Armando's, Winter Park

I had lunch at this new "Pizzeria e Cucina Italiana" in Hannibal Square (most recently the Hot Olives location - W. New England Ave) on Wednesday. If you read my reviews you will know that I hate mediocre Italian that is priced like fine cuisine. This is the exception to that rule. I love this place. They are the same people who brought you Toscana on Park Ave (not sure if they closed that down). I had a Pollo Milanese (pan fried breaded chicken cutlet with arugula) for $10. It was well prepared. It wasn't greasy. The coating was panko-like. It was a fair sized portion. They served alot of arugula. It wasn't over dressed. It came, simply, on a nice white plate in which they had made a swirl of balsamic that covered the circumference of the plate like one of those illusions they spin to make you dizzy. Simple, yet refined. I was so taken by the presentation and the return of my ailing appetite that I wanted to see if they could bake a pizza. I ordered a Margherita Pizza for $11. It was great. Thin. Lightly charred bottom. Crunchy crust. Real, fresh mozzarella. And not just four half dollars in a sea of dry tomato sauce like at some places. The whole pie was covered. It also came with basil. There was a little wetness to the pie. That means there was water content in the tomatoes or cheese (both signs of freshness). The pizza came out quick. I'm not sure if they gave me one that had been started for someone else, but, I could swear it was at my table in four minutes. The pie was a big pie. Not some plate size insult. Six BIG slices. I ate half and took the rest home. It was almost as good cold. The rest of menu (lunch) is composed of: entree priced appetizers (Antipasti per Due), reasonably priced salads and soup (Inslata e Zuppa), $9 paninis, $10 entrees (Pranzo) of pastas and chicken and pizzas from $10-$15. The dinner menu is similar, but, adds a larger pasta section ($14-$17), switches up the chicken dishes ($17) and adds veal ($17-$18) and seafood ($18-$20). Nothing above $20! At dinner! And it's actually good. It's like they read my reviews. The place has about four dining options. Outside (40), bar (8), back room (30) and main room (30). I believe the back room was once a tented area. It is now enclosed. Most people were dining al fresco when I was there. It was about half full. The place is all white with some wood accents. The overhead lights are converted baskets. The pizza oven is tile with colorful rustic designs. The hot kitchen is all stainless steel. They are open view and in the back of the main room. Cold prep is done behind the scenes. On a possibly interesting tangent, Gordon Ramsey said on his latest episode that it's a bad sign if the chefs aren't looking in the direction of the oven. See where these chefs focus their attention. The service (3) was good (especially after I ordered again). The one downside is that parking is limited in this area of town. Aside from that, I have been itching to write this review. This is a well run business. The space is great. The decor is great. The staff if competent. It is set up smartly. They have the right items. They have the right pricing. The different lunch and dinner menus don't make anyone feel they are being cheated if they come at night. Their wine list was good and distinctive. I have a feeling they will be very popular for years. I'm so glad this location received a good trustee.

The Crepe Company, Winter Park - Closed

I had a raspberry (jam) and cream cheese crepe without the cream cheese at this food truck at the food truck ranch on 17-92 last Wednesday. It was $5, but, the owner must have dropped a buck off the charge because I didn't want the cream cheese. It was a crepe. I can't really discriminate between them. They either form or they do not. It took a little while to prepare (get done with the two people before me). I probably would have walked away if I hadn't psyched myself up for a sweet snack. The owner seemed nice. It has two crepe griddles and one preparer. They had five types of crepes on the menu. Mine, a nutella and chocolate, something else with nutella, a cheese and something and some other one with cheese. The sweets were $5. The savories were $6.

Club Crawl - Downtown : Stigma, Pine St, Back Booth, Dive Bar, Bar BQ

I went downtown two Friday's ago. It was weird. There were hardly any women or black people out. Perhaps it was too cold.

10-12pm: Stigma - The only place that has any diverting action (besides TV) before the crowd arrives. Still has tattooed girls pole dancing and cheap beer. A representative crowd. Good DJing. I still wonder if they sell drugs out of the bathroom or people stop in because it's known to have clean ones that they let anyone use. Always people coming in and going straight there and then walking out.

12-12:30am: Pine St Upstairs - Still gets the hottest girls, but, the ten to one ratio makes it impossible to get it in. They all look like they are from the same college organization.

