Izziban – Sushi – Orlando

Izziban is a sushi restaurant located close to the Florida Mall on the southwest corner of Orange Blossom Trail and Sand Lake Road. I’m always cautious when there is a sushi restaurant calling itself a derivative of “Ichiban’ meaning “number one” with two zz’s, but hey maybe it is their twist on the traditional. It turned out to be one of the better sushi places around town and I was glad that I dropped in for dinner on this evening.

Inside, the decor is pretty sleek, a modern blue metallic sheen on the walls and settings. There is a long sushi bar that runs along one of the walls.

Izziban has some pretty interesting and unique rolls, some ok and some really good.

On this evening we tried the Sushi Pizza. a interesting invention made with: Seaweed Paper Tempura topped with Crab, Shrimp, Mushroom, Avocado, Scallion, Masago, & Mozzarella (Oven Baked). It was definitely a different twist to the traditional sushi rolls, though not a particular favorite.

Futomaki roll

the Cowboy roll was probably the favorite of the evening, made with delicious bulgogi beef

I would definitely come back and try some more items on the list, there were just so many I didn’t know where to start!

Valentine’s Day is this weekend! What are your plans with your loved ones? 😀

Four Rivers Smokehouse – BBQ – Orlando

I finally got to try Four Rivers Smokehouse, yes I know I am late on this train, and as has been professed over and over again: Four Rivers is pretty damn good ‘que!

Located on a corner on Fairbanks Ave right before I-4 in Winter Park, Four Rivers is a brick house building with one thing on its mind: really good barbeque for the masses. They have only been open a few months and yet the line is almost always out the door and wrapped around the street.

The first thing you will notice is that parking is a bit limited, but there’s additional parking across the street, and also “they’re working on it”. The ordering system is much like the “fast casual” style that have been proliferating throughout the nation a la Chipotle and Qdoba, etc. You order at the counter and they put the plates together as you walk to the register. It is a delight to see the gentleman at the counter slice your brisket right off as you order.

The dining room is actually outdoors so it may not be the best idea to go on a stormy night. There are about six picnic tables as well as heaters in this room for those “cold” Florida winter days.

I met up here on this evening with a few of my bros Kha and Ed who just got off of work as well. Kha ordered the brisket with a side of prime rib with baked cheesy grits and other sides. I ordered the beef brisket platter with added pulled pork and some fried pickles and collard greens and baked beans. Ed ordered a half rack of St Louis ribs and some pulled pork. All was delicious and you could tell they took great care in their food. We actually had left overs cause there was so much food.

Is it worth the wait? Hell yes it is. (but you can order ahead and pick it up at the window if you don’t feel like waiting hah). Indeed it is the best barbeque in Orlando thus far.

Mark’s Caribbean – East Orlando

Mark’s Caribbean sits in a small, somewhat shady plaza on the corner of Dean road and University Blvd. My brother Ninh and I were on our way to the park when we decided to drop by one morning. I was in the mood for some delicious Jamaican spicy beef patty.

Inside, the decor is minimal, and otherwise pretty typical of a Caribbean joint with bright yellow colors and wooden chairs, creating the feeling of being down home in the islands, or so I would imagine. We ordered our spicy beef patties, denoted by the red dot on the patty, and were good to go.

I must say, I did enjoy these patties quite a bit. The bread used for the patty was flaky and crispy, unlike any other patty I have had before. The meat was the usual ground beef in gravy type deal. All in all it was a tasty patty, and I would definitely go back to try the rest of their menu for some good Caribbean cooking.

The Jamaican beef patty (spicy as noted) at Mark’s Caribbean

Holeman-Finch Public House – Gastropub – Atlanta

Holeman-Finch is a newly arrived starlet on the Atlanta culinary scene. With seating very limited, this “public house” is crawling with young professionals out on the town as well as families out for the night. The space is very small, with a bar taking up one side and a few tables and booths and seats on the other end. Once arriving inside, you can see through a long window the inner workings of the chef’s kitchen with the masters putting together their art pieces for tonight’s consumption.

After about a wait, we are seated to a small table to the side. The food here is served in small dishes, similar to tapas with similar pricing. Knowing this ahead of time we decide to order several dishes, beginning with the deviled eggs, prepared three ways:

Deviled Eggs three ways

Cornish Hen with Polenta and rosemary jub

Seared strube ranch Kobe Beef sirloin with parsnip puree and candied shallot

Pork Shoulder confit on top of braised collard greens with an apple cider glaze

Fried Apple pie – a caramelized empanada with ice cream

Overall, it was a enjoyable meal despite the cramped circumstances. I wish I could have stayed longer to try their famous burger, of which only 24 are made a night at a certain time…

IKEA Furniture Store…the Restaurant?

