Grub Crawl - Winter Garden: Winter Garden Restaurant, Jam Hot Chicken, Cilantro and The Country House

I tried these spots Tuesday at lunch. The first is at the intersection of Dillard and Plant on the right. The second is in the food hall on Plant. The third is aside that food hall. The last is on West Colonial just east of Dillard. South side.

Winter Garden Restaurant - A greasy spoon. I tried the two eggs with link sausage, hash browns and toast for $12. Not the biggest bargain. Eggs were more jammy than over easy. Links (3) were good. Jones'? Toast was toasted correctly. Hash browns were the worst item. I think they may have deep fried them. Spongy. Not fresh. Greasy. Not a ton. Typical menu. Twenty tables. Seven counter seats. Framed pics of old WG. Some sort of beige color scheme. Full. Food came out fast. 

Jam Hot Chicken - I didn't put two and two together. Why that number? I will have to look up the origin of that. This is an offshoot. I thought the one in Hannibal Square was ok. I had tried them before. This one was better. Deceivingly large. Mostly batter and air. That's ok. I like the batter husks. I tried the Just the Breast at $13 because it was the cheapest. Good. Ate the whole thing while waiting for my order at the next thing. I had it at 3 out of 5 on the hot-o-meter. Doable. Even without a drink. Crispy. Meat was thin. Around the thigh meat or a skinny bird. Came with two slices of white toast, homemade pickles with some bite and a vinegar slaw. They have a few versions of the chicken and fries. This location just opened. Took a bit of time. Seemed popular.

Cilantro - Open for three years. They took over from Orange Crate Cafe. I wrote earlier this Fall about their street food and market sister locations. I had the curry chicken to go for $12. Abround seven pieces in a good brown curry sauce. Basmati was good. Ok potato and pea samosa. Great black pepper crackers. Ok daal. Ok naan. Watery mini cup of rice pudding. Came with a nice tamarind sauce. Should have done the AYCE buffet for $15. Would have had it all to myself. Butter and tandoori chicken. Chicken biryani. Lamb. And the veg and sides. Light brick. Indian decor. Clean. TV with cricket on. Around six tables. The main issue was the wait. I think just one cook and a frontman. Had to wait for many call in orders to be picked up. Indian food has so much flavor that it is hard to really tell the good from the bad. Plus the heat component. For me, it usually boils down to the quality/freshness of the meat and rice. Had I gorged on the AYCE, probably a Fav.

The Country House - Another greasy spoon. Maybe a bit more disheveled than WGR. I had the the chicken fingers to go for $7.50 (think the menu said $7) because I already had too much food and was just doing them and WGR a solid by including them. BTW I think I have delivered all of WG to you at this point. Two small balls, one big un, one normal one. A bit dry. Side of ranch. Ate them with the left over curry and daal. This amount of chicken at the market hot bar is probably $4. $6 at most fried chicken places. $10 in McNuggets. Usual menu. Specials. Fish fry Friday. The veg I saw seemed stewed. Twelve booths. Twelve tables. Five counter. Half full. A bit less clean than WGR. A bit older. Light gray color. 

Cairo Express, Winter Park

I tried this Egyptian food truck on Lee Rd and Wymore Tuesday at lunch. I tried the koshary for $11 because they say it is the national dish. It's a bowl of noodles, elbow macaroni, chick peas, lentils, rice and a few other things like fried onion in a light tomato sauce. It came with a hot sauce and a black pepper and vinegar sauce. A family sized portion. I found it more of a side dish. Good. A bit plain. A carb bomb. And I love carbs. Maybe not this many together. A vegan may like the legumes in lieu of meat. I just saw Hawaiin macaroni salad made on tv. They purposefully overcooked the pasta. I'm not sure if that is how this pasta is meant to be. They offer a few shawarmas and a beef liver sandwich and something like beef that I think was in dough or cheese and one other item that I think had cheese. The non-shawarmas were also $12. Two women. The younger one was doing the cooking. Parking was was a bit limited. They are aside the Chevron station just off I4. Southeast side. I'll probably keep going back until I have tried all the dishes. This is not a cuisine I am familiar with at all. The older woman said she had been the cook at the Makani on I Drive. It has closed. I went there a while ago. I kind of liked a chicken dish. If you are a Curious George then I would make the trip. I'm not sure that there is an alternative. Maybe the pizza place at UCF. They have been there for four months. They told the guy who ordered before me that they have a five star rating. I'm not sure with whom. If I go back and like another dish, I'll probably Fav them.

*I had to slide this one in. I'll do the Grub Crawl and Notes in the coming days.

