• Camille in Baldwin Park
• Natsu in the North Quarter District in Downtown Orlando
• Papa Llama in Curry Ford West and
• Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa.

Soseki Modern Omakase in Winter Park; Capa Steakhouse & Bar at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort; and Kadence in the Audubon Park Garden District retained their one-star recognition.

Additional 2024 honors for Orlando include:

• Michelin Exceptional Cocktails Award for Justin Levaughn of Otto’s High Dive, a Bib Gourmand,
• Michelin Service Award to Israel Perez, maître d’hôtel and sommelier of Victoria & Albert’s
• Michelin Green Star, which recognizes exceptional sustainable dining that doesn’t sacrifice flavor, to the Michelin Recommended Kaya, led by Chef Lordfer Lalicon

MICHELIN Guide inspectors added two new Orlando restaurants of the Bib Gourmand designation for “great food at great value” bringing the total to 11. The list includes:

• NEW FOR ‘24: Sushi Saint – City District
• NEW FOR ‘24: Zaru — Mills 50
• Bombay Street Kitchen — South Orlando
• Domu — Audubon Park Garden District
• Isan Zaap — Millenia
• Norigami — Winter Garden
• Otto’s High Dive — Milk District
• Taste of Chengdu — Baldwin Park
• The Ravenous Pig — Winter Park
• The Strand Food & Drink — Mills 50
• Z Asian — Mills 50

• AVA MediterrAegean — Winter Park
• BACÁN — Lake Nona Wave Hotel
• Black Rooster Taqueria — Mills 50
• Citricos — Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• Chuan Fu – Winter Park
• EDOBOY — Mills 50
• Four Flamingos, A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen — Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
• Juju — Milk District
• Kabooki Sushi — Milk District (Second Location on Restaurant Row)
• Kai Asian Street Fare — Winter Park
• Kaya — Mills 50
• Knife & Spoon – Grande Lakes Orlando
• Maxine’s on Shine — Colonialtown
• Morimoto Asia — Disney Springs  
• Pizza Bruno — Curry Ford West
• Prato — Winter Park
• Primo by Melissa Kelly — The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
• Ravello — Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort
• Sear + Sea — JW Marriott Orlando Bonnet Creek Resort & Spa
• Se7en Bites — Milk District
• Selam Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine — SeaWorld Orlando Area
• Shin Jung — Mills 50
• Sticky Rice — Mills 50
• Swine & Sons — Winter Park
• The Pinery — Ivanhoe Village Main Street in Downtown Orlando
• The Polite Pig — Disney Springs
• Toledo – Tapas, Steak & Seafood — Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort
• Tori Tori — Mills 50
• Twenty Pho Hour — International Drive Area
• YH Seafood Clubhouse — International Drive Area

News from Quantum Leap Winery:

Dear Friends of Quantum Leap Winery,

4/17 Wine and Foot Massage with the Barefoot Spa – guests call the Barefoot Spa to book their appointments

4/18 Raid the Wine Cellar -Enjoy a Tasting of Library Wines – This is a really fun one and celebrates the wines we have made over the years. Here is some info on it.

Join us for one of our largest library events ever on Thursday, April 18th from 6:30-8:30pm

Our Raid the Wine Library Event will include samplings of a variety of our “locked away” wines from our personal Owners Reserve. Prepare to travel back in time and all over the world to see what our Owners have been “aging” (hiding) from us!

We will be pouring some of our older discontinued and unavailable vintages and will feature 15-25 of our older wines ranging from the most popular to the most esoteric.

For this event we have paired with Let’s Dough It Pizza. Your ticket is good for a one personal pizza of your choice!

As you travel through our stations you will receive a ticket from each table, collect them all and you will be entered into a raffle to wine one of our prizes!

Tickets are $35 and here is the link

https://quantumleapwinery.com/events/raid-the-wine-cellar-public/

4/21 Pup-Pawty Crawl – benefitting the pet alliance 

4/24  Wine and Yoga – info and ticket link https://quantumleapwinery.com/events/pinot-and-poses-042424/

ABOUT:

Restaurant: Sno Tea Caffè

Location: 4498 N Alafaya Trail #270, Orlando

Have you ever felt like you were missing something just to discover that it was in your pocket the whole time?  Well, I recently had that experience.  Let me explain, my wife and I have been taking the kids to Sno Tea for years, and you may have seen my posts about their popcorn chicken and different boba teas from time to time. The popcorn chicken, desserts, and teas are great, they are relatively close to my house, and the kids love it there.  BUT I was very naive in thinking that was all they really had, and they, very politely, invited me to dine in and try anything I wanted and to give them an honest review of their food.  My suggestion, you guys should stop by here if you want a delicious meal at a good price!

