Orlandoer - To Do Guide for Orlando Florida

Truffles, Winter Park

2012-02-09T12:10:00.000-08:00

I had lunch at this Grill/Cafe (depending on the receipt or card) in the Winter Park Village next to Chamberlain's on Orlando Ave (17-92) yesterday. It is a division of Applebee's. I had the Chicken Pot Pie for $12. The pie came in a clean, white bowl with a pie crust top hat. I, originally, was disappointed by its modern look (I cut my teeth on messy, unruly crock pots of imprisoned components) and gave the waitress an "anhh" when she asked if I thought it the most delicious CPP I had ever had. I think I may have said (in fact I know I did) that it was like cream of chicken soup with pie crust crackers. No sooner did I open my big mouth (I should disclose that I vowed to myself as a teen to give honest, thoughtful answers to even the most pointless small talk as a reaction to the pointlessness of small talk) than I started to rethink and regret my reply. As I tasted the still firm carrots (man that sounds gay) and broccoli, I understood the benefit of reconstructing Grand Ma's Chicken Pot Pie. It's not a mushy mess. And while you still miss the bottom and side crust, it is a reasonable price to pay for toothsomeness. And besides they usually undercooked that part of the dish anyway. So I admitted my mistake and asked for Absolution from my waitress and received more than that. They comped the dish. I didn't ask for it. I tried to dissuade them. But, they wouldn't let me hear of it. And that is why this review switched from - a rather generic, overpriced, ordinary American McRich-staurant - to what I have to say about it in the next, few lines. It is true that it is part of a chain (all be it a small chain aiming at the higher end of American casual). But, some people are comforted by that. It is true that the menu is a "Greatest Hits" album. But, some people are comforted by that. It is true that the prices are a little high considering the first two concessions. But...well everbody hates that (except maybe the baby in the Jimmy Fallon credit card commercial). However, this is what most unadventurous Americans want and what most adventurous Americans can put up with.

The place is clean with a forced elegance. It looks like everything was bought at Pottery Barn or wherever they sell faux French advertisement posters and mass produced works of art. You just sense the conformity. Aside from that, we already established that the service is beyond reproach and multitudinous. There must have been eight, corporately dressed attendants on call for lunch (plus a host and a bartender or two). This is the benefit of having big, corporate dollars paying the bills. The place seats about: 20 in booths of two on either side of the bar/dining room divider, 10 at the bar, 40 in two rows of tables for four in between four person booths for 20 in the dining room. They also have a patio that seats around 50. I was there late so the inside was almost empty. It was "waiting room only" two Saturday night's ago. All in all, it's ok. I still don't get why they call it Truffles. I didn't see any on the menu. I didn't see any French or Italian food. It's perplexing. I am more familiar with the jokes about Applebee's than the food, but, I know I've been there at least once and I think I think of them as I do of Truffles. It's a little basic. It's a little safe. It's a little overpriced for what you get. I can't say I will fight to get back here, but, I wouldn't whine if I was forced to. And let every other restaurant manager take note. What could have been a very sour and uncomplimentary report on a lunch service turned into a semi-laudatory review. In addition, I feel a certain debt to and affinity for the place. A debt that I tried to repay by giving the waitress most of the cost of meal (I didn't have all the cash required) as a tip and an affinity for the place so that I am more likely to return (even though I prefer to try uncharted waters) or tell others to. Finally, I didn't mention the "tip" to garner sympathy. I did it so you wouldn't think I'm the type of person that goes around complaining about my meal to get a discount. I just complain about it out the sheer love of the complaint.

BTW - a McRich-staurant is a cookie cutter chain of "luxury" dining (ie Houston's, Flemings, Seasons 52). Slightly different from a Mc-restaurant (ie Chilis, Applebee's, TGIF)

The Piano Lesson, SSC

2012-02-09T11:29:00.000-08:00

I saw this edition of the August Wilson retrospective last Sunday afternoon. It had many of the usual suspects and the quality has remained constant through the years. I don't know how they remember the dialogue. Wilson never shuts up or finds the most direct (yet believable) way to the point. I don't know if he was like Mamet and tape recorded or transcribed real arguments by people in his life who apparently have no ability to find the center of a philosophical argument, but, his characters just keep rehashing the same misguided logic and preferences/prejudices. If this is how black people really live, it most be exhausting to be black. I could barely take three hours of it with an intermission. It's just "oh no you don't" versus " oh yes I do". It's like hearing children bicker. The central question posed by this play is if a heirloom should be kept for its intrinsic or extrinsic value. Sell your past for your future. They spend 3 hours arguing around it and the only way Wilson can solve the enigma is by introducing a tie breaker. He adds some ridiculous element of the supernatural to the equation at the last moment. It is like he just had to finally put something down so he could get this thing out of his door. The play ends with the piano in place, but, the question unanswered. I would have preferred that he left the dilemma festering if he couldn't resolve it. I'm not sure how I resolve it. At any rate, it is still a good key hole in which to view an unfamiliar social dynamic and period in time. There is a lot of humor and home spun wisdom in the exposition. It will only cost you $10 to peep. The playhouse was almost full. A mix of all ages and other arbitrarily defining adjectives. It runs through the 12th. Putnam County Spelling Bee is next.

Grub Crawl, Longwood/Lake Mary

2012-02-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

This is a combo from today and yesterday. I had lunch at one of the places then came back and bought some thing to eat while watching the Superbowl at the others. The first three are on 434 between I4 and Ronald Reagan Parkway. Mikado is on Lake Mary Blvd.

Bite Hot Dog Company - I had a Bloody Mary Basket here for $6.69. It was a hot dog with tomato, olives, celery, horse radish pepper sauce and celery salt. It came with fresh cut fries and a drink. The dog was ok. I'm not big on these Mid West "salad" dogs. It's $3.49 on its own. I think anything over $2 is too much for a dog. This turned out to be just 20 cents over the cheapest available dog ($3.29). They top out at $4.29. The have some interesting combos (mashed potato dog). The fries were undercooked. They gave you a large (half the basket) portion. I would advise them to relax on order fulfillment speed and concentrate on quality. They seemed understaffed, so I will chalk it up to that. The place seats about 50. It was pretty full. It's mostly counter top seating. They have four tables inside and more on a patio. It is similar to Moe's in that they have rock 'n' roll quotes on the wall. The wall is bright red. The place is clean. They are not a chain. They have been open for ten months. I would go back if the traffic around the place weren't so bad or if they weren't inconveniently in the middle of the morass of 434.

La Parada Criolla - I ordered some chicken wings and fries to go for $5.50. I really wasn't in the mood for "island" Spanish food (Puerto Rican), but, I wanted to knock this place out while I was in the neighborhood and traffic was lighter. It's in a strip mall where they have some night club. The new owner took over a hamburger joint that was run by the nightclub's owner. They have the expected fare. The soups and entrees (like most of these places) seem a little expensive, but conversely, the sandwiches and desserts seem too cheap. They have lunch specials starting at $5. They serve breakfast. The owner was very nice. Try it out so she can quit her other job and concentrate on school and/or her kids.

Joy Luck - I could have sworn I ate her before, but, it isn't in the search. They said they have been open for three years. I had a Kung Pao dinner for $10. It came with a huge amount of pork fried rice, a good egg roll and wanton soup. It's still not the Kung Pao I was raised on. They use a black sauce. Alot of it. It wasn't very spicy. The chicken they used was mostly dark meat scraps. It seats about 60. It's behind Bayridge sushi. Nice owners.

Mikado - I made the mistake of eating here on a Monday (I hope for their sake). I received fish that was probably delivered on Thursday. As such, my sashimi platter for $12 wasn't very fresh. It was ten pieces. The tuna was bland. The salmon was pasty and tasteless. The white tuna was soft. The tough fluke ironically had the most flavor. It came with a salad (or soup) that was drenched in dressing. I needed something healthy after the Super Bowl junk fest. I should have reconsidered. The place is the old Fuji. They jettisoned the hibachi tables (they do that in the back now). Other than that it is similar. I had similarly bad experiences at Fuji. I will put these guys on the black list as well. They think they are high end (and charge that way), but, I don't have them in my top twenty. I would suggest Samurai sushi instead. They have better pricing and know better than to try and pimp the sushi bar when the whole restaurant is empty.

Tamarind, Winter Park

2012-02-06T12:21:00.002-08:00

I had a late dinner at this Indian restaurant in a decrepit strip mall on the corner of 17-92 (Orlando Ave and Lee Rd) last Monday. The parking lot is so devoid of illumination, I don't know how the landlord or proprietors in this area haven't been sued for some sort of malfeasance that such an environment engenders. I had the Chicken Xacuti for $13. It was good. Kind of like Tikka Masala, but, with coconut. It was a big portion (enough for two). It came with basmati rice. They provided me with a complimentary basket of the thin Indian "crackers" (I'm spacing on the name) with three accouterments to snack on. One was a salsa-esque salad. One was a sweet, black, thick liquid. One was a hot, green puree. I can't believe I'm still struggling with the terminology after eating it for so long. It doesn't help that the food is so fattening I can only allow myself to have it once a month. In any event, the food seems mostly higher end. The fat lady at the Sentinel gave it good marks. It is run by the people who do Ashirwaad (sp?). They have some dishes I haven't seen labeled as such at other Indian restaurants, but, they seemed to think they were common enough when asked about them. They do tandor, soups, salads, naans, dosas, desserts and "stews" of chicken or vegetables or lamb or seafood. Most are in the $13-$16 range. The most expensive thing is $20. They are on Idine. The place is in the old Cuban location. They dressed it up in Indian luxury. The design is very rococo. They have plush tapestries, chandeliers, ornate accents and a big mural of a village scene on one of the walls. It has: two booths that seat six, four that seat four, two tables that seat four and two tables that seat eight. Service (1) was good. The meal came out in minutes. There were three others there at 9pm. There was a wait for a table on first attempt to dine there the Saturday before. I would guess it is popular. They are open every day (take that lazy Americans). They are open for lunch. No buffet, but, a pick 'em menu is offered. I forget the price on that. It's a good spot for value.

Food Truck Round Up, Lake Mary

2012-01-31T11:32:00.000-08:00

I went to this event (at City Hall) on Sunday (1-4pm - supposedly every last Sunday of the month) and tried three of the trucks. I had already tried all but one of the others (8 total) and was not willing to wait for El Salvadoran Pupusas (Arepas clone). It was like the Seinfeld (it's amazing that this site has Seinfeld in the spell check and doesn't have a million other words) with the car reservation. They knew how to "take the order" just not how to "make the order". I swear there were nine tickets at the window and still nothing was coming out of the truck. And the guy was still taking orders. And idiots were still making this the most popular truck by far. I swear - the more I learn, the less I know.

Nubu Food Truck: A big selection of ambitious meals around $7. I had coq au vin for $5. It came in a Styrofoam cup. Maybe too much dry herbs (bitter) and bad white wine (wasn't cooked out or had a bad residual taste). Less and fresh herbs would impove it. Lots of nice vegetables. I'm not sure if coq au vin is supposed to have bow tie pasta in it. A for effort. C for execution. Nice people. I will try something else in the future.

Baxter and Tilly's Food Truck: I had a Cannoli for $2 because the Greek salad that came pre-packed in a plastic container and the chicken salad on a croissant (both $7) seemed boring with what else was going on around her truck. She said she is new and hopefully will learn. The cannoli was good. Chocolate dipped at both ends. I'm not a fan of desserts so I can't really elaborate.

Chutzpah Food Truck: The best truck. They had around nine options. All for $5. I had the Brisket Sandwich with a garlic and onion relish pickled in balsamic vinegar. Tender brisket. Great relish. Although, the bun was kind of over soaked in the vinegar. This was my weekend of brisket. I'm going for the middle eastern meatballs and the matzoh ball soup next time.

I hope the other trucks noticed that the people were most receptive of the things priced $5 and lower.

Club Crawl, Winter Park and Downtown

2012-01-31T10:44:00.001-08:00

I ended up Downtown on Saturday. It was devoid of females. I heard theories ranging from the rent was due soon to people were in Tampa for the Gasparilla Festival or in Daytona for Speed Week. I prefer to believe that the PGA Golf Convention was is town and most of Orlando's girls are prostitutes. I believe if someone correlates the convention schedules with the nights that suck, they will find a connection. An idea for somebody's Master's thesis?

8-10pm: Taps - This new bar (original is in Tampa) was supposed to be my stop for dinner, but since they basically only have lunch items on the "menu", I had to go to the newest version of Lime (see past review) across the street. I had the tacos this time. A good deal at $7 for 3. On par with Chipotle's prices and they give you chips and a hipper setting. Taps is broken down into two rooms - a "beer" room exhibiting sports (and unfortunately on this night a homeless looking warbler) and a "wine" room offering nothing in particular. The staff was nice. The prices were good. They have the dispensing system in the wine room that lets you self serve with a card. Wine Room on Park Ave bottoms out at $2 for small pour. This place almost maxes out at $2 (actually $3 for a highly rated Seghesio Zin). The selection is less, but, most of wines are decent. You can get half glasses (and other sizes) that are as big as full glasses from the waitress too. The wine prices are very reasonable. Maybe half the price of most places. The selection of beer is less than World of Beer or Jax, but, that is in some ways less intimidating. The beer room has a brick wall encircling the taps. It is under the 4 TV's. Two glass refrigerators flank that. Two walls are glass. The glass walls are garage doors. The main color of the room is gray. It has mainly high top tables. They are black. Seats about 50. The wine room is a little more swank. It has sofas. It is decorated in some kinds of earth tones (like tan). I really can't remember. The main color was black (maybe and it depends on what you are calling out). I didn't spend much time there. It seats about 40. Taps is a good addition. They just need to address the menu. I don't see them doing more day traffic than night. Sandwiches and flatbreads don't cut it. They were a little banal and pricey too. Parking is only getting worse at the Winter Park Village.

10:30-11pm: Blank Space - Empty. Had a beer.

11-11:01pm: Stigma - No pole dancers?

11:03-11:04pm: The Lodge - Empty.

11:10-11:11: Ceviche - It was full, but, I went for a snack and decided hot dogs were a quicker alternative.

11:15-11:59pm: Wall Street - Pretty empty. Mostly dudes.

12am: Hot Dog Lady across from Independent. I knew she would be the best hot dog cooker on Orange and she was.

You know it's a bad night when shoving wieners in your mouth is the highlight. At least I was propositioned in the parking lot.

4 Rivers, Longwood

2012-01-27T12:36:00.000-08:00

I finally went to their location on 434 and I4 today. I have reviewed the original before so this will be short. A much bigger spot in the old Crisper's location. One side is BBQ and one side is Sweets. It seats about 70 inside (group tables and booths) and 40 on the patio. It was jammed. Out the door by the time I left at 2pm. Eighteen orders gets your name in a brick. I suggest you indulge for immortality asap. I had a trio of sliders (brisket, burnt ends, and chicken) for $8. Very filling. Very good. And no parking problems here.

Club Crawl, Conroy and Downtown

2012-01-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

This is a little out of order, but, I went out around Conroy and downtown last Saturday.

10:30-11pm: BJ's (Conroy) - not a bad corporate mega-rant. They make their own beer. The place is huge. Mostly empty. Prices weren't bad.

11:30-12am: Stigma - Same us usual. DJing was good until 12 then he most have taken something that made him want to slow the music way down and and elongated bass "whooomps" every ten seconds. I felt like I was in one of those scenes in movies where the actors succumb to laughing gas and start talking low and in slow motion.

12-12:30am: Independent - Made the huge mistake of paying to get into this smoke filled jerk fest. It was 80's night and unlike Back Booth, this place attracts people who were there the first time around. Sad.

12:30-12:45am: Bar BQ - Bad ratio.

12:45-1am: Gibson Guitar Party Room - I waltzed in to this private space (who knew it was operating) after a PR event. It was closing up, but, it was cool to see inside the curtain.

Fork In The Road Food Truck, Winter Park

2012-01-26T13:26:00.002-08:00

I had a Turducken Sandwich to go from this food truck on 17-92. I give it a nine for creativity, but a seven for execution. It was supposed to be self made duck bacon on top of a confit of duck wrapped around turkey. It was more like deep fried in a fryer duck around dry white turkey breast. Both fowls had little to no flavor. He needs to add some cinnamon or cardamon. Anything. The bacon was tastier when I fried it with my hamburger for dinner. It looked like luncheon meat pre-heat. The aioli and ciabatta bread it came on were good. And I'm left with a question. Where was the "en" (chicken)? Maybe I mis-remembered and it was chicken inside of turkey? That's how non-descript the elements were. The sandwich cost $9. I say it should be $6. Isn't the point of a truck to lower overhead? How are their prices always more than a restaurant? People will wonder why this fad crapped out and we will point to ridiculous price points fostered by bad business acumen. Don't overestimate your sales rate. He had a short rib sandwich for $9 and some mac and cheese bites for $6.

I need to edite my earlier review upon seeing the truck again. It was chicken around turkey with duck bacon on top. That is why it was dry and had little flavor. Makes the price even more suspect.

Sweet Traditions, Winter Park

2012-01-26T13:20:00.000-08:00

I bought (remember kids "got" is not a word) a loaf of bread for $4 at this French Bakery and Cafe on Park Ave yesterday. It is an off shoot of a place in Winter Garden that I have previously reviewed. They serve reasonably priced breakfasts, sweets, soups, crepes, yogurt, quiches, salads and sandwiches. It's good to go. They have been open for four months.

Prato, Winter Park

2012-01-26T12:23:00.000-08:00

I had lunch at this Italian restaurant on Park Ave yesterday. It is its misfortune that I just dined at rival Armando's last week. Not to say it is bad (it's pretty good), it just loses out to the aforementioned in almost every category. It's danker. It's more expensive. It has less selection. It has smaller portions. I had the cheapest panini on the menu (Grilled Eggplant) because as I said the selection is limited and expensive. It was $10. I had a choice of a $14 burger, a $12 meatball, a $13 tuna or a $11 Muffaleta. I wanted to try something that would require them to show any cooking proficiency, so the tuna and cold cuts were out. I didn't want a burger in an Italian restaurant and I definitely didn't want a $14 burger in an Italian restaurant. I chose the veggie because I wasn't in the mood for beef and a bad meatball would have been too much to go through. The eggplant skin was bitter. They charred it too brutishly. The eggplant itself had little flavor (even for an eggplant). The slices (one and a half layers of) were very thin. At least it wasn't oily. There were roasted garlic or shallots. There wasn't much taste to them. It was the only element of any abundance. The sauce and tomato sauce were penuriously applied. The bread was good. It was a pretty long sandwich. It came with Parmesan dusted shoe string french fries that may have been scented with truffle oil. My amnesia on the subject will tell you what an impression it did or did not make on the side. Not that I care because it is rarely anything but chemicals anyway. The portion of fries was large. They had that offensive starch coating on them that some places choose to use. The meal came on an unadorned modernish plate. The service was good. And they did beat Armando's in one category. The soda was a nickel less. The overall menu changes frequently (according to them). They revel in their fidelity to the locally grown movement. They really let you know that they do. But, you pay for their politics. Either that or overhead/poor business acumen or profit/greed. The only appetizer that may be of value is the Chicken Liver at $8. Everything else is more expensive and only the Ocala Rabbit Sausage is intriguing (and probably only because it says Ocala). I mean is prosciutto from Iowa really enticing? Is it enticing at $12? The pastas seem reasonable ($9/$16 for all four) They say they are made from scratch. The entrees (4) all top $23. It isn't outrageous. It's just more than Armando's. The real bamboozle is on pizza. They all cost $15 (even a Margherita). That's 50% more than Armando's and they are about 30% smaller. Be advised that there is a seperate lunch and dinner menu (I have been describing the dinner menu in the last part of the review). The place itself is interesting. It is the old Ann Taylor shop. It has lots of brick and wood. It looks like an old barn. The place translates to "meadow" so you get the motif. They have left some of it looking undone (ie the cement from inbetween cinder blocks exposed). I think it detracts, but, I'm sure some overpriced RISD alum will disagree. The space is rectangular. The front is windows. There is a long, island bar in the center. They have; mostly half booths for two in the front third, high tops for two and booths for four in the middle room and a combo in the back third. There is an exposed prep area near the pizza oven towards the back third. The have six flat screens. There are seats on both sides of the bar and some tables outside. The outside tables have umbrellas to shade you from the sun. The decor has things like: a wall of plants, mirrors, blackboards, iron light casings, gas lamps and other pastoral elements. The color scheme is wood and grays. Don't get me wrong. I really liked it (even if the whole locovore thing is becoming pendantic). I just happened to have gone to a place that does nearly the same thing better and cheaper. If you want to dine in a sombre setting on Park Ave and pay for adjectives this is the place for you. If you want an ethereal setting with better values go to Hannibel Square. Either way, you can't lose. Two welcome additions.

