Disney Inspired Nutella Fruit Waffles – Sleepy Hollow

Ricky Ly

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Feb 7, 2013

Disney Inspired Nutella Fruit Waffles – Sleepy Hollow

This recipe is inspired by the nutella fruit waffle sandwiches found at Sleepy Hollow in Liberty Square at Disney’s Magic Kingdom.

Truly a hidden gem, these waffles, as well as their chicken and waffle variety, were some of the most delicious theme park food I’ve had in a while and I still remember it fondly.

My sister Christina recently received a Black and Decker flip waffle maker for Christmas and so we thought we’d try it out today. They turned out perfectly, slightly crispy yet still fluffy and a little sweet.

Directions

Preheat waffle iron. Separate egg whites and beat whites until fluffy in a small bowl. Beat egg yolks in large bowl with hand beater until fluffy. Beat in flour, milk, vegetable oil, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and cinnamon, just until smooth. Beat in egg whites and sugar.

Spray preheated waffle iron with non-stick cooking spray. Pour mix onto hot waffle iron. Cook until golden brown. Serve hot.

Spread nutella over the waffle and add blueberries, sliced bananas, strawberries, and confectionary sugar as desired.

Best Must Try Dishes in Orlando Restaurants

Favorites

Ricky Ly

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Feb 2, 2013

6

Best Must Try Dishes in Orlando Restaurants

People often ask me what my favorite restaurants in Orlando are, what to eat in Orlando, and though I have many favorites, I’d like to highlight some especially wonderful dishes at local Orlando establishments. These are dishes that stand a cut above the rest and are the best to try in Orlando if you have limited time.

Spinach and Burratta Mozzarella Ravioli with grilled artichoke and black olives – Pasta

Luma on Park
290 S Park Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 599-4111
http://www.lumaonpark.com/

Handcrafted ravioli with spinach folded into the dough, absolutely transcendent. This gorgeous pasta dish tastes as delicious as it looks, with the flavors of black olives, mozzarella, spinach, ravioli, all coming together as one harmonious dish.

Croque Madame Topped with Fried Egg – Sandwich

Croissant Gourmet
120 East Morse Boulevard
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 622-7533
http://www.croissantgourmet.com/

The croque madame sandwich, a variation of the croque monsieur, is deftly made with ham and Gruyere cheese, hand-dipped in egg, then pan-fried in butter to a nice crisp. Finally, the croque is topped with a luscious golden-yellow yolk, sunny-side up egg. The egg yolk oozes down the sandwich when you cut into it, preferably with fork and knife.

Almond Croissant

Croissant Gourmet
120 East Morse Boulevard
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 622-7533
http://www.croissantgourmet.com/

Flaky, buttery croissant with a nice sweet, creamy filling of almond paste and topped with almonds and dusted with confectionary sugar

The Crooked Spoon Burger

The Crooked Spoon Food Truck
(407) 927-1587
http://www.facebook.com/thecrookedspoon
http://www.thecrookedspn.com/

The Crooked Spoon Burger is a meaty Angus beef burger with soft buns made locally from the Olde Hearth Bakery topped with a chipotle aioli sauce, sweet caramelized onions, swiss cheese, lettuce and tomato.

Shio Butter Ramen – Noodle Soup

Hanamizuki Japanese Restaurant
8255 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 363-7200
http://www.hanamizuki.us/

The broth is deeply flavorful with the taste of butter and salt, the noodles are made fresh and tasty. The boiled egg, the bamboo shoots, chashu pork slices, scallions and everything else melt together in a sea of deliciousness.

The Fu Man Chu – Sandwich

Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria
67 North Bumby Avenue
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 894-0865
http://www.pompomsteahouse.com/

The villainous Fu Man Chu, made with a sweet Hoisin barbecue sauce based Asian Pulled Pork, watercress, goat cheese, ginger cranberry chutney, and spicy red onions, a perfect lunch for all those deviants out there. It’s got sweetness from the barbecue and cranberry chutney, a little tart from the red onions, savory from the pulled pork, creamy from the goat cheese. It all sounds like quite the mess, but it’s all strangely satisfying and fulfilling.

Widowmaker Pizza

Prato
124 North Park Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 262-0050
http://www.prato-wp.com/

Widowmaker pizza – fennel sausage, arugula, toscano, romesco sauce, and a local farm egg, over easy, baked in the center.

Bone-In Ribeye Steak

A Land Remembered
Inside the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort
9939 Universal Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 996-3663
http://www.landrememberedrestaurant.com/

A Land Remembered features Harris Ranch Black Angus Five Diamond Prime Beef. The taste is exquisite, the bone-in ribeye steak, a juicy, slightly-charred cut served perfectly at the desired medium rare.

Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App

Glazed Donuts

The Donut King
208 US Highway 27
Minneola, FL 34711
(352) 243-4046
http://www.thedonutking.com/index.cfm

The glazed donut is heavenly, a sweet donut soft and fluffy like something you’d find on cloud 9 with a touch of vanilla flavor.

Grand Marnier Souffle – Dessert

The Venetian Room
Inside the Caribe Royale resort
8101 World Center Dr
Orlando, FL 32821
(407) 238-8060
http://www.thevenetianroom.com/

The Grand Marnier Souffle – you have to order it early in the meal as it takes about 20 minutes to prepare – arrives for dessert like a small powdered mountain of soft, puffy eggy cake. The dish is finished with table side service, topped off by our gracious waiter with the sweet crème anglaise. The dessert and experience was pure heaven, the souffle was soft and airy, sweet and utterly delicious.

Have a dish that you think should be on this list? E-mail it to us at TastyChomps@gmail.com

National Pisco Sour Day – Friday February 1 at Cuba Libre

Recipes

Ricky Ly

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Jan 31, 2013

0

National Pisco Sour Day – Friday February 1 at Cuba Libre

Pisco Sour
1 ½ parts Portón pisco
½ part fresh lime juice
½ part simple syrup
¼ part egg white
1 dash of Angosutra™ bitters

Shake ingredients with ice. Strain into chilled glass. Garnish with a dash of bitters.

I’ve never had Pisco myself until recently when I had the opportunity to interview Mr. Johnny Schuler, the CEO of Pisco Porton, and quite possibly the most interesting man in the world.

Years ago, Mr. Schuler’s grand father Roger Schuler, helped bring the recipe and popularity of pollo a la brasa (Peruvian roast chicken) to a national level. Today, Mr. Johnny Schuler is bringing the awareness of pisco to America and the rest of the world.

Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Pisco was developed by Spanish settlers in the 16th century as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain. Pisco received its name from the town of Pisco, located on the coast of Peru in the valley of Pisco, made by the river with the same name.

Portón pisco is the first truly premium pisco available in the U.S. and makes for the ultimate Pisco sour. As the white spirit’s category equivalent of single-malt scotch, it combines centuries-old methods with state-of-the-art and eco-friendly technology to create quality mosto verde Pisco.

Facts about Pisco Porton

Distilled to proof (no water added)
Approximately 15 pounds of grapes go into every bottle of Portón Pisco
Handcrafted in small batches
Rested for months to achieve a complex, round flavor
Never altered by aging in wood, the addition of water or artificial flavors and colors
100% made from must; not like grappa, which is made from pomace

National Pisco Sour Day is Saturday February 2nd, 2013. Pisco Sour, the Peruvian national cocktail, is prepared with egg white, lime juice, simple syrup, and bitters. This most famous of all pisco cocktails was created by American, Victor V. Morris. A railroad man, he moved to Peru to work on new rail lines. In 1916, he left trains and moved to Lima, Peru to open Morris Bar. Morris had a knack as a barman and invented a number of drinks using pisco.

The recipe was so popular San Francisco bartenders borrowed it and began serving it in the United States. From there the recipe spread. Even after Prohibition made pisco scarce in America, the buzz about the drink continued and the recipe was published in Cocktail and Wine Digest (1946). It has been the most famous pisco cocktail ever since.

Cuba Libre – located in Pointe Orlando – has jumped on board, offering guests $5 specials on select ceviches and pisco cocktails, made with Portòn, including a Pisco Sour, Portón Punch and Guava Sour on Friday, Feb.1 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

WHAT: $5 specials on Portón Pisco cocktails and ceviche
WHEN: February 1st 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
Cuba Libre
9101 International Dr, Orlando
(407) 226-1600

Vietnamese Lunar New Year Tet – St. Philippe Phan van Minh Catholic Church at the Fairgrounds 2013

Ricky Ly

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Jan 31, 2013

4

Vietnamese Lunar New Year Tet – St. Philippe Phan van Minh Catholic Church at the Fairgrounds 2013

The Vietnamese New Year, also known as Tet or Tet Nguyên Dán, is one of my favorite times of the year. This is the time when friends and family from throughout the Central Florida community come out and enjoy local cultural performances put on by fellow members of the community as well as more famous Vietnamese singers and performers, and also enjoy the wonderful home made Vietnamese food that you would normally not find at the local restaurants.

As the Vietnamese New Year is based on the Lunar new year calendar, similar to the Chinese New Year, the actual date changes each year depending on the moon cycles. This year it falls on the night of Sunday February 10th and is the start of the year of the Snake. To avoid stepping on each others’ toes, the local Vietnamese community organizations, temples, and churches try to sparse out their festivities so that they would be on different dates.

