Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza

Every time I've ended up in the Dr. Phillips area recently, I've spotted Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza and thought about how I needed to try it the next time we went out to eat. Of course, my silly overloaded brain always forgot when the time came to choose. So, just imagine how excited I was when I got the opportunity to try them out last night! I brought my dad with me (he is a fellow foodie and also a lover of beer, so it was perfect), and I have to say, we had an absolute blast. We were overwhelmed by the quality of both the service and the food.

We had gone in planning to try two of their newer items, the roasted cauliflower pizza and the craft beers. Try those we did, but we also got to try several of their other menu items during our meal. First we sampled two of their salad options: the classic Italian salad and the mozzarella and tomato salad. This may sound silly, but I could not believe how good the Italian salad was. If I hadn't known I needed to save room for more food, I would have devoured the entire thing. It was not your normal house salad at all, as it had basics like romaine lettuce and red onion slices but was then embellished with garbanzo beans, olives (pitted!! Hooray!!), hard-boiled egg slices, and even gorgonzola cheese (on the side, and it is an extra addition; I highly suggest getting it). Not only did it have these extras, the simple vinegarette was delicious. Seriously. Freakin' AWESOME. The mozzarella and tomato salad was also wonderfully fresh tasting. I don't normally like raw tomatoes, but I ate the entire thing. The combination of the fresh (and generously sliced!) mozzarella, tomato, green pepper, and basil was perfectly balanced. Try it. Go. Now. Do it.

22nd Annual Taste of the Nation Orlando

I had the opportunity to attend the 22nd Annual Taste of the Nation event at the Orlando World Center Marriott last weekend as a local blogger, and it was an experience for which I am so glad I got the opportunity. Between the amazing food, the huge amount of participation in both the silent auction and the raffles, and the entertainment, the evening was certainly one to remember, not to mention wildly successful.

Hawkers Asian Street Fare

I'd read tons about Hawkers Asian Street Fare on Twitter and on other foodies blog posts over the past month or so before my first visit, and everything I read just made me want to go more and more. So, a couple of weeks ago I tweeted an open invitation to my fellow foodies to join me for lunch. It was a weekday, so I didn't expect much of a response, so I was thrilled when three others came along! I also invited my good friend M, and so we ended up with a group of five at that first lunch. I enjoyed it so much I ended up back the following week with another friend for lunch yet again.

Food Truck Friday: Big Wheel Truck

I was so excited about setting up Food Truck Friday when I first started. And then I got busy with, well, everything, and Fridays just seemed to slip by, and I'd completely forget to write a food truck post! Ooops. But don't you worry (because I know, I know, you were worrying), Food Truck Friday is back, and what better way to bring it back than by talking about one of the two trucks from my very first (official) food truck adventure ever!

Restaurant Review: Funky Monkey Wine Company

I had been eyeing the Funky Monkey Wine Company menu for ages. AGES. So when a Groupon came out for the downtown location, I knew I had to grab it. Who can turn down $40 worth of food for $20? I bought the Groupon, of course, and last week convinced a friend to venture out to the Mills50 District for a bite after work.

It is a very small restaurant that is almost hidden in the shadows at night time. If I hadn't known that it was next to Bananas Modern American Diner (owned by the same people that own Funky Monkey), I probably would have driven right past it. As it was, I had to turn around and crawl back to find the parking lot. Is that a bad thing? Absolutely not. I love a hole in the wall, especially if it has good food. It just surprised me, for some reason that I cannot pinpoint.

The decor at Funky Monkey is...well....dark. It was very dark in the restaurant; so dark in fact that I can tell you that I think the main color scheme included a deep purple and black, but don't quote me on that. I'd love to show you a photo but well, you guessed it, it was too dark. Now, don't get me wrong. I adore a small, intimate, romantic setting. The Funky Monkey has the potential to be just that. However, when my friend has to use a cell phone light to read the menu, and when the server needs to move the candle on the table so that we can "see the food better," that is a little too "intimate" for me. I'm at a restaurant, not in bed. On the opposite side of the coin, though, some of the tables are so close together that, frankly, if I was there on a date I'd probably learn just as much about the couple sitting next to me as I would about my companion.

China Sun - Local Chinese Take-Out at its Best

Hidden in the middle of an area of Orlando that one would most likely not venture to in search of a delicious meal, China Sun is found. While it isn't an upscale or expensive restaurant, China Sun is the best Chinese take-out that I have tried since moving back to Orlando four years ago. I will admit, I've never actually been to the restaurant's storefront (located at the corner of Oak Ridge and Rio Grande); we've always ordered by phone and had our dinner delivered. We have our standard favorites, but I do like to venture out once in awhile and try something new, so we've had a good sampling of their menu over the last couple of years.

We ordered food from China Sun for the first time in a few months last week, and since it was just C and I (and he didn't want leftovers for a week like usual), we only ordered a few items and most of them were off our list of "go-to" options.

Restaurant Review: Anatolia

My mother had recommended Anatolia to me a few months ago, saying the Turkish and Lebanese offerings were amazing and "just like the little place across from our old house in Boston," so with praise like that, it was immediately on my list of must-eats. However, I kept forgetting about it when trying to decide on a place to eat! Then, a couple of weeks ago, I got into a chat on Twitter about it with a few fellow foodies, and decided C and I would have to try it that weekend for lunch.

Located in the Dr. Phillips shopping center off of Sand Lake Rd (right in the "Restaurant Row" area), Anatolia is a small restaurant with gorgeous decor wedged in between Einstein's Bagels and Starbucks. It has a few tables on the outdoor walkway for when the weather isn't too hot and is great, in my opinion, for both a casual lunch and a semi-dressy date night.

C and I have been looking for great Mediterranean food (his goal is to find a kebab as good as the ones from The Golden Grill in Clevedon, the little town we lived in in the UK) for some time now, and we definitely found it at Anatolia. This is far from street food, though, and the prices reflect that to an extent. However, it is worth the money, be it for lunch or dinner.

Food Truck Friday: Korean BBQ Taco Box

This week I'm writing about a food truck that I've been heaping praises on for weeks now; ever since I first tried the Korean BBQ Taco Box on my very first Official Food Truck Adventure, I just cannot stop singing this awesome eatery's praises.

Photo taken from http://www.kbbqbox.com/about.php

Food Truck Friday: The Treehouse Truck

I am loving the local Orlando food truck scene, and so I've decided to devote a day each week (Friday!) to one of the awesome trucks around town. I figure that they are multiplying so quickly at the moment that it will be a LONG time before I run out!

I first tried the Treehouse Truck at The Daily City's second Food Truck Bazaar. It was my last truck of the evening, so I was incredibly full at the time, but I still managed to try a few bites of the chimoo and a fried PB&J, and they were both delicious.

The Chimoo - a huge sandwich filled with skirt steak, chicken, sweet potato fries, cole slaw, and mango BBQ sauce. Genius.

I got the opportunity to try another item from this awesome truck a couple of weeks ago when they were set up in Thornton Park with the Big Wheel Truck for the evening. This time, I rushed over after work to get there before they closed up for the night, and the truck was not nearly as busy as it had been at the food truck bazaar. Because of this, I was able to chat with a couple of the guys at the truck for a few minutes while waiting for my Aggie's Porto Sammie to be made. These guys clearly love what they are doing, and that make the fact that what they are cooking up is fantastic all the more excellent. The Porto Sammie was so delicious and messy; the marinated portobella mushroom along with red peppers and melty provolone cheese is so hearty you will NEVER miss the meat!

Orlando Food Trucks: The Crooked Spoon

I had been trying to get to The Crooked Spoon for lunch for the past few weeks but life (or laziness!) kept getting in my way. So, when I was ready for work a bit early the other day, I decided to stop by their spot at the Citgo station on the corner of E. Colonial Dr. and Fern Creek. I ordered both the lamb burger and the macaroni and cheese, and even filled my car with gas while I waited for my food to be ready!

The folks working at this awesome truck are super friendly (and responded to my tweeted question regarding whether or not they take credit cards-they do-in the time it took me to drive from my house to their location), and the food is super tasty.

I opened my lamb burger as soon as I sat down at work and it smelled and tasted amazing. I had never had ground lamb before in anything but a gyro, and now I can't wait to experiment with it at home! So, so good. I shared about a third of it with my friend and found myself wishing I hadn't!! Of course, I was completely full by the time I finished the burger and accompanying chips, so the mac and cheese was put into the fridge for the following day.

