The Write Appetite

Soseki Modern Omakase

2020-11-21T18:45:00.004-08:00

If you’re a fan of sushi, than Soseki needs to be on your bucket list.

As a fan of food, I find myself looking for places that will allow me to experience the best flavors, dining experience is a plus but not a requirement. A second gen Filipina, I would say I have a modern mediocre pallet that appreciates authentic and fused flavors from international cuisines or American bistro.

I found Taglish probably from my sister Sarah who seems to find places for me to eat before I do. Taglish is located inside the Lotte Market on the corner of John Young and 50. An Asian grocery store that has a few Asian eateries that serve up a variety of Asian culture favorites like pho, ramen, tteok-bokki, galbi, boba tea and a biased favorite, sisig and garlic rice.

Having fallen in love with Taglish's sisig bowl, with it's perfectly made egg yoke, and pickled jalepeno that decorates the bowl over a bed of beautifully made garlic rice and sisig with a touch of calamansi zing - I started to follow Taglish on IG. Many of the local Filipino community come to support Taglish which has resulted in great success of their business that Chef Mike is opening a second, non-related restaurant called Soseki. Before I move to Soseki, let me just say that there are other Filipinos that might feel compelled to criticize Chef Mike for his inauthentic flavors stating that it "it doesn't taste like filipino food" or "its not traditional", and what I would say to this is, it doesn't have to be. What Chef Mike has done is he fused together his craft of food and flavors to cultivate a new flavor that is expressed in the restaurants name "Taglish" - Tagalog and English. It's meant to have the essence of our culture with the funkiness of America. Eating food for its flavor and being less judgmental about how authentic it is or is not is not how I roll. I like to eat delicious food. Period and End of Story..

So let's move on to Soseki.

My sister made sure I saw the post on Soseki. God Love her for always keeping me in mind when she finds things for me to try. I pondered making reservations for weeks, not exactly sure if I wanted to spend the hefty $85 per person fee for a 10 course lunch tasting menu. I thought over all of the food experiences I've had the privilege of eating and mentally calculated the amount of money I spent or would've spent (if I were invited) and decided, $85 isn't horrible and if I love the food, then it would be worth it. The only thing is, I'm really horrible at socializing and a 10 course meal with 9 people I didn't know was making me nauseous. If I decided to go, I had to bring someone to be my buffer which meant I was about to pay double (without gratuities). I landed on Phyre who I knew could eat sushi like a champ and she's my daughter so, spending money on her to eat was within my parental duties and she's a pretty decent buffer.

Soseki's restaurant doesn't open until February 2021 in Winter Park so it's currently hosting a pop up in various places, we chose the Edible Education Experience Garden, a charming home kitchen nestled on the borders of Winter Park and College Park right off of Princeton. The garden is perfect for the kitchen where fresh herbs, peppers, onions, etc can be picked to be used in the dishes served.

The beautiful and expansive kitchen opens up to the garden. Whether you're preparing the food or partaking in the food, the views are beautiful.

Let's get to the food.

First Course

Soseki is meant to take the guess work out of choosing what to eat and allows the chef to choose for you which is where the name Omakase comes from that translates to "I will leave it to you". If you're reading this and saying, I can't do that, I'd recommend you try it out. If you don't like it, then at least you know, but I'd make a small wager you'd like what Soseki brings to the table just as we did.

Chef Denni expertly prepares each morsel of sushi with precision and grace that you almost wish there was a train of sushi coming from his hands directly into your belly. I wish I caught the first fish served up but I can tell you it was amazing and the ingredients I did catch were both surprising and tasty - fuji apple, daikon from the garden and fresh truffles!

Second Course - 45 day aged Kimchi with beets, asian pear and blood orange

Third Course-Smoked Salmon

Fourth Course - Japanese Flounder and Prawn

Fifth Course - Nine Day age Japanese Sebring with Key Lime juice and zest

Sixth Course - 14 day aged yellow fin tuna with wasabi stem

Seventh Course - Umi Masu Trout - torched with Black Garlic molasses and chives

Eighth Course and my person favorite, Eleven day age striped base with chimichurri

Ninth Course - Australian Wagu beef over rice with a mushroom jam, crunchy shallots and shaved truffles and your very own soy to squeeze over to taste.

Phyre's favorite, seaweed taco with tuna and onion relish

and for Dessert - a Roasted Sesame ice cream with salted miso crumbles and truffle powder

To say that I enjoyed myself is an understatement. Every bite was an architectual masterpiece of flavors that you can’t find in an normal sushi restaurant. Chef Denni pairs latin flavors in the chimichurri, bright citrus flavors of Florida, sweet and savory all with different types of fish that won’t come close to any other place in town. The service was amazing -with Somm Charles and Chef Mike looking after you. You can definitely see and taste the love of food and the skills both Chef Denni and Mike have in each bite and I'm so excited for Soseki to open up in February so I can experience it all over again!

Craving Indian

2020-05-09T12:47:00.001-07:00

Last year in August, my sister and I traveled to South Florida to visit our other sister with the goal of eating our way through some carefully chosen restaurants. The first place on our list was Bombay Darbar. A colleague recommended this place being the best Indian restaurant he's experienced and he's Indian living in Chicago so I had to try it out myself!

This leads me to present day. In quarantine, I can't eat out at my favorite place or try new experiences but I was craving Indian food as I thought back to my experience in Fort Lauderdale at Bombay Darbar. I was almost certain there would not be a place in my little town but lo and behold my internet search brought me to Guru Restaurant just a short 15 minutes from our home. I was so excited to read the reviews and the accolades the Chef here has received. I had a really good feeling about Guru but a tiny bit of me was wanting Bombay Darbar.

For this purpose, I'm going to review both Guru and Bombay in one post.

At Bombay Darbar Fort Lauderdale, we came in to a mostly empty dining room having come between lunch and dinner (around 3pm). Decor was dark and elegant - walls painted with either dark blue or black paint and accents of gold a silver. We started off with vegetable samosas, a crunchy pastry filled with potato veggie base. The pastry was light but the potato base made this appetizer very filling, It paired well with the tamarind sauce.

We order plain naan and Tandori parathi naan.
Very similar but the Tandori parathi naan has a subtle buttery garlic flabor like Italian garlic knots.

We also ordered Tandoori Chicken - it had a red coloration and was cooked in a clay pot with yogurt, ginger and garlic. It was a very flavorful chicken. I can see why it is a common favorite.

And Lastly - the reason why I was craving Indian food is for Lamb Biryani. Bombay Darbar makes their lamb biryana very flavorful. I recall distinctly the cardamom and tumeric flavors but when you exhaled the mint was refreshingly present. I love the texture, taste and long grains of basmati rice. With this dish, there was a subtle sauciness about it that allowed each spoonful ease of passage down to your belly. the lumps of lamb pieces throughout the dish is like icing on a cake - tasty morsels of perfectly flavored and tender pieces of lamb. A complete dish. No need for anything else.

What I disliked about Bombay Darbar is the presents of nuts in so many of their dishes. They make lots of their dishes with cashews - even their butter chicken which I also knew was a common favorite was made with cashews. We ordered it but I was not able to try it here.

THANKFULLY! - Guru Restaurant makes their butter chicken without the presents of nuts. I re-asked, likely at the expense of annoying the person who was taking my order to reassure me there were no nuts - so I ordered butter chicken, Lamb Biryani and lamb naan.

Full disclosure, I was so excited to eat that I neglected to take pictures of how it was package but I was still excited for the leftover the next day when I realized a picture was needed!

The Lamb biryani was not as flavorful as I recalled and the mint was barely present. Still a very delicious dish and when adding on the sauce from the butter chicken, I created a power pack of flavors by marrying the two. Alone, the butter chicken literally has a creamy buttery flavor with a slightly acidic tomato finish. It's a wonderful flavor added to basmati rice and you'll be full with delight before you know it.

The lamb naan was not as I expected it to be. More like a warm thin pita with lamb crumbles in it.

Since this experience, I've craved Indian food more often and I'm so happy that I have Guru here to help satisfy these cravings!

Go check them out - even if you don't live in Clermont - it's worth the drive.

Serving up Sushi!

2020-04-02T18:12:00.004-07:00

My family celebrated Valentine's Day at Seito Sushi on Sandlake.

Prior to actually visiting, I thought Seito was more of a fast food sushi place until I started looking up where to eat on Valentine's Day via Open Table. I was seriously incorrect about Seito and became very excited about eating as I normally do but more so since we are big fans of sushi.

Seito sits on the corner interior plaza where Whole Foods is at the corner of Sandlake and Turkey Lake Road. We went on a slightly rainy evening but most of the side walk was covered.
It has a very modern Asian theme with natural elements throughout the restaurant. It is much fancier than I imagined it would be which was a pleasant surprise.

