Fernandez the Bull (North), Naples, Florida

The Palomilla Steak Special is typically accompanied by black beans and rice
but can be served with fries upon request, as ordered by my husband today.

Every once in a while, I get homesick for Filipino food.  And while I can cook some of my own, sometimes I am just lacking in time or otherwise not in the mood to cook (or rather to clean up after I cook).  So, when the urge strikes me, I go to the next best thing - Latin food.  While some Philippine cuisine is Chinese influenced (as in the case of the egg-roll variant lumpia or the lo mein counterpart pancit), a good part of the cuisine is also Spanish influenced as a result of many years of Spanish rule over the Philippine islands.  I have a deep-rooted Spanish heritage so I tend to prefer the Spanish influenced dishes.  Outside of any metroplex, where Filipino restaurants are virtually non-existent, I keep on the lookout for Puerto Rican or Cuban restaurants that will suffice.

If you were to ask any Naples resident about the best Cuban food in town, chances are most would say that you could find such food at Fernandez the Bull.  "The Bull" (as I affectionately call it) has been a Naples tradition since the mid-1980s.  Luis and Raquel Fernandez, both Cuban immigrants, opened the restaurant in 1985 using Raquel's own recipes.  The Bull's menu is 100% authentic Cuban, which I love.  As a former resident of Miami, it's hard to be satisfied when it comes to Latin cuisine.  There is no shortage of Cuban inspired fare in the Miami-Dade area.  But past the county line, the search becomes much more difficult.  Lucky for us in Collier County, the Bull fits the bill.

When I came to Naples in the late 1990s, the restaurant operated out of a location on US 41.  Now, the Bull has two locations, one on the southern end of Airport Road, convenient to the Collier County Courthouse, and a "new" location on the northern end of Airport Road, in Piper's Crossing.  Admittedly, when the restaurant moved from US 41 to its south location, I was a bit sad.  My visits to the Bull have been less frequent given the added distance from both my office and home.  One might think that I would have been thrilled when the north location opened in February 2010.  But even after three years, I was skeptical of the new location.  I've seen a few local restaurants open second locations with little success.  So, admittedly, I was not sure if the newest incarnation would reflect the same authentic taste as its older sibling.  I couldn't have been more wrong.

A few weeks ago, after a long drive back to Naples from the east coast of Florida,  the family and I were longing for a good satisfying lunch.  We were pretty hungry after more than two hours in the car and no one was particularly forthcoming with suggestions.  That was when I remembered a recent Facebook post from a friend who swears by their ropa vieja.  Neither my husband and I had been to the Bull in a while and our hunger was getting the best of us.  I was ready to cast my skepticism aside for a helping of beans and rice.  So, to the north location we pointed our car.  This location is slightly bigger and, of course, newer than its sister to the south.    The decor is bright and inviting.  There is ample seating available and, I believe, some room for a few more tables.  The bar accommodates a generous number of diners as well.  The female-dominated staff (got to give props for the girl power) keep an immaculate dining room and provide prompt, friendly service.

The food?  Well, the food is excellent, just like the fare I always expect to have at the Bull.  And I come to the Bull just for the basics:  beans and rice.  Even at this north location, the Bull knows all too well how to take these simple things and make them taste so good.  The beans are so nicely seasoned, cooked with slivers of sweet onion.  And the rice is flavored with the most subtle hint of lime.  I can't help but keep coming back for more.  So simple, but so good.

But the Bull offers much more than just the basics; there are many protein-filled options for the meat lovers out there.

• Flounder Fernandez.  Lightly dredged filets of flounder pan-fried with garlic and lemon and served with a cilantro garlic sauce.
• Ropa vieja.  Shredded flank in a tomato sauce with onions and green peppers
• Palomilla steak.  Flank steak marinated in garlic and lemon, dressed with grilled onions
• Churrasco.  Seared steak topped with chimichurri sauce.  
• Pollo a la Cubana.  Roasted and flash fried chicken quarters basted with mojo and garlic sauce
• Lechon asado, tender roasted pork basted with garlic and lemon, just like the lechon of my youth.   

My absolute favorite?  Platinos maduros.  Sweet fried golden plantains.  Caramelized on the outside, crispy on the edges but firm and sweet on the inside.  Just like my mom makes them.  And that's why I order them every single time.

There is so much at the Bull to sample that it will take quite a few visits to get through the menu and enjoy the full Fernandez the Bull experience.  But that's okay, whatever it takes to keep you coming, right?

Kitchen Sink Recipe #1: Lentil Soup

One of the things I love about food and cooking is the creativity that goes into creating a good dish.  Disagree with me if you want, but I think cooking is definitely an art and chefs are truly artists.  What draws me most to cooking shows and competitions is the adroit skill of chefs who are able to look at a cornucopia of ingredients and come up with a variety of dishes.  It’s a talent that I am sure takes quite a lot of time and training, combined with a deep love and appreciation for food of all kinds, its flavors and textures.  Having grown up in a home where recipe cards and cookbooks were rarely used, I have challenged myself over the years to develop a sixth sense about food so that I too could just grab things from my cupboard or refrigerator and come up with something good enough to eat and enjoy.  “Kitchen sink” recipes are among my favorite challenges.  This is the term I use for those dishes that I whip up in an effort to use up the last bits of any foods taking up space in my cupboards or icebox.  This happens most often after parties, holidays or family visits, when I have more food on hand than usual.  Admittedly, most of my kitchen sink meals are soups and stews.  But, no two of them are really ever alike, because it all just depends on what's on hand that day.

