Colt's Pig Stand, Orange City

I popped into the parking lot of this barbeque place last Thursday night on the way back from the beach. I guess it will be the last post until Chub-ernor Deeeeee Pants Piss grows a pair. It opened in January. The first location was in Ormond Beach. It looks nice. White painted brick and red tones. Didn't see much from the outside. Square build. Seats about eighty. They are open at noon for now. I tried the Bourbon Burnt Ends Sandwich. It was a lie. Not burnt ends. Sure, a bit of them. But, mostly just pulled brisket. My first burnt ends were at Arthur Bryant's. They were actual ends. This was like burnt end helper hidden in sauce. One third of the portion was silver skin. It still tasted good and I'll forego a tongue lashing because of the Wuhan, but, they better not mis-represent moving forward. The sauce was very thick and sweet. Perhaps a hint of berry. The bun was ok. It came with a side. I chose potato salad. The potatoes were dried from refrigeration (gritty). Plus they were hard (undercooked). They were mixed with a little raw onion or celery or both. Ground black pepper. Skin on. Chunks. Sweet mayo. Not a lot. They also tossed in four cups of side sauces. One was mustardy. One was hottish. One seemed mild. One seemed like catsup and black pepper. They seem to be offering lower pricing. The prices were pretty good regardless. They sell wings, burgers, grilled or fried chicken, fried fish, sausage, ribs, pork, turkey, etc. They have a kids menu. Twelve sides. Sandwich options. On the right side of I-4 going south. At the first light/gas station. In front of the Holiday Inn. Worth a look.

*I think I promised some travel advice. When you get a chance, think about the Panhandle south of Tallahassee on Route 98. St Marks, St Teresa, Carabelle, Panacea and St George Island. Plus lots of oyster, stone crab, shrimp and barbeque places. Even RV parks on the beach (if you are into that).

**I'd also like to remind everyone that: doctors always exaggerate to make themselves look like heros, modeling is unreliable horse shit, there is no way to prove something was an over reaction (so no reason to support that argument)  and the government will always have to inconvenience right minded individuals to "manage" society's lower tiers. I believe some of us will be set free when the "stimulus" checks arrive. It would seem plausible that our quixotic leader will be sick of being "handled" by the doomsayers by then and see the beauty in "releasing" a wave of economic stimulus on the country. That is if that wasn't the plan all along. Ta Ta.

Beacon, New Smyrna Beach

I believe I tried this place years ago. However, it must have been pre-blog. I bought a turkey club to go yesterday at lunch for $8. It comes with cole slaw and French fries. Not that you will be able to act on this because of Gove(imprison)nor DiSpineless. The sandwich was ok. The turkey was pre-sliced garbage. The bacon was good. The fries were crinkle cut and starch coated. I hate starch coating. The cole slaw was minced slop. That said, it's basically just a Greek diner near the beach side of Flagler. The menu is priced very low. Only one thing over single digits. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner items. Not a ton of parking. It seats about forty. It has been there for around fifty years. Fine for a diner type experience. Décor is oldish. Service was polite and quick.

*I have one place more to post about after this. I tried some places in Sanford today, but, they were all closed. I don't think I'll be risking my health further because I can't really drive to any place that I haven't tried yet. In the next post I'll tell you about an area of the state I was pulled back from on Wednesday that is really nice and you should visit when Trump's supporters start bitching and get him and then Spineless to relax travel restrictions.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: That's Amore, Finger Lickin BBQ and Boston's Fish House

I tried these places at dinner this weekend. All to go. The first two on Saturday and the last on Sunday. I had to try something to beat the heat and two weeks of isolation. It appears that the leaders in this area are have a bit more of a backbone and still allowed some beach access. It was mostly respected. A few groups congregated in large numbers around picnic tables. The same people whom I'm sure will blame any disproportionate spread of the disease on a government conspiracy. These restaurants let you order at the register and take the food to go. That was actually better for me. I took it and ate it with a view. It was a sanity saver.

That's Amore - This Italian spot is near the shuffle board club off Flagler on Pine. Parking across the street. It looked scarier than usual with the chairs and tables all piled against the wall. It's dark and stony and woody in the best of circumstances. More wine cave than eatery. I had a 14" pizza to go for $13. It was actually very good as a NY style pizza. Thin bottom crust. Thick rim crust. Very little sauce. It was salty. The cheese layer was twice as thick as the crust. A bit too much. And the quality was industrial. They have a lot of toppings too choose from. Even lump crab meat. They do gluten free crusts and calzones. A 10" is $10. The menu tries to be a bit more. Pappardelle instead of spaghetti. Although they have that too. Plus fettucine, gnocchi, lasagna, penne and tortellini. All over priced ($17-$20). That does make the seafood pasta ($19-$25) seem cheap by comparison. They also do chicken or veal in five styles ($19 - $25). Apps are all near or over $10. Only eight of them. Some salads ($10-$12). Seven $10-$11 paninis. There are owned by twins and have been there for ten years.

Finger Lickin BBQ - This is in the central part of town near US1. On North Orange about a block north off the main through street. One block in from US1. I found you can also get to this area by making a left off 46 at Palmetto. They are open Th-Sn from 11am to 9pm. 6pm on Sunday. Their sign said they are open on Wednesday. Not sure if that is just temporary. They smoke on site. It looks like a cute little shed. A few seats inside. I had a half pound of pulled pork ($6) and a half slab of ribs ($13). Both were good. The pork was too pulled and sauced for me. Sweet sauce. The ribs (8) were long. A little dry. Like they were grilled. I didn't taste much smoke. Beefy flavor. They said they cook them for six hours. So, maybe not in a smoker? I asked for hot sauce. It was a mustardy fruit sauce. Raspberry, citrus and scotch bonnets? They also have fried stuff, seafood, sausage, chicken, brisket (it was twenty minutes from ready), sides, etc. A nice menu. The have been open for four years. Good prices. A bbq chicken sandwich is only $4 at lunch. The sell the meats on a sandwich or by the pound.

Boston's Fish House - I've left off eating here for years because I tried one in Winter Park years ago. They told me this place split from them ten years ago. It is a New England style seafood place (ie chowder and fried clams as the stars). I had a cup of clam chowder for $5 and the seafood trio (fried Point Judith calamari, clam strips and popcorn shrimp) for $15. It's an app. It was very good. A lot of food. Around twelve shrimp. Decent size and fresh tasting and firm. The calamari and clams were hard to judge as usual. Just fried rubber to me. Big portions. The frying was pretty good. The ten minutes it steamed in the box before I unwrapped it probably hurt. It came with "pickled chips". I forgot and tossed them. I wonder what they were like? The chowder was pretty good. Good chowder. The clams were great. Very fresh. Belly meat. The only negative was that the potatoes were a little undercooked. The menu had a lot of market prices. The printed prices were pretty fair. A burger was $11. Clam roll was $15. They serve fish, scallops, linguine, chicken fingers, lobster roll, tacos, po boy, bisque, steamers, chicken, etc. They were giving everyone 10 or 15% off. The place looks cute. Only six booth, a bar and a few tables. License plates on the wall. It's across from the Publix shopping center on 46 before it curves to the right at South Atlantic Ave. M-Th 11am to 9pm. F 11am to 9:30pm. Sa 10am to 9:30pm. Sn 10am to 8:30pm.

