This new animated film looks like its going to be a tasty chomp…
The new 3D animated film Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, based on the children’s book by Judi and Ron Barrett, follows young inventor Flint Lockwood. Flint invents a machine that turns rain into food and instantly solves the world’s hunger problems.
“Best Philly Cheesesteaks in Orlando!!”
It’s rare to find authentic food here in Central Florida, maybe because we are a city of transplants. Most of us have roots from somewhere else and came here to the city beautiful, and like Walt Disney did so many years ago, to make something of this once swampy wetland forest.
I heard about Brianto’s Original Hoagies and their notoriously good Philly cheese steaks from my friend Victor S. and after a few days of talking about it and checking the reviews for it online, we decided to give it a try and drive out to Avalon Park‘s Town Center to see what these Philly cheese steaks were all about.
The cheese steaks turned out to be, without a doubt, the best cheese steaks I’ve had in my life.
After driving allll the way down Avalon Park Boulevard, past the Publix, we found Brianto’s. Inside, the walls are adorned with photos of the Philadelphia Phillies baseball team and sports memorabilia from decades gone by, thank-you plaques from local little leagues that have been beneficiaries of Brianto’s charitable giving, and a huge sign regarding the Philly way of “How to Order a Cheese steak” by I.M. Hungry “wit or wit-out” onions of course.
I order the 6″ Philly cheese steak roll ( $4.99) and my friend Victor S orders the 12″ Philly cheesesteak roll ($7.99) at the counter.
The man behind the counter slaps the sliced steak cuts onto the hot griddle and a few moments later adds the chopped onions to the mix. The steak slices sizzle and steam as they’re cooked.
Later, he adds our cheeses onto the steaks. Victor chooses cheez whiz, that infamous thick processed yellow-colored cheese sauce that has become popular among cheesesteak connoisseurs while I choose the more old-school sharp, and a bit healthier, provolone cheese.
You could also order the pizza steak, which comes with Steak, Marinara, Mozzarella, and Parmesan Cheese, or cheesesteak supreme with Steak, Onions, Green Peppers, Mushrooms, and Cheese, the Chicken Philly, Italian Hoagies, salads, and more.
The cheesesteaks and hoagies are served on authentically Philly-made Amoroso bread. The crispy, rich, golden brown Amoroso bread is specially shipped by air in to Brianto’s daily to ensure Brianto’s has the authentic taste of true Philly cheesesteaks and hoagies .
The cheese steaks arrive at our table wrapped in white paper, beckoning our curiousity and hunger to open them and ravage the contents within. After breaking the taped seal on the breads, we unfold them out onto the table.
Our mouths began to salivate at the aromatic smell of the melted cheese and hot steaks. It was a hot mess that lay out before us.
The first bite: a delicate, delicious balance of cheese, steak, and bread combined to perfection and made with the finest ingredients that there could be and made with the great care and attentiveness as if by some great Philly cheesesteak master. It was divine.
My 6in was enough to get me full and the 12 inch was definitely more than enough for Victor, it was hard to imagine that the large is actualy 18 inches, a full 1.5 foot long.
Truly Philadelphia: Brianto’s also has a stockpile of direct-from-Philly Tasty Kakes cupcakes and pies as well as Herr’s potato chips found in Philadelphia.
Tasty Chomps Rating!!
5 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS
Brianto’s Original Hoagies
12001 Avalon Lake Drive.
Orlando, FL32828
Phone: (407)382-2667
http://www.briantos.com/
Tasty Wok – Orlando
One of my most favorite places for Chinese food in Orlando is Tasty Wok. With reasonable prices and great heapings of authentic, home-cookin style, Chinese food, no wonder this place is almost always busy throughout the day, packed with Chinese families and friends having a good meal. Delicious though often greasy(I believe that’s one of their ancient secrets to the “tasty” in the “tasty wok”)
Tasty Wok refers to itself as a BBQ and Noodle house, both of which it does exceedingly well. The beef chow fun and the beef pan fried noodles are both exemplary noodle dishes, filled with luscious seared beef and heapings of stir fried noodles.
I visit Tasty Wok with a few of my brothers, Victor, also a Chinese food connoisseur, and Di. We had just awaken from a night out and called each other up for some lunch downtown in the Mills 50 district at the tantalizing Tasty Wok.
Victor orders the rice congee, a rice porridge like soup dish, mixed with a little bit of scallions, chicken, pork, and pieces of thousand year old egg. The “thousand year egg” isn’t really a thousand years old, but it is made by preserving chicken eggs in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, lime, and rice straw for several weeks to several months, depending on the method of processing. After the process is completed, the yolk becomes a dark green, cream-like substance with a strong odor of sulphur and ammonia, while the white becomes a dark brown, transparent jelly.
Congee is a traditional morning dish in Chinese families and is also served to those who are unwell to help them get better. After last night, I am sure Victor needed some of this.
