Grub Crawl - Waterford Lakes and UCF Area: Wine 4 Oysters, Hangry Dobo, Kung Fu Tea, Soupa Saiyon University, Las Carretas and Shaka Shaka Tea House

I'm going to combine some of these from today and yesterday because it makes more sense geographically. I can't believe I'm missing the fourth quarter of the Chiefs-Bengals for this. The first one is way south on South Alafaya Trail (past Curry Ford). In Waterford Lakes. The next three are on University around UCF. The last two are also on University. Up on Goldenrod. I went to the first four on Saturday at lunch. The last two today apres lunch. It wasn't the plan.

Wine 4 Oysters - The OW made me aware of them (somehow) maybe two years ago. They have been languishing on the list because of their location and mostly dinner (M-F) hours. I tried. I just never drove far enough to spot them. They are near a community called Eastwood. In the Eastwood Shoppes. Look for a Publix. Google Maps says Winn Dixie. They said they have been open for four years. So, the OW was late to the party to begin with.  It was much smaller than I thought. And way less shacky. It's really a wine bar that sells things that go with it. They have a portion of the menu that is all oysters. Mostly Gulf ones (they said). They were selling Texas ones. They only sell raw ones by the dozen. So, the two halves added up to zero for me. Didn't want twelve warm water oysters. They cost a reasonable $20 by the way. The rest come with some flavoring or cooked. I did wade in with the oyster stew soup for $8. It had a thin, cream (more milk like) broth with some red (probably hot sauce) mingled in. Chock full of mussel sized oysters. A little mushy. Probably where the leftovers end up. And then may bathe until ordered. It came with a slice of bread. It was soft. Crusty would have been better. And that's the feeling you get. It could be better. I tried to pair the stew with a reasonably priced main. That was in lieu of just trying a main. A non-oyster one in an oyster place too. I chose the lamb tacos. Good in volume. Poor is quality. Very dry. Probably were good at one time. I wonder if they mass cook on Monday and then mete out the results over the week. The slaw and fat tortillas were good. Showed effort. The lamb just killed it. Two tacos. The place is a narrow rectangle. Cutely decorated. Soft tones. Bar on left. The owner (Russian woman) was the service. Two families and a couple while I was there. Chinese, Vietnamese and Russian, if I were to guess. The menu had some surprises like 4 claws of stone crab for $20 and Russian "ravioli". Around ten "surf" option and ten "turf" options. Probably deserves your consideration. If you aren't too far from it.

Hangry Dobo - In the strip mall on the corner of University and South Alafaya Trail. Open for one year. Tiny. narrow place. Ready to go buffet area and seated dining. I chose take out. Chose a small Pata Tim because it sounded funny and I don't think I've had that before. Good call. Soft, tasty braised pork in a spiced vinegar marinade. Around a pound of it. I think it cost $ 9 or $12. They may have given me the large. No printed receipt to consult. A two item combo with rice was $13. Pretty big selection. They even have sisig. Decor looks worn for the length of ownership. It's Filipino, if that wasn't apparent.

Kung Fu Tea - Only tried it because it was next to Dobo. Had a white grape punch. I think it should have cost $4. I think they added boba and charged $5.50. Totally gross. Super sweet. Boba added to the grossness and wasn't good boba anyway. A chain. Few in Florida. Open for eight months. 

Soupa Saiyon University - I recently realized that I tried the original (Universal area) a while ago. Didn't love it. Didn't love this. Had soup there. Had steamed dumplings here. Chicken, shrimp and pork. All sucked. Straight from the frozen food aisle. I remember buying a bag (20+) of similar dumplings for $4. These cost $4 per order. In other news, the place was packed at 2:30pm. It's in the old Taco Bus location near Rouse. Open for two months. Place looks like a hip manga comic book store. Black with lots of murals. Order at the counter. 

Las Carretas - Mexican. Open for four months? One of those "trying to be classy" places like Don Julio. Went to it because the temp at the OW reviewed it. Not really worthy of the effort. Had a pork tamale and chicken enchilada to go because I wasn't in the mood for Mexican and the prices were pretty high. High teens or more. For basics like a plate of tacos, for instance. These were a la carte. $4 a piece. enchilada was bad. Dry chicken. raw tortilla. Bland sauce. Tamale was better. Came with cheese and green tomatillo salsa. They also threw in chips and water salsa. Chips were multi-colored. Holy shit. Cincinnati is going to win! Huge menu. All the regulars. Place is modern. Blue. Big outdoor patio. Bar in back. L shaped interior. Booths. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Shaka Shaka Tea House - Grabbed a black plum smoothie while waiting for food. Next to Las Carretas. Open for four years. Hawaiian twist on Chines/Taiwanese tea stuffs. Smoothie cost $5. Ok. Fresh. 

