Thought it's not technically September yet, Magical Dining Month Orlando is underway. Get out of the house now! Go! Eat! Don't wait! Sponsored by Visit Orlando, Magical Dining Month Orlando involves 70+ restaurants--many of them terrific--serving three-course dinners for $33.
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I knew Bernard Carmouche was one of the two culinarians behind Two Chefs Seafood. He'd made great meals at Emeril's Orlando, in my experience, so I trotted over recently to see what he's doing now that he's untethered from celebity chef Emeril Lagasse.
Read moreSpanish Flair at Tapa Toro
One prime exception has long been the raucous Greek restaurant Taverna Opa, which happens to have excellent food. Now the same family has opened a Spanish eatery nearby, Tapa Toro. So far, the flavors are just as good.
Read more2015 Orlando Taste of the Nation
Share Our Strength helps gets food to hungry people all over the country. You can eat really, really well Saturday night while supporting the effort. Here in Orlando, the local chapter raises money in part by hosting an annual mega-feast called Orlando Taste of the Nation. More than 40 local restaurants from family-friendly to ultra-fine will hand out small portions of one specially prepared dish.
Read moreOne Delicious Dish: Pancetta and Cannellini Bean Soup
This is a pancetta and cannellini bean soup, and it is one of the most intensely flavored, robust, satisfying soups I have ever had. That sounds over the top, I know. I'm embarrassed to be so effusive. But this soup, sold by chef Ryan Freelove of Market to Table Cuisine, deserves superlatives.
Read moreOne Delicious Dish: Sapporo Ramen
I was cranky and yearning for a lunch of fresh scrambled unwashed, multi-colored eggs from the dozen I'd just bought at the Winter Garden Farmer's Market. But I had an obstacle the size of Japan. Two nights before, Ricky Ly, the Asian-American food blogger behind Tasty Chomps, had told The Hub and me about Sapporo Ramen, claiming its noodle soups rival those in Tokyo. I had zero chance of keeping my foodie-man away from this restaurant for even one more meal period.
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Read moreTry Disney-Style African Street Foods at Harambe Market
Brilliant as always with its theming, when Disney opened an open-air food court at Animal Kingdom, it didn't just build a food court. Instead Disney built Harambe Market.
Read moreTwo Delicious Dishes: Sushi Pop and Pig Floyd's
Here are two crazy-delicious creations that made my July 4 holiday reason to celebrate. They're from Sushi Pop and Pig Floyd's Urban Barbakoa.
Read moreWhat a Rush! Try Escapology Orlando
"Ten out of 10, I'd do that again." That was a guest, a 22-year-old University of Florida Aerospace Engineering senior, in the car on the way home from Escapology Orlando.
Read moreLike Boys' Toys? Lodge at Legoland Hotel
Good luck getting to your room at the new Legoland Hotel, parents. Book the room, for sure. Allot loads of time in the hotel. Then prepare to wait ... and wait ... and wait ... because your kids will be too engaged to even get into the elevator. And you still won't be close to that bed.
When Legoland Hotel open on Friday, May 15, it will be a magnet for families with Lego-loving kids.
Legoland Hotel is located right near the entrance to the Legoland Florida theme park -- "150 kid steps," to be exact, according to an executive. The entire lodging facility is Lego-centric, from the theming to the accessories. The resort caters to adults as well as kids. Witness: the lounge with a full bar.
Here are some highlights.
You'll be greeted with some of the Legoland Hotel's 2,000 "models," as the creations are called, before you reach the registration desk.
A large castle stands tall in the lobby. "Face characters" visit often, entertaining children who otherwise might be building, and building, and building, in the Lego pits there and elsewhere in the lobby.
The hotel also has its own "master builder shop and classroom."
You think you're done, right? You can go to the room and rest? Ha!
While waiting for the elevator, your little angels are sure to spot the fart corner. It's right outside the elevators.
The elevator is an adventure of its own. Both elevators have disco balls and murals of a Lego disco. Step inside and you'll hear upbeat music -- maybe "YMCA" or "We Are Family" -- while riding to your floor.
Each of the five floors has a theme: Adventure, Pirate, Kingdom, or Lego Friends. Exit the lobby, and you'll be blasted with music that corresponds to the floor's theme. What's more, the carpeting, wall mural and door covers follow the storyline.
So then. The room. Various rooms have assorted levels of theming. All are spectacular -- especially the kiddie areas, which have bunk beds, a TV case and wall art fitting the rooms' theme.
Each room has clever elements such as Lego bugs on the walls.
Should your little offspring have little tushes, worry not. Toilets have two seat sizes.
Each room challenges children with a puzzle. I'm not sure how it works, but essentially they have to figure stuff out to get into a safe.
Some hotel rooms overlook a scenic lake. Mine had a birds-eye view of the pool area. So festive!
All guests receive free access to the breakfast buffet in Bricks Family Restaurant. The large eatery, divided into sections, features models of a chef spilling food.
Should all this happiness drive you nuts, beeline to the bar. Several local beers are on tap, and creative mocktails are available. The S'Mores with a graham cracker rim sounds tempting.
Oh, you must see this. There is no ladies' room at the Legoland Hotel.
Fun, right? My boys would have gone construction-frenzy-wild for this place when they were younger. In fact, they might still like it now and they're grown. I sure did.
Legoland Hotel Florida is in Winter Haven, about 45 minutes south of Walt Disney World.
Delve in. Make life fun.
Rona
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Read moreWhy Seasons 52 Upped Its Calories and Lists Them
Why Seasons 52 Upped Its Calories and Lists Them
The cyberworld buzzed yesterday when I wrote that Seasons 52 upped its calories on some menu items and lists exactly how fattening each item is right on the menu. So I was pleasantly surprised today to hear from Rich Jeffers, a company spokesperson. He called to address the two issues tainted me on a restaurant concept I otherwise enjoy.
Read moreSeasons 52 Has Changed. I Don't Like It.
Good heavens, Seasons 52. What did you do? What's with the 890-calorie steak dinner?
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