Since then Orlando has become an American destination and success story with diversified industry, a high tech hub and tourist Mecca. Metro Orlando’s population in 1980 was about 800,000 and today it is two million. It is clean, picturesque, spread out and big mdash; from highways, to hotels to dining rooms. But add the humidity and the extremes of going from outside to inside (mostly inside), which is like stepping from a pizza oven into a freezer (no energy savers there), and the shock of the artificial and extremes gives one pause. And then there is the food.

Fine dining in Orlando? “You’ve got to be kidding,” said some of our friends. Maybe not, but maybe yes, or “sort of” if you pick and choose and do your homework.

Business brought us back to Orlando twice in the past six months. And over the years has brought some of America’s top chefs, attracted by the hungry tourists and incentives in the franchise-land, personal empire mode pioneered by Messieurs Bocuse, Vergé and LeNôtre. That has proven to be a good thing for Orlando and, while it rubs on the local, sometimes pretentious joints, has indeed raised standards. But as with Epcot, a lot of new places emphasize noise, outrageous décor and robust portion sizes rather than healthy food and more often than not at less than bargain prices. Finding good value to feed your family can be a challenge unless you choose to go to the fast food lane.

More Celebrity Chef Outposts

If you have eaten at a named chef’s ur-restaurant, it’s unlikely you would “wow” at all the signature dishes made by their local executive chefs. However, some of these chefs are adding a little “je ne sais quoi” (playing with Florida seafood and citrus) that worked for us and even enhanced the experience. Our favorite meal by far was at Primo in the Marriott (4040 Central Florida Parkway; tel. 407-393-4444). We’ve long been a fan of Maine-based Melissa Kelly’s organic menus with a Mediterranean influence. Primo’s appealing, high ceiling dining rooms are meant to resemble a modern Tuscan farmhouse, and the entrance with long bar and table d’hôte is inviting. Some well-designed dining rooms with private booths and tables overlooking a terrace garden make for a relatively quiet evening. The real feast though is on the plates: we enjoyed appetizers such as a salad of sweet red and yellow beets and goat cheese and an unctuous fried mozzarella slice over a bed of heirloom tomatoes followed with a delicious pork dish and a red snapper stew Tunisian style (enhanced with the spicy harissa) served with faro. The desserts were nothing short of spectacular: the crème brûlée with lavender was one of the silkiest we’ve ever had, although the portion easily nourishes two; the molten chocolate cake rivals the best in the country. An impressive wine list and wonderful service were a welcome addition to the impressive execution of every dish.

And then there is Emeril ... and Emeril ... and Emeril. His good restaurants get runner-up awards for best food but the orchestrated noisy dining rooms tend to detract from a fine dining experience, at least to us (although we appreciate we are in Mickey Mouse land with all the pitfalls that go with it). Emeril’s top place is Emeril’s Restaurant Orlando (Universal Studios City Walk, 6000 Universal Blvd.; tel. 407-224-2424). You better love hot Creole food, though. We enjoyed the Creole Shrimp remoulade, the fried green tomatoes and the Creole marinated calamari best. The seafood andouille gumbo was not bad either, and his key lime pie is one of the best we’ve had in a while. At Emeril’s Tchoup Chop, pronounced chop-chop (Royal Pacific Hotel and Resort, 6300 Hollywood Way; tel. 407-503-2467), the David Rockwell décor is gorgeous and over the top. The Asian Polynesian menu is a delight with perfectly seared scallops on double fried plantains or gingered barbecued gulf shrimp with steamed rice and crunchy won tons as choice appetizers. Main courses such as the Asian wok bouillabaisse with Thai spices and delicious green tea and soba noodles are exotic and well balanced. Skip the desserts, but enjoy a nice tea from a wide selection. Emeril’s California Grill (Disney’s Contemporary Resort, 4600 N. World Dr., Lake Buena Vista; tel. 407-824-1576) is an amazing combination of high decibels with high quality food. We tried and enjoyed the flawless foie gras and sushi, and couldn’t pass our favorite grilled pork tenderloin and oak-fired beef filet. The cheese selection is a nice alternative to desserts. Menus are seasonal.

And, of course, there is a Puck outpost: Wolfgang Puck Café (1482 E. Buena Vista, Lake Buena Vista; tel. 407-938-9653) which can be trusted for the consistency of Spago and for Puck’s ubiquitous pizza, outstanding sushi and a safe array of entrées like grilled snapper with Pernod and butter sauce. Even the noise of Spago has not been lost here.