He also ordered a side of “yau ja gwai” or Chinese fried doughnut bread stick that is often dipped and ate with the congee porridge.
The Cantonese name yàuh ja gwái literally means “oil-fried ghost” and, according to folklore, is an act of protest against Song Dynasty official Qin Hui, who is said to have orchestrated the plot to frame the general Yue Fei, an icon of patriotism in Chinese culture. It is said that the food, originally in the shape of two human-shaped pieces of dough but later evolved into two pieces joined in the middle, represents Qin Hui and his wife, both having a hand in collaborating with the enemy to bring about the great general’s demise.
Thus the yàuh ja gwái is deep fried and eaten as if done to the traitorous couple. In keeping with the legend, yàuh ja gwái are often made as two foot-long rolls of dough joined along the middle, with one roll representing the husband and the other the wife.
Kind of cruel, I know, but tasty nonetheless. I guess it goes to show that its a bad idea to be traitorous…
Di orders the three meat rice combination plate, a great value and delicious offering from Tasty Wok. With this meal you can order any three barbeque meats on top of rice with a side of gai lan, or chinese brocolli. Di chooses cha siu, or roasted barbeque pork, soy sauce chicken, and roast duck.
Tasty Chomps Rating!!!!
4.5 out of 5 TASTY WOK TASTY CHOMPS!!!!!
Always on the lookout for good barbeque in Central Florida, I decided to stop by Woody’s. As a chain restaurant, its outlook was already not looking too great. There is a drive-thru option so I opted to get my barbeque to go.
I ordered the Woody’s Barbeque combo with pulled pork and beef brisket with baked beans and cole slaw as the sides (around $8.50) .
First of all the cole slaw tasted a bit off, the lettuce was chopped a little bit too small and so gave it too crunchy of a texture and the slaw sauce was eh. The bbq beans were better, and I liked how it was a tad bit spicy, but I got tired of it soon too. The beef brisket and pulled pork tasted the same, I really couldn’t tell the difference between them, it was just okay not the greatest but not the worst.
For dessert however, the banana pudding was absolutely delicious: sweet yellow custard creme over a soft breading mixed with slivers of banana ($2.99)
Tasty Chomps rating!!!
2.5 out of 5 not that tasty chomps!!
http://www.hulu.com/embed/umxmTijZLcnMhDPJjmYd5g
i want some. not!
Lac Viet Bistro – Colonial Dr
Lac Viet Bistro, located just past Bumby Avenue on Colonial Drive in a stand-alone yellow house is reknown for their Vietnamese cuisine offerings, having won best of Orlando awards in the past for Vietnamese food.
Lac Viet continues to be one of my favorite Vietnamese restaurants in the area because of its beautiful decor and unique Vietnamese dishes. On this evening, I dined out with my friend Judy, who had never been to Lac Viet before.
The decor inside is subtle, light, earth tones with slightly dim lighting. Paintings of Vietnamese women hang on the walls, historically reknown for their beauty, elegance, and veracity (one of Vietnam’s national heroes are a pair of fighting sisters: The Trung sisters who fought off Chinese invaders and established their own dynasty). Each of the painted women wear the traditional outfits of Vietnam from Ao Dai from the south to the Ba ba in the north, playing string instruments or combing their hair in pose. The ambience is beautifully delicate and peaceful.
For our appetizer,we order the banh uot cha lua, or rice crepe noodles with pork roll slices. It is actually a entree, but I like to have it as a appetizer because of its bite-size good-ness. The banh uot is white chewy rice noodle-y deliciousness and the cha lua was a great accompaniment to the noodles along with sliced cucumbers and soy bean sprouts. Don’t forget to season the noodles with the provided fish sauce mixture.
Tonight I order the Bun Cha Ha Noi which is a unique vietnamese rice noodle dish stemming from the north in the capital of Vietnam Hanoi with a side of cha gio (vietnamese spring rolls). However when it arrived I got bun cha tom (fried shrimp paste) and cha gio instead. I asked the waiter kindly, is this bun cha hanoi?
He replied oh no. I told him it was ok since they already made it and he brought me out a bowl of grilled pork to make up for the mistake. score.
huge bowls of rice noodles: not what i ordered but still good…
I like Lac Viet although the prices are a bit higher than most of the other Vietnamese places in the area. They also have a newly renovated outdoor dining option where you can sit outside and dine in a straw-laced setting (just like you were in Vietnam?)
Tasty Chomps RATING
4 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!!
Lac Viet Bistro
2021 E. Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 228-4000
http://www.lacvietbistro.com/
I have reviewed Bento’s before here, but I visited Bento’s again recently for a going away dinner for an old friend who will be moving to New York soon.
It’s funny how many significant moments we share through life around the dinner table.
