Scottish Cocktail

"To a large measure of Scotch add one large measure o' whisky." - from The Tannahill Weavers

Sounds like a heap of fine sippin'.

Saucy Grub

There is good food and good fun, but Famous Dave's is really all about the sauce.  Its signature ingredient seems to be an extra scoop of cumin, giving it a more chili-ish flavor than most barbecue sauces.  First time visitors get a tour of the sauces from their Famous® server, ours was Famous® Amanda, who squirts samples of the five types onto a plate and leaves some chips for sampling them.  The chips, by the way, are excellent on their own.

Loaded Baked Potato

Chicken and Ribs

In fact, most of the grub we tried was quite good, from my wife's Fried Chicken Salad to Mom's Baked Potato loaded with everything including chopped pork.  My chicken was fork tender and juicy, the BBQ beans flavored with sausage and occasional chunks of jalepeño for kicks, and Cornbread right between the sweet corn muffins I like and the plain, crumbly bread many prefer.  Ribs were the weakest link: while juicy and fall off the bone tender, they had no real flavor of their own, though that did make them a good platform for enjoying the sauce.

This is a chain, but the good kind that gives a town another option without saturating the market. I've been to one before in the Atlanta area and all of Florida has only three.  But they seem consistently good and I'd recommend them anywhere.

Famous Dave's
12148 South Cleveland Avenue

Ft. Myers, FL 33907

We're #10! We're #10!

Doug's Grub started July 25 at #62 on Urbanspoon's ranking of Orlando food blogs.  Today it broke into the Top 10.  Check back tomorrow to see how we celebrated.

Texas Q in Winter Park

Sliders

When I'm hankering for a barbecue sandwich, the best one I know of in these parts is at 4 Rivers Smokehouse in Winter Park.  It's the Burnt-End Sandwich, a mix of brisket and pulled pork that works just right.  Add the BBQ Beans, some Collards and a big cup of iced tea -  you have Lunch!  If you don't like things mixed up, go with sliders, same stuff in multiple buns.

The sandwiches does make the trip worthwhile, but every thing else I've tried, including the beans and collards, is just a point or two above standard.  The one item that has disappointed is the Cornbread Salad.  According to the menu, this is "Crumbled cornbread served with a sweet tomato dressing over chopped Romaine and topped with bacon."  I was surprised that everything was well stirred, not tossed, making terms like "over...Romain" and "topped with" irrelevant and a lot less appetizing than the description.  Twice.

You may want to consider public transportation to get there as the parking is limited and the crowds aren't.  In the nearby neighborhood, authorities have posted, and presumably enforce, signs while some residents have curbs that can ruin a set of tires.

Overall, though, it's a decent place for Q, especially if you're hankering for a sammich.

Four Rivers Smokehouse
2103 W. Fairbanks Avenue
Winter Park, FL

Hope and Change

Servers, here's a tip.  When I hand you two twenties for a $30 tab and hope to keep it all by asking, "Do you need change?", you're wrong. I hear, "May I have all your change for my tip?"  I generally leave a decent amount, but if you request a gratuity, that irritates me and I will leave less.  If you say, "I'll be right back with your change,"  I appreciate your consideration and may even leave more than I had planned.

Words do matter.

Globetrotting with Nico

No Longer in Business
Nico Globos (loosely translated – “Nico the Globetrotter”) is a place to go and be charmed.  Its European personality pervades everything;  the decor, the menu, even the staff.  It's a friendly personality, maybe too friendly for some tastes but it works for me.

Nico Globos

Located in what passes for downtown in Lake Mary, far from the Heathrow bustle across the interstate, you first notice the outdoor dining area.  Local folk probably already occupy many of the five umbrella shaded tables, sip wine, read and perhaps charge a cell phone.  But before you get to the door, one of them may hop up and introduce herself as owner Anita and wish you a pleasant visit.

Indoors you find more continental flavors with iron chandeliers and sconces, stone floors, and wine barrels lining a narrow space, a half dozen booths on one side and a handful of tables for two on the other.  Anita apologizes for the paper menu, which I thought was unnecessary since it changes about twice a week.  I like this and a menu that changes often makes me more likely to come back often.  I'd hate to be a server trying to keep up, though.

Nico's House Salad

Now to the food, quite good for both of us.  For starters my wife has Nico's House Salad, which turns out to be the star of the evening; field greens, cheese, pears, nuts with a tangy sweet red wine vinaigrette.  I lead off with the Lobster Bisque, golden and properly smooth with tomato prominent in the flavor, which would be perfect with a pinch less salt.

Penne Past with Shrimp and Spinach

The entrees are Portabella (sic) Stuffed Raviolli sauteed in butter which would keep my lady's interest from start to finish (a feat) and Penne Pasta with Shrimp and Spinach sauteed in olive oil and spices.  There's too much food on my plate to finish it all.

To wash it down, I'm introduced to Turbo Dog English Style Brown Ale, the closest American beverage I've found to my favorite, Newcastle.

At $50+ for two dinners, a beer and no dessert, the pricing feels a little steep at what is essentially a neighborhood eatery.  But to be fair, on another occasion I made two lunches out of the $8 curried chicken salad.  Maybe I just don't do enough globetrotting.

Watch out for that guy in the next booth.

Nico Globos
124 4th Street
Lake Mary, FL

Crotchets

Crotchets are those posts wherein I display my crotchetiness.  For example:

I enjoy attentive servers.  They ask intelligent questions like, "May I refill your tea?" or, "Do you need more butter for your bread?"

I don't enjoy servers who demonstrate that they aren't paying attention by asking, "Is everything okay?"  That makes me feel like they are just showing the flag under management orders.  Or maybe there is something wrong with the food and they wonder whether I've noticed it yet.

And don't get me started on those who ask "How does everything look?" two seconds after they set it on the table.  I'm not an art critic, I'm hungry.