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9 Tasty Reasons To Visit Soco in Orlando

By Christina Thomas Leave a Comment

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant

Check Out The “Must Eat” Favorites On The Menu at Soco in Thornton Park

A great restaurant is all about celebrations, don’t you think? It’s about celebrating the every day and the special occasions. Celebrating the fun times with friends. And, of course, celebrating drool worthy food and warm hospitality.

On November 13th, 2019 Soco celebrated its 5th Anniversary with an epic line up of talented local chefs and mixologists. They came together for a special dinner event that was sure to impress.

In honor of this special occasion, here are my favorite Must Eat items I’ve enjoyed on the Soco menu over the past 5 years. The 9+ Reasons Why Soco in Thornton Park deserves to be on your Must Eat List of Orlando.

Chef /Partner Greg Richie captivates us in with Southern comfort classics. Then surprises us with his contemporary twist. Hence the name Soco – Southern Contemporary Cuisine.

“Soco’s name is inspired by the cuisine that we serve -“Southern Contemporary”. It’s a new and adventurous culinary approach to dishes that we have all come to know and love. At Soco, we are focused on true Southern hospitality, and we are committed to overall excellence.”

Chef / Partner Greg Richie

Whether you sit at the bar and enjoy fantastic whiskey cocktails from their extensive collection. Catch the kitchen action from floor to ceiling windows in the main dining room. Or sit back and chill watching the world go by outside on the patio, you’re guaranteed a good seat an a good meal at this local neighborhood gem in the heart of Orlando.

My advice: Go hungry!

1. This Is Not Your Momma’s Meatloaf.

Chef Greg Richie gives Southern comfort food his unique flair with this Grilled Meatloaf served over lobster mashed potatoes. The hearty portion is topped with smoked vidalia and andouille sausage gravy, crispy onion rings and grilled asparagus.

Did I say it was hearty? It deserves saying it again. You may need a nap afterwards but you’re guaranteed sweet dreams.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant like this Meatloaf and Lobster Mashed Potatoes
Three Meat Blend Meatloaf with Lobster Mashed Potato

2. Give Me All The Biscuits!

It’s not a Southern meal without biscuits. And Soco’s are some of the best in town. You’ll see biscuits featured in a variety of inventive ways on the menu.

The Slow-Roasted Barbecue-Glazed Pork Belly Biscuits topped with Jalapeño Jelly and Chow-Chow are a wonderful bite to start.

Pork Belly Biscuits and 9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Pork Belly Biscuits are a must appetizer!

Order the classic Buttermilk Biscuits served with a variety of housemade seasonal fruit jams like pineapple habanero, peach and berries. Great add on to your brunch or any time.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant like these buttermilk biscuits
Biscuits and fresh made jam. Yum at Soco!

In fact, Greg Richie’s biscuits are so popular they ran out at the 2019 Cows N Cabs fundraising event. The Whole Hog BBQ was a winning dish.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Cows N Cabs 2019 Soco Whole Hog BBQ

3. Chicken & Dumplings, Fried Oysters? Yes Please!

Soco-Style “Chicken and Dumplings” made with tender local chicken breast, lobster dumplings, local mushrooms, edamame, drenched in an umami rich soy butter. You can have it for brunch, lunch or dinner and never be disappointed.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant like this Chicken and Dumplings
Soco “Chicken and Dumplings” a beauty for the eyes and the palate

Cornmeal Crisped Oysters topped with pickled green tomato relish, chicharrones, and herb cream are another winning appetizer. Fried oysters are great. But fried oysters served atop a crispy pork chicharron is the way you’ll want them served forever.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Do you like your oysters crispy? These have extra crunch at Soco

4. Next Level AF Cauliflower.

Greg Richie has a thing for cauliflower. And that thing is damn delicious. It’s been over four years since I first tried Soco’s Chicken-Fried Cauliflower “Steak”. I have yet to find a cauliflower dish more satisfying than this one. For a Southern restaurant with a meat-centric menu, this is surprisingly my favorite vegetarian dish in Orlando.

A giant slab of cauliflower cut on the bias is breaded and roasted, served over garlic mashed potatoes and a bright vine ripe tomato gravy. Asparagus and artichokes add to the colorful dish which satisfies both omnivores and veggie lovers.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant like this vegetarian cauliflower steak dish
This Chicken Fried Cauliflower Steak at Soco wins best vegetarian entree in Orlando!

