*I went back today and ordered a Chicken Ibiza Panini for $8 and left it there and walked out even though I paid for it. It was the size of one of those snack items at Arby's, burnt and generally gross looking. An insult. I'm not surprised because the disgusting ape they call a cook was still in charge. I watched in horror the last time I was there (should have edited this then) as he constantly pulled on and off his plastic gloves (you realize they are disposable?) with his infected hands. It didn't really matter because he cross contaminated everything while he had the gloves on (including touching his runny nose with them). This was the last straw. I've been going there occasionally out of pity. Between this and their Chavo debacle, I'm out. One more infidel that has wised up.
Dammit. Now that I broke down and reviewed Osaka, I guess I have to do this. I reviewed their first spot (Downtown) and now they have taken over the spot that was Fish On The Fly. I had a Mixed Shwarma Platter for $12 last week. It was slices of vertical rotisserie steak and chicken with two sides. I chose roasted potatoes and rice in grape leaves. It was supposed to come on a bed of french fries, but, it came on a pile of basmati rice that was much more appropriate. Everything was very good. The steak may have been a little burnt, but, it still had flavor. The portions were enormous. I'm not sure if they spoiled me because it was empty and maybe the food was going to be tossed. If not, you'll be like me and have enough for tomorrow's dinner after making yourself look pregnant the day you buy the meal. They did a nice job refurbing the inside. It's very "open" and modern. The chef says he plans to make most things to order. The menu is Mediterranean. We need a less inclusive word than this by now. It's more Arab-y. Think waitresses with plucked out and magic markered in eyebrows. The owner's are opening the new Mexican spot on the other end of International parkway in a few weeks.
Finally got my spell check back. Only had to download Chrome to do it.
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Saturday, January 18, 2014
Osaka, Lake Mary
I had dinner at this Japanese Hibachi place (that now passes in their minds as a steakhouse) in the strip mall with the LA Fitness last week. It has been around since fish first walked on dry land. I hadn't reviewed it before now because I don't know how it exists and I choose to pretend it doesn't exist. We used to joke at work that it was better than a laxative. I was roped into going by someone in love with their (massively over hyped) white sauce and only back in town for the week. I'm only reviewing it now because it annoys me to no end that there are five or more of these types of "circus" establishments in this area alone and people need to get a grip. I paid $19 for a portion of shrimp and steak that would barely satisfy a medium sized dog. And it wasn't even good quality. No amount of greasy rice and noodles and vegetables can balance this value proposition. I call these places "circus" establishments because they are a venue that one brings their kids (I hope this is the reason) to be under-tained and overcharged. A circus would offer a hot dog and popcorn. These places give you soy soaked, grease slop. Avoid.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Grub Crawl - Lake Mary: Lawless Subs (Closed) and Krazy Greek Kitchen
I went to these places near City Hall today. The idiots at the Sentinel said there was a food truck gathering here on the last Sunday of the month.
Lawless Subs - I had a white hot dog and a roast beef sandwich at this spot where a sweet shop and a cupcake place used to be. They have been open for one week. They have another shop in Altamonte. The dog cost $3 and was great. A Syracuse area dog - Hofmann's (which coincidentally I just saw in Publix for $5 for a pack of 6). The bun was fresh. The dog was more of a weinerwurst (veal/pork). Great snap. The roast beef (they roast the beef themselves) was tender and rare. It came on a "in house" baked sub roll. They have a 7" and a 11". I had a 7" with swiss and their horse radish sauce. You could have filled it with greenery too. The meat volume was way more than you get at any chain sub place. I think it was supposed to cost $5, but, it totaled $5.75. Maybe cheese was extra or I mis-read. They have most kinds of deli meats and they'll put anything on a dog. They also have a spicy one (and a think a regular one). They also have salads and serve a small breakfast. The owner was there and was very cordial. That Deli finally has competition. This place is cheaper and has hot dogs. They have an Atlantic City motif.
Krazy Greek Kitchen - This place is also new and took over the Delano spot. It is an offshoot of Zorba's in Longwood. I was a little disappointed that the Pork Souvlaki pita ($7). It had only had 4 cubes of what seemed like reheated (dry) pork in it. The to go stuff, at least, seems not to be made to order. They also seemed to be a little pushy on the up sell. The place looks the same. They have a pretty large menu of Greek food. The prices seem typically over reaching. I'll never get why they think their level of gastronomy deserves these prices. For example, a 1/2 of a chicken cost $10. I think the supermarket sells a whole chicken for $6. It's just a mechanical roaster. Lake Mary now has two Greek places and two (they opened a Whitewood a few days ago) Mediterranean places. It will be interesting to see if they can all survive.
Lawless Subs - I had a white hot dog and a roast beef sandwich at this spot where a sweet shop and a cupcake place used to be. They have been open for one week. They have another shop in Altamonte. The dog cost $3 and was great. A Syracuse area dog - Hofmann's (which coincidentally I just saw in Publix for $5 for a pack of 6). The bun was fresh. The dog was more of a weinerwurst (veal/pork). Great snap. The roast beef (they roast the beef themselves) was tender and rare. It came on a "in house" baked sub roll. They have a 7" and a 11". I had a 7" with swiss and their horse radish sauce. You could have filled it with greenery too. The meat volume was way more than you get at any chain sub place. I think it was supposed to cost $5, but, it totaled $5.75. Maybe cheese was extra or I mis-read. They have most kinds of deli meats and they'll put anything on a dog. They also have a spicy one (and a think a regular one). They also have salads and serve a small breakfast. The owner was there and was very cordial. That Deli finally has competition. This place is cheaper and has hot dogs. They have an Atlantic City motif.
Krazy Greek Kitchen - This place is also new and took over the Delano spot. It is an offshoot of Zorba's in Longwood. I was a little disappointed that the Pork Souvlaki pita ($7). It had only had 4 cubes of what seemed like reheated (dry) pork in it. The to go stuff, at least, seems not to be made to order. They also seemed to be a little pushy on the up sell. The place looks the same. They have a pretty large menu of Greek food. The prices seem typically over reaching. I'll never get why they think their level of gastronomy deserves these prices. For example, a 1/2 of a chicken cost $10. I think the supermarket sells a whole chicken for $6. It's just a mechanical roaster. Lake Mary now has two Greek places and two (they opened a Whitewood a few days ago) Mediterranean places. It will be interesting to see if they can all survive.
Russell Athletic Bowl, Downtown
I went to the Russell Athletic Bowl at the Citrus Bowl last night. Louisville crushed the U. The Miami side was full. Louisville left their upper deck mostly empty. Good to finally see more than 5k people there. Our idiot politicians scheduled road work on the streets between the bowl and downtown. A great way to exhibit the city. The stadium is still a dump, but, they served 25 ounce beers.
Pub Crawl - Downtown: Magnolia, Church Street Tavern and Kasa (Closed)
I went to these places last night before and after the bowl game
5-5:30pm: Magnolia - The place was until recently called On The Rocks. It's one block towards the lake from Orange Ave on Magnolia Ave. I'm not sure if it has the same owners, but, the receipt still had that bar's name on it. It was empty because it was so early. It seems to be one of this new trend of themeless bars. They just played early 90's trip hop and was devoid of hipster beers or glitzy faux-Miami chic. They said it draws well. A young crowd.
5:30-6pm: Church Street Tavern - It's another new "regular" bar. Supposedly it has a "Pittsburgh" theme if you need to assign one. I saw no visible evidence. It was packed with Louisville fans watching the basketball game. They serve food. It's next to Hamburger Mary's in the old Dessert Lady spot (another one of the suckers our politicians conned into opening in an area that must be the only one to see a Five Guys fail). I don't think they changed a thing.
9:30pm: Kasa - I had a crudo (raw) plate of salmon. My friend had a cheese plate. They were ok. My crudo was just a bland cut of salmon with no oil or citrus bath (just some flavored sea salts). It was basically like 6 pieces of sashimi. Nice presentation. It cost $8. My friend's cheese plate was supposed to be manchego, aged parmesan and something else. He got a "brie-like" cheese, aged gouda and goat's milk. He said they were good. They came with sliced baguette toastees, almonds and some kind of sweet shmear. Not sure what it cost. The place is the old Urban Flats on Church and Orange. It looks great. They have ice cube like, raised and bottom illuminated sinks in the bathroom. The inside is mostly Ikea chic. It was fairly full of what passes for the glitterati of Orlando's young society. It emptied early (after din-din). The service was polished and attentive. It's run by the people who own Bento. If I didn't think tapas was a greater rip off than sushi then I would love the place. However, I'm still more conditioned to pay out the ying yang for Japanese elegance than Spanish rusticity. However, I see their need to diversify. The menu is way smaller than Ceviche and probably a little more fusion.
5-5:30pm: Magnolia - The place was until recently called On The Rocks. It's one block towards the lake from Orange Ave on Magnolia Ave. I'm not sure if it has the same owners, but, the receipt still had that bar's name on it. It was empty because it was so early. It seems to be one of this new trend of themeless bars. They just played early 90's trip hop and was devoid of hipster beers or glitzy faux-Miami chic. They said it draws well. A young crowd.
