Grub/Pub Crawl - College Park and Baldwin Park: Blended Cafe Bar, Digress and Tactical Brewing Company

I tried these places last Saturday Night. The first two are on Edgewater Dr. The last is near the Publix in the heart of that community.

Blended Café Bar - I had a crispy chicken banh mi for $7 because I wasn't very hungry or interested in the finger foods they offer. It was really good. The bun was great. Crisp. The chicken was crisp as well. It came with the usual carrot and radish and cilantro toppings. They also serve teas, bao, rice bowls, egg rolls, noodle bowls and samosas they call "pockets". A few specials as well. They are across from the main condo building off of Princeton. The inside is a big empty, white space with a bar on one side and some seats on the other. A few people were at the bar playing Stratego. Feel free to channel your inner Terry Crews while you are there. That's a movie reference. I think they have been open for six months.

Digress - They are down the street in the old Cavanaugh's space. They were supposed to serve food starting in the Spring. Then the Fall. It seems like that will never transpire. What there will be is the current food truck partnership. And even that is intermittent. They weren't on that night (a Saturday). It's mostly a wine bar. The owner was nice and talkative. He seemed sincerely interested in wine. They are a bit pricy. I believe they have been open for about a year.

Tactical Brewing Company - They have been in a "soft" opening for two months. Still only open on the weekends. I tried an IPA and an Oyster Shell Black Lager. Both were good. They seem to be run by ex-military. Marines I think. It is a smallish square room. It was pretty packed. Mixed crowd. Bartenders were pleasant. Dogs were welcome. Nice scene. They even have some good looking merch.

Hangry Bison, Winter Park

I just got back from this Firefly replacement across from the movie theater. The guy from Pizza Vadiamo (sp?) took over the lease and stripped the pub grub menu to just burgers. Sadly they can't even get that right. They may have served me the worst burger I've ever had. And I eat Krystal burgers. The short rib ground was burnt on the outside and raw in the middle. They dust stormed it in some needless salt and spice rub. Drenched!. The grind was bad. It had cartilage and vein bits galore. The patty was formed in that half hand/half mold compromised way. The meat had no taste. The burgers must be "assembled" on a plastic menu with oil marker. The bun may be pretzel, brioche, lettuce leaf or Texas toast. Four clichés. Four things I hate about "gourmet" burger culture. The meats can be short rib, bison, turkey, salmon, and chicken (?). The cheeses were the usual plus beer cheese (melted nacho cheese sauce). The veg were the usual. And they also force several "glazes" on you. I can't imagine how much worse the burger would have been with any of those. They had ranch dressing as a sauce! Is there any greater sign of gastronomic impotence? In Australia I was trying to explain to a guy how some Americans dip their pizza in ranch dressing. Much to his amusement. This may be as bad. I kind of recall a few pithy "extra toppings". Can't recall them now. They add the cheeses are $1.50 more. Not that it matters, but, I had a short rib ($10) with beer cheese and green olives and onion and tomato. It came with a side. I chose fries. They were served in a little fryer basket and that was the extent of their charm They were also over salted. They were another cliché I hate. Those skin on offenders that never crisp up. Sodas were $3. The place looks exactly the same. They even replicated (didn't update) the booze section of Firefly. I recoiled in apprehension when I saw their signage over X-mas. I knew it would suck. I knew I would have to waste both my money and time there. Intuition was dead on. They can't even conjure up an original moniker. Is it Smiling Bison or is it the Hairy Buffalo? No. It is the Hangry Bison. Good one! An interesting (to me) side note. My step brother coined the phrase "hangry" in the Nineties. He also came up with bacne. As well as a host of other acne related (as well as others) words (like nacne) that are derived from where the acne is located on the body. Aside from zed. Which was a dick zit. I have added some words to the English vocabulary as well, but, I doubt you will believe either of the stories I have just told you. It makes me chuckle when I hear them though. You wonder how this game of telephone worked its way through the country. I was also responsible for the "Baby It Is Cold Outside" controversy. FYI.

In any case, this place sucks. The funniest part is that they claim to have "won" the best burger in CF award. I wonder what questionable publication is responsible for that? I love these "fan vote" contests of a dozen or so entrants. These are the same hayseeds that vote Sonny's BBQ best barbeque and Tijuana Flats best Mexican. And those are some of the lesser obscenities. If it wasn't clear, stay clear of here or you will be as angry as a bison getting fucked by Mike Tyson..

