Tasty Chomps: A Local's Culinary Guide | A local's perspective to food and drink – food guides and more

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen – New Menu Items

Ricky Ly

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Feb 5, 2019

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen – New Menu Items

Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is known for their made-from-scratch dishes including hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, Homemade Onion Rings, and House Smoked Baby Back Ribs that are smoked for a minimum of four hours.

In 2012, Zagat ranked Cheddar’s the nation’s No.1 full-service restaurant chain as well as Top Overall American Cuisine, the Top Rated Food and Top Rated Decor and Facilities.

In 2017, Darden Restaurants, parent company of Olive Garden, acquired Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, adding to its portfolio which now also includes LongHorn Steakhouse, Yard House, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze, Seasons 52 and Eddie V’s.

We were recently invited to Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen to try a few of their brand-new, scratch-made menu items.

One new item is the Crispy Chicken Tender Noodle Soup, made from their famous chicken tenders and crispy crumbles with freshly sautéed vegetables – this was such a favorite at our table we had to ask for more.

CRISPY CHICKEN TENDER NOODLE SOUP
Chunks of all-white chicken tenders and sautéed vegetables topped with fried crispy crumbles from our famous chicken tender batter.

Another new scratch item is a meatloaf so good, they call it “Better Than Mom’s! Meatloaf”

This dish features two thick slices of tender meatloaf that are baked with a tomato and brown sugar sauce for extra flavor, then accompanied by a signature bourbon glaze, paired with creamy mash potatoes.

BETTER THAN MOM’S MEATLOAF
Two thick slices of tender meatloaf baked with a tomato glaze served over a bed of mashed potatoes

Of course – no visit to Cheddar’s is quite complete with out an order, or two, of the signature honey butter croissants, fresh and hot out of the oven with a sweet honey butter glaze.

Coming Soon – Pi Day at Cheddar’s – Pie One, Get One

On Pi Day, March 14, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is offering guests who celebrate the mathematical constant – a special “Pie One, Get One” deal of the restaurant’s made-fresh-daily Homemade Chicken Pot Pie. Guests who order a Homemade Chicken Pot Pie in-restaurant or ToGo will get a second pie free-of-charge to take and bake at home, no coupon necessary. And not to worry – Cheddar’s will provide the baking instructions.

The Homemade Chicken Pot Pie is one of the top-selling entrees at Cheddar’s, assembled by hand by each restaurant’s in-house culinary team. Each pot pie features half a pound of Cheddar’s iconic chicken tenders, which are covered in a house-made cream sauce brimming with diced onions, peas and carrots. The mixture is poured into a handcrafted crust and baked until crispy and golden-brown.

The Homemade Chicken Pot Pie is always available on the menu and comes with a house salad and Honey Butter Croissant in-restaurant, starting at $8.49. To learn more about this offer, visit Cheddars.com/PieDay.

5 Days of Valentines at Seasons 52

Tiffany Nguyen

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Feb 4, 2019

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Valentine’s Day deserves more than just a single day. That’s why at Seasons 52 they are bringing you five special offers leading up to Valentine’s Day so you can celebrate all week.

We were invited to check out the special menu early during a media preview and our meal was compensated by Seasons 52.

Sun, Feb. 10 – Children under 12 get a FREE Mini Indulgence.

Mon, Feb. 11 – A glass of Loveblock Pinot Noir & Flatbread for $15. All day in the bar.
Tues, Feb. 12 – A mini bottle of Riondo Prosecco for $5.
Wed, Feb. 13 – Glasses of endless Riondo Prosecco for $14.95 with the purchase of an entrée.

Thurs. Feb. 14 – Get engaged at Seasons 52 on Valentine’s Day & enjoy a FREE champagne toast every time you dine for one year.

For more information, please visit seasons52.com/5daysofvalentines

Seasons 52 – Altamonte Springs
463 E Altamonte Dr. Altamonte Springs, FL 32701
(407) 767-1252

New Sunday Brunch at Plancha – Four Seasons Resort Orlando

Tiffany Nguyen

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Feb 3, 2019

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New Sunday Brunch at Plancha – Four Seasons Resort Orlando

We were invited to experience the new a la carte breakfast and lunch items being offered for ‘Sundays at Plancha’! Guests can enjoy a new brunch menu, bottomless bubbles, bottomless bloodys, sips & cigars.

Plancha is a Cuban-American restaurant located in the stylish Four Seasons Golf and Sports Club Orlando, just a few minutes away from Disney Springs. They are open Monday through Saturday from 11am-6pm and Sunday from 10am-2pm. You do not need a hotel reservation to dine there and they have ample parking spots in their lot.

Bloody Mary

Raspberry & white chocolate pancakes. Life-changing!

Banana foster french toast

Fried calamari

Chef Carmelo Moyeno

Tuna Tartare – avocado, ginger coconut vinaigrette, tostones, jalapeño, red onions, micro greens. Highly recommended!

Roasted Portobello – creamed spinach, cured tomato, smoked gouda, poached egg

Churrasco & eggs with breakfast potatoes. Delicious. Be sure to order it with chimichurri!

Shrimp & grits

The scenic and peaceful view from the restaurant

Thank you to the manager Stuart for the top-notch hospitality!

Side note: The women’s restroom was AMAZING and came with all the girly things: blow dryer, straightener, curling iron, lotion, mouthwash, q-tips, cotton pads, new hair brushes, lockers, showers, etc. I felt like I was in a spa.

Plancha Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort
10100 Dream Tree Boulevard Orlando, FL 32836
(407) 313-7777

Ravello Industry Night at Four Seasons Resort Orlando

Tiffany Nguyen

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Feb 2, 2019

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Ravello Industry Night at Four Seasons Resort Orlando

We were invited to Four Seasons Resort Orlando to attend their 3rd annual Ravello Industry Night hosted by Executive Chef Fabrizio Schenardi. The annual Italian Festival included dishes made by the Ravello team, Chef Fabrizio’s friends from Italy from the IFSE school and a reception with various Italian products sponsored by IFSE, Regione Piemonte and Four Seasons Resort Orlando.

Gnochetti sardi with shrimp, pomodoro & basil

Risotto with salsicca, wild mushrooms & barbera wine

Nduja pizza

Margherita pizza

Bianca pizza

Torta di Nocciole e Crema Gianduia

Fabrizio’s tiramisu classico

A variety of fresh gelato

Ravello at Four Seasons Resort Orlando
10100 Dream Tree Blvd Orlando, FL 32836
(407) 313-6161
fourseasons.com/content/dam/fourseasons/images/web/ORL/PDF/ORL-Ravello-Dinner-Menu-New-2017.pdf

First Look: Margaritaville Resort Orlando Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Tiffany Nguyen

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Jan 31, 2019

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First Look: Margaritaville Resort Orlando Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Sponge cake made by Margaritaville Resort Orlando’s Executive Chef Frank Zouari were one of the many dishes inspired by Jimmy Buffet’s trips to the island.

We were invited to Margaritaville Resort Orlando to celebrate their ribbon cutting ceremony, tour the new hotel and sample a few of their dishes. Margaritaville Resort Orlando transports guests into a vacation state of mind with premium amenities and friendly, genuine island-inspired service. Pools, spa, dining, shopping, and entertainment will all be within walking distance, offering an array of fun activities for the entire family, making it a destination in and of itself.

Ahi tuna with plantain chips

Steak with yucca fries

Nachos

Ricotta cheese gnocchi

Burrata salad

Brushetta

Cheeseburger, fries and a pickle

Key lime pie

Lava cake

Bread pudding

Margaritaville Resort Orlando’s lead mixologist Sam taught us how to make their most popular drinks.

Here is more pictures from their grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony & hotel tour:

For more information, please visit: margaritavilleresortorlando.com

Margaritaville Resort Orlando
8000 Fins Up Circle, Kissimmee, FL 34747
(855) 995-9099

6th Annual Field to Feast Dinner with Disney Chefs – Feb 23, 2019

Ricky Ly

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Jan 30, 2019

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6th Annual Field to Feast Dinner with Disney Chefs – Feb 23, 2019

Edible Orlando magazine is again teaming with the Walt Disney World chefs and Master Sommelier George Miliotes for the 6^th annual Field to Feast Dinner Feb. 23 at Long & Scott Farms in Zellwood.

