if you would like, please contact me with suggestions for places to review or check out
by emailing me at
tastychomps[at]gmail.com
or
pdpredtide[at]gmail.com
or leaving a comment 😀 Thanks!!
urbanspoon rocks!
Orlando Food Blog 006: Mellow Mushroom in Orlando near UCF area
Orlando Food Blog 006: Mellow Mushroom in Orlando near UCF area
Mellow Mushroom Orlando near UCF
A groovy giant mushroom man stands with a peace sign raised on his left hand and a pizza pie in his right hand, enticing passerbys into the Mellow Mushroom restaurant.
The restaurant, started by two Georgia Tech roommates in the early 1970s, just opened a few months ago at the southwest corner of Alafaya Trail and Colonial Drive between Scoops and Big Lots.
Immediately inside, the mellow hippy vibe of the Mellow Mushroom could be felt. The decor is funky psychedilic, strewn with paintings featuring the mushroom man and a scuba diving rasta spearing a pizza on the ceiling. Inside, packs of young college-age patrons sit around pizza pies, laughing and seemingly enjoying their time with the mellow mushroom man. In front of the ovens, the pizza bakers wistfully toss their dough into the air, circling the pies with their fingers to a near perfect thickness.
Mellow Mushroom specializes in pizza, but also serves calzones, hoagies, salads, and other side dishes, priding itself on making their dough with fresh spring-water.
The beverage list includes a tempting 50+ craft and microbrew beers, with 20+ on tap, in addition to homemade sangria, and a full liquor bar. I decide to pick the orange blossom pilsner, a light crisp beer with a tangy citrus aftertaste. For appetizers we chose the stuffed portabello mushroom ($6.75), a mushroom cap with garlic butter, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese, topped with mozzarella on a bed of greens. The portabello mushroom was found to be delectable and an excellent start.
For the entree pizza, in keeping with the mellowed out theme, I chose the 10 inch savory Magical Mystery Tour ($11.50), a funky pizza with pesto, jalapeno, button and portobello mushrooms, spinach, and feta cheese, adding italian sausage to top it off. There are also the Kosmic Karma, Philosopher’s Pie, Mega Veggie, Mighty Meaty, and other themed pies to choose from on the list. My fellow diner chose the Hawaiian with pineapples and jerk chicken ($8.75) which, although enjoyable, was noted for its sparseness of toppings and the larger than expected crust. We finished off the meal with a cinnamon soft dough pretzel, dipped in honey. The pretzel was baked fresh out of the oven and still soft as it melted in our mouths.
Tasty Chomps! Rating
3.5 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!.
Mellow Mushroom
11680 E. Colonial Drive Orlando, FL 32817.
Phone: 407-384-4455
http://www.mellowmushroom.com/orlando
The Mellow Mushroom indeed sufficed to entice and funkify our palates..
3.5 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!.
Mellow Mushroom
11680 E. Colonial Drive Orlando, FL 32817.
Phone: 407-384-4455
http://www.mellowmushroom.com/orlando
Orlando Food Blog 005: How To Eat Sushi – Instructional Video from Japan
Orlando Food Blog 005: How To Eat Sushi – Instructional Video from Japan
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b75cl4-qRE]
just kidding 😀
Orlando Food Blog 004: Del Taco in Oviedo, FL!
Orlando Food Blog 004: New Taco restaurant Del Taco in Oviedo!
Del Taco
Location: Oviedo, FL
There’s a new ranchero in town and his name is Del Taco (literally meaning “Of the Taco”). Taco Bell has some competition to contend to with California-based Del Taco which is also 24 hours a day (even if its only store in Florida is in Oviedo). Del Taco recently moved in where Fazoli’s used to be off of Red Bug Lake Road near the Oviedo Marketplace. This is the first Del Taco to open in Florida in the past few years and it is a welcome sight to see culinary options expanding here in Central Florida even though it may be considered by many as “fast food”. Food like this is meant to be fast though right? 😀
Fish Tacos originated in Baja California in Mexico.
I order the fish taco ($1.45), a big fat steak taco and big fat chicken taco ($2.09 each) and a churro to go (all adding up to about $7.45). Having only been opened a few weeks I could see the drive-thru service still had some kinks to work out as the computer order screen was apparently off-line and there was quite a car line waiting out the drive way.
The fish taco consisted of a fried fish fillet, crunchy cabbage, pico de gallo, and a sour cream/ citrus/mayonnaise sauce, all placed on top of a corn or flour tortilla and served with a slice of lime. The fish taco was just the right portion and had a zesty savory taste. Not too bad for starters. As Del Taco’s motto says “Go Bold or Go Home.”
My second item was the big fat chicken taco which consisted of a lot of lettuce, some shredded cheese, tomatoes, and grilled chicken on a taco bread. The bread was soft and sweet, the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh, and the chicken were succulent, tasty morsels. Definitely a tasty chomp!
