A NEW RESTAURANT REVIEW

HELLO SPEAKIES:

Last week my son Joe and his wife Elizabeth asked if we were interested in going to dinner near his home in Clermont, FL.  Of course Roe and I said yes; new places to dine are worth a try.  First of all, I want to thank to Joey and Elizabeth for a fun time at dinner and a wonderful evening playing games and cards.  I wish you guys lived closer to spend more time together.  Mom and Papa Z love you guys very much.  Now for the place and food.

If you lived in the "Burg" of Trenton, NJ, this place will take you back to the old memories of how it was.  The restaurant is named GOOMBAS, located at 151 W. Highway 50 in Clermont, FL.  They have a website with all their dishes that are prepared.

We started with a Tapas of  Flat bread which was covered with Italian meats and lightly streaked with a light Balsamic vinegar  Next came Mussels Fra Dravolo that Roe and I ordered.  Tender morsels of mussels in a hint of spice in the marinara.  Joey and Elizabeth gave it a try and also enjoyed our selection.  They each ordered Caesar salad which was a healthy serving portion. Roe and I skipped the salads and ordered Pasta Fagioli  soup.  This was in Roe's opinion the real stuff.  Beans and pasta in a great broth without the frills of meat or vegetables. Just as she remembers as a child. We brought some of the soup to enjoy at home so as to make room for our main course.

Next the main course and this is funny.  Elizabeth ordered Veal Marsala, no problems there.  Joey ordered Chicken Parm, Roe and I ordered Veal Parm.  When the entrees arrived they gave me the Chicken Parm, Joey and Roe the Veal.  Joey said his chicken tasted funny, Roe's was fine and I thought I had veal too.  To find out I had the chicken and our waiter brought Joey out a fresh order of Chicken Parm.  I stayed with the chicken, but had enough for a doggie bag. I donated my dinner to Joey to bring home and enjoy as a meal at work.  So much food, great taste, you name it and this place has it.  Keep it up Goombas.

NEW RESTAURANT REVIEW

HELLO VISITING SPEAKIES, LOCAL SPEAKIES AND FOR ALL THOSE WHO READ BY BLOG: 

A FEW DAYS ROE AND I WERE HEADED OUT CLOTHES SHOPPING.  BEFORE HITTING THE RACKS WE NOTICED AN ITALIAN RESTAURANT AT THE "MARKETPLACE AT DR. PHILLIPS" IN ORLANDO. THE NAME IS CARIERA'S CUCINA ITALIANA.  SO WE DECIDED TO GIVE IT A TRY FOR LUNCH.

AS WE ENTERED THERE WAS A SMALL ITALIAN DELI WITH ALL KINDS OF FRESH MEAT AND CHEESES.  WE WERE ADVISED TO STAND BY THE RAILING ON THE OTHER SIDE AND A HOST WOULD BE WITH US SHORTLY.  WE WERE GREETED BY A NICE GENTLEMAN WHO SAID TAKE ANY TABLE.  HE CAME OVER ASKED US IF THIS WAS OUR FIRST VISIT AND WE RESPONDED.  SOON OUR WAITRESS ALICE CAME TO OUR MENU AND ANSWERED ALL OUR QUESTIONS REGARDING THE LUNCH MENU.  BOTH THE OWNER AND THE WAITRESS MADE US FEEL AT HOME.

ROE ORDERED A CALZONE AND I DECIDED TO TRY THE ITALIAN SAUSAGE SANDWICH.  WHEN OUR ORDER CAME OUT ROE'S CALZONE TOOK UP THE ENTIRE PLATE, IT ALSO CAME WITH A NICE GRAVY BOWL OF MARINARA SAUCE ON THE SIDE.  MY SANDWICH WAS STUFFED WITH SAUSAGE, PEPPERS AND ONIONS, MOZZARELLA CHEESE AND COVERED IN MARINARA SAUCE.  MY SANDWICH WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO PICK-UP WITH YOUR HANDS AND EAT.  I DID MANAGE TO ENJOY THE SMALLER SECTION AS A SANDWICH.  ROE'S CALZONE WAS FILLED WITH MOZZARELLA CHEESE AND RICOTTA JUST THE WAY SHE LIKES IT.  OF COURSE WE HAD THE REST FOR DINNER THAT EVENING.  EXCELLENT FOOD, GREAT VARIETY TO CHOOSE FROM FOR LUNCH AND DINNER, EXTENSIVE WINE LIST AND A NICE ATMOSPHERE.  THERE ARE RENOVATIONS GOING ON BUT WE DID NOT HEAR A THING TO DISTURB OUR MEAL.  WE WILL BE GOING BACK FOR DINNER AND I'M GOING TO TRY THE VEAL PARM.

