Los Dorados de Villa in Cozumel, Mexico

I recently spent the day in Cozumel, Mexico. For someone from the United States, eating food in Mexico was a scary idea. Everyone had their warnings against eating the food at a non-approved 'tourist' restaurant, or face food related illness for the rest of the trip.  I went against these warnings and ate lunch at a restaurant called Los Dorados de Villa.

The restaurant's outdoor seating overlooked the main plaza in Downtown San Miguel. 

Tortilla chips, salsa, jalapeno peppers, and homemade guacamole were served as an appetizer. The chips were heavier than the typical tortilla chip from an Mexican restaurant in the United States.  I suppose thicker tortillas were used.

The guacamole was perhaps the first food warning that I broke. I was told that if food in Mexico is consumed, avoid any uncooked fruit/vegetables.  The mashed avocado in the guacamole was uncooked, and it also tasted really good! 

I had a bottle of Mexican Sprite to drink. I do like soda with cane sugar better than corn syrup. Even though it was sugary, I didn't find it to have the harsh sweetness that I find with most American sodas.

I had the Tacos de Pescado for my main dish. These four tacos were filled with grilled fish, onions, tomatoes, and fresh cilantro.  With lime squeezed over the top, these were good tacos! After observing another table's food being delivered, the seafood at this restaurant appeared to go way beyond fish tacos. All sorts of whole fish was brought out, all of it smelling great.  If I ever return, I think I'll need to try some more of the seafood here!

Everything I tried at Los Dorados de Villa tasted good and despite all the warnings of food related illness from eating in Mexico, there were no ill effects after the meal. The prices here weren't bad either, with the majority of the menu costing under 150 pesos compared to the 300 pesos that the neighboring restaurants were charging for a meal. 

I think Watch Me Eat needs to do more eating internationally! If only somebody would sponsor a Watch Me Eat international food adventure!

FREE FOOD at Taste of the J

Go get some free food tomorrow!

Free food samples will be provided by:

Rosen Hotels & Resorts

Bagel King

Cohen’s Deli

Pinkberry

Kettle Corn Company

Stefano’s Italian Grille

The Palm

Cantina Laredo

Barnies Coffee and Tea Company

Doubletree Resort Orlando International Drive

Anatolia Mediterranean Cuisine

Pure Magic Ice Cream

Picture This Candy Company

Classy Cakes and Candies

For more information, visit http://www.orlandojcc.org/events/event_details.asp?id=109009 .

Steak & Salad in Orlando, FL

I recently visited a small restaurant in Orlando called Steak & Salad. They had a split menu, serving both Turkish food and generic steak & salad. I was mostly interested in the Turkish side of the menu...

My meal started with an Eggplant Dip Salad appetizer.  It was very similar, if not the same to baba ghanoush. The eggplant salad had a consistency similar to hummus and was served with two slices of bread.

For my main course, I had the Chicken Kebabs. This came with three skewers with chicken, peppers, and onions served over a pita. Bulgur pilav was served on the side along with a parsley and onion salad. The flavors in the food were great and the prices were really reasonable as well. My meal cost a grand total of $7.99 and was plenty of food!

Omega Diner in New Hyde Park, NY

I ate a late night dinner at Omega Diner in New Hyde Park, NY. As with many diners on Long Island, this was Greek style with a huge menu. The problem at Omega Diner was the prices. Sandwiches were pushing $10 without any sides. Dinners were pushing $20. Why eat at a diner when you can go to a nicer restaurant for equivalent prices?

Breakfast was the only section of the menu that was priced reasonably. Although I wasn't planning on getting breakfast, the prices directed me to order a Spinach & Feta Omelet served with homefries and toast. The omelet was good, filled with plenty of the wonderfully salty feta cheese. The homefries had plenty of flavor on their own without salt or ketchup, and the toast was average plain toast.

I had no complaints about my breakfast, but I wish the sandwiches here were on par with the prices of other restaurants!

3-6-9 Chinese Restaurant in Casselberry, FL

3-6-9 Chinese Restaurant is located in a strip mall in Casselberry. I remember several different Chinese/Japanese restaurants occupying this space over the years. Sadly, we were the only customers in the large restaurant on my visit. I hope they do good business for take-out...

I ordered the Singapore Chow Mei Fun. There was a bit of a kitchen misunderstanding, so I ended up being served lo mein noodles instead. I was originally thinking about having lo mein, so I really didn't have much of a problem with the mix-up.  The noodles were served in a curry sauce with pork, shrimp, chicken, and vegetables. The lo mein tasted good, and the portion was huge. It turned into two meals!

