Women Who Move the City [PAGE 65]
FRINGE CONNECTION
A THEATER FEST VETERAN INSPIRES HIS FELLOW PERFORMERS PAGE 20
PSYCHE SOOTHERS
HOW POTTERY, BREADMAKING CAN HELP BRING PEACE OF MIND
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2019 DINING AWARDS Joseph Hayes’ Critic’s Picks PLUS Readers’ Choices in dozens of categories
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CONTENTS FE ATU RES
The kitchen at Disney Springs' Flying Fish, whose chef, Tim Majoras, is the critic's choice for Best Chef.
30
2019 DINING AWARDS Critic Joseph Hayes serves up his annual awards for the best in food and drink, while readers weigh in on dozens of categories. Plus, we induct four more members into the Dining Hall of Fame. BY JOSEPH HAYES, WITH MEGAN STOKES, BARRY GLENN, AND PHOTOS BY ROBERTO GONZALEZ
Women Who Move the City [PAGE 65]
FRINGE CONNECTION
A THEATER FEST VETERAN INSPIRES HIS FELLOW PERFORMERS PAGE 20
PSYCHE SOOTHERS
HOW POTTERY, BREADMAKING CAN HELP BRING PEACE OF MIND
s
PAGE 24
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Photo By Roberto Gonzalez
ve
urants We Lo esta
Proper & Wild’s Avocado Caprese
The
2019 DINING AWARDS
Joseph Hayes’ Critic’s Picks PLUS Readers’ Choices in dozens of categories
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Diane Crews, Orlando Sanford International Airport Deborah Crown, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College Betsy Gardner Eckbert, Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Fannie Hillman + Associates Marnie Forestieri, Amazing Explorers Academy Gabriele Gannaway, Neiman Marcus Orlando Caryn Green, Green Family Law Margaret Guedes, Kids Beating Cancer Dr. Mary Janarious, Pediatrics of Central Florida, Kissimmee Medical Arts District Jessica Hallgren Kendrick, Kendrick Law Group Audrey Morrone, Morrone Interiors
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ON THE COVER
CONTENTS DEPARTM ENTS
24
UP FRONT
26 | GETAWAY
14 | THE MIX Behind the scenes at our Dining Awards cover shoot, plus past repasts.
16 | FROM THE EDITOR Some glamorous ways to give back.
Travel back in time with a trip to New York State’s Catskill Mountains, where the area’s small towns and communities will celebrate the 50th anniversary of Woodstock this summer.
28 | STORY OF A… Butterfly Farmer.
PULSE 20 | SPOTLIGHT The Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival is back with a new lineup of mustsee performances and some old favs.
28
22 | THE FIND With a baby on the way, here are a few items that will make the next nine months of your life—and beyond—a bit easier.
DINE 94 | RECOMMENDED EATING Restaurants to put on your must-try list.
SCENE 108 | ON THE TOWN What’s happening in the area this month in theater, film, music, art and more.
116 | RSVP
24 | BODY & SOUL Mindfulness can help you achieve a sense of peace and well-being. Give it a try with these 5 simple, repetitive activities.
CityArts Orlando opening, Orlando Philharmonic season announcement, California Closets grand opening.
ETC. 120 | EXTRA PULP As Laura Anders Lee fondly recalls her summer camp days, she sends her son off to make his own memories.
22
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Volume 73, Number 7
May 2019
www.orlandomagazine.com 407-423-0618 EDITOR Barry Glenn 407-318-7250 MANAGING EDITOR Hancel Deaton hancel.deaton@orlandomagazine.com ART DIRECTOR Anna Ware anna.ware@orlandomagazine.com ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Denis Vargas denis.vargas@orlandomagazine.com PHOTO EDITOR Roberto Gonzalez DINING CRITIC Joseph Hayes DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & CIRCULATION Catherine Walters catherine.walters@morris.com
CONTRIBUTORS
WE GO WHERE YOU GO Read Orlando magazine on-the-go with digital issues and subscriptions. Available through Magzter.com, iTunes, and Google Play.
WRITERS Laura Anders Lee, Lisa A. Beach, Bethany Kandel, Michael McLeod, Brooke Morton, Rita Sotolongo, Megan Stokes PHOTOGRAPHY Steven Diaz, Emily Jourdan ILLUSTRATION David Vallejo PRODUCTION Jason Jones
8 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
HEALTH HUB
ENDOMETRIOSIS: LET’S TALK ABOUT IT While one in every 10 women between the ages of 15 and 44 experience endometriosis, most don’t realize that severe pain during their periods isn’t normal. For many women, the path to finding effective relief is met with great challenges. “But, there is hope,” notes Steven McCarus, MD, a nationally renowned gynecological surgeon at AdventHealth for Women.
Symptoms
Endometriosis can be very painful and worsen during your menstrual cycle. The pain may even get worse over time, with every period you have. You may also experience other symptoms, such as: • Bloating • Constipation or diarrhea
• Fatigue • Heavy bleeding during periods
If you have heavy, painful periods, it’s important to talk with your doctor about the possibility of endometriosis since early detection may help you achieve better outcomes.
“With state-of-the-art surgical suites and technology, we can use minimally invasive techniques while offering better outcomes for the patient in reducing long-term pain.” - Steven McCarus, MD, FACOG
Diagnosis and Treatment
If you have symptoms of endometriosis, your doctor may order a diagnostic test like an ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to look for signs of endometriosis in your pelvis, or recommend laparoscopy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure, to detect it. Dr. McCarus believes surgery should be a last treatment with medical therapies being tried initially, but notes that it is an option for many patients. “With state-of-the-art surgical suites and technology, we can use minimally invasive techniques while offering better outcomes for the patient in reducing longterm pain,” he says. 19-AHMG-02672
• Infertility • Pain when you use the bathroom
Steven McCarus, MD, FACOG, is a boardcertified and internationally recognized OB/GYN surgeon and the Chief of Gynecological Surgery at AdventHealth Celebration and Winter Park. Dr. McCarus specializes in treating complex gynecologic conditions such as abnormal uterine bleeding, advanced endometriosis, infertility, menopausal symptoms, pelvic adhesions and pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence and interstitial cystitis, uterine fibroids, and painful bladder syndrome.
To schedule an appointment, visit YourCentralFloridaDoctor.com/GYN, or call our Women’s Health Navigator at 407-720-5191.
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Volume 73, Number 7
May 2019
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THE MIX CON N EC T WITH US
PAST REPASTS
Celebrating
30 Years in the Industry
SNAPSHOT
In our 2009 Dining Awards issue, which featured only reader picks, The Venetian Room (now The Venetian Chop House) won Best Restaurant, while Chef’s Table at the Edgewater took the honor of Best New Restaurant. Dining Hall of Fame inductees were Khalid Benghallem (chef at The Venetian Room); Marci Arthur (owner of Truffles & Trifles cooking school); Pat Casey and Steve Gunter (owners of The Tap Room at Dubsdread); Rashid Chofani (owner of Timpano Chophouse); and the legendary Beefy King and its roast beef sandwiches.
Check out these behind-the-scenes Instagram pics from our Dining Awards cover shoot at Proper & Wild in Winter Park. Shown below: owners Jamie and Chelsie Savage with operations manager Emily Congdon.
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Medical waste isn’t just a problem for the medical community, it’s a global problem. Medical waste has a huge impact on our earth. It’s known as bio-hazardous waste for a good reason; it’s bacteria-laden and dangerous to the environment, resulting in a heavy carbon footprint and depleting landfill space. It can also be hazardous to your bottom line.
Steri-Green CEO, Ron Hankins
A COST-EFFECTIVE, EARTH-FRIENDLY SOLUTION
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There are 5.9 million tons of medical waste produced each year in the US by hospitals alone. Everyday trash can be disposed of at a cost of 3 cents to 8 cents per pound compared to highly regulated medical waste costing as much as 50 cents per pound. It’s time to change our world by changing our approach to medical waste. Steri-Green uses a globally patented technology that sterilizes and shreds medical waste, resulting in no carbon imprint. Our chemical process renders bacteria harmless using eco-friendly disinfectants while eliminating the need for burning or autoclave. This means improved infection control with no resulting dioxin-producing chlorinated plastics.
Our world has seen countless medical breakthroughs over the past 50 years. With those breakthroughs comes increased medical waste, a problem for which there had been no eco-friendly solution—until now.
Our unique system is not only good for the Earth. It’s good for your bottom line. “Not often does an opportunity come along for a company to provide a competitive service for businesses and at the same time provide a community service by reducing harmful pollution and foster the well-being of our planet,” said SteriGreen CEO Ron Hankins.
Our story begins with a vision. As a CEO of CarePath Diagnostic Partners, Ron Hankins saw his company’s medical waste grow as his company grew. Ron and his partners feared this was not a sustainable system, not if they wanted to preserve the beautiful Florida landscape they knew and loved. Working with inventor and medical device developer Murray Lappe, MD, Steri-Green was born. It became the first earth-friendly medical waste disposal and treatment center in the United States.
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LETTER FROM TH E EDITOR
Giving Season
S
hortly after becoming editor of Orlando magazine in 2012, I attended the opening of the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center at Florida Hospital for Children (now AdventHealth for Children). It was a moving event, with some of the youngsters who would be receiving vital bone marrow and stem cell transplants in attendance. The driving force behind the center was there too: Margaret Guedes, who founded Kids Beating Cancer in 1992, six months after her 9-year-old son died of leukemia. Her organization’s $1 million pledge launched the center and since then has donated millions more to help heal children and take the financial burden off their parents.
You can read more about Guedes in this month’s Women Who Move the City section. Kids Beating Cancer is just one of many magnificent organizations in our area that are community angels day in and day out—providing help to the sick, the hungry, the homeless (both human and animal), and a host of other causes. These groups hold various events throughout the year to raise money, and that’s where you come in: By buying a ticket, you can help those in need and have a great time doing it. Every month, we include these happenings in our World of Good section. They range from Chefs Gala, which helps Heart of Florida United Way, to Reading Between the Wines, benefiting the Adult Literacy League. The May listings, which are on page 109, include the Spring Soiree from Runway to Hope, the group started by Mark and Josie NeJame that also helps kids impacted by cancer. Watching dozens of children walk the runway with celebrity escorts will do your
heart, to borrow a phrase, a world of good. Also this month: Kids Beating Cancer is having a benefit concert at the Dr. Phillips Center featuring Jon Anderson of Yes fame. KBC will hold its annual Hats & Heroes Ball on Sept. 28 at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando. One thing you’ll find at these one-of-a-kind happenings is superb cuisine—a perfect segue into this issue, which features our annual Dining Awards, including some of the restaurants and chefs whose dishes grace these galas. And believe me, this year’s dining edition is a keeper, with 20 recommendations from dining critic Joseph Hayes, 57 winners chosen by our readers, and four new inductees into our Dining Hall of Fame. Elsewhere, Michael McLeod previews the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, Lisa Beach looks at activities that can put your mind at ease—from breadmaking to gardening—and columnist Laura Anders Lee recalls the wondrous childhood memories of summer camp. Back to food: Check out our feature The Mix for a blast from the past—the people and places on the culinary scene that were honored in our Dining Awards issue 10 years ago. Plus some photos from this year’s delightful cover shoot at the new Winter Park hotspot, Proper & Wild.
BARRY GLENN
BARRY.GLENN@ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM
FOR MORSELS OF THE LOCAL DINING SCENE, CHECK OUT JOSEPH HAYES' DINING BLOG SAVOR ORLANDO AT ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM/SAVORORLANDO 16 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
ROBERTO GONZALEZ
OMAG ONLINE
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
FOCUSON WITH DR. AHMED SADEK
SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy: Should I Be Concerned?
A
ALTHOUGH MOST PATIENTS WITH epilepsy live long, healthy lives, sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is a serious concern affecting one in 1,0000 adults and one in 4,500 children with epilepsy. The exact cause of SUDEP is unclear. Most people are found dead in bed, often face-down. Though few people witness a seizure immediately preceding death, that is not required for a SUDEP diagnosis. Researchers believe that some seizures can cause an irregular heart rhythm leading to death, while others point to suffocation as the cause of death. The greatest risk factor for SUDEP is frequent seizures, particularly generalized tonic clonic or grand mal seizures. Although the risk of SUDEP is considered quite small in most people, a recent study estimates that having three or more tonic clonic seizures within a year increases the risk of SUDEP 15-fold.1 Other risk factors involving abrupt cessation of seizure medications, not taking seizure medications as prescribed, being an young adult between 20 and 40 years old, and having an intellectual disability with an IQ of less than 70.
At this time, no singular measure can eliminate all risk of SUDEP. The most effective measure is to get the best possible control of your seizures. This involves working closely with your health care team, taking your medications as prescribed, and considering all possible treatment options for your epilepsy (including medications, surgery, medical devices, dietary therapy, etc.). Good lifestyle habits such as getting proper sleep, avoiding alcohol and recreational drugs, and taking medications on time can help avoid breakthrough seizures. Some studies suggest that having someone available to provide assistance during a nighttime seizure may help prevent SUDEP. Although it can be scary to consider your risk for SUDEP, discussion of this dangerous condition is important to increase public awareness and promote research. Please consider discussing SUDEP with your epilepsy provider and identify strategies to reduce your risk.
Dr. Ahmed Sadek Orlando Epilepsy Center, Inc. Dr. Sadek is the Director of Orlando Epilepsy Center. He is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Central Florida College of Medicine and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Neurology at the University of Florida Shands, Gainesville. Dr. Sadek is triple Board certified in Neurology, Clinical Neurophysiology, and Epilepsy. CONTACT INFORMATION Phone: 407.704.8510 Website: orlando-epilepsy.com
PULSE
©2008 CHRIS RAMIREZ/COURTESY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY
S P OTLI G HT • TH E FI N D • B O DY & SO U L • G E TAWAY • S TO RY O F A …
PAGE 26
FILM FLASHBACK
Visitors to the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts Museum in Bethel, NY, watch footage of the original Woodstock festival that took place there in the summer of 1969. The center is one of many delights to experience upstate.
PULSE SPOTLIGHT
Boss Fringe
Y
YOU’D THINK THAT TJ DAWE WOULD HAVE RUN OUT of stories by now. Nobody would blame the master of the mile-a-minute monologue for just recycling his greatest hits, from the one about being a barkeep at a British holiday camp to a group-therapy retreat enhanced with an indigenous psychotropic brew.
But the loquacious Canadian, a 20-year Fringe-circuit veteran and the author of 15 one-man shows, has a new yarn he’ll debut at the Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival, which will bring better than 100 productions to Loch Haven Park and other nearby venues from May 14-27. It’s called Operatic Panic Attack, which Dawe describes as “an autobiographical monologue about being a theater student in college and not doing very well, being a virgin in college and not doing very well at that, working as an extra in a couple of operas, discovering the wonder of opera, how music affected my life and development, a fling I
had with a chorus member in one of the operas that led to a spectacular panic attack, and how all these things combined to send me in a very certain direction at the end of my theater studies.” That “very certain direction” pointed him straight toward the Fringe circuit. “I knew as a theater student that I just wasn’t really going along with the program,” he explains in a telephone interview. “I felt a little guilty about it at first. I didn’t dream of doing great roles. I didn’t want to read somebody else’s lines. I wanted to write my own.” Though he may not have been leading-man material in drama school, as a Fringe artist Dawe is a revenge-of-the-nerds poster boy: gangly and obsessive, frizzy-haired and funny,
20 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | PULSE
“I knew as a theater student that I just wasn’t really going along with the program,” TJ Dawe recalls. Today, he’s a Fringe fixture.
an artful, self-deprecating introvert who not only discovered his tribe but has become one of its gurus. Apart from his own one-man shows, which he memorizes on long walks near the Vancouver home he shares with his wife, folk singer Lindsay Robertson, he teaches a monologue class at a Canadian college and acts as a producer, director and dramaturg for other Fringe performers. In fact, three of his proteges have shows at this year’s Orlando Fringe: Charles Ross, Rodney Decroo and Tim Murphy. Ross, who was a classmate of Dawe’s in his drama school days, worked with him to develop one of the most successful and long-running Fringe shows ever created: his one-man Star Wars tribute show. Decroo, a Canadian poet and singer-songwriter, met Dawe for lunch one day and
PHOTOS COURTESY OF TJ DAWE
TJ Dawe devises his own offbeat theater roles—and helps other performers develop theirs. BY MICHAEL MCLEOD
ORLANDO FRINGE
Fringe performers Charles Ross (left) and Tim Murphy have benefited from Dawe’s expertise.
wound up breaking into the Fringe circuit after working with him to develop Didn’t Hurt, a remembrance of his troubled relationship with his Vietnam veteran father. Murphy will be presenting Blind to Happiness, which revolves around a dishwasher and several of his co-workers, each engaged in the elusive quest to find happiness. He’d been performing and polishing the sketch for years when he began working with Dawe to refine it. “It was his guided questions that helped me,” says Murphy. “TJ planted a lot of seeds for me.” Dawe is a prime example of the intensely collaborative spirit that prevails among the circuit’s high-end solo performers—and the difference between being self-absorbed and self-aware. He credits much of his success as a solo performer and coach to his involvement with the International Enneagram Association, which is devoted to communication based on discovering which of nine personality types you are—and how to see things through the eyes of the other eight. “It’s like learning another language,” says Dawe. He seems to be making a pretty good run at that, judging from a monologue he once performed envisioning what kind of restaurant that women would patronize if some insightful entrepreneur decided to create the equivalent of Hooters for females. After doing an informal survey of women he knew, he came up with a plan for a chain of establishments whose male waiters would talk softly to them, clean up after themselves, hide affectionate little notes For schedules and at the table, give their information on customers back rubs on performance tickets, request, surprise them Visual Fringe, Kids with chocolates—and Fringe and acts on eat some, too, so they the outdoor stage, go to orlandofringe.org won’t feel so guilty.
FRINGE FAVORITES We recommend some noteworthy new shows and a returning classic. BY MICHAEL MCLEOD
EYE CANDY
STEPHANIE MORIN-ROBERT The performer who pulled no punches with her previous show, Blindside, about living with only one eye because of childhood cancer, is equally forthright with this monologue that ties together parenting a daughter herself with the four generations of sexual abuse in her family. “They are against me writing this show,” she says. “But I’m moving forward with it anyway because it’s their silence that contributes to making us all victims.”
ARE YOU LOVIN’ IT?
THEATRE GROUP GUMBO One of two Japanese troupes at this year’s festival presents something that resembles a surrealistic dream you might have following a trip abroad, featuring a goofy businessman and the biggest order of french fries—with legs, yet—you’ve ever seen.
SPACE HIPPO MOCHINOSHA
This is from the other Japanese troupe, and we can’t resist giving it a plug, too. Who wouldn’t want to see a musical puppet show about a hippopotamus that is set adrift through space and becomes a sort of deity-savior? What’s weirder still is that NASA astronomers recently discovered an asteroid shaped like a hippo, complete with rocky outcrops that look like ears. No, seriously.
THE WAFFLE HOUSE DAZE TRISH PARRY
A New Yorker reminisces about hash browns, other comfort food and Southern living on the drugged-out, late-night side.
YOU BELONG HERE MARTIN DOCKERY
This monologue is loosely based—the emphasis here, as always with this stream-of-consciousness Fringe veteran, is on “loosely”—on a trip Dockery and his pregnant wife took to China as their last fling together before the birth of their first child. He performed the show earlier this year, to complimentary reviews, at Orlando Winter Fringe while his wife was in New York City delivering their baby, Elliadora.
SIX GUITARS
CHASE PADGETT We’re including this among our recommendations not only because Padgett, a former Orlando resident who now lives in Canada, delivers such a Fringe-hall-of-fame classic with this one-man evocation of six guitarists of distinctly different styles. It’s also an excuse to clue you in on his upcoming Fringe-hall-of-fame wedding to his fiancée, Christina Garies, which will be presented as part of the Edmonton Fringe Festival on Aug. 23 as a show, Chase Padgett Gets Married, with an audience of paying customers and entertainment by his fellow Fringe performers in lieu of gifts to the happy couple. PULSE | MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 21
PULSE THE FIND
Mother Love For all moms-to-be, must-haves to start the next chapter of your life. BY HANCEL DEATON
1 Carry all the essentials for you and baby in Mom’s Chic Diaper Bag, with 11 pockets, a changing pad and detachable wristlet. $44.99. buybuybaby.com
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2 Cuddle up with the U-shaped, cotton/ polyester Yorkshire Home Pregnancy Support Pillow. It’s machine washable and comes with a removable cover. $49.99. target.com
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3 Made with shea butter, aloe vera and honey, Motherhood Maternity’s Bella B Tummy Honey Cream soothes itchy skin and helps fade stretch marks. $14.99. motherhood.com
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4 Slip into A Pea in the Pod’s functional
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and fashionable Lace Trim Nursing Nightgown and Robe. The gown features discreet nursing access. $88. apeainthepod.com 5 Chimes Ginger Chews will satisfy your
sweet tooth and help settle your stomach. $3.49 for a 5 oz. package. target.com 6 You can keep a close watch on baby from the Emerson Rocking Chair with Attached Bassinet. As your child grows up, just remove the cradle from the rocker and use the detached cradle leg to form a single rocker. $559.99. wayfair.com
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7 The Himalayan Salt Lamp and Sound Soother from Sharper Image has 10 sound therapy tracks to help you sleep. Includes a digital dimmer and sunrise timer. $79.99. sharperimage.com
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8 Be sure to include these “I’m About to be a Mom” Socks in your hospital overnight bag. From Motherhood Maternity, they’re nonslip and machine-washable. $10.50. motherhood.com
J Record your thoughts, feelings and experiences throughout these nine months in the Expecting You Keepsake Pregnancy Journal. $12.95. uncommongoods.com
22 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | PULSE
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PHOTO CREDIT
9 Kate Aspen’s “Mom Life is the Best Life” Ceramic Mug will remind you of your blessings every day. Dishwasher-safe. $7.99. bedbathandbeyond.com
MOTHER’S DAY BRUNCH MAY 12 | 11 A .M.-3 P.M.
BECAUSE MOMS DESERVE TO BE PAMPERED. $46.95* per adult
$18.95* per child (ages 4-11)
(advanced prepaid reservations)
Dozens of dishes | Unlimited wine | Free parking | Reservations recommended Details & Reservations: RosenPlaza.com/MothersDay | 407.996.0256
®
9700 International Drive
*Not inclusive of tax and service charge. Walk-ins welcome at $48.95.
PULSE BODY & SOUL
Mindful Moments These relaxing, repetitive activities just may help you find your zen.
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BY LISA A. BEACH WHEN TRACY WOSABA felt her stressful life reaching the breaking
point, she found relief by learning to meditate. Wanting to share the concept with others, Wosaba founded Winter Park Meditation & Mindfulness in May 2017. “Mindfulness is a practice of being in the present moment and fully engaged with your senses in whatever you’re doing while you’re doing it, without judgment,” she explains. “We’re often either thinking ahead or looking behind. But the present moment is where life meets living.” Many studies tout the health benefits of mindfulness, including stress reduction, better focus, and improved well-being. So, if you’re ready for some peace of mind, try these nurturing activities.
GARDENING
THE PROCESS OF BEING ELBOW-DEEP IN DIRT SEEMS
IF YOU’RE CAPTIVATED BY INTRICATE PATTERNS,
you might be drawn to Zentangle, an easy-to-learn artform that uses just a few simple tools (paper, pencil, marker) to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Think of it as doodling with a purpose—in a relaxing, fun way. The best part? It’s easy. “If you can hold a pencil, you can learn to Zentangle,” says Adele Bruno, certified Zentangle teacher at the Casselberry Art House. Bruno caught the joyful spark back in 2011 and now teaches monthly Zentangle workshops. The full, eight-step method starts and ends with appreciation—a reflection of the mindful approach this artform takes. But in its simplest form, Zentangle involves using a pencil to make corner dots on a sheet of paper, connecting those dots to form a square border, and drawing one or more lines, called “strings,” inside to separate it into sections. Then grab your pen and get ready to tangle. The patterns are where the magic happens, as you lose yourself in the rhythmic motion. “One of the mantras is, there are no mistakes,” says Bruno. “It’s metaphoric for life.” Each stroke is a mindful, focused stroke—not a sketch—with your pen traveling from point A to point B. “But if it doesn’t go where you want it to go, you just make it into something else. We call it creative opportunity rather than mistake.” 24 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | PULSE
ZENTANGLE: LISA A. BEACH; GARDENING, POTTERY: STEVEN DIAZ
ZENTANGLE
like a natural fit for mindfulness. As Robert Bowden, director of Harry P. Leu Gardens, points out, “When you’re outside working with plants or soil, you’re in sync with nature.” Gardening allows you the pause you need for mindfulness. As you concentrate on the effort—whether you’re digging, weeding, planting, or harvesting—you’re absorbed in the moment. “For a short respite, other things in your life float away, and you’re one-on-one with that plant,” says Bowden. “Gardening is always presented as an opportunity to separate yourself from whatever else is happening.” Plus, gardening allows you to tap into your senses—from hearing the bamboo rustle in the breeze to catching a whiff of orange trees in bloom. “That’s what people really enjoy about gardening,” Bowden says. “And we’re mindful of that when we design our gardens to create an entire experience.” He suggests home gardeners adopt a similar approach, incorporating all the senses when planning a garden or buying plants. Bowden offers this advice for gardening as a stress-relieving activity: Start out small, slow and easy. “Let go of the judgment, be easy on yourself, and don’t overthink it,” he advises. “You can make mistakes in gardening and you can recover, realizing it really wasn’t a big deal.”
BREADMAKING
STEVEN HOGUE, A MIXER AT OLDE HEARTH BREAD COMPANY
in Casselberry, turns to the cadence of kneading dough to practice mindfulness. “Baking, where everything is made with intention, requires focus and attention,” says Hogue. “It’s not a hobby where you can take everything and just slop it into a bowl. You have to know what you’re doing, how things are going, and how to handle any hiccups along the way.” Hogue finds the baking process grounding, allowing him to acknowledge his thoughts and allow them to pass so he can continue with the task at hand. “When I’m mixing dough, this is my time to be with myself and focus on producing a beautiful product,” he says. “I’m not worrying about my telephone bill being due.” As a hands-on process, baking heightens the senses. When kneading dough, Hogue says to really feel it and allow it to work itself through your palms and fingers. “By feeling the strands of gluten develop and manipulating the mass of dough, you’re able to form a tangible reward that combines all the senses.” Plus, baking teaches patience, as it takes time, compromising with the dough, learning from mistakes and, most importantly, accepting the finished product. His advice for prospective mindful bakers? Start small, and don’t be upset by mistakes—they happen. “In baking and in life, you have to be reflexive to your environment.”
KNITTING
STITCH BY STITCH, KNITTING CONJURES UP IMAGES
POTTERY
BREADMAKING, KNITTING: STEVEN DIAZ
DOES A SPINNING POTTERY WHEEL REMIND
you of the scene from Ghost with “Unchained Melody” playing in the background? In the 1990 movie, a relaxed Demi Moore focuses on shaping clay, slipping one hand inside the vase while running her finger along the pliable exterior as it spins. She’s immersed in the zone. Longtime potter Vincent Sansone, the ceramics program manager at Winter Park’s Crealdé School of Art, frequently sees this mindful focus in his classes. “You can get totally lost in the activity,” he says. Creating pottery requires using your whole body, not just your hands. “The pot is spinning, and you must anchor your hand and arm to catch the clay as it spins toward you,” Sansone explains. You’re aware of how you’re using your muscles to steady your body and mold the clay. “The better you get, the more your creative energy is awakened. It’s like meditation,” he adds. Like many artforms, pottery emphasizes process over results. But some people enjoy making something simpler. “I also teach how to make pinch pots, which is more relaxing and uses only your hands and fingers,” Sansone says. “You can pay attention to what the clay does when you press on it without worrying about posture or wheel speed. It’s a great stress-reliever.”
of artisans transforming strands of yarn into finished pieces. For Marney Gibson, co-owner of KNIT! in Longwood, the mindfulness of knitting starts with the selection of the yarn. “Once you know what you’re going to make, you choose the yarn based on feel, texture, weight and color,” says Gibson, noting how mindfulness is woven into the process before knitters even pick up a needle. “Customers will mull over the selection for a long time, as yarn selection plays a key role in a piece they might be working on for six months.” As you get into the repetitive nature of knitting, it requires focus and triggers a relaxed, almost meditative state. You’re in the moment, enjoying the process, and paying attention to what you’re doing. You feel the weight of the yarn as it glides through your fingers with the rhythmic movement of the needles. You take in the colorful patterns you’re creating row by row. You hear the occasional clickety-clack of the needles as you knit one, purl two. If you’re knitting a piece as a gift, such as a blanket for a baby shower, you can focus your thoughts on mother and baby, asking for health, wellness and protection. You can repeat a positive thought or meditative chant with each stitch, bringing intention to what you’re creating. “Knitting lets people be in their own world in the process,” Gibson says.
PULSE | MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 25
PULSE GETAWAY
Be Here Now
The upcoming 50th anniversary of Woodstock is the perfect time to take a road trip through the Catskill Mountains. BY BETHANY KANDEL
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IT’S HARD TO believe but the legendary Woodstock music festival, the symbol of a generation, is turning 50 this summer. Once again, there will be throngs of people and headliners will perform at commemorative events taking place August 16-18, in both Watkins Glen and Bethel, NY. Yet, unlike that historic weekend of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll in 1969, this time around, since we have cell phones and GPS, the chances of a virtual standstill on upstate highways is unlikely. Plus, there’s sure to be much better crowd control and more toilets, and less drugs, nudity and general chaos. The town of Woodstock was the area first considered to stage the concert. The event, however, was actually held on 600 acres belonging to dairy farmer Max Yasgur in Bethel, about an hour-and-a-half drive west of Woodstock. Whether you visit the area for the festival’s golden anniversary, or come another time for some R&R in the Catskill Mountains, this quiet corner of New York State is a veritable smorgasbord of food, fun, history and outdoor activities. You’ll find sleepy towns, quaint antique shops, and gorgeous vistas of cornfields, mountains and lakes. You’ll need a set of wheels to explore. Fly into New York Stewart International Airport in Newburgh, and rent a car. Head northeast on Route 9W and take in the beautiful views of the Hudson River and several historic homes open to the public. If you’re near Marlboro on a Sunday for brunch or evenings after 5, stop for a bite and some live music at The Falcon. The restaurant/performance venue will whet your musical appetite with their collection of rock and roll memorabilia. Or take the Thruway (I-87) to the college town of New Paltz and spend the day
PLAN YOUR VISIT BEVERAGE TRAIL Sample the Catskills’ amber ales, black lagers, gin, bourbon, cabernet, and ciders. The area is home to craft breweries, distilleries, wineries, and cideries, many on historic farms. Tour, taste, and explore. sullivancatskills.com/ tags/artisanal-beverage-trail
hiking in the Minnewaska State Park Preserve, with lakes, waterfalls and 50 miles of footpaths. Continue north into the charming town of Woodstock, where many former hippies and flower children have settled, along with celebrities and retirees looking for a peaceful retreat from New York City, two hours south. Stroll down Tinker Street where you’ll experience a blast from the past: touristy head shops and boutiques selling tie-dye T-shirts, peace sign candles, crystals and vintage clothing. There are also many upscale restaurants and art galleries. Creativity abounds at the Woodstock Artists Association & Museum and The Center for Photography, which exhibits the works of local artists, keeping alive the spirit of the town’s once-thriving art colony. Grab a bench for great people-watching. Join in the community drum circle on Sunday afternoons during the summer when local musicians gather to play. Or score a deal at the weekly flea market. Get an inexpensive breakfast burrito or kale and beet salad at Bread Alone Bakery. Then top it off at Peace Love & Cupcakes with “groovy” sweets named after famous Woodstock musicians including The Jimi Hendrix (triple shot espresso), The Janis Joplin (red velvet), and The Jerry Garcia (vegan banana). Take some for the road as you head southwest toward Bethel. Driving along Route 28 to U.S. 209 and connecting to Route 17, you’ll pass dozens of tiny towns with delicious fare, farmers markets, prime fishing holes and whitewater rafting. The highlight of your visit to Bethel Woods Center for the Arts is sure to be standing in the footprint of the concert stage, looking out on an expanse of green that was once packed with almost half a million people swaying to the music of a generation, and at the pond
where concert-goers went skinny-dipping. Remember to take a selfie next to the monument noting all the music legends who performed on that memorable weekend. The adjacent Museum at Bethel Woods will have you time-traveling back to the ‘60s. Sit in a psychedelic-painted bus and view footage of the original concert. Learn details of the festival, from the planning stages to its cultural impact, through music, videos and artifacts. You may even get a fascinating firsthand account from a tour guide. There will be a series of outdoor concerts and events during this summer’s anniversary weekend, including performances by Ringo Starr, Arlo Guthrie, Carlos Santana, and The Doobie Brothers. Or visit the museum for a special exhibit, “We Are Golden: Reflections on the 50th Anniversary of the Woodstock Festival and Aspirations for a Peaceful Future.” While amenities at the original festival were minimal to say the least (think mudsoaked sleeping bags on cold, wet ground), visitors today have a host of options to choose from. Charming B&Bs dot the roadways, plus there are historic inns, boutique hotels, and even glamping is available. Feeling lucky? On the way back to the airport, stop by Kiamesha Lake to throw some dice at the new Resorts World Catskills casino resort on the site of the famed Concord Hotel. There is also a luxury hotel, spa, and plenty of restaurants. Right next door, kids will love the just-opened Kartrite, New York State’s largest indoor water park and hotel with waterslides, lazy rivers and wave riders. And although you are not likely to be staying in a tent, lay a blanket on the grass one clear night and gaze at the star-filled sky and remember when man first walked on the moon—another historic event that also marked the summer of ‘69.
JetBlue Airways and Allegiant Air offer direct flights from Central Florida to New York Stewart International Airport in Orange County, NY. BETHEL WOODS This Center for the Arts on the historic site of the 1969 festival will offer special concerts this August, plus it regularly has a full schedule of performances where you can sit outdoors and listen to music on the hallowed grounds. bethelwoodscenter.org
26 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | PULSE
WASHINGTON’S HQ Travel further back in time to our country’s founding by making a detour to this gem in Newburgh, NY. Tour guides will lead you through the history of the Revolutionary War and George Washington’s life with a treasure trove of artifacts. parks.ny.gov
TRAVEL INFO Before you go, be sure to check out the events planned for Woodstock’s 50th anniversary celebration in the towns and communities in the area. orangetourism.org, ulstercountyalive.com, sullivancatskills.com
PLAQUE, BETHEL WOODS, CIDER, PRODUCE: COURTESY OF SULLIVAN COUNTY; HEAD SHOP: ERIC F. KRIEGER; GLAMPING: COURTESY OF ULSTER COUNTY; BUS: WADE LAWRENCE/2008 BETHEL WOODS CENTER FOR THE ARTS
(Clockwise from top left) Snap a selfie next to the plaque commemorating the site of the legendary Woodstock festival in 1969; tourist shops in the town of Woodstock offer tie dye and peace sign memorabilia; stroll the lush grounds of Bethel Woods Center for the Arts on the land where almost half a million gathered 50 years ago; exhibits at the center let you relive the Aquarian Age of the 1960s; try glamping for a night in Woodstock Meadows; numerous cideries, breweries and wineries can be found throughout the Catskills; harvest festivals and farmers markets offer fresh produce. PULSE | MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 27
PULSE STORY OF A…
Butterfly Farmer
Dan Dunwoody’s love of insects took flight in elementary school, and he’s never looked back.
