Ever feel like you want to get out of the "World" for a meal now and then? Maybe you're staying off-property and can't decide where to go for dinner. Well, if you want to try something that's not a "chain" of restaurants and has amazing food and activities, we recommend Cafe TuTu Tango on International Drive, near Universal Orlando.
"Food for the starving artist," as the menu proclaims includes lots of small dishes, meant for sharing and tasting. The Cafe also helps starving artists by displaying works of art throughout the restaurant. Seems like something Walt himself would have done. The artists also frequent the Cafe, so you may get the opportunity to meet one during your meal. Our kids had the chance to make a couple sculptures, since one of the sculpture artists was in-house teaching kids to make things out of clay!
Their menu changes weekly, with small-sized portions meant to be shared. Most items remain on the menu week to week, but there's always something new to try. We ordered a variety of items, sure to sample the menagerie of offerings.
We started off with the best "tortilla" soup I've ever had -- it was so good we ordered a second bowl. TuTu Tango calls it Sopa de Leon or Soup of the Lion and I gobbled it up like I was one. Fresh ingredients and not over-doing any of them made this a simple delight. Roasted chicken, chorizo, garbanzo beans, and manchengo cheese make this not-your-typical tortilla soup.
For "entrees" -- really the whole meal was just a bunch of appetizers -- we tried the Cuban Grilled Steak Skewers, Flame Grilled Baby Lamb Chops, and Carne Asada. All of it was wonderful, but the Cuban skewers really stuck out as a top pick!
Juicy, flavorful, and on top of mashed potatoes unlike any you've had, before.
The kids even got a special treat with their meals, smiley face fries!
Just because it's grilled cheese, don't be fooled. The kids could choose from a good variety of foods, also.....ours just both chose grilled cheese. What can you do?
For dessert, we had the Cookies and Cream. Chocolate chip cookies stacked with vanilla and chocolate ice cream; topped with hot fudge and whipped cream. You can also try a house favorite, Banana Pizza. Cinnamon flatbread topped with streusel, fresh bananas, banana-walnut ice cream caramel sauce and whip cream. It looked delicious as it headed to other tables.
You may notice that we didn't have many photos. Due to the artists work adorning all areas of the restaurant, we were asked not to take any photos that included their work. Even if it was in the background. Respecting this request, we only took a few pics.
If you go off-property or are staying in the Universal Orlando area, be sure to check out Cafe TuTu Tango! It's an adventure for your palette and a treat for your eyes!