Orlando is experiencing a moment with ramen – from the expansion of Domu at East End Market to the southwest and southeastern parts of the county as well as the continuing of new offerings of the dish at other local and new Japanese restaurants.
Just outside UCF in East Orlando, Taipei 101 has been offering up Taiwanese street food for years. Recently, they began serving their own ramen, coming in the pork tonkotsu, miso, and spicy miso versions.
Taiwan has a complicated history with Japan, as Japan did colonize the island for several decades in the earlier part of the last century, leaving behind cultural as well as culinary influences. Ramen, the popular noodle soup originally brought to Japan by Chinese immigrants and adapted in Japan, has made its way back to Taiwan. Taipei 101’s pork tonkotsu ramen was filling and quite tasty with pork chashu, boiled egg, and other toppings. A great value at $9.50.
This is on their special board menu which changes once in a while with other new popular Taiwanese street food items.
They also continue to serve their popular bento lunch boxes, featured here is the pork belly with rice box.
The stars must have aligned for the foodie gods because there are three huge events all happening the same night centered around food for good causes. Don’t miss out this weekend!
Here they are:
Beard in Baldwin Food and Wine Festival benefitting the James Beard Foundation National Scholars Program
https://www.beardinbaldwin.com/
Baldwin Park – 4899 New Broad St. Orlando, FL 32814
Saturday, April 14, 2018 – General Admission 7-10 pm
VIP Early Access 6-7 pm
VIP Experience inside Osprey Tavern 7-9pm
– TICKETS –
General Admission: $110
VIP: $175
*Must be 21 and up
Join us in beautiful Baldwin Park as we celebrate the Orlando culinary scene. A complete experience, the evening will feature an intimate food and wine festival with picturesque Lake Baldwin and Harbor Park as the backdrop. More than 25 top tier local restaurants will be serving flavorful dishes each paired with a fine wine, crafted cocktail or local brew.
For those seeking a more exclusive experience, the VIP admission includes everything above along with a private cocktail event taking place inside The Osprey Tavern.
Help Support the Next Generation of Great American Chefs in Partnership with The James Beard Foundation National Scholars Program.
Chef’s Gala benefitting Heart of Florida United Way
Saturday, April 14th, 2018 – 6:30pm
Walt Disney World
Epcot World Showplace
Exciting news for foodies and wine enthusiasts of Central Florida! For the 26th year, more than 20 of the region’s top restaurants will gather for Heart of Florida United Way’s Chef’s Gala, a fundraiser benefiting local hunger and homelessness programs. Hosted by Walt Disney World, this gastronomic adventure offers unlimited sampling of signature dishes prepared by award-winning chefs, each paired with a fine wine.
The event will be held at Epcot Showplace on Saturday, April 14 from 6:45 – 10 p.m. and also includes a sparkling wine reception, live music and a silent auction filled with unique items and trips.
Participating Restaurants
Savory
Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Ale & Compass Restaurant at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
blu on the avenue
Bull & Bear at Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Cinderella’s Royal Table at MAGIC KINGDOM Park
Flying Fish at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
Hemisphere at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
Jiko – The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Latitude & Longitude at Orlando World Center Marriott
Le Cellier Steakhouse at Epcot
Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs
Primo by Melissa Kelly at JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes
Shutters at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
SLATE
STK Orlando at Disney Springs
The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
The Turf Club Bar & Grill at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Todd English’s bluezoo at Walt Disney World’s Dolphin Resort
Urban Tide at Hyatt Regency Orlando Sweet
Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs
Epcot Bakery Team
Gideon’s Bakehouse
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Company
Purchase Tickets
Tickets are available by visiting www.ChefsGala.org. Individual tickets are $325, couple ticket package is $600 and corporate ticket packages are $3,000.
Cattle Baron’s Ball benefitting American Cancer Society
Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel · Sat, Apr 14, 2018 @ 06:00 PM www.cattlebaronsballorlando.com
The American Cancer Society’s Cattle Baron’s Ball brings together cowboys and cowgirls for an evening of western-themed fun, and raises funds to help the Society finish the fight against cancer.
This year’s Cattle Baron’s Ball will be held on Saturday, April 14, 2018 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando!
Festivities begin at 6 p.m., with a reception that includes a silent auction, followed by a gourmet dine-around, featuring food from many of Central Florida’s finest chefs, a live auction and incredible entertainment.
The Orlando Cattle Baron’s Ball promises a toe-tapping, knee-slapping, rip-roaring good time, all for a great cause!
So grab your hat, pull on your boots, and join!
For almost 20 years the Cattle Baron’s Ball and the American Cancer Society has donated over $15 million towards Cancer Research. This year will be empowering as the focus is on children’s cancer. The 2018 Cattle Baron’s Ball is 6 weeks away and for the first time in many years it is close to being a sold out event. Below is an empowering video of what we don’t know about kids cancer. Visit us at www.cattlebaronsballorlando.com to see how you can help these children #kidscancer #cattlebaronsballorlando #acs #fightcancer #support #donate #passion #makeithappen #children #americancancersociety
At Duffy’s Sports Grill, Chef Eric Parker allowed us to have a sneak peak of his new healthy spring menu insert at Duffy’s Sports Grill and I am more than happy to share it with you all. The new menu will launch in April and it includes Orange Ginger Mahi, Tuna Poke Stack, Burrata Salad, and Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos.
Burrata Salad – Burrata cheese served with local vine-ripe tomatoes and power greens, finished with balsamic and fig dressing. The greens and tomatoes are very fresh while the balsamic and fig dressing adds a sweet note to the dish. The Burrata cheese is a nice creamy touch and ties all of the flavors together.
Tuna Poke Stack – Ahi Tuna tossed with Duffy’s signature poke sauce stacked with freshly made pineapple salsa and mashed avocados, dusted with nori and tossed sesame seeds, Sriracha smear. Although Duffy’s is known as a sports grill, they do not hide from adding new and unique dishes, such as this. I thoroughly enjoyed this fresh dish and would come back for more!
Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos – 3 mini flour tortillas loaded with marinated grilled shrimp, shredded cabbage, homemade pico de gallo and guacamole. Make sure you ask for lime as it adds a nice citrus touch to the dish and we all know I love lime.
Also, you can’t have your Tequila Lime Shrimp Tacos without some tequila!
It was great having a sit down with Chef Eric Parker and a shot of tequila.
Orange Ginger Mahi – is a sweet and lean Mahi Mahi with an orange ginger glaze over stir fried Soba noodles with broccoli, red bell peppers and onion, finished with pineapple salsa. I am not too fond of the Soba noodle flavors, but the Mahi Mahi was pretty great.
