Actually visited on 13th October.
Check out my review on trip advisor
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34515-d645609-Reviews-Tommy_Bahama_s_Tropical_Cafe-Orlando_Florida.html
Mod satis but only just.
Wednesday, 24 October 2012
Markers Express, Jersey City
15th and 16th October.
This is a continuation of the breakfast in America Theme.
One of the rituals that is penetrating European society from the US especially New York is picking up breakfast on the way to work. People don't eat breakfast at home any more, and would rather spend 6 or 7 dollars and eat their breakfast at work. In fact, some of the people I work with have a flat, and they have never cooked in the kitchen. I also find that these places are quite good for picking up breakfast to take back to your hotel room. This is now a recognised fact in some American hotels which have deli coffee bars in the lobbies so you can take it back to your room. It is a question of economy, choice and quantity.
So I stay at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City, and their breakfast buffet is of the order of $20 plus tax and tips. Just outside the door is a small mall with a food hall and take-aways. I have tried the food hall breakfast, and it is good. More comfort in one's own room, and I have taken to buying stuff at Markers Express. It appears to be a one off with no other branches and you can check out their web site at
http://www.markersrestaurant.com/express-takeout-delivery-markers-restaurant.php
This is a continuation of the breakfast in America Theme.
One of the rituals that is penetrating European society from the US especially New York is picking up breakfast on the way to work. People don't eat breakfast at home any more, and would rather spend 6 or 7 dollars and eat their breakfast at work. In fact, some of the people I work with have a flat, and they have never cooked in the kitchen. I also find that these places are quite good for picking up breakfast to take back to your hotel room. This is now a recognised fact in some American hotels which have deli coffee bars in the lobbies so you can take it back to your room. It is a question of economy, choice and quantity.
So I stay at the Hyatt Regency in Jersey City, and their breakfast buffet is of the order of $20 plus tax and tips. Just outside the door is a small mall with a food hall and take-aways. I have tried the food hall breakfast, and it is good. More comfort in one's own room, and I have taken to buying stuff at Markers Express. It appears to be a one off with no other branches and you can check out their web site at
http://www.markersrestaurant.com/express-takeout-delivery-markers-restaurant.php
This is an offshoot of a mainstream restaurant which serves the financial district of Jersey City, and the carry out breakfast needs of the financial plaza offices. When you go in there is a coffee bar, where you can pour yourself about 6 different kinds of coffee at sizes up to 20oz (that seems to be one old pint). There is a servery that makes bagels and sandwiches and an area with prefilled buns with breakfast fare. I bought a big container of prepared fruit which lasted me two days.
It can get busy and the staff seem pressured, but work quickly. Over the two days I sampled a bagel (choice of four different kinds)with cream cheese (choice of three different kinds) and a roll with egg sausage and cheese. These are substantial, fresh and properly cooked. There is a good supply of cutlery and napkins for carry out, but the coffee cups on one day were an odd size that would not take a lid and were not insulated. I think I could have eaten there for about three weeks and not repeated myself. I cannot fault this food. The staff are a little on the surly side, but I guess they are not serving people at the best time of the day (busy at 0730 in the morning) and there is little scope for tips. Why would you want to tip someone preparing a takeaway? It also looks hygienic at the start of the day. So I give them a 7.5 on the CHOF scale, because there is always heat loss with takeaway, but they are doing a good job, and I would definitely go there again. Cost about $6 to 7 for a simple breakfast with coffee.
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Breakfast in America: Denny's Versus IHOP
9th through 14th October.
When in America, forget your luxury hotel and its outrageously priced breakfast or buffet. Get outside on the street, and eat the food the locals eat (within reason). In an ideal world go to the Diner, or the nearest equivalent, but if you must, eat in a chain outlet. Two of the two most popular places for middle America, and tourists when they are in Orlando, are Denny's and IHOP. I make no apologies here, and I know that there has been much adverse comment about these being the lowest common denominator, and showing no taste at all. I like them, and my family and millions of others seem to like them. They are everywhere, and seem to offer good value for money. So there are several on International Drive in Orlando, and when I had time before attending meetings, they can be relaxed places to go. This is not true on Sunday, when they are thronging with the brunch crowed.
