Restaurant Review - Hagan O'Reilly's Irish Pub, 16112 Marsh Rd, Winter Garden, FL

I guess Winter Garden must be emerging as some sort of urban hotspot now. There is the new Winter Garden Village and now, Winter Garden's very own Irish Pub - Hagan O'Reilly's, at the intersection of 545 and Stoneybrook West Parkway/Hartwood Marsh Rd. The space is beautifully and fully decorated with an intricately carved indoor wood bar, a large outdoor patio with it's own bar, a main dining area with a large map of Ireland painted on the ceiling, small rooms with their own themes such as Cassidy's Cottage with stonework and a fireplace hearth, and then stained glass windows all along the front. We sat in the main dining room which is bright with small 4-person wood tables and an alcove for live Irish entertainment. Although it is a pub, kids are invited to come until 10 pm and they even have a kids menu.

There are lots of drink options on the menu (naturally since it is a pub) including many Irish and English draft beers and bottled beers, plus American beers as well as combinations such as Half & Half, Gold & Tan, plus wines and whiskeys, and full bar, too! I chose an Irish Harp on draft one time and then a glass of riesling the next time I went.

For an appetizer, we got the beef bits ($9.95) which was tender pieces of beef stewed in an ale gravy with carmelized onions and served with two pieces of bread to sop up the flavorful sauce. Not sure the portion was worth the $10 price but it was very tasty. Next time I tried the Boxty potato pancakes ($7.95)... yum! Three large potato pancakes mixed with bits of corned beef and topped with a savory, but not too spicy, horseradish cream sauce. It was definitely delicious and I've ordered it as my appetizer every time since then.

Speaking of bread, we received a bread basket with three types of bread - a pretzel bread, a sourdough dill, and a popover style that had a sweet outer crust. All were delish and were served with cold butter. When I just went again recently, though, they had changed to a brown bread loaf with honey butter instead of the rolls.

Kids menu was well done with picky eater options such as buttered pasta, chicken fingers, or grilled cheese (all $4.50), but also a Jr. Shephard's Pie ($5.95) and Jr. Fish & Chips ($4.95).

I got the Dingle Bay Salmon ($18.95) which was a wonderful dish with dill leaves and a light butter sauce on top of the perfectly cooked salmon and then Champ (mashed potatoes with green onions) and wilted spinach. Grandma got the Fish & Chips ($12.95), which was three large fish pieces and a generous portion of chips (fries). Grandpa got Hagan's Grilled Stuffed Pork Chop ($15.95) which was stuffed with a very strong bleu cheese filling and came with seasonal veggies and mashed potatoes. I thought it was too strong but he ate every bite - he loves bleu cheese. On another visit, I got Egan's Irish Stew ($11.95) consisting of a hearty beef stew with vegetables and topped with a bonus - a small lamb chop!

LB ordered the buttered pasta (his favorite) and we had to ask for shredded parmesan cheese on the side. He did pretty well but I don't think he was used to the thinner angel hair, preferring spaghetti or larger pastas. BB ordered the Junior Shepherd's Pie, which was served in a small ramekin and topped with an artful dollop of mashed potatoes. I tried some of his and it was good, lots of seasoned ground beef with carrots and peas. I might have to get the adult size on an upcoming visit.

For dessert, we had the Nutty Irishman coffee ($6) with Bailey's Irish Cream, Frangelica and chocolate sauce topped with freshly whipped cream. All of the Irish Coffees (and there are about 6 six of them) are $6 and come with various additives such as Irish Whiskey, or Bailey's Caramel, or Peppermint. On another visit, I got the Leprechaun's Coffee with Bushmill's whiskey and it was a little too much whiskey tasting for me. I'll stick with the Nutty Irishman. We got the Baily's Pot O'Cream dessert ($5.95)which said it was a custard with the "scent" of Bailey's Irish Cream. It must have been a very light scent because it just tasted like vanilla pudding and that's it. Kind of like a vanilla creme brulee but without the carmelized sugar on top. Better dessert choices, that I had on subsequent visits are Uncle Patrick's Bread Pudding ($5.95) with a whiskey caramel sauce -- can still taste the overall bread taste without the whole piece being a big mush, which I like. And Princess Ashleigh's chocolate cake ($5.95) is just incredible, especially if you are a chocoholic. In fact, the menu doesn't do it justice, calling it just a chocolate layer cake. It is not. It is more like a fudge-based hunk of pure rich chocolate served with fresh whipped cream. I'll definitely be getting that one again. I got the kids the scoop of ice cream ($1.95) which was a large scoop with, again, the fresh whipped cream. LB liked his vanilla but mostly ate the whipped cream while BB ate his chocolate ice cream.

