I travel at least once a month and find that most of my destinations there is no shortage of interesting places to eat.
The one city that really put me at a loss was Orlando, which seems singularly focused on the Disney World crowd. There are plenty of “high end” restaurants in Orlando, but going to Emerils or Tim Keating’s (of Quattro in Houston) Flying Fish Cafe seemed like a really bad idea. Keating may be a great chef, but what if all of his dishes are served with Mickey Mouse ears because his restaurant is located in the Disney’s Boardwalk Resort? No thanks.
I tried reading the local press for guidance, but they were most impressed with Seasons 52, owned by the people who brought you the Olive Garden, Red Lobster and Bahama Breeze. I can suspend disbelief, but there are limits to everything.
The first night I ended up at Hue Restaurant, which was packed with boisterous young professionals drinking, watching sports on large television sets and consuming large amounts of dull pan Asian food that’s all the rage these days. Rattan Bistro, in Houston, comes to mind as a comparison. I was beginning to think the trip was a complete loss.
Then things suddenly improved. I found Hanamizuki almost by chance on some random mailing list, which gave me little comfort. But the web site had virtually no English on it, so at the very least it seemed like they didn’t give a damn about Disney.
Hanamizuki is not a high end restaurant, nor does it build it’s business around a bar, but it does have very solid sushi chefs and great fish. I ordered an omakase, so I didn’t get a good look at the menu, but the place seems to cater primarily to Japanese crowd and a few locals in the know.
The fish at Hanamizuki is of very high quality. Not the transcendent stuff you find in the best Japanese restaurants, but better than vast majority of sushi places. Best things I sampled was supremely fresh aji, which was at the peak of the season at the time, and ankimo (monkfish liver).
So, if you are at Disney World and find yourself looking for something to eat, Hanamizuki is a good option. You could certainly do worse.
We have reservations at Victoria’s and Albert’s in September. Hopefully the food with be worth the cost which generally doesn’t seem to be the case on the Disney Property. We made our reservations too late to get seats at the chef’s table so hopefully the Prix Fixe menu with pairings will be up to the hype.
If this shows up twice, please delete one so I don’t embarrass myself…
I’d love to hear how that works out. I might have to head out to Orlando again in March. I came across Victoria and Alberts, but it didn’t seem like a sure thing, so I stayed away.
When I went to Disney four years ago, Victoria and Albert’s was an overpriced disappointment. No innovation. Uninspired food.
The California Grill, however, was outstanding. We ate there 2 or 3 times. The food was innovative sushi/contemporary American fusion. The tasting menu was fantastic.
For quality and creativity, the Flying Fish was a few steps below the Californa Grill. But that was pre-Keating. I wonder how much freedom Disney has given a creative chef like him. My experiences at California Grill suggests that they would give quite a bit.
I am being forced to go Orlando again next year. Sounds like California Grill might be a worth visiting. Thanks.