Caro-Bama Bar-B-Q, Downtown - Closed

On that same trip ten days ago, I stopped here for a to go meal. I had the Kitchen Sink for $12 to try as much as possible in one go. It is a sandwich comprised of brisket, pulled pork, chopped chicken, slaw, jalapenos and their two sauces. It also is supposed to have banana peppers, but, I passed. It was a huge sandwich.on a brioche aspiring bun. The brisket was excellent. Barky. Lean. The chicken was a fluffy disaster. As was the pork. They both seemed old. Like eating sawdust. Dry. Inorganic. The sauces are a sweet home sauce and a spicy Bama white sauce. Everything was jumbled together. It was hard to isolate the flavors. I had some before my trip and froze the rest for a week. It held up. Kinda. I had an issue on the plane after I ate the "fresh" batch. It may or may not have been the cause. I had another issue after eating the week old batch. It may or may not have been the cause. Let's hope that it was just found in bad company and not the prime agitator. My only worry is that the two components seemed so worn out and the place was kind of empty. Could they keep their meats around too long? Let me know. They are new. Four weeks. They are in the that space on North Orange that was a Canadian coffee joint most recently. I thought it was going to be in the old North Quarter Tavern spot. It is a few feet away. The menu is short. Three pulled pork renditions, one brisket, one chicken and one more melange. Four sides. Five Sauces. I think they kept the coffee machines. They did a little to the decor. I think some wood accents. Modern. Service was friendly. Counter ordering. Parking is a bitch. I used a side street with a train crossing. I liked the brisket and the portions. If they can fix the relatively simply chicken and pork preparation then we might have something. It will take another visit to sort this one out. Open only 11-3.

PR's, College Park

Back when things smelled like teen spirit and an anonymous miscreant was letting dogs out, a small coterie of establishments held sway in Winter Park Florida. These included Dexter's, Harper's Tavern, Fiddler's Green, Panullo's (then a fast food joint), The Mill (now the bridal shop) and this place. I'm not sure how long it pre-dates that time period. I ran across this second location trying to get to that lakeside seafood place a few weeks ago, They have been hidden here for a few years. It's all the more important since they closed the original near the tracks. I have to admit that I hadn't been back to that location since I zooma zoomed zoomed with a boom boom. The small parking lot and influx of new Tex Mex places made it impractical. However, it was my loss. I don't really remember how much I enjoyed the old place, but, I really liked what I had here. It's not gourmet. It's just good old fashioned Americanized Mexican food.

I went on a Tuesday at lunch and that made it Taco Tuesday. I decided to sample a little bit for your edification. I had a shredded beef, shredded chicken and ground beef taco. All were $2. I think the regular price is $2.50. The beef was the best. Smokey. Likely brisket. A barbeque tasting taco. A big portion. The chicken was also expansive. I think they dipped it in a spicy, black peppery broth. The ground beef was the worst. Clumpy. Flavorless. All came with lots of shredded cheese and veg. The soda cups were large. The rest of the menu is familiar. Burritos, fajitas, chimis, fundito, salads and a host of specials. The apps even range to wings, chili and potato skins. The most expensive thing is $16. Most below $10.

Service was sassy and attentive. The place looks like a garage. The have a little outdoor dining area. The garage doors were open. It's decorated with junk. They have a big bar in the front. Parking in the back (limited). It seats about ninety. It was pretty full. I wish they had become what Tijuana Flats has become. If I lived here I would be here once a week. At least. Good value. I'm glad I took a refresher course. They are just past Edgewater on the right (on Princeton). A semi-remarkable place in an ordinary world.

Copacabana, Mt Dora

I had dinner tonight at this Cuban Cafe at the end of the main street. It has been there for nine years and pre-dates the other Cuban place on the corner. I have walked past it many times and only recently noticed its existence. It was fairly good. I tried to address my luke warm feelings about the cuisine and expand my knowledge of it by trying something I hadn't tried before. I ordered the higado (liver) for $12. It was one of the cheaper choices. It came pan fried with onions and red peppers. The liver was a bit overcooked (as were most things), but, I don't need a squirmy liver. It was good. Not coppery. It was a large portion. It came with rice (I chose white but they served yellow), beans (I chose red) and a salad or tostones or plantains. I chose tostones. They served four. The rice was a little pasty with a slight brothy flavor. The tostones were hard, but, not oily. The beans were soupy and bland. They started me off with garlic bread. The soda was large. I'm not s huge liver fan, but, this might be my favorite Cuban meal now. Cuban spicing works well with a piece of meat that is usually served in a boring manner. The menu was large and has most of the items you'd expect. The seafood (and paella) is the most expense dinner fare. It tops out just below twenty dollars. The place was one of the busier spots in town. It seems like the locals favor it. They have an inside and a patio. The decor is haphazard and the colors are garish (an off peach). There is more clutter than there should be. There are some unfortunate sight lines inside. The kitchen (for instance) is too exposed. It was a good bargain. service was fast and polite. They have another location at 249 W 436 in Altamonte Springs. I'm not sure if I have tried that one.

*It appears I had gone there. Almost ten years ago. Have I been wasting our time for that long? I placed it in Apopka. It's a brief review.

