The Break We Didnt Want

For starters, I enjoy this blog. It is entertaining to maintain, fun to write, and it unpredictability adds to the mayhem that is traveling around the state for random food. We’ve experience bad, we’ve experienced good, and we’ve experienced some of the best food this side of the planet. Unfortunately however, this blog can’t continue running on the pace it has been running on. It is quite expensive doing this hobby, and with no money coming in to support the darn thing, it becomes quite difficult justifying these long trips. So with that, I am once again announcing changes to the blog---might be temporary, might be permanent.

I am limiting my visits to twice a month, and I am maintaining in the central Florida area. Until I can get a higher-paying job or until I can financially support this blog with no issues, I am putting a major halt on my travels. No more Miami, no more Tampa Bay, no more St Petersburg, etc. I will only travel to restaurants in the 20-25 miles radius of Orlando, Disney World, Kissimmee. The filming I had started will once again be suspended until more money flows in our direction. The burger blog which is right next door to this one will also be limited down to once a month sadly.

I am not a fan at all of doing this, but with the coming year arriving soon and me having to make some big changes in order to get where I want to be in life, sacrifices had to be made. I will update it every so often so I don’t lose this blog altogether. But as of now, there will be serious restrictions on the Floridian Cuisine Experience. It has been a fun ride so far, and hopefully I will be driving this blog on the fifth gear later down the road.

Keke's Breakfast Cafe: Good Breakfast, with Style

They say breakfast is the most important part of the day. So why is it that so few restaurants concentrate heavily on this portion of cuisine? Outside the mammoth franchises Denys, IHOP, and (to a lesser extent) Waffle House, you don’t get that many restaurants that truly excel in breakfast. Even the usually-reliable Disney World has very little to brag about in terms of breakfast. However in Central Florida there has been one diamond in the rough and that’s Keke’s Breakfast Café. Roaming around since 2006, this institution evolved mightily after its debut as the Florida Waffle Shop. A name change and a few years later, it suddenly has three locations and two more on the way. This spot was recommended to me by a family member who has dabbed in culinary, so I will definitely take his recommendation heavily. Although he did recommend me this place………



Anywho, I decided to run with the original location, which is in the Millenia area. Now, I have notoriously criticized this area time and time again for its ridiculous traffic jams (That can be described as “E.p.i.c.”), and also its rather upper scale presentation and ambiance. I am more a Florida Mall kind of person. Of course, some of the upper-class aura rubbed off on the place as the inside is very spacious, very sharp, and ultimately very sleek. The entire staff was very friendly to us as we were seated in one corner of the restaurant. The restaurant has a small window in terms of hours, as it’s only open until 2:30 p.m.



Their breakfast menu isn’t too big, but it’s no pushover either. Without going too crazy, they offer a variety of your typical breakfast favorites; from waffles to omelets to pancakes. I decided to go with the sausage and cheese omelet, which consists of American cheese and pieces of sausage links. To add to that I also ordered the chocolate chip waffle. My brother orders the three-meat omelet and French toast. Lastly, Josh orders the Buffalo chicken omelet which consists of eggs, cheese and you guessed it, chicken with special sauce. For some added measure, we also get the pancakes. P.S. $4 apple juice is legit, as they give you what seems to be a gallon of fresh juice.







After a brief wait, our omelets arrive first. My omelet was quite good, as it was heavy on the cheese and the meat, while the eggs mixed in tasted hearty and fresh. Josh’s omelet can be described by the eater himself: “It tastes like a buffalo wing wrapped in eggs.” Michael enjoyed his omelet, as they pepper the eggs with a variety of different types of meats. The home fries that come with the omelets were spectacular too, among the best out there. I am not a hash brown person, and I thought the home fries were going to fall in that category. I was happily incorrect, as instead you get a nice blend of fresh potatoes cooked just right . They worked perfectly well with the three-egg omelets. That being said, you have to be willing to fork over nearly $10 for this breakfast dish.




The waffle price rage isn’t a joke either. The $7.49 chocolate chip waffle was good, but it’s hard to justify that price when you get so much more at just a few bucks more. The waffle was nice and thick, and Hershey’s chocolate chip pieces and whipped cream enhanced the experience. But it’s not very filling; it works much better as a dessert or a side dish. We can argue the same with the French toast, which was also good but with a $6.49 tag and nothing to compliment the bread, all I can say is yikes. It’s funny because if you push a few more bucks, you can have the same toast stuffed with blueberry and cream cheese. Keke is quite odd with the prices.


