Grub Crawl - Mills Ave: Death in the Afternoon and Lamp & Shade

I tried these spots at dinner last night. The first is near Tako Cheeka. The second is near Pig Floyd and Virginia. 

Death in the Afternoon - A small, dark space focusing on cocktails and a limited menu. I had the chorizo burger with manchego, etc for $16. It was very good. Thin patty. Crispy exterior. Not dry. Nice flavors. Nice, large glazed bun. Arugula and a dressing. Crisp finger sized french fries. Aoili dip. Now why can't everyone do something simple, properly, like this? Came out fast. Nice cutlery. Cloth napkin. All I remember of the menu was a steak in the twenties and pork belly at $12. Some apps. Two bartenders, a floater and a hostess. Around four booths and bar seating (10ish). Black. copper ceiling. Absinthe call outs. Open only at night. It was full. Open for a couple of months. I suspect it will be a Favorite.

Lamp and Shade - Craft Kitchen and Cocktails. I was just going to have a drink. I was too tired from the flight and full from Death. I grabbed a shrimp lettuce wrap to go for $17 instead. The shrimp were cut into tiny cubes. Way too salty. They tossed some ground peanuts, cabbage atop them. Three thin, flimsy bibb lettuce leaves. Peanut sauce. It may be better in house. Came out quick, as I was hoping. A bigger menu than Death. Around a two dozen things. Ten hots. Ten colds. Four "tables". Three desserts. Things like: tuna sushi, calamari. hamachi crudo, burrata, beet salad, fried rice, corn ribs, dumplings, short ribs and curry mussels. $96 tomahawk. Prices in teens to mid thirties. Open plan. High ceilings. Much room between tables. Black granite bar on the left. Two white walls. One mural. One black wall. Lots of booze. Full. But, because of the ratio of space to tables, not many there. Was a lamp store. Valet. Open for a few weeks. Only open for dinner. Added 18% gratuity. Probably deserves a second look. 

*Check back in a couple of days if you wish to learn about two spots near I Drive and this year's merry old England adventure.

M'ama Napoli, Winter Park

I tried this Italian Bakery & Deli across from Agave Azul at South Orlando and Minnesota last Tuesday during the day. They were the plan a from that week on that Monday. Closed on Monday. No loss. They only sell baked sweets, personal pizzas and a few sandwiches. The $5 cheese pizza was sold out. The ones with toppings were $10+. The sandwiches were $13. Most of the baked things were the ever Italian croissants. I settled on a $4 latte conchiglia. It was ok. I hope the bake and don't buy. It's a small place with four tables. They sell some packaged goods. They have parking in back. They need a bigger sign. Easy to miss. Don't beat yourself up if you do. Not much to them. Open for a few weeks.

*I updated the Sunshine Diner by Art Smith review I posted a while February 21, 2023.

Grub Crawl - East Colonial: Lechonera Orlando, Tacos N Grill and Pa Los Chinos

I tried these spots at lunch today. They are all on East Colonial (50). East of 436. The first is at Dean. The second is further east. The last is back west at Goldenrod. These weren't plan a or b.

Lechonera Orlando - A sign said established in 2006. I did know that I had ignored it for a while. Now I know why. I remember when it was a gas station. I guess it's Puerto Rican. They do the conveyor belt counter thing. Mostly mofongos with meat or meat with sides. Some soups, snacks, desserts. It was jammed. I don't know why. Everything looked stale, dry and unappetizing.  The prices weren't even that great. Mix of people. I decided I didn't want rice and beans, etc, so, I grabbed a chicken and a ground beef empanada for $2.50 a piece. Hard, greasy shell. Chicken was less bad than the beef. Less salty. They have some seats. Basic look. Like the inside of a gas station. You can fuel up elsewhere.

Tacos N Grill - A little, one story shack that they share with an insurance broker. You could easily drive right by. Usual menu. Seemed Mexican run. Pricing wasn't that great. I tried to limit the wallet damage once again (didn't want the added rice and beans on a platter) for a hard shell ground beef taco with l and t and a street style al pastor. Both were $3.50. Same old same old. The place is only five months old and already looks worn. Twenty-ish tables. Some cut out pattern paper "flag" chain decorations. Two murals (skeletons). Empty. Took a little while. They charged a fee as well as taxes. Pass.

Pa Los Chinos - Another on a long (and pretty consistent) list of Chinese food that Latinos have butchered. All their Chinese tastes Latin. I had a pretty awful broccoli chicken with pork fried rice and french fries for $12. Now you see why I was eschewing the sides at the other places. Wrong (brown) sauce on the chicken. Broccoli had to be frozen. Tasted off. Chicken was mushy. Rice was lifeless. Too much of it. Haven't tried the fries yet. Chinese take out items menu. I think this place was Chinese and/or Thai before. The sad thing is I think their people (Puerto Ricans) like it. Some seats. It has the look of a fast food restaurant. Some Chinese arches inside. Grubby. Prices were too high. Pass.

Grub Crawl - SoDo and Downtown: Cloudhop, Schmankerl Stub'n (Closed/Moving), Blu Wave and Rolled *St Lucia Travel Notes

I tried these spots today at lunch. The first is on South Orlando near the hospital. Next to Crave Hot Dogs. The second is in the old South Beach space on North Orange. The third is at the parking lot entry way on Church St near Cucina. It was another Japanese place before this. The last is back towards Stub'n on North Orange. Next to Mercato's and Morgan and Morgan.

Cloudhop Bakeshop - The opened two weeks ago. A one off. They sell muffins and thick cookies. I had a fruit loop and fruity pebble one with a marshmallow center for $5. It was good. Filling. The cereals were a bit stale. They had a few cupcakes and eight cookies. All kind of funky. No seats. Just a counter. You enter from the rear. They have parking. worth a look.

Schmankerl Stub'n - They opened six weeks ago. I think Neon Beach was here before. I liked it alot. Probably the best German in town now. A small menu. Nine mains. A few more for dinner. Four apps? Six or so sides. Full wine list ($22-$80). German beer ($6). Flights of both. Cocktails ($14). Sodas were an acceptable $3. The water tasted funny. I had Fleischpflanzerl for $18. It was two veal and pork patties grilled on a flat top with a huge side of a vinegar based potato salad and a side of whole grain mustard. Some arugula on top. It was good. My first taste. A bit over salted. The potatoes were a bit undercooked. They also had wurst and kasespatzle and a wild boar burger and schnitzels, etc. The veal schnitzel was the most expensive at $25. The pork schnitzel was $14. The apps were near double digits. Not too intriguing. Things like a garden salad or a pretzel. I think the pretzel was only $3? It has a dark bearing. Stained wood, black paint and furniture. Red brick. Gray tile floor. Up front, they raise the roof for a modern chandelier. Leatherbound menus and receipt books. Real flower centerpieces. Twenty tables and four big booths on the left wall. Bar with eight seats at the right rear. Decent silver and tableware. Cloth napkins. Uniformed staff (6). Good service. There were around seven tables occupied while I was there. It is nice enough, but, not pretentious. No dress code. German music. 18% gratuity automatically added. If you like German food, there aren't alot of options. This place has a good, manageable selection of traditional dishes with a modern touch. It will be on the Favorite's List. It means a "delicacy/tidbit".

Blu Wave Sushi and Handroll Bar -  Opened a month ago. I tried a hamachi handroll to go for $6. It was small. The yellowtail was hamhandedly cut and tasteless and tough. I only remember seeing rolls that were overpriced. I saw a few plates delivered while I waited and the cut roll pieces all looked thinner than supermarket rolls. I suppose they have nigiri. Teriyaki beef and chicken. Yakisoba. There are around ten tables and a L shaped sushi bar. It was full. A "piece of art" occupies a spot near the bathroom. This is a one off. I found it disappointing.

Rolled Pita Bar - A one off. Looks like a chain. They sell pita wraps, salad bowls and smoothies. Around a dozen "main ingredients". Chicken, deli meats, barbacoa, falafel, bacon, etc. The usually "toppings" and dressings. I had a small chicken souvlaki pita for $10. I'm not sure what a large looks like because that was a normal size. Order at a counter. They grilled the chicken and then put in the cold toppings as I instructed. It was ok. The chicken was a bit mushy. The pita and veg were fresh. Spartan look. Soda machine. Few, if any seats. Blue and white. Open for a month. It's a dime a dozen. A bit cleaner now because it is new.

*Travel Notes - Saint Lucia: I traveled to Vieux Fort through Miami (6AM/8PM) on American for $440. Usually it is $600+ and they wanted you to fly north first. No issues until last night. A delay of an hour because of late arriving staff. No delays at customs. FYI - you need to fill out a form online before you arrive. The departure tax is built into the ticket. No shot requirements. They are an English island. EC Dollars were 2.7 to $1 USD. The driver said the English and French fought over it 14 times! I stayed at the Hotel Downtown (Booking 6.7) in Soufriere for $108 with tax a night. Three nights. It had a nice view. Every other hotel was inconvenient or very expensive or not listed because booked. You should probably think twice unless you are willing to pay for a Sandal's or rent a car. There was also a cricket world cup going on. I discovered that while leaving. Maybe that raised the prices and limited availability? There were really only cabs at the airport. I looked at shuttles the night before and Viator didn't have any for less than $80-$110. And you needed to pre-book them. The internet said it was $65-$80. They may charge per person. I wouldn't count on the public bus either. The head poobah at the taxi stand quoted me $100. I walked away and couldn't find an alternative. I came back and offered $80. He accepted. I might have had it for $60! The driver was cool. It was a far ride. It is a mountain/jungle island. I didn't do much. Saved my money. Just swimming. They had a market (Allain's) and a supermarket (Massy). I ate there. Prices about equal with US. Atms. You could take all kinds of trips. They had many waiting boats and cars. Small town though. Diving. Fishing. That area has their big attraction. Gros Piton. That's why I chose it. That's all. Got a cab back for $60. There was food in the airport. I spent my last 9EC on a fried chicken breast at Ritual's. You could pay in dollars most places and they would give change in their currency. The people were nicer than most Caribbean islands. A bit pushy. They speak English. Some homeless, beggars and crazies. Same weather as here. All these honeymooners were there. It was intriguing. 