Since we made a reservation, it didn't take us long to get seated. Once we were seated, the lovely server asked a question I'm often surprised about when I'm dining out. She asked if there were any allergies😳. I immediately thought about my experience at Wing Lei in Las Vegas, where this question was also asked and it delights me that someone would be so considerate as to ensure the safety of the food that we were about to partake in. However, I did not make it easy. In my own ignorance and embarrassment, I did not divulge the exhaustive list of allergens for myself and my son. For me, it's pretty easy. For my youngest, it is extensive.
Phantom wanted to eat sushi. He was allergic to shellfish and only recently did that fall off but we don't take chances. He's also allergic to milk, eggs, and slew of other foods. We typically get an imitation krab roll for him with no cream cheese and he loves it.

That wasn't an option here as the imitation krab roles come premixed with other products in it that he's allergic to. I tell you this now easily but I made it so difficult for our server because I didn't say it all at once and when she brought out a dish, she had to bring it back.

If I were here, I would have been very annoyed and frustrated but she did not lead me to believe she was feeling either of those emotions which made her even more incredible. All she wanted to do was bring my son something he could eat and I was entirely grateful for her patience.

Let's talk about food now.

We ordered the calamari to start. It was absolutely delicious! So much so that we ordered a second serving at the end of our meal.

Phyre order their sobo noodles but instead of steak or chicken, she got seafood with a side of tempura shrimp and veggies. She was giddy with happiness because the egg was nearly cooked on the inside which made the egg yolk runny which she loved! She slurped up every ounce of liquid and noodle in that bowl and left the fried stuff to her brothers.

Phoenix ordered the Beauty and the Beast roll which was quickly devoured with little remanence of what it once was.

Phantom mostly ate the calamari having gone through many different options that he couldn't eat but in the end, they were able to make him a plain tuna roll that he was satisfied with.

Jimmy had the steak yakisoba but instead of noodles he opted for fries.

And lastly I had the spicy tuna crispy rice small plate. The only thing I can describe because it was the only thing I ate that night.

I was thrilled to see this on their menu having had a similar dish in Las Vegas's Tao Restaurant. You can read that review here. I really loved Tao's version of the tuna on crispy rice that I was secretly hoping I'd find somewhere in Orlando that served it. And here we are - happenstance at Seito.

The crispy rice was tough to eat. It balanced on undercooked and stale. My memory of the crispy rice ball at Tao's was light and fluffy and I was really hoping for this same experience so it was underwhelming for me and also very heavy.

The rice piece is also much larger than Tao's so the bite size morsel of memory was actually two bites worth making this plate a full meal.
The tuna tasted like tuna. I wasn't expecting to feel full from this but it actually makes you feel very full due to the hardiness of the rice. I would have loved each piece to be smaller, with airy balls of rice topped with their avocado and tuna.

Nonetheless, I have to give my experience here 4.7 stars on the 5 points scale. The service alone deserves a 5 star rating. The best I've had in Orlando by far.

I'd love to go back and try something new and maybe not with the kids this time. I love them dearly but I clearly can't think straight when I have to worry about what everyone is eating.😂

If you haven't tried Seito Sushi for yourself, definitely stop by. Ask for Cholata (probably didn't spell her name correctly). She was our server and the most accommodating person I've seen in the business.

Elixir for food?

2020-03-13T08:38:00.002-07:00

And so it begins.

For over a year Jimmy and Dave have told me of the best wings and patty melt in our city. Having a limited scope of patty melts, only having the burger served on toast as a fast food option, it isn’t my go to option when ordering out. Today was the day I try it at restaurant (Elixir not exactly being a restaurant but not exactly not being a restaurant) and not through a drive through window.

Before I get to food let me tell you about Elixir. Elixir is an establishment in downtown Orlando off of Washington and Orange. My whole life I’ve associated Elixir to a place where you gather with people socially, drink and be merry. I’ve only been to Elixir one other time for a going away party for a friend. Other than that, my limited knowledge of this place was radio ads and word of mouth of a place you can hang out and drinks spirits.

Jimmy always told me that Elixir has the best wings and after our last experience with a similar establishment in South Florida (review - Tap42) I became really curious if all of the like should be created equal. I’m happy to announce that they should not!
Elixir has a similar feel, lots of wood, full length bar, indoor and outdoor seating. Nothing glamorous but comfortable. A place you can feel you can relax without judgement. We were concerned if our daughter could come with us to dinner due to its night time festivities, but when we got there we were relieved to see children in the courtyard eating with their families!

Now let’s get to food! That’s why you come here right?

I ordered the patty melt with fries. Jimmy had the wings with medium hot wing sauce and Phyre ordered the flatbread with shrimp. Now that I’ve recovered from my cold, it was fair game to try everyone’s food as I like to do when I go out to eat. Jimmy and I agreed to swap half of my patty melt for four of his wings! This allowed me to fully embrace the flavors of the food I was about to partake in. 😉 I did not get to eat Phyre’s flatbread but I assumed it was delicious since she ate all of it.

I tried the wings first. It was well seasoned with medium spiced hot wing sauce. As far as hot wing sauce goes, Jimmy said the temperature was accurate but I would call their medium, my mild. Still it was flavorful but there wasn't a uniqueness to the hot sauce that differentiated it from any other wing sauce I've had. The chicken was cooked thoroughly and it wasn’t dry! I would have preferred a little more crisp to it but overall it was pretty well done. Far better than the other establishment😒.

The patty melt is served on thick slices of grilled sour dough bread with their signature house aioli, melted cheddar and Fontina cheese, with the signature caramelized onions on top of a beef patty.
The bread was perfectly crispy and not soggy, the combination of caramelized onions and their house aioli gave a sweet and slightly sour flavor that paired well with the cheeses! Overall the first bite was delightful! A very enjoyable experience that I ate my half and a quarter of Jimmy’s because it was that good! I tend to not like thick slices of bread. It’s a personal preference but this patty melt is well worth the calories!

Having experienced Elixir now as a food venue, I look forward to trying something new the next time I visit and you should too!

Tapping out - don’t waste your time

2020-02-23T12:43:00.002-08:00

I have never felt so strongly about a restaurant as I do about Tap 42. This weekend we planned to see family and friend and on Sunday we planned to meet for brunch in Ft. Lauderdale. Having not known the local Brunch establishments, many recommendations were presented and we landed on this one. Great reviews. Landed on many top 20 list of brunch places in the area so why not.
The venue itself is very nice! A Modern Industrial feel with hanging fixtures of mixed sizes and shapes of Edison bulb lighting, dark wood tones, aluminum siding and bar stools. Outside of serving brunch with bottomless mimosas on Sunday it is apparently a popular night venue.

When we arrived there was a line of people that gave me comfort in the quality of food I was about to partake in. We made reservations in advance for 11 and they took us to an 8 top. Could it be a sign? They recovered fairly well and made up for the mishap and extended a nearby two top to the 8top and stuck a chair at the end. Our server Stephanie was very good. I don’t envy her knowing that when you have a line of people waiting you have to know that you’re entire section will get seated all at once. And she and all of the other servers handled their business professionally.
The menu seemed pretty promising with things like Chicago style steak and green eggs Benedict. I had chicken and waffles - one of those classic dishes I like to try when I see it on the menu and compare.

I did not try the other dishes that we got as I usually like to do because I was feeling under the weather earlier in the week and still recovering so no germ 🦠 spreading for us. So this review is simply based on my own food and the observations of my party.

In the picture there are two slices of watermelon missing because I’m allergic but the watermelon comes with it. Seems a bit racially stereotypically for the pairing😳. The presentation was nice on heavy ceramic like plates and a tiny gravy dish of syrup.

So here it is. The chicken and waffles cost $17.50 for two waffles about the size of larger coaster and four chicken fingers - oh and the two slices of watermelon. The chicken fingers lacked flavor and were dry. Better tenders can be found at any of your local fast food establishments for far less money than what you get here. The waffles also lacked anything memorable but did have sugar crystals in the batter to make it sweeter. I’d rather eat cake if I wanted to eat sugar. Tap 42’s Chicken and Waffles lands at a 1 on the scale. The worst I’ve ever had.

Jimmy has the Chicago steak that was served on “classic hash browns” topped with sunny side up eggs. I do have to say that all the dishes served at our table with eggs were all perfectly made. But classic hash browns are the ones you get at McDonalds which requires you to have a deep fryer for the prepackaged and processed hash browns they serve (nothing fancy or hard about making it). The small amount of filet served on top was insignificant and flavorless. This didn’t come from me- that was Jimmy’s opinion.

So I came away knowing that Tap42 isn’t known for their food but for the atmosphere it provides to its patrons. The ability to get hammered on bottomless whatever for a low price of $25.
Having experienced brunch here, I have no desire to see what dinner looks like. It’s not a place I would spend money to eat at ever again and if you are a person who loves tasting great food- you’d want to avoid this place. Your hard earned dollars can find a better place to eat like First Watch.

On a side note: patrons there are inconsiderate rich kids driving fancy cars that rev their engines when children are close by very loudly for no reason at all. Thanks to Pizzaa and McMellon🤬. Just adding to the reasons to avoid this place.

The Outpouring

2020-02-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

Let me start this entry by giving you some background.

