Feb 2017: An Indian Feast

Good friends + lots of food = a memorable time. 

Nothing succeeds quite like excess.

Half-n-Half: tart strawberry puree with sweet lassi spiced with green cardamom

Vegetable 'pakoras'. Usually the vegetables are cut-up in same sizes and then mixed together. I preferred to keep (and fry) them separately. Served with warm sweet-n-sour tamarind sauce.

Signature cocktail: pureed mango, club soda, blueberries, mint, and optional alcohol (in this instance, Tito's vodka)

Plain and garlic naan varieties. Requested by popular demand!

Tomato rice speckled with lightly fried onion seeds.

Chicken tikka masala.

Hariyali shrimp: fresh fennel, cilantro, mustard seeds, onion, garlic, and ginger.

Saag Paneer: large pieces of fried paneer cubes in creamed spinach

Rajmah masala: a vegan red kidney bean dish

Gulab jamun: Milk curds (precisely, 'chena') deep fried and then soaked in syrup

Feb 2017 Dinner- celebrating 20 years of friendship!

A special menu for a special occasion.

Cheese Flan. Clementine segments, toasted Coconut shreds, and Blueberries, on a lake of condensed milk. This was the favorite course hands down.

Cuban Tomato Salad with Orange Vinaigrette

Cilantro Shrimp

Cold-pressed watermelon with Rum and Blueberry ice cubes

One giant pot of Arroz con Pollo

Mojito with Blueberry and Mint ice cubes

Outpost Neighborhood Kitchen: Above average with good service

Outpost has been in College Park for over a year and a half now. Somehow, I just managed to get there this week. Why haven't I been to this place sooner? 

The layout of the dining room is small but cozy. There are rustic details throughout the space which teeters on shabby chic and vintage. Either way, it wasn't over the top and the small tchotchkes here and there weren't overt distractions from the feel and vibe of the place.

I ordered the Vanderbilt Salad ($13) and a Moscow Mule ($11) and both were pretty good. The salad was very lightly tossed in dressing so I asked for more and the server was happy to oblige. Kale, spinach, pineapple, BBQ chicken, and avocado... topped with a cilantro vinaigrette. Mm, so good. And the portion size was not on the skimpy side. I took some leftovers to-go.

My only suggestion is that if you visit, try to beat any large parties ahead of you. Due to real estate prices skyrocketing in this neighborhood of Orlando, I can see why the loin's share of the space was designed for the customer- only to have a smaller kitchen pressured to churn out consistent, quality food to parties of 6 or more that need to be fed at the same time. 

The service was very good and a few of the servers came over and apologized for the delay in food while they served the 13-top in the center of the room. I appreciated that and I wanted to validate their efforts as it made my patience for my meal increase as well. 

Outpost has an amazing and creative menu ranging from burgers, salads, real southern-style sides, and imaginative apps. Plus a full bar. It's a charming spot and I do recommend this restaurant when you aren't in a rush to get fed and head out. 

IN A NUTSHELL: Go during the off-peak hours. Good ambiance with good service and a killer Moscow Mule await you. I can see a wide variety of clientele liking this spot- from the gluten-intolerant to the paleo-heads that just want to inhale a burger or two. Outpost says that they make everything from scratch. Though, I suspect there is a canned tomato component to their ketchup, I'll give them credit for aspiring to be a restaurant that prides on personal recipes without premade shortcuts.

Shipyard Emporium Market, Bakery, & Brew Pub

The Video is finally here!

Gurtzberry: Delicious grab-and-go

I guess the tweens and high school girls need a spot to do each other’s hair and talk about boys. Or about their dictatorial math teacher. Or the bitchy looks a girl gave them two months ago for a full two seconds. But I like Gurtzberry and prefer to skip out from the social lounge.

It’s a (I can’t believe I’m going to type this) cute place- a roomy place with a few colorful seats and artwork. The counter is clean, simple, and always staffed with a helpful employee. The fruit ingredients are freshly displayed without a hint of muddled maceration that old, bruised fruits have. The tart yogurt (delicious even when eaten plain) marries with your choice of fruit to create a sweet, nutritious, and fresh summer libation. This is my alternative to Lollicup (read another review about them).

At this visit, I chose a green tea smoothie with double mango and pineapple (you get three choices to blend into your concoction). My reasoning was that I’d get a mango green tea smoothie with a hint of pineapple sweetness. What I got was a pineapple green tea with just a whisper of mango- an excellent culinary example of how certain ingredients disproportionately influence the outcome over others. Note to self- no pineapple unless other ingredients are sour. Delicious, nonetheless.

IN A NUTSHELL: Great smoothies and frozen yogurts at a moderate price. If you’re a spring chicken (which, alas, I’m not anymore) it’s your hangout spot as well. Set on a side-street of trendy Park Avenue, it’s perfect for something light and refreshing while you window-shop in the neighborhood.

Lollicup: The Pearl of Mills-50

It's a yellow outcrop of a much bigger complex. And the golden ticket is the Taracado. It's unexpectedly yummy. Welcome to bizarre Wonka-like Lollicup.

You'll meet Tom- the Asian Willy Wonka. His mustache is long enough to pique your curiosity. A charming chap, he's there to make all the little kiddies happy and introduce them to BOBA (tapioca pearls) and other exotic concoctions.

Lollicup's a drink-specific franchise that is focused on bringing some very foreign flavors and textures to Orlando. It also makes iced-coffee and at one point (though not any more) served delectable small sandwiches called Bahn Mi (I’d advise them to bring those back).
I went there originally because I've seen their sunflower-like sign so many times that one fine day I found myself with a few extra bucks to spend on something I really didn't know anything about.
WAS I LUCKY, OR WHAT? Tom's assistant, a very sweet woman (whom I didn't get introduced to) gave me A-grade advice. Rather than suggesting some sweet tropical fruit blend, she peered straight into my eyes and said "Try the Taracado. It's very good. You won't believe it." It was a risk worth taking- Taro root and Avocado- but it turned out to being equivalent to giving someone a drink of water after a very long walk in the Florida sun. HEAVENLY. As soon was the frozen blend hit my tongue, all my salivary glands exploded simultaneously. My pupils dilated denoting a ‘wow’ moment. My tongue wrapped around that straw like a boa constrictor. Need I say more?

Creamy, sweet, made with real avocado, this drink has been a frequent visitor to my mouth ever since. Taracado is like a seductive one-night stand that just can’t be one. It keeps appearing in your mind every time you jones for a sweet treat. And she can be as deceptively naughty in vanishing after the performance.

IN A NUT SHELL: Follow the neon signs of Lollicup or you'll miss it. For $5, take a chance on your very own Wonka-experience on Mills-50 at Lollicup. Though they have a vast menu, the Taracado is a clear front-runner. If you think you’re going to go there a lot, get a frequent visitor card that they punch after every purchase- the tenth one should be free.