Enter for a chance to win a $25 gift card to Olive Garden by

Posting in the comments section below!
1. Post your favorite Italian dish and
2. Post your email

One Lucky Winner Will be CHOSEN!

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Olive Garden Unveils Restaurant Remodel Initiative Inspired by Italy
Kissimmee Olive Garden among the more than 400 restaurants being remodeled through June 2015

ORLANDO, Fla. (Oct. 1, 2010) –Today, Olive Garden announced that more than half of its 721 restaurants will undergo an interior design refresh, inspired by the timeless warmth of farmhouses in Tuscany, Italy.

Within the newly remodeled restaurants, guests will find updated décor including new tables, chairs and booths that emanate the warm, rustic tones of a Tuscan Farmhouse. Other updates include modernized window treatments and updated decor, which together create a cleaner, more polished design. In addition, the refreshed bar area reflects a true, Tuscan-inspired space, with a more modern and sophisticated feel.

“We believe the Farmhouse design reinforces our vision by creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere that enhances the overall experience at Olive Garden,” said Valerie Insignares, executive vice president of operations for Olive Garden. “Within the next few years guests will enjoy the same genuine Tuscan look and feel inside every one of our family of local restaurants across North America.

For more than a decade, Olive Garden chefs, General Managers and restaurant team members travel to Olive Garden’s Culinary Institute of Tuscany (CIT) to learn Italian cooking techniques and to draw inspiration for menu items, promotional entrees and restaurant décor. It is at the CIT where members of the Olive Garden family learn the secrets of great Italian foods from Italian Master Chefs. Secrets include how to choose the freshest ingredients to create Italian-inspired entrees, how to layer flavors to produce the perfect Italian aroma and taste, and how to pair Italian wines with specific Italian dishes and sauces to enhance the dining experience.

“Each year, our Olive Garden development chefs travel throughout Italy to gain inspiration from the latest Italian culinary trends and traditions so they can bring the taste of Italy home to our guests,” said Terry Stanley, executive vice president of marketing for Olive Garden. “The Tuscan Farmhouse remodel is an essential element in completing the genuine Italian dining experience at Olive Garden.”

This restaurant design refresh also demonstrates Olive Garden’s dedication to supporting local communities. In celebration of the newly renovated restaurants, Kissimmee will host complimentary wine tasting events that are open to the public on October 5th, 6th, 12th and 13th from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. Led by Olive Garden wine specialists, these interactive events will further educate guests on Italian wines including their origin, body style, aroma, flavor/finish and food pairings. To receive more information on the wine tasting event, guests can visit www.Facebook.com/OliveGarden, visit www.OliveGarden.com/remodel or sign up for the “Our Family Table” e-newsletter at www.OliveGarden.com.

About Olive Garden:
Olive Garden is the leading restaurant in the Italian dining segment with more than 700 restaurants, more than 85,000 employees and $3 billion in annual sales. Olive Garden is a part of the Darden family of restaurants (NYSE: DRI), the world’s largest company-owned and operated full-service restaurant company. For more information, visit Olive Garden’s Web site at www.olivegarden.com.

Hello all! Contest for Free UFL tickets to see the Florida Tuskers play for the Game on Oct 21!

Answer this question below to enter into the contest to win!

What is the best food you ever ate at a Tailgate??

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUKab3e0750?fs=1]

The game is on 10/21 by the way!

Today is the Mid autumn Moon Festival, a holiday celebrated in East Asia (known as Tet Trung Thu to the Vietnamese) to signify the end of the harvest season and the coming together of the community. After long months of toil in the fields during the summer months, the family is able to relax once again and enjoy the beginning of the fall season with their children by going out side to admire the full moon. (There’s a legend about that moon tradition too)

This is one of the many reasons why this holiday is known to be a “Children’s” festival with all sorts of games and activities for children especially the beautiful home made lantern traditions.

One thing about the Mid Autumn Moon Festival that is a foodie’s delight is the “moon cake”. Legend has it that during the Mongolian occupation of China in the 1200s, the Chinese rebel forces would transmit secret coded messages in this moon cake to signal the attack to win back the nation from the invaders on the night of the Mid Autumn Moon Festival.

