Paizano's, Sorrento

I stopped here on the way back from Mount Dora. It's a little "roach coach" on the side of the road (46). A bar called Oasis is diagonal from it. I've been meaning to stop for a while. I grabbed a lengua taco for $2. I had an order of ribs in the passenger seat or I would have tried more. The taco was good. The lengua was a bit tough. I suspect that it had a little age on it. The fact that they reheat it on oil (on the flat top) didn't make it less cooked through. Still ok. They used two corn tortillas that seemed hand made. Lime. onion and cilantro. Hot sauce (hot) on the side. Alot of meat. Big chunks. They serve tacos, quesadillas, tortas and a papusa. Closed on Sunday.

Grub Crawl - Mount Dora: Lake House and Mermaid Juice

I went to these spots on North Highland St (the one where you make the first right off of 46 to get to downtown) about a week ago.

Mermaid Juice - I was told that they brew. They don't. A shack with bric a brac that serves craft beer. It has been open for six years. No need to make a special trip for. I'm sure you have one of these near by. Parking is limited.

Lake House Bar and Grill - Not much more than the unremarkable mediocre eats place I suspected them to be. I think they have been open under this name for three years. I grabbed a half rack of ribs (with waffle fries and a salad) to go for $13. They said they were ready to go. They weren't. Took a half hour to get them. Ribs (6) weren't bad. Sweet sauce. Way too much sauce. Is Mt Dora the "over sauce" capitol of the nation? Waffle fries had a coating. Salad was a lame "fresh out da bag" supermarket special. It's like a Duffy's. Not as polished and the food is a little worse. They tried to play up the food provenance, but, I wouldn't expect anything to be special. Try the place on the corner for that. I forget the name. It's in an old gas station.

Peppino's, Curry Ford Rd - Closed

I had lunch at this Sicilian stylized Italian restaurant today. It is near Bumby and Curry Ford in an area closer to Orange that the are trying to label as the Hourglass district. Why the area in Longwood (that has Hourglass Brewing) is not called that is open for debate. I guess they are (or a similar sounding brew crew) opening an outpost (or relocating) next door. So, we can have a walk off. Is that what they called it in Zoolander? Anyway, they have been open since November. The owner owned a place in Annapolis that I think was called Maria's. It was in a photo on the wall. Both his first and last name end in vowels, so, we have that going for us. The place is a contradiction. The name sounds like it would be a soulless chain restaurant. The decor makes it seem like a artisinal hipster hangout. The menu evokes Federal Hill or Little Italy. I didn't know what to expect. I ordered the chicken parmigiana because it cost as much as the regular pizza and came with choice of soup or salad, bread, Sicilian butter (just herb-ed olive oil) and spaghetti. It was delicious. My favorite parm dish is at Il Vagabondo near the 59th St Bridge in Manhattan. It a bone in veal number. It's huge. This doesn't quite match up, but, it is closer to that than most parms in CF. Most experts would say the coating was mushy and the chicken a little dry, but, it didn't lessen my love. I like it a little dry/grainy for the texture it supplies. That counteracted the mushy coating a bit. Plus the meat fell apart more easily as I cut it. The sauce was just tomato on its own. Very fresh. The quality of the mozzarella melted on top was nice. The proper amount. The spaghetti was al dente. Both the portion of the spaghetti and chicken were enormous. And I ordered the SMALL size. You are definitely leaving with leftovers or a food baby after this meal. This is how much I liked it. I wasn't even supposed to eat here. I'll explain below. I wasn't in the mood for Italian. I made my own chicken parm two days before and spaghetti in tomato sauce last night. I ate every bite. I left in that stage of fullness where you can't concentrate, you need a lay down and you think you might have filled your intestinal track to the point of forcing the other trains out of the station. The bread was ok. The soup was a pot luck of leftovers. Chick peas, meatballs, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes. It was ok. A cup. Mostly the aforementioned. Little broth. It seemed freshly concocted. The peas were firm. Like just out of a can. They have a lunch and dinner menu. Some breakfast fare on the lunch menu. They have a brick pizza oven. They do some pasta and panini and apps and salads and entrees. They add steak and two chicken dishes and some more pasta at dinner. The lasagna has walnuts in it. The place has a bar area. a small dining area and an enclosed patio in the back. The main inside deco element is corrugated tin wainscoting. There are wood embellishments as well. It had a family friendly vibe. Service was polite and knowledgeable. I wasn't relishing coming here. It has been on my list all year. All year I have given it the brush off. I don't usually like American-ized comfort Italian. This is exception to that rule. And since most people around here love this classification of food, they really should enjoy this place.

* I was around here because of a place called Iron Cow. I don't want to go there at night because there is no parking in the Milk district and it isn't really a super fun time party experience. I've tried three times to have lunch here. It is never open. Some guys in the parking lot told me that they aren't really serious about food. It's just some slop they muster up during drinking hours. I think I'll drop them from consideration. And the Italian deli (Stasio's?) that was supposed to open on Bumby and Robinson has still not. I've also heard talk about Sandwich Bar. It is closed. Another food place took the location. I think I read that some big, permanent food truck space is opening around there too.

In the Hourglass district, Foxtail Coffee and Leguminati aren't open yet. There is a new Mexican place aside them though. Claddagh Cottage is open. It is across from Peppino's.

If you take Bumby from the north side of the 408, remember it snakes around a little lake/pond on the way to Curry Ford. Make sure you follow the sign that keeps you on Bumby (veers a little right after the pond).

**6/11/19 - Replaced by F&D Italian.

Rice King, Sanford

I tried this new (a month or so) low end Chinese restaurant for lunch yesterday. It is near the Walmart on Rinehart Rd. It was a cheap pizza place before this. It is your typical take out menu. They have a $8 lunch buffet. Two low level entree selections and some fried junk. I had a lunch special to go for $7 in all. I chose Szechuan Chicken, fried rice and wonton soup. The chicken was yet another recipe. This one was pounded strips of chicken in a sweet and garlicky sauce. How many types of Szechuan chicken can there be? I had one plastic-y piece of chicken. The rest were ok. The veg were mainly onion slivers. If I wanted vegetables, I'd probably feel cheated. The fried rice was bland. They filled those "side' cups in the to go box with them. Not a lot. The wontons were over boiled (soft), but, they included three. The place is clean. They make some attempt to acknowledge their heritage in the decor. It's just another in a long line of take out Chinese joints. Who are pricing themselves out of the market if you ask me. I often wonder if it wouldn't be better for them all to join in a super chain. The menu and pricing is already uniform. Maybe then we could get some uniformity on execution? Swipe left. They are the King of All Media-crity.

Olive Branch, Mount Dora

I grabbed a second lunch at this Mediterranean place on 3rd Ave (near the tracks) yesterday. Sometimes you get a feeling about a place and it proves right. I've been bypassing them for other restaurants in town because of the prices and my belief that cooks at "Mediterranean" restaurants aren't very good at their own cuisine let alone that of other cultures. And this place offers little Mediterranean fare. It's Italian with some American. I decided to take my medicine at lunch because that is when the prices are more reasonable. About half off. So, a plus $20 lasagna is now $12. Making it an acceptable risk. I should have tried that. I tried the penne ala vodka. We used to eat that every Sunday night at a fashionable East Side restaurant until we found out how many calories were in it. It has been years since I've tried it again. This was a poor attempt. It was DROWNING in sauce. A sauce that wasn't very good. Four or five times too much volume. It was a soup. Too thick. Too milky. And they used cheap, wide penne. Probably Barilla if not a supermarket generic. And they were overcooked. Soft. There was also supposed to be prosciutto in it. There were four, half finger nail sized pieces of something in there. That's all. I'm not even sure if a true ala Vodka is supposed to have prosciutto in there. And the waitress wanted me to add chicken! It cost $12. Probably double at dinner. A soda was almost $3. They also supplied some bread with oil and vinegar mixed in a bowl. That is another sign of poor Italian in my mind. Oil only please. It's not a salad. Would you consider Ranch? I know the Pizza Hut crowd would love to dunk their bread into that. Preposterous? Now you know how I feel. Service was fine. They have a deck and an interior dining room. They have to double their sophistication or cut prices in half to get into the conversation. I don't mind aspirational ownership, but, be a bit aware of what it takes. Don't be the guy in white leather loafers. If I had to concoct a story about this place, I would say that the owner and/or cook worked at a pizzeria when they were young and thought to him or herself - "I could take this menu to the rich part of town and charge double. All I need are a few table cloths and some cushioned chairs."

Calle 3, Apopka

I tried this new (four months) Mexican street kitchen today at lunch. It was fairly good. It is listed as being at 1664 South OBT. I typed that into a search and it sent me to downtown. I even drove back OBT to the north where the numbers changed and it wasn't there either of course. When I typed in Apopka and the address it gave me the right directions. And the signs and map say 441, so, I'm not sure why they insist on saying it is on OBT. I had a fried stuffed triangle (3 to an order) called a Kekadilla for $6. They were covered with cotija and chipotle mayo. They were ok. I also had a Carnitas Taco Grease for $2.50. It was good. The pork was a little dry. I was the first customer, so, maybe all the juice settled to the bottom of whatever they were storing it in and they just picked my portion off the top of the pile? I hate having to make excuses for places. The taco came with pico, pickled onions and avocado crema. It was served in a freshly made corn tortilla. I also had two street tacos at $1.50. A asada and a pollo. The pollo was plastic and salty. The asada was better. Still salty. Also, on corn tortillas and with raw, white onions and cilantro. Maybe some salsa. They offer a chorizo street taco as well. They have three other grease tacos. Two flautas. Four apps. Three snacks. Two tostadas. Four mains. They also throw in some dark brown, slightly thicker and smaller tortillas with every order. The style is Mexico City. The menu says that the owner has twenty years experience as a chef. The place is smallish. It is in a strip mall in front of a Walmart. It is rectangular. You order at a counter. The tables have a metallic look. White and black paint. It's trying to be foodie friendly. If they tighten up the execution (less salt and fresher, less cooked meat) it could be something. I liked the starch based components. I would tell you to find it if it wasn't so far out of the way and if there weren't an overload of these types of places in every neighborhood.

El Rinconcito, OIA Area

I grabbed dinner to go at this Latin restaurant aside the last gas station on 436 (before you get to OIA) last week. I tried a Puerto Rican sandwich for $7. I think it was shredded chicken and ham. The fact that I can't recall is not an endorsement. Maybe it was pulled pork instead of ham? It was actually pretty good. A fair amount of filling. Pressed. Cheese too. It came with fries. The fries weren't fried long enough. They have a full Latin menu. Don't think of it as a gas station add on. It's just a restaurant in a curious location. The dinner prices were way worse than the lunch and breakfast prices. Double. Lunch prices were around $5 or $6 bucks for things like a quarter chicken meal. They also serve alcoholic drinks. It has a drive thru. The inside is large. You order at a counter. I think they were open every day and I think they close at 11pm or 12am on F-Sn. 10pm or 11pm on the other days. They named a sandwich after PR and one after DR, so, I guess the food is a representation of those two islands. Not a bad last stop before airport pricing.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: Little Blue Donut Co (Closed) and Moonlight Pizza

I tried to knock these two out on my way to Sugar Sow. Sugar Sow is still not open although I think the web says it is. The first is in the old Scratch location on Fairbanks near Rollins. The second is in the location next to a 7-11 (Temple Rd?) that recently had an Indian restaurant on Howell Branch Rd.

Little Blue Donut Co - They opened last week. They serve around 18 types of fancy donuts. I tried a Peanut and Sriracha for $2.82. It was ok. Maybe the other type of donut (like in a frosted) would work better. This was the crumbly kind. Old timey. And it was possibly over peanuted and peanut buttered and hot sauced. Very substantial. Not always good with strong elements. The place looks cute. They have banquettes (I think that's what they call them) against the left wall. The counter is on the right. It has a rococo feel. They also serve coffee.

Moonlight Pizza - Everything is the same as the Indian restaurant except for some wine iconography. I just grabbed a slice for $3. It was tiny. The crust was dense and over floured. The cheese was cheap and abundant. I can't remember a sauce. Salty. However, it wasn't terrible. I must have been hungry. They also have a full menu. It seats about eighty. It was empty except for one diner. I think they said they opened three months ago.

Stir, Lake Ivanhoe Area - Closed

I tried this replacement for Nova on North Orange and Virginia today at lunch. It won't cause much of what it is named for. It isn't much different than Nova. And that is not a good thing. The decor and structure seem exactly the same. Down to the arctic temps. The menu is dull. The exotic items are a pork cheek puff pastry and bone marrow. I tried the pastry ($8) and a half Florida Cobb Salad ($6). The pork was bland. They served it in a jus that my clown fish would find too salty to swim in. The pastry was dough was ok. The salad was atrocious. Every bite was sweet. Sweet bacon jam. Honey goat cheese. Sweet vinaigrette. It also came with some herbed corn. Couldn't begin to guess the herb over all that sweet. They also added a few halves (one whole) cherry tomatoes that were tart. And I doubt they were meant to be. Just bad produce. As was the wilted field greens. A salad you would get at a business conference at a Marriott ... Suites. The lunch menu was mostly sandwiches and app. A boring ensemble like a Cuban and a  fried chicken thigh or buffalo calamari. I did like the fact that they allowed you to get a half order of salad. The dinner menu is the same banality plus four entrees. I think they were a short rib, shrimp and grits, duck with fettuccine (gross) and a pork chop. All a few dollars too much. The executive chef is a girl and you can see evidence of that in the menu and the flavor concoctions. Everything is a little cafe-ish. Too many sweet components. I didn't like Nova and it didn't last. I predict the same outcome for this close cousin. And it had nothing to do with the $3 soda with no re-fills. What is the definition of insanity again? It opened for lunch last week and dinner 2 months ago (?).

