Norman's

Ever do that whole “Living in the moment” thing? You know, when you stop and take a breath and appreciate the good things in life? Some call it “Stopping to Smell the Roses” or the “Finer Things Society” or even “Pulling an Oprah”. But in all honesty it’s difficult for many to do. Personally, between working two jobs and the gloominess of a non-existent retirement, it’s a rarity for me. When it does happen though, it hits like a bombshell and is always accompanied by good company and an outstanding meal experience.

Sitting at Norman’s last weekend, I realized that I was having one of those moments.

I saw Norman Van Aken do a demo a few years ago and was not only impressed with his technique, but also his general laid back personality. The same goes for his food. It's really a subtle sort of perfection. His website describes his menus as blending "exotic ingredients and rich cultural heritage from Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America, with touches Asia". And all of those influences are apparent during the meal.

We started the meal off with a round of Tapas:

The Salt and Sugar Cured Yellowtail with Orange Dressing and Cucumber was a light way to start the meal. It was very reminiscent of the Yellowtail Sashimi Ceviche I had up at Nobu, but could’t really compare. The dressing had a perfect tanginess but was on the oily side.

The other highlight from our first course was the Turks and Caicos Cracked Conch-a conch ceviche with pineapple and coconut all atop avocado cream. The finishing touch of the Truffle foam was a pleasant but heavy and came very close to overwhelming the entire dish. Be wary if you’re not a fan.

But, for me, it was really the second course that really began the meal:

First and foremost was the Ahi Tuna Tartare. First off, it looks beautiful, right? The tuna was formed ala sushi rolls and accompanied by a tamarind dressing and peanut crisp. But what really set this dish apart was the quenelle of coconut lime sorbet. The freshness of the tuna with the slightly sweet and slightly acidic sorbet really brought new meaning to ceviche. I’d go back for this dish alone!

The Beet Salad was also a hit and again beautiful. The perfectly roasted beets were a sweet contrast to the Maytag Blue cheese and, surprisingly, the sunflower seeds. The salad was finished with a mild Adobo crema (which I wish had a bit more of a kick) and a tangy Balsamico dressing (fancy Italian balsamic).

Not pictured but quite impressive was the Creamy Cracked Conch Chowder with hunks of conch, a subtle Saffron flavor and a Coconut Cloud (foam).

The entrees continued to impress:

The Pan cooked Filet of Key West Yellowtail (Snapper) was described as the restaurant’s signature dish. And the server sold it perfectly with a description of the fresh fish being personally brought up from the Keys a few times a week by the fisherman who caught them. And that sometimes when they filet the fish, they find the food that the fish are caught with-oatmeal and corn. It was deliciously rich with mashed potatoes, asparagus and a citrus butter (which also had hints of truffle).

I was having trouble deciding what to order for my entrée and went with my first choice-the Butter Roasted Chicken. And was amazed at how perfect it tasted. It’s not a secret that I’m a fan of the sweet/savory combo and it almost seems like this dish was created for me. The chicken was perfect cooked on served with a sweet parsnip puree, a savory corn pudding and a surprise of black olive tapanade. The corn pudding was heavy on the butter, but the saltiness of the tapanade and the sweetness of the puree provided an outstanding contrast. Also, the portion was quite large and I could only finish about half of my meal.


So in all of my foodie experiences, I’ve never actually taken the time to get a cheese course. There, I admit it. And don’t get me wrong; I’m a huge fan of cheese, so this first time experience was definitely a treat for me. Even the whole process made me grin: the server wheeling over the marble topped cart and letting us choose among the large variety (I felt a bit like a kid in a candy store…or an adult at Total Wine). We had a Garlic and Pepper infused Camembert, a hard Pecorino, and a fancy goat cheese (forgive me, I forget the name). All were served with an assortment of jams: Fig, Strawberry Balsamic and Red Wine Apple. Really, there are some things that words cannot describe.