1000 Degrees, Lake Mary

I tried this new assembly lime pizza chain on International Parkway (next to the poke place I just reviewed) on Thursday. It opened ten days ago. It's like Blaze (and probably like the California chain Midici that awaits a visit) et al. You line up. You select a size and toppings. You are served. I tried two pies for posterity. A ten inch (also available in fourteen inch and roman) gluten for $9 and classic margherita for $8. I chose the signature marinara sauce for both. Shredded mozzarella with sausage, pepperoni, onion and mushrooms on the first. Fresh mozzarella and basil on the other. They were fine. The mushrooms were a bit grimy. The sauce tasted like Chef Boyardee. The sausage was made up of those goose shit looking pellet droppings. However, the crust was mainly chewy (the first half of my first pie was dry) and the pie thin. The fresh mozz pie was a bit soggy. I was surprised by how much they put on and how much surface area they covered. The pep was Hormel like, but, ok. The onions were fresh. We can all agree that they could source better, but, there is a profit to be made and I don't think we come here for that. I do wish they would attend that sauce. That can be remedied cheaply and effortlessly. it is the preeminent sauce. I stopped at those topping, but, there are no limits. They have eight meats and cheeses and sauces and sixteen veggies to choose from. They prepare eight pies for instant ordering. They are a dollar more. They have five salads ($8) and two types of wings and breadsticks and two desserts. Beer and wine (?) too. The place looks new. It is new. And modern. and clean. They even offer up knives and forks. Fountain and bottled sodas. It's not a bucket list item, but, it is an option. The line was a dozen or so deep for the duration of my meal. HQ is in Galloway NJ.

Poke Joint, Lake Mary - Closed

I had lunch at this fireworks factory yesterday. It is in International Parkway in between AAA and 46a in a new strip mall. The first pyrotechnic display happened fifteen minutes after arrival. The second at 4:30am. And the latest at 2pm today. I'm not sure of the science behind such things. It wouldn't seem possible for something you put into your body to pass through (or push previously eaten items through) so quickly. However, I am assured that the 4:30 showing can be attributed solely to what I ate here. The only undigested scallions I had lately were from here. They came from the tuna poke bowl ($12). Nothing else I've eaten in the past few days had scallions. I know tuna can cause mercury poisoning, but, the Poke Joint seems to be exposing us to Freddie Mercury poisoning. An attack on the immune system.

They serve two types of tuna. One marinated and one plain. The plain looked so pale I had to go with anything else. The tuna was poor in quality. It was soft and flossy. Cheap tail cuts. I detected a fishy taste in some of the pieces that weren't overwhelmed by the marinade and the extra squirt from the piss bottle. If I cared more for my well being (or hadn't figured the damage was already done) I would have stopped eating and demanded my money back. The rice was no better. Dry as could be. I wouldn't be shocked to learn that they make it the day before and refrigerate (dry) it. That or their warming pot is set too high. They also do salmon. This is probably the worst of the six or so poke places I have reviewed in the last twelve months. So, needless to say it was packed. It seats about forty inside and ten outside. Order at the counter. They have been open for five months. It may be up your alley if you don't like the thought of an enema but need to cut weight fast.

*A pizza place (1000 Degrees) seemed to be opening next door on that day.

**Here are some items I sampled while in Australia. I'll put the region in after them if it is known or if not Australian. They have a lot of Asian restaurants there. Feel free to imagine my comments where they should be and then go and research what they are. A "#" will mean they said it was the national dish. Here we go: Chili peas (?), Golgappe (India), Lamb Rogan Josh (Kashmir), Musselman Beef (Kashmir), Barramundi tacos, Crispy Skin and Pork Belly Banh Mi (Vietnam), Ark Shell Clam, Pacific Kingfish, Dusk and Egg Jian Bing (China), Shanghai Noodle Soup with Smoked Fish (Shanghai), Prawn and Pork Soup Bun (Shanghai), Amok Trey (#Cambodia), Crocodile and Snow Peas (China), Sliced Donkey Meat Salad in Chili Powder (Sichuan), Battered Flathead, Crumbed Blue Grenadier, Stewed Pork Belly in Savory Sauce (Singapore), Japanese Fried Chicken (Japan), Hand Torn Noodles with scrambled Egg and Bok Choy (Xi'An), Pork Rougamo (Xi'An), Coconut Ice Cream with Coconut Chips in Avocado Puree (Vietam), Chicken Kottu (#Sri Lanka), Calypso Mango, Scallop Pie and Bruny Island Oysters. I also came across things like stuffed frogs, nitrogen iced coffee. wallaby and a chicken patty the size of your head (Taiwan) that I didn't try. Their McDonald's serves grilled cheese and gravy fries.

2018 Favorites List

I'll post these early this year. I think I asked for more authentic Chinese last year. Wish granted. I've already railed against the effusion of high priced (and low) Mexican and poke joints and ramen bars. You know what I think they say about the state of our community and culture in general. Here's hoping they all die a painful death and are replaced with something more exotic. Or at least new recipes from time tested regional fare and/or slight deviations in representative locales. How about regional cooking from "second" or "third" tier cities and towns like Xi'an or Nantes or Como or Kyoto or Ching Mai? Or "freaky" things like an unbroken noodle.

