Tapa Toro Sunday Brunch in Orlando, FL

I was invited to come along to Tapa Toro to sample some of their brunch items. They are located on International Drive in I-Drive 360. Tapa Toro's Sunday Brunch happens weekly from 11am - 3pm.

Apple Pie Sangria: Made with the Tapa Toro Housemade apple juice syrup spiked with nutmeg, cinnamon and fresh ginger.

House Made Focaccia Sandwich: Ham, chorizo, serrano, olive spread, and olive oil. This was one of the tastiest sandwiches I've had in a while!

Poached Egg Toast: House alioli on on ciabatta bread with pickled shallots.

Tapa Toro Chicken n Pancakes: Fried chicken milanese, fried eggs, and a house honey glaze.

Three Little Pigs: Cheese grits, pork belly, chicharrones, and chorizo.

Pretty much everything I tried from Tapa Toro's brunch menu was delicious! The flamenco dancing that was also happening in the restaurant was a nice touch as well!

Shake Shack (International Drive) in Orlando, FL - New Summer Menu

Shake Shack recently launched several new summer menu items. This blog was invited to attend a Blogger Meet-Up at Shake Shack's International Drive location to sample the new foods. The following is some of the food highlights from their new summer menu:

Bacon CheddarShack Burger & Fries:

Chick'n Stack: Crispy chicken breast with lettuce, pickles, and buttermilk herb mayo.

Raspberry Lemonade:

Shack Sandy: A blend of Shake Shack's ShackMeister Ale and Shack-made Lemonade.

Chocolate Cookies & Cream Shake: Chocolate frozen custard blended with chocolate cookie Crumbles and topped with whipped cream.

Cowgirls Rockbar Orlando Grand Opening in Orlando, FL

I was invited to the grand opening of Cowgirls Rockbar at I-Drive 360. This is a new bar/restaurant located on International Drive in the same complex as the Orlando Eye ferris wheel. The theme of Cowgirls Rockbar seems pretty self-explanatory by the name. They feature Orlando's only mechanical bull, bartenders who stand on the bar and dance, and potentially very elusive southern-style food (keep reading for more on that).

Here's the menu for the grand opening. Because I was limited on time and Cowgirls was very crowded, I didn't actually get a chance to try any of the food on this visit. I'm in the International Drive area pretty often so I figured I'd try their food on another day.

I found myself back on I-Drive a little less than two weeks later at dinner time and decided to try the food at Cowgirls. No such luck. We walked into a completely empty Cowgirls and were told that they only serve food on weekends. I know they're mostly a bar, but there were no people drinking here on a weeknight. With the lack of customers, I wish Cowgirls luck with not serving food during the week. I double checked their press release just to make sure the food wasn't just a grand opening thing, and it looks like the original plan was to serve food for lunch and dinner every day. I guess things change...

Cowgirls Rockbar Orlando is NOW OPEN

Boots, beers, and Orlando's only mechanical bull bring a new vibe to I-Drive 360  

ORLANDO, Fla. - (Nov. 19, 2015) - Time to cowboy up Orlando - Cowgirls Rockbar Orlando is now open!

The Cowgirls guarantee a good time The new restaurant and bar at I-Drive 360 features Orlando's only mechanical bull and is the perfect place to kick up some dust, enjoy a cold longneck, sip a whiskey or grab some BBQ.

Cowgirls Rockbar is quickly becoming known for its beautiful Cowgirls who serve up Southern-style dishes and cold drinks along with plenty of banter. Getting to know the servers and bartenders is all part of the experience. So is dancing on top of the bar at any moment.

At the center of it all is the mechanical bull. It's ready and willing for anyone who wants to go for a ride; speeds range from super-slow to hang-on-for-your-life. It's the star of the show, whether you're on top of the bull or just watching from a bar stool.

