The Top 6 Reasons to Visit Tibby's

Tibby's New Orleans Kitchen is the best place in Orlando to celebrate Fat Tuesday. I say this not only because of the two restaurants' Happy Hour all day and live music featuring Jeff Howell from 6-10 p.m., but also because Tibby's has the best atmosphere and Creole food to celebrate the start of Mardi Gras.

Many of us have been lucky enough to eat at the Tibby's on Aloma Ave. in Winter Park. But I was delighted to join friends for a fun evening recently at Tibby's new Altamonte Springs location. Here are the top reasons

Photo courtesy Tibby's

I love eating - and drinking - at Tibby's:

1. The atmosphere. You really feel like you are in New Orleans at both restaurants, but I especially love the decor at the Altamonte Springs Tibby's. The owners brought in huge decorations for the walls that were used on floats during Mardi Gras parades. If you are from the city or have visited there, you will recognize many of the banners and decorations at Tibby's.

2. The drinks. Where else can you get Abita Purple Haze on tap, served in an oversized glass goblet? Tibby's has a ton of a beers on tap plus a full liquor bar. And really great Happy Hour specials with great live music.

3. The Shrimp Alligator Cheesecake. If you have never had this appetizer before, run to your nearest Tibby's. My husband says he will go back just to eat as much of this as possible. Three cheeses, shrimp, alligator meat and bread crumbs make this a smooth, delectable, unusual, delicious thing to eat.

Seafood Gumbo. Photo courtesy of Tibby's

4. The Seafood Gumbo. Not as good as I have had in New Orleans, but as close to the real thing as you will get. It is very flavorful, spicy, and delicious. 

5. The Shrimp or Crawfish Etoufee. If you have never had it, etoufee is a tomato-based creamy seafood sauce that goes great over rice, seafood, or chicken. Tibby's version is truly delicous and spiced just right.

6. The beignets. These are different from the ones you get at Cafe DuMonde in New Orleans, but I really like the twist. They are more of a crunchy, fried doughnut with a ton of powdered sugar. The best dessert I have had in quite awhile!

Of course, there are a number of other Creole dishes on the menu that are amazing.  You need to check out Tibby's for yourselves. Why not start your culinary adventure on Fat Tuesday?

Where to Celebrate Natl. Margarita Day

I love that there is a National Margarita Day! I don't know whom invented these drinks, but they rock. Central Florida restaurants and bars are going all out for the special day this Saturday, February 22.

Here are two events we think will be a blast:

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville

1. Cocina 214 in Winter Park is holding its annual Margarita Madness recipe contest on Saturday starting at 6:30 p.m. Competitors can submit their innovative margarita recipes for a chance to win a $100 Cocina 214 gift card. Plus, their recipe could be featured on the restaurant's menu.

If you are lucky enough to be at this competition, you will get to sample these recipes throughout the evening.

2. Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville Orlando at Universal Orlando Resort will host a complimentary Margarita-making class from 3:00-4:00, where guests will learn the art of shaking and mixing. Plus, Jimmy Buffet's is taking part in a nationwide recipe contest. Make sure to be there at 5:00 p.m. for the National Margarita Day Toast!

Have fun celebrating!

Top Orlando Restaurants for Valentine's Day

Bone Marrow App - K Restaurant & Wine Bar

This is one of my favorite times of the year. While it is best to keep the romance alive year-round, it is also great to celebrate your loved ones (whether it is a spouse, girlfriend/ boyfriend, family or friends) on Valentine's Day.

Here are suggestions for special Valentine's Day dinners at restaurants that I have dined at or want to try soon:

1. K Restaurant & Wine Bar:  Recently voted one of the most romantic restaurants, K Restaurant in College Park is known for its farm-to-table cuisine. I know the executive chef and owner, Kevin Fonzo, and I can vouch for the high quality of his food and the type of atmosphere he creates. The seasonal menu changes daily, and Chef Fonzo uses as much local meat, seafood, produce, and dairy as possible. Here's a romantic dish to try if it is on the menu when you visit: the Bone Marrow appetizer. The creamy, smooth marrow is complemented perfectly by the sauteed onions and jus. Any fish dish you order - I had the cobia - is sure to be cooked perfectly. And the desserts are to die for. The French Toast Bread Pudding was light, unique, and very flavorful. With two separate dining rooms, couples can definitely get some alone time here.

