10/08/08

One benchmark of a great city is its restaurants!

by MaryTiffany

And The Beacon in downtown Orlando IS a great restaurant that combines an outdoor, casual environment comparable to the better restaurants on South Beach in Miami with the friendliness of an upscale city neighborhood. Our server, Jackie, was the best! The slices of cucumber on the water glass were a surprise and a delightful change from lemon. If you enjoy sushi or tuna, then you'll definitely want to go for the Tuna 3-Ways. The presentation is wonderful and the tuna is sushi grade. I had the Crustacean, crab cake on a formed serving of Pablano rice mixed with sweet yellow corn and herbs. The crab cake had nice size chunks of sweet white crab with just enough filling and spices to hold it all together. They have an extensive selection of beers, wines and cocktails, served at the right temperature. Ask for the Guinness! Since the weather was perfect, we sat outside after dinner where it was easy to enjoy conversation without having to compete with the loud music found in so many establishments. Whether you're a local or visitor, The Beacon is a great oasis in O-Town, providing great food, drink and atmosphere!

• Pros: You can have a wonderful dining experience and not break the bank!
• Cons: If you want to park close, valet parking may be a good choice.