Address	3020 Lamberton Blvd
City	Orlando
Phone	407-757-0578
Price	$
Scott's Review

I knew I was going to like this place the moment I walked in and was warmly greeted by a smiling fellow behind the counter. That greeting was reinforced by a coworker who appeared from the kitchen area just off to the back. Why is it so difficult for so many restaurant staffers to express a sincere welcome to the people who have chosen to do business with them? The concept here, as with many other similar Latin American restaurants, is pick and choose counter service. There is a selection of prepared dishes — pork, chicken, stews — in steam table trays behind the glass counter. You simply tell one of the nice folks which of the meats you prefer and whether you want white or yellow rice, then select two side dishes and stand back while the staffer loads up a plate.... Read more

Address	7724 W. Sand Lake Road
City	Orlando
Phone	407-674-8899
Price	$$
Scott's Review

A winner of the Best Indian Foodster Award for Independent Restaurants, Saffron is part of the group that includes Madras Cafe, the all vegetarian and vegan restaurant, and the estimable Mynt in Winter Park’s Hannibal Square neighborhood.... Read more

Address	3573 Aloma Ave.
City	Oviedo
Phone	407-951-8818
Price	$$
Scott's Review

The first thing you’re likely to notice about Saigon Flavors is that it isn’t in downtown Orlando or anywhere near the intersection of Mills Avenue and Colonial Drive. That neighborhood, which locals have unofficially called Little Saigon for years, has the city’s greatest concentration of Vietnamese restaurants. Saigon Flavors is also more modernistic in style and decor. But the food is firmly set in tradition. Pho, the beef noodle soup with a variety of ingredients, is quite good. For an unusual appetizer, have the "golden pancake," which is more like an omelet with bean sprouts.
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Address	101 N. Bumby Ave.
City	Orlando
Phone	407-532-7373
Price	$
Scott's Review

What impressed me most about the food I had here was how vibrant and colorful it looked. Even the pho, which is many restaurants can look like day old dishwater, was vivid and fresh looking. Part of the reason may be that my dining companion had chosen the vegetable and tofu pho, so the broth was a clear vegetable broth. But the carrots and greens and even the white cubes of tofu were so enticing.... Read more

Address	510 N. Orlando Ave.
City	Winter Park
Phone	407-644-5050
Price	$$

Formerly Seito Sushi, Sakari serves a decent menu of rolls and sashimi. Nothing out of the ordinary, but fairly priced.

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Address	Mexico Pavilion Epcot
City	Lake Buena Vista
Phone	407-939-3463
Price	$$$
Scott's Review

It’s a perennial nighttime scene, affected by its location inside the pavilion. The dining area is set up next to the waterway, which transports people in boats on their way to the pavilion’s themed ride, Gran Fiesta Tour Starring the Three Caballeros. All the elements work nicely together to produce a terrific atmosphere.

I wish they’d spend a little effort on making the food better.

The menu at least stays true to Mexican cuisine, rather than pandering to Americans’ concept of it, which has been muddled by Tex-Mex, Southwestern and even San Francisco-style burrito restaurants. Here you’ll find no fajitas, an American invention, or cheesy quesadillas. You will receive a conical basket filled with tortilla chips, accompanied by two salsas -- an American tradition that even authentic Mexican restaurants must follow.

That’s the last thing you’ll get for free. Everything else you’ll pay for, and you’ll pay way too much.

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Address	Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
City	Lake Buena Vista
Phone	407-939-3463
Price	$$$
Scott's Review

The menu is African with Indian influences, but not to the point of excluding beef or pork. Look for those touches in the spicing. The food may be a bit more exotic than most people are willing to try, but it's almost all done expertly. And you can't beat the atmosphere, with a ground-level view of the grazing area where you're likely to see giraffes galloping by.... Read more

Address	802 Virginia Drive
City	Orlando
Phone	407-412-6979
Price	$$$
Scott's Review

Santiago’s Bodega has opened in the space formerly occupied by Logan’s Bistro on Virginia Drive in Orlando. Actually the place takes more than the Logan’s space. It has incorporated the storefront next door and has produced a new brick porch/patio in front. For all its newness, Santiago’s has a well-worn look that makes it immediately likable and comfortable. This is a tapas restaurant. Although Santiago’s is new in Orlando, this is a second location for a restaurant in Key West. So the concept isn’t new and neither is the menu. Still, the restaurant was struggling the night I visited as hordes of curious diners descended on the place and overwhelmed the staff. Mistakes were made, most of them accountable to the vagaries of a new operation, new location and a staff unfamiliar and shell-shocked. Those things can be ironed out. My main complaint was the cost. My check came to over $68 for five tapas and one glass of wine. (We had two other glasses of wine but the server said they were on the house because of some problems at the beginning of the meal; otherwise the check would have been over $90.) That isn’t a tremendous amount of money for a night out, but the cost-to-quali... Read more