Christner's Prime Steak & Lobster

2. Christner's Prime Steak & Lobster: Formerly known as Del Frisco's, this beatifully revamped restaurant on Lee Rd. is perfect for date night, or any special occcasion. For Valentine's Day, Christner's is offering a special menu for $200 (tax & gratuity included), featuring an 8-ounce filet, a 12-ounce prime strip, a 16-ounce ribeye or salmon, a bottle of champagne, chateau potatotes and other vegetables, and two decadant desserts. 

3. If you are looking for delicious food AND a different type of experience, check out The Enzian theater in Maitland. On February 15, Enzian is featuring a speical event with with a huge buffet spread, live entertainment, and a showing of the movie, Ghost. 

4. Kasa Tapas and Raw Bar in downtown Orlando is featuring a Cupid's Adventure Dinner on February 14. Sweets are provided afterwards at Ghost Bar & Lounge, and the afterparty is at Avenue Gastrobar. Sounds like a fun night!

5. Taverna Opa Orlando on I-Drive is another exciting place to celebrate with your love this Friday nihgt. The restaurant is featuring a special $65 prix-fixe dinner for two with drinks and live entertainment. 

Where do you plan to celebrate Valentine's Day? Let me know your favorite romantic restaurants in Orlando and around the world.

Have an Unforgettable Meal at Emeril's Tchoup Chop

Robata Grill Skewers & Dipping Sauces

My husband and I had an unforgettable meal at Emeril's Tchoup Chop inside the Loew's Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando recently and you can too. The ambiance, unique and perfectly prepared food, and impeccable service make for a perfect romantic meal or night out.

You might think it is difficult to park at such a popular resort, but that is not the case. You can drive right up to Emeril's Tchoup Chop and receive free valet parking. Walking in, I was struck by the beauty and grandeur of my surroundings. A huge square pool with lily pads sits in the middle of the room, while the walls are backlit with blue lights and huge bamboo. You are transported to a Polynesian world.

Sesame Ahi Tuna

The theme of Emeril's Tchoup Chop menu is Asian fusion, and the new chef de cuisine, Ryan Vargas, takes Asian fusion to a whole new level. After living in Hawaii for many years, Chef Ryan has infused popular Hawaiian cooking methods and flavors into many of Tchoup Chop's dishes featured on its new menu. 

We started with two of Tchoup Chop's signature cocktails, La Floridita (the Hemingway) and Mai Tai, and both were delicious. For appetizers, we were excited to try meat skewers and vegetables from the restaurant's new Japanese Robata Grill, which quickly sears meat and veggies at a high temperature and locks in their delicious flavors. While the preparation of the meats and vegetables is so simple, the results are outstanding. You don't want to miss this experience at the restaurant - and it is affordable. The cauliflower tasted like popcorn, and we also really enjoyed the Japanese peppers and asparagus. Both the lamb sausage and lamb skewers were also very flavorful and perfectly prepared.

One of the most popular dishes at Tchoup Chop is the Sesame Ahi Tuna, so we tried that. It is prepared with a thick sesame crust and lightly seared, and served with a Quinoa Tropical Fruit Tablouleh and a Wasabi Ogo Vinaigrette. The top-quality tuna was so smooth and flavorful, and the crust and vinaigrette complemented it nicely, not overpowering the fish. The Quinoa Tabouleh had such a nice, bright flavor.

Arguably one of the best fish entrees I have ever had, we also loved the Hawaiian Style Local Snapper. It is prepared with a light Sesame Soy broth and is served over baby bok choy and mushrooms. The fish was cooked absolutely perfectly, and the broth paired perfectly with the fish. Did I mention "light"? All the dishes we had felt light and healthy. "It's a reflection of how I changed my lifestyle and how my family eats," Chef Ryan told us.

After that light, healthy dinner, we of course had to try many of Tchoup's Chop's desserts, including Emeril's Signature Banana Cream Pie. That thing should be illegal. I tried to stop eating it, but couldn't.. There was something different in every bite. We would also highly recommend the Crispy Guava Dumpling, with guava and cream cheese filling. The dumpling is delicious on its own, but it is elevated to a new level when you pair it with the accompanying mango dipping sauce. I would also recommend the creme brulees, and the Chocolate Kamora Cake with Peanut Butter Mousse.

If you are planning a special Valentine's Day dinner for your sweetheart, you are in luck. Chef Ryan has put together a special menu for the day, at $75 per person. 

Where: 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, Fla.

Special Menu at Emeril's Orlando for Valentine's Day

Want to make Valentine's Day special this year? A restaurant where I experienced one of the most fabulous meals of my life is offering some affordable specials on February 14. 