And remember that these rankings depend on price points as much as execution. It's like boxing. There are weight classes. A few received bonus points for ambiance/panache.


$ - Sausage Shack, Chou La La, Sticky Rice, Papa Sabz, Brownierie, Nam Giao Deli, Bahn Mi Cali, Geni's Philly Steaks.

$$ - Tamale Co, Pizzeria Roberti, 081 Wood Fire Pizza, BBB Tofu House, Pastrami Project,  Buttermilk Bakery, Zero Degrees, 5th Element, Stasio's, Bem Bom, Mr. Worldwide Famous, Ka

$$$ - Glass Knife, El Buda, Peter's Kitchen, Grille's Lakeside, Café Linger, Peppino's, Wa Sushi, Tartine, Grato

$$$$ - Kadence, Mario and Enzo's

Cinco, Winter Park - Closed

I had lunch at this Mexican restaurant across from Trader Joe's on 17-92/ N. Orlando today. I was less than pleased a few weeks back when I saw that this place (Carmel Kitchen) had switched over to yet another Mexican restaurant. One with presumptions to boot. After espying the $4 soda charge on the menu I became more so. Then the uninspired and limited menu really had them playing from behind. I ordered the reasonably priced (for here) taco plate at $15. It came with three tacos and beans and rice. I tried to over-sample (for you) and ended up with a chicken in a lettuce (romaine leaf) cup, a carne asada in a soft corn tortilla and a barbacoa in a soft wheat tortilla. They were all mediocre. The chicken was dry. The carne was cooked medium, but, the pickled onions clashed with the aged cotija. Same with the chipotle bbq sauce on the barbacoa. Plus a third of the "pull" was uneatable. This isn't the first time I've been perplexed by the flavor choices at "high priced" Mexican endeavors around town. They seem to be embarrassed by the pricing and compensate by piling add ons onto it. I know it was early on Christmas Eve day, but, I doubt the execution is ever noteworthy. And like I said, the recipes are suspect. And even if wise, all they seem to do is provide coverage for ham handedness with the principal elements of the dish. The rest of the menu is pricy. $30 salmon. $30 pork chops. $20+ for enchiladas and other Mexican staples. They seem more concerned with the booze. It is featured more broadly on the menu. Which falls apart while you are reading it. The chips were good. The salsa had no kick. Tasted like pureed tomatoes. I want to digress for a second to wonder how there is always one "razor blade" tortilla chip in every batch. Felons shouldn't ask for cakes with dangerous objects baked in. They should ask for tortilla chips. Back to the meal. It took a while to arrive. Thirty minutes. Only two other diners competing for the attention of the kitchen. I'll accept the possibility that they cook fresh to order. I do this because the rice and beans were fresh. And flavorful. The style seemed a bit more Latin than Mexican. Maybe that is why the main components seemed to suffer. Maybe the cook is Latin? The space is cute. They added a little flair to the outside. Two murals in the dining room. A cliché "skeleton painted" senorita and a tribal figure in an agave pina. The rest of the place is the same if I remember correctly. They have parking in the back. They were nice. They gave me a free margarita coupon on the back of the business card. I'm not sure if they would have extended that generosity unless I had asked for the card and they all have that printed on the back. In any case, I have one. Which is good because I think they start at $16. I'm pretty sure they had one on the menu at $29. The menu said they plan on opening in NYC. I think even Gotham-ites are familiar enough with Mexican cuisine at this point to think twice about the price to value ratio. They have been open for six months. It's odd that their name fits perfectly with what score I would assign them. They were less than necessary and even more so after sampling them. I wish I could have ended the year off on a more positive note. Hate to be Grichy. Not really. But, yes in this case.

*I was going to try out a new Italian pizza chain in Maitland, but, they said they won't open until January 20 something. It's called Midici.