Grub Crawl - East Colonial and UCF Area: Blue Amphora, Kyuramen and Pho So 1

I tried these spots on Thursday at lunch. The first is a block or so south of 50 on the left on Goldenrod. The next two are in a strip mall off University where there is a World of Beer.

Blue Amphora - Started as a Turkish baklava maker. Now (a year) has a few sandwiches, etc. I had the Turkish sausage (I forget the name) with mozzarella panini for $6 and a four piece, mixed (walnuts and pistachios) baklava for $5+. They didn't give me a receipt. The sandwich was fine. Not a ton of sausage. They hand sliced it. Some kind of non-white bread. It could have been pressed a little longer. The sausage was spicy. Probably beef. A bit mushy. I couldn't really discern between the nuts. I "Cookie Monstered" them in the car without water they were so good. Moist. The sugar/honey water wasn't too sweet. Flaky. They sell some savory pastries as well. Breakfast. Some drinks. It's small. Maybe four tables. Pleasant owners. If you like baklava, you should seek it out. They are doing construction on that part of Goldenrod. It makes the place harder to find.

Kyuramen - I am shocked that it appealed to me as much as it did. It's a chain. From NY, I believe. And it is ramen based. However, they also have some fun items like: bao, takoyaki, fried oysters, calamari, chasu, salt and pepper corn, potato shrimp, etc. And they screw around with the ramen. Quite a few regional varieties. I tried a two ramen combo plus called Yin Yang. One side (they have a bowl with a divider in it) was chicken broth (I think) and the other was a spicy pork broth (I think). Both had a ton of good noodles. The chicken side had two tempura shrimp and some round slices of fish cake, marinated bamboo shoots and an egg. The other side had a boiled oyster and chashu pork. The tempura was a little wet inside. The oyster was a little tough. Otherwise, everything was good. Very tender pork. It cost $20. Most ramen was around $16. Apps were $8 to $10. They also had yakitori skewers and one with a few skewers sticking out of a bowl of rice called something with a k. They also have desserts and drinks. Tbaar had a spot up front. The place looks good. A rectangular look. Kitchen on the left. White curtained booths on the right. A splendid looking two level honeycomb seating design in the rear. The colors were black, gray and some kind of blue gray. Youthful interior design. Pale wood. Wishing tree. Sake barrels. Seats about sixty. They may have had a patio. Not too full around 2pm. Three servers. They had some buttons you could press to summon them. I think it may deserve your attention. Kyu means 9. The nine styles of ramen they offer. I am reminded that I saw a type of ramen restaurant (region) on NHK where they serve you AYCE mini (one bite) bowls. I believe it is called Wanko soba from Iwate Prefecture. That looked fun. I haven't seen it in the States yet. A lady hovers over you and replaces the bowls until you cry uncle. Somehow the record was 200 something bowls. I think I could do thirty. Someone get Man versus Food on this.

Pho So 1 - The usual Viet stuff at the same price points. I grabbed an avocado summer roll for $6. I'm not sure if I have been here previously. I know I did all the spots in this strip mall at one point. The roll was good. Came with a sort of peanut dressing. The real revelation from this place is about the summer roll itself. I think this was my first with avocado. That works. But, I think we need to revolutionize the summer roll. Many vegetables should be incorporated. Radish. Beets. Sweet Potato. Etc. The meat or seafood they usually use is tasteless and usually of a bad quality anyway. This solves both of those problems. I expect summer roll themed restaurants to be the next trend. You are welcome. This place is bland. Shower curtains hide boxes in the front corner. Six tables. No customers. Two person crew. Open for four years.

*Next door was a place called Build A Burger.

Grub Crawl - Winter Park: The Cafe at The Alfond Inn and Bricks & Bowls

I tried these spots yesterday at lunch. The first is at the Alfond Inn on New England Ave. The second is in a little alley way on Park Avenue near Lyman. I forget what was there before.

The Cafe - Just a basic supplement to Hamilton's Kitchen. They risibly market it as an "artisanal" cafe. It's worse than Dunkin Donuts. I had a $6 egg and cheese on a muffin. You can get two way better versions with sausage at the dollar menu busting McDonald's. Limited offerings. The sandwich toppings display is Subway-esque. Caffeinated drinks. All pricy. It's just there to rip off guests too lazy to venture into town to get ripped off. It looks nice. Some interesting light fixtures. But, that is really a hotel feature. Not theirs. Open for a month or so. Skip. I just noticed that they add on a 20%+ gratuity that they don't inform you of..

Bricks & Bowls - Their first location was at The Mall at Millenia. They are part of an entity calling themselves Ghost Kitchen Orlando. I was a bit surprised that their starting sandwich price points were for a half of a sandwich. That seemed rich. But, I think you can get away with just half as a meal. I tried the Spanish Eggplant option at $7.50 because it was two dollars less than the others and I couldn't see the quality of the meats that they would have delivered. Plus I didn't trust them yet and I was also trying the pizza. I didn't read the menu carefully enough and my anticipated fried eggplant cutlet morphed into a ratatouille like marinated salad. Not much eggplant. More red pepper, onion and tomato. And I'm not a fan of non-spicy peppers. However, the focaccia it came on was fresh and good. They have to make it in house. It is also pretty high/thick. The brick part. So, I basically paid for bread. I'm not that bothered by that. There was also a slice of an aged provolone or something. And some fresh arugula. That's the take away. Everything was fresh. This was artisanal. I just realized that anal is part of artisanal. They could lose they sweet spread soaked into the top piece of the focaccia. I believe it was a poor quality balsamic. My second purchase was the Classica pizza. I think they referred to it as that. Maybe a flatbread. In any case, it was focaccia again. Covered with mozz (I believe) and some Parmesan or other hard cheese. Natural tomato sauce. Very good. This had a harder bottom crust. They must take the sandwich focaccia and add the toppings and bake it so the bottom gets that crust. Fresh Basil on top. Cut diagonally. This also could be it's own meal. A tad salty. So, there you go. The star is really the focaccia here. Light. Non-oily. Well timed. They also sell lackluster looking bowls, six or so sandwiches and some other variations on the theme. Maybe soups? Order at a counter. Eat on the patio. Not a chain. I was impressed. So many fast casual places are posing as artisanal "curators". I'm talking to you Culver's. They actually are. If the quality of their other items and other things they put on their focaccia (how many time can I write focaccia?) compare with the things I sampled, they will occupy rarified air. An outlier. I would actually make it a micro objective to try them out at some point. Open for a month.

*Sort of next to B & B was a little wine shop that wrote (on a sidewalk blackboard) that they sold lunch items like $10 chicken salad. It is called Vin-tage Vault. Open for two years. They are owned by the Blu and 310 Grill at South Park people. They call in the order to them and it is delivered. The Chinese place next to the new Jeff's Bagel Run up where Wnnie's used to be is no closer to being open. A Sodough opened on Fairbanks near Rollins. I also saw that at the spot near where the bikini car wash girls used to be on 435 near Aloma, a City BBQ is almost open. And a Raising Cane's.

Thai Spoon, Curry Ford Rd - Closed *VT/NH/ME Travel Notes

I tried this Thai restaurant on Friday at dinner. It is near a Lechonera place between Pizza Bruno and South Crystal Lake Dr. I had the crispy spring rolls ($5), chicken satay ($8) and Tom Yum Shrimp ($6) to go. All were apps. All were nothing special. Egg rolls sized spring rolls with scant, cabbage filling. Most likely store bought. The usual vinegar based dip. Rubbery, stringy chicken (4) with no flavor. Freezer burn. Ok peanut sauce. Served on shredded white cabbage. Two tiny shrimp in the usual sour broth. Some peppers and onion. The menu has nothing uncommon on it. The place is a square shape. low ceilings. They seemed to have repainted. I believe it was a light gray. Seats about fifty. Empty near closing time. I think it was a pho place before this. Open for a month. You can skip it.

*Travel Notes - Vermont/New Hampshire/Maine: I flew (mid-afternoons/non stop) Jet Blue into Albany for $186. No issues. I rented a Honda Civic from Budget for $440/wk. No issues. They moved the Belmont to Saratoga this year, so, hotels rates and rental car prices were ridiculous. I drove 7E to Bennington VT and stayed at the lousy Starlight Inn (Expedia 6.6) for $97. I had fish and chips and mushy peas at Lil Britain. Most things were closed. Beer at Harvest Brewing. I drove a bit east on 9E to 8S to 100E to Brigham Young's Birthplace in Whitingham VT. You must go up a little hill near the post office. It is on the right side. Look for a small stone marker. Then back north on 100 past Jacksonville to 9E. I tried some whiskey and bought some moonshine at Metcalfe's Vermont Distillers in Marlboro VT. Further on 9E to Brattleboro and Keene and Concord. Then 4E to 125N to Rochester to 9E to Berwick to Wells ME. I stayed at the Ne'r Beach Motel (Expedia 7.6) for $93 plus $10 RF. Drove around. 

