Grub Crawl - John Young Pkwy And Sand Lake Rd Area: House of Pho and Latin Square

I grabbed a meal to go at these two places in the strip mall at the intersection of Sand Lake and John Young on Monday.

House of Pho - I wanted to compare and contrast them with the pho I had on Sunday. In their favor, it didn't lead to repeated trips to the toilet. Now, for a HOUSE of Pho, it is really just a pan-Asian restaurant. Their entree section is largely Chinese and the only other Vietnamese stuff is rice and noodle dishes. I tried the fried pork spring rolls for $5 (all apps are $5) and a brisket, flank and tendon pho (small) for $9. The rolls (3) were spongy. Too much pork. More like an egg roll. The pork had little flavor. The pho was fine. A little less meat than the other place. I did get a recognizable tendon though. The meat was good. They use a thin rice noodle. The vegetables were standard fare and fresh. It's a big room. Prices were in line. Some interesting things on the menu are: goat hot pot and shrimp and honey glazed walnuts. They have been open for a year. They close at 9pm and not a second later. I tried to get something to go a few months ago and they denied me.

Latin Square - While walking to my car, I saw them and didn't want to travel back here again for a run through. It turns out that I had been to there original location downtown already. However, the $5 quarter chicken with side (a huge serving of roasted potatoes in my case) is worth a repeat visit any time. The chicken (large bird) was good. side of chimichurri sauce. The potatoes as well. They also have a separate Venezuelan menu. The standard menu had PR, Cuban and Latin American fare. This location has been open for a year. The place is all new. It has a buffet line type ordering process. Great value. Big selection. They also do breakfast. Not sure about dinner.

*John Young in this area is under construction. Ingress and egress to the area is more complicated than ever.

Lafayette's, I Drive

I had lunch at this two year old Cajun spot at Pointe Orlando on Monday. It is on the second level across from Adobe Gila's in the old Lulu Bait Shack spot. It was ok. Too chain-y/theme-y for me. It has the usual Cajun menu. I had the one dish that seemed a bit refined. It was Paneed (Breaded) Chicken in a lemon caper sauce with a side salad of arugula and cherry tomato for $15. Kind of like a Milanese. It was ok. A small piece of pounded breast (paillard) in a light batter. Fresh salad. A lot of capers. The fried coating did mush up in the sauce. Service was a bit inattentive. A soda was $3. They had an industrial strength fan blowing on your neck even though it was temperate inside. They start the tip recommendations at 18%. It looks nice. Lots of free space. Two sections and a patio. A bar in between. Not my scene.

*There is a southern restaurant across the way called Itta Bene. It seemed interesting (rabbit fricasse). Only open at night. The piano bar scares me though.

Grub Crawl - Longwood: Pho 4 U and Shiraz Market (Moved to 17-92 and 434)

I grabbed food to go from these places on Sunday. One of them gave me salmonella. I was betting that it was the first place (lots of possibly poorly washed raw vegetables), but, I'm feeling a recurrence of the shit storm after eating the rice from the second place today.

Pho 4 U - I ordered a pork skin bahn mi and a brisket, flank, tendon and tripe pho to go. Now, I have never had the pork skin before and either it is not very "skin-y" or they gave me the grilled pork. It was good whatever it was. The bun looked like they tried to extend its life by wetting it down and nuking it. It was crispy anyway. The pork was cut into noodle like slivers. Tasty. It cost $4.50. Makes you want to fire bomb fast food sandwich shops and their over priced slop. The pho didn't have the tendon or tripe. There was some kind of soft white thing that maybe is soft tendon. The meat was plentiful and of a good quality. It's so amazing how one cut (brisket) from the same animal can be brown and the other (flank) gray. They use a wide flat (linguine size) rice noodle. The broth was good. The vegetables were fresh. Especially the basil. I do think I am going to wash them from now on though. Just in case. It cost $9 for the medium (their smallest). They are in a building on 17-92 near 434 that probably was a fast food restaurant at one time. The place looked clean. Not very posh. There were a few normal people eating there. I think they have been open for five months. They offer the usual Vietnamese menu. It is hard to find a pho/bahn mi combo place. It's a good value.

Shiraz Market - They took over the corner building on Ronald Reagan Blvd (near the tracks on 434) that used to have a little Mexican market and kitchen. They serve up to ten dishes and have a market with interesting Middle Eastern goods. I will have to buy the honey comb, sour pistachio nuts and watermelon seeds at some point. I believe the name means they are Iranian. I tried a beef kebab with jasmine rice and a roasted tomato for $7 and a lamb gyro for $7. The beef was cooked to medium and had a mild flavor. The rice was cooked perfectly. The gyro was comprised of tzatziki, lettuce, tomato, sour pickle and thinly sliced lamb "loaf". It was also not seasoned to death. I'm not sure if they make it in house. It came in a fresh lavoush instead of a pita. The tzatziki wasn't overloaded. It was a nuanced gyro. Now, like I said, something I ate on Sunday (that had a lot of vegetables in it) desperately wanted to confabulate with my toilet (and maybe float to sea or that inter-coastal that we sent all the shit through after Irma). It certainly didn't want to spend one second more in my body than it had to. I'd hate to think it was either of these because I liked the food. I will try both again at some point. This place is more of a carry out place. They have one table with six chairs and it is cramped. They have been there for one year.

