Todo Sushi, Maitland - Closed *MAC/SERB/NYC Travel Notes

I tried this Japanese restaurant in the old Zona Fresh location on 17-92 near Lee Rd yesterday at lunch. They have been open for five months. I did the "all you can eat" sushi option at $17. I was a little perturbed that I could have done the same at Koy Won for half the price if I didn't feel the need to waste my time and money as a food adventurer. However, I will say the quality is better here. Let's start with the rice. It is pretty good. Short grain. The second round of sushi rice was even warm. Not dry. Not over vinegar-ed. A tad over cooked. Not to bad. They even said they wash/polish the rice five times. I think three times is the most the best places do it. Not sure if you can over wash. They have a host of things from the appetizer section on the list of possibilities. I did steamed gyoza, edamame and shrimp tempura. The gyoza wasn't to mushy. Pork filled. The tempura was not greasy and well fried and fresh. The edamame was a little under steamed. They also had things like fried chicken, grilled chicken, miso soup, udon, soba, crab Rangoon, fried rice, etc available. On the sushi side they had a variety of rolls (hand and rolled). Even six of seven of their "special" rolls. Plus tuna, salmon, shrimp, egg, baby scallop and a few more. I had the aforementioned minus the tamago (egg). Twenty pieces in all. The salmon was good. The second batch of tuna was better. The baby scallops can be really sweet if fresh. These weren't. They tried to help them along with some sweet mayonnaise. Nice to see them try to provide a delicacy though. I also had a spicy albacore roll and a Philly Roll. The albacore was probably just spicy tuna. The best part was that the rice to fish ratio was "normal". Not the "over-ricing" you usually see at an all you can eat place. The stuff was made to order and although there was only one guy and four competing tables, it came out fast. Service was also good. That helped the efficiency. The place is big. It seats about eighty. Some booths. Some tables. Lots of space between tables. High ceilings. They could "pretty it up" a bit. I can't put my finger on it, but, it seemed a little too "lived in" to be five months old. You can order by the piece or separate meals, but, they add up to around the all you can eat price. They had a more extensive all you can eat option. I think  it was $23. They also have an all you can drink (sake or beer) option for $13. A beer on its own was $7. I'll probably rotate this with my Koy Wan visits.

*Travel Notes - Macedonia/Serbia/NYC:

Balkans - Ajvar or Alvar (I can't read my own handwriting) from Macedonia. A pepper and eggplant spread. Paprika Babura and Paprika Silja in Serbia. White looking peppers. Also Volcanos. A chocolate shell the looked like a crown filled with more chocolate or ganache. Many colors and all the chocolate varieties. KFC there also did a McDonald's like (mustard and ketchup and pickle) burger, but, with chicken. There was a Mexican chain in Belgrade called Burrito Madre. They had a machine that took in masa and kicked out a tortilla right on the grill in front of you. Our chains need to get on that. I'd bypass the goat cheese and field greens they use though.

NYC - I went to Flushing (last stop on 7 train past Citi Field) and ate at these Chinese spots. Stall 13 (Jia Xiang Wei) in the New York Food Court. I had pork cheeks and cucumber in a salad for $9. Served cold. Some hot sauce. A ton of food. I also had duck buns at Corner 28 for $1.25 a piece. Then across the street for a $4 soup bun (Xiao long bao) at Shanghai You Garden. Then on to the New World Mall and Old Luoyang (Stall 4) for a $7 plate of Henanese (a guy told me they make all the I Phones here) cold skin sweet potato noodles with bean sprouts. Actually good once you add the hot, vinegar, garlic and peanut sauces. But why do all noodles have zero flavor? I thought these suckers would be sweet. They were blue. I got these names from a Air BnB Mag article about eating around Queens. That idiot did four or five areas in a day. Where did he or she put it?

I also did up some things in Brooklyn. Red Hook - Hometown BBQ. Worlds slowest line. Average brisket. Dry. Over peppered. Good pulled pork. But, they dunked it in juice. Cheating. Both were $12 a half pound. Korean Sticky ribs were good. Bensonhurst (I think) - L&B Spumoni Gardens. OK pizza in round or square shapes. More of a scene. I also had a rainbow spumoni. Like ice cream. $3 or $4 for the slices. I also went to the Brooklyn Beer Brewery in Williamsburg. Free tours.

Manhattan - Ivan Ramen on Clinton and Houston. I mentioned I had seen him on TV a few posts back. Good shio ramen bowl for $16. Fresh noodles and pork belly. Fuku on Front St and Pine.- fast fried chicken by David Chang. Actually really good. $8 for a half. I also did a another chicken place (Sticky's Finger Joint on Maiden near Broadway) with good sauce combos (like mac and cheese). $5 for 10 large firecracker pieces or two fingers (half a breast size each). 8 locations in NYC. Across the street was an Indian fast food place (Koti Roll Co) that did tikka (etc) in naan. I mention it because I said I wanted to see this happen.and I guess it has. Now it just needs to happen here.

I also went to the Bronx to some place called City Island. Ate at a place called City Island Lobster House. OK. Hard to believe this is that close to the urban jungle.

Latest "in" things are the Hudson Yards and The Vessel. Moulin Rouge is going to be on Broadway.

Le House, Downtown

I was reticent to post the last two reviews because my European discoveries in the post before them would be pushed below these reviews and be ignored. So read them.

