Mr. Quick

Mr. Quick is an old school Diner on Highway 50 near Kirkman that has been around since 1976. They used to be 24 hours, but now they close over night. It is set up like a Waffle House (only slightly bigger) where you can sit at a table or at the counter and watch as they grill up your order.

Not the cleanest place in the world, and it definitely could use a makeover.

The service is lousy, in fact the last time I was there the server (if you could call her that) just came up to us and said “What do you want?” My reply to her was “a Menu”

Now, this being said, I would like to go on the record saying that the Food is Fantastic! And the Prices are Great!

I always get the Hungry Man special! (3 Eggs, Choice of 2 Meats, Grits, Hash Browns and Toast $7.19) What a bargain, you are not going to get that much food for that price anywhere else.

It’s good and greasy and everything is swimming in Butter! (Obviously not healthy, but you don’t go in to a Diner like this worrying about fat or calories.)

My friend ordered the special that day which was Chicken Parmesan. (Fried chicken Breast served over Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese and a side of Garlic Bread $4.99) He really enjoyed it and once again the price was right.

So, if you are looking for fine dining, impeccable service, and great ambiance then go somewhere else. But if you are looking for good ole greasy comforting food at a low price then Mr. Quick is for you!

Yoder's Restaurant

Yoder’s Restaurant and Amish Village has been a Sarasota tradition since 1975.

They have a Fresh Market (Deli), a Produce Market and a Gift Shop, but the main thing Yoder’s offers to draw people in is their Restaurant.

There will be a line so be prepared, but it will definitely be worth the wait!

Yoder’s is known for their “Award Winning” Pies, Home Cooked Meals “Comfort Food” and Homemade Baked Goods.

Once seated your server will bring you Homemade Bread and Yoder’s famous Apple Butter. It is sweet and delicious and you can feel free to purchase a jar to take home with you at the check out counter.

There were three of us dining and my friend that lives in Sarasota ordered a Chicken Salad Sandwich ($5.95) and an order of Onion Rings (add $2.65).

My other friend had heard how amazing Yoder’s Fried Chicken was so he had the Quarter Chicken Dark with Amish Potato Cakes and a Tossed Salad ($9.95). It has actually been three months since we were at Yoder’s and he still keeps asking me when we can go back for some more of their Fried Chicken!

I wanted Chicken too, but I didn’t want bones so I ordered the Chicken Fingers with Mac & Cheese and Chicken Stuffing. Everything on my plate was so good, especially the Chicken Fingers and Stuffing. The Mac & Cheese was just OK, but by no means am I complaining.

Then came time for Dessert. Although we didn’t really need it, you can’t go to Yoder’s without having a slice of Pie, besides they have over 25 different varieties to choose from.

We had one piece of Butterscotch Cream, one piece of Banana Cream and one piece of Southern Pecan. I tried all three and must say that they were all quite good. It seems like a lot of people go there just for the Pie, or else they take one with them to go.

Ultimately I am glad that I don’t live in the Sarasota area because I would find it very difficult NOT to go to Yoder’s all the time! However the next time I am within 30 miles I will absolutely make the extra drive to get some more of their delicious food!

  

That One Spot

I had heard about That One Spot and wanted to give it a try. My first attempt was on a Saturday and it was so packed with the line running out the door that we left and went somewhere else. Then later the next week we returned around 2pm on a weekday.

As you walk up to the counter and place your order you can see them on the “Burger Assembly Line” behind the cashier, which is good because you know that each Burger is made fresh to order. My only problem with That One Spot is that I feel the space could be used better. It is not a large place to begin with and if the layout was different then they could accommodate the line much easier.

But on to the food….

My friend ordered That One Burger (Good ole’ Cheddar Cheese, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Onions and That One Sauce $6.99) and he told me that the Beef was really good.

I wanted to try one of their Veggie Burgers so I ordered the Greek Spinach Veggie Burger (Spinach Greek Herb-Stuffing Patties, Herb Greek Yogurt, Feta Cheese, sliced Roasted Red Peppers, Sprouts and Fresh Red Onions $7.50).

I felt like getting two side items so I added Hand Cut French Fries ($1.99) and Grandma’s Mac & Cheese ($3.50).

The Veggie Burger was fantastic! The Spinach Patty was seasoned perfectly and there was tons of Feta making it a really decadent Burger. (I didn’t miss the Meat at all!)

The Fries were decent, not the best I’ve ever had, but quite good.

This leaves us with Grandma’s Mac & Cheese. First off I must say that the portion was very generous. As I stuck my spoon in I realized that not only was it super Cheesy and Creamy, but there was also kernels of Corn in it which tasted really awesome.

I didn’t leave one single bite on my plate and I left feeling stuffed and bloated, but it was definitely worth it. Can’t wait to go back.

Fresh Cafe

Fresh is a café that is located in the Hannibal Square area of Winter Park. Most of their ingredients are both organic and locally sourced (within a 150 mile radius).

They are open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday (closed between 4pm and 6pm) and brunch on Sundays.

The menus are small and vary from lunch to dinner, each offering 12 – 15 items to choose from.

The place has limited seating and can only accommodate a certain number of people.

I was there for a late lunch one day and was the only one in the place, which was perfect for me. I started with the Yucca Fries ($4). The Yucca itself was delicious, fried to a crisp and sprinkled with Sea Salt. It came with both a spicy homemade Ketchup and a Pesto Aioli for dipping that were both very tasty.

Then for my Sandwich I had the Say Queso ($9). It was a large crusty loaf of Bread with grilled Manchego, organic Pears and Fig Jam. It was really satisfying and the house-made Pickled Vegetables that came with it were also very good.

I like Fresh very much and would definitely go back if given the opportunity.

Italio

Many of the reviews of Italio compare it to Chipotle (only Italian food instead of Mexican). Yes the look and feel is very similar, the way you order your food is very similar, but there is one big difference… the amount of choices!

As for Chipotle I have loved it since day one, but there you choose either Tacos, Burrito, Salad or Rice Bowl, then choose from about 4 kinds of meat, then customize it with about 12-15 topping choices. Double Meat and Guacamole cost extra, and if you want a side item you are limited to only Chips.

At Italio first you decide if you want Pasta (Regular or Whole Grain), Salad (Romaine or Spring Mix) or a Piadina (Italian Wrap, similar to a Burrito).

Then you choose your protein (Steak, Grilled Chicken, Fried Chicken, Shrimp, Italian Sausage, Meatballs or Veggie).

Then customize by choosing your Sauce (3 choices), Pesto (3 choices) or Dressing (4 choices) followed by adding as many as you like of Veggies (11 choices), Favorites (8 choices) and Cheeses (4 choices).

In my experiences they have not even charged extra for getting additional Meat!

What I like to get is the Whole Grain Pasta Bowl. I get it “Veggie” which comes with sautéed Zucchini and Baby Portobello Mushrooms, and I add sautéed Peppers and Onions, Chickpeas, Eggplant & Sundried Tomato Caponata, Spinach, Bruschetta, and Basil Chiffonade. The last time I got a little Artisan Alfredo Sauce as well as some Fresh Basil Pesto, and then I finished it odd with Feta and Piadina Croutons.

It was such a large bowl of Pasta and even without the meat it was so hearty and filling. Had I not been such a pig that day it would have been the perfect amount to take half home for later, but it was so good that I just kept eating and eating.

For dessert I had the “Cannoli” chips (served with Sweet Cream layered with Chocolate Chips). I think they were about $3 and although they were good they were not special enough for me to order again.

But I will definitely be returning for one of those big bowls of Pasta and a Drink for under $9, I can’t think of another place that you can customize your own dish with that many choices for such a cheap price!

As of right now there are only two locations of Italio, but I would be highly surprised if they do not make the big time! This will be a big deal…. Just you watch!