2020 Favorites List and Travel Notes Index

I started this blog in an attempt to provide consumer protection. I never thought I'd have to protect both parties. This year was a reminder of what a society can expect when we choose leaders like we choose teenage pop idols and masked dancers. And they are put in charge of anything thornier than garbage pick up. Let alone pandemic mitigation. 

Nincompoops like (Swim)buddy Dyer-ia and the Revahhrend Huckleberry Lemmings and their crack medical expert Raul Pino. I'm not sure about you, but I like my doctors thin and my chefs fat. Not the other way around. And let's not forget the weak kneed followers in Seminole County. Lee Constantine, Jay Zembower, Bob Dallari, Amy Lockart, Andrea Herr (new) and Brenda Carey (out). And there has been "medical expert" Dr Husty. They made life miserable for all the people on the list and all the ones not. People who pay the salaries of these non-essential, salary protected workers. Who risk much to provide for us. And "the science" proves that only 1.6% of infections were at restaurants. And that doesn't prove that the regulations worked! I swear we need an update of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy or any other satirical prose. Aliens would be so bemused by us right now.

Most of you probably sat by and watched all this happen. Maybe even demanded it. I know who foodies are. How they think. I know this is going in one ear and out another. In know you feel no shame. Are incapable of it. Think you are a priori good. You should be banned from their premises for life. You live life beneath your Mommy's apron strings as close to the warm breath of your deliverance as you can nuzzle up to. You love that extra padding you can rest your head against. You "live" your lives in fear. You are adult sized babies. It's time for you to grow up. You must come out from behind the apron strings. And now on to the awards. I may be a little more generous because of the enviroment 2020 created.

$$$$-

$$$- Delaney's Tavern, Susuru, Dexter's New Standard, Mr Wang's Sports BBQ, General Public House (NSB), Sixty Vines, World of Magic, Makani, Barwachi, Antica Pizza

$$- Pepe, Taglish, Grain & Ember Pizza, Git N Messy BBQ, Medellin Burger, What the Chuck Burger, Current Seafood

$- Shaka Donuts, Bagel Bruno, Taco Shack (NSB), Banh Mi Boy, Taqueria Las Cazuelas

*NSB = New Smyrna Beach

Travel Notes Index

February 5 - NV/AZ/NM

February 15 - SF

March 10 - FL GC

May 19 - FL/GA/AL/KY/MO/IA/SD/NE/KS/AR/OK/TX/MS

May 29 - TN/SC/NC/GA

June 20 - SC/PA/VT/NH/NY

July 18 - NV/UT/NM/WY/CO/AZ

July 22 - LV

August 11 - MN/MI

August 30 - CO/KS

September 23 - WA/MT/ID

October 13 - FL GC

November 6 - FL/GA/SC/NC/VA/MD/WV

December 13 - LV

December 26 - FL Keys and GC

Face Tea, Lake Mary

 I'll slip this one in before the Favorites. I grabbed a milk black tea here on Thursday at lunch. It cost $4. Like every other one. Same with shop. It is in the corner of the strip mall that has Grato and Burger Fi on Lake Mary Blvd and Rinehart Rd. They sell smoothies and teas and boba and the usual. They also have one food item - popcorn chicken. Probably nuked. Didn't seem like they have a kitchen. I noticed the English teahouse (Dicken's) was closed. Not sure when that happened. The Universe filled their void with this cheap Chinese replica. Seems like a metaphore/presage. Open for 6 months.

Mr & Mrs Crab, Sanford

I tried this seafood place in the old Smokey Bones location near the mall today at lunch. They opened two months ago. They had a little video playing that said they had around a dozen locations in Florida (one in MS) and a dozen planned. I think this is the sixth type of this restaurant that opened around CF this year alone. Only one so far has been good (the one in Altamonte Springs on 434). This is number two. At least the crabs were fresh. That is the criteria. Low bar, but, four of them couldn't measure up. I had just been spoiled at Peace River Seafood (see last post's travel tips). This place is nowhere near as good. But, they swore they had just driven to Tampa to get a fresh batch of blue crabs and I think they were telling the truth. The meat was firm. It tasted fresh. Now a pound turned out to be two smallish sidlers and a larger one. That cost $15. $20 got me six or seven large ones at Peace River. They didn't sell be the pound, so, I'm not sure if I got shorted. This is your typical boil in a bag place that makes you pick a seasoning . I just asked for mild Cajun, but, it seemed like they added melted butter. Maybe that is implied? It came with a potato and corn. Didn't try the corn. I also had a half pound of crawfish. They copped to them being frozen. Still ok. Came with a potato. They cost $7. The order came out fast. Too fast? They must have some pre-pared. They also sell shrimp, snow crab, clams, manila clams, green mussels, blue mussels, calamari, scallops, lobster tail, dungeness crab, king crab and sausage. Apps. Fried baskets. The usual pricing. They had lunch specials that weren't so special. You basically get fries or mac and cheese. Sodas were a little inflated at $3. They did give a to go cup. They also honored the 10% coupon I got in the mail. Service was good. They decorated it with nets, license plates and plastic fish. The video said they were offering a unique experience. Hardly. There must be a check list they all follow. Down to "replace a chain barbeque restaturant". The bar had a small selection of name brands. That is actually advisable. I always wonder at why they carry all those bottles. I hope they don't pay up front. Waste of capital. The place was too dark. and this was during the day. You needed a flashlight to read the menu. It was also too loud. They had some web based jukebox that curated a bizarre playlist of hip hop, country, rock, etc. This again is something that all these places have in common. The disjointed nature of the program coupled with the volume is not what I'm looking for during my lunch hour. It also left half the place unhappy half of the time. The place seats around ninety. Five tables up front were in use. They had sports and news on the tv. It wasn't the disaster I have grown accustomed to. If they keep things fresh then they will be worth it. If they don't, then it won't. Simple as that. They seem to still be conscientious two months in.

*I will post The 2020 Favorites in a few days.

Coqui, Sanford *FL Keys and FL Gulf Coast Travel Notes

I grabbed some dinner to go at this Puerto Rican restaurant on 17-92 on Tuesday. They close at 8pm. They open at 8am. Their daily specials are unbelievably affordable at $8. I grabbed two to provide you with more data. Each comes with two sides AND a soda. I tried corned beef with french fries and potato salad and chicken stew (guisado) with rice with pigeon peas (arroz con gandules) and tostones. The corned beef was a new adventure. I didn't love it. It was all minced up. I once tried (to see what the hell it was like) that junk next to the tuna and chicken salad at the market. Devil something? This was like that. They folded in potato rectangles into it. I ended up picking those out and adding them to the too mayo-ed potato salad. The french fries were also disappointing. Those startch covered grease tubes I hate. The trip home in a sealed container eradicated any crispness that may have existed. I will say that they helped me fine tune my chicken skin drying process. I bought a $5 chicken at Winn Dixie the next day and I put some of the fries in bowl and covered them with the chicken skin and nuked them for 2 1/2 minutes. The fries sucked up the chicken grease and created convection for better skin desiccation. Back to the meal. The chicken was ok. A little dry. Rough chopped sections of bone in chicken. About eight pieces. The rice was very good. Huge portion. Had it for two leftover meals. The tostones were the best. They didn't loose crispness. Four I think. Lightly salted. Some of the best I've ever had. They have around ten "specials" every day. Most meats. The usual sides. They also do breakfast. I think all day, They have seven sandwiches. But, they cost as much or more than the specials and don't come with anything. They also have platters and mofongo(s). All more than the specials. I remember soup and desserts and a kid's menu. They didn't change the decor. This place has been a Mexican and Italian spot recently. It's on a cross street one block to or from Lake Mary Blvd depending on your ingress. It's Lake something. Minnie? They have been open for a year. a Puerto Rican woman and her Indian husband. Most things are less tha $15. I think it's a great value.