There is live music every night except on Sundays and Mondays. There is a bar area inside and a separate bar outside that has live music on two nights of the week. The inside live music is Irish folk music, at least it was the four times I've been there. It was also a different musician each time -- I didn't know there were that many Irish singers in Central Florida!

When you finally step outside of Hagan O'Reilly's, you really don't feel like you are in Winter Garden anymore, but feel like you just travelled across an ocean and had a nice Irish meal and great entertainment.

Find out more here: Hagan O'Reilly's

Restaurant Updates for Winter Garden Village at Fowler's Grove

I've been spending a lot of time at the new mall in Winter Garden, now that Target and several other stores have opened already. As for restaurants, only McDonald's and Quizno's have opened so far. However, it looks like they are putting the finishing touches on the Chili's, Macaroni Grill, Longhorn, Mimi's Cafe, and First Watch (a breakfast/brunch restaurant). I also just discovered signs that say a Bonefish Grill will be opening here soon, next to where the Barnes & Noble is going to be. The directory also said an Urban Flats (a flatbread restaurant) will be coming.

My one concern is parking for the restaurants. While the larger stores like Target, Best Buy and Lowe's appear to have lots of parking, the restaurants look like they will have very few spots. In fact, the Bonefish Grill is located in the "historical walk" section of the outdoor mall with no dedicated parking - I foresee that will be a problem. One curious thing is the non-existent development of the Cracker Barrel restaurant. While the other restaurants have all been at least started, the space where the Cracker Barrel is supposed to go is still an empty field. It hasn't even been cleared. However, it is still listed on the mall directory so I don't know what the delay is.

In other Winter Garden new restaurant news, construction of a small retail center has started at the southwest corner of 545 and Hartwood Marsh (due west of the new mall). Signs indicate a Caribbean, Japanese, and NYPD Pizza restaurant are coming soon. The owners of the NYPD Pizza restaurant contacted me and said they hope to be open in December.

Restaurant Review - Pat's Pizzeria, 1218 Winter Garden Vineland Rd (535), Winter Garden, FL

Update 10/13/07 - Things are not looking good for Pat's Pizzeria. Tonight I tried to call to order a pizza and no one answered the phone. When we drove by to see if they were open, a sign said they were closed - and it was a Saturday at 7:30 pm.


Pat's Pizzeria is located right on 535, just south of S.R.50 in Winter Garden. It's located behind the Publix shopping center in a new strip mall that is next to a storage place. If you didn't know it was there, you would probably go right by or think it is just a take-out pizza place like I did. Instead, it is a quaint little sit-down restaurant serving New York-style pizza. And when I say "little", I mean it - Pat's only has seven tables total with five booths that seat 4 people and two larger tables that can seat 6 - there's also the "Wine Cellar" room that is a private function room in the back that can seat more folks. Also, they appear to really discourage pizza delivery - if you want your pizza delivered to your home, they only deliver from 5 - 9 pm, and there is a $4 delivery charge. You'll probably want to eat-in or take-out.

Pat's Pizzeria is also a work in progress. Since they opened a few months ago, they are experimenting and trying new things to become a part of the community and increase their offerings. They just added beer and wine on their menu and are now open for lunch on Sundays. They also just added an "Italian Style Breakfast Buffet" on Sunday mornings starting at 9 am. The flyer says it will feature fried dough, meatballs, eggs, bacon, pancakes, toast, muffins and more for $6.99 for adults and $3.99 for children under 12. I don't know if I exactly think of going to a pizza restaurant for Sunday breakfast, but hey, it's creative so I'll probably give it a try.

The restaurant, as I noted above, is very small but is nicely decorated. They went with an "Italian countryside" theme so there is faux paintings on the walls that make it look like you are eating outside an Italian village. The open kitchen is along the left-side of the space and the booths are along the right. There are also two TVs on either end of the restaurant so patrons can watch while they are eating (or waiting).