We ordered soooooooo much food, you can just scroll down now if you want an idea of everything we got.  We started with the Fried Calamari, Popcorn Chicken, and Fried Chicken Thigh from their appetizers.  We then moved on to try their Braised Pork Rice, Pork Katsu, Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup, and their Fried Chicken Breast (not on the menu) as our main entrees. We were just two people! Lastly, we came back at night after we picked the kids up from school and had their Shaved Snow and Taiwanese dessert with grass jelly, egg pudding, taro and boba because the kids were SUPER jealous that we went without them.

Everything was great! The Beef Noodle Soup reminded me of Taiwan so much with the huge chunks of tender meat in a warm and delicious broth.  The Braised Pork Rice with the marinated egg was absolutely fantastic and just put a big smile on my face.  The popcorn chicken and calamari were both yummy delicious treats.  However, there were two dishes that really surprised me.  The first was the Fried Chicken Thigh.  This was not fried like the other dishes I mentioned.  The thigh is actually dipped in a liquid batter and fried so the skin is super crispy while the meat remained very juicy.  The way this was fried made the crust the star and I couldn’t get enough of it.

The other dish was the Pork Katsu for me.  The rice with the scrambled eggs and sweet onions was the perfect combination to go with the crispy and juicy Katsu.  it reminded me of a lunch I had with my dad at a Japanese restaurant in Miami years ago when I would work summers at our furniture shop, and he ordered me a simple rice dish with a scrambled egg mixture on top.  I’ve been looking for this dish for years, and it was right by my house the whole time.  I felt like Anton Ego from Ratatouille when he took that first bite of ratatouille and was brought back to his childhood.  Just awesome!

So apologies for the super long post this week, but there was just so much food to talk about.  Without further ado, here are the pictures and I hope you get to stop by and try for yourself.

The anonymous MICHELIN Guide inspectors today announced four restaurants will make their Bib Gourmand debut as part of the 2024 MICHELIN Guide Miami, Orlando and Tampa selection.

Bib Gourmand restaurants offer a meal of good quality at a good value.

The anonymous inspectors noted two restaurants in Orlando, one in Miami and one in Tampa. These new Bib Gourmand recipients will be honored on stage at the MICHELIN Guide Ceremony on Thursday, April 18, at the Tampa EDITION hotel. Attendance is by invitation only. Tune in to the Ceremony at the livestream link here at 7:30 pm ET.

“We are delighted to announce the addition of Streetlight Taco, Sushi Saint, Tam Tam and Zaru to the selection of Bib Gourmand restaurants in Florida,” said Gwendal Poullennec, the International Director of the MICHELIN Guides. “These restaurant selections prepare bold specialties with precision and intentionality, all at an excellent value. Our inspectors delighted in the impressive flavors and are confident that foodies – both local and from afar – will too.”

Here’s the list of new Bib Gourmand restaurants, with excerpts of the inspector notes from each restaurant:

Orlando

Sushi Saint (Japanese Cuisine) – ORLANDO

Mike Collantes, Chef/owner of Soseki, has another hit on his hands with Sushi Saint. Attached to a brewery but with a separate entrance, this downtown temaki spot lures guests with its lounge-y vibe and contemporary design. The team take great care in sourcing high-quality rice and nori for their cone-shaped temaki, and while the hand rolls take center stage, their small plates, like Sichuan cucumbers with chili crunch, are worth trying. From the avocado with serrano lime miso to aburi-style scallop with brown butter to shredded snow crab with truffle, cucumber, and finger lime, the temaki offerings are impressive.

