This is a nicely appointed restaurant in the old Keke’s space next to the newly redone Publix in Metrowest. This area has needed a sit-down Mexican restaurant since Taquitos Jalisco closed in the same shopping center more than a decade ago.
The menu is fairly extensive, and offers some authentic preparations such as Pastor, Mole, and even a Molcajete. We tried the queso, the chicken quesadilla, and the pastor tacos. Everything was fine, but seemed rather under seasoned and certainly underspiced. The meal includes complimentary tortilla chips and a very mild salsa.
The standout was the house margarita. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better margarita, even at twice the price.
Lunch pricing seems reasonable.
Our server was probably on her first day, but the kitchen was having no trouble, so I’m sure they’ll do well.
I’ve wanted to try this place for years, but it’s not very close to where I live, so I’m glad I finally got there today. Wow, I’m really impressed. I was misled by the name because I sort of thought it was going to be a tea parlor, but it’s actually a complete cafe with table service, serving delicious sandwiches and desserts in addition to a wide selection of teas and coffees.
I had the Thai dark black coffee, which is sweetened but does not have condensed milk in it. It was served on a crushed ice. Although it was with very strong coffee there was no hint of bitterness – just delicious.
The Gra-Prow chicken sandwich has gotten a lot of praise online, and justifiably so. I think it was the best sandwich I’ve ever tasted. It was done on sourdough bread and pressed in a panini-type press with lots of ridges in it, so that the crust was really crispy – almost like a ruffle potato chip. The filling was a delicious chicken salad with fresh basil, onion, red pepper, mozzarella and spicy basil mayo. Just a fantastic sandwich.
I also had to try the dessert, which is made with toast that reminded me of Japanese milk bread that had been toasted and cut into crouton-sized squares. The version I had was the Queen Bee, which was drizzled with honey, and topped with cookies ‘n cream ice cream and whipped cream. A great way to end the meal.
The service was really friendly, and I absolutely loved the food. I’ll definitely return soon.
What a great addition this is to the downtown Orlando dining scene. Whether you’re going for an à la carte meal or the excellent tasting menus available at both lunch and dinner, this is a refined and complex alternative to a lot of the more pedestrian food available downtown.
The chef here has obviously put a lot of thought into the recipes, and quite a few things were standouts for their sophistication.
– The shrimps ceviche starter was wonderfully balanced with great acidity and just the right amount of seasoning.
– The beets + bees salad is a real standout with generous helpings of multicolored beets, feta cheese, and a delightful vinaigrette dressing.
– The Parmesan pasta could have used a little more seasoning or complexity but was very good if you’re a pasta lover.
– My preference was the extraordinary Wagyu pastrami, which was just as good as it sounds. A spicy rhyme of peppery coating made it perhaps the best pastrami I’ve ever tasted, and since it was Wagyu, the meat itself was extraordinarily tender and flavorful without being fatty or overly rich.
There’s an extensive list of wines with quite a few of them available by the glass.
Service was friendly, and I enjoyed talking with the chef after the meal to discover that it takes a week to make the pastrami and that their bread is delivered fresh every morning. A great experience that I’m sure will return.
Note that Google has this location marked incorrectly on their map. It’s not on the side street, it’s right on Magnolia.
This is definitely an aptly named restaurant since they serve only brunch. But they offer some interesting items, such as ahi tuna nachos or chicken and waffles where the chicken is served in a waffle cone in the shape of a taco. In fact, those are the two items that we had and we loved both of them. The tuna was really high quality, and the chicken and waffles was a great twist on an old favorite.
The interior is a bit divey which can be fun. Although on a nice day, it might be more pleasant to sit outside on the sidewalk where it would be a bit quieter. The first cup of coffee could have been hotter and the service a little more attentive, but all in all, we had a nice time.
I wasn’t expecting table service at this place, so it was a pleasant surprise to experience it and have it be so wonderful. Our server, Helen, was extremely friendly and everything came out lightning fast.
The chili has a strong cinnamon flavor which I like, but not everyone might. I tried the regular coney and also a large Greek salad. I also tried their seasonal special ice cream which has a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg in it. Very intriguing.
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.
This is a very pleasant all-day eatery overlooking the pool of the Melia hotel.
We started with the baked potato skins, which were nicely crisped and amply topped with bacon, cheese, and green onions, and served with a cup of sour cream. Classic pub food.
For our mains we had two specials, the crispy fish sandwich and the quesadilla. Both were good. I particularly liked the salad that came with the sandwich (fries were another option).
There is also an extensive pizza menu (served until late) and a selection of pastas and burgers.
Nicole was a great server. In addition, everyone we encountered from the hotel front desk to the restaurant hostess, to the food runners was very friendly. A nice experience.
Although this place is focused on custom burgers with an assemble-it-yourself side of the menu devoted to creating any combination you want, there are also quite a few other choices. We decided to try the combination ahi and ceviche bowl and one of the flatbreads featuring buffalo chicken and blue cheese crumbles. Both of them were excellent. The space is large and bustling but is nice when the roll-up doors are open into the outside. Service was pleasant.
I was pleasantly surprised by this place. I attended a reunion here with 30-40 guests held in the outside patio area. The servers did an amazing job of keeping up with drink orders and dining orders from individuals as we milled around and eventually sat down to eat. How they kept everyone straight and presented everyone with the correct checks at the end of the meal is beyond me.
The menu tends to be an upscale version of a sports bar menu with a large selection of appetizers and burgers, but also a surprising variety of salads and other dishes. I had the miso Asian salad, which was fantastic, very refreshing and light. Yet a large enough serving to be satisfying.
They also have an extensive selection of beers, including some dark ones that are my favorites. All in all, an excellent experience.
I have mixed feelings about this restaurant. On the one hand, it’s a brilliant concept and it has been very professionally done. On the other hand, about half of the food was not very good.
The themed interior decor is fantastic and will delight families, especially with kids who are fascinated by construction projects or equipment. The menu is one of the best conceived I’ve seen. It’s themed, attractive, and offers pretty much any kind of dish family or sports bar enthusiast could be looking for.
We started with the baked potato skins. The problem here is that they aren’t really baked potato skins. They’re essentially half potatoes with some sort of a cream cheese filling underneath the top more conventional presumably cheddar cheese and I guess bacon bits in there somewhere. They just weren’t potato skins.
For my main course, I had the very reasonably priced classic Cobb salad. It had all the correct ingredients for a Cobb salad, but there was nothing classic about it. As it was just a pile of lettuce with stuff on it. A classic Cobb salad would be served in the traditional rows of ingredients where you can dip and choose amongst them as you wish. But it was fine.
My wife had the chicken tenders, which were served with fries. The tenders were quite good, actually the best thing that we had. They had a delicate and very crisp fine-grained breading on the outside. The fries on the other hand were some of the worst fries I’ve ever been served. They were a huge mound served underneath the chicken. They were only about half cooked and it didn’t seem like the oil had been hot enough. They were heavy, limp, and large, although voluminous.
I don’t want to discourage you from trying this restaurant because I think they’ve put a lot into it, and it has true potential. If the food lives up to the descriptions on the menu and the pictures on the menu, it could be really good. Perhaps we went when the second-string team was on at lunchtime, and we should try it again in the evening. Great concept though.
