In-N-OutBurgerFiVeGuys - A Battle Royale with Cheese

Restaurant: Burgerfi

Companions:  Jasmine and my Dub-Step-Son. Jasmine has joined me at all 3 and shares my opinions. MyDub-Step-Son, has yet to try In-N-Out, but has had the other two.

Behold the hamburger.  Juicy (sans Couture), loaded (but not expensive), and hot (but not super model... because let’s face it, those skinny diva bitches wouldn’t be caught dead eating them).  At any of the 3 burger joints in the title, you can get something great, and perhaps a touch trendy, without breaking the bank or going overboard.  Yes there are places where you can get a $1000 hamburger, and I’ll admit I’m intrigued by Serendipity 3’s $295 Wagyu beef burger, but realistically If I’m going to spend that on a meal, it’s not going to be for a hamburger.  Burgers are comfort food.   A good burger is like a good woman... enough meat to be tasty, nice buns, lots of good things inside to keep it interesting, and you shouldn’t have to break the bank to be able to enjoy it.

There has been an ongoing war amongst my tastebuds, as to my favorite quick serve burger place.  Ever since discovering it in the late 90’s, I’ve been a devotee of In-N-Out Burger.  I wear the T-shirts proudly... they are a great conversation starter, and I get comments all the time on them.  I make pilgrimages whenever I’m out West... which is my chief beef with them... they aren’t here on Florida.  I used to see their signs, and look at the name... In-N-Out... is it a burger joint or a cat-house?  If it is as quick as the name implies, how can it be any good?  At least it is a step above Hot and Now... worst name for a restaurant ever.  Then The Gunslinger took me to one for lunch and I was hooked.  The do one thing and do it (at the time) better than anyone else.  Burgers and fries.  All fresh, never frozen, top quality ingredients.  Secret menu.  Cool shirts.  Their fries aren’t the greatest, but they don’t suck either.  Alas, not in Florida.

Then along comes Five Guys... in Florida, everything fresh, If the burger at In-N-Out is a 10, these are an 9-1/2.  Their fries are some of the best I’ve ever had, and they give you a potato sack full of them... ok maybe a burger bag full... they fill the container to overflowing, drop it in the bag, then put another scoop of fries in on top, just to make sure your arteries are nice and clogged... great business practice, right up until their customers drop dead from a couple of years of over-indulgence.  But then their fries are like crack, so by the time you drop dead, they will have all of your money anyway.

So my tastebuds have been warring over which I like better, and then fate takes a hand and I get my annual bout of bronchitis.  What the fries does bronchitis have in common with burgers besides beginning with a “B”? Well, dear reader, I happened to be wearing one of my In-N-Out shirts when I went to see our family doctor, with Jasmine and my “Dub-step-Son” in tow, as we are all sick.  Who commented that he had never had In-N-Out, but asked if we had ever tried Burgerfi.  That’s right, the family doctor (and his missing gallbladder), send us to a cholesterol filled den of caloric insanity.  Of course my DSS, who chews up burgers like Skrillex chews up beats, is all for this idea. Jasmine and I are starving, and there is one on the way home... So since I have taken a rare sick day, and the one meeting I need call in for doesn’t start for 2 hours, we are off to harden our arteries as a family.

Start with fresh, locally sourced, antibiotic and hormone free grass fed (corn finished... -1/2 point) angus beef.  Put it in a toasty, branded bun... Literally “Burgerfi” is charred in to the bun, taking branding to a whole new level... or more appropriately back to it’s origins.  Fill it with everything from pickles and mustard to more exotic offerings like Burgerfi sauce, aioli, and blue cheese, and add a mountain of fries that are as good as Five Guys.  There are all sorts of classic and exotic toppings for the fries, as well.  However my DSS summed up the fires best... “Wow, these are the first fries I’ve ever had that don’t need ketchup”.  He opted to pass on the Parmesan and herbs, however, which while tasty, did not work as well as ketchup, in my opinion.  They also have Frozen Custard and what they call a Concrete, which is frozen custard with other tasty stuff mixed in.  Have to go back for one of those... the one thing a bit off-putting about them is they were as much as the burgers.  For drinks, they have the new super soda machines that mix in all of the flavors, plus boutique bottled sodas and beer and wine.  The interior is a modern take on a classic burger joint, and they also have outside seating.  Jasmine, my DSS and I all agree the burgers are some of the best we have ever had, and will definitely be going back... Jasmine is threatening tonight.

      Burgerfi has figured out how to take the best of the other two chains, blend it together like one of their Concretes, and then one up everyone with some gourmet additions, plus beer and wine.  On their website they have their own “secret menu”... an idea directly lifted from In-N-Out, and while the ideas themselves are all Burgerfi, such a blatant naming made me want to go all animal style on them. (- 1/2 Point).  Service was reasonably quick, despite being packed during the lunch rush, and they give you a pager to pick up your order (a-la Panera).

      Overall I give them 9 (mayonnaise free) fries from my large order (about how many you will get if I even consider sharing with you... They are that good).

The Elote Cafe is A-maize-ing.

Restaurant: The Elote Cafe, Sedona, AZ.

Companion: Jasmine

I find myself on vacation with Jasmine in Sedona, AZ.  Long time Readers know both the Old Master and I grew up in the South West, and he is to blame for my love of Mexican food.  So where do we go for dinner?  A Mexican restaurant... thank you captain obvious.  We considered going to anoter place (not Mexican) recommended by the hotel bar manager... but the reviews on Yelp were so bad, we decided to try for something else.  The best rated joint in town is The Elote Cafe... a Mexican restaurant that doesn't take reservations and features a 1-2 hour wait.  Note the cuisine is real Mexican food (or perhaps Mexican inspired... the Chef makes everything his own, with great results), so if you are looking for Tex-Mex, you are in the wrong place.

When we arrived, we found a mob in the lobby, many waiting for drinks and popcorn (more on that later), and Chef Jeff tucked away in the corner being interviewed by CNN.  Obviously a good sign.

Some readers tell me my humor is corny.  Well if you like corn (the food, not the humor), this restaurant is all about it.  It is, after all a staple of true Mexican food, so you're just going to have to suck it up and deal if corn isn't your thing.  Elote is a Mexican street food consisting of roasted corn on the cob, mayonaise, lime and chili powder.  Of course it is on the menu and Chef Jeff makes it better than any I've had... his is "deconstructed" (off of the cob) making it shareable by everyone at the table. This was so good, had I been with anyone other than Jasmine, I wouldn't have been quite so willing to share. It really is that good.

I'd like to say that the portions put the "lot" in Elote, just for the bad pun, but most of the portions were well sized.  Plenty of food for your money, and you won't leave hungry, but in most cases not TOO much (I hear the Lamb shank in Adobo will feed two and the Pastel de Elote definitely needs to be shared).  Jasmine and I split everything so we could try more.  We also tried the Roasted beet salad, with arrugala, a honey vinaigrette dressing, and some unbelievably nummy roasted pumpkin seed crusted goat cheese balls.  As Goat cheese, beets and arrugala is one of Jasmine's favorite flavor combinations, she was in heaven (and so was I).  It really is that good.

For an Entree we shared the shrimp enchiladas, which had bacon in them. This really sent an already great dish totally over the top.  They were accompanied by some truly amazing, and appropriately portioned black bean refritos and perfectly done rice (miles away from the mountain of canned refried beans and dry rice that clog your plate and your arteries at your typical Texican Cantina del caca).

I was so blown away, I just had to meet the chef.  Jeff Smedstad is charming, friendly and a gracious host who truly loves what he does and it shows through both his food and his personality.  His goal is to make people happy through his food, and at this he succeeds admirably.  After a quick chat, he disappeared back into the kitchen, as he is a very hands on chef, making sure everything is perfect.  So many chefs make a name for themselves and coast on their accolades.  Jeff is not one of those chefs.  He cooks for the love of it.  If you do what you love, success will follow, and it has followed Jeff Smedstad.  The only negative I have seen about his restaurant is the wait, but if you don't like to wait, suck it up and deal.  There are plenty of places to sit, including an outdoor heated patio, with blankets for the colder months. There is also a bar with an admirable selection of tequilas and other beverages.  If all you want is water, they will gladly hook you up.  The bar is also where you will find free Palomitos (popcorn), with Jeff's special touch of course... a tasty chili pepper seasoning (not too hot) which is also for sale at the front desk.  The palomitos is great, and can help take the edge off while you wait.  If you don't want to wait for one of the best meals you will ever eat, take your crybaby prima donna self somewhere else... my wait will be shorter. :)  Or better yet, put your big girl panties on and deal. :)  It really is that good.

Speaking of for sale at the front desk, Chef Jeff also has put out a cookbook, which I couldn't resist buying, and it is so well put together, I will probably read it cover to cover.  He holds nothing back, shares all of his tips and tricks, and every recipe on the menu at the time of this writing appears to be in the book.  Equally as impressive is the passion he has for the food he creates, and it shows in his writing.  He came back out of the kitchen and signed the book for us, and spent a few more minutes talking food and cooking.  Very genuine, and a totally chilled out Zen guy.  My kinda cat.

Dinner was so good we went back (and waited) the next night.  It really is that good.  Bowl of palomitos in hand, and with Jasmine for company, it went rather quickly.  We had another of those amazing roasted beet salads, and split the Carne Asada, which was cooked to perfection.  Why share an entree?  We needed room for dessert in the desert.  In this case it was the Pastel de Elote which adorns the cover of the cookbook.  A sweet corn cake topped with cajeta (goat milk caramel) cinnamon ice cream, whipped cream, berry compote and super-sweet corn (roasted and dehydrated corn kernels that are crunchy and oh so yummy... they add great texture to an already amazing dessert).  In the words of George Tekai... "Oh, Myyyyyy".

One (okay, two) of the best meals I have had in my life. Chef Jeff is a true artist. If you are visiting the Sedona area (or are within a day's drive) come here for dinner. If you aren't near Sedona, plan a vacation. The food really is that good.

I give it 10 crunchy kernels of super sweet corn... because it really is that good.

Art's BBQ... edible, but not art.

Restaurant: Art's Bar-B-Q Altamonte Springs, FL, Near Crane's Roost Park

Companions: The Old Master, Jasmine

OK, so it's the Old Master's Birthday, and besides Mexican food, he Loves Bar-B-Q. Quite the 'Cue connoisseur, when he tells me he has found the best 'Cue since he has been in Florida, I'm definitely intrigued. In my mind, as my regular readers know, not much can beat Keller's (see the previous post). So Jasmine and I head on up to Altamonte Springs, to spend some time with him, celebrate his 77th birthday, and hope to be impressed. Well, Y'all (in my best southern, 'cue lovin', rib munchin' accent) we ain't. Maybe it was just the hype, or maybe I'm spoiled, but Keller's has this place beat by a mile. Don't get me wrong, they did do some things well, but there were a few places where they just fell flatter than a frog on I-4 during rush hour.

Tips on foursquare warned us that the service was slow, and the people were rude. I'm pleased to report very firendly staff, and while the food did take a bit to come out, I suspect it was because some things wree being made fresh to order (Like my fried okra). Which seemed like it was commercially breaded, but better than most non-homemade I have had and seemed fresh out of the frier. The baked beans totally rocked. Great and unusual flavor. picked peppers or something in them, great sauce. Probably the best thing I had there. The St. Louis Style Rips were tender and meaty, and the sauce was good, but NOT Keller's ribs or sauce. Both The Old Master and I had those, and he always doubles up on beans. Here, I can see why. Jasmine's Collard Greens were fair. The coleslaw was way too mayonnaisy and typical of the bad coleslaw found in most BBQ places. Her Pulled pork was well done and had a nice flavor. So far, fair and forgivable, but then they dropped the ball big time. Her sandwich should have been on a bun, but was served with white bread, as were the other dinners. I Wonder who decided to serve Wonder bread instead of Texas toast? In a BBQ restaurant IMO, you've got two bread choices... homemade/parker house/(or even Kings Hawaiian) rolls or Texas Toast. These geniuses give you white bread I wouldn't even feed the ducks down at Crane's roost Park?!?!? I lost all respect for this place when I saw that. A friend pointed out it is part of some Southern BBQ traditions, and he does have a point... but for the sandwich? Really??? I'm giving you an F, Art, because your choice of bread stinks, and has nothing to do with the after effects of the beans. And let's face it... you're going to have sticky fingers after eating BBQ... no moist towelettes? Really? You afraid your patrons with sticky fingers are going to sticky finger a bunch of towelettes for their car or purse? Art isn't a very trusting guy, apparently. At least bring us ONE with dinner then, if you can't leave us a bucket full of them on the table.

The atmosphere was part fast food joint themed BBQ shack, but part Memphis Blues, with pix of blues greats on the walls and blues playing in the background. The thing that really gave me the blues was the white bread and lack of towelettes. The Old Master enjoyed his Birthday dinner, though, and that is what counts I suppose.

Good meat and sauce, fair sides other than the beans (which do rock), and a fail on anything on the table that was white (coleslaw, towelettes, and bread). I'm giving Art's 7 used napkins, because I needed that many, and a trip to the washroom to clean my fingers.

I'm in Love with Lebanese

Restaurant: Cedar's - Sand Lake Road, near Dr. Phillips

Companion(s): Jasmine

www.orlandocedars.com

Ok so I haven't posted in a while. I admit Jasmine has kept me rather distracted. :) Why am I boring you with all this mushy stuff? Because it's Valentine's Day (or at least it was when we went to Cedars) and my love for this restaurant is right up there with the best I've been to. Of course I love Jasmine more, but as restaurants go, this one has absolutely stolen my heart. Might have been the company, but with a name like Cedars, it's gotta have the potential for culinary wood... and I'm talking totally aroused taste buds here, not "the chicken tastes like wood" (with apologies to The Sugar Hill Gang... and if you haven't already guessed, this restaurant is an "Eater's Delight").

So Like I said, is/was Valentine's Day, and silly Buddha that I am, I decide to take Jasmine (who is Lebanese, by the way, hence the Aladdin reference) to a Lebanese restaurant. I've had Jasmine's home made Lebanese food, and it was truly amazing... all her Siti's (Arabic Grandma's) recipes. An untried restaurant on Valentine's Day has the potential for disaster. Especially when your significant other grew up eating that style of food. We've been wanting to try the restaurant for a while, though, and agreed that we would risk it. The restaurant was dimly lit and very romantic... the decor and background music made us feel like we had stepped in to another world, or at least another country. So far, so good. Our waiter was Arabic and truly knowledgable about the restaurant and the menu. He asked if we had never been there before, and when we said "No." he recommended the Special, which was a 2 person version of their "Arabic Feast for Four". It consisted of three cold appetizers, four hot appetizers, a platter of meats and veggies with portions of three of the entree meats from the menu (chef's choice), steamed rice and veggies, and a dessert.

The cold appetizers were brought out first... the hummus was remarkably creamy, some of the best I've ever had.

The baba ghanouj was wonderfully smoky, THE best I've ever had by far (and if you can disagree, you must be smoking something yourself). If I had to pick one can't miss item on the menu, it would have to be this. The tabbouleh was good but not as much bulgar as I was expecting, and a bit oily, but excelent flavor over all. This was served with fresh Syrian (pita) bread that was still warm and puffy from the oven. Truly amazing. Though we didn't get to try it, it is interesting to note Kibbeh Nayeh (Raw beef kibbeh, a lebanese delicacy) is also on the menu.

As to the hot appetizers, The safiah (meat pies) were wonderful, great flavor. Seasoned ground meat in a puff pastry. The fatayer Jasmine says sere just like her Siti's. The cheese rolls were cheese strips fried in a light crispy wanton-like wrapper. But my favorite of the hot appetizers had to be the felafel... far and away the best felafel I've ever had. They were almost like an arabic hush puppy... very light, very flavorful. All of the hot appetizers were served with a tahini sauce (which is supposed to come with the felafel) that was very good.

At this point we were bordering on full, and still had the entree to come... the entree platter (on the menu as the Mixed Grille) was huge and contained nice sized portions of three of their meat entrees. The kafta kebab was beef very well seasoned with a unique blend of spices. The shish kabab is the tenderest most flavorful lamb I've ever had in my life. Finally, the shish tawook (grilled chicken skewers) was amazing... wish I knew what kind of seasonings they used. Oh my wow good! This mammoth platter of meats was accompanied by steamed rice and vegetables - the veggies were all perfectly tender crisp, and the baby carrots exceptionally sweet.

Dessert (not that we had room for it, but we forced ourselves) was fruit, honey and whipped cream. Simple and light, which is good, as we could not have finished anything heavier. We took home enough food for us both to have VERY large lunches the next day. $50 for two is a bit pricey, but considering the quality and the fact that we four meals out of it, well worth every penny.

I've never given a reviewed restaurant a 10, as it is rare to fine a restaurant where the quality of the food, the service, the atmosphere and the price are all exceptional. However Cedar's has truly achieved culinary nirvana. This was one of the 10 best meals I've ever had in my life, so in this case I'm giving it 10 (big Buddha) bellies dancing. If you are in Orlando, don't miss Cedar's!

One final note, the post is dated from when we ate there, even though I am just now getting around to writing it up. Thank Buddha for iPhone voice memos. -FB

Mad about (Cafe) Madrid

Restaurant: Cafe Madrid, Conway and Curry Ford, Orlando

Companion(s): Jasmine

Driving down Curry Ford Road in Orlando, you see lots of little restaurants and hole in the wall places, many of them Spanish (linguistically, in reality it's mostly Cuban, and Puerto Rican, with some Mexican and other Spanish speaking countries thrown into the mix for fun). Cafe Madrid is just another one of those unremarkable little hole in the wall (or storefront in the shopping center) little places, and quite frankly it isn't that remarkable when you walk in either. It's clean, sparsely decorated, and wholly average in appearance. It would make a good spy (if restaurants could conduct espionage) because it just blends in so well. Jasmine is a foodie and has lived in Orlando most of her life. She has family in the Conway area who have been there for years, and currently lives in the area herself. Yet in all of the years she has been driving past, she has never bothered to go in, despite the fact she says it has always looked busy.

This however is where average ends and "Oh my Buddha" (Oh my Me?) begins. The smells wafting from the kitchen hit me like the freight train from Inception, knocking me into another reality, and a very tasty one at that. The service is very attentive, but the reason to go to any restaurant should be the food, and Cafe Madrid's food is almost as good as getting ole'd. They feature a mix of Cuban, Spanish, and Basque cuisine, and no matter how you translate it, it comes out to "Muy Bueno."

Jasmine ordered the grouper special, which came with the garlic shrimp entree off of the menu. I got to try a couple of bites and really wish I had ordered it... it would have maybe made my top 10 meals of all time list. That is not to say that my meal was lacking, however. Seeing Pernil on the menu made me want to eat (like a) pig, so I ordered it and did exactly that. Quite succulent and tasty.

Every entree comes with salad (the house dressing rocks my socks), rice (great yellow rice... why waste your time with white rice in a spanish restaurant unless you are pouring your black beans over it) and of course the just mentioned black beans. Holy frijoles, Batman. These are some seriously bad ass black beans... some of the best I've ever had, and worth the trip by themselves. And if these aren't enough, you also get your choice of tostones or maduros. I can't comment on the Tostones, because we both love Maduros, and these were quite good. Some really great cuban bread was also brought to the table.

Jasmine ordered Sangria, and after having a sip of hers, I had to order one too. Again, some of the best I've ever had. Not terribly strong, but the flavor was superb! I really wish I had had room for dessert, but there was easily enough food left over from both of our plates for lunch the next day, so you can bet there was no room left in even my big belly for some dulces.

So how much would you pay? Most of the entrees were in the $9-11 range... no mierda! Jasmine's special was $20, but worth every penny, and seafood isn't cheap.

Were I grading it like a school teacher, I'd consider giving it a si (which translates to "A" in my book... and that's a Fonzie kind of "Aaaaaaa!" not a Canadian "Eh", just to clarify. Since I rate everything on a different scale (and not the ones from Jasmine's fish) however, I'm giving it 9 big chunks of fruit in my sangria.

Deck the plates with Brats and Sauerkraut, Ya, Yalaha! Ha! La-la-la la...

Restaurant: Yalaha Country Bakery, Yalaha, FL

Companion(s): The Black Belt Chef

So this is Christmas, and I'm on a quest (to paraphrase John Lennon)... not a difficult one mind you, but a quest just the same... one frought with the perrils of the highway (complete with Biker gangs and bad traffic, but more on them later). Like I said it's Christmas, and The Buddha needs a Stollen (not talking about the rise in crime at the holidays, either). When you mention Christmas Fruitcake, most folks go "Blech!", but Stollen, dear readers, is the real deal, the often imitated fruitcake traditionally served at Christmastime, and probably the unfortunate inspiration for that most dreaded of holiday gifts, mass produced by wanna-be bakeries trying to make a quick buck by selling you something better suited to be stuck on the front of a building than stuck in your face. Now if you go find a "genuine Stollen" at Publix, you might not be impressed (I wasn't), but fortunately for us there is a German Style Bakery, run by a German baker, who makes them (and lots of other tasty Euro-treats) in the tiny hamlet of Yalaha, Florida. Hamlet is an overstatement, as this town is so small it barely qualifies as a bite, much less a whole ham-let. For those of you without a PhD in Florida Geography, it's about 45 minutes North of Orlando near Howie-in-the-Hills, in Lake County. Where?!?! Don't panic, just click the link at the top of this page for their website, then follow the maps on their page.

So I put out the call to a couple of foodie friends, and the Black Belt Chef was up for the trip. Having a black belt along when there are biker gangs involved is always a plus... "Ever meet a Ninja in a bar? It's a lot of fun!" So what's with all the Biker gangs, you ask? County roads 19 and 48 in Lake County are a beautiful, curvy, relatively untraveled pair of byways, perfect for motorcycle cruising. When the Chef and I pull in, there are 10 bikes in the parking lot, and as we walk up to the bakery another 20 or so pull in together (not to mention about 30 cars). Fortunately, the bikers here are generally the friendly sort, just weary travelers like ourselves, looking to get their grub on, German style.

The bakery is ALWAYS packed on the weekends... get there early, and take a number folks. So Chef and I wait, load up the car with pastries and bread (and a stollen), and then wander back inside to hit the Deli for lunch. Deli? WTF? I thought you said bakery! Well, with all of this good bread, you've got to have some meat to put on it, right?

The building also houses a deli, which ships in all of ther meats from Geier's Sausage Kitchen in Sarasota (the subject of a future quest/blog... suffice to say it totally rocks and is worth the drive). However on the weekends, besides sandwiches, they have specials, which brings me to the true subject of this post... The Saturday special was Bratwurst (choice of smoked or not), Sauerkraut, German Style potato salad (not the over-vinegared crap some folks pass off as German style potato salad here in the South, either) and a Pretzel. The kraut is perhaps the best I've ever had, resplendent with bay leaves and juniper berries (which you pick out), and the potato salad, served warm, is amazing. As it was a nice day, we chose to sit outside and listen to the "band" play a mix of classic rock and Christmas carols... bizarre, but it somehow worked. I might have just been overly hungry, but this may have to make my list of Best Meals Ever (and at $7.95 is certainly the cheapest of them). It should be noted that the crowds are thick during the weekends, and this is not someplace to visit if you are in a hurry. The service at the counter is friendly and helpful, but moves at the speed of an inebriated gastropod, motivating vertically upon a raised land mass. The food however is definitely worth the wait in line.