Zaru (Japanese Cuisine)       – ORLANDO

This sleek Mills 50 eatery is located in the same strip as the Tien Hung Market. With an upbeat playlist and an attractive dining room, Chef William Shen specializes in chewy noodles made from wheat sourced from Japan’s Kagawa Prefecture. Ikura, tempura and top-notch ingredients like Hokkaido uni and A5 Kagoshima wagyu pair with broths of wonderful smokiness and depth. Starters like tatsuta-age (fried chicken) and yaki gyoza (pork dumplings) are familiar and reliable, but consider opting for the ikura onsen, which features a softly poached egg crowned with crispy garlic. Either way, expect precision and intentionality across the board by the team that’s happy to guide you.

Miami

Tam Tam (Vietnamese Cuisine) – MIAMI

Husband-and-husband team Tam Pham and Harrison Ramhofer are throwing a party on their own terms. On the edge of downtown by the county courthouse, you won’t find a glamorous room, a DJ booth, or anybody in stilettos or designer sneakers. There is no bouncer by the door. Instead, come as you are for this celebration of Vietnamese cooking that started out as a supper club. Much of the food doesn’t require silverware: think wings glossed in fish sauce caramel, smoky lamb with lettuce wraps and banh hoi noodles, and tamarind-glazed pork ribs. Finish with a slice of cheesecake made with cultured cashew cream and topped with passionfruit gelee. Bold, funky and fun, the restaurant is a good time all around, down to the hidden karaoke machine.

Tampa

Streetlight Taco (Mexican Cuisine) – TAMPA

This South Tampa taqueria certainly ups the style quotient on the typical taqueria. From the black-painted, exposed ductwork to the tables lacquered with Mexican comics to the open kitchen, this fast casual spot delivers on contemporary flair, and Chef Michael Brannock’s food isn’t pulling any punches, either. Heirloom corn is nixtamalized in house for a menu featuring tacos, tostadas, salsas, sides and more. Don’t skip the Sunday snack tostada, an equal parts sweet-and-savory delight with two blue corn tostadas layered with cream cheese with lump crab, diced sweet mango and a mango habanero sauce. The Japanese eggplant taco with an heirloom bean puree and a chile onza salsa has just the right amount of kick. There’s a full bar, but a strawberry horchata goes down perfectly, too.

Hi everyone!

I hope you all have been having a good week. If not, I suggest you get something good to eat because that’ll always brighten your day.  If you are having a good week, then you should get something good to eat so that you can end your week right. Either way, I got another suggestion for you to try out, Bombay Street Kitchen.

Last week was my wife’s b-day and so the family went out for dinner that night.  Her brother (my brother-in-law) and his wife (sister-in-law) suggested Bombay Street Kitchen, and I am glad they did!  Everything we got this night was worth trying.  They did most of the ordering, and it was all delicious.  You can tell this place cared about the food.

We ordered so much…. We got the Onion Bhaji (Crispy onion fritters), Vegetable Samosa, Chole Bhature (Fried bread, chana masala, and onions, which you should order because it’s such a statement piece), Dilli Ke Tandoori Chicken, Tandoori vegetable momo, some mango lassi, Ajwaini Shrimp, a bunch of curries, and the Samosa Chat.

Let me tell you about that Tandoori Chicken and the Samosa Chat.  I know I normally just write about one particular dish, but I really couldn’t decide which I liked better.  The Samosa Chat was just great.  You have this beautifully crispy samosa underneath this chana masala sauce and chutney on top.  The spices of the samosa are so perfect with the sweetness of the chutney, and the textures just mix so well.  It was like this sweet and savory marriage that was crispy and smooth at the same time.  I love dishes like this.

The Dilli Ke Tandoori Chicken is just good!  It was perfectly cooked chicken with a delicious tandoori, served hot.  Simple and absolutely great!  The meat was tender, and the spice was just right in my opinion (but a little too much for my 11 year old).  I am a big fan of this one.

So if you are having a tough week or a great week, go treat yourself, you deserve it!

To follow me or if you need food photos please see my IG or FB group:

IG: thejohncheng_eats

FB Group: John Cheng photography

In light of recent tragic events, we are organizing an Orlando fundraiser and silent auction 100% directly benefiting World Central Kitchen and their efforts. World Central Kitchen (WCK) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organization that provides food relief.

It was founded in 2010 by Michelin Award winning Spanish American chef and restaurateur José Andrés following the earthquake in Haiti, and has subsequently responded to Hurricane Harvey, the 2018 lower Puna eruption, 2023 Turkey–Syria earthquakes, and the ongoing Gaza humanitarian crisis.