Taste of Chengdu, West Colonial *LV Travel Notes

I went to this new (6 months) Sichuan restaurant aside a Best Western for lunch on Wednesday. They have started running a food show by guy who was at the forefront of these kind of shows (Martin Yan) on UCF PBS lately. And the shows have all centered around Chengdu. So my interest was already kindled. I would have been here earlier, but, it was always on a Monday and they are closed then. Chengdu is the capital of the Sichuan province (SW China). The chef here once ran Zen at the Omni Orlando. If that is the one at Champions Gate, I may have seen it. I don't think I ate there. He has developed a pretty robust menu. It features the land and sea and even oddities such as pig intestine and rabbit. Not a ton of freak show material, but enough to make it interesting. They did say something about "changing" the menu, so, let's hope they don't dumb it down too much. They initially tried to hide the lunch special for me, but, I got one and tried the shredded pork with spicy garlic something or other. It came with rice (fried) and soup (egg drop) for $8. That was less than the price of the app (rabbit) I was going to order off the main menu. The pork (strips) was fine. It came with sliced peppers and onions and mushrooms. The fried rice was barely fried. And too fluffy. The soup was good. Not too salty. I also ordered Spicy Dan Dan Noodles with Minced Pork for $7. Either this or the lunch special would have been enough on their own. I powered through like a good soldier though. The noodles were good. The pork was fine. Two versions. Nice heat. Service was a bit anxious. Nice though. The hostess chose to chat with me. The table next to me had a guy who sounded like Javier Bardem and they were ordering everything and enjoying it. No air holes to the forehead. The place seats about eighty and started filling up. The place looks clean and redone. I think it was a diner with a Hollywood theme the last time I was here. It is before that huge police headquarters if you are coming from I-4. I'd go back. They said they do the "American" breakfast for the hotel. I'm not sure if anyone can enjoy it.

*I'll hip you to some Asian places I ate at in Las Vegas this week since we are on the subject. The last four have been on TV. They are all on or just off Spring Mountain Road. It starts at the Wynn. I found it looking for some place called Raku. It has a ton of Asian restaurants. And almost as many rub out joints. Here's the list.

Kapit Bahay, Mian Sichuan Noodle, Takopa, Pho 87, Joyful House, Hot N Juicy Crawish "The Original Location" (Richman), Hobak Korean BBQ (Zimmern). Consult TVFOODMAPS if interested. Kaizen sushi across from the Hard Rock also gets 4.5 stars on Yelp. It was ok.

I also should point out a potential franchise called Bruxie. They do chicken and waffle sandwiches, etc.

Capital Grille, International Drive

I hauled my ass over to Pointe Orlando from the airport to try a place (Itta Bene) that ended up throwing a private party. I audibled to this. I've been to other ones in other cities and that plus the prices have left it off my to do list. I had a wedge salad for $12 and steak tartare for $18. Both from the appetizer section. The wedge was ok. Lots of blue cheese dressing and thick bacon bits and a few cherry tomatoes. They say the tartare feeds two people. As an app, I agree. One as a main. It was good. Not very minced. Atop some egg and onions and capers. The tiny capers were good. A side of pickled onions. Five toast halves. Very cracker like. A bit dressed. These things (and soup) are the only off ramps on the menu. The cheapest main was a salmon at $29 or $39. No matter. Most everything else is over $40 anyway. Be prepared for that. The one salmon is saw served was burned. Service was good. At the bar. The tap water is Fiji. That saves a few bucks. They validated the parking. That saved $4 more. It was full. It has that steakhouse look. Black on black. Wood and leather. Easier to stomach when it is being expensed, but, digestible on your own.

*They are opening a place called Hop Daddy. Across from CG. I think it was an ice bar. There is a bowlorama/arcade in the rear of PO called Main event. I'm not sure how long that has been there. It's huge.

Pizza Pie Tutorial

The following is from John Crudele at the NY Post (today's issue).

Full pizza pies are smaller than the "by the slice" pies. 16" versus 20". If you posit that a full pizza is $15 and a slice is $2.50, given the eight slices in a pie, then the per slice price is less. 6 cents versus 7 cents per square inch. The full pie is 201 square inches. The sliced pie is 304 square inches. Per slice that is 25.12 versus 39.25 square inches. So. even with the higher slice cost, you are getting more pie and it costs less per inch if you do the math. According to article, this is common practice. They say that is why they will never sell you the whole "on display" pie and you have to wait for a "fresh" one. Give it a looksy.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: D-Luxe Burger, BB Wolfe's Sausage Co and Chicken Guy

I dropped by here at lunch last week to sweep up the remaining dust from my list that normally would have happened over Thanksgiving. That is no longer going to be a tradition. The "wonderful" people at Dismay decided to raise the prices at the Advocare Invitational again. Now a once $10 all access session (2) ticket costs $55. Or from $20 to $110. For mostly garbage match ups.

D-Luxe Burger - I'm not sure if they are Disney owned, but, they might as well be. This was the most expensive and the worst of the three places I went to on this day. The place looks like a Zaxby's. It's supposed to be a ranch/barn. The burger was a blend of machine pressed fast food hockey puck and house burger. It was the worst of both worlds. Rare/cold inside. Rubbery outside. And it was greasy and salty. I had been using a pound of cheap ground meat (for meat sauce) at 70-30 that week and it gave off this amount of liquid fat as this burger. It came with some limp veg and a brioche bun. I find brioche too rich. Especially when paired with this much fat. This joke cost $10+. They also offered $8 fries that looked (battered) like Burger King fries. A soda was $4. The menu has a few burgers, one chicken sandwich and a grilled cheese on the kid's menu. I was expecting very little and got less. They also gave you a pager for some reason. They came and served the meal. They need the beeper. I need a sign. I'm not even going to tell you where it is. That is to help you.

