Yard House

So we were heading to Hard Rock Live to see a concert and didn’t feel like eating at any of the Universal Studios restaurants and so we took a friend’s recommendation to try Yard House, which was a newer addition to I Drive.

He had worked at the location in Fort Lauderdale and said we would like it, and that we had to order the Mac N Cheese because it was his favorite thing on the menu.

This was enough for us so we headed that way to give it a try.

Once we found it and pulled in we realized that your only option was to valet your car.

This was complimentary and both our drop of and our pick up were both quick and painless.

Then you enter what is technically the back of the building.

As our hostess seated us we noticed that the extremely large bar was the centerpiece of the building and the seating is around the sides of the building.

Décor-wise, the bar is definitely the star of this show, and there were so many beers on draft it was quite overwhelming.

It was also right at happy hour, and we noticed that most of the clientele were clearly business people after work and were there to have a drink.

We were there to eat and at the location we were seated at is actually became a little uncomfortable with the amount of people just standing around the bar.

Note to self – If there is a “next time” then request to be seated as far away from the bar as possible.

The extremely large menu did have several things that sounded good (almost too many) so we decided to just ignore the noise and crowd and just enjoy ourselves.

Our server told us that several of the appetizers were ½ priced for happy hour, so we definitely took advantage of that when we placed our order.

We started with the Onion Ring Tower (happy hour price $4.62)

(beer battered, dusted with parmesan, with chipotle & buttermilk dipping sauces)

They were just Onion Rings, however they tasted pretty decent and there were plenty of them.

Then she ordered the Spicy Tuna Roll (happy hour price $6.47)

(stacked seared rare ahi, avocado, edamame, cucumber and wasabi soy sauce)

Although I don’t eat seafood it did look really pretty and she said the presentation was not at all what she expected but that it was delicious.

Then I decided to take my friend’s advice and order the “smaller” portion of Mac+Cheese.

(chicken breast, applewood bacon, wild mushrooms, cheddar, parmesan, campanelle pasta & truffle oil $11.85)

I did enjoy the flavors and thought it was good, however I did feel guilty after I ate it because of its decadence.

Glad I ordered the smaller portion.

I will say that if I ever go back there are still lots of things on the menu that I would like to try.

The Burgers looked really good, and something else that I like is the fact that they have a full section of Gardein menu items, which is my favorite manufacturer of soy-based proteins (great for vegans who still want to enjoy a burger or fried chicken strips).

I’m sure they will do well here in Orlando, especially with how I Drive is expanding.

Seems like a great place to get a beer or cocktail, and they do have some really tempting menu items, especially if you go and happy hour and can enjoy those cheaper prices.

The Lucky Dill

So I was visiting my friends again in Tampa and they decided to take me to The Lucky Dill in Palm Harbor because they thought I would like it. All that was explained to me was that it was a Jewish-Style Deli and had large portions.

When you first walk in you see a huge dessert case with the hostess stand.

Then when you look to the left you see another dessert case, but really an entire dessert room.

It was obvious to me that we would be stopping by here on the way out.

Clearly they wanted you to know that not only were you to dine there, but you were also to leave with some bonus bakery items.

We were seated in one of the large dining rooms and were promptly greeted.

Our server (receipt says Vinny) was quick at bringing our beverages, along with fresh rolls (Delicious!).

He was prompt and helpful with answering questions and giving suggestions.

We started with an order of the Soho Rolls.

(Crispy Egg Rolls filled with Shredded Chicken, Jalapeno, Red Bell Pepper, Black Beans, Corn, and Cheddar Jack, a cool Sour Cream to dip $7.99)

There were three of them (so we each got to have our own) and they were quite large (Photo does not do justice to how big they were).

The flavors were bold and we practically inhaled them.

Now as we looked over the menu I noticed that not only were there a million different things to choose from, but they all sounded really good.

I had a feeling that the sandwiches were going to be large so I decided on one without meat (in hopes to eat it all).