To apologize for the mistake of using the wrong kind of noodles, everyone at the table got complementary ice cream for dessert! Can't complain there!

Zeno's Boardwalk Sweet Shop in Daytona Beach, FL

Zeno's Boardwalk Sweet Shop is an ice cream shop and candy store attached to a t-shirt store located less than a block from the Daytona Beach Boardwalk.

They had a taffy machine in the window that seemed to be doing a good job of bringing in customers when I visited.

I tried a scoop of their Coconut Joy ice cream in a cake cone. It had plenty of toasted coconut and actually did taste pretty similar to an Almond Joy candy...

Keller's Real Smoked Bar-B-Q in Altamonte Springs, FL

I visited the Keller's Bar-B-Q in Altamonte Springs recently and ordered the Sloppy Pig sandwich. This was a pulled pork sandwich on garlic bread. The pork was saturated with barbecue sauce, hence the sloppy part of the name. Mashed potatoes came as a side. Although the service seems to be consistently bad on my visits to this particular location, I never have any complaints about the food. I would definitely rank Keller's as one of the best barbecue places in Central Florida!

Pinkberry

Congrats to all of the Pinkberry VIP & T-shirt winners! If you didn't win, check this out:

Pinkberry, the L.A. Froyo that Started the Craze,

Opens First Florida Store in Orlando

Four Hours of Free Pinkberry

Expected to Draw “Groupies” Far and Wide

WHAT: Pinkberry, the premium frozen yogurt chain known for its Swirly Goodness, officially opens its first Orlando location at 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, which will also be Florida’s first Pinkberry.

WHEN:

Pinkberry Public Preview Party: Thursday, August 19, 6 pm – 10 pm

Official Opening: Friday, August 20, 11 am

WHERE: Pinkberry, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd, Orlando, FL 32819 (The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips), Store phone: 407-354-0890, Hours: Sun. – Thurs., 11 am – 11 pm; Fri. and Sat., 11 am – midnight

THURSDAY PREVIEW: The company, known for providing its customers “20 minutes of fun,” invites the public to “four hours of fun” at a special Thursday Preview Party for Free Pinkberrry with all of the toppings, a spinning prize wheel, swirly face painters, to get a “The Pinkberry Swirl” hairdo and more. In recent market openings in Atlanta, Charlotte, Denver and New Orleans, 200 plus lines of Pinkberry “Groupies” waiting for their first experience was the norm.

FRIDAY OPENING: On Friday at 11 am, the first Pinkberry in Florida will officially open. Pinkberry will donate a portion of proceeds from Friday through Sunday to Give Kids the World charity. The company had collected donations for the charity throughout the summer at free sampling events.

ABOUT PINKBERRY:

With corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, Calif. in January 2005. Today it is the most talked about, best tasting, premium frozen yogurt, made with high-quality fresh ingredients. From store design to exceptional customer service to irresistible flavors and toppings, Pinkberry provides a social experience that indulges the senses. Pinkberry’s distinctive flavors are expertly crafted to complement its daily fresh-cut fruit and premium toppings that offer an irresistibly tangy, incomparably clean and refreshing taste. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by visiting www.pinkberry.com.

---

Pinkberry is a new restaurant serving frozen yogurt opening in Orlando. I do enjoy some good frozen yogurt, so I'm looking forward to giving them a try. Pinkberry has also offered some prizes to give away to the readers of Watch Me Eat. Up for grabs are 20 T-shirts and 2 VIP passes to their grand opening event taking place on Thursday, August 19 from 6-9pm!


There are three ways to win free stuff. I will randomly pick the winners from the pooled entries. This is a short contest and winners will be picked Wednesday morning. Good luck!
Email: Send your name to watchmeeatblog@gmail.com with Pinkberry Contest in the subject.
Twitter: Tweet out the following: I am trying to win Pinkberry prizes from @watchmeeat
Facebook: Reply to the appropriate message on the Watch Me Eat Facebook wall.


The following is Pinkberry's press release:

ORLANDO (June 22, 2010) – Pinkberry, the number one tart frozen yogurt brand, will open its doors in Orlando this summer at the Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, on the corner of Dr. Phillips and Sandlake Rd. The newest Pinkberry location marks the arrival of the first Pinkberry in Florida. With over 85 stores, Pinkberry Orlando is the latest of many new markets to open recently - including Dallas, Bay Area, Sacramento, New Orleans, Denver, Dubai, Bahrain and Mexico City, with several more new markets to be announced and opening later this summer and into the fall.

