Creative Arts Cafe in Lake Helen, FL

I had breakfast at a restaurant in Lake Helen called Creative Arts Cafe. The building was apparently some kind of youth art/theater school at some point, but was converted into a restaurant when that wasn't successful.

I had the Ultimate Greek Breakfast. It was scrambled eggs with ham, feta, tomatoes, and peppers. It was pretty tasty, although the cubes of feta on top of the eggs were half melted and had a very non-feta look to them. Hashed browns were served on as a side. They looked well seasoned but needed salt.

My food at Creative Arts Cafe was good enough. Not the best breakfast I've ever had, nor was it the worst. 

Bistro Europa Express in Hunters Creek, FL

I had lunch at a restaurant in Hunter's Creek called Bistro Europa Express. This was a restaurant where you ordered at a counter, then you are given a number and the food is delivered to your table. The counter where you order was very appetizing. There were large glass cases displaying all the salads and ready made foods here. Apparently salads are a big thing here where you choose your ingredients following the Subway/Chipotle model. There was a section of the menu specializing in Greek food, and I chose to order from this. I had the Europa Combo, which consisted of gyro, chicken souvlaki, tomatoes, onions, tzaziki, pita, and two sides.

This was a humongous amount of food. The gyro meat was stacked high atop slices of pita. It had plenty of flavor on its own, but that didn't stop me from dipping it in the tzaziki. The chicken souvlaki had a few cubes of chicken skewered with onions and bell pepper. For my sides, I had a Greek salad and the macaroni & cheese. The salad consisted of romaine lettuce topped with lots of feta and Kalamata olives. Macaroni and cheese ruined the trend of Greek food, but it called my name when I saw it in the display case. Everything on this plate was very tasty. The price was good for the huge amount of food that was served. I had no complaints about my meal and would return to Bistro Europa Express if I'm looking for food again in Hunter's Creek.

Pitaria in Tallahasse, FL

I was in Tallahassee and had lunch at a restaurant called Pitaria. This was a Greek restaurant on the edge of Florida State University. Because of this, the majority of the patrons in here appeared to be college students.

I had a pita called the Gyro Supreme. This consisted of gyro meat topped with tomatoes, sauteed onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, tzatziki sauce, and feta cheese. While the contents of the pita were very tasty individually, I found it to be kind of salty. I'm not normally one to complain about a food being too salty. I normally enjoy salty foods, but the combination of the feta and salty gyro meat in this pita crossed my salt threshold. The Gyro Supreme left me feeling very thirsty.

Would I return here if I lived a bit closer to Tallahassee? Probably. Next time I wouldn't order a pita filled with a combination of multiple salty foods.

Olive Bistro in Atlanta, GA

While in Atlanta, I had lunch at a restaurant called Olive Bistro. Thy were located in the corner of a strip mall. They served mostly Greek and Middle Eastern food. There were six of us dining at the restaurant. There were two other occupied tables in the entire place, but our server seemed very flustered and annoyed to have a larger group come to dine. She made a big deal about splitting the checks. Apparently her ability to give separate checks or a single check depended on if the restaurant remained really busy when we were done eating (the two other tables?). When ordering, there were also issues with someone at the table who just wanted to order dessert. Apparently only eating dessert was against the restaurant's policies. This person then tried ordering a side item as well, but this was also unacceptable. Finally, when a hummus appetizer was picked without the side or dessert, it passed and was acceptable. Desserts and side items can't be ordered without an entree at Olive Bistro but appetizers can?

I ordered a Gyro Pita. It was filled with lamb, lettuce, tomato, onions, and lots of tzatziki. It was tasty enough, although nothing exceptional that I haven't had elsewhere. The gyro was pretty standard, and was exactly what I was expecting for a gyro. While the food at Olive Bistro was okay, the server was weird and made too big of a deal of stuff that should be simple. She did end up having time to split our checks, so there was a slight redeeming factor there...

Stefano Greek-Italian Restaurant in Temple Terrace, FL

After a long day of looking at animals and riding roller coasters at Busch Gardens, I stopped for dinner nearby at a place called Stefano Greek-Italian Restaurant in Temple Terrace. The menu seemed to be mostly Greek with only a small section of Italian foods.

My meal began with a salad and some pita bread. The salad consisted of iceberg lettuce, cucumber, tomato, onion, olives, and feta cheese. It was quite large for a side salad that accompanied my meal.

I had the Gyro Plate as my main course. This was an open face gyro sandwich served over a bed of yellow rice. There was lots of thinly sliced gyro meat on a pita, topped with tomato slices, onions, and some of the best tzatziki I can remember having in a long time. The gyro meat itself wasn't as flavorful as what I've had at other Greek restaurants, but the tzatziki made up for the difference. It was yogurt, cucumber, and lots and lots of big pieces of garlic. I probably stunk for the next two days from all the garlic, but I didn't care and finished every drop of the sauce because this tzatziki was delicious.

