Driving into the desert was a first for me—first of many firsts during our weekend in Zion National Park—but Mr. Forkful’s birthday weekend was a great opportunity to introduce ourselves to South Utah. Fresh from the city, another first was the still and crisp Zion desert air. Zion was all open plains were dotted with […]
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Nihon Matsuri Salt Lake City 2018
Okay, hibernation over! A few weekends ago Mr. Forkful and I jumped into full-blown Spring mode at this year’s Nihon Matsuri in Salt Lake City. Something thawed inside and I was a little less heartsick for Florida. Pops of color were everywhere—on nobori, kimonos, umbrellas—just everywhere. Taiko drums thundered from the stage; Taikoza performed selections from […]
Travel Bite: Tokyo Food, Sights, and Sounds
Japan is a thunderclap of pure, distilled Amazing. The sights, sounds, and people leave me stunned and amazed every time. Tokyo is New York City to the nth power, but spotless and filled with the nicest, most respectful people I have ever met. I try to look beyond the city limits from floor-to-ceiling windows in New York Bar […]
Bulla Gastrobar Opens in Winter Park
Bulla means noise, usually the kind that happens at a party or celebration. That’s what Bulla Gastrobar felt like—a celebration of Spanish food and culture. The menu runs the gamut of traditional Spanish eats from Jamón Iberico to prawn-studded Paella. The Chorizo de Bellota (Black foot Iberian pork sausage from Salamanca), creamy Spanish cheese, […]
Orlando Cat Café in Clermont
The cutest, most adorable thing happened last Sunday—I met a passel of fluffy kittens! Axum Coffee of Winter Garden and The Animal League non-profit have partnered and opened Orlando’s first cat café. The Café Axum Coffee is one of the precious few coffee houses in Orlando (top 5 list coming soon!) where you can get a […]
Top 5 Orlando Taco Places
Orlando continues to be this ever-evolving melting pot of food. You can travel the full gamut of chain standard fare to locavore favorite in a heartbeat and few exits on Interstate 4, which is why if you’re a taco fan know that Orlando’s got your back. From corn to flour tortilla, traditional to Tex-Mex, this Top […]
Magic of Maple at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate
Farm-to-table goes tree-to-table at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate this summer. Every year Omni Orlando spotlights a humble, all-natural ingredient and celebrates it in amazing ways. This year, after a week-long culinary immersion in Vermont and Montreal maple syrup-producing areas, Chef Robert Ash and his culinary team made Vermont maple syrup the star of the show. […]
Lionfish at Grills Seafood Deck in Cape Canaveral
Deep “froiled” lionfish is now one of the first things I’ll associate with Cape Canaveral. A biological neon danger sign should flash red over lionfish in the wild. Their colors are a stunning chocolate and cream. At the first hint of a challenge, their wide fins snap open, poisonous barbs ready to inject a debilitating […]
Fitlife Foods in Doctor Phillips
Restaurant Row isn’t exactly the home of healthy lifestyle choices. I love dipping juicy morsels of carbs into melted cheese or diving into a steaming bowl of ramen with ajitsuke tamago and chashu, although that ideally shouldn’t happen for every lunch. David Osterweil (Founder), Chef Andrew, and the Fitlife Foods Orlando team—with the help of […]
Windsor Rose Tea Room in Mount Dora
Sashaying out of routine and Orlando, a few friends and I spent a relaxing afternoon in Mount Dora. Historic Downtown Mount Dora is barely a smidge over 30 minutes north of Orlando proper, borders 4.4-acre Lake Dora, and is the epitome of Old Florida. Highway 429 makes going from the touristy Disney area to this idyllic little town. […]