Having had our fill of good German cuisine, we moved on to Lake county's other well known foodie destination, Lakeridge Winery. The tour is informative and not too long, but a little sales pitchy. However I'm quite willing to sit through a sales pitch for some free wine. :) Here's a hint... if there is something not in the tasting that you really want to try, they'll hook you up at the "bar" in the gift shop. The Pink Crescendo (a methode champagnoise sparkling wine is quite tasty, though pricey. The surprising find is the Cream Sherry from the San Sebastian winery, their sister winery in St. Augustine. The Chef was quite thrilled with it, and I added this stop to our itinerary specifically to pick up a bottle of it for myself for the holidays.

Overall I give it 8 Juniper berries in a truly amazing mound of sauerkraut.

Good Thai in da house.

Restaurant: Thai House, Colonial Drive, near Bumby, Orlando, Fl

Companion(s): The Culinary Ninja

With The Princess out of town on business for the week, I've been fortunate to go on some culinary adventures with friends, to some places she isn't adventurous enough to try.  I haven't had Asian in a while, so I talked my good friend the Culinary Ninja, (who is a former chef, blackbelt in the dojo and in the kitchen) into joining me east of Downtown for dinner at the Thai House.  The building is kind of like a good oriental dumpling... rather ordinary on the outside, but inside, yummy!  Very nicely decorated, the ambiance sets the mood for the meal to follow.

We started off with some soup.  Tom Yum for the Ninja, and Tom Kha for me.  Tom Yum is one of my favorite Asian soups, with chicken, galangal (similar in appearance, but not flavor to ginger), mushrooms, lemongrass, celery, onion, red bell pepper, bamboo shoots, cilantro and lime juice in coconut milk.  The version here is outstanding, with the vegetables being at just the right level of doneness, and a perfect blend of citrus, and cilantro, smoothed out by the coconut milk.  Tom Yum is a spicy version of Tom Kha, minus the galangal, which is a key ingredient of Tom Kha (Kha being the Thai pronunciation for the ingredient).  CN really liked it, saying...

We also decided to split an order of dumplings, and like I said, humble on the outside but inside, quite yummy.  The dumplings themselves had a mild, pleasant flavor.  The ginger soy sauce they came with however really made the dish.  

For dinner I had Phad Thai, the Thai national noodle dish.  It consists of rice noodles, bean sprouts, paprika, other seasonings, and is slightly sweet.  This was an average version, without the depth of flavor of other Phad Thai I've tried.  The portion here was adequate, but not as large as some other Thai restaurants in the area.  On the bright side that left room for dessert!

CN opted for the fried cheesecake, which he described as fair.  He was expecting more.  I decided to be adventurous and go for the Mango and Sticky Rice, having no idea what to expect.  What I  got was a bed of sticky rice toped with a sliced mango section, coconut syrup, and toasted sesame seeds.  The rice was, well, sticky rice, and the mango wasn't as sweet as it should have been.  The coconut syrup, however, saved the dish, bringing the needed sweetness expected in a dessert, and the nuttiness of the toasted sesame seeds was subtle but there.  A sweeter mango and a few more sesame seeds would have made this an absolute hit, but as it was it didn't live up to what I was hoping for.

The atmosphere is nice, the food good and not overpriced, and while I've had better Thai in Orlando, I've also had much worse.  I recommend checking out the restaurant's website, as it is well done, including Thai dining etiquette tips, and an outstanding online menu with photos!  Even though there were only 6 dumplings on the plate, I'll give it 7 1/2 dumplings dipped in ginger soy sauce.  Yum!