We finished off the evening with two desserts (sorry no pictures…both my eyes and my camera were a bit blurry at this point). First was the grown up version of Smores with a large layer of Ganache that made me going back for bite after bite. We also had a baked meringue dish with lemon pound cake and Meyer lemon ice cream. Both were delicious and a perfect ending to the meal.

So there you go-a summary of one of the best meals that I’ve had in Orlando. I’m glad the Norman’s franchise in Orlando is doing well. With its location and constant influx of wealthy tourists, I’m sure it will continue to do so. And I also hope it does, so that maybe one day I can again stop and smell the roses.

Lastly, a personal thank you to the G family for extending their gracious offer to me for this meal. I truly appreciate your constant warmth and generosity. Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday Annette!

Bikes, Beans and Bordeaux

So I was driving around town running errands this afternoon, desperately trying to think of a witty line to open this entry.

I went to lunch this weekend over at Bikes, Beans and Bordeaux, the new cycling/coffee/wine café over on Corrine Drive near Baldwin Park. But here’s the problem: I don’t really know all that much about cycling. So that clever one-liner just wasn’t popping into my head. And to be truthful, my only working knowledge on the subject comes from Kevin Bacon’s brief stint as a bike messenger in Quicksilver. And that super sappy 1985 American Flyers (remember-with Kevin Costner? And he had the brain tumor? And he couldn’t finish the bike race with his brother??). Point being, 3B is a new cycling themed neighborhood café.

Initial impressions were quite positive, and the atmosphere lived up to the “uber-cool ambiance” promised on the website. Earthy colors with cycling inspired art cover the walls, with a few tables and couches comprising the dining area. Even the curtain rod was fashioned into handlebars, and the hook in the restroom from a bike pedal. The only other customer present when we arrived was a singe, enjoying a cup of coffee and taking advantage of the free wi-fi. We sat perusing the menu and coming up with our own personal three word themes. Running, Rooibus and Rioja. Or, for me, Walking, White Tea and Willamette.

The menu was overwhelming yet interesting with quirky sandwich names and the stories behind them. I got the SAG Stop Special-peanut butter, banana and honey served on honey wheat bread with a cup of peppermint tea. (A quick google search informed me that a Support and Gear (SAG) stop is basically a resting point with snacks and water or to apply sunscreen and first aid.) Choices for sides are either chips or carrot sticks, and every meal was served with an adorable mini bag of Jelly Bellys. I actually giggled a bit when I got my meal-a PB sandwich, carrot sticks and Jelly Bellys-talk about a flash back to being nine years old. (Hmmm, self analysis says this may have led to my association with mid-eighties cycling movies! I never should have quit being a therapist!) I don’t really know what to say about my lunch-it is what it is. But you really cannot go wrong with PB and bananas.

My dining companions both had sandwiches also. The Lance-wich, named after the infamous Armstrong, is a double-decker with turkey and ham and served in yellow deli paper ala yellow jersey for the Tour de France champion.

The Caprese Panini was also a big hit. Styled after the traditional salad, it was served barely warm on a too crispy Ciabatta bread (it seemed to be more baked then the preferred pressed).


For the second time in recent months, I had a cordial interaction with owners of new cafes around Orlando. I couldn’t help but make comparisons to Ethos-both restaurants encouraging the hopefully long lasting trend of healthy eating. And both restaurants really seeming to have all their ducks lined up in a row with planning and organization. (Even down to the super size coffee mugs.)


One of the owners came to our table after our meal and told us the Hollywood like story behind 3B. Boy who likes cycling meets girl who likes cycling and together the open a restaurant for people who like cycling. And here’s the thing: I don’t even cycle! But I found myself very comfortable, relaxed and happy to have a new place in the neighborhood.