I tried this Vietnamese restaurant on Church St (in between the Amway and the soccer stadium) today. I popped in at lunch time and grabbed a few apps to go for dinner. I always figured there would be no chance at finding a parking spot during the day, but, there were a few (and unmetered) and they said a lot on the opposite corner is always open. I had tried to come here on a Saturday night a few weeks ago. It was closed. I thought there was some emergency or something, but, they said they aren't open on Saturday. No business 'business". I selected three apps because one can only have so much pho or rice dishes. I like to try and expand my vocabulary, but, it hard to find a Vietnamese place that plays more than the greatest hits. I had spring roll (2) in case I hated the two "experiments". It cost $3 and was poor. A bit over fried and the contents didn't have much taste. It was like it was filled with vermicelli rice noodles. I also had Nem Chua. That was three fermented pork paste flat patties steamed in banana leaves. They were sooo hot. Like ghost chili hot. And they paired them with a hot sauce or a vinegar sauce. They jam a big hunk of raw garlic in it too and give you more raw garlic hunks on the side. Odd. I almost tossed them out. They cost $5. I tried another pork app and it was better. It was like a summer roll (2). A strip of sweet salty sausage with "banh mi toppings" inside rice paper. And a fried cracker crisp. It came with a goopy orange sauce that was very salty and another cup of the hot sauce. It was cold when I took it out of the container and I didn't see if it was warm to begin with. Therefore I didn't know how it should be served. I split the difference and warmed it in the nuker for 15 seconds. That didn't kill the veggies. It was ok. I thought the vinegar sauce was better here. I also popped in the remaining spicy patties and they worked better here. It's like the two pork items should be switched. The veggies tempered the heat. It was called Nem Nurong Cuon. It also cost $5. The place looks new and clean and cute. Some might consider it hip. They opened in November. The name is from their last name. The "Le" is pronounced "lay" and it's their "house". I suspect that the rest of the menu is treated with care. I saw a to go vegetarian chicken dish being inspected by the purchaser and it looked finely prepared.

Due Amici, College Park (Closed)

I tried this new (two weeks) Italian restaurant in the old Kingfish location on Edgewater and the street that leads to I-4 (not sure if that is Princeton going that way) today at lunch. It's somewhere between an average Italian place and a good Americanized one. They said they have a location in Tampa. This is number two. I had a lasagna for $10 and a personal pizza to go for $8. The lasagna was a bit bland and I didn't like the sauce. They added carrots and celery to the tomato sauce. I don't want a V8 in my sauce. Especially not chunks. Celery has a disagreeable flavor if it has any at all. And carrot can as well. At best it gives a sweetness that this sauce already had too much of. It made me think of all those kids whose mothers sneak veggies into their brownies, etc. The horror. The pasta was also dried out on the edges (reheating) and seemed under boiled in general. The cheeses seemed low quality. It was a big square though. It came with a garlic knot that was tough and dry in the center and top. The bottom was a bit more moist. The pizzas I saw on the other tables looked a bit prettier than my plain cheese one. I'm not sure how they cooked it. It had no char, so, I'm thinking conveyer belt. It was a bit nicer than those though. On the positive side, it had good cheese coverage, was thin and the crust was tiny. On the negative side, the cheese was cheap (salty and rubbery and congealed quickly) and they doused it with garlic olive oil that had raw chucks of garlic in it. I thought it was more "chunky soup" sauce, but, I think it was the oil. Not much sauce now that we are speaking about it. They are serving a soft opening menu of the pizzas, three burgers, the pizzas and two more pasta dishes. I just saw a show that says the bigger the menu the greater the chance of frozen items being used. Hopefully this menu precludes that. I would ask them to ask themselves whether they want to be a two star or three star place. They need better execution in the kitchen and better ingredients in the larder for that to happen. As of now it is probably no better (or worse) than the other American Italian places already in business on Edgewater. The place is basic inside. It seats about thirty. Tables of two or four. Bar in the rear. Brick backdrop. 40 and 50's music (think Sinatra) over the speakers. Faux marble counter tops on plywood tables. You can see the underside. I hope they aspire to more than mediocrity. If they tweak things a bit, that should be possible.

Grub Crawl - Maitland: Houndstooth Kitchen & Eatery and 407 Gelato (Closed) *England/France/SpainTravel Notes

I tried this Kitchen & Eatery and this Gelato spot in the back of the newish apartments (not  the ones adjacent to the Publix) on 17-92 at lunch on Thursday.

Houndstooth - They used to have a sauce outlet in the East End Market. I had a roast beef and cheddar melt for $10 (all sandwiches cost this much) and a bbq brisket taco for $3.50. They "house roast" their beef. It was ok. A little gray and not too much flavor. They add a dijonaise (their wording) dressing and serve it on sourdough. They give you an unnecessary additional cup of the dressing. If you add a side the cost of the meal now climbs to $13. Two sides and it is $14. They have 10 sandwiches and six sides. Rueben, Cuban, Turkey, etc. A pimento is as crazy as it gets. Sides are slaw, potato salad, orzo, chips, pickle and quinoa. The taco was the better value. A big helping of brisket. Served on a metal "accordion". Pretty good. Heavily sauced. Flour tortilla. I just saw an episode of that Pati lady who looks like a parrot and she said that no real Mexican would use a flour tortilla for a taco. I think they might if they thought up this combination. They also offer a sloppy mo and mojo pork. They have three soups. $6 a bowl. 4 salads and 3 "lettuce boats". 3 kid-centric sandwiches (ie fluffernutter). They also make food for dogs. It's a small place. It seats six or eight inside and the same on the patio. It has been open for two months. Just below "put in the effort to try it" status. Good if you live close by though.

407 Gelato - They opened a few months ago and I swear I've been to one of their locations (past or present). They have one in Oviedo and one elsewhere. This one is solely for gelato. I had a piccolo chocolate for $5. It was ok. They have around fourteen flavors. It's a white walled ice cream shop. Nothing to write home about.

*Travel Notes - England/France/Spain: And now to strange things I came across in England, France and Spain.

Chocolate DIPPED croissants (the whole thing). I think this was done in Spain.
Fried lasagna (London)
Fried egg flavored potato chips (this was made by Vincent Vidal Co in Navarra and someone should import it. It tasted exactly like what it is trying to taste like and it wasn't disgusting. Plus chips is Spain are just fried better. Actually in each of those countries. They must use some unhealthy oil.

