Korean BBQ Taco Truck, 50

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 - Audubon Park and Mills : Junior's Diner, Blue Bird Bakery (Closed), Rainbow Sno Cones, Rhapsodic Bakery

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 Audubon 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

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 - Closed

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 : Agave Azul, Frank's Bistro (Closed), Sweet Potato Pie, Dabeni's

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 : Shipyard, Bosendofer, Lodge

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).

Boathouse, Winter Park - Closed

I had dinner at this American Restaurant on Fairbanks last Friday. I stuck with appetizers because they seemed more interesting and the entrees seemed a bit overpriced. I had shrimp and grits for $10. It was tasty. The grits were cheesy. The shrimp (4) were a decent size but slightly overcooked. It was covered with a spicy barbeque sauce. A very hearty, helping of comfort food with a kick. I also had wings for $9. They were either smoked and grilled or just grilled (I can't remember). What you need to take away is this - the meat was infused with smoke. The skins were crisp in some area and not oily. They had a dry rub finish (slightly spicy). A nice spin on wings. There were nine to an order. The blue cheese dipping sauce was a little runny. The steal of the night might have been the waffle fries at $2. For the same price as Chick-Fil-A, you get about twice as much. The service was great. They seated me right away. They didn't make a stink about taking up a big table. They checked in regularly (but not too much). They were friendly. All the items had interesting plating designs. It was clean. It seats about 80. It was about half full. It's made up like a fishing lodge. They have a canoe and outboard motors on the wall. The walls are wood. They have one giant screen TV and some other flat screens. The restaurant bar is beneath the giant screen. They cut the old O'Boys space in half. One side is the restaurant and the other side is a bar/music venue called Drake's that has a stage for live music. A 80's cover band was there that night. The parking is as scant as ever. Valet is kind of obligatory. I had heard bad things about the spot before I went. I have to disagree. I thought it was a trouble free meal with distinctive character. I would have no problem describing what they are all about to a friend. That means they have an identity. Something that sets them apart from every other burger and wings joint or Houston's wannabe. They are a fire-wood grill-centric restaurant, bar and live music venue that serves meat and fish with contemporary southern conviction. If you like the taste of a fire-wood grill or southern recipes, then you will like Boathouse. It has an ambitious goal of satisfying three types of clientele (diners, drinkers and rockers). But, I think the way they have laid out the space and the choices they have made on the menu can hook all three. If you don't like the music you can go to the restaurant bar. If you want a snack at the bar you can get that type of food. If you want more than pub food you can get that. Etcetera etcetera. Good thread of the needle.

Pub Crawl - I Drive and Downtown : Ceviche, Stigma, Back Alley, Columbia Burger Truck

8:30-9pm: Brick House Tavern - I Drive - I had a beer at this large bar across from the defunct Mercado space. A nice spot. But, all guys. The bartenders are dressed in little blue jean short shorts and look like they are one bastard away from working at a strip club. Not bad looking. Just a little crazy. The girls in your high school that couldn't even qualify for UCF.

9-10pm: Ceviche - Church Street - I like to go here every once in a while for the ambiance. It was full. However, I think I'm growing bored with it.

10pm-12am: Stigma - Above Ichiban - A great spot. But, of course they are in some kind of zoning dilemma so they can only let in 38 people (which they enforced). It's a tattoo bar with pole dancing shows. And an actual show. Not a prop for nudity (no nudity). The "dancer" was really acrobatic. It was unique. They even had some well produced, entertaining videos of pole shows and in house tattooing. The space is big and open. No smoking. Clean. The crowd is young. Most people had ink and piercings. But, the vibe was inclusive. No cover. Beer and wine and energy drinks. The DJ was great. The noise level wasn't overwhelming. A very promising venue.

12-1am: Back Alley (or whatever that club is called on Pine) - Across from Breakfast Club - Not a bad crowd for that time of night. Good music. No cover.

1am: Colombian Burger Truck - Across from Gringos Locos - A great cheeseburger. They also have arepas and more.

