybe some of the rest of you will dig it. No amount of imagination or obscure potions or powders can stiffen this limp biscuit. They have been open for a couple of weeks.
El Zocalo - This place replaces Tony's which replaced Cafe Rouge in the corner location. I had a combo to go for $8 because I didn't know they were in business and I already had eaten and I didn't want to come back to Sanford just for them The combo was two tacos and a flauta. I chose a shredded beed taco and chicken in the others. The beef had flavor. The chicken did not. I waited too long to eat the combo and the tortillas (hard shell) wilted. They looked cool. Crinkly. Not your average crap. They stuffed the tacos with guac and cheese and lettuce and tomato. They also included a small cup of rice and beans and a tiny salad. Nothing to write tomes about. They did nothing to the decor or layout. The menu is large and draws from all over Mexico. At least they don't serve biscuits. Deserves a longer look. I think they said they have been open for two months. *Moved to Sanford Ave.
Dreamy Cakes - I had a chocolate cupcake with mint icing that was dipped in chocolate and crowned with a peppermint "cherry" for $3. Not bad. The cake was really moist. I kept looking at my fingers to see if chocolate sauce was all over them. The chocolate coating helped mitigate my distaste for over icing. The cake was on the smaller size. They have been open for six months. They are not a chain. They had four lunch options. The place looks like a cute little doll house. It seats about four. Next to Fuel barbeque.
Sanford Brewing Company - They finally tapped their own kegs a week ago. I had four out of five. All were very good. Hoppy. Hopefully that isn't a masking trick. The one with celery was the most interesting. If I didn't mention it in my first "visit", they also serve food. It doesn't look that bad. I saw a bag of fries that was potato spears in Velveeta sauce that looked tempting. It seats about sixty.
*I saw that another brewery is being built diagonally from Celery City. It will be called Inner Compass. And Smiling Bison is only open at night.
Wednesday, December 14, 2016
Viet-Nomz, Winter Park
I popped in here before dinner on my way to the airport early last week. It's in that decrepit strip mall on University near Goldenrod. It was last a South American run sushi place and Thaitanic before that. I think they said that they opened in July. I had a Banh Mi for $5 because I didn't really have stomach room for a big bowl of soup three hours after I ate lunch plus it is harder to find a banh mi than a pho at this point in time. I also ordered some spring rolls ($3 for 2) because I felt cheap just dropping a fin. The banh mi I had was pork. They also do steak and chicken. It was pretty bad. It was the stringy slices of pork that you'd expect from takeout stir fry Chinese. The pork tasted like liver. The vegetables weren't fresh. The bun looked alarmingly like the ones I buy at Winn Dixie. I would say the pork was spoiling but I didn't get sick. Hopefully they have some explanation for this that doesn't involve the SCPA. The spring rolls weren't the usual size. They were the size of egg rolls. Now I leave it up to you if that (more) makes them better. The ground pork in those also tasted of liver. They were greasy too. I won't be too hard on them because I have heard that pho is really the thing to go here for and the bowls I saw looked good. They did a little to the decor. They tacked up some weathered wood boards on the walls and added a communal tables. They can seat around twenty. It was pretty full for that time of day. It's an order at the counter type of place. They then deliver the food about two feet from the open kitchen area aside the cash register. Can places make up their minds if they are full service or not. These half measures are bs if you expect me to tip. The phos seem to be the most expensive items. I think they were in the $10-$12 range. I saw on Bizarre Foods that pho is a bastardization of pot au feu and that is why you pronounce it phu and not fo. No idea why this is another on a long list of phonetically spelled words that don't seem to be spelled as they sound. The thing I liked best about this endeavour is the sandwich/pho combo. Hard to find a place that offers both. Now it would help if the sandwiches were actually good. That aside, did we need another pho place? Maybe this area did. No real reason to go out of your way to sample this one. Best thing about them is the name.
Sunday, December 4, 2016
Taco Twist, W. Colonial Dr (50)
Part two of plan b of last night's evening directed me to this new (four weeks) Mexican/Korean restaurant about two blocks east of the I-Sore Death Trap on 50. It has been everything from an Italian place to a Chicago beef place. Most recently it was a bbq place. They now offer bulgogi, hot stone bowl rice, dumplings and a fried kim chi pancake on the Korean side and soup, tacos, burritos, chips, fajitas, quesadillas and burritos (maybe chimis and enchiladas) on the Mexican side. The Korean stuff is the more expensive ($10-12). Tacos can be had for $2.50 (other stuff around $8). I had three of them because they had some deal where you received a free drink if you did. Since they had no reservations comping the beer I had already ordered, I did that. I had a beef and a pork in soft shells and a hard shelled chicken. All were very good. They also offer shrimp. They probably should toss the flour tortillas on the grill (and maybe double wrap). However, the beef was actual flesh (not ground beef) and it and the carnitas style pork were both succulent. They also gave you a big serving of both. They topped them in an Tex Mex style. Tomatoes, lettuce, store bought shredded cheese mix, crema and even a little guac. They weren't quite lunch room tacos. Not quite street tacos. They were authentic enough to probably straddle the line. The hard shell seemed to be fried in house (as were the fresh tortilla chips). I think they filled the taco with chicken and then fried it. It was a good textural diversion, but, I would probably go soft shell next time to get more chicken. They didn't do anything to the decor. Same as when it was the bbq place. It was pretty full for 9pm. They drew from most ethnicities. My car wasn't broken into. Always a concern when you go to a place that has a tape measure on the door for identifying criminals. I believe the husband (with help) is responsible for the Mexican dishes and the wife for the Korean. Service was polite and efficient. The food came out quickly. They speak English. It was better than I expected. They are open for lunch as well. Parking in the rear.
GB Bottle Shop & Tasting Bar, Lake Ivanhoe Area
I had a beer last night at this "bottle shop and tasting bar" after I learned that the taco place I had intended to patronize near by is not yet open (even though I swear I did some version of a Google search that I can't now duplicate and they said that address was open for business). They are on Virginia near The Hideaway (train tracks). They are part of the Gnarly Barley family. I noticed them a few weeks ago while searching for another "new" place that is evidently way behind schedule (Grape and Grain - now Spring of '17). It was more popular and more of a bar than I expected. They said there was a bar crawl going on, so, maybe I hit them during an anomaly. The place looks new. They have a refrigerated area on the side wall that holds the wares. Half of it is exposed via glass doors to the public. You pick a bottle and take it home or pay a $2 and up "corking" charge and drink it there. Even with the charge, the price is equivalent to what you would normally pay at a bar. In front of the other half of the refrigerated area is the bar and the draft nozzles. They can open a section on the other side of the bar for fresh air. I think there were seats out there as well. They also serve wine (only by the bottle I think). I think they said they opened in July. Maybe later. Not bad. Not much. It is what they say it is. *Side note - why are all the places that never open on time great at inundating us with PR and the ones that open on time fall under the radar?
Saturday, December 3, 2016
Grub Crawl - I Drive: Oreganatta and Halal Food Express
I had lunch at these places near Wet 'N Wild on Wednesday.
Oreganatta - I had the "Italian" buffet for $9 (+$2.59 for a soda - got to get that extra 9 cents). It was like eating at a reverse Sweet Tomatoes. Here the bread sticks and pizza are the stars and salads and soups are what you end up eating. I had a smidgen of pasta (for you) because you could see that it was over boiled. Looks did not deceive. I put a little Bolognese sauce on it. It was also terrible. When you stirred the sauce, hunks of beef (?) the size of turds bubbled up. I had a few slices of the regular and pepperoni plate sized pizzas. They seemed to be conveyor belt pizza. Very salty cheese (?). I also tried a garlic knot. And that is all the "Italian" (minus a minestrone) that was to be had. I expected a shitty lasagna at least. Maybe a greasy scallopini. I just piled up a few things from the salad area and called it a day. Pathetic. And perhaps why I was the one and only customer at lunch rush. The decor is even less Italian. Unless Marilyn Monroe was really Marla Maroni. It looks like it was some kind of Americana theme before they took over and they didn't remodel. I don't remember that place. I think it was a Filipino restaurant the last time I ate there. They seem to running the place with a two person staff. Skip.
Halal Food Express - I grabbed a chicken shwarma to go while waiting for Oreganatta to open. It cost $7. It was ok. It didn't seem like it was "shaved" from a rotisserie. Kind of like chicken pieces cooked in a pan/wok. There was a lot of it and it didn't give me the squirts. Not much veg or hummus or tatziki in the roll. They also serve pizza, falafel and gyros. Their sign highlights PIZZA as the word. You would think that was the restaurants name. People were friendly, but, can't recommend for anything more than a desperation snack. Not much to look at. Open for four years. Owned by Palestinians.
Oreganatta - I had the "Italian" buffet for $9 (+$2.59 for a soda - got to get that extra 9 cents). It was like eating at a reverse Sweet Tomatoes. Here the bread sticks and pizza are the stars and salads and soups are what you end up eating. I had a smidgen of pasta (for you) because you could see that it was over boiled. Looks did not deceive. I put a little Bolognese sauce on it. It was also terrible. When you stirred the sauce, hunks of beef (?) the size of turds bubbled up. I had a few slices of the regular and pepperoni plate sized pizzas. They seemed to be conveyor belt pizza. Very salty cheese (?). I also tried a garlic knot. And that is all the "Italian" (minus a minestrone) that was to be had. I expected a shitty lasagna at least. Maybe a greasy scallopini. I just piled up a few things from the salad area and called it a day. Pathetic. And perhaps why I was the one and only customer at lunch rush. The decor is even less Italian. Unless Marilyn Monroe was really Marla Maroni. It looks like it was some kind of Americana theme before they took over and they didn't remodel. I don't remember that place. I think it was a Filipino restaurant the last time I ate there. They seem to running the place with a two person staff. Skip.
