Fruta Mix Mexican Kitchen

Last weekend we decided to try a restaurant recommended by some friends.  It is called Fruta Mix Mexican Kitchen and it is located at 15493 Stoneybrook West Parkway, Suite 120, Winter Garden, Florida.  The food is great and the Margaritas are excellent.

The Margaritas are a whooping 20 ounces with many different flavors.  So you can definitely get your drink on.  We chose the standard House Margarita.  Of course as typical at most Mexican restaurants we were given a tray of chips and salsa.  The salsa is fresh made and just a touch spicy.  Yum!

We ordered Supreme Enchiladas with Steak and their red sauce which also came with rice and beans.

We also ordered Camarones a la Parilla.

The restaurant also has a large selection of ice cream, smoothies, and paletas.

They also have a lovely patio to spend some time outside.

We will be coming back to this lovely restaurant as it has become our favorite Mexican restaurant.

Fish Camp on Lake Eustis

Almost every Sunday we go out for lunch and we try to explore new places.  Last week we went to Fish Camp on Lake Eustis.  Normally, we do not go to the same place two weeks in a row.  But this restaurant is well worth the drive and we went again this last Sunday.  So… we decided to let all of you know about this wonderful place.

Fish Camp is located on the west side of Tavares, FL not more than an eighth of a mile from the junction of Hwy 19 and Hwy 441.  All the food on their menu is locally sourced.  The staff is friendly and the drinks are inexpensive.  On Sunday’s they have $2.99 Bloody Mary’s and Mimosas.  How can you beat that?  Their martinis are always $5.00.

The restaurant is located right on the shore of Lake Eustis and the view is great.

On this trip we decided to try an appetizer we never had before.  It was Gator Bites made from local farm fresh alligator.

We also had a Farm Fresh Salad with Grilled Grouper added to it.  (Both locally sourced)

The other item we ordered was a Steakburger with French Fries.  Even though this restaurant specializes in seafood we decided on the Steakburger because the beef for the burger was sourced from a farm in Tavares.  We could not pass that up and we were not disappointed.  It was one of the best burgers we have ever eaten.

So… if you are looking to take a road trip and wish to try something new.  Take a drive to Tavares, FL and visit Fish Camp on Lake Eustis.  You will be happy you did.

Asian Lantern Festival

The holidays kept us very busy as we are sure the same for all of you.  Nevertheless, we did venture out to enjoy the Asian Lantern Festival at the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford, FL.  We were very surprised at how many people came out to enjoy this special event.  We were also very lucky to go on a comfortable night.  For all of you who were unable to attend here is a video for your viewing pleasure of the sights we enjoyed that night.

Marita’s Latin Bites

On the east side of metro Orlando just past Hwy 417 on the south side of Colonial Drive is this wonderful little Mom and Pop restaurant.  We read about this place in the Orlando Sentinel.  Since we live way on the opposite west side of Metro Orlando we decided to take a drive and give this place a try.  Boy were we glad we did.

The menu has many selections so we asked the owner what she would suggest for our first time.  She suggested their rice bowls. So we decided on two different rice bowls.  We ordered the Churrasco Steak Rice Bowl

and the Fish Rice Bowl.

The food is cooked when you order it.  So it is fresh!

They also have a large selection of juices.  We tried the Passion Fruit juice.

Just before we finished we decided to give their Empanadas a try.  Sorry, we got so excited with the food we were eating forgot to take a picture of those.  They were very good.  We had one beef and one chicken.

The best thing about this restaurant is that it is very inexpensive.  It is a place we will drive across town for again and again.  There is nothing better than cheap eats with a ton of flavor.

If you are looking to give this place a try here is their website: maritaslatinbites.com

and their address: 9446 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, FL

The Crooked Spoon Gastropub

Right off Highway 27 in Clermont, Florida is a wonderful place to eat and have a few drinks.  The place is called The Crooked Spoon Gastropub.

According to their website and Facebook page this restaurant / bar was started by Chef Saelg in August of 2013.  This was after operating a beloved Orlando Food Truck for 3 years.  The restaurant is located adjacent to Clermont’s historic Citrus Tower with Chef Saleg’s foodie favorites as well as an expanded menu with weekly specials and a wonderful Sunday Brunch.

