Off the Hook, Ponce Inlet

I went to this new location on Thursday for lunch. I went to the one in NSB and found it ordinary. To tell you the truth, if I knew it was another "Hook" I wouldn't have come. I was under the impression it was to be another place. It is the last (in this area) from the Sentinel article I have referred to in past posts. It was to open a year ago. I tried it last summer and it wasn't ready and then the hurricane pushed it back even farther. They opened in January. I liked it it. It looks sharp. Very modern. Light decor. Some kitschy things like deep sea fishing boat seats. Inter-cosatal view. Lots of windows. A large deck. I think it had boat tie ups. I had the clams at $15 and a half pound of crawfish. I believe they called the clams Cedar Creek. I have seen them called out before, so, I should be more familiar with them. They were served in a sherry wine broth. Mostly overcooked. A few soft ones. The broth probably hadn't had the sherry cooked out of it. Too much of it. The dipping bread was a lazy choice. Poor, mass manufactured quality. It needs better bread if you call it out. The broth also has to be "soup" worthy. Somehow I was ok with the dish however. Maybe it was the salt air. Similar story with the mud bugs. Probably frozen. Mostly tough. Over seasoned with Old Bay.  I usually don't do butter, but, they glazed them with it and it helped. Service was fine. I'm sure it doesn't seem to add up, but, I think I like this place the best over all the others in this area. The menu was interesting and the venue is appealing. Way better than the strip mall it's sister location is in.

Grub Crawl - Baldwin Park: Meza and Tutto Caffe

I stopped at these places today at lunch. The first is aside the Publix. The second is on the main street (New Broad). I was here because Bem Bom is STILL not open.

Meza - I think they are over a year overdue. They opened two weeks ago. The owner was behind Cafe Annie downtown. The heart of the menu is Lebanese. Or at least the owner is. I had the chicken tagine. It was a sort of deconstructed/modern tagine. More of a stew around rice served in a porcelain bowl. One breast cut in two. Sweet potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, chick peas, onions and cauliflower in a slightly sweet broth with tumeric (among other things). The chicken was a little tough. Stewed meats are like that. The basmati grain seemed a little fatter and shorter than the type you get in Indian dishes. Hard to tell how it was cooked amongst all the broth. It cost $16. $22 at dinner. Mostly a good dish. Very encouraging. My main problem with food (etc) from this region is that it is rarely "modern" or "innovative". The menu is a little predictable. Kabobs, side dishes/dips, etc. But, there are some elements that nudge the envelope. Aka lamb chops and the tagine preparation. I'd like to see more. The main dishes are in between $20 and $30 at night. Cheaper during the day. Apps are under $10. The room has high ceilings. One big room with a bar in the rear. The color scheme is monochrome with red brick wall accents. Nice, new, modern tables and chairs. Cloth napkins. They spent some money. It seats about eighty. There were three other tables (one Arab) seated while I ate. They only had one waiter. But, he mostly handled the weight. I did have to ask for a refill. It was better than I expected.

Tutto Caffe - They were to open about the same time last year as Meza. They beat them by six months. I was under the impression it was just a coffee place. They also serve breakfast and sandwiches and wine. A deli/lounge set up. I grabbed an English Lunch panini for $7. It was roast beef, cheddar, horseradish on a ciabatta roll. Served warm. It was pretty good. It could have used a little more horseradish and I'm not a huge fan of ciabatta (too dense and dry). The cheese was tasty. Mostly good and I'd eat it again. It also came with a decent frisse/field greens salad. They had a half dozen other sandwiches. A chicken pesto. An Italian meats. That's all I remember. Good value.

*Two new places have also opened or will open here. Vintage (wine bar next to Tutto). Open. And some brewery. Not open.

**I had a few interesting food finds in South America. See if you can find them or make them. Carrot cream dip. In place of a tapanade. For bread. A thicker carrot soup. Aguaymanto or Peruvian ground cherries. Look like cherry tomatoes. Taste citrus-y. Arvejas frita. Fried peas. Aceituna (black olive) sandwich. And I finally tried Thai ice cream in Mendoza of all places. They take cream and fruit and pour it on a cold steel plate and then it freezes and they scrape it up in a roll. I think it's supposed to be the latest craze. I saw it on tv before I left. Coldstone plus. We need that here. You probably have heard of the rest of the stuff I ate. I ate that big corn (choclo) - on the cob. Only had it in kernels before. I will point out that Burger King had a burger with a hot dog on it (Parrillera) that they should sell here.

Grub Crawl - Hourglass District: Cilantro's and Leguminati (Closed)

I tried these two places last night. The first is on Bumby right before Curry Ford Rd. The next is at/near that intersection on Curry Ford Rd.