Grub Crawl - Downtown: El Buda (Closed), California Tortilla (Closed) and 081 Wood Fired Pizza

I went to these places on Church Street at lunchtime on Wednesday. The first is behind Hamburger Mary's at the train tracks. The second is across the tracks near Graffiti Junction. The third is in the old Frank N Stein's spot on Magnolia. That spot is now called market on Magnolia. It has three tenants.

El Buda - This is run by some chef named Roberto Trevino. I guess he was on Iron Chef. I saw a piece on local tv that said he'd be in the kitchen. He wasn't when I was there (showed up half way through lunch and just puttered around) and the kitchen needed extra hands. The wait aside, I liked what I had. It was an effort to choose a dish. Not because they sounded so good (those items are available only at dinner), but, because the lunch menu is so small and dull. Some of the dinner apps and three sandwiches and three entrees. One was a noodle dish. The other two were mid-twenties in price. Hardly lunch appropriate. I ordered his "famous" pork dumplings ($15) and some chicken chimichanga egg rolls ($9.50 but marked as $9 on the menu). I really was having a hard time finding a second item. The egg rolls (3) were good. More like spring rolls. Not oily. Gooey cheese. Moist chicken. The dumplings were very good. Six I think. Covered in tobiko. I think he uses that tofu skin they use on sushi rolls/balls. I think they were steamed and then pan fried. Pork and sweet plantains. Terryaki "sauce". A soda was $3. The glass was filled with crushed ice, but, they refilled. I have to reiterate that it took them over 30 minutes to fill the order. Even after I had made it clear that I was in a rush. They had a big party down stairs. I understand, but, I do have to point it out. If a single work party put them out of sorts in a nearly empty lunch service with a limited menu, what is a crowded dinner like? Which brings me back to the menu. It is Latin Asian. All the goodies (and there are some) are on the dinner menu. Prices are $20-$30. Things like ropa vieja bimibap and sous vide duck. And fish dishes. Service was doing the best they could and polite. They did a little redecorating. They reopened the cellar. It has a bar. The patio is open. They opened in December I think. I've been to a few restaurants in this space. Some very good. I hope he has better success than they did. I will need to come back at dinner to get a true taste. This was enough to allay any concerns. I think you can dine without apprehension.

California Tortillas - California Tortillas are undeniable. Daisy Dukes. Bikinis on top. Is that how it goes? Oh, the things I have inside this little head of mine. I grabbed a small Classic Mesquite Chicken Burrito to go. It cost $7. It was surprisingly good. Chicken was smokey. Filled with dirty rice, beans, veg and sour cream. They make nachos, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, bowls, etc. All around $8. I guess mesquite is their thing. They prepare it in an assembly line that you can see. It looks very generic. It could transform into any type of restaurant if it had to. Glass walls. Tile. Plastic-y. Pretty busy. I think they opened in January. They were building this forever. Not sure if it is a chain.

081 Wood Fired Pizza - I was rushing to get back to my car before the meter expired, so, I didn't get a chance to ask what 081 signifies or how hot the oven gets. I grabbed a New Yorker to go. It cost $10. It is your basic processed mozzarella and sauce pizza. It was very good. Better than some of the "pizza expert" places I've been to lately. And they also solved the personal pizza dilemma. Personal pizzas always are fat and always suck. Their 10" (I think) stayed thin. It had a great chew. The bottom had a little char. No bubbles. a San Marzano sauce, The cheese wasn't salty and oily. Thin crust. Not bad. They also do five other types and you can custom design. Prices are $10 to $15. They also have wood fired wings and salads. It just an oven and counter and the shared seating in the market. The market also has a Gnarly Barley concession that does beer and sandwiches and a Da Kine poke outpost that has some properly prepared poke options. This market is a nice addition. I think it opened in December. Good pre-party spot.

Grub Crawl - East Colonial Area: Peter's Kitchen (Closed) and Blue Jacket Grille and Bar

I went to these places this afternoon. The first is in the old (that didn't last long) Gaviota spot near the executive airport and the other is on Bennett in the old Smiling Bison spot.

Peter's Kitchen - Apparently the owner had his hand in Tasty Wok (don't think I went there) and Ming Bistro. This is also a "bistro". A Chinese bistro. Cantonese I figure. I had the salted pepper jumbo shrimp at $16 and the lunch special at $7. I chose Moo Goo Gai Pan and fried rice and a soda. As these things go, the second was twice as good as the first. The jumbo shrimp were not. Mediums. Head on. Frozen. Old. Mushy. The only really good salt and pepper shrimp I've ever has used fresh, jumbo, butterflied shrimp. They baked it. They used alot of black pepper. HSF in Chinatown and Southampton NY. I think both are long gone. The large quantity of shrimp here could not make up for their inferior condition. It makes me cautious about the whole seafood section. Is this a high end place or a run of the mill family Chinese play? They can't let plates like this out of the kitchen if they want a good reputation. Fortunately (for them), I hedged my bets and ordered the lunch special. The dish was very good. Well plated. Lots of food, Fresh. Delicate. There was a nice use of garlic in the sauce. Baby corn. Broccoli (mushy), Mushrooms (those Asian ones that look like little people with hats on). And water cabbage. The rice was not greasy. The price was great. The gross take out place near me wants that much for their slop. I whiffed on the main draw. I forgot they do dim sum. It's a big selection (40) and served all day everyday. Fair pricing. The main menu is between $10 and $16. Peking Duck is $34. I hate the traffic in this area, but, I think I'll come back to try the dim sum. The Weekly said to try the butter lobster (mkt price) or orange chicken. I forgot about that. I'm not sure I would have stayed from my choices even if I had. The menu is vast. It's broken into: Chef' Specials (15), Apps (10), Soups (10), Beef (7), Pork (7), Chicken (12), Seafood (19), Rice (12), Noodles (17), Noodle Soups (8), Clay Pots (6) and Vegetables (9).  25 lunch specials.  They didn't do much to the interior. Added some iconography and two of those ugly fish tanks. It was about half full. More Chinese than Caucasians. Service was attentive. They opened in December. I think it is worth a look.

