RedBrick Pizza

After my last visit to RedBrick Pizza in Sanford, I wrote that I would probably not go back because I was underwhelmed. But I went back to give them a second try after getting an email telling me they were under new management and a similar comment on my previous blog post. So, almost two years to the day later, we once again ventured to RedBrick Pizza to give them a second try. It was later in the evening, past 7 PM on a Saturday evening, and we were in search of a light bite to eat.

The place was not very busy when we entered, maybe three or so tables occupied. But we were promptly greeted and our order promptly taken. Also, it arrived rather quickly. We'd barely uttered the words "medium pepperoni with mushrooms" when we saw our pizza being made. So, the service was friendly, the restaurant was clean, and the food arrived promptly and nice and hot.

Our pepperoni and mushroom pizza was OK, but just OK. I guess the first thing that confused me was how the pizza dough was made. RedBrick says they are "gourmet" pizza, but they use a machine to press out the dough into a nice, neat, round with a nice, neat, precise raised edge. The dough was just OK, nothing really set it apart, and I think a hand pressed/made crust is far superior to a machine made crust. The sauce and cheese and toppings were good and the pizza was cooked properly. So it was a good pizza. But just not a great pizza. It was served hot and fresh and fast and for the just-over $11 price, not too bad, but it just did not strike me as gourmet. However, if I was looking to have a decent pizza cooked properly and served fast, I would come back. Still, the experience was not enough to convince me to change my urbanspoon.com vote, sorry. It was OK, but there is much better pizza in the area. Of course, those places (like Caffe Positano and Terra Mia) are usually much more busy and much harder to get into, but there's a reason for that. And a reason that RedBrick was so not-busy on a Saturday evening.  

Bahama Breeze Island Grille

My friend Tommy and I went to Bahama Breeze Island Grille in Altamonte Spring for dinner on a recent Friday evening. I knew we'd have to wait, and sure enough there was a 45-60 minute wait. But it was a pleasant evening and we found a nice spot on the large patio and had a few drinks while we were waiting.

Eventually we were seated and we started off with the Firecracker Shrimp appetizer. This was pretty gosh darned good, though not the best I've had, buttermilk battered shrimp that were deep fried and served with a fiery, creamy red pepper remoulade. Still, I'd have it again. The shrimp could have been cooked just a half minute less, but they were not way overdone either. The remoulade was great and a nice accompaniment. I liked this dish a lot.

For his meal, Tommy decided on soup and another appetizer. For the soup he had the Bahamian Seafood Chowder. The soup had a cream base and contained shellfish and vegetables, and was topped with a few fried shrimp. It was very good. I know, because I had a taste.

Then he had the Chicken Empanadas. They were the normal fried pastries with an adobo seasoned chicken filling that also had with mushrooms, sweet peppers and onion. Ut was served with a seasoned sour cream and black bean roasted corn and fresh tomato salsa on the side. The empanadas were good and the salsa was very good, it had a nice and bright flavor. Another hit!

For my main course, I had one of my favorite dishes, one I've eaten at a number of restaurants, Shrimp and Grits. It was good, though not great. The shrimp were cooked pretty well, but again, maybe 15-30 seconds overcooked. However, they were not way beyond cooked and so were not at all rubbery, something I abhor. The grits were good enough though just a bit clumpy and not quite as creamy as they should have been. I think they could have suffered a bit of stirring and a few more drops of cream before being served, then they'd have been nice and creamy. The accompanying green beans were very lightly steamed and were good. Overall, this was pretty good, though nothing set it above some of the other shrimp n grits meals I've had. 

Our experience here was pretty good. Our server, Amber, was attentive and helpful. We enjoyed the meal and the prices seemed about right for what we got.

Outback Steakhouse

We had a very nice dinner recently at the Outback Steakhouse in Sanford. We started with drink. I had a beer but my friend Tommy had the Margarita. He said it was absolutely delicious. After a long, hard day of work, I'm sure it was.

We started with the Grilled Shrimp on the Barbie and they were wonderful. We had them wood-grilled and the flavor and aroma of the wood was apparent. And, they were cooked right, just done, not overcooked. They were lightly seasoned and accompanied by a remoulade sauces that was fantastic.

