This place is very popular so we were glad we made a reservation.  After being seated, our waiter greeted us and explained the whole concept of this type of dining.  We were each given a disc with a green side and a red side.  There are several waiters circulating the restaurant with different varieties and cuts of meat.  If you have your disc turned to green, they will stop at your table with the particular delicacy they have to offer.  Some of the meat is on skewers and will be delivered directly to your plate and some are carved off the skewer and you are given tongs to grasp it as the waiter slices it.  If you need a break, then you turn your disc to red and they will bypass your table.

Before this main event, we were directed to what they call the salad bar, though it was much more than that and by far the most outstanding salad bar we have ever experienced.  Of course there were salads, greens and wonderful dressings, but there were also cheeses like grilled provolone and shaved Grana Padano,  cold cuts like salami and prosciutto and fresh crusty bread.  There were wonderful delicacies such as artichoke bottoms, hearts of palm, and gourmet olives.  There was a hot bar as well with lobster bisque, sautéed mushrooms, black beans and jasmine rice which were all wonderful accompaniments to the cuts of meat.

At our table, we were served mashed potatoes and fried bananas which were covered with a delicious sweet glaze.  The bananas were meant to cleanse the palate between the different selections of meat which included filet mignon, flank steak, sirloin, leg of lamb, lamb chops, ribs, chicken and Brazilian sausage.  Everything was excellently prepared.  We were offered dessert, but we were just too full to even consider it. 

The cost is around $45.00 per person, but if you go to the website and join the e-mail club, you will receive a coupon for 25% your total bill and then you will continue to receive special offers throughout the year.  The initial coupon is only good for a few weeks, so wait until only a short time before you plan to go to sign up. 

The Outback Restaurant is a popular steakhouse chain with locations in  the Orlando area and though I enjoy a good steak once in awhile, I rarely order one when we visit the Outback because there are several other menu items that are my personal favorites.

Their signature appetizer is the Bloomin’ Onion which is a whole onion that has been cut or “flowered,” batter-dipped and then deep-fried.  It’s delicious though the Gold Coast Coconut Shrimp is my favorite.  These are huge shrimp, sweet and crunchy with a marmalade dipping sauce.  They’re really excellent.

For the next course, the blue-cheese pecan chopped salad  is wonderful!  This is a menu item that I often find myself craving and I have been known to choose the Outback for this salad alone.  

For the main course, all the Outback steaks are outstanding, especially Victoria’s filet which I will often have, but my favorite are the Grillers (I like the steak and veggie griller - you can also get chicken, shrimp or salmon). The vegetables are so good, but the grilled pineapple beats all - I never knew I would like that! These entrees are a bit on the lighter side allowing you to save room for dessert!

Your meal will come with unlimited loaves of fresh hot pumpernickel bread on a cutting board with fresh whipped butter.

There are some great choices for dessert.  My personal favorite being the chocolate lover that I am is the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under!   This is a large brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, warm fudge sauce, chocolate shavings and whipped cream.  If you can’t decide which dessert to order, they offer a sampler trio including this dessert along with the peanut butter pie and cheesecake!

They have a great children’s menu too.  My younger daughter has always been a big fan of ribs and when she was very young, we noticed that ribs were almost never a choice on the kids menus of most restaurants.  With adult-sized meals being so pricey and way too much for her, we often took her to the Outback where ribs are always an option on the “Joey” menu for kids 10 and under.   And to this day, she likes the ribs at the Outback best!

Another reason why I like the Outback is that having a very close friend who suffers from Celiac Disease, we really appreciate that the Outback offers a gluten-free menu specifically for those on this special diet. 

Whilst over here for the Christmas period and New Year we decided we were going to treat ourselves to a meal in a Disney World restaurant in Florida. We were hoping to get into the Contemporary Resort on New Years Eve but we did not book early enough. Remember you must book at least a couple of months in advance to get the special time and date that you want.

Eventually we took it upon ourselves to visit the Animal Kingdom Lodge Resort as there were a number of different restaurants there - not a Burger or Steak I mean.

On visitng the Lodge Resort we found that we were able to have a good look around and they have viewing areas within the complex giving you a great chance to get up close a friendly with animals roaming around near to the rooms and restuarants. We saw Giraffes, Wilderbeast, Antelope, Zebra and Ostriches. Staff were on hand to give you all the information you needed. We were even there when the keepers stated to feed the animals. What a great opportunity to see these animlas almost in their natural habitat.

Take the opportunity as well to be there after dark when they light up some outdoor fires that you can sit around in rocking chairs. Have a chat with the other tourists there.