Key Lime Pie – cool and creamy key lime filling in a rich graham cracker crust. Duffy’s mentioned how it is an oversized piece of tropical bliss and they were not wrong.
Red Velvet Mini Donuts – red velvet mini donuts spun in sugar and served warm with cream cheese icing for dipping.
The donuts are very fluffy and moist.
As you can tell, this dish is one of my favorite items on the menu.
Duffy’s wouldn’t be Duffy’s with some delicious drinks. They are adding Effen Cucumber Martini and St-Germaine Cooler to their drink menu. Pictured is the Effen Cucumber Martini, which is a refreshing take on a classic cocktail, Effen Cucumber Vodka, agave syrup, mint, and a splash of lime.
Visit a nearby Duffy’s Sports Grill this month to experience the new healthy dishes yourself.
Olivia’s Cafe at Disney’s Old Key West Resort is no spring chicken. Opening more than two decades ago, Olivia’s may not be the new kid on the block, but this somewhat hidden Disney gem with mouthwatering food will never go out of style. Words like glamorous or trendy may not be the first to come to mind, be that as it may, the restaurant is a class-act with a comfortable, family-friendly atmosphere, a laid-back Florida Keys feel, and filled with staff that make everyone feel at home. After my recent dinner here, I can’t help but wonder – Why don’t I come here more often?
A Friday night outing with close friends on vacation from New Jersey, during the typical chaos of spring break in Orlando, at the most sought after vacation destination in Florida, can be stressful to say the least. Layer in five energetic children that have spent a very long, hot day in the park, finding a place that is family-friendly but also appealing to a grown-up’s palate (not that I don’t enjoy Disney’s chicken fingers and mac-n-cheese) was a must for all of our sanity.
In a uniquely Disney way, Olivia’s Café came to the rescue! After the typical musical chairs that comes with a large group trying to navigate a restaurant table, we take our seats. The kids are all happily plugged-in to electronic devices (desperate times call for desperate measures), and the first question our cheerful waitress asks – Would anyone care for a drink? All four adults answer in unison – Yes!!! I ask the waitress, as a foodie usually does, to please bring me one of their most-popular, signature cocktails, and a few minutes later, she gifts me with a Turtle Krawl. This sweet, but not too sweet cocktail tricks your senses into believing you’re lying on a white-sand beach, and not watching your son spill his entire glass of soda all over the table. Pineapple and orange juices blend nicely with the tang of lime juice, while three different rums (because one is never enough) marry together in beautiful coconut rum, spice rum, and white rum harmony.
As the Turtle Krawl works its magic granting peace among us four, the waitress suggests many appealing appetizers, but when she says onion rings from the “secret menu”, that’s it! Onion rings are most often a good pick to begin with, onion rings from a “secret menu”, they have to be even better…and yes, they were amazing! Crunchy, salty, fried, golden rings with a pop of sweet from the cooked onions. We ate our “secret menu” onion rings feeling like VIPs. Well, that was us, until we slowed down enough to look up from our munching to see that several other tables also had them. The jealously subsided faster than it was felt, most likely because of how delicious these secret menu onion rings are.
When it was time to order our entrees, I perused the menu of several dishes that I imagined were all incredible: Plantation Key Pork Chop, Tortuga Seafood Stew, Seven Mile Sea Scallops. Finally, after several minutes of waffling, I asked the waitress, yet again, for Olivia’s most popular entree, and she recommended one dish that gets a lot of attention: Southernmost Buttermilk Chicken. After eating this dish, I can clearly see why this southern jewel is the most popular girl in the class, and not in a mean girl kind of way. Boneless chicken breast so tender, I envision it marinated in the buttermilk for days, and so delicate I barely used my knife to cut it. The chicken’s crispy exterior is perfectly complimented by the southern gravy that has a perfect amount of spice and is smooth as silk. Tender and crunchy chicken, creamy southern gravy, nestled on top of crisp green beans and buttery, smooth mashed potatoes. Comfort food to the max.
I managed not to eat my entire dinner plate, considering the fact that I wanted to unbutton my jeans, a clear warning sign of when to stop, but…there’s always room for dessert! Our waitress made the kids’ day with DIY sundaes, and she made my day with Banana Bread Pudding Sundae. It was so sweet of her to bring my husband an extra spoon to share, and he really did put up a good fight, but that dessert had my name written all over it. A warm bread pudding with a Bananas Foster topping and a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream that slowly melted on top…heavenly! The bread pudding was moist (sorry, I hate that word too), the bananas foster was syrupy and luscious, and the ice cream was velvety, sweet. A perfect ending to our dinner.
A successful dinner in the books, I will not let too much time pass without returning to Olivia’s Cafe. Kids, or no kids, it is a perfect spot for a delicious meal and a serene atmosphere. A classic Disney resort restaurant, I hope you venture to soon, and if you’ve already been, go again…and order the Turtle Krawl.
Second Course: Black sesame and vanilla cake with amaretto infused ganache (moist & delicious, my favorite!)
Have you heard of the new vegan bakery CayCakes Bakery? They’ve only been open for half a year and are quickly becoming one of Orlando’s popular vegan bakeries. Superstar soccer player Alex Morgan recently tweeted that CayCakes Bakery is one of her favorite spots in Orlando for vegan food.
We were invited to their inaugural “Last Course Dinner” this past weekend and we really impressed with their vegan desserts and their venue at Lake Eola Heights was perfection.
The First Course: Crème Pâtissière with sou vide pineapple infused with vanilla and star anise
Third Course: Activated charcoal chocolate cake topped with powdered matcha and lavender
Last Course: Grilled oats with macadamia nuts and agave topped with a grilled peach drizzled with olive oil and star anise, vanilla and cinnamon infused oatmilk ice cream
Co-owner of CayCakes Bakery, Cayden Fielder
Be sure to follow them on IG at @LastCourseOrlando for more information and tickets to their upcoming dessert dinners!
We were invited to the first “Guest Chef Series Dinner” at Morimoto Asia last night during their inaugural Sakura Festival. Our guest chef was Executive Chef Hitoshi Sugiura and he was exceptional. Chef Hitoshi flew in all the way from Japan for the event and was joined by Morimoto Asia’s very own Executive Chef Yuhi Fujinag & Chef de Cuisine Chef Hung Huynh. All three chefs prepared for us an collaborative six-course Pan-Asian dinner, paired with wines from across the globe. Morimoto Asia plans on hosting a Guest Chef Series Dinner every quarter.
Chef Hitoshi has a history of creating unique menus for restaurants and events while having received acclaimed notoriety including the “Top 8 Chef” at Italy’s 2017 Vegetarian Chance competition. Chef Hitoshi currently leads the team and menu creation as Executive Chef of Patinastella Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan.