Cilantro's - This is an eight month old Mexican spot. It serves mostly hand held stuff - burritos, tacos flautas and dillas. I sampled a few tacos for you. I had a shrimp ($3.50), fish ($3.75), al pastor ($3) and a hard shell ground beef ($2). The shrimp was good. Four, medium sized, fresh. firm shrimp. The fish (mahi) was also fresh. and probably better (equal in size) than the salmon I had at the place on I Drive. The pastor was a little dry. Could have been chicken. Could have been anything. Big serving. No pineapple. I should have gone with carnitas. The ground beef was a little Jack in the Box-y. Fine ground. The seafood tacos came in a medium size flour tortilla. The pastor in a corn. All came with differing toppings. From cotija cheese to raw onion. They added some nice tortilla chips on the side. The food was mostly good. The place is into between a totally authentic $1 taco place and a Tijuana Flats. The chefs were tiny abuelas. The place is small. Six or seven little high top tables. All weren't clean. Not a bad little joint. Ok salsas. On the cusp of the favs list. We'll see how I feel in a few months. Got to clean those tables!

Leguminati - They are part of the Foxtail Coffee outpost. I've been waiting on them for months. They opened a week ago. They are a vegetarian place. I had a LGBT (I guess you can't be questioning when it comes to your sandwich) sandwich to go for $8. To see what rice paper bacon is. If it was anything, it dissolved into the LB. The T was fresh. The G (guac) was good. The bun was great. Nice flavors overall. And you know I can do without veganism. They have four or five other sandwiches and a few breakfast (all day) items. They were also serving wine and craft beer. I'm not sure who runs what, but, the other things in the building are a wine rack area, a fridge of beer, a sign that says Hourglass Social House and a Foxtail coffee bar. It looks hip. Or hipster.

Stasio's, Milk District

I grabbed lunch to go from this Italian Deli and Market on Bumby (and I think Robinson) about two weeks ago. I don't remember much. They had just been open for a week or so at that point. The place looks crisp and clean. I remember glass and white. I had a sausage and broccolini hero for $9 because it was the cheapest thing (most other sandwiches over $10) and I had had only chicken and broccolini before (iie at DaNic's in Philadelphia). It was very good. All the components were good. Top notch. I recall a limited menu. Ten or so items. More take home options. They said my sandwich would take ten minutes (they were telling everyone that), but, it came out in two. They also have a coffee bar. It was pretty packed. Which leads me to my only concern. The parking is inadequate and they share it with others. It won't be long before they start complaining and making a bad situation worse. I liked this place alot. I'll go back. It'll be on the favs list. Too busy to write more.

Shadow Ban

Does anyone think Google is shadow banning my site? It seems to be some method they use to hide sites from searches. When I search for my site (or posts), it rarely comes up. Even when I search - orlandoer. I'm the only one. It should be first. Or at least on the first page. It never shows up. Even if I use quotation marks. I think the only people who read this are ones that were on the mailing list pre- shadow ban. Let me know if I'm wrong and you have found this site through a search and if it was a Google search. Or ask them to un-ban the site.

Grub Crawl - West Colonial: Huong Viet, Nam Giao Deli and Zero Degrees (Closed)

I tried these places at lunch today. The are all in that area on West Colonial I call Chinatown. On the western side (more abandoned) side of the complex. I was supposed to try Chef Wang's. But, they are closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Lucky for us. Two were real surprises. And new. This area is becoming a destination.

Huong Viet - This a typical Vietnamese restaurant. I had a rice dish because I was prepared to eat Chinese. It had pork and shrimp cake on it. A small carrot salad as well. It cost $10. The usual. Grisly pork. Slightly mushy rice. The decor, condition and menu are familiar. They have been open for four years.

Nam Giao Deli - I looked in here a few months ago when I reviewed the Korean place. It looked like a bar not a deli. The owner said he has had trouble with the change over and put the deli sign up before he remodeled. Hence the confusion. He opened two weeks ago. It is a great Vietnamese take out spot. All these little "snacks" that I thought was missing from Vietnamese cuisine. It will be a joy to come back and get an education. I sampled a shrimp on sugar cane (tried that before), a palm leaf covered pork roll stuffed with periwinkles (come on!), lemon grass and ginger that was shaped like a Jimmy Dean sausage roll, a flat fried green panko crusted pork roll and fried ball stuffed with a quail egg that was covered with pork roll (three). The cost - $2, $2.50, $2.50 and $4. He also sliced off some samples of his two large pork rolls - fried and steamed. There were also spring rolls, a soy curd noodle type dish, an egg pancake and other snacks ready to go. And I haven't written about the regular dish menu or the bahn mi yet. Everything reasonably priced. Better than Huong Viet. The owner said he is worried about getting things in order before people find out about him. He's ready enough as far as I'm concerned. I'm so glad serendipity maneuvered me here. Can't wait to try my next batch of authentic Vietnamese items. It's named after a region in Vietnam.

