Key West Key Lime Pie Co. - Key Lime Pie Bar

So I was watching the Food Shows on TV and saw a slice of Key Lime Pie dipped in Chocolate and served on a stick. I love Key Lime Pie and I love Chocolate, so when I was in Key West recently I knew that I had to try it. It was a hot, hot day and everywhere I looked seemed to be out of it until I stumbled on the Key West Key Lime Pie Co. It cost 4 or 5 dollars, which I gladly paid, and then I moved out on to the porch to try this decadent delight. The frozen chocolate outer coating combined with the tart key lime pie inside made this almost too rich to eat, however I did manage to eat every bite wish cooled me off and refreshed me. Would I eat it again? Probably not! But am I glad that I tried it – Absolutely!

Fuddruckers - Lunch Special

I haven’t been to a Fuddruckers in years. I remember when I was a kid I thought it was the greatest Burger place there was. I remember they served their Burgers plain, and then you would take them to the “toppings” bar and dress them yourself. I also remember they had this Cheese Sauce that you could top both your fries and your Burger with. Could it get much better then this?

I recently saw a sign for Fuddruckers’ $6 Burger and Fries Combo, and I decided to revisit this childhood favorite of mine.

Now that I’m grown and consider myself to be more of an expert on burgers with a more refined pallet could Fuddruckers still hold up today?

The ATMOSPHERE… Not quite as nice as I remembered, but I probably wasn’t paying that much attention to Atmosphere when I was a kid. They do still have a couple of video games for the kids, and the place is decorated with Elvis and Marilyn memorabilia.

The SERVICE… My memory served me well here. Order at a counter and listen for your name to be called, then pick up your “cooked to order” Burger and top it yourself.

The FOOD… Although they do offer Salads, Chicken Sandwiches, and some other Specialty Items, what most people order is a big, juicy Burger (1/3, ½, or 2/3 lb.)!

Then just like I remembered you top it Lettuce, Tomato, Pickles, Onion, Jalapenos, etc. Then top it with Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, BBQ sauce or (my favorite) the Cheese Sauce.

I got my 1/3 lb. Burger, topped it with Cheese Sauce and Ketchup, then added Lettuce, Tomato and Pickles. It brought me back to when I was there has a kid (It is a great place for kids) however it was lacking in flavor and originality. The meat was fine, but nothing special. The toppings were fresh, but there were not that many options and nothing unique. The Cheese Sauce that I was so looking forward to was nothing you wouldn't find with Nachos at a Movie theater or Concession Stand.

I’m not going to say that it was bad, because it wasn’t. I’m just going to say that I think I have outgrown it. Take your kids there they will love it, and go for the lunch special because it is a great deal, but if you are looking for a really great Burger I would go somewhere else.

Sweet Tomatoes

Sweet Tomatoes is a place that I have been going to for years. It is known as a Salad Bar restaurant, which sounds boring to a lot of people who think that a good meal has to be based around Meat, but I beg to differ.

 The ATMOSPHERE… Cafeteria style at the beginning where you build your own delicious Salad, then after that it is buffet style when it comes to everything else.

The SERVICE… It is pretty much self-serve around here, but there are servers who will assist and refill your drinks and the whole staff is quite friendly.

The FOOD… Start by building your perfect salad from an abundant array of ingredients or you may chose from several pre-made salads (I usually get some of both). Then select one (or more) of their delicious daily Soup selections, and complete your meal with Fresh Baked Goods, Pasta, or a Baked Potato.

They also have a Frozen Yogurt bar for a sweet finish.

When I am piling up my salad plate I usually start with a couple of the premade Salads, then build my own where I add things like Butternut Squash and Beets (There are so many items at Sweet Tomatoes that most salad bars do not offer).

I always save a little room on that first plate for a helping of the sweet and crunchy dish they call “Joan’s Broccoli Madness”.

Additionally I get at least one of the homemade Soups, and a couple of pieces of Whole Grain Bread. I always leave extremely full and satisfied!

  

Serendipity 3 - "A.B.C." Burger

I’ve seen the movie Serendipity and I knew that it was a real restaurant in New York, but when I was recently visiting Miami and a friend suggested that we dine there I found myself very excited to learn that it is now a chain (I think this is the fifth location)

The ATMOSPHERE… Spacious and Whimsical!

The SERVICE… Friendly and Efficient!

The FOOD… The Menu is HUGE! (Reminiscent of the Cheesecake Factory Menu) Although they are known for their Gi-normous desserts, they do have a full menu consisting of just about anything that you might be craving.

Of course I had to get a Burger! I decided on the “A.B.C.” Burger (Avocado, Brie and Caramelized Onions - $15) and chose the Sweet Potato Fries as my side.

I was not disappointed when it arrived, big and juicy, and piled high with delicious toppings. Although I did devour it in entirety, it was too big to eat “sandwich” style and I ended up having to “knife and fork” it. The Sweet Potato Fries were also very good! I feel like $15 for a Burger is a little high, but I was on vacation and it was Miami, so considering those two things I actually think it was a good deal, and I will continue to have fond memories of Serendipity!

Texas de Brazil

Texas de Brazil is a “Churrascaria” style restaurant that has sustained local popularity for about ten years now. It is rated #2 on Orlando Urbanspoon. Over the past several years I have been there probably 10-15 times, and it is about time that I write a review of it.

The ATMOSPHERE… Located on International Drive across from Festival Bay, Texas de Brazil is a large space with nice décor. It is a great place for a date, a large group or anything in between.

The SERVICE… Reservations are highly recommended (otherwise you will wait). Once you are seated, your server will explain how the restaurant works and give you all the details, but the basics are you have a card that you turn to one side when you want to help yourself to the salad bar, and then you turn it over when you want the “Boys with the large skewers of meat” to come by your table and bring you their varies types of meat (There is usually about 8 different types).

The FOOD…The Salad Bar is by far the best Salad Bar I have ever been to (In fact I usually just get that instead of the meat – More on that later) Cheesy Bread, Sweet Plantains, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes are all brought to your table, and various cuts of meat range from things like Top Sirloin, Bacon Wrapped Chicken and Brazilian Sausage. They also have a full Bar, an amazing Wine selection and if there is room they have some outstanding Desserts.

Normally a visit to Texas de Brazil runs about $40-something per person, however there is an option for $20-something where you just get the Salad Bar and no Meat.

Because they have such an interesting and creative Salad Bar, I usually opt for that. It saves me both money and that really bloated feeling for the rest of the night. However I was recently there dining on Valentine’s Day for lunch, and there was a special of $25 per person, which included Dessert! That is half of the normal price, so I had to indulge! Although I still had mostly Salad, I still ended up leaving feeling bloated! If you dine at Texas de Brazil for the first time you will have a unique experience with large quantities of food, and if you are a returning customer look for one of those specials so that you can save a few dollars