First Denny's:
I had chosen the smoked sausage and scrambled eggs with pancakes. I probably did not need to order the extra toast, but it was a done deal. There was quite a wait as things were busy as you can see in the picture, and by the time I had finished they were queuing out of the door. Again, a well cooked tasty breakfast with flavorsome eggs and enough food to see me through the rest of the day. Choosing between the two is difficult as they have similar values, but obviously, International House of Pancakes is dominated by pancakes. I think that Denny's is probably more versatile and a mite cheaper, but as can be seen from the amount of food, Ihop is not stingy. Service was probably a bit more homely at Denny's, and they cater more for the evening eater. I would be hard pressed to choose, but probably for sheer variety Denny's must take the vote, but only by a very slim margin. Both places served hot food scoring a 7.5 on the CHOF scale.Both establishments are to be commended for their retention of the American free refill of coffee ritual, which as disappeared in so many places. Basically a very good breakfast costs between £8-10 and feels a whole lot better than the anonymous breakfasts of the upmarket hotels.
When in America, forget your luxury hotel and its outrageously priced breakfast or buffet. Get outside on the street, and eat the food the locals eat (within reason). In an ideal world go to the Diner, or the nearest equivalent, but if you must, eat in a chain outlet. Two of the two most popular places for middle America, and tourists when they are in Orlando, are Denny's and IHOP. I make no apologies here, and I know that there has been much adverse comment about these being the lowest common denominator, and showing no taste at all. I like them, and my family and millions of others seem to like them. They are everywhere, and seem to offer good value for money. So there are several on International Drive in Orlando, and when I had time before attending meetings, they can be relaxed places to go. This is not true on Sunday, when they are thronging with the brunch crowed.
First Denny's:
I had a breakfast style loaded chorizo burrito with scrambled egg, cheese, potato, chipotle sauce ($6.79 plus tax) and endless coffee
The picture does this justice. A tasty hot filling meal (no lunch needed).One of the things I like about the US is that the eggs taste more eggie, and this was true. I could probably have survived without the cheese covered hash browns, but it is what they eat. The staff are very helpful, and I don't care if they are insincere, because they make you feel wanted, and it is a pleasure to leave these ordinary folk their expected 15-20% tip, which was more than I could say for Tommy Bahamas restaurant, but that is another story on trip advisor.
I was sufficiently impressed to go back the next day for another gargantuan breakfast of scrambled egg with beefsteak. I probably should have read the menu more closely as it turned out to be a minced beef steak, rather like a burger or meatloaf.
This may have been a breakfast too far, and explains why Americans are big. This is the biggest American I saw
On a mid week morning the restaurant is moderately full, but I checked back on a Sunday brunch time, and they were queuing out of the door.
On a Sunday morning, not thinking too much about it I walked to the local IHop, which was part of a motel. They normally have blue roofs, but this one had individual architecture. It was packed, and became even fuller by about 1030. The pictures speak for themselves.
Sunday, 21 October 2012
American Fast Food
October 8th to 17th.
A trip to the US to attend various meetings. When I arrived at my very expensive hotel in Orlando (truly a good destination for a meeting or convention), I did not want to eat big time in the hotel restaurant or pay big hotel prices. So a wander down the street (not a lot of foot soldiers on International Drive) brought me to the Pointe, where there is a big choice of restaurants. I wish I had taken my camera with me. I chose Johnny Rockets for a carry out Burger and fries. Very basic. Fairly cheap.