Halal Food Express - I grabbed a chicken shwarma to go while waiting for Oreganatta to open. It cost $7. It was ok. It didn't seem like it was "shaved" from a rotisserie. Kind of like chicken pieces cooked in a pan/wok. There was a lot of it and it didn't give me the squirts. Not much veg or hummus or tatziki in the roll. They also serve pizza, falafel and gyros. Their sign highlights PIZZA as the word. You would think that was the restaurants name. People were friendly, but, can't recommend for anything more than a desperation snack. Not much to look at. Open for four years. Owned by Palestinians.
Saturday, November 26, 2016
AdvoCare Invitational, Disney Wide World of Sports Complex
I went to round one as usual on Thursday. Even less people this year than usual. Maybe because tickets per session are now $40. I was reminded that Pac 12 and Florida college (UF and Miami) can't be bothered. Midwestern fans are supportive. Florida and Seton Hall were the only teams capable of making an outside shot. The Indiana State coach will blame the officials for his loss, but, he stuck with 4 and 13 and they cost them the game. Not sure if I should be mad at $40 tickets. The LosOr-lando City Lions and LosOr-lando Magic charge that much. At least parking is free here. Ends Sunday.
Morimoto Asia, Disney Springs
I had dinner on Thursday at this eponymous restaurant. I had boasted a few weeks ago when I reviewed Jimotti's that I would spend less and have a better meal here. I would have been wrong on both counts if they didn't comp a fishy tuna tartare app that I disliked. Let's see how that happened. And this says more about Morimoto's failings than Jimotti's blessings. Since it was Thanksgiving, they were monkeying around with the menus. I wasn't even aware that there was a separate sushi menu until after I ordered. I went with the aforementioned tartare at $12, pork dumplings at $11 and a yellow tail roll at $12. The tuna came in some sort of dashi/cold broth. I'm not sure if I was supposed to mix the tuna in and drink it or what. The tuna was too pureed. Mouth feel of puss. It tasted fishy. They claim it is supposed to. A third of the small sized Dixie cup worth. Terrible. The pork dumplings (4) were over steamed. The pork had no flavor. One on the dumpling's seals was broken. Pathetic. The yellow tail was also a ghastly puree. They could be using fish heads for all we know. The rice was good. Obviously $12 is two times too high for even something of this quality. Strike three. It's a shame because I love Morimoto. I knew about him before he crossed the Pacific. I went to his first restaurant in the first month it was open. This offering is alot less Japanese than I expected. I missed the "Asia" subtext. Maybe those dishes are better. I walked by the sushi bar and the quality and selection wasn't anything to write home about. I do have to warn that a $6 bowl of laksa in Singapore will run you $24 here. The same with the rest of the rice and noodle dishes. The place does look nice though. Super high ceilings with white lanterns hovering over the main dining room. The vibe is that kind of Japanese sparkly deco that you seem to need to use if you have a high end Japanese venture. There is a bar up front. It is really an afterthought. The bar above it is less of an insult. The sushi bar and some private rooms/cabanas and patio are on the second level. You take an impressive staircase to them. I believe the occupancy sign said 282. The bathroom has as many diaper changing tables as toilets/ One. I'm not sure if I would return. It seems like a hard reservation to get and I don't really care how a Japanese guy re-imagines Asian cuisine. I will go to the source for that. I especially don't want to pay through the nose for it. I'm no "comfort girl". Even if I paid $3.50 for a soda. Oh, and I forgot to add that I spent the rest of night burping up an odor that usually is reserved for a Tri Delt's easy bake oven. They opened last year at this time. Avoid.
Art Smith's Homecoming, Disney Springs
I had lunch at this Southern restaurant on Thursday. I want to start out by saying that there is nothing wrong with the experience, however, that is not the same as being right. The pre-eminent reason I (and probably most people) chose this to eat here was because of its namesake. I believe I was first made aware of Art Smith on Iron Chef or some similarly themed timed cook off show. It was a "Senior PGA" battle. Guys who preceded the celebrity chef hysteria. I also remember thinking that he showed the least amount of talent an imagination in the contest. I think it was a pairs competition. And although I believe he/they won, it was more because the city slickers on the tasting panel considered Southern cuisine to be a lark. And maybe it was up to four or five years ago (when the show filmed) or way back when he started his Chicago restaurant. For those in the North. However, we are in the South and in 2016 "new Southern cuisine" is the latest played out fad. Which brings me back to my opening statement. There is nothing wrong with what he/they are doing. It's quite good. Probably still a little progressive for Disney tourists. However, I can think of four or five local "new Southern places" that it would lose to in a food battle. The new 1921 by Norman Von Acken for one. And he is AUSTRIAN! The menu is small. This isn't always a negative. But, it's also too safe for an adventurous food acolyte. The most ambitious thing on the menu is a chicken and waffles riff using donuts. Yawn. On my dish (his signature chicken meal) the most interesting element was the pickles. We're talking pulled pork and fried green tomatoes. Yawn. There are around ten main items. The lunch and dinner menu are the same. Yawn. My meal cost $26 and consisted of a fried breast (with half wing), de-boned thigh and drumstick along with mashed potatoes and a cheddar biscuit. The chicken was soaked in butter milk for a day. It was moist and crisp. The quality was good. Side note - how can nearly everyone serve Bell and Evans chickens and it not violate some agro-snobs definition of acceptable? And can anyone invent a de-veiner for chicken drums and wings? The coating was light and stuck to the bird. Non-greasy. Plus. Plus. However, it lacked flavor. Bland everything. No salt. No pepper. Nada. The potatoes were equally bland. They also seemed to be over whipped (and over pureed). They had a sticky, gummy consistency. I needed to dip the chicken into the potatoes to find any flavor. I burped up potato all afternoon. The biscuit was fine. Light. A touch of cheddar. But, once again little taste. It's almost like since he had his health issues that he decided to reconfigure his menu to make it healthy. Not that I have ever tried his food before. Maybe this is the Art Smith way. So, that was the meal. Some apple cider pickles and a splash of hot sauce completed the opus. Basic plating. Once again, it was a good meal. I just wasn't changed by it.
The place holds about 182 if I remember the occupancy sign correctly. It was filling fast once the doors opened at 11. The dress code seemed to be casual. Alot of people seemed to have come there because of Art. It has vaulted ceilings and is composed of wood in natural and gray tones. The cushions and chandeliers are wrapped in faux potato (?) sacks that look like burlap. It has windows more than walls. The bar in on the left and the kitchen (windowed) is on the right. They have table options for all sizes. There is a screened in patio. Art was there and was very gracious and came to every one's table. Service was good. They had about ten costumed wait people at the ready. Food came out fast. A soda was $4, but, you did get a refill. They even offered to "to go cup" me. And that is a good note to end this on. Even though Art is a "celebrity", he doesn't appear to be full of himself. You can still get a soda to go. How un-snooty is that? How Southern. So, if you want to keep it casual yet have something to Instagram about at Disney, this is a fine option. Maybe it's a little pricey for fried chicken. But, you were probably stupid enough to pay $125 (without parking) to get on three rides that weren't under construction. Don't get sensible now. They opened in July and appear to be operating smoothly. Park in the Lime lot.
The place holds about 182 if I remember the occupancy sign correctly. It was filling fast once the doors opened at 11. The dress code seemed to be casual. Alot of people seemed to have come there because of Art. It has vaulted ceilings and is composed of wood in natural and gray tones. The cushions and chandeliers are wrapped in faux potato (?) sacks that look like burlap. It has windows more than walls. The bar in on the left and the kitchen (windowed) is on the right. They have table options for all sizes. There is a screened in patio. Art was there and was very gracious and came to every one's table. Service was good. They had about ten costumed wait people at the ready. Food came out fast. A soda was $4, but, you did get a refill. They even offered to "to go cup" me. And that is a good note to end this on. Even though Art is a "celebrity", he doesn't appear to be full of himself. You can still get a soda to go. How un-snooty is that? How Southern. So, if you want to keep it casual yet have something to Instagram about at Disney, this is a fine option. Maybe it's a little pricey for fried chicken. But, you were probably stupid enough to pay $125 (without parking) to get on three rides that weren't under construction. Don't get sensible now. They opened in July and appear to be operating smoothly. Park in the Lime lot.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Pub/Grub Crawl - Winter Park: Maestro and Deadly Sins Brewing
I went to these spots yesterday afternoon. The first spot took over for that Brazilian sushi place on Park Ave (next to Burgerfi. The brewery is on the street on the non-parking lot side of 4 Rivers in an industrial area with car repair shops.
Maestro - They brand themselves as a "Cucina Napoletana". I'm not sure that a southern Italian restaurant would have the amount of meat dishes that they have, but, no matter. It is a blessing to have the option and large percentage of the menu is seafood and vegetables. Another blessing is that this place is run by the Terra Mia people or people associated with it. They always deliver. I had a pizza because that was what the little I had read up on had prepared me for. I took a $10 lunch pizza and added broccoli rabe and sausage for $1.50 each. They had a stuffed pizza on the lunch menu that was composed of this, but, I wanted to see what they do with a normal pizza. It wasn't shaped Neopolitan style. A regular round disc. It was good. They do the "hunks" of mozzarella thing that is traditional, but leaves two thirds of the surface area naked. The sauce was just squashed tomatoes. The rabe was wilted in garlic. The sausage was crumbles. Good quality. Thin. Not charred or undercooked. Good dough. Large enough that I could only eat half. They also supplied me with fresh bread and a twisted bread stick. Service was informed and polite and quick. The place seats about forty inside and they can add two or three table on the sidewalk. A weird design element is that the bar is so close to the sidewalk that sliding glass doors will cut off bar seats on that side when closed. The decor is minimalist. I think I remember black and a light Earth tone on the walls. They have an open kitchen in the back with one of these red tiled brick oven that I seem to be seeing more and more of. The place was about half full. They have only been open for a week. The menu looks conventionally ambitious and enticing. Everything from paninis to pastas to whole sea bass. Pastas top out at $16.50. The main dishes (secondi) start below $20 and end at $25.50 for Zuppa di Pesce. A small pizza (13") tops out at $16.50. I'm not sure if another Italian option was necessary in the area, but, a good restaurant is a good restaurant. I think they may get first dibs on Rollins students and parents, but, that may be off set by how much of a pain it is for everyone else to find parking at this end of the avenue. Time will tell.