Up 1N the next day. Lunch at McLaughlin's Lobster Shack Beachfront in Lincolnville. I had two types of oysters (Pemaquid Damariscotta River and Birchpoint Isleboro) and haddock chowder. In Orland (had to stop because of the name), I had mint chocolate chip ice cream at Carrier's Mainely Lobster. This was the first joint that had reasonable lobster pricing. I was already full though. On to Bucksport and 3E to Ellsworth. It turns south there for Mount Desert Island. That is Bar Harbor and Acadia NP territory. I stayed at the half off Main Street Motel (Expedia 9.2) for $68. It was good. I should tell you it had rained the whole time up until now. I had some ok white and terrible red wine at Bar Harbor Cellars. I had a $16 a pound (the best price I found the whole trip) STEAMED lobster and a pound of STEAMED mussels for $9 at the nearby C-Ray's Lobster. There were twenty mussels to the pound if they did it right. Still, three quarters of them were shriveled. Some one call the mussel police. What is going on? Why aren't they eating? Is this a farm raising development? It's a global mussel mystery. I drove back to downtown and saw the sunset at the park/ferry dock. Had beer at Fogtown Brewing Company. Walked around. 

The next day I had a Sampler at Mainely Meat BBQ. Sausage/Pulled Pork/Ribs/Chicken/Potato Salad/Slaw/Corn Bread/Beans. I drove to the Hulls Cove Visitor Center at Acadia and through the middle of the park. Every parking spot at every stop was full. To Northeast Harbor and up and over to Southwest Harbor and the Lighthouse at Bass Harbor. I was just exploring. I hadn't been in this area for quite a while. I drove by some food truck called Charlotte's that had lots of reviews. Prices were too high for me. The road there was washed out. Had to take a different route to the lighthouse. Up the west side of the island and back to Bar Harbor. I stayed at the Bar Harbor Manor (Expedia 8.4) for $103. It was a bit closer in. I had beer at the Atlantic Brewing Company. Walked around. 

The next day I had breakfast next to the first motel. A good sausage and cheese omlette at Everyday Joe's. I drove 3S to another park entrance (Sieur du Monts). FYI -  the fee is $35 if you don't have an annual pass. Saw much more of the park. Overlook, Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Point, etc. Back up to the Visitor Center and then back south the same way as the day before. Very busy. I had lunch at The Colonel's in Northeast Harbor. This is considered the ritzy area. I had reasonably priced clam chowder (most wanted $10-$14), and an Autumn Turkey Club with FF. The club became dinner. I stayed at the Kimball Terrace Inn (Booking 8.2) for $117. I walked about. Gilpatrick Cove, etc. I then did the same drive as the day before, but, took Sargeant Drive out and in. You have to do this! It goes aside Somes Sound Fjord. I finished the Moonshine on the balcony that night. 

The next day I stopped for breakfast at Seaside Deli and Sweets. Much to my surprise, they were selling stone crabs. $24 for twelve medium sized claws (no arms). Shells removed. I didn't know that they lived up there too. They must not have limits or the harvesting seasons are different. They said they get caught up in the lobster traps. Tasted the same. I ate them at a picnic table at Suminsby Park on Sargeant Drive. Just where the road loses the fjord view. Beautiful (free) experience. You have to do it! I got back in the car and tried another lobster pound on the way off the island. They weren't open yet. They had stone crabs too! Forget the name. Hotel guy told me about them. Back down 3W and 1S. Failed at finding another lobster place as cheap as C-Ray's that I hadn't been to before. Plus it started to rain again. Some other hoped for places were closed that day of all days. At Bath, I drove towards the water on some smaller roads (209, 24, 123) to places like Fort Popham SHS at Sebasco Estates and Bailey Island (Mackerel Cove). Three peninsulas in all. Back through Brunswick and Bowdoin College. There is a Harriet Beecher Stowe House there. Back onto 1S. Stopped in Freeport. Stayed at the crappy Casco Bay Inn (Expedia 9.2 - had to be manipulated) for $93. I chose Freeport for the breweries I always drive by. I had beer and terrible pizza at the Maine Brewing Company. Beer at the Good Fire Brewing Co. It was next to the motel. I drove down a road next to it a few miles and back. 

The next day I stopped in Portland. Saw the Portland Expo and Sea Dogs Stadium (Hadlock Field). Ate a bad omlette on the wharf at Becky's Diner because they had free parking. Finally found this sushi place I ate at years ago called Mami. Back onto 1S to Saco. Onto 111 and 11 to Rochester. 202W to 9W. Stopped in Northwood NH for beer at Northwoods Brewing Company. Through Concord and up 3N to 127 to Daniel Webster's Birthplace in Franklin NH. East to 93N to Plymouth. Stayed at the crappy Pilgrim Inn (Expedia 7.2) for $107. It was almost impossible (again) to find anything reasonable in NH or VT not in Killington or Lincoln. I ate meatballs, potato skins and wedge salad at Lucky Dog Tavern. 

The next day 25W to 118W to 4W to Lebanon VT. Up 14N (along the White River) past Sharon to the Joseph Smith Birthplace. Back to 4W through Woodstock to 100A to the Calvin Coolidge Birthplace Homestead in Plymouth Notch VT. $12. Then to Londonderry on 100S and 30W (above Stratton) to 7S and 7E (NY) to the airport. 

I almost passed on this trip when my parking lot was full and had to go to the airport south lot. All of their other lots were also full. That and I swore Budget was going to screw me again on the rental because of the Triple Crown bs. Glad I pushed through. Glad the weather and hotel rates pushed me farther north in Maine. Gas was $3.20 to $3.60. As usual. missing meals were fast food or supermarkets.

Grub Crawl - Universal Area: Voodoo Bayou and Krembo Cafe

I tried these spots on Sand Lake Rd last Thursday at lunch. The first replaces Moonfish in the strip mall northeast of I4. The second is in the southeast strip mall at I4.

Voodoo Bayou - I'm conflicted by them. Some good qualities. Some bad. I had the four piece fried chicken with biscuit for $19. The chicken had a lot of crust. Too much. Like it had been fried before. It also came out way too fast to be fresh. The crust also fell off far too easily. It had no taste. You needed hot sauce or something. The bottle they provided should have embarrassed them. It was nearly empty. I didn't use it because of that. There was a wing a drum and two large breast pieces. The meat was moist enough. The biscuit was great. Square. Fluffy. Hard crust. Like a croissant. They gave you some good earthy honey with it. The app biscuit costs $14! Maybe more than one? The menu is pricy. $49 steak. $29 red fish.  All apps at main prices. They have a $15 pick two option that doesn't come with a side. Typical Nola wanna be menu. The place is limited by low ceilings. It's black with stained wood and garish gold railing. Fake vintage tchotchkes. Plus sign looking cross inserts. Black tables. Red leopard cushions. Open kitchen on the right. Bar on the left. Both span the front area. There is a further rear area. Not walled off. Plenty of dressed staff. Including in the kitchen. But not professionally adept. They have three other locations. Mostly in Jacksonville. Open for one month. Parking isn't a problem. Owners looked mobbed up. So, like I said - conflicted. Some of the chicken was good. But it could have been better. Portion size was generous. Justified the price. But I would rather have less food and a cheaper buy in. Or quality. Biscuit was amazing. One of the better ones I've ever encountered. They spent a lot on the build out. But it is a bit tacky, dark and low ceilinged. I also think their mood music wasn't good. I can't remember. I didn't trust them enough to try some of the more adventurous dishes. Maybe that was a mistake? Go on and try them for me and report back. It's a definite maybe for me.

Krembo Cafe - I'm so disappointed by them. They replaced some sandwich place a year ago. I drove by them when I sampled that Boiled Fish place months ago and tried to try them on the last Florida road trip. It seems that it was Passover then. They took three weeks off. I thought it was a week? Anyhoo. I just grabbed a bagel with cream cheese to go after the large meal I just had. There were some nice sesame ones in the case and all the dull things they offered up were bad values. So, I grabbed my ankles and forked over $8. Then they didn't even deliver the bagels in the case! A Lender's looking piece of shit with a non-deli serving of garden variety cream cheese. A total rip off. They had two semi-interesting options. Shashuka and some eggplant dish I had never heard of. Its a kosher place. Smallish, square layout. Modernish. I think it had a soft gray color scheme with a fake grass backdrop. You can skip it.   

Tsaocaa, Winter Springs

I tried this pan-Asian spot on the northeast strip mall at the intersection of Red Bug Lake Rd and Tuskawilla on Wednesday at dinner. I had a fried chicken sandwich for $5.75. I chose the spicy sauce. It was fine. I didn't love that it was two tenders. They also sell wings, Korean style hot dogs (9-), boneless chicken, drumsticks, egg waffles, fried dumplings, shiu mai, takoyaki, shrimp, ramen (6), etc. Plus fruit teas (slush and classic), brewed teas, mojitos with soda water, milk strikes, yogurt slushes, coconut drinks, milk boba fruit yakults, fruit milk, etc. Toppings. The place looks modern. White and light gray. 4 booths with white cloth mosquito netting. 4 two seaters. Sharp packaging. Three locations. Mostly in Jacksonville. They said the name means Fresh Tea. They said they were Mandarin. I'm not sure if the name is as well. Open for two months. Open 7D from 11:30 to 9pm. Better than I expected with more options.