I had not used this chain before, and it looks like one things a 50's style American Hamburger joint should look. It caters for both take out and eat in. You can look at the menu at
http://www.johnnyrockets.com/menu.html
I chose a Route 66 burger with Swiss cheese and mushrooms for $7.99 plus tax.. I see that on the menu it says that it would be served with unlimited fries or side salad. This is clearly an untenable offer, but the quantities were more than adequate. There was also a coffee.
Even after taking it back to my room in the hotel (sounds a bit disgusting, but at least I was in my own comfort zone), it was still hot. The thing about American burgers is the beef. It is so much better than European beef - juicier and tenderer. This burger was one of the best I had had in many years. Soft, juicy, cooked but not over-cooked. It tasted like you would want an American burger to taste. There were probably too many fries and maybe a little on the over-greasy side, but on the other hand they were not like the dried out over-stored ones that you might get in the UK except from a genuine fish and chip shop.
The picture of this partially eaten repast cannot do it justice, and whilst the maker's picture is excessively optimistic about what you actually get from the bag, all I can say is that if you get the chance, do not be put off by what seems to be a bit down market. The food was excellent and good value. Scored an 8 on the CHOF scale.
A second experience of burgers, a week later in Jersey City was at Five Guys. I wish I had take pictures here as well. They are in a functional black and white mostly take-away outlet. They are a franchise, as are Johnny Rocket, and have a look at their Web site: http://www.fiveguys.com/
I thought this was just boasting, but my colleagues in the US who do know better said it was definitely a good choice. Their web site makes some pretty steep claims.On ordering you get a choice of basic burgers, and you can add various toppings within the price. The fries are extra, but you get a huge portion. They boast using local produce, and one of the claimed branding points is that they offer free peanuts in their shells whilst waiting. I did not realise this at the time as there is no clear indication in the store what the peanuts are for, and no one else was eating them. One thing they did not serve was hot drinks, and the choice was limited to fizzy drinks. Burgers are freshly cooked and therefore get a 9 on the CHOF scale. Again even after carry out, it stayed pretty hot. The web site claims they are all well cooked: medium is not an option. At the time of writing there is a paranoia in the US about food poisoning from under-cooked food. The cheeseburger I sampled was well cooked but not overcooked. It was juicy with a crispness on the outside. There was a good portion of Swiss cheese (not like the nasty Kraft Cheddar Slices you get in the UK) which ran out of the bun. The bun was soft, not too thick, and fresh. The fries were well cooked, a good portions size, but a little greasy. The whole meal came to about $10. Strangely enough, when I was looking up the web references today, I found this news item, and it may be that five guys is coming to the UK.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/282085/US-burger-chain-eyes-UK
I don't know if they can keep the same quality, because, in my opinion, the USDA beef is the critical ingredient..Maybe they will become one of the overpriced gourmet burger joints, which will defeat part of the object.
Very impressed, and would use them again. Apparently GQ magazine says the food is unhealthy. What do they expect?
A trip to the US to attend various meetings. When I arrived at my very expensive hotel in Orlando (truly a good destination for a meeting or convention), I did not want to eat big time in the hotel restaurant or pay big hotel prices. So a wander down the street (not a lot of foot soldiers on International Drive) brought me to the Pointe, where there is a big choice of restaurants. I wish I had taken my camera with me. I chose Johnny Rockets for a carry out Burger and fries. Very basic. Fairly cheap.
I had not used this chain before, and it looks like one things a 50's style American Hamburger joint should look. It caters for both take out and eat in. You can look at the menu at
http://www.johnnyrockets.com/menu.html
I chose a Route 66 burger with Swiss cheese and mushrooms for $7.99 plus tax.. I see that on the menu it says that it would be served with unlimited fries or side salad. This is clearly an untenable offer, but the quantities were more than adequate. There was also a coffee.