All proceeds benefit the Kids Cafe Program of Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, an after-school meal service program that provides food to needy children in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties. More than $100,000 has been raised since the event’s inception in 2013.

Celebrating locally sourced cuisine in an open-air setting with a casual dine-around, this year’s dishes will again be paired with wines, beers and cocktails. Live music, farm tours and a raffle also are part of the event from 3-6 p.m.

Featured Disney restaurants for 2019, each paired with a Disney sommelier, include Tiffins, California Grill, The Hollywood Brown Derby, Yachtsman Steakhouse, Be Our Guest Restaurant, the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival chefs, Disney Park Events Operations and Premium Events chefs, Magic Kingdom Park pastry chefs and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Bakery team.

The event is presented by Edible Orlando magazine with Walt Disney World Resort as a major sponsor.

Tickets are $175 at edibleorlando.com. The event sold out the last five years.

Walt Disney World’s chefs have put together a truly magical menu for the 6th Annual Field to Feast, and each stellar station will feature a wine, beer or cocktail pairing selected by Master Sommelier George Miliotes.

Check out the menu below and get your tickets to join us at Long & Scott Farms on February 23, 2019. As always, 100% of the event’s proceeds will support the Second Harvest Kids Cafe.

Golden Oak at Walt Disney World Resort

Chef Phil Ponticelli
Sommelier Melissa Schreiber

Grilled Cheshire pork belly with Asian slaw and sticky rice; Golden Oak pork and beef hot dog with spicy onions and mustard; charred carrot hot dog with red curry chickpea paste

California Grill

Chef Daniel Sicilia
Sommelier Catherine Thompson
Shrimp, pork and crab bird’s nest spring rolls with green strawberry-green garlic n??c ch?m, radish and local herbs

Yachtsman Steakhouse

Chef Michael Rodriguez
Sommelier Kristopher Soto
Smoked Wagyu brisket bahn mi with apple and fennel kimchee and yuzu pickles

Be Our Guest Restaurant

Chef Marco Chaves
Sommelier Cindy Hoevaars
Poulet rouge roulade with lavender-scented goat cheese on focaccia crostini

Disney Park Event Operations and Premium Events

Chef Leonard Thomson
Sommelier Marianne Hunnel

Ocala Adena Farms grass-fed skirt steak marinated with Indian River citrus, Florida muscadine and pomegranate gastrique and served with Epcot Land-grown begonia and crispy chickpea crouton scented with mint and smoked sea salt

Epcot^® International Flower & Garden Festival

Chef Wade Kamerer
Sommelier Darlyn Aquilar

Carnitas with local corn relish, white corn tortilla, cilantro and lime crema; barbacoa with local tomato-serrano salsa, blue corn tortilla, huitlacoche sauce and pickled mushrooms

Tiffins

Chef Robby Sayles
Sommelier Bill Bloom

Seared scallop with uni, Florida citrus and marinated peppers; Florida gazpacho with Canaveral rock shrimp and pickled strawberries

Plant-based Disney

Chef Gary Jones
Sommelier Stefan Riemer
“Seafood” platter with hearts of palm crab cake, mushroom scallops and mushroom ceviche

The Hollywood Brown Derby

Chef Axel Martinez
Sommelier Keith Gimbel
Sweet and spicy duck wings with bacon-cheddar biscuit, pepper jelly and green-strawberry slaw

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge Bakery

Pastry Chef Michael Craig
Sommelier Joey Arteaga

Carrot Cake with Parsnip Cream Cheese, Tangerines, and Strawberries

Magic Kingdom Bakery

Pastry Chef Alex Vacher
Sommelier Keyan Roberts

Mickey’s chocolate-pretzel brownie with salted caramel, peanuts, milk-chocolate Chantilly and caramel popcorn; Minnie’s strawberry sam with strawberry mousse and almond crunch

Make a Memory at Currito in Lake Mary, FL

Katherine Nguyen

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Jan 30, 2019

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Make a Memory at Currito in Lake Mary, FL

Another delicious restaurant joins Lake Mary, FL. Soon enough, Lake Mary, FL will be booming with delicious bites. Currito brings value to your meals and keeps it real with buying food from local farms. What’s better than delicious foods and supporting local businesses?

You can start by building your own bowl or pick from a list of populars on the menu that can be meat friendly or vegan friendly. Also, there are absolutely gluten free options!

There are many sauces you can add and their house spicy sauce (not pictured) is one of my favorites.

The hot sauce I mentioned above might be somewhere in this photo where it is added at the end. Check it out and see where it is!

I had the Bangkok bowl, which is also pretty to photograph. Made of asian cabbage, cilantro lime rice, cucumber, shredded carrots, slivered almonds, thai-style peanut sauce, spicy cashew vinaigrette, sesame seeds, and flour tortilla. This dish is a bit is sweet, savory and spicy.

Enjoy a healthy or savory smoothie with your dish while you’re there. Here’s a Cranberry Citrus that’s fresh and packed full of natural energy for you to conquer your day.

After being so healthy with your visit, why not have a bite of their giant chocolate chip cookie.

Speaking of supporting local businesses… Let the Currito family of Lake Mary, FL know that you’re friends of Tasty Chomps and they’ll give you 20% off your dinner for any evening in February 2019! How amazing is that?

For more information, check out their website. Also, visit @KatherineNPhotography on Instagram for a $50 gift card giveaway to Currito! Running January 31 thru February 2, 2019. Winner is chosen on February 3rd around noon.

Kona Poké Joins Lake Mary, FL

Katherine Nguyen

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Jan 30, 2019

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Kona Poké brings island bowls of fresh fish and ingredients to Lake Mary. They recently opened and everyone is already talking about them! We recently received the chance to visit this restaurant where everyone treats you as part of the family…the type you actually like.

Check out some of the dishes I sampled and maybe you’d like to make it a combo for yourself.

Part of the combo includes a Miso Ramen Soup or Ginger Side Salad. I tried the Miso Ramen Soup and it was amazing for a chilly day.

If you fancy a kick to your dish, try the Kona Fire, which is my favorite. It consists of fresh ahi tuna, classic Hawaiian sauce, seaweed salad, green onions, sesame seeds, avocado, onion crisps, sriracha aioli, and sriracha. Trust me, it has a kick, but it’s not too spicy you can’t handle.

If that last dish wasn’t spicy enough, add some of this fancy sriracha, which is a sweet yet less spicy version of the original red sriracha everyone knows of.

If you’re not a fan of spicy but you prefer something with sweeter notes, this next bowl is for you. The Tidal Wave looks similar to the Kona Fire, but it’s definitely not. It is made of fresh ahi tuna, seaweed salad, green onions, crispy sweet onions, avocado, eel sauce, and sriracha aioli.

For those that want a tropical twist to things, there’s also the Bird of Paradise, which is also a vegetarian friendly dish! This is made up of tofu, edamame, sweet onions, cucumber, avocado, green onions, sesame seed, mango, and sweet heat sauce. The sweet heat sauce is not spicy at all so don’t worry.

The last bowl I mentioned isn’t your cup of tea but you still want a vegetarian friendly dish? You can substitute tofu in for any protein in other bowls.

OR make your own bowl! There are also other proteins besides raw fish and tofu too. Check out this slide that also includes kid options.

Looking for more sides and desserts? They have Hawaiian chips, Maui chocolates, and mochi too. Chocolate mochi was my fav of all the mochi because there are little chocolate crunchy bits in it. My second fav is the mango because the ice cream inside is a refreshing sorbet.

Bring a date or friend for a bite to eat your own bowls or try each others. For more information, visit their website. Surprise! They also deliver.