At Emeril's Universal Citywalk, Chef de cuisine Bernard Carmouche created a special four-course tasting menu and a selection of special appetizers, entrees and desserts in addition to the restaurant’s regular menu.

The Chef's Tasting Menu, at $60 per guest, features an Amuse Bouche, Salmon Carpaccio, Butternut Squash Tortellini, Beef Wellington, and Limoncello Mousse. Also on special are: Grilled Bone-in Strip Steak, Grilled Lobster, and Black & Blue salmon.

I love the ambiance and high quality of food at Emeril's Universal Citywalk. Even if you don't get there for Valentine's Day, make a reservation soon for dinner. While you're there, you must try Emeril's New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp and Andouille Gumbo.

For Valentine's Day menu and reservations, visit: http://www.emerilsrestaurants.com/article/valentines-day-emerils-orlando. 

Unique Lunch Fare Awaits at Dexter's

Why I sometimes forget about Dexter's for lunch is beyond me. But I am so glad I was reminded of the extensive lunch menu and value for the money that Dexter's restaurants in Lake Mary, Winter Park and Thorton Park offer customers.

Dining recently at the Lake Mary location with a friend, I was a little worried about the kind of experience I would have. That was because I had previously visited Dexter's Lake Mary for brunch on a busy Sunday. It was difficult to get good, friendly service and there were not as many brunch options as I had hoped.

Setting that experience aside, I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the lunch menu to see a full page of lunch menu specials for the day. Everything from sandwiches to salads to seafood meals. Plus, we had the option of ordering off Dexter's regular menu. There, you can order their amazing sweet potato fries, one of their many delicious burgers, pastas, and comfort food such as Eggplant Napoleon and Chicken Tortilla Pie.

My friend ordered the Corsican Salad, which features baby greens, marinated artichokes, greek olives, feta cheese and Mesquite Grilled Chicken. The full salad for $9.95 is a great value, with a humongous chicken breast on top and enough for leftovers. Plus, the salad was very flavorful and unique. I ordered the mahi lunch special with grilled mahi, rice pilaf and asparagus. The mahi was cooked right, and it was huge portion for under $13.

We will definitely be back for lunch again soon. What is your favorite meal or drink at Dexter's? Let me know in the comments section below.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

Try Hemingway's For a Great Value in Dec.!

Hemingway's Crab Cakes

I have heard great things about Hemingway's, the beautiful fine dining restaurant at the Hyatt Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla., from friends and family for years. I finally had an opportunity to dine there recently with my husband, to try the special "Taste of Hemingway's" menu the eatery is offering through the end of December.

This restaurant a must-do for couples and families for the holiday season! Before dinner, you can get your photo taken by the gorgeous Christmas tree in the resort's lobby. After dinner, you can walk off the meal with a stroll around the grounds, which features beautiful plants, streams, and Buddhist statues. 

Back to the Taste of Hemingway's: this is a fabulous, 3-course menu with choice of appetizer, entree, and dessert for the great value of $39. It is an amazing value because the food, service, and presentation is at such a high level, and is worth so much more.

For apps, you can choose from the Florida Rock Shrimp Chowder, the Key Wester Salad, and the Key Lime Caesar. We had the chowder, which was very delicious (but too much corn for me). If you decide to order off the regular menu, I would suggest the scallops appetizer, which features three perfectly cooked scallops with a wonderful bacon and chimichurri accompaniment. However, I would suggest ordering the barbecue sauce on the side.

Key Lime Tart

Personally, I would rather taste the the high quality scallops themselves, than have their flavor drowned out in a sauce.

Our favorite entree off the Taste of Hemingway's menu was the Hemingway's "Cayo Hueso" Crab Cakes", which contain the most delicious crab of any crab cake I have eaten. They are served with local sweet corn coconut grits and corn salsa. Amazing! The other entrees - Duvall Street Shrimp Scampi, Cuban Criollo Chicken, and Mahi-Mahi - also looked delicious. We ordered the fresh fish, Florida grouper, off the regular menu, which was accompanied by Cape Canaveral shrimp. Both the shrimp and the fish were absolutely cooked to perfection. I loved the crispy sear on the grouper, and the fennel accent paired very well with the flavor of the fish.

For dessert, you can choose from the Key Lime Tart or the Chocolate Banana Fallen Tower. Both are to die for. I loved the Key Lime Tart, because it is difficult to get that tart Key Lime flavor at many restaurants. The house-made graham cracker crust was also delicious, and the baked meringue on top was an interesting twist.

For reservations, visit: http://grandcypress.hyatt.com/en/hotel/dining/Hemingways.html or call 407-239-3854.