Fred's Southern Kitchen - Lakeland

I don’t normally write reviews about multiple locations of the same chain, however I am so impressed with Fred’s Southern Kitchen that it is worth mentioning again.

I have previously written about the Winter Haven location, however the Lakeland location is even bigger and just as good (if not better).

If you go for lunch between 2pm and 4pm then your drink is included in the price.

and if you clean your plate, then you get an even cheaper price (my favorite incentive ever, so smart and waste preventing)

Their home-style dishes are all fresh and delicious and you can tell they are made with love. I always go back for a second plate, and sometimes a third.

Their Bread Pudding is really good too!

It takes me about an hour to get there and is worth the drive every time!

Little Saigon

Located near Mills and 50, Little Saigon has been one of my “Go To” Vietnamese Restaurants for about 15 years now.  The food is inexpensive, fast and consistent, and whenever I can get Julie as a server it is a bonus because she always remembers what I like.

I like to start with their delicious Iced Tea

And an order of Summer Rolls!

Made fresh to order and served with (probably the best I’ve ever tasted) Peanut Sauce.

Then I either get them to make me a Noodle and Vegetable Dish

or the #30 (Sauteed Tofu, Broccoli, Onion over Rice $6.95)

It is especially good with the Hoisin Sauce.

Most of the people that I dine with order some sort of Soup and are usually rather satisfied with it so I feel like that is probably the popular thing to get.

They have a huge menu so you will definitely find something you like, and if you get an Appetizer, an Entrée and a Drink then you will probably get out of there for around $10-$12.

International Food Club

International Food Club is located on L.B. McLeod between Vineland and Kirkman (but much closer to Vineland). It looks like a warehouse from the outside, and when you go up to the front door it is locked and you have to enter through what looks like a delivery entrance off to the left. (It kind of seems like a secret club that not too many people know about.)

Once inside you realize that this is a specialty grocery store with sections devoted to every culture imaginable. They definitely offer “hard-to-find” imported items and things that you cannot find in a Publix or Winn Dixie, and for the most part their prices seem to be very reasonable!

They also have a Café and Bakery where you can get freshly made foods like Gyros, Wraps, Deli Salads and Side items.

They have a daily lunch special each day Monday through Friday. I happen to be there on a Monday where the special is the Middle East Feast. (1 Spinach Pie, 1 Falafel, Taboule, Stuffed Grape Leaf, Hummus, Pita and a Drink for $5.99) What a bargain! The day I was there they were out of Taboule so they gave me a Greek Salad instead. I can honestly say that I loved everything on my plate, such a great variety of really flavorful dishes.

Tuesday is Caribbean, Wednesday is South African, Thursday is Greek and Friday is Indian. If the other days are as good as the Monday special then I would love to go back and try them all. Sometimes for a delicious lunch you just have to think outside the box a little bit.

Smokin' J's Real Texas BBQ

I was going to St. Petersburg to meet a friend and watch a play. I had made plans to meet her and since she was familiar with the area I told her to pick a good place to eat before the show. She said, “I’m gonna take you to the BBQ Place, It’s really good and you will like it!” That’s all I needed to hear since recommendations like this are usually spot on. This “BBQ Place” was Smokin’ J’s, and my friend was 100% accurate!

Smokin’ J’s Real Texas BBQ is located in Gulfport. They can literally call it Real Texas BBQ because the originators are former BBQ Competition Winners from Dallas.

Smokin’ J’s is a House-turned-Restaurant that has several tables inside. As we entered I was surprised that we were the only ones dining in, but I realized that they also have a pick up window and many people seem to walk up and get their orders “To Go”.

You will find many of your favorite BBQ items on their menu, but as soon as I saw their Pulled Pork Sandwich with a side and a drink for $8.50 I decided not to look any further.

It was delivered in no time, and as I peeled the foil back from my sandwich I was excited to see how big it was. My side of Baked Mac-n-Cheese was rather large as well. Oh Happy Day!

A quick squirt of their Sweet BBQ Sauce and I was off and running. The generous amount of Pulled Pork was tender and juicy, and the Kaiser Bun was quite substantial and held up to the sandwich. (Sometimes these places use a simple Hamburger Bun that can’t handle the weight and the Meat goes everywhere, so this choice of Bun was a nice touch.)

The Mac-n-Cheese was also very good.

If in the area I would highly recommend Smokin’ J’s, you can tell that it is a favorite of the locals and I am so thankful that my friend introduced me to it!

BriarPatch

The BriarPatch has been a Park Avenue staple in Winter Park for as long as I can remember, at least 20 years now. They serve Breakfast and Lunch Daily, closing at 5pm.

