It's Like Southern Tapas - The Tasting Room - Winter Garden, Florida

Happy Saturday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

To get your weekend started right, I would like to share with you one of my favorite restaurants that you should definitely try if you are in or near Central Florida.  

In the cozy, charming little city of Winter Garden, Florida is a historic downtown area that I love to visit.  In the center of this area is the Historic Edgewater Hotel.  On the first floor of the hotel is a fabulous restaurant that has received much acclaim called "The Chef's Table."  But my favorite part is the bar/patio of the restaurant which is "The Tasting Room" where you can get Southern-style tapas and incredible cocktails.  

Throw this all together and you get the multi-word title of the restaurant which is called "The Tasting Room at The Chef's Table at the Edgewater Hotel."

I have been to this restaurant several times.  In fact any time I am near the Orlando area, I try to make time to visit The Tasting Room.  And it NEVER disappoints.  When the weather is beautiful, I love sitting outside on the patio with friends.  Even better is timing it when they are doing a music series in the main square park across from the restaurant.  Who doesn't love live music with their al fresco dinner?

The most recent time I have been to The Tasting Room was with one of my foodie partners in crime, Ms. Wrigleyville.  We were starving after a busy day of shopping (it's hard work, people) and we knew that a meal at The Tasting Room would make us happy little foodies.  We arrived and basically ordered EVERYTHING.  Here is a look at all the lovely edibles we sampled ...

First - for me, a jalapeño margarita hold the cilantro.  I am one of the select percentage of the population who have the genetic variant that makes them hate cilantro.  My sister also has the same gene variation.  Our mother, on the other hand, loves it and cannot get enough of it.  A childhood of smelling cilantro (or as my Mother refers to it "Chinese Parsley") was enough to turn me off for life.  

This Jalapeño Margarita from The Tasting Room (called The Muerto Verde with five pepper infused tequila) is one of my favorites.

After I had my cocktail in hand, Ms. Wrigleyville and I ordered the Muffaletta Sliders - mini muffaletta sandwiches.  I looooooove Muffaletta sandwiches.  I believe the secret is in the olive salad and the bread.  The best olive salad (in my opinion) comes from Central Grocery and Deli in New Orleans, Louisiana.  But as I am not rich enough to fly to New Orleans whenever I want a good olive salad, locally I go to Mazzaro's Italian Market in St. Petersburg, Florida.  Their olive salad is not as good as Central Grocery's, but it is still pretty darn tasty.  

These mini muffalettas were toasted which gave a nice crunchiness to the bread and an oozy juicy savoriness to the fillings.  This was the perfect start to our Tasting Room experience.  

Next was a newer item on the Tasting Room's menu - PIMENTO CHEESE.  I had never had the Southern staple, Pimento Cheese, until I went to Nashville, Tennessee.  (Read my 12 Things to do in Nashville blog post here.)  I am now a Pimento Cheese believer.  This was not the absolute best Pimento Cheese I have ever had, but I would say that The Tasting Room's Pimento Cheese was in the Top Three.  Sharp cheddar, savory pimento and crisp lavash style crackers.  

Next up was The Tasting Room Empanadas - slow braised ox tail with a mango cilantro salsa.  Even with my sharp distaste for cilantro, these empanadas rocked the house.  The ox tail was extremely tender and the salsa gave a nice kick.

If you're a regular LilyOnTheLam.Com Reader, you will know I am known for two things - my 1034 cats and my love for arancini - Italian risotto balls.  When I saw that Shrimp Arancini - etouffe risotto balls with Gulf shrimp and a creole aioli were on the Tasting Room's menu - I knew we had to order them.  These crisp little deep-fried balls of love certainly delivered.  

We noticed that several of our items had the same creole sauce, but since this sauce was crazy tasty we did not mind at all.

I'd like to say we ended our dinner at The Tasting Room at The Chef's Table at The Edgewater Hotel on a light note, but ohhhhh nooooo ... when you're having Southern-style tapas, you need to go whole hog and go for the Fried Green Tomatoes.  But not just any fried green tomatoes -- noo, a stack of fried green tomatoes with crab and house cured Bacon Maque Choux (which is usually a corn, onion and tomato mixture).

I am not a stranger to the fried green onion stack and this was definitely one of my favorites of all that I have tried.  I would have liked the tomato to have been cooked about a minute less, but otherwise it was sheer gastronomic gluttony in a tower formation.  The crab was big puffy chunks of seafood deliciousness that "lightened" up the fried tomato.  A great combination.

