I'm combining two days. I tried the first two spots downtown on Tuesday at lunch. The first is next to (not affiliated with) the Hilton Garden Inn on North Magnolia. At the rear of the Courthouse. The second is on South Orange. Just south of Church St. Next to a deli (New York?). I tried the last two today at lunch. They are in that Waterford Lakes mall on Alafaya.
Leiah - Two partners with Ritz Carlton pedigrees. Named after the chef's daughter. Opened a week ago. Long build. It will be a Favorite. I had the Farrotto for $18. It is an original faro risotto dish inspired by Husk in Charleston (kinda). What can I say? Large portion. Oozing with sweet creamy goodness. I'm guessing aged parmesan. Fresh zucchini or squash. I forget. A tomato base. Wilted kale. Freshly made. The faro is supposedly healthier too. The larger grain size is interesting. A real surprise. I thought the description said sweet potatoes. I didn't see pieces of them. But, I could just be wrong on that entirely. Simple, but, fashionable cutlery and china. Cloth napkin. Nice plating (tiny flowers). The menu is small. Around six apps, six mains and three salads. I think it will be a non-static menu. Whatever is best at the time. Apps like octopus carpaccio, bisque and mussels. Around $7 to high teens. Mains like salmon, waygu/pork belly burger, roast chicken, house made parpadelle or linguine and turkey sandwich. Around mid teens to high twenties. Some with sides. The dinner menu is a tasting/prix fixe or ala carte one. A few more items. The place looks cute. Grey with dark blue and black accents. Paintings. Wine rack. Little butterflies and doves. Open kitchen. Around fourteen tables inside and a few outside. Not cramped. Only a skeleton crew so far. But, you get to know the manager and chef. Nice ambience. The Latin music isn't blaring or too current/offensive. I thought it could be a Hilton Garden Inn level restaurant. It isn't. It's much better. I would try and get in before the word gets out. And if you are staying in the hotel or work near by, you have been blessed. Let's hope you have the class/sophistication to appreciate it. It's a little gem. They said street parking becomes free after 6pm. There is a $10 lot next to them. There is free parking nearby (as I have written about before). But with all the people parking there now, I'm not telling any more people. I would like to add that you better make it more successful than the god damn Starbucks (emphasis on the bucks) next door. It's just plain embarrassing.
Tikka Bowls and Tacos - I get the tikka. Tacos? Not so much. Let alone why the mash up. They sell bowls, burritos, naan tacos or salads. You choose a meat (chicken, steak, goat, fake chicken or paneer). Then a sauce and some toppings. They also have biryani, wings and dessert. I chose the chicken with tikka smoked curry sauce (spicy) on the naan (3). They make them look like fat tacos. But, they are naan. Industrial looking. Palm sized. I added some rice (two types), fresh jalapenos, cabbage, pico and sour cream. It cost $11. $1 for goat or steak. It was tasty. Everything was fresh. Good flavors. I just ate the stuff off the naan with a fork at home. Tried to save the naan for the next day. Scarfed it down after dinner. They had yummy sauce on them. Damn time change. You can have beans in lieu of sauce it seems. It must be a chain. The menu had a truncated list that included Dallas. Open for six weeks. Small footprint. A few tables. Order at a counter. They had a tortilla press looking thing that they were warming those and the naan with. Line went fast. Full house. Better than the Indian pizza chain. I guess around the same price as Chipotle (it has been a while). The whole Mexican inclusion must just be to ease dummies into Indian fast food. It barely draws on that culture. It is more of a West Indies experience than Indian. Better than I expected.
Gen Korean - Another that will be unrated. I just walked out. The idiot host was seating everyone by the kitchen and bathroom in an empty restaurant. After no one acknowledged me upon entering. For a restaurant at this stage of its life cycle, you can't still be making these blunders. I'm not surprised on the three times I have popped in that they are empty. Opened a few months ago.
Zen Dumpling - Another huge disappointment. They said the original in Duval. About as good as the Jags. I had some shrimp and pork dumplings to go for $12. Every non-wok item was fifty to one hundred percent (that's double) what it should be. The dumplings (6) were malformed. Seemed like only rubbery pork. Bad flavor. They have a window with guys making the dumplings. It seemed like they were being taught. I hope my order was a work shop. Of course the place was full. Looks ok. Lots of wicker. Grey and blue. Light wood tables. Rock mural. Steam baskets and rolling pins on the wall. Lots of waitresses. Probably needs more cooks. They also have tapas (you had to use a Spanish term), soup and bao. Small. Maybe fifteen tables. Opened recently.
*I tried to include the new pizza place on Pine (Nuri Tavern). They only do lunch on weekends. It looked great. More jeers to the I4 maintenance department. If there is one. I saw them sweeping the toll lanes. Regular side still looks third world. Great p.r. Orlando tourism commission! Let alone the danger/eye sore.
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