Monday, October 23, 2023

Grub Crawl - Altamonte Springs and Sanford: Paris Banh Mi and Pa'lla Voy

I tried the first last Tuesday night. It is in the strip mall on 436 just off I-4. North side. The second is on Rinehart Rd over by the Wal-Mart and Hertz location. I went there for lunch on Wednesday.

Paris Banh Mi- I was unaware that this a chain. I reviewed the Mills location in 2019. I'm only re-reviewing it because I liked the Pate Chaud at $3.36. It was a pastry filled with pork. I also liked the shredded chicken banh mi.  They put pate on that. $8.21. Not sure why they added those weird cents to the listed prices. Opened a year ago. Lots of desserts too. They put all of their meats on baguettes, croissants or burgers (burger buns). 

Pa'lla Voy - It means "I'm going there". Not sure if it's based on a Marc Anthony song. I had two chicken empanadas to go for $3.50 a pop. Pretty good. They made them fresh. Potato, carrot and peppers also. Nice menu. Things like: chicharron de cerdo, mofongos, soups, eight sandwiches, juices, desserts, picadillo de res, cuajito con guineo (chicken gizzards), roasted chicken, fried chicken, roasted pork, beef hash, hamburgers, fried cod, sides, etc. A special each day (ie albondigas or carne re res guisada (beef stew). You can also go down the "buffet line" route.. They also sell merch New look. White. Rectangular. Mural of Puerto Rico on right wall. Food on the left. I'll go back for a real meal. Nice find. Might be closed on Sunday.

*It looks like whatever bot/ai craziness there was is over. Views back to usual levels.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Grub Crawl - Milk District and 50: Primrose Lanes, Adelitas and Fluffy Fluffy *FL Keys Travel Notes

I tried these places at lunch on Wednesday. The first is off 50 on Primrose. The second is in a strip mall slightly east of Primrose. The last is back west on 50 near the Publix. They weren't plan A. That was a banh mi place on W50 that the Orlando Weekly has twice said is open. It is not.

Primrose Lanes - I had the second cheapest thing on the menu. A chicken blt for $ 15. It was good. Buttered toast. Mostly ok chicken. The last bite was a bit mushy. Good bacon. Fresh veg. A remoulade sauce and extra in a cup on the side. Sweet and spicy pickle spear. A bit rubbery. If you wanted french fries it was an extra $3. $6 regularly. They said the menu was changing. They had two salads. Two entrees ($27 beef). Four sandwiches (smashburger, hot dog, sliced beef). Eight apps. Two sides. There seems to be two dining area. I was probably in the "b" room. It was like a sports book. The bar is in front of it. There is another dining area to the right of the entrance. A swag shop past that. In the rear right portion are the seven bowling lanes. Kind of retro looking. The whole place looks sharp. Nice atmosphere. They had parking. Open for three months. You should check it out.

Adelitas Mexican Cocina - I have invented an acronym for these. JAMMR. Just Another Mediocre Mexican Restaurant. I had the Milanesa de Pollo for $17 to go. Came with beans and rice. The chicken looked like fish filets. Not much flavor. Not much rice. Had canned carrots and green beans in it. The beans were a bit bland too. A big menu. Lunch specials at $12. Twelve booths. Tables too. Bar in the rear. Blue, white and black color scheme. Tries to look modern. Red brick wall on the left side. Open for six months.

Fluffy Fluffy - They said they were a Canadian chain. Open two weeks. Pricey. A tiny quarter of a Big Mac sized cheesecake was $6. Chocolate, chai and one other flavor. They also sold souffles (took twenty minutes), craffles (croissant pressed in a waffle iron with ice cream) and other things. Japanese style. I had the $6 chocolate roll cake because it was already made. Bland cake (almost seemed steamed) rolled around whipped cream. It's well known that I'm not high on Asian desserts. They are like vegan desserts. Tastes off. Watery. I wonder if they don't use dairy (and eggs)?  My receipt says Fuwa Fuwa. Maybe that is Japanese for Fluffy Fluffy? JAMAD?

