The Weber
Buffalo Moon
The Oven Pizza E Vino
El Noa Noa
Jewel of India
Yard House
Shipwreck Landing North
Strings
Modis
Bagali’s
Mary’s Lake Lodge
Cinzzetti’s
Jing

Famous Dave’s

Sushi Matsuri

Small bites

Products We Love:

Sol Azul Teqiula
Seth Ellis Chocolatier

Hello Readers,
The following is a letter I sent a fellow restaurant critic telling him
about a great, new restaurant. Enjoy.

Hi Tucker,
I'm writing to tell you about a restaurant that deserves more attention thanI can get them on my own. My hunch is you'll find them to have some of thebest Caribbean food you've ever tried.

Shipwreck Landing North is in Old Town, Winter Park, and worth the drive (1124 Winter Park Dr., WP 80482 - turn at the light for Old Town Rd. Turn at the Old Town traffic light on route 40 and right at the stop sign.).

Chef Russell Robinson clearly loves food. His theory is "We're here to excite taste buds, not just fill them up". He was the chef at the original Shipwreck Landing on the island of St. John, in the Virgin Islands and has mastered Caribbean cuisine. His appetizers are standout: His Coconut Shrimp ($8.50) is sensational - the best I've had. I loved his Mussels Provencal ($11.75) They had a wonderful broth made from white wine, herbs, butter, herbs and a few ingredients that were proprietary. Somehow he managed to
keep the Conch Fritters ($8.25) from being greasy globules; they had a subtle flavor with a cocktail sauce my companion said was "the best cocktail sauce I've ever tried". It had a satisfying spicy kick.
Let me skip to desert since I've been a cheesecake fan for over 20 years and can say his is possibly the best I've ever had. Robinson changes up his cheesecake choices; I had the Mango Cheesecake - mango is the perfect compliment to the sweet, creamy flavor of a great cheesecake. His Key Lime pie is outstanding and probably the best in Colorado (unprovable but we can have fun trying!). Deserts ran about $5.

I think you'll love the main courses as well: Robinson's Curry Nut Crusted Grouper ($19.75) was moist and tender, with a simple flavor and a chutney made it a stand out. I also tried and loved his Jerkiyaki Grilled Mahi Mahi ($20.75). It had just the right balance of spice, flavor & bite but left enough of fish to enjoy.

I think you'll love the subtle flavors he adds to the steamed vegetables. He can talk about the subtleties of rice for 10 minutes.Robinson demonstrated to me he's a master of spice. I didn't try the steak but he's won awards as the best steak on St. John's - OK, so he beat out 3 other restaurants, but.....just kidding....but other patrons say his steaks are their favorite.

One more thing. For special events, such as "Yeah, it's Tuesday", Robinson breaks out the homemade "Ghetto Fireworks" he grew up with as a child in New York City. All you have to do is ask -  See attached picture. I didn't have my tripod; please excuse the blur. Try a couple of their specialty drinks, like a BVI original, the Pain Killer ($6.50) and your live view and the picture will look the same! If you're a fan of rum, they offer 27 varieties.

Shipwreck Landing North has several salads, a unique spin on soup and a full dinner menu with nightly specials. I couldn't try them all but can extrapolate from what I did have that you're going to love whatever you choose.