5:30-6pm: Church Street Tavern - It's another new "regular" bar. Supposedly it has a "Pittsburgh" theme if you need to assign one. I saw no visible evidence. It was packed with Louisville fans watching the basketball game. They serve food. It's next to Hamburger Mary's in the old Dessert Lady spot (another one of the suckers our politicians conned into opening in an area that must be the only one to see a Five Guys fail). I don't think they changed a thing.
9:30pm: Kasa - I had a crudo (raw) plate of salmon. My friend had a cheese plate. They were ok. My crudo was just a bland cut of salmon with no oil or citrus bath (just some flavored sea salts). It was basically like 6 pieces of sashimi. Nice presentation. It cost $8. My friend's cheese plate was supposed to be manchego, aged parmesan and something else. He got a "brie-like" cheese, aged gouda and goat's milk. He said they were good. They came with sliced baguette toastees, almonds and some kind of sweet shmear. Not sure what it cost. The place is the old Urban Flats on Church and Orange. It looks great. They have ice cube like, raised and bottom illuminated sinks in the bathroom. The inside is mostly Ikea chic. It was fairly full of what passes for the glitterati of Orlando's young society. It emptied early (after din-din). The service was polished and attentive. It's run by the people who own Bento. If I didn't think tapas was a greater rip off than sushi then I would love the place. However, I'm still more conditioned to pay out the ying yang for Japanese elegance than Spanish rusticity. However, I see their need to diversify. The menu is way smaller than Ceviche and probably a little more fusion.
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Grub Crawl - S. Orange Ave : Gnarly Barley, Tartini, Old Dixie Fried Chicken (Closed) and Middle East Market
I ate at these locations on Tuesday. The first three are on S. Orange at the border of Pine Castle and Belle Isle. The last is on OBT a little south (one strip mall) of Sand Lake.
Gnarly Barley - I had a whole wheat panini "veggie monster" of cucumber, cream cheese, tomato, cheese and some kind of spread or dressing that I can't recall. I know. Who goes to a place like this for rabbit food? But, if you had eaten as much southern fried and barbequed mess (see how Southern I got on my trip) as I had in the last six days then your body would also be keen on anything green. Not that this bomb was any less fattening. However, it didn't protein stress my metabolism. It cost $7. It was fine. It needed a foil to the savourinness. I employed hot sauce. Anything spicy or piquante would work. I suggest they add it to the makeup. Very one note as is. I combo-ed it for an extra $2. That meant a drink and a side. I chose mac 'n cheese because of course theirs is legend - wait for it - dary. It was good. The sandwich was big. The place is small. It seats about 30 inside and 30 on a patio. It's really a shack. They do the whole pretentious beer thing and have what I'm now going to refer to as a hipster menu (since it is becoming so cliche). Thankfully no burgers. The menu is small. Around a dozen items. Mostly sandwiches with fattening accoutrements. It's perfectly quaint and appears to be actively managed. The twist here is the hipster is a girl. Grab your free trade bicycle with the one big wheel in front and a small wheel in back and the girl from the Haverty's commercial and comb out your 1850's beard and be the locavore you were born to be. Service was good. The place was near capacity at lunch.
Tartini - I had a pollo parmigiana panini with a side salad to go for $8. It was very good. It really was more of a sub than a pressed panini. They julianned the chicken. I have never seen it served that way. It allowed the chicken to lay in the bread and absorb the sauce and cheese better than a whole piece does. The cheese "blend" is a combo of fontina, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan. BTW - did I tell you provolone is just old mozzarella? I also just learned (not for here) that fruits and vegetables grown at the northern most sections of their growing area are always the best. Back to irrelevant nonsense about where I eat. It came with a side salad of romaine, cherry tomatos, red onion. Basic, but, crisp. The place is brand spanking new and kind of an oddity in this run down industrial neighborhood. Well every waterfall starts with... The owner is Slovenian and for those of you brought up in the public school system, that is not part of old Czechoslovakia. It's the northern most part of old Yugoslavia on the eastern border of Italy. A beautiful area. He has created a very modern and clean space. Very steely. The man loves his grey. And glass. The menu has a little Northern Italian feel, but, more like American Italian. Small selection of greatest hits. I hear the specials can bring some excitement. The big draw (I think) is wood fired pizzas. It's a little closer to downtown than Gnarly
Old Dixie Fried Chicken - A relic. 50 years + old. A great old sign. I had a two piece for $3.45. Small breast and wing. Gave me a little stomach noise. Hardly breaded. Could have been fried a little longer. They have a dine in area. Go for nostalgia. A little closer to downtown than Tartini. On the other side of the street near where S. Orange forks for a little.
Middle East Deli - Threw this in because I had to get some stuff at IKEA. Had a great falafel pita for $7. And I'd like to preface this with the admission that I don't love falafel or pitas. Just couldn't do meat as I've previously explained. This may be the best falafel in the city. The one negative was a little too much raw garlic in the falafel. But, the hummus was great. They added a bunch of pickled items (an actual tiny gerkhin and some kind of root vegetable - maybe jicama) that set it off. The falafels were freshly fried. They give you five or six golf ball sized nuggets. The people were nice (Lebanese and Egyptians). The meny has a few more things than most of these places. They have three rotating spits. They sell Middle Eastern consumables and trinkets. Once again, the first place I've seen represent Egypt. The place is basic and seats around 40. More of a deli.
Gnarly Barley - I had a whole wheat panini "veggie monster" of cucumber, cream cheese, tomato, cheese and some kind of spread or dressing that I can't recall. I know. Who goes to a place like this for rabbit food? But, if you had eaten as much southern fried and barbequed mess (see how Southern I got on my trip) as I had in the last six days then your body would also be keen on anything green. Not that this bomb was any less fattening. However, it didn't protein stress my metabolism. It cost $7. It was fine. It needed a foil to the savourinness. I employed hot sauce. Anything spicy or piquante would work. I suggest they add it to the makeup. Very one note as is. I combo-ed it for an extra $2. That meant a drink and a side. I chose mac 'n cheese because of course theirs is legend - wait for it - dary. It was good. The sandwich was big. The place is small. It seats about 30 inside and 30 on a patio. It's really a shack. They do the whole pretentious beer thing and have what I'm now going to refer to as a hipster menu (since it is becoming so cliche). Thankfully no burgers. The menu is small. Around a dozen items. Mostly sandwiches with fattening accoutrements. It's perfectly quaint and appears to be actively managed. The twist here is the hipster is a girl. Grab your free trade bicycle with the one big wheel in front and a small wheel in back and the girl from the Haverty's commercial and comb out your 1850's beard and be the locavore you were born to be. Service was good. The place was near capacity at lunch.
Tartini - I had a pollo parmigiana panini with a side salad to go for $8. It was very good. It really was more of a sub than a pressed panini. They julianned the chicken. I have never seen it served that way. It allowed the chicken to lay in the bread and absorb the sauce and cheese better than a whole piece does. The cheese "blend" is a combo of fontina, mozzarella, provolone and parmesan. BTW - did I tell you provolone is just old mozzarella? I also just learned (not for here) that fruits and vegetables grown at the northern most sections of their growing area are always the best. Back to irrelevant nonsense about where I eat. It came with a side salad of romaine, cherry tomatos, red onion. Basic, but, crisp. The place is brand spanking new and kind of an oddity in this run down industrial neighborhood. Well every waterfall starts with... The owner is Slovenian and for those of you brought up in the public school system, that is not part of old Czechoslovakia. It's the northern most part of old Yugoslavia on the eastern border of Italy. A beautiful area. He has created a very modern and clean space. Very steely. The man loves his grey. And glass. The menu has a little Northern Italian feel, but, more like American Italian. Small selection of greatest hits. I hear the specials can bring some excitement. The big draw (I think) is wood fired pizzas. It's a little closer to downtown than Gnarly
Old Dixie Fried Chicken - A relic. 50 years + old. A great old sign. I had a two piece for $3.45. Small breast and wing. Gave me a little stomach noise. Hardly breaded. Could have been fried a little longer. They have a dine in area. Go for nostalgia. A little closer to downtown than Tartini. On the other side of the street near where S. Orange forks for a little.
Middle East Deli - Threw this in because I had to get some stuff at IKEA. Had a great falafel pita for $7. And I'd like to preface this with the admission that I don't love falafel or pitas. Just couldn't do meat as I've previously explained. This may be the best falafel in the city. The one negative was a little too much raw garlic in the falafel. But, the hummus was great. They added a bunch of pickled items (an actual tiny gerkhin and some kind of root vegetable - maybe jicama) that set it off. The falafels were freshly fried. They give you five or six golf ball sized nuggets. The people were nice (Lebanese and Egyptians). The meny has a few more things than most of these places. They have three rotating spits. They sell Middle Eastern consumables and trinkets. Once again, the first place I've seen represent Egypt. The place is basic and seats around 40. More of a deli.