For my main course I had the Alice Springs Chicken, a wood-fire grilled chicken breast topped with sauteed mushrooms, crisp bacon, monterey and cheddar cheese, and finished with a honey mustard sauce. I had my accompanied by broccoli. The meal was delcious. The chicken was nice and tender, and the broccoli was just lightly steamed. I love mine with a bit of lemon juice. It was a very good meal, I enjoyed it.

My friend Tommy had the Outback Special, a 6 oz. sirloin filet that was grilled on the wood-fired grill. It was accompanied by a loaded baked potato. I had a taste of the steak and it was indeed delicious, cooked just as ordered, tender and juicy, with a nice wood-grill flavor and aroma.

There is a reason that we keep going back to Outback time after time, and that is consistency. Their food is always consistently good. I've have some of the best shrimp ever at Outback (unfortunately, that item, the Shrimp on the Barbie, is no longer on the menu--dang!). But whatever I've had there, it's always good, the service is always good, and the meal is a fair value for the price. I guess I'll keep going back!

Tuesto Café

Wow! My friend Tommy brought home a sandwich from Tuesto Café today and it was mighty fine.

The sandwich we had was a the Pulled Roast Pork sandwich. The pork was roasted very well, tender and juicy. It was served on a Cuban type roll with swiss cheese, onions, mayo, and mojo sauce. It was an excellent sandwich. The pork was so tender and juicy, it was amazing. There was not a lot of other seasoning and that allowed the flavor of the pork to shine through. Nice job.

Along with that we had the Potato Ball. A round ball of potatoes was stuffed with a delicious ground beef filling, then breaded and deep fried. It was delicious! Based on this experience, I'd certainly go back--again and a gain. It could be a very addicting place and a great lunch or "quick bite" place.

Willow Tree Café and Octoberfest

Willow Tree Café was featured on My Fox Orlando recently. You can see the segment here.  Octoberfest starts tonight, Thursday October 13th, at Willow Tree Cafe as a part of the monthly Alive After Five event. As always, I'll be hanging out much of the time at Art Affair Gallery. Join us!

Tree House Food Truck

We stopped by Tree House Food Truck  the other night and liked what I had. We were at the Apopka Food Truck Roundup, a fairly new event held the first Thursday of every month at Kit Land Nelson park in Apopka. There were about 14 various food trucks in attendance. We'd already eaten, but were looking for dessert, and I was drawn to the Tree House Food Truck by one very particular thing...bad spelling and grammar. Now, as a proud Polak (person of Polish-American heritage), I could not let their advertisement for pierogi pass for two reasons: (1) I love pierogi and am an expert, and (2) I am the Polish spelling police, and they had a violation. So when I saw pierogi on the menu, I knew I had to try them, and when I saw the word grossly misspelled, I had to comment

A pierog (single, one) is a little dumpling that is filled with a filing and usually boiled, then fried, and served with some accompaniments. In Polish, "pierog" refers to one, singular, and "pierogi" refers to more than one, plural. So, the word "pierogi" is already a plural word and adding an "es" to it is not correct. Worse yet, the forgot the first "i"... it's Pierogi, not perogi--that is not a Polish word with any meaning.

But, on to the pierogi (there were three of them, so plural, and now spelled correctly). The actual pierogi themselves were just OK, but the way they were served deserves comment and accolade. The pierogi appeared to be very average, maybe even the "Mrs. T's" store brand (hint, guys, buy them at the Europol store on Aloma and 436--they are much better there). They were boiled and then fried, very traditional. But then they were topped with a very delicious sour creme sauce and sprinkled with some fried bacon. I'd guess the sour creme sauce had some yogurt in it as well as chives and dill, but it was sure delicious and really made up for the pierogi's somewhat bland filling. I'd probably eat these again, but if they really use quality pierogi--and I could show them how to make some excellent pierogi--they'd have a real hit on their hands.

And then the dessert. The picture here does not does it justice. This cookie was at least 6 inches across and nicely cooked, nice and moist and tender. It was a Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookie, and at $2, it as a steal! Moist, tender, with a hint of salt and some nice chunks of chocolate, this was a very good cookie and we both enjoyed it. 

We really enjoyed our time at the Apopka Food Truck Roundup, and that was in part due to the good food (bad spelling notwithstanding) at the Treehouse Truck. If you want to know where they'll be next, you can friend and follow them on Facebook.    

