Tis Me Michelle

I have been loving the endless supply of new restaurants and bars to try in Orlando. Chayote popped up on my Instagram feed, and it just had all the right vibes. So, of course, I sent it to my Orlando Foodie friends crew and planned a dinner there.

Speaking of the vibes, the decor was absolutely stunning. Every inch of this spot was ‘Instagram-able’ for lack of a better term. And I would love to have it all in my house. Just absolutely gorgeous. Whoever designed this restaurant, please interior design mi casa, s’il vous plait!

And the main deal – the food and drinks. I started off with the, no surprises here, La Rubia, a tequila-based drink, which was sweet and refreshing. My friends both went for the cortadito (espresso martini) and swapped out the vodka with tequila. I’m not an espresso martini girlie, but I do love me some tequila, duh. I had a sip, and this was honestly, to date, probably the only espresso martini I enjoyed.

We moved on to small bites, the croquetas and bolitas. These croquetas were filled with shrimp with some guava sauce and avocado creme cheese to accompany them. The bolitas were cheese balls that had a papaya coriander jam-y type topping. I enjoy a good balance of sweet and savory, so I appreciated the fruity jam sauces. The bites were indeed small, but a good amount to share, so everyone gets a bite.

With so many great options, we continued to share a few dishes for dinner, and that was the right move. We got a side dish of the Arroz con Pollo and Corn Mac and Cheese. And the main mains were the Langosta (lobster thermidor with yuca mofongo) and the Lechon (pork terrine with tamarind bbq). Everything was very good. I’d say my highlight was the Lechon dish; I am a pork fan overall, though. The lobster itself was yummy, but I wasn’t super impressed with the mofongo. I also don’t have much to compare it to, as I don’t think I’ve really had it before. The Arroz con Pollo reminded me of Thanksgiving flavors in a good way. I really like crispy rice, so I appreciated the texture. The Mac and Cheese was also very good and unique. Most of the items we landed on, specifically the mac and cheese, were recommended by our waitress. She was fantastic. She was raving about the Mac and Cheese, which I believe is a side for one of the dishes, but she let us know we could do that and Arroz Con Pollo as extra sides, which was the right move.

And even after all that, we of course had room for dessert. With many great-sounding options, we opted for the chocolate torta. I don’t love bananas on their own, but for some reason, in baked goods or desserts, I’m all in. This was basically a chocolate lava cake with some premium-flavored ice cream. It was a decadent and delightful end to the meal.

I kind of want to gate-keep this spot, because it was just so good, but alas, I am here to steer the masses to the right spots who deserve the love. We went on a weeknight, and we basically had the place to ourselves. I can’t imagine it’ll stay that way. And honestly, I genuinely hope they are popping and thriving when I pull up next.

My only real downside is that this place is quite expensive. If I’m being honest, it’s actually on par with most of the newer restaurants opening up and the prices in general. I’ve been comparing spots like this on par with NYC/Miami prices because it really will set you back a pretty penny. This is why my friends and I shared a few options versus getting our own meals. As much as I loved this spot, I probably won’t be adding it to a regular rotation. But I’d definitely come back and hope to. We also found out they have a happy hour, so I’d check that out.

Rating: 8.6/10

Address: 480 Orlando Ave C-134, Winter Park, FL 32789