ExteriorSouth Indian Lunch ThaliInteriorSouth Indian Lunch Thali!South Indian Lunch Thali!
***** (5 stars)
Wow! This is far and away the best use of this restaurant space ever. It retains its former upscale decor, but brings an all new menu and cuisine to the area.
Affiliated with the nearby Saffron Indian Restaurant, but this restaurant is Southern Indian, and entirely vegetarian, or even vegan if you wish.
The lunch "table side buffet" is actually a traditional Thali, a tray with an assortment of soups and stews, a bowl of rice, and a variety of breads for dipping. It is easily the best Indian lunch deal in town, and arguably one of the best lunches in town.
I'm a fan of lunch at Saffron, and I wasn't sure this would be that different, but it is quite distinct, and deserves its own separate recognition as a best Indian food winner.
The Madras Cafe 7730 W Sand Lake Rd Orlando, FL 32819
I really like the straightforward approach the food takes at The Great Greek locations. The menu is easy to navigate, and you can get the most popular Greek ites or a Middle Eastern spin with falafel. My go to is the traditional gyro, but the falafel pita is also quite good. If you don’t want the wrapper, there is a platter version, too.
This location is a bit more upscale than the one in Lakeside Village, with a nice covered outdoor eating area. The food also works well to go.
And there is a lot of togo business. Even though I thought I was alone when I ordered after 8pm on a Wednesday, at least ten dinners were picked up before mine was ready. I think next time I will order ahead to avoid the wait.
Service was very friendly.
The Great Greek Mediterranean Grill – Winter Garden
16045 New Independence Pkwy
Winter Garden, FL 34787
This sleek new hotel is my favorite of the Bonnet Creek offerings. It may not have all the resort amenities of the massive Wyndham, or the poshness of the Waldorf, but its modern, high-ceilinged lobby is just somehow more welcoming, and the bar and restaurant are marvelous.
We live nearby, so we just stayed for one night to try the place out, and didn’t make use of the pool, but it looked nice. The view from the higher floors looks out over the surrounding forest and wetlands, with Disney icons in the distance. A soon to open rooftop bar should be very nice.
Our room was nicely outfitted with a desk, love seat, refrigerator, and espresso machine. The king-size bed was very comfortable, and the bathroom is luxurious, with tub and separate, large stall shower.
We stayed during the pandemic, and it was a bit eerie to have an entire hotel almost to ourselves, but we certainly enjoyed the welcoming staff, and their pampering attention.
While the focus here is definitely steakhouse, Sear and Sea definitely departs from the standard formula. Starting with a modern, airy decor and light colors, the room isn’t clubby at all, and is almost more of an extension of the massive hotel lobby. Servers, on the other hand, are garbed in black from head to toe, including (presumably pandemic-inspired) black mask and black gloves. They look exactly like ninjas! And like ninjas, they seem to be everywhere at once. Service was really exceptional. Perhaps the highlight of the meal.
The appetizers and salads aren’t the usual steakhouse fare, either. I particularly like the endive salad, a generous portion served with a lovely assortment of ingredients and a bright vinaigrette dressing.
The steaks are good, but they’re not going to change your life. They were perfectly cooked to the desired medium rare, and had a nice, somewhat salty rub on the crust. But they weren’t stunners, and the rib eye was surprisingly low on the fatty marbling the steak is known for.
The wine list is particularly noteworthy, both for its breadth and reasonable markups. Contrary to the rather pricey food items, the wines seem to be at about three times retail or less.
We finished with a superb bread pudding.
It’s also worth calling out the lobby bar attached to the restaurant. It’s open, appealing, has some very interesting cocktails, and many wines by the glass.
Service in both the bar and the restaurant were both exceptional, and we felt really welcomed by the entire staff.
Sear + Sea at JW Marriott Bonnet Creek 14900 Chelonia Pkwy Orlando, FL 32821
I have mixed feelings about Agave Azul. On the one hand, I love the expansive outdoor patio, the spacious, well-decorated interior, and the excellent margaritas. One the other hand, in many visits to their various locations, I’ve rarely had any food that stood out as above average.
That was pretty much the case at this location, too, with one stellar exception: the goat cheese jalapeno appetizer was absolutely amazing. Spicy jalapenos were stuffed with creamy cheese, and then finished with an array of toppings that really elevated the dish, including a cilantro crema and a dash of sweet balsamic.
Other items were just average, including the tostadas, ceviche, shrimp diablo (which despite the name is not spicy at all), beans, and rice.
