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Decent Southern Smokehouse food in a sports bar atmosphere--that's how I'd sum up my visit with a friend to Daisy Duke's recently. We arrived on a pleasant Friday evening and were promptly greeted and seated by one of several waitresses. All were dressed in "Daisy Dukes"--short-shorts. Makes sense, I guess.
We ordered an onion ring appetizer. It arrived hot and crunchy. The onion rings were very good. The crunch was about the best ever that I've had for an onion ring and they arrived hot but not at all greasy. They were served with a delicious mesquite diping sauce which seemed to be ranch based--it was very tasty with just a hint of mesquite. Overall, I'd say the onion rings were excellent.
My friend ordered a cheesesteak sandwich: the Works Philly sandwich--stuffed with tender chicken, mozzarella cheese, green peppers, onions, and mushrooms. It was delicious if a bit messy to eat--but then again, what Philly cheesesteak isn't messy? I think this would be a great lunch item. Note to self: "go there for lunch some day."
I ordered a side salad to begin with, and a "Hog Platter" for my entree: the Hog Ribs Platter with sides of coleslaw and BBQ beans. Yumm. The side salad was good and an ample portion--nice fresh romaine with all the accompaniments. It was a good side salad and hit the spot.
My Hog Ribs Platter consisted of a half rack of St. Louis Style Ribs and Pulled Pork. I asked our waitress what made the ribs St. Louis Style. I was wondering if it referred to the cut of meat or the preparation--or both. Poor thing, I believe my question stymied her. I think they hire their waitresses based on their ability to fit well in Daisy Dukes, not their food savvy. Oh well....
My food arrive hot and flavorful. The ribs appeared to be a St. Louis cut but not style as they did have some sauce on them. Still, they were wonderful, tender, and juicy--very good ribs, no doubt. The pulled pork was also very good, but typical of pulled pork in many a restaurant when it's done well. I added some of the house BBQ sauce which seemed to be a "one fits all" concotion--fairly sweet, just a touch of heat, just a touch of smoke. It was good, but not great.
The beans were, unfortunately, just ordinary. Nothing really popped. Now they were certainly steps above the stuff you get out of a can, but they could have benefitted from some slow cooking with a bit of the pork bark. They were good, just not great. The coleslaw was as good as most coleslaw is. Nothing to write home about, but i did finish it all and it was tasty.
Overall, we had a good meal. The atmosphere is definitely a sports bar. It was not very crowded for a Friday night. Then again, maybe the colleges were beginning a Thanksgiving break. Daisy Duke's is located right by the International Speedway too, so I imagine they do a good business during race weeks.
Would I eat here again? Yes, definitely. The food was good if somewhat predictable. It would be a fun place to have a few drinks with friends, too. I'll recommend Daisy Dukes, give it a try!
I've eaten at First Watch a number of times, and it's always good--and always busy. I guess the fact that it's busy is a fitting testament to the good food there. I'd eaten at the Longwood location previously and always had a good experience. But this weekend my friend and I decided late on Monday morning to head off and get something to eat. So we headed to the Altamonte Springs First Watch, anxious to see if it was as good as the other location. We were not disappointed.
We were greeted promptly and saw a bit of a crowd waiting, but were told it would be a 10-15 minute wait. True to their word, it was not that long. Our server was friendly, competent, and reliable. We'd perused the menu while waiting and so ordered promptly. Equally promptly, the food came out!
My friend had a "normal" breakfast--eggs over easy (perfectly cooked), potatoes, sausage links, and an English Muffin. He topped that off with a pancake. All the food was good.
I had the Killer Cajun omelette--an omelette stuffed with tender pieces of spicy cajun chicken breast, mushrooms, onions, and monterey jack cheese. It was served with a side of Santa Fe Dressing--and had a nice kick to it, too. The omelette was very, very good, the dressing a nice compliment to it. If I had any complaint, I'd say the breakfast potatoes were a bit dry, they could have used a bit of moisture or maybe some bacon or something to liven them up. They were not bad, but just OK. Likewise the English Muffin--though good enough, it was more rubbery than crispy, probably having been held for longer than it should have, or made ahead.
Nonetheless, we had a very good breakfast here and would certainly go back. The have a very nice an innovative menu with interesting combinations of flavors. I've never had a bad meal here. The streak continues! Total bill which included a coffee and iced tea was about $22, not bad.
Great Czech and European food has come to Longwood! Several years ago, the owners of the original Chef Henry's Cafe on Howell Branch Road sold their restaurant to Chef Hans who kept the same good food but changed the name to Chef Hans Cafe. Well, Chef Henry came back to town and is now open in Longwood, on 434 just east of I-4. I'm glad they did!
Chef Henry's is a quaint restaurant occupying the space formerly occupied by Journey's. It's not huge, but is quaintly decorated and has a fair amount of outside seating. There was another table of 8 or so, and a table of maybe 2-4 other people. It was not crowded, though we were told that they do a very good lunch business. And they have only been open three weeks. I'm sure as word spreads, they'll get busier, based on the great food we had there.
Chef Henry's is definitely a family run business. We were promptly greeted by Evelina, a daughter of Henry and Estera, the owners. She provided excellent service during our whole meal and was very forthcoming with details about the restaurant, their food, and their business. It was a very pleasant experience, indeed.