Perla's Pizza, Winter Park

I tried this pizza and cocktail spot yesterday at dinner. I grabbed a Stay Classy (mozz, parmesan, basil) for $10 to go. It is usually $16. It and the Benny Blanco are Monday specials. It was very good. Med-thin and crispy crust throughout. 100% coverage with the cheese. That could be of a better quality. Helped along with EVOO I believe. Basil was fresh. Parm amped it up a bit. Red sauce was complimentary. 15"? Came out quick. Ate it all before I got home. They have eleven types. Some with bananas or pineapple jam or pistachio pesto. White, red and pink sauces. The most expensive was $19. Two salads at $12. The apps are garlic knots, meatballs, sausage and wings ($12-$15). Cinnamon rolls or brownie for dessert ($10 and $7). I was really tired from returning from Italy, so, I think the color scheme was in the golden range? L shaped room. Rustic. A few people still there at 9pm+. They just added lunch and are open until 1am. Seven days. Lots of parking. On Fairbanks. I think it was last a vegan co-op. A wine store that had a pizza place inside at some point. Pizza Barn? East of 17-92 (which they call Orlando Ave, I believe). A possible Fav. That $10 price point wins sympathy. Opened around a month ago. With these new, expansive hours, I think you can/should make time for them. 

*I tried to try Hanso Sushi at Gaitlin Ave and S Orlando. I thought it had opened. It wasn't. Had a new coming soon banner. Expect a grub crawl and travel note over the next few days.

El Crazy Pollo, Orlando

Although the term Latin has lost all meaning, I suspect from the Roberto Clemente picture and PR flag that they are a PR restaurant. I grabbed their cheapest item for $5 to go eight days ago. It was a pressed ham and cheese. Not bad. They have the usual stuff. Most of the sandwiches and quarter chicken were around $10. Mofongo. Breakfast. Specials were in teens or more. 14 tables. Light blue, gray and black color scheme. Only one cook and one cashier. They close around 5pm or 6. Parking. One block in from 436 near 408 (north side). This was not plan a.

Travel Notes - Greece and Egypt

Travel Notes - Greece and Egypt: I flew Delta to Athens in the afternoon through JFK for $587. Two hour delay after boarding at JFK because commercial freight hadn't loaded. And I guess their dim witted pilots don't check on things like that during their pre-flight check. Plane also stunk of urine. I flew on to Santorini on Ryan Air for $89. Cool about printing boarding pass for free and bag size in Athens. Cunts coming back. I took the 2E bus into Fira. Had to wait 45 minutes. Stayed at the Tataki Family Hotel (Expedia 8.4) for two nights at $144. I just got groceries and crashed the first night. Been to Santorini once before. Just went because cheapest air fare with most flights in or out.

The next day I slept late and made travel plans until 2pm. I walked up the trail to Oia a short way. To the Church of Pangia Katholiki and some fort. Went behind them. Back to town. I tried to walk the donkey path down. But, it was closed. It looked like rain, so, I ran to the store for groceries. World's worst mozz - DiBello. Got stuck being outside in what ended up being the only hour of rain. I should state here that my mood throughout was melancholy to depressed because of the rear end collision I experienced before I left. I had to arrange a $30 taxi ride (hotel manager's suggestion) to the airport because the buses didn't start early enough to be safe. I swear they monkey with the schedule to ensure this. I watched the sunset. 

The next day I arose (actually couldn't sleep) early and flew to Athens and onto Kos on Sky Express for $180. They call this the Las Vegas island. Nothing can be farther from the truth. I really am perplexed how this became a descriptor. I stayed in the main port town called Kos and saw most of the rest of the island and no casinos and one club and a few pubs. I shared a $40 cab with a couple from Michigan because the bus wait would have been over an hour (if it came) and it was dusk. I stayed three nights at the Kosta Palace (Expedia 8.4) on the harbor for $111 with $30 due in cash. Tax or RF. I grabbed wine at Hartofilis Wine. Found a Spar and bought sesame breadsticks, canned octopus, chorizo and tza. 

The next day I walked to the Neratzia castle, Hippocrates (his island) tree and stream, ancient agora, altar of Dionysus, Casa Romana, western archeological site and the beach north of the hotel. I also checked out the ferry to Bodrum Turkey has one of the 7 Wonders - Mausoleum at Halicarnassus. They only ran one ferry this time of year that required a six hour stay and the internet (wrongly) said you had to fill out an entry form three days in advance. So, I chose not to go. A ticket was $33. I walked south to the marina. There was a Spar there too, so, I bought two days worth of wine and food. Smoked herring, salami, tara, and sunflower coated breadsticks. I should state here that all the wine but one was Greek. Mostly bad. I went for a swim at the rooftop pool and filmed the sunset.

The next day I went back to the Odeum that I missed the day before. Confirmed where the bus station was (next to Spar). I went swimming at the beach and walked it again. Pool again. Walked past the marina. Went in. Took some videos near sunset (hills block the view) from around there. Tried to make sure I didn't f up the bi-yearly time change.