Travel Notes - South Florida and the Keys: I rented a car from Budget for $255 for the week. Drove to Boynton Beach to see the Ralfonso Kenetic Sculptures near City Hall. Not impressive. Continued down AIA through Del Rey and Boca. Finally found some hotels in Deerfield Beach. Stayed at the Carriage House for $139 (rack rate). They said the only had ones with a kitchen left. A normal was $99. I checked the bad looking Comfort Inn next door. It was $150 before tax. I did some swimming and sun bathing. Ate 1/2lb of ok textured (but bland) brisket and a Dirty South sandwich (pulled pork, sausage and slaw) at Fat Boyz BBQ. The next day I drove to Hallandale (exit 18 on 95) to Gulfsteam Park Race Track and Casino (east off 95 to 1). Then onto Florida City. Had a Mediteranean Salad with yellow tail snapper at Golden Rule Seafood in Palmetto Bay on 1. Stayed at Fairway on Friday and Saturday for $164 in total. Drove to Key Largo for dinner at Salty's. Just bacon wrapped peppers. Had beers at Cactus Jack's and Sundowner's because they were all next to each other. Saw the sunset. Lunch of fried chicken, mp and fries the next day at Keys Bite in Key Largo. Laid out at Harris Beach. $8 on weekends. Key Lime Ice Cream with cheesecake and graham crackers at Sparky's. Chicken soup at The Juice House. Drove to Marathon on Sunday and had three $6 apps (ahi sashimi, conch ceviche and 1/4lb of shrimp) at Shannon's Shucker's & Shakers at Keys Fisheries. Had more lunch (grouper with baked potato and tots) at Boardwalk Bar and Grill on Big Pine Key. Drove to Sugarloaf Key. Stayed at Sugarloaf Lodge for $106. It was cloudy and their beach/water wasn't that nice, so, I drove to Key West and back. Wine and cheese at hotel. Drove to Cudjoe Key and got a pound of floaters (deformed stone crabs) for $14 at Low Key Fisheries. It was the first day of the season. Ate them on a bridge on Summerland Key. Ate a shrimp blt with avocado and ff at Tonio's Seafood Shack. Sunbathed at Annie's Beach. Had dinner of ahi tacos and a rum runner at the Famous Tiki Bar at the Post Card Inn in Islamorada. They invented it here. Stayed at the La Jolla Resort for $110. Grabbed one more pound of stone crabs (mediums) for breakfast at Key Largo Fisheries for $25 (lowest in years).

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Downtown Diner, Titusville

I tried this spot on South Hopkins Ave on Wednesday. I grabbed $6.50 breakfast sandwich to go. I chose sausage, fried egg, English muffin and American. It was good. They had a decent sounding menu. Not just dull diner fare. It's attached to a dingy motel. Inside was drab. Brown. Wood. Quick service. It was full. 

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Peruanisima Bakery, Altamonte Springs *SWE/NOR Travel Notes

I tried this Peruvian bakery on Wednesday at lunch. It is in a strip mall near Lake Brantley HS on 434. I just grabbed a chicken empanada for $5 because I just had all you can eat sushi and the prices were a bit high. The empanada was ok to below average. Small. Not too filled. Poor flavors. They also sell eight sandwiches. $9 egg salad to $13 pork lomo saltado. Six breakfast items. $6.70 tamal to $19 plate with fried pork. Two sides. Both $9. Nine empanadas. Eleven cakes and pies. $28 to $60. Fourteen dessert. $4 arroz con leche to $8 picarones. Eight pastries. 75c yuma bread to $12.50 Choco Alfajores. Small space. Maybe one table. They charge for credit cards. Open for six months. I was around here to also knock out Torchy's. Still not open. I did see a hidden (from view) place around the corner called Stonington's Fried Shrimp. I can't recall if I've been there. Couldn't find it on the blog. They also have one on Kirkman. 