Blackberry juice. They offered up a lot of fruit flavors in the Bocqueria in Barcelona. This one stood out.
Taquitos of Jamon de Cebo - In Barcelona they give you a paper cone and fill it with bits of Iberico pork for 5E. I think it's the leftovers, but, it's a good, cheap way to get your ham on.
Pas de Pessic Coco - a Spanish chocolate pastry
Flautas - In Spain, this is what they called sandwiches on thin baguettes. Same in France. Except it was in French. I just saw bread called this in France. No sandwiches.
Bottled Asparagus - France. And disgusting and mushy. They also canned cassoulet and foies and other terrines and things. Cheap.
Bonne Maman Tartlettes - That French company that makes jam makes tartes with the jam and sells them nine in box. I had lemon and strawberry. Lemon was better. These need to be imported if they aren't already.
Very Pamp Rose - I think I'm late to the game on this one, but, rose mixed with fruit juice (in this case grapefruit) is all the rage in France.
Ciambotta - A hollowed out bun filled with stuff (ie meat ragu). I had this at a stall in Camden Market in London. They said it is a thing in Puglia. A great concept for a franchise. At least it is different. I also ate a cereal place there. Cereal Killers. And though that is being done in the US, they had a few options I haven't seen used often. They did a fried chicken with frosted flakes. I had a Lucky Charms ice cream/milk. They didn't do cereal flavored milk though.
Duck Banh Mi - Paris.
Battenberg Cake - Canterbury
Cheese -Brie de Meaux, Saint Marcelin, Saint Nectair. They are all French. The last was the best. Similar to a cheese I had as a kid and could never find again. Some cheese guy brought it in to our French class in middle school. He called it Salzburg. I have never been able to track it down.

I also ate a place (Monsoon) on Brick Lane in London (Indian food). It turned out to be Bandgladeshi. D'oh. However, that explained some of the peculiarities on the menu. Like: Chot poti, kebab roll, tikka in a skillet, balti, and the following curries - bhuna, patha, dupiyaza, saag, Ceylon, dansak. There were a lot more, but that is what I can remember. I had the first three. The chot poti was just tamarind stewed chick peas with boiled egg slices. I thought the egg was going to be more scrambled like. The kebab roll was ground meat in naan. I've never seen a kebab like item in an Indian place. Probably because it wasn't Indian. I'd like to see more naan sandwiches. The tikka was like a fajita plate. I really liked this presentation. I had it with lamb and chicken. Really expressed the lamb well. The balti (many types) was some type of sourish "national" dish. It sounded interesting, but, not enough to win out.

That's what I can recall. If I remember anything else I will put it in a future post. They had a very large vending machine in Barcelona called Yoo Shop. Like a school bus. I also found Belon oysters in a market in Lorient, but, the guy couldn't open them for me. Crepes and waffles are big in Brittany.

Baan Chan, UCF Area

I tried this Thai place on 50 near 419 on Wednesday for dinner. It's in a decrepit strop mall near Gyroville (recently reviewed) They have been open for a few months. I had two apps and a soup. Thai Heaven Beef for $4.50. Soft Shell Crab for $$6.50. Tom Zab Pork Soup for $4. The beef was ok/ A little more thick and fried than I recall Thai Beef being. Jerky like. The crab was misrepresented as a serving of 2. Since when is one thing cut in two equal to two? The crab also didn't taste very fresh. I blame the 3D episode I just watched (a spot in Cape something - I'm still brain dead from my last trip - near Kitty Hawk NC) for making me hunger for soft shell crab. The soup was ok. The pork (rib meat) was tender. You had to spit out bones, etc or swallow them though. I'm a spitter. The broth was a little bland. It contains garlic, galangala (I just learned this is weaker tasting but similar to ginger), kaffir lime leaves, coriander, lemon grass, tamarind and rice powder. I ordered this because I just saw a show on Cambodian cooking and these ingredients were basically in all dishes (in Thailand too) and I wanted a reason to talk about them. I also learned that fish sauce is often the only protein they get. Shrimp paste is similarly necessary. I also learned that they use turmeric and it is an orange root similar to ginger. We just see the powder. The rest of the menu consists of five more soups, nine more apps and ten mains. The place looks old. Like they did zero with what they inherited. It seats about forty. They said that Bann Chan in Thai means "little house" or something like that. Weird that Korean and Thai have the same word with totally different meanings. It's ok, but, I wouldn't go out of my way for it. Closed on Monday.

*In the next post I will recant all the oddities I experienced in Europe over the last three weeks. I'm too pressed to do it now..

The Old Jailhouse, Sanford

I tried this American restaurant on South Palmetto Ave tonight. I thought they were kind of new, but, they opened in February. I had Low Country Shrimp and Sausage for $23. It came with collard greens and cheese grits in a sausage gravy. Aside from the price (a shrimp and grits - which this basically is - usually goes for $15), it was very good. The shrimp (5) were medium sized and seemed to be a cut above frozen bag shrimp. The sausage (4 thin slices) was fine. Didn't seem to have too much provenance. The greens were plentiful. A little salty. Stewed in a vegetable or chicken stock. The gravy was thin. Pleasant. The grits were the best component. I was going to order a $24 bouillabaise, but, it only came with a crostini. Those two sides would have added around $10 dollars to the bill if taken as sides. The plating was fine. White dish. Grits in the middle. Boy - Girl Boy - Girl on the sausage and shrimp. Greens at the top of the plate. Gravy moat. The apps were all around $10 and basic. Wings, cheese fries, soup, pork belly, Caesar salad, etc. The mains were all over $20. Sans a burger ($15). Two chicken dishes, steak, fish special, etc. They serve beer, wine, hooch. It seats fifty in the middle room. Twenty on the patio. Maybe more in another enclosed side patio. Eight or so in three different private areas. It is purported to be the site of the old jailhouse, They built on that reputation. It looks Western. Which is cool because I always feel Sanford had a ghost town type charm and should play that up. The interior is white washed, red brick. Black ceilings. Metal fixtures. Gray tile floor. Natural wood tables. Black plethora chairs. Old time photos. A few tvs. Service was ok. They had six or so waitresses/floaters, so, each table had their own server. Mine seemed to get lost more than she should have. The food also wasn't exactly streaming out of the kitchen. They don't do lunch and are closed on Sundays. Seems like an odd schedule for the area. I found it charming and the food was good enough. It will be on the Favorite's List. A slight trim on the pricing or more creativity on the menu would be welcome but not required. It was about a quarter full at 6pm. There didn't seem to be a dress code. Nice addition that I wish I had learned of earlier.

