Third Culture Kitchen — Restaurant in Titusville

So Third Culture Kitchen in Titusville.... I typically give a place about three additional chances after a poor experience. When it comes to Third Culture I think I'm on seven or eight. I really want to like them. The concept is good. The menu is good. The food/execution is just terrible. Today's lunch items selected were my bf's steak chimichurri street tacos, and I chose the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl. I don't even know where to start.... Steak pieces, huge and chewy and not sensible for a taco. "toppings" all placed under the steak so the pickled onions, salsa verde, and chimichurri sauce were directly on the tortillas causing them to turn to mush and completely fall apart - mind you its two corn tortillas and it soaked through both. I'm sorry but building a taco is not that difficult. And it's called a "topping" for a reason. Side was black beans and rice and the beans were nearly raw. Maybe someone soaked them in warm water and never bothered to cook them. Uncooked canned beans are softer. For mine, the tuna bowl was supposed to have carrots, house-made pickles, watermelon radishes, boiled egg, avocado spread and fried nori. My carrots were so dry and discolored I'd estimate they'd been sitting since Monday or Tuesday. The radishes are over 2 weeks old, brown and discolored, inconsistent size slices, kind of like chewing a piece of leather, the hard-boiled egg was overcooked and the yolk was completely grey, and the "avocado spread" was 100% that squeeze package stuff that comes from Sysco and is full of nothing but citric acid. It was the consistency of baby food and beyond sour. My tuna slices were so full of silver skin I couldn't cut them with a steak knife. At that point I wondered how old the tuna was and decided its not worth getting sick. Past experiences have been similar. We've tried 5 times to get their pork sandwich. The last time we even asked them to leave the salsa and the avocado crema on the side and even then the bread is so soggy it just turns to mush. At this point I am completely done. Which is unfortunate because the pickled cucumbers are really good.

Allll of that said, I am aware that food costs have sky-rocketed and that restaurants are having to make tough decisions behind the scenes. But, my cost reflects their increased expenses and the quality is just not there. Increased costs for them that doesn't mean it's ok to serve old food, if your going to sell "Avocado Spread" try using an avocado. Increased costs doesn't mean don't bother to actually cook the black beans, AND I've been attempting these multiple trips there since pre-pandemic so this is over the course of three years.

Their mission on their website says: Third Culture Kitchen is the meeting place between the culture of our families, our homes, and the global community. There is no strain to find “authenticity” in our house, If it tastes good and feels right, it goes. Here, curiosity and combination are king. The only measure of success at Third Culture Kitchen is if we turn you on to something new, leave you satisfied, and make some great memories together.

Mission absolutely not...

To say we ordered everything on the menu is an understatement - We literally ordered EVERY [meatless] small plate on the menu - and each one was more delicious than the next.

We ate here on a weeknight at 5:00 and it was already getting busy. I'd imagine this is the nicest restaurant in Titusville (prove me wrong if you are so inclined). BTW, we are NOT old people eating at 5pm, we were just hungry at that time! :)

The building is so cute and clean and pleasing. FREE parking around the back. There is beautiful outdoor seating, but it was too windy so we sat inside; beautiful decor and super clean.

Our server was the best (receipt said his name was William G). He was so great and when we first arrived, he was the only server we could see, yet that didn't deter him from giving everyone attention. He was fantastic. As it got really busy, there were more servers, all attentive.

I will attach a photo of everything we ordered. The spring rolls were hot and delicious, and the bread - OMG - it is butter/salted bread or something like that - and came out warm, soft and wonderful (I'm a bread person). I can't possibly remember everything we ordered, but look at my photo and you'll see. NOTHING was bad - it was all so good and we really, really enjoyed our meal here. Good place, good food, good service.

I don't drink, so I can't comment on the Margarita other than it was cute. And all the drinks coming out to other customers were really pretty. My friend had not one, but TWO, Margaritas and it was fun how they put the pepper in it. She said they were delicious which is why she got a second one. $10.

For dessert, we had an amazing flan. It was small, but rich and delicious and enough for 2 to share without getting a full-on sugar high.

I have passed this place a million times looking for something other than fast food in Titusville, but I didn't understand what type of restaurant it was. There is something for everyone - including vegan and vegetarians (us). Next time we will get a full meal rather than just small plates - we just wanted to try everything.

I attached my receipt so the dishes in my picture can be identified. Trust me on this - get that butter/salt bread - looks like normal bread, but it was out of this world. What makes that bread SO good?

The meals are a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. And, I didn't find the small plates pricey at all. This is a gourmet place!

Go here, trust me! Don't keep driving by...

Third Culture Kitchen 1000 Cheney Hwy., Titusville, FL 32780

4 Stars

Knowing a thing or two about the culinary families of the tri-county area, I knew that the owners of my next visit, Third Culture Kitchen, were the same consortium who own Vine & Olive, another 4-Star Titusville restaurant. The same thing that kept Vine & Olive from 5 Stars is also present here. That would be cheap, low-grade ingredients. There is no mistake that these chefs understand flavor and execution. The food is outstandingly full of complex flavors all intertwined to present the palate with a dining experience seldom available in Titusville.

Chevelle is the waiter, and not only can this kid read people well, but he comes off as highly intelligent. When I ask a server if they want a 30% tip or a 10% tip, they always look at me funny. Like, what idiot would say 10%? They all want 30%, of course. “Great,” I say, “I need you to box my food, please.” This is inevitably met with, “Well, I can bring you some boxes...” “So,” I reply, “10% then?” They then box my food. I actually gave Chevelle a 50% tip for being so quick on his feet. Kudos, dude!

I digress, back to the task at hand. I am always leery of a place that is “over-menu-ed”. Thai? Tex-Mex? A newly expanded Greek section? American? Only one restaurant in the country can pull this off and this ain't it. As suspicious as I am of Greek food, as I know what a slippery slope that can be, I stuck with South East Asian fare. I asked Chevelle for one order of 3 Pork Belly Bao and one Creamy Coconut Shrimp Bowl.

To break the monotony a bit, I decided to review this in a widdershins way. To that end, I first dug into the Creamy Coconut Shrimp Bowl and then sampled the Pork Belly Bao. The Creamy Coconut Shrimp Bowl was a handful of frozen cocktail shrimp tossed in their house-made coconut sauce. I have to say, this coconut sauce is outstanding. The flavors pop on the palate. The Pork Belly Bao was unique in that it was made with the Latin-influenced escabeche along with some house-made pickles for a more traditional flavor. Again, this dish was magnificently flavored. If it wasn't for the frozen cocktail shrimp and Dandee Bao, this would be 5 Star all the way.

The Big Boy says, “Flavors and execution are spot on. Just wait for the Sysco...