12:30-1am: Back Booth - Still sort of 80's night (the play stuff from the 90's - Jump Around and stuff that was only on the radio or MTV and not played in clubs). It's funny watching the cast of Portlandia groove to music that was people with moussed up hair and suits used to groove to. maybe a 90's night would be more appropriate. There was one black guy and the rest of the people were white. They allow smoking and people were smoking all sorts of things in plain view.

1-1:10am: Dive Bar - Trying to figure out the allure. It was packed. DJ sucked. He would scratch a record and nothing would happen. Just pretending to do a live show from his Ipod playlist? They allow smoking.

1:10-2am: BarBQ - Went into the back courtyard which you can also enter in through Eye Spy. Still a great venue. Mostly dudes. Music was good. The video accompaniment was weak.

U & Me, Universal/Kirkman - Closed

I came into this Chinese restaurant and Sushi bar for some sake and to complete my dining adventures in this area of town (it is in the strip mall across from Bubbalou's on Kirkman) on Friday. I had already had a sandwich at a crawfish place so I wasn't too hungry. I ended up having six pieces of sushi because the people were so nice. I had conch, salmon, and scallops. The conch was the best. It was firm and sweet. The salmon was ok. The chef told me it was fresh and that he filleted it from a whole fish. However, I think he doesn't exactly know how to do it without damaging the fibers of the fish. It tasted ok, but, had the wrong mouth feel. The scallops I think were frozen and warmed in hot water quickly. He kept running to the kitchen for things. The warm parts were a bit slimy and the cold parts were hard. No taste. The rice was good. The chef says he washes the rice seven times before steaming and cooks it twice a day. The vinegar mixture was fine (a little sweet). The rice was a little loose when he packed it. It fell apart in my chopsticks. All in all, not bad for a kid from Xi'an. I've seen many chefs who try alot less hard to do their jobs correctly. The pieces were $2.25 a piece. A small sake was $5. But, they had a great Friday special. Two for one drinks. The place is itself is a two for one - ugly and dirty. There is a front waiting area and a dining room. They said they do alot of take out. Thank God for both parties. The main room seats about 80 with booths on the walls and the sushi bar at the back. There was crap (baby toys, thawing fish, deodorizer, bottles) all around. It could use maid service. This is a place of business. A place people come to escape and fantasize. They don't want to feel like they are in some lower class studio apartment. Separate your work life from your home life. Even if that means moving it to the kitchen. Just hide it! And take the menu off the front window. It makes it look like you are closed for renovations. There is little decoration. Like I said, this place is mostly about the people. They are nice. They food is probably mediocre. It is a Chinese run place serving Japanese food (half the menu). The few Chinese dishes I saw come out smelled funky and didn't seem that intriguing. They said they served mostly Americanized dishes. I would take it for what it is. Takeout. That's pretty much what the stuff I saw looked like. They couldn't really make something good and have it appeal to what they think (and may be) are the tastes of a typically American audience. If you really aren't that discriminatory and want what most likely will be an honest effort at making you happy, these guys can probably fill your needs. They did teach me one interesting thing - Chinese food is so bland looking because the Chinese are scared that the food should look natural or it is unhealthy. Although it doesn't explain the lack of color. Now that I think of it, many fruits and vegetables are purposefully eye catching so animals will eat them and poop out the seeds. So, I guess the Chinese need to "catch the rainbow". How is brown sauce healthy looking anyway?

