My flight back to NY got delayed, so time to get drunk at the Orlando International Airport. Then I got hungry and ate at On the Border. I’ve never eaten at one. The prices were pretty decent for airport food. I created my own combo pick three for $11.99. I got the beef taco, chicken enchilada and beef enchilada. It came with complimentary chips and salsa. Not bad for chain airport food, but not really good either. It was a decent deal though to kill the time.
I went here last time I visited my parents a couple of years ago. This time was because I really couldn’t find a place we all could enjoy a quick lunch that would satisfy all of us. I know I wanted to try some new place, but it would be really far from the airport that I needed to get to or inside Disney or Universal Studios.
Dim Sum is pretty good here. Affordable. I wonder if this will be a tradition when I visit my parents in Orlando.
Golden Lotus – 8365 S John Young Pkwy. Orlando, FL 32819
It’s funny. When I did a search of nearby restaurants on Yelp at my parents’ home in Orlando, all the restaurants were in Universal Studios or Disney World. I did see a restaurant in the strip mall close by called Hot N Juicy Crawfish. Dang. I’m there.
Apparently it’s a chain restaurant with restaurants spread all over the country –Las Vegas, California, D.C. and here in Orlando. Man vs Food TV show did a thing there —http://youtu.be/VbeCuujOvX0
We ordered The Drool bucket (1lb of Crawfish, 1lb of Shrimp, dozen slices of Andouille Sausages, 2 corn, 2 potatoes, 1/2lb of Snow Crab Legs and Calamari appetizer $37.99). They ran out of Snow Crab, so they gave us King Crab Legs. We also got the Etouffee ($6.99) and Fried Catfish Basket with Sweet Potato Fries ($11.99)
The waiter says the crawfish is flown in daily. Dang. That’s a lot of work. They were really juicy and flavorful …and kind of spicy. We got the lowest level of spice (Baby Spice) and that was still kind of spicy. It was the right amount of spiciness. But maybe the “Hot n Juicy Special” seasoning we ordered it with added to that heat. Really flavorful head sucking. I even sucked the heads of the shrimps.
The best deal is the all-day Happy Hour Monday through Thursdays $1 bottled beers! That’s any bottle beer, whether it’s Heineken or Blue Moon. Three per person, but still such a good deal.
Man, I wish there was a Hot N Juicy Crawfish in Brooklyn. But only if they can give me fresh crawfish at $10/lb and $1 beers. Dreamboarding it.
Hot N Juicy Crawfish - 7572 W Sand Lake Rd. Orlando, FL 32836
I went home for the holidays in Orlando. We had Christmas Dinner at Garden Grove in the Disney Swan Hotel. It was a buffet. The food was okay …not amazing, but I guess decent for the price ($35 per person). Beer and alcohol is extra.
My favorites were the Prime Rib with Au Jus and creamy and fresh horseradish. The horseradish was key. I give them props for making mini corndogs and trying butternut squash ravioli. Also a big selection of holiday desserts. I liked the Eggnog Panna Cotta.
The best part of the dinner was Goofy, Pluto and Chip & Dale walking around. But where’s Santa? I think Chip & Dale are girls inside. I think one of them was into me. …At least I hope they were girls.
It’s funny seeing little kids going crazy over the Disney characters walking around. They looked so hyper and like small wasted adults. I wonder if they really believe that the autograph they’re getting is real or not.
We walked around to the connected resorts, like the Swan hotel and Boardwalk. It’s amazing how awesome the area looks. Disney seems a lot more grandiose from what I remember as a kid. It’s kind of cool.
Garden Grove (Walt Disney World) – at the Swan & Dolphin Hotel
Oh yeah. My mom wishes you a Merry Christmas!
As a kid in Orlando, my family would drive all the way to International Drive for dim sum at Trey Yuen. I think it might have been the only place that had dim sum in the early 80’s. During the holidays, we’ve revisited it at my request and it was awesome. No carts roaming around though. Just pick off the menu. The food was really good, but maybe eating with my family had a lot to do with it.
The George’s Musicians Superstore is still there behind Trey Yuen. I’ve bought an amp or two there before. One thing I regret is that I’ve never been to Wet ‘n Wild across the street.
Trey Yuen – 6800 Visitors Circle. Orlando, FL 32819
After Tron 3D, my cousin, sister and brother-in-law shared this Jumbo Combo at the Hard Rock in Universal Studio’s City Walk Orlando. I really don’t remember what I thought. I just remember we went into Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville to watch football and all the jocks were huddled around the live Buffet concert footage on all the TVs.
BTW, Tron 3D spoiler —>their movie poster!
My parents took me out for dim sum at Golden Lotus, located in the Wal-Mart Super Center at John Young Parkway. It was their first time there. I ordered the usual.
The food took a long time. But everything was decent except for the rice noodle rolls (rice paste) which looked pretty bad and cold. Perhaps our’s were bum. I saw someone else’s noodle rolls and it looked much better. The duck was lean. Remember when lean was preferred? Orlando doesn’t know fatty duck is in?
When did I become so critical of dim sum? Anyway, it’s good to see a new Chinese/Chinese-American restaurant doing dim sum, especially in Orlando. I don’ t think there’s many.
When we were leaving, we saw Shaquille O’Neal walk into Sally’s Beauty Supplies a few doors down. I waved and his lady friend laughed. Then only ten minutes later, they passed us on the highway. Shit. Shaq, that was quick!
Golden Lotus – 8365 S John Young Pkwy. Orlando, FL 32819
This Christmas dinner buffet was heavy duty. King Crab legs, Roast Pork Ham with cracklings, Turkey legs, Chorizo stuffing, Oysters, Hula dancers, Santa Claus and Scooby Doo. I believe it was around $46/person with unlimited champagne. Definitely one of the better buffets I’ve had. But I guess you get what you pay for. There’s a $6 dinner buffet at the Sizzler and $4 breakfast buffet at Ponderosa. There’s sure lot of buffets in Orlando.
My only problem with buffets like this is that I know I should be stuffing my face with the King Crab Legs. But I really do love me Mashed Potatoes. If they were of the same value, it’s no contest. Potatoes all the way. What is a person like me supposed to do? I guess eat both.
Islands Dining Room at Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Studios – 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, FL
It’s funny looking at my brother-in-law’s face looking at me looking at the hula dancer.