Jinya, Thornton Park

Today I had lunch at this ramen bar on N. Summerlin Ave (near the 7-11). It opened a few months ago. It is part of a chain that started in LA. I had a Jinya pork bun for $4 and a Sukiyaki Q bowl for $14. The bun was ok. The place on Mills is better. The bun was a little moist. Like it had been defrosted. The pork wasn't oozing umami. The ramen bowl was ok (lacked contrast). The place in Chinatown has better. The pork broth was very viscous. Adding hot sauce didn't help. They put too much onion in and it tasted like it had been battered and that batter disintegrated into the broth making it even pastier. What there was of the beef was very fatty and cut into indigestible long strips. The "six minute" egg was cooked around that. Not cut in half. Unnecessary in this one note (savory) compilation. The noodles were ok. You can add another helping of noodles for $2.50. I was watching a show last night called Food Flirts. They learned how to make ramen noodles. It's simple. All purpose flour, salt, water and some kind of liquid baking soda. I think I'm more likely to make my own noodles than try this spot again. I guess slicing raw fish and steaming beans isn't rocket science either, but, I just don't get the hysteria over these things. They also have "tacos". But, they are $6 a piece. Most ramen bowls are $13. They try and pimp you to add in add ons  They have a few rice dishes and some other Japanese go tos. They have a fairly large sake and craft beer selection. Some wine. The place seats 16 in the back, 14 right in front of that (communal high top), 8 or more at the bar (moving forwards towards the entrance) and a few tables at the door. The color scheme is red (brick wall) black and wood. They have some fake green grass on the walls. Glassless, iron ceiling fixtures. It looks like a hip izakaya. Service was good. However, the bus boy just scraped the dirt (etc) onto the floor and seats and used a paper towel (no disinfectant) on the table. It was about half full. A "bun" place failed around the corner just recently. This is kind of the same menu. It will be interesting to see how different this appeal will be to the neighborhood. I would like it at half the price. At this price I want a "real" meal.

Dajen Eats, Eatonville

I had lunch at this vegan spot on East Kennedy Ave on Thursday. I had a one meat (chicken) entree with beans and rice (can have salad) for $9. It was good. The rice was over fluffed and overcooked. That seems to be par for the course at Jamaican places. It had a fruity sauce mixed in. That added to the mushiness. The beans were done properly/ The chicken was good. Too good. It was air fried. I swear it wasn't tempah or whatever they use. It had "strings" when you cut it up. I think it could have been real chicken. But, this is a vegan place. Maybe they accommodate others? They also had a beef option. Four in all. Make sure you ask if you go. The chicken serving was small. One, coaster sized unit. The place looks like a cute book store. It had some honkies in there. It is on the main street through town. I came from the Maitland side. You go down some road off Orange (Copper Rocket intersection) and that road became Kennedy near the Birds of Prey Sanctuary. I'm not sure how long they have been open, but, I think it is recently. At this location anyway. They said they had been at Lee Rd and Edgewater or whatever they call it when it runs through Lee). They do breakfast.

*I think I have failed to mention a food item that I had in Germany. It's a great franchise opportunity. It was called a schneeballen. That means snowball in German. It is a ball of pastry strips layered into a ball and deep fried. Then they top it with powdered sugar and it looks like a snowball. Now they have many varieties of them. Some with the inside space filled.