We headed for the Sanaa Restaurant for our meal. The food here was Indian/African influenced with Tandoori food, spices and all the trappings of spicy food you would expect from Africa/India. The meals are no more expensive than at home in the UK but you feel like your eating in an upper class atmosphere.

The staff are all very friendly and if you get to visit at Christmas or New Year the decorations are excellent. Plenty of photo opportunities in and around the hotel.

So head towards Animal Kingdom and check out the two lands in Animal Kingdom Lodge - Jambo House and Kidani village. You can even try out their pools and jacuzzis. There is a fantastic pool, area with two large jacuzzis nestled in amongst the jungle.

So don’t miss out and treat yourselves in a great restaurant in a superb location away from all the hustle bustle. Even take a look at the cocktails in the main bar. There are even ones for the Kids to enjoy. The staff are there for you to get the most out of the visit.

There is plenty of car parking and the hotel will even ferry you between the two villages to get the most out of the visit.

Finally, there is plenty to do there with some boards around and about that are free to use. Not fogetting the usual opportunities for buying some Disney gifts to take home.

So try it out and get a taste of Africa/India with the food.

My siblings just shunned me for admitting this out loud, so let me amend that statement before cries of “Anorexia!” stream past your lips.  Many people will list some type of food among their favorite things, say that food is one of their passions, or state that food is their favorite thing in the world. 

Ever since I went away to university, my enthusiasm for food has dwindled.  I simply wouldn’t eat if I didn’t have to.  I love my mother’s cooking, and I do enjoy eating it when I am home, but  I do not like food in the same way that others claim to love food.  I am for the most part simply indifferent. 

However, I do have some interest in tasting strange and unique foods because I have always been fascinated by other cultures and I have found that I usually tend to enjoy ethnic much more than the common dining hall variety.  So whenever my family goes out to eat, I usually lobby for a strange and exciting sounding ethnic restaurant. 

I’ve never been to Spain, but I’ve heard quite a lot about Spain’s infamous tapas bars.  Tapas are supposedly different types of light foods that are served in appetizer portions.  There’s a tapas bar downtown where I go to school, but it’s a bit shady so I’ve never been there.  Instead, my family and I went to Café Tu Tu Tango recently to try out Orlando’s version of tapas. 

Café Tu Tu Tango is best summarized as eclectic.  Its claim to fame is serving “food for the starving artist.”  I suppose this means that the food is priced reasonably, but it also means that various starving artists quite literally find a haven at Café Tu Tu Tango, which makes it much more interesting than expected.  Local artwork varying from realism to abstract to metalworking plasters the walls and conflicts in a riot of colors to create a cheerful, engaging atmosphere.  The pieces are festooned with price tags, because the real reason behind the cluttered walls is for the artists to promote their work.  Several artists actually come in and work in studio spaces near the front, lending to the sophisticated and chic feel of the place, which was carefully crafted to accent the food.

The food, for a lack of a better word, was stupendous.  Our very helpful waiter explained that as a tapas style restaurant, all of the dishes would be in smaller portions, arrive at the table in a staggered fashion, and were intended to be shared.  All of the food that my family was presented with was artful, tasteful, and interesting. 

There is something for everyone at Café Tu Tu Tango.  From exotic dishes such as tropical jerk flatbread to simple delights like strawberry salad; we thoroughly enjoyed everything.  My brother is rather finicky about ethnic food, so he stuck to a pepperoni pizza and tried some calamari.  My sister is attached to Italian food so she had a roma tomato and goat cheese flatbread.  My father and I split crusted mahi mahi skewers and the tropical jerk flatbread topped with beef, mangos, grilled onions and cheese.  My mother enjoyed roasted pears and pecan crisps as well as filet on skewers smothered in a bourdelaise sauce and gorgonzola fondue served with wonderful crispy chile scented potatoes.

We thoroughly enjoyed the unique flavor sensations that the tapas presented to us, and I would recommend Café Tu Tu Tango to anyone looking for an artsy and delicious evening.   I—to my dismay—found myself liking food.  

Written by:  Gabriella Bensur

Many of these are chains with restaurants along International Drive or the 192 highway – and here are a few of our favourites (as at July 2010)

Italian

It is difficult to match the Olive Garden for value – with a couple of restaurants along the 192, and also at the Florida Mall.  Whilst pitched as a ‘budget’ restaurant, the variety of Italian food, wine and beer is always of a good standard. 

Perhaps equally as good, although maybe a little more pricey, is Carabbas – again with a restaurant along the 192 (at Formosa Gardens) and also elsewhere in the attractions area.  If anywhere can match the Olive Garden for Italian food, this is the one to try…..

