Junior Columbian Burger: Small Place. Small Menu. Small Prices. Big Taste

Somewhere in the outskirts of the Universal Studios area is a burger joint that has quickly risen in popularity. Junior Colombian Burger has become a local hit ever since its opening, drawing quite a crowd—especially on weekends. Its distinctive personality, its munchies-friendly menu, and its incredibly late hours has allowed it to draw quite a crowd on those hot summer nights when Universal becomes far too expensive ($6 for evening parking? Are you joking me?!!?!?). I’ve decided to give the place a shot, for I’ve been told they have quite a crazy cheeseburger.


When I find the place (Located on Kirkman less than a minute after Universal’s entrance) right away I can tell that the word-of-mouth has definitely benefited this joint, as its located in the middle of a very small plaza yet has a line that stretches nearly to the door. Inside, there is a long counter with several chairs to the right of where you order. Despite the length, very few people can actually sit inside and eat. So you’ll see groups of people eating outside instead. Looks like more people order their food to go though.



Their rising cult hit phenomenon cheeseburger consists of: patty, tomatoes, onion, lettuce, cheese, potato chips, garlic, mayonnaise, ketchup, pink sauce and pineapple sauce. Yes, this sounds like a crazy medley of different types of burgers wrapped into one. This is one of those instances in which the result will be very good, or quite bad. I’ve had a very poor experience of a sandwich that consisted of mixing a variety of ingredients mashed together, but Junior’s burgers are by no means as extreme as the one in Munchies 420. Oh and by the way they have hot dogs and chicken burgers with all those added goodies (onions, mayo, ketchup, pineapple, garlic, etc.) as well.

I ordered their cheeseburger ($5 for a single) and while I was brave, I still wasn’t brave enough to have the tomato and onions. Sorry, me and the veggies were not meant to get along. I did keep the lettuce though. I also decided to try their salchipapa ($5), which are a blend of pan-fried sausages and potatoes. We don’t have a dish like that in the Caribbean, as its something mostly consumed in Central America and the northern ends of South America. The toughest part of this dining experience is the wait. Because the cheeseburgers are so crazy and because the place can get so busy, be prepared to wait a bit sometimes.




After the wait, the food arrives; I grab some sauces (they have a ketchup-mayo sauce as well as garlic sauce) and find my seat. I try the salchipapa first. This was quite good, as anything fried gets along well with my Dominican taste buds. The sausages were mildly crisp, quite hot, but very soft in the inside. The potatoes were much better. These potatoes were round in shape, and very soft in texture. They taste like roasted potatoes, except for the skin attached. The sauce I thought that worked best with the salchipapa was the ketchup-mayo sauce (In the Dominican Republic, that’s the “secret sauce” of most of the street vendors). And keep in mind, they serve you plenty, so if you aren’t sharing let’s hope you saved a lot of room for your meal.


Ah, the burger. This burger was quite a mess, and I mean this in a good way. They did not cut back on the ingredients, as you see plenty of potato chip pieces inside the burger and outside the burger. From the first bite I can tell why its appeal is so massive. This cheeseburger is a mix of salty, meaty, sweet, crunchy, and other adjectives usually used to describe food. The salty chips offset the sweet from the pink and pineapple, while the meaty burger compliments the garlic, mayo, ketchup, and veggies. You don’t get one taste bud squealing in delight, you get a multitude of them. The burger’s selling point isn’t the meat itself, but the variety of ingredients that blend with the burger like a sandwichy smoothie. Okay, that’s not the best choice of words. Just know that it works. Imagine the case if the patty were to be much thicker.....

The authenticity of the Colombian flavor in this place is quite high actually, much better than I expected. Their version of arepas are authentically Colombian, as it’s a corn cake with toppings added on top—depending on how much you want covering your corn. They also have maicitos, empanadas, meat skewers and another item I actually tried: fresh-fresh fruit juice. They have this very good mango juice that tasted quite fresh, was thick, and didn’t have any added sugar. They also have Colombian and Hispanic sodas and assorted drinks in case you want the entire Spanish American experience.

Bottom Line: Junior Colombian Burger is a place that has become very popular but it’s well-earned because of its cheap prices, quality food (albeit a bit different) and Hispanic-like hours. In a world where mostly fast food and breakfast places rule the third-shift hours, it’s good to see a local joint rise to the challenge by staying up extremely late to cater to the munchies runs. The burgers of this place are crazy, but good and the rest of their menu while not extensive provide many ways of fulfilling your big appetite. Just be ready to wait a while, because this place is one cuisine secret that is being unveiled quite quickly.

Final Verdict: Recommend.



Junior Colombian Burger
5389 S. Kirkman Road.
Suite 105
Orlando, Fl 32819

Key Largo Conch House: Polished gem hidden in Key Largo

Key Largo is one of the first islands you encounter on your way to Key West. For the record, they are very far apart; don’t let the maps fool you. But anyways Key Largo is a small quiet town with a lot of beautiful scenery, beautiful coral reefs, and doesn’t have the borderline-sleazy atmosphere of the more popular island down south. In the blemishes of Key Largo is a place that has gotten such a strong reputation so quickly that Man vs. Food, Food Network, and over a half-dozen newspapers has reported about this place. It has been the winner in dozens of food competitions ranging from coffee to bisque to even pie. Key Largo Conch House has developed a deadly reputation that is sure to make all the other restaurants in the area quite jealous. Of course we had to visit.







This spot was quite an adventure to find. Very hidden behind the trees and shrubbery, Key Largo Conch House is a mostly-outdoors restaurant that has nifty decorations around and about, and a good variety of plants. We decided to eat inside despite the nice weather outside. Inside were a few tables, a slew of awards hanging from the walls, and beautiful images of the ocean coming from a TV in the back corner. We were there for lunch and that menu is notably smaller than the one for dinner—and by a lot too. Nonetheless, I decided to give their award-winning conch fritters a shot, as well as the fried shrimp. Josh orders the award-winning lobster bisque and fried shrimp. Lastly Michael orders fried mahi-mahi (our favorite fish in this blog) but no appetizers.



The lobster bisque arrived very quickly and I am going to say this right now: it’s the best lobster bisque ever. The winner before was the bisque of Boston Fish House. But Boston has been dethroned easily by this place. The bisque here was very thick, very creamy, and was a pure delight from the first spoonful to the last. It was a lot chunkier than your average bisque, but it works as you get a heavy taste of lobster without it being too fishy a flavor. I originally didn’t order the bisque, but after a couple spoonful steals from Josh’s bowl I decided I had to get one. The lobster bisque conquered our lunch, as nothing else mattered---just that we wanted more bisque.




The conch fritters arrived, and unlike most items in this blog that I have been able to describe; this one is tough to explain. It was crazy, that’s all I can say. Crazy good though. Just picture a fritter, and mix in the taste of seafood, salty, sweet, and think of the texture of a tough hush puppy. Their fritters are indeed the best, but considering that I haven’t had good conch fritters before, Conch House pretty much wins by default.



Oh, that bisque…………….








Fried mahi-mahi. This fish is tougher to fry correctly when compared to cod or flounder, but they delivered a crisp, lightly-battered, fluffy, yet thick fried work of art. The batter never overpowered the flavoring of the fish (pieces were falling off as you pick up the seafood) but it provided a nice compliment to the rich taste of mahi. The fried shrimp also has that same type of batter, but it doesn’t work as well with the gulf shrimp as it does with the fish. But the shrimp was good, don’t get me wrong. The shrimp tasted fresh, it was plenty-thick, and didn’t disappoint. It is a shame the chips couldn’t quite match up with the seafood. Oh, that bisque……

…………



…….anywho dessert. We ordered this brownie sundae which was also a delightful assortment of crazy. It was a very warm brownie topped by a couple scoops of rich vanilla ice cream. The mixture of warm pastry and cool ice cream when done correctly provides a beautiful sugar rush to the body as well as propel you to a temporary nirvana. This sundae achieves just that, as it was big but never overloading on sugar, and was flavorful down to the very last ice cream/brownie bite. But we almost wanted more bisque. They have a vat somewhere in the back, that has to be the case because not only is it fantastic, but it comes nearly immediately after you order it. Word to the wise though, this place ain’t cheap, you can pay a pretty penny if you don’t watch out.


Bottom Line: That bisque…..

………….

………….

Key Largo Conch House is a delightful little place in a delightful little island full of wonderful seafood, a relaxing atmosphere, and a love for food that is matched by very few out there. I have never seen a restaurant compete in so many different competitions in so many different categories, but it’s the ultimate proof that this institution is being run by people that love food and want nothing but the best for their customers. I like their efforts, I like their attitude, and I really like their food. If I ever make it back to the Keys, I will definitely be making a stop there for their bisque.

And next time, instead of a bowl, I am just going to ask for a bathtub full of that stuff. It’s honestly that addicting.

Final Verdict: Recommend

Key Largo Conch House
100211 Overseas Highway
Key Largo, FL 33037

(305) 453-4844

Key West's Margaritaville: Great, just don't compare it to its Orlando sibling

Let me get this out of the way: Margaritaville in Universal’s CityWalk is hands-down one of the best restaurants I constantly visit. This place has never disappointed me as it delivers quality food in a quality setting and a great beach-life personality that stands-out from the norm. I recommend this place to anybody that likes good food and a good time. That being said, when I planned a trip to Key West one of the must-visit spots has got to be the original Margaritaville that started it all. Located somewhere in the insane Duval Street, the original Jimmy Buffet institution became an instant smash hit that resulted in many copies sprinkled all over the world and plenty of million$ for the popular beach rock singer.




Now, Key West is not an easy place to maneuver through with a car. The traffic is heavy, the lack of parking is a nuisance, and some of the prices for said parking make you want to re-consider going anywhere in that island. This Margaritaville is on the Duval side closer towards the Southernmost Point area, and is a bit hidden. But once you find it, you won’t be sorry. Inside the ambiance was lively, but is nothing compared to CityWalk’s. This was my fault for setting the bar so high, as I totally underestimated just how cramp Key West really is. They did a great job with the space they have, but it’s not a lot of space. And the infamous volcano from the CityWalk Margaritaville is missing in the one on Key West. But like I said, my fault for setting the bar so high.



I ordered what I always order when I hit the Margaritaville in Orlando: peel and eat shrimp, and a double Cheeseburger in Paradise. My brother orders a bacon cheeseburger and Josh orders a massive try of nachos that Margaritavilles are known for. He also orders a banana smoothie to compliment the nachos (great mix, isn’t it?). One note: Margaritaville’s smoothies are legit—there’s a kids one that is essentially a virgin pina colada mixed in with coconut smoothie. While the name might turn off the male audience (Princess Marigold) the end result is spectacular and a must have. Back on topic.



After a brief wait the shrimp arrives. While it was just as fresh as the shrimp in Orlando, it’s nowhere near as spicy as the Orlando counterpart. While I usually don’t like anything spicy or tingly in any of my foods, it works very well with cold shrimp and cocktail sauce. Nonetheless, the shrimp here was quite good. It was presented on a bed of ice and sprinkled with spices. Cold shrimp is not everyone’s cup of tea but I personally love the stuff.




Our entrees arrived after a brief wait. Now, in an earlier article, I mentioned how Margaritaville’s burgers are Level 6, the highest level of burger quality possible without achieving Le Tub success. The ones here also achieve this level of awesomeness. While it doesn’t quite measure up to the ones in Orlando (recurring trend of this visit) it was still spectacular. These burgers are thick, juicy, and are complimented by fresh and hot buns and excellent cheese. Cheese can make or break a burger believe it or not (Just ask Wendys and why I never go there). Michael’s burger was also a big success story, as juices were oozing from the end of his burger and into the plate underneath. Josh was beginning to regret ordering just nachos.





But unlike most spots (Even Le Tub), Margaritaville does not forget about the fries. The menu doesn’t boast anything about their fries, but they are darn good. These fries feel and taste like they are battered with something special and fried multiple times. Whatever the recipe and procedure is, it works to a T as it doesn’t need any extra salt, and I’ll even go as far as say that they don’t need ketchup. I know, gasp. Josh’s nachos was an avalanche of flavors, ingredients, and calories as you get to see meat, sour cream, lettuce, beans and all the usual nacho supplies, except multiplied a multitude of times and thrown together to form an intimidating mountain. These are meant for sharing, but Josh has a knack of eating a lot regardless and nearly finished the whole thing. To top it off, we tried their key lime pie. However, it was a bit limey and too tart for my tastes.