Other items that I love from The Tasting Room menu from my previous visits are: the Mini Beef Wellington Trio (soooo freaking good!), the New Orleans BBQ Shrimp and Heirloom Cheese grits (this was the ONLY time I have not ordered them, it is a Lily Must Order), the Smoked Fish Dip, the Duck Fat French Fries, the Fish Tacos and the Pan Seared Scallops.  

I had ordered the onion and potato galette once.  The potatoes were undercooked and it had the rare distinction of being one of the only dishes I did not enjoy at The Tasting Room.  

I have never had dessert at The Tasting Room - as you can see from what Ms. Wrigleyville and I ordered, there simply was no room.  They do have mini desserts for those who have a mini amount of room left.  They look quite lovely and maybe one day I will experience them.

Lucky for us, Winter Garden's historic downtown area is the perfect place for an after dinner walk.  We window shopped and tried to burn off a couple of the calories after the great Southern-style tapas feast we devoured.  It makes for a lovely evening - dinner and a stroll.

The Historic Edgewater Hotel also has a Thai restaurant called Thai Blossom that I vow one day I will try, but it is simply difficult to go anywhere else in Winter Garden when The Tasting Room is just sooooo good.  If you're in Central Florida, you must check it out!

Have a great weekend!

    

The Best Cheese Grits in America

Happy Monday, LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers!

I had been traveling for almost three weeks recently - luxurious vacation time in Las Vegas and New York City and then a work trip to Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina.  I ate too much.  I drank too much.  My body was NOT a happy camper.  But on the bright side, I have a new "Number Three" in my "Top Three Best Cheese Grits in America" list.

From absolute best to incredible best to wonderful best, here are my top three ...

1)  The now closed Bailey's Restaurant in Tampa Bay, "Southern Gentleman Grits."  Mr. Kim Bailey still runs a catering business.  I sometimes wonder how much his minimum catering order is.  I fantasize about ordering a giant batch of his Southern Gentleman Grits and then inviting friends to get some big spoons and come on over!

Sadly, I have no picture of the Southern Gentleman Grits- so here's a picture of my kitten instead.

Cat - Not Grits.

2)  The Rib Room in New Orleans, LA and their Creole Grits. Their Prime Rib Debris Po'Boy (debris as in shreds of meat) with a side of Creole Grits is one of the most decadent meals you can have in New Orleans.  (Mr. B's Bistro's Barbecued Shrimp being right up there with decadence and deliciousness too!  Any meal where a guy has to come up to you and put a bib on you before you begin is bound to be amazing!)  Their creole grits are almost a tie with Kim Bailey's grits - lush luxury in a white creamy rich mouthful with a drizzle of hot creole sauce on top! 

Creamed Spinach and Creole Grits at The Rib Room in New Orleans, LA

The Monster Stuffed Prime Rob Debris Po'Boy from The Rib Room in New Orleans, LA -
this sandwich is bigger than your head!

and now my NEW number three for "Best Cheese Grits in America is …

3)  The cheese grits that come with the shrimp and grits at The Piney Point Grill and Seafood at the Doubletree Suites Raleigh-Durham on Meridian Parkway.  Their shrimp and grits  include jumbo shrimp with smoked bacon pieces, garlic, mushrooms and cherry tomatoes on a bed of Old Mill of Guilford White Cheddar Grits.  

I had never heard of "Old Mill of Guilford" but apparently it's been around since 1767 in North Carolina and you can purchase a wide variety of their products online.  I am sure the grits plus 2000 pounds of butter, cream and cheese are what makes Piney Point's grits so darn tasty.  

What's worse is that if you're staying at the hotel, you can have these decadent grits delivered to your room.  Which I did not just once, but twice during my four night stay!  Some food should not be available to be delivered to your door any hour of the day, at your beck and call!

I used to not understand why people liked grits.  I like corn.  I like polenta.  I don't like cornbread.  And I always thought grits tasted like weak, bland porridge with a weird texture.  But once I had Kim Bailey's Southern Gentlemen Grits, I was inspired to try grits.  Sure my favorite grits are ones that are a vehicle for a huge dose of fat and cheese, but hey … if you're going to inhale a large amount of calories it might as well be on something REALLY TASTY.

A somewhat honorable mention goes to the Jalapeño Cheese Grits from the Chef John Besh Restaurant "The American Sector" at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, LA.  I had really been looking forward to lunch at this restaurant, but the food and the specialty cocktails were disappointing and the customer service was abhorrent.  The decor was gorgeous and the Jalapeño Cheese Grits were pretty tasty - the only bright spot in the meal.  

