Spooky's Black Cat Cafe - Pulled Pork on Waffles

Spooky’s Black Cat Café is located in the Milk District on Robinson and Primrose. It is the same people that own the Milk Bar and the Social Chameleon and I recently went there for lunch.

The ATMOSPHERE… Best to just look at the photo of the interior and see for your self.

The SERVICE… Our server was dressed as a sexy Witch and was very friendly and personable

The FOOD… They have a small, eclectic menu offering a couple of Indian dishes, and couple of Vegetarian dishes, and a couple Comfort food dishes. I like all of those things so I was in luck.

I finally decided on the Pulled Pork on Waffles (Pulled Pork slow cooked in Milk Stout Beer topped with Cilantro Chimichurri Sauce with choice of side and our sweet and spicy BBQ Sauce on the side - $9) I had the Mac and Cheese as my side item.

When my food arrived I was slightly concerned that the portion size was not large enough but I did think it looked interesting. The pork tasted pretty good and the sauces were a nice touch! The waffle was “nothing special” and although I really liked the Mac and Cheese I felt like there wasn’t enough of it. However I did think that overall the odd combination of flavors worked well together and I did eat every bite. (I just wished there were a couple more bites on the plate)

It is a nice place to go if you are looking for something a little bit different, but I would be surprised if anyone called Spooky’s their “favorite restaurant”. That being said I would like to go back someday and try another one of their menu items, I’m just not sure how soon I am going to rush back.

Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries - Bacon Bleu

The building where Denny’s use to be across from the Fashion Square Mall has been split into two store fronts. One half is a Jimmy John’s, and for the past several weeks I have seen that the other half was going to be Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries. I have been driving by frequently to observe the progress, and much to my excitement I saw an OPEN sign the other day.

I remember the Florida Mall use to have a place in their food court called Boardwalk Fries where you would just get your Fries and then dip them in Cheese Sauce, Gravy or Vinegar. Well after checking out their website I realized that this is the same place, only now they have Burgers as well! (Always fresh, never frozen)

As I walked in it reminded me of FIVE GUYS BURGERS, and the Atmosphere, Service and Menu were all comparable. One thing I did notice is that there were way too many people working. (At one point I counted twelve employees, and none of them were doing very much) However, at the time of my visit they had been open less then one week, and most new restaurants tend to over staff at the beginning until they have ironed out all of the kinks.

I decided to get one of their Signature Burgers – The Bacon Bleu ( Two Patties, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Crumbled Bleu Cheese, Bacon and Grilled Onions) and from their “Free Topping” section I decided to add some Pickles. One cool thing is that you can choose what kind of Bun you want. (White or Wheat) I went with the classic White and decided to add some of their “Famous” Fries. Much like FIVE GUYS you really don’t need to get any larger then a “Small’ order, because it was still plenty!

I just had water but my friend had a Soda, and they have one of those Coke machines where you press which blend of soda you want on the touch screen and then it makes it for you. It is pretty neat at how many choices you can make, but the bad thing is that there is only one machine and the line to use it was rather long and there was a wait.

One really nice thing about Boardwalk is that they offer punch cards which will give you a free meal after you have purchased six combo meals.

Now on to my review of the food, as I unwrapped my Burger I was pleased with the way it looked. I was so excited to take the first bite! The ingredient quality was quite good. The Bleu Cheese was sharp and tangy. I was very satisfied. The Fries were just as I remembered them to be and I nearly devoured every single one. (Next time I will probably try dipping them in Gravy for an additional 99 cents.) All in all I really liked it. Once again I would like to say that Boardwalk Fresh Burgers and Fries is VERY SIMILAR to FIVE GUYS. I’m not sure if I can pick a favorite between the two. I am afraid that FIVE GUYS might be slightly cheaper. But if you are a fan of one I would bet that you would be a fan of the other. Try them both and then let me know what you think. 

