In this episode of “Restaurants on the Radar,” host Brendan O’Connor takes you to a few of his favorite restaurants in Orlando serving dishes that feel like a warm hug.
Dig into these dining options serving the best comfort food in Orlando proven to cure any mood. From hand-made kielbasa to braised beef, these are the restaurants that should be on your radar.
Stream the full episode here then binge-watch the entire season of “Restaurants on the Radar” free on the Very Local app.
Orlando restaurants featured in this episode:
The Monroe
- 📍Creative Village
- Website: themonroeorlando.com
- The Monroe Facebook Page
- The Monroe Orlando Instagram
The first stop is the Monroe Orlando located in the Creative Village. Known for being a pressure cooker for universities and tech hubs, The Monroe does the same with American cuisine. Owners and Operators, Jason and Sue Chin created the open concept dining space to provide a cozy home for the modern American comfort fare served there.
Follow Brendan into the kitchen with Executive Chef Josh Oakley to learn how the sausage is made. Specifically, their house-made kielbasa. The Downtown Orlando restaurant has an eclectic menu of comfort food classics with a twist. From smash burgers topped with a secret sauce to country ham biscuits. It’s no wonder the Monroe made it onto Brendan’s radar.
Chicken Fire
- 📍Neighborhood: Coytown
- Website: eatchickenfire.com
- Chicken Fire Facebook Page
- Chicken Fire Instagram
Ready to feel the heat? Chicken Fire’s soulful hot chicken (Nashville-style hot chicken), is buttermilk dredged crispy fried chicken drenched in a spicy hot oil-based glaze. In other words, their spicy chicken is straight fire!
Owner Kwame Boakye shares some of the secrets to his special sauce and walks Brendan through the Chicken Fire Challenge. You know what they say, if you can’t handle the heat, it’s ok. Chicken Fire has a little something for everyone from not very spicy to really really HOT!
Tornatore’s
- 📍 Neighborhood: College Park
- Website: tornatoresitalianrestaurant.com
- Tornatore’s Facebook Page
It doesn’t get more authentic than Tornatore’s Italian restaurant in College Park. Known for their fresh handmade mozzarella, pizza, pastas, and homemade sauce.
Watch as Brendan gets a personal tutorial on how to make real Italian pasta from the master himself, Massimo Montanini. Then Owner, Denny Tornatore teaches him how to make fresh mozzarella from scratch. Talk about a cheese pull.
Sea Thai
- 📍 Neighborhood: Colonialtown Center
- Website: seathaiorlando.com
- Sea Thai Facebook Page
- Sea Thai Instagram
Voted best Thai food in Orlando, Sea Thai in Colonialtown Center serves asian cuisine that soothes the soul. The Orlando restaurant specializes in crafting innovative and arromatic takes on thai comfort food dishes guaranteed to wow the senses.
Tawa Chavitranurak is also the Head Chef at Sea Thai. Watch as he shows Brendan how to make one of their most popular dishes, the braised beef fried rice.
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