BY BROOKE MORTON Show and tell. “I got my start in first grade in Miami when the teacher brought a milkweed plant into the classroom. She also brought a monarch butterfly that laid eggs, and we watched the whole life cycle. I asked to take the plant home and just kept raising butterflies, all the way through college.” In 1991, Dunwoody opened Butterfly Dan’s, a farm in Kissimmee dedicated to raising chrysalises, which he ships nationwide. One-track mind. “When I am driving, walking or relaxing, I always notice butterflies. I’m just drawn to them.” The Ulysses swallowtail is his ultimate favorite for its intense, electric blue and black coloring. “It’s a rare find. They’re incredibly hard to breed, but I did see them once at the butterfly conservatory in Key West.” Net income. “Most people think I run around with a net all day” catching butterflies. Truth is, “I’m raising 3,000 to 4,000 butterflies every week. That means they have to lay eggs every day.” On average, each butterfly is laying 100 to 300 eggs per day. “Plus, caterpillars need to eat. I typically start my day at 8 a.m., checking that the egg laying was good, and then overseeing everything growing in 13 greenhouses spread across three acres.” In the afternoons, he fills orders for destinations such as the Bronx Zoo and the Cleveland Botanical Garden. Rainy day blues. “Egg laying is going to be terrible today because it’s cloudy and raining.” If he were to leave the butterflies outside in the fly area, a screened-in building much like a greenhouse, the insects would be too cold to lay. They need warmth—at least 80 degrees. “We have to round them up and bring them inside. They’re really dormant in the morning, so I just pick them up by their bodies. You can do it real quick. If the temperature is under 70 degrees, chances are they aren’t flying anyway.” Air Show. “The polydamas swallowtail—I call them jet fighters. They’re a fast flyer. They’ll put on a great show in your backyard. Every butterfly has a unique way that they fly. For example, the sulphurs are really fast. They’re bright yellow, so they’re easy to see from far away. They are not gliders at all. Then there are the skippers, and they’re called that because they skip from flower to flower.”
Plant Life. “When was the last time you saw a butterfly in the city? Really, 99 percent of the time, you won’t. If you live on the third story of an apartment building with one of these plants on your balcony, you will get butterflies. Without plants, butterflies cease to exist. It’s all about the plants.” 28 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY SEPTEMBER 2019 | PULSE 2016 | PULSE
ROBERTO GONZALEZ
Personal preference. “Every single butterfly has just one single plant that it lays eggs on.” Milkweed attracts monarch and queen butterflies. Cassia will draw in three species: the orange-barred sulphur, the cloudless giant sulphur and—a little guy—the sleepy orange butterfly. Pipevine is for the polydamas swallowtail and the pipevine swallowtail. Plant a passion vine, and you’ll attract the Gulf fritillary and the zebra longwing, which is the Florida state butterfly. Lastly, false nettles will attract the red admiral butterfly.
And Then There Were Three...
Winter Garden restaurateurs Kevin and Laurie Tarter recently bought long-standing landmark The Attic Door, a popular food, wine and music venue. As the first place the Tarters visited upon their arrival to Winter Garden in 2005, the restaurant holds a special place in their hearts. It has become the Tarters’ third Winter Garden restaurant. Known for its eclectic style, laid-back atmosphere and live music, the Attic Door is a Winter Garden institution. Kevin, a chef, and Laurie were drawn to the comfort-driven small plates that evoked the feeling of a home dinner party. They carry on the tradition of comfort-based small plates, except now the party is in their home. The Attic Door's atmosphere naturally lends itself to an afternoon tea experience, an opportunity the Tarters could not pass up. Guests are served tea from TeBella in Tampa, whose blends are sourced globally from premium locations. Tiered plates loaded with house scones, Devonshire-style clotted cream, finger sandwiches and other savories, and desserts create a sublime experience. Private parties for bridal showers, baby showers, birthdays or any special occasion can be planned at this unique venue. And what better way to surprise Mom than with an afternoon tea experience. Kevin and Laurie opened the award-winning Chef's Table at the Edgewater in 2008. In 2011, they added the Tasting Room, which features craft cocktails and tapas-style dining. Both restaurants are inside the Historic Edgewater Hotel in downtown Winter Garden.
Attic Door 28 W. Plant St. Winter Garden, FL 34787 jrsatticdoor.com 407-750-7063 Reservations are required for the afternoon tea experience.
Tasting Room & Chef’s Table at the Edgewater 99 W. Plant St. Winter Garden 34787 chefstableattheedgewater.com 407-230-4837
DIN ING AWA RDS 30 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Our annual guide to great cuisine, with 20 picks from Dining Critic JOSEPH HAYES, selections by readers in 57 categories, and four new inductees into our Dining Hall of Fame. With Photos By Roberto Gonzalez Readers’ Choice Stories by Megan Stokes and Barry Glenn
A seafood creation at Bem Bom on Corrine
Readers’ Choice
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 31
Nominated as a James Beard
Critic’s Pick: Best Restaurant
Norman’s
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Award semifinalist this year, my Best Restaurant nod continues to prove the relevance of New World cuisine first championed by namesake chef Norman Van Aken, a 2008 inductee into Orlando magazine’s Dining Hall of Fame. Opened in 2003, the Ritz-Carlton based restaurant has amassed 15 years of AAA Four Diamond awards and a place on the Beard “Who’s Who in America” list for its chef. The question becomes, what does it take to endure as a world-class restaurant? “The reason it continues,” says the philosophical Van Aken, “is an unquenchable curiosity for the way food and service unites people. If you’re looking for predictable results, life isn’t that way. But paying attention to the spinning world is a way of being aware.” “So many interesting fusions,” he says, a fitting comment from the chef many credit with inventing the term “fusion cuisine.” A refurbishment two years ago has enhanced the lush feeling of Norman’s, known for its style and service as well as the menu. “Service is to me as important as the food,” Van Aken says. “People understand when they’re being paid attention to, and when they’re not.”
That menu, informed by flavors of the Caribbean, Pacific Rim, Latin America and the bounty of Florida, comes from a continuing conversation between Van Aken and Executive Chef Andres Mendoza, who came to the Norman’s kitchen seven years ago. “The smells in the kitchen, the ingredients, the techniques, everything made sense to me,” he says. “The dried chilies, this is me. The food I love to eat, Puerto Rican, Cuban food, this is me. The relationship with Chef, it’s natural.” Mendoza, who was raised in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, says his culinary curiosity has been fanned by his new home.“I didn’t know Caribbean, Cuban or Colombian food until I came to Orlando; my love for this cuisine developed in Orlando.” Mendoza is most excited by the restaurant’s seasonal tasting menu. “We get to play with whatever we want.” It currently features tastes such as almaco jack fish in red sauce and tempura fried octopus with squash broth. Even with a history of acclaimed eateries and several new endeavors in Miami, Van Aken has a fondness for Orlando. “Every time we come here, unlike any of the restaurants precedent in my life, we enjoy the restaurant sitting at the table, like a guest, not like the chef.” As do we. The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes; normans.com—Joseph Hayes
readers’ choice: Best Restaurant
Taverna opa W
hen Katerina Coumbaros’ uncle opened the original Taverna Opa in Hollywood, Fla., the family’s plan wasn’t to wow crowds with the use of napkins as confetti in chorus with shouts of “Opa!” And they didn’t think twice about dancing on the table when the mood struck. They did it because that’s what Greeks do, Coumbaros says. “Everything came by chance. It was never planned. It was the customers, the atmosphere, the employees,” she says, adding that Greeks used to smash plates when they celebrated but traded that for the safer, less expensive option of tossing napkins in the air. “Greeks love to have a good time.” She and husband Vassilis opened a location in Orlando, with her mother, who moved here from Crete, cooking in the kitchen. Twelve years later, Coumbaros says, they attract regulars as easily as tourists to their Pointe Orlando location by keeping nearly the same staff they’ve had since opening and by using distinctive ingredients. Her mother is now retired but her recipes have remained with the restaurant. “We try to focus on the food, and entertainment is extra,” Coumbaros says. Vassilis visits Plant City weekly to pick fresh tomatoes for their hearty Greek salad. They also import their Greek ingredients, including the branzino, a European sea bass that Coumbaros says goes from sea to plate within 24 hours. “It’s something we take time for,” she says. Pointe Orlando, International Drive; opaorlando.com—Megan Stokes
Readers’ Choice BEST RESTAURANT
1. Pointe Orlando Taverna Opa
opaorlando.com
2. & Pizzeria
Francesco’s Ristorante
Maitland francescos-rist.com
3. Lake Buena Vista
Pal Campo Restaurant
palcamporestaurant.com
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
1. Audubon Park
Bem Bom on Corrine
facebook.com/bembomoncorrine
2. Mills 50 District
Bites & Bubbles
bitesbubbles.com
3. West Colonial Drive Taste of Chengdu
facebook.com/tasteofchengdu
BEST chef
1. Tapa Toro
Frank Galeano
ICON Orlando 360 tapatoro.restaurant
2. Francesco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria Francesco Aiello
Maitland francescos-rist.com
3. deep blu seafood grille Wade McLamb
Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek deepbluorlando.com
BEST APPETIZERS
1. Winter Garden
The Tasting Room
chefstableattheedgewater.com
2. Winter Park Cocina 214
DANCER: TAVERNA OPA
cocina214.com
3. Mills 50 District
Bites & Bubbles
bitesbubbles.com
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 33
readers’ choice: Best new Restaurant
bem bom ON CORRINE T
here aren’t any business hours posted on the door of Bem Bom on Corrine. People know that the Portuguese restaurant is open when the garage-style door is lifted. “Just like the food truck,” Chef/Owner Chico Mendonca says. Life on the food truck he operated for six years before opening the stationary restaurant in October was difficult—the limited space and staff, not to mention the 130-degree temperatures inside in the summer. But it won Mendonca hugely loyal fans, some of whom he says travel an hour-and-a-half to eat his cuisine. “They were amazing with the truck and they’re still amazing,” he says. “I have incredible customers.” He expanded the menu in his new location, but his biggest sellers are staples from his food truck days. In a typical week, he sells about 800 rock shrimp thanks to the Rockin’ Tacos; orders about 400 pounds of pork, mostly for the Carnitas Tacos; and goes through at least 500 papo secos rolls—a Portuguese favorite that he serves with nearly every dish. Mendonca orders the rolls from a secret source located four hours away, claiming they are the only ones who can achieve a perfectly crunchy outside while maintaining a sop-worthy, spongy inside. Another item Mendonca says his customers “can’t live without” are the Bem Bom fries—tossed with Thai chilies, Thai basil, white truffle oil and Parmigiano Reggiano. The source of his ingredients is the secret to his success, he says, referencing his mother’s advice: “If you search for great ingredients, your job as a cook is easy.” Corrine Drive, Audubon Park; bembomfood.com—M.S.
Critic’s Pick: best chef
Tim Majoras Flying Fish
34 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
every day, and sometimes one who rises above it with a vision of what is possible. That chef, at this time, is Tim Majoras. What Majoras does at Flying Fish, serving items like immaculate Hokkaido scallops with grits, sweet corn and peppadew, is superb, but behind those artistically crafted meals is Chef Tim’s continuing foresight. “I was fascinated by the different food that I saw on PBS when I was a kid,” he says of his path. “My dad was a short-order cook; my mom was a waitress. It just kind of hit me that being a chef was my future. And what I thought it was going to be, going to culinary school in Orlando, is just what it was.” That journey has paid off. I’ve enjoyed a singular, multicourse meal crafted by Majoras’ capable hands at a private event, and every plate, every taste, was a new revelation: a dish of ostrich, dried beef and Egyptian rice, or the richness of sablefish marinated in coconut and sake. The talent behind those dishes reveals itself every day at Flying Fish, showing what we can expect in our town’s culinary future. “Orlando is changing and evolving for the better,” Majoras says, “and I’m proud to be a part of it.” Disney’s Boardwalk; disneyworld. disney.go.com/dining/boardwalk/flying-fish—J.H.
FLYING FISH, MAJORAS: WALT DISNEY WORLD
There are chefs who cook to a superb standard
Local magnate Sunny Corda rises
Critic’s Pick: newcomer
southern spice
above even the superb offerings at his other restaurants (Mynt, Rasa and Saffron) with Southern Spice, reaching a level of excellence that counters any argument about the sameness of Indian cuisine. Recipes preserved from his mother’s kitchen combine with an extensive classic education learned from the likes of Thomas Keller (Per Se) and Michelin star chef Peter Beck (Tamarind NYC) to form Southern Spice’s offerings of dishes from Southeast India. Mixing the familiar (yes, you can get samosas, chicken tikka and shrimp korma) with attention-getting specialties like jhol curry, chepala pulusu and lamb chettinad, this is premiere cuisine of the world prepared by world-class chefs. Dr. Phillips; southernspiceorlando.com—J.H.
Readers’ Choice BEST INDEPENDENT BAKERY
1. Winter Park
The Glass Knife
theglassknife.com
2. Winter Park
Buttermilk Bakery
buttermilk-bakery.com
3. Audubon Park & Casselberry
Olde Hearth Bread Company
oldehearthbreadcompany.com
BEST BARBECUE
1. Six Orlando-area locations 4 Rivers Smokehouse
4rsmokehouse.com
2. Mills 50 District & Lake Nona Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa
pigfloyds.com
3. Five Orlando-area locations
Bubbalou’s Bodacious BBQ
bubbalous.com
BEST BEER SELECTION
1. Four Orlando-area locations World of Beer
worldofbeer.com
2. Audubon Park
Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour
redlightredlightbeerparlour.com
3. Winter Garden
Crooked Can Brewing Company
crookedcan.com
BEST BREAKFAST
1. Multiple Orlando-area locations Keke’s Breakfast Café
kekes.com
2. Audubon Park Farm & Haus
& mobile storefront farmandhaus.com
3. Winter Park The COOP
asouthernaffair.com
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 35
HA LL OF FA ME Owner at Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria
Pom Moongauklang 36 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
There’s something magical about Pom Moongauklang, who has helmed her little sandwich and tea shop on North Bumby Avenue for 13 years. “I do love food,” she says, perched at the end of the counter with a twinkle in her eye. “I can cook everything; that comes from my mom. I get inspired by color, or a dream … That’s what I do, you get inspired and you cook. We have specials every day. I’m making Spam from scratch,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve been exploring a lot more.” Pom has grown into and helped redefine this section of Bumby from a seedy outskirt to an area with identity and value. “You have to be with a community and give to a community.” She talks about sharing purpose with Beefy King, Bad As’s Sandwich, MX Taco and Stasio’s Italian Deli, and grins. “It’s now the Sandwich District … watch out, Milk!” she says, referring to the hiply coined Milk District. “When we first opened, my menu was on a 5-by-7 card. We used to let custom-
ers build their own, just ‘Willy Wonka’ a sandwich. Now the menu is strong, and we partner desserts with CayCakes and P is for Pie.” At almost that second, Ed Tomljenovich from P walks in with a bag of whoopie pies. “My sandwiches don’t need a lot of stuff,” she says pointing to the “Billy Chang” of smoked brisket, blue cheese, strawberry jelly and red onions. “I like layers, of flavor, of color. When you open up one of my sandwiches, it should look like a layered cake. I don’t need four different sauces.” As she says, the food is the food. But Pom is much more, a unique combination of flamboyance (“Orange is my mascot color”) and lack of pretense. “It’s so eclectic here, especially at 2 a.m., so Studio 54 in here. It’s the servers, and the art; you can talk to the server or just listen to conversations— eavesdropping is okay.” That twinkle reappears. “I love this little place.” pompomsteahouse.com—J.H.
readers’ choice: Best chef
Readers’ Choice
When a cook at Tapa Toro brings a new recipe to Executive Chef Frank
BEST BRUNCH
Frank Galeano,tapa toro Galeano, he takes the first chance he gets to work with them, tweaking ingredients and method to see if the dish will fit in with the restaurant’s traditional Spanish fare. “I like [cooks] to stay motivated, stay interested and stay curious. I call it putting their fingerprint on the menu,” says Galeano, who stepped up from the chef de cuisine position in October. “If I allow them to be creative in the kitchen, it forms a bond and gives them more loyalty to the workplace.” It also creates a team of professionals who are mining bold new recipes and modern twists on Spanish classics and, he says, a more inclusive, healthful menu, from a roasted eggplant “steak’’ with cauliflower, capers, kale and raisins, to an herbed chicken sandwich with grilled vegetables and red pepper aioli. As a follower of the Keto diet, Galeano likes that there are cooks of all backgrounds weighing in, including a vegetarian and a student of holistic medicine. Galeano adopted a thirst for kitchen experimentation from his mother, who loved trying new recipes that Galeano found in books and magazines. “To me, cooking was being with family,” he says. So naturally, he treats those he shares his kitchen with like family. They often stay after hours playing with recipes in the kitchen and get together regularly outside of work. “We do try to create a really nice kitchen culture. No one lets anyone drown,” he says. ICON Orlando 360, International Drive; tapatoro.restaurant—M.S.
1. Orlando & Altamonte Springs Santiago’s Bodega
santiagosbodega.com
2. Lake Mary
The Vineyard Wine Company
thevineyardwinecompany.com
3. Winter Park
The Glass Knife
theglassknife.com
BEST LOCAL BURGER
1. Edgewood & Universal Boulevard Beth’s Burger Bar
bethsburgerbar.com
2. College Park
The Tap Room at Dubsdread
taproomatdubsdread.com
3. MetroWest
Teak Neighborhood Grill
teakorlando.com
BEST FOR A BUSINESS DINNER
1. Restaurant Row
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
eddiev.com
2. Waldorf Astoria Orlando Bull & Bear
bullandbearorlando.com
3. Steak & Lobster
Christner’s Prime
Lee Road, Orlando christnersprimesteakandlobster.com
BEST CARIBBEAN
1. Multiple Orlando-area locations Bahama Breeze
bahamabreeze.com
2. Lake Buena Vista
Pal Campo Restaurant
palcamporestaurant.com
3. International Drive
Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando
mangos.com/orlando
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 37
Readers’ Choice BEST CHEF’S TABLE
1. Winter Garden
Chef’s Table at the Edgewater
chefstableattheedgewater.com
2. ICON Orlando 360 Tapa Toro
tapatoro.restaurant
3. Winter Park
Luma on Park
lumaonpark.com
Last year when I started writing about Chef
Critic’s Pick & Readers’ choice: Best Chinese
Taste of Chengdu
Xiong “Tiger” Tang’s unique excursion into Sichuan cuisine, people were just beginning to take notice of his authentic spin on seafood, beef and chicken dishes that include the sweat-inducing seasonings of his home country. Now, the line often starts before the doors open on his West Colonial Drive spot, with diners craving whole lobster with peppers, brisket in chili sauce or tofu skin with chive sauce. “Lots of places call the food Sichuan and just throw on a lot of pepper; that’s not Sichuan,” Tang says of his lip-numbing food. “My brother in China sends me fresh peppers [called huajiao] from the mountains of Sichuan province at harvest time. Fresh is different.” West Colonial near Tampa Avenue; facebook.com/tasteofchengdu—J.H.
BEST CHINESE
1. West Colonial Drive Taste of Chengdu
facebook.com/tasteofchengdu
2. East Colonial Drive
Peter’s Kitchen China Bistro
peterskitchencb.business.site
3. Mills 50 District & Windermere Hawkers Asian Street Fare
eathawkers.com
BEST DELI
1. Six Orlando-area locations Toojay’s
toojays.com
2. Multiple Orlando-area locations Publix
publix.com
3. Milk District
Stasio’s Italian Deli & Market
Search Stasio’s on Facebook
BEST DESSERTS
1. Winter Park
The Glass Knife
theglassknife.com
2. Ivanhoe Village
Better Than Sex
betterthansexorlando.com
3. Baldwin Park
The Osprey Tavern
ospreytavern.com
38 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Critic’s Pick & Readers’ choice: Best Sandwiches
Bad As’s Sandwich
If you’ll forgive the sandwich-based pun, John Collazo is definitely on a roll. It’s 10 a.m. and the owner/chef of Bad As’s Sandwich is in the kitchen, blaring Red Hot Chili Peppers at max volume, filling his little sandwich shop with sounds and aromas. “I was jamming,” he says. “I made bread this morning, I just made pimento cheese … I do a lot.” He claims about 90 sandwiches available for his menu (“I don’t know if Subway has that many”) and is always thinking about new combos. His Ya Mon—jerk chicken, pork rinds, lime mayo, the crunch of fried plantain, sweet-tart-spicy jalepeno pesto— brings a lot of umami tastes to hit all your senses. Milk District-Primrose Drive just south of Robinson Street; badasssandwiches.com—J.H.
Readers’ Choice BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY RESTAuRANT
1. Multiple Orlando-area locations Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
kobesteakhouse.com
2. Lake Buena Vista
Pal Campo Restaurant
palcamporestaurant.com
3. Six Orlando-area locations 4 Rivers Smokehouse
4rsmokehouse.com
readers’ choice: Best Seafood, Best Service, Best Hotel Restaurant
deep blu seafood grille D
eep blu is casting its net outside the box, offering seafood people might not encounter elsewhere. A current, creative catch is lionfish—known for its venomous spines in nature but colorful and delicious on a plate, says John Branciforte, director of sales and marketing. All the fish on the menu are caught sustainably, meaning they’re not threatened or endangered. Branciforte says deep blu’s most intriguing dish is the Black and blu Linguine. Squid ink is blended with the pasta to create silky, black strands, which deep blu Chef Wade McLamb mixes with fresh blue crab, arugula, cherry tomatoes and tops with shaved parmesan. “Most Americans don’t know about it,” Branciforte says of the colorful pasta. “The flavor profile on that is great.” Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek; deepbluorlando.com—M.S.
BEST FOOD TRUCK
1. facebook.com/perupowerPeru Power
foodtruck
2. facebook.com/alocubanokitchen Gourmet Popcorn Club 3. facebook.com/ A Lo Cubano Kitchen
gourmetpopcornclub
BEST FRENCH
1. South Orange Avenue Le Coq au Vin
lecoqauvinrestaurant.com
2. Winter Park
Chez Vincent
chezvincent.com
3. Winter Park
Café de France
lecafedefrance.com
BEST GERMAN
1. Sanford
Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café
hollerbachs.com
2. Ivanhoe Village The Backhaus
Chelsie AND JAMIE SAVAGe take growth very seriously. In
Critic’s Pick: Best Plant-Based Restaurant
proper & wild
the space of a year, the owners of plant-based hotspot Sanctum Café have added two new properties and a new baby to their resume. The Sanctum Coffee & Juice Bar in Altamonte offers drinks, coffee and a smaller version of Sanctum’s menu. But the gem is Proper & Wild, and the growth is palpable. Yoga casual gives way to Winter Park downtempo, with sophisticated menu items like burgers made from lentils and shiitake mushroom and a winter squash curry that doesn’t flaunt its meatlessness so much as make you question the need for meat at all. “The community has voted for plant-based items,” says Chelsie. “For food that makes them feel good. If somebody had lunch at Sanctum on Tuesday, and they want to go out to dinner on Friday night, this is the spot.” East Morse Boulevard off Park Avenue, Winter Park;z properandwildwp.com—J.H.
the-backhaus.com
3. Epcot
Biergarten Restaurant
40 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
SEAFOOD: DEEP BLU
disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/ epcot/biergarten-restaurant
HA LL OF FA ME
Pastry Chef at The Osprey Tavern
Kristy Carlucci “I don’t have a sweet tooth,” says dessert queen Kristy Carlucci, who continues to push the after-dinner boundaries while still injecting a bit of fun. “I’ve been baking since I was a kid,” she says. “My grandmother gave me my first baking book when I was 6; I would read it cover to cover—I made my first soufflé when I was 8. I would pull things out of her pantry and make stuff.” Carlucci’s education at the Culinary Institute of America included an externship with one of the Gordon Ramsay-owned restaurants in Boca Raton. “You worked from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. and you got screamed at the entire time.” Her local experience includes The Ravenous Pig, Cask & Larder and now more than four years as pastry chef at The Osprey Tavern. Community is important to her, as evidenced by the “Pastry in the Park” events where she gathers other local dessert chefs for one sugar-filled evening. Her memorable creations include Peas & Carrots (carrot cake, sweet pea cake, carrot curd and brown butter ice cream), bubble gum ice cream and “something to do with radishes. I’m always trying to look for different things.” Baldwin Park; ospreytavern.com—J.H.
42 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
BEST GREEK
1. Pointe Orlando Taverna Opa
opaorlando.com
2. Ivanhoe Village
The Greek Corner
thegreekcorner.net
3. East Michigan Street Mediterranean Blue
mediterraneanblue.net
BEST HAPPY HOUR
1. Winter Park Cocina 214
cocina214.com
2. North Quarter, Orlando Reyes Mezcaleria
reyesmex.com
3. Pointe Orlando Taverna Opa
opaorlando.com
BEST HEALTHY SELECTIONS
1. Audubon Park & Farm & Haus
mobile storefront farmandhaus.com
2. Restaurant Row & Seasons 52
Altamonte Springs seasons52.com
3. Mills 50 District
The Sanctum Café
thesanctumcafe.com
BEST HOTEL RESTAURANT
1. Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort deep blu seafood grille
Bonnet Creek deepbluorlando.com
2. Grand Bohemian Hotel The Boheme
Downtown Orlando kesslercollection.com/boheme-restaurant
3. Caribe Royale Orlando
The Venetian Chop House
cariberoyale.com
44 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
readers’ choice: Best Desserts, Best Independent Bakery
The Glass Knife W
hen Steve Brown’s family sat down for a meal in his childhood home, there was always a wedding cake in the way. He and his siblings helped his mother, Jacque, who made and sold wedding cakes from their Lakeland home, with everything from mixing to decorating to cleaning up. Brown fell in love with cakes—the precision that baking them requires, the happy occasions they garnish and the unity they brought to his family. The former CEO of Accesso Technology opened The Glass Knife, a cake shop and cafe in Winter Park, with his partner of 17 years, Lance Koenig, in 2017, shortly after Jacque died unexpectedly. The name is an ode to her collection of Depression-era glass knives, which are displayed in the top of the long, walnut table in the center of the restaurant. Brown ensured that the precision necessary for a great cake was channeled into everything, from floor tile that matches the design on the glass knife handles, to cedar-smoking the chocolate inside the S’more Cream Puff to add a hint of campfire. South Orlando Avenue, Winter Park; theglassknife.com—M.S.
Critic’s Pick: Upper Crust Award
P Is For Pie
The case full of banana cream pies and cookies,
the carrot cake whoopie pies, the towering cakes so high that a standard box won’t close—that is the model of a successful bakery, one where Stacey and Ed Tomljenovich excel. But rising above the sweet fray is an innovative, clever, downright inspired savory side that takes cues from world cuisine, pop culture and odd ideas: ricotta, balsamic roasted mushrooms, mozzarella, roasted tomatoes (the Bruno Mars); the Game of Thrones, a teenager’s request for squab and boar themed food that became a pork and chicken hand pie with prosciutto; and a meat loaf, mashed potato and green beans “Christmas Story” pie. Cutie pies, pie pops, superior hand pies, minis, pies in Mason jars, full sized—everything from a single bite to a family affair that fulfills the sweet tooth or the hearty appetite. “We’ve spent the last three years proving ourselves,” Stacey says. “I think we’re getting there.” Audubon Park; crazyforpies.com—J.H.
CHOCOLATE, DONUTS: THE GLASS KNIFE
Readers’ Choice
2019
DINING
AWARDS READERS CHOICE
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 45
Readers’ Choice BEST INDIAN
1. Winter Park & East Orlando Tamarind
tamarindfl.com
2. Winter Park
Mynt Fine Indian Cuisine
myntorlando.com
3. International Drive
Maza Indian Restaurant
eatatmaza.com
BEST ITALIAN
1. & Pizzeria
Francesco’s Ristorante
Maitland francescos-rist.com
2. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel Mama Della’s Ristorante
universalorlando.com
Prato
prato-wp.com
BEST JAPANESE
1. Multiple Orlando-area locations Kobe Japanese Steakhouse
kobesteakhouse.com
2. Baldwin Park & Restaurant Row Seito Sushi
seitosushi.com
3. Audubon Park Kadence
kadenceorlando.com
BESt-KEPT SECRET
1. Lake Mary
The Vineyard Wine Company
thevineyardwinecompany.com
2. Mills 50 District
Bites & Bubbles
bitesbubbles.com
3. International Drive
Vincenzo Cucina Italiana
vincenzosorlando.com
46 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Critic’s Pick: Impact Award
John Rivers,4 Rivers Smokehouse After 10 years of 4 Rivers Smokehouse, with its enviable growth to 14 locations in two states, John Rivers has impacted the Orlando food scene on many levels, and brought about the very environment of what giving means in this community. Rivers says the initial impetus of building his company was to give people jobs: “I didn’t start it to make money; I started it to help people. The better you run the business, the more people you can help.” His inspiration of starting small and focusing on food quality has sparked the careers of Hunger Street Tacos, Hawkers Asian Street Fare and many more, and his Cows ’n Cabs annual event has raised more than $520,000 for local charities. The future of his 4Roots Farm and Agriculture Center, encompassing 40 acres in College Park, is staggering; this endeavor will change the face of Orlando’s food scene. Impacting elementary education by teaching kids where food comes from; giving fresh food access to an often neglected segment of the community; and building a fresh food hub to provide food for Orange County Public School campuses, 4R Smokehouses, and AdventHealth locations—all are goals of the project. Local farmers will learn new techniques and be able to use the farm’s cutting-edge processing facilities. Rivers’ foundation has already built educational farming programs at Ocoee and Edgewater High Schools, where students are growing the food that goes into their own cafeterias. “Back to [my] roots, I was the odd man out,” he says. “We didn’t have a whole lot of money in Jacksonville; Mom is very Lebanese; she’d dress us a little funny, cut our hair. I gained an appreciation for what it’s like to be different; it provided motivation in my life.” His goal, at the heart, is nourishing people, and that is the best impact of all. 4r-foundation.org—J.H.
4 RIVERS SMOKEHOUSE
3. Winter Park
readers’ choice: Best Italian
Francesco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria
2019
DINING
AWARDS READERS CHOICE
T
he open kitchen at this Maitland restaurant invites diners to watch Executive Chef/ Owner Francesco Aiello cook, ask him questions or even stop by for a hug. “I love that people enjoy being in my restaurant, eating my food. It’s an amazing feeling,” he says. This approachability has built trust over the seven years he’s been in business, emboldening his customers to try things like whole branzino, a European sea bass. Seeing the fish head and navigating around its bones can be intimidating to the novice.“People now, they trust me more, they know me,” he says. Aiello says he wants people to understand the value of fresh, scratch cooking, so he offers classes, teaching techniques he learned in his native Sicily. One popular class teaches fresh mozzarella-making. Aiello says he has a hand in every dish that goes out of the kitchen. When he’s on vacation, he doesn’t run any specials. “I make every single dish,” he says. “I want to make my customers happy, 100 percent.” South Orlando Avenue, Maitland; francescos-rist.com —M.S.
Voted “Best Burger” We Deliver & Cater! Now Open at the Orange County Convention Center & Coming Soon in Lake Mary! 5145 S. Orange Ave. | 407-888-1190 9938 Universal Blvd., Suite #120 | 407-203-8100
2019
DINING AWARDS READERS CHOICE
The votes are in & Cocina 214 is a fan fave! Best Mexican/Tex-Mex 1st place Best Happy Hour 1st place Best Place for Cocktails 1st place Best Appetizers 2nd place
Thanks for all the Votes!
Come try our AwardWinning Menu!
451 S. Atlantic Ave Daytona Beach, FL 32118 407.790.7997
cocina214.com
151 E Welbourne Ave Winter Park, FL 32789 386.456.3168
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 47
HA LL OF FA ME
Maxine’s on Shine 48 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
For Kirt and Maxine Earhart, there’s no separation between a good dinner and a good night out. In its seventh year, the little neighborhood bistro called Maxine’s has become an eclectic mix of dining— courtesy of local legend and 2013 Dining Hall of Fame Chef George Vogelbacher— and entertainment, music and art. “It’s all equally important,” Kirt says. The mix at Maxine’s includes vaudeville shows, knife throwers, contortionists, belly dancers and drag show. There’s an ever-changing display of local art, a flow of singer/songwriters—and a menu featuring a much-respected cioppino stew and seafood from 50-year veteran chef Vogelbacher as a basis of their American neighborhood cuisine.
Kirt considers the place an extension of his living room. “I am merely the minstrel for elevation of good times,” he says. “People don’t want to come here for just food, they want to celebrate.” As Maxine tags it: “Sexy, comfortable and delicious.” “Character” is a good word for Maxine’s. Maxine herself can be found “working the room,” her exuberant personality matched by a flamboyant sense of wardrobe. Kirt is the epitome of the good host, plying a new bottle of wine or breaking into extemporaneous poetry. There must have been a great cosmic alignment that allowed these two eccentric treasures to meet. Shine Avenue just south of Livingston Street; maxinesonshine.com—J.H.
Critic’s Pick: Empire Building award
Sonny Nguyen Domu, Domu Chibi, Tori Tori
The first iteration of Domu opened at East End Market in 2016, a sophisticated ramen house before house-made noodles became a local craze, with Chef/Owner Sonny Nguyen bringing a rock/hip hop sensibility to honored traditions. The depth of flavor and respect for ingredients has produced slow-cooked bone broths, house-made noodles, and some of the best crispy kimchee butter-coated wings ever made. Domu’s head-spinning expansion has spread to Domu Jacksonville and Domu Chibi (“little Domu”) in the Waterford Lakes Town Center, where quick ramen and small bites are served. After a year of regulatory limbo, Japanese pub Tori Tori will open this summer in the Mills 50 District, offering food and crafted cocktails. The second full Domu opens at The Marketplace in Dr. Phillips soon after. Nguyen grew up in Winter Haven, the son of restaurateurs. “I was a restaurant kid,” he says. “There’s always a back room where the kids hang out with the spare chairs. It helped me understand the business; it’s in my blood.” His connections with Bento Group and Avenue Gastrobar furthered his business background, along with an accounting degree from UCF. “I go into this every day like my life depends on it. I have all these lives on my shoulder, I have to keep jobs for everybody. That’s a lot to bear for a business owner.” Nguyen has a vision beyond his own restaurant walls. “All of us who are going to help influence the food scene in Orlando,” he says, “need to push the envelope as much as we can.” domufl.com; facebook.com/toritoripub—J.H.