While the omelets were the big hit of the breakfast, the pancakes were definitely a force to be reckoned with. Their mammoth pancakes are fluffy, thick, filling, and quite tasty. While it doesn’t come with any sides, you honestly don’t need it. We did not try the lunch menu but it looks like a mix of your usual laid-back American fare: burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, etc. Then again, its Keke’s Breakfast Café…..why would you go there for lunch stuff?


Bottom Line: Keke’s breakfast Café is a very fun and delightful little spot that has become a Central Florida hit because of decent prices, great portions, sleek presentation and atmosphere, and an overall plethora of superb breakfast food. Outside the 535 Lake Buena Vista IHOP, I never go out for breakfast, but this place has made me a fan. While the waffles were decent and became their calling card; it’s all about their pancakes and omelets. I recommend this place if you are looking for a great way to start the day. While their prices are all over the place, there’s no denying the awesomeness of this joint.

Final Verdict: Recommend

Keke's Breakfast Cafe - Millenia
(formerly The Florida Waffle Shop)
4192 Conroy Road; Suite 100
Orlando, FL 32839
407-226-1400

El Tenampa: Cheap and Satisfying Trip Around Mexico's Cuisine

Let’s toss this fact out there first: authentic Mexican food is extremely tough to find in the state of Florida. I am talking about pure Mexican: not Tex-Mex—there is a total difference. Unlike the Wild West states (Texas, Arizona--ugh, New Mexico), Florida has a smaller number of Mexican restaurants that we can call legit. That being said, the highest-rated restaurant in Kissimmee happens to be a Mexican joint. So I decided to make the trek down the infamous 192 and find me among the top-rated Kissimmee restaurants in the internetz.




El Tenampa is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cuisine institution. This spot is hidden in the bowels of 192 close to the massive Wal-Mart and Medieval Times. But once you find it, you’ll then notice the plethora of cars parked in the small lot. Then you’ll notice that the sign for the restaurant is so small, it was a miracle you found the darn place. However inside, the ambiance totally changes. Mexican music can be heard in the background, Mexican television can be seen everywhere, and there’s so much Hispanic flair that you’ll be speaking Spanish involuntarily. The place is packed with a mix of locals (mostly Hispanics) and tourists (who were whether lost or feeling quite adventurous).



After a brief wait we were seated and immediately greeted with chips and salsa. Both salsa dips were good, with one being spicy enough to melt tables. The menu is quite extensive, as they range from tacos to quesadillas to traditional Mexican dishes to even entire pages dedicated to food combinations and seafood. More so, they have an abundance of massive, massive platters that can feed entire families, and they are mostly less than $25. Not bad. As a matter of fact, most of the menu items are in the cheap range. I ordered the Tenampa Sampler and then went with the chicken Torta (To tell you the truth, I thought it was something totally different). Michael orders Taquitos Dorados and then the grilled beef ribs. Josh orders the shrimp nachos and the chicken quesadillas. The waitress (who was very delightful) warned us that we were about to eat a lot of food. After previous engagements I’ve encountered, I wasn’t scared.








The pineapple juice I ordered was pure to the core, as it had plenty of pulp, plenty of fresh flavor, and pineapple chunks to sprinkle the cup along with the ice. It was fantastically rich. After a brief wait, we get our appetizers. Michael’s taquitos dorados were good but nothing to brag about. They were small fried pieces with chicken inside. All our appetizers came with lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, among other things. Josh’s shrimp nachos were fantastic, as they mixed the best of Mexican nachos with some seafood flair. His plate had it all, plenty of greens, plenty of cream, and plenty of shrimp. His dish required sharing, but they were so good I didn’t get much from him. Lastly, my appetizer sampler was huge, and all of it was quite good. With quesadillas, golden tacos, nachos, guacamole, lettuce, sour cream, beans, and tomatoes rapped into one plate, this could also pose as a fun meal.





The hit of the lunch was Josh’s chicken quesadilla order. His dish came with rice, beans, lettuce, and a hearty helping of quesadillas. His quesadillas were off the charts, as it was loaded with chicken and cheese, and was toasted just right for a nice warm melted flavor. The best part? The entire dish was less than 7 bucks. Not bad, eh? My chicken torta wasn’t exactly something worth bragging about, but it was still an interesting meal. At $6, I get a taco-like sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, chicken (or whatever meat you desire), avocado, cheese, sauce, jalapeno (I chickened out and didn’t ask for them though) with fresh bread holding it together. It was good, like a very soft taco, except bigger and badder. Just not what I expected. For some odd reason I was anticipating something more in the taco family since these two items are joined together in the menu.