Our dinners were preceded by a salad and a basket of bread. The bread had to be home made. It was excellent. Very artisanal-like with a nice bready taste and a crispy, chewy crust. It was served with a "dressing" of cream cheese and hungarian paprika. Delicious. The salad consisted of a single leaf of Romaine topped with some diced tomatoes and cucumbers and some sliced potatoes, and dressed with a sweet-ish dressing. It was delicious. I am not a big cucumber fan at all, but this was good and I loved it. My only complaint was that I wished there had been more of it. Yumm.
We started with an appetizer of Halušky--basically spaetzel with goat cheese and a few other secret ingredients that gave it a slightly acidic but creamy and savory flavor, topped with just a bit of bacon bits and scallions. It was absolutely delicious, and quite filling. We were smart and did not finish it off, saving room for the main course.
For the main course my friend had Creamy Champignon--two huge veal cutlets pounded thin, breaded, fried nice and crisp, sittin on a bed of red cabbage and topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. It was excellent. The veal was tender, the breading crispy, and the sauce creamy and with a great flavor--the woodsiness of the mushrooms. Excellent flavors!
Great Mexican food can be found in Orlando, and Paxia provides it! It was several months ago that I first heard about Paxia Alta Cocina Mexicana and put them on my wish list, but only last night that I finally went there. I'm glad I did!
First, the bad: their web site basically says "coming soon" but they've been open nearly a year. I think it's time they got with the program and got a web site up and running, complete with menus. But, that's it for the bad! All else was good.
We were promptly greeted and led to our seats. It was not busy at all, but was early on a Sunday evening. Still, our waitress was attentive and we did not lack for anything.
Our drink orders (Iced tea and Dos Equis) were promptly taken and we were served with some delicious chips and salsa--the salsa was not the wimpy stuff you get at most so-called "tex-mex" restaurants--this salsa had a bit of heat. Not too hot, but enough to let you know it was there. It was very, very good!
We started with two appetizers. The first was Emanadas De Res--Two corn emanadas filled with sirloin and potato. It was served with what was billed as a jalapeno-infused dipping sauce. The sauce was very hot. It seemed much hotter than the heat of jalapenos. I was thinking "scotch bonnet" but whatever, it was good, but only in small portions. My friend stayed away from it--too hot for him! The other appetizer was the Napolitos--a mixture of prickly pear cactus, tomatoes, onions, and queso blanco with some cilantro and extra virgin olive oil. I'd never had cactus before. It was very good. It had an interesting flavor, very savory. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it was good both with chips and just alone, one forkfull at a time. Yumm!
Eclectic Place. Good Food. On Beach Street in "downtown" Daytona Beach. We were attending the Halifax Arts Festival last Sunday and getting a bit peckish. We'd wanted to eat at Dancing Avocado Grill as heard it was good, but they are mostly open daytimes, never at night. So we took the opportunity to have lunch there. They do serve breakfast, but only until 11. We were too late for that. And normally they are closed on Sundays. They were open this day due to the Halifax Arts Festival. Good move! They were doing a fair business by the time we left at noon. Good for them!
My friend ordered the Chicken Quesadilla. It was delicious. It had large pieces of tender and savory chicken with the requisite cheese between two crisp tortillas. Definitely a good meal and filling. He also had the lemonade. The quesadillas were served with some packaged sour cream and a few chips with a bit of a sweet salsa. The highlight was the quesadilla with the perfectly cooked chicken, though.
Good food in a chic atmosphere, that's what I'll think of when I remember Aquarium. And I'm sure I'll be back! I was browsing Daytona seafood restaurants on urbanspoon.com when I mentioned Aquarium. My friend had been there and said a quick "yes!" So off we went.
The first thing I noticed was the atmosphere, and this is what made a good dining experience a lot better. The place looks like an aquarium. Glad and bar tops and even bathroom sinks and floor are aquamarine-lit lucite. There are several large aquariums, also lit. There's even a "bubble-wall," a tower of bubbling water or whatever that's lit with aquamarine lights. Very cool.
We chose to eat indoors, though they have a huge patio area right on the Halifax River (Intracoastal Waterway) right by a marina (they even had live music out there and a scattering of people). Since it was dark out, we could not see much but this would be a nice setting in the daylight, right on the river.
Our host quickly seated us and took drink orders. We opened the curiously thick and heavy menus only to find that they were backlit with the same aquamarine light--a very nice touch. And very cool.
We started off with the Shrimp Pizza, shrimp, tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil on a type of bread. It was pretty good. Not great, but good. The flavors were good though I'd have liked to have seen a bit more bubbling and browning of the cheese. Still, it was tasty and we cleaned it up.
For the main course my friend had the Extra Large Fried Fish Sandwich. It was indeed extra large: the bun was laid open and one large piece of lightly fried fish covered both part of the bun--and them some. The fish was cooked well and it was served with a tasty tartar sauce. There was perhaps more bun than was needed, but it was still a tasty sandwich. The fries that accompanied it were a bit of a disappointment. They were large crinkle-cut fries, but tasted more like they were out of a bag from the supermarket frozen foods section, and then had been allowed to sit just a bit too long. They weren't terrible, the just weren't great fries.
I ordered a side salad and the Shrimp Dinner. The side salad was good, a typical side salad. Fresh and tasty, it hit the spot. But the real hit of the meal for me was the twelve good-size, butterflied, breaded and fried shrimp. They were excellent. Lightly fried, and not overcooked, the breading was crisp and crunchy but did not take away from the flavor and texture of the shrimp. To be blunt, they were cooked perfectly. So often I find overcooked shrimp--these were just right! Of course, with shrimp cooked perfectly, you have to eat them quickly before they overcook just from standing. That was not a problem. And, they did not need nor deserve any cocktail sauce. I did try the cocktail sauce and found it too sweet and with not enough horseradish for my taste. I did ask for and receive some extra horseradish sauce, but it could not overcome the over-sweetness of the cocktail sauce. Still, it was a minor point--the shrimp were that great all alone. There were some mixed veggies to go-with--squash, zucchini, and onions, that were also delicious. This was truly a very good meal in a very nice atmosphere.