*Travel Notes - Sweden and Norway: Exchange rates were about 11 Swedish krone and 10 Norwegian krone to the dollar. I flew Delta through JFK to Stockholm for $635. Mid to late morning flights. The weather was only overcast with drizzle on the first and last day (and most early mornings). I also took two flights while there and I might as well list the prices now. I bought a ticket to Trondheim Norway from Stockholm when I booked the first flight. A one way on SAS in the afternoon cost $59. I also scrapped the train idea in Norway and bought a one way from Trondheim to Oslo for $78 on Norwegian (out of bankruptcy and flying domestic) the day before. In Arlanda airport I eschewed the Arlanda Express train that was like 360SK for the 148SK Vy Flygbussarna from Terminal 4. You come in the new terminal 5. It takes slightly longer. Like 45 minutes. Pay at a kiosk or driver. It makes a few stops (6). Final stop at Central Bus (and train) Station in city center. I forgot the layout and booked the first two nights on the South island. The Stockholm Classic Hotel for $71 a night for two nights. It was a bit of a walk. There is a subway stop right there though. It was interesting to see a new area. They let me in at 10am, so, I just took a nap and then walked the area when the sun came out. The next day I went to Lindigo via the subway. 39SK for a 90 minute pass. You have to take a bus over a bridge as well. In Lidingo (one of the fourteen islands), there is the Carl Milles Garden. He is their number one sculpter. It cost 170SK. It was cool. Back via another 39SK subway trip. I walked to an island called Langholmen and back towards the old town on Gamlastan. Saw the Royal Palace and Cathedral and Parliament (Riksdagshuset) and Nobel Prize Museum and some churches (kyrka). And then back through Riddar Holmen to the hotel. You can't buy wine in the supermarket. The best wine shop was called System Bolaget. Good selection and prices. I will interject here that you shouldn't expect many non-supermarket or fast food meals eaten by me. It was either full sit down (too tired) or kebab/pizza dives where everything started at 130SK and over or overpriced Asian (Thai, Viet and especially sushi). And coffee and pastries. I'll list the stuff from the market at the end as usual. Walked to the station through Kungsholmen (island) on day three. Saw the City Hall (Stadshuset). Bus to the airport. Every twenty minutes. Unibuss Express bus from front of Trondheim airport (nice) to city center (seemed to be the way everyone took) was 220NK. About an hour. Some stops. Credit card only. These idiots want cash to be done away with. Oh, that's another reason for fewer real food purchases. They wouldn't take cash. Even BK! I should add here that I prefer cash because of foreign transaction fees and I prefer (even though I seem to be freely telling the whole world my business) not to participate in unfettered surveillance. Stayed three nights at the P Hotels Brattora for $85 a night. I should add here that none of the hotels had heat. Few had more than a couple tv channels. None had bar soap. Bed pads on box springs. I got in near nightfall, so, I just found the Rema 1000 market (had Rokt Orret Smoked Salmon and beer) and a McDonald's. Wine shop was closed. The next day I walked the town. Marina, Radhuset, Nidros Cathedral, river, old town bridge, fort, etc. Got answers I didn't want from the train people. Had skole brod and kanel bolle at Rosenberg Bakerias. Had more McD's. I will say that I had the 25NK (and SK) McVegan burger and Truffle CB quite a few times. Just because every other fast food cost much more in relation and these were by far the best values Ronald had. Tasted good too. Dinner of Rokt Laks and salami from Rema 1000. Asked the bimbo there if things would be open on Sunday. She said yes. Answer was no! That skewed and screwed my Sunday meals up. Walked this pleasant path around the city. Saw the uni, sports complex, art museum and another marina area with more restaurants. The next day, I took the bus back to airport. To Oslo. Slower Vy train (not by much) to Central Terminal for $118NK (vs 220NK for the fast one). Machine took cash. The buses were more than the trains. Stayed at the P Hotels Oslo (up the road from the terminal) for $83. Peppar Makrell (good), roast beef, camembert, Krydder Laks and cider from Kiwi. Wine from Vin Monopalet at the station. Train to Goteborg for 615NK. Should have taken the bus. Didn't remember if the station was close. I will add here that I learned that trains in Norway are known as the most expensive in the world. Stayed at the Sure Stay Hotel near the station for $85. Almost stayed on a ship. Should have. It was easy enough to find. Next to it was a ferry they turned into a floating parking lot. Somebody tell Scarlett Johanssen that her husband should do this with the Staten Island Ferry. Walked the city. Down to Johanneberg and Landala neighborhoods+. Stadium, arena, uni, park, water front, opera house, etc. Grabbed a Thuringer Bratwurst and a Kosaken Wurst at Sausage Haus in the terminal. One of the better meals. Tried to get a train ticket. Some jerkoff in power has made it so you can only buy local tickets from the ticket office and other ones through a machine that only sell four hours in advance (and never seemed to have any train ones only buses). I found a Flixbus machine and bought a ticket to this town just south called Helsingborg in hopes that they had people you could interact with (they did). 109SK. By far the cheapest. I later found a VY bus ticket office with people. Oh, well. The next day I roamed around a bit more. Arts (3) museum complex, some churches, fort on a hill (Skansen Kronan), Haga shopping district below it, Briggen food hall, Salu food hall, Garden Society Park (Tradgards Foreningen) with Palm House and Rose Garden, etc. I will add that so may places were only taking credit cards that I bought a tuna sandwich at Subway. It was the best ever and one of the best meals I had. No kidding. They put (my choice) curry sauce on it and the bread and veg were so superior to here that it isn't funny. Sesame bread too! Had other types. Bus to Helsingborg the next day. Stayed at the Comfort Hotel for $73. Cute city. Walked to the city hall, fort on a hill, marina, churches, stadium, etc. These cities are on the southwest coast. You can see Denmark from there. Tried pork pastrami and Swedish beer from Hemkop. More McD's because of the credit card bs. Bought a train ticket to Kalmar the next day (they told me no advanced purchases) from a person for 331SK. It went through Lund. There was a fire at some relay on the track. It looked like I may be stranded there. They fixed it. I spent two hours in Lund. Uni, Cathedral, food hall, cute streets, Radhus, Stadshall, etc. I bought a Kardemumma bolle at Mormors (Grandmother's) Bageri. Some Gallerpokt Peppars Skinka (pepper ham) at ICA. Kalmar is on the southeast coast. It was smaller than I thought. Stayed at the Profil Hotel next to the Cathedral for $158. It was a Friday and they had some festival on the neighboring island (Oland). That was the real reason I was here. Didn't end up doing it because of the lack of hotels. Got in late because of the delays. Bought a Flix Bus ticket to Stockholm (which was good because these idiots don't work on Saturday or Sunday and there were no machines either) for $309SK. Trains were double. Walked the city walls, etc. Some feta and roast chicken from Coop. Wine from System Bolaget. The next day had breakfast buffet at hotel and walked to the castle and that area. Long bus ride. Stayed at the Thon Partner Hotel Kungsbron (across train tracks from where bus drops off) for $111. Breakfast buffet. Walked to marina to buy a boat tour to Vaxholm for 365SK for the next day. Walked to Djurgarden and the Nordiska Museum, Vasa Museum, Viking Museum. Did them before. Not this time. Went into Skansen (like Williamsburg with a zoo, etc) for 185SK. Back through the National City Park to the Opera House, shopping district, etc. Next day took the boat tour. It rained. Stayed on the boat. No Vaxholm. A bit more walking around. I stayed the last two nights at the same hotel. $73 a night now. Bus to airport in the am. 