Last week, in my effort to create more clean and organic lunches for my Anna, I bought a package of baby carrots and one full bunch of celery.  Anna does not eat sandwiches and I've been at a loss for lunch options that don't look like tired crudite party platters.  Anna certainly likes crudites but frankly she lost interest in both veggies after lunch day two.   So, by the end of the week, I had a small cache of carrots and celery and no bunnies around to consume them.  Now, if you are a cook, you'll know that carrots and celery are two of the three ingredients of a mirepoix.  Throw in an onion (which is always a staple in my kitchen) and you have Emeril Lagasse's "holy trinity", the primary foundation of most good stocks, soups, stews or gumbos.  Lucky for me, I also had a bag of lentils just waiting for me in my pantry.  Before I knew it, a lentil soup was born.   And topped with some shredded roasted chicken and slivers of sliced spinach (which I also needed to clear out of the fridge), we had a very tasty and filling dinner.  Funny thing is, my daughter loves this soup, so much so that she is now begging me to send it in her thermos for lunch.  So, interestingly enough, those carrots and celery did wind up serving their original purpose.  Healthy clean organic lunch accomplished!

Lentil Soup

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup diced sweet onion

1 cup diced carrots

1 cup diced celery

2 large cloves of minced garlic

3 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp ground pepper

3 tsp dried fresh basil

2 cups (or 1 15 oz. can) diced peeled tomatoes

1 lb. lentil beans

2 qts. (or 2 32 oz. boxes) vegetable or chicken stock

Step 1: Sweat the vegetables

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat on the stove top.  Let the oil warm, but do not allow it to overheat.  If your oil is popping, it's gotten to hot.  Do not allow it to burn.  Back the heat off if needed.  (Remember that different stove tops produce different temperatures.)  When the oil is warm, add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic.  (Tip:  I diced my veggies fairly small to complement the size of the cooked lentils.)  Season the vegetables with salt, pepper and basil.  (Note that my recipe calls for dried fresh basil.  This isn't a typo.  My basil is grown fresh in my garden but is air dried for about a week before I use it.  It retains a scant amount of moisture and rehydrates in soups and stews.  You can, however, use true dried basil in lieu of dried fresh basil.  Just remember that the flavor of true dried herbs is more concentrated than fresh herbs so you should adjust quantity to suit your taste.)  Stir to coat vegetables with the oil and seasonings and allow the veggies to sweat until onions and celery become translucent.   While veggies are sweating, rinse and drain your lentil beans.

Step 2:  Boil then simmer

Once translucent, add the tomatoes, lentils and stock.  (If you use canned tomatoes, you can use the seasoned variety.  In fact, this time around I used canned tomatoes seasoned with garlic, basil and oregano.  Accordingly, I reduced the amount of fresh basil and garlic.  If you use seasoned canned tomatoes, be sure the seasonings that your tomatoes are packed in complement the other seasonings in your dish.  Adjust other seasonings as needed!  The above recipe presumes you are using unseasoned tomatoes.)  Stir all ingredients to incorporate and allow to come to a boil.  Once you achieve a rolling boil, reduce the heat to medium low, cover and allow to simmer for 35 – 45 minutes until the lentils are tender.  Check lentils for doneness before pulling them off the heat.  If they have too much bite for your taste, you can simmer them a bit longer.  Or, for a thicker consistency, you can blend the soup briefly with an immersion blender. 

For added color, flavor and texture, you can top the soup with a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream and a chiffonade of spinach, basil or other leafy greens.  For an additional protein, I topped the soup with shredded chicken but you could use cubed or shredded ham.  (Heck, if this were the holidays and if I had a leftover ham hock, that hock would have been sitting in the soup while it was simmering.  Something to think about this upcoming Thanksgiving!)

Jimmy P's Butcher Shop & Deli, Naples, Florida

Hot Pastrami Sandwich with Melted Provolone, Mustard and Pickles

Is it just me or is the neighborhood butcher/deli becoming a thing of the past?  Last Christmas, my family traveled back to the east coast of Florida to celebrate the holiday with family.  My mom elected my husband and I chefs for the weekend (I hope because everyone thinks we are great cooks).  We happen to think that the basis of a good family meal is really good meat.  And so began my mission of locating a quality butcher in my old hometown.  Now perhaps it had just been too long since I'd been back, but I simply couldn't find a decent butcher in all of St. Lucie County.  It's kind of funny considering that the northwestern part of the county is dominated with cattle ranches.   I combed the phonebook and drove up to north Fort Pierce and back down into south Port St. Lucie.  Nearly every place listed in the "big yellow book" as a butcher turned out to be a large ethnic grocery.  And while I love ethnic food and will eat pretty much anything, my family was not going to accept chicken feet, pigs ears and tripe on their holiday menu.   All I wanted was a decent package of steaks and instead I wound up at Publix.  (Sorry Publix.  I do love you, but your meat just doesn't cut it.)

