Sorry for the delay, I have been terribly remiss this week in reporting on my meals. It has been an up and down week with a couple of good lunches, but nothing truly spectacular. Unfortunately, I have to report that I hit another chain on Monday as we headed to Smokey Bones for some barbeque. Oddly enough, I didn't get any barbeque on this particular trip.
I don't know if you have noticed it, but the economy is surely having an effect on your favorite restaurant locations. Smokey Bones is usually packed whenever you go during the week, but this is about the second time we have gone there and the parking lot was practically empty. I am also noticing that I cannot get out of a restaurant nowadays without my lunch tab being around $12-$15. This is starting to sting, particularly given that I am not having the gastronical experience one would expect for that kind of spend. I haven't paid close attention, but I think they are starting to jack up the prices by a few pennies on the entrees and also hitting you hard on your drink. My suggestion is to start going water with lemon. As lunch is the only time I drink a soda, this is causing me quite a dilemma. I like to have at least one Coke or Pepsi per day. However, I have a favorite drink at Smokey Bones that wasn't available on our visit this day.
I always order the peach tea with a slice of orange. If you have never tried it before, get after it one time. It is tea with some peach syrup and the orange gives it a great citrus flavor to offset the sweetness from the peach syrup. I order my tea this day only to be told, they are out of peach syrup. What the hell happened over the weekend that there was a run on peach syrup? This totally jams me up when a restaurant runs out of something as mundane as this. If you had a great rib special at a great price, I can understand how they might run out of the ribs, but who the hell is doing the inventory that the peach tea is down for the day? Totally unacceptable in my book. This little set back totally rocked my world and now I don't even know what entree I am going to order. My taste buds were set for a certain offering and now I have to call an audible. No wonder their crowds are thinning.
Anyway, I order a Swiss bacon cheeseburger along with their soup of the day, which was a "Kickin' Corn and Crab Chowder." Their words, not mine. I don't know where they get the "Kickin'" from. The soup is good, but it ain't "Kickin'". If you are in the restaurant business, you have to be careful about the casual throwing around of adjectives to describe your menu items. It's all about managing expectations. You put "Kickin'" on your menu, I expect to be kicked in the nuts with flavor. By now you surely get that the soup was just all right and nothing to write home abuot.
The rest of my crew got a variety of dishes. Let me lay this out for you so you can see how we roll. Sebastian, aka "Seabass" always gets the chicken tenders and didn't deviate from his plan on this day. Nick, aka "Begs" usually gets the chicken tenders, but audibalizes this day and goes pulled pork with the crab and corn chowder. Rounding our group was John, aka "Fourth Meal". John goes for the grilled chicken sandwich most of the times and doesn't disappoint on this day. In case you are wondering, given my last name, I am also known as "Stiffy", but not so much from this group as others that know me.
Lunch was pretty good. My burger actually showed up medium rare as ordered, which is amazing during these times of salmonella poisining and e coli, that many restaurants will not serve you a burger cooked less than medium. I say make sure your employees wash their hands after going to the bathroom and you should be fine. Our service was good this day and overall it was a fine experience. Nothing to get too excited about, but nothing bad to report either once I got over the fact that I wasn't getting my peach tea.
I give this visit to Smokey Bones three Stiffy's and would have to suggest a visit to the restaurant if this is on your list to visit.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Monday, July 28, 2008
Chili's Bar and Grill - Lake Mary, FL
On Friday, we went to lunch at Chili's in Lake Mary. Nothing much really to report as Chili's does a pretty good job with their food and service. I had a burger that was good and cooked the way I wanted it and my boys all were pleased with their orders, except John ordered chicken strips that were delivered with a different sauce than what he ordered. However, like a true champion, he powered through and ate what was brought to him. He never met a meal he didn't like and we affectionately refer to him as, "Fourth Meal." He loves the angle that Taco Bell is taking with their advertising.
I have to give Chili's three Stiffy's for this visit.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
I have to give Chili's three Stiffy's for this visit.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
High Tide at Snack Jack's - Flager Beach, FL
So after my great omlette on Thursday at Toojay's, I make plans to meet my buddy Gary at what we call Snack Jack's. Gary lives in Flagler Beach and is living the life. I work for his wife who is the president of our company and he stays at home and takes care of his one year old son. We have the opportunity to get together from time-to-time for a beer and a meal.
