Eating Out Repeatedly

Tely's Chinese Restaurant

I finally decided to stop at this place for lunch. Located in the Suntree area on Wickham Road, it has been getting great press on the Florida Today Facebook group 321 Flavor. I know my friend Beverly Burns has recommended it multiple times. Opened in 2016 by Tely Tse, he was the founder of Yen Yen in Cocoa Beach. My sister Pat said Yen Yen was the closest she had tasted in Florida to the authentic Chinese places she visited in Hawaii. Back in the day, a group of us would stop at Yen Yen.

I visited on Tuesday at about 12:30 PM, expecting a lunch crowd which was not there. Only three tables had patrons and I sat at a table that seated four. Here is a photo of the dining room as seen from my table. 

I liked that the tables had real tablecloths. The waiter took my drink order (just water) and removed the other place settings which was a napkin and a water glass, turned over. I ordered the beef with broccoli. It was served on a separate plate with a large spoon, normal for Chinese restaurants so multiple parties can share the dishes. The rice was white but it had added spice with some carrots and peas. I did not ask for chopsticks this time.

Here is a closer view of the dish. It was excellent. All the broccoli florets were bite size and cooked so they still had crunch but were tender to eat. The meat was plentiful. I like ordering this but some places I have gone use a lower grade meat cut. I have had gristle and sometimes chunks of fat. All this meat here was very tender and the brown sauce was very tasty. I probably did not need to eat it all but I was on my way to the wetlands and the Zoo so I knew I would burn it off.

As a new place for me, I give it a 4.0 (excellent). It was a nice stop on the way to the Zoo so I know I will go again...

Other lunches

I have been going out to many places, most ones I have visited multiple times but must like because I keep going back. The photos are what I share on Google Maps.

  Ichabod's Dockside - Melbourne

Not always my first choice but I am surprised how often I end up here. The is NOT the Ichabods on A1A, it is located on Crane Creek in downtown Melbourne.  This is a house salad with added Jerk shrimp. The dressing is a creamy cucumber. I was not in the mood for a beer so I ordered Mexican water (aka Corona Light). It is my lime delivery system...

Coasters - Melbourne

I use to be a regular here. I went to have the Reuben, recommended by Dave Pitkethly when I asked for suggestions of the best Reubens. I use to get the Humongous, but settled for the Regular on this visit. Onion rings on the side with iced tea. Sorry, that ain't tea, that is an IPA form their extensive beer menu. I don't go to coasters to drink anything but beer. BTW, I gave this sandwich a 3.5 (Great to Excellent). I have 14 reubens to try on my list, 4 down, only 10 more to go.

Main Street Pub - Melbourne

Another place I seem to forget about for lunch. In my head it is just a pub for drinking but I want people to know they have some great food. It is located right on New Haven Avenue, which is the Main Street for downtown Melbourne. This is the Winter Salad which is their House Salad with some meats and cheese added. The salad is assorted greens with slices of tomato, cucumber, red pepper and red onion. The meats include ham, turkey and roast beef rolled up like a burrito without the tortilla. Swiss and provolone cheese is on top. The dressing was suppose to be Ranch but they brought me Blue Cheese.

Sunny Side Cafe - Melbourne Beach

I was actually on my way to the Ocean 302, which I found is no longer open for lunch (it opens at 4pm). So I walked down the strip mall and found counter space at the Sunny Side Cafe. It was full of people, I assume most were locals. They have a breakfast/lunch menu (they close mid-afternoon) and a chalkboard above the counter. I saw that they had a Gyro Platter which I ordered. The gyro was very satisfying and the Greek salad was pretty big with plenty of Feta and olives. My only complaint was I could see into the kitchen from the counter and they use the microwave to reheat things before they are sent out. This was a new place for me (#9 for 2019) so I give it a 2.5 (Good to Great). The breakfasts I saw looked really great too.

Off the Traxx - Melbourne

I go here at least once a month for lunch. This particular day I had a craving for a slice of pizza (or two) and I knew the pizza was great here. Two slices of Pepperoni Pizza. Probably should have just got the one but it is so good. They do provide parmesan and red peppers. Just like the Reuben, I need to start a list of people's favorite place to get a quick slice of pizza without having to order a full pizza. Send me suggestions...

The Nomad Cafe - Melbourne

Starting to become one of my favorite spots to hit for lunch. Located on the corner of US1 and New Haven, they have some really great food choices at the Nomad Cafe. Everything is made to order. This was the lunch special, a Turkish Doner. Like a Gyro, but had meats that had been cooked (and marinated) in some kind of spicy Turkish sauce. Simply delicious.

In retirement, I probably eat out more than I use to but I also go and watch wildlife and Zoo animals eat. The first two photos was at the Zoo but not Zoo animals. A blackbird was digging in the small creek that surrounds the Siamang Gibbon exhibit. While the Gibbon watched, this bird brought out some kind of bivalve.

About once a month they feed the two large pythons at the Zoo. They put up a warning sign because they actually feed it carcasses of small animals. In this case, each python was getting two rabbits. Don't look if you are squeamish.

I caught this giraffe, I think his name is Doc, eating from a pine tree located along the creek. He had reached up high to get this tasty morsel which he chewed on for a while. He is a different species of giraffe from the others. You can see that his brown spots are separated by a thin white line, like grout on a tile floor.

Most of the giraffes like getting handouts of lettuce and sweet potato from the visitors. Notice that the brown spots are irregular shaped on this giraffe and are separated by jagged white areas. The lady has some lettuce and you can see the giraffe thinking "Stop talking and feed me!"

I did stop back by and see the python. The rabbits were now just bumps in the snake.

Although it is not a great photo, Eco the bobcat, was also eating some kind of small critter. Look like a mouse or mole.

I hardly ever see the red fox at the Zoo, maybe because he went off the air over 40 years ago. You know, Sanford & Son. Oh, that was Redd Foxx...Never Mind.
Anyway, it was a great photo opt to catch the red fox having lunch....

So eating seems to be the center of my world in retirement, and I am always looking for that next great place, or even the great place that has always been there but I do not know about. If you have a favorite, invite me out and we can try it. I promise to pay my own way. Cheers!