Author Archives: steve

Sweet Tomatoes

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**** (4 stars)

Sweet Tomatoes offers a selection of almost everything you’d want to put in a salad. The trick here is to be good, and stick with the salad, because there are plenty of not-so-healthy temptations, too, such as pizzas, breads, pastas, rich soups, and ice cream. Cleanliness is good, and it’s usually not insanely crowded except in January when everyone else is trying to keep those resolutions.

Sweet Tomatoes
6877 South Kirkman Rd.
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 363-1616
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sweet-tomatoes-orlando-2

Luma on Park

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***** (5 stars)

Offering one of the more hip fine dining environments in town, Luma manages to create a techno vibe without being deafening. A creative, evolving menu offers a nice variety of foods for both vegetarians and carnivores.

Pizzas–more like flatbreads, really–are a great starter. They also make a great burger. These simple foods are not reflective of the overall menu, though, which is fairly sophisticated. Most of the food is more oriented toward small plates, although there are some great entrees as well.

There are plenty of interesting wines to match with a multi course grazing menu, although the wine list is perhaps the most annoying I’ve ever encountered. I’ve seen wines lists sorted by varietal, by country, by color, even by “weight”, but this is the only list I’ve every encountered that is sorted by bottle price and otherwise completely jumbled. Know that you want a chardonnay? Good luck comparing them, as they’ll be scattered randomly around the list.

That said, the wine prices are very reasonable, albeit reflective of fairly obscure selections. There is a reserve list that is less jumbled, and has more recognizable names.

Service is always professional and friendly. There is a small private room beyond the kitchen suitable for parties of eight or so, and also some “chef’s bar” seating that faces the kitchen. For an even more memorable visit, the downstairs wine room offers sofas, a TV, and a single table suitable for about ten. The room can also be rearranged for larger parties.

One of our favorite things to request downstairs is the truffle popcorn, which is amazing.

Luma on Park
290 S Park Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 599-4111
http://www.yelp.com/biz/luma-on-park-winter-park

RA Sushi

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Chili Ponzu Yellowtail Hand Roll

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RA Chips and Salsa

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Zonie Roll

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Shishito Peppers

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Salmon Carpaccio

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Sashimi Lunch Combo

**** (4 stars)

RA Sushi is a good choice for sushi in the International Drive area. Located downstairs off the valet parking turnout of Pointe Orlando, it is a large, stylish restaurant with a variety of seating options, a bar across the front, a sushi bar in the rear, and some patio seating as well.

The sashimi lunch plate is a particularly good choice. It’s available every day at lunch time, even on weekends, and offers 12 generous pieces of sashimi (tuna, salmon and white fish) plus soup and salad for a reasonable price.

I also really like the summer menu’s special hand rolls, which were light and refreshing, almost like summer rolls in a Vietnamese restaurant.

But it’s worth noting that RA Sushi isn’t exactly an authentic sushi bar. I tried ordering a salmon skin roll and was told that since all ingredients are already prepped, they can’t make items not on the menu. What that says is that the sushi chefs are more assemblers than true sushi chefs who can make anything they like. That’s not too surprising, since the chain is owned by Benihana.

Still, the fish was good quality and the price was reasonable, and I’ll certainly return.

RA Sushi
9101 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 454-5600
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ra-sushi-orlando

Piazza Rialto Italian Restaurant

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Five cheese platter

Interior

**** (4 stars)

Rialto has now become the restaurant this neighborhood needs. After a rocky first year, new management and chef have elevated this to an outstanding experience. 

This was always a beautiful space, far nicer than one expects in a small shopping center. Its versatile design lends itself to group meals, family outings, after work time at the bar, pleasant outdoor dining, and romantic dinners for two–quite an accomplishment all in one space.

But now the food and service live up to the environment. New additions such as a cheese platter of mostly French cheeses and a chocolate creme brulee dessert add an international flair, and there are also American offerings such as a buffalo chicken flatbread. But the focus is still on Italian food, with a variety of pastas and classic Italian entrees. The freshly baked bread was top notch, and we particularly enjoyed the antipasto salad, a creative combination of greens, prosciutto and olives.

The biggest improvement is the service. Our waiter, Anthony, was obviously very concerned that we have a great time, and we could see that to be the case with other tables and servers as well. The hands-on approach by management, who visited our table, is also a dramatic change. Clearly everyone is now onboard to turn this into a great restaurant, and we will happily return.