THE RESTAURANT WAS VOTED "2011 BEST PIZZA AND "2011 BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT" BY ORLANDO MAGAZINE.

THEIR ADDRESS IS:

CARIERA'S CUCINA ITALIANA
MARKETPLACE AT DR. PHILLIPS
7600 DR. PHILLIPS
ORLANDO, FL 32819
407-351-1187

RESTAURANT REVIEW TIME

HELLO SPEAKIES AND FOOD LOVERS ACROSS THE WORLD:



AS I PROMISED I WOULD WRITE A REVIEW ON ALL THE LOCAL RESTAURANTS ROE AND I DINED IN.  IF YOU ARE A LOCAL LIKE US OR A VISITOR FROM THE U.S. OR ANY COUNTRY, TAKE HEED TO MY REVIEWS.  SO FAR WE FOUND THE BEST PIZZA AND THAT IS "BROOKLYN PIZZA", ON FAIRBANKS AVENUE, IN WINTER PARK, FL.  JUST GREAT.  THE BEST MEXICAN FOOD TO US IS AZTECA MEXICAN RESTAURANT ON SOUTH ORANGE BLOSSOM TRAIL.  THERE IS ANOTHER ONE WE NEED TO TRY OUT AND THAT IS PACO'S IN WINTER PARK, JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM BROOKLYN PIZZA.  SO THERE YOU HAVE A FEW.

ONCE IN AWHILE MY STOMACH CRAVES GERMAN FOOD AND ESPECIALLY MY FAVORITE DISH SAUERBRATEN, WHICH IS BEEF MARINATED IN VINEGAR AND SPICES THEN OVEN ROASTED SERVED WITH ITS GRAVY.  ON THURSDAY ROE AND I HAD TO TRY A PLACE I'VE READ ABOUT AND WHEN I CHECKED THEIR WEBSITE MY FAVORITE DISH WAS LISTED.  HERE IS THEIR ADDRESS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO LOVE GERMAN CUISINE.

BAUERN-STUBE GERMAN RESTAURANT

8015 S. ORANGE AVE.

ORLANDO, FL 32809

407-857-8404

 

WHEN WE ENTERED THE RESTAURANT IT REMINDED ME OF A QUAINT GERMAN INN SMALL AND COMFORTABLE.  THERE WERE  PICTURES, FIGURINES, PHOTOS, CLOTHING, HATS YOU NAME IT AND IT IS THERE.  BEING IT WAS LUNCH TIME WE WERE SEATED WITH NO PROBLEM BY A YOUNG LADY WHO WAS NEW, BUT VERY PLEASANT.  SAUERBRATEN WAS NOT ON THE LIMITED LUNCH MENU BUT AVAILABLE ON THE DINNER MENU; I HAD TO HAVE IT.  I ORDERED IT ALONG WITH RED CABBAGE AND FRIED POTATOES AND A GLASS OF ICE WATER TO WASH IT DOWN.  ALONG SIDE OF ME WERE PICTURES OF GERMAN BEERS, I TOLD ROE SAUERBRATEN WITH NO BEER IS A SIN.  I ORDERED A 1/2 LITER OF PAULANER A LIGHT LAGER THAT WAS VERY GOOD.  NORMALLY I'M NOT A BEER CONNOISSEUR DRINKING BUD LIGHT TO ME IS A GOOD BEER.  ROE DECIDED TO TRY THE HUNGARIAN GOULASH WITH THE SPATZLES AND GREEN BEANS.  WHEN WE ENTERED THE RESTAURANT WE QUESTIONED THE WAITRESS ABOUT THE $4.95 LUNCH SPECIALS SHE SAID THERE WERE NONE.  KNOWING ROE SHE TOLD THE WAITRESS THAT THE SIGN SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN DOWN.

 

