Danketsu

11425 Lk. Underhill Rd.
Orlando, FL 32825
(407) 988-3093
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Danketsu is the all new Asian Fusion restaurant on Orlando’s east side. Although there is a big focus on Korean BBQ, the menu has plenty to offer in terms of sushi, noodles, hot pot and other popular Asian dishes.

Fusion cuisine or fusion food, is a general term for the combination of various forms of cookery and is offered in several forms. Danketsu may not cross mix dishes with one another, but they are certainly a regional fusion restaurant. Regional fusion combines different cuisines of a region into a single dining experience like combining the various cuisines of different Asian countries. 

So the name Danketsu derived from Japanese, that is pronounced (don-ket-su) which means combination, union, and unity…. is a very fitting one.

The location on Lake Underhill was formerly a Hooters Wings, that has been closed for a few years now. The outside received a new paint job and got new signage, but the inside has been beautifully redone. The bar has a pretty cool mural painted on the wall with vibrant colors. Of course there are the obligatory super large TV screens with a large projector screen at the front of the restaurant. The main dining room is very open and spacious with plenty of regular tables and seating at the bar.

If you know ahead of time that you want Korean BBQ or Hot Pot, let the host station know and they will seat you in the section that has booths with tables that have built in burners and a table grill. Even if you decide after sitting at a regular table, they will gladly move you.

We started out with the Tuna Tataki that featured thinly sliced seared tuna served with ponzu sauce. The tuna was really good and delicately sliced with a very light sear.

Just to sample the quality of the sushi rolls at Danketsu, we ordered the Combo Set D. They have a decent selection of sushi, nigiri and sashimi on the menu with some pre selected roll options in the combo sets. The combo set D features a California roll, spicy tuna roll and a spicy salmon roll. The rice was nice and sticky and did not fall apart after dipping in soy, and the fish was fresh with a nice kick to it.

The Yakisoba noodles were the only disappointment of our evening. The noodles themselves were cooked well and had great consistency, but really lacked any flavor or toppings. For $13.00 I expected more chicken and vegetables.

The Miso Ramen was a very large portion and tasted exceptional. I would advise Danketsu to put more descriptions in the menu. Quite a few items lack any information that tells the guest exactly what they are getting. The miso ramen is simply listed as noodles in miso base, and that sounds rather plain especially when you look at the picture of the dish we got. Our server was also unsure of what the ramen came with.

Overall, we really liked Danketsu and since we live on the east side, we will certainly return. The prices are very reasonable and the portions are large. With two sake bombs, two beers and all of the food pictured above, our bill was $68.00... we had plenty left over for lunch the next day too. 

The restaurant is fairly new, so I will give them some more time for adjustments and training servers to know the menu better. On our next visit we are doing the Korean BBQ and a Hot Pot...so stay tuned for that.

Danketsu is open from 4:00 pm to 2:00 am Monday to Sunday, and features nightly drink specials like $5.00 sake bombs on Friday and various specials for sporting events.

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Bento Cafe UCF

12250 Strategy Blvd #443

Orlando, FL 32817
(407) 658-8088

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I have always been a fan of Bento Cafe, especially the Downtown Orlando location.

Bento primarily serves up what is best described as Pan-Asian cuisine, with a wide array of different foods from all over Asia. The downtown location is great if you happen to work or live near there, as it has become a staple in that area for quick and fresh Asian cuisine at a reasonable price. I however live on the east side of Orlando, and unless I ask my wife to bring me something home, it’s a bit out of the way. That is why I am very happy to share with you my most recent review of the all new Bento Cafe UCF. Yes you heard right...Bento has a brand new location in the Plaza at University, and the food is just as awesome as it is at any other location.

The Bento Cafe brand, If you are not familiar with them, is a small chain of seven restaurants with more on the way, that offers a creative mixture of Asian inspired dishes from wok stir-fry to fire-grilled items to sushi using the finest Asian spices and the freshest ingredients all at great prices.

The concept at Bento is to bring unique and authentic Asian food in a fast and efficient manner. Everything on the menu is cooked to order and prepared in minutes and served up in an atmosphere that is fun, friendly and stylish. The word “Bento” means boxed-meal in Japanese, and they have a wide selection of traditional boxed meals, but the menu includes a wide variety of sushi rolls, sashimi, nigiri and chirashi bowls as well as soups, udon noodles, rice bowls and noodle bowls. They also offer Boba Tea, a popular Asian beverage that is consisted of milk tea and chewy tapioca pearls.

