Top Winners of 25th Annual Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards Announced

 by Beth Keating

News

DisneyBizJournal.com

February 26, 2023

 

The top winners in both the “Critic’s Choice” and “Readers’ Choice” divisions of the 2023 Orlando Sentinel Foodie Awards have been announced, and Disney restaurants have taken home honors in seven categories.  Reader voting on the nominations for the best Central Florida restaurants closed on February 16.

In the category of Best African Restaurant, Animal Kingdom Lodge’s buffet Boma edged out signature restaurant Jiko to take the top spot for the Readers’ Choice Award, with Jiko sharing the runner-up spot with Orlando’s Nile Ethiopian, which also took the top slot for Critic’s Choice in the category.

Raglan Road in Disney Springs took home both the top spot for the Critic’s Choice for Best Irish Restaurant, as well as the runner-up spot from the Readers’ Choice category.  Disney’s Toledo and Jaleo battled it out for Critic’s Choice for Best Spanish Restaurant, with Toledo taking top honors and Jaleo placing runner-up with Columbia Restaurant in Celebration. Nomad Lounge in Animal Kingdom took home the award for Critic’s Choice for Best Theme Park Restaurant, but all three of the restaurants in the Critic’s Choice section call Disney home.  (They also took the runner-up spots in the category for Readers’ Choice, soooo, 5 of the 6 restaurants in the Best Theme Park restaurant bracket belong to the House of Mouse.)

 

Disney’s Biergarten, Victoria & Albert’s, Wine Bar George, Spice Road Table, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre, Le Cellier, and Tiffins all took home runner-up spots as well.

 

Here are the final winners in each category that Disney restaurants placed in.  (For the full list of all 50 categories, head over to 25th Annual Foodie Awards at the Orlando Sentinel.)

 

BEST AFRICAN RESTAURANT: 2023 ORLANDO SENTINEL FOODIE AWARDS

Critic’s Choice

• Winner: Nile Ethiopian (Orlando)
• Runners-up: Selam Ethiopian & Eritrean Cuisine (Orlando) and Yene Romay Ethiopian (food truck)

Readers’ Choice

• Winner: Boma - Flavors of Africa (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge)
• Runners-up: Nile Ethiopian (Orlando) and Jiko — The Cooking Place (Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge)

 

BEST GERMAN RESTAURANT: 2023 ORLANDO SENTINEL FOODIE AWARDS

Critic’s Choice

• Winner: Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café (Sanford)
• Runners-up: The Backhaus (Mount Dora) and Emmy’s Time Out Tavern (DeLand)

Readers’ Choice

• Winner: Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café (Sanford)
• Runners-up: The Bavarian Haus  (Mount Dora) and Biergarten Restaurant (EPCOT, Germany Pavilion)

BEST IRISH RESTAURANT: ORLANDO SENTINEL FOODIE AWARDS 2023

Critic’s Choice

• Winner: Raglan Road (Disney Springs)
• Runners-up: Claddagh Cottage (Orlando) and The Sullivan Public House (Sanford)

Readers’ Choice

• Winner: Fiddler’s Green Irish Pub & Eatery (Winter Park)
• Runners-up: Raglan Road Irish Pub (Disney Springs) and Claddagh Cottage Irish Pub (Orlando)

 

BEST SPANISH RESTAURANT: 2023 ORLANDO SENTINEL FOODIE AWARDS

Critic’s Choice

• Winner: Toledo - Tapas, Steak & Seafood (Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort)
• Runners-up: Jaleo (Disney Springs) and Columbia Restaurant (Celebration)

Readers’ Choice

• Winner: Santiago’s Bodega (multiple locations)
• Runners-up: Columbia Restaurant (Celebration) and Bulla Gastrobar (Winter Park)

BEST SPLURGE RESTAURANT: 2023 ORLANDO SENTINEL FOODIE AWARDS

Critic’s Choice

• Winner: Kaya (Orlando)
• Runners-up: Juju/Kappo (Orlando) and Soseki Modern Omakase (Winter Park)

Readers’ Choice

• Winner: Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster (Orlando)
• Runners-up: Victoria & Albert’s (Disney’s Grand Floridian) and Bull & Bear (Orlando)

 

BEST WINE BAR: 2023 ORLANDO SENTINEL FOODIE AWARDS

Critic’s Choice

• Winner: Swirlery Wine Bar (Orlando)
• Runners-up: Digress Wine (Orlando) and Imperial Wine Bar (Orlando)

Readers’ Choice

• Winner: The Wine Room on Park Avenue (Winter Park)
• Runners-up: Wine Bar George (Disney Springs) and VINIA Wine & Kitchen (Winter Park)

BEST THEME PARK RESTAURANT: 2023 ORLANDO SENTINEL FOODIE AWARDS

Critic’s Choice

• Winner: Nomad Lounge (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
• Runners-up: Spice Road Table (EPCOT, Morocco Pavilion) and Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater (Disney’s Hollywood Studios)

Readers’ Choice

• Winner: Mythos Restaurant (Universal’s Islands of Adventure)
• Runners-up: Le Cellier Steakhouse (EPCOT, Canada Pavilion) and Tiffins Restaurant (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)

 

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Beth Keating is a theme parks, restaurant and entertainment reporter for DisneyBizJournal.

