I tried these spots on Tuesday after lunch returning from the Gulf Coast. The first is in a strip mall aside a McDonald's near the 75 on ramp on East Colonial (50). The other is in the strip mall on 17-92 (N Orlando) and Howell Branch. It was Melt. I was only around there because of a crash on I4.
Orochi Ramen - I had the Tantanman Ramen. I dont know if it is a real thing or their concoction, but, it was great. Cost $16. Kind of Thai-esque. Creamy (like coconut milk) and spicy pork broth. The listing cited sesame paste. I did taste that flavor. I thought it was sesame oil. Tasty ground pork. Fresh, tiny bok choy. Shaved, in tact tranches of corn off the cob. Narutomaki (surimi discs). The noodles had a yellow hue. Wavy. Great toothiness. Fine half of a seven minute egg (ajitama). I saved about a quarter of it to pour over rice for dinner the next day. The Thai-esque part. They said they have been open for three years. I remember reading about their opening. I thought there was some reason to seek them out (I always just drove by in the past). I cant remember now. Fourteen small plates ($5-$12) like gyoza and spam musubi. Three rice bowls ($13). Six other ramens ($16-$20) including oxtail. Three desserts. Small place. Around eight tables. Some Japanese decor. White. I think it was open everyday for L and D. Two servers. Will be a Favorite. And you know I'm not big on ramen.
Fragaria - Ice cream. I believe it is a vegan blah blah. Touts New Zealand style. This equates to fresh fruit being incorporated into the mix. I don't think they invented THAT. No joke. The worst ice cream I have ever had (and I have made my own). A chocolate scoop was $6. And that was the LOW water mark. The consistency was feathery (in a bad way). Chocolate the way those Tiger Milk protein bars used to be. An ODD (bad) sweetener. I suspect that whatever dietary rules they follow don't allow for dairy and that this is water based. If it didn't cost an arm and a leg, I would have thrown it away. I really would select a Frostee over this. At least that is so bland that there isn't an aftertaste. Five or six tables. Order at a counter. Only open after 3pm. I'm sure it will be a big hit with vagina hat wearers.
*I would like to take this moment to address an issue that has been weighing on me for many months/years. The amount of failures/closures in the food prep space. It is my suspicion that many of you did not have enough of a foundation in economics (or practical sense) to have a real shot (or to understand that you never had a chance to get the return that you expected). Many of you seem to calculate your expenses first and multiple that by an expected profit margin that will give you the return you need or think you are worth. Some of you (I expect) do not know the diffeence between fixed costs and variable costs or how to properly calculate cost of goods sold. The two largest mistakes made I believe are over valuing what you think your time is worth (and even including it in CGS) and over pricing your product. Which I guess is a corollary. The price of the product is what the market is bearing at the this point in time. If you can not make it substantially better or for the same price, do not enter the market! If you want to get rich in this industry, do not enter the market! This is not law or medicine or civil service. This is manual labor. Don't do this because nothing else seems fun or you can't get your foot in the door anywhere else. Become a Democrat and sign up for one of their numerours grifting programs or give aways. Most of the people who do not shutter their doors are taking no salary or profits and are drowning in debt. Your answer can not be "raise prices". Higher prices equal lower unit volume which at best gets you back where you started. You are not a neccesity item. The only thing you really have some control over is costs. That begins (not ends) with you. You will/should suffer first. No matter how you allocate cost. So, calculate your unit costs or ROI conservatively before you disappoint yourself with $6 scoops of uneaten ice cream.
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