Top 5 reasons to visit Seasons 52 Orlando for brunch, lunch & dinner

Meyer Lemon & Ricotta Ravioli   - Photo by Mike Blank

Although we have dined at the Seasons 52 location in Altamonte Springs, Fla., several times, it was such a treat to visit Season 52's Orlando location on Sand Lake Rd. on a recent weekend. The first-ever Seasons 52 built, this restaurant is very beautiful and expansive, and has a wonderful waterside view. What a wonderful atmosphere. 

Here are the other top 4 reasons to visit this restaurant - as well as other Seasons 52 locations:

1. The service.Julian Koerner, the manager, and our server, Matt, both took care of our every need. It truly was an outstanding service experience.

2. Brunch (including Mother's Day brunch!). The Orange Marmalade Parfait Mini Starter was decadent and not too sweet, and the Shakshuka was truly original. This dish consists of two eggs baked in a sauce of sweet peppers, tomatoes, chorizo sausage and feta cheese. While it was delicious and unique, there was too much pepper/ tomato sauce, for my taste. However, we loved the Eggs Benedict on toasted brioche, with mushrooms and spinach.

Mini Desserts - Photo by Mike Blank

 The crushed potatoes served with this dish are awesome, too.

3. New spring dishes. Our favorite dish on the new menu was the Meyer Lemon & Ricotta Ravioli, with brown butter, roasted peppers and English peas. This dish is beautiful to look at, and delicious to eat. It is also a very light dish. Other seasonal dishes you should try include: Crispy Green Tomato and Burrata Board with honeycomb, Kona-Crusted Rack of Lamb, and Stir-Fried Snow Peas with Shitake Mushrooms.

4. Mini-desserts. Who can resist Seasons 52's Mini Desserts? No matter how full we are, we always have to order one or two of these. Our favorites on this visit were: Belgian Chocolate S'More, Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte and Mocha Macchiato.

Full Seasons 52 photo album available on Flavorful Excursions' Facebook page.

*A special thanks to Julian Koerner and Courtney Moed for setting up this media dinner for Flavorful Excursions.

Must-try: Brunch at The Porch

The Porch in Winter Park, Fla., recently started serving its brunch on Saturday from 11:30 am - 3 pm, in addition to its Sunday brunch. Of course, the brunch menu is as inventive and delicious as The Porch's regular menu. There were so many dishes from the brunch menu that we wanted to try, including Candied Bacon and an amazing Hawaiian French Toast dish. 

However, on this visit, I chose the Croissant Egg Sandwich with crispy bacon, arugula and tomato, with a side of smashed potatoes. This sandwich was truly the perfect bite, as egg yolk ran into the bacon, arugula and tomato. I also loved the smashed potatoes, which are like breakfast potatoes but smashed - and with more oil and seasoning.

My husband stuck to his favorite at The Porch: fried chicken tenders with tater tots. The fried chicken is always tender on the inside and crispy on the outside, with a tasty breading.

Bottom line: we will be back for brunch at The Porch and you should check it out too!

Also see:

Yummy TV dinners and more at The Porch

Go to Crepevine for Yummy Brunch or Dinner

By Guest Bloggers Shelby Lynn Gurley and Sarah Hawthorne

The Crepevine in Altamonte Springs, Fla., is a place where you feel welcome right when you walk in with a friendly staff, a clean look to the restaurant and 90's music playing overhead. And the restaurant stays true to its tagline: fast, fresh, friendly. The Crepevine is open from breakfast to dinner, so we tried them for dinner.

In a sub-style ordering process, you can pick from one of the crepes suggested on the menu behind the counter or design your own. Every crepe is made fresh to order right in front of you. 

If you like Caesar salad, the Czar Crepe is the way to go. The ingredients are fresh, the chicken is amazing, and it's ooey gooey yummy with cheese. The Shoeless crepe is a mouthwatering assortment of roast beef, ham, bacon, cheese, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and ranch. They certainly don't skimp on the meat in this crepe. 

If you still have room for dessert, we recommend the Gilberto. This sinfully delicious, sweet crepe features fresh strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, nutella, and chocolate syrup. You can order it with your savory crepes and they will wait until you are ready for dessert to make it, so it's hot and fresh. It's the perfect dish to share between four people, but they won't judge if you order one just for yourself.