Frontera Cocina at Disney Springs – New Seasonal Menu – A Taste of Mexico City

Ricky Ly

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Jan 29, 2019

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Frontera Cocina at Disney Springs – New Seasonal Menu – A Taste of Mexico City

Open since 2016, Frontera Cocina at Disney Spring is a Mexican restaurant by seven-time winner of the James Beard Foundation Award, Chef Rick Bayless. Most people know Rick Bayless from winning the title of Bravo’s Top Chef Masters, beating out the French and Italian with his authentic Mexican cuisine.

His highly rated Public Television series, Mexico–One Plate at a Time, is broadcast coast to coast and has earned him multiple Daytime Emmy nominations for Best Culinary Host. His casual restaurant Frontera Grill was founded in 1987 and received the James Beard Foundation’s highest award, Outstanding Restaurant, in 2007.

Frontera Cocina brings to Disney Springs a contemporary Mexican experience with warm colors, an open kitchen and a lively atmosphere.

We were recently invited to taste items from the new Taste of Mexico City menu along with some winter seasonal offerings at Frontera Cocina.

“Mexico City—La Ciudad de Mexico, enthusiastically abbreviated CDMX these days—is one of the most astonishing cities in the world. And not just because it’s one of the biggest. No, it has some of the greatest diversity of culinary riches in the world, from legendary taco shops to a slew of restaurants that are listed in Pellegrino’s 50 Best Restaurants in the world. It’s colorful and brash. It’s sophisticated and wise. It’s ancient and modern. All simmered in together with a few of Mexico’s several dozen
chiles. And served with handmade corn tortillas.” – Chef Rick Bayless

Featured Drinks and Cocktails

Here is a look at some of the drinks available from the new menu. The people behind Frontera Cocina are also related to the folks at La Cava Del Tequila at Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion so you know their bar program is top notch.

Dark Aztec Margarita
Montelobos mezcal, charcoaled pineapple lime juice,
homemade piloncillo syrup and mole bitters, rimmed with
powdered peanuts • 15

The Taste of Mexico City features the Dark Aztec Margarita with Montelobos mezcal, charcoaled pineapple lime juice, homemade piloncillo syrup and mole bitters, rimmed with a powdered peanut rim.

La Bandera
El Velo blanco tequila, prickly pear purée, orange liqueur,
lemon juice, lime foam, garnished with cilantro • 15

La Bandera, is a fruity sweet cocktail of El Velo blanco tequila, prickly pear puree, orange liqueur and lemon juice finished with a lime foam and garnished with cilantro. The prickly pear stands out in this drink with a nice citrus touch.

La Trajinera Flight
Montelobos Tobalá mezcal, Bozal ensamble mezcal, served
with Suave de Agave Sangrita • 26

La Trajinera Flight is featured on a “trajinera”, a gondola-like boat famous in Xochimilco, a scenic borough within Mexico City known for its canals. The Flight consists of two shots of mezcal (Montelobos Tobala and Bozal ensamble) served with one chaser shot of Suave de Agave Sangrita, a sweet juice-y sangrita shot made from agave.

STARTER

Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas
Crispy corn tostadas topped with Florida Pink Shrimp,
sun-dried tomato, crunchy jícama, olives, serrano chiles, fresh
lime, cilantro, onion, avocado (contains shellfish) • 17

The Shrimp Ceviche Tostadas had lovely crunchy jicama chunks in it that were sweet and juicy like apple bites, pairing well with the Florida Pink Shrimp and lime.

ENTREES

Swordfish Al Pastor
Grilled swordfish with “pastor” flavors (red chile, garlic, achiote),
plantain rice, smoky pineapple-chipotle salsa • 30

This swordfish was one of our favorite dishes of the night, marinated just for an hour in red chile, garlic, and achiote – the dish was superbly tender and flavorful. I thought it was cooked sous vide, but chef told us it was simply marinated and then grilled. Excellent!

Pork Belly Tacos for Making Soft Tacos
Crispy pork belly, smoky bacon, grilled knob onions,
black bean refritos with queso fresco, guacamole, red onion,
cilantro, three chile-agave salsa, served with
warm corn tortillas (contains dairy, pork) • 24

The pork belly here had a crispy texture to them yet were tender enough for a taco. The flavor was a sweet Mexican barbecue type of flavor and paired well with the black beans and the smokey three chile-agave salsa.

DESSERT

Mexican Chocolate “Flan”
Dark chocolate (made panna cotta style) with Mexican
cinnamon, golden sweet plantains, cajeta caramel, toasted
almonds, spicy cinnamon sugar (contains dairy, nuts) • 9

Winter Seasonal Menu

Winter Green Ensalada – Shaved black kale, Arcadian lettuce, grilled pineapple, toasted pepitas, Cotija cheese, red onions, jicama, roasted tomatillo-serrano vinaigrette.

This salad brought the earthy flavors of kale together with the sweetness of pineapple, and spiciness of the serrano pepper sauce.

Three Chile Roasted Brussels Sprouts with crispy bacon and Cotija cheese.

Dessert

Café de Olla Sorbet – A blend of Mexican coffee, brown sugar, cinnamon, clove, and orange zest.

I loved the crunchy crystal orange zest with the frozen Mexican coffee sorbet and touches of cinnamon and clove in this dish!

Frontera Cocina at Disney Springs
http://www.fronteracocina.com/

Winter Garden Food Tours

Tiffany Nguyen

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Jan 28, 2019

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We were invited to attend the “No Resolutions” dinner tour at Plant Street Market to celebrate a new year of no diets, resolutions and deadlines. We enjoyed a lovely sit down dinner hosted by Winter Garden Food Tours owners John & Jamie Baylor who brought out to us five collaborative comfort dishes from local restaurants in Winter Garden. Bring on the calories!

Michael’s Ali & Sir Benjiis — chicken & donuts

MAC’d OUT & Burger Fi — chorizo mac ‘n cheese in an onion ring bowl

The Local Butcher — pork four ways sandwich with plantain chips

Little Piggy & Morthan Cheese — smothered brisket and potatoes

Delicious hot tea by Antiquitea in Plant Street Market to cleanse the palate!

David Ramirez — Nutella, graham cracker and marshmallow fluff topped with a decadent Nutella Macaron

For more information, please visit: peachskyproductions.com

What is Yellow Sriracha? #FoodTrends

Ricky Ly

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Jan 28, 2019

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You may have tried the popular Huy Fong brand “rooster” bottle of Sriracha found at your local Vietnamese restaurant (and increasingly in more diverse / hipster restaurants). The condiment is an immigrant success story – founded by David Tran, a Vietnamese American refugee who came to the US after the Vietnam war. Mr. Tran created his version of the spicy, sweet garlicky Thai hot sauce after coming to the US and naming it after the coastal city of Si Racha.

On a recent visit to the newly opened Domu Chibi, we noticed these new “yellow” sriracha bottles that owner-chef Sonny Nguyen stocked for the restaurant.

So What Is Yellow Sriracha?

The yellow sriracha comes from Three Mountains, a small chili farm in Sriracha, Thailand, and made from yellow Thai burapa chilis, that has a complex spicy sweet flavor and rich consistency. It is a little sweeter, less vinegary, almost citrusy version of the traditional rooster brand Sriracha.

It’s sparked a cult following on social media recently, especially among our local foodies of the Orlando Foodie Forum. Ironically, Sus Hi Eatstation, who were the victims of a robbery recently, did not have their precious yellow sriracha stolen as they were stored inside the safe inside the store. They are selling them by the bottle now. You can also purchase the yellow sriracha by Three Mountains at local Asian grocery stores / markets such as Tan Tien Market in West Orlando or Eastside Asian Market in East Orlando.

Scenes from the 2019 Vietnamese New Year Festival in Orlando hosted by the Vietnamese Catholic Church

Ricky Ly

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Jan 27, 2019

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Scenes from the 2019 Vietnamese New Year Festival in Orlando hosted by the Vietnamese Catholic Church

This past weekend, the Vietnamese Catholic Church of Orlando, St Philipphe Phan Van Minh hosted their annual Vietnamese New Year Festival at the Central Florida Fairgrounds for 2019 – the year of the Pig. The actual Lunar New Year is not till February 5th this year so there are still lots of great events to come. (See Guide to Celebrating Chinese/Vietnamese New Year Festivals in Orlando Post for the lowdown).