This time, I ordered a bento box with chicken teriyaki ($7.75). I enjoyed the dish quite well as I could taste the flavor from the grilling and the sweet marinade that the succulent chicken teriyaki was made from. The bento box came with a small salad, rice, noodles and even a small cake. It was a great meal for a great value, reminding me of home-cooked chicken dishes that my grandma once made in my childhood.
My friends and family ordered various other sushi rolls and bento boxes as can be seen below.
Cupid Roll ($10.95) – smoked salmon, crab, red snapper, asparagus, tempura fried and topped with eel sauce and red tobiko
Chicken Curry Katsu Bento Box ($7.75)- the orange colored curry sauce was spicy yet creamy and delicious at the same time
chirashi bowl!! a sushi bowl classic ($9.50)
Bento Cafe
151 S. Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 999-8989
http://www.bentocafesushi.com
Lollicup Boba Tea and Coffee Zone
I remember one of my first nights here in Orlando, full of hopes and dreams, as a freshmen attending the University of Central Florida. It was my first time away from home, away from family, away from everything I had known the first 18 years of my life. Full of romantic idealism, I looked upon the City Beautiful and said one day, I will leave this place better than I had found it, and anything was possible.
I didn’t know then what paths lay ahead for me over the next few years, the struggles and the success, the friends made and lost, the endless nights of talking til the sun arose and awakened the earth for another new day.
On one of these nights I had driven to the Pine Hills Chinatown development where, tucked in a corner, was Lollicup Boba Tea and Coffee Zone, one of their first stores in Orlando. Quang Vu was the warm and friendly owner of Lollicup in Orlando, a business school graduate of UCF who set out to make it out on his own as an entrepreneur. I’d always admired him for that.
At this point, Lollicup had two stores in Orlando: one here at Pine Hills and another one at the Fashion Square mall. Every weekend, young and hip teens would get dropped off for the company of each other and a taste of the sweet and strange-yet-fun sensation of black tapioca pearls in flavored milk tea. Sip, slurp, and up the giant straws go the little black balls, surprising the mouth with its soft and chewy sensation.
Today, those stores have closed but Lollicup continues on at three different locations in Central Florida, one across from the Florida Mall on Orange Blossom Trail, one downtown on Colonial Drive near Mills Ave, and finally one in a plaza on the corner of Semoran Blvd and University Blvd in Winter Park.
On this occasion near the Winter Park location, we celebrate the grand opening of Reign, a streetwear boutique also started by a few alumni of UCF. After always awe-inspiring “step up 2 the streets”-like performance in the rain by Fresh off the Beat dance troupe, I decide to head over to Lollicup with a friend for an old favorite: taro milk tea with boba, a thick and purply nectar of the gods.
Inside, the decor is hip and playful, filled with colorful tones and influenced by the furniture of the chic and swedish Ikea store. A place to go to hang out and enjoy some tea, or slush, or coffee, or as TI once said, whatever you like. Today they also serve sweet and tart, frozen yogurt at Lollicup.
Our server Steven is quick and fast with the boba tea making skills and we get our drink in almost no time before the rush comes in.
My friend and brother Victor, who himself is a avid dancer and lover of boba tea, enjoys the first sip.
After all these years, the taste of Lollicup’s boba tea still remains the same: absolutely refreshing and delicious.
—-
Tasty Chomps Rating
4 out of 5 TASTY SLURPS!!!!
Lollicup Boba Tea And Coffee Zone
106 S Semoran Blvd
Winter Park, FL 32792
(407) 629-2622
http://www.lollicup.com/
Special Features include: free wifi for your lap top needs 😀
I just received this email regarding an event at Padrino’s Cuban Bistro off of John Young Parkway and SR 417 from Sarah. I will probably drop by because I have been dying for some lechon!
————
Check it out!
Padrino’s Cuban Pig Roast is on Saturday June 13th 12p.m.-3p.m.
Because of the great turnout for the first Pig Roast Padrino’s has decided to hold one the second Saturday of every month. For only $14.99 (plus tax and gratuity) a person, you can enjoy all you can eat carving station which includes white rice, moros, black beans, sweet plantains, yucca, and one drink (soda or beer)
For more information on the restaurant you can visit their website at http://www.padrinosbistro.com/
Padrino’s Cuban Bistro
13586 Village Park Drive
Suite 304
Orlando, Florida 32837
Ph: 407.251.5107Fx: 407.251.5109
this is what i hope to find this saturday. drools…
Hedo Turkoglu’s Pre Game Meal: A Slice of Mozzarella Cheese Pizza
GO MAGIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
BEAT LA
Thank God, that was a close one -_-
According to Sports Illustrated, its from Pizza Hut, mozzarella cheese pizza
Ireland is a land most of us know only from commercials for Irish Springs bar soap, Lucky Charms cereal, and St Patrick’s Day “celebrations”. But of particular interest to this blog, is that the beginning history of the Irish in America is intricately linked to food.
Potatoes had been introduced into Ireland from the Americas in the second half of the 16th century, initially as a garden crop and eventually came to be the main food crop of the poor.