Even after taking it back to my room in the hotel (sounds a bit disgusting, but at least I was in my own comfort zone), it was still hot. The thing about American burgers is the beef. It is so much better than European beef - juicier and tenderer. This burger was one of the best I had had in many years. Soft, juicy, cooked but not over-cooked. It tasted like you would want an American burger to taste. There were probably too many fries and maybe a little on the over-greasy side, but on the other hand they were not like the dried out over-stored ones that you might get in the UK except from a genuine fish and chip shop.
The picture of this partially eaten repast cannot do it justice, and whilst the maker's picture is excessively optimistic about what you actually get from the bag, all I can say is that if you get the chance, do not be put off by what seems to be a bit down market. The food was excellent and good value. Scored an 8 on the CHOF scale.
A second experience of burgers, a week later in Jersey City was at Five Guys. I wish I had take pictures here as well. They are in a functional black and white mostly take-away outlet. They are a franchise, as are Johnny Rocket, and have a look at their Web site: http://www.fiveguys.com/
I thought this was just boasting, but my colleagues in the US who do know better said it was definitely a good choice. Their web site makes some pretty steep claims.On ordering you get a choice of basic burgers, and you can add various toppings within the price. The fries are extra, but you get a huge portion. They boast using local produce, and one of the claimed branding points is that they offer free peanuts in their shells whilst waiting. I did not realise this at the time as there is no clear indication in the store what the peanuts are for, and no one else was eating them. One thing they did not serve was hot drinks, and the choice was limited to fizzy drinks. Burgers are freshly cooked and therefore get a 9 on the CHOF scale. Again even after carry out, it stayed pretty hot. The web site claims they are all well cooked: medium is not an option. At the time of writing there is a paranoia in the US about food poisoning from under-cooked food. The cheeseburger I sampled was well cooked but not overcooked. It was juicy with a crispness on the outside. There was a good portion of Swiss cheese (not like the nasty Kraft Cheddar Slices you get in the UK) which ran out of the bun. The bun was soft, not too thick, and fresh. The fries were well cooked, a good portions size, but a little greasy. The whole meal came to about $10. Strangely enough, when I was looking up the web references today, I found this news item, and it may be that five guys is coming to the UK.
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/282085/US-burger-chain-eyes-UK
I don't know if they can keep the same quality, because, in my opinion, the USDA beef is the critical ingredient..Maybe they will become one of the overpriced gourmet burger joints, which will defeat part of the object.
Very impressed, and would use them again. Apparently GQ magazine says the food is unhealthy. What do they expect?
Thursday, 18 October 2012
Alsterkrug Hotel, Hamburg
4th October 2012
We needed a meeting facility near Hamburg airport for a day meeting, and this was the choice
http://www.alsterkrug-hotel.de/?lang=en
As a meeting hotel it was excellent with a meeting room suitable for about 20 and modest but comfortable rooms at about 120 euros. The hotel is in the middle of nowhere near the airport, and if you do not have a car, there is nothing convenient for eating, except Burger King, and so meals were in the hotel.
Lunch was a somewhat insipid pasta with pfefferlingen mushrooms. This is the time for this kind of mushroom in Germany, called chanterelle in this country, and I have experienced delicious pasta dishes in the past. This was a distinct disappointment, with the mushrooms having been drown in a bland cream sauce.
Dinner was not much better, and rather than the food, it was the staff that were the bitter experience. They truly made us feel unwelcome. A bottle of prosecco was poured out without even offering us the unopened bottle or taste.
The good news was the meeting lunch. The pictures on this occasion do it justice.
We needed a meeting facility near Hamburg airport for a day meeting, and this was the choice
http://www.alsterkrug-hotel.de/?lang=en
As a meeting hotel it was excellent with a meeting room suitable for about 20 and modest but comfortable rooms at about 120 euros. The hotel is in the middle of nowhere near the airport, and if you do not have a car, there is nothing convenient for eating, except Burger King, and so meals were in the hotel.