Lake Harris Hide A Way - Cheese Burger

I recently dined at the Lake Harris Hide A Way in Tavares.

I remember growing up in Lake County about 20 years ago it was called Little Joe’s Hide A Way, however it has definitely expanded since then with the addition of an outdoor bar and deck with Live entertainment.

The ATMOSPHERE… Indoor or outdoor dining, very casual, arrive by car or boat

The SERVICE… Friendly servers will be happy to take your order

The FOOD… Burgers, Sandwiches, Salads and just about any Deep-Fried Appetizer you can think of

I was there on a Saturday afternoon and it was actually quite busy. We sat outside and started with the Fat Boy Combo Basket (Chicken Tenders, Mini Corn Dogs, Cheese Sticks and Onion rings, served with Honey Mustard, Kickn Cajun and Marinara Sauce - $9.25) While not healthy in the slightest bit, I will say that it was Artery-Clogging Goodness and we devoured the whole basket.

For my main meal I had a Cheese Burger (1/2 lb. Burger made fresh daily from the finest Beef - $7.50) It was served on a Keiser roll with Lettuce, Tomato and Pickles. It did not come with Fries, but with the large appetizer they were not necessary. It was nice to re-visit this place so many years later and find that they are still going strong and still making delicious Burgers!

Anna's Polish Restaurant

Anna’s Polish Restaurant in Winter Park is one of my favorites.

The ATMOSPHERE… Small, Quaint, Comfortable

The SERVICE… Always friendly!

The FOOD… “Made-from-Scratch” by Anna herself. Every thing that I have had there has been enjoyable.

I CAN and WILL go there again and again!

Here are some photos of Anna’s delicious food.

Complimentary Bread Basket

Pierogi (A tasty Polish specialty! Our Pierogi are boiled and served with caramelized onions and sour cream - $9.99)

Cracovia Chicken Cutlet (Chef's Specialty! Chicken cutlet coated with Parmesan Dough served with choice of two sides - $15.99 I like to get it with Potato Pancakes and Beet Root Salad!)

Silesian Dumplings with Meat (Pyzy) (Round Potato Dumplings stuffed with Ground Meat served with your choice of Bacon Pieces or Mushroom Gravy - $12.99)

Crepes "Nalesniki" (Crepe filled with cheese and topped with fruit sauce and whipped cream - $4.79)

Pubbelly

I was recently in South Beach with a friend who lives there now, and he insisted that we go to Pubbelly because it was where all the locals went swearing that the food was “Dynamite” and that I would love it!

The ATMOSPHERE… tiny, quaint, with one of the greatest bathrooms I’ve ever been in, and did I mention the place is tiny?

The SERVICE… I have read reviews where the service was lacking, but my experience couldn’t have been more different. Our server was courteous and helpful, and our food arrived very efficiently. We did arrive right at 6pm when they opened, and it was packed by the time we got our food, so maybe other complaints were because it was so busy (but that’s the sign of a successful restaurant in my opinion)

The FOOD… Pubbelly is an Asian inspired Gastro-pub style restaurant. The portions are small. Oder a couple for yourself, or get several and share.

I ordered the Pan con Tomate Bread ($2.5), which was chewy and delicious.

I also got the Heirloom Tomatoes (Soft Tofu, Amazu Ponzu, Blueberries - $11), which was cool and refreshing, yet unique and interesting.

Last but not least, I ordered the Brussels Sprouts (Bacon Miso, Sea Salt - $7). (Here goes my rant) This was by far the best thing that I have eaten in a long time! It has been over a month since I actually dined there, and I have thought of this dish every day since. Large fresh Brussels Sprouts with Bacon pieces slathered in a thick, rich, sweet-yet-salty sauce. It was so good! I am tempted to take the 4 hour drive back down to Miami just to get several more orders! I have been to great restaurants and knew that I enjoyed my meal but cannot remember what I ordered, but this was one of those experiences where in 20 years I will still be able to remember “that time I was in South Beach at Pubbelly and had the Brussels Sprouts”. My suggestion is that when you read this that you make plans to go and try them for yourself. That is all.