This photo SO does not do the burger justice :(

The next day for lunch I warmed the mac and cheese up in the microwave at work and brought it back to my desk, eager to enjoy the item I'd heard the most good things about from this gourmet food truck. I will be honest; I am a bit of a macaroni and cheese purist. I like noodles, cheese (preferably a variety), seasoning, and some sort of crispy topping. I am not much of a fan of veggies or meat mixed in; at that point, I feel like it has become a casserole, not macaroni and cheese. That being said, the cheesy flavors and topping on the macaroni and cheese from The Crooked Spoon were great, even after being reheated in the microwave. I was not a huge fan of the peppers and bacon scattered throughout but again, that is more due to my feelings about macaroni and cheese in general and not that the flavors were bad. They weren't, far from it.

Would I go to The Crooked Spoon food truck again? You bet. Over, and over. I only wish the lamb burger was part of their regular menu. However, since it isn't, I'll have the opportunity to try the other items this truck has to offer.

Disney Series #2: Kouzzina by Cat Cora

C and I stayed at Disney for our anniversary back in January and took advantage of the Disney Dining Plan as part of our mini-vacation. I know this post is way late but hey...I didn't have a blog back in January! On the first night of our stay we decided to try out Kouzzina by Cat Cora (here's a link to the full menu, a new-ish restaurant (it opened in August of 2009) that took the place of Spoodles at Disney's Boardwalk Resort. I had made reservations a few days prior, and boy was I happy that I had!




Photo taken from WDW Info


I have been a fan of Cat Cora's since her show Kitchen Accomplished aired on the Food Network, and love watching her on Iron Chef America, so when I saw that she was opening a restaurant nearby, I was psyched. Mediterranean food is a particular favorite of mine and C enjoys it as well, so it was a good choice for us for our anniversary trip. The anticipation was high enough as it was, but when we got to the restaurant and checked in for our reservation and saw a sign stating that Cat was actually at the restaurant that night and meeting the patrons, I got a little bit star-struck. Movie stars and famous singers do nothing for me. They might as well just be really rich (and often very attractive) random people. For the most part, anyway. Chefs and writers that I admire, though? As much as I say "oh they are just normal people, why would I get all worked up over meeting so-and-so"...I am 100% full of crap. When I saw Cat Cora walking around her restaurant and greeting people, I got positively giddy. Please forgive the horrible quality of these photos; they were taken with my old and incredibly crappy cell phone.



Me looking ridiculous and giddy and Cat Cora....not looking at the camera. Oops!

Oishi Japanese Hibachi Restaurant

I bought a coupon from EverSave awhile back for $40 worth of food at Oishi Japanese Hibachi Restaurant for $20 and kept forgetting to use it. So, when I realized I had both a free evening and a craving for sushi, a foodie friend and I went off to take advantage of my awesome deal. I had read very mixed reviews of Oishi on Yelp so went in with an open mind and fairly average expectations.

Oishi is located at the corner of International Drive and Central Florida Parkway in a shopping plaza. It looks unassuming from the outside, but the decor is very nice. The tables are made to look like natural wood, and while there is a lot going on, it is tastefully done. Since it was relatively late (almost 10pm, and they close at 11), we decided to sit at the sushi bar with hopes of seeing some exciting stuff being made right in front of us. Alas, the clear window was a bit too high to see anything going on behind the counter. A little disappointing, but no biggie; we could decide what we wanted from the menu instead of just picking and choosing as things that looked good went out to other tables.

We ordered four rolls (spicy tuna roll, sex on the moon roll, spider roll, and ninja roll) plus two pieces of octopus sushi. I'll be honest, I tend to like to order rolls that sound a little different, so I was excited about both the sex on the moon and the ninja rolls because of their wild descriptions, but I was really most pleased with the simpler rolls.

Orlando Restaurant Week: McCormick & Schmick's

I have wanted to go to McCormick & Schmick's for AGES now, so when I saw it on the list for Orlando Restaurant Week this year, I knew it was a must-do for me. We went over for the $25 dinner (it is right down the street, how did I resist for all this time???) on Saturday and enjoyed it so much we went back for the $10 lunch the next day!