Zero Degrees - This place is in between the first two. It opened three weeks ago. I thought it was another dumb boba place. It's more. It has food. Just chicken wings or popcorn, chicharron, fries, street corn (elote) and dessert. It's a chain. They said Western. I've never run into it. The best way I can describe it is that it is a hostel - if a hostel was a restaurant. It could be the snack bar in a hostel. It has that insouciance. The cheese fries have Cheeto dust. The floats have oreo crumbs. The sundaes have kids cereal on them. I had a popcorn chicken with salt and pepper for $5.50 and a cheese fries for $5. Both portions were huge. The chicken wasn't very tasty. Kind of like bad Chinese take out. But, they filled an entire circular tin container for me. It could feed four. The fries were better. Very thin. Big portion. Same container. The cheese was like game day melted goo. They put on too much red spicy Cheeto dust though. They have glass mason jars, milk bottles and travel containers that you can buy for a buck or two. For your liquid refreshments. You can add a swirl - a tornado of mango - to any drink. It's a Me-lennial dream come true. They just need to snap your picture when you enter and stream it to a monitor or straight to Instagram. The place is gray and black with dark wood patches. Pay and order at the counter. It's fun. Why they opened here is a mystery. It's the only non-Asian business. However, it just adds to the roster of choice places in this strip mall.

5th Element, Sanford

I had the lunch buffet at this new (two months) Indian restaurant in the strip mall on Rinehart across from the Mercedes dealership on Friday. It was excellent. Huge choice. Reasonable price ($11). Good quality. I had a goat dish, chicken tikka masala, a chicken kabob dish, garlic chicken, tandoori chicken, chicken jalfrezi, another curry chicken dish, sweet and sour soup, another soup, a flavored biryani (they had three or four), basmati rice, that donut that I forget the name of - that I think is made with chick pea flour, a puffy white roll like thing, naan, a coconut square, rice pudding, a rice and curd thing and probably some other things I can't remember. And I didn't even get to the vegetarian dishes. Almost as many. The regular menu has even more (ie lamb). They kept the trays filled and fresh. The place was almost at capacity. Alot of mechanics from the car dealerships close by. Alot of Indians too. They did a fair job on the remodel. They have tvs in the corners, booths around the perimeter and tables in the center. The other half of the space is the buffet area and bar. Culturally appropriate decor. They have four other locations around the state. They know what they are doing. Even the soda was cheap. The one misstep was that they weren't very attentive to the soda level. I had to ask for a refill. I really was not looking forward to this after the Southern Spice experience. The caloric intake Indian buffets expose me to even makes me apprehensive. However, this was a good learning experience and I will definitely go back. Calories be damned. If you live in the area, you have been blessed. And remember - I'm just reviewing the buffet! First an unsung movie with a naked Mila Jovovich and dog like creatures that look like Common and now this. The 5th Element must be love.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: Terralina and Yesake

I stopped by these spots yesterday at lunch. The first is near Boatyard. The second is in the shadow of Planet Hollywood.

Terralina - They said they just opened three weeks ago. I thought it had been open longer. The Olive Garden decor and pricey menu had me sharpening my claws the second I sat down. It didn't help when they asked if I wanted to sit at the bar in an empty restaurant and served me stank water (that I believe is purposely adulterated to force you to order a $4 soda). I tried the water fountains by the bathrooms outside the restaurant and the water there was ten times as potable. I settled on a sausage pizza because it was the cheapest thing at $14. And I didn't trust a place that looks like Olive Garden and sounds like a sandal company to cook anything of value. I may have been wrong. Not about the prices. They are Disney outrageous. $44 rib eye. $25+ pastas. $16+ "lunch special" sandwiches. $10 soups. $15 apps. The pizza was actually quite good. Especially for a "cracker style" pizza. and the dishes I saw other tables receiving looked good as well. My pizza was about ten inches across. Rustic style. They said it was made with mozzarella, but, it seemed like a blend. Little sauce. Plops of freshly ground, savory pork. The real star. Fresh red chilies. The pie was thin. I usually hate ones this thin. But, it was just thick enough and I had been pizza-less in the UK for three weeks, so, maybe I was a soft sale. I would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't dousing the heat with sips of pee water (or not drinking at all). I should mention that they provide the table with a loaf of foccacia bread with a side of jardiniere (cauliflower, etc). It is an odd match. The veggies fall right off the craggy bread. It also made me think that this is Chicago Italian and not the real McCoy. Service was ok. She was a little dim witted. She wanted to know if I wanted red pepper flakes on a pizza loaded with spicy red pepper pieces. All in all, it is too mundane for me to recommend. False ambiance. The food may be good (and that is an assumption), but, you need to click on all cylinders at these price points. It's unmemorable.