Hot N Juicy Crawfish, Sand Lake

I had dinner at this New Orleans-esque restaurant on Sand Lake (in the strip mall on the left near the Timpano's and the defunct Samba Room space) on Friday. I was off elsewhere, but, thought this would just be a spur of the moment snack sampler. As such, I only had the Crawfish Po Boy for $8 and a beer ($3.50). The crawfish came fried and was most certainly frozen (tough, rubbery and tasteless). It was by far the worst thing about the sandwich. And is always the case in such circumstances, there was alot of them. The bun was very good (crunchy). The vegetables (lettuce and tomato) were fresh. I liked the spicy remoulde sauce. The sandwich without the crawfish was quite appealing. It is usually the other way around. It came in a plastic basket. The place is a chain, so, I bet most everything (blue crab, snow crab, king crab, dungeness crab, lobster, shrimp, clams, black mussels, calamari, catfish, soft shell crabs, chicken, etc) is frozen. Maybe they can get blue crab locally. That wouldn't be such a problem if it was priced more reasonably. Fried food starts at $11 for catfish and shrimp baskets. Most of the shellfish is "market price" and if boiled (you really should steam instead) crawfish is listed at $10 per pound, you can extrapolate. I've paid half as much for crawfish at a place on Mills. Which makes you wonder why they are at the price point they are at. Rent? It is a more upscale neighborhood. But, much of that section has been empty forever. Rent prices have to be reasonable. Ambiance? It is nicer. The place seats about 100. There are booths on the left side beside a brick wall. The right side has floor to ceiling windows. The rear has a small bar. They have about six flatscreens. It is clean (new). But, the place isn't much fancier than a Quizno's. I think they just have a uniform pricing model and their other locations are in areas where prices are inflated across the board. I think you can be smarter with your money if you are looking for this kind of food. But, maybe you don't want to dig. This is nice and safe. There were about 40 people there when I ate. All colors of the rainbow. Underdressed. It took about fifteen minutes to get my food, so, I guess that means it was fried to order. They had three, young servers who shared service. As I said, I think the prices are about 25% too high and all over the board. Rice is $2. A potato is $0.75. Extra sauce is $1.75. Wine only comes as red or white in a bottle at $30. What is it? I'm sure it's $2 wholesale shit. Most appetizers/sides are $6 and up. Sweet potato fries are $4.25. Additionally, they are a chain and they use frozen ingredients. Not a recipe for destination dining in my book. But, at least they brought something new to the neighborhood.

Uncle Jones Food Truck, Altamonte Springs

The third snack and act of "The Day of Eating Dangerously" takes us to 436 near 17-92 in the spot where the old Uncle Jones BBQ burned down. The antagonist is a pulled pork sandwich that smells like shit and comes out of what must be the rattiest roach coach on the planet. I don't think it even drives. I haven't eaten it yet. I haven' decided if it is worth the risk. There is so much to be apprehensive about: spit, bacteria, black man's ass. My mind is a whirl. This may be the first time I've 86ed a meal without trying it. I'll add a comment to the post if I find my courage. It was $6. It is a big serving. He has chicken, pork, ribs and sides. I hope I haven't unfairly disparaged his truck, but I didn't love the place when it had walls and that truck is ossified. He even nuked the sandwich before he served it. I wouldn't go here unless you are a "local". Why do I keep thinking off The Texas Chain Saw Massacre and that movie where Ryan Reynold's works at a Benningan's clone?

4/15/14 - Moved a little to the left.
11/5/15 - Moved to a Gas Station on 17-92 in Maitland

Japan Express, Winter Park

I had snack two of what I am terming "The Day of Eating Dangerously" at this Hibachi Drive Thru on Aloma (in the spot that most recently housed that fast food Mexican spot from the West Coast) today. This place is the impetus for why I named the day. I only ate here because I was in the neighborhood and I have an odd compulsion to try everything. I had a salmon and a white tuna roll for $4 a piece. The salmon was tasteless. The tuna had some flavor. The rice was ok. That is as far as I want to go with this until my digestive system gives me confirmation that everything was ok. I will add a salty comment to this blog post if it doesn't. What gives my pause is the condition of the restaurant. It is unclean. Tables aren't bussed. The cooking area is dirty. Things are not put away. No one else was in there. You might be asking "How could you order sushi then ?" It was the only area that seemed clean. The hot stuff looked disgusting and was expensive. I don't recommend it. In fact, I bet it goes out of business before the summer. It's as expensive as real sushi and hibachi at a real restaurant. There is no reason whatsoever to eat here. I know what you are thinking "Hibachi Drive Thru? What could go better together than Hibachi and Drive Thru? Make it cost as much as a dine in restaurant and add raw fish and I'm there seven days a week!" Don't be sucked in. And if you are, use the drive thru so you don't have to see how they make the sausage.

