Author Archives: steve

Melts On Main Street

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Who Shot JR

Reuben

Exterior

Interior

**** (4 stars)

This charming sandwich shop also offers a variety of wonderful home cooked specials such as soda bread, stew and quiche. You can also pick up dinner to take home.

As the name implies, most sandwiches are grilled. I had the Reuben, a special, and it was excellent. I wasn’t a huge fan of the very chunky potato salad that came with it.

The Who Shot JR wasn’t quite as flavorful as the Rueben, but it came with a mild blue cheese spread on the side that was a nice accompaniment.

There is live entertainment on Sunday.

Melts On Main Street
108 S Main St
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 656-3587
https://www.yelp.com/biz/melts-on-main-street-winter-garden

Hagan O’Reilly’s Irish Pub

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Buffalo wrap

Buffalo chicken salad

Potato skind

Bar

Exterior

Interior

**** (4 stars)

This is a fairly authentic Irish pub that combines traditional Irish food with modern American sports bar grub. The decor is great, and there are lots of cozy little alcoves all around the perimeter of the dining area. An ornate, L-shaped bar occupies one corner. The only failing is the overly bright lighting.

Potato skins were heavily loaded with bacon and nicely crisped. The Buffalo wrap and Buffalo chicken salad were both good, maybe not the best Buffalo chicken in town, but certainly adequate.

Quite a few beers are available on tap, in bottles and cans, although I would wish for more stouts and porters than the meager selection.

Service was very friendly and prices are reasonable.

Hagan O’Reilly’s Irish Pub
16112 Marsh Rd
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 905-4782
https://www.yelp.com/biz/hagan-o-reillys-irish-pub-winter-garden

La Fiesta Mexican Grill

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Chilequiles

Chili replenish and quesadilla

Exterior

Interior

*** (3 stars)

While the rave reviews got me excited about La Fiesta, we didn’t find anything particularly remarkable about the place. The best thing we had by far was the sangria, which wasn’t too sweet and has lots of fruit chunks.

Cheese nachos were pretty bland, consisting of good chips covered with a liquid white cheese and nothing else, no jalapenos.

The relleno was pretty weird, although the waiter did warn us that it was stuffed with mashed potatoes. We should have followed his suggestion to substitute some kind of meat. The quesadilla was nicely grilled, and filled with cheese and chicken. It was okay, not great, as were the fairly bland rice and beans.

The best entree was the chilaquiles, which seems to be available only at lunch. The green sauce had a lot of flavor, and the shredded chicken and fried egg were good. The chips didn’t really stand up to the sauce, though, and quickly dissolved.

The decor of the restaurant is nice, but overhead fluorescent light aren’t in keeping with the restaurant ambiance.

Service was excellent.

La Fiesta Mexican Grill
3000 Curry Ford Rd
Orlando, FL 32806
(407) 985-4340
https://www.yelp.com/biz/la-fiesta-mexican-grill-orlando

Beth’s Burger Bar

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Exterior

Interior

Bacon Cheeseburger

Bacon Cheeseburger

*** (3 stars)

I like the concept at this place, which isn’t a burger bar, per se, but a counter serve place that lets you specify how your burger is to be assembled, starting with the type of patty, then adding condiments and optional toppings. I had a bacon cheeseburger with everything, and I liked all the toppings except the lettuce, which was shredded rather than leaf. The burger itself was a bit dry, as was the bun.

We loved the frickles (fried pickles) and fried cheese curds, but the french fries weren’t notable.

Beth’s Burger Bar
9938 Universal Blvd
Ste 120
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 203-8100
https://www.yelp.com/biz/beths-burger-bar-orlando-2

Bartaco

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Ceviche

Cheese quesadilla

Mahi, Cauliflower, Baha, Chiclen tacos

Interior

Menu

**** (4 stars)

This surprisingly large space is divided into several indoor areas and a large patio. Tacos are ordered using a form at the table which you then place in a stand to attract your server’s attention.

Each taco is about four bites, and costs either $2.50 or $3.50. The Mahi Mahi taco was healthful, but the Baja taco, which was deep fried with a crunchy crust was better. The most flavorful taco we tried was the cauliflower, because of the spicy, nutty sauce. Least interesting was the chicken.