Michael’s steak melted like butter. It had a nice char taste to it while the meat was very tender, very soft, and juicy. Michael even ate the vegetables that came with it, and he never eats vegetables. Overall the meal was very satisfying, and with nobody’s bill coming out to over $20 (before tips) it was very satisfactory for our wallets too. Next time however I am definitely tackling the drink menu. They have alcoholic concoctions at less than $6 and beer at less than $3. You are definitely getting your money’s worth.




Bottom Line: The main draw of El Tenampa is its very forgiving price range, and plethora of food that follows. The menu is extensive, the food is as close to pure Mexican that I’ve gotten to outside of that country, and the entire experience is a very nice one considering its location. With so much food to choose from, you might need multiple visits to truly get a grasp of what this place is capable of. But I do recommend it, as its one of the better Kissimmee restaurants out there.


Final Verdict: Recommend

El Tenampa Mexican Restaurant
4565 West Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway
Kissimmee, FL
(407) 390-1959

The Plaza Restaurant: The Oasis in the Desert of Kingdom Insanity

Perhaps you’ve heard of Magic Kingdom? Most popular and most-visited theme park in the entire world? Yea, Disney World’s crown jewel rakes in over 15 million visitors a year. So, with that the sit-down, full-service restaurants become quite difficult to get a reservation for. While character dining usually dominates the sit-down restaurant dining in the Kingdom, there is a very small (literally and in scope) exception to the rule. The Plaza Restaurant is a small low-key place with a seating capacity of less than 100, and its so embedded in the Main St. area most guests don’t notice its existence. I’ve decided to give this place a shot and see what this small eatery offers.



The Plaza Restaurant is small, very small. You get a decent view of the castle, so this spot definitely works best at night when the parade and fireworks are going off. However in the afternoon, doesn’t offer much to see. The menu isn’t too complex, just a multitude of your typical higher-scale American foods like club sandwiches, burgers, etc. They also offer a multitude of different flavors of ice cream and milkshakes. I went with a potato soup to start, the Plaza Club (Magic’s take on the Club Sandwich), and got me a cookies n’ cream milkshake. Josh orders the Cheese Steak sandwich and also a cookies n’ cream milkshake. Lastly, Michael orders the grilled Reuben.






The milkshakes and soup arrive first. The milkshakes were not thick in the least bit, as there was much more milk than ice cream. Not a complaint though, as it was still creamy goodness. The potato soup was awesome, and at a $4 price tag, it was worth every penny. This soup was doused with cheese, bacon and chives, and the overall result was like a melted baked potato. If that doesn’t bring a smile to your face, I’m not sure what will.





The Plaza Club was a hit-and-miss result. While the ham, turkey and bacon tasted great, the sourdough bread left something to be desired. Sourdough has forever been my favorite bread, and I’ve announced this love before. That being said, this bread wasn’t that good because they toasted it. I personally believe that sourdough should always stay cold, and always stay soft. Small little gripe though, as the sandwich overall was decent and the accompanying chips were a nice compliment as well. The cheese steak sandwich and reuben were liked, although Michael has pointed out that Disney’s reuben sandwiches still pale in comparison to Caddy’s over at Treasure Island.

Of course, we have to attack the dessert menu, since their dessert is made in the same area as the infamous ice cream parlor at the end of Main St. (with those delicious waffle bowls). We decided to try the brownie sundae, which was your typical blend of ice cream, brownies, hot fudge, and whipped cream. After a brief wait, we receive our dessert. This monstrosity was big, but was meant to be taken down by just one individual. Upon first tasting, we realized why: this sundae is too good for sharing.



The brownies presented here were among the best I’ve ever had. The vanilla ice cream is just as good as you can possibly make it (outside of Jaxson’s Ice Cream anyway). The overall dessert was just pure delight from start to finish. The brownie tasted fresh but wasn’t too rich. The sundae had the right mixture of cake and cream, as the bowl never looked like soup. While some of the items in the restaurant are a bit up there in price, the brownie sundae is the best deal by far, as it offers a few minutes of heaven at just a few bucks.


Bottom Line: The Plaza Restaurant is nothing outstanding or one for the record books, but it makes for a nice escape from the insanity of the Magic Kingdom. Offering a temporary asylum from the crowds, the Plaza boasts a easy, simple menu with easy sandwiches that doesn’t try to impress with random fancy ingredients but more so satisfy. While the sandwiches aren’t the best, the ice cream, milkshakes, and smaller items (like chips, soup, fries) definitely delivered, and the prices aren’t too outrageous. The Plaza Restaurant is what it is, a small escape from theme park insanity.


Final Verdict: Recommend

The Plaza Restaurant
Magic Kingdom
Lake Buena Vista