The Dancing Crab, Altamonte Springs

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

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

Cavo's, Thornton Park

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

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

Toll Road Brewing Company, Ocoee

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

Genetic Brewing, Lake Mary - Closed

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bayridge Sushi, Longwood *TN/SC/NC/GA Travel Notes

I grabbed some take out (no sit in until June) for lunch on Wednesday at the new location (one block south and in from the old one) of this Japanese restaurant on 434 near some hospital. Look for a McDonald's. I had the sashimi lunch (12 pieces and a California roll) for $12 and a yellowtail and scallion roll for $5. They gave me rocket propulsion diarrhea (three extended ass heaves that impressed my ding dong by their force and liquidity) and that wasn't the worst part of the meal. Well I guess it was if we are viewing as part of my real fear of patronizing these re-emerging restaurants. I'm not scared of Wu Flu. I'm scared that restaurants will be unwilling to clear out their larders of the food they purchased before the closures. This seemed to be the case here. And this is raw fish. Not frozen chicken fingers. The sashimi was composed of tuna, salmon, escolar and what they call whitefish/tai (probably tilapia). The tuna seemed the freshest (most firm), but, it had no taste at all. The salmon was warm and limp. The escolar (I applaud them for not calling it white tuna) was warm. limp and tasted funky. The tilapia had the worst funk. Antisceptic. Like they sprayed it with bleach. Just deplorable. 3 pieces of each. Decent size. The Cali roll was also bad. The avocado was not ripe. To illustrate, the best piece I had was one that fell into the soy sauce and was saturated in it. They also included a miso soup with dry, hardened miso. That's a first. And an iceberg lettuce leaf salad. The yellowtail came in a cigar shape in nori. The cheap way of serving it. The fish had no taste. The presentation was ok. The place is much bigger (than the old) and very nice looking. Hip even. Black wood. square design. Big Buddha statue in front. It's a shame. I'll never go back because of this gastro-ass-ault. They opened in December. I never realized it, but, the "Bayridge" is for Bayridge Brooklyn. Where they opened their first restaurant. I wonder if they get their fish from under the Verrazzano. It would explain a lot. The old location is going to be a F&D Italian soon. The one that was supposed to be in Sanford I guess.

*Travel Notes - TN/SC/NC/GA: I only have a few finds from last weeks trip to the TN/SC/NC and GA. A bbq place (Smokin Pig) off 95 in Richmond Hill GA (exit 87, I think) served me up a smoked chicken sandwich. I chose a side of collard greens. Not sure if this is already a thing, but, I put them in the sandwich. It worked. I also saw (didn't try) that they had something called funnel fries at Spanky's in Kitty Hawk NC. I forgot to ask if these were just churros. They also had a burger topped with a crab cake. That's kind of original. Was going to go to The Chef and the Farmer in Kinston NC (on TV), but, it was still closed.

Lena's Seafood, Silver Springs * FL/GA/AL/KY/MO/IA/SD/NE/KS/AR/OK/TX/MS Travel Notes

I'm writing about this place (even though it's probably out of range for most of you) on SR 40 on the way to 75 mostly because I'm about to blow this popsicle stand for another week and let you scaredy-crats know there is a big wild world out there that doesn't make you sick. I grabbed some to go food at lunch on the first of the month. Just a cheeseburger and some chicken strips. I was still a little antsy about prepared foods. They were fine. packaged strips of course. The big wing looking ones. The burger was better than the usual fast food drink coasters. The strips cost (side order) $5.65 and the burger cost $5.05. They try and recreate a New England type place. A dozen different fried seafoods (even smelts). Six rolls (ie lobster roll). Subs. Salads. Soups. Land food. A big selection. Not sure if the stuff is fresh. probably frozen. It was pretty popular.

*Travel Notes - 13 States: The real reason for the post. I left on a thirteen state red state road trip two weeks ago. Some states were more open than others. Some asked you to wear masks in certain places (ie big cities in Texas). Traffic was light.  Gas was cheap. Hotels were all clean and cheap and mostly empty. It looks like they tossed out all the old towels and sheets and maybe even pillows and scrubbed down everything. Same with food. It was mostly drive thru fast food in the beginning. But, I didn't get a touch of stomach discomfort like usual. Either they finally cleaned these places or the masks kept their bacteria off of my food. I tried some new things. Loose meat sandwiches in Sioux City Iowa (Tastee Inn & Out). The most famous is in Marshalltown (Taylor's) but it was not on my way. A fast food chain in Fayetteville Tennessee called Jack's. Not Jack in the Box. Smoked corned beef in Kansas. Really good. The Shed on exit 57 on the 10 in Mississippi is also now doing crawfish. It seems to be the season. These were the best and biggest and freshest I've ever had. You could eat the claws. So cheap. $5 for a pound. And I also had a pulled rib meat sandwich. The Q is still great. I also saw some new things on the menus. Fried shrimp on a hot dog in Mitchell South Dakota. Plus a jalapeno and cream cheese filled dog that was breaded and fried and served with raspberry sauce. They (Hungry Dog) also served a Juicy Lucy filled with Dimock Dairy pepperoni and cheddar. In Vidor Texas they had a boil joint (Jingo's) that served Boudain balls and great salt and pepper stuff. The corned beef place in Fort Scott Kansas (Luther's) also served smoked bologna, pork belly, turkey and ham (in addition to the usual items). They called burnt ends "beef flavored marshmallows". Also had pork fritters. I barely tried to seek out these places. They just appeared before me. I still had a lot of fast food. But, it wasn't a total loss. Hopefully, more places will be open on US Road Trip Part Deux. Now get out of you house and accept the fact that you can't baby proof your lives and if you could they wouldn't be worth living. Life involves risk. Calculated risk. I've been on the other side of the door and survived. And you (most likely if you aren't in feeble health already) will too.

