Category Archives: Florida

Satini Sushi & Tioca Bar

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**** (4 stars)

This place mixes a variety of Asian cuisines, although sushi dominates. There’s a bit of Vietnamese, and some Chinese, too. I actually wish they’d go farther with the fusion concept. Also it would be helpful if dishes has their traditional names. For example, they have their own version of Bahn Mi sandwiches, but they are simply called Vietnamese style sandwiches. I think they underestimate their customers.

Anyway, the Vietnamese vermicelli bowl I had was excellent, with a nice crispy spring roll and very tasty fish sauce.

The did a pretty good job of redecorating this place from a sports bar, although it will be better when the smell of paint subsides.

Service is friendly and helpful.

Satini Sushi & Tioca Bar
6700 Conroy Windermere Rd
Orlando, FL 32835
(407) 253-7008
http://www.yelp.com/biz/satini-sushi-and-tioca-bar-orlando

Hellas Restaurant

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***** (5 stars)

I love this funky Greek restaurant with its wild blue ceramic and pink neon decor. The combo plate is a great appetizer with shrimp, tender octopus, and three dips. The Greek salad is another favorite; no crumbled feta here, but big slices, plus a delicious dressing and wonderful potato salad buried at the bottom. The adjoining bakery has some great offerings, too.

Hellas Restaurant
785 Dodecanese Blvd
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
(727) 943-2400
http://www.yelp.com/biz/hellas-restaurant-tarpon-springs

The Black Pearl

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***** (5 stars)

One of Florida’s great restaurants. Only thirteen tables, intimate lighting, great service, spectacular food. The duck pate appetizer is one of the best pates I’ve ever had, and now that it’s served with fennel aspic it’s even better. Another favorite is the Black Pearl ice cream, which is also a fennel favorite. When we want a romantic dinner, this place is tops on our list.

The Black Pearl
315 Main St
Dunedin, FL 34698
(727) 223-1268
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-black-pearl-dunedin

B-21 Fine Wine & Spirits

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***** (5 stars)

This is the most comprehensive collection of wines and single malt scotch in Central Florida. Great customer service. A few tips:

They deliver to the Orlando and other more distant areas once every two weeks..

Their quarterly (or so) tasting events are a great deal. For $25 you can sample close to 100 wines including some very pricey ones, and attend a sit down seminar. The annual Burgundy event is my favorite.

On the 21st of each month they have free shipping to anywhere if you buy a mixed case.

B-21 Fine Wine & Spirits
43380 US Hwy 19 N
Tarpon Springs, FL 34689
(727) 937-5049
http://www.yelp.com/biz/b-21-fine-wine-and-spirits-tarpon-springs

Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar

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***** (5 stars)

A very interesting approach to dining.  Originally I think the plan was an all iPad menu and ordering, and that’s still available, but now there are also paper menus, and very attentive service. Everyone was extremely friendly, and the ambience is great.

We tried an array of appetizers and liked them all, including the chickpea fries (great curry aioli), edamame hummus, short rib and mushroom flatbread (didn’t really need the short ribs) and grilled veggies.

Wines are available in as small as 3oz pours, which makes it fun to try different things. (Check out the Klinker Brick Farah Syrah, which won best of show at the state fair).

I love this new addition to the Winter Park dining scene.

Carmel Cafe & Wine Bar
140 N Orlando Ave
Winter Park, FL 32789
(407) 513-4912
http://www.yelp.com/biz/carmel-cafe-and-wine-bar-winter-park

Santiago’s Bodega

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***** (5 stars)

The location is a bit off the beaten path, but they’ve done a beautiful job decorating the building, so it has an upscale casual feeling. There’s also a great outside dining space in front. We tried quite a few dishes and liked nearly all of them.

A well thought out tapas menu with many diverse selections is the big draw here. The gazpacho was a little weird, as it is pureed, and seemed really rich. Brussels sprout oven roasted and then sauteed in brown sugar were my favorite. The mushroom stuffed puff pastry was also excellent. The ceviche had huge chunks of nice tender fish, but could have used a bit more seasoning added to the citrus juice. There are so many choices it would take many visits to try them all.

I tried a couple of types of sangria. My favorite was the conventional red variety, reasonably priced at $6.

Service was friendly and attentive. A great addition to the area’s dining scene.

Santiago’s Bodega
802 Virginia Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 286-2903
http://www.yelp.com/biz/santiagos-bodega-orlando-2

Kabooki Sushi

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***** (5 stars)

I’ve had sushi all over the world, from Tokyo to Los Angeles, New York and Nobu in London. But I’ve never had better than here at Kabooki. We had the omakase, where you put yourself in the chef’s hands. He came to the table to assess our tastes, and then repeatedly to check on each dish. Everything was stellar, but the real stunner was the sashimi platter, where the perfection and simplicity of the fish left us in awe. Each was served with a different tiny dot of sauce and sprig of micro green. The accompanying wine pairing was generous and high quality. This will become our weekly pilgrimage. It’s unbelievable to find this quality of sushi in Orlando.

Kabooki Sushi
3122 E Colonial Dr
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 228-3839
http://www.yelp.com/biz/kabooki-sushi-orlando

Norman’s

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*** (3 stars)

I have to admit I don’t really get Norman’s food. I’ve been to a couple of special events here that I liked quite well, including a Paul Bocuse dinner that was superb. But it was Paul Bocuse’s food, for the most part, that made it so. The restaurant’s normal menu doesn’t do it for me. It always seems to me as if there is one too many spices in each dish, that somehow muddle the flavors. It leaves me yearning for something a bit simpler, where the quality of the natural ingredients is allowed to shine through.

Service is pleasant, although I’ve run into more than one server who was clueless about wine. One server had never heard of the expression “corkage charge,” which is a bit amazing for a restaurant of this caliber.

The room is pretty, although it can be noisy. If you’re staying at the resort, it’s probably worth trying. It’s certainly better than the dozens of steakhouse alternatives that surround it in the tourist area. But when I visit the Ritz I eat at The Vineyard, which has a better wine list and a subtler touch with the food.

Norman’s
4012 Central Florida Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 393-4333
http://www.yelp.com/biz/normans-orlando

The Vineyard Grill

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**** (4 stars)

This is the main restaurant at the Ritz Carlton, since Normans (which I’m not fond of) is independently operated. So this is the main place for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Some people list it as a steak house, but when you first walk in it looks a bit more like an upscale coffee shop dining room. I’m sure it has a very different atmosphere at various times of day, but I’ve always gone for dinner, when it transforms into a fairly upscale experience.

I’ve found all of the entrees to be reliable, but for me the highlight is the wine list (not surprising, given the restaurant’s name). The trick is to look beyond the least expensive selections, because the pricier wines are listed at a fairly reasonable markup for a restaurant in such a fancy environment.

The wine manager here is very friendly and knowledgeable, and can give you some guidance as to food pairings. We live in Orlando, yet make it a regular stop on the way back from the airport if we’re picking someone up, so that says a lot for a hotel restaurant.

The Vineyard Grill
4012 Central Florida Pkwy
Orlando, FL 32837
(407) 393-4648
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-vineyard-grill-orlando