*Tried to bring you fried chicken news from new Korean one on 50 and/or Jam in WP. Both had forty minute waits at 3pm on Sunday. Are we all becoming Spanish? An Asian place on Lake Howell turned out to be closed as well. And I also drove through Avalon Park while at Wine 4 Oysters. Didn't see much to sample. It's near the nuclear power plant. Further south on South Alafaya Trail. Stoneybrook golf course is nearby too. 

Grub Crawl - Lake Mary: Frozen, Stackd Brownies, Cocina Maya and Royal Rasoi

I tried these spots over the last week. The first is on 46A. I tried it because I was trying out the new Halal Guys. It is next door. The second is down the first left (Home Depot) off I-4 (I believe that is Primera Blvd) in an gray office building at 605. The third is all the way back towards Altamonte Springs on 17-92. In a strip mall near a Publix that is a back entrance to SCC. It was some Euro themed space last. The final one is in the strip mall on the right of Lake Mary Blvd after Lake Emma Rd. Near 1-4.

Frozen - They sell nitrogen made ice cream (and some snacks like Dragon's breath). Open for two years. I had a regular honey for $5. It was really good. Don't recall ever having honey ice cream of any type before. It's a natural/. Very big scoop. Place looks like a lab. Impressed. I saw that a new Mexican place is going up in the old Turkish place(s) space. El Cochololo or something.

Stackd Brownies - I read about them in the OW this Summer. I think they had the wrong address because I kept checking a newer complex farther down and it never materialized. Finally saw some home made signs for a bakery on the street. Found it because of them. A tiny closet sized space. I tried a bread pudding something or other for $4. It was awesome. Moist. Delicate. It came with some fudgy brownie swirled in. The brownies are all cupcake looking. They are opening another location near the Brooklyn Bagels and Burger Fi at Rinehart and Lake Mary intersection next week. Find them. And you know I don't like sweets much. Open for less than a year.

Cocina Maya Grill - Open for one month. They had a section for Yucatan/Mayan dishes. All were around twenty dollars. That is more than I wanted to gamble. Didn't read as very distinctive anyway. I settled on the flautas for $14. The low mark on the menu. They (2 ch and 2 b) were skinny. Hard. Pretty average. One tasted of dish soap. Very little guac. Lettuce, salsa and sour cream. The place is sterile. White walls. Spartan. A reclaimed palette serves some decorative purpose up front. Not sure which. Tables are very far apart. Bar area. The four booths were stacked with middle aged gringos. I was hoping for more. Trying to be upscale. Only the prices are so far.

Royal Rasoi - The OW screwed me on this one. Said it was new. Has been there for four years. I'm not sure if ever reviewed them though. A quick search said "no". It was kind of a waste of twenty bucks. Although, I did get to sit and watch all the planes filled with Biden's illegals fly past on their way to the Sanford airport. Which is quickly turning Lake Mary into a ghetto area. In addition to being the worst food community in UCF. I had the Royal Rasoi Chicken for $16. It was a Tandoor cooked, yogurt basted breast in a masala similar to Chicken Tikka. Orange. It was very sweet. They claimed the tomatoes do that. Suspicious. It was a big portion. Enough for two. Came with basmati rice. Boiled egg too. Good. Chicken showed signs of being frozen. Huge menu with veg, goat, lamb, etc. Place looks drab and dirty. My seat had crumbs on it. The manager and maybe one piss boy were all the staff they had. Only one other table seated with me. And of course these morons put us back to back. Most purchases seemed to be for delivery. I wonder if that is an Indian in America thing? You see alot of that in India. Guys delivering lunch to the office workers. They said they have locations in NJ. Georgia opens this month. I believe the name of the place indicates a type of cooking used for royalty. Didn't leave me feeling all that special. Oh, if it wasn't clear - it's an Indian restaurant. 

*Probably will have a UCF one on Sunday night. Then a DT one. Then maybe a PSA on how to upgrade your phone (and keep your existing plan) by switching out a SIM card. And one on repairing a crack in your tooth. Why we demanded medical plans and not dental coverage is beyond me. These guys are something else.

Grub Crawl - SoDo: Clean Eatz and Crave *UT Travel Notes

I tried these spots at lunch on Wednesday. They are both around the hospital on South Orange.

Clean Eatz - Run by body builders. Open for five months. They offer wraps, salads, bowls, smoothies, flatbreads and same frozen meals. I had a Hammerhead (salmon, turkey bacon, spinach and guac) wrap combo for $9. It came with a few sweet potato baked waffle fries and a drink (tea). It was pretty good. Nice size. Salmon was a bit fishy. Fries were as good as they could be. It's an order at the counter, fast casual place. Modern look. The to go meals were pricey ($19). They have parking in the rear. Across the street from that condo complex down there with the Target. It's worth a visit just to remind yourself that some people still take (honest) pride in their appearance. Even if they are teetering on caring too much. Maybe one of them will squeeze you like the roll of Charmin that you are. Believe me now and listen to me later.

