This place is much nicer than I was expecting! The previous tenant was a counter service concept, but this is a full restaurant with table service. And the service provided by our server, Anna, was, indeed, great.
Even greater was the food! I've had Lamb Korma in Indian restaurants all over the world, and I've never had a better, more complex version than this. The Chicken Saag was also good.
We started with Papads, which were delightfully crisp. The Vegetable Samosas were nicely stuffed, and just the right amount of spicy.
Lunch pricing is very reasonable, and the portions are generous.
I'm delighted to have found this great Indian restaurant right in our neighborhood.
InteriorInteriorExteriorHong Kong roasted duckPan seared potstickersPan fried chive dumplingSeafood pan fried noodlesPork and shrimp dumpling (siu mai)
***** (5 stars)
First, this restaurant is gorgeous. What a transformation they’ve done on this space! Some of Orlando’s best interior restaurant design.
I admit that Cantonese is not necessarily my favorite Asian cuisine, but I can certainly appreciate how well it is done here, and there are some real standouts.
The dim sum menu is extensive. Our favorite item, as is usually the case, was the chive dumpling. The pan-seared potsticker appetizer was also good.
A fellow at a table next to us ordered Clay Pot salted chicken and fish, and it looked incredible, reminding me of Korean bibimbop, but I couldn’t find it on the menu. I definitely need to check that out next time.
Service was terrific, with constant refills of our drinks, and friendly and efficient throughout.
We definitely want to return and further explore the menu.
YH Seafood Clubhouse
8081 Turkey Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
I've been to Garibaldi before, but this is the first time I've been to this location. I actually like it better than the original.
The menu is very extensive, with all the standard American Tex-Mex offerings. The fiesta sampler offers a pretty good selection of most of the menu, it is a very generous serving, more than enough lunch for two people.
This is one of the most extensive margarita lists in town. The house margarita is by far the best deal, and is an ample serving of a well mixed margarita.
Garibaldi Mexican Cusine 848 Sand Lake Rd Orlando, FL 32809
InteriorSpring rollsSmall poke bowlGrilled Pork Banh Mi
***** (5 stars)
I love me a good bánh mì sandwich, and you won't find a better one than served here. That's high praise, considering how many good examples of bánh mì there are in Orlando.
This one was perfectly fresh bread with a crisp crust filled with super fresh vegetables, spicy sauce, and succulent roast pork. There was no room for improvement.
The spring rolls, a Yelp check-in bonus, were also delicious with crisp vegetables and fresh shrimp.
I also enjoyed the Vietnamese coffee, in case you want to drink your dessert.
Blended Bistro & Boba 2306 Edgewater Dr Orlando, FL 32804
This place has improved since my first visit four years ago. There is still better Venezuelan food to be had in Orlando, but this is perhaps the nicest sit down restaurant to eat it in.
I enjoyed the sparking sangria, which was chock full of scrumptious fruit.
Our appetizer of assorted fried seafood and potatoes was also quite good.
The specialty here is arepas, and they are just okay; I think you're better off with something else.
Prices are still high, especially at lunch, but service is significantly improved.
The countersommelier and cocktail serviceDuck saladShrimpTea EggmenuPhoPork BellyMixology and food prepPalate cleanserLambFrench bread and shrimp butter"Vietnamese Coffee"Chef and the staff
***** (5 stars)
Wow, world-class dining in Orlando! Who'd have thunk it?!
Camille is as good as any chef's bar I've been to around the world, including such icons as Joel Robuchon's l'Ateliers in New York, London, and Hong Kong.
Every course of this meal was just about as perfect as it gets, from the really unique Tea Egg that started us off, to the masterpiece "Vietnamese Coffee" dessert that finished it. It's hard to pick a favorite. Was it the smoked duck salad we assembled ourselves, and which my duck-hating wife loved? Or perhaps the incredibly complex and mouth-filling short rib pho? Impossible to pick.
The counter afforded a wonderful view as each dish was assembled by the very personable chef and his talented assistants, and all was hosted by our wonderfully personable sommelier.
Note that Camille will be moving from its temporary residence upstairs at East End Market to a permanent location in Bladwin Park, hopefully around the start of 2023. I can't wait to go back and experience it again!
