Category Archives: Orlando

Black Rock Bar & Grill

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**** (4 stars)

This place is the latest incarnation of a space that has had a lot of turnover since it was what we called “Naughty Perkins” during Tiger Wood’s escapades. This latest tenant looks to have a better chance of survival… if they make a few adjustments.

The concept here is hot rock cooking, where you prepare your own meat on a 750 degree rock. Although some reviewers have treated this as a revolutionary concept, there has, in fact, been a place in Orlando that’s been doing a fantastic job of this for more than two decades. It’s Colorado Fondue Company in Casselberry. And Black Rock Bar & Grill has a long way to go before they’re as good as that place.

Nevertheless, they have an extensive menu, with some interesting salads and sandwiches in addition to the hot rock meals. That’s a good thing, because one of the problems here is that there are no economical lunch offerings. That’s because there is no lunch menu. With hot rock entrees at $24 and up, that’s a non-starter.  But salads and burgers are $11 and up, which is also on the high side for lunch.

The other problem is training. Our server had a significant language barrier, and half of our party’s order was wrong in one way or another. I’m sure it could all have been corrected, but it had already taken more than a half hour to get our meals, so it wasn’t worth it. And at lunch time the restaurant was far from full, so there’s some work to be done in the kitchen, too.

All that said, I really liked my Ahi tuna salad. The Ahi had a crunchy (but not spicy) coating of crushed wasabi peas, and the asian dressing was excellent.

“Black rock sauce,” whatever that is, came on several sandwiches. Although quite salty, it was delicious, and seemed to be a variation on Hollandaise.

The fries, which are battered, are also delicious.

Until some changes are made (namely, a lunch menu) I probably wouldn’t return for lunch. But it’s worth investigating the hot rock cooking at dinner, as that can be quite a fun activity.

Black Rock Bar & Grill
8965 Conroy Windermere Rd
Orlando, FL 32819

http://www.yelp.com/biz/black-rock-bar-and-grill-orlando

Zoës Kitchen

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***** (5 stars)

This might be my new favorite quick serve restaurant. It’s amazing that this store has only been open a short time, because they really have their act together. Both the service and the food are exemplary.

I had the salmon kebabs, which were extremely high quality, and served with a large Greek salad, some hummus and a few pita wedges. Everything was freshly prepared and delicious.

Each member of our party tried something different, and we all enjoyed our food, but I think I made the best choice–although slightly more expensive, it was a lot of very high quality food for the money.

The interior decor is quite pleasant, and the staff is really engaged with their guests. My only negative comment is that parking is extremely difficult; it was a problem even before they built this new building, so I’m not sure what the plan was, but I suggest you arrive before lunch time.

Zoës Kitchen
7341 W Sand Lake Rd
Ste 1081
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 730-5022
http://www.yelp.com/biz/zo%C3%ABs-kitchen-orlando-2

Sofrito Latin Cafe

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***** (5 stars)

This is a terrific pan-Latin restaurant that is a whole lot better than it needs to be in the tourist corridor. In fact, it’s probably the best Latin restaurant in town. (Just to clarify, it is NOT Latin fusion, which would combine the cuisines of different countries; instead, they offer different foods from many Latin countries.)

Although it’s a quick serve concept where you order at the counter and food is delivered to the table, the service is exceptional. The staff is clearly enthusiastic about their food, and is welcoming and anxious to explain the menu, and to promote their favorite items.

My favorite items were the Pandebono, a round, cheesy, and slightly sweet Colombian bread, and the Cachapa, a Venezuelan sweet corn pancake filled with white cheese and (in my case) beef. Both were a complex combination of savory and sweet flavors, with both crisp and chewy textures. I’ve never had a better Chachapa.

I also enjoyed the Venezuelan empanada, although it didn’t have a lot of filling. I was less enthusiastic about the Mini Cheese Tequeños, which were cheese filled pastry rolls without a lot of flavor.  

There are a number of interesting beers on tap, South American soft drinks, and excellent Cuban coffee.

If you’re visiting and looking for something non-touristy and a bit different, this is a great choice. And if you’re a local, it’s worth the drive to Lake Buena Vista to get your Latin food fix.

Sofrito Latin Cafe
8607 Palm Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32836
(407) 778-4205
http://www.yelp.com/biz/sofrito-latin-cafe-orlando

Pincho Factory

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**** (4 stars)

Twenty minutes is too long to stand in a ten-person line at a counter service restaurant. Yet although that was the consistent wait time throughout lunch hour, the manager never saw fit to open the second of two registers. Perhaps the kitchen couldn’t have kept up, but if so, then there are some serious design flaws, because it wasn’t for lack of staff.

That said, it only took about ten minutes for them to make the food, once it was ordered, and what we were served was quite good. The pitas were hot from the grill, and the lettuce and tomatoes were fresh and tasty. We liked both the traditional cilantro sauce and also the tropical preparation.

A side order of Cajun tostones was crispy and flavorful.

There’s a nice offering of beers on tap and in bottle, as well as soft drinks, although some were out of syrup and no one seemed concerned.

So overall, an A for food and a C for service, but they’ve only been open a few days, so perhaps things will get worked out.