*I do have to make mention of the interminable time it seems to take for road construction in the city. we all know the ever worsening ridiculousness of the I-Sore, but, the 17-92 project (near The Senator tree) must be in year ten. Is it just graft? Sand Lake Rd near John Young is now under construction too. It took them forever to do what they did on OBT and 434. An investigation would seem proper.

Pub Crawl - Downtown: Mather's Social Gathering, Lion's Pride (Closed) and Orange County Brewers (Closed)

I tried these bars Saturday night.

Mather's Social Gathering - This is one of those cocktail/speak easy type bars ala Hansen's Shoe Repair and the Herman's Insurance one. It is on the second floor of a building aside from the one that used to house Cairo (on S. Magnolia). There is a bar on the corner now called Shots. It was interesting. A little closer to cheesy interactive dinner theater with the hidden door handle, piano bar and the natttily attired type writing ad lib poet. However, they did seem to spend enough to make it an experience. There is a bar area (cramped) on the right as you enter and couches along the left wall. It's decorated in knack knacks and flea market bric a brac. I'm not Southern so I don't know what type of place it is meant to recreate. It reminded me of a set from a Tennessee Williams play. The crowd and the place were a little mismatched. I would envision Auburn or Clemson alumni (maybe even Rollins) and scions relaxing in this atmosphere. Instead there was a multiplicity of poorly dressed middle aged I-95ers. It's also a little weird to match up the (probably Venezuelan) elevator girl and the Hispanic door guy with this aestetic. They are the first thing you experience and if the roles were reversed people would be screaming about cultural appropriation. Nevertheless, it is something we have to get used to as we become Atlanta/Miami. The cocktails were all around $15. They were pretty stiff. There was a menu with a small selection. I can't imagine what liberties they take with the bill if you order off the menu. All in all it was pretty good (and I hate cocktail bars). It seems to be first come first served on the couches. If you have a big group and can milk the clock with conversation, it would probably make for a nice evening (like lounging in a lobby bar). Time goes more slowly if you are there by yourself. I think they have been open for around a year. No Cover. Had a line down the block (close to capacity inside) when I left.

Lion's Pride - They are across from Hamburger Mary's on the tracks on Church St. They opened in May. It is an excellent sports bar. It looks like a sports hall of fame, They spent too much on it. It sparkles. It's so white. They have tvs everywhere. The liquor selection is expansive. The prices (especially Scotch) were the most reasonable I have seen downtown. They serve food. It has two levels. They have special viewing parties for major league and college sporting events (and of course soccer). You can rent out private spaces. They even sell Lions trinkets. It's like they took a stadium vip bar and moved it off site. I like it better than Jay-Z's 50/50 club. If that still exists. It closed at eleven though.

Orange County Brewers - They have been open for two months. The owner has some kind of past affiliation with Shipyard and Seadog beer. It's in the old Mini Cooper (Fiat?) space on Orange. Cafe Annie was close by at one time. The beer is on the lower end of the local selections. I have never loved Shipyard or Seadog beer, so, I hope this isn't what it will always taste like. They had a blonde ales that was good. I often find that new breweries have trouble with complexity and balance when they open. This batch was over hopped in places and watery elsewhere. Not a lot of taste sensations. But, the place looks great. A flight (5) was $12. They have a brick pizza oven. They serve other things as well. The staff was willing to have an interchange. They had knowledge of the product. The place has tvs (sports). And it's closer than WOB. And far enough from the Orange Ave riff raff. I don't think people have discovered it yet. They were closing at midnight.

Muddy Waters, Thornton Park - Closed

I tried this Cajun spot where Mucho used to be (on S. Eola Dr) on Saturday for dinner. I had a disappointing meal at their first place (Two Chefs), so, I wasn't encouraged when the look of the menu was almost the same. I settled in on Shrimp and Grits because it was one of the more reasonably priced dishes ($18). It was the right call. The grits were cooked perfectly. They had a nice cheese essence. It was full of andouille. The shrimp (5) were pretty good. A little slippery, but, a nice size and not overcooked. It was hard to knife off the tails though. The bowl they come in isn't conducive to surgery. There were also some sauteed mushrooms and a hot sauce in the recipe. A big portion. They have been open for nine months. They kept the layout the same and changed out the decor. Like I said, the prices are a little high. Over $20 for many of the mains. The have an oyster bar and a bar bar. I think I read that the chef with the Louisiana roots runs this place and the Florida chef is at the old restaurant. Wine selection was low end.