On Sunday February 10 Asia Trend Magazine and Mills 50 District will host the annual Orlando Dragon Parade for the 2013 Lunar New Year Festival. Celebrate the Year of Snake with Dragon and Lion Dances, Martial Arts, Japanese Taiko, Acrobatic Performances, Cultural Dances, Arts and Crafts and Exotic Asian Food

On Saturday – Sunday February 16-17, the Vietnamese Community of Central Florida (Cong Dong) is hosting their annual event at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. The Sunday event includes the Miss Vietnam of Florida pageant.

Also on Sunday February 17, CAACF Chinese New Year Dinner Celebration 2013 takes place at Koy Wan buffet at 5:30pm. For more info visit http://asiatrendmagazine.com/AT_events.html

This past weekend, St. Philippe Phan van Minh Catholic Church hosted their Vietnamese lunar new year festivities at the Central Florida Fairgrounds. I took a visit and captured some photos of the scenes at the fairgrounds. The proceeds of the sales went to the church organization in supporting its works in the community.

Volunteers making banh mi Vietnamese sub sandwiches

A bowl of the spicy bun bo hue, the other beef noodle soup in Vietnam, stemming from the central region of Hue.

An elderly woman pours some “chao” or rice porridge/ congee into a bowl. Traditionally a breakfast item or a cure for a cold day in Vietnam

Ingredients for hu tieu noodle soup, including quail eggs

Che Ba Mau, a type of dessert with beans and sweets

A gentleman places sugarcane sticks into the machine, crushing the juices out to make sugarcane drink.

A lady sells the delicacy hop vit lon, or fermented duck fetus eggs, also known as balut in the Phillipines.

Nem nuong, Vietnamese grilled pork patties

Ca ri de, curried goat

Preparing Mi Quang, a Vietnamese noodle dish that originated from Quang Nam Province in central Vietnam, made with rice noodles tinted yellow with the use of turmeric.

Mi Quang, made with rice noodles tinted yellow with the use of turmeric.

Pho Hoa restaurant prepares Pho for sale

Cha Lua, Vietnamese pork deli meats, used in preparation of banh cuon

Bánh cu?n is a rice noodle roll made from a thin, wide sheet of steamed fermented rice batter filled with seasoned ground pork, minced wood ear mushroom, and minced shallots, served with cha lua

Bun rieu seafood noodle soup with fried tofu

Bun Moc – Vietnamese Pork and Mushroom Noodle Soup

Friends enjoying the festival

Youth performing a rendition of “Gangnam Style” on the main stage

Raglan Road’s Rollicking Sunday Brunch – Downtown Disney

Ricky Ly

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Jan 29, 2013

2

Raglan Road’s Rollicking Sunday Brunch – Downtown Disney

Click-clack, tip-tap, tip-tip tap, tip-tap-tip – faster and faster – the beats move to a fun, rollicking furor. It’s the sound of foot-stomping jigs and reels of Irish step dancing and live Irish music on the wooden stage at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant in Downtown Disney.

Brunch is usually a calm, late morning affair – maybe enjoying a mimosa in the shade away from the Florida sun and reminiscing about the previous night’s series of events. Here, at Raglan Road’s new Rollicking Sunday brunch, guests and the whole family can now enjoy a unique experience unlike any other this side of the pond. Enjoy the music of the Raglan Road house band and dancers performing while chomping down on a platter of the Full Irish breakfast, Eggs Benedict, or ham schnitzel.

Celebrity Chef and co-owner Kevin Dundon has created a new brunch menu with roots in Irish cuisine and a touch of modern flare. The chef’s Full Irish Breakfast features sausage, black and white pudding, bacon, roasted fresh tomato, mushrooms and fried eggs with “roasties” – home-fries style potatoes – all served in a hot iron skillet. A favorite of the brunch menu is Kevin’s Ham Schnitzel, a breaded pan seared ham schnitzel topped with arugula and a fried egg – still slightly runny with delicious golden yolk – and a side of chips, also known as potato fries in the States.

Kevin’s Ham Schnitzel, topped with a glorious fried egg

Other brunch options include a Smoked Salmon Omelette or Pancakes Diaspora with crème fraiche, maple syrup and mixed berry compote. Lunch or dinner menu items can also be ordered like the Lobster Club sandwich with lobster & avocado, crispy prosciutto, watercress and citrus herb mayonnaise and the Cluck Curry, chicken breast in curry broth with onions, peppers, leeks and steamed almond rice.

“’Let’s get the party started’ isn’t an Irish phrase, but it aptly describes the spirit of a true Irish brunch back home,” said Raglan Road manager Lorraine Gorham, who was born in County Mayo, west Ireland. “And that’s what The Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch is all about.”

Chef Gary Cooke slicing the roast rib rack of beef

The folks at Raglan Road are also unveiling a new “Host the Roast” option for 6 or more. Host the Roast is a traditional family style dining experience, reminisced of the great Sunday lunch when Irish families sat down together to celebrate and catch up on family time. Guests can choose their favored roast meat from roast rib of beef, roast pork loin, roast leg of New Zealand lamb, or roast lemon thyme chicken. All the roasts are served with traditional accompaniments and carved table side by you for your guests assisted by one of the Raglan Road’s fantastic chefs. Prices range from $35 to $55 per person. Orders for the Roast must be placed by 1pm on Friday prior to your Sunday Brunch Reservation (Call 407-938 -0300).

The Rollicking Raglan Sunday Brunch is open from 11 a.m.-4 p.m., with entertainment from noon-4. Brunch entrees range from $8 to $26. Visit http://www.raglanroad.com/the-rollicking-raglan-sunday-brunch for the full menu. Guests can call 407/938-0300 for reservations or just stop by to grab a table.

January is National Meat Month

Events

Ricky Ly

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Jan 28, 2013

0

Did you know that January is National Meat Month? A whole month dedicated to meat, could it get any better than that? Below are a few suggested dishes from local area restaurants and their chefs:

Restaurant: Cress
Chef: Hari Pulapaka
Suggested Dish: Cast-Iron Seared Wagyu Beef Hanging Tenders
Quote: “My favorite meat is Wagyu Beef Hanging Tender”

Restaurant: K Restaurant
Chef: Kevin Fonzo
Suggested Dish: Filet Mignon
Quote: “My favorite thing about meat is its versatility and its meatiness, of course!”

Restaurant: Christner’s Del Frisco Prime Steak & Lobster
Chef: David Christner
Suggested Dish: Prime Strip
Quote: “You can never go wrong with seasoning meats with kosher salt and cracked pepper.”

Restaurant/Store: The Meat House
Chef-Owner: Kevin O’Donnell
Suggested Meat: Porterhouse Steak
Quote: “Life would be complete if I could eat a bone-in ribeye cowboy steak every night!”

Restaurant: Taverna Opa Orlando
Chef: Katerina Coumbaros
Suggested Dish: 36-Hour Marinated Lamb Chops
Quote: “I could eat Tzatxiki with meat any day of the week. It’s like my Greek ketchup.”

Restaurant: Peterbrooke Chocolatier of Winter Park
Chef: Kevin Wray
Suggested Dish: Beer & Bacon-Infused Truffles
Quote: “My favorite thing about meat is that it’s always better when followed by a chocolate dessert!”

provided by Rockaway PR

4th Annual Orlando Chili Cook off at Festival Park – Sat Feb 9 2013

Events

Ricky Ly

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Jan 28, 2013

0

4th Annual Orlando Chili Cook off at Festival Park – Sat Feb 9 2013

4th annual Orlando Chili Cook-off benefiting the Special Olympics Florida

On Saturday February 9, 2013 “The City Beautiful” will host the 4th Annual Orlando Chili Cook-off, produced by Events for Change, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that operates under a “good times for a great cause” philosophy.

Everyone from foodies, beer connoisseurs, music fans, and families to folks just looking for an entertaining time enjoy this spectacular event centered around tasty chili, great music, and good times!

To date this event has raised almost $100,000 for local charities and this year’s event will benefit Special Olympics Florida.

The location this year will be Festival Park – Orlando’s premier location for festivals and events – located next to Orlando executive airport and just two blocks south Fashion Square Mall.

Loyal attendees have come to expect the cook-off to offer a good time, for a great cause, and this year the event has a few exciting elements in addition to its standards of live music all day, free chili samples, a huge kid’s zone, and of course a great time.

Beer selection has been beefed-up with the addition of a Craft Beer Tent. The event also has an exciting new component which will give members from the Central Florida community another way to really become involved in the fun.

From the people that bring you the annual Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, The Orlando Chili Cook-off will host Orlando’s first and only World Chili Eating Challenge! Some of the biggest and baddest eaters in the world, including the renowned eater, Joey Chestnut will be among the competitors. There are still three spots open for Orlando locals to ‘chow for charity’ and compete for the total purse of $3500, with first prize winning $1750! Tickets are $7 in advance online until 2/8 and $12 day-of.

To buy tickets or for more info visit: OrlandoChiliCookoff.com.

Peach Valley Cafe – SoDo – Orlando – Orange Avenue

Ricky Ly

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Jan 26, 2013

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Peach Valley Cafe – SoDo – Orlando – Orange Avenue

I previously visited Peach Valley Café in the Dr. Phillips area a few years ago and had a lovely breakfast of Belgian waffles and sausage. The restaurant, based out of New Smyrna Beach and part of the Stonewood Restaurant Group, recently expanded to the SoDo District (South of Downtown Orlando), the third in the Orlando area after the aforementioned Dr. Philips and Heathrow locations.

