Ana's Kitchen: Little Restaurant, Big Flavor

Word of mouth is a special, special thing.

There is a very small restaurant hidden behind Wet n’ Wild, located far from the more popular Tourist Country sites. This place is in a small plaza with throwaway stores and stereotypically-named restaurants. Ana’s Kitchen is in a tough location to make good money---and then being open strictly in the afternoon adds to the difficulty of maintaining itself.

But the word of mouth has allowed for this place to thrive. I was told of this place by a Brazilian co-worker, who doesn’t even officially live in Orlando (Has a one-year program). When I personally arrived, it was chock full of Brazilians and South Americans---tourists and locals. The place is just a few tables deep, the kitchen within sight, and barely enough room for decoration. Nice Brazilian artwork scatters the place, but you really don’t have space to enhance the vibe and atmosphere. Ana’s Kitchen is very friendly though from staff to management.

Being a small place with obvious limited budget, they pull off daily lunch specials to replace some of the main menu items that aren’t always available. Although I really wanted steak, due to limitations I instead ordered their chicken parmesan with rice, fried yucca, and French fries. I know, cool diet. Throw in some mango juice and I will call it a nice South American lunch. Although chicken parmesan doesn’t sound too Brazilian, keep in mind Sao Paulo is one of the top places for Italian food in the world. They love their pizza there.

The rice, fries, and yucca arrive first, which I found rather odd. The rice was decent, nothing too fattening (like Hispanic rice) or plain (like sushi rice). The fried yucca didn’t have much of the infamous Hispanic flair, but its yucca so you can’t really go wrong. You get a nice healthy portion, and each bite is just as crunchy and flavorful as the last one. Yucca is honestly everything the potato wishes it could be---if you haven’t discovered the magic of yucca (cassava in English) then you must change this today. Although the sides were good, I was still pondering why they arrived so much earlier than my –

---Holy crap. This is not chicken. This is a monstrosity. Not only is it a ginormous hunk of chicken lathered in fresh marinara and topped with a mountain of cheese, but it is a darn good chicken that is hugged by Italian goodness. When the plate arrives you can hardly see evidence of the meat—you have to start consuming it before you are convinced its chicken parm. Now, a plate of this size would usually mean that the dish is around $20-$25, but in Ana’s Kitchen it is a steal by costing just north of $12---and remember it comes with all those sides that had been delivered earlier.

Among the best chicken parms I’ve ever consumed, this behemoth is packed with intense flavor from top to bottom—from the smooth marinara to the fresh melted cheese to the chicken itself which was baked perfectly. Despite the size it was very easy to eat because the texture was being generous. But then combine with the rice and yucca and you have easily a full meal—it feels like the appetizer, sides, and main entrée was wrapped up in a nice $12 package. Hands-down one of the best lunch deals you’ll find in all of central Florida. If all the meals are this size then we are looking at one of the best restaurants in terms of value in the entire state.

Of course, I had to try their dessert. Chocolate flan was the dessert of choice, and it definitely didn’t disappoint. One of most egregious things you can do to moist desserts like flan or tres leches is not engulf the treat in extra syrup, sugar, or sauce. This flan was sitting on a sea of pure sugary mayhem, which contributed to why it was a nice sweet kick to offset all the salty and savory lunch I just consumed. It was nowhere near as big as the chicken parmesan but it was plenty to satisfy.

Bottom Line: Ana’s Kitchen is an awesome choice for lunch, especially if you’ve seen better days financially. Spotting a $20, you can engage yourself in a very full lunch that might hold you over past dinner, as the lunch items are big and the sides contribute to the great value you’ll find within these skinny walls. The menu is definitely smaller, but with the lunch specials and the good variety within that lonely page you won’t be moaning too much at the limited options. Everything I had here was fresh, delicious, and great in quantity. If you are looking for a calmer Brazilian restaurant that doesn’t have the typical buffet mannerisms, then Ana’s Kitchen is your spot.Word of mouth is the main reason why a secluded restaurant open only 5 hours can still remain a success story. And with this article, I am merely continuing the hype train.


Final Verdict: Recommend


Ana’s Kitchen
7500 Universal Blvd
Orlando, FL 32819