Orlando Meats, Mills Ave Area

I had a medium rare cheeseburger at this meat market on Virginia Dr yesterday at lunch. It was well done. It also came with an overly salty garlic aoli and a "XO flavored bacon" that looked and tasted like pate. They serve it on a "french" bread that looked liked ciabatta. Probably one known simply as Freanch rustic square bread. You could taste anything over the aoli. I scraped it off. That helped a little. The "bacon" was a distraction. The cheese was overwhelmed. I don't see why they would add all that jazz to a burger. Who wants it? You are at a meat shop. You are there for quality meat I would suspect. Let a lesser establishment hide the meat. You should use your meals to market your meat. Let your meat swing freely.

They seemed to be to busy to press the meat into a patty and it would separate along the "ridge" lines. I often do this myself when I don't want to get my hands dirty/greasy. I just cut out a square of ground meat out of the "lump" of ground meat with my burger flipper and toss it on the grill or in the pan. I shouldn't do that (it cleaves in layers when I try and flip it) and neither should they. They compliment the burger with home made chips. They are very light and fried in beef tallow or marrow, but, they are too salty and I think they were so sharp that they cut up my throat. They add a pickle spear. It cost $12 and a soda was only $1.

It is mostly a meat shop/butcher. They have around a dozen meal options. The restaurant part has been open for two months. It looks great. Hipster appeal. They offer challenging things like pigs feet fritters and pork torchon (dish towel). The torchon a a sister of a terrine. It was/is made by wrapping the meat in a towel or cloth. It started as a foie gras preparation. I'd like to see a little better execution, but, I liked it. It's in between Matador and Santiago's Bodega. They are open every day except Monday.

Grub Crawl - Tavares: O'Keefe's Irish Pub, Ruby Street Grille and Lake Dora Sushi and Sake

I ate at these three places on the lake at lunch on Friday. They all are on or near Main St. You take St Clair St off 441 to get there. They were on that Sentinel list that I have referenced before.

O'Keefe's Irish Pub - I had a potato baxty with smoked salmon for $15. It was a mound of mashed potatoes (like a knish) with a baked coating. It also came with shredded onion and sour cream. It was very tasty. It made laugh to think that the Nova Supreme (bagel and salmon with veg) may be a rip off of an Irish recipe. Especially when I think back on how often my Irish classmates would call me a Yid for ordering one. Then again, maybe O'Keefe's is the one who was inspired by the Supreme. The rest of the menu is normal pub food (sandwiches and burgers). They had three or four more Irish specialties. They have been there for 33 years. They have a patio that faces the lake. The main room is split by a wine storage "wall". The bar is in the rear. The place is lined with mugs with patrons names on them. Beer mirrors and posters make up the majority of the remaining decoration. It was clean. Not smoky.

Ruby Street Grille - I was going to rip them apart and then I wasn't and now I might. It's not as cute as it might sound. The place stunk of Febreeze covering something worse. I went in and then left for O'Keefe's. I came back only to get something to go that would knock this off the list. I settled on the daily special (pulled pork and beans and potato salad and bread) because everything else was overpriced and mundane and might have forced me to smell the air longer. It cost $9. The portion was huge. Three servings. Probably trying to ditch it before it spoiled. It was edible. Probably that shredded pork that comes in a plastic bag. WAY too much sauce. Hidden calories. I am ashamed of the caloric intake. The potato salad was also from a bag. I saw them scooping in from the mother ship. I didn't eat the beans. So, big portion, average food. It was a wash. But...I got a really sore throat the next day and feel a little flu-zy today. It could be the place I had lunch the next day or their razor edged chips plus my hangover or it was something here. I hate to cast aspersions, but, the throat thing happened to quick after lunch the next day for me to point my finger that way. Now, maybe I'll feel better tomorrow and decide this wasn't the flu. If I do, I'll amend the post. The place isn't very nice looking. The art inside is particularly bad. The deck may be what you come for. It seemed like one of the "bad house band" joints. It has been there for nine years.

Lake Dora Sushi and Sake - I grabbed a three roll special to go and was very pleased. If the quality of their "real" sushi is as good as these "entry" rolls. then they really have something. Especially since the pieces were priced at around $2-$3. My combo (with miso soup) cost $9. The rolls were medium size cut into eight pieces. Now I could get nit picky and say that the cuts were not uniform, but, I will concentrate on the good. The rice was properly prepared. It had very little to no vinegar. The tuna in the spicy tuna roll was discards, but, they weren't cat food and weren't pureed into a paste. You could taste and feel the tuna. The salmon in the Alaska roll was good enough. They (thankfully) added just a smear of cream cheese (not a caloric cube). The avocado in the avocado roll was fresh. The wasabi was fresh. I ate it all as soon as I got home. Now, I had been jones-ing for sushi for about a week, but, that has to count for something. And compared to what you get at the supermarket for $9, this is a steal. The owners are Japanese. There were two framed articles outlining their thoughts on the place (positive). I can't say you have to come this far for it, but, if you live here then you could have drawn worse lots. I also liked that they are wise enough to sense a marketing opportunity. They add a wrapper to their chopsticks sleeve that has there contact info. The also serve up hot items including soba. The place has a sushi abr and a main room. It is decorated in a funky way.