2019
DINING
AWARDS READERS CHOICE
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 49
Readers’ Choice BEST LATE-NIGHT DINING
1. Pointe Orlando Taverna Opa
opaorlando.com
2. & Sandwicheria
Pom Pom’s Teahouse
Milk District pompomsteahouse.com
3. Mills 50 District Tako Cheena
mytakocheena.com
BEST LATIN
1. facebook.com/perupowerfoodtruck Pal Campo Restaurant 2. Lake Buena Vista Peru Power Food Truck
palcamporestaurant.com
3. International Drive
Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando
mangos.com/Orlando
BEST LIVE MUSIC/ENTERTAINMENT
1. International Drive
Mango’s Tropical Café Orlando
mangos.com/Orlando
2. Pointe Orlando Taverna Opa
Critic’s Pick: Rising Stars Award
Joseph & David Creech,
opaorlando.com
Hunger Street Tacos
3. ICON Orlando 360
The 2017 winners for Best
Tin Roof
tinrooforlando.com
BEST MEXICAN
1. Winter Park Cocina 214
cocina214.com
2. North Quarter
Reyes Mezcaleria
reyesmex.com
3. South Orlando & Winter Park Agave Azul
agaveazulorlando.com
BEST MIDDLE EASTERN
1. Four Orlando-area locations
Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine
bosphorousrestaurant.com
2. Restaurant Row
Cedar’s Restaurant
orlandocedars.com 50 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
New Restaurant took a tremendous risk by presenting an “elevated Mexican dinner” at the Edible Education Experience last year. Crafted by co-owners Joseph and David Creech, with chefs Bruno Fonseca and Albert DeSue, the meal explored marrow and mushrooms, esquites, nopal and 30-ingredient mole. It turned out to be an unforgettable excursion into Mexican cuisine. The remarkable food being made every day at Hunger Street only scratches the surface of the Creech brothers’ capabilities. There are depths to the combinations of ingredients, the immediacy of hand-nixtamalized heirloom corn, the intimacy that comes from deep respect for the culture and its food. And with Maricela Gomez of Mexico City recently named sous chef, those experiences are expanding further. “Mexican food is bottomless, it’s endless,” Mexican born and raised Joseph Creech says. “We always want to be at the creative front of that. Deep in my heart, its more than the food, it’s the people. It’s the culture. If we can be pushing real food in a fast-casual environment, that’s really exciting to me.” He looks toward moving beyond fast casual “in time,” and plans on further events at Winter Park event spot The Heavy, including collaborations with Ravenous Pig chef Camilo Velasco. “We use the Nahuatl word ‘cuate’; it means twin, a bond between both sides of the table. There’s nothing that helps you understand a culture better than sharing a meal.” West Fairbanks Avenue, Winter Park; hungerstreettacos.com—J.H.
Readers’ Choice 3. West Fairbanks Avenue, Orlando Mediterranean Deli
Critic’s Pick: Best Brunch
407-539-2650
BEST NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT
Plancha
1. Colonialtown
Maxine’s on Shine
maxinesonshine.com
While you may not be the type to frequent a country club, there’s something to be
said for having brunch at one. The setting at Plancha, the lakeside clubhouse at the Four Seasons Tranquilo golf club, is idyllic, with views of course and water available from every seat. Brunch at Plancha is more than just breakfast stuff served late. It’s an exercise in playful cookery, such as Old Mill of Guilford cheddar grits from North Carolina with Gulf shrimp and a hit of chorizo heat; an exceptional slab of buttermilk-crusted fried chicken on a cornmeal waffle and jalapeño syrup; or raspberry and white chocolate buttermilk pancakes. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort; fourseasons.com/orlando/dining/restaurants/plancha—J.H.
readers’ choice: Best Appetizers
The Tasting Room
T
wo summers ago, Laurie and Kevin Tarter, owners of The Tasting Room in Winter Garden, decided to remove from the menu the fried chicken livers, which is Kevin’s grandmother’s creation, served with smoked sausage gravy. But after a surprising amount of backlash from customers, the livers returned. “We were shocked that so many people were losing their minds over fried chicken livers,” Laurie says. The traditional Southern dish is one of about 25 items on the small-plate menu but not the only one customers have fought for during the seven years The Tasting Room has been open. Laurie recalls running out of the beef for the Mini Beef Wellington Trio dish, resulting in angry phone calls and letters. “We change the specials every couple of days, but when we’ve tried to take off some of the signature items people have complete meltdowns,” she says, adding she’s flattered by the response. The Tasting Room shares a kitchen with the couple’s original restaurant, Chef ’s Table, and both are housed within the nearly century-old Edgewater Hotel. Plant Street, Winter Garden; chefstableattheedgewater.com/tasting room—M.S.
2. Mills 50 District
Black Rooster Taqueria
blackroostertaqueria.com
3. MetroWest
Teak Neighborhood Grill
teakorlando.com
BEST OLD FAVORITE
1. Steak & Lobster
Christner’s Prime
Lee Road, Orlando christnersprimesteakandlobster.com
2. East Colonial Drive Linda’s La Cantina
lindaslacantina.com
3. College Park
The Tap Room at Dubsdread
taproomatdubsdread.com
BEST OUTDOOR DINING
1. Winter Park Hillstone
hillstone.com
2. College Park
The Tap Room at Dubsdread
taproomatdubsdread.com
3. Deck & Tiki Bar
Grills Lakeside Seafood
North Orange Blossom Trail at Lake Fairview grillsseafood.com
BEST PIZZA
1. Kissimmee PLANCHA: 4 SEASONS RESORT ORLANDO
Retro Station Italian Food
retrostationrestaurant.com
2. Curry Ford Road Pizza Bruno
pizzabrunofl.com
3. Thornton Park
Anthony’s Pizza
anthonyspizza.com
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 51
Readers’ Choice BEST PLACE FOR COCKTAILS
1. Winter Park Cocina 214
cocina214.com
2. South Magnolia Avenue
Mathers Social Gathering
mathersorlando.com
3. Winter Garden
The Tasting Room
chefstableattheedgewater.com
BEST POWER LUNCH
1. College Park
The Tap Room at Dubsdread
taproomatdubsdread.com
2. Winter Park Hillstone
hillstone.com
3. Grand Bohemian Hotel The Boheme
Critic’s Pick: Best Neighborhood Restaurant
Market on South
Downtown Orlando kesslercollection.com/ boheme-restaurant
BEST RAMEN
1. Audubon Park Domu
domufl.com
2. Thornton Park
JINYA Ramen Bar
jinya-ramenbar.com
3. Baldwin Park & Restaurant Row Seito Sushi
seitosushi.com
BEST RIBS
1. Six Orlando-area locations 4 Rivers Smokehouse
4rsmokehouse.com
2. Mills 50 District & Lake Nona Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa
pigfloyds.com
3. International Drive Tony Roma’s
tonyromas.com
52 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Critic’s Pick: Best Japanese
kadence
Veganist Shaun Noonan and powerhouse doughnut maker
Celine Duvoisin have made Market On South the go-to for things vegetarian and decadent. The home of vegan savory Dixie Dharma and egg-free, dairy-free Valhalla Bakery, MoS makes plant-based food not only hip but delicious. And one neighborhood inspires another: Dharma bum Noonan is partner in the recently opened Eola General store and the Curate art gallery/restaurant, both in the Milk District; aspiring Sanford food hall Henry’s Depot will include a Dixie Dharma; and Tampa food hall Armature Works includes their veg-based goodies. Meanwhile, the sweet goodness of Valhalla has a home in St. Petersburg, while Duvoisin’s square Valkyrie Doughnuts dominates the before/during/after meal snack scene near UCF. South Street, west of Primrose Drive; marketonsouth.com—J.H.
Mark Vyan Berdin, Lordfer Lalicon and Jennifer Bañagale measure their growth in small increments—the move from Kappo, their seven-seat eatery in East End Market, to Kadence, nearly around the corner, added just two seats and encased the business in a flat black box, unsigned and unadorned. The embellishments are found within: jewel tones of Japanese skipjack and salmon roe, deep red bonito and pearly cuttlefish, like gems in an elegant box. The challenges are learning to literally “trust the chef” (the meaning of omakase), and getting one of those nine seats. Fortunately, pre-ordered takeaway chirashi bowls are available for lunch and dinner. Kadence is an anomaly, a big-city, big-ticket treasure that succeeds because of, and in spite of, its uniqueness. Audubon Park; kadenceorlando.com—J.H.
readers’ choice: Best Mexican, Best Place for Cocktails, Best Happy Hour
Cocina 214 T
his Winter Park favorite has achieved perfection—as in winning our Best Mexican category every year since the restaurant opened in 2011. And Cocina has placed high on the list with readers in the Cocktails and Happy Hour categories as well (coming out on top for 2019). The menu is loaded with Mexican favorites—quesadillas, enchiladas, tacos, burritos, tamales and flautas—but also boasts dishes like achiote rotisserie chicken, corn-crusted mahi and carne asada. There’s also a Daytona Beach location, which opened in January 2018, so you can enjoy the big selection of top-notch margaritas while watching the waves. Hilarity alert: Cocina’s annual Running of the Chihuahuas is set for May 5 in WP! East Welbourne Avenue, off Park Avenue. cocina214.com—Barry Glenn
DANKE SCHÖN
COURTESY COCINA 214
5
Your Choice for Best German 5 years in a row! Hollerbachs.com MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 53
Readers’ Choice MOST ROMANTIC
1. Caribe Royale Orlando
The Venetian Chop House
cariberoyale.com
2. Winter Garden
Chef’s Table at the Edgewater
chefstableattheedgewater.com
3. Disney’s Grand Floridian Victoria & Albert’s
Resort & Spa victoria-alberts.com
Critic’s Pick: Best cocktails
Luke’s Kitchen & Bar
It’s called a “cocktail program” in the trade, but there’s nothing formulaic about the creations coming from the bar at Luke’s (it is called Kitchen AND Bar, after all). Barrel-aged and draft cocktails (the on-tap Jaguar, consisting of Elyx vodka, Boomsma Beerenburger and Lindsay bitters, grapefruit, apple and lime is complex enough to occupy most of the evening) complement a full menu of what Luke’s calls “classically inspired libations.” S. Orlando Avenue, Maitland; eatatlukes.com—J.H.
BEST SALADS
1. Millenia Boulevard Greens & Grille
greensandgrille.com
2. Downtown & Southwest Orlando Greenbeat
green-beat.com
3. Winter Park & The Mall at Millenia The Cheesecake Factory
thecheesecakefactory.com
BEST SANDWICHES
1. Milk District
Bad As’s Sandwich
badasssandwiches.com
2. & Sandwicheria
Pom Pom’s Teahouse
Milk District pompomsteahouse.com
3. Milk District Beefy King
beefyking.com
BEST SEAFOOD
1. Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort deep blu seafood grille
Bonnet Creek deepbluorlando.com
2. Winter Park
Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen + Bar
reelfishcoastal.com
3. Winter Park
blu on the avenue
bluontheavenue.com
54 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Critic’s Pick: best ice cream
THE Greenery Creamery Consider these flavors: Cardamom rose. Chocolate orange olive oil. Black ash coconut (Greenery Creamery’s most popular). Consider the taste buds that developed Lady Marmalade, sweet milky ice cream with angel food cake and orange marmalade swirls. Owner and opera singer Marie Mercado uses all-natural (although sometimes unusual) ingredients and Dakin Dairy Farms milk for her small-batch, handcrafted marvels of dairy and vegan treats. East Church Street, two blocks south of Lake Eola; thegreenerycreamery.com—J.H.
EXPERIENCE WHAT MAKES deep blu A WINNER! The winner of multiple dining awards, deep blu seafood grille serves fresh Atlantic seafood, Japanese sushi and contemporary fusion cuisine with a relaxed coastal vibe. Enjoy watching the food artisans from the open kitchen or sit at the sushi bar. Specialty drinks, cocktails, wine and beer complement the catch. Reservations: 407-390-2420 | deepbluorlando.com
All WyndhamŽ hotels are either franchised by the company or managed by Wyndham Hotel Management, Inc., one of its affiliates or through a joint-venture partner. Š2019 Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC. All rights reserved.
Readers’ Choice
HA LL OF FA ME
Bartender at Hemingway’s
Fred Rhode A veteran of 35 years at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, Fred Rhode is so dedicated to service that he interrupted our conversation to get me a glass of water, unbidden. He reveals his secret: “Taking care of people, treat them like family and friends.” Recruited from the venerable Church Street Station’s Cheyenne Saloon, Rhode helped open the award-winning Hemingway’s in 1984 and can be found behind the bar several days a week. His thumbprint is on many of Orlando’s prime locations: He opened the bars at Finnegan’s Irish pub at Universal, the Florida Hotel, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and other Disney properties, while still working at Hemingway’s. “I always stayed here,” he says. He has regular guests who arrive monthly and remembers others who revisit after several years, recalling their drinks and often where they sat. Rhode himself leans toward red wine, but talks reverently of the house specialty, the Papa Doble— spiced rum, Bacardi, orange and pineapple. “Five years down the road when I retire,” he says, “I won’t retire. I’ll still come out here two days a week, see the people.” hemingwaysorlando.com—J.H.
56 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
MRS. POTATO The Original Brazilian Style With our exclusive way to create the real Rosti Potato, you and your family will enjoy the original Brazilian flavors in the USA.
4550 S.Kirkman Rd. Orlando, FL 32811 407-290-0991 MrsPotato.net | As Seen on Diners Drive-Ins & Dives
people. passion. produce. | FreshPoint.com MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 57
Readers’ Choice
Critic’s Pick: Best Wine List
dovecote brasserie
BEST SERVICE
1. Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort deep blu seafood grille
Bonnet Creek deepbluorlando.com
2. Winter Garden
Chef’s Table at the Edgewater
chefstableattheedgewater.com
When DoveCote opened in 2016, the pairing of Chef Clay Miller and drinkmeister Gene Zimmerman instantly became a match as organic as a glass of Vouvray and a plate of mussels. Zimmerman’s deft palate has created a compact and slightly esoteric wine list that leans toward Gamay Beaujolais, Colombard and other niche grapes that offer great value in bottles that, as he says, “are true to Clay’s cuisine but are also a good, drinkable beverage.” He likes wines from family vineyards that tell a story. “I’m not trying to change the way Orlando drinks wine,” he says, while doing exactly that. North Orange Avenue at Livingston Street. dovecoteorlando.com—J.H.
3. Three Orlando-area locations Ruth’s Chris Steak House
ruthschris.com
BEST SOUTHERN
1. Winter Park The COOP
asouthernaffair.com
2. Thornton Park Soco
socothorntonpark.com
3. Disney Springs
Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’
homecominkitchen.com
BEST SPANISH
1. ICON Orlando 360 Tapa Toro
tapatoro.restaurant
2. Winter Park
Bulla Gastrobar
bullagastrobar.com
3. Orlando & Altamonte Springs Santiago’s Bodega
santiagosbodega.com
BEST STEAK HOUSE
1. Steak & Lobster
Christner’s Prime
Lee Road, Orlando christnersprimesteakandlobster.com
2. East Colonial Drive Linda’s La Cantina
lindaslacantina.com
3. Caribe Royale Orlando
The Venetian Chop House
cariberoyale.com
58 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
readers’ choice: Best Latin, Best Food Truck
Peru Power I
f Carroll Melgarejo suddenly loses track of her husband, Fernando, when they’re working their Peru Power food truck, she figures he’s just nearby talking business with a newbie trucker. Although the food truck scene is competitive and the couple are short on time—they had their first child, Luna, three months ago—they love helping others succeed. The Melgarejos will soon open a food truck commissary kitchen where fellow food truckers can prep and store food as well as obtain licensing and permits. Those ventures have grown partly because of all the hiccups they experienced in their first year, Fernando says. But after four years of serving Peruvian fare, they’ve found their groove—and a following so intense, they now have a second “personal” cell phone because their original one is constantly buzzing, inquiring where they’ll be cooking that day. In the beginning, they found Orlando slow to warm to traditional Peruvian food—its close-to-raw ceviche, its potato-and-fried egg-stacked burgers. These two items are now fan favorites. They’re currently searching for a brick-and-mortar location so they can expose even more of Peru’s gastronomical offerings to Central Florida. facebook.com/perupowerfoodtruck—M.S.
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 59
Readers’ Choice
readers’ choice: power lunch
BEST SUSHI
T
1. Baldwin Park & Restaurant Row Seito Sushi
seitosushi.com
2. Oviedo & Winter Park Sushi Pop
sushipoprestaurant.com
3. Colonialtown
Kabooki Sushi
kabookisushi.com
BEST TAKEOUT
1. Audubon Park & Farm & Haus
mobile storefront farmandhaus.com
2. Six.Orlando-area locations 4 Rivers Smokehouse
4rsmokehouse.com
3. Mills 50 District & Winter Park Black Bean Deli
blackbeandeli.com
BEST THAI
1. Winter Garden Thai Blossom
mythaiblossom.com
2. Winter Park & Lake Mary Orchid Thai Cuisine
orchidthaiwinterpark.com
3. East Colonial Drive Sea Thai
seaorlando.com
BEST VEGETARIAN
1. Mills 50 District
Dandelion Communitea Café
dandelioncommunitea.com
2. Mills 50 District
The Sanctum Café
thesanctumcafe.com
3. Winter Park
Ethos Vegan Kitchen
ethosvegankitchen.com
60 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
the tap room at dubsdread
he Tap Room’s rustic, lodgelike dining room—we’re talking lots of wood—as well as its verandah bordering Dubsdread Golf Course are prime gathering spots for Orlando’s movers and shakers. But this venerable College Park restaurant is also great for just plain folks. Whoever you are and wherever you sit, owner Steve Gunter and his staff will make you feel welcome. And you absolutely must order the Tap Room Classic Cheeseburger—so good that it occupies a place in our Dining Hall of Fame. Par Street at Edgewater Drive; taproomatdubsdread.com—B.G.
Critic’s Pick: undiscovered GEM
fig’s prime
Dining recognition comes in waves; Winter
Garden used to be a far-out destination for the undiscovered; now nobody gives a trip to Chef’s Table at the Edgewater a second thought. And so it should be for Fig’s Prime, all-l-l the way up there in Altamonte Springs. Combine a comfortably upscale ambiance, subdued but attentive service, and the multicultural talents of Chef/Owner Victor Gonzalez, and this eatery should rank among your first choices for dinner. Prime steaks (at very affordable prices), a first-rate shrimp and diver scallop dish, and a finger-licking mussel appetizer are just some of the highlights you’ll be talking about the next day. State Road 434 just west of Interstate 4; figsprime.com—J.H.
Critic’s Pick: best-dressed potato
Orlando’s Original Artisan Bakery
mrs. potato
since 1998
It sounds simple: grated potatoes, grilled into a saucer shape. But the Brazilian delicacy called a rosti potato originated in Switzerland, uses a national signature cheese (catupiri) developed by Italians and is way larger than you can imagine. The South American batata Suíça takes the idea of crisp hash browns and fills them with gooey, savory goodness: ham and cheese, beef stroganoff, Buffalo chicken and many other varieties. Rafaela Cabede’s creations have been featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and even without national flameheaded attention are a unique and exemplary treat. South Kirkman Road at Conroy Road. mrspotato.net—J.H.
Guaranteed fresh breads and pastries baked daily! Thank you for all the support these past 20 years! 2019
DINING AWARDS READERS CHOICE
Wholesale Location:
Retail Location:
207 Reece Way Suite #1625 Casselberry, FL 32707
3201 Corrine Dr. Orlando, FL 32803 inside the East End Market
OldeHearthBreadCompany.com
MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 61
Readers’ Choice BEST VIETNAMESE
1. Mills 50 District Pho 88
Critic’s Pick: casual dining
poke hana
pho88orlando.com
2. Mills 50 District Little Saigon
Amid the vast wave of new poke restaurants,
this homegrown hangout brings a level of quality seldom seen in fast food. There’s good, sushi-quality rice, fish brought in daily (with sourcing information posted), and interesting non-tuna items (tuna is poke of choice) like kimchee octopus, Hawaiian-roll sliders, poke nachos and house-made crispy rice taco shells that stick in your teeth—but you still love them. Fast, friendly, and very, very good. East Colonial Drive just east of Mills Avenue; poke-hana.com—J.H.
littlesaigonrestaurant.com
3. Winter Park &
Viet-Nomz Pho & Street Fare
Waterford Lakes vietnomzfl.com
BEST VIEW
1. Winter Park Hillstone
hillstone.com
2. Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Capa
Walt Disney World Resort fourseasons.com/Orlando/dining
3. Deck & Tiki Bar
Grills Lakeside Seafood
North Orange Blossom Trail at Lake Fairview grillsseafood.com
BEST WINE BAR
1. Winter Park
The Wine Room
thewineroomonline.com
2. Lake Mary
The Vineyard Wine Company
thevineyardwinecompany.com
3. Winter Garden
The Attic Door
jrsatticdoor.com
1. Lake Mary
The Vineyard Wine Company
thevineyardwinecompany.com
2. Caribe Royale Orlando
The Venetian Chop House
cariberoyale.com
3. Winter Park
The Wine Room
thewineroomonline.com
62 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Critic’s Pick: best italian
Enzo’s Hideaway Tunnel Bar It’s a secret restaurant with a bright neon sign pointing to the door. A fabled underground access tunnel that serves dinner and cocktails. A hidden Prohibition rum runners’ tunnel taken over by an immigrant Italian family that is a total Disney Springs fabrication. And I adore it. Chef John Miele turns out house-cured salumi and fresh pastas, eggplant a la Romano and richly charred steaks, chicken saltimbocca and rigatoni with Sunday sauce. It’s a Roman fantasy meets graffitied speakeasy easily reachable without leaving Orlando. patinagroup.com/enzos-hideaway—J.H.
PPASTA: PATINA GROUP
BEST WINE LIST
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Chef & Restaurant SPOTLIGHT
deep blu seafood grille Wade McLamb, Chef
LOCATION AND CONTACT INFO Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek 14651 Chelonia Parkway Orlando, FL 32821 Reservations: 407.390.2420 deepbluorlando.com HOURS Daily: 5:30-10 p.m.
Chef Wade McLamb started his culinary journey at an early age in a local sandwich shop. He began his creative culinary career as a sauté cook at one of Raleigh’s finest steakhouses, J. Gilbert’s, and has since held roles at The Oceanaire Seafood Room and Rick Erwin’s Nantucket Seafood Grill, a perennial award winner for fresh seafood in South Carolina. He joins the team at deep blu seafood grille from Emeril’s at CityWalk/Universal Orlando as the chef de cuisine, bringing with him a strong background in seafood and Southern cuisine. Chef McLamb combines his Southern style of cooking with the restaurant’s focus on the freshest, locally sourced seafood and ingredients. “Chef McLamb’s passion for Southern flavors—and Southern hospitality—combined with his expertise in fresh local seafood makes him the perfect fit for
deep blu,” said Robert Fohr, hotel manager. “Since its inception, deep blu has emerged as a seafood staple in the Orlando community and we are excited to bring Chef McLamb’s perspective to an already vibrant experience while maintaining the expert service our guests expect.” deep blu seafood grille offers a one-ofa-kind experience dedicated to distinct flavors and sustainable fare, featuring fresh Atlantic seafood and mouthwatering sushi sourced through local seafood vendors, as well as top-grade meat, poultry and produce from local farmers. The restaurant is located on the lobby level of the Wyndham Grand Orlando Resort Bonnet Creek, with sweeping views of the resort’s private 10-acre lake and area fireworks. The restaurant’s relaxed coastal vibe is highlighted by casually chic, modern décor and an open-air kitchen. MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 63
At the History Center you can: • Roam through four stories of stories covering 12,000 years TheHistoryCenter.Org
TAKE A PEEK behind the curtains at how the world’s most famous city came to be!
• Explore the explorers who shaped our world • Discover Central Florida before the arrival of Disney Visit us soon! We’re open seven days a week. 65 E. Central Blvd. Orlando, FL | 407-836-8500
2019
dining awards winners
congrat ulations 64 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
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Meet some of the business, civic and educational leaders who work to bring about positive change and enhance the quality of life in our community. • FEATURING •
Diane Crews, Orlando Sanford International Airport Deborah Crown, Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College Betsy Gardner Eckbert, Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Fannie Hillman + Associates Marnie Forestieri, Amazing Explorers Academy Gabriele Gannaway, Neiman Marcus Orlando Caryn Green, Green Family Law Margaret Guedes, Kids Beating Cancer Dr. Mary Janarious, Pediatrics of Central Florida, Kissimmee Medical Arts District Jessica Hallgren Kendrick, Kendrick Law Group Audrey Morrone, Morrone Interiors Kelly L. Price, Kelly Price & Company
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DIANE CREWS President and CEO | Orlando Sanford International Airport “I believe in the Golden Rule, back to the first lessons learned in childhood. That means treating our passengers, employees and business partners how we want to be treated ourselves.”—Diane Crews Diane Crews never dreamed she would run an airport. She had always planned to go to college but put if off to get married and have a family. Today, Diane is proof that even a woman starting her career later in life can reach the pinnacle of her profession. Diane is the first female president of the Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), which surpassed 3 million passengers in 2018 and has a regional economic impact of more than $2.6 billion. Seventeen years after graduating from Seminole High School, she began her higher education at Seminole State College, which is honoring her this year with the Distinguished Alumni Legacy Award. She went on to earn her B.A. and M.P.A. in public administration from the University of Central Florida. After working 11 years for the City of Sanford, Diane was offered the opportunity to serve at the airport. Diane welcomed the challenge and found herself falling in love with the world of aviation. She accepted the vice president of administration position in 2001. Diane later became vice president of finance and administration. Her duties included managing 110-plus airport-owned rental properties, acting as director of human resources, and serving as executive director of Foreign Trade Zone No. 250 and airport public information officer. She also oversaw all finance and administrative functions, becoming president and CEO in 2015. Diane is most proud of creating job and travel opportunities, as well as improving the airport’s infrastructure, airfield, terminals and commerce park. She recently received the Orlando Business Journal’s Women Who Mean Business Award. Under Diane’s leadership, the airport has undergone a major terminal expansion that honors the airport’s motto—“SFB: Simpler. Faster. Better.” A Sanford native, Diane is committed to giving back. She has served on numerous community boards and committees, including the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center, Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Seminole County Tourism Development Council, Seminole County Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Boy Scouts of America Central Florida Council. 1200 RED CLEVELAND BLVD | SANFORD, FL 32773 PHONE: 407-585-4000 | FLYSFB.COM 66 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
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DEBORAH CROWN, PH.D. Dean | Crummer Graduate School of Business, Rollins College As Dean of the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College, Deborah Crown is committed to producing global, innovative and responsible leaders who impact both their organizations and their communities. Having held leadership positions in business schools for 20 years, Dean Crown’s path to Central Florida took her across the country and back again: She was recruited to lead at the University of Alabama, then Silicon Valley, then farther west to Hawaii Pacific University. But it was Crummer’s commitment to excellence, its personal approach, and its focus on educating experienced professionals that brought her back East.
“One of the primary reasons I was drawn to Crummer was the school’s distinct commitment to delivering quality executivelevel education,” says Dean Crown. “While most graduate business schools serve entry-level and professional-level students, Crummer’s faculty, connections and experience also enable us to provide top executives with the skills and knowledge they need to continue growing and excelling at the highest echelons of business.” In addition to its Early Advantage MBA program—which Forbes Magazine ranks as the No. 1 program in Florida—and its Professional MBA program for working professionals, Crummer provides two distinct degree options for executives: the
Executive MBA, and the Executive Doctorate in Business Administration, the first AACSB-accredited program of its kind in Florida. The School’s Center for Management and Executive Education also provides customized programs, workshops and short courses for executives. “Of all the business ecosystems I’ve working in across the country, Central Florida has been my favorite because of its thriving industries and tremendous growth potential,” says Crown. “It’s incredibly fulfilling to lead a top-ranked business school that is shaping the region’s future by helping its organizations attract, educate and retain professional and executive talent.”
1000 HOLT AVENUE - 2722 | WINTER PARK, FL 32789 | PHONE: 407-646-2405 | ROLLINS.EDU MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 67
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BETSY GARDNER ECKBERT President and CEO | Winter Park Chamber of Commerce Betsy Gardner Eckbert’s crowning achievement in the business world was starting her own successful brand of luxury UV-protective swimwear in London in 2014. Now, she is combining that high-energy entrepreneurial spirit with effective community outreach to reinvent the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, which she has led since 2017. “Chambers across the country are struggling with the relevancy gap—the realization that people do business differently in the digital age, that our audiences are changing, and that we must modernize our approach to interaction and programming to be sustainable,” Betsy said. She and the chamber were recently awarded the North American Chamber Innovation Grand Prize, beating much larger chambers such as Greater Boston and Vancouver. Betsy’s approach includes: implementing more relevant, inclusive programming; welcoming international guests; and advocating on important issues. One of Betsy’s most successful new programs has an emotional connection. “Relaunch: Career Re-entry for Professional Women” helps women who have taken a break from the workforce. Women can build their resumés, confidence and networks through a curriculum that includes how to get the most out of LinkedIn and building a personal brand. Two classes have completed the eight-month curriculum and a new one-week boot camp version kicks off in May, with more classes scheduled for the fall. “I took time off to raise my children and remember the confidence gap when I returned,” Betsy said. “I’m passionate about helping smooth the transition for others.” She has also taken a fresh look at visitor data, which shows many of Winter Park’s international guests come from the United Kingdom. To help reach those potential visitors, Betsy has attended the World Travel Market in London the past two years, launched digital initiatives and created a Tourism Advisory Board. Betsy also understands Winter Park’s art institutions are a huge draw for visitors, so she led a delegation of Winter Park arts leaders to Tallahassee in March to urge Central Florida legislators to restore arts funding. “I grew up in Winter Park. And even though my son, Haden, is a freshman at Purdue and my daughter, Lucy, will head to college in a couple of years, this is home to them,” said Betsy. “Giving back is crucial.” 151 W. LYMAN AVE. | WINTER PARK, FL 32789 PHONE: 407-644-8281 WINTERPARK.ORG 68 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
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FANNIE HILLMAN + ASSOCIATES Fannie Hillman + Associates was established in 1981 by single mother, entrepreneur, real estate visionary Fannie Hillman, and has blossomed into the largest independent real estate company in Winter Park. A true leader in the real estate indus-
try, we have built a reputation for delivering the highest quality real estate services to Central Florida. The women at Fannie Hillman + Associates are some of the highest-producing real estate agents in Central Florida; they are extensively involved in the
community and they strive to stay on top of the latest market trends. Fannie Hillman + Associates is proud to have the women agents pictured above representing us, and we know they will continue to make great strides in the community we all love.
205 W. FAIRBANKS AVE. | WINTER PARK, FL 32789 | PHONE: 407-644-1234 | FANNIEHILLMAN.COM MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 69
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GABRIELE GANNAWAY Vice President and General Manager | Neiman Marcus Orlando As Orlando’s leading lady of luxury, Gabriele Gannaway drives Orlando into the fast lane of fashion. Gannaway works closely with the buying team to ensure her customers are on trend, looking and feeling their very best. Neiman Marcus Orlando is known for having the best of the best to fulfill its customers’ desires. “Together we move fabulous fashion into Orlando. We offer exclusive products from many of our coveted designer brands,” she says. “Our customers travel the world. With our ‘Art of Travel’ focus, they wear the perfect outfits and tote travel accessories to move in style.” Gannaway leads a team that creates the ultimate shopping experience. “We love our customers, and our associates want to exceed their expectations at every turn,” she says. Neiman Marcus Orlando provides personalized shopping experiences. Shoppers can call the store at 407-264-5900 to schedule an appointment. “Our stylists are available to curate a fitting room with your requests so that everything is ready when you arrive. It’s a big time-saver for our customers on the move.” Other experiences available range from made-tomeasure clothing, as well as personalization of jewelry or fragrance. Clients can also select specific emblems and patches to personalize their denim or handbags. Neiman Marcus also offers champagne makeovers and skin-care consultations. In addition, it has added a trending beauty area in the center of the store. “Our goal is to create a personalized experience to make it easy and fun to shop for the very best in luxury fashion and gifts,” Gannaway says. “Our customer-focused technology allows you to share your online shopping cart with the in-store stylist of choice using the ‘share your cart’ feature on our NeimanMarcus.com website,” Gannaway says. Clients can select their stylist in-store and send the cart virtually. The stylist can make personalized suggestions and then either meet with the clients or deliver to wherever they are. Neiman Marcus Orlando Is known for its community support. “We partner with dozens of charitable organizations. Community service brings our team much joy. We’re inspired to help make the City Beautiful even more beautiful,” Gannaway says. NEIMAN MARCUS | THE MALL AT MILLENIA 4170 CONROY ROAD | ORLANDO, FL 32839 PHONE: 407-264-5900 | NEIMANMARCUS.COM 70 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
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CARYN GREEN Marital and Family Lawyer | Green Family Law After graduating college with a degree in business and marketing, Caryn Green served as a Guardian ad Litem, a decision that launched her 20+-year law career helping families through difficult transitions. “I was asked to testify at trial on one of my files that involved a potential termination of a parent’s right to see her child,” she recalls. “I was frustrated by how ill-prepared the lawyers were, especially with what was at stake. The combination of gathering evidence and properly presenting it to a court immediately appealed to me. On my way home from court, I stopped by the bookstore and bought an LSAT study guide and immediately signed up to take the test.” Caryn brings a unique perspective in her approach to law and family life. “Practicing law has definitely taught me to compromise. Compromise, respect and support are essential for a healthy, happy family.” She works to resolve family disputes as painlessly as possible, especially for the sake of children involved. Her focus on family helps Caryn maintain balance in her life, and she cites her role as a mother of “two well adjusted, intelligent, kind and thoughtful daughters” as her greatest accomplishment. She encourages her daughters to follow their dreams. “One of my daughters has expressed a desire to be a lawyer, and the other has definitely crossed it off her list.” Caryn was inspired by her law professors and hopes to someday teach at a law school. Caryn continues to serve the people of Orlando, which she describes as “the best city in Florida with wonderful neighborhoods and a vibrant philanthropic community.” After one of her daughters was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes more than 14 years ago, Caryn launched a gala to raise money for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. “In 2018, our Orlando community rose to the occasion and helped us set a record breaking year, raising almost $1 million in one night,” she recalls. 1000 LEGION PLACE | SUITE 1650 ORLANDO, FL 32801 | PHONE: 407-403-5558 GREENFAMILYLAW.NET MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 71
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MARGARET GUEDES Founder, President and CEO | Kids Beating Cancer The tragic death of a little boy 26 years ago could have been simply that: a tragic death. Instead, the short life of that little boy inspired Margaret Guedes to turn tragedy into a lifelong mission and keep the memory and legacy of her son, John, alive by helping other children diagnosed with cancer. Kids Beating Cancer is dedicated to ensuring every child who needs a bone marrow or stem cell transplant has access to this life-saving treatment. Margaret’s journey started when she could not find a local transplant facility. She had to displace her family and move to Seattle so that her son could get a much-needed transplant. John lived for four years before succumbing to his disease. Margaret then vowed to make sure no other mother or child had to experience what she and her son went through by bringing a state-of-theart transplant center to Central Florida. Margaret exhibits a mother’s determination to fight for every child who needs a transplant to receive the best care in the best facility. She also works to ensure every family receives support programs to make each day a little more bearable as they navigate the long journey to a cure. Turning personal tragedy into triumph has been the core value that has driven Margaret to overcome years of barriers, ultimately leading to the opening of the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center. She built Kids Beating Cancer with all that in mind, knowing how devastating it is to have a family member diagnosed with cancer. The support and engagement of the local community, corporations, private foundations and individual donors has made Kids Beating Cancer what it is today. Through Margaret’s tenacity and leadership, Kids Beating Cancer has become a nationally recognized nonprofit, touching the lives of more than 10,000 children. Children have received millions of dollars in life-saving treatments at the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center, which brings the latest treatments to each child’s bedside. Over 26 years, Margaret has put more than $20 million back into the community to help every child with cancer or leukemia have the best hope for a cure. 228 E. WINTER PARK ST. ORLANDO, FL 32804 | PHONE: 407-894-2888 KIDSBEATINGCANCER.COM 72 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
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DR. MARY JANARIOUS Physician | Pediatrics of Central Florida Kissimmee Medical Arts District A community’s economy is driven by the caliber and health of its workforce. The Kissimmee Medical Arts District was created to attract and grow medical companies, as well as maintain the peak health of its current and future workforce. Physicians like Dr. Mary Janarious make it happen. Dr. Janarious is known for her patience when taking care of the youngest community members. She attended St. John’s Medical College in India, followed by a residency in Panama. This welltraveled, bilingual doctor has been practicing medicine in Kissimmee since 1983 and has been board-certified in
pediatrics since 1978. Dr. Janarious lives in Kissimmee with her husband, surgeon Dr. Francis Janarious, and their two sons. Pediatrics of Central Florida has four offices within Central Florida and can attribute its 35 years of business success to maintaining true to its motto of “keeping the children that we serve at the center of everything we do.” Kissimmee is the county seat of Osceola County, one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida and the United States. It is also a county of medical need, prompting the creation of the Kissimmee Medical Arts District. The private sector has invested more
than $200 million within the Kissimmee Medical Arts District over the past few years. Expansions and increased service lines continue to be planned at AdventHeath Kissimmee as well as Osceola Regional Medical Center, both within the district. This private sector investment is a testament to the economic opportunities available to medical companies in this community. To learn more about the Kissimmee Medical Arts District and the more than $200,000 in economic development incentives available to eligible medical companies, please visit KissimmeeMedicalArts.org
KISSIMMEEMEDICALARTS.ORG MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 73
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JESSICA HALLGREN KENDRICK, ESQ. Founder | Kendrick Law Group, Champion Title & Closing Jessica Hallgren Kendrick enjoys a challenge. In the span of four years, she founded Kendrick Law Group, co-founded Champion Title & Closing as well as the nonprofit Hope for More Foundation. She also chairs the annual Make-A-Wish Wishmaker’s Ball and serves on numerous civic and philanthropic boards while raising her two sons, Connor, 4, and Dylan, 2. She strengthened her work ethic and determination as an outstanding player for the UCF Division 1 women’s soccer program. Upon graduation, she went into marketing, but she quickly realized a law degree would expand her professional options and allow her to have a greater impact on her community. After graduating from law school in 2013, she parlayed her marketing experience into aggressive and successful branding of her legal and title businesses.