Crave - They offer hot dogs and barbeque and more. Open for two months. They are part of a chain. Maybe out of NY. I was just expecting just dogs. I ordered an all beef dog with chili and cheese for $4.45 and a brat with kraut and mustard for $5. Both were stuffed. Good buns. Chili was fine. Dog was good. Brat was spicy. Good. Big. I veered away from the 'cue because they source it. It may still be good. Brisket, pork and chicken. Sandwiches or plates or bowls. They have pretzels, tacos, tots, cheese sticks, sweet corn nuggets, cheese fries, twice baked potatoes, desserts, salads, corn bread, mac, corn, etc. Plus they have a beer wall. You get a card and it address the wall. Hello wall. Around a dozen (mostly local) beers and a wine and cider or two. The place is lodge-y looking. Small. Rectangular. Three tvs. Patio (and parking) out back. Dogs allowed there. They have game nights. More than I expected. I just fear it is in a bad location. You can drive right past it. Near Pulse. 

*Travel Notes - Utah: I drove from Vegas to Provo. Stayed at Sleep Inn for two nights at $90 per. Stopped in Beaver for The Creamery. A real gem. Ice cream, cheese, food products and even a kitchen. A nice, new, impressive building that you can see from the highway (and I had). I had some great ice cream. Their tiny portion was huge and only cost $2. I had the Jolted Cow. It was sweet cream with espresso and caramel swirls and fudge brownie chunks. In Provo, I had some pre-cooked (dry and stringy) fried chicken thighs at Station 22 Cafe. MP with pork gravy was better. I skied at Sundance for $119. They charge for parking on weekends this year. Lift topped out at $109 last year. Rental was $50 something. Pretty good resort. I ate at Bam Bams BBQ in Orem later on. Delicious brisket and mac and cheese. Big portions. I drove to Salt Lake City to pick up some books at my favorite used book store. I didn't stay over because hotel and lift ticket prices for the resorts around there were high. Plus I learned of two "cheap" resorts back toward Vegas. I ate at Gourmandise. French short rib stew with plum and sweet potatoes and potatoes. I actually wrapped it up for dinner. Stopped south of the city to see the Rio Tinto MLS Stadium. I stopped in Lehi and tried an offshoot of a highly rated place in Orem (wasn't open yet when I started the drive) called Cubby's. I had a Cockadoodledoo (grilled chicken and Swiss and bacon and avocado spread on a Ciabatta). A little disappointed by the choices they had. Across the street was J Dawgs. I grabbed a Polish sausage there. I slept that night in Beaver at the Days Inn. It was $68. I skied Eagle Point (twelve miles in) for $75. Skis were $45 with tax. You had to get to the right side of the mountain to get to anything difficult (blacks). Not a bad resort. I had beef taquitos and nuggets at Mel's Drive In back in Beaver. A big bus or two of  big girl athletes jammed up The Creamery. I stayed at The Mountain View Lodge in Parowan for $106. Should have stayed in Cedar City. Cheaper options. Ate at the Chinese restaurant on site (not many options). Drove to Brian Head resort (fourteen miles in). Had a shit fit when I arrived and found out flex priced tickets were now $130. Started the week under $80. Not worth it. Maybe the $60 it usually is. Drove to Cedar City and ate four eggs, sausage and hash browns at Market Grill. Saw Southern Utah University and an LDS Temple. Arrived in St George. Stayed at The Chalet for $69. 9.2 on Booking. Found a park atop the city (Red Cliffs Desert Reserve) with great views. Toured Dixie State University. Odd. I know. Had beer at 4 Hive Three Five. Had tea at Sakura. So slow I left. Had pineapple chicken curry at Banana Blossom Thai. Lastly, had a good Morty's Burrito (eggs, bacon, fries. cheese, ketchup and Sriracha) at Morty's (Yelp ranked) the next morning. Weather was great. 40's mostly. Sunny mostly. Didn't need the SUV. 

Grub Crawl - Mills and Downtown: Matcha Cafe Maiko, Moge Tee, Great Greek and Bagel World (Closed) *LV Travel Notes

I tried these spots over a week ago at lunch. The first two are south of 50 by a block. Not much available parking around here. The third is near the Courthouse on Magnolia (bottom of a condo) and Livingston intersection. The last is towards the I-4 on ramp. Past the 7-11. Near Cafe Trastevere. Really Sodo.

Matcha Cafe Maiko - The last word tells you that it's Japanese. Not much more than those insipid beverages that are seemingly everywhere and ice cream. They said they may add food sometime in the future. I grabbed a cold Hojicha tea for $3. It was one of the cheaper off ramps and I don't think I've ever had one before. They toast the tea. It tasted like nori (seaweed). Open for one year. One of a half dozen or so within a half mile...

Moge Tee - Speak of the devil. Right across the street is a Hong Kong (they said) chain of cold beverages. Also open for a year. This one just had drinks. They said they also have a location in Sand Lake. I tried a Red Bean Tofu Pudding tea for $6. Had to find out what tofu pudding was like. It was like free form boba (with red beans). Not bad. You really had to keep breaking up the tofu (settled on the bottom) with every sip. Interesting. I preferred it to boba.

