Pub Crawl - Sanford: Wop's Hops and The Purple Grape

I had drinks at these two new comers on South Sanford Ave on Friday night.

Wop's Hops - The first good (non watery) locally brewed beer I've had. I had a Sweet Potato Ale (I think) for $6. It was flavorful and had body. They serve around eight home brews and several other brands. The place is cute and the have a very large fenced in outdoor area. It was pretty full. They are the head of the class. Actual females even patronized this place.

The Grape Room - A few folks at Wop's said this place would have a darker clientele and they were partially right. The main group was composed of middle aged Latinas, but, some white devils came in while I was there. The wine selection is lower end. I had a blase Carmenere for $8. The owner was nice and seemed happy to be doing what he is doing. The place looks inviting.

Vayda's Gypsy Rib Ranch, Sanford - Closed

I grabbed dinner to go at this spot on 17-92 near 46a on Friday. It has seen a lot of ownership in the past. Now it is a barbeque place again. This time it has a Latin influence. I had a crazy chicken sandwich with fries for $7. It was head and shoulders better than Southern Moon. The chicken wasn't pulled like I think the menu said but chopped. It was very good and the portion was large. The right amount of smoke. Even the sauce (probably bottled) was better than Southern Moon. They fries could have used a minute or two in the fryer, but, it was a to go order and they may have been rushing to please me. They get a pass. They have done nothing to the interior. It still has all the bric a brac that the previous owners put in. The two embellishments I noticed were a Bahamian mask and a mini flag of Columbia. The menu has more than basic barbeque and seemed to have daily specials. Prices were in line. It had some traffic at 2pm. It's been open for three months. It probably has the best BBQ in the area other than 4 Rivers.

Southern Moon, Curry Ford Rd

I had lunch at this barbeque joint next to Rogue Pub on Crystal Lake and Curry Ford Rd on Friday. It is run by the guys that had the Fork In The Road food truck. I wrote about them that they earned a 9 out of ten for creativity and 7 out of 10 for execution. That score hasn't improved. I had three other barbeque items this weekend. All were better than them. I would put them in the bottom half of their cohort. I had quarter pound servings of pulled pork ($2.59), brisket ($3.59) and pork belly ($3.59). The fat lady at The Sentinel said the brisket was juicy and tender. It was dry and way to smoky. The pulled pork tasted like it was over brined. The "juice" tasted like salt water, It was dry too. The pork belly seemed 100% smoked. Like a cold smoked salmon. You couldn't eat the skin. It was like a rind. The sauces were even worse. They have 5 and I tried 3. The Texas one tasted like gazpacho. The Carolina one was pure vinegar. The Memphis (I think) was red vinegar. Sodas also cost $3.50. They won't be brewing their own beer. The outside looks like an abandoned building. One sad sign that says BBQ. The place was empty and I just sensed desperation in air. The place looks nice inside and they have a bar. They just need to run down to Pig Floyd (review coming) and take a master class. Avoid.

Grub Crawl - SoDo: Sugar Divas Cakery and Smoothie Room

I grabbed some uselessness at these two spots in that condo complex on S Orange yesterday.

Sugar Divas - I bought a brownie for $3 at this cupcake, wine and specialty cake place. I haven't tried the brownie yet. The cupcakes were tiny and around $3. The selection was small. I think their raison d'etre is expensive, custom made cakes. The place a spick and span. They have opened recently. They won't take AMEX.

Smoothie Room - This pointless smoothie, tea, nonsense bar has somehow stayed in existence for three years. I though I lampooned it the last time I was down here, but, I guess I was more sensible back then. I suffered through a Yerba Matte tea for $3 for you people. All they did was put a tea bag in a cup. And the tea bag must have leaked because I was imbibing some kind of dust from the beginning. And no I didn't leave it in there to long. They are so pointlessly green (cheap) that they wouldn't give me a receipt. Can someone check with the licensing commission and see if that is legal?