I see another review on urbanspoon.com that complains about the nightclub-like atmosphere, but I loved this place. Yes, it has several bars. Yes it has that nightclub feel. But that's because they also are a late-night hangout, I'm told. It would be a fun place to meet up with friends for a late night drink, definitely.
Our total bill which included one appetizer, an iced tea, two glasses of beer, the two entrees with the added side salad, was $48. It seemed a fair price for the very good food and great atmosphere. Our server was attentive for the most part (forgot the iced tea refill once) and pleasant and competent, as were the other staff. It's a very cool place and I recommend it. I know I'll be back. I'd love to try it for lunch, to sit outside on the river on a pleasant day. I know I'll be back, assuredly!
I've enjoyed eating in "downtown" Sanford a lot and decided to try nearby Limoncello's Waterfront Restaurante. I was disappointed and can not recommend it. It was just OK, and certainly there is much better food on nearby First Street in Downtown Sanford--stick with that.
It was Friday evening, about 8 PM, and my friend and I were hungry. I wanted pizza and, though I'd peeked in the door at Limoncello before, I'd never eaten there. Even though the urbanspoon.com ratings were not that great, I decided to find out for myself, so we ventured in. Trust urbanspoon more next time!
We entered a seeminly empty restaurant (8 PM on a Friday evening and empty??) but were promptly greeted by the host, a pleasant young man who offered us a choice of inside or outside seating. We chose inside, though it was plenty chilly inside and would have been the same outside--a pleasant evening in the upper 60s. I'm sure the view in daylight outside is very nice as the restaurant's patio/deck is right on Lake Monroe. Perhaps in the daytime it would be enjoyable (and maybe busier?). Anyway, we were seated in a booth by the window.
For an appetizer we tried the Fried Gnocchi. Basically, gnocchi lightly breaded and fried, then covered with extra virgin olive oil, garlic, parmesan, and some parsley. The flavors were good. The richness of the olive oil was not overpowered by the mellow garlic and the hints of parmesan and parsley. However, though the flavors were good, the gnocchi themselves were a bit rubbery and pasty. I think they were undercooked, they could have been fried a bit more. Perhaps they were overworked, too, which made them pasty (too much gluten developed). So, good flavor, but texture/chewiness made them overall a bit disappointing. Nice concept and flavor, poor execution.
For dinner we ordered a large pizza with sausage, pepperoni, fresh mushrooms, and fresh tomatoes. Again, the flavors were very good. It was a good pizza, flavorwise. The toppings were each very good and plentiful. But the pizza itself was undercooked. The thin crust was doughy and the ingredients made it soggy, and the cheese not at all brown or bubbly. The center of a few pieces actually collapsed or seemed to disappear due to the lack of crust structure to support it. And for some reason in the center, there appeared to be two distinct layers of dough. I got the impression that the crust had torn and rather than remake it they just tried to patch it. It did not work. Even on the edges, the crust was only light brown and a bit undercooked. Maybe the cook was anxious for a cigarette break but it was (1) not left in the oven long enough and (2) not cooked in a hot enough oven.
So, overall, the taste was good, but the preparation lacked and that made for a disappointing meal. During the time we were there, there was only one other occupied table outside somewhere, we did not see anyone else except the host and two waitstaff. I wonder how the place can survive with such light business on a Friday night. On the other hand, they do have a Saturday/Sunday buffet, and they are right on the waterfront by the Sanford marina. There is another choice of dining across the road, Wolfy's. Next time I'd pass Limoncello by and try Wolfy's. I don't think I'll be coming back here. Our total bill with and iced tea, two Corona's, a large four topping pizza, and the gnocchi appetizer was about $38. A bit steep for what we got. Live and learn. Trust the urbanspoon.com ratings more next time. I hope you'll trust my review and eat somewhere better--like First Street in Sanford, where you'll get much better food.
Looking for quality dining at a fair price in historic downtown Sanford? Look no further! Two Blondes and a Shrimp is well worth your time and even worth a drive up if you live in Orlando--it's sooo good!
Two of my friends, Tommy and Ronda, have recently opened an art gallery called Art Affair Gallery in historinc downtown Sanford. Consequently, I find myself spending more and more time in the area. Fortunately, there are some fantastic places to eat nearby. So last night after taking in the downtown Sanford Halloween "Trick or Treat" festivities (involving thousands of people and perhaps tons of candy), we decided to stay downtown to eat. We were not disappointed.
I've been to Two Blondes and a Shrimp well over a half dozen time and have never been disappointed. Last night was no exception. Though downtown was very busy, it was past 8 PM and the earlier crowd at the restaurant was waning. We were seated promptly right by the street on the patio, a location we chose. There was a "one man band" with acuostic guitar playing some nice, easy-listening music, a nice touch. The evening was pleasant with a slight breeze, and it was nice to watch the comings and goings of the ghouls and goblins. But it's all about the food, isn't it?
Our server was attentive and efficient, if not overly gregarious or outgoing. But we never lacked attention and got whatever we asked for promptly. Starting out with a Bass Ale and a Iced Tea, we took a few minutes to peruse the menu and then decided.