Great Greek - This place had been on the list for a while. I never tried it because of the lack of parking. I found some free space near the Trinity Church on Livingston and Ruth. One block back towards the east (lake). You have to past the new hotel (Home 2/Hilton) and make a right and circle back to Ruth (one way). There are around eight free spots at the end of the street on the right. They have been also open for one year. Typical Greek options. They said they have a location in Winter Garden. I tried a daily special for $9. It was pulled lamb in a pita. I've had shavings and cubes and chunks. Don't recall pulled. It was ok. Too salty. It does have potential though. Came with onion, tomato and tzatziki. Pita was good. It has a fast food type feel. New. Clean. Bright. It was pretty crowded. 

Bagel World - Seems to be a chain from Jacksonville area. They said they have a place in New Smyrna. I believe I've been there. This one looks much different. New. I just grabbed a bagel with cc for $3. It was ok. Dunkin Donuts quality. No chew. They may put oil in the dough. Open 7am-2pm. Small menu. Mostly breakfast (egg) sandwiches and a few lunch ones. They said they get the bagels delivered daily from Jacksonville. Not sure if I was supposed to say "wow" or "I'm sorry".

*Travel Notes - Las Vegas: The trip was mostly skiing in Utah. I flew into Vegas because it was cheaper (flight and rental car). I'll break this up into two posts. Flight cost $130 on Frontier. Hertz was $370/wk for a small SUV that ended up being an Equinox. Gas to and from was around $130. Stayed night one at The Linq for $27+$42 RF. It was a high end room too. Parking was listed as free. They reneged. Cost $15. Will dispute it with cc company. Dinner at 11pm was a double double at In & Out. Had breakfast at Siegel's Bagelmania near the Strat. It told you about it in last Vegas post. It wasn't as huge as I expected. Just really a diner/bakery. Grabbed a corned beef sandwich and potato salad for $17. It was just ok. On the way back, I had terrible all you can eat sushi at Umiya on 4465 Flamingo near Arville. I searched dim sum and sushi on Yelp and this came out as number 5 rated. Avoid. I also did the search with just sushi and it wasn't listed in top ten. Who knows what is going on at Yelp? I stayed at the Golden Nugget Downtown on MLK day for $44 plus $41 RF. It was a manager's special room. They gave me a pretty good one on a high floor. Wouldn't let you in until after 3pm though. Free parking. I had dinner at Pop Up Pizza at the Plaza. Two pep slice combo for $13. Signs said they were Best of Vegas. Pizza was pretty good. Soft crust. Plus they had a mural of the Beastie Boys eating pizza. So...you know. I had lunch at a fairly new plaza on Spring Valley Rd. Shanghai Plaza. I tried a few places. I bought a Hokkaido tart and a milk pudding pastry at 85 (degrees) Bakery. $4 in total. I grabbed a classic onigiri at O.Onigiri. It was spam and egg. It cost $6. They sell Okinawan food. I grabbed a squid ink hot dog at CrunCheese. It cost $4. It was a Korean hot dog spot. This one had black squid ink in the batter. They stuffed it with half a hot dog on the bottom (cut the tip into little squid tentacles) and mozzarella up top. Fried it. They also served it with sauces. I chose ketchup and cheese mustard. I think they gave me honey mustard. If not, cheese mustard doesn't taste of cheese. I ended the day with dinner at Ping Ping Pong at the Gold Coast Hotel on 4000 Flamingo and Valley View. It came up as number 9 on that Yelp search. First of the Dim Sum places. It was ok. Dinner dim sum menu was basic. I settled for two har kow, ribs in some sauce and two Chinese sausage bao. It cost about $30 with tax and tip and tea. The menu was whacky. They had bursted blood vessel as a dish! I rented a room at the Orleans on Tropicana for the hours before my red eye. It cost $40 plus $40 RF. They have a big arena there. The minor league hockey team plays there. If you aren't aware. I choose my hotels based on if I haven't tried them before and then price. They are putting up a new hotel near the Sahara. Hard Rock is now Virgin. You had to mask inside most places. It didn't seem very busy.