City Market Bistro, New Smyrna Beach

I tried this spot on Canal St on Wednesday at lunch. It was Pearl Oyster Shoppe before this. This since 2021. I had the saffron and leek cream sauce mussels for $18. They were good. But there is an epidemic of shrinkflation in the bivalve community too. I haven't received a fully formed mussel in any country at any time of the year for three years. These were mostly half sized too. Though the chef said they were delivered that day. I believe him. I just ate some growers in Maine tonight. The portion size was large. The broth was good. Three slices of toast. Side of fries. They are my second least favorite type. Skin on hand cut. I think it is the water content. They never crisp. These were like that. Limp. The place is tiny. It seats around thirty. Same decor. Soft gray. Feminine looking. They now only carry IROC oysters. Small menu. Prix fixe at $25. Steak at $25. Three burgers - regular, falafel, chicken. No Su/Mo. Tu at 4pm. W-Sa normal hours. I liked it. One of the better options in NSB.

*Have you noticed that McDonald's is redesigning locations to remove the self service soda area?

Grub Crawl - Sea World and Florida Mall Area: Daily More, King of Falafel and Havana Bistro Cafe

I tried these spots on Monday after lunch. The first is in a strip mall past the Beach Line on International Dr on the right. Towards Seaworld. The second is across from the Florida Mall at Sand Lake and OBT. The address says OBT. It is really around the corner of that strip mall on Sand Lake. The third is aside the second. 

Daily More Thai & Milk Tea - I tried the mango curry chicken and rice for $17. It was fine. I'm not that fond of thigh meat in my Asian dishes. There is always some goop (veins/fat/etc) that makes you queasy. I haven't had a ton of it at Thai places to think of it. They usually give you some bleached white, pounded out breast meat. I'm not sure if mango curry is an authentic Thai recipe. At least it is a change from the traffic light staples of green, yellow and red curries. It's sort of like Massaman without the bell pepper. The mango was scooped out (stringy not cubes). Some julienned vegetables that I believe were onions and possibly something else. It was like a messy bowl of spaghetti. You couldn't really make out what was in there. No carrot, etc. The flavors were ok. I asked for medium heat. It had none. Probably needed some. Ok portion size. The menu is small. Around four rice dishes. More noodle dishes. Some snacks. It's a small place. Seats around ten. It looks more like a modern Japanese manga themed place than a traditional Thai place. I liked it. Hip. Bright. Clean. Youthful. Not much of a staff. Seems like they do more take out. Two people sitting in. A few delivery people waiting. Three more came in while I waited. I liked it. No muss. No fuss. If they dropped the prices to reflect the take out vibe they give off, it would be a Fav.

King of Falafel - I believe the Weekly said they just opened. Nope. Two years. Original location is in Kissimmee. Place looks older than two years. I had a half dozen falafel to go for $5. I didn't trust their cleanliness enough to venture beyond. They were fine. Freshly fried. Thick tahini or thin hummus dipping sauce. I think it was hummus. The menu is typical. The one odd ball is chicken tikka. The meat on the gyro was Med spam. That processed machine formed crap that bad Med places use. It seats around twenty. The guy taking care of me was from Palestine. Not sure if the recipes are. I don't think the kingdom is in good hands.

Havana Bistro Cafe - Can you really be a bistro and a cafe? Do you need to be? A typical Cuban experience. I grabbed a Cubano because I really only wanted roast pork at that point. It (pork) was good. Soft. Fresh. The portion (especially the ham) was small. They rushed through the pressing. The couple of plates from the buffet area (their main thrust) looked better. The usual mains and sides. Those started at $9. My sandwich cost $10. They had six sandwiches. Desserts. Apps like empanadas ($5). I'm not sure if there are ala carte dishes from the kitchen. They aren't breaking new ground here. They do breakfast. The place is eight years old. I think the color scheme was red with yellow. Seats about fifty. Looks like a cafe. 

*I also saw an Indian place near Daily More. It looked ok. Curry Mantra. I know some Indian place has been here forever. And I have ignored it. I may venture back at some point. The items were too expensive to try and test it with a to go snack. 

Pinstripes, Disney Area

I tried this spot in that nowheresville area without an exit just north of the outlet malls in between Sea World and Disney today at lunch. I believe it is a chain. They also have a bowling alley. It is kind of like Primrose Lanes. The food was awful and the environs were not clean. The seat the gave me was covered with crumbs. As was the floor all over. The seat aside me was smudged. The silverware was dirty. And that's what I could see. It shouldn't be surprising that there was only one other table of two in a plus 100 seat restaurant the entire time I was there. The staff (2 or 3 hostesses and 8 waitstaff) had little to do. The menu is tiny. A few salads and sandwiches and flatbreads. You could have a $12 lunch special selection (8 or so) or two of them for $18. No fries with them. Or ala carte. I decided to test them on a salmon sandwich with cucumber yogurt dressing and parmesan fries for $19. It took forever to come out. The salmon was fishy. No seasoning. I ordered it rare. One part was rare and the rest was dry and burned. A difficult feat to accomplish. Whomever designed this dish is a moron. They placed it atop a (stale) roll. Maybe it was what they think foccacio is? I forget how it was described. Let me repeat. They didn't cut it open. Just laid it on top of a 4" high roll. The yogurt was bland paste. It needed garlic or something. anything. Some arugula was lost among it. The fries were low class fries. Covered in starch. Composed from paste. I remember when Burger King switched to these. I read an article where they said that "poor people" enjoyed this style more. I could see, but not taste, the parmesan. They served this abortion on a wood cutting board/paddle with the fries in a black oval bowl. Somehow by not keeping me big mouth closed, I received a free coke and fries. The coke tasted of cleaning fluid. I just took a sip to be polite. I'm not sure if this is more evidence of their incompetence or revenge. I threw the fries away (they made them to go). They looked worse than the first batch. I think the didn't starch those. Just fried the Franken Fries they think they can pass off as fries. This whole thing wasn't just cooked and composed by an incompetent. It was so bad that it made my stomach ache. 

The place is black and gray. That is representative. There is a bar in the middle of the high ceilinged main room. Kitchen behind it. Bowling alley on the right in another room. A private room on the rear left. Some stairs leading to somewhere on the right. Tables for two and four. seats at the bar. Booths in the front corner. A patio. Tvs. Playing woman's field hockey on all of them. The waiter was obsequious. But, I worry when they pull the "Boss" bullshit. I told you before that I tried them once before and it was a $35 buffet. That is still true. On Saturday and Sunday. $45 on holidays. I think that is their lane. Hotel quality, mass produced slop for know nothings looking to drunch (drunk brunch). I thoroughly discourage you from wasting your time and money here. It must be poorly managed. To have this many issues at this point is incongruous. They have been open for more than a month. Time enough to take off the training wheels and not long enough to accumulate inertia. It looks like someone spent alot of money on it. The staff is uniformed. They have an exterior baking oven. Everything looks slick. It should be good. It just isn't. Or wasn't this day. I think those well attended buffets might make them think they are on the right track. They aren't. At least outside of the buffet context. That is undeserved blessing if it is a reality. I the food didn't look that great on my first visit. Why I left. I may have to make a year end "Hated It" list and put them on it. They just seem to lack the sophistication to pull off what they envisage.

Spectrum Wifi and Mobile Phone Installation Tutorial

You will find it amusing that I avoided having home wifi this long. I utilized a local hotel or fast food franchise while at home. Hotels while on the road. It got the job done. I did have dial up at home for emergencies. I really only stepped up because AT&T kept jacking up my phone bill every month. I went with Spectrum because we really have no other choice. I also wasn't sure if my cable lines were good. I never connected them either. And they (wifi companies) make you sign up BEFORE they will come out and test them.

Step 1 - I reaffirmed the "rules of the game" that I had called in previously to suss out. There is an activation and installation fee of $109. It is the monthly charge ($39.99) plus $70. I agreed to autopay because I'm sick of setting these firms up with my bank and they offered up a $100 Visa card (after 15 weeks - this turned out to be a lie) if I would. The rate is for a year (vs a $49.99 two year deal). The sales person acknowledged the rate will rise to $89.99. I believe I also have to start paying a $5 advanced wifi charge and a $7 router fee. I can sever service then or request a lower rate at that point. They may agree. We set up an installation date and time. I also accepted their one year free mobile service. I had to buy their phone for $200. I put it on a 36 month payment plan. $5.55 a month. The first charge was 19.99 for sales tax. It will be $29 after year 1. Also auto pay. They Fed Ex'ed me a Samsung. I agreed to this because I wanted a new phone (don't like some of the features of my current one) and a back up since I dropped the land line.

Step 2 - The tech guy came out and tested my cable outlets with some device. It took a while, but, he found they were usable. He dug a shallow trench in my lawn and ran the cable from the connection point at the street through the wall onto one of the outlets. He hooked up a router and a companion device. It took about an hour for him to get the home base to "receive" their signal. I was getting worried. He covered up the trench. He showed me the password. We made sure my tablet and computer recognized the router. They did. That was it. I don't even think I signed off on anything. 

Step 3 - Really just Step 2 for the mobile device. It arrived. I had seven days to activate it. I think I had to go online (it has been many weeks). I believe they then called me or I called their number because I was confused about something. They picked up right away and walked me through the set up on the phone and some updating of software. I have barely used the phone. It also has the things that annoyed me on their earlier model plus more. 