*I'd like to offer an observation about the virus. You may have noticed that I travel a lot and I can tell you that I hope that something is done from here on out about the lack of cleaning that goes on in the airline industry. I've seen it deteriorate into nothing. Aside from garbage and lord knows what, I've been made to sit in puke that they had all night to clean. It's disgusting and (now) dangerous. Plus they ley anybody on. I can't tell you how many Typhoid Mary's I've seen boarding a plane. It was a matter of time. Obviously cruise ships can be added to this list. And rental cars. And as I go through a "quarantined" day, I can't believe how many things that I touch that are touched or breathed on by others (atm, food, gas pumps, products, etc). And we live here. You should see the sanitary conditions in the rest of the world. It is actually amazing we don't see more of this.

**I would also like one political official to read The Plague by Albert Camus.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Big Joe's Subs, AA Garden Fusion and General Public House

I tried these places two Wednesdays ago. The first and last are on Canal St in what I have been referring to as the "old" center of town. The second is on Flagler across the bridge nearer to the beach. I went to the first at lunch. I grabbed to go meals at the other two on the way back to Orlando.

Big Joe's Subs and Eatery - This is a very decrepit looking spot right on US1. For a long time I believed it was no longer open by the looks of it. Imagine my surprise when I popped in and saw not only a lunch counter, but, an entire sit down area with booths. From what I remember, they opened this area kind of recently. This owner (from Massachusetts) took over around twenty years ago. The place had been around twenty years before that. I had the 12" All Italian". That is genoa salami, mortadella, capicolla and provolone on a sub roll. They also have 8" and 16". This cost $7.50. The meats were bad. Nothing was cured more than a week or so. Typical Mass-hole stuff. They have no idea how to do deli. I can't remember if the roll was any good. I have a suspicion that my amnesia means it wasn't good. But, I kind of also remember thinking that it was sad that this was the best thing about it. The veg weren't that great either. I had to ask for oil and vinegar. They put mayo on cured meats. This sandwich aside, they also serve pasta, burgers, salads, baskets, fryer snacks and the usual assortment of sandwiches. Maybe those are better? There was a bit of a wait. Only two people composing. It seemed to be popular with the locals. Prices are good. The most expensive thing is a dozen meatballs with garlic bread at $10. Lots of things (ie fried fish sandwich) under $5.

AA Garden Fusion - They renovated this space around a year ago. It has been one of the last ones to get reviewed because they open at 4pm. Way too late for any lunch visits and usually an hour late for take out on the way home. I remembered it as a sushi place (with a different name), but, they said it was always Pan Asian. I grabbed an order of Sunny's Poke chips for $9 because the rest of the things seemed like they'd take too long or didn't look worth the price or I wasn't in the mood for. It was pretty bad. Some store bought shrimp paste chips and some cheap ahi tuna. The only interesting thing on the menu was some thing served in a betel leaf. The rest was everyday Thai, Japanese and Chinese. The place has a patio, a bar and dining area. It has a pastel color scheme. I remember green and blue. It's next to the Hampton Inn. I think they open a bit earlier on the weekends. I think they are closed on Monday or Tuesday.

The General Public House - They took over for a beer-centic place (something silly like Taps) in December. I should have come here for lunch, but the other times I tried, they told me they only did dinner. Must of been the old owners. I grabbed a fried redfish sandwich to go for $15. It came with fries. I had just had a grilled redfish platter in Cedar Key days before and a friend had it fried in a sandwich. I wanted to compare. Their cut was much thicker. It was fried beautifully. The more aggressive cooking treatment didn't seem to harm it. Nice crust. Non-oily. Moist flesh. I liked this better. If they didn't sub it out for grouper (why would anyone do that?), the meat is very flaky. Each "shingle" was a quarter inch thick. I ate the fish on its own and used the vegetable slaw in my tuna sandwich the next day and also used the brioche bun. I ate little bites driving home to make sure that I didn't cheat myself out of the true fried experience. Obviously, those bites were the best and it wasn't as great after a car ride home. I did manage to pop open the to go container to minimize steaming. That helped with the fries. They did the best you can do with these skin on pub fries. Almost crispy. All in all, I liked this dish and the menu. Not too many things. Seemed seasonal. I'd trust them for a full sit down experience. The place looks nice. They also have that gray and black and wood interior design. Brick too. A open, square space. Full length bar on the left side. The staff seemed knowledgeable. Service was quick. I recommend them. They are open all day through. They also serve alcohol.

*This is the end of the road for now. But you can bet that I'll be the first one out of the gate once the panic dissipates.

Grub Crawl - East Colonial: Pho Huong Lan, Banh Mi Boy and Vivi Bubble Tea

I grabbed some things to go after lunch at these places near Mills two Tuesdays ago. The first is in the rear of the strip mall aside from the macaroon place and Anthony's. The second is in Tien Hung Market next to Anh Hong. The third is across the street from them.

Pho Huong Lan - I tried to find another restaurant here over the last few years and it was never open. I tried this place a few months ago and it wasn't open either. Maybe I came too late. I can't remember. I think they close at 8 or 9pm. Huong Lan is the owner. She opened this pho shop three months ago. They offer 6 types in 5 sizes. Meatballs, tendon, brisket, two cuts of beef and one other thing I can't recall. I had the one with the two beef cuts. I think it was a regular size. It cost $10. The broth was beefy. Not sweet. I'm not adept enough to tell you if it (the broth) is home made or not. I forget what to look for. It did have a surface of liquid animal fat. If that is evidence. It was made to go. The veg were fresh and the "fancier" meat was packed raw. That is a first. Usually they cook it a little. It did help keep it from being ruined when I reheated it. The place looks a little like a Far Eastern nightclub. Lots of twinkly lighting, blue color, mirrors that look like they would reveal a peep show. Vietnamese tv on the tv. It seats around thirty. It was packed. All Vietnamese. Maybe some gangsters?

Banh Mi Boy - The younger generation (at the register) convinced the older to let him put up a more contemporary sign. Inside this well stocked market (even some grab and go prepared meals) is a deli counter where they make about ten sandwiches. I had the "traditional" banh mi of head cheese and pate and bologna. It cost $5. It was a very good representation. Great baguette. They also prepare a ton of fresh squeezed drinks. They promoted one made of sugar cane juice. I almost had one. I only didn't because I was going to try the next place in the post. They put that sign up a year ago. The market has been there for  a long time.

Vivi Bubble Tea - They said they have been there for two years. It's a Chinese drink place that offers three or four food specials. I had an oolong "float". They said this was one of those "cheese" teas I've spoken of. I'm not sure if that is the case. If something was lost in translation. If it is, then the big whoop is that it is like a milk foam. It cost $4. It was fine. Like a tea cappuccino. The place looks like every other drink place. Nothing more or nothing less.