On this night, Gary asked me to meet him at the beach at Snack Jack's. Snack Jack's is a famously local place that is nothing more than a small, shack like restaurant on the beach in Flagler. We love to go there on the weekend and sit out on the deck, drink beer and eat wings or steamed shrimp. On this night, I have a couple of cold Budweisers and a fried oyster sandwich. The sandwich was great. Plentry of oysters that were hot and fried golden brown with a wonderful tangy tartar sauce on the side. Fresh lettuce and tomato rounded out the sandwich nicely. I got mine with fries and cole slaw and was pleased with both. Also, the price is right at this place.
The crowd at Snack Jack's is both locals and many tourists this time of year, but you can tell these tourists have been here and found the joy of Snack Jack's in the past. They are definitely returning customers. The restaurant has valet parking out front and the guys do a great job in getting you your car in a quick fashion. This place is one of my favorite locations. Had it not been during the week, I would have stayed much longer and had a couple of more beers, but I didn't have my wife with me to be my designated driver.
For this experience at Snack Jack's, I have to give them four Stiffey's. It turns out to be a great day for meals on this day. If you are in Florida, Snack Jack's is worth the drive to Flagler Beach on A1-A.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
On this night, Gary asked me to meet him at the beach at Snack Jack's. Snack Jack's is a famously local place that is nothing more than a small, shack like restaurant on the beach in Flagler. We love to go there on the weekend and sit out on the deck, drink beer and eat wings or steamed shrimp. On this night, I have a couple of cold Budweisers and a fried oyster sandwich. The sandwich was great. Plentry of oysters that were hot and fried golden brown with a wonderful tangy tartar sauce on the side. Fresh lettuce and tomato rounded out the sandwich nicely. I got mine with fries and cole slaw and was pleased with both. Also, the price is right at this place.
The crowd at Snack Jack's is both locals and many tourists this time of year, but you can tell these tourists have been here and found the joy of Snack Jack's in the past. They are definitely returning customers. The restaurant has valet parking out front and the guys do a great job in getting you your car in a quick fashion. This place is one of my favorite locations. Had it not been during the week, I would have stayed much longer and had a couple of more beers, but I didn't have my wife with me to be my designated driver.
For this experience at Snack Jack's, I have to give them four Stiffey's. It turns out to be a great day for meals on this day. If you are in Florida, Snack Jack's is worth the drive to Flagler Beach on A1-A.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Toojay's - Lake Mary, FL
For those of you following my gastronomic adventures, I apologize for the delay in this post. I have been very busy at work and a bit tired upon getting home at night when I try to do this blog. However, you know I have been eating on each of these days and have something to report on.
On Thursday of last week, we went to lunch at a deli called Toojay's. Great place with good sandwiches. I have an issue with the way they roll their meat onto your bread, but overall everything is fresh and very good. The previous time I was there I ordered a grilled ham and cheese or either a hot ham and cheese (can't remember which for sure), and the meat and cheese were rolled-up preventing the meat from getting hot and the cheese from melting. However, the bread was fresh and wonderfully toasted. They also have great steak fries, which are great as long as they are good and hot.
I have always had a challenge when I go to Toojay's as I have never been able to really find something that is outstanding and I really like. Don't get me wrong, their food is good, but I have been searching. On this particular day, I decided to take a chance and try something new. I ordered the Western Omelette and was completely pleased. The omlette comes with steak fries and your choice of an English muffin or toast. I went wheat toast. I enjoy eating breakfast during the day and this omlette really hit the spot.
My lunchmates had a number of different sandwiches and all seemed to enjoy what they had. This was a great lunch for all of us. If you don't get there early you are probably going to be faced with a pretty good wait. On the day we went, they were holding a table for 20 people while we stood in line. Big ups to the manager when he saw us all in line and I heard him tell the waitress to break up all of those tables that were being held for the party of 20 that must have been late and to seat all of us in line. We moved right in at that point. It is great to see staff take a solid stance to take care of those currently in the restaurant and already represent money in the register. He had no idea whether or not those 20 people were going to show.
I have to give this visit to Toojay's four Stiffey's.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
On Thursday of last week, we went to lunch at a deli called Toojay's. Great place with good sandwiches. I have an issue with the way they roll their meat onto your bread, but overall everything is fresh and very good. The previous time I was there I ordered a grilled ham and cheese or either a hot ham and cheese (can't remember which for sure), and the meat and cheese were rolled-up preventing the meat from getting hot and the cheese from melting. However, the bread was fresh and wonderfully toasted. They also have great steak fries, which are great as long as they are good and hot.