Colt's Pig Stand, Orange City

I popped into the parking lot of this barbeque place last Thursday night on the way back from the beach. I guess it will be the last post until Chub-ernor Deeeeee Pants Piss grows a pair. It opened in January. The first location was in Ormond Beach. It looks nice. White painted brick and red tones. Didn't see much from the outside. Square build. Seats about eighty. They are open at noon for now. I tried the Bourbon Burnt Ends Sandwich. It was a lie. Not burnt ends. Sure, a bit of them. But, mostly just pulled brisket. My first burnt ends were at Arthur Bryant's. They were actual ends. This was like burnt end helper hidden in sauce. One third of the portion was silver skin. It still tasted good and I'll forego a tongue lashing because of the Wuhan, but, they better not mis-represent moving forward. The sauce was very thick and sweet. Perhaps a hint of berry. The bun was ok. It came with a side. I chose potato salad. The potatoes were dried from refrigeration (gritty). Plus they were hard (undercooked). They were mixed with a little raw onion or celery or both. Ground black pepper. Skin on. Chunks. Sweet mayo. Not a lot. They also tossed in four cups of side sauces. One was mustardy. One was hottish. One seemed mild. One seemed like catsup and black pepper. They seem to be offering lower pricing. The prices were pretty good regardless. They sell wings, burgers, grilled or fried chicken, fried fish, sausage, ribs, pork, turkey, etc. They have a kids menu. Twelve sides. Sandwich options. On the right side of I-4 going south. At the first light/gas station. In front of the Holiday Inn. Worth a look.

*I think I promised some travel advice. When you get a chance, think about the Panhandle south of Tallahassee on Route 98. St Marks, St Teresa, Carabelle, Panacea and St George Island. Plus lots of oyster, stone crab, shrimp and barbeque places. Even RV parks on the beach (if you are into that).

**I'd also like to remind everyone that: doctors always exaggerate to make themselves look like heros, modeling is unreliable horse shit, there is no way to prove something was an over reaction (so no reason to support that argument)  and the government will always have to inconvenience right minded individuals to "manage" society's lower tiers. I believe some of us will be set free when the "stimulus" checks arrive. It would seem plausible that our quixotic leader will be sick of being "handled" by the doomsayers by then and see the beauty in "releasing" a wave of economic stimulus on the country. That is if that wasn't the plan all along. Ta Ta.

Beacon, New Smyrna Beach

I believe I tried this place years ago. However, it must have been pre-blog. I bought a turkey club to go yesterday at lunch for $8. It comes with cole slaw and French fries. Not that you will be able to act on this because of Gove(imprison)nor DiSpineless. The sandwich was ok. The turkey was pre-sliced garbage. The bacon was good. The fries were crinkle cut and starch coated. I hate starch coating. The cole slaw was minced slop. That said, it's basically just a Greek diner near the beach side of Flagler. The menu is priced very low. Only one thing over single digits. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Not a ton of parking. It seats about forty. It has been there for around fifty years. Fine for a diner type experience. Décor is oldish. Service was polite and quick.

*I have one place more to post about after this. I tried some places in Sanford today, but, they were all closed. I don't think I'll be risking my health further because I can't really drive to any place that I haven't tried yet. In the next post I'll tell you about an area of the state I was pulled back from on Wednesday that is really nice and you should visit when Trump's supporters start bitching and get him and then Spineless to relax travel restrictions.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: That's Amore, Finger Lickin BBQ and Boston's Fish House

I tried these places at dinner this weekend. All to go. The first two on Saturday and the last on Sunday. I had to try something to beat the heat and two weeks of isolation. It appears that the leaders in this area are have a bit more of a backbone and still allowed some beach access. It was mostly respected. A few groups congregated in large numbers around picnic tables. The same people whom I'm sure will blame any disproportionate spread of the disease on a government conspiracy. These restaurants let you order at the register and take the food to go. That was actually better for me. I took it and ate it with a view. It was a sanity saver.