The Great Irish Famine of 1845 to 1849, caused by potato blight, later left nearly 1,000,000 people dead and led over 2,000,000 Irish to immigrate out of the country and a lot of whom immigrated to America.
Today at Fiddler’s Green Irish Pub and Eatery, the food and beer (they had previously won Best Beer Selection by citysearch) are quintessentially Irish-American cuisine, characterized by its use of potatoes in addition to carrots, beef and lamb.
The wood-framed walls of Fiddler’s Green are the color of melted milk chocolate, a dark brown blending to black. Dim lights scattered throughout the restaurant, revealing the dark-wooded booths and chairs and creating the perfect mood for a night of drinking fun.
I imagined myself in some quaint old-world pub off a brick-laid sidestreet easily found in Ireland.
On this night, I visited Fiddler’s Green with a group of friends, most of whom were unfamiliar with Irish cuisine, including myself.
The first appetizer, ordered by my good friend Sarah, was the Boxty Potato Cakes with Smoked salmon ($7.95), a traditional Irish potato pancake cooked on a griddle.
I scooped into my mouth the creamy, baked, mashed potato-y champ and saucy, meaty ground sirloin. The Shepherd’s Pie delighted my tongue with its soft yet slightly crisp textures.
At this point my eyes wandered across the intimate, dimly lit room; the Florida summer sun began to set down on the gold-lettered, dark green exterior of Fiddler’s Green Irish Pub and Eatery. The crowd begins to get rowdy and a band begins to set up to perform on the small corner stage. Beer and whiskey flowed freely here.
Looking outside Fiddler’s Green, the ever-present sight and sound of cars and engines driving by on the facing Fairbanks Ave in Winter Park reminded me that I was still here in Orlando and not a pub tucked behind the rolling hills of Ireland.
Tasty Chomps RATING!!!!
4 out of 5 Tasty Chomps!!
Go for the atmosphere, drinks, and go with friends. The food is great with a drink and is definitely pub fare.
Fiddler’s Green Irish Pub & Eatery
(407) 645-2050
544 W Fairbanks Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
www.fiddlersgreenorlando.com
Note: Fiddler’s Green also serves a special Irish breakfast on Sundays for $7.95
Boston’s Fish House: A Taste of New England – Winter Park
New England: one of the earliest settlements of America, dotted with seaside ports and harbors, home of Maine lobster, New England clam chowder, and other great American seafood fare.
This past weekend, after reading reviews for Boston’s Fish House on urbanspoon.com and also having a personal affinity towards seafood (something I partly owe to my Vietnamese descent), I decided to call up my brothers and met up for lunch at this Orlando area fried-seafood institution. Good food always calls for good company.
Boston’s Fish House has been operating in Central Florida for over 20 years now and after all these years, even on this rainy Saturday afternoon, you can see regular customers pouring in despite the rain outside.
Inside, a small statue of the iconic bearded-New Englander fisherman (resembling Ernest Hemingway?) greets customers as they arrive. The decor is an old fashioned New-England motif: old fashioned hardwood finish bordering the walls, various sports memorabilia of New England teams (plus one small banner at the entrance for the Orlando Magic), old-fashioned paintings of various seaside scenes from New England, and a huge mural towards the back of a New England dock. The place has a certain relaxed and feeling of home to it.
Here at Boston’s Fish House, you order and pay first at the cashier stall before sitting. No free loaders indeed.
There is a hustle and bustle to the kitchen; behind the revolving kitchen doors, waiters keep coming with more and more mountainous trays of fried and broiled seafood offerings. They hope to quell the restaurant patrons’ beckoning appetites.
I decided to share a meal with an old friend who I had known since middle school, Mike Cho. We were neighbors growing up, once sharing a wall in an old duplex during our childhood. We began by ordering an appetizer: the fried calamari rings ($6.50) accompanied perfectly by a rich, sweet and tangy marinara sauce. The portions were large and the calamari was good, despite being a tad uninspired for my tastes.
For the entrees, I ordered the Seafood Dinner Platter ($21.95) which came with fried sea scallops, cod fish, coconut maine shrimp, clams and onion rings with a side of potato salad and coleslaw. The platter was a formidable feat to finish. I particularly enjoyed the fried onion rings which were surprisingly light compared to my past experiences with the side at other places, a welcome change. I also enjoyed the delicious coconut maine shrimp which came with a sweet pineapple dipping sauce, and the lusciously plump sea scallops. The cod fish and clams were just okay. The accompanying cole slaw was fresh and tasty but I did not care much for their potato salad.
Mike ordered the 9oz Fried Oyster Dinner ($16.70) with a side of broccoli and french fries. I enjoyed the fried oyster as it came hot and fresh out of the kitchen with their special breading. It should be noted that their seafood is flown in fresh daily and they close between 3:25pm to 4:00pm to filter out their old oil and replace it with new cooking oil. That is dedication right there.