La Hacienda Taqueria, Winter Park

I had snack one of what I am terming "the day of eating dangerously" today at this Taqueria in a meat market/grocery store of the same name on 436 and Aloma (near Friendly Confines). I wasn't as worried about this place as the two others, but since my stomach has been cramping since Christmas like a vagina on day twenty eight, I have been apprehensive about anything other than dry white toast. I'm glad you thought "who was the culprit?" and I have narrowed it down to Shanghai Chinese, Jersey Mike's sandwiches or the dollar off package of Stouffer's Ravioli I bought at Publix. They can't just throw it out. They have to try and make a buck on something the CDC put on the quarantine list. To return to the review. I had two tacos I have never seen before. I had a Birria (steamed bbq pork) and a Milanesa (breaded fried steak) for $1.50 a piece. Both were very good. The pork was a little juicer because of the steaming and still had a crunch. It was a big portion with onions and cilantro. The Milanesa is something I've had on its own, but, never cut up into a taco. It worked. A little dry. They said the owner is from Jalisco and the cook is from Veracruz. I'm not sure where the menu takes inspiration from. They have: tacos, tortas, salads, tostadas, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, frituras, gorditas, sopes, seafood, breakfast, typical Mexican dishes and lunch specials. It only seats about 12 in the far left corner of the market. The walls are frescoed. The crowd was mostly Mexican, but, there were three college kids there too. It isn't the Ritz, but, it is one of those good little gems that offers authentic, no nonsense meals at reasonable prices. Find it if you are looking for your own little secret hole in the wall. Half the fun is how off the radar it is.

The Italian Village Cafe, Winter Park

I ordered two sandwiches to go at this Italian Cafe on 17-92 (across from the Winter Park City Center) on Monday. I had a Blinda Panini (sliced beef, red onion, tomato, mozzarella, jalapeno and smoked bacon) for $6.79 (even though the menu said $5.99) and a Peri-Peri Chicken Baguette for $5.50. Both were good. The Blinda came with a side salad of field greens that was better than many salads people serve at nattier places. The Peri-Peri Chicken is a slightly spicy Jamaican jerk recipe. The place seats about 6. It's in an old Coldstone Creamery store that they haven't really modified much. They have: 11 pastas, 7 salads, 9 wraps, 11 paninis, 13 subs and ice cream, shakes, sorbet, gelato, yogurt and smoothies. They even make spaghetti noodles and pizza out of ice cream. It's something the well traveled owners picked up in Germany. The menu isn't all Italian and I don't know what makes it a "village" cafe, but, it's about the same price as the chain sandwich shops and has more variety. I'm not a "sweets" guy so you are on your own there. I didn't have the courage to order the pastas. I wouldn't tell you to tackle the traffic and limited parking just to eat here, but, if you are in the neighborhood it is a decent experience and value. It was better than I expected. The place looks pretty unassuming.

Taste Of Jamaica, Lockhart

I bought some curried chicken to go on Saturday at this Caribbean restaurant on SOBT and Clarcona Ocoee Rd. It cost $5.50. It came with white rice, a steamed banana and a boiled dumpling. The curry was tasty (not too hot). The chicken wasn't the best pieces of the bird. They have obviously never heard that you don't give a dog chicken bones because they will shatter into little shards at choke him. I know they haven't heard of this because they also don't know it applies to humans. And not only choking, but, cracking a tooth. Eating an unboned fish was less dangerous than this. The rice was fine. The dumpling was a rock. The banana was fine. The service was a bit slow for scooping a helping out of a pot and dumping it in a styrofoam box. They have some interesting (for a non-islander) breakfast items. Ackee and codfish, beef liver, callaloo and a daily porridge. They serve goat, stewed chicken feet, oxtail, roti, gizzards, cow feet, and of course jerks, fish, stews, patties and other regional items. A gold mine for the fearless. It's in an old fast food restaurant. They have decorated it. It seats about 100. They have take out and sit in (no wait staff I think). It's priced reasonably. I would guess people who know would say this is the best of breed. I've been to about six similar places locally so I'm not sure I have enough info to judge. But, it does seem to be the best in terms of selection and quality that I have been to so far.

FHSAA 6A Finals, Citrus Bowl

I saw Armwood Seffner (#2 nationally) beat Miami Central (#11) on Saturday for $12 ($10 for parking). I was one of maybe 100 locals there. Armwood barely filled their lower section. Miami could have filled the lower and upper sections if half of their fans weren't smoking weed by the food stalls at any one time (good job OPD). Shame on Orlando and shame on Armwood. Where is the love? Tampa is way closer than Miami, you have a nationally ranked team and you aren't using stolen credit cards to finance the trip. Why nobody from Orlando ever goes is a mystery to me. Does Orlando have that much going on that this can be poo pooed? It's not like it is a secret at this stage. I beg the people who hold this event to move it. I would be disappointed, but, it is ridiculous that people around here don't support it. I feel bad for the kids. Maybe some shuttle buses from downtown would help. The area is scary and maybe parking would be less away from the bowl. You could also then get in two games (by going to downtown in between) instead of one and the parking hit could be amortized over two spectacles. Maybe having it on TV is killing attendance? Maybe you need a blackout?

