Orlando Fast Food Critic – Page 2 – Sharing my food experiences with you.

Kings Bowl Orlando Now Open on International Drive

30,000-Square-Foot Dining, Bowling and Entertainment Venue Features 22 Ten-Pin Bowling Lanes, Full-Service Upscale Restaurant, 60 Big Screen TVs andState-of-the-Art Sound System

ORLANDO, FL – KINGS Bowl Orlando opens its doors to the public tonight at 6 p.m. in the “I-Drive Live” project on Orlando’s world-famous corridor, International Drive. It’s the first Florida location for KINGS Bowl, the Boston-based, dining, bowling and entertainment venue that pioneered the upscale bowling revolution in 2003.

The 30,000-square-foot venue offers a first-class dining, bowling and entertainment experience unlike any other in Central Florida. In addition to 22 ten-pin bowling lanes, KINGS Orlando offers a full-service upscale restaurant, four full-sized billiards tables, a regulation-sized shuffleboard table, a full outdoor bocce ball court (one of only a few in the area), massive sports bar boasting 60 HDTVs and a real-time sports ticker, pour-you-own beer taps, dancing and more. KINGS Orlando is further differentiated by transforming into an adults-only experience after dark. By day, families with children can bowl and savor homemade ice cream and other treats. At 6 p.m., general public admission moves to adults only, age 21 and above.

Kings Bowl Orlando debuted on Tuesday with “Bowl-Erina,” a fundraising event to benefit the Orlando Ballet, followed by a grand opening party on Wednesday. Both private celebrations drew a variety of celebrities, VIPs, television personalities and top business and hospitality industry professionals from Central Florida. Robert and Tricia Earl, Visit Orlando CEO George Aguel, International Drive Resort Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Maria Triscari and Orlando Ballet Artistic Director Robert Hill joined with KINGS Owner Patrick Lyons to cut the opening ribbon and roll out the ceremonial first ball during “Bowl-Erina.” (See attached images and captions below).

“Bowling has always been a great social sport and Kings has reinvented the experience for a new generation,” says Patrick Lyons, president and founder of the Lyons Group and KINGS Bowl America. “Serious ten-pin athletes will relish our ultramodern lanes and roomy player accommodations, while even the most ‘gutter-prone’ will appreciate our chef’s delicious fare and our thoughtful menu of craft beers and signature cocktails.”

From the moment they set foot inside KINGS, guests know that they are in for an experience unlike any other. A hip, retro-inspired vibe and grooving soundtrack greets them as they navigate between a friendly evening at the lanes, great food in the restaurant and socializing in KINGS’ lounge bar that translates to an open, climate controlled outdoor café experience on the stylish, full-service patio. Committed sports fans can catch all of the action at KINGS’ massive sports bar boasting 60 HDTVs and projectors and a real-time sports ticker. Guests can also take in the scene on the energetic concourse catching all the action happening throughout the expansive facility.

The idea of bowling alley food as an afterthought is tossed in the gutter at KINGS; everything is carefully crafted, made fresh and delivered daily. The full-service KINGS restaurant serves an impressive, executive chef-designed menu of American favorites and delicious comfort food. Appetizers include unique, modern plays on classic bar fare, such as cheeseburger spring rolls, perfectly fried mac & cheese bites and homemade buffalo chicken wontons. Entrees are highlighted by house-smoked baby back ribs, juicy and creative burgers and KINGS’ signature, tender, award-winning steak tips. Diners can finish their meal with a taste of sweet nostalgia from the built-in Ice Cream Shoppe featuring creative sundaes and delicious homemade desserts. The impressive menu is served throughout the entire facility until close seven days a week.

In addition to the food and entertainment, KINGS is well-known for its special events and parties. The venue boasts multiple jaw-dropping private bowling and meeting spaces complimented by state-of-the-art audio and visual capabilities. Two meeting rooms can be made completely private and can accommodate up to 50 and 100 people, respectively. Party goers can bowl while enjoying an assortment of upscale culinary delights served right to the lanes, as well as best-in-industry service that has already made KINGS a repeat destination for so many in Boston and Chicago. Birthdays, bachelor and bachelorette parties, kids’ parties, and corporate and team building parties are all made memorable with the unique combination of entertainment, great food and unforgettable service.

Following in the toe-steps of “Bowl-Erina,” KINGS will continue to be a committed and actively engaged member of the Orlando community through “fun-raisers” and in-kind donations. KINGS has already made a philanthropic name in its markets, having hosted and raised millions for local charities attended by the likes of popular celebrities and athletes including former and current NBA stars Shaquille O’Neal, Glen “Big Baby” Davis, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Patriots Tom Brady, Wes Welker and Jerod Mayo, Bears captain Charles Tillman, and BC and NFL legend Doug Flutie. KINGS will immediately look to make a similar impact in the Orlando area. Other famous guests at KINGS include Lady Gaga, Adam Sandler, Seth MacFarlane, Mark Wahlberg and many more of music and Hollywood’s finest.