Lucky for me, Naples does have a tried and true butcher shop and that place is Jimmy P's.  Any true "fan of the cow" in Naples (e.g., my son) knows that the best steaks in town can only be found at Jimmy P's.    And once you've bought a steak from Jimmy P's you will be hooked.  My husband drives all the way across town once a week for our weekly ration of hangar and flank.  And, after its grilled and on my plate, I am reminded of just why he does this.  Jimmy P's specializes in selling Kobe (Wagyu) beef and all beef lovers know that is some good stuff.  Densely marbled, tender and flavorful, it doesn't require much seasoning to be pleasing to the tastebuds.  Admittedly, it is pricey, but, if you love food, it is also worth it.  And, if you are adept at grilling the less popular and less expensive cuts, you won't feel so guilty indulging.   

Jimmy P's is always well stocked with beef and other delicious meats:  heritage pork, poultry, lamb and veal.  Jimmy P's also carries game meats like venison, duck, quail and rabbit.  Meats are vacuum sealed or wrapped to retain the wonderful juices.  One look at their photo album (click here) and you'll see the quality of their selection for yourself.  But Jimmy P's isn't just a butcher shop, it is also a deli and grocery offering a selection of cheeses, deli meats, cold salads, vegetables and other offerings needed to put together a great dinner.  Those who stop by can also order prepared foods to go.  Or enjoy a nice lunch, made to order.  Last weekend, during our weekly run, I enjoyed a hot pastrami sandwich with melted provolone cheese.  If you love pastrami sandwiches like I do, you'll love the generously mounded and freshly sliced pastrami.  It makes for a very filling lunch, especially when paired with batter dipped onion rings.  You may know by now that I love a batter dipped ring and Jimmy P's rings do hit the spot.  But of course, some of the best stuff on their menu are the burgers.  My son loves these and expects to have one every time we are there, even if he's already eaten.  I told you already, he's a "fan of the cow".  And he's definitely a fan of Jimmy P's.  

If you are in Naples, the next time you find yourself contemplating a nice steak dinner made on your own grill, think about a visit to Jimmy P's.  I promise you, you won't be disappointed.  

Brambles English Tea Room, Naples, Florida

When I was in my teens, my twin cousins from England would come here to the States to visit over the long summer breaks.  Every day in the early afternoon, they would put on the kettle, brew the tea and set plates on trays with biscuits.  And when the tea was ready, we would sit in my aunt's living room, sipping and snacking quietly.  Those summers were my introduction to the English custom of afternoon tea.  As a teen, I don't think I truly understood the purpose of the custom, but as an adult, I've certainly come to appreciate the respite that comes with afternoon tea.  It's been many years since I've seen my English cousins, but from time to time I still enjoy spending time sipping tea in quiet contemplation.  My Anna has been begging me for some quality "mommy and Anna" time and that usually means a tea party.  So, to indulge her (and myself), I took my Anna to visit an old favorite, Brambles English Tea Room, a place I had discovered many years ago.

Brambles is tucked away in the rear of the Landmark Building, steps away from posh Fifth Avenue in Naples.  But for a sandwich-board placed on the sidewalk along the Avenue, a visitor to the area could easily miss this hidden gem.  Even for locals, Brambles is a well-kept secret known only to those who seem to be "in the know".  Just today, two gentlemen seated near us - one a four-year resident - admitted they had only discovered this quaint little dining room while ambling down the Avenue this afternoon.  It may not seem like Brambles is a popular spot, but in truth it is well visited.  Those who know of it visit it often.  And if you come during the traditional lunch hour, you will find the tables full, particularly during Naples' high season.  Even with the high end alternative available at the Ritz-Carlton not too far down the road, Brambles enjoys a good following.  That is because it is Naples' only true English tea experience.

Adorned with wallpaper of Victorian roses, Brambles' small dining room is set with a modest number of tables and wooden chairs, which although mismatched are charming.  Most seat four but can be easily placed together to accommodate larger parties.  Each table is topped with pink linen under glass, porcelain cups and saucers, properly placed flatware and neatly folded napkins.  Large windows along the east side of the room provide ample lighting, supplemented only by dimly lit wall sconces.  Small collections of antique plates and cups are displayed, helping to create the atmosphere of an English sitting room.  With decor such as this, it is not hard to imagine yourself in a different place somewhere "across the pond".  When I'm there, I can just picture my cousins enjoying tea and sitting in a room such as this.

The menu at Brambles isn't very extensive, but it doesn't need to be.  Most come to enjoy traditional English tea service which is primarily accompanied by a selection of tea sandwiches:  cucumber and cream cheese, ham and butter, smoked salmon, and egg mayonnaise (or egg salad, for us yanks), all cut into perfect triangular wedges.  Scones baked with raisins are also available, served with clotted cream and strawberry jam.  Those in a more celebratory mood can add small pastries and champagne to their order.  But the true drinks of choice are obviously the teas.  The Royal Wedding Tea is the most popular tea of late.  If I recall correctly, this tea was especially blended in honor of the royal wedding and has since become a favorite.  There are also a number of other varieties of teas available to suit different tastes and all are served in delicate porcelain teapots for one or two.

Brambles knows that children, particularly little girls, also enjoy the ritual of the tea service.  It even has its own namesake teddy bear, Mr. Brambles, whose favorite tea service includes small peanut butter and jelly sandwich wedges, chips and fresh fruit.  In lieu of tea, children enjoy pink lemonade or hot chocolate, also poured from tea pots.  Those who consider themselves "grown-up" can order a mini-version of the Brambles Delight, which comes with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in lieu of smoked salmon and egg mayonnaise.  These children's offerings make Brambles an ideal dining spot for a young aspiring princess and their queen mothers (and princes and kings are also welcome).

