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Let’s face it, a lot of our social eating has to do with sitting and listening to someone prattle on about the drama of their day while we listen and force conversation in between, playing the role as it were. While I love social eating, mixing it up with friends, girlfriend and others; there are times when the best therapy is alone time with a plate of food and nothing but restaurant noise in the background. The therapy of “alone time” is not restricted to eating either; some of us find a nice long drive to be the best and then there is that visit to the theater, the long walk home or sitting on the shores of a beach just closing our eyes and listening. There are times when people are just stressful, and if you aren’t a social butterfly whose entire life is bent on the approval of others… alone time is golden…. [Read more]

Origami Sushi 3647 W Hillsborough Ave Tampa, FL 33614 origamisushitampa.com This small restaurant presents just the right mixture of authentic Japanese cuisine and American style dining.  There is ample seating along the windows and dining room, and a full bar with flat screen televisions that runs across the length of the dining room. Great for a date night, or just being out with friends or family, Origami is a great place to frequent.  The staff is friendly, the bar is stocked, and the food is worth the wait. I love the menu at Origami as it has pictures of every dish they serve, so there is no guess work in what your food will look like or what ingredients will be included. I ordered the “Scorched Earth”, a cooked roll with salmon and asparagus.  The kicker is the assortment of fish and seafood in a spicy mayonnaise on top, flame cooked sort of like how… [Read more]

Izziban Sushi 1700 Sand Lake Road Orlando, FL 32809 www.izzibansushioforlando.net This restaurant is cozy with the friendliest staff I have met in a long time. There is also a full bar if you would like to enjoy the evening with friends, or try their catering service if you would like to dine in the comfort of your own home. The décor has a very fresh and contemporary feel but not to the point where you cannot enjoy a low key dinner.  Even if you bring the kids it’s a great place to enjoy a family meal as they have something for all palates. The menu is very extensive; there are no less than five pages. The sushi menu is separate and has more than 30 different rolls to choose from.  I cannot say enough about the presentation and I encourage anyone to try something new – you will not be disappointed.  I tried the mango… [Read more]