Friday, December 13, 2013
Grub Crawl - Clermont : Robata, Crooked Spoon, Uncle Kenny's BBQ, Akina and Lakeridge Winery
I ate at these restaurants in Clermont on my way to New Orleans last week. They are all near or around 50 and the 27 interchange. None is really a destination spot, but, maybe a combo like I did or as part of an outing to the area.
Robata - A aging hibachi/sushi restaurant in a strip mall on Oakley Seaver Dr. Although at least some of the staff seemed Japanese, the place had the run down, satorially challenged feel of a Chinese restaurant. I ate small because I was eating often. I had the Maki Roll Lunch Special for $8. The tuna (really ahi tuna) was ok. The yellowtail had no flavor. The rice was gummy and dry (an accomplishment). The rolls were cigar sized. The place has six, arced booths and tables that seat around twenty more on the sushi side. The other half of the space has the hibachi tables. I didn't really take notice of how many they seat. Not worth ferreting out.
The Crooked Spoon - The pumpkin turned stage coach or food truck turned restaurant was a little less ambitious than I expected, but, I found a good meal at an acceptable price - $18. I had a quail stuffed with (oh my God I'm going to forget because it had so much stuff in it) black rice, sun dried tomatos and chorizo on a parsnip puree. It had a gastrique of figs and something else and a compote of I forget. In any event, the bird was cooked well. The puree was nice and the stuffing was not wet or dry and had nice flavor. I didn't love the gastrique or the compote. Just unnecessary. I know chefs are bullied/brain washed into developing layers upon layers of flavors, but, sometimes just pick a trio and let them shine. It's easier to conduct a band than an orchestra. This one felt as if a few instruments were out of time. I didn't need the sweet elements. The place (an old Friendly's) has a nice gastro-pub veneer. They recessed the low ceilings in places and added alot of Pottery Barn-ish iron fixtures. It must seat 100+. They have a bar area and a patio. Nowhere feels crowded. The menu's appetizers were more interesting than the entrees. They haven't abandoned the gourmet burger or hot dog nonsense yet and bacon is still chic here. The staff was great. It is very polished. They even have a multitude of flatscreen TV's showing sports. It's right at the intersection of 27 and Citrus Tower Blvd. Look for the giant Citrus Tower ($6 to enter the tower if you were interested). I could be pressured into advising you to find this one.
Uncle Kenny's BBQ - This place is in the Citrus Tower parking lot. It was on 50 in Winter Garden when I first tried it. They gave me a rib to try. I was ok. It had oregano in the rub. The brisket sandwich I had for $7 was flavorless and tough. Not sure how they are winning awards. The place is narrow and seats around thirty.
Akina - A sushi restaurant. I had two pieces of conch nigiri for $2.60 each and two pieces of salmon for $2.70 each. The conch was crunchy but not sweet. The salmon was bland. The rice had too much sake (sweet) in it and was overcooked and not properly washed (starchy). The pieces were big and the wasabi was fresh. A much newer and cleaner spot than Robata. The vibe and look here is more modern. They had cooked meats and noodle dishes. The menu is small, so I hope they have it down backwards and forwards. Not really a destination spot. A little south of 50 on 27. A strip mall after a big expanse of abandoned land.
Lakeridge Winery - A nice, free tour with a huge, free sampling at the end. The wine is iffy, but, it is interesting to see all the ways the try and adulterate the wine. It's a little north of town on 27.
Robata - A aging hibachi/sushi restaurant in a strip mall on Oakley Seaver Dr. Although at least some of the staff seemed Japanese, the place had the run down, satorially challenged feel of a Chinese restaurant. I ate small because I was eating often. I had the Maki Roll Lunch Special for $8. The tuna (really ahi tuna) was ok. The yellowtail had no flavor. The rice was gummy and dry (an accomplishment). The rolls were cigar sized. The place has six, arced booths and tables that seat around twenty more on the sushi side. The other half of the space has the hibachi tables. I didn't really take notice of how many they seat. Not worth ferreting out.
The Crooked Spoon - The pumpkin turned stage coach or food truck turned restaurant was a little less ambitious than I expected, but, I found a good meal at an acceptable price - $18. I had a quail stuffed with (oh my God I'm going to forget because it had so much stuff in it) black rice, sun dried tomatos and chorizo on a parsnip puree. It had a gastrique of figs and something else and a compote of I forget. In any event, the bird was cooked well. The puree was nice and the stuffing was not wet or dry and had nice flavor. I didn't love the gastrique or the compote. Just unnecessary. I know chefs are bullied/brain washed into developing layers upon layers of flavors, but, sometimes just pick a trio and let them shine. It's easier to conduct a band than an orchestra. This one felt as if a few instruments were out of time. I didn't need the sweet elements. The place (an old Friendly's) has a nice gastro-pub veneer. They recessed the low ceilings in places and added alot of Pottery Barn-ish iron fixtures. It must seat 100+. They have a bar area and a patio. Nowhere feels crowded. The menu's appetizers were more interesting than the entrees. They haven't abandoned the gourmet burger or hot dog nonsense yet and bacon is still chic here. The staff was great. It is very polished. They even have a multitude of flatscreen TV's showing sports. It's right at the intersection of 27 and Citrus Tower Blvd. Look for the giant Citrus Tower ($6 to enter the tower if you were interested). I could be pressured into advising you to find this one.
Uncle Kenny's BBQ - This place is in the Citrus Tower parking lot. It was on 50 in Winter Garden when I first tried it. They gave me a rib to try. I was ok. It had oregano in the rub. The brisket sandwich I had for $7 was flavorless and tough. Not sure how they are winning awards. The place is narrow and seats around thirty.
Akina - A sushi restaurant. I had two pieces of conch nigiri for $2.60 each and two pieces of salmon for $2.70 each. The conch was crunchy but not sweet. The salmon was bland. The rice had too much sake (sweet) in it and was overcooked and not properly washed (starchy). The pieces were big and the wasabi was fresh. A much newer and cleaner spot than Robata. The vibe and look here is more modern. They had cooked meats and noodle dishes. The menu is small, so I hope they have it down backwards and forwards. Not really a destination spot. A little south of 50 on 27. A strip mall after a big expanse of abandoned land.
Lakeridge Winery - A nice, free tour with a huge, free sampling at the end. The wine is iffy, but, it is interesting to see all the ways the try and adulterate the wine. It's a little north of town on 27.
Louie and Maria's, E. Colonial
I ate at this Italian restaurant on 50 in between UCF and 417 after Thanksgiving vacation. I had a personal pizza for $7 and a side of spaghetti for $4. They were fine. The pizza (never as good when shrunk) seemed to have decent mozzarella and the sauce was just tomato. They coat the bottom with corn meal. The spaghetti was was thin and came with the similar unadulterated tomato sauce. The place is fine. They get points for using quality ingredients and caring enough not to cheat. They lose points for a basic, unambitious menu and grubby location and aged environment. I'm sure they have the business side down and the menu is a result of their experience with their clientele. It just makes the allure small for people like me. I prefer what they are attempting at Peperoncino. This is NY "goomba" Italian in the best sense. The gnocci look great. It's just not what you get in Italy. Which is fine. Just be aware. It's quantity over delicacy. The place seats about 80. It's in some sort of old carousel? building that they added a dining room to. The decorations make it look like something at a theme park. But, the service was good. It felt non-professional in a good way. In a "this is a family run place" kind of way. The portions were huge. They aren't phoning it in. And the prices were reasonable. I think the most expensive thing was $20. I wouldn't seek it out (maybe from UCF), but, it's a good asset to the neighborhood. There really is a Louie and a Maria and they are still in the trenches.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Hot Krust Panini, Sand Lake
I grabbed a panini on my way out of town before Thanksgiving at this sandwich shop near Whole Foods. I had a special sandwich (a something something Ruebini) that replaces corned beef with steak or some kind of beef for $7. It was delicious. My two year old nephew even loved it. The beef made it less cloyingly savory than the pork does. Every element seemed fresh. The beef was tender. No pulling at it with your teeth. It came out quick and the owner was nice. The place seats about forty. It's clean and new. It seemed to be doing brisk business. They have about a twenty regular sandwiches and half a dozen gourmet salads. Wings and soup and fries too. I think the most expensive thing was $9. Good option if you want something easy. And this is the price point for assembly line sandwich shops? They should be shamed by comparisons to places like this.
