At lunch on Wednesday I decided to clean up all those neighboring spots that I mentioned in the post on Saporito and add one more in the area. The first is right after the mall off 50 (at the 408 entrance which is Clarke St on the north side of 50). The second is on Maguire (further towards Winter Garden with a left off 50) on the right before the light. The rest are in the strip mall to the left of that light (Old Winter Garden Rd).
Inay's Kitchen - This is a Filipino restaurant open for a year. I had a beef and vegetable stew (mechado) with rice and two mini spring rolls for $7. It was fine. Probably the stuff you see sold in supermarkets as cubes (chuck I think). It had carrots and onions and potatoes in it. Not very Asian flavored. Brown sauce. The rice was a bit crusty (old). The spring rolls were the best thing. The place was empty and I think most (at least at non-special days and times) just walk to the counter in the back and get some of the "buffet" items to go. I probably could/should have done that. It wasn't a very attractive location. Black and white (and a mish mosh of accents) coloring with old furniture and decorations. They were blasting the tv and radio. You felt like you were invading a stranger's living room. They surely treated the space as such. Closed on Monday. You would have to really want Filipino food to make the trip out here.
West Orange Creamery - It was past 2pm when I got here, so, they were open. I was a glow with my brown butter bourbon (with chocolate chunks) cone for $3 when I spotted Hershey's ice cream containers in the fridge near the door. It turns out that not only are they too lazy to open before 2pm, they are too lazy to make their own ice cream. Kudos to Hershey's though. Who knew they made ice cream? Good ice cream. This place also makes (I hope so anyway) shakes and old fashioned sodas and other old timey things. They said they are open earlier when school is out. They have been open for two years.
Prime Mediterranean Grill - I grabbed a doner kabob sandwich to go for $8. It was very good. They shave off real beef in lieu of that meatloaf stuff you usually see. I had a nice, unobtrusive flavor to it. The garlic sauce was ok and the vegetable were fresh-ish. They serve it on the thinner pita. Lavosh, I believe. They have been open for a few months. Only location. Owner is Turkish. They serve the usual as platters or sandwiches. Nice, clean. modern looking location. Pleasant attitude.
Negril - I grabbed curry chicken roti at this Jamaican spot next to Prime. They have three locations and I think I have been to one. I didn't eat this until the next day and the roti bread separated. It was a chick pea dust storm. I'm not sure if the delay caused that or that's what they served me to begin with. The chicken was not deboned and it is as curious to me how certain cultures think this is acceptable for a sandwich. Like when you get a bone in rib sandwich. It is exasperating. The chicken (drum and four other hunks) was dry-ish. The curry was bland. I had it with rice that I cooked myself because of the condition of the roti and the bones making it unsuitable for a sandwich. This also cost $8 and if I were to make a recommendation for a use of $8, I would pick the gyro at Prime over this. They have a pretty extensive menu. Breakfasts also. Different size portions starting at $3. The place is just a little take out square that seats about six. They have been open for eight years.
Joe's Pizza - This is your usual pizzeria. It is closer to Maguire. I grabbed the two slice/soda special for $5. The crust looked over floured, but, it was ok. Big slices. What you expect from American pizza. It also has a full menu. The place is a rectangular spot with sparse décor. Nothing out of the ordinary. Open for ten years.
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