The next day I took the bus to the airport for 3.50E. Flew to Athens. Broke down and finally ate at BK (11E for a triple whopper with cheese). Transferred to a night flight to Cairo on Aegean for $255. This was the real reason for the trip. It is like $1200 from MCO. Had to see the pyramids. Always some terrorist issue in the past. Had to just bite the bullet and do it. No real issues. Since I was coming in at night, I decided to stay at Le Passage Hotel (Expedia 8.4) near Terminal 1 because it had a free shuttle. Hotel at T3 was over $300. I figured a taxi there might be safer or I could walk (hell no). It was $114. They upgraded me. Probably just because I got in late and that was the only room left. We arrived at Terminal 3 btw. Now you can buy a visa at the airport. They only take US dollars. $25. They can make change of a twenty. You buy it at these little bank kiosks before immigration. Barely a wait. Supposedly open all the time or when flights due. Spoke English. I should state here that most in Greece and Egypt spoke English. They gave you a paper form to fill out on the plane that they ignored when you handed it in. The line was only about ten people long. Showed passport to another idiot. I found the shuttle though an hour later tha I told them. Aegean didn't factor in the time change. I think I missed my shuttle and hopped on other hotel guests'. They probably paid the $35 I almost chickened out and paid the hotel for a meet and greet. I booked some things and went to sleep.

The next day I took $40 worth of Egyptians Pounds out of the hotel ATM and broke down and paid the hotel taxi (by card) $35 for a $4-$8 taxi ride into Cairo. The driver showed me the citadel, mosques, university, bazaar by going through the old town. Cairo is very brown. The ride is around 12km, I think. Traffic is crazy here. They honk all the time and there are few working traffic lights. But, the ride here and back and to Giza didn't really take too long. I stayed at the Steigenberger el Tahrir (Expedia 8.8) for two nights at $418. It seemed like you had to pony up or the alternatives would be sketchy. It was also one block from the Nile (reason two for the trip) and the Egyptian Museum. The hotel was good except for toxic odors that their ac sucked in at certain times. I walked to the museum, Tahrir Square (looked more substantial during the uprising), Nile, bridge, tower, park and back to an obelisk and Hardees. Had chicken fingers. Cheap. I went back to the museum and gave some English guy 600EP to buy me a 550EP ticket because all but pocket money was in the safe. It kind of sucked. They have moved most of the stuff to the new museum (opened the day I left) in Giza. Still cool to see the building I've seen in movies, etc. Dinner from KFC.

The next day started with a thud. The trip I booked on Viator (high rating/top billing) to Giza for only $19 didn't show. I had to have a reception guy get in touch with them and I'm still not sure what happened, but, they arranged a driver and private guide for $30US (I tossed in my last $5 as a tip). So, 10am turned into 1pm. But, it worked out. Drive there was about 12km. Female guide was ok. I still had to pay 700EP to get in. I didn't do 1000EP camel ride or inside pyramids for 280EP. They make you take a bus from pyramid to pyramid. There are three and some queen ones. I chose to walk to the sphinx. That put you to the left of it. Our taxi met us there. Lots of vids and pics. Only Victoria Falls, Himalayas, Taj Mahal, Great Wall and Easter Island to go. Safe ride back. Dinner at KFC. Prices were cheaper there than Hardees. $2 for a three piece meal with drink. I wussed out on the local food (I think there KFC was called Bazooka) because I didn't want to expose myself too much to malfeasers or toxins. Mostly the usual annoyances. One guy tried to convince me that I needed to take an under pass to cross the street. I ignored him and he was wrong. Unsure if it was an honest mistake or what. 

The next day Viator fucked me again. The taxi I booked (high rating/top billing) for $25 kept sending me messages that it would arrive 4 hours early, etc. I had the hotel try to contact them. They all use Whats App. They never responded. I got sick of it and took the extortionary taxi from the hotel back to Le Passage (Booking 8.6) for $53. I later saw messages from them that my taxi was waiting ten minutes after I left. I will dispute these charges. BTW  the hotel tour prices were bullshit as well. I stayed at Le Passage because I was leaving at 10am. This time they corn holed me for a Butler Lounge Suite (only rooms available) for $191. Still less than in town. It was worse than the first room. Stunk of cigarettes. The smell seemed to be pumping in from everywhere. Got no sleep. It did come with a lounge that had snacks and a breakfast I didn't use. I tanned and swam at the pool. I think the hotel rose so much in price because of the new museum opening. All these people were supposed to be flying in for it. Also, this night Egypt decided to do their time change. I tried an Egyptian wine and beer (Omar Khayyam and Sakara) at the lounge.