Although I usually go to Brambles to enjoy tea the true English way, admittedly Anna is not very keen on sandwiches.    It's really quite a shame because I think there are some sandwiches that are just fabulous.  But for Anna and those like her, Brambles fortunately offers other lunch or brunch appropriate dishes.  English favorites like shepherd's pie and cornish pasty can be found here.  Croissants and salads are also on the menu.

The quiches are a particular favorite, served together with a generous salad of mixed greens topped with tomato and cucumber, curried mango chutney and a mustard-based vinaigrette that I find particularly delightful.  Brambles serves three traditional types of quiches:  lorraine (ham and cheddar, which is pictured here), florentine (spinach and brie) and crab (with artichoke hearts and parmesan).  The quiche here is especially good, made with a light and fluffy souffle-quality egg and a nice buttery crust.  While I encourage everyone to partake of the tea service, I will dare say that the quiche here is a must try and you shouldn't leave Naples without at least trying one slice.  One of the best quiches, I think.

In a town like Naples, a place that is spotted with homages to Italian architecture, Brambles is a unique experience and a departure from the norm.  A delightful spot for friends and family to enjoy quiet time together and dine just like the Brits do.  Come and visit Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Just remember, the upraised pinkies, that's really a yankee thing.

World Bakery & Cafeteria, Naples, Florida

The World Bakery & Cafeteria in Naples, Florida is located in a small strip mall on Pine Ridge Road, just west of the corner at CR 951.  The "cafeteria" moniker is definitely appropriate.  This eatery isn't glamorous.  The service takes some getting used to.  The food presentation isn't pretty.    But if you can look - or rather taste - past all of that, the World Bakery & Cafeteria offers a good "bang for your buck" Cuban-style lunch that is worth trying.  The traditional Cuban fare will appeal to any city transplant longing for a taste of their own little Havana.

When you first walk into World Bakery, you can't help but notice the bakery and deli style food cases.  This is no sit down eatery with menus.  In this place, customers walk right up to the food cases to order what they want.  Now, don't be surprised if you have to wait a bit.  Sometimes, it takes a few minutes for someone to get around to you, not necessarily because its busy in there but just because the people behind the counter work at their own pace.  But fortunately you won't have to wait too long.  Savory and sweet items are all available for order although you may have to resort to pointing and broken Spanish to place your order.  Not everyone who works here speaks fluent English.  But thankfully my Filipino makes me proficient enough in conversational Spanish to get by.  And, if you don't know Spanish, don't worry.  The servers there will eventually figure out exactly what you want or a regular might jump in and help you out.  Once your order is filled, they pack it all up in a plastic grocery bag and hand it to you with a slip of paper.  My first day there I had no idea what to do with that slip of paper.  All I knew is that I wanted to pay for my meal.  I literally waited to observe and mimic someone who appeared to be a regular.  Thanks to him, I now know that you are supposed to bring your little slip to a register at the far end of the pastry counter, although you may need to let them know you're ready to check out.  And there is a digital read out on the register just in case you are rusty with your Spanish numbers.

Ordering at World Bakery may not be the easiest experience (at least initially) but the eating goes much better.  Even though there are a limited number of tables for in-restaurant dining, I suspect most of World Bakery's patrons take their orders to go.  I opted to do the same since my home is less than a mile down the road.  For lunch today, I ordered a roasted leg of chicken and ox tails, along with generous sides of yellow rice and sweet fried plantains, all to go.  Because World Bakery has a large selection of sweets, I also ordered several of those to go:  two types of flan, a slice of vanilla cake with blue frosting (specifically requested by my Anna), a puff pastry ("pastel") filled with guava paste and a Cuban cake soaked in simple syrup.

What I loved:  The ox tails were really great.  Although still a little gelatinous and fatty in places, the ox tail was braised all the way and so fork tender.  The braising liquid flavored with Spanish olives gave a great savory taste to the meat.  I appreciated that the server spooned some of that flavorful braising liquid over my yellow rice and took care to include a few Spanish olives to my box.  The plantains were nicely fried and well caramelized.  Sweet but still a bit firm, just the way I like them.  And because the serving of rice is so ample, my lunch was also very filing.

Of all the desserts, the flans were the winners.  If you love egg custards, World Bakery can oblige.  They have several types of flan although its not readily apparent how they are all different.  Thankfully being Filipino means I know a little something about flan.  I ordered two types.  The first was firm, cut into a slice that could be hand held.  Lightly sweet and thick and creamy in texture, it's clear that this flan is made with a lot of egg yolk.  The other, tocinillo flan, has thin layers of caramel on the top and the bottom and is thus a little sweeter than its cousin.  This flan though is lighter in texture and is very reminiscent of the Filipino flan I grew up with.  Next time I'll bring my parents and order the tocinillo.  I'm sure my dad will thank me for it.

What I didn't love:  Unfortunately, not all of those desserts hit the spot.  I did not love the simple syrup infused cake.  It looked really good in the case, but it just didn't taste so good in my mouth.  The syrup was nice and light, subtlety sweet, but the cake otherwise had no flavor.  In fact, but for all the moisture from the syrup, I would have thought the cake was dry.  Maybe it's supposed to be that way.  I have no idea.  I just know it's not to my liking.

