Huge slices of 'za are served at Lazy Moon in Orlando

We don’t know if it’s the moon-sized slices of their thin-crusted pizza or the loads of beers on tap, but we’ve fallen in love with Orlando’s Lazy Moon Pizza.

Lazy Moon’s beer menu (tap and bottled) is huge,  highlights include St. Peter’s Porter, Guinness, Staropramen pilsner as well as hometown favorite Orlando Brewing Old Pelican.  And the pie and slice options are endless at Lazy Moon, with over 50 quality ingredients to choose from–some expected and some not-so-expected–including chili and capers. The spicy, sweet sauce (Jason’s Mom’s sauce)  is an Insider favorite to dip your crust, which you will likely have left over. Did we mention how enormous the slices are? Gigundous. We’ve seen whole pizzas that are smaller than Lazy Moon’s single slice.

Lazy Moon offers patrons a great value with pies ranging from $17 to $24 and slices and salads starting at $3.50. The atmosphere is laidback, making it the perfect place for budget-conscious families as well as the late night undergrad set (It is afterall, across the street from UCF.) The Box Car Willy is the best deal going—  $3.50 will get you a slice of cheese pizza and a PBR. Open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. 12269 University Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32817-2139. Tel: (407) 658-2396.

Bruschetta is best with Primo ingredients

Last weekend, Mister M and I went to Orlando for what was supposed to be a Disney getaway. Unfortunately, the sub-30 degree weather put a major damper on our plans and relegated us to house-arrest at the Orlando JW Marriot/Ritz Carlton compound. 
Primo, located in the Orlando JW Marriott Grande Lakes Hotel, ended up being our salvation. Seeing as this is a “hotel restaurant” our expectations were low, but Primo chefs and staff helped redeem the doomed weekend. We started with the salami pie which was HUGE and would have been fine for Mister M and me to split with a salad. But being the “good eaters” that we are, we were compelled to forge on, trying everything that we could. Next was the Farmer’s salad—quite possibly the best salad we’ve ever eaten. On its face, the romaine and frisee, applewood bacon, croutons, shaved parmeseano reggiano and a soft boiled egg concoction seems common enough—but the lemon-parmesan dressing paired with all the components brought the most perfect balance of acidity and flavor.  Neither of us looked up from our wooden bowls as we scarfed it down like it was our last meal before the electric chair. In fact the next night, we ordered the salad late night with the same delicious result.

Ricotta Cavatelli at Primo.

All the artisan breads are baked on site and all the pastas are homemade at Primo. While menu is short by some standards, it is understandable since the menu changes regularly to accompany what’s sustainable and in season. There were still plenty of options for everyone– fish, chicken, meat and vegetarian dishes were all represented. For our main courses, we ordered the ricotta cavetelli with mushrooms and a side dish of the beans and greens (sautéed spinach and broccoli rabe with sausage) as well as one of the restaurant’s signature dishes, the pork scaloppini saltimbocca. All of the dishes were expertly prepared, scrumptious and not too heavy. Despite this feast, we still managed to sample the housemade cannolis and gelatos, which did not disappoint.  Service is knowledgeable and friendly at Primo and the atmosphere is formal without being stuffy. Great wine list. 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando, FL 32837. Tel: (407) 393-4444.

Chorizo Sopas photo courtesy of Metromix Orlando

The Mofongo (fried green, mashed plantains or yucca seasoned with garlic, olive oil and pork crackling) is the best this side of San Juan,
while others favor the Chilequiles (chile marinated Corn tortilla casserole), Bacalaítos (fish fritters) and Guarache (beefsteak, refried beans and two fried eggs layered between two tomatillo-sauced corn tortillas). El Coqui is small– four tables small– so pack your patience when arriving. Also, no alcohol is served on premises, but patrons can BYOB. 2406 East Washington Street, Orlando, FL, 32803. Tel: (407) 601-4928‎.