Introduction

Well boys and girls and dogs and cats and space aliens and Arabian ninjas, this is a brand new blog from the cynical critic behind “The Entire Planet Observed on a Daily Basis” or whatever that blog is called. In this blog, we are entering the food world of the wonderful state of Florida. For those that know me very, very well (the two of you), you know I have a deep pride towards this state and all it has to offer. Very few states can offer such a blend of old-school and new-school elements, while (for the most part) being very socially diverse and accepting of such. This is practically the only state in the South that houses all types of different people and not having it result in KKK-like chaos everywhere. In Orlando alone we have a Little Brazil, a Little Vietnam, and little portions run totally by Hispanics sprinkled through the city area.

With such diversity, we also have a lot of diverse cuisine. Since Florida has such nice climate (and has yet to destroy their environment) we have access to all types of fruit and food that can be raised year-round. We are among the top states in the country for seafood, grapefruit, oranges, tomatoes, and other miscellaneous items. So with diverse food and diverse cultures we get diverse restaurants. My goal in this blog is to visit all types of restaurants, diners, bars, etc. around the state and see why they are successful, why they still stick around, and why people keep coming back for more.

This blog isn’t limited to just Florida (when I do vacation..eventually), but for the most part, I’ll be touring the state, seeing different places to eat, and trying out these locally popular joints. And of course, once in a while, I’ll make a visit to Disney World and try some food there. With this blog, I am daring myself to try new places, try new foods, and spend a little extra money to see if certain foods are worth that extra amount. For example, there is a restaurant in Boca Raton that mixes American cuisine with Japanese and…Argentinean? Yep. That spot also features a cheeseburger that is $100. So, this blog will answer the question: just how good is a $100 burger? This answer will not be unveiled until more money is in the pocket, but it shall be answered by the end of this year. Other places I am considering visiting within the coming weeks is Satchels in Gainesville, The Crab Shack in Pensacola, Sloppy Joes over at Key West, and the Salty Dog in Sarasota.

So, the bottom line is, all things culinary and food and Florida eating will be written here---good, disappointing, and bad. As I tour the state, I am open to recommendations, open to stories, and open to new ideas on how to run this blog. However, the cynicallness will be unveiled if the food isn’t up to par with my standards—and guess what, eating-wise I am trained in the school of Disney World. The first stop: Gondoliers in Clearwater. This spot is a franchise restaurant (which I usually will try to avoid) but a) it’s the only one in Florida, and b) its gotten spectacular reviews year-round.

In the meantime, let the culinary adventure begin!