Tag Archives: #Florida

My Trip to Cooper’s Hawk’s Winery and Restaurant in Orlando Florida

 

Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant has multiple locations in the Eastern Half of the continental United States.  Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant is part Wine Bar, part gift shop, part candy shop and also a restaurant.

A benefit of dining here is that they took all the guessing out of wine pairing. Everyone who dines here can be a sommelier. Each item on the menu has the suggested wine bin number so you can pair wine like a pro. Many varieties of wine are offered and many wines are award wining. Carafes of wine come in a decanter and bottles are decanted very elaborately with a contraption I’ve never seen before.

The dining room is sort of traditional in style with dark wood traditional tables and chairs.

The menu is mostly American but is laced with global inspirations. For the mains they offer a variety of proteins. They offer several steak dishes, some fish dishes, pasta dishes and more.

We started with Brussel Sprouts with Cashews, Mint, Sweet Chili, Sesame and Sriracha.

This dish had good flavors going on.  I liked the play of spicy sweet and bright mint. But this dish was on the oily side and the Brussel Sprout were raw inside.

For my main I had the Soy Ginger Salmon with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes and Slaw.

My fish was slightly over done and the soy ginger sauce was cloyingly sweet. The potatoes hardly had any wasabi taste that I was looking forward too.

On the Bright Side!

My husband enjoyed his Shrimp and Grits!

My sister’s fiancé enjoyed the Rib Eye Special!

I did indeed enjoy the wine I tried! I thought it was a great value for restaurant priced wine.

That was my trip to Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant in Orlando Florida.

wwwCHwinery.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

My Trip to Norman’s at The Ritz Carlton in Orlando Florida

 

Norman’s is an upscale restaurant located in The Ritz Carlton in Orlando Florida. The Atmosphere is opulent and formal with high ceilings, lots of natural stone and impressive wine refrigeration curios in the formal dining room.

Norman’s Executive Chef is Multi Award Wining and James Bead Award Wining Celebrity Chef Norman Van Aken who also is a decorated cookbook author. The Restaurant serves a fusion of Latin, Caribbean and Asian foods done in European Style.

Bread service is stellar like no other.

They offer you your choice of maybe a half dozen different oils with descriptions, herbs, butter, choice of salts and fresh baked ciabatta and mushroom brioche breads.

I started with the Masa Crusted Tuna with Salsa Verde, Jicama and Salmon Roe.

Parts of this dish are stunning………I don’t know if this is by design or not….The actual fish lacks salt and pepper.  The sauce is delicious.  Pops of very sharp pickled onion cut threw and wake you up.

My husband started with the Pan Seared Annatto Sea Scallops with White Grits, Chanterelles and Orange Butter Sauce.

I heard this was amazing as it sounds.

Dinner for me was the Pan Cooked Grouper in Ramp Sofrito with Sweet Potato Agnolotti, Romanesco, Morita-Tomatillo Salsa.

Grouper could have used some salt and pepper but was prepared mostly perfect in a well made tasty sauce. The fancy cauliflower (romanesco) was only ever so slightly cooked. Extra sharp pickled onions add lots of acid to the plate. BUT THE SWEET POTATO AGNOLOTTI WERE ABSOLUTELY TO DIE FOR………They were so small but bursting with so many delicious flavors. So many flavors….My husband and me both wished we could have a plate of them…..WOW they were really great!

My husband had the Pork Havana with Smokey Plantain Crema, 21 Century Mole and Golden Grits.

The Pork was prepared tender and medium. It also lacked salt and pepper but sat in well made delicious sauces that you were suppose to mix together. Grits were natural and flavorful.

Instead of dessert we went for a cheese plate.

Here comes the cart.

We went for the Stinky Blue Cheese and a Truffle Cheese.

We ended dinner a little cheesy but it was delicious!

That was my trip to Norman’s at The Ritz Carlton in Orlando Florida

www.Normans.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

 

My Trip to Mrs Potato Restaurant in Orlando Florida

 

Mrs Potato is a small casual Brazilian Potato Restaurant located in Orlando Florida not too far from Disney World. The specialty of the restaurant are the Rosti Potatoes that are basically large round stuffed hash browns. They also offer extra large stuffed potatoes and a limited menu of Brazilian Food. The food is made fresh to order so it doesn’t get to you fast and you have to wait. The Rosti Potatoes alone take twenty five minutes to cook. This tiny restaurant is not fancy but they’ve gained national attention from being featured on Diners Drive Inns and Dives on Food Network Television.

This is pretty much the whole restaurant with a patio off to the side.

There is a Potato Head Collection on the wall.

On the other wall are numerous articles and publications about the restaurant and also Guy Fieri’s Memorabilia from the diners Drive Inns and Dive TV Show.

We started out by trying an appetizer of 1/2 Cod Fritters and 1/2 Cheese Balls.

