2203 Aloma Ave.
Winter Park, FL 32789
407- 672-575
A little background on Tibby’s…..
Tibby’s is the brainchild of the same people who brought you Tijuana Flats. So when you walk into the restaurant it has a feel of Tijuana Flats in a sense.
There are bright paintings of Mardi Gras dancers, lively people and musicians as well as actual pictures of New Orleans and the streets which make it famous.
All of this is accompanied with lively jazz music playing in the background that one might expect to hear in the French Quarter. There’s even a large door hanging on the wall that is an actual piece from Hurricane Katrina complete with spray paint from a search team.
Here is a little more about Tibby…..
(From Tibbby’s Website)
“Tibby would brag of his plans if the Saints ever made the Super Bowl: “Breakfast would be beignets at Cafe du Monde at the French Market & then a two-block walk for Bloody Marys at the Court of Two Sisters. Catch a Mardi Gras parade on Canal Street & grab an oyster po-boy at Johnny’s in the Quarter. I would then stroll over to the Superdome parking lot for tailgating & enjoy an early dinner at Galatoire’s. Taste some Hurricanes at Pat O’Brien’s & then watch the Saints win the Super Bowl at the Old Absinthe House. I would head back to Canal Street for another parade & then close out the night on Bourbon Street. After the celebration, I would sleep all day on Monday.”
Tibby lived to be 93.
He was an uncle who would share his stories & share his love. We created this place in his honor”
The main difference aside from the food and overall atmosphere here and at Tijuana Flats is that this is not a “Walk Up and Order” type of place…Tibby’s is a “Wait to be Seated” style establishment where you are waited on.
We decided to kick off our New Orleans experience the right way with Craw Fish Remoulade…and it was quite tasty indeed!!
Tibby’s craw fish remoulade is simple lightly fried craw fish served over a bed of lettuce & topped with a darn good remoulade sauce served in a large Schooner glass with forks.
(If you never had Craw Fish before….think of a Shrimp texture and taste..but a little more meatier!!)
We decided to wash our food down with some of the craft beers they have on tap. The first beer was similar to an Amberbach or an Irish Red…a dark brew with a carmel and slightly nutty flavor..It was very good.
The second brew we tried was the Raspberry Ale…wooo..Pucker UP sweetie…its good..but the Raspberry is very strong in this one.
What makes all the beers extra good is the fact that they come in what is called a “Schooner” type of glass. Its basically a really big goblet, but the Schooners are frozen before serving so as to keep your brew extra cold!! On to the main course..
First I had the…let me spell it out for you….A (MUF-FU-LE T-TA) The Muffuletta is a traditional style New Orleans sandwich much like the Po’Boy is. It is made from Genoa salami, hard salami, sweet ham, provolone & mozzarella cheeses topped with Gambino’s olive salad & served on true New Orleans bread.
Having never had one before it may seem a little harsh…but this was NOT a good sandwich. It was super duper salty.
You can order it by the half or by the whole..and I was glad I ordered the half.
I don’t know if this sandwich is supposed be salty or not..So I can’t honestly tell you what to think about it. But it was way too salty for my tastes. I even tried removing some of the ham….not much help!!
I decided to try a side of the New Orleans Potato Salad Mixture just because I was curious form reading the menu. It consists of potatoes, eggs, bacon, sausage, olives, pickles & onions.—That sounds very interesting..so I could not resist, and I must say it was well worth the adventure.
It sounds a little weird….especially if you are used to a southern style of potato salad, but all the ingredients work out very well for a great taste and texture to boot!!
My husband went with the Shrimp & Andouille Cheddar Grits. For $13.00 you get some succulent sautéed shrimp, andouille sausage & sweet onions over cheese grits and they finish it off with a red wine gravy.
If that was all it was that would be fine with me…but wait theres more…It comes with some good old Cajun andouille sausage and then the whole dish is drizzled with a delicious red wine gravy sauce. Man was that good.
The dish is however very rich in flavor and very filling. After eating about half of the bowl my wife had to call it quits. Grits by themselves can be quite filling. I would recommend this dish to anybody and would order it my self!
Finally…..YOU CAN NOT GO TO TIBBY’S AND NOT TRY THE BEIGNETS!!
Beignets are the official state doughnut of Louisiana. It is a little square pocket type of pastry that is deep fried & loaded with powdered sugar.
A single serving (three per order) for $2.75 is enough for 2…especially after eating such rich meals, but if you insist you can order them family style which is seven per order for $5.00.
As you can imagine—FRIED–PASTRY DOUGH–SUGAR—enough said… and these things melt in your mouth!!!
All in all we definitely return to Tibby’s. Maybe next time I will go for a Po’boy of some sort and my wife will try the Chicken Pontchartrain.
There is something for everyone at Tibby’s even if you dont like crawfish. From salads to sandwiches..from wings to seafood…you are sure to find something you will like.
As the saying goes…Laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll )