Paco’s: An Orlando citizen’s pilgrimage

Pacos has been around before Orlando started having I-4 traffic problems. Yes, it hails from a time when the city still felt like a Southern town. Some of the servers at Paco’s, a rarity in itself, have been there for close to 30 years. It seems when a restaurant attains a sacred age, you have to visit it just to say you’ve been there… almost, like a pilgrimage.

So, for this evening’s homage, we had a Chili Relleno for $4.95, a Giant Chili Chimi for $9.95, and a three-taco option for $8.75.

Complimentary chips and salsa break up the food waiting time. A standard salsa accompanies a basket of tortilla chips that’s good enough for a person to have as an appetizer. The Chili Relleno at Paco’s is very different from other establishments.

True, it is baked; but the layered strips of UNbattered Poblano peppers that are separated by generous amounts of shredded cheese make this an experience very unique to this establishment. Other restaurants may cry fowl- but the tenure of Paco’s overrules.

The Giant Chili Chimi is not gigantic visually. There are many layers to it, however. The burrito itself is stuffed with your choice of chicken or beef (or even a mixture of the two), fried, and THEN topped with homemade chili. To round things off, sour cream, guacamole, onions, and sliced pickled jalapenos finish the dish.

The taste of this mixture is exactly what it sounds like- soft exterior, tough burrito shell, meaty interior. It may look small, but the Giant Chili Chimi is more than satisfying. It sticks to your stomach for filling meal.

The three-taco option was perfectly portion sized. At Paco’s you can even mix things up by ordering hard and a soft-shell tacos.

You also get a choice of Chicken, Beef, or Guacamole, and they all come with lettuce, tomato, and cheese. Their refried beans are nothing extraordinary but their rice packs a good tomato flavor with a soft, sticky consistency.

IN A NUTSHELL: Paco’s is a modest location on Fairbanks- but anyone who has lived in Orlando for a while uses it as a landmark. An interesting fact about this place is that if you buy one of their T-shirts, you also get 10% off your check. For foodies and aspiring chefs, the Marj Myers Scholoarship Fund has been started at Valencia’s Culinary Program (Marj was the owner of Paco’s for over 28 years). The workers have been around longer than some of us, so show you admire their dedication. Paco’s hours of operation are not consistent through the week- be sure to call ahead. For a piece of local history that fills your belly at modest price, Paco’s is definitely worth a trip.

Introducing A New Video For Anna's Polish Restaurant... Enjoy! :)

Teak Neighborhood Grill: The hidden gem of MetroWest

This is the second time on my blog (the first being Hollerbach’s Willow Tree) that I will stress how entertaining a WHIM can be. I’ll be the first to admit- I’ve never heard of Teak. In fact, if you even pass by the road that it’s on, you probably wouldn’t see what’s so special either. Well, unless you live in the neighborhood. And that’s what Teak stresses- it’s a neighborhood restaurant. However, if you see the caliber of food that they are pumping out (at astonishingly reasonable prices), Teak will soon draw a whole lot more than just their neighborhood. Thank God for my whim… and I haven’t stopped thinking about this place since I ate there.

“Most of our customers are brought here by word-of-mouth,” said Brian Buttner. As owner, Brians concept was simple- keep it fresh, clean, and low-key. He also wanted Teak to be more than just a Burger Bar. So here’s some of the different food fares I tried out this week- Brushetta $6.95, Pan Roasted Mussels $8.95, Tuscan Steak Flatbread $8.95, and the Brazilian Burger $9.95.

So the Bruschetta was intentionally different. Rather than on a Crostini, this one comes with Focaccia. A mélange of the standard mozzarella, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and fresh basil were fresh and good. The Focaccia substitution was good too.

Crostini lovers may probably want to try this version a chance since it’s slightly crisp on the outside and chewy-soft on the inside (I wished it was little more crisp though). What I was really gawking at was the ULTRA GENEROUS drizzle of balsamic glaze that imparted a mild sweet and tart finish to the entire dish. Yum.

According to Executive Chef Danny Ortera the Pan Roasted Mussels are “his baby.” And I have to agree- the dish definitely shows a latin hand involved in its expert creation. There were 3 things that were really enticing about this appetizer:
1) The number of mussels served for the order- I counted 20 medium sized Chilean Mussels.
2) The number of mussels served for the order- at $8.95 as an appetizer? RIDICULOUS.
3) The number of mussels served for the order- with a SUBLIME and simple white wine reduced broth.

3a) Um. Yeah. Ridiculously Sublime.

Exquisitely handled mussels embraced a delicate broth replete with minced garlic and tomatoes. Focaccia, again, graced the edges of the dish brushed with herb oil. I found myself getting really perplexed with how Brian is giving a customer what they really want all at the same time- quality, quantity, and value. Usually, one thinks that it’s downright impossible- the portion size for the mussels might as well have been main course. And then my mind suddenly went to something even more perplexing- Half-Price Mondays- can you imagine this dish being $4.50? Ridiculous.

