Ace Cafe Orlando wants you!

Ace Cafe, the iconic London-based motor-diner, is coming to Orlando with the Ace Cafe Orlando slated to open this spring. 

Plus, the eatery is hiring for 175 positions at a job fair a job fair held January 27-30, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Courtyard Orlando Downtown, 730 N. Magnolia Ave., Orlando. "Talented bartenders, baristas, servers, retail sales associates and other foodservice industry professionals with outgoing and creative personalities are invited to apply in person or send an email to jobs@acecafeusa.com," the restaurant said in a statement.

A beacon to English motorcyclists for decades, the Ace Cafe has become a global cultural phenomenon, and is about to bring that same love of speed and adrenaline to downtown Orlando. The restaurant is under construction inside three historic buildings on a three-acre parcel located at the corner of West Livingston Street and Garland Avenue.

Flavorful, artsy brunch at 1921 by Norman van Aken

Looking for a different spot for Sunday brunch? I was too, and found a very delicious, unique and artsy brunch at 1921 by Norman van Aken in Mount Dora, Fla. 

We previously dined here for dinner and were incredibly impressed by the fresh, local seafood menu, along with dishes and pairings not found anywhere else. We also loved the art on display throughout the restaurant from the Modernism Museum across the street. Plus, we had the pleasure of meeting 1921's owner and author of Norman van Aken's Florida Kitchen, Norman van Aken. What a down-to-earth, wonderful person to get to know. Although he has had considerable success in Miami, van Aken's cuisine at 1921 has a unique Central Florida vibe with Asian influences.

Back to brunch. Everyone at the table was presented a special menu because it was my birthday - what a nice touch! The unique brunch menu has so much to choose from, including oysters and the restaurant's version of chicken and waffles. 

One of the favorite dishes we ordered was the Corn Tamale Scramble with chorizo sausage and tomatillo salsa. The flavorful and novel dish was delicious - and featured the artsy presentation you would expect from this eatery. The Eggs Benedict was different than any other Eggs Benedict I have tried, with pork belly and creamed spinach. All the flavors worked together very well, and I loved the pork belly and hollandaise sauce.

The Golden Pancakes with citrus curd and fresh fruit were also delicious. While the 1921 Burger with house bacon and horseradish cream was tasty, we were shocked at the price of the dish: $17.

Before or after brunch, take time to walk around downtown Mount Dora, where you can find some wonderful gifts for both human and furry friends!

Also see: 

An unforgettable dining experience at 1921 by Norman van Aken

Don't miss new Star Wars event at Disney's Hollywood Studios

This is definitely one for all of my Star Wars geek friends - and there are a lot of them. Heck - I am one of them! Here's an exclusive event that Disney has never held before: Star Wars Galactic Nights will debut at Disney's Hollywood Studios on April 14.

Come dressed as your favorite Star Wars character and celebrate 40 years of Star Wars milestones. Fun happenings include: Imperial March and March of the First Order, Star Wars celebrity sightings in a motorcade down Hollywood Blvd. and the "Star Wars: A Galactic Spectacular" nighttime show that lights up the sky. You can also get your picture taken in front of cool Star Wars' movie backdrops.

For information on the special event, which requires a separate ticket, visit this web site.

Also see:

Top reasons to visit Disney's Hollywood Studios

The inside scoop on revised Star Tours 3D ride 

Taste Buds Delighted at Houng Viet

Thanks to my niece for introducing me to a delicious Vietnamese restaurant in Orlando: Houng Viet Vietnamese Cuisine on Colonial Drive in Chinatown.

Every dish our group had was tasty and spicy, and absolutely the flavors I am looking for in Vietnamese Gumbo, pho and other dishes. We started with the egg rolls, which are different than any other restaurant I have been to: ground meat/ pork with such a nice kick of heat that I was not expecting. 

We all loved our entrees and would recommend them on your next visit. Hue Spicy Soup, with tendon, shank, special meat balls and thick rice vermicelli is similar to pho, but probably the spiciest soup we have had. If you like heat, you definitely need to order this dish! The Vietnamese Gumbo, with fermented fish vermicelli, fish, shrimp and pork, had such a depth of flavor. We loved it. 

The Fried Rice here is also tasty, with the addition of peanut, a little cilantro, and a hint of spice. There are so many other dishes we would have liked to order, including the Vietnamese subs. We will definitely be back!

For dessert, the Pineapple Boba Tea was delicious and had a hint of butterscotch or caramel flavor that we really liked. The Strawberry Smoothie was also very yummy.
Where: 5286 W. Colonial Dr., Orlando.

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Hawkers sports cheap, tasty Asian food

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