The restaurant focuses mainly on crepes, but they also make excellent fresh salads and have a few other offerings such as Hummus & Carrot Dip, yogurt parfait, and even mimosas. 

Crepevine just makes you all warm and cozy inside, from their bright smiles to the fancy but heartwarming food. It's the perfect place to end a long day - surrounded by friendly people.

Related post: Top 3 Brunches in Orlando...So Far

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Unique Brunch Fare at Another Broken Egg

As you all know, I could eat breakfast foods for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That is one of the reasons I was happy that Lake Mary has another brunch restaurant that we can enjoy during the week. Peach Valley Cafe has some good dishes, but service is very slow. I am hoping for a different experience at the new Another Broken Egg at 920 International Parkway.

My first visit was a preview - the restaurant was not officially open yet - so there were still some service and food kinks to work out. But I love that the dishes we tried were unique to other breakfast/ brunch chains and most were very tasty. I also love the atmosphere of this location - the orange and brown tones are very welcoming and the decor is modern. Everyone - from the manager greeting us at the front door to the servers - were very friendly.

We started with the City Grits, creamy grits with roasted garlic, onions and smoked Gouda, topped with bacon, tomatoes and green onions. This was a different take on grits than we had before, and was very good. Stan's Mardi Gras omelette was also different than anywhere else. It includes yummy andouille sausage, crawfish and shrimp and is topped with a tomato Hollandaise sauce. The omelette itself was yummy - and huge - but I didn't really like the sauce or think it was necessary. I would suggest asking for it on the side, and then just add a bit for flavor. Our pancakes were tasty but a little dense, which may be the restaurant just working out the kinks before opening.

All-in-all, I would definitely recommend breakfast or lunch at Another Broken Egg!

Where to Find Bacon-y Goodness in Orlando

Happy National Bacon Lovers Day! I could eat bacon for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But I believe the best bacon has to start with a high-quality product, such as Boar's Head, and then be cooked to its crispiest. It must be crunchy; not limp. Above all, it must not be greasy.

I have eaten many breakfasts and brunches out, and the best bacon I have had recently was at Artisan's Table in downtown Orlando. The crispy, flavorful bacon was crumbled - in a healthy serving - on top of Breakfast in Bread, a puff pastry tart with medium cooked egg, parmesan cheese and queso blanco. The Breakfast Potatoes on the side were perfectly seasoned and fried to the right amount of crispness, and I loved the garnish of scallions.

Read more about Artisan's Table and other top brunch spots: The Top 3 Brunches in Orlando...So Far

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Top 3 Brunches in Orlando...So Far

In my quest for the best brunch offerings in Orlando, I have been fortunate to enjoy three delicious brunches recently. These are the top three I have tried, but there are so many more restaurants that I have been told have great brunch, including Soco Thorton Park, Hash Hash a Go Go, Briar Patch Winter Park and White Wolf Cafe. I hope to try them soon. Let me know your favorite brunch spot in the comments section below. Meanwhile, try not to drool over the scrumptious dishes that made it into Flavorful Excursions' Top Brunches list:

1. Two Chefs Seafood & Oyster Bar: Although Two Chefs began serving brunch only a few short weeks ago, the chef/owners got the menu and execution right from the beginning. $8 unlimited mimosas and a massive Blood Mary Bar are enough to draw diners in. Then, they will be delighted to find an extensive menu that features sweet and savory items, and both breakfast and lunch fare. We recommend the Rosemary Parmesan Waffle with Fried Chicken, the Duck Confit Hash with Fried Egg & Truffle Oil, the Cinnamon Roll and the Banana Bourbon Bread Pudding.

2. Artisan's Table: Like Two Chefs, the brunch menu at this beautiful, buzzing downtown eatery has everything you would want in a brunch: inventive plates that are both sweet and savory, and a wide array of breakfast and lunch items. I knew I was in for a treat when brunch started with a friendly server and classy tea presentation. The dish I had was heavenly, and I would highly recommend it: Breakfast in Bread, a puff pastry tart with medium cooked egg, crispy crumbled bacon, parmesan cheese and queso blanco. The Breakfast Potatoes on the side were perfectly seasoned and fried to the right amount of crispness, and I loved the garnish of scallions. Bonus points: General Manager Monica McCown was very accommodating with my food allergy substitutions. 