College Park Diner, College Park - Closed

I grabbed an egg salad sandwich to go from this dive diner on Edgewater Dr on Saturday. It was $6.25. There was some confusion when I asked for mustard on it. They thought I meant instead of mayo and even though I thought I worked it out with the waitress, I got a chopped hard boiled egg sandwich without anything else. Needless to say it wasn't memorable. Neither is the place. Well not in a good way anyway. I only went in to knock it off my list. I'm actually reticent about reviewing it. I don't suggest you go. Why are there (4 to my count) so many dive diners on Edgewater Dr? It looks decrepit. It's overpriced for the basic fare they serve. Of course it was packed with gastronomic morons getting fleeced. It's run by Croatians (a propos of nothing) and staffed with immigrants from other minor Eastern European countries that you've probably never heard of. You would think they would serve something, anything regional. But, the hayseeds that eat there would probably eschew it. And like Forest Gump, that is all I have to say about that.

Kingfish, College Park - Closed

I had lunch at this self-described Italian Bistro on Edgewater Dr in College Park on Saturday. I didn't know Italians could have a "bistro", but, perhaps the Vietnamese owners don't quite understand European linguistics. It's not the only thing that is befuddled at this time. The menu is a typical, dull, medium-high priced Italian assortment with egg rolls, sashimi, buffalo wings, etc. Somethings are priced well. Most are overpriced (ie $4 for french fries, $11 for a small pizza, $9 for a calzone). I'm not even sure this neighborhood needed another Italian restaurant. And since only two other people were eating there while almost every restaurant around them was full, I think I'm right (and that is taking into account they are new and should have more lookey loos like me). I really don't want to bag on this place because the people seem nice and the service was good. But, why aren't you a seafood restaurant? I tried my best to make it one by ordering the Insalata de Pesce (grilled salmon, pine nuts, black olives, artichoke hearts on mixed greens) for $12 and getting them to replace the salmon with cobia for excitement. A side note - they said that by switching to parrot fish the price would jump $4, but, cobia was the same price as salmon. I checked at the market and salmon and talapia (another fish they carry) is $8 a pound while cobia is $16 (no parrot fish at the market). So I'm not sure if I really got talapia or they buy better than the market or they goofed. In any case, the fish was fine. Not a lot of flavor. I forget what it was supposed to taste like. There are so many fish out there now and they all are called by more names than the roads around Orlando. Pan "grilled". Not grill grilled. So it wasn't smoky. Not that I prefer that. The salad was a mess. It was small. It wasn't field greens. It was field green (romaine probably). There was; one bottled artichoke cut in quarters in each corner of the plate, four olives, five pine nuts, some onions, some peppers, and a syrupy vinaigrette. I mean come on. You can by a bag of field greens (assorted) at the market. I'm not asking for organically grown stuff from a ferret's cage in the back of a locally parked VW bus. Just respect the description you wrote in your menu. The place is ok looking (I would lose the neon beer signs). It is decorated close enough to its purported inspiration. It seats about 50. For a place that represents the value proposition that I like the least, it would be near the top because they seem to care. I would just have to be selective in what I ordered. But, if you are one of those legions of food zombies who love over priced Southern Italian flotsam, this poorly named enabler is waiting for you. I would act fast because I think it may be a limited engagement.

Kona Dogs Food Truck, Winter Park

I ordered a regular beef dog to go from this Hawaiian style hot dog food truck on Orlando Ave. It was $5. They have a shack next to Wet 'n Wild on I Drive too. They have three types of wieners (beef, pork, veggie). It came with a choice of three toppings. (Boy this is becoming suggestive. Can you imagine if Nature made that happen in real life? Three types of wieners that come with different sauces. Wait it gets better). Each sauce had options within the category. I just went with their namesake sauce (something sweet and garlicky). They put on way too much. Forgetting the caloric damage, it is just gross in large quantities. I think it can be substituted for K-Y in a pinch. But, after I wiped 90% of it off, it didn't ruin the dog. The dog was ok. It's rather obscene in its proportions. They shove it some kind of Hawaiian sweet roll that they hollow out the center of on a heated spike. I can't say I would go back for another, but, I wouldn't refuse one if I had to either. That's what she said.

