Global Grub
The Epcot International Food and Wine Festival is a melting pot of cuisines. But be sure to venture outside of Disney’s domain to discover Orlando’s indigenous selection of savory ethnic cuisines.
Hanamizuki
© Ricky Ly / TastyChomps.com
JAPAN
Hanamizuki
8255 International Dr, Suite 136; 407-363-7200; hanamizuki.us
Its strip mall setting on Orlando’s main tourist drag, International Drive, is in stark contrast to this restaurant’s authentic Kyotostyle dining. With all its traditional options — sushi standards, homemade udon noodles, Agedashi (a hot tofu appetizer) and exotic offerings like grated yam with sea urchin — this eatery transports diners from the Sunshine State to the Land of the Rising Sun.
MOROCCAN
Kabbab House
2423 S Hiawassee Rd; 407-704-7830; kabbabhouse.com
Hailing from Rabat, Morocco, the owners of this MetroWest restaurant serve up specialties like lamb tajine — lamb shank, prunes and a mix of spices called ras-alhanout — that are served in traditional conical dishes. Moroccan lanterns and sofas decorate the interior, giving patrons a full-fledged Moorish dining experience.
GERMAN
Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café
205 E First St, #C-D; 407-321-2204; willowtreecafe.com
This family-owned German restaurant in Sanford, kitted out with cuckoo clocks and alpine paintings, specializes in Bavarian comfort food like wienerschnitzel and sauerbraten in gemütliche (read: cozy) surroundings. Sit on the outdoor terrace and enjoy one of 50 German wines and beers on offer. There’s even live German folk music on weekend nights.
VIETNAMESE
Lac Viet
2021 E Colonial Dr; 407-228-4000; lacvietbistro.com
The city’s Little Vietnam district near downtown brims with authentic pho restaurants, and of all of them, Lac Viet is the best. Its welcoming atmosphere, bright Vietnamese paintings and tasty eats like bo tai me — thin tamarind-cured beef slices dressed with basil and crushed peanuts — are sure to have you coming back for more.
FRENCH
Le Coq au Vin
4800 S Orange Ave; 407-851-6980; lecoqauvinrestaurant.com
Sample tarte a’loignon and Florida frog legs in French Country surroundings at this local standard. Chef Louis Perrotte caters to homesick Frenchies and Francophiles in need of a cuisine fix. The restaurant’s namesake dish, the coq au vin (chicken cooked with wine and mushrooms) is exquisite.
LEBANESE
Cedar’s Restaurant
7732 W Sand Lake Rd; 407-351-6000; orlandocedars.com
Restaurant Row on Sandlake Road is littered with dining options. Hidden among them is this white-tablecloth Lebanese restaurant with a large outdoor terrace. Here, the pita bread is baked in a wood-fired oven and the hummus comes just like you’d get it in Beirut — with a sheet of pure olive oil coating the top. Try the kibbeh balls (cracked wheat) cooked in yogurt with garlic and cilantro.
MEXICAN
Beto’s Mexican Food
7135 S Orange Blossom Tr; 407859-7030
This adobe-style restaurant sits on one of Orlando’s least appealing stretches of highway. Don’t let its looks or location deceive you. Beto’s Mexican food is as authentic as anything in the Distrito Federal. What the place lacks in atmosphere it makes up for in sheer taste, with to-diefor tacos, breakfast burritos and combo platters at muy barato prices.
SMALL WORLD, BIG APPETITE
Epcot Food and Wine Festival By The Numbers
45 days in the festival
6 Continents whose cuisine is represented
250+ chefs
18 Concerts
29 INTERNATIONAL MARKETPLACES
123 Wine seminars
Epcot International Food & Wine Festival • At Epcot • Through Nov. 13 • www.disneyworld.disney.go.com
Reader Comments
- There are no comments posted yet. Be the first one!