That's Amore - This Italian spot is near the shuffle board club off Flagler on Pine. Parking across the street. It looked scarier than usual with the chairs and tables all piled against the wall. It's dark and stony and woody in the best of circumstances. More wine cave than eatery. I had a 14" pizza to go for $13. It was actually very good as a NY style pizza. Thin bottom crust. Thick rim crust. Very little sauce. It was salty. The cheese layer was twice as thick as the crust. A bit too much. And the quality was industrial. They have a lot of toppings too choose from. Even lump crab meat. They do gluten free crusts and calzones. A 10" is $10. The menu tries to be a bit more. Pappardelle instead of spaghetti. Although they have that too. Plus fettucine, gnocchi, lasagna, penne and tortellini. All over priced ($17-$20). That does make the seafood pasta ($19-$25) seem cheap by comparison. They also do chicken or veal in five styles ($19 - $25). Apps are all near or over $10. Only eight of them. Some salads ($10-$12). Seven $10-$11 paninis. There are owned by twins and have been there for ten years.

Finger Lickin BBQ - This is in the central part of town near US1. On North Orange about a block north off the main through street. One block in from US1. I found you can also get to this area by making a left off 46 at Palmetto. They are open Th-Sn from 11am to 9pm. 6pm on Sunday. Their sign said they are open on Wednesday. Not sure if that is just temporary. They smoke on site. It looks like a cute little shed. A few seats inside. I had a half pound of pulled pork ($6) and a half slab of ribs ($13). Both were good. The pork was too pulled and sauced for me. Sweet sauce. The ribs (8) were long. A little dry. Like they were grilled. I didn't taste much smoke. Beefy flavor. They said they cook them for six hours. So, maybe not in a smoker? I asked for hot sauce. It was a mustardy fruit sauce. Raspberry, citrus and scotch bonnets? They also have fried stuff, seafood, sausage, chicken, brisket (it was twenty minutes from ready), sides, etc. A nice menu. The have been open for four years. Good prices. A bbq chicken sandwich is only $4 at lunch. The sell the meats on a sandwich or by the pound.

Boston's Fish House - I've left off eating here for years because I tried one in Winter Park years ago. They told me this place split from them ten years ago. It is a New England style seafood place (ie chowder and fried clams as the stars). I had a cup of clam chowder for $5 and the seafood trio (fried Point Judith calamari, clam strips and popcorn shrimp) for $15. It's an app. It was very good. A lot of food. Around twelve shrimp. Decent size and fresh tasting and firm. The calamari and clams were hard to judge as usual. Just fried rubber to me. Big portions. The frying was pretty good. The ten minutes it steamed in the box before I unwrapped it probably hurt. It came with "pickled chips". I forgot and tossed them. I wonder what they were like? The chowder was pretty good. Good chowder. The clams were great. Very fresh. Belly meat. The only negative was that the potatoes were a little undercooked. The menu had a lot of market prices. The printed prices were pretty fair. A burger was $11. Clam roll was $15. They serve fish, scallops, linguine, chicken fingers, lobster roll, tacos, po boy, bisque, steamers, chicken, etc. They were giving everyone 10 or 15% off. The place looks cute. Only six booth, a bar and a few tables. License plates on the wall. It's across from the Publix shopping center on 46 before it curves to the right at South Atlantic Ave. M-Th 11am to 9pm. F 11am to 9:30pm. Sa 10am to 9:30pm. Sn 10am to 8:30pm.

*I'd like to offer an observation about the virus. You may have noticed that I travel a lot and I can tell you that I hope that something is done from here on out about the lack of cleaning that goes on in the airline industry. I've seen it deteriorate into nothing. Aside from garbage and lord knows what, I've been made to sit in puke that they had all night to clean. It's disgusting and (now) dangerous. Plus they ley anybody on. I can't tell you how many Typhoid Mary's I've seen boarding a plane. It was a matter of time. Obviously cruise ships can be added to this list. And rental cars. And as I go through a "quarantined" day, I can't believe how many things that I touch that are touched or breathed on by others (atm, food, gas pumps, products, etc). And we live here. You should see the sanitary conditions in the rest of the world. It is actually amazing we don't see more of this.

**I would also like one political official to read The Plague by Albert Camus.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Big Joe's Subs, AA Garden Fusion and General Public House

I tried these places two Wednesdays ago. The first and last are on Canal St in what I have been referring to as the "old" center of town. The second is on Flagler across the bridge nearer to the beach. I went to the first at lunch. I grabbed to go meals at the other two on the way back to Orlando.

Big Joe's Subs and Eatery - This is a very decrepit looking spot right on US1. For a long time I believed it was no longer open by the looks of it. Imagine my surprise when I popped in and saw not only a lunch counter, but, an entire sit down area with booths. From what I remember, they opened this area kind of recently. This owner (from Massachusetts) took over around twenty years ago. The place had been around twenty years before that. I had the 12" All Italian". That is genoa salami, mortadella, capicolla and provolone on a sub roll. They also have 8" and 16". This cost $7.50. The meats were bad. Nothing was cured more than a week or so. Typical Mass-hole stuff. They have no idea how to do deli. I can't remember if the roll was any good. I have a suspicion that my amnesia means it wasn't good. But, I kind of also remember thinking that it was sad that this was the best thing about it. The veg weren't that great either. I had to ask for oil and vinegar. They put mayo on cured meats. This sandwich aside, they also serve pasta, burgers, salads, baskets, fryer snacks and the usual assortment of sandwiches. Maybe those are better? There was a bit of a wait. Only two people composing. It seemed to be popular with the locals. Prices are good. The most expensive thing is a dozen meatballs with garlic bread at $10. Lots of things (ie fried fish sandwich) under $5.

