Disney4me Posted Wednesday at 08:29 PM Report Share Posted Wednesday at 08:29 PM Either before you run into Epic Universe to meet your favorite Nintendo characters or need a relaxing end to your day after flying with a dragon, enjoying a relaxing sit-down meal is a great addition to your Universal Orlando trip. Universal Helios Grand Hotel We visited Flora Taverna at the Universal Helios Grand Hotel, where we got amazing views of Epic Universe and an incredible meal. This is one of the three hotels built for Epic, and it overlooks Celestial Park. Let’s dive in! Atmosphere Flora Taverna offers “a full breakfast buffet and Mediterranean comfort foods” as well as “an open kitchen, live cooking, pizza oven, open grills, and a gyros station.” It has a “light and airy atmosphere” and stunning views of Epic Universe. Outdoor Patio It has a very laid-back and chill vibe. Flora Taverna We dined during lunch and were seated on the patio overlooking the park, but there is also an indoor dining room and a bar area that serves lighter food and drinks. Our table Menu The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with breakfast being a full buffet. There’s also a full bar! The Menu On the lunch menu, you will find salads, skewers, pizzas, handhelds, and more! The Menu For dinner, the menu includes seafood, pizzas, steak, pasta, and more! The Dinner Menu There is also a full-service bar that serves up beer, wine, and a variety of cocktails. Drink Menu Drinks We grabbed a few drinks. The first one was the Spicy Melone, which cost $19. This drink features Patron Reposado, cantaloupe, hot honey syrup, lemon juice, and Grand Marnier. Spicy Melone We loved this drink and could honestly give it the title of our favorite drink ever. It is pretty much a spicy cantaloupe margarita. It may sound like a weird combo, but it is very well balanced, and it’s not super spicy. It is a perfect drink for the summer, especially while you sit outside and enjoy the views of Epic Universe. Spicy Melone Next, we tried the Flora Southside for $16. This drink had Ketel One, Tanqueray, strawberries, mint, strawberry and rose syrup, and lemon juice. This drink is so pretty! Our server told us that this cocktail is the prettiest drink on the menu, and we agree! It has a nice rose color with a dried miniature rose garnish. Since vodka and gin are used in this drink, it was not too sweet, and the flavor was good and not too syrupy. There was a lovely fresh strawberry finish, and the rose flavor was very prominent. Flora Southside We rounded out our drink order with a $16 Mykonos Spritz, which included Campari, The Botanist Gin, lemon juice, cane syrup, and Lunetta Prosecco. Mykonos Spritz This drink was our least favorite, although it was good; the balance felt off. It was made with Campari, which is a bitters, and our reporter, who tried it, likes bitters, but something felt off. We think it could have used more Prosecco, as the lemon was too prominent and did not mix well with the bitters. The drink is beautiful, but it is tart and may make you pucker. Mykonos Spritz Eats We started with the bread service, which is not free. It is minimal at $3. If you like to start your meal with bread, then by all means get it, but it is not something that we think is important to this meal. Bread Service It is a rosemary focaccia, and while this bread was good, it was not legendary. It is also paired with olive oil and balsamic. We could tell it was good quality oil and vinegar, and it had the perfect ratio for dipping. Bread is not free We also ordered the Fritto Misto for $23, which came with calamari, local Florida shrimp, local water fish, lemon, Calabrian chili, and gremolata aioli. Fritto Misto This just might be the best calamari we have ever had. It was not chewy, but instead, it melted in our mouths. The batter was incredible and so buttery. We think the housemade tartar sauce added the perfect amount of tanginess, and it was just incredible. We can’t wait to order this again, and even if you are not crazy about calamari, we think this dish is worth a try. This was SO good! For our last starter, we tried the Saganaki. This was $17 and had pan-seared Halloumi cheese, honey, lemon peel, and toasted sesame. Saganaki The cheese has a bread-like texture and is grilled and served warm. This traditional Mediterranean dish came to us in a pan. It came with three pieces of cheese, which we found to be the perfect portion. We really enjoyed this dish, as the honey added a nice sweetness, and the sesame seeds added a bit of crunch for the texture. Saganaki Now it is time for our main courses! We ordered the Colorado Lamb Burger for $28, which