Pinery, Lake Ivanhoe Area

I'll give us a break after this one. This one probably deserves to simmer at the top for a while. Although, it seems like most people read these within the first day or not at all. I tried this Southern inspired new comer (June) tonight. It is across from Russell's on Lake Ivanhoe. I parked on the cross street. It's the one that leads to downtown. I can't remember it now. Orange? Parking is an issue around here. They say they have free valet in the condo above. But, is it really ever free? They did enough thinks right to probably make the Favorites list. They did enough things wrong to put it in doubt. I'll explain the missteps first. They served the starter and the entree within seconds of each other. This is such a basic faux pas that it should automatically dq you. On top of that, the fries were half cooked. They could have used that time to do things correctly. But, maybe the fish would have become soggy in the meantime. They do know that you don't have to start each component at the same time if they have different cook times, right? My waitress also disappeared for long stretches of time. Not from me. From the room in general. The table next to me ordered six cocktails that took around twenty minutes to be "curated". I didn't see her at all during that period. I strongly believe she watched the bartender make them. That table still hadn't ordered their dinner when I left. Some of them arrived not long after I did. That wasn't the only disappearing act. She never checked back on me during the time I was there. Maybe she was the chef too? Sad, because she was otherwise competent. The tv at the bar also had some hiccup in which it asked the owner to press some button. No one appeared to notice or take responsibility for it. I kept staring at the dead screen and waiting for someone else to notice. It seemed like a metaphor. There only seemed to be one and half waitresses, a hostess and a bartender on call. On the positive side, the place looks cool. They didn't have an attitude. No dress code or wait. The menu was interesting. The alcohol choices were high end. The pricing (excluding drinks and mains) were reasonable. The food was well prepared. I had the smoked peanut soup to start with. sounded sexy. It cost $7. It was jammed with potatoes and tomatoes and carrots. The broth was light and not super peanuty. It was better than I expected. I may have had this once before. It may be a new one for the list. Who can remember anymore? I chose the Rachael grouper sandwich with side over the soft shell crab sandwich. Figured it would be fresher. They said it was Florida born. It cost $18. It was basically a fancy rueben. A female one. I guess Rachael is also a Jewish name and that's why it is called that. Served on marble rye toast. A light aoli with pastrami spice. Another silly reason I chose it. Some slaw. Unlike most of these, they had self control on the toppings. It wasn't overwhelmed by them. The fish was fried perfectly. Just a dusting of cornmeal or something. The fish may have been a little old (slightly mushy). The fries were the right kind/cut. The McDonald's kind. Just not fully fried. Alot of them. Plating was basic, but good. The menu has starters, sandwiches and mains. The mains were things like pork chop and fried chicken and maybe a fish. Around eight items. All were above $30. The sandwiches were things like burger or yard bird. They were above $15. Came with one side. Things like broccolini, potatoes, fries, sweet potatoes, etc. They cost around $4 a la carte. Apps were in low teens. I forget what they were. Oh yeah - Cedar Key clams was one. Around ten of them. Workable menu for the kitchen. The place looks nice. Like a model room from a Pottery Barn catalog. Grays, brushed everything, wood, metal, tile. Plush cushioning. Wood tables. Three big copper "tubs" on the ceiling. A bar room in front. Dining room beyond. Three, front facing booths in the rear. Tables in front of that. Seats about eighty. Patio in front. Lake view. Staff was outfitted. They are trying. The wine, beer and hard alcohol selections were more than "me too". Some wine was over $250 a bottle. Local beer. Mostly Kentucky, craft whiskey. High end scotch. They also have a cool backstory that I kind of remember. The area around Lake Ivanhoe once held a large pineapple farm. They use that story in the name and in the artwork. All in all, I found it superior to it's neighbor - Russell's. I was expecting a similar let down. I didn't get one. Maybe on par with the better American cuisine options in town. I'd give it a try. The crowd was pretty young and affluent looking. Some geezers too. It must have a decent rep. I heard some foodie banter from some of the tables around me. 

Grub Crawl - Longwood and Sanford: El Pollon, Two Bell's Cafe and Ciro's NY Pizza

I'm going to combine two days into one because frankly they don't amount to much anyway. The first two are around the light rail station off Ronald Reagan Blvd. The second is in the group of stores around Target near the Seminole Mall. I went to first two at lunch time on Thursday. The other at lunch time on Friday. There are a few others that were closed in Longwood. I've been to most of them before. They have new names now. They are: Historic Bar, Green Leaf, Nan & Pop's Ice Cream (open after 4pm) and Wild Hare Market.

El Pollon - Replaced on nearly identical one called Jon Jovonni's. Food from Peru. Typical menu. Prices in teens. Highest price is $18. Open as this for two years. I just had the 1/4 chicken with french fries and salad to go. It was fine. Salad was fresher than I expected. Came with avocado. Fries were a little rushed. Chicken was a little small. It cost $7. They have a "special" that is the the same chicken with beans and rice and somehow it costs a buck more. Not a bad little place. Said they were a one off.

Two Bells Cafe - They replaced Zanzibar. It's claims to be a cafe. Although they no longer do the burger. It was one of half dozen lazy offerings (ie avocado toast and egg sandwich). They also sell other people's baked goods. Maybe they make their own hot drinks. I guess every community thinks they need one of these. Although they are really as interesting as a water fountain. I grabbed two pop tarts that were made at Olde Hearth Bread Co in Cassselberry. They cost $2.50 a piece. One was apple cinnamon. One was guava. Good. 