However I strongly recommend that if you're in New Orleans that you make time for the National World War II Museum.  It is incredible and the Tom Hanks narrated 4D show "Beyond All Boundaries" will blow your mind!

(Side Note:  I had the third best cheese in grits in North Carolina but I also had the WORST shrimp and grits there too!  Check out my review here.) 

I'm home now from my many travels.  I am eating a lot more healthy and sensibly.  But the memories of all those delicious cheese grits make me smile! 

Worst Shrimp and Grits of 2013

Hello LilyOnTheLam.Com Readers:

I have been on the road lately, so expect some food tales from various cities in the US in future posts.  When I returned from my travels, I found an acidic-toned note in the elevator admonishing whichever dog owner was allowing their dog to relieve his/her dogself in the elevator.  I thought two things when reading the note - 1) I hope it really is a dog and not one of my geriatric neighbors urinating in the elevator and 2) even though the note was bitchy in tone, the anonymous author chose to print the note in green and red ink.  Happy Holidays, inconsiderate dog owner!  I think the next time I am really catty, I'll throw a sprig of holly at the person after I berate them!  

As part of my "Lily Tours the US" road trip, I spent 2 days stuck in the Washington DC Reagan National airport.  As if Reagan wasn't my favorite President to begin with … now this!  I felt like Tom Hanks in the movie "The Terminal."  I was pretty sure I was never going to leave the airport.  After 2 days of sampling Reagan National airport's restaurants, you would think I would know better … but alas, I seem to never know better!

I was in the Raleigh Durham Airport when I decided to try the 42nd Street Oyster Bar over Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant.  Now I love Gordon Biersch, so I should have gone there even though the airport location had a limited menu compared to the brewhouses.  Ahhh hindsight is 20-20.

The menu at 42nd Street Oyster Bar looked great and it was definitely the reason why I made that fateful decision to select it over Gordon Biersch.  It bills itself as a Raleigh institution since 1931 - well that means it has to be good, right?  Sigh.  Never assume.

Even though I am from the Midwest, my tastebuds are from the South.  I decided to see how 42nd Street Oyster Bar handled shrimp and grits.  Another decision I would come to regret. 

The shrimp and grits was advertised as sautéed shrimp, mushrooms in a tasso ham gravy with low country grits with Gouda cheese and sourdough toast.

What I received was this …

Where's the shrimp?

I seriously thought a mistake had been made when I received the dish.  What were those yellow shredded things?  Hash browns?  (Unfortunately, hash browns are on my mind an inordinate and inexplicable amount of time).  Where are the shrimp?  Where are the grits?  What the heck is this soupy, gloppy mess?

Turns out this indeed was the shrimp and grits.  Three shrimp were buried under a lava-hot slathering of spicy ham gravy on top of a bed of incredibly watery grits.  The yellow shreds were Gouda-cheese that were impervious to melting, even though the heat of the entree was at least 600 degrees Fahrenheit.  I could have roasted s'mores over the heat from this dish.  

I shoved my fork into the liquidy mess and eventually found a shrimp.  (Evidently I was an explorer in a past life.)  I was surprised that the shrimp was not pure rubber after swimming around in such incredibly hot liquid grits and gravy.  Shockingly, the shrimp was cooked perfectly.  Maybe they had thrown it in frozen because nothing could survive such a volcanic stew. 

Unfortunately, the tasso ham gravy was like eating a basket of ghost peppers.  I love spicy hot food, but my tongue would have had to have had an asbestos liner to eat this glop.  It was the most painful sensation ever.  My tongue jumped out of my mouth and screamed "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS TO ME?"  

The grits had no taste - watery wallpaper paste.  The waxy plastic Gouda was bringing nothing to the dish.  What a waste of cheese!  And the tasso ham gravy overpowered everything in the nearby tri-state area.  

Surprise, surprise - the sourdough toast was shockingly tasty - the only decent thing about the dish.  Reminiscent of fresh sourdough from San Francisco.  I dipped the toast into the gravy but even a droplet of the gravy was too hot for my tastebuds.  I ended up eating the bread dry.  It was only shrimp and toast for this girl.  

I fished out two more average-sized shrimp from the spicy muck and ate those -- and that's all I could do.  I was pretty sure my taste buds had died from the searing heat - both in spice and temperature.  How does one commemorate taste buds?  What kind of floral arrangement do you send to the funeral?

As we approach the end of 2013, I can whole-heartedly announce that the shrimp and grits at 42nd Street Oyster Bar were the worst shrimp and grits I have had all year, and truly even all decade.  Save your taste buds and your tongue and do not order this dish unless you like entrees that could sear flesh.