Service was great, and the kitchen is fast, too, even though the place was jam-packed, with a dozen parties waiting outside.
My advice is to go to the bar, have the La Flaca Margarita and the Goat Cheese Jalapenos, and call it a day.
ExteriorMenuInteriorTaco al Pastor and chicken quesadilla
**** (4 stars)
This counter serve Mexican restaurant offers traditional tacos, burritos and quesadillas made to order, each with a variety of proteins. I tried the pastor taco and the chicken quesadilla. But were very good.
The taco was served with one rather than the traditional two corn tortillas, but it was sturdy enough to hold all the ingredients, and the pastor had a nice flavor. As is often the case, it was prepared without the pineapple that is common elsewhere, which is fine with me.
The quesadilla was a generous serving, and the ingredients were quite savory.
Both items were quite mild, but some green Chulola hot sauce fixed them right up.
The order was served with chips and a very mild salsa, and the quesadilla was served with sour cream, which I really appreciated.
Service was friendly and quite fast (although I was the only customer, as it was early). I would note that it is the first restaurant I’ve been to during the pandemic where the staff was not wearing masks, if that is important to you.
Cilantro’s Taqueria
11103 W Colonial Dr
Ocoee, FL 34761
Boku serves excellent quality sushi and sashimi in elegant surroundings. It's tucked into the corner of its complex, next to the parking garage and behind the Starbucks.
The decor is a welcoming mixture of interesting textures and colors, a combination of wood, tile, and stone. I like that each table along the windows has its own unique lighting treatment.
The extensive dinner menu is supplemented by a lunch menu and daily specials. I started with the Jalapeno Hamachi, which was the best version of this appetizer I've had.
For my lunch I had the sashimi lunch with all fish, as I don't care for the clam, squid, or octopus selections that are often included in such samplers. I loved all of the fish, and the presentation was beautiful, and included plenty of shiso leaves, which are like catnip to me.
Service was friendly and the food was delivered quickly, so a good choice for lunch indeed.
Boku Sushi & Grill 140 Independence Ln Maitland, FL 32751
Taj Mahal beerMenuMenuInterior"Patio"Exterior"patio""Patio"interior
***** (5 stars)
I have always loved this space in all its former incarnations, and I have always loved Tabla on Grand National, which has also undergone a lovely transformation during the many years I've been going. So to have the two combined in this new spot is a dream come true.
This is in one of those amazing little cubby holes off of Park Avenue, so you can have the fantasy of dining "outdoors" in air-conditioned luxury under the spreading (convincing but plastic) leaves of a banyon tree. Or venture inside, for posh surroundings.
The Indian food here is as good as any you'll get in Central Florida. I'm a particular fan of the Korma. Don't be put off by the fact that they also offer Thai and Chinese cuisine–it makes it a great place to go with cautious eaters.
And don't overlook dessert–there is some real pastry chef talent here.
Tabla Indian Chinese Thai – Winter Park 216 N Park Ave Winter Park, FL 32789
This place far exceeded my expectations for a counter serve restaurant. I had the mixed ceviche, and it was wholly authentic, and almost as good as the best I've had in Lima, Peru. My companion had the quarter chick, which was a great lunch time deal.
The only downside of this location is that the strip mall needs a parking lot twice as big!
ExteriorInteriorInteriorTurkey Apple BrieToasted Tuna! Wow!
***** (5 stars)
This is such a great neighborhood find, I almost hate to review it rather than keep it to myself! First off, note that this is not really a coffee shop. Sure they have lots of coffees, in all the various forms and flavors, but it is oh so much more. The incredible sandwich menu is too good to ignore, so please think “cafe”, not “coffee shop.” I had the Toasted Tuna, and it was fabulous. Really it’s a huge salad with lettuce, chunks of tuna, avocado, cucumber, cilantro, and tomatoes, between two panini style pieces of toast. Basically, you disassemble it, eat half the salad, then reassemble it into a scrumptious sandwich.
The other thing that distinguishes this place is the amazing ambiance. It’s filled with cozy nooks and comfortable seating on couches or at tables, plus several outdoor tables as well.
They also have beer and wine, so it would be great for happy hour too.
Finally, the staff is enthusiastic and friendly, and although it is counter service, food is delivered to your table. This is not a place to go for a fast bite, it’s a place to linger and enjoy the ambiance–although you certainly could stop in for a quick and delicious coffee I suppose!
Achilles Art Cafe Coffee Shop
2869 Wilshire Dr
Orlando, FL 32835