SITTING AND CHATTING WE WERE APPROACHED BY THE OWNER, BARBARA, WHO CAME TO OUR TABLE AND EXPLAINED THAT THE LUNCH SPECIAL WAS THE GOULASH SOUP SERVED DAILY. A FEW MINUTES LATER  WE SEE BARBARA APPROACHING AND SERVING ROE A COMPLIMENTARY BOWL OF THE GOULASH SOUP WHICH WAS DELICIOUS AND FOR ME A LENTIL SOUP WITH SAUSAGE.  WHAT A SURPRISE!  ONE DOES NOT SEE SERVICE LIKE THAT OFTEN.  THE MEAL WAS GREAT AND I EVEN HAD A PIECE OF SAUERBRATEN LEFT OVER WHICH BARBARA TOOK, PUT GRAVY ONE IT AND TOPPED IT WITH SAUERKRAUT FOR DINNER LATER ON.  SHE WAS OVER AT THE TABLE SEVERAL TIMES AND MADE US LAUGH SO HARD WITH HER HUMOR AND KIND WORDS.  SHE ASKED ME IF I WAS EVER IN THE SERVICE, WHICH I REPLIED, YES. BECAUSE I WAS A VETERAN SHE OFFERED ME A PIECE OF CAKE OF MY CHOICE.  UNABLE TO EAT ANOTHER BITE, I ASKED THAT SHE CHOOSE ONE FOR ME SO I WOULD ENJOY IT LATER IN THE EVENING.  I HAVEN'T TRIED IT YET, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE ONE DELICIOUS CHOCOLATE CAKE. AFTER LUNCH WE WERE GIVEN TWO COMPLEMENTARY SCHNAPPS TOPPED WITH WHIPPED CREAM AND CHOCOLATE RAISINS.  ONE COULD NOT FIND AN OWNER AND A HOSTESS SUCH AS BARBARA THESE DAYS. WHEN I FIRST ASKED HER NAME SHE SAID BARBARA ALSO KNOWN AS "BRUNHILDA."

THIS IS A DEFINITE GOING BACK PLACE TO ENJOY FOOD. THEY ALSO HAVE LIVE MUSIC ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHTS.  SO IF YOU LIKE ENJOYING MUSIC, DRINK AND FOOD FROM THE FATHER LAND THIS COULD BE YOUR PLACE TO PARTY.

THANKS BARBARA AND TO ALL YOUR STAFF,
ROSEMARY AND JOE.

 

 

SOME MORE PLACES TO EAT

Happy Monday Speakies:


Hope you all had a great weekend and welcome to the last week of June 2012. Time is flying by and I would like to see it slow down a bit now for me. Did you know it is only six months to Christmas; thought I would mention it in case you would like to start your shopping earlier than usual this year. Roe stopped by one of her favorite hobby stores last week and behold Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas items are out on display and selling fast.

Last week Roe and I were treated by my daughter-in-law to a burger place her and son frequent. The place is called Graffiti Junktion and there are several locations throughout the Orlando, FL area. I had the burger known as the “Brotherly Love” which came with grilled onions and peppers, tomato, Provolone cheese and I skipped the mushrooms. Each sandwich comes with fries and if you have ever eaten 5 Guys fries they are so close in texture and taste. Check out their website at http://www.graffitijunktion.com/.

If you are a fan of Mexican food and in the Central Florida area try Azteca located on the South Orange Blossom Trail in Orlando, FL. Great menu selection, portions are large, food is fresh and the beer is cold. They have a website so check out the menu and make a visit if you are in the area. There you have it another service offered by Joey Z.

I wish all you Guys and Dolls a great Monday, don’t work too hard and remember don’t stress on the small stuff.

SOOOOOO SORRRRRRY

Warning Speakies:

This one is a food complaint on a Chinese restaurant Roe and I had dinner at Saturday night. I will not name the place but it is now on our cross out list forever except for a balance on my gift certificate which we will choose wisely. We dined at this restaurant over a month ago and the food was tasty and fresh. I noticed on the appetizer menu they had boneless spareribs, so this time I thought we would give them a try. Out they came piled nicely, well covered in sauce looking good until you bit into them. Beef Jerky from hell, so tough a jack hammer couldn’t break through. The word came forward from Roe send them back and take it off the bill. The waiter removed the ribs from our eyes and soon out of the kitchen area came a snippy girl stating that being the ribs were cooked we would be charged 20% for the cost of cooking them. “WRONG MOVE HONEY”, now she had to do battle with Roe the crusader for justice for all diners. The battle was won; victory was Roe’s; no charge for the ribs from hell and the enemy sent back to the kitchen in full retreat. The rest of the food we ordered seemed bland and made for a not so enjoyable meal. Even the egg rolls sucked. So for this Chinese restaurant all I can say is “SOOO SORRY NO COME BACK.”

JOSIE'S WINGS AND PIZZA REVIEW

Good Afternoon Speakies:

Just wanted to stop by and tell you visitors or locals about a new pizza place Roe and I tried.  Josie's Wings and Pizza located at 1225 South Hiawassee Road and Raleigh St. in Metrowest Orlando.  The drive was worth it, we shared an order of wings medium heat which were plenty hot enough.  Now for you Jersey folks or Trenton folks they make an upside-down pizza.  To us it sounded like a Trenton Tomato Pie and came pretty close.  Cheese on the bottom with the tomato sauce swirled on top.  Nice light crispy crust.  Their menu is extensive and everything we saw coming out of the kitchen looked good with nice portions.