Deadly Sins Brewing - I had a flight (4) for $10. The sweet potato ale was really interesting. Pick some up for Thanksgiving. The IPA was subtle. The darker beers seemed to be their sweet spot. They just had their firm opening a week or so ago. It's basically a store room with an L bar. The bar seats were full. They were hosting an adopt a pet affair. A food truck pulled up in the lot. The owner told me a funny story on how he had to be on a main sewer line to operate and that is how he ended up where he has. Ah, the things you'd never think of. A nice addition.
Dead Lizard Brewing, Orlando
I tried out this new (one month) brewery in an industrial park off Highland (on 36th) yesterday. It is near the Holy Land theme park. I had a flight (4) for $9.50. The IPAs were a little weak and similar. The cream ale wasn't too oily or vanilla-y. The stout was flavorful with a little fizz. They said the owners are third gen from Indiana. They concentrated on stouts and porters before moving here. That seemed evident. The room/bar is smallish. You can see the "machinery" from there. They have been "sort of" open for a few months. They just had their grand opening. A welcome addition.
Friday, November 18, 2016
Saigon Blvd, Winter Springs
I had lunch at this new (one month) Vietnamese restaurant in that strip mall at the intersection of Tuskawilla and 434 on Wednesday. This is the third place I have reviewed in that spot in the last two years. I had the special noodle soup for $12. It was a sweet chicken broth with choice of egg or rice noodles (I chose egg) and squid, shrimp, pork, quail eggs, lettuce and green onion. The squid and shrimp came in pairs and were fresh and not overcooked. The pork was good (sliced). The noodles were toothy. Alot of them. The serving size in general was large. A mixing bowl's worth. They are pushing it on the soda front. $2.50 for half a glass (half ice) of 2 cent syrup. A refill was offered. But, do you really need more liquid after downing two liters of broth? The menu's only real surprises are the non-Vietnamese items (ie wings, shumai). Phos, crepe, rolls, rice and noodle dishes, Prices are maybe a dollar or two high. However, they don't compound the issue by undercutting you on the quality. Service was fine. I was the only one left at around 2pm. They seemed a little eager. Now that can be a good thing or a sign of desperation. Let's hope that this spot doesn't swallow another family's dreams. They are open every day from lunch until 10pm. They did little to the decor. I think they added a white "brick" wall and pretty much stripped it to its essence. The color scheme was some kind of beige with black accents. They aren't doing anything noteworthy, but, I think this area had a hole in this category. Fine if you live near by.
Dixie Belles Cafe, Orlando
I had lunch here last week on my way to the airport. It is near Gnarly Barley. on S. Orange It was the only place open in the area that I hadn't been to yet. I had an egg plate with chicken fried steak and potatoes for $8. It was about what you get everywhere else. Maybe a tad better. Service was fine. The place is one big open floor plan with four person tables surrounded by six person booths. It has kind of a western-y feel. Light on decor. It seats about eighty. I was pretty full. The usual diner menu. I think they said they have been there for ten years. Now you know.
Friday, November 4, 2016
Domu, Audubon Park
Congratulations Domu! You are entry number 1000 in this lunatic's personal Diner's, Drive Ins and Dives (and everything in between). Can you believe I have wasted your and my time and my money at over 1000 (alot of these entries were crawls) places around town. Who would believe there are/were that many places. Oops. Subtract some for tutorials and games and events. Any way. Back to work.
I went here today after DoveCote. I heard they just replaced Txokos at the East End Market on Corrine and I was still hungry. It's (what is becoming too ubiquitous) a noodle bowl place. A Japanese one, if that makes it a little more esoteric. I had a tuna don bowl for $12. I'm not really sure what the diff is between tuna kobashi and tuna don, but I like both even if they are the same thing. The tuna was fresh. Ahi. The rice was fresh. I think the difference between a don and kobashi may be that "the don's" rice is warm. I didn't love that the rice was slowly cooking my tuna as I ate. However, it is a minor criticism. They also had other rice bowls and noodle bowls. A small menu. About five of each. They have done nothing much to the space. Maybe they took down some decorations. Now there are none. It was pretty full for a post-lunch time slot. Service was good. The crowd was half Asian and have Anglo. Young. They have been open for two weeks. It means "dome".
*The areas two other new additions (Bem Bom and Kadence) look like they are months away from opening.
I went here today after DoveCote. I heard they just replaced Txokos at the East End Market on Corrine and I was still hungry. It's (what is becoming too ubiquitous) a noodle bowl place. A Japanese one, if that makes it a little more esoteric. I had a tuna don bowl for $12. I'm not really sure what the diff is between tuna kobashi and tuna don, but I like both even if they are the same thing. The tuna was fresh. Ahi. The rice was fresh. I think the difference between a don and kobashi may be that "the don's" rice is warm. I didn't love that the rice was slowly cooking my tuna as I ate. However, it is a minor criticism. They also had other rice bowls and noodle bowls. A small menu. About five of each. They have done nothing much to the space. Maybe they took down some decorations. Now there are none. It was pretty full for a post-lunch time slot. Service was good. The crowd was half Asian and have Anglo. Young. They have been open for two weeks. It means "dome".
*The areas two other new additions (Bem Bom and Kadence) look like they are months away from opening.
DoveCote, Downtown
I tried this bistro in the Bank of America building today for lunch. And while nothing they did disappointed me, I wasn't knocked of my feet. It's not that rustic French food isn't still better than most everything else or that we have such a profusion of French options, but, I just felt that I've seen this movie before. The lunch menu is composed of "schmears" and dips. Pork terrine, chicken liver pate, fish brandade, onion soup and tartare. Three prototypical French salads. Two burgers. Three typical sandwiches. An omelet. A fish and a chicken dish. The one "stretch" is a tomato water risotto. Dinner isn't much more expansive nor unusual. I had salmon with quinoa (with preserved lemon, almonds and black olives). The menu says kale. If there was, it was the fried herb I thought was a tasteless basil or mint garnish. The menu I left with listed the fish as grouper. Not sure if they go with what is fresh or they are already conceding another item (on a conceded menu) to the cookie cutter. The salmon was cooked perfectly. Two stapler (what I just stared at) sized pieces. Nice coat. Some might say not pink enough. I don't mind that if the fish stays flaky. It was. The quinoa "medley/melange" was tasty and had personality. It cost $18.50. The dinner cost was $26. Yet, that was one of the few double entries that increased in price. Either good news if you are a dinner patron or bad news if you are a lunchee. The "schmears" were cheap (depending on portion size I guess) at $7 or under. The soup is overpriced at $13 (even if they add oxtail). The tartare is $16. The burgers and sandwiches are $16 or under. The other entrees are reasonable (at $12, $13 and $16). The sides may be the most enticing things on the menu. They have a raw bar (at least shrimp and oysters). I think it is only filled at night. Another French tradition they replicate is the "tiny" soda in a bottle at an exorbitant mark up. Here they charge $3.50.
The place is tinier than I expected. Forty four in the main room. Twenty to thirty in the bank lobby. Hopefully, it never gets full enough that you are stuck in that makeshift insult. There was also a room partitioned off with curtains. A private room or extra seating. I suppose. The bathrooms were nothing special. No money spent there. And they smelled (they were airing them out). The "to go/coffee" area is also an eyesore. Makes you feel that you are in one of the cheaper dining options in an upscale hotel. The backdrop of the restaurant is kind of hard to describe with a stock word or phrase. It's a little California French (like a Thomas Keller place) with a dash of Parisian apartment salon and traditional Parisian bistro and a little shabby chic pied-a-terre thrown in. I know that means nothing to almost everyone. Let me describe elements. The walls are light blue. The trim is white. That reminds me of the salon. The main decorations are photos (some of the bigger ones look like Richard Avedons) seemingly haphazardly placed. That helps the shabby chic vibe. The bar area has an old absinthe contraption and is (in my probably faulty memory) classic with stained wood and the attached oyster "aquarium". That is the Parisian bistro element. The California vibe comes from the light stained wood tables and the lighter tones in general. I think the abstract mural (or maybe the waiters in dark jeans and collared shirts) on the higher end of the wall (cubes) also drew me to thoughts of Napa Valley, but, it could be The French Riviera as well now that I think about it. They also have three steel beams (painted white) above your head just for good measure. Find the dove. That is enough time spent on that.
There were only ten others eating at lunch. Doesn't auger well. But, I think they have deep pocket owners. I know it is a collaboration. The site is a tough one to attract non-courthouse or bank building visitors to. If it helps, they said they validate the in building parking charge. I think that the reviews have been very good. I would love to fall in love too, but, it doesn't feel like it has pizazz and the food stays to close to a worn out script. Maybe I need to analyze the menu more. Maybe these croque monsieurs and cassoulets are tuned up. Barring that, I'm not even sure it is the best bistro that opened this year. And I think there have only been two. I think I like that one on Sand Lake Rd in that Italian sounding complex past Dr. Phillips better. And it didn't mean enough to me to remember the name. However, I have to reiterate that I liked DoveCote. The execution was great. The service was great (even if it would have left a needy customer feeling a little forlorn at times). The place looks pretty great (except for the lobby and the to go area). They didn't have an attitude. And maybe that's it. They didn't have an attitude. Attitude in a good way. No real raison d'etre as they French would say. They need something that makes one NEED to go back. And the sad, paradoxical thing that they need is probably life force. They need a crowd. They need that buzz. Maybe it's there on non-Friday lunch gatherings. I know it's not there on Sunday nights either. I passed by last Sunday and it was dark. I guess that it didn't help that I watched Cafe Society last night and there was a big banging night club in the center of that. So (and this is the proper place to utter the word "so" - at the end of a a long dissertation - not at the beginning), my advice is to try it out. It may not be the end all be all, but, it is unlikely to disappoint.