Fresh cherry blossoms that were flown in from Japan for the inaugural Sakura Festival at Morimoto Asia.
First Course (Chef Hitoshi)
Bouquet – daikon, tofu, ginger, sesame seed puree, hazelnuts, maple syrup (almost too beautiful to eat!)
Second Course (Chef Hitoshi)
Spanish Mackeral with Shiso Sauce – Spanish mackerel, broccoli, Japanese mustard, shiso (this was one of my favorites!)
Third Course (Chef Hung)
Wok-fired Maine Lobster – ginger, scallion, jalapeño, zucchini noodle
We were invited to a media preview at SeaWorld Orlando to sample their Latin-inspired menu that will make its debut tomorrow at their annual Seven Seas Food Festival. The festival runs each Saturday and Sunday, February 17 through April 29, 2018 and will feature a variety of international street food including Mexican, Caribbean, All-American, Florida, Mediterranean, North Atlantic, Pacific Coast, German, Polynesian, Gulf Coast, Asian, Brazilian, and Latin.
When I heard that STIR was opening in Ivanhoe Village, I thought this place might be another restaurant in the long line of businesses that have occupied the space on the corner of Virginia and N. Orange.
However I was proven quite wrong. STIR is a restaurant that is at its heart, a refined version of Southern cuisine.
According to their owners “The menu at STIR is designed to be creative yet practical. With this STIR wishes to maintain an approachable menu. STIR will introduce exciting menu options, including a brunch, appetizer, lunch, full dinner menu, desserts, and signature cocktails that draw in new and local guests in our city of Orlando.”
All food was delicious but the stand outs for me were the Pork Puff Pasty and Pork Tenderloin.
After sampling their menu I truly think this restaurant is about Southern Traditions and Ingredients Refined, quite frankly not to be missed.
Southern Caviar
Three cheese creamy blend with artisan bread
Buffalo Calamari
garlic buffalo sauce, house made blue ranch, celery carrot slaw
Black Bee Honey is a non-profit business founded by the youth in the Parramore Kidz Zone program. The business started with the dream of providing youth an opportunity to learn firsthand entrepreneurship skills while simultaneously enriching the lives of their community members by providing raw honey.
This start-up business, run by PKZ youth, will offer high quality honey for sale at the Parramore Farmers Market while providing work related educational and entrepreneurial experiences, further developing the youth of the Parramore Community into future workforce leaders.
Black Bee Honey comes from Dadant & Sons in High Springs, FL, one of the top businesses in the beekeeping field. PKZ are selling six different kinds of honey, including:
Once the raw honey is purchased from Dadant and Sons, PKZ Inc. employees jar and label the honey at the Dr. J.B. Callahan Neighborhood Center in Parramore. The honey will be sold at a booth during the Parramore Farmers Market for $12.
BLACK BEE HONEY MISSION
The mission of Black Bee Honey is to provide Parramore youth an opportunity to operate and manage their own business while simultaneously providing the residents of the greater Orlando area high quality, nutritional, honey. These simultaneous provisions introduces an intangible wealth into the community by investing in underserved youth who will later invest in the community.
The mission stands on four pillars: Ethics, Education, Community, and Wellness.
These core values help communicate who we are and provide everyone here at Black Bee Honey with a sense of purpose and meaning to guide their work. We strive to have the highest possible ethical and moral standards for ourselves as we honor our commitment to serving our customers and our community.
Black Bee Honey isn’t just about how healthy our products are. It’s also about creating a healthy community, physically, socially, and economically.
Parramore Kidz Zone Youth Employment Program has created PKZ Inc. as an entrepreneurial enterprise. PKZ Inc. will function as a learning tool by giving students in the Parramore area a chance to start their own business. Their first venture is Black Bee Honey.
When and how did this program begin?
The PKZ Black Bee Honey program started in 2017 before the official opening of the Parramore Farmers Market. Students looking to learn entrepreneurial skills spent months before the farmers market debut working on a business plan, attending an online business course and developing marketing tools. When the market opened in January 2018, students shifted into sales and customer service, attending the market each Saturday to sell their product.
How is it impacting the community now?
The program has inspired the youth involved on an entrepreneurial level, demonstrating that it’s possible and obtainable to start a business, while also contributing to a larger picture issue – in this case, food deserts in our community.
What are some things students learn from the program?
Students are learning entrepreneurial skills relating to operating a business, including understanding profits, sales and management.
We were invited to media dine at Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar nestled in Restaurant Row on Sand Lake Rd. My favorite part of our lunch was the fresh guacamole that is made tableside and served with seasoned “Rocco’s chips”. They are the best chips and guac that I have ever had in Orlando. I highly recommend them!
Surf & Turf – marinated grilled steak, chorizo, sweet potatoes, chicken and shrimp in a roasted garlic verde sauce. Served sizzling in a traditional lava rock molcajete with our tortillas, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, guacamole, sour cream
This year marks the 25th anniversary of the EPCOT Flower and Garden Festival, which runs from February 28-May 28, 2018.
This year, there is a special marketplace called “The Honey Bee-stro” Hosted by National Honey Board. As we all know, the humble honey bee plays an integral part in our ecosystem, helping to pollinate our plants as they go about their day. One of my favorite dishes this year is the Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey Blistered Grapes and Sunflower Brittle from this booth. Not too heavy, but just enough with a nice sweet brittle crunch with the rice.
Here are my other foodie favorites from the festival:
Northern Bloom – Griddled Maple Pound Cake with Warm Peach Compote and Sweet Corn GelatoLa Isla Fresca – Tropical Mousse Cake: Layers of Passion Fruit Cake, Coconut Mousse and a Tropical Fruit Glaze with Fresh PineappleThe Honey Beestro – Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey Blistered Grapes and Sunflower BrittleSmokehouse – Beef Brisket Burnt Ends and Smoked Pork Belly Slider with Garlic Sausage, Chorizo, Cheddar Fondue and House-made Pickle
As always, there are also a ton of topiaries to see at the Flower and Garden Festival.
