**** (4 stars)
Much improved after the take over by a French holding company. Now the menu really is French. There is a small selection of mostly sandwiches at lunch time, but everything we tried was good The Croque Madame is fairly traditional. Ask for the mornay sauce on the side. The decor at this Mimi’s isn’t quite as cozy as the one at the Mall at Millenia.
Mimis Cafe
3130 Daniels Rd
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 656-5075
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mimis-cafe-winter-garden
**** (4 stars)
This place is vastly improved since being taken over by French owners. The menu now truly is French inspired. Bouillabaisse was tasty, if a bit more the consistency of gumbo. Service was super professional. This is one of the more nicely decorated Mimi’s.
Mimi’s Cafe
4175 Millenia Blvd
Orlando, FL 32839
(407) 370-0333
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mimis-cafe-orlando
***** (5 stars)
Wow, the breakfast menu here is incredible. Whether you want a scramble, hash, eggs, or something sweet, this is the place, as evidenced by the line to get in. Great ambiance and service. Note that you can swap the toast for a really nice serving of fruit.
Meli Cafe & Juice Bar
301 S Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60661
(312) 454-0748
http://www.yelp.com/biz/meli-cafe-and-juice-bar-chicago
***** (5 stars)
From the outside Symphony’s looks like it might be a period diner, but in fact the interior is bright, modern, sleek and very appealing. So is the service, which is very friendly.
While a large section of the menu is breakfast, there are some great sandwiches and entrees here as well. I had the Chicken and Vegetables, which were stir fried to caramelized perfection. On a tip from another Yelper I ordered the accompanying salad with garlic dressing. Wow, was that fantastic! Fortunately I got it on the side, and while I used very little on the salad, I saved it and couldn’t resist dipping my chicken in it. Great combination. I’ll definitely be back to explore more of this menu.
Symphony’s Cafe
1945 Central St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 475-1200
http://www.yelp.com/biz/symphonys-cafe-evanston
**** (4 stars)
I’ve been going to the Smoke House since I was a little kid. In fact the one that used to be in Encino was my parents’ regular Saturday night pilgrimage back in the 60s. The Burbank original carries on, pretty much unchanged since 1946. In fact, I’m not sure it’s had a refurbishment since then.
But it’s not new and trendy that one goes seeking at The Smoke House. It’s garlic cheese bread. This recipe has been keeping the place in business for close to 70 years. The bread is super fresh sourdough, coated with butter, garlic and a pungent, crumbly bright orange cheese coating that I’m pretty sure is a mixture of dehydrated cheddar (the stuff that comes in the packet of Kraft Macaroni and Cheese) and parmesan. The reason I can state this with some confidence is that I’ve been trying to duplicate it for 30 years, and I’m getting close!
There’s lots of other stuff at the Smoke House that’s edible: fish and chips, prime rib, crab louis salad, and some tasty cappuccino ice cream. But you wouldn’t go there just for any of that stuff. It’s that addictive orange powder that brings us back, year after year. Never change it!
Smoke House Restaurant
4420 W Lakeside Dr
Burbank, CA 91505
(818) 845-3731
http://www.yelp.com/biz/smoke-house-restaurant-burbank
**** (4 stars)
The first time I went here I had pretty conventional Tex Mex fare, and it was fine. But on my return visit I decided to see if they could do authentic Mexican food, and I left quite impressed. I had the Pibil, a slow roasted marinated pork, somewhat like pastor. It was brimming with interesting spices and had a piquant tang to the barbecue-like sauce. Served with corn tortillas, it was delicious and authentic.
The salsa here is quite good, a homemade version more about the herbs and spices than tomato sauce. Chips are fairly sturdy, and also seem homemade.
The margaritas are excellent. They’re hand shaken and poured over the rocks, and have just the right level of tartness, and a good balance of tequila to juice.
Service is friendly and attentive. Brunch is available on the weekends.
That Little Mexican Cafe
1010 Church St
Evanston, IL 60201
(847) 905-1550
http://www.yelp.com/biz/that-little-mexican-cafe-evanston
*** (3 stars)
This is one of the better places to grab something to take on a plane with you. The sandwiches are made to order (if you’re willing to wait in a fairly sluggish line) and the ingredients are fresh, especially the breads. If you’re in a hurry, the prepackaged sandwiches in the front case are actually quite decent. It certainly beats a bag of peanuts.
Au Bon Pain
9202 Jeff Fuqua Blvd
Orlando, FL 32827
(407) 825-7851
http://www.yelp.com/biz/au-bon-pain-orlando-2
**** (4 stars)
Benoit is a traditional French Brasserie in every way: ambiance, food and service. Our favorites here include the charcuterie plate and the whole roasted chicken for two. Ironically, we’ve had the whole roasted chicken at Alan Ducasse’s thee star Michelin Louis XIV in Monte Carlo, and this one is much better! We avoid Sunday brunch, because they don’t have the same menu, therefore no roast chicken.
Benoit
60 W 55th St
New York, NY 10019
(646) 943-7373
http://www.yelp.com/biz/benoit-new-york
**** (4 stars)
I’ve enjoyed other Hash House locations, so I was happy to see this place was taking over the location on I-Drive that has hosted a variety of restaurants in the past years. The building is a bit odd, but the surface remodeling done by Hash House is better than the previous incarnations, and the food is pretty much identical to elsewhere.
I don’t know what the fuss is about chicken and waffles. The waffles are pretty good, but the chicken is really pretty flavorless. I’ve tried it in Chicago and here, and it’s the same. A better choice is one of the hashes, which are really thickly chopped up potatoes with other chopped up stuff. I had the vegetarian one, and it was actually fairly healthful. I ordered it with eggs over easy, and they were about the freshest eggs I’ve ever gotten in Orlando. The biscuit was also great, and I’m not a big biscuit person.
My companions had burgers and the BBLT, and liked them. The bread pudding was a good shareable dessert.
All in all a good solid (i.e. heavy) choice for breakfast or breakfast type foods, with enough other offerings to keep the non-breakfast eaters happy.
Hash House A Go Go
5350 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 370-4646
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hash-house-a-go-go-orlando
**** (4 stars)
It’s really hard to find good places for outside in Orlando, and this is a hidden gem. The large outside patio offers a quite, shaded environment for breakfast any time of day. But my favorites are their salads, particularly the ones with salmon or fruit ingredients. Light and refreshing.
Peach Valley Café
5072 Dr. Philips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 522-2601
http://www.yelp.com/biz/peach-valley-caf%C3%A9-orlando-4