IKEA, the affordable, chic Swedish furniture store near the Mall at Millenia here in (mostly) sunny Orlando, Florida is not only home to cheap, well designed living room and dining room sets, but also to a small and similarly cheap dining hall.

More like a cafeteria than anything, Ikea’s cafe serves up some pretty good Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and lingonberries. Although they are probably not the best Swedish balls in the world, they do well to hold one over when shopping the voluminous furniture store.

A bottle of some lingonberry apple juice

It’s a cafeteria

Is this a traditional Swedish meal?

Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes, and lingonberries – good enough for now!

A Swedish dessert with some caramel

Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria – UCF Area

This place is pretty awesome………. The atmosphere is very chill and relaxed and the servers are all very friendly. The space is a bit small with a few bar stools and a few tables around the room.

Inside Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria ….a black board!

Inside Pom Pom’s at UCF

Friends enjoying a lovely Friday afternoon

I ordered the Mama Ling Ling’s Thanksgiving sandwich ($8), probably the favorite of the bunch my friends and I ordered today: stuffed with turkey meat, stuffing, cranberry, and mashed potatoes with a side of gravy to dip in! it definitely gave me the holiday good feelings! in my belly.

Mama Ling Ling’s Thanksgiving rox

Pasta salad of the day with turkey pastrami

My friends ordered a Fu Manchu sandwich and a Asian bbq sandwich. I believe part of the secret ingredient is the hoisin bbq sauce. Although they both enjoyed their sandwiches, the goat cheese in the fu manchu was sensory overload and did not appear to go well, but c’est la vie.

The Fu Manchu stuffed with asian bbq pulled pork, goat cheese, watercress, and asian slaw!

Asian BBQ Slaw

if you order a drink, a side is only $.50 more!

Overall, Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria is recommended for a chill environment and some great sandwiches.

Tasty Chomps Rating!!!!

4 out of 5 Tasty CHOMPS!!!!

Vietnamese “Tet” Lunar New Year Festival at the Central Florida Fairgrounds

This year the Vietnamese Tet Lunar New Year holiday falls on Sunday February 14 also Valentine’s Day, and also shared by the Chinese Lunar New Year. This year is the year of the Tiger and as holidays go, Tet is the biggest and most important holiday of the year: a time when families reunite, homes are cleansed, and offerings are made to the heavens.

The Vietnamese community puts on various events through out the month to celebrate the holidays and usually try to spread their festivities apart so as not to step on each others toes. This past weekend was the big two day Tet Festival put on by the Vietnamese Association of Central Florida which included a beauty pageant for Miss Vietnam Florida as well as various children acts and performances and most importantly of all…VIETNAMESE FOOD!

Sure, Vietnamese restaurants have plenty of Vietnamese food, but its usually the same things on everyone’s menu. At the Tet Festival there are dozens of booths with homemade Vietnamese dishes from dumplings to banh xeo pancakes to the traditional banh tet sticky rice in bamboo leaves, and more. It is truly a foodie’s delight and probably the closest thing to Vietnam this side of Central Florida .

The only thing about this festival that I don’t like is that it costs about $10 just to go in for the day…Maybe one day they can have it free. There is another festival this weekend on Saturday put on by the Vietnamese catholic church in Orlando St Thanh Philliphe and on the actual weekend of new year’s there will be many other celebrations in town, mostly at the temples.

banh tet?

Banh mi viet subs of course

Beef balls on a stick!

Cha Chien, fried pork deli meat

Cha gio – Vietnamese spring rolls

Banh beo

banh xeo – its called xeo because of the crackling noise it makes as it fries
xeo xeo xeooo

shrimp dumpling

chao long, congee with pig intestines, blood sausage, and pretty much every other piece of pork

Greetings to Lollicup !

Meat on a stick

Traditional candies and gifts for new years

Del Dio Pizzeria

The pizza at this place is pretty bangin. The crust is thin and crispy, yet actually tastes like bread rather than cardboard and the cheese is fresh and yummy. There is surprisingly alot of bad pizza places in Orlando and Del Dio’s thankfully is one that does pizza justice. And of course i fold it in half to eat it. Sure its greasy but still, a very tasty Chomp!!

I got a slice of Pepperoni Pizza, thin crust, around $2.50

The only thing that sucks about this place is that its hidden! in a plaza, next to HH Gregg on Colonial . If you get off the Crystal Lake exit on SR 408 and go north you’ll see it on your right, right before the Colonial Drive light. They also serve quite a few other dishes here, so I will definitely try to come by and check it out again.

