Category Archives: Florida

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

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

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant

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**** (4 stars)

I’ve been to the Ceviche in Orlando many times, so it was interesting to contrast this St. Pete location, which has a great setting, elevated one story above the waterfront area. Service was pleasant, and there is a nice offering of wines.

We were there on a Sunday for lunch, and I was a bit disappointed at the absence of the extensive small plates menu I’m used to. To me tapas should be more about many tiny tastes, rather than slightly larger and more limited offerings. But I assume in the evening the menu is like the one we’re accustomed to.

Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant
10 Beach Dr NE
Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 209-2299
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ceviche-tapas-bar-and-restaurant-saint-petersburg

LoudMouth Grill

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*** (3 stars)

This is the third incarnation of what we call “Naughty Perkins Sports Bar” in honor of its coffee shop history, when Tiger Woods picked up waitresses here. From coffee shop it transition to sports bar. Now LoudMouth is little changed from its days as MVP Sports Bar, except that the food has become even less healthful!

The featured item pretty much says it all: the LoudMouth Burger is a bacon cheeseburger served not on a bun, but between two grilled cheese sandwiches. If this sounds incredibly greasy, well, it is. Of course, I felt obligated to try it. It wasn’t bad, but the beef patty was its weak point. The grilled cheese sandwiches and bacon were delicious. The burger was accompanied by excellent waffle fries and a chunk of dill pickle.

We also tried a Ceasar salad that was okay except for a couple of bits of rancid crouton.

Service was friendly and attentive, but the employees outnumbered the patrons for weekday lunch, so I’m not sure of the prospects for this incarnation.

LoudMouth Grill
8965 Conroy Windermere Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 217-6877
http://www.yelp.com/biz/loudmouth-grill-orlando

Fat Kahunas

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**** (4 stars)

If you’re looking for good food right at the beach in Cocoa, this is the place. It’s not just your typical fried fish hut, but an excellent restaurant with a range of offerings that is an unexpected and pleasant surprise.

We particularly enjoyed the coconut shrimp appetizer and the wedge salad. The entrees were also good, with a massive plate of “Malibu” chicken — chicken covered with cheddar cheese, bacon and mushrooms.  I was a bit surprised that there was no tartar sauce for the fish and chips. Side dishes, which come with the entrees, were also very good, especially the coconut rice and the cole slaw.

Pricing is extremely reasonable for the great quality and large portions.

Reservations are really important. This restaurant has only five inside tables, and two more outside, so plan ahead, or come at an off time!

Fat Kahunas
8 Minuteman Cswy
Cocoa Beach, FL 32931
(321) 783-6858
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fat-kahunas-cocoa-beach-2

Sloppy Taco Palace

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**** (4 stars)

Yes, the tacos are sloppy. And good. Very good. But what is GREAT is the sloppy dog. Also bizarre. It’s a delicious hot dog in a tortilla, covered in chili and nacho cheese. And it’s five times better than you imagined from that description.

The Greek wrap and Greek taco are also really good. The sliders are, um, how can I put this… lousy.

Tater tots are the most popular side, and are delicious.

Service is fun; our regular lunch waitress is quick with the jokes and the refills, and makes each lunch a bit of a lark.

We like to eat outside on the covered porch because it doesn’t smell like old beer, which, let’s face it, the inside does. It looks like they have some wild bands in the evening but I’ve never been there then.

Tip: lunch specials most days are really cheap.

Sloppy Taco Palace
4892 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL 32811
(407) 574-6474
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sloppy-taco-palace-orlando

Txokos

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**** (4 stars)

Orlando needs more restaurants with great ambience, and Txokos certainly leads the pack. The main dining room with its wood grill and chef’s bar seating are particularly nice, and the subdued Euro-inspired soundtrack is perfect.

All of the food we had was good, but several items were particularly noteworthy, and they weren’t necessarily the ones we’d have guessed. Standouts were the manchego cheese and figs on skewers and the grilled spring onions. Both were reasonably priced, in contrast to the expensive and uninspired charcuterie plate.

There are some excellent Spanish wines on the list, including a very reasonably priced Tondonia Rioja.

Service was very attentive, and there are a nice assortment of sherries and other Spanish libations by the glass.

Txokos
3201 Corrine Dr
Orlando, FL 32804
(321) 972-8852
http://www.yelp.com/biz/txokos-orlando-2

Bistro CloClo

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***** (5 stars)

Authentic French Bistro food and sidewalk cafe ambience, too. Just as cafes spill out onto the sidewalks in Paris, CloClo spills out onto the sidewalk at the Dr. Phillips Marketplace, but it is considerably more weatherproof than a Paris cafe, a good think on a rainy Orlando afternoon!

The lunch menu offers the starters and lighter fare one would expect in Paris, including “Croque” sandwiches, a quiche of the day, and crepes. For me the highlights are the starters, including the smoked salmon, pates, and especially the mussels, which were perhaps the best I’ve had anywhere, finished in a delicate wine and cream sauce with a touch of herbs and a much lighter garlic dose than most places.

The white sangria, a house specialty, was an unexpected surprise, and very refreshing. There are also a variety of Champagne cocktails.

At night the sandwiches disappear and a few more entrees are added, but it’s largely the same menu.

The wine list is a bit scatterbrained at the moment, although there are plenty of interesting offerings. and it’s in the process of an upgrade.

This space was problematic when it was Press 101 because of an awkwardly placed ordering counter and bar. That has been corrected, and there is now an elegant indoor dining room in addition to the sidewalk area.

Food and beverage pricing is very reasonable.

Bistro CloClo is a great addition to Southwest Orange County, which really needed an authentic French restaurant. The fact that is it a Bistro with great ambience is a real plus.

Bistro CloClo
7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 745-5045
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bistro-cloclo-orlando

Winter Park Playhouse

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***** (5 stars)

There aren’t many small professional theaters left, so it’s great to see this one thriving. The shows are very professional, with live music and talented performers, and since there are only a few rows, there are no bad seats.

It’s particularly nice that there is a comfortable lounge and bar with piano music for hanging out before the show, and the founders are always there to greet guests and make sure everyone has a nice time.

Definitely one of the best theatrical experiences in Central Florida.

Winter Park Playhouse
711 Orange Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 645-0145
http://www.yelp.com/biz/winter-park-playhouse-winter-park