Lunch was a somewhat insipid pasta with pfefferlingen mushrooms. This is the time for this kind of mushroom in Germany, called chanterelle in this country, and I have experienced delicious pasta dishes in the past. This was a distinct disappointment, with the mushrooms having been drown in a bland cream sauce.
Dinner was not much better, and rather than the food, it was the staff that were the bitter experience. They truly made us feel unwelcome. A bottle of prosecco was poured out without even offering us the unopened bottle or taste.
The good news was the meeting lunch. The pictures on this occasion do it justice.
A piping hot seasoned squash soup, turkey in sauce, and I cannot remember what the desert was. However this was attractive, scored an 8.5 on the CHOF scale and was attractively presented. Turkey, whilst a safe choice, can sometimes be a bit dry and tough. Not so on this occasion, being well cooked but not over cooked, with a mushroom sauce which complemented the food perfectly. I guess we were just unlucky before.
So, if you want a meeting in Hamburg, where there is no chance of the delegates absconding for the pleasures of the city, and can make a quick escape, I would recommend this place.
Wagamama's for breakfast
3rd October: en route to Hamburg
I am not a great lover of terminal five at Heathrow, as I find the security a bit heavy handed and inconsistent, but I had to use it early in the morning for a trip to Hamburg. So there was a breakfast opportunity.
Typically I use Giraffe, but on this occasion I used Waggama as it was different, was not so differently priced and had things I was likely to eat.
The menu is here:
http://www.wagamama.com/~/media/WagamamaGlobal/Food/Menus/heathrow-main-menu.pdf
I chose from the more American selection and had the beef and pastrami hash and a coffee. Not very Japanese.
The atmosphere for breakfast is far calmer than most of the other eateries in airports, with space and proper service. There were the refectory like tables, but plenty of room. After a while, this is what emerged (a little bit of photoshop to make up for dim light)
I am not a great lover of terminal five at Heathrow, as I find the security a bit heavy handed and inconsistent, but I had to use it early in the morning for a trip to Hamburg. So there was a breakfast opportunity.
Typically I use Giraffe, but on this occasion I used Waggama as it was different, was not so differently priced and had things I was likely to eat.
The menu is here:
http://www.wagamama.com/~/media/WagamamaGlobal/Food/Menus/heathrow-main-menu.pdf
I chose from the more American selection and had the beef and pastrami hash and a coffee. Not very Japanese.
The atmosphere for breakfast is far calmer than most of the other eateries in airports, with space and proper service. There were the refectory like tables, but plenty of room. After a while, this is what emerged (a little bit of photoshop to make up for dim light)
This was attractive and tasty, and fairly warm (about an 7 on the CHOF scale). Very artistically presented but what is difficult to see is that the portion size is probably less than average for breakfast portions. The beef and pastrami hash was of excellent quality and separate as the picture shows. The eggs had been ordered scrambled. What you can also see is an empty coffee cup. The coffee came in demi-tasse size cups which may be normal for Japanese breakfast restaurants, but it is more common to get a BIG cup or mug in most of the other chains in the UK. When I was asked if everything was OK, I expressed my disappointment over the size of the coffee (which was otherwise strong and flavoursome, and not like some of the insipid stuff you get in some cafes). This was immediately met with an offer of another cup at no extra charge. Service indeed.
So for style service and attractiveness, Wagamama gets my vote. If you want a stonking great breakfast, it is probably not the first choice, but for something a little out of the ordinary, I would seriously consider coming here again, and for peace and environment it beats the other places hands down.
So it cost £7.15 for the meal and £1.90 for the small coffee. If I had looked closer at the menu, I would have found that green tea is said to be free. I would not advocate the second cup of coffee stunt.