Abeulo's - The Monterrey

I was recently in Lakeland and needed a place to meet some friends for dinner. I knew that they liked Mexican food and since urbanspoon.com gave Abuelo’s such a high rating we decided to give it a try.

The ATMOSPHERE… very large dining area, high spacious ceilings, and the night we dined there they had a magician roaming table to table

The SERVICE… We had a friendly server, more on the service later

The FOOD… Not only do they have everything you would expect from a standard Mexican menu, but they also have many additional house specialties and a variety of enchilada platters

We were seated with menus but it took a while for our server to greet us and take our drink orders. Then it also took a while for her to come back to take our order, and still the drinks took additional time to get delivered. Not a great start, but maybe the food will be good? There were four of us, and although it took a while we were served chips with salsa (four containers of salsa – a nice touch)

I decided on The Monterrey Platter (Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada, Avocado Enchilada, Spinach Enchilada, Chicken Ranchera Enchilada, Cheese Chile Relleno, Crispy Chicken Taco and Quacamole – served with Rice or Papas Con Chile and Refried Beans - $15.29) I thought the price was ok considering this was a lot of food and would be a good way to try a little bit of everything.

Upon delivery I realized that they had forgotten about the Crispy Chicken Taco and the Guacamole, however once I notified our server she brought it fairly quickly.

Both the Avocado Enchilada and the Spinach Enchilada were my two favorite items (much to my surprise) and the Papas Con Chile that I had chosen as my side was also good. Sadly the rest of the items were mediocre at best and quite forgettable.

My dining companions agreed that their meals were not bad, but just ok.

Our bill (four people with drinks) came to under $75, which I feel is rather reasonable, however with an experience that was just average I doubt that I will ever return to Abuelo’s.

Lime Fresh Mexican Grill

Lime Fresh Mexican Grill is a Miami based chain with a location in Winter Park Village right next to the movie theatre. I have been there a couple of times since they opened and I am still on the fence as to whether or not I like it.

The ATMOSPHERE… Clean, Spacious and Industrial

The SERVICE… Order at the counter and they will bring your food out to you

The FOOD… Typical “Americanized” Mexican Food such as Tacos, Burritos, and Quesadillas with a “Healthy” Twist

To quote their website “Why’s our food so good?
We use the best ingredients available, including humanely raised meat and produce that’s delivered daily and prepared on-site for all our homemade salsa, sauces and sides. Plus, we really care if you like it. We make your meal however you want it, bring it out to you and bring it back if it’s not perfect. We’re cool like that”

With the feel of the place and the menu items I really want to like Lime. I love the health-conscience concept and as long as the food was delicious then this would probably be one of my new places. That is where the problem begins… There are plenty of other local restaurants that offer this same type of food. I tried several items from the Lime menu and then compared them to the same item at another place and decided which one I prefer the taste of.

Lime’s Homemade Queso Dip vs. Tijuana Flats’ Queso

Lime is a little on the “plain” side with really boring Chips, T.F. wins for flavor on both the Queso and the Chips.

Lime’s “I wanna Tijuana Taco” vs. Taco Bell’s Double Decker

I would call this one a tie. Lime’s tastes a little “fresher” but Taco Bell’s is way cheaper.

I will say that the Lime has a Bacon and Bean Quesadilla that is really flavorful and delicious, and is an item that I haven’t seen anywhere else. A+ for that!

They also have a really good Salsa and Hot Sauce Bar (no additional charge for dine-in customers) that you can top all of your items with to jazz it up or give it some heat.

All in all I would not give Lime any awards for “Best Mexican” Food, and there are other places that I definitely prefer for certain things, however I do appreciate what they stand for and that Quesadilla is absolutely worth having again.