I started with a side salad, a fresh salad of mixed greens with pineapple, craisins, red grapes, and a viniagrette. Very nice and very refreshing, all that a side salad should be.
For the main course my friend had the Bourbon Pork--grilled pork tenderloin with a bourbon sauce (pictured left). It was wonderful. Grilled perfectly and tender and juicy, the gentle sauce complimenting the great flavor of the pork. And it was moist and juicy--they know how to cook a pork tenderloin. For sides he had a corn medley that contained "fresh off the cob" chunks of corn and a mix of a few other vegetables--it was both tasty and looked good. His other side was the famous so-called "macaroni and cheese." I say "so-called" because it's actually flat sheets of pasta with a cheesy sauce. The only complaint is that perhaps it's a bit two smooth, with an almost processed cheese or (heaven forbid!) Velveeta-like texture. Still, it was mighty tasty, very rich and creamy. I have since tried my variation or imitation of this dish, and very successfully, my friend said!
All I can say is, I'm glad I finally got to eat here, it was well worth the wait!
The first time I wanted to eat at Terra Mia, it was packed and there was a 40 minute wait. A good sign but I did not want to wait. The second time I wanted to eat there, we went on a Sunday afternoon, only to discover they are closed on Sundays! Third time's the charm, right? It was.
We called on a Friday night to find out how late they were open. 10 PM. Great, it was already 9 so we figured we'd catch them right near the end of the evening when things were slowing down. Wrong! We got there after 9:30 and the place was packed. Fortunately, a large group outside had gathered around one table leaving an empty table with no chairs. We were offered that outside table and promptly waitstaff brought us chairs from somewhere around the side of the building (I think they "borrowed" them from another establishment that was closed! No matter, we were seated promptly outside on a very pleasant October night. Ahhh...life is good.
My Corona (with lime, thankfully) and my friend's iced tea arrived promptly, as did some delicious bread and an olive oil and herb & cheese dipping sauce. It was delicious. And the bread and oil was good too!
I ordered the Pizza Salomino, a huge 11" pizza with cheese and ham and a great pizza sauce. It was hot, huge, and delicious. Everything a good pizza should be. Though called a personal size pizza, it was big enough for two. I ate half of it--and the one more slice. It was so good.
My friend had the Lasagna Bolonese. It was truly delcious. There was not over blending of tastes here. The meat was distinct and flavorful, the bolognese was fresh, bright, not overly tomatoey, and delicious. And the cheese flavorful and distinct. The noodles did there job in providing a good supporting structure while not being evident with starchy taste. It was a truly well put together dish.
Our total tab including tax and two Coronas was about $35, not bad for some very good food. And not I know that there are three, yes count them, three really good pizza places in Lake Mary: Terra Mia, Giovanni's, and Caffe Positano. I suggest you give Terra Mia a try if you have not already. I can't waith to go back for more of their food!
Oh, and by the way, they were still busy when we left, the staff was still attentive, and we never ever once felt that they were closed and it was time to leave. I suspect they stay open till everone is ready to leave, no matter how late they linger. And the outdoor patio is a nice place to linger on a beautiful evening.
I had eaten at Morgan's Burger Bistro several times in the past and always enjoyed it. So on a Friday I invited three co-workers to venture to downtown Sanford with me for lunch. I am a hero! All four of us agree: best burger ever!
We arrived shortly before noon and were promptly greeted by both the hostess and by Jane, Michael Morgan's mother. In true mother form, Jane constantly made sure we had everything we needed and that all our questions were answered. What great service.
We started out with the deep fried green beans and quite a variety of the sauces. We all were amazed by the great sauces, made by Chef Michael Morgan, and tried many of them. We each had our favorites. The beans did not last long.
My burger and side salad arrive shortly thereafter and was cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was dressed with just a bit of lettuce and a thin slice of tomato and served on a kaiser roll. It was a half pound of black angus grilled to absolute perfection. I decided to try it without any condiments, just to see what it was like. It was heaven. Absolute heaven. I never did put a single thing on it--that would have been a sin. I hate to admit it, but I ate the whole thing. It was so good.
The side salad I had did help assuage my guilt over eating the whole burger. I dressed it with a bit of spicy thousand island/french dressing. I'm not sure exactly how to describe the dressing, except to say it was fantastic.
I did sample some of the go-withs of my co-workers: regular fries, sweet potato fries, and onion rings--all were very good and made even better by the variety of dipping sauces.
My friends also had a variety of burgers and were similarly impressed. Joe was surprised and glad that they'd cook his rare as requested, and loved it. Bob and Dale both had sauteed mushrooms and cheese on theirs and loved them as well. Dale could not finish hers, but fortunately Bob did--I felt a bit less like a pig then, thank you Bob! My total for the 1/2 pound Black Angus Burger with a side salad, Deep Fried Green Beans, a Iced Tea was about $17 with tax. The Burger with side alone is $6.95--a great value for sure.
In the past I've had a few other dishes here such as the Duck Quesadillas, Cajun Burger, etc. All have been very good. If you are in the mood for a burger, not just an ordinary burger, but a good, even great burger, try Morgan's Burger Bistro. It is the best I've ever had, beating even the popular 5 guys place. Best burger in Orlando, I promise!
I was in a mood for pizza last Sunday afternoon. Our first choice was closed, so we settled on Red Brick Pizza which is nearby, in Sanford. It was just past midafternoon and not very busy, but no matter, we were hungry, and pizza sounded just right. We planned to order one small, one medium, and thus have a few slices for later in the evening.