These round moon shaped cakes come at quite a price, often around $8.00 each and $24.00 for a pack of four. I think one of the reasons why they are so expensive is because they are sold only once a year during the moon festival and also they are made of expensive ingredients. The original moon cake is made of lotus seed paste which can be quite expensive or red bean paste. There is also a moon cake made from various nuts and fruits, my least favorite. Inside the moon cake is a cooked egg yolk. These mooncakes are often given as gifts to friends and families and enjoyed with tea.

 

 As time went on, these cakes evolved with various types of fillings like chocolate, ice cream, cream cheese and more.

Make sure you drop by your  local Asian grocery and try some today before they go out of season 😀 put on by the UCF Vietnamese American Student Association for the Mid Autumn Moon Festival. Check it out! www.vasa.ucf.edu

so, what’s your favorite type of moon cake?

ps for those in the Orlando area, there is an awesome show going on this Sunday at UCF (Free!)

The Capital Grille Reveals New Fall Specials
Inspired by the Pacific Northwest

Menu Features Fresh Fall Favorites with a Creative Twist

Orlando, FL (September 20, 2010) – What happens when an exceptional chef is inspired by the crisp, pure flavors of the Pacific Northwest?

Answer: A welcome migration of flavors reflecting the fresh waters and cool climate of the Northwest corner of the country, just in time for fall.

In this unique culinary event, The Capital Grille is offering new menu items inspired by the “Flavors of the Pacific Northwest” from September 20 to October 31. The specials reflect The Capital Grille’s innovative take on classic Northwest cuisine, focusing on authentic, quality ingredients from the region.

Enjoy dishes such as Seared Halibut with Harvest Vegetables and Tenderloin of Beef with Morel Mushrooms.

Of course, the Pacific Northwest is also known for its excellent wines and The Capital Grille’s own Master Sommelier, George Miliotes, has hand-selected several choices to complement this special autumn meal. Guests can choose Willakenzie Pinot Noir from Oregon, or Cold Creek Merlot from Washington’s Chateau Ste. Michelle, just one of the many internationally recognized vineyards in the Northwest.

Be sure to save room for The Capital Grille’s house-made desserts. The delectable Warm Washington Apple Tart with Handcrafted Vanilla Bean Ice Cream is certain to provide a perfect end to your Pacific Northwest culinary journey.

“We believe this special menu further exemplifies our dedication to an exceptional dining experience,” said Randy Cook, Managing Partner of The Capital Grille Orlando. “This menu showcases our chef’s culinary artistry, with artisanal twists on a uniquely American cuisine.”

The Capital Grille Orlando is located at 9101 International Drive. Reservations can be made by calling (407) 370-4392 or by visiting TheCapitalGrille.com. In addition to its main dining room, The Capital Grille features private dining rooms for up to 36 guests, as well as the Chef’s Table, with a front line view of the open kitchen, accommodating up to 10 guests.

For additional information about the “Flavors of the Pacific Northwest” dishes and The Capital Grille experience, please contact Heather Dratler at 212.871.3020, ext. 110, or hdratler@jgordonassociates.com.

So if you checked out the MTV VMA’s (or one of their many reruns of the show) you may have noticed Lady Gaga’s meat dress.

From music.yahoo.com

“After arriving at the ceremony in a dress from the late designer Alexander McQueen’s final collection and then changing into a weighty, architectural gown and spiky crown by Giorgio Armani, Gaga turned heads (and we’d have to imagine noses) in her final outfit, a Franc Fernandez dress (plus boots, hat, and purse) cut together from what appeared to be slabs of raw meat.”

Here is the pic/photo from the night: 

Lady Gaga’s Meat Dress at the MTV VMA’s

What do you think of it? Was it too much? What statement do you think Lady Gaga is making with the meat dress?

WHAT:

Morton’s The Steakhouse in Orlando is offering a unique scotch tasting experience during the Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Tasting and Shoe Shining Event. Guests will enjoy complimentary shoe shines and have the opportunity to taste four distinct Glenmorangie single malt scotches: Original, Lasanta, Quinta Ruban and Nectar d’Or. The selections will be paired with passed hors d’oeuvres while Morton’s signature Bar Bites will be available at Power Hour pricing during the event.

