Category Archives: Orlando

Jag Cantina

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Considering they’d only been open a few days when we stopped in for a busy father’s day lunch this place is already running very well. The menu is upscale Mexican, and the prices are reasonable for the quality. I love what they’ve done to remodel the interior of this space. It’s not upscale and has a nice modern vibe, and the way it is divided up helps control the noise level.

We started with the guacamole, a generous serving that benefitted from a squeeze of lime and some diablo salsa that we ordered on the side. The diablo isn’t really all that spicy, but added the needed kick.

We also tried the tuna tostadas, which were tasty but very tiny–basically just one bite times three.

For an entree I had the pork enchiladas. They were beautifully plated and very tasty, and came with good cilantro rise and just okay black beans.

We finished with the sopapillas, which were nice and poofy, and served with a hazelnut Serrano sauce. Again, the sauced needed more kick, but was tasty.

Special shoutout for the cocktails. The standard margarita was very good, and the Flor de Don Juan was stellar: a mix of tequila, St. Germaine, and lime.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/jag-cantina-orlando

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

Benjamin French Bakery Cafe

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Forty years ago I had a Thon Baguette (tuna sandwich) in Paris, from a modest sidewalk counter. It was the best tuna sandwich of my life. I’ve been looking for another one ever since.

At last I found it! The one at Benjamin French is absolutely perfect, with fresh baguette that is a bit crusty but tender and not too thick, perfect tuna, delicious mayo (was it French, too?) and thin slice tomato and hard boiled egg that accented rather than overwhelmed.

I also tried the ham and cheese, but it wasn’t the same life-changing experience.

Coffee is good (maybe not Paris good, but good) and I love the French soundtrack.

Service was friendly. I’ll be back!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/benjamin-french-bakery-cafe-orlando

Bokatto Creperie

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This charming little place has friendly service and a wide-ranging menu. You can get everything from ceviche to sandwiches to crepes — both sweet and savory. 

They also have South American specialties such as arepas and pannecooks. I had the Beef Tenderloin Stroganoff Paneccook. It’s a bread bowl filled with tenderloin bites, mushrooms, and a house bechamel sauce that includes three types of melted cheese. Delicious.

I finished with an affogatto: vanilla ice cream with a drizzle of caramel sauce, served with a mini pitcher of espresso to pour over it.

Bokatto is a place with a menu that offers something for just about anyone, so if your group is having a hard time deciding where to get lunch, this is a great choice.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/bokatto-creperie-orlando

The Drake Kitchen & Bar

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We enjoyed a tapas lunch at The Drake. The space is very stylish, there’s a nice variety of small plates and mains, and there are quite a few interesting wines by the glass.

Crab and Spinach Fondutta was essentially a spinach dip with a layer of nicely broiled cheese on top. It was listed as coming with house-made sourdough, but that turned out to be toasted rounds more like crouton consistency. I think I would have enjoyed untoasted sourdough more.

The meatballs came with the same toast. They were good, and the very savory sauce was probably the highlight of everything we had.

The Florida Coast Ceviche was a Peruvian-style ceviche consisting mainly of shrimp and snapper, quite citrusy.

Over all I would say there were no homeruns, but it was a pleasant and quick lunch.

Service was friendly and fast.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/the-drake-kitchen-and-bar-orlando-2

Manzzo Cuisine

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This is a lovely interior design for a restaurant–definitely upscale. Considering that, lunch prices are reasonable. Unfortunately, the food and service don’t live up to that promise.

Service started off weird with an icy greeting from Wednesday Addams at the front desk, who had to disappear to check if our table was ready (note that the restaurant was empty when we arrived at 12:30). Indeed it was. And yet although the restaurant remained sparsely populated throughout our lunch, and despite six front-of-house employees, somehow things seemed ragged and sluggish.

Caesar salads were good, and my wife enjoyed her beef carpaccio, although it was a rather unusual preparation with no oil; but the accompanying rosemary-seasoned toasts were excellent.

Chicken Marsala was pretty much completely flavorless–odd because it looked good, and the sauce had the right consistency, but just nothing going on.