*There was also an ok looking bar (Bru) and a coffee place (something Bear) and an ice cream shop near these spots. And the sea planes.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: The Polite Pig and Paddlefish

I grabbed a sandwich to go at the first one during lunch and grabbed a quick dinner later on at the second on Thursday.

The Polite Pig - I had a smoked chicken salad sandwich for free because their register broke down. They demanded I take it on the the house. How can you refuse (or ignore) such hospitality. I think it would have cost me $12. It was pretty good. The chicken was in slices (not cubes). It was mixed with grapes. The problem with it was mostly bun related. I don't like the way many brioche buns fall apart.They also throw in a pickle quarter. The place is modern. They have a patio. I thought it would be a bit bigger and not a serve yourself endeavour. I'm happier that it is the way it is (less fuss). It is located right to the right of the escalator at the lime parking structure. They open at 11am. They also have pork and brisket and a fried and smoked chicken sandwich. They also do platters and sides. It's from the Ravenous Pig people (Petrakis). It;s their version of 4 Rivers.

Paddlefish - I don't see why they felt the need. It's almost exactly like The Boathouse. The redo seemed half ass. Some areas (especially the top deck) seemed badly renovated. Maybe it is already worn after one summer. And the layout is weird. They wanted to exploit the "views", but, their architectural design makes the whole middle off limits. This separates all the other areas into separate rooms. No flow. I'm sure they'll say they meant to, but, I think it is a mistake. It feels claustrophobic/cramped. And all the money they spent (where they spent it) still only succeeds in making you think you are on a cruise ship. I would it have left it as it was. If it had rot or termites then repair and replace and leave it looking like a working Mississippi river boat. Don't try and recreate it as a pre-war luxury liner. The place has three levels. The top is a bar/open area. I sat at the front bar on the first level because that is what you see when you enter. There is no indication that there are other bars or other levels. I had two appetizers because I wasn't hungry and everything else is about twice as expensive as it should be. $40 to $60 is what they want you to spend per person per entree. I had the charred octopus for $15 and the ahi poke for $16. The octopus was pretty good (two arms) atop cannelloni beans and a few slices of chorizo. It would have been better if it came out of the kitchen less meteorically. That means that they pre-cooked everything and just plated it. I prefer my food made to order at this price point. The poke was terrible. I imagine some manic idiot with two squeeze bottles (one with soy sauce and one with yuzu) prematurely ejaculated a a mouthful of their contents into my tuna's tits. And then he topped this pearl necklace with some sea salt. Weak. To recap - I love the thought of dining on a river boat. I liked the old Fulton's Landing (or whatever it was called). I would have preferred they had left it as it was if this was their plan. It duplicated a niche. It's not a value. It's comically filled with riff raff (in an quasi-elegant environment). There doesn't appear to be any concern over the quality of the food. And (unsurprisingly) the food (at least some) is not cooked to order. Almost any of the other restaurants in Disney Springs is a better option. Maybe go for a drink on the upper deck if they don't try and rip you off there as well. Unlikely.

Advocare Invitational, Disney

It's here again. 8 teams. $30 per session. Free Parking. At HP Fieldhouse at ESPN location. I went on Thursday. Only Sunday games are left to go to.

Too Much Sauce, Mills Ave

I grabbed a Luau Pork Bowl to go at this new (one month) fast casual place today. It replaces Giraffa Burgers in the strip mall on Mills Ave (and Virginia) that has the Whole Foods (I think that's the market). It is like a Noddles & Co (I think I have that name right). They use rice and/or quinoa instead of pasta. They try and space out the flavors so a multitude of cuisines are represented. Or you can mix and match. The ingredients aren't mundane. They offer some unique items like cauliflower rice and baby bella mush. My bowl wasn't bad. The rice was good. The pineapple pulled pork was over sauced, but, otherwise acceptable. It also came with sweet potato fries, a green salad and steamed green beans. They were fresh. The serving size was large. It cost $8. Not bad for an assembly line. They also have ice cream bowls for around $4. They aren't a chain. I liked it more than I thought I would. And I thought it would be an Italian place based on the name.

*I need the address (for you) some possibly bad or changed info I copied from the Orlando Weekly over the year. Maybe you are confused as well. I wrote down that a pizza place called Chalaten was to open around Lake Ivanhoe. I've driven around for months (and Googled) and there is no evidence of it. Similarly with a Pho place (Pho #7) on 50 near Mills. It is there, but, it has been closed the two times I've tried it. The phone number says it has been disconnected and a store owner nearby says they are closed. I've given up on them. I also think that place at the intersection of Virginia and Orange at Lake Ivanhoe (Nova?) has closed. It looked deserted while I drove by.

**I also meant to add that I'm thinking of opening my own (similarly sounding) place. It would be called Too Much Saus-ich.

