So happy to find another excellent stop on the pre-conceived culinary wasteland of Orlando. A great salad and one of the best steak frites I have had in recent memory.
Farmer salad – baby kale, house bacon, brioche croutons, Parmesan, soft boiled egg, Caesar vinaigrette
Steak frites – porcini marinated ny strip, truffle fries, a2 steak sauce
The Rusty Spoon
Going to Orlando for a convention may be my worst nightmare. While there are chains that are passable in a pinch near the convention center, I just couldn’t do it for more than just lunch. While downtown Orlando is a bit young and clubby at night, there are great finds such as the Rusty Spoon. I did have to chuckle when our server asked if we knew the carpaccio was raw. Perhaps a bit ahead of its time for the Orlando market!
carpaccio – pepper crusted tenderloin of beef, prezzemolo, crispy capers, pickled things & greens
charred squid and octopus – hammock hollow romanesco, sweet potato, arugula, preserved lemon, oil-cured olives & crispy chorizo
a special
handcutt fettuccine nero – charred squid steak alla diavola with local fresno chili, sweet peppers, broccolini & light tomato ragu
Hanson’s Shoe Repair
I am a sucker for a bar with a hidden entrance and a password is even better. We may have walked the block a time or two looking for the address then finally ducked into a bar to ask where Hanson’s was. We were in the right place and after heading upstairs and giving the password to the doorman went back to the downstairs bar to await entry. Drinks at both bars were fantastic and I only regretted not taking Uber there!
iwillmakeualist 