The service was fantastic, although I think our server on Sunday for lunch was a bit disappointed that we were sticking to the Restaurant Week menu with just a soda for C and an iced tea for me as beverages. He tried to upsell us several times, suggesting alcoholic beverages, additional side items, and dessert. I did feel a bit bad for him as service was a bit slow, but the two courses provided as part of the menu were more than enough food.

The decor was classy and understated, with dark wood furnishings and accents, a faux stained-glass ceiling, and booths along one wall that were set back with forest green curtains separating them from the rest of the dining room. I half expected to peer into one and see a New York style "family man" eating with his henchmen. Too many movies, I know.

We were seated immediately on Saturday night; I had made a reservation but it didn't seem absolutely necessary. Our server was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable and was able to make recommendations and suggestions based on the questions we asked of her. For our starters, I ordered the Kobe Beef Carpaccio and C ordered the Coconut Shrimp. I was not sure what to expect from the carpaccio only having had it once before several years ago (the tuna carpaccio at Timpano's Chophouse, also awesome if my memory serves me correctly), but I was blown away by the flavors that hit my tongue with the very first bite. The meat was tender and super flavorful, and the texture mixed incredibly with the flavors of the garlic aioli and capers that graced the top of the plate. The crostini that came with the plate had a glaze drizzled over it (balsamic?), but they became merely a vehicle on which I could pile the thinly sliced beef and carry it (somewhat) gracefully to my mouth. I may or may not have completely cleaned my plate, and would go back to the restaurant just for this dish. The fact that the rest of the meal was also good is just a plus. C's coconut shrimp was also tasty. Nice and crisp, with a sweet chili sauce with a great tang and heat at the back of your tongue.

The First Official Food Truck Adventure

I made my first impromptu food truck trip a couple of weeks ago, stopping at a latin truck for a couple of arepas before getting Twistee Treat for dessert. The food was so good, and so exceeded my expectations, that I was instantly hooked on Orlando food trucks and seriously wanting more.

Hence, I spent the next day doing some searching on various food trucks in the Orlando area and boy was I surprised at how popular and diverse they seem to be! After finding the Orlando Food Truck Map, I knew I had to start trying them all. Which, of course, finally brings us to tonight, the very first OFFICIAL FOOD TRUCK ADVENTURRRRREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

I had planned to go to the Food Pod on Wednesday night at Firestone Live, but ended up not making it out, so tonight was the first night, and of course the trucks present at the Food Pod were foremost in my mind. I'm not sure why, but the Korean BBQ Taco Box was at the top of my list. Now, don't get me wrong, I love Korean food, and I love tacos. Barbeque is hit or miss for me, but Korean barbeque is an entirely different ballgame and I'm aware of that. However, I just think it was the combination of foods that tickled my mind and made me want to try it SO badly. They closed at 9, though, whereas the other trucks I was considering for tonight didn't even open until at least 10pm. I didn't care; I was a girl on a mission. I made it to the big yellow truck by 8:30 and didn't have to wait in line. I promptly ordered the beef taco box, and stood waiting while they made it up fresh for me. For just under $6, I got a HUGE box of food with amazing smells emanating from it. With my beef taco box in my passenger seat, I quickly zipped through the Starbucks drive thru for iced coffee and headed up Orange Avenue to meet my friend. We had about an hour to kill at that point before the other trucks started opening up, so we dove into the taco box.

The beef taco box consisted of (obviously) a pretty large-sized taco (filled with shredded barbeque beef, lettuce, and some sort of orange saucy deliciousness), two pieces of breaded fried tofu (tofu nuggets! Delish!), two pieces of "fried rolls" as they are called on the website (I have no idea what was in them, but also...SO GOOD), ginger salad, and a chicken wing with spicy sauce. SIX DOLLARS, PEOPLE. So worth it. We quickly devoured the entire thing and contemplated our next move before deciding to do a quick drive around the Orange Ave/Washington St. area to assess our options and decide how much more food our stomachs could hold. After seeing the night's menu for Big Wheel Provisions, we knew that was a must-stop, and even though we located the Treehouse Truck and El Arepaso de Orlando and knew that the Vegan Hot Dog Cart was nearby, we decided just Big Wheel would be enough for tonight. Besides, we had to save something for another night!