Sushi Katana, Orlando

2012-01-24T12:33:00.000-08:00

I popped into this sushi bar on Conroy to quaff some sake on Saturday night and ended up eating. I had two pieces of the following: Sea Urchin ($7), Conch ($4), Salmon ($4), and Yellowtail ($5). I also had two glasses of the Saturday "special drink" - Premium Sake for $5 for 3/4 of a champagne glass. Everything was excellent. The rice was good. It was packed properly. The cuts were large. They were extremely fresh. They were plated simply and attractively. The service was great. It looks super cool. It has a mostly gray template that incorporates steel as the backbone. They have some lithographs of lips and one flat screen above the prep area. The place seats about ten at the sushi bar and 60 at tables. It was packed. They have one couch like area in the middle of the room. It's a small, rectangular space. The menu was mostly rolls. I would rate it in the top ten if they had more selection. But, competition is fierce and the sample pool is large in the greater Orlando area that I consider. I still love what I saw and sampled. Definitely the best in the area around the Millenia Mall. BTW - some tips that I think I have yet to share with you. Supposedly, real sushi eaters dip the fish side into the soy sauce not the rice side and if you dip more than 33% of the thickness into the soy sauce you are a Gaijin.

Nara Deva, Orlando

2012-01-24T12:00:00.002-08:00

I had dinner at this Thai restaurant on Millenia Plaza Way (off Conroy near the Mall) on Saturday. I had something called the Classic Combo for $17. It is a plate of green papaya salad, rice and jerked meat. The papaya salad is made from the unripe fruit which has the consistency and taste of cabbage. It is mixed with carrot threads, green beans, tomatos and peanuts. It is hot and sour. The peanuts absorb a little of the spiciness and add some savoriness and depth. The rice was called something like Pandan. It was white rice that they dressed in a bowl with some sweet coconut infused liquid and then flipped over onto the plate. It had a sweet and sour taste. The rice seemed a little dry. I would guess that it was left over from a less than successful lunch service. The "jerked" meat can be chicken, beef or pork. I went with chicken and I think it may survive this technique the least successfully. Strips of meat are marinated in teryaki sauce and stir fried. I think the chicken is too delicate. The result was salty and sour. I liked that all three elements picked up on a different flavor in relation to the sour one that they all shared. The food came out fast. They serve the usual Thai curries, some interesting delicacies and some elements that I swear are Chinese, but they said were Thai. I guess I just have never run across them at other restaurants or in my one visit to the country. The place seats about 80. It is a big space. The tables have alot of breathing room. There are booths and tables. It is decorated nicely and appropriately (except for an area on the right side that just stores wine). Half the space has windows. There is a patio that I didn't include in my capacity estimate. There were twelve people there while I ate. I think that is their problem. It's a good spot. The prices aren't that high for Thai. The place looks nice. The service (probably the wife and daughter) was good. They advertise. The location is a little off the beaten path. Yet, somehow I bet they are being overlooked. If I have guessed right, it is only: the Thai mother who is in charge of the dining room and probably talked her Indian husband into opening the place, her poor daughter or niece forced into indentured servitude to help cut costs and a skeleton kitchen crew. They have gone for a high end Thai experience and I'd like to see them be able to work it on all cylinders. Try and make that happen for them before they drop off the map.

Armando's, Winter Park

2012-01-23T14:02:00.000-08:00

I had lunch at this new "Pizzeria e Cucina Italiana" in Hannibal Square (most recently the Hot Olives location - W. New England Ave) on Wednesday. If you read my reviews you will know that I hate mediocre Italian that is priced like fine cuisine. This is the exception to that rule. I love this place. They are the same people who brought you Toscana on Park Ave (not sure if they closed that down). I had a Pollo Milanese (pan fried breaded chicken cutlet with arugula) for $10. It was well prepared. It wasn't greasy. The coating was panko-like. It was a fair sized portion. They served alot of arugula. It wasn't over dressed. It came, simply, on a nice white plate in which they had made a swirl of balsamic that covered the circumference of the plate like one of those illusions they spin to make you dizzy. Simple, yet refined. I was so taken by the presentation and the return of my ailing appetite that I wanted to see if they could bake a pizza. I ordered a Margherita Pizza for $11. It was great. Thin. Lightly charred bottom. Crunchy crust. Real, fresh mozzarella. And not just four half dollars in a sea of dry tomato sauce like at some places. The whole pie was covered. It also came with basil. There was a little wetness to the pie. That means there was water content in the tomatoes or cheese (both signs of freshness). The pizza came out quick. I'm not sure if they gave me one that had been started for someone else, but, I could swear it was at my table in four minutes. The pie was a big pie. Not some plate size insult. Six BIG slices. I ate half and took the rest home. It was almost as good cold. The rest of menu (lunch) is composed of: entree priced appetizers (Antipasti per Due), reasonably priced salads and soup (Inslata e Zuppa), $9 paninis, $10 entrees (Pranzo) of pastas and chicken and pizzas from $10-$15. The dinner menu is similar, but, adds a larger pasta section ($14-$17), switches up the chicken dishes ($17) and adds veal ($17-$18) and seafood ($18-$20). Nothing above $20! At dinner! And it's actually good. It's like they read my reviews. The place has about four dining options. Outside (40), bar (8), back room (30) and main room (30). I believe the back room was once a tented area. It is now enclosed. Most people were dining al fresco when I was there. It was about half full. The place is all white with some wood accents. The overhead lights are converted baskets. The pizza oven is tile with colorful rustic designs. The hot kitchen is all stainless steel. They are open view and in the back of the main room. Cold prep is done behind the scenes. On a possibly interesting tangent, Gordon Ramsey said on his latest episode that it's a bad sign if the chefs aren't looking in the direction of the oven. See where these chefs focus their attention. The service (3) was good (especially after I ordered again). The one downside is that parking is limited in this area of town. Aside from that, I have been itching to write this review. This is a well run business. The space is great. The decor is great. The staff if competent. It is set up smartly. They have the right items. They have the right pricing. The different lunch and dinner menus don't make anyone feel they are being cheated if they come at night. Their wine list was good and distinctive. I have a feeling they will be very popular for years. I'm so glad this location received a good trustee.

The Crepe Company, Winter Park

2012-01-23T13:06:00.000-08:00

I had a raspberry (jam) and cream cheese crepe without the cream cheese at this food truck at the food truck ranch on 17-92 last Wednesday. It was $5, but, the owner must have dropped a buck off the charge because I didn't want the cream cheese. It was a crepe. I can't really discriminate between them. They either form or they do not. It took a little while to prepare (get done with the two people before me). I probably would have walked away if I hadn't psyched myself up for a sweet snack. The owner seemed nice. It has two crepe griddles and one preparer. They had five types of crepes on the menu. Mine, a nutella and chocolate, something else with nutella, a cheese and something and some other one with cheese. The sweets were $5. The savories were $6.

Club Crawl, Downtown

2012-01-23T12:50:00.002-08:00

I went downtown two Friday's ago. It was weird. There were hardly any women or black people out. Perhaps it was too cold.

10-12pm: Stigma - The only place that has any diverting action (besides TV) before the crowd arrives. Still has tattooed girls pole dancing and cheap beer. A representative crowd. Good DJing. I still wonder if they sell drugs out of the bathroom or people stop in because it's known to have clean ones that they let anyone use. Always people coming in and going straight there and then walking out.

12-12:30am: Pine St Upstairs - Still gets the hottest girls, but, the ten to one ratio makes it impossible to get it in. They all look like they are from the same college organization.

12:30-1am: Back Booth - Still sort of 80's night (the play stuff from the 90's - Jump Around and stuff that was only on the radio or MTV and not played in clubs). It's funny watching the cast of Portlandia groove to music that was people with moussed up hair and suits used to groove to. maybe a 90's night would be more appropriate. There was one black guy and the rest of the people were white. They allow smoking and people were smoking all sorts of things in plain view.

1-1:10am: Dive Bar - Trying to figure out the allure. It was packed. DJ sucked. He would scratch a record and nothing would happen. Just pretending to do a live show from his Ipod playlist? They allow smoking.

1:10-2am: BarBQ - Went into the back courtyard which you can also enter in through Eye Spy. Still a great venue. Mostly dudes. Music was good. The video accompaniment was weak.

U & Me, Universal/Kirkman

2012-01-17T14:32:00.000-08:00

I came into this Chinese restaurant and Sushi bar for some sake and to complete my dining adventures in this area of town (it is in the strip mall across from Bubbalou's on Kirkman) on Friday. I had already had a sandwich at a crawfish place so I wasn't too hungry. I ended up having six pieces of sushi because the people were so nice. I had conch, salmon, and scallops. The conch was the best. It was firm and sweet. The salmon was ok. The chef told me it was fresh and that he filleted it from a whole fish. However, I think he doesn't exactly know how to do it without damaging the fibers of the fish. It tasted ok, but, had the wrong mouth feel. The scallops I think were frozen and warmed in hot water quickly. He kept running to the kitchen for things. The warm parts were a bit slimy and the cold parts were hard. No taste. The rice was good. The chef says he washes the rice seven times before steaming and cooks it twice a day. The vinegar mixture was fine (a little sweet). The rice was a little loose when he packed it. It fell apart in my chopsticks. All in all, not bad for a kid from Xi'an. I've seen many chefs who try alot less hard to do their jobs correctly. The pieces were $2.25 a piece. A small sake was $5. But, they had a great Friday special. Two for one drinks. The place is itself is a two for one - ugly and dirty. There is a front waiting area and a dining room. They said they do alot of take out. Thank God for both parties. The main room seats about 80 with booths on the walls and the sushi bar at the back. There was crap (baby toys, thawing fish, deodorizer, bottles) all around. It could use maid service. This is a place of business. A place people come to escape and fantasize. They don't want to feel like they are in some lower class studio apartment. Separate your work life from your home life. Even if that means moving it to the kitchen. Just hide it! And take the menu off the front window. It makes it look like you are closed for renovations. There is little decoration. Like I said, this place is mostly about the people. They are nice. They food is probably mediocre. It is a Chinese run place serving Japanese food (half the menu). The few Chinese dishes I saw come out smelled funky and didn't seem that intriguing. They said they served mostly Americanized dishes. I would take it for what it is. Takeout. That's pretty much what the stuff I saw looked like. They couldn't really make something good and have it appeal to what they think (and may be) are the tastes of a typically American audience. If you really aren't that discriminatory and want what most likely will be an honest effort at making you happy, these guys can probably fill your needs. They did teach me one interesting thing - Chinese food is so bland looking because the Chinese are scared that the food should look natural or it is unhealthy. Although it doesn't explain the lack of color. Now that I think of it, many fruits and vegetables are purposefully eye catching so animals will eat them and poop out the seeds. So, I guess the Chinese need to "catch the rainbow". How is brown sauce healthy looking anyway?

Hot N Juicy Crawfish, Sand Lake

2012-01-17T13:57:00.000-08:00

I had dinner at this New Orleans-esque restaurant on Sand Lake (in the strip mall on the left near the Timpano's and the defunct Samba Room space) on Friday. I was off elsewhere, but, thought this would just be a spur of the moment snack sampler. As such, I only had the Crawfish Po Boy for $8 and a beer ($3.50). The crawfish came fried and was most certainly frozen (tough, rubbery and tasteless). It was by far the worst thing about the sandwich. And is always the case in such circumstances, there was alot of them. The bun was very good (crunchy). The vegetables (lettuce and tomato) were fresh. I liked the spicy remoulde sauce. The sandwich without the crawfish was quite appealing. It is usually the other way around. It came in a plastic basket. The place is a chain, so, I bet most everything (blue crab, snow crab, king crab, dungeness crab, lobster, shrimp, clams, black mussels, calamari, catfish, soft shell crabs, chicken, etc) is frozen. Maybe they can get blue crab locally. That wouldn't be such a problem if it was priced more reasonably. Fried food starts at $11 for catfish and shrimp baskets. Most of the shellfish is "market price" and if boiled (you really should steam instead) crawfish is listed at $10 per pound, you can extrapolate. I've paid half as much for crawfish at a place on Mills. Which makes you wonder why they are at the price point they are at. Rent? It is a more upscale neighborhood. But, much of that section has been empty forever. Rent prices have to be reasonable. Ambiance? It is nicer. The place seats about 100. There are booths on the left side beside a brick wall. The right side has floor to ceiling windows. The rear has a small bar. They have about six flatscreens. It is clean (new). But, the place isn't much fancier than a Quizno's. I think they just have a uniform pricing model and their other locations are in areas where prices are inflated across the board. I think you can be smarter with your money if you are looking for this kind of food. But, maybe you don't want to dig. This is nice and safe. There were about 40 people there when I ate. All colors of the rainbow. Underdressed. It took about fifteen minutes to get my food, so, I guess that means it was fried to order. They had three, young servers who shared service. As I said, I think the prices are about 25% too high and all over the board. Rice is $2. A potato is $0.75. Extra sauce is $1.75. Wine only comes as red or white in a bottle at $30. What is it? I'm sure it's $2 wholesale shit. Most appetizers/sides are $6 and up. Sweet potato fries are $4.25. Additionally, they are a chain and they use frozen ingredients. Not a recipe for destination dining in my book. But, at least they brought something new to the neighborhood.

Uncle Jones Food Truck, Altamonte Springs

2012-01-12T14:53:00.000-08:00

The third snack and act of "The Day of Eating Dangerously" takes us to 436 near 17-92 in the spot where the old Uncle Jones BBQ burned down. The antagonist is a pulled pork sandwich that smells like shit and comes out of what must be the rattiest roach coach on the planet. I don't think it even drives. I haven't eaten it yet. I haven' decided if it is worth the risk. There is so much to be apprehensive about: spit, bacteria, black man's ass. My mind is a whirl. This may be the first time I've 86ed a meal without trying it. I'll add a comment to the post if I find my courage. It was $6. It is a big serving. He has chicken, pork, ribs and sides. I hope I haven't unfairly disparaged his truck, but I didn't love the place when it had walls and that truck is ossified. He even nuked the sandwich before he served it. I wouldn't go here unless you are a "local". Why do I keep thinking off The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and that movie where Ryan Reynold's works at a Benningan's clone?

Japan Express, Winter Park

2012-01-12T14:36:00.000-08:00

I had snack two of what I am terming "The Day of Eating Dangerously" at this Hibachi Drive Thru on Aloma (in the spot that most recently housed that fast food Mexican spot from the West Coast) today. This place is the impetus for why I named the day. I only ate here because I was in the neighborhood and I have an odd compulsion to try everything. I had a salmon and a white tuna roll for $4 a piece. The salmon was tasteless. The tuna had some flavor. The rice was ok. That is as far as I want to go with this until my digestive system gives me confirmation that everything was ok. I will add a salty comment to this blog post if it doesn't. What gives my pause is the condition of the restaurant. It is unclean. Tables aren't bussed. The cooking area is dirty. Things are not put away. No one else was in there. You might be asking "How could you order sushi then ?" It was the only area that seemed clean. The hot stuff looked disgusting and was expensive. I don't recommend it. In fact, I bet it goes out of business before the summer. It's as expensive as real sushi and hibachi at a real restaurant. There is no reason whatsoever to eat here. I know what you are thinking "Hibachi Drive Thru? What could go better together than Hibachi and Drive Thru? Make it cost as much as a dine in restaurant and add raw fish and I'm there seven days a week!" Don't be sucked in. And if you are, use the drive thru so you don't have to see how they make the sausage.

La Hacienda Taqueria, Winter Park

2012-01-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

I had snack one of what I am terming "the day of eating dangerously" today at this Taqueria in a meat market/grocery store of the same name on 436 and Aloma (near Friendly Confines). I wasn't as worried about this place as the two others, but since my stomach has been cramping since Christmas like a vagina on day twenty eight, I have been apprehensive about anything other than dry white toast. I'm glad you thought "who was the culprit?" and I have narrowed it down to Shanghai Chinese, Jersey Mike's sandwiches or the dollar off package of Stouffer's Ravioli I bought at Publix. They can't just throw it out. They have to try and make a buck on something the CDC put on the quarantine list. To return to the review. I had two tacos I have never seen before. I had a Birria (steamed bbq pork) and a Milanesa (breaded fried steak) for $1.50 a piece. Both were very good. The pork was a little juicer because of the steaming and still had a crunch. It was a big portion with onions and cilantro. The Milanesa is something I've had on its own, but, never cut up into a taco. It worked. A little dry. They said the owner is from Jalisco and the cook is from Veracruz. I'm not sure where the menu takes inspiration from. They have: tacos, tortas, salads, tostadas, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, frituras, gorditas, sopes, seafood, breakfast, typical Mexican dishes and lunch specials. It only seats about 12 in the far left corner of the market. The walls are frescoed. The crowd was mostly Mexican, but, there were three college kids there too. It isn't the Ritz, but, it is one of those good little gems that offers authentic, no nonsense meals at reasonable prices. Find it if you are looking for your own little secret hole in the wall. Half the fun is how off the radar it is.

The Italian Village Cafe, Winter Park

2012-01-12T13:51:00.001-08:00

I ordered two sandwiches to go at this Italian Cafe on 17-92 (across from the Winter Park City Center) on Monday. I had a Blinda Panini (sliced beef, red onion, tomato, mozzarella, jalapeno and smoked bacon) for $6.79 (even though the menu said $5.99) and a Peri-Peri Chicken Baguette for $5.50. Both were good. The Blinda came with a side salad of field greens that was better than many salads people serve at nattier places. The Peri-Peri Chicken is a slightly spicy Jamaican jerk recipe. The place seats about 6. It's in an old Coldstone Creamery store that they haven't really modified much. They have: 11 pastas, 7 salads, 9 wraps, 11 paninis, 13 subs and ice cream, shakes, sorbet, gelato, yogurt and smoothies. They even make spaghetti noodles and pizza out of ice cream. It's something the well traveled owners picked up in Germany. The menu isn't all Italian and I don't know what makes it a "village" cafe, but, it's about the same price as the chain sandwich shops and has more variety. I'm not a "sweets" guy so you are on your own there. I didn't have the courage to order the pastas. I wouldn't tell you to tackle the traffic and limited parking just to eat here, but, if you are in the neighborhood it is a decent experience and value. It was better than I expected. The place looks pretty unassuming.

Taste Of Jamaica, Lockhart

2011-12-20T14:31:00.000-08:00

I bought some curried chicken to go on Saturday at this Caribbean restaurant on SOBT and Clarcona Ocoee Rd. It cost $5.50. It came with white rice, a steamed banana and a boiled dumpling. The curry was tasty (not too hot). The chicken wasn't the best pieces of the bird. They have obviously never heard that you don't give a dog chicken bones because they will shatter into little shards at choke him. I know they haven't heard of this because they also don't know it applies to humans. And not only choking, but, cracking a tooth. Eating an unboned fish was less dangerous than this. The rice was fine. The dumpling was a rock. The banana was fine. The service was a bit slow for scooping a helping out of a pot and dumping it in a styrofoam box. They have some interesting (for a non-islander) breakfast items. Ackee and codfish, beef liver, callaloo and a daily porridge. They serve goat, stewed chicken feet, oxtail, roti, gizzards, cow feet, and of course jerks, fish, stews, patties and other regional items. A gold mine for the fearless. It's in an old fast food restaurant. They have decorated it. It seats about 100. They have take out and sit in (no wait staff I think). It's priced reasonably. I would guess people who know would say this is the best of breed. I've been to about six similar places locally so I'm not sure I have enough info to judge. But, it does seem to be the best in terms of selection and quality that I have been to so far.

FHSAA 6A Finals, Citrus Bowl

2011-12-20T14:16:00.000-08:00

I saw Armwood Seffner (#2 nationally) beat Miami Central (#11) on Saturday for $12 ($10 for parking). I was one of maybe 100 locals there. Armwood barely filled their lower section. Miami could have filled the lower and upper sections if half of their fans weren't smoking weed by the food stalls at any one time (good job OPD). Shame on Orlando and shame on Armwood. Where is the love? Tampa is way closer than Miami, you have a nationally ranked team and you aren't using stolen credit cards to finance the trip. Why nobody from Orlando ever goes is a mystery to me. Does Orlando have that much going on that this can be poo pooed? It's not like it is a secret at this stage. I beg the people who hold this event to move it. I would be disappointed, but, it is ridiculous that people around here don't support it. I feel bad for the kids. Maybe some shuttle buses from downtown would help. The area is scary and maybe parking would be less away from the bowl. You could also then get in two games (by going to downtown in between) instead of one and the parking hit could be amortized over two spectacles. Maybe having it on TV is killing attendance? Maybe you need a blackout?