Peperoncino, Sand Lake
I had lunch at this Italian restaurant on Via Dellagio off Sandlake before Thanksgiving. It has been a while, so you'll forgive me if I am a little forgetful about the experience. I had a weekly special that was a soup (Zuppa Maremmana from the Lazio Marenma region) and Pollo alla Crema for $12. You could have chosen from two soups or two salads and four entrees. It was a great bargain. I didn't even talk about the two courses of freshly baked bread that accompanied it (dough from NY). The soup was made up of red wine, pecorino, veggies and egg. Tasty. Seemed to have been made to order (or at least finished to order). The chicken came in a cream sauce that was a little thinner than I was expecting, but, all the better that you didn't have all that fat sticking to every bite. The pasta was expertly cooked rigatoni. This also seemed cooked to order. The kitchen was (wo)manned by the owner (in blue) and her Venezuelan assistant (in white). The owner is Italian if that comforts you. The menu changes every day. Somebody is really trying here. It's a pleasure to talk about. The place is narrow and seats only about thirty five. As I remember, the kitchen takes up one half (open) and the seating area is faux marble tables with clear plastic 70's chairs. The walls are decorated with mirrors in gilded frames. It's a little thrown together. I remember some red tones. They have a small bar area with non-distributor suggested mass appeal wines and beer. Prices were a little on the high end if you didn't do the lunch special. I don't think they had pizza. If restaurants have an artisan grouping like food stuffs do, then this would be a special member of that classification. Don't waste a seat on yourself if you like Bucco de Beppo or other phoned in Italian slop houses. Come here if you appreciate effort and artistry. It may not be the highest caliber Italian in Orlando or around the world, but, you can bet they would die trying to be. The only dump in the punch was a $3.45 soda. It's like they (Italians) can't exist without hustling you a little. The name is a little "fast foody" too. And you thought I was turning soft.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Grub Crawl - Mt Dora: Windsor Rose, Pices Rising and The Goblin Market
I ate at these restaurants around the main street (Donnelly) in the afternoon on Sunday.
The Windsor Rose - I had chicken and leeks which turned out to be a pot pie. I thought I read the description close enough, but, I guess I did not. It was a ramekin pot pie with a pastry top. I usually find this short cut to be off putting, but, the pie was good. The vegetables were fresh and the "gravy" wasn't too salty. The pastry wasn't raw or burnt. The portion size was adequate. I didn't love that they used pre-shredded commercial chicken. It was way too perfectly and uniformly shredded to be home made. It came with an acceptable field green salad. The place is an English Tea Room. It's mostly girls who have traded their dolls for real people. Some were even reliving the pantomime by donning "prop" hats they provide their patrons. No fear of lice? The decoration is composed of culturally appropriate photos, signage and curios. Lots of "royal" love. They serve "high" teas, sweets and mostly English styled meals. My meal was around $12. The service (4 or 5) was good. They all switched in and out. They are in costume. The place is on 4th in between Donnelly and N. Alexander. They have a Sunday breakfast that I was too late for. The place actually got more crowded after 1:30. It seats about 70.
Pices Rising - I was going to just save this place for another time because it has a nice view of the lake, but, I accepted that I don't come here as often as I say I will and they baited me with a boast about having the best fish in Florida. After perusing the composition and prices on/of the menu (barely any fish on it/slightly high prices) and consulting my watch (past two), I decided the best course of action was to just get something at the outside bar. I settled for a crab cake for $9 (plus the price of having to listen to a live entertainment). I figured it would give me some indication of their ability with fish and they were also boastful about how this had no fillers. Predictably, the cake stunk. All claw meat and half cooked. I knew they were full of it. However, if you want a nice-ish view and some nice-ish food then buy into the hype. Maybe they do deliver if you take the time to dine inside. I'm just not wasting my money or time to find out. The service was polite and the meal did come out quickly. It's on 4th after N. Alexander. It seats over 100.
Goblin Market - The place I wanted to eat at all along. They were full (seats around 80) and I should have just taken the bar seat offered. However, I did wind up with a very good Kurobutas (aka Black Berkshire's in Japan) porkbelly sandwich to go. The bun was good. The pork was good. The orza salad was good. The flat sided french fries were good. The sauteed rhubarb green topping was good (and a first). And this was after it survived a car ride home and some time on the counter. They even wrapped it intelligently with a tin foil cover to keep the food warm. The only downer was that they charged me $13.50 instead of the $12.50 on the menu. That and that I didn't get to eat in this cute, little place. It has two cute patios. I will be saying cute often. One in the front and a cuter one in the back. It has two, cute, first floor nooks. It has a cute second floor dining area and a cute bar. It's a converted home. Lots of charm. Very B and B. The menu is smart. The food came out quickly. They said it has been around for 17 years. My guess is that it is the best place in town. It will be fun finding out if my hunch is right. En vogue/urbane food without pretentiousness. It's in an alley between 3rd and 4th and in between Donnelly and N. Alexander.
I also suggest that you consider a lake tour. They have a $28 one that is two hours and a one hour that is $20. That was at the pier off 4th. They had others at the Inn.
The Windsor Rose - I had chicken and leeks which turned out to be a pot pie. I thought I read the description close enough, but, I guess I did not. It was a ramekin pot pie with a pastry top. I usually find this short cut to be off putting, but, the pie was good. The vegetables were fresh and the "gravy" wasn't too salty. The pastry wasn't raw or burnt. The portion size was adequate. I didn't love that they used pre-shredded commercial chicken. It was way too perfectly and uniformly shredded to be home made. It came with an acceptable field green salad. The place is an English Tea Room. It's mostly girls who have traded their dolls for real people. Some were even reliving the pantomime by donning "prop" hats they provide their patrons. No fear of lice? The decoration is composed of culturally appropriate photos, signage and curios. Lots of "royal" love. They serve "high" teas, sweets and mostly English styled meals. My meal was around $12. The service (4 or 5) was good. They all switched in and out. They are in costume. The place is on 4th in between Donnelly and N. Alexander. They have a Sunday breakfast that I was too late for. The place actually got more crowded after 1:30. It seats about 70.
Pices Rising - I was going to just save this place for another time because it has a nice view of the lake, but, I accepted that I don't come here as often as I say I will and they baited me with a boast about having the best fish in Florida. After perusing the composition and prices on/of the menu (barely any fish on it/slightly high prices) and consulting my watch (past two), I decided the best course of action was to just get something at the outside bar. I settled for a crab cake for $9 (plus the price of having to listen to a live entertainment). I figured it would give me some indication of their ability with fish and they were also boastful about how this had no fillers. Predictably, the cake stunk. All claw meat and half cooked. I knew they were full of it. However, if you want a nice-ish view and some nice-ish food then buy into the hype. Maybe they do deliver if you take the time to dine inside. I'm just not wasting my money or time to find out. The service was polite and the meal did come out quickly. It's on 4th after N. Alexander. It seats over 100.
Goblin Market - The place I wanted to eat at all along. They were full (seats around 80) and I should have just taken the bar seat offered. However, I did wind up with a very good Kurobutas (aka Black Berkshire's in Japan) porkbelly sandwich to go. The bun was good. The pork was good. The orza salad was good. The flat sided french fries were good. The sauteed rhubarb green topping was good (and a first). And this was after it survived a car ride home and some time on the counter. They even wrapped it intelligently with a tin foil cover to keep the food warm. The only downer was that they charged me $13.50 instead of the $12.50 on the menu. That and that I didn't get to eat in this cute, little place. It has two cute patios. I will be saying cute often. One in the front and a cuter one in the back. It has two, cute, first floor nooks. It has a cute second floor dining area and a cute bar. It's a converted home. Lots of charm. Very B and B. The menu is smart. The food came out quickly. They said it has been around for 17 years. My guess is that it is the best place in town. It will be fun finding out if my hunch is right. En vogue/urbane food without pretentiousness. It's in an alley between 3rd and 4th and in between Donnelly and N. Alexander.
I also suggest that you consider a lake tour. They have a $28 one that is two hours and a one hour that is $20. That was at the pier off 4th. They had others at the Inn.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Club Crawl - Downtown: Saddle Up, Don Jefe's, Schumann's Jaeger Haus, Vixen and El Budare Food Truck
I went to these locations on Saturday night. It was an ok night despite the threat of rain. Alot of people were dressed up as gangsters from the 20's for some reason.
10-10:30pm: Saddle Up - A new country themed bar on Orange and Washington that takes up two or three commercial spaces. The girls here were the hottest. It makes it a prisoner's dilemna whether to stay and have your brain tormented by purile lyrics and infantile melodies or leave the most "normal" looking prospects in the area. The fact that most of the hip hop places offer the same but different conundrum makes the choice a little easier. You have to choose between Hannah Montana Cyrus and Twerky Cyrus. To me there is nothing more pathetic than Spring Breakers-like white trash, so I guess it's Hannah. The place doesn't charge a cover and I hope most of the "average" people who now go to Wall St come here. Save the ten bucks. They have three bars and people (mostly girls) were line dancing in the back. They have a patio. They weren't showing my football game so I had to leave. Came back later though.
10:30-10:40pm: Don Jefe's - I walked through the old Antigua's on Church St. They did an ok job. Seems like the same crowd, yo. Took to long to get served. Two of the three bars were bartender-less. 10:40-11:30pm: Schumann's Jaeger Haus - I caught the end of my game here and had a beer. The bartender had painted on eyebrows. It's the old Dragon Room on Church. They did a good job making it look like a German beer hall that would be at Epcot. I don't know why the didn't take the Bliss space. It already looked like a beer hall. I have to go back and try the food.
