Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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The restaurant has a romantic indoor dining room lit by hurricane lamps, and the
wooden deck overlooks a waterfall. Several smaller rooms add to the intimate atmo-
sphere, and the tall picture windows allow for plenty of natural light and some beautiful
views. Several of the restaurant's dishes are displayed in a glass case near the entry, so if
you have any questions, the chefs are there to answer. Highlights include the beer-bat-
tered coconut shrimp with horseradish sauce and orange marmalade, the lobster-crusted
sea bass, or the blackened mahimahi with Cajun tartar sauce. The wine list is decent, but
to stay in the spirit of the experience order the
Papa Dobles,
a potent rum concoction
invented by Hemingway, who, according to legend, once downed 16 at one sitting! It's
usually pretty child-free here, though there is a kids' menu.
1 Grand Cypress Blvd., in the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress Resort.
&
407/239-3854.
www.hyattgrand
cypress.com. Reservations recommended. Main courses $25-$42. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6-10pm.
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.
Mikado Japanese Steakhouse
JAPANESE This restaurant offers a tastier
meal and a more intimate atmosphere than the other Japanese steakhouses in the area.
The sushi menu is one of the area's best, as is its
teppanyaki.
Here the chefs slice, dice,
and send the occasional piece of chicken, seafood, and beef from their grill to your plate,
and the chef 's addition of a few extra special spices make it the best
teppanyaki
in the
area. Shoji screens lend intimacy to a dining area where windows overlook rock gardens,
reflecting pools, and a palm-fringed pond. Sake, from the restaurant lounge, is the rec-
ommended mood enhancer.
8701 World Center Dr. (off Hwy. 536), in Marriott's Orlando World Center.
&
407/239-4200.
Reservations
recommended. Main courses $16-$37. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 6-10pm. Free self- and validated valet
parking. Take I-4 exit 67/Hwy. 536 east to the Marriott World Center.
Moderate
The Crab House
SEAFOOD Even if it is a chain, this casual restaurant offers a good
variety of seafood (and a handful of options for landlubbers) at satisfactory prices. The
all-you-can-eat seafood and salad bar is great for those who like variety; it has lots of tasty
dishes. The regular menu features a variety of fish dishes, seafood, Maine lobster, and, of
course, crabs—from Alaskan and king to Maryland blue. The service is friendly and
relatively prompt. Fishing gear and lobster traps are spread about the casual dining room,
strands of lights are strewn across exposed ceilings, and brown paper (good for kids to
draw on) lines the tables.
Note:
The chain has several other branches in the Orlando
area.
8496 Palm Pkwy. (just off Apopka-Vineland across and up from Hotel Plaza Blvd.).
&
407/239-1888.
www.crabhouseseafood.com. Reservations accepted. Lunch $9-$22; dinner $14-$32; lobster varies
according to market. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Daily 11:30am-11pm. Free self-parking. Take I-4 to exit 68 (Hwy.
535/Apopka-Vineland), turn right, follow past the Crossroads to Palm Pkwy., turn right. The restaurant is
back a bit on the right.
Inexpensive
Romano's Macaroni Grill
Value
NORTHERN ITALIAN Though it's part of a
multistate chain, Romano's has the down-to-earth cheerfulness of a mom-and-pop joint.
The laid-back atmosphere makes it a good place for families or those looking for a casual
dinner at a good price. The menu offers thin-crust pizzas made in a wood-burning oven
and topped with such items as barbecued chicken. The grilled chicken portobello (sim-
mering between smoked mozzarella and spinach orzo pasta) alone is worth a visit.
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