Blue Jacket Grille and Bar - I grabbed a cheeseburger to go for $8. The rest of the menu was dull. The two interesting items were poutine and fried green tomatoes. Other than that it was sandwiches and such. The burger was surprisingly excellent. It was rare to medium rare. Fresh pickles, lettuce, onions and tomatoes. The thin fries (alot) were a bit under cooked. That could have been my fault. They probably steamed in the to go box. They even decked me out with mustard, catsup, mayo and utensils. The bun was a very buttery, fresh brioche style bun. The cheese was melted well. The patty was big and thick and though form made it wasn't dense. Good beef flavor. They didn't do much to the inside. Maybe some cosmetic changes. It was pretty empty. Service was fast and good. They may not be as inventive as Smiling Bison, but, they can cook a good burger to go. I'd expect good things from the rest of the menu. They also have a full bar. The vibe is sports friendly. Maybe not a destination, but, not an ignore either. They opened in November.

Bocas Grill & Bar, Sand Lake Rd Area

I had lunch at this Venezuelan leaning Latin spot on Wednesday. It is in a well turned over spot in the shopping area at Dr Phillips and Sand Lake Rd. It was a French place before this. And many before that. They run two other branches out of the Miami area. I think they fancy themselves as higher end. They price that way. They need to fix a few things before they can justify those sorts of ambitions. Let's start with the plastic menus. It would be bad enough if they were just plastic, but, they look they are teethed on by baby dogs and children every night. And they have only been open a few months! A terrible first impression. One I'm not sure I got over. The menus are also hard to follow. They serve too much and jam a whole host of items in a "Main Dishes" section. Then they hit you with an additional "Lunch Special" menu that isn't even up to date. The menu composition is also needlessly large. I can divide it into four main areas - Stuff fried in a wok (rice and noodles), Tostones, Arepas and Assorted meat-centric dishes. The first area is Chinese inspired fare at double the Chinese price. $15 is a representative charge. The portions are huge, but, I can't assume they mean their dishes to be shared. Give me a acceptable portion at half the price. The tostones (fried plantains) and arepas (corn cakes) are self explanatory. They run $10-$16. I didn't catch the portion size, but, that is a hefty mark up compared to most other providers. The meat area ranges from fish to steak to shredded beef to chicken to pork to burgers and back again.  These run $10 to $17. You mainly get fries with these. They also offer a few apps, salads, soups and breakfast fare. They serve some beer and wine and are working on a liquor license. I had the "lunch special" chicken fried rice for $9 (regularly) $13. Like most South American preparations, they seemed to make it with more oil and soy sauce that the rice can hold. You feel yourself getting fatter with each bite. They also added red pepper. I hate peppers. The first two pieces of chicken were so plastic tasting (old and freezer burnt) that I almost stopped there. The remaining pieces were ok and I didn't get sick from the first two. I ate a few more bites of rice and left it. Have you ever heard me to say that I left anything? I will say that I probably should have gone in another direction, but, I had been in Arizona eating all kinds of fried Mexican junk and meat. Fried corn cakes and plantains or grilled red meat just wasn't going to do. The place was semi busy. Mostly Latinos. They retained the patio (too cold that day). They have a "history of arepas' mural on one wall. The kitchen and bar remain in back. I think they added some wood paneling on the right wall. Management seemed concerned about your experience. Personally, I would prefer a relaxed and cheaper South American experience. The fine dining aspirations just don't connect. It's in a no man's land. Not fine and yet a little too fine. This isn't some one horse town in South America. You aren't the one restaurant in town. You don't need to cater to every resident's needs. Pick an economic group that you want to service and serve the portion of the menu that they can afford. I'll take my tostones and arepas from a food truck or little specialty shop. I don't want to think about them if I'm out for a nice meal. I'm no longer at the stage where South American cuisine gets a pass because it is new and exciting. It needs to have an identity too. This place is everything and nothing.

