By Ricky Ly of TastyChomps.com on Mar 01, 2017 12:22 am
There’s no English signs to let you know you’re at Mr Wong’s Family Taste Chinese Cuisine until you’re inside. It just says “Chinese Cuisine” outside.
This place is in the so called “Chinatown” plaza here in Orlando – on Colonial Drive just west of Pine Hills Road where 1st Oriental Supermarket is located. It’s right next to Sapporo Ramen.
With that said, good dim sum is hard to find in Orlando. I think Ming Bistro and Golden Lotus are a few of the better ones in Orlando, but it’s not saying much. Mr. Wong’s would be up there in the top 5, but their service knocks it down a few notches. The decor is a bit Spartan and the waitresses here are a bit more rude than usual. But the har gow shrimp dumpling and beef chow fun are quite good.
Good dim sum is hard to find in Orlando.Dim Sum menuDim Sum menuFried shrimp ballFried stuffed taro dumplingTurnip PuddingDimsumThe push cart – dim sum served daily 10am – 3pmsome fried stuffed tofuShrimp Rice pasteStuffed eggplant
Fox 35’s Valerie Boey and the members of AAJA FloridaDim sumSiu Mai and Ha gow
Mr Wong’s Family Taste Chinese Cuisine
5076 W Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32808
By Ricky Ly of TastyChomps.com on Feb 23, 2017 12:19 pm
Ninth Annual Downtown Food & Wine Fest at Lake Eola Set for February 25 and 26, 2017
ORLANDO, Fla. (January 20, 2017) – The Ninth Annual Downtown Food & Wine Fest is set forSaturday, February 25 and Sunday, February 26, 2017 for more than 30,000 foodies and wine lovers to experience unique local cuisine paired with wines from around the globe.
Located in the heart of downtown Orlando at Lake Eola on Robinson Street, the two-day Fest features mouth-watering dishes from 30 ofOrlando’s premier restaurants, 50 domestic and international wines and live entertainment. A portion of the proceeds benefit UCF Foundation, Inc. and Valencia Foundation.
Headline entertainers include Gavin DeGraw and KC and The Sunshine Band. Additional live music artists to be announced onwww.downtownfoodandwinefest.com.
Date / Time: Saturday, February 25 (noon to 9 p.m.) and Sunday, February 26, 2017 (noon to 7 p.m.)
Location: Located in the heart of downtown Orlando at Lake Eola along Robinson Street
Fest Admission:
One-Day General Admission
Admission is $20 per person, per day with advance online purchase. Admission at the door is $25 per person, per day.
Two-Day General Admission
For all-weekend Fest fans, a two-day ticket is available for $35 per person with advance online purchase.
Wine Tasters Club
A limited number of Wine Tasters Club passes will be available for purchase for $20 per person at the Fest. Club members will enjoy up to five 2 oz. pours of their choice throughout the Fest and a souvenir lanyard.
Ultimate Fest Experience
A limited number of Ultimate Fest Experience packages are available for $115 per person, per day and includes a VIP parking pass, general admission, Wine Tasters Club, $20 value in food and beverage tickets, access to the private stage-side VIP tent, private wine/beer bar with premium wines (food and beverage tickets required) and access to private bathrooms reserved for VIP guests.
Food & Beverage Tickets:
Food and beverage tickets are available at the Fest for $2 each; food and beverage offerings range from one to four tickets.
“One of my favorite things about Downtown Orlando is the variety of restaurants and event options,” said Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer. “The Downtown Food & Wine Fest combines both by adding to the array of event options residents and visitors can attend, as well as, helping to enhance the vibrancy of the area all the while increasing awareness of our local businesses and strengthening economic growth in the area.”
Steve Carver, senior vice president and market manager, CBS RADIO Orlando commented, “Through the power of radio and the strength of our partnerships with the Orlando Downtown Development Board (DDB), restaurateurs, foodies and fans will come together to celebrate the sights, sounds and tastes of Orlando.”
Top restaurants are scheduled to present culinary tastings to complete in the Golden Fork Awards as honored by a panel of Orlando elected officials, food writers and reporters and celebrity chefs.
2016 Foodie Award:Baoery’s Asian Tacos
2016 Sweet Treat Award:Siro Urban Kitchen’s Black Cherry Liquid Nitro Gelato with Balsamic Drizzle
2016 Best of Show:Primo by Chef Melissa Kelly
Stay Connected
For more information on the Downtown Food & Wine Fest:
By Ricky Ly of TastyChomps.com on Feb 22, 2017 09:11 pm
Holler & Dash Biscuit House opened its third restaurant, and first location in Florida, at 6268 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway in Celebration on Thursday, Nov. 3.
Serving a menu of Southern comfort food with a modern twist and an emphasis on signature biscuits, the Tennessee-based eatery was established by parent company Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.
Culinary director Brandon Frohne brings Southern-inspired fare as well as a beverage selection featuring craft beer and wine, coffee from Orlando’s Lineage Roasting and innovative flavors of handcrafted sodas such as pineapple basil and mango-jalapeño mash.