C&S Brisket Bus

We ate some decent sandwiches at the C&S Brisket Bus at the Apopka Food truck Roundup on the first Thursday of October. The event started recently and is held every first Thursday in at Kit Land Nelson Park in Apopka. After looking over the various offereings of the 14 trucks in attendance, we decided to give C&S Brisket Bus's food a try. It was good. 

I had the Texas Brisket, smoked sliced brisket covered with a sweet and sour barbecue sauce and served sandwich style on Texas Toast. At $9 for a whole and $6 for a half, the choice was a no-brainer. I had the whole and then split it with my friend Tommy. The brisket was nicely smoke and the barbecue sauce did somewhat remind me of Texas BBQ, though maybe from far east Texas, as close to Tennessee and the Carolias as you can get, due to the bit of tang from the vinegar. Yet, it was very good. The Texas toast was the perfect vehicle for this hearty sandwich.

My friend Tommy had the Carolina Pulled Brisket Sandwich, grilled smoked brisket that was mixed with an eastern North Carolina type vinegar based barbecue sauce and served on grilled white bread. It was the same price, so again, a no-brainer, we each ended up with half. This was a very good sandwich and I'd say I liked it marginally better than the Texas sandwich. Still, they were both very good. If anything could be said for either sandwich as a criticism, I'd say just a tad more sauce would be in order, to really highlight the BBQ flavor. But overall, a nice job, we liked this. Now to try some of their other items another time. And I will be back, for sure.

If you'd like to know where this Food Truck is, friend them on Facebook!

Eola Wine Company

A recent Sunday afternoon found us in Winter Park, and we had lunch at Eola Wine Company. It was a good choice, and there are many choices in Winter Park. We both agreed, based on our experience here, we'd come back!

We both were in the mood for something rather light, and their brunch menu seemed just perfect. We started out with the Mimosa Flight, samples of four of their signature Mimosas. The price included one more of the favorite. The flavors included Raspberry, Peach, traditional (orange), and Banana. Our least favorite was the banana, as there was no discernable banana taste. Our most favorite was the Raspberry--great flavor. We split on the other two. 

For my brunch I had the Tomato, Artichoke and Bacon Quicche. It was fantastic. It was a personal size quicche with a very nice an buttery crust. The flavors were very good and quite distinct, though i had a harder time tasting the artichoke. Still, it was very good. The mixed green salad that accompanied it was very good, and i had a house balsamic viniagrette with it--yumm! It was accompanied with a bunch of small red grapes--small in size, but huge in flavor. This was a very good dish.

My friend Tommy had the BBT, a bacon, basil, tomato and cream cheese sandwich served on a bagel. It was fantastic! It was very good. the creaminess of the cream cheese was a nice contrast to the bacon and tomato. It, too, was served with a salad of mixed greens and red grapes. We really enjoyed our meal here. Our service was attentive, even though we sat outside. We had a chance to do some people-watching on a nice summer afternoon. Lucky for us it had rained a bit early and so the heat was not so bothersome. This was a very nice place and I'd come back here again. Nice job! 

Romansa Restaurant, Wine Bar & Lounge

I found Romansa Restaurant, Wine Bar & Lounge while searching urbanspoon.com for Eastern European restaurants. So we went there for dinner. It was OK, some hits, some misses. Definitely interesting.

Romansa has a few Serbian items on their menu, but in general it's a pretty general menu and would please all manner of diners, from steaks and fish to burgers and fries.

We started out with an appetizer, the Beer-Battered Onion Rings. The onion rings were perfect! I nice beer batter was fried to absolute perfection, They were tasty and served piping hot. I would not change a thing abou them. Certainly an American food item through and through, but also done right. There are many chances for error with somethign as simple as onion rings (old oil, under/overcooking, too much/little salt, etc.), but these were done right.

We started of with salads. The salads themselves wer ordinary, iceberg lettuce cut into small squares. I bit of mixed greens would have made the salads a bit exotic. Simple iceberg screams "diner" to me. The were garnished with a bit of carrot and red cabbage, and a slice of tomato. I had the house dressing and it was very good, an oil and vinegar with a somewhat Italian-like combination of herbs and spices, yet some flavors that were not run-of-the-mill and said "exotic" to me. I liked it, outside of the plain iceberg lettuce. My friend Tommy had the Blue Cheese dressing--it was common and ordinary, most likely out of a bottle.