*Pho Huong Lan has opened another location at 5600 West Colonial

Boteco de Manolo, International Drive

Well, I have two more posts I can do thanks to my internet being "busy" for the last week. I guess I'll space them out since none of us is eating out in the near future and some of these places may not be back once we are. I tried this Brazilian place on "central" I Drive (kind of across from the side exit of the McDonald's on Sand Lake) two Tuesdays ago at lunch. I thought it was going to be a cheap Italian place (by the looks of it). It's a chain from Brazil. They have a dozen or so around Rio and one in Kissimmee. This one seems like one of the "fancier" ones. They have enlarged photos of some of the locations inside. It's a huge, square space. A patio. A bar area. A private room. A dining area broken into two sections. An open kitchen in the left rear. It must seat one hundred and fifty or more. There were only four or five tables seated. Most seemed Brazilian. I had a lunch special for $15. It was called Picadinho de Picanha. If I can recall, it was rump cap beef chunks and vegetables (This was a lower priced one. They had a more expensive one with a better cut of meat) in a stew that had Madeira and something else in it. Faro and beans came on the side and I think you are supposed to mix them in. I mixed in the faro. It also came with a side of white rice. It (the stew) was very savory. The faro (corn meal) thickened it up. It wasn't necessary though. The portion was huge. Lots of meat. The beans were a bit bland. It was fairly priced. Which I can't say for the rest of the menu. Almost everything except this lunch specials were twice the price. Only two apps were under double digits. And the meals didn't seem very elaborate. Maybe they are family size. But, I've seen quite a few Brazilian places that charge like this. No wonder they are always broke. It's a big menu. Probably sixty or so dishes. They also serve alcohol. There is a sign that said they have been there since 2001. Must have been a really non-descript building. They re-modeled last year. That is how I became aware of them. They had been on the hit list for a year. I'm glad I finally pulled the trigger. I really wasn't in the mood for Italian anyway. The décor is gray, white, black and wood. I'm seeing this color scheme repeated a lot this year. Is this the trend or have they used the same interior design firm? The service was good. They make them wear a uniform. It's not a world beater or the only game in town, but, they do a perfectly adequate job of giving you a Brazilian experience. A bit overpriced in my opinion. Let's hope that Brazilians don't think of them as their Applebeee's. How embarrassing for me if they do. A "boteco" is a little restaurant in Portuguese. So I'ms told (Caddyshack reference). You can take it or leave it. There are so many Brazilian options that you can be choosey.

*There is a sports bar across the street that was a Greek place recently. It looked deserted. I was going to try and get a to go order put in. It seemed like they weren't open for lunch. But, I think they are.

Grub Crawl - South Orange: Hungry Pants (Closed) and Mooya

I tried these places on South Orange (a little south of Michigan) on Tuesday at lunch. The first has been open for at least six months. The second just opened that day (coincidentally).

Hungry Pants - This is a mostly vegan joint in the spot that I think was last called Carol's. I had a cheeseburger for $9 and a butternut squash soup for $4. They have a few "meat" options. One other was salmon. I forget the others. The soup was mostly healthy. Just a swirl of cream on top. The stock was probably vegetable or just straight squash (pureed). I've had more flavorful attempts, but, it was good. Big bowl. Some ginger. The only drawback was a bit of veggie "grit" in the soup. Maybe the squash wasn't totally ripe (or some rind got in there) because it didn't taste of ginger. The burger was presented nicely. A bit overcooked. It also had a gritty feel that may have been due to some binder. It also had a bit of seasoning to it. Less than that Streetwise burger I didn't really love. They served a sweet red cabbage slaw on the side. The rest of the menu is around the same prices for apps and salads and faux meats. The place looks like it was furnished by Ikea. The color scheme is gray and wood. A few patterns add color. Framed pants. It seats about forty. There were around twenty there. The staff is a bit low energy. I never know if that is the result of "medication" or iron deficiency. It's an "order at the front of house" and we deliver sort of place. Some guys on the radio were bitching about how places like these are annoying because they force you to add on a tip BEFORE you receive the service. It made me laugh that that was what I walked into. All in all, they seem to care. I wasn't dying to check them out, but, I wasn't disappointed. If you are vegan, you may appreciate the place more than I. I think they may just be open for breakfast and lunch. I didn't love the $3 iced tea.

Mooyah - They said they are a chain out of Texas. It's pretty much burgers and fries and shakes. I grabbed a quarter pound burger with green chili queso and lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and ketchup to go. It cost $6.50. One dollar extra for cheese. It was pretty good. Like Burger Fi, etc. The bun was a potato bun. They also have a half pounder, turkey or black bean patty. And a hot dog. You can get a multigrain bun or gluten free or a lettuce leaf wrap. Bacon. Avocado. Other toppings and sauces. They use somebody called Dr Praeger for the black bean burger. Jennie O on the turkey. They have hand cut Idaho or sweet potato fries. Tenders and grilled cheese for the kiddies. They are in the strip mall that had the Lucky Market. I believe the condos are called Ecco. There is a PDQ in front. It has a red, white and black color scheme. Lots of white tile. Plenty of seats. Order at the counter. There may be more on the way. You probably won't make the trip just for them, but, it's safe if you do. Nothing earth shattering. The burger had a beefy taste. Not overdone. There is a Twisty Treat opening next door. I thought the crowd was pretty big, but, the owner seemed disappointed. I'm not sure how much marketing they did.

Grub Crawl - West Colonial: Mr Wang Sports BBQ and Taglish

I tried these places on Sunday night. The first is in the strip mall on the south side of Kirkman that has the something Sparkling something Market. The second is in the strip mall on John Young that has the Lotte Market.

Mr Wang Sports BBQ - I don't get the "sports" part because the place is wall papered with anime, but, the bbq part is legit. I've had meats roasted on wooden sticks from Japan and Korea, but, these are Chinese. It's the same concept. They sprinkle theirs with some kind of spicy powder that I'd peg as togarashi (chili powder). I had a sampling. Chicken hearts ($2), chicken gizzards ($2), beef back strap ($3), lamb kidney ($3) and pork feet ($5). The kidney and hearts were the most palatable. The feet didn't have much meat. A German pig knuckle has more meat. Although, I think that comes from on top of the foot. This was all skin and fat. A knob of meat. The gizzards (quasi-stomach) is just crunchy. The back straps are mis-translated. I think it is supposed to be a muscle near the spine. This just seemed like skin. I just ordered those two because they were odd. They also had lamb, beef, tendon, sausage, chicken bone, fish ball, chicken wing and 12 vegetable skewers. The squid skewer looked good. They also have shrimp, oyster and scallop on the seafood side. Some odder dishes were: smashed cucumber, sugar tomato, nut (peanut) and edamame, vinegar jelly fish, ice rice and  pork skin jelly. They also had some noodle and rice dishes. 6 Chef specials. It is in a small room. It may seat forty. I was expecting some hokey Mongolian barbeque. It was a hip Chinese izakaya. Who wudda thunk it? One hang up. They only open at 2pm. I'd seek it out for the novelty alone. They said it was Northern Chinese food. It sounded like Xi'An, but when I suggested that that was the "noodle" place, I got a blank stare. So who knows what city they were trying to describe. They have been open for a year.

Taglish - I just read a review in the Weekly and there was another hanging from the Sentinel above the register. That is pretty quick for a four month old food stall. I assume both were good reviews. I have to join the chorus. I loved my sisig (scrapings from a pig's head). The owner said they use more pork belly, etc than the traditional method. For anyone too perplexed by the thought of eating brain and cheeks. There was a ton of succulent pork. It's on a bed of rice. Garlic mayo, pickled jalapeno, garlic, tomato and onion and a poached (seemed more fried) complete the dish. It cost $11. It also comes in eggplant. I ordered it because it's how I judge a Filipino place. They also serve bbq chicken sticks, adobo chicken, longsilog (sausage), lechon kawali (pork belly), milkfish, monggo guisado (mung bean stew), fried chicken escabeche, kare kare (oxtail and short rib stew) 2 burgers, 2 burritos, pork belly sandwich, street corn, chicharrones, lumpia (spring rolls), potatoes, chicken skewers, sisig fries, stewed mung beans, pickled papaya salad, garlic rice, shaved ice and salted duck egg. I had one of those for $1. It was un-fetused. Too salty for me. I'd make the trip if I was you. It's in a great market and there are five other interesting stalls there as well. I'll list them below. The owner told me he has had places in Honolulu and Vegas.

*Lotte is a huge retailer in Korea. I ate their sushi every night for a week straight last April. Billboards and locations everywhere. The stalls in there were: Izziban Katsu, Seoul Soon Tofu, Pho 54, Joen and Itea. There selection of Korean and Asian goods is also worth the trip. It's on the right side of the complex in the back.

Chica's Cuban Cafe, DeLand *FL GC Travel Notes

I stopped at this Cuban place at Woodland Blvd (is that the cross or the main street?) on Sunday at lunch while coming back from Cedar Key. It is on the side of some hotel that may or not be an artisan hotel or is called the Artisan hotel. They said they have been there for two years after moving from another location. There is a main room and a awning covered patio. They both run down the side of the hotel. Rectangular. They had no host. I had to walk to the end of the long room to be told to grab any seat. Most still had not been bussed. The floors were dirty. I had a bowl of chicken soup for $5 and the Chica's chicken platter for $11. The soup was pretty bland. The noodles were disintegrating. Fairly healthy though. Real veg. A fair amount of chicken. The platter came with two sides. I chose tostones and yucca mojo. The tostones (3) were kind of dry. Not sure of their age. The yucca was excellent. Garlic and onion. Good consistency. Big portion. The chicken was like stir fried Chinese. They said it was thighs as if that was a selling point and not the cheapest part of the bird. I know. It's the most flavorful. Gimme a break. The oddest thing was that I coaxed out of them that the "special" sauce ingredient was ranch dressing. How Cuban! In any case, it was alright. A fair portion. The menu is me-too Cuban. The place has some attempts at decoration that are probably leftovers from the previous tenant. It seats about eighty. It was full. Service was a little flighty. They brought both dishes out within minutes of each other. It's not a destination spot.

*Be prepared for an assault of posts. I cut short my spring training trip because traffic was murder and hotels scarce on the Gulf Coast. So, I have a rental car and time to fill. I'll try and space them apart by two days. I already have three multiple restaurant posts in the queue. Not much new in Deland. A new taco truck on the side street that has Persimmon Hollow. Plus another brewery is in the works down the street. Hyder something.

**Travel Notes - Florida Gulf Coast: If you every get to Cedar Key (Gainesville and then down on 24 or 40W to 27N to 24) try and find a little seafood wholesaler called Cooke's Seafood. Through the main part of town. They have great stone crab, blue crab, shrimp, clams and oyster prices. A pound of stone crabs was $17 (mediums) or $26 for large. Nice family too. The better restaurant there was called 83 West. Sit upstairs. Twice as nice and half the price of the competition. It made no sense.

Grub Crawl - Disney Springs: City Works and Pepe

I tried these two spots at lunch last Thursday. They are closer to the Cirque du Soleil tent. Orange lot.

City Works - This is the new (one month) pub type place across from HOB. I had fried chicken sandwich for $18. Needless to say, it wasn't worth it. Dry, mealy meat. Thin, long piece. The crust was ok. I didn't care for the honey mustard or pickles. Shredded lettuce was the only other element. The bun was the best thing. It came out in two minutes. They must have them pre-cooked and ready to go like a fast food place. It came with fries. They had a good color, but, they didn't have a crisp mouth feel. Plus, some had little pockets of oil (remember Aqua Fresh gum?) living inside them. The oil they used was old or poor tasting. It came on a rectangular white dish. The menu is mostly burgers and sandwiches. They have some 'cue, tacos and breakfast items. Some salads, soups and apps. The "Mains" are $22 to $36. On the app side, they have things like kung pao cauliflower, firecracker rolls, fried pickles, cheese curds, flatbreads, etc. From $10 to $18. On the breakfast menu, they had burritos and even that Middle Eastern egg dish (shakshuka). That was surprising. The place is very large. It must seats over one hundred easily. Huge TV's at the bar. Lots of craft beer. That seems like their signature. It has very high ceilings. Wood on wood, exposed air ducts, black ceiling. Lots of high tops. Service was good. It's mostly what I expected it to be. If they could actually deliver on the concept of the menu, it may be worth the Disney pricing. Since you are ostensibly at Disney and will have to get hosed somehow by some one. They need to get that part of the equation sorted out first.

Pepe by Jose Andres - They said this was open when Jaleo opened, but, I don't recall seeing it. My loss. This little take out spot is possibly the best value at the Springs. I grabbed a gazpacho for a mere $3 and a Serrano ham and Manchego cheese "Flauta" (skinny baguette) for $9. The gazpacho was sold in a little plastic bottle. It must have had some (or all) beet in it. Never had that before. I prefer tomato or almond. It was fine. But, I loved the packaging and the price. The sandwich was extremely tasty. They sell similar quality ones in Spain for $5 euros, so, this is a bit more. But, it was twice as good as my chicken sandwich that costs twice as much across the street. The bread was great. They oiled it up. Ham and cheese were obviously delightful. They also sell patatas bravas, two other sandwiches and just a few other things. It's a peculiar assortment of hand held items.

*Also new will be an ice cream place and another restaurant where Bongo's was. The restaurant will be called Beatrix. I'm not sure what it will serve. Nothing has started there yet. The sign said - restaurant, market and coffee bar. The ice cream place said - Ample Hills Creamery. Their sign said they opened in 2011 in Brooklyn. I guess it was a craze I never was informed of. It seemed closer to completion. And the NBA store is open. No restaurant there.