WHEN:

Thursday, September 16 from 5 to 7 p.m.

WHERE:

Morton’s The Steakhouse Bar 12•21
7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32819

PRICE: FREE

FOR RESERVATIONS:
For more information or reservations, please call 407-248-3485 or visit http://www.mortons.com/

Morton’s Power Hour is offered from Sunday to Friday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. and includes a taste-tempting variety of signature Bar Bites for just $5 or $6 a plate, including the Filet Mignon Sandwiches and Mini Prime Cheeseburgers which will pair perfectly with a Cabernet. Power Hour pricing on select wines by the glass, beers and cocktails ranges from $5 to $7.

As part of auction piece for a Food Network show, I made this youtube video. If it doesn’t work out hey, maybe it will turn out into a webseries! lol. Thank you to Michael Cheung and Jon Mildner for the video production and Rona Gondin for the hookup!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LGF7FfcpS8?fs=1]

Check out the awesome write up by Mark Baratelli from The Daily City: Local Food Blog Tasty Chomps expands into Video.

 

Restaurant Row, the area along Sand Lake Drive in the Dr Phillips Area here in Orlando, is a food blog heaven. They have dozens of delicious restaurants from Pizza to Lebanese to Sushi to Steakhouses and everything in between.

I was lucky enough this evening to be invited by Morton the Steakhouse and the lovely people at Pierson Grant (Lesli!) for this sampling of the newly vamped bar menu items with special “Power Hour” pricing.

Morton’s Power Hour is the special budget pricing from Sunday to Friday from open to 6:30pm and 9pm to close at the Morton’s lounge area. Their bar bites range from $6-7 for Filet Mignon Sandwiches, Mini Prime Cheeseburgers, and the new Crab Cake BLTs and Smoked Salmon Pizza in addition to their specials on glass, beers, and cocktails.

My favorite was the mini prime burger, plump and tasty, so bite sized and ready to eat. As you can see below, there are alot of different mini bites and sandwiches to be enjoyed while sipping on your drinks after a long day of work, just relaxing in the lounge. Although it may not be the healthiest food on the list, it sure does the job in getting you full!

*Update: The prices were more than reasonable, the service was prompt and cordial thanks to our great server who had double-time as the waitress and the bartender, and the drinks were well made and mixed to our liking. I would definitely try it again, and maybe not eat so much cause it filled me up to the max. Thanks for the questions Mr T!

crab cake blt

full view

dessert!

for more info visit http://www.orlandojcc.org/events/event_details.asp?id=109009

Orlando, FL – The night air was alive with the music spinning from the dj booth, underneath the big white tent VIPs were sipping from champagne glasses, getting their nails down at a mini nail salon, and across the way the crowds lined up from the door out. It was like a scene from the reality tv show Platinum Weddings.

Alot of glam and glitz, but nothing less of course for the granddaddy of the frozen yogurt craze that has been hitting America, the opening of the first Pinkberry right here in Orlando Florida. This humble food blog was lucky enough to attend to get a sneak peak of the Pinkberry opening here in Doctor Phillips Marketplace in Orlando. Here are some scenes from the night:

we are giving out 20 free t-shirts and 2 VIP passes to the Pinkberry Grand Opening Party on Thursday August 19th. Find out more about the Grand Opening of Pinkberry in Orlando here

“Pinkberry Preview Party” will be held Thursday, Aug. 19, 6- 10 pm.
Pinkberry is located at The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. , on the corner of Dr. Phillips and Sandlake Rd.

To enter, all you have to do is “Like Us” on Facebook and then Re-tweet this post on Twitter and add @tastychomps to it so I know that its been posted.The first 20 to do so will win the shirts! And the 5th person to do so will get the 2 VIP passes. I will contact you for your email to send the shirt/pass info.

These shirts were provided to us here at Tasty Chomps by Pinkberry! Thanks Pinkberry!

