Restaurants

Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa is the cool kids’ answer to straightforward Southern barbecue in Central Florida. This compact restaurant along Mills Avenue in the Mills 50 district certainly packs a punch well above its size. The owner, Thomas Ward, has made great use of the limited space available to provide an amazing counter service BBQ restaurant with an industrial feel, white washed brick walls, stone floor and open theater kitchen, it is right on trend, with a patio area for cooler days and nights, it’s the perfect place to hang out and enjoy great food.

The food roster highlights the usual items: brisket, ribs, slaw, pork belly and the like. But it’s the Caribbean, Latin and Asian twists that set Pig Floyd’s apart from eateries such as Southern Moon, another Orlando food-truck spinoff, and 4 Rivers Smokehouse.

The term “One man’s meat is another man’s poison “could not be truer than when describing BBQ, as everyone has their own interpretation on what makes BBQ great, but make no mistake Pig Floyd’s is right up there with the best, as witnessed by the line out the door and the happy sighs of customers tucking into Thomas Ward’s food.

This Latin, Asian, and Southern American BBQ fusion joint in Orlando’s Mills 50 district has a nice list of bites, including Matambre smoked brisket sandwiches topped with egg, Indian Butter chicken tacos and the Latin plantain and fried yuca sides. But it’s all about the Oakwood Smoked St. Louis Barbecue Ribs here. Succulent. Juicy. Sweet, yet refined. Delicious. When you can get it, it’s really good. The problem is that it is can sell out fast, so call ahead and make sure they’ve got some ready for you.

Pig Floyd Urban Barbakoa is at 1326 N. Mills Ave., Orlando. It is open for lunch and dinner daily, including late night (midnight) on Fridays and Saturdays.

Photo Credit: www.tripadvisor.com

One of the joys and things to look forward to in travelling is the thrill of exploring new foods, delicacies, cuisines and specialties. In fact, travelers who consider themselves gourmands often base their destinations on the food they want their palate to experience. A good example is when you say stone crabs, rock shrimp, Apalachicola Oysters, Cuban sandwiches and key lime pie then there`s no place better than Florida to indulge yourself with these treats.

Due to its geographical location the availability and abundance of the crustaceans mentioned above, Florida has become the primary go to place for travelers to experience and enjoy affordable seafood. So which foods are uniquely Floridian? Let us list down the must foods to try when in Florida:

Stone Crab Claws

-Although the body of the stone crab is not eaten, this seasonal prize possession for fisheries from October through May is a must for all avid seafood eater. You just can’t get enough of these sweet, meaty claws served chilled and pre-cracked with a side of mustard sauce.

Florida Rock Shrimp

– One of several shrimp species found in the deep waters along the Gulf coast Florida to Florida, as well as the eastern shore off Cape Canaveral, rock shrimp are highly sought after for their uncanny similarity in taste and texture to that of lobster meat.

Apalachicola Oysters

-Also known as Boss Oyster, these colossal oysters are sweet and highly valued among bivalve enthusiasts. Often it is best to enjoy scenic riverfront dining and the freshest oysters are served directly from water-to-table.

Spiny Lobster

• They may not have claws, but they more than make up for it with their meaty bodies, which proportionally have more meat than Maine Lobsters.

Cuban Sandwiches and Every other Cuban Dish

• Close proximity to Cuba and a large immigrant population means Florida has the best Cuban food in the country.

The list goes on, so If you’re planning a visit to Florida anytime soon bare in mind that some of these delicacies are seasonal.