Steaks

America has some great offerings for the steak lover.  Most restaurants will have a choice of steaks on the menu – but many consider it worthwhile to try a specialist steak restaurant.  And our favourite is ‘The Outback’ – at Formosa Gardens, but also by the Premium Outlets on International Drive, and at The Florida Mall.  An interesting mix of American and Australian, the steaks at The Outback are of a very high standard, cooked to perfection, without breaking the bank.  And most restaurants within this chain offer a happy hour during early evening, when the value stretches even further

Tex-Mex

Chillis is also a chain restaurant, which can be found at The Loop and Champions Gate.  The focus is on Tex-Mex and value – with many drinks on happy hour throughout the day.  A wide choice of menu includes many steak, fish and chicken options, as well as the traditional ‘tex-mex’ choices, including fajitas, quesadillas and many others.  No visit to Florida is complete without an evening at Chillis!

Sandwiches

Sometimes a lighter meal is enough – and Subway franchises are to be found in many locations.  Always freshly made with quality ingredients, a Subway will often provide an alternative, especially as a ‘take-away’ or ‘carry-out’ option.  A huge choice of sandwiches (or ‘subs’) made to order with your own choice of ingredients – often with great value offers.

On Highway 557 between Lake Alfred, Auburndale and the Fantasy of Flight we stumbled across this quaint restaurant with a gift shop and Antinque showroom.

The restaurant provides some fantastic sandwiches that are served up in a quaint picnic basket. You can eat inside or outside. There is also a bar that does the usual selection of American Beers along with some Iced wine - My wife thought this was great.

As we sat outside on the decking beside the samll lake we were introduced to Bob by the staff. He was their resident alligator who came right up close whilst we were sitting there. Don’t be afraid he was in the water below the decking.

You get a selection of fillings and bread for you picnic. The staff can’t be anymore helpful and they never rush you out of the place.

Right next door is a large antique shop and a gift/garden centre with some quaint little gifts.

Give it a try it’s a great place away from the usual tourist traps that you would associate with Florida.

The atmosphere is great with a very friendly staff.  Your hostess will take you up to the display case and ask if you would like to choose your own steak.  As you pass by, you’ll see the yummy rolls being cut and shaped right before your eyes and your hostess will pick up a steaming basket full fresh out of the oven to leave with you after she has shown you to your table. While you’re waiting to order, snack on buckets of peanuts and keep your eyes open because at any time, you might see the wait staff break into a country line dance!

We love to start out with a spicy cactus blossom (a hand-battered whole onion, deep fried and served with Cajun horseradish sauce) or the Cheese Fries (steak fries with melted cheese and bacon).

There are many fabulous entrees, great steaks of course, but also ribs, BBQ chicken, pulled pork as well as seafood choices plus even a County Vegetable plate if you happen to have vegetarian in your party.  Probably the very best value is the 8 ounce sirloin steak dinner - only $10.99!! Dinner includes a fabulous salad with all the fixings topped off with hard boiled egg, shredded cheese and croutons (the house dressing is fabulous!), potato (try the sweet potato with brown sugar and marshmallows!) and those warm fresh made rolls that I already mentioned with cinnamon butter!!

I prefer the Dallas filet - 6 oz only $15.99! This one melts in your mouth.

For you guys with the big appetites, there’s a larger Dallas filet or see if you can handle a 16 ounce New York Strip, Sirloin, Rib-Eye or Prime Rib. 

For the kiddies, there is a great kid’s menu with prices starting around $2.99.  And for middle aged kids, there’s a Ranger Menu including a choice of sirloin steak, chicken or ribs.  All kid’s meals include a beverage and a side.

Save room for dessert – my favorite is Granny’s Apple Classic, but often times, I’ve got to have chocolate and the Big Ol’ Brownie is just the ticket!

We all agree that Texas Roadhouse offers truly extraordinary food and at the best prices besides!

On-Line Booking System Now Available!

Did you know that you can now make dining reservations for Walt Disney World Dining online!   Up until now the only way you could make reservations was to phone up in advance or during your vacation.

If you visit the following site

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/restaurants/

you can then narrow your search by checking through the various parks/hotels, etc to browse the various restaurants.  If you are able to book online it will give you the “Book a Reservation” option by the chosen restaurant.  This will take you through to the next screen where you can select your date, time  and no. in party.  Once you have done this you click ”Check Availability”.  The next screen will then bring up whether there is availability, together with availability at other restaurants in the same vicinity.  Once you select your desired time you then click ”add to cart”.

Once you have added your restaurants to the cart you are advised of the total payment due today (if any) and then you “check out”.   