Give the place a try while in town.

I'M LEAVING MY HEART IN SAN FRANCISCO BUT ATE GOOD POLISH

Good Morning Speakies:

Well it does not look good for JoeyZ’s Phillies right now, down 3 games to 1 to those Giants. Looks like I could be playing that Tony Bennett song “I Left My in San Francisco” after tonight’s game. Well win or lose they are and will always be my team. I saw them win two World Series in 1980 and in 2008, and there were many Phillies fans who never saw them win a World Series.

Roe and I had a few doctor appointments yesterday and afterwards searched for a place for lunch. We decided to try that Polish restaurant in Longwood, Florida called Polonia’s. When we walked through the door you came upon a room with one table, some counter seats and what I would call a butcher’s showcase. One side was filled with desserts the other with assorted Polish meats for sale and a larger cooler filled with assorted Polish beers. We were greeted and quickly seated in the other dining room which felt like you were having dinner in someone’s house. A small crowd was present but quickly started to fill up. I saw kiszka as an appetizer and wondered if I should try it. Roe made the decision for me and I placed my order for that Polish dish I haven’t had in years. We looked over the menu and decided the rest of our lunch. I ordered the Polish trio consisting of one stuffed cabbage, two cheese pierogi and smoked kielbasa. Roe ordered the stuffed cabbage with one cheese pierogi and one cheese and spinach pierogi. The kiszka did not disappoint served with mustard and horseradish. The pierogi were light and tasty covered with onions, the stuffed cabbage was nice and firm with a light tomato sauce not like the red tomato sauce my grandmother and mother made. The kielbasa was smoked and I should have chosen the fresh instead. The meal was excellent and Roe brought most of hers home. After dinner we checked out the desserts in the other room and decided to bring home two pieces of apple strudel one of which I finished with my morning coffee. If you are visiting the area or live here in Central Florida JoeyZ highly recommends Polonia Polish Restaurant in Longwood.

Well Guys and Dolls have a great day and evening and be careful out there.

PEPPERONI AND LABOR DAY WISHES

Happy Hump Day Speakies:

Another restaurant review is now coming your way. After a visit to have my pacemaker checked yesterday, Roe and I visited “BRICK AND FIRE PIZZA & PASTA PARLOR.” This restaurant is located at 1621 South Orange Ave. in Orlando, FL. They have various daily lunch specials but we opted for the 2 slices of pizza and a drink. Yesterday was 4 Mushroom Pizza however we decided on the Pepperoni instead. You go up and get a cup and fill it with whatever soda or iced tea you desire, come back and wait for lunch. Drinks are all refillable at no extra charge. Out came our slices which were large, hot and looked good enough to eat. The crust was crispy, the pepperoni grease running down as you picked up the slice for the first bite and the crust nice and crunchy. The pepperoni slices were large and had a great taste. We could only finish one slice so dinner last night was pepperoni pizza for us both.

Rosemary spied on the other dishes being carted out and the spaghetti bowls were filled to the top and each one looked delicious. All in all the pizza was good but if you are going to order the 2 Slice Special, take a look at the pricing of the whole pizza’s for a few dollars more or less you can get a whole pie. Nice clean place to eat, friendly staff and JoeyZ recommends it if you are in the downtown Orlando area. BRICK AND FIRE GETS A 3 PEPPERONI FROM JOEYZ.

Well the coast of Florida is expecting 10 foot waves from Hurricane Earl starting this afternoon with fast rip currents, if you are visiting and down at the beach be careful, those rippers will rip you right out to the Caribbean. You surfers take heed also.

Labor Day Weekend is approaching and I may take a break from writing till after Monday, so if you see no posts, JoeyZ is taking a Labor Break. Have a great weekend, enjoy the holiday and be careful out there.

I'M TALKING A CHEESE STEAK HERE

Good Monday Morning Speakies:

“Yeah right”, I hear you saying out there, Okay I know its Monday again but let’s try to cope with the day and do the best we can. That reminds me of a kindergarten song someone told me about years ago that should be our Monday Sing-A-Long Song, are you ready for this one:

GOOD MORNING TO YOU, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.
WE’RE ALL IN OUR PLACES, WITH SUN SHINNY FACES.
GOOD MORNING TO YOU, GOOD MORNING TO YOU.

Now that’s a cheer me up Monday song. I can feel the tomatoes flying towards me now. Oh well it was a good idea to begin a Monday with. Hurricanes rolling in the tropics, they are keeping an eye on Earl, hope it stays out in the ocean but I think the US Virgin Islands will have a close call tonight.