Like the salad, the portion size on the gyro plate was large. It was the first meal I've had in a while where I immediately knew there would be no possible way that I'd finish what was served when the food was brought to the table. I liked the food at Stefano. Prices were reasonable, portions were large, and the food was tasty. I'd go back.

Krazy Greek Kitchen in Lake Mary, FL

I was in Downtown Lake Mary and was going to give the relatively new Flipper's Pizza a try since it had been years since I had been to any of their locations. Once I parked, I noticed that Delano on the Park was no longer in business and a new restaurant called Krazy Greek Kitchen was there in it's place. I always enjoy good Greek food, so I decided to forgo pizza for the afternoon and ventured into Krazy Greek Kitchen...

I ordered the Gyro Pita. The sandwich was filled with plenty of thinly sliced meat, lettuce, onions, tomatos, and lots of tzatziki. The meat was very flavorful and the sandwich was kept nice and moist from the tzatziki.

 

Another food item that I was considering, but decided to get my gyro pita instead when someone else at the table ordered it was the Gyro Flatbread.  This pizza-like creation was something I haven't seen elsewhere. It consisted of a pita piled high with a layer of gyro meat, then a layer of peppers, onions, tomatoes, and then melted cheese. All this was served over a Greek salad. I tried a slice of the flatbread and it was delicious! Next time I come back to Krazy Greek Kitchen, I know what I'm ordering.

Lake Mary has a couple other Greek restaurants, but I think Krazy Greek Kitchen has the potential to be my favorite. I need to return to see if they hold up well!

Salem's Gyros in Lakeland, FL

I had food from a restaurant from Salem's Gyros & Subs in Lakeland. This fast food restaurant looked like it was a former Miami Subs at some point. Gyros and subs were a big part of the menu, but gizzards and livers seemed to be another big seller here. There were three occupied table in the restaurant while I was inside and all three appeared to be eating fried gizzards. I decided to skip the offal (that I know of) and ordered a gyro combo.

 

The combo came with a gyro pita, fries, and a drink. It was somewhat pricey for fast food at almost $10. I declined the offer to add gizzards for an additional $2. The fries were definitely fresh. Very hot and nice and crispy.

 

The gyro consisted of sliced lamb, tomatoes, onions, and tzatziki, all wrapped in a pita. There was a whole lot of meat in the sandwich. It had nice flavor and the tzatziki kept the pita nice and moist.

Salem's made a good gyro. It was still a little overpriced, but I'll forgive them. I probably won't return any time in the near future, mostly since I don't live in Lakeland, but I might if I lived closer...

Leonardo's Pizza in Gainesville, FL

I was in Gainesville and had lunch at Leonardo's Pizza. Located within walking distance of UF, this restaurant was filled with mostly college students. I vaguely remember stopping here years ago on a previous visit to Gainesville but don't remember much about the food. It meant this time around, Leonardo's Pizza was new to me all over again!

Leonardo's had a very nice selection of pizza by the slice. There were several varieties that sounded good to me, but I decided to stick to two. The slices weren't exactly cheap, ranging from $2.95 to $4.50, so I didn't want to overdo it with my meal.

I ordered a slice of the Greek Pizza and the Spinach Tomato Pizza. The Greek was topped with spinach, feta, onions, olives, and pepperochinis. They were generous with the toppings on this pie. There were few spots where the mozzarella cheese underneath could be seen. The spinach tomato slice wasn't as exotic and was topped with exactly what it's name describes. Slices of tomato with spinach on a pizza. Out of the two slices, the Greek was definitely the winner.

I liked Leonardo's. While the pizza wasn't the all time best that I've ever had, the selection of pies to choose from definitely made this place a winner in my book. I'd go back again!

Fireside Pizza in Sanford, FL

Fireside Pizza is an Italian restaurant located in a Wal-Mart shopping center in Sanford. This restaurant was previously home to a RedBrick Pizza, which I wasn't a big fan of their food. I never tried this particular location when it was a RedBrick Pizza, but their Altamonte location wasn't really worth visiting again. I was a little hesitant to visit Fireside, just because it used to be a RedBrick and was a bit disappointed to see a very similar menu to what I remember RedBrick having.

We ordered the Greek Pizza, topped with ham, peppers, spinach, onions, kalamata olives, and feta. There did seem to be a definite improvement over RedBrick. I liked the crust much more over what I remember. It was thin and crispy. There were plenty of toppings, and overall had less of the frozen pizza feel that RedBrick gave off and had more of the character that a freshly made pizza should have. This wasn't the best pizza around and there are several other restaurants in Sanford that I would choose over Fireside when it comes to pizza, but at least it's an improvement over RedBrick Pizza. It wouldn't be my first choice, but I'd be willing to visit Fireside again...