To support Florida’s local farms, Holler & Dash is serving fresh juices from the local groves of Lambeth Grove and Seminole Pride Noble to your glass. The Celebration restaurant also created a seasonal strawberry lemongrass soda as a nod to Plant City’s strawberry harvest.
We spoke with Chef Brandon Frohne recently about his background and his work at Holler and Dash.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I’m somewhat of a Nomad. I was born in St. Pete, Florida and grew up between Florida and Tennessee. I was raised in a family that loves to cook, and owned restaurants in Switzerland, Germany, and US. I grew up watching my mom, grandmother, and aunt cook. I was so inspired by them. I found myself in the kitchen asking them questions and being intrigued by what they were cooking whether it was Mom’s famous cheeseburger pie, Oma’s chocolate mousse, or my aunt’s schnitzel holstein. At 17, I found my way into the kitchen as an apprentice and never left. Soon after I discovered that cooking was my passion. It helped me transition from being a mischievous adolescent to really feeling like as though I had a purpose.
From there I continued to apprentice, self study, and take culinary coursework while working in fine dining restaurants in Tennessee, Florida, and Georgia. I tried to absorb everything I could. By the time I was in my mid-20’s I had developed a good palate and was able to creatively and skillfully express myself through food. I was able to draw on the technique I had acquired, and pair it with European influence from my family and American-Southern influence from being raised here and coming up in the industry here. The Southeast is where I gained an appreciation for working with local farms, artisans and seasonal ingredients.
I began entering culinary competitions and, to my surprise, found a lot of success. I won the 2011 & 2012 People’s Choice Award at the Savor Nashville Chef Challenge, 2nd place at the International Biscuit Festival for my sweet biscuits, and I was a semi-finalist in the World Food Championships’ World Chef Challenge in Las Vegas.
Guac, fried green tomato – and bacon, bacon, bacon – the Holler Back Club biscuit.
Riding on the coat tails of these competitions, I launched Forage South, a pop-up restaurant that later developed into the Forage South food brand that makes artisanal pantry essentials for the everyday home cook and includes all natural mixes that really capture my long-time-love for biscuits.
At age 27 I opened Mason’s Southern Provisions in Nashville and that’s really where my career took off. While working there I had the opportunity to be featured on national TV shows like Food Network’s Chopped, Chopped Redemption, Travel Channel’s Secret Eats and Chow Masters. I was awarded Chef of the Year by the Tennessee Hospitality and Tourism Association in 2015. My team and I also received the prestigious invitation to cook at the James Beard House in 2013 and 2015. The opportunity with Holler & Dash presented itself toward the end of 2015 and, hungry for my next project, I jumped right on board. Biscuits are a Southern staple and the most nostalgic food item for me because they remind me of family, friends and my childhood. Joining the team at Holler & Dash is my proudest accomplishment so far because it represents everything that came before it. I feel incredibly grateful.
Favorite first memories of food?
I have several from my childhood: my father teaching me how to make a béchamel sauce, watching my mom make her famous cheeseburger pie (and inviting all the kids in the neighborhood to try it), my sweet grandmother butchering veal into paillards for veiner schnitzel, the oh-so-delicious richness of my aunt’s demi glace, my childhood neighbor Edna Parrot’s biscuits and gravy, and working with my brothers in my grandmother’s restaurant when we were kids. They’re all favorites and I draw inspiration from all of them everyday.
– Best Dishes to Try at the Restaurant?
The Kickback Chicken Biscuit: this one is standout for me. Free range chicken, creamy goat cheese, sweet and spicy pepper jelly, and scallions. So good!
My brunch go-to, the Grit Bowl: creamy cheddar grits, fried eggs, smoky bacon, hot sauce, and scallions.
The Strawberry & Dash: a fun play on a classic strawberry shortcake with creole cream cheese, house made whipped cream, and tasty marinated strawberries – all piled on a buttery, flaky biscuit!
– What is one dish you would make for yourself to eat after a long day in the kitchen?
I love cooking one-pot meals after a long day mainly because I don’t have the energy to clean my kitchen after I wreck it! I love anything vegetable driven, so Shakshuka is always a go-to. It’s this spicy Tunisian tomato stew with kale, spices, feta cheese, and whatever vegetables are in season. I normally coddle eggs right in the broth, so it’s sort of my spin on a classic tomato gravy. Typically I eat that with a crusty baguette and it makes my soul happy!
– Favorite local Orlando places to dine?
I’ve been incredibly busy with the launch of Holler & Dash, but my friend Emily Ellen is a local, rad, kitchen star who made me a bucket list of restaurants and bars to visit. I’m slowly working my way through the list. It’s really important that Chefs and restaurants support each other and their communities. I’ve been to Cask & Larder, Bauhaus and the Rusty Spoon recently. They all have super tasty menus. Go check ‘em out!
