Lale, Lake Mary - Closed *SC/PA/VT/NH/NY Travel Notes

I tried this Turkish restaurant near Friendly Confines on 46a on Monday night. I grabbed lamb kofte ($20) to go. This is at least the third name change here. I was told that the original owners are back. I think that is when it was Istanbul. It was Aspendos most recently. See either post for a more detailed review. Since the place has looked exactly the same throughout and the menu has as well, I see no need to repeat myself. Some dishes they call "sautes" could be different. Maybe pide is new. This kofte could have been lamb or beef. I only tasted the spice. The lunch price is $13. That is a fairer price. You probably get less than the 7 meat patties though. It came with rice. Not bad. Salad. Ok. There was one table seated for dinner.

*Travel Notes - SC/PA/VT/NH/NY: Ok. Things of interest from my trip to New Hampshire (Mt Washington of the Presidential range - for the present anyway) that was financed by what I was given for joining the protests going on at the time. It was more than they offer during Election Day. It helps to be in the company of young white girls that they want in the visuals. Not sure if I'd make the cut otherwise. And they leave the mau mauing to themselves. No chance to cash in on that.

My first stop was in Charleston at a bbq place on Savannah Highway on the way into the city proper. It's been on 3D and MvF, Zimmern, etc called Bessinger's. It was ok. Ribs were dry. Pork was ok. I also went to Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ. It's a little north and center of the main southern part of the city (King and Grove). Not the greatest neighborhood, but, nobody threw anything at my car. You can park in the shopping center next door. It was great. Having all parts of the pig mashed together is so much better than pork shoulder alone. The first thing I've tried in a while that lived up to the hype. Another Bessinger offshoot happened to be near my hotel in Mt Pleasant (over the Ravenal Bridge and a cheaper and safer place to stay). It was called Melvin's Ribs and Que. A brother or something. I had a Big Joe's Pork Sandwich. It was ok. The next unique thing I had was a sausage sandwich with onions, peppers, mustard, ketchup and potatoes at Nino's in Stroudsburg PA (near Poconos and Delaware Water Gap NRA). He said it was Jersey style. Impossible to eat. I had a great egg sandwich and chicken salad with pecans and grapes at Mon Vert Café in Woodstock VT. If you are ever there. Richest, orange-ist eggs ever. At a place called Over the Wall in Stowe VT, I had some great smoked Chinese spare ribs and other things. But, the menu also had some intriguing combos. Feijoada (sp?) Bean Taco. Green Chorizo Gyoza. I had a fish taco with chili salt. That small element had impact. At The Deli Downtown in Cortland NY, I had Grasshopper Pie Ice Cream. Mint ice cream with fudge swirls and crème filled cookie pieces. Interesting. I guess that's it. I ate a lot of fast food due to fatigue or lack of options. Learned that Harris Teeter is a market and not an electronics store. The NE was just opening restaurants and bars. I stayed away from cities (more choices) because of fear of violence (to my rental car).

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Planet Pizza (Closed), Blackbeard's Inn and Frozen Gold

I tried these places in different locations around town on Monday. I picked the first because the two "real" restaurants around it were closed for lunch. One (Norwood's) was getting cleaned because of Wu Flu. Not sure what the deal was on the other (Garlic something or other).

Planet Pizza - Just a low level Italian place. I grabbed two slices with a soda for $5 to go because I didn't really think they were up to more (or I wasn't going to bet on it) and I wanted to hit the beach. The slices were predictably below average. Thick dough. Thick, stolid cheese (chemical based). Weird cracker/toast like crust (straw on its side sized). They also sell hot subs, three salads, wings, calzone, ziti, shells, apps and gyros. I may have chanced a gyro, but, I couldn't see the spit. Probably for the best. It's a small place. seats about sixteen. It's on the road with the bridge (44) over the Intercoastal across from the Publix shopping area.