AA Garden Fusion - They renovated this space around a year ago. It has been one of the last ones to get reviewed because they open at 4pm. Way too late for any lunch visits and usually an hour late for take out on the way home. I remembered it as a sushi place (with a different name), but, they said it was always Pan Asian. I grabbed an order of Sunny's Poke chips for $9 because the rest of the things seemed like they'd take too long or didn't look worth the price or I wasn't in the mood for. It was pretty bad. Some store bought shrimp paste chips and some cheap ahi tuna. The only interesting thing on the menu was some thing served in a betel leaf. The rest was everyday Thai, Japanese and Chinese. The place has a patio, a bar and dining area. It has a pastel color scheme. I remember green and blue. It's next to the Hampton Inn. I think they open a bit earlier on the weekends. I think they are closed on Monday or Tuesday.

The General Public House - They took over for a beer-centic place (something silly like Taps) in December. I should have come here for lunch, but the other times I tried, they told me they only did dinner. Must of been the old owners. I grabbed a fried redfish sandwich to go for $15. It came with fries. I had just had a grilled redfish platter in Cedar Key days before and a friend had it fried in a sandwich. I wanted to compare. Their cut was much thicker. It was fried beautifully. The more aggressive cooking treatment didn't seem to harm it. Nice crust. Non-oily. Moist flesh. I liked this better. If they didn't sub it out for grouper (why would anyone do that?), the meat is very flaky. Each "shingle" was a quarter inch thick. I ate the fish on its own and used the vegetable slaw in my tuna sandwich the next day and also used the brioche bun. I ate little bites driving home to make sure that I didn't cheat myself out of the true fried experience. Obviously, those bites were the best and it wasn't as great after a car ride home. I did manage to pop open the to go container to minimize steaming. That helped with the fries. They did the best you can do with these skin on pub fries. Almost crispy. All in all, I liked this dish and the menu. Not too many things. Seemed seasonal. I'd trust them for a full sit down experience. The place looks nice. They also have that gray and black and wood interior design. Brick too. A open, square space. Full length bar on the left side. The staff seemed knowledgeable. Service was quick. I recommend them. They are open all day through. They also serve alcohol.

*This is the end of the road for now. But you can bet that I'll be the first one out of the gate once the panic dissipates.

Grub Crawl - East Colonial: Pho Huong Lan, Banh Mi Boy and Vivi Bubble Tea

I grabbed some things to go after lunch at these places near Mills two Tuesdays ago. The first is in the rear of the strip mall aside from the macaroon place and Anthony's. The second is in Tien Hung Market next to Anh Hong. The third is across the street from them.

Pho Huong Lan - I tried to find another restaurant here over the last few years and it was never open. I tried this place a few months ago and it wasn't open either. Maybe I came too late. I can't remember. I think they close at 8 or 9pm. Huong Lan is the owner. She opened this pho shop three months ago. They offer 6 types in 5 sizes. Meatballs, tendon, brisket, two cuts of beef and one other thing I can't recall. I had the one with the two beef cuts. I think it was a regular size. It cost $10. The broth was beefy. Not sweet. I'm not adept enough to tell you if it (the broth) is home made or not. I forget what to look for. It did have a surface of liquid animal fat. If that is evidence. It was made to go. The veg were fresh and the "fancier" meat was packed raw. That is a first. Usually they cook it a little. It did help keep it from being ruined when I reheated it. The place looks a little like a Far Eastern nightclub. Lots of twinkly lighting, blue color, mirrors that look like they would reveal a peep show. Vietnamese tv on the tv. It seats around thirty. It was packed. All Vietnamese. Maybe some gangsters?

Banh Mi Boy - The younger generation (at the register) convinced the older to let him put up a more contemporary sign. Inside this well stocked market (even some grab and go prepared meals) is a deli counter where they make about ten sandwiches. I had the "traditional" banh mi of head cheese and pate and bologna. It cost $5. It was a very good representation. Great baguette. They also prepare a ton of fresh squeezed drinks. They promoted one made of sugar cane juice. I almost had one. I only didn't because I was going to try the next place in the post. They put that sign up a year ago. The market has been there for  a long time.

Vivi Bubble Tea - They said they have been there for two years. It's a Chinese drink place that offers three or four food specials. I had an oolong "float". They said this was one of those "cheese" teas I've spoken of. I'm not sure if that is the case. If something was lost in translation. If it is, then the big whoop is that it is like a milk foam. It cost $4. It was fine. Like a tea cappuccino. The place looks like every other drink place. Nothing more or nothing less.