Two months prior to the start of 2020, I made a list of commitments to myself as I've self-proclaimed it the ME year.
Highlights from this list are:

Journal 2-3X a week
Review every place I visit, eat,explore
Read more
Exercise 4-5 times a week
Draw more
And my last one - which is the purpose of this entry, No more buying made to order coffee.

Today I failed myself by buying coffee.

Further background so I can set the stage for the review.

I love coffee. I love the taste. I love the smell. I love the versatility of flavors not only in drinking it black depending on the region of the bean but also utilizing it in food recipes.

Every where I travel, I like to buy coffee beans to bring home. I like to taste the different roastings that come out of the bean and there is nothing like making the first batch of coffee from a newly opened bag of beans where you see the oil sweating from the bean still. After the bag is opened the oil sweat evaporates and I believe this is when the coffee bean's potency and flavor starts to diminish. The first cup is the best cup and that can only be done from a new bag of coffee beans or from a fresh batch of roasted beans. Since I know this, and I've stocked up on coffee beans, there was no reason for me to buy coffee that I can easily make at home. However, everyone knows that it just taste better when someone else makes it for you. Or does it? We're in the second month of the year and I can now say, it doesn't. I love the coffee I make at home or at work ( I have a full set of brewing types at each location). So today, while taking Pharah to the groomers, I saw a sign that says new coffee shop. I turn to Phyre and asked if she wanted to try it out, and we nodded "why not".

Walking into The Outpouring, you'll find open space, two long dining tables to sit out and three conversational lounging areas. A boho-chic/hodge podge of furniture put together that feels very warm and welcoming but is obviously done on a low budget. Completely understandable when you start to learn more about The Outpouring.

The Co-founders opened up their children's home in Malawi and the coffee shop is a non-profit company helping the communities they serve in Africa. On the wall near the coffee bar, there is a sign that reflects the amount of children in their home that they are servicing. 💗

It's a beautiful cause and something I would be happy to spend money to aid in their efforts. However, I believe operationally their coffee shop can improve. Because of their non-profit status, funding is likely low taking care of the necessities so investing in what may be superficial or not needed may be a reason for the shortcomings. I think if enough of the right people knew about their cause, they may provide services, items and man power voluntarily to help make this a business that stays.

Go check them out if you're in Clermont. They are next to Tijuana Flats on Highway 50 and Hancock.

And if you need a groomer, the people at Something to Bark About are awesome.

Tasting in the Tasting Room

2020-02-07T20:36:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since I last wrote. I made a commitment that this year, I'll be writing about all the new things I experience. It has taken me into the second month of the year to finally get to something new but here we are! Tonight we go into Downtown Winter Garden. A place I actually frequent to places I've always loved like Axum Coffee, Winter Garden Pizza Company, and the Crooked Can. But today, for the first time since I've lived in Florida (and in the area) I get to experience The Tasting Room. This is not to be confused with The Chef's Table which is a different restaurant but the same kitchen (I know, its confusing, but not really).

We called ahead but even calling ahead doesn't guarantee a seat will be available so we waited an extra 20 or so minutes. While we waited, we walked over to Way Chocolate & Coffee and perused the chocolate delicacies available there. This was also my first time experiencing this place so I took this opportunity to try something. I didn't take a picture of what I had here but will try to paint you the best picture possible. I ordered the Chocolate cup with Passion fruit Mouse and an Americano Coffee black. It was a petite chocolate tea cup filled with a creamy yellow passion fruit mouse with two pink candy hearts on the top and a chocolate spoon inside the mouse. It was the most adorable little dessert I've seen at a whopping $10 price tag. The mouse was not tart as an onlooker asked as I tasted it. It was perfectly sweetened and balanced out the chocolate shell well. Biting into the shell and mouse was actually a very good combination until I dropped the last half of it on the floor. Sadness ensued. It was a delightful dessert but not one I'm willing to pay $10 for again. My coffee took longer to prepare and was not ready by the time The Tasting Room was ready for us so I had to get it to go.

Back at the Tasting Room, the staff there are all very kind and excited about their establishment and food. A friend of ours joined us for dinner who was the person recommending this place and raved about its food providing suggestions as we looked over the menu. A small paper menu came with the large bound menu that signified items that are available for the evening. In observation of the menu, I noticed only two pages listing food items while the rest are alcoholic beverages of which we did not take partake in on this eve. From the paper menu I ordered the Crispy Mushrooms. It was tempura battered mushrooms (thick stemmed mushrooms of an unknown origin) over a black garlic sauce. It was a lovely small plate appetizer. I wish I knew the type of mushroom they used because I really enjoyed it but most of all the combination of the tempura batter, mushroom and black garlic sauce was so delightful that the dish was nearly gone as soon it hit the table.

If you've read any of my previous blogs, you may know that I like to try dishes that I love and compare them. Shrimp and Grits is one of those dishes that will always be ordered so I can compare. Before I begin on this, I failed to tell you The Tasting Room serves Tapas Style food. However, the Tapas portions are actually quite generous. If you've been to places like Tutu Tangos or Ceviches, I would say The Tasting Room has larger portions. So back to Shrimp and Grits. Here they use Red Shrimp with the tails still on, Creole bbq sauce and cheddar grits. I thoroughly enjoyed the consistency of the grits as it wasn't clump, very creamy and the sauce was on the side with the shrimp so you can add as much or as little of the sauce to the grits that you wanted. The sauce definitely has creole origins with a tomato base but is not too acidic. The perfectly cooked shrimp that was not rubbery but fluffy and easy to cut and chew through combined with the sauce and grits were a little slice of amazing (heaven was close by). On the S&G scale this one was an 8.5. I was not able to share the dish... Well, to be fair, I don't share my food anyway so no one was really expecting me to share. :-)

Another thing I always get whenever I see it on the menu is beet salad. It's not a common menu item and I love beets! Like really love it! Here the description of Beet Salad was mixed greens, feta, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and apple cider vinaigrette. The first salad that came out to me had a piece of hair in it so we sent it back not expecting for it to be returned. BUT as nice as the staff is, they did remake another one for me. As you can tell by the picture the mixed greens was actually just one type of leaf and to be honest, I can't tell you definitely which one it was. The beets tasted as if it was pre-soaked in tap water and the beets had absorbed the water because it had that distinct pipe water flavor to them. There was a clump of dried cranberries at the center of the salad. It was poorly made and didn't taste very well. Not something I would order again here.

Jimmy ordered the Tasting Room Wings. It has a very unique flavor. Smokey but the bbq flavor of the wings was unlike any flavor I've tasted which is why they trademark the wings naming it after the restaurant. They were well cooked and tasty. A dish I would recommend but if you're a wing connoisseur you may find that these wings, while good, aren't the best wings.

And lastly, the infamous Duck Fat Fries. These are hand cut potatoes with parmesan cheese, truffle oil, onions, and smoked aioli. I don't know why I expected something grand but for me, these were just fries. In general, aioli is fancy mayo. This one just tasted like mayo with a hint of flavor. The fries nor the aioli were anything that wow'd me. They were ordinary at best. Not a dish I would waste calories on.

Overall, I loved the atmosphere the Tasting Room provides, the staff were all very kind, they took care of the salad due to the hair which was very nice of them. We only sampled a few things on the menu but it is a place I would like to try again. I can see that there are unique flavors that the chef is creating. The environment the Tasting Room provides to its patrons is lively and almost gives the feeling like you're in a place "where everyone knows your name". Go check them out. Find out for yourself the flavors and let me know your thoughts on items I've tasted. 😄

Vegas Baby!

2019-07-07T17:11:00.001-07:00

Everyone gets excited for Las Vegas and who can blame them? It’s the city of sin, the city that never sleeps, there is always something to do in Vegas!

This trip was work related but I made a point to enjoy myself while here. #SHRM19 brought me to Las Vegas and I’m lucky enough to be able to represent my company while also earning much needed CEUs.

The first night of conference coincidentally brought me here at the same time as my BFF Natara who was also attending a conference where she was a guest speaker! So we planned dinner and a show for the only night we could be together- Cirque du Solei - O and Tao restaurant and club.

Having a resident show in Orlando, I was excited to see that O had a similar format but over water. I love the busyness of the stage where your eyes always has something to focus on which means each show will be a different experience. O amazes you with synchronized swimming, acrobats, and guests who become part of the show. It was so much fun and breathtaking all at once.

Tao greets you with large concrete tubs filled with water, rose petals and candle light. It deceives you with this serene entrance and calming decor of Asian deities but you quickly realize that the party has just begun as you turn the corner and the music gets louder and people are in abundance. Because we watch O first, we were Hangry! It was midnight on the east coast so I was way overdue for dinner which was why we over ordered👾. I have to say, I'm not sure if it was the pre-party atmosphere or just how it is but the TAO service is less than mediocre. We had two service people. I couldn't identify what they did but it seemed like they had specific roles or they had to run things by each other before something was completed. For instance, if we had a plate that needed to be taken away, it was almost like one had to get permission from the other to remove it. There was no coordination of efforts and it was hard to flag down someone to get what you needed. That being said, lets talk food.