Pinkberry is a one-of-a-kind frozen yogurt experience. The addition of Pinkberry will introduce Orlando to the refreshing flavors and sophisticated style for which the international brand is known. Bill Harmening II, an Orlando native and local business owner, is the Pinkberry area developer for Orlando.

Ron Graves, Pinkberry CEO, says, “We’re excited to introduce Pinkberry’s high quality, unique frozen yogurt experience to Orlando and we couldn’t have picked a better partner than Bill. His enthusiasm for Pinkberry, commitment to quality and outstanding customer service, and 30 years of restaurant operating experience make Bill the ideal candidate to bring the one-of-a-kind Pinkberry experience to this market.”

Pinkberry premium frozen yogurt is made with real nonfat yogurt and nonfat milk that is rBST hormone free. Pinkberry is made with only the highest quality ingredients and is the perfect balance of tart and sweet, resulting in a refreshing, clean and craveable taste.

Orlando locations will be serving Pinkberry’s six distinctive flavors. From its signature Original flavor, a sweet and tangy yogurt with a refreshing finish to Pomegranate, a bold and tangy flavor made with 100% California-grown pure pomegranate juice, Orlando customers are in for a surprising and refreshing treat unlike anything they’ve ever tasted. In addition, Pinkberry serves an exceptional Coconut flavor, smooth and subtle, made with real coconut puree for a fresh and cool finish, a rich, indulgent Chocolate; and Mango, a fruity and light flavor made with authentic Alphonso mango puree for a soothing finish.

Customers can personalize every yogurt experience with any combination of delicious toppings. At Pinkberry, uncompromising quality is paramount and the toppings bar is no exception. Each topping is selected with the highest quality standards, such as Grade-A fresh fruit that is hand-cut daily in-store, organic gummy bears with no high fructose corn-syrup, all natural honey almond granola, 100% pure pomegranate juice, or rich, premium Belgian chocolate shavings. Every item is thoughtfully selected as a unique and delicious complement to the various Pinkberry frozen yogurt flavors. In addition to frozen yogurt and toppings, Pinkberry also offers Pinkberry Fruit Parfaits and Pinkberry Smoothies as fresh and satiating choices for any time of day.

Bill Harmening is enthusiastic about the Pinkberry endeavor. “I am thrilled to bring Pinkberry to Orlando,” says Harmening. “I am energized by Pinkberry’s distinctive taste, innovative store design and unmatched commitment to customer service. I am truly honored to be a part of the Pinkberry team.”

Local fans who want up-to-the minute news and discount offers should sign up to be a Pinkberry Groupie at www.pinkberry.com/groupie. The brand can also be found on Facebook and at Twitter @pinkberryswirl.

Pinkberry of Florida is currently searching for outgoing, customer friendly and reliable individuals to fill the positions of Assistant General Manager, Shift Leads and Team Members at our Pinkberry locations in Orlando. Enthusiastic, energetic individuals interested in joining the Pinkberry team can apply online at http://employment.pinkberryofflorida.com/

Pinkberry is located at The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd. , on the corner of Dr. Phillips and Sandlake Rd. For additional information, contact Mary Deatrick at 407-332-5212 or mary@deatrickpr.com.

About Pinkberry
With corporate headquarters in Los Angeles, Pinkberry reinvented the frozen yogurt category when it launched in West Hollywood, Calif. in January 2005. Today it is the most talked about, best tasting, premium frozen yogurt, made with high-quality fresh ingredients. From store design to exceptional customer service to irresistible flavors and toppings, Pinkberry provides a social experience that indulges the senses. Pinkberry’s distinctive flavors are expertly crafted to complement its daily fresh-cut fruit and premium toppings that offer an irresistibly tangy, incomparably clean and refreshing taste. Pinkberry is certified by the National Yogurt Association and carries the Live & Active Cultures Seal. Get a taste of Swirly Goodness by visiting www.pinkberry.com.

The Conch Shack in Key West, FL

What visit to the Florida Keys would be complete without eating some conch? On a recent visit to Key West, I stopped into The Conch Shack on Duval Street for some conch fritters.

I ordered the three piece conch fritters after seeing they had "The Best Ever Conch Fritters."

