The worst thing about dining in downtown Orlando proper right now is the parking. There ain’t none, and least not readily available. But sneak around the smaller neighborhood streets or dig into your pocket for parking garage money, and the influx of urban planning is paying off in fine food.

Ceviche Tapas Bar And Restaurant
125 W. Church St., 321-281-8140

Orlando’s Church Street Station was, at one time, a larger tourist draw that the theme parks. The excitement went out of Downtown many years ago, but the entertainment complex is undergoing a rebirth, and one of the best reasons to drive east from the Convention Center is Ceviche. Huge, noisy, and a lot of fun, this Spanish tapas restaurant is surprisingly authentic and offers an enormous menu of what is, bottom line, really good food. In what was once the very popular Rosie O’ Grady’s bar, a huge space full of old wood and tile, now lies a genuine Spanish restaurant. A generous vegetarian section for those off meat (try the “Espinacas” - spinach with figs, honey and garlic), glistening fish including fresh grilled anchovies, braised baby lamb ribs and house-made paella are just highlights – there are no bad choices. You’ll be amazed at the size of the “Ceviche de la Casa”, citrus-marinated shrimp, scallops, squid and fish. A full list of Spanish wines (Tempranillo, anyone?) and live entertainment makes this a must-visit. And right across the brick-lined street is the new home of The Dessert Lady (120A W. Church St. 407-999-5696), where chocolate, flour and sugar becomes food of the Gods.

www.ceviche.com

“K” Restaurant and Wine Bar
2401 Edgewater Drive, 407-872-2332

It’s been six years since Chef Kevin Fonzo took over Café Allegre in College Park, and both the restaurant, and the local restaurant scene, has changed. Muchj more competition has only made K try harder. A superb eatery, K takes upscale to the neighborhood level, and everyone who eats here eats here again. From the herbs growing outside the tiny patio to the seasonal menu, everything has a personal touch. Thursday through Saturday nights feature the new space next door, K2, for a nosh and a drink. Pricey, yes. Sometimes quality is worth it.http://www.kwinebar.com

HUE: A Restaurant
629 E. Central Blvd, Thornton Park 407-849-1800
Not to be confused with HUE: A Movie or HUE: A Comic Book, the restaurant has maintained its place as hip hangout since it opened in 2002, and with good reason. The people watching is a bonus, of course, but the food is the key, and a variety of hands in the kitchen over the years has not diminished the quality coming out to the tables. HUE's fish and oysters are hand-picked every day from the fabled Gary's Seafood, and you will not be disappointed by any of it.
http://www.huerestaurant.com/

Little Saigon
1106 E Colonial Dr. 407-423-8539

Not exactly downtown, but close enough to be worth the five extra minutes. There are swanker restaurants in Orlando, there are even classier and more expansive Vietnamese menus in Orlando, even in the immediate vicinity of the so-called ViMi district of Asian eateries. But there aren’t any more popular or dependable locations for Vietnamese food than Little Saigon, a staple of the local scene. This award-wining restaurant has been around for so long its difficult to remember if it started with the influx of Vietnamese immigration to Orlando, or caused it. Eating can be as simple as picking up the picture-laden menu and pointing, or knowing that the bowl of tiny rice noodles with roast pork strips and scrumptious chunks of fried summer rolls is a mandatory order, but getting an authentic, filling and inexpensive meal straight out of a Saigon kitchen couldn’t be easier. http://www.littlesaigonrestaurant.com

About the writer

Jospeh Hayes writes about food, music, travel, and the arts for worldwide publications both physical and electronic. He was the restaurant critic for Orlando Magazine and the Orlando Weekly. A former James Beard Foundation judge, Joseph is a trained chef and award-winning playwright, who in his "spare time" produces a festival of new jazz in Orlando. He can be found at www.jrhayes.net