We started off with Spicy Tuna Tartare on Crispy Rice and Lobster Wontons with Shitake Ginger Brother. I have to say the Tuna Tartare was the most amazing thing I ate that night. The beautiful balls of tuna were deliciously marinated in a light spice, not too much heat, and the fluffy rice puff it sat on was a perfect crisp - light and airy. I can chow down on those all day. The wontons were good but nothing the captures the attention for a second serving at a price tag of $21 for four wontons.

For dinner we ordered Diver Sea Scallops with Red Curry and Thai Basil, Triple Pork Fried Rice with pork belly, bbq roast pork and Chinese sausage. The curry did pack a medium level of heat but the scallops didn't pair well with the curry. The pork fried rice was good but I'd recommend that if you get a dish like curry don't get a speciality rice. Just get plain white or brown rice. The speciality rice section can be served as a meal on its own. The one shout out I'll give is the drink I had - Natara and I ordered the Phuket - a tequila base drink with lime juice, prickly pear, and fresh blueberries. The first one was so well made that I could have drank the whole thing all at once. However - the second was too sweet/almost tangy that it was hard for me to finish. I'd say try it especially if you don't mind throwing $17 at a beverage that has a 50/50% of being made well because it was worth it the first time.

Day 2

We had reservations for Wing Lei, the first Chinese restaurant in North America to earn a Michelin star, which was conveniently located in our hotel the Wynn/Encore. I was overly excited for tonight's dinner because I've never been to a restaurant with a Michelin star.

The restaurant isn't large but it is beautifully decorated with golds and greens. They even have a chair for my purse so I don't have to have it draped over my chair which could mess up the backs of these beautifully decorated chairs OR so it doesn't impede on the servers who tend to guests. Either way, when you walk in, it feels like a different world. Like you know you are about to embark on an experience like no other. And I have to say - This was hands down, the best dining experience I've ever had. So let's get to the details. If you look closely, to the right of my menu there are two sets of chopsticks. A black set and a white set. You are informed that the white set is for you to serve yourself with and the black set is for you to eat with. This is key in keeping your germs to yourself and reduce cross contamination which I'll get to in a moment.

While we ordered, the server asked if there was any food allergies - if you follow me on any of my other social media platforms you'd know that I had a recent incident with a Vegan restaurant and serving nuts to me after I told them I had a nut allergy. So I go about informing this server about my nut allergy before ordering and they took note and reassured me of their food preparation and the extra precautions they'll take. All fine and dandy but that is standard language I hear everywhere I go. What you do behind the walls is something I have to trust happens and often times it doesn't.

They brought out these lovely little spoonfuls of tomato/cucumber in a smidgen of vinegar and spices as a refreshing starter. We didn't ask for it but it was a welcomed surprise. One of our friends didn't want to try it but when the two of us did, we urged him to try it too as we were raving about how good it was and when he did he was equally surprised by the flavors. Most people feel a tiny whole cherry tomato is hard to eat without something drenching the flavor of the tomato or masking the texture. But this tiny spoon of deliciousness was so satisfying and a great start to the dining experience.

One of my friends is a Vegetarian so we ordered the Garden Dim Sum which had Red Beet, Corn, Spinach and Pea Tendrils wrapped around a garden of goodness inside. This is typically served over a bed of crushed nuts (sand) but they put it on the side for me and for the others to enjoy. Apparently it taste way better with the nuts so definitely make sure to add it if you can.
I ordered the Sampan Prawns which is a crispy garlic, scallions with jalapeno and veggie fried rice. The prawns were expertly breaded - not too thick, a light coat so you can still taste the flavors of the prawns and the mixture of toppings (crispy garlic, scallions and jalapeno) paired with the veggie rice made this dish an a Asian explosion of flavors in your mouth. For people who have experienced authentic Chinese restaurants like I have, stepping into this one seems otherwordly. But when you take away the gold silverware and the fancy decor - and you bite into a dish like this your brought back home.

Throughout our meal there were about three people who were tending to us. Each extremely knowledgeable about the menu items as they were quick to answer any questions we had or suggest alternatives. When I mentioned my nut allergy in the beginning it was with our female server. The other two male servers assisted in various ways all in sync with each other. There was never a moment we had to ask for something, someone was there anticipating our need. We were stuffed and didn't order dessert but the chef decided to create this little tower of tiny desert treats.

When they brought it out, one of the male servers explained what each item was and informed me that for me, because of my nut allergy the chef added the pineapple jelly at the bottom right corner of the picture. The other desserts had nuts. Two things happened here - we got something we didn't ask for which was a delightful surprise but they (the service team and the chef) remembered my allergy so that everyone understood and made it a point to keep me in mind for this fabulous treat! It was at this point that I knew service like this can't be replicated. Beyond the amazing food, the beautiful establishment, the cleanliness of the bathrooms, the details of decor, the service is what will bring me here again. Thank you Wing Lei!

After Wing Lei, a friend and I hopped on over to Zumanity! This Cirque show is one of the only shows with nudity so beware. Not for kids but super fun. The cast is a set of very sexy acrobats, dancers, showmen and women that wow you with their strength, flexibility, and showmanship. Its also all kinds of hilarious!

Day 3

Day 3 of #SHRM19 was Lionel Ritchie night! "Hey Lionel!" But let's talk about food! I mean, thats why we're all here right!? Day 3 was a steak night. This was the only night I planned on eating at a steakhouse that left an impression on me the last time I was in Las Vegas. Tom Colicchio's Craftsteak at MGM Grand!
I was really looking forward to this because of my last experience. I started off with a half dozen oysters. I wish I remembered what kind they were but I'm really never picky with oysters so I just told the server to choose and he did. They were pretty delicious!

I tried one thing I've never tried before - Wagyu beef. I went with the Wagyu surf & turf with a filet and 1/2 lobster tail. It was a delicious meal but I'll tell you a few things why it wasn't amazing. First - I was never a real fan of lobster tail so this experience was not any better. The lobster, in my opinion was rubbery instead of buttery but that's how I've always experienced lobster, why I thought this day would be different, I don't know. Second - if you read my blogs you know I just experienced the most amazing steakhouse ever so I was a bit on a high horse thinking that in some way this infamous Wagyu beef was going to knock my socks off. It didn't. And I won't order it again. The money is not worth the taste or experience. The filet tasted like any other filet that I would get at a steakhouse of this caliber. We also got two sides - an assortment of mushrooms and their speciality corn. The corn is a must have. The mushrooms were good, still earthy. If you like mushrooms - I'd get them and then put them in the steak skillet to add some flavor to it. If you kind of like mushrooms - don't get them. I feel like if I had those mushrooms I could have made an amazing mushroom sauce keeping them whole (like they did) that could enhance the steak flavors. But I think they literally toss it in a pan with a little bit of oil, maybe butter and a pinch of salt and add it to a dish. For that - just pass.

Day 4

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My last night in Vegas was Wednesday night, the last night of the conference. I planned to see Beatles Love and eat at Giada's restaurant at the Cromwell. I love Giada. I watched her cooking shows when I was younger so I took this opportunity to experience some of her cooking while I had the opportunity.
Table for one please :-). I started off my meal with a charred octopus salad - Calabrian chili, radish and ice wine vinaigrette. You can really taste the flavor of the ice wine in the vinaigrette. I would have appreciated just a touch more. But what was really amazing is the octopus. I've had octopus plenty of times but this was the first time I've had octopus and it wasn't rubbery. It was cooked beautifully, you can slice it with a fork, no knife needed, and it almost melted in your mouth it was so soft. The char on it gave it a nice smokey flavor that complimented the dish well.

My entree was the Risotto - it was a rich and creamy flavor but the risotto was a little undercooked for my taste. I wish I hadn't stuffed myself the entire week with amazing food so I could have enjoyed the risotto more. The scallops was also, THE BEST scallops I've had ever tasted. Cooked to perfection, a buttery soft texture that went well with the creaminess of the risotto. I can say this - Giada's restaurant cooks seafood so well, it was quite frankly the best I've had ever experience thus far!

I ended my dining experience with the blackberry merlot sorbetti - tangy blackberry sorbet with a merlot finish. It was a great finish to the evening.

I ended the night watching Beatles Love - a Cirque show. I was front row!
I have a deep love for the Beatles because of my father. I got discounted tickets because I bought tickets to O so these front row tickets were a little over $70. Money well spent if you asked me. The show was everything I wish it would have been and more. A festival of love performed to all of the best Beatles songs! It was nostalgic and colorful! I would love to take my family and experience this again!

Closing thoughts: I highly recommend booking all of your reservations on Open Table as I did. It makes it super easy to find what you want, and if you need to make adjustments to the amount of people or the time, you can do it all on your app.

