Bull and Bear, Waldorf Astoria Orlando

Written by Carol Cain on 30 August 2010

I have to thank my Wisconsin-born and raised husband for teaching me about the criteria for a good steak. After a lifetime of eating meat and not really caring either way, he introduced me to the concept of medium-rare, the Ribeye and all sorts of grilling techniques. Over the years these things have really helped me discover the value of a really great steakhouse, and why sometimes it’s worth paying the $100 in New York City for a good steak experience. When traveling, I rarely eat steak because as my standards rose, so did the difficulty in finding something that I would really enjoy.

During my culinary tour in Orlando, I was able to experience having a great steak in the beautiful surroundings of Bull and Bear Steakhouse at the new Waldorf Astoria, Orlando.

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando alone is a wonderful sight, with its tower clock (a smaller scale then the one found at the Waldorf-Astoria in NYC), its grand lobby, the attention to detail in every aspect of the experience, from the carpet, to the artwork, to the customer service.

As a continuation of that, the Bull & Bear Steakhouse emulates style, warmth, and class. I liked the design of this location much more than that of NYC’s.

Though Bull and Bear is not normally opened for breakfast (its regular hours are from 6:00pm -10:00pm) and often caters to up to 159 guests, we had a special treat: an exclusive steak and eggs breakfast featuring their Certified Angus Beef brand Prime. Less than 1.5% of all beef achieves the brand’s Prime requirements and all are custom dry-aged to the chef’s specifications and hand-cut by expert butchers of Buckhead Beef Company of Florida. This is top of the line beef, and I could tell right away after my first bite.

But before the steak, we started our breakfast with a wonderful array of breads, natural and fresh juices such as watermelon, carrot, and orange, and some to-die-for truffle butter. Our steak and eggs breakfast was presented with a side of potato pancake as well.

Our servers brought out our steaks and really helped to heightened the anticipation and excitement over our meals by carving them right next to our table. This was wonderful because it gave us a perspective of the steak we were about to enjoy. I’m just sorry I didn’t ask for seconds, or better yet, the bone!

We also had the pleasure of dining with General Manager Manny Belete and chat with Chef David Sears about their passions for great customer service and the culinary arts. Their dedication to bringing sophistication to the culinary scene in Orlando and to offer visiting guests not just a meal, but an overall experience, was inspiring to hear.

: Chef David Sears

Everyone we met that morning was passionate about food, and about how they could serve good food to experience. Besides attention to detail, they wanted to make it accessible for the many guests that stay at the hotel and it’s neighboring Hilton Bonnet Creek. This is evident in their pricing. One of the dishes listed, for example, is a 36-oz Tomahawk USDA, Certified angus beef, Ribeye for $95.00! A taste of that dish, for that price is worth the trip back for me!

When you are as dedicated to providing an optimal experience to your guests, as Mr. Belete and Chef Sears and his team are, it is difficult to not taste it in your food, sense it in your surroundings.

I applaud Bull and Bear for their success in quickly climbing that ladder of recognition in this new territory. After having been a guest there myself, I can see why. I also thank them for coming in so early to cater to us. The meal is something we are still talking about till this day. They aimed for unforgettable, and achieved it in the best way possible.

To make your reservations online with Bull and Bear at Waldorf Astoria Orlando please visit their website at http://www.waldorfastoriaorlando.com/dining/bullandbear/

Disclosure: This review is based on a complimentary, all-expense paid visit to Orlando, FL by the Orlando/Orange County Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, including complimentary meals in featured restaurants. I received no other compensation and no requirements that I express a particular point of view.