Thank you to Budi for picking us up from the airport. He told me he was preparing a food list for me so I couldn’t wait for this adventure in food.

We ended up trying a place called Resto Park Cafe.

For every meal served here, they give you a new set of utensils.

In Indonesian food, rice is the main dish.

Bubur Madura is a sweet dish made of rice flour and drizzled with melted palm sugar. It can also be found as street food.

Pangsit mie ujung pandang is dried noodle with red pork, Char Siu style, with chicken meat.

Semanggi Surabaya

Rujak cingur (cow nose) is one of the traditional foods from the area of East Java. It has slices of boiled beef mixed into the dish.

We ordered the cow nose with fish chips.

Es Kancang ijo is very similar to shaved ice but in Indonesia, this sweet dessert is made from mung bean porridge with coconut milk and palm sugar or cane sugar. The beans are boiled till soft and include sugar and coconut milk.

All the dishes were great. I’ll definitely be back.

Address: Jl. Manyar Kertoarjo No.110-112, Manyar Sabrangan, Mulyorejo, Kota SBY, Jawa Timur 60116, Indonesia

Hours: Closed :10:00 AM – 10:00PM

Phone: +62 31 5928593

Edited by Larnna Thompson

Thank you to Natasha for arranging an event for me and helping me all the way to Surabaya.

I was excited to explore to the second largest city in Indonesia.

This time we were able to team up with Budi and Indra for an event. Before the flight, we tried a local donut brand called J.co.

I saw the Singapore Merlion in Surabaya. Its name combines “mer”, meaning the sea, and “lion.” The fish body represents Singapore’s origin as a fishing village when it was called Temasek.

Indonesia reminded me of my childhood in Taiwan. All the kids were waiting for snacks and food from local vendors, most of them using bicycles as a mobile store.

We also stopped by the local mall.

Inside, I saw a homemade potato donut spot which I definitely wanted to try.

The people were super friendly and were nice enough to take a photo with me.

My donut order was freshly, very soft and yummy.

We also stopped to get some iced mochi.

The plan for next time is to try out more food spots. Can’t wait!

Edited by Larnna Thompson

I was very excited to get an invite to Kidrobot’s HQ for a grand opening at their Miami South Beach store.

This event was released with the Huck Gee skull dunny that Kidrobot also asked me to customize which was a 20-inch dunny for store display.

The 20-inch blank dunny platform was never released to the public but as an artist customizing it for them, I had exclusive access to it.

This is the package I received from Kidrobot.

This is after I customized it.

Thank you to Dave, who helped me make the Shuriken.

We made it to the store.

I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out and looked on display!

Edited by Larnna Thompson

To make the most of our trip to Tampa, we also stopped by new place that was less than 15 minutes away from Armature Works, called Sparkman Wharf.

You have to pay for parking so make sure to do that before you leave the lot.

Upon entering, there’s a huge map.

In the center, there’s a bar where you can drink and chill.

Sadly, not everything was open because it was New Year’s Day.

There’s a big area to hang out and enjoy the weather.

There’s also a Splitsville bowling alley.

Larnna ordered oysters from a spot called Boat Run.

Chargrilled Oyster’s with Tarragon Butter

This was a cool photo op spot.

Although I think Armature Works has a better food selection, this place has a better outdoor area to enjoy those nice sunny days.

Address: 615 Channelside Dr, Tampa, FL 33602

Hours: Opens 11AM

Phone: (813) 345-5881

Edited by Larnna Thompson

After having breakfast at Graze 1910, we walked around to check what else Armature Works had to offer.

“This 22,000 sq-ft industrial market food hall in Heights Public Market is a food paradise. It features an open floor plan with communal seating surrounded by restaurants showcasing restaurateurs, ‘Show + Tell’ workshop that hosts an array of events such as cooking classes, wine tastings and pop-up dinners in collaboration with market tenants.”

One of the first things we saw was an awesome Japanese-inspired installation. They make make Japanese-style sushi burritos and sushi bowls so if you’re a Japanese food lover, you’ll want to check this spot out.

Zukku Sushi / Sushi, Burritos and Bowls

Graze 1910 / Refined American fare, serving breakfast all day

In our last post, I mentioned we tried their chicken and waffles which was really delicious.

BAR at Armature / Beer, Cocktails and provisions

This bar had a lot of unique drink selections.

AVA /Authentic Wood Fired Pizza

Cru Cellars /Sommelier-Driven Wine Bar & Kitchen

Ichicoro Imoto / Contemporary Ramen-Ya

Empamamas / Not so basic empanadas!

Soul Food Street Kitchen / Down home cooking with street flair

Inside the Box / Specialty Sandwiches and Salads

Hemingway’s / Modern Cuban Cuisine

A.W. Mercantile / A General Store

Astro Ice Cream Co. / Ice Cream

There are so many delicious looking places to try are Armature Works so I’ll definitely have to come back. Be sure to arrive early to grab a seat since it can get pretty busy during the weekend.

Address: 1910 N Ola Ave, Tampa, FL 33602

Phone: (813) 250-3725

more details for the vendors : http://armatureworks.com/heights-market/

Edited by Larnna Thompson

After exploring and checking a bunch of cool places to eat inside Armature Works, we came across Graze 1910 which was one of the busiest spots there.

It served breakfast and brunch, and after taking a look at the menu, we knew we had to eat here.

The set up and branding they had was on point.

There’s bar and table seating available.