*Sanford has had some turn over. Shannon's is back in a new location up the street. Another place opened in her old location. Seemed different from the last replacement. Zocalo (a new one or a resurrection) is next door. It remember another place with that name on the main street. A bar (Throwbacks) is a few doors down. I forget what it replaces. The "fish" bar is a cigar bar. A Buddha something place is next door. I think it was food. These are all on that street one down from Palmetto (I forget the name). A F&D Italian is opening on the main street into town (also forgot that name).

**Saw a recipe on Cook's County for North Carolina Lemon Pie. It looked cool. Like Key Lime Pie, but, a saltine crust!

***The news said that the I-4 project is almost 260 days behind schedule and has two years left. They tried to say that it will be done by 2012. Late 2021! As in 2022!

Cherish this post because you (all five of you - thanks Google shadow banners) aren't getting a new one for a while.

Proper & Wild, Winter Park - Closed

I grabbed a salad to go at this vegan spot in one of the "locations of death" on Morse (diagonal from Bosphorous) on Wednesday. I believe it was a vegan place two iterations ago. So they either don't think much of history (or past management) or didn't do enough research or really think tastes have changed in a short period of time. The lunch menu is boring. Apps, flatbreads, sandwiches, "burgers" and salad bowls. The dinner "mains" (same menu as lunch with mains in for sandwiches) are more creative. That means they have a pasta and a curry dish and one more burger. I had a Medina bowl for $14. I'm not sure if it was a good thing (because it was so bad) or a bad thing that it was a very small portion. Hardly a half a cup of the star element (pearl couscous). Maybe a fourth. Some rubbery carrots. Charred cauliflower. Acrid taste. The arugula was the best element. It came with a weird tahini like dressing. Every element was bitter. They even added teeth busting coriander seed to the mix. A side shot cup of a harissa hummus (if I'm correct). The designer of this dish is the taste bud equivalent to tone deaf. And I'm judging it as a vegan place. That means it is below soul food in the pantheon of flavor/complexity. They are a branch of another vegan place downtown - Sanctum Café. I can't remember what grade I gave them. In any event, I didn't expect to like this much and ended up liking less than that. It's a shame because it looks cute. Very white, clean and modern. They had some customers. All women and one dude just there to flirt with the girl at the front bar. I'd like to say I won't be back, but, knowing the location's track record, I will. Just under different management. Maybe those who haven't had real food in an eon will find the food more pleasing. Although, I think my dish would disappoint even them and was one of their weaker efforts. Opened recently.

Eola General, Downtown

I tried this market/deli on Amelia near some cross street like Cathcartt (or something like that) for lunch on Wednesday. Near the middle of Lake Eola in between it and 50. They have only been open for four months and already have swapped out the food supplier. So much for the Weekly's review. Why a guy with a week to compose a column is visiting these little establishments lately is confusing. Now (for two weeks) you can get some sandwiches (six or so) on a bagels via Swan City Bagels. I had the Waldorf chicken salad at $9.50. I don't like bagels as a sandwich bread. It really makes no sense when you cut chicken breast into large pieces. You'd have to be a boa constrictor or a Tri Delt to get that thing in your mouth. Even if you split in in halves, the salad spills out all over the place. The salad was also bland. Too healthy. I think they use Greek yogurt in lieu of mayo. And not a lot of it. The bagel was good. Sadly, I could taste it through the salad. Another indication of the total lack of flavor. It came with a side. I tried the potato salad. It was basically three (too large) pieces of red potato with onion and a bushel full of parsley. It was frigid. The potatoes were rubbery. Bland again. I also tried a gimmick they have called a garlic-y pickled egg. It's two pickled hard boiled eggs on a skewer with pickle slices and pearl onions dusted with Everything bagel seasoning. It was nothing to write home about. Sour and salty isn't my thing. Plus old, cold hard boiled eggs aren't either. Maybe a softer yolk would help. It cost $3. They really don't sell much else at the store. Beverages.and some produce. Very underwhelming. I would only go for a bagel with cream cheese. And only if I lived nearby. I am also assuming the cream cheese isn't girly-fied via Greek yogurt or the like. They also have a coffee provider (outsourced). Coffee means nothing to me, so, I didn't commit it to memory.

Bocadillos Cafe, Winter Springs

After the disastrous trip to UCF (read below), I at least had a little luck on my way home. I stopped at this Puerto Rican restaurant on 434 in between Winter Springs and 17-92 and grabbed a steak sandwich to go. It cost $8. It was a pressed sandwich with potato strings, Swiss cheese and mayo. The steak on it's own tasted a bit gamey and grainy. However, the texture and flavor worked when joined by its buddies. I can't guess the cut of meat or the method of preparation. I'm guessing - boiled? It was like tough meatloaf. The serve pork, beef, chicken, shrimp on sandwiches and with mofungo and with platters. They have a special plantain "bun" sandwich. They have a singular fish special. They have wine and beer. Open for lunch and dinner. Seats about thirty. Family run. It's in a mostly (since time immemorial) vacant strip mall behind Vittorio's. Very hard to see from the road. It was a café the last time I checked. They painted it a burnt orange and black. Some painted flourishes on the wall (like the PR flag and their name). They have survived for two years. I believe the name (as I've previously stated) translates to "little bites".

