The Sabotage

It's been at least 2 weeks with no new blog. Not sure if this is a coup de'tat or what! But, my partner in food crime Viv, is avoiding going to another local vegetarian restaurant. First, she was sick. Now, she's saying she's too hungry to go to a vegetarian place. What is she implying? You can get full at a vegetarian restaurant, I do. Did she miss the memo that we are on a mission to find new places for vegetarians and I have to write about it? She has become a staple in all the stories. Can't she sacrifice eating a burger just once a week? Come on, am I asking her to give me her first born? No! I'm being reasonable, aren't I?

For two weeks friends, she's said I can pick the place and for two weeks we've mysteriously ended up at places like El Cerro's and Giovannis, so random. I guess I can write about these places since they aren't chain restaurants (I think) but there's a piece of me that thinks it's cheating. I'm trying my hardest to get back on the wagon. But, I'm afraid if Viv doesn't get with the program soon and stop screwing around, I'll have to replace her with a new foodie. I mean business! Alright back to the reviews, what you need to know about the two places I've been hoodwinked to dine.

El Cerro's is good if you like Mexican. You get fresh chips and salsa with your meal, which I do appreciate. I could probably eat the chips and salsa all day long if I didn't pay attention. The salsa is a good mix of chunk and run; you know, not too chunky but not watery. It has a nice kick too. I don't enjoy tearing up when I'm eating salsa, it just messes up the flow. My nose starts to run, I have to wipe the tears while avoiding burning my eyes. Just too much to do when I'm trying to enjoy a meal. I want to dip and enjoy in two moves, is that too much to ask.

If you're nice you might get a few colorful chips and if you're like me, you eat those first because they make me happy. As far as the meal there's a small vegetarian section on the menu. I ordered the mushroom quesadilla which comes with rice and guac. I don't too much care for the guacamole, it's a little weird looking and tasting like something is added to it. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something is a little off. Viv enjoys it though, but who cares what she thinks since she's messing up the progress. El Cerro's is usually really crowded for lunch. So if you it annoys you to yell at your friends who are sitting right next to you avoid going around lunch. It's reasonably priced and there's a vegetarian section. I guess you can go on a date, but you probably should take your sweetie when you don't have anything to prove. El Cerro's gets a gold star and a quick lick from me.

Giovanni's is another Italian restaurant; same scenario as the other place. I definitely needed a few Tums before bed after having the baked ziti. I don't know what's going on, I'm either getting old or marina sauce should always be accompanied with Tums. At any rate, I enjoyed the garlic knots, the bread and even the bruschetta more than my meal. Not too many options for veg heads, but I guess we can't have everything. The server was nice and I definitely got the sense it was a family and/or date spot. Not sure if that's a good mix, but I saw couples and families. You take your pick. Giovanni's gets a decent burb from me but not a fave.

That's it, no funny stories, blah, blah, blah. Hopefully, the next posting will be from a place where we really care about, j/k all restaurants are important. Life would not be the same without me eating out, but I want to get back to veggie restaurants. I enjoy having options, that's all. Who doesn't enjoy options? Let's keep our fingers crossed and taste buds ready hopefully Viv get's the message...until next time.

Mamma mia, Stefano's

This weekend was a departure from the usual scavenging for local vegetarian restaurants. I think my friend Viv was tired of meals with no meat options. I appeased her by letting her pick the place to eat. Of course she chose somewhere she could soak her teeth into. You know something that was breathing before being placed on the plate. The selection was Stefano's, she heard the restaurant was the best homemade, authentic Italian place to eat. I said why not! I like Italian, and not just the men!

Upon entering the restaurant there was a dispute by who we think was the owner letting a patron know he hadn't seen him in a long time. It sounded like there was going to be a brawl, but I guess it's just the way they show affection. We were seated by a friendly hostess in a booth and our waiter JC was on her heal. He quickly took our drink orders and an order of mozzarella sticks. I people watched for a little, the place was packed and it looked like the regular spot for everyone. I felt at home! I had a caesar salad and the baked ziti. The ziti was piping hot and delicious.

Overall, Stefano's is a good family restaurant a little pricy, but not too expensive. Take some Tums or it might just be me, the marina sauce always gives me a little indigestion. 'Xcuse me! Even though there's no funny story to go with the review Stefano's get's a good lick from my taste buds with a side order of mint Tums.

Take me to Athens!

