I tried this Chinese spot on Sunday at dinner. It's in a strip mall on the southeast side of Alafaya near Red Bug Lake. I think the guy worked for or around Disney. I had the Sweet and Sour Chicken for $15. It was ok. Donut like batter. Greasy. Semi raw batter in a few pieces. The chicken seemed a bit tough (freezer burn) in a few of the pieces. Mostly breast meat. Around ten cubes. Neon red sauce. The rice was a bit dry. Nine other large plates. Things like Katsu sandwich, XO Shrimp, Lo Mein, Orange Chicken, Fried Rice. $15-$25. Two MP dishes. Four "greens" ($6-$7). Sixteen apps. Things like egg rolls, dumplings, tuna tartare, ribs, wings, tofu tots. $8-$16. It's an unusual menu. Almost like tongue in cheek. American take out from the last century. I was expecting more. I can't get sentimental about Chinese dishes I never ordered when they weren't being done ironically. And the one I did try didn't seem elevated. I'll just go to a cheaper take out place if I lose my mind and want these dull dishes. The layout is rectangular. Bar on the right. Open kitchen in the back. Around sixteen tables. Monochrome color scheme. Slightly luxe. Around four tables seated. Opens at 4pm. 3pm on Sunday. Open for a couple of months.
*Travel Notes - Florida Keys: This was supposed to be a Netherlands+ trip. Thanks Milton! Aer Lingus still not returning my emails. I drove my own car. I stopped in Hollywood/Ft Lauderdale (Stirling Rd to Seminole Way) to see the Hard Rock Guitar Hotel/Casino. It was really nice. On US1, they now (mis) time all the lights so it takes forever. I had a horrible Club Salad at Skipper's Dockside in Key Largo. I stayed at the Conch Key Fishing Lodge (Booking 7.2) on Conch Key for two nights at $100 per. I had bad (probably fresh water fish) grouper and ff in Layton at Florida Boy Bar & Grill.
I had a great shrimp (red) and grits with poached eggs and yucca hash at The Lighthouse at the Hilton Faro Blanco in Marathon. I wasted $4.50 at Long Key SP. Sand like mud. Closed trails. Rotting seaweed. Left pretty quickly. Avoid. I grabbed a good chicken empanada at a food truck (Lick It BBQ & Woodfire Pizza) at some hotel at the bridge before Conch Key. I had a cb and ff at Angler & Ale on Duck Key. Part of Hawk's Cay Resort open to the public. Expensive!
I had a large sausage, egg and cheese Cuban sandwich at LJ's Cafe in Marathon. I grabbed ahi tacos with rice and beans at Herbie's. I drove to Key West. I stopped at the Botanical Gardens on Stock Island. Waste of $10. I stayed two nights at the Alexander Palms Court (Expedia 9.2) again for $135 a night. I walked into town. Had rum flight at Hemingway Social Club at their Hemingway Rum Co Distillery and Key West Distillery (free samples). Learned Hemingway Pilar Rum is just something they blend. They don't make their own.
I had two croquettas and a terrible bagel with cc (cc in a mini cup) at The Conch & the Cuban. I swam at the southern public beach. I had an ok fried chicken sandwich (like a panko Milanese) and ff at Bagatelle on Duval. I walked into town. This time around Mallory Square and over to the docks again and up to the cemetery. It started to rain. Started reading a copy of Hillbilly Elegy (dull and unenlightening) left in the hotel room. Watched what there was of a sunset from the south side.
I had an interesting smoked salmon and egg salad on multi grain with pickled shallots and goat cheese at Matt's at The Perry Hotel on Stock Island. I had 1lb of floaters (first day of stone crab season) at Low Key Fisheries on Cudjoe Key again for $13. Had a terrible (mushy and burnt) lasagna at Frank's Grill in Marathon. Stayed at the disappointing Gulf View Waterfront Resort (Expedia 7.8) near the Dolphin Research Center for $113. I grabbed a bad pollo asado with rice and beans at El Gueguense. It was Nicaraguan food. Some interesting dishes I should have tried were: nacatamal, reprocheta and moronga con tortilla. But overpriced. "Fished" a bit through the seaweed at the hotel.
I had an ok sesame bagel with cc at Marathon Bagel. Walked the Seven Mile Bridge to Pigeon Island and back (4mi). Had a good jerk chicken salad on coconut bread with a side of some fruit and greens at Irie Island Eats. It is two food trucks inside a tropical garden with a grass thatched roof. I had 1lb of stone crabs at Fish Tales for $26. They wanted $2 to crack. I got them to drop it. They and another market in Marathon were the only places that charged for cracking. A poor pompano (I believe one of the pieces was a non-flat fish) sandwich with cole slaw and potato salad.
I had a good Spanakopita Omlette with feta and potatoes at Reel Catch at the Amara Cay Resort on Islamorada. Small cheese slices special at newly opened Pasquini Pizza. Pretty good ahi nachos at the Sand Bar at Whale Harbor. Did some reading there. 1lb of stone crabs at Eat Florida Seafood next to Key Largo Fisheries for $25. KLF was at same price. A place around the corner (Ernies) had them for $28. I stayed at the unworthy BW (Expedia 8.2) in Florida City for $101.
I drove US1 to Key Biscayne. I think the toll is $2.50. I'll wait for the bill. Had good corvino tacos with papaya at the Rusty Pelican at Rickenbacker Marina. First left after the first bridge. Valet only. Parked illegally and got it to go. Fancier than I expected. Great view of Miami. Opens at 10am. I drove to the end (Bill Baggs SP) of the key. I thought it was $8. They only charged me $4. Just looked at the Lighthouse. Should have used the beach. Checked out the marina. Back on the Causeway. Should have walked the trails from the Nature Center at the Crandon Park to the Bear Cut Preserve. Drove up the the bridge to the Bear Cut. In between is the Bear Cut Trail. People said it was flooded plus it was a bit far away and didn't seem that special, so, I didn't hike it from here either.
That's it. The weather started getting rainy and windy from Key West on. Screwed up any chance at scuba, etc. On most nights, I drank a bottle of wine. Used the pool at most hotels. It was cheaper and less crowded. As usual. Saturday was the only expensive night for hotels. Not sure if the Hurricane helped or hurt rates. Could have chosen cheaper hotels, but, I like to try new ones. The Halloween crowd prices starts after this week. Most restaurants were way more expensive at dinner. Try and hit them at breakfast. I knocked off some sites and restos that had been on the list for a while. Gas was under $3 down there. Traveled in and out on Sunday. Traffic picks up after lunch.
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