Reyes Mezcaleria, Downtown

I went to this Mexican restaurant on N Orange Ave (the old Citrus locale - north of 50) today at lunch. I had three starters. Raw Chesapeake Oysters at $12. Red Snapper Ceviche at $12. Tuna Tostada at $9. The oysters were the worst. I think they pre-shuck them. There were only five and they lost all their liquor on the way to the table. I just saw a thing on oysters and they said that the wholesale price is 60 to 90 cents. They sell them for $2.40. The ceviche was very good. Maybe the best I've ever had. Lots of fish. A mild leche. Some little quirks like thinly shaved green olive, cubes of jicama and thick golden tortilla chips sprinkled with sugar. The ceviche also had some jalapeno and red onion and very fresh avocado. A real winner. It could be an entree. The tuna was very fresh and plentiful. Cut in thin squares. They topped it with a spicy dust that was a distraction. This quality of fish doesn't need masking. The tostada was crisp and supported avocado, crema and cilantro. The place has the same foot print as Citrus. They tinkered around the edges (decor). It looks crisp and modern. The guy from Saito Sushi and Osprey Tavern runs it. It has been open for five months. The clientele was hip, young and well heeled. It seats over one hundred. They have a large private room and patio. The one criticism (other than underperforming oysters and unnecessary spicing) centers on the service. My waiter forgot my soda order and then disappeared until the tostada was presented. Other wait staff had to bring out the oysters and ceviche for him. He then disappeared again until the end of the meal. He only offered a refill (made necessary by the spicy tuna) after everything was consumed. I needed it half way through the meal. I have a new passive aggressive response to the "late refill". Say that you want it and then just leave it there untouched. And adjust tip accordingly of course. Parking is a bitch around there, but, I recommend it. The rest of the lunch menu was pretty standard high end Mexican. The dinner is probably more ambitious. They also do the tequila/mezcal thing. I found them much better than F&D Cantina for instance (who may not be updating the prices on their menu).

Grub Crawl - Mount Dora: Let's Do, Fiesta Grande and Magical Meat Boutique

I tried these three restaurants at lunch in downtown today. None of which were on the original agenda.

Let's Do - They refer to themselves as a Maine Lobster Roll restaurant. I tried one. I am always apprehensive about ordering these because they are so expensive and usually not fresh nor overflowing with lobster. I was especially so after another unsatisfactory experience yesterday in Minneapolis (never trust Triple D). However, I was yearning for some seafood/sushi and they price reasonably. I had the roll/soup/side special for $16 ($13 alone). The soup was NE clam chowder. It was probably Chunky in the can. I had a celery and skin on potato salad as the side. It could have been made in house. It was fine. The lobster roll was acceptable (a feat). The butter they used on the roll wasn't rancid. Probably butter. I would guess the meat came from an under one pound lobster. I had a piece of claw and it was tiny (but sweet). The majority of the remainder was leg meat. Now, I go to town on a lobster and pull/squeeze all the meat out of those tiny legs with my teeth. I'm not sure how many people make that effort (and know the taste of the meat). I like the meat. Some may feel cheated if their roll is comprised of them. I felt there was enough meat (and it was fresh enough) and the price point is where it should be. I think $15-16 should be the limit. And that should come with a sea/bay side view. I'd rather wait until I'm at a place that can give me that than pay through the nose for a bad imitation. This place comes as close as I have seen (not just in Florida) of offering a fresh product at a price you would see at the source. The place is not much to look at. Ten or eleven tables and a Chinese paper wall separating the grill and the dining room. They said they have been open for two years (name on window for just one month). They also serve hot dogs, eight sandwiches, milkshakes and soup. They are right on the main street (426 N Donnelly St).

Fiesta Grande - This is a Mexican (more Tex-Mex) restaurant up the hill one street on North Baker St. I had the lunch special three (taco, enchilida, burrito) for $8 (or more because the total was $8,83 and that seem like they add 10% tax if not). I had the trio to go. They were all pretty mediocre to bad. The enchilada was empty and smothered in a pasty, bland "cheese". The tacos (they gave me a second possibly because they knew the screwed up the enchilada) were comprised of a tasteless, milled ground beef with lettuce and tomatoes. The chicken burrito was all shredded chicken covered with that foul cheese. The place looks like any other mid-range Mexican chain. They had a patio. It seemed to be a hit with the locals. They had a pretty extensive and predictable plastic menu.

Magical Meat Boutique - I tried a Lady Haddock meal to go for $9. It was a filet of fried fish with chips (fries). Both were ok. This is another meal I rarely have success with. The fish was still moist (a little fishy). The batter mostly stuck to the fish. It wasn't too oily. The chips were crispish (hard at that thickness). They have a lovely story about originally being in London/Camden Town (since 1500's as a butcher shop and 1960's as a hippie enclave) and emigrating here with the lore and latest generation. They dress the place up with English props (phone booth, Beatles stuff, etc). It has a patio/deck that abuts the historic train and tracks. The menu has some interesting traditional English fare (like battered sausages) and a group of semi-expensive ($13 and up) burgers. They serve breakfast until 11am. They close at midnight on week days and 2am on weekends. The mostly English beer selection is pretty cheap ($6) compared to many places (up to $9). It's a fun place and I would suggest it. They seem to take the culinary aspect seriously. It has been on W 3rd Ave for three years.