Silver Bistro Food Truck, Winter Park

While driving home from lunch, I spotted The Winter Park Food Truck Stop for International Street Food on Orlando Ave (17-92) in between Maitland and Winter Park. It is now the "parking lot/open for business sometimes" location for dozens of our favorite food trucks. On this day (Wednesday), the Lobster Roll, Capt D, Winter Park Fish Co, Taste Buds (Venezuelan), Kona Hot Dogs and this truck were serving lunch. The Crepe truck and Swe-dish truck were there but closed. Lunch is 11-2 (I think). I also know they have a block party of sorts every Thursday from 6-10pm (I think) where every truck serves and they have music and seating.

The Siver Bistro is run by a nice guy who is trying his luck at the food truck business for the first time. He appears to have a steady menu (a permanent sign versus chalkboard) of four items; Miami Seoul (a Cuban with Kim Chi), a chicken something sandwich, a cheese steak, and an Elvis (pb with j or fluff and bacon). The meat sandwiches were $8 for a large and $5 for a small. The Elvis was $4. He also had a grilled cheese special for $2 and some other things. You can add a drink and chips for $1.50 (I think). I had the Miami Seoul. It was good without the Key Lime Aioli, great with it. The aioli was thin and wet. Almost a dressing. The Kim Chi was mild and dry. It didn't nauseate like it does in a taco. The ham and pork were fine. It came out fast (cooked to order). I tried to have just one bite before dinner, but, had to at least finish off half before my stomach would release my brain and I could concentrate on other things.

Rangetsu, Maitland - Closed

I went to this Japanese restaurant in the new housing development on Lake Lilly (Orlando Ave ie 17-92) on Wednesday for lunch. I was a little apprehensive about what it would amount to since there was a measurable time lag between when the old place on I Drive closed down and this one replaced it. Nothing to worry about. It's the same people (grandson) and the same if not better quality proposition. And it not so much replaced it as went in an entirely new direction. Gone are the koi ponds, zen gardens and the rest of the charicaturishly representational indicia. In their place is a hip, urban Japanese restaurant. The ceiling (air ducts) is painted black and stacked and serpentined to give the illusion of design. They are still ugly air ducts, but, at least they tried to incorporate them. They, exit signs, and staging areas ruin every dining room. Damn you OSHA or whomever. One side of the main room has glass windows. The opposite side has a "peer in" kitchen. The far wall has some interesting cut glass decoration over the booths to the left and a large corporate symbol over the sushi bar. The wall opposite it houses the bar. The places seats about; ten at the sushi bar, ten at the robata bar (at the kitchen), 16 in the bar, 40 on the patio and 100 in the main dining area. There is a nook in the back where they can draw curtains to make a private dining area. There are tables and booths (black leather or leather substitute) inside and wickerish furniture outside. The sushi and robata bar seats are white high chairs. The floor is dark. It's your typical monochromatic exhibition. OK. On to the food. I attempted to see both ends of the spectrum. The cheapest lunch option and some of their higher end sushi. I had the 2 Roll Special for $8, an order of Kampachi (to clear up the confusion caused by Dragonfly) at $4, and an order of Whelk Clam sushi at $3.50. I had spicy salmon and spicy scallop for my rolls. It is supposed to come "crunchy" style, but, they let me avoid that catastrophe. I'm usually not a fan of the mayo-infused excuse to hide the lips and dicks of the raw fish world, but, the quality of the seafood in these rolls was excellent and they didn't offer many alternatives. If these are the remnants, then the quality carvings must be incredible (by association - if a is to be then b is to c). The portions were large (8 large cuts) in length and the amount of fish in them was great. It would have been better if they didn't have the 200 or so extra calories from the mayonnaise (1 tsp = 50 calories), but, I've learned (from TV) that you can ask for spicy rolls without mayo (just the hot sauce). I still don't get why you would want to hide your product in mayo if it is going to be of that quality. Just do some regular rolls. The rolls came on a nice piece of rectangular, white porcelain with brownish ginger (I'm told ginger is dyed in different colors) and radish confetti. The special includes sunumono and soup or salad. I chose soup. It was a very nice Miso topped with two pieces of fried tofu skin. The whelk was ok. I believe it was my first foray. It tasted like a crisper squid. It came on a similar (smaller) set up as the rolls. A sushi order is one piece. Ok, now Kampachi. I looked it up. It is not baby yellowtail as another restaurant describes it. It is a fish called almaco jack aka songoro amberjack aka kahala. This version was much whiter than the pieces I had at that other restaurant. It had a little more flavor and was a touch softer than the other. I still prefer the slightly fishier taste of yellowtail. I wouldn't cough up the extra dollar per order. They have Kampachi Toro (belly) here too. The sashimi (2 pieces) came in a nice, glass dish with little cucumber pin wheels. The rice in all the sushi was properly prepared. The rest of the menu is great. They have things like; three types of shabu shabu (Japanese fondue), a robata grill (grilled skewers), individual hot cooking stones (for Kobe, etc) fish and chips, Japanese noodles fettuccine style, and plenty of other attractions. I like that they are trying to experiment within a classic construct. The place is new so of course it was spotless. Cloth napkins and metal chop sticks (don't point them at the person across from you). The service (6) was great. My waitress was perfect. The food came out in seconds. The other staff picked up the slack. The manager even came to clear my table and inquire about my satisfaction. They even packed up a soda ($2.50) to go. The one missed beat was the hostess. As usual this idiot is the weak link in the chain of another restaurant. And since this is the first impression all customers get, I encourage you restaurant managers to find a solution to this. So, I walk through the door and of course no one is at the station. I wander in to the main dining room to try and find someone to help me unload precious currency on overpriced fish taken from the sea for free. The first thing they do is try and pawn me off to the bar. I'm not sure if it is the sushi bar or the bar bar, but, the bar bar didn't even have anyone working in it at the time and was empty. I decline as I always do because get this - I would like to get the premium experience when I am paying the premium price. If you want to knock 50% off the bill I'll consider the bar. But, you guys say you need to charge that much because of the overhead. If so, then I want the over head over my head. So, I catch a little 'tude, but, I am shown a seat and told I'm lucky because one just opened up. The "one" was one of three tables they have for two people and I swear they would have made me wait in a restaurant that was 85% empty until one of those tables opened up. I hope the hostess isn't so big an ignoramus that she would have walked a sale rather than dedicate a table of four to one diner in an empty restaurant. I hope that is the order from up top (only seat three or more in a four). I hope that management adds a caveat to the rule and restores some sanity to the ossified seating process. But, I've been hoping for that for years. Notwithstanding an almost cataclysmic first impression, I fell in love with the place. It's in my top five for Japanese food. The prices were reasonable. The quality was excellent. The service was excellent. The selection was excellent. Parking wasn't a problem. It no longer evinces the Benihana/Kobe kitsch it used to, but, leave the kids at home and enjoy what a modern Japanese meal in an adult setting can be. It may not be a spectacle any more, but, spectacle can have a negative connotation too. Let the food be what you remember and not the fake Pagoda. A side note that may be of some interest to you (but probably not) - Rangetsu means Moon Orchid. It's what their logo represents.