Here are some of our favorite topiaries for 2018:
Here is the menu for all the marketplaces for EPCOT’s Flower and Garden Festival 2018:
The Berry Basket
Food
Lamb chop with Quinoa Salad and Blackberry Gastrique – $7.25,
Field Greens with fresh Strawberries, Crisp Quinoa, Strawberry Vinaigrette and Spiced Pecans (V) – $5.00,
Warm Wild Berry Buckle with Pepper Berry Gelato (V) – $4.50,
Beverage
JDub’s Brewing Company Blueberry IPA, Sarasota, FL – $4.25
Island Grove Blueberry Moscato, Hawthorne, FL – $6.00
Twinings® Green Tea Berry Mint Julep – $8.75
Twinings Green Tea Berry Mint Julep (Non-alcoholic) – $4.25
Northern Bloom
Food
Seared Scallops with French Green Beans, Butter Potatoes, Brown Butter Vinaigrette and Apple-wood Smoked Bacon (GF) – $6.50,
Beef Tenderloin Tips, Mushroom Bordelaise Sauce, Whipped Potatoes with Garden Vegetables – $6.75,
Griddled Maple Pound Cake with Warm Peach Compote and Sweet Corn Gelato – $4.50,
Beverages
Maple Popcorn Shake with Crown Royal Maple Whisky – $11.75
Maple Popcorn Shake (non-alcoholic) – $4.50,
Unibroue Maudite Amber Ale, Chambly, Québec – $5.00
Unibroue À Tout Le Monde Saison, Chambly, Québec – $5.00
Unibroue Éphémère White Ale, Chambly, Québec – $5.00
Beer Flight – $11.00
La Isla Fresca
Food
Jamaican-braised Beef with Pigeon Pea Rice and Micro Cilantro – $6.25,
Sugar Cane Shrimp Skewer with Steamed Rice and Coconut Lime Sauce – $6.75,
Caribbean Conch Salad with Mango, Papaya and Pickled Red Onions – $5.25,
Tropical Mousse Cake: Layers of Passion Fruit Cake, Coconut Mousse and a Tropical Fruit Glaze with Fresh Pineapple – $4.25,
Beverages
Golden Road Brewing Tart Mango Cart Wheat Ale, Los Angeles, CA – $4.25
Tropical Freeze with Cruzan Mango Rum – $9.50
Tropical Freeze (Non-alcoholic) – $4.25
Cider House
Food
Pear Cider-brined Shredded Corned Beef with Braised Cabbage and Branston Dressing with Pears – $10.50,
House-made Potato and Cheddar Cheese Biscuit with Smoked Salmon Tartare – $5.25,
Freshly Baked Lemon Scone with Crème Fraîche and Mixed Berries (V) (GF) – $4.25,
Beverages
McKenzie’s Black Cherry Hard Cider, West Seneca, NY – $4.50
Florida Beer Company Caribé Pineapple Tropical Hard Cider, Cape Canaveral, FL – $4.50
Ciderboys Grand Mimosa Apple Orange Hard Cider, Stevens Point, WI – $4.50
Cider Flight – $10.00
Martinelli’s Sparkling Cider, California (Non-alcoholic) – $4.75
The Honey Bee-stro Hosted by National Honey Board
Food
Roasted Cauliflower with Buckwheat Honey Carrot Puree, Wild Rice Pilaf, Asparagus, Honey Blistered Grapes and Sunflower Brittle (GF) (V) – $4.50,
Honey Tandoori Chicken Flatbread with White Cheddar Cheese, charred vegetables, Clover Honey Sour Cream and Micro Watercress – $5.25,
Local Wildflower Honey-Mascarpone Cheesecake with Orange Blossom Honey Ice Cream garnished with Fennel Pollen Meringue Kisses (V) – $4.75,
Beverages
Spicy Hot Dog with Pineapple Chutney and Plantain Chips – $7.50,
Pineapple Soft-Serve (V) – $5.00,
Beverages
Coastal Empire Beer Co. Coco Piña Gose, Savannah, GA – $4.25
Maui Brewing Co. Pineapple Mana Wheat, Kihei, HI – $4.25
SweetWater Brewing Company Goin’ Coastal IPA with Pineapple, Atlanta, GA – $4.25
Pineapple Beer Flight – $9.50
Florida Orange Groves Winery Sparkling Pineapple Wine, St. Petersburg, FL – $11.75
Playalinda Brewing Company Violet Lemonade Ale, Titusville, FL – $4.25
Pineapple Soft-serve with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum – $10.25
Frozen Desert Violet Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) – $4.25,
Pineapple Soft-serve with Fanta (Non-alcoholic) – $5.75,
Jardin de Fiestas
Food
Pork Taco: Slow-braised Pork Taco served with Apple Relish, Goat Cheese and Chile de Árbol Sauce – $6.25,
Chilaquiles: Chilaquiles served with Chorizo, Mexican Cream and Cotija Cheese – $5.95,
Capirotada: Bread Pudding served with Rompope – $4.25,
Spicy Meatballs with Crispy Tofu – $5.00,
Fried Chicken Dumplings with Peanut Sauce – $6.25,
Vegetable Spring Rolls (V) – $4.50,
Beverages
Oolong Peach Bubble Tea (Non-alcoholic) – $6.75
Kung Fu Punch: Vodka, Triple Sec, Mango and Orange Juice – $8.75
BaiJoe Punch: Chinese Bai Jiu Spirit, Lychee, Coconut and Pineapple Juice – $11.00
Plum Wine Cooler – $8.75
Tsingtao Lager – $3.50
Bauernmarkt: Farmer’s Market
Food
Potato Pancakes with House-made Apple Sauce (V) – $4.25,
Potato Pancake with Caramelized Ham, Onions and Herb Sour Cream – $4.50,
Toasted Pretzel Bread topped with Black Forest Ham and Melted Gruyère Cheese – $5.00,
Warm Cheese Strudel with Mixed Berries – $4.25,
Beverages
Hugo-Charles De Fere “Organic” Brut with Elderflower and Mint – $9.50
Paulaner Original Munich Lager – $4.50
Ayinger Bräu Weisse Hefeweizen, Munich, Germany – $4.50
Köstritzer Schwarzbier Black Lager – $4.50
Beer Flight – $10.00
Primavera Kitchen
Food
Frittata di Asparagi: Asparagus Frittata, Mixed Greens and Citrus Dressing (GF) (V) – $7.00,
Fritto Misto: Crispy Shrimps, Zucchini and Spicy Sauces – $8.00,
Ravioli: Maine Lobster Ravioli with Vodka Sauce – $12.00
Panna Cotta al Melone: Cantaloupe Panna Cotta (GF) (V) – $5.50,
Beverages
Pinot Grigio – $8.00
Chianti – $8.00
Prosecco – $9.00
Corbinello – $9.00
Moscato – $9.00
Bellini: Sparking Wine and Peach Purée – $10.00
Frozen Italian Margarita with Limoncello and Tequila – $10.00
Moretti Lager L’Autentica – $5.50
Moretti La Rossa – $5.50
The Smokehouse: Barbecue and Brews
Food
Pulled Pig Slider with Coleslaw – $6.75,
Beef Brisket Burnt Ends and Smoked Pork Belly Slider with Garlic Sausage, Chorizo, Cheddar Fondue and House-made Pickle – $7.25,
Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash with White Cheddar Fondue and Pickled Jalapeños – $6.50,
Warm Chocolate Cake with Bourbon-Salted Caramel Sauce and Spiced Pecans (V) – $4.00,
Beverage
