There's no way around it: The ugliest dish I tried at Winter Park's new Bulla Gastrobar is also the most delicious. I must share.
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There's no way around it: The ugliest dish I tried at Winter Park's new Bulla Gastrobar is also the most delicious. I must share.
Details >>
Read moreWhat's behind that multi-level stone facade that is STK Orlando at Disney Springs? Here are highlights of the autumn line-up. You'll notice that most will appeal to lighter eaters not interested in the signature steaks.
Read moreWho's willing to roast the turkey for you on Thanksgiving in Orlando 2016? Here's a list. I'll keep adding to it as info comes my way.
Read moreHave you been to Party for the Senses? It's an evening of unlimited, chef-driven food and spirits held weekly during the Epcot Food & Wine Festival. It's worth a splurge.
Read more1921 by Norman Van Aken is what we might call a New Floridian restaurant. The namesake chef takes the various native and imported flavors available in the Sunshine State and recreates them into creative fare.
Read moreWhere should you eat to support your neighbors during Thursday's Dine Out for Orlando United fundraiser? Look closely. The restaurants participating can pledge to give pretty much whatever they want, and some are set to donate way more than others.
Read moreWhat will be the five best new dishes at Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2016? Here's my list. I sampled a slew of debuting entrees and desserts yesterday at a preview held for Tables in Wonderland members and the media. I was enchanted with these newcomers.
Seared scallop with truffled celery root puree, Brussels sprout and wild mushrooms, from the Wine & Dine Studio marketplace: The sweet scallop will be given a Napa Valley twist, served with a creamy vegetable puree laced with that I suspect may be truffle oil, plus an al dente vegetable and lively bits of mushroom. This dish so good I'd order it in a fine-dining restaurant.
Smoked beef brisket and pimento cheese on griddled garlic toast from the Hops & Barley marketplace: The beef was tender and smokey, but the addition of garlic toast and a shmear of intense pimento cheese put this dish over the top.
Pork tenderloin with cannellini bean ragout and zinfandel reduction from the Wine & Dine Studio marketplace: The pork was fine, but incidental. Get this dish for the beans in the savory wine-laced sauce.
Peanut butter and white chocolate mousse with a caramel drizzle at The Chew Collective marketplace: This dessert is creamy, almost frothy, with a strong peanut butter flavor plus plenty of peanut halves to chew on.
Loaded Greek "nachos" with pita chips, meatless sausage crumbles and vegan tzatziki at the Greece marketplace: I was dreading tasting this once I learned it was vegan, but guess what? It was terrific. I kept eating beyond the two bites I require of myself for this type of review. Using the pita chips as nachos, I scooped up flavored, multitextured portions of a rich and satisfying entree. The sauce is made with "cashew cream." You'd never know it.
As always, the Epcot Food & Wine Festival will involve weeks and weeks of food and beverage events at the Epcot theme park. Small bites and drinks like those above will be sold at themed marketplaces dotting the World Showcase. In addition, guests can sign up for culinary demonstrations, chef-prepared meals, a food-and-wine gala called Party for the Senses, Beverage Boot Camp and way more. In fact, The Chew will host events October 5-7.
Full details will be posted on this link starting July 11 and you'll be able to start booking your cheese seminars, spice-mixing sessions and signature dining experiences on July 21.
The Epcot Food and Wine Festival 2016 is longer than ever this year -- 62 glorious days of culinary hedonism. It will run from September 14 through November.
Eat enthusiastically,
Rona
If Bloody Marys and eggs Benedict are your idea of a blissful mid-morning meal, try brunch at Disney World's Narcoossee's and California Grill.
Read moreTry Matsusaka beef at Four Seasons Orlando this weekend, and only this weekend. It's your one and only chance, for months on end.
Read moreLearn to make pottery the FABU way, as artist Fabian Pesci is opening his studio for classes, teaching fans how to create their own platters and bowls.
Read moreLakeHouse at Hyatt Grand Cypress, a bright and polished newcomer, is sassy in look and menu.
Read moreThat burger! The pizza! Dessert! How could I let snapshots of satisfying foods sit silently on my hard drive? And so, here are photos of more foods from St. Pete's Locale Market and FarmTable Kitchen.