Caio Italia, I Drive

I had dinner at this Italian restaurant on I Drive and Westwood (under 528) last Friday. I had a egg drop and tortellini soup for $5 and spaghetti and meatballs for $15. The soup had a chicken stock. It was WAY over peppered. The tortellini were mushy (cheese filled). The spaghetti was al dente - a big portion. The sauce was a bit bland (at least that meant it was low cal and the tomatoes were fresh). The meatballs were soggy - too much breading. I can place part of the blame on myself. I could have ordered more adventurously. But, I wanted to see how they handled the basics. The place markets itself as a higher end option, but, I would place it with any mid-tier Italian restaurant. If anything separates it from the pack, it is the more esoteric ingredients like wild boar. However, I didn't have any of that. The pastas topped out at $20 (started at $14). The meats started at $15 and ran up to $40 (with spaghetti). The apps were from $6 to the teens. I'm not a big proponent of high end, home style Italian. I find it over priced and simplistic. Ciao Italia exemplifies this proposition. The place is small. Two rooms. Each seats about 50. My side (the no reservation or large party room) was about 3/4 full (with conventioneers). The other side was full. Most people were dressed casually. The decor was predictable (bad wall paper, a few tile frescoes, some old furniture and some mass produced, home store accents). The service was pretty good. Although, I did perceive that the service probably increases or decrease with the size of your tab. You can observe this by seeing how they treat you before you order and after (and if you buy an overpriced bottle of wine or not). Italian restaurants (probably all) aren't very populistic. You can definitely purchase their affection and obsequiousness. Overall I found it a bit disappointing. But, it isn't terrible. I told myself I would use the coupon they place in the Sentinel if they were rude or the meal was terrible. I didn't use the coupon. If you are in the area then, by all means, go and have a respectable meal. But, if you are in another part of town, save the gas. You probably have something comparable in your area.

Grub Crawl - East Winter Park : Famous Phil's Cheesesteaks (Closed), Cheddar Jack's (Closed), Jeremiah's Italian Ice

Famous Phil's Cheesesteaks - On University near Balducci's and Devaney's - I had a medium Philadelphia Wiz Steak Combo (Fries and Coke) for $7.50. It was ok. The fries weren't crisp. They limited re-fills on the soda. They seemed to be pinching pennies. The place looks like it's about to go out of business. The lights and electronics were off. One family was there besides me. The place seats about 40 in booths. They don't take AMEX.

Cheddar Jack's - On Aloma around Goldenrod - I had a Garbage Plate (home fries, mac and cheese, baked beans, garlic bread, hot dog and hamburger sauce) for $6. The fries were under cooked. The mac and cheese had no flavor. The baked beans had flavor. The garlic bread was poor. The hot dog (some renowned dog from the far north of New York) was ok. The hamburger sauce was a chili. It was good. I actually saved the sauce and beans and mixed it with rice the next night. A little better pairing. The place is small. It seats about 50. It looks like a little cafe. Only one other was there at 2pm. They do breakfast and dinner too. The menu was mostly comfort foods. A nice joint. Probably the best place on Earth after a night out. They could use an OPEN sign in the window coming from WP. It's hard to tell if the place is open or in business.

Jeremiah's Italian Ice - Aloma between Goldenrod and 436 - I had a Frog something (mint chocolate chip) ice mixed with vanilla ice cream. It's ok. Mixing ices and ice cream isn't really my thing. It ran $2.75 for a small (which is big). Being young and pretty certainly doesn't seem to be a deal breaker for the guy in charge of hiring servers. The place had a decent size crowd.

New Peking, Casselberry

On Monday I went to this buffet 0n 17-92 off of 436 for lunch. It cost $7. Aside from a few unique items, it was middling at best. The spot is an old western themed buffet (I forget the brand). They left the outside as is and inside they lightened the wood. There are about 12 buffet stations and a sushi and a mongolian wok area. The sushi was pretty bad (mostly rolls). The quesadilla had a weird cheese and was too packed in (it overwhelmed the tortilla taste). The shrimp were small in the buttered and curried shrimp dishes. The Won Ton Soup was fine. The siu mai was actually pretty good. I sampled for the first time an egg roll looking item filled with pork and a rod of fake crab. Also a first was an egg custard in a phyllo like wrapper and shrimp coated with pork (that was labeled as bacon wrapped shrimp). They were more novel more than good. Some things were mismarked. The clean up service was fine. The crowd was outrageously low class. It was a field trip from an RV park. The place seats over 100. I wouldn't make the effort to go here unless you live close by. I'm sure you have a buffet near you that is as good or better. They don't take AMEX.