College Park Cafe, College Park

2011-12-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

I grabbed an egg salad sandwich to go from this dive diner on Edgewater Dr on Saturday. It was $6.25. There was some confusion when I asked for mustard on it. They thought I meant instead of mayo and even though I thought I worked it out with the waitress, I got a chopped hard boiled egg sandwich without anything else. Needless to say it wasn't memorable. Neither is the place. Well not in a good way anyway. I only went in to knock it off my list. I'm actually reticent about reviewing it. I don't suggest you go. Why are there (4 to my count) so many dive diners on Edgewater Dr? It looks decrepit. It's overpriced for the basic fare they serve. Of course it was packed with gastronomic morons getting fleeced. It's run by Croatians (a propos of nothing) and staffed with immigrants from other minor Eastern European countries that you've probably never heard of. You would think they would serve something, anything regional. But, the hayseeds that eat there would probably eschew it. And like Forest Gump, that is all I have to say about that.

Kingfish, College Park

2011-12-20T13:24:00.002-08:00

I had lunch at this self-described Italian Bistro on Edgewater Dr in College Park on Saturday. I didn't know Italians could have a "bistro", but, perhaps the Vietnamese owners don't quite understand European linguistics. It's not the only thing that is befuddled at this time. The menu is a typical, dull, medium-high priced Italian assortment with egg rolls, sashimi, buffalo wings, etc. Somethings are priced well. Most are overpriced (ie $4 for french fries, $11 for a small pizza, $9 for a calzone). I'm not even sure this neighborhood needed another Italian restaurant. And since only two other people were eating there while almost every restaurant around them was full, I think I'm right (and that is taking into account they are new and should have more lookey loos like me). I really don't want to bag on this place because the people seem nice and the service was good. But, why aren't you a seafood restaurant? I tried my best to make it one by ordering the Insalata de Pesce (grilled salmon, pine nuts, black olives, artichoke hearts on mixed greens) for $12 and getting them to replace the salmon with cobia for excitement. A side note - they said that by switching to parrot fish the price would jump $4, but, cobia was the same price as salmon. I checked at the market and salmon and talapia (another fish they carry) is $8 a pound while cobia is $16 (no parrot fish at the market). So I'm not sure if I really got talapia or they buy better than the market or they goofed. In any case, the fish was fine. Not a lot of flavor. I forget what it was supposed to taste like. There are so many fish out there now and they all are called by more names than the roads around Orlando. Pan "grilled". Not grill grilled. So it wasn't smoky. Not that I prefer that. The salad was a mess. It was small. It wasn't field greens. It was field green (romaine probably). There was; one bottled artichoke cut in quarters in each corner of the plate, four olives, five pine nuts, some onions, some peppers, and a syrupy vinaigrette. I mean come on. You can by a bag of field greens (assorted) at the market. I'm not asking for organically grown stuff from a ferret's cage in the back of a locally parked VW bus. Just respect the description you wrote in your menu. The place is ok looking (I would lose the neon beer signs). It is decorated close enough to its purported inspiration. It seats about 50. For a place that represents the value proposition that I like the least, it would be near the top because they seem to care. I would just have to be selective in what I ordered. But, if you are one of those legions of food zombies who love over priced Southern Italian flotsam, this poorly named enabler is waiting for you. I would act fast because I think it may be a limited engagement.

Kona Dogs Food Truck, Winter Park

2011-12-16T13:50:00.000-08:00

I ordered a regular beef dog to go from this Hawaiian style hot dog food truck on Orlando Ave. It was $5. They have a shack next to Wet 'n Wild on I Drive too. They have three types of wieners (beef, pork, veggie). It came with a choice of three toppings. (Boy this is becoming suggestive. Can you imagine if Nature made that happen in real life? Three types of wieners that come with different sauces. Wait it gets better). Each sauce had options within the category. I just went with their namesake sauce (something sweet and garlicky). They put on way too much. Forgetting the caloric damage, it is just gross in large quantities. I think it can be substituted for K-Y in a pinch. But, after I wiped 90% of it off, it didn't ruin the dog. The dog was ok. It's rather obscene in its proportions. They shove it some kind of Hawaiian sweet roll that they hollow out the center of on a heated spike. I can't say I would go back for another, but, I wouldn't refuse one if I had to either. That's what she said.

Silver Bistro Food Truck, Winter Park

2011-12-16T13:27:00.000-08:00

While driving home from lunch, I spotted The Winter Park Food Truck Stop for International Street Food on Orlando Ave (17-92) in between Maitland and Winter Park. It is now the "parking lot/open for business sometimes" location for dozens of our favorite food trucks. On this day (Wednesday), the Lobster Roll, Capt D, Winter Park Fish Co, Taste Buds (Venezuelan), Kona Hot Dogs and this truck were serving lunch. The Crepe truck and Swe-dish truck were there but closed. Lunch is 11-2 (I think). I also know they have a block party of sorts every Thursday from 6-10pm (I think) where every truck serves and they have music and seating.

The Siver Bistro is run by a nice guy who is trying his luck at the food truck business for the first time. He appears to have a steady menu (a permanent sign versus chalkboard) of four items; Miami Seoul (a Cuban with Kim Chi), a chicken something sandwich, a cheese steak, and an Elvis (pb with j or fluff and bacon). The meat sandwiches were $8 for a large and $5 for a small. The Elvis was $4. He also had a grilled cheese special for $2 and some other things. You can add a drink and chips for $1.50 (I think). I had the Miami Seoul. It was good without the Key Lime Aioli, great with it. The aioli was thin and wet. Almost a dressing. The Kim Chi was mild and dry. It didn't nauseate like it does in a taco. The ham and pork were fine. It came out fast (cooked to order). I tried to have just one bite before dinner, but, had to at least finish off half before my stomach would release my brain and I could concentrate on other things.

Rangetsu, Maitland

2011-12-16T11:48:00.000-08:00

I went to this Japanese restaurant in the new housing development on Lake Lilly (Orlando Ave ie 17-92) on Wednesday for lunch. I was a little apprehensive about what it would amount to since there was a measurable time lag between when the old place on I Drive closed down and this one replaced it. Nothing to worry about. It's the same people (grandson) and the same if not better quality proposition. And it not so much replaced it as went in an entirely new direction. Gone are the koi ponds, zen gardens and the rest of the charicaturishly representational indicia. In their place is a hip, urban Japanese restaurant. The ceiling (air ducts) is painted black and stacked and serpentined to give the illusion of design. They are still ugly air ducts, but, at least they tried to incorporate them. They, exit signs, and staging areas ruin every dining room. Damn you OSHA or whomever. One side of the main room has glass windows. The opposite side has a "peer in" kitchen. The far wall has some interesting cut glass decoration over the booths to the left and a large corporate symbol over the sushi bar. The wall opposite it houses the bar. The places seats about; ten at the sushi bar, ten at the robata bar (at the kitchen), 16 in the bar, 40 on the patio and 100 in the main dining area. There is a nook in the back where they can draw curtains to make a private dining area. There are tables and booths (black leather or leather substitute) inside and wickerish furniture outside. The sushi and robata bar seats are white high chairs. The floor is dark. It's your typical monochromatic exhibition. OK. On to the food. I attempted to see both ends of the spectrum. The cheapest lunch option and some of their higher end sushi. I had the 2 Roll Special for $8, an order of Kampachi (to clear up the confusion caused by Dragonfly) at $4, and an order of Whelk Clam sushi at $3.50. I had spicy salmon and spicy scallop for my rolls. It is supposed to come "crunchy" style, but, they let me avoid that catastrophe. I'm usually not a fan of the mayo-infused excuse to hide the lips and dicks of the raw fish world, but, the quality of the seafood in these rolls was excellent and they didn't offer many alternatives. If these are the remnants, then the quality carvings must be incredible (by association - if a is to be then b is to c). The portions were large (8 large cuts) in length and the amount of fish in them was great. It would have been better if they didn't have the 200 or so extra calories from the mayonnaise (1 tsp = 50 calories), but, I've learned (from TV) that you can ask for spicy rolls without mayo (just the hot sauce). I still don't get why you would want to hide your product in mayo if it is going to be of that quality. Just do some regular rolls. The rolls came on a nice piece of rectangular, white porcelain with brownish ginger (I'm told ginger is dyed in different colors) and radish confetti. The special includes sunumono and soup or salad. I chose soup. It was a very nice Miso topped with two pieces of fried tofu skin. The whelk was ok. I believe it was my first foray. It tasted like a crisper squid. It came on a similar (smaller) set up as the rolls. A sushi order is one piece. Ok, now Kampachi. I looked it up. It is not baby yellowtail as another restaurant describes it. It is a fish called almaco jack aka songoro amberjack aka kahala. This version was much whiter than the pieces I had at that other restaurant. It had a little more flavor and was a touch softer than the other. I still prefer the slightly fishier taste of yellowtail. I wouldn't cough up the extra dollar per order. They have Kampachi Toro (belly) here too. The sashimi (2 pieces) came in a nice, glass dish with little cucumber pin wheels. The rice in all the sushi was properly prepared. The rest of the menu is great. They have things like; three types of shabu shabu (Japanese fondue), a robata grill (grilled skewers), individual hot cooking stones (for Kobe, etc) fish and chips, Japanese noodles fettuccine style, and plenty of other attractions. I like that they are trying to experiment within a classic construct. The place is new so of course it was spotless. Cloth napkins and metal chop sticks (don't point them at the person across from you). The service (6) was great. My waitress was perfect. The food came out in seconds. The other staff picked up the slack. The manager even came to clear my table and inquire about my satisfaction. They even packed up a soda ($2.50) to go. The one missed beat was the hostess. As usual this idiot is the weak link in the chain of another restaurant. And since this is the first impression all customers get, I encourage you restaurant managers to find a solution to this. So, I walk through the door and of course no one is at the station. I wander in to the main dining room to try and find someone to help me unload precious currency on overpriced fish taken from the sea for free. The first thing they do is try and pawn me off to the bar. I'm not sure if it is the sushi bar or the bar bar, but, the bar bar didn't even have anyone working in it at the time and was empty. I decline as I always do because get this - I would like to get the premium experience when I am paying the premium price. If you want to knock 50% off the bill I'll consider the bar. But, you guys say you need to charge that much because of the overhead. If so, then I want the over head over my head. So, I catch a little 'tude, but, I am shown a seat and told I'm lucky because one just opened up. The "one" was one of three tables they have for two people and I swear they would have made me wait in a restaurant that was 85% empty until one of those tables opened up. I hope the hostess isn't so big an ignoramus that she would have walked a sale rather than dedicate a table of four to one diner in an empty restaurant. I hope that is the order from up top (only seat three or more in a four). I hope that management adds a caveat to the rule and restores some sanity to the ossified seating process. But, I've been hoping for that for years. Notwithstanding an almost cataclysmic first impression, I fell in love with the place. It's in my top five for Japanese food. The prices were reasonable. The quality was excellent. The service was excellent. The selection was excellent. Parking wasn't a problem. It no longer evinces the Benihana/Kobe kitsch it used to, but, leave the kids at home and enjoy what a modern Japanese meal in an adult setting can be. It may not be a spectacle any more, but, spectacle can have a negative connotation too. Let the food be what you remember and not the fake Pagoda. A side note that may be of some interest to you (but probably not) - Rangetsu means Moon Orchid. It's what their logo represents.

Club Crawl, Downtown

2011-12-15T12:05:00.000-08:00

I went downtown on Saturday

9-9:30pm: Draft - This place across from the Amway was in the news as one of those poor unfortunate businesses that needed our support. What they need is a personality transplant. The staff was sullen and unwelcoming. It's way too Hispanic. That doesn't scream "class" to potential customers. There is one white girl, but, she is an Eastern European. That doesn't help. The (lack of) sophistication totally clashes with what the place itself is trying to say with its interior design. Low class and bitchy is not the same as high class and bitchy. One has been shown to be socially acceptable and the other will not be tolerated by anybody who has more than a credit union debit card in their wallet. Unsurprisingly, it was almost empty even though there was a free concert for Gen Xers down the street and it is the only bar on the street and it was cold and rainy outside.

9:30-10pm: I listened to the Sugar Ray concert down the block. Who knew they had at least six legitimate hits. Not bad for free. Too cold and rainy to stay.

10:30-11pm: Blank Space - I grabbed one drink before I gave into my cold. The place is getting more professional and a few hot girls stop by every once in a while.

Nick's, Downtown

2011-12-15T11:22:00.001-08:00

I had dinner at this Italian Kitchen (owned by the Funky Monkey folks) southeast of Lake Eola on Saturday. I had the soup of the day for $6 and the risotto of the day for $15 (very reasonable prices). The soup was made of potato puree and prosciutto nibs. It was delicious. It came in a nice bowl. They infused the creamy potato base with a large amount of coarsely chopped prosciutto pieces and a large slice for a garnish. It was the first soup I needed a knife for (to shred the prosciutto slice). The quality of the prosciutto was first class. The "Surf and Turf" Risotto was equally as good. The portion was huge. The risotto was well cooked. It wasn't bursting with flavor, but, that let the taste of the meats emerge more obviously. I enjoyed the lobster (large amount) more than the steak (large amount). The steak was a little tough and didn't have much flavor. I guess it's required to complete the effect, but, the lobster (like many artists in a group) could go solo. It came on a nice plate as well. They start you off with a bread basket and cold eggplant puree. The breads (olive, bread stick and a dense, sweet bread topped with crushed walnuts) didn't really bond with the eggplant. I believe they bake the breads themselves. The service (4) was excellent. It's a small place. It seats about 60. There were about 20 people there at 7pm. It's an intimate and refined setting (but not stuffy). There may have been music. There are no TV's like their Southwestern place next door. This is the place you go when you want a quiet, romantic evening. It does have a small bar, but, I think you would feel weird sitting there. There are photos of Italian landmarks on the wall. The support beams have tiles on them. It's not garish. They have half booths against the front window and tables in the center. My seat still had bread crumbs on it, so that is something they may want to look into. It is furnished spartanly. It has very high ceilings. It's a great place. The menu is small enough so they should be able to deliver consistent results. It still reaches a broad range of tastes. They have little "tweaks" to classic dishes that make it interesting (ie shrimp with penne ala vodka). I can vouch for the specials. I'm sure they will always be good. I highly recommend this place. I didn't want to like it. To be honest I resent when I have to go back to a space I've already marked off my list (especially when it is a pain to get to). But, this is definitely the best restaurant this space has ever housed (I think it's the third). The new owners of all the places on this block have bested the spots that they replaced. You should feel lucky if you live nearby and you need to find these spots if you do not.

Darbar, Lake Mary

2011-12-08T11:52:00.002-08:00

I had lunch at this Indian restaurant in the original K Mart shopping plaza off Lake Mary Blvd (next to Einstein's) on Monday. It has been open for two weeks. The name denotes - "a magnificent hall where ceremonial gatherings were held and royal feasts were served to guests". That may be hyperbole, but, they did provide an acceptable buffet for $9. They served from left to right: salad, raita (yogurt), chutney, padam (wafers), chicken tikka masala, chicken in red curry, palak paneer (creamed spinach and cheese), aloo (potatos), two types on lentils, and basmati rice. There might have been one more vegetable dish. They also had a chicken dish that I believe was called Chicken Kalita. It was slightly breaded. It's not on the menu. They also brought out hot buttered naan if you asked. Dessert was included too - mango ice cream (I think) or rice pudding. I was too full to try. All the offerings were nicely prepared. The service (1 plus the manager) was good. The place is a bit stark. It is divided into two sides that are identical. It seats about 60. There were three other tables and a to go order in motion while I was there. It has booths on the periphery and tables in the middle. My booth was a little tight (and not because I'm large, 32 waist smart asses). I'm not sure if any other booths suffer from the same restrictiveness. The front window is severely tinted. I hope it doesn't scare people into thinking no one is home. The quality of the decor, seating and tableware is definitely reclaimed kitchen surplus. The menu is based on Northern Indian recipes (meat) with a nod to southern India via some vegetarian dishes. If the buffet is any indication, the rest of the menu (chicken, lamb, seafood, kabob rolls, tandoori preparations) is probably delicious. I was worried that the area couldn't support another Indian restaurant. But, since the other restaurant in town doesn't offer a buffet and since they have some unique dishes, I think they can survive. I'm always pleasantly surprised at the level of acceptance and familiarity there seems to be in the region for Indian food. Here's another option for you to chew on.

Which Wich, Sand Lake

2011-12-07T14:57:00.000-08:00

I ordered a sandwich to go at this sandwich shop next to World of Beer in the complex that includes Morton's on Friday night. I love everything about it except that there isn't one near me. You order by first selecting a brown, hero shaped bag with the type of meat you want on it. There is a list of options that you check off on the bag. You then hand the bag to the cashier. They fill the bag. I had a 7 inch (smallest) Beef & Whiz (cheese whiz). My options were: hot or cold, bowl, size, extras (ie double meat), cheeses, mustards, mayos, spreads and sauces, dressings, onions, veggies, and oils and spices. In each group you have a number of choices. Every meat has different options associated with them. They even have weird things like Elvis' style PB and Bacon and Shrimp Po' Boys. The Psuedo-Philly Cheesesteak I made was $5. The beef didn't really cut it for a cheesesteak, but, at least they tried to be inventive with its application. I just wanted to see the whiz. The whiz and bread were good. It warmed up well the next day. The place seats about 40. It's new and fun. Everything about this place is new and fun. It puts the other sandwich shops to shame. Even if it is a little more, it is worth it. More options. I thinks they had soups. If you choose "bowl" it becomes a salad. They are open pretty late. They save copies of the newspaper for you to read.

Dragonfly, Sand Lake

2011-12-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

I grabbed a snack at this Japenese style restaurant in the Via Dellagio complex on Friday. I believe it markets itself as an Izakaya (pub) style establishment. It was my first choice for dinner, but, they didn't seem anxious enough to have me so I tried one of the six other choices steps away. This way I could report back without making another trek here and stiff them out of a full meal charge. I had 2 pieces of Escolar sashimi for $5. They listed the fish as seared, but, I think it was cooked through. In any case, it was buttery. I also had two pieces of Kampachi (Baby Yellow Tail). it has been a while since I've eaten that, but, I could swear it was regular YT. It was very firm, cool and flavorless. I would bet it was poorly thawed YT. It was $6. They were out of Uni. The place looks great. It's very chic inside. It seats: about 20 at the sushi bar, about 60 in the main room, about 50 outside and about 12 in a semi private area. The bar is small (12) for a pub style venue. The restaurant is decorated in a lot of black. Very cosmopolitan Japanese with touches of antiquity. The menu includes items served on a robata grill (supposedly the only place in town with it). They had some interesting items (like yellow tail collar) to grill. The main lures on the sushi menu were some kind of specially raised or caught salmon, the things I ordered and one other that I can't remember. The beer was cheap. The wine was a dollar or two a glass high. The sake was way overpriced. I saw a cheap ass sake warmer in the bar, but, they didn't mention it on the menu. If that isn't what it is, sake will start setting you back almost $20. The clientele was natty. Pretty young and happening. The service was polite (hostess not included). I hate to say that I will have to eat crow and eat here again. I may even condescend to eat outside or at the sushi bar. Sadly, they aren't open for lunch. But, that's the sign of a flourishing restaurant, right?

Cantina Laredo, Sand Lake

2011-12-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

I had dinner at this "gourmet" Mexican restaurant in Via Dellagio complex (the one closest to Bay Hill) on Sand Lake Rd last Friday. I had the Fiesta Grill for $26. It was a sizzling skillet of shrimp (2), costillas (pork ribs) (2), quail (1) and little piles of carnitas (pulled pork shanks), grilled beef and grilled chicken. It came with rice, beans, guacamole, salsa, sour cream and soft tortillas. The shrimp were mushy and over cooked. The worst of it. They really need to be cooked separately and placed on top later. The ribs were tender (not much meat). They came with a sweet barbeque sauce on top. The quail was fine. A little dry, but, I'm not a fan of the wet and rubbery texture of undercooked poultry. They seemed to have removed the rib cage from the bird for you. The carnitas had a wonderful sauce. I have never had it come "on the bone" like osso buco. A great idea. Maybe the best thing. The little shank was so cute. The grilled beef was really grilled. We're talking jerky. But, I was in the mood for competing textures. It had a nice flavor. The chicken was also overcooked. It needed to be hidden under salsa, guac and sour cream in a fajita. The guac was ok. Let's hope their table side and house recommended guac is superior. The salsa was old and rubbery. Regarding salsa, they provided two types of salsa to begin with. A very sour one served cool and a smokier one served hot. I've never encountered a hot (as in temperature) salsa before. It was a novelty, but, I found myself gravitating back to the cool one. The service was great. Everyone was well dressed. I couldn't stop people from bringing me things. The soda alone was refilled with a fresh glass three times. It would have been more if I hadn't declined. They even changed the TV channel for me. My main server had a great attitude and didn't hide from the dining room. The place seats over 100. There is an outside patio (near a giant water fountain) that must seat 40. There is a large bar that must seat 20. There is a ring around the bar that must seat 20. There is an ante dining room between the bar and the patio that must seat 20. There is a main dining area that must seat 60. The main dining room and the ring around the bar have booth options. The main dining room has a central fire place. It was about half full while I was there. It was a mix of families and people on dates or celebrating as a group. The dress code was all over the place. The decor is modern. The place itself doesn't seem like it was constructed with a Mexican restaurant in mind, but, it is clean and new. My dish was the most expensive on the menu. Most are around the mid teens. Apps are few and close to entree prices. They have desserts around $6. Lunch prices top out at $13. The menu is a pretty good mix of old favorites and things we gringos should be moving on to by now. I suggest you give it a try. They seem to be happy to have your business and deliver good value for a place that will qualify as a fine dining experience. I almost assure you that you can find a good a table here without reservations at any time of the day.