The place is tinier than I expected. Forty four in the main room. Twenty to thirty in the bank lobby. Hopefully, it never gets full enough that you are stuck in that makeshift insult. There was also a room partitioned off with curtains. A private room or extra seating. I suppose. The bathrooms were nothing special. No money spent there. And they smelled (they were airing them out). The "to go/coffee" area is also an eyesore. Makes you feel that you are in one of the cheaper dining options in an upscale hotel. The backdrop of the restaurant is kind of hard to describe with a stock word or phrase. It's a little California French (like a Thomas Keller place) with a dash of Parisian apartment salon and traditional Parisian bistro and a little shabby chic pied-a-terre thrown in. I know that means nothing to almost everyone. Let me describe elements. The walls are light blue. The trim is white. That reminds me of the salon. The main decorations are photos (some of the bigger ones look like Richard Avedons) seemingly haphazardly placed. That helps the shabby chic vibe. The bar area has an old absinthe contraption and is (in my probably faulty memory) classic with stained wood and the attached oyster "aquarium". That is the Parisian bistro element. The California vibe comes from the light stained wood tables and the lighter tones in general. I think the abstract mural (or maybe the waiters in dark jeans and collared shirts) on the higher end of the wall (cubes) also drew me to thoughts of Napa Valley, but, it could be The French Riviera as well now that I think about it. They also have three steel beams (painted white) above your head just for good measure. Find the dove. That is enough time spent on that.
There were only ten others eating at lunch. Doesn't auger well. But, I think they have deep pocket owners. I know it is a collaboration. The site is a tough one to attract non-courthouse or bank building visitors to. If it helps, they said they validate the in building parking charge. I think that the reviews have been very good. I would love to fall in love too, but, it doesn't feel like it has pizazz and the food stays to close to a worn out script. Maybe I need to analyze the menu more. Maybe these croque monsieurs and cassoulets are tuned up. Barring that, I'm not even sure it is the best bistro that opened this year. And I think there have only been two. I think I like that one on Sand Lake Rd in that Italian sounding complex past Dr. Phillips better. And it didn't mean enough to me to remember the name. However, I have to reiterate that I liked DoveCote. The execution was great. The service was great (even if it would have left a needy customer feeling a little forlorn at times). The place looks pretty great (except for the lobby and the to go area). They didn't have an attitude. And maybe that's it. They didn't have an attitude. Attitude in a good way. No real raison d'etre as they French would say. They need something that makes one NEED to go back. And the sad, paradoxical thing that they need is probably life force. They need a crowd. They need that buzz. Maybe it's there on non-Friday lunch gatherings. I know it's not there on Sunday nights either. I passed by last Sunday and it was dark. I guess that it didn't help that I watched Cafe Society last night and there was a big banging night club in the center of that. So (and this is the proper place to utter the word "so" - at the end of a a long dissertation - not at the beginning), my advice is to try it out. It may not be the end all be all, but, it is unlikely to disappoint.
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Third Wave, Sasaki Sushi and The Original Famous Philly's Cheesesteak
I chowed down at these three establishments on or connected to Flagler Ave Sunday afternoon. All reflected admirably on their genres.
Third Wave - I just chose this place because it was the next on the block on my list. No prior intel. I was resoundingly (some may say bigly) impressed. It looks like a little house that they turned into a snooty coffee bar from the front. That area/house is cute in its own respect, but, the thing that makes it special is the outdoor area in back. It looks like it may be a whole other restaurant. In fact I thought it might be. But, it isn't. It's a sizable nook with a bar that seats around sixty. It was packed, but, the cute hostess found me a table expeditiously (just re-saw Lean On Me with Morgan Freeman). The space has personality without calling attention to itself. They have the front half/grill of a truck over the bar and orchids nailed to planks nailed to trees. It's shaded by trees. I had the Southwest Hash because it had the greatest mix of the elements that spoke to me among all the dishes. But, I could have gone with shrimp and grits or the cranberry citrus chicken salad or or chai banana bread french toast. I was jonesing for avocado and potatoes so I chose what I did. It consisted of the aformentioned plus two over easy eggs, choice of chicken or chorizo or fennel sausage (I chose chicken for heart burn reasons), roasted corn, mozzarella, carmelized onions and rosemary topped by a red pepper couli. Fancy right? It was very good. The chicken seemed like the pre-sliced stuff you can get in a bag. That was the only disappointment. It came in a skillet. It ran $12. Filling. Service was good. They also serve pizza, salads, crepes and other breakfast and sandwiches. The dinner menu is different. It has fresh oysters, rock shrimp, pimento cheese dip, lamb meatballs. And those are just some of the apps. Highest price brunch was $15. $25 for dinner. Hard to beat this place. Seemed like the "it" place in town.
Sasaki Sushi - This place is a twelve seater in the middle of the avenue on N. Cooper St. I just grabbed a yellow tail and scallion roll and an avocado (still jonesing) roll to go. $8 for the YT. $5 for the A. Got to get that A! Both were full of die sized pieces of the good stuff. The YT was a little bland. Probably not wild YT. Still, it was worth $8. The rice was properly made. Big kernels/grains. They did fall off the A Roll though. Probably because he put such big chunks in. The menu is limited. Probably for the better. Ensures quality. The place is tiny and is functional. A good food-centric place to patronize.
The Original Famous Philly's Cheesesteaks - Their name reminds of the Pat's pizza nonsense that goes on in NYC. For those who are not aware, there are like a dozen configurations and places that use some version of that name. Anyway. I had a cheesesteak with wiz to go on my way home. It was what a CS should be. grilled, thin, crispy, nice quality beef on a fresh roll with wiz permeating every available free space. It cost $9. The place is middle of the way up on Flagler on S. Cooper St. They had another in Port Orange, but, the hurricane got the roof. They also serve egg rollers, burgers, hot dogs, nuggets, etc. They have four tables outside. Better than the place near the bridge. Much better.
*FYI - Watch out for stuff in the water. I stepped on what was probably a nail in a board. Just caught the edge of my big toe. Lucky. Plus the water looked green.
Third Wave - I just chose this place because it was the next on the block on my list. No prior intel. I was resoundingly (some may say bigly) impressed. It looks like a little house that they turned into a snooty coffee bar from the front. That area/house is cute in its own respect, but, the thing that makes it special is the outdoor area in back. It looks like it may be a whole other restaurant. In fact I thought it might be. But, it isn't. It's a sizable nook with a bar that seats around sixty. It was packed, but, the cute hostess found me a table expeditiously (just re-saw Lean On Me with Morgan Freeman). The space has personality without calling attention to itself. They have the front half/grill of a truck over the bar and orchids nailed to planks nailed to trees. It's shaded by trees. I had the Southwest Hash because it had the greatest mix of the elements that spoke to me among all the dishes. But, I could have gone with shrimp and grits or the cranberry citrus chicken salad or or chai banana bread french toast. I was jonesing for avocado and potatoes so I chose what I did. It consisted of the aformentioned plus two over easy eggs, choice of chicken or chorizo or fennel sausage (I chose chicken for heart burn reasons), roasted corn, mozzarella, carmelized onions and rosemary topped by a red pepper couli. Fancy right? It was very good. The chicken seemed like the pre-sliced stuff you can get in a bag. That was the only disappointment. It came in a skillet. It ran $12. Filling. Service was good. They also serve pizza, salads, crepes and other breakfast and sandwiches. The dinner menu is different. It has fresh oysters, rock shrimp, pimento cheese dip, lamb meatballs. And those are just some of the apps. Highest price brunch was $15. $25 for dinner. Hard to beat this place. Seemed like the "it" place in town.
Sasaki Sushi - This place is a twelve seater in the middle of the avenue on N. Cooper St. I just grabbed a yellow tail and scallion roll and an avocado (still jonesing) roll to go. $8 for the YT. $5 for the A. Got to get that A! Both were full of die sized pieces of the good stuff. The YT was a little bland. Probably not wild YT. Still, it was worth $8. The rice was properly made. Big kernels/grains. They did fall off the A Roll though. Probably because he put such big chunks in. The menu is limited. Probably for the better. Ensures quality. The place is tiny and is functional. A good food-centric place to patronize.
The Original Famous Philly's Cheesesteaks - Their name reminds of the Pat's pizza nonsense that goes on in NYC. For those who are not aware, there are like a dozen configurations and places that use some version of that name. Anyway. I had a cheesesteak with wiz to go on my way home. It was what a CS should be. grilled, thin, crispy, nice quality beef on a fresh roll with wiz permeating every available free space. It cost $9. The place is middle of the way up on Flagler on S. Cooper St. They had another in Port Orange, but, the hurricane got the roof. They also serve egg rollers, burgers, hot dogs, nuggets, etc. They have four tables outside. Better than the place near the bridge. Much better.
*FYI - Watch out for stuff in the water. I stepped on what was probably a nail in a board. Just caught the edge of my big toe. Lucky. Plus the water looked green.
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
Ivanhoe Wine and Spirits, Antiques District/Ivanhoe Village
I ended my Saturday night at another new place that just popped on my radar. They just opened within the week. It is next to (what has been described as) the gay bars down there (nearest to Princeton). It is both an upscale cocktail bar and retail liquor store. High end. I just had a whiskey ($8) because I had to get up and go to the beach the next day and it was empty. I mean - me, myself and I. The place looks great. Clean. Bright. Brand new. One wall has the bottles for sale and the other has the bar. Lots of selection. Good choices. I'm not sure if they want "breeders" or not, but, I would try it no matter where you prefer to stick your pee pee or your hoo ha. I'm not even sure they think of themselves as a "gay" establishment. I don't know the "rules", so, I'll pretend we are past any gay/straight labels. They have a done a good job setting up the backdrop. Now we'll see how it develops.
The Bear and Peacock Brewery, Winter Park
I couldn't bring myself to do downtown on Saturday night, so, I drove by to see if these guys had finally opened. They were slated to open in early summer. Thankfully there were. Just recently. I had a glass of red because I had already started with wine and their beer isn't ready yet. They are crafting their own beer to go along with the spirits that the owners (Winter Park Distilling Co) are now distilling next door. The wine was fine. One of six or so options. It cost $9 for a heaping glass. They also have a few draft options from other brewers. The place looks cool. It was an old repair shop of which they salvaged much of the original elements. It's sleek now. You can see the crafting area. It was pretty empty, but, that should change. The floor plan was pretty open. A mingling spot. They had the Series and college football on the tube. I chatted with the owner (and his friend). He seemed like a guy you would root for. It is next to where The Ravenous Pig is (will not be in soon). I will have to go back. Parking may be an issue.