The churro was a great end to the meal. Churros are typically fried until they become crunchy, and then are sprinkled with sugar. The churros at Del Taco are soft and warm, a sweet dessert to entice the tastebuds adieu.
Other items on the Del Taco menu include breakfast items such as steak and egg burritos, big fat breakfast taco, as well as a “American” menu with cheeseburgers. The super-size option is called “Macho” as in Macho Nachos or Macho Tacos or Macho Burritos.
Overall Del Taco in Oviedo is a slight step above Taco Bell and the prices are definitely not a issue. I think a little work on the service and it will do just fine here in the Orlando food scape.
TASTY CHOMPS! RATING
3.5 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!.
3.5 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!.
Del Taco has announced the opening of its first restaurant in Florida as it begins its move to become the local favorite Mexican quick-serve destination.Del Taco franchisee Floridel LLC will open the first of 10 Del Taco restaurants planned for the Orlando area.
The first location is at 3551 Dovera Drive in Oviedo.Founded in 1961, Del Taco operates or franchises more than 510 restaurants in 17 states.
Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo Del Taco in Oviedo
FAST FOOD.
Orlando Food Blog 003: Vietnamese Banh Mi Sub Sandwiches!
One of my favorite Vietnamese food dishes include the Vietnamese Banh Mi (misspelled bahn mi) sub sandwich, which is known for its fusian of French culture using the french baguette bread and assorted deli meat slices all for less than $3.00 each! The New York Times recently did an article on this dish with a American twist after it made its migration to the States.
“Building Layers of Tradition” NY TIMES
A List of Places with
Vietnamese Banh Mi (bahn mi is misspelling) in Orlando:
- Pho 88
- 730 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803 – (407) 897-3488
- Phuoc Loc Tho Grocery Store
- 2100 E Colonial Dr Orlando FL 32803, 407-898-6858
- Tien Hung Grocery Store
- 1112 E Colonial Dr, Orlando – (407) 422-0067
- Saigon Subs
- 1242 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803-(407) 897-1278
- Lollicup Boba Tea
- 1212 E. Colonial Dr. Orlando, FL – 407-897-1377
These banh mi (not bahn mi) shops are all located within the Mills-50 District of Orlando!!!
Check out their website at
http://www.mills50.org/ and shout out to KRISTINE!
Orlando Food Blog 002: Bento Cafe !
Orlando Food Blog 002: Bento Cafe !
Bento Cafe Restaurant
Location: Orlando, FL
Location: Orlando, FL
To our great delight, the people who created Bento Blue and Red of Gainesville, Fl, have decided to bring to Orlando their successful pan-Asian fusion restaurant concepts. In the area of South Orange Avenue tucked between Pine and Church Streets, Bento Cafe quietly awaits, tucked beneath the legs of the brand-spanking new Plaza building. Ideally located for those urban dwellers who crave Asian cuisine.
As I have found, it is often a chore of winding around and getting lost, to finally find parking in the tightly packed streets of downtown Orlando. Luckily, when you dine in at Bento Cafe’s you get a 1 hr parking validation in the Plaza’s parking garage. Inside, you will find their decor to be a modern blue and technologic gray, the inside of the restaurant a giganto glass-windowed hip and trendy sushi fishbowl.
As I have found, it is often a chore of winding around and getting lost, to finally find parking in the tightly packed streets of downtown Orlando. Luckily, when you dine in at Bento Cafe’s you get a 1 hr parking validation in the Plaza’s parking garage. Inside, you will find their decor to be a modern blue and technologic gray, the inside of the restaurant a giganto glass-windowed hip and trendy sushi fishbowl.
At the Bento Cafe restaurant, you can either order at the counter or sit down for full service. We decide to sit down. The waitress is attentive and takes our order. We order the spicy creamy chicken noodle bowl ($6.95) and the Chirashi sushi bowl ($10.50) with a taro boba tea drink ($2.75).
Life is quick in the downtown city. So is Bento Cafe Restaurant’s food on its way to the table. Our main dishes arrived and they were both good. The taro boba tea arrives to our first. The tea drink is smooth down the palate. The taro milk tea flavor is deliciously sweet. The tapioca pearls pop up the straw and are quickly chewed into oblivion (my stomach).
The main dishes arrive soon after. The Korean spicy chicken is creamy, warm, and tenderly fried to perfection. The noodles are moist and flavorful and arrive in a large bowl. The Chirashi (meaning scattered sushi in Japanese) bowl comes with sushi rice, fresh and tasty pieces of salmon, tuna, white tuna, shrimp, and a side of seaweed salad, ginger, and wasabi. I devour the pieces of sashimi, licking the last pieces of sushi rice from the bowl. It is like sushi rolls but without the roll and in a bowl.
Overall, considering the relatively cheap prices for the great value of the tasty meal, I would come back again to Bento for a night out on the town or a casual lunch or for any occassion actually. Other tasty options include the teriyaki chicken noodle bowl, the spicy seafood noodle soup, and the chicken katsu bento box.