BB Wolf's Sausage Co - I won't tell you where this is either. It's a kiosk that sells a few $9 sausages and a few slightly less expensive snacks. I had a pretzel twist because it was the cheapest thing I could get away with. It cost $6+. It wasn't very big, but, it was ok. It came wit two dips. A cheese fondue and mustard. I wonder how much they cost at Wetzel's Pretzel's? I just got that this Big Bad Wolf's Sausage stand. Slightly meta. Double entendre?

Chicken Guy - I was on the way out (confirming Wolfgang Puck's was open) and saw this Guy Fieri fast food chicken spot. I grabbed a Sauce Boss to go for $6. It was just two fried tenderloins (ala Zaxby's - again) on a bun with shredded lettuce and tomato. Sadly, it far exceeded anything else I sampled that day. If I had a family at Disney, this the cheapest/best option. It  has chicken sandwiches, salads, tenders, slaw, fries, street corn, fried pickle chips, mac and two desserts (one has Apple Jacks)  They have a ton of sauce combinations. My order allowed my to select any two. I think I did something green (lime and/ot chili and/or avocado) twice over. The place is an order at the counter type. It looks new and plastic-y. Clean feel. It just got in before the line got long. I think they opened in August. It is across from Wolgang Puck's. A left off the parking lot escalators.

*Jaleo is not ready. They are adding some kind of pub next to the proposed NBA place down by the Cirque tent. They aren't charging for parking in the Lime lot, yet.

How To Get A Good Table In A Restaurant Tutorial

This was also in yesterday's post (Melissa Malamut).

It basically boiled down to be a regular or family or grease the maitre d' ($20 to $50) or dress to the nines.

Best tables: Visible from the door, but, far away enough from the draft. I was taught that the corner tables were the best. I believe the one diagonal from the door (if other factors don't interfere) was the best and the one in the left hand corner was the second best. The article didn't mention that.

Worst tables: Near the door. Near the bathroom. Near the kitchen. .

Online: Open Table and Resy (some places) let you chose tables (in a general sense - like patio or bar area). You'll have to confirm. I won't use them.

Other tips: Schmooze on the phone. Arrive on time.


And I have two recommendations that work for me. Go at weird hours and/or just ask for the table you want. You can always threaten to bolt if they big time you (reserve this for when/if the place is empty and you don't look homeless). At certain places and certain locales the dim wit at the hostess desk may not know what is a good table is.

I remember a mafia or spy movie where the lead character always took the table in the corner which had all the sight lines and was away from ambush points and windows. Factor that in if it applies. And memorize all the points of ingress and egress and items within reach that can serve as weapons or shields. Bring along a food taster if practicable. And for God;s sake check the back of the toilets for taped up hand guns. Tape yours under the table like Han Solo.

White Truffle Tutorial

Here are some tips from yesterday's article in the NY Post (Steve Cuozzo).

Season: October through December.

Price: In 2018 they are running at $7 a GRAM in a restaurant (someone once told me a gram is the size of an M&M). The usual serving size is 10 grams. The article said that the price depends on the quality and they have heard of places charging double that because the source was better. They cost twice as much last year.

Ordering: You can ask them to weigh it in front of you. Ask when they came in. They lose their smell and flavor very quickly. Decline if more than 24 hours old.  I'm not sure how this really helps unless you ask the follow up question of when they were picked. Ask to see them. Anything smaller than a golf ball is a no go. The smaller the surface area, the quicker they lose their lustre. Seems counter-intuitive.

Cooking time: Zero. They must be served raw. Black ones can be cooked.

Characteristics: Even top chefs disagree. They combine 120 different aromas. Some include - Parmesan and roasted garlic or mushroom or bark or wet leaves.

Warning: Avoid white truffle oil. It is just olive oil and a chemical compound (2.4-Dithiapenatane).