My friend ordered the $7.99 special--a small (9") pepperoni pizza and a soft drink. I ordered the medium (11") Pizza Rustica, advertised as "new."
The pizza was OK. I had a bite of the pepperoni, it was decent pepperoni pizza, not bad at all. I'm not sure it was really 9 inches, it sure did not look that big. But my "special" Pizza Rustica was somewhat of a disappointment. It was a very, very thin crust topped with mozzarella, parmesan, fresh basil, spices, ham, pepperoni, mushrooms, olive oil, and garlic sauce. Sounds good, right? Well, there were just a few wisps of basil, a very few pieces of mushroom, and I "guess" some other "spices." The flavor was not bad, but it was not exceptional or anything above ordinary, actually. And for the $11.25 price tag, not much of a value. i ate the whole thing--but there was not very much of it. I have had much better pizza from the frozen foods case at Publix--and for a lot less. I've even had better pizza from Papa John's and Domino's--and those places bring it to my door for me.
So my message for all of this is that I found Red Brick Pizza to be overpriced and underwhelming. I probably will not go back. Next time, I'll save a few bucks (well, more than just a few) and get a frozen "gourmet" pizza at Publix and cook it myself. Even when not on sale, I'd be getting a better value than we got at Red Brick Pizza. Save your money--for good pizza, look elsewhere!
I had eaten once before at Stone's Throw Bistro and had a good meal. Then I sampled their food at Taste of Sanford but was not totally impressed--however, there were extenuating circumstances. So I was excited to go back and have another meal there, hoping for the best. I was not disappointed.
My friend and I arrived at a Saturday night and were promptly greeted by a waitress. She said there would be a short wait while she got the hostess. A few minutes later, we were seated. There was live music (guitarist) and quite a crowd. It was a bit noisy. We asked for a bit more "out of the way" table and were seated towards the back, right near the kitchen. It was a good table. Still quite noisy at times, but I also got to see a lot of amazing food coming out. As a matter of fact, the chef/owner even popped his head out once to survey the goings on.
We had a very good meal here, no doubt. We started with a Shrimp and Grits appetizer. Three truly huge shrimp sat on a bed of bacon and pumpkin grits. The shrimp had a slight bit of pumpkin BBQ butter on them--not really a BBQ sauce as you normally think of it, but a good, savory flavor. The shrimp were just a bit overcooked. Not badly, but just a bit. It is hard to cook such large shrimp to perfection, especially if they are not butterflied (these were not). However, all the flavors of this dish were spot-on. The subtle pumpkin flavor in the grits gave a unique sweetness to the dish. Home run here.
We both had the Southwestern Soup, and it was delicious. Just a hint of sweet (probably some butternut squash, I'm guessing) and with a nice heat (spice) to it. Those were some good chiles in it. There was a mix of navy and red or kidney beans in it, and a nice creamy broth. Another home run for me and my friend, we both loved the soup.
I had a side salad. Mixed greens with fresh chopped tomatos and onion and a balsamic dill dressing. I notice their online menu lists goat cheese, but I did not spy any in my salad. No matter, the salad was delicious and the dressing wonderful. I licked that plate clean!
Bread. Well, we did have to ask for bread. And then ask again. Same as last time we were there. Our waitress said she could have it for us right away if we didn't mind unheated bread. We didn't though it makes me wonder, how difficult is it to pop a few rolls in the microwave for a few seconds. No matter, the bread came, we like it, it was delicious.
Now for the main course. I had the Sage-cruste Sport Fish. The fish was red snapper. My very first bit was a bit alarming, the bite of fish was a bit dry. But it was the very end of the fish portion, the thinnest part. Fortunately, my next bit and all succeeding bites were great and not at all dry. Whew! This dish was absolutely wonderful. A nice crispy breadcrumb and sage topping gave the moist, tender fish a wonderful flavor and aroma. It sat on a bed of butternut squash and bacon risotto, and was topped with a bit of sage butter. Also serverd were several slices of squash, slightly fried and delicious. There was not one thing about my entree that I did not like. It was simply wonderful, delicious, creative, and flavorful.
My friend had the Filet of Beef, a perfectly cooked medium filet of beef served with a potato and roased red pepper has and a bit of roated red pepper bearnaise. We was surprise to see no bernaise sauce on the plate when his meal arrived (the bearnaise was already drizzled over the hash), but when he asked our server, she promptly brought out a small container of the bearnaise. With sprigs of tarragon and chunks of roasted red peppers, it was delicious and my friend was satisfied. The hash and sauce were very good, but then there's the filet. I had a bite and I'll tell you, it was as tender and flavorful as any steak I've ever had anywhere, anytime. But my friends opinion? He said it was the best ever filet--ever! "Melt in your mouth" is how he described it, and it truly was outstanding.
You may notice the fall theme of the meal. Butternut squash. Pumpkin. These flavors permeated the whole menu. If the small sampling of the fare that we had at Stone's Throw Bistro last night is indicative of the rest of the menu (and I'm guessing it is), then this is a truly outstanding place to eat. I have a hard and difficult decision to make because my favorite restaurant is less than a block away. If I eat here a few more times, I may have a new favorite, based on flavor.
We had an ice tea and three (!!) glasses of wine (wine tab alone was $25), and our total meal with tax came to $97. But that was with wine, appetizer, two soups, salad, and two entrees. Was it worth it? Yes, every last bite. I'll be sending my friends here from now on, a great little gem of a place in downtown Sanford. I highly recommend it!
I was at Alive after Five in downtown Sanford a week or two ago, and one booth was handing out some very flavorful samples of their food. They said they were a new place in Lake Mary, not very far from my home. The food was good, so last night my friend and I decided to try it out.