Le Gourmet Break, Downtown

I just grabbed a pumpkin tart from this French breakfast, lunch and snack spot on Magnolia near Church on Friday. Since it closes at 2pm everyday, I find it hard to get to it. It was to be part of a trifecta that included another pastry shop and coffee bar near by. I screwed up the coffee address (in a different area and the bakery closed down, so, I decided to just grab a to go item here and go to plan b (you'll see plan b in proceeding posts). The tart cost $4. It was good. There were some sand like particles in it. They have sandwiches, pastries, quiches, salads, soups, omelets, crepes, coffee, etc. It looks clean. I think the owner may be French Canadian or Flemish French by look. The accent didn't sound Canadian though. In any event, the food seemed authentically French (good quality). It seats around fifty. It was pretty full. Sandwiches were around $7 (for reference).

Cavallari Gourmet, Lake Mary - Closed

I had a turkey sandwich at this meat/gourmet market on 46A and Int'l Parkway (in the shopping plaza across from the one with the Amstar) on Thursday. It cost $8. It was the closest thing I've had to a basic NY deli sandwich since I've been down here. It had about six times the meat and cheese as a Jersey Mike's sandwich (like a proper sandwich should). Plus, their large is as big or bigger than a JM's and therefore cheaper. I had the cheaper turkey (a buck or two less) and the quality still surpassed JM's (and I think they are the best fast food sandwich chain). The roll was good. You could choose from around seven cheeses ( I chose havarti). Greens were included (a little wilted). As were condiments. I was full after half a sandwich, but, powered through because it was so good. They have around twenty sandwich varieties. They make their own roast beef (and I think - turkey). You can get half sandwiches. I also bought a rice ball for $2.69. It was decent. They have prepared meals, a ton of meats, delicacies and a variety of pantry items. They also have beer and wine. It 's a pretty decent specialty market (Italian oriented). It's a little more expensive than a major supermarket,so, I'd buy the stuff they duplicate there and then supplement your stores with these guys. And drop all chain sandwich places from your rotation and go here. They also have a place in Oviedo.

Small Cakes, Lake Mary

I bought a Chocolate Cream cupcake at this bakery on Lake Mary Blvd (next to Chopsticks Chinese) on Wednesday. It was ok. It cost almost $4 with tax. The cake was moist (sugar). The icing was a fudge that tasted like molasses or artificial sweetener.It was the icing equivalent of water based frozen yogurt to ice cream. It was a large cupcake. I still don't get the appeal. They have a pretty wide range of cupcakes that they say are baked daily. If they don't get more customers that will be a lot a waste. They also have cakes, cookies brownies, etc. It's a couple of weeks old. It's spit polished. I would half the portion size and prices, But like those infernal fro-yo and ice cream shops, the goal seems to be to make the third ugliest city in America the ugliest (or at least the fattest). It's a national chain.

Thailicious, Longwood

I had lunch at this new (3 weeks) Thai restaurant in the old Bites Hot Dog location on 434 (near the hospital and Ronald Reagan) on Monday. I had some steamed pork and shrimp dumplings for $7 and Bangkok Chicken for $8. Both were very good. The dumplings (4) were "open faced", fairly large and seemed home made. The plating was nice. The Bangkok Chicken was fried (unbreaded) ala Orange Chicken. Not salty though. It came with a nice inverted bowl of decently cooked white rice. They also started me off with a simple salad. The place looks nice. It's bones are bad, but, they dressed the corpse. It's minimalist and modern. It seats about thirty, There were four other parties there at 2pm. The menu has lunch specials all around $8. You can still get apps and the dinner menu (more ambitious) at lunch. I think the menu topped out in the seventeens. It's a good representation of Thai cuisine. There are two other Thai places within half a mile, so, I hope the community can support them. If I remember correctly this may be the "fanciest" one of the bunch. It's run by a Thai family giving it their first try. I didn't see any rookie mistakes. Service was good (fast and polite). I recommend it if you live close by.

