Breeze by Bahama Breeze
As part of my profession, I travel around the country searching for unique and delicious, specialty foods for The Posh Gourmet. On a recent business trip to Orlando, Florida, Roy and I enjoyed a variety of food every single day. Aside from all the nibbles available at the trade show, we tried to dine out at least once a day. One night, while heading down International Drive, we spotted a restaurant called Bahama Breeze. The tropical breezy tropical feel twas just what we were looking for, especially after spending 5 hours cooped up in a convention center.
Live island style music pulled us into the lush tropical waiting area. This large, multi-level restaurant was packed – standing room only. We left our name with the hostess, for restaurant seating, but after 45 minutes, we finally located an empty table in the spacious outdoor bar area and opted for a meal of appetizers instead.
Our friendly waitress brought us our beverages; a Cadillac Margarita for me and a Bahamarita with a Mango Schnapps side car for Roy. Sadly, my Cadillac was more like a Chevy. Roy’s drink wasn’t much better. Not a good sign. We ordered a forgettable House Salad, Jerk Wings that must have flown the coup because they never arrived, and a plate of delicious Spicy Jerk Shrimp with green onions and Cuban bread. We took bits of the Cuban bread and dipped it into the spicy shrimp sauce – very yummy.
Although Bahama Breeze fell short of our expectations, it seemed like a great place for an after business party or meeting place for a group of friends. Not ideal, however, for a romantic dinner or to experience the real Caribbean ambiance. Does tourist trap ring any bells?
Undaunted, we were confident that somewhere between Orlando and Key West, our quest for true Caribbean food would be successful.
Tango Anyone?
Since Roy and I are almost always up for a challenge, we couldn’t wait to plan our next gastronomic pursuit. Although International Drive is a tourist haven, it was close to our hotel and had a huge selection of interesting dining venues. Our hotel booklet suggested Tu Tu Tango.
I immediately fell in love with the Bohemian atmosphere of this eclectic café. Hot, tired and sticky from the steamy, Florida climate, an ice cold glass of the White (Barcelona) Sangria sounded perfect. This absolutely luscious concoction of fruit juices, Spanish brandy, triple sec, gin, fresh fruit and sparkling wine was the untimate refresher. Roy decided to give the traditional red Sangria a try. Although our charming waiter convinced him that it was cheaper by the pitcher ($19), it turns out that the small ‘pitcher only holds three glasses. Therefore, it would have been far cheaper at $4.75 per glass!
To ease our hunger pangs, we started with a Potato Quesadilla. Good but hardly memorable. Next we ordered the Cuban Grilled Steak Skewers with Lime Steak Sauce. At $7, it was a delectable bargain. The peppery steak sauce was tangy, with just the right touch of smoky cumin. Although our tummies were beginning to fill up, there was no way I was going to leave until I had a taste of the Alligator Bites. For just $8, this plate full of crunchy, fried to perfection Alligator bits was served with a delicious spicy Pick-a-Peppa and a nice Cream and Fruit Chutney.
Although TuTu Tango specializes in Tapas, the server and kitchen had a hard time with the concept of ordering one dish at a time. As is the traditional way to order Tapas, we enjoy ordering one dish, having it arrive and then savoring it while we ponder our next ‘small plate.’
Color me TuTu Roja – as it turns out, TuTu Tango is part of a small restaurant chain with a restaurant less than 30 minutes from our home! Especially while on vacation, we try to avoid nationwide chain restaurants. None the less, we had a tasty meal, with a nice selection of medium priced, tasty Tapas to choose from. We will definitely pay a visit to the TuTu Tango Café in our area very soon.
Visit TuTu Tango online photos, locations, and menus.
And so our quest continues on…