Ciro's New York Pizza - They said they replaced Mama Something's. I kind of recall the switch. Couldn't find it on this site. They were an Il Positano before that. They renamed two years ago because they dropped a partner. I grabbed a two slice meal for $6 to go because I hadn't had pizza in a while and didn't really feel hungry. It was fine. Typical NY slice. I just learned on tv (from a Chinese guy) that you should scratch the bottom of the slice to see if the crust is good. It was. They had a full menu. Philadelphia water ice. Said they were from the Island. 

Grub Crawl - Mills Ave and Lake Ivanhoe: Pour Choice Tap House and Wabi Sabi at the Hall on the Yard

I tried these two new places in the late afternoon after the football game. The first is on Mills (one of the blocks closer to Virginia). The second is at the new condos on the train tracks on Virginia (Alden Rd). It's called The Hall on the Yard. Many food stalls. I also saw two new (to me at least) places on Mills before you cross over 50 (from TP or DT). One was a tea place. Across the street was a bakery/cafe. I think it was Japanese.

Pour Choice Tap House - You give them your card. You get a wristband. It has only $20 max at a time on it. Place wristband against sensor. Pull handle. The screen calculates each pour. They give the per ounce price ahead of time on the screen. They sell beer, hard seltzer, cider and wine. Beer has the most taps. About two dozen in all. It might depend on how often they change it up for someone like me. I tried five in minutes and didn't want or already had most of the rest. Only cost me $8. They sold ping pong balls (for beer pong) from a gumdrop machine. Open space, TVs with sports on. Big white space. Food truck in rear parking lot. Open for two months. Pretty full. Mixed crowd.

Wabi Sabi - Chose them from among a dozen or more options. Had been craving a Banh Mi and I like the term. It means the art of doing everything as well as it can be done (in Japanese). They had a coconut curry pulled chicken one for $14. Never had that kind. It was good. So stuffed. Also came with basmati rice. Made it two meals in one. The rice was a little dry. Bun was just ok. Don't remember much of the menu. It was a rotating video screen. A bulgogi banh mi too? It's pan-Asian. Open for two months. You are supposed to sit at a table and order through a waitress or go up and order to go like I did. The place is all dolled up in marble, etc. They want you to treat it like a real restaurant. As such, most of the pricing is over what similar food stalls would charge (pre-tip). They also have a grand second floor with great views. The hall is very large. Not very wide. Long. They have a a stall for most popular food staples. It will take a while to try them all. Parking is terrible. Few spots. I had to park near the Imperial. They said that they have been in soft opening for two months. I think Wednesday they are engaging in some formal opening ceremony. Maybe that was this past Wednesday? For density and curiosity, it is one of the things you should try and experience. It is a spectacle. It will be interesting to monitor the turn over. I suspect the lack of parking, competition from with in and nearby and formality may make succeeding here a struggle. If the East End Market or Winter Garden Marketplace (and the many re-visits) are any indication. Not open on Monday. Opens at 11am. Also saw a beer garden in the rear and a Foxtail Coffee and an ice cream place across the play space in front.

*Gnarly Barley opened on the corner. I forgot to mention in the last post that it finally occurred to me that the park at the end of the road in NSB is a federal park. Not a state park. My annual pass gets me in for free. I drove through at twilight. Beautiful. Apollo Beach. Saw two armadillos and tortoises. Will start beaching there. Beach is much cleaner with softer sand. Hilly. The beach on Friday was stunning. Water was like glass. Could see marlins or something jumping out of the water. Perfect sun, wind, temp. Sunday was almost as good. A tad more undertow and clouds. I feel so bad for people in the North. Even the ones going home after enjoying Florida must have been suicidal thinking about what was waiting for them. I have two more in the queue. Maybe Sunday and Monday. And maybe a yet as done one for Tuesday.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: La Terraza, Upper Deck and Limoncello

I tried these places this weekend. The first and second at happy hour (4pm-) on Friday and the third at dinner on Sunday. The first two are next to Boston's Fish House on the intersection of the main road over the Intercoastal and Atlantic Ave. The last is across the street in the corner of the Publix Marketplace. It was where the Spanish River Grille was.

La Terraza - I was surprised at how upscale it was. It's above Boston's. It has a nice deck. Nice decor. Bar in rear corner. Near the semi-open kitchen. I just grabbed a tortilla soup because I had planned to get dinner on the way back (see previous post) and it was a cheap get and I kind of felt like having soup. It cost $7. It was a bit salty. Otherwise good. Very generous with the shredded chicken, Fresh avocado. Lots of strips. I don't recall getting the queso fresco and the sour cream was served in a plastic cup on the side (didn't look like sour cream). The broth was very dark. They wrote "tomato base". Not bad, but, I prefer chicken base. Gold color. Their menu was "popular" with a touch of "authenticity/class". They had burritos, tacos (street), fajitas, flautas, quesadillas, enchiladas, chimichangas. But also, gorditas, empanadas, chilaquiles, tamales, mole, milanesa, ceviche, dinners and they called their chips - totopos. I think the bartender said the food was Oaxacan. They had lengua, chorizo, carnitas, bisteak, chicken and pork tacos. A ton of margaritas. They said they replaced another Mexican place a year ago. This has to be an upgrade. I'll have to go back and do it right. Open every night and during the day on the weekends. A few parking spots in front. Most in the rear.