*Travel Notes - Florida Keys and Gulf Coast: Here are some notes on a trip to the Keys through the Gulf Coast. I tried another route than 95 to see if it would actually be quicker and less traffic-y. I think it might be depending on the time of day. (also may be best way to south Gulf). I usually stop in Homestead or before Miami to cut the cost of one night Keys hotel prices and because you usually arrive after dark anyway. I took 1-4W to 27S through Haines City and Lake Wales to 60W to Bartow to 17S to Punta Gorda. I left at 11am and had little to no traffic throughout. It took me around two hours. Here to Palm Beach is usually two and a half hours. And then the traffic can start. On my way back (this way), the south bound traffic to Miami started here at 1pm. I slept here (PG). The plan. I took 75 to Naples the next day. No traffic. 60 minutes. I stayed here for a night. The plan. I took 41E to 997S to Key Largo. This bypassed the US1 part of east coast route. That took me two hours alone on the way back. I think this may be me new route

**Ok. The food. In Punta Gorda, I didn't Google the addresses of the three places I had written down and chose takeout Thai (Mint) near my Springhill Suites in Punta Gorda because I was hangry. A shame because the highly rated Asian (Perfect Caper) was right by me. I also drove by another (Farlow's on the Water) when I explored Gasparilla Island earlier in the day. Check that out btw. It's way cute. Gasparilla Inn was $270 on Expedia. Should have stayed there. At Mint I tried the crispy quail and Panang Chicken Curry. Quail was sour. Not sure if that is how it is supposed to taste. The next day I backtracked a mile or two on 17 and had blue crabs and clams at Peace River Seafood. The clams were chewy and a bit of a rip off. The crabs were the exact opposite. A treasure. So fresh! Only $20. In Naples I started my stone crab hunt. That's the reason I came back here so soon. Last time I was here they said this (and not the Keys) was stone crab catching central. I grabbed a pound of mediums at Captain & Krewe Seafood near 5th. They cost $24 a pound. Good. I next grabbed beer and corn holes (corn meal donuts with bacon jam and honey butter) and brisket potato at Industry Beer and Barbecue. I stayed at a place called Bayfront Inn 5th Ave (across from Tin City). This was in the same development. It turned out to be great. A huge selection of mostly Floridian beers and good food. The potato has all kinds of cheese and goodness in it and the brisket was good. The holes were also good. Both cost under $8. I was going to get more stone crabs on the way out. A place called Oakes Farms Market. They were selling for $20 a pound. I grabbed a turkey sandwich instead. Beer bloating issues. Naples was dead. I stayed at a Hampton Inn in Key Largo that had manatees right in the canal and ocean around them. I went back to Key Largo Fisheries (tradition) and they were selling them at $22 a pound. I also finally tried the lobster BLT at their Backyard Cafe. It was ok. Dry Caribbean lobster tail per usual. It cost around $24. Over rated. I had basted (covered to steam) eggs, hb and sausage at Bob's Bunz in Islamorada the next day. One barbacoa taco at Sinz in Key West. Oysters (really good Appalachicola's at Conch Republic. OK pizza at Duetto Pizza. I had drinks at Joe's Tap Room, Tattoos and Scars and the Tipsy Rooster. The cops were misrepresenting the State's mask (or lack of one) mandate. I stayed at a place called Alexander Palms Court on South St because they had parking. I had lunch at Firefly the next day. An in place. I had shrimp and grits. Grits were good. Shrimp were small. They are known for a scallop dish they don't serve at lunch. I grabbed roast pork, beans, rice, plantains and tostones for $15 at Fernanady's Food Truck. Huge portions. I drove through Big Pine Key the next day and had stone crabs for $15 (!) at Big Pine Key Market. A side of the road stand. The best tasting crabs to boot. And all kinds of fish, seafood and produce. A find. I had lunch at Bitton Bistro and Cafe in Islamorada. I had a Lyon salami and Gruyere sandwich and salad. The owner is Moroccan. I had dinner at a place whose name always cracked me up. Great Wall Taki Outi. Don't have a conniption (would a woke stroke be a stwoke?), they are Asian run. I just had some Moo Goo Gai Pan. The place looks beyond scary, but, I didn't get sick. I stayed at a place called Pines & Palms Inn. I try and try new places each trip. And ones that are at the biggest discount on that day. I had a bad Italian sub on the way out at Tower of Pizza in Key Largo. I've been down here quite a few times. I'm trying to try ALL the restaurants. Not all of these are worth your time. This time of year was perfect. I think it will be my new "go" time. No crowds. Perfect weather. X-mas vibe. Is nice!

Equilibre, Lake Ivanhoe/Antiques District

 I tried this little place last Wednesday at lunch. It's a sandwich, sweets, smoothie, juice place. Maybe coffee. It's the last spot on the block. Across from Washburn Imports. White, one story building. They opened two years ago. Open 11-6. I grabbed a turkey club to go. It cost $10. I tried it on wheat. I wasn't expecting much, but, it was way cute. Not bad tasting either. Kind of a girl's version. Single slice of turkey, sprouts, cherry tomatoes, crisp bacon, avocado and a spicy remoulade-ish spread. Thick. Hard to eat while driving. Slippery sucker. Didn't the whore in Pretty Woman say that? They also serve roast beef, salmon, tuna and three or more sandwiches. Salads too. Juice and smoothies cost almost as much as the sandwiches. Too rich for my blood. The place is run by Brazilian women. I saw three. The sandwich took a little while to appear. I forgave them when I saw that it wasn't slapped together. The to go bag and box must have cost them a buck. It's a small space. Just room for four people to order. They have a small patio. Not bad. 

*The next post will be in a few days and have notes from a Gulf Coast and Keys jaunt.

Grub Crawl - Sanford: Current Seafood, Dharma Fine Vittles and What the Chuck Burgers (Closed) *LV Travel Notes

I tried these three new stalls at Henry's Depot at lunch on Thursday. 

Current Seafood - I tried an order of grouper bites for $10. They were good. Big chunks. Grilled. Fresh. For some reason, they came with cocktail sauce. I made up my own Sriracha and mayo. They were a liitle bland as prepared and needed a sauce. They also sell two sandwiches. Salmon and mahi, I think. They also had fried platters: scallops, shrimp, clams, etc. They sell 1 1/4 lb lobsters on Monday for $30. They boil them. Lobster rolls are sold on Tuesday at $20.

Dharma Fine Vittles - A vegan spot. They list three locations. Needless to say, I tried to extricate myself in the cheapest way possible. That ended up being with a side of terrible cheesy homies for $5. A little cup of raw potatoes (needed five minutes in microwave to make them soft) in cashew cheese. A total waste of money. They also sell some fake hot dogs, burritos and sandwiches ( blt, chicken, green tomato, jack fruit etc). Everything is twice as expensive as it should be. Because you aren't suffering enough. Thirteen plus is a median. 

What the Chuck Burgers - A burger place by the Tennessee Truffle guy. I had the headline burger (smash something). It was good. Twice as big as my favorite fast food burger (Freddy's). I though it came with mustard. Mine only had mayo, pickles and cheddar cheese. The pickles were too muchy and sweet. The cheese was too salty. Still good. Beef had good flavor. Glossy bun. They sell around seven other concoctions. with things like, pimento cheese, feta, apple and celery salad, etc. You have to order at the bar for some reason.

Travel Notes - Las Vegas: Here are my Las Vegas trip notes - If I don't expound on a place it probably wasn't good. The first batch were places shown on Marcus Samuelsson's show No Passport Required on PBS. I did all but one deli and two were defunct. Fat Choy at Eureka Casino on Sahara Blvd. They have also been on 3D. A Pork Belly BLT. Chubby Cattle. This was a Mongolian Hot Pot place. Also scored high on Yelp. Andrew Zimmern was on here too. Very good quality meats and broths. I had the lamb and beef. It usually has the meats circling on a belt. Not presently. On Jones off of Spring Valley. They had some weird things like throat and duck flippers. Kung Fu. I had their Teochew Duck. Ok. I also had a cheap but bad moo goo gai pan lunch special. On Valley View and Spring Mountain. Chengdu Taste. They (by the articles on the walls) seem to be a popular LA spot (more towards San Gabriel Mts). I had toothpick lamb. More of an Arabic dish. Little bits of lamb on toothpicks. Shang Artisan Noodles. On West Flamingo and Decataur. I didn't feel like waiting. Their governor is also being a prick about capacity. Got some dumplings to go. Beef and pork. Not great. 