I also loved our hotel! I can't thank my company enough for choosing this hotel! It was a great experience and the amenities were first class. We stayed at the Wynn Encore. It is the newer tower of the Wynn hotel which boasts larger rooms. It was perfect for the times I had to work, attend conference calls or do interviews because it had a desk in the room that I can easily plug and play in a quiet and serene environment. The rooms were equipped with Alexa which was super convenient having to ask Alexa to turn on the lights or off the lights or close the drapes or open the drapes! Definitely stay at the Encore if you get a chance! Also if you ever run into Debra, she's amazing. She wears purple lipstick to match the purple jacket she wears. When I needed help finding a bathing suit she directed me and staying with me the entire time until I knew exactly where I needed to go. Who does that? Debra does! Best employee ever! Tell her I said HI if you bump into her!

I love Vegas - not for its Casinos (I didn't spend a penny on gambling while I was there), but for everything it has to offer you in a concentrated 4 mile block they call the Las Vegas Strip! Go have fun, eat well, see shows and if you feel so inclined - get some casino time in!

Berns Steakhouse - Oh my!

2019-05-30T19:05:00.001-07:00

I've lived in Florida for almost 32 years.🌞 I think it may have been in my early twenties when I first heard of Berns. I heard it resembled castles inside and that dessert is its own stage in the meal process so I envisioned high ceilings, old English decor, long windows draped with velvety embroidered fabric and exquisite art lining the wall. I had always wanted to have a meal at Berns to experience what everyone talked about but there are truths that I will divulge here and now, 1 - I didn't think I had Berns type dinner money AND 2 - I wasn't willing to make the day trek to Tampa to just have a meal.

Having spent the last 15 years in a role where I had to travel the state for work, I have now trained myself to take day trips all over Florida AND now I know I can afford a great meal at a fancy restaurant. So I checked out the website to see how reservations were made and was both pleasantly surprised that I can make reservations online and then completely aware that the availability of good reservation times are few and far between. I scoured the three month span that was open at the time to find a date that I knew Jimmy and I could have a nice dinner together and what do you know - Memorial Day was the only day we both had off and reservation times weren't after 8pm. This was a very good indication that what I was about to embark on was going to be a really amazing meal!

Our reservation time was for 5pm this is also the time they open. As is natural for Jimmy and I, we were 30 minutes early. The foyer was open for us to wait in but the restaurant doors were still closed. There was one other couple inside before us. A sign inside the foyer states the dress code for Berns- simply stating an oxford shirt and long pants are minimum and shorts are not permitted. This is similar to what they also state on their website. I saw two different couples come in where the males wore shorts and both were seated so my guess is, Berns does not enforce their dress code 💁.

Once inside you find yourself in a dimly lit atrium with painted portraits that lined the walls from top to bottom. The orange hue of the light made it feel very much like the haunted mansion at Disney. After checking in, I had to use the restroom which was upstairs. The banisters were lined with velvet and the ornate picture frames and intricate Victorian style decor was almost what I had imagined. The ceilings were not as high as I thought but nonetheless, there was a very unique atmosphere to Berns that made you feel fancy even if you're wearing shorts😏.

We were seated at our table, a quaint two top in a row that had a four top between another two top. The room that our table was in was small, maybe fitting about 40 people total. Our servers name was Lee. He was very down to earth providing us with recommendations and caution due to the amount of food that comes with the steak. We were very appreciative of all the information he provided.

First Course - French Onion Soup. Its served in a mini metal dish with four kinds of layered cheese that sealed the rim shut. The cheeses used were Asiago, Geitost, Parmesan, Fontina. The cheeses are pre-cut prior to opening in the perfect circles with the exception of the Geitost as I'm told those create the brown speckles on the top.
Breaking the layers of cheese was like a French Onion Fort Knox! But once you get in its a little slice of amazingness. The broth wasn't too overwhelming in flavor as I've had in other place. It balanced well with the soaked bread and the cheese which kept its form after emerging into the broth. The Garlic toast was a nice touch of flavor to the onion soup and Jimmy tried the spelt toast with the soup. He doesn't typically like sweet with savory but he said that spelt toast enhanced the flavor. What I liked most about this soup is that it was the perfect size to start you off.

Next course was the house salad. Jimmy and I both ordered the Cleopatra dressing which was a Caesar dressing. The salad came on a smaller plate but was deceivingly in abundance of food, how much salad could fit on this small plate!? You had red peppers, avocado, onions, carrots, cucumbers, cheese, tomatoes, olives, egg, celery, romaine lettuce and croutons! It was a delicious salad! I loved the thinly sliced celery hidden under it all that when I took a bite where the celery was hidden my mouth watered a little more with that extra burst of celery flavor!
The potato was prepared for us table side. Lee expertly loaded it with sour cream, butter, bacon and chives. I strategically skipped eating this knowing that my main course AND dessert took precedence over this. I did have a taste after I ate my main course and would have loved to devour this potato but I would have done a disservice to myself if I skipped out on my favorite part of the meal - DESSERT!
My main course were the 3 lamb chops. I have a love for Lamb! And if given the choice, I've often went for the lamb over steak thus was the case on this day. There was strategy in planning as there was support for this decision. Lee suggested I get the lamb and taste Jimmy's steak so I took it and was so happy with the his suggestion.
Lamb often gets a bad rap for being gamey. It does, in most cases, have a distinct taste to it that is unique to lamb. Like celery. You know when you bite into a celery that it is celery. The same goes with lamb. However these lamb chops were not the unique taste you get from lamb but a blend of flame crusted "steakish" flavors that muted the lamb flavor in a good way. The Pinot Noir reduction served with the lamb enhanced the delicate flavors that was pure bliss. It was so good I was gnawing on the bones trying to suck out as much of that flavor as I could before letting it go. As you can see on my plate, carrots, green beans and onion straws are also served. Everything noted above are standard with each meat option! So heed the warnings of Lee and temper your appetite. The onion straws were delicious and green beans were still crisp with a smokey flavor to it. I was not a fan of the carrots. They were sweet and I don't particularly enjoy shaved carrots.

Jimmy had a Delmonico steak because I asked him to order it. He wanted to order the filet mignon but instead he got what I asked of him. I love a good Rib Eye because of the marbling that creates this rich flavor within the meat and I wanted to be able to experience an aged rib eye where I know I won't be able to recreate the experience anywhere else but at Berns. Berns is known for this crusty exterior of their steaks. The crusty exterior, with a nice pink center, and the melty fatness striated between beautiful chunks of meat is what you want when you bite into a steak. And it does not let you down! We used some of the lamb sauce (pinot noir reduction) on the steak, just a drop of it create a full bodied flavor that makes a 9 steak rise its full potential -10!

We did take home part of that steak and most of our sides because we knew we wanted to experience dessert. We checked out with Lee and headed to our Tour of Berns!

Jimmy and I both worked in restaurants before and we both had the same comment about the Berns Kitchen - The floors are so clean! No grease or wet floors. Tyrone was our kitchen guide. I had no idea about Berns Farm or the extensive knowledge that everyone who works at Berns has to know before even hitting the floor to serve! It was a great experience learning from Tyrone before he handed us off to our wine tour guide!
I thought of my friend Iranys as we traveled down the wine cellar. The bottles of wines that lined endless rows made me wonder what wines she knew of and how many has she tasted? One of their bottles is a pricey $30K bottle! The cellar is kept at cool 54 degrees to account for potential power outages. The Berns collections is one of the largest private collections ever. They have over 150,000 bottles at Berns and another 600,000 (don't quote me) in a warehouse! When she asked if we wanted pictures I jumped at the opportunity! You can see Jimmy Kwong actually smiling in our photo 😍!

Next we went upstairs to have our Dessert! Each Dessert room is shaped like a barrel, even the bathroom stalls upstairs are barrel shaped! Sorry for the tangent - On with desserts.

I love dessert. I can never say no to a good dessert but I do have a food allergy which consist of tree nuts, melons, and banana. Reviewing the menu made me a little sad. There was an abundance of desserts with tree nuts which limited my options. They have an extensive list of ice creams they make but I didn't want ice cream I wanted something I can't have anywhere else. The options were short so I opted for a Cafe con leche wtih the Exotic Vanilla dessert which is a sample of three different vanilla based creations - a vanilla bean cheesecake, vanilla creme brulee tart, vanilla bean mouse with fruit creme and I chose a blueberry pomegranate sorbet to go with it. The sorbet was honestly the best part of this experience but I did like the creaminess of the mouse with the fruit creme.

Jimmy had a hot fudge sundae and I, of course, stole a taste and I can say that ice cream is their specialty.

All in all, Jimmy and I had a great time experiencing the flavors Berns has to offer. It is a place that Jimmy and I have already stated we want to visit again. The aged steaks and lamb, the way they are cut to order and cooked to perfection is something that isn't offered at every steakhouse. It doesn't compare to the Ruth Chris' or Flemings. Berns is in a league of its own!

NOLA Eats!

2018-10-16T11:53:00.003-07:00

I've never been to New Orleans. It's always been a city I wanted to experience since I was in my early twenties. Back then, it was to experience Mardi Gras, but as I got older I started to read about the French Quarters, the amazing food, and the people of New Orleans that make it so unique.

So when I was presented with the opportunity to visit, whether it was by invite or not ;-), I jumped on the opportunity to finally experience the city, food and culture. Full disclosure, I had nothing to do with the planning of this trip or where we got to eat. I left that in the very capable hands of my bff Natara, as we both have a love for food!

