Category Archives: Florida

Paradiso 37

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**** (4 stars)

In the darkest days after Pleasure Island’s abandonment, Paradisco 37 was a lone outpost in a wilderness of abandoned buildings. With the redevelopment of Downtown Disney into Disney Springs (just where is the spring, anyway?) that is slowly changing.

We used to walk in anytime we liked, but with the restaurant now on the Disney dining plan it is often packed. While that has totally changed the ambiance of our former getaway, the food remains the same, and is a notch about the typical tourist Tex Mex place.

The original concept behind Paradiso was pan-American cooking, but you’d be hard pressed to find something on the menu that wasn’t available at most Tex Mex places.

The ceviche is a good example, completely Americanized using cooked shrimp and no raw seafood at all, it’s a tasty if inauthentic starter. We also always enjoy the dipping trio, which give you a chance to sample a pleasantly fluffy spinach dip, a tasty chili, and a so-so guacamole.

Nachos are also good, if a bit skimpy on cheese. It’s hard to complain about Americanized Nachos since I’m pretty sure there isn’t any other kind.

My favorite entree is the salmon, which is also probably the most healthful dish on the menu, lightly cooked, and served with fresh vegetables and rice.

We stopped going to Paradiso a few years ago when we were seated next to a service station about ten feet from a manager, and no one came to the table for 30 minutes, so we left. I’m pleased to report that upon a recent return visit, service is now again available, and the dining experience is unchanged–if you can get a table.

Paradiso 37
1590 E Buena Vista Dr
Orlando, FL 32836
(407) 934-3700
http://www.yelp.com/biz/paradiso-37-orlando-3

Taqueria Ameca Jalisco

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**** (4 stars)

Q. Where can you get two tacos, an enchilada, a quesadilla and a drink for $8? And I don’t mean $8 each, I mean $8 total!

A. Taqueria Ameca Jalisco, that’s where!

This small taqueria located in a somewhat industrial section of Orange Avenue south of downtown has very good food at very low prices.

The menu is scrawled on a white board near the register, and presumably changes a bit from day to day, although nothing had the look of a special. Pretty much you can get any meat in either a taco, enchilada or quesadilla (and perhaps some other things–when I said “scrawled” I meant it).

Be prepared for a wait. There are only a couple of folks preparing food, and at lunch it was busy.

There’s a salsa bar that has minced cilantro and onions, several types of sauce, cabbage, and even beans.

Tacos are served on relatively small and very authentic corn tortillas, with an extra tortilla for everything that falls out of the first one. Try the barbecue with some cilantro, onions and green sauce. My delicioso!

Taqueria Ameca Jalisco
3558 S Orange Ave
Orlando, FL 32806
(407) 851-1876
http://www.yelp.com/biz/taqueria-ameca-jalisco-orlando-2

Pizzeria Uno Chicago Bar & Grill

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*** (3 stars)

I’m not sure whether the drift of the name is the result of the chain’s deemphasis on pizza, but the menu has certainly broadened here, and it seems more like a sports bar than anything resembling an Italian restaurant.

Their new pick two emphasis makes it a good choice for lunch, and some of the options aren’t as caloric as most of the food.

The decor of this location is open and lively, but the volume remains reasonable even when they are busy.

Service was friendly and efficient.

Pizzeria Uno Chicago Bar & Grill
55 W Church St
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 839-1800
http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizzeria-uno-chicago-bar-and-grill-orlando-2

Zorba’s Greek Taverna

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**** (4 stars)

There are a few Greek restaurants we go to in this area, including at Dr Phillips and International Drive, and the food is somewhat similar between them. I like Zorba the best because of its expansive, covered outside patio. Plus, the lunch special is currently a $5 gyro, which is hard to beat. This is one of my top choices for outdoor dining in the area.

Zorba’s Greek Taverna
4898 S Kirkman Rd
Orlando, FL 32811
(407) 219-4326
http://www.yelp.com/biz/zorbas-greek-taverna-orlando

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants

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***** (5 stars)

I was impressed by a Cooper’s Hawk in Arlington, Illinois, so I was looking forward to this location in Orlando, and I wasn’t disappointed.

The interior of these restaurants is particularly inviting, with high ceilings and great use of natural wood and winery related props to create a themed, but not clamorous environment.

The food offerings are quite broad, and everything we tried we really enjoyed. In particular the appetizers of Mexican Drunken Shrimp and Ahi Tuna Tacos were outstanding.

Of course, since it’s a “winery” there are many, many selections of wine. I assume they source these from various negotiants, and they are well chosen to reflect a broad range of varietals and styles. The four wine tasting flights are a great way to explore the differences, and the pours are as generous as the pricing is reasonable.

Service was friendly, helpful and attentive. This place has definitely been added to our regular lunch rotation.

Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurants
8005 International Dr
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 956-3400
http://www.yelp.com/biz/coopers-hawk-winery-and-restaurants-orlando-4

Mynt

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**** (4 stars)

This tiny space off of Hannibal square is owned by the people behind Saffron on Sand Lake Road, but it has better food and service.

We started with papadums and garlic naan bread. The papadums were more delicate than most, served with two chutneys, mint and tamarind. The garlic naan was particularly good, very thin and a bit crisp in the center, with lots of garlic.

Next we shared the tandoori platter, a combination of chicken, lamb, shrimp and sausage. All were very good although not remarkable.

We finished with an order of butter chicken, which was extremely flavorful, a bit more complex and slightly less rich than some versions.

Service was very attentive. There seemed to be more servers than patrons, although I guess Saturday lunch is slow. Although we didn’t take advantage of it, there is a superb lunch deal, with a full meal for just about $10.

Many of the dishes on the menu are not names I’m familiar with from the other Indian restaurants I’ve been too, so I’m looking forward to returning and trying some new things.

Mynt
533 W New England Ave
Ste 100
Winter Park, FL 32789
(321) 441-9872
http://www.yelp.com/biz/mynt-winter-park

Village Inn Winter Garden

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***** (5 stars)

Wow. Service with a capital S! I’ve been to fine dining restaurants where I haven’t gotten this level of service.

I was always a fan of the Village Inn when they were in Florida in the 90s, and was sad to see them close most locations, so it’s nice to have them back.

This location had only been open a week when I went, and corporate management was still very hands-on, but it was clear that they were looking for extraordinary service personnel, and they found them. Everyone I encountered was extremely into their job.

The interior of the space is light and modern. I particularly liked the “technology bar” where I sat. I had the same thing I used to always have, a breakfast skillet, and it was prepared just the way I wanted.

Coupled with the attentive and friendly service, it was exactly what I’m looking for in a coffee shop breakfast, and I’ll definitely return.

Village Inn Winter Garden
3130 Daniels Rd
Winter Garden, FL 34787
(407) 654-0736
http://www.yelp.com/biz/village-inn-winter-garden-winter-garden

Zab Thai

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*** (3 stars)

OK, this is not a great Thai restaurant, but I had a much better experience than most of these other reviews.

It’s true that the server was completely untrained, and had no concept of when to turn in orders for food or to clear plates. So appetizer, soup and main course arrived spaced out by about 90 seconds each. And then plates started disappearing even while we were still eating off of them. So… 0 for service.

On the other hand, I’ve never been to such a beautifully decorated restaurant. With stone statuary on the walls, teak dividers, and elegant hanging lamps it’s really quite nice. If they turned off the glaring overhead lighting and completely went with the theme it would be one of the best decorated restaurants in Central Florida. So 5 for decor.

As for the food, it was okay. The sashimi was fine; a generous portion, fairly fresh tasting, excellent quality salmon. The Tom Yum soup was tasty, with crispy fresh vegetables added at the last minute. And the Pad Thai was good if not great, not as complex or citrusy as I like, but at least takeout quality. I really had to restrain myself at dessert time from ordering the yummy-sounding “Black glutinous rice pudding with young coconut flesh.” “Glutinous” and “flesh” are not things I look for in a dessert. Anyway… let’s say 3 for food.

That averages out to a solid 3 star rating. It’s a bit sad because that might make it the highest rated restaurant in Clermont, but that’s another story.

Zab Thai
1660 E Hwy 50
Clermont, FL 34711
(352) 242-1314
http://www.yelp.com/biz/zab-thai-clermont-2

Teriyaki House

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**** (4 stars)

I have no idea why this place is called Teriyaki house since it’s not Japanese and they don’t serve teriyaki. What they do serve is authentic Taiwanese food. You’ll find it less oily and saucy and steamed than the Chinese food served around town.

The first challenge is to find the place. It’s in a corner shopping center with a parking lot full of trees, the sign is small, and the place is only slightly wider than the single parking spot in front of it.

The second challenge is placing your order. The older gentleman at the counter when we arrived definitely did not speak English. Fortunately there are a lot of pictures on their menu, so even though much of the menu contains no English names or descriptions, you can make some good guesses.

We had three different dishes. Salt and Pepper Chicken was excellent–nice and crispy, not oily, and with some delicate fried basil leaves. The pork chop was similar; it was juicy and the accompanying sausage was delicious. The third dish will remain a mystery, although it was a bit like Kung Pao Chicken; we liked it the least of the three.

If you have experience with Taiwanese food, or are looking for something better than the many Chinese restaurants in Orlando, Teriyaki House is a great choice, even if it’s not a teriyaki house.

Teriyaki House
5600 W Colonial Dr
Ste 108
Orlando, FL 32808
(321) 281-8088
http://www.yelp.com/biz/teriyaki-house-orlando