Conclusion - The best part about wifi is that I had a Roku tv. I now have all their free content (you have to sign up on their web site). The CBS Sports channel, Rich Eisen and Hot Ones are enough to make the wifi a win. The signal has been fine and it hasn't failed yet. It was easy to cancel my phone contract and my ISP contract. My ISP offered to keep my email going for $1 a month. The only real issue is that I just saw a commercial for $29.99 Spectrum! And the looming price escalations. They also offer land lines with long distance for $19.99 with a $65 install charge.

*I just looked and I have 23 tutorials now. I will do a post on what they are some time this year. 

**Update 5/6/2025: The first year ended and the wifi price was to increase. Bot as much as expected. When I called, they said the "discount off" the price lowers each proceeding year. My newest charge would be $28 off (was getting $43). I got them to just match an AT&T offer of $55 all in. However, my next bill charged me $65. I tried to sort it out with them. They claimed it is in the system as that price. But, my card was charged $65. Going to call them again after I double checked my credit card charges. Additionally, I was going to cancel the "free" cellular service (would owe the rest of the phone cost in a lump sum) because it would now cost $30. But, they said they could put it on hold for three months to let me think about it. I agreed. Here I was also charged the service fee although they said their system had it as suspended. I am going to have to call again about that to. I also learned that when you cancel the wifi, you bring the equipment to UPS and they box it up and send it back free to Spectrum. The Visa card promise turned out to be a lie. They did an investigation and said they had no knowledge of this promotion. AT&T's sales guy made the same promise. I wonder if it is an industry wide affliction/scam? Land line was down to $15 a month.

Tom's Watch Bar, International Drive *Germany Travel Notes

I tried this sports bar near the intersection of Sand Lake and I Drive last night. It is on the top floor of the building a half a block south on I Drive. It is a chain. I know they have another in Vegas. It opened a week or two ago. I had the All American Cheeseburger for $18. It was ok. Preformed, but, acceptable patty. Earthy tasting. Over a 1/4 lb. You could not adjust the temp. It was medium well. Sweet and sour pickle slices. Good brioche bun. It came with a choice of fries or tots. I chose tots. Good. Alot. Crispy. Not oily. Served in a wire basket with a plastic cover sheet. Side of ketchup. It came out quick. Not bad for 10pm. The menu has few surprises. Tacos, fried chicken sandwiches, prime rib sandwich, salads, mac and cheeses, etc. $18 to $24. The apps (nachos, hummus, etc) ran from $14 to $18. The service was attentive and polite. The space is large. High ceilings. L Shaped. Black is the main tone. Concrete too. A long bar with seating. The area near the kitchen is a little unsightly. An area up a staircase that was closed. An outdoor space with its own bar on the I Drive side. Views on three sides though. Seats over 200. About 1/4 full. All types. Even kids and babies with bad parents. The walls are lined with screen and projection tvs. Three regular tvs between them. The sound is ear splitting. They haven't evened out what level the announcers are on and what level the crowd is on. The crowd noise is too loud and drowns out the announcers. Plus it gives you headache. And it is annoying when you are watching one of the other events. I would rather have no audio or music. You may have to pay for parking. I parked aside it. At other times, this lot may be full. They are only open for lunch on the weekends. 4pm to 11pm otherwise. Not a bad addition to our community.

*Travel Notes - Germany: I flew to Frankfurt via Santiago DR and Boston (return) on Jet Blue and Condor for $630. Neither gave me record locator numbers (a first). Jet Blue finally did with a last minute email and I could check in online and it also checked me onto my Condor flight. Which was good because their website is a clusterfuck. So bad that I had to take the train to the airport in Frankfurt to use a kiosk to check in on the way back because it was the first segment flying that portion and Jet Blue's website couldn't save me that time. The Condor site kept hanging up on the chose luggage page. They tried to charge for everything. Jet Blue did how ever almost fuck me by not informing me that the idiots in the DR (the transit point) make even transferring passengers fill out some form (plus go through customs and back). And their idiot counter people just call it an eticket. Don't you think they should be using the term entry form or something like that? Eticket sound like a boarding pass. In the Dr, they listed (never fixed) the flight to Frankfurt as Puerto Plata. I've already written too much on this subject.

You can take an S Train (above ground) from the airport to the Main Train Station for 6.30E. I paid in cash. It made change. It takes about fifteen minutes and is the last stop. No one checked my ticket. FYI - the exchange rate was about 1E for 1.08 US. I stayed the first two nights at the pretty decent Ramada Central Station (Expedia 7.6) about four blocks down on the main road out of the station (Kaiser Strasse) for $69 a night. It was a bit drizzly (was most days) the first day. I got some food at the market (Tegut) and went to sleep. The next day I bought a 35E ticket from a machine at the station to my next destination. These idiot machines in Europe ask for a pin on a normal credit card! Luckily, the bullshit number I entered on my AMEX fooled them. Didn't work with other cards though. These machines did take cash too. They had an English language option. I will have to go into a lengthy explanation of the fare structure, etc at the end. Then, I walked a few block into the city center (where the skyscrapers are) and took out some cash at the Commerzbank. Then right towards the river at some point. The street that has the Klein Markt Halle and the Dom and the Moderne Kunst Museum. Then down to the Main River and over a bridge to this area that has apple cider bars. Then back and across the iron bridge and back to the Rathaus and back to the main street and down it a bit more. It is a busy shopping street. It was a bit rainy and there isn't a ton to see and I knew I'd be back, so, I called it quits and did another market run again. I should add here that the area around the station is a bit annoying. Druggies, homeless, etc. There are also many refugees here as well. BTW - tell them you are there on business to avoid the 2E a night hotel tax.

The next day, I grabbed a frankfurter (because you gotta) at Wurst Heldon at the station and left (I took 11am-ish trains that got me into the next place at check in time at the hotel) for Koblenz. The Rhine and the Mosel meet here at a Kaiser Wilhelm statue point called Deutsches Eck. There is also a castle across the Rhine that you can take a gondola to. I stayed near the station at the tiny and poorly valued Trip Inn City Hotel Hamm (Expedia 8.2) for $112. And they were the cheapest! It was a Saturday. I thought the Eck was close to here. But, I read the map wrong. No bother. I went to the station and bought a 31E ticket for the next day and took a pleasant walk through town and along the Rhine. Down there, I just walked down the Mosel side a bit and back and perused a food truck festival and saw the St Kastor Basilika. On the return, I took the route through the middle of the peninsula/city. Saw the Rathaus, etc. Got dinner at a Lidl near the station. FYI - I would stay here and do day cruises or take buses down the Mosel instead of staying in the towns (unless you have a car).

The next day I took the train to through the Mosel region (it was flooding its banks) to Trier. After this is France. It is the oldest Roman settlement in Germany. I bought a 46E return ticket to Frankfurt at the station. I stayed at the perfectly placed Hotel Porta Nigra (Booking 8.0) for $73. I should add that it was a Sunday and many shops were closed. I walked to the Porta Nigra (a black Roman gate) and down that main street to Haupt Markt. Then left to the Dom and onto the Konstantin Basilika and Kuefurstliches Palais. Through the garden to the Kaiser Thermen (Roman baths). Don't pay. You can see the whole thing from around the corner. Onto the Mosel and the Romer Bricke (bridge). Back to center and the Karl Marx house, Markt Kirche St Gangolf and Karl Marx Statue. A deparate 9E tuna sandwich dinner at Subway.

The next day I walked through town a bit more. I got screwed again because it was some holiday. Back through Boulay and Cochem to Koblenz. Those two towns are suggested stopping of points for the Mosel. But because of the flooding, high hotel places, etc I chose to bypass them. I will tell you that the train only follows along the Mosel to Boulay. South of that it goes inland. I planned on staying in a town south of Boulay. When I found out a bus was required, I just cut bait. The wineries also didn't seem that accessible. The train was a nightmare. Had to stand the whole way from Koblenz. Back in Frankfurt I stayed at the noisy Concorde Hotel (Expedia 8.6) a block to the left of the station for $47. I bought a 46E ticket and walked to the Opera House, Goethe Museum and along the river (everyone was there because of the holiday) to the Stadl Museum and back. The hotel was in the red light district. It was pathetic shell of itself if it ever was notorious. Dinner of chicken schnitzel sandwich and egg and salami on mei seicke (a popover like pastry) from Quicker's at the station.

The next day I went on to Nurnberg through Wurzburg. I stayed at the Privat Hotel Probst (Expedia 8.8) just inside the walls in front of the station. I walked to the St Lorenz Kirche, Pegnitz River, Haupt Markt, Rathaus, Schoner Brunnen (fountain), Frauen Kirche, Albrecht Durer Haus, Kaiserburg Castle, St Sebald Kirche and up Karolinen Strasse. Dinner from Lidl. The next day I bought a local train 4E ticket (I freeloaded the return) to where the Kongress Halle/Documentation Center and Zeppelin Field are (a few stops from the central station) and a 28E ticket for the next leg. They held some of the Nazi rallies you see in film here. Exit left from the exit and look for a lake. Wasted 6E on a ticket for some shit museum when I could have just entered the building for free. BTW - it is all being torn apart. The stands, etc are gone. It is just an empty horseshoe. I think they are renovating it to be a new political building. I walked around the building to the Zeppelin Field. There is a hockey rink and a football stadium aside it. At the other side was a bunch of stone work that I think was the seating area for their parades. They were also working on that. I continued on (around the lake that is there) to the station. It wasn't really worth the effort. Back in town, I walked past the Konigs Tor, Modern Art Museum and Germanisches National Museum. Back to Karolinen Strasse and had a Drei im Weggla (three shitty sausages in a roll) at the Original Nurnberg Kiosk. It's a local specialty. Around the left side of town. Walls, bridge, castle again, etc. Dinner from Lidl. 