We also had some bread with our meal. It was very good, nice and crusty, and the seasoning on the bread, a flavor theme that ran thoroughout our meal, was also very good.

I ordered two entrees, only because one was available in a small size, and because both were Serbian, a type of food I've never had before, that I recall.  The first was called Cevapi, small, grilled, rolls of minced meat that were spiced with "secret spices. They were served on a very delicious bun of sorts and accompanied by a bit of iceberg lettuce, some chopped onions, and a delicious red pepper and eggplant puree. The meat was very good and also quite spicy, though not in a "hot" sense. It was good with a lot of flavor though perhaps just a bit dry. I'm not sure how you'd keep meat in this condition more moist. But this was quite good actually.

My second (and main) entree was called Pljeskavica, a ground beef patty that was mixed with "secret spices" and stuffed with bacon and cheese. It was tastly and flavorful. It was also just a bit "tough." A steak knife would have helped. I would guess that if you're going to finely grind meat and add spices, then it would be a bit tough. It was tasty and flavorful, however. It was also accompanied by the lettuce, onion, and red pepper/eggplant puree. For a side I ordered the steamed broccoli. Unfortunately what I got was well overcooked broccoli that was a drab green color, cooked well beyond the few minutes of steaming it should have gotten. I think it was over-sauteed. It was edible, but certainly not the great side it could have been. 

My friend Tommy ordered the Roasted Pork Medallions, accompanied by Mashed Potatoes. It was served with a garnish of a leaf of the aforementioned (and overused) iceberg lettuce with a slice of tomato and a few shavings of carrot and red cabbage. The mashed potatoes were pretty ordinary, though appeared "real" and not from a box. The disappointment here was the meat--it was very dry. Like way dry. The BBQ sauce and cheese that topped the medallions added some nice flavors, but the meat itself was dry, very dry, and thus a bit chewy. I would say this dish was a miss in that sense. Pork is hard to cook properly because of its low fat content, and this was a miss.

Our service during our meal was excellent. We were one of only two tables during our meal, but were well taken care of. Our waitress--the ticket says her name was Dragana--certainly knew the food and the menu and took very good care of us, along with another young lady who was "in training." I'd guess that perhaps Dragana is Serbian, she certainly knew the food and the names of the dishes rolled off her tongue quite easily. The prices were decent and the $5 house Merlot was good and an adequate pour.  I'm not sure that I'd go back for the Serbian food for dinner, but I'd certainly like to try them for lunch, they have a nice selection of burgers and other lunch food.       

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches

I had a quick lunch recently at Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches in Lake Mary. I left with mixed feelings. Not bad. Not great. Kind of middle of the road with more minuses than pluses, I think. But I'll give them the benefit of the doubt at this time and vote "like." I reserve the right to change that at a later date.

Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches is a chain and they have sub sandwiches. We were greeted by a seeminly bored and somewhat disinterested young lady at the counter who talked in a quiet voice and quite fast. It was our first time but she sure did not take any pains to make us feel welcome or to help us out. But, after a few moments, we were able to order. We placed our order, accepted the suggested "make it a combo" question. and were handed our receipt. If she thanked us, I did not hear it. We had to ask where we pick up our sandwiches, to which she replied and motioned to the nearby counter. We found the drink machines, then went back to claim our chips, and by now the sandwiches were ready--we heard someone mention "ten and eleven," the numbers of our subs.

Upon sitting down, I looked around for napkins. I could not see any. I went back to the counter and asked the aforementioned young lady and she sort of gestured to the other end of the counter where there were a few (and only a few) scattered behind the counter. I guess I had to help myself, so I did.

The sandwich was OK, but only OK. The lettuce and tomatoes and meat all were good and fresh. And the bun (called french bread) was fresh. Maybe just a bit too fresh. It was just a bit doughy and a bit light in color--it should have been cooked another minute or two, it would have been much better. It was not bad, just not perfect. When there are so many choices for lunch, and so many sub shops, you really have to be perfect--this was not.

One of their claims to fame is speed. Indeed, we'd barely ordered our sandwiches when they were ready, so they really were speedy. And the prices are rather decent for the amount of food. It was good, just not great.

