This week’s foodie adventure takes us to Orlando, Florida!
We packed up our little family of five and headed down to the land of the Mouse for one last summer getaway before the kiddos went back to school. And while we’ll definitely be reviewing some Disney restaurants from this trip, one of our favorite dinners actually happened completely outside the Disney bubble.
Our destination was Sixty Vines Sand Lake, located along Orlando’s famous “Restaurant Row” in the Dr. Phillips area.
Welcome to Restaurant Row
Sixty Vines Sand Lake is one of the larger Sixty Vines locations, occupying more than 11,000 square feet with seating for more than 300 guests. The restaurant features indoor and outdoor dining areas, a greenhouse-inspired space and even a private dining room overlooking the lake.
But as the name suggests, wine is the centerpiece.
Sixty Vines offers 60 wines on sustainable taps, ranging from Napa Cabernet and Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc to Italian Sangiovese and Argentinian Malbec. The food menu is designed around sharing and pairing, with wood-fired pizzas, charcuterie, seasonal starters and entrées.
They also offer Happy Hour specials and a popular weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
We were meeting up with our son’s godparents and longtime family friends, Frank and Donna, who suggested we find something along Restaurant Row for dinner. After looking through some menus, I landed on Sixty Vines because the food sounded way too interesting to pass up.
Frank always jokes that he needs to save up for a year whenever we come to town because he knows we’re going to find somewhere good to eat!
Trendy Without Feeling Too Fancy
We arrived straight from a day at Hollywood Studios, so needless to say, we were dressed pretty casually.
Thankfully, Sixty Vines had a modern, trendy atmosphere without feeling overly formal.
We absolutely loved the décor, especially the large butcher-block-style communal tables. They’re big enough that you could technically seat two families together, although smaller private tables are available throughout the restaurant.
We loved the communal setup. It just fit the vibe of the evening.
Laila started with a Riesling, Frank ordered a Sangria, and since I don’t drink, I went with my trusty Arnold Palmer.
Then came the food.
The Appetizers Set the Bar HIGH
We decided to order several appetizers for the table, starting with the Grilled Golden Beets, served with whipped feta, toasted pistachios and apricot vinaigrette.
Next came the Crispy Zucchini, tapioca-dusted and served with peppadew peppers, cilantro and sweet chili vinaigrette.
And finally, the Wood-Grilled Shrimp, accompanied by roasted corn, tomato, champagne vinaigrette and black garlic aioli.
OMG.
The shrimp may have been the star of that plate, but that combination of roasted corn, tomato, champagne vinaigrette and black garlic aioli nearly stole the entire show.
Frank and I both agreed that if they had served us a giant bowl of that mixture as our entrée, we probably would have been perfectly happy.
The Crispy Zucchini was another winner, and everyone absolutely loved the Grilled Golden Beets.
That plate was practically licked clean.
If the appetizers were any indication of where this meal was heading, we were in very good shape.
Gluten-Free Options for the Win
One thing we especially appreciated about Sixty Vines was the availability of gluten-free options.
Our oldest daughter has a gluten allergy, so whenever we travel, finding restaurants where she can actually enjoy something beyond the usual limited kids’ options is always important to us.
For the kids, we ordered a Gluten-Free Mushroom Pizza on a cauliflower crust with wild mushrooms, garlic, chimichurri, zucchini, tomatoes, cashew cheese, pickled red onions, pistachios and micro basil.
Sounds pretty adventurous for kids, right?
They destroyed it.
The entire pizza disappeared.
These kids definitely inherited their dad’s appetite.
Bring on the Entrées
For her main course, Laila ordered the Atlantic Salmon, served over shaved Brussels sprouts with shallot, braised peppers and smoked paprika vinaigrette.
Donna went with the Prime Steak Frites, accompanied by chimichurri, roasted garlic and rosemary aioli, French fries and Aleppo-mustard seed ketchup.
That plate looked AMAZING.
Frank ordered a white fish dish called the Cappiccio, which he absolutely loved. He said the fish was cooked perfectly, flavorful and completely bone-free.
And then there was mine.
The Braised Pork Pappardelle.
Pork shoulder. Fennel. San Marzano tomato. Basil. Pecorino Romano.
Listen…
Pappardelle is already my favorite pasta.
Add braised pork to it?
Forget about it. It’s over.
That dish never stood a chance.
I might have washed my own plate with my tongue.
Laila is usually the person at the table with leftovers, but there wasn’t a piece of salmon left on her plate either. The shaved Brussels sprouts were a really nice complement to the fish and added something different to the dish.
From the kids all the way up to the adults, every belly at our table was happy.
Birthday Ice Cream & an Affogato Snob
Since we were celebrating our middle child’s birthday — again! — the restaurant brought her some ice cream with a candle on it and we sang Happy Birthday to her.
Laila and I decided to share the Deviled Affogato, made with devil’s food cake, vanilla ice cream, coffee caramel and a nitro cold brew coffee shot.
Now, I have to explain something.
I became an affogato fan after having one at Vivoli il Gelato in Disney Springs. Their version features vanilla gelato arranged around the cup with a little square well in the middle for the espresso.
It ruined me.
I’ve officially become an affogato snob.
The Deviled Affogato at Sixty Vines was good, but it was a little too sweet for my taste. Between the cake, ice cream and coffee caramel, there was a lot happening.
Maybe the problem isn’t Sixty Vines.
Maybe Vivoli just spoiled me.
The Final Bite
All in all, Sixty Vines Sand Lake was a unanimous hit with our entire party.
Great food. Great drinks. Great service. A beautiful atmosphere. And most importantly, great company.
The appetizers were fantastic, the entrées delivered across the board, the kids had plenty to eat and having gluten-free options available made the experience even better for our family.
If you’re visiting Orlando or staying near Disney and want to escape the theme-park restaurants for an evening, Sixty Vines is absolutely worth putting on your radar. It’s also a great option if you couldn’t snag that Disney dining reservation you wanted.
Sometimes one of the best meals of a Disney vacation happens when you leave Disney property altogether.
And Sixty Vines Sand Lake proved exactly that.
The Louie Family Verdict: Come hungry. Order several appetizers. And whatever you do, don’t sleep on that Wood-Grilled Shrimp.
It’s our world, you can just eat with us.
You can find the Sand Lake location, current menu and reservations on the Sixty Vines Sand Lake website
Leave a Reply