Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards (Tampa, Oviedo: live, restaurants, garden)

[yohynot]

Local Restaurants divided into style of food:The 13th Annual Foodie Awards

[bluefunk]

According to the readers the best Italian food in Orlando is Olive Garden and best Mexican is Tijuana flats

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by bluefunk

According to the readers the best Italian food in Orlando is Olive Garden and best Mexican is Tijuana flats

Definitely better runner-up choices for Mexican like local places like Agave Azul and Garibaldi's.

[chopchop0]

The best thing to look at is the "critic's choice" selection.

People voted Red Lobster and Bonefish Grill for best seafood (RL was runner up). Bonefish is OK, but i wouldn't feed my dog some of the stuff at RL.

The critics got it right by picking Big Fin seafood in dr phillips. A great LOCALLY-owned seafood place.

[brinkofsunshine]

...Were tourists picking some of these places? Sweet Tomatoes and Bahama Breeze?!

Oh well, I'm glad some of my favorites made the list, including Yellow Dog Eats, Dandelion Communitea Cafe and The Old Spanish Sugar Mill.

[annerk]

I think some of it comes down to who spends the most advertising dollars with the paper. Orlando Magazine is the same way--those that make their "Best Of" lists are almost always advertisers.

Nothing wrong with Tijuana Flats, and I'd defintiely consider it the best "Fast Food Tex Mex" in the area by a long shot. But it's not the best Mexican.

[annerk]

One other thing, the wine list at the Capital Grill is good, but any wine collector would consider it fairly pedestrian and mainstream. (I don't think there's much of anything on their list that I haven't had in my cellar at one point or another--and about half of it is fairly "entry level.")

Best wine list in the area is found at the California Grill where you'll find some true gems from smaller California vintners. Colombia is #2 because of the depth of their list, with a very nice showing of South American and Spanish wines.

But for a true enological adventure, hop in the car and head to Bern's in Tampa. They have one of the best wine lists in the world.

[CardiffBaseball]

Originally Posted by annerk

I think some of it comes down to who spends the most advertising dollars with the paper. Orlando Magazine is the same way--those that make their "Best Of" lists are almost always advertisers.

Nothing wrong with Tijuana Flats, and I'd defintiely consider it the best "Fast Food Tex Mex" in the area by a long shot. But it's not the best Mexican.

Coming here from coastal san diego area, I have to say that TJ Flats is awful. I am used to going into a dive place and getting a good burrito, that may not be a pure fast food experience (i.e. usually no drive-through).

The thing I hate about the place is that I just can't find a decent sauce. I am not that picky standard red sauce with some Jalapeno heat, is about all I need. I can't find a good one like that. Some of them are hot, but it's more of a tobasco or some other flavor, not just a basic hot sauce. Here in Oviedo Habaneros and El....whatever it is down by *******s I think it is, makes a good decent sauce. However they are also a little pricier and sometimes you just want a quick burrito and drink for $5-6 if you are pressed for time.

Of course since I started eating healthier for new years I don't go to any of them right now, but TJ Flats is closest to me but after three disappointing trips, out of three visits I am done.

[sp2007]

Originally Posted by CardiffBaseball

The thing I hate about the place is that I just can't find a decent sauce.

Can't find a decent sauce? There are like 1,000 options there. Are you sure you are going to Tijuana Flats and not Taco Bell?

[Granny Sue]

I agree with the Critic's Choice on

BBQ-Harry and Larry's
Wings---Flyers (hands down with me unless I make them)
Romantic-Chef's Table
and of couse my Beefy King for sandwiches.

Breakfast...I prefer the Mom and Pop Diners.
Pizza-Winter Garden Pizza Co...some area as Harry and Larry's and Chef's table.

There sure are a lot to choose from.