It’s restaurant review time. Yesterday my son Joe invited me out to lunch to try that Philly Cheese Steak place Laspada’s. I had to say yes to that offer and besides spending a nice day with my son I was not disappointed in the food at all. Laspada’s is a third and fourth generation owned restaurant in operation since 1938 originally from Chester, PA. We both had the cheese steak sandwiches, mine of course with peppers and onions and we ordered fries along with that, should have forgot the fries, I could only eat half of the cheese steak. This sandwich was loaded with fresh fine chopped steak, white American cheese served on a crispy torpedo roll topped with those peppers and onions. It was the best cheese steak I’ve had down here to date. Their sandwiches come in 6 inch, 10 inch and 12 inch portions. Besides steak sandwiches there are a variety of other sandwiches, hoagies, burgers, dogs, wraps and salads. I could not forget my darling wife and brought a cheese steak home for her after her scrapbooking weekend with my future daughter-in-law. She enjoyed her half and we are planning to have the other halves tonight for a light dinner.

They also carry a variety of Herr’s Potato chips to munch along with your sandwich and you can have dessert with a variety of Tasty Cakes. The place is not fancy, you place your order, your name is call and you dig in. On the walls were some great Philly memories, Phillies pictures, pictures of the South Philly Market, Flyer’s logo, Eagle pictures, the Phanatic, Rocky Balboa and even Randall Cunningham and Rocky Balboa Action Figures in the original cases.

Laspada’s is located at 1010 Lee Road, Orlando, FL in the Lee Road Shopping Center. They are open Monday thru Friday till 5:00 p.m., Saturday and Sundays till 4:00 p.m. They have other locations in Orange City, FL and Cornelius, NC. If you are visiting the area or a NJ or Philly transplant give this place a try. Thanks Joe for taking me yesterday and JoeyZ gives this place a 4 Pepperoni rating.

JoeyZ has some business to take care of tomorrow and if I don’t have a chance to write, have a great day. Be careful out here and have a great evening and think CHEESE STEAK.

TALKING FOOD WITH JOEYZ

Good Morning Guys and Dolls:

A happy Thursday to you all. Today we celebrate “Stewart’s Root Beer Day.” Good old Stewart’s Root Beer, best tasting on earth, along with their chili dogs, fries and they had a great steak sandwich basket. We had 3 back home as I remember, one on Route 1, one on Route 33 and their was one in the Bordentown, NJ area. We’d hit that one on the way back from the shore. So if there is a Stewart’s in your area pack up the kids and your Doll and go have lunch and order a large root beer for me.

Yesterday Roe and I had a doctor’s appointment and several shopping stops to make but we had time to squeeze in a good lunch at that pizza place I wrote about earlier that Roe tried last week. I totally recommend this place to try if you live in the area or are here just on vacation. The restaurant is called Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza of Sand Lake; it’s located at 8031 Turkey Lake Road in Orlando, FL. Their pizzas are cooked in a coal oven making the crust nice and dark on the bottom, they use mozzarella, plum tomatoes, Romano cheese, basil and olive oil. This pie is the closest to a DeLorenzo’s Tomato Pie from Trenton. Yesterday we shared an individual pizza and their coal oven roasted chicken wings that were served with grilled onions and foccacia bread. The meal was fantastic and we brought half the wings home for dinner tonight. They are open for lunch and dinner so give them a try and tell them you read about it on JoeyZ’s Blog.

Well Speakies, I hope I made you all hungry for pizza and wings and have yourselves a nice cold beer with that order and don't forget about Stewart's Root Beer. Have a great day and be careful out there.

FOOD CRITIC - JOEYZ STRIKES AGAIN

Happy Hump Day Speakies:

Well being on vacation last week with our good friends Joe and Kim, we had a chance to visit some restaurants and today I thought I’d give my reviews on the places we dined. I recommend these places if you are planning a visit to Central Florida and I hope they don’t disappoint.

Our first dinner was at Maggiano’s Little Italy, Pointe Orlando, FL at 9101 International Dr. They are listed on the web with directions and full menus for lunch and dinner. Roe and I have dined there for lunch on several occasions but with our friends we arrived for an early dinner. We decided to try their family style menu and we were not disappointed with the selections and quality of the food. The family style is priced per person and the plates won’t stop coming until you had your fill. It is available for parties of 4 or more only. There are three choices: Chef’s Choice, Classic and Light. The courses are appetizers, salads, pastas, entrees and finally desserts. I recommend the Mussels Diavolo and the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes under the Chef’s Choice for the appetizers. We enjoyed the Caesar and Chopped salads and for the pasta dishes the Four Cheese Ravioli and Lobster Fettuccine. For the main Entrees, pick what you like, we chose the Veal Parmesan and Medallions of Beef all delicious to the taste buds. Desserts and all the dishes we had left-over came home with us for dinner the next day. This place is a must.

