glowworm's Profile
Where are the best Orlando Mixologists & Food Trucks
Ravenous Pig and Rusty Spoon are my go-to spots for bartenders who like bartending. Also, I had a cocktail at HUE recently, in Thornton Park, and it was good and the bar was set up well (no pre-fab sour, and they had house-made bitters I think) but I wasn't there long so I couldn't really investigate. LUMA, on Park Avenue, also has bartenders that know their stuff (homemade lemoncello was there when I visited a few months ago and they also make some original bitters and such).
Non-oaked red wine
I am in a similar situation and it isn't that I think that pollen is in the wine, rather I am considering the possibility that I am also allergic to some other element of oak however, since I don't suck on oak trees the only time I would encounter this element is via wine. Of course, it could be something else, as others have suggested, so I have started keeping track of wine vs how I feel to see if any consistent pattern emerges.
Tibby's New Orleans Kitchen in Winter Park is finally open (and worth the wait)!
I'm hardly ever on that end of town so I'm not real familiar with it (but I used to go to Stephano's when it was over there a million years ago). Is this in a building right on Aloma or is it in a strip mall or something, set back from the road?
Please recommend me a semi-formal, good, Italian or Chinese restaurant in Orlando
If you end up downtown and the weather is nice, I recommend Gargi's on Lake Ivanhoe. The food is good, the feel is old school and the veranda that overlooks the lake is a great atmosphere for a meal around dusk.
http://www.gargislakeside.com/Gargis_Lakeside/Home.html
Epcot (or Magic Kingdom) dining in the park
I said the opposite of what I meant. I meant to say "the $$ are only usable inside the parks", not outside.
Epcot (or Magic Kingdom) dining in the park
I'm going to Epcot (and can hop over to the Magic Kingdom) tomorrow (Saturday 2/19). I have about $130 bonus Disney dollars from my credit card that I'm unlikely to ever spend outside of the park. Is there any "must do" restaurants or experiences in the park that I should check out? Without any research I would probably head over to the French place since I've had good food there before.
I haven't been to Epcot in 5? or so years so anything new I am unaware of. Also the $$ are not usable in the parks themselves (they may not be technically "Disney dollars" since they are from Chase but they are similar). So no V&A, although $130 would only cover the cost to come in and watch other people eat there anyway. :P
I can go over that budget for somethng good but I want to spend in the $130- $200 range for 2 people so the bucks don't go to waste.
Thanks for any insight!
Recs on Shrimp and Grits in Orlando area
The ones at the Pig are very good. It's decent-sized even though it is an app. Another small plate or a salad and it would be a good meal.
Bulgarian (Eastern European) Food in Orlando
On Mills, near 50, there is a market/cafe that carries a lot of Russian items. They probably have Eastern European items too. The name of the place is International Market and it is on the east side of the street, south of Colonial but north of Virginia. I have not been but I have had several friends say it was good. Scott Joseph (food critic) gave the to-go food he got there a good review. I think it is more of a market than a cafe though.
Best Indian Food - Orlando
I'm no expert on Indian food but Woodlands on South Orange Blossom Trail has been good when I have gone there for the lunch buffet and it seems generally well regarded by the vegetarians that I know. It is entirely vegetarian. I'm not sure of the buffet price but entrees run $7 - $10 and they have several "dinners" that are mixed plates of several different items and sides that cost about $15. The buffet is available only at lunch.
http://www.woodlandsusa.com/
(They have three locations but only one is in Orlando).
measuring "parts" in cocktail recipes?
Don't forget some recipes are just poorly written. I've seen recipies that were "1 part this, 2 parts that and 4 oz soda" or that refer to an ingredient in the body copy that isn't listed elsewhere. Especially on the internet a lot of recipes could use a good pass by an editor so if you really can't make sense of it, maybe it just doesn't make sense.
Jack Daniel's is not Bourbon.
Thank you for stating the requirements so clearly, swobhe.
I think if for some reason JD wanted to put "bourbon" on the label, the feds would let them. The filtering-as-flavor is a stretch to my mind but maybe you are right.
Regardless, if a bartender throws attitude about JD being referred to as bourbon then he or she is just being snooty. The main difference is marketing ("Tennessee Sippin' Whisky" is undefined). Even if the sugar maple filtering counts as flavor being added JD is still a so very close to bourbon that the lumping them in the same category hardly a big deal in most contexts (i.e. referring to a Jack & Coke as a bourbon & Coke). If you're having a bourbon tasting then, yes, specifcs are warranted but most of the time referring to JD as a bourbon is just ignoring the marketing.
