Category Archives: Orlando

Graffiti Junktion

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* (1 stars)

We’ve been having a little contest at work to find the best hamburger in town. I’d previously had a pretty good burger at the Thornton Park Graffiti Junktion, so I suggested trying this one.

When we ordered the hamburgers, all of us ordered them medium except one person who asked for medium well, a reasonable request given the dangers of eating undercooked raw ground meat in some places. He was informed that they only prepare them rare, medium rare or medium. This is very odd, as most places in town won’t even cook hamburgers less than medium.

Our meal showed up after a fairly long wait, and looked good. The fries certainly won’t win any awards, as they’re rather limp and flavorless, but the burgers looked good. Then we bit into them. Even around the edges they were essentially raw inside. Given the strange cooking policies, we didn’t even try to send them back, just nibbled the edible parts and left.

Steak is fine to eat rare or raw. I have steak tartare often. According to a 2010 report by the US Department of Agriculture’s Inspector General, ground beef in the US is routinely contaminated with biological pathogens such as e coli and salmonella. Cooking can destroy these pathogens if meat is cooked to a sufficient internal temperature. Given the lack of management evident in nearly every aspect of our visit to Graffiti Junktion College Park, there is no way I would assume they have even stored the meat properly or cleanly, so I will be trying other places.

This place is off the list.

Graffiti Junktion
2401 Edgewater Dr
Orlando, FL 32804
(407) 377-1961
http://www.yelp.com/biz/graffiti-junktion-orlando-2

Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse

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***** (5 stars)

This is the Churrascaria concept, where roving servers with skewers of meats come by your table delivering 16 different kinds of meat until you beg them to stop (well, actually until you turn over the little red and green piece of cardboard by your plate).

The meats are terrific (especially the house specialty caipirinha seasoned beef, and the baby lamb chops) but I was even more impressed by the delicious offerings at the included salad bar. Each ingredient was incredibly fresh and succulent, and there was a terrific variety, from Ceasar salad to curried cucumber to giant stalks of perfectly cooked asparagus.

Service was hyper attentive. The room is decorated in very appealing woods, a much better ambiance, I thought, than the competing Texas de Brazil Churrascaria up the street, and the food was certainly better.

These places are fairly expensive, with lunch about $26 and dinner topping out at $42. On the other hand, the salad bar only option seems like a pretty good deal at dinner, since it’s always $19.

Fogo de Chão Brazilian Steakhouse
8282 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 370-0711
http://www.yelp.com/biz/fogo-de-ch%C3%A3o-brazilian-steakhouse-orlando-3

Peperoncino

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***** (5 stars)

This is about as close as you can get to authentic Italian food in Orlando. The ingredients are fresh, and many of them are imported. In fact, you know you’re in for a treat from the moment they put down the fresh bread, because the olive oil it’s drizzled with is sublime, and the dusting of grated cheese packs a ton of flavor into each bite.

We tried the antipasto plate, which had a wonderful pecorino cheese studded with black pepper–probably the best pecorino I’ve had. I’m not much of a meat person, but my wife liked all of the meats on the plate.

We also had the mussels, which were served in a tomato sauce that had very fresh tomato pieces. I’m betting these came from Italy, as they weren’t the American kind that you can bounce into a semi truck.

The pictures on the website show lots of fish and shellfish dishes, but the only fish dish I could find was the special, a snapper cooked in parchment, served with shellfish. The snapper was (mostly) de-boned at tableside. It was moist, but a bit of a pain to eat, and the shellfish wasn’t as good as the mussel appetizer.

Perperoncino is tiny, bright and noisy, not my first choice of ambiance, but on nice evenings the restaurant doubles its size by expanding onto the plaza it fronts. That’s the ticket for a truly authentic Italian meal.

Peperoncino
7988 Via Dellagio Way
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 440-2856
http://www.yelp.com/biz/peperoncino-orlando

Border Grill Fresh-Mex

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***** (5 stars)

With no sign on the building, it’s a challenge to find the Border Grill, but well worth it. Look for the neon sign in the window that says Authentic Mexican Food. Indeed it is. The mole sauce on our enchiladas was the highlight, dark, rich and slightly spicy. The refried beans are really authentic, too, and probably bad for you. The al Pastor marinated BBQ pork in the gordita was less rich than some I’ve had, but still tasty, and the gordita shell was crispy/soft and delicious, although I would have prefered it with cilantro rather than lettuce. Everything is made to order, so arrive early and plan on 15 minutes for the food to be ready. A great find!