In the past I have only been there for lunch and thought that it was just ok, but the other day I had the pleasure of having their breakfast and now I can say that I am a fan.

It is actually a small space with both indoor and outdoor seating, however they have done a great job at maximizing their space allowing them to seat quite a lot of people.

My friend ordered two things, first the Spinach, Goat Cheese and Sausage Omelette ($11.50) with an English Muffin and Cheese Grits. (I must say that on delivery I was a little jealous of his Cheese Grits)

Secondly he ordered the special of the day, which was Blueberry and Lemon Curd Pancakes. It was Enormous! I tried them and they were super lemony and very decadent. He ended up taking most of them home with him. (I bet they were delicious later on that day)

As for me I ordered the 3 Pepper Colby-Jack Omelette (Tomato, Bacon, Avocado $10.95). It was delicious! There was a little heat from the spicy cheese, and I was impressed by the quantity and quality of the Bacon and Avocado. There was no skimping on ingredients that’s for sure.

The Home Fries were fine (next time – Cheese Grits) and the English Muffin was surprisingly large and perfectly toasted.

So my thoughts on the BriarPatch are that their prices are just a little bit too high, but this IS Winter Park and that is to be expected. I also think they go above and beyond with the quality of their ingredients so it is ultimately worth it.

Hubbly Bubbly

While driving down Edgewater a few weeks back I noticed that the building that use to house BlackWater BBQ had a sign saying “Hubbly Bubbly Coming Soon”. The name was easy enough to remember, and being a sucker for a new restaurant I looked them up on line when I got home.

Much to me excitement it was a Falafel Shop! I love Falafel!

Now some of you are asking, “What the hell is a Falafel?”

Well a Falafel (Fuh La Full) is a blend of ground chickpeas, herbs and spices, shaped into balls and fried until crispy. Not only are they Vegetarian but they are usually Vegan.

So by way of their Facebook page I realized that today was their first official day of business. They were also giving away T Shirts to the first 50 customers (however I went later in the afternoon and was not one of the first 50).

Parking can be difficult as there are limited spaces, and it also sits on a side of the street with a Median so even getting to the Hubbly Bubbly might call for a little maneuvering.

The space was nicely decorated with about 6 small tables inside, and about another 6 outside.

The first thing you do is go up to the counter and place your order, then you go down the line as they make your order.

The staff was very friendly and helpful.

It was very hot inside and they had several fans going.

Now on to the food…..

I started out with a Falafel Pocket Sandwich ($4.99). I had it topped with Bubbly Salad Blend, Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Tahini Sauce.

I wish there had been more of the Tahini Sauce, but I’ll know to ask for extra next time.

My friend had one similar with Tabouli and one of their Hot Sauces. We both enjoyed these very much. (maybe a little pricey for how small they were? But very tasty)

I also wanted to try their Hummus ($2.99). It was served with Pita Chips.

The Hummus itself was adequate, but the Chips were way too thick for my liking.

I wish they had separated the Pita Bread before cooking it, which would have given a thinner, crispier, more dip-able chip.

We also had an order of the Mazel Tots (Extra crispy tater tots tossed with signature five-spice seasoning $2.99) In theory I liked these as well, they had a nice flavor and reminded me of a Latke. My complaint with them was that because they were so large they were really not that crispy. I feel like had they been a little smaller then they could have achieved the crispiness that the description claims.

Still, of the two side items that I tried, the Mazel Tots were the ones that I preferred.

Both the Chicken Shawarma and the Lamb & Steak Shawarma looked pretty good and I would like to try them at some point. Hubbly Bubbly did not blow me away on the first visit, however it was good enough that I would like to try it again.

 

Sunflower Cafe at Hoover's Market

Hoover’s Market in Altamonte Springs has become one of my favorite places to shop and have lunch.

Celebrating their 40^th anniversary, Hoover’s is a grocery store that specializes in organic and locally grown produce, specialty health foods, and an array of vitamins.

Think of a non-chain, family owned “Whole Foods”.

They have great Breads from a local bakery in DeLand,

And they also have a great “Bulk Bin” section that offers just about anything you could want.

However my favorite part of Hoover’s is the Sunflower Café!

I love to order a custom created Veggie and Cheese Sandwich made with Organic Produce, House-made Hummus, and a little bit of Love!

And the greatest thing is that a Sandwich on Bread is only $3.99

And a Wrap is only $4.99

They have a couple of tables outside to sit at while you relax and enjoy your lunch.

For a healthy, organic, delicious lunch you really can’t beat it!