Zen of Zin Old Vine, California – $5.25
Central 28 Brewing Company Sunshine Greetings Orange Hibiscus Wheat Ale, DeBary, FL – $4.25
3 Daughters Brewing Phantasmas Spicy Double IPA, St. Petersburg, FL – $4.25
Shipyard Maple Bacon Stout, Clearwater, FL – $4.25
Beer Flight – $9.50
Frozen Lemonade with Firefly Blackberry Moonshine – $11.75
Frozen Lemonade (Non-alcoholic) – $3.50
Hanami
Food
Frushi: Fresh Pineapple, Strawberry and Melon rolled with Coconut Rice, sprinkled with Toasted Coconut and Whipped Cream with Raspberry Sauce on the side (V) – $5.95,
Ginger Beef Yaki Udon: Thin-sliced Beef, Onions and Noodles tossed on the grill with Soy and Ginger – $6.50,
Teriyaki Salmon with Furikake Seasoned Brown Rice (GF) – $6.75,
Beverages
Pineapple Momo Sake Cocktail – $6.50
Karatamba “Dry Wave” Sake – $8.00
Sapporo Draft Beer in a Kampai Cup – $4.25
Taste of Marrakesh
Food
Harissa Chicken Kebab with Dried Fruit Couscous Salad – $6.00,
Fried Cauliflower with Capers, Garlic Parsley and Chili Ranch Sauce – $5.00,
Walnut Honey Baklava – $4.00,
Beverages
Desert Rose: Sparkling Wine topped with Pomegranate Liqueur – $8.00
White Sangria – $6.00
Casa Beer – $4.00
Florida Fresh
Carne Guisada with Black Bean Cake and Cilantro Lime Sour Cream – $6.50,
Spicy Blackened Shrimp and Stone-ground Cheddar Cheese Grits with Brown Gravy and Local Sweet Corn Relish – $6.75,
Key Lime Tart with Toasted Meringue – $4.50,
Beverages
Florida Orange Groves Winery Key Lime Sparkling Wine, St Petersburg, FL – $11.75
Tampa Bay Brewing Company Quat Seasonal Fruit Ale – $4.25
Big Top Brewing Company Conch Republic Key Lime Wheat, Sarasota, FL – $4.25
First Magnitude Brewing Co. Monarch Milk Stout, Gainesville, FL – $4.25
Watermelon Cucumber Slushy with Tamiami Florida Gin – $11.75
Watermelon Cucumber Slushy (Non-alcoholic) – $4.25
Beer Flight – $9.50
Fleur de Lys
Tarte à la Tomate Provençale: Provencal Tomato Tart with Sautéed Onions, Fresh Thyme and Rosemary on a Flaky Pastry Crust (V) – $5.50,
Canard Confit Aux Gnocchi à la Parisienne: Braised Duck Confit with Parisian Gnocchi – $5.75,
Macaron au Chocolat en Sucette: Large Chocolate Macaron Lollipop (GF) – $4.95,
Beverages
La Vie en Rose Frozen Slushy: Grey Goose Orange, St. Germain Liqueur, White and Red Cranberry Juice – $10.75
Kir Pomegranate: Sparkling Wine, Pama Pomegranate Liqueur – $7.95
Cabernet Sauvignon, Village de France – $4.95
Kronenbourg Blanc 1664 – $4.50
Joffrey’s Coffee & Tea Carts Specialty Festival Offerings
Beverages
Showcase Coffee Cart: Orange Blossom Twist — Frozen Orange Pineapple topped with Vodka – $9.99
Disney Traders Port of Entry Coffee Cart: Garden of Guava — Frozen Pink Guava topped with Rum or Vodka – $9.99
Future World East: The Final Lap — Iced Tea topped with Frozen Passion Fruit with Vodka – $9.99
The American Adventure: Strawberry Piña Colada — Frozen Piña Colada and Strawberry with Rum – $9.99
We were invited to experience the Arnold Palmer Invitational on St. Patrick’s Day and we were treated to a BBQ lunch at their main hospitality during Saturday’s event. The “Birdies & BBQ” luncheon was located at the scenic 9th hole and featured a variety of food from nationally-recognized 4 Rivers Smokehouse from 12-3pm.
We were invited to a media preview of the annual Mighty St. Patrick’s Festival at Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant in Disney Springs. The Mighty Festival runs Friday, March 16 through Sunday, March 18, 2018.
Guests can enjoy a mighty selection of beers, spirits and craft cocktails to pair with exceptional pub grub and more elegant Irish fare while musicians and dancers perform on multiple stages, indoors and out, from noon-1:30 a.m. March 16 and 10 a.m. until 1:30 a.m. March 17 and 18. Mighty Festival guests can accent their Irish holiday attire with complimentary face painting available for up to nine or 10 hours each festival day. On March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, guests will be seated on a first-come, first-served basis with a cover charge of $10 for each guest age 18 and older.
If you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day like the Irish, share these truisms:
Please don’t call the holiday “St. Patty’s.” It’s either “St. Patrick’s Day” or “St. Paddy’s.”
A shamrock has three leaves (not four – that would be a clover).
Americans invented the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 1737 in Boston.
Most Irish pubs do a full month’s business on St. Patrick’s Day.
Guinness sell 13 million pints on St. Patrick’s Day versus the usual 5 million daily.
Raglan Road is America’s #1 Irish Pub.
Green beer is an American invention. Raglan Road does not serve green beer.
Enjoy a month-long celebration of the arrival of spring and the cherry blossoms at Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs.The restaurant will be decorated with Instagram-worthy décor, showcasing the pink blooms of the Sakura. Similar to the festivals in Japan, guests can attend a series of ticketed events, and menu specials dedicated to the cherry blossoms.
Events include:
Happy Hour with the brewmasters from Crooked Can Brewing Co.
Late night whiskey pairing and bites with Suntory
Seas of Japan 101
Morimoto Asia’s Guest Chef Series with Chef Hitoshi Sugiura
Ramen Seminar and Tasting
Matsuri Festival
Every day of the festival, enjoy special menu items inspired by the Japanese cherry blossoms during lunch and dinner service: COCKTAIL | BEER | APPETIZER | DESSERT
A variety of special events will take place during the festival:
Crooked Can Happy Hour
Thursday, March 15 | 5-7PM
Tickets: $25
Kick off the festival with Crooked Can Brewing Company’s brew masters to taste the Sakura Kolsch, available only at Morimoto Asia paired with Pan-Asian bites.
