2013 06 30 ORLANDO FOOD FINDS AT MARLOWS TAVERN

MARLOW'S TAVERN WINTER PARK

Address: 1008 S Orlando Ave, Winter Park, FL 32789

Phone:(407) 960-3670

Hours:  Friday hours 11:30 am–12:00 am 

DROPPED IN MARLOW'S TAVERN IN WINTER PARK ONE FINE, YET RAINY SUNDAY AFTERNOON.  OVERALL, THE FOOD AND SERVICE WAS GREAT.

  

Location : 1008 S. Orlando Avenue (17-92) Winter Park, FL 32789

AND FOUND GREAT FOOD, LOW LIGHTING ATMOSPHERE, AND SOME FUN CHEERY STAFF INCLUDING ONE OF THEIR CHEF THAT STOPPED BY THE TABLE TO GREET AND INTRODUCE  NEW FOOD THAT I DID NOT EVEN SPOT ON THE MENU.

STARTED OF WITH LIGHT APPETIZER OF THEIR HUMMUS ($6.00).

PRETTY AVERAGE HUMMUS.

Grilled, Toasty Pita Points, Crisp, Fresh Veggies and Marinated Feta ($6.00)

THE STEAK CAME OUT AND I THOUGHT TO MYSELF: IT LOOKED PRETTY TINY.  LATER, A CHEF CAME OUT TO GREET US FOR WHATEVER REASON.  PERHAPS HE KEPT ON SEEING MY CAMERA FLASHES FROM HIS OPEN KITCHEN.  HE TOLD US THAT THIS IS A REALLY GOOD PRICE FOR THIS SIZE OF "CENTER CUT FILET".  DID HE READ MY MIND OR IS THAT A POPULAR QUESTION ASKED BY CUSTOMERS?

Grilled "center Cut" Filet - crispy wild mushroom potato cake, baby broccolini, garlic tomato fondue, harvey's bristol cream, scented veal jus and crumbling gorgonzola ($19)

THEN COMES MY PLATE.  WHERE EVER I FIND SHRIMP AND GRITS, I FEEL LIKE I NEED TO TRY AT LEAST ONCE.  EVEN AFTER EYEBALLING THE MENU MULTIPLE TIMES, MY DECISION ROLLS BACK TO.....SHRIMP AND GRITS!

Shrimp & Grits - white cheddar grit cake, spinach, tomato, shallot and sauce beurre blanc ($15)

I DON'T THINK I'VE EVER TRIED GRITS IN CAKE FORM, NOR WHITE CHEDDAR. WHITE CHEDDAR GRIT CAKES WERE DEFINITELY DIFFERENT.
DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE THE GRITS WERE IN CAKE FORM AND THAT PIECE WAS BROKEN OFF UNTIL THE CHEF WHO CAME OUT TO GREET US, POINTED IT OUT.  YOU CAN TASTE THE WHITE CHEDDAR BUT IT WAS NOT STRONG.

THERE WERE A DECENT AMOUNT OF SHRIMP, GIVEN THAT THERE WAS NOTHING TO FLUFF IT UP.  I SORT OF WISHED THE PLATE WAS STEEP TO GIVE THE ILLUSION OF A HUGE $15 PLATE OF FOOD.  OR, MAKE THICKER GRIT CAKES.

I THINK THIS CHEF CAME OUT TO CHAT WITH US MORE THAN 3 TIMES.

AFTER DISCOVERING THAT WE'VE NEVER TRIED THE JALAPENO GRITS, HE CAME BACK WITH A LITTLE SAMPLE PLATE.  THE SAMPLE PLATE WAS AS BIG AS THE PLATE OF HUMMUS.  I OVER LOOKED THIS ON THE MENU.  OF COURSE! BECAUSE THEIR SIDE ITEMS WERE LITERALLY LISTED VERTICALLY ON THE SIDE OF THE MENU! I'M REALLY GLAD HE MENTIONED ABOUT IT.

IT WAS GOOD THOUGH.  WAS NOT SPICY LIKE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE.  INSTEAD, IT JUST HAD A HINT OF JALAPENO FLAVOR TO IT (WITHOUT THE SPICE).

REALLY SURPRISED THAT THIS JALAPENO GRITS IS A SIDE ITEM.

IT SEEM LIKE IT SHOULD BE SERVED AS MAIN DISH WITH SOME SORT OF BEEF.

Jalapeno Corn Grits - nora mills stone ground grit cakes with a hint of jalapeno

I WONDER WHAT I WILL BE TRYING NEXT TIME, BECAUSE THERE WILL BE A NEXT TIME.  THERE IS ONE ON INTERNATIONAL DRIVE.  HOPING TO HAVE SAME TYPE OF PLEASANT AND VIBRANT STAFF AT THE I-DRIVE LOCATION AS WELL.  UNTIL NEXT TIME.....