Lai-Lai Chinese Cuisine, Orlando

I was looking for a place called The Noble Smokesman in the area last Wednesday afternoon. When I finally found it, it had a note on the door that said they were relocating. Too bad the reviewer at the Orlando Weekly wasn't apprised of this fact before (or after) he wrote about it. At least it wasn't conveyed to me in subsequent issues. Therefore, I was forced to audible. I had nothing concrete on my list, so, I decided to finally try this Asian spot on OBT in between Sand Lake and Oak Ridge (Southland Blvd). I've passed by it for years. They said they have been there for 33 years. It's nothing special. But not value less. I had the buffet because they pushed it and I wasn't planning on Asian food and it only cost $6. Plus it looked alright. It was. I tried the egg rolls, spring rolls, chicken with broccoli, fried pork, honey garlic chicken, kung pao chicken, pepper steak, pork lo mein, fried rice, white rice and the fried chicken. The fried chicken was the best. So fried. Sometimes you get that because it's the second or third time out and they refry it every day. The chicken wasn't dry enough for that. I think they just know how to do it. Thighs and drums. I had eight pieces. Take that KFC or Popeye's. Already saving money by eating here instead of there. The second best thing was the chicken and broccoli. Kind of like Moo Goo Gai Pan. I think the Moo or the Goo means mushrooms. Gai is chicken. So, this was that with broccoli instead. The rolls were what you'd expect. The pepper steak (just had one piece) was very tender. The fried rice was bland. The white rice was properly cooked. The lo mein wasn't too greasy. The other dishes were on par or better than most take out plus Chinese places. I just had a taste, so, it's not worth analyzing. There were three soups, a full dessert section and other dishes in the buffet. They have the full Chinese menu and a full sushi menu. The place isn't new or fancy. Basic wood tables, etc. It is clean. The two ladies working there were very nice. It is a great value. I'm not sure if it should be on your culinary to do list, but, it is a real value for those in the area. Maybe an option if you are going to the mall (or strip club I guess). If I lived near there I would go once a week. Seven times if I was bulimic.

*I stopped by a new French place (La Boucherie) on Turkey Lake Rd to see if it had opened. They said they opened on December 6th. I think the spot was a Graffiti Junction. It still look like it might be closed. I found the pricing a bit steep. I will be in to see if it is worth it sooner rather than later. They renamed the PGA golf place across the street something Greek.

Grato, Lake Mary (Moved to Winter Park)

I stopped at this Italian restaurant in the strip mall on Lake Mary Blvd and Rinehart (has the Burger Fi) yesterday. It seemed to be under construction for a year and finally opened three weeks ago. It was great. You know I usually take no joy in trying yet another Italian option, but, they may replace F&D as my Lake Mary fave. The place looks appealing. The menu is great. The execution was spotless. The service was friendly. The prices were reasonable. They even played background music (mellow Sinatra) at a unobtrusive volume. I had something from the lunch menu. It is less expansive than the dinner, but, not a four or five item cop out. I had the Italian Mac and Cheese for $12. I just saw an episode of 3D and Kid Rock took him to a place where they claim to have the best mac and cheese. It must have been on my mind. And then I saw Italian sausage and I had to have it. It had plenty of diced up sausage along with a blend of gooey cheese and sliced garlic and orecchiette and bread crumbs. A nice combo. Perfect portion size. The pasta was toothy. Sun dried tomatoes added some contrast to the savory elements. They also added some thyme or oregano. It wasn't salty. It came with some fairly good reheated rolls. The soda glass was large. They had other things like pizza and subs and meats done alla francese, marsala, etc. I saw a huge burger being delivered to another table. I was there at two pm and it was still about a third full. It seats about sixty in the windowed main room (with a bar) and thirty on an outside patio. The decor is more modern casual French or American, but, it works. Lots of wood. Black palette. everything is new. They have one of those sliding farm door at the rear. The kitchen is pretty much out of sight. The wine list wasn't picked by the distributor. It had some interesting options. Same with the hard stuff. Mostly well chosen. The beer seemed to be widely distributed craft options like Shocktop. The pizza area is up front. I think you can grab slices to go. The dinner menu has sixteen items ranging from burrata to carpaccio to chicken wings to some sliced sausage ring and fennel and broccoli rabe thing called Meeker Ave. If they were really serious they would dump things like mozz sticks and wings, but, it makes the place more accessible and it doesn't seem to hurt the authentic stuff. Pastas like cacio e pepe. While not mixed in a wheel of cheese, it is good to see that some one in this town has heard of it and is offering a version. It's one of about a dozen pastas. Sixteen including "classics". There are four fish dishes and four chicken dishes and four veal dishes. Six beef/steak dishes. Four salads. Two soups. Five heros. Five calzones/stromboli. Seven desserts. They even have a kids section The highest priced thing is steak at $33. Fish is in the low $20's. Pasta in the teens. A 10" pizza is $8. a 14" is $13. I thoroughly intend on coming back and it will be on my "favorites" list. Very surprising. Very welcome. I couldn't find out much if anything about ownership or the kitchen.

*11/25/2018 - I returned for dinner and it was less inspiring. My cacio e pepe tasted of neither. Nor seasoned. I tried a piece of a friends chicken dish and the chicken was rubbery. My salad came on a frigid plate that denoted pre-assembly and staging that you see at catered affairs. It tasted similarly The mussel soup was also unseasoned and bland. The calamari was good. The chicken wings were bland. The salmon looked unappealing (over cooked). They didn't serve bread. I'll chalk it up to Thanksgiving weekend fatigue. I'll give them one more shot to get back on my good side. Place was packed though.

**12/12/2018 - I grabbed their two slice and a drink special today. The pizza was good. They get back into my good graces.