was served with a mint yogurt sauce, organic Feta cheese, and wilted spinach, sandwiched together on artisanal brioche. Colorado Lamb Burger This was not our favorite. Our reporter, who tried this dish, is not even the biggest spinach fan but found it to be very mild, so if you are not a spinach fan, it should not bother you too much, and it is easy to pick off. The Feta was nice and creamy, and the mint yogurt only had a very light mint taste. The meat patty was crisp on the edges but still juicy and soft on the inside. The bun was just your standard brioche bun and nothing really special. The cheese and the mint created a weird consistency that kind of reminded us of horseradish sauce. It came with a side of seasoned steak fries. We are glad we tried this, but we would prefer all of our appetizers and drinks over the burger. Colorado Lamb Burger We also had to try the Chicken Gyro, which cost $22. This gyro was served on fresh pita with cucumber, tomato, shaved red onion, and tzatziki. Chicken Gyro It was a standard gyro, with a lot of meat, fillings, and tzatziki. Not only was it fresh, but it was also warm; it reminded us of comfort food, yet it was packaged like a wrap, which is a little different. We did not mind because it made it easier to eat. It was also served with fries, which were just your typical seasoned steak fries. Chicken Gyro The Hummus Bowl costs $22 and includes fresh pita, charred cauliflower, onions, jubilee tomato, Greek olive, Persian cucumber, and lemon oregano vinaigrette. Hummus Bowl This dish was beautiful, and we would come back to get this again! It is a significant portion and could be shared between two people if you are not super hungry. This is precisely what you want hummus to be like; it was not chunky or thick, and was so easy to scoop. Plus, it came with a number of fresh veggies like bell pepper, red onion, cucumber, and olives! If you are looking for a lighter lunch, we can’t recommend this enough! We will be dreaming of this Hummus Bowl! We also tried one of the Woodstone Oven Pizzas, and we went classic with the Margherita Pizza for $20. This pizza is topped with Flor di Latte Mozzarella, San Marzano tomato, and crushed basil. Margherita Woodstone Oven Pizza We hate to say it, but this is the only dish that we thought was just “eh”. Now, picky eaters will like this, and young kids could probably split it as it is cut into six pieces. You can tell that it is wood-fired, and the crust was crispy but not super thin and had a nice char at the bottom. The tomato sauce was plain, and we wish it had more seasoning. It also seemed to be lacking in fresh mozzarella. It was the same story with the basil leaves; there needed to be more. Overall, the bites were just dry and could really use more of everything. Margherita Pizza Overall We really enjoyed our first experience at Flora Taverna. If it is a nice day, we highly suggest sitting outside as the views of Epic Universe are breathtaking. We mean, who doesn’t want to enjoy a nice cocktail while taking in all the sights and sounds of this new park!? There are some dishes on the lunch menu that are worth returning for, and we look forward to our next visit! Flora Taverna Nosh or Not? Head to Flora Taverna if… You want to enjoy a relaxed meal. The vibes were great, and we felt like we could sit back and take everything in. You are looking to enjoy a meal with a view. Sitting outside was a highlight, and we loved that we could see Epic Universe from a whole new perspective. You want a menu on which everyone can find something they like. This menu should have options for both picky and adventurous eaters. Maybe pick another restaurant if… You are looking for a fancy meal. While this restaurant is beautiful, if you are looking for something more upscale, you may want to dine elsewhere. You want to be where the action is. While Flora Tavern overlooks Epic Universe, if you don’t want to waste park time, we suggest staying in Epic Universe to eat. We’re so glad we could try out Flora Taverna at Universal Helios Grand Hotel! Here at DFB, we are the food experts, so stay tuned to learn the best meals for your next Orlando vacation. Heading to Epic Universe soon? Check out our full guide to buying tickets! Read more: DFB's complete guide to Universal’s Epic Universe >> Are you going to try Flora Taverna on your next Universal trip? Let us know in the comments!The post REVIEW: We Tried the NEW Flora Taverna Restaurant at Universal's Helios Grand Hotel first appeared on the disney food blog.View the full article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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