Went over to Funky Monkey last night for dinner. And here’s what I’ve decided. I’m not going to be overly critical of a restaurant that is literally two minutes from my house. Because when it really comes down to it, the restaurant is super cool and has an amazing wine list. What they lack is the details. And those details are usually what makes or breaks a restaurant for me.
Driving over, I was excited to remember that Funky Monkey now has free valet parking. But then I realized that I’d spent my cash on my ill-fated trip to Deland earlier in the day. (It’s a long story that I won’t bore you with….but I’m still trying to figure out how someone would actually make orange Hummus.) So I went for street parking and was greeted by friends and a very friendly server as I headed inside. I already knew what I was going to order-a few months ago at a wine tasting soiree (hosted by the Lake Eola Wine Co.), FM was there dishing out free samples of their Bison Burgers. And since that day I’d wanted to full serving.
And it was worth the wait. My burger was cooked and seasoned perfectly and was better than I had been expecting. But here’s where the details start to dissolve. The bison burger is served with potato chips…Ruffles potato chips. I couldn’t help but think that this burger deserved more than just potato chips from a bag! How cool is it to serve a bison burger in Orlando-something you don’t see too often. But I would love it to be served with something along the same lines. Something unique and different. Make your own potato chips! Or how about truffle fries? Just anything besides the greasy potato chips that I didn’t even like as a kid!
One of my dining partners also had the burger….served with a severely burnt top bun. As she waited and waited for a new one, she finally decided to skip part of the bun in lieu of her burger getting cold. It came out about five minutes later-not toasted and cold. (And yes, we had fun poking it just as we would the Pillsbury Dough Boy.) Another diner at the table had the Shorvedor Subzi (veggie curry) with some serious veggie cooking issues. The carrots had a bit too much of a bite but only a baby with no teeth would have enjoyed the over cooked cauliflower. However, for the record, the seasoning was quite spicy and delicious. The last entrée at our table was the Sea Monkey Roll-a baked tuna roll with cream cheese and crab. I suppose it was good because she didn’t talk much and didn’t offer any to the table!
Again, mixed feelings about the FM. On the bright side, we had a great time; enjoying the wine, music and company. On the not so bright side, sometimes I think people need to stop worrying too much about food costs and try to find a happy medium. As I sit here writing this, I know that I’ll be back because between the Edamame and Bison Burger I had one hell of a meal. Although now all I can think about for dinner is truffle fries!
Check out their website for info on their summer prix fixe menu:
http://www.funkymonkeywine.com/
2 comments:
The Sea Monkey was good and all mine! LOL! I would have shared...yeah right.
The debate about the seasoning of the Shorvedor Subzi continued on into the night.
Where we left off with it was if you frequently order Indian food, you'll be disappointed. If you order it and don't expect it to taste authentic, then you'll be fine.
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