On My Corner

(Before you continue, there REALLY is a Mark's Street and Mills Avenue intersection in Orlando, Florida)

There are places in Florida I think need mentioning on the World Wide Web. So from time to time I will add them to the list. Recommendations and opinions are welcomed. Being a self made culinary gourmand, many of my selections will be culinary establishments. Although...anyplace offering customer service may be on the list. I am accepting invitations to visit and review local restaurants. You may contact me here. Whether you're from Florida or planning a visit, you may find this an interesting page of places to visit.... or not to visit, depending on observations. (A gold background indicates a interesting newly added and as yet not visited location. The color of the business name indicates a good, fair or bad observation of a visited location)

This page was last updated on 06/15/09

Asian Cuisine - 2783 Elkcam Blvd. Deltona, Fl. (386) 532.2588 Fax: 386.532.6519 Take out and eat in restaurant offering Chinese, Japanese and Thai style cuisine. Conveniently located in the Deltona Lakes Plaza down from the new Publix . Check out the extensive Take out m enu 06/09. Open - Monday to Thursday: 11 am - 10 pm, Friday - Saturday: 11 am to 11 pm, Sunday: 12 pm to 10 pm.

Giovanni's La Dolce Vita - 1498 South Woodland Blvd. in Deland, Fl. (386) 736.3155 A full service family establishment serving fine Italian and Sicilian cuisine. Relax in their comfortable dining rooms and browse the extensive menu selections. Once selected, be it pizza, pasta, steak, chicken, veal or seafood, be prepared for a taste awakening experience you will not soon forget!

Laspada's Original Hoagies - 2200 N. Volusia Ave. Orange City, Fl. (386) 775.8881 If you say Philly Cheesesteak it better be a Philly Cheesesteak and Laspada's does it right. Laspada's used to be in Orlando many years ago and I had forgotten just how great their subs where until I finally took the opportunity to visit their Orange City restaurant. Owned and operated by John and Mary Laspada, originators of the Laspada's of Florida, third and fourth generations of the Laspada Family of Chester PA. We are defiantly blessed to had 2 great Philly steak shops in our area.

Johnson’s Family Diner - 595 W. Church Street, Orlando, Fl. (407) 841.0717 Named the best Soul Food Restaurant by The Orlando Weekly, this is the place to come to nourish yourself. People from all walks of life eat here-from NBA players to Grammy-winning musicians to congressional leaders.

After 23 years as a neighborhood standard, Johnson’s Diner left its original Parramore digs in 2006 for an up market West Church Street address (on the ground floor of the City View apartments). Despite the shiny new look of the place, the diner hasn’t sacrificed any of its soul when it comes to the delicious southern-style comfort food on the menu. With 120 seats, the restaurant continues to draw everyone from regular AM patrons who’ve been coming for years to NBA stars and local politicians.

Breakfast offerings are pretty standard, with fluffy hotcakes, egg dishes, sausage and grits. The homemade biscuits are the stuff of buttermilk dreams, but they're only served on Fridays and Saturdays. Lunch and dinner favorites include catfish fried in a cornmeal crust, thick slices of meatloaf and twin pork chops smothered in brown gravy (there's oxtail for the more adventurous). Desserts are just like grandma used to make 'em, with peach cobbler, red velvet cake, lemon cake and sweet potato pie often on the menu. A ten dollar outlay guarantees you a hearty fill up at lunch or dinner, and breakfast is even easier on the budget.

Email Mark with your reviews

Capone's 4740 W. Hwy 192, Kissimmee, fl.

Capone's Dinner and Show - 4740 W. hwy 192, Kissimmee, Fl. 1 (800) 220-8428 A great dinner buffet and stage show right out of the roaring '20s. Al's Speakeasy is the place to be on any night! Be sure to call ahead for reservations...and don't forget the password 'cause you ain't gettin in widout it!

Doug and Lil's Potato Patch - 635 S Woodland Blvd. Deland, Fl. (386) 734.8181 A little place open for breakfast and lunch, with a lot of character serving a selection of omelets, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and many other breakfast foods. The lunch menu offers a wide selection of salads and sandwiches, including their signature Ruben. All the items on the menu are offered at a very affordable price.