Here is a look inside the event:

Longhorn Steakhouse opens at Fashion Square Mall

Ricky Ly

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Jan 27, 2019

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Longhorn Steakhouse opens at Fashion Square Mall

LongHorn Steakhouse has officially opened its newest Orlando restaurant near the Fashion Square Mall. The restaurant celebrated the opening with a “lasso cutting” ceremony, where a special guest, with the assistance of UCF mascot Knightro, helped mark the occasion by cutting into the restaurant’s very first legendary steak.

LongHorn Steakhouse is an American casual dining restaurant chain that is owned and operated by Darden Restaurants, Inc., headquartered in Orlando, Florida. As of 2016, LongHorn Steakhouse generated $1.6 billion in sales in its 481 locations.

There’s a Western/Texan theme inside the restaurant with cowboy memorabilia and statues and paintings – as expected from a steakhouse.

Located at 3101 E Colonial Dr., the 6344-square-foot restaurant seats more than 320 guests and is led by 15-year Darden veteran Brooke Manz as Managing Partner. This restaurant opening added more than 60 jobs in Orlando.

According to the restaurant, “LongHorn Steakhouse is all about quality, serving fresh, never frozen, expertly grilled and boldly seasoned steaks, chicken and fish. The restaurant uses its very own signature seasoning blends that are specially created to complement specific cuts of meat and the way they are grilled. Each restaurant features Certified Grill Masters specially trained in the art of grilling – and they’re the experts in selecting the right cut of steak, boldly seasoning and grilling to each guests’ taste.”

Here is a FIRST LOOK inside the restaurant from a recent visit during family and friends night:

Longhorn’s White Cheddar Stuffed Mushrooms – a favorite of our table!

Longhorn’s Wild West Shrimp is tossed with spicy cherry peppers and garlic butter

Longhorn Porterhouse – 30 oz – combines a bone-in strip and a tender filet into one thick cut.

Longhorn Baby Back Ribs – Slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs seasoned and fire-grilled for extra flavor. Brushed with signature housemade BBQ sauce.

Longhorn Chocolate Stampede – six types of chocolate served with vanilla bean ice cream and chocolate drizzle.

Meet Me at Tabla

Katherine Nguyen

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Jan 27, 2019

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Last week, we took part in a foodie meet up at Tabla Cuisine to enjoy delicious dishes and support a local restaurant. Those who work here are absolutely friendly and helpful in making suggestions to what you may like to try.

One of our waiters was Faiz and he helped me in deciding what dish to eat based on what I was in the mood for. His recommendations are solely focused on your interest instead of trying to upselling dishes.

While we check out the menu, we had some Papad with assorted chutneys. These are a bit salty and pepper spicy. That’s when you know the pepper is fresh – when it has a little kick.

Gobi Manchurian – Crispy Cauliflower or Chicken Fritters in a Sweet, Spicy and Tangy Sauce. The cauliflower texture is similar to chicken itself if you or your friends are vegetarians, but would like the texture of chicken. Sometimes, it is a texture thing that will help you like vegetables a bit more.

Chili Paneer – Sautéed Onions, Chili and Peppers with Marinated Cheese or Chicken. Who doesn’t like cheese? I hope all cheese lovers order this and give it a try. It’s delicious and savory.

Here is a mixed chaat platter made up of Paid Chaat, Samosa Chaat and Pani Puri created for our table to have a sample of various appetizers. Each item on this platter is also vegetarian, which this meat lover would be more than happy to order again.

This platter consists of another platter with mixed kabobs where there are three types of chicken on this plate. Meaning, there are three types of flavor samples. Each type of flavor sample was delicious, while each bite of chicken was juicy and tender.

Korma – Braised in a Nutmeg, Almond, Coriander and Cumin Yogurt Sauce. Korma is one of the curry dishes served at this restaurant. Each curry is served with basmati rice and you have a choice of vegetarian, paneer, chicken, lamb, fish, or shrimp. Here, I choose lamb and it was nice and tender.

Garlic Naan can be ordered as a side like I did to eat with your curry…or to eat on its own because of how tasty it is. I wish I had extra garlic to slather onto my naan.

I made Isha from @WillFlyForChai (follow her on Instagram!) hand model for me and show us how to eat a curry with naan because I wanted to learn. Also, I think she’s used to being my hand model.

Gulab Jamun Creme Brûlée, which is an Indian version of the French dish of creme brûlée. Gulab Jamun, itself, is a rose flavored sugar donut quirk honey syrup. I recommend this dish for you to try. Let us know what you think.

Chocolate Samosas – Served with Masala Chai Latte Ice Cream. Be cautious when eating these because they can be addicting.

Look at the chocolate samosa. Wouldn’t you like to take a bite into a crispy samosa and have a chocolatey explosion in your mouth? I think we all know the answer to my question.

Tabla’s Casatta Ice Cream – Layered Ice Cream and Sponge Cake, flavored with Dry Fruits and Nuts. …This is healthy because it is flavored by fruits and nuts, right?

Isha surprised us all with Masala Chai. In India, Chai actually means “tea” and masala chai tea is a chai tea with milk and a hint of spices – cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon mostly. Guys, I think I found my new tea obsession. Now I know why Isha loves chai so much.

Iced Thai Tea hand modeled by Katie of @katie_eatz on Instagram. I love myself an iced Thai tea, but I didn’t get to try this beauty.

While waiting for our food, we also had a chance to order drinks. I decided on Tabla’s Old Fashioned, which was like biting into a bourbon spiked orange.

Of course, before anyone could touch their food, we had to make sure everyone was satisfied with their photos. Typical for any occasion you find a foodie at the table.

For more information of Tabla, visit their website. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did and I hope you’ll be joining me for my next visit. Make sure you stop by this post and tell us how much you enjoyed your dish as well as rate your visit on Google.

2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Tiffany Nguyen

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Jan 25, 2019

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2019 Epcot International Festival of the Arts

Pop’t Art: Modern-design sugar cookie with strawberry filling (V)

We were invited to a media preview of the 3rd annual Epcot International Festival of the Arts at Walt Disney World. The month-long art festival runs from January 18 through February 25, 2019 and includes an art walk, photo ops, chalk art, culinary offerings, live music, stage performances, art seminars, activities designed with families in mind and so much more. They’ve rolled everything you love about the arts into one spectacular salute.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts will feature 13 unique Food Studios, plus additional creative food and beverage offerings around Epcot with an expanded selection of delicious new tastes to savor.

Chocolate-dipped pretzel, chocolate cake, chocolate stick, glitter raspberry sauce

Lemon tart with blood orange

“The Lady in the Hat” – pan-seared scallop, roasted red pepper coulis, bed of chorizo and peppers, and Parmesian crisp with a flower on top

The Artist’s Table will feature beef wellington with mushroom bordelaise, fennel cream and roasted baby vegetables

Shrimp ceviche

Smoked salmon and cream gâteau with egg yolk cream, paddlefish caviar and micro-herbs is sure to be a new favorite at The Painter’s Palate

Gallery Bites: A Trio of Hors d’Oeuvres: chilled shrimp with cucumber cream cheese on a crostini, traditional deviled egg with candied bacon, crispy truffled risotto ball with truffle aioli

Vanilla rosewater and pistachio panna cotta

Chocolate and beer pairing

Blue sky dark cheery boba freeze

Chef Daniel Contreras

Dragon’s beard candy

Sugar painting by Chinese candy artisan Wenbo Zhang

Discover renowned Disney artists like Trevor Calton create a dash of magic on canvas

Living statues inspired by Epcot

Special merchandise will be available at Mouse Gear and other Epcot locations featuring the festival’s logo adorning shirts, mugs, totes and other charming items.

Guests can join in the fun of Figment’s Brush with the Masters Scavenger Hunt by purchasing a map at select merchandise locations.

Everyone’s invited to grab a paintbrush and help create a wall mural along World Showcase Plaza.

Animation Academy, a free drawing class in the Odyssey.

I took four back-to-back drawing classes with Eddie!

