ORMOND WINE COMPANY - RESTAURANT REVIEW #2

I've been a horrible slacker as of late. Judy and I went to the Ormond Wine Company a few weekends ago and I never wrote up the review. So here it is. Please note - this is my second review of this restaurant. You may view the first review here. Also please excuse the quality of the pics. They were taken with my cell phone and the restaurant was rather dark. Take my word for it - the pics do NOT do the food justice.

We stopped by for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. We were the only people there at first, although a couple came in and did have lunch at the bar a little later. For the high quality of food the place puts out and for the beer and wine selection - this place should be packed. Even on a Saturday afternoon. Our server was wonderful and very informed on the wine and beer lists. She answered Judy's wine questions and my beer questions. We started off with the House Blue Chips. Although quite salty, the chips were delicious and crunchy. They were topped with blue cheese and blue cheese dressing, along with truffle oil and a kalmata olive sauce that upped both the saltiness and taste factor. The appetizer was more than ample for two people. 

We both decided on salads. Judy chose the duck breast salad (duck, field greens, blue cheese, dried cherries, red onion, mixed nuts and a raspberry walnut vinaigrette.) I went with the steak and mozz salad (grilled sirloin, field greens, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil, roasted red peppers, Roma tomatoes, and a balsamic vinnegarette.) We don't usually choose salads, but we had seen the dessert menu and had ulterior motives. 

We couldn't choose which dessert to share so we of course ordered two. The white chocolate coconut creme brulee was one of the best creme brulees I had ever eaten. The top was caramelized just right and the dish was flavorful without being too strong, as I often find coconut desserts. We also split a truffle tasting plate. We had their truffles on our first visit and were eager to try more. The flavors included on the plate included: caramel with Fleur de Sel; dried cherry; Grand Marnier; and espresso. We also enjoyed a freshly brewed coffee.

All in all - another great meal at the Ormond Wine Company! And they have a web site now!

BUFFALO WILD WINGS - DON'T BOTHER

We went to the recently opened Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant/bar/whatever in Daytona this past Friday to celebrate a friend's birthday. Since there was going to be 19 of us attending, my friend thought it would be wise to call ahead. She was told that they didn't take reservations but that they would make a note of it. I know many chain restaurants don't take reservations, but when you are told that a party of this size is coming to your restaurant, I would think you'd want to know. So we stood in the sweltering heat for approximately 30 minutes because we couldn't fit in the restaurant foyer because there was so many people waiting. Finally we went into the open air section, hoping to get drinks at the bar. We walked past at least 8 empty tables.

When I got to the bar, I was very psyched about the beer selections. Guinness, Terrapin, Sam Adams, Yuengling . . . some really great beers on tap. Too bad the bartenders don't wait on women. I stood there and was ignored as I waved my money while I watched at least 5 men get waited on. I then watched Karen and Nikki go through the same thing. However, when John and Cornelius went to the bar, they were served immediately. The women ended up having to give our drink orders to the men since obviously our money isn't as good as the money held by men. Big turn-off for me.

After waiting about an hour, we were finally seated. They sat us at separate tables. We ended up having to push our own tables together and basically could only talk to the people sitting right beside us since the place was so loud. We then began our wait for food. And least another 45 minutes and they screwed up my order. When the food finally arrived, it was OK. Not worth the hassle we had been put through, but OK. If someone wanted to stop by and pick up some Asian Zing wings and some mango-jalapeno wings and bring them to me, I'd eat them and be happy about it, but I really have no interest in returning there again.

My money is the same money that people with penises have and I truly resent the bartenders' attitude towards women.

So not impressed. Out of 5 stars, I'd give them a 1 1/2.

Cerchio in Ormond Beach

I'm a fan of Stonewood Grill and Tavern, and Peach Valley Cafe. Recently I read an article on the owners of Stonewood Grill and Tavern, and Peach Valley Cafe and found out that they also own an Italian restaurant, Cerchio. I was very excited to try Cerchio's food. Both Stonewood and Peachtree are chains, but they really don't have a chain feel to them, at least to me. I guess I expected the same from Cerchio's. I was disappointed. The place screams "Olive Garden" to me. Yeah, the decor is a little nicer, but other than that . . .