This week's trip was to an old time favorite, Athens Cafe. It's a cute mom and pop spot in Oviedo. Look at that, I just rhymed, kind of. Viv and I visit the place for the great tzatziki sauce and for the waitress Nicole. She's awesome! Once we take our seats at the usual second booth to the right, our drinks are soon to follow, Dr. Pepper for me and a Coke for Viv. For my vegetarian friends this place has meat; it's traditional Greek food. To quote it best , " Aunt Voula: What do you mean he don't eat no meat? [the entire room stops, in shock] Aunt Voula: Oh, that's okay. I make lamb" from My Big Fat Greek Wedding.

Have no fear there are a few things on the menu for us, of the none lamb persuasion. I usually order up the veggie pita or the portebello mushroom panini. It just depends on my mood, somethimes I like to be wild and crazy and eat lots of veggies. Both sandwhiches are really good and are definite tummy fillers. You have a choice of sides, I always order fries so I can indulge in a little more of the tzatziki sauce. Which by the way, I never pronounce correctly! The tzzzz sound is complicated. But the service is so good, Nicole just brings out an order of tzatziki with warm pita slices to avoid hearing me butcher the word. You have to try the sauce with fries, so good. If you're nice to Nicole she might even bring out extra sauce; she does for me! Anywho, if you are strict no cross contimination veg head, Athens Cafe might not be for you. However, if you can handle a little lamb being close by, try the place.

Athens Cafe get's a good licking from my taste buds for good I can't pronounce it sauce, food and service. It's reasonably priced for lunch and dinner, huge portion sizes and good family atmosphere.

Garden Variety of meat substitutes

Ok, so I know I'm new to the food critic world, however, I would hope if a restaurant was crowned "Best Vegetarian Restaurant" I would agree. Well, I would like to say publicly in the cyber space world I do not approve of Garden Cafe's accolade at all. Pump the brakes, let me back it up first, before I make such a strong statement let me rephrase: my expectations were not met, that sounds better. There was a picture in my head about a restaurant called Garden Cafe. I envisioned a restaurant that was nestled in a little garden with organic foods and drinks, maybe even a little bird tweeting away in the background. However, when my partner in food crime and I pulled up to the place with bars on the window, we weren't sure we were in the right place. To our chagrin, we were :( The waitress was polite, seated us and explained the menu, btw I now realized Garden Cafe is really a Chinese restaurant; huh. My thought too! Garden Cafe folks is a Chinese restaurant; which is cool, but I felt a little misled. No cutsie restaurant just good ole Chinese food. Can you tell by now I was disappointed?

Eventually, I got over my disappointment and ordered a miso soup, spring roll and white grape juice. I forgot to mention, Viv and I are the only patrons in the place but the appetizers for some strange reason took a few minutes to get to us. The even funnier thing, was the appetizers were a temperature hotter than luke warm. I feel disappointment creeping back into my existence...I silently mused, please go away, I would like to enjoy my meal, thank you very much. Just 5 minutes after my silent prayer, I was slapped in the face full on, I did not like the miso soup. WHAT, I always like miso soup, we have this thing me and miso soup. Not this one though, it was salty and thick, shut the front door. Not good, disappointment is now dining with us and has a place setting to.

Where's the waitress? Not sure, but when she greets me again to ask what I would like to order, she reminded me at least 3 times everything on the menu was vegetarian. Thanks, I got that. Can I order the sweet and sour chicken with white rice please? To my surprise my order got to the table a lot quicker than the appetizers, very strange. I stared at my meal for quite some time because I thought I was staring at sweet and sour chicken, for real. My feelings of panic must have been screaming on my face. Disappointment was now joined with fear; "hi y'all; why wasn't I invited earlier". The table was officially crowded. I took one piece of my chicken and didn't taste anything. I took another bite, same thing. It was safe to say my sweet and sour chicken wasn't chicken, I still don't know what it was, but it wasn't chicken. My friend Viv also reminded a few times just to make sure I was clear we weren't eating chicken, something about the consistency. I got through a couple of pieces and decided that was enough. Viv looked at me with discontent and I couldn't torture her anymore, she's a carnivore. I flagged down the waitress and said with much zeal, CHECK PLEASE.

As a side note, I try really hard to be kind to wait staff, because on a day to day basis I couldn't imagine having to serve meanies. Plus, I do not enjoy when someone makes my job hard, so I try to be simple. From my comments so far, I sound like a big baby; but all I can say is "I call it like I taste it". The sauce was good, the chicken could have been seasoned and no go on the rice. Who messes up rice? Now you know. The waitress was nice enough, but couldn't make up for the barrage of disspointment my meal served up.

