Fancy visiting a traditional Burger, Ribs and Steakbar then look no further than Logans. The one we always visit is on West Irlo Bronson Drive in Kissimmee.

When you arrive you will be greeted by the very friendly staff and book your table or you can walk right in and sit at the bar to eat.

You will see as you walk in the big barrel of fresh moneky nuts that you can eat all night long at your table. The kids will love it because they can just throw their shells on the floor and no-one will blink an eyelid.

With every order comes the FREE fresh bread rolls with cinnamon butter that are delicous as an appetiser. We always go for the ribs of burgers as they are delicious. On a warm night you can sit outside by the open fire and eat there and watch the world go by.

This restaurant is right opposite the Old Town so if you make it a Friday or Saturday night for your visit you will get to see all the custom cars. Or if you are braver take on the Skydive experience - Not for us.

By the way do not forget to try one of their Margaritas. Take plenty of snaps of the restaurant and everyone at home will know you have been to the good old USA.

So try out Logan’s you will not be disappointed.

This place is very popular so we were glad we made a reservation.  After being seated, our waiter greeted us and explained the whole concept of this type of dining.  We were each given a disc with a green side and a red side.  There are several waiters circulating the restaurant with different varieties and cuts of meat.  If you have your disc turned to green, they will stop at your table with the particular delicacy they have to offer.  Some of the meat is on skewers and will be delivered directly to your plate and some are carved off the skewer and you are given tongs to grasp it as the waiter slices it.  If you need a break, then you turn your disc to red and they will bypass your table.

Before this main event, we were directed to what they call the salad bar, though it was much more than that and by far the most outstanding salad bar we have ever experienced.  Of course there were salads, greens and wonderful dressings, but there were also cheeses like grilled provolone and shaved Grana Padano,  cold cuts like salami and prosciutto and fresh crusty bread.  There were wonderful delicacies such as artichoke bottoms, hearts of palm, and gourmet olives.  There was a hot bar as well with lobster bisque, sautéed mushrooms, black beans and jasmine rice which were all wonderful accompaniments to the cuts of meat.

At our table, we were served mashed potatoes and fried bananas which were covered with a delicious sweet glaze.  The bananas were meant to cleanse the palate between the different selections of meat which included filet mignon, flank steak, sirloin, leg of lamb, lamb chops, ribs, chicken and Brazilian sausage.  Everything was excellently prepared.  We were offered dessert, but we were just too full to even consider it. 

The cost is around $45.00 per person, but if you go to the website and join the e-mail club, you will receive a coupon for 25% your total bill and then you will continue to receive special offers throughout the year.  The initial coupon is only good for a few weeks, so wait until only a short time before you plan to go to sign up. 

Visit Pas De Grille which is south of St Petersburg Beach and you will not only find another great beach but there is the Hurricane Bar.

Live music, Cocktails and some good beer.

The Bar Restaurant is located right opposite the beach bar and is a great place to socialise and see that sun setting over the Gulf of Mexico.

Food is reasonable and on the second floor you can eat in their fish restuarant. Superb food.

On this occasion we just went to the top floor to the Hurricane Bar. A loveley atmosphere and not only can you bask in the sun on the rooftop there are places to get the shade as well.

A superb view over the beach as you people watch and not only that you get those great holiday snaps to take home and show your friends and relatives what they are missing.

We sat there in the warm breeze waiting for the sun to set over that sea. If your lucky and it is clear you will see that orange sun change colours as it reaches that horizon.

So give it a go and visit the Hurricane Bar at Pas De Grille. Great place.

If you have a large appetite (as does my teenage son who we always purchase this for!), this is an excellent deal as it offers unlimited meals for the whole day up until 30 minutes prior to park closing. 

The cost is $19.99 plus tax for adults and $9.99 plus tax for children (ages 9 and under) for a single park or you can also purchase a two park meal deal which includes both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure for $23.99 plus tax for adults and $11.99 plus tax for children.  Beverages are not included, however, you can purchase a Meal Deal Souvenir Cup for $8.99 plus tax which is good for unlimited fountain drink refills on the day of purchase.

The way it works is that there are 3 participating restaurants in each of the parks. 

At Universal Studios, the participating locations are Louie’s Italian Restaurant, Mel’s Drive-In, and the International Food & Film Festival Food Court. 

At Islands of Adventure, the participating locations are Circus McGurkus Café Stoo-pendous, Comic Strip Café and Burger Digs.

Most of these locations serve the usual selection of burgers, pizza, and chicken.  You go through the line and select one entrée and one dessert and show your wrist band at check-out.  You are limited to only the one entrée and dessert per trip through the line.  Children must choose from the exclusive meal deal children’s menu only. 

My daughters and I won’t consume enough food to make this worth our while, however, for my 15 year old son and for my husband, we found this to be a very excellent value.  The downside is that you can only get one entrée per trip through the line, but being that my son inhales his food in about one third of the time as the rest of us, he had plenty of time to go through the line at least one or two more times while we finished eating.  And since he’s usually hungry again within the hour, it was quite nice for him (and really nice for my pocket book) to be able to just stop and grab another meal along the way.  Remember that sharing of meals is not permitted.

The Outback Restaurant is a popular steakhouse chain with locations in  the Orlando area and though I enjoy a good steak once in awhile, I rarely order one when we visit the Outback because there are several other menu items that are my personal favorites.

Their signature appetizer is the Bloomin’ Onion which is a whole onion that has been cut or “flowered,” batter-dipped and then deep-fried.  It’s delicious though the Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp is my favorite.  These are huge shrimp, sweet and crunchy with a marmalade dipping sauce.  They’re really excellent.

For the next course, the blue-cheese pecan chopped salad  is wonderful!  This is a menu item that I often find myself craving and I have been known to choose the Outback for this salad alone.  

For the main course, all the Outback steaks are outstanding, especially Victoria’s filet which I will often have, but my favorite are the Grillers (I like the steak and veggie griller - you can also get chicken, shrimp or salmon). The vegetables are so good, but the grilled pineapple beats all - I never knew I would like that! These entrees are a bit on the lighter side allowing you to save room for dessert!

Your meal will come with unlimited loaves of fresh hot pumpernickel bread on a cutting board with fresh whipped butter.

There are some great choices for dessert.  My personal favorite being the chocolate lover that I am is the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under!   This is a large brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, warm fudge sauce, chocolate shavings and whipped cream.  If you can’t decide which dessert to order, they offer a sampler trio including this dessert along with the peanut butter pie and cheesecake!

They have a great children’s menu too.  My younger daughter has always been a big fan of ribs and when she was very young, we noticed that ribs were almost never a choice on the kids menus of most restaurants.  With adult-sized meals being so pricey and way too much for her, we often took her to the Outback where ribs are always an option on the “Joey” menu for kids 10 and under.   And to this day, she likes the ribs at the Outback best!

Another reason why I like the Outback is that having a very close friend who suffers from Celiac Disease, we really appreciate that the Outback offers a gluten-free menu specifically for those on this special diet. 

The Red Lion Public House has not been open long and you can find it on Highways 27 about a 10 minute drive south from the turn for Downtown Haines City.

We were recommended this pub by one of our resident contacts. It looks nothing from outside. More like an American Saloon Bar.

When we drove up to the front door we were not too sure whether to enter or not. So do not be put off.

On entering we were met by the owners daughter (an english girl). A very welcoming person. As you enter the bar there are high tables with chairs in what we would call in England the Public Bar. It was all brand new. You could even sit at the bar if you wanted.

We sat down and were offered the menu as well as being told that it was Happy Hour (that made the evening even more palatable).

Our friends said if you order the Fish and Chips you will not be disappointed so that is what I did. My wife ordered the Liver & Bacon and Mash potato (her favourite dish of all time).

It was not long before the staff delivered our piping hot food. She placed the ‘whale’ and chips in front of me and I could not belive how much there was and my wife must have had 3 large pieces of liver. The food was fantastic along with the service. The prices were very reasonable - about $10 and $11 respectively.

Having eaten well we decided to stay and shoot a bit of pool as well as play the electronic bowling and darts in the bar. Needless to say there were large TV screens on the wall for those that wanted to keep up to date with the news or the days sport.

The staff there are all very friendly and it is a great place to eat, drink and be merry.

As I said it has only just started up and there is a restaurant part of the building. Whilst it is not as well done out like the rest it looks to be a great place to have your Sunday dinner.

All in all we had a great night out at the Red Lion so pay it a visit whenever you are down Highway 27 near to Haines City.

For food portions it easily competes with Manny’s Chophouse.

Cheers, mine’s a pint.

It’s often difficult to please everyone in the family when choosing a place to eat.  Even if you’re not a big fan of pizza, CiCi’s really does a fine job of catering to the whole group!

The only thing not included in the buffet price is the beverage, but just like everything else at CiCi’s, your beverage is unlimited – drink all you want while you eat all you want.

Start with the salad bar where you can choose from lots of fresh veggies, toppings and dressings.

Move on to the pasta where you can choose from two sauces – either marinara or creamy alfredo.  The garlic bread is to die for!

Now, even if you’re not a big fan of pizza, you can certainly fill up on pasta and salad, but I guarantee that there will be varieties of fresh-dough pizza like nothing you have ever tried before.  Cici’s is quite creative and you will find some really interesting toppings.  And if you have a pretty creative imagination yourself, you can even put in a request and they’ll do their best to make it for you. 

The pizza goes fast, and the cooks keep it coming and every time you go back to the buffet, you’ll find a different kind.  You’ll find everything from the traditional pepperoni, Italian sausage, or meat lovers varieties to vegetarian choices like Spinach Alfredo, or Zesty Veggie to some really unusual choices like Ham and Pineapple or Macaroni and Cheese!

You’ll want to save room for dessert which is also included in your buffet.  The warm cinnamon rolls and moist brownies are yummy.  And of course don’t forget to try the dessert pizza!

And those boys I was mentioning at the beginning – you know the ones.  They can really put away the food, but they do it in a hurry and then want to rush you out of there?  Well, you can send them off to the arcade room where they’ll be busy and out of your hair while you leisurely finish your meal!  How perfect is that?!

Whilst over here for the Christmas period and New Year we decided we were going to treat ourselves to a meal in a Disney World restaurant in Florida. We were hoping to get into the Contemporary Resort on New Years Eve but we did not book early enough. Remember you must book at least a couple of months in advance to get the special time and date that you want.

Eventually we took it upon ourselves to visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort as there were a number of different restaurants there - not a Burger or Steak I mean.

On visitng the Lodge Resort we found that we were able to have a good look around and they have viewing areas within the complex giving you a great chance to get up close a friendly with animals roaming around near to the rooms and restuarants. We saw Giraffes, Wilderbeast, Antelope, Zebra and Ostriches. Staff were on hand to give you all the information you needed. We were even there when the keepers stated to feed the animals. What a great opportunity to see these animlas almost in their natural habitat.

Take the opportunity as well to be there after dark when they light up some outdoor fires that you can sit around in rocking chairs. Have a chat with the other tourists there.

We headed for the Sanaa Restaurant for our meal. The food here was Indian/African influenced with Tandoori food, spices and all the trappings of spicy food you would expect from Africa/India. The meals are no more expensive than at home in the UK but you feel like your eating in an upper class atmosphere.

The staff are all very friendly and if you get to visit at Christmas or New Year the decorations are excellent. Plenty of photo opportunities in and around the hotel.

So head towards Animal Kingdom and check out the two lands in Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House and Kidani village. You can even try out their pools and jacuzzis. There is a fantastic pool, area with two large jacuzzis nestled in amongst the jungle.

So don’t miss out and treat yourselves in a great restaurant in a superb location away from all the hustle bustle. Even take a look at the cocktails in the main bar. There are even ones for the Kids to enjoy. The staff are there for you to get the most out of the visit.

There is plenty of car parking and the hotel will even ferry you between the two villages to get the most out of the visit.

Finally, there is plenty to do there with some boards around and about that are free to use. Not fogetting the usual opportunities for buying some Disney gifts to take home.

So try it out and get a taste of Africa/India with the food.

My siblings just shunned me for admitting this out loud, so let me amend that statement before cries of “Anorexia!” stream past your lips.  Many people will list some type of food among their favorite things, say that food is one of their passions, or state that food is their favorite thing in the world. 

Ever since I went away to university, my enthusiasm for food has dwindled.  I simply wouldn’t eat if I didn’t have to.  I love my mother’s cooking, and I do enjoy eating it when I am home, but  I do not like food in the same way that others claim to love food.  I am for the most part simply indifferent. 

However, I do have some interest in tasting strange and unique foods because I have always been fascinated by other cultures and I have found that I usually tend to enjoy ethnic much more than the common dining hall variety.  So whenever my family goes out to eat, I usually lobby for a strange and exciting sounding ethnic restaurant. 

I’ve never been to Spain, but I’ve heard quite a lot about Spain’s infamous tapas bars.  Tapas are supposedly different types of light foods that are served in appetizer portions.  There’s a tapas bar downtown where I go to school, but it’s a bit shady so I’ve never been there.  Instead, my family and I went to Café Tu Tu Tango recently to try out Orlando’s version of tapas. 

Café Tu Tu Tango is best summarized as eclectic.  Its claim to fame is serving “food for the starving artist.”  I suppose this means that the food is priced reasonably, but it also means that various starving artists quite literally find a haven at Café Tu Tu Tango, which makes it much more interesting than expected.  Local artwork varying from realism to abstract to metalworking plasters the walls and conflicts in a riot of colors to create a cheerful, engaging atmosphere.  The pieces are festooned with price tags, because the real reason behind the cluttered walls is for the artists to promote their work.  Several artists actually come in and work in studio spaces near the front, lending to the sophisticated and chic feel of the place, which was carefully crafted to accent the food.

The food, for a lack of a better word, was stupendous.  Our very helpful waiter explained that as a tapas style restaurant, all of the dishes would be in smaller portions, arrive at the table in a staggered fashion, and were intended to be shared.  All of the food that my family was presented with was artful, tasteful, and interesting. 

There is something for everyone at Café Tu Tu Tango.  From exotic dishes such as tropical jerk flatbread to simple delights like strawberry salad; we thoroughly enjoyed everything.  My brother is rather finicky about ethnic food, so he stuck to a pepperoni pizza and tried some calamari.  My sister is attached to Italian food so she had a roma tomato and goat cheese flatbread.  My father and I split crusted mahi mahi skewers and the tropical jerk flatbread topped with beef, mangos, grilled onions and cheese.  My mother enjoyed roasted pears and pecan crisps as well as filet on skewers smothered in a bourdelaise sauce and gorgonzola fondue served with wonderful crispy chile scented potatoes.

We thoroughly enjoyed the unique flavor sensations that the tapas presented to us, and I would recommend Café Tu Tu Tango to anyone looking for an artsy and delicious evening.   I—to my dismay—found myself liking food.  

Written by:  Gabriella Bensur

Have had the chance yet to visit the Cheesecake Factory restaurant at Millenia Mall yet.

Just off the I4 in Orlando you can find the Millenia Mall with designer shops to purchase those late christmas pressies for your loved ones.

You can combine this with a visit to the Cheesecake Factory at the entrance to Millenia Mall. The food is glorious and with huge portions. There is such a selection that it will be hard to decide. But beware the portions will surprise you.

The last time we visited we opted to sit at the bar where the service was superb as the food.

Don’t miss out.