New this year, the Disney on Broadway Concert Series expands to seven days a week during the festival, providing more opportunities than ever before to bask in live Disney magic. Each week, different pairs of Disney on Broadway stars will take the America Gardens Theatre stage to sing favorite songs from award-winning Disney on Broadway productions. The lineup will rotate regularly, featuring music from shows such as “The Lion King,” “Frozen” and “Beauty and the Beast.” Performers this year include:

Kerry Butler (“Beauty and the Beast”) and Kevin Massey (“Tarzan”)
Meredith Inglesby (“The Little Mermaid”) and Steve Blanchard (“Beauty and the Beast”)
Arielle Jacobs and Adam Jacobs (“Aladdin”)
Heidi Blickenstaff (“Freaky Friday”) and Gavin Lee (“Mary Poppins”)
Ashley Brown (“Mary Poppins”) and Josh Strickland (“Tarzan”)
Kissy Simmons and Alton Fitzgerald White (“The Lion King”)

The concert series is included with park admission; showtimes are 5:30, 6:45 and 8 p.m. nightly. The Disney on Broadway Concert Series Dining Package is available at participating Epcot restaurants and guarantees show seating; package bookings open Nov. 8, 2018, at Disneyworld.com. Reservations can also be made by calling (407) WDW-DINE.

Disney expert Lou Mongello and festive Mickey Mouse

For more information, please visit: disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/epcot/epcot-international-festival-of-the-arts/

(Source credit: Walt Disney World)

Epcot
200 Epcot Center Dr, Orlando, FL 32821
(407) 939-5277

Food Network celebrity chef Richard Blais hosts “Friends of Cooper’s Hawk” on I-Drive

Tiffany Nguyen

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Jan 22, 2019

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Food Network celebrity chef Richard Blais hosts “Friends of Cooper’s Hawk” on I-Drive

Richard Blais – chef, restaurateur, James Beard Foundation nominated cookbook author and television personality joined Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant on I-Drive as the “Friends of Cooper’s Hawk” host. Cooper’s Hawk wine club members were the first to be invited to attend this exclusive event. Cooper’s Hawk wine club is the largest wine club in the world with over 350,000 members.

We were also invited to attend Richard Blais’ sold out stand-up comedy cooking show and we loved it! Blais is a hoot, his show was educational as it was entertaining. Before the event, we got to sit down and interview him during a private media meet & greet. We learned that at age 11, Blais would make ham and cheese sandwiches with crushed chips after school while Julia Child was playing on the television. Blais would pretend he was in a restaurant where he was the customer, server, chef and owner. His dad was in film so that played a huge role in his life growing up.

Blais now owns five restaurants, has a beautiful wife with two young daughters. He is also the manager of his daughter’s basketball team.

“I am a man who likes to embrace opportunity.” – Richard Blais

It was a pleasure dining with Joseph Hayes from Orlando Magazine

Tim McEnery, Founder and CEO of Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants and Richard Blais

Toast & coopa with white truffle honey

Lobster cannoli with ricotta, fresh herbs

Sicilian meatballs with currants, pine nuts

Persimmon and burrata salad with spanish olive oil, black truffle

Emily Wines of Cooper’s Hawk

Sea bass milanese with romanesco, brown butter, crispy pork, avocado dressing

Modern tiramisu with mascarpone ice cream, brandy, orange, cocoa nib

Richard Blais, Chef Edmund & Chef Stephen of Cooper’s Hawk and Blais’ Chef Scarletta

They sent us home with a bottle of wine and a signed copy of Richard Blais’ “So Good” cookbook – courtesy of Thomas Koenigsberg, CMO at Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants. This was the first cookbook that I read through and thoroughly enjoyed. Highly recommended!

Fun fact: The only wine that is gonna be served at the Screen Actors Guild Award this Sunday, January 27, is this blend of SAG x Cooper’s Hawk Wine thanks to a 3-year partnership with SAG.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery
8005 International Dr, Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 956-3400
chwinery.com

2nd Annual Pastry in the Park 2019 – January 20th

Ricky Ly

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Jan 16, 2019

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2nd Annual Pastry in the Park 2019 – January 20th

Pastry in the Park is back this year with a remarkable lineup of Pastry Chefs that represent some of Central Florida’s best independent restaurants on January 20th at 6pm! For tickets, call The Osprey Tavern at (407) 960-7700

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This year 5 local Orlando pastry chefs are getting together to showcase Valrhona chocolate, each Chef highlighting a different flavor. Savory bites will be provided by The Osprey Tavern.

We spoke to Pastry Chef Kristy Carlucci about what is new this year and also chatted with her about desserts and food trends.

What’s new this year for the 2nd Annual Pastry in the Park?

This year, we are showcasing an ingredient that is a keystone of every pastry chef’s menu: Chocolate. I couldn’t think of a better way to highlight it than with Valrhona chocolate, which has an ever-growing array of chocolate varieties. The tasting is structured in a progressive style, starting with white chocolate, and ending up with a very dark chocolate. Chef Elek is even joining in the fun with a savory intermezzo using Valrhona’s Cocoa Powder!

What is the state of pastry like in Orlando right now?

I think that the state of pastry in Orlando is leaps and bounds ahead of what it was even 5 years ago. We’re seeing trends that for a while, you only found locally at the parks or hotels. Patisseries like The Glass Knife and bakeries like Buttermilk Bakery are really setting the bar high in terms of creativity and execution. From my perspective as being a Baking & Pastry Instructor at Valencia College, my classes are full every semester, and the new downtown campus will enable instructors to expose students to even more techniques and trends.

What are some food trends lately here in Orlando for dessert that you have noticed?

Speaking of trends, at the restaurant, our guests love comfort. I try to have at least one “out there” dessert for those adventurous types (which to those people: I love you!!), but we have to have that quintessential chocolate dessert, or that classic apple crisp; something that people can relate to. However, I do like to take those familiar desserts and add an unexpected flavor or component to them. Like with said apple crisp, we paired it with a Sunchoke Ice Cream.

I think the goal of a restaurant Pastry Chef should be to entice guests with a well-rounded menu, don’t be pretentious, but also don’t underestimate your guests. If you give them a stellar piece of Carrot Cake one night, next time they might try your Lemon Posset with Elderflower Espuma 😉 . As I tell both my students and my pastry cooks, dessert is (or should be) the taste our guests leave with. It’s our responsibility to represent the restaurant with one last sweet impression.

Kristy Carlucci
Pastry Chef
The Osprey Tavern
4899 New Broad St
Orlando, FL 32714

Chef Kristy Carlucci brings 10+yrs of pastry experience as the Executive Pastry Chef of The Osprey Tavern, Seito Sushi, and Reyes Mezcaleria, all in Orlando, FL. Chef Carlucci gained a strong set of fundamentals while studying Baking and Pastry Arts at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. She has developed and strengthened her skills under the tutelage of such kitchen luminaries as Richard Rosendale CMC, Francisco J. Migoya CMB, and Chef Angela Hartnett. She has worked in various hotels, country clubs, restaurants, and patisseries throughout the United States, baking for celebrities, professional athletes, and political figures. Locally, she has served as Pastry Chef de Cuisine at Cask & Larder in Winter Park and is also an instructor at Valencia College.

10 “Hot and New” Orlando Restaurants Opening in 2019

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Orlando

Ricky Ly

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Jan 15, 2019

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10 “Hot and New” Orlando Restaurants Opening in 2019

It’s now 2019 and there are lots of plans for openings here in Orlando to add to our growing local food and drink scene. Last year, there were a lot of new taco and poke shops. What will 2019 bring?

Here are 10 hot and new restaurants coming to Orlando “soon”:

1. Jaleo by Chef Jose Andres at Disney Springs
Coming in: Early 2019
Location: Disney Springs

Named one of Time’s “100 Most Influential People” and “Outstanding Chef” by the James Beard Foundation, José Andrés, the internationally recognized culinary innovator, author, educator, television personality, humanitarian and chef/owner is the only chef globally that has both a 2-star Michelin restaurant and 4 Bib Gourmands.