Other recommendations include the New England classic: Lobster Roll ($22.95), but due to budgetary constraints we decided not to order it this time although it is highly recommended by guests here.
TASTY CHOMPS RATING!!!
4 out of 5 FRIED SEAFOOD TASTY CHOMPS!!!!
Boston’s Fish House
6860 Aloma Ave
Winter Park, FL 32792
http://www.bostonsfishhouse.com/
The decor inside China Garden is a deep brownish red wood motif with glass tables and matching booths, standard Chinese decorations. On this occasion, I visited China Garden with an old friend. She chooses the Pi Pa Tofu, a vegetarian tofu dish made with eggs and turnip slivers on a bed of broccoli with a sweet sauce to flavor. The pi pa tofu has a complex texture, slightly crispy on the outside and soft on the inside and was delicious.
Pi Pa To fu
Overall, I was impressed by my visit to China Garden this evening. I wouldn’t mind coming here to get a bite to eat with a friend or when visiting A Comic Shop or Reign Streetwear boutique in the same plaza. Other recommendations include the sizzling Hong Kong pepper steak or the salt and pepper trio, a salty and peppery fried mix of shrimp, squid, and scallop. I enjoy China Garden also because of their community minded philosophy and their generosity to students (10% off for students with ID)
Tasty Chomps RATING!
4 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!!
China Garden
407-671-2120
118 S Semoran Blvd
Winter Park, FL 32792
http://www.chinagardenwp.com/
Bikkuri Sushi is an old favorite of mine from the college days where cheap eats was the way to go. I appreciated Bikkuri for its fresh and decent tasting sushi for a affordable price, thus making it all a great value for those poor students who want to stretch their dollar.
Bikkuri Sushi, just west of Bumby Avenue on Colonial Drive, used to be just a place where you can go to satisfy that sushi fix quick and easy. Before it opened its upstairs dining / lounge / weekend party room, it was only the first floor that made up Bikkuri.
Today the first floor is only for take out orders or for those who really really? want to eat there. It is a lot more bare bones with a few tables and chairs and also, I noticed, a bit of a mess of newspapers and random stuff on the shelves, probably from neglect from having its more popular, bigger, and newer sister upstairs get all the attention.
The upstairs room of Bikkuri Sushi (and Noodle House) is elegant and charming; huge windows allow the guests to peer below onto the marvelous traffic that is Colonial Drive on those wispy summer afternoons. They have more menu options upstairs as well including sukiyaki, a meal with rice and meat of your choice cooked in a special soup, ramen noodles, golden curry, okonomiyaki, and don buris.
There is also a sake lounge as mentioned previously where they host dj’s and music on the weekends and you can also use for parties or events (see flyer here and lounge photos) which though intriguing, I have yet to try that option out so far.
On this occassion, I decide to get some quick take out and order downstairs. I order the dynamite tuna roll/spicy ($5.25) and a half tuna half salmon don ($9.99). The dynamite roll was made with sushi rice, seaweed, cucumbers, spicy tuna, and topped with orange masago. Simple yet refreshing and delicious.
The tuna/salmon don is also a delectable item, with chunks of savory diced salmon and tuna, sushi rice and sesame seeds topped with avocado slices. Mixed in with some soy sauce and wasabi, the tuna/salmon don is like a burst of sushi flavors and textures like a sushi roll undone in your mouth.
Overall the sushi may not be the best quality but it is still a great place to get some sushi for the price.
TASTY CHOMPS RATING!!!
4 out of 5 TASTY sushi CHOMPS!!!!
Spinach pie ($9.99)
I had been here before for lunch, trying the Athen’s Cafe Shepherd’s Pie and although not really impressed, was very satisfied with the simple meal made with mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, and ground beef/lamb? not sure.
I came by again to hopefully try something new here and give it another try.
Upon entering the eatery, I was greeted by the waitresses and my order was taken: one Athens Rotisserie Chicken Pita and a spinach pie. It was rotisserie chicken with lettuce and tzatziki sauce, the perennial greek sour cream-like sauce of the gods. Zatziki is a greek sauce made of strained yoghurt (usually sheep’s-milk or goat’s-milk in Greece and Turkey) with cucumbers, garlic, salt, usually olive oil, pepper, dill, sometimes lemon juice and parsley, or mint added.
I thought the chicken was dry and a bit bland, not very flavorful and the tzatziki sauce to me was a bit sour. The pasta salad that it came with tasted a bit old and stale, but the dressing was good on the pasta. Spinach pie ($9.99) was not worth the price in value as it was good but definitely not 10 dollars for a small pie good. I enjoyed the spinach pie better though as it had a flaky pastry crust and filled with spinach and cheeses.
Tasty Chomps Rating!
2.5 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS ! !