Key West’s Chef Norman Van Aken (best known for his former Coral Gables restaurant) settled at the Ritz Carlton. Norman’s (Grande Lakes, 4012 Central Florida Parkway; tel. 407-393-4333) offers Van Aken’s Caribbean and Latin American foods in a romantic setting. Try his “tapas” plates, such as his green tomato tempura with queso frito and escabeche emulsion or his “ceviche and tiradito,” such as the mango jugo-charred corn-habanero. If you opt for à la carte, his fish dishes such as yellowtail snapper on vegetables escalivada or Nicaraguan black grouper with heirloom tomatoes, chorizo de la casa and chipotle-tomato froth are exceptional. And so are his desserts: we particularly savored the “Dos Dulces”: orange-scented crema Catalana, chocolate mousse, crunchy tostada, and Portuguese olive oil, as well as the house made rice paper napoleon with macerated cherries, licorice cream and mint ice cream. His vegetarian menu is equally enticing and ends with a yummy lemon tartlet with dark rum ice cream and caramel peanut salsita. Go for a swim or a stroll or both after such indulgences.

Local, loco

While “chain” restaurants tend to be great equalizers across the country, local establishments, including traditional favorites, tend to be over-rated. Because people think they are the best in town, they think they are as good as good can be in other cities. Ain’t so. And Orlando ain’t Chicago or Shanghai. In Orlando, the local top spots are way overrated and sport dated décor but still seem to attract lots of locals and people who come or return to celebrate special occasions. Chatham’s Place (7575 Dr. Phillips Blvd.; tel. 407-345-2992) leads the pack with a quiet dining room instead of an updated décor, menu or fine service. Try their soups (skip the salad selections as entrées) like the rich lobster bisque or the creamy Portobello mushroom and follow this with any of their fish dishes like the sautéed Florida black grouper with pecan butter and scallions or the grilled jumbo shrimp with lemon butter. Desserts are not worth the calorie investment, especially as they have a nice selection of port and sherry should you want to end on a sweet note. Del Frisco’s (729 Lee Rd., Winter Park; tel. 407-645-4443) has been in business for over 20 years and appeals mostly to a male clientele looking for big portions. Owners Russ and Carole Christner boast their “made daily” whether it’s bread, salad dressing or desserts, but the diners mostly go for the prime, aged beef dishes washed down with a selection from the huge red wine offerings. At Le Coq au Vin (4800 S. Orange Ave.; tel. 407-851-6980) we recommend the silky foie gras terrine, and the mussels marinière with a light cream/wine sauce. The bread and classics such as sweetbreads and coq au vin were disappointing, and the same sauce and undercooked carrots and haricots verts made repeat appearances. Desserts, however, made up for the main courses as the classic chocolate soufflé as well as the apple tart were top notch. The room has no resemblance to a typical French bistro, and one could argue the same about most of the menu, which is much too large, considering the small kitchen and the huge number of guests and two services.

Epcot Landing

Epcot, of course, has an abundance of eateries, so you won’t go hungry, especially as quantity rules over quality. The décor and noise and food tend to blend into an experience, and people seem to have a good time, or at least make the most of the moment. A few places stand out among the crowded eateries: Le Cellier Steakhouse at the Canadian Pavilion (Lake Buena Vista; tel. 407-939-3463) treats meat and fish quite well in cooking and portion size (who needs a one-pound steak anyway?) and offers a cozy space and extremely well trained staff. Flying Fish Café (Disney’s BoardWalk Inn, 2101 N. Epcot Resorts Blvd.; tel. 407-939-2359), is a destination for crab cake and where the daily special is a safe bet. Our best Epcot dining experience, though a pricey splurge, was at Victoria & Albert’s (Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, 4401 Grand Floridian Way; tel. 407-939-7707) where the small dining room (20 tables) allows for formal and fine dining in an elegant setting. Opt for the menu of the day as it’s prepared with the best and freshest at the market, and the talented chef can and will play off his international experience to delight your palate.

On the whole, it has been an impressive 25 years for Orlando, and certainly for business, tourism and gastronomy, though the latter still has a way to go. We hope we can witness that at the same rate of growth and improvement over the next 25 years.