5. KFC?

The “Other” KFC is the other winning cauliflower Must Eat dish on the menu. Otherwise known as Korean Fried Cauliflower Florets. Served as a side dish, they are equally delicious if you order as a bar snack.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
I tried this dish first at the now sadly departed Baoery, Greg Richie’s Asian gastro-pub concept that I wish would reopen in my neighborhood. Happy to see it added to the Soco menu.

Greg Richie must like KFC. Soco presents the rare occasion when I recommend ordering the chicken. No, not the fast food joint. The KFC Lake Meadow Naturals Korean-Style Fried Chicken with Benne seeds, pickled radishes, and sweet and spicy sauce. I have tried it in bao form and was delightful. The full entree is equally satisfying.

6. Taco Tuesday and Other Daily Specials

Every day there’s a delicious reason to visit Soco. Monday’s you get half off select bottles of wine. Enjoy Wing Night Wednesday, TV Dinner Thursday, Ribeye and Rye Friday, Shrimp and Grits Saturday and Burger and Bourbon on Sundays. But my favorite day at Soco is Taco Tuesday.

Greg Richie infuses “Taco Tuesday” with southern country charm with his inventive buttermilk biscuit fashioned as a tortilla. Filled with perfectly crisp, juicy buttermilk-battered fried chicken breast, topped with sweet corn, heirloom tomatoes, avocado salsa, and jalapeños. This Tuesday only special is worth the drive.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Taco Tuesday Southern Style at Soco

7. Southern Style Brunch

Soco’s brunch game is strong. Available Saturday and Sunday, from 11am to 3pm, the brunch menu features popular favorites from the regular menu which I’ve highlighted above. The Pork Belly Biscuits, The Cauliflower Steak and Chicken and Dumplings among others are joined by brunch only specialties. Unlimited mimosas, Bloody Mary’s and other cocktails are also available, because if not it would just be called breakfast.

One again biscuits play a big part of Soco’s brunch menu. The Sorghum Cured Salmon and Everything “Bagel” Biscuit features the genius move of a biscuit shaped like a bagel and topped with Everything Bagel seasoning. It’s served with Avocado, Cream Cheese Chive Butter and Heirloom Tomato-Caper Salad. As pretty to look at is it is tasty.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
“Everything Bagel” Biscuit and sorghum cured salmon is what brunch dreams are made of at Soco

The Lobster Benedict sees Soco’s famous Buttermilk Biscuits get the Benedict Treatment topped poached lobster, Benton’s Country Ham, and Lobster Hollandaise.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Lobster Benedict at Soco

The classic Southern dish Shrimp & Grits gets ready for brunch with the addition of “Bacon Egg and Cheese.” Everything is better with bacon!

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Shrimp and Grits and Bacon Egg and Cheese Collide at Soco Brunch

8. It’s Not The South Without The Sweets.

Lemon Cheesecake and Key Lime “Pie” are on the dessert menu, as is housemade churned ice cream and sorbet. But you can’t get more Southern than Bourbon Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafer Waffle, Caramelized Banana, and Toasted Meringue.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
You may not want to share Soco’s Bourbon Banana Pudding

9. Drink Up! Whiskey, Bourbon, Scotch and more at Soco.

The cocktails are an equally important part of the experience at Soco. From classic Manhattans and Old Fashioneds, to Watermelon Coolers and Coffee Cocktails. You will not go thirsty. The selection of whiskeys and bourbons is impressive.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
This is only a fraction of the collection of brown spirits at Soco

Classic Manhattan and Old Fashioned cocktails are only $6 during Happy Hour. Check out Happy Hour specials Monday – Friday, 5pm-7pm, all night on Thursday and Sunday.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
FYI: we sipped these before we took the photo! I know. I committed the cardinal sin of food blogging. LOL

Beat the heat with a Watermelon Cooler. It’s really easy to drink and quite dangerous as a result.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Watermelon Cooler at Soco

This coffee cocktail is made for the coffee lover! The Kentucky Cooler Cocktail is made with Kentucky Bourbon, Borghetti Espresso Liqueur, Iced Lineage Roasted Coffee. Oh my!