Duffy's Sports Grill, Lake Mary

I've been to this sports bar three times since they opened a few weeks ago. The first time I had a few drinks. The second time I had a mediocre (overcooked) tuna burger with a small portion of good fries for $12. The third time I had some very uninspired seared tuna for $15. I can confidently say that they are not a quality food option. I would stay away from anything more complicated or sophisticated than a burger. The prices are also around 20%to 50% too high. The tuna burger was like dry cat food. The seared tuna was small (6oz for the large). It came with a bad attempt at cucumber salad and cold soba noodles. The place looks great. It's about the sixth time someone has poured mucho dinero into this location in the center off 46a that has the Amstar theaters. The service is good now, but, I wonder what will happen when the Hunger Games like auditioning process subsides. I expect that only the most masochistic entrants will remain and the carnival like vibe will die. The place is decorated in sports memorabilia, football helmets and televisions. It is run like a corporation. Heavy sales and marketing emphasis. They will exploit every opportunity to turn a profit. As an MBA holder, I appreciate the professionalism. As a customer, I kind of resent the imposition. Also on the down side, they won't publish most of their drink prices (I can see why when they charge $9 for a glass of cheap wine that you can buy for $7 a bottle at retail) and they close at 1pm. I don't see how they thrive once college football season ends. Shula's across the street is better and cheaper.

Nikki's, Parramore District

I went to this Soul Food spot on West Carter (below the 408 on the Citrus Bowl side) after the Rainbow debacle. I wanted fried chicken, but, they only do that on Sundays (closed Tuesday). So, I audibled for something I had never tried before - pork necks. They were $7 and came with two sides and cornbread. I took mashed potatoes and mac and cheese. The necks (6 pieces) were salty. I assume they were vertebrae. Not a ton of meat. I could swear the potatoes were a mix, but, there were some small chunks in there. The gravy was ok. The mac had tons of punchless Parmesan (is that even possible) and ricotta (I think). The pasta was way overcooked. The place seats about thirty. There were five others there. It has been open a while and is in now in the hands of the son of the original owner. Since it is not breaking any new ground and the execution doesn't impress and the neighborhood is sketchy, I would pass on it.

Rainbow Cafe, Parramore District

I had lunch at this coffee shop inside the Parliament House (motel/club) on OBT a week ago. It answers the question - why are gay guys so fit. It's not the party drugs that are depressing their appetites. It's the menu at the Rainbow Cafe. These guys had the nerve to advertise in My City Eats. It's not in that class of establishments. It's a sad coffee shop for a sad area of town. A double negative that doesn't equate to a positive. I had the safest thing on the banal menu - a cheeseburger. It cost $8. It was an obvious frozen hockey puck that was overcooked. The cook/owner was a black woman, so, the bun had to be buttered. Who (except Southerners) thinks that this is necessary or a value add? It's a pointless health hazard. The fries were coated with that junk that Burger King admitted they put on to please black customers. The accoutrements were not fresh. Service (1) was friendly, but, no refill. The place is ugly and smells of smoke. I couldn't wait to leave. Only one other person was there. I thought I might feel a little uneasy because of the location. The food was all I had to worry about.

Outrigger's Tiki Bar, New Smyrna Beach

I was on my way home on Sunday and I decided to try this other suggestion by The Sentinel. It's near the boat ramp/marina when you go over the drawbridge heading out of town. I thought the location meant it would be some salty dog dump frequented by the lower middle classes. It wasn't. It was a brand new edifice (last December) surrounded by brand new Key West inspired condos. A valet parking type of place. It's right on a tributary of the intercoastal. The outside has a bar area and a table area. There are tables inside too. It was packed. What The Grille must be the past of New Smyrna, this place is to the present. Don't get me wrong. Both places are worth going to. This place just seemed to be the new girl in town. It attracted a younger crowd. Now, it was a little disjointed (even at 4pm), but, my food came out fast once I could get it taken down. I had a yellow fin ceviche for $12. It was a little much for a martini glass that was mostly corn. However, they always job you on this item and I was ready for it. The fish was pretty good. We used to quote some movie where some guy said "Hey Coolidge, shave with an axe?". I could ask the same question on how they cut the tuna. That said, it was a big surprise and I recommend it. I lucked out on what I assumed were going to be two missions of pity in a sleepy beach town. I liked them both for different reasons. One was classic and one was hip. Choose your poison.

