Welcome to Back to Basics, where we classy ladies try to establish just how basic one can be in the Orlando area. Each month, we’ll be taking on a new theme, and we’ll be searching for the best in basic trends. We’ve all heard some of the most recent popular foodie trends: charcoal, galaxy and unicorn as well as familiar classics such as pumpkin spice and peppermint. We hope we can inspire the rest of the Nonahood to embrace their inner basic.
Now that it’s fall, where else would be the best place to start our November basic journey than the basic capital of people everywhere: Starbucks! The coffee joint is known for their coining of the famous Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL for short) and a variety of other fall favorites that keep customers coming back for more annually!
Order: Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte, Maple Pecan Latte, Salted Caramel Mocha, Caramel Macchiato with Pumpkin Syrup, Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Muffin, Pumpkin Loaf, and a Sugar Skull Cookie.
Place: Starbucks Lake Nona
Final Review Nicole: From the first sip of the Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte (PSCL), I immediately pictured myself with crisp, auburn leaves floating around me. If only that could actually happen here in Florida! The PSCL is sweet, but the chai compliments the pumpkin so well. If you like spice, this is a must! Think of fall, and the PSCL is literally all things autumn in a cup. I can’t complain. I don’t think I’ve ever ordered food from Starbucks, but with the many pumpkin pastries they had to offer, I couldn’t pass it up. I ordered the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin, and wow, it was delicious! The little bit of cream cheese in the center paired well with the spice of the pumpkin bread. After all this, I’m somehow still craving pumpkin. Van and I shared a Salted Caramel Mocha, and neither one of us was really a fan. I absolutely love salted caramel, but this was subpar. I felt the mocha completely overpowered the caramel, and it was just thick. Imagine a hot chocolate but not as good. If you’re wondering if I got Zar a pupaccino, I didn’t. He’s on doggo probation, but Zar is the most basic pup out there. He knows those signature white cups. Don’t worry, he got one the following day, though. He always gives them a 10/10.
Final Review Vanessa: Out of all the drinks, the Maple Pecan Latte is probably my favorite. The latte is sweet but not overpowering. The coffee is complimented by notes of sweet maple and rich pecan, and the crunchy topping adds the whole fall vibe that the coffee has. The Salted Caramel Mocha was probably my least favorite of the trip; the taste was a bit too heavy for me and was like drinking hot chocolate instead of coffee. My second favorite is the Caramel Macchiato with Pumpkin Syrup. The unique thing about this drink is not only is it NOT on the menu, but it comes in a beautiful ombre of fall colors, creating a gradient from the deep brown of the espresso, to the soft orange of the pumpkin syrup at the bottom. The trick for this drink is ordering an iced Caramel Macchiato and replacing the vanilla syrup that usually comes in the drink with pumpkin syrup instead. It’s incredibly sweet but is a wonderful treat for those warmer Florida autumn afternoons. I had a definite sugar high after this trip, though.
Taste: 8/10
Aesthetic: 6/10 (generic Starbucks vibes)
Environment: 9/10 (good vibes)
Price: 10/10 (everything we ordered cost us less than $20)
Proximity to Nonahood: 10/10! (It’s within walking distance for some of us!)
Order: Autumn Melt Classic, Autumn Melt Vegan, and Truffle Fries
Place: Toasted Lake Nona
Final Review Nicole: For starters, whenever I come to Toasted, I always order the Truffle Fries. They are just too good to pass up! The fresh rosemary breaks up the bleak color. As soon as they bring the fries to the table, the truffle aroma smacks my senses, and my mouth immediately begins to water. I will always recommend truffle fries. As for the Autumn Melt, all of the components harmonize blissfully together. The fresh granny smith apples, the pumpkin paste and the dried cranberries bring the sweet aspect, which cuts the savory cheddar cheese and applewood smoked bacon. My tastebuds were so satisfied! The vegan version of the Autumn Melt was pretty good as well, but I love my bacon too much to say that it was better. The vegan version was a little too sweet for my taste because it lacked the bacon to break it up a bit. They were very generous with the pumpkin paste. I wasn’t expecting my first bite to ooze with the pumpkin, but I didn’t necessarily mind it. I could just do with less next time. The pumpkin paste is pretty much applesauce, but replace the obvious.