We arrived by plane to MSY - Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport early Friday morning by 8:30am. This was on purpose so we can have three breakfast meals during this long weekend trip. Who can pass up the opportunity to have breakfast in NOLA?

When you leave the airport there is a distinct smell to NOLA. It's not offensive but it isn't exactly pleasant either. Once I got over the scent we grabbed a cab from the airport to our beautiful hotel, The Omni Riverfront (Note: You don't need to rent a car. Think of being in NYC except in the South).

Once we got to our hotel, bright an early, they had a room ready for us, which never happens, so we were able to drop off our stuff and grab a cab to our first breakfast spot of the weekend - The Ruby Slipper!

If you've never been, make sure you have the YELP app so you can put your name on the waiting list because there WILL be a wait! If you don't do this prior to getting there, they have servers that come out regularly asking if you want a beverage which I'll highly recommend because the wait seems to fly by while you're drinking.

The Ruby Slipper is a casual diner with a NOLA flare that serves Southern gastropub like cuisines. I ordered the Peacemaker - a pick two option of the eggs Benedict and the Pancake flight, a trio of pancakes of different flavors! The biscuits here are amazing and that was the base of the Eggs Benedict. Whether the biscuit is on its own or laden with eggs, meats and cheeses, those biscuits are worth the calories!

After Breakfast we Uber'd to our second event of the day, Le Musee De F.P.C. - Museum of Free People of Color. The ladies here are rich in knowledge of New Orleans history. Their degree of historical data kept in their head along with the artifacts, paintings both past and present, that represent NOLA is incomparable to anyone I've ever met.

It's impressive to hear them recite history as they go through each room and the meaning of what that room represents or the significance of a piece. If you want to really get to know NOLA, you need to stop by here and learn. It will give an appreciation for the city that you've never experienced before. Thank you for the experience and knowledge ladies! I appreciate you most!

After the Museum we returned to our hotel taking a break in the lobby where cold fruit infused water was always ready for us! By this time, I was beat! As soon as we got to the room I passed out needing rest before our dinner reservations that evening.

Friday evening we walked over to Emril's from our hotel. A few blocks was refreshing both before and after dinner.

When you walk into Emril's there seems to be a staff member every five steps. The amount of "Welcome to Emril's" we received was a bit overwhelming. Our table was close to the kitchen where you can see the view of the Chef's table but not that close.

The servers were great, attentive and accommodating.
As an appetizer I order the mussels with crispy rice balls in Thai sauce. there was also a tuna ball that I could have lived without but nonetheless, it was there and it was eaten. I loved the crispy rice balls with the thai sauce. It was savory and had the perfect blend of thai spices without being too overwhelming.

For dinner I had Shrimp and Grits. This is a dish I like to order when it's available. I like to compare this dish from restaurant to restaurant.

At Emril's, there is no surprise that the size of the shrimp is impressive. Heads and tails still on the shrimp which I can appreciate as I like to suck the juices out of it's head and eat the leftover meat inside. However the grits were clumpy. Not the best I've had. The sauce was okay, the base seemed more acidic than for my taste and there was a lot of it which, for me, was overpowering.
On a scale of 1-10, I'd rank a solid 7 on the shrimp and grits scale in comparison to those I've had in the past. What really captured my taste buds was the Pork Chop. Mama Williams ordered this dish and we all had a taste of it. It was perfectly seasoned, temp and consistency was amazing! Definitely a dish to be ordered if you go here.

Second day in NOLA, we planned on going to Mother's for breakfast but having heard from the locals, we were advised otherwise, so we changed course mid Uber and went to Surrey's.

Surrey's is a tiny house cafe serving fresh squeezed juices and a variety of breakfast/lunch items. I ordered the corned beef hash and we ordered the banana fosters french toast for the table to share.

I'm Filipina, so corned beef hash is something we do often and well. I can say Surrey's version isn't something I would order again just because I have a different version in my head of what it should be and unfortunately I compared. BUT! The Banana Fosters French Toast is TO DIE FOR! I literally have dreams of this dish. Locals that live in NOLA, I envy you! I wish I can go there once a week and chow down on some banana fosters french toast! YOU MADE MY LIFE with that dish! Thank you!

After Surrey's we headed to our second destination, French Quarters Phantom Tours to partake in the cemetery tour. Our self proclaimed #handsometourguide was also very knowledgeable on NOLA history. What he was really great at is delivering the history with consideration to the citizens (both past and present) making light, in a respectful way, the equality issues that are happening today, and providing great details of why people are buried above ground in NOLA 😮! The cemetery was very interesting. Knowing the process, the famous people buried there, and those who will be buried there are all things you will uncover on this tour which I will highly recommend!

What was really interesting about NOLA that I learned on this tour is that drinking while on the tour is highly encouraged :-)! It may be just this tour groups way of making you feel the NOLA hospitality or it's a thing. Either way, use Phantom's for fun yet insightful tours.

After the tour we were sent on our way which we happily did due to exhaustion, we Uber'd to the hotel, taking in our fruity water, and ordering room service, a nice blend of charcuterie goodness and garlic toast to fill our bellies while we wait for dinner.

On this eve, we partook on the unique cuisines of Cochon! Here, we were able to consume the game. I had the special of the day, Grilled Cobia over grits and curried pumpkin. I didn't taste the flavor of the curried pumpkins but the Cobia was good and the grits here were a better consistency. If fish isn't your thing perhaps rabbit dumplings, fried liver with pepper jelly, or pork cheek! At Cochon, prepare to experience a different type of meal that will ultimately leave you satisfied.

We opted out of dessert here with the anticipation of having dessert at the infamous Cafe Du Monde. If you've never been and have never seen pictures, like me, let me be the first to tell you that the Cafe is not what you expect it to be. Once you get past the outdoor New Orleans crowd and lack of cleanliness, you'll also have to have patience in order to be served. We were able to grab a table immediately upon entering the court but it took 25 minutes before someone acknowledged our existence. When they did, it took five minutes for them to get our beignets and coffee. I'm no expert but the beignet was as expected and the coffee was pretty good. If you go to Cafe Du Monde, I recommend going at night when the wait is minimal. If you go in the morning be prepared to stand in a line that can be pretty obscene.

Last day we had brunch at Muriel's. Muriel's is known for their Sunday Brunch. We had the wild mushroom gnocchi which was FANtabulous! Our server Michael was a peach! I could take him with me to be my personal sunshine and pick me up. I also had the Eggs Veney which was good but I was still hung up on the wild mushroom gnocchi to want to take in anything else until dessert. We shared the bread pudding without nuts and this piece of heaven is everything!
It was sweet but not too sweet. The consistency of the bread pudding was almost cake like but dense and rich with flavor.

The best part of Muriel's is the live music and clearly the highlight of the weekend for me. The upright bass player also sang and his deep tones were a pleasure to listen to. The clarinet player was perfect! I love hearing the sounds of the clarinet but having that instrument played well is such a treat. And the guitar player was endearing. You can hear the skills in his fingertips as his quickly and skillfully strummed his guitar. You can see the joy of playing music together on each musicians face and the fact that they were bringing their art and enjoyment to each of us as patrons of Muriel's was as exciting for them as it was for all of us.

Occasionally they stopped to play happy birthday to an individual but mostly they played songs that were known or unknown. It didn't really matter because it was such a beautiful experience that I want to go again the next time I get to visit.

To anyone visiting NOLA, take the time to get to know what the city's about beyond it's festive nights and spirits. Be open minded to the unexpected and get to know their kind people, rich culture and delicious foods. For me, I know I will need to visit NOLA a few more times to experience what I didn't get to on this trip and I look forward to the next time I'm able to visit!

Kyu Miami

2018-07-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

My sister Sarah and I

This weekend I had the opportunity to dine at the infamous Kyu Miami (pronounced Q). All the hype around this restaurant got me really excited to experience the Asian-inspired cuisines that locals, travelers and celebrities seem to flock to for the experience and taste that can't be found anywhere else.

To prepare for this food-venture, I reviewed their website for menu options. I was surprised to find that they list full menu details including their cocktails, wine list, and brunch menu. I paired their website menu with the food pictures that were posted on Yelp* by patrons of Kyu to navigate which were the most popular items and which were the least popular (for your curiosity - the tiger prawns seems to be the least chosen food on their menu).

The Boxer

Getting to Wynwood for those who have never traveled to this area of Miami, can be a little daunting. Narrow streets, lots of cars, lots of walkers, and a lot of one way roads can be confusing. To make things easier on you - I'd recommend taking an Uber or Lyft. Plus it will allow you to enjoy a few of their signature cocktails without the worry of driving 😏. Once there, your greeted by a beautiful wall of green vines with stone tables and a metal sign #KYUmiami 💚.