Yesake - This is a food stall that is kind of Asian and more. They serve udon, rice and maybe wraps that probably started as Japanese, but, they just decided to add ingredients and sauces until it appealed to any ethnic group. I mixed and matched udon noodles with shrimp, sesame sauce, kale, carrots and onions. The kale ruined it, but, I was struggling to add things. The shrimp were tiny. The noodles were scarce. Thankfully so was the sauce. Not a great meal. It cost $10. I wouldn't try them again. Some how they have survived for 2 and a half years.

*It seems like they have finished construction on this side. A new wine bar is also open.

Mo-Chica, I Drive

I had lunch at this Peruvian restaurant at the intersection of I Drive and Kirkman three weeks ago. It's in a location that most recently had a disappointing pizza place if I remember correctly. The interior is much the same/ They added a few murals. I had their salmon with risotto for $20. I kind of knew it would suck and I wasn't disappointed. The salmon was fishy smelling, dry, old and a small cut. The risotto was (over) flavored with pesto. It was also overcooked. Most seafood options are at this price point or higher. The whole menu is overpriced. Even the lunch "specials" are $10 and don't come with a side or anything. They discontinued the rotisserie chicken. I'm guessing it was too much of a bargain at $8 for a quarter. They think they are high end. They better hire more qualified cooks and ingredient purveyors if that is their ambition. I suspect they will join the long line of failures that have occupied this space. How they have survived for a year is a mystery. Now that I have wasted my time going here, I'm sure the kiss of death is in the air. There were two other tables eating while I was there. They seem to be focusing on seafood. They have ceviche and tiraditos. Some beef and chicken dishes. They are named after some ancient Peruvian peoples. Mo Chica, Mo Problemas.

This Little Piggy, Winter Garden

I went to this bbq stall at the Plant Street Market tonight. I grabbed a half pound of brisket to go because I found the prices out of line. They want $12 for a pulled pork sandwich. $14 if you want sides. And that is the cheapest option. A brisket sandwich (solo) is $15. Pork rinds are $9. The kids menu start at $9!. The brisket cost $9. To add insult to injury, it was half uneatable. Unrendered fat and sinew. The other half was dry. They over salt it as well. I tried their berry hot sauce. The salt activated the areas of my taste buds that react to heat. It made the sauce burn. Bad marriage. I knew I was in trouble when they started to chop the brisket. In my mind this a clear sign of embarrassment. An attempt to hide the inadequacies of the cook into a jumble of junk. They are in the lower tier of local bbq. Not even the best on their block (one competitor). They opened in January. And we could have done without that. Aside from the listed items they really only do ribs as well.

*Three or four new places have opened in WG. Two in a new building aside the market. A taco place (4 Loco?) and a steak place (Mathew's).

Grub Crawl - Sanford: Mr Z's and Boba Babes

I went to these two places on 1st St on Thursday at lunch. The first is in the old Zocalo location. The second is in the old Rabbit Records location farther down the street.

Mr Z's - This is sandwich shop and pizzeria that draws its inspiration from Philadelphia.. I had a roast beef sandwich special ($10) and a slice ($2.50). Regular sandwiches are around $8. This came with fries and a drink that I didn't get now that I think of it. The roast beef was a little dry. I would guess from age rather than overcooking. They said they get it specially done. It had a little too much fat for me as well. Hard fat. Maybe it's better when fresh. The roll was suspect too. The sauce (some kind of creamy Italian) was ineffective. I had to add some blue cheese that I had in the fridge to give it adequate flavor. The pizza was better. Nothing special. The usual Northeastern model. They tout their cheese steaks. The owner has some Philadelphia roots. The interior is mostly the same. Some new decoration. They opened in December.

Boba Babes - A tea and coffee place. I had a boba flavored tea with juice pearls (they didn't have the tapioca ones ready). They didn't exactly vibe with the milky tea, but, they were fun to pop. I had a level two sweetness (one is nothing). That was still very sweet. I think they made the look white. White walls and furniture. Can't remember the old look. The tea cost $6+ for a large (which isn't). They opened in May.

Andy's Frozen Custard, Sanford

I went to this frozen custard franchise (appears to have started in Misery emm Missouri) last night because I hoped they served food. Nope. I grabbed a small old fashioned soda for $4.39. It starts as soda water and vanilla ice cream (pardon me - custard) and you add a syrup. I chose chocolate. Is that an egg cream?  It was good. The custard was soft serve. Tasted like most others. The chocolate syrup was great. It tasted familiar. Hershey's? I think custard is ice cream with egg added to it. They also serve "concretes', sundaes, splits, floats, cones, cups, malts, etc. It looks like a Fifties McDonald's. They have a drive thru. They opened six weeks ago. It was popular. They are behind the Red Robin off Rinehart by the Wal-Mart. I stopped at PDQ after and the custard and the fried chicken sandwich weren't the worst combo.