Geni's Philly Steaks, Longwood - Closed *MI/OH Travel Notes

I grabbed a cheese steak to go at this deli next to Lyman High School yesterday. I even forced it to sit until dinner and it was still very good after a good nuke. The meat was cut paper thin. No fat or gristle. Grilled. The cheese oozed into it. Diced white onion. Ok roll. Surprising. It cost $7. They also serve wraps, sandwiches, breakfasts, quesadillas, burgers, salads, gyro sand subs. I would not have had faith in their ability to deliver on those, but, now I have reason to believe. The place is a little dingy and short on decor. Not a destination, but, maybe a fail safe if you are in that part of town. Perhaps at Hourglass Brewery or something. It has been open for two years. I think they said they replaces something called Jelly Belly's. Question - is Geni multiple Genos?

*A few recipe ideas I came across while in Ohio and Michigan. Black bean and plantain soup with monk fish. Cream of potato soup with sea bass. A riff on chowder.

*Travel Notes - Michigan and Ohio: Here a few places to try if you go. North Market in Columbus OH (Hot Chicken Takeover and The Fish Guys. I also tried a place called Dirty Franks. Krazy Jim's Blimpy Burger and Maize and Blue Deli in Ann Arbor. Supino Pizzeria near Eastern Market in Detroit. Golden Fleece in Greektown had a voluminous gyro. I also went to a bbq chain (they say it's in Florida) called Mission BBQ. It was surprisingly good.

Jinya, Thornton Park

Today I had lunch at this ramen bar on N. Summerlin Ave (near the 7-11). It opened a few months ago. It is part of a chain that started in LA. I had a Jinya pork bun for $4 and a Sukiyaki Q bowl for $14. The bun was ok. The place on Mills is better. The bun was a little moist. Like it had been defrosted. The pork wasn't oozing umami. The ramen bowl was ok (lacked contrast). The place in Chinatown has better. The pork broth was very viscous. Adding hot sauce didn't help. They put too much onion in and it tasted like it had been battered and that batter disintegrated into the broth making it even pastier. What there was of the beef was very fatty and cut into indigestible long strips. The "six minute" egg was cooked around that. Not cut in half. Unnecessary in this one note (savory) compilation. The noodles were ok. You can add another helping of noodles for $2.50. I was watching a show last night called Food Flirts. They learned how to make ramen noodles. It's simple. All purpose flour, salt, water and some kind of liquid baking soda. I think I'm more likely to make my own noodles than try this spot again. I guess slicing raw fish and steaming beans isn't rocket science either, but, I just don't get the hysteria over these things. They also have "tacos". But, they are $6 a piece. Most ramen bowls are $13. They try and pimp you to add in add ons  They have a few rice dishes and some other Japanese go tos. They have a fairly large sake and craft beer selection. Some wine. The place seats 16 in the back, 14 right in front of that (communal high top), 8 or more at the bar (moving forwards towards the entrance) and a few tables at the door. The color scheme is red (brick wall) black and wood. They have some fake green grass on the walls. Glassless, iron ceiling fixtures. It looks like a hip izakaya. Service was good. However, the bus boy just scraped the dirt (etc) onto the floor and seats and used a paper towel (no disinfectant) on the table. It was about half full. A "bun" place failed around the corner just recently. This is kind of the same menu. It will be interesting to see how different this appeal will be to the neighborhood. I would like it at half the price. At this price I want a "real" meal.

Dajen Eats, Eatonville - Closed

I had lunch at this vegan spot on East Kennedy Ave on Thursday. I had a one meat (chicken) entree with beans and rice (can have salad) for $9. It was good. The rice was over fluffed and overcooked. That seems to be par for the course at Jamaican places. It had a fruity sauce mixed in. That added to the mushiness. The beans were done properly/ The chicken was good. Too good. It was air fried. I swear it wasn't tempah or whatever they use. It had "strings" when you cut it up. I think it could have been real chicken. But, this is a vegan place. Maybe they accommodate others? They also had a beef option. Four in all. Make sure you ask if you go. The chicken serving was small. One, coaster sized unit. The place looks like a cute book store. It had some honkies in there. It is on the main street through town. I came from the Maitland side. You go down some road off Orange (Copper Rocket intersection) and that road became Kennedy near the Birds of Prey Sanctuary. I'm not sure how long they have been open, but, I think it is recently. At this location anyway. They said they had been at Lee Rd and Edgewater or whatever they call it when it runs through Lee). They do breakfast.

*I think I have failed to mention a food item that I had in Germany. It's a great franchise opportunity. It was called a schneeballen. That means snowball in German. It is a ball of pastry strips layered into a ball and deep fried. Then they top it with powdered sugar and it looks like a snowball. Now they have many varieties of them. Some with the inside space filled.