I ordered the eggplant medallions ("Tender eggplant, hand breaded, flash fried to a golden brown, topped with fresh ricotta on a bed of rustic marinara") for an appetizer. My friend chose the Artichoke Fritte ("Tender artichokes, flour finished, flash fried and served with dijon aioli"). The eggplant did seem to be hand breaded and it was fried perfectly. However, I like my eggplant with that large, oozing slice of provolone on top of it. This dish was sprinkled with cheese and seemed lacking. Judy's artichoke appetizer was quite good, but the dipping sauce certainly did not seem to be dijon aoili. In actuality, it tasted just like the sauce served with Bloomin' Onions at the Outback.


I ordered the Ravioli Caprese for an entree, the half portion. ("Tender ravioli filled with fresh mozzarella, vine ripe tomatoes and basil, finished with our house made aurora sauce") This came highly recommended by our waiter. For some reason, I had it in my head that this would be more of a pasta salad. I'm not sure where I got that from. I was expecting fresh tastes. What I got was what seemed to be typical frozen ravioli in a sauce that tasted like a rosa sauce.

Judy went with the sampler dish. (top photo) It isn't listed on their web site and I can't remember what it was called. I know that the Chicken Parmesan and the Ravioli Caprese were part of the meal. She was able to substitute for the third dish and chose gnocchi with bolognese sauce. She felt the same way I did about the ravioli and both of us were put off by the mushy texture of the gnocchi. The chicken was quite tasty though.

Of course, we wanted dessert and coffee. The coffee was fresh, dark, and made just right. The tirimisu tasted like the Olive Garden's and the Chocolate Au Cream was frozen and gritty.

Overall, the food was good/OK, but simply not the quality I was expecting. I went there with high expectations that weren't met. At least not during this outing. Would I recommend to friends? Yes, but with a disclaimer that they should go expecting chain quality food.

One thing I would go back for - their pizzas smelled and looked delicious. I'd be willing to give Cerchio's another shot and try their fire roasted pizzas.

Zen Bistro - Daytona

I've discovered a new Thai restaurant in Daytona. It's on Bay Street, about a block up from Beach Street and across the street from another Thai restaurant, Siam Spice. Zen Bistro is a much tinier place than Siam Spice. Siam Spice has a lot more ambiance too, but Zen Bistro makes up for the "few frills" surroundings with excellent food and eager to please waitstaff. The waitstaff is on the ball. Orders are taken quickly and with a smile. (View their menu.)

So far I've tried the spice noodles (described on the menu as "stir-fried flat noodles with chop chili, garlic, bell peppers, onion, and Thai basil) and their yellow curry (menu description "yellow curry paste cooked with coconut milk, onions, and potatoes). Both times I added chicken and asked for the meals to be "hot". I don't think the same cook was working both times because I thought the spicy noodles should have been "hotter" but practically scorched my lips on the curry. It cleared my sinuses up in a flash which was rather welcome because I had a cold. I think the next time, however, I'll go with a mild hot for the curry because the hotness overwhelmed the slightly sweet taste of dish. Both times I got the lunch portions which were ample. I have not managed to make it there for a dinner, but a friend of mine took a large party there for a celebration dinner and she said they were treated like royalty and she raved about the food.

They have some curries that I don't see on every Thai menu, pineapple and pumpkin. They also have some Japanese appetizers (edamame and gyoza) and miso soup. I love dumplings so I believe the next time I stop by I'll try the gyoza for an appetizer. My main dish is still undecided but I'm leaning toward the basil sauted with chopped chilis, garlic, green beans, onion, bell pepper, and carrots. You can add chicken, pork, beef or shrimp.

Lu Lu's Oceanside Grill

Judy and I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon, after a pretty crappy day. We had attended the Native American Festival at the Casements which was a big disappointment. Then we had stopped at a bar in Flagler that was filled with alcoholics. It kinda looked fun from the outside but was one of the most depressing bars I have ever been in. Everyone was shitfaced and pathetic. It was 2 p.m. I also think a swinger couple was hitting on me but I guess I could be wrong.

Lu Lu's was a great way to end a crappy day. We had a wonderful waitress. She was informative, gave suggestions, knew the menu . . . she really had her act together.

Instead of being our usual gluttonous selves, we decided to split an appetizer. We ordered the flatbread with cranberries and brie. The flatbread tasted freshly baked, but the waitress told us the restaurant ordered it from an outside source. The cranberries were tangy and went well with the brie. My only gripe is that there wasn't enough brie. It should be known that there is NEVER enough brie for me. A few shavings of brie will NEVER cut it.