The next day I took the train to Rothenburg ob der Tauber. It is a medivil town. I stayed at the noisy Hotel Gasthof Post to the left of the station and outside the walls. I bought a 20E ticket for the next day at the only kiosk. No workers at the depot. I walked into town. Entrance, Rathaus plaza, Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas store, Berggarten, St Wolfgang Kirche and Walls. At the end of the walls, I walked back into town and bought some wine at Frankischer Brennereiausschank and a LKW Burger Fleischkas with Kraut Salat and Gebratenen at Metzgerei Erich Trumpp because you couldn't pass that up. It was a fat slice of some big wurst that I saw being sold in Nurnburg. A little more walking through town center and the St Jakobs Kirche. Dinner from Aral gas station market because I didn't see the great big market next to the station when I came in.

The next day I went onto Wurzburg. Known for wine. I bought a 26E ticket. I stayed at the very nice Hotel Franzikaner near the Dom and Residenz (Expedia 8.0) for $85. I walked down to the Main River. Left to a bridge and around the farther side of the Fortress Marienburg. This took forever and I thought I'd have to turn around. Luckily, I found a passage through the vineyards at the farthest end and cut across. Through some very pretty areas. I doubt many take this route. I did screw up coming back. There was a park about half way to town. I thought I'd get better photos if I stayed farther away from the fortress. That whole way was blocked by buildings. Maybe the park was not? Back across the Alte Main Brucke to Dom Strasse. Marien Kapelle, Falken Haus, Neu Munster and the Dom. Dinner from Tegut. I started to rain heavily. 

The next day I walked to the Residenz Palace and back through town. I got lost and ended up more north on the river and got some better angles of the fortress and made a right that brought me back to the station. I took the train (1 hour late) to Stuttgart. I bought a 66E ticket. I stayed at the ok Hotel Bawu (Expedia 8.8) right across the front of the station for $66. They are doing alot of construction at the station and around town. I got lost trying to find my way to the Mercedes Benz Museum. That and the Porsche Museum are the main draws. It was good because it started to pour an hour later. I ended up finding this park (Schloss Garten) that had all these buildings (opera, ballet, etc) around it. Dinner from Tegut. I think you need to use the subway to get to both car museum. A big hill blocks you from Mercedes and the Porsche seemed even farther away.

The next day (I bought a 2pm because it was the cheapest and I arrived so late the day before) I walked the other way around town. I saw the Rathaus, Stifts Kirche, Markt Halle (closed because a Sunday), Porsche Store, etc. A plaza was hosting the Hamburger Fisch Market. I had sauteed Kap-Seehecht (Cape Hake) at the Hamburger Bratkartoffeln stall because it was the busiest. Past the palace on Konig Strasse. Back to the station. The train was late. I arrived at Frankfurt with just enough time to do the river walk (farther) again. I got caught in the rain. Had one of the beers I bought under a tree. Had to buy groceries at the Zam Zam Halal Supermarkt. I stayed at the nice Victoria Hotel (Expedia 8.6) for $128 for two nights. Three blocks up from the station. The next day I had to do that BS at the airport and there was some issues with the trains, so, that took hours. I had to buy a two way local ticket for 12E. I got lost trying to find the Marshall Plan building. It's a college now. It was called the IG Farben Building. They planned and carried out the WWII rebuilding scheme from here. Back through town. Dinner from Tegut. There was S8 train scarcity the next morning, so, I took some other train to the first stop and connected with one there. I didn't pay because the machine wouldn't take my card and had no cash option. No one checked me. Had I stayed on the first train, I think I would have been found out and had to pay a 60E fine. Getting to the gate was no issue. Flight was late because (once again) some dipshit didn't show up and we had to unload their bag. Jet Blue was late by an hour because they claimed the flight before needed extra security time because it came from the DR. Doesn't it always? Didn't you know this? Why didn't you say plane leaves at that time then?

The weather was cloudy to drizzly 75% of the time. Not enough to worry about. It was hot enough. I never needed my sweater or long pants. Daylight started before 5am. Sun set late. All hotels had poor pillows, curtains and noise making maids. The meals I didn't speak of were the usual charcuterie, cheese, wine, beer, hummus, rolls, etc from markets or McD's. I drank every night. Local wine or beer. I tried these items for the first time: Meats - Parmesan Salami, Weisbauer Beskada Gerbraten, Schwarz Walder Schinken, Knoblauch Salami (I've probably had this), Cheese - Stilfser, Berg Bluten Kase, Bread - Chia Spitzerl. I had a ton of every kind of 1.50E Ritter chocolate bars because of the price. As usual smoked salmon was around 4E, prosciutto 2E, cheese 4E, cold cuts 2E, wine 3E to 7E, beer 1E to 2E. You have to just make your own sandwiches, et al! It so easy. Don't buy premade ones for 6E! It was good seeing the southeast part of Germany. Hotels were cheaper than I expected. Trains continue to be expensive. The quality of life is deteriorating in the cities. Still safe enough though. They never jaywalk. I kept calling them "Guter Hund".

Some thoughts on the trains. I still don't get it. They have ICE and IC trains that are the fastest and most expensive and mostly long distance. They have the RE that stop at every town and are cheaper. What I don't get is the price swings. Sometimes Flex (refundable) were cheaper. Sometimes I got a ticket for unlimited travel that day (the 46E ones). You must write your name on those. Sometimes they had limitation warnings yet they offered them up for sale and it seemed did not apply to that travel day. Why scare us? The lines for people to talk to were usually ridiculous. Why I just went to the machines. They also make it seem that it makes two or three stops. Nope. Dozens. You should also hit the print schedule button before you buy the ticket to find it where the transfers are. The screen won't tell you. You can also print out the three or four trains that are leaving in you time window. Many times seats were hard to come by. Sometimes no one checked my ticket. Sometimes it looked like the whole train was full of freeloaders. Transfer times were usually really short (like 5 minutes). There is supposedly a 49E a month unlimited pass you get online. A CS guy in Trier told me it automatically bills you every month. Not sure how hard it is to get out of or its limitations. The 3, 4, 6, 8 day passes seemed expensive. The internet said a six day was 248E. At 41E a day at that rate, almost all my day before purchases were cheaper. 

Donating Your Vehicle Tutorial

I decided on WUCF after looking into some of the other charities that market themselves to the general public. Many had issues. The first step was clicking on their donations link off their homepage. Then you fill out a form with info like vin number and condition. Immediately after they called me to verify this info and arrange a pick up date. A truck came on that day and hauled it away. I had to fill in some of the information on the title and give that to the driver. They gave me a donation receipt. I took some video and pics (title too) just in case.

I will consul that I believe they aren't doing this in compliance with the law. They (the auction house which sells the vehicle and sends the proceeds to the charity) ask you not to fill in mileage or make them the transferee. I believe they would have to pay for a new title that way. I called the charity, auction house and DMV for guidance. I received little and contradictory guidance. Some charity sites online were equally unclear. UCF had no instruction page for this. I emailed two of their departments. They couldn't answer the query.  I wrote up the mileage but played their game on the transfer line. I do believe that I had legal liability between the time it went on the truck and the sale.

I canceled the insurance and returned my plates to the DMV and waited for confirmation of the sale which was supposed to take place a week later. One never came. I had to email them. They said it could take 4 to 6 weeks. I received an email about a week later with the sale price and some tax advice.

Grub Crawl - Longwood and Lake Mary: Moliendo Cafe, Uno Mas (Closed) and Love Le Boba & Bakery

I tried these spots on Monday and Tuesday at lunch. The first is just east of 434 off 17-92. The second is on 434 closer to I-4 near Max & Meme. The last is in between the new chicken sandwich place and the Thai place on International Parkway at 46a. 

Moliendo Cafe - I saw this while car shopping and then they put a two for one coupon in my mail. They said a new owner took over three months ago. He is Ecuadorian. The menu is a mix of non-island Latin. I tried another Ecuadorian soup (caldo bolas verde) for $15 and I guess the $14.95 cazuuela frijoles was free. The soup is a green plantain dumpling soup. The dumpling is like a giant matzo ball with some shredded beef, etc in it. The menu said Colombian sausage. I only tasted beef shoulder and chichirron. Maybe two pieces. Also some green peas, a quarter cob of corn and cassava in a beef broth. Good. The beans had white rice (soft) and about ten thick pieces of fried pork belly (chicharron) and some of that sausage. Two maduros and a corn cake. Very filling. The rest of the menu had things from burritos to seafood. Nothing far from $24. Lunch specials near $10. The owner seemed to be the cook. One waitress. Red brick walls. Ten large flatscreens. Black ceiling. Rectangular layout. Bar on left. Seemed like live music area in rear. Two people eating. Open every day. The name is a riff on to grind coffee. It also seems to be a song.. It is funny that I went from zero food from Ecuador to two in a week. It is a value with these coupons. Could be worth your while.

