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

Chimiking: (Temporarily) I'm Home..

My opinion towards my country’s food has been documented several times. There are foods over in the Dominican Republic that can never be duplicated here in the United States, no matter how hard you try. This is not an insult to America, this is just the truth. The fruit there is fresher, the water is better, the yucca is nineteen layers above anything cassava/potatoish here in Florida, and even the street foods have a special flavor.

One of our most infamous creations is the chimichurri, which is actually street burgers. What makes the chimichurri over in the Dominican Republic so fascinating is that you never actually know when was the last time that grill was cleaned, you don’t know what else has been cooking in the same vicinity, and you never quite know what that special sauce is (even though nine times out of ten its mayo/ketchup). None of this is healthy, but I assure you that there are few things in life sweeter than a good Dominican burger. So when we have a food truck that has excelled and survived throughout Orlando mainly because of Dominican burgers, I of course had to find this place.

ChimiKing the food truck actually became such a hit that the owners decided to also open up a permanent restaurant in the edge of Whisper Lakes, one of the neighborhoods between Orlando and Kissimmee. Good luck figuring out what exactly is their chimichurri contents, as not even their website points out details of the burger---and yes there is a secret sauce attached. The restaurant itself is a small building that houses a small menu and a section where there is already-made food that you can order to go. I didn’t care about anything else, I just wanted the chimuchurri. Because I am a weakling for these things (and because I still can’t figure out how to make a successful one at home) I complimented the burger with a morir sonando (milk/orange juice hybrid straight from heaven).

The chimichurri arrives in all its glory: it’s a thick burger that is surrounded by shredded lettuce, plenty of sauce and wrapped in thick toasted bun that is far meatier and heavier than the average burger bun. The entire creation was a sheer delight, as the burger packed plenty of heat and flavor, and was supported immensely by the creamy sauce that was lathering on top with the lettuce. With the buns being well-toasted, it kept the temperature of the beautiful burger nice and high all the way to the last bite. Simplicity is key here: burger, good sauce, good bread, and a veggie alternative to touch the rest of your taste buds.

While I deemed it impossible, this burger does a great job transporting you to the sketchy corners of the Dominican Republic where secretly some of the best cooks concoct their evil creations. Also helping the trip down Dominican memory lane was the equally superb morir sonando, which was just the right amount of sweetness to counter the heat, salt, and savory punch of the chimichurri. I didn’t have anything else. I didn’t need anything else. Coming back here would just result in me ordering the same thing—similar to my relationship with Hollywood’s Le Tub: I am only here for the burger.

Bottom Line: If the food truck’s chimichurri is just as good as the restaurant version, then it is definitely worth making the trip at 3 a.m. to this area to nab one of these late night delights. The chimichurris here are fantastic and worth every penny and every mile. Similar to a magician keeping their tricks secret to preserve the magic, I’d rather not know what that secret sauce is, I just want to relive the experience and hear the bachata playing as I consume one of these delights. If you are looking for a great late night burger, look no further. Look for the ChimiKing truck. Get the chimichurri. Thank me later.



Final Verdict: Recommend


ChimiKing
2108 Whisper Lakes Blvd, 
Orlando, FL 32837