The Gastropub is similar to a sports bar with TVs located through out and plenty of tables for a large crowd.

In all the times we have gone to eat here and enjoy a few drinks, we have never been disappointed.  In addition, every member of the staff has gone out of their way to be friendly and accommodating.

Garibaldi Mexican Restaurant

Very near the Florida Mall in Orlando is a wonderful Mexican restaurant.  The restaurant is called Garibaldi.  It is located at 848 Sand Lake Road, Orlando, FL.  The decor inside the restaurant is upbeat and colorful.  There is plenty of seating.

The Margarita’s are well worth the price.  In fact, we had just one margarita a piece and we could feel the buzz before our meals came.

The food was tasty authentic Mexican fare.  You also have a lot of choices on the menu.  So much so that we cannot wait to go back again and try something different.

Pirate Seafood Festival

This past Saturday we drove out to Reiter Park in Longwood, Florida for the Pirate Seafood Festival.  There were Pirates everywhere, even a Mermaid!

 The food was excellent!  Oysters, Shrimp, Flounder, Conch Fritters, Po Boys, a seafood lovers dream.  We enjoyed the food so much that we forgot to take pictures before we ate what we bought.  There were vendors of every type.  From jewelry to pirate flags.

The Kid Zone had face painting, a pirate ship, and a few bounce houses.

The festival also had two things for the kids I have never seen at a fair before.  One was a mechanical shark (instead of a bull) and the other was some kind of walking on water experience.

The entertainment was also something unique.  A Pirate playing a Sitar with an Assassin playing a Didgeridoo.  The music was different but nice.

As we were leaving we even found a Pirate Truck.

St. Patrick’s Day at Crooked Can

This past Sunday was St. Patrick’s Day and like many we decided to go out and enjoy a festival nearby to celebrate.  The festival we attended was held at Crooked Can Brewery in Winter Garden, FL.  Just down the road from where we live.

The brewery is located inside the Plant Street Market a wonderful place filled with all sorts of food vendors, a butcher, a coffee shop, and some merchandise vendors.

Being a festival there was music, children performing Irish dancing, and even a bagpipe marching band.  (See YouTube video at the end of the post.)

Of course there were a lot of people in green and we especially enjoyed some of the special attire some individuals worn.

We have made a video for you to enjoy some of the music and the bagpipe marching band.

Leu Gardens Annual Plant Sale

Being avid gardeners we look forward to this annual plant sale.  There are vendors from all over the state selling their wares.  There are tropical plants, flowers, and all the things that a gardener could need to tend their garden available.  In addition, there are groups that are at the plant sale to give gardeners information.  Such as this little guy who is a native species and the group was asking gardeners to plant native specie plants.

Every year there is a private hour for members of the botanical gardens to get in an hour before the general public.  Luckly, we are members of the botanical garden.  Even getting there early for the private hour, the crowd starts to get big.  The below picture is just one entrance to the garden and you can see it was starting to get busy.

All who are knowledgeable of this plant sale always bring a wagon of some sort.  Because those who buy do buy a lot.  The following slideshow is just a small portion of the plants we saw for sale.

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It is a great time for all who attend.  We came away with our wagon full of plants as you can see.

Plant City Strawberry Festival

A tradition in Florida is the long-held Plant City Strawberry Festival.  The festival started in 1930 when the members of the Plant City Lions Club came up with the idea for an event to celebrate the harvest of strawberries which is the major crop for the area.

The festival was a way to bring the community together, a piece of ol’ time Americana.  The festival today still upholds the traditions of a typical farming community festival with exhibits of agriculture, commerce, industry, livestock, fine arts, horticulture, and crafts.  The following set of pictures are examples of these exhibits.

Baking

Crafting

Horticulture

Canning

Agriculture

Of course we cannot forget the reason for the festival.  STRAWBERRIES!!

Over the years the festival has also become a place to eat, and play, and be happy.

So we will see you at the fair as you are sure to have a great time!