Athens Rotisserie Chicken Pita
Spinach pie ($9.99)
Athens Cafe
5965 Red Bug Lake Rd
Winter Springs FL 32708
http://www.mfculinary.com/
President Barack Obama was greeted with cheers last week when he stopped by Capitol Hill burger joint Five Guys.
The president was joined by NBC anchor Brian Williams and a crew that was filming a behind-the-scenes “Inside The White House” special.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Five Guys burger: its US Presidential approved
80lbs of Crawfish from New Orleans, Louisiana
Since my partner is gone for the next few weeks, I will be out on my own to explore and conquer the culinary offerings in Central Florida. Luckily I got a call from one of my bros, Lap, to come over for a old fashioned southern crawfish boil at his place. It’s dinner with the boys.
I picked up some lemon and butter and a 2.0 liter pepsi to share. Little did I know I would probably have needed more than a 2.0 liter bottle for refreshment.
Lap had previously ordered 80 lbs of crawfish from Louisiana, where 98% of the crawfish harvested in the United States come from, for about $1.75 a pound and they had just arrived by air the day before. Louisiana produces 90 percent of the crawfish in the world and consumes 70 percent locally. Crawfish “season” typically runs from March through about June. This is when you will get your best crawfish.
At the house, they had been experimenting with various spices throughout the day using Zatarain’s Crawfish/Shrimp/and Crab boil in a bag which contained mustard seed, coriander, dill seed, and other cajun spices to flavor the crawfish as they cooked.
My bro Cuong, who was one of the few who had experience in this kind of thing, also added habenero peppers to the boil to bring out a super spicy kick to the crawfish.
There were also kilbasa sausage, potatoes, and corn cob that were added to the mix. Crawfish juices and habenero spices engulfed my mouth as I take crunchy bites out of the crawfish.
It was a delicious feast.
Watermelon to cool the tongue.
Mr Bones Barbeque – Anna Maria Island, FL
While on beautiful Anna Maria Island for our weekend getaway, we had the opportunity to dine at a few of the local establishments, one of places being Mr Bones BBQ for dinner.
Outside the restaurant, a sign with “Mr Bones”, a dancing jovial skeleton in a chef’s hat, beckons us in. Not going to lie it was a bit creepy at first glance, not knowing what the inside may look like, perhaps a dark coffin?
Thankfully it wasn’t; the interior decor is voodoo-inspired, with decorated masks from the pacific rim and skulls hanging on the tiki straw-covered walls.
A sign above the doorway reads “No salt, pepper, ketchup, etc in dining room. Don’t even ask. Our food is expertly made by New Orleans trained chefs. No improvement is needed”
I wondered how true that would be, but luckily it was for the most part.
We began with the crawfish gumbo to share ($5.99) a rich stew made with rice, crawfish, okra, and other veggies cajun style. The gumbo was hearty and was a great start to the meal.
For our entrees, we each order a 1/2 order of Baby Back Ribs ($10.99) with one side. I got the original Mr Bone’s BBQ sauce flavor and my partner ordered the honey glazed ribs sauce, with creamy cole slaw as our side. Other side options included potato salad, candied yams, or BBQ baked beans. The ribs were sweet, succulent and flavorful, not too tangy as some bbq ribs can be some times and served with slices of toasted garlic bread.
Indian specialities from chicken tikka marsala to their famed biryhani rice, a hot curried rice sweetened with raisins, almonds and coconuts served with a side of cucumber yogurt raita can also be found on the menu and are local favorites.
For the dessert, we got the homemade bread pudding ($5.99) which was okay, but not the best tasting dessert ever. The bites were soft but chewy with a slightly bitter taste of chocholate, pecan and nutmeg.
Service was friendly and cheerful, not bad at all.
Overall, Mr Bones did not disappoint although it may at times need some improvement.
Tasty Chomps Rating!!!!
4 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!!
Mr Bones BBQ
3007 Gulf Dr, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island, FL 34217-2149
Phone: (941) 778-6614
Website: http://www.mrbonesbbq.com/
Nine Unhealthiest Foods You Can Order
CSPI’s List of Most Unhealthy Restaurant Foods May Clog Your Arteries Just to Read It
Top Nine Unhealthiest Foods to Order
Chili’s: Big Mouth Bites
1,580 calories and 28 grams of saturated fat. The burgers also pack 2,930 milligrams of sodium.
By comparison, for a 2,000-calorie diet, the USDA recommends that an individual eat no more than 20 grams of saturated fat per day.
The Cheesecake Factory: Fried Macaroni and Cheese
1,570 calories and 1,860 mg of sodium, 69 grams of saturated fat
Red Lobster: Ultimate Fondue
1,490 calories, 40 grams of saturated fat and 3,580 mg of sodium.
