Author Archive for Seth Cardoza

Urban Hibachi

Published on January 27, 2012 in Japanese and Sushi. 1 Comment Tags: , .

Urban Hibachi is a surprisingly great restaurant, given its location and simple exterior. The appearance inside is nice, nothing special, but appealing and clean.  The food is great though, and the service is excellent.

I got a steak teriyaki bento box at dinner for about $12. The bento box comes with 4 pieces of a California roll, ginger salad, miso soup, steamed white rice, an egg roll, and 4 small dumplings. It is an excellent amount of food, especially for the price. Our server was very friendly and attentive. Both servers working that evening were having a good time singing and dancing to some cheesy 90s techno/party music.

The atmosphere was nice, and laid back. The place wasn’t crowded either. On a Saturday night around 6-7pm, there were only a few tables taken. Both the atmosphere and price were a welcome change from similar restaurants in the area, like Seito Sushi, which I feel you’re paying more for a “high class” restaurant than anything else.

  • Price: $10 – $15

Urban Hibachi on Urbanspoon

Copper Canyon

Published on January 10, 2012 in American, Bar and Grill and Steakhouse. 1 Comment Tags: .

I first came across Copper Canyon looking for a place for my family to have Easter dinner. While we didn’t eat there that day, the menu looked really appealing. Months later I purchased a Groupon for Copper Canyon and couldn’t wait to finally try this restaurant. While it is more upscale dining, since it is in Pointe Orlando, an area high in tourist traffic, you can really get away with wearing anything here. Although, smart casual would probably make you feel more comfortable in this atmosphere.

We were greeted by our server, who was very welcoming and highly knowledgeable of the menu. He was able to fully answer all of our questions about the menu, and I felt like he knew as much about the food as the chef cooking the meal would. The food was excellent. I had the pork chop, while my fiance had the flank steak. Both were absolutely delicious, as were the sides. The price is a little higher than I generally like to spend on a meal, but the food, service, and atmosphere make up for it. While I wouldn’t eat here on a regular basis (due to the price), I would definitely make this a top spot for special occasions.

  • Price: $15 – $30

Copper Canyon Grill on Urbanspoon

Metro Burger

Published on December 7, 2011 in American and Burgers and Fries. 0 Comments Tags: , .

 

Metro Burger serves custom burgers in a relaxed atmosphere.  The burgers are tasty and juicy, and the numerous options to customize should give everyone a burger they can enjoy. While you are free to choose your toppings, you are limited to the number of toppings unless you want to pay extra. As far as sides go, both the onion rings and fried pickles are very good. The fried pickles are spears rather than slices, and I prefer the slices, but these are still good. The fried pickles are very expensive for the amount you get considering the cost of the raw materials. Metro Burger is good overall, but I’d probably stick to the burger and skip the sides next time due to their price.

The restaurant was clean and the service was friendly. You can even enjoy a few beers at World of Beer just around the corner and have your meal delivered if they have enough staff on hand. Craft beer and greasy food always make for a great pair.

  • Price: $5 – $10

Metro Burger on Urbanspoon

Top 10 Meals in Orlando for $10 or Less

Published on November 2, 2011 in American, Deals and Coupons, Downtown, Japanese, Mexican, Subs and Sandwiches, Sushi and Thai. 0 Comments

Orlando offers a variety of food options, both in quality and in price. Below are the top 10 meals for $10 or less, to help you get the most bang for your buck.

  • Pad Thai at Thai Place. There’s many great Thai restaurants in Orlando, this just happens to be my favorite. I like the free salad with peanut dressing here too.
  • Baja Burrito at Baja Burrito. Their namesake, it’s delicious.
  • Gyro platter (includes a bag of chips and a drink) at New York Deli. They’ve been doing it for more than 30 years.
  • 1/3lb. or 1/2lb. Burger at Fuddrucker’s
  • Lunch Special Chicken Teriyaki Bento Box at Seito Sushi – does not include a soft drink or tip, but you can have the complimentary green tea.
  • Beef Brisket platter at 4 Rivers Smokehouse
  • Jumbo Chicago Dog with fries and a drink at Hot Dog Heaven
  • Wings and Things Meal at Zaxby’s, at lot of food for the money. It includes 3 chicken fingers, 5 chicken wings, fries and a slice of Texas toast for under $7. It does not include a drink though.
  •  Boxcar Willy (1 slice of pizza and a pint of Pabst Blue Ribbon) at Lazy Moon Pizza. This one is actually under $5.
  • The extra large BBQ beef combo meal (includes tater tots and a drink) at Beefy King

Let us know your favorite meal in Orlando for under $10.

Korean BBQ Taco Box

Published on October 25, 2011 in Food Trucks. 1 Comment Tags: , , .

I have to admit, I’m late to the food truck craze sweeping Orlando, and the nation. I really have been meaning to try more, but I rarely carry cash and they can be hard to track down. Luckily, my latter problem can often be solved by following the food truck on various social networking sites, like in the case of Korean BBQ Taco Box’s twitter account.

This being my first experience with a food truck, I didn’t really know what to expect. I was surprised to learn that I had to wait for my food to be prepared, around 10 minutes, but have learned that this is normal, and that (some) food trucks should be looked at as gourmet food on wheels, not fast food. The food at Korean BBQ Taco Box definitely displays the more gourmet aspects. The chicken teriyaki taco was delicious, and while I’m not 100% sure of what each side items, it doesn’t really matter, because everything was excellent.

While I didn’t expect to wait as long as I did for the food, it was my expectations that were off. The rest of my experience was very good. The staff was pleasant and friendly. The price might seem a little steep if it’s your first time at a food truck, but after you experience the quality and quantity of the food, the price becomes very reasonable.

  • Price: $6 – $10

Korean BBQ Taco Box Food Truck on Urbanspoon

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