11:30pm-12am: Vixen - I can't remember how long this spot has had this name (or theme). It's a little, narrow spot on Orange across from Corona Cigars. It's so narrow that it is cut in half by the bar. It looks like the owner of the club next door kept getting bugged by his lower twenty something RISD girlfriend and gave her this spot to shut her up. It's a female empowerment bar. The manifestation of that message is sexually charged and confused women on canvas. The walls are covered with sluts. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Just get ready for that type of night. Friendly service. The hottest bar (by line size) is two doors down. I just can't see waiting on line in Orlando.
12-1am: Back to Saddle Up
1am: El Budare Food Truck - Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and Arepas. I went to a Chicken Arepa for $5. Large and very good. They are on Pine on the highway side or Orange.
10-10:30pm: Saddle Up - A new country themed bar on Orange and Washington that takes up two or three commercial spaces. The girls here were the hottest. It makes it a prisoner's dilemna whether to stay and have your brain tormented by purile lyrics and infantile melodies or leave the most "normal" looking prospects in the area. The fact that most of the hip hop places offer the same but different conundrum makes the choice a little easier. You have to choose between Hannah Montana Cyrus and Twerky Cyrus. To me there is nothing more pathetic than Spring Breakers-like white trash, so I guess it's Hannah. The place doesn't charge a cover and I hope most of the "average" people who now go to Wall St come here. Save the ten bucks. They have three bars and people (mostly girls) were line dancing in the back. They have a patio. They weren't showing my football game so I had to leave. Came back later though.
10:30-10:40pm: Don Jefe's - I walked through the old Antigua's on Church St. They did an ok job. Seems like the same crowd, yo. Took to long to get served. Two of the three bars were bartender-less. 10:40-11:30pm: Schumann's Jaeger Haus - I caught the end of my game here and had a beer. The bartender had painted on eyebrows. It's the old Dragon Room on Church. They did a good job making it look like a German beer hall that would be at Epcot. I don't know why the didn't take the Bliss space. It already looked like a beer hall. I have to go back and try the food.
11:30pm-12am: Vixen - I can't remember how long this spot has had this name (or theme). It's a little, narrow spot on Orange across from Corona Cigars. It's so narrow that it is cut in half by the bar. It looks like the owner of the club next door kept getting bugged by his lower twenty something RISD girlfriend and gave her this spot to shut her up. It's a female empowerment bar. The manifestation of that message is sexually charged and confused women on canvas. The walls are covered with sluts. Not that there is anything wrong with that. Just get ready for that type of night. Friendly service. The hottest bar (by line size) is two doors down. I just can't see waiting on line in Orlando.
12-1am: Back to Saddle Up
1am: El Budare Food Truck - Hot Dogs, Hamburgers and Arepas. I went to a Chicken Arepa for $5. Large and very good. They are on Pine on the highway side or Orange.
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Grub/Pub Crawl - College Park: Hangar Bar (Closed), Soda Fountain, Alfonso's and Ollie's
Here be (I feel like speaking like a pirate) three resturant/bars that have changed ownership since I last went to them (must have been pre-blog because I couldn't find mention of them when I searched) and one new ice cream shop that are all on Edgewater Dr. I went there on Friday night.
The Hangar Bar and Grille - Two things don't fit here at this unremarkable franchise wannabe - the snippy host(ess) and the well crafted food. I wish I could have been more of an acolyte for the menu, but, the aforementioned queen soured me on the place almost immediately. Not because he she was "born that way", but, because this average working man thinks gay means class or means not ostentation and vulgarity. You must know that you aren't even skilled enough to be a server. This is where the manager puts the high school girl with no job experience that he wants to bang. Dial down the pretentiousness. You have nothing to be pretentious about. My first piece of advice to management is to explain the pecking order to this fop. This is not an en vogue New York club. This is a sports bar, that by the looks of it, is barely scraping by. Look up obsequious and adjust. On to the food. I would have ordered the $25 mixed grill if not for Fruity Peebles and the fact that they didn't have the chorizo (25% of choices) and they offered chicken, but, it wasn't on the menu so I didn't know what kind it would be. The waitress couldn't clear it up and didn't seem to understand why this would be an issue. I wasn't going to trust a sports bar with steak or tuna (the remaining options). That may have been a mistake because the pulled pork sandwich I did order ($9) was really good and came out hypersonically. The fries they were paired with were also good (if starch coated) and plentiful. I did eschew the soda refill because I was scared Fruity may have tried to have it adulterated. So, nah nah nah if you did. Like I said, the place smells of theme envy. I wouldn't mind so much if I just didn't feel that they were going for something that could be reproduced mechanically. The place is where the old Harmoni and Wildside were. The layout is similar. I'm not sure if they expanded to another room or not. I wasn't here when it was Wildside. The corner section has the bar and window seating. The "inside" room has booths, tables and house the open kitchen (where they wanted to inconvenience me in an empty, unreserved dining room). It's clean and wooden and full of aviation themed wall hangings. The menu was gastro-pubby. It has flat screens that were tuned to sports. I'm not going out of my way to come back here, but, I wouldn't discorage you. Lunch is especially sensible. Most of those meals were under $10.
The Soda Fountain - I had a Banana Foster's single scoop cone at this gourmet aspiring dessert shop that cost under $3. It was delicious. You know I don't even like sweets. Great flavors and texture. Made with expertise. The place is cute too. They just opened two weeks ago. You really shouldn't be getting your ice cream anywhere else in the area. I think they change the flavors regularly.
Alfonso's Sports Bar - I wish I could remember the Irish Pub this was and the thing it was before then. I can't. McSorely's? Any way. Nothing has changed except the menu. Instead of predictable American fare with some Irish to it, it is now predicatble American fare with some pizza to it. Take your fat American family here and wallow in your own fecund crapulence or lower your insulin levels with pitcher's of beer and then accept anything that is put in front of you. That's what places like this are for. Of course they had to have an annoying band of forty somethings. We don't want to watch you play pick up basketball and we don't want to hear you play The Heat Of The Moment.
Ollie's - Hopefully occuping a higher level on the bar food pyramid is this old Jax (from the people who brought you FinnHenry's Downtown). I didn't eat here, but, the beer and liquor selection (and patron's promises) makes me believe they care more about what you put in your body than Alfonso's. The beer was cheap. The selection was varied. The place is cute. They still have the patio. It looks similiar to the old Jax. Maybe a little nicer. It's near the high school.
The Hangar Bar and Grille - Two things don't fit here at this unremarkable franchise wannabe - the snippy host(ess) and the well crafted food. I wish I could have been more of an acolyte for the menu, but, the aforementioned queen soured me on the place almost immediately. Not because he she was "born that way", but, because this average working man thinks gay means class or means not ostentation and vulgarity. You must know that you aren't even skilled enough to be a server. This is where the manager puts the high school girl with no job experience that he wants to bang. Dial down the pretentiousness. You have nothing to be pretentious about. My first piece of advice to management is to explain the pecking order to this fop. This is not an en vogue New York club. This is a sports bar, that by the looks of it, is barely scraping by. Look up obsequious and adjust. On to the food. I would have ordered the $25 mixed grill if not for Fruity Peebles and the fact that they didn't have the chorizo (25% of choices) and they offered chicken, but, it wasn't on the menu so I didn't know what kind it would be. The waitress couldn't clear it up and didn't seem to understand why this would be an issue. I wasn't going to trust a sports bar with steak or tuna (the remaining options). That may have been a mistake because the pulled pork sandwich I did order ($9) was really good and came out hypersonically. The fries they were paired with were also good (if starch coated) and plentiful. I did eschew the soda refill because I was scared Fruity may have tried to have it adulterated. So, nah nah nah if you did. Like I said, the place smells of theme envy. I wouldn't mind so much if I just didn't feel that they were going for something that could be reproduced mechanically. The place is where the old Harmoni and Wildside were. The layout is similar. I'm not sure if they expanded to another room or not. I wasn't here when it was Wildside. The corner section has the bar and window seating. The "inside" room has booths, tables and house the open kitchen (where they wanted to inconvenience me in an empty, unreserved dining room). It's clean and wooden and full of aviation themed wall hangings. The menu was gastro-pubby. It has flat screens that were tuned to sports. I'm not going out of my way to come back here, but, I wouldn't discorage you. Lunch is especially sensible. Most of those meals were under $10.
The Soda Fountain - I had a Banana Foster's single scoop cone at this gourmet aspiring dessert shop that cost under $3. It was delicious. You know I don't even like sweets. Great flavors and texture. Made with expertise. The place is cute too. They just opened two weeks ago. You really shouldn't be getting your ice cream anywhere else in the area. I think they change the flavors regularly.