You will find that the majority of the bookings do not require you to make prepayment, although the very popular ones like Cinderellas Castle, Hoop Dee Doo Musical Revue, etc  will require full payment at the time of booking.  

This online system is great - if you find your first date is booked, you can check another date/time immediately, saving you a lot of time.  No need to make that call to the US before you visit to make all your reservations, which in the past I have done on many occasions. 

It also gives you an idea of the cost of the meals in the various restaurants so you can plan in advance.   I also found that you can browse all the different restaurants in one place and gives you a better idea of what is available at each one. 

Effective 27 October 2009, Advanced Dining Reservations will go back to a 180 plus 10 day booking window. 

I certainly will be using this online option for my next trip and have advised all our future guests of the website.   I hope that you get to enjoy many of the restaurants in the Walt Disney Resorts by planning in advance. 

There is a wide range of shopping malls big and small as close as international drive. For the older generation there are beaches like coco and Daytona and if you fancy a long drive, you could take trip to Miami.

There are water parks some that are suited to the more adventurous and others that are just like real beaches. And there is water skiing, jet skiing to flinging from a 300ft pole overlooking a lake these options are for the more adventurous.

There are spas that you can visit if you want to get away from the kids. There are also helicopter rides which can take you all over Orlando.

There are Wal-Mart’s located all over the place  for your shopping it great it’s just like Asda in England. There are loads and loads of restaurants from buffets to three course meals. The buffets are to die for the ranges of food you get for just a small price it’s amazing. There are obviously fast food restaurants located just about everywhere.

Going to Orlando is the best thing you could possibly do. There are a wide range of hotels with a wide range of prices. But there are others places to stay such as villas or condos. If you rent somewhere its means that it’s yours and you don’t have to share it especially in a villa. Orlando it a place you don’t ever want to leave that’s why you have to get it right and book suitable places that you will enjoy.

The theme parks are all amazing so there is no worry there. You’ll kids will love it but it’s not just for kids the adults will love it as well.  If you got a chance to go to Orlando take it. So if you want to go to Orlando get booking.  

In the Kissimmee area for example, the main drag along the US192 is full of restaurants, and of course some are better than others.

Now I am old and wise enough to know that recommending restaurants is asking for trouble, so this is just an overview of some we have tried, and what is generally on offer.

The breakfast buffet deals, of course, are legendary. Places like the Ponderosa Steakhouse offer an “all you can eat” breakfast for $3.99 (drinks are extra). There’s a very wide choice of food from the healthy to the very unhealthy, and you can certainly skip lunch after one of these extravaganzas. The buffet experience also enables you to sample American favourites such as grits, and biscuits and gravy.

More upmarket – and not too far from the 192 – is the Market St Café in Celebration. It is a typical smart American diner and the food is good, without being too expensive. You can create your own breakfast and the Eggs Benedict is a speciality.

For dinner, you can find Chinese buffets, Mexican, Italian, Thai, Indian and Japanese. Sea food restaurants abound and often supply buffet menus. Try The Crab House, Red Lobster, or Angel’s Lobster and Seafood Feast.

If you are looking for the American experience, there are many diners which give very good value such as Bahama Breeze, Chilli’s, and Logan’s Road House (free peanuts on the table, just throw the shells on the floor!). And remember that the burger you order in the US will be a proper burger with 100% meat, unlike the version you would avoid back home in the UK.

A trip to Downtown Disney, or the Universal Boardwalk gives you the opportunity to try out some very nice restaurants, such as the Rainforest Café, Wolfgang Puck, Fulton’s Crabhouse, and Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville.

For a more sophisticated dining experience, many hotels have more exclusive surroundings. The Omni, near Champions Gate, has several restaurants none of which would break the bank.

Another area for smart restaurants, where it’s probably best not to wear shorts, is just off International Drive on West Sand Lake Rd.  There you can try the Timpano Chophouse and Martini Bar, Seasons 52, and Antonio’s. Antonio’s also has a sister business called Cafe D’Antonio in Celebration where you’ll enjoy “…the taste and style of a more expensive place”

Don’t forget your discount coupons. Many of the more popular restaurants and diners accept discount coupons to be found in coupon books from tourist information centres.

Coffee and “sodas” (coke, sprite etc) are generally topped up at your table for free, and you won’t even have to ask.

Tipping is always the problem. It is very rare to get poor service and a tip of between 15% and 20% is expected. Remember that waiters are poorly paid in the US, and rely on tips. It certainly ensures that service is good. Do check your check (bill) carefully though; some restaurants will add the tip on automatically, so don’t tip twice!

Andy Brownlie