North Pond for anniversary - anything I should know?
Thanks, that is exactly the information I was looking for. I checked the sunset time before making the reservation so we'll get there about 5:30 for the 5:45 sunset. I'll bring sure to dress in layers (I'm from Florida so I'm not really used to thinking about the weather to that degree--good advice).
North Pond for anniversary - anything I should know?
My husband and I are visiting Chicago during the first week of November. Neither of us have been before (well, as adults anyway--a day of pizza and the Sears tower is fun for a 5-year old but I don't really think that makes me a jaded Chicago vet tourist). Our anniversary is on that Tuesday so I checked this board and some websites and made a reservation at North Pond, which isn't far from where we're staying.
Since this is a pretty significant vacation for us and it's our anniversary, I really want the experience to be fantastic. Is there anything I should be aware of or request regarding the reservation? Do I need to request a good view or is the whole restaurant pretty appealing that way? Is there someplace to avoid being seated? Anything particularly great to try on the menu?
(Tangent--we may go someplace for live music after dinner so if you have a recommendation that is in the same neighborhood that would be good to know too.)
I'm really looking forward to our week in Chicago so any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
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North Pond
2610 North Cannon Drive, Chicago, IL 60614
Would you go to a restaurant that doesn't serve beer, wine or any alcohol
I would go but I think it would be an uphill battle since you would lose out on alcohol profits. For a fast/casual place I don't think it would be a deal-breaker though. I don't think I've ever thought about ordering alcohol at "Catfish Pad" or "Blue Plate Diner" types of places. But then I don't drink beer and that would likely be the most popular alcohol at a casual comfort food place.
Chicago food tour - is it worth it?
I am planning a trip to Chicago and while researching I stumbled across a free service offered by the Chicago Office of Tourism. They provide "Greeter" tours where you let them know when you are coming and select what subject you are interested in (ethnic delis, farmers' markets, gay Chicago, African American heritage, downtown architecture, etc, etc) and they arrange for a local volunteer with an interest in that subject to show you around. I haven't tried it yet but it sounds like a great idea and might be an good alternative to a paid tour. Google "Chicago Greeter Tour" for more information.
Orlando - any good BBQ joints?
I have yet to make it to 4 Rivers because it is always packed when ever I drive by. Which is a pretty good testament to how good it is supposed to be. All the reviews I've read of it have been raves.
I have been to Blackwater and Cecil's and like them both a lot. They are south of downtown; both of them are off of South Orange Avenue.
Orlando--Where are the late night (after 11pm/12am) chow-worthy places near the Convention Center? (Although I will travel for great chow:-)
Pom Pom's on Bumby is open very late on the weekends now. I'm not sure if it is what you are looking for--it has great, creative sandwiches but isn't fancy and the menu is pretty narrow (i.e. sandwiches and tea for the most part).
Hamburger Mary's
I've only been to the Orlando location; the burgers are good. The other food is....well, the burgers are good. :)
But good burgers and a bit of showmanship is enough to keep me visiting from time to time.
Orlando Recommendations?
If they are going to be in the Winter Park area I would try to fit in the Ravenous Pig. It's one of my favorite restaurants with an eclectic menu and a very nice wine list. There is a restaurant area and a bar area so it might be a nice substitute for their wine-bar needs, especially if they want to nosh a little too. It's a foodie's delight.
They are closed on Sundays and Mondays though (I point it out because I know I always end up at places that are closed when I'm on vacation since I'm not on a typical working schedule).
my conundrum conundrum
From my perspective (as a person who doesn't drink much wine and doesn't have a well-developed palate), Conundrum has a couple of things going for it.
It's easy to drink which in my admittedly simplistic view means that it doesn't taste like vinegar, over-brewed tea, metal or flat soda and it doesn't taste empty (empty =a lot of cheap pinot grigios that I've tried); I've had wines that I was told were "good" that I think I would have needed to drink several times before developing a taste for, if I ever did. Conundrum is easy.
Secondly, it's got a pretty good marketing campaign and the name is easy to remember. If you aren't a wine person then a name like "Conundrum" is a lot easier to remember than a person or place name that has no context if you are not versed in wine knowledge.
Which is not to say it isn't a vastly complex, perfectly balanced, vintner's masterwork---I have no idea. But I like it 'cause it is not too much or too little and I can remember its name, as plebeian as that sounds.
Favourite pizza topping combos?
A little boring but reliably good: pepperoni, sausage, green pepper, onion and mushroom.
Less greasy, more zingy: pineapple and banana peppers
Orlando Restaurants - Please review my list!