Pub/Grub Crawl - Sanford: The Basin and Salvatore's (Closed)

These two are in the new Henry's Depot on 1st St. I went to the first place on Friday night and the second on Saturday at lunch. All the food stalls are now open (on days they are open). A poke, pizza, taco, ice cream and one other. I'll try them soon. None looked too world beating.

The Basin - They are a bar in the rear and have been open for seven months. They had some live music and a nice Eighties "pre-Emo" playlist after that. Think The Cure/Depeche Mode/New Order. It's basically a L shaped bar and some seats on the floor. I had a shot and a craft beer. Both were only $5. Around a dozen people were there at nine-ish. More of a cocktail bar than a dive bar. They had some kind of music festival there on Saturday.

Salvatore's - It's a sandwich stall by a guy from Rochester who named it after his father. He is very nice. I wish his sandwiches were a little more substantial or cheaper, so that I could give you a reason to bother. I had a classic Italian for $11. It's worth maybe $8. It was prosciutto, salami and ham on a roll. He added pepperoni for me. He uses Boar's Head meats. He seemed pretty impressed by that. Me not so much. You can get that at Publix. I at least expected some imports. Some regional super brand. The vegetables were also all wrong for an Italian style sandwich. He put on some field green blend that is fine on a French or American sandwich, but not on an Italian. Stick with arugula. There was also some tomato and some cheese. Mozz or provolone. Maybe oil and vinegar? Mayo. The bread is purchased from a local source and given an oil bath and sprinkled with dried rosemary. It can get into dental cavities and cause some discomfort. Plus it doesn't help the flavor of the sandwich. Clashes. The size too, is kind of puny. The size of a Jersey Mike's regular. I think that is eight inches if they don't short you. Which they do. The most expensive of their overpriced menu is $8.50. And that is roast beef that they say they roast themselves. They also have roast beef here. Boar's Head. That and a few more sandwiches. All around the same price. That is basically it. The meat coverage was basically one layer high (3 to 4 slices). Some more of the ham. I went to a place down the street for some pizza (because the pizza guy wasn't ready for customers at eleven) and they were selling sandwiches for $8. I think the sandwiches here have to get thicker, longer or more special (maybe pork and broccoli rabe or porchetta) if the price points are to remain at these levels. That said, the guy is nice. Although, I'll probably get the stink eye the next time I pass through.

All these stalls have been open for two weeks. Three weeks now.

Crafty Crab, Altamonte Springs

I tried this two week old seafood boil restaurant just south of 436 on 434 on Thursday for a late lunch. It's right off the road in a spot that was once a Himalayan barbeque place. After Backyard Burgers. It wasn't my first choice, but, I couldn't find that. I had actually been laughing at the proliferation of these places while driving around town. This must be the new "it" girl. Poke, we hardly knew ya. I ponied up for a combo of snow crab and crawfish for $19. A half pound of each. I'm not into these places. Usually the seafood is overcooked from frozen stock. This however wasn't half bad. Seemingly fresh. Now, I did have them add the "boom". That is a mix of all three of their flavorings (Cajun, buttery garlic and lemon pepper). Maybe that hid any funk. But, I swear the snow crab was juicy and plump. Not scarred with frost. A half of a crab. The crawfish were also ok. Around ten bugs. It also came with a quarter ear of corn (very fresh and not soggy) and two racquetball sized potatoes. They all arrived on a round, steel tray with a plastic "balloon" sealing in the goodness. I wonder if they steam or boil. Probably boil since they call it that. Not bad for the inferior cooking method. They also sell blue crab (ran out and that's what I would have ordered), king crab, lobster tail, dungeness crab, shrimp, clams and mussels. Head on or off shrimp. Clams are the cheapest at $10 a pound. Then crawfish at $11. Then mussels and blue crab at $13. Then whole shrimp at $16. Headless shrimp at $19. $25 for snow crab. $29 for Dungeness, $32 for lobster. And $33 for king. They have five combos (half and half). They also sell raw oysters, steamed oysters and scallops, six fried things (seven if you include cheese sticks), wings, gumbo, ten sides and three salads (only one is vegetables) and two desserts. The place has lots of wood and nautical looking things and plastic fish and license plates. It seats about eighty. Separate bar area. Washing station. There were about twenty people there at 3:30pm. Service was good. Not much to do, Since these places are now a dime a dozen, I'm not sure you need to seek these guys out. But, maybe there really is some separation when it comes to quality. I was told they are a chain. Birthplace unclear. She's crafty. Now let's see if she gets around.

Streetwise Urban Food, OIA Area - Closed

I tried this place just under two weeks ago on my way to the airport. It's on Hoffner (a half a mile west of 436) in a strip mall across from the larger supermarketed strip mall across the street. I believe they have been open for a month or two. I had a burger with pepperoni and mozzarella that is basically a pizza burger and their idea of urban street food. The patty was heavily seasoned with spices. I hate that. The beef also had that weird taste you get from places where the cows look like wildebeasts and have their ribs sticking out of their skin. It came on a brioche. Some would say that that lends it a layer of flavor. I would say it clashes with all the others. The temp was good. It was an ok size. They also serve it as a double and I think that would be too much. I kind of remember some kind of sauce on it. It also came with fries. I think they were good. The forgettable-ness of the meal says a lot. It cost $8. A similar burger with sweet plantains was about as exotic as it gets. I believe they claim to serve world cuisine. I believe the owner is Haitian. Name is Saint Pierre. The menu didn't seem very international. The only other items are other burgers, cheese steaks and a chicken and waffles dish that just looked like chicken fingers and which they could only make one order at a time. That is how I settled on a burger. I didn't want to wait. Sodas were too expensive at $3. It's a fast food type place after all. There was some talk of breakfast and if they did do it and stopped and/or if they are going to start/restart it in the future. The owner was there the first time I stopped for a recon. But, he wasn't there at lunch time this time. Just two Filipinas. The place seats about thirty. It is a long, rectangular space. Seats on the left side. A tv. Kind of modern. white. Not a must add to your collection. I think they said they are open late (after 8pm for Orlandoze).  Maybe that is a reason to try them if you are flying in at night.

*I had only one semi-new experience in Mexico. a Burger King taco looking thing called a taco de canasta. I had mine stuffed with chichurron. You could get the usual fillings.

Dexter's New Standard, Winter Park - Closed

I tried this upgrade of Dexter's in Hannibal Square today for lunch. It is located on Lee Rd and 17-92 in the spot that was that gastro pub from Tony Roma's (next to Miller's Ale House). They shut down the most recent locale and went a little higher end here. They have been open for six months. The interior seemed similar to the last tenant. I'll bet they did an overhaul. But, you can't really tell. The band area in the back is new. Maybe the patio? The color scheme is like Morgan Freeman's stubbly face (without the moles). Brown, gray and white. It's kind of farmy steam punk. It looks good. They even have a live succulent centerpiece on each white table clothed table.