Vida Latin Restaurant

I had a most delicious lunch here at Vida Latin Restaurant the other day and will certainly be back for more, and soon. I went with friends from work who had raved about the food, service, and value and found they were right.

I ordered one of their specials--it was only $8.88 and was more than I could eat. The meal started with a small delicious salad of chopped greens, carrot, and a few other normal salad fixin's. It was good. But the main star was the plateful of food that soon arrived, and the accompanying black beans. There was a good-sized mound of pork that was tender and delicious, and accompanied by a wonderful "gravy." The vegetable rice was also very good, nice and tasty, and fresh. And the cup of black beans? Well, I'd say they were about the best black beans I've ever had, simply outstanding. Oh, and don't let me forget the tender, sweet plantains. All in all it was a wonderful meal with wonderful service. I will certainly go back again, and soon!

Don Pablo's

My friend Tommy and I had dinner at Don Pablo's in Sanford recently, and it was pretty good for the price. We started out, of course, with the complimentary chips and salsa. They really are very good. The chips were nice and fresh and the salsa had a great flavor--though of course I could have used just a bit of heat with it. But still, it was among the bettter salsa's I've had in a chain restaurant.

I chose a combination platter that came with three enchiladas and two tacos, as well as teh trimmings. It was a lot of food. There were three enchiladas, one each of chicken, ground meat, and cheese. All were delicious, and each served a bit differently, two with various red sauces, one with a green sauce. I liked them. 

The dinner also came with two tacos, one soft with chicken, one hard with beef. Both were also delicious. And of course, refried beans and rice were the accompaniments.

My Friend Tommy had the Chimichanga with spicy beef. I did not find the beef exceptionally spicy but it did have a nice, gentle heat to it. The meat itself was just a bit on the tough side, however. Still, it was not a bad dish. It was also accompanied by refried beans and rice.

Overall this was a good meal, and a big meal. We both had leftover to take home, in part due--I am sure--to the chips and salsa. I've always enjoyed the food at Don Pablo's, though at times I find it a bit loud inside with lots of noise. If there are some noisy parties going on, the space is large and very open and it resounds through the place. They also make their tortillas there fresh, and it shows. Overall a good experience.  

Kobé Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar

If you're looking for a fun evening with a gathering of family or friends or some special occasion, then Kobé Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi Bar is worth a try. You'll certainly be entertained. It does come at a price, though, and that's that the food is mediocre at best. So there is a trade-off: great fun, yes; great food, no.

I was at Kobe recently for a retirement dinner for a former coworker. We all had a very good time and it was a lot of fun. That said, the food was a letdown. My shrimp were well over cooked and rubbery. The stir fried rice was somewhat flavorless, and the low mein noodles only slightly better. The stir fried vegetables, however were very good.

I would recommend you come here at least once for the entertainment. You may be back a second time, but it will not be for the food.

Garlic Crabhouse

I had perhaps the best ever snapper at Garlic Crabhouse the other night. I really mean the best ever. It was truly a delight.


Garlic Crabhouse is not a fancy place, it's more of a diner feel. But boy did I sure feel welcome and well taken care of when we stopped in here for dinner recently.

I started my meal with a salad which was pretty ordinary, standard diner-type of salad, with ranch dressing in a big ole plastic squeeze bottle--one of two choices. It was good and fresh, no complaints.

But then the gem of the meal arrived. I chose a dinner which had snapper and shrimp, prepared jerk-style. The shrimp were good, not over cooked. The jerk was very mild. But the snapper. Oh my! It was absolutely awesome. Tender, moist, creamy, flavorful--it was everything good fish should be--and more. I think it was about the best fish i have ever had in my whole life, and that's a high compliment. 

To go with our meals we had a variety of choices. Mine were salad, red beans and rice, and cabbage. Tommy had the corn on the cob instead of a salad. The red beans and rice were very good, as was the cabbage. The corn was a bit overdone, though, but still edible.

Tommy had the fried tilapia and shrimp, ant it was also very good. The breading was nice and light, cornmeal based, and very good. His shrimp were perhaps just a bit overcooked, but the fish was spot-on.


