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Cloud 9 Living | Our Orlando Food Tour Experience

Cloud 9 Living | Our Orlando Food Tour Experience

If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, you probably know that we were visiting Kissimmee last week. Laura (Mom) was writing a travel series for the i.seeKissimmee blog. We had an amazing trip that was chock full of many new experiences for us, and got to spend time with some of our family members who live in Florida. On this trip we wanted to do a few things outside from the typical Kissimmee theme parks, although we did manage to hit a couple of theme parks too. Cloud 9 Living, specializing in experienc gifts, hooked us up with an Orlando Food Tour for 2. Being the foodies that we are, Laura and I were excited to taste some of best food in Orlando.

Cloud 9 Living

Our Cloud 9 Living experience began when we met up with our charming tour guide Jalil, from Tantalizing Tastes & Tours. We were surprised to learn that our Orlando Food Tour would be just for two that day. The 15 passenger van that typically does the tour was full, so we lucked out and got a private tour. We quickly learned that the Orlando Food Tour was to be much more than experiencing the great food of Orlando. It was also a tour of Orlando history and our very knowledgeable guide shared a lot of interesting information about the city of Orlando and it’s origins.

Cloud 9 Living - Orlando Food Tour at Cafe tu tu Tango

The first stop on the Tantalizing Tastes & Tours route was at an eclectic restaurant appropriately named Cafe tu tu Tango. This restaurant was a feast for the eyes, beginning with the exterior of the restaurant. We arrived before the normal lunch rush and got to see a local artist working on a broken plate mosaic that would cover the entire outer wall. The magnificent art didn’t stop there though, the inside of the restaurant was filled will colorful pieces of art from local artists.

Cloud 9 Living - Orlando Food Tour at Cafe tu tu Tango

Cafe tu tu Tango treated us to one of their specialties… something you are likely only to find in Florida… gator bites, served with a lime mustard sauce! I’m a little squeamish about eating certain things, so Laura ate my portion of gator. She said it was the best gator she has had. (How much gator has she had though, really?) The restaurant also served us one of their most popular drinks — the Michael Angelo Mojito. Now I am a sucker for a good Mojito and this one was really good. Mom was nice enough to let me have hers, so my food tour started off pretty well.

Cloud 9 Living Experience - Orlando Food Tour - Bakery at 4 Rivers Smokehouse

Next stop was the 4 Rivers Smokehouse. Before heading to Florida, I said that I wanted to get some really good BBQ and 4 Rivers delivered. We tried what the restaurant calls a six-shooter: cheesy grits, topped with beef brisket, coleslaw, and sliced jalapenos. Top it all off with 4 Rivers signature BBQ sauce and you have what I consider to be perfection. Typically the Six-Shooter is served as a sandwich, but it certainly didn’t need the bread in my opinion. The restaurant even has an onsite bakery, and as you can see from my mother’s expression above… it was quite spectacular. Doesn’t she look like Paula Dean in that picture? That pic just makes me smile.

Cloud 9 Living - Orlando Food Tour - Six Shooter at 4 Rivers Smokehouse

Have you ever tried an Asian Hot Dog? Rather, have you even heard of an Asian Hot Dog? Me neither, but that’s one of the fascinating dishes we got to try at Tako Cheena where the make “Dim Sum Good Takos” (that’s what the sign says). Tako Cheena serves a fusion of Latin and Asian cuisine in a variety of takos that are sure to be different from any taco you’ve ever had before.

Cloud 9 Living - Orlando Food Tour - Trio of Takos at Tako Cheena

We to to sample a trio of Takos which included the Asian Hot Dog, Tofu Tako, and a Fish Tako. The Asian Hot Dog was so unique and totally not what I expected. The Tofu Tako was our favorite and something I think I could eat every single day. They were all topped with a crunchy fresh cabbage slaw and cilantro that I really enjoyed. If you’re ever in Orlando, I encourage you to find Tako Cheena… it’s a wonderfully unique dining experience.

Cloud 9 Living - Orlando Food Tour - Pom Pom's Tea House & Sandwicheria

Pom Pom’s Tea House & Sandwicheria was a very fun stop on our tour. It’s a very hip cafe that is full of psychedelic art from local artists, and that psychedelic vibe doesn’t stop there… you can hear it streaming from the speakers. Pom Pom’s treated us to a delicious veggie sandwich served on Pumpernickel. Our tour guide, Jalil, had the brilliant idea to have some bacon added to the sandwich and it was spot on. Pom Pom’s Tea House & Sandwicheria is located in a section of Orlando known as the Milk District and is a super cool place to hang out.

Cloud 9 Living - Orlando Food Tour - Raphsodic Bakery

Every good food tour needs a sweet stop and ours was at the Raphsodic Bakery where they offer 100% Vegan delights, as well as a variety of Gluten-Free options. When you walk through the door into the Raphsodic Bakery, you’re immediately overcome by the most intoxicating smells. Honestly, I don’t think I have ever been in a bakery that smelled this amazing. Already stuffed from our previous stops on the tour, we still couldn’t resist a couple of cupcakes in seasonal flavors. Mom and I were both truly amazed by how moist the cupcakes were. The Raphsodic Bakery has certainly done their part to prove that Vegan is better, at least when it comes to baked goods.

Cloud 9 Living - Orlando Food Tour - Raphsodic Bakery (Vegan)

Our Orlando Food Tour for Two by Tantalizing Tastes & Tours was such an awesome experience for us. Many thanks to Cloud 9 Living for making this experience possible for us!

About Cloud 9 Living
Cloud 9 Living is the US leader in experience gifts, offering more than 1,700 experiential gifts for men, women, and couples in 43 regions. They offer a variety of experiences from hang gliding, sky diving, golf excursions, spa experiences, and so much more. Cloud 9 Living’s mission is to “Forever change the world of gift giving by enhancing people’s lives through memorable experiences”.

Win Your own Experience – 9 Days of Christmas Contest
Cloud 9 Living wants you to have your own memorable experience. Each day, December 16 – 24, a new winner will be announced. Here’s a run down of the experiences Cloud 9 Living will be giving away each day:

Day 1 – Flight (Learn to Fly Experience)
Day 2 – Relaxation (Spa Packages)
Day 3 – Driving (Drive a Stock Car & Stock Car Ride Along)
Day 4 – Foodie (Food Tour for Two)
Day 5 – Golf (Golf Lesson with a PGA Tour)
Day 6 – Romantic (Dinner Cruise for Two)
Day 7 – Adventure (White Water Rafting for Two)
Day 8 – Adrenaline (Tandem Sky Diving)
Day 9 – Experience of a Lifetime (Fighter Pilot for a Day)

The 9 Days of Christmas Contest will go live on the Cloud 9 Living web site here on November 19th. Be sure to head over there after that date to enter!

Looking for a last minute Christmas gift? A Cloud 9 Living Experience makes the perfect gift – they even have printable e-gift certificates.

What type of experience would you like to have?

View Comments (11)
  • What an amazing trip! One of the great aspects of Orlando that most visitors probably don’t realize is the amount of unique dining options. A vacation should feature unique places that you won’t find back in your hometown, including restaurants.

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