3. Dexter's: The restaurant chain has been offering great brunch for years. But I re-visited the Dexter's Lake Mary recently for brunch and was reminded that the local restaurant chain offers a unique take on traditional brunch dishes - and executes them well. My favorite brunch dish there is the Dexter's Benedict. I really like the addition of smoked turkey, along with tomatoes and spinach, as well as the flavorful hollandaise sauce. We also really liked the Country Style Chicken & Biscuits, Waffles and Blackened Mahi & Grits. The mimosas come in so many different flavors - including mango and yummy peach - and are inexpensive at $2.96 each or $12 for unlimited.

Win Brunch for Two at Two Chefs Seafood

I am very excited to hear that Two Chefs Seafood & Oyster Bar in downtown Orlando is now serving brunch every Sunday from 11:30-3:00, starting July 12. I have had excellent food on two previous visits there for dinner, where I got to sample high-quality seafood dishes and the chefs' modern take on Southern cuisine (see review below). And Two Chefs is giving away Brunch for Two to two lucky Flavorful Excursions readers! Simply tag whom you would like to bring to brunch on our Facebook page or on Instagram at Flavorful Excursions, and we will randomly select one lucky winner on Friday, July 10, at 3:00 p.m. One entry per person, must live in Central Florida.

Of course, I would also highly recommend visiting the restaurant any day for lunch or dinner. Here is my recent review after my first visit to Two Chefs:

I had the best meal I have had in a long time at the new Two Chefs Seafood & Oyster Bar. I am usually very nervous when trying a brand new restaurant. It typically takes a while for management and staff to work out the kinks, and you really don't know if the food will be good. 

In this case, I had no worries at all. I had already heard that the two chef-owners are Bernard Carmouche, former culinary director for Emeril Lagasse's Florida restaurants and Larry Sinibaldi, former chef of The Palm restaurant at Hard Rock Hotel. Also, my friend Amy Gilbert, pastry chef at Emeril's Tchoup Chop, is a chef and pastry chef at this great restaurant.

Near the 7-Eleven on Colonial Drive, you almost miss Two Chefs, which is a small eatery in a renovated house. There is some parking in the back and on the side streets. The atmosphere is very inviting - not stuffy - with white butcher paper on the tables instead of white linen tablecloths. The atmosphere almost fools you into thinking that you will be getting casual,

everyday food. 

That is certainly not the case here. While there are familiar Southern items on the menu like baked oysters, Shrimp Po'Boy and macaroni and cheese, the chefs have taken a very unique and fresh approach to each app, side and entree. We started with the Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, which was full-flavored. I love the smokiness from the sausage and appreciate the huge chunks of tender chicken in the gumbo. After eating gumbo in New Orleans, it has been so hard to find one I like in Orlando and now I have! Instead of Oysters Rockefeller, the chefs offered a delicious Baked Oysters app, which my husband was a little leery of because it includes Brie cheese fondue, bacon and toasted Panko bread crumbs. He was pleasantly surprised when he realized that the oyster flavor pairs perfectly with both the brie cheese and bacon.

Of course we had to try the Shrimp Po Boy. This is one of our favorite things to get when we go home to South Mississippi. The chefs fly in bread from New Orleans for the Po Boys, so we knew it was going to be great. The plentiful, lightly-breaded shrimp paired perfectly with the mayo, lettuce and lightly toasted bread. We will definitely be back for that sandwich! We also had the Fish Sandwich of the Day, which was red drum. Chefs in New Orleans and Mississippi know how delicious this fish is, but I never see it featured in Orlando restaurants. I was so happy to have it, and it was cooked nearly perfectly. The sandwich was great, but the housemade remoulade sauce was even better. 

