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Friday, December 1, 2017

Tip Jar

El Buda Latin Asian Restaurant to open next week on Church Street

Posted By Faiyaz Kara on Fri, Dec 1, 2017 at 10:31 AM

click to enlarge

Faiyaz Kara
El Buda interior

Roberto Treviño, the man who battled Mario Batali on Iron Chef America, is poised to open his Nuevo Latino restaurant, El Buda, inside the Bumby Arcade on Church Street next week.

In addition to making some impressive changes to the space, Treviño changed the name of the restaurant from Buda Libre to El Buda to avoid a legal wrangle.

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Faiyaz Kara

But whatever the name, his Latin-Asian fusion menu is quite unlike anything currently being served in Orlando. A section devoted to "dim sum platitos" (small dim-sum plates) will serve some intriguing bites, like:

pork and sweet plantain dumplings
katsu Cubano pork buns
octopus pimenton kaisu
pork belly char siu mole

Some of the other dishes you can expect to see on the menu:

ropa vieja bibimbap
fluke marinated in yuzu with a coconut reduction and toasted garlic
salmon poke with pineapple and peppercorns over black quinoa
duck breast with miso-honey potatoes
congri fried rice with thick-slab bacon
ho fun with grilled churrasco

"I want the menu to be fun, accessible and exciting," Treviño says and, no doubt, he and executive sous chef Andrew Lewis (who worked with Treviño at both Bar Gitano and Budatai), along with general manager Hari Rosario and Trevino's business partner Luis Garcia, are out to impress.

Naturally, attention will be paid to the restaurant's cocktail program, and why not? The bar is a beaut.

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Faiyaz Kara
Bar area

I've always thought the cellar inside this restaurant space has been one of the coolest places to dine in the city, and Treviño plans on making good use of it during dinner service.

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Faiyaz Kara
Cellar

Plus, he also plans on inviting guest mixologists to take over the quaint bar area in the back for special themed events.

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Faiyaz Kara
Cellar bar

And the temperate weather this time of year means the restaurant's patio will be a popular gathering spot.

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Faiyaz Kara
Patio area

El Buda is targeting Thursday, Dec. 7, as their opening date. They will open for lunch (bento boxes!) and dinner, and will commence brunch service Saturdays and Sundays a couple of weeks after opening.

click to enlarge

El Buda
116 W. Church St.
Orlando, FL 32801
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Tags: church street, new orlando restaurants, tip jar, Image

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