St John’s Vianney Fish Fry

This was a special night for @vbterp and I. @aabreu had been mentioning for a few years now that her church had a Fish Fry.

The delicious event happens every Friday after Ash Wednesday at the end of February and continues for six weeks. 

Tonight was the last evening of the fish fry until next year. @Vbterp and I were not scheduled to work so we made our way to St. John’s to meet up with @aabreu and @luiabreu. 

Our first question was. Do we have to be part of the church? You do not. Anyone and everyone is welcomed to the Fish Fry. It’s held in the gym, so there is plenty of leg room. 

These people were not scared off by the rain tonight. Everyone was here to get their fried fish fix. The priest said a quick prayer and announced, “START YOUR ENGINES!!” I won’t lie, as soon as he said that my stomach started to growl.

 

Yes. Beer and wine are served for a nominal fee. They have complimentary coffee, lemonade, and iced tea. 

So many items to choose from and so little time. @aabreu had forewarned us that the portions were huge. The problem with me is that my eyes were bigger than my stomach so I had to be careful when I ordered. I wanted a little bit of everything. 

The event has been held for the past 12 years with great success because of its variety of volunteers. Adults and young adults make this event come to life.

The process is very simple. You line up, a person approaches you and asks what you want, you order, you arrive to a table, you pay with cash or personal check, (no credit cards), and they give you a number. The volunteers walk around and look for your number and serve you at your table.

We sat with some of @aabreu’s friends from the church. I noticed these people sitting against the bleachers. These are the people who have ordered to go. That line got longer as the evening progressed.

 

@luiabreu ordered the Clam Chowder. The chunks inside made this chowder look so good. 

 

@vbterp had the Fried Shrimp with yellow rice. The yellow rice was provided by La Fuente and Taka Taka’s Cafe.

My dish was the Fried North Atlantic Cod Fish with slaw and French fries. They had hot sauce packets as well which made me a happy man. The fish melted in my mouth. It was exquisite. 

 

Homemade Mac and cheese made by members of the Women’s Council. This was very good. 

 

The place started getting crowded as the evening went by.

 

Proof that the rain didn’t stop anyone from showing up. Rihanna did pop in my head though.

Overall, amazing Fish Fry. Big Gracias to @aabreu for the invite. We are still full and probably will be for the next week. The funds collected are put back into the church and the school. It was nice to see people come together for a good cause.

@vbterp and I will be back next year and I plan to bring @droolius and @eatlocalorlando with me.

 

Foodbidden Two Thumbs

 

St. John Vianney Catholic Church

6200 S Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, Florida 32809

(407) 855-5391

Cafe Osceola

This was a different experience to say the least. Rosen Shingle Creek is an amazing hotel with a variety of restaurants.

Cafe Osceola was my first try. I cannot wait to try what other options they have within the hotel. I have heard many great things about their other restaurants.

I was there for lunch today and it wasn’t as busy. Many conference folks come here for lunch. We got in before the rush.
 

Amazing soups.

Great options for salad

The buffet options just keep going.

Sandwich options.
 

Desserts.

Food and more food.

Did I mention food?

Funny how with all those choices I ended up picking the curry chicken with the fried rice.
 
 

Key Lime Pie
 

Red Velvet
 
 
 Overall, the buffet is a very nice. It is very pricey, but worth every penny. The service is fantastic. The desserts were just okay. I tried the red velvet and key lime pie and I wasn’t too crazy about them. The buffet on this day for lunch was $18.99. So make sure you come hungry. I would like to come here for dinner and see what it’s like.

Two thumbs up!!
 
 Cafe Osceola
 (407) 996-9939
 9939 Universal Blvd, Orlando 32810
 
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Location:9939 Universal Blvd, Orlando 32810

Oh Que Bueno Restaurant

After a long day of eating at Epcot Food and Wine it was time to hang out with my dear friend Melvita from Chicago.

She was in town for a workshop and we had to see each other and have dinner. Fortunately, we were near a great Colombian restaurant on Semoran near the Orlando Internationl Airport.

Oh Que Bueno has been on this side of town for quite a bit now. Most of my Latino friends come here and have told me how good the food is.

The atmosphere is nice. When you walk in the music is playing at full blast and the locals are enjoying good conversation and a good meal.

It smells great as soon as you enter and we were greeted and seated as soon as we walked in. Tonight seemed a bit busy. Every table had someone and the servers were moving and shaking helping the customers.

