Don’t pay much attention to the cafe designation. This is mainly a nightclub with elaborate (and good) entertainment. You basically come here for the show and to have drinks. The food might help alleviate the affects of the latter.

Marlow’s Tavern is now open at Pointe Orlando. Marlow’s is a “neighborhood pub” that has heretofore occupied only Georgia neighborhoods. The Pointe restaurant is the first outside that state and the company’s tenth.

The burgers were most impressive. Big, thick patties on fresh buns with good-quality toppings. I sampled the black and blue burger, with gorgonzola and applewood smoked bacon (I get the blue part with the cheese but I’m not sure the bacon qualifies as black). I also tried the “everything and the kitchen sink” burger, which, thankfully, does not contain any porcelain or stainless steel. It did have bacon, caramelized onions and crispy onions, wild mushrooms, cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce and chipotle barbecue sauce. They were served with hand-cut fries, and I think they represented a good value at $11 and $12 respectively.

It’s an assemblage restaurant –choose a platform, a protein and toppings. But the twist is that it features Mexican and Mediterranean options, so you can make all the wrong choices in two different cuisines.

Central Florida finally gets another chance to experience the wonderful world of Ethiopian cuisine. Don’t blow it this time! Wash your hands – you’ll be eating with them – and order an array of wat to sample. What? No, wat. It’s a sort of stew, and wats are the most common dishes in an Ethiopian restaurant. These might include variations of beef or chicken, but pork is never served. There are a few seafood selections on Nile’s menu, but Ethiopia is a landlocked country and seafood dishes are not common. Vegetarian wat versions feature lentils or split peas. Ethiopian restaurants are wonderful places for vegetarians to dine as meatless meals are a big part of the country’s cultural heritage. If you feel lost, ask one of your gracious hosts to guide you.

Coffee is Ethiopia’s top commodity and the coffee ceremony is a big part of a traditional meal. The coffee service area occupies a space in the front of the dining room. The whole beans are roasted in a small metal saucepan while incense burns nearby. When the beans are roasted the pan is brought to the table and waved about so the guests can enjoy the aroma. Once the beans are ground and brewed, the coffee is poured from a clay pot, called a jebena, into small handleless cups. It’s a very strong brew with a chewy texture and an aroma that is earthy and slightly charred. Desserts are not a part of a traditional Ethiopian menu.

The promise of a good seafood restaurant has sailed into Central Florida aboard The Oceanaire. The Oceanaire Seafood Room is meant to take you back in time, with its interior that suggests a 1930s ocean liner.
Sample some of the fresh fish selections after you enjoy the crab cake appetizer. On one visit, my companion had the wahoo, or ono, a mild fish similar to the mackerel. On another visit, there was a monkfish from Georges Bank. It had the characteristic texture that mimics lobster meat but was a thick steak cut with the center cord intact. Not the prettiest presentation, but quite good.
It’s a bit pricey, but quality is worth paying for.
The Oceanaire brand was recently purchased by the Landry’s Seafood organization, but so far it seems the quality is being maintained.

This New York-based chain has shown some improvement in recent years and can now hold its own among the area’s high-end steakhouses. The meat is masterfully prepared — my New York strip was perfect. Whatever you have as your main course, be sure to get the au gratin potatoes for a side dish. These are so gooey and thick you may not notice there are potatoes included.

It certainly looks like an authentic British pub, albeit one that is about five times the average size. The British fare is fine — shepherd’s pie had some nontraditional cheese on top, but otherwise pretty good. Guests can tap their own beers from a wall of select brews using a prepaid card that meters the flow. (Gimmick)

Senor Frog’s is owned by Grupo Anderson, a restaurant group out of Mexico that also owns Carlos’n Charlies’, which made a brief appearance a couple of years ago in Lake Mary. Most of the company’s restaurants are in Mexico, but a few are scattered in the Caribbean and in the U.S. They tend to target tourist spots, hence the new location on International Drive. Some question the appropriateness of an establishment known more as a watering hole than a restaurant, given that Orlando is known more as a family destination. But its proximity to the convention center and the surrounding hotels means that it will be on the radar of plenty of adults looking for out-of-town fun, so it should do well there. Not that it should. At least not for the quality of its food. I won’t be surprising anyone by saying that food is not its forte. But I certainly recommend that you do order copious amounts of items from the menu if you visit on one of the rowdier evenings, if for no other reason than to fill your stomach with something that will help sop up any alcohol someone happens to squirt into your mouth.

Tourist World version of the touristy Key West original.

The full name is Spencer’s for Steaks & Chops, but that’s a bit limiting. Spencer’s is a terrific all-around restaurant. Be sure to try the crab cakes and fried poached egg appetizers. Steaks are first rate, but so is the double-cut lamb chop and king salmon (served under a glass dome filled with smoke). Although Spencer’s is located inside a hotel next to the Convention Center, this is a restaurant worthy of local attention. The decor is upscale casual, and a meal here is a relaxing evening.