Grub Crawl - UCF Area: Gyroville (Closed) and Omelet Bar

I went to these places at lunch today. The first is on 50 in between 417 and Alafaya Trail in a strip mall. The second is in the shopping area across from UCF (University) near the McDonald's.

Gyroville - I had a traditional gyro for $7. It was junk. This is a fast food chain from South Florida. It's as if someone took the gyro off the Miami Sub's menu and opened a chain that only sells that. The meat is bought formed into a slab. They don't even freshly shave the meat. It's some kind of blend. Spam. Gyram. The other option is chicken. Wings, Greek salad, veggie soup and falafel burger. And that is it. I'm not joking. They also monkey with the sauces. IE Honey Mustard Tzatziki. Ugh. Open since March.

Omelet Bar - I'll review the meal first and then tell you about some concerns. I had a lobster eggs benedict for $12. It came with house potatoes. It was bad. One yolk was already spilled out on the plate. The English muffin wasn't toasted enough. The lobster was not lobster (sharimi blend). It didn't taste good. The potatoes seemed like they had been left out since the morning rush. The rest of the menu is uneventful. Waffles, pancakes, eggs, burgers and sandwiches. Now let's get to my concerns. The first is the "lobster". I had a chat with the manager and he proffered that it is a 60-40 blend that they buy frozen in bulk. This is more than puffery. It is mis-labeling and fraud. They at least need to put quotation marks around the word lobster on the menu or have an asterisk with explanation. He said he suggested this to the owner and was told to zip it. That brings me to me next concern. An owner with that kind of mentality is not one to reward with your patronage. The place's look (water stained ceiling tiles, clutter, etc) also denote a lack of pride. One last concern. The hostess may have meddled with my soda ($2.50 un-refilled). I may have been a bit snippy (to a snowflake) about being asked to sit at the counter and she looked too happy when she came back with my drink. Let's hope it was just spit and she doesn't have mono. As I said, the look is bit messy. Booths. Two sided room. I would submit that almost every other chain (Keke's, First Watch, Broken Egg, etc) is better. They have been open for two years. They close at 2pm. Too bad it's not for good. Surprisingly not a chain.

Juicy Pot, West Colonial *England Travel Notes

I tried this hot pot restaurant in Chinatown at lunch on Wednesday. It opened under a month ago. It looks nice, but, the food is nothing to write home about. I tried a simple hot pot even though I really didn't want it. I chose a veggie broth ($4) and udon noodles ($1) and bok choy ($1). The noodles were gross. Already mushy. Defrosted. The bok choy was fresh enough. They have inset hot plates that they place the broth pot on and you add the rest. I also had a pound of blue crab for $11. Three crabs cut in half. They were boiled. I prefer steamed. They seemed frozen. They didn't give you a tiny fork to pick out claw meat. I also tried a half pound of crawfish. They also tasted frozen. That cost $6. A soda can was $2.50. They also sell all the hot pot add ins and lobster and abalone and some other seafood. I just wish the food was as good as the décor. It's white and modern. Fifteen, four pot booths and a "bar" of single seats that runs down one side of the booths. Four tvs. Some wall murals. Another annoyance was the local r & b and rap station they had on. I'm not a big fan of one imbecilic lyrical line repeated for three minutes. "Let me rub you down". Hard to say which is more annoying - mumble rap or 80's r & b. I also would like them to have held back one of the items instead of bringing everything out at once. Soup was over cooked. Seafood got cold. There were four others eating while I was there. You don't have to rush to sample this place.

*Travel Notes - England: I saw a weird drink at a boba place in Manchester England. Cheese in the boba. I guess it must be powdered cheese? Not much else to mention. Yorkshire pudding wraps in Leeds and York. Black olives on a cc and lox bagel. Some kind of empanada/pasty called a Bridey in Carlisle. I also had a mackerel sandwich in Leeds at Mr Mackerel. They said they are big in Istanbul. So, if you go there try and find them.

F&D Italian Kitchen, Hourglass District

I tried this Italian restaurant on Curry Ford Road (opposite Claddagh's) on Tuesday for dinner. It has been open for seven months. It replaced another Italian spot (Peppino's?) that I evidently wasted my time on just before it closed. I guess this from the F&D people in Lake Mary. Therefore, I'm not surprised that I liked it. I changed a chicken parm or rigatoni Bolognese order to a due carni pizza (sausage and pepperoni) at the last second. I'm not sure what fate would have held if I hadn't, but, the pizza was great. The sole criticism could have been some bubbles (unpounded dough) in the crust. However, it was one of the better pies I can remember having in town. Nice char. Toothy dough with some richness (olive oil). Not tough. No residual flour. Nice and plentiful pepperoni and sausage (hot fennel seed). Thin. Nice cheese. Nice sauce. Not too much. Nice coverage. Some rosemary (maybe in the oil). Bigger than the usual personal size. 10"?. And freshly made. It cost $15. They have a Wednesday special where they sell a margherita for $7 or $8. They sell around ten styles of pizza. An arugula prosciutto pie next to me looked good. Stacked with fresh arugula. They had lasagna and spaghetti and meatballs and mussels served on a flat iron skillet (special price on Monday). Maybe ten more dishes. They serve beer and wine. I think they list the sodas at $2.50, but, my bill shows $3. Maybe they refill. They didn't. *I don't know if I have enough personal evidence/experience to expose a trend, but, this wouldn't be the first time a F&D restaurant billed me for an item higher than the menu price.  They didn't do much to the place. Maybe some paneling and some murals/stencils. I think the old place had their wood burning oven in the same place. It seats thirty (tightly) in the front room and the same on the enclosed patio. Both rooms were full at 6:30pm. They have five or so wait staff, but, they seemed overwhelmed for some reason. All in all, I was very pleased. I will make it a point to come back. F'in delicious.