It’s nice to finally have a great Italian restaurant in our neighborhood.

Piazza Rialto Italian Restaurant
7782 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Windermere, FL 34786
(855) 474-2586
http://www.yelp.com/biz/piazza-rialto-italian-restaurant-windermere-2

Hand Roll Sushi

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**** (4 stars)

This attractive sushi restaurant is a nice addition to the neighborhood. It may be the first sushi restaurant I’ve been to that seems to not be run by Asians, so I approached with some skepticism, but we had a nice lunch here.

I started with a small salad with very crisp cold greens and a nice dressing, somewhat lighter but more complex than the traditional ginger dressing.

Their twist on sushi is that they also offer tacos. I wondered what a sushi taco would be like, but it turns out it’s just a regular crispy corn tortilla shell filled with whatever sushi item you select. I tried the tuna taco, and the tuna quality was excellent. The crunchy taco pretty much instantly self destructed, but the combination was good.

The real highlights here are the “Temaki” hand rolls, though. My salmon skin hand roll was the best I’ve had anywhere, and I’ve had a lot of them: plenty of crispy salmon skin with some flavorful meat still attached, well mixed with the rice so I didn’t run out of salmon skin as I ate my way to the bottom of the well-stuffed roll.

Lunch here includes your choice of any two items from an extensive list of tacos, hand rolls and conventional maki rolls, plus soup or salad, all for $8.95. An excellent deal. I plan to return and explore some of the other menu options in the future.

Hand Roll Sushi
2595 S Hiawassee Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(321) 754-1754
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hand-roll-sushi-orlando

Café Tu Tu Tango

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**** (4 stars)

Good tapas style restaurant in the tourist district. One has the impression that there are fewer actual ingredients involved than the extensive menu would suggest, with the same things appearing in several differently named dishes. Good for groups and sharing, and a fairly quiet place to have a leisurely lunch, very like its evening atmosphere. Friendly service, and interesting artwork for sale on the walls.

Café Tu Tu Tango
8625 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 248-2222
http://www.yelp.com/biz/caf%C3%A9-tu-tu-tango-orlando-3

Oak Street Beach Cafe

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*** (3 stars)

It seems three stars is the highest rating this place has ever gotten, but I thought it was fine, and one of the better choices at Midway.

The menu is a bit confusing, but it’s sliders: pick 1, 2, or 3 and what you want in them. I chose tuna. It was well done, which was probably just as well (no pun intended).

Pick your bun. I chose brioche, but I think I got white. Anyway, they were nicely grilled.

Pick your chip seasoning. I chose salt and pepper. As others have noted, they are fresh, but some are soggy. Still, there were about a pound of fresh ones.

The sliders had nice crispy romaine lettuce and decent tomato. No sign of the advertised aioli, but probably just as well.

Employees see sullen but not outright abusive.

Note: prep time is 10-15 minutes, so don’t go here in a rush.

Bottom line: I’d go here again.

Oak Street Beach Cafe
Chicagi Midway International Airport
Chicago, IL 60638

http://www.yelp.com/biz/oak-street-beach-cafe-chicago-2

Longitud315

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***** (5 stars)

Superb ceviche, perhaps the best I’ve had anywhere. The sampling of empanadas as interesting, the arepas less so. The drunken mushrooms were a standout, as was the coconut sorbet served with the chocolate cake.

Wonderfully welcoming atmosphere and superb service throughout our visit make this place a special treat.

Longitud315
315 Waukegan Ave
Highwood, IL 60040
(847) 926-7495
http://www.yelp.com/biz/longitud315-highwood-2

Fuel

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*** (3 stars)

A good place for breakfast. The chilaquiles and pancakes were both fine, not particularly remarkable. The side order of ham was generous and very tasty, sourced (as are many of their offerings) from a local provider. Service was friendly and attentive.

Fuel
1222 Washington Ct
Wilmette, IL 60091
(847) 251-3835
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fuel-wilmette-2

Buffalo Joe’s

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**** (4 stars)

This is a good wings place, but they actually have a lot more, including hamburgers, hot dogs and even vegetarian sandwiches. Everything is cooked to order, so it’s hot and fresh, and there is a nice enough dining area both in front and in back. Service is fast and efficient. Cash only.

Buffalo Joe’s
812 Clark St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 328-5525
http://www.yelp.com/biz/buffalo-joes-evanston