Cowgirls piled-high BBQ pulled pork sandwich Cowgirls is open for both lunch and dinner. Signature dishes include BBQ platters piled high with smoked brisket, pulled pork and smoked turkey, along with southern-style sides like mac 'n cheese, baked beans, coleslaw and cornbread. Guests can also get a bowl of Cowgirls Almost Famous Gumbo, filled with smoked chicken, andouille sausage, crawfish, okra, peppers and more - slowly simmered in a dark Louisiana roux. Finish it off with an old-fashioned root beer float or banana pudding.

Cowgirls is quickly becoming one of Orlando's top spots for a wild night out for birthdays, bachelorette parties or other special events. DJ's will keep the party going all night long with a mix of country, pop and rock hits. And there's no better location, as it's just steps from the Orlando Eye.

Oreganatta in Orlando, FL

I tried an Italian buffet on International Drive called Oreganatta. They are located in a new building near Wet n' Wild. There was another Italian buffet nearby on International Drive several years ago that was above average. They ended up closing and a CiCi's Pizza took over the space. Perhaps my memory of this long gone buffet gave me hopes for Oreganatta that were slightly too high.

Oreganatta was almost completely empty except for another couple eating there. That's a bad sign for a buffet, but it was still early for the lunch hour so I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I started out by trying their pasta. The pasta was custom made by a cook where you picked out sauce, type of pasta, and a choice of BBQ or spicy chicken. I had penne with pesto and spicy chicken. The pesto was okay. The chicken had a weird, slimy consistency and I didn't eat most of the meat. The option to add vegetables into the pasta as well would have been a big improvement.

I tried some of Oreganatta's salads next. I had some Caesar salad, pasta salad, and a chickpea salad. No complaints here. The salads were the best tasting food I found on the buffet.

The pizza was similar to what could be found at CiCi's, only without the big selection of pies. It was cheap conveyor belt pizza. There was a cheese and pepperoni pie on the buffet table. One of the employees offered to make another with my choice of toppings, but I passed.

They had lots of mini dessert cups on the buffet as well. I tried some sort of chocolate dessert, rice pudding, and a custard. I liked the rice pudding the best, but the desserts were mostly forgettable.

I don't think I'd return to Oreganatta any time soon. I was not impressed overall. The salad was okay. The pasta bar has room for improvement, and CiCi's would be a better option for the pizza, just based on ready made buffet selection (and I wouldn't recommend CiCi's). I personally don't see Oreganatta surviving long...

Outback Steakhouse in Orlando, FL (International Drive)

I was invited to a menu tasting at the new Outback Steakhouse that recently opened on International Drive. This Outback is located in the I-Drive 360 complex, anchored by the currently half built Orlando Eye ferris wheel.

I attended one of their lunch tasting events. These menu tasting events were used to train Outback's staff in exchange for free food. The meal started with Signature Baked Potato Soup - Creamy potato soup topped with melted cheese, bacon, and green onions.

I had the Baby Back Ribs - Smoked, wood-fire grilled and brushed with a tangy BBQ sauce. Served with Aussie Fries.

Sirloin and Grilled Shrimp. Served with a baked potato and asparagus as sides.

I had their homemade watermelon soda made from ginger ale, watermelon, and lime for my drink.

Sangria:

Outback Steakhouse was fun. This new Outback Steakhouse was pretty much exactly what I was expecting. Like most chains, the food here was pretty much equivalent to what can be had at any other Outback. Still, I think Outback Steakhouse should fully embrace their Australian theme and start serving kangaroo meat. I'd totally try kangaroo if it started being served at Outback. It could be a place for people on kangatarian diets to go eat!

Hash House A Go Go in Orlando, FL

Hash House A Go Go is a newish restaurant that has opened along International Drive. It is located in a building that was originally a Whistle Junction buffet, followed by a few Brazilian restaurants. Hash House A Go Go seems like the first restaurant to occupy the space that will probably be successful. They advertize themselves as having twisted farm food, which somehow translates to gigantic portions. The Hash House A Go Go chain seems to be popular with celebrities as well. The first thing you see upon entering is a giant tractor in the lobby, followed by walls covered in their celebrity endorsements. I guess if Martha Stewart likes Hash House A Go Go, then it must be good...