I'd done a bit of Internet research first and there was little to find about this new place on the Internet. They do not have a web site yet (get with the program!). But they are new, I'll cut them some slack. I did find mention of them in one blog and I did add them to urbanspoon.com. But we decided to try them out based on the samples they had at Alive after Five.
We arrived around 8 on a Friday night. Caddies Pub is a pretty large place and definitely a sports bar type atmosphere with large flat screens TVs everywhere and a few sports games playing (Pitt was playing Rutgers, not that I really cared). They have a large well-stocked bar area and a large dining area with a mix of low and high top tables. Very nicely decorated and definitely the golf theme going for them. They also have another bar in the patio area out back--that bar was not open, but the patio is very nice and opens onto the "commons" area bordering the Marriott hotel in back and adjacent to the patio area for Fish Bones restaurant.
As I mentioned, the place was pretty empty, but then again, they've been open less than a month. The waitress--who was very attentive--was a font of info. She said that business had been spotty, with it being very busy at times, and slow others. To be expected in the first months. I mentioned the lack of the web site. She said that yes, the owner knew that, but has been very busy and also owns a bar/restaurant in Mount Dora. Good for them!
They had Sierra Nevada Pale Ale on tap, a plus for them. Yumm! That's what I had to drink, my friend stayed with iced tea.
We were not that hungry, but I ordered the patty melt with a side salad instead of fries. First, the salad. It was huge! The homemade pineapple viniagrette (on the side as requested) was very good, a nice compliment to the salad which was fresh and tasty. Mostly iceberg lettuce, but still a very good salad, and generous portion with diced tomatoes and croutons and no cucumbers--as requested. My patty melt was good. Not exceptional, and pretty ordinary, but still good. The grilled onions were a bit tough, that was a negative. And I'd have liked a bit more cheese on it, the cheese seemed to have melted into the bread (perhaps they did not butter the bread first, that would have helped); for $8.95, I think more cheese was in order. Still, it was a tasty sandwich, the bread was excellent, and it was nicely toasted on the grill. The meat patty was very good and flavorful and well cooked, though I note they never asked how I wanted it cooked--often the case for such a sandwich, I guess. But anyway, it was good.
My friend had a sandwich called "The Rough"--a breaded and fried piece of pork tenderloin on a roll. It was very good! He also had the coleslaw, and for my money, that was the hidden gem of our whole dining experience--excellent coleslaw. There was something in it that was very intriguing. I believe it was vanilla. What an amazing idea. It gave the the coleslaw a whole new exciting flavor and smell. Definitely a big hit! As a matter of fact, I'd go back there just so I could have my own order of coleslaw--it was that good!
Our service was attentive and our experience positive. They have a very nice menu. I'd love to come back and try one of their wraps. I think I'll put this place on my lunch roll call--will bring some work friends here for lunch one day, I think they'll enjoy it. It would also be a great place for an after work hours get-together. You know, a few beers, maybe an appetizer or a sandwich. It's a nice place in a great location. I wish them well. There are at least 5 restaurants in this same plaza, and all pretty good. But it's a busy area. I wish them all the best!
I've had macaroni-less Mac & Cheese at one of my favorite restaurants, Two Blondes and a Shrimp, and I wanted to try making my own--it is that good! So the other night I tried it and it was a great success. Here's what I did.
The dish I envisioned was a cross between lasagna and macaroni and cheese. Layered lasagna noodles, but with the cheesy flavor of macaroni and cheese. I searched the Internet high and low for such a recipe--in vain. Apparently, no one has done this before and documented it. Well, Two Blondes has done it, but now I have documented it--at least my version/interpretation.
I started with some flat lasagna noodles. All I could find were Barilla brand no-boil noodles. Hmm... that could be a problem. So I layed them flat in a half sheet pan (8 of them) and poured boiling water over them and left them sit while I made the rest of the stuff. After about 20 minutes they were softened but still al dente.
On to the filling. I got 12 slices of sliced fontina and 8 of asiago cheese from the Publix deli. My thought: layer the pre-sliced cheese with the noodles and add a creamy cheddar sauce to hold it all together and melt everything in the baking process.
For the cheddar sauce I cooked two Tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat until it foamed, then added a small onion, finely chopped and a half teaspooon salt and cooked until soft. I added a dash or two of cayenne, a Tablespoon of dry mustard powder, then two Tablespoons of flour and cooked about a minute (yes, making a roux). Then I added two cups of 2% milk and cooked this until it came to a boil and thickened. Off heat i slowing whisked in 9 ounces of grated sharp cheddar cheese (I used Cabot seriously sharp cheddar)--the sharper the better! I reserved another 3 ounces of shredded cheddar for the top. I added a bit more salt and pepper to taste (ended up with about a Tablespoon of salt--remember, the noodles will be a bit bland. [hmm...maybe next time i'll use salted boiling water on the noodles??]
Now I was ready to begin assembly. I used a 9x9 glass dish, buttered. I added a half cup of sauce to the bottom, then a layer of the noodles. Then a layer of fontina (four slices), another half cup of sauce (spread all the way to cover everything), and 4 slices of asiago. Repeat for the next layer, skipping the asiago. Repeat again for the third layer with the asiago. Top with the last of the noodles, the last generous half cup of sauce, and sprinkle with the reserved cheddar. Finally I grated some parmigiano-reggiano (good quality parmesan cheese) on the top.
