what do I know

The adventure to find really great Chinese food in Brevard has come to an end for my wife and me. Yen Yen Chinese Restaurant uses some of the best ingredients and has one of most diverse menus we’ve found yet. We always try to find other Chinese places that compare but we never can. Whenever we find our way back, we always remember why we drive 30 minutes for good Chinese food. During the week Yen Yen’s offers lunch specials and on the weekend they offer early bird, so no matter what time during the week, you can find price breaks on their menu. Unfortunately their dinner menu is a little steeper than what my wife and I are used to paying for Chinese food. That being said, it’s definitely worth it and if you order during the right time the pricing isn’t bad.

This time around we went on a weekend and got the early bird special. We started with the Crab and Corn soup (~$4) and a couple egg rolls (~$3 each). The soup is an egg drop soup with tender chunks of fresh crab meat and sweet corn. The egg rolls had huge chunks of shrimp and pork and were fried perfectly, not burnt or dry like you’ll get sometimes at other places. For our meals, we ordered the Shelly Chicken (~$9) and the Hunan Lamb (~$9); both came with a choice of fried or white rice. The Shelly Chicken is thin strips of chicken fried and then stir-fried with an extremely sweet ginger-like sauce, broccoli, and celery strips. In fact, the chicken is so sweet it’s almost like eating dessert without getting a sugar overload. Definitely an amazing alternative to a sweet and sour or honey garlic chicken. The Hunan Lamb was just spicy enough (and I like spicy food) and came with peppers, onions, and jalapeños in a brown pepper sauce. One of the nicest things about Yen Yen’s is their tea selection. They charge per the pot ($2.50) and only have a few choices, but one of those choices is Chrysanthemum tea (they also have green and jasmine). I rarely find Chrysanthemum tea when I go out so it was nice to finally enjoy a pot. To finish the meal with something sweet, we ordered some Almond cookies (~$2).

I can’t emphasize enough the great quality of the food served at Yen Yen’s. The atmosphere is great, the staff is very attentive, and the food is always hot (virtually steaming right from the pan). I’d recommend Yen Yen Chinese Restaurant as the best Chinese food in Brevard. If anyone knows a better place, please let me know, so I can try it out and prove you wrong.

Yen Yen Chinese Restaurant is located in Cocoa Beach at 2 N. Atlantic Ave., Cocoa Beach, FL.

On Sunday, my wife and I were coming back from the mall and decided to drive towards the coast to find a local place to eat. We found the Sunset Waterfront Grille and Bar just east of the Banana River on SR 520 and figured we’d give it a shot. The restaurant has a huge outdoor bar and dining area (as well as a small indoor dining area). The view is amazing. There are plenty of folks pulling their boats up and grabbing a beer. The vibe of the restaurant reminded me of a few places we used to go to in Fort Lauderdale, that were on the water, that we really enjoyed. The menu was your average bar and grill menu with a focus on seafood. Entrees averaged about $16 a plate with most of the fish selections priced around $18 (ahi tuna, mahi, grouper, etc).

We ordered the Steak Caesar sandwich with cheese (~$11) and the crab cake sandwich (~$9). Both meals came with coleslaw and a pickle. The steak was really thin and fatty and the Caesar Salad that it was topped with had a lot of dressing. I could tell that the crab cake was fried in oil that was too hot; the outside was dark and crispy but the inside was mush. Both also came on soggy buttered buns. The staff was cordial and we got our food really quickly, but I wish they had taken a little more time in preparing it.

Overall the view was really great, but I don’t think we’ll be back because of the quality of the food. The prices seemed a little high too, considering that there are great, and reasonably priced, restaurants in the Brevard area for seafood. If you want a great view of the river, you can give it a shot, but I didn’t care for it.

Sunset Waterfront Grille and Bar is located at 500 W Cocoa Beach Cswy, Cocoa Beach, FL.

This past weekend, my family came to visit and my wife and I found ourselves doing what we do every time someone comes to town … we take them Slow and Low Bar-B-Que. We must go to Slow and Low at least once a month, especially when we have people visiting us. I own 3 of their large beer glasses and am a big fan of the Slater’s Way beer they keep on tap (~$4 for refills). They have a few other beers on tap (Bass, Guiness, etc.) as well as some decent bottles and a full liquor bar. The restaurant itself is split into 3: one part outdoor bar, one part indoor restaurant, and one part night club. Food is served at the bar and inside and the staff are accommodating and helpful.

This time around we went during early bird, but as usual, we ordered quite a bit of food. To start we got the foot long order of onion rings (~$7) with the tiger and raspberry sauces and the BBQ Nachos (~$7). The onion rings are beer battered and the nachos are topped with a mix of pulled pork, green pepper, onion, and the sweet sauce along with lettuce, tomato, red onion, cheese and fried jalapenos (these are amazing). From there all of us ordered what Slow and Low is known for, their pulled pork plate (~$7). The early bird special comes with 2 sides and your choice of corn bread or garlic toast. I got the corn bread, the turnip greens, and the fried sweet potatoes. These are by far my favorite, but they also have great fried okra, fries, beans, and baked sweet potato. If you’re looking for other great alternatives, check out the beef platter(~$9) or the baby back ribs (~$13 for 1/2 rack). The sandwiches are more cost effective options as well, but they only come with one side. If you are still undecided, stick with the pork, you can’t lose.

We always get our food really fast, but sometimes I do wish it was a little warmer. We’ve been when they’re really busy and when they’re not, and the food has never really been hot. I don’t know a lot about BBQ, but I know they smoke everything, so maybe that’s the reason for it. Whatever the case, it doesn’t detract from the quality of the food. In fact, the only thing we don’t order is dessert; we’ve never been able to make it that far into the meal and still have room.

Long story, short, if you’re looking for a great BBQ joint with a great atmosphere and some good beers on tap, look no further than Slow and Low Bar-B-Que. Good food at good prices.

Slow and Low Bar-B-Que Bar and Grill is located at 306 N Orlando Ave Cocoa Beach, FL 32931.