Pulse of Central Florida

Since I both live and work in the downtown Orlando area, I must admit it is sometimes a challenge to find new-and-interesting things to do and places to go (yes, I know I need to expand my distance reach out more). Particularly when it comes to eating; I love to eat. I’ve been eyeing What’s Your Beef? on Washington Street for some time now, and finally made it over to see what they’ve got going on with their menu.

The interior is quaint and clean (a big thing in my book), and the staff are incredibly friendly.

I’ve been on a mild health kick as of late, so although there are many delicious things featured on the menu (they specialize in hot dogs, hot sandwiches, and italian beef), I opted for a chef salad. And I was very pleased to see the salad featured “healthy” lettuce versus plain old iceburg. Honestly, I can say this is one of the best salads I’ve had…in the downtown Orlando area, at least.

My friend that I was with opted for a pressed Ham & Cheese sandwich, and said it was quite tasty.

All-in-all I have to give What’s Your Beef? two thumbs up. Definitely worth a repeat trip…to try something different on the menu.

Location deets:

40 West Washington Street
Orlando, FL 32801
407.425.4340

We have it on good authority the Blue Bird Bake Shop we wrote about a couple of months ago is now open. We’ll have to make a trip over there very soon and snag some delicious treats (and pics). In the meantime, visit The Daily City to check-out photos of the shop.

Oh…and YUM!

Brink Magazine has been good to us. So when Kyle, Brink Editor-in-Chief & Founder, told us he also works with Honest Tea and asked us if we’d like a sample we said, “Heck ya!” I’ll be honest, when he said he would drop off said samples to me at work I was expecting a box of tea bags, so you can imagine my surprise when this is what I found:

Honest Tea Samples

My Favorite: Pomegranite Blue

After having given the Honest Ade (the tea version) a try, I’m pleased to say I’ve found a new way to beat this stinkin’ Central Florida heat! I highly recommend it!

If you want more info on organic tea then be sure to check-out the Honest Tea website: http://www.honesttea.com/. To purchase simply pay a visit to your local Publix or CVS.

NOTE: While we did receive free samples of this product we were not asked to endorse it in return. We are simply promoting this product because we like it and enjoy the taste.

Ever since the Gospel Brunch at House of Blues has been around I’ve been wanting to go. It’s just one of those things I’ve never gotten around to doing. I had a friend that worked for House of Blues several years ago and and he was constantly raving about the Brunch; I currently have a friend that can’t say enough about it either. So I’m thrilled that Kim and I are going to get our chance to find out what it’s all about in a couple of weeks.

The music is supposedly very inspiring, and the food incredible (soul food that I’m very much looking forward to). You can check-out the delicious menu here.

If you’d like to experience the Gospel Brunch it’s every Sunday, at 10:30am and 1:00pm. Tickets are only available at the House of Blues Box Office and run as follows:

• Adults (10-years-old and up): $33.50
• Children (3-9-years-old): $17.25
• Children (2 and under): FREE

Have you ever been to the Gospel Brunch? If so, we’d love to hear all about it! Of course, you know we’ll share our experience with you afterward.

We recently had the opportunity to check out Mi Tomatina Paella Bar for dinner. In all honesty, it wasn’t our first choice, but from the street the atmosphere was too inviting to pass up.

Mi Tomatina, named after the “fun-filled tomato festival La Tomatina in Spain,” is a small, but cozy tapas & paella restaurant in Winter Park’s highly coveted Hannibal Square.

Since they seemed to be known for their paella, we figured that was a good option for our meal. We were told up-front that their paella takes about 30 minutes to prepare/cook, so we weren’t surprised when it took a while for the food to arrive. The verdict? Overcooked paella. I’m sure it’s more authentic the way it was served with its chicken in the form of drumettes and shrimp WITH THE HEAD ON … but I prefer not to see the eyes of the shrimp when it’s on the way to my tummy.

I give Mi Tomatina a thumbs-up for atmosphere and friendly service, but I thought the paella was no es bueno.

Mi Tomatina
433 West New England Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789

Like wine & cheese? Of course you do, that’s a silly question.

Chances are if you’ve driven through the downtown Orlando/Thornton Park neighborhood, or down Park Avenue in Winter Park, you’ve caught a glance of Eola Wine Company.

Eola Wine Company in either location is a fantastic place to unwind after a busy week, take out-of-towners to a fun local neighborhood spot, or simply to enjoy a wonderful glass of wine or beer.

The downtown Orlando location is a bit tiny, but there is outdoor seating that’s perfect when it’s not quite so hot outside…or raining!

In addition to wine and beer, Eola Wine Company also has a limited food selection, including an awesome cheese & fruit tray. You might wanna consider one of these items if you plan on drinking lots!