The boys, Grandma M., and I ate at Pat's on a recent Friday night and we were able to get the last booth. Pat's doesn't do too well, service-wise, when their place is crowded and our visit was no exception. Our server came by to get our drink orders and then disappeared for a while (which is hard to do in such a small restaurant). When she finally did return, she brought Wikki Stix for the boys to play with (for an explanation of Wikki Stix, see my review on the Florida Waffle Shop), and then took our order. We just ordered a large cheese pizza (18") for $12.99. I usually like mushrooms but Pat's only has canned mushrooms, so we went with just the cheese. Grandma M. also ordered a side garden salad, without onions. They do have children's items (but no coloring menu - BB was upset until the Wikki Stix arrived) such as spaghetti for $2.99 or chicken fingers for $3.99, but usually in pizza places we just have the boys eat the pizza with us. While we were waiting for our pizza, a manager dropped off some garlic bread at our table - I actually have no idea why since pizza is not supposed to come with garlic bread, but I don't quibble when there is garlic to be had. The bread was fantastic - small slices of Italian bread drenched in garlic butter and toasted just right. About 15 minutes later, our server dropped off our pizza at our table, along with cute pizza-shaped dishes for the boys, and then promptly left before we could ask about the side salad for Grandma M. Pat's makes a great pizza - crunchy crust, slightly sweet sauce, and a "fresh bread from the oven" smell. After 10 minutes, we finally had to stop a manager to ask about the salad (our server had disappeared again). He came back in two minutes with the side salad, topped with... onions - oh, well, at least he tried. When we were done with the pizza, the boys started to get antsy and we still couldn't catch our server so Grandma took the boys outside while I waited to get the check. If Pat's could fix their service problem, it would be a great place to go, at anytime. However, since the pizza is really good - I'd say the best in the area - I'll keep coming back, although I'll probably do take-out more often than eating in.

New Restaurants Coming To Winter Garden! Restaurant Listings for Winter Garden Village at Fowler's Grove

What's the first thing you think of when you see shopping center construction in your neighborhood? Probably, "I wonder what new restaurants are coming?" -- well, that's what I think of! There is a huge new shopping center going in around the corner from me (at the intersection of 535 and 429 in Winter Garden) that is called Winter Garden Village at Fowler's Grove (it used to be an orange grove). Buildings are starting to pop up, even though the signs say the center won't be open until October 2007, and I got curious as to what eats might be opening up soon.

So, I checked out the developer's website and found this -- http://www.sembler.com/pdfs/Winter%20Garden%20Village.pdf. It's a listing of all of the stores and restaurants. It looks like we will be getting: Chili's, Macaroni Grill, Uno's, Longhorn, Mimi's Cafe, Cracker Barrel, Coldstone Creamery, Starbucks (what a surprise), as well as fast food places, some that are still listed as "Restaurant" and one that says "Sushi". Mostly chains but I'm sure the smaller ones will be Mom & Pop restaurant that might bring some new food concepts to the area. Only 11 more months to go!

Restaurant Review: Tijuana Flats, W. Colonial Drive, Winter Garden, FL (various other locations, too)

This past weekend, our family ate at one of our favorite local "Mexican" chains - Tijuana Flats - for lunch. The food is more American than Mexican, but it is good food and the kids can always find something to eat. This is one of those "fast casual" places where you order your food at the counter and then sit down and wait for a server to bring you your order. However, instead of the big sign with a number that other places use, Tijuana Flats just asks for your name and their servers will yell out your name as they wander through the restaurant trying to find you. If you want some fun, give the name "Marco" and then snicker as the rest of the customers yell out "Polo" as the server tries to find you to deliver your food. We ordered the Chips & Chili Con Queso as a starter for $2.79. All meals are served with chips, but if you want something to dip them into, you have to order a starter. The Chili Con Queso is addictive, a gooey, cheesy dip with chilis served hot with chips. All the starters are chips & dips, others being mild salsa or guacamole or the Tijuana Trio that comes with all three. From the Little Lizards menu, we ordered a Cheese Quesadilla for both boys - LB's plain with just cheese and BB's with lettuce and tomato. Other choices on the kids' menu are burritos, tacos, nachos, and chicken fingers -- all including chips, a drink, and a "surprise" (usually a Pez dispenser and candy) -- all for $3.69. For adults, the choices are the standard Mexican menu standards such as tacos, burritos, enchiladas, flautas, taco salads, nachos, etc. Prices range from $5-$8 depending on if you want ground beef, chicken or steak. Hubby and I both ordered the Dos Tacos, just the basic two tacos plus chips. There are some choices you need to make - crunchy or soft? what toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, black olives, sour cream)? make it a meal for $1.99 (add rice, beans, and a soft drink)? make it wet for 99 cents (top it with queso, salsa or chipotle red sauce)? Since we didn't "make it a meal", we ordered drinks separately. I got a sweet tea and Hubby ordered a root beer. I love the drinks at Tijuana Flats because they are served with shaved ice, and somehow, it just tastes better that way. Beer and wine are also available. We took our drinks and went to find a table. The decor at Tijuana Flats is, how shall I describe it... psychedelic? Bright, day-glo paint with strange lizards and other creatures are painted on the walls. There is also a hot sauce bar in the center, a specialty of Tijuana Flats, with their own home-made sauce - "Smack My Ass and Call Me Sally" (yeah, try to explain that to your kids). There are also coloring sheets and crayons at the counter, just ask for them while you're ordering or ask one of the servers as they are passing by. Actually, that's what keeps us coming back again and again to Tijuana Flats - the service. The servers don't just yell your name and deliver your food, they also will take requests and will refill your drinks for you or get you another fork to replace the one that LB threw on the floor. I've had servers heat up our queso before (and top it off to boot!) as well as quickly replace an entire order of BB's quesadillas that LB pushed on the floor. We heard Hubby's name and waved over the server to get our main dishes. Hmm, what happened to our chips and queso? The server quickly rushed to the kitchen and brought us our starter - apparently, someone else with the same name had claimed our chips. That's happened before so try to come up with a unique name if the restaurant is crowded (like Marco - you won't miss your food then!) -- but like I said, the servers will quickly bring you any food that went missing. The boys did pretty good, with BB finishing 3 of his 4 quesadillas and LB only finishing one. Hubby and I polished off our two tacos and did a good job on the queso and chips too. Tijuana Flats is always a good place to eat with the kids at our house - check them out.