No, I haven’t forgotten the third B in the name. 3B also offers a nice selection of wines and beers. And to go with the theme, they focus on regions where there are current cycling races. Right now I guess there is some racing in Belgium, hence the focus on Belgium beer. Soon the races are going to Spain and we’ll see a good selection of Spanish wines. They also have a nice variety of Orlando Brewing Company beers (which, for the record are seriously starting to grow on me). Future plans involve contests for sandwich recipes to be featured as a monthly special.

My only real (and probably important) issue is the menu. A bit overwhelming and too hard to read, it doesn’t actually feature a large variety of items. (Although the kids section appropriately titled “Training Wheels” is quite adorable.) But, it’s a small establishment so I can kinda see where that would make sense. I'm sure I'll be back-it really seems like a great place to grab a quick bit and a drink without any preteniousness. And by the time we left, numerous customers had poured in and seemed to be enjoying themselves.

Check out their website:
http://www.bikesbeansandbordeaux.com/index.html

White Oak Conservation Center

Alright, so I know this is a food blog. And don’t get me wrong, I’ve found that I really love writing about food. And talking about food. And, of course, eating food. But at the same time, it’s my blog, so I’ve decided to break from the norm a bit and tell you all about an unusual experience I had this week.

I’ve had the week off from teaching for spring break, but ended up cooking for clients on Monday and Tuesday. I would have loved to take the entire week of, but, they’re depending on me, and quite honestly I’m depending on the money. So that’s how my week started, but on Wednesday it started to get interesting.

I have a cousin who is currently interning at White Oak Conservation Center just outside of Jacksonville. Don’t worry, I hadn’t heard of it either. White Oak is a wildlife research facility focusing on endangered and at risk animals.

I’m sure it’s not a secret that I’m not exactly, well, a nature type of person. I think I went camping once as a child when I was in Indian Princesses. In both high school and college, I had friends that loooved to camp. But I think their idea of roughing it was to get as drunk and stoned as possible and pass out by the campfire. Regardless, and point being, I don’t exactly run towards forests (especially after seeing Blair Witch Project!). But after a fantastic report from my grandmother, I decided to head on up towards Georgia and see what all the hoopla was about. And I’m really glad that I did.

My fears were soon head on as we drove on the dirt/clay road for a few miles, my Matrix creaking and groaning the whole time. But as we pulled up to my cousin’s housing (after passing through strict security), I was literally amazed to see the Rhinos just a few feet away from the building. My cousin lives above the hospital unit in an African inspired dorm unit and we settled in for a few minutes while she went to collect semen from a crane. Yeah, I’m not kidding. I remember pushing her around in a stroller and now look at her.

After the unsuccessful collection, we hit the road for a tour. Here are the highlights:

The Cheetahs:
Currently suffering from habitat destruction and being killed as livestock predators in Africa.

Scary Cheetah on his way.

But it turns out he is Max, hand raised and quite sweet. His purr was very very lound!

Max fur.

My cousin and I with the baby Cheetah she has been raising.

Really, how cute is this?

The Cassowary:
Aggressive with long dagger like claws (hello Jurassic Park!). The bird that which “the most human fatalities have been attributed”. It also made scary noises!

The Maned Wolf:
Described as looking like a tall fox, these wolves have a distinct skunk like odor.

This one in particular was quite aggressive and apparently does not like blondes.

The Okapi:
A native of the Republic of Congo, this animal is in the Giraffe family. Quite skiddish, it’s kick can decapitate a human. It’s velvety fur is quite oily leaving a dark brown shine on finger tips. (And apparently, after petting it, we also heard that it tends to head butt people).

The Giraffe:



They really love bay leaves!

My favorite part of the day!

I hoped you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. White Oak is not open to the public, but continues to be a leading center for research and reproduction of endangered species.
Check out their website:
http://www.wocenter.org/

And since this is a hodgepodge entry, here's me and my buddy Anthony:

Empanadas

Yeah, yeah, excuses, excuses.
Four weeks of doubles at work kinda threw me off a bit so I’ve been a bit neglectful.