*Pho Huong Lan has opened another location at 5600 West Colonial

Boteco de Manolo, International Drive

Well, I have two more posts I can do thanks to my internet being "busy" for the last week. I guess I'll space them out since none of us is eating out in the near future and some of these places may not be back once we are. I tried this Brazilian place on "central" I Drive (kind of across from the side exit of the McDonald's on Sand Lake) two Tuesdays ago at lunch. I thought it was going to be a cheap Italian place (by the looks of it). It's a chain from Brazil. They have a dozen or so around Rio and one in Kissimmee. This one seems like one of the "fancier" ones. They have enlarged photos of some of the locations inside. It's a huge, square space. A patio. A bar area. A private room. A dining area broken into two sections. An open kitchen in the left rear. It must seat one hundred and fifty or more. There were only four or five tables seated. Most seemed Brazilian. I had a lunch special for $15. It was called Picadinho de Picanha. If I can recall, it was rump cap beef chunks and vegetables (This was a lower priced one. They had a more expensive one with a better cut of meat) in a stew that had Madeira and something else in it. Faro and beans came on the side and I think you are supposed to mix them in. I mixed in the faro. It also came with a side of white rice. It (the stew) was very savory. The faro (corn meal) thickened it up. It wasn't necessary though. The portion was huge. Lots of meat. The beans were a bit bland. It was fairly priced. Which I can't say for the rest of the menu. Almost everything except this lunch specials were twice the price. Only two apps were under double digits. And the meals didn't seem very elaborate. Maybe they are family size. But, I've seen quite a few Brazilian places that charge like this. No wonder they are always broke. It's a big menu. Probably sixty or so dishes. They also serve alcohol. There is a sign that said they have been there since 2001. Must have been a really non-descript building. They re-modeled last year. That is how I became aware of them. They had been on the hit list for a year. I'm glad I finally pulled the trigger. I really wasn't in the mood for Italian anyway. The décor is gray, white, black and wood. I'm seeing this color scheme repeated a lot this year. Is this the trend or have they used the same interior design firm? The service was good. They make them wear a uniform. It's not a world beater or the only game in town, but, they do a perfectly adequate job of giving you a Brazilian experience. A bit overpriced in my opinion. Let's hope that Brazilians don't think of them as their Applebeee's. How embarrassing for me if they do. A "boteco" is a little restaurant in Portuguese. So I'ms told (Caddyshack reference). You can take it or leave it. There are so many Brazilian options that you can be choosey.

*There is a sports bar across the street that was a Greek place recently. It looked deserted. I was going to try and get a to go order put in. It seemed like they weren't open for lunch. But, I think they are.

Grub Crawl - South Orange: Hungry Pants (Closed) and Mooya

I tried these places on South Orange (a little south of Michigan) on Tuesday at lunch. The first has been open for at least six months. The second just opened that day (coincidentally).

Hungry Pants - This is a mostly vegan joint in the spot that I think was last called Carol's. I had a cheeseburger for $9 and a butternut squash soup for $4. They have a few "meat" options. One other was salmon. I forget the others. The soup was mostly healthy. Just a swirl of cream on top. The stock was probably vegetable or just straight squash (pureed). I've had more flavorful attempts, but, it was good. Big bowl. Some ginger. The only drawback was a bit of veggie "grit" in the soup. Maybe the squash wasn't totally ripe (or some rind got in there) because it didn't taste of ginger. The burger was presented nicely. A bit overcooked. It also had a gritty feel that may have been due to some binder. It also had a bit of seasoning to it. Less than that Streetwise burger I didn't really love. They served a sweet red cabbage slaw on the side. The rest of the menu is around the same prices for apps and salads and faux meats. The place looks like it was furnished by Ikea. The color scheme is gray and wood. A few patterns add color. Framed pants. It seats about forty. There were around twenty there. The staff is a bit low energy. I never know if that is the result of "medication" or iron deficiency. It's an "order at the front of house" and we deliver sort of place. Some guys on the radio were bitching about how places like these are annoying because they force you to add on a tip BEFORE you receive the service. It made me laugh that that was what I walked into. All in all, they seem to care. I wasn't dying to check them out, but, I wasn't disappointed. If you are vegan, you may appreciate the place more than I. I think they may just be open for breakfast and lunch. I didn't love the $3 iced tea.

Mooyah - They said they are a chain out of Texas. It's pretty much burgers and fries and shakes. I grabbed a quarter pound burger with green chili queso and lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and ketchup to go. It cost $6.50. One dollar extra for cheese. It was pretty good. Like Burger Fi, etc. The bun was a potato bun. They also have a half pounder, turkey or black bean patty. And a hot dog. You can get a multigrain bun or gluten free or a lettuce leaf wrap. Bacon. Avocado. Other toppings and sauces. They use somebody called Dr Praeger for the black bean burger. Jennie O on the turkey. They have hand cut Idaho or sweet potato fries. Tenders and grilled cheese for the kiddies. They are in the strip mall that had the Lucky Market. I believe the condos are called Ecco. There is a PDQ in front. It has a red, white and black color scheme. Lots of white tile. Plenty of seats. Order at the counter. There may be more on the way. You probably won't make the trip just for them, but, it's safe if you do. Nothing earth shattering. The burger had a beefy taste. Not overdone. There is a Twisty Treat opening next door. I thought the crowd was pretty big, but, the owner seemed disappointed. I'm not sure how much marketing they did.