Jaleo, the 22 thousand square foot restaurant will be Andrés’ largest to date and will bring the spirit and flavors of Spain to Disney Springs at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Based on the colorful iconography of Spain, the architectural form of the building is inspired by an artichoke, a vegetable native to José’s homeland. The artichoke structure opens up, inviting guests to enter and experience the very best of Spanish cuisine.

The idea of Jaleo, the Spanish word for “revelry,” inspires the large, family-style gathering space, inviting guests to share tapas and sangria, gather with family at the foosball tables, or enjoy the more elegant central seating for paellas and grilled meats, anchored by the restaurant’s open kitchen and wood fire grill.

2. Financier Patisserie
Coming: TBA 2019
Location: 212 N. Park Ave, Winter Park

Financier Patisserie first opened in 2002 on historic Stone Street in the namesake Financial District of Lower Manhattan and is known for its Wall Street clientele and the classic French almond cake basked to resemble a bar of gold, a Financier.
Their coffee is roasted in Brooklyn, packaged while the beans are still warm, and shipped to their stores within 24 hours of roasting for maximum flavor and freshness.

3. Taco Bus
Coming: Early 2019
Location: 11325 University Boulevard (Near UCF)

Taco Bus – the wildly popular Tampa-based Mexican taco food truck establishment is continuing to sing the ballads of authentic Mexican tacos and dish specials, as well as vegetarian and vegan dishes, across the state of Florida with its newest pit stop near UCF. The location was formerly Greens and Grille, then Pie Five, then most recently Paramount Fine Foods / Lebanese Kitchen. It will do very well here in East Orlando.

4. Kabooki Sushi 2
Coming: February 2019
Location: 7705 Turkey Lake Road

Owner/Chef Henry Moso’s popular Kabooki Sushi is having a second “staging” out on Turkey Lake Road in West Orlando very soon. Chef Moso combines “locally sourced, seasonal ingredients with the best cuts from Japan for a dining experienced centered on quality control, excitement, and surprise.” According to the restaurant, “behind the bar, the staff performs under his direction to brandish dishes with the vibrancy of Mexican flavor, the sophistication of French preparation, and the curated integrity of Japan. Every night at Kabooki, the tastes of the world meet for an authentically global encounter.”

5. Hinckley’s Fancy Meats
Coming: February 2019
Location: East End Market, 3201 Corrine Dr

Sandwiches and more from Orlando-native Chef Matt Hinckley who returns to Florida with over 15 years of culinary experience and a pedigree studded with leadership positions in both James Beard award-winning and Michelin-starred kitchens. His Charcuterie Box was recently seen in the New York Times 2017 Holiday Gift Buying Guide, featuring duck ham, smoked antelope sausage, bacon liverwurst, smoked headcheese, tasso ham, duck rillette, and spuma di lardo.

6. Slice by Pizza Bruno
Coming: Early 2019
Location: 1011 N. Mills Ave.

Chef Bruno Zacchini, hot on the heels of the opening of his second location in downtown Orlando, is now bringing his popular Neapolitan-style pizzeria to the Mills 50 District. Expect lots of garlic knots and wings, also.

7. Sette
Coming: March 2019
Location: 1407 N. Orange Ave (formerly Stir – In Ivanhoe Village)

Se7en Bites creators Trina Gregory-Propst and Va Propst are bringing to Ivanhoe Village their newest rustic Italian restaurant concept called Sette, which means “seven” in Italian. The restaurant will feature pastas made from scratch, Italian comfort food, and baked goods and desserts.

8. Jack and Honey’s
Coming: Early 2019
Location: 1235 N. Orange Ave. (Ivanhoe Village)

This is the planned 24-hour diner next door to the Hammered Lamb, brought to you by the owners of The Hammered Lamb. They plan on serving breakfast food all day as well as classic diner comfort food like meatloaf, macaroni and cheese, burgers and homemade milkshakes.

9. Proper & Wild
Coming: 2019
Location: Morse Avenue, Winter Park

Chelsie & Jamie Savage of The Sanctum bring Proper & Wild, a chef-driven, health-forward, plant-centric concept.

10. Tori Tori
Coming: Early 2019
Location: 720 N. Mills Ave

Chef/owner Sonny Nguyen is on a tear this year with the opening of quick service concept Domu Chibi in East Orlando and a full blown Domu in Dr Phillips area. Not to be placed on the backburner is Tori Tori in Mills 50 District, bringing together the art of the Japanese style pub and meat and veggie skewer grilling to the heart of Orlando.

BONUS

City Works Eatery and Pour House – Disney Springs

There have been lots of new additions to Disney Springs recently – Wine Bar George, Terralina Crafted Italian, 4 Rivers Cantina Barbacoa Food Truck and Chicken Guy!, to name just a few – and this year, 2019, will welcome the new City Works Eatery & Pour House to open on the West Side next summer. The restaurant and bar will offer plenty of high-def TVs including a 165-inch screen, perfect for viewing your favorite live sporting events, featuring classic American food and 90+ local and global varieties of beers on tap.

Euphoria at Margaritaville Orlando Resort
8000 Fins Up Circle, Kissimmee, FL 34747

This is a new restaurant opening inside Margaritaville Orlando Resort – details to come.

A Foodie’s Tour of Orlando’s Mills 50 District with Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy

Ricky Ly

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Jan 14, 2019

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A Foodie’s Tour of Orlando’s Mills 50 District with Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy

U.S. Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy serves as Florida’s Seventh Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives which includes all of Seminole County and much of northern Orange County, including downtown Orlando, Maitland, Winter Park, and the University of Central Florida. That includes Mills 50 District, one of my favorite districts for food and drink in all of Orlando. Congresswoman Murphy is a bit of a “foodie” herself, and is a fan of the spicy mala Chinese Sichuan cuisine. I had the honor and privilege of playing her “food guide” through Mills 50 recently.

She currently serves on the powerful House Armed Services Committee and the House Small Business Committee, and has passed a bill to make it easier for small business owners to obtain low-interest loans.

Previously, Congresswoman Murphy was a businesswoman and college instructor after serving as a national security specialist in the Office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense where she received numerous awards for her distinguished service, including the Secretary of Defense Medal for Exceptional Civilian Service. She worked on a wide range of security issues from counterterrorism to foreign military relations to strategic planning for the department. Prior to her public service, Stephanie was a strategy consultant at Deloitte Consulting.

Highlighting some of the small businesses in her district, we took a short food tour of the Mills 50 District, visiting some of my favorite local markets, eateries, and coffee shops.

The district, bounded by Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive (SR 50), is home to many eclectic local small businesses, restaurants, and markets.

It is also known as “Little Vietnam” and is home to the largest concentration of Vietnamese-owned restaurants, markets, and nail supply stores in Florida. A child of boat refugees whose family was rescued by the US Navy after the Vietnam War, Congresswoman Murphy is the first Vietnamese-American woman elected to Congress in our nation’s history.

She is able to practice some of that Vietnamese as we made our way to Tien Hung Market, one of the first Vietnamese grocery stores to open in Mills 50.

Tien Hung Oriental Food Center – Here they make their own soy milk and have an extensive list of Vietnamese herbs, produce, noodles, fresh live seafood, banh mi, snacks, and even a jewelry store. Tien Hung is one of the oldest Vietnamese market in the area, run by the Phan family who have been here since the 1980s.

Next stop – Lineage Coffee Roasting. This is the second coffee shop for Lineage, based out of East End Market up the street.

They are known for their cold brews and serve craft roasted coffee, carefully sourced from around the world. Though not in Mills 50, we picked up some vegan raspberry doughnuts from Valhalla Bakery of Market on South down the street to go with our coffees.

Finally – King Bao. Chef Vic Nguyen, a former sushi chef, one day decided to bring his love of food to bao form – think fluffy white bun sandwiches filled with all sorts of goodness from pork belly to lobster to fried avocado and even dessert-y nutella and banana.

It was truly an honor and such fun to showcase and highlight some of Orlando’s own local flavor with Congresswoman Murphy. I wish her all the best as she continues to serve our local Central Florida community and the interests of its people in Congress.