The next batch is via Yelp, happenstance or recommendation. Egg Slut at the Cosmopolitan. Only open until like noon or two. I had their namesake - Slut. it is a egg coddled in a glass jar with potato puree. some toasted baguette slices on the side. pretty good. Lee's Sandwiches on Spring Mountain. Another California place. I had a pate and pork roll banh mi. Very good. Cheap. They are open 24 hrs and sell alot of things. Sushi Takashi. Not that great quality for the rep. My squid and some of the fish tasted fishy. I had octopus head karaage. Squid tentacles karaage. Chazuke (broth over rice) salmon. Peter Pan's Hat (inari around rice with spicy tuna and an avocado slice as a feather. I also had mackerel, yt and shrimp nigiri. Bad rice. I had Big Eye Tuna sahimi. Good. They also had Blue fin on special. I didn't have it, but, they had something called chawan mushi. It was steamed egg custard topped with things. At La Pasticceria at Eataly in the Park MGM I had a almond frangipane in puffed pastry crust called Greca. I also tried some of the Bastianich wine. It wasn't great. I had fish taco and an octopus tostada at Baja Mar on Las Vegas Blvd. They were good. Some guy in Colorado told me about them this summer. They have a high rating. Out of San Diego. 

I went back to Taco el Gordo on Las Vegas Blvd. I tried to get the eye and head tacos I told you about before. Either they just look like mushed up beef or they just gave me something else. I also tried an al pastor at the place next door (Taco el Pastor) just to compare. Not as good. I had Michoacan Chicken at Bonito Michoacan on Decataur. Not great. I thought I was going there for some spicy dish. They didn't know what I was talking about when i brought it up. The salsa was pretty spicy. This area is south of Guadaljara. Part is on the sea, They had a huge menu with seafood. Sapporo Revolving Sushi on Spring Mountain. Pretty good sushi for $2.50 a plate (2 pc). I had ocean trout, New Zealand King Salmon, yt, salmon, kamapchi (they called it young yt) and tuna. I had an ok Cobb Salad in white French dressing (that's a new one) at Grand Cafe at Red Rock Casino. Check out that area. Summerlin. 

The last one is Samurai BBQ on Decataur. This is a place where you grill. Yakiniku. I tried thick cut tongue, smoked tongue, hanging tenderloin, pork jowls and a scallop in a shell. All great. Smoked tongue was new and better. Scallops was fun to cook in the shell. Wish I was hungrier when I went. I also had some fresh oysters on the half shell. They had some weird stuff: pickled squid, shark cartilage, intestines, first stomach (called it mountain chain), liver, toro tongue (base of tongue), short rib tartare, short rib sushi (explain that one), sea urchin wrapped with short ribs, tongue sashimi. That's it. Things still pretty cheap. Kind of dead. Gay governor was shutting them down this weekend I think. I also went to a park (Red Rock Canyon NCA) past Summerlin. Nice loop drive. Bishop Gorman High School is located there (Summerlin) if you know your sports. Plus the A's AAA stadium and a hockey arena and malls. Circa opened on Fremont street. looks nice. Many bars and art installations down there. An area made up of shipping containers. Neon and Mob museums. Round trip was $126 on Frontier.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: Financier (Closed) and George's Deli

 I tried these spots on Park Ave about a week ago at lunch. The first is next to Tabla and Le Macaron near the center point of the avenue.. The next is past the Tiffany museum towards the golf course. 

Financier - They opened a year ago. They said the last tenant was a bbq place. I remember it as a bakery. Funny thing. They started with a place near Wall St or Water St (choose one) that I used to go to when I lived in NYC. There is an Impractical Jokers where Murr has to take cigarettes from people that was filmed nearby. I remember more pastry at that place. I had the poulet roti for $15. It seemed like the best value. Sandwiches cost the same and the other entrees (steak frites and entrecote ribeye) were $5 and $15 more. The chicken was ok. Small. Drum and thigh. The skin was dry and a bit burnt. No sheen. It seemed like it may have been reheated. It came with shoe string french fries (a bit on the dry side) and a wilting field green salad in a light dressing. A little more care seems to be in order. The soda was one of those Euro style bottles. I wonder what the unit price difference is for them? I hope they don't think it is charming. Old thinking if it is the answer. The lunch menu has egg dishes ($15+), burgers ($15), salads ($14+), tartines ($12+), quiche (10+) and small plates. They have a full breakfast menu. I'm unsure if they do dinner. They also have booze and coffee. And cakes. Inside is small and rectangular. Four tables of four and two twos in front and a long banquette in the rear. The right side of the room is a bar countertop. Behind it is a poor man's frosted mirror. They tried to recreate the look with a piece of sheet metal. First time I've seen that. Service (1) was good. They had a hostess. Kind of unnecessary. An extra server would have been more useful. There were four other people dining with (around me) me. Most French places have disappeared over the years. I guess it is good to have any choice. Hopefully, Covid is the issue at present. They need to tighten execution up a tad. Still happy I chose it over the following.

George's Cafe - They may impress. Some of the things I saw on plates were voluminous. And they were full. But, I found the menu way overpriced. And It took too long to order. That's why I left originally. I went back for a snack. I settled on a chocolate chip cookie. It was more like a puffy granola bar. It was very good. Tons of chips. Airy. Like a rice crispy treat. It cost $3.50. The menu offers only eleven specialty sandwiches, seven regular sandwiches, one burger, seven salads and a soup or chili. The special sandwiches start at $15. The regs at $14. They also do breakfast. But, only from Th-Sn. Dishes run from $7 for two eggs and hb to $18 for filet and eggs. They have a dish (Eggs Sardou) that I had at Arnaud's in New Orleans. Weird. If I went back, I would probably go for breakfast. They moved here in April from their place (since 1989) across from Bubbalou's on Lee Rd. I'm pretty sure I reviewed that place. I forgot to go back and see what I thought of them. The place is small inside. Grand ma looking. A countertop and a few tables. They have a patio with more seats. Main issue is price. Asking about twice what they should.

Grub Crawl - Altamonte Springs: Antica Pizzeria and Monte Gelato

 I tried these two neighbors tonight. They are in the srtip mall right off I-4 at 436 (behind Twin Peaks). The first is an Italian restaurant. The second is a gelato shop.

Antica Pizzeria - I thought they were new. They said either five or seven years old. They open at 5pm (even pre-Covid). Just doing take out now. A mom and son operation. Roots in Calabria. I tried the spaghetti and meatballs (polpette) and a Calabrese pizza. $17 and $14 respectively. The spagehetti was ok. Either it started out a little overdone and pasty or it became that way on the trip home. I think they make or buy fresh pasta. The sauce was pretty bland. Some slivers of garlic. Some cheese. The meatballs were good. Golf ball sized. Not dense. The guy at The Weekly made a big deal about them. Maybe a little overblown. They said they make them fresh ever other day. I think the mom (not that old) does the non-pizza cooking. They also do a few more pasta dishes. Three rigatoni. Lasagna. I forget the rest. The pizza was good. The dough was very good. I think they use a zero flour. It had a grayish hue. Whole wheat? Good char. Good chew. A bit pudgy. Ten inches. This style has Calabrese sausage. Thin slivers. Pizza mozzarella and fresh mozzarella dollops. Italian portioning of cheese. Alot of crust. Some bubbling. Bland sauce. Like the one on the spaghetti. Neopolitan style. A contender. I didn't ask how hot they get the brick oven. They had around ten pies. They also have other things. Fresh mozzarella and buratta. The place has a brick circumference. Booths on the walls. Tables in the middle. Window up front. Rustic looking. Seats about fifty. 

Monte Gelato - They opened a month ago. About sixteen flavors. I had a cone for $3.75. A kiddie cup was $5. I tried Amaretto. It tasted like marzipan. I don't remember Ameretto tasting like that. Good though. Small store. Gelato fridge up front.

*Some more from the last post: I forgot that they gave me smoked corn on the cob at that place in Natchez. Good. I also tried a pastry stout at that brewery and they also made a stawberry pancake stout. I also have to warn you about buying Uncle Ben's boil in the bag rice. It sucks. Smaller bag than Success (for example). The rice still wasn't soft after fifteen (supposed to be ten) minutes. I think they are doing away with name. It's a start.