After a few minutes, the conch fritters were ready. They were served hot out of the fryer with lime and dipping sauce on the side. The fritters were crispy on the outside, fried to a nice golden brown color, and were moist on the inside. Really tasty!

Spiro's Taverna in Jupiter, FL

I was driving along Route 1 around Jupiter thinking it was a good time to get some food. I saw someone hanging a sign for a Greek restaurant called Spiro's Taverna and decided to give them a try. It turned out it was their first day open...


My meal started out with a side Greek Salad. Romaine lettuce was topped with feta, onions, cucumber, tomato, and olives.  The creamy dressing had pinkish tint.  I couldn't figure out the source of the color, but it was tasty!

For my meal, I had the Mediterranean Pita filled with Mahi. The pita was filled with very good hummus, feta, onions, tomatoes, and the grilled fish.  I had no complaints as far as taste goes, although the fish did tend to fall out of the pita a bit too much.  Perhaps slightly larger chucks of fish would solve the problem.   

For a restaurant on it's first day, Spiro's Taverna did a nice job.  The service was good and the food was tasty.  I'd return...

Sergio's in Sanford, FL

Sergio's is located in one of the worst possible spots for an Italian restaurant in my opinion, almost completely hidden behind an empty liquor store and a self-storage place. Given it's hard to find location, it's hard to imagine how Sergio's gets many customers, but there are indeed always other diners when I've eaten there. I visited twice a few years ago, trying both pizza and pasta. I wasn't impressed and had no interest in returning...

Recently, I agreed to give them another try to see if they were any better this time around. It turns out they did improve! Sergio's had a dinner buffet going on, so I gave that a try. The normal buffet logic is quantity over quality, but everything I tried actually tasted good. Way better than anything I remember eating here in the past.

My meal started with a salad and a bowl of pasta fagioli.

Next, I had a plate of baked ziti, chicken cacciatore, manicotti, meatball calzone, and garlic bread. All this Italian food was really rich and heavy, so I stopped eating after this plate, regardless of the all-you-can-eat nature of the buffet!

Either I caught Sergio's on bad days in the past or their food has improved, but I enjoyed my meal and would gladly return!

Twistee Treat in Orlando, FL (International Drive)

I noticed a new Twistee Treat recently popped up on International Drive and I ended up giving them a try. Located in the parking lot for a British pub and miniature golf course with a view of Wet 'n Wild, this giant fiber glass ice cream cone fits right in with the tourist trap atmosphere of International Drive.

I had a vanilla-strawberry twist in a cone dipped in chocolate. It was a bit melty on the warm summer night, but otherwise it was pretty good soft serve. Although, I think most of the novelty about Twistee Treat comes from the fact that the ice cream is being served from a building shaped like ice cream...

Wackadoo's Grub & Brew in Orlando, FL

Wackadoo's Grub & Brew is a restaurant/bar in the UCF Student Union. Because of the location, I wasn't expecting the best food since the restaurant caters to a somewhat captive audience, especially on weekends when it's the only restaurant open in the Student Union. I guess I was wrong because the food I had here was actually pretty good. I ordered a pulled pork sandwich with a side of fries.  The pork was all very lean with a nice smokey flavor. A cup of spicy barbecue sauce was served on the side, but the pork had enough flavor to where it really didn't need it.  The fries were pretty standard as far as fries go.

I really wasn't expecting good barbecue from Wackadoo's, so my sandwich was a nice surprise. I wonder if they smoke their own meat?

Fiddler's Green in Winter Park, FL

Fiddler's Green Irish Pub has been in Winter Park for as long as I can remember.  I've heard almost all good things about them, so I finally managed to visit the restaurant to give them a try.
I had the Irish Stew. At first, I was considering ordering something I was more familiar with. Something like Bangers & Mash or Fish & Chips, but I was feeling adventurous and decided to get something I had never tried before. Irish Stew consisted of lamb, peas, and carrots in a gravy, topped with mashed potatoes.  The stew tasted good, but unfortunately the lamb was so fatty that the majority of it was unedible.  My bowl was half filled with large chunks of lamb fat when I finally gave up and decided there wasn't any more edible meat in the bowl.

Perhaps I didn't make the best choice when ordering the Irish Stew, but who would expect they would fill the stew with big chunks of lamb fat rather than better quality meat?  I didn't hear any complaints from the people I was dining with, so I think I was the lucky one with the bad meal. I really should give Fiddler's Green another try because of all of the positive buzz surrounding the place, but my Irish Stew didn't put me in a rush to return...