I covered with foil and baked in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes, removed the foil, and baked at 375 for another 10-15 minutes till the top was browned and bubbly. I removed from the oven and let cool for quite a while until it was cool enough for me to steal a corner from it.
Wow, it was very good. The flavor was spot-on. Extremely cheesy, like a good mac and cheese should be. The noodles were there, but not the dominant taste. They added a nice form and structure to the layers of flavor. This dish was certainly a winner.
Will I make this dish again? You bet. I've had a half dozen friends sample it and all the comments so far have been exceedingly favorable.
Are there things I'd do to improve? Yes. The dish was a bit "greasy" or "oily," a result of some slight bit of cheese separation. Next time I will not put shredded cheddar on top, but mix it all into the sauce. I think next time I'll pass by the asiago in favor of maybe some Emmentaler or gruyere--or maybe both. I'll keep the fontina as well, but cut down a bit, I want cheddar to be the predominant flavor. When I shred the accompanying cheeses, I'll toss them in a bit of corn starch, that should alleviate any greasiness.
For the sauce, next time i'll chop the onions even finer and also add some garlic--that would have been a great flavor to have in the sauce. I think i'll strain the sauce as well to remove the onions--i'll already have all the flavor from them and that will make the sauce even creamier.
I'm also rethinking the top. Perhaps it would be nice to have a more traditional crunchy top to offset the extreme creaminess of the rest of the dish. Maybe some buttered panko crumbs, perhaps tossed with a bit of mozzarella to give it some form and texture.
So there you have it. What do you think? Your comments are always much appreciated. When I make it again, I'll let you know what I've done to perfect it even more.
I decided to experiment with food last night--one of my favorite things to do. I had some leftover beef sirloin tip roast that I'd previously pounded to 1/2 inch thick, sliced with the grain into 2" strips, then cut against the grain into 1/2 inch strips (these were leftover from the sirloin tip roast I bought for my Skillet Beef Stroganoff, posted previously). So what to make with this? Stew!
I heated a small saute pan with 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil over medium hight heat until it started smoking, then browned the beef, a few minutes on each side (I'd previously seasoned it with some salt and pepper). Once browned, I set it aside in a bowl. I heated another 1-1/2 Tablespoons (or so) of oil till hot again, then added: about 4 oz mushrooms, sliced; one small onion, finely chopped, one stalk celery, sliced. I added a bit of salt and sauteed about 8 minutes until most of the water was released. Then I added about 2 Tablespoons flour and cooked about a minute. I slowly added 1-1/2 cups of low sodium beef broth and 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth (since I'd run out of beef broth!), stirring constantly.
Time for the secret ingredient. I added about 2 Tablespoons of brandy. Then I added one large carrot, sliced, and the meat and juices. I added one large russett potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (or so) chunks and one bay leaf. I simmered on low, low, low, for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After the long and slow braise, the meat was tende and the carrots and potatoes cooked through. I removed the bay leaf and added just a teaspoon or so of lemon juice to brighten the flavor. Then I tried a bit. Wonderful. Fantastic. Outstanding. I was impressed. The simplicity of the fresh ingredients worked wonders. This was a truly outstanding stew, if I do say so myself... and I do. I hope you try these simple ingredients and techniques the next time you want to make a stew. You will be handsomely rewarded, trust me!
I'm all for less dishes when cooking, so when and episode of America's Test Kitchen (or actually, it was their new sister show from CooksCountry.com) featured one-pot Beef Stroganoff, I took note. Last night I made it for dinner. It is indeed fairly easy and done in one pot. The final product was absolutely fantastic. The tiny bit of lemon juice added at the end brightened the flavor, and the bit of brandy in it added a rich note of meaty, woodsy complexity, aided by the meat and mushrooms. It was soooo good I could hardly stop eating it.
Though called a "skillet" dish, i did mine in a large saute pan. I pounded the pound and a half of trimmed sirloin tip into about a half inch or so thickness, cut into 2 inch with the grain strips, then into 1/2 inch across the grain strips. They were sauteed in two batches in a tablespoon of oil and set aside. A few more Tablespoons of oil and I sweated 10 oz. of sliced baby bellas and a finely chopped onion till dry, then a couple tablespoons of flour to make a roux. Slowly adding 1-1/2 cup each of chicken and beef broth, then 1/3 cup brandy and finally the meat and juice and simmered on low till tender. Finally about 2/3 pound of wide egg noodles added and cooked al dente. Finished of with 3/4 cup sour cream and just two teaspoons of lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste and you're all set.
This is an excellent, excellent dish and fairly easy to make. It can be done in about an hour. The recipe is on the Cooks Country web site. I highly recommend it!
My friend and I ventured to College Park last night and had dinner at the home of our good friends Joe and Ewa. Dinner was excellent in all respects. Our main course was Cornish Hens baked over a bed of rosemary potatoes, and glazed with an orange glaze. It was "to die for." But this post is not about our great dinner, it's about our outstanding dessert.
Now to set the stage, I rarely eat desserts. I usually pass them by, or if a guest at family or friend's, I'll take the smallest possible taste or slice. Most desserts are just to sweet for me. Enter, Ewa and Joe's Key Lime Pie.
Florida Keys: Look Out! The Key Lime Pie last night was better than any I've ever had, either in the Keys or out. It was simply outstanding. They key: it was not overly sweet. Credit for the pie goes to Chef Ewa. Credit for the topping goes to assistant Chef Joe.
First the crust. It was indeed the typical graham cracker crust. I'm not sure what her secret ingredient was, but I'm guessing it was a lack of too much sugar. The taste we excellent. The butter made it very nutty. You could actually taste the crust. Yumm.
