Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
158
1490 Buena Vista Dr., at Disney's West Side, beneath water tower.
&
407/934-2583.
www.hob.com.
Reservations not accepted (except brunch). Main courses $10-$27; pizza and sandwiches $9-$11;
brunch $33 adults, $16 children 3-9. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am-2am; brunch 10:30am and 1pm.
Free self-parking.
Wolfgang Puck Grand Café
CALIFORNIAN The wait can be distressing, but
the energized atmosphere and eclectic mix of menu choices make it worth the effort. In
the more casual downstairs cafe, colorful tiles accent practically everything, and an eye-
catching exhibition kitchen allows you to watch as your food is prepared. A favorite stop
is the sushi bar, an artistic copper-and-terrazzo masterpiece that delivers some of the best
sushi in Orlando. The upstairs, with tables that are available only with Advance Reserva-
tions, offers a more refined atmosphere and a separate menu to match. The seasonally
changing menu might feature braised duck pappardelle with oven-roasted tomatoes,
blanched garlic, thyme and a duck stock reduction; or shrimp garganelli sautéed with
garlic, shrimp stock, tomato sauce, and tossed with baby arugula, tomato confit, and
garganelli pasta. Desserts include a triple chocolate mousse tower with chocolate gelato,
a chocolate phantom cookie, and a fudge brownie (a chocolate lover's dream come true).
Puck's is noisy, making conversation difficult no matter which level you choose.
Note:
If
you're in a hurry or on the go, you'll find a Wolfgang Puck Express, offering sandwiches,
pizzas, desserts, and more, at both the Westside and Marketplace.
1482 Buena Vista Dr., at Disney's West Side.
&
407/938-9653.
www.wolfgangpuck.com or www.levy
restaurants.com. Reservations not accepted on lower level; Advance Reservations recommended for
upstairs dining room. Main courses upstairs $22-$38; main courses cafe $18-$27; pizza and sushi $13-
$16; Express $9-$15. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11am-1am. Free self-parking.
ELSEWHERE IN LAKE BUENA VISTA
Very Expensive
La Coquina
INTERNATIONAL Expect an imaginative menu from the most
acclaimed of the Hyatt Regency's five restaurants. The
Chef 's Table
, available Thursday
through Saturday evenings (seasonally Sept-June), allows guests the unique experience of
dining right in the kitchen (completely transformed by ambient lighting and a chic
contemporary decor into an intimate and upscale private dining room). Guests are
invited and encouraged to come right into the exhibition kitchen as their dinner is pre-
pared. Chef Orlando personally brings each of the five tantalizing courses to your table.
You might find roasted veal tenderloin, seared ahi tuna with black pepper, buffalo ten-
derloin, and red pepper-marinated duck on the menu. A personalized menu signed by
the chef and a Grand Cypress apron are given to each guest at the end of the experience.
Even at $95 per person (or $135 with wine pairing), this unique dining experience is well
worth the splurge. Make the very-hard-to-obtain reservations for this ultrapopular expe-
rience as far in advance as possible. The Sunday brunch (Sept-June) also allows diners to
try out the intimate setting of the kitchen, though most opt to sit in the main dining
room.
1 Grand Cypress Blvd., in the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort.
&
407/239-3853.
www.grand
cypress.com. Reservations recommended. Jackets suggested for men. Chef's table $95; Sun brunch $59
($65 holidays), $30 for children; no kids' menu. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Thurs-Sat 6:30-10pm; Sun brunch
10:30am-2pm. Free self- and validated valet parking. Take I-4 exit 68, Hwy. 535/Apopka-Vineland Rd.,
north to Winter Garden-Vineland Rd./Hwy. 535, and then left.
Expensive
Hemingway's
SEAFOOD The interior of Hemingway's has an upscale Key
West air, and the walls are hung with sepia photos of the author and his fishing trophies.
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