Grub Crawl - West Colonial: Mr Wang Sports BBQ and Taglish

I tried these places on Sunday night. The first is in the strip mall on the south side of Kirkman that has the something Sparkling something Market. The second is in the strip mall on John Young that has the Lotte Market.

Mr Wang Sports BBQ - I don't get the "sports" part because the place is wall papered with anime, but, the bbq part is legit. I've had meats roasted on wooden sticks from Japan and Korea, but, these are Chinese. It's the same concept. They sprinkle theirs with some kind of spicy powder that I'd peg as togarashi (chili powder). I had a sampling. Chicken hearts ($2), chicken gizzards ($2), beef back strap ($3), lamb kidney ($3) and pork feet ($5). The kidney and hearts were the most palatable. The feet didn't have much meat. A German pig knuckle has more meat. Although, I think that comes from on top of the foot. This was all skin and fat. A knob of meat. The gizzards (quasi-stomach) is just crunchy. The back straps are mis-translated. I think it is supposed to be a muscle near the spine. This just seemed like skin. I just ordered those two because they were odd. They also had lamb, beef, tendon, sausage, chicken bone, fish ball, chicken wing and 12 vegetable skewers. The squid skewer looked good. They also have shrimp, oyster and scallop on the seafood side. Some odder dishes were: smashed cucumber, sugar tomato, nut (peanut) and edamame, vinegar jelly fish, ice rice and  pork skin jelly. They also had some noodle and rice dishes. 6 Chef specials. It is in a small room. It may seat forty. I was expecting some hokey Mongolian barbeque. It was a hip Chinese izakaya. Who wudda thunk it? One hang up. They only open at 2pm. I'd seek it out for the novelty alone. They said it was Northern Chinese food. It sounded like Xi'An, but when I suggested that that was the "noodle" place, I got a blank stare. So who knows what city they were trying to describe. They have been open for a year.

Taglish - I just read a review in the Weekly and there was another hanging from the Sentinel above the register. That is pretty quick for a four month old food stall. I assume both were good reviews. I have to join the chorus. I loved my sisig (scrapings from a pig's head). The owner said they use more pork belly, etc than the traditional method. For anyone too perplexed by the thought of eating brain and cheeks. There was a ton of succulent pork. It's on a bed of rice. Garlic mayo, pickled jalapeno, garlic, tomato and onion and a poached (seemed more fried) complete the dish. It cost $11. It also comes in eggplant. I ordered it because it's how I judge a Filipino place. They also serve bbq chicken sticks, adobo chicken, longsilog (sausage), lechon kawali (pork belly), milkfish, monggo guisado (mung bean stew), fried chicken escabeche, kare kare (oxtail and short rib stew) 2 burgers, 2 burritos, pork belly sandwich, street corn, chicharrones, lumpia (spring rolls), potatoes, chicken skewers, sisig fries, stewed mung beans, pickled papaya salad, garlic rice, shaved ice and salted duck egg. I had one of those for $1. It was un-fetused. Too salty for me. I'd make the trip if I was you. It's in a great market and there are five other interesting stalls there as well. I'll list them below. The owner told me he has had places in Honolulu and Vegas.

*Lotte is a huge retailer in Korea. I ate their sushi every night for a week straight last April. Billboards and locations everywhere. The stalls in there were: Izziban Katsu, Seoul Soon Tofu, Pho 54, Joen and Itea. There selection of Korean and Asian goods is also worth the trip. It's on the right side of the complex in the back.

Chica's Cuban Cafe, DeLand *FL GC Travel Notes

I stopped at this Cuban place at Woodland Blvd (is that the cross or the main street?) on Sunday at lunch while coming back from Cedar Key. It is on the side of some hotel that may or not be an artisan hotel or is called the Artisan hotel. They said they have been there for two years after moving from another location. There is a main room and a awning covered patio. They both run down the side of the hotel. Rectangular. They had no host. I had to walk to the end of the long room to be told to grab any seat. Most still had not been bussed. The floors were dirty. I had a bowl of chicken soup for $5 and the Chica's chicken platter for $11. The soup was pretty bland. The noodles were disintegrating. Fairly healthy though. Real veg. A fair amount of chicken. The platter came with two sides. I chose tostones and yucca mojo. The tostones (3) were kind of dry. Not sure of their age. The yucca was excellent. Garlic and onion. Good consistency. Big portion. The chicken was like stir fried Chinese. They said it was thighs as if that was a selling point and not the cheapest part of the bird. I know. It's the most flavorful. Gimme a break. The oddest thing was that I coaxed out of them that the "special" sauce ingredient was ranch dressing. How Cuban! In any case, it was alright. A fair portion. The menu is me-too Cuban. The place has some attempts at decoration that are probably leftovers from the previous tenant. It seats about eighty. It was full. Service was a little flighty. They brought both dishes out within minutes of each other. It's not a destination spot.

