I tried these spots on Red Bug Lake at lunch on Wednesday. The first is in a strip mall that as a Walmart Market. Actually in Winter Springs. The next two are in a strip mall at the Alafaya Trail intersection. Although they list the address as Mitchell Hammock. Maybe I'm off. The last is in between near the Oviedo Mall. I should add that I learned that P is for Pie and Bikes, Bordeaux and whatever in Audubon Park have closed.
Chiffon Culture Bakery Cafe - They do donuts, buns, cakes and other pastries. I grabbed a lemon bun and a pork bun. To try both possibilities. Both cost $2.50. Odd. One had a glaze of lemon and one had meat. You wouldn't think they have the same cost to produce. Both were disappointing. The pork was half gristle and half salt. The lemon was barely lemony. The bun was ok. Not sure if this is an "Asian" bakery. Evidence on both sides. Not too impressive. Some seats. Open for four months. Open for breakfast. I think they close after lunch (2pm).
Irish 31 - On that Edible list too. Better than I expected. I was avoiding it. Irish pubs don't excite me. I had their cheapest item. A Jax burger with chips for $13.50 ($1 for cheese). It was much better than I imagined. White cheddar. Properly cooked. Juicy. Good, rich flavor. Fresh T, L. O and P. Ciabatta like roll. Fresh. Freshly fried, home made chips. Plentiful. The only criticism is that both were over salted. Most things are semi-expensive. Near $20 and higher. Decent menu. Their main differentiation are boxty(s). One big, open room. Bar at one end. TVs. One big one. May have had a patio. Open for almost three years.
Salsas - Grabbed a chicken burrito to go because they weren't in the origianl plan. In the corner of the Irish 31 strip mall. Stringy chicken. No beans or rice. Cost $10. Came with chips, salsa (ironically bland and bad) and sour cream. Justified my suspicion that I should get the cheapest thing. They had some possibilities on the menu, but, it was too hard to decipher what was available and what would be an up charge. Open room. Patio. Black and white tiles. Murals. Star shaped ceiling hangings. Seen it all before. All in all, just another insipid Mexican restaurant in this "higher priced" category. Open for two years.
Slam Dunk Sandwiches - 10 types of panini. all $10. I tried a Chad. Boar's Head (they seem to be proud of this) chicken roll, cheese and a pickle sliver. It ws ok. Only two or three slices of roll. Bread was blah. Not enough color on the toast. Tried it cold and re-warmed. Better warm. Buffalo sauce. Also had two soups and two salads. One basic rectangular room. Order at a counter. A little expensive for what you get. Open for four months. Near the Lowe's. The only location.
*Travel Notes - Spain. AA flight (1 stop) to Madrid cost $605. I also booked at that time (two weeks before) a RT to Mallorca for $58. Booked RT from Mallorca to Ibiza ($83) and Mallorca to Menorca ($111) when I landed (so only a few days before). Stayed at Hostal Apuntadores in Palma (the main town) for $61 a night. Bus from airport was $5. Saw palace, cathedral, marina, castle, etc. Lovely old town. Only ate market food. Boquerones (sardines) and canned mussels. Fresher than most restaurant mussels I've been getting and only around 1E per tin. Also some local cheese called Grimalt. And chips called pajitos. Flew to Ibiza. Bus cost $3. Stayed at Play Hotel at Figueretes Beach (slightly outside port) for $72 a night. Probably better than in town. On the bus route. 5 minute walk into town. Only issue was that beach was loaded with seaweed this time of year. Ate lengua and suadero (veal skirt steak and rib meat) and Sinaloen (stewed) tacos at Tiki Taco. Ate tenere (steak) empanadas at Panaderia Gatzara. Otherwise markets. Had a chicken curry empanada. So many empanadas! Ibiza was disappointing. A castle. A port. Pretty much it. Flew back to Mallorca for the night. Stayed at Costa Azul in the marina for $82. Flew to Menorca. Stayed in port city of Mao at Hostal La Isla for $41 a night. $3 bus. Ate solely at market. Chocolate Napolitana, jamon y queso cresta, pate (two types), camot (like blood sausage - local), chicken teriyaki hojaldre, steak empanada, spicy chicken rubiol, spinach and cheese empanada, cabra (goat) cheese, queso Mahon (Mao), Iberico ham (not good). Very cute island. More green and natural. Port had churches and fortifications and was on top of a cliff. Wish I explored more. Liked this the best. Mallorca was huge. Hard to get around/appreciate. Here you can probably take a bus everywhere you want to go. Flew to Mallorca and connected to Madrid. $5 bus to Atocha Station. Learned (later) that I should have exited at Cibeles Fountain stop. Much better area. I thought Atocha was the focal point. Not really. And I ended up NOT taking the train to other cities on top of that because most left from other stations and other reasons (ie weather). Stayed at the terrible Hostal Los Arcos for $80 a night for the first two nights and lovely Hotel Cortezo for $106 a night. Ate churros and hot chocolate at Maestro Churrero. Quail egg and chorizo and langostino tacos (in an eatable taco bowl) at El Fisgon Taco Sam at Mercado de San Miguel (MSM hereafter). Snow crab (spicy and cocktail sauced) on bilinis at King Crab at MSM. Did these on a Saturday. A zoo. Did these on Monday (empty): Bacalao tartar and foie (great) on toast at La Casa de Bacalao at MSM, squid ink and potato tortilla (omelet) with garlic cream (great) at Picolisto at MSM, bocadillo de jamon Iberico (great) at Mas (Carrasco Ibericos) at MSM. Also, found a food hall at Galeria Canelejas on Alcala and had a great beef and pork cheek brioche de carrillera at John Barrita (also had stall at MSM). Had a jamon serrano bocadillo at Museo del Jamon (chain). At the market, I tried a tuna empanada (tomato sauced) and a calzone. I saw, but didn't try - Iberico Ham Pate, McDonald's burger with fried egg (Benedict) and a big pie like empanada cut into quarters. Glad I stayed in Madrid. Went to Prado, Reina Sofia, many churches, park, palace, bball arena, bull fighting arena, etc.
Every day was full. A little chilly. Sometimes overcast or a short rain shower. Still did it in shorts and wind breaker. Very safe. People were well dressed and attractive. Women wore little whore make up and had few piercings. Not a very diverse populace. Everyone seemed on holiday. Only problem was that they have no indoor voice and they don't cover their mouths when they cough. Gave help. Spoke English. The weather on the islands was also a little overcast. Still, not an awful time to visit. I also drank many wines. Ate many cured meats. As usual. A nice little jaunt that I have been waiting to do (Covid rules now lifted) for a while. I also learned that I can do day trips from Madrid to some of the places I was going to take a train to. Will be back soon.