As an Asian, I'm pretty discerning when it comes to rice.  The yellow rice at World Bakery is nicely seasoned and contains bits of vegetable making the rice a nice stand-alone dish if you so desire.  But this rice is little dry to the taste.  Maybe because I didn't pick up my lunch order until 1 p.m. and the tray may have been in the case for an hour.  Maybe because I just prefer a very sticky rice.  It's not bad.  Just not my favorite.

Ox tails with yellow rice and sweet plantains

How much I spent:  ($)  For lunch for me and my two kids, I spent $15.   The sides are very generous so I ordered two meals for the three of us to share.   Since we ordered our meals to go, I didn't purchase any drinks.  I spent $6 for all of the sweets, although normally I would have not bought so many.  In fact, I probably would not have bought any since we were only purchasing lunch.  I bought a selection of five only for the purpose of this review.  Of course, next time I will have to take home some tocinillo.

My overall rating:  3 spoons.  World Bakery & Cafeteria serves up a good lunch for a good price, especially if you are looking to pick up something relatively quick to go.  For those living nearby, this eatery could come in handy as a weekend or dinner solution when you're not up for cooking.  Or when you need to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Ford's Garage, Fort Myers, Florida

For months now, I've been hearing all about Ford's Garage.  To be honest, I didn't realize that Ford's Garage was a real restaurant the first time a friend checked herself in to this eatery on Facebook. See, her last name is Ford and I frankly thought she meant that she was grilling outside, in her garage. Eventually, I realized my mistake when I noticed others "checking in" to my friend's garage.  Now when I see a check in on Facebook, I know that everyone is referring to the restaurant's location in historic Downtown Fort Myers, steps away from the Lee County Courthouse. And there are enough people checking into this spot on a fairly regular basis to pique my interest. So, when I found that I had an appointment today in Downtown Fort Myers, I made a point to make some time for lunch at Ford's.

Ford's Garage first opened its doors on First Street in Fort Myers in February 2012.  (A second location is now open on Cape Coral Parkway in Cape Coral and a third is underway in the Miromar Outlets in Estero.)  As you may have guessed, the restaurant's name pays homage to the City's famous former resident, Henry Ford, and his legendary mark on the auto industry.  The interior of the restaurant is very reminiscent of old time service stations, with brick walls and wood floors.  Old tires and antique signs adorn the walls and the chassis of a reproduction Model T hangs over the central bar.  Waitresses don red bandanas and blue chambray shirts just like the mechanics "way back when."  As far as theme restaurants go, I didn't find the concept to be kitschy or over the top.  In fact, the historical references in the decor were balanced with contemporary touches like the penny finished wall behind the beer taps and the black lighting beneath the bar counter.

While its visual focus is on the history and importance of its namesake, the restaurant's food focus is on high-end gourmet burgers and craft beers.  The decor is an ideal complement to the modern diner-style menu. The burgers are hand-pressed from Black Angus and American Kobe beef, and a selection of 16 are named after local dignitaries and celebrities.  Those who want to custom make their burgers can order instead from the "assembly line" (which reminds me a lot of my favorite Naples burger joint, The Counter).  Each burger bun is stamped with the iconic Ford-inspired restaurant logo.  But burgers aren't the only thing on the menu. A variety of appetizers, sandwiches and classic favorites like mac n' cheese are also available, along with a selection of milkshakes and floats.

Today, my Anna's school scheduled a teacher work day.  So, I made it a "take your daughter to work day" and brought Anna with me.  In her own words, she is a "food critic in training" and I knew she could help me polish up this review.  (Don't forget to check out her mini-review!)  Because my friend, the Ford's regular, says they are a must, we started with an order of deep fried dill pickles.  These chips are well breaded, fried to a golden crisp and accompanied by a buttermilk ranch dipping sauce.  Salty on the outside and tart in the middle, they were pretty good.  But I could only eat a few.  And, since Anna doesn't love pickles, there were too many to eat alone.  While these make for a nice appetizer, next time I'll plan to bring my pickle-eater son with me.  (By the way, I brought some of the pickles home.  I think they actually taste better cold!)

For lunch I ordered, the "Black and Blue" which is a blackened Black Angus burger topped with blue cheese, caramelized onions and thickly sliced applewood smoked bacon.  Lettuce, tomatoes and red onion joined these toppings to create a towering, generously-sized burger.  The burger was initially intimidating for me, a dainty eater.  I don't mind picking up a burger to eat, but boy was this one was big.  There was just no way for me to eat it without cutting it in half.  And after a while I did have to resort to using my fork.  So, if we are talking strictly about portion size, Ford's definitely does not skimp.  My Black and Blue burger is traditionally accompanied by french fries (as are all other burgers on the menu).  But I prefer sweet potato fries whenever they are available.  So, I was pleased when Ford's accommodated my alternate request for the sweets.  As for my Anna, Ford's does have a nice priced kids' menu from which she ordered the $4 mac n' cheese (which incidentally is pretty good).  While I hoped she would opt for the side of broccoli, she did decide instead on the fries.  At least I know that there is a healthy option and will keep that in mind for next time.  Not surprisingly, we both indulged in traditional Southern sweet teas.