*Be prepared for an assault of posts. I cut short my spring training trip because traffic was murder and hotels scarce on the Gulf Coast. So, I have a rental car and time to fill. I'll try and space them apart by two days. I already have three multiple restaurant posts in the queue. Not much new in Deland. A new taco truck on the side street that has Persimmon Hollow. Plus another brewery is in the works down the street. Hyder something.

**Travel Notes - Florida Gulf Coast: If you every get to Cedar Key (Gainesville and then down on 24 or 40W to 27N to 24) try and find a little seafood wholesaler called Cooke's Seafood. Through the main part of town. They have great stone crab, blue crab, shrimp, clams and oyster prices. A pound of stone crabs was $17 (mediums) or $26 for large. Nice family too. The better restaurant there was called 83 West. Sit upstairs. Twice as nice and half the price of the competition. It made no sense.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: City Works and Pepe

I tried these two spots at lunch last Thursday. They are closer to the Cirque du Soleil tent. Orange lot.

City Works - This is the new (one month) pub type place across from HOB. I had fried chicken sandwich for $18. Needless to say, it wasn't worth it. Dry, mealy meat. Thin, long piece. The crust was ok. I didn't care for the honey mustard or pickles. Shredded lettuce was the only other element. The bun was the best thing. It came out in two minutes. They must have them pre-cooked and ready to go like a fast food place. It came with fries. They had a good color, but, they didn't have a crisp mouth feel. Plus, some had little pockets of oil (remember Aqua Fresh gum?) living inside them. The oil they used was old or poor tasting. It came on a rectangular white dish. The menu is mostly burgers and sandwiches. They have some 'cue, tacos and breakfast items. Some salads, soups and apps. The "Mains" are $22 to $36. On the app side, they have things like kung pao cauliflower, firecracker rolls, fried pickles, cheese curds, flatbreads, etc. From $10 to $18. On the breakfast menu, they had burritos and even that Middle Eastern egg dish (shakshuka). That was surprising. The place is very large. It must seats over one hundred easily. Huge TV's at the bar. Lots of craft beer. That seems like their signature. It has very high ceilings. Wood on wood, exposed air ducts, black ceiling. Lots of high tops. Service was good. It's mostly what I expected it to be. If they could actually deliver on the concept of the menu, it may be worth the Disney pricing. Since you are ostensibly at Disney and will have to get hosed somehow by some one. They need to get that part of the equation sorted out first.

Pepe by Jose Andres - They said this was open when Jaleo opened, but, I don't recall seeing it. My loss. This little take out spot is possibly the best value at the Springs. I grabbed a gazpacho for a mere $3 and a Serrano ham and Manchego cheese "Flauta" (skinny baguette) for $9. The gazpacho was sold in a little plastic bottle. It must have had some (or all) beet in it. Never had that before. I prefer tomato or almond. It was fine. But, I loved the packaging and the price. The sandwich was extremely tasty. They sell similar quality ones in Spain for $5 euros, so, this is a bit more. But, it was twice as good as my chicken sandwich that costs twice as much across the street. The bread was great. They oiled it up. Ham and cheese were obviously delightful. They also sell patatas bravas, two other sandwiches and just a few other things. It's a peculiar assortment of hand held items.

*Also new will be an ice cream place and another restaurant where Bongo's was. The restaurant will be called Beatrix. I'm not sure what it will serve. Nothing has started there yet. The sign said - restaurant, market and coffee bar. The ice cream place said - Ample Hills Creamery. Their sign said they opened in 2011 in Brooklyn. I guess it was a craze I never was informed of. It seemed closer to completion. And the NBA store is open. No restaurant there.

Pub/Grub Crawl - Sanford: The Basin and Salvatore's (Closed)

These two are in the new Henry's Depot on 1st St. I went to the first place on Friday night and the second on Saturday at lunch. All the food stalls are now open (on days they are open). A poke, pizza, taco, ice cream and one other. I'll try them soon. None looked too world beating.

The Basin - They are a bar in the rear and have been open for seven months. They had some live music and a nice Eighties "pre-Emo" playlist after that. Think The Cure/Depeche Mode/New Order. It's basically a L shaped bar and some seats on the floor. I had a shot and a craft beer. Both were only $5. Around a dozen people were there at nine-ish. More of a cocktail bar than a dive bar. They had some kind of music festival there on Saturday.