Chili’s: Half Rack of Baby Back Ribs
490 calories and 12 grams of saturated fat, plus an extra 2,050 mg of sodium
Uno Chicago Grill: Mega-Sized Deep Dish Sundae
2,800 calories and 72 grams of saturated fat
The Cheesecake Factory: Chicken and Biscuits
2,500 calories
Applebee’s: Quesadilla Burger with fries
calorie count tops out at 1,820, with 46 grams of saturated fat and 4,410 mg of sodium
The Cheesecake Factory: Philly Style Flat Iron Steak with cheese sauce and fries
2,320, saturated fat goes up to 47 grams, and sodium hits 5,340 mg
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These foods are stacked full of calories, sodium, and fat ! yikes watch out diners when you are eating out.
Summer is here. It’s been sunny and hot in central Florida so I decided to go out for something to cool me down. I decided to visit Rita’s Ice Custard Happiness, tucked inside a Winter Springs plaza on the corner of Tuscawilla Road and Red Bug Lake Road.
Rita’s is more famously known for its Italian ice, or water ice as some call it. This time I decided to go for some of the traditional soft-serve frozen vanilla custard on a waffle cone with rainbow colored sprinkles. I felt like a kid again; its been a while since I’ve had any type of ice cream cone with sprinkles on top.
The custard was light and sweet, but not as sweet as ice cream, which is perfect for my taste. The servers were a few young teenagers probably from the neighborhood who served with a smile and were quick to ask if I wanted any samples.
The decor was white everything and a smatter of color from the Rita signs.
TASTY CHOMPS RATING!!!
3.5 OUT OF 5 TASTY CHOMPS !!!
Whole Foods Market: Chilean Sea Bass with Black Bean Sauce, Chinese Spinach, Asparagus and molten lava chocolate cake for dessert
My partner is leaving for south florida for a few days so as a good bye dinner she made me something delicious using ingredients from Whole Foods Market. As you may know Whole Foods is one of the few places you can buy really fresh seafood and this Chilean sea bass came for around 10 dollars for 6 ounces, not too bad. The asparagus and spinach were also bought from Whole Foods. The ingredients were all fresh tasting and the end result was delicious. Bravo to the chef! 😛
the spinach was sauteed in a chicken broth and garlic sauce
the chilean sea bass dinner with brown rice made with love
Dessert was a molten lava cake made from a recipe from foodnetwork.com, topped with toasted coconut flakes, macademia nuts, raspberries, and served with a side of Blue Bell’s vanilla ice cream. bon apetit!
Although it can be a bit expensive to buy from Whole Foods Market, this dinner was made affordable with the cost of about $15 per plate total. The market is located in Winter Park on Aloma Ave right before Lakemont.
Whole Foods Market
(407) 673-8788
1989 Aloma Ave
Winter Park, FL 32792
Harrington House Beachfront Bed & Breakfast Inn
This past weekend, I decided to surprise my partner with a little weekend romantic getaway to Anna Maria Island located just south of St Petersburg and north of Bradenton facing the Gulf of Mexico. We had always wanted to go to a bed and breakfast and I thought this would be the perfect time to try it out. I had heard of this place first from one of my co-workers who had recently been a guest at the place and had a great time. I decided to take up her recommendation and visit Harrington House Beachfront Bed and Breakfast and enjoy the warm Florida sun by the beachside.
It took about 2.5 hours to get to the island after getting a little lost (thanks googlemaps!), but when we arrived we could immediately feel the island’s laid-back relaxed small-town spirit that is quintessential of “Old Florida”. The island had narrow, curvy streets scattered with quaint shops and rustic seaside cottages and restaurants. One could really get a sense of getting away from it all and becoming used to living here on the beach side with its southern comforts and casual tranquility.
Checking into the inn, I discover that there are free kayaks and bicycles that we could use to explore the island, I definitely wanted to try the kayaking out later on. The staff were welcoming and warm, suggesting places to eat and things to do during our stay. The owners are a couple who treat the place like home living out their motto “come as a guest, leave as a friend”
The main living room had large comfy couches, book shelves of magazines and menus of places to eat at, the walls adorned with clippings of articles featuring the inn and a photo of the owners on their wedding day.
There is an intimate charm about the Harrington House Bed and Breakfast, the gas-lit fireplaces in the room, huge king sized bed, double-headed showers, a small flashlight for night time excursions onto the beach for a moonlit stroll, are all fine details that they thought about for our stay here.The view at our room was marvelous, the grand and expansive Gulf of Mexico literally footsteps away. The white powdery sands and beautiful ocean view took my breath away. The room is also equipped with TV and cable and thankfully I was able to watch the Magic defeat the Cavs later that evening to advance to the NBA finals against the Lakers. GO MAGIC!
The weather was perfect this past weekend, sunny and warm with a touch of clouds, a drastic change from the past week of downpours. We laid out on the beach to watch a spectaular sun set, kissing the horizon as it descended and tucking itself to sleep beneath the ocean’s waves.
We return to the main house for breakfast the next morning– beautifully presented and featuring a variety of fresh fruit and juices, homemade toast made from a sweet oatmeal, eggs Benedict with country sausage and gravy, slices of muffin, plus fresh coffee and tea. It was a heartfelt breakfast from a heartwarming inn.