Restaurant Review: Guacamole Mexican Cuisine, Winter Garden, FL

Recently, we tried the new Guacamole Mexican restaurant that is located on West Colonial Drive in Winter Garden in the Beall's/Appliance Direct shopping center. This had most recently been another Mexican restaurant - Chimi's - that I never got to try as it went out of business so quickly. Guacamole is located next to the empty building that used to be a Publix. I have to tell you that because there was no real signage outside of the restaurant so it is hard to spot. The boys and I were meeting Grandma and Grandpa there and luckily we were able to find it. When we walked in, Grandma and Grandpa were already at a table, eating chips and salsa and drinking margaritas. Guacamole offers a full-bar as well as margaritas and domestic/imported beers. Grandma declared the margarita really "weak" so probably going with a beer is a good idea. As we perused the menu and started eating the chips, Grandpa warned us that our first basket of chips and salsa is free but additional baskets are $1.50 according to the menu. Okay, that immediately put me in a not-so-favorable mood towards Guacamole which, unfortunately, did not improve throughout the meal. When the server came to take our drink orders, I ordered iced tea and asked for lemonade for the boys. It turns out that they only have sodas or iced tea for drinks, nothing else non-carbonated for the little ones. BB asked for a sweet iced tea but I was stuck for LB. He won't drink sodas and he doesn't like iced tea. Luckily, I noticed that Guacamole also offers agua de melon or "melon water" which I was sure LB would like. He's tried watermelon juice before and liked it and this turned out to be cantaloupe juice which he also liked. Whew, disaster averted... for now. I noticed that all of the kids' meals were $5 and included a side item (beans and rice for the Mexican offerings and fries for the rest) as well as a small drink. Since LB's drink wasn't going to be included anyways since it was a specialty drink, I just got side orders of quesadillas for each of the boys. That would only run me $2.75 a piece, much better than the $5 as they probably weren't going to eat the rice and beans anyways. Grandma ordered one of the combination platters with a cheese enchilada, a chicken tostada, and rice and beans for $5.25. Grandpa got adventurous and ordered the Nopales con Carnitas or cactus with pork. Apparently, he used to eat cactus occasionally when living in Texas. I had never tried cactus so I was eager to sample his dish. I ordered the 3 tamales plate for $7 which comes with rice and beans as well as sour cream, salsa, and guacamole. A short while later, the food arrived... but only the adults' food. The kids quesadillas were "coming" we were told. Not good - kids' meals should be served first if anything but never after the adults. Immediately, both kids starting whining and wondering where their food was. Secondly, my tamales were cold. Not slightly warm, but cold. Also, the condiments (sour cream, salsa, and guacamole) were served in tiny cups about the size of a shot glass. Five minutes later when the kids' food arrived, I asked the server to take back the tamales and have them heated up. Grandma's food was okay and Grandpa's cactus dish was as well. Cactus, it turns out, resembles green peppers when cooked and tastes a little bit the same as well, although maybe a bit blander. The pork was a bit spicy but was a good accompaniment to the cactus. Finally, my hot tamales arrived. We all agreed that the food was okay but not much better than that. As Grandpa said, there was nothing really spectacular about Guacamole that would make you want to return. So, we will probably not be back.