Sticky Rice, East Colonial Dr

I went to this Laotian street food restaurant across from a Dollar Store on East 50 (near Mills Ave) over a week ago at lunch. It was interesting. Only about a dozen items. Communal tables. Order at the counter. I had an order of pork inside a tapioca dumpling for $5. *All prices are approximate. My receipt doesn't say and I've forgotten. There were 5 dumplings. They were a cross between bao or those fluffy Chinese balls and steamed dumplings like har gow. That makes it either the best or worst of both worlds. I don't like the fluffy balls, so, I guess I would have liked them better if they were in a thinner and steamed shell. The pork was sweet. It was covered in peanuts. I also had an order of diced chicken in a lettuce leaf called laab. It was also $5. I cut my teeth on this kind of dish at Mr Chow in Beverley Hills. They use squab. This wasn't close. It was a huge portion of bland chicken that only tasted of citrus. It reminded me of a zero mayonnaise chicken salad I used to get at some place in the Hamptons. That one had pine nuts and pesto in it though. Wish I could remember where the hell that was. That was a good chicken salad! I also had to toss in a sticky rice dish since the place is called that. It cost $3 and was just sticky rice (good) with pork skin and chili paste on top served in a leaf. It came with two sauces - chili paste and spicy vinegar. I have to admit that maybe one or more of those sauces were meant for other dishes. The place is painted gray. There is a mural on the side wall. It seats about forty. The mix was a few Caucasians with southeast Asians or Indo Chinese. I'm not sure what is the right term or the one that explains it better. You get both the old and new designations. Parking can be had on the street or around the side. But, there is a big lot out back and I think it is their's. They opened in December. It's not as exciting as Mamak or some other places around there, but, I'd go back. Wish it was closer to I-4 though.  Hate the traffic there. And maybe the menu could expand? I don't know if the recipes were followed faithfully. I'll assume that Laotian food isn't very flavor forward. Who can eat spice bombs all the time anyway.

*3/15/19 - Went back and tried three more things. All disappointing. Spring Roll ($4). Coconut Beef Skewer ($6). Curry Soup ($7). The rolls (2) were stuffed with pork like a corn dog. Could use some veg or something inside. The skewers were tender. The sauce was tacky. Too little content for the price. The curry soup (ground pork) was bland and too milky. Tasted like a warm glass of milk. I added grilled chicken breast pieces and some pasta to the remaining broth the next evening and that helped.

Modena Pizzeria, Altamonte Springs

I grabbed some food to go at this new (January) pizzeria around ten days ago. It replaces another Italian place called Proccolinas or Broccolinas. It is on South Westmonte Dr. That is the first right after you turn off 436 to the south onto the road that is parallel to I-4. I was expecting more of a new age style pizza place. This is old school. The owner/cook is a Latino from the Bronx. His menu reflects that. You can expect pizzas with nick names and pies made with heavy cheese and thick crusts. I ordered a pie because they don't do slices at night. A 14" cost $12. It was ok. A little thicker than it should be and salty. The sauce was a marinara with garlic flavor. The dough wasn't pounded out, so, air bubbles. The crust/dough did have a nice chew. They offer alot of toppings. They even sell a mammoth 32" one. Fortunately, I was more in the mood for chicken parm and I ordered a 6" sub. It was better. $5.50. Nice bread. Toasted long enough in the oven. Lots of cheese. Crisp, thin fried chicken. Not too saucy. I also think it was more than 6". They serve the usual - garlic bread, calamari, salads, soups, calzones, stromboli, pasta, subs and American items like chicken fingers, burgers and wings. It won't win any awards, but, it will make most people happy. There was no one there when I stopped by. The inside is short on seats and many had junk on them. They have a patio deck. I do have to mention that two baby roaches were squirming by the counter. Not a great way to make an impression. I guess I should be glad that they spray. The place is named after the region that the owner relates to the most. Not enough here for me to go back.

Garp & Fuss, Winter Park

I tried this new American place for dinner on Friday. It is in that arcade near the Tiffany glass museum. I believe it was Park Bistro before this. They opened (late) in January and I remember thinking that I'd hate the place. First we have the name. I hate all "&" places. Next, the menu sounded pub grubby. Lastly, it meant that I had to snake my way through those Winter Park streets and find parking just to confirm my suspicions. I was mostly right. All three worries were right, Since the first and last are beyond their control (kinda), I will concentrate on the menu. It's just derivative and juvenile. Half of it is sandwiches and flat breads. Then they knock you out with a salad section. Followed by finger foods. Oh boy! Sandwiches for dinner! The only part of the menu that requires big boy pants is the "Fork & Knife" section. Another &! It is 6 deep. I had the "Schnitz" for $18. Fried chicken cutlet, arugula salad, mustard and a unwelcome fried egg. Side bar - I love eggs, but, I still don't get why they are being put on everything nowadays. Is it to be an ice cream topping next? Needless to say, it didn't do anything complimentary to the dish. The chicken was ok. It can always be moister and thinner. They panko'd it. It came out pretty fast to be cooked to order. Plus it was very un-oily. Usually a good thing, but, here a sign that it was in a warming station. Salad was fresh enough. Plating was ok. What wasn't ok was the service. I was left out in the cold for much of the meal. I had to ask for the check and no refills on a $3 soda in 3/4 of a glass of ice. The dopey owners were glad handing customers. They also ignored me. The hostess was the only competent one. Back to the menu. The other slightly interesting dishes are a Kung Pao Salmon and Clams & Bacon. Another &! The other entrees are ribs. How can they do that well? Two pastas. And A hanger steak. With fried egg of course. They didn't do alot that I could see with the interior. Maybe new tables. Makes you wonder what took so long. Maybe the kitchen was a mess? It seats 40 in the front room. The same in the back. Ten or more at the bar. It was a third full.  I think they do lunch now. I tried this place three times before this night. One time they missed the published launch date. One time Google said they were open and they weren't. Another time they said they were doing lunch and they weren't. That didn't help the review. But, not by alot. I thought the menu was too unambitious and that hasn't changed. I thought that the execution would be sloppy from people who could only imagine such a menu. It was. I thought the service would be unprofessional by the way they missed their deadline to open. It was. It's probably run by a bunch of first time business owners. It comes off that way. I've seen this story too many times in WP. This is an area with alot of competition (talented). I've seen better products surrender to the pressure. I expect that I will have to experience another re-imagining in this spot before too long. And do I have to say it - "I don't see what all the FUSS is about".