I was recently invited by the folks at Peach Valley to a media brunch event to sample some of their menu items. The restaurant is located in a plaza, tucked away from Orange Avenue near a Publix. Large open windows along the building give the space a lot of Florida sunshine and light, providing a bright, airy feeling inside. Surprisingly, I was told that they are busiest during rainy days compared to sunny days, maybe because there are so many things to do in Central Florida when the sun is out and there is more of a need for comfort food in those down weather days.

Peach Valley Cafe specializes in brunch and breakfast items, all prepared in house with fresh ingredients, with many healthy and light options for those new year’s resolution conscious diners. However, I am not one of those diners.

The first thing we had were the apple fritters, a popular mainstay at Peach Valley, served tableside with a shake of brown sugar and cinnamon and a side of strawberry or pumpkin yogurt dip. The fritters were good, fresh and fluffy, lightly sweet and fun to dip. I can see why so many people rave about these little apple cinnamon bits of joy.

Peach Valley Cafe’s Apple Fritters – served tableside

Peach Valley Cafe’s Apple Fritters – with their dipping sauces.

One of our favorite items was the Chicken and Waffles, prepared with fried chicken, pillowy Belgian waffles, and blueberry butter and cajun syrup. Though the fried chicken may have needed some more seasoning, the waffle, chicken, and cajun syrup made for a winning combination of texture and tastes.

Chicken and Waffles, prepared with fried chicken, pillowy Belgian waffles, and blueberry butter and cajun syrup

Stuffed French Toast was another highlight here, made with a creamy peach and strawberry filling, and housemade blueberry syrup.

For those veggie lovers, try the vegetable and egg croissant benedict, made with flaky croissants, beefsteak tomatos, asparagus, spicy red onions, and poached egg with hollandaise sauce and breakfast potatos.

Peach Valley uses a state of the art Kindle Fire based ordering system that allows the waiters to quickly send the orders over to the kitchen.

Our waiter, a young gentlemen studying to become a doctor at UF, suggested to us the delicious Santa Fe Chicken Salad Wrap, a wrap stuffed with corn and black bean salsa, pico de gallo, fresh mixed greens, and a creamy ranch dressing. It was refreshing and tasty, and maybe one of my favorite wraps ever.

Santa Fe Chicken Salad Wrap

Peach Valley’s Shrimp and Grits, New Orleans inspired

Home made peach cobbler a la mode!

Hours
Monday –Friday 7am-2:30pm, and Saturday and Sunday 7am-3:30pm

Niffty Fiffty’s Diner – Food Truck

Ricky Ly

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Jan 7, 2013

3

Niffty Fiffty’s Diner is one of the new food trucks in town that focuses on nostalgic, home made cooking. I recently had a chance to visit them at the Crealde School of Art in Winter Park for a community fundraiser.

They cure and smoke their own bacon, and also brine their corned beef, and pastrami in house, an impressive feat for any dining establishment these days. They also smoke their own marinated chicken breasts, BBQ pulled pork, BBQ pulled chicken, beef jerky, and beef brisket.

The menu ranges from burgers and sandwiches to their very scrumptious, meticulously handmade desserts like cookies, brownies, and cheesecakes. The powdered milk yeast buns that they use for their burger buns are even made in house from scratch. You may remember the strawberry souffled cheesecake that was available elsewhere before can now be found here at Nffty Fiffty’s Diner, and is indeed still a great treat.

The signature sandwich is Kick’in it Pittsburgh, with crispy potato fries and apple cider vinegar cole slaw on the sandwich. I had the opportunity to try one of the Pittsburghs and must say it’s now one of my favorite sandwiches in Orlando, the rich pastrami going well together with the sweet and sour apple cider vinegar cole slaw…all together very refreshing.

Kick’in It Pittsburgh Sandwich – Your choice of our own house-made corned beef, pastrami, or chopped steak, topped with cheese, crispy fried potatoes, oil & apple cider vinegar cole slaw, and vine-ripe tomatoes on thick hand sliced Italian bread $8.00

Niffty Fiffty’s delicious Pumpkin Cheesecake with a Spekulatius Cookie Crumb crust, topped with a Chantilly Cream made with Chinese Five Spice and Dark Rum – based on Marcel Desaulniers Dark Chocolate & Pumpkin Cheesecake from the 1992 James Beard Best Dessert Book Winning Death By Chocolate. Marcel now operates Mad About Chocolate in Williamsburg, VA. http://www.madaboutchocolate.us/madaboutchocolatehome.html

You can find Niffty Fiffty’s Diner on Thursday, January 10th from 5 MM to 9PM at the Edgewood Farmers Market (at City Hall in Edgewood). They are also open from 10AM to 2PM every Friday at Food Truck Fridays at the RDV Sportsplex in Maitland. Check their facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NifftyFifftysDiner for up to date news on locations.

You can preview their menu (subject to change), below:

The Bistro on Park Avenue and Sweet Traditions French Bakery in Winter Park

Ricky Ly

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Dec 27, 2012

1

The Bistro on Park Avenue and Sweet Traditions French Bakery in Winter Park

Located inside one of the many “hidden garden” courtyards along Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park, The Bistro on Park Avenue is a beautiful gem waiting to be discovered. A few friends and I decided to visit one morning for a Sunday brunch and enjoy some omelettes and eggs benedicts. The Bistro on Park Avenue has an outside patio dining area, as well as a sun room, covered inside area, and an oyster bar.

For an appetizer, I ordered half a dozen fried oysters, which came out quite tasty and crunchy with a nice remoulade sauce accompaniment.

I ordered the Smoked Salmon Benedict with a side of breakfast potatoes. I enjoyed the smoked salmon part, but found the eggs to have been overdone (no longer runny) and the English muffin was a bit dry. Overall, the food was enjoyable though a bit overpriced it seemed. I would probably have to return to try some more of their offerings before making a final verdict.

Smoked Salmon Benedict
English muffin with tender smoked salmon topped with
poached eggs and home made hollandaise
$14

California Benedict
Roasted portobello mushroom, tomatoes, avocado with two
poached eggs, topped with home made hollandaise.
$13

Andouille Sausage Omelet
Three egg omelet with andouille sausage and
cheddar-Jack cheese. $12

After our brunch, we decided to walk down along Park Avenue to explore some of the shops and bakeries for a little something sweet after our meal. Sweet Traditions French Bakery and Cafe was, luckily, a few short steps away and we picked up a little almond croissant from the place to share. The croissant was scrumptious and sweet with the yellow almond paste slathered in the center, dusted with some confectionary sugar.

Shula’s on the Beach – Steakhouse in Ft Lauderdale

Ricky Ly

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Dec 22, 2012

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Shula’s on the Beach – Steakhouse in Ft Lauderdale

written by Cuong Le, TastyChomps South Florida Team

The first thing one notices as they enter Shula’s On The Beach is its amazing view of the Atlantic Ocean. The restaurant has an outside dining area for patrons to enjoy the South Florida breeze. The outside dining area also has a full bar if you just want to stop by to cool yourself down with a nice alcohol beverage after your stroll through the sand as well.

Tasty Chomps and associates were invited to celebrate the 40^th Anniversary of the Miami Dolphin’s 1972 perfect season. As we sat down inside to prepare for the glorious meal to come, we were able to sample a special beverage created specifically for this occasion called the No Name Martini, named after the undefeated team made of team players that nobody knew. The martini was made of greygoose vodka, St. Germain sweet liqueur, freshly squeezed orange and lemon, and “home-made” secret foam. Usually I’m not a big fan of fruit cocktails, but this tasted like a refreshing citrus juice. The “home made” foam green foam had a slight hint of cucumber and celery. I couldn’t taste the alcohol, but don’t get me wrong, this drink is strong.

After our beverages we were served a various selection of appetizers. First we sampled the Blackened Tenderloin Tips with Béarnaise Sauce and Shula’s BBQ Sauce. Those who prefer their steaks more on the medium well side would love these tenderloin tips. Many other places that have had this item usually overcook their tips, but Don Shula’s have definitely kept the tenderness to these tenderloin tips. The Shula’s BBQ sauce was a great blend of sweet and tangy, more on the sweet side though. The Béarnaise sauce was not the basic creamy hollandaise tasting, you can actually taste the different blends of spices (shallots, peppercorn, tarragon, etc.).

After the tips, we had the Lobster Cocktail with Shula’s cocktail sauce and Béarnaise Sauce and lemon. This wasn’t a regular item on the menu, at least not yet, but it should be soon. The lobster came out at the perfect chilled temperature. The meat was sweet and firm confirming its freshness. Usually frozen lobster meat is bland and brittle.

Finally we moved onto the main course; the steaks! I had the 22-ounce Cowboy Ribeye while my companion had the 8-ounce Filet Mignon. There are two primary differences between the Shula Cut and many of the other beef cuts at other restaurants. First, only 1% of all beef makes the Shula Cut. Second, their steaks are wet-aged, meaning they’re vacuum-sealed to make sure the cuts retain their moisture (as opposed to dry aging). The biggest difference in taste between Shula’s wet-age and dry age is that, when you cut into a Shula cut, it doesn’t automatically bleed out all the juices. Each bite definitely retains its juiciness and beefy flavor as opposed to dry age where there are stronger influences of the seasonings used in the cooking process.

