Tarks: Old, Small, Cramp---but with good wings.

On my way to Miami to see the new stadium one of my co-workers raved about this place that has the greatest wings ever created. He salivated as he discussed said wings. While at first I was very skeptical, I then noticed that the location is located just a mile away from the greatest ice cream I’ve ever had and just a few miles away from the best cheeseburger I’ve ever had. So could it be that the folks of this 30-mile radius have silently discovered the secrets to masterful food? I decided to find out.




Tarks of Dania Beach is an extremely popular eatery that boasted a full parking lot the entire time I was there. The very first thing I noticed about this joint is….it is small. Like, ridiculously small. They actually boil, brew, and cook the food practically in front of you as the eatery consists of a couple long counters and a couple tables outside. Not being a fan of testing claustrophobia, I decided to dine outside after ordering my food. I went with the wings (of course), and then ordered their bbq and garlic shrimp.







After a brief wait and internal battle against the hungry flies I got my food and beer (I lie, it was water). I first fought the wings, which came in a plate that had a huge puddle of sauce at the bottom. Needless to say, this was the messiest battle I have ever engaged in against wings. The texture on the outside of the wings not swimming in sauce was quite tough but had a very nice tender inside. The meat inside was truly legit. The truly winning wings were those that had the sauce soup branched underneath. These wings were softer, spicier, and much more filling.




The shrimp however was a mild disappointment, with pricing being its best asset. The grouping of shrimp was served in skewers and consisted a multitude of garlic but had very little bbq. The dish came with curly fries, which were good but also no big deal. The truth is I didn’t realize I was hitting up a dive, a hole-in-the-wall, so the expectations were a little on the high side. I got thrown off from the getgo. In terms of bar food, this spot can do no wrong---especially compared to some bar food you’ll experience throughout your life.



Bottom Line: This spot can be best enjoyed when you treat it less like a restaurant and more like a bar—because the spot is small, its very claustrophobic, and lastly doesn’t offer much room. You will be elbow to elbow with strangers and even have the ability to watch the food get made in front of you. With that being said, this spot does indeed have a great variety of food, ranging from the greasy wings to the clams to the chowder. The prices are grand, the atmosphere is very local and old-school, and there’s not much to complain about here. While it lacks the pizzazz of your better local joints, Tarks is a good spot to sit, relax, drink, and soak up the alcohol with food.

And sometimes in life, isn’t that all you really need?

Final Verdict: Mildly Recommend

Tarks of Dania Beach
1317 South Federal Highway 
Dania Beach, FL 33004

Q'Kenan: Venezuela culture and cuisine in a corner

International Drive is chock full of business, chock full of tourists, and also chock full of these small old (and new) restaurants that thrive amongst the locals and passer-by tourists. Q’Kenan is one of those examples of a low-key local joint that has developed a quiet loyal fanbase in the past several years with its vast array of Venezuelan food. With me about to attack South Beach next week I decided to hit this place since it was so close to home----literally three minutes away.










The location is definitely not the best. It’s in the back corner of a Publix plaza surrounded by restaurants. But the inside had much more personality as pictures sprinkled one of the walls and a massive Venezuelan flag standing tall on the other side. There's also Hispanic music blazing in the background and Venezuelan television in the distance. The menu is chock full of Venezuela and Latin favorites, ranging from their empanadas to arepas (corn bread fried or baked and stuffed with stuff) to cachapas (corn pancake) to several meat items. Q’Kenan’s most popular item is their plantain sandwiches, which consists of thick plantain blended in with cheese and meats in the middle. While tempting, I decided to go with a cheese empanada and then battle their Parilla Tepui Mixta---beef, sausage, pork, chicken, fried yucca, salad, and fries. I will discuss its pricing later. You won’t believe me.




I also ordered pineapple juice to satisfy the craving. What I got instead was a hybrid of smoothie and slushee as opposed to juice; but it stands out as some of the best pineapple liquid I’ve experienced outside the confides of Magic Kingdom’s Aloha Isle. It was very rich, nice and cold, and satisfied to the nth degree. This was a darn good way to start the lunch. Another incredible feature of this restaurant is their empanadas, which are legit. Full of cheese, full of flavor, and bursting with heat their empanadas are some of the best in the business. Sorry Argentina, but Venezuela does them right with the corn flour usage. These are no different, and just a couple of these will fill you up hardcore.