But, for fun, here’s an idea for making the Best Empanadas Ever.

Empanadas with Chimichurri Sauce

All you need:
· Puff Pastry (found in your grocer’s freezer)
· Flour
· Water
· Your choice of filling

· Fresh Parsley
· Fresh Cilantro
· Some sort of acidity (Think Red Wine Vinegar or Lime Juice)
· Something Hot (Think Red Pepper Flakes or Tabasco)
· Salt
· Pepper
· Olive Oil

All you need to do:
· Preheat the oven to 375 F.
· Defrost the Puff Pastry. The box will contain two sheets giving you about 18 Empanadas total.
· While the Puff Pastry is defrosting, get to work on your filling. For these pictures I used seasoned (cooked) ground beef with some Mexican style cheeses. Think outside the box! Use proteins! Use veggies! Use all cheese! The choice is yours!
· When the Puff Pastry is defrosted: Throw a little flour on your counter (um, make sure it’s clean first!). Slightly roll out the dough. If it’s too soft or gummy, throw it in the fridge for a few minutes to chill it.


· Cut the dough into nine equal square sections. (The dough came folded into thirds, so this is easy!). Brush off the excess flour.


· Place your chosen filling on ½ of the dough.
· Wet the edges of the squares with water and seal with your fingers. The water will help keep the dough sealed.


· Press with a fork to make it look pretty.
· Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the infamous Golden Brown Delicious.

For the Sauce:
· Rinse the parsley under water, shake it out, rip off a handful and put it in a food processor.
· Rinse the cilantro under water, shake it out, rip off Half a handful and put it in a food processor.
· Throw in about a Tbsp of your chosen acid.
· Throw in something a ½ tsp of something spicy.
· Throw in about a tsp of salt and ½ tsp of pepper.
· Turn the food processor on and grind until the fresh herbs are chopped pretty well.
· With the food processor running, slowly add about ¼ Olive oil, or until you have a beautiful green sauce.
· Season further with salt and pepper as needed.


Easy money, right? Here’s the secret: cooking is pretty easy. You know what you like to eat, so cook what you want! Practice once a week by cooking WITHOUT a recipe. Experiment and, most importantly, have fun!

Shoot me a comment with your perfect filling ideas! In the meantime, here are a few more:
· Caprese! Tomatoes, Mozzarella and a basil olive oil dipping sauce
· Chicken with Boursin Cheese
· Left over Beef Stew! (I’m not kidding, this works really well!)
· Chicken, Green Chilies and Cheese. Dip in Salsa!
· Roasted herbed Portabella Mushrooms and Zucchini
· Wellington: Filet and sautéed Mushrooms

The list is virtually endless!

Funky Monkey

So I headed over to The Funky Monkey last weekend. I really really wanted to like this restaurant for a variety of reasons. Number one: it’s close to my house. Number two: it’s described as a “neighborhood wine bar”. Lastly and most obviously, I love the idea of fun and exciting restaurants opening their doors in Orlando.

Here’s the deal. You guys know that I’m not keen on reporting to many negative things about restaurants on this blog. I go to many eateries that I never discuss on here, some good, some bad. Some really, really bad. But over all this is supposed to be a fun thing for me, and I’m not interested in wasting my time and energy on bad experiences (I just usually give them a quick plug on Chow.com). But, in the interest of fairness, and because readers voted for me to go here, I’m going to give you an honest account of my experience at Funky Monkey.

We choose to do salads and apps to get a variety and not spend too terribly much money.

To start, here are the positives:

The Ambiance: Very hip and comfortable with fun artifacts wherever you look. (One warning though, if you’re a bit on the claustrophobic side, it is very small and crowded.)

The Wine List: Interesting and varied with a good selection of price points. Trust me, I’m very happy to get a decent bottle of wine in a restaurant for $15 (Blue Monkey Zinfandel).