*I gave one last drive by Never Never Naan. It was closed as usual. That will be my last attempt until some other new place requires my presence in the neighborhood.

Mito, OIA Area

I tried this Japanese restaurant in the new shopping area (Epic Theaters) off 436 on the way to OIA last week at lunch. I grabbed two rolls (yellowtail and salmon) to go for $5.75 and $5.45. They were long, thin, cigar shaped rolls. The rice was properly cooked. The fish wasn't very discernible. They have another location on Narcoossee Rd. They have been here for a year. Who knew? It looks like the typical modern Japanese boite. I remember undulating wall treatments. Bricks. Black tables. Bubbly water tanks. Smallish. Seat about fifty. A fullish menu. Hibachi, katsu, tempura, noodles. Not bad. Next to that Greek place I reviewed a short while ago.

*I just watched half of food show (Lucky Chow with Danielle Chang) on ramen. I appears as if "men" means noodle. They showed a few "in" places. I missed the name of the firstand the second. I believe they were in NYC. The second was in a market. The first was making dry ramen. Masaramen or something that sounded like that. That was intriguing. They also made a wet ramen with an additional (foie gras) dipping bowl. The market guy did a dry one with egg and pork. Plus a mussel broth one. and a tuna one. He incorporated more seafood in his repertoire. The third one was one called Ivan Ramen. He started in Tokyo. And though a gaijin, he became respected. He made one with cheese and pork. He last group was in SF. Ramen Shop (I think). They did all kinds. Some interesting ingredients were: persimmon, a veggie broth one and some kind of bitter leaf vegetable that I'm blanking on. Anyway, it served to increase my curiosity on the subject. And I hope it will inspire the breadth of choices around here. The dry ones looked especially promising. They also pointed out that the noodles taste if often hidden in broth and continue to cook in it (overcooking).

Pub Crawl - Milk District: Southern Craft, Whippoorwill and Iron Cow

I went to these places last night. Early. The first two are on that road that parallels the 408. Near Bumby. The other is where all the other bars are (Robinson?).

Southern Craft - I thought it might be this purported brewery that seems to never have developed. It isn't It is craft beer and cocktail bar. It's small. Cute. They have wall art of baddies from the movies. A woman was warbling with a ukulele. I believe it is a gay bar. Not that there is anything wrong with that and I'm sure they don't discriminate. I think the place around the corner (Southern Nights) is too. Open for two years. Opening another bar next door - soon.

Whippoorwill - They are down the block (away from Bumby) a few hundred feet. A craft beer bar with adjoining coffee bar. They have a bar with drafts and a fridge with cans and bottles. Great pricing. They add a buck or two if you drink it in house. Good selection. Nice atmosphere. Modern look. I think they said "open for seven months".

Iron Cow - We finally met in the middle. Closed when I drove by at 7pm (of course), they were open two hours later. Utterly forgettable. Just a dive bar. Dirty. No food. Cook hadn't come in yet. Said they are working on lunch. It has been two years since they said they were going to do that. They said it. To a newspaper. They didn't have to. Amateurish. At least it is off the list for good now.

*Dinner ended up being Black Rooster because the " bigger" Tako Cheeka (however they spell it) locale said go to the old one. I though they finished retrofitting that other location a long time ago. What is it with the places on Mills? Are the local politicos throwing up red tape? I tried a beef and bacon, kale and other things and pork fat taco. All untried. Pork fat was the best. The others were good too. Long wait though.

**Tried to do dinner at a Vietnamese place near the Arena. It was closed for some reason.

Vera Asian, Lake Mary - Closed

I tried this Sushi Wok and Teriyaki fast casual spot in the shopping center at Lake Mary Blvd and Lake Emma Rd yesterday at lunch. It is by Too Jays. I think it was an Italian place most recently. Now it's an assembly line Asian place. I went with the $8.50 option of chicken (tofu or veggies also at this price point), white rice, asparagus, scallions, broccoli, mushrooms, sprouts and Hong Kong XO sauce. It was fine. The rice was a bit flaky, dense and soggy. It got better as the sauce mixed in and some of the wetness evaporated as it cooled. The veggies could be fresher. You see the guy cooking it up in front of you. Thye also offer shrimp or beef for $10. They have three noodles and two rices. Around ten veggies. Five sauces. They also nine "familiar" dishes (ie Kung Pao Chicken ready if you don't want to craft. They also do sushi rolls ($6-$10). They had egg drop soup as the daily soup. They have around five apps (ie dumplings or spring rolls). It looks new and polished. Hard to believe it is a one off. They have been open for a few months. If you live nearby, it should be in the rotation.

*The sushi maker (I think he's the owners husband or boyfriend) told me he is opening a $150 15 course omikase joint in downtown Sanford soon. Ten people. Two seatings. Who, out there, is going to be the first to report on it?

Grub Crawl - UCF Area: Domu Chibi, Le Crave, Rumaku and Tandoori Bowl

I tried these places at lunch on Wednesday. The first two are near neighbors in the Waterford Lakes shopping area (the first left off Alafaya Trail after 50 and then the first right). The next two are back towards (past) UCF. The last is on the other side of Alafaya in a strip mall seen off the road. The third is just past that on the other side of the road (in a strip mall - on the corner).