The next day I took the shuttle to the airport. They wouldn't give me a boarding pass on line. I had to go through bag screening before I could check in. The moron there kept asking for a ticket. Some other guy told him something and they finally let me through. It was pretty slow. All these idiots were taking all of their possessions with them and boxes had to be ripped open, etc. Getting a boarding pass was easy. Then you had to fill out the form again. Through immigration. Got a woman this time and it took twice as long. She looked at everything. I think they look for Israeli stamps. Then you had to show your passport to another idiot at a log jam. Finally to the gate area. Then they changed the gate. Then another bag screen. Met a couple from Colorado whose trip to Luxor was a day late because of plane issues. Flew to Athens. Immigration was three planes long. Took an hour. Transferred to a flight on Sky Express to Mytilene Lesvos for $128. Couldn't find the bus stand and it was getting dark, so, paid $15 for a taxi. I stayed at the Blue Sea Hotel (Booking 8.1) on the harbor front for three nights at $191. Next time I would pay for a harbor view. I rushed to the market across the harbor to Masoulis Market (I missed the larger My Market near it) for wine and groceries. Bought a Macedonian wine. Bad. Tza, salami, breadsticks covered with sweet dried corn (bad) and cookies. 

The next day I walked up the coast to the castle. Coves, lighthouse. Then back and up the hill to the castle entrance. Looked inside. Decided it was not worth 5E. Walked through town. To the marina and stadium and back. Did a two day load at Masoulis again. Tara and a Feta dip that were bad. Chorizo, tuna, turkey. Lesvos is where Sappho wrote her style of poetry. From it came Lesbos and the word lesbian. Didn't see many. Another island mis-labeled. Internet says they stay in a town called Skala Eressos. Island is large. It was 90km to their famous petrified forest.

The next day I walked back up the coast to a little cove and swam with the locals. A bit chilly. I almost left before the clouds disappeared. The opposite of what they did the day before. Back through the town. 

The next day my flight wasn't until 5pm (only two a day) and the hotel kicked me out at 11am. I did the walk to the castle and the town beyond it this time. Tried to dillydally, but, still got the bus stop at noon where it was waiting. Just got on. It cost 2.10E. I had had breakfast at the hotel (included) and couldn't have even wasted time eating in town. Waited at the airport. Flew to Athens. Took the 95 bus to Syntagama Square for 5.50E. Stayed at the Royalty Athens Acropolis (Expedia 9.2) for $77. Grabbed wine and mozz and salami and serrano at Bazaar. 

The next day I took some pics from the roof deck and the bus back to the airport. Check in line was one person long. Immigration was a third as large to Egypt. Broke down and bought a cb at Flo Cafe for 6E. The flight back was a nightmare. Sandwiched between two Typhoid Mary's hocking up lungs. Passed whatever it is onto me. Then we waited an hour because our gate was initially occupied and then because they wouldn't let us cross over. JFK to MCO was fine. Our customs was quick. But, I ran ahead of everyone to be first. 

Only rained as we were leaving Athens. In Greece they said they were closing down earlier this year than last. Egypt exchange rate was 48EP to 1 USD. So 100EP = $2. Taxis were the main unnecessary drains on cash. Spent $174 on food and wine. $1239 on air. $1290 on hotels. $186 on transportation. $61 on museums/tours. $166 on rental cars to and from MCO. $6 on magnets. $25 on visa. $3147 in Total. Ouch. Egypt may be best done by tour group. I was going to take the Metro to Giza, etc. Probably a bad idea. No shots needed.

* I cc'd three addresses at Delta a day ago and they already gave me a $150 credit AND another respondant gave me $200 more. Compare that with BA, Lufthansa, Discover or German Rail lately.

Green Papaya, Altamonte Springs

I tried this brand new (one week) Thai Sushi Bar today at lunch. It is just past Publix (on the opposite side) moving west of I4. I tried the lunch special (one of seven) of chicken in red curry with jasmine rice for $12. Small. Not alot of chicken. Broccoli, snow peas, button mushrooms, onions and green peppers. Four out of five heat. The rice was dry. Curry was ok. Typical menu. Prices can reach the thirties for lamb and duck. I never get the combination of these two cuisines. They don't seem symbiotic. Sushi starts at $5. Tuna and salmon looked ok. Ambitious desserts. They have three locations in Jacksonville and one in St Augustine. The best thing about it is it. The room looks posh. Black and gray with gold flourishes. Faux marble. Different table sizes. Booths mostly. In groups of four in the middle. In threes by the windows. A long line on the far wall. Sushi bar with about ten seats on the far left wall. Bar with ten seats on the left of the entry way. Hostess table at the entry. Staff in unis. About a tenth full. Closed Tuesday. Lunch an dinner. Not covering much new ground. A bit above a franchise level experience.