They serve them with the house “Garlic Mayo” and sweet chili sauce.

As you can see the Cheese Balls are Cheesy and Tasty and the Cod Fritters are Good. I’ve had Cod Fritters at another Brazilian Restaurant and these have much more Cod in them.

We both went with Rosti Potatoes.

They come out golden and crispy. They offer the house Garlic Mayonnaise to dress them and they also offer two Brazilian Sauces to spike them up.

**********Note the white sauce on right side.

On the left is Brazilian Sausage Stuffed Rosti and on the Right is the Veggie Lovers Rosti.

We would return and recommend.

That was my trip to Mrs Potato in Orlando Florida.

www.MrsPotato.net

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Terralina Crafted Italian Restaurant at Disney Springs near Orlando Florida

 

Terralina Crafted Italian is located in Disney Springs formally known as Downtown Disney near Orlando Florida. This is an American/Italian Restaurant with a waterfront. The Menu has been created by James Beard Award Winning Chef Tony Mantuano. This restaurant serves wood oven pizzas, calzones, some house made pastas, entrees and more. They also have a sommelier on site for wine advise.

The dining is sort of Mediterranean in style with lots of stone and iron work.

They also offer patio dining.

We were dining with my sister and her fiancé and shared a couple of appetizers.

They took about forty five minutes to arrive after we ordered. I tried the Fried Ricotta Stuffed Olives n the left first. They were a little different and tasty. On the right were stuffed rice balls. I was expecting them to be seasoned and flavorful but oddly who ever prepared them had an allergy to seasoning and made the rice balls unseasoned and next to flavorless….. but the rice balls were fried nicely and seemed free of oil. The tomato sauce also lacked flavors….

Then we found ourselves waiting for dinner.

Then we wait some more for dinner.

Our waiter stops by and apologies  for all the time we’ve been waiting and says that dinner is coming out soon.

Then maybe another half hour goes by and he apologies again and says dinner should be coming out soon.

The Wine Sommelier checks on us and apologies…….

We waited a really long time for dinner. (somewhere over an hour and a half from when we ordered)

Finally three of the four dinners arrive…….Everyone’s dinner but mine.

I told everyone to eat but they all insisted to wait till my dinner arrived.

So we wait another 15 minutes and my dinner arrives.

My dinner was good. It was hot and fresh and prepared reasonably well. But I was the only one at the table that got a fresh nice prepared meal……….    🙁

My sister got the same dinner I had but it was a version that sat out a little while.

My husband’s Seafood Cannelloni also hung out with my sisters plate but the Cannelloni weren’t flavored so well I was told.

But the worst one was my sister’s fiancé’s Swordfish.

It was cold with a RAW COLD center…….Cold and RAW!

Now the waiter apologies to us again.

The Wine Sommelier apologies to us again.

The Manager apologies, comps our bill and tells us to get dessert and or anything else we want.

The FORKING TRUTH is that I haven’t been served by a nicer or more apologetic staff of people that served such a disaster of a dinner.

That was my trip to Terralina Crafted Italian at Disney Springs in Lake Buena Vista near Orlando.

www.TerralinaCraftedItalian.com

I NOTE THAT Every FORKING THING is subject to change and your experience may or may NOT differ.

The Forking Truth

 

 

My Trip to Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Lake Buena Vista Florida (Near Orlando)

 

Chef Art’s Homecomin’ is a Southern Style American Restaurant. Chef Art Smith is a Celebrity Chef and Multi Award Winning and James beard Award Winning Chef. When you taste his food at the restaurant you will see why. Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Restaurant is located in Disney Springs (that is formally known as Downtown Disney). No need to purchase park admission for anything in Disney Springs but there is no street parking so you have to use a garage or valet park. Reservations can be difficult to get even a month in advance but be persistent and call the day you are in the area and maybe they can squeeze you in.

The restaurant is sort of farm style. It’s very woody with lots of natural sunlight during the day.

Our server was very welcoming and explains the menu in detail to us.

A specialty of the house are the Moonshine Shooters.

Pictured here are a lemon, blackberry and Strawberry Moonshine Shooters of different proofs. They come with a Pickle Juice Shooter and Candied Pecans. WOO HOO they are strong!

Many delicious appetizers are on the menu so we decided to try the Jasper’s Board that contains Smoked Fish Dip (today it was grouper), Pimento Cheese, Shaved Country and Tasso Ham, Bread and Butter Pickles, Candied Pecans and Buttermilk Crackers. It SOUNDS CRAZZZZZZZY but our waitress told us that you are suppose to pile everything on the cracker and then eat it……MY GOD THIS IS FORKING DELICIOUS……The flavors are just CRAZY CRAZY GOOD! I can’t stop eating this………Oh God and the portion is enough for FOUR PEOPLE.

My main for dinner (and two breakfasts……..(((I’m stuffed by now))) was Art Smith’s Famous Fried Chicken.