Out Of The Woods BBQ, Umatilla

I went here around a week ago to try a place listed in an old Sentinel article (Gator Den) that is no longer here. This food truck was there and since they had a pulled pork sandwich for $4, I decided to give them a try. It was meh. Sloppy. Over sauced. Stale hamburger bun. I can't describe the quality of the pork. It was overwhelmed. The portion was generous and the guy seemed to care. Perhaps you will have better luck. It's in a trailer park called Nelson's Outdoor Resort. It is on some kind of water way that I don't think is the St Johns. The address is 19400 SE 42. You take the directions I gave you to Eustis and then turn left onto SR 42. It's a nice drive. He also serves ribs, chicken, hot dogs and sides.

Grub Crawl - Eustis: The Crazy Gator and Barnwood BBQ

I had lunch at these places near the lake around a week ago. The first is on the street that runs north and south on the east side of the lake. The second is at a train crossing on that street (N Bay St) called West Orange Ave. It is a few blocks south. As I have said in the past, a way to get here from Orlando is to take I-4 to 46W to 441W/N to 19N. The first restaurant was in that Sentinel article. The other was one I found (but was never open) a few excursions ago.

The Crazy Gator - It's not much food wise. Your basic bar fare. I settled on chicken fingers and fries for $9 because I needed to eat while driving and the rest of the menu was yawn inducing. The fingers took a while to prepare. I think they forgot. There were three of them. They were plump tenderloins. They packed the wrong dipping sauce. The fries were half cooked and dripping with oil (one reason why I think they forgot about my order). They had that horrible starch coating. Don't go for the food. The only reason (unless the bar gets rollicking) to go is to see what they haven't ruined of the old provisions building they are located in. And the nice view of the lake. Open since 2000.

Barnwood BBQ - This as a combo bbq and cafe. I had a brisket sandwich for $7. It was very good. The best in the area. It had a smoky (almost chipotle like) bark that had hints of Hungarian paprika. It was a thick bark. Dark and silky. I believe they served me the burnt ends. If not, it was a cut close to the surface. The bun was sweet. I really enjoyed it. Some might have found it a bit dry, but, I think it was just the cut I received. It came with a sauce that I didn't try. They also bbq other meats. Ribs, chicken and pork. The "cafe" menu had burgers, sandwiches, etc. They do breakfast. They are closed on the weekends. I forget when they open and close during the days they are open. It looks like a little "granny cafe". It seats about 40. They also sell a variety of swag (including t-shirts, honey, rubs, etc). It has been open for three years. They will be on the Favorites list.

AJ's Press, Longwood - Closed

I was originally in this area yesterday for this newcomer. It is the brother location of a one off Tampa based sandwich shop that somehow is/was the number 4 "top 100 places to eat" nationally in 2017. Now the sandwich I had was good, but, I'm not even sure they are the fourth best sandwich shop in Orlando. I had AJ's Cuban because it seemed like one of the more complex sandwiches (another reason why the ranking is questionable and hopefully not purchased). It cost $9.49 (for the larger one) and consists of two slices of pit style ham, four slices of Cantimpalo chorizo, slow roasted pork, jack cheese, pickles, mustard and mayo. It comes on a pressed 'locally baked" Telera roll (smaller size comes on a Bolillo roll at $7.49). It was good. I liked that the chorizo wasn't thickly sliced or worse - loose. The ham was good. The pork can be described as Carolina style (vinegar). I'm not sure if they roast it with vinegar or add that later to moisten it. The serving size could have been more generous. Maybe a hardball's worth. It comes with good home fried "lattice" potato chips. Think waffle cut fries. The other sandwiches that are a bit interesting (I'm reaching) are a brisket at $11 and a crunchy chicken at $9.49 (for the larges). The Grilled Chicken BLT, Chipotle Grilled Chicken, Sonora Bacon Dog, Roasted Mushroom, Burger, Mojo Pork, BLT, Grilled Cheese, Ham and Cheddar and Fish sandwiches didn't really wow me. And that is the main issue I have with the place. It's pretty vanilla. They could use a bit more funk. They also serve all these items (and breakfast sandwiches) as bowls. The breakfast items come on potatoes. The lunch items on black beans. They have a few sides, soups and desserts. It's on 434 near the RR tracks (near Ronald Reagan Blvd). It took over the spot that was Zorba's and some other spot most recently. They give you a very good jalapeno hush puppy while you wait. They are amiable. I didn't have to wait long. A family run business. I'd go back alot if it wasn't in such a traffic nightmare. They are closed on Sunday (the one light traffic day) and 8-4pm on M-F and 9-3pm on Sa.