Grub Crawl, Winter Springs

2011-11-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

I went to these restaurants on Monday.

B2 Cafe - This place answers the question - What if Quiznos and Einstein's had a baby? I think they are shooting for a finer reputation, but, it looks and acts like a fast food joint. They serve sandwiches and breakfast. I had a TBCC for $7. It's turkey, spinach cream cheese, provolone with a side of "jus". The spinach cc must take the place of a spinach and artichoke spread. It was a good complement to the turkey. The serving was Quiznos size not delicatessen size. The "jus" was a terrible idea. It overpowered everything else. Maybe on the RBCC. All in all, probably better than the two places I likened them to. But, not enough to go out of your way for. They are in the strip mall at the intersection of Tuskawilla and Red Bug Lake (on the Thai Basil side).

Hokkaido - They have five hibachi grills and a small sushi bar in the back plus one smallish dining room. It's new. I had a salmon roll for $4.50 and a yellowtail roll for $5 to go. Both were great. They were nori wrapped and cut large and thin. Lots of fish. The rice was perfect. They are in the newish Wal-mart (lower profile version) strip mall on Red Bug Lake near Tuskawilla.

China Wok - A take out Chinese next to Hokkaido. What you would expect. I had a pint of shrimp fried rice for $4.50 to go. Kind of soggy rice. A fair amount (9) shrimp stuffed at the top of the box. Not many veggie pieces. They say they do New York Style. That can't be possible for two reasons. 1 - I saw no Mexicans working in the kitchen. 2 - New York is moving away from the Americanized chinese food they are speaking of for authentic chinese dishes. If they were serving those, they would say they serve X style chinese food.

Laramie Project, SSC

2011-11-15T15:49:00.000-08:00

I saw the first matinee of this production on Sunday ($10). It runs through this weekend. I found the material as artificial and agenda driven as I did when I saw it ten years ago. It is and was a cynical attempt to win an award by dramatizing (what could have been seen as a simple robbery, battery and possible man slaughter case if there was no felony battery statute) an event that the media and special interest groups conflated into a hate crime once they heard the victim was gay. One can make this statement if you look at the percentage of the dialogue that is allotted to both sides of the argument. One side has about 95% of the words and the other does not. It's akin to the real life beat down the victim suffered. One defensive blow for every twenty received. The fact that they declined to investigate the protagonists' motives is also a clue. They told them (and America) what those motives had to be. It was the same with the media coverage if you were alive when the crime was reported. These kids got caught in the political correctness machine and were used as sacrificial lambs to scare potential perpetrators of hate crimes (although they did get life sentences without hate crime legislation). Not to say they didn't commit a reprehensible act. They did. Just not the one these authors wanted to write about. Or wanted to stop writing about when the evidence pointed a different way. Most of the evidence suggest that gay bashing was not the motivating factor behind the crime. It was money. The battery could have been explained as a self defense to sexual assault on the part of the victim. A much better play would have been a critique on how the media and interest groups exploit and repurpose an event to convey a message they wish to champion and how the legal and political systems disfunction under said pressue. That is an interesting, multi-faceted proposition. This is just a one dimensional effort in didacticism. They should have at least included material from the accused (ala Capote's In Cold Blood). The language (supposedly taken from transcripts) is also too clean to have been authentic. I wonder how they slanted the very words in the material in addition to using the power of parsing and selective inclusion to bend the story. Well, now that you have my views on the source material, let's get to the production. The set design is good. The acting was acceptable. The actors were prepared. Maybe next time they will get material worthy of their effort. Not just some poor excuse that doesn't really convey the anti-bullying or pro gay rights message they were looking to send.

For the record I am for the protection of every class of people. My issue is with the quality of the argument they stand behind. They deserve better than this. We all deserve better than this. This is not an issue that needs sophistry or self interested rhetoric. It can survive examination of all the points of view.

Big Daddy's, Sanford

2011-11-15T15:30:00.000-08:00

I had lunch at this Drive In restaurant near the 46a intersection on 17-92 on Friday. It used to be the Rib Shack and was something else in between. It has been open for a week. I had a 1/4 fried chicken that came with fries, cole slaw and rice for $4.75 and a BBQ pork sandwich to go for $3.45. The chicken was juicy with a thin crust. It was freshly fried (20 minute wait time). It was a breast and a wing. The fries were crisp. The cole slaw was a bit sweet for me. They cut the cabbage in tiny squares. The rice was flavored with a lot or butter or butter substitute, dill and probably chicken stock. The pork was good. It had a touch of bbq sauce. The place expands its smallish (40 seats) dining room by serving people who park their cars in their lot. It's an old time car hop. The service (4) was attentive and no waitress is dedicated to only one section. They have fried seafood, ice cream, burgers, sandwiches, wings, and even chicken livers. The interior is decked out in 50's memorabilia. The structure is worn, but, it makes it feel like a "real' joint. It was about half full. The prices are low and the value is good. There's not much choice in the area, so hopefully they will succeed where others have failed. They only take cash.

Good Eats Diner, Deltona

2011-11-10T19:03:00.000-08:00

I had lunch at this diner on Deltona Boulevard on Wednesday. I had the Eggs Benedict Special for $6. It came with home fries (other choices included hashbrowns or grits). It was very good. The eggs were poached perfectly. The canadian bacon had a lot of flavor. The hollandaise sauce was fresh. The one flaw was that they kind of drowned the plate in hollandaise. I'm sure some believe that more is always better, but, sauce can be like salt. Too much can ruin a meal. Fortunately for me, I could clear away their generosity with my knife. The place is in a strip mall near a Wells Fargo. It's an old structure. It looks like most small town southern diners. Sort of grandma-esque. It has white walls that have red wainscoting (is it wainscoting if there is no wood involved?). There is a central, square counter with tables around the periphery. Not much decoration. It seats about 35. It was mostly full. The service was quick and polite. They serve mostly breakfast with some burgers and sandwiches. The craziest they get is liver and onions. I doubt you'll be in the area, but if you are, you could do worse.

Club Crawl, Downtown

2011-11-09T13:59:00.001-08:00

Last Friday

10-10:30pm: Sonoma - Had a drink at this beer-centric bar/restaurant in TP. They totally re-did this previously Miami-ish club space to make it look like a lodge. How this and the beer evokes Sonoma is anybody's guess. It was surprisingly full. Some customers said it was more crowded than usual. It is a pretty big space. Unsurprisingly (this will be a theme), it was mostly dudes. Even some dudes that dig dudes. No Cover.

10:30-10:31pm: The Abbey - Tried to get a drink at this bar/theater around the corner from Sonoma. It was being rented for a benefit. Looks cool though. No Cover.

10:45-11pm: Frank and Steins - Tried an awful sparkling sake drink at this pub/sports bar. All dudes. Seemed busier than I expected from a place that is hidden away a block east of Church and Orange. They have some food, but, it's an afterthought (the franks in their name). No Cover.

11pm-1am: The Attic - A large helping of dudes, but, some outrageously hot co-eds. Granted they dress and act like they come from UCF, but, at least there is gold to polish. The crowd felt like a fraternity's little sister pre-rush party. The music was good. The crowd was young. People were f upped. It was interesting. The one downer was that it became a pain to get served. No Cover.

1am-1:10am: Que Rico Food Truck - I had a Columbian BLT (La Perra) for $4. It's bacon, potato sticks, lettuce, a spicy tomato based and mayo sauce, pineapple, cilantro and pimento. There was a lot of bacon and i believe it wasn't baco-bits. maybe too much sauce. But, I liked it even if it sat in my fridge until lunch and had to be nuked. There are on Pine and Orange.

1:10am-1:20am: - Whitewood - I got their sampler platter and a lentil soup to go. The guy charged me $5, but, I think that was a late night/grand opening teaser rate. The sampler had hummus, babaganoush, a salad of parsley or mint, cous cous and tomatos and pita. All were respectable. I asked for a Fattoush salad, but, since I just looked it up and it's some bread salad I seemed to have been thrown a curveball. The hummus was a little bland, but, that may mean it had less calories. I have no use for baba so I threw it in with some dry packed chicken soup (hang over remedy) and it worked well as a thickener. I also tossed in the salad that remains nameless after eating half of it. I'm sure it was good whatever it's called, but, it tasted like pico de gallo and bitter herbs to me. Not on my must have list. The lentil soup was very thick with lentils. A little bland. The guys seem cool. It's good that that location on Orange (used to be a tattoo parlor) is in use again. The name is derived from the look of the burnt wood under the cooking surface. It's Syrian/Lebanese.

Prickly Pear, Thornton Park

2011-11-09T13:26:00.000-08:00

I had dinner at this Southwestern Style restaurant near Lake Eola last Friday. I had their Apache Skirt Steak for $19. It came with a half a plate of fries sprinkled with a truffle "essence" and a fist full of crisp, thin haricot vert (perfectly cooked). The steak (diaphragm muscle) was cooked as requested (medium rare). It was a big piece, folded over on itself to fit on the plate. It could probably use an accent of any kind. I tried some of the butter from the bread basket and it helped. The plating was non-descript. The service was excellent. The place seats about 80. They have a bar area (which isn't really closed off enough to be considered a bar area), and a main dining strip on the window side. They have different seating plans, arrangements and levels. A reservation wasn't required. It was about half full at 9 pm. The crowd was mostly white and professional. It used to be some chi chi southern style restaurant that some quasi-famous local black female chef was supposed to rescue towards the end (see my old posts). It didn't work out. The space had been vacant for about a year. The people from Funky Monkey have taken this and a restaurant next door (Italian) over. Hopefully, that means stability (but you never can tell if the emperor really has any clothes in this industry). The whole block is revitalized again (see next post). The decor is hip-ish. They left most of the previous lay out and added some western touches. It's clean and urbane. The menu is more Colorado than New Mexico. There are only a few Mexican style options. They prefer things like elk and bison burgers, iron skillet chicken, duck, and the like. They have a similar (good) wine list to the other Monkey restaurants. They also serve a decent amount of beer. The bar has flat screens. Parking can be a pain. Not sure what else I can tell you about it. I enjoyed all phases of the experience and I encourage you to give it a try.

Grub Crawl, Downtown

2011-11-04T11:13:00.000-07:00

I went to all of these locations this Wednesday afternoon. None were worthy of their own post.

Pine 22 - One of these "create your own burger" places (ie Metro Burger). You basically pay more for food that is "supposed" to be better than fast food but never is. I had a swiss cheeseburger with approximately 20 really thin carrot slivers, two silver dollar sized lettuce leaves, 3 bean sprouts, and possibly some similarly minute slivers of cucumber (I didn't want to pick through to confirm that they were in there somewhere) for $7. The burger had little to no flavor. It was well done when I asked for medium rare. It was bone dry (ie frozen or man handled). The english muffin was the high lite. Or maybe the "to go" bag. I couldn't eat there once I saw what kind of restaurant it was. The place still retains the ambiance that the former restaurant established. It was a higher end full service restaurant back then. It seats about 100. It was mostly full. It is possible that this type of restaurant is the "sweet spot" for downtown. Mid-tier (think TGIF, Tijuana Flats) quality food at slightly lower prices because they 86 the staff. Personally, I had a better burger at a better price at the local sports bar on Monday night. And it came with a half a plate of waffle fries. I believe the menu was created by the woman behind Urban Flats (with some relation to Rusty Spoon). It's (the options) intriguing in theory, but, below standard in execution. The ingredients are poorly sourced and poorly managed once the come in. It is the Kim Kardashian of restaurants. Flashy, cheap and ultimately disappointing. They serve alcohol and some other food items. They must have cornered the market on wine splits. Pass.

Downtown Market and Cafe - I had a Waldorf sandwich for $7. Another loser. There wasn't much salad (chicken) on the sandwich and fewer grapes and walnuts in it. I don't recall tasting any apple. It rested on one sad, browning lettuce leaf. The place is cute. The only reason I stopped in. But, the food doesn't equal the setting. I bet it was developed for a gourmet coffee place (black wood and mirrors). The decorations (50's bric a brac) don't compliment the design. They leave out personal items (laptops and speaker boxes) among the tables. That and hand made signs on areas like the rest room door show that they have no eye for detail or taste. They have an interesting menu, but, I bet they don't deliver on the promise. If you have to go, stick to the meat-centric sandwiches. That way they can only mess up by having the wrong supplier or in the amount they offer you. It seats about 12. It's probably the farthest north of all the eating possibilities on Orange. They need a better name, signage and a clear view from the sidewalk into the cafe. Pass.

Kalbi Hau5 Food Truck - I had a quesadilla with kim chi and roast pork for $7 (the sign said $5 + 1 for meat). I have wanted to try this kim chi and Mexican fusion since I first heard about them doing it in LA. It's a disaster. The kim chi brings out the burntness on the quesadilla. The cheese clashes with the kim chi. The sogginess of the kim chi is a poor contrast with the dense pork. The pork was overcooked. A salsa topping was flavorless. Even the kim chi wasn't very good. Just a disaster. I now know Mexican food needs the contrast of fresh vegetables in texture, temperature and taste. I should have guessed as much since I hate the cooked onions and peppers they serve with some dishes. It makes it a gloopy mess. On the plus side, it took them over fifteen minutes to grill it and the truck looks dirty. They say they are at this location on Pine and Orange for 6 months. Lucky for us they seem to be out of most of their items when you try and order them. Pass.

Panchos, Orlando

2011-11-03T16:33:00.000-07:00

I sampled a few treats at this Cuban Bakery and Deli on 436 on my way home from the airport last Thursday. I had an empanada with ham, turkey slivers and cheese for $3 and change. It was tasty and came in a shell that was more popover than empanada. I also had some kind of Baba au Rhum (a soaked cupcake). I can't recall what they call it. It was cold and tasted like diluted syrup water. Not very appealing. I also had a pastry filled with cream cheese. Also can not recall the name. It was a bit rich. I believe it may have been coated with powdered sugar. Jet lag. I finished off with what I think was called a Torrejas. I've been searching online for these items, but, can't track them down. It was basically a fried strip of French Toast twisted and covered with cinnamon and sugar. It was tasty. All pastries were under $1. The place has seating (30). It's more clean than I was expecting. It doesn't appear that you will get jacked or harassed by a cholo if you pop in. It has a decent assortment of snacks and meals. Try it if you are in the area.

Lido's, Orlando

2011-10-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

I grabbed dinner to go from this old time (they say established in the 70's) Italian restaurant near Numero Uno (Michigan and South Orange) on Wednesday. I had a sausage and meatball parmesan sub with chips for $7. Everything tasted pretty much like it should have. Not great. Not bad. Just regular. The roll was poor. The weakest link. You really can't skrimp on that. It is just penny wise and pound foolish. The ingredients are too heavy to be supported by a fragile roll. The place looks like it is 40+ years old. It's a time warp. Maybe you like the kitsch. The mostly older diners seemed to. It seats about 70 in mostly tables of four. They serve all the old classics and champion an eggplant rolotini they call a Miguel. They do chicken, veal, and sea food a la piccante, parmigiana, francesca, marsala, florentine, spesatini, chablis, cacciatore, pepperoni, and pizziola. They have pasta, soups, salads, steak, desserts, etc. I didn't remember pizza. I'm sure it's an adequate old fashioned Italian restaurant. I suggest it for those who have a superficial relationship with Italian cooking.

Chai Thai, Oralando

2011-10-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this Thai restaurant on South Orange across from the SoDo living area on Wednesday. I had Chicken in Green Curry with a Spring Roll and Salad for $8. It was good. The salad was similar to a Japanese salad. Cheap iceberg lettuce with a grated ginger dressing. The spring roll was the same as it is everywhere. The curry was good. I think they like to make it hot because my "weak" even had a little punch. The chicken came with red and green peppers, carrots and bamboo shoots. It was served in a bowl. You moved it to your plate of basmati rice to eat. It had good flavor. The place seats about 80. It is booths and tables. It was about one third full. It sounded like they had a lot of regulars. The staff was great. Very hospitable and engaging. Everything came out fast. I think it is a family (Thai) affair. The decor is fair. The walls are yellow with sectional wall art. The weak spot is what is below and above. The ceiling clashes and seems a little dirty. I'm surprised because I thought it was a brand new building. I think this is a fine place to get Thai from a bunch of really friendly people. I wouldn't make a special trip, but, if you are in the area feel safe choosing this spot. They even have a few Chinese dishes. I wonder if that is why it is called Chai - Chinese Thai. Chai is an Indian drink so that makes less sense.

The Fantasticks, Seminole State College

2011-10-16T18:14:00.000-07:00

I saw this musical on its final afternoon last Sunday. I saw it about 10 years back in its home theater on Sullivan St. I didn't love it then, but, I enjoyed this performance. I'm not sure if I changed in the intervening years or if casting more age appropriate actors was all that it took. I would like to think that the second act was too depressing for me at the time, but, I'm pretty sure I was just as morose back then. I remember having an e-zine where I made up the real endings of what happened to fictional characters in the years after the happily ever after. Yes I have been bloviating for that long on the Internet. I'm an OB. Back to the event. There are only eight characters in the play and one is mute. Discussing them should be a snap. The musical is based on the Romeo and Juliet-like love story of Pyramus and Thisbe. It pre-dates it. The lovers were good. The boy was a little old. He looked like a Guatemalan Matthew Broderick. I liked him better in the second act because I didn't really believe him as a boyfriend. The girl is just a freshman so she didn't look too out of place playing an adolescent. Her voice was good. She seemed like she might have been coached by someone who has a little too much respect for Disney musical theater. The parents were an odd pair that grew on you. One guy kept exaggerating his pronunciation. It reminded me of the way old timers used to act in musical theater. It was dissonant with the other performances and odd, but, it just endeared him to me like an otter with his head caught in the plastic from a six pack. The villain had a lisp that may have been caused by false teeth. But, likewise he made you like him. He had good presence and his voice was up to the challenge. The final two "accomplices" were fine. The old stage actor was played by an old stage actor. He hit the right notes. His apprentice could have been played by a walk in. My favorite was the mime. Not because the role is so integral but because she looks like that Scottish or Irish actress in Ronin and the Truman Show. She was in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum last spring. I hope she will be in everything this year. Is community college two years or four? Let's hope she isn't too bright. Her role required her to be engaged throughout the whole show. It would have been easy to become bored with such a little part (especially after repeated performances). She played it perfectly. Subtle and attentive. The staging was minimal. This was a perfect type of musical for this venue. Thank you for resurrecting a fallen musical for me. The next thing they are doing is the Laramie Project (the play bill only said later this Fall). I found it a bit melodramatic and preachy when it first came out in the late 90's. Maybe they can change my mind about this as well. I would also like to congratulate the people who put together the playbill. It's much more informative and professional than in the past. It keeps getting better.

Sleeping Moon, Winter Park

2011-10-11T14:44:00.000-07:00

I was going to grab a coffee, but, switched gears to a cup of Mushroom Brie soup and a coffee at this cafe behind/aside a gas station (I think it's a Chevron) Friday night. the soup cost $2.35. The coffee cost $1.50. The soup came with four slices of panini pressed bread. It was really good. It had mushroom slices and that great essence of Brie. A great combo. I thought the place was just a hipster coffee house. And while it is that (replete with live music), it also serves desserts, sandwiches, salads, etc. The food isn't just vegan. The have creative selections of turkey, ham, roast beef in addition to the tofurkey, veggies, grilled cheese, and fake meat. They even have a salmon salad (which is good now that Panera has discontinued theirs). All the coffee is roasted locally. It seats about 60. It was one quarter full. which is impressive because it is hard to see from the road. The crowd was mixed. A good looking young girl was just finishing her set on the keyboards. It is decorated with art for sale. It has tables. It was alot better than I had anticipated. I would recommend you stop in whether you are part of the hipster scene or not.