We had very attentive service during our meal by two of the waitstaff---they were extremely helpful and pleasant. Overall, our experience here was very good. I'd certainly go back again. And again. And again!

Hollerbach’s Magnolia Square Market

What a delightful place. We are fortunate to have this market/deli in downtown Sanford. Hollerbach’s Magnolia Square Market is the market arm of the famous German restaurant, Hollerbach's Willow Tree Café. The Willow Tree is currently the #4 top restaurant in Orlando according to Urbanspoon.com, and it's with good reason.

I was in Sanford at the Saturday Farmer's Market recently, and stopped in to see what progress they'd made since they first opened about a month or so ago. It's a lot of progress. When we were there, the shop was lively with quite a few people shopping and looking around. They have an extensive selection of  German products, cans, jars, packages. They also have a nice deli section with everything from potato salad to fine sausages and meats. Something for everyone who loves German food.

They also have a nice selection of German Beers, probably the best selection in the area, with fair prices. I'd guess that if you can't find your favorite German beer here, it's not to be found in the state!


As if that weren't enough, they also have a fine (and growing) selection of home brewing supplies!

Grains, malt extracts, hops, yeast, and brewing equipment, they have it all, and a wish-list for what they do not have. A brief conversation told me that they have quite a few people signed up for home brewing classes, too. This is a great addition.


As if that wasn't enough, I have just learned that one of their long time employees, Janet, is writing a blog about her experiences and the selection of food items at the Market. The blog is called Magnolia Square Market's Blog, or American Girl in a German Deli Blog! Check it out, it's very interesting. And if you spend any time at the Willow Tree, you will recognize Janet, she's often the hostess, and the server for Alive After Five events. 


I really like this place and am sure to be back. Check it out!

Carmela's of Brooklyn Restaurant Pizzeria

I enjoyed my first--but not last--Carmela's experience the other night. Overall, this was a very good experience. With a few tweaks, it would have been great!

We started out with a small (13") pepperoni pizza as an appetizer. If you claim to be a New York pizzeria, you better deliver, and Carmela's did! The pizza was fabulous, all that I'd expect a NY style pizza to be--cheesy, crisply, nice pepperoni flavor, just wonderful. But we knew we'd be eating more, so we only had two slices. But I will tell you this: it was equally good the next day when reheated in a hot oven on a pizza stone--a great reliving of the original experience. What a fantastic pizza, I'd come back just for that alone!

For his entree, my friend Tommy had the Penne with Grilled Chicken. First off, the chicken itself was awesome, it had a great grilled flavor and was nice and tender. However, there was something missing from the dish. It needed something to make it a bit special, including a bit more salt. I don't think the cook/chef tasted the sauce. The mushrooms were nice, the penne was good, but there was some small element missing. Additionally, the presentation was just a bit plain. The big, wide-rimmed plate first of all needed a bit better cleaning, but it also needed something, like a little dusting of Italian Parsely--that small touch would have made a big difference in the presentation. But the somewhat blandness of the sauce was indeed saved by the awesome flavor of the chicken.

For my entree I had the Penne a la Vodka. Wow. first the only (and minor) bad--again, the plate lacked a good look. Just a bit of cleaning of the plate and a smattering of parsley on the wide white rim would have really set this dish off. However, the flavor was spot-on fantastic. It was really good. I think maybe the proscuitto should have been more finely diced and fried just a tiny bit, but in the flavor department, this dish really rocked. The vodka creame sauce was awesome, maybe the best I've ever had, and I'm not one to give out such compliments freely. This was an amazing dish and I'd urge you to give it a try. It was wonderful.

We really had our fill after this (and had some additional leftovers) but the 2 for $2.20 Canneloni special called our names, so we tried that as well. They were very good. The shell itself was very crispy and crunchy, a nice texture balance to the creamy and very sweet filling. I'm not a huge "sweet" fan but these were very good.


Overall, our experience was very good, and I'd recommend Carmela's to others--it was very good. There were a few mis-steps, though, and our service was one of them. At first, our server Michael was a bit attentive, but as time went on he was more and more absent. A bit more attention to customers is crucial to success. Maybe he was new, but I hope he learns. Also, the plating was a bit sloppy and a bit plain. But overall, with a few seasoning adjustments, the food was spot on--and the pizza simply outstanding. I'd sure go back again!