Final Review Vanessa: Going to Toasted is always a worthwhile experience. The sandwiches are always great, the service is quick, and the atmosphere is always fun and lively. These fall-themed sandwiches were no different. The flavors of pumpkin, apple, cranberry, and gooey cheese sing a melody all their own, which is a fall staple for sure. My personal favorite was the the Vegan Autumn Melt. I’m not much of a bacon person (sorry, Nicole), so the vegan sandwich provided an option for those of us who like to enjoy the fall flavors without the meat. The Classic Autumn Melt was tasty, but for me, the bacon took too much focus off of the warm pumpkin and apples, which is what I had been looking forward to most. The Truffle Fries will reign supreme out of the three dishes, though; truffle and rosemary and the soft crunch of the fry are music to my ears.
Taste: 9/10
Aesthetic: 8/10
Environment: 10/10 (cheese grater lights anyone?)
Price: 6/10 (the sandwiches can be a little pricy)
Proximity to Nonahood: 10/10! (Toasted is located just off of Narcoossee Road, which makes it an easy place to access for most people in the Nonahood.)
Order: Pumpkin Almond Boba
Place: Chibi’s Boba
Final Review Nicole: So we’re back – and honestly I’m hoping Back to Basics brings me to Chibi’s every single time. This off-the-menu item is perfect for the season as it’s still a cold drink for us Floridians who don’t really experience a true autumn. The pumpkin and almond complement each other so perfectly. It’s sweet, but imagine pumpkin and almond milk thrown in with whipped cream. That’s a fall festival in a cup! The owner recommended we try it slushed instead of iced, so of course we obliged. For someone who normally doesn’t stray away from her favorite items, this was worth the change.
Final Review Vanessa: This drink is totally unique and all its own. Because this drink isn’t on the official menu, you have to ask for it specifically, and you totally should make the effort to do so. The flavor is much more almond than pumpkin, and the flavor floats on your tongue like an almond pillow cookie. Boba itself isn’t too heavy, and the tea is sweet enough without being overpowering. The drink should DEFINITELY be made slushed and noticed, the cold of the frozen almond and pumpkin flavors combine together in a beautiful melody. I would definitely consider this to be a welcome change from the normal pumpkin and almond flavors in most of the fall drinks we see.
Taste: 9/10
Aesthetic: 7/10
Environment: 9/10 (if you enjoy anime, this is your scene!)
Price: 6.5/10
Proximity to Nonahood: 8/10 (the drive to Lee Vista isn’t terrible from the Nonahood)
Order: Turkey Cranberry Flatbread, Autumn Squash Soup, and a Pumpkin Sugar Cookie
Place: Panera Bread
Final Review Nicole: I’m a huge soup and butternut squash fan, especially when it gets a bit cooler, so this is the perfect combination for me. The soup comes garnished with a pinch of pumpkin seeds, and the orange color is ideal for the autumn season. The soup is thick, rich and creamy, which I love. Sometimes, soups can be too runny. The crunch of the pumpkin seeds help add texture to the bite. As usual, Panera provides a small baguette to dip into the soup, which is a nice addition as well. As for the cookie, I didn’t like it. I’m not a sugar cookie fan, and it wasn’t pumpkin flavored or anything.
Final Review Vanessa: For this order, we got a “You Pick Two,” so Nicole took the soup and I took the sandwich. This sandwich has been a fall staple for me for the past few years. The sweetness of the cranberry and the savory flavor of the turkey bring back warm memories of Thanksgiving with the family, all wrapped up in a flatbread blanket. The warm melted cheese and crisp spinach create a beautiful combination of fall flavors that are incredibly pleasing to the palate. The sandwich is filling and a wonderful lunch. The cookie was decent, but not my favorite.
Taste: 8/10
Aesthetic: 6/10
Environment: 7.5/10
Price: 5/10
Proximity to Nonahood: 10/10 (right off of Narcoossee!)
Additional Fall Flavors (that we didn’t indulge in):
Nona Blue: Pumpkin Cheesecake
PDQ: Apple Pie Milkshake
Jeremiah’s Italian Ice: Pumpkin Pie Gelati
Menchie’s: Pumpkin Frozen Yogurt
310 Nona: Octoberfest Beer, Pumpkin Pie Martini
Chroma: Pumpkin Cheesecake
Canvas: Pumpkin Spice Latte, Pumpkin Cupcake, Pumpkin and Cream Cheese Cake Roll
Sweet Mama’s: Pumpkin Muffin, Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
407 Cafe: Pumpkin Pie Gelato
Pig Floyd’s: Apple Cider once mango cider on tap runs out
Tag along with us girls next month when we feature some of your favorite wintery classics and Nicole’s favorite flavor, peppermint, as well as chestnut, eggnog and gingerbread (because what’s more basic than that?).