*A few dishes I encountered in the Rocky Mountain states: chicken and quinoa burrito (Denver, CO) eggs benedict on quinoa cakes (Fort Collins, CO), powder (Fort Collins, CO), runza (a ground beef and cabbage stuffed roll) and frings (french fry and onion ring combo) (McCook NE) and wheel cheese (round grilled cheese sandwich) (Oakley, KS).

Four Guys Pho, Casselberry - Closed

I tried this new (one week) Vietnamese restaurant on 436 yesterday at lunch. It used to be a Greek place. I grabbed a 1 item (sliced beef eye round) pho for $8.75 and an order of summer rolls (2) for $3.75 to go. They are offering a limited time 15% grand opening discount, so, they were less. The rolls were fine. I've never had a shrimp with any flavor in one of those. Still haven't. The peanut dipping sauce was very dark and thick. The beef in the pho was medium rare as advertised. Alot and of a good quality. Very lean. The noodles were plentiful. A little over cooked and spongy. Not freshly cooked. Cold. The veg was fresh. I didn't add the jalapenos or basil or black sauce (is that duck sauce or tamarind or neither?). The beef broth was light and sweet. I discovered a way to eat this thing. You take a slice of meat in your mouth and chew and then take a spoon of broth and repeat until the meat is chewed up enough to swallow. I have found it hard to eat this dish as a whole. It's always - let's chopstick some meat or noodles or veg - now let's put those down and pick up the spoon and sip some broth. It's really difficult to get those solids to not flip off the spoon. I left the noodles out and ate them with the left over (diluted with water) peanut dip later in the day. They also have brisket, tendon, meat balls and tripe as add ins to the pho. Plus a lemongrass beef soup, wonton soup, chicken noodle soup and "Vietnamese" chicken noodle and egg (Mi) noodle soup that you can add pork, shrimp, wontons or squid to. The menu is standard. Some Asian cross over. Rice vermicelli bowls, spring rolls, rice platters, etc. A surprise was clay pot dishes. Pricing is in line. The place looks like I remembered it. They painted and added some decoration (Vietnamese field hats, posters, paintings). It was clean. It seats about forty. There were three tables seated (all women) while I was there. Service was lickity split. Would you believe my home town had an ice cream place named that? Not pho-nomenal, but, not pho-geddaboutit. Better than average. I'd go back. They seem to be trying to impress.

Southern Spice, Sand Lake Road Area - Closed

I wasn't exactly pleased when I learned I would have to haul my buns back here just to try another Indian restaurant (was Chutneys). The fact that they serve a Southern Indian menu didn't really make it anymore enticing. But, at least it isn't a totally duplication. They are in that strip mall with the gym (Gold/World's?) right around where Turkey Lake and Sand Lake meet. Incidentally, I'm going to have to do it again because the Graffiti Junction closed and is being replaced with what I assume is a French place. I went here for lunch last week. They were doing a $10 buffet, so, I just went with it. It's a shame because the large menu has some interesting items on it. I had a few mini samosas. I'm not sure if you can buy these by the hundred in Indian markets. I'd guess that was their provenance. Not bad in any case. I also had some chicken biyrani. butter chicken, tandoori chicken and one other that I think was in curry. They keep the bones in. All sections. I got a neck. They were in line with how they are supposed to taste. The butter chicken seemed a tad sweeter. I didn't love all the extra pods and leaves left in the dishes. I also had some white basmati rice, paneer/cheese (Makhani style I think), aloo/potatoes (possibly Telengana style), naan and a rice pudding with short noodles. I liked the potatoes very much. Paneer was good as well. I prefer rice to short noodles (in my desserts) it appears. The naan was a little burnt. I can't prove it, but, I think they give the "mistakes" to the white customers. That was pretty much the selection. Some salad greens and veggie entrees. I can't remember if they offered a soup. I would have done more damage but I had a plane ride ahead of me and I had already awoke with a huge case of flatulence. Just air. No smell. Bizarre. Carbonation/? Speaking of which, they charge $3 for a soda. Boo. The normal menu is large. Maybe 70 things. Some look interesting. They offer shrimp, chicken, mutton, fish, lamb and plants. Some descriptions seemed posh. $15-$24. I'd give them a go if I lived down there. Not going back for the buffet though. My town alone has four places that offer much the same. They did a little tinkering around the edges with the interior. Still familiar. Utilitarian. It was a buffet so service wasn't really on display. Give it a go if you live nearby. They had some Indian customers and some local business people there for the buffet. I think they opened in April or May.

Papa Sabz, Casselberry

Today I survived a gauntlet of aggravation that started on the Eye-Sore and ended with this lucky encounter. Let me start by saying that we have a special species of imbecile running the I-4 "improvement" project. Either that or a special kind of grifter. It is unbelievable how slow this is going. And today I encountered a new piece of imbecility. I won't dwell on the crash that caused a traffic jam that most certainly was the fault of the "improvement". I will talk about the traffic light they placed/hid around a curve (under an overpass) on the West Bound lanes at the Maitland on ramp. Not only does it take forever to cycle, it is hidden from drivers entering the highway. Drivers have to jam on the brakes just as they are accelerating to merge onto the highway. This is a multi car pile up waiting to happen every minute of every day. And they could easily push back the light or place a warning sign. Back to the day of frustration. Chela in downtown closed before I got there. I arrived at 2:45pm. They say they are open until 2:30pm. I think they started closing early. All the chairs were stacked on the tables in fifteen minutes? So, my first choice was out. And a wasted gauntlet. I tried to make the effort worth while by walking past Lake Eola in the heat to see if that ramen place near the 7-11 in Thornton Park had opened. That would be a "no". Back to the car and off to Bem Bom in Audubon Park. Still not open. The guys in the parking lot said two to three weeks. Waiting on permits. Are we at two years yet? Then to 436 in Casselberry to see if 4 Guys Pho was open yet. Nope. The sign says June 19. That's tomorrow. Lucky me. I threw in the towel and started home. Then I saw this sign where Holly and Dolly's used to be.

It's now a mostly Mediterranean place run by an Iranian couple who own the building. I had a 1/2 chicken with two side for $8. This is funny because I just scoffed at a whole chicken at Winn Dixie yesterday because it was $7. That aside, this chicken was very good. A great herb coating. Cooked in a rotisserie. On the rare side. Not pink. How the professional chefs say chicken should be served. The skin was crisp. Hard combo to pull off. I tried their hummus and roasted potatoes. The hummus was especially good. Thick. A little olive oil on top. No flavorings. Great, toasted, thick pita triangles. The potatoes had a lemon flavor. I was impressed. Sodas were only $1.75. I refilled three times. Parched from that lake walking. They also serve gyros, pastrami, cheese steaks, turkey, grilled chicken breast, Caesar salad, Greek salad, and desserts. Around $7. They redid the place with metal wainscoting, nude wood shaded table tops and black metal chairs. It seats around sixty. You order at the counter. There were people there (and they were open) at 4pm. A mixed crowd. They have been open for seven weeks. Not a destination, but, a real value. It also probably saved me from slashing my wrists, but, don't hold that against them. And at least they stay open all day.

Rossellini's, Lake Mary - Closed

I had lunch at this new (three weeks) Italian restaurant in the Winn Dixie shopping area off I-4 on Thursday. It was previously Luigino's. Sign on Lake Mary Blvd still says that. It doesn't appear that they did much re-decorating. I could be wrong, but, it seemed the like the same stuff. A little scary because I think they had been closed for a while. The windows looked like it. Still covered in grime. The table was also a mess. Visible streaks from a dirty wash cloth. Same with the oil and vinegar bottles. Crumbs on my chair. It isn't a surprise. All the help quit after a poor opening. Could be the fact that it is in a remote corner and they haven't done enough (any?) or the right advertising. When I took in my surroundings and the lack of staff (one) and the empty restaurant and the lack of AC penetration to the tables by the windows (the hottest area and their prime real estate). I was really apprehensive. Luigino's was pretty mediocre by the end (maybe always). Was this more of the same? I set my fate on a lay up. A Chicken Florentine sandwich. Hard to screw up. I wasn't rolling the dice on a potentially rock hard meatball sandwich or a $18 Chicken Park from the dinner menu. This $10 sandwich was the limit of my faith. They surprised me. The sandwich was good. A little small, but, fresh. Fresh (unsalty) mozzarella. Fresh, thick meated tomatoes. Reasonably fresh (a little freezer burn taste on part) chicken. A great, crispy baguette. A nice pesto sauce. Even a little tarragon leaf decoration. And the steak fries were fried perfectly. I was really worried that the fryer was going to be cool or they were going to have other issues that "empty" or new places have early in the day (or existence). They were ready for business. The one flaw was bloody chicken. They didn't let it rest and it released its juice. Hey, at least it still had some. I didn't like the $3 soda. They need to include that in the lunch price. Terra Mia sells most lunches at $10 and they include the soda. The meal is doable at $10. Remember we have to tip. At $13 it becomes a discussion. That $10 is now $16 or $17 with drink and tax and tip. That's double what most take away lunches go for. And that's the competition. Dinner prices are even more out of line. Either they offer a full experience (clean environment, working AC, mood music, excellent food) or you reduce the prices by 50% until you do. You can't expect full remuneration when you aren't executing to your fullest. It's self-serving. A micro crime. It drives me crazy when businesses do this. They never excuse the buyer from full compliance. And I'm not sure there is a need for a high priced, rustic Italian restaurant. A new one is opening near City Hall in a few weeks. But, if you don't blink at a $30 steak (or seafood pasta) or apps in the mid teens are pastas (second courses) near $20, then this place is for you. I don't see myself returning for that. Luigino's used to be an expense account type of place. But, that was when the town had few options. It also attracted alot of the real estate agents. But, that didn't seem to save them. *Actually it could have closed for non-economic reasons. In any event, I wish them luck. The owners name is Paulo. He runs a similarly named place in Daytona Beach. He seems to care about ingredients. His one helper was on the ball. Two others came in at lunch (and some looky-loos). They have some Green Sea (or something) Salmon (with green peas) that sounded interesting. Food quality seems to be Job 1. It isn't perfect, but, it can't be written of yet. They are really reliant on the quality of the food at this point. Should it drop off, the restaurant won't survive for long. Here's hoping the solve the other issues.