The Tuscan Steak Flatbread was a personal favorite. Thin slices of prime-rib steak, mozzarella cheese, spinach, sautéed Crimini mushrooms, caramelized onions, and sundried tomato aioli made a perfect formula for success.

The Criminis balanced the flavors very smoothly and my tongue made it a tightly controlled captive of my mouth. Chef Ortera makes flatbreads where the toppings go ALL THE WAY TO THE EDGE. This results in an AMAZING mouth-watering experience. The flatbread transformed itself into a nostalgic comfort food before my very eyes. I loved it. And I don’t say that too often.

And finally, the Brazilian. Call it a big boy burger- a fried egg, sliced ham, crisp potato strings, and provolone cheese sit atop a half pound of angus beef.

Now if I had saved room for this lovely piece of edible art, I would have truly relished in her beauty. But from what I managed to eat, I liked it. The patty was juicy even though it was well-done. All of it made sense. However, if I had to critique anything it would be the potato sticks which were a little on the semi-burnt borderline. They imparted a charry taste to the burger which was good, except my inner-child wanted to single out the sticks and nibble on them. I was glad that the bun got some attention- a light toast and quick brush of oil. I can’t stress how many times a promising burger has been eclipsed by a stale, boring bun. Not this time. At Teak, all breads are locally bought from a little French Bakery in Winter Garden. And you can taste the difference.

As a side note, Teak’s fries rock. These come with the burgers and they are just as good when eaten alone. At Teak, the fries are not just dusted with a spice blend. Rather, it’s a secret SAUCE that they are tossed in.

IN A NUTSHELL: Go before everybody else beats you to it. Half-price Mondays have all items except Burgers half-off. Not surprisingly this also happens to be one of their busiest nights. Teak has a full bar so feel free to belly up to the bar and have something to eat at the same time. Take the time to notice the presentation of what you ordered- many of the dishes are supposed to be eaten first with your eyes. They have a Sunday brunch where you will find a modest Bloody Mary Bar. But what I love the most about this place is the price-point to product ratio- you really get a delicious bang for your buck!

AND A FIRST: If you didn’t sense my earnest already, I partnered up with another food blogger and made a YouTube video for Teak! It’s also visible on my blog :)

ANNAS POLISH RESTAURANT: A STAR IS BORN

Anna’s is cathartic. This is the only word that comes to mind post-dining that truly sums up the experience. After a very long time, I have stumbled upon a place so worthy of kudos. Do you know the feeling you get when something deep down in your soul says “This is special”? Well, this is one of those moments. After having my taste buds electrocuted back to life, truly, I came very close to finding the Olympian of Restaurants. Read on… this blog is a must.

Upon arriving, I was a little shocked how small the place was- about 15 tables max. I took my seat and ordered pierogis right away. Watching years of Martha Stewart (née Kostyra) does that to you. A plate filled with them appeared 10 mins later. They were boiled with a caramelized onion oil drizzled on top. A duet of potato-and-cheese and pork dumplings, they were delicious. It was at this time I had realized that I had stumbled upon a gold mine. I proceeded with extreme caution towards the main course- surely, with a starter this good, you almost wince in fear that the rest would only lead to disappointment.

The main course DID NOT disappoint. Rather, it only took my tongue (leashed to my brain and belly) to another stratosphere. Pyzy- yes, a word without vowels only wows. Sublime, the next American Idol, the lost Arc of the Covenant… call it what you want, this dish certainly threw my tongue into a mini orgasm. Potato dumplings stuffed with pork, it was different from the pierogi. Soft yet with enough structure to encase the meat it bore, these Silesian dumplings smothered in mushroom sauce are the equivalent of Soul Food. If my brain ignored satiation, I would have ordered this dish over and over again.

It is worth mentioning the side items at this establishment. Of notable attention is the beet root salad. Beet lovers, YOU ARE FORBIDDEN from passing this up. EXQUISTELY CRIMSON! And oh so delicious. Another star was the cucumber salad- such freshness from thinly sliced cucumber and sour cream can ONLY BE GENERATED IF HIGH STANDARDS OF FRESHNESS ARE KEPT. Cucumber being so sensitive to the elements, I quickly noted that they were sliced very recently and marinated in dressing just before serving to preserve the subtle crunch and sweetness. As far as the beet salad, it’s the best in town with the appealing color (another attribute to freshness) and texture.

Impressed would be a down play of what I felt. Gratitude would be more accurate. Anna treated us to a trio of desserts that were all homemade. The Nalesniki were divine and the clear front runner in an otherwise very good dessert platter. The Pychotka with walnuts were also good. Somewhere, Martha is smiling.

We left with congratulating and thanking Anna. She needs some kitchen help. I felt a little sympathetic to her work life as she is there from 6am to 2am every night! Please connect with her if you can ease her burden. Her son works the front of house- he would be the one to get a hold of.

IN A NUTSHELL- A GOLD MINE. Anna has nailed Polish food with her primary ingredient- love. I rate this place very high. It’s up to her son’s business skills to take her talent to the next level. After having the opportunity to interview her, I believe this place has the potential to become major.