The food was excellent and seemed to be taken seriously. They print the menus daily, so, I won't go into too much detail about what they serve. It probably changes a lot. The insta-celeb of the moment seemed to be tilefish. Therefore, I had to try some version of it. This took me away from my desired choice, so, I had that to go. The tile character I settled on was the cornmeal fried oyster and tilefish po boy at $12. It was served open face on a respectable bottom half of a baguette. Not overly lengthy. The oysters and the tilefish were done perfectly. No grease. Moist. Crunchy. Superb. They drizzled a little remoulade on top and the micro greens, slaw and tomato were very fresh. It was assembled with care as well. Probably tonged. It came with fries. They managed to crisp up some skin on numbers. Usually beyond the skill of most gastronauts. And the folks at El Vic's should come and see how to incorporate the paper in a fry arrangement. And actually how to run a restaurant in general. I digress. The to go show starred their pulled duck sandwich. Dexter's does one of my absolute favorites. This is not that. I would submit that this one is not as good. It is still good, but, it's too healthy. It's just duck (not very unctuous) and slaw and cranberry something or other on a brioche. Not very manly. It cost $13. It was pretty good. The po boy was better. Everybody say Po Po! Do you think someone should do a "po po" po boy? It would have to be made with pork, wouldn't it? So many possibilities.

The pricing, in general, isn't that onerous. A soda did not top $2.50. And it came with a fancy bamboo straw (it was paper, plastic police) in a nifty looking glass. And they brought an entirely new glass in lieu of a top up. I would have bet you lunch that the soda would have been $3 or $4. Finally a place with a conscience. Service was uniformed, informed  and attentive. Answered all my questions. Like "what is terses major". An inner shoulder cut that looks like a tenderloin. They even came over and served me a slice. That is on the lunch menu. Mostly sandwiches and appetizers. The dinner menu has a few more things like rib eye (kind of expensive at $39 I think), pork chops (slighty better at high twenties), chicken (low twenties) and some vegany stuff (oddly expensive). It's a very manageable menu. The kitchen is on the left side walking in and is open. Bar and patio an the right. Seats about one hundred. Around three tables full at one pm.

I'll most likely put them on the favorite's list. It may take one more tasting. This will be the last post for a little while, so, reread the previous ones if you get withdrawals. I felt I had to squeeze this one in because they deserve the pub. This will sit on top of the queue for a little while. That should benefit them.

Grub Crawl - New Smyrna Beach: Sundown Smokehouse, The Taco Shack and Uncle Chicken's

I tried these three places on US1 to the left of 44 (north from inland downtown) on Wednesday afternoon. The first two I had at lunch. The third I got to go later in the day. As usual (part of the flawed or sadistic design or the Universe), the worse the place looked on the outside, the better the food was.

Sundown Smokehouse - They are on the right side of the road about a quarter mile down. They opened six months ago. I had their beef brisket sandwich with potato salad for $10. It was roast beef. No smoke flavor at all. No bark. No fat. No oil. And they sliced it thin. We know I disagree with that.  It barbeque not delicatessen. They said they smoked it for 20 hours. That seemed odd to begin with. Either the help doesn't know enough or there has been a change in the practice of smoking meat. And if it was smoked that long, it just makes the results more perplexing. I won't say it was bad roast beef. Just not barbeque. The bun was also low grade. The potato salad tasted and looked like Publix potato salad. Over all a weak showing. They also sell pork, turkey, chicken, tri-tip, burnt ends and ribs. It appears that they hail from St. Louis. I haven't had true St. Louis style (in situ), but, this doesn't make me anxious. And I believe that St. Louis style ribs just refers to the cut. So, they may be bland too. The place is in a little shack. Around five table inside and a patio spot on the side. It is all new and clean. I think Monday was the only day they are closed.

The Taco Shack - Kind of like 'the" Ohio State University (who else was exactly causing the confusion?), this is "the" taco shack. And like the Buckeyes, they are pretty good at what they do. They are down the road a little bit on the left. In a covered patio attached to the take out window. It's like a food truck with attached seating. They have been here for nine years. It had a line! Parking was wait and see. I grabbed the 3 for $5 Shack Taco's ($2 a piece). They let me have one of each (ground beef, roasted pork and shredded chicken). I also selected hard corn tortillas. They were damn good. American style. Lettuce, cheese and tomato (not too hot sauce on the side). The ground beef had some kind of spice in it like turmeric or nutmeg. The roast pork was so oily good. The chicken was a bit bland. Still good. They packed them full of meat. They also sell steak, shrimp, fish and black bean filled tacos. The usual other Mexican options and some Latin options like tripleta, pastelon, mofongo, empanadas, Cubans, etc. Prices are great. They even do a puffy taco. Great find.

Uncle Chicken's - They are also on the left side. Diagonal from Sundown. They have a tiny space and sign that you can easily drive right by. There is a building next to it that they say will became a sit down adjunct one day. Attached, uncovered, picnic style seating is what they have now. I was stunned when I saw that the menu had creamy Pinot Grigio chicken and mushroom soup and Maine lobster for example. I don't trust any one really to deliver good lobster outside of the Northeast or Canada, so, I stuck to the soup and some barbeque (to contrast with Sundown). They also fessed up to using frozen lobster. However, they said they have relationships with other spots in town to help with the sourcing of certain things and to make sure the stuff the get is as good as it gets. It seems like they give a damn. The soup cost $5.75 for a bowl ($3.75 for a cup). It was almost very good. The chicken and little black mushrooms were plentiful and tasty. The wine in the soup was a bit overpowering. Either the alcohol hadn't burned off or it was old or it was cheap to begin with. Otherwise, very good and good on you for trying. I also had a Briskporken sandwich. That allowed me to try their pulled pork, brisket and chicken. It cost $12 and came with fries. All meats were properly done. They cut the brisket thick. It had smoke flavor and bark. They, also, said they smoked it for 20 hours. The smoker is in the front of the parking lot. The bun was good. The portions were large. The fries were very crisp. They also sell burgers, hot dogs, gyros, livers, gizzards, quesadillas, tacos, wraps, ribs, chicken, sandwiches, beer, wine and more. They even sous-vide. They have been open for 2 and half years. Great little snack bar plus.