Cafe Rouge, Sanford - Closed

On Friday I had lunch at this bistro in Sanford. I had Olive Oil Baked Garlic and Chili Shrimp with a baguette for dipping for $10. It was good. The shrimp were on the under cooked side, but, it beats the alternative. There were 5 of them. Big. They were butterflied. The sauce was savory. The plating showed care. The baguette was fresh. The order took a little while to come out. Not a lifetime, but, shrimp cook in seconds. I came at the end of the lunch rush, so, perhaps that provides the explanation. There were at least three cooks for a tiny place so they certainly have the man power. Getting the check was likewise - a little slow. I'll also chalk that up to the time of day. Everyone had probably moved on to their post lunch assignments. Just don't forget about the stragglers. The place is small. It's an old Quizno's. They supplement the inside (30ish seats) with about 14 seats outside. The outside was full. There were about 10 people inside. The kitchen is where the sandwich stuff used to be (exposed kitchen). It works out well. The decor is contemporary chic. The room doesn't feel cramped. The big window in the front of the restaurant helps. They have some interesting selections - Warm Potato Tortilla topped with Atlantic Smoked Salmon and Sour Cream or Buttered Prawns with a Warm Potato and Fresh Pea Salad for example. Oddly, the lunch menu seem to have more of the ambitious/creative options. But, perhaps they combine the two menus for dinner. They had fish tacos and lamb sandwiches as specials on Friday. Most lunch items were under $9 and the sandwiches all come with fries or chips. I found the place wonderful and I can't wait to go back. There wasn't any false bravado and conceit to the place. The meals are priced right and they have given thought to the menus. The variation of meats and vegetables with a nod to different cultures makes this a place that should appeal to almost everyone. They even have a decent selection of wine and they take AMEX. This place gives Stones Throw a run for its money for best restaurant in downtown Sanford.

Sun Valley Buffet, Sanford - Closed

I had lunch at this Asian Buffet on 46 (in the old Bennigans) on Monday. It turns out that that was their grand opening. The buffet cost $7 and $2 for a soda. It was passable for the dry run. I mostly had sushi. The initial selection was disappointing (mostly gross, veggie heavy rolls and some really old tuna). However, it got better. I had some silky, buttery salmon (actual pieces not rolls) and a salmon skin hand roll. The spicy tuna rolls were ok. The rice is not sushi quality. On the Chinese side, I had an egg roll and some shrimp with broccoli and chicken with broccoli. Not bad. I had some steamed Tilapia (not bad). They refilled the soda (big glass). It had alot (almost half) of American dishes. The Mongolian grill was always a little backed up. I also didn't get why you would put raw meat on a new dish and then give it to the cook and he would give you back a fresh dish. Seemed like a waste of a dish. The place seats over one hundred. It was pretty full. They didn't do anything to the room except clear out some room for the buffet stations. The service was good. Not bad for their first day. I'll try it again in a few weeks. I think that area needed something like this. Good Luck.

Annie, Wayne Densch in Sanford

I saw the last showing of Annie at the Wayne Densch last Sunday for $20. The acting is always far inferior to the SSC productions (which are half the price). This one was no exception. The actor who played Warbucks was passable. I did wonder why they made him shave his head, but, thought it would be "modern" to exempt Annie from wearing a wig. I kept thinking it was Blossom and not Annie. The biggest problem is/was the acoustics. Most of the actors can't project to the back rows or over the orchestra and therefore need help. The sound system is so sub-standard that the feedback on some of the mics was horrendous and the levels were all over the place. Can't the Densch family pony up for a decent sound system and maybe some murals now that they have just cashed out of their distributing business? I would be embarrassed to have my name attached to this facility. The scenery budget seemed to have been blown on the Warbuck's mansion. It looked good. The rest looked ridiculous. The costumes looked like they were the best things in the actors closet. Most were inadequate. The guy who played Rooster didn't even have a pair of wing tips (just some hybrid sneakers). It was cute to see the children enjoying the show (onstage and in the audience). But, they can/should put out a better product. One thing you can count on is sub-zero refrigeration. Almost everyone I sat next to was frozen to death by the air conditioning.

Grilled Sausage Stand, Lake Mary - Closed

I had lunch at this moveable grill outside of Home Depot yesterday. I had a sausage and onion (held the peppers) hero for $5. It was perfectly respectable. The sausage was spicy (available plain). It was butterflied and a little crispy. The onions were sweet and translucent (caramelized). The bun looked like it was going to be stale, but, was not. The portion consisted of two links. The proprietor was likable. The service was fast. They also have two sizes of dogs and a selection of drinks. A nice, convenient change up to the usual rotation. I recommend it.

