[E.L.A.]

I'm going to be in Orlando for about a week or so and I would greatly appreciate some suggestions. I haven't been there in years. Any Orlando locals and/or experts? I'll be looking to to have dinner out every night -- steakhouse, sushi, seafood, Italian, etc.

Thank you in advance.

Eric

[foodie52]

Flee while you can.

[E.L.A.]

foodie52, on Dec 17 2006, 11:13 PM, said:

Flee while you can.

LOL. Can't help it. I used to go there years ago to visit a client. Started out 3 times a year, then once a year -- and now, I see the client in NY. LOL. Anyway, I am going for a symposium/conference and like I said I'll be there for a week or so.

Eric

[foodie52]

Well, looks like you're screwed. Nobody has any suggestions for Disneyhell.

[Rail Paul]

foodie52, on Dec 20 2006, 01:12 PM, said:

Well, looks like you're screwed. Nobody has any suggestions for Disneyhell.

There's a short article in today's Wall Street Journal (slow news day) about dining within WDW. The assumption is two adults, three kids, and no booze. That's a special circle of hell...

Quote

The Plaza
Disney's Magic Kingdom Table service American fare: sandwiches, salads, burgers; luscious cakes and sundaes for dessert $67 (dinner) We tried to change our reservation when we learned it was a "sandwich shop." But we were pleasantly surprised by the menu, which included a tasty vegetarian sandwich and sweet- potato chips.

La Cantina
De San Angel
Epcot Quick service Mexican: tacos, burritos, salad, refried beans, and traditional desserts, such as churrus (sugar-coated fried dough) and flan $45 (lunch) At 11:30 a.m., we were first in line and snagged a prime table by the water in a Mexican courtyard replica. We couldn't finish everything so we saved our dessert and nachos for snacks later in the day.

Boma --
Flavors of Africa
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge Family buffet African-style selections including wood-roasted meats, curried soup, fish, flatbreads and animal-themed desserts $112 (dinner) The buffet presentation and open-air kitchen engaged our children, who were motivated to try ethnic flavors beyond their traditional kiddie fare. We wanted to sample everything and couldn't avoid overeating.

Wolfgang Puck Grand Café;
Wolfgang Puck Express
Downtown Disney Table service at Café; quick service at two Express locations Contemporary cuisine emphasizing fresh ingredients and flavors; café entrées include sesame-crusted mahi mahi and pumpkin ravioli $134 (dinner at Café); $59 (dinner at Express) We arranged a last-minute reservation at the Café, but had to sit on the patio instead of in the dining room. Only one of the two Express restaurants accepts the dining plan. We waited in line at the wrong one.

Plan Ahead, Far Ahead

This post has been edited by Rail Paul: 28 December 2006 - 04:18 PM

[StephanieL]

If you absolutely have to eat in Disney World, I remember the Moroccan and the Norwegian places in Epcot as being not half bad.

[E.L.A.]

I am not staying at Disney World. Laugh if you want, but I don't plan on going. Just Orlando -- nice restaurants in Orlando, that's all.

Thanks.

Eric

[SFJoe]

Coq au Vin used to have a decentish wine list and food that wouldn't have kept it open in NYC, but that you could eat in the circs. I didn't make it there my last visit. The good wine guy has left.

http://www.lecoqauvi...contact_us.html

They also do corkage, so if you check a bag and bring something decent you could survive.

I have to go to Orlando for meetings a couple of times a year and I hate it more than anywhere.

A friend of mine who is a sophisticate who also goes there on business suggests:


In Orlando you can go to Charley's Steak House (I think that there are two of them in Orlando) where the meat is very, very good. They have some decent wines, too, at least last time I was there. Years on the road is places like Orlando and including Orlando made me appreciate the simplicity of a great piece of charred steak, a classic Caesar salad, a strong Martini, fresh, cold beer and even the pleasures of simple bottlings from Ridge and, for a while there, Ravenswood. The worst thing in the world is going to a place like Orlando and being dragged to what passes for a fine-dining establishment. Give me USDA Prime beef, garlic-drenched Romaine, cold gin and lager and blackberry-jammy New World wine and I'm fine. The people-watching is good at these places, too.
If you can make it to Emeril's (Universal Studios Park), the wine list is pretty amazing and there are probably lots of things under the radar. I sold them lots of Burgundy (good names here) in the past and I'll bet that plenty of them are still there.
http://www.emerils.com/restaurants/orlando...menu_dinner.php

There's also Emeril's Tchoup Chop, also at Universal Studios, in the Royal Pacific Resort. It's Emeril's take on cartoonish Pacific/Polynesian:
http://www.emerils.com/restaurants/orlando...menu_dinner.php

Don't believe the hatin', Emeril's food can be superb, if heavy.

[beachfan]

While Coq au Vin isn't NYC levels, it blows the Emerils away. And the prices are excellent; a decent
Coquilles St. Jacques for $8.50, a great Butter lettuce with Roquefort for $4.50 (!).

