I have visited sunny Florida more than once but this is the first time that I will be able to share anything worthy of a blog post. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of foodie spots at The Sunshine State, I just feel like I need to explore more places that are worthy of sharing here.
However, it feels like a mortal sin to not share about my dining experience at The Garlic in Florida.
The Garlic is an eccentric-themed Italian restaurant located at New Smyrna Beach a coastal city that is an hour's drive from Orlando. The restaurant opens at 4:00 pm every day and does not require reservations.
We arrived a few minutes before 4:00 pm and we were a little surprised by the number of guests already waiting for a table. It is a good thing the staff already has a system in place and we got seated after a short wait.
The Garlic isn't anything like a typical Italian restaurant - the space looks like a garden filled with outdoor string lights. While there are also indoor dining areas, we were seated at the outdoor area.
While enjoying our drinks, we were served their complimentary bread with roasted garlic - mashed tableside and added with olive oil.
We also ordered a cup of Zuppa de Garlic ($3.95) which is a creamy soup with roasted garlic and potato and Italian Salad ($3.95). Zuppa de Garlic was really flavorful and a little filling so I was glad the serving sizes for both the soup and salad weren't bigger.
Zuppa de Garlic
Italian Salad
For the entrees, we had the Pepper Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon ($33.95) and the Garlic Rack of Lamb (market price). The filet mignon comes with half of the baked potato and fire-roasted vegetables while the rack of lamb comes with garlic mashed potatoes. We ordered a side of Marinara Linguini for our entrees.
Pepper Bacon Wrapped Filet Mignon
Rack of Lamb
Marinara Linguini
In all honesty, my photos did not do justice for these dishes - both the filet mignon and the rack of lamb were quite flavorful and tender! Both servings were enormous that we struggled to finish our food. My filet mignon was cooked to a perfect medium-rare, and while it looks charred on the outside, it was juicy on the inside. The side pasta was impressively delicious as well that I wished I had a bigger stomach to eat all the food.
In the past few years, my taste for food has drastically improved as I discover places that make me set the bar higher, and The Garlic is one of those places. After dining here, I understood why its patrons would stand outside even when it is rainy and humid (at the same time) and patiently wait until this restaurant opens.
Filet mignon cooked to perfection!
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The Garlic
I'd be busog with the soup alone I think, because it appears to be very creamy and thick. And girl, that lamb dish looks super appetizing. But I'm trying to lessen my meat consumption so if I were there I'd order a chicken or a fish dish, do they have them on the menu by the way?
ReplyDeleteThey have chicken and seafood dishes as well. I remember just eating brunch so we have the appetite to eat here. LOL
DeleteI love the ambiance of their restaurant and that Rack of Lamb really catches my eye. When I visit Florida, this restaurant is on top of my list.
ReplyDeleteI have also visited this beach, amazing place/
ReplyDeleteLooks like they don't serve veal piccata anymore. That's a slap in the face to any restaurant that calls themselves Italian.
ReplyDelete