This is one of the very first Olive Gardens because Orlando is Darden's test market for new restaurant concepts. They definitely kept it fresh, with lovely remodeling. The bar is well-separated from the restaurant, and the dining room is open, spacious, and airy, with lots of windows.
The food is Olive Garden standard, so not much more needs to be said.
Service is good. The Darden restaurants have recently gone to table top devices for ordering and paying, no doubt to deal with staffing challenges. I'm not sold on the efficiency, but time will tell.
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant – Temp. CLOSED 12361 State Road 535 Orlando, FL 32836
This is one of the very first Olive Gardens because Orlando is Darden's test market for new restaurant concepts. They definitely kept it fresh, with lovely remodeling. The bar is well-separated from the restaurant, and the dining room is open, spacious, and airy, with lots of windows.
The food is Olive Garden standard, so not much more needs to be said.
Service is good. The Darden restaurants have recently gone to table top devices for ordering and paying, no doubt to deal with staffing challenges. I'm not sold on the efficiency, but time will tell.
Olive Garden Italian Restaurant 12361 State Road 535 Orlando, FL 32836
InteriorInteriorExteriorFish spreadThe London Eye SandwichFish and Chips
**** (4 stars)
Yeoman's is a good pub serving traditional English pub food. Note that there are two spaces, both offering the same menus and drinks: the smaller, pub space entry is at the corner, while the double glass doors around the side lead to the larger, airy dining room. There are bars in both parts.
The menu is extensive, with traditional and creative appetizers, traditional pub dishes, and a variety of sandwiches and burgers. They are well known for their fish and chips, which have a delicate crispy brown batter.
We particularly liked the fish spread, which came with delicious crispy pitas.
Where Clouds End Non-alcoholic espresso and citrus drinkTuna TartareWagyu TacosTogarashi FriesLobster tailChef presents a courseInteriorTuna PizzaSalt presentation"Cigar"Kimchi Brussels sproutsYuzuChocolateNew York StripSeafood assortment
***** (5 stars)
It's about time that Orlando had another true fine dining restaurant! Amid a sea of steakhouses, Salt & The Cellar stands out as one of the few truly great restaurants in Central Florida.
With just the right touch of Japanese and Asian flair, and a lot of creativity in presentation, Salt & The Cellar surprises with almost every dish. The menu is designed to be shared, which invites one to try almost everything, and our party of three took up the challenge.
We started with an off-menu seafood assortment that surpassed any seafood tower I've encountered, with generous portions of lobster and crab, and the most delightfully flavored little clams.
Then we progressed through an assortment of starters: an impressive tableside preparation of tuna tartare mixed tableside like some elaborate guacamole; wagyu tacos with just the right amount of spicy kick; a delicately plated tuna pizza (this was the only item of the meal we didn't care for, it having been overwhelmed with truffle oil).
Then it was on to a generous portion of delicious New York strip, already sliced for easy eating with chopsticks, and served with our choice of three salts (the smoky and coffee-flavored salts are standouts).
Sides accompanying the steak included kimchi Brussels sprouts (which were delicious, but more about toasted garlic than kimchi, I thought) and Togarashi fries (wonderfully seasoned, although the paper cone they were served in couldn't keep them hot).
Three desserts were on offer, and all three were delightful. The most unique was the "Cigar" which was passion fruit ice cream in a dark chocolate wrapper with coffee-flavored "ashes". Even the cigar band was edible!
One surprising aspect of the restaurant (and the whole hotel, for that matter) is that it offers no alcohol. Of course, you are welcome to bring your own wines, and we were delighted to find that the glassware and wine service were top-notch.
There are also a half dozen "mocktails" on offer. The espresso and citrus "Where Clouds End" was a particular stunner, served in a bell jar full of hickory smoke.
Service was Michelin level. Our main server, Randi, was an enthusiastic delight.
Best of all, I no longer need to be embarrassed when people ask me where to go for fine dining in Orlando. This is the place.
Salt & The Cellar By Akira Back 3001 Sherberth Rd Kissimmee, FL 34747
