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Chemmie

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  • 2 weeks later...

More on the new flagship First Watch in WP which will replaceCinco Tacos.

In addition to indoor and outdoor dining and expanded takeout options, there will also be a bar.

Notably, this will mean the end of the Maitland First Watch:


https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/5441-new-first-watch-will-be-company-s-flagship-and-prototype

From Scott J
 
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  • 2 weeks later...

The latest to leave Buddy’s splendid Church St. paradise!


https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/news/5455-market-on-magnolia-closing

From Scott J
 
(and before you try to be an apologist and say no one’s doing well - notice the owner is investing in So-SoDo and Mills/50. It’s just Buddy’s version of downtown no one wants to bother with. Don’t worry, though - he and Thomas will figure it all out in another 18 years -gosh, Parramore might be fixed then, too!)
 
Edited by spenser1058
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I don't think its that outrageous.  They went from being primarily a bar to a market.  Pre-Covid there were tons of people there all the time.  3 different types of food, so groups that couldn't decide.  It's just not a good Covid setup.  Too small to effectively distance, the food isn't THAT good to be a draw from people outside the immediate area.

If I want a poke bowl, I can go to a dozen places.  Most of which are more convenient unless I'm already downtown.  I've walked there a few times because I heard they weren't doing well, but without lunch/happy hour traffic, its just a hard go of it.  Especially at Plaza which is known for having drastically high rents.

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The McRib is headed back to Mickey D’s Dec 2 after an absence that made our heart weep. I’ll be there and even have a full-strength Dr Pepper instead of the unleaded Diet kind just because it’s what you do with your McRib.

In celebration of the return of the rib sandwich without any ribs, the Sentinel has encouraged several of our best local spots to pay homage. I’m gonna be busy for a while!


Orlando chefs do their own spin on a fast food cult classic: the McRib
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/food-restaurants/os-et-orlando-chefs-spin-their-own-version-of-mcdonalds-mcrib-20201128-37p7v7pglrcvhelah4mwautysq-story.html

 
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1 hour ago, spenser1058 said:

Let’s wander down SoDo way for some of Cecil’s ‘cue. 28 years and still going strong (I remember when it was a Pizza Inn):


https://www.scottjosephorlando.com/reviews/46-barbecue/5465-orlando-classic-cecil-s-texas-style-barbecue

From Scott J

Cecil's is complete trash BBQ, and you can even tell from that picture he included.  Where is the marbling?  Where are the lines of fat that make the brisket melt?  That entire plate looks dry as hell.  Place wouldn't last a hot minute anywhere that does BBQ.

In an effort to be positive... I recently stopped at Smoke and Donuts, its one of the food trucks at A La Cart.  First they asked if you wanted sliced or chopped brisket, THEN they even ASKED if you wanted lean or marbled brisket, which I literally haven't had anyone do in Florida.  Whereas in Texas (and Oklahoma sometimes) its common.  With all due respect to Ellie Lous in Ocoee which in my opinion has the best Central FL Brisket.  I think Smoke and Donuts may be a new number 1.

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4 hours ago, AndyPok1 said:

Cecil's is complete trash BBQ, and you can even tell from that picture he included.  Where is the marbling?  Where are the lines of fat that make the brisket melt?  That entire plate looks dry as hell.  Place wouldn't last a hot minute anywhere that does BBQ.

In an effort to be positive... I recently stopped at Smoke and Donuts, its one of the food trucks at A La Cart.  First they asked if you wanted sliced or chopped brisket, THEN they even ASKED if you wanted lean or marbled brisket, which I literally haven't had anyone do in Florida.  Whereas in Texas (and Oklahoma sometimes) its common.  With all due respect to Ellie Lous in Ocoee which in my opinion has the best Central FL Brisket.  I think Smoke and Donuts may be a new number 1.

4 Rivers always ask me when I order brisket but maybe I look like a guy who eats too much bbq. 

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F&D is opening one of their Mexican-ish food concepts, F&D Cantina, in the old Jax location in Thorton Park.

"The restaurant is part of the ground-level retail in the Thornton Park Central condo building. The space previously housed several restaurants: Central City Market through 2007, Cityfish through 2015, Baoery Asian Gastropub through 2017 — all three of which were part of downtown developer Craig Ustler's restaurant portfolio. Most recently, it was Jax Thornton Park Deli & Ale House, which closed in September due to Covid-19, according to its website."

Shooting to open for Cinco de Mayo.

From OBJ- https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/12/09/f-d-restaurants-expands-into-downtown-area.html

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On 12/9/2020 at 10:13 AM, AmIReal said:

F&D is opening one of their Mexican-ish food concepts, F&D Cantina, in the old Jax location in Thorton Park.

