Thursday, May 26, 2011

Yellow Dog Eats



We just came back from Yellow Dog Eats out by Windermere, FL, and I must say that this is one of the best new establishments that I have tried in a really long time! Well, it isn’t a “new” place at all, I believe it has been in this location for about 12 years, but it is definitely “new” for me, and immediately climbed its way to the top of my list.
It seems to be a huge house that has been turned into a restaurant, a Gem that one stumbles upon with a Hippie Flare that serves Food made with Love! Throw in a touch of the Cracker Barrel Style Store where you can purchase unique Bar-B-Que Sauces, Wines and T Shirts. Then stir in a whole bunch of Eccentricity, and top it off with a cool guy named Fish (the Head Cheese and Chef) who walks around and talks to customers and makes sure everybody is happy!
The Food – Delicious! Sandwiches, Salads, BBQ, Desserts, Beer, Vegan/Vegetarian Options – all in interesting combinations. I had the Pulled Pork Salad ($12.95) a bed of fresh greens, grape tomatoes, fresh onions, scallions, carrots, tangy bleu cheese, fried onions, cucumbers, and dikon sprouts topped with a hearty serving of our famous pulled pork and Fish’s Citrus-BBQ sauce. It was sweet, spicy, hearty and extremely fresh all at the same time, there were some bonus peanuts and almonds on it which gave it an extra crunch, and not only did I practically lick my plate clean, but I couldn’t have been happier to do it!
It was well worth the 20 minute drive. Upon looking at the website I found they have a room upstairs with a Chef’s Table for larger parties, and also a cool outdoor seating section for a day with nice weather! I plan on going back often, and taking friends that I know will love it. And I feel excited to have this treasure in my repertoire of Delicious places to eat!
Yellow Dog Eats Café on Urbanspoon

Monday, May 23, 2011

Cafe Trastevere




I have been eyeing Café Trastevere for years, but finally had it for dinner last week. Sitting just north of Colonial on Magnolia, in downtown Orlando it is a beautiful house that has been transformed into a quaint little Italian Restaurant. Inside it is surprisingly spacious, yet cozy at the same time and most importantly they serve thoughtful and delicious dishes.
For my Thursday evening dinner I had La Caprese ($9.00) which is something I like to get at every Italian place I go. Although it WAS delicious, I would probably pass on it the next time simply because there was nothing “special” about it. There was also nothing “special” about the Bread/ Butter (complimentary) that they brought around, however we had no problem emptying our Bread Basket.
But on to my entrée, after asking the server’s suggestion, I selected the Pollo Formaggio ($18.00): Chicken Breast in a white wine sauce topped with asparagus and mozzarella cheese served over pasta with broccoli on the side. Extremely Delicious! It tasted not only fresh, flavorful and fulfilling, but I didn’t feel too weighted down afterwards like I usually do after Italian Food.
They could use a price update on their website, however my bill (with a tea) ended up being just over $31.00 and I left with the satisfaction of a really nice meal.

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Acropolis Greek Taverna, Tampa Florida


Acropolis is a Greek Taverna Chain in the greater Tampa Bay Area. I visit the one in Ybor city every chance I get. I have had several of their menu items, but I keep going back to the Gyro Platter : Sliced Lamb and Beef Gyro served with Pita and Tzatziki, which comes with not only a Greek Salad but also a side of Greek Fries with Feta. It is a steal for $10, especially considering that it is enough food to take home and have a second meal. If you haven’t already, give it a try!

Acropolis Greek Taverna on Urbanspoon

Three Coins Diner, Tampa Florida



I was recently in Tampa, on a Monday night at 3am (technically Tuesday) and there was nowhere to eat. A friend suggested taking a small trip to the Three Coins Diner, and boy was it worth the trip. I am a fan of all greasy spoon type diners, however this one had the following things in its favor : Open 24 hours, Quick and Friendly service (Our server Cindy was excellent!), Large Portions, Inexpensive Prices and to top it all off, if you sit outside you can even smoke! ( a special treat for the friends that I was with) I enjoyed a delicious Omelet with Spinach, Feta and Gyro Meat, accompanied by Hash Browns and Toast, and my friends’ food looked really good too! Highly recommended!Three Coins on Urbanspoon

Dixie Crossroads, Titusville Florida

Eatty PhoneHome and myself recently went to Dixie Crossroads and filmed this movie clip.
Hope you enjoy, and hope you will check out Dixie crossroads!


Friday, May 13, 2011

Thanks Anne




My mother just had a reunion with some of her classmates from nursing school, and her dear friend Anne sent me a gift.
The New Soul Food cookbook for people with diabetes. It is by Fabiola Demps Gaines and Roniece Weaver, who incidentally are both from here in the orlando area and work in the healthcare industry. Little did Anne know, but this was the Perfect gift for me, because not only do I love cookbooks and trying new recipes, but I really love Soul Food and this book has a lot of really good recipes, as well as a lot of helpful information for diabetics.
The first recipe I made was Althea's Beef Gumbo. I usually alter the ingredients a little, but this one seemed great just the way it was. Lean Ground Beef, Stewed Tomatoes, Navy Beans, Onions, Corn and Okra. It was easy to make and was really delicious! and now I have something to eat for the next couple of days.
Thank you again Anne for this very thoughtful and appropriate book.
In other news I just weighed in at 181.4 lbs. I'm still trying hard to get down into the 170's. I've been doing cardio just about every day. My fasting blood sugars are not quite as low as I feel they should be, but I am definitely working on it. I need to check my meter and make sure that it is giving accurate readings. But overall things are really good!