Soft Shell Crab Steam Buns

Our reservations were for 7pm on a Saturday. Quite the "rush hour" for food as I opened the door and found myself in a line that already had a few people awaiting for the hostess. So I took the opportunity while waiting in line to scope out the place. I've always loved decor that mixed natural elements with hard elements like wood and stone and that is definitely what you get at Kyu. Metal pipes with wooden shelves against grey washed concrete walls, stone counters, wood tables and metal chairs adorn the dining room. Greenery, glass and books decorate the restaurant while a projected image of a gold car is maximized on the wall as an artifact.

Mussels

It didn't take long to be seated and once there a nice gentleman by the name of Marlon was quick to provide us with water service at our table. He introduced himself as the server's assistant and that our server would be Chris. It is a nice touch to have a tag team when dining out.

When Chris arrived he provided us the details of the special that was available for that evening and an overview of the menu options. We ordered Mollydooker "The Boxer" to start as well as the Snacky Snack- Soft shell crab steam buns and Mussels.

Pork and Shitake Gyoza

This was my first time tasting Mollydooker. I'm not a wine connoisseur but my professional opinion is that the boxer is delicious 😜.

I like the presentation of the soft shell crab steam buns. The steam buns were lighter than a traditional Chinese steam bun which for me, was better and the soft shell crab was seasoned well, crispy with a garlic citrus aioli. It could have used a little more of the aioli but all in all a very good dish.

Beef Tenderloin with Fire Roasted Kimchi

The Mussels were also good. It had a broth at the bottom that was great to soak up with the grilled bruschetta bread. Server recommended to squeeze the lime over the entire dish and mix which we happily followed directions.

Next up we had the Pork and Shitake Gyoza. It was topped with a dried fish which when added to steaming hot potstickers causing the dried fish to "dance". You can see video of the dancing Gyoza online. While the Gyoza was tasty it is not something I'd order again. Living in a Chinese household where Chinese dumplings are easy to come by, there was nothing that signified it's worth.

Thai rice in a stone pot with egg

Next up, the Beef Tenderloin with fire roasted kimchi. This is another that I won't order again. While good - there are other items on the menu that are much tastier. The beef was tender but ordinary and the Kimchi was too salty.

Florida Red Snapper

My favorite dish of the night - the Thai fried rice in a stone pot with a fried egg. The presentation was spectacular. The server breaks the egg and scrapes the pot sides to release the sticky rice from the wall. The end result is crispy and soft rice with hints of lemongrass and thai spices. I can eat many pots of this rice... Line them up and I'd be one happy camper.😍

Next we had the Florida Red Snapper with brown butter and white miso. This fish was perfectly cooked and full of flavor.

Korean fried chicken

Last but not least the infamous Korean Fried Chicken. I've heard about this fried chicken from a number of sources as being the best. Had I not known about it prior my reaction to the fried chicken may have been different. My expectations of being the best was that it was going to be - well... THE BEST. It was very good but it was an Asian version of Popeyes chicken.

For dessert we had the coconut cake and the dark chocolate smores cake. Of the two - coconut cake is hands down the best! It was a moist cake that wasn't too overpowering on the coconut side. If you're telling yourself you don't like coconut - I implore you to try this one. It may change your mind. In terms of places to eat desserts this is in my type three places to have dessert!

Dark Chocolate Smores cake and Coconut cake

One thing I forgot to mention and one that I think Kyu should emphasize during service is there work with planting trees. On the menu it states vow to plant trees for each tree they burn and you can help for $5. If the server would have reminded me, I would have added an additional $5 to the cause but I forgot and missed out on the opportunity to help. Great work though!

Back to food :-) All in all Kyu is definitely a place I'd revisit especially knowing that there are more things on the menu that I'd like to try.You can definitely find flavors of the Orient in each bite. They even have the option to have a dinner experience where the chef chooses the food for you and you can add wine pairing with it! That is definitely an option for the next time I go.

Happy Eating 😋

Raphsodic Cooperative Company

2014-06-19T06:06:00.000-07:00

Raphsodic Cooperative Company

Vegan anyone? I stumbled upon this place. Wait, let me rewind. My sister, Sarah stumbled upon their website when trying to find out a place to make a cake for my son Phantom. We both called and spoke to someone and they said they could do it. If you knew Phantom and how very delicate he is, it was unbelievable to find someplace that could make him something he could eat.

Phantom is allergic to many foods which prevent him from eating normal pastries. He's allergic to soy, dairy, egg, nuts, corn and a number of other things. So to find a bakery that could make him his birthday cake, almost had me in tears of joy. I literally cannot wait for him to enjoy something new.

So on to Raphsodic. This little place is located on Mills just north of Colonial/HWY 50. It is a self-proclaimed, “Urban Pastry Art House”. They pride themselves in using organic ingredients and are advocates of being “green”. They specialize in 100% vegan, cruelty and animal testing free products and services. They don’t use dairy, eggs, or any other animal products. Your yummy pastries are dye-free and can be made without gluten and/or soy. So you know when you eat their pastries, you have nothing to feel guilty about. If you are Vegan and have a special occasion like I do, they can make beautiful cakes for any occasion including weddings.

You can find out more about Raphsodic on their website at www.raphsodic.com.

Boba Tea

2014-06-19T05:20:00.000-07:00

Chewy Boba Company

Chewy Boba Company, previously called Lollicup, has now changed their name for bigger and better things! Your same favorite people are still there making the best milk teas, smoothies, slushies your heart desires. Chewy Boba Company on Orange Blossom Trail across from the Florida Mall is my favorite place to go to get my Thai Tea fix. John and Angela are always so welcoming and I never forget getting my stamp on my rewards card! Stepping into the place is like stepping into a hip Japanimation café.

This weekend when I pulled up to the parking lot, my heart sank and for a moment I thought, I don’t get to have Boba any more? The sign that said Lollicup was no more. My life was over and I was going to cry from the tragedy. But when I pulled up further, the sign that used to say Lollicup now says Chewy in huge letters then Boba company right underneath it and the inside of the establishment was still the same place. WOOOOOSH. Sigh of relief and my happiness is restored. I go in inquisitive about the name change and happy to know my favorite place to have Boba is just wanting a little more liberty to do what they want to do; nothing wrong with that as long as they keep serving me boba. Now I usually get a large Thai Tea with Boba, a super yummy milk tea that comes to you with a beautiful separation of colors between the tea and the milk layered on top and the boba on the bottom. It comes sealed so when you shake it to mix everything it turns a pretty orange color and taste oh so yummy. But today, I decided to try something new. When I walked in there was a sign with two new drinks. I decided to try the pineapple green tea with boba. The tea was magnificent but I felt that the boba, while still great, didn’t mix as well as it did with my favorite Thai Tea. No big deal, still a delicious drink. My friend and eating partner, Leandra, had a large half chai tea and half boba milk with boba. I have to say, that my beloved Thai tea might have a challenger because tasting hers was an explosion of yumminess!

So some of you may want to know what Boba is. People have called this Bubble Tea, misusing the term bubble for Boba, which are not the same. Bubble tea was actually used to call the tea drinks because it is customary to shake your drink to enhance the flavors and bubbles would form at the top. Boba is actually tapioca balls that are made from cassava root that has a light sweet flavor to it.

So now you have it. Chewy Boba Company is the only place to go for the best “bubble tea” in Central Florida. The only place I go! They have two locations – on Highway 50 just east of Mills and Orange Blossom Trail across from Florida Mall. Get your photo taken at the Downtown location or test your drawing skills or write a message at the OBT location. On my visit, I took a picture of my feelings for Boba Tea. Will you marry me?

Bonefish Grill

2014-06-05T15:56:00.000-07:00

Gluten Free. It’s a trend we’re seeing a lot of now where people are finding they have a disease, allergy or intolerance to a protein found in rye, wheat, and barley called gluten. Bonefish Grill has been a leader in providing gluten-free food to their guest but has mostly gone unnoticed. I was invited to try out their gluten free foods, beverages and desserts.

Mitzi Dulan, a registered dietitian and co-author of The All-Pro Diet (Rodale, 2009), has been working with Bonefish Grill bringing awareness to this trend and providing valuable information on healthy living to her clients. She was present to talk a little bit about Bonefish Grill’s commitment and menu selection for those with the need for gluten free foods.

On a beautiful night in Dr. Phillips, an intimate gathering of people were in attendance to taste their gluten-free options and me, being the food lover, was delighted to indulge on what Bonefish Grill had to offer. We started the evening fabulously with a delicious strawberry infused martini plainly called strawberry martini that is actually far from plain. It is Square One Botanical vodka, hand-muddled strawberries + chamomile citrus tea infusion. It’s a lot more complex than the simple name implies which makes it more amazing. It is a definite taste bud pleaser and something I know to order the next time I dine there.

We started off with steamed edamame, saucy shrimp, and mussels Josephine. Out of the three, I personally enjoyed saucy shrimp the most. It had this amazing sauce (hence the name) that was full of flavor and was perfect with their gluten free bread to sop up the sauciness. What came next baffled me because everything I knew about beer told me that there was a pretty good chance there was gluten in it. But Bonefish Grill has gluten free beer called Redbridge. It’s an amber lager that I am told taste best when drunken from the bottle. However, I am not a beer connoisseur, so to me, it tastes like any other beer. You’ll have to go there yourself and try it out and tell me what you think.