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
The boozy caffeine fix at Soco

Be on the lookout for special cocktail creations! The “Sir Isaac” cocktail was a tasty blend of apples and bourbon.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Sir Isaac was a holiday favorite

Want one more reason to visit Soco?

If you’re not convinced by the pictures above, maybe awards and pedigree will convince you to add Soco to your Orlando Must Eat List. Among the many awards Soco has received in its five year history, it was voted “Reader’s Choice Best Restaurant” by Orlando Magazine Dining Awards in 2018, and has featured in the Best Southern Restaurant categories multiple times.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant
Soco Southern Contemporary Cuisine in the charming Thornton Park District near Downtown Orlando

Executive Chef/Partner Greg Richie is well known in the Orlando culinary community. He opened Roy’s Orlando together with celeb chef Roy Yamaguchi and helmed the kitchen at Emeril Lagasse’s Tchoup Chop. He’s also cooked at the Beard House in New York and participates in various local charity events like Cows N Cabs.

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant. Chef Greg Richie at Cows N Cabs 2019
Chef Greg Richie at Cows N Cabs 2019, one of the top fundraising events in Orlando

Most importantly (to me), Greg Richie graced the cover for my first feature article in Orlando Signature Magazine. Now are you convinced?

9 Tasty Reasons to Visit Soco in Orlando includes Must Eat Items on the menu of this popular Thornton Park neighborhood restaurant. Chef Greg Richie on the cover of Orlando Signature Magazine
My first magazine cover article featured Chef Greg Richie of Soco

Make reservations and go #MakeSomedayHappen one delicious bite, sip and trip at a time! I haven’t tried all the items on the Soco menu but I’m working on it. I hope you’ll enjoy these Must Eat favorites as much as I have. If you try any items I didn’t mention above, please tag me on your Instagram or Facebook posts @goepicurista so I can try them on my next visit.

Soco is located at 629 E. Central Blvd. Thornton Park, Downtown Orlando. Visit their website for more info.

Congratulations to Chef Greg Richie and his talented team at Soco on their 5 Year Anniversary!

Cheers!

Go Epicurista

Disclosure: I was an invited media guest for promotional purposes only. I am under no obligation to share this post. As always, all opinions are my own. I only share with you products and experiences I love to inspire you to get together with family and friends, celebrate life and go #MakeSomedayHappen one delicious bite, sip and trip at a time!  You can read more about my guidelines in my disclosure policy. Cheers!

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About Christina Thomas

I'm Christina, a hospitality consultant, freelance writer, food & travel enthusiast, brand cheerleader, ice cream fanatic, chocoholic, and eternal optimist on a mission to #MakeSomedayHappen one delicious bite, sip and trip at a time. Celebrating life with great food, wine and friends throughout Central Florida and everywhere I GO! I want to inspire you to take time out of your busy schedule to do the same. GO celebrate life today, for someday may never come. Join me and GO Epicurista!

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Meet your Chief Epicurista

I'm Christina, a hospitality consultant, freelance writer, food & travel enthusiast, brand cheerleader, ice cream fanatic, chocoholic, and eternal optimist on a mission to #MakeSomedayHappen one delicious bite, sip and trip at a time. Celebrating life with great food, wine and friends throughout Central Florida and everywhere I GO! I want to inspire you to take time out of your busy schedule to do the same. GO celebrate life today, for someday may never come. Join me and GO Epicurista! Find out more...