MENU
Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce
Yogurt marinated chicken, grilled over binchotan, with spicy peanut sauce
Shrimp and Mint Summer Rolls
Rice wrapper filled with local vegetables, Cape Canaveral Shrimp, served with hoisin sauce
Sakura Ebi and Ginger Onigiri
Sakura shrimp, and pickled ginger mixed with our Koshihikari polished rice shaped into a ball with a nori wrapper
Sakura Mochi
Soft rice pancakes filled with sweet red azuki bean paste
Every week, Morimoto Asia’s sushi chefs spend time educating the restaurant’s staff about the varieties, quality and the traditional process of breaking down the fresh fish delivered from Japan that is served. Now guests have the opportunity to attend this educational seminar learning and tasting about the seas of Japan while enjoying a sake sampling.
Morimoto Asia’s Guest Chef Series
Tuesday, April 3 | 7-9PM
Tickets: $120
Executive Chef Yuhi Fujinaga and Chef de Cuisine Hung Huynh welcome Chef Hitoshi Sugiura to kick off Morimoto Asia’s Guest Chef Series. The chefs will prepare a collaborative six-course Pan-Asian dinner, paired with wines from across the globe. Chef Hitoshi has a history of creating unique menus for restaurants and events while having received acclaimed notoriety including the “Top 8 Chef” at Italy’s 2017 Vegetarian Chance competition. Chef Hitoshi currently leads the team and menu creation as Executive Chef of Patinstella Restaurant in Tokyo, Japan.
Ramen Seminar and Tasting
Saturday, April 7 | 12-3PM
Tickets: $36
Spend the afternoon learning about the various types of Asian noodles and how they are made. Following the seminar, guests will visit multiple ramen stations to taste different types of ramen dishes.
Matsuri Festival
Sunday, April 15 | 12-4PM
Tickets: $45
The festival ends with a family fun day inspired by the traditional Matsuri festival of Japan. Guests can enjoy multiple Pan-Asian street food stations, 4 beer and cocktail stations throughout the interior and exterior of the restaurant. Gaming stations will include traditional Japanese carnival games, shuffleboard, origami artist, calligraphy artist, giveaways and a station in partnership with our Disney Springs neighbors, Uniqlo.
Eggs In Purgatory – farm eggs, arrabiata, polenta, and pecorino
We attended a media preview at Pizza Bruno this past Sunday to check out their revamped brunch menu, available every Saturday & Sunday from 11am-3pm and we enjoyed our brunch and experience. The restaurant gets slammed every evening so your best bet is to get there early for lunch during the week or brunch on the weekends when there is no wait time.
Garlic Knots – Too much garlic, pecorino, chili flake, oregano. These are a classic appetizer at Pizza Bruno, I highly recommend them!
Kale Salad – Golden raisins, candied pecans, pizza crumb, Emperors Dressing, pecorino. Most addicting kale sale ever!
Cinnabon Bun, they were so good and a must for every brunch.
Frittata – Roasted tomato, white cheddar, Arugula salad, Ricotta toast with honey and pine nuts
Shrimp & Grits – Rock shrimp, aribiatta, fried egg, Calabrian oil. This dish has a little kick to it.
Dutch Baby in two variations. Wood Fired pancake with amish butter, sea salt, maple syrup. The taste and texture was like a pancake flan.
Foxtail Coffee Co. Cold Brew
Guaincale & Blueberry in two variations. It was sweet and savory. This pizza was popular among our group.
Pizza Amatricana – tomato, chili, red onion, guanciale, and pecorino
The Dude – fresh mozzarella, pecorino, tallegio, lots of black pepper. This is a classic pizza at Pizza Bruno it was popular among our group as well. The Dude was my favorite pizza out of the three.
My togo box of all the pizza variations offered
The talented and down-to-earth owner of Pizza Bruno, Bruno Zacchini III working expo. Thank you for hosting us, you and your staff were amazing!
Be sure to check out brunch at Pizza Bruno soon for their delicious brunch menu and the BEST pizza in Orlando!
Pizza Bruno
3990 Curry Ford Rd, Orlando, FL 32806
(They do not have a phone) pizzabrunofl.com
Do you love delicious food, crafty cocktails, and fun games? If your answer is yes, than KINGS Orlando is the perfect place to be any day of the week!
We were invited to check out KINGS Orlando, an upscale dining and entertainment venue. During our visit we got to try a few items from their Asian-inspired menu (pictured below) and we also got to bowl. We had so much fun cannot wait to go back! Our server Kimberly was super friendly, engaging, and down-to-earth. Her communication skills were on point so we always knew what was going on at all times. Kimberly was the best server that I’ve ever had and I know she is going to go far in the KINGS company one day SOON!
Free game on Sunday with lunch reservation
Fried Bang Bang Calamari
Buffalo Chicken Wontons
Peanut Pad Thai With Seasoned Grilled Shrimp (my favorite!)
Baja Street Tacos With Seasoned Grilled Shrimp
Private room
Be sure to check out KINGS Orlando soon for food, fun, and more!
Fun times at Adobe Gila’s run Tuesday-Sunday at Pointe Orlando with their indoor and outdoor bars as well as live music.
We started our journey on their menu with their Hand Crafted Guacamole made fresh to order from rice avocados and their freshest ingredients. Although the menu says the same words, each word rings true in my opinion.
The Brisket Sandwich, served with french fries, is absolutely flavorful. Make sure to try the brisket on its own, which you’ll taste the smokiness of the delicious brisket. This is my favorite item on the menu.
Ahi Tuna Tacos with a drizzle of cucumber wasabi sauce, served with yellow rice and black beans. The ahi tuna is seared nicely and the cucumber wasabi sauce adds an interesting and smooth touch to the dish. If you’re not a fan of wasabi, this sauce may not be your favorite; however, it may grow on you.
Chorizo Burger is one of the many unique Gila Burgers on the menu, served with seasoned french fries. This Chorizo Burger is a grilled burger topped with spicy chorizo, Pepperjack cheese, lettuce, and pico de gallo. The burger is very tender and moist even if it was served to us well done.
When at Adobe Gila’s, you should try their pork. We decided to have it as our protein with the fajitas. It’s prepared with Mojo sauce with grilled peppers and onions. Lettuce, fresh pico de gallo, cheese, and tomatoes are on the side for you to wrap on your own with flour or corn tortillas. The pork is flavorful and moist. No regrets in picking this option as our protein!
Don’t forget to order a drink with your delicious food. How about a Coconut Margarita or Adobe Colada? The Adobe Colada, among other Bikini Drinks, at Adobe Gila’s will come with a festive souvenir glass you are able to keep!
We deeply enjoyed visiting our local Cheddar’s to try some made-from-scratch recipes and the new bone-in 10 oz. Bourbon Glazed Pork Chop, with a scratch-made glaze. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen has a menu built on simple, honest and natural ingredients. Each of Cheddar’s scratch-made recipes are hand-crafted with care and time since 1979.