Jon Jovonni's Pollo A La Brasa, Longwood - Closed

I had lunch at this new (13 weeks) Peruvian restaurant on Ronald Reagan Blvd (near the light rail station on the north side) yesterday. I had the fish (corvino) ceviche for $14 and the 1/4 chicken lunch special for $7. The ceviche was ok. They said they add the lime juice as ordered, but, it seemed a little "cooked" for that. Who knows? Maybe the fish is a fast cook. The portion was large. It was topped with thinly sliced red onion. I usually don't order this dish because in addition to it rarely being prepared properly, the portion size is usually an appetizer's worth at an entree price. This was enough for a meal. They also tossed in some corn nuts, some big, boiled hominy and a half of a sweet potato. I was getting bored with the ceviche, so, I started mixing it with the potato and the hominy and it made the fish a little more interesting. I'm not sure if that is how it is supposed to be consumed. It's not intuitive. The hispanic cultures often just throw stuff on a plate that doesn't seem to be complementary but is maybe all that they have in the larder. They serve two other types of ceviche. The chicken is cooked "a la brasa" and was moist with crisp skin. It was very good. They may have used a jerk rub. The bird was smallish, so, I expect it wasn't "roided" up. Maybe even free range. Normal size. You can get white or dark meat pieces. It came with crisp fries, a can of soda and an acceptable, basic salad of lettuce and tomatoes. You can get it with rice and beans and without a soda ($5). The rest of menu is representative. Beef, chicken, pork, seafood. Around a three page menu. The place seats around forty. The color scheme was black and red. They have no decoration. They seem to be leaving the wall space clear for people to write on. You order at the counter and it is delivered. The co-owner is a ball of energy. They are open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Til 9 on Sn-Th and til 10 F and Sa. The last Peruvian place I believe I wrote about was Gaviota. They would probably consider themselves higher end than this. I would say that there isn't much difference. Especially for the 50 location. They seem to be trying and those lunch specials (the have others) are great. I just spent $7 for disappointing Chinese take out this afternoon. I'd go back.

Big Kahuna's, Winter Springs

I tried this newish (seven months) poke bowl place in the strip mall at Tuskawilla and Red Bug Lake Road (the one with Flanagan's Bar) last night. It fronts Tuskawilla. I had a traditional tuna bowl and a salmon bowl because I hadn't eaten since four in the afternoon of the previous day. The tuna bowl was ok. I asked for sesame oil. It would probably be less good their way. The tuna was a bit pale. It didn't taste off though. It came on top of rice with seaweed, onions and a few other things. There were temperature variations in the ingredients that affected the taste and mouth feel. Some things were too cold (almost frozen). They could iron that out. The rice was very good. Toothy. Right grain. Unfluffed. Superior to alot of sushi places in town. The salmon bowl came with edamame, seaweed, avocado, cucumber, ponzu and a few other things. The salmon looked fresh, but, was bland. Could probably use some soy. The avocado and soy beans had redundant flavor profiles. Maybe a contrast element instead? Both bowls were $10 and had alot of fish to them. $14 gets you 5 scoops. $10 gets you 3. They have five-ish pre-fab bowls and then you can make your own concoctions. The bases are tuna, salmon, shrimp (elbow macaroni sized), octopus, yellow tail and maybe ahi (I think they had two types). I think they had one veggie option. They also offer alot of sauces. I'm of the belief that this can be a dangerous thing. Think; eggs with ketchup, hot sauce on popcorn, ranch and pizza to name a few gastronomic liberties. I don't even like it when they offer up "choose your own sauces" with chicken wings. But, go ahead and experiment. The place reminded me of a paint your own pottery store for some reason. They make some attempt at appropriate decoration. It seats around twenty. It's an assembly line type set up. It was better than I expected, but could ratchet it up a notch with better sourced fish. Still a good value as it is. And it isn't a chain. Open until 9pm.

Austin's Buffet, Longwood

I tried this new buffet (one month) on 434 today at lunch. It replaces an Asian buffet and before that a Long Horn Steakhouse or something similar. The decor inside is western. I can't remember if the Asian place colored in around it or if these guys added it back. The place wasn't changed that much. It cost $11 and a soda was $2.50. They don't leave a line on the bill for tips. You are expected to leave them in cash. The food was average. It seems to have a different concentration each day. Today must have been Southern. It was mostly fried fish and poultry. I tried the fingers, fried chicken, fried chicken livers, fried pork chops, mashed potatoes, turkey, rolls, brownies, potato salad and salad. Nothing was particularly outstanding. The bread (the make it and probably the desserts in house) was yeasty and dense. I think it wasn't proofed or baked long enough. The brownie was not very chocolaty. I would say that the pork chop was the best. They also had two soups, a variety of sides, a quesadilla, a salisbury steak, fried fish and a few other things. If I'm in this area, I'd rather spend $8 at Koy Won sushi and worry less about the calories. This is like a Golden Corral. They open at 12pm (late for lunch?) and serve dinner. At least it isn't a vacant waste of space any longer. I'm sure it is some people's cup of tea.