Cook's Buffet, Deland *GA/AL/MS/LA Travel Notes

 I finally experienced lunch at this buffet place across from Stetson around ten days ago. It cost $14. The regular is around two bucks less. This level gets you a free drink and dessert. It was ok. Very old school. I can't get behind it for two reasons. They force a mostly unnecessary (and often times counter productive) waitress on you and they only allow one serving of one of their "meats" per visit. That and the food wasn't that great or the selection that extensive. First course options were basically salad or cold salads like pasta. I just had some carrots. There were around eight sides. I had mashed potatoes and one slice of roasted potatoes. I had some sliced beef (might have been labeled prime rib) as the entree. It was ok. They also had pork, turkey or chicken, that cheapest river fish called basa and a few other things. Dessert was bad. I had maybe the worst pecan pie I've ever had. Very jelly. Few pecans. I don't think they refilled my soda once and it was mostly a glass of ice. Waitress also got lost at check time. The place looked like someone's (old) home. Every veteran was there celebrating their day. You can box up a meal. I think they open at 11am. I believe they are open for an early dinner too. I pass it every time on my way to 75. I was just curious. It was about what I expected.

*Travel Notes - Georgia/Alabama/Mississippi/Louisiana: I'll stick to Natchez MS and New Orleans LA info because the rest wasn't worth retelling. In Natchez (which is at the southern end of a historical Parkway (Natchez Trace) from TN to MS, I had brisket and ribs at Pig Out Inn Barbeque. Ribs better than the brisket. They said they use green oak. I haven't heard of that. They said it burns slower. It didn't give the meats much flavor. I also had some beer at the Natchez Brewing Co. Pretty good. In New Orleans, I had a half and half po boy (one side shrimp/one side oysters) at Domilise's. It was good. The place is like 100 years old and famous. I had the best french fries ever (and a pretty good tuna steak burger) at Bryant Park in the Warehouse district. Imagine slices of potato that look like snow peas in the pod. Perfect thickness. Not a fry. Not a chip. Fried perfectly. Soft AND crunchy. I had brunch at Arnaud's. They state that there is a strict dress code. but, I begged my shorts and T shirt ass in (supplied sport coat). It's a three course prix fixe. I started with their "signature" dish of cold shrimp. A fair portion of medium sized shrimp in a sauce that was basically cocktail sauce and cajun spices. I tried poached eggs in artichoke hearts in a bed of spinach for the main dish. Just curious. The artichokes were a bit bland and watery. I hope the bitterness I tasted was to keep them from coloring and didn't mean they came from a can. The spinach was great and soaked up the yolk. I don't even like creamed spinach. The dessert was crepes Suzette for $4 more. Terrible. Old crepes. Cheap liquor. My meal was around $34. You could order things like veal or eggs benedict with pompano for a few bucks more. I don't think anything was over $40. I checked the dinner menu and it wasn't that different. This Antoine's and Galatoire's are three of the more famous places. Full service. Old school. They were closed on the subsequent days I was in town (Covid schedule). All on or off Bourbon St. I had a mufaletta at Central Grocery (where it is said to have been invented). A half cost $13 or $14. Fine. Only one layer of meat and cheese. The worst (and second most expensive) meal I had was at Seaworthy in the Ace Hotel. It was supposed to be an oyster haven. They were out of all but two. I tried one Humboldt Bay (for $4!). It was dry. Pieces of sand or shell. Boo. I also had the worst pot of mussels ever (looked like chewed chewing gum) and a sloppily prepared tiradito of cobia. I had a meat lover pizza at Slice in the Garden District on St Charles. It was on Pizza Cuz. Bad dough. Good meats. I bought a dinner to go at Le Petit Bleu on Washington and Coliseum in the same district. That is the address for Commander's Palace. The most famous restaurant in town. Open 5-9pm. So, techinically I've knocked that off my list because this is their to go market. I tried the Cafe Pierre (from NY?) Lacquered Texas Quail for $29. It was great. They stuff it with a ricey boudin and lay it on a bed of braised cabbage and "roots". Grand Marnier and Cognac jus. I would by a "tv dinner" from them every week if I lived there. They also sell menu items like: turtle soup, dirty duck confit, gumbo, white shrimp curry, etc. All under $30. Great way to get a feel for such a difficult place to get a table at. I grabbed a good donut from District Donuts on the walk back. Four locations in NO. Not famous to my knowledge. I guess that's it. If you go, I'd recommend staying near the convention center. It's in between the French Quarter and Garden District in the Warehouse District (under the bridge by the river). There is a new WW II museum and two art museums just north. It's cheaper and less noisy and easier to drive to and from. There is a famous restaurant just north (that I tried with Mother's last trip) called Cochon. Not terribly dangerous. Saturday night did seem like a Freak-nik, but, it (the city) calmed down after that. If you like weed, this is the out house for you now that I assume it has been made legal. If you want real quiet stay in the Garden District. I still have a long list of places to try. Covid and the recent hurricane is playing havoc with the schedules at present.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Peanut's, New Smyrna Dessert Company and Baci *FL/GA/SC/NC/VA/MD/WV Travel Notes

The first two are across the intercoastal on Flagler. The last is on US1 (Dixie) a bit north on the left (where all the others have been). They are opening up another spot (beer themed I think) next door. That spot looks like a gas station. I tried these at lunch last Thursday. I found two newcomers (on Flagler) in one of those alley coves - Mimi's and a Cuban place. I still have two to do near the ocean and I have tried Treat on the Beach (snack bar) before the blog. Plus Atlantic something and another one in another alley cove.

Peanuts Sport Pub & Grub - The definition of a dive bar. Open for 40 years. Looks it. Even has a beer can wall. I grabbed a hot dog with chips for $5 after they were out of BLT's. It was a hot dog. Actually not terrible. They have a thin menu. There was one semi-interesting thing on the menu. Something like a taco in a bag of Doritos. It is near the ocean. Next to that scruffy motel.

New Smyrna Dessert Company - Something about this place seemed familiar. It turns out they (Mango Tango) moved and rebranded. Now it is in the center of the street. Some froyo. I grabbed a bit of it. May even have been mango come to think of it.

Baci Pizzeria Ristorante - I grabbed a 16" for $15. When they rolled it out, they added too much flour to the dough. Dry. Dusty. One side had bad cheese coverage. Bubbles. Didn't pound out the air before rolling. Otherwise, pretty good. Thin. Nice natural sauce. Wood burning brick oven. They have been open for six years. Very good wine list (had Barolo's and Chateau Montelena for example). Beer. Apps, salads, ciabattas, heroes, pasta and many pizzas. Fair pricing. Lots of things just over $10. Most expensive dish is Veal parm or Lobster ravioli at $24. Nice patio. Sit down bar on the right afront the pizza oven and prep area. A few tables on the left. Exposed wine cabinet on left wall. 

*I popped into Henry's Depot in Sanford last Friday. Things had changed. The place I reviewed (Mex) and the Poke place were gone. Replaced by Current Seafood and What the Chuck Burgers. A new one was Dixie Dharma (plant based). There is also a coffee bar - Mahogony and an ice cream place -Greenery Creamery. I may have cited them before.

