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 Not
many can claim to frequent a restaurant that was first established in
1591.
According to the history listed on the menu at Eduardo's Station, this
area of Mount Dora was discovered during an expedition while searching
for the Fountain of Youth for Ponce DeLeon. The captain leading this
search was Don Eduardo Juan Pedro Luis Martin Del Guacamole y Zanhoria,
who named the town after his fiancee, Dorotea - hence, Mount Dora.
The restaurant's construction began immediately, stopping briefly to
celebrate La Virgin de la Grand Playa, which created Eduardo's
long-lived reputation as a "party place." In 1647, Eduardo's son, also
named Eduardo, took over and it became a regular stop on the stage
between Tavares and Sanford. By 1747, Eduardo's Station was well known
for food, drink, parties and the 108-year-old owner.
When rail service commenced in 1898, and later when buses replaced
trains in 1958, Eduardo's continued to be a favorite stop. It was closed
for a period of time and re-opened again in 1990. It remains a popular
restaurant to this day.
Eduardo's Station, located at 100 E. 4th Ave., offers an extensive
dining menu with various libations. Open Sunday - Thursday from 11 AM-10
PM, and Friday and Saturday from 11 AM-11 PM, there is something to
please everyone's appetite - both large and small.
 On
the day we visited, each of us opted for an entree of two Maryland-style
crab cakes served with lettuce and tomato slices. One of us decided on a
side salad and the other chose red beans and rice. A local couple who
said they were "regulars" there, told us that Eduardo's offers the "best
burger in town!"
Among the sixteen appetizers offered are conch fritters with island
dipping sauce, Southwestern egg rolls, cheese fries, Buffalo wings and
chicken tenders. Soups, salads, and chili - all homemade daily - as well
as seafood dinners are available. Several Southwestern specialties
include Eduardo's Famous Ten Layer Dip, which consists of layers of
chicken, flavored ground beef, melted cheese, onions, black olives,
refried beans, green peppers, tomatoes and shredded cheese. This
creation is topped with sour cream and served with a basket of warm
tortilla chips for $8.50.
 Eduardo's
has a sandwich board with such items as smoked turkey or hot pastrami on
rye, grilled yellow fin tuna, and "lite bites" for small appetites.
Their "taco bar" offers all you can eat tacos, salads and soups for only
$7.95 for adults and $3.95 for kids. Fajitas are also offered after 5 PM
with shrimp, scallops or vegetables, served sizzling hot in a cast iron
pan on a bed of tomatoes, onions and peppers.
A unique feature of the building is its "open air" atmosphere, since the
large windows facing the sidewalk remain open most of the time. The
shutters are closed only during inclement weather or late at night.
Eduardo's Station is one of those local restaurants where residents
congregate for good food and conversation. A stop in for lunch will give
you a feeling of being "one of them."
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