Top Five: Tacos

TUNA TATAKO AT BARTACO, DR. PHILLIPS
The tacos and laid back atmosphere of this spot were inspired by the beach culture of Brazil, Uruguay and Southern California, and this taco is definitely reminiscent of the Asian-American cuisine of SoCal. Ancho-crusted tuna is topped with a tangy Asian slaw, all spread upon bibb leaf lettuce.

WILD ARGENTINE SHRIMP AT REYES MEZCALERIA, NORTH QUARTER DISTRICT
The taco dishes here are all made with fresh ingredients—even the tortillas are made in-house. This standout brings together shrimp caught off the coast of Argentina, pickled tomatillo, cabbage, avocado and lime aioli, all set on a corn tortilla.

BLACK ROOSTER ASADA AT BLACK ROOSTER TAQUERIA, MILLS 50
Farm to taco is the approach this restaurant takes when creating its dishes. We love this signature taco that comes with a griddled corn tortilla stuffed with crispy seared beef, applewoodsmoked bacon, Oaxaca cheese and pickled chile poblano.

FRIED AVOCADO TACO AT HUNGER STREET TACOS, WINTER PARK
This shop takes a creative approach in preparing tacos. This one features a  breaded and then fried avocado which is nestled among shredded cabbage, red onion, serrano-lime crema, cilantro and queso Cotija, all on top of a soft corn tortilla.

NOPAL AT MESA21, LAKE IVANHOE
The tacos here come in sets of three with the option to choose different proteins and between corn and flour tortillas. This one is the vegetarian option that has grilled cactus, which you can top with shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. It’s served with a lime wedge and a side of rice and beans.

Raise a Glass: Cosmopolitan

BLACK ORCHID AT OCEAN PRIME, DR. PHILLIPS
The presentation of this artful take on the classic cosmo is stunning. Belvedere black raspberry vodka, St-Germain elderflower liqueur, lemon simple syrup and white cranberry juice are thrown together in a shaker with ice, then strained into a martini glass and, as a final touch, garnished with an ice ball that has an orchid flower frozen in the middle.

COTTON CANDY COSMOPOLITAN AT SUGAR FACTORY, I-DRIVE
This candy-flavored cosmo is perfect if you have a sweet tooth. Pinnacle County Fair Cotton Candy vodka is mixed with a bit of orange vodka, some lime juice, cranberry juice, triple sec, and then the mixture is strained into a martini glass rimmed with pop rocks and garnished with cotton candy.

SNOW COSMOPOLITAN AT PARK SOCIAL, WINTER PARK
The use of dry ice in this beverage creates an enchanting fog effect. It’s made with Smirnoff orange vodka, white cranberry peach juice, triple sec, fresh lime juice and agave syrup. Once the ingredients are mixed the dry ice is added and the cocktail comes to life.

This article originally appeared in Orlando Family Magazine’s March 2018 issue.