Cafe 118 Degrees is a restaurant with a very unique theme: their entire menu is not only organic and vegetarian but all of their food is also prepared completely raw. Located on 153 E Morse Blvd off of Park Avenue in Winter Park, Florida just a few miles north of Orlando, Cafe 118 serves up some pretty interesting and innovative dishes.

Cafe 118 Degrees is named after the optimal temperature at which foods are “cooked” here, with the belief that food cooked above 118 degrees begin to break down their enzymes and minerals, resulting in diminished nutritional value.  Truly natural food.

As America’s waistlines continue to balloon and more and more people are being diagnosed with health problems related to obesity and heart disease each year, we must start looking into eating healthier and living healthier. Cafe 118 Degrees hopes to continue the promise of this movement to healthier lifestyles through eating food as natural as can be. This Orlando food blog hopes this movement continues strong.

On this evening, I am joined with Lily and her husband as well as old friends Jacques and Yvonne (who luckily has a restaurant.com gift certificate for our bill). As you can guess, eating healthy does come at a higher price as organic natural foods cost more since they are not mass produced like our every day processed foods.

Note, they also rotate their items in and out seasonally to ensure freshness.

For appetizer, we order the spiced macadamia hummus with sun-dried tomato flax crackers. The hummus is light and soft on the palate, almost airy and creamy. For my entree, I choose the ravioli made with macadamia ricotta and my partners choose the “pad thai” (made with zucchini and carrot noodles, pad thai sauce, drizzled with a sesame cashew glaze), the “lasagna” (made with sun dried tomatoes, herb pesto, and macadamia ricotta), and the mexican chopped salad (made with spinach, sweet corn, avocado,  corn chips, cherry tomato and a “queso blanco”). All in all I enjoyed my meal and thought it was quite ingenius to create such inventive dishes made entirely with vegetables and fruits and non-meat products and to make it entirely without cooking above 118 degrees. I would definitely try to bring friends here in the future especially if I have a gift certificate cause it can get really expensive…

Star Wars Celebration V 2010 in Orlando FL: Recap and Impressions

Jedis, Siths, Droids, Imperial Stormtroopers, Rebel forces and everything from a galaxy far far away all converged onto Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center this weekend for Star Wars Celebration V.

On Saturday, the main event included an interview of the granddaddy of the Force himself, George Lucas by Daily Show host Jon Stewart. During the interview George Lucas, said in response to some of the questions, “If only I could make another Star Wars film” to which the crowd began to cheer and Jon Stewart replied “You do realize that most of the people out there won’t be sleeping tonight, right?”

shout out to @jodi_kiely who i met up with there!

Here are some photos of the event!

Receive half off Eden Bar’s famous Margherita Pizza every Friday and Saturday starting at 10PM until 1AM!*

*Promotion ends 9/1/2010. Valid at Eden Bar only and does not apply to additional toppings.
Happy Hour specials and made-to-order entrees and appetizers will get you here early. Eden Bar’s one-of-a-kind ambiance and fantastic menu specials will keep you out late! With daily food and drink specials and a new late night menu, Central Florida’s most unique outdoor restaurant and bar just got even better.

Eden Bar Hours:
Sun-Thu 5PM–11PM
Fri-Sat 5PM–1AM

Click here to view entire Eden Bar menu

Discover an invigorating alfresco experience that elevates your spirit and mind only found at Eden Bar. Relax as you escape to an ambiance filled with flourishing, green gardens amid 400-year-old oaks and you warm your soul with our southern hospitality. Revitalize your energy with daily Happy Hour specials from 5pm – 7pm showcasing a mix of one-of-a-kind drink creations. Tantalize your palette and enjoy our casual, freshly prepared entree specialties. Afterwards, treat your mind to a fantastic film as you are only steps away from Enzian’s main entrance. So, come and leave your worries behind as we invite you to take pleasure in our exceptional drinks, great food and the company of good friends.

Come Early, Stay Late!
Enjoy great food, good times, and excellent drinks – even later.

$100 Gift Card Giveaway Contest!!!

Do you know any good recipes using a Dutch Oven? Dutch ovens are pretty old school, dating back hundreds of years and actually are used for slow cooking among other things.

Well, if you are interested in Dutch ovens and other such cookware, you may be interested in this:

TastyChomps.com is partnering up with Cookware.com and CSNStores for a $100 Gift Card giveaway to cookware.com !