Where Are NBA Players Staying at Disney World?

by Ray Keating

News/Commentary

DisneyBizJournal.com

June 17, 2020

The NBA has provided information about how the league will operate while playing hoops at Walt Disney World starting in July. The New York Times, for example, has served up some points from the 113-page NBA handbook provided yesterday to team personnel focused heavily on safety and health protocols.  That’s fine, but I’m more interested in the part of the story regarding where NBA teams will be staying at Disney World.

As noted by Yahoo Sports, for example, the Gran Destino Tower at the Coronado Springs Resort will host the Milwaukee Bucks, Los Angeles Lakers, Toronto Raptors, Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, Utah Jazz, and Miami Heat.

Among the guests at the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa will be the Oklahoma City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers, Houston Rockets, Indiana Pacers, Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies, and the Orlando Magic.

And the Yacht Club Resort will host the Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, New Orleans Pelicans, San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, and Washington Wizards.

So, what will players and staff have to look forward to at each of these resorts? Here are key descriptions from the websites of each hotel.

Coronado Springs Resort: “Celebrate the unique blend of Spanish, Mexican and Southwest American cultures at the newly re-imagined Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort. This beautiful lakeside oasis offers classic influences, Disney touches and modern comforts to energize and inspire as you delight in an array of new features, eateries and enhancements.”

As for the Gran Destino Tower in particular, when it opened in July 2019, it was described as follows: “The new tower rises dramatically on the southeastern shores of Lago Dorado (‘Golden Lake’). It offers 545 modern guest rooms (including 50 suites and club-level services), a grand two-story lobby, new meeting venues, new lounges and a rooftop restaurant with spectacular views. The distinctive tower is the stylish new gateway to the 2,385-room resort.”

Check out dining options here. And read DisneyBizJournal’s review of one of these restaurants – Toledo – and the Gran Destino Tower.

Grand Floridian Resort & Spa: “Victorian elegance meets modern sophistication at this lavish Disney Resort hotel. Relax in the sumptuous lobby as the live orchestra plays ragtime, jazz and popular Disney tunes. Unwind outdoors, indulge in a luxurious massage and watch evening fireworks light up the sky over Cinderella Castle. Just one stop to Magic Kingdom park on the complimentary Resort Monorail, this timeless Victorian-style marvel evokes Palm Beach’s golden era.”

Check out dining options here.

Yacht Club Resort: “Delight in the formal grace of a grand New England-style yacht club at this lakeside hotel. Relax in the inviting elegance of a plush lobby replete with nautical touches, explore the whimsical Stormalong Bay and rent a variety of watercraft from Bayside Marina. Sharing many amenities with its pastel-toned sister, Disney’s Beach Club Resort, Disney’s Yacht Club Resort is walking distance to Epcot and a convenient boat ride to Disney’s Hollywood Studios.”

Check out dining options here. And read DisneyBizJournal’s review of Cape May Café. 

My message to NBA players? Enjoy, even if you’re unable to take advantage of all of the amenities given pandemic restrictions. 

What about the rest of us? On the one hand, there will be more sports to watch on television, which is great – though I admit to not exactly being a big NBA fan. I’m a baseball, football, hockey and golf aficionado. But beggars can’t be choosers. So, perhaps I’ll be watching some NBA basketball for the first time in a very long time.

At the same time, though, could the NBA at these Disney resorts feed an ugly jealousy in this overweight, older guy sitting at his laptop who not only can’t hit a free throw but wishes he was in Disney World? Let’s hope not.

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See related...

“The NBA Coming to Walt Disney World”

“Major League Soccer Returns; Disney to Host July Games”

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Ray Keating is the editor, publisher and economist for DisneyBizJournal.com, and author of The Disney Planner 2020: The TO DO List Solution (now available at a deep discount) and the Pastor Stephen Grant novels. He can be contacted at  raykeating@keatingreports.com.

Get the paperback or Kindle edition of Ray Keating’s new book Behind Enemy Lines: Conservative Communiques from Left-Wing New York.

Review: Gran Destino Tower and the Toledo Restaurant at Coronado Springs

by Beth Keating

Review

DisneyBizJournal.com

September 9, 2019

I must admit to feeling somewhat possessive about Coronado Springs as I watched various Disney Vloggers covering the Gran Destino Tower opening at Coronado in July.  Coronado Springs has typically been our home resort on many recent trips, and we’ve watched with anticipation as construction progressed not only on the tower itself, but on the mid-lake Three Bridges Bar and Grill.  I was a tad jealous when I watched the first guests unwinding in the open air ambiance of Three Bridges after a long day park hopping. 