Fox Bros BBQ – Atlanta, GA

With its reputation for having some of the best bbq around Atlanta, I knew I had to arrive early at Fox Brothers BBQ. I decided to meet with my friend Eric here for some lunch before the lunch crowd started. Luckily we did because within minutes, around 11:30 am, the place started filling up with guests from all over.

There’s not much inside Fox Brothers, just your typical bar dive kind of look, but the meat is where its at. We begin our order with the “smoked wings”, hickory smoked jumbo wings tossed in their home made bbq sauce. It was one of the first times I’ve ever tried smoked wings and I must say they were a delightful treat with a touch of tangy sweetness and smokey goodness that can only come from a masterful bbq man.

For our lunch, we shared a whole rack of baby back ribs, my favorite of the items offered. It was succulent and juicy, with just the right amount of spices rubbed in and barbequed to perfection. I would go back again and again for just these ribs alone!

For our sides we had some of the mac and cheese, a bowl of tomato-y brunswick stew, and tater tots. My partner ordered a plate of brisket, however we did not enjoy them as it was a bit cold when it came out, like it was old or something. Otherwise the meal was very enjoyable.

Fox Brothers BBQ is one of the best barbeque joints I’ve ever been to. If you’re ever in Atlanta, definitely check it out! especially for their ribs!! nom nom nom

Tasty Chomps Rating !!!!
4.5 out of 5 CHOMPS

Cafe 101 Atlanta

A rainy, cold morning in Atlanta. Pulling out of the slicked streets and pulling into the parking lot, the giant hexagonal shaped building of Cafe 101 loomed over us. One strange looking building. But my friends Vince and Lisa say that the food here is pretty authentic Taiwanese style so I decided it’d be worth a visit.

The inside of Cafe 101 was not as horrid as its exterior. Walls covered with posters, new table sets and decor, all gave the feeling of a traditional yet modern Chinese setting.

A Look inside Cafe 101

We began with a complementary hot and sour soup and some pickled cucumbers, and although I am not usually a fan of hot and sour soup, this one tasted a bit more balanced than the standard too sour variety found in NY Style Chinese restaurants.

Hot and Sour Soup

Our first order arrived: the spicy Szechuan style beef noodle soup. It was a steaming bowl of noodle deliciousness, filled with a wonderful broth, small chunks of beef, spices, and collard greens.

I also ordered their “basil chicken” or in chinese “sam ding gai” (three cups chicken). My partner thought that the basil was a bit strong but I thought it was just the right mix of sauces and herbs. The chicken was tender and arrived in a clay pot. Delicious.

“Basil Chicken” or Sam ding gai

The last order was my least favorite, not to say it was bad or anything, but the “House special Tofu” was just a dish with very large rectangular chunks of tofu in a soy based sauce, nothing to write home about.

Tofu House Special

Overall the experience was pretty good and I would definitely want to come back to try some of the other dishes with my friends Vince and Lisa.

Overall Tasty Chomps Rating!!!
4 out of 5 Tasty Chomps!!!!

So Kong Dong – Korean – Atlanta Georgia

A dark, cold night in a dark, cold strip mall plaza. The sound of moving cars on Buford highway rumbled behind us as we took another step closer to So Kong Dong, out of the cold and into the warm embrace of spicy tofu stew and motherly Korean waitresses.

Stepping inside, the decor is like a comfy old house you may see in Korean dramas. Comfy homey feel for comfy homey food. We sit and are immediately greeted by a older Korean lady with a constant smile. They are really nice here and attentive to our water glasses and everything else.

To our delight, we notice there are special combo value meals that combine 1) type of tofu stew with 2) kalbi, the delicious bbq short ribs of korea. I order the seafood and beef stew as well as a pancake while my partner orders the kimchi tofu stew. The kalbi that came on a plate with the stew was one of the most deliciously flavored kalbi I have ever had and the stew was warm and hearty. A perfect dinner to warm up the cold night.

A look inside So Kong Dong – Atlanta, Ga

banchan or assorted dishes

So Kong Dong’s delicious short ribs aka kalbi

buckwheat noodles myun yummy

Seafood pancake

the seafood and beef tofu stew! at So Kong Dong

bon apetit!

This past holiday season, I had the pleasure of traveling to Atlanta for some R & R and also visit a few of the land marks of Atlanta. It was a cold couple of days but enjoyable nonetheless. I went with my partner to both the Georgia Aquarium and saw whale sharks get fed (yummy plankton chomp!) and also next door to the World of Coca Cola Museum, the highlight of which is the 60 odd flavors of various coke products throughout the world .

