Here are some quick tips for food and fun in Orlando, including fish fries, strawberry tacos and more.
Cabbage is in season now in Florida – a good excuse for anything from coleslaw to vegetable soup to bubble and squeak. If you’ve never made “egg roll in a bowl,” look up a recipe and maybe give it a try! It’s always best to enjoy Florida produce when it’s at its seasonal peak.
Edible Orlando writer John Graham keeps track of all the fun food events coming up in Central Florida and he’s put together a list of the best bets for the next couple weeks. From Friday fish fries to a bourbon dinner or strawberry brisket tacos, we’ve got the scoop on what’s doing down around town.
Saturday, Feb 17
The Orlando Halal Food Festival is back at the Islamic Center of Orlando from noon to 10 p.m. Of course, that’s kebabs and biryani, but also tacos and burgers, hot chicken and Italian ice, and more. Both Muslims and non-Muslims are welcome.
Thursday, Feb 22
Feast in the East is a chance to sample food, beverage and desserts from East Orlando Chamber of Commerce members, 5 – 8 p.m., at the Avalon Park Community Center Pavilion. Admission is $35 in advance, $45 at the door, or $100 for a package of four.
Friday, Feb. 23
It’s the second Friday in Lent, so Holy Family Catholic Church is having a big fish fry (and every Friday through March 22). If you eat at the church, the meal is family style, but you can also get drive-through dinner to go. The meal includes fried fish, French fries, green beans and coleslaw at $15 for adults and $5 for kids 6-12 (who get mac and cheese). Fried shrimp is also available or, for $2 more, you can get baked or grilled salmon with steamed veggies. Beer, wine and desserts are available to buy too.
The Oceanaire Seafood Room at Pointe Orlando wants to take you on a European vacation during a single dinner with paired wines, too. Starting at 6:30 p.m., the $158.69 (after tax and fees) dinner visits the Alps (horseradish crème fraiche and smoked trout caviar, roasted mushroom and herbed goat cheese canapes, crispy asparagus with speck ham “Wiener schnitzel-style”) Greece (shrimp saganaki), France (loup de mer a’la meuniére/Mediterranean seabass), Spain (charred octopus), and Italy (pork osso buco).
Taste of Kissimmee hits Lakefront Park’s Ruby Plaza, 5- 9 p.m. There’s no admission fee, but you pay to sample foods and beverages from more than a dozen participating local restaurants. Live music too!
Tuesday, Feb. 27
Paddlefish, the riverboat-shaped seafood restaurant at Disney Springs, is taking a beer paring dinner to the top – Paddlefish’s rooftop level. From 6:30 – 9:30 p.m., meal courses will pair with beers from California’s Stone Brewing and Lost Coast Brewery. The food menu includes Paddlefish’s signature lobster corndog, stuffed clam with andouille, sea scallop with Parmigiano and mushroom, Kurobuta tenderloin and belly, and chocolate bread pudding. Tickets are $96 including taxes and fees.
Thursday, Feb. 29
Leap Day only comes every four years, and as Jeremiah’s Italian Ice Cream has a frog for a mascot, the chain that got its start in Central Florida is celebrating. If you sign up for the J-List rewards program, on the Jeremiah’s website or app, you can get a small “flavorite” or “mix-in” treat for just 96 cents. (The first shop opened in 1996.) You could also win a swag bag or a trip to Orlando – which might mean a little more if you lived near the Jeremiah’s in Colorado! The first-ever Jeremiah’s (in Winter Park) will feature a DJ spinning ’90s tunes, inflatable coloring stations, and balloon artists, 3 – 8 p.m., followed by a ’90s movie (TBA) on the lawn.
The Florida Strawberry Festival kicks off in Plant City through Match 10 with the traditional midway rides and attractions, youth livestock shows, live concerts, and strawberry foods. That’s strawberry shortcake, of course, but also milkshakes, jam, chocolate-dipped berries, pizza, brisket tacos, crepes, kettle corn, fudge, big bowls of fresh strawberries, and more. Ticketed concerts include The Oak Ridge Boys (Feb. 29), The Beach Boys (March 1), ZZ Top (March 4), Zach Williams (March 5), The Commodores (March 8), and Flo Rida (March 9). Festival admission is $15 for adults and $5 for children 6-12.
Plated is a new food event, 6 – 9 p.m., on Winter Park’s Park Avenue … and we literally mean on Park Avenue. A bunch of restaurants are teaming up with Prato handling the welcome cocktail, Financier Cafe & Bistro has the hors d’oeuvres, Bosphorus is providing Turkish spreads and naan, the seasonal salad is from New General, three restaurants are covering the entrees (Boca, Prato, and AVA), and Choulala Pastries has dessert. There’s red and white wine too, and don’t spill because you’re expected to wear shades of white. Tickets are $268.61 after taxes and fees.
If you like your Italian food with bourbon, Trabucco, inside Hilton Orlando, has you covered. For $117.09 per person (including tax, fees, and tip), you’ll get four courses of coastal Italian paired with different Maker’s Mark pours. Dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. with fritto misto (fried calamari and shrimp), braised short ribs, pork osso buco, and bourbon orange chocolate tart. Maker’s Mark ambassador DeNiro Fisher will also be there with an exclusive gift.
For more inspiration, visit our archives.