The next dining experience was a new place, “Santa Fe Cattle Company”, a chain primarily located in the Southern states. This location was at Sunrise Plaza Dr. in Clermont, Florida. Reasonably priced starters, salads and soups, steaks, ribs, combo platters, chicken and seafood. Roe enjoyed the Duke’s Chicken Fried Steak loaded with mash potatoes and gravy. We also dined there for lunch and I truly recommend their Cheesy Cheeseburger. Two for one drinks are available until 7:00 p.m. at their dinner happy hour and I was told they also have a 2 for $12 early bird dinner specials.

We spent are terrific sightseeing day in St. Augustine, Florida and enjoyed a great pizza at “Pizzalley’s Chianti Room”. It is located at 117 Saint George Street in St. Augustine. Now here’s the thing, there are two entrances, we entered to what was a 5 table place with a long hallway and was advised there was dining in the rear. We proceed down this hallway to an outside garden and through another door which led to a neat little Chianti Room. The pizza, beer and drinks were great. We also had great service and witty conversations with our server Jeff. If you are in St. Augustine and want pizza, this is a good place to go sit down and relax.

Finally if you are planning a visit to Walt Disney World and staying at any of their resorts or plan to have dinner, I recommend the “Cape May Seafood Buffet” at the Beach Club Resort. The selection of seafood is good along with two carving stations, ribs, chicken etc. Reservations in advanced are necessary.

Well there are my recent reviews and if you are planning a visit check them out. Have a great day and a wonderful evening Guys and Dolls.

FOODIES FOR MY SPEAKIES

Good Morning Speakies:

My mind the last few days has been on good old Polish cooking, I found a place in my old stomping grounds on Brunswick Ave. in Trenton, NJ. The name of the place is Rozmaryn Restaurant (Rosemary in Polish) and the reviews are great. They offer delicious Polish and American cuisine in a cozy atmosphere and at a good price. I’ve included their website: http://www.rozmarynrestaurant.com/ so check it out if you are going that way and let me know. Sure sounds good to me. There is a great deli located at 916 Brunswick Ave. called Henry’s Deli. Polish food to take home or eat in at their small dining area. In reading their review the smells are right out of Polish heaven seems like everyone’s Polish grandmother is in the kitchen cooking. Why is it always food? I’m watching too much Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on TV.

Roe and I did locate a good German restaurant in Ocala, Florida called the Schnitzel Factory, they have a website and the food was great with true German brew to wash down that Sauerbraten. So if you are visiting that area stop in and enjoy a true German meal.

Roe and I are still in the quest for the perfect Jersey Pizza or Tomato pie. I’ll keep you posted on that search as time goes by. Alert, yesterday Roe and I had a doctor appointment in Winter Park and had to make a stop at a certain store in the Colonial Plaza Shopping Center on Colonial Ave. There is a pizza place in this shopping center called “Lil Anthony’s Original Brooklyn Pizza”, so we thought we would give the place a try. Small place with about 10 booths saw people coming and going with take-out, but they had a medium cheese pizza special for $6.99, so we decided to have that. We heard the other customers crunch of the pizza as they folded it in half and our mouths started to water. Out comes our pie, I start to divide the slices and the oil is just dripping down, nice looking crust also. Now the taste test, pretty good, lots of cheese but the oil made it so soft so it was not chewy. Roe admitted that was the best crust she has had so far, we will keep looking and letting our readers know when we find the best, but if you are in that area of Orlando and shopping give the place a try.

If you are a fan of Mexican food, I finally had the opportunity to try a place that Roe loves in Clermont, FL. San Jose’s is a quaint Mexican restaurant with a small coved bar. The food was delicious and fresh tasting and the place a must try. I believe they have a website and they are located off Highway 27 heading towards Clermont. Try this restaurant if you are in the area, you won’t be disappointed.

Well gang that’s all for my food reviews for a Tuesday and as a reminder if you have not filed your taxes to date, get your butts busy. Have a great day Speakies.

FISH LIVE IN WATER, LET THEM BE MOIST WHEN EATING

Friends, Romans and Country Men – Lend me your Ears:

As I wrote yesterday, Rosemary and I had a social function to attend being held at Crabby Bills. The company was superb, the water with lemon was wet, the onion rings were messy and good, but Caesar puts his thumb down to part of the meal itself. I ordered fish and chips with a side of cole slaw. The fries were okay and so was the cole slaw, however the Pollock was dry, it took great amounts of tartar sauce to make it moist. Rosemary ordered the stuffed Pollack with crab meat. Both were very dry.