When we booked Coronado the first time, it was because we were unable to get reservations at the first three resorts we tried for (it was a busy time of year at Disney!), and I was undeniably disappointed going into the trip.  A Disney Cast Member on the reservations line had encouraged us to try Coronado, but Coronado’s reputation for being a “convention hotel” had me skeptical about what the experience would be like.  I loved all the “Mickey details” in the other resorts we’d previously stayed at, and was afraid those touches would be missing at Coronado.  As it turns out, the quieter pace, the soft Spanish guitar music in the background, and the overall relaxed tone suited us, and we returned to Coronado several more times.  Last year’s newly renovated rooms were comfortable and nicely decorated, and our end-of-summer trip was uninterrupted despite the looming cranes and numerous construction fences.

So, it was with some trepidation that we awaited the completion of the new tower after having seen the “work in progress.”  We were certainly looking forward to the installation of the bridges over Lago Dorado… having stayed at the Ranchos in previous visits. A quicker way to the main building was indeed welcome.  But those huge construction panels that were glaringly obvious during last summer’s visit had us worried that the new tower was going to be a giant eyesore on what was otherwise a very bucolic landscape at Coronado. The behemoth of a tower seemed massive against its surroundings.  And truth be told, our summer photos of last year’s construction evolution were ... ugly.

Holding our breath, we waited to see what the grand opening offered. When you set your eyes on the building in person, Gran Destino is visually stunning.  The videos from our favorite vloggers simply didn’t do justice to the beauty of the place.  The approach to the resort was impressive (no more ugly construction panels!), and the two-story resort lobby was magnificent. The colors are rich and vibrant, often jewel-like in tone when set against some of the more earthy tones of the walls and floors with their various metallic lighting and accent pieces.  Hidden amongst the architecture are subtle nods to the Salvatore Dali/Walt Disney collaborative film “Destino,” for which the tower is named.  A wall of photos pays tribute to the unexpected friendship between the two creators. 

The interplay of light is a recurring design element at Gran Destino, from the curved color-changing ceiling of Toledo restaurant, to the mirrored walls and speckled granite of the countertops of Dahlia Lounge. The blend of Spanish influence with Dali’s surrealism creates a visually intriguing backdrop to the space – everywhere you look there are interesting shapes and colors to draw you in.  

Unusual patterns abound, and provide a variety of contrasts in the space. Even the chandeliers suggest the wispiness of dandelion fluff blowing in the wind.

We booked an evening dinner reservation at a time that we hoped would allow us to see the various Epcot and Hollywood Studios fireworks visible from the 16^thfloor rooftop setting of the new Toledo restaurant.  While we could see some of the fireworks from our dining table, reflections from the lights inside the restaurant didn’t quite allow us to see what we wanted to.  We stepped outside to the balcony to finish watching the shows.  (Depending on the time of year, showtimes for the various evening performances at the parks can start as early as 8:30 and last until after 10:00 pm.)  Our suggestion is to book a slightly earlier dinner reservation, allowing you to finish dinner before the fireworks start, and then grab your favorite beverage and relax on the cushioned sofas of the outdoor balcony at the adjacent Dahlia Lounge. It was a relaxing way to wrap up our day, and the outdoor seating at Dahlia Lounge was cozy, and the evening breezes at this height were a welcome relief to the heat of the Florida summer.

The fireworks view at night is spectacular. But the daytime view, which we arrived just in time to see before watching the sun setting over the House of Mouse, is just as impressive.  It was fun to see the different parks from high above, and we got a sweeping panoramic perspective of the newly opened Galaxy’s Edge, which was only in its first week of occupancy.  Picking out iconic ride landmarks from the tower balcony was a new twist on the competition to find Hidden Mickeys. 

The menu at Toledo is wide-ranging, from tapas-style smaller plates to full-sized entrees. We started our meal with the charred octopus, served with a chimichurri sauce, and a unique twist on the traditional theme park churros – these churros were twisty, soft and pillowy rather than the more typical crunchy style. 

For our entrees, we went with golden tilefish, slightly crispy on the outside but moist and flaky on the inside; some of the best scallops we’ve ever had; and a tender Manhattan filet of beef. 

Desserts also were good, but the favorite by far was the “Toledo Tapas Bar,” which our waitress explained was not only a progressive tasting of five different flavors ranging from coffee to chocolate, raspberry, lemon and cheesecake, but represented the colors of the Spanish Flag and Mickey Mouse!

So, along with the delicious meal at Toledo, I was forced to eat a helping of “I was wrong” with my meal.  The Gran Destino Tower is a lovely addition to Coronado Springs, and I’m looking forward to going back to spend a relaxing evening in front of the fire pit at Three Bridges sometime soon. Can’t wait to watch the lights sparkling on Lago Dorado at night!

Beth Keating is a regular contributor to DisneyBizJournal.

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