The Edamame: An on the house beginning to the meal. Unlike the usual, this edamame was tossed with lime juice and chopped garlic to bring this treat to a whole new level. I’ll never eat the traditional salted variety the same way again.

The Blue Monkey Salad: I watched in envy as my dinner companion ate this salad. I’m not kidding, there was lots of ohhing and ahhing coming from across the table. The mixed greens, blue cheese and mushrooms were covered with an absolutely delicious blueberry ginger vinaigrette. I managed to get one of the last bites, but only after promising that I would go undercover as a line cook just to get the recipe.

The Shrimp and Scallop Dumplings: Fresh and quite tasty with a tangy soy-ginger-lime sauce.

Orlando Brewing Co on Tap: I’m not the biggest fan of the beer, but kudos for keeping it local.

And here are the negatives:

The Parking: A major issue. Located on Mills Ave. in the ViMi district, I have no idea how they are going to rectify this situation. We ended up parking in the neighborhood behind the restaurant and cutting through a gas station to get to the entrance. A sign on the door recommends customers parking across the street in a bank parking lot and then crossing Mills. There is also limited street parking in the area.

The Red Monkey Salad: Iceberg lettuce, canned corn, processed shredded cheese and a tasteless dressing. Enough said.

The Crabcake: And when I say The crabcake, I’m not kidding. One single crabcake. Served on iceberg lettuce. For ten dollars. Enough said.

Identity Crisis: The Funky Monkey is simply trying to be too many things at once. Is it a sophisticated eatery or a “funky” eatery? What's with the fantastic wine list with good prices yet the over priced food? I understand trying to keep food costs low, but you could have at least roasted the corn in my salad. I overheard the manager telling another table that Chef Penelope Brown used to head up Amuras. The Asian influence was prevalent, and quite honestly, the best part of our meal. I would love to see them focus more on the Asian fusion to help sort out this crisis.

Will I go back? Maybe, probably. I'm interested in trying the Bison Burger and waiting to see if they wrinkle out the kinks of a new establishment.


Sorry, there are no pictures due to technical difficulties.

Sea Thai

Sometimes I feel like the majority of Orlando consists of one ghetto strip mall after another.

Don’t get me wrong; I’m not one of those “Orlando sucks and I can’t wait to get out!” people. Actually, I’m one of those rare natives that has never felt that way. Sure, I left for schooling, living in New Orleans for four years and Washington DC for another two. But I never had any complaints about Orlando. I returned to my hometown with a fresh outlook and really got to know her in a different fashion. Gone were the high school days of hours wasted at Denny’s or Village Inn drinking coffee. Gone were the days of running around reaping havoc at The Exchange. Now it’s the days of discovering the hidden gems. The days of cultural events and good shopping. The days of finding my new top choice for Thai food in Orlando. Even if it is in a ghetto strip mall.

Sea Thai won a Foodie Award this year for best Thai restaurant. I’d been meaning to go for a while and finally headed over this past weekend. First impressions of this restaurant are anything besides the typical strip mall restaurant. The geometrical blue earthy tones on the walls and the bubbles hanging from the ceiling literally give feelings of dining beneath the sea. We were seated quickly and enjoyed prompt service throughout our meal.


We started off the meal with an order of Veggie Summer Rolls. The fresh rice paper was a perfect encasing for seared Tofu sticks and the peanut sauce was lusciously thick and creamy.


I had the Herbal Tea Smoked Chicken for my entrée. It was delicious; moist with the perfect hints of charcoaled smokiness. I didn’t really get the jolt of tea flavoring that I was expecting but nonetheless I was happy with my choice.


My dinner companion got the pan seared Tofu steaks that I didn’t get to try but looked beautiful. (Although certainly more fried than seared). Our only complaint about both dishes was the small amount of veggies on the plate. So we ordered an extra side, only to practically collapse in laughter as we divvied up the miniscule amount of veggies that were brought out to us (Imagine, “Ok, I’ll take the piece of broccoli, you take the snap pea…”).


