Orlando Home and Leisure December 2009 : Page 56
2009 SILVER SPOON AWARDS lima beans on the planet.” Service can be brusque, but in a family kind of way that puts you right at home. n Rocco’s Italian Grille Owner Rocco Potami has many faithful fol- lowers who come just for his crisp fritto misto alla Ligure, a rich sip of Barolo and a hug from front-of-house maven Silvana Madden, who keeps an eye on every table and never forgets a face. A new menu keeps the classics but pares down prices and adds half-orders of favorite pastas. Judges give high marks for the seafood. BeST WIne LIST n Jiko – The Cooking Place With the largest South African wine list in the U.S. and sophisticated cuisine to match, Jiko’s well-trained sommeliers can give you a taste of vintages you aren’t likely to find anywhere else and help pair with African- inspired tastes. No big commitments, as wonderful options are available by the glass. n Emeril’s With 12,000 bottles in the second-floor wine gallery, choosing the perfect match with Emeril’s New Orleans Cajun cuisine can be overwhelming, but the savvy som- meliers can ferret out the best. “I always appreciate and trust the recommenda- tions,” says a judge. We love sipping as we sit at the bar and watch the chefs work. n Vines Grille & Wine Bar Don’t let the unassuming location fool you, this little spot on busy Restaurant Row packs a big wow with its extensive wine list. And it’s a small-but-mighty menu – most of the fish is wild caught, steaks are cooked over charcoal, and it’s the only place in town we know of that serves Kobe beef cheese- burger with a schmear of foie gras. BeST eTHnIC n Bosphorus “The best eats on tony Park Avenue,” says one judge. Sidewalk tables are the prime seats for Turkish cuisine. Friends share with friends: hummus, baba ganoush (eggplant), falafel (fried chickpea fritters), and lamb, chicken and beef kebabs. Finish with thick, black Turkish coffee, a whole new experience for most of us. n Padrino’s Cuban Bistro “Cuban food, which had flagged in quality in recent years, is good again, thanks to Padri- no’s, Cuban Bistro” says a judge. Owners Mario and Nayade Padrino inherited the business from Mario’s father, who opened the first Padrino’s in Hialeah, Fla., in 1976 after the family emigrated from Cuba. Big families share around communal tables, couples sip mojitos in the tucked-away bar. This is lively nuevo Cubano cuisine. n Polonia “Authentic, unpretentious, much like eating in a Polish friend’s home,” says a judge. It’s all about the potato pancakes, borscht, stuffed cabbage and Reubens on incredible rye. With only about 30 seats, there’s often a line for home cooking at its finest, you can sip a cold Polish beer and browse the deli cases while you wait. WORTH A DRIVe n Bistro de Leon, St. Augustine The young owner is a fifth generation chef from Lyon, France, who came to the U.S. to open this little gem with his wife Valerie, a winemaker from the Domaine de la Fond Moiroux, France. It’s worth the drive just for his baguettes and brioche, but “don’t miss the French onion soup, pâté, quiche or any of the fabulous dinner entrées,” says a judge. n Flying Fish The drive is only to Disney World, but one of the judges remind us that it’s a schlep to Disney’s BoardWalk from just about anywhere. But the local are faithful followers of Chef Tim Keating’s American cuisine – another progressive chef who sources much of his seafood from Florida’s 56 ORLANDO HOME & LEISURE waters. The potato-wrapped red snapper is truly legendary. n Tonic, Indian Harbour Beach If you’re cruising down A1A, Tonic is several notches above ordinary beach eats. “It’s a lot closer than Miami’s South Beach, but the vibe is the same,” says a judge. A solid wine list, a kitchen that cooks with seasonal and organic produce and a well-run dining room are good enough reasons to hop in the car. That and the lobster beignets. eMeRGInG CHeF n Osaliqui Barruos, Café 118° Chef “Ossie” graduated in 2008 from Orlando Culinary Academy’s Le Cordon Bleu program, and now the 30-something is veering off in a new direction with Café 118°’s progressive “raw organics,” which means that no food is heated above 118° to preserve vitamins, enzymes and minerals. “No fryers, no heat,” he says with a smile, “I’m in love with this kitchen.” It’s a new chapter in eating out. n Jennifer Cappello, The Vineyard Wine Company, Lake Mary Young in years but hardly lacking experience, Jennifer Cappello took an untraditional path to the chef’s table. She majored in International Affairs in college and got a “straight” job, but found herself drawn to cooking, a love acquired in her mother’s Italian kitchen. After apprenticing in several local kitchens, she began working with Aaron Wysocki (who trained at Journeys under Bram Fowler) as a personal chef specializing in healthy fare. The Vineyard Wine Company opened earlier this year to rave reviews for its inventive Mediterranean-influenced cuisine: Pasta flights, delicate mini-crab cakes and the most delectable dry-aged bone-in ribeye you can imagine. n Richard Lendino, Stone’s Throw Bistro Sanford This 20-something “youngster” trained with Chef Louis Chatham (founder of venerable Chatham’s on Sand Lake Road), then spent two years in Manhattan honing his skills. This Sanford treasure is all his own, and you’ll find him there most days. We make the drive for his fried green tomato crab cakes with white wine hollandaise. DECEMBER 2009 PHOTOS: GREG JOHNSTON
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