Sonny’s Real Pit BAR-B-Q - I-4 Exit 111, 1024 Saxon Blvd., Orange City, Fl. (386) 775.9900
A casual restaurant that offers the authentic southern Bar-B-Q including slow-smoked Bar-B-Q Ribs, Sliced Bar-B-Q Pork and Beef, and Bar-B-Q Chicken. Flavor that only comes from a real hardwood smoker, and the authentic Bar-B-Q Sauces served tableside. Sonny's is the largest Bar-B-Q chain in America with more than 150 restaurants operating in nine Southeastern states: Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Brian’s BBQ - 795 N. Spring Garden Ave. Deland, FL. (386) 736.8851 Authentic Bar-B-Q is a labor of love involving hours of preparation. They use only the finest lean meats and trim them twice - before and after the seasoning and cooking process. The technique of closed pit cooking imparts flavors that cannot be matched by other methods. This process gives their Beef, Pork, Ribs and Chicken a reddish or pink color, even though it is thoroughly done.

Gram's Kitchen - 300 South Volusia Ave. in Orange City, Fl. (386) 774.4726 Located in the historic Heritage Inn ( replacing the Heritage Inn Restaurant ), a small place where you are treated to a large selection of American cuisine. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the food is plentiful and delicious. This location is the newest of three in West Volusia County.

Debary Diner - 20 N Highway 17/92, Debary, Fl. (386) 668.0104 They have a wide variety of selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From omelet’s, egg breakfasts or chipped beef (cream dried beef) to burgers, chicken, steak and my all time favorite, Liver and Onions. The dining room is comfortable and they have a very affordable price range.

Dublin Station - 105 W Indiana Ave. Deland, FL 32720-4209 (386) 740-7720 Inside Dublin Station you will find exactly what you would expect to find in any good Irish Pub. A wide range of imported beer as well as domestic and a full Liquor bar is a delight for any one. The menu choices are plentiful and prepared to please every palate. The service staff are exceptionally accommodating to all of your needs.

IHOP (International House Of Pancakes) - I-4 Exit 108, 320 Dirkson Rd. Debary, Fl. (386) 668.9901 Whether you are traveling east or west on I-4, one of Florida's newest IHOP is waiting to satisfy your hunger pains. They have a wide variety of mouthwatering selections for breakfast, lunch and dinner. From pancakes, omelet’s and egg breakfasts to burgers, chicken and steak, they have something for just about everybody. Whether you're young or more mature, IHOP is the place for great tasting meals. And they are open 24 hours!

Sanford Orlando Ale House - 50 Towne Center Circle Sanford, FL. (407) 328.7037 With an extensive menu, The Ale house serves up dishes that will please the most fickle diners. They offer a wide selection of appetizers, soups, salads, steak, chicken, seafood, a raw bar and desserts.

Longhorn Steakhouse - 2504 W. International Speedway Blvd. Daytona Beach, Fl. (386) 258.3313 I like steak and you can't beat the Longhorn for a quality cut served hot and done right. Besides juicy steaks they offer mouthwatering chicken, BBQ ribs that fall off the bone, and seafood grilled to order. But this location in Daytona is about more than steaks, chicken, pork and seafood. It's about atmosphere and service. Even when they are busy you won't wait much longer then 20 minutes for a table. I guarantee it!

The Eden House - Fleming St Key West, Fl. (305) 296.6868 A tranquil, peaceful setting with all the amenities and none of the attitude. In old town Key West, just a short walk from Duval Street, the Eden House offers affordable rates, heated pool, Jacuzzi, elevated sundeck, on-site dining, and friendly service.

Casa de Solana Inn - 21 Aviles Street, St. Augustine, Fl. (888) 796.0980 Located on a large corner lot surrounded by tropical gardens, a private walled courtyard and narrow brick paved streets, Casa de Solana is an oasis of comfort. As soon as you walk through the gate, you feel like you’ve walked into the past. Guests enjoy sitting on the second floor balcony and listening to the “clip-clop” of horse-drawn carriages passing below. Unusual shops, excellent restaurants, historic attractions, galleries, museums, and many other amenities of historic (Old City) St. Augustine are literally steps away.

The Vac-Stop, Inc. - 1280-B Thorpe Ave. Orange City, Fl. (386) 574.6500 If your vacuum cleaner needs repairs, Rick Fetch will get it running. An authorized Kirby service center.

There are a lot of restaurants out there, and every day hundreds of new ones spring up and hundreds disappear. If only there was a way to keep track. Now there is. Chef Moz allows everyone who has an opinion, or just knows about a restaurant, to contribute to its vast fast-growing database. No need to wait all year for the new Yellow Pages; check out the new restaurants in your neighborhood now! Just click on the lizard!!