Some facts from Forbes Magazine about small businesses:

1. Small businesses comprise 99.9 percent of all firms and 99.7 percent of firms with paid employees. Out of 29.6 million businesses, all but 19,000 are small.

1. Small Business, Big Role -mall businesses comprise 99.9 percent of all firms and 99.7 percent of firms with paid employees. Out of 29.6 million businesses, all but 19,000 are small. Small businesses generate three-fifths of net new jobs, driving a big share of U.S. employment growth. In total, small businesses employ 58 million, or 47.8 percent of all private-sector employees.

2. Family – About one in five firms are family-owned. Industries that have the highest share of family-owned businesses are management of companies and enterprises (46.4 percent of firms in this industry are family-owned), real estate and rental and leasing (37.3 percent), and accommodation and food services (33.2 percent).

Heart of Florida United Way Announces Restaurants Participating in 27th Annual Chef’s Gala on March 2nd

Events
news

Ricky Ly

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Jan 12, 2019

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Heart of Florida United Way Announces Restaurants Participating in 27th Annual Chef’s Gala on March 2nd

For the 27th year, 24 of the region’s top restaurants will gather for Heart of Florida United Way’s Chef’s Gala, a fundraiser benefitting local hunger and homelessness programs.

Hosted by Walt Disney World at Epcot Showplace, this culinary adventure offers unlimited sampling of signature dishes prepared by award-winning chefs, each paired with a fine wine or specialty beverage.

The event will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019 from 6:45 – 10 p.m.

2019 Participating Restaurants

Savory

Ale & Compass Restaurant – Disney’s Beach Club Resort

Be Our Guest Restaurant at Magic Kingdom Park

blu on the avenue

Coral Reef Restaurant at Epcot Center

Fiorenzo Italian Steakhouse at Hyatt Regency Orlando

Hemisphere – Hyatt Regency Orlando

Highball & Harvest at Ritz-Carlton, Grande Lakes

Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen at Magic Kingdom Park

La Luce at Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek

Latitude & Longitude at Orlando World Center Marriott

Le Cellier Steakhouse – Epcot^®

Mama Melrose’s Ristorante Italiano at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Morimoto Asia – Disney Springs

Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Primo by Melissa Kelly – J.W. Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes

Sanaa at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Resort Area

Sebastian’s Bistro at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort

SLATE

STK Orlando – Disney Springs

Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Desserts & Coffee:

Amorette’s Patisserie – Disney Springs

BoardWalk Bakery at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn

Gideon’s Bakehouse

The Glass Knife

Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company

Through the generosity of sponsors, like Walt Disney World, as well as the participating restaurants that donate all the food, 95 cents of every dollar raised at the event goes directly to community programs aimed at alleviating hunger and homelessness.

Tickets are available by visiting www.ChefsGala.org. Individual tickets are $350, couple ticket package is $650 and corporate ticket packages are $3,500. Sponsorships are also available by emailing ChefsGala@hfuw.org or calling (407) 429-2129 .

_________________

About Heart of Florida United Way
Heart of Florida United Way (HFUW) is Central Florida’s most comprehensive health and human services charity and the largest provider of funds to the region’s most critical health and human service programs. Last year, it raised and managed $24.4 million throughout Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties. HFUW is working to advance the common good by focusing on education, income, health and basic needs. It operates United Way 2-1-1, Central Florida’s information and assistance, crisis, suicide and referral helpline; Volunteer Resource Center; Gifts In Kind Center; Emergency Homelessness Services; and the Ryan White Part B program, which administers more than $2 million to provide HIV/AIDS services and referrals. HFUW impacts more than 650,000 individuals annually through its direct service and funded programs. United Way partners with local businesses, government, other charities to increase awareness of local health and human service issues and to inspire hope, provide options and create possibilities for people in need. Visit www.HFUW.org for more information, or call (407) 835-0900.

First Look: Ice & Bites – UCF area

Tiffany Nguyen

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Jan 11, 2019

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Asian, colorful, and sweet. Oh my gosh, I’ve found a place that is basically me in restaurant form. Ice & Bites (located near UCF) is super cute and the owners are super foodies and also the friendliest people on the planet. I actually randomly met them a few months ago at the Cheney Brothers food show and we clicked instantly. I highly recommend their one-of-a-kind place! They will take good care of you.

Affogato! Affogato literally translates to “drown” in Italian. You pour the espresso over the cotton candy and it dissolves revealing the ice cream of your choice underneath.

Chicken katsu rice burger, so good. I ordered fried rice cakes dusted with hot cheeto dust as my side, it was interesting!

Taiyaki (Japanese fish-shaped cake – really good!) with your ice of ice cream and toppings. I ordered mine with green tea ice cream, fruity pebbles and pocky sticks. I’m looking forward to trying it was taro ice cream, nerds candy and mochi next time!

*NEW* Boba Midnight Dream – lemon flavor mixed with soju (Korean drink similar to Vodka), boba and cotton candy. 21+up only.

*NEW* alcohol boba flight – sparkling sake or soju and popping boba. 21+up only.

Ice & Bites
3402 Technological Ave #220, Orlando, FL 32817
(407) 208-1340
places.singleplatform.com/ice–bites-cafe/menu

Christmas Buffet at Rosen Centre – Pics

Tiffany Nguyen

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Jan 10, 2019

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Rosen Centre
9840 International Dr., Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 996-8551
RosenCentre.com/christmas/

Inside Look: Orlando’s Ramen Rumble 2

Krystle Nguyen

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Jan 6, 2019

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Ramen Rumble 2 presented by Tasty Chomps Food Blog and hosted by Seito Sushi Baldwin Park & The Osprey Tavern was held on Monday, December 10th at The Osprey Tavern.

This year, over 150 people attended the event, raising over $3000 for charity, chosen by the winning Ramen Rumble chef.

Ramen has been on the up and up in recent years here in Orlando. A few years ago there were hardly any contenders in the city, but now there has been a flourishing of new restaurants and old offering this quintessential, humble Japanese noodle dish.

This is not your instant cup noodle ramen from your college days – the broth takes hours to make, the noodles often time is hand made or of very high quality, and the toppings include pork belly and corn. The dish, originally a product of Chinese immigrants to Japan but transformed over the years to become a uniquely Japanese dish.

Jason and Sue Chin of The Osprey Tavern – our gracious hosts!

The aim of the Ramen Rumble competition is to unify and lift up our culinary community through philanthropic events and to further build the appreciation of the many ramen styles available to us in Orlando. During the first year, Seito Sushi, Sushi Pop, and Soco / The Baoery competed for best ramen with Seito Sushi placing first.

Ramen Rumble 2 Contestants:

Yuhi Fujinaga – Executive Chef Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs
Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs – Tuna-Kotsu Tsukemen // Roasted bluefin tuna bone broth, temomi noodles, iberico pork loin chashu
BONUS: Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs – Peking Duck Ramen // Peking duck broth, peking duck, scallions, cilantro, taberu-raiyu
Charity: Give Kids the World

Kevin Kel Phanhvilay – Chef/Owner Sticky Rice Lao Street Food
Sticky Rice Lao Street Food – Kapoon Ramen // Coconut chicken broth, red curry, apple infuse pork fat, king oyster mushrooms, beech mushrooms, soy marinated quail egg, foie gras —
Charity: Lao Heritage Foundation

Travis Cliff – Head Chef Jade Sushi & New Asian
Jade Sushi & New Asian – Ebi Tonkotsu Ramen // Pork bone broth, prawn head broth, fried sakura shrimp
Charity: Second Harvest Food Bank

Desserts by Executive Pastry Chef Kristy of The Osprey Tavern

Sticky Rice Lao Street Food – Kapoon Ramen // Coconut chicken broth, red curry, apple infuse pork fat, king oyster mushrooms, beech mushrooms, soy marinated quail egg, foie gras

Jade Sushi & New Asian – Ebi Tonkotsu Ramen // Pork bone broth, prawn head broth, fried sakura shrimp

Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs – Tuna-Kotsu Tsukemen // Roasted bluefin tuna bone broth, temomi noodles, iberico pork loin chashu

Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs – Peking Duck Ramen // Peking duck broth, peking duck, scallions, cilantro, taberu-raiyu

Taro Pebbles Mochi Donut Bites

Matcha Mochi Donut Bites

Smores Mochi Donut Bites

In the end – Chef Kevin of Sticky Rice won with his Kapoon Ramen both the critic’s choice and the people’s choice for best ramen of Ramen Rumble 2, taking home the $3000 for the charity of his choice, Lao Heritage Foundation.