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Paul's Picadilly
Just been to the Bronzes exhibition at the Royal Academy: a truly impressive experience if you get the chance. We were on our way to South Ken, and wanted refreshment - a coffee and a snack. On Picadilly in that area, you can choose from almost any of the major chains of coffee and snack outlets and some of the less common ones. It is prime tourist territory, so we knew that we were going to be sandwiched between those that did not know and those that did not care. I am not a great lover of Starbucks (a bit too corporate), and for no good reasons entered into Paul's. Although I did not know it at the time, Paul's is a chain of French inspired cafes across London. Check out their web site on http://www.paul-uk.com/content/whats-news.php . There seem to be about 25 branches around central and trendy London
It was busy with Sunday afternoon tourists, many of whom clearly did not get out much and had a poor command of English Language and Currency. The staff were only a couple of steps ahead of this.
The shop looks good, but possibly errs on the wrong side of pretentious. The staff may have taken Gallic indifference as a style statement, but once engaged, the deal came through
This is clearly not one of the uniform objects that you might get from a supermarket or other bakery chains, and sat in the back of the cafe, looking out on to one of the Picadilly arcades, you could almost believe you were in Paris. The tart was tasty, crisp on the top, and the puff pastry was not soggy. A small tart was big enough for one, and we had no problem splitting it two ways. The ingredients were tasty and did not achieve the homogeneous taste that a factory-born quiche might have left. In deed it had the taste and look of France. A decent cup of coffee with milk on the side was also served in proper cups or mugs. So two good sized coffees and the tourte came to £8.65, which for the location was only a little above average. The surroundings were much more pleasant that a typical coffee shop and one felt as if one were not in a corporate shell. I think I will be going there again, but only if I have the time, as this is not to be thought of as fast food.
I kept the receipt, and it says that if I leave feedback on their web site, it will entitle me to a free croissant (if I buy a drink)!
So, Paul, you may be seeing me again. You have got as far North as Hampstead, but that is probably as far as pretentious London stretches. I see that breads and cakes are sold as take away, so that may be worth trying. The British seem to have a virtually unlimited appetite for cafes and take away snacks at the moment so I am sure the brand will spread.
It was busy with Sunday afternoon tourists, many of whom clearly did not get out much and had a poor command of English Language and Currency. The staff were only a couple of steps ahead of this.
The shop looks good, but possibly errs on the wrong side of pretentious. The staff may have taken Gallic indifference as a style statement, but once engaged, the deal came through
With that amount of choice in the middle of a Sunday afternoon, it is not surprising that things did not move quickly. The picture belies the fact that this is on the way out, and on the way in, the queue was about 6 deep. There is a good choice of cakes, savouries and baguettes but not classic sliced bread British Sandwiches.We preferred to ignore the baguettes which looked as if they could have benefited from a change in the bread/filling ratio (a universal problem these days) I chose a Tourte Sauman Epinard. This was heated for me in a small oven and not a microwave, scoring a CHOF score of 7.5 This is what we got:
It was almost the same as the picture on the website:
This is clearly not one of the uniform objects that you might get from a supermarket or other bakery chains, and sat in the back of the cafe, looking out on to one of the Picadilly arcades, you could almost believe you were in Paris. The tart was tasty, crisp on the top, and the puff pastry was not soggy. A small tart was big enough for one, and we had no problem splitting it two ways. The ingredients were tasty and did not achieve the homogeneous taste that a factory-born quiche might have left. In deed it had the taste and look of France. A decent cup of coffee with milk on the side was also served in proper cups or mugs. So two good sized coffees and the tourte came to £8.65, which for the location was only a little above average. The surroundings were much more pleasant that a typical coffee shop and one felt as if one were not in a corporate shell. I think I will be going there again, but only if I have the time, as this is not to be thought of as fast food.
I kept the receipt, and it says that if I leave feedback on their web site, it will entitle me to a free croissant (if I buy a drink)!
So, Paul, you may be seeing me again. You have got as far North as Hampstead, but that is probably as far as pretentious London stretches. I see that breads and cakes are sold as take away, so that may be worth trying. The British seem to have a virtually unlimited appetite for cafes and take away snacks at the moment so I am sure the brand will spread.
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