Finesse, Lake Mary - Closed

Yesterday I had lunch at this boutique restaurant on 46a next to Friendly Confines. It will probably never be confused with "fitness" if the things I had were any indication. I had a bowl of lobster bisque for $6 and a caesar salad for $7. The bisque was more of a chowder and I think it was old. The lobster had mostly dissolved into gelatinous threads (like in Shark's Fin soup). It tasted like faux crab. The two recognizable pieces of lobster were a tasteless tip of a claw and part of the elbow meat that had a consistency consistent with frozen shellfish. The portion was large (pro) and I may have received an unfortunate ladle full. It was too sweet and rich for my taste in any event. This was a soup special. However, I wonder from when. Two of three other soups had not been completed by lunch. The caesar was overloaded with dressing and cheese. The portion was small. The croutons had not transmogrified into croutons and tasted like chunks of foccacia. The service (2) was good and knowledgable. I do fear they have bitten the company line a little hard. They were very assured of the restaurants pedigree (even cocky). And I didn't see it in the execution of the things I had. Then again I wasn't overly impressed with their flagship - Citrus either. You set yourself up for criticism when you name yourself "finesse". I saw little in sample (basics) I had. The menu is odd. It's like they shoe horned some of the dinner items into it instead of creating extra dishes that would be appropriate for lunch. There were three sandwiches, some salads, some soups and then chops and fish, etc. Most things were $10+ (Terra Mia throws in a drink for that). Appetizers cost as much as entrees.

The decor has a black and white schemata. They post definitions of culinary terms on black on a white wall. The furniture is darkish. It was clean. It seats about 90. There were six others there at lunch. It looks much the same as the last three iterations of this cursed location (The Wine Room layout still). They are trying to reach the same non-existent level of customer as the many that have preceeded them. That means linen napkins and prices that are about 20% too high for the region. Fish Bones gets the wallets they are competing for because the space is a superior aesthetic draw. It has pizazz (if not taste). It has a theme. Finesse has none of that. Terra Mia's prices will get the next rung of customer (business lunch and the ladies for do lunch or show houses). Rikka will also take from those on that rung that want non-Western fare. Moes and Applebees will pick up the bottom rung. Confines will get the drunk 19th holers and night time bar crowd. And these are the pickings that are left over from those who probably prefer or are accustomed the options across the street.

I see Finesse making the same mistakes as their predecessors. They have to drop prices and get over themselves. The most played out trend in gastronomy is the artisinal, slow food movement bullshit. Is there any restauranteur who doesn't fancy himself an artiste? When everyone is a iconoclast, there are no more iconoclasts. You can't charge extra in today's saturated poseur restaurant environment because everyone is a poseur (even in suburban Orlando). And you are not just a poseur, you are an arriviste poseur. You need to catch up to your competition. You need to develop a customer base. You can't do that by offering less (at least as a holistic experience) than your competition. There are not enough foodies in Lake Mary to sustain a food-centric locale. Ask your predecessors. They all were at this price point with this hubris. They were all out in weeks. Not months. Weeks! And most foodies are into street food now not lamb jus fonds. The wines were a bit heavy on Australia (not really the region of the moment). The artisinal beers are not a draw any longer. Hell there is a WORLD of Beer across the street.

I can't recommend it with what I have seen so far (at least not at those prices). Perhaps I will return and try a more ambitious meal. It would have to be something with real gastronomic creativity. I didn't see a signature dish on the menu. But, then again I believe the menu is supposed to change monthly (another thing that is not considered a plus to most customer's around here). Good Luck. I really do hope you find a niche. I just can't come up with a reason to tell someone to go here other than it's the next next thing. It's not bad. It's just ordinary.

Pub Crawl - Audubon Park and Winter Park : Bikes Beans and Bordeaux (Closed), Stardust, Spice (Closed), Wine Room, Circa (Closed)

9-9:30pm- Bikes, Beans and Bordeaux: I had a glass of wine at this wine bar than serves sandwiches and flatbreads. Nice owner and staff. They were closing down.