We splurged on dessert and got the Fried Banana with a scoop of Coconut Ice Cream. The ice cream was absolutely fantastic in its rich but not too sweet creaminess. This was a new flavor combination for me and reminded me of a hot beachy summer day. It was the perfect finish to a great meal experience.

www.seaorlando.com





Later in the weekend I stopped in at the new location for The Dessert Lady. Located across the street from Ceviche on Church Street, it has one of the coolest atmospheres in Orlando. The décor is straight out of a boudoir and practically transports you to France ala Moulin Rouge. My friends and I couldn’t come to a consensus on ordering, so we split the dessert platter (4 different ½ servings). First and foremost, the Peanut Butter Pie was out of this world. The light and fluffy PB mousse really made this dessert unique. We also tried the Lemon Rum Cake that was freakishly moist with a delicious icing. The Cannoli Cake was also fantastic, but the Flourless Chocolate Torte, while tasty, was a bit on the dense side for me. All of the staff were very friendly and gung ho about finally being open. On one hand I’m thrilled to have such a new and central location for this dessert eatery. On the other hand, I kinda wish I never knew that they existed because I must have that Peanut Butter Pie again!


www.dessertlady.com
(Call for directions; the new location is not yet listed on the site.)

Fifi's Bistro

To kinda go along with the theme of the times, I took your votes to heart and went to Fifi’s Bistro last week for dinner.

First off, it’s rare for me to go out on a Tuesday evening. It’s even more rare for me to drink on a Tuesday evening. But the most rare for me is to turn down a dinner invitation when a restaurant is offering ½ off bottles of wine (under $100). So I took the reader’s advice and my new shi shi haircut and headed out for dinner.

Fifi’s is located downtown on Eola Drive in between restaurants the Beacon and Graze. I’m not quite sure of the word to describe the decor. Posh? Swanky? Precious? Whatever the term, I adored the wash of pink, the dramatic window draperies, the classic dessert case, and most of all, the Lucite chandeliers.


For starters I had the Chick Pea Soup with Bacon special. I was envisioning more of pureed soup but instead got a Minestrone with a few Chick Peas and strips of Sundried Tomatoes. Don’t get me wrong, it was delicious, but the addition of the bacon made the soup a bit on the greasy side. My dinner companion raved about her Baby Lettuces salad and I have to admit I experienced a tinge of order jealousy. It was served with candied Walnuts, Boursin cheese, and a Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette.

I ordered the Capellini Pasta for my entrée. I don’t think that I’ve ordered pasta in a restaurant in quite some time, but I’m really a sucker for the addition of Peas in a pasta dish. (Alright, I also admit this was one of the cheaper options. I’ve placed myself on a restaurant budget.) The dish was quite good, but very rich. The pasta was topped with a large portion of roasted Chicken, a delicious Rosemary cream sauce, and a smoky Mozzarella that (thankfully) was on the lighter side of smokiness. All the flavors were spot on, and the Chicken was cooked perfectly. The portion size was above average, and I was happy to take home more than half my meal and have it the next night for dinner.

My veg friendly companion had the Butternut Squash Ravioli served in a Sage brown butter sauce. It was also garnished with a few crispy Sage leaves. One of my favorite flavor combinations, this dish was absolutely delicious and a big hit.


Every time I’ve heard someone talk about Fifi’s, dessert is mentioned at some point in the conversation. So I was thrilled when our server led us up to the dessert case and flipped on the lights so we could get a good look at our choices. Everything looked, um, fantastic, but I decided to go with the Lemon Chiffon Cake with a drizzle of Strawberry sauce. Wow is about all I can say. The cake was moist, light and fluffy with gentle hints of lemon. We also tried the Chocolate Lava-esque Cake that was smothered in Chocolate sauce with a scoop of ice cream on the side. Delicious but a bit too heavy for me after my entrée.

