Category Archives: Lake Buena Vista

Summer House on the Lake

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We enjoyed our lunch at this bustling restaurant at Disney Springs. The main room is very large and can be quite noisy, but we asked to be seated in the front room near the bar, which was much quieter.

The menu has a lot of appealing options, so it was hard to decide.

We ultimately chose to begin with the ahi tuna tostadas, which were absolutely delicious. The serving size was small for the price, but worth it.

We also had the highly touted cheesy dream puffs, but were disappointed in them. Ours didn’t look much like the pictures I saw online, and there wasn’t much evidence of any cheese. They were certainly not puffy; they were more like somewhat stale Yorkshire pudding. Definitely not dreamy.

For one entree we had the pepperoni pizza, to which we added fresh basil. If you like thin crust pizza, this is a great one, with a slightly charred edge and a very thin crust that stands up well to the delicate sauce and cheese and very flavorful pepperoni.

I also agree with raves about the picnic fried chicken basket. The chicken tenders were beautifully breaded and fried to a crispy crunch with a tender inside, and the piquant barbecue sauce was a great accompaniment. The shoestring fries that came along with it were plentiful and nice and crisp.

Service was attentive, particularly considering how busy the restaurant was. I would definitely go back here.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/summer-house-on-the-lake-lake-buena-vista-2

Ceiba

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The approach to the new Conrad Hotel is not very promising, which makes the experience of stepping into the stunning lobby all the more spectacular, with the resort’s massive water feature spread out before you. The interior finishes are impressive throughout.

Equally stunning is the view from Ceiba, the Modern Mexican restaurant on the eight floor. This is probably the best place to wow out of town visitors, with a better view of Epcot and Magic Kingdom fireworks than anywhere except the Contemporary.

The menu is unique to Orlando: truly modern Mexican cuisine, with some familiar names such as flautas and tacos, but gourmet preparations inside, such as duck confit and braised lamb shank.

We started with the guacamole which, at $29, seemed pricy, but proved to be a generous serving, topped with ample crab meat, and spiced with salmon roe and thin slices of jalapeños. Delicious.

We’d planned on sampling several such botanas, but the serving was so generous that we went straight to entrees. Well, not exactly. My wife selected the Ceviche De Hamachi Verdi as her entree. Again, it was a generous serving of hamachi, but I would argue that it isn’t really a ceviche, as the fish hasn’t really been marinated in citrus, but rather is just served in a verde sauce. It was accurately described on the menu as coming with salsa verde, green apple, serrano, cucumber, and jicama, but I don’t think she’d order it again.

I had the Flautas de Pato, very crispy corn tortilla rolls (really more taquitos, if you will) filled with duck confit, and served with avocado serrano salsa, cabbage, and queso fresco crema. They were delicious, and I could only eat half of them…

…because I was saving room for the Tsokolate, a flourless chocolate sphere filled with dark chocolate mousse, accompanied by an assortment of delicious crumbles and gels. It was wonderful, and plenty for two people to share.

There’s a good wine list and a very extensive tequila list. I tried several interesting and creative cocktails.

Service was top notch. The entire staff was welcoming and attentive, and our server, Christian, was a genuine host, who made the experience special.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/ceiba-orlando-2

Sonny’s BBQ

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They really missed an opportunity when they remodeled this space into a Sonny’s. I use the word “remodeled” loosely, because there really is no decor. I’ve been in warehouses with more ambiance. Perhaps that accounts for it being largely uninhabited on a Friday at lunch hour.

That lack of customers didn’t translate into attentive service, though. It was largely missing as well. I even went searching for our server at one point, and short of going into the kitchen did my best to locate anyone on duty.

The cheese curd appetizer was not recognizable as cheese curds, but it was okay, more like conventional cheese battered and deep-fried. Certainly there was no hint of the dry rub coating, but had it been described differently I would have been perfectly happy with it.

The BBQ food is pretty much Sonny’s standard, which is to say average barbecue with a good assortment of sauces. I had the three-meat combo and was surprised that I found the chicken tenders the best item, of all things. The St. Louis ribs could definitely not be accused of falling off the bone, and were definitely not worth the upcharge. Sonny’s baked beans are good, though, as is the coleslaw slaw.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sonnys-bbq-orlando-8

Amor y Chile Mexican Food

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There are three Mexican restaurants within a few blocks of each other in Lake Buena Vista, and each has their pluses and minuses. If you’re looking for margaritas, go to El Patron. If you want very Americanized food, go to San Joses. But if you want authentic Mexican food, the Amor y Chile is your best bet.

The emphasis here is on traditional recipes such as molcajetes and Al Pastor. The tamales come in a corn husk, and the guacamole is obviously home made, with big chunks of avocado.

It’s a nice touch that complimentary, house-made chips are served with three sauces: green, red, and super spicy.

The place won’t win an award for atmosphere, but service is pleasant and the food is satisfying.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/amor-y-chile-mexican-food-orlando

San Jose’s Original Mexican Restaurant

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There are quite a few San Jose’s in the area, but this one is definitely better than the others. It serves an extensive menu typical of American Mexican restaurants, so there isn’t really much in the way of authentic Mexican food, but it will seem familiar. 

There isn’t much in the way of acoustic treatment, so it can be quite noisy, even when not at capacity.

Note that the top shelf maragarita is made with a lot of orange juice, which is rather odd, so if you want a more traditional margarita maybe go with the house margarita.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/san-jose-s-original-mexican-restaurant-orlando

Torchy’s Tacos

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Nice location for this chain. Counter ordering with table service. There’s a large outdoor area here, in addition to the indoor “garage” feel.

Our go-to starter is the Threesome, a combination of fairly spicy green chile queso, guacamole, and red or green salsa.

My favorite tacos are Mr. Orange (salmon), and Hellfire (jerk pork plus a really spicy dipping sauce).

Staff is pleasant and the service is fairly quick.

Unusual for counter service places, they have margaritas and other spirits.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/torchys-tacos-orlando

Paris Bánh Mí Kissimmee

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This counter-serve place is light and airy, with nice seating and a great vibe.

My Grilled Pork Banh Mi was as good as any I’ve ever had. The secret to a great banh mi is great bread, and this baguette was fresh, yet crusty, and filled with crisp veggies. The sauce and pork were spot on, and there was plenty of cilantro and jalapeno. Just a terrific sandwich.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/paris-bánh-mí-kissimmee-kissimmee-2