With our steaks we enjoyed the accompaniments of Shula’s Crab Mac and Cheese and Twice Backed Potato. The Crab Mac and Cheese was perfectly blended with the generous chunks of crab and melted cheese, instead of swimming in a cheese soup. It was topped with a toasted panko crust that made the entire dish delightfully creamy and seasoned. For the Twice Baked Potato, the twice-baking process makes the texture like a very firm mashed potato. It’s loaded with apple wood bacon and topped with melted cheese. This is definitely one decadent side dish.

Shula’s On The Beach was an elegant dining experience. The food was spectacular and the environment was relaxing.

A Look inside the Shula Restaurant

Cuong with Mr. Shula

Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops at Hilton Orlando

Steak

Ricky Ly

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Dec 18, 2012

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Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops at Hilton Orlando

This Christmas, Hilton Orlando’s Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops restaurant is hosting exclusive three course Christmas Day Dinner events. Chef Kevin Spencer (who recently joined Spencer’s as head chef from the Hilton’s David’s Club Bar and Grill) has created a menu featuring a 6oz center cut filet at Spencer’s for Steaks & Chops along with a special children’s offering. More information below:

Christmas Dinner at Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops

Tue. December 25, 2012
Hours: 5:30pm-10pm
Price: $75.00 exclusive of tax and gratuity.

Live Music: Jeff , Solo Pianist from 5:30 pm-10 p.m.

Amuse – Champagne and oysters
Florida stone crab – Avocado, Tarragon Mustard, Blood Orange
Intermezzo – Lemon Ginger, Rose water, Basil
8oz Center cut filet – Royal Trumpet Mushroom, Sunchoke Risotto, Lobster Etouffee
Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake – Coco Dirt, Grand Marnier Caviar, Orange Caramel

For reservations, visit
http://www.thehiltonorlando.com/our-hotel/hotel-events/index.cfm?eventId=EV_20121114112738338747#events

Also,

New Year’s Eve at Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops

Mon. December 31, 2012
Hours: 5:30pm-10pm
Price: $75.00 exclusive of tax and gratuity.

Live Music: Jeff , Solo Pianist from 5:30 pm-10 p.m.

Amuse – Champagne and oysters
Florida stone crab – Avocado, Tarragon Mustard, Blood Orange
Intermezzo – Lemon Ginger, Rose water, Basil
8oz Center cut filet – Royal Trumpet Mushroom, Sunchoke Risotto, Lobster Etouffee
Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake – Coco Dirt, Grand Marnier Caviar, Orange Caramel

For reservations, visit
http://www.thehiltonorlando.com/our-hotel/hotel-events/index.cfm?eventId=EV_20121114112938781803#events

Hilton Orlando at International Drive

6001 Destination Parkway, Orlando, FL 32819

———————————————————————–

I was recently invited by the wonderful folks at the Hilton Orlando to sample a few items from their award winning menu (Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops was named Best Hotel Restaurant in the Orlando Sentinel’s Foodies Awards). They had recently added a few new items to the menu and wanted to share the news with the world.

Featuring USDA prime beef dry aged for 21 to 28 days, hand cut and seared to perfection. Spencer’s restaurant for Steaks & Chops at the Hilton Orlando, sophisticated and approachable, offers a memorable Orlando dining experience with handcrafted dishes, scratch made cocktails, and a distinctive destination wine list.

Chilled Colossal Shrimp with a very unique tomato tartare , celery horseradish pesto

Duck Confit with fig, watercress, aged sherry reduction

Bouillabaisse – with Cedar Creek clams, lobster, shrimp, monk fish, rouille

Spencer Cut – the signature 22oz USDA Prime Cowboy rib chop aged 21 days with King crab and Bernaise sauce accompaniment

Spencer’s Hash Browns with bacon, cheddar

Naughty Cake
Ganache Ribbon, Madagascar Vanilla Ice Cream,
Spiced Pears, Warm Port Consommé

One of the best servers in the business with some of the greatest service in town !

Border Grill Fresh Mexican – Universal Area

Ricky Ly

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Dec 13, 2012

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Border Grill Fresh Mexican – Universal Area

Located on Vineland Avenue near Kirkman Road, Border Grill is one of my favorite places in town for authentic Mexican street tacos. I first found out about Border Grill from our friends at Taco Tuesdays, started by a father and son team (Keith H and his son Brandon) and a group of friends on Yelp.com who came together to try to come together each week to check out a new taco place. We had quite a group the first time at Border Grill.

It’s a hole in the wall, with maybe less than 15 seats inside, and can be a bit hard to find. But rest assured, this place provides some of the most authentic Mexican fare out side of Mexico City. The tacos here are the stars, with various styles written on their chalk board.

You order at the counter from their list of tacos, burritos, sopes, and other specialities.

The Best Tacos in Orlando , street style, at Border Grill

You can try from one of their many taco styles like their braised carnitas pork tacos, chorizo sausage, or carne asada with grilled steak. The owner recommends (and I can attest for) the fantastic pollo asado grilled chicken, tacos al pastor made with marinated and grilled pork, and Pibil style tacos made with Yucatan style pork marinated in orange juice and baked in banana leaves. They also serve lengua (beef tongue) for those who are more adventurous.

The tacos come in corn tortillas, street style, with just some cilantro & onions, and a variety of salsas with varying intensities of spiciness available on the side of the counter. The owner told me that the tortillas come fresh each day from the local tortilleria that makes them down the street on Oak Ridge Road.

Chips and Guacamole

The huarache – literally “sandal” – is named after the footwear item due to its long shape, and topped with fresh cheese, toppings, and your choice of meat.

Finish with a nice cup of horchata drink with cinnamon and rice, or “aguas frescas”, fresh natural flavored waters.

Fellow Yelpers Sharon L with her signature pointing at food and blogger Julius Mayo aka Droolius and Al Buchala aka Mr MegaYummo

Keith H and son, Brandon

Columbia Crest’s Head Winemaker Juan Munoz Oca at Prato

Drinks

Ricky Ly

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Dec 10, 2012

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Columbia Crest’s Head Winemaker Juan Munoz Oca at Prato

Columbia Crest is world renowned for crafting affordable, highly-acclaimed wines that consistently over deliver in quality. The winery’s portfolio includes Red Blends, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay, all of which are perfect for holiday occasions.

Founded in 1983, Columbia Crest has grown from a small winery in a relatively unknown wine region to
one of the most significant wineries in the U.S. and a major force behind Washington state’s emergence
as a world class wine region. One of the Northwest’s largest wineries, Columbia Crest is acclaimed by
critics and consumers alike for crafting wines that are food-friendly, approachable, affordable, and
consistently over-deliver in quality.

Winemaker Juan Muñoz Oca comes from a long lineage of winemaking; and at the young age of 36, his winemaking experience spans 20 vintages in five world-class wine regions including Bordeaux, South Australia, Mendoza, Spain and Washington state.

Juan Muñoz Oca is the head winemaker at Columbia Crest Winery in Paterson, Washington. As Head Winemaker, Muñoz Oca is responsible for producing the winery’s portfolio of Reserve, H3, Grand Estates and Two Vines wines. He joined Columbia Crest in 2003 and was named head winemaker in 2011. Prior to 2011 he was dedicated to the winery’s red wine program where he worked alongside Ray Einberger whose 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon became the first Washington wine to be named ‘Wine of the Year’ by Wine Spectator in 2009.

Raised in Mendoza, Argentina, Muñoz Oca came under the tutelage of his grandfather, cellar master at Bodegas Toso winery, at a young age. The older man instilled in him a love and respect for wine, as well as for his family’s Spanish culture, that was to become the root of a lifelong passion for winemaking. He picked his first grapes at the age of eight, later took an after-school job in a wine cellar, and spent his vacations helping his grandfather with harvest.

Although his winemaking experience stretches across the globe, it is his time at Columbia Crest that has been the most meaningful.

“Washington state is a very special place to grow grapes for many reasons,” says Muñoz Oca. “The perfect grape-growing climate, the best viticultural practices and people committed to crafting the best bottle of wine vintage after vintage is what Columbia Crest’s winemaking is all about. My time in Washington has been the most meaningful to me, I fell in love with the wine and the people, and that’s why I’ve been here since.

According to local historical records in 1857 rancher James Kinney was camping in the range of hills in
south-central Washington. When he woke up to discover his herd had wandered up a mountainside
and into an upland plain where they were munching on succulent bunch grass. “surely this is Horse
Heaven,” Kinney commented. the area has been known as the Horse Heaven Hills (H3) ever since.

