from Douce France, a French bakeryinWinterGarden. Thedish itself is made by creating what reminded me of a hearty marinara sauce and poaching three fresh eggs in it. It is served almost like a soup and that thick piece of toasted buttery white bread is the perfectwaytodiveintoit. Beginningtogetfull,nextupwas Brioche French toast ($7.65), the batter made fresh with vanilla and cinnamon. After grilling, some more cinnamon along with both brown and powdered sugar dust onto the top and arrive at the table with pure maple syrup. Before I could even discover the syrup is pure, I smelled the vanilla and cinnamon, which I could tell was fresh. This was the best French toastI'vehadinrecentmemory. Completing our gorge came the largest plate of all: chicken and waffles ($12.75). Two huge Belgian buttermilk waffles, crispy fried chicken atop homemade
red bliss mashed potatoes, again accompanied by pure maple syrup. Italltastedfantastic. In an almost sadistic glutinous manner, out came a huge slice of carrot cake from the Dessert Lady (a local dessert bakery) and the best cookies-and-cream milkshake I've ever sipped. Blue Bunny ice cream, handmade to order with fresh whipped cream on top…the red neon flickers with delight. Johnny Cash plays softly through the diner's speakers, and in my mind I pay tributetoDavidLynch. Almost every day or night, true to her nightclub owners, Red Mug
brings a theme or a special or both. Tuesday nights are allyou-can-eat pancakes for $8.95. On Wednesdays kids eat free. Fridays are for wings. Every day from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., Red Mug Diner offers two for one milkshakes, and most nights carryadrinkspecial. Want to be treated like a rock star, which is how my lunch date and I felt? Ask the host to seat you at a table serviced by Gianna Florsek. She, along with the manager, were attentive, personable, and both made us excited to return to see Red Mug wearingonlyherneonred.
Red Mug Diner 63 East Pine Street • Orlando, FL 32801 (407) 734.5065 • redmugdiner.com
Hotspots Central Florida HotSpotsCentral.LGBT