This past Tuesday, I ventured out to the intersection of Robinson St and Primrose Drive near the T.G. Lee milk factory for Tasty Tuesdays in the Milk District. I’ve actually come by here a few times in the past month or so on the way home from work to pick up a few items to try for dinner. The convenient thing about this event set up is that all the bars (The Milk Bar, Sandwich Bar, Spacebar, etc.) along Robinson Street in the Milk District area open up to allow you to bring the food in so you have a place to sit with your food. You can order a drink, alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverage of your choice, and enjoy the food with out having to stand around awkwardly or on the street corner squatting like you’re fresh off the boat.
The Milk District has steadily grown in popularity these past few years – I don’t think the name for it has been around for even that long – since Lonely Planet featured them for a CNN article on the top destinations in 2012 which included Orlando.
Check out this great 76 second video from Robert Reid, editor of Lonely Planet on the “real” Orlando, which includes pieces on the Jack Kerouac house in College Park, Viet town in Mills 50 district, and the Milk District
The area is growing and so is Orlando, and I think Tasty Tuesdays is a wonderful event to bring this place to life even more.
Food trucks change almost weekly, so check the Tasty Tuesdays’ Facebook page here for detailed info:
http://www.facebook.com/TastyTuesdaysOrlando
I visited a few trucks that evening, and took a few to go as well. My first stop was Big Wheel Food Truck where I tried their Asian braised duck wings and the heirloom chicken quarter dishes. I’m always amazed at how Chef Tony Adams can create a menu that is so unique, locally-based, and so tasty every week, and served gourmet-style straight out of the food truck at that. I trotted off to the Spacebar to find a seat and snap a few shots while enjoying a nice bottle of Captain Eli root beer from the bar.
Asian Braised Duck Wings $9, duck wings slow braised in soy, mirin, nuoc cham, hoisin, scallion, sesame, rice wine vinegar, sugar, and local honey and served with Fresh Scallion Japanese Sticky Rice and Roasted Enoki Mushrooms
Roasted local heirloom chicken quarter with chorizo, pequillo pepper, and Old Hearth stuffing with dark meat chicken with some creme fraiche $10.50
Inside the Spacebar of the Milk District
BBQ Chicken and gouda empanada from La Empanada truck, pretty much one of the most amazing empanadas in existence
I also visited my old favorite, The Crooked Spoon food truck (check out their video on The Cooking Channel’s Eat Street!! ).
I wanted to see how they were holding up since my last visit many months ago, and I am happy to report that they are still as amazing as ever.
I ordered the Crooked Spoon burger, their signature angus beef burger with onion marmalade, spring mix of greens, tomato, swiss cheese, and chipotle aioli all encased in a lightly charred, toasted brioche bun. The burger was cooked to perfection, soft, flavorful, savory and sweet. One of the very best burgers in Orlando bar none. It’s served with a side of housemade rosemary seasoned potato chips in a paper bag. I could seriously eat this every day.
Hats off to the team over there at the Crooked Spoon for all of their hard work in that hot trailer kitchen and still creating some wonderful dishes for us to taste.
The Tasty in Tasty Tuesdays in the making
Homemade rosemary seasoned potato chips
The Crooked Spoon burger, one of the best burgers in Orlando, an angus beef burger with onion marmalade, spring mix of greens, tomato, swiss cheese, and chipotle aioli all encased in a lightly charred, toasted brioche bun