The Parrilla is a huge, huge plate chock full of meat. Vegetarians look away. They did not cut back at all as there is plentiful of each meat, from the pork to the sausage. While this usually comes with fries I replaced it with rice to see how they do rice. To top it off we have arepa chunks and fried yucca to round out the dish. The price will be revealed soon. There has yet to be a restaurant I’ve visited that has deliver homestyle rice, and this place is no different. The rice was good, but nothing spectacular. The fried yucca and arepas however were good and reminded me of the street foods in the Dominican Republic.

Each of the meats were heavy in portion, plentiful in size, and ultimately delivered. None of them were outstanding but they fit the bill. And this is what Q’Kenan excels at, the smaller pieces, smaller strengths adding up to a nice whole. There isn’t a thing around here that I would say truly stands out (except those empanadas perhaps) but there is plenty to enjoy here. And I didn’t even get to finish the lunch since there was so much. Ready for the price tag? $12. Excellent value.



Bottom Line: Legitimate Hispanic cuisine in great prices is what drives this place towards success, as you get plenty of good food that will fill you up and satisfy the soul. While nothing excels towards true hall of fame greatness, this place will not disappoint.

Final Verdict: Recommend

Q'Kenan
8117 Vineland Ave.
Orlando Fl 32821

Clarkie's Restaurant: Old School with No School

Clarkie’s Restaurant has been a staple in the outskirts of Downtown Orlando since the late 50s. In other words, it survived the tough economies of the late 70s, 2000s, and today and remains a great survival story. Despite being in a city that has more restaurants than any other spot in America (true story), Clarkie’s holds up. They thrive on breakfast while also offering lunch—despite never remaining open past 2:00. I have decided to give this place a shot and see how their breakfast fares—after all this is the most popular part of the restaurant.


Down Orange Avenue it’s a very interesting street because you will also find an extremely old chicken place, a French-American South hybrid, and even the only authentic German restaurant for miles upon miles. Heading closer to Downtown you will find Clarkie’s after passing several neighborhoods and plazas. The place has a very Southern hometown feel on the outside and on the inside. While the sign boasts that it makes famous pies, nobody was eating them when I walked in. There were two waitresses and one cook in the back. The ambiance was calm and composed, as the customers were all regulars. How do I know? Because the servers talked to each of them like family.




The menu is small, nothing expansive. Your typical eggs, pancakes, and miscellaneous meat alternatives to compliment the fare. I decided to fight the Lumberjack’s Meal, which consists of three eggs, three pancakes, bacon, sausage patty, and the choice of homefries or grits. I decided to give the grits a chance, and then ordered an apple juice to start. After a brief wait I got the apple juice, which was decent nothing spectacular. The restaurant on the inside is quite small as I could see the kitchen from where I was seating, and then there was a fridge and coffee section right next to where I pay my check. Religious memorabilia everywhere and amusing random anecdotes sprinkled about. This was definitely a Southern restaurant. The breakfast arrives and it required two plates to fit it all. The egg portion was a lot smaller than I expected, while the grits and pancakes absorbed most of the space.









The eggs were decent, but nothing more. Same goes with the bacon---and the grits---and the sausage----and even the pancakes. As a matter of fact, I didn’t have anything that resembled outstanding. They were bearable, but nothing worth bragging about. The pancakes were supposed to be the deal-clincher but they didn’t have much flavor. The syrup was good, that’s one compliment I shall give. But I can make this at home. All of it, maybe even the pancakes.



Bottom Line: Well, I went to the old-school breakfast joint, and I left rather disappointed because the mystery to its success remains unsolved. The place is snazzy, the service was wonderful, the prices weren’t too nuts (Although 4 bucks for juice is…nuts), but the food was highly unsatisfying. In a world where IHOPs, Waffle Houses, and Central Florida native Keke’s Breakfast Café’s (Best breakfast in Orlando) run amok, I am shocked that this spot with its subpar food can still make its money. Wonderful people don’t get me wrong, but in terms of breakfast there’s much better out there.


Final Verdict: Do Not Recommend

Clarkie's Restaurant
3110 S Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32806