Back in 2013 I encountered a restaurant called Kesh on the east side of town. I had many great meals, conversations and experiences with friends and Jerry Helminski the owner and chef. It closed a few years later and the chef went on to work at other places.  I've kept in touch with him over the years and recently we started talking about his next endeavors. He's got a few different things in the works.  Recently we got together for a supper club and to try some of his culinary creations and discuss some techniques of preparation. We started with some marinated olives and peppers, th ..read more

Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day was created by Malia Grace’s mom and aunt in 2013 in honor of her memory after Malia Grace passed away from cancer in 2010. She loved ice cream and her family wanted to commemorate her birthday in a way that would be fitting for Malia Grace. During her wish trip at Give Kids the World, Malia Grace had the opportunity to Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast and it was a highlight of her family's experience. February 18th has become an annual international childhood cancer awareness event. Each year the celebration has grown; increasing support for those fighting, celebra ..read more

  The Drake, a highly anticipated new restaurant, has finally opened its doors in Orlando after gaining a loyal following as a popular food truck. With its brick-and-mortar debut, The Drake brings its signature flavors and creative cuisine to a new level.  We started with the mushroom meatball appetizer, it had an interesting flavor. Very rich, maybe a little salty for some. Good in small amounts.  Next we had the Winter Greens Salad - Roasted Local Squash, Kale. Pumpkin Seeds, Feta, Tomatoes, Red Onions. Honey Sherry Vinaigrette $15. It was excellent, well mixed and go ..read more

We had dinner at Prato, a regular destination for us. They consistently have creative and unique dishes. Red Pepper Corn Soup - tangy with a nice crunch from the corn, onion topping. They always have great seasonal soups. Watermelon, Avocado Salad. This had compressed watermelon, I liked it but the creaminess of the avocado puree didn't pair well with the watermelon in my mind. However my dining companion loved it. Squid ink pasta with Shrimp - Squid Ink shells with a strong tomato sauce Lamb Ravioli - the broth was super light, lamb filling was fantastic. Mustard Spaghettini - thi ..read more

Mi Ranchito Querido is a Mexican food truck on Semoran. I had the Campechana - Chorizo and beef taco. Pretty sure the tortilla was hand made. Very good and generous portion. Next time I'll try the Huarache  I recommend this truck. Great prices and tasty tacos  185 S Semoran Blvd, Orlando, FL 32807 #AzaleaPark #Mexican #Taco #TacoTruck #Orlando #OrlandoFood #OrlandoMexican ..read more

After what seems like years of anticipation, Pigzza has opened. Directly next to local music mecca Will's Pub on Mills Ave, the old garage that sat empty for quite a long time has had an amazing transformation, they even kept the garage doors. Pigzza will be an important part of the Mills/50/Virginia neighborhood. Serving pastas, pizzas and a nice variety of related items, the theme is Italianish with some bbq ingredients on certain dishes. For example you can select a pizza or a sandwich that has smoked brisket on it, or a smoked sausage app with meatballs. There's a pizza with bbq chicke ..read more

After years of anticipation, Norman's Orlando has finally opened on Sandlake. We had dinner there this evening and it was an elegant and delicious experience.  Norman's 3.0 is located in the Dellagio Plaza on Sandlake Road. 7924 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando, FL 32819 https://www.normans.com/ They have a bar, patio and the main dining room. The decor is stylish and the service is formal. Our server was excellent, friendly and knowledgeable. We started with some bread rolls, served with butter and salt and pepper. I wasn't really sure what the intention was with the salt and pepper so I ju ..read more

Doshi Winter Park is a modern Korean restaurant in Winter Park. They are located in front of the Whole Foods on 17-92 next to Mooyah. When they first open in mid-2022 they offered a fixed price menu called the chef's counter.  They have recently added the option for a la carte menu items. They still offer the chef's counter option as well. The a la carte menu offers options such as appetizers, skewers, main courses. The food is very creative and unique, but still based in traditional Korean cuisine. The table was set with only chopsticks no fork, so if you're up to the challenge make sure ..read more

Park Avenue Tavern is now in Soft Opening. In the old Dexters in Winter Park. Salads, Sandwiches, Burgers, Flatbread, Seafood and more.  For drinks they have Beers, Cocktails and Wine. I tried the burger, it was simple and good, had a great flavor  Their slogan is "Meet Me at PAT" They aren't located on Park Ave Winter Park, but their original location in NYC is on Park Ave. The name seems to come from that. Here's the address 558 New England Ave Winter Park, FL 32789 https://instagram.com/parkavetavern https://www.instagram.com/igchospitality/ HOURS MONDAYS CLOSED TUESDA ..read more

Tried out these Spuds at Four Rivers Sodo, available until March 4th Options are: Spud Love Baked potato topped with your choice of meat, jalapenos, shredded cheddar cheese, scallions, dollop of sour cream, and 4R Signature Sauce Spud Crush Baked potato topped with brisket, cheese sauce, crispy onions, horseradish sauce, 4R Signature Sauce, queso fresco, and cilantro #4rivers  #PeaceLove4R #4RiversSmokehouse  #SoDo #Spuds #potato ..read more