Bottom Line: Margatiaville of Key West is the original, and therefore should be treated with respect. It deserves the success with quality service, a nice atmosphere, and of course great food. That being said, the one in Orlando destroys it in every category out there. So if you get to choose between the two, Orlando six times to Sunday. Otherwise, if you are in the Key West area, this is indeed one of the better spots to visit in the area. But like I said, don’t expect the overwhelmingly incredible presentation of Orlando—because it just doesn’t have the room to be able to pull off the feat. Nonetheless, I recommend this place for a good time after you pay part of your soul for parking.


Final Verdict: Recommend.




Margaritaville of Key West
500 Duval Street
Key West, FL 33040

(305) 292-1435

Hog's Breath: It reeks of good food and good ambiance

Key West is definitely not what I expected. I was expecting a bar heaven full of color, full of vibrant energy, and just a cluster of activity. And while I am not a barhopper or a night life folk by any means, I at least enjoy the witnessing of the crazy life. I do enjoy watching (not being madly embedded in) the nightlife of Miami, Santo Domingo, and especially New York City. Key West’s crazy lifestyle personality is honestly limited down to a couple of streets. In a rather ugly buzzkill, I have not had a positive experience with the Key West crowd as of right now. Exception to the rule however is Hog’s Breath.




Hog’s Breath is definitely a local favorite, as the place was quite packed when we got there. This institution is part of the Duval scene since the 80s, creating a cult hit audience. Located seemingly a few blocks from the ocean, Hog’s Breath is a half-indoor/half-covered restaurant with several bars, a live band, and a dining area within its borders. I started the night off with a key lime shooter, which is an alcoholic beverage version of a key lime pie—minus the crust. The drink was decent, it just wasn’t that big.




I ordered the garlic shrimp dip and the fish sandwich. The garlic shrimp dip is a mix of shrimp, cream cheese, garlic, seasoning, and parsley. The fish sandwich is your typical 8-oz fish with lettuce and tomato and tartar sauce. However unlike most seafood joints, mahi-mahi is their preferred choice. And mahi-mahi is my favorite fish, ever. So they have the advantage there.

One thing about Hog’s Breath is that the food arrives pretty fast, at least during the 9:00 hour when I was there. Blink and the appetizer arrives. Blink twice and boom, there’s the entrée. The smoked fish dip was the best part of my meal. It comes in a big plate on top of lettuce and several packets of crackers. This incredible mix of seafood and dip compliments the crackers perfectly by providing a creamy smoky seafood flavor meshed in with a massive garlic kick. Its like a cream cheese---garlic shrimp flavored. And it was darn darn good.



The mahi-mahi sandwich was pretty good but nothing too outstanding. Luckily for me, its much thicker than your typical fish sandwich. The best part was the fish itself, but the tartar sauce was no joke either. The sauce was creamier and less chunky than your usual tartar. So those two elements are out of the ordinary, but I have yet to find a fish sandwich that tries to mix things up. For example, why don’t more places put cheese or basil or bacon along with their fish in their sandwich? Most of these spots have the fish, vegetables, and sometimes sauce. I say a little more variety is required.


Now, you are going to Key West for the festive ambience. While most of Key West not known as Duval Street seems to be missing it, Hog’s Breath will not disappoint in that aspect. There is wonderful live music constantly playing at night, an attentive staff that’s also very friendly, and an influx of other people to potentially mingle with. So while some spots don’t look as inviting for a socializing time, this place nicely fits the bill.


Bottom Line: Hog’s Breath was the first stop of our disappointing trip, and did not disappoint at all. While the fish sandwich is part of the ongoing trend of weaker-presentation sandwiches, it still delivers and will fill you up. But you must come here for the smoked fish dip. This was good, good stuff. And while Key West wants to be more known for the social scene as opposed to the culinary scene, Hog’s Breath offers quality in both categories. If you ever make it down the long dreary road to the island, Hog’s Breath should become one of your destinations.

Final Verdict: Recommend

Hog's Breath
400 Front St # C
Key West, FL 33040-6617

(305) 296-4222