What I loved:  I love myself some sweet potato and Ford Garage's sweet potato fries are tops.  Crispy fried to be crunchy on the outside and warmly soft on the inside, these fries added a nice salty-sweetness to my lunch.  But even better than the fries is the Tommy Knocker Maple Beer cinnamon sauce.  One taste of this sauce made me immediately think of an apple cinnamon pocket pie.  Not too thick, this sauce - which I actually think more of as a syrup - nicely satisfied my salty-sweet tooth.

What I didn't love:  A good burger really needs to be cooked at the right temperature to be appreciated.  For me, that temp is medium rare.  My burger came out medium well, far more done than I would have preferred.  And those who are avid burger eaters know that an overcooked burger just doesn't take that good.  Fortunately, I had the blue cheese and the onions to add back some flavor and save the burger from tasting dry.  I'm hoping this is a one-off and that next time the cooks will get it right because I really do want to come back for the sweets.

But every cloud does come with a silver lining.  And in this case, the silver lining was the service.  Our waitress did a great job of bringing drinks and taking our lunch orders promptly.  We didn't have to wait long after we were seated.  She didn't hover over us but quickly filled my drink when she noticed I was low.  When the manager came to check on us, he was very professional when I mentioned that the temperature of my burger was off.  (I always let the restaurant manager know when any meat dish is over or under cooked so that the chef knows to make adjustments in the kitchen.)  The manager readily acknowledged that my burger looked over done and immediately sent the waitress over to inform me that they had taken half of the burger's price off of my meal ticket.  I hadn't asked and wasn't expecting it, so I was surprised and pleased.  Last month, a server at a five-star restaurant spilled something on my dress and made no overture to fix their mistake.  So, I really take note when I get good service just like this.

How much I spent:  ($$)  Today I spent $25 on lunch for Anna and me, tip included.  This reflected the $5.50 discount generous given by the manager.  I would not have normally ordered an appetizer though.  So, this is probably fairly reflective of how much I would have spent during a typical visit.

My overall rating:  3 spoons.  Ford's Garage is a good place for a  casual lunch or dinner at a decent price and in a family-friendly atmosphere.   It is a nice and relaxed lunch venue for business people in the Downtown area looking to find brief respite from the work day.  The old time feel works for those who don't like pretentious dining or those with children.  There's a lot here on the walls to keep youngsters busy if they are not already entertained by the placemat that doubles as the children's menu.  And when Ford's Miromar Outlets' location just off I-75 opens, those traveling from out of town will have a more convenient location to visit.

Chef's Table, Stuart, Florida

Lobster Bisque

Recently, my mother-in-law celebrated her hallmark 80th birthday.  For the occasion, we all traveled to the Treasure Coast of Florida back to the homes of our childhoods.  The Treasure Coast area is situated just to the north of the Palm Beaches.  The latter is known for great dining and entertainment.  The former, not so much.  While a trip to West Palm for dinner is a nice treat, it's also a bit of a drive.  So, my challenge for Mom's birthday weekend was find some place local to honor her with a great meal.

On the Treasure Coast, fine dining options are few and far between.  My friends in the area might disagree but when compared to the selections just 30 minutes south, the choices just aren't ample.  The most recommended dining spots are situated on the southern end of the region, in Martin County.  Typically, we would have opted to visit the area's one well-known bright spot, 11 Maple Street.  But, as luck would have it, July is the one month when 11 Maple Street is closed.  After more than 15 years away from the area, I was at a loss for a suitable substitute.  My go to resource, Open Table, had no suggestions.  Desperate, I took a chance on Google and came across the web page for the Chef's Table. I know I shouldn't pick a restaurant based upon a web presence but this restaurant has got some good marketing.  It's not the most scientific method for choosing a dining option, but I figure a great looking web page at least means that the restaurant makes enough coin to invest in their business.  I could have been entirely wrong, but at the time I was two hours away from Stuart with no reservation for dinner that evening.  Call it shooting fish in a barrel.

Lucky for me, my bullet hit its target.  The Chef's Table turned out to be quite a surprise.  Located in a small two-unit commercial strip across from The Fresh Market, the Chef's Table facade hides an intimate restaurant with a Tuscan farm-style decor.  This farm-to-table restaurant which began as a catering company has a weekly changing three-course prix fixe menu based upon the availability of seasonal ingredients.  The husband and wife chef-owner team of Adam and Kate Fatigate, both CIA grads, transform those ingredients with their big city training and experience.

Joining us and Mom for dinner were our two children.  The Chef's Table does not have a separate children's menu but does allow a la carte ordering from the menu for younger diners.  The week of our visit featured a French inspired menu, in honor of Bastille day.  So, as you can imagine, the menu didn't consist of any truly child appropriate fare.  I'm lucky that my children are used to "the fancy food" so we were able to find entrees that would appeal to them.  Unfortunately, the menu did not list a la carte prices; it wasn't until our check arrived that we learned that our children's dishes were $35 and $50 respectively.  Ouch!

What I loved:  For dinner, I ordered lobster bisque as my first course and cassoulet (a French meat and bean casserole) made with duck breast as my second course.  For dessert, I sampled a creme broulee and a selection of sorbets.  In my experience, bisques are creamy, sometimes too creamy.  Not quite so at the Chef's Table.  While this is no thin soup, any cream that was in this dish was clearly a minor player.  As it should have been, lobster was the star.  That lobster meat was presented to me in the center of a dry bowl before bisque was poured around it from a small porcelain beaker.  As I ate, I rationed the precious lobster meat and conserved generous bits for my last few spoonfuls.  The few virgin spoonfuls revealed that this dish could stand alone as a flavorful seafood broth.  The bisque was enough to convince me that dining at the Chef's Table turned out to be a good choice.