Food, shelter, healthcare, the basic building blocks of life and community.

My hope is to help send our love and support to the great humanitarian work that Chef Jose Andres and his team are doing day in and day out to help people in great need in the most difficult of circumstances, risking literally their life to give hope and sustenance to others.

For so many months, watching tragedy after tragedy, it began to feel utterly hopeless – despite calls for peace and justice, we only find more violence, death and tragedy.

May this small effort from our community be a spark for change and I hope it lets those people around the world seeking peace and comfort , that we, humanity, are with them.

We raised $10K for World Central Kitchen’s Ukraine efforts in the past and we hope to surpass this in this effort.

Currently, the silent auction items include:

• Somebody Zoom Phil plus Autographed Book – A Zoom call with Phil Rosenthal
• Private Chef’s Collaboration Dinner for 10 at Your Home featuring James Beard Finalists Chef Lordfer Lalicon and Chef Tim Keating
• A Taste of Orlando Mills 50 Lunch with Ricky Ly of Tasty Chomps
• On Assignment with Orlando Sentinel’s Amy Drew
• Restaurant Critic for a Day with Faiyaz Kara of Orlando Weekly and Eater
• Sama Sama Chef’s Tasting for Two with Beverage Pairing at Kaya (Recent Finalist for James Beard Awards 2024)
• Seats for Two at Chef Kevin Fonzo’s La Tavola
• 3 Day / 2 Night stay at The Celeste Hotel
• Dinner for 4 at Simply Capri Italian
• CFC Arts Symphony of Orchestra Call of the Champions
• Winter Park Magazine Full Page Advertisement
• Deli Fresh Threads Package
• Disney Cook Books package signed by Pam Brandon
• PBS Season 2 The Great American Recipe Cookbook signed by Finalist Salmah Hack
• Saveur Print Relaunch Kitchen Pack
• Gift Cards to Smoke and Donuts, Pigzza, Tornatore’s, Pig Floyd’s, Nona Street Pizza, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin at Disney Springs, Splitsville Luxury Lanes, Gravity Taproom, Nauti Lobster, Everglazed Donuts, Se7en Bites, Cuisiniers Catered Cuisine, The Pastrami Project and more

More items are needed for the silent auction, which ends April 15. Individuals and businesses interested in donating items can email us at tastychomps@gmail.com or visit tastychompsorlando.betterworld.org/donate-an-item.

Direct donations: donate.wck.org/team/574295

Silent auction: tastychompsorlando.betterworld.org/auctions/orlando-world-central-kitchen

Chef Jose Andres: “Today @wckitchen lost several of our sisters and brothers in an IDF air strike in Gaza. I am heartbroken and grieving for their families and friends and our whole WCK family. These are people…angels…I served alongside in Ukraine, Gaza, Turkey, Morocco, Bahamas, Indonesia. They are not faceless…they are not nameless. The Israeli government needs to stop this indiscriminate killing. It needs to stop restricting humanitarian aid, stop killing civilians and aid workers, and stop using food as a weapon. No more innocent lives lost. Peace starts with our shared humanity. It needs to start now.”

