X Sushi

High end sushi dining in Ocoee! Who would have thought?

The first thing you notice walking into X is the stunning decor, including a custom build-out, fanciful hanging lights, and bold artwork covering most of one wall.

There are an assortment of tables sizes, all elegantly set. Surprisingly, although sushi is prepared at an open counter, there is no sushi bar seating.

The quality of the fish here is what it’s all about. The menu claims it is all from the Tokyo Seafood Market, and that’s easy to believe. The Sashimi Moriawase selections were as good as any I’ve had in Orlando’s high-end expensive sushi restaurants.

Speaking of expensive, that fish comes at a cost, of course. Whether there is a market for food at this level in Ocoee is a question, but I hope so. You won’t find better.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/x-sushi-winter-garden-2

Victoria & Albert’s

Victoria & Alberts continues to be one of the best restaurants in Central Florida, despite all of the new competition we have been blessed with. Part of the reason is that new chefs have brought new ideas from all over the world, including Copenhagen and South America.

The chef’s table continues to be the most exclusive experience in Florida fine dining, with great views of the kitchen, and personal interaction with the chefs and servers.

So why doesn’t Victoria and Alberts have Michelin stars? Orlando paid for Michelin to rate its restaurants, and Walt Disney World is not in the city of Orlando.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/victoria-and-alberts-orlando-4

Corfu Greek Restaurant

This family-run restaurant offers a full range of Greek foods along with some Italian options. I love the interior, which has really cool booths that look like they are from a classic diner.

Both the Gyro Platter and Chicken Kabobs were generous servings and delicious.

Friendly service.

Sushi Storm

This is a nice interior and good service. There’s a good mix of standard sushi offerings, and Thai food. I found things tend to be a bit on the sweet side, through the use of a lot of Thai chili sauce, even in the spicy tuna roll and tuna tower. The Pad Thai was also was fairly sweet, and could’ve used a squeeze the lime, but I enjoyed it.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/sushi-storm-clermont-5

The Grove

Top-notch service and wonderfully creative food are the highlights here, surely one of the best restaurants New Zealand has to offer.

I’ve had many wine-pairing dinners, but the matches here were absolutely stellar, perhaps the best I’ve ever encountered. Great hospitality by the owner and the entire staff.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-grove-auckland-2

De La Vega

This is an interesting tapas concept because instead of Spanish food, the emphasis is on Latin food. We started with a delicious red sangria, and then proceeded to try a number of the different tapas appetizers, never making our way to the entrée section of the menu.

The Asparinas were a great way to start, and were offered free for checking in on Yelp! We tried the empanadas, and had half chicken/half cheese; both were good.

The Chicken Molé Rice Balls were also very good, with a complex Molé sauce that wasn’t too sweet. 

The Ajito de Pescado was my favorite, with flavors of freshly cooked fish and veggies.

Excellent and friendly service. During temperate weather, it would be great to sit out on the sidewalk.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/de-la-vega-deland-de-land