Foodie Awards by Readers and Critic

[com_op_2000]

Some people love theme parks for the rides. Some for the shows. And while you can lay down some serious cash for not-so-haute cuisine like churros and turkey legs, there are some who love the parks for the food, and some of the best in Central Florida can be found around the attractions.

The Orlando Sentinel recently came out with their annual Foodie Award winners, and theme park and tourist corridor restaurants garnered plaudits from both Sentinel readers, who voted for their favorites in a variety of categories, but also Sentinel Food Editor Heather McPherson who chimed in with her top picks.

The Theme Park category, which is limited to restaurants within the turnstiles, had readers handing the honor over to Universal Orlando's Mythos restaurant, located in Islands of Adventure.

This is only the second year theme park restaurants have been broken out as their own category in the 14 years of Foodie Awards, and Mythos has taken the reader crown both years. Runner up from the readers this year was Le Cellier at the Canada Pavilion at Disney's Epcot.

Heather McPherson's choice for best restaurant is the relatively new Via Napoli, located in the Italy Pavilion at Epcot.

Other theme park restaurants popping up in the Foodie Awards include:
-- Boma -- Flavors of Africa, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, reader winner for Best African/Soul Food
-- Jiko -- The Cooking Place, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge, runner-up for Best African/Soul Food
-- Latin Quarter, Universal CityWalk, reader winner for Best Latin
-- Victoria & Albert's, Disney's Grand Floridian resort, critic's choice and reader runner-up for Best Romantic

Outside theme park property lines, but in the tourist corridor, the following venues made a showing:
-- Bull & Bear at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando on Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Critic's choice for Best Steakhouse, reader runner-up for Best Hotel restaurant
-- The Capital Grille on International Drive, Critic's choice for Best Wine List
-- Cedar's on W. Sand Lake Road, Critic's choice for Best Middle Eastern
-- Dragonfly Modern Izakaya & Sushi on W. Sand Lake Road, Critic's choice for Best Japanese
-- Greek Flame Taverna on Dr Phillips Blvd. (The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips), Both Reader and Critic's choice for Best Greek
-- The Oceanaire Seafood Room on International Drive, Critic's choice for Best Seafood
-- Spencer's for Steaks and Chops, The Hilton Orlando on Destination Parkway near the Convention Center, Critic's choice for Best Hotel Restaurant
-- Venetian Room, Caribe Royal Hotel on World Center Drive, Reader's choice for Most Romantic and Best Wine List, reader runner-up for Best Hotel restaurant
-- Villa de Flora at the Gaylord Palms in Kissimmee, Critic's choice for Best Brunch

 

[ksack]

Thank you for the info... We are considering a few of the Disney ones..

 

[Uncleromulus]

Jiko for African/Soul food????????
Via Napoli Best restaurant?????

I've learned long ago to take these surveys/critics choices with a grain of salt.

 

[North of Mouse]

Jiko for African/Soul food????????
Via Napoli Best restaurant?????

I've learned long ago to take these surveys/critics choices with a grain of salt.

My thoughts exactly Guess it's because they are human too and each has a different taste palate. So glad we can all try them for ourselves and make our own choices based on our food tastes and expectations

 

[tarheelmjfan]

-- Victoria & Albert's, Disney's Grand Floridian resort, critic's choice and reader runner-up for Best Romantic

Do you happen to know what the readers voted the most romantic restaurant ahead of V&A? My DH & I are always looking for romantic places.

Jiko for African/Soul food????????
Via Napoli Best restaurant?????

I've learned long ago to take these surveys/critics choices with a grain of salt.

I always question Mythos winning best Theme Park restaurant also. We've eaten at Mythos many times, & it is a good restaurant. We think Le Bistro & Hollywood Brown Derby (on most visits) are both better though. Mythos is more of a lunch place for us. The other two we go to for dinner.

 

[com_op_2000]

Do you happen to know what the readers voted the most romantic restaurant ahead of V&A? My DH & I are always looking for romantic places.

No I do not. Try searching the Orlando Sentinel web-site, you might find it. If not give them a call or e-mail the critic.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Jiko for African/Soul food????????
Via Napoli Best restaurant?????

I've learned long ago to take these surveys/critics choices with a grain of salt.

Just wondering what's wrong with Jiko being runner-up for best African food. I'm South African and have tasted a lot of African food, and Jiko does a very good job of showcasing African touches on the menu (plus, a lot of the food is creative and upscale). It's not 100% authentic, but most Disney restaurants aren't (such as Boma and Sanaa).

 

[ElizabethB]

The OP's post says that readers voted The Venetian Room at the Caribe Royal as the most romantic restaurant, ahead of V&A. Interestingly, they also voted it as best wine list. No doubt they have a nice one, but V&A's wine list is remarkable, too.

Far be it from me to question a South African on African food, but I felt like Uncle R when I read Jiko for African/Soul Food. Nothing at Jiko qualifies as Soul, so we can get that out of the way easily. As for the African side of things, well . . . some appetizers seem to me to have something of an African flair and perhaps 1-2 entrees. Of course, there is nothing African whatsoever about the meal many people rave about -- filet on mac & cheese!

As for Mythos, we dined there recently and it was very tasty. In-theme-park dining is a rather difficult category, really. As another poster indicated, Mythos only serves lunch, Bistro de Paris only serves dinner, and Le Cellier serves both. I really don't know how to judge all of those in the same category.

Also, I hardly know what to say when someone rates Via Napoli as best restaurant . . . other than . . . okay, whatever.

Very good restaurants that weren't mentioned in the OP's summary (but perhaps they are mentioned in the article): Il Mulino, Shula's, Bice, Mama Della's, Emeril's, Tchoup Chop, Citrico's.

 

[TDC Nala]

I always question Mythos winning best Theme Park restaurant also. We've eaten at Mythos many times, & it is a good restaurant. We think Le Bistro & Hollywood Brown Derby (on most visits) are both better though. Mythos is more of a lunch place for us. The other two we go to for dinner.

A couple of years ago I reviewed all the restaurants I visited on a long trip, at both Disney and Universal. Mythos was the least impressive of all of them. scoring below all the Disney restaurants. I'm still annoyed with them for putting parmesan fries on the menu at an upcharge and then serving french fries with a little canned Parmesan cheese, the kind you get in the shaker can at the grocery store. My friend got a shrimp salad that was beautiful but she said it had no flavor whatsoever. I'd been there before and it had always been good, haven't been back there since the parmesan fries.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Far be it from me to question a South African on African food, but I felt like Uncle R when I read Jiko for African/Soul Food. Nothing at Jiko qualifies as Soul, so we can get that out of the way easily. As for the African side of things, well . . . some appetizers seem to me to have something of an African flair and perhaps 1-2 entrees. Of course, there is nothing African whatsoever about the meal many people rave about -- filet on mac & cheese!

Have you ever watched the Golden Globes? Each year, a film wins "Best Comedy/Musical," even if it might be an unfunny musical, or a non-musical comedy. In this case, Jiko covers the African portion quite well. I would know - I recognize a lot of the flavors from tasting them in South Africa often.

Also, the filet with mac and cheese is no longer on the menu. It doesn't surprise me how so many people insist on ordering it, but Jiko has done what it can to step away from American comfort food.