DeVine Bar and Grill, Oviedo - Closed
I popped in here Saturday night to check things out. The menu seemed interesting (beef tartare, poutine, etc), but, I wasn't hungry. The other attraction is their "self serve" wine system. I believe I have tried three other wine bars in CF with this set up (the one DT failed and I am not sure about the status of the one in the WP shopping area on Orlando Ave). It is smaller than the Wine Room in WP. Half the price though. Twenty dollars (plus $3 for the card) allowed me to sample thirteen vintages. I believe the size I chose was 2 oz. That was the smallest of the three sizes. Most of the selections were at a buck and half (give or take a quarter). The selections were good too. About fourteen reds and fourteen whites. From all over. A vast spectrum. Little overlap. The place looks sharp. Upscale accessible. The main area has some booths with the middle relegated to high tops. Then there is a bar with seating. And an upstairs room that was hosting a private party. It was pretty empty for a Halloween party night. They had the FSU Clemson game and the Series on the TVs. Not a bad place. It is kind of misplaced in that shopping area on Alafaya Woods Blvd near Red Bug Lake Rd. Good value and maybe good food. They have been open a couple of months. They open at 3pm.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Grub Crawl - Mt Dora: Cody's on Fourth and Street Corner Eat + Drink
While picking up some hard to find used books at Barrel of Books and Games in town on Saturday, I knocked these two of the list. The first is in town on 4th Avenue and the other is on the edge of town where the road out leads to 46.
Cody's on 4th - I just grabbed a cinnamon pecan cake to go because I had already eaten and they looked like they were closing and the meals all looked over priced and just looked "assembled" in nature. It was a good cake. Moist. I would be impressed if they made it. I doubt it however. It cost $5. They ask $2 for as can of soda. The place seats about twenty. It looks like a woman's deli/cafe.
Street Corner Eat + Drink - I've been itching to eat here for over a year. however, I have always hit it when it was closed. It's a place I love before I take a bite. It's in an old gas station. I believe it has been a hot dog place and a pizza place in earlier iterations. Now it's bbq+. Burgers, street tacos, hot dogs, wings, hot sandwiches, etc. But not ordinary. Kicked up a notch. The chef must be from NJ because they have a "ripper" hot dog (search Rutt's Hut), macaroni salad, a burger with Trenton pork roll, as examples. I was just going to grab a taco because I was stuffed, but, I went with a cheese burger (the small one) and two wings (can order by the wing) because I thought it might tell me the most about their cooking abilities. I wasn't disappointed. I ended up scrapping my dinner plans for it. It was a hand formed, 1/4 lb burger made from brisket, chuck and short ribs. They cooked it perfectly. The bun was nice and glossy. The veg were a little blase. Didn't really matter. It cost $7. The big guy (1/2 lb) is $9. It came with fries. And though the were my second least favorite type (skin ons), they almost got them to fry enough. Huge portion. Had them for dinner on Sunday. The wings (one drumette and one wing) were also very good. They smoke them. They don't over smoke them. A nice, subtle flavor and moist. A buck a piece. On the taco side, they offer up smoked chicken, wild caught mahi, chipotle carnitas, Korean beef and Philly rib eye. Plus they had a brisket special one. The dogs could come with slaw or street chili or your way. The sandwiches (5) range from Prime Rib to tomato bacon melt. The "apps" also include chicharrones (huge plate) and (best ever) chili. You can get fries with five toppings. They have salads. Most things cost between $8 and $16. They have a cheaper kids menu. The have waitress service. Seating is limited to around six picnic tables. Service was quick, but not alarmingly quick. A great stop in a fun location. They have been open for two years. All the people I talked to while waiting couldn't say enough about the place. Can't wait to go back. They have beer too.
JB Boondocks, Howey in the Hills
I had lunch here on Saturday. I went through Mt Dora onto 19 south and over a bridge and down about a mile where I made a left at an intersection (Mission something golf club) and made a left at the center of town and another right onto Lakeshore Blvd. It is on a lake called Little something or other (Chain?). There is a billboard for the place about six miles away. They really should have another further on because you can drive right by it. The meal was pretty surprising. The place (and name) doesn't inspire you to aspire. But, the muffaleta sandwich (suggested in an article I read) I had was darn good. It differed from a classic muffaleta in that the roll was more of a soft square ciabatta roll than tougher, round bread they usually use. This was an improvement. The meats were above average. The amount of olive tapanade wasn't as overwhelming as it can be. The mozzarella didn't offend. It was served warm (non-nuked). They also offered up a side. I chose fries to see how they would do them. They were fried well. Even some crunchy ones. However, they added that infernal starch coating and the fries were made of what I assume is mashed potato mix formed into fries. It cost $10. The menu has a New Orleans flair. Po' Boys, Stuffed Red Fish, etc. Yet when I asked the waiter if the restaurant had some connection with The Bayou, I got a blank stare. Either he wasn't instructed on that front or it is just a coincidence. The rest of the menu is Italian and American. Most sandwiches were $10 and entrees started at $16. A little pricey if the food was no good. Acceptable if the rest of meals comport with mine. The apps were in the high single digits. The place has a bar and an enclosed patio on the lake. There is also an outside patio on the lake. It was almost full. I would estimate seating at 90 in all. Service was quick. The vibe is casual. Lots of middle aged bikers. The blue collar kind. Not the drunken brawler type. It's a nice drive and the town of Yalaha (sp?) is a mile away. The town is tiny, and from I learned from my menu, it was incorporated in 1925. The lake is clean and almost unbuilt upon. A very restive experience. It didn't hurt that it was about 80 degrees and sunny and dry. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon (drive included).
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Pub Crawl - Sanford: Sanford Ave Bar, Wops Hops and Buster's
I went here last night to try the new Sanford Brewing Company (opened last week). However, they didn't have their beer ready. The said come back in five weeks. We'll see. I decided to check out these places because one was new and one moved and one was good and I hadn't gone there nearly enough.
Wops Hops: A tried a flight of six and had a glass of a maple bacon ale. All were great. The gamut from kolch to porter. They are killing it.
Sanford Ave Bar (maybe Tavern): They took over the Buster's space a week ago. They said that the selections will increase as they settle in. I still like that spot and its garage doors.
Buster's: They moved down the street into a bigger place. It was jammed with a crowd that reminded me of the Hollerboch (bach?) crowd. They only had two bartenders and it was impossible to get their attention, so, I left. This iteration is kind of cheezy. There were kids running around and they had arcade games. A band of middle age men were pouring out oldies. A real let down. Now it is Dave and Buster's.
Wops Hops: A tried a flight of six and had a glass of a maple bacon ale. All were great. The gamut from kolch to porter. They are killing it.
Sanford Ave Bar (maybe Tavern): They took over the Buster's space a week ago. They said that the selections will increase as they settle in. I still like that spot and its garage doors.
Buster's: They moved down the street into a bigger place. It was jammed with a crowd that reminded me of the Hollerboch (bach?) crowd. They only had two bartenders and it was impossible to get their attention, so, I left. This iteration is kind of cheezy. There were kids running around and they had arcade games. A band of middle age men were pouring out oldies. A real let down. Now it is Dave and Buster's.
Bulla, Winter Park
It's not often that something comes out of the blue that excites me. Even less so if the term "tapas" is associated with it. And along comes a place from a Stuart Scott catch phrase. Boo-ya (as it is pronounced) opened on Orlando Ave (across from Hillstone in the spot where they tore down that old hotel that had the something Fox bar) last week. I tried it for lunch yesterday. It is an outreach of restauranteurs from Coral Gables. To refer to it as a tapas joint does a disservice to what it really is. It is a continental Spanish restaurant. The tapas are just the appetizers here. The twelve they serve at lunch are predictable. However, if they are as good as the gazpacho ($6) I started with then who can complain. The gazpacho was velvety pleasure. Very pureed. The waitress claimed that they don't adulterate it with oil or dairy and if that is case then it is a real accomplishment. Maybe even healthy. They serve it in a glass and sprinkle a few crouton crumbs on top. Simple and elegant. Controlled flavor. I went all in for the main course. I had the Black Grouper on Soy Quinoa with a caper butter sauce (Mero con Quinoa) at $18. It was perfect. The grouper was probably pan fried and finished in the oven. Two nice hunks (so you don't wonder if it is from another thinner fish). They were cooked perfectly. The quinoa was tiny. I suspect that they buy a superior type of quinoa. That, like most things tiny, it costs them more. These little guys displayed (what I suspect is the heart of the "grain") little bits that could trick you into thinking they were poppy seeds. And the portion was enormous. Two or more cups worth. It may be the first time I left a "tapas" place feeling satiated. I know because it isn't a tapas place. The sauce accented the fish. Not too much. No clumsiness. The capers and what I think were shallots (though they tasted like something else that is white) added some nice color and flavor. Although, not described on the menu and a surprise to my waitress, the quinoa had some finely cut baby (going the extra mile again) asparagus in it. I'm not sure how the soy affected the taste of the quinoa (maybe just enhanced its color), but, it was also used conservatively. Not salty. I don't recall a lot of quinoa being served in my travels to Spain. My waitress said the owners also have a Peruvian restaurant, so, maybe this is more of a Peruvian dish (where they use quinoa a lot). In any case, who cares? It was great. Now I did see that they jump the price to around $27 (and with other dishes on the lunch menu)at dinner, but, maybe the portion is bigger. The rest of menu runs the gamut of salads (really seafood salads), sandwiches, one burger, charcuterie (nice choices), cheese (nice choices), and platters such as salmon, beef, chicken, shrimp, etc. Six of those ham/sausage choices. Six cheese choices. 3 salads (ie octopus). Ten platters. A thoroughly workable mix. A one sided menu that offers enough diversity, yet, ensures consistency. The beer and wine menu was also well thought out and the wine list is curated well. I had only tried about 5% of the mostly Spanish (some US) options. They also canvas the region. A great learning opportunity. Beers were almost all at $6. Wines had a mark up of around three times retail. They start at around $35 and top out at around one hundred and change. They have one bottle at $320. The space is divided into four areas and a patio (street side) that seat about forty people in each. I sat in the back next to the open kitchen. The hostess didn't give me any guff about it either (and it was pretty full). There was a "private" dining area to the side of me. The front area is divided into a bar area with high tops between it and the area I was in and a high top area to the side of it. The decor is Moorish. There is a geometric, black "wall/screen" (is that a lattice?) that "cuts" the space in half. The private room had decorative plates on the wall. The ornamentation is subtle. some framed photographs. The ceiling tiles have some spaghetti type yarn motif. I think my half booth "couch" was white. The bar area does seem like they used the same interior designer that has fitted out some other restaurants in the area. It's not bad though. The cutlery and plates were chic. Service was great. My waitress had an answer for nearly all my questions and her colleagues were always asking me if I needed anything (ie refills). And if that wasn't enough, I spied Carrot Top eating on the patio when I left. Haven't see his collagen injected face in a while. A friend of mine has a great story about him walking around WP in short shorts. The one issue may be parking. Once this place gets the following it deserves (and other spaces in the strip mall get tenants), I doubt the lot behind the restaurant we suffice. I think I heard that the developer is going to build a multi-level garage though. I think he was fighting the town on its size. That will help. So, I don't think I need to tell you that this is a great (and unanticipated) addition to the CF food scene. It will be on my Best Of list and I will go back. I may even make it a point to try their SF locations. Boo-ya! RIP Stuart Scott. Too bad you didn't get a chance to call this one.