I would love to live here forever, a sleepy village where time had forgot, living in a time when life was much simpler.
Voted Best Bed and Breakfast on Anna Maria Island from bedandbreakfast.com for 2008-2009
TASTY CHOMPS!! RATING!!
4.5 out of 5 TASTY ROMANTIC CHOMPS!!!!!
Harrington House Beachfront Bed and Breakfast
5626 Gulf Drive, Holmes Beach, Anna Maria Island, FL 34217-1666
Phone (888) 828-5566 • (941) 778-5444
http://www.harringtonhouse.com/
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse: Millenia Mall
BJ’s located right outside of Millenia Mall on Conroy Rd reminds me of a upgraded mixture of Pizzeria Uno’s and Cheesecake Factory. They have a great menu of pastas, sandwiches, burgers, salads, specially brewed beer,
I ordered the BJ’s favorite mini pizza, a Chicago style deep dish pan pizza with sausage, tomatoes, pepperoni, green peppers, black olives, and more. The mouthwatering pizza was savory and satisfying, each bite more succulent and rich than the last.
For dessert, we order BJ’s Pizzookie, a fresh out of the oven-baked, rich and delicious cookie topped with 2 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream and served in a deep dish. We choose the oreo flavor and it was great, the oreo bits delightfully flavored the cookie and the cool ice cream went well with the warm baked cookie. Our friend chose half white chocolate macademia nut and half oreo pizzookie to diversify his tastings.
There are also great deals at lunch for pizzas and sandwiches for around 6 to 8 dollars, definitely a great value for the food offered.
Honey Mustard Fried Chicken Salad $9.95
BJ’s Oreo Pizookie
Oreo and White Chocolate Macademia Nut Pizookie!
TASTY CHOMPS!! RATING!!
4 out of 5 TASTY VALUE CHOMPS!!!!!
BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse
4151 Conroy Rd Orlando, FL 32839 – (407) 352-0225
www.bjsbrewhouse.com
I tried Whataburger once last time before they bit the dust (they close all central florida locations including Orlando this May 31st). I never liked it and it reconfirmed my distaste for the burger.
I ordered the Whataburger and I did like the slightly sweet buns but the hamburger meat itself was flavorless and chewy and all in all bad quality. I see why they are shutting down. Farewell Whataburger!
what a not too appetizing burger =
———————–
Orlando Sentinel report –
Texas-based Whataburger Restaurants will shut down its Central Florida locations May 31.
“It just became a situation where they were no longer a financially sound investment for us,” spokeswoman Pam Cox said. “Sales were low and costs were high.”
The company is shutting down 14 Florida Whataburger locations. It is also shutting down three restaurants in Phoenix and one in Sherman, Texas.
Whataburger Restaurants has about 700 restaurants around the country. The chain had been in the Central Florida market since 2005. It has two locations in Orlando and one in Winter Park.
TASTY CHOMPS!! RATING!!
2 out of 5 NOT SO TASTY CHOMPS!!
Whataburger
7727 University Blvd, Winter Park –
www.whataburger.com
Ming’s Bistro in Mills-50 district
Dim sum is a time honored tradition of Chinese culture, beginning when rural farmers, exhausted after working hard in the fields, would go to teahouses for a relaxing afternoon of tea.
Every weekend hundreds of families pack into their cars and drive to one of these eateries to have a brief respite from the past work week and to drink some tea and eat these small delicious and often steamed dishes that make up the pantheon of dim sum gods.
In Orlando, there are a handful of restaurants that serve dim sum and even fewer who do it well. Ming’s Bistro located in the Mills-50 district on the northeast corner of Mills Ave and Colonial off of Woodward Street behind the 7-Eleven, is one of these few who fall in the latter category.
The dishes are often fresh and steaming, full of flavors and textures that entice the palate and make your tastebuds dance. From the familiar such as the shrimp dumplings (a dumpling made of translucent wheat skin and stuffed with shrimp steamed to perfection) to the more exotic such as chicken feet and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaf.
The dim sum here is served on the traditional push carts with each plate representing a predetermined price which the push cart ladies would mark down on your ticket as you go. I always preferred the non-traditional way of ordering from a list because then you are assured that the dim sum is straight from the kitchen steamers and not sitting on a cart for the past two hours.
Siu mai (pork dumplings), shark fin dumplings, steamed and baked roast pork buns, turnip pudding cakes, shrimp rice paste (shrimp wrapped in a giant rice noodle and served with a sweet soy sauce), fried shrimp balls, fried taro dumplings stuffed with pork, and more were all consumed by our crew this day.
And all was well in the world.
Ming’s Bistro continues to be a delight for those dim sum cravings (they serve it through out the day). There are also other authentic dishes on the menu that you can order for dinner or lunch portions.
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