The last time I reviewed the Boheme, the restaurant in the Grand Bohemian Orlando, I called it “one of downtown Orlando’s best restaurants.” If I were to make that claim today – and I don’t intend to – it would be with an asterisk for how few restaurants there are in downtown.
At least restaurants of the calibre that Boheme wants to be – full service, yes, but a bit more upscale. It is that, though with a recent renovation and complete redo of the space’s decor, tablecloths that added a bit of upscalability have been removed. On the plus side, it no longer looks like a French cathouse, with flaming reds replaced by warmer blues. (The many works of art that adorned the walls have been replaced by decorative mirrors.)
It just seems like Boheme isn’t really trying. The food on a recent visit was fine, though at the prices it demands – $38 to $66, not counting the $225 Tomahawk Experience – it should have been better.
Like most of the other people dining there, I timed my dinner with friends ahead of an event at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Its proximity to the center – across the street – makes the Boheme a logical choice for those wishing to make a dinner-and-a-show night of it. Maybe that’s why it’s not trying very hard.
I must say the roasted seabass ($46) was quite good. The cube of fish was nicely browned with a seared crust but moist and flaky flesh. The fillet was presented atop a hash made with butternut squash and bits of andouille sausage.
The braised lamb rigatoni, on the other hand, was bland and boring. The bits of meat and ample amount of pasta were tossed with pearl onions and a few peas and served with a smear of pureed feta cheese for a reason I cannot figure. (With the white cheese on the white plate it certainly wasn’t for aesthetics.)
One item that remains on the menu after so many changes – and a rotation of chefs – is an appetizer called Kessler Calamari, named for Richard Kessler, the founder of the hotel whose company still manages it. Despite having the same name, the dish seems to have changed. It’s always featured breaded and fried squid, but the earlier incarnations, to my memory, were wetter, with the peppers unbattered and tossed with the calamari. This version was good, the light breading crisp and nicely salted. Another change: The calamari now costs $17, compared to the $9 fee in 2007. Also notable was that in that review, 14 years ago, I noted that calamari had already become something of a cliche on local menus, but here we are.
I suppose that it’s a good thing that I can’t recall anything about the service.
It was nice to have music playing in the rotunda, just outside the restaurant’s entrance.
One of the most frequent questions I get is “Where can we go for dinner before a show downtown?” The choices are few. I could recommend Boheme but it would still come with an asterisk: Your meal will likely cost more than the tickets to whatever show or concert you’re attending.
The Boheme is at the Grand Bohemian Orlando, 325 S. Orange Ave. (map). It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. The phone number is 407-313-9000.