I have always had a challenge when I go to Toojay's as I have never been able to really find something that is outstanding and I really like. Don't get me wrong, their food is good, but I have been searching. On this particular day, I decided to take a chance and try something new. I ordered the Western Omelette and was completely pleased. The omlette comes with steak fries and your choice of an English muffin or toast. I went wheat toast. I enjoy eating breakfast during the day and this omlette really hit the spot.
My lunchmates had a number of different sandwiches and all seemed to enjoy what they had. This was a great lunch for all of us. If you don't get there early you are probably going to be faced with a pretty good wait. On the day we went, they were holding a table for 20 people while we stood in line. Big ups to the manager when he saw us all in line and I heard him tell the waitress to break up all of those tables that were being held for the party of 20 that must have been late and to seat all of us in line. We moved right in at that point. It is great to see staff take a solid stance to take care of those currently in the restaurant and already represent money in the register. He had no idea whether or not those 20 people were going to show.
I have to give this visit to Toojay's four Stiffey's.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Quick Note
I want to send a quick note to say that this blog is a work in progress and my desire is to get to the point that I will include pictures of entrees on a daily basis. I want you to see the great food around central Florida and help you better make decisions about where you want to visit. Please watch for changes and upgrades as I move forward and get better in this process. Make suggestions and I will definitely consider them.
Thanks! Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Thanks! Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Hop's - Sanford, FL
Today we went to Hop's Restaurant in Sanford. I know you are probably thinking this blog is too chain centric and I have to agree with you. We'll go ahead and get these chains out of the way that we have close to our office and then get down to the nitty gritty of some real local restaurants. I am trying not to be the jerk that always has to choose my suggestion for lunch, so please bear with me as I give my lunch companiions some say in our lunch decisions.
I need to provide you a little bit of information about Hop's. Hop's is a restaurant that also brews their own beers. I have had their beers and ales and have to admit they are quite good. The only problem we have usually had there is that it can take a long time for us to get through a lunch. Today was entirely different. We believe that the economy is truly taking an effect on the lunch crowds and many restaurants must be suffering from the smaller crowds. $4.00 a gallon gasoline is truly starting to pinch people's wallets.
My lunch companions today were Kraig and John again. Kraig is looking to lose a littel weight, so he wanted to come to Hop's for their salmon and vegetables. He ordered the brocoli as his side. You'll notice that John shows up frequently in this blog, as he is like me and recognizes lunch as an important staple in the daily life of a man. Kraig will be in and out as he brings his lunch from time-to-time and eats in the office. I need to be joining Kraig during his endeavor to lose some weight, but I could give less than a shit about my weight. It is what it is and I am enjoying myself. I have a beautiful wife and daughter, so I don's have to worry about a 32" waist and weighing 175 lbs. I've got mine, you get yours!
We get seated pretty quickly in the bar area and put in our drink orders. I order a root beer and find that because they are brewers of beer, their root beer is the real old fashioned type. This is not a sweet glass of Barq's or A&W, but it is really good. Again, I order some soup, which is baked potato today. The soup is creamy and chock full of bacon and cheese. This stuff is heavenly. For my lunch, I order the Rueben as it has been good in the past. Today is no exception. The sandwich is full of great tasting, lean pastrami with swiss cheese, saurkraut and thousand island dressing. Kraig gets a great piece of salmon with steamed brocoli and John gets a chicken sandwich. We are all quite pleased with our meals today and the time needed for us to get our meals. Our waiter did a great job refilling our drinks and checking on us throughout our meal. It was really a good experience today.
I hate to see good restaurants hurting due to the crunch on the economy, but have to admit it has helped us get in and out of places that usually are known to be a bit slow. This worked well today for Kraig as he had a meeting at 1:00 to introduce JY to his team. More on JY later in the blog as he plays an interesting role in all of our lunches, without ever attending. My guess is I will have more to report on JY as early as tomorrow.
If you are looking for a good lunch with a nice atmosphere, I have to recommend Hop's in Sanford. They have other locations locally in Florida, so I can only assume the others are just as consistent. If you have the kind of job that allows you to have a drink of God's gift, try any of their ales or stouts. They are all quite good.