F&D Cantina, Lake Mary

I had lunch at this new (one month) Mexican offshoot from F&D today. It is in the old World of Beer spot in that strip mall on 46A that has the Amstar movie theater. It was the mirror experience of my last post. It started out with reserved enthusiasm and eroded from there. The food was just poorly prepared. I could excuse the fact that it is just another modern Mexican addition to a thoroughly played out genre. But, there is no way I can support this level of carelessness. It's as if they don't have a quality control person at the pass. Half the items I sampled were in need of salt (or other listed components) and half were in need of restraint. I started with the trio of dips (so I could report on a host of things for you) at $10. Now considering that a whole order of guac is $12 and queso is $8 and salsa is $3 (not free), the $10 seemed reasonable. The guac was supposed to have serrano chiles. It didn't. That left no foil for the lime. It could have also used salt. Fresh but bland. The queso was "stadium" style and had way too much salt. Couple that with salty tortillas and it was offensive. The salsa was spicy and good. A bit of garlic. However, it was a bit foamy and watery. Like when I make it in a blender. I wonder if they are as bad at salsa prep as I am or if they didn't churn it enough before they scooped the less dense area of the cauldron. The chips were fresh. I had a main course of Floridian Fish (grouper) Tacos for $14. The fish tasted and smelled fishy. The moron in the kitchen also doused them in salt. Some dull cabbage slaw completed the dish. They came in raw flour tortillas even though the menu said corn. The drunken golden raisins (the main draw) were nowhere to be found. The aoili tasted like McDonald's buffalo sauce. I ate one and asked for the rest to go because I didn't want to cause a scene when I didn't eat the rest. The tacos came with black beans. They were undercooked/hard. Plus that is a bad pairing with fish especially when you add beef to the beans. You also get hosed if you come on a weekend. Their lunch pricing (around $3 less) doesn't apply. The rest of the menu is ordinary. Tacos, burritos, chimis, fajitas, enchiladas, quesadillas are all they aspire to. They have a few trendy (actually not at this point) like street corn and ceviche, but, they aren't breaking any new ground or bringing authenticity to the table. Oddly, they remind me of the Mexican place that F&D replaced. And they failed. The place looks great. Yet, not ground breaking there either. They have murals and paintings from that artist that does the hot chicks in "day of the dead" make up and those metal star light fixtures. I'm seeing that everywhere. They opened the kitchen. They have a big selection of tequila. Service was good. It seats about eighty. I'll try it once more. But, if they haven't worked out the kinks, I won't try again. There's no need to. These places are a dime a dozen. And God help them if they bring back the live music that made WOB insufferable. They get a F'ing D for this performance.

The Waterfront, Orlando (Closed)

I tried this hand off from Julie's on Tuesday night. It's at 4201 South Orange Ave. I was scripting a hatchet job in my head thirty minutes into my visit. And then they served the food. The original three strikes came when: I had to return to a visited location, the menu was routine and they had a warbler making it impossible to think (let alone talk) with his amp turned up to eleven in the main room. I won't even dwell the next three (double strike out): waitress that jumped down my throat before I had a second to peruse the menu and then didn't return for ten minutes after I had, the seemingly high prices for the meals they were offering and the fact that they did nothing to the decor (which wasn't stylish when the place opened years ago). However, as I was saying, The food (when it came a half an hour later) was delicious. I went with the fried chicken thigh with cheese grits because all the other stuff (sandwiches, burgers, fried catfish) was yawn inducing. It was dumb luck. For $13, I received two largish (made doubly large by the breading) thighs that were cooked beautifully. Skinless and boneless. Moist inside and with a perfect crust. A crust that I have often wished they (some entrepreneur) sold in bags. A crust that would be eaten like potato chips. Now, I don't mind a thick crust. Some may. Some may think it is employed to cheat the customer of his precious chicken. A fake out. I say that there was enough chicken for that man AND a "crustie monsters" like myself who will appreciate the extra "peelings" of crunch. There was so much chicken that I could only down one thigh. The other was partly eaten cold and partly reheated and was still good (both ways) the next day. The cheese grits were also wonderful. Probably stone ground. They also included some kale that was sauteed in garlic and something acidic. Very good. And kudos for using kale instead of spinach. The plating was a bit cramped. They put all that into a little porcelain skillet. It made it a little hard to get at the grits. And people who like to segregate their components will not like the cross contamination. The chef is from North Quarter Tavern. I liked my only visit there, so, I will wager all the other "boring" options are best of breed if he trained there. And maybe most people aren't as freaky as me and like the bread and butter dishes. If so, they will probably J(ay) Z all over themselves at The Waterfront. A regular guy menu prepared in an irregular (good) way. Most things are priced in the middle teens. They had some ahi apps that were around that price too. It seats around ninety in two inside rooms and a lakeside patio. It is owned by the Harry Buffalo et al people. It made the change from Julie's in February. I would go back. Maybe for fried catfish and ahi tartare?

*I tried a place written about in the Orlando Weekly before I came here. It was some seafood joint in a Sunoco off Hoffner and on Conroy (or Conway - I can't keep them straight). The guy at the station says he kicked them out five months ago. Now you are updated.