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Sushi Nirvana at Nagoya
Some restaurants feel like home from the very first visit. Nagoya Sushi in Dr. Phillips is one of them. When my husband Steve and I moved to this part of Orlando a year and half ago, the bar for a go-to neighborhood Japanese place was set pretty high. First, at Ko Sushi during my NYC days, then here at Wa in Casselberry. Nagoya easily took its place alongside these greats. No surprise. A wall next to the restaurant’s sushi bar is lined with framed awards and accolades — going all the way back to 2005. Inside the arcade of The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips, a few feet away from a…
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A New Dining Adventure
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A Taste of India at Saffron
Plaza Venezia on Sand Lake Road in Dr. Phillips has your typical variety of shopping mall tenants. Among them — Publix, Walgreen’s, Barnes & Noble, two hair salons and multiple day spas (including my favorite – MC Spa & Nail Bar). It is also home to popular chain restaurants like Eddie V’s, Seasons 52 and Chima Steakhouse. According to Regency Centers, Plaza Venezia is “Orlando’s strongest concentration of restaurants,” attracting over 66 million visitors annually. One of the great local options here is Saffron Indian Cuisine. Since opening in 2011, Saffron has been recognized with an Orlando Sentinel Foodie Award and it’s currently a TripAdvisor Top 200 Orlando Restaurant (out…
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A Taste of Italy at Peperoncino Cucina
Orlando's Peperoncino Cucina delivers on its promise of a shortcut trip to Italy in each bite.
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The Edison: Art Deco Razzle Dazzle
Disney Springs is more than an outdoor mall – it’s one of Orlando’s signature experiences. The 120-acre complex near Walt Disney World offers four distinctive ‘neighborhoods’ of shopping, dining and entertainment. Here, foodies can enjoy celebrity chef outposts, upscale chains and, of course, a few themed places. One of the standout themed venues is The Edison. Taking its name and inspiration from Thomas Edison, the restaurant pays homage to the legendary inventor with its 1920s throwback industrial décor. Clocks of all sizes, including a giant set piece by the staircase, are on both floors. From our upstairs balcony table, Steve and I had a perfect view of the cavernous, two-level…
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Peruvian Delights at El Inka Grill
When it comes to strip malls, The Marketplace at Dr. Phillips is one of the Orlando’s best. Alongside big brand anchors like HomeGoods and Publix, you’ll find multiple beauty outlets (Ulta, two nail salons and a day spa), practical tenants (dry cleaner, pool supply store, etc.) and even a small community theater. The Marketplace is also home to a stunning variety of restaurants, from Italian fine dining and Korean barbecue to tacos and ramen. As you work your way through the many options here, El Inka Grill is worthy of a visit. As soon as my husband Steve and I were seated, I could hear fluent Spanish being spoken at most…
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A New Dining Adventure
Strip malls and fine dining don’t always go together. As a New York City native, I associated malls with chain restaurants, anticipating this and little else in Orlando when I moved here a few years ago. Of course, being the U.S. theme park capital, Orlando has more than its fair share of chain outposts. In my neighborhood alone within a five-mile radius are four steakhouses (Del Frisco’s, Eddie V’s, Mortons, et al), just as many cookie cutter Italian joints (including the ever ubiquitous Olive Garden) and a few old-school names I had forgotten about (hello again, Friendly’s). It didn’t take long to discover that, much like the city itself, there…