Friday, October 14, 2016
Jimotti's, Sanford
I had lunch at this Japanese restaurant on 17-92 in the oft abandoned spot (that most recently served as Vayda's Gypsy Rib Ranch) on Wednesday. It simultaneously pleased and disappointed me. The pricing was a bit excessive. $3 sodas. $35 eel. $14 sushi lunch specials. It's an odd spot for an upscale venture. I'm not sure if this is the locale for this type of play. Even if the chef has Morimoto on his resume. I settled on the Bento Box for $15. It offered a sample of the most offerings. I wasn't in the mood for the more reasonable items (burger or soba at $9). The box consisted of a miso soup (thick and salty), tempura (half a shrimp and veg), fried chicken, salad, spicy tuna (or Cali) roll, and two pieces of albacore and salmon sashimi. The salad was good. It was a mixed green melange in a vinaigrette with corn on top. The chicken was cooked through. Tasty. The rice was strange. Small kernels. Over cooked. The salmon was a bit spongy. The albacore was true albacore (not escolar). The cuts were big. I also tried a piece of yellowtail and ahi tuna sushi at $3.50 a piece. The cuts were long. The fish was fresh. The rice was sub-standard. So, like I said, I'm torn. Is this place worth the upcharge? The decor is modest. They have done little to this shack other than hang a few free beer signs and maybe hang a string of lights. The menu is interesting. Not just plain sushi restaurant fare. However, the rice and quality of some of the fish was questionable. I'm not sure that they can attract enough of a following among the locals to support their venture. It, possibly, could survive in a more upscale neighborhood, but, why here? The quality isn't superior enough to tempt many gastro-snobs. I do applaud the chances they take with the menu and the beer and sake options. I just think it will be too expensive or esoteric for the neighborhood. I spent over $30 here for lunch and I wager that when I go to Morimoto in a few weeks that I will get a superior meal for less. There were only four other people eating with me at lunch. Plus the name evokes Italian, not Japanese. I think they needed to do a bit more research before they chose a location. I would not be surprised if the opened in a better location in the future (Chef Sennet's downtown is now available). They have been open since June.
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Green Kitchen, I Drive Area
I grabbed some dinner to go at this new "healthy" Brazilian place on Kirkman (just south of I Drive) after Saiyan yesterday. I know! A Brazilian themed something or other in this area. What a novelty! I settled on a rosemary grilled chicken wrap for $10 because all but the most expensive dishes (4 at $20) were just your run of the mill (mostly American style) sandwiches. It was fine. I thought they said they had wheat bread, but, it was just a wheat wrap. There was some kind of cheese in there. A weird mozzarella or feta. It came with a side salad that was probably pulled from a big bag of factory sorted mixed greens. Fresh in any event. And that's it. The menu is salads, sandwiches, smoothies and some meals (steaks, shrimp and bacaloa). I think The Weekly called it Brazilian "Nature's Table". Is salted fish healthy? I'm not sure if it was sad or encouraging to see all those soft, jiggling Brazilian asses "trying" to be healthy. I though big butts were something to be proud of? Funny how that always seems to be a fable/defense mechanism. I suspect they probably will be as successful as their American counterparts. Who wants to guess that if you did a side by side calorie comparison that Wendy's would have less calories than these "healthy" meals. I know it is about health and not being thin. First of all - right! And second, same suspicion as to the calorie count. The place seat about sixty. It is open for L and D (except Sunday- that's their fun day. Their I don't have to run day). The interior is spartan boho chic. It feels a little under-decorated. The tables and chairs (some are mismatched) are Victorian. The black ceiling and floor with white walls makes it seem like you are eating in an ice cream sandwich. There is a tree mural on one wall (the other half is stark white void). You order at a counter. I wasn't expecting much and it delivered on that. At least it wasn't all vegetarian like I feared. Not bad, but, not special. It was pretty crowded though. I'm not sure if that was just lazy people from the office building that it is connected to. I believe they have only been open for a short time.
Soupa Saiyan, Universal Area
Yesterday I tried this noodle bar in that aged strip mall on Vineland (just a block off Kirkman) that has that little popular Mexican restaurant (Border something). Edible says they have had 90 minute lines. There were only three other people there while I was there, so, that was a relief. It would not have been worth that kind of wait. Perhaps because I wasn't feeling soup or because it was my third option (one and two were frustrated), I wasn't floored by what they offer. I had a "create your own" bowl with shrimp, brisket, udon and chicken broth. Mostly because the "uncustom" choices cost $3 or $4 dollars more than the already steep $10. All the elements were fine. Big bowl. The shrimp (7) were a little gamey/frozen/old tasting. It was basically just pho without the veg. The way it works here is that you choose a veg, chicken or beef broth and then a choice of noodle (3) and then two (out of a dozen) "fillings". They also have some fried apps from around $4. Nothing fancy. And that's it. The place seats about twenty. The decor (what there is of of it) is trashy. The Dragonball Z (the saiyan part) connection is silly. They blast the insipid cartoon on the lone television. They have some Z memorabilia in the prep area. Most neighborhoods have a Vietnamese or hot pot place that serves equal if not better soup. No need to trek here. They take Amex, but, don't print out receipts. The have been open for six months.
Saturday, October 8, 2016
Restaurant Ash, Mills Ave - Closed
I went to this American restaurant at the old Funky Monkey space (daughter of the owner who was just on Hell's Kitchen) on Wednesday. It's in the middle of Mills. I was coming back from the airport in between lunch and dinner and my initial choice seems to believe that they are good enough to only serve dinner though they are a pizza place. We'll see (someday if they are lucky). Maybe they should post their hours on the door. Since it was almost dinner and I hadn't eaten all day, I had two courses. I tried the stuffed avocado for $12 and the mahi sandwich for $9. The avocado was stuffed with quality ahi tuna atop an avocado half seated in a nest of wakame (tons). I found the teryaki sauce and the mayonnaise sauce and the sriracha to be a distraction. Too much going on here, but, they aren't the only ones to serve it up this way. Still it kind of hints at the level of sophistication you can expect. The avocado was also a little "entrenched" in the shell. They give you a fork and chop sticks to attack the dish. It would be better if they "loosen up" the avocado so you can just use the chop sticks. The mahi was fresh and cooked perfectly. A wide hunk. And the bun was nice. However, they overdo it again here by covering it with cheese and tons of cabbage (slaw) AND sauteed onions. It also came with a fresh field green salad that was properly dressed (quantity) with a crushed apple vinaigrette. A great value. Now the "and" is what will make you love or slightly dislike this place. If you love "kitchen sink" cooking then you will love how they have crafted this menu. They "jenga" a dish until it is about to fall over. If you prefer to let the ingredients (and they aren't distracting you from inferior ones) speak for themselves, then you may wish they practise a little more self restraint. In any case, the results aren't bad. The menu is a little blase. Pot pie, pot roast, burgers, sandwiches, etc. I expected a bit more panache. It doesn't stray far from its "funky" roots and we already have that. I'd like to see them take a few more chances. Service was good. I don't think the "Ash" was in the kitchen. They place seats around forty. It has a girlie decor. Prices are reasonable. They serve beer and wine. A nice gastro pubby type place. I believe it opened in March.
Saturday, September 24, 2016
George's Gourmet Cookies, Winter Park
I went here yesterday because of an article in Orlando Weekly that said this mall was an underrated food haven. I won't get into that, but, they were right about this little cookie place across from Bubbalou's. I had an oatmeal raisin cookie for $3.50. And before you start in, I thought that a bit much for one cookie as well. However, it's really two or three cookies. Of excellent pedigree. They pile the dough up so that it is almost a cupcake or a cruller. Then they drizzled icing over it like a danish or cinnamon roll. The outside was crusty. The inside was moist. Tons of walnuts (possibly pecans though I think the former). Plump raisins. Like the old man in the Bush's Baked Bean Cocina Latina commercial purrs "Smells deleeshowsh". Tastes delicious in this case. And I could care a less about sweets. The disappointing thing was that they only had three choices (out of six) available. Maybe the cookie monster beat me there. Ten points for cookie monster reference! C'mon. You just got a little happier thinking about that crack addict. They also serve a full lunch menu (so much for honesty/accuracy in advertising). I'm not sure why they don't acknowledge that. The pricing was pretty high. Maybe they are embarrassed? All sandwiches were north of $10. $10.50 for egg salad. The "specialty" sandwiches start $12 for a veggie. You do get two sides with all sandwiches. I'm not sure what they consist of since they were not on the menu. The place seats about twenty in and twenty out. The decor is pure old lady chic. You may call it Rodham-esque. I might be called on to suck it up for a lunch there, but, I really recommend the cookies. They have been serving there for two years. The menu says "est. 1989", so, I'll guess that Georgie Boy has been an owner/operator somewhere since that date. He was "in house" making food if that has any implications. Look for the strip mall on Lee Rd and 17-92/N.Orange.