On my first visit to Hash House A Go Go, I tried one of their breakfasts and had the Sundried Tomato, Basil & Goat Cheese Farm Scramble. This was served with griddled mashed potatoes, biscuit, and fruit. While this breakfast wasn't as excessive as some of the other plates I witnessed being served, this was still a large breakfast. Goat cheese in scrambled eggs is always good. The mashed potatoes were tasty, sort of cooked on the outside until slightly crispy. The biscuit was a bit weird though. It didn't have the normal biscuit consistency compared to what's served elsewhere and seemed very dense. This was a perfectly good breakfast...

I ordered the Sage Fried Chicken & Bacon Waffle Tower on my second visit to the restaurant. This was a huge serving of chicken & waffles. The waffles had bacon cooked into the batter which was unique. I don't think I've ever had waffles containing bacon in the past. The tower of fried chicken was very tasty. The batter had a really nice flavor. I finished my whole breakfast here. Chicken & waffles was much larger and I made it about half way through. This chicken & waffles was much better than what I've had at places that specialize in chicken & waffles, so that's a good thing!

I enjoyed my food on both visits and I'd return to Hash House A Go Go!

Kings Bowl in Orlando, FL

I was invited to the Media Preview of Kings Bowl. This is a fancy new bowling alley that took over a space formerly occupied by a Gooding's Supermarket on International Drive. They have all the normal stuff that most bowling alleys have, i.e.- lots of bowling lanes (which were very nicely illuminated) and pool tables. Alongside the norm, Kings Bowl also has all sorts of edible things that most bowling alleys do not. Since this is a food blog, the edible is what I'm focusing on. Why not start out with a fancy drink from one of their many bars?

If you're more of a beer person, Kings Bowl has a couple of these nifty booths with computerized, self-serve beer taps built into the tables. I haven't come across these elsewhere.

For the food, the menu ranged from pretty standard bowling alley fare to very unusual foods to be eating while bowling. It seems like most bowling alleys I've visited serve pizza. So did Kings Bowl. I sampled the Spicy Hawaiian Pizza, topped with fresh serrano peppers, bacon, grilled pineapple, grilled chicken, seasoned oil, and jack cheese.

The Buffalo Wontons were surprisingly tasty. I've never had fried wontons filled with buffalo sauce flavored cream cheese, but that is a delicious combination.

The Southwestern Spring Rolls, filled with roasted chicken, corn, black beans, peppers, onions, and cheese were one of my least favorite items that I tried at Kings. I found them to be very bland and flavorless, definitely lacking the spicy kick that southwestern often implies. They were also very soggy, as if the ingredients weren't properly drained before being put into the spring roll wrapper. I hope I just got a bad batch, but then again, bad batches of menu items should probably be avoided at media events.

Fried Mac & Cheese Bites, served in marinara sauce.

 Sesame Ginger Wings consisted of fried chicken with a tasty chili soy sauce.

 

 Cheeseburger Sliders, topped with cheddar and caramelized onions.

I enjoyed the BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders, topped with coleslaw.

House Smoked Baby Back Ribs, normally served with fries, coleslaw, and cornbread. Being as messy as these ribs were to eat, I probably wouldn't recommend bowling in between bites of ribs.

Kings Famous Steak Tips, served with mashed potatoes & green beans.

Brazilian Fish Stew, filled with fresh grouper, shrimp, tomatoes, green & red peppers, and cilantro served with white rice and grilled bread. This was definitely not a stereotypical bowling alley food and was actually one of my favorite dishes that I tried.

You have to finish every bowling alley meal with dessert. Here's the Chocolate, Banana & Coconut Spring Roll Sundae that I sampled.

I enjoyed the food at Kings for the most part based on what I was able to try at the media event. A couple of weeks later, I had a hankering to actually go bowling. I returned to Kings and shared a Bacon Chicken Ranch Pizza on this visit. I preferred this pizza to the Spicy Hawaiian Pizza that was mentioned earlier, but it was a bit messy with shredded lettuce that fell all over...

Kings Bowl had pretty good food for a bowling alley! I would totally consider coming back here again next time I want to go bowling...