Tyler Cowen of The Volokh Conspiracy was asking yesterday if anyone knew of any good ethnic food in Orlando. That got me thinking about what I would suggest to people who visit there. Here’s my response, edited slightly. I’d love to hear from anyone else who remembers good local restaurants that I’ve forgotten.

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I lived in Orlando for 10 years, and if I could have found more good local restaurants and fewer chain offerings, I might have been convinced to stay. Of course, the presence of good local restaurants would have required that so many other fundamental things would have been different about Orlando, too, like a less transient population and a more widespread thirst for cultural diversity. (My favorite joke ever: What’s the difference between Orlando and a cup of yogurt? The yogurt has an active culture.) However, I’ll dig through the old memory banks for a few suggestions:

Cafe Tu Tu Tango – 8625 International Dr. – Near Sea World
Normally, I’d tell you to avoid “I-Drive” like the plague, but Cafe Tu Tu Tango is worth the aggravation. Technically, yes, it’s a chain, but it’s a small chain and I used to do improv with the guy who designed the interiors, so it counts as local. It’s a tapas restaurant (good for groups) with a Spanish artist’s loft kind of feel. There’s art all over the walls and shelves, artists creating more art live, and the occasional strolling musician. It was my favorite place to eat in Orlando. There can be a wait, so call first: (407) 248-2222

Kirkman & Conroy area restaurants – Universal Studios area
I lived in this part of Orlando, smack dab next to Universal Studios, for a lot of years, so I’m very familiar with these restaurants. Just take I-4 towards Orlando to Kirkman Road (you’ll see Universal on your left), head north on Kirkman (away from International Drive) a couple of miles until you get to Conroy Road. On your left will be a couple of strip malls. (Don’t be put off by the term; everything in Florida is in a strip mall.) On the left-hand strip mall, you’ll find PR’s Mexican Restaurant (best Mexican food in town!) and JB’s Sports Bar (buffalo wings and big screen TVs!). On the right-hand side is the very popular LePeep for breakfast and lunch. I think that Kim Wu’s Chinese food is on this side, too. There’s another restaurant called Jin Ho in one of these malls. You definitely want Kim Wu, NOT Jin Ho.

SAK Comedy Lab – 380 W. Amelia St – - Downtown Orlando
On a weekend night, if you’re in the mood, you might want to catch a show at SAK Comedy Lab. They have improv at 8 pm and 10 pm. I used to perform here, and the shows, if I may say so, used to be really good. Wayne Brady of Who’s Line Is It Anyway was my improv teacher and was one of the original troupe members, if that gives you an idea of the talent. I think the quality has suffered a bit in recent years, but Dave Russell is back running the biz and performing and he’s one of the funniest men alive. It’s a fun show, very gamey-jokey, very audience-oriented, not the insufferably pretentious stuff I’ve come to loathe. The theatre is on the first floor of a parking garage next to where the Orlando Magic play, so you just know the comedy’s good. After that, pop over to…

Lee’s Underground Tavern – 431 East Central Boulevard – Downtown Orlando
This is what you want – the local dive. Lee’s Lakeside is a fine dining establishment that overlooks Lake Eola, but it’s the downstairs pub where we used to go after shows. (The old SAK theatre used to be right off of Church Street. so this was a quick walk.) If you’re at the corner of Central and Lake (or is it Osceola? memory’s fuzzy…), you’ll see the stairs leading down to the basement tavern. It might take some directions from a friendly local to find the place, but if you want anything with any atmosphere in Orlando, you’ve gotta go here. The place has a great bar, dim lighting, and pool and darts in the back, along with serve-yourself popcorn. I think they even serve a limited menu, and they’re open ‘til 3 am! Just go.

The Big Bamboo Lounge – 4849 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy (aka “192”) – Kissimmee
Another dive, though I never went here myself. It was a way popular after-work hangout for the Disney crew. It’s not too far from the Grand Cypress. Map and stuff are here. It’s cash only – they don’t even take American Express!

Margaritaville – Universal Citywalk
Only if you happen to find yourself at Universal Citywalk, make sure to at least taste a genuine Jimmy Buffet Margarita; best I’ve ever had. The food here is good, too.

Special Bonus Tip
If you have some time to kill, do not go to Disney. You want to see the original Florida tourist trap, go to Gatorland. Gatorland is the finest example of Florida cheese you will ever find. It’s a quick in-and-out, cheap (I think you could get a year pass at one point for, like, $20!), and for my money, watching big-ass gators jump 12 feet in the air for a raw chicken is better entertainment than any roller coaster. I’ll give you a nickel if you go there and don’t see some guy pretend to throw his child over the boardwalk railing and into the gator pit (and I’ll pay top dollar for video of the guy who accidentally loses his grip!)

At Disney and Universal, you’ll only have a vague sense of why you’re seriously creeped out. At Gatorland, you can point to the writhing swamp of alligators and say, “Oh. That’s why!”

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Friday, March 5th, 2004 @ 11:20 am Travel Matters
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