Yummy, Unique Food at Fresh to Order

"People sometimes associate healthy food with not tasting great," Darshi Patel, catering director at Fresh To Order in Orlando, Fla., told me recently. She is right. That is a mistake that people often make, but they would be wrong to think that of the tasty, high quality food at the recently-opened Fresh to Order in the Waterford Lakes Town Center in Waterford Lakes.

Fresh to Order, which just started offering catering services from the location near Oviedo, offers healthier menu options - in other words, no French fries - that are delicious. You order at the counter, and receive your food fairly quickly, but this is far from fast food. The broad menu has soups, salads, entrees, better-for-you-burgers, panini sandwiches, along with freshly made desserts and sides. "There are no freezers here. Everything is cooked fresh," Owner Giriam Patel told me.

I sampled two of the entrees: Almond Chicken Skewers, which feature a unique

Almond Chicken Skewers

almond rosemary crust and are served with two sauces: one is a teriyaki-type sauce and one is a sweeter sauce. Both complement the skewer perfectly. The skewer is slightly too salty and greasy, but otherwise the flavors are great. The sides - Ginger Apple Coleslaw and Sweet Mashed Potatoes - are delicious and different than what you see at other restaurants. I also loved the Coconut Curry Salmon with Roasted Peanut Corn Relish and Wheatberry Rice. The rice is another example of a healthy side that is tasty (although I wish it was slightly more flavorful, perhaps with the addition of an herb). The salmon, though was cooked perfectly, and I liked the flavor of the curry sauce. I am used to spicier curry sauces, but this one is not. 

Fudge Brownies

Fresh to Order is known for their Icebox pies, fudge brownies and freshly baked cookies. While I didn't try the pies on this visit, I would recommend any of the cookies. The Oatmeal Raisin and Peanut Butter cookies I had were obviously made fresh that day. They were just so tasty! I didn't like the flavor of the brownies as much. I don't know how to describe it; it was just a stronger, different flavor than I am used to. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this restaurant. And watch for other Fresh to Order locations opening around Central Florida! Meanwhile, to have your business meeting or event catered by Fresh to Order, call 407-800-8110 or email cateringorlando@fresh2order.com.

Where: 851 N. Alafaya Trail, Orlando

Salty Spam Fries & More at Hawaiian Grindz

by Guest Blogger Sarah Eberwein Hawthorne

Hawaiian Grindz features a cozy and inviting atmosphere, reminding one of a Hawaiian hut with relaxing music in the background. I was greeted by a friendly cashier and noticed the lunch specials. For a mere $6.99, I could choose two meat entrees along with a scoop of white rice, macaroni salad, and a drink. I opted for the Kalua Pig and the Mochiko Chicken. 

Of course, I needed to try the Spam Fries, one of Hawaiian Grindz's specialties. I mean, who has heard of Spam Fries?! Since i am a spam virgin, I went into this experience with open taste buds. The presentation is cute: the Spam Fries are displayed in an empty Spam can and are accompanied by four sauce options.

At first bite, they tasted like cheap fish sticks, but I think that's because they were so salty. I tried the sauces and that helped bring out the flavor. The options were spicy mayo, sweet 'n sour sauce, ranch, and soy sauce. I found myself slightly repulsed by the fact that I was eating spam fries, but the breading was so good that I dipped in and ate a few more while waiting for my entree. After a few, the salt was getting to me. And my tea, which tasted more like water, wasn't helping. 

The entree came quickly, though, and she brought me two bottles of sauces along with them. They looked similar but one was labeled sweet and the other spicy. I put a little of the sweet on my plain white rice and it tasted like the soy sauce and sweet 'n sour sauce had been mixed together. It was actually quite tasty. 

I delved into the Kalua Pig first and my mouth was filled with a salty, greasy mush. You could not taste the pork behind the massive amount of salt...even saltier than the spam. Moving on to the Mochiko Chicken, I was happy to find that they used the same light but

crunchy breading as on the spam fries, even though this breading was obviously mixed with a very sweet add-on. It tasted like a breaded bourbon chicken. It was just a little too sweet for my taste (and I have a major sweet tooth), but it was a nice contrast to the salt. 

The highlight of my meal was the macaroni salad. I will be probably be back just to buy this tasty little side. It was perfectly creamy, with carrots adding a nice crunch and lightly seasoned with pepper. After I put the last macaroni in my mouth, I wanted to lick the plate. 

As I was leaving, I noticed a large white board that had 12 Chef Special dishes. I wish I had seen that or been offered those options prior to ordering, as there were several dishes that looked quite interesting. I also noticed the Spam Fries clearly advertised on the board for $4, despite not being on the menu. 

While the food was not my cup of tea, I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere, the good service, and the speed in which I could eat and be back on my way.

Guide to New BJ's Restaurant - Oviedo

Avocado Egg Rolls

I recognize that it was kind of silly to visit BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse in Oviedo this past weekend, after it had only been open a week. However, I have been wanting to try BJ's after friends raved about the Sand Lake Rd. location.

The wait was crazy. It was a Friday night and there was a line out the door. As a result, the bar area was crowded with people as well, standing around with their drinks while they waited for tables. Despite the crowds, I really enjoyed the atmosphere at BJ's: high ceilings and a light, clean feel. Plus, the happy hour specials from 3:00 to 6:00, were great: $4 craft beers and $4 calls. 

Speaking of BJ's craft beers, the menu of the restaurant's own beers on tap and others is so extensive, it's hard to choose just one. Our friends really liked the Jeremiah Red and BJ's Oasis Amber but the Harvest Hefeweizen was just okay. I ordered one of BJ's signature cocktails, the Strawberry Smash. I was disappointed because all the ice in the glass left only a small drink, plus it had a slight medicine taste. Next time, I will order the Strawberry Mojito, which was highly recommended by my friend. Plus, all of BJ's mojitos and martinis are only $5 each, all day, every Monday.

Harvest Ale

Now to the menu. It is pages and pages, similar to Cheesecake Factory, but not as bad as that. I like that BJ's provide a bit of something for everyone, for whatever mood you are in. BJ's has a lot of bar food, including wings and potato skins, but typically provides a different twist on the appetizers and entrees that would normally be served at a restaurant/ bar. Plus, there are some healthy items like salads that looked gerat.

The potato skins were good, and the Avocado Egg Rolls were even better. I also wanted to try the Thai Shrimp Lettuce Wraps and the Chicken Pot Stickers, but couldn't fit everything in. For entrees, I would definitely recommend BJ's pizzas, which reminded me of Pizza Hut's personal pan pizzas, but bigger, crispier, and not as covered with greasy cheese. Both the Pepperoni and Cheese pizzas were delicious! On the lighter side, we loved the flavor of the Lemon Thyme Chicken, which featured perfectly-cooked chicken breasts, a light lemon thyme sauce, and was served with brown rice and vegetables. 

We didn't have room for dessert, but next time, I will order the beignets or one of the many other desserts there! What are your favorites here? Let me know in the comments section below.