In sum, it was a completely average experience. Perhaps your mileage will vary.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/manzzo-cuisine-windermere

Chi-Kin

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I’m delighted to see that Korean Fried Chicken has reached Orlando, and the west side. The secret to why this chicken is so good is that it’s fried twice–once at a lower temperature, and then again at a higher temperature to create a really crispy exterior.

The chicken is then typically coated with spicy sauce. Chi-Kin offers a wide assortment of sauces, and we liked all of the ones we tried. 

A good way to sample their offerings is the combo meal, a reasonably priced assortment of wings/drums and tenders, plus two sides.

You have your choice of two sauces for both the wings and the tenders, a total of four sauces, but note that the pieces will already be sauced, so you must decide in advance what sauce goes where. We had hot gochu jang, thai chili, buffalo, and yuzu lemon pepper (which is more of a rub).

I think next time I will stick to the tenders, as they are wonderfully moist and crispy on the outside, giving them all the advantages of wings, but you get a lot more meat.

For sides we had the bulgogi fries and the pickled cucumbers (probably the only healthy thing on the menu!)

Service was really friendly and fast. Definitely a place I’ll visit again!

https://www.yelp.com/biz/chi-kin-windermere

Omo by Jont

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How fortunate we are to have this level of restaurant in Orlando now! There was a time when you had to go to New York, Chicago, LA, or, yes, Washington DC, where Omo’s two-star Michelin parent is located, in order to have this type of dining experience. Now we have a wealth of fabulous omakase experiences in Orlando. But Omo isn’t like the other omakases, because it isn’t about sushi and sashimi, like Sorekara or Soseki. It’s closer in concept to Camille, but with the added experience of moving from space to space as you dine.

You begin in the lounge for a series of “snacks” featuring foie gras, wagyu, and caviar. Then you progress to dinner at an L-shaped counter that seats 16.

Each course was a thoughtful and complex construction, meticulously assembled in front of us, and accompanied by a dazzling assortment of dishes, cutlery and yes, one set of chopsticks.

Finally a flurry of sweet bites are served in the dessert room.

The menu offers two levels of dining. We opted for the more elaborate version, The Jaunt. It’s twenty or so courses included many pricey ingredients such as truffles, wagyu, and caviar. At about twice the price, it was an indulgence, but I don’t know that the experience was otherwise significantly different for those who opted for the simpler menu.

There were many stunning dishes, but the one that sticks in my memory was actually an intermezzo of peeled heirloom cherry tomatoes, wasabi, and verbena, served with basil sorbet!

Service was as you would expect from the offspring of a two-star Michelin.

Wine pairings are available, but we opted for a couple of bottles from the excellent wine list.

There is a lot of competition in Orlando now, but I would say that as of this writing Omo is the city’s most spectacular restaurant.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/omo-by-jont-winter-park-9

Kosher Grill

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I had high hopes for this place based upon reviews, but it was just okay.

The concept is a bit odd, as it’s a strange conglomeration of different cuisines, from Middle Eastern to Asian to deli to American.

They were out of my wife’s first choice, so she just had a Caesar salad, which was weirdly sweet, as if they made it with honey mustard dressing.

Given the name, I opted for the falafel and hummus, and both were just okay. If you really want great hummus, falafel, and pitas, it’s only a few minutes to go to Cedar’s on Sand Lake Road, and there’s no comparison.

There isn’t really much atmosphere, just some rows of long tables in a brightly lit storefront. Service was a good team effort.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/kosher-grill-orlando

Vincenzo Cucina Italiana

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We’ve gone to Ciao Italia for many years, so we thought we’d try their sister restaurant, Vincenzo. It’s located in a more visible, tourist-accessible spot, and is in a newer space.

The interior is nicely designed, with an appealing bar, and good acoustic design in the dining room. Lighting levels are pleasant.

The menu is similar, offering classic Southern Italian cuisine. My Shrimp Diavalo appetizer was excellent, and its $20 price quite reasonable for a generous serving. My wife really enjoyed her Fettuccini Alfredo, which was made in the classic butter and parmesan style, rather than inundated in cream sauce.

The wine list is well-considered, and service was pleasant.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/vincenzo-cucina-italiana-orlando