Garden Cafe gets a no return from my taste buds--but disappointment and fear says wassup. It was reasonably priced with a dine in atmosphere.

Who's a picky eater, not me!

Why name my blog Picky Eater's Conquest? Well, see what had happen was, since I decided that chicken, pork and beef were conspiring to kill me around October 2006, it's been hard to find a place to eat out. And if you know me, I rather pay for a prepared meal than to actual stand over a stove and make it myself. Some people call it lazy, I like to think of it as spending my time efficiently. While I'm looking over the menu deciding what to eat, I usually make friends with the waitress or waiter, learn something from the menu and then while I wait I can talk to my friends or answer emails on my BlackBerry. I think that proves my point that eating out is better for everyone.

Anywho, I really went off track with my point. What was I talking about...oh yeah I remember; I like to eat. Being a pescatarian, yes it's a real word; just look it up at Wikipedia.com :) Ok, ok, I'll explain--it basically means I eat fruit, veggies, nuts, dairy and fish but nothing else. Once I made this choice, it became a bit tricky to eat out. The longer I've stayed off the stuff; aka meat, chicken and pork, I found foods to have a little by-product hidden through out it. Now, almost 3 years later, my tummy gets a rumbling and I usually have to lay down after a meal. To all my friends who like to trick me and give me some of the stuff with chicken or some other meat in it, I want you to realize I'm out of commission for a few hours which is code for I'm in the bathroom, trying to avoid dying. Consequently, if you are my friend and now know this information, but still try to trick me you are a mean person and I'll have something for you later, when you're sleeping :D Boy I just went off on another tangent, don't know what's upper tonight.

Soo long story short I'm a picky eater because I avoid cooking at all cost, thus (yes I just used thus in a sentence) when I go out unless it's to a vegetarian place my choices are very, very limited; hence the name of the blog. Now, that you have the back story on my tummy I've decided to blog about all my experiences at eating establishment outside of huge chain restaurants. I'll rate the place based on my waiter/waitress and if my taste buds say hallelujah!

Stay tuned for all my ratings!!!!!

I wasn't feeling very mellow

The rave of Mellow Mushroom...not really feeling it. My friend Viv, you know the one I always drag to eat with me loves the place. She really prefers the one in Winter Park but, we were both hungry, tired and a bit cranky so the newly built Mellow on 50 had to do. The wait wasn't bad but it was crowded with little kids who apparently were also cranky. The waiter Andy or Harry, I can't remember; was animated and fun. I decided to get the Mega Veggie but after shoveling down the cheesy bread, I wasn't too hungry anymore however, I was still a little cranky. By this time, the kids were screaming in unison and table behind of me was full of guys who I don't think understood the concept of not bathing in cologne. Once my personal pie came, I ate one bite and was done for the evening. The dough was good, but I picked off just about all the toppings.

So Mellow Mushroom get's a nice try from my taste buds. Mellow is reasonably price for pizza (by the slice or a whole pie), the atmosphere is pretty cool too.

April Fool's thought

A day after my first venture into new restaurant hunting, I'm still dreaming of the delicious givings from Harmni Market. A great soul told me to try it out and who in the right mind would say no to a new place to eat. She said it's a great "date spot". Does she know me? I haven't been on a date since I can't even remember, yeah I know. Needless to say, I went and I took my partner in crime, who enjoys a good meal, great conversation and a good laugh, Viv. She's always up for something new. We had 30 minutes to eat and wasn't sure what to expect but we were so hungry that we didn't even care.

The menu had lots of great things to choose from and the waitress was phenomenal--Jeanette what's up girl. I digress; we ordered two appetizers, that's where it began, the two of us were cueing because the food was so ridiculously good. Who would have thought it would get better? It so did, my panini was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, yes, I had to stretch the word out because it was that good. To end a perfectly I had a black berry vintage soda, which was the perfect blend of creamy goodness with a tickle of bubbles; just perfect.

If you can't tell by now, Harmini Market get's a perfect score from my taste buds. Harmini is reasonably priced, with an adult lounge type atmosphere. As mentioned above it was suggested a great date spot, but an evening with girls would work too. A must try!

Next week, new place, with comments from my tastebuds!