I have to give today's visit to Hop's three Stiffy's!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
I need to provide you a little bit of information about Hop's. Hop's is a restaurant that also brews their own beers. I have had their beers and ales and have to admit they are quite good. The only problem we have usually had there is that it can take a long time for us to get through a lunch. Today was entirely different. We believe that the economy is truly taking an effect on the lunch crowds and many restaurants must be suffering from the smaller crowds. $4.00 a gallon gasoline is truly starting to pinch people's wallets.
My lunch companions today were Kraig and John again. Kraig is looking to lose a littel weight, so he wanted to come to Hop's for their salmon and vegetables. He ordered the brocoli as his side. You'll notice that John shows up frequently in this blog, as he is like me and recognizes lunch as an important staple in the daily life of a man. Kraig will be in and out as he brings his lunch from time-to-time and eats in the office. I need to be joining Kraig during his endeavor to lose some weight, but I could give less than a shit about my weight. It is what it is and I am enjoying myself. I have a beautiful wife and daughter, so I don's have to worry about a 32" waist and weighing 175 lbs. I've got mine, you get yours!
We get seated pretty quickly in the bar area and put in our drink orders. I order a root beer and find that because they are brewers of beer, their root beer is the real old fashioned type. This is not a sweet glass of Barq's or A&W, but it is really good. Again, I order some soup, which is baked potato today. The soup is creamy and chock full of bacon and cheese. This stuff is heavenly. For my lunch, I order the Rueben as it has been good in the past. Today is no exception. The sandwich is full of great tasting, lean pastrami with swiss cheese, saurkraut and thousand island dressing. Kraig gets a great piece of salmon with steamed brocoli and John gets a chicken sandwich. We are all quite pleased with our meals today and the time needed for us to get our meals. Our waiter did a great job refilling our drinks and checking on us throughout our meal. It was really a good experience today.
I hate to see good restaurants hurting due to the crunch on the economy, but have to admit it has helped us get in and out of places that usually are known to be a bit slow. This worked well today for Kraig as he had a meeting at 1:00 to introduce JY to his team. More on JY later in the blog as he plays an interesting role in all of our lunches, without ever attending. My guess is I will have more to report on JY as early as tomorrow.
If you are looking for a good lunch with a nice atmosphere, I have to recommend Hop's in Sanford. They have other locations locally in Florida, so I can only assume the others are just as consistent. If you have the kind of job that allows you to have a drink of God's gift, try any of their ales or stouts. They are all quite good.
I have to give today's visit to Hop's three Stiffy's!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Giovanni's - Lake Mary, FL
Today was a great meal experience as we went to lunch at a place called Giovanni's in Lake Mary. My companions for today's lunch were John, Sebastian and Nick. Now I have had some indifferent thoughts about Giovanni's in the past, but I have to admit today was much better.
Upon arriving, the sign outside the restaurant shows that Lobster Bisque is the soup of the day. I haven't shared with you my thoughts on soup, but in a nutshell, I love it. I'll get more in detail about my thoughts on soup at another date. I am now pumped that I am going to get what should be a good soup and need to choose some sort of entree.
We were promptly seated and assigned what has to be the best waitress in the restaurant. She was very quick, attentive and even had to deal with some pain in the ass guy at another table talking loud about how they wouldn't make him a special stromboli, which isn't on the menu, and making sure everybody in the place knew it. I am sure she wanted to slap the shit out of him. I know I did.
My crew overwhelmingly chooses the stuffed pizza with most going with two slices. Nick makes what I think is the best choice going with one stuffed slice and one regular slice of pepperoni. In my mind, the regular slice prevents you from getting too filled up trying to eat two slices of the heartier stuffed slices. Definitely the move I would have made if going pizza today. However, I wasn't feeling the pie, so I decided on the Lobster Bisque and the All American Sub. The menu shows my sub as being a cold sub, but the waitress asks me if I want it hot or cold. Now I am excited. If given the choice, I will always order hot food.
With drinks delivered to the table, my soup shows up very shortly thereafter and is everything I hoped it woudl be. The bisque is smooth and creamy with a decorative design on the top that includes a little bit of sauce layed on top in a great design and small strips of fresh basil. The soup was good and hot with lots of lobster chunks. If you have the opportunity to go to Giovanni's and the Lobster Bisque is available, I strongly urge you to order it.
After completing my soup, the pizza slices show-up with my sub coming shortly after. The bread on my sub is toasted just right and is delicisious. The meats are great and plentiful on my sub. I actually cannot believe I have been to this place many times and never found this sub.