Chin Hua, Winter Park

2011-10-11T14:34:00.000-07:00

I ordered some steamed pork dumplings to go at this Honk Kong style Chinese restaurant next to Rooster's (behind a McDonald's on Aloma) Friday night. They cost $5. The skins were a little pasty and thick for good Dim Sum, but, on par with what most places serve. There were six of them. They were just to ameliorate my appetite from the disappointing dinner I had minutes earlier. As I didn't dine in, my review will be quick. It is a sit down place. Not stylish. Similar to many utilitarian Chinese places. It seats about 80. It was one quarter full. The hostess/owner was nice. She said they have been there for sixteen years. Not a destination spot, but, probably adequate for your needs if you live close by. Fun Fact: Chin means Golden and Hua means China (according to the owner). Although you would think Chin would mean China.

Rooster's, Winter Park

2011-10-10T16:02:00.000-07:00

I had dinner at this Global Kitchen in the far corner of a mostly untenanted strip mall on Aloma (halfway to Oviedo). The location should have been foreshadowing. But, they had advertised in some fanciful magazines and seemed to have some intriguing ideas. Oh, the best laid plans... I'll get to that in a minute. I had the "Sultan's Feast" for $16. Apparently the Sultan must have had Dexia handling his finances because what passes as a feast therein is 1 Koobideh (minced lamb and beef) Kabob and 1 Barg (grilled flat steak) Kabob with a char-grilled tomato, dry basmati rice and a hunk of raw onion. The Koobideh had no flavor and was tough. The Barg was actually good. However, it is odd that if I had ordered 2 Barg kabobs I would have paid $14. They charge you an extra $2 to get a cheaper kebob ($12) switched in! It came on a bare, white plate. The kabobs were thin. In any event, the food was just the tip of the iceberg. The place is in an inconvenient location. It is in a ugly location. It is decorated by an imbecile. It must have started out as a saloon/pub. That's the base. Then they added some Middle Eastern flair. Then they added video games! Like 20 of them. The place looks like Chucky Shia's. It's a hot mess. It seats about 40 in the lower level and 20 in the upper level by the bar. There were 2 sots at the bar playing video poker and a few loud families with kids running all over the place in the main room. There was no hostess or hostess station. I was served by the bartender in the upper section. I didn't even complain about the seat assignment because I could see this was already a mistake. A mistake I indended on extricating myself from as cheaply and quikly as possible. He was attentive. They have a hodge podge of meals that Gordon Ramsey would disassemble after the second round of commercials. They have Thai, Greek, Persian, American, Italian, Indian, Seafood, Steak and they claim Jewish (no evidence). They marketed a wood burning pizza oven, but, they said it wasn't in use. Not sure if that means ever. It's shaped like the face of a blond, mustachioed Viking. I kid you not. It sounded kitschy until I saw it in person with all the slovenliness around it. I think they offer music at times. I saw some old guy setting up something from his van. Then again he could have been delivering or picking up some more clutter. Or disposing of a body. I think they said the have a buffet on Sunday. It should be sumptuous because they are sure to have alot of uncooked food left over every week. Hope that they don't freeze it. You may think I'm being a little hard on them and maybe I am, but, I had high expectations. You would have to to justify the trip to this part of town. I think they thought their food would be tantalizing enough to get customers to this rent friendly location. I think they failed and now have to cater to the hillbillies that live around there. At least I hope they tried at the outset. I didn't get here when they opened in the Spring and I just wish I was as lucky this Fall. Pass.

Havana Cafe, Downtown

2011-10-07T15:08:00.000-07:00

I ordered two things to go at this Cuban cafe on the south side of the Suntrust building this Wednesday. I had a Cuban Hot Dog for $2 and a Pan Con Bistec for $5. The hot dog was microwaved in a bowl of water and looked and tasted like it. The baguette (the one they use for sandwiches) it came on was a step up from a bun. They put potato sticks and a sour Mojo (Mojito) sauce on it. It was a refreshing change of pace hot dog wise. The steak sandwich was thin slices of beef similar to what is used in a cheese steak. Sometimes this sandwich can be a big hunk of flank steak. I like it this way even if it may be less traditional. Less chewing and gristle. It also came with potato sticks and Mojo sauce on it. It was pressed. I enjoyed it very much. The place really doesn't have seating. You order and eat outside in the atrium or at your office. They serve breakfast. They have soups, complete meals, coffees, desserts and sandwiches. Two cute, young sisters work the place. It was better than I expected. I wouldn't ignore it if I work or live in the area. They have been open for a few months.

Rusty Spoon, Downtown

2011-10-07T13:54:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this seasonal food restaurant near the train tracks on Church last Wednesday. I wanted it to be my new favorite location in all of Orlando and it came close. I had the soup of the day which was a spicy sweet potato puree with pecan brittle for $6 and a "Lake Meadow" salad for $9. The soup was a bit bland. I couldn't really taste the sweet potatoes. Mostly just a delayed hit of pepper that showed some proficiency. It definitely was not infused with dairy. The brittle was superfluous. It didn't melt (if was supposed to) and just became an annoying distraction that didn't help the dish. The "Lake Meadow" salad is a salad of escarole and spinach in a a warm bacon vinaigrette with chicken livers and a softly boiled whole egg. It was wonderful. The egg would be slightly overcooked for some traditionalists, but, I like the yoke somewhere between liquid and solid. The vinegar in the dressing was very light. You almost didn't notice it. There were gobs of thick cut bacon lardons. The chicken livers (not my thing but I'm trying) were silver dollar size and split in halves to create four pieces. They might have been a little soft. They have a strong, savory flavor that added a little panache. The greens were fresh and well washed. The portion was huge. Enough in itself. The constants through both dishes were a subtle hand on the seasoning, discernibly farm fresh ingredients and a bit of southern whimsy and ambition in the choices on the menu. The place seats about 80. I bet they could fit double that if they crowded the tables. The front faces Church St through floor to ceiling windows. There is a bar that separates it from a "room" in the back. There is a small intersection that has a view of the tracks and the waiters station. There may have been another interior room. The place is done up in a grayish earth tone with black and white photographs and abstract art that try to evoke that artisinal vibe you find in Napa or Pottery Barn. The ceilings are very high. The silverware is funky. The service was pretty good. All male. The prices were very reasonable. Even on the dinner menu, I think one thing was over $20. They say they change the menu frequently, but, keep some constants like a burger and fish and chips. They are about to change it for the Fall. And so why is it that it didn't become my new BFF? #1. A smarmy host named Douglas gave me the unceremonious affront of parking me next to the waiter's station in a half empty restaurant. After trying to pawn me off on the bar. I wasn't in a wife beater and cut off jean shorts. Let me say this once and for all for all you nearly retarded restaurant hosts: DO NOT EVER INQUIRE IF A SINGLE CUSTOMER WANTS TO SIT AT THE BAR IN A HALF EMPTY RESTAURANT. THEY DO NOT. IT IS NOT THE SAME EXPERIENCE AND IT IS AN INSULT! AND NOT ONE WE WANT TO SUFFER FROM A DOUCHE WHO HAS TO WORK AT (NOT EAT AT) SAID RESTAURANT. Assume that the customer's blood is bluer than yours. Which in this case is absolutely accurate. That single act erased a resevoir of good will. I had been waiting all summer to get back and try this interesting menu and I almost got up and left. #2. $3 soda. #3. The space. It's ok, but, it looks a little unfinished. They need a little more something before it gets a superior grade in that department. They need to hide that waiter station. It is an eye sore. #4. I think the waiters play pass the potentially small tip. I must have gone through three waiters until one stuck.

All in all, I love what they are all about. Sometimes this kind of seasonal, locavore nonsense can be pedantic. But, I just didn't get that vibe here. They weren't throwing it in your face or crowing about how "holier than thou" they are. I think they do it because it is a challenge and produces better results. I like the creativity. I'll be back. And the best part is if none of you like it I will probably get a healthier portion of "about to rot" locally grown produce on my plate. That's the good part about this movement. They don't freeze things for a rainy day if they don't get used. You get it, the staff gets it, a food bank gets it or Waste Management gets it. It rewards you for being a savvy eater. I encourage you to make time for this superlative player in Downtown. I'm trying to think of a better menu in all of Downtown, but, I can't. Pray it doesn't disappear along with almost everything good in this town.

Pub Crawl, Dowtown

2011-10-05T13:28:00.001-07:00

9pm: Whiskey Dick's - There were about 20 people, one waitress and two bartenders in the old Brix space. They changed the space with a horseshoe bar (convenient). The decor is minimal. There were a surprising number of young, attractive girls for such a no frills locale. The Bartender was hot.

9:30pm: Versus - There were four people and one bartender in the old Clubhouse location. They totally redid the interior. Why? They never have any customers and are too far off of Orange to ever have any. The place looks nice, but, it's basically the same theme.

10pm: Baby Grands - It was about one third full and felt empty. It's on the second level above Touch on Church. A poor knock off of the enigmatically popular Howl at The Moon.

10:30: Touch - There were about forty people in this interesting club under the overhang on Church. The DJ was great. There were three male and one busty bartender. The bar surface lights up when you "touch" it. The space has a big, central dance floor, two bar areas, a patio and reserved seating. A cool atmosphere. Too bad I had ants in my pants and couldn't wait to see the promise of a full club after 12 come true.

12pm: Independent - The same hipster vibe that has been going on for years. It will be the same club 100 years from now. Too smoky to enjoy.

12:30: Boss - I believe this is the name. It's across from the new 7-11. This place which has been a billion things was now doing a retro thing. It was packed with all ages living an 80's flashback complete with original music videos. I've seen youngin's reveling in nostalgia, but, never like this. It seemed like they were yearning for a time machine. A hell of a lot of fun.

2pm: Brick and Fire Pizza Truck - Two young entrepreneurs have licensed the brand name and bake pizzas from their truck. I knew it could be done. I didn't love the pizza at the Brick and Fire I went to, but, I liked theirs. It was fresh and they add a little grated Parmesan on top for a little pungency. They are in the alley behind the Lodge aside the back entrance to Wall St.

(Friday 9/30/2011)

Chico's, Downtown

2011-10-04T17:01:00.000-07:00

I had dinner at this Mexican restaurant on Central across from the museum in Downtown on Friday. I had 2 soft tacos for $7. The first taco was chicken with tomatoes, cabbage and shredded cheese. It was pretty decent. I don't love big squares of chicken, but, I can adapt. The second was a carnitas (little meats) which is shredded pork shoulder. It also had tomatoes, cabbage and cheese. This one had a lot of flavor. Cinnamon and maybe nutmeg. They were both well loaded and kept sanitary in a sheaf of aluminum. Both needed the table side hot sauce. They gave out complimentary chips and salsa. I was disappointed when I ordered because all of the fun stuff (short ribs, tongue, tripe) had been discontinued (yet not the menu that marketed them itself). However, I can say they delivered on what remained. It was a pretty small menu to begin with. Now it's basic. I think they have given up pretensions of being a restaurant and now just use food to service the bar crowd. It seats about 18 in tables inside the main room and maybe 1o at the bar. There is a hallway between it and Whiskey Dick's (that used to lead to the club behind it during some of its iterations) that seats about 20. A young crowd of all types. There were about 20 people there at eight pm. They have screens playing sports all over the place. The main room has two window view tables. The bar has a big, colorful menu mural that I believe lists their tequilas. It was hard to read quickly. There is a big iron tree in the middle of the main room that I swear I have seen in another restaurant. Is it new to the Ikea collection? The service was good. Maybe too good. I think they were expecting a bigger crowd. All in all I say it's a fine place to start the night out or have a cheap lunch. The prices are good. The room has some capacity to transport you. They have tequila. It's just a shame that what appeared to be an ambitious approach to Mexican cuisine did not seem survive the summer. Oh well, it's still better than another Tijuana Flats.

Coco Loco Cantina, Winter Park

2011-09-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

I had some food to go at this Mexican+ restaurant on Fairbanks near Spatz Pool Hall on Wednesday. I had the (get this) 4 tacos with a drink for $5. It's one of five $5 lunches they offer. To put this in perspective, 4 tacos and a soda at Taco Bell is approximately the same price. But, at Taco Bell you get 1/4 of the "meat" (wasn't it proven they barely can claim meat). This is a steal and any self respecting college student or skin flint needs to get their ass over here before they smarten up. Back to the tacos. The ground beef was a little bland. It's like what you get when you try and make tacos at home. But, did I mention - $5! The owner said he hails from Buffalo and has recreated the Anchor Bar's (where they invented the Buffalo Wing) experience with regards to chicken wings (the + in Mexican+). I went there this summer and if they are anywhere near the same I demand that you go and try them. If we can get the Anchor Bar experience without having to go to Buffalo I will be recompensed for all these gratuitous, philanthropic posts. Pressure's on Coco Loco. The place is small. It used to be a barbeque place. I forget the name and couldn't get a result when I searched this site for barbeque or BBQ. I guess that didn't work out. I can't remember when 4 Rivers opened. Maybe that crushed them. At any rate, it's mostly the same layout. They said they re-did the floors this summer. They have TVs and and a bar and are trying every way imaginable to get customers. They have a gimmick/special every day. I just hope the location isn't a dead zone. It may be too far away from the school and offices. I doubt they want the riff raff that remains. The theme may also be too saturated. Maybe the wings can be the hook. Maybe they can get the Dads who have to watch their kids play lacrosse in the park behind them. Good luck. I know you are trying. Somebody has to respect that.

Cocina 214, Winter Park

2011-09-30T15:10:00.001-07:00

I had lunch at this Tex-Mex restaurant in an alley off of Park Ave on Wednesday. I had a half order of the Cocina Chop Salad for $5 and a half order of the Mushroom and Spinach Quesadilla for $7. The salad had too much dressing that had too much orange in it. I couldn't taste the corn, roasted peppers, apple, tortilla strips or field greens. Which was too bad because it was a large serving (enough for a normal person) and orange was a poor substitute. The quesadilla was another story. Again a half serving was plenty. The tortillas were golden and not burnt. The mushroom and spinach provided a pleasing flavor and made me feel halfway health conscious. I would have probably preferred a less pungent cheese, but, there was plenty of it for those who judge it by that metric. The meal came with a tray of guacamole, pico de gallo and sour cream on the side. The pico was a little old, but, the guacamole was fresh and tasty. This was the first time I've had this combo and as a meatatarian I can offer my approval. Nice to switch it up every once and a while. The meal came with complimentary chips and salsa. The chips were a little over cooked. I believe they were un or lightly salted which is heart smart. They ended up serving as a third course (I recommend this manoeuvre) of "nachos" when I used them and the components on the "tray" as dips. The salsa was slightly spicy and seemed fresh as evidenced by the carcass of a tomato in the middle of it. That's what I call extra chunky. The service was great. The food came out expeditiously and consistently. Every course was well spaced out. They were all dressed in black uniforms. There were enough of them. The place is beautiful. They really spent some money here. There is a main dining area (80), a private dining area (?), an enclosed patio (40) and a bar area (35). The bar is separated from the other rooms by the hostess/welcome area. The main dining room is separated by the patio by glass doors. The place has every type of table configuration (2-10). It was about one quarter full. It is decorated in high Ranchero style. Modern yet traditional. It looks like every spec house in Scottsdale. The menu says 215 is the Dallas Area Code. Not sure if that is where they made their bones. The menu isn't revolutionary. Obviously, it's pricey for peasant food. But, you should be expecting it when you realize the town it's in and what the build out and overhead probably are. I would suggest you go when you want their "especialidades" not when you just want a taco or burrito. Those entrees will run you $20+. 3 tacos by comparison are $13. A little excessive. And that may be their down fall. I don't know too many people who crave Mexican riffs on filet mignon and seafood. And I do know alot of really good, "authentic" Mexican restaurants in the area that serve the "basics" at cheaper prices. And probably do it better or more to what people are accustomed to. I hope I am wrong. Try it. Just order discriminatingly. Parking may be a problem depending on the time of day.

I suggest they lower the taco prices and allow customer's to mix and match them. You have a better shot at satisfying a new customer with three tries instead of one. At worst, you won't reinforce a bad experience/selection. Deep six the beans and rice if you have to. Americans don't eat 400 calorie piles of diarrhea and also think rice is for Asian restaurants. The same with the $10 "choose two" lunch plate (no beans and rice). The tacos have avant garde names but not ingredients (except for the El Ronnie - duck). Get fully pregnant or not pregnant at all. And hire some cooks from Puebla (that's a region in Mexico not a competitor). It's a goldmine.

Lacomka, Winter Park

2011-09-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

I took some things to go from this Russian Bakery and Deli in a strip mall on 436 near Yae Sushi (where they won't serve you one of their goldfish in a tank no matter how much money you promise them) on Friday. I had an order of Blinchiki (3 Russian pancakes rolled with ground beef) with sour cream for $4. The pancakes were slightly thicker than a crepe, freshly made and tasty. The beef and sour cream had little flavor. But, Russian food is not exactly famous for its intensity. I also had an order of Borshch (their spelling) for $4.50. Their version is meant to be eaten hot and contains beets, cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions and beef. Don't confuse it with the beet only cold Borscht. It was adequate. I also had a loaf looking brownie (2) with walnuts that seemed like it had a dusting of minced Cocoa Peebles on top for $4. It was ok. Lastly, I had a commercially produced cheese ice cream bar called Dadu for $1. It tasted like cheesecake and didn't melt in the heat like ice cream. It could be something for the ice cream conglomerates to look into. The place has four tables in the corner where you can eat. It is more of a market/deli. They say they've been at this location for ten years, but, this is the first time their signage caught my eye. I can honestly say it is the best Russian restaurant in Orlando that I've been to. Wait for the rim shot. It is also the only Russian restaurant I've been to or I think exists down here. Some of the dishes state that they have Georgian spices. That and the dark hair and beauty of some of the staff leads me to believe that at least some of the dishes may not be traditionally Russian. And by traditionally Russian, I mean pre Peter the Great. I bring this up not to disparage the more recently but now independent annexed portions of Russia or start a debate as to who is a "real" Russian but to illustrate that you may find a larger selection of dishes than you would expect if I told you this is a Russian restaurant. Holy run on sentence. They have a pretty well stocked pantry with items such as: wild honey, Kvas, herring, pickled what not, pirogi, cheese, dried meats, etc. If you have some Russian heritage or are just curious, I say give it a try. It's not the tastiest food on the planet, but, it will give you an appreciation for what is. Plus it expands your consciousness. They have some sandwiches that have potential.

I suggest they market the fact that they are Russian and a restaurant more aggressivelyon their lit and store front signage.

Thai Villa, Winter Park

2011-09-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this Thai restaurant near a Dance Studio on Aloma last Friday. I had Tom Kha Kai which is a spicy, coconut milk based soup that I chose to add chicken to. It was $3.50. I also had a Thai Beef Salad for $9 because they were out of Chicken Rolls at 2pm. The soup was fine. I could do without a mouth full of bay leaves and lemongrass husks. But, I guess they want you to know how it's flavored. The Thai Beef Salad was ruined by the ignoramus who saturated it with the salt/rice powder/chili condiment that they season it with. The beef seemed to be cooked as warranted. The quality was typical for this dish (which I always think is overpriced for flank steak). The portion was smallish. The biggest complaint I have for this place has nothing to do with cooking. It is about effort. It seems like they have a "take it or leave it attitude". This must have been about the fifth time I tried to get served at this uninspiring, hovel in the middle of a ghetto (the bad side of Winter Park where even the street changes its name out of embarrassment). There was always a problem. They close at 2pm for lunch. They close at 9:30pm for dinner. They are on vacation. It's 5pm and they haven't opened. Always a hassle. This time they almost didn't seat me (and turned away another group of 4) because it was a quarter to 2. Then they rushed me through the ordering process. But, still found time to try and up sell me and add on. Look you aren't doing anyone a favor. You are providing a service. A service that we don't need. Maybe at one time you were the only Thai place around, but, now they are ubiquitous. I suggest you decide whether you want to run a business or not. If not, please hand over the reins to someone who is not afraid to work. The place seats about 40. They try and make it seem like you are in the middle or outside of a Thai palace. They really can't do much with the decrepit location. It looks worn. The food may be good when you aren't inconveniencing them. However, I would only suggest those who live near by to bother. If you don't live in the neighborhood, I would suggest you patronize your local Thai restaurant. It's Thai food after all. Not exactly a difficult feat to pull off.