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But you don’t have to be bold to enjoy over 30 of the best restaurants in Orlando at the @cowsncabs event on 11/9. Get your tickets ASAP before they sell out! All proceeds benefit @elevate_orlando  and @afterschoolallstars ⠀
👉🏼 Read all about why this epic foodie feast is a “Must Do Event” that keeps getting bigger and better on GoEpicurista.com 🐄🍷 Hope to see you there! ⠀
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Go #MakeSomedayHappen ⠀
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#hosted #GOepicOrlando #CowsNCabs #OrlandoFoodie ⠀
Instagram post 18010128427254233 Happy Halloween! 👻 Want to know what scares me? Don't let the nervous laughter fool you, zombies don't scare me. I braved the scare zones and haunted houses at @UniversalOrlando Halloween Horror Nights #HHN29 twice this year (you can read all about my deliciously spooky time on the blog). But, let me tell you what is more frightening than zombies and monsters... ⠀
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The huge amount of waste generated by single use plastics is scary. I'm amazed to still see so many plastic bottles and plastic bags everywhere. ⠀
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My friend Rachelle from @thetravelbite challenged me to join #OneLoveOnePlanet to bring awareness about reducing single use plastic at home, and how easy it is to eliminate them and make a difference for our planet. Small gestures such as carrying a reusable water bottle, using reusable shopping bags, and saying no to straws are easy to do.⠀
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My @corkcicle bottle goes everywhere with me.  Not only is it good for the planet, but it helps me get my daily water intake. I brought it to Universal Studios and although I was a bit annoyed I couldn't go thru security with it filled with water (I thought that only applied to airports), it was easily remedied once I got to @Starbucks inside City Walk and they kindly filled it for me.  I would love to see water bottle refill stations and soft drink stations at all the theme parks instead of single use plastic bottles. Hey, imagine if they sold collectible bottles with special priced refills. I bet they would make a fortune and help the environment in the process. (Just sayin' 😉) ⠀
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🌎Now I’m asking YOU to be part of this challenge! Bring awareness and spread this much-needed conversation around the world. Let’s unite and do this together!⠀
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Here are the rules on how you can participate:⠀
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1) Post photo of yourself using a reusable water bottle or bag with the hashtag #OneLoveOnePlanet⠀
2) Tag 2 (or more!) friends to challenge them next to post a photo!⠀
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I'm nominating my friends @beautyandthebeets and @tastecooksip to take the challenge!⠀
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#GoEpicOrlando #ecofriendly #UniversalStudiosOrlando #Halloween #SaveThePlanet #climateaction
Instagram post 18101213929072757 “Part of life is to live it, and enjoy it, and seize the moments that you find particularly pleasing.” - Robert M. Parker, Jr.⠀
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Have you done anything impulsive lately? Sometimes you just have to say YES!⠀
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Seize the moment! ⠀
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🦀 When my friend Chef Jason Shenefield said he had fresh off the boat stone crabs from Central Florida Coast, I said YES! ⠀
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🍷 When my friends at C Mondavi Wines said they had a new lineup of easy drinking, affordable boutique style wines called Flat Top Hills Wines being introduced to market and asked if I’d like to try them, I said YES! ⠀
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This is Carpe Diem. Enjoying life to the fullest. 🥂⠀
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👉🏼 Stone Crab Season is now! If you live in Florida and want some of these fantastic large claws served with a killer mustard sauce (like famous Joe’s Stone Crab in Miami!) look up Chef Jason Shenefield on Facebook to place your order.⠀
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👉🏼 Pick up Flat Top Hills Wines (@flattopwines) at your favorite wine shop. The Sauvignon Blanc was a perfect pairing with shellfish. Crisp and clean with lovely lemon notes. It’s 100% varietal which for the price around $13.99 is a plus. I enjoyed the full lineup of stylized full bodied wines including Rose, Chardonnay, Merlot, and Red Blend. They each paired with food wonderfully but were also easy sipping on their own. Angelina Mondavi, 4th generation is the consulting winemaker which makes them even more special.⠀
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Cheers! ⠀
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#GOepicOrlando #WineWednesday #FlatTopWines #FloridaStoneCrabs ⠀
#SeizeTheDay #CarpeDiem #FindYourFlatTop #FlatTopMoments
Instagram post 17848524361719727 “The Internet is the most important single development in the history of human communication since the invention of call waiting.” - Dave Barry⠀
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Can you believe the internet was invented in UCLA 50 years ago today!?⠀