KINGS also assures that local residents and members of the Orlando hospitality industry are treated like royalty. They can register to receive a free loyalty card that will provide the benefits of seasonally rotated, exclusive specials and discounts. Locals will also appreciate free surface parking in 600 adjacent available spaces and easy access via Universal Boulevard.

For operating hours and more information, visit www.kingsorlando.com, and follow on Facebook and Twitter for updates on events and specials.

Philly’s Best Cheesesteaks and More

Philly’s Best Cheesesteaks and More is a food truck run by couple of Philadelphia natives. Tired of not being able to find “a good cheesesteak”, they started making their own. I got what the jokingly refer to as “The Florida Philly”, because a real cheesesteak doesn’t have onions and green peppers. When I got my cheesesteak, it was so big I thought it was mine and my wife’s. The sandwich isn’t exceptionally large, but it is full. I’ve been to plenty of places that give you a 10-12″ cheesesteak that should be on an 8″ bun. That doesn’t happen With Philly’s Best Cheesesteaks. Their cheesesteaks are fat, and delicious. I talked with the owner afterward and he asked if it was the best cheesesteak in town. At the time, I told him it was really good, but I hate to label something as subjective as food as “the best”, because there can be several great options for different reasons. But, after I had leftovers from my family’s order, the cheesesteak was still amazing, even reheated. It’s flavorful, juicy, cheesy, and the bread is fresh (and they ship it in from Philadelphia).

Try their egg rolls too. I had the bacon philly egg roll and it was awesome. It was unique, tasted great, it was hot and melty and excellent all around.

Price $7-$12

Bahama Breeze Island Grille Introduces Rice Bowls Highlighting Island Flavors From Around the World

Bahama Breeze Island Grille, the casual dining restaurant that gives guests the feeling of an island escape, announced today that it is rolling out a new line of Rice Bowls. The new Rice Bowls feature fresh island flavors ranging from savory to sweet to spicy, are available on both the lunch and dinner menu, and can be ordered in advance as part of the restaurant’s “To-Go” menu.

“We developed our new Rice Bowls to be very approachable while also appealing to our guests’ diverse dining preferences and tastes,” said Peter Olsacher, Bahama Breeze Executive Chef. “From Caribbean Creole to an Asian-island inspired sweet chili and ginger sauce, each bowl brings a distinct international island flavor to the table.”

Bahama Breeze guests can choose from one of six Rice Bowl creations:

Shrimp Creole – Tender shrimp sautéed in a Caribbean Creole sauce, chorizo sausage, sweet peppers, olives and tomatoes served over basmati rice.
Carnitas – Slow roasted pork, sautéed with chorizo sausage, fresh corn, sweet plantains and garbanzo beans in a cumin-citrus sauce served over yellow rice.
West Indies Chicken Curry – Sautéed chicken, chickpeas and tomatoes simmered in a traditional West Indies curry sauce with coconut milk. Served over basmati rice with warm Naan bread and roasted pineapple chutney.
Chipotle Beef – Sautéed beef sirloin, fresh corn and black beans in chipotle sauce served over basmati rice and cheese; topped with sour cream, fresh salsa and ripe avocado.
Vegetarian Asian Tofu – Sautéed tofu, Shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, bell peppers and edamame in a sweet chili and ginger sauce; served over basmati rice and topped with peanuts.
Asian Chicken & Vegetable – Sautéed chicken, Shiitake mushrooms, bok choy, bell peppers and edamame in a sweet chili and ginger sauce; served over basmati rice and topped with peanuts.

The addition of the new Rice Bowls to the menu is just one way that Bahama Breeze is continuing to feed guests’ island spirits. The restaurant recently introduced a new Late Night Happy Hour offering half-price appetizers Sunday through Thursday, from 9 p.m. to close (availability, times and specific offerings may vary by location). To find details about a specific restaurant’s Late Night Happy Hour, or the new Rice Bowls, please visit www.bahamabreeze.com.

About Bahama Breeze
With more than 30 locations nationwide, Bahama Breeze is the restaurant that brings guests the feeling of a Caribbean escape by inviting them to Feed Your Island Spirit® with the food, drink and vibrant atmosphere found in the Caribbean. The restaurant is known for fresh, delicious seafood, distinctive chicken dishes and flame-grilled steaks, accompanied by refreshing, hand-crafted tropical drinks including Legendary Island Cocktails – 5authentic custom-made drinks sourced from world-famous island bars and created with the same techniques and ingredients that made them famous. Popular menu items include Jerk Chicken Pasta, Coconut Shrimp, Fresh Pan-Seared Salmon Pasta, Baby Back Ribs and Center-Cut Filet Mignon, and a daily fresh fish menu, which offers guests the freshest ocean fare available. All Bahama Breeze locations are open for lunch and dinner daily, from 11 a.m. until late, and offer call-ahead seating. For more information, visitwww.bahamabreeze.com, and visit us on Facebook, www.facebook.com/bahamabreeze.