The cassoulet sealed that deal.  This traditional French casserole consisted of a seared duck breast served over wilted greens and white beans in a well seasoned broth.  This is a seriously satisfying dish.  Maybe it was the beans.  They always tend to be rather filling.  Or perhaps it was the nicely cooked and sizable portion of breast.  Either way, this dish had a lot of flavor and substance.  In fact, all of the dishes around our table were generous in portion and in taste.  Sometimes fine dining establishments tempt your palate but don't give you enough to sate our appetite.  I've been places where a whole dish can be devoured in four bites or less.   Not so at the Chef's Table.  These dishes are plentiful and filling.  If you eat at the Chef's Table, you shouldn't ever leave hungry.

What I didn't love:  I used to think the world of creme brûlée and some still think its my favorite dessert.  In the past few years, It's become a little passe for me but sometimes I will partake.  Mom's 80th birthday seemed like a good occasion to visit with an old favorite.  It's always nice to enjoy a good smooth smooth spoonful of creamy custard, especially when that custard is flecked with spots of vanilla bean.  But no good custard can make up for a burned brûlée crust.  And burned this was.  Someone might have called this seriously caramelized but anyone who's had a burned crust knows that it leaves a pretty bitter aftertaste.  And that's not a good thing when its the last thing you've eaten.

I also didn't love our very expensive dinner check.  I've paid my share of high end tabs and in certain places it is completely expected.  Had we been in our own town, which admittedly is a resort town, I wouldn't have have batted an eyelash.  The Chef's Table is a good restaurant but they charge New York prices in a town that just isn't New York.  I realize that their food is much better than the competition and that they deserve to be paid for that good food.  But $60 a person - without alcohol - is pretty hefty for the Treasure Coast.  At least I can say that the price of each dish was well matched by its size and breadth.

How much I spent:  ($$$$)  For our party of five (me, my husband, Mom and the two kids), we spent $305 with tip included.  The adults all dined from the $45 three-course prix fixe menu.  You already know how pricy my children's entrees were; and they ordered dessert too.  As always, we didn't order alcohol but we did order two large bottles of Pelligrino for the table.  My children each had sodas (which at Chef's Table are not the usual domestic variety).   Maybe next time I force them to stick with tap water.

My overall rating:  3 1/4 spoons.  Overall, I really enjoyed the Chef's Table.  Unfortunately, the size of this check just made it hard to enjoy it much more.   Thankfully, the larger portions made the cost a little easier to swallow.  I'd be happy to go back during a future visit to the Stuart area, but I think I'll have to be a bit more careful about what I order or otherwise inquire in advance about a la carte ordering.  I also think that next time we go back to sharing plates with the kids!


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Yoder's Restaurant, Sarasota, Florida

You've got to love the Amish.  They are hard-working people and I know they do two things really well - woodworking and home cooking.  This blog is all about eating so you can bet that I'm most interested in home cooking.  The Amish live outside of conventional society so when they cook, its good and clean.  Their fruits and vegetables are home-grown and organic.   Their meals are not burdened by the preservatives that many have now come to find unfortunately indispensable.  In short, the food is good and good for you.  Now, I'm not a 100% clean eater.  It's just not practical with my busy schedule.  But, I do cook at least five days a week and, apart from pasta, most of my meals don't come from a box.  So, I can really appreciate the effort that goes into home cooking, not only for one's family but for a whole restaurant of guests.  And that's exactly what the Yoders do.

Those in Southwest Florida are lucky to be close enough to the resort town of Sarasota.  Known for the shopping along St. Armands Circle and a string of beach islands along its coast, Sarasota's hidden gem is its Amish-Mennonite community and Yoder's Restaurant.  Day in and day out, Yoder's Restaurant welcomes Sarasota locals and visitors who come from all over the place to get a taste of all that Amish home-cooked goodness.  And in particular, Yoder's is best known for its pies.   A few years ago, my younger sister moved to nearby Bradenton and converted me into a frequent Sarasota visitor.  Yet, in all that time, I had not yet made my way to Yoder's.  So that the opportunity would not pass me by again,  I used this rare husband-free weekend to bring my kids to Bradenton so that they could guilt their aunt into taking them to Yoder's.

Before I dine away from my own town, I do a little reconnaissance and seek out reviews and recommendations.  Yoder's has been featured on the Travel Channel and other popular food shows so I didn't have to do quite as much research to know that I wanted to put it on my dining list.  But I did go online to their website (yes, these Amish use the Internet) to learn a little more about the restaurant and its menu.  I was pleased to learn that Yoder's (named after the owner-family) has been in business since 1975 and that the family still actively participates in its management.  The location boasts not only the restaurant, but also a deli, produce market and gift shop where gems of Amish goodness are available for you to purchase.  But before you go, there are a few things to keep in mind.  It's a popular dining spot, so expect to stand in line the closer you arrive to traditional dining hours.  There isn't much of a line at 11:30 a.m., but by noon you can expect to wait at least 20 minutes.  And don't try to make reservations or send a friend to hold your place.  Your party won't be seated until your entire party has navigated the line.