Jessica’s boutique law firm focuses on business, real estate, civil litigation, estate and family law. The ability to provide concierge legal services and minimize the dreaded “billable hour” provides clients with exemplary customer service while allowing her attorneys the coveted work/ life balance so elusive in today’s professional world. Its mission of serving the community led to the creation of Champion Title & Closing. The title business duplicates Kendrick Law Group’s concierge concept to provide attorney-managed title services. Clients are guaranteed outstanding service and transparent pricing without incurring additional fees for attorney oversight. In just more than a year, Champion Title & Closing has launched its second office off Park Avenue.
Achieving success early in her endeavors has allowed Jessica to direct some of her energy and focus to charitable causes. She believes wholeheartedly in giving back to her community and being a positive influence and force for those in need. Her continually rewarding experience with Make-A-Wish has spawned Hope for More, which she co-founded with Kendrick Law Group senior partner and title company co-owner Sarah Geltz. Their foundation focuses primarily on identifying areas of need primarily for women, children and veterans in Central Florida. Jessica and her husband—Dr. James Kendrick, a gynecologic oncologist with AdventHealth—resolve to perpetuate their charitable ambition and community spirit in their sons for years to come.
630 N. WYMORE ROAD #370 | MAITLAND, FLORIDA 32751 KENDRICKLAWGROUP.COM | HOPEFORMOREFOUNDATION.ORG | CHAMPIONCLOSING.COM FACEBOOK: @KENDRICKLAWGROUP, @HOPEFORMOREFOUNDATION | TWITTER: @JESSICAKENDRICKESQ 74 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
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AUDREY MORRONE Creative Director | Morrone Interiors From the minute you meet Audrey Morrone, you get the sense of fun and style she brings to each project and it’s clear why she has become one of the most in-demand designers in Central Florida. Audrey is approachable and strongly believes that building client relationships through exceptional service is as important as the innovative designs she provides. Sophisticated taste, flawless execution, and her ability to understand her client’s unique needs and desires set her apart from other designers. From the initial concept of the design Audrey is there each step of the way. She leads a team of brilliant designers that are always looking at innovative ways to enhance the client experience. With over 15 years of experience, Audrey is connected and is able to source the perfect pieces from hundreds of different vendors. She guides each client in selecting just the right lighting, accents, and furnishings that will capture a client’s vision and blend it with functionality. Whether it’s traditional or modern, Audrey and the Morrone Interiors team utilize cutting-edge technology to provide drawings and previews that allow a client to see and adjust, in real time, how their space will look and feel. Last year, Audrey took home multiple awards as well as being voted by our Orlando Magazine readers to be the number one interior design firm in Orlando. She also won the First Place Award for Design Remodel with the Greater Orlando Builders Association, as well as the Grand Prize in Design Specialty for her project 1520; which also happens to be her personal residence. Audrey transformed the 1925 Mediterranean into what she calls modernwhimsical. She rebuilt from the ground up, taking the home down to the studs and managing the full renovation herself. She then went on to win the Major Achievement Award in Design, from the Greater Orlando Builders Association. When we asked Audrey what is it that drives her to be the best she answered, “Passion. It would be easy to say that I love beautiful things, and beautiful rooms, who doesn’t, but that isn’t what drives me the most; it’s creating amazing spaces for my clients - homes that are going to house so many memories. Every individual that I work with is unique so their home should be too. I love what I do, and I feel that it shows in our designs.” 516 E. JACKSON ST. | ORLANDO, FL 32801 PHONE: 407-648-9090 MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 75
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KELLY L. PRICE Broker and Owner | Kelly Price & Company From a spunky little girl to a powerhouse broker, Kelly’s eager wave and contagious smile has consistently guided people around Central Florida. From a young age, Kelly L. Price recognized the value of her community, starting with finding all the best swimming holes on Lake Maitland. Having lived in Winter Park since she was twelve years old, Kelly is a proud Winter Park High School Wildcat, a University of Florida Gator, and an MBA graduate of the Crummer School of Business. Over the years, she developed an astute and competitive eye for real estate, fostered by her passion for her community. When she launched her company in 2002, she guaranteed a new level of exceptional professionalism in the real estate industry. Backed by a group of dynamic agents, Kelly Price & Company offers steadfast commitment to clients, swift communication, and positivity, all blending together to provide award-winning service. Kelly shapes her renowned brand with cohesive marketing and impeccable style, presenting a striking presentation of properties ranging from New Smyrna Beach to Windermere. She consistently produces top dollar for clients while providing seamless transactions and developing new relationships. Aside from leading a top brokerage firm, Kelly enjoys spending time with her beloved four-legged children, Scout and Ella, as well as her longtime boyfriend, Doug. In her limited spare time, Kelly can sometimes be found globetrotting and experiencing new sites and cultures. Despite her travels, Kelly will always claim Winter Park as her home and is dedicated to limitlessly serving not just her immediate community, but also Central Florida as a whole. She is a charismatic ambassador and local advocate, proudly representing Central Florida’s most distinguished homes for more than 30 years. And yes, she’ll still give you that enthusiastic wave and bright smile, so stop by the office and say hello! 243 W. PARK AVE. WINTER PARK, FL 32789 PHONE: 407-645-4321 KELLYPRICEANDCOMPANY.COM 76 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Kelly at age 3
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MARNIE FORESTIERI CEO | Amazing Explorers Academy
In realizing her dream of improving children’s interest and futures in STEAM fields, Marnie Forestieri modeled the process she and her team would later teach their students: Be hands-on in your research, brainstorm ideas, and create new solutions. As Amazing Explorers Academy expands throughout Florida and into Texas, it’s not just the company’s educational philosophy that makes it unique. It remains committed to inspiring the next generation of innovators, providing career opportunities for educators, and finding new solutions for the industry. This year Amazing Explorers Academy will see a variety of new initiatives, including a nonprofit organization, Raising the Amazing. Through this effort, the team seeks to build children’s confidence in entrepreneurship and innovation by participating in hosting EduXKids, local entrepreneurship competitions in which children pitch their business ideas and showcase their innovations to a panel of local judges. The group is also getting ready to launch a new technology platform. An author of a number of educational books, Marnie is making an impact beyond Amazing Explorers Academy centers as well. She advocates at education conferences for the importance of play and inquiry in early childhood. 13635 WALCOTT AVENUE | ORLANDO, FL 32827 MF@AEXPLORERS.COM | AEXPLORERS.COM
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OrlandoMagazine @OrlandoMag @OrlandoMag OrlandoMagazine MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 77
SHOW DAD SOME LOVE. This Father’s Day, treat Dad to an amazing complimentary* dinner at either our signature steak house, A Land Remembered, or our fine-dining Italian bistro, Cala Bella. That you’ll savor the experience as well is just a bonus. Make your reservations by visiting RosenShingleCreek.com/FathersDay or calling 407.996.3663 today.
9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando, FL 32819 *With the purchase of an entrée of equal or greater value; does not include gratuity. Offer valid June 12-17, 2019. Based on availability. Some restrictions apply. Not valid for existing bookings or in conjunction with any other offer.
Summer GETAWAYS SPECIAL ADVERTISING FEATURE
Summer is finally on its way and now is the perfect time to plan your getaway. Check out some of these great deals and special destinations just a short drive from Orlando. Call or click and get packing for summer fun in the Florida sun.
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Ready, Set, Pack! Join the fun at the Holiday Inn Resort Jekyll Island with a 1/4 mile beach, oceanfront pool, Kids’ Club activities program, multiple dining options, and beach rentals! Once you arrive your feet never have to leave the sand! Planning your vacation just got a whole lot easier! (912) 635-2211 | holidayinnresortjekyll.com
Win a Getaway to the 2019 RSM Classic
Enter to win a once-in-a-lifetime getaway to the Golden Isles for the 2019 RSM Classic. Prize includes two VIP passes to the 10th anniversary tournament, round-trip airfare, and three nights in a luxe oceanside suite at the King and Prince Beach & Golf Resort. Enter to Win at Goldenisles.com/contest
SUMMER GETAWAYS
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Golden Isles Along the Georgia coast lies a stretch of land that is like no other. Here you will find centuries-old oak trees draped with Spanish moss that line the streets and meet miles of sun-drenched beaches. Winding rivers and plentiful natural and outdoor diversions beckon visitors who return for generations. Comprised of four unique barrier islands, St. Simons Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Jekyll Island, each of the Golden Isles has its own charisma and personality for you to discover, and all are complemented by the mainland port city of Brunswick. You won't want to miss a chance to explore our beautiful beaches and maritime forests on horseback, kayak and fish our stunning inlets and sounds, journey on two wheels through enchanting trails or experience our family-friendly festivals. See loggerhead turtles at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center on Jekyll Island, hunt for tree spirits hidden around St. Simons Island, and climb to the top of St. Simons' still-working light-
house. Take a horse-drawn carriage tour of Jekyll Island's picturesque National Historic District, experience world-class productions in the famed Ritz Theatre in Brunswick, play a round of golf on a championship course on Sea Island, and sample our exceptional local coastal cuisine. Start planning your next one-of-a-kind summer adventure to Georgia's Golden Isles, and discover shared family memories to cherish for a lifetime.
To learn more and to plan your trip, visit Goldenisles.com 82 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
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SUMMER GETAWAYS
You are less than 90 minutes from the best beach vacation in America For over 35 years vacationers have been relying on the prestigious members of Florida Vacation Rental Alliance of the Tampa Bay Beaches to provide a quality lodging experience. This means you can book with confidence because VRA Member properties uphold these high standards and deliver exceptional vacation lodging, from impeccably clean rooms to skilled management, insuring a quality vacation experience for you and your family. One website, with over 1600 rooms to choose from. Choose from luxurious beach condos, beautiful boutique hotels, resort villas, private homes and full service condo-
hotels‌all delivering an excellent value and vacation experience. Orlando residents will be happy to know, they are just 90 minutes away from the award winning beaches of Clearwater and St Petersburg. TripAdvisor ranked #1 and #3 beaches in America for sand, water quality and vacation experience. If you are looking for an ideal beach getaway and believe one of the most important parts of having a great vacation is the lodging you select, then you can book with confidence when you select a VRA member property like the ones highlighted on these pages.
FLCondoAlliance.com MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 83
Vacation Rental Alliance O F T H E T A M P A B AY B E A C H E S
VACATION IN THE AWARD-WINNING BEACH DESTINATION OF ST. PETE/CLEARWATER. ONLY A SHORT DRIVE FROM ORLANDO. Alliance members offer: P Fabulous beach locations P Comfortable, clean accommodations P Excellent and varied amenities
CAMELOT BEACH SUITES Modern Boutique Hotel An award winning all Suite property with well-equipped modern kitchens, heated pool, pet friendly with summer rates from just $99 a night Clearwater Beach CamelotBeachSuites.com 727-467-4310
P Lots of fun things to do in the area P Space to relax P Reliable and professional services And… P Book with confidence Visit our member websites to plan your dream vacation!
LIBERTE LUXURY BEACH RENTALS 118 107th Ave., Treasure Island, FL 33706 727-360-2006 libertemanagement.com
FLORIDA’S BEST 18610 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, FL 33785 727-517-9404 FloridaBest.com
VISTAS ON THE GULF 4000 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706 727-360-2006 libertemanagement.com
BAREFOOT BEACH RESORT 19417 Gulf Blvd., Indian Shores, FL 33785 800-996-5303 | 727-593-5303 BarefootBeachResort.com
SEA OATS 17500 Gulf Blvd., Redington Shores, FL 33706 727-360-2006 libertemanagement.com
FLORIDA LIFESTYLE VACATION RENTALS
PLAZA BEACH HOTEL BEACHFRONT RESORT Completely Renovated New Mid-Century Modern boutique 4506 Gulf Blvd., St. Pete Beach, FL 33706 1-800-257-8998 | PlazaBeachResorts.com
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PROVIDENT OCEANA #TreasureIslandTrio 10091 Gulf Blvd Treasure Island (N. St. Pete Beach), FL 33706 727-685-2700 ProvidentOceana.com
19713 GULF BLVD. INDIAN SHORES, FL 33785 800-487-8953 | 727-593-2000 OurCondo.com
SUNSET VISTAS BEACHFRONT SUITES #TreasureIslandTrio 12000 Gulf Blvd Treasure Island (N. St. Pete Beach), FL 33706 1-866-597-1600 | 727-360-1600 SunsetVistas.com
CRYSTAL PALMS BEACH RESORT #TreasureIslandTrio 11605 Gulf Blvd Treasure Island (N. St. Pete Beach), FL 33706 1-888-360-0037 | 727-360-0037 CrystalPalmsBeachResort.com
JCResorts Beachfront Vacation Rentals
JC RESORTS BEACHFRONT VACATION RENTALS All Beachfront Properties, 17200 Gulf Blvd. , N. Redington Beach, FL 33708 | 800-535-7776 | 727-397-0441 | JCResorts.us
SUMMER GETAWAYS
SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort Florida residents receive 12% off room rates this summer, so there’s no better time to visit the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort. The city of Daytona Beach is America’s Great Beach Destination. From the historic Clocktower and Bandshell to the fishing pier and boardwalk, the oceanfront has fun and activities for everyone. The Daytona International Speedway and One Daytona complexes offer excitement and luxury shopping and entertainment. Plus, historic Main Street and Beach Street have a variety of boutique shops and restaurants that come alive with the culture of the fresh & new Daytona Beach. Amidst the fun of the city is the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort. As one of the largest resorts in the region, the oceanfront Hilton has a multitude of amenities available.
Outdoor amenities include two resort pools with cascading waterfalls, life-size checkers, beach cruisers and boogie boards. In-room options include romance offerings like chocolate and champagne and snack packs with cheese, crackers, and fruit. For business needs, a FedEx Office offers all printing, shipping, packing services. Plus, two guest business centers complete with Mac and PC computers are available. A newly renovated Spa and Fitness center offer state-of-the-art equipment for all exercise and relaxation needs.
For details, visit our website: www.daytonahilton.com
The Don CeSar Born at the height of the Great Gatsby Era in 1928 and known as Florida’s iconic Pink Palace®, The Don CeSar is the epitome of old world glamour and sophistication. With its majestic presence, spirited food and beverage offerings and unparalleled location on St Pete Beach, it is unlike any other resort in the world. Voted one of TripAdvisor's Top 10 Beaches, the seven miles of sugar-white shoreline make every view equally breathtaking from a lounge chair or your private guestroom balcony. Whether you’re looking to relax poolside, enjoy a divein movie, rent wave runners, or find your refuge on the beach, The Don has it all. As summer is just getting started, take advantage of last minute getaways with FL Resident, AAA, and AARP discounts, or use promo code ORLMAG for an exclusive 15% off and a $50 Resort Credit.
Book your legendary getaway by calling 800.282.1116 or visit www.doncesar.com. 86 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
SUMMER GETAWAYS
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Alpharetta Georgia
Come and explore Alpharetta, Georgia where visitors can experience what the locals live every day! Just 22 miles north of Atlanta, Alpharetta is perfectly positioned between the metropolitan city and the enchanting North Georgia Mountains. It is a place you can stay, play, dine and shop, or take an adventure out to surrounding locations, only to return for vibrant evenings of entertainment. Known as a family-friendly, outdoor destination, Alpharetta has awardwinning parks, hiking and biking trails, arboretums and plenty of free activities. Savvy shoppers love this suburb with over 250+ shops within a 5-mile radius. This culinary city has more than 200 dining options with locally-owned eateries and chef-driven restaurants. Enjoy a concert at a live music venue – Ameris Bank Amphitheatre, The Velvet Note, Chukkar Farm or Matilda’s. Free music is featured on Friday nights at Avalon Nights Live and most Saturday evenings at the Brooke Street Park Summer Concert Series. The art scene in Alpharetta continues to expand with murals, public sculptures, hands-on art studios, and galleries. On any given weekend, visitors will find a farmer’s market, parade, festival or art in the park – there is always something fun going on in Alpharetta!
Plan your adventure at awesomealpharetta.com or call 678-297-2811.
Shephard's Beach Resort Shephard’s Beach Resort is Florida’s premier entertainment resort! It features modern luxury rooms with magnificent amenities and stunning views plus an amazing pool with 7,000 square ft. tropical pool deck with SOAK bar and VIP cabanas. Shephard's also offers the best food and drinks on the beach! Indulge at SALT Tequila Bar & Tap Room with craft beer and featured tequilas; and Ocean Flame, a gulf-front open kitchen buffet restaurant with endless delicacies from land and sea. Don't forget Shephard's world famous Tiki Beach Bar - with a huge concert stage located on a tranquil stretch of white sand beach on the glimmering Gulf of Mexico. Enjoy everything from relaxing reggae to national acts and concerts while indulging in cool cocktails and Florida favorites. Add the only dual level state-of-the-art Gulffront indoor/outdoor night club, amazing restaurants, and luxury rooms and it's easy to see why Shephard's is truly Florida’s premier entertainment resort! So soak up the sun, jet ski, parasail, adventure or relax and indulge! It’s all at Shephard’s!
Call 800.237.8477 or visit Shephards.com 88 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Nestled in the heart of the world’s most famous beach, the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort is the largest full-service beachfront hotel in the region with 744 guest rooms, 7 dining options, full-service spa & fitness center, 2 swimming pools, gift shop and kids’ center. Fewer than 30 steps from the beach and walking distance to many local attractions, along with a recent $25 million renovation, make the Hilton Daytona Beach as equally wondrous as the ocean views.
W W W. D AY TO N A H I LTO N . CO M
SUMMER GETAWAYS
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USE PROMO CODE AT BOOKING
90 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
SUMMER GETAWAYS
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Find a Fun-Filled
Family Vacation in Orlando Discover spacious villas and inviting amenities for the whole family just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks. Seven sparkling pools 1,200-foot lazy river Eight onsite restaurants
80-acre lake and watersport rentals Free Wi-Fi and parking Four golf courses and much more
Save 25% today!
Sweeter
18-MRP-1450
Call (866) 892-5890 and mention Stay and Play discount code ILHK3.
Holiday Inn Club Vacations® at Orange Lake Resort 8505 W Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, Kissimmee, FL 34747
Make Your Summer Getaway Even
We’ve shown you the dazzling landscapes and told you the fun things to do if you travel this summer, but the Summer Getaways partners want to sweeten the deal even more. Throughout the month of May, we’ll post exclusive special offers on Twitter and Facebook from these getaway destinations. Be sure to follow us so you don’t miss out!
Facebook: facebook.com/OrlandoMagazine Twitter: twitter.com/OrlandoMag
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Guests can find a fun-filled family vacation in beautiful Orlando at Holiday Inn Club Vacations® at Orange Lake Resort. The resort offers spacious villas and inviting amenities that the whole family will enjoy just minutes from the Walt Disney World® Theme Parks. Guests can make a splash in seven sparkling pools, including a 1,200-foot lazy river-style pool, waterslides and hot tubs. The resort also features eight delicious onsite restaurants and poolside bars, four challenging golf courses for all skill levels and an 80-acre lake perfect for watersports. Kids and adults alike will delight in three recently renovated arcades and two exciting mini golf courses. Guests will also enjoy free Wi-Fi and parking. To save 25% on a family-friendly stay, call (866) 892-5890 and mention Stay and Play discount code ILHK3.
For more information visit discoverhcv.com/stay-and-play MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 91
WHERE IS ORLANDO.
Find your inner city.
TM
Look for where Travel publications in fine hotels. ®
Local guides. Worldwide.
TM
DINE
COURTESY OF RUTH’S CHRIS
R E CO M M E N D E D E ATI N G
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SIZZLING GOODNESS
The tender, thick filet served on a 500-degree plate is a trademark item at Ruth’s Chris Steak House, with three area locations. It is one of dozens of spots featured in our Recommended Eating listings.
DINE RECOMMENDED EATING
Key to Symbols
Meals:
Pricing:
Other Symbols:
B BR L D
$ Dinner entrées under $10 $$ Dinner entrées $10-$15 $$$ Dinner entrées $15-$25 $$$$ Dinner entrées more than $25
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Breakfast Brunch Lunch Dinner
AFRICAN
Boma-Flavors of Africa Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, 2901 Osceola Parkway, Lake Buena Vista 407-939-3463. disneyworld.disney.go.com B, D daily. At buffet-style Boma, African-influenced foods span the continent from the Mediterranean to South Africa. To their credit, chefs at Boma prepare every item fresh every day. The breakfast selctions are superb. $$$ Jiko-The Cooking Place Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, 2901 Osceola Parkway, Lake Buena Vista 407939-3463. disneyworld.disney.go.com D nightly. Wood-burning ovens and traditional cooking styles infuse Jiko with the diverse flavors of Africa. Everything on the exotic menu, from East African curries to Moroccan savory pastries, will please. $$$$ Ẃ Sanaa Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village 2901 Osceola Parkway, Lake Buena Vista 407939-3463. disneyworld.disney.go.com. L-D daily. Sanaa’s focus on the foods of East Africa makes for a mouth-watering trip. Flavors of India, Portugal and Europe infuse the menu, with many dishes served as multi-item samplers. Pair the short ribs or the smoky, mildly spicy perfection of tandoori chicken with little-known wines from Indian vineyards. $$$ Ẃ
AMERICAN
903 Mills Market 903 S. Mills Ave., Orlando 407898-4392. 903millsmarketcafe.com B-L-D daily. This simple little neighborhood eatery is a great place to stop in for the “EMT,’’ an award-winning sandwich that’s a concoction of breaded eggplant, melted mozzarella, sliced tomatoes and pesto served in a toasted club roll. 903 also has a selection of 100 craft beers, along with weeknight dinner specials, including Meatloaf Mondays. $ Ace Café Orlando 100 W. Livingston St., Orlando 407-996-6686. acecafeusa.com L-D daily; BR Sun. Happy Hour, runs from 5 to 7 p.m. weekdays. And with car or motorcycle “meets’’ most every night— from Mustangs to Mopars, hot rods to Harleys—the hours are even happier (Thursday is Bike Night). Inside, Ace’s menu is classic American, with Buffalo wings, meatloaf, and all manner of burgers. $$ %Beth’s Burger Bar 25145 S. Orange Ave., Edgewood 407-888-1190; 9938 Universal Blvd., Orlando 407-888-1190. bethsburgerbar.com L-D daily. Winner of the Dining Awards’ Readers’ Choice for Best Local Burger the past four years. Owner Beth Steele and her crew offer an impressive array of mouthwatering creations in an informal, welcoming atmosphere. The Peanut Butter Burger is truly tasty, topped with grilled onions, cheddar cheese and A1 sauce. And if you dare, order the Double D Challenge—a four-patty burger featuring eight slices of bacon and five different cheeses. Win a Tshirt if you finish it! $-$$ California Grill Disney’s Contemporary Resort 4600 North World Drive, 15th Floor, Lake Buena Vista 407-939-3463. disneyworld.disney.go.com D nightly. The venerable Disney gem underwent a major makeover a few years ago, but the incredible
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2019 Dining Award winner Reservations recommended Extensive wine list Preferred Dining Partner
Most restaurants listed here are recommended by an Orlando magazine dining critic. Others are marked as winners of our critic and readers’ 2019 Dining Awards and/or as recent advertisers. This list is offered as a reader service and is not intended to be comprehensive. Although we make every effort to keep the listings current, they are subject to change without notice.