The menu is posted on the wall, next to where the line begins. I really liked how simple and clean it looked.

Once you place your order, they ask for your cell phone number so they can text you when your food is ready to be picked up.

Larnna’s husband, Geno, ordered a Boylan Creme Soda which looked delicious so I plan to grab one next time.

I ordered the chicken and waffle with maple and bacon syrup. The chicken was very good — soft and tender, and not dry.

Larnna also ordered the chicken and waffle with maple and bacon syrup but also added the chorizo gravy on the side for a savory option.

In addition to his creme soda, Geno ordered the Graze burger with tater tots.

My wife ordered the spicy chicken with slaw and Sriracha with potatoes on the side. The combo was really good and totally different than any other chicken sandwich I’ve tasted before.

This is definitely one of my new favorite places that serves chicken and waffles!

Thanks again to my editor, Larnna (@dessertforyoursenses), recommending this place! I can’t wait to go back again!

https://www.graze1910.com/

Located in Heights Public MarketArmature Works

1910 N Ola Avenue Tampa, FL

MONDAY-THURSDAY 7am-9pm

FRIDAY 7am-10pm

SATURDAY 8am-10pm

SUNDAY 9am-8:30pm

Edited by Larnna Thompson

I want to thank my editor, Larnna, for recommending that I visit Armature Works, located in Tampa. I took advantage of my new year vacation to explore this new spot.

After doing a little research, I was excited to see what this place had to offer. It reminded me of my trip to Atlanta’s Ponca City Market which I highly recommend checking out, especially if you’re into the industrial feel and repurposing a space.

Below is some official information and history about Armature Works:

“Armature Works dates back to 1910 and was once the storage and maintenance facility for Tampa Electric’s (TECO) streetcars.

Once known as the TECO streetcar warehouse, the Armature Works structure played a significant role for the City of Tampa as the repair and storage facility for the Tampa Electric Street and Railway Company (formerly known as the Streetcar Barn). The barn was an integral part of Tampa’s development in connecting the surrounding neighborhoods.

In 1946, the system was abandoned for more modern means of transportation, the automobile. Tampa Armature Works, a phosphate machinery manufacturer, purchased the building from TECO in 1960. Today, Armature Works has been repurposed to its originality, becoming the heart of the Heights neighborhood as a mixed-use commercial building.”

The drive from Orlando to Tampa was only about an hour and a half which wasn’t too bad. It was such a beautiful day to explore and be outdoors.

The building was huge and there were plenty of parking spots.

There’s an “outdoor patio” that is dog friendly where you can enjoy the nice weather.

The front looked like it’s still under construction for now but I think they may be building something to accommodate live events.

Even though the building has been revamped, there’s still a factory feel to it.

Inside, there are many seating areas throughout so you can end up spending a whole day here, relaxing.

There’s also courtyard seating.

They offer 3 types of water, including my favorite, sparkling, and it’s free!

My wife and baby girl, relaxing 🙂

I hope Orlando builds a place like this. The closest thing, so far, is East End Market and it’s small with very little parking.

I had a great time in Tampa, seeing something new. Stay tuned for our next post with more details about Armature Works.

Address: 1910 N Ola Ave, Tampa, FL 33602

Phone: (813) 250-3725

armatureworks.com

Edited by Larnna Thompson

Sometimes we find a hidden local gem. When I heard about Sushi Kichi, I was so excited to try it so I did a bit of research and invited my friend, Andy, to come with me and check this place out.

The electric blue sign made it easy to locate the restaurant.

They offer daily specials.

The inside was nice and clean.

If you enjoy interacting with the chef, I recommend sitting at the sushi bar.

I had to rock my Yeezy 500 Unity in black for dinner.

The menu has photos of the food so it helped narrow down my selections.

We ordered the Don Buri which came with miso soup and salad.

There were 3 salad dressings to choose from for the salad.

Crispy Vegetable Croquet

We both ordered the Kasien Don ($13). It was really tasty and came with fresh sashimi.

Overall, the food and atmosphere was good. I would recommend checking it out.

Address: 5368 Central Florida Pkwy, Orlando, FL 32821

Hours:

Sunday 11:45AM–2PM, 6–9:30PM

Monday Closed

Tuesday 11:45AM–2PM, 6–9:30PM

Wednesday 11:45AM–2PM, 6–9:30PM

Thursday 11:45AM–2PM, 6–9:30PM

Friday 11:45AM–2PM, 6–9:30PM

Saturday 11:45AM–2PM, 6–9:30PM

Phone: (407) 778-1953

Edited by Larnna Thompson

Thank you to Larnna, for telling me about Plant Street Market, located in beautiful downtown Winter Garden.

This indoor market houses many local vendors, from beer brewing to food and dessert.

When I saw that David Ramirez Chocolates had macarons, I had to stop by and take a look.

Their menu also included fresh gelato.

I ordered 5 pieces for $9.90. Some of the macaron flavors I got were blueberry, pistachio, wild strawberry, and coconut.

The packaging was really nice and would make a wonderful gift for someone!

Make sure you stop by and grab some sweet treats from David Ramirez Chocolates the next time you’re at Plant Street Market.

Address: 426 W Plant St, Winter Garden, FL 34787

Hours:

Sunday 12–6PM

Monday 11AM–7PM

Tuesday 11AM–7PM

Wednesday 11AM–7PM

Thursday 11AM–7PM

Friday 11AM–9PM

Saturday 9AM–9PM

Edited by Larnna P. Thompson