"The restaurant is part of the ground-level retail in the Thornton Park Central condo building. The space previously housed several restaurants: Central City Market through 2007, Cityfish through 2015, Baoery Asian Gastropub through 2017 — all three of which were part of downtown developer Craig Ustler's restaurant portfolio. Most recently, it was Jax Thornton Park Deli & Ale House, which closed in September due to Covid-19, according to its website."

Shooting to open for Cinco de Mayo.

From OBJ- https://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/news/2020/12/09/f-d-restaurants-expands-into-downtown-area.html

Am I the only one that misses the Central City Market?  In fact, I think I miss everything about Thornton Park Central in its original incarnation.

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25 minutes ago, prahaboheme said:

Am I the only one that misses the Central City Market?  In fact, I think I miss everything about Thornton Park Central in its original incarnation.

CCM’s meat loaf was awesome! I remember the day The Paramount with its Publix was announced and the folks at CCM all immediately knew their time as a market was done. As it turned out, I liked City Fish also, so I was OK with the change. The more recent incarnations not so much. I always did like the outside seating there which is elevated above Central by a few feet. It makes it a little more enjoyable than sitting at grade like at GJ.

Edited by spenser1058
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  • 4 weeks later...

Yes, the lobby improvements, entrance improvements, outside cafe balcony and core space for the food hall will be done by April. The food hall interior finish is separate projects and will commence after that completion. They have to sign on tenants and configure the space to fit their tenants. They are in the process of soliciting for food vendors now. 

Edited by dcluley98
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On 1/9/2021 at 9:46 PM, bqknight said:

SIAP - Anyone know anything about this? @popsiclebrandon

Food hall on the bottom floor of the old SunTrust building. 

https://www.thedailycity.com/post/orlando-food-hall-downtown

It was mentioned in the 200 S. Orange Conversion thread a couple weeks ago.

Here's the flyer- SOP-leasing-brochure-Final-LR.pdf (southorangeprovisions.com)

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After a long hiatus, Fazoli’s is coming back to town (well, Clermont):


Fazoli’s Italian restaurant returns to Central Florida
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-cfb-fazolis-returns-clermont-20210115-ycyhxci6pnbrhdl55jdirf34qq-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 
I used to eat at the one on East Colonial back in the day. Love the breadsticks!
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1 hour ago, Jernigan said:

Nice, if you don’t mind having silverware instead of plastic utinsels, there’s a Fazolis here in Orlando called Olive Garden

Some people don't always want to dine at a traditional sit down and be served by a server type restaurant.

Some would like to get their Italian food at a counter, take it to their table on a tray, sit down and eat it then toss everything in the trash and leave with some extra bucks in their pocket rather than on the table as reward for a service they didn't necessarily want. 

Hope Fazoli's returns to central Orlando.

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As renowned and celebrated as that place was/is, I'm surprised that some enterprising entrepreneur(s) haven't gotten the idea to replicate the place and open up a new one.

Call it Ronnie's II. 

Ronnie's Redux.

Ronnie Jr's.

Son of Ronnie's.

Something like that.

They could hire @spenser1058 as a technical advisor.

Pay him in corned beef on rye sandwiches and pickles.

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3 hours ago, JFW657 said:

As renowned and celebrated as that place was/is, I'm surprised that some enterprising entrepreneur(s) haven't gotten the idea to replicate the place and open up a new one.

Call it Ronnie's II. 

Ronnie's Redux.

Ronnie Jr's.

Son of Ronnie's.

Something like that.

They could hire @spenser1058 as a technical advisor.

Pay him in corned beef on rye sandwiches and pickles.

The real tragedy was, had Larry not gotten into a snit (he was getting older and supposedly he was ticked that Cousins wasn’t going to let him keep the monopoly on food service he had at Colonial Plaza) and kept it going, his granddaughter or someone could have taken it a couple of decades later, given it a serious hipster vibe and made it the hit of the Milk District ( @smileguy could have done a power lunch every day at the same window banquette Mayor Bill used to sit at!). The thing about Ronnie’s (unlike Wolfie’s, which it was a blatant rip-off of from South Florida) was that Larry kept it as pristine and spotless in 1995 as it was in 1956. It was amazing.


https://www.orlandosentinel.com/resizer/2hYvvHX7BPhWaktlBeiFy4ORLuM=/415x233/top/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-tronc.s3.amazonaws.com/public/JZCVHBDNXJHNTNS5NBOSQMY7D4


https://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/os-fe-joy-wallace-dickinson-20200412-xxvdai2sqzgb7nyebiovwqg2rq-story.html

From The Sentinel 
 
 

 

Edited by spenser1058
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