Junkyard Barbeque, College Park

2011-09-24T12:58:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this barbeque restaurant/bar where Roly Poly used to be on Wednesday. I had a half Brisket dinner for $10. The brisket was ok. It was a little cold so I can't vouch for how recently it had been smoked. The smoke flavor was a little uneven. The pieces that appeared to be more in the center of the brisket (wider) didn't have much smoke flavor at all. Most pieces did have some fat. Which can be a requirement for some, but, can be a sign of poor pre-trimming or lack of low and slow cooking technique. The portion was large. It was about 7 or so finger width slices. More than enough as a full portion for lunch or dinner. They were served bare. They give you three choices of Carolina inspired sauces (Sweet, Sweet and Slightly Spicy and Mustard). The dinner comes with a choice of three sides. I chose cole slaw. It was a vinegar based dressing with a touch of mayo. It was the way I prefer it and helped break up the savoriness of the meat. I also chose Ho' cakes. It's just fun to say. Ho's gotta eat too. They are two palm sized corn pancakes with jalapenos mixed in. Very good. The final side was mac and cheese. I didn't like it. It seemed old. The pasta was overcooked (either originally or upon subsequent reheats) and overworked (when they keep stirring it so often that the pasta disintegrates). The cheese blend (gouda and sharp cheddar) made it taste rancid. I'm sure they were trying for something that would cut through the beef, but, it didn't work for me. The plating was a bit spartan. The brisket was served on a white dish with the Ho' cakes and the sides were in styrofoam cups around them. The place is similarly unpretentious. It looks like a bar. The floors are cruddy and scratched up. The booths are ratty. There is alot of junk strewn around the environs. Nascar memorabilia decorates the walls. It has a bar on one side that seats about 12. The left side is booths (about three of them). There are some seats in the back hallway that appear to be an afterthought. There were three other people there while I was there. The service (1) was attentive and cordial. The place is owned by the same people who own Grafitti Junction. They envision creating a pathway in the back to "combine" the two restaurants. I describe it as like The Wall Street Cantina and One Eyed Jacks. I see Junkyard reverting to a bar and the barbeque menu filtering to GJ. Let's hope they can avoid being subsumed in the integration. But, entrepreneurs have a habit of exorcising the complexity out of their lives as soon as people start using the "test restaurant" as a scape goat for whatever is going wrong with the "original" spot. In any case, there is now an adequate Carolina Barbeque spot in College Park. The menu is a bit limited, but, it is an experiment or work in progress. Management seemed open to feedback. Which is not always the case if you read the comments on this blog. Plus they have Moonshine infused cherries. Where else are you going to find that? Parking is a problem.

Grub Crawl, College Park

2011-09-23T14:22:00.000-07:00

Cookie Cousins - A modern looking bakery off of Edgewater Dr near Grafitti Junction and behind some sort of furniture/antique store. Interesting cookies. They seem to do mostly special order cookies. I had an oatmeal raisin for $1 that tasted like marzipan. I liked that one. The package of three little circle with button icing for $1.50 were better looking than tasting.

Credo - A socially conscious coffee bar that only "suggests" prices. I had a Guatemalan 10 ozer for $1.50. The coffee was fresh. The place was packed. The barista cute. Almost a cliche it was so coffee bar-esque. On W. Smith St off of Edgewater.

Les Petits Pleasures - A brand new French bakery near the Chinese place and the new unopened fish place on Edgewater. I had an Apple Strudel for $3. I didn't love it, but, that was more because of the raisins they put in it. They also added nuts. It looks like a great little niche player. They pump in French radio. They have breakfast all day. They have crepes. They have quiche. They have sandwiches. And of course - pastries. I can't wait to give it a real go.

Shang Hai, Lake Mary

2011-09-20T11:47:00.001-07:00

I had lunch at this Chinese restaurant in the Amstar shopping area off 46a on Monday. I had the Szechuan Style Chicken "Lunch Special" for $5.59. It was a very big serving of thin, white meat chicken strips in a brown sauce. It came with green peppers, baby corn, carrots, onions and broccoli. They didn't pad the dish with the cheap and superfluous peppers and onions. Maybe two slabs of both. The vegetables were not overcooked (soggy and limp). They added a generous portion of fried rice and soda or soup. The rice wasn't over soy sauced (dark brown) or recycled numerous times (dry). It had a surprising amount of pork cubes and some peas and carrots and egg. You aren't guaranteed that anymore at this price point. It came out piping hot in under two minutes. The one (major) problem with this dish in particular is that I ordered it at a restaurant called Shanghai. I assume they are from Shanghai. Shanghai is known for sweet dishes. Sugar is a main ingredient. Szechuan (more southerly) is known for spiciness. This dish was not spicy at all. There is another band box Chinese take out in Lake Mary (near Taco Bell) that does it properly with a clear sauce. I can't remember the name. However, this was a good Chicken with Mixed Vegetables dish. I can definitely recommend almost anything eatable at this price point. I would have no problem going here again. They said they have been open for a month so I am surprised that they are still turning out this type of meal at this price point. Most places try and win you over in the first few weeks with quality ingredients and oversized portions. Let's hope they aren't still in that phase. And let's hope they aren't in the "we have so few customers that we dump all our about to spoil produce onto the few customers who do show" phase. That would mean they are on their way out. The place seats exactly 12. I know this because they have four tables of four that are each missing a chair. Four people were there when I ordered. About four others came in to pick up orders while I ate. It's clean (I think they are the first tenants in that spot). They even have a sliding door to hide the kitchen. It's half glass windows and half white walls. They have one of those lit up murals of the Shanghai skyline on the right wall. The exposed bathroom in the left corner can make for some interesting sights and smells. But, at least they have one if you develop a pressing need. The tables are black lacquer. They have some unique dishes - Singapore Chow Mei Fun, Ma Po Tofu and Sha Cha Beef. I'm not sure what any of them are and they may just be ordinary dishes with reconfigured names, but, I'm keen to try them. They take all credit cards. Even Discover and Amex. A Chinese takeout that takes Amex? Hallelujah! Lastly, I found the price of the lunch special intriguing. At first I thought it would make the meal $6 with tax. But, it came out to $5.98. Is 559 or 598 a lucky number in China? I know that can be important to them. If not, try and increase their prospects regardlessly. It's Chinese take-out. Don't expect the world, but, don't be apprehensive. And remember the average Chinese meal has around 3,000 calories. Love ya!

Pint, Lake Mary

2011-09-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this American Gastropub in the Amstar shopping enclave off 46a on Saturday. I had the Short Rib Sliders (2) for $9. I'll try and remember how they were prepared, but, I didn't pay as close attention to the menu as I should have. I saw they had a website and stupidly assumed the menu would be on it if I needed to reference it. Silly me. It's just a one page site with some redundant information and a form to put you on their email list. Very professional! The sliders had short ribs. That much I'm sure of. It's in the title after all. Then I'm fairly certain there was a bun. Two buns to be exact. A White Castle/Krystals sort of bun. Not sure if it was steamed. There was also some sort of cheese. I want to say Boursin, but, that might have been on another dish. It was definitely a runny cheese. There was also some sort of gravy. There, you have the basics. The short ribs were well braised. The meat was moist and split easily. The portions were large. The meat was double the size of the bun and hung off it on both sides. Nice! The buns were soft. The cheese melted well. But, I didn't love how it played with the short ribs and the gravy. There just has to be a better alternative. Not terrible though. The gravy was savory. It was made from beef stock. Originally I thought it was going to be barbeque sauce and was a bit turned off by the thought. But, it's not barbeque sauce. It is gravy. So it multiples the flavor profile (savoriness) instead of competing or adding that all consuming "next level" that chefs seem to be obsessed with. It came with waffle fries. Which would have been good (waffle fries are great) if they didn't coat them with that insipid starch coating that is all the rage at Burger King. They came piled on a skewer (nice presentation). The sliders also came with a slaw of pickled onions and peppers. It was kind of necessary to cut through the inevitable cloyingness of the dish. Not because that flavor wasn't enough on its own, but, because savoriness can be a bit overwhelming (especially on a hot summer day). The service was good, but, the kitchen was slow. It was partly my fault. I should have expected that the kitchen wouldn't be perculating at 12pm after a Friday night. So on one hand I'm glad it took a half hour to get my food (it was likely freshly cooked) while on the other hand you would think that a kitchen would start prep so that they can deliver food when they open. Maybe it always takes a half hour from order to delivery. I don't think the short ribs were to blame. I wasn't the only table to wait a half hour. I was the third table seated and the plates came out pretty much at the intervals our orders were placed. In any event, the waitress was good about checking in and giving updates. She even gave a timely refill. The place seats about 30 outside and 60 inside. It's mostly high tops. They have a bar. It has flatscreens that show sporting events. The main color scheme is black. It has been open for about a year. I have gone many times for drinks and sampled their cheese curds and mac and cheese before. They were good. But, I didn't think it was enough to write a review about. They serve high end pub food. Mussels, fish and chips, lamb and beef burgers, salads, etc. It's like a higher class Tilted Kilt. The waitresses wear the same slutty skirts. They flirt. They grab your shoulder and call you Hon. All the usual insincerity. However, I can confirm that it is good for a drink or a meal. I just wish they were open for lunch during the week. There is no way I could have dinner there and not get bored or drunk by the time the bar crowd arrived. The cool bar crowd! It's one or the other for me. Give it a go and maybe your patronage will give them the seed money for another page on their web site. BTW. I'm back! If it wasn't already apparent.

Johnny's Fillin' Station, Orlando

2011-08-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this cafe on Michigan (half way between 436 and I-4) last Friday. I had a Bacon Cheeseburger for $8. They and others tout it as the best burger in town. It isn't. The burger was pale. It had little flavor. It was small. The best part of it was the bun (a kind of sweet roll) and the bacon. It came medium well though I asked for medium rare. They didn't even melt the cheese on the patty. The greens were ok. Fries are extra. The place seats about 50 in the back of a bar. It was mostly full. I think they do business with the city workers down the street and yokels. It was mostly a male crowd. They were probably there to try their stale lines on the four moderately attractive young waitresses. The place looks like a bar. It had Gaytor and Steeler memorabilia and alot of tchotckes. They have another (newer) location next door. It's kind of out of the way for the quality. I'm sure you have some biker bar near you where you can try and court comparable red neck lasses. No need to make this journey.

Teriyaki House, West Colonial

2011-08-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

I went to this Chinese and Taiwanese restaurant on 50 after my second attempt at finding the elusive Taiwanese restaurant seemed to have failed today. I found this place on Yelp when I searched for Taiwanese restaurants. I don't think this is the one I read about this Spring (it's not in a market). It is however down a few hundred yards from the Oriental Supermarket (on Kirkman) and does serve Taiwanese style food. The catch is that the menu for that side of the menu is in Chinese (a theme?). I asked for a representative dish and was given Beef and Noodle Soup for $7. It was ok. They were bright enough to store the noodles in a separate container until I was ready to eat it (for dinner). The broth was savory. The beef was tender with a little fat (short rib?). The noodles seemed fresh. The place looks like it was a pizzeria before (Italian cartoon character trim) this. It is small. It seats about 16. It's pretty run down. So much so that it almost comes around the curve into being a positive (a real diamond in the rough). Just be prepared that cleanliness and decor are not primary ambitions here. But, the people (one woman and her husband) couldn't be lovelier. They even gave me a free pork sausage that tasted like the glaze on Chinese Spare Ribs. They are Taiwanese. And it's not like you have a lot of choice if you crave this type of food. I'm happy they are serving food from an under represented area of the world. I'm glad they are in Orlando. I'm asking you to give it a try so we can continue to grow the food options in our town.

1st Oriental Supermarket, West Colonial

2011-08-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

I purchased a Roasted Duck and Rice Box for $5.50 from this "restaurant" in the market today and had it for dinner. It was mostly disappointing and predictable. It seems that only really good (if any) Chinese restaurants do duck well (I like it confit). It is usually mostly bones, skin and fat. That was the case here. Barely any meat on a half a bird. I went here because I thought it was the location of that elusive Taiwanese restaurant in some market somewhere on 50. Strike 2. The "restaurant" is in the front left corner. They serve a variety of items as meals or by the pound (ie pork tongue). There is some seating. It looks like the corner of a supermarket.

The market is excellent. It has tons of fresh digestibles and Asian products (even tanks with live crustaceans and fish from around the world).

Moghul, Winter Park

2011-08-11T13:21:00.000-07:00

Sorry to have left my meager assemblage of devotees in limbo for so long, but, someone had to take their talents to Cooper's Beach this summer (don't get too excited - this is just a brief interlude before Summer Away 2011 Part Deux) and I agreed it should be me. I am excited to report that I had lunch at this Indian restaurant (in what I believe was the old Krystals) on 436 near Aloma today and it was great. I had the lunch buffet for $9. It included Naan, Roti, Basmati Rice, Cabbage Mutter, Mixed Vegetable Curry, Chicken Tandoori, Yellow Daal Fry, Chicken Curry, Channa Masala, Rice Pudding and a Garden Salad. All were wonderful. I'm just angry with my stomach for only being able to handle three trips (full plate of course) to the buffet. It was a first time for the Mutter. It was buttery flavored, yellow, translucent fettuccine width strands of cabbage. Not bad as a side. The Mixed Vegetables in Curry was the best. I hate vegetables. I had three servings of this. It had every vegetable (peas, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, green beans, baby corn, lima beans, etc) under the sun and even some Paneer (cheese), but that may have fallen in by accident. The red/orange sauce was sweet for a curry. The waiter said it was really the butter sauce they use in another dish (I forget which) and misidentified. The Chicken Curry had a moderate amount of heat. It was full of little squares of white meat. Very good. The Tandoori was good. Sometimes they can under cook it so the inside is slimy. Since they use the portions of the chicken that have dark meat, this can make it taste gamy. This was almost cooked through. The Daal was a yellow puree with nice flavor. The Chana (chick peas) had a brown sauce and whole peas. The Rice pudding was good. It's thinner than an European version. It wasn't as sweet as some that I've had so it was superior. I didn't try the salad. The bread and rice were all perfect. Overall everything was surprisingly acceptable. If they put this care into a lunch buffet then I am confident of the rest of the menu. The wait staff (2) were great. Even though a buffet is kind of self serve; they filled me up three times without prompting, they answered all my questions, they were quick with bill. They accomplished this even though the place was getting near full. The place seats about 50. It's broken up into a bar area and a dining area. In the dining area the booths are under the windows at the periphery of the room. The tables are inside of that. The bar area has a few stools, but seemed to be mostly used for take out/pick up orders. They did a brisk business there. The color scheme is Cabernet and black. It gives it a very sultry feel. They have some ethnically appropriate decorations. The place was an old fast food locale so there is so only so much that can be done. I don't want you to think it is posh by any stretch of the imagination, but, it's better than most Indian decor. The place was filled with a hodgepodge of society. Plenty of Indians, Caucasians, young, old, hipsters, and maybe a gay. A good portion were greeted as return visitors. I know the place has been open for a few months so I'm sure I'm not breaking any headlines to anyone in the neighborhood. Frankly, I was shocked that a place in this part of town would have such a following so fast or be any good. I encourage you to get on the bandwagon. They took Amex and sodas were under $2.

Evermore Taste Garden, Sanford

2011-06-13T14:04:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this self-proscribed Oriental Restaurant on 17-92 (on the side of 417) in the strip mall that has the Bravo Market last Thursday. I had a bowl of Taiwanese Soup for $6.25 and Wine Chicken for $9. The soup was what I was in the mood for after my frustrated attempt to find the elusive Taiwanese restaurant on Wednesday. That is how I found out about this place. It was on Yelp when I searched for Taiwanese places. In retrospect, the soup wasn't too complicated. I believe they just add some bamboo shoots, carrots, mushrooms, pork strips and black pepper to the wanton soup's broth. It was refreshing nevertheless. The pork may have been a little gamy. The wine chicken was half a bird stewed in wine and served cold. I have to believe they use a rice wine. It didn't have the tart after taste of a grape wine. It was savory, salty and moist. It came with the skin on. The skin was of a boiled texture and full of gelatin. I believe real advocates of Chinese cooking will be excited about that. I understand they consider that a delicacy. I haven't achieved that level of sensory evolution yet. The novelty of it made it worth the risk. I, in no way, want you to think it wasn't good because it was. The chef said it's a Shanghai recipe. This is funny because I always was led to believe that Shanghai meant spicy. Live and learn. The place couldn't be in a worse location. But, maybe that will add to the allure. This strip mall is poorly located , old and filled with undesirable tenants. The restaurant itself is clean if a little worn. It looks scary from the outside. But, overcome your apprehensions. They have about 50 seats (mostly tables of four). The decor is spartan. The service (1) was helpful and polite. The chef even hand delivered a sample plate of their new special (fried chicken). The regular menu is a little pedestrian. Your usual suspects. Good for those of you who do not want to stretch your boundaries. But, the secret (and the reason you may want to seek out this place) is the Chinese language menu. That is where the real goodies are. I suggest you try and find this place. Authentic Chinese is hard to find and you can be a trend setter. The place has only been open for two weeks. Check out the Bravo Market when you are there. It caters to Hispanic tastes and serves some prepared meals.

Melissa's Chicken and Waffles, East Colonial

2011-06-09T18:34:00.000-07:00

I stopped at this bright orange food truck at the Chevron on East 50 near Vietnam town on Wednesday. It is in the spot that is also home to The Crooked Spoon food truck. I was looking for some secret Taiwanese restaurant that I though was in an Asian market on East Colonial, but, is in fact on West Colonial. I had chicken and waffles for $7. Even though I have a soft spot for food trucks, I have to say I felt the fried chicken tasted like it was fried in old/rancid oil. The waffle was good. Not too sweet. I also have issue with the prices. They serve 4 little blocks of chicken and one waffle. It's about 100% too expensive. A waffle with nutella and peanut butter is even $5. Waffles top out at $9. In any case, it's your money. Don't let me scare you away. They serve about 5 types of waffles daily. They are there M,Tu, W, & Sa. See what you think.

Shine, Orlando

2011-06-09T17:45:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this old Bravissimo's spot a few blocks east of Thornton Park on Wednesday. I had a soup and sandwich special for $10. The soup was gazpacho. It was too spicy and pulpy. The waiter said they use habaneros. That would explain it. I love spicy, but, this was too hot for salsa let alone soup. The one unintended/serendipitous consequence of the failure of execution was that it served as a good palette cleanser for the disappointment of the sandwich. It was labeled as a Veal Sandwich. That meant (of the myriad of possibilities) pan roasted veal covered with cheese, tomatoes and salt. Interesting in concept. The veal was the best part (if you can believe it). It was tender and had some flavor. It was blanketed with a garlic oil. The garlic was too raw, therefore, too sharp. It overpowered the veal and left an acrid aftertaste. Not as much as the salt however. Let's hope it was a slip of the wrist and not a desired effect. Although, in conjunction with the gazpacho, I wouldn't be too worried about laying odds that the cook is a cigarette smoker and may be a bit off target on his seasoning. Back to the sandwich. I also disliked the roll it came on. It tasted like it hadn't been baked thoroughly (pasty). They also cheaped out on the soda. Cans! The room has been opened up. It makes it look bigger. They have a rounded bar on the left underneath a large, home improvement store chandelier. It seats 14. The right side is mostly all table tops (black). It's an odd choice. They are uncomfortable, but, they did provide eye level symmetry with the bar area. There are about 40 seats on that side and a prep area in the back. They have about 12 seats outside. They repainted. One side is dark. One wall is light (with four keyhole looking paintings). One wall is window. The decorations/accoutrement's are minimal. The building has charm or wear based on your inclinations. They still have almost no (4 cars) parking. And since it is in a residential neighborhood, it can be competitive. It is also a pain to get to/find. I also thought the prices were a bit high. The don't have a lunch menu or lunch prices. Most entrees were over $10. Not so bad at dinner, but, pushing it at lunch. My choice turned out to be the most reasonable if you take $3 off for the cup of soup. The menu is heavy on Italian (alot of pastas). Do we really need more of that? I can't recommend this place because of all the reasons stated above. However, I'm sure that they will realize a loyal following of locals who have no other options or standards.

Grub Crawl, Millenia and S. Hiawassee

2011-06-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

Zaxby's - I was fooled into thinking (by its structure) that this was in the TGI Mc PuffNStuff category. It wasn't. So this turned into a pub crawl. Zaxby's is a fast food restaurant (probably no surprise to you) specializing in chicken. But, that doesn't mean it is any worse than those ubiquitous citadels of mediocre ability. It's located across the Millenia Mall on Conroy. I had a Big Zax Snack (3 chicken fingers, crinkle cut fries, texas toast and a soda) for $5.49. I found it superior to the rest of the fast food chicken haunts (Chik-Fila, KFC, Bojangles and Popeyes) even if I jettisoned that unwelcomed grease sponge. They provided more food at better or equal quality. In addition, they put in much more effort into the atmosphere than the aforementioned competitors (50's era memorabilia). It's TGI Mc PuffNStuff ambiance at fast food prices. I hope they build one near me soon.