Like I said, the company was fun and that was the purpose of the entire evening. So if you ever go to a Crabby Bills, just tell them don’t dry out the fish. During dinner last night a place in New Jersey came up and I had heard the same name from my friend John whom I work with. If you are ever in the Linden, NJ area and love Polish food, the place to go is “Big Stash's", the food is out of this world I hear, so give it a try.

A TASTE OF PHILLY IN CENTRAL FLORIDA

Good Afternoon Speakies:
For all those traveling to Central Florida who want a good cheese steak sandwich there is a place in St. Cloud, FL at 2009 13th St. called Philly Steak and Sub. Now I’m still waiting to have one from there, but my wife was there a couple times and she rates it great. I have heard from others that it is tops. So if you are down here, give it a try. I’m going to dinner tonight for a social affair at Crabby Bills in St. Cloud, FL; I’ll give you my rating tomorrow. Will it be Thumbs Up or Down?

JERSEY PIZZA LOVERS

HEY GUYS AND DOLLS: Yesterday Roe took me to Orlando for a doctor's appointment and as usual came the question, "Where do you want to do lunch?" Sometimes we can never pick a place, so I said, " 2 Slices of Pie and a drink." We took a ride down Dr. Phillips Blvd. in Orlando to a place we visited once. Upon arriving we noticed a name change and the first question arose, "Should we or not?" Take overs sometimes are questionable but we gave it a try. We ordered 2 slices of pie with pepperoni each and 2 root beers. Out came the slices, now for the truth. Picked up the first slice gave it a fold, heard that crack, oil started to drip, the first bite GREAT. Just the right texture, not too much cheese and more sauce than you would receive in any other pizza joint. We have a winner. For all my Jersey and Philly readers, it reminded us of the pies on the boardwalk at Seaside Heights. If it had more sauce the taste would almost be like a DeLorenzo's. I said almost no one could compare to the original.

We complimented the pizza man, find out he's from Jersey relocated here long ago. The place may be a chain as I looked for it on the net today. When visiting down here or if you are a local, try this place and here is the info:

http://www.scalinispizza.com/

Here is their local address:
Scalini's Pizza 'n Pasta 5106 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando, Florida 407.291.9349

DON'T FIX WHAT'S NOT BROKEN

Good Morning Speakies: Hope you had a great weekend. I wrote a review back on May 26, 2009, under my heading of restaurant reviews. I had great praises for a new restaurant in Orlando called O'Charley's. On our first visit, Rosemary had the Roast Beef Ciabetta sandwich which was served on an oblong roll, with cheese and the finest roast beef and au jus for dipping. Yesterday after a planned doctor's visit, she suggested we go back to O'Charley's and have me sample that delicious sandwich for myself.

We both arrived, mouths watering and stomachs groaning for a good bite to eat. Orders were placed and in about 10 minutes the sandwiches arrived. The Ciabetta was the size of a hamburger bun, we could not locate the cheese and the meat tasted like processed beef (one could see the rainbow colors in the meat). It was edible but Rosemary spoke to the server about the quality of the food. Later the kitchen manager came over to our table to hear our disappointment with the meal. She stated when the restaurant originally opened, they received the food from the wrong distributor who handled the bread and meat. What we were served yesterday came from the distributor who originally was to supply the restaurant. So what was good tasting in the first place was replaced by the awful tasting food instead. Did not make sense to Rosemary and of course she is always right in her logic.

The bill was paid and O'Charley's is now scratched off our list. If you come to Orlando, the fate is yours to choose. I only write my feelings, but food you pay for should be high quality and tasty, that's what brings return business from locals and tourists to these restaurant chains. Maybe I just miss the Mom and Pop restaurants, where they know your name and the food is made and served with love and care for the patrons. That's what makes me say we'll be back.

MY BIRTHDAY DINNER

Well Speakies, Roe and I did dine at Garabaldi's last evening. The chips, red salsa and their special homemade cheese dip was delicious as usual. I never like to try different things however last night was the exception. Roe had all on one platter, chicken and steak and a casserole of shrimp in a cheesy Mexican sauce. This was also served with beans, rice and a salad. I tried a steak covered in mushrooms and onions, covered with grill roasted shrimp, rice and salad on the same plate. Out of this world. Beers were 2 for 1 and some how the waiter found out it was my birthday.

After dinner all the servers, a big Sombrero hat with a dessert and one candle arrived at our table. Of course I had to put the hat on while they sang in Spanish, but what the hell your birthday is once a year. The dessert was a thick wafer (If your Polish like a kruchiki), covered in honey, chocolate drizzle and whipped cream.