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Definitely an invention that has changed all our lives whether we wanted to or not. I still remember faxing rather than emailing, using paper maps instead of GPS & Google maps, calling friends vs DM, going to the library for research rather than “Just Googling” it, And saying “whatever happened to so and so?” rather than simply checking out their Facebook or Instagram account. 🤦🏻‍♀️⠀
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How did we live without the internet?  It took a lot longer to do everything! It’s now one of the first things you consider when booking a hotel or traveling anywhere. How’s the Wi-Fi?⠀
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And as much as we have a “Love-Hate” relationship with social media, the truth is I’m grateful for the opportunities it has brought. To connect with old friends and make new ones, and to allow businesses to connect with their customers and find new ones, in ways that simply were not possible before. It’s still exciting to explore the digital world.  This is why I love working with clients to help them take advantage of it as much as they can. ⠀
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On the flip side is the need for digital detox every once in a while. I have yet to manage a getaway free from the internet but would love to know if you have. ⠀
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BTW this was the most delicious welcome amenity I’ve ever received. It was a work of art made of giant blocks of @valrhonausa chocolate! Thank you InterContinental Miami pastry chef Berger and Exec Chef Tatan. I hope to return soon for another epic foodie weekend! ⠀(you can read all about it on GoEpicurista.com)
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#hosted #GOepicMiami #interconmiami #internetday  #internationalinternetday #facebook @interconmiami
Instagram post 17851905271648465 "Your hand and your mouth agreed many years ago that, as far as chocolate is concerned, there is no need to involve your brain." - Dave Barry⠀
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Where are my chocolate lovers at? I know you can relate. I used a lot of restraint, but you know I could've eaten the entire slab of chocolate bark, right? ⠀
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It's #NationalChocolateDay and I can't help but dream of "Bar Du Chocolat" at @WaldorfOrlando Bonnet Creek Food & Wine Weekends. It's a feast for the chocolate lover, only available Saturday evenings until 11/24. When you go, abandon all sense of reason and restraint! ⠀
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During the media preview, we watched with child-like glee as Exec Chef Bernard and Pastry Chef Carrie made this giant slab of chocolate bark come alive before our eyes using a mix of dark and ruby chocolate with all sorts of fun mix ins like caramelized hazelnuts and almonds, crispy strawberries and mango, and lots of caramel popcorn. It was so decadent! (Scroll to see the progress and check out stories for the full video)⠀
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Bar du Chocolat consists of a giant display of assorted chocolate desserts and treats which you can pair with a glass of champagne for the perfect ending to a fantastic dinner at Bull & Bear, La Luce or Zeta Asian.⠀
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Food & Wine Weekends is a Must Do Event! Go #MakeSomedayHappen⠀
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#hosted #GoEpicOrlando #GoEpicDisney #FoodandWineWeekends #BarduChocolat #OrlandoFoodie #TasteEpcot
Instagram post 17868066592508695 “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” -⠀
Albert Schweitzer⠀
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Cheers to John Rivers on the 10 Year Anniversary of 4Rivers Smokehouse and his BBQ Ministry! Chef John always radiates joy and genuine love for what he does. And we are so grateful he feeds us his delicious BBQ. (This BBQ Party Board is happiness! Scroll to see some of my favorite @4riverssmokehouse meals!) ⠀
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It’s wonderful to see how a small BBQ operation, which began in his garage as a fundraiser for a young girl battling cancer, has grown into 15 and counting 4R Smokehouse locations around Florida and the Southeast, various concepts (The Coop, Sweet Shop, 4Roots Farm, 4R Cantina) as well as my favorite fundraising event of the fall, Cows N Cabs. He has helped put Orlando on the culinary map and is a true supporter of the community.  Thank you @johnrivers4r. You and your team deserve all the success! 🎉⠀
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Today 10/26 is being proclaimed “4 Rivers Day" by Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary. 4 Rivers will celebrate the delicious decade at their Fairbanks Ave location with live music, free deep fried desserts, a pig roast, free giveaways, beer samples provided by Redlight Redlight and more!  Celebration party starts at 5pm, open to the public. Proclamation Ceremony at 5:45 p.m. ⠀
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Go get happy! Get 4R BBQ. Success will follow. #MakeSomedayHappen ⠀
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#GOepicOrlando #4Rivers #4riverssmokehouse
Instagram post 18088861615128491 “We came, we saw, we kicked its ass.” – Dr. Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters (1984)⠀
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That’s how I felt after conquering @UniversalOrlando Halloween Horror Nights twice this season! From the houses including Ghostbusters and Stranger Things, to the shows, the scare zones and so much more! 👻 ⠀
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Hey Dracula, keep your fangs away from my Nachos with Queso Fundido. It's one of my "Must Eat" favorites from this year's event. ⠀
