recently reviewed EDITED BY JESSICA BRYCE YOUNG
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The price range generally reflects the average cost of one dinner entree. Bakeries, ice cream shops, etc. reflect relative cost for one person. Search hundreds more reviews at orlandoweekly.com
Antonio’s ristorAnte This Maitland mainstay has been around for nearly three decades but it’s better than ever, thanks to creative and artistically plated dishes courtesy of executive chef Patrick Tramontana. Long-stem artichokes wrapped in crispy prosciutto and stuffed with goat cheese are as magnificent to eat as they are to behold. Entrée masterpieces include the braised lamb shank served with Parmesansweet pea risotto and oak wood-grilled mutton snapper with mushroom risotto and basil-pesto crème fraîche. Be sure to stop by the downstairs gourmet market on your way out. 611 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, 407-645-5523; $$$
BBB tofu House Soondubu, the fiery Korean soup of pillowy silken tofu, is BBB’s raison d’etre, and you won’t find a better bowl of it anywhere else in the city. Reddened and rippling with fumes from chili powder and paste, the heady broth is simply magical. Seven soups ranging from “original beef” to seafood to kimchi are offered, though ordering any of their combo meals (you’ll do well to get the galbi) will score you a bowl of the house soondubu with shrimp, clams and squid. Don’t overlook the bibimbap or the Korean seafood pancake – both are spectacular. Desserts aren’t offered, but a menu expansion is in the works. Closed Wednesdays. 5140 W. Colonial Drive, 407-723-8299; $$
tHe smiling Bison Orlandoans have been migrating north for a taste of the Smiling Bison’s stellar fare ever since the Bennett Road location shuttered last year. It’s a beautiful space with some beautiful dishes being rendered by chef-owner Josh Oakley. The bison burger, duck-lovers pizza, and house-made sausages are all can’t-miss items, but comfort can be found in the chicken pot pie, Cincinnati 5-Way, and grouper cheeks served in a buttery New England roll. Creative quaffs play right into Sanford’s rep as a cocktail town. Closed Sundays and Mondays. 107 S. Magnolia Ave., Sanford, 407-915-6086; $$$
sHirAz mArket Some mighty fine kebabs can be had at this Persian market and eatery in
Longwood. Of note are ground beef koobideh kebabs, chicken kebabs fashioned from thigh and breast meat, and ghormeh sabzi, an herbaceous stew. Peruse the shelves of spices, oils and pickles, then make your way to the freezers for frozen desserts, cheeses and beverages while you wait. A display case of sweets is hard to overlook – grab a few Persian cream puffs to take home. Open daily. 185 S. Ronald Reagan Blvd., Longwood, 407-951-8084; $
teAk neigHBorHood grill mAitlAnd
The Maitland outpost offers a menu identical to the MetroWest original, though execution here needs a bit of work. Still, you can gorge on a wide selection of hefty burgers, including such monstrosities as the cronut burger with a half-pound of meat and maple-pepper bacon, or the “Teak Challenge” – a twopounder with 27 slices of cheese, 24 slices of bacon and so much more. Open daily. 901 S. Orlando Ave., Maitland, 407-3354835; $$
AJ’s Press
You’ll be, ahem, hard-pressed to find a better sandwich than the ones served up at the Longwood outpost of Tampa’s AJ’s Press. Mexican bolillo and telera rolls are weighty enough to hold the porky mélange of smoky ham, smokier Cantimpalo chorizo, and slow-roasted pork in the Cuban; a less filling ham and cheese option is just as solid. Our fave: a beer-braised brisket sammie with pickled jalapenos. Be like Elvis and end with a sticky-goopy sandwich of bourbon caramelized bananas and peanut butter. Closed Sundays. 182 W. State Road 434, Longwood, 407-790-7020; $$
muddy WAters
Cajun and Crescent City eats come to South Eola thanks to Bernard Caramouche and Larry Sinibaldi of Two Chefs fame. From the gumbo to the smoked trout beignets, the food here is nomworthy of NOLA. Po’boys are fashioned from bread shipped in from Gambino’s in Metairie (get ’em with a side of chicken and sausage jambalaya); the shrimp and grits are damn-near perfect; and the Cedar Key clams in a white wine sauce with pancetta are worth getting extra bread for. The banana bread pudding will put you under its spell. Open daily. 101 S. Eola Drive, 407-843-9676; $$
orAnge county BreWers/orlAndo PizzA And Wing co.
The downtown core’s sole craft brewery sets the bar high with a nice selection of beers (try the Green Tea IPA and Perculator Milk Stout) alongside a worthy offering of Neapolitan-style pizzas and some of the best smoked jumbo chicken wings offered in the city. Open daily. 131 N. Orange Ave., 407-914-2831; $$ n
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DEC. 13-19, 2017 ● orlAndo Weekly
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