9:30-10pm - Stardust Video and Coffee: Was going to go to Big Daddy's Roadhouse but they allow smoking and I didn't take a shower and put on fresh clothes so I could smell like the inside of my Mom's old Volvo for the rest of the night. I had a coffee here and bought a used book. They serve beer and wine. It was fairly packed with hipsters. Mostly guys though so I left.

10-10:30pm - Spice Modern: Had a scotch. Unfortunately, the place was emptying out. Mostly Rollins kids. Went here because the new Shipyard was already closed. How are you going to make money closing at 10pm? You sell beer not early bird specials. Pathetic.

10:30-11:30pm - Wine Room: Fairly full. Mostly couples or group clusters.

11:30pm-1am: Circa: A bad wedding reception facsimile as always. Mostly empty and geriatric. Now they charge you for the displeasure. Only stayed to sober up and because everything else would have been closed by the time I got there.

Sushi Lola's, Audubon Park

I had dinner at this Sushi restaurant on Corrine Dr and Winter Park Rd in an area east of Leu Gardens last Friday (by accident). I had pieces of salmon, yellowtail, octopus, sweet shrimp, sea urchin, conch, surf clam, and scallop. They even threw in a fried banana dessert. Everything was very good. A few items were spectacularly fresh. The conch was crunchy and sweet. The salmon was so buttery. Most items were under $2 a piece. The urchin was $4. The place is small. It seats about 8 at the sushi bar and 32 at the tables. The decor still had reminders of its past life as a sandwich shop, but, was pretty traditional for sushi. They have a flat screen above the sushi bar. The place still had people willing to wait in line at 8pm. However, the food came out pretty quickly once they took your order. The owner said his chefs were all from Destin. They knew what they were doing. The rice was spot on. The proteins were cut properly and served in a long thin manner rather than short and fat. The owner says he does the purchasing. At least to this point he is buying well. The place just opened so I hope the quality is not sacrificed for profitability moving forward. The crowd was mostly white. The wine was reasonable at $5.50. The sake was a bit over priced. They have non-sushi items as well. I rate this as one of the top 10 overall (quality for the price) sushi plays in Central Florida. What a surprise! Good Luck finding it though.

Seven Guitars, SSC

On Sunday I caught the last performance of Seven Guitars for $10. The wonderful set and small, accomplished cast may have served to make it the best August Wilson performance to date. The blend of old hands and new blood gave the script potency. Nice casting and nice execution. Still the best value in Central Florida. SSC is Seminole State College on 17-92 in Sanford.

Grub Crawl - West 50 and South Kirkman : Gyros, Winnaz (Closed), New Orleans Cajun Seafood, Mama Nems

Gyros - 50 - I had a Traditional Gyro at this psuedo-Greek restaurant past the Fair Crowds for $5. I nuked it for dinner and found it acceptable. The place is more wings and sandwiches than Greek. It's in a decaying fast food structure. I counted no fewer than 5 types of tiles on the floor. It's a bit ratty. But, it seemed popular. It fits about 30 and was full.

Winnaz - 50 - I sampled some fritters at this Jamaican restaurant next to Gyros for $3. They weren't the fluffy fritters I am used to. They were more like little omlettes. I'm not sure if they were supposed to come out like that, but, they were edible. The people were very nice. They have some hard to find items (ie Goat Head Soup). The place looked like it could be in the islands (one bare, open room with tables in a grid and a bar at the rear). It seats about 70 and was empty at lunch.

New Orleans Cajun Seafood - 50 (in between Pine Hills and Kirkman) - I had a softshell crab Po' Boy for $9. The roll was good. The crab was not breaded properly. The crust fell off easily. The crab seemed like it was old and frozen. The place is run by Vietnamese. They sell some Viet fare as well. The crawfish and crab boils looked more promising. The place was pretty ratty inside. It only seats about 30. It was full. A mixed crowd. They didn't take AMEX.

Mama Nems - S. Kirkman - I had 2 pieces of fried chicken and mashed potatoes and cheesy grits for $6. It's a Soul Food restaurant. Very well reviewed, I hear. The chicken and mashed pototoes (real) were excellent. The Grits were watery and tasteless. The water they gave me tasted of detergent. The place seats about 70. It was packed (lines). The crowd was mostly (but not all) black. They have a to go window in the back. It may be the better option. The place looks like it was constructed to be a dentists office. The decor is minimal. The service is a bit harried. They didn't take AMEX.

A tip to people coming from the Universal area. Kirkman runs all the way up to 50.