Orlando Hotspots: Ciao Italia!

WARNING! WARNING! If you think that Olive Garden is the classiest, most authentic Italian restaurant you know, please, for your sanity and for mine, just don't read this post. 

For months now I've heard about this amazing, authentic Italian restaurant called Ciao Italia. I've suggested other people try it, but hadn't had the chance to try it for myself. So, yesterday, after Bacchus Bash, when we were trying to figure out where to grab a more formal, sit down dinner, I jumped at the chance to finally experience Ciao Italia.

As you may have guessed by the warning, I'm not a big fan of Olive Garden. It's a guilty pleasure that I'll indulge in every now and then, but it irks me, as an Italian, that it markets itself as an Italian restaurant, when really it's just a nice pasta place. Lots of pasta should not equal Italian. Not to mention, Olive Garden is a national chain that reeks of cheesy stereotypes the way most of it's food reeks of too much garlic.

Ciao Italia is a truly unique, family-run, locally-owned restaurant that welcomes its guests the way my family welcomes each other--with delicious food and congenial service. The atmosphere is both quaint and romantic, with fresh linens and low lighting. Our server greeted us with a heavily accented "Buonasera" and spoke in a mixture of Italian and English (the Italian, to my delight, I understood perfectly!). The only aspect that gave me slight pause is that he pronounced bruschetta incorrectly (correct pronunciation is broo-skett-ah, not broo-shett-ah). I'll just attribute that to the hundreds of guests he must have who pronounce it wrong as well.

Alright, on to the food! I started with an appetizer of Calamari Saltati--sauteed calamari in a white wine lemon butter sauce. Unlike many versions of calamari, this one was not fried, which let the taste of the calamari shine, accented with lemon. As you can see, it was served in a dish that was shaped like a fish (luckily calamari is not really fish, per say, so it wasn't too awkward).

My entree was a HUGE serving of Tortellini con Pollo e Pesto. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo while at the restaurant, however, luckily I brought some home to enjoy later (however, still forgot to photograph). The pesto was one of the best I've ever tasted--each ingredient could be tasted separately in every bite. The pasta was obviously fresh, not frozen. It was a dish of which an Italian can be proud.

Finally, for dessert we had a Limoncello Marscapone Cake--cake soaked in Limoncello and accented with creamy marscapone. It was amazing.

Altogether, Ciao Italia is a restaurant that should not be missed! It's perfect both for a date night and for a family dinner. I'm sure they'd even be great for a small special occasion gathering. Check out their website and if you ever find yourself unsure of where to go on International Drive for dinner, definitely stay away from the chains and experience a real taste of Italy.

Orlando Hotspots: 4 Rivers Smokehouse

So you're driving around Orlando, most likely stuck on I-4 or International Drive, and you start to notice several bumper stickers that look like this:

Eventually you get close enough to read the website, type it into your smartphone (because using your phone and driving is still not illegal in Florida) and come across this website. Congratulations, your barbecue pedigree will never be the same again. 

Unlike many restaurants in Orlando, 4 Rivers has the distinction of being locally-owned. It's a small chain (with 3 locations in the Orlando area, and 1 in progress in Jacksonville), and the line can often be found out the door. Trust me, it's worth it. 

Like Salt Life did with clothes, 4 Rivers created a culture here in the Orlando area. You'd be hard pressed to find a local who hasn't heard of them. Besides their amazing food (which I'll get to in a minute), 4 Rivers is just a good-hearted company. Check this out from their website:

We are committed to producing the highest level of quality products and providing superior service to our customers, which distinguishes the 4 Rivers brand in the marketplace. Equally important, is our dedication to supporting our local businesses, schools, and charity organizations. We recognize the value of contributing to the growth of our community in order for our business to prosper. To that end, 4Rivers is proud to support organizations that are dedicated to building a stronger, safer and kinder community while creating hope for a brighter future for our children.

Now, what you've all been waiting for, how's the food? 

Amazing.

Southern Pulled Pork Sandwich with Mac n Cheese and Sweet Potato Casserole

My favorites are the Southern Pulled Pork and the Sweet Potato Casserole. The pork is tender, cooked to perfection, and the smokiness accents the sweet barbecue sauce well. As far as the casserole, I honestly hate sweet potatoes in every form, but 4 Rivers makes them taste amazing. They're sweet, creamy and nutty. The only problem is that they're so filling. You can eat 4 Rivers and be full for the rest of the day. The price isn't bad, either. For about $10 you can get a drink, sandwich and 2 sides. 

4 Rivers also has a Sweet Shop and you MUST try at least one thing. Today, I got a Coconut Bomb, which, though it doesn't photograph well (hence the lack of photo), tastes delicious.

As a Concierge, it's difficult to send guests more than a 15 minute drive away from the hotel, but when I can, I try to convince them to grab a taste of the amazing 4 Rivers Smokehouse. Next time any of y'all are in Orlando, you should definitely try it!