We also wanted to try the unique sides. We had the Crispy Pancetta and Jalapeno Mac n Cheese with toasted Panko bread crumbs. We liked the kick from the jalapenos, and the flavor and texture of the pancetta. I think a different cheese would elevate this dish further; the cheese reminded me of macaroni and cheese you make at home, which is likely what the chefs were going for. Our favorite side was the Charred Okra with oven-dried tomatoes, lemon and basil. And this is from someone who doesn't like okra outside of gumbo and the fried okra. I couldn't get enough of this dish! The beautiful, light tomato broth paired perfectly with the firm - not mushy - okra.

Of course, we had to try dessert. It was so hard to choose from Key Lime Pie, Chocolate Cake, Creme Brulee and others, but we settled on the Banana Bread Pudding. We are so glad we did! Each bite was a mouthful of bliss. The pudding doesn't look as moist as it actually is. Once you bite into it, you realize that it is soaked in a delicious whisky anglaise. We loved this decadent, but light dessert!

Where: 743 N. Magnolia Ave., Orlando, Fla.

Peach Valley Cafe: Yummy Breakfast/ Brunch

Apple Fritters with 3 Dipping Sauces

Peach Valley Cafe in Orlando and Lake Mary is the perfect brunch spot. It has such an extensive menu of breakfast and lunch options, that everyone in the group is bound to be happy. I will say this up front, though: while the quality of food is 4 out of 5 stars, the service has been very slow any time I have visited. I have only eaten there during slow times, so I am not sure why it takes 25 minutes to get breakfast food and a sandwich.

On to the food: we opted for some unusual menu items. Instead of the typical Eggs Benedict, I ordered the Vegetable & Egg Croissant Benedict, with grilled tomato, asparagus, red onion and hollandaise sauce. It was much more exciting and delicious than it sounds. The hollandaise sauce was creamy and flavorful, the croissant was moist yet toasty on the outside and the asparagus added a nice crunch and flavor to the dish. Plus, I loved Peach Valley's roasted potatoes: not many restaurants get those right, in my opinion. I love them crispy and flavorful, and these were both.


The Lemonberry Pancakes - which were seasonal and may no longer be there - were moist and delicious. The flavor combination works very well, surprisingly. Next time, I want to try the Pecan Cinnamon Roll Pancakes. Those sound divine. We also had the French Dip sandwich, which had a delicious au jus dipping sauce, but the sandwich itself was just okay. 

One mistake I made was not ordering the hot Apple Fritters. I have heard great things about these little bites of goodness, and will definitely pick up a bag on my next visit!

Another Broken Egg - Worth the Wait?

It's a good thing that breakfast cafes are becoming more popular around Orlando. I am definitely a breakfast person, and don't want to wait for Sunday brunch to go out for a good breakfast! 

I finally had a chance to try Another Broken Egg Cafe in Winter Park, Fla., the other day. I really liked the menu selection, atmosphere and - for the most part - food, but the service was not great. When I checked in at the restaurant on Foursquare, all the commenters agreed with me: "great food, lousy service". I definitely expected a wait at the popular spot, since I went on a Saturday at 1:00 p.m., but I was seated right away.

After I was seated, it took awhile for a server to greet me. Then, once I ordered, it took 20 minutes for a simple order: a plain waffle, bacon and poached eggs. By this point I was starving, but still sent the waffle back because it had arrived cold. However, once I did get to try the waffle, it was very light and fluffy with a bit of crispy exterior - exactly as I like it. The sweet, crispy bacon was also good, as were the eggs.

There are so many choices on the menu, it was hard to make up my mind. Many of the omelettes look great as well as the Signature Benedicts - especially Crabcakes Cavallo. A fellow food blogger recommended The Floridian omelette, which is filled with cream cheese and topped with garlic sauteed crabmeat, Monterey Jack and green onions. I couldn't order this mouth-watering dish because of a dairy sensitivity, so it would be great to see vegan cheese as an option for all the omelettes.

However, I was impressed by the vegetarian options on the menu, as well as the gluten-free pancakes and several healthy options. Another Broken Egg serves several burgers, sandwiches and salads too. More dishes for me to try - if I come expecting a wait. I like the vibe of the restaurant, too. Several 20-something patrons were watching football at the bar - a great place to hang out and order mimosas or Bloody Marys with your brunch.

Where: 430 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park, Fla.