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Check out GoEpicurista.com for The Best of #HHN29 including my Must Eat, Must Drink, Must See and Must Do favorites as well as the one thing you MUST NOT DO and how to avoid it. ⠀
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Check out Stories for more #HHN Fun! What's been your favorite this year? Are you planning to go, let me know if you have any questions. GO #MakeSomedayHappen ⠀
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#hosted #GOepicOrlando #ReadyforUniversal #HalloweenHorrorNights #UniversalOrlando #UniversalMemories #Halloween #VisitOrlando #hhnorlando @hhnorlando
Instagram post 17896588360392470 “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” - Willie Nelson⠀
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Grateful for relaxing Sundays, foodie friends and Grilled Watermelon...because it’s always Summer in Florida! And enjoying it all at the Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World is definitely the way to do it! ⠀
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So happy I finally got to meet Fiona from @gourmetpigs IRL! Been following her foodie travels for years from Boston to LA and her love of craft cocktails and good food rivals my own. Follow her if you’re not already! 🙌🏼 ⠀
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If you ever need a “getaway” go have lunch at PB&G at @fsorlando. You don’t have to be a resort guest but you’ll feel like one. Check out stories for more of our delicious lunch by the lake. ⠀
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Go #MakeSomedayHappen ⠀
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#GOepicOrlando #hosted #fsorlando #fivediamondorlando #fstaste #thisisorlando
Instagram post 18075983578136864 "Those who don't believe in magic will never find it." - Roald Dahl⠀
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Magic Found! ✨A giant pumpkin spice macaron ice cream sandwich at Epcot’s L’Artisan Des Glaces ice cream shop in the France pavilion! This “Must Eat” seasonal treat is one of my 9+ Reasons You Must Visit Epcot France. Check out the list on GoEpicurista.com this Wednesday. Some may surprise you. 🇫🇷 ⠀
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I think #NationalDessertDay being on a Monday is no coincidence. What sweet treat will you be celebrating with? ⠀
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Go #MakeSomedayHappen ⠀
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#GOepicOrlando #GOepicDisney #TasteEpcot #ThisisOrlando⠀
@artisandesglace
Instagram post 17923395046328851 “Collaboration is when magic is made with more than one person.” - Michael Urie
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On #NationalPierogiDay, I’m reminded of a delicious collaboration when my dear friend and food blogger Irina Pabis of @celebritychef4u partnered with @peperoncinocucina owners/chefs Danilo Martorano and Barbara Alfano to present her lovely homemade pierogis during one of their popular wine dinners. .
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The Slavic potato dumplings were stuffed with mozzarella and deep fried, served with sour cream and fried basil. Paired with Chef Danilo’s grapefruit vodka Campari cocktail, it was a wonderful aperitif to start the night.
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One of the things I’ve loved most about being part of the culinary scene in Orlando is seeing and experiencing the great spirit of collaboration. The community of talented chefs, restaurant owners, F&B managers, sommeliers, winemakers, purveyors, farmers, liquor distributors, food writers and bloggers coming together to elevate the industry and share it with the world. It’s the spirit of community not competition, which makes Orlando’s culinary scene so positively dynamic. .
.Scroll to see photos of some of my favorite pairings with fantastic wines of  @fattoriasanfelo from Tuscany. We were delighted to meet winemaker Federico Vanni that evening. .
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🥂Local shrimp fried with garlic mayo, paired with a crisp Vermentino San Felo had me dreaming of a leisurely lunch Under the Tuscan Sun. .
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🍷The Super Tuscan Balla La Vecchia was bold and elegant with soft tannins. One of my favorites. Paired with pancetta and pecorino Toscano. .
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🍷 Pinot Nero San Felo paired with fresh handmade pasta with homemade sausage, porcini mushrooms, and finished with aged ricotta. Yum! .
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🍷Cabernet San Felo paired with pork loin with aged balsamic sauce and roasted potatoes. My favorite course! That balsamic sauce can go on everything! .
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🍽🍷❤️ “Live, Love, Peperoncino” Stop by this little gem of a restaurant in Dellagio Town Center on famed “Restaurant Row”, look for San Felo wines on wine lists and possibly fine wine stores and if you can get the chance to try Irina’s pierogis, take it! Go #MakeSomedayHappen .
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#GOepicOrlando  #ThisisOrlando
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Your source for inspiration to take time out of your busy schedule and celebrate great food and wine experiences with friends everywhere you go! Let’s talk about Restaurants, Unique Events and Travel Experiences that belong on your “someday list.”

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