Next the filling. No canned or bottled lime juice here. They have a Key Lime tree and used them. Talk about fresh--how much more fresh you can you get. Some of the lime zest was also used, and condensed milk, none of that sweetened stuff. You could actually taste the lime--nice and tart without being bitter.
And then the topping. Now there was some debate over this, but Joe hand whipped the cream and added just a touch of honey. Right call, Joe. The bit of honey left the cream to stand on its own, but with the delicate hint of honey-sweetness--the perfect compliment to the pie.
I ate every last crumb of mine and would have licked the plate, had no one been looking--it was that good. I hereby proclaim Ewa and Joe's Key Lime Pie to be the best ever, anywhere!
Talk about a hidden gem! I first heard about Gourmet 2 Go in downtown Sanford from it's chef and chief publicity hound, Michael. At any Sanford event, and on almost any given busy day or night in downtown Sanford, you're liable to run into Michael giving out handbills and pushing his place, Gourmet 2 Go. He is a great marketer, but that's only made possible because he had a great product to market, the fresh food at Gourmet to Go.
I've eaten there several times now and stopped in a few times for drinks and to listen to the free music (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights). It's always been a good experience. And once you meet Michael, he's your friend and will remember you the next time you come in--guaranteed!
My last foray to Gourmet 2 Go was to take three coworkers there for lunch last Friday. The hits were the Cuban sandwich (excellent!), the Tomato Florentine Soup (totally awesome), and the Black & Bleu sandwich--very, very good. My Cream of Mushroom soup was excellent, so nice and rich and creamy that I was able to save half of my Black & Bleu sandwich to take home for another meal. My friends and I totally enjoyed ourselves (though there was no Michael at this time). The chef/waiter (whose name I've unfortunately forgotten) was very attentive and helpful. We had a very nice meal here and I'll be back for sure.
By the way, in the past I've had a few other things on the menu, certainly worth mentioning. The Cream of Celery soup is so very good and a Sanford "tradition"--probably because at one time in the past, Sanford was a large producer of celery. Nowadays, developments have replaced those celery fields. Sigh! The Asian Pulled Pork is also very good, and the DJs Macaroni Salad is wonderful. I'd say fresh ingredients, attention to detail, and made-to-order seem to be the hallmarks of Gourmet 2 Go. I'm a big fan, I hope you will be too!
A sandwich, soup, side, drink, and a free dessert shooter, total bill, about $13. Worth every bite, especially later that evening when I had the other half of my sandwich and was able to relive the earlier dining experience. Yumm!
I had dinner with a friend at Graziano's Pizza in South Daytona the other night. It was pretty good pizza.
This appears to be a family owned and family run business. Our waitress is the daughter-in-law of the owner. She was a lot of fun and very pleasant. As the only "front of the house" person on a slow Sunday night, she did a good job of multi-tasking and took good care of us, the two or three other tables there, and the occasionally carry-out order, as well as served as the phone order-taker, and appeared to also be babysitting a younger child. Whew! But she did a good job of it all. We learned that they used to have a restaurant on "the strip" in Daytona, right on the beach, but moved here when the building they were in was torn down for "redevelopment."
The pizza was very good pizza, nicely done, and reasonable. We had sausage, mushrooms, and fresh tomatoes--very yummy. A 14" fed the two of us--stuffed us, actually--and left two slices to take home. My side salad was ordinary, but good. We also had an order of deep fried mozzarella stick. The marinara was very good, the sticks good but usual. I also had a Corona with my meal (no lime--dang!) and my friend an iced tea. The total bill was about $27. Reasonable, it seemed to me, very reasonable. And it was very good pizza too. I'd eat here again.
My friend and I decided to try Daily Grind Burgers for lunch today, and we're glad we did! My only regret is that I did not order a burger. What was I thinking?? We went to the Daily Grind in Port Orange, just south of Daytona Beach, FL. We've been to a neighbor restaurant, Monterrey Grill, a few times and loved it a lot. It was hard to pass it by. But a good thing.
My friend ordered the Black & Blue burger, a tender, juicy burger topped with bacon, blue cheese, onion petals, and chipotle mayo. I had a bit--a very, very bit bite. It was awesome! Flavorful and juicy. It was about the second best burger I've ever had in a restaurant--second only to Morgan's Burger Bistro in Sanford. But that is a compliment. It was very good. The onion rings he had as a go-with were also very good, juicy and flavorful.
Trying to be a bit healthy, I had the Buffalo Chicken sandwich, a piece of chicken breast with a buffalo sauce (somewhat spicy/hot) and provolone cheese. It was pretty good. I added tomato and lettuce from the fixin's bar. Only two complaints. One part of the chicken was just a tad stringy, though the rest was very good. And the bun seemed a bit tough. Not sure what caused that, it just was a bit tough as if not quite grilled right. Still it was a pretty good sandwich and I cleaned it up.
I also ordered a side salad, a big salad in a huge bowl. Too much shredded cheese for my tastes (trying to be healthy) and a packaged raspberry viniagrette dressing, but it certainly met my goal of having some green veggies.
I would certainly eat here again, but next time I'm going for what they do best, the burger. Yumm!
Decent Southern Smokehouse food in a sports bar atmosphere--that's how I'd sum up my visit with a friend to Daisy Duke's recently. We arrived on a pleasant Friday evening and were promptly greeted and seated by one of several waitresses. All were dressed in "Daisy Dukes"--short-shorts. Makes sense, I guess.