Other foods: hvete bolle (sweet rolls), kokos bolle (coffee coconut chocolate balls), priokig korv (salami), cognac medwurst, Marabou chocolate (bad), Vasterbotten (cheese from north Sweden) and Norsk Granddost (cheese from Norway). Drinks: Ramlosa water, Grevens cider with pear (Norway), Aass Pilsner (Norway), Norrland's Ljus Lager and Guld Lager and Melleruds Utmarkta Pilsner.

Good trip. Probably the last week you should go. I wish I did northern Norway as planned. However, it was supposed to rain and the trains and buses there were more expensive and more of a pain than I expected. Flights were reasonable. Less so if you factored in the transport to and from the airport on both sides. Everyone spoke English. They were a little over the top with the eco-madness/smugness and the automation. I may have done other things if I had a local human to consult with. Maybe a wasted day or two. I tried to find good seafood places. I swear. It was next to impossible. Few sites were free (inside). Also, few banks. Mostly ATMs. I used Bankomat in Sweden and Nokos Minibank in Norway. Reminder - never take their conversion inducement. It is always a worse rate than "risking" it. They aired Rules of Attraction (the Brett Easton Ellis one) in Sweden. There is a scene where this guy tells of his trip to Europe in rapid fire. I seem to have become that guy. And why do I get so many views from Singapore? It must be bots. I had nearly 90k views last month!? And you don't have to drill down to other pages.

Thursday, October 5, 2023

Grub Crawl - Azalea Park and Casselberry: Old Cuban Cafe and V's Diner (Closed)

I tried these spots on Tuesday night. The first is on Goldenrod near Underhill. The second is in the strip mall on 436 that has Buffalo Wild Wings and Wa Sushi. It has no sign, so, it is easy to drive by it. 

Old Cuban Cafe - In an abandoned gas station. Hard to relate facts because they spoke no English. Some pre-prepared baked goods, sandwiches and a by the container assortment of cooked things. Mostly chicken, veg and pork. I think a plate with sides started at over $13. I just gave up and ordered a Cuban sandwich. It cost $9. They don't list any prices anywhere. It was like pulling teeth. Sandwich was ok. Alot of ham and what was either thinly sliced pork or turkey. They didn't really fawn over it. Maybe they were just trying to make it fast to get the gringo out of their hair? No oil or butter on the outside of the bread. So, dry. Not much decor. Big space. Open from 6am to 8pm. No reason to search them out.

V's Diner - A vegetarian place. Open for a month or so. We all know I'm not one of these herbavores, but, I may become one. While I was overseas (notes to follow in the next post) I had the McVegan burger four times. Because it was only around $2.50 and Ronald's burgers are getting so bad that it was superior in comparison. Here I just tried the large fries for $6 because their normal dishes were around $13 and I already had the Cuban. They were great fries though. Soooo many. Thick, carrot stick like ones. But, fried long enough that many edges were crisp and insides were toasty. They also sprinkled them with a nice, powdered (bbq?) seasoning. I ditched the second half of the Cuban and ate these the rest of the drive home. I still have a third left. They can cover these fries with cheese and chili or both. They also do all the fake stuff. Chicken, beef, etc. Around eight main items. Some more sides. Manageable. Those platters seemed very large as well. The place looks like a 50's diner. All white. A little odd juxtaposition of themes. I saw Asteroid City on the plane. This diner would have been perfect for that slightly askew fantasy world. They have a small staff. They were nice. And honest. They were going to send me off with a small box of fries (I wouldn't have been the wiser) and the cook called them back when he realized the ticket said large. It has about ten tables. There may have been another room with more. Half full at 7pm. I am intrigued enough with what I saw that I think I will go back. And I really was just trying to cross it off the list. I think they said they open at 11am and close at 8pm. They are the closest establishment in the strip mall to 436.