Upper Deck Bar and Grill - On the bottom floor to the left of Boston's. I just strolled through. It was packed because of NYE. Selection wasn't that unique. Tiny. Had a stage for a band. 

Limoncello - I have to begin with how I hate the name. It just screams mediocrity. So many basic Italian places with this name all over. This was slightly better. Could be special with a little care. They charge like they already are. The menu is broken into the three courses that Italians (and restauranteurs) prefer. However, they (like most non-elite American Italian places) serve like Americans, so, you really only need a primo or secondi. Don't get trapped in the $100 person trap. I used this logic to pick off an interesting sounding primo/pasta called Paccheri al Cognac. It was ok. Sausage was straight off the supermarket shelves. Industrial, bland, sliced something or other. Lazy. Cheap. The mushrooms were from a can. Lazy. Cheap. The pasta (large rigatoni) could have been fresh, but probably was not. It took too long to be served and the waiter warned me that it would. Can't think of what else would have a long cooking time. The cognac was probably bargain basement. It was an ok tasting dish. Some care to the plating. I'm not sure that it should have been topped off by my waiter with hot peppers and cheese. But he did it anyway. Not sure if the chef would have wanted this pasta dish to get that treatment. It cost $22. Maybe $21 on the menu. It was a new experience. They had some expensive dishes. Around $50. The cheapest secondi were marsalas and piccatas in the mid-$20's. They came with angel hair. Apps were all mid-teens or higher. Primos started in the $20's. The lasagna was $25. It seemed like one guy was doing all the work. It was near empty and the pacing screamed - one guy at the helm. The place looks nice. Either dark or romantic based on your perception. Room is split into two sides. Patio. I remember a black ceiling, natural wood walls and chairs and tables that followed that color scheme. Bar at far wall. Bartender seemed to know what he was doing. Wines by the glass were a step above yet familiar. Not sure how fine the wine list is. I'd guess above average. Service was attentive. Dressed up. Probably wouldn't be dashing enough for a place like Bice. No dress code. People in shorts. They also own a place in town called Little Italy. I think I had some of the same issues with that place as I do with this one. Still in the "faking" stage of "faking it until you make it". All things are fixable. I just suspect they are doing the best with what the have and never will justify the pricing. Should probably aim for one weight class below where they fight now. Like Garlic. It was packed. And I think they serve semi-quality Italian dishes. It's one of the last ones in NSB that I haven't tried yet.

*Some new things I've seen on TV or tried out. Jefferson's Ocean Bourbon. They sail it around the world on purpose like Vikings. Ok. Had a Swedish vodka called Purity. Wine Enthusiast gave it 94 points. Better as a mixer than straight up. I tried putting black pepper over creme fraiche with caviar. It woke it up. Not bad. I also made a "suicide" of all the kinds of caviar. decadent. Caviars came from Whole Foods and Costco. Doable. Also tried using a shrimp as a cracker for a fish spread. Very paleo. It worked. Saw a thing called black garlic. They age it and it comes out looking like licorice. Hot pepper water. Supposedly big in Hawaii. Not sure if they do it with just water or if they add vinegar. Had the vinegar one. Learned a coconut can have a mini-coconut (white ball) growing inside it. Very rare. They said it was awesome. Spongy. Learned that dim sum means "point heart". Like you love it. And tapping the tea saucer is like bowing to your server. 

Grub Crawl - Osteen and Sanford: Osteen Diner, Gator's Riverside Grille and Angel's Soul Food and Barbeque

The next three posts will also be a little out of order. I want to end on the most local one. On Friday I tried the first two. On Sunday I tried the last. The first and last are in Osteen. I believe the SR is 415. I drove east on 46A and made a left at an intersection. I sometimes take this to NSB. Gator's is not far from there. Make a left to a marina and it is under the bridge that spans the St John's River. Their menu says Sanford. Not Osteen.  The diner is a few miles up on the right. Angel's in on 46A at the intersection that has a sign that points towards the airport. Sanford Ave. Behind a Marathon station.

Osteen Diner - I tried it once at breakfast on the way to Titusville. It was too packed. Pretty packed this time. Not much choice around there. I dithered between a breakfast and a lunch. I had had a Jones for a Cuban sandwich the day before. They had one. Wish I had gone with the breakfast. My Jones was subsiding and their's isn't that great. It cost $11+. Bad roll. No real pork. Just ham and some sliced pork roll. Big though. Fries could have used another minute. Came out almost too fast. Kitchen was flying. Huge menu. Nothing probably made too well or too poorly. A tad expensive. Has a country theme. Sign said it has been open since 1999. 

