PubCrawler

I just returned from a two day business trip to Orlando and arrived very late the first night (10PM) and needed a decent late night dinner. I had heard about a downtown Orlando restaurant called Midnight Blue, located at 990 E Washington St. that serves until Midnight (midnight blue - get it? ). The place was fairly deserted on a Tuesday night but I sat at the bar and affable Jesse (code name, Jane) served me a perfectly prepared dirty KetelOne martini. I ordered two medium-rare Kobe beef sliders with gorgonzola caramelized onion aioli and a side of yucca fries. The sliders were so good I went back last night with a client and two associates and had a full dinner. The place is very casual, but not necessarily inexpensive, depending whether you go for the tapas style bar fare of the ambitious dinner selections. The main dining area is outside. It was kind of chilly yesterday evening and there was no propane for the outdoor heaters. I ordered the herb encrusted New Zealand Lamb Rack in red wine bordelaise, on the rare side of medium-rare. Unfortunately it was cooked to medium, but other than that, very tasty. The 4 chops are a generous cut, as they should be for $35. Client had the Harris Ranch flat iron steak, which is offered in two sizes. He ordered the smaller portion and was shocked when a tiny (4 oz. before cooking) piece of meat was served. He said it was very good and then agreed to finish off my chops. The owner stopped by the table and agreed the smaller portion of the flat iron steak may be to small to leave on the menu. Others at the table had the Chicken Coq au Vin, which was well received, and the Cuban-style grilled pork loin, which was pronounced OK but “not authentic” buy the first generation Cuban-American diner. Considering the dearth of original dining venues in Orlando, I would recommend Midnight Blue to any local or traveler looking for fare both imaginative and unique. The atmosphere is friendly and the staff unpretentious. Solo diners will feel comfortable at the bar, and if there late, may, like myself, meet a pair of sociable, drunken “spies” who required code names for everyone in the place (hence Jesse/Jane). My code name? Pubcrawler, of course!

Boagman, My niece wanted to walk out the door and go to Diamond Jim's, and I was ready, but her Mom and Step-dad would not go, they are much more tolerant than me. After picking up the $200+ check for four people for a really LOUSY meal, I wish we HAD walked. I didn't even go in to great detail about all the things that went wrong, they messed up our drink order, they never refilled our water glasses, my "Paella" was swimming in some kind of flavorless soupy broth and the shrimp tasted "off", the crab topping on one of the dishes (fish, I think) was mixed with mayonnaise, YECK! On and on. Next trip back to the area, I am going to Zingerman's Roadhouse to use all the gift certificates the nice lady at Zingerman's is sending me to make up for the latest mail order debacle. Zingerman's - now there is a class operation.

I have read several differing opinions on the Boards about Stephan Pyle's, and wanted to share my recent experience hosting a private dinner at the restaurant for 25 important clients. I have organized dozens of these types of events over the years so I have some history and knowledge of what to anticipate and consider in regards to the planning and execution of a successful evening. I worked with event manager Lisa Moore to plan the evening in their private dining room. I also made a site visit to meet her in person and sample menu items and wine. Lisa is a true professional, and willingly indulged me over a series of weeks as I worried over every detail of the evening via telephone and email. It is understandable in a restaurant where the dishes can be complicated or even elaborate that a large party requires a limited menu, however Lisa worked with me to offer a wider choice for our guests than is normal. We did this by pre-selecting the first course (a cerviche tasting) to “buy time” for the kitchen once the guests made their other menu choices. I also worked with their sommelier to plan appropriate wines with each of the courses. The evening was flawless. The serving staff was precise and informative without being intrusive. The presentation of dishes seemed choreographed. One of the things I liked best was they way they handled the wine pairings. As we progressed through the courses, each guest was given the correct wine glass for the wine selected. There was no “offer” of wine, it was just discreetly poured without discussion. My observation was that people were relieved to have this detail taken care of, and in fact several people asked for the names of the wines they had been given. The guests arrived to a 30-minute Champagne reception on the patio, for a “meet and greet”. The staff served canapés of the Chef’s choosing. After sitting down, orders were taken and the cerviche tasting was served. A large platter full of crushed ice with six individual cerviches was set on what looked like a pizza stand. Each of the cerviches was passed between the guests and even the most timid in the group took part in the samplings. All were good but the most outstanding for me was the Sea Bass with Avocados and Tomatillios and the Ecuadorian Shrimp with Orange & Popcorn. Rather than relive every detail of every other course I have pasted our menu below, and will tell you that every dish seemed to be enjoyed. The star dishes of the evening were the Tamale Tart, the Bone-in Ribeye Steak, the “Coffee and Donuts”, and the Global Chocolate. The best part of the evening occurred just after the cerviche service, when a wall in the private room was opened to reveal a display kitchen from where each of our next courses was prepared and served. Everyone in the room was delighted at this surprising event and it helped to make for a memorable evening. Say what you will about Stephan Pyle’s unique restaurant, but this for me was one of the best dining experiences of my life, and probably the first time I enjoyed an event as much as my guests. Ceviche Tasting To Start Honduran Tuna with Coconut & Ginger Sea Bass with Avocados & Tomatillos Ecuadorian Shrimp with Orange & Popcorn Hamachi with Guanabana Sea Scallops Amarillo with Golden Tomatoes & Aji Mirasol Lobster with Mango and Basil Appetizer Choice of: Dallas Mozzarella, Watermelon and Heirloom Tomatoes with Serrano Ham, Smoked Sea Salt and Monte Vibiano Unfiltered EVOO Tamale Tart with Roast Garlic Custard, Jumbo Lump Crabmeat and Smoked Tomato Sauce Soup or Salad Choice of: Iced Gazpachos Amarillo with Golden Tomatoes and Saffron Blanco with Almond and Frozen Grapes Rojo with Smoked Tomatoes and Beets Verde with Tomatillos and Honeydews Stephan’s Original Southwestern Caesar Salad with Jalapeño Croutons and Parmigiano Reggiano “Chicharron” Main Course Choice of: SP’s Bone-In Cowboy Ribeye with Red Chile Onion Rings and Pinto-Wild Mushroom Ragout Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Duck Confit Potatoes, Medjool Dates and Balsamico Roasted Sea Bass with Chorizo and Clams in Verjus Fumet and Spring Pea Tendrils Coriander-Cured Rack of Lamb with Ecuadorian Potato Cake and Cranberry Mojo Dessert Choice of: “Coffee and Doughnuts” Global Chocolate: Flourless Xocopili Cake Organic German Chocolate Pot au Crème Single Origin Columbian Mousse Venezuelan White Chocolate Espuma Mexican Abuelita Chocolate Ice Cream Lemon Lemon Lemon: Lemon Tart with Fennel Pollen-Kalamansi Ice Cream Toasted Meyer Lemon Pound Cake Chicha-Berry Compote with Micro Mint- Lemon Salad Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Jeff Moschetti Camilo Calderon Executive Chef General Manager