Joaquin was our server for tonight. Very friendly gentleman with a great sense of humor and excellent regarding knowledge of food and dessert. I had to start off with a Colombiana to drink.

Bandeja Paisa.
Arroz, frijoles, carne asada, chorizo, chicharron, morcilla, maduro, huevo y arepa (rice, beans, steak, fried pork skin, sausage, fried sweet plantain, black sausage, fried egg and corn cake). This was my dish. The portions are enormous.

Entrana.
Grilled skirt steak. This was @xobejm dish. She ate the whole steak. She loved it! Joaquin suggested to try an assortment of their sauces.

Carne Asada.
Grilled top round steak. This was @tarajroth dish and Melvita got the same dish but with plantains. We all tried the different sauces and they were all so good. Mojito, Hot Sauce, and Chimichurri. I did not take a photo of the sauces because we immediately attacked them.

Postre De Natas
Creme dessert

Flan De Queso

Tres Leches. We had to share all the desserts tonight. These hit the spot and were a great ending to our meal.

Luckily, tonight we were hungry. Oh Que Bueno went all out and delivered an amazing huge meal and dessert. Overall, very nice place. Decent size. Music is a bit loud. TV screen to watch sports. Full bar. Clean restrooms. Great customer service.

Joaquin, Gracias por todo. La comida y el servicio estuvo excelente. Te lo agradezco mucho.

Foodbidden APPROVED!
TWO THUMBS UP!

Oh Que Bueno Restaurant
(407) 447-5026
1125 South Semoran Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32807

Location:1125 South Semoran Boulevard Orlando, FL 32807

The Swat Truck (Food Truck)

After a hard days work I rushed home and got into my #foodspotting gear. I wasn’t going to let the rain get me down.

@Foodtruckbazaar had come to Hunters Creek which is five minutes away from my place.

The Swat Truck was making their first appearance at the @foodtruckbazaar

Their menu looked enticing and I wanted to try all of them. I knew I had to make a choice. Curtis from the Swat Truck suggested a surf and turf meal.

A skewer from the Hot Tails and one from the Billy Clubs. He offered some sauces. BBQ, Hot, or Sriracha. I chose the Sriracha. Nice and spicy!!

The dish came with a Mild Cajun Spiced Shrimp kabob and the Beef Red and Green Bell Pepper kabob.

On a bed of rice and veggies. This was amazing. Great dish and all these flavors put together were perfect.

Curtis, great meeting you. Thanks for the great customer service and suggestion. Sriracha all the way man! TWO THUMBS UP!!

Foodbidden APPROVED!!

The Swat Food Truck
(321) 348-7928
Location Varies
Orlando, FL 32801
Twitter: @theswattruck
Facebook: Swat Truck

Location:Various Locations

Matilda’s On Park

This blog post is in honor of @dafoodie and @talktochu! Mega Super Gracias for the suggestion and invite to Matilda’s.

Park avenue is the place to be in Winter Park for a great meal. Today was a group eating sort of day.

We arrived for lunch. It was about 11:30am. @ExplorinOrlando @bstreett5 @winechix @tarajroth @eatlocalorlando @dafoodie and @talktochu and myself (@foodbidden) were in attendance.

Matilda’s accommodated all of us without a problem. Luckily, @dafoodie had given them a heads up that we would ALL be arriving.

The place is very nice. According to @dafoodie this location has had several name changes. It has only been Matilda’s for about 8 months now.

Located on Park Avenue and Canton. The staff is no joke. Everyone is friendly and knowledgable about their dishes. Today Ashley was our server and handled the group very well. Now, LET’S TALK COMIDA!!

@Eatlocalorlando dish: Shrimp Gumbo

@Eatlocalorlando dish: Bacon Cowboy Ranch Salad

@Tarajroth dish: Mad Mac Bites. Our famous mac blended with bacon, deep-fried, and drizzled in secret sauce.

@tarajroth dish: Barbie Fries with cheddar cheese sauce.

@foodbidden dish: Roo Burger. Kangaroo meat is beef like, but with its own full-bodied flavor. Served with our cheese lager sauce, onion straws.

Roo Burger with Truffle fries.

@winechix dish: Popeye Mac and Cheese. Goat cheese, sautéed spinach, artichokes, roasted red pepper, and roasted garlic.

@Tarajroth dish: Buffalo Chicken Mac. Tender white chicken, cheddar and American cheese, blended with our famous secret sauce.