views and abundant wine selections have ramained. The menu changes daily, but some things are constant: Pork Two Ways features grilled tenderloin and pork belly served with goat cheese polenta; the beef filet from the searing wood oven is also a standout. There’s a 10- to 14-course sushi bar extravaganza nightly for a limited number of diners. $$$$ Ẃ %Chef’s Table at the Edgewater 99 W. Plant St, Winter Garden 407-230-4837. chefstableattheedgewater.com D nightly. Kevin and Laurie Tarter’s restaurant has ruled the chef’s table category for more than a decade and 2019 was no exception, as it captured the top pick from our readers. Chef de Cuisine David Lampman came to Chef’s Table in 2009 and is now the main hand in the kitchen, executing Tarter’s culinary vision with plates of lowcountry perloo, New Orleans-influenced fish, and fork-tender osso buco. $$$$ Ẃ Earls Kitchen+Bar The Mall at Millenia, 4200 Conroy Road, Orlando 407-345-8260. earls.ca L-D daily BR Sat.-Sun. This upscale casual chain offers delicious diversity in its menu. Try the avocado “Super Toast,’’ the combo platter of ribs and chicken, the bacon cheddar burger, or the Korean bibimbap of fresh and pickled veggies in a stone rice bowl. The cocktail menu includes Bees Knees, a concoction of Aviation gin, Cointreau, bitters, lemon and honey. $$-$$$ Ẃ Everglades Restaurant Rosen Centre 9840 International Drive, Orlando 407-996-9840 ext. 3610. evergladesrestaurant.com D nightly. Nestled in a sprawling hotel complex and aimed at celebrating regional Florida food, Everglades specializes in prime steaks and seafood as well as more unusual items such as gator chowder and marinated buffalo. $$$ Ẃ %Farm & Haus 3201 Corrine Drive, Orlando 321-4306627. farmandhaus.com B-L-D daily. Winner of the 2019 Readers’ Choice for Best Healthy Selections and Best Takeout. Patrick and Brittany Lyne operate the brick and mortar part of their enterprise at the East End Market, with offerings such as a sesame noodle bowl, kale & white bean soup, and a honey butter chicken biscuit. Recently the dinner service has expanded into a mobile truck operation around Baldwin Park, with plans to expand. Sign up, you’ll get a text when they’re in the area and you can order from that night’s menu and have it delivered to your door. $-$$ Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers 3200 S. Orange Ave., 8107 Vineland Road. freddysusa. com Open daily. It’s simply a skinny steakburger on a toasted bun, but pleases the palate: Freddy’s captured our Critic’s Pick for Best Burger in the 2018 Dining Awards, as well as the Judges’ Choice in our inaugural Burger Battle in 2017. The frozen custard is a delight too, as are the Nutter Butter ice cream sandwiches. $ %The Glass Knife 276 S. Orlando Ave, Winter Park 407-500-2253. theglassknife.com B-L-D daily, 7 a.m.-10 p.m.; BR Sat.-Sun. Winner of the 2019 Readers’ Choice Awards for Best Desserts and Best Independent Bakery, this is a sleek yet approachable haven for those in search of both sweet and savory. Start the day with doughnuts, an avocado and
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egg toast, or a cheddar biscuit sandwich. Lunch standouts include the turkey bacon club and the berry bacon spinach salad. In the evening, enjoy Southern red velvet or carrot cake, and Europeanstyle pastries along with fine wines, craft beers and champagne. You might be unable to resist taking home one of The Glass Knife’s gorgeous cakes. $$ Graffiti Junktion 700 E. Washington St., Thornton Park 407-426-9503; 2401 Edgewater Drive, Orlando 407-377-1961 and eight other Orlando area locations. graffitijunktion.com L-D daily; BR Sun. Graffiti Junktion specializes in burgers. Items like the Iron City Burger (topped with a fried egg and Canadian bacon among more traditional toppings like American cheese and onions) are complemented by daily happy hour specials and themed nights throughout the week. $-$$ %Greens & Grille 4104 Millenia Blvd. #114, Orlando 407-770-1407 greensandgrille.com L-D daily. Voted Best Salads by our readers in the 2019 Dining Awards, this popular spot in a strip center next to the Mall at Millenia offers an abundance of signature salads, from the Summer Sweets (Romaine, spring mix, cucumbers, slices apples, orange segments, candied almonds and dried cranberries) to the The Fall (spring mix, sweet peas, grilled onions, dice beets, roasted potatoes and goat cheese). You can also “make your own’’ and there’s a wide selections of sammies available too. $ %Hillstone 215 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407740-4005. hillstone.com L-D daily. Grilling is king here, whether the choice is steak, fish, chops or chicken. The hardwood-grilled trout, pork ribs and cheeseburger are standouts—as is the lakeside setting, which puts Hillstone at the top among readers nearly every year in the categories of Outdoor Dining and View. $$-$$$$ Ẃ %Keke’s Breakfast Café Multiple Orlando-area locations. kekes.com B-L daily. Voted Best Breakfast by readers for the past four years, this Orlando-based chain has more than a dozen local outlets offering a wide selection of pancakes (enormous), waffles, French toast, omelets, egg combos and more. $ Marlow’s Tavern Four Orlando-area locations. marlowstavern.com L-D daily. This cozy tavern puts a gourmet spin on classic American cuisine and offers a wide selection of beers. Try one of their popular cheeseburgers, the blackened fish tacos, or white cheddar shrimp and grits. Among the desserts is the fried banana split. $$ %Maxine’s on Shine 337 N. Shine Ave., Orlando 407674-6841. maxinesonshine.com L Fri.-Sun.; D Tue.Sun.; BR Sun. This casual bistro is full of quirky charm, with a menu ranging from bar snacks to full entrees emphasizing seafood. Outdoor seating, live music, an interesting wine list and the presence of delightful proprietors add up to everything you should expect from a local restaurant. Winner of the 2019 Readers’ Choice for Neighborhood Restaurant and a new inductee into the Dining Hall of Fame. $$-$$$. Ẃ
Omelet Bar 2250 Strategy Blvd., Orlando 407-7041597. omeletbar.com B-L daily, BR Sun. This eatery across from UCF shines with overstuffed build-yourown omelets, a pancake bar, breakfast bread bowls and a three-way chicken and waffles “flight.” Lobster Benedict and unlimited mimosas make for a pleasant Sunday brunch. $-$$ Orlando Meats 728 Virginia Drive, Orlando 407598-0700. orlandomeats.com B-L Tue.-Sat.; BR Sun. It’s a hands-on full-service butcher shop but a great place for breakfast and lunch as well. Not wasting anything, Orlando Meats’ potato chips are fried in beef tallow. The menu includes a fried turkey bologna sandwich (with yellow mustard on white bread); and the beef, meatloaf and burgers are roasted, baked or ground on premises. For breakfast, the offerings include the Blarney Stone: corned beef, sauerkraut, corned mayo, Swiss, and fried egg on a bagel. Winner of Best Burger from both the judges and the public in our 2018 Burger Battle. $-$$ The Ravenous Pig 565 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park 407-628-2333. theravenouspig.com L-D daily. Chefs Julie and James Petrakis, both Orlando-area natives who trained at the Culinary Institute of America, showcase the “gastropub” phenomenon with an ever-changing menu that includes fare like seared foie gras, pork porterhouse, mushroom cannelloni and the Ellensburg Lamb Noisette with royal trumpet mushrooms. $$$ Ẃ RusTeak 2625 Edgewater Drive, Orlando 407-5401100 rusteakwinebar.com L-D Mon.-Sat. This popular College Park gathering place boasts a prodigious range of offerings, from steaks and flatbreads to tasty burgers and salads. RusTeak offers a sizable wine list and a wide variety of craft cocktails. $$-$$$. Ẃ Seasons 52 Plaza Venezia, 7700 Sand Lake Road, Dr. Phillips 407-354-5212; 463 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs 407-767-1252. seasons52. com L-D daily. Like the food it serves, this Darden upscale chain remains as fresh as the day it opened. Most dishes are under 475 calories, and what flavorful calories they are: from the caramelized sea scallops with lemon risotto and roasted asparagus, to the wood-roasted pork tenderloin with sweet potato mash and spring vegetables. The wine list is just as impressive. $$$ Ẃ Se7en Bites 617 N. Primrose Drive, Orlando 407-2030727. se7enbites.com B-L Tue.-Sun. Baker and pie maker Trina Gregory-Propst likes to push the limits of food as you know it, and her neighborhood breakfast and lunch destination packs in the patrons. Se7en Bites’ creations include hand-made moonpies, cupcakes, luscious biscuits and gravy, statuesque cakes and a chicken pot pie with a perfect crust. The salted caramel chocolate pecan pie is a thing of beauty. $ Shakers American Café 1308 Edgewater Drive, Orlando 407-422-3534 shakerscafe.com B-L daily This enduring College Park eatery offers plenty of breakfast fare favorites, from standard eggs and sausage to gravy and biscuits. But the real treat is to check out the specials on the chalkboard. They could include a chorizo and goat cheese omelet, beef short rib hash, or cinnamon roll pancakes. For lunch, Shakers (so named because of its collection of salt and pepper shakers) offers a variety of items, including Reubens, burgers and “Mom’s Meatloaf.” $ The Smiling Bison 107 N. Magnolia Ave., Sanford 407-915-6086. thesmilingbison.com L Wed.-Sat., D Tue.-Sat. The highlight here is house-made charcuterie—smoked kielbasa, sweet curry sausage and, of course, the bison burger. Other menu items include
the boneless pork chop with kumquat marmalade, the Duck Lover’s Pizza with duck ham, sausage and confit, and cheddar-bacon fat biscuits. $$-$$$. Swine & Sons Provisions 669 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park 407-636-7601. swineandsons.com B-L-D Mon.Sat. Lexie and Rhys Gawlak are the proprietors of this grocery-eatery, providing house-made sausages, terrines and bacon, along with sandwiches like the Southern Cuban and the ribeye hotdog. The Swine’s breakfast includes the eggs on a bun (fried eggs, bacon and tomato jam) and avocado toast. $-$$ %The Tap Room at Dubsdread 549 W. Par Street, Orlando 407-650-0100. taproomatdubsdread. com L-D daily. BR Sun. Nestled within the picturesque Dubsdread Golf Course, The Tap Room offers casual, yet sophisticated, American fare. Fresh fish, hand-cut steaks, pastas and the award-winning Tap Room Classic Cheeseburger are some of the College Park restaurant’s best menu items. You can dine inside or out on the veranda, which offers views of the golf course. The Readers’ Choice selection for Best Power Lunch in our 2019 Dining Awards. $$-$$$ Ẃ Tony Roma’s 8560 International Drive, Orlando. 407-248-0094. tonyromas.com L-D daily. There are ribs aplenty here, basted with your choice of four sauces, including a Maker’s Mark bourbon variety. But this casual dining mainstay also boasts a variety of steaks, seafood, chicken, burgers and salads. Mix and match items include the filet medallions and ribs combo. $$-$$$ Ẃ The Waterfront 4201 S. Orange Ave., Orlando 407866-0468. thewaterfrontorlando.com L-D daily; BR Sun. Among the standouts at this reinvented lakeside spot are the Waterfront Burger, with hand-ground chuck, house-cured bacon, Swiss and blue cheese and caramelized onion; fish and chips; and blackened catfish with kale and grits. On the last Monday of every month, the chefs are given free rein to leave the menu behind and the results are delicious. A recent dinner featured rabbit schnitzel, house-made sausage, beef sauerbraten and apple strudel. $-$$
ASIAN
Hawkers Street Fare 1103 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 407-237-0606; 9100 Conroy Windermere Road, Windermere 407-583-6334. eathawkers.com L-D daily. Chefs specializing in cuisines from Vietnam, China, Malaysia and Hong Kong put a modern twist on family recipes to create tasty fare like crispy cod with black bean sauce, kimchi fried rice, chicken eggrolls, green papaya and shrimp salad, and wokfired green beans. $ Kai Asian Street Fare 1555 S.R. 436, Suite 1171, Winter Park 407-831-3430 kaistreetfare.com L-D Tue.Sun. “Food is supposed to be fun,’’ says co-owner Quan Van, and he makes it so at this strip mall spot, adding flavorful twists to dishes. They include coating wide, wok-fried chow fun noodles in a Vietnamese sauce with squid, beef and shrimp; or topping crispy fries with Korean bulgogi beef, kimchi and spicy mayo. The signature chicken wings offer a crispy exterior draped in soy garlic, spicy Korean gochujang or whiskey soy. $ King Bao 710 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 407-237-0013. kingbaowow.com L-D daily. This Mills 50 spot offers a variety of rolls, ranging from light and pillowy to sturdy and chew-worthy, holding treats like pork belly, shrimp and kimchi fried chicken. Fascinating combinations like Asian pear salsa on the Glen Rhee Korean short rib, or shallot, pepper and ginger relish on tofu “Veganville” handhelds, emphasize the well-thought-out flavors. $
Mamak 1231 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407-2704688. mamakasianorlando.com L-D daily. Mamak brings the flavors of Malaysia to Orlando. A must-try is the wonton with hot sauce, consisting of steamed chicken and shrimp dumplings coated in peanut sauce, chili oil and sesame seeds. Other winners: pasembur, a sweet potato gravy served on crispy tofu; and gwa bao, a soft steamed bun filled with duck or pork. $-$$ Morimoto Asia Disney Springs Marketplace, Lake Buena Vista 407-939-6686. patinagroupcom/ morimoto-asia L-D daily. Morimoto Asia, a towering presence at the phoenix that is Disney Springs, is an ultra-hip vision of pan-Asian delights created from the mind of Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto. Its quirky takes on Chinese, Japanese and Korean dishes enhance a substantial sushi menu that can sometimes be acquired directly from the hands of the Iron Chef himself. Don’t miss the Peking Duck and the Singapore laksa, which adds rice noodles and chicken meatballs to spicy curry and coconut soup. $$$ Ẃ Noodles and Rice 813 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 407895-8833. noodlesandricecafe.comL-D daily except closed Tuesdays. The menu at Noodles and Rice is extensive and this unassuming Mills 50 spot gets just about everything right. Try the hot pots, Korean seafood pancakes, house ramen or the wonderful Thai basil fried rice. $ %Poke Hana 1225A E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407 601-0283. poke-hana.com L-D daily Our 2019 Critic’s Pick for Best Casual Dining. Amid the vast wave of new poke restaurants, this homegrown spot brings a level of quality seldom seen in fast food. There’s good, sushi-quality rice, fish brought in daily (with sourcing information posted), and interesting non-tuna items (tuna is poke of choice) like kimchee octopus, Hawaiian-roll sliders, poke nachos and house-made crispy rice taco shells that stick in your teeth—but you still love them. Fast, friendly, and very, very good. $$ Sushi Lola’s 2902 Corrine Drive, Orlando 407-8985652. sushilolas.com L-D Mon.-Sat. At this Audubon Park café, Korean chefs in the back kitchen create oven-based offerings while sushi masters assemble intricate rolls at the bar out front. The most popular offering, the Playboy Roll, features tuna, avocado and tempura shrimp, adorned with fish roe and roasted rice crackers. For a Korean dish, try the bulgogi bibimbap—marinated beef and rice. $-$$$ TaKo Cheena 932 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 321-2367457. mytakocheena.com L-D Tue.-Sun. This adventurous cuisine boasts numerous influences, from Thai to Indian to Mexican. Treat yourself to the Indian butter chicken burrito, Thai Peanut Chicken tacos, or Asian hot dogs—Chinese sweet sausage topped with kimchi or pickled daikon radish. TaKo Cheena is open till 4 a.m. Friday and Saturday. $
BARBECUE
%4 Rivers Smokehouse Six Orlando-area locations 1-855-368-7748. 4rsmokehouse.com L-D Mon.-Sat. Our 2019 Readers’ Choice winner in the Barbecue and Ribs categories. The lines at 4 Rivers can get long, but the succulent barbecue sandwiches, delectable brisket and home-style sides are worth the wait. The baked cheese grits are magnificent. Owner John Rivers is the winner of our critic’s Impact Award for his continuing efforts to give back to the community. $-$$
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DINE RECOMMENDED EATING Bubbalou’s Bodacious Bar-B-Que Five area locations. bubbalous.com L-D daily. This local chain is a good bet for a quick barbecue fix. Tender smoked pork is sliced Virginia-style onto soft sweet buns. Try the award-winning ribs (available with mild, hot or killer sauce) and the fried okra. $-$$ Pig Floyd’s Urban Barbakoa 1326 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 407-203-0866; Lake Nona Village, 9680 N. Narcoossee Rd., Lake Nona 407-730-7376; pigfloyds.com L-D daily. Serving a combination of Latin, African and American fusion, this eatery also invokes the Caribbean roots of barbecue with barbakoa, or traditional Puerto Rican smoke cooking, full of rich flavors and tropical ingredients. It’s on delicious display in the St. Louis ribs and the matahambre smoked flank sandwich. Also try the North African chicken sausage and shrimp platter. $-$$$. The Polite Pig Disney Springs, Town Center 407938-7444. disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining L-D daily. The culinary powerhouse that is the Petrakis family trots out exemplary barbecue and more in a locally sourced, artisanal restaurant disguised as a fast food outlet. It’s all here: pulled pork sandwiches, St. Louis ribs, and coffee-scented, amazingly tender brisket. But the Pig also offers delectable surprises like a salmon BLT (with bacon jam and marinated tomato), cracklings, charred broccoli, barbecue cauliflower, chicken salad made with meat from the smoker—and even a housebrewed beer. $-$$$
CAJUN/CREOLE
Tibby’s New Orleans Kitchen 2203 Aloma Ave., Winter Park 407-672-5753; 494 W. S.R. 436, Altamonte Springs 407-951-6928. tibbysneworleanskitchen. com L-D daily. Using family recipes, owner Brian Wheeler delivers satisfying N’Awlins cooking, with the jambalaya-crawfish-filé gumbo as the standout. Andouille sausage is king; it’s in almost every dish. $-$$
CARIBBEAN
%Bahama Breeze Five area locations. bahamabreeze.com L-D daily. A themed delight that has dominated the Caribbean category of our Dining Awards for many years, Bahama Breeze showcases interpretations of island cuisine, including jerk chicken, West Indian patties, fried plantains, and seafood paella. A terrific family dinner destination. $$-$$$
CHINESE
Chef Wang’s Kitchen 5148 W. Colonial Drive 407930-3188 L-D daily except closed Tuesday. At this hidden treasure inside a strip mall, Chef Jian Hua Wang creates memorable dishes such as deepfried eggplant and potatoes sautéed in sweet soy sauce and garlic. Pork dumplings are simple dim sum-sized packets, perfectly pan-fried with crisp wrapping and savory filling. Other specialties range from sweet and sour shredded potatoes to a ginger steamed whole fish. Sichuan styles are represented in dan dan mein, which are hand-pulled round noodles topped with ground pork, hoisin, five spice powder and hot chili oil. $$ Ming’s Bistro 1212 Woodward St., Orlando 407898-9672 L-D daily. This out-of-the way Mills 50 spot offers dim sum worthy of San Francisco.. Feast on sesame balls, roast pork buns, shrimp dumplings and items you may not recognize (like chicken feet or jellyfish). In addition, a full menu of Hong Kongstyle entrées offers enticements—order the duck. $
Peter’s Kitchen 3922 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407895-8174. peterskitchencb.business.site L-D daily except closed Wednesday. Residing in a nondescript building that has housed all manner of eateries over the years, this spot serves delicious dim sum that gets rave reviews from diners. Other menu items include squid with ginger and scallions, Peking duck, honey garlic chicken, and jumbo shrimp with walnuts. $$ P.F. Chang’s China Bistro Winter Park Village, 436 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407-622-0188; The Mall at Millenia, 4200 Conroy Road, Orlando 407-3452888. pfchangs.com L-D daily. Chinese-inspired foods from the creators of Fleming’s steak house, so you know the beef dishes will be good. $$-$$$ Ẃ %Taste of Chengdu 2030 W. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407-839-1983 facebook.com/tasteofchengdu L-D Tue.-Sun. Winner of Best Chinese from both readers and our critic for 2019. Chef Xiong “Tiger” Tang puts his authentic spin on Sichuan dishes that include the sweat-inducing seasonings of his home country, with offerings like whole lobster with peppers, brisket in chili sauce, or tofu skin with chive sauce. Tang says he gets fresh peppers—called huajiao—from his brother in the Sichuan province. $$-$$$
CREATIVE/CONTEMPORARY
1921 Mount Dora 142 E. 4th Ave., Mount Dora 352385-1921. 1921mountdora.com L Wed.-Sat.; D Tue.Sun. BR Sat.-Sun. In this small-town setting, diners are surrounded by furniture and artwork from the nearby Modernism Museum as they enjoy dishes like Ponce Inlet tilefish, seared Maine scallops and crispy duck leg. There’s also a Sunday night supper, which features main courses like Southern fried chicken, ham steak and jambalaya. $$-$$$$ Ẃ Artisan’s Table 55 W. Church St.., Orlando 407730-7499. artisanstableorlando.com B-L-D daily; BR Sat.-Sun. Simple ingredients and exemplary preparation are the hallmarks of this downtown spot. Daily specials include Meatloaf Monday, Chicken and Dumplings Wednesday and Fried Chicken and Waffles Friday. And don’t miss the fish and chips, a special on Thursday. $$-$$$ Bar 17 Bistro Universal’s Aventura Hotel, 6725 Adventure Way, Orlando 407-503-6000. universal-orlando. com D daily. This 17th-floor gem boasts stunning views and an inventive menu from Chef “Mousse’’ Benhamacht. The fried rice is saturated with rich flavors, adding charred baby cornlets, crisp Brussels sprouts leaves, a fried egg and seared prosciutto ham to pan-fried rice. Choices in bao buns include braised pork belly, duck confit with turmeric citrus aioli and fantastic firecracker shrimp with a chili glaze. A great place for after-theme-park cocktails. $$-$$$ The Boheme Grand Bohemian Hotel Orlando, 325 S. Orange Ave., Downtown 407-313-9000. grandbohemianhotel.com B-L-D daily; BR Sun. Chef Laurent Hollaender lays out an amazing array of items for Sunday brunch, from oysters and crab legs, to waffles and omelets, to house-made charcuterie and decadent desserts. Evening fare includes sherrybaked Chilean sea bass and cognac-flamed pepper steak. $$$$ Ẃ Canvas Restaurant & Market 13615 Sachs Ave., Orlando (Lake Nona) 407-313-7800. canvaslakenona. com D daily, L Sun. Canvas is a multicultural mélange of tastes, with influences of Latin, Caribbean, New Orleans, and Cuban. The pork belly and ham sandwich and the smoked fish dip are winners, as are most of the shrimp dishes. Don’t miss Canvas’ take on mussels, meaty shellfish served in a blend of tart tomatillo and spicy chili. $$-$$$$ Ẃ
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Café Tu Tu Tango 8625 International Drive, Orlando 407-248-2222. cafetututango.com L-D daily. Go with a group and share, as Café Tu Tu Tango’s menu is full of inventive items—all in appetizer-sized portions. Cajun chicken egg rolls and Dutch salad made with caramelized onion flatbread, dried cranberries, pine nuts and goat cheese are typical selections. $$ Ẃ Capa Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort, 10100 Dream Tree Blvd., Lake Buena Vista 407-313-7777. fourseasons.com/orlando D daily. Capa combines the joys of a true tapas bar with the depth of a premium steakhouse, offering stunning views from its 17th-floor perch. The small plates include ternera beef cheeks, strips of veal draped over bits of roasted rutabaga, and patatas bravas, small potato columns in a spicy paprika sauce. On the large side, the 32-ounce Porterhouse for two is otherworldly in size and flavor. $$-$$$$ Ẃ Chatham’s Place 7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando 407-345-2992. chathamsplace.com D Mon.-Sat. Wooden wine racks line the walls enclosing only 15 tables, creating a cozy atmosphere to enjoy high-quality dishes and attentive service. The few select items on the menu, such as the Portobello mushroom soup and duck breast entrée, intrigue the palate. $$$$ Ẃ Citricos Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, 4401 Grand Floridian Way, Lake Buena Vista 407939-3436. disney.go.com D daily. Citricos offers a unique blend of Southern European cuisine with a local Florida touch. France, Spain and Italy make an appearance on the menu. For a special treat, reserve the in-kitchen Chef’s Domain table well in advance. $$$$ Ẃ %Fig’s Prime 1188 Commerce Park Drive, Ste. 1002, Altamonte Springs 407-960-1300. figsprime.com LMon.-Fri; D nightly. Our Critic’s Choice for Undiscovered Restaurant in our 2019 Dining Awards. Chef Victor Gonzalez, a veteran of the Orlando dining scene, demonstrates a mastery of many cuisines, whether Continental, American or Caribbean. The delicious offerings range from a remarkably thick 8-ounce prime sirloin to veal scallopini to a magnificent paella. The Mediterranean seafood zuppa is crowded with lobster, calamari, clams, scallops and shrimp cooked in a zesty marinara sauce. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Hamilton’s Kitchen at The Alfond Inn 300 E. New England Ave., Winter Park 407-998-8090. thealfondinn.com B-L-D daily. At the site of the late, great Langford Hotel, standout entrees with a European flavor are created, including the olive oil poached snapper, honey glazed pork belly, and ahi tuna served over tomato and eggplant caponata. The watermelon salad is a delicious, deceptively simple palate cleanser between courses. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Itar Bistro and Market 7065 Westpoint Blvd., Orlando. 407-757-055. itarbistro.com L-D Mon-Sat. This gem combines the flavors of Italy and Argentina, with Chef Mariana Moya at the helm turning out rich, robust dishes. Try the pasticcio eggplant with Parmigiano topping, as well as the mixed grill for two, featuring Angus beef flank, short ribs and blood sausage. The empanadas, particularly those with chicken and onion filling, are delightful. $$-$$$ K Restaurant 1701 Edgewater Drive, Orlando 407872-2332. kwinebar.com L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. A College Park mainstay of fine American cuisine sure to please both the eye and the palate. The menu changes each day, ensuring that every dining experience will be unique, and the intimate and cozy dining room is the perfect setting for a romantic night out. $$$ Ẃ
%Luke’s Kitchen and Bar 640 South Orlando Ave., Maitland 407-674-2400. eatatlukes.com L-D daily; BR Sat.-Sun. Our Critic’s Pick for Best Cocktails in the 2019 Dining Awards. The barrel-aged and draft cocktails coming from the bar are outstanding: The on-tap Jaguar, consisting of Elyx vodka, Boomsma Beerenburger and Lindsay bitters, grapefruit, apple and lime is complex enough to occupy most of the evening and complements what Luke’s calls “classically inspired libations.” In the kitchen, the creative fare from Brandon McGlamery’s team ranges from mustard breaded pork to cast-iron trout with lentils. $$$ Ẃ Luma on Park 290 S. Park Ave., Winter Park 407599-4111. lumaonpark.com D nightly. Executive chef Brandon McGlamery offers fine dining with a sustainable twist, creating a changing menu that focuses on using locally sourced ingredients. Standouts include the Idaho rainbow trout with black beluga lentils and julienned zucchini, and the roasted Ashley Farms chicken with butternut squash puree, cider-glazed Brussels sprouts and red onion marmalade. $-$$$$ Ẃ Market to Table 146 Plant St., Winter Garden 407970-8876. market2table.com D Wed.-Sat.; BR Sat.Sun. Chef Ryan Freelove offers an approachable, seasonally influenced menu focusing on fish and fowl and enhanced by house-made stocks, herb butters and sauces. Appetizers like rich crab cakes, calamari (dressed with tangy lemon aioli), and grilled beef skewers are simple and simply well done. He serves fish robed in lemon juice and a superb airline chicken breast accompanied by potato puree and a grilled mini squash filled with beets and duck confit. Soups like the fall offering of butternut squash have great depth of flavor. $$$ MOOR Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, 6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee. 407-586-1101. marriott.com L-D daily. A one-of-a-kind dining experience on a 60-foot ship deck within a hotel. Specialty Chef Phillip Fisher oversees the dishes, including creations like she-crab soup and Gulf-caught white shrimp atop Anson Mills white corn grits. The flatbreads are special—particularly the house-smoked duck and goat cheese—as well as the chicken and waffles, using chicken from Lake Meadow Naturals made with scratch ricotta cheese and drizzled in maple syrup-reduced pan drippings. $$-$$$$ Ẃ %Mrs. Potato 4550 S. Kirkman Road, Orlando 407-290-0991. mrspotato.net L-D Mon.-Sat. Winner of our 2019 critic’s Best-Dressed Potato Award. It sounds simple: grated potatoes, grilled into a saucer shape. But the Brazilian delicacy called a rosti potato originated in Switzerland, uses a national signature cheese (catupiri) developed by Italians and is way larger than you can imagine. The South American batata Suíça takes the idea of crisp hash browns and fills them with gooey, savory goodness like ham and cheese, beef stroganoff, Buffalo chicken. Rafaela Cabede’s exemplary creations have been featured on Guy Fieri’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. $-$$ %Norman’s Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, 4012 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando 407-3934333. normans.com D nightly. Our 2019 Critic’s Pick for Best Restaurant continues to prove the relevance of New World cuisine first championed by its namesake chef, Norman Van Aken. The menu, with flavors of the Caribbean, Pacific Rim, Latin America and Florida, comes from a continuing conversation between Van Aken and Executive Chef Andres Mendoza, producing superb dishes such as almaco jack fish in red sauce, and tempura fried octopus with squash broth. $$$$ Ẃ
%The Osprey Tavern 4899 New Broad St., Orlando 407-960-7700. ospreytavern.com L Tue.Sat., D Tue.-Sun., BR Sun. This Baldwin Park spot offers a fascinating menu that includes whole grilled branzino, bolognese, duck breast, and cottage pie with braised short ribs. The desserts and fresh-baked brunch creations from Pastry Chef Kristy Carlucci—a 2019 inductee into our Dining Hall of Fame—are must-haves. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Primo JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, 4040 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando 407-393-4444. primorestaurant.com D nightly. After winning the coveted James Beard Award, Chef Melissa Kelly and her pastry-chef husband, Price Kushner, opened the Grande Lakes Marriott branch of Primo. The warm, woodsy restaurant offers items such as rack of lamb with figs, casarecce pasta with clams and mussels, roasted chicken breast with lima bean ragout, and pan-seared diver scallops with risotto. The produce comes from Primo’s on-site garden. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ The Rusty Spoon 55 W. Church St., Orlando 407401-8811. therustyspoon.com L Mon.-Fri.; D nightly. Chef Kathleen Blake offers creative riffs on classic European and American dishes, while sourcing local ingredients whenever possible, at her gastropub in the 55 West building. Try the lamb sandwich or the Dirty South stew, the latter a combination of rock shrimp, yellowtail snapper and clams. Other winners: the “55” burger stuffed with bacon and Gruyere cheese, and the Lake Meadow salad of greens, eggs and chicken livers from Lake Meadow Naturals farm. $$-$$$ Ẃ %Santiago’s Bodega 802 Virginia Dr., Orlando, 407412-6979; 1185 Spring Center South Blvd., Altamonte Springs, 407-960-2605. santiagosbodega.com L-D daily, BR Sun. This tapas-style restaurant, with its artfilled dining room and captivating lounge, captured Best Brunch from readers in our 2019 dining poll. Santiago’s specializes in hot and cold small plates, with more than three dozen available, ranging from yellowfin tuna ceviche and lamb patties to chicken skewers and tomato and basil bruschetta. $$ Ẃ Strong Water Tavern Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando, 6601 Adventure Way, Orlando 407-503-5000. loewshotels.com/sapphire-falls-resort D daily. Chef Carlos Castaño presents a dazzling menu of items from Cuba, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, Colombia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Mexico in this rum-centric small-plate restaurant disguised as a hotel lobby bar. Best bets: the Peruvian Trio, three servings of classic ceviche of corvina; beef and sweet plantain hash; pollo patron, shredded chicken atop fried green plantain slices with a spicy tomato hogao; and Jamaican curry goat. More than 60 types of rum are available from the bar, most in a three-shot tasting flight. $-$$ Ẃ %The Tasting Room 99 W Plant St., Winter Garden 407-230-4837. chefstableattheedgewater.com D Mon.-Sat.; BR Sun. Take your taste buds on a trip to the Bayou: Chef Kevin Tarter infuses his Louisiana upbringing into every dish at this sidekick to the adjoining Chef’s Table. The tapas-style dining includes items like smoked fish dip, fried chicken livers with smoked sausage gravy, fried green tomatoes and New Orleans shrimp and grits. The craft drinks are outstanding. Winner of the Readers’ Choice for Best Appetizers in our 2019 Dining Awards. $$-$$$ Ẃ
Tiffins Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Lake Buena Vista 407-939-3463. disneygo.com L-D daily. Within three gallery-like dining areas full of original art and artifacts from Asia and Africa, Tiffins presents adventurous dishes such as a whole-fried sustainable fish served on fermented black bean sauce with green papaya salad; and a berbere-spiced lamb chop fragrant with clove and cardamom. For appetizers, which can be a meal in themselves, don’t miss the black-eyed pea fritters or the smoky grilled octopus. $$$$ Ẃ Urbain 40 8000 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando. 407872-2640. urbain40.com L-D daily. The melting pot of tastes at this Restaurant Row standout includes bouillabaisse Provencal, an exquisite offering of Northeastern mussels, clams from Cedar Key and wild-caught shrimp in a tomato, saffron and fennel broth with a touch of Pernod. Other winners: the Angus burger with pimiento cheese, onion jam and Bearnaise sauce; a richly flavored chicken Alfredo; and a magnificent shrimp lo mein. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Victoria & Albert’s Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Lake Buena Vista 407-824-1089. victoria-alberts.com D nightly. Reserve far in advance for Orlando’s only AAA Five Diamond restaurant. Awardwinning Executive Chef Scott Hunnel and Chef de Cuisine Aimee Rivera prepare outstanding sevencourse prix-fixe meals in the main, very intimate dining room, the 10-course splendor of dinner in Queen Victoria’s Room, and a 10-course extravaganza right in the kitchen at the Chef’s Table. $$$$ Ẃ Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill Disney Springs West Side, Lake Buena Vista 407-815-2100. wolfgangpuck. com/dining/orlando-bar-grill L-D daily. The Grand Café that was Puck’s in name only is but a distant memory. This new venture showcases the legendary chef’s true talents as well as those of Executive Chef Michael Tiva, with standout dishes of pasta, seafood and pizza. Try the pappardelle in traditional Bolognese meat sauce; the poached and seared Florida red snapper with clams and mussels; and Puck’s signature smoked salmon pizza. $$$-$$$$
CUBAN
Black Bean Deli 325 S Orlando Ave. Suite 1-1, Winter Park; 1835 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407-6280294. blackbeandeli..com L Mon.-Sat., D Mon.-Fri. This family-run eatery specializes in authentic Cuban comfort food. The Cuban sandwich, media noche, picadillo—and of course the black beans— are first rate, as are the empanadas. The creamy flan custard is a must-have to top off the meal. $ Columbia 649 Front St., Celebration 407-5661505. columbiarestaurant.com L-D daily. The oldest restaurant chain in Florida, serving authentic, upscale Cuban fare from sangria to paella in a decidely Spanish, Old World-style dining room. The merluza “Russian style” is especially interesting. Live music plays in the tapas lounge. $$$ Ẃ Cuba Libre Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive, Orlando 407-226-1600. cubalibrerestaurant.com D nightly. In this massive setting reminiscent of a Cuban hacienda courtyard, chef/partner Guillermo Pernot offers a magnificent menu that features classic Cuban recipes as well as bold adaptations. The contemporary items include Citrus Grilled Brick Chicken in mango sweet and sour gravy. Classic Cuban items are offered as well, like Ropa Vieja—shredded beef brisket stewed with tomatoes, bell peppers, onions and red wine and served with maduros and steamed white rice. $$$ Ẃ
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DINE RECOMMENDED EATING Padrino’s Cuban Bistro 13586 Village Park Drive, Orlando 407-251-5107. padrinosbistro.com L-D daily. From the markets of 1930s Cuba to presentday Orlando, generations of the Padrino family have been nourishing people with authentic Cuban cuisine. Try the white bean “caldo gallego” soup and citrus-marinated lechon asado pork. Finish with house-made Tres Leches cake. $$
The Cheesecake Factory 4200 Conroy Road, Orlando 407-226-0333; 520 N. Orlando Ave, Winter Park 407-644-4220 L-D daily. The menu is extensive to say the least, with all manner of entrées and salads. But it’s the sweets that draw diners, The signature item is cheesecake, of course, and the offerings in that area range from Oreo Dream to lemon meringue to white chocolate raspberry truffle. $$-$$$
DESSERT
EUROPEAN
Better Than Sex 1905 N. Orange Ave., Orlando 407-761-8949 betterthansexorlando.com 6 p.m.midnight Wed.-Sun. The atmosphere is decidedly sweet and sexy at this Ivanhoe Village spot. A steamy sample: Peanut Butter Perversion (peanut butter mousse on a chocolate chip cookie dough crust with salted chocolate bark). Or try the Lavender Lipstick, a honey-rimmed glass of Proseco dripping with lavender syrup. $$ Blue Bird Bake Shop 3122 Corrine Drive, Orlando 407-228-3822. bluebirdbakeshop.com Open Tue.Sun. Get your sweet and coffee and have a seat, or order your bounty to go. Either way, be prepared to choose from more than two dozen varieties of cupcakes—including sweet potato, red velvet, Snickerdoodle, apricot ginger and even a chocolate Guinness beer cake. $ Buttermilk Bakery 1198 Orange Ave., Winter Park 321-422-4015. buttermilk-bakery.com B-L Tue.Sat.; BR Sat.-Sun. Taissa Rebroff, her brother Phillip and mom Lana bake everything that graces the ever-changing menu, from the sweet croissant tarts with plum or apricot, to orange-cardamom buns, to baked Basque peppers on house-made sourdough. Delectable tea cakes, cookies and scones also make regular appearances. $ Charlie’s Gourmet Pastries 3213 Curry Ford Road, Orlando 407-898-9561. charliesgourmetpastries. com Open Mon.-Sat. A longtime Orlando favorite, Charlie’s creates items such as checkerboard cake, rainbow cookies and mincemeat pies that have become nostalgic and forgotten treats elsewhere. There also are elephant ear pastries, cream cheese rugelach and real coconut macaroons, but it’s the overstuffed fruit pies and butter-laden cakes that have kept people coming back for 50 years. $-$$ %The Greenery Creamery 420 E. Church St., #112, Orlando 407-286-1084. thegreenerycreamery.com Open daily noon to 9 p.m. Our critic’s 2019 selection for Best Ice Cream. Consider these flavors: Cardamom rose. Chocolate orange olive oil. Black ash coconut. Consider the taste buds that developed Lady Marmalade, sweet milky ice cream with angel food cake and orange marmalade swirls. Owner and opera singer Marie Mercado uses all-natural (although sometimes unusual) ingredients and Dakin Dairy Farms milk for her small batch, handcrafted marvels of dairy and vegan treats. $ %P Is For Pie 2806 Corrine Drive, Orlando 407745-4743 crazyforpies.com 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.Sat. This Audubon Park gem creates mouthwatering whole pies, hand pies, “pie pops’’ and more. The choices seem endless, from banana cream to caramel maple pumpkin to—wait for it—chocolate peanut butter & sea salt pie. But Stacey and Ed Tomljenovich also specialize in the savory, including a pork and chicken handpie with prosciutto; and a meat loaf, mashed potato and green beans creation. Winner of our critic’s 2019 Upper Crust Award. $-$$
%Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café 205 E. First St., Sanford 407-321-2204. willowtreecafe.com L-D daily. Our readers’ pick for Best German in the 2019 Dining Awards, Hollerbach’s offers a vast array of beers and such hefty food choices as the Schlachthaus Platte with its veal sausage, pork meatloaf and smoked pork loin. On weekends, you’ll find a sing-along, with people locking arms and swaying back and forth to German tunes. $$-$$$$
FRENCH
Café de France 526 Park Ave. S., Winter Park 407-647-1869. lecafedefrance.com L-D Tue.-Sat. You could easily miss this diminutive restaurant on Park Avenue’s south end—and that would be a big mistake. For nearly four decades, Dominique and German Gutierrez have delighted diners with a simple, subtle seasonal menu featuring standouts like herb-roasted rack of lamb, beef bourguignon, coq au vin and slow-roasted glazed duck. $$$ Ẃ Chez Vincent 533 W. New England Ave., Winter Park 407-599-2929. chezvincent.com L-D daily. This charming French spot in the trendy redeveloped Hannibal Square section of Winter Park offers fine food and formal service in an elegant dining room. $$$ Ẃ %DoveCote 390 N. Orange Ave., Orlando 407930-1700. dovecoteorlando.com L Mon.-Fri., D Mon.-Sat., BR Sun. Chef Clayton Miller’s goal is to present “approachable French comfort food’’ and he delivers, with consistently superb creations that range from a killer onion soup and magnificent chicken pâté, to dishes such as short ribs and grilled chicken whose exacting technique belies their simplicity. DoveCote captured Best Wine List from our critic for 2019, with drinkmeister Gene Zimmerman devising the perfect complements to Chef Miller’s creations. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ %Le Coq Au Vin 4800 S. Orange Ave., Orlando 407-851-6980. lecoqauvinrestaurant.com D Tue.Sun. Winner of the 2019 Readers’ Choice Award for Best French. An Orlando mainstay since 1976, this French restaurant combines classic cuisine such as the signature coq au vin (chicken in Burgundy sauce) with Southern specialties—New Orleansstyle gumbo and boudin sausage do have French roots, after all. $$$ Ẃ
GREEK
The Greek Corner 1600 N. Orange Ave, Orlando 407 228-0303. thegreekcorner.net L-D daily. This Ivanhoe Village favorite offers an abundance of Greek specialties, ranging from lamb kebobs and chops to baked dishes like pastitsio and moussaka. For lunch, try the gyro or souvlaki. $-$$$ %Taverna Opa Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive, Orlando 407-351-8660. tavernaoparestaurant. com L-D daily. This 12-year-old I-Drive mainstay scored a trifecta among readers in our 2019 Dining Awards poll, capturing Best Restaurant, Best Greek and Best Late-Night Dining. It’s a fun spot—there’s lively music, belly dancing, dancing among diners and napkin-throwing. But Taverna also pays atten-
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tion to the menu, with selections like branzino (the European sea bass), slow-roasted lamb, Nisiotiko (“the Greek paella’’), and moussaka.. $$-$$$$ Ẃ
INDIAN