Location south central Washington state along the columbia river in Paterson, Washington, home of columbia crest winery
Size – 570,000 acres
Planted Vineyards – 6,040 acres
Columbia Crest vineyards – 2,500 acres
First Planting – 1972, Mercer vineyard
Elevation – 200 feet at the area’s southern boundary to 1,800 feet at its northern boundary
Soil – loamy sands, sandy loams and silt loams
Climate – semi-arid; annual rainfall averages 9 inches
Vineyards – 20
Wineries – 5 – columbia crest, chateau ste. Michelle, canoe ridge estate, alder ridge, Destiny ridge and Zefina
Major Grape varieties – chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon Blanc, cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, syrah

“ This Moscato from Washington state opens with aromas of lychee and white rose. Bright flavors of peaches and tangerine are joined by the youthful sweetness of ripe honeydew and are deftly balanced with acidity. This semi-sweet wine can be enjoyed as an aperitif or as a refreshing complement to fruit salad or light cheeses.” – Juan Muñoz-Oca

Vineyards: Horse Heaven Hills
Blend: 97% Cabernet Sauvignon
2% Merlot
1% Cabernet Franc

Food Pairings: Tomato-based sauces
such as Bolognese and Puttanesca, intensely and richly flavored foods such as
grilled meats, braised lamb shanks or pot
roast, and strongly flavored cheeses

“This elegant, medium-bodied Chardonnay opens with aromas of apple, pear, spice and a
typical Horse Heaven Hills minerality. Hints of toasty coconut join a host of orchard fruit
flavors, ending with a lengthy finish of vanilla and cream.” – Juan Muñoz Oca, Wine

Ocean Prime on Restaurant Row – Orlando

Ricky Ly

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Dec 9, 2012

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Located at Rialto at Sand Lake
7339 West Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 781-4880
General Manager: Michael Kopoian
Executive Chef: Jeremy Mattson

Dinner: Monday – Thursday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Friday – Saturday 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Sunday 4:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Blu Lounge: 4:00 PM – Close

Ocean Prime is a steakhouse and seafood restaurant concept owned by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants that currently consists of nine restaurants in eight states. Ocean Prime opened in Troy, Michigan in June 2008 and has locations in Columbus, Ohio (under the name Mitchell’s Ocean Club), Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa, Dallas, Denver and Atlanta. The Orlando location opened in November of 2008.

Ocean Prime features wild and naturally harvested fish recommended by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch and steaks that include USDA Prime cuts, aged for maximum tenderness and flavor.

The restaurant features three private dining rooms available for reservations: The Prime 1 Room seats up to 18 guests and the Prime Room 2 seats up to 32 guests; both Prime Rooms may be combined to accommodate up to 50 guests. Ocean Prime Orlando also offers a beautiful, intimate private room called The Club Room, with seating for up to 12 guests.

Executive Chef Jeremy Mattson
Garnering more than 17 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry including eight years as an executive chef, Jeremy Mattson raises the culinary bar as executive chef of Ocean Prime in Orlando, Fla. First inspired by his childhood world travels where he tasted fine foods and experienced diverse cultures, Mattson has always considered himself an epicure with a passion for hospitality. Much of his motivation comes from his community and his father, from who he regularly seeks culinary advice.

Mattson joined the Ocean Prime team in July 2011 after mastering his culinary skills through a wide range of positions within the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants family since 2003. With experience from line cook to executive chef, he has trained more than 25 sous chefs and was nominated for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants’ “Sous Chef of the Year” and Ruth’s Chris Hospitality Group’s “Executive Chef of the Year,” Mattson was also chosen for Cameron Mitchell Restaurants “Street Fighter” award for best local store marketing, and his previous restaurant was named “Best Seafood” by Hour magazine in Detroit, Mich., and by Weekly Jax in Jacksonville, Fla., under his astute leadership.

Originally from Lansing, Mich., Mattson currently resides in Orlando with his wife and three sons. In his leisure time, he enjoys being with his family, playing hockey, discovering new music and collecting vinyl records.

We were recently invited to Ocean Prime to try out a few items on their menu and had a wonderful time. Photos follow:

Berries & Bubbles
Belvedere Citrus Vodka,
Marinated Blackberries, Housemade Sour,
Domaine Chandon Brut 14

Cucumber Gimlet
Bombay Sapphire Gin, Muddled Fresh Cucumber,
Hand Squeezed Lime 13

Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli, Golden Oak Mushrooms 13

“Surf n Turf,” Sea Scallops, Slow Braised Short Ribs 16

Lobster Bisque 11
Sweet Corn Fritter

Ahi Tuna Tartar, Avocado, Ginger Ponzu 16

Ocean Prime House Salad, Romaine, Spinach, Granny Smith
Apples, Goat Cheese, Walnuts, Sherry Mustard Vinaigrette 11

Sea Scallops, Parmesan Risotto, English Peas, Citrus Vinaigrette 33

Petite Filet Mignon with Lobster Tail

Creamed Spinach with Smoked Bacon 10

Black Truffle Macaroni & Cheese 13

Jalapeño Au Gratin, Sliced Potatoes, Aged Swiss 11

Baked Alaska 11
Pound Cake w/ Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry Ice Cream,
Toasted Meringue & Fresh Raspberries

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie 9
Peanut Butter Mousse w/Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache

Luma on Park unveils new Lunch for Friday – Sunday 11:30am-3:00pm

Ricky Ly

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Dec 8, 2012

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Luma on Park unveils new Lunch for Friday – Sunday 11:30am-3:00pm

Luma on Park recently announced that they will now be offering lunch on
Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays
from 11:30 am-3:00 pm
starting December 8th, 2012

The restaurant, located on Winter Park’s Park Avenue, is bringing back lunch for the first time in over 5 years. There has been a lot of buzz lately about its sister restaurant Prato, located further north on Park Avenue, and I believe it’s definitely time for Luma to get some renewed loving.

Executive Chef, Brandon McGlamery, and the rest of Luma on Park‘s culinary team have created a new menu that focuses on seasonal ingredients, sustainable seafood, and responsibly farmed meats. They will feature some familiar offerings, such as our oven roasted pizzas and housemade pastas, while introducing newer creations including beautiful, local lettuce salads, Carolina Style BBQ Ribs and Grilled Organic Salmon with farmer’s market vegetables.

My friend Mike and I decided to venture out to Winter Park on Friday for lunch and scope out the new menu. The prices ranged from $8 to $21 on the high end.

The visit was pleasant and the lunch menu was found to be delicious. This is not surprising as Luma holds a very high standard in terms of quality ingredients used in their dishes as well as the degree of skill and care that their chefs take in their dinner menus.

The first dish that we had was the Grilled Pine Island Shrimp, served with a citrus nuoc mam based dipping sauce with a carrot and cilantro salad. The large, head on shrimp was slightly grilled, not burnt, and succulent. It was a refreshing and light course to start, bringing back to me memories of summertime in Vietnam or Key West.

Grilled Pine Island Shrimp with carrot and cilantro salad

The acorn squash, herb ricotta, and sage pizza – full of fall flavors. This pizza is a flatbread pizza and was also very enjoyable yet not too heavy.

The spicy grouper sandwich is grilled and served with lettuce, tomatoes, potato chips and a sesame bun with a garlic remoulade sauce. Always the avid fisherman, you can tell Chef McGlamery takes care in the sourcing of his seafood and the quality of the fish with each bite.

Spinach and Burratta Mozzarella Ravioli with grilled artichoke and black olives – Handcrafted ravioli with spinach folded into the dough, absolutely transcendent. This gorgeous pasta dish tastes as delicious as it looks, with the flavors of black olives, mozzarella, spinach, ravioli, all coming together as one harmonious dish. One of my favorite dishes in Orlando at this time.

Overall, I think lunch at Luma on Park will be quite a hit. I know I am already looking forward to dinner there the next time I am out.

The Fifth V – Orlando

Ricky Ly

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Dec 4, 2012

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The Fifth opened this past May of 2012 – in the heart of Downtown Orlando on Orange Avenue – by the proprietors of The V Group – Vintage Lounge, Vixen Bar and NV Art Bar. “The Fifth” is located at 112 S. Orange Avenue adjacent to Vintage Lounge. I was recently invited to a media preview of their items and have to say I was thoroughly impressed.

Right when you walk through the door, you could feel practically transported to a city like Miami or downtown Manhattan: sleek, modern designs, glowing dynamic lights, and beautiful white rock encapsulate the restaurant. The setting is upscale yet relaxed. The staff are all unpretentious and warm to guests. At the front is a retail space with liquor and various goodies stocked for customers on the go. The real star of the place, however, is the food.

Led by Chef Dean Holland from Le Cordon Bleu, The Fifth features a menu of familiar, yet creative favorites from gourmet burgers to mac and cheese and I can see the items being popular for the busy Downtown professional’s lunch hour, dinner date or late-night food craving.

During my lunch visit, I tried some of their V potato chips as well as the signature V Chopped Steak burger. The V potato chips were dusted with white truffle and sea salt, crispy and delightful and altogether prepared very well. I noshed on them all throughout lunch. The V Chopped Steak burger was also expertly prepared with very high quality grade beef, cooked perfectly to my desired medium, and topped with caramelized onions, tomato, arugula, and an alioli sauce. The burger probably ranks up among the best I’ve had in Orlando. The prices are a bit higher here than others, but the ingredients and flavors warrant the premium.

The V Potato Chips with sea salt

The V Chopped Steak Burger with caramelized onions, tomato, arugula, ale-oli sauce

Mini chicken sliders drizzled with a Maple Bacon Aioli

At the front is a retail space with liquor and various goodies stocked for customers on the go.

McCoy’s at Orlando International Airport

Local

Ricky Ly

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Nov 30, 2012

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McCoy’s at Orlando International Airport

McCoy’s Bar & Grill at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
9300 Jeff Fuqua Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32827
Located inside the main terminal of Orlando International Airport (MCO)
on the lobby level of Hyatt Regency Hotel
Phone: (407) 825-1234
Flexible hours: M-Su 11a.m. to 1 a.m.

