RusTeak Restaurant and Wine Bar- 3.5/4 Stars

New restaurant, great location, and delicious food! RusTeak is a much needed and great addition to College Park. I have been waiting for something awesome to come and help bring College Park back to being a good place to go for food; RusTeak is doing just that.

While driving around and running errands for Christmas gifts (2014), my family and I got hungry. Being in College Park and knowing how my mom and sister in law love good food like me, I recommended RusTeak. I had heard from a few friends I needed to try it, so I decided this was a great time. I was excited when my mom parked and agreed to try it. We arrived at about 11:30 am, so it was not that busy yet for a Saturday. Parking lot was also pretty much empty, except for a few cars. I was happy because I was hungry! 

Truffle Fries and Sweet Potato Tater Tots

We all walked in and were immediately greeted by a hostess. She was very friendly. The tables and setup are really nice inside. It is also really clean, which is always a must if I am going to eat there. After we sat at the table, I decided to go check out the bathroom. It was also nice and clean inside. Clean bathrooms are important. As my mom says, "If they don't keep their bathrooms clean, then how do you think the kitchen probably looks?" Great to remember when going to a restaurant for the first time!

Food, food, food...the menu had so many mouth watering options. We decided to start with Sweet Potato Tots and Truffle Fries. Great decision! My sister in law and I couldn't stop eating the fries. The seasoning they use is unique and flavorful. My mom and niece loved the sweet potato tots! They were good; I could definitely taste that they were made from a real sweet potato. 

When it was time to order my entree, I had a hard time deciding. It was nice to see creative menu options; I love new and creative ideas. For example, instead of regular hamburgers, they have venison burgers. Looking for tacos? How about Duck Confit Tacos...sounds delicious! Their salads are also tasty. The Southern Gent has grilled chicken, egg, maple pepper bacon, cucumber, tomato, Gouda, roasted corn, edamame, mixed greens, and their honey mustard seed dressing. The Southern Gent according to my mom and sister in law is amazing! It definitely looked amazing! I decided to get the Blackened Mahi and Pear Sandwich. It was great! It tasted fresh out of a kitchen and the pear slices definitely were not from a can. It was better than I expected, I loved it!

Blackened Mahi and Pear Sandwich

A great experience was definitely had by all 4 of us! The staff and food were great! The waiters were very helpful with the menu and any questions we had. The only question they did not answer was about the different seasonings on the truffle fries. Chefs don't give away their delicious secrets! It was fun to try and figure out the ingredients and seasoning. They also have a gluten free menu, which was awesome because my mom has Celiac Disease. This made RusTeak even better to me.

Edamame is delicious

Update: I recently have gone back several times since my first visit. The truffle fries are still one of my favorite items on their menu; I love that they are a staple. They also have Daily Chef Specials that offer unique dishes (most of the time they are fish, but not always). Their fish entrees are usually pretty good, however, I have had a couple rough experiences lately. I ordered the special on my friend's birthday and it was delicious. But that same night my friend ordered a regular entree including fish and it was not as flavorful as it normally is. She was not impressed with the place and it saddened me because it was her first visit. The second time was after that. I went to dinner with my family and again chose to get one of the chef's specials. This time it was a different fish and included different side items. The meal was overall not anything I would order again. I couldn't finish the fish because it was just too salty. Sometimes chef's are a little too heavy on the salt; this was one of those times. The truffle fries are still really good and I recently tried and was very happy with their Edamame appetizer. To sum it all up, my update is to tell you it was a favorite of mine when I first started going, however, it has now moved down on my list. I really hope they work out some of their kinks that are starting to show because College Park needs a good place.

RusTeak is located in College Park, FL off Edgewater Drive and are open Monday- Saturday 11 am - 11pm. They also have another location in Ocoee, FL. For more information and for a look at their menu (it changes monthly), you can visit their website at: http://www.rusteakwinebar.com/.

Salads are always good! Pictured: House and Southern Gent. Honey Citrus dressing is the way to go!

903 Mills Market- 4.5 Stars

Hidden local gems are my favorite places to find, and 903 Mills Market is definitely one. It is tucked away in a beautiful neighborhood on S. Mills Ave. Whether you choose to plan your visit or just stop by on the fly, it is a great place.

Neighbors are lucky to have this place so close! Right in their backyard, they have a place with great food, beer, and a great view. People say that after you visit once, you will continue to go back again and again. Well, that is definitely true. All it took was once to get me hooked! The first time I went, I fell in love. Now whenever I am planning to go out after a race, bike ride, or just to enjoy a meal out on the weekend, 903 is always an option I throw out!

The 903 Breakfast Bowl is my favorite for breakfast. It is the perfect combination all mixed together: eggs, sausage, potatoes, and cheese, (onions and peppers also included)...mouth watering good! For lunch or even dinner, my favorite go to is now the Johnny Apple Jack Wrap. Hot roasted turkey, bacon, and pepper jack cheese, with sweet apple butter all in a wheat wrap (also comes with caramelized onions), it will bring a smile of happiness to your face! But those are just two of my favs. When it comes to food, they have a plethora of choices for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, depending on your craving. From bagels, to pancakes, to breakfast pizza, or flatbreads, to wraps or sandwiches, to salads, their menu is not disappointing. Their food is delicious.

The staff is also very nice. I have never had a bad experience. I have been when it was pouring outside and when they were busy; the staff both times were nothing but helpful and nice.

If you are looking for a little breakfast stop during the week, brunch with mimosas, a cute place to stop on a bike ride or walk, or maybe you are looking for a place to enjoy a quiet lunch or dinner with friends (and maybe a beer)...903 Mills Market is that place.

It is a great place, just give it a try once. Then like me, you will find yourself going back again and again. It's name is it's address. Your stomach won't be disappointed! Don't forget to tell them Local Girl loves them and sent you.

Johnny Apple Jack Wrap (and a Mimosa)

View of the outside seating area while hiding from the rain. Great stop on a bike ride (even on a rainy day)!

For more information or to check out their delicious menu stop by their website: http://903millsmarketcafe.com/ or you can stop by their page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/903-Mills-Market/62625427520?id=62625427520&sk=info.