Salvatore's - It's a sandwich stall by a guy from Rochester who named it after his father. He is very nice. I wish his sandwiches were a little more substantial or cheaper, so that I could give you a reason to bother. I had a classic Italian for $11. It's worth maybe $8. It was prosciutto, salami and ham on a roll. He added pepperoni for me. He uses Boar's Head meats. He seemed pretty impressed by that. Me not so much. You can get that at Publix. I at least expected some imports. Some regional super brand. The vegetables were also all wrong for an Italian style sandwich. He put on some field green blend that is fine on a French or American sandwich, but not on an Italian. Stick with arugula. There was also some tomato and some cheese. Mozz or provolone. Maybe oil and vinegar? Mayo. The bread is purchased from a local source and given an oil bath and sprinkled with dried rosemary. It can get into dental cavities and cause some discomfort. Plus it doesn't help the flavor of the sandwich. Clashes. The size too, is kind of puny. The size of a Jersey Mike's regular. I think that is eight inches if they don't short you. Which they do. The most expensive of their overpriced menu is $8.50. And that is roast beef that they say they roast themselves. They also have roast beef here. Boar's Head. That and a few more sandwiches. All around the same price. That is basically it. The meat coverage was basically one layer high (3 to 4 slices). Some more of the ham. I went to a place down the street for some pizza (because the pizza guy wasn't ready for customers at eleven) and they were selling sandwiches for $8. I think the sandwiches here have to get thicker, longer or more special (maybe pork and broccoli rabe or porchetta) if the price points are to remain at these levels. That said, the guy is nice. Although, I'll probably get the stink eye the next time I pass through.

All these stalls have been open for two weeks. Three weeks now.

Crafty Crab, Altamonte Springs

I tried this two week old seafood boil restaurant just south of 436 on 434 on Thursday for a late lunch. It's right off the road in a spot that was once a Himalayan barbeque place. After Backyard Burgers. It wasn't my first choice, but, I couldn't find that. I had actually been laughing at the proliferation of these places while driving around town. This must be the new "it" girl. Poke, we hardly knew ya. I ponied up for a combo of snow crab and crawfish for $19. A half pound of each. I'm not into these places. Usually the seafood is overcooked from frozen stock. This however wasn't half bad. Seemingly fresh. Now, I did have them add the "boom". That is a mix of all three of their flavorings (Cajun, buttery garlic and lemon pepper). Maybe that hid any funk. But, I swear the snow crab was juicy and plump. Not scarred with frost. A half of a crab. The crawfish were also ok. Around ten bugs. It also came with a quarter ear of corn (very fresh and not soggy) and two racquetball sized potatoes. They all arrived on a round, steel tray with a plastic "balloon" sealing in the goodness. I wonder if they steam or boil. Probably boil since they call it that. Not bad for the inferior cooking method. They also sell blue crab (ran out and that's what I would have ordered), king crab, lobster tail, dungeness crab, shrimp, clams and mussels. Head on or off shrimp. Clams are the cheapest at $10 a pound. Then crawfish at $11. Then mussels and blue crab at $13. Then whole shrimp at $16. Headless shrimp at $19. $25 for snow crab. $29 for Dungeness, $32 for lobster. And $33 for king. They have five combos (half and half). They also sell raw oysters, steamed oysters and scallops, six fried things (seven if you include cheese sticks), wings, gumbo, ten sides and three salads (only one is vegetables) and two desserts. The place has lots of wood and nautical looking things and plastic fish and license plates. It seats about eighty. Separate bar area. Washing station. There were about twenty people there at 3:30pm. Service was good. Not much to do, Since these places are now a dime a dozen, I'm not sure you need to seek these guys out. But, maybe there really is some separation when it comes to quality. I was told they are a chain. Birthplace unclear. She's crafty. Now let's see if she gets around.

Streetwise Urban Food, OIA Area - Closed

I tried this place just under two weeks ago on my way to the airport. It's on Hoffner (a half a mile west of 436) in a strip mall across from the larger supermarketed strip mall across the street. I believe they have been open for a month or two. I had a burger with pepperoni and mozzarella that is basically a pizza burger and their idea of urban street food. The patty was heavily seasoned with spices. I hate that. The beef also had that weird taste you get from places where the cows look like wildebeasts and have their ribs sticking out of their skin. It came on a brioche. Some would say that that lends it a layer of flavor. I would say it clashes with all the others. The temp was good. It was an ok size. They also serve it as a double and I think that would be too much. I kind of remember some kind of sauce on it. It also came with fries. I think they were good. The forgettable-ness of the meal says a lot. It cost $8. A similar burger with sweet plantains was about as exotic as it gets. I believe they claim to serve world cuisine. I believe the owner is Haitian. Name is Saint Pierre. The menu didn't seem very international. The only other items are other burgers, cheese steaks and a chicken and waffles dish that just looked like chicken fingers and which they could only make one order at a time. That is how I settled on a burger. I didn't want to wait. Sodas were too expensive at $3. It's a fast food type place after all. There was some talk of breakfast and if they did do it and stopped and/or if they are going to start/restart it in the future. The owner was there the first time I stopped for a recon. But, he wasn't there at lunch time this time. Just two Filipinas. The place seats about thirty. It is a long, rectangular space. Seats on the left side. A tv. Kind of modern. white. Not a must add to your collection. I think they said they are open late (after 8pm for Orlandoze).  Maybe that is a reason to try them if you are flying in at night.

*I had only one semi-new experience in Mexico. a Burger King taco looking thing called a taco de canasta. I had mine stuffed with chichurron. You could get the usual fillings.