Author Archives: steve

The Tasting Room

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***** (5 stars)

The Tasting Room is the best small plates restaurant in Central Florida. It’s run by Laurie and Kevin Tarter, who are famous for The Chef’s Table at the Edgewater, one of Central Florida’s top fine dining restaurants, and perpetual winner of most romantic restaurant. In fact, The Tasting Room is right in front of The Chef’s Table, and they share a kitchen which explains the extraordinarily high quality of the food.

Highlights include the duck fat fries, smoked fish dip, and interesting salads.

In addition, there is a terrific bar, with a vast collection of interesting spirits and original cocktails, plus a well-curated wine and beer list.

Live music adds to the great ambiance several nights a week. Plus it’s located in historic Winter Garden, a truly charming town that is a great exemplar of how amazing Central Florida can be just a short drive from the theme parks.

The Tasting Room
99 W Plant StSte 5
Winter Garden, FL
34787
(407) 230-4837
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-tasting-room-winter-garden-3

Papa D Pizza

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Calzone

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***** (5 stars)

A lot of pizza restaurants think they know how to make calzones, but they basically just fold their pizzas in half. Not at Papa D! This is a real calzone, with a light, crisp, paper-thin crust filled with the best ingredients. I had pepperoni, red peppers, and ricotta, in addition to the standard mozzarella. It’s served with a bowl of fresh marinara. It was easily the best calzone I’ve had anywhere.

Papa D Pizza
5106 Dr Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL
32819
(407) 299-0033
https://www.yelp.com/biz/papa-d-pizza-orlando

Susuru

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Susuru chashu gohan

Chicken breast yakitori, brussel sprouts yasai, short rib kushiyaki

Okonomiyaki

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***** (5 stars)

What a great place! This is an authentic Japanese Izakaya, just like you’d find in Tokyo. There’s no other place in Central Florida like this.

Choose yakitori skewers from a full menu, or have a delicious okonomiyaki. The mini rice bowls are also delicious.

There’s a fairly extensive sake and sochu list as well.

Service is friendly and prices are very reasonable.

Susuru
8548 Palm Pkwy
Orlando, FL
32836
(407) 778-4813
https://www.yelp.com/biz/susuru-orlando-2

Aku Aku Tiki Bar

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Eric at the bar

 

***** (5 stars)

This is Orlando’s best real tiki bar, with an excellent selection of rums, and a nice variety of traditional and modern tiki drinks. The Sunday bartender, Eric, is particularly passionate about all things tiki, and can give you an amazing guided tour of the science of making a great tiki cocktail.

The intimate size and eclectic historic tiki decor make this a very cool place for tiki aficionados to hang out and experience the real thing.

Aku Aku Tiki Bar
431 E Central Blvd
Orlando, FL
32801
(407) 839-0080
https://www.yelp.com/biz/aku-aku-tiki-bar-orlando

Waffle House

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All star breakfast

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*** (3.5 stars)

You know what? Waffle House has good food.

I know, I know, they’re kind of low-brow, old fashioned, tacky, but that can be fun. And I would put their All-Star breakfast up against Denny’s, Keke’s or First Watch any day.

My over easy eggs were perfectly cooked, the super crispy bacon was full of flavor–as was the waffle–and the hashbrowns were well done as I requested. Coffee was decent and the service was attentive. What more can you ask?

Waffle
6990 W Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL
32818
(407) 293-8048
https://www.yelp.com/biz/waffle-house-orlando

Steak ’n Shake

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Bacon cheeseburger includes fries, cookie and a side of chili

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** (2 stars)

I’m always amazed a the value Steak and Shake offers. For the price of a burger at a fast food chain you can get a good sized specialty burger, a half a plate of fries, a large bowl of chili (or other side of your choice) and a cookie. And it’s table service. There are better burgers in town, but there aren’t better deals.

Steak ’n Shake
12163 S Apopka-vinland Rd
Orlando, FL
32836
(407) 238-9550
https://www.yelp.com/biz/steak-n-shake-orlando-4

Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine – Lake Nona

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**** (4.5 stars)

This Lake Nona branch is the third location for this small chain, after Winter Park and Dr. Philips, and it’s definitely the nicest. (I understand a fourth is coming soon to Winter Garden.)

My favorite item is the appetizer sampler of dips, which includes Humus, Babaganoush, Sautéed Eggplant, Tabbuli, Ezme, Tarama, Haydari, and Zetinyagli Yaprak Dolma. Be sure to get it with Halvas, the large, hollow pita-like bread for dipping.

I also like the Doner Kebap, which is thin slices of gyro lamb over rice.

Don’t be afraid of the Turkish wines. They’re quite good, and a flight gives you the chance to sample two ounces of four different ones and pick your favorite.

The place is large, hard surfaced, and gets busy, so don’t expect a quiet meal. If not for that, I would have given it another star.

Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine – Lake Nona
6900 Tavistock Lakes BlvdSte 100
Orlando, FL
32827
(407) 313-2506
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bosphorous-turkish-cuisine-lake-nona-orlando

Froz – N7

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***** (5 stars)

This is a friendly shop that specializes in frozen to order ice cream using liquid nitrogen. I like the fact that you can select non-dairy produces like coconut milk and then add in any flavor you want to get combinations that aren’t otherwise available. They also have lots of suggested recipes, or just do your own thing.

Friendly service, and a nice space.

Froz – N7
1481 E Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy
Saint Cloud, FL
34771
(407) 593-8300
https://www.yelp.com/biz/froz-n7-saint-cloud

China Lily

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Pork lomein

Boneless ribs

Eggroll

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*** (3.5 stars)

This is a typical small Chinese restaurant in a strip mall. It offers a very comprehensive menu. Although they have a good size dining area, they seem to be focused on takeout. I wasn’t a big fan of the interior, so I ate at one of the two tables on the front walkway, which was very pleasant.

My food was extremely fresh and hot, obviously prepared to order. The eggroll was nice and crispy, with lots of fresh veggies inside that weren’t overcooked.

The small portion of boneless ribs was very generous, and good quality.

Pork lo mein was also pretty good and certainly hot, but I might have something more interesting next time.

Communication wasn’t all that easy with the guy working the counter, but he got my order right!

China Lily
360 Moore Rd
Ocoee, FL
34761
(407) 656-6868
https://www.yelp.com/biz/china-lily-ocoee

Little Greek – Windermere

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Gyro pita combo with Greek salad

**** (4.5 stars)

I really enjoyed my visit here. The service was friendly, the price fair, and there is an excellent outside eating area.

I had the Gyro pita combo which comes with a drink and choice of side item. I chose the Greek salad, which was a large portion of lettuce, tomato slice, olives, potato salad, a slice of beet, feta cheese, and an excellent oil and vinegar based Greek dressing.

The pita itself was warm, and generously stuffed with tasty gyro meat, lettuce, tomato and tzatziki sauce.

I felt like it was a very healthful and tasty meal, and I’ll be back soon.

Little Greek – Windermere
6536 Old Brick RdSte 130
Windermere, FL
34786
(407) 612-5952
https://www.yelp.com/biz/little-greek-windermere-windermere