If you are in Winter Park and want to eat French, try Paris Bistro. It is good and not expensive for lunch (most items under $10) but it has more of a fine-dining feel (and cost) at dinner. It's right on Park Avenue so it's a nice area to stroll, shop and hang out.
Also, I don't have kids so maybe my opinion is ill-informed, but I really don't see Ravenous Pig as being particularly unfriendly to families. It does include a bar but that area is divided from the restaurant section and none of it feels particularly stuffy (or quiet).
Visiting Orlando and Tampa from San Francisco
I'd try Ravenous Pig if you are in Orlando--it's on the north end of town (actually it's in Winter Park but it's so close to the edge you might not even notice). Once a month (usually) they do a suckling pig roast (or sometimes lamb); I think those are on the 1st Saturday of the month but I am not positive.
TRP is a gastropub that is more gastro than pub i.e. most of the place is set up more as a restaurant with only about 1/3rd of it being bar-centric. Saveur said they had the best fish sandwich on Earth and pretty much everything I've had there has been good. The bar staff in particular is great. It's a wonderful place to leisurely nosh and chat with friends (or make new friends).
Mexican Coca-Cola or Throwback/Natural Pepsi in Pinellas County?
I don't have a source for Mexican Coca Cola but if you are interested in Dr. Pepper made with cane sugar (not HFCS) you can get it from the original bottler in Dublin, TX. I ordered some and liked it but the shipping cost as much as the case of soda so it's not something I will likely do very often. The little bottles are cute though.
http://www.dublindrpepper.com/
Anniversary in St. Pete; where to go for dinner?
My husband and I are sneaking over to St. Pete for a long weekend anniversary get away. What's a good place to go for our anniversary on Saturday? We'll be in tourist mode and I'm not packing much so we're not looking for a jacket-required-place but something a step up from a margaritas-and-fried-fish. Guavaween is going on so I'd like to avoid going over to Tampa since we don't want to get bogged down in all that.
Some place kind of dark with a romantic feel would be great. Live music (e.g. piano and torch singer, that kind of thing) would be great too but I know that is a lot to ask. We'll eat nearly any type of food. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Ravenous Pig ,Orlando???
The Pig is great; I've never had anything bad there and the only negative is that it does get extremely crowded during peak hours because it is so popular.
We typically go there for the small plates. I've had the heirloom tomato salad, crab fritters, lobster tacos, lamb in a couple of different ways and their great burger. All of it has been very good. I had a pretzel there that was OK but it was served with a Taleggio dip that was SO good that...well, if you spilled some on your shoes you would probably end up going home barefoot.
They also make meals and have a dining room but their bar is so appealing and their bartenders are so good that we usually end up sticking to the small plates in the pub area. Every one there seems invested in the restaurant, like it is their own place.
Magical Dining Orlando Reviews
I had a very similar experience. My husband and I both had the prime rib (although ours was very good all the way). Desserts were good (creme brulee) to great (carrot cake). The apps were gigantic and heavy; the quality wasn't bad but they were not really impressive either. Tomato/cuke salad or something light like that would fit much better with a menu like this; hopefully they will add an option like that next year.
Even so, it was a very good experience and a great value. We'll be back for the prime rib and carrot cake but will skip the apps after September.
Our server wrote up the ticket the same way but her math was entirely accurate (I double checked since it's a bit odd to write a ticket that way); the only possible irregularity was that I wasn't sure if they were charging tax based on the discounted price or the normal price but that amounts to around a dollar difference so I didn't worry about it. She was friendly, efficient and knowledgeable.
PS. I had a good cocktail off their house-list. It was a variation on a screwdriver and the juice tasted fresh-squeezed.
lillet rouge and the manhattan
I tried this and didn't like it much. I may give it another try to see if I get accustomed to it but in any event it doesn't taste like a Manhattan. It just tasted...boozy... more than anything. The flavors didn't come together like rye or bourbon does with sweet vermouth and bitters.
ANYTHING decent in downtown Atlanta?
I'm going to DC too, with hubby and friends. Social sounds great. I was also looking for a good happy hour place for Thursday or Friday; I've gotten a lot of Midtown recommendations but is there any place locals go for HH downtown? We're looking for a place to decompress between forays into the social crush of Dragoncon. The hotel bars have their appeal but a less-artifice-laden alternative would be nice.
Pesca Lakeside - Orlando
I just checked and their website is up but the menus aren't loaded. Or at least they aren't loading for me. The site is very pretty though. www.pescalakeside.com
