First impressions of @drinkforwardslash 🥃⬇️
The Cocktails:
✨ Florida Tea Ceremony was very up my alley and didn’t disappoint. I also appreciated the 1st drink on the menu — it made me actually want to order a vodka soda 😂
✨ My boyfriend loved the Gothic Revival with bourbon
✨ I’m super excited that they have an espresso martini on the menu and can’t wait to try it
The Food:
✨ While they don’t serve food themselves, they had the @letsdoughit.pizza 🍕food truck outside. We LOVED our pizzas and were super impressed by the thin yet doughy crust and sauces (guava bbq, hot honey). We’ll definitely seek them out in the future and hope they return to Forward\Slash!
The Vibe:
✨ The service was very nice and friendly 😊
✨ Inside, there’s a small bar and a few tables. For such a large building, I was surprised how small the tasting room was.
✨ Outside, there’s a covered patio with 6 tables, as well as a large tent with a couple picnic tables and Adirondack chairs to accommodate extra seating for the food truck. Despite a view of the parking lot, we enjoyed the breeze and aroma of pizza 🤤
Overall, I think @drinkforwardslash is a welcome addition to the neighborhood that offers a central location to gather with friends, or a stop before/after your other Winter Park favorites. I’ll definitely be back soon in hopes of sitting at the bar and learning more about the distillery!
#drinkforwardslash #orlandobars #orlandofoodtruck #letsdoughit #orlandodrinks
New & old favorites @toritoripub ⬇️
🦀 Blue crab dip & nori potato chips
🦪 Half-dozen oysters (we got the more briny option from Prince Edward Island)
🚨We didn’t see the seafood items on the paper menu so you have to ask for them! 🚨
Not pictured:
🐑 Lamb Karubi Lollipops
🧀 Kimuchi Pimento Cheese with Pork Rinds
Last but not least/mandatory always:
🍚 Crab fried rice - so garlicky, so perfect, never not ordering (and usually we get two!)
For more Asian restaurant favorites in Orlando, check out my blog adventuresingourmet.com. Cheers! 🥂
#orlandoeats #orlandofoodie #orlandofood #toritori #mills50
Fabio’s Table @viniawinekitchen was the perfect birthday dinner spot TWO years in a row! Check out my new blog post over at adventuresingourmet.com (linked in my bio) for the full review. Thank you Fabio, Paula & team for another incredible dining experience!
5-course Pre-Fixe Menu:
Food 🍽️, Wine 🍷, & Cinema 🎥 (ends 5/12!)
🎥 Women On The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
🍅 🥒 🌼 Tomato & cherry gazpacho, Spanish cheeses mousse, cucumber coulis, edible Sichuan flower
🎥 Babette’s Feast
🦆🍄 Quail, puff pastry, cognac duck confit sauce 🤤, black figs, truffle (yes, it’s as incredible as it sounds!)
🎥 Big Night
🌿🍋🦐Risotto tricolore - green pesto risotto, white bergamotto creamy risotto, red seafood risotto
🎥 The Great Beauty
🐇 🫒 Rabbit confit, Pinole, black olives, herbs, pommes duchesse
🎥 Julie & Julia
🍓🌹Rhubarb Bavarian cream, raspberry dust, rosé coulis, rum salted caramel tuile
#viniawinekitchen #viniawinebar #winterparkfl #hannibalsquare #orlandoeats #orlandowine #orlandodining #orlandodatenight #orlandofoodie
Orlando spring weather, never leave. 💙 Perfect for walks around the lake.
#orlandolove #mills50 #ivanhoevillage #springwalk #orlandoflorida
I’m still not over the fact that @sunroom____ happy hour goes until 8PM! Cheers to that, friends! 🥂☀️
#aroundorlando #mills50 #orlandohappyhour
Welcome to the neighborhood, @pigzzaonmills! 🐷🍕
What we ordered:
🍓 Strawberry Basil Gin Fizz
🥒 Cat Jumper
🪻Lavender Haze
🦑 Calamari R.I. Style
🍕 Meat Me at Floyd’s
Overall, I would give everything a solid 8/10, which is very good and rare for a brand new restaurant! 👏🏻 I’d happily order everything again. The cocktails were refreshing and not too sweet. The calamari was so crispy since it’s cornmeal-crusted, and I loved the capers with it. On the pizza, the grape jelly BBQ sauce, smoked brisket, and crust were really good. Topped with pickled onions and plenty of cilantro too, yum!
Are they still working out a few minor quirks? Sure, but they did a beautiful job with the space and I have no doubt it will be successful for years to come.
Quick tips:
✨ Book a @resy reservation or go at an off hour. We walked in around 4:30pm and were fine, but there was a line by 5:30.
✨ Allow extra time for parking — the lot filled up quickly.
Can’t wait to try more from @pigzzaonmills soon!
Jacksonville Day Trip to Atlantic & Neptune Beach ☀️🌊🦪
Featuring:
✨ @slidersoysterbar - A casual seafood spot with a large covered patio, lots of oysters, delicious scallops, and crab fries. 🦀
✨ @southerngroundsco - A local coffee shop chain in Jacksonville with a location a few steps from Sliders in Neptune Beach. Stick to their coffee drinks, not matcha, and you’ll love it!
✨ @eathawkers - While we haven’t been to this AB location (yet), we love the one in Orlando and wanted to mention that they have a location here too!
✨ @coop303ab - A great brunch spot! Don’t miss their peaches & cream fried green tomatoes 🍑
✨ @poestavernab - At the end of the Main Street and slightly tucked away is this charming and quirky spot with a great, shady outdoor area.
Until next time! 💙
#atlanticbeachfl #neptunebeach #jaxeats #jaxfoodie
A Winter Park favorite: @thecourtesy 🍸
We have been big fans of The Courtesy for what feels like…5 years…if not more? It was the perfect escape downtown for a great cocktail, but their new location in Winter Park is way better! More seating, @swineandsons Bar Swine bites, easier to get to and park at…I can go on and on.
On their current drink menu, I am obsessed with the Hive Mentality cocktail, which is a modern twist on the popular Bee’s Knees. Whatever you choose, you can’t go wrong.
As for Bar Swine, the loaded potatoes were the most highly recommended and popular choice. Nothing not to like, if you ask me! 🤤 I also enjoyed the pepita and strawberry toast, as well as the smoked salmon dip that exceeded our expectations. I can’t wait to try more — the burger, the ribs, the charred broccoli…yum!
What’s your go-to order at The Courtesy?
#thecourtesy #orlandobars #winterparkfl
Have you been to @themonroeorlando recently? We had a great experience! Details below ⬇️
What we ordered:
🌶️ Pimento cheese - More creamy and whipped than chunky, but tasted very fresh and homemade.
🥗 Citrus salad - A nice and refreshing salad for a hot day. Served with feta, frisee, fennel, pistachios and a pomegranate vinaigrette.
🥕 BBQ carrots - I would never have ordered these had they not been recommended to us. Turns out, I loved them!
🍗 Famous fried chicken - The cook and seasoning was very, very good. We’re anxious to try the crispy chicken sandwich next.
🧀 Mac & cheese - Not the creamiest and the crumble on top I’m pretty sure was goldfish? Haha not my favorite but we still ate it all…😋
🍉 Watermelon basil salad - This could have been much better — more basil, some feta maybe,…something to give it a little oomph. But if you like plain watermelon, which is still delicious, then go for it.
Things to note:
✨ It’s worth allowing time to visit the @frontporch.monroe outdoor bar either before or after your meal. It’s a smaller, more simple menu that’s completely different from what you’ll find inside.
✨ Happy hour is only Tues-Fri even though the menu online states Tues-Sat.
✨ The service at the indoor bar was 10/10. Very attentive and friendly without ever being annoying.
✨ Despite a baby shower and sweet 16 party happening, it never got too loud. The ceilings are high and the space is huge, which is the only explanation I can think of!
✨ There is plenty of parking in the garage but it’s not free. We paid $6 for a couple hours.
✨ For some reason, there are multiple typos on the menu. 😂 Has anyone else noticed this?? Time to update it (along with fixing the HH days)
#themonroeorlando #orlandofoodie #orlandoeats
About Ariana
Ariana is a food and drink connoisseur seeking her next memorable restaurant experience at home and around the world. She is a born-and-raised gourmet, detail-oriented planner, obsessive beauty collector and curious traveler.