Donut Central, Winter Park

I grabbed a few donuts to go on Friday. It is behind the gas station at the corner of 436 and Aloma. I had a Snickers donut and Andes Mint donut. Both were $1.79. The Snickers was a bit tough and dry. The Snickers pieces were overwhelmed by the regular chocolate icing. The mint was better. Softer and fresher. Who knew mint is a good icing. They also do regular donuts and more substantial ones. It's alot of ice cream toppings on donuts. The place has been open for four months. Some coffee place named Sleeping Tree or something was there before. These guys also serve coffee. They have a roaster. Between the annoying kids from the high school nearby who congregate around the shop and the proliferation of donut shops and the staffs emo-Millenial lack of interpersonal skills, I wouldn't bother popping in. Parking is also limited.

Taco Rio, Orlando

I grabbed some lunch to go at this Mexican joint on 436 in between 408 and Curry Ford on Friday. I had the lunch special for $5 and a carnitas taco for $2. Both were ok. The pork was a little sweet. Not very crispy. They did double wrap it though. I had it Mexican style. The special was a chicken thigh, rice and refried beans. I was worried when I saw that they yanked a pre-cooked thigh from a prep area and threw it on the grill. I didn't get sick, so, I guess it wasn't too old. The meat was acceptable. As were the sides. They threw in two taquitos because the guy said that was the special and that is why I ordered it. He said four taquitos special. In any event, they were ok. Same worry as the chicken. Grabbed from the prep area and heated in the grill (not in a fryer). There were also some shredded lettuce and cukes and cheese added to the haul. No guac or sour cream or salsa. Needless to say, I didn't love seeing the reheating portion of the prep. Therefore, I can't recommend. Plus the strip mall and general area the operate in isn't the safest. They did seem to have a few people waiting for them to open (11 am). Maybe just because they live close by? The owners (a couple) were nice. The place has a sit down area. The menu is Mexico city style. It is pretty basic. The most annoying Mexican hip hop was blaring from the tv. They have been open for nine months.

BBB Tofu House, West Colonial Dr

I tried this newish (September) Korean restaurant after Grills about a week and a half ago. It is inside that shopping area (back middle) on West Colonial (5140) that I call Chinatown. I grabbed a Dduk Mandu Guk to go because we all know and love it. It cost $12. Actually, I had never tried it and had tried many of the other dishes you'd find in any Korean place. That was actually a surprise because I thought it was just a hot pot or vegan place. The Dduk turned out to be 12 medium sized steamed wontons filled with ground pork in chicken stock with some rice cakes and tofu. The "wontons" were ok. The tofu was great. I'd guess it was home made. Very fresh. Very loose. Nothing like the usual stuff we are force fed. Stuff that I see on TV cooking shows. They also threw in some bonchon. Kim chi. Bean Sprouts. Spicy burdock root (I think). Leafy greens (I won't guess). Rice noodles. Fish cakes. White rice. It was good enough to tempt me back. And I ate it six hours after they made it. The place is small. It sits about 40. It was a little late for lunch when I got there. There were still a couple of tables of Koreans there. The place is colored mostly light gray. They have some Korean images blown up on the hall to the bath rooms. Nice people. The BBB stands for Bao Bao Bao (sp?). It's word play for three types of bao. Good luck. Good food. Or something along those lines. Are you down with BBB? You know me!

