Have you ever dreamed of eating at a Celebrity Chef owned eatery? Well, if you’re in Orlando, Florida then you’re in luck! Located in the Disney Springs Shopping Center, ‘Chicken Guy’ is a food stop worth trying.
When you first walk in, you are greeted with a buzz of excitement and the scent of fresh chicken. On the wall located to the right is a giant poster with a list of the 22 different sauces they offer.
I loved the wide selection of sauces and the fact that they provided the ingredients in each one is a genius idea. Coming from a large family, we each have different likes and dislikes so seeing this chart really helped us decide on our individual sauces. I went for the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ (Kentucky Bourbon + Brown Sugar + Molasses + Apple Cider Vinegar) and the Cumin Lime Mojo (Cumin + Lime + Cilantro + Roasted Garlic). We each ordered chicken strips along with fries. I also split an order of their Loaded Fries “Smothered in SMC, chopped crispy chicken, bacon & green onions.” They offered a grilled cheese sandwich on their menu as well which was great for my sister Madison who is a vegetarian.
Our food with our variety of sauces
The Loaded Fries
The chicken and fries were pretty simple but tasty. The sauces I chose were good however I ended up really enjoying one of my mom’s sauces overall better than mine which was the Nashville Hot Honey (Honey + Red Chilies + Cayenne + Garlic + Onion). The Loaded Fries were very delicious as well and the cheese and chicken were the perfect topping that made this dish blasting with flavor. My sister enjoyed her grilled cheese and you can say that the Bourbon Brown Sugar BBQ was a family favorite overall.
Before we left, half of us wanted to try the beautiful looking shakes that The Chicken Guy offered. We ended up with the ‘Triple Double Mint,’ the ‘Oreo,’ and a ‘Apple Cinnamon Cereal’ shake (which was the one my mom and I split). The shakes were rich, flavorful, and overall delectable.
Eating at the Chicken Guy was a fun and yummy experience. If you’re interested in seeing their menu or to find a location near you, I left the link to the website down below along with the link to my “buy me a pretzel” account to help support the blog!
Today’s food adventure is to a California based eatery known as ‘The Melt.’ The Melt is popular for their specialty grilled cheese creations and macaroni. Made without any artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats, you truly feel like you’re eating GOOD food.
Due to the current situation, dining indoors is strictly prohibited but they are open for outdoor patio seating which is exactly what my family and I did. The Melt is located at the Irvine Spectrum, a beautiful outdoor mall at the southeast edge of Irvine.
The Beautiful Irvine Spectrum
Coming from a family of 7, we all have similar but different taste buds. On top of that, my youngest sister has a metabolic disorder that doesn’t allow her to eat meat. With a big family and a dietary restriction, a grilled cheese eatery seemed like the perfect place to eat.
Upon walking in, we noticed that the inside tables were pushed up against the wall, allowing room for social distance while waiting and prevention of sitting. This was great to see especially in a time like this.
We looked at the menu and were very pleased at what we saw. Various grilled cheese sandwich options to please both all types of people (from picky eaters to the more adventurous taste buds). Not only does The Melt serve grilled cheese sandwiches, but there’s also a selection of burgers as well. They also had a selection of side dishes, desserts, and drinks.
My sister and I both ordered the “Italian Job” which was a grilled cheese sandwich made with Fontina and provolone cheeses, grilled mushrooms on spicy garlic bread. We were both highly impressed with this dish. It was the perfect blend of cheese and mushrooms (which were very fresh), and the garlic bread was the cherry on top! Literally perfect for vegetarians and meat eaters alike!
The “Italian Job”
My brother and mom ordered the “Italian Chicken” which is made with the same ingredients as the Italian Job except with some added grilled chicken pieces. They said the chicken was grilled to perfection and easy to eat. Just like the Italian Job, they said the mushrooms were extremely fresh and the garlic bread was the perfect addition to this tasty sandwich.
My youngest brother Kellan and his Italian Chicken
My mom Julia, also ordered the tomato soup with her sandwich as a dipping sauce which she said was creamy and smooth.
The Italian Chicken
The tomato soup: The perfect addition
My sister Ariel, surprised all of us and ordered the ‘Garlic Bacon Mac and Cheese.’ This was a surprise because this particular sister never orders or eats macaroni and cheese, so her review was something we were very curious to hear about. After trying the macaroni, she ended up really liking it and even finished her leftovers the next day. That definitely proved that this restaurant knows how to make some good quality food.
My other brother opted for something different and ordered the ‘Patty melt.’ Featured on their menu, the patty melt consists of grilled Angus & Wagyu burger patty, sweet, caramelized onions, melted Swiss and provolone cheese with spicy mustard on fresh artisan bread. The staff gladly removed the mustard and onions for my brother with no issues. Just like the rest of us, he enjoyed his sandwich and would gladly return to eat it again.
My brother Kieran and his Patty Melt
Last but certainly not least was my dad’s order. He wanted to go for one of their signature dishes, “The Meltburger.” The Meltburger is made with more than 1/3 pound of their signature Angus & Wagyu beef, chopped, grilled and filled with loads of melted cheddar, their special pickle and jalapeño mix, and Melt sauce on a toasted, artisan bun. He too devoured his burger and loved every bite of it. He stated the burger was juicy and wonderfully flavored. The burger came with a side of garlic fries which were evenly cooked and seasoned, along with a pickle (all sandwiches come with pickles on the side).
As for the rest of our side dishes, we all ordered the garlic Parmesan fries. The first thing you notice when you open the box was how amazing they smell. Although they tasted good, the garlic was a little “heavy-handed” which made it a difficult to eat a bunch at once. We ended up taking home the majority of the fries as leftovers because the over powering garlic didn’t compliment the meal like it should have. If there was less garlic added then it might have been perfect.
The Garlic Parmesan fries
My sister Madison and her Garlic Parmesan Fries
Lastly, when it comes to natural, The Melt also provided all natural drinks. It was amazing choosing a normally dark soda (like black cherry cola) and it coming out of the nozzel clear. The taste of these sodas were great and it was nice knowing we were drinking soda without artificial flavors. The only thing we wish they had was a diet cola. This would give people an extra option for a no-sugar alternative.
My dad (Glen) and his clear ORANGE soda!
In conclusion, the Melt was an amazing experience. We were impressed with the range of foods available and was glad to find somewhere for my vegetarian sister to eat and enjoy. The entire staff was AMAZING. They went above and beyond to make sure that our eating experience was excellent. This was one of the best customer service experiences we’ve ever had and we have no complaints at all. We would have loved to try their desserts however we were too full to try them. If you’re interested in looking at the full menu and Melt website, the link is down below. Thanks to The Melt for a new and fun experience!
Amanda's Fun Food Blog 