Every store is designed differently which makes visiting each Bento Cafe an experience. Each store will be either dominated by the warm red dragon colors or the cool blue dragon colors. Each Bento has a sushi station, but the UCF location has seats at the sushi bar, so you can watch the chefs prepare your rolls live and in person.

 

Speaking of sushi, the Jade roll with marinated spicy tuna, eel, avocado, krab delite, masago, scallions and eel sauce tasted just as good as it looked.

For my entree, I chose the the Sesame Wok Stir Fry bowl. This dish comes with your choice of chicken, beef, shrimp or tofu and red bell peppers, snow peas, onions, baby corn in a sesame soy sauce. I really enjoyed the flavors, and the portion was more than I could eat.

Now, I really did enjoy my entree selection, but it would be dishonest of me not to tell you that I was really jealous of my wife’s Bento Box. She opted for the Sriracha Garlic Chicken in a bento box. You can get chicken, shrimp or tofu grilled or fried with red bell peppers and onions with a sweet and spicy Sriracha sauce for dipping. Bento boxes come with your choice of steamed rice or lo mein, ginger salad, and string beans and a dessert. Not only was this delicious and lots of food, it only costs $8.95, and that's a bargain.

The UCF Bento Cafe is the third one to open in the Orlando area, and I can now say I have been to all three, and all three locations have been very consistent in quality and service. Sometimes chains can vary in quality and the overall experience you may have there, and I am impressed with the consistency of Bento Cafe.

If you are looking for some really good Asian food with variety and great flavors in a fast casual environment, check out Bento if you have not done so already. Whats even better is the fact that you can dine there without putting a hurt on your wallet and without sacrificing quality over price.

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Noodles & Company

3683 E Colonial Drive
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 228-9870

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As the number of fast-casual restaurants continues to skyrocket around the United States and even globally, you can continue to expect more fast casual chains and even independent fast casual eateries to make their way to Orlando. Noodles & Company already has five locations in Central Florida and is continuing to expand.

The concept at Noodles & Co. is to offer the world’s favorite noodle dishes, sandwiches, salads and soups, all in one restaurant. Each dish is hand made to your specifications, using only the freshest ingredients. All entrees are individually sauteed or prepared, placed on signature stoneware and served tableside with stainless steel flatware. All of this can be had for around $8 a dish, and there’s never any tipping at Noodles.

The food, or Noodles served up here are inspired by the individuality, creativity and cultural heritage of cuisines from around the globe. From Penne Rosa to Japanese Pan Noodles, The Med Salad, Thai Curry Soup, and a Wisconsin Mac & Cheese, only the most authentic ingredients are used to create great tasting food in a fast casual environment.

The concept is simple and straight forward. After looking over the large photo menu, you first choose your entree and pick your size, regular or small. Next you can choose to add meat or tofu to your dish. Meats include pork, Parmesan crusted chicken, grilled chicken breast, marinated steak, sauteed shrimp and oven roasted meatballs. Finally you can choose to green it up, soup it up, or veg it up by adding extra vegetables, a soup or side salad. Within minutes your food is brought to your table and you are ready to enjoy some pretty tasty noodles.

 

Additionally Noodles & Co. has three side items, or appetizers to choose from. The list includes Potstickers, Margherita Flatbread and a Cheesy Garlic Bread. Our Pot stickers were pretty darn good for fast casual.

I ordered the Wisconsin Mac & Cheese in a regular size. This is a classic blend of cheddar and jack cheeses, cream and elbow macaroni. I also added the grilled chicken to my mac & cheese. This mac had a very rich and creamy sauce, and the added grilled chicken provided a perfect texture and flavor. The regular size was more than enough, and I even had some left over.

The Pesto Cavatappi is curly pasta, basil pesto, garlic, mushrooms, tomato, wine, cream, Parmesan and Italian parsley. My guest added the Parmesan crusted chicken. This dish was very flavorful and savory with just the right amount of sauce.

I was really impressed with the flavors in the Thai Hot Pot that one of my other guests ordered. This is a Noodles & Co. signature curry broth with cabbage, sprouts, peppers, shiitake mushrooms, rice noodles, pulled chicken and pork, lime wedge and cilantro, served with a side of toasted Asian flatbread. The broth had a wonderful coconut flavor with a decent amount of heat, and the flatbread was great for dipping also.

I found all of the food I tried to be quite flavorful, and about as authentic in taste as I have had at any traditional Asian, Italian, and American restaurant. Noodles and Company also serves beer and wine because, as they like to say…” it goes great with our food”. The selection and availability varies for each restaurant. I did enjoy a New Belgium Brewing Fat Tire during my visit.

Noodles & Company is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 am until 9:00pm, and they stay open until 10:00 pm on Friday and Saturday.

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