One of Darden Restaurants’ most recent acquisitions, and easily their most upscale. The steaks here are very good, and the service is attentive if not downright solicitous. I had the Delmonico, basically a bone-in ribeye, that was had a flavorful, well-seasoned crust and beautiful red center. The higher fat content of the cut made it juicy and tender. My companion chose the Kansas City sirloin, offered as a special on the night I visited. Also a bone-in cut, the steak had a characteristically coarser texture but was cooked just as perfectly as the other and was every bit as flavorful.
Atmosphere is clubby and posh.
Monday meals
Capital Grille
Address
City
Phone
Price
Pointe Orlando
Orlando
407-370-4392
$$$$
Capone’s Coal Fired Pizza
Address
City
Phone
Price
3216 Margaritaville Blvd.
Kissimmee
407-893-2625
$$
Part of the Promenade at Sunset Walk entertainment and dining complex, Capone’s is a second location of a Ft. Myers restaurant. Pizza is definitely a must here, though the meatball appetizer is pretty good, too.
Castle Irish Pub and Restaurant
Address
City
Phone
Price
2625 Edgewater Drive
Orlando
407-270-8101
$$
The new pub is owned by a family, the Hoynes, from southeast Ireland’s Kilkenny County. Kilkenny Castle is the fortress referenced in the name.
Chatham’s Place
Address
City
Phone
Price
7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd.
Orlando
407-345-2992
$$$$
Chatham’s Place has gone through some changes, and much more than the fact that there are no members of the Chatham family involved in the restaurant. That’s not an issue; Louis Chatham, who served as executive chef, and his mother, Bettye, who ran the dining room in those first years, sold the operation years ago to Chatham’s sous chef, Tony Lopez, the maitre d’, Maurice Colindres, and a hostess, Carol Conwell. The three of them kept it going as strong as ever, perhaps stronger. It was clear that this was an operation of love for the three of them, and they worked together to make it a continued success.
Many of the dishes that became signatures back in Louis Chatham’s days remain on the menu, including the Florida black grouper, which has been one of my favorite Central Florida entrees for many years. It features a fresh fillet, thick and white, lightly sauteed and topped with pecan butter and scallions, dusted with just a soupcon of cayenne pepper. The pecan butter places the dish firmly in the south and the pepper points it towards New Orleans. But with the use of Florida black grouper I think we can just claim this one as one of our native dishes, don’t you?
Chēba Hut
Address
City
Phone
Price
12100 E. Colonial Drive
Orlando
407-250-4120
$
Although it is pot themed the food contains no THC or CBD. But the sandwiches are good anyway.
Chez Vincent
Address
City
Phone
Price
533 W. New England Ave.
Winter Park
407-599-2929
$$$
Chez Vincent continues to serve classic French dishes in pleasant, if slightly worn, surroundings. Chef/owner Vincent Gagliano is a master with soup, and the coquille St. Jacques is one of the better seafood entrees. Steak au poivre is a good choice for a meat dish.
Chez Vincent’s waiters are mature and professional. I mention the maturity because it’s a welcome change from the working-my-way-through-college servers who seem to dominate the Winter Park restaurant scene. The waiters here allow the guests to dictate the pace of the meal.
If Chez Vincent has survived over the years it’s because there is an appreciation among Central Florida diners for a quiet place to enjoy a good, classically prepared meal.
If that’s true, there’s hope for aspiring restaurateurs out there, and, not incidentally, for all of us who will support them.
Chianti’s Pizza & Pasta
Address
City
Phone
Price
685 Towne Center Blvd.
Sanford
407-878-5900
$$
There’s nothing special about the atmosphere, but the food is very good, and the service is sincere. I liked my lobster ravioli, and the “Big Meat” pizza was good, too, although it could have used a bit more of the big meats. There is a second location in Longwood.
Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster
Address
City
Phone
Price
729 Lee Road
Orlando
407-645-4443
$$$$
As those who have lived in the area longer than five years know, Christner’s was originally known as Del Frisco’s Prime Steak & Lobster. It was not part of the Del Frisco’s Double Eagle chain, though both had the same origin. Long story short, now in operation for more than 25 years and one of the best steakhouses in Orlando.
Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen
Address
City
Phone
Price
6967 Lake Nona Blvd.
Orlando
407-955-4340
$$
Another Lake Nona dining choice from Tavistock. Most items are “small plates” to encourage sharing. The lamb sliders are a standout. Note that service doesn’t begin until 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Chuan Fu
Address
City
Phone
Price
1035 N. Orlando Avenue
Winter Park
321-972-3606
$$
It’s easy to overorder at Chuan Fu, the new restaurant from the owners of Chuan Lu Garden. The menu – which is maddeningly unstructured – is a many-paged picturebook of enticing items. But the photos can’t really indicate just how delicious the food is, nor do they show proper scale – the portions are more than generous.