@dafoodie dish: Trio Grilled Chicken Tacos. Tequila honey lime, marinated chicken over lettuce, topped with roasted corn, salsa, fresh avocado, and lime, cilantro cream.

@talktochu dish: Banana Bread Pudding with strawberries and ice cream.

Overall, a fantastic experience. This is a place we are planning to go to again. Very laid back for lunch. Lots of TV screens for game days. The greeting when entering the restaurant is a very nice touch and the opening of the door when we walked out made me feel like a VIF. (Very Important Foodie)

Ashley, thank you so much for the great service and making all those fantastic recommendations for us. They were spot on.

Two Thumbs Up!!

Matilda’s on Park
(407) 951-5790
358 Park Avenue North
Winter Park, FL 32789

Location:358 Park Avenue North Winter Park, FL 32789

Kosher Grill

From Kosher On Wheels to Glatt Kosher Grill. Nati Azulay and his team have gone from Food Truck to Brick and Mortar.

His grand opening was September 10 at his new location on 5615 International Drive, Orlando, FL.
I remember blogging about Kosher On Wheels and how pleased I was with their food. As soon as I heard about the restaurant opening I had to come and eat some more. It is a bit far from Kissimmee, but Nati and the Kosher Grill team make the trip worthwhile.

Everything is made fresh to order. The place is spotless. It has a very modern look to it and as soon as you walk in you smell deliciousness.
Nati has always been about customer service. Always suggesting dishes for me to taste and I have never been let down. Today was no different. I asked what he recommended for breakfast and he said, “I will take care of it”. And he did!

Shakshouka
Eggs poached in a sauce of tomatoes, chili peppers, onions. Serve with Israeli salad, tahini and bread.
Nati and his team have hit a home run with this dish. Absolutely amazing. This tomato sauce is just like momma used to make. The flavors all come together to make a perfect dish.

Two thumbs up for Kosher Grill. Nati and the gang have done it again. This is the place to be for all your Kosher needs. If you are ever in the area you need to come and check out Kosher Grill. You will not be disappointed.

Nati and Itzik, thank you so much for the delicious food and great service. This is the best breakfast I have had in a long time. I will be back soon. Mazal Tov on your grand opening!

Kosher Grill
(407) 392-2292
5615 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819

Kosher Grill
5615 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819
407-392-2292

Location:5615 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819

Orlando Snack Café

After gaining all this weight in Chicago last week I had to go for one more place this morning back home in Florida. Hunters Creek area is home to this great cafe.

Glad to find it open on Sundays. 8:00am to 1:00pm. Rest of the week it’s 8:00am to 8:00pm. Christian was the gentleman helping us out today. Great guy with a great attitude.

Had no idea it was Venezuelan food. Actually, didn’t know what to expect when we came. We were pleasantly surprised.

Only a few people here this morning at 9:00am. All Venezualan customers coming in for their usual empanadas and cafecito. Now, LET’S TALK FOOD!!

Cafe con leche. Of course. What better way to start the morning.

Shredded Beef Omelette. Shredded beef, egg, cheese.

Criollo Breakfast. Perico eggs, shredded beef, black beans.

Cachapa. I used to always like these, but because of @eatlocalorlando I have become more of a fan.

Check it out for yourself. Nice little hidden gem. BUEN PROVECHO!!

Foodbidden Familia APPROVED!!

Orlando Snack Café
(407) 851-4646
3708 Town Center Blvd
Orlando, FL 32837

Location:3708 Town Center Blvd Orlando, FL 32837

Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria

Finally. Wow. Can’t believe it has taking me so long to get here. Many of my fellow foodies and bloggers have told me plenty about this place.

Full house today. Couldn’t get good pics. Not what I expected. Very groovy and funky place. I was dressed up coming from work and felt way overdressed.

These masters of sandwich making are not only good at their craft but they are all super friendly as well. That made me feel very comfortable. This was a quick stop for me and just ordered one dish and had to head out. I hate to eat and run. Lets talk FOOD!!

Mama Ling Ling’s Thanksgiving.
Turkey, Gouda, Stuffing, Ginger Cranberry Chutney, Mashed Potato, and Cream Cheese with a side of gravy.
This is the sandwich most of the people I know recommended. There are so many choices. Their cupcakes look amazing too. They have several desserts to choose from. Great place. Will be back again very soon.

Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria
(407) 894-0865
67 North Bumby Avenue
Orlando, FL 32803

Location:67 North Bumby Avenue Orlando, FL 32803

Hash House A Go Go

Our Memorial Day started with a quick breakfast place in Orlando. Hash House has just opened a few months ago in Orlando. Located on International Drive just east of Kirkman.

The restaurant is huge. Lots of space. We were the first ones to arrive this morning at 7:50am. Sue was the first one to greet us. Sweetest woman on earth. Took the time to chat with us and make us smile. I love great service!

Their bar area is big and elegant. This morning this was the place were they made our lattes.

Banana Latte. @Tarajroth was feeling adventurous and Chris the GM suggested she try this. Chris was the one who actually made it for her. It tasted like a Bananas Foster. I enjoyed seeing the GM in the mix of things and working.

Regular Latte. I loved mine the best. The traditional latte with a sprinkle of cinnamon. Chris knocked this one out of the park.
Now…Lets talk COMIDA!!!!

Sage Fried Chicken and Waffles. Two Sage fried chicken breasts with hardwood smoked bacon, waffle tower, hot maple reduction and fried leeks.
Holy Mother of all that is gigantic!! I needed a ladder to get to this. It was at least five stories high. WOW! It merits two pictures!

Andy’s Sage fried chicken with fresh spinach, hardwood smoked bacon, market tomato, griddled mozzarella and chipotle cream. This is the Man Vs Food favorite. Again, I repeat, WOW. Enormous!

House Hash Chorizo, jalapenos, cheddar cheese and fresh tomato with eggs over medium.
This was the @wholycheesus and Sue recommendation. Fantastic. Had a subtle kick to it and loads of flavor.

We asked for twenty five boxes to bring it to go and needed a U-Haul truck to bring it all back. LOL. In all seriousness, bring your appetite. Everything is delicious. Customer service in this place is top notch!!

Sue, Thanks for being you. You were very kind to chat with us and take time to explain the goodies on the menu. Until we “Eat” again.

Wifey TWO THUMBS UP!!

Foodbidden TWO THUMBS UP!!

Hash House A Go Go
(407) 370-4646
5350 International Drive
Orlando, FL 32819

Location:5350 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819

Ciao Italia Ristorante Italiano

Tonight was a date night for wifey and I. I had read about Ciao and had been wanting to try this place for about two weeks now. Chef Vincenzo is in the back cooking up some great Italian dishes.

A 2nd generation run business for the Navarras family. They have been here since 1991. I love when the business stays in the family. While entering you hear the classical Italian music playing. The ambience is romantic, which was perfect for @tarajroth and I.

I started my dinner with a Cappuccino. Just the way I like it. Bruno was the one serving us tonight. A perfect gentleman every time he spoke.

Bruschetta. Toasted Crostini topped with a blend of Tomatoes, Garlic, Onions and Basil in E.V.O.O.
@Tarajroth wanted this appetizer and it looked great. We took a few bites and it was good. we had to bring two of them to go. They were rather filling.

Rigatoni Con Salsiccia E Rapini.
Rigatoni pasta, house sausage, broccoli rabe in garlic-Pinot Grigio reduction.
Nice. Flavorful. The Parmesan cheese on top made it even yummier. The sausage was my favorite part of this dish.

(Photo courtesy of @tarajroth) Maybe I should have her take all my pics.

Veal Alla Parmigiana with Spaghetti Marinara.
@Tarajroth ordered this one. She liked the veal, but was not a fan of the pasta. She said the flavors were too light. She would have liked more garlic to give it some more kick.

Chocolate Fonduta Torta
Sponge cake filled with rich chocolate fondant, covered with chocolate flakes.
@Tarajroth liked it at first. She then took a bite of the back of the cake and sensed that it had been kept for a while. I had a bite and I thought it was good. I couldn’t tell if it was fresh or not.

Tiramisu. Lady fingers soaked in espresso coffee layered with marscapone cheese dusted with cocoa powder.
I liked it. Wifey had some and she like my dessert better than hers. I always say, you can’t go wrong with a classic dessert. Very good.

Overall, very nice place. I was very happy with how nice it is on the inside. The food was good, but not great. I would go definitely go again to try other dishes. Great service. Ask for Bruno.

Ciao Italia Ristorante Italiano
(407) 354-0770
6149 Westwood Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32821

Location:6149 Westwood Boulevard Orlando, FL 32821