The airport code for the Orlando International Airport – rather than OIA as you would think – is represented by the letters MCO. The code stands for the airport’s former name, McCoy Air Force Base, named for the late Colonel Michael Norman Wright McCoy.

McCoy’s Bar & Grill restaurant located at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport (and also named for the late Colonel) was recently redesigned with a hip, ultra-modern look with natural bamboo flooring and day lighting, dark wood finishes and a soft earth tone color palette. I was invited recently for a media event to check out the new digs as well as the surprisingly pleasant “local” menu on board.

The interior renovation was handled by CCS Architecture, a firm that has gained international acclaim for its restaurant projects. Other features include open kitchen concept; high-definition, flat panel televisions; private dining areas; two high-top communal tables fitted with outlets for guests to recharge their communication devices; complimentary Wi-Fi; and a well-stocked bar featuring an extensive selection of wines by the glass that complement the menu, draft and bottled beers, and signature, popular and non-alcoholic beverage options.

An expanded, free-standing sushi bar features custom-made selections prepared by a classically-trained Japanese sushi chef led by Chef Hiro Masaki. Menu features Nigiri and Maki Sushi, Traditional Rolls, a selection of appetizers and entrees including a seasonal pre fix Bento box. Much of the fresh fish served at McCoy’s and used in the sushi bar arrives at the restaurant straight off the runway after being flown in from other locations.

When people think of food at the airport, they hardly remember that McCoy’s and its sister restaurant Hemisphere both located in the Hyatt Regency at the Orlando International Airport, can be an elevated culinary experience while you await the next flight.

The updated menu blends Hyatt’s Food. Thoughtfully Sourced. Carefully Served. global food initiative with the unique needs of airport visitors. The new menu raises the bar for traveling diners while providing sustainable and responsible food and beverage choices and does so with true vigor, enough to make any “locavore” salivate for a dish.

Locally-sourced foods include:

Blueberries and Cornish hens from Ocoee, Fla. including Lake Meadow Naturals
Little gem romaine lettuce from Apopka, Fla.
Pork from Avon Park, Fla. from Palmetto Creek Farm
Sunray venus clams from Pine Island, Fla.
Wild royal red shrimp from Canaveral, Fla.

Ultra-fresh sweet and savory sorbets, sauces and mousses are made with seasonal ingredients using the revolutionary Pacojet™ culinary appliance. Examples include apple cider sorbet, pomegranate sorbet and cream cheese ice cream.

Some dish highlights here at McCoy’s include:

MCO Traveler’s Trio small plates are 3 for 17.95 | 1 for 7.00.

Selections include:

Spring Rolls house made, Vietnamese style with palmetto creek farm pork & nuoc mam sauce
Calamari fresh from Point Judith RI, lightly breaded & fried, served with ponzu aioli
Pork Carnitas Taco palmetto creek farm pork braised with sour orange, shredded lettuce, pico, crema, white corn tortilla
Baked Baby Brie, pecans, dried cranberries, lake meadow honey, served with multi-grain chips
Healthy options include selections from Hyatt’s StayFit Cuisine program, gluten free and vegetarian items, and a “For Kids By Kids” children’s menu created in collaboration with Alice Waters and the Partnership for a Healthier America.

Crawfish Chowder – A McCoy’s specialty for 20 years
Shrimp Mojito Salad with mixed local lettuce, Canaveral royal red shrimp, fresh orange sections, mango, spiced pecans, Mojito vinaigrette
Grilled Citrus Chicken Panini with sourdough bread, local produced Oaxaca cheese, shaved chicken breast, mango aioli, avocado, French fries
OIA Mac N Cheese with Oaxaca, smoked cheddar and Monterey jack cheeses, roasted Poblano peppers, cornbread crust, mixed local green salad
Grilled Steak salad with natural flat iron steak, red onion jam, crouton, Florida grown Bordeaux spinach, roasted red peppers, smoked bacon, bleu cheese & honey balsamic vinaigrette
Lake Meadow Naturals Whole Cornish Hen grilled with sage & garlic marinade, roasted butternut squash, apple and fennel slaw, natural jus

McCoy’s – Team Profiles

Chef David Didzunas is a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. He started his career with Hyatt Hotels in 1981 in his hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. From there, he held chef positions at properties in Dallas, Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, and was executive sous chef for the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress and executive chef for the Hyatt Charlotte at Southpark in North Carolina. In 1997, he was appointed executive chef for Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport. Didzunas stays in touch with the latest trends in food and wine by traveling to Spain, Itlay and various parts of the United States.

Housemade ice creams at McCoy’s made using the revolutionary Pacojet™ culinary appliance

Local Winter Park Dairy Cheeses

Ocean Prime presents Stone Crab Claws for a limited time

Ricky Ly

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Nov 23, 2012

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Ocean Prime presents Stone Crab Claws for a limited time

Ocean Prime now offers claws that inspire awe! Beginning today, guests at Ocean Prime can savor impeccably fresh and simply prepared stone crab claws at the peak of their season.

For a limited time only, the stone crab will be served in a traditional style chilled over ice with a mustard dipping sauce for $30/half pound and $56/full pound.

Ocean Prime is a steakhouse and seafood restaurant concept owned by Cameron Mitchell Restaurants that currently consists of nine restaurants in eight states.

Ocean Prime
7339 West Sand Lake Road Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 781-4880
http://www.oceanprimeorlando.com/

From Ocean Prime:

Ocean Prime invites Orlando residents to celebrate the season of giving and receiving! With every $100 gift card purchase, guests will receive an additional $25 bonus reward card for themselves. Guests can choose from the freshest seafood and finest cuts of steak at the modern American supper club. Combined with the restaurant’s Wine Spectator-honored wine list, handcrafted cocktails prepared by expertly trained bar chefs and genuine, red carpet hospitality, Ocean Prime creates a truly memorable holiday dining experience.

Remember Ocean Prime for holiday bookings, as well! Ocean Prime Orlando features three stunning private dining rooms which accommodate guests of 12, 18 and 32 Guests. The latter two rooms may be combined to seat up to 50 Guests. For more information about purchasing gift cards, please call 407.781.4880 or visit www.ocean-prime.com/giftcards. For more information about private dining opportunities, please contact Jo Truett at 407.781.4880.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s new Executive Chef Dawn Viola

Interviews

Ricky Ly

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Nov 19, 2012

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Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida’s new Executive Chef Dawn Viola

Dawn Viola was recently named the new Executive Chef and Kitchen Director of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, overseeing their 2000 sq. ft. production and teaching kitchens. After an accomplished career as a copywriter, creative director and documentary producer in the advertising industry for over a decade, Dawn switched her focus to food when she discovered she had multiple food allergies. We had the opportunity to talk to Dawn recently about her new role, the food bank’s new initiatives, as well as some tips on eating healthy.

Tasty Chomps: As Executive Chef and Kitchen Director, what are some of your goals and objectives for Second Harvest Food Bank in this capacity?

Dawn Viola:

The main purpose of the Second Harvest Community Kitchen, and overall mission of Second Harvest, is to simply feed more people in Central Florida, but part of our approach to meeting that goal is unique for our area.

We are opening a brand new distribution facility in January 2013, and within that facility, we will be operating a 2000 square foot commercial kitchen, producing from-scratch, high-quality, nutritious meals that help feed Central Florida’s families and individuals in need. How those meals are produced, however, is something very special. The Community Kitchen is launching a culinary training program for disadvantaged adults, empowering these individuals through on-the-job culinary and life skills training. Students enrolled in our program will prepare the meals going out to our community while under the supervision and mentorship of our Chef Trainer.

Second Harvest Community Kitchen students will be recruited from our partner agencies, the foster care system and nonprofit organizations that help people who are seeking a brighter future. Students will receive foodservice training that includes hands-on cooking and kitchen experiences, complimentary to the curriculum of accredited culinary institutions should any student wish to continue on to culinary school. They will also spend part of their day in the classroom learning life skills and employment assistance. ServSafe food handler and manager courses will be provided, as well as opportunities to intern in the kitchens of local businesses.

In addition, we’ll be offering community cooking and nutrition classes, open to the general public, so students can practice public speaking and presentation skills. We will also offer on-site catering services in our Community Room so that students will be exposed to banquet catering.

TC: Many people experience sticker shock when looking at the costs for eating healthy, what are some tips and advice you have for families who are looking to eat healthy and affordably?

DV: Eating healthy on a budget is easy if you eliminate 99% of processed/convenience foods from your diet and cook most meals at home, from scratch. Instead of buying a box of cookies, crackers or toaster pastries at $4.95, use that money to purchase two bags of apples or other fresh produce; or stock up on whole grain rice, dried or canned beans, or even quinoa. Making sweet treats at home from scratch can be done for a fraction of the cost as well, and are much healthier (in moderation) without the shelf-stable additives and conditioners (which are all of the ingredients you can’t pronounce on the label).

TC: How can local Central Floridians help the Second Harvest Food Bank?

