Today I am going to give some love to my favorite place of refuge from the rat race. Sporting a tasty menu of eats ranging from fat boy caliber to weight watcher friendly, you can take anyone to TGI Friday’s and have a good time. Most importantly for me, my local Fridays prepares the Tanqueray and Tonic correctly. If you ever want to keep me away from your bar or restaurant, just screw up my Tony Sinclair and feel the wrath. Fridays gets it right and whenever I want good food without the price rape, this is where I go. What does the Dragon order at Fridays? You know they used to have this kick-ass prime rib salad that had blue cheese and all sorts of other goodies to have me open. Sadly I was in the minority on loving it so they no longer carry it. Now I get the Tuscan Spinach dip as… [Read more]

Brick and Fire (f/k/a Brick and Fire Pizza and Wine Company) 1621 South Orange Ave Orlando, FL  32806 www.brickandfire.com www.facebook.com/brickandfire Having followed the owner, Chef Mark Dollard, from the original location at Church Street Station in downtown Orlando, I thought I knew exactly what to expect from the new location on Orange Avenue.  Still located downtown, but not quite in the heart where it once was, Brick and Fire continues to be a hotspot for both date night and family night.  Upon arrival you will be greeted with a smile, and have the opportunity to watch Chef Mark and his assistants make the famous pizza from start to finish through a glass wall.  This is especially helpful when you are accompanied by hungry children who may otherwise pitch a fit when waiting for a table. On my visit, the staff was very attentive and friendly which was amazing considering they were actually short staffed at… [Read more]

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Green Day Café 1515 Lee Road Orlando, FL  32810 www.greendaycafe.com With a slogan that states, “fast food…the healthy way”, Green Day Café is a great place to enjoy a quality meal while at the same time feeling good about the fact that you are contributing to the preservation of the environment.  The restaurant is truly committed to “going green”, as their serving utensils, trays, napkins (and even the straws) are made out of recyclable or environmentally safe products, and the cups are made from corn (yes, corn). The menu consists of multigrain wraps, soups, salads, and honey wheat bread sandwiches, with sides that include crunchy broccoli salad and terra chips (a vegetable alternative to potato chips).  I truly enjoyed my wrap with turkey, cranberries, romaine, walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette.  I also had the opportunity to try the buffalo chicken wrap which had a bit of spice with the gorgonzola, tomatoes and romaine.  The soup of… [Read more]

Café Trastevere 825 North Magnolia Ave. Orlando, FL 32803 www.cafetrastevere.com This authentic Roman/Italian restaurant is located in downtown Orlando. Trastevere means “across the Tiber”, and is named after Trastevere, Rome, where several cafés, boutiques and clubs are located. The atmosphere is quaint and intimate, where you will enjoy a casual evening with a date or with friends.  The wine list is not as extensive as I’d like, however, the Sangiovese that was ordered went well with the calamari, caprese salad, and three cheese gnocchi that I ordered. The one man staff was friendly (I told you the place was small), although as the only server in the place he seemed to be running back and forth, and at one point he even paused our questions to answer his cell phone. With respect to the food, the caprese salad did not seem any different than the one I make at home and the tomatoes were not… [Read more]

Spice Modern Steakhouse 326 S Park Ave Winter Park, FL 32789 www.spicesteakhouse.com I rarely frequent a specific restaurant more than once within a two week period. However, Spice Modern Steakhouse saw my face about three times within the course of seven days. Owned by a husband and wife team since 2006, the restaurant has great food, and a fun, yet trendy, atmosphere.  It is possible to enjoy an intimate dinner during the week, but there is live music Thursday through Saturday which makes a conversation at a booth somewhat difficult.  They definitely make up for this flaw with the cuisine and my favorite characteristic – two happy hours daily (4pm – 7pm and 9pm – close).  If you are a people watcher, there is ample seating outside that allows you to take in Winter Park’s nightlife right alongside the Park Avenue strip. In what I assume is a strategy, the portions are larger than the… [Read more]

The Bachelor Chef A true bachelor must not only learn the way of bird hunting but also the ways of the kitchen. – G.Dragon Imagine having the skills to cook up a dish to impress a companion or feed the boys when they are over. Well as a bachelor I am always cooking and I aim to share some of the dishes that makes this life oh so sweet. Whether you are a newb cook or a “seasoned” veteran, I hope you can find one of these dishes useful sometime. The Newest Recipes: