Restaurant Reviews

New American Fare Gets Reinvigorated at Canvas Restaurant & Market in Orlando

June 12, 2017 by Faith 1 Comment

Canvas Restaurant & Market in Orlando reinvigorates fresh New American fare at their beautiful lakeside location in the Lake Nona area of Orlando, Florida.

There is so much to enjoy about Orlando beyond the theme parks. I love that it’s not too far from the beaches on either coast, and Orlando itself has a good amount of museums, live music, outdoor recreation (including things like airboat rides, swamp tours, and ziplining), wildlife (like gator parks, giraffe ranches, safaris, and dolphin tours), and nature (natural springs for snorkeling and scuba diving, nature trails for hiking, and lakes for kayaking and boating). And of course, the food scene is not to be missed!…

Afternoon Tea at Disney’s Grand Floridian {And a Giveaway!}

February 17, 2012 by Faith 63 Comments

Mike and I recently got back from vacation. We went somewhere warm and sunny. Actually, it was almost an exact replica of the family vacation we took two years ago, except this time the weather averaged in the high 70s and 80s....

Lombardi’s, New York, NY

June 24, 2011 by Faith 41 Comments

One of Mike’s favorite places to go in New York City is Little Italy…I have no idea why, other than the fact that he’s watched The Godfather a few (hundred) times too many. I really have no objection though, since it’s just around the corner from both SoHo and Chinatown, two places I love to meander through. Last time we were in NYC we found ourselves hungry in Little Italy and craving pizza…since we’ve never been, we had no choice but to check out Lombardi’s. ;)...

Crumbs Bake Shop, New York, NY

September 7, 2010 by Faith 45 Comments

Before Mike and I headed to NYC I did a little research on the infamous cupcake culture of New York. Magnolia is the obvious choice when you’re in the midst of New York with a cupcake craving, but I’ve heard mixed reviews. The biggest offenses I’ve heard about Magnolia’s cupcakes are that they overpriced (which is to be expected…what isn’t overpriced in New York City?) and dry. I can live with an occasional overpriced cupcake…but a dry cupcake? Definitely not worth the calories. If I’m going to indulge in a calorie fest it better be worth every bite (am I right, ladies?). And trust me, if I’m […]...

Artisanal, New York, NY

August 8, 2010 by Faith 34 Comments

I live for love cheese, so you can imagine my surprise and delight when I found out that there was a highly recommended fromagerie (called Artisanal) only a couple blocks from the hotel were Mike and I were staying in New York City. The instant I found out, I called to see if they could squeeze us in, and we were able to go for a very late lunch/early dinner that same day! Now before I continue, I have to tell you that Mike is not a lover of cheese. He will eat some cheeses – four kinds, to be exact: Syrian twisted cheese called shalal (which tastes similar to mozzarella but is much […]...

Serendipity 3, New York, NY

July 27, 2010 by Faith 34 Comments

Before our recent trip to New York City, Mike had never been to Serendipity 3. I’ve been a few times in the past and have always enjoyed it so we decided to go. It’s somewhat of a tourist trap (but who doesn’t love the movie, right?) so I made reservations, which are available for lunch and dinner. We were both glad for the reservation since there was a pretty long line and the host was telling people it would at least 30 minutes for a table. The restaurant is cute (but definitely cramped) and the décor is ice cream parlor-ish with a girly flair. We […]...

Rue Franklin, Buffalo, New York

June 29, 2010 by Faith 38 Comments

My hubby recently surprised me with dinner reservations at a French restaurant where we’ve been wanting to go – Rue Franklin! Mike is so sweet, he even had a local florist deliver a gorgeous bouquet of flowers for our table. The whole evening was a beautiful surprise…thank you so much, baby! I love the interior of the restaurant and there’s a pretty courtyard outside… The nice thing about the menu here is that it changes seasonally so you know you’re always getting fresh, seasonal ingredients. The meal started with warm baguette served with sweet butter. (Is there anything better than warm bread with butter? ;) ) […]...

Kilpatrick’s Publick House, Ithaca, New York

May 30, 2010 by Faith 30 Comments

During our stay in Ithaca, Mike and I ate dinner at Kilpatrick’s Publick House, which is a cozy, pub-style restaurant and bar in downtown Ithaca with a huge menu. We were initially seated in the front of the restaurant, which is very homey and inviting with a fireplace and a large mural on the wall (and I have to add that there’s good lighting for taking pictures because of nearby windows!). Unfortunately, there was a table of about 12 rowdy patrons (our waitress told us they had been there for happy hour) right next to us who were so loud that Mike and I had to scream to […]...

Saigon Café, Buffalo, New York

April 21, 2010 by Faith 35 Comments

Recently I’ve been dying for good Pad Thai…it’s literally been years since I last had it. (My favorite place to get it burned down a few years ago; it was rebuilt and reopened about a year after the fire, but then the restaurant was under different management and ironically the food quality went way down.) Mike is not a huge fan of Thai food but he was sweet enough to agree to lunch at a Thai place I thought looked cute. (Plus I assured him that next time he’ll get to pick the place. ;) ) (It was too rainy and dreary outside for me […]...

Chefs de France, Walt Disney World, Florida (And a Giveaway)

February 22, 2010 by Faith 54 Comments

On vacation we ate at several restaurants that were new to us, so I thought this would be the perfect time to post my first restaurant review. I’ve always loved reading reviews that other bloggers post – especially the reviews posted by the lovely bloggers, Lorraine, Heavenly Housewife, and Natasha – so for a while I’ve been excited to post my first review! There is no shortage of fabulous restaurants in Orlando. A few of my old standbys are Emeril’s (where I actually didn’t eat this year) and Wolfgang Puck’s (where I did eat, but wish I hadn’t; unfortunately the food and service were seriously […]...