**Travel Notes - FL/GA/SC/NC/VA/MD/WV: Latest trip finds - I started by seeing what was up at Atlantic and Neptune Beach (off 295 before J'ville). I tried some Penguin Tracks ice cream at a place called Whit's. I believe they are from Ohio. A new place (The Boathouse) opened a few days before in Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island. They had a cool menu. I had sea bass with etoufee dumplings (made from the rice etouffe usual is served with) and peach bread pudding. They also offered: fried chicken in a pickle and sunday sauce (forgot what that was), fish with chow (I believe this is Southern kim chi) and Meyer lemon mayo, banana toffee pudding (banana brulee and nilla wafer base), carrot cake churros, bbq salmon with red mule grits, a brined and barbecued chicken, a hangar steak with barrel aged worcestershire sauce (never even seen that), ribeye with black garlic steak sauce (also new), chicken and waffle mac tacos, etc. On Jekyll Island at Zachry's Riverhouse, I had crabstew (like a chowder). I ate at a new bbq place at South of the Border in Dillon SC (Q & J's). I had wings covered in Old Bay at Woody's Killer Wings on Chincoteague Island VA. In Annapolis, I tried fried shrimp heads (per Duff the cake guy on Best Thing I Ever Had or Ate) at Joss Cafe and Sushi Bar. I also had rockfish (seemed to be a local thing), anikomo (monkfish liver), Maryland crab and scallop sushi. Plus a thing I hadn't seen before called a Stoplight. They colored and flavored tobiko with red habenero and green jalapeno and dropped a yellow quail egg in the middle (served nigiri style). Inventive! At lunch I tried a Man v Food place called Chick and Ruth's Delly. Didn't do the challenge. Just a corned beef on rye. I won't expand, but, I had two meals near the University of Richmond (The Grill and Mission BBQ). Nothing worth writing about in WV, NC or SC (just ate fast food). On Tybee Island in GA, I had a humdrum meal of oyster po boy and steamed shrimp at Fannie's on the Beach. A very good dinner at Salt Island Fish & Beer. The whole menu is interesting. A chef/owner recently arrived from CO. I had a fried smelt app and sheepshead fish (local) with rice and veg in a Asian pepper (black) sauce. You have to see what this fish looks like from the front. So gross. Check out the teeth. That's all. I saw a billboard ad for canned Yam smoothie in SC. Still one step ahead of the plandemic!

The Meatball Stoppe, Orlando (Closed)

Since we probably won't know the winner of The Orange Prush (aka Prussian) and his sidelick - Pretty Fly for a White Guy vs Slappy Joe and Kamel Toe (or Nose) for a few days (who are we kidding), I will freestyle another restaurant review for you. I tried this Italian spot in a strip mall at Lake Underhill and Goldenrod last Wednesday night after the King Crab disaster. I grabbed a five meatball sampler to go for $13 ($4 extra for one). The plus $4 was for a gator one that tasted like a bready crab cake minus the crab. Avoid that. And I don't get why you pay an extra $4 and it is still included in your five. They have around a dozen types. All raquetball size. I tried: traditional, sausage, chicken parm and spicy. They were best in that order. The traditional was your basic meatball. Not dense. The sausage had fennel and was covered in white cheese. The parm was ground chicken. It needed more cheese. The spicy was probably pork. Very spicy. Mushy. Fell apart too easily. They smothered them in a good, plain tomato sauce. A small sqaure of underbaked foccaccia on the side. They also serve up some pasta and apps and entrees. I forget the pasta company they source from. They made a big deal about it. A chocolate place too. The meatballs can be had on foccaccia. The space is divided into a counter (to go) in the front and an enclosed room just beyond. Maybe eight tables. Their covid hours (they Karen you with a temperature check and hand sanitizer requirement) are 3pm to 9pm M-W and 11am to 9pm Th-Sa. They were on 3D. A friend said he wasn't impressed. I thought it was good. I'd have to try a little more to be sure. It seemed like they cooked the meatballs to order. That's a plus. They have been around for a while. 

*Also in the complex were two Latin plays. Estrella something and Rincon something. Next post will have travel info addendum!

The King Crab Shack, East Colonial - Closed

I hate to paper over those hilarious observations in the last post, but, I must trudge on. I went to this seafood place at dinner on Wednesday. I tried a pound of blue crab for $14. I had been trying to find some all week in Maryland, Virginia, etc. They kept saying the season was over. The interweb says it lasts until December. Maybe they mean frozen. Like the crap they serve here. The meat was desicated, flavorless and not fresh. If they were, they so utterly miscooked them that they would lead you to believe the aforementioned. They kept pushing the gross sauces or boil seasoning. I can see why. They can't let you see them without their makeup. They also sell crawfish, king crab, snow crab, shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, dungeness etc. I can't believe any of them would be fresh if these aren't. You can get blue crab from the St John's River. Unlike most boil places, they don't add corn or potato or anything else to the non-combo bag. I think their prices are slightly less. That is actually to my liking if true. I can't go back and compare my notes. Who wants that damn soggy corn anyway. They also sell fried stuff, po boys, combo bags, wings and a few other things in line with one of these joints. Five or six of these opened up in sequence last year. I think I've visited all but one on West Colonial. This was the worst of the lot (although I had a fried meal at the one on 436). Thye had a full bar. One other person was there at dinner. They open at 3pm. Service was good. The place used to be one of the better looking Vietnamese places just east of Mills. Lac something I think. The inside here looks good. Alot of wood. Pewter chairs. Black (low) ceiling. Fish nets. I can't imagine ever recommending a place like this. The stuff is never fresh or cooked (steamed) properly. Here's another weight on the scale of that sentiment. 

*A few things I saw driving from the Princeton exit to here. Mesa 26 on Lake Ivanhoe is now Russell's on the Lake. The place across is still unrented. A bar on Mills that had a videogame theme is now Conrad something's (or similar). Closer to 50 in what was a hot pot place that I think was called Noodles Something (maybe it even changed to a noodle place before) is now called Matcha 88 (I think). And like I mentioned a little while back, a Chinese place replaced what I think was a Vietnamese place next to Mamak. It is called Tasty Wok. 

Bawarchi, International Drive

 I tried this Indian franchise across from the Tasty Freeze in the middle area of the drive on Wednesday at lunch. The new (Endless Summer) hotels are near by. Surprisingly, they said they have been there for three years. So much for my observational skills. The (manhandled) menu said they have 50 locations across the US and Canada. The lady who was there said 60. They have three in Florida. One in Jacksonville and two in South Florida. I was aprehensive when I ordered. The place was empty. I Drive is empty. Covid. Indian thrift. Unbussed tables. Franchise. It all added up to disaster. So, I tried something simple-ish. I had a dosa. I gambled with the filling. I tried minced goat kheema. It was prepared in a Hyderbad (south) style. I figured any meat would be of suspicious quality, so, why try and out think the Universe. I was pleasantly surprised. The dosa was huge and well made. I'll make up a word and say "well creped". The goat had great flavor. Generous portioning. They cut it into four sections. It came with a chick pea and lentil sambal (which I thought was what they called Indonesian hot sauce). This had a drumstick chicken bone hanging out of it for some reason. They also served it with three big cups of chutneys. A peanut. A hot one. A sweet one (probably tamarind). The lady said peanut is a southern Indian thing. There were some in the goat too. I was happy with my choice. No after effects. The menu was really good. Especially for a franchise. I think it is the most extensive Indian one in CF. They specialize in biryani. Not really my favorite Indian dish. They had tandoor stuff, veggie stuff, tikka masala, etc. Plus alot of stuff I hadn't seen before. They serve most meats (no cow and no pork I think) and seafood. I'd give it a try here or in one of the other cities. My only crictisms were: they put a bottle of water on the table and then charged $2 for it (no notification), there was garbage on other tables (plenty of time to clear it), the dick heads that came in for take out orders had the volume on their smart phones on ten and of course were either on speakerphone or listening to annoying shit while they waited, the meal was served on a paper plate and a can of Coke was $2.50. If they could control the greed gene and hire a busboy and keep the Uber eats drivers out doors, the experience could be refered to as being pleasureable. 

*I had intended to pick up something to go at the sushi or Turkish place I mentioned in the Makani post. They don't open until dinner it seems. I also saw some stuff on that (the mall) side of I drive. The mall on the right (Bass Pro Shop) is now called something like Dezerland. An attraction of some sort. Not sure if it is open. The strip mall that holds the Peter Glenn ski store has some turnover. There is a sushi place (Hidden Sushi) in the corner that I think was once a Portuguese place. Two places you have to pass to get to it aren't open or under remodel (Camel something and Thunder Burger).

**I am reminded every time I drive through downtown about some mindless cheerleading I heard from a little twerp (who refers to himself as Trooper Steve because there is no way you would presume that that was his profession if he didn't) on the news. He thinks this stretch of highway is perfectly fine. Not a serpentined, rolling error in urban planning. One that should have been "straightened out" (literally) during the I-4 boondoggle. Anbody that has an issue with it is obviously an unfit driver. Not to mention there is another poorly designed stretch of freeway near Winter Park. I am reminded of twerpy's opinion every time I almost get rear ended as me and my fellow drivers enter the undualating S turns that drop us from 70 to 35 in a tenth of a mile. Could they at least put up one of those swervy icy road signs ahead of this sand trap?