Domu Chibi - A fast food version of Domu. They even buy the noodles here. Ramen, rice bowls, gyoza and chicken bites. I had the small shio bowl for $10. Salty chicken stock with mushrooms, chicken thighs, half an egg and thin noodles. It was fine. Chicken was tender. I'm not a ramen guy. Wanted to just escape with an app ($5) , but, I drove all the way here. They only had three cooks. And only one seemed to be in action. It took a lit bit to get served. The chop sticks, etc are by the soda machine, so I don't see why they feel the need to have a deliverer. You just have to get up anyway. They only bring you a spoon. Plus they already have a machine taking the order. It seats about thirty at countertops. It was full. Modern design. I think they opened three months ago. They claim Tori Tori is still in the works.

Le Crave - A creperie with two other locations (Rockledge and somewhere else). Open a year. I had a nutella crepe for $4. It was ok. Underdone and a bit tough. It's a crepe, so it can vary with the preparers level of interest. The also do savory ones. And ice cream. Small foot print. I think the sign said baguettes, but, now I can't remember seeing them on the menu. I think they had drinks too.

*There are three other restaurants on this block - a Greek, FK Kitchen and A Thai Sushi place.

Rumaku - I grabbed a Philadelphia and Spicy Tuna Roll to go. $5.50 a piece. Not bad. Mostly fish with a small "skin" of rice. Long roll. Eight or ten pieces. Not much cream cheese in the Philly Roll. Cured salmon. They also do ramen bowls, a Specialty burger (fried bun), rice bowls, soup, salad and other rolls. Their ramen was $8. Not much décor. A lot of open/wasted space. Some seating to the left, Sushi bar/register on the right. Black paint. Open for two years.

Tandoori Bowl - A create your own meal Indian restaurant. You fill out the request form - meat, rice, sauce, sides, etc. They give you a plate or to go container. I did a small half beef and half lamb on white rice with yellow (cashew) curry, chutney, cauliflower, green beans and feta cheese to go for $9.50. You can split and pay the More expensive meat price. Both meats were tender. It may have been nicer to not have all the components smushed together, but, that's what you get for getting things to go. The place is small. Only a few seats. They have been open for eighteen months. They also have naan. We need more of these Indian to go places. I wanted Indian because I whiffed on Forever Naan again. This time they had a note saying "Medical Emergency". No date or helpful info.

Sette, Lake Ivanhoe District - Closed

I tried this Italian restaurant across the road from Lake Ivanhoe at the Virginia intersection on Tuesday at dinner. Mesa 21 is their neighbor. I believe the last attempt on this spot was called Stir. I had a meatball starter and it filled me so thoroughly that I had to ask for the chicken cacciatore to be put in a to go container. The meatballs (4) were a combo of beef and pork. Squash ball size. Topped with some basil, tomato sauce and ricotta. The ricotta could have been house made. It was very creamy. The meatballs all had differing degrees of done-ness. One was light and perfect. One was dense and overcooked. The other two were in between at both ends of the scale. I'm not sure what accounts for that kind of variation, but, maybe the oven has hot zones. They were decent overall. They serve them over a bed of polenta. It was a bit congealed. More of an aesthetic concern than a taste one. Served in a skillet. The plate cost $11. The portion could be cut in half. They also have: a sausage and a bread basket starter. Maybe a cheese or meat plate? I may be confusing restaurants. Two or three salads. The dishes were $9 to $11. The chicken cacciatore was made with skinned and boned chicken thighs. They were cooked perfectly. I was going to say "beautifully", but I think that is another British misuse of the word. It should be limited to visual observations, right? Anyway. They either buy freshly made fettucine or make their own. It had a noodle-y. consistency. Like spaetzl. It was ok. The sauce was very healthy and mild. More like fresh veggies (olives, celery, tomatoes, etc) than a sauce. They didn't over salt. Another decent portion. It cost $17. It was one of the cheaper entrees. A pasta may have started the bidding at $15. They had some odd things like a pot roast risotto. I remember four or so pastas. A shrimp dish. Eggplant parm. A filet was $39 ($5 an ounce). There was a pork (shank) dish. Lasagna was highly priced. The pricing is whacky. Some things are a relative bargain and some and quizzically over priced. They only have a few off ramps from the high end. They didn't seem to touch the interior. They did turn down the ac. I believe that was an issue I had with one of the other iterations. Service was good. They have a lot of staff. The place was a fifth full. Two rooms and a patio. They have been open for nine weeks. It's run by the Se7en Bites people. Only open for dinner. Some of the concept doesn't quite make sense, but, I find that fun for some reason. I think you'll have a fine time if you try it. Just don't over order.

*A birdy told me that Mesa 21 is closing. Odd timing. Two big residential developments are opening near there.

Fresh Kitchen, SoDo

I stopped by this Florida based healthy food franchise near the Michigan and South Orange intersection south of downtown eight days ago at lunch. I was thoroughly expecting to insert a "u" and a "c" to their FK trademark. It was actually pretty good. It's just bowls or salads, but, the components were good. And there always seems to be a line. They have another location near UCF at the Waterford Lakes shopping center. I had a kids rice bowl with almond incrusted chicken. It cost $7. I tried (from four or five infusions) pesto rice and broccoli (from four or five sides) and the chicken (two tenderloins). All were good. I believe the chicken was baked. I guess that is good if you can't tell if it was fried or not. The broccoli was crisp/fresh. The rice was tasty. Properly cooked and fresh. I also had to choose a sauce. I chose an Italian dressing if I recall correctly and it was served on the side. I chose to keep it out of the mix (already flavored) and just dip the chicken in it. Like I said, the menu is pretty concise. You order and compose your dish on an assembly line. The place looks "fast food" modern. Clean. It's a little bit of a bitch to access because of traffic and some road construction. Good value. They opened a few months ago. Maybe last Fall?