Alfonso's Sports Bar - I wish I could remember the Irish Pub this was and the thing it was before then. I can't. McSorely's? Any way. Nothing has changed except the menu. Instead of predictable American fare with some Irish to it, it is now predicatble American fare with some pizza to it. Take your fat American family here and wallow in your own fecund crapulence or lower your insulin levels with pitcher's of beer and then accept anything that is put in front of you. That's what places like this are for. Of course they had to have an annoying band of forty somethings. We don't want to watch you play pick up basketball and we don't want to hear you play The Heat Of The Moment.
Ollie's - Hopefully occuping a higher level on the bar food pyramid is this old Jax (from the people who brought you FinnHenry's Downtown). I didn't eat here, but, the beer and liquor selection (and patron's promises) makes me believe they care more about what you put in your body than Alfonso's. The beer was cheap. The selection was varied. The place is cute. They still have the patio. It looks similiar to the old Jax. Maybe a little nicer. It's near the high school.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
La Casa de Las Paellas, UCF Area
I had the seafood paella for lunch at this grossly misnamed Caribbean/Latin restaurant on 50 near UCH/434 on Saturday. It has two paellas! The Valencian ( I think they misspelled it on the menu) which I ordered, but, didn't get. It was made with four legged ingredients. And a seafood that was made with frozen and canned water breathers. A full portion is $35. Ridiculous, but, not unheard of (why I usually never order it). A half is $17.50. I would reiterate that this place is more of an islandy mofongo and tripleta place. They have no justification for tricking you into thinking it may be Spanish food. Not that that should be enticing enough anyway. I should have done a two entree meal for $20 or just a sandwich for $6. I could sense that this place wouldn't know what it was doing. But, we all have to be so open minded these days. The place itself is also underwheming. It must have been an old Long John Silver's (it still has a drive thru) that they didn't redocorate. And on top of those fishing nets and shell diaramas, they hung Asian fans. Makes perfect sense. The chairs are all mix and match. The tables are covered with plastic. They have exposed wires and dusty glasses disturbing the eye. A real mess.
Back to the "paella". As I said, the shellfish (3 mussels, 3 clams, 3 shrimp and a lobster claw) that came with their unis on were obviously frozen. The meat had freezer burn or just tasted rancid (clams). The mini mussels, squid, scallops and clams they added to supplement the decorative pieces were straight out of a can. They were salty and desicated. They added some some chewy calamari rings, but, they had no flavor. Which is probably good because flavor must mean salt where they learned to cook. I would bet they even chintzed on the saffron and used turmeric. The rice was probably not even bomba rice. You know you are in trouble when you are experiencing the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) during your meal. I'm not sure if I ever got to number five. My bargaining was to just not get seafood poisoning while out on the town later in the day. The waitress said the food was (at least in part) Dominican. That explains it. It's like trusting an Asian buffet to prepare your sushi. They just don't know how to do it and don't know that they don't know because they have never seen it done right. This place also serves to expose Bite magazine and the fat lady at the Sentinel as the charlatans that they are. If they refuse to retract their opinions on this place (paella in particular) then I suggest that they be relieved of their duties. Only the most generous of untraveled yokels would find this acceptable. If you don't believe me, book a flight to Valencia and see for yourselves. The place seats 120. All the more unfortunate because they can disappoint greater numbers. Happily, the place was almost empty when I ate there and the ones who were there were probably brought up on these bastardized versions of European staples. The one good thing was the service. The poor one woman show was polite. I felt bad for her that her task masters fed themselves in front of her until I received my meal. It was actually an act of kindness. Huge miss. The worst part is that the preparation took a long time. so, either they were cooking their own lunch when they should have been cooking mine or this travesty was freshly made. I suggest you leave this place to the ex-pat day laborers that come here for the "back of the plantacion" make do's.
Back to the "paella". As I said, the shellfish (3 mussels, 3 clams, 3 shrimp and a lobster claw) that came with their unis on were obviously frozen. The meat had freezer burn or just tasted rancid (clams). The mini mussels, squid, scallops and clams they added to supplement the decorative pieces were straight out of a can. They were salty and desicated. They added some some chewy calamari rings, but, they had no flavor. Which is probably good because flavor must mean salt where they learned to cook. I would bet they even chintzed on the saffron and used turmeric. The rice was probably not even bomba rice. You know you are in trouble when you are experiencing the five stages of grief (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) during your meal. I'm not sure if I ever got to number five. My bargaining was to just not get seafood poisoning while out on the town later in the day. The waitress said the food was (at least in part) Dominican. That explains it. It's like trusting an Asian buffet to prepare your sushi. They just don't know how to do it and don't know that they don't know because they have never seen it done right. This place also serves to expose Bite magazine and the fat lady at the Sentinel as the charlatans that they are. If they refuse to retract their opinions on this place (paella in particular) then I suggest that they be relieved of their duties. Only the most generous of untraveled yokels would find this acceptable. If you don't believe me, book a flight to Valencia and see for yourselves. The place seats 120. All the more unfortunate because they can disappoint greater numbers. Happily, the place was almost empty when I ate there and the ones who were there were probably brought up on these bastardized versions of European staples. The one good thing was the service. The poor one woman show was polite. I felt bad for her that her task masters fed themselves in front of her until I received my meal. It was actually an act of kindness. Huge miss. The worst part is that the preparation took a long time. so, either they were cooking their own lunch when they should have been cooking mine or this travesty was freshly made. I suggest you leave this place to the ex-pat day laborers that come here for the "back of the plantacion" make do's.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Pub Crawl - I Drive: Twin Peaks and Dave and Buster's
I stopped into these place on I Drive on Friday night.
Twin Peaks - How could you not add this to your to do list after seeing the billboards? It's, predictably, a pale clone of Hooters. The theme is Ron Swanson hunting lodge. All the fake bric a brac you can counterfeit. The one "differentiation" is 29 degree beer. I ordered Guinness and someone should inform management that 29 degrees doesn't work for all brands. This needs to be served "warmer" to allow that cascading action to take place. A large-ish mug was $7. The bimbos were artificially flirty (as expected). A little less marked up than Tilted Kilt girls, but, still too trashy for guys who believe tattoos are for sailors. All in all a perfectly uncomfortable, artificial experience conjured up to franchise a by the numbers assortment of fattening food. But, maybe you are a loser enough to want ogle single mothers and highschool drop outs yet so meek that you are intimidated by a strip club.
Dave and Buster's - Talk about yin and yang. The only oversized, artificial breasts were on the video screens. A really impressive arcade. I had never been to one. Part arcade and part carnival. I just walked around, but, I could see coming back to while away an hour or two. They had a restaurant and bar too.
Twin Peaks - How could you not add this to your to do list after seeing the billboards? It's, predictably, a pale clone of Hooters. The theme is Ron Swanson hunting lodge. All the fake bric a brac you can counterfeit. The one "differentiation" is 29 degree beer. I ordered Guinness and someone should inform management that 29 degrees doesn't work for all brands. This needs to be served "warmer" to allow that cascading action to take place. A large-ish mug was $7. The bimbos were artificially flirty (as expected). A little less marked up than Tilted Kilt girls, but, still too trashy for guys who believe tattoos are for sailors. All in all a perfectly uncomfortable, artificial experience conjured up to franchise a by the numbers assortment of fattening food. But, maybe you are a loser enough to want ogle single mothers and highschool drop outs yet so meek that you are intimidated by a strip club.
Dave and Buster's - Talk about yin and yang. The only oversized, artificial breasts were on the video screens. A really impressive arcade. I had never been to one. Part arcade and part carnival. I just walked around, but, I could see coming back to while away an hour or two. They had a restaurant and bar too.
Atlas House, Sea World Area - Closed
This will be the first time I get to write a review and then close the page in the same post. I went to what is now no longer the regions only Uzbek restaurant just past where I Drive meets the CF Parkway. It's "transitioning" into a Mediterranean restaurant that I won't be trying out. For no other reason than I don't want to go this far out of my again. I settled for one of the two Uzbek dishes they must not have sold out of. It was a rather unspiring dish of steamed beef dumplings called Manti. And no they didn't have an imaginary girlfriend. It cost me $10 for a plate of eight. They were ok. I wasn't really expecting grastronomic excellence from this region of the world. It came with a really thick sour cream. Hopefully that was authentically ethnic. It's sad. The place looked nice and clean and appropriate. I guess they just couldn't make that menu work. It's basically Middle Eastern and Russian style foods (including all the regions and ethnicities that have been represented in them over time) with some Indian mixed in (ie Non bread). It makes sense. The country was in the middle of the spice route. Not sure who influenced who. They even had spaghetti/noodle dishes. I wanted a rice dish/stew called Palov (saw it on Rudy Maxa in Uzbekistan), but, you read above. And so ends a perfectly pointless exertion of effort. They say they will try and keep a few Uzbek dishes, but, the name (which means something about rugs or tapestry) will be different so I'm not sure how you will know.
Deland Museum of Art, Deland
I went to see the exhibit at the museum at 600 N. Woodland Blvd on Friday and was given a free pass to the exhibit at 100 N. Woodland. Woodland is the main thoroughfare that runs through town.