Border Grill Fresh-Mex
5695A Vineland Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 352-0101
http://www.yelp.com/biz/border-grill-fresh-mex-orlando-2

Pao Gostoso Bakery

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*** (3 stars)

I went to this place because I heard they had a pretty crazy hamburger, and that is, indeed the case. Beef, chicken, ham, sausage, bacon, fried egg, corn, cheese, lettuce, tomato. I can’t say it was the greatest burger ever, but it was a novelty. The pastries look good, and the two we tried were fresh and tasty. Service was very friendly.

Pao Gostoso Bakery
5472 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 447-8946
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pao-gostoso-bakery-orlando

Rice Paper

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***** (5 stars)

I go here every few weeks for lunch, and it’s amazingly consistent. My favorites are the noodle bowls, a tasty mixture of noodles and salad topped with your choice of protein. My favorites are the grilled pork and grilled salmon. They come with a fried spring roll, but I prefer to request the steamed on, which is served chilled with a delicious peanut sauce.

Service is reliable, and the place is pleasant for a strip mall, with pretty cool blue halogen lights and airy woodwork.

Rice Paper
7637 Turkey Lake Rd
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 352-4700
http://www.yelp.com/biz/rice-paper-orlando

Habibi

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***** (5 stars)

Excellent Lebanese food, especially the hummus and tabouleh. The space is nice, but small, with only two booths and a counter, so the emphasis is on to go orders, but it’s a pleasant place to eat in, and the platters look as good as they taste. Because each item is prepared to order, it’s not exactly fast food, so be prepared to sip on a bottled drink while you wait for your meal.

Habibi
2451 S Hiawassee Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 802-4242
http://www.yelp.com/biz/habibi-orlando-2

Taquitos Jalisco

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***** (5 stars)

Ten years ago my office staff and I used to drive to Taquitos Jalisco in Winter Garden because they had the best Mexican food in town. So we were delighted when a second location opened almost across the street from us.

Taquitos Jalisco serves authentic Jaliscan style Mexican food. Everything on the menu is fresh and diverse. The highlight is the Pastor, and authentic spicy pork mixed with cilantro and onions, then stuffed into gorditas.

An excellent way to experience all the flavors is to order the Plato Botanas. It’s listed as an appetizer sampler, but it makes a great meal, too.

I’ve been going to Taquitos Jalisco at least once a week for the past five years, and (contrary to what a couple of other reviews here say)  the food and service are consistently superb.

Taquitos Jalisco
2419 S Hiawassee Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 296-0626
http://www.yelp.com/biz/taquitos-jalisco-orlando

Lee and Ricks Oyster Bar

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**** (4 stars)

Part of the appeal of Lee and Rick’s is that it IS a dive. There’s something experiential about sitting at a concrete trough with a hundred layers of paint on it eating oysters served by girls wearing “I Eat Em Raw” T-Shirts. One of the best deals in town is the basket of shrimp, served hot or chilled (I prefer chilled). Mix up your own cocktail sauce from the provided condiments, add a few saltine crackers, and you’ve got a fresh shellfish feast for under ten bucks.

Lee and Ricks Oyster Bar
5621 Old Winter Garden Rd
Orlando, FL 32811
(407) 293-3587
http://www.yelp.com/biz/lee-and-ricks-oyster-bar-orlando

Ciao Italia Ristorante Italiano

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***** (5 stars)

Ciao Italia Ristorante offers surprising upscale and romantic decor for its strip mall location. There is little doubt that this is the best — and most authentic — Italian food in Orlando. All of the ingredients are extremely fresh. The sauces, seafood and vegetables are highlights, and are pretty much exactly what you’d get in a nice restaurant in Southern Italy. They also have the best garlic bread in Orlando, partially due to the freshness of the underlying bread, and partially to the generous amount of butter and garlic used to make it. Try the “chef’s salad”, a deliciously creamy lime, romaine and pine nut concoction. Reasonably priced.

Ciao Italia Ristorante Italiano
6149 Westwood Blvd
Orlando, FL 32821
(407) 354-0770
http://www.yelp.com/biz/ciao-italia-ristorante-italiano-orlando