Everything is delicious but it gets even better when you splash it all up with the house made hot sauce that isn’t too hot but adds a little soft heat, flavor and tang………so good….This is TOO GOOD…….

My husband had the Capital Meatloaf.

It is also TOO GOOD and comes with “Killer” Sauces of tomato and sausage gravy that you are suppose to mix together. Even the vegetables are extra special and are dabbed with pepper jelly. This plate comes with mashed potatoes but my husband went for the cheesy Mac “N” Cheese option and it is Cheesy Mac “N” Cheese too!

“The FOOD is so GOOD your need to come wearing your Stretchy Pants!”

“The Food is TOO GOOD…..you will have to eat Too Much!”

That was my trip to Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ in Lake Buena Vista Florida near Orlando.

www.HomecominKitchen.com

Everything is subject to change and your experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

My Trip to Tiffins Restaurant in Animal Kingdom at Disney World Orlando Florida

 

Tiffins is an upscale restaurant located in Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom at Disney World in Orlando Florida. The food they serve is Modern Global that usually features flavors that are  Africa, Latin and Asian.

The atmosphere is formal, a little dark without windows and is embellished with artwork with a jungle theme.

We went for the full experience. We got a three course meal that included a champagne toast, a glass of wine or beer, The Lion King Show with VIP seating and a Semi Private Safari Tour. (2018 pricing was about $100.00 a person)

Our waiter was very welcoming. He explained all the dishes to us and also made recommendations.

They started us off with focaccia with pomegranate molasses. (I forgot to photo…)

My husband and I shared an Artisanal Cheese Plate and a Chickpea Falafel with Mint Pistachio Pesto, Cumin Garlic Raita.

The Falafel was light and fluffy with a moist but flavorful center. Lots of good flavors going on there.

My main was Pan Seared Halibut with a Concentrated Tomato, Green Beans, Fingerling Potatoes, Saffron Aioli and Olive Marmalade.

The halibut came out with a nice sear, was tender, moist and seasoned just so. The Olive Marmalade and Saffron Aioli were unusually delicious with the Halibut.

My husband’s plate was more interesting…..

He had the Crispy Sadza (African Porridge) with Braised Berkshire Pork Belly, Crispy Corn Cake, Vegetables, Chakalaka (spicy south African vegetable/bean Relish) and Corn Emulsion.

Dessert was

Passion Fruit Tapioca Creme with Chocolate Crumble and Citrus for me.

The dessert tasted like a natural passionfruit. It’s strong but a delicious taste…..

My husband had the South African Chocolate Ganache with Caramelized Banana Cocoa Nib Tuile.

After That we saw the Lion King Show!

Then we finished with a semi private safari.

That was my trip to Tiffins Restaurant in Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom at Disney World in Orlando Florida.

www.TiffinsRestaurant.com

Everything is subject to change and YOUR experience may or may not differ.

The Forking Truth

Where The Fork I’ve Been and a Taste of what I Ate…..In Orlando Florida

 

For a few days I’m writing about the places I ate at while in Orlando Florida.

One place I ate at was Norman’s at The Ritz Carlton. This is a fine dining restaurant that serves Fusion of Latin, Caribbean and Asian but European Style. This is a James Beard Award Wining Restaurant and the Chef is Celebrity Chef Norman Van Aken who is a decorated cook book author.

We also tried Mrs Potato. This is a small casual Brazilian Potato Restaurant. I found this yummy stop from the Diners, Drive Ins and Dives from Food Network.

One of our favorite stops was Art Smith’s Home Coming in Disney Springs.

The Food is Southern Style American Comfort Food by an Award Wining James Beard Chef Art Smith. The Food was TOO GOOD HERE….It was too good….so good I had to eat too much. The Food was also generously sized……This is a Must do! This one is actually in Lake Buena Vista but that is just by Orlando.

 

Tiffins Restaurant is a slightly upscale Global Cuisine Dining Restaurant located in Discovery Island in Animal Kingdom at Disney. Flavors from Africa and that are, Asian and Latin are featured. This was among our favorite stops. We managed to get a package where you get a three course meal that includes wine or beer, a Lion King Show with VIP Seating and a semi private Safari Tour.

We tried Terralina Crafted Italian in Disney Springs.

Terralina Crafted Italian Menu was created by James Beard Award Winning Chef Tony Mantuano.

At this time (October 2018) this is a newly opened restaurant.

We also tried out Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurant is part Gift Shop, Winery, Candy Store and Restaurant. The Reserved Red Blend I tried is very good for it’s price point but if you get a bottle of wine they have a unique way they decant it at the table that looks very impressive.

We also went to the 2018 Epcot Food and Wine Festival and hit about a dozen of the booths over the two days.

This was where the Fork I was and a Taste of what I ate in Orlando Florida.

The Forking Truth