Grub Crawl - Casselberry and Altamonte Springs: Chalten, Wildflower and Sugar Sow (Closed)

I went to these places at lunch on Friday. The first two are near the 17-92 and 436 interchange. The third is in a Citgo gas station at the train tracks on 436.near the light rail station in Altamonte.

Chalten - They were supposed to open a pizza place in Ivanhoe last year. Some how they ended up at 124 Live Oaks Blvd in a cul de sac behind an Asian buffet (northeast side of the interchange). I'm not sure how they will get enough foot traffic to make this work. Maybe catering? They sell a small menu of Argentinean influenced sandwiches and salads. Some bowls and breakfast. Put it this way - lemonades are a fifth of the menu. I had a chicken salad sandwich for $7. It was a very healthy looking attempt. They say there was mayo in there. Just a dab. On the bun. The chicken tasted of oil and vinegar. They also say - cream cheese. I don't recall that. I recall brown, ground chicken and carrots. The flat herb "roll" was the must intriguing element. It became mushy in places. It was served warm. No side. They have been open for two months. It's small. One or two tables. No service. The name is from a town in Patagonia. The owner was nice. And cute. Closed Sunday. Open until 3pm.

Wildflower Vegan - This place did little to change my mind about veganism. A scam to overcharge needy people for lousy food. I had a fried chicken sandwich because it was the cheapest thing at $12. I think it was $12 because they didn't offer paper receipts. Needed for some of the entrees I guess. The fake chicken was cut into "fries". They weren't bad tasting and fried properly, but, the bun and veg were disappointing. Bad "bbq" sauce. It is probably twice as expensive as it should be. It's funny how this type of value exchange isn't considered impermissible by the type of perpetually aggrieved person who usually traffics in this kind of opiate. The price of the chicken wasn't as bad as the "shrymp" sandwich. I think it was $16. Why is the letter y always part of non-conformity? It came with "mac and cheese". A small side of mac with a dusting of some cheese chemical. The menu is smallish. So is the place. They seat around twenty. It's very hard to find. In a strip mall on the north east side of 17-92 and 436. In the back. Small sign within the strip mall sign. Look for a barber shop. Service was good. Talking with me while I waited, as it were. They have been open for two months.

Sugar Sow - Finally here after a four month set back. They were a cart and are now a nook. Open for two weeks. Still a work in progress. They specialize in pork. I had a Drunken Swine sandwich for $10. It came with a side. I chose mac and cheese. The sandwich was shredded ham. Not pork. Ham! I had to try it. I've never even seen it. It was bad. I don't love ham and this was just soft, over sweet ham. Nice creativity though. Huge portion. I separated the meal into two sandwiches/meals. The mac was very creamy. More roux than cheese. Some grated cheese mixed in. Shells. Bacon on top. Not bad. I prefer more cheese. Bacon was good. They also sell some apps (3), hot dogs (5), platters (5), desserts (4) and four other sandwiches. The people seemed engaged and engaging. I'll go back.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: Brownerierie (Closed), Buttermilk Bakery and Foxtail Farmhouse

I tried these places for breakfast on Friday. The first is across the street at a diagnol from Trader Joe's on S. Orlando/17-92. Not on S. Orlando, but, around the side. Easy to miss. The next two are on Orange Ave (the road that Einstein's sits at the corner of).