I got the Awesome Avocado & Veggie!

(Thinly sliced Avocado, ripe Roma Tomato, thinly sliced Cucumber, Red Onion and Arugala. Topped with Sprouts, Havarti and crumbled Blue Cheese on toasted Multigrain, served with Tropical Fruit Medley $9.99)

Did I like it? Let’s just say I didn’t hate it.

Would I get it again? Nope.

I loved all the different Veggies that were on it and the overall size of it.

(I still had to take half of it home in a box)

I also loved that there were two different cheeses on it and they did not “skimp” on either of them.

I would have liked to have had it slightly grilled or toasted so that the cheese could have melted a little, however what I mostly did not like about it was that the Avocado was not ripe enough and was still too hard to eat.

(When an Avocado is fully ripened it is soft and creamy – almost spreadable)

The Fruit that accompanied it was also underwhelming.

Now on to my friend’s meals…..

One had the Chicken Philly

(Chicken, Mushrooms, Peppers & Onions on an authentic Philly Roll smothered with melted Provolone and Cheddar, served with Fries $9.99)

And the other had the Oven Roasted Turkey Breast Sandwich ($10.99)

(I think looking at the picture is better then any menu description I could copy and paste here. Check out the ridiculous amount of Turkey they put on these sandwiches)

They both were pleased with their sandwiches.

Now one thing that was a pretty cool feature of The Lucky Dill is that when you order an entrée and a drink you get a complimentary Dessert!

Wow – I love free stuff!

Now they only give you a couple of choices, I believe it was a Cheesecake or a Apple Pastry of some type, but who cares? It is free.

When they came out they were actually quite small and basic, however we were stuffed and really didn’t need any Dessert any way so they were actually the perfect size.

(Sorry there are NO PICTURES, we were so excited that we devoured them before I could snap a photo LOL)

I feel that this is another of their clever ways to entice you in to buying extra Desserts as you leave.

Even though I would order something different the next time I still really enjoyed The Lucky Dill. There are plenty of other items on the menu that looked good, the prices are pretty good (especially considering how large their portions are) and the free Desserts are a definite added bonus.

The Egg & I

The Egg and I is part of a large chain that is located in about half of the 50 states.

Their concept is basically that of a simple diner that is open for breakfast and lunch, offering standard “diner style” food with a concentration on egg dishes.

I have been there twice now and have experienced an atmosphere that is friendly and welcoming.

First thing that I noticed (and loved) was that when they brought around our Iced Tea they brought out an entire Carafe! 

This is great because I notice at these types of places are seldom quick enough (for me) on refilling my beverage. 

This eliminates the problem and is a nice touch.

On my first visit (thinking it was going to be spectacular because of the menu description) I ordered the Wild Mushroom and Veggie Hash Skillet.

(Roasted Mushrooms, Peppers, Onions, Roma Tomatoes and Spinach with Hash Potatoes. Topped with mixed cheese, two Eggs any style and Tomato Hollandaise Sauce, served with an English Muffin)

When it arrived I was extremely underwhelmed.

The picture says it all…. Beige!

The vegetables were practically non-existent, and the “skillet-shaped plate” was basically filled with mediocre Eggs and Potatoes.

It was kind of a disappointment, however looking around at other peoples plates I saw several things that I thought looked pretty good.

Maybe I had just ordered the wrong thing?

I waited a couple of months and then returned with a different friend to give it another try.

This time I did better and I must have ordered the right thing, which in this case was the Greek Frittata.

(Diced Ham, Artichoke Hearts, Roasted Roma Tomatoes, Asparagus and Portabella Mushrooms. Topped with Basil Pesto and Havarti Dill Cheese, served with Grits and an English Muffin $8.99)

I actually didn’t want any meat that day so I had them leave off the Ham.

This was the breakfast that I had been searching for the first time.

The flavor combination was interesting and everything was fresh and delicious.

