The rainy Saturday that I found myself walking into Teak Neighborhood Grill was quite unexpected. Minutes before I pulled into the restaurant’s parking lot, I was only a few miles away sitting in the parking lot of a medium-sized shopping center. I was there for Mediterranean food, but after about 10 minutes of searching, it finally dawned on me that maybe the restaurant forgot to inform Foursquare that they were, in fact, no longer at that location — or probably any location. Usually never out of ideas, I was stumped on what I should eat. I had no desire to drive very far, which for a foodie like me is a problem because my part of town doesn’t offer many great choices outside of the regular chain restaurants. But thankfully, Foursquare didn’t fail me again when it directed me to Teak Neighborhood Grill. It wasn’t the healthiest of food outings, but it sure served up some great vegetarian bar food.
Teak Neighborhood Grill is located in the pretty spiffy Metro West area of Central Florida. It is a very small part of town that is filled with homes, apartments, and a number of sprawling golf courses. Ironically, the restaurant sits on the first level of an apartment building — the residents must feel super lucky.
Although Teak is in a very nice community, it doesn’t stray too far away from your ordinary bar type restaurant. I didn’t drink anything during my visit, but with the various television screens, the dark wood tables, and the large bar area in the center, it was pretty obvious that this was the place to grab a drink, an appetizer, and hang out with friends for a few hours. But the day I visited, I was only interested in take out.
Before I arrived at the restaurant, my mouth was set on the mahi mahi sandwich. I hadn’t had fish in a few weeks, so I was ready to break the fast. I would soon learn that the menu on Foursquare was outdated so it was no longer an option. So, I went with The Eggplanter 9, which the kind waitress informed me was a customer favorite along with a side of their famed garlic bistro fries. Here’s what was on the Eggplanter 9: two fried eggplant “rounds,” topped with mozzarella, tomato, and a garlic cilantro sauce. It was salty, greasy, AND really good.
When I bit into the sandwich, I was only expecting there to be a thin piece of eggplant, which I have experienced on a number of occasions at different restaurants. But I was pleasantly surprised to find two layers of eggplant which made the sandwich thick and quite filling. Plus, I really liked the crunchiness of the eggplant. Sure, this added extra calories and fat to an otherwise healthy sandwich option, but it was the weekend! Weekends are meant for fun, fat, and calories!
Did I mention the garlic bistro fries? They too were salty and greasy, but the flavor punched me in my mouth in a very good way. I would go back just for the fries and a drink. It definitely hit the spot.
If you’re looking for something healthy and nutritious, Teak Neighborhood Grill is not the place for you. But if you’re looking for a place to meet up with friends and have some great tasting but guilt inducing food, this might just be the perfect hang out spot for you.