Grills Lakeside, College Park

I tried this new (January) seafood deck and tiki bar on OBT about a week and a half ago. There are two others (Cape Canaveral and Melbourne). This one is on a lake north of College Park. I had a shrimp cuban for $13. Funny. My take home menu said $11. They forgot the pork. I told the waitress because I wanted to make sure I had read the menu correctly. She apologized and grabbed a manager who took the mistake away and came back immediately with a fresh one. That's customer service. It turned out to be unnecessary because the pork was non-discernible. It was a few slices of very dry and lean loin. Shrimp is similar, so, it just melded. It didn't compliment or enhance. Maybe some pulled pork would be more effective. I don't know. I'm just riffing. The shrimp was a good size. Cut into pieces. It came with chips and a pickle. The rest of the menu is typical seaside dining with a little effort thrown in. I usually am bored with this kind of place (just order something fresh and unadulterated), but, they at least make an effort to impress you. They have three types of chowders. 5 kebabs. 10 sandwiches. 7 "non-fin" plates (ie yardbird, steak, ribs). 9 seafood plates (ie snow crab clusters, Florida lobster, bacon wrapped scallops). 5 salads. 12 "nibblers". 3 burgers. 2 vegetarian dishes, 1 taco. 1 wrap. 2 sushi rolls. 1 poke. 2 seared tuna dishes. The most expensive thing (Surf and Turf) is $29. Most of the plates are under $20. Most sandwiches are under $11. They claim to get everything fresh. Something called file fish was one of the "fresh ones" that day. I still wonder if they meant tile fish, but, I think they said it was like snapper. Service was good. Mostly young girls. The place is huge and new. It's very "wood" focused. High ceilings. They hang an air boat and canoe inside. They have an outside bar with a playground. They have an enclosed patio. Also large. They have a tie up dock. Bring your sea plane. It must seat 100+. Huge, new parking lot. Water fountains out front. It was crowded. A politician would have loved to have their cross cultural and socio-economic appeal. It's nice enough and casual enough for all occasions. Better than most of the places in Daytona, Cocoa Beach and New Smyrna Beach. Better than any lakeside place in CF. And who would believe that you could pretty up OBT? Worth a trip if only to see the possible renaissance of a neighborhood.

Choulala, Winter Park - Moved to Park Ave

I grabbed three chou on my way home on Saturday. They list a place on Park Ave on their lit, but, I stopped at the place on 436 (north of Aloma). I forget when they opened. It can't have been too long ago. They make these little, round, custard stuffed pastries called chou. They taste like eclairs. They are the size of a golf ball. They were brought to France by Catherine de Medici. Choulalala offers twenty four "icings". I had three. Dark Chocolate. Milk Chocolate. Chesnut. I think the fillings were all the same. A brown custard. Probably chocolate based. I ate them too fast to tell. They cost $3 a pop. They were tasty. They push you to sample. I declined. They said it was part of the business model. I'm not sure if they limit you to one, but, that can be considered when you evaluate the cost. The owner says he had a shop in Del Rey. He's ours now. They also serve gelato and coffees. It's a nice change from the macaroon onslaught. If I was more of a sweets guy I would be a regular. I still will be an "occasional". They open at ten am and close at six pm. Also great as gifts. See how long it takes you to "get" the name.

Uncle Julio's, I Drive

I had lunch at this "aspiring" Mexican restaurant under the shadow of the Ferris wheel last Saturday. By "aspiring" I mean they aspire to be high end. And like most "aspire-ers", they have the veneer but not the grace. I forget if it is a chain or not. It might as well be. Let me ask you. If you pay $16 for a salad, should you get more than 4 ounces of tuna and fresh greens? If you answered yes you can skip (or since Blogger does it chronologically - you can re-read) to the next post. I knew a salad was pushing it in a Mexican restaurant, but, I was hung over and had two forms of Mexican the day before. The tuna sounded nice and nonthreatening. As did the avocado. The tuna was without "dental floss'. That was good. Also not embarrassingly pale. But, there was just too little of it in the end. Same with avocado. They even chintzed on the dressing. One ramekin. And I told you that the mixed greens were wilted. My buddy had three lifeless tacos for around $13. These guys opened in July. It looks nice. It's big. They have a guac station. The menu is expansive. The service is fine. The food just isn't "fussed" over. It's a grind it out sort of place. Or at least our meal was. You can "do" at least the same if not better at a number of other places.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: Maria & Enzo's Ristorante and The Edison

I tried these new places across from STK last Friday night. The quality of the review will be impacted by the open bar I attended to earlier in the night.

Maria & Enzo's - The place looks great. It recreates the look of an airport from the Golden Age of aviation. Think Pan Am. Howard Hughes. Indiana Jones. Now the dimensions are off. The "waiting room" would never be a sunken, open dining room the size of a small arena. But, the iconography is there. As is a separate pizzeria/cafe (why is a cafeteria called that? Coffee +?) and a cellar dining room. The last one didn't carry out the "airport" design. It was modeled after one of those wine cellars that often get turned into trattorias. We showed up really late. Around 11pm. And in flip flops and shorts. They still seated us. The hostess station is a boarding gate. We were the only ones in the whole place. My buddy just had calamari because he ate at an open bar that we were at before we made it here. It was $16. It was ok. I just had something called Ncasciata for $23. Uncle Google says it's Sicilian. It was basically a lasagna. It was ok. Served in a metal cooking apparatus. I hazily recollect that the menu was small. 4 or 5 entrees. I think my dish was the cheapest. I don't recall any problems with the service. I think they might have been Italian even. At least some of them. And that's all I have to say about that. I wish we hadn't been so tardy to the party. But, that wasn't my doing. We had to wait for the office function (really just the auction results) to transpire. I popped in earlier in the day to peruse and was impressed. If the food is anywhere near as good as the interior design then they will have a great one two punch. If not, you probably can't lose at the pizzeria. They are run by the people who run the Morimoto Asia spot. I applaud the resources they must have expended bringing this place to life. It's hard to recreate without insulting the original. I don't think they have. And that's not the tequila, wine and beer talking.