See more in our gallery below:

2018 – A Year in Review – TastyChomps’ Top Food Moments

Ricky Ly

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Jan 2, 2019

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2018 – A Year in Review – TastyChomps’ Top Food Moments

Looking back on 2018, here are our favorite food moments and tastes of 2018!

A Foodie’s Tour of Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy – taking a tour of Mills 50 food and drink from King Bao to Lineage Coffee to Tien Hung Market, it was such an honor to be a part of this!

Ramen Rumble 2 – Three local restaurants – Morimoto Asia, Jade New Asian, and Sticky Rice – battled it out for the title of best ramen in Orlando with over $3000 raised for charity! Such a great event hosted with Sue and Jason Chin at The Osprey Tavern.

Foodie Forum Friday Lunch – such fun visiting new restaurants with our group this past year, from Hunger Street Taco to Taste of Chengdu to Sticky Rice and more! Join our group if you haven’t already! https://facebook.com/groups/orlandofoodieforum/

Taste of Chengdu – Chef Tiger Tang doesn’t hold back when it comes to authentic Sichuan flavors – mala numb spicy sichuan peppercorns and all. The place is a must visit!

Chef Wang’s Kitchen – Located in west Orlando, they have the best beef chow fun in town with house made noodles

Wine Bar George at Disney Springs – Learning about all the intricacies of wine from the Master Sommelier and legend George Miliotes himself was a delight – and the food was fantastic as well – especially the mac and cheese bites!

Bad As’s Sandwiches – The Poseidon 2.0 – chunks of juicy fresh lobster, bacon lardons, pickled cabbage and gochujang lime aioli on fresh house baked roll – best damn lobster roll in Orlando

Jinya Ramen – Cha Cha Cha garlic lovers ramen – pork broth: pork chashu, pork back fat, seasoned egg, bean sprouts, chopped onion, green onion, fish powder, korean powder served with THICK noodles – this dish brought me back to the streets of Tokyo’s Shinjuku district – addicting

Orlando Weekly’s “People We Love” edition – Ten People Making Orlando a Better Place to Be – such an honor to be a part of this!

Voodoo Doughnuts at Universal Orlando CityWalk – this year I got the chance to be one of the “storytellers” for Universal – and this Voodoo Doughnut story was my favorite of them all – the Memphis Mafia – think an Elvis apple cluster – with banana, peanut butter, and chocolate chip was my favorite.

Beard in Baldwin – Orlando’s Best Chefs all in one place? No brainer! This nigiri from Sushi Pop was one of many highlights of the night! Do not miss this event next year!

Jade New Asian – Tan Tan Spicy Ramen Noodle – “dry” noodle with spicy ground pork – imagine mapo tofu but drenched over noodles – amazing.

Taste! Central Florida 2018 – over 50 local restaurants all raising hundreds of thousands for Second Harvest Food Bank and the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida to fight childhood hunger at the Orlando World Center Marriott Hotel. This year I began serving on the board of directors for Second Harvest Food Bank and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life to work together with our community in fighting hunger.

Pizza Bruno – I know I am late to this train but damn the pizza, garlic knots, the grilled octopus – all off the charts on flavor and execution. Thank you chef Bruno!

Finally – the whole Andrew Zimmern debacle and subsequent apology tour back in Orlando. Hope he learns from his mistakes in the year to come 🙂

2018 – A Year in Review: Orlando’s Food Scene and Trends

Ricky Ly

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Jan 1, 2019

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2018 – A Year in Review: Orlando’s Food Scene and Trends

Move over turkey legs, Orlando’s local food scene brought even more flavor to town this year. The king of Flavortown himself, Guy Fieri, along with Andrew Zimmern and many other foodie world luminaries dropped by to feature local Orlando favorites like Domu Ramen and Orlando Meats.

Food Trends in 2018 included:

New openings (and some closings) of taco joints

– Chela Tacos and Tequila downtown, Cinco Tacos and Tequila, Four Rebels (now closed)

Lots of new poke bowl joints in Orlando

– including Poke Hana, PokeStop, Da Kine poke at Market on Magnolia in downtown Orlando.

Disney Springs

– Formerly Downtown Disney, this mega-complex continues to grow as a mecca for celebrity chef restaurants with openings from Terralina to Chicken Guy to Wine Bar George and more.

More Regional Asian cuisine

– Laotian at Sticky Rice in the Mills 50 District and Sichuan Chinese cuisine at Taste of Chengdu in West Orlando

Orlando Loves Ramen

– New spots included Jinya in Thornton Park, The Ramen in downtown Orlando, and new locations for Domu in Waterford with more to come.

Orlando Loves Coffee

– Foxtail Coffee continued to expand its reach in Central Florida this year
– New notables include: Craft and Common, Deeply Coffee, La Kuma

Orlando Loves Grocery Stores

– iFresh market and Golden Sparkling market added to the list of Asian grocery store
– New markets in Central Florida include Sprouts in Winter Park, EarthFare in Lake Nona, and more outposts of Lucky’s Market added this year.

More Vegan Food options

– including DaJen Eats in Eatonville, Leguminati, and The District at Mills 50

New Orlando Pop-Up Dining Experiences

– including Peruvian Papa Llama, Bangrak Thai Street Kitchen, Chinese-inspired Little Giant, and even a pop-up food truck stop at A La Cart

Excited to see what 2019 will bring to our city, continue to make Orlando the City Beautiful to play, work, and eat!

I-Drive: Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaids at SEA LIFE Aquarium, Giordano’s Pizza, and La Carraia Gelato

Orlando

Ricky Ly

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Dec 25, 2018

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I-Drive: Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaids at SEA LIFE Aquarium, Giordano’s Pizza, and La Carraia Gelato

On Friday – Sundays from Sept. 28 – Oct. 21, the world famous mermaids of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park dived into SEA LIFE Orlando’s aquarium’s tanks to delight guests with their underwater feats and meet and greets.

It’s the first time in the 70-year history of the Weeki Wachee mermaids that they have performed in Orlando – ever since their first show in 1947. And what better place than the family-friendly SEA LIFE?

SEA LIFE Orlando is an immersive, one-of-kind aquarium experience that allows marine life enthusiasts to experience the magical world beneath our oceans of the world with interactive touch pools, bubble aquariums, floor-to-ceiling displays, a cold water rock pool, and 360-degree and 180-degree ocean tunnels featuring thousands of sea animals. The 25,000-square foot aquarium attraction is home to colorful fish, sharks, sea horses, stingrays, jellies, a rescue green sea turtle and much more.

SEA LIFE is the world’s largest aquarium chain and SEA LIFE Orlando is the 50th location aquarium launched in the world and the 8th in the U.S. SEA LIFE Orlando is located at 8337 International Drive in Orlando, Florida, inside I-Drive 360, the entertainment and dining complex which is the home of the 400-foot Orlando Eye observation wheel and celebrity wax attraction Madame Tussauds Orlando. For more information, go to?www.visitsealife.com/orlando.

If you have children, it’s a great place to spend the afternoon learning about all the life in the sea. Scroll down below to see more:

There’s plenty of great places to eat nearby as well. If you are a fan of Chicago-style deep dish pizza, Giordano’s is a must and then head over to La Carraia Gelato in Dr Phillips down the street off of Sand Lake Road.

If you ever go to Chicago, you know there are a few places that are just known for their deep dish pizza and one of those is Giordano’s founded in 1974.

Inspired by Mama Giordano’s “Italian Easter Pie”, this double- crusted, cheese stuffed masterpiece is now famous all around the world.

Giordano’s
6203 W Sand Lake Rd · (407) 377-0022
https://giordanos.com/locations/search