Pincho Factory
7600 Doctor Phillips Blvd
Ste 102
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 745-4462
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pincho-factory-orlando

Banh Mi Nha Trang Subs

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***** (5 stars)

The house special here is not only the best Banh Mi sandwich I’ve ever had, it is the best sandwich I’ve ever had. The bread is incredibly fresh, and perfectly toasted around the edges. The meats are smokey and flavorful, and the vegetables incredibly fresh and piquant. Just an absolutely sublime combination of ingredients.

Located at the back of a court surrounded by old shops, the place looks pretty decrepit from the outside, and no better inside. There are no tables, and not even a register. You simply pick what you want from the list and wait for it to be handed to you.

Nevertheless, it is an awesome sandwich, and I will be back here often. See you tomorrow!

Banh Mi Nha Trang Subs
1216 E Colonial Dr
Ste 9
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 346-4549
http://www.yelp.com/biz/banh-mi-nha-trang-subs-orlando

On The Border

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**** (4 stars)

This turned out to be a surprisingly good choice for breakfast before our flight. Located in a bright, open space with a nice view of the runway, they offer a short but tasty breakfast menu.

The breakfast burrito was stuffed with fluffy scrambled eggs (although there could have been more bacon). And the yogurt parfait was light and fruity.

We were in and out in thirty minutes.

On The Border
Orlando International Airport
One Jeff Fuqua Blvd
Orlando, FL 32827

http://www.yelp.com/biz/on-the-border-orlando

Stonington’s Seafood

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**** (4 stars)

This place surprised me with its extremely high quality fried shrimp and fried chicken. They were both delicious, and not too greasy. The chicken had a completely different coating that made it quite delicate, compared to the more traditional batter of the shrimp.

The sides were good, too, especially the side salad, which had lots of interesting ingredients; the mac and cheese, which had been baked in a little pie tin; and the corn bread, which had been fried on one side. Onion rings were rather greasy.

The operative word here is, of course, “fried”. Almost everything is. But for a splurge it’s very good.

Note this is not “fast” food. Even though you order at a counter, expect it to take twenty minutes to prepare your food. I suppose that accounts for its quality, but you can’t be in a rush.

Stonington’s Seafood
2316 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL 32811
(407) 522-6339
http://www.yelp.com/biz/stoningtons-seafood-orlando

Crispers

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*** (3 stars)

We used to go to this Crispers all the time, but a number of years ago they reduced the potions sizes and we stopped going. I’m glad we tried it again, because it seems like things are back on track. My flatbread was good, and the Thai Chicken salad was excellent. Portion sizes are now generous, and the pricing seems reasonable. I like the “pick two” approach.

The thing that drives me crazy is the inefficient ordering process for a group, which is unchanged after all these years. They make each person place their order while everyone stands around waiting, and then process the credit cards one by one. This means the first item can’t start being prepared until the last item has been paid for, which is incredibly inefficient. And having six or eight people standing around at the register is really annoying. Every other counter service restaurant in town manages to put the same table placard number on each person’s check without this nonsense (see Pei Wei, for example). It’s time someone with some efficiency sense showed Crispers how to do it.

Crispers
2228 S Kirkman Road
Orlando, FL 32811
(407) 296-4551
http://www.yelp.com/biz/crispers-orlando

Mama Louise

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**** (4 stars)

This space has been an Italian restaurant for three decades, and it used to be quite popular. But the landlord raised the rent, the original tenant moved, and things went into a slow decline.

Now Mama Louise has arrived to start a new era. The interior has been freshened and is now airy and even–dare I say–almost trendy. Service has definitely been amped up since the last incarnation. And the food has improved, too.

A group of us went for lunch, and sat in the enlarged outside dining area. The lunch menu offers a nice variety, and at about $8 is reasonably priced. Even pizza toppings, usually the deal killer, are just 25 cents.

And the pizza is good, with a nice slightly chewy but crisp crust, and good toppings. Salads are also good; my Caesar salad was actually outstanding. In fact the only dish that wasn’t a solid win was an Alfredo pasta that was just okay.

The dinner menu looks to be mostly pasta, and judging by the prices, probably fairly large servings of it. I’ll probably stick with lunch, though.

Mama Louise
7600 Dr Phillips Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 345-1000
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mama-louise-orlando

Pop Thai Restaurant

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*** (3 stars)

This is a nicely decorated space with very friendly service. The food is serviceable Thai. We tried a couple of lunch dishes and an appetizer, and although there were no standouts, everything was fine.

My favorite items were actually the soup and salad that came with the lunch. It was a particularly flavorful version of chicken rice soup, and the salad dressing had a nice mix of peanut and a minty flavor that elevated it above the usual peanut sauce.

I wasn’t a fan of one herb used in the potstickers and spring rolls. It was a flavor not usually encountered in these.

I enjoyed the crispy duck and shrimp lunch special, although the duck was far from crispy. The cocoanut tinged curry was nice.

Fresh Hot Basil was inexplicably missing any basil flavor or leaves; in fact, there was more basil in the duck dish.

If you’re in the area and tired of Vietnamese food and tacos, this is a fine choice for a meal, even if it’s not the best Thai in town.

Pop Thai Restaurant
1227 N Mills Ave
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 917-6139
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pop-thai-restaurant-orlando