San, what a sin that these types of mediocre restaurants continue to earn positive reviews for their absolutely abysmal cuisine, service and ambiance. I don't mean to be negative, but have been on a whirlwind tour of great U.S. restaurants (Proof on Main in Lousiville, Stephan Pyles in Dallas, Bis on Main in Bellevue, WA (ok, this is my brother's restaurant :-) and am just so sick of paying $50+ per person for absolute crap!

I must admit that after having grown up in Detroit and honing my restaurant acumen in what I once considered one of the stellar restaurant cities, I was somewhat perplexed trying to navigate the ever expanding selection of chain vomitoriums that now dot the local landscape. I would welcome the red leather banquette of my youthful memory or the charming ambiance of The London Chop House to the abysmal choices the motor city now offers. Here for a weekend visit to celebrate the birthday of a niece, our weekend started out with a bang with a fine meal at La Bisteca, followed by a great breakfast at Novi’s Joseph’s Coney Island (cash only) and acceptable dim sum at the somewhat decrepit and mildewed Great Lakes in Ann Arbor. After various family celebrations, the weekend wrapped up with what was proposed as a “nice” meal at Steve & Rocky’s in Novi. OK, anytime a “nice” meal costs more that $55 a person, I expect significantly more that what we experienced this evening. Four of us were sat at a table that would barely hold two. We waited over 10 minutes before flagging down a manager in order to find a waitperson. Distracted and overwrought, she messed up our entire order from initial drinks to dessert. She actually “forgot” to submit our desert order, which the menu required us to order at the outset. Most annoying to me, she dropped dishes sitting inches off the table edge, probably because of the tight space, but I found myself pushing my guests’ plates onto the table proper in hopes they wouldn’t end up in someone’s lap. Not a single dish as memorable. We couldn’t get out of there fast enough. If anyone actually remembers the Golden Mushroom’s famous mushroom soup, do not expect the gooey gump of flour-thickened slop (with nary a mushroom) to in any way represent its former glory. My point of reference is my four years of service at the Golden Mushroom in a decade hence past. What can I say about this dining experience except after all the raves I read on this blog, I expected something beyond mediocre. What a complete and total disappointment. Beware! h

Susan, our group will probably be about 25 people, which the hostess indicated may be the max the room can accomodate. Obviously, their wine celler will only hold 8-10, but it sounds lovely. There is a restaurant in Tucson called Michaels of the Catalinas with a wine celler dug 20 feet below the restaurant and it seats about 20 people. Being down there is almost a mystical experience, with the cool earth walls and the quietness of the room.

Thank you Randi! I am actually talking with The Frog and the Peach. I looked at David Drakes too after reading about them on Zagat, but they don't have an actual private dining room. However after reading your comment and looking at their menu more closely, I called them and they may be willing to set aside the upstairs for my group. Based on your experience dining there, do you think the Upstairs is separated enought from the main dining area for a private group? I must admit I am more impressed with David Drakes menu. Thanks so much for your recommendations!

Hello All, I have been tasked with planning a high-end dining event for clients in the Edison/New Brunswick, NJ area scheduled for mid-November. Problem #1 is that I live on the west coast and no nothing of the top-end area restaurants. Problem #2 is that I just hosted an event at Stephan Pyle's in Dallas that was as close to perfect as an evening could be, and expectations are that it can be re-created anywhere. The cuisine at Pyle’s was innovative, beautifully presented and delectable. The staff was top-notch and the private dining area had a hidden display kitchen that was revealed during the first course service to the delight of our guests. The Sommelier worked with me to match wines to each menu selection and guests were seamlessly served the correct wine pairing in the correct glass with each of their choices without fuss or fanfare. The entire service seemed choreographed. I won't even try to describe the unbelievable desserts, but with names like “Global Chocolate”, “Lemon, Lemon, Lemon”, and “Coffee and Donuts”, you can use your imagination. Can anyone tell me if there is an area restaurant that may even come close to matching this experience? The actual “pick-up” point of the guests is in Piscataway, NJ, which, from what I can tell, may be the country’s epicenter of chain restaurant dining. We really don’t want to have to transport a large group farther than 15 miles. HELP!!