Brownierie Cafe - This is the only CF location of a Brazilian chain. They specialize in brownies (a few other things are available). I had a Banana Brownie for $3.30. It was very good. Moist. Rich. Chocolate-y. Dense. The banana wasn't baked in. Just an "icing" of fresh banana paste. Good though. They do around 28 types. They have been open for 18 months. It's a small, clean, new space. Glad it came up when I searched to see if the new crepe place had opened yet.

Buttermilk Bakery - I couldn't remember if (still can't) if I had tried them. This location seems to chew up little cafe places. I can't keep track. I think I hadn't. Strange to think I've passed by for two years (how long they said they have been open) and just thought it was "in the books". I'm glad I forced a visit. I had two croissants and both were very good. I had a turkey and provolone and an everything. I should mention that I just got back from France and Belgium (ate horse there) and my stomach couldn't wait for lunch time. The croissant was baked around the turkey and provolone. It survived a reheat. A little dry (extra flakey). They tossed in some pepitas in there. Not bad. I just saw a cooking show where they made an "everything" croissant based on the bagel. I don't like the bagel. Too salty and bitter and messy. Oddly, the croissant is a better vehicle for this "rub". I think both were $4. No printed receipts. They serve alot of good looking baked goods. They had a deviled egg tartine and a sandwich for lunch (won't serve before then). Too pricey to my mind. $12 for a tomato and mozzarella sandwich? In fact all the "meals" were too high. Stick to the bakery rack. They redesigned the space. They put the seats by the window up front. I can't remember if the old tenants had a patio. They do. You can also dine by the front door. Parking in back. I'd go back.

Foxtail Farmhouse - They expanded the location to the right. They put a cold drip coffee bar in there. I can't decide whether it is the most pretentious thing in CF or pretty cool. I wish I liked coffee more. At least I'm a little buzzed when I seek this type of experience with wine or beer or spirits. I guess if I maintained "consistency (of opinion) discipline", coffee is no more or less ridiculous to obsess over. And they certainly had their share of obsessives there. Packed house. I didn't partake. Maybe some other time.

*Foxtail in Hourglass District still not done.

Los Generales, Curry Ford Rd

I had dinner at this Mexican restaurant in the Hourglass district on Thursday. It was ok. They do things Yucatan (Mayan) style. They do pozole (on weekends), vaporcitos (tamales), huarache, sopes, gorditas, pambazo and the rest of the usual fare. I had tacos de cochinita for $8 and a lengua taco for $2.50. I didn't need the extra taco. The cochinita (3) were piled with pulled pork and red colored pickled onions. Soft tacos. The pork was steeped in a broth. I don't like that technique. I prefer the meat to be basted in its own oil. This pork was a little bland. The tortillas were also a little dry. I'm not sure if they tossed the platter into the oven because the plate and the food was scorching hot. I think that would account for the dry tortillas. I really hope they didn't use the nuker. The lengua was a little bland too. I saw some bumps on the skin too. That means they didn't peel it off. There was alot of meat here too. And some raw white onions. Same dry tortilla and hot plate. I saw the cook and she seemed like a home cook. That's about the level of this place. There is a big menu. It's not as derivative as a chain, but, it isn't high end or totally authentic. Right in the middle. It does the job. More value than quality. The place used to be another Mexican place (La Fiesta?). Never got there before it closed. Their sign gave me the impression that it would be more of a hipster taco place. It's not. The decor is basic. A little old. Probably the stuff from the last place. They have wooden booths on the left side and pleather booths on the right. A bar counter towards the back. They had some framed photos of guys in weird outfits. I guess one is Zapata. I guess that is why they are called "generales". TVs tuned to Mexican programs. Service was good. The chips and salsa (slightly hot with a little garlic) were fresh. They were offering pozole on a Thursday although the menu said Sat and Sun only. That means it was old or the regular pozole is old by Sat. Pricing was in line. Not a must see. Generally average.

The Frog and the Monkey, Mount Dora

I ate lunch at this pub (English?) about ten days ago. It has a basement location in one of the three story buildings on the main street downtown. Nothing really appealed to me (burgers and sandwiches and a few English dishes), so, I settled on a turkey and brie panini. It was better than I expected. Whole grain bread. Apple. Thick sliced turkey. Acceptable brie. I goofed by sub-ing out honey mustard for spicy. Generous portion. The real kicker was the side of potato salad. A sweet mayo (Duke's). Celery, carrots, raw onion. I usually don't like Duke's and I have never had celery or carrots in my PS, but, it worked. I think there was a pickle too. It cost $11. The current occupants have been there for over ten years. I think they said the place has been a pub since the Eighties. It's a little worn. It's a little small. Six or seven customers. It looks like a pub. Monkey decorations. They seem to have a corner for a dj or minstrel. Service was good. I tried for bangers, but, they were out. They had a venison burger and some pork dish as specials. Nothing out of the teens. It's ok for this sort of place.