King Bao, Mills Ave
I had lunch at this bao specialty spot on Mills (near the intersection with 50) yesterday. I have been meaning to go for a while (open five months), but, parking and traffic always suck around there. Luckily my car needed an oil change and my "guy" is located near enough to down there to make a slog internally debatable. Now, I guess it is a good thing when your major criticisms of a joint are the font (and logo) they selected and the art on the walls. Congestion was another issue, but, that was caused by a roly poly's lack of consideration (ordering for HER whole office or cat support group and paying for each order with a different credit card). The place serves bao (steamed rice flour buns/rolls) and tots. I had the pork belly and short rib because they were going for $7 as a package with a soda. Normally $3.50 each. They also don't allow you to choose any "seafood" options and the only other "land" option was a fried chicken one. Plus, I just had PDQ's 4 Rivers charity chicken sandwich the day before. It isn't that great btw. Why is their sauce so bad? Back to bao. The pork belly was very smoky and meaty. Just a little fat. Mostly meat. Nice hunk. That should please people who will never be hoodwinked into believing that all fat all the time is always preferable. Fittingly, it didn't have alot of flavor. The peanuts, cilantro and pickled daikon and carrots added other elements that I usually could live without in a meatwich. Especially the peanuts. But, they are traditional. The short rib portion was also generous. Same flavor issue. It was shredded short rib meat. It came with Asian pear salad and cilantro. I never would have registered the pear if I wasn't told. I had wanted to skewer the place because most hipster bao places make dense, overly sweet buns. I just had some "real ones" in Singapore and in Chinatown in Kuala Lampur (that were ethereal) and I was ready to play that card. Sadly, I can not. They do a pretty good job. All the regular baos (tofu, shrimp, crab cake, grouper, sweet potato) are under $4. They had some special baos (ie lobster roll) that peaked at $6. They have dessert baos. One is ice cream and they could expand this category. In Singapore, alot of ice cream carts made their own ice cream sandwiches with ice cream and bread or crackers. They could easily do the same if they have the freezer space. It is known to be hot around here every once in a while. The place seats twenty. Two tables and a wall counter. It was full. Mostly young people. I'll be back.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
The Taste of the Yucatan, Orlando - Closed
I popped into this Mexican restaurant two Tuesdays ago before noon on my way to the airport. It is on 436 just north (towards 50) of Curry Ford Rd. They were "beta" testing. Or was it "beta tasting"? I had a barbacoa salbut (in between a sopes and a tortilla) for $4 and a cochinita pibil soft taco for $3. I would have tried more, but, it was "unverified" and I had a fifteen hour flight sandwiched between a three and six hour flight. Not the time to be "dissatisfied" with a meal. The barbacoa meat was the better meat. The pork was too salty and dry. I'm so jet lagged that I can't even remember what they were topped with. I think they barbacoa had pickled onions and cheese. I think the pork was marinated in orange juice. The salbut (if that is what the fried cake was) was uneventful. Try one and then go back to the cheaper and healthier tortilla. In any event, they weren't loaded up with extras nor were they loaded up the same. I guess that says a little about the ethos. They take enough care to prepare different flavor profiles. The menu is different. You choose a base/container (they actually put the price for each on the menu and they differ) then you choose a meat (same pricing policy) then you choose any extras. The options are limited. I think they had four meats and one veggie option and four "bases". They had a two for one taco deal that day. Look for others. They serve beer and make their own sauces in small batches. It seats about forty. Not sure if the drive thru window is operational. Ownership was polite. He comes from the area. He spoke English (well). Seemed educated. The place looks clean and new. We aren't drowning in opportunities to sample Mexican food from the Yucatan. Especially ones with a Mayan pedigree. Give it a try. It's not a life changer, but, it doesn't have to be at these price points. Hopefully, they will fine tune the issues with the food and I can really get excited about this place. I think the hours I was told were 9am-6pm. 7pm on weekends. Google says 12-8pm. Here's their phone number if you want to check which is accurate - 407-704-2248. Now out of beta testing. I think last Friday was the launch.
Monday, September 5, 2016
Bob's Family Restaurant, OIA Area
I grabbed an egg sandwich to go before catching a plane out of town at this greasy spoon in a strip mall off Hoffner and S. Conway on Tuesday. I would have written that it (and the place is general) is just another (good or bad) run of the mill, carbon coffee diner/coffee shop. However, there was a complication that erupted later that night which centered around irritable bowels for the next two days. Now, I am willing to consider that Jersey Mikes or Papa John's or Publix frozen chicken was the real culprit, but, I can't be sure and two of the others were a little too pre or post temporal. The sandwich itself is a mess. Literally. I tried to save them from themselves by swapping out the Texas Toast for a Kaiser roll. They just lacquered that (in butter/grease) instead. The eggs were scrambled (not fried). Scrambled in that horrible "here's a folded yellow wash cloth" way. Can you at least break them in half? One swipe of a ladle? It tried ham instead of bacon or sausage because they said it wasn't just the sliced ham they make sandwiches out of. Wrong. The cheese was scant (1 slice) and indiscernible. It came with choice of potatoes. I ordered the home fries on another recommendation. They were greasy and under cooked. The meal cost $7. I believe that is 4 Egg McMuffins (on sale). I'd take the McCompetition on volume/value alone. How about you keep the potatoes and cut the cost in half? Only every other restaurant does it that way. I don't want to think what the cost to my health was. They close at three. They are closed on Monday. They menu is reductive like I said. Went here to give a pity fuck and got what I deserved. Karma is a bitch. Not because it punishes you retro-actively if you do wrong, but, because it punishes you up front when you do right.
Wednesday, August 31, 2016
Saint Anejo, Winter Springs
Like the inbred illiterate judge in the Dan Newlin commercial, this place helped me "obtain" some tacos to go at this Mexican restaurant on Red Bug Lake Rd in the strip mall that has one of those mini Wal-Marts. It is from the same people who brought you Agave Azul and La Fiesta. Somehow a place with that sort of experienced ownership just appeared on my radar. Even though it has been open for a year. It's better than it's two sister restaurants. Cleaner. Newer. More refined. Are they imitating a tequila flanking strategy? I didn't eat in because I was trying to shoe horn in another "sit down" play in Oviedo that ended up not being open for lunch. I had the carnitas taco plate for $9.50 ($12 at dinner). It was good. Not $12 good. Or $9.50 good. But, good. Street tacos that you can get at a taqueria for half the price. $9.50 gets you three tacos. The pork was a shade off perfection. Not an overwhelming amount of flavor. The meat didn't fall apart on its own. It seemed more braised in its own juices than in boiling oil. They write "Dos Equis" braised. Maybe that is the answer. Can carnitas not be braised in oil? For at least part of the process? I know. It's a devil may care time in history where everything self identifies with definition-less language. The tortillas are listed as "hand made corn". I believe they were. Raw white onion and cilantro serve as the toppings. A side of rice and beans are added. Both were fine. The rice was bathed in a vegetable or chicken stock. They fluffed the rice. I don't like when they do that. They all do that. Fluffing is for adult film ACTORS (they can't all be stars). The rest of the lunch menu STARTS at $9.5. It is basic and since it is not any cheaper and the rest of the menu is available all day, it is superfluous. The main menu is schizo. They want $7 for an ear of corn (oh wait it comes with cotija) or a soup versus $21 for a T-Bone. Well, that's really the only egregious disparity. Most of the menu is simply over priced. Guac is $10 to $13. Fajitas are $17. They are pricing themselves ala Rocco's Tacos. However they are in the middle of nowhere and they don't have an equivalent ambiance or bar scene. Those are the reasons they can charge that much. It isn't their food. If you go, at least try one of the less ubiquitous Mexican selections. A cazuelita ($14-16). Mahi Mahi in puffy tortillas ($15). Tamales ($9). The menu isn't bad. I just think you will not find it to be a value. The place looks good inside. They have a bar with some booth seating on the right, an enclosed mini kitchen in the center and regular seating in the back and on the left. It is tastefully decorated. They have some interesting grafitti near the bathroom. I seem to remember the color white and wood for the furniture. And a wall of hats. I think the place must have been a Season's 52 type place before. I cite the stacked flat rock accents as evidence. It's a nice option if you don't mind paying a premium.
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Hana Sushi, Altamonte Springs
I grabbed a sushi A lunch special to go on my way home Wednesday. It cost $10. It consisted of six pieces of nigiri and a California roll and soup or salad. The nigiri was ahi tuna, fake crab, white tuna (escolar), shrimp. salmon and a white fish with brown tips that they used to call snapper, but has always been tilapia. All the fish was fresh. Long thin cuts. Even the tuna was ok. The roll was fine too. The salad was fresh. Small portion. The rice was properly prepared. I was mildly surprised. I used to go here alot. It was always above average back in those days. I was just surprised that the quality didn't drop off after all this time and that it still is ok compared to the increased level of competition in CF. It's not world class, but, it is respectable. Prices are in line. The place hasn't changed at all inside. It's pretty bare bones. However, it hasn't seemed to have aged either. Service was quick and polite. They serve the usual stuff. Hot and cold. Some ambitious items are: yellowtail jaw (grilled), kimchi, udon, and salmon carpaccio. They are in the strip mall on the north side of 1-4 that has the DSW shoe warehouse. It seats about forty.