Aashirwad Indian Restaurant 7000 S. Kirkman Road Orlando 407-370-9830 aashirwadrestaurant.com L-D daily. This I-Drive restaurant focuses on northern Indian dishes. The familiar favorites are all here—samosas, chicken tandoori, chicken tikka—as well as intriguing selections such as chicken shakuti (anise-flavored poultry cooked in coconut-based masala gravy). There are also a dozen vegetarian choices, from tadka daal (yellow lentils cooked with tomatoes, onions and spices) to methi malai mutter (green peas in a creamy gravy with fenugreek leaf). $$ Bombay Café 1137 Doss Ave., Orlando 407-240-5151. bombaycafeorlando.net L-D daily. Located near Florida Mall, this casual spot offers a variety of Indian favorites. Of particular note: the crispy, crunchy Indian snack known as chaat; and the south Indian dosa, a folded pancake filled with ingredients such as peas, onion, tomatoes and lentil chutney. Curries include khoya kaju, cashews cooked in a creamy sauce. $ Rasa 7730 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando 407-9300402. eatatrasa.com L-D daily. This eatery along Restaurant Row aims to broaden our concept of Indian food, creating marvelous dishes from the country’s southern region, as well as Chineseinfluenced cuisine. A great way to experience the dishes is with the South Indian thali, or platter, with its variety of offerings ranging from poriyal (a dry spice blend surrounding fresh okra) to sambhar (a lentil-based vegetable dish flavored with tamarind). Other best bets: iddly Manchurian, a Chineseinfluenced lentil cake, and dosa, crepes wrapped tortilla style around vegetables. $$. %Southern Spice 7637 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando 321-251-2244. southernspiceorlando.com L-D daily. Our Critic’s Choice for Best New Restaurant in the 2019 Dining Awards. Owner Sunny Corda’s gem in the Dr. Phillips neighborhood focuses on the cuisine of Southern India, and the magnificent tastes range from the parda biryani—an oven-cooked combination of basmati rice, and peppery masala and meat—to chepala pulusu, a tamarind-based curry surrounding tender mahi spiced with coriander, cumin, garlic and ginger. Also a winner: achari chicken tikka, made with a pickling spice that lends a tart flavor. The paper-thin rice flour crepes called dosa are superb. $$-$$$ %Tamarind 501 N. Orlando Ave., Suite 149, Winter Park 321-207-0760; 12309 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407-237-0920. tamarindfl.com L-D daily. Owner/Chef Amit Kumar uses slow-roasted spices to create out-of-this-world flavors at this jewel, selected Best Indian cuisine by our readers in the 2019 Dining Awards. The Goan shrimp curry, Kashmiri aloo (potatoes in yogurt curry) and palak paneer (spinach and curd cheese) are standouts, as is the tandoori chicken. Save room for kulfi, a heavenly dessert. $$-$$$
IRISH
Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant Downtown Disney, 1640 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista 407-938-0300. raglanroadirishpub.com L-D daily. This Irish-themed megapub inspired by celebrity chef Kevin Dundon is not to be missed. A sure bet is Kevin’s Heavenly Ham, oven-roasted ham with an Irish Mist glaze with potato cakes and braised cabbage. Add a brew from the extensive beer menu and stay a while to enjoy the joyous music and dancing. $$$ Ẃ
ITALIAN
Antonio’s 611 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland 407-6451035 antoniosonline.com L-D daily. In the dining room upstairs, Chef Patrick Tramontana offers entrees like Pollo Marsala, or braised lamb shank with Parmesan risotto and sweet peas., while the informal cafe and market downstairs boasts a variety of pizzas, salads, meats, pastas and more. $$-$$$$ Ẃ Bice Portofino Bay Hotel, Universal Orlando, 5601 Universal Blvd., Orlando 407-503-1415. biceorlando. com D nightly. Tucked into an upstairs corner at the Portofino, Bice brings Orlando the seductive pastas, risottos and entrées that have made the chain an Italian favorite in numerous locations around the world. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Cala Bella Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando 407-996-3663. calabellarestaurant. com D nightly. Stimulating Italian fare, including great risotto and lamb chops, is served in a beautiful dining room at this sprawling hotel. The desserts are fabulous, too. $$$$ Ẃ Christini’s Ristorante Italiano Dr. Phillips Marketplace, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Dr. Phillips 407-3458770. christinis.com D nightly. Owner Chris Christini has wowed diners with his meticulously prepared old-school menu since 1984. The Linguine alla Genovese Is a perfectly balanced pasta dish with pesto sauce and distinct flavors of garlic and pine nuts, while Chicken Scaloppine al Marsala combines rich wine sauce with sauteed mushrooms and a thinpounded chicken cutlet. $$$$ Ẃ Enzo’s on the Lake 1130 S. 17-92, Longwood 407834-9872. enzos.com L Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. Antipasti of roasted vegetables, marinated seafood and imported salamis begin the feasting at Enzo’s, a longtime family-owned Italian restaurant in a lakeside house. Dover sole, rarely seen on today’s menus, is a specialty. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ %Francesco’s Ristorante & Pizzeria 400 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland 407-960-5533, francescos-rist. com L-D Mon.-Sat. Winner of the Readers’ Choice for Best Italian in the 2019 Dining Awards. The pizza is primo at Owner/Chef Francesco Aiello’s restaurant, whether you choose the simple Margherita or load it with carne or vegetables. Other standouts include the spaghetti alla carbonara and the pollo Siciliano, a chicken breast sautéed in a mix of capers, artichokes and garlic and wine sauce. $$-$$$ La Luce 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando 407-597-3600. laluceorlando.com D daily. West Coast Italian stylings come to Orlando in this signature restaurant started by celebrity chef Donna Scala. Best selections include bite-size polpette meaballs and the Tuscan ragu and lamb. House-made pastas and high-end ingredients are a hallmark. $$-$$$ Ẃ Nonno’s Ristorante Italiano 1140 E. Altamonte Drive, Altamonte Springs 407-260-8900. nonnositalianrestaurant.com L Tue.-Sat., D Tues.-Sun. Pasta, seafood, veal and chicken populate the menu here, and the genial Stefano LaCommare and son Lenny do very well with all of them. Classic eggplant parm is a massive serving of breaded eggplant smothered in tomato sauce and cheese and cooked in the oven. The monkfish special features firm white fish topped with capers, pine nuts, olives and chopped tomato. For an appetizer try the bruschetta topped with caponata, a delicious mélange of eggplant olives, onions and celery. $$-$$$ Peperoncino Cucina 7998 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando 407-440-2856 peperoncinocucina.com L-D daily. The husband-wife chef team of Barbara Al-
fano and Danilo Martorano provide a delicious slice of Southern Italy with an array of fish and meat entrees, pasta and risotto. But their antipasti and stuzzicherie (starters and appetizers) are particularly magnificent, ranging from tiny burratini cheese with ripe tomatoes and house-spiced, thin-sliced pastrami to fried risotto arancini balls and Calabrese roasted eggplant. $$-$$$$ Ẃ Pizza Bruno 3990 Curry Ford Road, Orlando. pizzabrunofl.com D daily, L Sat., BR Sun. Bruno Zacchini’s tiny eatery is a draw not only for your average pizza lover but also local kitchen celebs seeking the goodness of his Neapolitan soft dough pie. Zacchini keeps it simple—crushed plum tomatoes and fresh cheese for a pizza subtle in taste and a great base for toppings including hot soppressata, clams and wood-fired pineapple. Pizza Bruno also recently started serving a selection of pies at Orange County Brewers downtown. $-$$ Prato 124 N. Park Ave, Winter Park 407-262-0050 prato-wp.com L Wed.-Sun.; D daily. From Luma executive chef Brandon McGlamery comes Prato, a trendy, communal spot with inventive offerings like pretzel-encrusted calamari, shrimp ravioli, oakroasted trout and a variety of pizzas. $$-$$$ Ẃ %Retro Station 5749 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy., Kissimmee 407-219-9299 retrostationrestaurant. com D daily except closed on Tuesday. The Readers’ Choice for Best Pizza in our 2019 Dining Awards. The offerings at this spot in the Highway 192 tourist area range from basic the All You Need Is Meat (ground beef, salami and pepperoni) to the Portuguesa (ham, onions, black olives, tomatoes, boiled eggs and oregano). Retro Station also offers a wide selection of main dishes like chicken parmesan, salmon alfredo and shrimp scampi. $$ Rocco’s Italian Grille & Bar 400 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407-644-7770. roccositaliangrille.com L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. Guests can expect a true Italian experience from owner-chef Rocco Potami. Part of that experience, set in a vintage 1940s building, involves indulging in multiple courses, otherwise known as primo e secondo piatti. Diners are encouraged to arrive hungry—very hungry. Menu standouts include the Scaloppine di vitello alla Rocco—veal scaloppini topped with roasted red peppers, prosciutto and Fontina cheese, deglazed with white wine and finished with a rich demi glace sauce. $$$. Ẃ Terralina Crafted Italian The Landing at Disney Springs, Lake Buena Vista 407-934-8888 terralinacrafteditalian.com L-D daily. Chef Tony Mantuano offers exquisite Italian cuisine in a glass conservatory overlooking Lake Buena Vista. The food focus is Rome and parts south, with delicate pastas and savory pizza, grilled seafood and tender mozzarella. Mantuano re-creates flavors his grandmother introduced to him, and “Nonna’s pork ragu” turns up on delightful hand-rolled gnocchi. Executive Chef Justin Plank excels, with offerings like seafood cannelloni, loaded with shrimp, scallops, salmon, mahi, swordfish, sweet corvina, and mascarpone cheese, wrapped in pasta and baked in a lobster cream sauce with lemon zest and mozzarella. $$$. Ẃ
JAPANESE
Amura 55 W. Church St., Downtown Orlando 407316-8500; Plaza Venezia, 7786 W. Sand Lake Road, Dr. Phillips 407-370-0007; Colonial Town Plaza, 950 Market Promenade Ave., Lake Mary 407-936-6001. amura.com L Mon.-Sat.; D nightly. Three of Orlando’s hippest sushi houses, the downtown location casual, the others modern and suave. $$$
Banshoo Sushi Bar Rosen Centre Hotel, 9840 International Drive, Orlando 407-996-9840. rosecentre.com D nightly. Chef Yoshi Kohazame combines the simplicity of a Japanese sushi roll with ingredient combinations that suggest an American flair. The masterpiece of his kitchen is the rice. And he will offer you recommendations based on your previously ordered dish. Top the night off with a Banshoo Sunset Punch cocktail. $$ %Domu 3201 Corrine Drive, Orlando 407-9601228. domufl.com D daily; BR Sat.-Sun. This Audubon Park hotspot, located in East End Market, offers a modern take on a traditional ramen bar. Be prepared to wait—90 minutes most nights; they don’t take reservations—but know that the wait is worth it. Chef/owner Sonny Nguyen cooks up a sterling assortment of pork, chicken and vegetable broth ramen with house-made noodles, as well as otherworldly crispy wings in kimchi butter. And the grilled octopus dish may be the best-tasting bargain in town. Winner of our dining critic’s 2019 Empire-Building Award (Nguyen has opened a second restaurant and more are on the way), as well as Readers’ Choice for Best Ramen. $$ Dragonfly Robata Grill 7972 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando 407-370-3359. dragonflysushi.com/orlando D daily. Executive chef Ray Hideaki Leung’s 1,000-degree grill imparts a quick outer crisp and sublime taste to squid, mackerel, ribeye, lamb chops and a variety of other meats and fish. The sushi and sashimi selections are plentiful: The signature Classic roll with albacore tuna, whiite fish and scallions is sauced, then baked, for a combination of sweet, spicy and savory. Dragonfly has one of the best happy hours around. $$-$$$$ Ẃ Kabooki Sushi 3122 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407228-3839; 7705 Turkey Lake Road, Orlando kabookisushi.com D daily. Chef/Owner Henry Moso has a passion for Japanese culture that is reflected in his inventive menu: Kazan scallops with a spicy green peppercorn coconut sauce, and tempura duck breast with Thai basil sauce. Sushi offerings are equally creative—kokonutsu lobster roll combines tempura lobster, creamy avocado, salty roe, citrus, honey, soy and toasted coconut. $$$ %Kadence 1809 Winter Park Road, Orlando kadenceorlando.com B Sat.; L Thu.-Sat.; D Tue.-Sat. Our Critic’s Pick for Best Japanese in the 2019 Dining Awards. From this tiny eatery in Audubon Park, Mark Vyan Berdin, Lordfer Lalicon and Jennifer Bañagale create culinary jewels like Japanese skipjack and salmon roe, deep red bonito and pearly cuttlefish. The challenges are learning to literally “trust the chef” (the meaning of omakase)—and to get one of the nine seats. Fortunately, pre-ordered takeaway chirashi bowls are available for lunch and dinner. Kadence is an anomaly, a big-city, big-ticket treasure that succeeds because of, and in spite of, its uniqueness. Reserve online. $$$$ %Kobe Japanese Steakhouse Seven area locations. kobesteakhouse.com D daily. A perennial Readers’ Choice for Best Japanese. Teppanyaki chefs grill a variety of meat and seafood dishes as well as vegetables and fried rice right at your table. That always entertaining spectacle may be why our readers also picked Kobe as Best Family-Friendly Restaurant for 2019. $$$
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DINE RECOMMENDED EATING %Seito Sushi 4898 New Broad St., Orlando 407898-8801; seitosushi.com L-D daily. Voted Best Sushi by readers in our 2019 Dining Awards. At Seito, owner Jason Chin and Executive Chef Huy Tin have elevated sushi and Pan-Asian dining to a delicious new level. The ramen bowls are slow-cooked, heady broths swimming with braised meats, eggs and superb noodles. Teriyaki chicken and bulgogi, grilled marinated Korean beef, also are winners. The chirashi items are beautiful arrangements of seasonal fish atop seasoned sushi rice—and some of the best plates in Orlando. Also, try the eel topped with charred Asian pear. $$-$$$. Ẃ Shari Sushi Lounge 621 E. Central Blvd., Thornton Park 407-420-9420. sharisushilounge.com L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. The food, the atmosphere and the diners are all stylish at Shari Sushi, which presents a variety of cutting-edge rolls, sashimi, and tempura. $$-$$$ Shin Sushi and Sake Bar 803 N. Orange Ave., Orlando 407-648-8000. shinsushi.com L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. The closest thing we have to a neighborhood sushi bar. Four Japanese chefs own and operate this North Quarter spot, serving some of Orlando’s most authentic sushi. Extensive selection of sakes. $$$ Ẃ Sushi Pop 310 West Mitchell Hammock Road, Oviedo 407-542-5975; 115 E. Lyman Ave., Winter Park 321-203-2282. sushipoprestaurant.com D Tue.-Sun. This hip spot is a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds. Giant screens play Japanese anime while waiters dressed in anime or glam-rock styles deliver eye-popping dishes like the Anaconda roll, boasting avocado, eel and tempura shrimp, or the Harvest Duck, served atop a green bean and stuffing casserole. $$-$$$$ Ẃ Yamasan Sushi & Grill 1606 N. Mills Ave., Orlando. 407-228-1730. yamasanorlando.com L-D daily. This trendy entry on the Mills 50 dining scene turns out fabulous sushi, tempura, udon bowls and mushi soups. $-$$ Zeta Bar & Sushi Lounge Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek, 14100 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando 407-597-3600. hiltonbonnetcreek.com/dining/ zeta-bar-sushi-lounge D daily. Whether you’re gathering for lively conversation or to catch your favorite game, this sophisticated hotel spot offers an abundance of traditional and signature sushi rolls, sashimi and noodles, along with innovative hand-crafted cocktails, wines and beer. $$-$$$ Ẃ
KOREAN
BBB Tofu House 5140 W. Colonial Drive 407-7238299 L-D daily except closed Wednesday. Tucked away in Chinatown Plaza is this gem, with ChefOwner Tony Teng serving up a feast of Korean delights like bulgogi (thin-sliced marinated sirloin); cheese buldak (spicy chicken topped with mozzarella); and a variety of Korean BBQ combos. BBB also offers excellent soon tofu soup, with seafood, short ribs, ramen, dumplings and more as options. Every meal comes with an assortment of housemade side dishes called banchan, ranging from kimchi and pepper-basted turnip to bean sprouts and citrus-dressed shredded cabbage. $$-$$$ Seoul Garden 511 E. Horatio Ave., Maitland 407599-5199 L-D daily except Wednesday. Standard grilled meat bulgogi barbecue, served with all those little side dishes, is here, but there’s also a world of other traditional dishes to be explored. Order the seafood pancake for an invigorating combination of simple seafood and fiery kimchi. $$
Shin Jung 1638 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407895-7345. shinjungkorean.com L Mon.-Fri.; D nightly. From the grills in the center of the tables to the five types of kimchi that accompany meals, Shin Jung is authentic Korean all the way. Daeji bulgogi is tender pork in a sweet-spicy sauce. $$
LATIN/SPANISH
%Bem Bom on Corrine 3101 Corrine Drive, Orlando 407-960-5101. facebook.com/bembomoncorrine L-D Tue.-Sun. Our readers’ pick for Best New Restaurant in the 2019 Dining Awards. Chef/Owner Chico Mendonca has transferred the goodness of his Portuguese food truck to this bricks-andmortar location in Audubon Park. Try the Rockin’ Tacos, Carnitas Tacos, piri piri chicken, and the papo secos rolls—a Portuguese favorite that Mendonca serves with nearly every dish. Another offering that the faithful crave: Bem Bom fries, tossed with Thai chilies, Thai basil, white truffle oil and Parmigiano Reggiano. $$-$$$ Bulla Gastrobar 110 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 321-214-6120. bullagastrobar.com L-D daily. Bulla satisfies with a tasty lineup of Spanish tapas, entrees and libations. Among the standout tapas: chili and garlic infused gambas a ajillo shrimp and the huevos “Bulla,” a fried egg on crisp potatoes with Serano ham and potato foam. The large plates include an excellent seafood paella, cooked to order with the coveted soccarat, the browned crusted rice touching the pan. $-$$$$ Ẃ Cevíche Tapas Bar and Restaurant 125 W. Church St., Orlando 321-281-8140. ceviche.com D Tue.-Sat. A multitude of hot and cold tapas, plus paellas and cazuelas, are served in the styles of Northern Spain and Catalan in this upscale Church Street mainstay. $-$$$ Ẃ El Inka Grill 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando 407930-2810. elinkagrill.com L-D daily. Chef-Owner Ivan Colombier draws on European influences for a culinary lineup that spotlights fish, ceviche and potatoes. Try the tagliatelle pasta, served coated in pesto with grilled chicken or skirt steak. Another winning dish is the sampler of causas, a column of pureed potato topped with chopped chicken salad, shrimp and octopus. Ceviches wear all manner of colorful frocks: white fish in red pepper sauce; salmon in citrus; grilled lobster marinated in intense aji amarillo peppers. $$-$$$ %Mango’s Tropical Café 8126 International Drive, Orlando 407-673-4422. mangos.com/orlando D daily. Our Readers’ Choice winner for Best Entertainment/Live Music in the 2019 Dining Awards. Mango’s dinner show with singers, dancers and a live band begins at 7 and runs continuously through the evening. The “Floribbean’’ menu includes churrasco steak with shrimp au gratin and grilled salmon with mango salsa. Late at night Mango’s transforms into a DJ-led dance floor spread among eight bars. $$$ %Peru Power Food Truck 407-790-8863. facebook.com/perupowerfoodtruck Chosen by readers as Best Latin and Best Food Truck in the 2019 Dining Awards. Fernando and Carroll Melgarejo’s truck has become a familiar sight around Central Florida, offering delights like fish and calamari tacos, potato-and-fried-egg-stacked burgers, and ceviche. Their Facebook page is kept up to date, informing fans where they’ll be next. A second food truck, Jama, serves a different menu of Peruvian street food, including fried pork belly over mac ‘n’ cheese. $-$$
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%Tapa Toro 8441 International Drive, Orlando 407-226-2929 tapatoro.restaurant L-D daily. Voted Best Spanish Restaurant by readers in our 2019 Dining Awards, with Chef Frank Galeano also capturing the Best Chef category among the diners. Tapas are a big draw here, as well as paella, with versions of the rice dish showcasing seafood, as well as chicken and lamb. But Galeano also emphasizes healthful selections like a roasted eggplant “steak’’ with cauliflower, capers, kale and raisins, as well as an herbed chicken sandwich with grilled vegetables and red pepper aioli. $$-$$$ Ẃ
MEDITERRANEAN
%Bosphorous Turkish Cuisine 108 S. Park Ave., Winter Park 407-644-8609; 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd, Suite 108, Dr. Phillips 407-352-6766. bosphorousrestaurant.com L-D daily. Chosen by readers as Best Middle Eastern cuisine in our 2019 Dining Awards. Turkish specialties from frothy tarama (whipped caviar) to falafel, along with entrees like chargrilled chicken patties and lamb shanks with vegetables are highlights at this family-owned restaurant. $$-$$$ Cedar’s Plaza Venezia, 7732 W. Sand Lake Road, Dr. Phillips 407-351-6000. orlandocedars.com L-D daily. Cedar’s gives Middle Eastern cuisine the respect it deserves, graciously serving high-quality standards, from a smoky baba ghannouj to lamb kebabs, in an upscale atmosphere. $$-$$$ Ẃ The H Cuisine 7512 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando 407930-3020. thehcuisine.com L-D Tue.-Sun. At this new hotspot just off Restaurant Row, three resident chefs craft a menu inspired by Turkish cuisine with European influences. The H prides itself on tableside preparation, including a Chateau tender filet for two seared in butter. The most flamboyant offering is strozzapretti, an Italian pasta specialty unique in Orlando to this restaurant. Hand-rolled cavatelli are flambéd in strong spirits inside a massive, carved-out barrel of Parmigiano Reggiano with wild mushrooms and bits of ham for a creamy, cheeseabundant dish. Also noteworthy: monkfish dressed in broth and accompanied by potatoes and seasonal vegetables. $$$$ Villa de Flora Gaylord Palms Resort, 6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee 407-586-1114. gaylordpalms.com B-D daily; BR Sun. Make your way around the Mediterranean market-like buffet and enjoy such dishes as Valencian seafood paella, osso buco with gremolata, and chicken cacciatore. Villa de Flora also has one of the more popular Sunday brunches in the area. $$$ Ẃ
MEXICAN/TEX-MEX
Agave Azul 4750 S. Kirkman Road, Orlando 407704-6930; 900 S. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 321972-3414. agaveazulorlando.com L-D daily. A bountiful menu ranging from Fajitas de Camaron (grilled shrimp sauteed with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms) to Arrachera (grilled marinated skirt steak, topped with chimicurri sauce). Agave Azul also offers lots of drink choices—as in more than 100 brands of tequila to choose from. $-$$$ Black Rooster Taqueria 1323 Mills Ave.., Orlando. 407-601-0994. blackroostertaqueria.com L-D Tue.Sun. At this this farm-to-taco eatery in the Mills 50 District, John Calloway creates hand-pressed corn tortillas and emphasizes savory rather than spicy. Crispy red grouper tacos—beer-battered fish piled with pickled cabbage, avocado and fresh cilantro— are one of the richly flavored delights. Also try the smoky achiote pork, slow cooked in a banana leaf for 36 hours and layered with pickled onion, cilantro and a fruity, mellow habanero salsa. $-$$
%Cocina 214 151 E. Welbourne Ave., Winter Park 407-790-7997. cocina214.com L-D daily. This restaurant just off Park Avenue is a perennial winner for Best Mexican among readers in our annual Dining Awards—2019 makes the eighth year in a row it has topped the category, and Cocina also captured reader wins for Cocktails (superb Margaritas) and Happy Hour. The extensive menu includes entrees like achiote rotisserie chicken and corn-crusted mahi, as well as a variety of tacos, burritos, enchiladas and flautas. And the annual Running of the Chihuahas each May is a hoot. $$$ Ẃ Frontera Cocina Disney Springs Town Center 407560-9197. fronteracocina.com L-D daily. Chef Rick Bayless, an eight-time James Beard Award winner, creates true Mexican fare, with delights like carne asada, Black Angus steak steeped in garlic and red chilies; tortas, a crusty bread roll stuffed with achiote-seasoned pork shoulder; and coctel verde, shrimp and scallops dressed ceviche-style in lime, avocado and sharp pepper-tomatillo salsa. Don’t miss the delicious sikil pak, a spicy Yucatecan pumpkin seed dip. $$-$$$$ %Hunger Street Tacos 2103 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park 407-444-6270. hungerstreettacos. com L-D Mon.-Sat., BR Sat. Brothers Joseph and David Creech, winners of our critic’s 2019 Rising Stars Award, present delectable tacos, quesadillas and tostadas that define the real Mexico. Try the suadero, seared marinated brisket with cilantro, lime and an avocado-tomatillo sauce. Two taco offerings that leap from classic to fusion are the “Grilled Cheese,’’ melding halloumi, refried beans, Serranolime salsa and mint; and a panko-fried avocado
wedge, served with shredded cabbage, pepper-lime crema and queso cotija. $-$$ Mi Casa Tequila Taqueria Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando 407-996-9939. rosenshinglecreek.com L-D daily. This gem dazzles with Mexican dishes crafted by Hawaiianborn chef Cameron Hostellero. The Flounder Vera Cruz boasts lightly coated fish topped with flaked crab, avocado and slaw. The filet tostada features a chipotle-pepper-rubbed Angus filet atop fried tortillas layered with Manchango cheese and salsa rojo. The giant margaritas are a must. $$-$$$ Reyes Mezcaleria 821 N. Orange Ave., Orlando 407868-9007. reyesmex.com L Mon-Fri; D daily; BR Sat.Sun. Restaurateur Jason Chin (Seito Sushi, The Osprey Tavern) ventures into Mexican cuisine in downtown’s North Quarter, and the results are impressive. What he calls “regionally inspired Mexican cuisine’’ includes offerings like tacos stuffed with crispy fish, braised short ribs or pork belly; tuna tostada, a fried, crispy platter of tortilla crowned with yellowfin tuna and a splash of pickled tomatillo and lime aioli; and a stellar Oxacan mole negro—impeccably cooked duck breast with a deep chocolatly sauce, roasted pumpkin and chayote squash. $$-$$$ Tijuana Flats Multiple area locations. tijuanaflats. com L-D daily. From humble beginnings in Winter Park, Tijuana Flats has spread across Florida and beyond. Using the freshest ingredients—and making an amazing array of hot sauces available—quesadillas, crispy tacos and of course flour tortillas keep diners coming back. $
SANDWICHES
%Bad As’s Sandwich 207 N. Primrose Drive, Orlando 407-757-7191 badasssandwiches.com Open daily. Winner of both the critic and reader picks for Best Sandwiches in the 2019 Dining Awards. John Collazo’s neighborhood sandwich shop is a required stop if you’re looking for terrific, boldly flavored combinations in handhelds. Try the signature Bad As’s sandwich with its stack of well-seasoned beef, pork, chicken, Havarti cheese, pickled onions and garlic aioli. A frequent special is the Capone, a mouthwatering Italian collection of mortadella, capocollo, ham, chorizo, Fontina cheese and basil-manchego aioli. Servings are large—and multi-napkin juicy. $ Beefy King 424 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando 407-8942241. beefyking.com B-L Mon.-Sat. Nobody would enter the circa-1960s Beefy King on a whim, but they’d miss moist and tender roast beef, pastrami, turkey and ham cooked on premises and served from a steam table just like in the delis of old. $ The Deli Downtown 18 N. Boyd St., Winter Garden 407-347-3873. thedelidowntownwg.com L daily; D Mon.-Sat. Chef Joseph Burnett is creating casual masterpieces in downtown Winter Garden, including sandwiches, soups and salads. The Buffalo chicken sandwich is a magnificent combination of tender beer-braised chicken, fragrant Marbleu blue Monterey Jack cheese, house-pickled celery and house-made ranch and Buffalo sauce. Other winning sandwich combinations: carved roast beef and horseradish; pulled pork and Oaxaca cheese; and jack fruit with whiskey barbecue sauce. $
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DINE RECOMMENDED EATING %Pom Pom’s Teahouse & Sandwicheria 67 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando 407-894-0865. pompomsteahouse.com L-D daily (open 24 hours Fri.-Sat.). This Milk District favorite offers two dozen inventive sandwiches and an array of salads. Try the Fu Man Chu sandwich, a wild combination of Asian-spiced pulled pork, goat cheese and ginger-cranberry chutney. Chef/Owner Pom Moongauklang is a 2019 inductee into our Dining Hall of Fame. $ %TooJay’s Gourmet Deli Six area locations. toojays.com L-D daily. Winner of the Readers’ Choice for Best Deli in our 2019 Dining Awards. TooJay’s serves up thick corned beef, pastrami and turkey sandwiches, along with house-made salads. Comfort food like shepherd’s pie, pot roast and meatloaf also is in abundance. The chocolate Killer Cake is legendary. $-$$
SEAFOOD
Bonefish Grill Eight area locations. bonefishgrill.com D nightly. From the folks who brought us Outback, this is a casual seafood chain with a sleek edge. Fish selections are seared over oak and topped with sauces like mango salsa or garlic-gorgonzola butter. $$-$$$ %deep blu seafood grille Wyndham Grand Orlando, Bonnet Creek, 14651 Chelonia Parkway, Orlando 407-390-2420. deepbluorlando.com D nightly. Our Readers’ Choice winner for Best Seafood, Best Hotel Restaurant and Best Service in the 2019 Dining Awards. Deep blu shines with an inventive menu that features selections like lobster with seafood stuffing, blu crab crusted grouper, and seafood Cioppino. Or try the black and blu linguine: Squid ink is blended with the pasta to create silky, black strands, which Chef Wade McLamb mixes with fresh blue crab, arugula, cherry tomatoes and tops with shaved parmesan. A must-order is the blu crab mac n’ cheese. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ %Eddie V’s 7488 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando 407-355-3011. eddiev.com D nightly. Seafood is the specialty of the kitchen, where moist grouper simply sauteed in garlic is given the same attention as an intricate lemon sole coated in a Parmesan crust. But steaks also stand out, from the center-cut filet mignon to the huge 22-ounce charred ribeye. The side dish menu includes crab fried rice, an entrée in itself, but a must-try is the truffled macaroni and cheese. Eddie V’s also boasts a dazzling happy hour menu, including lollipop lamb chops, lump crab cake, and Kung Pao Calamari. Our 2019 Readers’ Choice for Best Restaurant for a Business Dinner. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ FishBones 6707 Sand Lake Road, Orlando 407-3520135; 7005 County Road 46A, Lake Mary 407-5812399. fishbonesorlando.com D nightly. FishBones serves just-caught seafood along with aged steaks and prime rib in a relaxed yet refined Key Westthemed dining room. $$-$$$$ Ẃ %Flying Fish Disney’s Boardwalk, Lake Buena Vista 407-939-3463 disneyworld.disney.go.com D daily. The cuisine created by Chef Tim Majoras, our Critic’s Choice as Best Chef in the 2019 Dining Awards, is magnificent, with the menu adapting to the seasons and availability. Items like St. Augustine soft shell crab, Cedar Key clams and rock shrimp take full advantage of local specialties. The Hokkaido scallops with grits, sweet corn and peppadew is superb. $$$$ Ẃ
%Hemingway’s One Grand Cypress Blvd., Orlando 407-239-1234. grandcypress.hyatt.com D daily. This Keys-themed restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress has delighted diners for more than three decades. The shrimp scampi is impressive—jumbo tiger shrimp with pappardelle pasta and fried green tomatoes in white wine butter sauce. Other winners include the Seafod Paella Valencia and the crab cakes served with sweet corn coconut grits. And you must stop by the bar so that Fred Rhode, a 2019 inductee into our Dining Hall of Fame, can craft you a Papa Doble—spiced rum, Bacardi, orange and pineapple. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Johnnie’s Hideaway 12551 State Road 535, Orlando 407-827-1111. johnnieshideaway.com D nightly. This modern Caribbean-styled dining room serves simply prepared quality steaks and fresh fish to emphasize old Florida and Floribbean cuisine. Johnnie’s is complete with a lakeside Hideaway Tiki Deck & Raw Bar. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Ocean Prime Rialto, 7339 W. Sand Lake Road, Orlando 407-781-4880. ocean-prime.com D nightly. Superb seafood and steaks are presented in a supper club atmosphere, while jazz plays in the artistically lit piano bar. The surf and turf boasts a filet, butter-poached lobster tail, gouda potato cake and chili seared spinach. The sea scallops with Parmesan risotto is another winner, as is the black truffle macaroni and cheese. $$$$ Ẃ The Oceanaire Seafood Room Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive, Orlando 407-363-4801. theoceanaire.com D nightly. More than 25 species of fish and shellfish are flown in daily. The wine list is tailored for pairings with seafood, and the vintage ocean liner décor complements the nautical menu. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Paddlefish Disney Springs, 407-934-2628 paddlefishrestaurant.com L-D daily. Aboard a docked paddleboat that was once Fulton’s Crab House, this Disney standout’s menu is extensive, with charred octopus and lobster corn dogs among the starters. The main courses include scallops with brown butter, cauliflower puree, crispy Brussels sprouts and bacon; and the market catch with Macadamia nut crust, red curry and crab fried rice. There’s all manner of seafood boils as well, and landlubbers can opt for a steak, chops or chicken. $$$$ Ẃ Reel Fish Coastal Kitchen 1234 N. Orange Ave., Winter Park 407-543-3474. reelfishcoastal.com L Tue.-Fri.; D Tues.-Sat.; BR Sat.-Sun. At Reel Fish, in the former Ravenous Pig location, restaurant veteran Fred Thimm takes an upscale fish camp vibe and runs with it. The restaurant’s takes on “fish camp classics’’—fried shrimp, scallops, oysters or fish—are flawlessly cooked, with a slightly salted batter. The fish dip boasts flaked trout mixed with matchsticks of green apple. $$-$$$ Todd English’s bluezoo Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd., Lake Buena Vista, 407-934-1111. swananddolphin.com D nightly. Chef/TV personality Todd English runs this contemporary seafood restaurant. The over-the-top design sets the stage for the menu’s “coastal cuisine,” essentially a fusion of flavors from the U.S., Europe and Asia. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Winter Park Fish Company 761 Orange Ave., Winter Park 407-622-6112 thewinterparkfishco.com L-D Mon.-Sat. With signature seasonings and housemade sauces, this quick-service restaurant is a must for any seafood lover. The wine list features a selection of California wines to enhance any meal. Be sure to try the lobster roll and the savory hushpuppies. $$-$$$ Ẃ
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SOUTHERN
%The COOP 610 W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park 407843-2667. asouthernaffair.com B-L-D Mon.-Sat. Voted Best Southern by readers in our 2019 Dining Awards. 4 Rivers barbecue king John Rivers’ venture into fried chicken, catfish and other downhome cuisine has produced pretty much perfection. Some standouts: fried green tomatoes on a BLT, house-made pimento cheese, Low Country shrimp and grits, and chicken ‘n waffles. Yum. $-$$ Highball & Harvest Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, 4012 Central Florida Parkway, Orlando 407393-4422. ritzcarlton.com B-L-D daily. Scrumptious Southern fare is on the menu, including Cast-Iron Quail with Hoppin’ John, and Brown Butter Trout. Other winners are the shrimp and grits, and The Southern Spread—an assortment of pimento cheese, pickles and smoked fish dip. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ House of Blues Downtown Disney, 1490 E. Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista 407-934-2623. hob. com L-D daily; BR Sun.. For a casual bite to eat at Downtown Disney, this Southern-Soul restaurant does the trick. Opt for the fried shrimp po’ boy or the jambalaya, and reserve time for the famous buffet Gospel Brunch on Sundays. $$ Ẃ Soco-Southern Contemporary Cuisine 629 East Central Blvd., Orlando 407-849-1800 socothorntonpark.com D daily; BR Sun. Chef Greg Richie delivers delicious down-home cuisine highlighted by creative twists, including lobster, shrimp and grits; pecan-crusted pork chop; buttermilk fried chicken; molasses-braised short ribs; and fried pickled oysters. There’s also an impressive lineup of craft cocktails. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ
STEAK HOUSES
Bull & Bear Waldorf Astoria Orlando, 14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando 407-597-5500. bullandbearorlando.com D nightly. Handsome furnishings, including sparkling chandeliers and a coffered ceiling, give the Bull & Bear space a club-like ambience. Offerings include beef short ribs braised in Syrah wine; Chateaubriand for two; oak plank salmon; and panroasted Colorado lamb. $$$$ Ẃ The Capital Grille Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive, Orlando 407-370-4392; The Mall at Millenia, 4200 Conroy Road, Orlando 407-3512210. thecapitalgrille.com L Mon.-Fri.; D nightly. Dry-aged steak, doting service and a 300-pluslabel wine list are the calling cards of this upscale steakhouse. Try creative alternatives such as Konacrusted sirloin with caramelized shallot butter. The classic décor is D.C.-centric—you’ll expect to see a senator dining nearby. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Charley’s Steak House 2901 Parkway Blvd. Suite A1, Kissimmee 407-396-6055; 8255 International Drive, Orlando 407-363-0228. charleyssteakhouse.com D nightly. Charley’s custom-built pit gives steak, chicken, chops and fish a distinctive flavor, and a list of over 800 wine selections makes for the ultimate steakhouse experience. $$-$$$$ Ẃ %Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster 729 Lee Road, Orlando 407-645-4443. christnersprimesteakandlobster.com D Mon.-Sat. Year in and year out, readers pick Christner’s as the city’s best steak house: They were tops once again in our 2019 Dining Awards poll, and also captured the Best Old Favorite category. Owners Carole, David and Alice Christner serve USDA Prime, corn-fed Midwestern beef and Australian cold-water lobster tails in a masculine, woodsy atmosphere. There’s also a 6,500-bottle wine cellar and an extensive single-malt scotch collection. $$$ Ẃ
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House 9150 International Drive, Orlando. 407-351-5074 delfriscos. com L Mon.-Fri.; D daily. Offering prime steak and fresh-off-the-boat seafood, this I-Drive restaurant also boasts two floors, two bars, four private dining rooms—and a wine list of more than 1,200 selections. $$$$. Ẃ Eleven at Reunion Resort Reunion Resort, 7593 Gathering Drive, Reunion. 407-662-1170. reunionresort.com D Tue.-Sat. Situated atop the 11-story Reunion Grande building, Eleven boasts stunning 360-degree panoramas of the area. Menu offerings include 1855 Premium Black Angus filet, New York strip and sirloin, along with 21-day dry-aged ribeye and Porterhouse. All are seasoned with a housemade 11-spice blend. Among the seafood items are sea bass with smoked cabbage and pecan brown butter. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar 933 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407-699-9463; Dellagio Plaza, 8030 Via Dellagio Way, Orlando 407-352-5706. flemingssteakhouse.com D nightly. With a contemporary dining room and 100 wines by the glass, Fleming’s is a lively take on steak houses. All cuts are aged USDA prime corn-fed beef. $$$ Ẃ Jack’s Place Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive, Orlando 407-996-1787. jacksplacerestaurant. com D nightly. Sample steaks and seafood while surrounded by the world’s largest collection of autographed caricatures of stars and dignitaries. $$$ Ẃ
Kres Chophouse 17 W. Church St., Downtown Orlando 407-447-7950. kresrestaurant.com L Mon.-Fri.; D Mon.-Sat. Kres’ urban panache attracts downtown’s see-and-be-seen crowd, who fill its dramatic booths to try out sizzling steaks and chops. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ A Land Remembered Rosen Shingle Creek, 9939 Universal Blvd., Orlando 866-996-9939. landrememberedrestaurant.com L-D daily. Themed around Patrick Smith’s novel of the same name, which chronicles a Central Florida family’s experiences around the time of the Civil War, A Land Remembered serves a menu centered on steaks from the Harris Ranch. $$-$$$$ Ẃ Linda’s La Cantina 4721 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407-894-4491. lindaslacantinasteakhouse.com D Tue.-Sun. Linda’s has been serving steaks to Orlandoans for more than 70 years. It specializes in steak and seafood, with all of its USDA choice steaks cut on site. Enjoy a cocktail at the fire fountain lounge before your meal. $$-$$$ Morton’s The Steakhouse Dr. Phillips Marketplace, 7600 Dr. Phillips Blvd., Orlando 407-248-3485. mortons.com D nightly. This local outlet of the national chain has made its reputation on 24-ounce Porterhouse steaks, 20-ounce New York sirloin, and 14-ounce double-cut filets. Bar 12-21 features petite filet mignon sandwiches. Don’t forget to try the hot chocolate cake. $$$$ Ẃ Old Hickory Steakhouse Gaylord Palms Resort, 6000 W. Osceola Parkway, Kissimmee 407-586-1600 gaylordpalms.com D nightly. Designed to look like a rustic Everglades retreat, Old Hickory emphasizes naturally aged, grain-fed Angus beef with your choice
A New Experience for Your Dinner Table
of toppings, plus seafood and handcrafed artisanal cheeses. The award-winning wine list is extensive, offering more than 40 different Cabernet Sauvignon selections alone. $$$$ Ẃ The Palm Hard Rock Hotel, 5800 Universal Blvd., Orlando 407-503-7256. thepalm.com/orlando D nightly. Lavish steaks and giant lobster tails are this high-end restaurant’s delicious bread-and-butter. The Palm—filled with 1920s and ’30s caricatures—traces its origins back to 1926, when Italian natives opened the first location in New York City. Don’t miss the jumbo lump crab cake or the ahi tuna. $$$$. Ẃ Ruth’s Chris Steak House Winter Park Village, 610 N. Orlando Ave., Winter Park 407-622-2444; The Fountains, 7501 Sand Lake Road, Dr. Phillips 407-226-3900; 80 Colonial Center Parkway, Heathrow 407-804-8220. ruthschris.com D nightly. A top-quality restaurant with a reputation for excellent service, Ruth’s Chris serves each steak sizzling hot on a 500-degree plate to preserve the beef’s temperature and flavor. The 11-ounce filet is divine, while the 40-ounce Tomahawk ribeye is an eye-popping cut of meat. The roasted Brussels sprouts, lobster mac & cheese, and fire-roasted corn are among the side dish standouts. $$$$ Ẃ Spencer’s for Steaks and Chops The Hilton Orlando, 6001 Destination Parkway, Orlando 407-313-8625. spencersforsteaksandchops.com D Tue.-Sat. You’ll find modern twists on classic American cuisine at this steak house. Steaks are aged 21 to 28 days in-house and beautifully seared to order. $$$$ Ẃ
Featuring Takeout and Catering Packages Take your guests on a culinary journey through Southern Brazil with Texas de Brazil’s flame-grilled meats, savory hot dishes and fresh salads.