***I saw this opinion piece in between car dealer ads from the guy who is always trying to karate chop a fly buzzing in front of him, the one with a a frontal view of Spuds McKenzie's lipstick doggy ding dong, the one with the Flinstone proportioned giant with two foot legs, a belt and then five feet of torso and the chubby little Arab (maybe Puerto Rican) girl with a hairdo styled by Frank Gehry.

Grub/Pub Crawl - Deland and Orange City: Hyderhead Brewery, Forno Bello and Blue Springs Brewing

 I tried these places two Saturdays ago around dinner time. The first is at the end of the alley off the main street through town that holds Persimmon Hollow (one street south of the courthouse). I mentioned them briefly in a past post as being under construction. The second is on the main street. Half a block north. The last place is on 17-92 (they seem to call it S. Volusia) on the way back from Deland (if you don't take I-4).

Hyderhead Brewery - A Scottish owned brewery. Just opened. Nicely constructed, small room. I think they brew off site. I had a pale ale. I think it was called Caber Toss. It was good. I think it cost $5 (no printed receipts).The selection was limited. They were already out of things. It was full. Nice vibe. Parking across street. 

Forno Bello - I had their lasagna for $17. It was ok. A bit salty with bland beef. Basil helped. It was a huge portion. They said they do things to order. I did have to wait a while, so, I guess that may be true. It came with a iceberg and crouton Caesar salad. They don't sell sandwiches on the weekends. They had a wood burning (by the look) pizza oven. A 12 inch costs $13. Typical American Italian menu. Open three years. Terrible faux fresco work. Bad art. Tin ceiling from a non-Italian period of ownership. That clashed. Dark feel. Two rooms. One had a bar area. No hostess. I wasn't expecting much. Didn't exceed expectations.

Blue Springs Brewing - This was the real point of the trip. I spotted it a few weeks ago. Opened in 2018. A brewery. Big open space. Video game room. TVs. View of brewing area. Food. Good beer. I had a flight (5) for $8. They have (I think they invented) a petit IPA that was great. The other three IPA's (fruited, unfiltered and American) I tried were good, yet, I liked the weaker petit better. They made a oat lager (they said it was a Bohemian German style). It was very good. On the menu that day were seven lagers, four IPAs, two sours and six dark and heavys. If you are a beer lover, put this and Hyderhead on the your list. 

*7/8/2021 - I think Riverwalk Pizzeria is doing the food at Blue Springs now

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Mom's Home Cooking and Stavro's

 I tried these places on US 1 (Dixie) two Saturdays ago. Both are north (left) of 44. The first is on the right side after the Dairy Queen. The second is on the left. I believe I only have two places in this vacinity to go.

Mom's Home Cooking - A breakfast and lunch place that closes at 2pm. Cash only. Open since 1981. No frills, sqaure, white room with Grandma artwork. Good value. I had two eggs over easy, links sausage, home fries and toast for $6.75. I had something else for $1.55 (or that was for the sausage and it wasn't that great a value) on the receipt. I forget what that could have been. Eggs were cooked properly. Came out fast. They have a full breakfast and lunch menu. They were pushing the hand molded hamburgers. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Stavro's - I grabbed a slice for $4. It wasn't bad, but, that is too expensive. It was a thick, short slice with lots of pepperoni. spicy tomato sauce. Ok cheese. They also sell apps, grinders, wings, salads, pasta, wraps, ciabatta-wiches, gyros, stomboli and calzones. Better pricing there. The room is a bland square.

*This and the next will be short because I think I'm trying a bunch of places this week and you probably are sick of hearing about NSB.

Grub Crawl - Maitland: Boku, Cookit, and Santa Rosa Mexican Grill

I tried these places today at lunch. The first two are in the new apartments on 17-92 (Orange) and Howell Branch Rd. The second is techinically in Winter Park on Howell Branch Rd halfway between 17-92 and 436 (behind a 7-11).

Boku - You've heard me voice anger at the lack of clarity on it's hours of operation. After failing in my first half dozen attempts, I looked to see if they were open. They were. I had two of their lunch specials because I thought I was hungrier than I turned out to be and I wanted to report back on as much as possible. The first meal was a sushi and sashimi series for $15. It consisted of 4 pieces of sushi and 7 pieces of sashimi (I think I got 8) and a spicy tuna roll and a soup or salad (soup). The Good: red clam sushi, sea bream and yellowtail sashimi. The Meh: salmon sashimi (soft/little flavor), king salmon (skin on), octopus sahimi (does it ever not taste like rubber). The Ugly: tuna sushi (good color, stringy, soft), squid sushi (I hope that film underneath was some sort of sauce), tuna roll (mushy like the tuna it came from). The miso had mushrooms in it (enoki I think). A bit salty. Wasabe was old. Rice was ok. It wasn't molded properly. Fell apart.  It came on a long wooden board. The second course wasn't much better. It was a tonkatsu (fried pork cutlet) bento box with salad or soup (salad), pork gyoza, vegetable spring roll, corn croquette, and brown or white rice or cold green tea noodles (noodles) for $12. The pork was dry and seemed old and was tatseless. The coating was ok. The sauce was bad. Too salty and sweet to what it should be. The gyoza were per usual. The spring roll wasn't cooked through. pasty inside. Same with the croquette. It tasted more like potato filling. Maybe a translation flub? The noodles were bad. A first taste for me. I didn't like the marriage. And the noodles were pasty. Old? Bad enough to begin with. Some edamame mixed in. It's a shame. They aren't far off from being respectable. Some better execution and fresher fish (and more attentive service) away. And maybe they could make sure the light bulbs didn't blink and a few other "blind eye" failings. Didn't see an owner/manager. maybe that is the issue? The menu is pretty large and offers many Japanese offerings and some pan-Asian fare (ie pad thai). The lunch specials alone would be some places whole menu. They have six bentos, seven sushi/sashimi meals, three rice and noodle choices and a two roll option with twelve rolls. They also had a seasonal menu. The main menu has cold and hot tastings (ie kobachi), makimono x 2 (special rolls), nigiri, sashimi, moriawase (chef constructed meals), ten hot entrees and desserts (they were actually interesting. hard to say for a Japanese restaurant. IE crepe, fried ice cream). The prices aren't outrageous. $3-4 for a piece of sushi. $5-9 for a roll. It's smaller than it seems. The left side of the door is the sushi bar area with three booths. I sat in the middle one. The ac blew right at me. I started at the first booth. The light there was blinking. That room had mis-matched (though nice) chandeliers. Behind the sushi bar is goldish stone. The booths were a shade of gray. The front walls are all windows. The right side booths look alike. They meander around in an reverse L shape. Perhaps they have outside seats? Service was spacey. First they were all over me. Then they disappeared. Then all over again. Too much ice in the $3 mini-glass. Limits the beverage and the type of ice they use makes it hard to drink. The ice slides into your mouth more than the soda. Refill was way overdue when it came. I kind had to draw attention to myself. There is one of those waving cats at the sushi bar. I don't think that is A Japanese thing. Maybe that is what is missing. Still has potential. I'll give it a lunch and a Covid exemption. It is under the overhang that you drive through to get to the back of the building. I guess it is open for lunch and dinner. I think it is coming up on a year in business. I think they said it means "I serve" or something like that. I presume it means "it's a place where everything is overseen by its creator". Need to see a little more from that guy.

Cookit - I saw this as I was passing Boku. It is closer to 17-92 on the same side (left). They opened a few weeks ago. It's the frozen (just refrigerated here) food aisle from your suppper market. Except it may be prepared with a little more care and may be a little fresher. I grabbed stuffed meatballs with tzatziki to go for $9. Meals go up to $12. I haven't tried it yet. They had around twenty meals and snack (ie hummus at $6). Mostly Indian, Med, Latin and some "traditional" offerings. Not huge portions. Served in generic, black plastic containers. Jury is still out. Not a chain.