Grub Crawl - Sand Lake Road Area: Chronic Tacos and Veranda

I tried these two restaurants on different ends of Sand Lake Rd last week at lunch. The first is in the strip mall west of I-4 that has Moonfish. The second is in the strip mall at OBT (Florida Mall) that has Izziban sushi. One street in. You can't see it from the road.

Chronic Tacos - I believe I have been to the original in 2013. That's if it is in Corona del Mar. In any case, I remember them as good. However, I was not about to be bamboozled like I was at the Taco Bus taco bust. Plus I knew I was eating twice at lunch in any case. So, I only had a test taco. A $3.50 carnitas soft taco. It was good. Nice quantity. Nice flavor. Not scratch. Served street style. Could have been plastic bag pork. But, passable. Probably more in my head than in reality. The franchise stigma was playing on me. They opened a month ago. It had a decent size line. Plastic, fast food scenery. Assembly line execution. Plates are $8. They have steak, mahi, shrimp, chicken, al pastor, veggie, breakfast and fake meat options. Almost all a plus one or two dollars from the individual price. Sodas were $2. They have some chips, churros, fries, etc. Not much new here. A little pricy, but, in line with Chipotle (now over $10 for two barbacoa tacos and a soda), et al.

Veranda - I was disappointed by their execution after being intrigued by the extensive Eastern European menu. I gave them a lay up and they missed it. A chicken schnitzel with mashed potatoes. I was going to try lamb ribs (chops), but, the waitress said that would take fifteen minutes. The chicken took as long. I'll forgive her. She was cute. The chicken tasted like a dogs chew toy. I've had freezer burn chicken in my life, but, this was beyond. It was hard like the center of the breast bone. I thought for sure I was going to get sick before my plane ride. Thankfully, I did not. And the mystery continues. I asked her to ask the kitchen for an explanation and they had none. Said it was how they always do it. As such, I could never give them a second chance. It was also a tiny piece of chicken. And not pounded flat. The mashed potatoes were awful too. No salt or flavor. It reminded me of all those Soviet era jokes about life over there. How they ate boiled shoes. The chew toy and the play doh cost $15. Another off putting feature (and a stereotype confirmed) was the oonce oonce music they blasted at lunch. It brought back memories of Will Farrell and Chris Kattan in shark skin suits. The place has brick walls. I remember it being low lighted and black and gray and red. They have been open for a month or so. I don't expect them to stay open for long. Unless they are a front for the mob. In which case, it was nice knowing you.

Grub Crawl - Audubon Park: Hinckley's Fancy Meats and Bird of Paradise (Closed) *KOR/TAI/JAP Travel Notes

I tried these two newcomers at the East End Market yesterday at lunch. I was trying to try Sette. It turns out that they don't do lunch. I audibled to Orlando Meat Company and while trying a very good roast beef sandwich, I thumbed through a copy of the OW and saw a review of one of the purveyors. So, I popped in.

Hinckley's Fancy Meats - I was speaking to a man there (I suppose the owner) who told me that he ran a place in NY called Public. I'm pretty sure I ate there and it had a fine reputation. Now, he's here playing with his meat. He does rillettes, pates, terrines, cured meats, game meat (deer, antelope), etc. I had a pastrami sandwich because the article said it was bubby worthy. I don't think many bubbies expect their pastrami to be like theirs. It was very cured. Almost prosciutto like. I've not seen it's equal. Not a compliment or criticism. Just a fact. With the other components in the sandwich (rye roll, mustardy thousand island sauce, red cabbage slaw and some cheese - I'll guess Swiss), it blended well. Alone, it was less appetizing. I like my pastrami juicier and cut thicker. Standard pastrami. This was sliced like prosciutto. I'm not sure if this is the intent or it was old or it was over cured. It is a conundrum. You'll have to sample it and see if you like this result and inquire into its origin. It cost $15. Probably 50% too rich. Like most of the options. They also serve (sandwich wise) a double pate banh mi, blt, chicken salad, porchetta and others. They sell meat by the pound. They opened in February. It's a little stall with no seats.

Bird of  Paradise - This used to be Florida & Co. or something like that. Of course they closed it right after I tried it. This is the same people in a rebrand. It couldn't see any difference. I think I had a bowl there. They still serve that. I think they featured shrimp. I had that. I had the shrimp lettuce wraps for $12. It consisted of five or six romaine lettuce leaves, pickled shredded carrots, pickled root vegetable (maybe parsnip or carrot) and five or six medium shrimp cut length wise. I think they were Florida white shrimp. It was fine. still took too long to prepare. They officially open on Sunday. They said they are going to change the menu. Maybe I just got there too early to see the change.

*Travel Notes - Korea/Taiwan/Japan: Some odd things I saw in Asia (aside from their regional specialties that you might find odd as well). Dry squid covered in peanut butter, canned silk worm larva (sold near the tuna fish) and pickled radish stems (for example - they pickle everything) in Korea. KFC had fried squid and egg and chicken sandwiches. Scallop lip sushi in Taiwan. They have lips? MCD's had a shrimp burger and some wild black and/or green burger buns with other junk on them. I also saw a unique vendor that can be reproduced here as a gimmick for little cost. In Okinawa, they sell octopus and shrimp crackers pressed while grilled/baked in front of you. The gimmick is that they plop a raw shrimp or octopus arms onto the cracker batter and then squeeze the life out of it. It makes an imprint of the creatures on the cracker. You don't really taste the flavor as much as you would expect though. Fun to watch. Kids loved it. Ohh, and they sold a hot dog dipped in batter and covered with potato cubes. Some had cheese inside. The supermarket had a sick selection of sushi and sashimi (in Seoul too). I got amaebi (4 huge ones) for less than $3. for example. The tuna was fresh as all get out.

**Can somebody tell me if Forever Naan is in business? I've been by two times (on days they are supposed to be open) and they were not. They are becoming "Ever? Naan".