If you are ever in the area, you have to try this restaurant. Special thanks to Carlos the server he was quite the host. Thanks Honey for celebrating it with me.

ANOTHER RESTAURANT REVIEW FOR YOU VISITORS

Speakies: I thought of another restaurant here in Central Florida you may want to dine at. In fact Rosemary and I are going there this evening for my birthday. It's Garibaldi (Mexican Cuisine), located in Kissimmee, FL at 1804 W. Vine St., phone 407-933-0774. Not a Tex-Mex place but a true Mexican restaurant. There are 2 locations in the area, the other is in Orlando, FL. Ratings are 4.6 out of 5 on food, service, cleanliness and value. We have eaten there several times, good portions, tasty food and quality service. Lunch is under $10 with dinners ranging from $10 to $20. I feel 2 Beef Taco's coming on tonight with a draft of Dos Equis Beer.

RESTAURANT REVIEWS 5-29-09

Hey Speakies: As you know I'm giving you reviews of the various restaurants and pizza joints in my area so if you come to Central Florida you can savor good food and stay away from the tourist trap restaurants.

Here's another pizza place in Kissimmee, nothing fancy. It is a metal type building shared with another take-out place. It's called Al's Pizza, located at 1107 Bryan St., Kissimmee, FL you can Google it for directions before you go. Al's is a take-out only place with one window, give your order and wait. Pizza sold by the slice or whole pie, big portions on both and not expensive.

Another fine restaurant in Kissimmee is Tarantino's, located on West Monument Ave., family owned for 16 years in the area. Good variety on menu, price is right. Here is their web site check it out: http://tarantinositalianrestaurant.com/

If your into the Italian chain food restaurants, my wife and I find that Romano's Macaroni Grill is the best down here. One is located on U.S. 192 near Old Towne and Disney and the other at the Loop off the Osceola Parkway and John Young Parkway. Remember restaurants near Disney and the other attractions are packed, so take a drive out and dine at a local one if you can.

RESTAURANT REVIEWS BY JOEY Z

Good Evening Speakies:

Thought I'd hit you with a few more reviews of the local eateries. While being on a small vacation last week, Roe and I had an early dinner at Applebee's on US 27 in Davenport, FL. We tried the 2 for $20 meal idea. This includes 1 appetizer and 2 main courses for that price. We chose the onion rings for the appetizer, I had the sirloin steak with baked potato and asparagus. Roe chose a chicken pasta dish. The onion rings were a little dark and crispy and thought that was how they served them until the table along side of us received their order. They received a huge platter of golden brown and fresh looking onion rings. My meal was good, but Rosemary's was bland and certainly not an alfredo sauce they should be serving. Roe asked to speak to the manager and explained about her meal being tasteless and how we thought the dark crispy onion rings were the way they made them; he assured us it's not and they are suppose to be golden in color. Roe feels the server should not be serving something that would be considered 'unacceptable' according to the company's standards, but refrained from telling that to the manager. We weren't looking for a discount and none was given. I received a free New England Ice Tea from a table who did not want the 2 drink happy hour special.

We took our son Joe and his girlfriend Elizabeth out last Friday to LongHorn Steakhouse. Visitors coming to the area, this one is located on West 192, near the Orange Lake Country Club Resort, heading towards US 27. The restaurant was packed with tourists due to its location. My chop steak was good, Roe's ribs were sucked to the bone, my son had crusted chicken and enough to take to work that night. His girlfriend really enjoyed her steak and brought some home also. Good Food, get there early.

On the last evening of our mini vacation, we tried one of our usual places, Giordano's Italian Restaurant. We go there every year for a meatball sandwich and beer. It was early, nice booth, waiter was OK, so we placed our order, 2 meatball sandwiches, no cheese just marinara sauce. Will never eat there again. Sandwiches were served on a type of Cuban bread, sauce was thin, orange looking with chopped onions and other veggies. I've seen golf balls softer than the meatballs. Roe had to use a knife to cut hers, being Italian herself, meatballs are to be soft and tender like a woman. They also had a funny spicy taste we could not lay our finger on. We of course brought this all to the waiter's attention who later sent the manager over to our table. Rosemary advised him how to make meatballs the Italian way and the proper sauce to use. We found out the chef was Moroccan and thus the funny tasting spice in the meatballs became known. The sauce we were told was the product of the chain itself, better get some better marinara we told the manager. He was going to grab the tab, but we told him we did not complain for that reason. Things are tough and when you go out for lunch or dinner, people only want the best for their dollar earned. This place rates a 2 thumbs down.

More to come as we venture out to eat.