My two favorite entrees are:
Le Poisson "Bronze" Aux Dix Epices
Aubergine Du Bayou Teche

I go to Orlando a week a year on business, usually go to Coq Au Vin twice and Emeril's at Universal once, (because I can't eat at CAV three times, it's too rich).

The place I went to last time was Todd English's fish place at the Swan, and surprisingly, it was excellent. I'd try them again.

If you do go to Emeril's, you can count on the gumbo and the bannana cream pie; everything else is a roll of the dice.

I'm sure I would go to Charlie's if I ate meat, but I don't.

[StephanieL]

I've had pretty good meals at the 3 Emeril places I've been to (2 in New Orleans, 1 in Vegas), though I can't speak for the one in Orlando.

[Rail Paul]

I went over to see what OpenTable suggests in the Orlando area. They have quite a selection of places in the Orlando - Winter Park - Apopoka etc area.


> 310 Park South Winter Park Continental $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> 5 de Mayo Mexican Kitchen Kissimmee Mexican $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Absinthe Bistro & Bar Downtown Orlando French $$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Beluga Winter Park Seafood $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Bice at Portofino Bay Hotel I Drive / Sand Lake Italian $$$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Bola Ristorante I Drive / Sand Lake Italian $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Brasserie Citron I Drive / Sand Lake American $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Capital Grille - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake American $$$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Capriccio Grill - Peabody Hotel Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Steak $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Caribe Royale Resort - Venetian Room Lake Buena Vista Continental $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Cedar's Restaurant I Drive / Sand Lake Middle Eastern $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Chatham's Place Restaurant I Drive / Sand Lake Continental $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Chef Justin's Park Plaza Garden's Winter Park American $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Del Frisco's - Orlando Winter Park Steak $$$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Dixie Crossroads Lake Buena Vista Seafood $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Dux - Peabody Hotel Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Global, International $$$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> El Quijote I Drive / Sand Lake Spanish $$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Emeril's Restaurant Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Creole $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Emeril's Tchoup Chop I Drive / Sand Lake Asian $$

* 6:30 PM
* ---------
* 8:00 PM

> Gentry's I Drive / Sand Lake American $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Hawk's Landing Steakhouse & Grille at Orlando World Center Marriott Resort Lake Buena Vista American $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> HUE Downtown Orlando Contemporary American $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Ipanema Brazilian Steakhouse Ocala Brazilian Steakhouse $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Key W. Kools Lake Buena Vista Steak $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> KRES CHOPHOUSE Downtown Orlando Steak $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Luma on Park Winter Park Contemporary American $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Manuel's on the 28th I Drive / Sand Lake Contemporary American $$$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> McCormick & Schmick's Seafood - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Seafood $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Mikado Japanese Steakhouse at Orlando World Center Marriott Resort Lake Buena Vista Japanese $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Ming Court I Drive / Sand Lake Asian $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Morton's, The Steakhouse - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Steak $$$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> NBA City I Drive / Sand Lake American $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Pacino's Italian Restaurant Kissimmee Italian $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Pearl Steakhouse Downtown Orlando Steakhouse $$$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Primo I Drive / Sand Lake Italian $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Raglan Road I Drive / Sand Lake Irish $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Ristorante Tuscany at Orlando World Center Marriott Resort I Drive / Sand Lake Italian $$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Roy's - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Eurasian $$$

* 6:15 PM
* ---------
* 7:45 PM

> Ruth's Chris Steak House - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Steakhouse $$$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Ruth's Chris Steak House - Winter Park Winter Park Steak $$$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Samba Room - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Fusion / Eclectic $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Sushi House of Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Sushi $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> Texas de Brazil Churrascaria - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Brazilian $$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Thai Thani - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake Thai $$

* 6:30 PM
1,000pts
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> The Beacon Downtown Orlando American $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> The Boheme - Grand Bohemian Hotel - Orlando Downtown Orlando Contemporary American $$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> The Butchershop Steakhouse I Drive / Sand Lake Steakhouse $$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> The Palm - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake American $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

> The Vineyard Grill I Drive / Sand Lake Steakhouse $$$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe - Orlando I Drive / Sand Lake American $$

* 6:45 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:15 PM

> Vines Grille and Wine Bar I Drive / Sand Lake American $$$

* 6:30 PM
* 7:00 PM
* 7:30 PM

4 additional restaurant(

[Abbylovi]

I hate how conferences are always scheduled in the worst places possible. This year I'm off to glorious Orlando for 3 days.

Seems like people like Coq au Vin, but I'd rather have something in Orlando that I can't get in New York. The Vietnamese places looks like a possibility. Anything else?

[Wilfrid1]

I hate how conferences are always scheduled in the worst places possible. This year I'm off to glorious Orlando for 3 days.

You are not going to Birmingham. And I don't mean Alabama.

[Abbylovi]

Ok, I guess that's looking on the bright side.

[Evelyn]

Ok, I guess that's looking on the bright side.

Hey, if it was Birmingham, AL...I know you could have some much better meals than what you will face in Orlando .