This text is part of the special Pleasures notebook
On the fringes of the world of Disney and the world of Universal Studios, Orlando has a surprising number of good restaurants, from modest Asian restaurants to large Michelin-starred restaurants. Round table of four tasty addresses.
The least we can say is that we don’t necessarily expect to enjoy ourselves when we arrive in the world capital of family entertainment, where junk food predominates between the rides of Peter Pan, Spiderman and even Ratatouille. But in chic hotels as well as in certain areas of the city, things have evolved significantly in recent years, while a number of good small (and large) restaurants have sprung up.
Today, Orlando has 4 Michelin-starred restaurants, 11 which received a Bib gourmand (best value for money) and 31 which are recommended by the experts of the Bibendum guide, without counting these small ethnic restaurants which are less known, but which win to be. Because if the resources made available to chefs by certain wealthy hotel operators partly explain this proliferation of addresses for tasty dishes, the cultural contribution of many immigrant communities also has a lot to do with it.
Malyna Si, the starred chef of the Capa restaurant, explains that she grew up in isolation, sheltered from American junk food, thanks to the meals prepared for her by her Cambodian mother. “It allowed me to develop my taste and interest in fresh ingredients,” she says.
Generally speaking, interest in small, responsible producers and the Farm to Table movement have contributed greatly to Orlando’s culinary revival. “I am constantly looking to expand my network of contacts with local farms to always source the best fresh products,” continues Malyna Si. And today, anyone who frequents her restaurant can only benefit from it.
Capa
When the Wagyu beef arrived on the table, sizzling on a hot stone, the whole table fell silent. Then, the decorum of the presentation quickly stole the show when the delicate pieces of meat of unreal tenderness came into contact with the taste buds, awakened by the juices activated by the grill fire. Such is the power of this Japanese beef finely marbled with fat which, once seared raw, becomes almost as tender as butter.
If Capa has made a specialty of preparing Wagyu beef (a variety which includes Kobe beef), the rest of the menu is offered in the form of delectable tapas: beer-cured pork, apple butter; Iberian ham croquettes, smoked fig mustard; bacon dates stuffed with almonds, tamarind cream…
But you can also go for a Maine lobster with béarnaise sauce or a blackened sea bass on a bed of saffron barley, in this elegant restaurant awarded a Michelin star. As a bonus, the Capa enjoys an exceptional location, at 17e floor of the Four Seasons Hotel, with breathtaking views of the Magic Kingdom and EPCOT fireworks, every evening at 9 p.m. An explosion of light for an explosion of flavors.
10100 Dream Tree Blvd., Orlando
Papa Llama
Don’t be put off by the location of this tiny restaurant, wedged between a gym and a bank at the back of a shopping center parking lot. With its traditional Peruvian cuisine revisited through the prism of modernity, this restaurant, which won a Bib Gourmand, surprises, detonates and gives you no other choice than to enjoy: everything is delectable. It also does not allow you to choose your dishes because what is planned on the 5-course menu is determined in advance and offered at a fixed price (US$85): red snapper tiradito and leche de tigre with rocoto pepper; king prawns with ponzu gel and huacatay leaves; sweet potato fritters and their clove honey… until the chef reshuffles the menu according to the inspiration of the moment or the availability of fresh produce. All this can be washed down with one of the many natural wines or a cold beer from the rich selection: when Papa Llama wants to quench his thirst, he always does so.
2840 Curry Ford Rd, Orlando
Kaya
In the Mills 50 District, a district that is not at all touristy and covered in pretty urban frescoes, there is no shortage of Asian brands that will make you salivate. That of chef Lordfer Lalicon occupies a modest wooden bungalow flanked by a terrace covered with a sort of Tempo shelter. From the open kitchen of this small neighborhood Filipino restaurant comes a multitude of tasty dishes, such as this ceviche on a bed of coconut milk mousse and mango cubes, this adobo (marinade) of cuttlefish and firefly squid on cauliflower puree or this starfruit sinigang (broth). We conclude with a purple yam ice cream accompanied by jasmine sambac to confirm that finesse and delicacy are the key words for the subtle flavors of this very popular address.
618 N Thornton Ave, Orlando
Maxine’s on Shine
Upon arrival, the decor is impressive: it is initially rococo planted with vegetation and nicely decorated before entering, then theatrical, eclectic and warm once you cross the threshold of this tastefully renovated old house, in the heart of a Residential area. For years, Maxine’s On Shine has shined, precisely, between a bungalow and a warehouse courtyard, with its funky look, its mini concerts, its local artists exhibited between two portraits of Jim Morrison and Audrey Hepburn and its good little dishes without pretentious but accurately prepared. Recommended by the Michelin Guide, the menu of this “sexy, comfortable and delicious” restaurant includes succulent crab fritters with coriander aioli or squid ink pasta and lamb ragout. For the aftermath, “the best brunches in town” are invigorating and protein-packed, like this brie, shrimp and bacon omelette or this Creole seafood casserole. A unique place with a unique atmosphere, where you don’t have to worry but which is conducive to partying.
337 Shine Ave, Orlando
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