600 - They were showing a Florida artist collection of permanent and "on loan" pieces on the first floor and a Latin/South American collection on the second. The Florida collection had more breadth than depth. The show cased some jewelry artist. Check out the bronze that resembles a found art piece. you won't believe it's metal. The "Latin" collection - I was going to say had more depth, but, it also had photography, paintings and sculpture. I especially liked an arist (I think Mexican) called Jesus Leuus. Some creep eyes on his figures. Very evocative. There was also an interesting Costa Rican sculpturess. Cost = $5. Ends January 5, 2014.
100 - They were showing a collection of "small" paintings from the Butler Institute of American Art (Youngstown, Ohio). I think the earliest piece was mid-century 1800's. It was mostly artists from the North East with some South West and a few local (Ohio) boys tossed in. It's always nice to focus on lesser known artists and schools that you usually pay little attention to in the bigger museums. They did have Lichtenstein, Warhol, and Motherwell for you contemporary nuts. And Grandma Moses and Edward Hopper for you historians. I'm not sure when this ends.
600 - They were showing a Florida artist collection of permanent and "on loan" pieces on the first floor and a Latin/South American collection on the second. The Florida collection had more breadth than depth. The show cased some jewelry artist. Check out the bronze that resembles a found art piece. you won't believe it's metal. The "Latin" collection - I was going to say had more depth, but, it also had photography, paintings and sculpture. I especially liked an arist (I think Mexican) called Jesus Leuus. Some creep eyes on his figures. Very evocative. There was also an interesting Costa Rican sculpturess. Cost = $5. Ends January 5, 2014.
100 - They were showing a collection of "small" paintings from the Butler Institute of American Art (Youngstown, Ohio). I think the earliest piece was mid-century 1800's. It was mostly artists from the North East with some South West and a few local (Ohio) boys tossed in. It's always nice to focus on lesser known artists and schools that you usually pay little attention to in the bigger museums. They did have Lichtenstein, Warhol, and Motherwell for you contemporary nuts. And Grandma Moses and Edward Hopper for you historians. I'm not sure when this ends.
Grub Crawl - Deland: Santorini, Mr. Bill's Donuts and Pat & Toni's Sweet Things
I cobbled together a food adventure on Friday after I learned that Cress is too successful to service the lunch crowd. I really should call ahead.
Santorini - I ordered a pork souvlaki to go because I always do chicken and most Greek dishes are over priced in my estimation. I've been watching this hairy munchkin named Yannis' The Cooking Odyssey cooking program and he must have subconsciously crept in. It ran me $6. The pork in these sandwiches is usually sinewy and full of fatty, chewy nonsense. This was all palette pleasing white meat. It wasn't even dry/overcooked. The portion was enormous. Usually you get to the bottom of the pit "cone" and it's all rabbit food. You usually have to save a few pieces that have tumbled out of the front of the sandwich and stuff them into the last bites. Not so here. It was pork to the bottom. The tzatziki was nice too. Just a hint of Horseradish. The apologist who commented on the Meditteranean Blue review should encourage his homeboys to drive up here and learn a thing or two. The pita was fresh and spongy. The lettuce and tomato could have been a little fresher, but, they usually could. I had the sandwich to go because the place (though small) was packed. It's a usual Grek menu with some interesting specialties. A bit more seafood than the Greek places around here. The service people were friendly. The food was ready in an acceptable period of time. The place is small and not too appointed, but, it's a good representative of Greek cooking.
Mr Bill's Donuts - I just had a $1 regular donut because I was stuffed and I wasn't convinced by the cover of this book that the sandwiches, etc they serve would be judged delicious. The donut (almost out of everything) was freshly made and respectable.
Pat & Toni's Sweet Things - Two bites into my chocolate bacon strip I asked myself - "How long does cooked bacon stay eatable"? Doesn't really matter because I won't be having it again. At least without a better quality of chocolate. To me it's a bad marriage. And one that gets worse the more you see of it. Maybe as an accent. This caprice cost me $2. I also had a little cluster of chocolate covered potato chips that some how came to $3. I should have asked the same question of this as I did of the bacon. The answer would be - not as long as they offer them for sale. These things were rancid. The started giving me stomach cramps. I also tried a cluster of chocolate covered frosted flakes. A little better than the chips, but, I think they were turning too. I'd advise you to avoid the chocolate covered "naturally occuring" items. Stick with science experiments like twinkies and gummy bears. The place has a lot of candy. I think their questionable milk chocolate is a remnant of amother era. An era of ignorance. Don't settle for this poor relation.
Santorini - I ordered a pork souvlaki to go because I always do chicken and most Greek dishes are over priced in my estimation. I've been watching this hairy munchkin named Yannis' The Cooking Odyssey cooking program and he must have subconsciously crept in. It ran me $6. The pork in these sandwiches is usually sinewy and full of fatty, chewy nonsense. This was all palette pleasing white meat. It wasn't even dry/overcooked. The portion was enormous. Usually you get to the bottom of the pit "cone" and it's all rabbit food. You usually have to save a few pieces that have tumbled out of the front of the sandwich and stuff them into the last bites. Not so here. It was pork to the bottom. The tzatziki was nice too. Just a hint of Horseradish. The apologist who commented on the Meditteranean Blue review should encourage his homeboys to drive up here and learn a thing or two. The pita was fresh and spongy. The lettuce and tomato could have been a little fresher, but, they usually could. I had the sandwich to go because the place (though small) was packed. It's a usual Grek menu with some interesting specialties. A bit more seafood than the Greek places around here. The service people were friendly. The food was ready in an acceptable period of time. The place is small and not too appointed, but, it's a good representative of Greek cooking.
Mr Bill's Donuts - I just had a $1 regular donut because I was stuffed and I wasn't convinced by the cover of this book that the sandwiches, etc they serve would be judged delicious. The donut (almost out of everything) was freshly made and respectable.
Pat & Toni's Sweet Things - Two bites into my chocolate bacon strip I asked myself - "How long does cooked bacon stay eatable"? Doesn't really matter because I won't be having it again. At least without a better quality of chocolate. To me it's a bad marriage. And one that gets worse the more you see of it. Maybe as an accent. This caprice cost me $2. I also had a little cluster of chocolate covered potato chips that some how came to $3. I should have asked the same question of this as I did of the bacon. The answer would be - not as long as they offer them for sale. These things were rancid. The started giving me stomach cramps. I also tried a cluster of chocolate covered frosted flakes. A little better than the chips, but, I think they were turning too. I'd advise you to avoid the chocolate covered "naturally occuring" items. Stick with science experiments like twinkies and gummy bears. The place has a lot of candy. I think their questionable milk chocolate is a remnant of amother era. An era of ignorance. Don't settle for this poor relation.
Grub Crawl - Downtown : NY Deli, What's Your Beef, Big Wheel Provisions
NY Deli - Orange Avenue - I had a grilled cheese at this non-descript cafe across from the Suntrust building. Everything looked average at best and I had bigger fish to fry so I settled for this bland excuse for a grilled cheese made in a panini press. I don't even think the bread was buttered. It's a small shop that survives because of it's proximity to the office workers above it. They must be easy to satisfy.
What's Your Beef - Washington St - I had an Italian Beef sandwich at this deli/cafe a few blocks north. I didn't grow up on these things so I guess it was a good representation. I just think all Mid Western fare is unimaginative and boring. This was warm roast beef slices in a roll and dunked in broth. Yawn. Maybe it will bring back childhood memories for you? The place is small and rectangular. It's mostly counter. They serve a variety of hot dogs, sandwiches, salad and breakfast.
Big Wheel Provisions - Washington St - Right across the street from Beef, this food truck is really interesting. The menu is all over the place and the portions are small, but, it delivers flavor. I had a sopprassetta (it's like salami) sandwich on a baguette with field greens, cucumber slices, shaved white asparagus that was sweetened and pickled, mayo and some sort of cheese. It was wonderful. I actually felt better after eating it. Is that what freshness can do to you? It was $6.50. They had about half dozen entrees and a few amuse bouches. They said they change it up regularly. Check it out.
I have no idea why this post was redated when I edited it. I went to these places over two years ago.
What's Your Beef - Washington St - I had an Italian Beef sandwich at this deli/cafe a few blocks north. I didn't grow up on these things so I guess it was a good representation. I just think all Mid Western fare is unimaginative and boring. This was warm roast beef slices in a roll and dunked in broth. Yawn. Maybe it will bring back childhood memories for you? The place is small and rectangular. It's mostly counter. They serve a variety of hot dogs, sandwiches, salad and breakfast.
Big Wheel Provisions - Washington St - Right across the street from Beef, this food truck is really interesting. The menu is all over the place and the portions are small, but, it delivers flavor. I had a sopprassetta (it's like salami) sandwich on a baguette with field greens, cucumber slices, shaved white asparagus that was sweetened and pickled, mayo and some sort of cheese. It was wonderful. I actually felt better after eating it. Is that what freshness can do to you? It was $6.50. They had about half dozen entrees and a few amuse bouches. They said they change it up regularly. Check it out.