Club Crawl - Downtown : Draft, Blank Space

I went downtown on Saturday

9-9:30pm: Draft - This place across from the Amway was in the news as one of those poor unfortunate businesses that needed our support. What they need is a personality transplant. The staff was sullen and unwelcoming. It's way too Hispanic. That doesn't scream "class" to potential customers. There is one white girl, but, she is an Eastern European. That doesn't help. The (lack of) sophistication totally clashes with what the place itself is trying to say with its interior design. Low class and bitchy is not the same as high class and bitchy. One has been shown to be socially acceptable and the other will not be tolerated by anybody who has more than a credit union debit card in their wallet. Unsurprisingly, it was almost empty even though there was a free concert for Gen Xers down the street and it is the only bar on the street and it was cold and rainy outside.

9:30-10pm: I listened to the Sugar Ray concert down the block. Who knew they had at least six legitimate hits. Not bad for free. Too cold and rainy to stay.

10:30-11pm: Blank Space - I grabbed one drink before I gave into my cold. The place is getting more professional and a few hot girls stop by every once in a while.

Nick's, Downtown

I had dinner at this Italian Kitchen (owned by the Funky Monkey folks) southeast of Lake Eola on Saturday. I had the soup of the day for $6 and the risotto of the day for $15 (very reasonable prices). The soup was made of potato puree and prosciutto nibs. It was delicious. It came in a nice bowl. They infused the creamy potato base with a large amount of coarsely chopped prosciutto pieces and a large slice for a garnish. It was the first soup I needed a knife for (to shred the prosciutto slice). The quality of the prosciutto was first class. The "Surf and Turf" Risotto was equally as good. The portion was huge. The risotto was well cooked. It wasn't bursting with flavor, but, that let the taste of the meats emerge more obviously. I enjoyed the lobster (large amount) more than the steak (large amount). The steak was a little tough and didn't have much flavor. I guess it's required to complete the effect, but, the lobster (like many artists in a group) could go solo. It came on a nice plate as well. They start you off with a bread basket and cold eggplant puree. The breads (olive, bread stick and a dense, sweet bread topped with crushed walnuts) didn't really bond with the eggplant. I believe they bake the breads themselves. The service (4) was excellent. It's a small place. It seats about 60. There were about 20 people there at 7pm. It's an intimate and refined setting (but not stuffy). There may have been music. There are no TV's like their Southwestern place next door. This is the place you go when you want a quiet, romantic evening. It does have a small bar, but, I think you would feel weird sitting there. There are photos of Italian landmarks on the wall. The support beams have tiles on them. It's not garish. They have half booths against the front window and tables in the center. My seat still had bread crumbs on it, so that is something they may want to look into. It is furnished spartanly. It has very high ceilings. It's a great place. The menu is small enough so they should be able to deliver consistent results. It still reaches a broad range of tastes. They have little "tweaks" to classic dishes that make it interesting (ie shrimp with penne ala vodka). I can vouch for the specials. I'm sure they will always be good. I highly recommend this place. I didn't want to like it. To be honest I resent when I have to go back to a space I've already marked off my list (especially when it is a pain to get to). But, this is definitely the best restaurant this space has ever housed (I think it's the third). The new owners of all the places on this block have bested the spots that they replaced. You should feel lucky if you live nearby and you need to find these spots if you do not.

Darbar, Lake Mary - Closed

I had lunch at this Indian restaurant in the original K Mart shopping plaza off Lake Mary Blvd (next to Einstein's) on Monday. It has been open for two weeks. The name denotes - "a magnificent hall where ceremonial gatherings were held and royal feasts were served to guests". That may be hyperbole, but, they did provide an acceptable buffet for $9. They served from left to right: salad, raita (yogurt), chutney, padam (wafers), chicken tikka masala, chicken in red curry, palak paneer (creamed spinach and cheese), aloo (potatos), two types on lentils, and basmati rice. There might have been one more vegetable dish. They also had a chicken dish that I believe was called Chicken Kalita. It was slightly breaded. It's not on the menu. They also brought out hot buttered naan if you asked. Dessert was included too - mango ice cream (I think) or rice pudding. I was too full to try. All the offerings were nicely prepared. The service (1 plus the manager) was good. The place is a bit stark. It is divided into two sides that are identical. It seats about 60. There were three other tables and a to go order in motion while I was there. It has booths on the periphery and tables in the middle. My booth was a little tight (and not because I'm large, 32 waist smart asses). I'm not sure if any other booths suffer from the same restrictiveness. The front window is severely tinted. I hope it doesn't scare people into thinking no one is home. The quality of the decor, seating and tableware is definitely reclaimed kitchen surplus. The menu is based on Northern Indian recipes (meat) with a nod to southern India via some vegetarian dishes. If the buffet is any indication, the rest of the menu (chicken, lamb, seafood, kabob rolls, tandoori preparations) is probably delicious. I was worried that the area couldn't support another Indian restaurant. But, since the other restaurant in town doesn't offer a buffet and since they have some unique dishes, I think they can survive. I'm always pleasantly surprised at the level of acceptance and familiarity there seems to be in the region for Indian food. Here's another option for you to chew on.

Which Wich, Sand Lake

I ordered a sandwich to go at this sandwich shop next to World of Beer in the complex that includes Morton's on Friday night. I love everything about it except that there isn't one near me. You order by first selecting a brown, hero shaped bag with the type of meat you want on it. There is a list of options that you check off on the bag. You then hand the bag to the cashier. They fill the bag. I had a 7 inch (smallest) Beef & Whiz (cheese whiz). My options were: hot or cold, bowl, size, extras (ie double meat), cheeses, mustards, mayos, spreads and sauces, dressings, onions, veggies, and oils and spices. In each group you have a number of choices. Every meat has different options associated with them. They even have weird things like Elvis' style PB and Bacon and Shrimp Po' Boys. The Psuedo-Philly Cheesesteak I made was $5. The beef didn't really cut it for a cheesesteak, but, at least they tried to be inventive with its application. I just wanted to see the whiz. The whiz and bread were good. It warmed up well the next day. The place seats about 40. It's new and fun. Everything about this place is new and fun. It puts the other sandwich shops to shame. Even if it is a little more, it is worth it. More options. I thinks they had soups. If you choose "bowl" it becomes a salad. They are open pretty late. They save copies of the newspaper for you to read.