What is a Bento Box?
Bento is a single-portion takeout or home-packed meal common in Japanese cuisine.Bento boxes have internal dividers, and sometimes several stacked layers, so different kinds of food sit in their own little compartments.At Bentos, their boxes come with the main dish, a side of rice, cold noodles, green beans, small salad, and a tiny finger cake for desert.
TASTY CHOMP! RATING
4 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!!
4 out of 5 TASTY CHOMPS!!!!
Website:
http://www.bentocafesushi.com/
Bento Cafe is at 151 S. Orange Ave., Orlando, Florida . The hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, noon to 11 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Beer and wine are available, and credit cards are accepted. phone number is 407-999-8989
Orlando Food Blog 001: Anmol Indian Cuisine !
Orlando Food Blog 001: Anmol Indian Cuisine !
Anmol Indian Cuisine Restaurant
Location: Orlando, FL
The best way to experience culture, in my humble opinion, is to experience through food. The sights and sounds are incomparable to the distinct tastes of a culture. Right beyond the University of Central Florida’s front entrance lays a passage to the land of India via the tastes of Anmol Indian Cuisine restaurant in Orlando, FL(http://www.anmolindiancuisine.com).
India, birthplace of Hinduism, Mahatma Gandhi, Bollywood films/musicals, and curry spices. The cuisine is characterized by its use of many rich spices and herbs native to India, subtly added to flavor and entice the palate. Each bite into the naan bread or the basmati rice dipped in chicken pasanda is a step into the centuries of cultural history of India.
Anmol Indian Cuisine Restaurant, local and family-owned, is conveniently located in the plaza behind McDonald’s on the northwest corner of University Boulevard and Alafaya Trail in Orlando, FL. The décor inside Anmol is similar to what you may find in an Indian living room: framed engravings of ancient gods in pose, paintings of decorated Indian elephants, the TV set interchanging between CNN International and some old Bollywood musical, flyers advertising Taj Mahal imported beer.
The menu at Anmol Indian Cuisine is diverse ranging from vegetarian dishes to chicken and lamb curry. During lunch time, there is a special which includes lentil soup, the entrée dish, a plate of yellow and white basmati rice, and naan bread all for $7.95. Naan is a light, flat bread made from a dough of super fine flour and baked in a clay oven.
Chicken Pasanda, in a almond curry sauce
Our group orders the samosa and special naan for appetizers. The samosas come in pairs, each fistful fried to a crisp, filled with potatos, peas, and other vegetables. The special naan is fluffy, tasty, and stuffed with boneless chicken tikka, vegetables, herbs and green coriander.
Special Naan, stuffed with chicken tikka, veggies, and herbs
For our lunch entrées, we order chicken tandoori, lamb curry, and chicken pasanda. These dishes can be ordered mild, medium, or for the adventurous, spicy. The chicken tandoori is a dish with pieces of chicken marinated in yogurt and mild spices, roasted in the tandoor, or clay oven. The clay oven, a traditional Indian cooking method, gives the chicken a fresh, boldly baked taste. The lamb curry arrives with pieces of tender lamb chunks, potatoes, and the curry sauce. The chicken pasanda, my personal favorite, comes in a small dish with savory morsels of chicken, in a rich almond flavored creamy sauce. The naan bread, slightly glazed with olive oil to a crisp, is luscious when dipped into these sauces. The mountain of basmati rice goes well with these entrees also.
Chicken Tandoori – cooked in the tandoor, the Indian clay oven
Basmati rice – mountains of fluffy goodness
Naan bread – buttery glazed and fresh
Unlike in western diets, meat in Asia is sparse and is used to complement the largely grain based diets of east and south Asians where rice and bread makes up most of the meal. The curry sauces help flavor the meal and by the end of it all we leave with our tummies thoroughly satisfied and quelled.
Lamb Curry
Other dishes recommended at Anmol Indian Cuisine include the vegetarian aloo mutter tamatar, made of green peas, tomatoes and potato cooked in flavored curry sauce. Also try the chicken tikka masala, chunks of chicken roasted in a clay oven and then folded in a creamy, tangy, tomato sauce. Wash it down with a mango lassi, a sweet yogurt based smoothie-like Indian drink that balances the more spicier tastes of India.
TASTY CHOMPS RATING:
4 out of 5 Tasty Chomps!!!!
Anmol Indian Cuisine
12239 University Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32817-2134
Phone: 407-384-8850
Lunch 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; dinner 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; Lunch noon- 3 p.m. Saturday; Dinner 5 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday
http://www.anmolindiancuisine.com/
Photos by Huy Phan
Tasty Chomps! a orlando food blog of tasty eats
This site will be a collection of reviews and blogs of various eateries and dining establishments through out my travels across Central Florida, Orlando, the US, and the WORLD!