Giovanni's will definitely be part of our regular rotation from now on. Once I find a meal I like as I did today, I am all about it.
I have to give Giovanni's four Stiffy's for todays meal!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Upon arriving, the sign outside the restaurant shows that Lobster Bisque is the soup of the day. I haven't shared with you my thoughts on soup, but in a nutshell, I love it. I'll get more in detail about my thoughts on soup at another date. I am now pumped that I am going to get what should be a good soup and need to choose some sort of entree.
We were promptly seated and assigned what has to be the best waitress in the restaurant. She was very quick, attentive and even had to deal with some pain in the ass guy at another table talking loud about how they wouldn't make him a special stromboli, which isn't on the menu, and making sure everybody in the place knew it. I am sure she wanted to slap the shit out of him. I know I did.
My crew overwhelmingly chooses the stuffed pizza with most going with two slices. Nick makes what I think is the best choice going with one stuffed slice and one regular slice of pepperoni. In my mind, the regular slice prevents you from getting too filled up trying to eat two slices of the heartier stuffed slices. Definitely the move I would have made if going pizza today. However, I wasn't feeling the pie, so I decided on the Lobster Bisque and the All American Sub. The menu shows my sub as being a cold sub, but the waitress asks me if I want it hot or cold. Now I am excited. If given the choice, I will always order hot food.
With drinks delivered to the table, my soup shows up very shortly thereafter and is everything I hoped it woudl be. The bisque is smooth and creamy with a decorative design on the top that includes a little bit of sauce layed on top in a great design and small strips of fresh basil. The soup was good and hot with lots of lobster chunks. If you have the opportunity to go to Giovanni's and the Lobster Bisque is available, I strongly urge you to order it.
After completing my soup, the pizza slices show-up with my sub coming shortly after. The bread on my sub is toasted just right and is delicisious. The meats are great and plentiful on my sub. I actually cannot believe I have been to this place many times and never found this sub.
Giovanni's will definitely be part of our regular rotation from now on. Once I find a meal I like as I did today, I am all about it.
I have to give Giovanni's four Stiffy's for todays meal!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Tijuana Flats - Sanford, FL
I went with some of the guys from the office today to Tijiuana Flats in Sanford. We happened to be with Sebastian that loves going to what we call, The Flats. He could probably go there everyday. I always try to veto this place, for what reason I don't know, as I always have a great meal when I get there. I have got to stop being so picky in my choices.
Tijiuana Flats is a local chain started in Orlando that specializes in Mexican food. Their other specialty is the many hot sauces that they offer. Today it was about 95 degrees in Florida, but I told Nick, "My problem is that I can never turn down the opportunity to utilize their hottest sauce, Endorphin Rush." I know this stuff is going to take me to another level, but I cannot deny it no matter what. I am like an addict.
My meal of choice here is the beef and bean burrito with everything, but the jalapeno peppers. I like to combo my meal to include rice and refried beans and I get my burrito wet. My sauce of choice here is the chipotle red sauce that they have with a side of sour cream. The sour cream is a veiled attempt on my part to keep the heat down to it's lowest level, but it never works. You should see me when I eat this Endorphin Rush sauce. It is not for the faint of heart. I start sweating profusely. Sweat running down the back of my neck, beads running down my forehead and face as well as my scalp getting soaking wet. It is so good!
Everyone orders their meal at the counter and then takes a seat. They bring your order out in a short period of time and always seem to get it right. They have great service with their waiters and waitresses coming to your table asking if you need more refills on your drinks to keep you hydrated. I strongly suggest you try out this local favorite and experience their great sauces if you dare. They have a variety, which provides you the opportunity to slowly work your way up to the hottest of sauces. Trust me, this is merely a training exercise and you can eat hotter sauces once you have trained your mouth to accept a sauce on the next level.
Everytime go to Tijuana Flats, I think of my colleague Jeff from Nebraska that also says he can eat Mexican everyday. Whenever he is in town for meetings, we know we are going to have to take him to the Flats or Chipotle. More on Chipotle in a different message.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Tijiuana Flats is a local chain started in Orlando that specializes in Mexican food. Their other specialty is the many hot sauces that they offer. Today it was about 95 degrees in Florida, but I told Nick, "My problem is that I can never turn down the opportunity to utilize their hottest sauce, Endorphin Rush." I know this stuff is going to take me to another level, but I cannot deny it no matter what. I am like an addict.