The Pesto and Havarti really gave it a nice touch!

My friend ordered the Egg-Ceptional Omelette.

(Sausage, Diced Ham, Bacon, Onion, Tomatoes, Portabella Mushrooms and Melted Cheese, topped with Sour Cream, served with Ranch Potatoes and English Muffin $8.99)

He really enjoyed hid breakfast as well.

I am really glad that I returned to The Egg & I. They are by no means my favorite “Greasy Spoon” in town, because I feel like there are too many “Mom and Pop” places that have a little more character, however for a national chain I must say that they are pretty darn good.

Sonoma Draught House

We were going to see a play at The Abbey and decided to grab lunch next door at Sonoma Draught House. I had been in this space before, but it was something else at the time and had been quite a while so I was glad to give it a try.

The space is unique and they offer both indoor and outdoor seating.

They have a full bar and offer a million different Beers.

As we were seated we were told that they featuring half priced Appetizers that day and so we decided to get the Hummus. It is normally $10.25, but at that time it was only $5.99.

It has to be one of the most interesting versions of Hummus that I have ever had.

It was served with Pita Points and Grilled Vegetables (which I found to be very odd, but still very tasty).

Also the Hummus itself had a big scoop of Pesto on top of it. Now I love Hummus and love Pesto, but I never would have imagined they would go together, however it actually made a beautiful combination. Who would have thought?

Then for my entrée I had the Black & Bleu Burger (Half pound certified Angus Beef, Bacon and Bleu Cheese Crumbles served on Brioche Bun with Waffle Fries $13.99)

Although a little pricey, this Burger was absolutely delicious!

You could taste the “better then average” quality of Beef, and the Bacon and Bleu Cheese made it super satisfying. The crispy Waffle Fries were good too!

It’s not as though I will be rushing back there any time soon, however next time I am in that area I would gladly dine there again. It was indeed pretty good.

Mills Brewpub

I felt like Bananas Modern American Diner was doing pretty well, however the owners recently closed it in order to open up a new concept. It is now called Mills Brewpub, and they specialize in Bar Food and Beer.

The new flooring and decor is a major improvement and the bar area that they have added looks terrific.

I have been there twice.

My first visit I went with someone who had dined there a couple of times already.

We started with the Housemade Mozzarella Sticks (with garlic beer-infused marinara sauce $8)

An order comes with three and I must say they were really good.

 

Then I decided on the Beef Pub Burger (Duck fat infused ground beef, Wisconsin cheddar cheese, crispy bacon $9)

This was served with their Belgian Fries, which I had heard were incredible so I was even more excited.

After eating the Burger I felt like it was just OK. Although it tasted decent I didn’t notice anything special about the Duck Fat infused Beef, and the Fries were not all that either. Still I did finish my plate and the price was great.

For this first visit the service was also decent.

Now on to my second visit.

This time I was with a different friend, and we were seated and then waited for quite some time before anyone came to check on us. As we sat there we saw another table of two being seated and then never followed through with and they both got up and walked out. We however sat and waited and finally they came to take our order.

We also could hear one of the staff members yelling at another staff member in the back, not really a fun and welcoming environment.

Now on to the food.

We started with the Spiced Almonds ($4). They were so good, oily (in a good way) and tossed with Rosemary. Unfortunately I just checked their website and they no longer have them listed on the menu.

We also got a Soft Pretzel with Beer Cheese Dipping Sauce ($4), this tasted pretty good too, the presentation could use a little work but the flavor was nice.

For my meal I had the Nutty Monkey Salad (mixed greens, apples, almonds, spicy onions, bleu cheese crumbles, creamy garlic dressing $9)

Now this salad I really loved. The crispy fried onions were a nice touch and the combination of flavors was amazing.

So overall I think both the Food and the Prices at Mills Brewpub are very good, however they need help in the customer service department. Not sure if I will give them another chance, which is a shame because I really have enjoyed everything that I have eaten there.