Orlando
At first glance—and for that matter, at second and third glance—Orlando would appear to be the world nucleus of the fast food industry. On seemingly every thoroughfare, in and around every theme park, mall and neon neighborhood, they are there, locked in a burger-to-burger face-off, vying for attention with millions in marketing dollars. From chintz to cheeseburgers, they await the weary, who want a quick meal that will challenge neither belly nor budget. It would, at first glance, seem that way, but thankfully, it is not.
While there are few who would argue that Orlando is one of the great culinary centers of the hemisphere, it has come a long way since its earliest days when gourmet food meant barbecue on a china plate. Lured, however, by the phenomenal success of this theme park capital of the Sunshine State, some of the world's top chefs have whisked their names into Orlando's gourmet roster, among them Los Angeles' Wolfgang Puck and Louisiana's Emeril Lagasse.
Ample Ingredients For Success
It also helps that Central Florida has many of the ingredients needed to whip up fine dining. While the region's famed citrus groves have shrunk in the face of determined development and urban sprawl, Orlando is still surrounded by vast groves whose several varieties of oranges and grapefruits, limes, lemons and kumquats play an intriguing part in sauces, garnishes and a bevy of tropical drinks.
Amid the enormous hype that surrounds the region's tourist attractions lie hundreds of thousands of acres that have long made Central Florida the winter vegetable capital of Florida. The tiny town of Zellwood, just nine miles from Orlando, considers itself the winter vegetable capital of the nation and tosses an annual party each May to celebrate its harvest of radishes, carrots, cauliflower and corn.
Sugar cane that grows in the region surrounding giant Lake Okeechobee, just south of Orlando, has made many a millionaire in the region and finds its way into coconut patties and elaborate desserts.
Kissimmee, Walt Disney World's tourism bedroom community, has long been a cowboy town, populated by wranglers who keep the region's cattle herds in line. Florida is, surprisingly, among the top cattle-producing states in the nation.
Add to that, is the seafood-laden waters of the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, both about equidistant from Orlando, where snapper, grouper, dolphin (no, not the bottlenosed, performer variety) lobster, shrimp, stone crabs and pompano play.
All those indigenous ingredients mean that chefs here have all the makings to create top-quality cuisine, and in recent years they have been doing just that.
Diverse Population Adds Spice
Toss into that mix a community whose prosperity has lured hundreds of thousands of every nationality—from Asian to European, Caribbean, Polynesian, Latin American, and Canadian—bringing with them the spices and flavors of their native lands.
Orlando's vast numbers of large hotels have created some outstanding dining rooms, and each of the two major parks—Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida—has a resident super-chef; Wolfgang Puck at WDW and Emeril Lagasse at Universal.
Special Spots
Two standouts among the masses are Maison & Jardin and Chalet Suzanne. Maison & Jardin is an Altamonte Springs dining institution that occupies a sprawling antique mansion snuggled into a grove of massive oaks. Known by locals as the "Mason Jar," the restaurant glows with candlelight and offers sound American fare in an elegant atmosphere. The eccentric Chalet Suzanne Country Inn & Restaurant showcases the founder's hodge-podge of antiques and collectibles, which provide handsome yet eclectic adornment. One of the region's most award-winning dining spots (its romaine soup even traveled to the moon with the astronauts), lovely Chalet Suzanne is set in an orange grove overlooking a tiny lake and serves multi-course lunches and legendary dinners.
Morton's of Chicago may have gotten its start up in the Windy City, but it's now an institution in Orlando; outfitted in dark woods and crisp white linen, it serves up top-notch steaks.
Theme Dining
If you're traveling with children—or want to tap into a little of the child that lurks in us all—themed dinner entertainment is an intriguing option. At these events, the food is basic American fare but the entertainment is lots of whimsical fun. You can read more about the themed evenings, which range from pirates to Wild West shoot-outs, England's King Henry and thoroughbred horses, under the Entertainment Guide.
Sea World not only offers you a look at sharks, Shamu the whale and cuddly penguins, but you can also wiggle and sway with talented Polynesian dancers at the nightly Makahiki Luau Dinner & Show, capped by a Samoan fire dance.
Walt Disney World rolls out its characters from Chip 'n Dale to Mickey and Minnie at numerous dining opportunities from early morning on throughout the day and also features a variety of revues, complete with uncomplicated dining, at various locations within the parks.
Nearby Dining
Winter Park has earned its dining stars as the home of a number of outstanding restaurants including Park Plaza Gardens, which offers diners a carefully orchestrated array of selections amidst greenery, under a glass roof.
An hour's drive or so west toward Tampa will bring you to another unusual dining spot in the farming village of Thonotosassa: Branch Ranch. A working ranch that's now also working in the restaurant business, this spot serves family-style dinners; that means the food comes out of the kitchen and onto your table in big bowls just like at Grandma's house. Patrons dine on wooden tables in a high-ceiling barn with a massive fireplace and plenty of farm memorabilia. Hearty home-cookin' American style is the lure here, where the prices are moderate but the portions are definitely not. Loosen that belt a notch!
Many are the chic and trendy newcomers to Orlando's roster of over 3,800 restaurants, so go browse among the bites at the Wcities Dining Guide for a culinary tour of Central Florida.
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