The Grille at Riverview, New Smyrna Beach

I went to this restaurant on Flagler and the intercoastal (behind the hotel) Sunday afternoon. It's under the drawbridge. I liked it alot. It's a big place (100 inside and out). I was told (Sentinel) to try the cheeseburger. It was good. I wanted it medium rare, but, it was well done. It was a nice size and the cheese was melted properly. The veg and bun were fresh. It came with fries or potato salad. I chose potato salad and it was good. I think they had slivers of sweet potato in it. The meal cost $10. They also had a nice brunch menu and I checked the dinner menu and it was extensive. This is old school dining, but, not ossified. The place looks similarly. It has the bones of an older restaurant with some flourishes. It has alot of brick. The deck is nice. The view is great. The service was polite. I would do without the live "warbler", but, I guess the manager has to have someone to sleep with. Prices reflect its probable positioning as the town's most enduring fine dining alternative. Don't worry about a dress code for brunch (at least) though.

Club Crawl - Downtown: Sideshow, Aero and Olde 64

These places are all new and replaced One Eyed Jack's, Sky Bar, Bar-B-Q and Eye Spy. I went on Saturday night.

9-9:30pm: Sideshow - They did a great job here. It has freak show art. The bar is huge and in the middle. It was totally full of FSU fans. I could have stayed here, but, it was so packed and I had to try the other.

9:30pm-12am: Aero - It looks almost the same as Sky. They redid the "cabanas". They connected the old Eye Spy and Bar-B-Q to here, so, I bounced between the three. It started getting a mixed crowd at 11pm. The free cover seems to brought in a different crowd.

Olde 64 - This replaces Bar-B-Q. It was almost identical in look and crowd. It collected the "whitey" hipster crowd. The smoking policy ruined it for me. I'm not sure if the Eye Spy part has a different name. The layout is the same. The back rooms have some interesting decor. One has old fashioned TV's and one is all big TV's. The music mash ups were kind of poorly chosen.

*It seems like most of the clubs have discontinued covers and raised drink prices.

Chicago's Stuffed Pizza, Downtown - Closed

I tried this new (2 months) Italian restaurant on the train tracks at Church St on Saturday night. Of the two prospective restaurants I wanted to go to, one (Red Cafe or something) was out of business and a new one on N. Magnolia wasn't open yet or couldn't be found. This place is in that space in the back of Hamburger Mary's. It's a plastic menu kind of place. I had a pan pizza despite the 30 minute wait time. They softened the blow with free cheesy breadsticks. They were fine. However, I was full by the time the pizza arrived. It was just as well because the pizza was like a cheese pot pie. I have to acknowledge that I don't count this as pizza to begin with and have never had one that made me happy. Pizza must be done Neopolitan style. Flat. I know I just lost the Mid West. This one had a very cracker like "shell". It was an "individual" size with sausage. It costs $9, but, they added $1 for the sausage. They didn't state that when ordering and the menu is likewise silent on the topic. That said, it was a pretty hospitable place. In addition to the free app, the beer was also being sold at happy hour prices ($2). They had enough wait staff. Three for the outdoor patio. The place has an unfortunate layout. It's a serpentined dining room that can't accommodate alot of indoor seating. It also causes them to put tables in odd places. It fills a niche, but, I doubt I would return. I don't love the main attraction and I'd doubt the regular Italian dishes are world class. Plus it just killed my night. Those globs of cheese and bread just sapped all my energy. I'd leave it to the great pale masses from the Big Ten. However, a woman from Ohio told another table that she didn't consider this real deep dish pizza.

Public House, UCF Area

This (Friday night) was supposed to be a pub crawl consisting of the aforementioned, Knight's Pub and the Mad Hatter. The Mad Hatter (and the place next to it) is shuttered. Knight's Pub wanted $10 for that dump. KP is near the intersection of University and Alafaya if you are interested. It's been there forever. There is a new Bar Louie across the street now. Culpepper's is now something called B&B something or other.

Public House wasn't bad. It's a craft beer spot. The selection was good. They had a band playing. It had a brand new interior. It was about half packed. The crowd was a little more seasoned than in the college bars. It's at the end of that strip mall on the right of the end of University. You have to watch out for the west entrance that says Collegiate Way because it comes up fast. You must drive through a housing development that looks like a motel.