I have no idea why this post was redated when I edited it. I went to these places over two years ago.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Renting A Car in Europe Tutorial
I rented a car in Europe this summer and found out the following things:
1. Your credit card doesn't cover your deductible (unless you have Amex Gold or above).
2. Your auto insurance doesn't cover you at all in Europe (probably). You need to buy some from the rental company.
3. You still need an international driver's license. I'm told you can get it at any local AAA office for $15 and a one hour class. A joke of a class.
4. Rates vary wildly by city. If you are driving to a few countries, check the car rates before you make an airline reservation. It might be cheaper to fly into city A than city B.
5. Gas is expensive there. You have to use a 98 octane at a minimum. Don't put in the wrong stuff. Ask before you pump. Credit cards won't always work or they pretend they won't. A real problem if you run out of gas near a station with no attendent. You will learn why they have 20% unemployment. It's all machines.
6. Some countries have bizarre rules about breathalyzers or toll passes, emergency equipment, etc. Check that you have what is required in each country you will visit. And always check you have a spare and jack, etc. A cel phone is nice to bring along. 7. Alot of tolls have no collector. Make sure you have enough change or credit cards that are on their system. I had some that were supposed to be, but, didn't work when the time came. Make sure you get in the right lane if you want change, want to use cash, etc.
8. They are installing alot of robotic speed detectors with cameras (even on the non-highway roads)! The rental company will charge you credit card for them weeks to months after you have left. Use that time to replace your cards (new number). For some reason they can't find your new number later on even though they have all your other contact info.
9. If you get in a crash, the cops will take forever getting to you and then tell you that you could have just filled out a form with the other driver. If you do crash and ask the rental company to replace your car, they will charge you for the tow (even if it was the other guys fault) and tell you that they aren't. You will see the charge when you drop it off. they will also try and stick you for a full tank of gas. take a picture of the gauge before you release the car. They will also charge you for the repairs immediately and then never chase down the guilty party to indemnify you (or they pocket that $). Call you credit card company and then dispute the charge. Then replace the card. They will be too lazy or disorganized to respond by the date they are issued. You will get a letter in the mail later. Just ignore it a remember not to rent from them the next time you go to Europe (it didn't effect my renting domestically from the same company). Hopefully, you won't have a warrant out for you. Haven't gotten that far yet.
10. Triple check the car, fill out the form and photograph it and things like the fuel level. They still play games. I wasn't allowed to inspect my car before they gave me the keys. I wasn't offered the inspection form. The guy who was supposed to go through it with me and sign it never could be located. I kept having to run back to the counter.Not what you want to do at six am after a red eye.
11. Rent from the local website not the US .com one. Supposedly better prices. Also, check out some European rental companies.
12. Almost everything the US agents will tell you over the phone will be wrong, inconsistent or ignored when you go to the counter. There they have you by the balls and you will agree to anything.
13. Don't say you are coming in by plane or give them that info. If the flight times change, the computer changes your rental times and can put an extra day (for example)on your bill that will change the quoted rate. You will be confused as to why the bill is more than quoted. You don't want too many issues when the counter person can pretend not to speak english well.
14. You will be hassled in countries that are different from you license plate. They even do breathalizer checks in areas around booze producers. I'm not sure if it is legal, but, they pull you over randomnly.
15. They have tolls everwhere ($!). Try the smaller roads.
16. They are jerks about bringing the car in early or late.
My Experience -
I started getting quotes around a month before I left. The rates were outrageously low without insurance. I kept calling in to inquire about the insurance protections and prices and got a different story everytime. Everything was included, theft was extra, you only need collision, it's this price, it's that price. It turned out they have a "super insurance" that covers everything with no deductible. It tripled the price! The next one down had a $800 (they told me $500 over the phone) deductible and doubled the price. Collision only was slightly less. Theft and personal property protections were about half the rental price. Theft was about 2/3rds of PP ins. I didn't want to buy them a new car if it got stolen. I took the one with the deductible. A kid rear ended me and they charged me (not over the deductible) to fix it even though I waited to get a police report that exonerated me. They did get me a tow truck and took me to a different city to get the new car (was a hassle). They didn't seem very thankful that I didn't try and keep driving the car around and damaging in further. I want to reiterate that they quoted me a different insurance price everytime. I think they knew I was going to have to buy it and they tried to take advantage. Some of it could have been lack of lead time (price goes up), but, it happened in the same day.
Summary - Don't get fixated on the non-insured price. Get the full insurance and don't speed. European roads and parking spaces, etc are tiny. You will probably have some sort of damage to the car. Pick the right city to rent from. Prices fluctuate wildly.
1. Your credit card doesn't cover your deductible (unless you have Amex Gold or above).
2. Your auto insurance doesn't cover you at all in Europe (probably). You need to buy some from the rental company.
3. You still need an international driver's license. I'm told you can get it at any local AAA office for $15 and a one hour class. A joke of a class.
4. Rates vary wildly by city. If you are driving to a few countries, check the car rates before you make an airline reservation. It might be cheaper to fly into city A than city B.
5. Gas is expensive there. You have to use a 98 octane at a minimum. Don't put in the wrong stuff. Ask before you pump. Credit cards won't always work or they pretend they won't. A real problem if you run out of gas near a station with no attendent. You will learn why they have 20% unemployment. It's all machines.
6. Some countries have bizarre rules about breathalyzers or toll passes, emergency equipment, etc. Check that you have what is required in each country you will visit. And always check you have a spare and jack, etc. A cel phone is nice to bring along. 7. Alot of tolls have no collector. Make sure you have enough change or credit cards that are on their system. I had some that were supposed to be, but, didn't work when the time came. Make sure you get in the right lane if you want change, want to use cash, etc.
8. They are installing alot of robotic speed detectors with cameras (even on the non-highway roads)! The rental company will charge you credit card for them weeks to months after you have left. Use that time to replace your cards (new number). For some reason they can't find your new number later on even though they have all your other contact info.
9. If you get in a crash, the cops will take forever getting to you and then tell you that you could have just filled out a form with the other driver. If you do crash and ask the rental company to replace your car, they will charge you for the tow (even if it was the other guys fault) and tell you that they aren't. You will see the charge when you drop it off. they will also try and stick you for a full tank of gas. take a picture of the gauge before you release the car. They will also charge you for the repairs immediately and then never chase down the guilty party to indemnify you (or they pocket that $). Call you credit card company and then dispute the charge. Then replace the card. They will be too lazy or disorganized to respond by the date they are issued. You will get a letter in the mail later. Just ignore it a remember not to rent from them the next time you go to Europe (it didn't effect my renting domestically from the same company). Hopefully, you won't have a warrant out for you. Haven't gotten that far yet.
10. Triple check the car, fill out the form and photograph it and things like the fuel level. They still play games. I wasn't allowed to inspect my car before they gave me the keys. I wasn't offered the inspection form. The guy who was supposed to go through it with me and sign it never could be located. I kept having to run back to the counter.Not what you want to do at six am after a red eye.
11. Rent from the local website not the US .com one. Supposedly better prices. Also, check out some European rental companies.
12. Almost everything the US agents will tell you over the phone will be wrong, inconsistent or ignored when you go to the counter. There they have you by the balls and you will agree to anything.
13. Don't say you are coming in by plane or give them that info. If the flight times change, the computer changes your rental times and can put an extra day (for example)on your bill that will change the quoted rate. You will be confused as to why the bill is more than quoted. You don't want too many issues when the counter person can pretend not to speak english well.
14. You will be hassled in countries that are different from you license plate. They even do breathalizer checks in areas around booze producers. I'm not sure if it is legal, but, they pull you over randomnly.
15. They have tolls everwhere ($!). Try the smaller roads.
16. They are jerks about bringing the car in early or late.
My Experience -
I started getting quotes around a month before I left. The rates were outrageously low without insurance. I kept calling in to inquire about the insurance protections and prices and got a different story everytime. Everything was included, theft was extra, you only need collision, it's this price, it's that price. It turned out they have a "super insurance" that covers everything with no deductible. It tripled the price! The next one down had a $800 (they told me $500 over the phone) deductible and doubled the price. Collision only was slightly less. Theft and personal property protections were about half the rental price. Theft was about 2/3rds of PP ins. I didn't want to buy them a new car if it got stolen. I took the one with the deductible. A kid rear ended me and they charged me (not over the deductible) to fix it even though I waited to get a police report that exonerated me. They did get me a tow truck and took me to a different city to get the new car (was a hassle). They didn't seem very thankful that I didn't try and keep driving the car around and damaging in further. I want to reiterate that they quoted me a different insurance price everytime. I think they knew I was going to have to buy it and they tried to take advantage. Some of it could have been lack of lead time (price goes up), but, it happened in the same day.
Summary - Don't get fixated on the non-insured price. Get the full insurance and don't speed. European roads and parking spaces, etc are tiny. You will probably have some sort of damage to the car. Pick the right city to rent from. Prices fluctuate wildly.
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