Takeout by the Pound Self-Service & Staffed Caterings Grill Onsite Option
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DINE | MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 103
DINE RECOMMENDED EATING Texas de Brazil 5259 International Drive, Orlando 407-355-0355. texasdebrazil.com L Mon.-Fri.; D nightly. Texas de Brazil is a splendidly executed Brazilian churrascaria. Waiters stop at tables to offer chunks of seared, tender meats, and the salad bar is bursting with additions such as roasted red peppers and imported cheeses. $$-$$$$ Ẃ %The Venetian Chop House Caribe Royale Resort, 8101 World Center Drive, Lake Buena Vista 407238-8060. cariberoyale.com D Mon.-Sat. Winner of our 2019 Readers’ Choice award for Most Romantic Restaurant. A top-end, fine-dining experience within a hotel, the Venetian is full of deep tones, cut crystal and a replica of Tempietto de San Pietro in the corner. Among the marvelous dishes is the lobster bisque under a dome of pastry. Entrees include bison short ribs with onion jam, New York strip, filet mignon, veal chop with porcini butter, and an herbcrusted pork chop. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ
THAI
Sea Thai 3812 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407-8950985. seathaiorlando.com L-D daily. Don’t let the strip mall fool you—the inner ambience and extensive menu of Sea Thai (the “Sea’’ stands for South East Asia) shine through. A haven for spicy-food lovers, there’s something delicious for all, from the spicy beef salad to the garlic chili fish to the popular crispy Panang duck. Voted Best Thai by readers in our 2018 Dining Awards poll. $$ %Thai Blossom 99 W. Plant St., Winter Garden 407-905-9917. mythaiblossom.com L-D daily. The Readers’ Choice winner for Best Thai in our 2019 Dining Awards. Located on the first floor of the historic Edgewater Hotel, Thai Blossom offers affordable Thai favorites and a selection of salad and seafood dishes. The scrumptious creations include mussels in green curry, ginger duck, and a whole soft shell crab served as an appetizer. $$
VEGETARIAN
%Dandelion Communitea Café 618 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando 407-362-1864. dandelioncommunitea.com L-D Mon.-Sat, L Sun. Winner of Best Vegetarian from readers in our 2019 Dining Awards. Taking residence in a 1920s house, Dandelion is a local leader in using sustainable, organic and environmentally friendly ingredients. The atmosphere is definitely homespun; having a vegan chili bowl or veggie wrap for lunch here is more like visiting a friendly, local, music-minded aunt than sitting in a restaurant. Beer and wine are available, and local artworks are showcased. $ Ethos Vegan Kitchen 601-B New York Ave., Winter Park 407-228-3898. ethosvegankitchen.com L-D Mon.-Sat.; BR Sat.-Sun. Ethos takes its name seriously, serving pizzas, sandwiches and entrées from an exclusively vegan kitchen. You will feast on such specialties as Sheep’s Pie (meatless with broccoli, carrots peas, onions, mashed potatoes and gravy), Mac ‘n Cheese ‘n Peas, and Bay Cakes, made with chickpeas, celery and fesh herbs. Vegan beer and wine are served, and a jazz/funk brunch is presented every Sunday. $-$$ Infusion Tea 1600 Edgewater Drive, Orlando 407999-5255. infusionorlando.com B-L-D Mon.-Sat, L-D Sun. It wasn’t the first tea shop in College Park, but Infusion certainly started the alternative vibe in this neighborly neighborhood. A center of the local art, crafting and writers’ scene, the kitchen serves fresh-made soups, salads and sandwiches with an organic and local slant, along with dozens of flavored and exotic teas. $
%Market on South 2603 E. South St., Orlando 407613-5968 marketonsouth.com B-L-D Mon.-Sat., B-L Sun. The 2019 Critic’s Choice for Best Neighborhood Restaurant. If you turn up your nose at the thought of “plant-based dining,’’ then you’ve never eaten at this popular spot beside the 408. Not to be missed: Chef Shaun Noonan’s Carolina BBQ pulled jackfruit or Celine Duvoisin’s much-in-demand doughnuts (“100% egg-free and dairy-free and not healthy at all’’). $-$$ %Proper & Wild 155 E. Morse Blvd. Winter Park 407543-8425 properandwildwp.com L Mon.-Fri; D Tue.Sat.; BR Sat.-Sun. This recently opened gem from Chelsie and Jamie Savage offers sophisticated menu items like burgers made from lentils and shiitake mushrooms, and a winter squash curry that doesn’t flaunt its meatlessness so much as make you question the need for meat at all. Other delights: chickpea fries, avocado caprese, and Heartcakes (young palm, bok choy, mustard frills, panang remoulade). $$ The Sanctum Café 715 N Fern Creek Ave. Orlando 407-757-0346. thesanctumcafe.com B-L-D Mon.Sat.; BR Sun. Chef/Owner Chelsie Savage refers to her restaurant as “plant based” and “healthy” before the word vegetarian is mentioned. Sourcing locally and organically whenever possible, this neighborhood favorite now offers dinner menus and Sunday brunch along with the popular lunch fare. Try the coconut polenta cakes with cabbage slaw and sriracha; and the Southern Soul bowl of mushroom gravy, black-eyed pea tempeh, organic potato and brown rice. $-$$
VIETNAMESE
Little Saigon 1106 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407423-8539. littlesaigonrestaurant.com L-D daily. This Mills 50 District mainstay offers a wide variety of rice and vermicelli dishes topped with your choice of meat and vegetables. But it’s the soups that are the go-to for the many faithful—steaming bowls full of pork or beef, noodles, and fresh basil. The summer rolls with peanut sauce are a must. $-$$ %Pho 88 Vietnamese Restaurant 730 N. Mills Ave., Orlando 407-897-3488. pho88orlando.com L-D daily. Chosen as Best Vietnamese by our readers in the 2019 Dining Awards. The specialty here is pho— broth, noodles and meat—with choices seemingly endless (11 variations of beef noodle soup alone). Other menu items include beef stew, stir-fried noodle dishes, and the banh mi Vietnamese sub. $-$$ Pho Vinh 657 N. Primrose Drive, Orlando 407-2280043. phovinhorlando.com L-D daily. An impressive menu of Vietnamese dishes features soups, noodles and rice platters. Pho Vinh serves a standout example of a dish enshrined in our Dining Hall of Fame—Buùn Chaû GioøThòt Nöôùng, rice vermicelli with charbroiled pork and spring rolls. $-$$. Saigon Noodle & Grill 101 N. Bumby Ave, Orlando 407-532-7373; 710 S. Goldenrod Rd., Orlando. 407658-1967. saigonnoodleandgrill.com L-D daily. An array of soups, silky and sweet pad thai, pan-fried noodles and caramelized shrimp and pork belly are some of the sights and aromas that await you at this eatery. $ Viet Garden 1237-1239 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando 407-896-4154. vietgardenorlando.com L-D daily. Fusing the cuisines of Vietnam and Thailand freely, Viet Garden garners reader votes regularly for its reasonably priced chicken satay, pad Thai and spicy stir-fried beef with vermicelli. $-$$$
104 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | DINE
WINE BARS AND LOUNGES
The Attic Door 28 W. Plant Street, Winter Garden. 407-750--7063 jrsatticdoor.com Afternoon tea Sat.Sun.; D (snacks/small plates) Tue.-Sat. This eclectic spot proclaims itself “the swankiest little wine bar and live music venue around.’’ Relax with a glass of wine in one of the mismatched chairs or leather sofas amid the funky array of lamps and tables. Recently added: traditional afternoon tea service on Saturday and Sunday, with fresh-baked scones, finger sandwiches and desserts. $-$$ Blue Martini Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive, Suite 1182, Orlando 407-447-2583. bluemartinilounge. com Open daily. Live music, cocktails accented with glow sticks, trendy bar foods and a lively dance floor lure upscale singles. $$-$$$ Ẃ Bösendorfer Lounge The Grand Bohemian Hotel, 325 S. Orange Ave., Downtown Orlando 407-3139000. grandbohemianhotel.com Open daily. Black marble, red stone and mirrors, plus an Imperial Grand Bösendorfer piano, create an edgy and upscale environment for martinis, indulgent nibbles, casual power meetings and entertainment. $$$-$$$$ Ẃ Eden Bar 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland 407-6 291088. enzian.org L-D daily. Taking a cue from Hapsburg beer gardens, Eden offers a bucolic outdoor setting right outside the Enzian theater. Local and international beers and a good selection of wines snuggle up with salads, nachos and sandwiches, along with Austrian goulash and unusual pizzas (potato and bacon, anyone?). $$ Ẃ Eola Wine Company 430 E. Central Blvd., Orlando 407-481-9100. eolawinecompany.com Open daily. Part retail shop, part lounge, Eola Wine offers an impressive variety of labels, more than 100 wines by the glass and a commendable selection of beers. Nibble on flatbreads, cheese platters and bruschetta “flights.” $-$$$ Ẃ %The Vineyard Wine Company 1140 Town Park Ave., Suite 1260, Lake Mary 407-833-WINE. thevineyardwinecompany.com Open daily. The Readers’ Choice winner for Best-Kept Secret and Best Wine List in our 2019 Dining Awards. With a variety of tapas, lunch and dinner entrées, desserts, and platters to accompany your wine, this spot is more than just a lounge. Sit back with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc while enjoying the live music Tuesday through Saturday. $-$$$ Ẃ %The Wine Room 270 Park Ave. S., Winter Park 407-696-WINE. thewineroomonline.com Open daily. Warm and inviting, The Wine Room offers hundreds of wines. Dozens are available as 1- to 3-oz. samples paid for through a debit system. Selections can be enjoyed along with handcrafted meats and cheeses. Voted Best Wine Bar by readers in our 2019 Dining Awards. $-$$ Ẃ MORE ONLINE: Be sure to check out additional restuarant listings and other reviews in our dining section on orlandomagazine.com.
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RUSSIAN ROMANCE
The dazzling Broadway hit musical Anastasia comes to the Dr. Phillips Center. The epic tale of a young woman who sets out to discover the secrets of her past takes place in Imperial Russia and 1920s Paris.
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Teams compete in athletic challenges to do good during the Charity Challenge at Camping World Stadium, May 18, p. 110.
SEAWORLD SEVEN SEAS FOOD FESTIVAL Through May 5: Sip and sample your way around the world of international coastal cuisine paired with wines and craft beers, and enjoy live performances each weekend. SeaWorld Orlando, 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando. seaworldorlando.com EPCOT’S INTERNATIONAL FLOWER & GARDEN FESTIVAL Through June 3: Take in enchanting topiaries and gather gardening tips while sampling seasonal foods from the outdoor kitchens placed throughout this Disney World theme park’s World Showcase. Enjoy live music while picking up outdoor-living advice you can use at home. epcotinspring.com CASA FELIZ PALATKA FIELD TRIP May 2: A motor coach trip transporting travelers from Casa Feliz Historic Home in Winter Park to Palatka, FL, for tours of several historic homes and museums. Breakfast and lunch included. 6:30 a.m. Meet at 656 N. Park Ave., Winter Park. 321-203-2641. casafeliz.us/palatka FIRST THURSDAYS AT OMA May 2: Mingle with local artists and view their work, enjoy live music and walk through the galleries of the Orlando Museum of Art. Food and drink available for purchase. This month’s
theme: “Steampunk Revolution.” 6-9 p.m. Orlando Museum of Art, 2416 N. Mills Ave., Orlando. omart.org THE ILLUSIONISTS—LIVE FROM BROADWAY May 2: An evening of sophisticated magic acts. 7:30 p.m. King Center for the Performing Arts, 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne. 321-2422219. kingcenter.com BIKE 5 CITIES May 4: Hundreds of riders take to the streets and trails of Central Florida, riding 28 miles through Winter Park, Orlando, Casselberry, Maitland and Eatonville. Unescorted groups and solo riders can begin at any location between 7:30 and 10 a.m. The escorted group ride meets at 8 a.m. at Mead Botanical Garden, 1500 Denning Drive, Winter Park. Check website for details. bikewalkcentralflorida.org/bike5cities SOUL LEGENDS—FROM MARVIN GAYE TO PHARRELL May 4: The Orlando Philharmonic teams with Jeans ’n’ Classics and guest vocalist Gavin Hope to celebrate 50 years of R&B, Motown, funk, disco and pop in an outdoor concert. 8 p.m. The Springs Community, SR 434, one mile west of I-4, Longwood. 407-896-6700. orlandophil.org BAHIA SHRINE CIRCUS May 4-5: The Royal Hanneford Circus comes to town for two days. Show times at 10:30 a.m., 2 and 6:30 p.m. each day. Silver Spurs Arena,
Osceola Heritage Park, 1875 Silver Spurs Lane, Kissimmee. 866-362-0557. circus.bahiashrine.org ST. JOHNS RIVER FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS May 4-5: First Street in downtown Sanford is transformed into an art mecca, with more than 150 artists, plus workshops, demonstrations, live acoustic music, and a food court. Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 407-4161779. stjohnsriverartfest.com EATONVILLE CRAFTS & CULTURE MARKET May 5: Experience the history, heritage and culture that is the historic Town of Eatonville with storytellers, performers, reenactments, local merchants and more. Free. 1-5 p.m. 100 E. Kennedy Blvd., Eatonville. eatonvillechf.com FAMILY FEST May 5: A day of family friendly fun with live music performances, games, live animals, crafts, police and fire vehicle displays, face painters, bounce houses and more. Free. Noon-5 p.m. Cranes Roost Park, 274 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs. 407-571-8180. altamonte.org STORY TIME AT LEU GARDENS May 6: The Orange County Library System comes to the gardens to share stories and songs with infants at 10 a.m., toddlers at 10:20 a.m. and preschoolers at 10:40 a.m. Free. 1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando. 407-246-2620. leugardens.org
EVENT SUBMISSIONS: For inclusion in On The Town, send event information to hancel.deaton@orlandomagazine.com. Deadline for print is two and a half months prior to the event date. Events can also be submitted to our online calendar at orlandomagazine.com (these will not be printed). 108 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | SCENE
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SPECIAL EVENTS
THORNTON PARK 2ND THURSDAY ART AND WINE WALK May 9: Artists display works for sale along the streets and inside local businesses. Free, but $15 gets you a glass (pay and pickup at Olde Town Brokers) and a map of participating businesses. 6:30-9:30 p.m. Summerlin Avenue at Washington Street. thorntonparkdistrict.com SANFORD’S ALIVE AFTER 5 STREET PARTY May 9: Central Florida’s largest recurring street party, a monthly gathering with live music, local artists, and food and beverage samples. 5 p.m. 230 E. First St., Sanford. sanfordwelcomecenter.com DOUBLE DARE LIVE! May 10: Marc Summers hosts the messiest game show on the road at the Bob Carr Theater. Check website for participant registration details. 7 p.m. 401 W. Livingston St., Orlando. 844-513-2014. drphillipscenter.org ART AND MUSIC IN THE PARK May 10: Artwork and live music in the park between Casselberry City Hall and Lake Concord. Food trucks and other vendors on site as well. 6 p.m. Free. Casselberry City Hall, 95 Triplet Lake Drive, Casselberry. 407-262-7700, ext. 1507. casselberry.org MOUNT DORA 2ND FRIDAY ART SPLASH May 10: An evening of art, music and hors d’oeuvres showcases the work of regional artists, on display at several venues within walking distance. Free. 6-8 p.m. 138 E. Fifth Ave., Mount Dora. mountdoracenterforthearts.org MONSTER JAM WORLD FINALS XX May 10-11: Seven championship crowning moments in a weekend of all-new competition formats and unprecedented access to the athletes and their trucks. Pit parties Friday-Saturday 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., main event begins at 7 p.m. each day. Camping World Stadium, 1 Citrus Bowl Place, Orlando. monsterjam.com COLLEGE PARK SPRING FEST May 11: Formerly known as Dancing on the Drive, this year’s event features live bands performing a range of music from classic rock to soul, R&B and jazz in an outdoor concert, a beer garden serving local craft brews, food trucks, and the local restaurants and shops open to the street. 5-11 p.m. Edgewater Drive from Smith Street to Bryn Mawr.collegeparkmainstreet.com JAZZ ON THE VINEYARD GREEN May 11-12: Enjoy jazz musicians on the outdoor stage with food and drink available for purchase along with complimentary tours and tastings. Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards, 19239 U.S. Highway 27 North, Clermont. lakeridgewinery.com SEAWORLD INSIDE LOOK May 11-12 & 18-19: Learn about the day-to-day care of the animals as well as the life-saving operations of the rescue team. Caregivers and activities differ each day. SeaWorld Orlando, 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando. seaworldorlando.com
WORLD OF GOOD MAY FUNDRAISERS
5/1
RELAY FOR LIFE OF EAST ORANGE, benefits the
ORLANDO STORY CLUB—WHAT A RUSH, benefits
After-School All-Stars’ Summer of Dreams program. The Abbey, Orlando. 407-704-6261. abbeyorlando.com
5/3 THE ART OF THE VINE, benefits New Hope for
Kids Center for Grieving Children. Fields Motorcars showroom, Orlando. 407-331-3059, ext. 10. newhopeforkids.org
RELAY FOR LIFE ORLANDO SOUTH, benefits the American Cancer Society. Edgewater High School, Orlando. 407-581-2533. relay.ascevents.org
5/4 BEST BUDDIES FRIENDSHIP WALK, benefits the
Best Buddies organization, which helps people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Lake Eola Park, Orlando. bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org/centralflorida
DERBY DAY PARTY, benefits Providing Autism
Links & Support (PALS). Ember, Orlando. derbydayorlando.com
American Cancer Society. Timber Creek High School, Orlando. 407-581-2533. relay.ascevents.org
5/11 OVER THE EDGE, an extreme fundraiser bene-
fiting the veteran programs in Central Florida. Orlando Health, Orlando Regional Medical Center. hfuw.org
WALK TO CURE ARTHRITIS, benefits the Arthritis
Foundation, raising funds for research, resources and a cure. Lake Eola Park, Orlando. arthritis.org
5/17-18 WINE QUEST, benefits Quest Inc., which assists
people with disabilities. Loews Royal Pacific Resort, Orlando. questinc.org
5/18 CHARITY CHALLENGE XXXIV, raises funds for
local charities through a day of athletic competitions. Camping World Stadium, Orlando. charitychallengeinc.org RUNWAY TO HOPE SPRING FASHION SOIREE,
LUNG FORCE WALK, benefits the American
Lung Association. Harbor Park at Lake Baldwin, Orlando. action.lung.org UNLEASHED. UNCORKED. UNFRAMED, benefits
benefits Central Florida families affected by pediatric cancer. Rosen Shingle Creek resort, Orlando. runwaytohope.org
5/19
Franklin’s Friends, which promotes animal welfare and supports Central Florida animal charities. Holy Trinity Reception Center, Maitland. unleashedfundraiser.info
5K RUN/WALK & KID’S FUN RUN, benefits the Colon Cancer Coalition. Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake, Orlando. coloncancercoalition.org
WALK LIKE MADD, raises funds to support the
Foundation. Harbor Park at Lake Baldwin, Orlando. orlandokidneywalk.org
elimination of drunk driving. Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte Springs. walklikemadd.org
5/4-5
5/21 RMHCCF BOWL-A-THON, benefits the Ronald
BIKE MS—THE CITRUS TOUR, benefits the
National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The bike tour begins and ends at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate. nationalmssociety.org/citrustour
5/9-10
McDonald House Charities of Central Florida, which supports programs that improve the well-being of children and families. Aloma Bowl, Orlando. ronaldmcdonaldhouseorlando.org
5/22 WOMEN UNITED LUNCHEON, benefits Heart of
SPECIAL OLYMPICS FLORIDA INVITATIONAL,
benefits Special Olympics athletes in Osceola County. Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista. specialolympicsflorida.org
5/10 KIDS BEATING CANCER CHARITY CONCERT,
KIDNEY WALK, benefits the National Kidney
Florida United Way. Keynote speaker is Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard and author of The Meaning of Matthew. Hilton Orlando. UWwomenunited.org
COMING UP…
benefits Kids Beating Cancer. Jon Anderson, the voice of the British rock band Yes, performs. Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando. kidsbeatingcancer.com
6/1
MAKE ’M SMILE FESTIVAL, benefits Nathaniel’s
Hope, which helps special-needs children and their families. Lake Eola Park, Orlando. nathanielshope.org
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SCENE ON THE TOWN LEU GARDENS CELEBRATES MOMS May 12: Enjoy this special day with Mom by strolling the winding paths in the beautiful 50-acre gardens. Free for mothers. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Harry P. Leu Gardens, 1920 Forest Ave., Orlando. leugardens.org
MESS FEST May 18-19: Orlando Science Center celebrates Messy Science Month with indoor and outdoor “paintsplosions,” Alka-Rockets, a blacklight cosmic mess zone and more. 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. 777 E. Princeton St., Orlando. osc.org
ORLANDO INTERNATIONAL FRINGE THEATRE FESTIVAL May 14-27: Uncensored and unforgettable works of theater, music and dance are back this year, with performances taking place at various venues near Loch Haven Park and Ivanhoe Village, Orlando. All ticket proceeds go to the artists. orlandofringe.org
SEAWORLD ELECTRIC OCEAN May 24-Sept. 1: As the sun sets on select nights, the park comes alive with exciting nighttime shows and electrifying music. Guests are immersed in a sea of wonder that ends in a fireworks finale. Included with theme park admission. SeaWorld Orlando, 7007 Sea World Drive, Orlando. seaworldorlando.com
RIDE OF SILENCE May 15: An international event, this slow-paced 6-mile bicycle ride honors cyclists who have been injured or killed, and seeks to raise public awareness of the need for both motorists and cyclists to share the road. 7 p.m. Founders Square, 13001 Founders Square Drive in Avalon Park, Orlando. rideofsilence.org
ROCK N BLUES CONCERT AND CAR SHOW May 25: Dana Fuchs headlines this outdoor blues concert that also features over 100 classic cars, muscles cars and hot rods, plus product vendors and food trucks. Free. 5-9 p.m. Lake Concord Park, 95 Triplet Lake Drive, Casselberry. 407-262-7700, ext. 1507.
HOLOCAUST CENTER DINNER OF TRIBUTE May 16: Take the opportunity to gather as a community and honor local people who embody the center’s mission to create a more just and compassionate society. This year’s honoree is Joanie Holzer Schirm. Rosen Plaza Hotel, 9700 International Drive, Orlando. Reservations required. 407-628-0555. holocaustedu.org 3RD THURSDAY GALLERY HOP & ART WALK May 16: Visitors converge on the core of Orlando’s Downtown Arts District to browse the galleries and nontraditional art venues that spotlight the best of established and emerging Orlando-based artists. 6 p.m. Rogers Kiene Building, 39 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando. 3rdthu.com MEGACON ORLANDO May 16-19: Comics, sci-fi, horror, anime, and gaming fans come together for this blended convention (and for the after-parties). Thursday 4-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Orange County Convention Center, West Concourse, 9400 Universal Blvd., Orlando. megaconvention.com EVENING EXCHANGE May 17: Every third Friday, meet at East End Market for interactive workshops and a chance to browse wares from over 30 artisan makers, plus culinary demonstrations, specialty cocktail bars and food specials. 3201 Corrine Drive, Orlando. 321-236-3316. eastendmkt.com CHARITY CHALLENGE May 18: Teams from Central Florida hospitality, restaurant and apartment communities compete in athletic challenges to raise funds for local charities. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Camping World Stadium, 1 Citrus Bowl Place, Orlando. charitychallengeinc.org RHYTHMS AT THE ROOST May 18: Amp up your Saturday night with live concerts, vendors and delicious food. Free. Cranes Roost Park, 274 Cranes Roost Blvd., Altamonte Springs. altamonte.org
MEMORIAL DAY PARADE AND REMEMBRANCE CEREMONY May 27: Sanford rolls out the red, white and blue with a parade along downtown’s First Street honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. 10 a.m. sanfordfl.gov
MUSIC THE ABBEY 100 S. Eola Drive, Orlando. 407-704-6261. abbeyorlando.com May 21: Citizen with Knuckle Puck, Hunny and Oso Oso, 7 p.m. May 24: “The Greatest Showman” Sing-Along, 8 p.m. May 31: Unlimited Devotion—A Tribute to the Grateful Dead, 9 p.m. AMWAY CENTER 400 W. Church St., Orlando. 407-440-7000, 800-745-3000. amwaycenter.com, ticketmaster.com May 4: MercyMe, 7 p.m. May 17: Nicky Jam, 8 p.m. May 29: Ariana Grande, 8 p.m. THE BEACHAM 46 N. Orange Ave., Orlando. 407-246-1419. thebeacham.com May 2: Tauk, 7 p.m. May 4: Foxing and Now, Now, 6 p.m. May 10: Aly & AJ, 6 p.m. May 15: Gunna—Drip or Drown 2 Tour, 7 p.m. May 16: The Drums, 7:30 p.m. BLUE BAMBOO CENTER FOR THE ARTS 1905 Kentucky Ave., Winter Park. 407-6369951. bluebambooartcenter.com May 1: Bobby Koelble Band, 8 p.m. May 2: Marco Bojorquez Band, 8 p.m. May 3: Gabrielle Stavelli, 8 p.m.
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May 4: Roy Schneider & Kim Mayfield—Reckless Saints, 8 p.m. May 7: Orlando Jazz Orchestra, 8 p.m. May 8: Richard Drexler, 8 p.m. May 9: Dave Sheffield Trio, 8 p.m. May 10: Corey Paul Cortet, 8 p.m. May 11: Ashely Pezzotti Quintet—“We’ve Only Just Begun” CD Release Show, 8 p.m. May 12: The Buzzcatz Mother’s Day Concert, 3 & 7 p.m. May 13: Chris Cortez Trio, 8 p.m. May 16: Blues Beatles, 7:30 & 10 p.m. May 17: Brad Bietry Quartet, 8 p.m. May 18: Alexis Cole, 8 p.m. May 19: Central Florida Jazz Society Presents James Suggs Quartet, 3 p.m. May 21: Chris Cortez Quartet, 8 p.m. May 23: Steve Luciano Trio, 8 p.m. May 24: Bobby Koelble’s Los Hombres de Led Zeppelin featuring Kaleigh Baker, 7:30 & 10 p.m. May 25: The Conglomerate, 8 p.m. May 26: Eddie Marshall’s Blue Bamboo Big Band, 3: p.m. May 28: Cortez and Koelble, 8 p.m. May 29: Jeff Rupert Quartet, 8 p.m. May 30: Eddie Marshall Trio, 8 p.m. May 31: Grant Peeples with opening act Terri Binion, 8 p.m. BOB CARR THEATER 401 W. Livingston St., Orlando. 844-513-2014. drphillipscenter.org May 12: Jessie James Decker, 8 p.m. CFE ARENA University of Central Florida main campus, 12777 N. Gemini Blvd., Orlando. 407-823-3070. cfearena.com May 7: Hillsong UNITED with Amanda Lindsey Cook and Mack Brock, 7:30 p.m. DR. PHILLIPS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando. 844-513-2014. drphillipscenter.org May 5: Indigo Girls, 8 p.m. May 8: Tom Jones, 8 p.m. May 12: Rocktopia, 8 p.m. HARD ROCK LIVE 6050 Universal Blvd., Orlando. 407-351-5483. hardrock.com May 11: Interpol, 8 p.m. HOUSE OF BLUES Disney Springs West Side, Walt Disney World. 407-934-2583. houseofblues.com May 2: Gov’t Mule, 7 p.m. May 3-4: Blue October—The King Tour, 7:30 p.m. May 5: Morat, 6 p.m. May 10: Tash Sultana, 7 p.m. May 11: Marianas Trench—Suspending Gravity Tour, 7 p.m. May 25: Pedro Capo, 8 p.m.