I had a garden salad. All ingredients were quite fresh and I asked if the dressing was made on site. It was the creamiest, best tasting ranch I've ever had. I'm not usually a big ranch fan, preferring vinaigrettes, but for some reason, on that day, the thought of ranch dressing on cucumbers and tomatoes sounded to good to pass up.

Judy got a big ass Lu Lu burger with sweet potato fries. She wanted red meat so she got a half pound of it. It looked delectable but I opted for the Cajun kabobs. ("Large gulf shrimp and sea scallops wrapped with bacon, dusted with Cajun spices and grilled. Served with yellow rice, steamed vegetable medley and Creole mustard.") It was "wrapped in bacon" that got me. The spice blend had a lot of salt in it and that along with the saltiness of the bacon, was overkill, but the seafood itself tasted fresh and was on the large side. I substituted a baked potato for the rice.

I was hoping for a better beer selection. They had a few typical imports and the usual domestics. The drink menu looked interesting, but I was in a beer frame of mind.

Our waitress brought us two complimentary cones of mango sherbet. Judy doesn't like mangoes (what a freak) so she gave her cone to me too. That didn't stop us from ordering a Hot Blonde on the Beach (warm cookie sundae). As per the Lu Lu's web site - "Our Blonde cookie pie served hot and topped with vanilla ice cream, warm caramel and chocolate sauces, whipped cream and powdered sugar. Everybody wants one!" It kinda sounded better than it actually tasted. It was good, but it just didn't live up to that description.

I'd go back without hesitation. I'm hoping to hit it for Happy Hour and then dinner one night during Bike Week. I have a friend who is coming down and I think he'd enjoy it too.

According to their website, they also have two additional restaurants. The Swamp Restaurant in Gainesville, Florida and Stella's Skyline Cafe in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. Stella's appears to have a very similar menu to that of Lu Lu's while the Swamp Restaurant's differs to a larger degree.

The Ormond Wine Company

Well, I guess I'm as settled in as I can be, considering. Judy took me out to lunch on Saturday. We went to the Ormond Wine Company. I would post their url, but there is nothing there so I won't even bother.

They have an rather extensive wine list and a sampling bar, but we bypassed that. They also have a rather large list of beers. So I ordered the only Lindeman's Lambic that I have not tried, the pomme. (apple) Judy wanted a beer recommendation from me on what she should try. I told her to get the Stoudt's Pale Ale. I've never had it, but I have enjoyed all the other Stoudt beers I've had in the past. It was quite good.

For once we weren't absolute gluttons. We ordered a trio of specialty dips and spreads. They have five to choose from. We went with the olive tapenade (too much rosemary), the Kalamata olive goat cheese spread, and the sun-dried tomato goat cheese spread. ( The two remaining choices are - roasted red pepper hummus and pear/apple Stilton spread.) We both agreed that the sun-dried tomato was the best. They served it with a crusty white bread and crostini.

We also ordered a cheese plate. We chose the Rosy Goat (a hard goat cheese) and the mango and ginger white Stilton. Suprisingly Judy preferred the Stilton. She usually doesn't like fruit cheeses. I find most fruit cheeses to be too sweet, and this was not an exception. They gave us a sampling of their roasted nuts (too much rosemary), dried fruit and fresh grapes. The platter was drizzled with honey and the presentation was was quite nice.

They have many items on their menu that I would like to try - specialty salads, specialty sandwiches and grilled paninis, and flatbreads. The portions are huge and can easily be shared. Judy had been there previously and ordered the duck and apple flatbread. (roasted duck, pear and apple Stilton spread, roasted apples, parmagiano reggiano, topped with miso ginger.) She said it was delectable.

We decided to order dessert rather than a meal since we were pretty full from our appetizers. We went with the truffle sampler plate. The plate consisted of four truffles, with raspberry sauce on the side and mint. Neither of us cared for the coconut curry truffle. I can't stand the taste of curry powder, but I really thought the chocolate would overpower the curry. It did not and I ended up being very classy and spitting it out on my plate. The goat cheese truffle was covered with nuts and good, but the other two truffles were much better. Judy and I both liked the salted caramel best, followed by the balsamic reduction truffle.

All in all, I'd recommend the place and plan on going back again to try a sandwich or salad.

Our waitress was also a sweetheart and when she found out that I loved Lindeman's, she told me where I could get it cheaper than anywhere else in the area - World Market.