DV: We have an incredible volunteer program and encourage everyone to come out and visit us any time during the year as individuals, groups, and company-wide volunteer days. We always welcome donations of healthy foods, both fresh and non-perishable, as well as non-food essentials such as shampoo, diapers and toothpaste. Financial donations are always needed. An investment of $1 donated to Second Harvest Food Bank can provide up to $9 in food value to people who are struggling.

Once the Community Kitchen is open and in full operation, we’ll be looking to partner with local chefs for our Chef’s Table dinners, which will begin April 25th and continue the last Thursday of every month. Chef’s Table will offer our students an opportunity to work with a variety of local chefs in our kitchen, preparing a multi-course plated dinner for community guests. Revenue from Chef’s Table ticket sales will support the growth of our Community Kitchen program. We’ll also be looking for guest chef speakers to share their unique culinary points of view with our students through lectures and demos during their class time.

TC: What is your favorite meal to cook?

DV: I have so many favorites, so I think it really comes down to more of a method than a particular recipe. Supporting our local farmers and local food artisans is very important to me as well — I always buy local whenever I can. So whether a chicken pot pie using local butter in the pastry crust with local chicken and vegetables, or locally-caught snapper, fresh food, simply prepared to bring out the best it can be, is my most favorite meal to cook.

You can find more information and follow Dawn’s blog at DawnViola.com

Follow Second Harvest Food Bank on Twitter, Facebook and Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Perrotti’s NY Deli – Winter Garden

Ricky Ly

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Nov 19, 2012

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Located at the intersection of Winter Garden Vineland Road and Lake Butler Blvd in Winter Garden, Perrotti’s NY Deli is a family run, local deli that serves up some of the best sandwiches in town.

Their deli stocks Thumann’s deli meats and cheeses as well as Just Bagels, true “water bagels” from the Bronx. The small deli shop is decked in Pittsburgh Steelers memorabilia, due to the owner’s love for the football team, but the family has roots from New York.

The Perrotti menu

On a recent visit to Perotti’s, I ordered the signature Perrotti-Petro sandwich. This epic sandwich is made with layers of corned beef, pastrami, provolone, coleslaw, potato chips, tomatoes, and topped with spicy mustard on rye bread. The combination is fantastic.

The New Yorker sandwich, a corned beef, pastrami, swiss cheese on rye with Dusseldorf mustard, and the Pastramageddon, hot pastrami, pepper jack cheese, hot peppers, jalapenos, 1000 island dressing, and creamy horseradish on rye bread are also great, mouth watering, sandwich choices here.

The Perrotti-Petro sandwich, filled with corned beef, pastrami, provolone, coleslaw, potato chips, and tomato…yum

The Pastramageddon sandwich made with hot pastrami, pepper jack cheese, hot peppers, jalapenos, 1000 island dressing, and creamy horseradish on rye bread

Gringos Locos – Tacos downtown Orlando

Tex-Mex

Ricky Ly

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Nov 18, 2012

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Open late till 3am and later, Gringos Locos is perfect for grabbing some Tex-Mex grub after hitting up the bars downtown.

The place is a bit of a dive, dark and with relative few seats. No matter, as most hungry patrons probably are going in just for a quick bite to satisfy their late night munchies.

They serve up some creative if inappropriately named dishes, mostly burritos, tacos, chips and queso and salsa, enchiladas. I went for the Double D’s, a “double decker” taco made with a queso spread on a soft tortilla wrapped around a crunchy hard shell and then filled with cheese, lettuce, tomato, sour cream, and some pork meat, a flavorful choice. The fish tacos I tried were a bit bland and a bit too wet for my liking, maybe would have helped with some spicier salsa.

The fish tacos…could be better.

but he pork double d’s were a hit!

Hostess Brands including local Merita Bread to close – List of Hostess Products

Ricky Ly

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Nov 16, 2012

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Hostess Brands including local Merita Bread to close – List of Hostess Products

“Where are all the Twinkies? – Zombieland”

Hostess Brands, Inc., known as Interstate Bakeries during most of its existence, was a wholesale baker and distributor of bakery products in the United States. On November 16, 2012, it began liquidation proceedings. It is the owner of the Hostess, Wonder Bread, Nature’s Pride, Dolly Madison, Butternut Breads, and Drake’s brands. Locally, Merita Bakery in downtown Orlando is a part of the Hostess Brands and is also set to close according to the Orlando Sentinel article on Hostess Brands liquidation. It’s iconic neon signs can often be seen from I-4, travelling east and west through downtown Orlando.

Beloved Hostess Products

On November 16, 2012, management announced that it has filed a motion in United States Bankruptcy Court in White Plains, New York, seeking permission to close its business and sell its assets. Two days earlier it warned that Hostess would liquidate unless the bakers, who were striking in protest against a new contract imposed in bankruptcy court, returned to work. Management intends to sell all assets and lay off 18,500 employees

At the time of Hostess’s liquidation, these were their brands in the United States.

Baker’s Inn
Beefsteak
Blue Ribbon
Bread du Jour
Butternut Breads
Colombo
Cotton’s
Di Carlo
Drake’s
Dolly Madison
Dutch Hearth
Eddy’s
Good Hearth
Holsom
Home Pride
Hostess
J.J. Nissen
Merita
Millbrook
Mrs. Cubbison’s
Nature’s Pride
Parisian
Standish Farms
Sweetheart
Toscana
Wonder Bread

I recently visited my neighborhood Publix and 7-Eleven, and sadly, the Twinkies were all sold out. Only sno-balls, cupcakes, zingers, and donettes were left 🙁

List of hostess products, cupcakes, zingers, donettes, twinkies, fruit pies, ding dongs, ho hos

The following is a list of beloved Hostess Products which may be gone soon:

Hostess Cupcakes
Its most common form is a chocolate cupcake with chocolate icing and vanilla creme filling, with eight distinctive white squiggles across the top, first sold on May 11, 1919.The cakes are produced from a batter which includes flour, sugar, cocoa and water.

Hostess Mini Muffins

Donettes
Powdered donuts with white powder or chocolate dipped.

Sno Balls
Sno Balls are cream-filled chocolate cakes, which are then covered with marshmallow frosting and coconut flakes. They are marketed by Hostess. Sno Balls are usually pink; however, they are also available in chocolate, lemon, white, green, blue and other colors, depending on the holiday.

Hostess Fruit Pie
made with fruit filling

Twinkies
Twinkies were invented in Schiller Park, Illinois in 1930 by James Alexander Dewar, a baker for the Continental Baking Company. Realizing that several machines used to make cream-filled strawberry shortcake sat idle when strawberries were out of season, Dewar conceived a snack cake filled with banana cream, which he dubbed the Twinkie. He said he came up with the name when he saw a billboard in St. Louis for “Twinkle Toe Shoes”. During World War II, bananas were rationed and the company was forced to switch to vanilla cream. Twinkie the Kid is the mascot for Twinkies, Hostess’s golden, cream-filled snack cakes. You can still buy them on Amazon for now

Ding Dongs
A Ding Dong is a chocolate cake that is sold by Hostess Brands. It is round with a flat top and bottom, about three inches in diameter and a little more than an inch high, similar in shape to a hockey puck. A white creamy filling is injected into the center, and a thin coating of “chocolate” glaze covers the entire cake. The cake was originally wrapped in a square of thick aluminium foil, enabling it to be carried in lunches without melting the chocolate glaze.

Ho Ho’s
Ho Hos are cylindrical, frosted, cream-filled cakes that are made by the Hostess company and are distributed in the United States. These cream filled chocolate cakes have a pinwheel design based on the Swiss Roll. They are similar to Yodels by Drake’s and Swiss Rolls by Little Debbies

Wonder Bread – the iconic bread

Merita Bakery – Bread

Sweet Snacks
Twinkies
CupCakes
Ding Dongs
Ho Hos
Sno Balls
Donettes
Devil Dogs – Drake’s
Funny Bones – Drake’s
Ring Dings – Drake’s
CoffeeCakes – Drake’s
Blueberry Muffins – Drake’s
Yodels – Drake’s

Breads
Wonder
Nature’s Pride
Merita
Home Pride
Beefsteak
Butternut
Millbrook
Eddy’s
J.J. Nissen
Sweetheart
Cotton’s Holsum
Bread du Jour

Rest in Peace #RIP #TwinkieTheKid

Buy all the Hostess Cakes on Amazon.com Today Here Before it’s too late!

Magic Wok – Dr. Phillips/Universal Area – Authentic Shanghainese

Chinese

Ricky Ly

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Nov 16, 2012

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Magic Wok – Dr. Phillips/Universal Area – Authentic Shanghainese

Don’t let the name mislead you. This is not your typical to go Chinese take out joint, but rather a nice little family-owned restaurant with authentic Chinese food made to order. The decor inside, rather than your typical Spartan fittings, has nice furnishings and a small wine list, perfect for a sit down meal.

I first heard about Magic Wok from fellow foodblogger TravelerFoodie.com, where he went and tried among other things, stinky tofu.

I was intrigued. The first time I had stinky tofu was at a street stall in Hong Kong. The stench was undeniable and reached as far as three blocks away.

Magic Wok specializes in both traditional Shaghainese and Americanized Chinese food with a variety of vegetarian and healthy choices. Shanghainese cuisine is often thought of as the youngest of Chinese regional cuisines, with elements of Cantonese, Szechuan, and Peking style foods. I didn’t end up ordering stinky tofu on my visit (mostly due to my lack of ability to translate the “Chinese” menu), but there were plenty of other great items listed in the traditional “English” menu.