NYPD Pizza - Had a slice. Same as the rest. A little friendlier. This and the rest were in a strip mall on S. Hiawassee to the west of Universal off Conroy.

Treasure Stars - I had a bowl of wonton soup. Same as every other wonton soup I have ever had at a Chinese take out restaurant.

Baklava/Carvel - This was an interesting one. A Carvel with a Middle Eastern and American restaurant within. I just had (have to remember got is not a word) an assortment of desserts to go, but, they had a pretty exhaustive menu. They have the expected dips and pies plus breakfast, salads, burgers, sandwiches and platters. I would suggest that they call this out more effectively in the store. I only realized they had this when I looked at their menu at home. The signs in the store made you think they just had a few options. The owner (a very nice Syrian out of NYC) said they would be trying pizzas soon. Let me know how it is.

Vida, Lake Mary

2011-06-03T13:51:00.000-07:00

I went to this Latin restaurant run by Dominicans (Republic - it's an island!) this Monday. It is in the strip mall next to Too Jays and Firehouse Subs (less sub for more money!). I had a roast chicken appetizer for $2.50 and a shrimp sandwich on fried plantain mash with a side salad for $8. The chicken was superb. It was big enough to be a meal. It was simple enough. Roasted chicken cut up into pieces and covered with pickled onions and boiled yuca strips. The sandwich was correspondingly over sized. I could only force myself to eat half of it in house. The plaintains serve as the bread (artery alert!). It came with about 12 medium to smallish sized shrimp cooked in garlic and olive oil. It was dressed with a french dressing/remoulade type spread, tomatoes and lettuce. I liked the taste and the creativity. The salad was a basic lettuce, tomato and shredded carrot mix with and apple cider vinaigrette. It was very fresh, though. The place seats about 50. It's in the old Firehouse location. They put the kitchen where they used to prep the sandwiches. The tables are on the same side as before. They gave it a bright, modern, glossy look. The glass topped tables have hand beaded blue stones beneath them. The chairs have been given brown, cotton slip covers. It's a nice bright contrast. They have some large, expressionistic canvases on the wall. They are serving a menu that is health (gluten, organic, fresh) conscious. They have a wide variety of dishes. They have peasant dishes like mofungos and stews and high dollar items like lobster and whole fish. I've seen places that serve one or the other, but, not both in the same restaurant. I'm looking forward to my next visit. The people were very nice. It may be a little understaffed. There were 8 others there on Monday and I was already starting to be forgotten about.

I suggest you give it a try and just forget that you probably have never had/wanted Latin food. It's all the same except they use some different root vegetables in place of potatoes and rice and beans instead of fries and cole slaw. But, you can get by without having to acknowledge that those things exist (just like spell check). You can get a meal consisting of things you are already comfortable with. The portions are huge. They cater part of their menu to you socially conscious and/or genetically unfortunate eaters. They hit all price points. They integrate alot of flavors and textures. And they have that raw, bad for you Latin street food if you disdain the attempts to modernize the cuisine. It can be a place for a quick, cheap snack or a fine dining experience. Give it a try.

High Five, Lake Mary

2011-06-03T13:49:00.000-07:00

See previous post. This one is in the Moe's/Fish Bones strip mall.

Yo' Belle, Longwood

2011-06-03T13:45:00.000-07:00

I went to this fro-yo shop in the strip mall of 434 (Mykonos, Tijuans Flats) last week. Whee! It's exactly like very other one of these asinine places. Just letting you know it's there. Stay porky, my friends.

Pancho's Food Truck, Orlando

2011-05-29T16:32:00.000-07:00

I stopped by this Puerto Rican food truck which is a couple of doors south of Cafe Italiano on 436 after dinner. I had a Chicken Pincho. It was pieces of chicken grilled on a wood skewer. He covered it with mayo and some other condiment. It was $3. It had some thin slices of onion in between the chicken pieces. The chicken wasn't fatty or sinewy. It was a fine kabob. Not really revolutionary. It came with a slice from a baguette. He also serves empanadas (I think at $4) and sandwiches (I think at $6). I believe he said he is only open at night. In any case, there is your obscure food truck citing of the month.

Cafe Italiano, Orlando

2011-05-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

I had dinner at this Italian restaurant south of 50 on 436 last Thursday night. I'm in a quandary as to why I don't have the usual antipathy that I retain to most of these "traditional" Italian options. It may be pity. We will see later on. I had Chicken Parmigiana with a side of spaghetti (which was narrow fettuccine), a salad and bread for $13. The look of the place and the lack of customers (just me to begin with) made me feel I couldn't trust anything that depended on freshness or nuance. I was wrong. The salad was a little iffy. It appeared as if it had been pre-cut and placed in a bowl in the refrigerator. It passed. It was a simple salad with iceberg, onion and tomato slices. Maybe I was in a good mood that night. The bread was dry. It looked like it was sprayed with water to try to give it life and reheated a few times before it got to me. Very dry. The butter was fresh. I didn't really want the bread anyway. You could have had garlic or a plain loaf. The Parm looked scary when it first arrived. The plating was bare and the plate was cold. On one side sat a plump chicken breast by itself with a cap of cheese. One the other side sat a fist sized serving of pasta with a meat sauce (asked for marinara). They looked like they were taken from a TV dinner. Two mounds of color on a white plate. I'm used to a big messy, muddled pile of melting cheese, sauce and chicken (coloring outside the lines). This was orderly. Maybe the chef has hints of obssesive compulive disorder? However, it didn't effect the taste. The chicken was moist. The sauce was fresh. The pasta was well cooked and warm. The cheese was flavorful. The meat sauce was tasty. I'm still curious about the chicken cutlet. I would wager that the chef fried it in a deep fryer and not a frying pan. I know some places do this to save on clean up. It doesn't bother me either way as long as they know the cooking time. I based my suspicion on the crust it exhibited. It was rather flaky for a pan. Maybe they use an unusual crust ingredient? OK. So back to the place itself and why it had an appeal when it shouldn't have. To start with it is in a sketchy area. The places that do exist there now are predominantly Hispanic. They aren't in the greatest condition. It must have been a far different world when they first put down roots here (they said 46 years ago - 1965!). You've got to give some love to a family that hasn't cut and run like everyone else. Maybe they can't. But, in my mind they stay because they are sentimental. Next, it is so insistently "Italian" that it feels like the real thing. I was waiting for a mobster to walk in at any minute. They have the "Best Of" collection of Italian standards serenading you. They are near a strip club. They have the black and white head shots of their favorite Italians on the wall. Maybe they've been here. Maybe they haven't. They have the terrible, 50 year old furniture that looks like it came from a banquet hall. They have the mismatched wall art. They have the yellowed, stuccoed walls. They have the linen napkins. It's so bad, yet, so endearing. The chef was the owner/manager. They had one waiter and two other customer's. The owner was a very sympathetic character. He came out to chat. The waiter was doing his best to remain positive even though you could see he wouldn't be going home with a wad of cash in his pocket. I can't recommend that you go out of your way for the food (definetly not the building). It shouldn't be impossible for you to find a similar "old school" Italian restaurant nearer to you. But, if you are in the area, don't be scared of trying this place. It is actually open though it might not seem so. They have parking in the back and I don't think you'll get mugged if you go. It's been there for 46 years. I don't think it's just due to stubbornness. It must have some adherents (they cite Scott Joseph as one). It doesn't seem to have the food quality issues you see on all those Kitchen Nightmare shows that star places like this. Just realize that it seems like it is in a spiral. Maybe you can give it new life. I'll bet you the quality of the product would increase in conjunction with a steady stream of business. They don't seem like the kind of people who change what they are doing because it makes better business sense. You've got to respect that.

Del Dio Bistro, Casselberry

2011-05-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a simple lunch at this more than simple Italian/Thai restaurant on 17-92 off of 436. They used to be in the Aldi's strip mall up the street. I came here because I saw they won a Foodie award but didn't recognize the address as a place I had visited. When I Googled them, I found they were the original Del Dio's and they had added Thai food and closed their old store front. Time to re-investigate. I had their 2 slice and a soda (refills) special for $5. They are known for their pizza. And I added a Thai style shrimp soup to go. Had to try the new. The pizza was excellent (I've had some really bad pizza at this price point). No surprises there. Possibly a tad too much crust on that particular pie. Superior mozzarella and sauce. The soup, which I ate for dinner, was flavorful. It came with two medium size shrimp, mushrooms and scallions. It cost $4. However, the story isn't my meal. It is the owners. I had a nice discussion with one of the owners and learned that though he was born in Bangladesh and started as an engineer, he worked/ran/owned a panoply of kitchens in the Five Burroughs (and not just the outer burroughs) before he relocated here. The popularity of the old location should speak to the lessons he learned in Italian cooking while doing so. All the Italian dishes have been well regarded for a while. The Thai part of the equation is provided by his wife. She is Thai. Time will tell if she develops her own following. They are now in a stand alone building that used to be a Maryland Fried Chicken as well as many other things. It's not the most impressive edifice. The inside is passable. It's hard to cover up old. It has an Italian theme. It seats about 40. There were 4 people there at 12pm. The service (1) was polite and attentive. I would suggest a more eye catching sign (it is on a road where people drive 55 mph) and a name change. Del Dio doesn't sound Italian enough. It even suggests Spanish/Latin cuisine (I know Dio is Italian. I took Italian in college). And a Bistro is usually/historically associated with French food. Plus it totally leaves the Thai part out in the cold. I know it's hard to part with good will, but, it may be time to re-brand. You can always put "formerly known as" in parenthesis underneath your marketing materials. In any case, I (and The Foodie Awards) suggest you find time for this one of a kind Italo-Thai restaurant when you are in the neighborhood. Share a slice and then move on from there.

Grub Crawl - Downtown

2011-05-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

Eden's Fresh Co. - I purchased a small Daisy (bad romaine lettuce which was supposed to be field greens, strawberries, almonds and sun flower seeds with a strawberry vinaigrette) from this salad bar near Church on Orange (in the corner of the plaza) for $5 for dinner. It was ok. I did feel as though it was going to give me a cold soon after eating it. Does anyone not sneeze into a salad bar anymore? I feel like I take my health in my hands every time I try one of these. The place is very white. It is clean. It is uncluttered. It has nice light (big windows). It has a patio. it seats about 60. I would guess that it does mostly a take out business. I believe it is fairly new. But, I could never recommend a place that calls their add ons - "proteins".

Schakolad - I sampled 1 piece of a ganache and Irish Creme morsel for $.75. A great choice. I almost ran back for more. The Irish Creme was a little redolent of marzipan. It's on Orange near the Church and Orange intersection.

Starbuck's - I deplore this chain, but, it was on my route (a few doors down) so I popped in for a drink. I don't know how long the have been serving these little cake pops on a stick, but, it was good. I'm so ashamed. It cost $1.50. They only had Birthday Cake's left. The cake was very moist almost a praline. I approve.

Nature's Way - It's across from Starbuck's. I had that soda I now definitely required for $2. It's a Nature's Way. A clean and modern one.

And that may be all (have about 5 to go) for a while until they give Casey the chair and we can get our parking back. But, then there is the summer heat. It takes the fun out of meandering.

Leo's Diner, Downtown

2011-05-19T12:24:00.001-07:00

I had lunch at this Home Style Comfort Food restaurant across from the B of A building on Orange yesterday. I had a turkey sandwich with fries for $7. It was a turkey sandwich. It was ordinary. Everything was passable. They did butter and grill the bun. I'm not sure if I liked that or not. It gave it some pizazz, but, it isn't exactly calorie conscious. Maybe they should let you know ahead of time. In any case, you are notified. The shoestring fries were ok. Some were a little under done. A mixed bag (pile). The service was (3) was attentive and polite. The place seats about 60 in an L shape with a counter. They added a few knick knacks to the old Detroit Joe's back drop. Maybe some new paint. The menu is straight diner. Only the greatest hits (limited menu). I don't know why, but, the name made me think I was going for Soul Food. The Home Style Comfort Food part. I guess that's Southern for diner. This is just a conventional diner (non-Greek) with a slight nod to some one's Granny. Not a destination. Burgers and sammies.

Grub Crawl, Winter Park (Aloma)

2011-05-18T13:21:00.000-07:00

On my way back from a failed attempt Friday at a Thai restaurant in the area (closed for vacation), I hit up two small fries for samples to go. I ate them for lunch the next day. They are in the same strip mall on the East side of 436.

El Pueblo - A great, little (30) native Mexican restaurant. It was clean. It had pastel murals and paintings of Mexican extraction on the walls. It was loaded with Mexicans (100%). I had a lengua (tongue) and barbacoa (shredded beef) soft taco. They were both very good. Very simple. Only a very minced tomato and onion salsa on both. And some cilantro. I would guess the style is southern/central Mexican from the decoration. The menu was not extensive. Each taco was only $1.50. They double tortilla'd the tacos. They seemed to be made of neither corn or white flour. Maybe a wheat flour? That would be a first.

Z. Enzo's Pizza - Kind of dirty, kind of boring pizza parlor. This isn't the best neighborhood. The slice was small. The crust was stale. They couldn't price it ($2) so you didn't get change. I can only see people who have no other option patronizing it. I do have a tip though (I've been forgetting to add those). Try a barbacoa (hell every Mexican taco meat) pizza. I put some of it on the slice and it was good. People love Mexican. Especially Mexicans. Jam their favorites on top of a pizza. If people can stomach the Hawaiian diet, they should have no problem with a Mexican invasion.

Tibby's, Winter Park

2011-05-18T12:56:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I had dinner at this New Orleans Kitchen from the people that brought you Tijuana Flats. It is in the strip mall near Mellow Mushroom on Fairbanks. I sat at the bar because it still had a waiting list at 9pm. I had the Chicken Pontechatrain (sp?) for $10. It was a large portion of slightly pounded chicken breasts (2) egg battered and sauteed. It was covered with a delicious "relish" of pickled carrots, olives, celery and tomato. It lay on a large serving of fluffy (buttered?) white rice. It was enough for two. And at $10 it was one of the more reasonable items on the menu. You would think the "relish" would overpower the light chicken and bland rice, but, it is the kick that pairing needed. A funky picatta. The menu has jambalayas, etouffes, remoulades, etc. Most of the greatest (only?) hits of this style of cooking. The left half of the menu is apps and entrees (about 15 together) and the right side is mostly po' boys. The place looks like a Mardi Gras museum. Lots of garish colors. It's fun if not authentic (franchise aspirations?). It seats about 80. The service (2 bartenders) was good. They have a patio/sidewalk and a bar area. It is always packed. It's one of life's mysteries. Who knew people went ape for bayou bites (obviously few because there are maybe 5 restaurants like this in the city)? It even gets children. I would have held my breath if my parents tried to feed me an oyster in remoulade sauce. Maybe they just love the ambience (they actually have "classic" choices for kids). In any case, you don't need me to tell you by this time that this place is a giant hit. I don't get it. But, it's semi-original. It is clean. It's alive. And it's new. So what if you can see the cookie cutter getting sharpened. Flats is a chain and I don't hate it. Give it a try and bring your camera to document the "original" when this goes global.

Mediterrean Deli, Winter Park

2011-05-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

I had a gyro to go from this Lebanese Deli on the Edgewater Side of Fairbanks for $5. It was huge. Barely any veggies. This was a mound of lamb meat. Two gyros worth. The flavor was what you would expect. Nothing earth shattering. The pita was better than usual. The place is small. It seats about a dozen. It doesn't have much panache. The menu is limited : gyros, some kind of roll up with your choice of the trinity of deli meats, middle eastern dips. The guys behind the counter were nice (free samples). It was full at 3pm. The neighborhood isn't the greatest.

Grub Crawl - Downtown

2011-05-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

NY Deli - Orange Avenue - I had a grilled cheese at this non-descript cafe across from the Suntrust building. Everything looked average at best and I had bigger fish to fry so I settled for this bland excuse for a grilled cheese made in a panini press. I don't even think the bread was buttered. It's a small shop that survives because of it's proximity to the office workers above it. They must be easy to satisfy.

What's Your Beef - Washington St - I had an Italian Beef sandwich at this deli/cafe a few blocks north. I didn't grow up on these things so I guess it was a good representation. I just think all Mid Western fare is unimaginative and boring. This was warm roast beef slices in a roll and dunked in broth. Yawn. Maybe it will bring back childhood memories for you? The place is small and rectangular. It's mostly counter. They serve a variety of hot dogs, sandwiches, salad and breakfast.

Big Wheel Provisions - Washington St - Right across the street from Beef, this food truck is really interesting. The menu is all over the place and the portions are small, but, it delivers flavor. I had a sopprassetta (it's like salami) sandwich on a baguette with field greens, cucumber slices, shaved white asparagus that was sweetened and pickled, mayo and some sort of cheese. It was wonderful. I actually felt better after eating it. Is that what freshness can do to you? It was $6.50. They had about half dozen entrees and a few amuse bouches. They said they change it up regularly. Check it out.

De La Vega, Deland

2011-05-07T13:10:00.000-07:00

I had dinner at this modern Mexican restaurant on the main street in DeLand on Tuesday. I chose it over a hip, but, over priced restaurant around the corner and I'm glad I did. I had two tapas plates because they were so interesting. I had a plate of zucchini (they call it squash) that was hollowed out and stuffed with smashed plantains. It was then fried in a batter that reminded me of french toast batter. The eggs exhibited a consistency like string cheese. Perhaps it's a new alternative for lactose intolerant chefs? It was very tasty. Don't think french fry fried. It was lighter than that. They served four large pieces. I believe it was $7. I also had a serving (6) of cherry (red) snapper on mini tostadas with a topping of pureed walnuts and a piece of cherry. It was good. I believe it was $9. I would probably substitute out the snapper for a less gamy flavor. Really any light protein would work. I love the regional cooking of Mexico that incorporates nuts. The slight sliver of cherry added a great nuance of sweetness. There was also a drizzle of a sweet and sour sauce that worked well. I wish I had been more hungry because there were alot of interesting items that I passed on. They also have breakfast tapas and a full menu of ordinary fare like burritos and enchiladas. The place also doubles as an art gallery. It's in a cute little, windowed spot. It could use a little more AC. It seats about ten outside and 50 inside (two rooms). Only one other couple was there at 8pm. To be fair, most of the restaurants were empty or emptying at that hour. The service (1) was good and knowledgeable. I thoroughly advise you to make the journey here just for the food. The chef evinces some uncommon imagination and skill. You will be impressed. The style is based on the Mexico City area if I had to guess. The prices are reasonable. Most entrees are under $15.

Grub Crawl - Mt. Dora

2011-05-07T12:57:00.001-07:00

Last week I drove through Mt Dora on my way out of town and sampled some of their culinary delights.

Truly Scrumptious - I had a chocolate centered cookie for $2 that was excellent. An obscene amount of chocolate that reminded me of chocolate to cookie ratio of the old David's Cookie bakery.

Cupcake Delights - I had a Key Lime Frosted Cupcake for $3 that is better that most Key Lime Pies.

Mount Dora Confectionary - I just got a soda here, but, they had lots of interesting sweets. My spell check says they spell confectionery wrong. But, that's how they spell it.

One Flight Up - I had a chicken salad sandwich here for $8. It was ok. It was described as freshly chopped chicken. It was canned chicken. The place is cute. It has a terrace and three inside rooms/coves around artist's work spaces. It seemed to be the popular local spot.

Lime, Sand Lake

2011-04-26T18:09:00.000-07:00

I had dinner at this Chipotle knock off in the Whole Foods complex last Wednesday. I had chicken taquitos for $6. They (4) were good. I wasn't expecting them to be unfried, but, it worked. Just chicken and cheese covered with salsa. And therein lay the problem. Either that salsa or the salsa bar selection gave me explosions down below. I know this because I used the remaining salsa the next night and had the same results. Can we all agree to outlaw the salsa bar. It's apparent that you restaurant owner's are not ready to own one. It's a health hazard. In general. Not just here. They all suck. The place is nice. A very tasteful, modern ranch feel. Distressed but clean wood beams and glass walls. It could be on a ridge on top of Camelback Mountain in Arizona. It's big too. It must seat 80 inside and forty outside. The inside is 1/3 kitchen/register, 1/3 open seating, and 1/3rd booths. The furniture is new. It was clean. They said it was part of new chain out of Miami. The concept is like Chipotle (but with many more options). The eco-friendly, socially conscious, sustainable ingredients, recycled materials gimmick. Buzz words that mean nothing to me. However, if you are one of those freaks or just in search of a nice place to have a drink or quick bite, then I point you in their direction. Just stay away from the salsa bar.