We also tried the cheese quesadilla and the ceviche. The quesadilla was nicely cooked to a golden brown, but the cheese wasn’t particularly flavorful. Addition of the hot sauces on the table helped. The ceviche contained a nice portion of Mahi Mahi in lime juice, and was good, if more expensive than the other items at $7.

A lunch deal give you a choice of three tacos and a soup or salad, not a big discount, but a nice combination.

There is a short list of wines and a longer list of beers.

Service was extremely attentive.

Bartaco
7600 Dr Phillips Blvd
Ste 28
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 801-8226
https://www.yelp.com/biz/bartaco-orlando-2

The Tam O’Shanter

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Prime rib English cut

Toad in the hole

Exterior

Bar

Interior

***** (5 stars)

Opened in 1922, Tam O’Shanter is one of LA’s oldest restaurants. Although it is owned by Lawry’s, the atmosphere is quite different, with cozy nooks and fireplaces everywhere throughout the rabbit warren of rooms.

As at Lawry’s, prime rib is a major attraction, but there are many other interesting dishes, some with an Old World history, such as Toad in the Hole, which here is served as a large Yorkshire Pudding filled with stew ingredients.

The wine list at first looks small, but it is simply compact. Extensive selections are available in every category, and pricing is reasonable.

Our server, Mark, was that rare mixture of professional waiter, interesting personality, and gracious host, and he made our evening a delight.

The Tam O’Shanter
2980 Los Feliz Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90039
(323) 664-0228
https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-tam-o-shanter-los-angeles

Twin Peaks

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Quesadilla

BBQ burger with bacon

Exterior

Interior

*** (3 stars)

This sports bar follows the Hooters formula, but has better food than Hooters or the nearby Ale House. There are so many TV screens here they hardly need lighting. Aside from long communal tables there are also individual tables for four that are a bit quieter. I like that they play rock music rather than the soundtrack of the TV sports, and that it wasn’t too loud to talk.

Of course the main draw is supposed to be the vast expanse of midriff exposed by your server, but the hamburger (I had the sweet BBQ burger plus bacon) was excellent.

Twin Peaks
12353 Winter Garden Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL 32836
(407) 778-4810
https://www.yelp.com/biz/twin-peaks-orlando-3

Dialog Cafe

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Macchiato

Interior

***** (5 stars)

This cute, family owned coffee shop just off the Sunset Strip offers friendly service and excellent coffee drinks. There are also a large number of breakfast items, and tasty croissants. My macchiato was perfect and attractive.

Dialog Cafe
8766 Holloway Dr
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 289-1630
https://www.yelp.com/biz/dialog-cafe-west-hollywood

Spice Affair Indian Restaurant

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Ice cream

Mango mousse

Butter chicken

Chick pea and walnut

Cauliflower

Interior

Sign

***** (5 stars)

It’s really nice to find a truly elegant Indian restaurant. Spice Affair backs up its stylish decor with excellent service and creative, flavorful cuisine.

The highlight of our meal was definitely the Butter Chicken, and it’s hard to imagine going here and not having this dish. Garlic Naan bread was great for dipping in the sauce, although it could have had more garlic.

We also really liked both appetizers we shared, a crispy cauliflower dish and patties made of chickpeas and walnuts. The accompanying raita was particularly good.

None of us cared for the salmon entree, which was fishy, and didn’t have a particularly appealing coating. When the server noticed this he offered to exchange it, but when we demurred he brought us several complimentary desserts. That and many other touches really impressed us with the professionalism of this restaurant, and I’m sure we’ll return.

Spice Affair Indian Restaurant
50 N La Cienega Blvd
Ste 120
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
(424) 286-1739
https://www.yelp.com/biz/spice-affair-indian-restaurant-beverly-hills

Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen – Little Tokyo

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Yaki ramen and sides

Hamachi carpaccio

Hakata ramen and sides

Exterior

Interior

Menu

**** (4 stars)

Whatever type of ramen you like, you’ll find it here. The order form is quite ingenious, allowing you to specify how soft you want your noodles, how strong the brother, and how much oil. There are also lots of inexpensive sides you can use as toppings.

The interior is bustling and crowded, but the outside seating was wonderful.

Excellent service.

Shin-Sen-Gumi Hakata Ramen – Little Tokyo
132 S Central Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 687-7108
https://www.yelp.com/biz/shin-sen-gumi-hakata-ramen-little-tokyo-los-angeles-4