My meal of choice here is the beef and bean burrito with everything, but the jalapeno peppers. I like to combo my meal to include rice and refried beans and I get my burrito wet. My sauce of choice here is the chipotle red sauce that they have with a side of sour cream. The sour cream is a veiled attempt on my part to keep the heat down to it's lowest level, but it never works. You should see me when I eat this Endorphin Rush sauce. It is not for the faint of heart. I start sweating profusely. Sweat running down the back of my neck, beads running down my forehead and face as well as my scalp getting soaking wet. It is so good!
Everyone orders their meal at the counter and then takes a seat. They bring your order out in a short period of time and always seem to get it right. They have great service with their waiters and waitresses coming to your table asking if you need more refills on your drinks to keep you hydrated. I strongly suggest you try out this local favorite and experience their great sauces if you dare. They have a variety, which provides you the opportunity to slowly work your way up to the hottest of sauces. Trust me, this is merely a training exercise and you can eat hotter sauces once you have trained your mouth to accept a sauce on the next level.
Everytime go to Tijuana Flats, I think of my colleague Jeff from Nebraska that also says he can eat Mexican everyday. Whenever he is in town for meetings, we know we are going to have to take him to the Flats or Chipotle. More on Chipotle in a different message.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Outback Steakhouse - Daytona Beach, FL
Took the family to the Outback Steakhouse on Saturday night and what can you say? The one great thing about the Outback is their consistency. I don't care where you go in America you are going to get the same meal you are used to at your home town Outback. They do a great job!
I was pretty hungry that day and ordered the Bonzer. It is a 20 oz. porterhouse and I went double Aussie Chips opting to forego the vegetables. My wife, who never met a steak she didn't like, had the filet and my daugther had the kid's sirlion. I actually think it might have been called the "Joey's Sirlion". She follows in her mother's footsteps and eats steak like a champion, which is pretty impressive for a six year old. I'm going to have to watch her as she gets older to make sure she doesn't turn into a fatty, but hey, not there's anything wrong with it. Big girls need love too!
We got to the restaurant and there was little bit of a wait, so I went to the bar to get some liquid libation for the group. I ordered a Budweiser bottle for me, a apple martini for my wife and a child's Coke for my daughter. At this point I have to give big props to the bartender for telling me, "We have Budweiser bottles in the aluminum bottles." That was a huge moment for me as I don't think any beer should be served in an aluminum bottle unless it is poolside where you are worried about broken glass. Beer is supposed to be served in a glass bottle. I recently was at another local establishment, which shall remain unnamed at this time, and was served an aluminum bottle and was quite pissed. This just happens to be one of my many idiosyncracies which you will learn about if you read this blog long enough.
Anyhoo, our meal was great and the service was great. While I am not a big chain guy, the Outback Steakhouse is always a safe bet. I doubt I am telling anybody anything new here. My steak was served medium rare as ordered as well as my wife and daughter's.
If looking for a safe, great tasting choice for steak the Outback Steakhouse is a good choice.
I have to give this Outback Steakhouse four Stiffys!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
I was pretty hungry that day and ordered the Bonzer. It is a 20 oz. porterhouse and I went double Aussie Chips opting to forego the vegetables. My wife, who never met a steak she didn't like, had the filet and my daugther had the kid's sirlion. I actually think it might have been called the "Joey's Sirlion". She follows in her mother's footsteps and eats steak like a champion, which is pretty impressive for a six year old. I'm going to have to watch her as she gets older to make sure she doesn't turn into a fatty, but hey, not there's anything wrong with it. Big girls need love too!
We got to the restaurant and there was little bit of a wait, so I went to the bar to get some liquid libation for the group. I ordered a Budweiser bottle for me, a apple martini for my wife and a child's Coke for my daughter. At this point I have to give big props to the bartender for telling me, "We have Budweiser bottles in the aluminum bottles." That was a huge moment for me as I don't think any beer should be served in an aluminum bottle unless it is poolside where you are worried about broken glass. Beer is supposed to be served in a glass bottle. I recently was at another local establishment, which shall remain unnamed at this time, and was served an aluminum bottle and was quite pissed. This just happens to be one of my many idiosyncracies which you will learn about if you read this blog long enough.
Anyhoo, our meal was great and the service was great. While I am not a big chain guy, the Outback Steakhouse is always a safe bet. I doubt I am telling anybody anything new here. My steak was served medium rare as ordered as well as my wife and daughter's.