While waiting for our dishes, we tried Cheddar’s Painkiller, which is nice and smooth. It also has a delicious ring of roasted coconut nibs. Cheddar’s Painkiller is made of Pusser’s rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, orange juice, toasted coconut rim, topped with nutmeg. Limit 2 per guest… I wonder why.
Homemade Onion Rings are fresh-cut, hand-battered and made to order. They are served with homemade ranch and Cajun dipping sauce. The sauces are ok for the onion rings, but they are delicious on their own as well.
Chips & Homemade Queso with a side of seasoned ground beef. The cheese was slightly on the salty side.
Citrus Miso Glazed Salmon is on the lighter side of the menu for dinner. It consists of hand-cut salmon fillet glazed with citrus miso sauce and served over seasoned rice with a side of steamed broccoli. The salmon was cooked well, tender and moist; as it should be. The citrus miso glaze is sweet, but it does not overpower the salmon itself.
Half rack of in-house, slow smoked Baby Back Ribs with grilled or fried shrimp served with two sides of your choice. Each bite of the tender ribs leaves a hint of smokiness. We ordered grilled shrimp and it has its own flavors that are unique to the ribs. The shrimp are made well and not chewy, like how it is when someone overcooks them.
We have two made-from-scratch sides here, Mac & Cheese and Broccoli Cheese Casserole. The Mac & Cheese is my favorite side from Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen. I quite prefer it over the Broccoli Cheese Casserole as I’m not a fan of casseroles.
New bone-in 10 oz. Bourbon Glazed Pork Chop is a center-cut, bone-in pork chop on a bed of mashed potatoes and topped with bourbon glaze and homemade onion rings. Served with one side. The pork chop is very tender, moist and flavorful. Congratulations to Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen for being able to appropriately season their pork chop as it is usually hard to do so.
Our side was their housemate coleslaw, which was delicious and refreshing.
20 oz. Bone-In Ribeye is made to order and served with two sides of your choice. The ribeye was seasoned very nicely and I am craving more of it as I type this. The Baked Sweet Potato and Buttered Off-The-Cob Corn are both delicious sides to have.
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen has a number of delicious desserts on their menu. Their Dessert Minis option allows you to try three types in a shot form. Here, we pick Key Lime Pie shooters after Manager Tim suggested how it is as delicious as his mother’s homemade Key Lime Pie. The Key Lime Pie at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is made with specific limes from Key West, Florida and Manager Tim wasn’t lying about how delicious these mini Key Lime Pie shooters were.
Congratulations to our long-time friend Sam Lau on his newest business venture: ViVi Bubble Tea at Mills 50 – it is such a cute little bubble tea shop that you need to check out asap! They officially open tomorrow and will be running a buy one, get one free special on select drinks. My big sister Krystle & I enjoyed their Blue Galaxy (pictured above) a caffeine-free herbal tea beverage with no artificial coloring.
We were invited to a media preview today at The Simple Greek – Oviedo as seen on CNBC’s “The Profit” – one of my favorite show that comes on after my favorite show, Shark Tank. The food was so good and fresh and the restaurant was very clean. They will be running a Grand Opening special tomorrow 3/9 of $1 GYROS ($7.95 value) from 11am-3pm, limit one.
The Simple Greek redefines the traditional Greek restaurants with an interactive concept that combines fresh, high-quality ingredients and Greek atmosphere in a fast casual setting. The concept utilizes a build-your-own assembly line style set up in an open kitchen to show off all of the fresh food being prepared. The menu features a variety of dishes such as build your own bowls, salads, pitas and Greek yogurt with a variety of proteins, toppings and sides to choose from at an affordable price.
The Oviedo location is owned by Jonathan Tonn. Jonathon opened his own franchise after witnessing its success on “The Profit” and he is in partnership with DeSisto Restaurant Group. DeSisto Restaurant Group also owns The Simple Greek locations in Tampa, FL & East Providence, RI.
Build-Your-Own Gyro Bowl
Top to Bottom:
Gyro Bowl
Greek Fries
Chicken Gyro Whole Wheat Wrap
Cocina 214 can be found in Winter Park of Orlando, FL and a new location opened in Daytona Beach, FL. Tasty Chomps was happy to make a stop into the Winter Park location to see what they have to offer us.
Margaritas at Cocina 214 are high-quality, fresh and strong. Cocina 214 serves their margaritas on the rocks or frozen with a rim of salt. The frozen margarita was my favorite of the two.
What’s great is how the margaritas made at Cocina 214 is extremely fresh and high-quality as they don’t use high-fructose mixes or low grade tequila. All citruses used are freshly squeezed with a juicer on site. If you’d like a sweeter option, try the frozen margarita mixed with sangria that is served at Cocina 214.
Start with the Cocina Trio and a fresh batch of tortilla chips. The Cocina Trio includes guacamole, queso blanco, and a fire-roasted salsa. Each of these, as well as other ingredients and items, at Cocina 214 is prepared daily and throughout the day as needed. Each of the Cocina Trio items were delicious and I cannot seem to decide which is a favorite.
The Fried Avocado Bites are lightly breaded and fried sliced hass avocados served with a chipotle cream sauce. The fried avocado slices are a tad bland if not dipped into the chipotle cream sauce, but the sauce is slightly spicy so be warned.
When ordering tacos, each option on the Taqueria menu comes with 3 tacos; rice and beans can be added for $2. We tried two types of tacos – the Rotisserie Chicken and Brisket. The tacos can be served on flour, corn, or wheat tortilla shells. Cocina 214 prides itself on being very flexible with patient dietary needs.
The Rotisserie Chicken tacos included veggie rice, queso fresco, roasted corn, and sautéed poblano salsa on the side. This dish is slightly bland, but the chicken itself is very moist and tender.
The Brisket tacos consists of beef brisket, pico de gallo, sautéed onions, and Monterrey Jack cheese on flour tortillas with a side of fire-roasted salsa. The brisket is flavorful, yet a little dry. This has to be my choice of tacos at this location, with extra lime because I love a touch of citrus.
Tex-Mex & Mexican Essentials include a number of options, which includes Chicken Tamales. The order of Chicken Tamales comes with 2 Tamales with rice, beans, serrano peppers, tomatillos, chicken, cilantro, garlic, and topped off with a ranchero sauce. The Chicken Tamales were delicious and full of flavors. The rice is more on the soft side, but comes with a number of different flavors you wouldn’t taste in the Tamales and beans.