WCK Statement: https://wck.org/news/gaza-team-update

• From April 4-8 at the Discover Downtown store, shoppers can enjoy $4.07 off 407 shirts and ball caps in-store and online with code 407DAY.
• WonderWorks will offer $22 all-access tickets to Florida residents for their Family Fun Day on April 7 only.
• Rosen Inn Lake Buena Vista will offer a 407 Day Happy Hour from 5:30-7:30 p.m., during which select items will cost $4.07, including chips and dip, Bud or Bud Light Draft and the kid’s menu burger.
• The Spa at Rosen Centre will pay tribute to the region’s citrus history by offering an 80-minute Citrus Honey Blossom Mani/Pedi special for $90.
• Paddlefish Restaurant at Disney Springs is offering $4.07 Strawberry Basil Lemonade Mocktails and $4.07 Paddlefish Blonde Drafts.
• Diners at Terralina Crafted Italian, also located at Disney Springs, can save $4.07 off locally produced beers Crooked Can Hefeweizen or Crooked Can High Stepper IPA by mentioning the promotion.
• Florida residents will be able to enjoy 20% off dining at Jaleo Disney Springs starting April 7.
• The Bureau Adventure Games will extend a 30% discount on missions with code HAPPY407 when booking online. Discounted missions can be purchased any day for an experience taking place on April 7.
• Sushi Saint will have a variety of offerings for $4.07 on April 7, including sangria and glasses of wine, Kobe Ichiban rice lager, Japanese-style hot dog, edamame and shishito. They will also offer the Bluefin Tuna Tasting and O-town Set for $40.70.
• Tabla Indian Restaurant, with locations in Orlando, Winter Park and Lake Nona, is offering diners 10% off their checks on April 7.
• Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream and The Salty Donut are celebrating 407 Day with a recipe swap collaboration with special flavors. Indulge in a limited-edition Butterbeer ice cream, inspired by one of the top sellers from The Salty Donut at Kelly’s scoop shop locations. Or savor the Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Donut at The Salty Donut on Corrine Drive, inspired by one of Kelly’s iconic ice cream flavors. Available April 6 and 7 until sellout.

• Downtown Orlando’s 35^th annual Spring Fiesta in the Park takes place April 6-7 starting at 10 a.m. each day.
• The annual Spring Fever in the Garden Festival, presented by the Bloom & Grow Garden Society and the City of Winter Garden, returns for its 22^nd year starting at 10 a.m.
• The Blue Bamboo Center for the Arts partners with the historic venue Casa Feliz for a monthly concert series, “Music at the Casa.” The series features a performance by composer, guitarist, and vocalist Chris Cortez from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Enjoy Family Fun Day with live entertainment, face painting, balloon artists and food at Boxi Park in Lake Nona starting at 1 p.m.
• The University of Central Florida Knights baseball team will host the Kansas State University Wildcats at the John Euliano Stadium at UCF’s main campus at 1 p.m.
• The Winter Park Playhouse offers a 2 p.m. performance of Five Guys Named Moe, a swinging, high-energy musical set to Louis Jordan’s iconic jazz score.
• The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts is hosting multiple evening events, including two performances from celebrated jazz musician Stephane Wrembel at Judson’s Live, along with the UCF Percussion Ensemble Invitational & Concert at Steinmetz Hall and the “Marriage of Figaro” from UCF Opera at the Alexis & Jim Pugh Theater.
• The NBA’s Orlando Magic goes head-to-head with the Chicago Bulls at the Kia Center at 6 p.m.
• The Social is hosting a musical tribute, Live Dead & Brothers: An All-Star Celebration of Grateful Dead & Allman Brothers, at 6 p.m.
• The Timucua Arts Foundation continues its monthlong celebration of jazz music with a performance by Doug Mathews, bassist for incomparable jazz legend Sam Rivers, at 7:30 p.m.

Restaurant: Briarpatch

Location: 252 N Park Ave #3814, Winter Park

Happy Friday everyone! Today’s letter is B. B for words like Breakfast or Brunch or Birthday (today’s my wife’s birthday so happy Bday to her), and Briarpatch. This Winter Park spot is a favorite of ours.  We’ve been coming here for years when we want to treat ourselves, and it never disappoints. This time was the first time our kids came, and they definitely want to come back…like right now.

The reason is because everything is delicious and made with care.  I got a California Benedict, my wife ordered an omelette, my son got a waffle with everything on the side so he could plate it himself and just dip the strawberries into the Nutella directly, and my daughter got the French Toast.  Okay, everything was awesome.  The omelette was super filling, fresh, and the egg was cooked just right.  The bacon on my benedict was nice and thick and sweet, and I’m assuming the waffle was excellent because my son smashed that thing so fast without offering me a bite, that I was a bit offended and scared. But I want to tell you about this French Toast.

The slices of toast were thick!  Sometimes French Toast comes out with these soggy thin slices, but not this one.  It’s like a brick of bread where the outside was firm, but the inside was so moist (my daughter did let me have a slice).  The texture on each bite was just great.  You mix in the fresh fruit and that white cream, and it just balanced out the bread wonderfully.

Now, they are packed on the weekends, so I suggest getting there early, but it’s worth the wait if you have to stand in line for a little bit. So good eats, enjoy the pics, and I hope you have many Beautiful Brunchtacular Bites.

