Tag: Brandon

When driving past Jimmy Hula’s in Brandon, Florida, I could not help but notice the bright green building and colorful signs. It looked like a fun place to grab a bite to eat.

Jimmy Hula’s is a family run business that started in Winter Park, Florida. They have expanded to several locations around Central Florida. When I walked through the front door I felt like I was transported to a surf shack at the beach.

There were surf boards everywhere. The tables were set up like tiki huts.

Instead of typical booth seats, they used old car seats. It was a really fun environment.

When it came to ordering, I just walked up to the main counter and ordered. You can sit wherever you want and they bring your order to you. Everything is a-la-cart so if you show up with a big appetite you will want to order a few things.

  

I got one of their Street Tacos. I ordered the chicken version that comes with lots of cilantro, onions, cotija (a Mexican cheese that is similar to feta cheese), and sriracha sauce. It was supposed to have guacamole on it but they were all out of it and avocados when I visited.

The taco was packed full. The chicken was chopped up very fine. It had awesome flavor. The onion added crunch. The cilantro added a little heat but most of the heat came from the sriracha sauce. The cheese added tanginess not creaminess. It was a great taco and I wish I had ordered more than one.

The other thing I ordered was the Crack’d Corn. This was their version of Mexican street corn. It was a whole corn cob. It was drenched in crema, chili powder, cotija, and cilantro.

This corn was extremely messy to eat. After taking each bite my face was covered in the crema and cotija. The corn was extremely sweet and paired well with the tangy flavor from the cheese. The spice from the cilantro was muted by the crema’s creaminess. It was a great side dish.

I really enjoyed what I ordered at Jimmy Hula’s. I will definitely check out one of their other locations and try the other tacos on their menu. Check them out at www.jimmyhulas.com

Enjoy!

T

 

I was really hungry for sushi when I was visiting Brandon, Florida. Not far from where I was staying was Kobe Ichiban. It is a Japanese steakhouse that had a pretty big sushi menu.

  

This restaurant had so many hibachi tables and every single one was full. Apparently people love coming to Kobe for their birthdays. The waiters bang a drum to celebrate.

  

I sat at the bar because it was easier for me. I figured the service would be a little faster.

I started off with the fresh salad with the ginger dressing and miso soup. The dressing on the salad was great. It was not creamy like some others I have had. It had a nice salty taste that added interest to the lettuce and cucumbers in the salad.

The miso soup had a very vibrant flavor. There was a lot of onion and mushrooms. This added extra flavor and a little texture. The one thing that was missing from the soup was tofu. That would have been a nice addition.

I ordered a spicy tuna roll. This is my favorite roll and I always make sure to order one. There was nice heat to it because of the wasabi. They sprinkled a little panko breadcrumbs on top which added a slight crunch. There was also a toasted accent that came from the sesame seeds on the outside of the rice.

I had ordered the sushi dinner. It was an assortment of sashimi, nigiri, and a California roll. I had no idea it was served on a little wooden boat. I laughed as soon as my waiter brought it out.

The sashimi included fresh ahi tuna, yellow fin tuna, and salmon. The nigiri included more tuna, yellow fin, salmon, plus shrimp, and eel. My favorite of all these options was the eel. The sweet sauce they drizzled over the eel was spectacular.

The California roll was very mild. It was a great filler and had a great crunch because of the cucumber that was inside.

If you are in the mood for sushi or want some fresh hibachi, you need to check out Kobe Ichiban. They have several locations all over Florida. Visit their website at www.kobesteakhouse.com to find one closest to you.

Enjoy!

T