100 Montaditos, UCF Area - Closed

I had dinner at this Spanish restaurant in that big outdoor mall on Alafaya Trail in Waterford Lakes on Friday. It's in the back by the movie theater. I thought "montaditos" would be something like rebel fighters, but, it is a sub-section of Spanish gastronomy that seems to relate to tiny sandwiches and/or little snacks. I was in Spain last spring and I don't recall that word being thrown around. Who knows? Anyway, they really have 100 montaditos. Actually that is a lie. They have more. They have 100 mini sandwiches. They also have 2 platters (of 9 options), 5 appetizers, 4 salads, and beer, wine, sangria and a drink called "clara".  They also have sodas, coffee and water. Refills are free. And get this. The most expensive sandwich is $3. Five are $1. Fifteen are $1.50. Twenty are $2. Forty are $2.50. They call their rolls "chapata". They are around five inches long. They are like a mini-baguette. Almost REALLY good. I can't even get into what comes on them. I had the whole $1 section. That was - serrano ham, chorizo, salchichon (cured sausage), lomo (dry cured pork loin), and chistorra (basque style sausage) with piparra (peppers). They say the source from Spain. I also had a shrimp one for $1.50. It was way too much. I "boxed" three of them. The fillings (minus the shrimp) were all more than respectable. If I lived near here, I would go maybe every other day. I think it's a chain. I want one. In my house! The wine and some of the beer is all Spanish. The place is counter ordering, but, it looks like a real Spanish tapas bar. You'd swear it wasn't manufactured. It seats around sixty. It was pretty full. This is a real find. It rocks the scales on value and is still kind of novel with respect to the cultural experience. They just put all fast food places on notice. I hope they make all of them pick up their game. Extinguishing a few of them in the process wouldn't bother me either. It is a joke that a place like Subway is a dynamo and this place is barely a whisper. Subway is just the most egregious example. This place crushes any sandwich chain in existence.

Pammie's Sammies, Universal Area

I grabbed a chicken salad sandwich to go from this spot on Turkey Lake almost across from Dr. Phillips High School on Friday. You can't see the place from the road. It is at the back of the mostly untenanted office building near the Universal administration entrances (look for the Hess station). The sandwich cost $8. It was very good. It came on good wheat bread. It consisted of chunks of fresh chicken breast. It also had walnuts. The field greens were a little wilted. It came with really good potato salad and a pickle. The sandwich may be better if served on a baguette. The chicken falls out. It is a cute place that seats around twenty. They have two rooms. They also offer barbeque, burgers, salads, soups and flat bread pizzas. They also have breakfast, coffee and smoothies. Most things are under $9. It seems like alot is made from scratch. They have been open for three years. It would be in my weekly rotation if I lived near here.

A-Aki Sushi and Steakhouse, Florida Mall Area

I grabbed a roll lunch special to go from this new Hibachi/Sushi spot on Sand Lake near the mall on Friday. I got talked into it because it was before 3pm and they offered a 15% discount. That was nice, but, I later saw a sign for $1 sushi after 3pm. The rolls stunk. I had a salmon roll and an Alaskan roll (salmon, avocado and cucumber). The salmon may have been the worst I've ever had. It had no flavor. None. It looked like smoked salmon. It was cut so haphazardly that it looked like they used their hands. It came with a miso soup and a salad for $8. The place (an old Smokey Bones) is large. It must seat over 100+. One side is a bar area with seats, one is a hibachi room and the middle is a dining room with the small sushi bar at the back. It's a modern black motif. It looks like they spent a lot of money poorly. It looks nice at first glance, but, you see the bad contracting the longer you stare. I was there at an odd hour, so, it was pretty empty. I just sensed a hint of desperation in the management already. A space that big can't come cheap. I would be surprised if they get a reputation for quality, but, can't we say that about most sushi places that do hibachi. It may find a home with the non-discerning segment of the population.

Froots, Florida Mall

I had a caffe americano for $2 at this smoothie stand in the mall near OBT and Sand Lake on Friday. I wasn't about to join the legions of imbeciles that pay $6 for a smoothie. I just saw a comedian on Fallon do a set on how you need to take out a loan for a smoothie habit. He is dead on. An even stupider addiction than coffee. Avoid.