Everyone has their favorite places to go. Florida Magazine asked Orlando staffers to vote for their favorite areas. The employees chose Beefy King as the "Best Beefy Experience."
Forbidden City serves wonderfully authentic Chinese food. Have the won ton soup and the pork and eggplant in garlic. Shrimp and beef in sa-chia sauce is another good choice.
Expect long waits at Linda's, one of the oldest restaurants in Central Florida. Don't, however, expect anything fancy or out of the ordinary. Stick with steak although the surf and turf is a good choice. The large New York strip should satisfy any appetite. Avoid appetizers and desserts.
Little Saigon has many of the traditional soup entrees the Vietnamese are famous for, but look beyond the soups for other interesting treats. Try the barbecued beef and fried egg on rice or the grilled pork and egg rolls on rice vermicelli.
"Pan-American Diner" with all your traditional diner favorites from the US, along with Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican dishes. Hours: Monday through Thursday 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.; Closed Sundays for now... call ahead.
The atmosphere is fun, service is good, and the portions are ample. Get the baby back ribs or the chicken. Smokey Bones BBQ & Sports Bar will feature all NFL, Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles and UCF Golden Knights football games.
Hours: Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-11 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-Midnight
Orlando isn't known as a Jewish deli town - Toojay's is about the best we have. Comparisons to big-city equivalents are inevitable, but try to enjoy Toojay's on its own merits. Sandwiches are big, and the traditional turkey dinner and the stuffed cabbage make good evening entrees. Don't expect things to move at a brisk pace.