Pub Crawl - Sanford: Deviant Wolfe Brewing, Tuffy's, Da Kine Poke and Inner Compass Brewing

I came down here yesterday night  because I was told that the first place served food. They don't. So, I decided to not waste the effort and try their beer even though it was a school night. They told me about the second place (had food) and that a place I was waiting on (the third place) had opened. I guess I came on a Tu or W last time and that's why they still looked under renovation.

Deviant Wolfe Brewing - They are next to the Tennessee Truffle on 1st St. A square room with a bar in the rear. They serve their own quaffs and a few others. I tried five (IPA, APA, Stout, Sour IPA and a Sour. They were all good. Only Sour IPA I have ever heard of. It was good and I don't enjoy sours. The bartender was knowledgeable and personable. They have been open for two months.

Tuffy's - Started by the Central 28 people. They serve their beer, other beer and the cider (singular) they ferment there. I had a glass. It tasted like apple juice. No fizz. No zing. No alcohol? I really came for the poke truck (Da Kine Poke) out back. I had a Hawaiian Bowl for $14. It was fresh. It is the only way poke should be served. Sesame oil, soy sauce, onion and seaweed salad. You can actually keep the seaweed and onions and the rice. Just give me tuna, sesame oil and soy sauce. This one also had ginger and avocado. It was a big bowl. The rice was mushy. Still the best poke I've had in Orlando. They serve three other types and a pork platter. They have a location in the meat market in Winter Park and another in that new market downtown (old Frank N Stein's). Tuffy's is huge. It is on Myrtle (closer to 17-92) and 2nd. The front room has a huge ceiling. Mirrors in granny frames atop the bar. There is an intermediate game room and a huge outdoor area with a pontoon boat and RV serving as decoration. Parking is not an issue. They have been open for three weeks.

Inner Compass Brewing - This old service station location across from Celery City on 2nd St has a tiny interior and a patio. I tried their four brews (flights not full glasses). All were good. Not bad for their first batch. I had a Saison, Kolsch, IPA and Stout. The kolsch wasn't limp and watery and neither was the saison. They did a good job on the remodel. They opened two months ago.

Lisbon, I Drive - Moved to Dr Phillips and Sand Lake Rd

I had lunch at this reboot of a Brazilian sushi spot in the shadow of the Orlando Eye on Wednesday. It is now a straight up Portuguese play. I had their chicken soup and the octopus salad. Nether were great. The soup was like a Greek avgolemono with out the lemon. I'm not sure if the grain was rice. It was very abused (fluffed from stirring) if it was, It was also very salty. Another imbecile that has to be told that you add salt AFTER the stock has been reduced. It cost $5. The octopus salad was less of a salad than I was expecting. It was octopus hunks on a bed of diced onions, green pepper and parsley. They weres not something I would want to EAT and excessive if a decoration. The octopus was extremely flabby. I'm not sure if I have been mis-served octopus for my whole life or it was always supposed to be this soft, but, I didn't like it. The outer skin was soft and gelatinous. It was peeling off the meat in my mouth. It had an unpleasant mouth feel. Like eating marrow from a bone or cubes of fat. It left me nauseous. It cost $16. It may have been the cause of stomach issues. The rest of the menu is very bacaloa centric. It must be half of the pages of the menu. I'm part Swedish and even I think cod is disgusting. Let alone reconstituted, salted cod. Prices are all over the place. They had lunch special plates for $7 or $28. Any app from the sea was in the teens. A soda was $3.50. Almost as much as the soup! Hard to choose. Pony up and be disappointed or cheap out (and be disappointed with the selection) and lessen the risk? The place is similar if not unchanged. Three rooms. A bar up front. A main room. An overflow or private room on the right. It is painted in white a steel gray colors. Plates and photos on the wall. The chairs are dark brown. This type of fare isn't destination worthy. Maybe go for a cheap chicken, beans and rice special. But, who would go out of their way for that? I think they want to be fancy, but, accessible. That leads to multiple personality disorder in people. They need a better chef (or ingredients) or a price adjustment. I'd be hesitant to advise that the higher price dishes will be worth what they feel the are. But, I didn't try them, so, I may be off base and the octopus was an outlier. I don't want to savage them because at least they didn't reform into an Italian, Mexican or poke joint. And they did serve free (under baked) rolls. Service was fine. There were a few other customers. Parking is free.

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".