Susuru, Disney Area *SF Travel Notes

I tried this post year old Izakaya in the second strip mall off I-4 (Disney Springs exit) on Tuesday night. The road the strip mall is on is called Palm Parkway. It's up a block or two on the right. There is another Japanese restaurant on the end. Let me start by saying it will be on the Favorite's List. If I lived down here, I would eat here every week. Too bad it isn't open during the day. I had a sampling. $3 takoyaki (2). $6 Cashu Gohan (rice bowl with pork belly). $7 okonomiyaki (fritter/hash like dish). $5 short rib yakitori (skewer) . 2 $2.50 chicken heart hatsu (skewer). I needed a baby Bjorn for my stomach on the way out. The takoyaki were very soft. The only other time I've had them this way (I believe the proper way) was at a five star yelp rated place in Vegas. These were a little more "runny" than those, but, at least they are failing in the right direction. The octopus was fresh and tender if not pervasive. I think they are a Tuesday only event. The okonomiyaki was served first and could have served as the whole meal. The only other time I've had this was at a little shop near NYU and they were filming it for tv, so, I suppose they did it the right way. This one was thicker and more formed than the one in NY. There they threw some cabbage on a grill and then some batter and other things. That one I think had some sea critter in it. Possibly octopus. This one was disc like. Less greasy. It came with a spatula to cut it into slices/pieces. Very good. The rice bowl was an afterthought that I'm glad I afterthought of. The pork (belly) was unctuous and delicious. Tons of it. The rice was great. It came with other toppings which elude me at the moment. Again, it could have been the meal unto itself. The short rib replaced beef tongue which they ran out of. It was great too. Four big hunks of (once again) unctuous beef. So good, I saved it for my last bite. *Do you ever find that the second to last bite usually is the best for some reason? And even though you have only two bites staring back at you, you always take the wrong one (if you are saving the best for last), the best one. Anyway. The chicken hearts were also magic. Four to a skewer. A half a heart was a piece. Great grilled flavor. Fresh. A soda was even only $2 (with refills). And to think I almost stormed out because they told me there was a thirty minute wait (it was only five minutes) with plenty of open tables at nine pm. And that could be the sole issue. They don't have enough bus people. The hostess had to help out and many tables sat in their grossness for far to long. Not to mention the opportunity cost. The place is a square room with the kitchen in the right rear corner. A high chair area is in front of it. It seats about sixty. It was full and people were still coming in after me. The crowd was all over the map. It's decorated with all kinds of Japanese pop culture and marketing paraphernalia. The menu has five or six sections. I ate a thing or two from most to give you and idea of them (not the ramen though). The Japanese sake, beer and soju selection was good. Not too expensive either. The service was as fast as the kitchen would allow. Polite. The owners (2) are not Japanese, but, you (or I) wouldn't know it. This place has been on my hit list for a while and I've had several hiccups trying to scratch it off. I'm glad I persevered. It's worth a potential battle with I-4 and Disney traffic. I believe they also run Jade in College Park. This is much better.

*Travel Notes - San Francisco : Here are a few things I tried or saw in San Francisco. Salt and Pepper Wings at Dim Sum Corner on Grant. They were ok. Needed a stint in the oven after frying though. They also had a egg custard lava bao that I've never seen before. I also asked about the cheese topped tea that I mentioned I saw this summer in England (and they offered). They said it tasted like cheesecake. I was too parched to take the chance. Went with iced coffee milk tea boba. I, also, had a great lettuce cup dish at R&G Lounge on Kearney. It was like the squab or chicken cups you see at other places. This was made with shrimp and scallops and Chinese sausage. So good. Quality seafood. I also had a really good chicken salad at Trader Vic's and a double double on the Wharf that renewed my faith in In and Out. And since I appear to be going into detail, I had a good brisket sandwich at Big Nate's at the Chase Center of all places and some interesting sour dough options at Boudin on the Wharf.

Grub/Pub Crawl - Sanford: Louise's Cellar, Ellen's Wine Room, Brix & Mortar, Loggerhead Distillery and Tuffy's

I tried these spots in downtown (on the lake) last Friday in between the hours of 7pm and 11pm.

Louise's Cellar - I stumbled upon this little tapas themed place on Sanford Ave (near Westside or West End whatever it is Bar) after I was informed that Brix & Mortar does not serve anything other than a shit-cuturie board and everything across the street at Seoul Sushi cum food truck (at Celery City) was two times more expensive than it deserves to be. It is also a bottle shop and odds and ends shop. It has been in business for two years. It's easy to pass by. I settled on some lamb lollipops (2) over couscous (Israeli). It was one of the few "entrée level" things on the menu. It was better than I expected. Especially the lamb. It cost $16. The bar and food are run by separate entities. You will have to pay two checks. The food was served (and I suspect prepared) by a one armed woman. Not that it matters in any way other than I'm impressed at the adaptability of the human species, but, it's not something you are exposed to every day. The bar is run by a very attractive and boisterous Puerto Rican woman with a seemingly larger than average familiarity with world culture. The place is named for her grand mother and it seems like she could have been the interior designer. It's very boho chic. If chic at all. There is a bar and the rest of the "dining room' is just a few tables and sitting areas with sofas. They have a big selection of non "me too" wines and craft beer. The food menu is heavy on the little Spanish appetizers that are nearly as expensive as the mains. There were four people at the bar and two idiots snickering over on line (and headphone-lessly broadcast) videos. Is that what passes for date night now? They were ancient too. What gives? There is a large-ish patio too. Not a bad little find.

Ellen's Wine Room - I walked down the block to see what was new (a cigar bar, a goth bar named Mannikan;s, a bar called Buddha something, Throwback's Bar, Sanford Ave Bar. - a few of these I named before) and ended up here. It is a wine store that serves some things by the glass and has live music. Me and one other man on a computer were the only ones there. I had a glass of wine for $8. Big pour. It was relaxing. They said they have been open at night for nine years. I could swear it was closed every time I've walked by in the evening.

Brix & Mortar Urban Winery - On off shoot of a place in Austin. They buy grapes and make shitty wine out of it. I had a watery and disappointing 2018 dry rose made from Washington grapes for $8. This batch was from the Austin "winery", so, it should have had any kinks worked out. It doesn't bode well for the Sanford made inventory. Rose has to be one of the easiest types to get right. They offer four whites, three pinks, eight reds and three fruits. A flight (5) is $15. The place is an L rectangular shape. Skinny from left to right. The bar is on the right side in the front. There is a mingling area in the rear. It looks nice and modern. Some wood and a lot of white. It is next to The Old Jailhouse and you can watch them eat through a curious window wall. They opened two weeks ago.

Loggerhead Distillery - They can't sell here, so, it is free samples. They have four options for now. A flavored and unflavored moonshine and a flavored and unflavored vodka. All were very good. The flavored moonshine was apple pie something or other. It was very tasty. The swag is cool as hell. Great logo, etc. The place looks cool. Wood and glass. It is on West 2nd near Fuel BBQ and a restaurant I can't think of right now. They closed at nine pm. Open for under a year.

Tuffy's Bottle Shop Lounge - Down the street (leaving town) by a block from Loggerhead. I wrote about them a year or so ago. This time it was packed. I camped out in the rear bar (serve yourself area) and never left. The bartender and another couple were throwing around "tastes" of all kinds of great beer and cider and whiskey. It was a very 'informative" experience. The selection is excellent. Prices weren't bad at all. The only irritating thing was a $3 corkage fee on all drinks. Still a good deal. Probably my favorite bar in Sanford for whatever reason. They are also building some big events space in the rear.

*the food hall on the main street into town may be two weeks away.