The Edison - This place is right next door and also just opened. It's "thing" is steam punk. Think The Time Machine. The book by HG Wells or the movie with simian Brad Pitt - Guy Pearce. It looks like a 1800's power plant. A large gear works replica greets you when you enter. The hostess station is on the right. Then you descend steps that lead to various bar areas. We settled on the lowest level because that is where the floor show (and most of the sparse crowd) was. The entertainment is now free, but, I think I read that they are going to charge $10 (after 10pm) at some point. The whole place is "differentingly" impressive from M & E. You also get transported being here. They also spared no expense. The liquor selection is on display and it's pretty impressive. The menu was small and uninspiring. And expensive. I'd do what we did. Go for drinks and maybe the entertainment. My biggest fear for them is that Disney killed all the adult fun from this area when the closed Pleasure Island. We LEFT at midnight because it was empty. If they don't try harder to provide a better culinary product, I fear they won't survive. The bar crowd isn't there.

Cafe Rio, Winter Park - Closed

Ok I'll tell you about my primary destination on Friday. even though I missing out on some exhilarating women's speed skating by doing so. Plus I want to brag about my ski trip to Utah. I saw this place driving down North Orlando Ave about a month ago. I said "Great another mediocre (I used another term) Mexican place I have to suffer through". However, when I was in Utah, I saw that this place is a Utah (original is in St George) fast food chain. So, at worst it won't cost much. If I hadn't already stopped at Tamale Co, I would have gone for the burrito meal. Ninety percent of their menu is composed of five Mexican staples (ie quesadilla) served with rice and beans. I already had a full lunch awaiting me. I went with two tacos ala carte. Even that was too much. These guys are big. They serve them in a soft tortilla that they make right in front of you. They had salmon in Utah. Not here. Just pork, beef, chicken and vegan. I settled on barbacoa pork and roasted beef. Both were flavorless. The beef came in a cloying sweet sauce that isn't appropriate for Mexican food. Another mistake centered on the cheese. They melt it into the tortilla. There is no contrast. It's soft warm cheese on a soft warm tortilla. I want cold cheese. For texture and contrast. You can also get pico, lettuce and sour cream for free. The pico was gutless. No zing. I tried adding bottled hot sauce from my purse. Hah! Caught you. I don't have a purse or yell in movie theaters. They provide. That just made it worse. The tacos cost $3.50. The tortillas were a little thick and buttery for my taste. The place was packed. I think they opened in July. It has a fast food look. You move along an assembly line. They said they are opening up a dozen or so in the area soon. Most meals cost $10. The same as Chipotle. I'll go back for a smothered burrito. That can be "all hot and mushy" in my mind for some reason. I like their approach to a ubiquitous dining option. I even think these recipes are how they do Mexican in Utah. I've had a few Mexican meals (ie Red Iguana) in Utah and they had "weird" sauce toppings on the menu. It's worth a trip to see them make tortillas. I wonder if the name will confuse people. Will they think it's Brazilian? Will people say "I got Dia-rio"?

Tamale Co, Altamonte Springs - Moved

I stopped here looking to knock out a new bacon place (Sugar Sow) one my way to my primary destination. This was at lunch on Friday. I found this. The "here" in question is that sketchy Citgo station aside the train tracks on 436. The "this" is a brick and mortar outpost of the titled food truck. I sacked up and ordered a real meal for you people. I had the mole tamales (also for you people and because it is called Tamale Co) with rice and beans for $11. They give you two tamales. I think a single was $7 or $9. You can't avoid the rice and beans. They were pretty good. A little too fluffy and white corn for me. I like a denser (lard) tamale made of yellow corn. The filling was shredded chicken. It was a bit dry. Fairly liberal portion. The sauce was pretty good. A dark mole. A bit too much burnt flavor for me. The rice (orange) was moist and fluffy. A tiny scoop. The black beans were soft and creamy. I usually want to throw the rice and beans away, but, these were not just cheap filler. The tamales were served atop the corn husk they were steamed in. They also serve breakfast items, tacos, sincronizadas, nacho style fries and a surprising list of other items. The pricing is food truck ambitious. I think a taco was $3.50. The place is closet small. No indoor seating. This place has been a host of things and they usually put a counter between you and the kitchen. These guys threw up a wall. So, the place is half as big as it ever was. They decorated it artistically. It looks cute. The food came out fast. It seemed to be a destination already. Two groups of young urban professionals (foodie types) book ended my order. They were not there by accident. They sought this place out. Which is promising because they have been there for only one month and there is precious little signage attracting you from the street. I'd guess they get updates from the food truck's social media accounts. I almost went back on Saturday. I chose to give 4 Rivers another chance. Big mistake.

*That Sugar Sow place was emptied out and had a notice from the inspectors office citing violations. I'm not sure if they ever opened (the citation was dated that day) or if they did and were immediately shut down. They were supposed to open this month. Like I said, the place looked cleaned out. I'm not sure if they came or are coming back.