Kai, Winter Park

I had dinner at this Asian Street Fare restaurant on Wednesday. I had LeGit Wontons for $7 and Legendary Garlic Noodles with Shrimp for $10. The wontons were boiled or poorly steamed. Sticky/tacky skin.  5 pieces. A pork and shrimp mix that you would think I would know by now basically means pork. They were served in a lemongrass and sweet fish sauce. They were ok. They have a spicy version at the same price. The noodles are an ode to some "famous" ones in San Francisco. The chef said Crustacean. I think they do a dungeness crab one. I'm not sure if that is what they use here. They are what they purport to be - garlic noodles. There is so much garlic in there that I reserved a third for the next night and added another bowl of pasta and I still have some garlic left over. And I overdosed on the intake at both seatings. I'm sure that is how it is meant to be and it didn't effect me in a bad way, but, it just seemed so decadent. The garlic is sweet. It is garlic and oil. The shrimp were ok. Probably frozen. Small to medium size. Around seven. Their crab version costs $15. The menu is small. An egg roll, soup, wings, fries, tacos and a curry dish. Four more options at lunch. This is the fourth time I've been to this spot (a strip mall near Howell Branch Rd). The kitchen is against one wall. They repainted in gray and black. Some wood elements. It seats about twenty. You order at a counter. It's casual. I liked the ethos. I'll probably go back. I like the variety. It's like a food truck. Kai means chicken in Thai if you were wondering. I think they opened this summer. Closed on Monday.

Dancing Pigs Deli, Belle Isle (Closed)

I had lunch at this deli on South Orange Ave a little over a week ago. I had a pork taco and a "steer" sandwich. The taco cost $3. The pork was of a pulled variety. It was good. They loaded it up like an American would. That was a bit sloppy. Generally acceptable. The sandwich was made up of their in house roasted beef with grilled onions and goat cheese. The combo wasn't really working until I broke down and tried the jus. I thought it was a culinary mismatch, but, it tied the bland cheese and meat together. And I guess now is the time to remind everyone that it is jus (as in juice) not "au jus" which means "with juice". So, one does not have "au jus". One has "jus" or orders the sandwich with juice (au jus). The roast beef was very rare. It was sliced to thick for my taste. It was also a little gray (old?).  The roast beef at Jersey Mike's (for example) is better in comparison. The sandwich was sloppily constructed. One side had almost all the onions. The cheese was smeared around the edges. It came with a side. I chose potato salad. It was the best thing.  It cost $8. They also serve hot dogs, salad, soup and sides. They have around sixteen sandwiches. Things like: muffaletta, Cubans, reubens, Italian beef and beef on a weck. They say the get bread from Buffalo, Tampa, NY, NO and Philly. They make pastrami, lamb, turkey and pork. The place is small. A few tables. Seats around eight. It is hard to pick up off the road. Next to and abandoned gas station in a strip mall. They sell little finished goods in the store. They have been open for three years. Probably not a destination spot.

*A few recommendations if you are going to NYC - Juliana's Pizza (under the Brooklyn Bridge) any pie, Jacques Torres Chocolates (under Brooklyn Bridge) flour less chocolate cake for $3, Epicerie Boulud (Lincoln Center) breakfast sandwich with ham, The Casbah food cart (Lincoln Center) lamb gyro for $4, and Parm (71st and Columbus) chicken parm.

**Can some one tell me why my blog doesn't come up even in the first page of results on the search engine that owns the blog company I use and it comes up number one on Duck Duck Go? Thanks Google.So glad I didn't choose Word Press.

Arooga's Grille House & Sports Bar, Winter Park

I tried this fairly new sports bar on 436 near University Ave (next to Full Sail) today at lunch. It is the only "southern" location to date. The chain is based in Harrisburg PA. I had a meatball sub because the rest of the lunch special menu was just as uninspiring and I didn't want to pay twice as much for something off the regular menu. *Side note - I was planning on trying a new Asian street food place nearby, but, they are closed on Monday. The special cost $9 and came with fries (a side) and a soda. It was an ok sub. Only long enough to hold four, golf ball sized meatballs. If you told me they buy them by the bag full, I wouldn't be surprised. Not bad. Just not special. They tried for a little pizazz with the presentation by angling the two halves and making the cheese spill out. The fries were those gross battered kind. They have burgers, ribs, salad, Mexican, wraps, quinoa bowl, etc. Some fun things like pierogis, vegetable kielbasa and a donut grilled cheese. There are tvs all over. Two super sized ones. It is split into two sections and a patio. The front section has the bar. The color scheme is gray, red and black with wood. High, exposed ceilings. It seat over 100. Service was fine. As good as the others (Duffy's, Gator's, etc). They serve most nationally distributed "craft" beers. The wine selection was poor. They serve cocktails. It does what it is meant to do.