Earls Kitchen + Bar

Reviews 4

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Adrie Gaskins

I live in Orlando and I heard about the opening of this new restaurant in the Millenia Mall; I wanted to come here so bad since my husband and I are foodies but we hadnt had a chance. My parents are visiting for the weekend and my mom is a sucker for The Cheesecake Factory.... we were actually heading that way when I thought of Earls and told them to give it a try... in hopes that it wouldnt disappoint us. We got here for a little after lunch time, maybe close to 3.00pm, and it was empty for a new restaurant, but it could have been the day and the hour. They offer valet for $7.00, and even if you dont make use of it -which we didnt-, the valet guys were such gentlemen they opened the door for us. We were greeted by two young ladies very excited about our first visit and the girl who sat us told us about the restaurants concept and the art and decorations, including a full wall art made with Sharpie. The restaurant from my first impression can be described as: Elegant and Upscale. The servers are wearing formal attires and most of the lady servers are in heals (dont really know how they do it). Very clean space and incredible and unique decoration (different colors, tables, lightning, and art). Our servers name was Brooke S, and she was such a sweetheart. She explained that Earls was a Canadian food chain and that the concept was variety... and sure thing you open the menu and you get anything from Japanese to Vietnamese, Indian, American, and more. Prices are decent for the portions you get. One thing I loved was that she brought waters before anything else. Thats a great touch, not everybody does it and you always need some water. We order the Tuna Poke with Wonton chips and the Garlic Fries as appetizers... that Tuna Poke IS A MUST! What a delicious twist to a poke! And the wonton chips.... oh my Lord! The fries were good but nothing to rave about. Then we proceeded to order a Chicken Caesar salad, the Half Rack of Ribs with the Cajun Chicken combo that came with potato salad and Cole slaw, and the Chicken Curry. Everything was amazing, from presentation, smells, and taste. I was even impressed with the caesar salad since its so basic, I wasnt expecting it to be so good. The ribs were falling of the bone, that potato salad was fresh and crisp, and the curry... simply amazing! It came with jasmine rice and naan bread. It was spicy enough but no overpowering. Of course... at the end of our meal we couldnt pass on the sweet tooth, and we fell for the coconut cake. That one was a little disappointing, I didnt think the coconut was well paired with a lime mousse and strawberries, but it might be just me. At checkout time, the server brought the POS over to us since they dont take the credit card from you and you do the tip and confirm total yourself in front of the server. I know this is a new thing as of 2017 restaurants are not supposed to handle customer credit cards, so it was nice to see it in action. I loved to see the teamwork in this place. We knew who our server was but anybody who walked by us would take dirty plates of the way, ask about out experience, and bring water to the table. All of this being said... were definitely coming back for more and to try the beverages selection which seems unique and exquisite.

DA

Darryl Lamar

Update June 20, 2017. Went this past Sunday and was very underwhelmed with dinner. This was our 5th visit since it opened last fall and I was disappointed with my meal which I have eaten twice before. I "liked" the Jeera Curry but with Tofu. It was normally brought out in the manner as you get it in an Indian restaurant with the meal and rice in separate bowls. My meal was together on one plate, nothing to get mad about but why the change? Anyway the Jeera sauce was thinner than before. Now that I did not like. The killer however was that the rice was put on the plate and the water wasnt fully drained AND the rice wasnt fully cooked throughout. Those are big no-nos. Another slight irritant was they had a DJ playing music which wouldnt have been that bad if the volume was lower. It was early evening and a relaxing dinner with conversation was more a please repeat that again. I might try again but there is no more want to go back. I left my first review below because I find it to be sad when food spots you love start slipping. Had a lovely dinner with my wife. Amazing decor, service, food & drinks. For drinks, my wife had the Moscow Mule and I had an Old Fashioned. They were both tasty but I still like mine stronger yet I wont hold that against them. My wife had their Tuna Poke for a starter because the staff highly recommended it. She loved it and said with each bite she could taste all the seasonings. For dinner my wife had the Jeera Chicken Curry and I the Hunan Kung Pao with tofu & 3 chiles for the extra kick. We both loved our meals. Very fresh and full of flavor. We were lucky because since they have only been open just over a week, the word hasnt spread throughout Orlando. We got to speak a lot with the manager Emily who was the absolute best. She really made us feel at home and explained what Earls is all about. I highly recommend it and we will definitely return soon. Its located in the former Blue Martini spot and they have really changed it all for the better.

JO

Joseph Hayes

The multicultural menu comes from a fascinating concept, a test kitchen at headquarters that tries out as many as 20 recipes a week on the public before migrating them to the restaurants, which in turn become test kitchens for Earls’ guests. Clam chowder, chimichurri steak and kung pao chicken on the same table might open someone up to new experiences. A combo platter of ribs and chicken offers 3½-hour-braised pork ribs so tender that a sharp knock on the plate is enough to separate meat from bone, along with a blackened chicken breast still glistening from the pan. Simple fresh-cut cabbage and new potatoes dressed in a multitude of bacon complete the meal, and it’s a winner. Ground Black Angus beef from Creekstone Farms in Kansas, grilled to a crisp exterior and served with thick, streaky bacon (not the Canadian kind) and sweet and salty house-made pickles on a dark brioche bun makes for one fine burger. It’s perhaps the only time I haven’t been insulted with a soggy sweet brioche; this one is dense and hearty, a great match to the substantial beef.

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Fred Brooks

A great find where I wasnt quite expecting it! "Mall restaurants" dont always excite me, but I had the opportunity to try Earls Kitchen earlier at an event this year, and after that I knew I had to come back for the full experience! If the fact that Earls is a *chain* restaurant (those dreaded words) makes you a little worried about the quality- dont let it! The menu was full of good, local ingredients, the service was great, and the decor is such a cool mix of retro and modern. I got to sample the Jeera Curry last time I was there, so it was a no brainer that I would order it again (be sure to add the chicken!). It had SO MUCH flavor going on in it and it just felt like comfort food should- plus the portion was quite big, as good comfort food should be. Earls is also known for their cocktails, and I have to say, they make one of the best whiskey sours I have ever had! Its tart, with just the right amount of sweetness, with that smokey, whiskey finish that balances everything out so well! This is definitely one to add to the list!