How do you win this contest? If you already are a fan of Tasty Chomps on Facebook, you are already entered in the drawing! But if not, make sure you fan us today and also make sure to tell your friends or loved ones to fan us too! The contest will end August 31st 2010.

The winners of the contest will be notified via Facebook message and will be asked to prepare a nice dish for us here at Tasty chomps with their new cook wares! (if they want to)

Remember, enter by becoming a fan of
facebook.com/tastychomps by August 31 2010!

Chipotle Mexican Grill will take part in the tax “free” weekend by offering Food With Integrity for FREE.

Eat at any Orlando Chipotle on Tuesday, August 10, or Wednesday, August 11, and save the receipt. Then go back any time during tax “free” weekend, August 13 – 15 and receive a free burrito, salad, order of tacos or bowl with your receipt. No charge. No tax. No strings attached

The first time I heard about Firkin Kegler, I thought someone was cursing at me, are you firkin kidding?

But Firkin Kegler, located in Waterford Lakes on the east side of Orlando, is actually a great place to go for families and young adults in search for a place to go for fun after a long work week. As an alternative to Boardwalk Bowl in the area, they have a very upscale bowling alley decked with huge tv screens, with a soundtrack of pop music and a night club lounge feel. I love going here to hang out and bowl and they even have a small arcade room. Its great for families too, though it is a bit more pricey than the older Boardwalk bowl down the street.

The food here however is much less desired. To be honest the food was horrible. I ordered some chicken wings and some fries and they both were sub par, tasting over fried and lacking in any sort of good flavors. And I love my chicken wings. My burger and its bun were dry and flavorless.

Alas, if you are to come to Firkin Kegler, I would recommend eating dinner before…you have been forewarned. They should really get some new recipes over there.

so in short, come here for some firkin fun with bowling and games but forget the firkin food

FIRST PINKBERRY IN FLORIDA OPENS FRIDAY, AUGUST 20 IN ORLANDO
Public Invited to Sneak Peek Preview Party With
Free Pinkberry, Prizes and More on Thursday, Aug. 19

ORLANDO (Aug. 3, 2010) — Pinkberry, the number one tart frozen yogurt brand, will open its doors in Orlando on Friday, Aug. 20 at 11 am at the Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., on the corner of Dr. Phillips and Sandlake Rd. The newest Pinkberry location marks the arrival of the first Pinkberry in Florida.

After hosting several events in the community at the Southwest JCC, Neiman Marcus, The Pink Chalet and many others where Pinkberry samples were served and donations collected for Give Kids The World, Pnkberry will be donating a portion of all opening weekend sales to assist the charity’s efforts in providing critically ill children and their families with a carefree Orlando vacation.

For those who can’t wait to get a taste of the most talked about tart frozen yogurt in the country, a “Pinkberry Preview Party” will be held Thursday, Aug. 19, 6- 10 pm. The party is open to the public and will feature free Pinkberry frozen yogurt and toppings, as well as music, prizes, games and more. The first 100 fans in line for the Thursday event and Friday grand opening will also receive Pinkberry t-shirts.

Orlando locations will be serving Pinkberry’s six distinctive flavors. From its signature Original flavor, a sweet and tangy yogurt with a refreshing finish to Pomegranate, a bold and tangy flavor made with 100% California-grown pure pomegranate juice, Orlando customers are in for a surprising and refreshing treat unlike anything they’ve ever tasted. In addition, Pinkberry serves an exceptional Coconut flavor, smooth and subtle, made with real coconut puree for a fresh and cool finish, a rich, indulgent Chocolate; and Mango, a fruity and light flavor made with authentic Alphonso mango puree for a soothing finish.

Local fans who want up-to-the minute news and discount offers should sign up to be a Pinkberry Groupie at www.pinkberry.com/groupie. The brand can also be found on Facebook and at Twitter @pinkberryswirl.

Pinkberry is located at The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. , on the corner of Dr. Phillips and Sandlake Rd. For additional information, contact Mary Deatrick at 407-332-5212 or mary@deatrickpr.com.