Fun, Local Food & Wine Tastings

Cafe Tu Tu Tango at Baldwin Park

‘Tis the season for food and wine festivals in Central Florida. There are too many great events to cover all of them today, but I will tell you about the two coming up soon: The 2012 Food & Wine Festival at Baldwin Park this Saturday, March 10, and the Taste of Lake Mary on Monday, March 19.

Normally, I would be so excited about the Baldwin Park event because of the quality restaurateurs that will be serving up food and beverages including Café Tu Tu Tango, 4 Rivers Smokehouse, Funky Monkey, Stonewood Grill, Shula’s 347, and Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen. However, the cost is $65 each, which is too pricey for me. The fee reflects the evening’s great cause, though: the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

J.W. Marriott Primo at Baldwin Park

The Taste of Lake Mary is somewhat more reasonably-priced at $40 per person or $75 per couple. It also features food from some of the highest-quality restaurants in Orlando, such as Fishbones, Liam Fitzpatrick’s, Stonewood Grill, Shula’s 347, and Fin-esse.

Where & When:

March 10, 6:00 – 9:00 p.m., New Broad Street, Baldwin Park.

March 19, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m., Park Place at Heathrow, 1501 International Parkway, Lake Mary.

Bring Your Dog Out to Eat

Jacques

Finally! While Orlando cafés and restaurants have allowed dogs at outdoor cafes and restaurants for years, Seminole County is finally getting in on the act. Seminole County commissioners just enacted a “dog-friendly” ordinance that would allow restaurant-goers to bring their pets along when eating in the outdoor sections of restaurants and cafes in the county.

This seems like a great fit for a county that is known for its beautiful nature and scenery. Now, I need help from you: which are the best restaurants in Seminole County to take advantage of this new option? Winter Park, downtown, and other areas are more well known for their outdoor eateries. I blogged about a few of the top outdoor spots last year http://www.flavorfulexcursions.net/2011/06/orlandos-top-dog-friendly-and-foodie.html, including: White Wolf Café, Spice, RelaxGrill at Lake Eola, and Pisces Rising in Mount Dora.

I know that Lake Mary has fun outdoor dining restaurants too, including Dexters, Liam Fitzpatrick's, Pattiserie Caffe, the new Menchies frozen yogurt, and several other cafes and wine markets. Which are your favorites?