To follow or inquire about food photos:

IG: thejohncheng_eats

FB Group: John Cheng photography

Southern Living Magazine’s Kelsey Glennon recently published their article “21 Best Restaurants in Orlando from Southern Living Magazine“. I was honored to give a few quotes on some of our favorites including Turci Pasta and Nile Ethiopian!

Someone on Reddit made a list using their google review ratings:

From plenty of fresh seafood to wonderfully diverse cuisines, these are the best places to eat in Orlando. Read all about it here: https://www.southernliving.com/best-restaurants-orlando-fl-8606603

Restaurant: Tammy’s Teriyaki House

Location: 5600 W Colonial Dr., Orlando

Change of pace this week.  I’m going to go with a local spot that lots of Taiwanese people probably already know about, Tammy’s Teriyaki House.  This place has been around for years, and they make really good Taiwanese food. It’s the stuff that reminds me of Taiwan when we go there, and it’s a Mom and Pop kind of place.  It’s not a trendy hip spot or anything like that, but a cool spot to bring the family for some really solid food.  When we go there we get lots of different things like the sweet and sour pork ribs, the water spinach (when they have it), the squid soup, popcorn chicken, etc etc. BUT there is one thing that we always order, sometimes twice, the Fried Tofu.  This is one of my favorite things to eat, and even my kids love it.  We have to get them their own order, without the hot sauce.

It’s fried tofu with this spicy type of sauce on top with an amazing pickled cabbage.  Each piece is nice and large, and they are fried to perfection.  The outside is always so crispy, and the inside is so soft.  The textures are just awesome, and then you couple it with the sauce and cabbage, just mmmmmm.  Yeah…it’s really good.  Anyway, I hope you guys go and try it out.

This last trip we also got the Honey Lemon Green Tea (not pictured, sorry), the Beef Noodle soup, and the Intestine Vermicelli (this a traditional dish, we really like it, but it might be for the adventurous eater). All really good!

Anyway, I hope you enjoy the pics below, and as always, thanks for reading and I wish you good eats!!

To follow or inquire about food photos:

IG: thejohncheng_eats

FB Group: John Cheng photography

*Please note, my posts are not sponsored.

Warner Bros.’ upcoming release, GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE, which is coming to theaters on March 29^th.

To celebrate this new release and the 10^th anniversary of the Monsterverse, they have teamed up with Orlando restaurants Susuru & Juju to host “Monster Hours” on a few select upcoming dates!

During these “Monster Hours”, the restaurants will each be debuting special limited edition menu items (Godzilla Ramen at Susuru & King Kong Kaisen Don at Juju), along with their Godzilla and Kong cocktails, and fun giveaways! These special entrees are larger than any dish currently offered at either restaurant.

Details:

•  Godzilla Ramen will be available at Susuru & the King Kong Kaisen Don at Juju.
• This promotion is taking place during “Monster Hour” from 5:30PM-6:30PM on Wednesday, March 20^th, March 27^th, & April 3^rd.
• Promotional item giveaways will be taking place during “Monster Hour” as well (no purchase necessary & while supplies last).
• These two specials are the largest entrees that either restaurant currently offers.

The epic battle continues! Legendary Pictures’ cinematic Monsterverse follows up the explosive showdown of ”Godzilla vs. Kong” with an all-new adventure that pits the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence—and our own. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” delves further into the histories of these Titans and their origins, as well as the mysteries of Skull Island and beyond.

 https://www.godzillaxkongmovie.com

#GodzillaxKong

V’s Diner, located in Casselberry, posted a message on their social media this week asking for support from the community in light of financial strain. Despite initial community support for their vegan offerings, sales have declined recently, making it difficult to sustain operations. The partners are meeting to determine if they can afford to stay open. They’re asking for support through social media sharing and patronage to give the business one more chance. They express gratitude for the community’s support thus far and hope to see patrons during regular hours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

The full message is below:

Friends, we just wanted to be fully transparent with what has been going on with V’s Diner. When we signed our lease we had budgeted for a build out within a 4 month timeframe. Ultimately that ended up being 18 months and over five times the cost, six times after including rent.