Dim sum is most known for being from the southern, coastal region of Guangzhou and Hong Kong, though there are variations of the brunch menu in Shanghai and other cities. The small Shanghainese dim sum menu here features steamed pork buns (similar to soup dumplings, but without soup), honey ham and bean curd skin in a steamed bun, and steamed fish dumplings, among other items not found at most other dim sum places, which trend more towards the Cantonese variety. I enjoyed the steamed pork buns, but would have enjoyed it more if there were soup. Its looks deceived me. The honey ham and bean curd skin bun was delish. The sweet honey ham with crispy bean curd skin in a soft bun, provided a nice contrast in textures and sweet and salty tastes.

Your appearances deceived me, dear steamed pork dumpling.

The chef’s specialties feature crunchy, delectable Shanghai-style sweet and sour ribs and Peking duck. There is an extensive list of home-style soups like ham with winter melon soup, sea cucumber with fish maw soup, and stuffed fried dough and bean curd soup. Braised meat balls, braised pork belly with bean curd knots, and spicy stir fried snapper are some other must-tries here.

The restaurant is owned and operated by a mom and pop (Nina and George) for over 20 years here in Central Florida and have been known for their kindness and friendliness. Because there are literally only two people who work here, the meals may take a while longer to come out, especially if there is a large order, but it’s worth the wait.

Honey ham and bean curd skin buns – very fun to eat

Scallion pancakes, a classic dim sum dish, especially in Shanghai

Steamed pork buns – not the soup dumplings variety – but close.

Fried rice with eggs, salty fish, and chicken

Roast duck, not the Peking variety, is rather standard. Order ahead if you want the crispy Peking style Duck to allow the kitchen time to prepare.

Fried anchovy and nuts dish – typically an appetizer or snack

Shanghai style sweet and sour ribs, a hit with our dining companions

Braised Pork belly with curd skin knots

Chinese Water Spinach

See their full menu, in “English”, here
http://www.magicwokorlando.com/#!english-menu

Local Thanksgiving dinner meal options in Orlando

traditions

Ricky Ly

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Nov 16, 2012

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Local Thanksgiving dinner meal options in Orlando

For those on the go this year in Orlando, the following is a compilation of Thanksgiving meal specials around town.

For those travelling through the Orlando International Airport, check out the Hyatt Regency hotel’s (located inside the OIA) Hemisphere restaurant. They are hosting a buffet special November 22, 2012 11 AM –– 3:30 PM for $32.95 per person with House Made Chicken Liver Mousse, local sweet corn and shrimp chowder, apple cider and ginger brined all natural roasted turkey, roasted Lake Meadows Natural cornish hen, Palmetto Creek Farms Smoked Ham, and more. Download the PDF of the Hyatt Regency OIA – Hemisphere Restaurant – Thanksgiving Buffet Menu 2012 here

HOLIDAY BUFFETS AND DINING EVENTS AT ROSEN HOTELS
Leave the cooking (and the dish washing!) to Rosen Hotels. Bring the entire family on Thursday, Nov. 22, 2012, Thanksgiving Day and Tuesday, Dec. 25, 2012, Christmas Day for a choice of three delicious holiday buffets:

Rosen Plaza/Grand Ballroom
9700 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819
Holiday Buffet with Wine
Buffet Hours: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Price: Adults $34.95 plus tax and gratuity; children ages 4– 10; $15.95 plus tax and gratuity; children under 4, one free child with each paying adult; Visit the website for a coupon for $5 off each adult.
Reservations: 407-996- 0256
www.rosenplaza.com

Rosen Centre/Cafe Gauguin
9840 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819
Champagne and Mimosa Holiday Buffet
Buffet Hours: 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Price: Adults $39.95 plus tax and gratuity; children ages 4 – 12 $16.95 plus tax and gratuity; children under 4 are free
Reservations: 407-996-2385
www.rosencentre.com

Rosen Shingle Creek/Café Osceola
9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL 32819
Champagne Holiday Buffet
Buffet Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Price: Adults $64.95 plus tax and gratuity; children ages 4 – 11 $24.95 plus tax and gratuity; children under 4 are free; 25 percent off adults if Florida resident or hotel guest
Reservations: 407-996-FOOD (3663)
For parties of 10 or more, please call 407-996-9770.
www.rosenshinglecreek.com

For more information about holiday events at Rosen Hotels & Resorts, visit www.rosenhotels.com/holidays.

On International Drive, at the Hilton Orlando, three of their restaurants are having special menu items on Thursday including Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops, David’s Club, and The Bistro. Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops will feature dishes like Roasted Butternut Squash Bisque with Fried Sage $9.50, Crab Cake with Candied Prosciutto, heirloom tomato, egg, hollandaise $17.25, Traditional Oven Roasted Turkey with Savory Duck Bread Pudding, Spaghetti Squash, Cranberry, Cippolini Onion Gravy $29.50, Scottish Salmon with Sunchoke Risotto, Beets, Arugula Pesto, Mushrooms $33.50, and more. Check out the specials here.

THANKSGIVING DAY AT SEASONS 52

Enjoy signature favorites from our seasonal menu or select the special holiday menu below. Complete your meal with a Pumpkin Pie Mini Indulgence.

Seasons 52
Hours of Operation for Thanksgiving Day:
12:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Type of Service:
Signature favorites from the Seasons 52 seasonal menu or
select the special Thanksgiving menu

Classic Oven Roasted Turkey
with herb and mushroom stuffing, mashed Yukon Gold potatoes,
roasted delicata squash, haricots verts and citrus cranberry relish 23.95
(Child’s portion $15 – available for children under 10)

George’s Thanksgiving Wine Picks

ZD Chardonnay, California ’10
Glass 12.75 Bottle 5 1.00

Schug Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ‘09
Glass 13.75 Bottle 55 .00

Physical Address:
Seasons 52 By Altamonte Mall
463 E. Altamonte Drive
Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
Phone number for reservations: (407) 767-1252

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Indulge in a Thanksgiving Feast at Mitchell’s Fish Market

Winter Park, FL – (October 30, 2012) – Leave the cooking to us this holiday season. Mitchell’s Fish Market, located in Winter Park Village, will be offering a fabulous Thanksgiving Day feast on Thursday, November 22 from 11:00a.m. to 7:00p.m. The menu will be featuring a delicious three-course traditional meal featuring oven-roasted turkey served with apple-herb stuffing along with a choice of starter, side and dessert.

The price is $24.99 for adults, $8.99 for children ages 12 and under. Complimentary valet parking. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling (407) 339-3474. For guests who crave their signature items, they will also be offering their regular dinner menu.

Mitchell’s Fish Market, Winter Park offers upscale dining for lunch and dinner in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. The menu is ever changing and offers 80 fresh seafood choices and it is printed twice daily. The catch and carry menu offers fresh fish, soup and sauces, steak and shellfish, fresh baked desserts, party platters and select items from the raw bar. Dining options include the main dining room, al-fresco dining on the patio, bar dining, and private dining for parties up to 36 guests. The wine list offers selections from wine regions from all over the world and the bar menu features happy hour, signature martinis and fresh squeezed juice is served with select cocktails. Hours are lunch: Monday – Saturday, 11:30 AM – 4:00 PM, Sunday, 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM. Dinner is served Monday – Thursday, 4:00 PM – 11:00 PM, Friday & Saturday, 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM and Sunday, 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM. For reservations, please call (407) 339.3474 www.MitchellsFishMarket.com. 460 North Orlando Avenue, Winter Park.

Winter Park Harvest Festival 2012 – Saturday November 17

Events

Ricky Ly

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Nov 16, 2012

0

Winter Park Harvest Festival 2012 – Saturday November 17

FEATURING A NEW BEER GARDEN AND CHIPOTLE KIDS CORNER THIS YEAR

“A Local Folkus” continues its commitment to the local food movement by celebrating the third annual Winter Park Harvest Festival on Saturday, November 17 from 10 a.m to 4 p.m.

Throughout the day, a local producer-only market in Winter Park’s Central Park’s West Meadow will offer festival-goers the chance to gather up all the ingredients to create a completely local Thanksgiving meal.

The Winter Park Harvest Festival promises an action-packed day with Chipotle kids corner activities, live folk music, cooking demonstrations, health and homesteading seminars, and do-it-yourself gardening sessions.

A food court will offer a variety of fresh flavors from food trucks to popsicle stands, and an adjacent beer garden will provide locally brewed options to refresh your palates.

This Florida Hospital-sponsored community garden will showcase grow boxes tended to by local schools, churches, families, and other organizations.

The City of Winter Park’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Board will provide a bike valet for your convenience, so enjoy a nice ride to the festival al fresco, and join your local chefs, farmers, artisan producers, and neighbors for this one-of-a-kind celebration of Central Florida’s harvest!

The Winter Park Harvest Festival is an event produced by the local food events and advocacy organization, A Local Folkus, and in partnership with Central Florida’s upcoming local food hub, East End Market. Learn more about A Local Folkus’ projects and events that support the area’s economy, inspire farm to table living and bridge the gaps in our local food system here.

Event Address:
150 N. New York Ave.
Winter Park, FL 32789

WPharvest.com
Facebook.com/WPharvest
Twitter.com/WPharvest