Uno Mas - F&D reimagined their Italian kitchen into this hodge podge under a Mexican sombrero. They kept the pizza and oven and added things fron their other restaurants like American fare like burgers and Mexican fare like chimichangas. I had a Mexican grilled shrimp wrap for $16. It was good. F&D always delivers. Around ten, fresh, medium-sized shrimp. Nicely timed and seasoned. Caesar salad inside a well toasted tortilla. Simple. Good. Some bacon bits. A side of tender (to just done) tots in a mini fry basket. I never went to the Italian conversion. Now it is ranchero looking. Tile floors. Red brick. Stained wood. Black lamps. Wood bureaus housing tequila. Skeleton (Not chicas) mural. Four booths. Tables. Bar. Patio. Lots of parking. Three servers. Good service. Around ten in for lunch at 11:30 am. Open for a month. I think it is the rare multi-ethnic menu that works. Like I said. It's F&D....

Love Le Boba & Bakery- They replaced a Thai boba place (T Baar) a year ago. It still has that sign above the door. They also sent me a coupon, so, here is their pub. I picked up a free ice cream that is still in my freezer. They said it was Edy's They sell sugary drinks, etc.

Grub Crawl - Curry Ford Rd and Winter Park: Crispy Cones, Smokemade Meats + Eats and Forward/Slash Distillery * FL Gulf Coast Travel Notes

I tried these spots on Saturday during lunch. The first is on Curry Ford Rd next to that co-op that has Foxtail Coffee in it. The second is up Curry Ford to South Crystal Lake Dr. A block down (north) that road. The last is aside Fairbanks. Across from the Tars baseball stadium. Aside some abandoned (yet loaded with cars) car dealership eyesore. 

Crispy Cones - A chain from Idaho that makes a Czech pastry that looks like a cone. They wrap the dough around a dowel. I tried the cheapest. $5 for a small one filled with cookie butter (liquified Bischoff cookies). It was fine. Sugar sprinkled on top. It was a bit undercooked. You can get these with Nutella and one other spread. Extra for ice cream. They may have had a few other items. You could get pints of ice cream to go. I think they were $9 a pint. They trumpet the fact that they were on Shark Tank. Odd hours. Only normal hours on the weekends. After 4pm otherwise. Order at a computer terminal. A few seats. Looks like an ice cream franchise. Parking is not abundant. Open for a month or so. I've had these in Europe. They were longer and unfilled.

Smokemade Meats + Eats - They do all wood Texas barbeque. I tried a 1/2 lb of brisket ($17) and a hot gut sausage ($5). It came with two slices of decent white bread, pickled onions, sliced pickles and two sauces. The brisket was pretty good. I had a slice of lean and a slice of moist. A bit bland. Not much bark. Not very smoky. A fat pocket that should have been trimmed. Good pull. Not oily. Moist. It needed the mustard and the pepper vinegar sauces. They must do their own sauce making (and pickling). The sausage was a bit grainy. Flavored with whole mustard seed, etc. A bit of heat. Large. It was ok. Probably home made. It would explain the odd grind. They also sell pulled pork ($13), pork ribs ($11.50), turkey ($13), chicken ($13), jalapeno cheddar sausage ($5) and smoked mushrooms ($12). Today they sold a $36 a lb beef rib. The brisket sandwich is $18. Pulled pork, turkey and mushroom are $14. The sides are: cheddar grits, pinto beans, coleslaw, potato salad, collard greens, mac and cheese, tomato zucchini salad and hash and rice. All $4 for a small, $8 for a medium and $12 for a large. I only saw the mac and collards. The mac was very gooey. Very milky. The collards were collards. Green. Their baked goods are: banana pudding, bread pudding and gooey butter cake for $6. White bread and beef fat tortillas for $10. Cheesecake (Sunday only) for $8. I think they said they make those too. They sell soda, beer, lemonade and sweet tea. The beer was between $4 and $7. I think the sodas were $3. Water was free. Only around six tables of four inside. A few more outside. No decor. Order at a counter. Limited parking. It was busy. Not as busy as other times I was told. Open for two weeks or so. Only open on weekends. I think they did pop ups before this. Not the head of the class, but, up there. I'll have to try a few more items before I make my final determination. 

Forward/Slash Distillery - They take other peoples' barrels and monkey around with them. I had one shot of bourbon from Virginia and a four distillery mix of bourbon that they call Rhapsody. Both were $5. I liked the quality. Mostly obscure distilleries. I'm still not sure why those distilleries allow them play with their product. Isn't it kind of insinuating that it hasn't been created properly? And how different is their version versus the original? It kind of ruins it if you want to sample that spirit to learn its characteristics. Anyway. It was a hip, cool, little venue. Not many seats inside. Two patio areas. Open for a year and a month. They make cocktails. You can buy bottles. They sell whiskey, tequila, gin, rum, etc. They make their own bitters. The cheapest bottle was $39 for the rum. I think the whiskey was around $80. Lots of parking. Odd hours and days. Wed-Sn. 4pm. 2pm Sa and maybe Sn. Open for thirteen months. Big, white building.

*Travel Notes - Florida Gulf Coast: I drove to Lakeland on Saturday. Heavy traffic from Disney past Celebration. Stayed at the too noisy Travelodge (Booking 8.0) for $109. Saw the Flying Tigers (on 33) at Joker Marchant Stadium for $15 (free parking). Drove the next day to Dunedin (92/Hillsborough Ave at 301 intersection past the airport and past 19). No tolls. I saw the Blue Jays at TD Ballpark for $11 (free parking). On Douglas Ave. I tried to try some breweries or restaurants in town. But, it was Cinco de Mayo and they had streets closed off, etc. Most of the breweries (around seven) only sold growlers or four packs. I didn't want that much. The town seemed cuter this time around. I'll go back. I drove back to 19 and went south. Hooked up with 275 after following Alt 19 a few miles. You can take that all the way from Dunedin. But, I remember it as being longer. I went over the sky bridge and exited on 19S at Tera Ceia. It became 41S. Took that to Sarasota. I stayed at the great value Kompose Boutique Hotel (Expedia 9.0) on University next to the airport for $87 plus $12 resort fee. I originally only booked one night. I added two when they upgraded me and I found out it was way better than the other (more $) hotels and I didn't hear any plane noise. Same price. This is by far the best value in the area! I ate dinner at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar a mile north on 41. I had a shockingly good grilled Open Blue Cobia with home made chips and cole slaw. The ahi sashimi app was less good. The next day I had lunch farther south on Siesta Key at Anna's Deli (Best Thing I Ever Ate - Katie Lee). The Hunter (T/H/SwCh). They thinly sliced the t and h. They piled up like air. It was delicious. I drove a mile south to Turtle Beach. Free parking. I had an early dinner at Phillippi Creek Oyster Bar a few miles north on 41. Grilled grouper sandwich with potato salad. The next day I had lunch on Main St and Washington at MADE (Food Paradise). I had the BLFTA with salt and pepper fries. Fried green tomato and candied bacon. Everything was very good. All fries should be peppered from now on. I drove over the bridge to Lido Beach. Free parking. I drove that night to Bradenton. I saw the Marauders (Pirates) for $15 at LecomPark (free parking). Had beer at Magnanimous Brewing across the street. I also looked in on Motorworks Brewing a few blocks down the street. I had a hamburger and a fried chicken sandwich at Salem's on 41. The next day I had a M&M chocolate donut at Roncs on 41. I drove by the Ringling Museum (been) and some new museums on 41. I took 301 to 70E to Braden Rd to 95thSE to 93rdSE to 85th to the Linger Lodge (Food Paradise). I had this fried platter with gator, frogs legs, catfish and au gratin potatoes and baked apples. It was fine. I drove back to 301 because I had time to kill and went north to 41 and back across the bridge ($1.75 toll) to 275 and off at Dale Mabry Hwy in Tampa. Thankfully I saw a sign a few blocks down for Cigar City Brewing. I chilled there for a few hours and then went to George Steinbrenner Stadium to see the Tarpons for $11. Free parking. They were the only dicks that didn't print out tickets. I went north to Hillsborough. I followed that until I saw a sign for I-4. No traffic at all coming home at night. The weather was warm but sunny. It wasn't very busy at Sarasota. Ate at McD's for the missing meals. I either had front row center seats at every game (except Tarpons - they like empty boxes for elites like their big league team) or it was first come seating. There were barely one hundred people at any game. A pleasant long weekend in God's country. 

Grub Crawl - Winter Park and Casselberry: Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar, The Fry Shoppe and Ave Maria

 I tried these spots today at lunch. The first is behind PF Chang's in the Winter Park Village on Orlando Ave. The second is on 436 in the southeast shopping plaza at Fairbanks/Aloma. The last is north of that on 436 across from the shopping plaza near Howell Branch Rd. Across from a Metro Diner.

Tommy Bahama Marlin Bar - Open for two months. I'm told they are turning their properties into these bar/retail stores. The menu is small. Maybe seven apps and seven mains. Some salads and desserts. I had the mahi tacos (2) for $15. They greatly exceeded expectations. A ton (candy bar dimensions) of fresh (though probably frozen) fish. In a seemingly (though not probably) hand made corn tortilla. Fresh enough diced tomato, cabbage with slices of raw red onion and tortilla sticks. Some kind of tasty lime white sauce. They also had sliders, quesadilla, crab dip, corn dip, flatbread, etc. You order at a counter. They do bring you the meal and bus. A few cold water containers. The place is mostly patio. Around twenty tables of four and six or so high tops and some rail seating. The inside bar area seats about twenty. White. Some moderately dark wood accents with light stone. Wicker baskets around the lights. Lots of white speakers and misters. Black seats. There were around eight people there at lunch. The happy hour drink prices didn't seem so generous. $9 wine and $6 beer and $11 mixed. Not sure what the regular prices are. My meal was near the low end. I was really just marking this off the list. I'm surprised how much I enjoyed it. Hopefully, they deliver this level of quality to everyone everytime. It's not substantial enough to deserve a lot of effort to seek it out. However, if you are in the neighborhood and just need something simple that also allows you a relaxing boozy environment...