Gator's Riverside Grille - I ate here once way back. They said they have been open for forty years. I hate places named like this. They all have this burgers, sammie and fried critter menu. Where ever they wallow. I had a black and bleu burger for $9+ because it was one of the cheaper things and I didn't trust them with much else. Only came with chips. Everything seemed extra here. Burger wasn't that bad. Bun was good. Charred. Ok inside. Not quality bleu cheese. Soda tasted weird (ahh - receipt said RC. They said Pepsi. I'm not going crazy). Served in a small styrofoam cup. Gave a refill. They challenge themselves with grouper, alligator, catfish and some fish called pangasius. I think it is a cheap river fish that other places call something else (pango?). For some reason they claim to use Herschel Walker's family recipe for chicken tenders. He's not a Gator. He's a Dawg. From Georgia. How did they get it? Odd. They also steam snow crab, mussels, clams and white shrimp on Sundays. $12 - $19 a pound. They had enough wait staff. Views of river were nice when cigarette smoke wasn't being blown into your eyes. Mostly outdoor seating on a porch. High tops. Most of it was covered. Enough parking. Pretty full. Very casual. If you left in what you are wearing now (even if you are in your pjs) you will probably be the best dressed person there. 

Angel's Soul Food and Barbeque - I was mentally punching myself in the face while I waited forever for a pulled pork sandwich as everyone else was getting theirs. I ordered that because I figured it was pre-made (quick) and I didn't want the squirts before the football game the next day (if they tried to get revenge on me as a Colonialist). Plus they make ordering hard. They don't list the price on anything. I wasn't going to go down the list and ask the price. They already had a 'tude. As I imagined all the spit and jizz being added to the sauce on my sandwich, I saw that they serve chicken, liver, turkey, pigs feet, chitterlings, tilapia, whiting, curry, oxtail, chops, brisket, catfish, ribs, meatloaf and all the sides. Dessert too. I took my sandwich ($6) home and was surprised that I could see no fluids/gloss on it. And more pleasantly, it wasn't pulled pork. It was chunks on roast pork. I'm not sure if this is how they do it. Or if it was a substitution. I was just glad that it gave me a plausible explanation for the time delay. And that the race wars weren't simmering in Sanford. That meant that I was glad that I didn't throw it out my car window (like I was tempted to do) and with a little decontamination in the microwave for extra safety the sandwich might be eatable. It was. It was good. I don't have to eviscerate them online. I may go back again.You order in a line. The stuff is mostly displayed in front of you. Some stuff (like my pork) in back. They had some seating. People seemed scared of Covid. It was empty. Not great interior design. They said it was a book store. I swear I ate here (at another bbq type place) years ago. They said they've been there for seven years. The menu says the Orlando Sentinel voted them Best Fried Chicken. Not sure when, where (as in Sanford?) or if that was true. Closed M and Tu. Opens at 11am. 

*I also saw a barbeque food truck north of the diner called Lady Sugar Something or Sugar Lady Something. Prices were high ($13 was a sandwich) and she wasn't serving yet near 1pm (on Sunday) and you had to get sides, so, I passed on it. I tried on Friday too, but, they were closing at 4pm. I have a NSB and then a Mills/Lake Ivanhoe post coming up for you later this week.

2022 VRBO Florida Citrus Bowl, Downtown

I'm going to do this one day out of order because you don't care about this one. I drove down around 11am. No traffic. Parked on Church St at a private nursery type parking lot near the soccer stadium. It cost $10. Any closer was double. Near the stadium was $30-$40. A person in the lot right next to the entrance said they pre-paid at $140. Game started at 1pm. Kentucky versus Iowa. Went to ticket booth on lake side. I think you can only buy a walk up on game day. I bought a ticket in the second level in the end zone for $60 something. Same as when I checked on the first day they went on sale. No line. They said it was the cheapest. Hard to believe when the 300 level had people in it. Maybe those are student only tickets? My biggest issue is with the digital ticketing. I queried the "help" kiosk (because I hate being at the mercy of my phone) and they said that if your phone goes dead or if you have an issue with the ticket (one couple had no bar code) you are basically screwed. They can't print diddly. You can get a printed ticket through will call if you do it way in advance. I saw some physical tickets. I'll never get why they think a one size approach is good business. It defies the defined rules of sales. The lady who sold me the ticket claimed it would be texted. Kind of. They texted a link that you needed access. Why they can't just text that is beyond me. I had it done at a Milwaukee Bucks game. The stadium had a decent wifi network. Not that hard to access. Just had to give your email. You probably can use a fake one. It didn't refer back to it for anything.When I tried to get in, the sunlight made it a total pain to scan. I just love how technology makes things simpler. They had a few food stalls and distractions out back. Inside they had 4 River, Little Caesar's, Mooyah and some other things. A dog was $5. Soda was just over $5. 4 Rivers was trying to get $15 for a sandwich. Some merch. Great weather. Good game. Great  time. Left with 7 minutes remaining and had no traffic leaving. Kentucky brought more people. That was surprising. They said 50,00 plus attended. Glad I finally did it.