Above everything else, there is one thing that was lacking from the evening. With a name like Fifi’s, I was expecting an air of uncomfortable pretentiousness and conceit. Instead I got an unaffected and relaxed atmosphere. My overall impressions of Fifi’s are really very positive. The restaurant was chic, the food was good, and the service was flawless. Next I plan on trying lunch, the crepes look fantastic!

Almost forgot to mention the wine: We had a yummy Tempranillo. There are wine specials on all of the weekdays. Check out their website for more details.


www.fifisorlando.com

Rainy Weekend

Had a fantastic but quick weekend.

Went to the school’s graduation on Saturday morning then headed over to the Reunion Resort for a nice lunch. Reunion is a private resort community but we were able to sneak in under the guise of knowing the food and beverage manager. We had the pleasure of sampling the new Asian inspired menu at Eleven, the restaurant on the top floor of the Grande. First off, the view was amazing, and I’d pay big bucks just to lounge by the rooftop pool. We sampled lots of food (ever pull the “We’ll take the left side of the menu” before?). Everything was super beautiful and delicious. One of the highlights was the sweet-crusted Salmon with Miso Eggplant (ala Nobu) and Edamame Fried Rice. Also yummy were the Crab and Pork Shu Mai, or opened faced dumplings. I had neither a notepad nor a camera with me, so the meal wasn’t exactly well documented. But right when the dessert was served I realized that some people might have one of those camera phone things. So here’s a picture of the Chocolate Fondue compliments of JR and his snazzy phone.

My rainy Saturday evening consisted a trip down to south Orlando for a pedicure and a meal at Fusion 7 on JYP. I had heard about this restaurant/lounge from students and figured I might as well try it. We started off with a bottle of Viognier (or as I call it, “Vion Yay!”) from South Africa and decided to split a few apps for dinner (mainly due to the steep price of the entrees). We started with Calamari, a good standby. Then came the Crab and Avocado salad, Bruschetta with Chorizo, and the Mediterranean platter (seen below).


The highlight was the tasty Chorizo Bruschetta-it really brought an extra element to the dish. The Crab and Avocado salad was light, fresh and quite a large portion for seven dollars. But the platter, at twenty-one dollars, was a bit of a let down. While the stuffed cabbage was delicious, the stuffed grape leaf (yes, leaf-we only got one) and Tabouleh were inedible.

Overall the night was a success-great company and even greater wine. But I was a bit confused by this establishment….is it a restaurant or a nightclub or both? The strobe light definitely took away from the calming Mediterranean décor and karaoke was starting as we finished out meal. Apparently when the kitchen closes it's the hottest hangout on the JYP. But kudos for the organized and interesting wine list.

*One quick note on Fusion 7, the menu on the website is NOT a representation of the actual menu offered in house.

Habana Grill

So my Saturday morning started off with a bang. Literally, the banging inside my head after a night of Grand Marnier laced Margaritas. (This time it is no more Tequila for good!) A nice walk in the chilly gloominess and a cold shower chased out the cobwebs, so I confirmed plans for a “roadtrip” up to Longwood for lunch and a fieldtrip to Petty’s gourmet market.


So here is the real formula for a hangover. Yeah, yeah, yeah, water and time also do the trick, but this one is much more fun. We went to Habana Grill (formally Don Pepes) up in Altamonte. For starters we got the Lil’ Introduction, a small sample platter of appetizers. Our definite favorite was the Chicken Empanadillas, a crusty pastry stuffed with Sofrito flavored chicken. The pastry crumbled in my mouth and the house Cali sauce was sweet and tangy perfect. The Papitas Rellenas were amazing. Fried mashed potato balls stuffed with ground beef. Enough said. The last selection, the Chicharrones de Pollo (think fancy chicken nuggets) was dry and a disappointment, but the other two selections really made up for it.