For breakfast on the first day, by the suggestion of a few fellow foodies, I visited nearby Alon’s Bakery and Market for some delicious pastries and food. Inside, the Alon’s Bakery was designed in European style with a bakery, deli, and more all quite nicely displayed. I ordered a poppyseed danish while my partner had the croissant. The only complaint was the pricing of all of the products, which I found to be a bit too high.

Poppyseed pastry at Alon’s

Croissant

Mocha cappuccino

Overall everything was pretty good, but also pretty pricey 🙁

CNN CENTER VISIT

There is a huge food court inside attached to the Georgia Dome

Even CNN has a snuggie, do you?

The Centennial Park, site of the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games

Georgia Aquarium

the largest sushi bar ever jk no sushi 🙁

Whale Shark feeding time chomp chomp

giant japanese Spider crab

World of Coca Cola

they had me thoroughly brainwashed by the end of this. the Taste it section at the end where you get to taste all the coke products was definitely the best part of the whole thing.

Though I did have a tummy ache full of carbon dioxide and syrup after this event…

My favorite was the sodas from Asia haha surprise.

the secret formula to coke? no just a inventory list from back in the day

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfU17niXOG8]
my favorite coke commercial of all time

yes i have been brainwashed i cant get enough of coke now -_-

Food Shack – Jupiter Florida

During the holidays I was able to check out a popular little place by Jupiter Beach as well as catch up with an old friend from high school. The place is called Little Moir’s (pronounced Moyer) Food Shack, or just Food Shack for short.

I’ve always drove by this place and noticed the long lines waiting outside its door. Trusting in the wisdom of crowds, I made a guess that this place may be worth a visit.

After about a 20 minute wait, my friend and I are ushered into the “Food Shack“. Inside, the decor is definitively “beachy” themed with tikis, oceany memorabilia, and tropical colored lights make it feel like some dive bar near the Florida keys rather than the Palm Beaches. The place is small (no wonder there is always a line) with probably no more than 25 seats in the whole place.

Jupiter is not known for great or cutting edge cuisine, but the Food Shack is an exception. The menu is updated daily and contains mostly seafood with a pacific twist.

We begin our order with an appetizer: the Fried tuna and basil roll with wasabi dipping. My friend Jesse comments that “it’s really good.” I concurred. For our entrees, he had the sweet potato crusted yellowtail over greens with green beans, mango, and a garlic lime dressing while I had the butternut and rosemary crusted yellowtail over greens with asparagus, apple, pears and a tomato lime dressing. The dishes were creative and executed very well.

I am heading for another Tasty Chomps adventure in New York City this weekend! Where should I go? 😀

The Orlando chapter of Slow Food USA is working to raise awareness of the Slow Food philosophy in our Central Florida community and are starting the first-ever Slow Food Orlando Eat Local Week for the last week of January, the 25th-31st 2010

At least 20 local farmers and artisans and over 20 restaurants including Primo, Journeys at Alaqua, and The Ravenous Pig will be participating. You can read more about the specific goals of Eat Local Week on our website at www.slowfoodorlando.org/eat-local-week.html.

Slow Food Orlando
www.slowfoodorlando.org

I always enjoy a good bagel and Einstein’s Bagel Bros, although a chain, serves up a great tasty bagel. I was in the mood for a nova lox and bagel this early morning and decided to drop by the store on US 17/92 at Orange Ave in Winter Park for a bite.

Although the bagel was good, I still reminisce with bittersweet nostalgia about the delicious bagel I had eaten at Russ and Daughters in New York…

I always love some salmon, cream cheese, and a bagel in the morning sunshine.

Pi Delta Psi Fraternity Winter Banquet at UCF

I had the pleasure to attend the annual winter banquet at UCF this past weekend, featuring a unique array of delicious buffet foods both from Filipino grocery store De Guzman as well as some home made Latin American influenced dishes. Overall, it was a pleasurable event with great moments and memories with loved ones and friends alike. A great way to end the year.

I liked the chicken adobo from De Guzman the most, made with chopped chicken pieces with bone-in marinated in saucy adobo spices. Although there have been a few Filipino restaurants to come and go in Orlando, De Guzman’s Grocery store has been one of the more reliable places to get your dose of enormous (jk theyre small) lumpia egg rolls and other Filipino dishes (you may have to call ahead). The store sits just west of the SR 417 interchange on SR 50/Colonial Drive.

With over 200 people in attendance at the banquet hall near UCF, the stroll competition, video competition, and dance off were all at the same time hilarious, heartwarming, and at times, disturbingly lovely.