Triple Crown Diner in Jamaica, NY

Random post about a Greek diner in Queens called Triple Crown Diner. The diner is located relatively close to the Belmont Racetrack, hence the Triple Crown name. Like most of the other 24-hour diners like this in the area, it's superior to one of the chain 24-hour restaurants for late night food.

 

I ordered scrambled eggs, homefries, and toast on my visit to this diner. It all tasted exactly how you would expect. The eggs tasted like eggs, the homefries needed salt, and the toast was pre-buttered. It did the job for late-night food...

Gyros & More in West Melbourne, FL

Gyros & More is a Greek/Middle Eastern fast food restaurant that has a couple locations around Melbourne. While the other locations are stand alone, potentially the most well known Gyros & More is located in the food court of the Melbourne Square Mall. A few different people each told me to try the falafel at Gyros & More the next time I visited the mall.

That visit to the mall food court happened eventually. I followed everyone's recommendation and ordered a falafel sandwich combo, which came with a side and a drink. The sandwiches were made very quickly, and soon enough it was time to eat.

The falafel pita from Gyros & More was decent, but I've definitely found better elsewhere. The pita was filled with falafel, lettuce, onions, tomato, and tahini, but yet I found it to be on the dry side. The sandwich tasted good, but a little more moisture in the pita would have been better. Still good, but not the best. I had stuffed grape leaves as my side. No complaints about these.

Although the falafel was a little dry, it was still tasty. This was also way above most of the other choices in the mall food court. I'd get food here again, although next time I think I'll try a gyro.

Keke's Breakfast Cafe in Altamonte Springs, FL

I ate brunch at Keke's Breakfast Cafe in Altamonte Springs. Keke's is a local chain with a few locations around Orlando. This my first time eating there, and the food wasn't bad.

I had the Greek Omelet, filled with spinach, tomato, and feta. The omelet had plenty of fillings, served with home fries, wheat toast, and an orange slice. I enjoyed it!

Next time I need to try lunch from Keke's!

Central Florida Fair 2012 in Orlando, FL

I returned to the Central Florida Fair this year for some carnival food. It is like getting food from Orlando's gourmet food trucks, only you actually need to worry about whether or not the food is actually up to health code! Seeing a carnie in a food stand with the ashes from the cigarette in his mouth falling onto a pizza is never a good thing. Needless to say, I avoided food from trucks like this...

The gyro stand looked good and I didn't get a vibe that I could potentially get sick from eating their food, so it was a winner!

The pita was filled with sliced lamb, lettuce, tomato, onion, and tazitiki. Greek food from food stands in fairs is always good for some reason. I'd take this over fried oreos or fried pizza any day.

Besides the gyro, ribbon fries were shared. Three large potatoes were run through a drill-powered slicing machine resulting in very long strips of potato. They were then deep fried into a crunchy mass of fresh potato chips.

 

Some horribly overpriced grilled corn was also consumed. At $3 each, the corn was definitely not worth the money, but then again, it was tasty.

 

After the fair, the food all seemed to agree with me so I must have made wise food choices!

Theo's Kitchen in Orlando, FL

I tried a Greek restaurant in Orlando called Theo's Kitchen. Theo's was located on Curry Ford Road in a strip mall. Apparently they had moved recently to this location when I stopped in. 

 

I decided to get a gyro. Theo's Kitchen was very generous with just about everything on the sandwich. There was a good amount of meat, huge dollops of tazitiki, lots of feta, and plenty of lettuce and tomato. I've had gyros from other Greek restaurants that are really dry and stingy with toppings, so I was very happy with this sandwich when this was not the case. And to top it off, it tasted good too!

 

Gators Dockside in Lake Mary, FL

Gator's Dockside is a chain that opened in the Central Florida area several years ago. In all that time, I had never tried them, that is until recently. Gator's Dockside is set up like a pretty standard sports bar. Being a sports bar and all, I wasn't sure what to expect when I ordered a gyro. Turned out to be better than I was expecting. Two pitas were filled with lamb, tazitiki, lettuce, tomato, and onion. Fries were served on the side. Pretty good for Greek food from a chain sports bar in Lake Mary...

Tahini Mediterranean Grill in Oviedo, FL

I had lunch at Tahini Mediterranean Grill near UCF in Oviedo. This fast food restaurant/coffee shop makes some good middle eastern foods...

I had the Falafel Pita Platter. This came with the sandwich, two sides, and a few slices of pita bread. I choose the Greek salad and baba gnoush as the two sides, both of which were really good.

The falafel pita was also really tasty. The chickpea balls were nice and moist with plenty of flavor. The other sandwich fillings included lettuce, tomato, and onions (although no pickles as mentioned on other food blogs).

Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Tahini and would gladly return! (Except Tahini has since gone out of business and become a Dunkin Donuts)