Author Archives: steve

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers

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**** (4 stars)

Being from the West originally, I’d never heard of Red Robin, but there was much excitement at the office when this place opened. Instant success, very crowded. I was impressed by the professionalism of the staff, even shortly after opening day. The bacon cheeseburger is exactly the recipe I like: lettuce, tomato, mayo, so I’m happy. On a second visit I tried the onion rings, which are excellent and incredibly bad for you. Substitue the salad for the fries that come with the burgers and pretend it’s health food.

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers
3310 Daniels Road
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 654-0626
http://www.yelp.com/biz/red-robin-gourmet-burgers-winter-garden

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

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** (2 stars)

I don’t really get the fuss about this place. The burgers are okay, but nothing special, and their acclaimed fries are everything I hate in a french fry: underdone, limp, and fairly flavorless. I’d much rather go down the street to Red Robin for a burger, or up the street to Checkers for fries.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries
3107 Daniels Rd, Ste 112
Winter Gardens, FL 34787
(407) 905-9811
http://www.yelp.com/biz/five-guys-burgers-and-fries-winter-gardens

Pei Wei Asian Diner

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**** (4 stars)

As a big Asian food fan I really enjoy the ability to choose between Japanese, Chinese, Thai and other cuisines at one place. And I particularly like the fact that even the non-Asian food fans in our group like Pei Wei. Plus they have those really cool programmable Coke machines (that were programmed by a guy who used to work with us). There’s nothing like a vanilla/cherry/lime Diet Coke. Be careful of the calorie counts at Pei Wei, though, because each of those dishes is TWO servings! That’s why I usually have the lettuce wraps.

Pei Wei Asian Diner
8015 Turkey Lake Rd.
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 241-3301
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pei-wei-asian-diner-orlando-6

Arthur’s Catering

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***** (5 stars)

We’ve been hosting Christmas parties for more than twenty years, and have had many great events, but this year’s catering by Arthur’s outdid them all. The staff was friendly, energetic, and just plain nice, and the food was simply awesome. We were looking for some healthful alternatives to the usual party buffet fare, and Arthur’s provided lots of interesting stations with imaginative and extremely tasty offerings that were enjoyed by the adults and kids alike. My favorites were fish tacos, Thai spring rolls, cocktail glass salads and the s’mores bar. What a wonderful evening!

Arthur’s Catering
860 Sunshine Ln
Altamonte Springs, FL 32714
(407) 331-1993
http://www.yelp.com/biz/arthurs-catering-altamonte-springs

Urban Hibachi

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**** (4 stars)

There’s an extensive menu here, with both hot food and sushi. The bento boxes offer a nice assortment, and it’s great to see a sashimi bento as one of the options. Fish quality is pretty good, and the other items in the box were all well-prepared.

It’s noisy inside, but there are a couple of nice tables outside.

Urban Hibachi
3120 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 295-7777
http://www.yelp.com/biz/urban-hibachi-orlando-2

Kona Cafe

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*** (3 stars)

Typical Disney restaurant on the mezzanine of the Polynesian. Kid friendly (and packed with them). The most flavorful thing we had was the teriyaki sauce that accompanied the beef satay. A lot of the selections are fairly bland, so if you have picky eaters it’s a safe bet. Extensive selection of island-themed mixed drinks.

Kona Cafe
Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
(407) 939-3463
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kona-cafe-lake-buena-vista

Bella Tuscany Ristorante Italiano

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**** (4 stars)

This is the best of the three restaurants that have occupied the same spot. Layered eggplant parmesan was delicious, as was the smoked salmon appetizer. The flatbreads are better than the pizza, and aren’t really flatbreads, just a thinner crusted pizza. Interesting wines by the glass. Service is well intentioned. I still hate the lighting in this otherwise beautiful space, as it glares. All the fixtures should be lowered or the globes painted black.

Bella Tuscany Ristorante Italiano
13424 Summerport Village Pkwy
Windermere, FL 34786
(407) 656-2355
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bella-tuscany-ristorante-italiano-windermere