Although this beef may look tasty, it was my least favorite item of the night =(

Chicken adobo from De Guzman

Rice with pigeon peas and a look at pancit, the national noodles of Phillipines

My breakfast looking lovely at Peach Valley Cafe

The Turkey sausage links, healthier than regular sausage links perhaps?

Belgian Waffle, get in my belly!

Syrupy sweets

I can taste it…

Kawaii Bento Boxes: Cute and Convenient Japanese Meals on the Go

“I have to make her food look like something she recognizes,” said Ms. Chen, 42, a stay-at-home mother in San Leandro, Calif. “If her boiled egg is shaped like a bunny and it is holding a baby carrot, she’ll eat it.” – NY Times article..

As a fan of Japanese food, I came across this book the other day after reading an article in the New York Times about the recent upswing in bento boxes used in lieu of the traditional “lunch boxes”. Its basically a creative way to make your lunch look using every day food items. This book in particular was helpful in illustrating the different items and masses of pictures of the different arrangements for these lunch bento boxes. some pokemon bento boxes

A bento box meal (single portions of different foods packed in one reusable container) is a Japanese tradition that lends itself well to today’s busy lifestyle. Although bento boxes are available to take out from restaurants and food stands, they are most frequently prepared at home, very often by parents wishing to provide their children with delicious, healthy, fun–and environmentally responsible–lunch and snack-time alternatives.

Kawaii Bento Boxes offers dozens of recipes and menus. For each box, the authors include detailed instructions for cooking, seasoning, decorating and assembling the components as well as an icon indicating how long it will take to prepare. The meals are not just easy to make, they are tasty, nutritious and economical, with each portion carefully calculated so that there are no leftovers. There are also suggestions for the right container for each meal. Most of the ingredients used are familiar and available to American cooks. Here are whimsical creations like soccer balls and animal faces made from shaped rice, tulips cut from dyed hardboiled eggs, hearts and stars carved out of vegetables, and much more. Perfect for parents looking to liven up their children’s school lunches or park snacks, or for busy people who want to fix a quick and cheerful meal to take to work, Kawaii Bento Boxes highlights the Japanese passion for making food a treat for the eyes as well as for the mouth.

http://www.amazon.com/Kawaii-Bento-Boxes-Convenient-Japanese/dp/4889962603

doesn’t it make you want to eat it all up!?!?

Back again to our favorite outdoor mall/tween day care center, Waterford Lakes. This time its for Toojay’s Deli where I decided to visit to hanker down on my craving for a nice pastrami sandwich. (Flashback: Katz’ Deli in NYC and their ginormous pastrami sandwiches)

Originating from the island of Palm Beach in 1981, Toojay’s Deli has actually won over 50 awards for “best” deli. I came to see what all the fuss was about.

The Counter at Toojay’s Gourmet Deli – Waterford Lakes – Orlando

Inside, Toojay’s has a very comfortable and homey feeling, with plenty of seating and a large deli counter to boot.

Although the prices may seem a bit high here at Toojays, its all about the quality. I order the pastrami and with the suggestion of the lady at the counter I get it with cole slaw and Russian dressing, a favorite. It would be my first time ordering a pastrami with cole slaw and it actually was pretty good, slightly creamy.

The sandwich is superb and delightful on my tastebuds. It satisfied my hunger for some good deli sandwiches or at least held it over until my next trip to New York 😀

I’ve got to come back and try their desserts and black and white cookies as well as their famed corned beef sandwiches next time!

Pastrami with Cole Slaw and Russian Dressing
Toojay’s Gourmet Deli – Waterford Lakes – Orlando

Pastrami with Cole Slaw and Russian Dressing
Toojay’s Gourmet Deli – Waterford Lakes – Orlando

Stardust Coffee and Video – Audobon Park – Orlando

Stardust Coffee and Video, founded in 1970.
There is a off beat feeling about the place. I could imagine poets, artists, hipsters and disaffected rebels inhabiting inside, working on a new project on their macbooks while sipping a latte. I like it.

The Counter @ Stardust Coffee and Video in Orlando (Audobon Park)

At the counter, I order a grinderman sandwich, made with chicken, pesto and goat cheese (made from free range goats of course) with hot sauce. There is a delightful kick to the sandwich and I do enjoy it. I should have maybe ordered a half order since it was quite large. I also enjoy a spinach salad with it. I sip it all down with a mocha latte to warm me up from the rainy day going on outside. The coffee was a lot better than any cup I’ve ever had from Starbucks, rich and deep.