Santa Rosa Mexican Grill - They said they have been open for two years. I think I've had them in the recesses of my mind for a year. Not down this road very often. They replaced a Nepalise or Tibetan place (I know - how could it not succeed) I wrote about. It was a locals diner before that. I grabbed a lunch special of two tacos and a quesadilla because I was stuffed and already had a to go meal in the hopper and I just wanted to go home and take a nap. It cost $8. Not bad. had it for dinner. Had a ground beef and a chicken taco in hard shells. I screwed it up by waiting until diiner, but, the shells seemed better than the usual. That thin kind I can never source. Ground beef was better than the chicken. Chicken was a tad dry. Microwave sauna didn't help. Both came with lettuce and cheese (white). Could have used tomatoes or hot sauce. None given. None in the fridge. Big portions of meat. The quesadilla was small in size, but, packed with cheese. Proper cheese. They have the full menu you'd expect. Lots of lunch specials. Street tacos (ie lengua). Chilaquiles. Basics and a few specialty items. The place looks the same inside. They replaced some art and hung some streamers. Two rooms. 

*I saw a sign on a place in the corner of those apartments. It said Coming Soon - Outpost. I think I ate there before. In Winter Springs? Some sightings. Crab place on 50 near Mills only open at 3pm. A Chinese place opened next to Mamak. A noodle place across the street on the corner closed. Forget the name. Bovine in WP is only open after 4pm. There seems to be a new place (George?) down Park Ave in the Brandywine complex. Luma closed. Tabla and Financier are not where I thought they were to be. Near Prato. There is a Sushi Pop near the police station. Swine & Sons is in that market near the Rollins baseball field. Ravaneous Pig opened a brewery in the old PR's. You can tell I haven't been to that area in a while.

Grub Crawl - Casselberry/Altamonte Springs: Capachos (Closed) and Medellin Burger *FL Gulf Coast Travel Notes

 I tried these two Colombian (purely a coincidence) spots on 436 on Thursday at night. I ate at the first and got something to go at the second. The first is next to a crab house and acrsos from Metro Diner near Howell Branch Rd. The second is next to a massage parlor near the light rail station. 

Capachos - They said they have been open for a year. I think I noticed them in February. They said they are open for lunch too. I tried them on the day I went to the crab place and they weren't open then. The windows are so dark that you can't tell if they are open or not. The entry is also easy to drive by. When I was there (7pm-ish), there was one table of four finishing up and a baby on the floor. It looks like it's on life support. One waitress was just biding time at the bar with the owner. He didn't even feel the urge to intriduce himself to his only customer. My waitress actually made contact. I tried the Bistec a Caballo (($16.75) because I wasn't certain they were up for more of a challenge. They had a tongue entree that I hadn't seen non-Mexicans attempt. I might have been too conservative. The steak (skirt) was well cooked and fresh and covered in sauteed onions. It came with sweet plantains, rice, avocado and a fried egg. They were all fine. I do have to admit that I never know what to do with these odd sides. I ate the eggs with some of the onions and the plantains. I added the avocado to pieces of the steak. The elements were served on a banana/plantain leaf. Decent plating. The waitress was way late (after I was done) on the refill. Not great when you serve it in a small half glass of ice and charge $3 to begin with. She did get me a tiny to go cup. Could have saved the owner and the environment a to go cup had she just filled it up during the meal. The menu is fairly representative of other Colombian restaurants. Around twenty things. Many cocktails. I don't mean this in a complimentary way. It looked like a restaurant in Colombia. A mix of restaurant and club. Old furniture. Tacky disco lights. Clutter. 70 seats. They also seemed to be economising. The oil lamps weren't lit. The lights were mostly off. You could argue it was to set a mood. but, I doubt it. There is a semi-private area towards the road. It had a computer on one of the tables. They put high tops in the middle of the dining room. Four seaters around it. There was a weird clown and a strip of balloons that I hope were left over from some kids birthday party. The one interesting elelment was a hung bicycle near the rest rooms. This isn't a great structure to begin with. When I was in school it was a Taco Bell. They need more signage that indicates that they are open. You can't assume that your customers will assume you are open in this environment. Plus if anybody misses the entrance, they are not turning around this congested part of 436 to make a second pass. The name is derived from a buddy of the owner. No interesting story behind it. Just that he had a friend who had a place named this in Colombia and copied it. Kind of indicative of the thought that seems to have not been put into this restaurant. Ok food though, I should reiterate. Closed Monday.

Medellin Burger - I tried a chicharron burger for $9. A little pricey but good. I don't love the salted/spiced patty that some regions favor. I presume it is to hide bad tasting beef. This seemed ok. Hand molded. Good glossy bun. Good topppings (potato sticks, mayo, lettuce, string cheese). The chicharron was amazing. Such a good add on. Their's is a little meaty. They may refer to it as pork belly. The rotating digital menu made it difficult to read. Perfect little bits. Many of them. They added three sauces (pineapple French and garlic) that I used one some shrimp and rice I had left over. Used the French on a Turkey sandwich. They also sell tostones, arepas and hot dogs. In the Colombian fashion. They are open every day. Sn-Th 11-11. F-Sa 11-1am. They have been open for a year. The places is a little square with the counter and kitchen in the rear. I think they had a little fridge on the left for drinks or maybe ice cream. The wall decorations were photos of Medellin. They said it was another Colombian place before this. I kind of remember it being Puerto Rican when I was last here. Maybe I missed an iteration. Good little snack place that you should try if you are around.

*Travel Notes - Florida Gulf Coast: Some quick reports from the Gulf Coast. I tried a place at Treasure Island (near St Pete Beach) called Ted Peters Famous Smoked Fish. It was on Samantha Brown's Places To Love. They sell four types of smoked fish, dip and some regular fare. It was ok. I had the mullet for $15 because that's what they tried on the show. It's been in operation for a long time. I had a fairly bad Cuban at Smoque House in Sarasota (on Tamiami Trail/41). Another place on that show was Grouper & Chips (on 41) in Naples. I had sauteed red (who knew there are like eighteen varities) grouper and rice. Very good. Red grouper is smaller. The next two spots were recommended by the AAA magazine (in Naples too) I get with my membership. They should not be listened to. Mel's Diner (on 41). Just diner stuff. Cheap though. It was packed. The next place is in an area just off 41 at 5th Ave. It is called Tin City. A little dock area with some restaurants. Don't try the two lobsters for $28 at Riverwalk. I swear they were microwaved. Just terrible. I can't believe I didn't get sick. The last place turned out to be the best. It looks like a kid's theme restaurant. It turned out to be a top two Yelp spot. It is called USS Nemo. Also on 41. I had a bento box of tempura black grouper, salmon tataki, rice and apple salad. the salad was worth the price of admission itself. The salmon was a bit soft. The grouper was amazing. And I don't like fried seafood. And a huge portion. I also had to try (though no room left in the tum tum) some Wahoo tacos. A little dry and over cooked. Wah Wah. They came with the salad and a rice and beans mix. Hotels were very cheap down here. It wasn't crowded.

**I'll inform any divers or snorkelers out there that I snorkled with manatees in Crystal River (north of Tampa). Not many in the summer. It cost $72. I would rent a paddle board and bring my own mask and skip the tour companies. They just bring you to a bay that you can get to on your own. I also dove at Devil's Den and Blue Grotto in Williston. South west of Gainesville by twenty minutes. Interesting fresh water dives I saw on Rock the Park. About $135 a dive with instructor and gear and entry fees. You can also snorkel Devil's Den. St Pete Beach was pretty nice. The town beach on 5th Ave in Naples is great. Drove through Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key (north of Sarasota). Nice areas. 75 construction may be worse than the I-Sore. I tried to stay off it. Going north from Naples, the south bound lanes were a parking lot at mid day. Oofa. Poor them.

