La Luce Restaurant at Hilton Bonnet Creek, Orlando

My tour of Orlando’s culinary scene has begun. As a kick-off to Magical Dining month in September, I have joined a group of my foodie friends to experience all the wonderful tastes and smells of good food.

Rarely do we as travelers in search of good food experiences think of destinations such as Orlando, the theme park capital of the US, if not the world, as having a culinary scene worthy of mention.

The purpose of this adventure, one that I am grateful the Orlando CVB was happy to make a reality, is to showcase to the world that it has in fact evolved into a place that great food-lovers, young, old and anywhere in between, can truly enjoy. But this isn’t just a showcase of dishes full of flair and flavor, this is also an opportunity to highlight the culinary artisans who have dedicated their lives to food, and who are committed through their passion of the same, as well as to placing Orlando on the foodie map.

Our culinary journey started a few hours after we arrived to the Hilton Bonnet Creek Hotel.

Here, we had a chance to dine at the hotel’s exclusive fine Italian restaurant, La Luce created by Napa Valley’s very own chef and restaurateur, Donna Scala. The minute you enter La Luce you expect something wonderful to happen and the friendly staff, the design, the art work seen throughout, and the large windows, which on a good day we were told allow for the viewing of colorful sunsets, help to set the stage for it. I was immediately excited.

We were joined by Francis Metais, food and beverage director and Shadi Saman, manager of La Luce. On this night our culinary experience was created by Chef Alberto Navarette, who has worked alongside Chef Scala for 17 years.

As I looked at the fabulous menu placed before me, my eyes immediately gravitated towards those dishes that were most familiar: Caesar salad, lasagna, tiramisu.

But when you are surrounded by foodies, and are listening to Metais sharing his passion for food both in his tales and through his photography, you are inspired to go beyond the usual and do something different.

Before I could decide, we were presented with a dish of Antipasta Misti (salame, mortadella, roasted peppers, olives, provolone, and garlic toast), along with Fritto Misto (calamari, rock shrimp, fennel, onions, grean beans, and spicy aioli) which was a wonderful array of Italian starters.

I followed it with a Stone Fruit Salad, which I thoroughly enjoyed. I am a huge fan of goat cheese, but also love salads mixed with nuts and the sweetness of fruit. This dish was further complimented by Moscatel vinaigrette. There is nothing incredibly unique about it, but the combination of so many of my favorite flavors made it the perfect start for what was to follow.

On the advisement of our wonderful server, Stefano, I skipped the lasagna and decided on the Riccia con Bolognese (classic meat ragu, aged provolone, and fried sage). To read the ingredients it all seems so basic, but it also serves as a reminder of the fact that what makes a dish a classic favorite is not its complexity, but rather the power of its simplicity, and this dish delivered.

As would have it, Metais requested a few other dishes not on our menu selections. Dishes that he felt were too amazing to miss, dishes that he felt really painted a full view of what La Luce was cultivating with its presence. So we were treated to an amazing Pizze Bianca, which was just as wonderful to look at as it was to eat. Topped with arugula, onions caramelized to perfection, figs, Gorgonzola, and a light touch of balsamic vinaigrette, this dish is an absolute must try. It is light, yet packed with flavor.

Another surprise dish, and another example of the power of simplicity, was the Bucatini Americiana. After a small bite, I completely forgot about the riccia, and happily finished off my meal there. I would say that given both options, the bucatini was my favorite.

To top it all off (and yes, by now I was feeling like I had reached full capacity), I was presented with a beautiful serving of Butterscotch Pudding with a side of chocolate covered toffee, which I of course used to scoop up the pudding and whipped cream on top.

When you visit La Luce in Orlando, you are guaranteed an excellence in service from both in what the  kitchen delivers and those serving you ad you can trust that these are people who are truly passionate about food and understand the value of not only serving you a good plate of food, but also making it an experience worth talking about.

I was very pleased, as was everyone else who joined me on this evening. A truly amazing way to kick-off this adventure!

La Luce Restaurant is a participating member in Orlando’s Magic Dining Month, September 2010. For more information please visit the Magic Dining website.

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 to featured restaurants. I received no other compensation and no requirements that I express a particular point of view.

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Tags: food, hotel, travel
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