May 29: Lovelytheband—The Finding It Hard to Smile Tour, 7 p.m. KING CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne. 321-2422219. kingcenter.com May 5: Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo—A Very Intimate Acoustic Evening, 7 p.m. May 11: Classic Albums Live—Creedence Clearwater Revival “Green River” and Hits, 8 p.m. May 16: Nicholas David, 7:30 p.m. May 16: Chick Corea & Bela Fleck, 8 p.m. May 18: Marc Antoine & Alex Bugnon, 7:30 p.m. May 20: David Crosby & Friends, 7:30 p.m. PLAZA LIVE ORLANDO 425 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando. 407-228-1220. plazaliveorlando.com May 1: Phosphorescent, 8 p.m. May 2: FKJ, 8 p.m. May 3: Movements, 7:30 p.m. May 5: Shakey Graves, 8 p.m. May 6: Tyler Childers, 7:30 p.m. May 7: Honne, 8 p.m. May 11: Johnny Orlando, 8 p.m. May 22: Joe Jackson, 8 p.m. THE SOCIAL ORLANDO 54 N. Orange Ave., Orlando. 407-246-1419. thesocial.org May 4: Larkin Poe, 6 p.m. May 6: Lucy Dacus, 7:30 p.m. May 11: Marc Rebillet, 6 p.m. May 12: Thank You Scientist, 6 p.m. May 16: Yheti, 10 p.m. SOUNDBAR ORLANDO 37 W. Pine St., Orlando. 407-456-1391. soundbarorl.com May 8: Secrets—Fragile Figures Anniversary Tour, 6 p.m. May 10: Murs, Locksmith and more, 7 p.m. May 15: TV Girl with Yohuna, 7 p.m. May 17: Fame on Fire, 7 p.m. May 18: Hot Mulligan, Belmont, Kayak Jones and more, 6 p.m. WAYNE DENSCH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 201 S. Magnolia Ave., Sanford. 407-321-8111. wdpac.com May 19: The Sanford Jazz Ensemble, 3 p.m. WILL’S PUB 1042 N. Mills Ave., Orlando. willspub.org May 2: Sego, 9 p.m. May 4: Woolly Bushmen Album Release, 9 p.m. May 9: Slingshot Dakota, Expert Timing and Please Be Kind, 8 p.m. May 16: Pile, 7 p.m. May 24: Groovenics and Gargamel, 9 p.m. May 30: The Virus, 8 p.m. May 31: Led Zeppelin I & II, 9 p.m.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Friday and Saturday 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. 407648-0001. sakcomedylab.com SLEUTHS MYSTERY DINNER THEATRE Audience members solve a crime during the dinner show. Performances nightly. 8267 International Drive, Orlando. 407-363-1985. sleuths.com
BLUE BAMBOO CENTER FOR THE ARTS 1905 Kentucky Ave., Winter Park. 407-6369951. bluebambooartcenter.com May 15: Carol Stein—The Piano Lady, 8 p.m. CENTRAL FLORIDA COMMUNITY ARTS Multiple Orlando-area locations. 407-937-1800. cfcarts.com May 5: The CFCArts Young Artists Orchestra presents “Fantasia,” 6 p.m. Cornerstone Charter Academy, 5903 Randolph Ave., Orlando.
DANCE DR. PHILLIPS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando. 844-513-2014. drphillipscenter.org May 25: “Odyssey of Life,” dance recital by Odyssey Dance Company. 6 p.m.
May 9-10: CFCArts Choir, Symphony Orchestra and Dance Company present “Spectacle!” 7:30 p.m. Northland Church, 530 Dog Track Road, Longwood.
FILM
KING CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 3865 N. Wickham Road, Melbourne. 321-2422219. kingcenter.com May 4: Brevard Community Chorus, 7:30 p.m. PLAZA LIVE ORLANDO 425 N. Bumby Ave., Orlando. 407-228-1220. plazaliveorlando.com May 4 & 11: Orlando Philharmonic presents “Aesop’s Fun Fables,” 10 & 11:30 a.m.
ENZIAN 1300 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland. 407-629-0054. enzian.org May 4: Macbeth, 11 a.m. May 11: Tokyo Story, noon. May 26: The Bandits, noon. HARRY P. LEU GARDENS 1920 N. Forest Ave., Orlando. 407-246-2620. leugardens.org May 3: Crazy, Rich Asians, 8:30 p.m.
COMEDY BONKERZ COMEDY CLUB Weekly stand-up comedy shows at two Orlando-area locations. Boardwalk Bowl, 10749 E. Colonial Dr., Orlando. Ages 21 and over. Friday at 8 p.m., Saturday 7:30 p.m. Otters on the River, 4380 Carraway Place, Sanford. Ages 18 and over. Friday-Saturday at 8 p.m. 407-6292665. bonkerzcomedyproductions.com KOMBUSTIBLE S’MORES—AN IMPROV SHOW Long-form improv comedy team performs the first Friday of every month. Doors open at 7:30 p.m., show starts at 8 p.m. The Backspace, 1309 Edgewater Drive (in the back), Orlando. facebook.com/kombustiblesmores MOONLIGHT PLAYERS THEATER 735 W. Minneola Ave., Clermont. 352-243-5875. moonlightplayers.com May 17: MANIACS Improv Comedy, 8 p.m. ORLANDO IMPROV Pointe Orlando, 9101 International Drive Suite 2310, Orlando. 407-480-5233. Ages 21 and over. Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m., Friday at 8 and 10:30 p.m., Saturday at 7 and 9:45 p.m., Sunday at 7:30 p.m. 407-480-5233. theimprovorlando.com SAK COMEDY LAB Improvisational comedy shows, competitions, songs and scenes. 29 S. Orange Ave., Orlando. Tuesday-Wednesday times vary; Thursday,
POPCORN FLICKS IN THE PARK Central Park, 150 W. Morse Blvd., Winter Park. 407-629-0054. enzian.org May 9: Batman—Mask of the Phantasm, 8 p.m. WAYNE DENSCH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 201 S. Magnolia Ave., Sanford. 407-321-8111. wdpac.com May 2: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, 7:25 p.m.
LITERARY DIVERSE WORD May 7, 14, 21 & 28: A weekly gathering highlighting spoken-word poetry. 8 p.m. Dandelion Communitea Café, 618 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando, 407-362-1864. dandelioncommunitea.com FLORIDA STATE POETS ASSOCIATION May 16: All local FSPA members are eligible to join. Third Thursday of the month, 6:30 p.m. Maitland Public Library, 501 S. Maitland Ave., Maitland. floridastatepoetsassociation.org FLORIDA WRITERS ASSOCIATION May 1 & 9: Orlando writers’ group meetings with guest speakers and discussions are the first Wednesday of month, 6:30-8:30 p.m., University Club of Winter Park, 841 N. Park Ave., Winter Park. The Maitland writers’ group meetings are the second Thursday of month,
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SCENE ON THE TOWN 6:30-8:30 p.m., Maitland Public Library, 501 S. Maitland Ave., Maitland. floridawriters.net, madaboutwords.com NERD NITE May 9: An evening of entertaining, thought-provoking presentations with host Ricardo Williams and guest speakers. Second Thursday of the month. 7:30 p.m. The Abbey, 100 S. Eola Drive, Orlando. 407-704-6261. orlando.nerdnite.com OPEN MIC POETRY May 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29: Open-mic poetry readings 9 p.m. each Wednesday. Austin’s Coffee and Film, 929 W. Fairbanks Ave., Winter Park. Free. 407-975-3364. austinscoffee.com WRITERS OF CENTRAL FLORIDA OR THEREABOUTS Check Writers of Central Florida or Thereabouts on Facebook. May 1: The Just Write Roundtable is a discussion and meeting for local writers. 7 p.m. Free. PR’s Taco Palace, 717 W. Smith St., Orlando. May 8: Short Attention Span Storytelling Hour…or Thereabouts. 7 p.m. Free. Stardust Video & Coffee, 1842 Winter Park Road, Orlando. May 15: Storytelling as Bungee Jumping is a chance for writers of any genre to take a risk by trying out something new before a supportive group of other writers, 7 p.m. Free. Copper Rocket Pub, 106 Lake Ave., Maitland. May 22: So You Think You Can Funny? is for comics, writers, poets, bloggers or storytellers who have written something funny, 7 p.m. Free. Stardust Video & Coffee, 1842 Winter Park Road, Orlando.
THEATER DR. PHILLIPS CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS 445 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando. 844-513-2014. drphillipscenter.org Anastasia May 14-19: After the fall of Imperial Russia, a young woman named Anya is pursued by a Soviet officer determined to silence her as he enlists the aid of a conman and ex-aristocrat to find her home and family. Tuesday-Friday 8 p.m., Saturday 2 & 8 p.m., Sunday 1 & 6:30 p.m. GARDEN THEATRE 160 W. Plant St., Winter Garden. 407-877-4736. gardentheatre.org Billy Elliot—The Musical Through May 26: Based on the hit film and featuring a score by Elton John, the story is set in northern England during the miner’s strike of 1984. Thursday-Saturday 7:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 2 p.m. Special matinee performance Thursday, May 2.
MOONLIGHT PLAYERS THEATER 735 W. Minneola Ave., Clermont. 352-243-5875. moonlightplayers.com First Date—The Musical Through May 12: The night unfolds over the course of Casey and Aaron’s first date with surprises in the form of imaginary visits from an ex-girlfriend, an uptight sister, the pair’s protective parents and even their future son. Friday-Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2:30 p.m. ORLANDO REPERTORY THEATRE 1001 E. Princeton St., Orlando. 407-896-7365. orlandorep.com Seussical The Musical Through May 12: Beloved characters—including Horton the Elephant, The Cat in the Hat, Gertrude McFuzz, and the Whos—collide in a journey from the Jungle of Nool to the Circus McGurkus. Saturday-Sunday 2 & 5:30 p.m. Shrek The Musical May 3-5: When Shrek’s swamp is invaded by banished fairytale misfits—cast off by Lord Farquaad—he sets off with a wisecracking donkey to confront Farquaad and restore order to his home. Friday-Saturday 7 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 2:30 p.m. ORLANDO SHAKES 812 E. Rollins St., Orlando. 407-447-1700. orlandoshakes.org Jack and the Beanstalk May 4: Join Jack on a musical escapade to a land above the clouds. 2 p.m. SONNENTAG THEATRE AT THE ICE HOUSE 1100 N. Unser St., Mount Dora. 352-383-4616. icehousetheatre.com Ripcord May 24-June 16: At the Bristol Place Senior Living Facility, the cantankerous Abby must share her room with the chipper new arrival, Marilyn. What seems like a harmless bet between them escalates into an outrageous turf warfare. Thursday 7:30 p.m., Friday 8 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 2 p.m. THEATER ON THE EDGE 5542 Hansel Ave., Orlando. 407-309-0106. theaterontheedge.org The Goat or, Who is Sylvia? Through May 5: Edward Albee’s tale of a middle-aged architect and his family, whose lives fall apart when the husband’s love is focused elsewhere. Parental guidance is suggested because of the play’s mature themes and use of profanity. Monday 8 p.m., Thursday-Saturday 8 p.m., Sunday 2 p.m. WAYNE DENSCH PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 201 S. Magnolia Ave., Sanford. 407-321-8111. wdpac.com Gypsy Through May 5: An ambitious stage mother fights for her daughter’s success while
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secretly yearning for her own. Friday-Saturday 7:30 p.m., Sunday 3 p.m. Special matinee performance May 4 at 2 p.m. Junie B. Jones The Musical May 23: Sneak a peek into Junie B’s “Top-Secret Personal Beeswax” journal and see how she overcomes adversity, from best pal drama to getting her first pair of glasses. 7 p.m. WINTER PARK PLAYHOUSE 711 N. Orange Ave., Suite C, Winter Park. 407645-0145. winterparkplayhouse.org Heartbeats May 10-19 & May 30-June 9: A comedic musical about a woman’s journey as she grows up, grows older and finds happiness along the way. Check website for show dates and times.
MUSEUMS ALBIN POLASEK MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDENS 633 Osceola Ave., Winter Park. 407-647-6294. Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. polasek.org Czech-born American sculptor Albin Polasek’s onetime Winter Park home and studio is now a museum with an art collection focused on American representational sculpture, with more than 200 of Polasek’s works inside and out. The former residence is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Precious Pollinators May 7-Aug. 25: A celebration of bees and colorful native flowers and plants—all executed by members of the Central Florida Watercolor Society and intended to raise awareness about the decline of bees and other pollinators in North America. Tours of the Capen Ongoing: Step inside the restored Capen-Showalter House, built in 1885 but rescued from destruction and floated across Lake Osceola to its current home on the Polasek grounds. Thirty-minute tours are offered Wednesdays at 11:30 a.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. ART AND HISTORY MUSEUMS—MAITLAND 221 W. Packwood Ave., 231 W. Packwood Ave. and 820 Lake Lily Drive, Maitland. 407-539-2181. Thursday-Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m. artandhistory.org A collection of museums encompassing the Maitland Art Center, Maitland Historical Museum, Telephone Museum, Waterhouse Residence Museum and Carpentry Shop Museum. Maitland Art Center, Tuesday-Sunday 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; all others Thursday-Sunday noon-4 p.m. Closed on major holidays. artandhistory.org Maitland and African American Experiences Through May 12: Early tales are brought to life through the words of Zora Neale Hurston
and the art of Jules André Smith, while living voices and talents bring the stories of today. Discover André Smith Ongoing: Smith created an art colony in 1937 in Maitland, originally called The Research Studio. During his 21-year tenure at the art center, Smith developed friendships with author/folklorist Zora Neale Hurston, arts patron Mary Curtis Bok and stage actress Annie Russell, while also creating a location for invited artists to develop their work. Maitland Art Center. The Research Studio Ongoing: Maitland Art Center was founded as an art colony in 1937 by visionary American artist and architect, André Smith. The center’s most significant permanent collection is the facility itself; the Research Studio, as it was originally called, is one of the few surviving examples of Mayan Revival architecture in the Southeastern United States. CASA FELIZ HISTORIC HOME MUSEUM 656 N. Park Ave., Winter Park. 407-628-8200. casafeliz.us Ongoing: This restored Spanish farmhouse-style home, designed by acclaimed architect James Gamble Rogers II, was saved from the wrecker’s ball and now serves as a community center and museum. Open houses hosted by trained docents take place every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon, and live music is featured in the large parlor on Sundays from noon to 3 p.m. Free. CORNELL FINE ARTS MUSEUM Rollins College campus, 1000 Holt Ave., Winter Park. 407-646-2526. Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.4 p.m., Saturday-Sunday noon-5 p.m. rollins.edu/cfam Mexican Modernity—20th Century Paintings from the Zapanta Collection May 23-Sept. 8: A highlight of significant modern artists representing dynamic moments and movements in the evolution of Mexican art. Mediated Reality—Cityscapes by Photorealists May 23-Sept. 8: Urban scenes transformed from paintings to print showcasing the perspectives of 10 artists. Shifting Perspectives—Art by the Students of the Art Time Outreach Program May 23-Sept. 8: The public debut and celebration of works created by the students who participated in the program. The Place as Metaphor— Collection Conversations May 23-Sept. 8: A selection of collection favorites—works rarely on view—and new acquisitions intended to build conversations around ways of seeing. Ongoing: Free weekend tours take place at 1 p.m. each Saturday at the campus
facility and 1 p.m. each Sunday at the nearby Alfond Inn, which displays dozens of works from the museum’s Alfond Collection of Contemporary Art. Happy Hour art tours of the Alfond Collection are also conducted the first Wednesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at The Alfond inn. DALI MUSEUM 1 Dali Blvd., St. Petersburg. 727-823-3767. thedali.org
HANNIBAL SQUARE HERITAGE CENTER 642 W. New England Ave., Winter Park. 407539-2680. Tuesday-Thursday noon-4 p.m., Friday noon-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. hannibalsquareheritagecenter.org The Heritage Collection Ongoing: Photographs and oral histories of west Winter Park. The Hannibal Square Timeline Ongoing: Documents the significant local and national events in African-American history since the Emancipation Proclamation. HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL RESOURCE AND EDUCATION CENTER OF FLORIDA 851 N. Maitland Ave., Maitland. 407-628-0555. Monday-Thursday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Friday 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. Free. Donations accepted. holocaustedu.org Dr. Seuss Wants You Through June 30: A highlight of the insightful works showing an unexpected and unknown aspect of Dr. Seuss. Facing Prejudice Through June 30: A journey of questions, personal insights and factual statements designed to challenge and empower the visitor to fight for understanding and tolerance in their everyday lives. Tribute to the Holocaust Ongoing: This memorial exhibit presents an overview of the Holocaust through artifacts, videos, text, photographs and artwork.
The Cultural Connections of Edward S. Curtis Through July 21: Photographs from the early 20th century documenting the vanishing Native American cultures.
The Unbridled Paintings of Lawrence Lebduska Through May 12: An exhibition of notable paintings by one of the most popular modern American folk art painters of the 1930s. MORSE MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART 445 N. Park Ave., Winter Park. 407-645-5311. Tuesday-Saturday 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m. morsemuseum.org
Magritte & Dali Through May 19: This curated exhibit showcases exemplary pieces from the careers of two celebrated surrealists, Rene Magritte and Salvador Dali.
THE JAMES MUSEUM OF WESTERN AND WILDLIFE ART 150 Central Ave., St. Petersburg. MondaySunday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 727-892-4200. thejamesmuseum.org
MENNELLO MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART 900 E. Princeton St., Orlando. 407-246-4278. Tuesday-Saturday 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Sunday noon-4:30 p.m. mennellomuseum.com
Earth into Art—The Flowering of American Art Poetry Through Sept. 27, 2020: Examine the works of American art pottery (1876 to 1914), the first truly American art to achieve widespread acclaim both domestically and abroad. Vignette—Osceola Lodge, Charles Hosmer Morse’s Arts and Crafts Study Through Jan. 31, 2021: A display of objects from Morse’s study at the Osceola Lodge–his home on Lake Osceola. Iridescence in Glass and Pottery—A Celebration Ongoing: The replication of iridescence made popular by Louis Comfort Tiffany and others in the 19th century is celebrated with diverse examples. Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Life and Art Ongoing: Through art objects, archival documents and artifacts, this exhibition examines Tiffany’s astonishingly diverse work in the decorative arts–what he called his “quest for beauty”–over the course of his lifetime. Art Nouveau in Europe and America from the Morse Collection Ongoing: An installation of works that represent the bold, international decorative-arts style known as Art Nouveau, which peaked from about 1890 to 1910. The exhibition, drawn from the Morse collection, features furniture, jewelry, ceramics, and art glass from European and American artists and designers. MUSEUM OF ART DELAND 600 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. 386-734-4371; downtown satellite location, 100 N. Woodland Blvd., DeLand. 386-279-7534. Thursday-Saturday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday. 1-4 p.m. moartdeland.org Selections from the Permanent Collection Ongoing: On display is the Collector’s Choice–Samuel Blatt Collection, Purvis Young–Art of the Street, and the Linda Pinto Collection. Legendary Florida—The Florida History Paintings of Jackson Walker Ongoing: Paintings of Florida’s eventful past are on permanent exhibit at
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SCENE ON THE TOWN the Volusia County Historic Courthouse, 120 W. Indiana Ave., DeLand. ORANGE COUNTY REGIONAL HISTORY CENTER 65 E. Central Blvd., Orlando. 407-836-8500. Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m. thehistorycenter.org Ongoing: Explore multiple floors of exhibits taking you through the history of Orange County, from the first people to the first contact with the Spanish through 100 years of tourism all the way to the present-day theme-park era. ORLANDO MUSEUM OF ART 2416 N. Mills Ave., Orlando. 407-896-4231. Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday-Sunday noon-4 p.m. omart.org Louis Dewis—A Belgian Post-Impressionist Through May 5: Landscapes are presented from important periods in the artist’s career following World War I. Winifred Johnson Clive—An Artist at Home and Abroad Through May 30: Paintings on display by longtime Orlando resident and supporter of the arts. A Trek from North to South Through June 30: Moving from North to South America highlighting the diversity of artistic styles through time and place. Florida Prize in Contemporary Art May 31-Aug. 18: Invitational and award exhibition featuring 10 of Florida’s most progressive and exciting artists. Exhibition opening preview party Friday, May 31 at 7 p.m. ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER 777 E. Princeton St., Orlando. 407-514-2000. Sunday-Tuesday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-9 p.m. osc.org Above and Beyond Through May 12: Go on a journey with exhibits celebrating the greatest accomplishments in aviation, from the first 12 seconds of flight to the first steps on the moon. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles— Secrets of the Sewer May 25-Sept. 3: Work your way through puzzles, mazes and obstacles that reveal the secrets of the sewer. Special members-only preview Saturday, May 25 from 9 a.m.-noon. Ongoing: From the natural world to high tech simulation, from dinosaurs to the planets in our universe, hands-on activities throughout the center may inspire a budding scientist and make learning fun for all ages. WINTER PARK HISTORY MUSEUM 200 W. New England Ave., Winter Park. 407-647-2330. Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. wphistory.org
Wish You Were Here—The Hotels and Motels of Winter Park Through June 2020: From the lavish luxury hotels of the late 1800s to roadside family motels, tourist courts and the boarding houses used by the workers who built Winter Park, this exhibit highlights all the hotels and motels that played a part in creating the town of today. ZORA NEALE HURSTON NATIONAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS 227 E. Kennedy Blvd., Eatonville. 407-647-3307. Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m.1 p.m. Donations accepted. zoranealehurstonmuseum.com Ongoing: The museum provides a place in the heart of the community where the public can view the works of artists of African descent.
GALLERIES ANITA S. WOOTEN GALLERY Valencia College east campus, 701 N. Econlockhatchee Trail, Orlando. Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. valenciacollege.edu/arts Annual Juried Student Digital, Graphic and Fine Art Through May 17: A showcase of student work from the east campus art department. ATLANTIC CENTER FOR THE ARTS 1414 Art Center Ave., New Smyrna Beach. 386427-6975. Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-2 p.m. atlanticcenterforthearts.org Breaking Boundaries—Exploration and Collaboration at the Atlantic Center for the Arts Through May 4: A reflection of the creative process with over 150 works ranging from musical scores and recordings to audio poems, dance videos, edited manuscripts, photographs, sketches and studies. CITYARTS FACTORY 39 S. Magnolia Ave., Orlando. 407-317-8367. Tuesday-Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free. orlandoslice.com Ongoing: A collection of galleries showcasing a variety of works by local and international artists. CREALDÉ SCHOOL OF ART Two locations: Alice & William Jenkins Gallery, 600 St. Andrews Blvd., Winter Park. 407-671-1886. crealde.org; and Hannibal Square Heritage Center, 642 W. New England Blvd., Winter Park. 407-5392680. hannibalsquareheritagecenter.org La Diáspora, Keepers of Heritage Through May 18: Paintings, sculptures and etchings by artists of The Puerto Rican Arts Diáspora of Orlando (PRADO), an organization bringing cultural awareness from within Florida.
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Storytellers XVII—West of the East Coast Tracks—New Smyrna Teens Give Us Insight Into Their Changing World May 25-Sep. 1: Teens document their historic African-American community in west New Smyrna Beach through photographs. Opening reception is Friday, May 25 from 7-9 p.m. JEANINE TAYLOR FOLK ART GALLERY 211 E. 1st St., Sanford. 407-323-2774. Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday noon-5 p.m. jtfolkart.com Catching the Wild Spirit May 18-June 16: The whimsical designs of Trés Taylor are transformed into wearable art by the artist’s daughter, Lillis Taylor. Opening reception is Saturday, May 18 from 6-9 p.m.
SPORTS ORLANDO CITY SOCCER LIONS Orlando City Stadium, 665 W. Church St., Orlando. orlandocitysc.com May 4: vs. Toronto FC, 4 p.m. May 19: vs. FC Cincinnati, 3 p.m. May 24: vs. LA Galaxy, 7 p.m. ORLANDO CITY SOCCER PRIDE Orlando City Stadium, 665 W. Church St., Orlando. orlandocitysc.com May 11: vs. Portland, 7:30 p.m. FLORIDA FIRE FROGS Osceola County Stadium, 631 Heritage Park Way, Kissimmee. 321-697-3156. floridafirefrogs.com. May 1: vs. Lakeland, 6 p.m. May 2: vs. Lakeland, noon. May 3: vs. Tampa, 6 p.m. May 4: vs. Tampa, 6 p.m. May 5: vs. Tampa, noon. May 13: vs. St. Lucie, 6 p.m. May 14: vs. St. Lucie, 6 p.m. May 15: vs. St. Lucie, 6 p.m. May 16: vs. St. Lucie, noon. May 17: vs. Jupiter, 6 p.m. May 18: vs. Jupiter, 6 p.m. May 19: vs. Jupiter, noon. May 28: vs. Fort Myers, 6 p.m. May 29: vs. Fort Myers, 6 p.m. May 30: vs. Fort Myers, noon. May 31: vs. Palm Beach, 6 p.m. ORLANDO PREDATORS Amway Center, 400 W. Church St., Orlando. 407-440-7000, 800-745-3000. amwaycenter.com, May 12: vs. Maine Mammoths, 5 p.m. May 31: vs. Jacksonville Sharks, 7:30 p.m. ONLINE CALENDAR: Be sure to check out our online calendar at orlandomagazine.com.
Stay Connected To Your Community! Check out these events and other opportunities to stay connected to your community in Orlando magazine’s On the Town, World of Good and orlandomagazine.com!
— PRESENTS — — PRESENTS —
Wine Quest 2019 Benefiting Quest, Inc.
Friday, May 17, 2019 Saturday, May 18, 2019
Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando 6300 Hollywood Way, Orlando, FL 32819
Friday: 7-10 PM Saturday: 6-10 PM The most anticipated wine event in Orlando is right around the corner! Wine Quest 2019 returns on Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18, 2019 at Loews Royal Pacific Resort at Universal Orlando! Join us as we enjoy fine wines and craft spirits from around the world, delight in exquisite cuisine and bid high and often in the silent and live auctions that benefit the individuals we serve with developmental disabilities at Quest. Free on-site parking will be available. Buy your tickets today!
winequest.org
Make ‘m Smile Festival! The Biggest Party Celebrating Kids with Special Needs, Our VIPS of All Ages
Saturday, June 1, 2019
Downtown Orlando Lake Eola Recreational Complex
7:30 AM – 1 PM The national Nathaniel’s Hope non-profit will host the 17th annual Make ‘m Smile party, a day to honor and celebrate VIPs of all ages from throughout the special needs community. The event features stage performances by kids with special needs and local personalities; the newly-debuted Nathaniel character along with other popular theme park celebrity characters; food; hundreds of family-fun games and activities via businesssponsored entertainment zones; a “buddy friendship stroll” to connect kids and community members; plus 125+ resource exhibitors. Free for pre-registered VIP Kids and their families; $5 for the public. Call (407) 857- 8224 about sponsorships/ volunteer opportunities!
NathanielsHope.org/our-programs/make-m-smile
SCENE RSVP
CityArts Orlando Opening The gallery-arts venue celebrated its move to the historic Rogers Kiene Building with an open house for the public. The building was donated to the city by local arts benefactor Ford Kiene.
Thomas Chatmon, Mayor
Buddy Dyer, Barbara Har
tley
Maxine Earhart, Patty Sheehan
Cecelia Bonifay, Barbara Hartley, Brenda March
Ilene Lieber, Ha’Ani Hogan 116 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | SCENE
Brian Carwile, Catherine Galeano, Thomas Bolick, Jim Lussier
EMILY JOURDAN
Sean Hartman, Scott Donald, Crummy Gummy
Terry Olson, Tiffany Sanders
Homero Rodriguez, PJ Svejda, Flynn Dobbs, Shannon Fitzgerald, Glen Gentele, Barbara Hartley
EMILY JOURDAN
Cindy Anderson, Claudia Thomas, Robert Ross
Ford Kiene, Susan Stroomer, Lisa Cuatt, Anne Gordon
Jonathan Stemberger
Angelique Sambrook, Donna Dowless
Patricia Paez, Olga Lukavsky
Michelle Jones SCENE | MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 117
SCENE RSVP
Orlando Philharmonic Season Announcement The orchestra announced its 2019-20 season lineup at an event for patrons and the public at The Plaza Live. Performances will feature artists ranging from saxophonist Branford Marsalis and Composer-In-Residence Gabriel Kahane to harpist Bridget Kibbey and soprano Awet Andemichael.
Susan Bright, Martha Haynie, Joanne Hanley
Mary Palmer, Christopher Barton
usses the new season.
Bethany Harris, Tim and Candace Pappas, Simone SilĂŠ
Paul Oppedisano, Dottie Clendenin, Scott Bowman 118 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019 | SCENE
Douglas and Kristen Plander
Jessica Munch-Dittmar, Colleen Blagov, Kristy Doyle-Turner, Bob Turner, Jeff Adams
STEVEN DIAZ
Music Director Eric Jacobsen disc
California Closets Grand Opening The experts in custom closet designs and home storage recently opened their new showroom at the Dr. Phillips Marketplace.
Carolina Beier, Catherine Orn, Step
hanie Larry
Karla Mellado, Gabby Torres, Henning Rumpsfeld
EMILY JOURDAN
One of the many California Closets designs on display
Thais Capecci, Juan Buitron
Nichole Santana, Jason Velez, Edwin Garcia
Jerilyn Valery, Mariane Bliss
Trisha Eckoff, Rob Donaldson, Jennifer Lievano SCENE | MAY 2019 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | 119
W
WATCHING A BONFIRE can transport me
right back to summer camp. The dancing flames are hypnotic. With a loud pop, an orange spark spirals upward, and I follow it until it disappears into the darkness. Suddenly, I’m 9 years old again, underneath the pines on Lookout Mountain. The words of sacred campfire songs come rushing back and flowing out of me. Summer is quickly approaching, and now that I’m the mother of two very busy boys, I understand exactly why my parents filled my schedule with Girl Scout camp, church camp, sailing camp, pottery camp and various others—daytime to sleepaway. But some of my sweetest memories are of Camp Saddlerock, named for a large rock on property shaped like a saddle. I attended the all-girls camp in Mentone, Alabama, for three consecutive summers, living out of a trunk with two weeks’ worth of T-shirts and shorts. Nestled in the state’s northeast corner near Georgia and Tennessee, Mentone is perched on the brow of Lookout Mountain.
The region is tame enough for dozens of children’s camps, yet rugged enough for Bear Grylls, who once featured the area on his hit show Man vs. Wild. The night before camp, my family and I stayed at the state park and visited DeSoto Falls, a magnificent 104-foot waterfall in Little River Canyon. My brother’s camp was located upstream, while mine sat downstream. The next day, my heart leapt with excitement when we pulled onto the dirt road lined with rhododendrons. My parents got me settled into my cabin, and they were off. My campmates and I started each morning with vespers, a flag-raising ceremony, and breakfast at the dining hall. I ziplined through trees, learned to ride a horse, walked a balance beam, and shot a bullseye with a bow and arrow. We canoed and swam in Little River, the chill making us catch our breath even on the hottest July day. Outside the dining hall, a slender pine was the designated Gum Tree. I marveled at the wads of gum in blues, pinks and greens
EMAIL LAURA AT FEEDBACK@ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM AND READ MORE OF HER COLUMNS AT ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM 120 | ORLANDOMAGAZINE.COM | MAY 2019
Volume 73, Number 7, Orlando® (USPS 007-215) (ISSN 1059-3624) is published monthly by Morris Visitor Publications, 801 N. Magnolia Avenue, Ste. 201, Orlando, FL 32803. For subscriptions, call 1-800-243-0609 or visit our website at www.orlandomagazine.com. Copyright 2019 by Morris Communications. All rights reserved. Orlando® and CENTRAL FLORIDA® are federally registered trademarks. THE ABCs of Education™, CENTRAL FLORIDA HOME & GARDEN™, DISCOVER ORLANDO™, INSIDE ORLANDO™, LIVING IN ORLANDO™, ORLANDO HOME DESIGN™, and ORLANDO HOME & GARDEN™ are state registered trademarks. Reproduction or use in whole or in part of the contents of this magazine or of the trademarks of Morris Visitor Publications without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Periodicals postage paid in Orlando, FL and additional offices. POSTMASTER: Send address change to Orlando magazine 801 N. Magnolia Ave. Suite 201, Orlando, FL 32803. Unsolicited photographs, illustrations, or articles are submitted at the risk of the photographer/artist/author. Morris Visitor Publications assumes no liability for the return of unsolicited materials and July use them at its discretion.
Happy Camper
that campers had disposed of over the years. (Instead of a gum tree at my brother’s camp, they had a tree with a growth on it that looked like a butt.) After lunch, we retreated to our cabins for quiet time. In our preteen years, we shaved our legs on our bunkbeds with Vaseline lotion and disposable razors and asked who had gotten her monthly visit yet. Before social media or cell phones, we wrote old-fashioned letters home. I was constantly starving at camp, and I wrote my parents to please send food. A box arrived a few days later with a case of Combos from Sam’s Club. In between meals, I devoured the cheese-filled pretzels along with ice-cold cans of Coke and Snickers bars I bought at the canteen. When the dishes were cleared away, we sang for our supper, asking our camp director’s permission in unison: “Marrr-ty, may weee pleeease siiing?” We sang from morning to night, before and after meals and always to start and end our day. We sang everything from camp cheers, tribal rain dances and Bob Dylan to “Trees, swayin’ in the summer breeze,” and “Smile, don’t you know God loves you.” One night per session we gathered in the open-air gym in nervous anticipation. Soon the boys would be arriving from their camp down the road for dinner and dancing. I still remember the outfit my mom and I picked out at the mall for the occasion: a short skirt with built-in spandex shorts that made me feel as stylish as Debbie Gibson and Paula Adbul. The last night of camp, we floated candles on Little River, the light shimmering on the calm water. As we sang, “there’ll be peace like a river in my soul,” it felt like the song was written just for us, especially about this place. We cried and hugged our cabin mates, promising to write letters—and we did. I miss the days of pen pals. My oldest son, Anders, will go to camp for the first time later this month. He’s the same age as I was the first time I went to camp. He’s not ready for a two-week session like I was, and his camp will be close to home—not in the mountains of Mentone. But he’ll stay in a cabin under the pines. He’ll swim in a lake, eat in the dining hall, and maybe he’ll learn to whittle or skip a rock. And at night, there will be a bonfire and camp songs—songs that I hope will feed his soul for a lifetime.
DAVID VALLEJO
EXTRA PULP LAURA ANDERS LEE
FIND ORLANDO’S HIDDEN GEMS The arts, dining, travel, entertainment, style, people and trends—if it’s part of Orlando’s lifestyle, you’ll find it covered in Orlando magazine. Visit OrlandoMagazine.com to subscribe today!