Grub Crawl - Downtown: CFS Coffee, Crepe Delicious and Mecatos Cafe

 I tried these places last Friday at lunch. I grabbed all items to go. All are order at a counter places. The first is on Church St (in the middle) near the unopened Cucina. The second is on the other side of the street near the alley that goes to 7-11. The third is next to the Morgan & Morgan offices and wall St on Orange Ave. I have to add that I'm not going back down here for a while for two reasons. First, it's dead. Just scumbags loafing around. Second, even though it is dead, Mayor Pineapple Head hasn't defunded the parking police and I received a $30 ticket for being three minutes over. Glad to see municipal workers are still getting paid. I'll bet it was the first thing he's done in months. Not only should parking be free to try and mitigate the cost of their shut down, those meters never should have been put in in the first place. I just came from Naples (I'll write about it in the next post) and they don't seem to feel the need. And their 5th Ave is alot more robust than our ghost town.

CFS Coffee - I grabbed a egg white, bacon and avocado sandwich to knock them off the list. This was just a curiosity fly by that ended up costing me $30. The sandwich cost $4.50. It was pretty bad. Not Hass avocado. Pre-cooked bacon. They also had pastries, sandwiches and other things. It's Colombian in flavor. Four in CF. Open a year. Some seats. Small room. Tries to be loungy. I can't recall if they said it stands for or does not stand for Comfort For the Soul.

Crepe Delicious - A Canadian chain. Remember back a few posts ago when I was looking for someplace in the Florida Mall. This is them. They decided against the mall. They sell crepes, smoothies, gelato and drinks. I grabbed a chicken and avocado crepe for $10. The crepe was ok. A little thick. The chicken was that terrible chicken that they serve at supermarket salad bars and Subway and probably comes in a five pound bag. Not much avocado. More tomato and greens. I grabbed this because the sweet crepes were nearly as expensive. They should be half as much. Modern look. Nice owners. But, another example of Canadian inferiority. Open one year. Personally, I would have called it Delicious Crepe. It's a better "sounds like". Think on it.

Mecatos Cafe - This is what I came down to sample. I thought it was a big food market. It's just a Colombian bakery and snack spot. Mecatos means snacks. It's been open for eight months. I had Huevas Gusto (two fried eggs on an arepa). It cost $3. They took a little while to come out. It was worth it (aside from the ticket I mean). The eggs were cooked perfectly. The arepa was a little small. It was warm and seemed freshly fried. They sell hot dogs, empanadas, pan de bono, coffee, pastries, drinks, cakes and a dozen Colombian hot bites. They have seats. 

*Here is a recipe I created using crap you have left over from take out meals. This serves one. Rice (boil in a bag), shrimp (I guess you can use anything. They were selling this for like $15 off at Winn Dixie), two packets of soy sauce. two packets of Taco Bell hot sauce (Fire) and two packets of that orange slop you get at Chinese restaurants and end up tossing because it doesn't go with anything you ordered. Mix with shrimp and blend into rice.

Makani, International Drive - Closed

I've been itching to try this spot for months. The only other Egyptian place I can recall going to is the Kebab Cafe in Astoria Queens (Bourdain favorite). But, this is in a high traffic area that is far away from where I live and it is only open at night (they said the do a brunch on Sat and Sun). I finally made it so last Thursday. It is next to Vicenzo's in the shadow of that giant swing ride. Which brings to mind a story of how my cousin  (psychopath by today's measures) and I (only midly psychopathic) made my middle brother puke up two orders of mussels on a smaller sized swing carnival ride when we were pre-teens. It was summer. That explains the mussels. The action involved twisting the chair and chain as far as you could counter clock wise and then releasing it. This way there were two centifugal forces working at once. There was one karmic element to the story. In addition to an apron of orange on my brother's white shirt and pants, the puree also ended all over my cousin who was sitting behind him and evidently unaware of the laws of force and motion. I'll add that this ride (the one on I Drive) and the whole area around it was packed with people. On a Thursday night. And almost every place (except Ox Eye) had weathered the virus and was open. A restaurant/bar/live music place called Ole Red even opened up diagnol to Ox Eye. The parking lots were almost full. This must be the center of action in Orlando now. A wonder what free parking does.

The place looks pretty good. There is a kitchen (semi-open) in the rear, a private room in the right rear, a bar area in the right front and the rest of the space is the main dining area. The have a patio too. People were smoking hookahs inside and out. I didn't smell it. High ceilings. They decortaed the modern space with photos of who I surmise are Eygptian celebrities. Mostly older ones. a painting or two. They have many different modern chandeliers hanging about. Some are illuminated. It has a modern Arab feel. The crowd seemed to be all Arab. Modern Arab too. There was one table in which the wife seemed Caucasian. But with headscarf. There were families and singles (even women). All ages. I'd say it fits 100 inside and 40 outside. The menu had about 10 main dishes and some apps. An Alexandria style liver looked interesting, but, I went with Molokhia with half chicken for $20 (check the menu for price discrepancies. I thought it said $16.99). The molokhia was described to me as a puree of  herbs they put in chicken stock to make a sauce/soup. It was ok. A little bland. It came in a bowl. The flavor was better on the chicken. It must have been rubbed with a lemon yogurt rub. It was grilled. A little dry in places. Crisp skin. Covered with peppers and onions. Mostly good. It came with some rice that seemed more like barley or bown rice in texture. You were supposed to put the sauce on it. It was better plain. Service was good. Most of the menu was under $20. Not as interesting as Persian cuisne, but, more so than most Mediterranean menus. I wouldn't say no if invited back. I even didn't mind the Arab Enrique Iglesias music playing in the background. The experience had the effect of removing you from the swamps of Central Florida to "a whole new world" (without the traffic noise and pollution). It gets the same consideration as World of Magic. Where else are you going to get the chance to sample this type of experience? This is a less staid experience than WOM btw. Egypt versus Kingdom of Saud, I guess. 

*I saw a Get-N-MessyBBQ sign on central I Drive. Not sure if they have two locations now. It looked like they were serving in front of a space. Someone also opened a new sushi place and a Turkish one (Turkuaz) in the strip mall on I Drive and Kirkman. And an Indian place near Kirkman on I Drive. That Jerusalem place is definetly closed. The hotels there look almost finished.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Beachside Tavern, Manny's Pizza and Bird of Paradise (Closed)

I tried these places today at lunch. The first is on 46 after the bridge on the left side of the street. After Norwood's and Garlic (which would have been the bride if the opened before 4pm) something. The second is around the bend (on the same road) a mile or so. On the right. The last one (Bird of Paradise) used to be in the East End Market in Audubon Park. Check out that review. This one just opened near the drawbridge on Flagler Ave. Not trying it until out of the others on the list. Same menu. Open from 9am to 3pm. Place looks good. I'm jamming in this one and the next few (reviews) will be closer to home.

Beachside Tavern - I had a drink here a while back. Pre-blog. They said they opened sixteen years ago. It's mainly a bar with a snack bar. It looks pretty cool. Giant rhino head above the bar. Very beachy feel. Patio and open interior with high ceilings. I think I saw garage doors. The menu had two sausages, a hot dogs, two tacos, two roast beef sandwiches and maybe something else. I tried the Italian roast beef sandwich for $9. It was the most expensive thing. Most others under $5. It came with chips. It was better than expected. I don't think they do more than buy stuff and reheat, but, the roast beef was pretty good and I can't solve the mystery of who's the source. It was "shaved" thickness. It came with jus. The sub roll also wasn't anything special, but, it didn't ruin the deal. It's not fancy. It gets the job done. The road noise is tempered by a wall between the bar and the road. The parking lot is out there too. Pretty full at 1pm.

Manny's Pizza - Last time they didn't have any slices ready. This time they had one. That was ok with me. I wanted to knock this out as cheaply as possible. It looked bad. Short. Pan pizza (though not) looking. But, it was ok. Sauce was neutral tasting. Tasted fresh. Cheese was ok (NY style). Cost $2.50. The place was empty both visits. Old looking. Menu had pizza, grinders, burgers, pasta, calzone, stromboli and apps.

*I forgot to put in last post that I had an ale made from (or flavored) hemp in Montana.

**One of the best things about going to NSB (water is already getting cold) is that I can listen to 660 Florida Man Radio on the way home. Shannon Burke is the host. He and his coterie are hysterical. I'm sure it swings too far to the right for most of the readers of a homo blog like this. But, they are funny.