Camila's, I Drive
I had lunch at this Brazilian buffet in the hidden corner of this strip mall across from Peter Glenn sports outlet on Wednesday. It cost $15. I thought it would be the best in this price range (by the looks of it and the crowds). It was maybe the worst (food wise). The offerings were minimal and the quality was average. I tried the mashed potatoes, soup, fried fish, rice, shrimp, steak, chicken and some sort of meat with a livery taste (it had to be pork or beef). The MP had some sort of sour cream or sour butter mixed in. Too foreign a flavor profile for this American. I would also bet that it was made from a mix. The soup was some kind of vegetable puree. I'd guess squash. Too sweet. The fried part of the fried fish was tasty. You couldn't really taste the fish which was probably for the best since a buffet probably buys frozen tilapia or swai. The rice was old. Crunchy basmati. The shrimp were a mushy mess. Obviously over boiled AND frozen. It came in some kind of cloying butter sauce that somehow took on an orange color. Talk about being thrown a curve by my lyin' eyes. I thought it would be a sweet orange sauce. Not that that would have been preferable. The chicken was baked and surprisingly white meaty. It looked like top thigh cut. I'm still not sure how I get tricked by chicken butchering. I've had about a million chickens in my life. That's on me. The "liver" meat is self explanatory. The steak was grainy. I think sliced rump or skirt. I'll never master beef butchering. This is what I mostly ate. It was fine if you cut it up against the bias. The things I wouldn't touch were: stale bread, wilted salad, ugly side dishes, some kind of hot dog stew, and A few other things so nondescript that I've forgotten already. As you can see, the competition has more. The place looks good. It is all white. Modern furniture. It looks like some kind of weird euro-cafe or Japanese hospital. I didn't love the horrible sound system. The only thing worse than listening to Portuguese gibberish on TV is listening to it coming out of a tweeter. Service was good. The check says the add a 10% tip and then the check has a tip line too. They say the buffet is $15. I'm not sure why they just don't say - tip included. They also have a "club" next door that didn't seem to be open on this day. Parking is an issue. All in all, I would recommend all the others. However, the distance between any of them is not that great. They have a place in Miami. I think they have been in this location for over a year. There are probably enough "other reviews" on line to help you make the call.
Friday, August 19, 2016
1921, Mount Dora
I should probably take a breath and write about this place when I have more energy, but, I'm too excited and I want to be the first to weigh in on this excellent new endeavour. It just opened last week. It is on 4th and Baker. It is run by Norman Van Aken of Norman's at The Ritz. They describe it as modern Florida cuisine. The menu consists of about six bar snacks, six appetizers and eight main courses. They had things like flounder carpaccio, crab cocktail, Florida chowder, chaufa (Peruvian fried rice) with octopus, red snapper, grouper, duck, steak, etc. I chose a Caesar salad (mainly because it was the cheapest thing) and Fried Cornish Hen with mac and cheese and cola flavored collards. The salad was phenomenal. It cost $8. It was huge. Crisp romaine. Tiny croutons (I usually toss those). A refreshing dressing that was more citrus flavored than anchovy flavored. Beautiful. The hen was so big that I questioned whether they subbed in a chicken. They said it was sourced near by and was a CGH. I actually would have preferred a whole (this was a sectioned breast and drum quarter), tiny fowl. This one didn't have much flavor. They said they brined it. Not sure if that unlocked or blocked the natural flavor. The batter was sweet. I never found out what they put in it. The crust came off too easily, so, it either was too wet when they dipped it or the oil wasn't hot enough. The collards were very sweet. It also seemed like there was some other element (other than cola) in the mix. Some kind of stewed fruit or veg. They were very good and I'm not a "sides" guy. The piece de resistance though was the mac and cheese. Outrageous. Maybe the best in the world. That is right. THE WORLD. It is some concoction of elbow macaroni (cooked perfectly) and manchego and another cheese that one guy said started with a F and another said was cave something or other. It came in a ramekin. Big portion of a potent side. The meal cost $24. Prices are understandably high. I think they topped out at $40. But, you really only need a main or two apps/snacks. They don't pull the usual BS of high prices AND tiny portions. The place looks nice. They did the best they could. White walls. Tables made out of tree stump cross sections. Gold framed art. It reminded me of a Klimt painting. Not sure if Norman is Austrian, but, I have seen this type of near Eastern oriental influenced Continental decorating in many Austrian homes. It was a style craze in the early twentieth century (I think. Maybe earlier). The one element I didn't like was the drapery in the middle and end of the main room. They just seemed old and dirty and a tad too Arab-esque. The space is divided into three sections. The main room is "down stairs". It is the biggest. It seats about sixty. Lighting is a little low there. There is also a bar (with an outside patio with additional seats at the bar) with seating around it. And a room between the bar and the entrance. It seats about thirty. Oh and a private room. The kitchen is open. You see it from the entrance. Tons of staff. The walls on the outside are also white. You enter on 4th into a little alcove. The service was good. Plenty of knowledgeable staff who are engaged. My waiter commutes from Winter Park for the chance to work with these people. They have a uniform (chambray shirts and jeans). The food came out at a decent pace. You will probably need reservations in the future (except bar area), but, they fit me in at a table even though I had flip flops on and road beard. The crowd was a mish mosh. White haired, hippie artists, Brazilians, frumpy locals (dressed up and not dressed up), etc. I wonder how long they will allow this to go on. I guess I hope they don't become detached from the community that surrounds them. Time will tell. In any case, run don't walk to be part of this experience. Definitely a destination spot. It will be on the Best of 2016 list.
Buzzard Beach, Tavares
I tried a hot dog at this little shack on the lake on 441 on Thursday. I was coming back on 75 and wanted to knock it out. You will remember I mentioned it a few months ago when I last went through Tavares. I thought it just had hot dogs. They also have alot of other things. Sandwiches and platters that include lobster salad, fried oysters, grouper, bbq pork for example. The hot dog was a quarter pound, grilled Hebrew National. It cost $3.50. It was ok. A little over grilled. The shack was screened in. People have written stuff all over the walls and beams. People were having a beer or two. It seats about seventy. Chill, low key vibe. Country music. It's basically a food truck with attached dining room.
Hog Heaven, Daytona Beach
I thought this place was a little closer to Aunt Catfish's, so, I decided to knock it off the list and literally wash the bad taste out of my mouth. It's on N. Atlantic Ave (A1A) near the convention center. It has been there since 1978. I had some mix of scraps (pork, beef, chicken) that I forget the name of. It was a sandwich. It cost $7. It was chopped and drowned in a sweet sauce. It was pretty gross. The bun stunk. I knew it was a risky bet. Oh well. Maybe their other stuff (ribs, brisket, pork, chicken and chops) are better. The place looks pretty new for never being renovated. It looks like a log cabin. It was clean. It's still an open question on whether you should try it or not. Up to you.
Aunt Catfish's, Port Orange
I started my road trip eight days ago at this seafood restaurant on Halifax Dr (really at the bridge off US1 and exit 256 I think). It was unsurprisingly underwhelming. I had a lunch combo for $9 and a salt and pepper shark basket for $9. I chose a soup (mix of clam and fish chowder they call flowder or something like that) and a half shrimp blt wrap for the combo. The soup was good. Only a small cup though. The blt was ok. 4 shrimp. Little to no bacon. The shark (though plentiful) was dry on dry. Dry shark made drier through the seasoning and breading. It was fried nuggets. It came with limp, greasy fries. Both meals came with a hush puppy and that gives me an excuse to tell you that P. Alllen Smith says hush puppies are so named because people used to take their leftover batter and toss it in the grease and give it to their hungry dogs. Both dishes also came with a terrible cinnamon roll. They tasted like a paper wrapper was baked in. There was also some cole slaw in the mix of one of the meals. The lunch combo I had was only one of the variations you could order. Most of the pricing on the exhaustive menu was out of whack, but, not unusual for these tourist traps. My meals were some of the cheapest. The place is on the intercoastal. It seats 100+. It is mostly all enclosed. They have a little "playground" area. The interior is dated. Service was slow. They charged $3 for a soda in a mason jar filled with ice that tasted of dish soap. No refill was offered until the check came (first time I had a chance to complain). When I stated my displeasure with the soapy taste, they could have deducted the cost of the barely touched soda. they didn't. And that, in a nutshell, is what this place is all about. It's a meat grinder. They obviously do enough business and the clientele is so undemanding that they have a take it or leave it ethos. I experienced nothing to recommend it to you.
Saturday, August 6, 2016
El Paso, Sanford
I tried this ten month old Tex-Mex place on 46 (was a terrible Asian buffet place) on Thursday. Mall side of I-4. I had the lunch El Paso's Favorito for $9. It was poop-orito. The main issue was the ingredients. They were the cheapest around. The "ground" beef was salty mush. Same going in as going out. Jack in the Box bad. The cheese was the worst kind of jack/cheddar/etc blend. I wouldn't be surprised if they bought the supermarket blend. A chemical concoction. All oil. No dairy. It was also so salty that I removed all of it. And there was alot. Those two things were the main components in the burrito, hard shell taco and enchilada. So, they all sucked. The "chalupa" was really a tostada. It was just beans and guac. The guac was too salty as well. The one ok component was the tamale that served as the coating for the enchilada. Once again I'm not sure what planet they are from, but, I've never seen an enchilada in a tamale. I've had a tamale stuffed with ground beef, but, it was called a tamale. The only good part of the meal was the free part. The chips and two dips were good. The salsa had just enough heat and the black bean dip was tasty (not salty). They have a humongous menu. That would usually be the smoking gun, but since Mexican food is six ingredients re-purposed a million ways, the blame must lie elsewhere. That menu has vegetarian, seafood (mostly shrimp) and the usual Mexican assortment. They cleaned up the place. It's now black and brown and red. There are rustic murals on the wall. They retained the bar. It looks much like the Bennigan's (or whatever) it started as. And that is the level. Mexican Bennigan's. Mexigan's. It's amazing that Sanford is still the only shitty neighborhood in CF that can't at least brag about one decent Mexican restaurant. This place received third place in some magazine they invade my mail box with. Even if there were two Mexican places in the region they queried, they wouldn't come in third. And I don't mean two others. Just two. Paso on El Paso. No refills offered. The music they played (loudly) was inappropriate for a non-teen Mexican clientele. Maybe at a quincenera/baby shower..
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)