Blackbeard's Inn - They are on US1 (Dixie Fwy) just north of town. They opened forty years ago. A real relic. Two dining room and a bar area. I just grabbed a shrimp cocktail ($8) and a Key Lime Pie ($6) because it was only 4pm and I didn't trust the price to quality proposition they presented. The shrimp (7 mediums) were ok. They said they made their own pie and it was very good. Tart. Nice crust. A little pricey. They serve a huge menu. Land and sea. A menu from forty years ago. That's the type of place it is. Now it all comes down to how they source (and prepare) their menu. If it's fresh and local then you can live with (and maybe revel) it. If it is an insult of frozen garbage, then it is a real tourist trap. The prices are pretty high. High teens and up. The early bird (until 6pm) menu isn't that much of a bargain either. Cheapest thing (tenders or clam strips) is $14. I just read that dinners come with chowder, salad bar, hush puppy, roll, side and home made cinnamon roll. So, maybe it's not that bad a deal. They also have a raw bar. It seats over one hundred. It was kind of full. Service was fast. It's very wood themed. Some tacky decoration. So bad it's in?

Frozen Gold - They are on the way back to I-4 on 44. Near the Harley dealership. I've been there before. They've been there forever. I had to have a shake. I settled on a float. I asked for a strawberry and Coke. They heard soft serve vanilla and Coke with a scoop of strawberry. Not a total F up. I just had to pay around two bucks extra. It ended up costing $6 for a large. A large shake was running $3.75 ($1 off that day). They sell popsicles, Italian ice, splits, sundaes, "desserts", hot dogs, nachos and pretzels. Open from 11:30am. No seating.

*The next post will be short and have the travel info. Quick question. If bars are closed, won't people just house party? Isn't that LESS regulated and it hurts businesses in the state? I say this as someone who doesn't go to bars anymore (in Orlando) because the goods are odd and I don't want a DUI.

The Dancing Crab, Altamonte Springs

I tried this Cajun "boil" place (on 436 near 434) on Sunday. I grabbed a pound of crawfish to go. Let me start by saying I was already angry when I realized not only was this almost duplicative of the place across 434 that I just reviewed, it replaced the shitty steak place (Manny's) I wasted my time and money reviewing just a few months earlier. I really love being the last rat off (or in this case on) a sinking ship. The crawfish cost $12. It was the cheapest exit ramp. They were tough and flavorless. either over boiled or frozen or both. It came with "shrunken head" corn (2 pieces) and two slabs of potatoes. Nothing like the beautifully fresh (and less expensive) ones I had at The Shed in Mississippi weeks back. They also do some fried apps, soups and (be scared) oysters. I'd shy away. They did next to nothing to the cheesy Fifties diner décor. They added some nets to the ceiling and put up some blatantly plastic fish. They also added a dj. The music varied from eighties white man over bite pop to mumble rap. All too loud. The meal took forever and a day to come out. I had to have it tracked down. The place won't last much longer than the last place. Surprisingly, it isn't run by them. Must have graduated from the same restaurant management program. I'm kidding of course. No chance they put in that kind of effort.

*I'll have more to say on the subject when I get to the last places I ate this week. But, I wanted to relate that the tiny span of time in which restaurants (fast food most notably) evinced concern over hygiene is over. Back to stomach woes. And I would also like to let you know that much of rise in Wu Flu cases may not just be protest or hormonal related. Driving in and out of the state I saw many, many foreign plates coming and going. Our state has to have absorbed tons of tourists (more volume) bringing their germs with them. Governor Homo should acknowledge this when he tries to embarrass Florida. A large portion of these people came from his state. As they did at the outset as well. And they are doing it to escape his policies. Everyone outside of Southern NY (and I only say this because I wouldn't go there) reviled him when I asked. He is a cause along with the others. Once again he is exporting his problems elsewhere. This time it is to us instead of nursing homes.

Cavo's, Thornton Park

I tried this pseudo-Italian (Philadelphia) place on E Washington in Thornton Park (old Graffiti Junction) on Sunday at lunch. First we had Beyond Meat. Now we have Beyond Boring. The place looks kind of nice (lots of lightly stained wood, big bar and booths with seats along the wall). That only makes the lackluster menu more of a conundrum. They have five apps that all have entrée prices ($11-$13). Arancini is the only mildly ambitious offering (wings, two sprouts and bacon wrapped shrimp). The rest of the menu is comprised of two salads and eight sandwiches. Three are Italian chicken parm. meatball and pork). I had the roast pork Italiano. I suppose this is a cheapened riff on a pork with broccoli rabe (ala DaNic's). It was bad. The roll (not freshly sourced from anyone of distinction) was stale. The spinach was mush. Probably from the frozen food aisle or a can. The gravy was horrendous and ubiquitous. It had a familiar flavor. Like the turkey gravy in a fast food dinner. I can't place it. But, it's some abomination your delinquent parents probable exposed you to as a child. I couldn't taste the provolone and I removed the red peppers. It cost $13. It wasn't large or stuffed. It came with noting on the side. I won't be back. Spiro's is a much better call and close by.