I then got the Media Noche sandwich to assist with the hangover transformation. Served on sweet egg Cuban bread, it was stuffed with pork, ham, salami, Swiss cheese and pickles (and yes, it probably was the source of my heartburn a few hour later). But at the time, and with the Mariquita chips, it was pretty much the best thing in the world. And, quite honestly, along with two fantastic and not too sweet Mojitos, it really did the trick to making my hangover go into oblivion. I only finished half, and it was still good the next day for lunch.

My luncheon companion got the Vege-Frita and cheese sub. It was pretty much the veggie version of my sandwich, served on the same bread but also topped with the irresistible tiny shoestring French fries.

Petty’s was a success as usual. I stocked up on some hard to find items (including my new favorite Fig flavored Balsamic Glaze) and also grabbed a nice Filet that I made for dinner. All in all, not a bad day!

www.donpepes.com

I headed over to the folks place on Sunday for an early evening of football and bar-be-que. The Backwater takeout went surprisingly well with the CA Zinfandel, and I enjoyed spending time with the fam. Even though I was staring at the amazing pictures on the TV pretending that I knew what was going on. But it really was the perfect end to another weekend that went by way too fast!

Ethos Vegan Kitchen

Let me start off by saying that I’m not a vegetarian. Not only am I not a vegetarian, but I am also by no means a Vegan. Living in a world without cheese simply doesn’t interest me. But I’m open to all foods (obviously) and when I heard about Ethos Vegan Kitchen having their grand opening, I grabbed a good veg friend and went for lunch this past Saturday.

First off, the environment is fantastic. Ethos is located on Orange Ave in the space that used to be home to the bar Lava Lounge. They’ve redone a few things inside and still have a huge patio area with a view of Lake Ivanhoe. The ambiance inside is very clean, hip and calming all at the same time.


Now for the important stuff: the food! I decided to continue with my Orlando Tour of Hummus Wraps and so far this one seems to be the winner. I’ve been introduced to what could be my new favorite flavor combo-hummus and banana peppers (although in all fairness if you put banana peppers on anything I’m a happy girl). Served on a spinach wrap with homemade hummus and a variety of other veggies, the Hippie Wrap was fresh and quite tasty. My lunch partner had the What’s the Dilly, Philly? Sandwich-a vegan take on a Philly cheesesteak. Just take out the meat and mayo, add marinated Seitan (a veg friendly wheat gluten meat substitute) and veganaise (think mayo without the eggs) and voila! A delicious sandwich. In all honestly, a few bites into our meal, and after she was gushing over the sandwich, I asked my friend to swap halvsies so I could fully experience the Philly. She said no, but let me try a few pieces of the Seitan (which was quite yummy).


While we were eating the owners/chef popped over to say hello and gave us a free sample of the Shortbread. They were super nice and I realized how rare it can be to not only meet the owners, but when do you ever get to witness the pride in their eyes over the opening of their new restaurant? Their genuine amiability made me feel like I was eating at a friend’s house. Oh, and the shortbread? It was really delicious and had the perfect sweet and savory balance.

My only real constructive criticism is the beverage issue. Kudos for no soda fountain, I need to cut back on the Diet Coke anyway (urgh-I think I might have to join a twelve step program to get through that one). Also, being a tea lover, I was bummed that my only hot tea options were Tazo, and my only ice tea options were either sweetened or unsweetened.

All in all I was thrilled with my lunch experience. And my veg friend already can’t wait to go back. It’s nice to continue to see Orlando grow, not just in terms of the skyline, but also in it’s openness to expanding the wide variety of great restaurants.

www.ethosvegankitchen.com




After spending the afternoon shopping, my bro and I went to the new Red Star Tavern at the Fashion Square Mall. A definite ten out of ten for the ambiance-it was warm, inviting and comfortable. We split a pizza for an app and also split two sandwiches for dinner (see-he’ll go halvsies!). I probably won’t run back to this restaurant, but it was just the place for a rainy Saturday night. The sandwiches were average, but the white pizza and the two dollar drafts were perfect!

www.redstartavern.net