Read moreIt's not fancy, FarmTable Kitchen. It's a rustic-chic restaurant on the second level of the Locale Market, a bustling bi-level St. Pete, Florida, food emporium with scratch-made and specially chosen packaged foods. My entire dinner there was phenomenal, but the chestnut soup was a stand-out.
Read moreThe Epcot Food & Wine Festival enters its 20th years with a fresh new batch of Marketplace foods and drinks -- as always, an enticing mix of flavors. Today I'd like to introduce you to the Frozen Chew-tini.
Read moreThought it's not technically September yet, Magical Dining Month Orlando is underway. Get out of the house now! Go! Eat! Don't wait! Sponsored by Visit Orlando, Magical Dining Month Orlando involves 70+ restaurants--many of them terrific--serving three-course dinners for $33.
Read moreIt seems early to contemplate the 2015 Epcot Food and Wine Festival, which falls in fall, when the temperatures cool. Yet Epcot's culinary staff has been planning since the last festival ended.
Read moreGood luck getting to your room at the new Legoland Hotel, parents. Book the room, for sure. Allot loads of time in the hotel. Then prepare to wait ... and wait ... and wait ... because your kids will be too engaged to even get into the elevator. And you still won't be close to that bed.
When Legoland Hotel open on Friday, May 15, it will be a magnet for families with Lego-loving kids.
Legoland Hotel is located right near the entrance to the Legoland Florida theme park -- "150 kid steps," to be exact, according to an executive. The entire lodging facility is Lego-centric, from the theming to the accessories. The resort caters to adults as well as kids. Witness: the lounge with a full bar.
Here are some highlights.
You'll be greeted with some of the Legoland Hotel's 2,000 "models," as the creations are called, before you reach the registration desk.
A large castle stands tall in the lobby. "Face characters" visit often, entertaining children who otherwise might be building, and building, and building, in the Lego pits there and elsewhere in the lobby.
The hotel also has its own "master builder shop and classroom."
You think you're done, right? You can go to the room and rest? Ha!
While waiting for the elevator, your little angels are sure to spot the fart corner. It's right outside the elevators.
The elevator is an adventure of its own. Both elevators have disco balls and murals of a Lego disco. Step inside and you'll hear upbeat music -- maybe "YMCA" or "We Are Family" -- while riding to your floor.
Each of the five floors has a theme: Adventure, Pirate, Kingdom, or Lego Friends. Exit the lobby, and you'll be blasted with music that corresponds to the floor's theme. What's more, the carpeting, wall mural and door covers follow the storyline.
So then. The room. Various rooms have assorted levels of theming. All are spectacular -- especially the kiddie areas, which have bunk beds, a TV case and wall art fitting the rooms' theme.
Each room has clever elements such as Lego bugs on the walls.
Should your little offspring have little tushes, worry not. Toilets have two seat sizes.
Each room challenges children with a puzzle. I'm not sure how it works, but essentially they have to figure stuff out to get into a safe.
Some hotel rooms overlook a scenic lake. Mine had a birds-eye view of the pool area. So festive!
All guests receive free access to the breakfast buffet in Bricks Family Restaurant. The large eatery, divided into sections, features models of a chef spilling food.
Oh, you must see this. There is no ladies' room at the Legoland Hotel.
Fun, right? My boys would have gone construction-frenzy-wild for this place when they were younger. In fact, they might still like it now and they're grown. I sure did.
Legoland Hotel Florida is in Winter Haven, about 45 minutes south of Walt Disney World.
Delve in. Make life fun.
Rona
It's fitting that "selfies" and "sea life" share so many letters, because the new SEA LIFE Orlando aquarium is designed for taking photos -- of yourself with the underwater creatures.
Read moreStreamsong is a golf resort. To me, in Central Florida, that means a slightly schmaltzy looking hotel with earnest but unimpressive food. Not so at Streamsong. Not in any way.
Read moreIt's unprofessional, my giddy response to Swine and Sons. Yet at first peek I'm smitten with Winter Park's new sort-of restaurant, a take-out shop by the owners of Cask & Larder and The Ravenous Pig.
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