Wolfie’s Pizzamia

I had the pleasure of visiting Wolfie’s Pizzamia recently.

At Wolfie’s Pizzamia, they dry cure their own meats.

I tasted a sample of the prosciutto, which Chef Jason thought was a little tough, but I thought it had a excellent texture and flavor. Chef Jason gave me a great amount of detail about the dry curing process. Chef Jason can tell you better than I can about the process:

“We cure our meats in a salt boz method. It is exactly what it sounds like. We place the whole cuts of meat into the box or in this case a cambro and cover it with Sea Salt and Toasted Peppercorn Melange. Message the salt into the meat and place in a bag or ziplock bag to introduce the salt into the meat. We use a standard formula of 1 day = 2lbs. So if you have a 6lb lonza it will stay in the cure for 3 days. You will then cut and tie it and hang it until it loses 30% of its moisture. You would like 70% humidity and 70 degrees. For larger cuts of meat you want to submerge the whole cut of meat such as the Prosciutto di Wolf in Salt for the same cure formula. Only difference is after a week of dry hanging you want to rub the exposed meat with strutto mixed with flour to keep the meat from drying out. A prosciutto will cure for minimum of 10 months and as long as 2 to 3 years. You can play with flavor profiles when in the cure for the allotted time by adding such things as juniper berries or bay leaves.
We typically use two types of hogs and are local and fresh. We like hereford hogs and mangalista hogs which are really good for there huge amounts of fat.
All the scraps and trimmings from our hogs we use in making our house made sausages and meatballs that we make. We even make Pig butter and even cure some of the back fat from the Mangalista called Lardo. OMG is it good!”

Next, I sat down to start with my actual meal. I started with a small bowl of giardiniera, made in house.

The giardiniera was delicious. The vegetables were tasty and excellently seasoned.

I continued with a serving of the meatballs, made in house of course, with a blend of beef, pork and veal. They are then topped with homemade pomodoro sauce and shaved Pecorino Romano cheese.

The meatballs were excellent. They were moist, yet firm. The blend of meats provided a great flavor and added spices gave it a perfect amount of heat. The toppings of pomodoro and Romano cheese were a delightful finish to the meatballs.

On to the main course, lasagna.

The lasagna is made in house, from top to bottom, and it’s made to order. They start by rolling out the pasta, which is then layered with their homemade marinara sauce, in-house sausage (cheese lasagna is an option), and made in-house Ricotta cheese. The portion is a very generous one, roughly 6″x6″x2″. Everything about it was enjoyable, but I think the pasta was the most noticeably homemade, and I also think it was best complimented by the fact that is was freshly made. Most places make sheets of lasagna, and then reheat to order, but you could really tell that the lasagna was freshly made because the pasta was not soggy or too soft. The cheeses, sauce, and sausage were all layered nicely. I was surprised at how much sausage was used in the dish, as most places are much more sparing with their meats. I really enjoyed being able to have some sausage in every bite. They use a spicy Italian sausage, but it’s certainly not too spicy. If I had one criticism, I’d make the sausage a bit spicier, but I still think it was an excellent dish. As I said before, you get a huge portion. This could easily be 2 meals, especially with some bread or even a small appetizer.

I didn’t get a chance to try the garlic knots, but I was so full from the rest of my meal, I’m not sure I would have been able to enjoy them. The staff did tell me that they make their garlic knots to order, which means you won’t get hours old knots that have been sitting in a warmer. They’ll be fresh and delicious.

While I didn’t get a chance to try the garlic knots, I did have some bread with the pig butter that they make in house. They use leftover rendered pig fat from their meat, mix in some flour, shallots, and garlic, making for a delicious and creamy butter.

There’s plenty I haven’t said about Wolfie’s Pizzamia that I think is worth noting as well. They focus on sustainability. They use recyclable materials wherever possible. When they purchase a pig for their meat curing, they use the bones to make stock, the scraps to make sausage, the fat to make butter, and the skin to make cracklings. They expect to be able to delivery in the very near future, and they will be using an electric car to do so.

They currently open at 3pm Tuesday through Friday. They’re open for lunch and dinner on Saturday, and brunch through dinner on Sunday. They are closed Monday. They do have plans to open for lunch during the week in the future.

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PG’s Wings & More

PG’s Wings is a small restaurant located on John Young Parkway, just south of 192. It offers a very casual, family friendly atmosphere. The staff is amazingly friendly and polite.

The wings at PG’s are great, fried to perfection, making the outside crispy while leaving the meat moist and tender. The curly fries are good, but I felt they were a little overcooked. On the other hand, the onion rings were excellent. Ranch dressing and carrots come with the wings, or you can get a larger side of dressing if you don’t care to have the carrots. I definitely recommend PG’s Wings. I would say the only wings in town that are better are Flyer’s Wings and Grill.