DaFoodie

My friend Lisa is great at giving me tips for eateries that I wouldn’t otherwise know about. Yesterday she told me about Brandywine’s Deli, which is located on Park Avenue in Winter Park. Wow. Let me just say this:  IT’S FRESH.

In the Publix shopping plaza on 436/Semoran near Howell Branch Road in Casselberry is Bagel King. I’ve eaten there quite a few times over the years, and have very much enjoyed their bagel sandwiches.

A long time ago (17 months, to be exact) in a galaxy far, far away (ok, it was actually Casselberry) lived a kosher restaurant called Amira’s. The family that ran it, the Cohens, had a very loyal following and Amira herself would come out and give you samples of cookies that she made for her own grandchildren. Much to the shock and dismay of Central Florida, Amira’s closed up shop and left a very large, empty spot in our tummies and hearts.

The good news is that the Cohen’s son, Justin, opened the doors to Cohen’s Deli so that we don’t have to miss out the glatt-kosher goodness.

Dear Hot Dog Heaven:

I love you. I love everything about you. In a bizarre world of teenagers trying to push over jiffy marts with plastic bottles of salad dressing, you are the one thing I can rely on to make me feel better.

No matter how bad my day is going, I know that I can go to your place and be greeted by familiar, smiling faces. I’ve been eating at your establishment for five years now, and I see the same wonderful staff who asks about my hot dog-eating compatriots if they’re not with me that day. Yesterday, I walked off without my sweet tea, and one of your employees actually chased me across the road to make sure I got it. Most places don’t care.

A few years ago, I wasn’t a patron of any establishment that billed itself as a “teahouse” or anything really tea-related - not that I don’t like tea. I do enjoy a good high tea whenever I can get it, complete with Devonshire creme and scones but the majority of my tea-drinking has been relegated to the sickly sweet Southern variety. One of my closest friends pushed me to try Pom Pom’s for their “most excellent” sandwiches and another friend had artwork hanging at the Bumby location, so I decided that if Pom Pom’s was going to support my artist friends, I was going to support Pom Pom’s.

My girlfriends and I decided to hit up the Drunken Monkey coffee bar on Bumby Avenue, right across from Colonial Plaza. A mutual friend works here, and we were looking forward to fresh, homemade eats and some good tea.

I’ve never been to Seattle, but I’m thinking that if I need a little dose, Dandelion Communitea Cafe is the place to go. You know, without the rain and gloom.