Elize Restaurant has opened in the space that was previously occupied by Rusty Spoon in downtown Orlando. The newest addition to the historic Church Street District is a mix of Dutch and American cuisine imagined by Michelle Lagerweij, a restaurateur from the Netherlands. Michelle was co-owner of the original Elize restaurant in Utrecht, Netherlands, before following her dream to bring the cuisine of her home country to the United States.
Michelle brought along well known Dutch Chef de Cuisine Leon Mazairac to serve as the Executive Chef of the American Elize restaurant. Chef Leon has worked in Belgium, Paris, and the Netherlands and also served as host of a Dutch culinary TV show.
About 30 media professionals invited to the grand opening to sample the menu and experience the atmosphere of Elize. The space is bright and airy, with a flair of old world European décor.
After a tour of the kitchen and a glimpse of the Chef’s Table (located right in the kitchen and available by reservation only), we sampled the Raspberry Point Oysters from Prince Edward Island in Canada. These oysters are bottom cultured and take up to 7 years to reach market size. (Raspberry Point oysters are seasonal – ask your server for the oysters available on the day of your visit).
Next we were on to Shayo Tamago – deviled eggs with kaffir lime, jalapeno, and garnished with puffed rice. Highly recommended.
The 15x Floridian Vegetable salad was refreshing with an oxtail vinaigrette, cauliflower cream, and Dutch style yogurt.
Our next menu item was the Tuna “Upside down” Pizza. Fresh ahi tuna with oyster mayonnaise, ginger, and kumquat. You can find this on the “Cold Creations” side of the menu.
My favorite dish was the Scallop with horseradish and tarragon. Topped with raw and fried caviar, this dish was unexpected and a party on the palate.
Next up were the “Warm Creations”. First we tried the Roasted White Shrimps served “homestyle” over mashed potatoes mousseline with brown butter and buttermilk.
The Raviolo Duck “Confit” was a mix of mascarpone and bourbon caramelized apples served in a fried Lake Meadows Duck Egg. Also one of my favorites.
Also topping my favorite’s list was the Beef Cheeks served over jus with bay leaves, green cabbage, and sunflower seeds. I am definitely ordering this on my next visit.
Desserts will also vary with the season. For our experience we tasted the Jalapeno Ice Cream served in an orange peel.
Elize Restaurant also offers an extensive wine list as well as a full bar.
The restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch from 7:30am-4:00pm Monday through Friday, while dinner service begins at 5:00pm Monday through Saturday. Elize is open in between lunch and dinner. (This is a perfect opportunity to try a gin and tonic!)
For more information and to view the menus please visit the Elize Restaurant website here –> Elize Restaurant Orlando
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