Dining outside of Disney

[snarlingcoyote]

Let me preface this - I tried Disney food when I was at Disney this past fall. I did Boma, Spoodles and the Steakhouse at the Yacht Club. My report back was "Nice restaurants. V. boring food." This information in hand, we decided to eat off property. (DH insists on driving to Disney.)

Noting that we are really looking to enjoy fun, good cuisine, preferably things we can't get at home, any reccomendations? I've been cruising Tripadvisor.com and have made up a list of places for my GPS, but would like to hear any advice ya'll have. I found out there's a Vietnamese/French restaurants, so that's totally on the list ,and an Ethopian restaurant (I eat Ethopian any chance I get) and several well-reviewed tapas restaurants. Anything "off the grid" so to speak? I was hoping for something Cuban, but apparently Orlando doesn't have that much.

Ideas?

 

[acm563]

Since you mentioned Cuban food I will ask if you tried Bongos at DTD? I wasnt impressed, but then again I do not like Cuban food for the most part... I enjoyed the atmosphere tho...
I normally stay on site and so I cannot be of much assistance with restaurants off site and while I have to agree that some of the food is boring at Disney I have to say that there are a lot of different choices that maybe you have not tried in The World Showcase and I have yet to find a restaurant there that did not meet expectations. Also, Fultons Crab House at DTD offers an excellent selection if you like seafood! They have some of the best Lobster I have ever had.... Ohanas at the Polynesian is also one of our favorites.

 

[nurse.darcy]

Since you mentioned Cuban food I will ask if you tried Bongos at DTD? I wasnt impressed, but then again I do not like Cuban food for the most part... I enjoyed the atmosphere tho...
I normally stay on site and so I cannot be of much assistance with restaurants off site and while I have to agree that some of the food is boring at Disney I have to say that there are a lot of different choices that maybe you have not tried in The World Showcase and I have yet to find a restaurant there that did not meet expectations. Also, Fultons Crab House at DTD offers an excellent selection if you like seafood! They have some of the best Lobster I have ever had.... Ohanas at the Polynesian is also one of our favorites.

Fultons is definitely one of my faves. As far as cuban cuisine, Bongos is not wonderful. Its good, but not wonderful. I was married to a cuban for a while and ate some of the best homemade cuban food ever. I love Bistro, and Brown Derby is always great for their famous cobb salad. If you like ethnic, then off property is definitely a better choice. I don't have any suggestions in Orlando as I have only ever been to WDW there. Good luck with the research.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

And I rarely get Cuban. My best encounters on the road have all been on the reccomendation of locals.

My company does have a branch in Orlando. I strongly suspect I'll be e-mailing the branch manager for advice. . .

 

[yarlenna]

If you want some good French food - Le Coq Au Vin on South Orange Ave is the best for my money. It is not at all like Dinsey - and it is NOT near by. But if you want to find some good food in the Orlando area, it is worth it to get out to where the locals (like me) eat.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I'll add La Coq Au Vin to my list!

Where do you eat, Yarlenna? What's good and local? I love down home, local cuisine, and I don't mind going off the beaten path.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I've now been told that Black Bean Cafe and Habana Grill have good Cuban. (Black Bean is considered a hair better, apparently, but has no sit-down. Habana does.) Any truth to this?

 

[yarlenna]

I'll add La Coq Au Vin to my list!

Where do you eat, Yarlenna? What's good and local? I love down home, local cuisine, and I don't mind going off the beaten path.

I live in Apopka - down home, local cuisine is at The Catfish Place. It is not healthy food, but YUM. Tell me what kind of food you want to find, I'll try to find it for you. Yes, I am a foodie. Oh, and mention how far you would like to travel. Orlando is spread out.