Even with the inconvenience of the line, a trip to Yoder's is worth the experience.  The dining room is decorated like a country kitchen and dining there feels a lot like eating around a kitchen table.  So, dining there with my kids, my sister and her family was definitely apropos.  And there is something especially comforting about having lunch in a place that looks like it could be a part of someone's home.

Now, I will confess that I made the errant assumption that Amish-style food would be a lot like  Southern-style food.   I should have known that home-style cooking isn't one size fits all.  Amish and Southern-style dishes may look the same but I think that is where the similarity ends.  After all, I don't think the Amish use Crisco.  It just wouldn't be very Amish to do so.  For lunch, I ordered fried chicken.  Being in the South, I expected to sink my teeth into the same crispy, crunchy, seasoning crusted chicken with which I've become familiar.  The Amish version looks deceptively similar but is not at all.  My first surprise?  This Amish fried chicken was neither greasy or oily.  I know it sounds oxymoronic, but every piece on my plate (including the dark meat pieces) had been rendered of its fat.  (I admit, I liked that my chicken was a little less fatty.)  And my second surprise?  The light amount of seasoning.  The Southern-style dishes I've eaten have been very liberally seasoned.  Not so with this dish.  Clearly, the Amish season their dishes with a much lighter hand.  I don't mean to say that the dishes were bland, but they were certainly more subtle in flavor than I had expected.  That's just a nice way of saying that they were rather under-seasoned.  But ultimately it's much easier to cope with an under-seasoned dish than one that is over-seasoned.  You just need to reach for the salt or for Yoder's house "dressing" which many use as a dipping sauce for the chicken.    So, when you take a trip to Yoder's, keep this in mind.

What I loved:    The only exception to my mildly seasoned plate?  Fried okra.  If you love this veggie  like I do, then you must make it a point to try Yoder's fried okra.  Now, that is some good stuff.  Unlike the chicken, these are perfectly seasoned with right amount of salt and fried to a golden brown.  The crust on these little nuggets isn't thick but is definitely crisp.  And just like the chicken, these aren't greasy.  Better yet, these okra aren't stringy or mushy (which are the two most common objections I hear about okra).  I suppose that is the benefit of growing and cooking your own food.  The farm fresh taste of these okra is apparent in the crispness of the vegetable's flesh and seeds.  Too bad it's just a side, because I could've eaten a whole plate of these ... but for the fact that I needed to leave room for pie.

In fact, next time I've gotta leave room for a whole lot of pie.  That's because the pies at Yoder's are AMAZING.   Yoder's pies are pretty famous so I expected to like the pies.  I even made a plan to order three separate slices to taste for this blog:  dutch apple, peanut butter cream and fresh peach.  I don't think I could have prepared myself enough for how much I would LOVE these pies.  If I could marry one, I would.  If I didn't have to share with my kids, I could have easily inhaled these pies.  Yes, they are that good.  The fruit and cream filings are sweet but not sickeningly sweet, which means that I can eat more than one bite of these pies without wanting to push them away.  The crusts and toppings are flaky, buttery and light.  But the best part of these pies is their freshness.  I could swear that they cut the fruit for my fresh peach pie minutes before it landed on my plate.  Each slice was still cool and crisp.  And even though it was tossed in a light peach glaze, the flavor of this pie came mostly from the natural sweetness of the fresh peach.  Fresh peaches are one of my favorite fruits to eat so this pie became my fast favorite of the three.   The fresh peach pie isn't a regular on the menu so I'm going to have to remember to make my next trip to Yoder's before the peach season ends.

Back to front:  Egg custard pie, peanut butter cream pie and fresh peach pie

What I didn't love:  Since you already know how lightly seasoned the food is, I won't mention it again.  But that didn't bother me as much as the Yoder's menu.  As I expected, Yoder's serves a lot of traditional comfort foods, such as meatloaf, fried chicken, liver and onions, and turkey and stuffing.  I was, however, quite disappointed to see the influence of "modern" fare on the menu in offerings like asian chicken salad, quesadillas and taco salad.  I've seen "Breaking Amish" and "Amish Mafia" so I know the modern-day Amish are not exactly like the caricatures of the past.  But Amish cooking ought to be treated as sacred, so I admit that I made a conscious choice to ignore these "other" menu options entirely.  If I'm going to go to the Amish, I'm going to eat Amish and that's that.

How much I spent:  ($$)  I spent $51 plus tip for lunch for myself and my two children.  This included a cheeseburger and fries for my son, a half order of fried chicken (and two sides) shared with my daughter, soft drinks, an obligatory sweet tea and desserts.  Now, I did order three slices of pie which I would not have normally ordered.  (Each is $4.50.)  On any other day, I would have ordered just one slice to share with my kids.  But now that I've been to Yoder's I know that sharing is simply out of the question.  I suppose one could order - and spend less - at Yoder's but that would be a shame, at least where pie is concerned.

My overall rating:  The pies alone deserve a 5 spoon rating, but Yoder's isn't a dessert-only establishment.  I suppose I have to rate Yoder's on their overall menu.  So for those who are looking to have the full Yoder's experience, I give Yoder's 3 1/4 spoons.  This is good, clean-eating home-cooked food, even with the light-handed seasoning.  You certainly won't feel like you've done your body any disservice by dining there.   Just make sure you don't leave without a pie!