Shopping & Services in Orlando

Adorable breakfast spot with a French-accented gentleman behind the counter specializes in perfect pastry – don’t miss the viennoise chocolat, a twisted brioche studded with dark chocolate – but no one is left out: There are gluten-free baked goods as well, along with daily fresh soups and savories like pepperoni-and-pepper jack rolls.

Teaser: Adorable breakfast spot with a French-accented gentleman behind the counter specializes in perfect pastry ' don't miss the viennoise chocolat, a twisted brioche studded with dark chocolate ' but no one is left out: There are gluten-free baked goods as well, along with daily fresh soups and savories like pepperoni-and-pepper jack rolls.

Teaser: While polish may be lacking, this appealing boîte gives gastronomes cause to make the trek to Lake Mary. A stellar kitchen executes everything from duck confit to fried grouper cheeks with aplomb. The chimichurri-rubbed Angus skirt steak alone is worth making the drive, and the 20-minute wait for the chocolate-orange molten cake is well worth it.

Teaser: It's not the Enzian, but AMC's dine-in movie experience offers plush digs and a full bar to filmgoers willing to make the drive to Downtown Disney. The menu features a hodgepodge of boilerplate bar food that does little to enhance the movie-going experience, but it beats gummy bears and popcorn slathered in faux-butter. Restricted to guests 18 and over or those accompanied by an adult.

Could Orlando follow in the footsteps of L.A. and have an all-out frozen yogurt war?

Things are getting a little heated in the battle for fro-yo supremacy, with College Park's CeFiore and Winter Park's Gurtzberry duking it out for top honors. But the champion may not reign for very long.

A fro-yo joint called Berriez is slated for a January unveiling on the ground floor of the 101 Eola condos, while Yogen Früz, a Toronto-based chain claiming to be the 'world leaderâ?� in frozen yogurt, plans two store openings, one in Dr. Phillips and one in MetroWest. And if that weren't enough, CéFiore's second location is poised to open on Summerlin Avenue in Thornton Park.

It all amounts to good news if you're a fan of the cultured confection, so prep your palate for plenty of puckering in the weeks and months ahead. But for now, my go-to fro-yo joint of choice is Gurtzberry ' its digs (love the teacup chairs and whimsical chandeliers) are as pacifying as a spoonful of green-tea yogurt, though tart swirls of organic chocolate are equally fulfilling, even with just 11 grams of sugar per four-ounce serving. Of course, add-ons like sugary cereals and white chocolate chips can sweeten things up significantly, but for the health-conscious, all the requisite fruit toppings are also available. Additionally, Gurtzberry offers frappés, smoothies and fresh-squeezed juices, and the enchantingly cool interior, unlike CéFiore's, encourages patrons to stick around. Believe me, you'll want to.

Teaser: Las Vegas-based chain has crustaceans in the bag ' literally. Crawfish, crab legs, shrimp and more are available by the pound, steamed in a plastic bag and seasoned to your taste with one of five spice mixes. Ordering is simple and service is unwaveringly cheerful. You will get messy eating with your hands, though; bring your own wet wipes.

If you don’t know your Toftbo from your Gutvik, an interminable stroll through the labyrinthine aisles of IKEA will sock your vocabulary like a Mats Sundin hip check, so that by the time you manage to find the exit (that is, if you find the exit), you’ll feel disoriented by the loony lexicon and the harsh, unnerving whiteness of this immense structure. Georges Pompidou himself would likely extol the virtues of the restaurant’s antiseptic postmodernism, but I found myself distracted from the need to order a meal by an inexplicable desire to buy a floor lamp. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself in a similar predicament. If it’s ultimately Swedish meatballs you crave, you’ll extol the virtues of the Euro-cafeteria’s kottbullar: 15 meaty orbs slathered in a sour-cream gravy with some damn fine mashed potatoes and killer lingonberry preserves, all for a reasonable $4.99.

The thought of eating fish in a furniture warehouse may strike some as frighteningly Scandinavian, but the gravad lax ($4.99), cured salmon served with a mustard-dill sauce, wasn’t too bad. Washing it down with apple cake ($2.29) and a bottle of Kristian lingonberry-apple sparkler ($2.29) almost made me forget I was dining inside an iPod. And when the exit doors finally came into view, the sweet scent of fresh-baked cinnamon buns halted me in my tracks. Another distraction – how Swede it is.

Don’t let the name of this Vietnamese-owned Italian eatery fool you – pizza, pasta, calzones and risotto are the specialties. But two of the fish offerings, the Mediterranean salmon salad and the pan-roasted cobia served with creamy tarragon linguine, are both wonderful. Service is polished and professional.

Seafood is actually most prominent on the vast menu, but paella fiends can choose from seven variations. Paella marinera teems with fish and shellfish, but we lamented the lack of the characteristic bottom crust. Make it a point to start with crunchy, juicy chicharrones de pollo.

Teaser: Seafood is actually most prominent on the vast menu, but paella fiends can choose from seven variations. Paella marinera teems with fish and shellfish, but we lamented the lack of the characteristic bottom crust. Make it a point to start with crunchy, juicy chicharrones de pollo.