Kai, Winter Park

I had dinner at this Asian Street Fare restaurant on Wednesday. I had LeGit Wontons for $7 and Legendary Garlic Noodles with Shrimp for $10. The wontons were boiled or poorly steamed. Sticky/tacky skin.  5 pieces. A pork and shrimp mix that you would think I would know by now basically means pork. They were served in a lemongrass and sweet fish sauce. They were ok. They have a spicy version at the same price. The noodles are an ode to some "famous" ones in San Francisco. The chef said Crustacean. I think they do a dungeness crab one. I'm not sure if that is what they use here. They are what they purport to be - garlic noodles. There is so much garlic in there that I reserved a third for the next night and added another bowl of pasta and I still have some garlic left over. And I overdosed on the intake at both seatings. I'm sure that is how it is meant to be and it didn't effect me in a bad way, but, it just seemed so decadent. The garlic is sweet. It is garlic and oil. The shrimp were ok. Probably frozen. Small to medium size. Around seven. Their crab version costs $15. The menu is small. An egg roll, soup, wings, fries, tacos and a curry dish. Four more options at lunch. This is the fourth time I've been to this spot (a strip mall near Howell Branch Rd). The kitchen is against one wall. They repainted in gray and black. Some wood elements. It seats about twenty. You order at a counter. It's casual. I liked the ethos. I'll probably go back. I like the variety. It's like a food truck. Kai means chicken in Thai if you were wondering. I think they opened this summer. Closed on Monday.

Dancing Pigs Deli, Belle Isle (Closed)

I had lunch at this deli on South Orange Ave a little over a week ago. I had a pork taco and a "steer" sandwich. The taco cost $3. The pork was of a pulled variety. It was good. They loaded it up like an American would. That was a bit sloppy. Generally acceptable. The sandwich was made up of their in house roasted beef with grilled onions and goat cheese. The combo wasn't really working until I broke down and tried the jus. I thought it was a culinary mismatch, but, it tied the bland cheese and meat together. And I guess now is the time to remind everyone that it is jus (as in juice) not "au jus" which means "with juice". So, one does not have "au jus". One has "jus" or orders the sandwich with juice (au jus). The roast beef was very rare. It was sliced to thick for my taste. It was also a little gray (old?).  The roast beef at Jersey Mike's (for example) is better in comparison. The sandwich was sloppily constructed. One side had almost all the onions. The cheese was smeared around the edges. It came with a side. I chose potato salad. It was the best thing.  It cost $8. They also serve hot dogs, salad, soup and sides. They have around sixteen sandwiches. Things like: muffaletta, Cubans, reubens, Italian beef and beef on a weck. They say the get bread from Buffalo, Tampa, NY, NO and Philly. They make pastrami, lamb, turkey and pork. The place is small. A few tables. Seats around eight. It is hard to pick up off the road. Next to and abandoned gas station in a strip mall. They sell little finished goods in the store. They have been open for three years. Probably not a destination spot.

*A few recommendations if you are going to NYC - Juliana's Pizza (under the Brooklyn Bridge) any pie, Jacques Torres Chocolates (under Brooklyn Bridge) flour less chocolate cake for $3, Epicerie Boulud (Lincoln Center) breakfast sandwich with ham, The Casbah food cart (Lincoln Center) lamb gyro for $4, and Parm (71st and Columbus) chicken parm.

**Can some one tell me why my blog doesn't come up even in the first page of results on the search engine that owns the blog company I use and it comes up number one on Duck Duck Go? Thanks Google.So glad I didn't choose Word Press.

Arooga's Grille House & Sports Bar, Winter Park - Closed

I tried this fairly new sports bar on 436 near University Ave (next to Full Sail) today at lunch. It is the only "southern" location to date. The chain is based in Harrisburg PA. I had a meatball sub because the rest of the lunch special menu was just as uninspiring and I didn't want to pay twice as much for something off the regular menu. *Side note - I was planning on trying a new Asian street food place nearby, but, they are closed on Monday. The special cost $9 and came with fries (a side) and a soda. It was an ok sub. Only long enough to hold four, golf ball sized meatballs. If you told me they buy them by the bag full, I wouldn't be surprised. Not bad. Just not special. They tried for a little pizazz with the presentation by angling the two halves and making the cheese spill out. The fries were those gross battered kind. They have burgers, ribs, salad, Mexican, wraps, quinoa bowl, etc. Some fun things like pierogis, vegetable kielbasa and a donut grilled cheese. There are tvs all over. Two super sized ones. It is split into two sections and a patio. The front section has the bar. The color scheme is gray, red and black with wood. High, exposed ceilings. It seat over 100. Service was fine. As good as the others (Duffy's, Gator's, etc). They serve most nationally distributed "craft" beers. The wine selection was poor. They serve cocktails. It does what it is meant to do.