*I have a sushi brainstorm. What if you take a cube of whatever fish and roll a ball of rice around it (like arancini) and then just slice it in half. Wouldn't that be a cool presentation? Half roll. Half nigiri. It would also stand out on the plate more dramatically. I see it laying at a forty five degree angle. You could also coat the rice like a roll. I'm thinking golf ball size, but, you could go bigger.

Toll Road Brewing Company, Ocoee

I tried this brewery in the tiny old town of Ocoee today. You take 50 down to Maguire and make a right and follow the road down (stay right at any forks and pass a church) to W McKey. I had their Sun Ryes IPA for $5 for an 8ozer. It was very good. But, as I was driving, I only had half of it. They do around seven of their own brews and serve about the same of other breweries. It's a cute place. Tables, bar, patio. They have been open for two years. They had a food truck up front. I think it was Creole based food. I grabbed some food elsewhere later on. I'll tell you about them and my latest road trip in the next posts. Teaser - Rodney Scott's BBQ in Charleston (used to be in the boonies) is the real deal. Best pork ever!

Genetic Brewing, Lake Mary - Closed

I tried this newly opened brewery in a strip mall behind some second tier gas station on Lake Emma Rd and Lake Mary Blvd on Saturday. They said they will do small batches and mix it up almost every go round. I had a $10 flight of their Flip Flhops Blonde Ale, Enzy IPA, Blonde Stout and another brewery's beer. Then another of other brewery's beer. They also made a lemonade (can't do cider because of some ordinance) and one other beer that I wasn't in the mood for. All were mostly above average. Not very strong. It was a fun afternoon. The few people there were interesting and the owner came in a passed around samples of some of his experiments. Some other people came in with an expensive aged beer and shared that. The time slipped by. The place seats about ten at the bar (because of distancing). The room is smallish. The décor is minimal. Wood accents. Very start up looking. A glass of beer was $6 to $7. They had ten or so other breweries on tap. A eclectic selection. I had a really good time there and can't wait to go back. Like being at a friends house.

Grub Crawl - Sanford: Grain & Ember and Genghis Juan's (Closed)

I tried these food stalls in Henry's Depot on West First St at lunch on Thursday. There were places to eat there, but, I got this to go.

Grain & Ember - They prepare "red" and "white" personal (approx. 10") pies with toppings (they have a few unique ones like boquerones or white anchovies). I think they had a few other items too. I was just there for a regular red pie. There wasn't a lot of red to it. Nor much cheese. I would guess they were a notch above ketchup and oil based cheese. The crust was very good. Good char. Thin. Toothy. No flour taste. Not crumbly. No air bubbles. Wood fire oven. It cost $12. Toppings cost $3. I believe the owner is of Spanish decent. Explains the boquerones. *12/21/2020 - I think they opened a branch in Maitland.

Genghis Juan's - They try and do an Asian-Mexican dance. 6 tacos, 2 burritos and 2 baos. I had two tacos and a bao. The bao was the best by far. The two tacos were way too salty. I had a pork carnitas taco and an ancho chili (their spelling) chicken taco and a ginger pork bao. All were $3.50. The tacos were piled high with meat. The bao had a slab or pork belly. The tacos came with cabbage, onions, salsa verde, pico and cilantro. Or should have. No salsa verde. Could have used some queso anejo. Came on flour tortillas which we all know is a no no. Not grilled long enough either. The bao was supposed to come with pickled cucumber, carrots, hot sauce, scallions, shiso and sesame seeds. The last three were awol. Perhaps out rioting (err protesting). Too soon? They also have bulgogi, fish, duck and chorizo.

*The ice cream place and the poke place were still closed. Though you could buy the ice cream at Grain & Ember.

** I forgot to tell you of a fast food place in northeast Tennessee. It was called Pal's. I didn't try it. Long drive thru lines. It looked cute. Big hot dog facades. Old timey feel.