Inviting and beautifully appointed dining room has the looks, but the kitchen
proffers a hodgepodge of uninspired and overpriced small plates. Spiced lamb sausage is worth a taste, but it's a paltry serving given the price. Best to swing by during happy hour and get your fill of $5 wines by the glass.

Teaser: Inviting and beautifully appointed dining room has the looks, but the kitchen proffers a hodgepodge of uninspired and overpriced small plates. Spiced lamb sausage is worth a taste, but it's a paltry serving given the price. Best to swing by during happy hour and get your fill of $5 wines by the glass.

The Princeton Street bakery is a brilliant display of classic French pastry: napoleons, madeleines, apple turnovers and perfectly laminated croissants. Chef Philippe Cahagne and his statuesque wife don’t skimp on lunch either, serving up creamy quiches and buttery croque madame sandwiches in true Gallic style.

Teaser: The Princeton Street bakery is a brilliant display of classic French pastry: napoleons, madeleines, apple turnovers and perfectly laminated croissants. Chef Philippe Cahagne and his statuesque wife don't skimp on lunch either, serving up creamy quiches and buttery croque madame sandwiches in true Gallic style.

It's not much to look at and the service can be a few time zones too slow, but the comida at Los Portales in Casselberry is muy delicioso. It's obvious the proprietors love this place, and it shows on the plate – try the pulpo salad, meaty chunks of octopus served ceviche-style. Don’t miss freshly fried tostones or crisp potato-and-pork-stuffed empanadas.

Teaser: It's not much to look at, and the service can be a few time zones too slow, but the comida at Los Portales in Casselberry is muy delicioso. It's obvious the proprietors love this place, and it shows on the plate ' try the pulpo salad, the meaty chunks of octopus served ceviche-style. Don't miss the freshly fried tostones or crisp potato-and-pork-stuffed empanadas.

 

Teaser: Straight-up Siamese staples and a gone-bamboo decor greet diners at this Millenia Mall-area restaurant. An extensive menu of the same-old same-old belies a few unique items (steamed tapioca balls filled with minced pork, battered prawns in tamarind sauce). Black sticky rice with shaved coconut drizzled with a heavenly palm-sugar caramel and coconut cream is a must.

True Southwestern dining comes to Orlando with the Prickly Pear, which is poised to revive the South Eola dining scene. Dishes like seafood chili, elk chop calabacitas and smoked duck quesadillas will draw gourmets back to the Sanctuary, but only a steadfast adherence to quality will keep them coming back.

Teaser: True Southwestern dining comes to Orlando with the Prickly Pear, which is poised to revive the South Eola dining scene. Dishes like seafood chili, elk chop calabacitas and smoked duck quesadillas will draw gourmets back to the Sanctuary, but only a steadfast adherence to quality will keep them coming back.

Rooster's international cuisine doesn’t quite pass muster, though what restaurant offering dishes from more than a dozen countries would? You’ll find an array of Mediterranean, Chinese, Thai, Persian, Indian, Italian, American, Jewish and Mexican dishes, and it's entirely probable to come across a few hits amid the misses. Open daily. Live entertainment nightly.

Teaser: Rooster's international cuisine doesn't quite pass muster, though what restaurant offering dishes from more than a dozen countries would? You'll find an array of Mediterranean, Chinese, Thai, Persian, Indian, Italian, American, Jewish and Mexican dishes, and it's entirely probable to come across a few hits amid the misses. Open daily. Live entertainment nightly.

West Sand Lakers get their fill of South Indian staples in this stylishly decorated space. Salmon seared on a hot stone and tandoori lamb chops marinated in ginger and rum are among the more noteworthy dishes in the sea of standards. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Teaser: West Sand Lakers get their fill of South Indian staples in this stylishly decorated space. Salmon seared on a hot stone and tandoori lamb chops marinated in ginger and rum are among the more noteworthy dishes in the sea of standards.

Teaser: Part watering hole, part wine bar caters to grown-ups, but beer and wine aficionados are sure to be impressed with the extensive selection ' providing they don't run out. The menu focuses on small plates, salads and sandwiches. Hits: prosciutto-sprinkled mac & cheese and baked meatballs. Misses: smoky guacamole and Buffalo chicken lettuce wraps. Desserts accentuate decadence over delicacy.

Simplicity is the order at this humble Vietnamese vegetarian eatery run by a Buddhist temple. Monks prep and serve soups, steamed buns, sandwiches and sticky rice snacks, but don’t overlook the refrigerated display of meat analogues. A language barrier adds to the adventure, but volunteers often assist diners with questions.

Festively festooned Cajun kitchen brings a true taste of NOLA to Winter Park. Sample the messiest sandwich in town, the 12-napkin roast beef po’boy, which will dirty more than just a dozen. (The catfish po’boy caters more to neat freaks.) Jambalaya rules, though seafood gumbo could’ve done with a darker roux. Beignets to end? How clichéd, but oh so good.

Teaser: Festively festooned Cajun kitchen brings a true taste of NOLA to Winter Park. Sample the messiest sandwich in town, the 12-napkin roast beef po'boy, which will dirty more than just a dozen. (The catfish po'boy caters more to neat freaks.) Jamabalaya rules, though seafood gumbo could've done with a darker roux. Beignets to end? How clichéd, but oh so good.