Before entrees came out, we dove into their signature house salad. I’m a big fan of salad so I was elated to find that their salad had the perfect balance of their citrus herb vinaigrette, kalamata olives, and tomato. I found that the pepitas gave the salad a nice crunch, a perfect replacement to the crouton. Just after the salad we were given, yet another sample of their beautifully prepared Skinny Rita-Tini. This adult beverage is only 140 calories per glass. They substitute the margarita mix with agave nectar. Being a big fan of margaritas, I would say that this was a light refreshment where the taste is sacrificed to keep calories low. It definitely wasn’t bad, but I’d prefer my calorie filled regular margarita. When the entrees came out, my stomach was already feeling satisfied but I had to try everything as to not let our readers down. So off I went into the depths of my plate with Lily’s Chicken, Sirloin Steak, Grilled Mahi Mahi, Grilled Atlantic Salmon, and Grilled Chilean Sea Bass.

Lets go down the list. Lily’s Chicken is fire roasted topped with spinach, goat cheese and lemon basil butter. The chicken by itself was a little dry but the butter and goat cheese helped that along nicely. The goat cheese on top was a larger quantity than I would have liked, but overall it was pretty tasty. The Sirloin Steak for me was just like any other steak. There was no fan fare with this but if you like a nice piece of meat, you can’t go wrong with steak. Grilled Mahi Mahi was topped with their Chimichurri sauce, something I’m used to having with a skirt steak, but a fan of the sauce nonetheless.

If you’ve had chimichurri prepared at a Latin restaurant, the one at Bonefish Grill is a little milder on the taste buds but paired nicely with the mahi mahi. The Grilled Atlantic Salmon was topped with the lemon butter sauce. The fish was very nicely cooked but with this salmon, I felt it was just as I expected. The Grilled Chilean Sea Bass was topped with the mango salsa and I would say my favorite of the three fishes. Chilean Sea Bass has a different texture of all fishes in my opinion, but paired with the mango salsa was a delectable treat.

As if, all this food would be enough, they came out with an Espresso Martini that was rimmed

with sugar and chocolate, Crème Brulee and Flourless Chocolate Macadamia Nut Brownie. The Espresso Martini was yummy because who could really resist sugar and chocolate. A few of these, and I would have been sent to bed early. Crème Brulee is my favorite and Bonefish Grill did not let me down here. It was fantastic. You always have room for Crème Brulee no matter where you go. As I really wanted to dive into a chocolate brownie, I couldn’t because of my allergy to macadamia nut. But as the wonderful women by my side stated, it was to die for and worth traveling to Bonefish Grill just to have that brownie. I’ll take their word for it.

Overall, the gluten free options at Bonefish Grill proved to be a fine choice for a meal dining for any occasion. If you are someone who is looking for gluten free food, I’d highly recommend going to Bonefish Grill. When you do, make sure you tell your server of your concerns and a manager should be alerted to your needs and assured that there is no cross contamination when preparing your meal; part of the promise and service that Bonefish Grill is committed to. I myself will be returning to try their sea bass with the saucy shrimp sauce as recommended.

2013-06-27T12:28:00.000-07:00

For all you Food and Wine Enthusiast, The beautiful Rosen Shingle Creek is hosting it's first Food and Wine Conference! Tell me you aren't excited about this because I am!

Make plans to attend. It's gonna be a fantastic week!

2012-05-20T13:57:00.001-07:00

Yellow dog eats' version of Chicken and waffles.
I'm a huge fan of chicken and waffles when it's done right. So when my favorite place says they got it I jumped at the chance to try it. Unfortunately they failed miserably! It was such a disappointment that I couldn't finish it. That says a lot for me since I hate wasting food and I love eating. You know the saying to remember the north east south west. Never Eat Soggy Waffles! That is exactly what I had, soggy undercooked waffles, with overly breaded chicken (not tasty) and overcooked bacon. Then they put a white gravy on top that took away flavor and caused soggy waffles. If you want to try good chicken and waffles, try banana's diner. Usually they do well but I've had it on good and bad days. Or fly to Harlem where the best chicken ad waffles are! Sorry YDE. Truly disappointed.

2012-05-19T10:25:00.001-07:00

Aji sushi

First time here. The lighting was very dim, decor nice, food - not so much. I got seaweed salad which was typical but a larger portion than usual. Edamame as seen here which did not look appetizing and was cold. And the rock n roll sushi roll which did not wow me. For that price I'd go to the place in metro west and get two rolls that were better than that one I just had. Never hurts to try new places but now I know better.

2012-05-11T20:33:00.002-07:00

Jessie's rib shack

2012-05-11T20:33:00.001-07:00

PR's

2012-05-11T20:32:00.001-07:00

Ceviche's dessert.

2012-05-11T20:31:00.001-07:00

Cracker barrel

2012-04-17T15:21:00.001-07:00

Pr's

Yellow Dog Eats

2012-03-12T19:00:00.000-07:00

Gotha seems like an all too familiar sounding of a town, like the famed Gotham City where Batman saves the day. But the reality is, Gotha (pronounced Go TH a) is the most charming town in Central Florida near, Windermere that is filled with beautiful homes, country appeal, and Yellow Dog Eats. Yes, I said it, Yellow Dog Eats. Previously Gotha Country Store; Yellow Dog Eats was transformed by Fish Morgan (yes that is his real name) who decided he did not want to create deliciousness in the “Corporate World” but rather in the delicate little store now called Yellow Dog Eats.

Fish has a unique take on the best things in the south. He’s known for his sandwiches, wraps, salads and pulled pork. Something that can be bought just about anywhere but at Yellow Dog, you get so much more than just the ordinary because everything you eat here is extraordinary. I’ve had the yummy pleasure of trying out almost everything on their menu. I absolutely adore their Curry Chicken Salad – that can be made as a salad, wrap, or sandwich. It is the tastiest combination of Curried chicken, toasted coconut, and fresh mango chutney.

Something I never leave without having is their coleslaw. I’m not a big fan of coleslaw to begin with but having it at Yellow Dog is amazing! It is a mixture of spices that make it tangy with a tinge of spiciness and has cranberries mixed into it. Reading over the menu you’ll find your favorite pooches in the spotlight as they title off these delectable treats. With names like Black Hound, Mexican Mutt, and Retriever Roast you know how unique this place really is. On my visit this past Saturday with my sister Sarah, We tried out a Frisky Rufus and Irish Setter with a pineapple mimosa. Because we love the coleslaw here so much we ‘upgraded’ the size to large and a bag of Kettle Cooked Sea Salt chips comes with it too. We got there just after it opened around 11:15am, rooster was crowing in the background still. Before we picked up our food at the counter, the place was packed for lunch. The gal in behind the counter recommended the Irish Setter, a spinach wrap with presto mayo, chicken, goat cheese that was to a melty perfection, crisp bacon, red onions and spring mix then pressed to make it oh so delicious and the pineapple mimosa. Sarah ordered The Rufus. She also suggested getting it Frisky, an addition only available with The Rufus that comes with fried onions, bacon, and stringing potatoes. The Rufus is pulled pork topped with brie cheese, cherry ring peppers, and their famous raspberry Melba.

During this visit, on a beautiful Saturday morning, we enjoyed our lunch in their garden behind the store. Fish and his talented crew were busy making the tasty cuisines and interacting with customers, which is customary of Yellow Dog Eats. As I took pictures of their desserts, I listened as Fish answered the phone where a soon-to-be patron asked what the dress code was. Fish humbly giggled with the rest of the customers that already knew the answer, and his reply was something to the effect of board shorts, t-shirts or whatever you want. It’s the diamond in the rough, the dive that everyone should try, and the place you’ll want to come back to over and over again. There is only one Yellow Dog Eats, so go to Gotha, Tell Fish I sent you, and enjoy a White Trash or Johnny Rocket.

Sam Sneads - Maitland

2012-03-06T09:12:00.002-08:00

Sam Snead's is right by my office. On occasion our office team will have lunch there. As you may have caught on, I really enjoy eating. When the waitress told us of the special, Our mouths were wide open ready to eat the words that were coming out of her mouth. So here it is - opened face roast beef on texas toast with brown sauce and broccoli in a Parmesan butter sauce. It was pretty good. The roast beast was fatty but that's normal. It could have used another piece of texas toast but I was happy. We actually finished this meal with coconut cream pie. Let me tell you this, if you get the chance to eat here, order the coconut cream pie. I haven't stopped thinking of it since I left. I might have to go there just for pie next time. :-)

IHop - National Pancake Day

2012-03-03T04:33:00.002-08:00

Jimmy Kwong tells me there is free pancakes at IHop for national pancake day. Even though I had a bagel, who can pass up free pancakes, I mean its IHop free pancake day. I'm an eater as you can see. I enjoy eating. When I heard free pancakes I couldn't just get pancakes so I got a whole meal fit for two. Lol. One thing I'll caution you on, the grits at IHop are horrible. Outside of that, I was one happy camper!