If looking for a safe, great tasting choice for steak the Outback Steakhouse is a good choice.
I have to give this Outback Steakhouse four Stiffys!
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Monday, July 21, 2008
Buffalo Wild Wings - Oviedo, FL
OK, don't jam me up about the fact that this post and a couple of others to follow have come out after my introduction. I've been watching the replay of the ESPYs tonight and am a few Budweisers deep while sending these posts. I should have saved the introduction for my last post and it would have made better sense, but get over it. In a couple of days if you are visiting this blog, none of this shit will matter.
Went with a couple of guys in the office last Friday to Buffalo Wild Wings over in Oviedo. Our offices are located in Sanford, so this represents a 15-20 minute drive for us. This makes it a challenge for us to get there and back in a reasonbable time, but I'll do anything for a good lunch at a new locale.
Now I have been to BW3's before, but it has been awhile for us around the office. There have been a number of our guys in the office traveling, so we thought we would take it on the road and check-out something new.
I like BW3's. I think they have great wings and I love their potato wedges as fries. Great stuff. I love hot, spicy food, but wasn't really feeling it that day to take things to the next level. I ordered the "Hot" and avoided the "Blazin'" for that day. Man, I forgot that their "Hot" is truly hot. The guys got a great laugh out of the fact that I tend to sweat profusely and I didn't disappoint them that day. Trying to explain to a person that doesn't like really hot food why it feels so good is like trying to explain what it must feel like to summit Mount Everest. If you haven't been there before, you just can't understand until you go there.
We got in quick, placed our order and were served in a timely manner. The only complaint I had about the entire experience is that the men's bathroom was in terrible condition and smelled horrible. I went int to wash my hands prior to our meal and was worried that I may not be able to eat with that smell invading my nostrils. A location such as this has got to do a better job on their bathrooms.
I have to give the Buffalo Wild Wings in Oviedo three Stiffeys for my last visit. I would definitely go back and would urge others to visit as well. Next time in, I'll try something other than wings and offer another view on an additional menu item.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Went with a couple of guys in the office last Friday to Buffalo Wild Wings over in Oviedo. Our offices are located in Sanford, so this represents a 15-20 minute drive for us. This makes it a challenge for us to get there and back in a reasonbable time, but I'll do anything for a good lunch at a new locale.
Now I have been to BW3's before, but it has been awhile for us around the office. There have been a number of our guys in the office traveling, so we thought we would take it on the road and check-out something new.
I like BW3's. I think they have great wings and I love their potato wedges as fries. Great stuff. I love hot, spicy food, but wasn't really feeling it that day to take things to the next level. I ordered the "Hot" and avoided the "Blazin'" for that day. Man, I forgot that their "Hot" is truly hot. The guys got a great laugh out of the fact that I tend to sweat profusely and I didn't disappoint them that day. Trying to explain to a person that doesn't like really hot food why it feels so good is like trying to explain what it must feel like to summit Mount Everest. If you haven't been there before, you just can't understand until you go there.
We got in quick, placed our order and were served in a timely manner. The only complaint I had about the entire experience is that the men's bathroom was in terrible condition and smelled horrible. I went int to wash my hands prior to our meal and was worried that I may not be able to eat with that smell invading my nostrils. A location such as this has got to do a better job on their bathrooms.
I have to give the Buffalo Wild Wings in Oviedo three Stiffeys for my last visit. I would definitely go back and would urge others to visit as well. Next time in, I'll try something other than wings and offer another view on an additional menu item.
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Introduction - July 21, 2008
Okay, so I have been finally pushed into doing this blog regarding my thoughts and feelings about some of the restaurants around Central Florida. My buddy Nick was present during a lunch we had last week that turned out to be really bad. For some time now he and others from our office have been on me to start a blog.
Following our lunch at Tony's Original Wings and Grill, I was askey by a co-worker how it was. I responded with the notes you see in the first blog entry and Nick took it upon himself to start the blog. This forced my hand, so here we are today.
I want to share a little about myself to get this started, so you can understand where I am coming from with this blog. My goal is to assist everyone in finding the best food and restaurants in the area. I consider myself a foodie, but not to the point of being a food snob. Perhaps some of the people that have the opportunity to break bread with me on a daily basis will disagree with this statement, but I think there is a difference.