I’ve heard about Tampa’s Busch Garden’s Food and Wine Festival over the years, but never had the chance to go until now! With it being my very first foodie festival, I was not disappointed. This year being their 4th annual event, Busch Gardens had an array of cuisines, wines, craft beers, and cocktails to choose from with vegetarian and gluten free options available, as well. Guests have the option of sampling a number of foods and drinks throughout the park, while enjoying the animals and rides too; a plus for parents and their kids.
To start off our evening, our eyes were caught by the Char Siu Duck on a Steamed Bun and the Grilled Lamb Chops with Tabouleh & Tzatziki at Field House Eatery. The grilled lamb was my favorite! The meat was cooked and seasoned nicely and wasn’t gamey at all, when paired with the tabbouleh and tzatziki sauce it balanced the dish perfectly.
Next, we visited Artisan Eats, there we sampled the Duck Fat Truffle Fries with Parmesan Truffle Aioli and the Fleur de Mer Rosé.
Coast to Coast Cookery’s Pan-Seared Steak with Chimichurri & Roasted Poblano Hash, Flourless Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Sauce, and Swamp Head Brewery, Wheat Night Honey Cream Ale.
Garden Gate Café’s Truffle Seafood Mac & Cheese with Shrimp, Scallops, and Cod in a Creamy Gruyere Bechamel with White Truffle, Hawaiian-Seasoned Tuna Poke, You’re My Boy Blue Blueberry Brew, and Graffiti Orange American Wheat Beers. I’m a huge fan of tuna, so that was definitely one of my top dishes.
Now by this point, we were already getting full but we decided to end our night with Chef’s Plantation’s Salmon Cake with Lemon Aioli, Comfort Kitchen’s Fried Plantain Cups filled with Stewed Chicken, and Tasty Taqueria’s Frozen Mojito! The salmon cake and lemon aioli was such a light and refreshing dish that regardless of how full I was, I couldn’t stop eating it.
There were so many other cabins and vendors we missed out on, but the ones we visited definitely didn’t disappoint. From food to entertainment, Busch Garden’s Food and Wine Festival has something for everyone! You can visit Busch Gardens and experience this all yourselves, every weekend from March 3rd – April 29th. Happy eatings, everyone! Until next time.
For the 26th year, more than 20 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. The event will be held on Saturday, April 14 from 6:45 – 10 p.m.
Savory
Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Jiko – The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
Cinderella’s Royal Table at MAGIC KINGDOM Park
Le Cellier Steakhouse at Epcot
Shutters at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort
The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Ale & Compass Restaurant at Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Flying Fish at Disney’s Boardwalk Inn
The Turf Club Bar & Grill at Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
Latitude & Longitude at Orlando World Center Marriott
blu on the avenue
Bull & Bear at Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Primo by Melissa Kelly at JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes
STK Orlando at Disney Springs
Urban Tide at Hyatt Regency Orlando
Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs
Todd English’s bluezoo at Walt Disney World’s Dolphin Resort
Hemisphere at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport
SLATE
Sweet
Amorette’s Patisserie at Disney Springs
Epcot Bakery Team
Gideon’s Bakehouse
Se7en Bites
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 $325, couple ticket package is $600 and corporate ticket packages are $3,000. Sponsorships are also available by emailing ChefsGala@HFUW.org or calling (407) 835-0923
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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.
Our first meal pairing was Colonel E.H Taylor Small Batch with Ancho Coffee Rabbit Roulade served over Meyer lemon arcadian blend with honey roasted baby carrots. The rabbit pastry was delicious with just the right amount of sweetness.
Our main course featured Buffalo Trace’s Bourbon that’s made into a very fragrant old fashion that’s then paired with a Bone-in Pork Chop. Prepared by a brine, then at least 40 minutes in the smoker, then in the oven to create a beautiful browning. It was served with a cornbread puree, swiss chard, sweet potatoes fingerlings, and macintosh apple butter.
Our dessert course was definitely a fun & interactive one. Buffalo Trace’s brought us a “Throwback Thursday” with Southern Comfort 80. It was then paired with Smoked Peaches Creme Brulee that we poured alcohol over and set on fire.
In the little College Park, Outpost Neighborhood Market aims to make their guests feel welcome with southern comfort and hospitality. I was told that they do multiple dinner pairings events during the year so I’d definitely keep an eye out for the next week because they do sell out very quickly!
1st : Smores/Boardwalk/Key Lime with Coconut 2nd: Glaze with Spring Sprinkle/Vanilla with Spring Sprinkle/Strawberry with Spring Sprinkle 3rd: Lemon with Coconut/Blueberry Pancake/Chocolate with Spring Sprinkle 4th: Key Lime/Bacon in the Sun/Key Lime with Graham Crackers Crumbs & Marshmallow Drizzle
Today, Duck Donuts nationwide released a NEW seasonal flavor and topping: Key Lime Icing & Spring Sprinkles, available for a limited time only. Duck Donuts is my best friend & I’s favorite place to get donuts because all of their delicious vanilla cake donuts are served warm, fresh and made-to-order with a variety of flavors, toppings, and sauces so the possibilities are endless. We were invited to try their new seasonal flavors, new breakfast, and donut sundae and we enjoyed our food and experience. My donuts were made by an amazingly nice employee named Princess and when she brought out my beautiful donuts on a donut stand I genuinely felt like a princess. Princess’ superior customer service will make you feel like royalty.
NEW Breakfast Sandwich – Sausage, Egg & Cheese with Chopped Bacon. I really enjoyed the spiciness from the sausage and the sweetness from the donut!
S’mores Donut Sundae – vanilla ice cream, melted chocolate and graham cracker crumbles onto a classic donut.
Be sure to check out Duck Donuts – Kissimmee next time you’re in the area!
Yesterday, Sonny’s BBQ hosted their annual “Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown” at Tinker Field – Camping World Stadium and it filled with great food, cookin’ demos, a kids’ zone, and amazing live country music all day.
The nation’s top pitmasters traveled from all across the world and came together to put their skills to the test in an epic BBQ battle for a chance to win a grand prize of $20,000.
Fun brand ambassador at the Orange Buick GMC booth
Kids’ zone
Listening to Jill’s Cashbox
Unlimited Cheerwine at the VIP Tent
A delicious plate prepared by Sonny’s BBQ
Cornbread
Mac ‘n cheese
Pulled pork
Sweet and smokey ribs
Sliced brisket
Winners taking pictures with the Sonny’s BBQ crew
Iowa’s Smokey D’s picking up their grand prize check of $20,000
Grand prize winners of the $20,000 – Iowa’s Smokey D’s. They also won last year!
High Valley concert
Merchandise booth
Rodney Atkin concert
Sonny’s Smokin’ Showdown
Tinker Field at Camping World Stadium
1 Citrus Bowl Pl. Orlando, FL 32805 http://sonnyshowdown.com