Cask & Larder, OIA

One more interruption before I get back in order. I ate here last Saturday night. I never fly out of this terminal (Gates 100+). Of course we give Southwest and Alaska our best terminal with the best food because everything is ass backwards in this town. They told me that they closed the one in Winter Park and this one is not just an airport knock off but a "real" dining effort. It has been here for a few years (3?). I wasn't really hungry, but, I grabbed a bacon cheeseburger (with chips) and an ice tea from the to go window. It was good. The burger was a bit worked over and over cooked, but, it still had a nice beefiness and char to it. The bun was good. The bacon was very good and thick and smoky. The tomatoes were treated in some unusual way. Almost a cross between a pickling and  a sun dried flavor. It also came with bibb lettuce. It cost a reasonable $10. The tea cost under $3. The chips were an artisan sounding packaged kind. The burger costs a few bucks more if you dine in. They said it would be bigger though. The menu seemed similar to the Winter Park one. It has been a while. Prices too. They also sell pre made meals and local snacks l(ike Wondermade marsh mellows)in the to go area. The setting is open with a kind of latticed dome over head. There is a separate bar area too. It's easily the best food experience at the airport. I believe they stay open until around 8pm (or when the place clears out).

Grub Crawl - College Park: El Vic's Kitchen (Closed) and Bagel Bruno

I'm going to go out of order for the first time because I feel I need to contribute a public service asap and give a gut check to an establishment that is in a death throe. I will tell you about my Friday night when I get back. I went to these places today at lunch time.

El Vic's Kitchen - They replaced a nice French place (Tartine) on Edgewater (where Tin & Taco is) around two months ago. That is more than enough time to work out the kinks and less than enough time to be showing such weariness. They have already abandoned the breakfast menu. However, they haven't even changed the hours on their window. Anal is not something I would ascribe to management. They did next to nothing with the interior. They took down a poster of France and put up some lettering that calls out the name. My table cloth and seat had crumbs on it. No table setting. When the only other people (2) got up to leave, they didn't replace the table cloth or even "snap" it out or brush it down. I doubt they have EVER been changed (or laundered). The floors were equally dirty. And the counter top. I'd hate to do a finger test. They had only one well meaning, but, mostly clueless tween waitress. I'd wager she was a relative. I ordered a Golden Cubano because it seemed like the simplest and cheapest way out of this apparent nightmare. They didn't even press it. It was to come with cheddar cheese. The "golden' part. It was a shredded cheese blend from the supermarket. As was the "baguette". Straight up Publix bread complete with the machine "braille' marks underneath. It was also stale. 3/4 of the sandwich was bread. The one piece of ham was probably from Publix too. The veg were of poor quality, flavorless and wilting. The Swiss cheese was not melty. It came with fries. 3/4 were undercooked. Plus, in a bit of Indian thrift, they put a crumpled piece of paper in the container to limit the fry out take. The best part of the dish for the garlic spread. It cost $11. The plating was cute. On a slice of tree trunk plate with a basket for the fries. $3 mini glass of soda with ice. It took too long to come out. They seemed to be more focused on their buffet (which should have already been finished by 12:30 for a place that opens at 11). Plus, I doubt any more people were coming for the buffet than were coming to Eleanor Rigby's wedding. The menu is a weird collection of "world cuisine". Mostly Indian though. They had some things that seemed interesting (mushroom cappuccino soup) and some that did not (Shepard's Pie quesadilla). But, I think the soup was just a play on names. The only thing they described in the description line was that it came with truffle oil. What makes it cappuccino? Probably just the color. I saw three of the kitchen staff.. They looked like a work release. I could continue to list the failings of this endeavor, but, I doubt they would benefit from any of it. They need someone with management experience. It seems to be a cook run business. A cook that doesn't have front of the house or back office experience. I expect you will be reading their obituary any week now and I'll have to haul my ass back here to chronicle the next disaster.

Bagel Bruno - They took over Hubbly Bubbly near Edgewater High and Ollie's  in November. They sell bagels with schmears and as sandwiches. Around 5 breakfast types. Nothing out of the ordinary. And 5 sandwich like bagels. Same. I grabbed a $4 sesame with cream cheese. It is a properly made (puffy), good looking bagel with proper cream cheese. Full sesame seed coverage. The bagel is $2 and the schmear is $2. They partner with Foxtail Coffee. The place is modern and cute. Bagels are displayed on a glass wall (hanging on glass poles). They have a little patio. Parking is sufficient

Mai Thai, Downtown *NV/AZ/NM Travel Notes

I tried this Thai (though not all dishes are Thai) spot (in the old Artisan's Table location) on Pine yesterday at lunch. I think I recently remarked on it as Muy Thai. That would have been more clever. I'm not sure why my synapses misfired when I plugged this into my brain. It has a mostly ordinary selection of Thai dishes. The outliers include grouper, short ribs and a rib eye in the Specialty section. Other than that, it is 4 noodle dishes, 7 stir fry dishes, 3 fried dishes, 2 duck, curry rice dishes, 11 apps, 5 soups and 5 salads. I chose the red curry with chicken because I hadn't had that in while. It comes with bell pepper, carrots, bamboo, snow peas, zucchini and basil. I avoided the peppers. It cost $10 (at lunch - $13 at dinner). It was fine. The chicken was a little plastic-y. A fair volume. The rice was over cooked. The veg were cut into little shapes. Served on a white plate (rice) and a trapezoidal white bowl. The meal began with a comp Thai spring roll and a iceberg lettuce and carrot salad with an orange zest dressing. The décor is similarly ho hum to the menu. A huge, open plan, high ceilinged box that seats over 100 in 25 tables of 4. A bar area is up front. The colors are white, black and some shade of pastel that I believe was in the red spectrum. Maybe it was green. More synapse degradation. The front side is all glass window. I don't think they did that much to the old space. The tables were a bit worn. Service was fine. Parking is obviously an issue. There were around sixteen people eating there at 1pm. They aren't open on Sunday. It's fine, but not worth a trip. I think they said they have been open for six months.

*Travel Notes- Nevada/Arizona/New Mexico: Here are some Thai dishes I had last week in Las Vegas: Tom Kha (coconut milk + soup), Kana Moo Grob (fried pork belly and broccoli stems in an oyster sauce), Khao Man Som Tam (coconut rice topped with sweet pork), Green Papaya Salad, Ju Pa Bao (a Macanese style bao of pork cutlet with the bone in). The first two were from Krung Siam on Spring Mountain Blvd. The second two were from Pok Pok in the Cosmopolitan. It is run by some famous chef from Portland.

**The other interesting items from the trip were: Blueberry Milkshake from Mr D'z Route 66 Diner in Kingman AZ, Lobster Taquitos and French Fries smothered in NE Clam Chowder from Slapfish in Glendale AZ, Green Chili Burrito from Taylor Freeze in Pima AZ and Itsa Burger from Blake's Lotaburger in Truth or Consequences NM.

***DT News: Cucina is still not open. Graffiti Junction closed. Elize replaced Rusty Spoon. Artisan's Table is across from it. CFS coffee shop is open on the side of Cucina. Orange County Brewing is being replace by Motorworks Brewing. I think they spell it "werks". The market near Morgan and Morgan is not open yet. The "depot" building seems to be some of kind of crafts store. I keep meaning to see if El Buda is still open. I think it closed down a while ago. Speaking of which. Does Hamburger Mary's have a Booty Burger? I was thinking it would be a natural. I don't think it would be that offensive. And it rolls off the tongue.