My belief is that a foodie will eat just about anything and realizes that there is good food to be found just about anywhere including places that a food snob would consider a dive. In this blog, you'll see me provide thoughts on restaurants that many would not go into on first glance, but are worthy of checking-out because they truly offer great food and a wonderful experience. I believe life is short and you have to live a little. A food snob would only be interested in going to "five star" restaurants and I believe that is too easy.
You will find that I am quite particular. However, I don't believe my thoughts and feelings about the food I eat are any different from those of the "everyman." This blog should help those explore restaurants that all can enjoy and will focus on simple things that separate one location from the next. For example, do they serve Heinz Ketchup or Hunt's? Might seem like a simple detail to you, but this is a classic argument for some like my buddy Kraig from Pittsburgh. I have to agree with him that Heinz is the king and should be served in all restaurants.
I realize that there are going to be times when you do not agree with me regarding my thoughts on a particular restaurant and that is all right. What makes this country great is that we can disagree with the sole purpose of trying to provide the best eating experience for others. Challenge me, share your thoughts with me and lets have some fun!
I will continue to share my thoughts and philosophies about food through this blog and I hope you enjoy it. I will try to post daily regarding the meals I have had that day and also present other thoughts I may have regarding to food as this moves on.
When deciding between the large or small portion, my motto is, "Go big or go home!"
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Following our lunch at Tony's Original Wings and Grill, I was askey by a co-worker how it was. I responded with the notes you see in the first blog entry and Nick took it upon himself to start the blog. This forced my hand, so here we are today.
I want to share a little about myself to get this started, so you can understand where I am coming from with this blog. My goal is to assist everyone in finding the best food and restaurants in the area. I consider myself a foodie, but not to the point of being a food snob. Perhaps some of the people that have the opportunity to break bread with me on a daily basis will disagree with this statement, but I think there is a difference.
My belief is that a foodie will eat just about anything and realizes that there is good food to be found just about anywhere including places that a food snob would consider a dive. In this blog, you'll see me provide thoughts on restaurants that many would not go into on first glance, but are worthy of checking-out because they truly offer great food and a wonderful experience. I believe life is short and you have to live a little. A food snob would only be interested in going to "five star" restaurants and I believe that is too easy.
You will find that I am quite particular. However, I don't believe my thoughts and feelings about the food I eat are any different from those of the "everyman." This blog should help those explore restaurants that all can enjoy and will focus on simple things that separate one location from the next. For example, do they serve Heinz Ketchup or Hunt's? Might seem like a simple detail to you, but this is a classic argument for some like my buddy Kraig from Pittsburgh. I have to agree with him that Heinz is the king and should be served in all restaurants.
I realize that there are going to be times when you do not agree with me regarding my thoughts on a particular restaurant and that is all right. What makes this country great is that we can disagree with the sole purpose of trying to provide the best eating experience for others. Challenge me, share your thoughts with me and lets have some fun!
I will continue to share my thoughts and philosophies about food through this blog and I hope you enjoy it. I will try to post daily regarding the meals I have had that day and also present other thoughts I may have regarding to food as this moves on.
When deciding between the large or small portion, my motto is, "Go big or go home!"
Eat, drink and be merry!
Harry
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Tony's Original Wings & Grill (Lake Mary, FL)
Tony's Original Wings & Grill
3689 Lake Emma Rd
Lake Mary, FL
(407) 333-4656
(Un)official review
French Fries served as an appetizer and not with your order, French Fries not strong enough to stand alone without the support of a sandwich, Monarch Ketchup, two patties on the Patty Melt that are still questionable as to what kind of meat it was, Provolone cheese on Patty Melt when American was ordered, broken television nearest our table so no viewing for us, bad murals on the walls, indifferent waitress, broken down bar with three beer taps, and a suspect posing as Tony, the restaurant’s namesake.
Will it make it through '08? TBD
Number of Stiffys: 0/5
3689 Lake Emma Rd
Lake Mary, FL
(407) 333-4656
(Un)official review
French Fries served as an appetizer and not with your order, French Fries not strong enough to stand alone without the support of a sandwich, Monarch Ketchup, two patties on the Patty Melt that are still questionable as to what kind of meat it was, Provolone cheese on Patty Melt when American was ordered, broken television nearest our table so no viewing for us, bad murals on the walls, indifferent waitress, broken down bar with three beer taps, and a suspect posing as Tony, the restaurant’s namesake.
Will it make it through '08? TBD
Number of Stiffys: 0/5
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