When we opened our doors the community came out in droves, fully supporting V’s and our mission to deliver some of the best vegan food in town and we couldn’t thank you enough for that support. Yes, we have had some consistency issues and staffing issues but being a new business that takes some time to sort out and through a lot of hard work we have got those things where they need to be.

We have been closed the last few days because the partners have been meeting trying to figure out IF we can afford to stay open because recently sales have declined fairly drastically and unfortunately our expenses have remained the same.

So where is V’s going from here? Short of someone coming in to buy the entire company, we have decided to give this thing one more shot and do everything we can to remain in business. We ask you to please do what you can to support us any way you can. If you can’t eat here please share our information on social media and let your friends know we’re here. If you can eat here please stop by, say hello and share that experience with your friends on social media.

In closing we want you to know that your support has meant the world to us and whatever happens it has been an amazing experience for all of us involved.
See you regular hours Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

Thank you – V’s Diner

According to their website, “V’s Diner is unique in that the proteins of all of our comfort food — burgers, gyros, cheesesteaks and more — are all made from scratch. Nothing mass produced with chemicals and preservatives, frozen for months on a cross country journey. We make it fresh and healthy. The way food is supposed to be.

“In traditional cooking meat is a very important element. It’s the center of a lot of dishes and what we’re trying to do is give plant based meat as much respect, care and attention as someone would do with actual meat at a barbecue place. Not just black bean burgers or fried tofu.””

Location

908 State Road 436,
Casselberry, FL 32707
Contact

407-279-1966
orders@VsDiner.com

Hours

Monday -Closed
Tuesday 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Wednesday 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am – 9:00 pm
Sunday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

Restaurant: Aji

Location: 1436 FL-436 #1024, Casselberry, FL

When family comes to town to visit, you have to bring them somewhere good to eat.  For me, it’s a mark of pride that my family leaves Orlando thinking about what they ate here, so when my cousin flew in from California, I took her to Aji.  This is one of my favorite spots, and she said she can’t get good ceviche up in the Bay Area, which makes me sad. But Aji always makes me happy 🙂 We ordered two things, plus a salad, and the Mango, Fresa (strawberry), and Maracuya (Passion Fruit) juice. We got the Jalea and the Aji Explosion! (note, all mentions of the word Explosion! will be followed by an !)

If you like ceviche, get the Aji Explosion! It’s ceviche with yellow and roasted pepper sauces, and avocado.  It comes with shrimp and beef tenderloin skewers sticking out from the top too.  If you don’t know what ceviche is, it’s raw fish that is cook or marinated in a type of citrus like lemons. It’s sooooo good!  There’s a good portion of fish, and the sauce it’s marinated in perfectly matches the tenderness of the fish.  It’s a perfect compliment.  It’s a flavor Explosion!

We paired that lightness of the ceviche with some good ol’ fried seafood, but this Aji’s fried seafood called Jalea, so it’s not stuff you get from a fast food kind of place.  This is fried calamari, fish, shrimp, yuca, and a mussel. Their fried food is not heavy. The batter is not dense at all, and the seafood stands out.  Everything tastes so fresh. It’s just really good.

So here are some pictures, and I hope you try them if you haven’t already. It’s a taste Explosion!

Another shot of the Jalea. It’s a big plate. My son loves this with the pickled onions.

To follow or inquire about food photos:

IG: thejohncheng_eats

FB Group: John Cheng photography

A Spring Soiree, 6pm Monday, April 22, at the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Kitchen House & Culinary Garden, 26 E King St., College Park. Benefitting the non-profit Edible Education Experience, which empowers students and communities with life skills from the garden to the table. (www.edibleed.org) – tickets go on sale March 13, 2024.

It’s a great line-up of chefs, presenting 6 courses:

Chef Lordfer Lalicon – Kaya

Chef Wendy Lopez – Reyes

Chef Fabrizio Schenardi – Four Seasons Orlando Resort

Chef Ian Russell – Smoke & Donut

Chef Kevin Fonzo – La Tavola

Chef Jamie McFadden – Cuisiners

Maria  Mercado- Sampaguita Ice Cream

6 courses including wine, beer, and a welcome cocktail, $275 / person

(Sponsored private tables: VIP table for 6 in the kitchen,  $7,500; Private 10-top table in fireplace room, $7,500.)

For tickets, go to edibleed.org.