The Fry Shoppe - It is in an old drive thru ice cream hut or something. They sell skin on and battered fries in a paper cone. I had skin on with my free sauce (Kansas City BBQ Mayo) and free topping (shredded cheddar) for $6. It was fine. I guess McDonald's and Wendy's charge almost as much for their cheesy fries. They also sell $12 versions. They have a lunch special that awards you a free can of soda with those. It looks a bit dirty. No seating. A walk up window. Took too long. But, I suppose that means no microwave. Open for a few weeks.

Ave Maria - It was a Colombian (Capachos) place before. Now Ecuadorian. Coastal cuisine. They have a small menu. Maybe seven apps. Mostly empanadas. A filled plantain. Some soups. Chicken and fries. A few stews. A few seafood dishes. Similar things to their neighbors. A few riffs. I had one of those. A marinated tuna fish and cassava soup (encebollado de pescado) for $18. It was good. A bit bland. A bit bright. The tuna was excellent. Enough. Some raw, white, sliced root. A side of fried plantain chips. They had another with tuna and shrimp for a few dollars extra. The place was cleaned up a bit. It looks less cluttered. More professional. Bar area. It still is dark with low ceilings though. The people were very nice. Spoke English. Seats around ninety. Maybe twenty people there at 2pm. I didn't register their make up. I have to recommend it if only for the lack of Ecuadorian competitors. If we are to learn of this cuisine, we probably need to learn it here. Happily, they seem up to the job. Open for two months?

*I started the day on Lee Rd. This new spot (Oh Hey Cafe at Open House) was basically a day care with a coffee and tea area that sells bought muffins, etc. It is such a shame because it looks substantial. I had been waiting to see what it was going to be. It is next to nothing. You can/should avoid it. Also, Bricks and Bowls is nowhere near ready. They seem to have another location at Conroy.

American Kitchen Bar and Grill, Disney Area

I tried this hotel restaurant at the B Resort oday at lunch after Tom's Watch Bar turned out to not be open yet and Pinstripes was only doing a $35 buffet. It is on the left on the way to Disney Springs. A long time ago, I read that it had been redone and never tried it. I couldn't think of any other option down here to try and I was not about to turn around and head back. The items were expensive and limited. The cheapest thing was a $18 grilled chicken sandwich. The waiter said they had a $18 buffet with unlimited sodas. I laughed and accepted that. I had two preformed hamburgers, a hot dog, two chicken strips and some fries. The burgers were a bit meatloafy. The toppings were pretty fresh. It was an ok buffet. Dinner adds a $40 steak and a few other items. Lunch had a $21 burger, mid teens apps, Caesar and Greek salads, etc. The decor has a full truck centerpiece. Brick. Exposed duct work. Black paint. Service was sociable. He said he had worked there for decades. Parking was free. They do breakfast too. I think eggs Benedict were $16. Not a destination spot.

*FYI - I will not be trying any of these ridiculous omakase newcomers like Omo by Jont and Natsu. Or any of the old ones like Soseki. I'm boycotting this genre. It was ridiculous when legends like Nobu or Morimoto or Masayoshi were doing them in Manhattan at $100. It is armed robbery down here. I've eaten at Alain Ducasse for less. Don't look for a review. Unless you want to book it and pay for it.

Air Conditioning Repair Tutorial

Let me start be stating that I came further and further appalled at the apparent state of Air Conditioning Installation and Repair in this state at this period in time. It is like everyone associated with this industry is the innkeeper from Les Miserables. Almost every review was either an obvious pro-provider fabrication or tale of disaster. People were upsold or lied to or overcharged. I mean in the thousands of dollars. Warranties, duct work, bs "issues", etc. Through some miracle of perseverance or serendipity, I think I may have found the last honest repair man in Central Florida. I am almost reticent to give him to you because I may never be able to retain his services (or the industry may take a hit out on him) from here on out. Oh, well. His name is Paul Sabacinski of Premier Air - Air Conditioning & Heating. Make sure you don't deal with a few other companies that use that (or similar) name. He is not a franchisee. The phone number is 407-327-7714. 1079 Winding Waters Circle in Winter Springs, FL. Payment by check or Visa/MC/Discover. License # - CAC058648. I checked with myfloridalicense.com and and he was up to date. No complaints at Yelp (only three at all) or Better Business Bureau (no BBB reviews either way) or Google or Expertise (I think). Website is www.premierairfl.com. In business for 24 years. From Worcester MA.

Issue: The last hour of the last hot day in the Fall the cold air seemed to not be so cold. I kicked the can. During the winter, there were some odd things with the heater. It wouldn't (automatically) shut off when the temp was reached and the emergency heat setting would come on and off. But, it worked (sort of). I kicked the can. This Spring the air didn't seem very cool again and it wouldn't (automatically) shut off when the temp was reached. Last year I had a issue where the blower wouldn't turn off when the outside unit did. This was solved with a new chip. That was with the people who installed the unit. They wouldn't come out for free to diagnose what I felt was their repair failure (oops), so, I decided to get a second pair of eyes on the unit. Plus I feel the overcharged me for the repair anyway. I dithered until now.

Research: I started looking through the mailers I save and looking at the bigger companies on line months ago. I started with Google and then Yelp and then Expertise and a few other ratings sites. I believe all but Yelp are full of it. They have to be in bed with these companies or susceptible to manipulation by them. Here are the companies and their phone numbers and ratings. I also checked the four in this Five Star Rated booklet that comes in the mail. The new Angi's List (Home Advisor) was too involved to suffer through. I didn't even call any of these companies though. I was too disgusted with the stories I read about them. Thank God I read a post on Yelp about another company that mentioned Paul. I would still be auditioning. I'm only listing the info in the hope that the search engines associate this post with them and save some people the headache. Most of these came up as the tops in the field in my area. What a joke. Some do more than AC, so, the ratings includes those jobs as well.

Frank Gay: 843-258-6781 or 407-900-0497. Google 4.7. Yelp 1.1. BBB 4. $89 Diagnostic

American Air: 407-499-6808. Google 4.9 

Service One: 407-519-2408. Google 4.8

Pro Tech: 407-573-7291. Google 4.9. 2.8 on Yelp (40 Reviews)

Facemeyer: 407-633-5263. Google 4.9. $98 Diagnostic

Mid Florida: 386-753-3667. Google 4.8

Del Air: 407-674-9563. Google 4.5. Yelp 1.8 (219 Reviews). $99 Diagnostic

Downtown Air: 689-223-7982. Google 4.8. Yelp (Poor Reviews). $129 Diagnostic

Matthew Robert: Google 4.3. Yelp (Poor Reviews)

ARS: 407-270-1387. Yelp 1.4 (147 Reviews)

Strada Cooling: 865-424-7277. I forget which site 3.1 (56 Votes). $89 Diagnostic

*From the Five Star Rated Book

Service Experts: 407-338-4661

Cool Today: 407-574-2275

United States: 407-495-1496

Result: I got an appointment the next day. I did have to call back after my message hadn't been returned by 4pm. He showed up within the time window promised. It turned out to be an easy fix. A malfunctioning capacitor that was only sending power to the fan. That caused the wall unit issues as well. He checked out the freon levels and pressure and amps et al of the system. We checked that heat and air were functioning as they should. That it shut off when the desired temp was reached. It cost $148.65. No extra labor charge over the $89.95 diagnostic charge. 5% for credit card over check. Total cost $250.53. Had to let him write down my cc number for billing once he got back to his office. He gave me a detailed invoice. I had read online that people with capacitor issues found them on Amazon for $40. If he made some money off that, so be it. Most people just tack on labor if you get them to reduce the parts cost anyway. I paid the last guys $425 to replace a free (under warranty) microchip! Paul was pleasant and had all the parts and tools in his truck. He once even taught AC Maintenance at a college. It didn't seem from this interaction that his lack of an online footprint was because of a "rebrand". You always have to worry about that. I advocated that he would have been listed as a new operator if he had a shady past and was starting over under a different name.

Post Script: I learned that emergency heating is done by a strip inside the furnace alone. Normal heating uses that and something in the outside unit. The strip uses way more electricity. I probably wasted the cost of this repair in increased heating charges this winter. Capacitors often go down in our intense heat. The outside unit needs to be making a low hum when it is working properly. Bushes around the unit aren't necessarily bad. They provide shade to the unit. Freon recharges are "supposed" to cost $200-$400. The Greenies have forced another freon type to be outlawed. You may not be able to recharge after this year. You will have to buy a new unit. I still think maintenance specials are bs and an opening for them to create an issue that they then charge you to fix. They seem to involve coil cleaning, level checking and drain cleaning. They charge around $89 (on special) for this. My unit is ten years old and I have never had this done and there were none of these issues present at this inspection. I had a longtime suspicion confirmed. You can get odors (poisons) sucked into your living space from gaps in the furnace in your garage. You can plug them, but, it is a pain. Air out your garage before you start the system and/or do not keep things that give off gasses in there. Please write up honest reviews when you use they people. It is hard to get the true pulse. People who have really been screwed over and fake praise seem to be the two types of reviews. Tell us if their are good people out there. Even if you have to do it within a negative review. And please get a second opinion if you get an outrageous demand.

Now do any of you know a good tree guy (up to date business license, insurance, etc)? That seems like an even bigger cesspool.