Twisted Burger, Sand Lake

2011-04-26T17:53:00.000-07:00

I had lunch at this burger joint on the Universal side of Sand Lake Rd last Wednesday. It was disappointing. I had a Classic Burger for $5. It was a 1/3rd pound burger (beef, brisket, and short rib) with cheddar cheese, onions, tomato, lettuce, pickles and sauce. In the immortal words of Al Czervik - "tell the chef this is low grade dog food". The description sounded palatable enough, but, it tasted like the burgers they have at a 7-11. A kind of bland, meatloafy thing that doesn't remind one of beef. The consistency was very fine. It was overcooked. This thing either started off bad or was old or it's life was squeezed from it by the cook. Maybe all three. All the toppings were limp except for the thickly cut pickle slices. They have a limited menu. Burgers, one dog, one salad, one grilled cheese and some sides. The best sounding (most rare) dish was the fried twinkie or strawberry shortcake. The place seems half done. I think it's the original Vines bar. The murals seem incomplete. The furniture clashes with the murals. Old wood booths and tables with vibrant, graffiti like walls. It seats about 60 (mostly in the rear half). There were ten others there at 2pm. You order at the counter. I would pass if I were you. The execution is lacking and the value is low.

Pub/Grub Crawl, Downtown

2011-04-18T12:29:00.000-07:00

11-11:30pm: 180 Lounge at the Amway Arena - The fat troll who does the club reviewing in the Sentinel (how you can be so fatally unhip and be THE reviewer of nightlife for a paper says much about the standards at that rag) said this placed reminded her of a scene from Less Than Zero. Maybe she was referring to a parallel universe where the people who work for the people in that movie go to get their krunk on. It's not a bad spot. Although, the outside is already useless in this heat. However, the crowd is less than zero.

11:30-11:59pm: Mojo's Cajun Bar - Empty.

12-2am - Wall Street - Pretty dead. Monkey Bar is now desolate. Slingapour's and some bar called something like The Other Bar or Door were full. Seems like a place girls go to hook up with black dudes.

2am - Sauced - High Light. The real reason I subjected myself to this night of drudgery. I had a Hot Mess and a Wet Dog. Ate them the next day. The Hot Mess is brisket, chips, mac and cheese and sauce on a roll. The best. The Wet Dog is a bacon wrapped, big hot dog with cole slaw and baked beans. The dog is better eaten alone. The people were cool. Get the word out.

Terrace 360, Downtown

2011-04-18T12:11:00.000-07:00

I had a late dinner at this restaurant in the Bank of America building (past home of Harvey's Bistro) last Saturday after the ballet. It's still in it's dry run. They didn't alter much. It's still one of the prettier settings downtown. They have one area that looks like the formal dining area. It's very white and modern. The remainder is a bar area with conventional tables and high tops. They have many flatscreens and a hand shuffleboard table. It is a guys place. The food was surprisingly good. The ahi tuna tacos at $9 were phenomenal. It's an appetizer but could be an entree. The tuna was barely seared. It was a pretty good cut (a few shreds of cartridge). The soft tortillas had grill marks. The lettuce was cut into squares. Somehow this made it more flavorful than shredding does. It had some avocado in it. The wasbai mayo was the perfect compliment. Nothing new (except the shape of the lettuce), but, it just worked better than I can recall. I also had a wedge salad for $6. I couldn't tell if it was bibb or iceberg. It worked. They served 3 smaller wedges instead of 1 big one. It came with crisp bacon pieces and blue cheese crumbles. The dressing was blue cheese. The service was great and the ownership seemed engaged. It's a great value. I think the most expensive thing was a steak at $20. Most apps were around $5. Most entrees in the low teens. Drinks were only $6 (premium brands). This has to be where you end your day if you work in the area or where you start your evening if you are seeing a show. You can even save $5 in parking if you park on this side of the tracks. I think they have even better pricing during happy hour. I didn't even mention the beautiful palm lined patio. I highly recommend it.

Carmen, Bob Carr

2011-04-18T12:05:00.000-07:00

I saw this Bizet Ballet downtown on Saturday for $16. Even though the venue was almost full, I somehow got a 6th row seat 30 minutes before show time at the lowest published price. It was a fairly good adaptation. It was quick. It started at 8pm and let out at 9:30pm (with intermission). It has been a while since I last saw this ballet so I'm not sure if they did a truncated version or not. In any case, it was well worth the expenditure. If only to see what Orlando-ins pull out of their closet in an attempt to look refined.

Twist, SoDo

2011-04-18T11:54:00.000-07:00

I ordered a two roll combo at this Asian Fusion restaurant across from OLV in SoDo last Wednesday. It was $9. I had a salmon avocado roll and a yellowtail scallion roll. They were rolled thin and long (about 8 pieces). The salmon was good. The yellowtail lacked flavor. The service was quick. Then again there was only 1 table seated and I think they had finished lunch. They have all the asian colors of the rainbow represented in the menu. I usually find that that means they excel in none. But, let's give them the benefit of the doubt. The place is split in two. A drab, minimalist hibachi area and a dining room/bar decorated with antique looking black chandeliers. It gives it a unique personality. It seats about 70. Since your only other choice is OLV or Jason's Deli in this complex, I would suggest this as your best bet if you find yourself confined to this complex. The $1 sundae at the McDonald's Bistro next door was actually the high light of the culinary exploration of the day.

OLV Cafe, SoDo

2011-04-18T11:32:00.001-07:00

I had lunch at this cafe in the new SoDo apartment complex on S. Orange last Wednesday. I had a Smoked Duck Sandwich for $9. It was disappointing. The duck could have been pulled pork (by consistency and taste). I think they buy it pre-shredded in a plastic bag. It was nothing like the the pressed duck sandwich at Dexter's. It also came with three microscopic slivers of apple and a quarter sized rub of boursin cheese. The roll was good, but, didn't pair well with the duck. The innards became slimy when exposed to the meat. Bad mouth feel. The service was also bad. I saw the waitress (a Deena from Jersey Shore clone) exactly twice. Once to get a menu and once to pay. Another person brought the food. No re-fills. There were approximately ten people there at the time and 8 were cougars having a liquid lunch with their alimony proceeds (1 other diner). The place seats about 30. It's mostly a lounge. The menu is extremely lazy. The bare minimum of effort or ambition. 4 sandwiches, salads and flatbreads. Boring! It's been open less than a year and already looks worn (cracks in the floor and worn furniture). The place is 60% open bar area. They have some couches in the rear. That area has stone walls. I suspect they are going for a chalet/bad country club sitting room feel. The front walls are glass. They have outdoor seating. The owner said the enigmatic name is short for Evolution. If this is the result of evolution then it must be an appendix - a totally unnecessary and superfluous organ. I would skip it for food. Maybe the bar scene is better at night. They had an ok wine selection.

Jimmy Hula's, Winter Park

2011-04-10T16:24:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon this Island themed restaurant on Fairbanks (where Habana Grill was) today at lunch. I had a Mailbu Fish Taco for $3.69 and Guacamole and chips for $2.89. They were good. If I was at all hungry I would have tried the Ahi BLT or Thai Beef salad. The Guac had chopped red peppers in it. It didn't stink of preservatives. It was fresh. I even bit into the remnants of the nob on top of the avocado. At least that's what I hope it was. The chips were fresh and plentiful (I couldn't finish them). They were also, pleasingly, non-salty. The taco was made from Mahi Mahi. It was a little fishy and mushy. The condiments (salsa, sour cream, lettuce, guacamole) were better. It was a soft taco. It also came with chips and a wedge of lime. They serve non-Mexican dishes too. Burgers, salads and fish sandwiches come to mind. Most things are well priced. Its theme is a little muddled. They draw from Hawaii, California and the Bahamas to mention a few. The combining element is surfing. I guess. These are all places that have some influence on the menu. The place looks like a shack you would find on a beach. It's decorated with surfing/island centric bric a brac. The seats look like they were taken out of automobiles. An outdoor porch surrounds the front and sides of the restaurant. All the windows and some walls were up today. You order at a counter. They (mostly cute, young women) bring you the meal. Service was quick. The menu is on the monitors above the counter (all digital). It was clean and vibrant. It seats about 70. It was 2/5ths full. It similar to the Winter Park Fish Company. But, it's a lot cheaper, bigger and has better parking. I predict it will be a big hit. They also serve beer. They don't take AMEX. They have been open for three weeks.

Anatolia, Winter Park

2011-04-10T16:05:00.003-07:00

I has lunch 2 at this pizzeria and restaurant across from Arigato (436) on Wednesday. I had a sausage sub for $4.50. It was infinitely more satisfying than the sushi I had for lunch 1. The sausage, onions, sauce and cheese were tasty. It was well toasted/melted in an ingenious rack made out of a pizza screen created by the manager. The place itself is kind of awful. As is the name. The manager told me it was because the owners are Turkish. But, you can't just name a place anything because you can. It confuses the customers. You are not selling Turkish cuisine. I don't associate quality Italian competence with the Turks. You even have a jalapeno pepper in your logo. How is that Italian? You are starting with one strike. Back to the place. The last owners ( a Puerto Rican place) combined two small spaces in a strip mall by breaking the wall in between. They did little to nothing in terms of decoration. Now the pizza oven is in one and the dining area is in the other. It's still sparsely decorated. They simply changed the wall art. It's also a little dark. It seats about 40. There were 9 people there for lunch. They serve (what is now becoming de rigeur) a multi-ethnic menu that ranges from Buffalo wings to ham sandwiches (and of course pizza, rolls and Italian sandwiches). The prices and service were good. As was the small sample of food I tried. I recommend it for what it is - a cheap, pizzeria/Italian restaurant.

Arigato, Winter Park

2011-04-10T15:38:00.001-07:00

I had lunch at this sushi restaurant on 436 on Wednesday. It was a Greek place previously and started as a Pizza Hut. It's a square box with low ceilings. A real interior design conundrum. I had the Sushi Combo for $11. Their idea of a combo is sushi alone. It was 7 pieces and a tuna roll. The tuna was tasteless. This is becoming an ongoing concern. I remember when tuna used to be the high light not the enigma. What is happening to the tuna industry? They also snuck in imitation crab and smoked salmon with the fresh fish. Surprisingly the smoked salmon was good. As was the red snapper, white tuna, salmon and surf clam. The pieces were big. The rice was adequate. They did forget the wasabi and ginger. The plating was pretty barren. The service (1) was ok. There were only 6 people there so I have no idea how they handle it if they get full. They said it was the same team that used to be on Park Avenue in Winter Park (different name). The place seats about 80. They tried to make it look Japanese Modern, but, as I said the building is just terrible. They even still have the horrible faux brick walls from when it was Pizza Hut. But, now to the real problem. It's no bargain. They have 72 rolls. Exactly 1 (non veggy) is under $5. Most are at or near $10. Their seafood entrees are near or over $20. They have 1 sushi bar appetizer under $10. Most sushi is above $5 (a piece?). And as for the sushi lunch specials (they kind of try and hide that menu), the place near me gives me a salad, a soup, a bowl of rice, octopus salad, seaweed salad and an orange for the same price. Plus they have $1 piece happy hour. It's the same quality. You can't be in the middle of no where, in a poor neighborhood, in a bad building and charge these prices. The emptiness of the restaurant should inform you of the emptiness of your business plan. I expect to see a "for lease" sign here before the summer is over.

The Crooked Spoon, 50

2011-04-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

I had dinner to go 2 at this gourmet food truck in a gas station where the old hot dog stand used to be on 50 near Mills. I had a Crooked Spoon Burger for $8. It was large. It was perfectly cooked. They even asked what temperature I wanted it! It was juicy. I'm pretty sure they hand ground the beef. It came on a sweet roll (fresh) that was grill warmed. It came with swiss cheese, field greens, a tomato slice (that may have been marinated or absorbed the dressing from the salad), and a wonderful onion chutney/relish that was sweet (caramelized in balsamic?) and spicy. They also included wonderful, fresh potato chips. They had to be home made. Non-oily, barely salted, thick and golden brown. They have about 8 items and a special (it was pulled chicken sliders). It's a two person crew. Very nice. The prices may be a bit high for a take away place, but, it is gourmet (the care and ingredients warrant it) and hopefully people are into the whole food truck craze and have lost their prejudices. I would encourage you to visit. It was a burger that can compete with The Ravenous Pig's.

Korean BBQ Taco Truck, 50

2011-04-02T10:43:00.000-07:00

I got dinner to go at this Korean Food Truck at the Citgo on Primrose and 50 yesterday. I had a Chicken Taco Box for $6. The taco was not the star. The French Dressing type sauce was cloying and dominated the conversation. The chicken also seemed to be too sweet. I think it was all dark meat or it was cooked dark through soy. It came with lettuce. It was large. It wasn't devoid of spice, but, I would ease up on the mayo. The real stars were the sides. 1 spicy chicken wing with an Asian character. A nice twist. 2 pieces of something that they called a cheese roll. An excellent (and new to me) combination of pork and cheese whiz and some kind of soy or egg wrapper (like a crepe). Wonderful. 2 brown rice covered pork meatballs. Excellent. You could really taste the pork. A Japanese style salad. 2 pieces of of fried (Katzu style) soy squares with an oyster type sauce. Nice. They say they will be in this spot permanently. So, check them out. They have taco boxes in most meat options and some more standard Korean meals. The staff was friendly. Look for the bright yellow truck.

Grub Crawl - Audobon Park and Mills

2011-04-02T10:22:00.000-07:00

Junior's Diner - I had lunch at this diner at the end of a strip mall yesterday. I had two eggs, sausage (3) home fries and toast for $5 and change. Everything was good. The service was good. They have all you diner favorites. It's not expensive. It seats about 50 with a counter, tables and booths. It was nearly full. The decor is plain. Blue Bird Bakery - My real reason for coming back to this area. It's in the strip mall after Junior's. I bought a Guinness Cream cupcake for $2+. It came in a fancy box with a little cupcake cozy inside. The cupcake was rich. The Guinness gave the chocolate an earthy flavor. The icing was a sweet, white cream. It's not a huge cupcake, but, worth it. And I hate sweets. The space is small, but, terribly cute. It's very clean and modern. Plus all the staff and most of the clientele is young and female which never hurts. A very friendly atmosphere. Rainbow Sno-Cones - A few store fronts from Blue Bird. I didn't want a sno-cone, but, since I was already there I had to experiment. I had a Tiger's Blood (no relation to a celebrity recently in the news) kiddie sno-cone for $1.25. It was coconut and strawberry. It was tasty and lasted a long time in my broiling car interior. It ended up saving my life later on that afternoon. It's a small shop. You can't go in. You order from the window. The owner was nice. They have a lot of flavors to choose from. Raphsodic Bakery - This place was not in Audobon Park. It's almost at the corner of Mills and 50. I had a gluten-free Double Chocolate cupcake for $2.50. I'm sorry to report that it was awful. Looks like you really need that gluten after all. It was small. It stuck (almost entirely) to the wax paper. It tasted like rye bread. It was better if you ate the icing and cake together. It barely tasted of chocolate. On the positive side, the place is cute and the staff is friendly. It seats about 16. Parking could be a problem.

Choo Choo Churro, Orlando

2011-04-02T10:04:00.000-07:00

I had dinner at this Argentinian Steak House on Lake Underhill Rd (off 436 parallel to 408) last Friday. It's slightly hidden. I had Sweetbreads with white rice for $23. It came with bread, garlic butter, salad and Chimchurri. The sweetbreads (2) were large. It was enough for two. Although I prefer them fried (melts the sinews), they were fine fire grilled. The rice was plentiful. The bread was warm. The garlic butter seemed home made. The salad was fresh. The entree came it a skillet. A very simple and satisfying meal. The service was great. It was a cute place that is mainly a patio. They enclose it in the winter. It's open now. It's decorated with little pans and nick nacks. The had a lit grill in the rear. The tables and chairs are wood. It seats about 24. It was half full. They said it was a light crowd and people tend to come later on in the evening. The inside seats about 12 more. They have a live guitar player (who may have been the owner). They played soothing Latin music over the speakers. The place succeeds in transporting you out of Orlando. I really recommend this type of place over the buffet style, all you can eat Churasscurias around town. This is more in line with what you can expect if you go to Argentina. They have a good wine list and many cattle and seafood based options.

Capt. Sal's Po-Boys, Altamonte Springs

2011-04-02T09:46:00.000-07:00

I grabbed a Chicken Po-Boy at this little shack next to a now defunct ice shop in a gas station on 436 near Bubbalou's (how ridiculous am I becoming that my land markers are now restaurants) a few Mondays ago. I chose Chicken because I didn't want any surprises while on my flight out of town (a risk with any seafood) and to round out my Po-Boy resume. It cost $5.50. I'm sad to say that it happened so long ago that I can barely remember particulars of its flavor profile. I do remember it was pressed. The chicken was grilled. It had lettuce and tomato and a sauce. The roll was baked on the premises. What I would like to convey is that the owner was a guy you want to root for. He says he learned his trade on Gulf shipping vessels. He would pepper the ship's cook with questions and help prepare the meals in his down time. He even has an MBA. All the meals are cooked to order. He has many Latin dishes as well. He also serves breakfast and burgers and daily specials. His only assistance is his wife (who was not there at the time). I would encourage you to give him a try. If only to support a classic American success story of an individual who still cares about the quality of his product. The food is quite good too.

Grub Crawl - Universal and SoDo

2011-03-20T16:28:00.000-07:00

Agave Azul - I had a Chimichanga Couzumel at this Mexican restaurant in the strip mall past the bridge past Universal. It cost $9.95. Make sure you check your bill. They, mistakenly, charged me the dinner price of $12.75. It was more like a burrito. It wasn't very fried. That's fine with me, but, you may expect the old paper sack looking namesake. It was filled with 6 moderately sized shrimp and fried onions (I deleted the green peppers). I mainly ordered it for the side of steamed brocolli and cauliflower. A great substitute (and something more Mexican places should emulate) for the banal beans and rice everyone serves. Unfortunately, steamed seemed to mean boiled. They were extremely wet, soggy and limp. Still better than beans that look like the contents of a baby's diaper. They also had to force the obligatory rice. It had kind of a twist. It had carrot squares. The service was ok. The place looks like a modern lounge/club. Lots of glass, metal, bright colors and water. However, it is showing age. Even my plate was chipped. All in all not a bad spot. You can see that it was created with big aspirations in mind. But, it got Orlando-ed. Now it's on a slow decent until it pays itself off.

Frank's Bistro - I grabbed a chicken sandwich on Turkish flat bread at this multi-ethnic restaurant in the strip mall across from the strip mall previously mentioned (S. Kirkman). I came for the lamb sandwich I saw on the menu before I had lunch 1. It's off the menu until further notice (inflation). It was $6. It came with a healthy portion of grilled chicken cut into strips. It had a tatziki-ish sauce and fresh tomatos and onions. The bread was made on the premises. It was tasty. The place has a full menu of breakfast items as well as lunch and dinner. They have alot of fish and even steak.

Sweet Potato Pie - I grabbed a piece of sweet potato pie at this pie maker on Michigan just East of Orange. It cost $4. Pie pieces ran up to $8 a slice. There were about 5 types. It was a good pie. It tasted a little like marzipan.

Dabeni's - I grabbed a pork and tomato sandwich (I forget its catchy name) at this Latin (PR) restaurant next to Sweet Potato Pie. It cost $5. It was ok. I'd stick with a Cuban. The pork was a little fatty. The tomatos were supposed to be pickled. I didn't see signs of that. The place looks like a little deli. It seats about eight. They have about ten items and specials. The people were nice.

Pub Crawl - Winter Park & Downtown

2011-03-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

9-9:30pm - Shipyard Emporium - Basically the same market that was there before, but with a bar. The crowd was about half old and half twenties. A beer crowd not a Red Bull and Vodka crowd. The Light beer was offensive. It tasted like bad beer was watered down with tap water. Florida tap water if you know what I mean. I never see this place attracting a young crowd. Even if they didn't close at 10pm.

10-11pm - Bosendorfer Lounge in the Grand Bohemian - A refined cocktail in a refined environment. Invigorating. Now if they could just get some hot guests (or at least prostitutes).

11pm-12:30an - The Lodge - Same collection of oddities. But, they still get the most normal girls. I'm not saying all the girls are normal or even a majority are. I'm just saying they get the most in this garbage dump of female companionship we call Orlando. Too bad they allow smoking. The 80's music thing is getting stale.

Overall it was a bad night (shocking). Maybe it was the cold? Maybe people were away for break? Most places were empty. Some place even stopped charging covers (gasp).