It’s been a busy year for Central Florida restaurants, with dozens of openings, not as many closings and all sorts of newsy tids and bits. The “flog” (Scott Joseph’s Orlando Restaurant Guide food blog) published 425 articles this year. More than 100 of them were restaurant reviews, and half of those I shared with you on 90.7 WMFE.
Here are some highlights.
Notable Openings:
Maria & Enzo’s, Enzo’s Hideaway, The Edison, Terralina Crafted Italian, Chicken Guy, and Wine Bar George – they all helped to keep Disney Springs the center of high-profile restaurant openings
The Hangry Bison – New Winter Park Villager with killer burgers and cocktails
The Glass Knife – Upscale cakery
Claddagh Cottage Irish Pub – Long-awaited rebirth of the popular pub in the unofficially designated Hourglass District
Taste of Chengdu – Hot, hot, hot…and I don’t mean just in popularity
Inay’s Kitchen – Filipino food served by nice people
Meza – Cafe Annie fans rejoiced when the owner reopened this Mediterranean restaurant in Baldwin Park
Selam Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine – Wash your hands and try out this latest African restaurant
Muzzarella Pizza and Italian Kitchen – All locals pizzerias should be on notice: the pizza game is on!
Notable Closings:
Cafe Madrid
Carmel Kitchen Wine Bar
Winnie’s Oriental Garden (which, in its 23 years, never seemed to have macadamia nuts in its Macadamia Nut Shrimp dish)
Bauern-Stube German Restaurant, after a three-decade run
And last but not least, Emeril’s Orlando, which went out with a whimper…not a “bam.”
This critic’s Foodie Wish List for 2019:
1. Let’s find something other than street food for a restaurant concept.
2. Does everything have to be a taco?
For 2019, we already have numerous restaurants lining up for your approval. We’ll start with them next week.