Pizzeria Roberti, East Curry Ford Rd Area - Closed

I tried this NY Style pizza parlor at dinner last week. It is in a strip mall behind a gas station that is at the intersection of Curry Ford Rd and South Chickasaw Trail. I grabbed a regular pie to go for $13. It was good. A bit too Americanized (mostly because of the cheese), but, better than most. The base was thin. The crust was restrained. The chew was good. No bubbles. The cheese was distributed evenly. The sauce was a bit salty. The pie was large. The owner/chef told me he uses a flour (not double zero) from some manufacturer that I can't remember. It was a good sign that he knew. He said he uses San Marzzano tomatoes for the sauce. I would guess he uses canned SMs. I would have preferred that he left them as is. No seasoning. I would also have liked a better quality of cheese. And maybe a little basil and olive oil. However, that is more of a European style. I think pizza is all the do. They had a few interesting combos/riffs. However they started approaching the $20 mark. They sell slices at under $3. I was going to go that route, but, I figured I owed it to you to try a fresh pie. The place is small. it seats about a dozen. It is new. It looks trendy enough. The chef/owner is a young kid from suburban Queens. His last name is Roberti. The place has been open for around seven months. It's the sort of pizza that I think most people would really enjoy. My shuttle driver at the airport did. I couldn't eat it all myself. I tried. They are closed on Sunday and Monday.

*There is also a little gastro pub in this mall.

Grub Crawl - College Park: Zeytin, Tornatore's (Closed/Moving) and Mee Thai

I was in the area for a supposed birthday celebration at a local bar (the only reason I'd be there), but, one should never trust pot heads. Therefore, I ended up trying these places instead. The first is on Edgewater Dr between Lee Rd and College Park. The next is a little closer to CP. The last is on Lee Rd (ex Colombian place) in between Edgewater and I-4 (the obstacle course).

Zeytin Turkish Cuisine - The guy/girl at Orlando Weekly put them on a best list. I have some standards. It stunk. The wine was spoiled. The lamb was overcooked. The menu was cliche. The neighborhood is bad. The venue is unappealing. The main problem is probably lack of staff. The food took a while to come out. There were only thirty or so (40 max) people at dinner (their only service). I would wager that one guy (Zeytin?) is cooking everything. Not only can't he keep up (people were complaining about the wait), he can't oversee his own dishes. My Lamb Beyti (some kind of enchillada-like minced lamb kebab wrap that I've never heard of) was way over cooked. Not much flavor. Only one kebab at $18. I've never had less than three kebabs at this price point. It came with mushy rice and a bowl of raw onion and a bowl of tomato and cucumber salad. That must be the trade off. The rest of the menu is a too typical mix of cold sides/apps and skewered options. They offer one fish (the very Turkish salmon) that I overheard was AWOL. The decor is just hookahs and plates and rugs nailed to the wall. It still has the yellow paint job from the last place (Woodys?). There is a lame fish tank in the corner. Everyone gets a view of the kitchen/staging area. There was little reason to seek this place out (especially for dinner) other than good food at good prices. It has neither. The guy/girl at the Weekly has an Arab sounding name. Now either he/she is a total "homer" graded on a curve or he/she has got special attention or he/she has no business recommending restaurants. This is not the first dog he/she has approved of. Skip. Not even good if adjusted for the type of cuisine it is.

Tornatore's Cafe and Pizzeria - I grabbed a medium pie to go after being stiffed by my "buddies". I didn't want to have to come back to this area for a while, so, I tried anything that seemed undone. I believe I ignored it when it was Cafe Positano (because I had been to others). The partners split and they renamed it this. Apparently, they were on Restaurant Impossible with the 'roid monster and terrible talk show host Robert Irvine (who probably has a small penis because of his over sized corpus and Asian wife). Whatever they did (you see the interior design redo - wood paneling, paint job and salad tongs on the wall), didn't stick. The pizza was bad. Cheap cheese. Very salty. Almost no sauce. The sauce was salty and garlic-y. Uneven topping distribution. Too much crust. Bubbles. Too chewy. Slightly under cooked. No surprise. I watched them bake it in a basic steel box. They moved it around once. And that was once more than most of the other pizzas they made. They have been there for 8 years (3 under this name). The locals who came in seemed to like it. I'd bet that that is less of a certification than an indictment of their sophistication. Maybe another meal would be good. A rigatoni alla massimo sounded nice. The menu looked ok. It is a little expensive though. The medium pizza cost $10. A full Chicken Parm sandwich (most sandwiches) cost $11. I don't see a second seating in my future. Hard to be worse than Cafe Positano. Mission Possible.

Mee Thai - Somehow this bad smelling basic Thai restaurant ended up crafting the best meal of night. I had your basic Red Chicken Curry with rice to go at $11. It was very sweet and not hot (or very red) at medium. The chicken was fresh and white and plentiful. Zucchini, carrots, basil and peppers rounded out the components. The rice was mushy. It really was no different than any other Thai place in town. Same prices. Same dishes. But, the neighborhood stinks and the place is ugly. I mentioned the smell? I don't see them surviving. Too expensive for the 'hood. Too drab to attract outsiders. A shame because the kitchen isn't the issue. They have been open for three months. People seemed nice. They say that the are "the best Esan Thai food". I searched it and there are some "Esan" Thai restaurants but no Esan regions. There is a Isan language near Laos. Now I'm missing something or this is one of the most wonderful ESL mistakes (Asian?) that I've come across on a menu. Maybe they should work for the local news? I saw a "Pheonix" spelling two nights ago.

*I do have to compliment the Weekly for the list they compiled of restaurants that are opening in 2018. Great work.