Oh, one important thing to note: The wine is all available to purchase! So if you pick out something you really like and want to take it home to enjoy…it’s all yours!

Location deets:

Downtown Orlando:
500 East Central Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32801
407.481.9100

Winter Park/Park Avenue:
136 South Park Avenue
Winter Park, FL 32789
407.647.9103

It’s quite obvious, by our posts, that klynn and I live in College Park and downtown Orlando, respectively, and we both work near our homes as well. We’re hoping to really branch out and share new-and-interesting places with you soon!

That being said, I eat at various places in the downtown area quite frequently (just check-out the “Food” category), one of which I recently tried is Fratelli’s Italian Restaurant. Located right on Orange Avenue in the heart of downtown, this Italian restaurant is a fantastic place to grab a quick lunch or take-your-time dinner.

On my trip I started with a typical house salad (always a fan of the onions–although my dining partners may not be–so yay!):

…followed by a Pepperoni Pizza:

I’ve only been to Fratelli’s once, but all the food I ate was delicious! No surprises on the menu…standard, traditional Italian food. If you wanna check-out their full menu click here.

Location deets:

373 North Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
407.422.5500
http://www.fratelliitalianrestaurant.com/

Ember in downtown Orlando is a great place to grab lunch (if you work or are near the downtown area), perfect for a happy hour “decompress place” on any night of the week, or for a decent dinner on the weekend. No matter what you’re sure to find something at Ember that suits your needs!

Ember is located on Central Blvd. right next to the new Fire Station. If you can brave the heat (they do have fans) the outdoor patio area is a fantastic place to hangout and catch-up with friends…and people watch!

If you’re going for a meal there’s a decent selection of food to choose from. I have a couple of things to recommend, too. For starters, while it’s in no way taking the healthy route these loaded baked potato croquettas are amazing! Seriously…my mouth is watering right now.



On one of my visits for lunch I ordered the Asian Steak Salad with Spicy Peanut Dressing and it was very good, too. A light lunch with a bit of substance….



One of the things I really like about Ember, in addition to their regular menu, are the daily specials they offer. I appreciate restaurants & eateries that try to keep things fresh and interesting for their customers. If you wanna check-out the Ember menu or print a copy for yourself you can click here.

Location deets:

42 West Central Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32801
407.849.5200
http://www.emberorlando.com/

Have you been to Ember? What’s your opinion?

Earlier this week we posted about a delicious place to grab some asian fusion food in College Park…and guess what?! You have options in Central Florida for this type of food! If you’re ever in the downtown Orlando area and have a hankerin’ for Japanese food we recommend you check-out Ichiban Japanese Cuisine.

Ichiban is located conveniently on Orange Avenue, nearly on the corner of Orange and Central – just across the street from Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, is a perfect place for lunch, Friday date night, or a change-it-up meal during the week.

Now, as I’ve mentioned I’m a relative “newbie” to the sushi scene so I can’t really speak to how good Ichiban’s sushi is, but I know their menu is quite extensive. They also have a wide variety of Japanese-influenced dishes, like “Spicy Chicken” (which is one of my faves and featured below).

A favorite feature of mine at this downtown Orlando Japanese restaurant is their ever-changing art exhibition. All of the artwork changes frequently, so every dine-in experience is a different one!

Location deets:

19 S. Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801

One of the fantastic things about Ichiban is they’re very involved in Social Media. They maintain a blog and allow customers to even place orders via Twitter.

So if you wanna check-out what Ichiban has to offer visit their website and view their menu.

I only recently discovered the unique goodness that is Hamburger Mary’s Orlando. Yes…another downtown Orlando eatery. A couple of things to note right off: 1) This is not necessarily the place to go if you’re looking to eat healthy (although there are salads on the menu) and 2) this establishment is very gay-friendly (I mean, it is called Hamburger Mary’s!).

One inside, customers see the spacious dining room allows for many guests, and if you’re lucky you get sat at a table promoting Mary’s new ta-tas (delicious tater tots). The extensive menu provides lots to choose from. Before getting the main dish I ordered fried green beans (told you – not the place to eat healthy) for our table to share. And can I say they are YUM (I’ll try anything fried at least once).

After making our way through the fried green beans (with a tad of guilt) I received my main dish: pot roast with fresh vegetables and mashed taters with gravy. Here are some photos of the food and the interior dining room:

One of the funnest experiences about Mary’s is getting the check. Yes…the check arrives in a small red high-heeled shoe (photo above).

In addition to the food Hamburger Mary’s also has several events throughout the week: trivia, bingo, brunch, and cabaret shows. You can find out more about these special events here.

As with many of the other eateries we cover here on the site, you can check-out the Hamburger Mary’s menu before heading over to eat there.

Location deets:

110 West Church Street
Orlando, FL 32801
321.319.0600