At a Glance

• Kaya Orlando is a Michelin-recognized, James Beard-nominated Filipino restaurant in Orlando’s Mills 50 neighborhood, helmed by Chef Lordfer Lalicon
• The menu reimagines classic Filipino dishes with modern technique — expect familiar flavors approached in unexpected ways
• Must-order food: the Kare-Kare Filipino Oxtail, a lighter reinterpretation of the traditional stew served with a self-mixed peanut sauce and garlic rice
• Must-order cocktail: the Otso Otso, a cachaça-based drink with pandan, coconut water, koshihikari rice milk and shio goji that showcases genuinely inventive bartending
• Reservations strongly recommended — the restaurant fills up fast and walk-in seating is limited
• One of Orlando’s most exciting dining experiences and a compelling case for Filipino cuisine’s place in fine dining

ORLANDO, FL – Kaya Orlando, the award-winning project in Orlando’s Mills 50 neighborhood, has familiar Filipino food dishes all with a twist driven from Chef Lordfer Lalicon, who has decades of restaurant experience and has all the right components for a successful gourmet Filipino restaurant.

I’ve been meaning to go since they opened, but was lured out recently when they featured an Australian wagyu special (which was subsequently and sadly sold out when I arrived). The restaurant is in a bungalow house that when packed feels like you are dining in someone’s home kitchen or pop-up. For this last-minute visit I snagged a seat at the bar after calling to see if there were any spots available.

I know how hard Filipino food can be to succeed in, covering a project years ago that failed in the space. The hard part with Filipino food is this conflict between purists who want traditional food and people who will let chefs innovate. The Philippines has thousands of islands and ways of cooking and there can be this dynamic where the chef is sharing a family recipe that is still foreign to others. Despite powerful voices like Anthony Bourdain proclaiming Filipino food the future, the road hasn’t been as clear for many chefs and restaurateur paving their way. Kaya’s menus shows a focus on the core cuisine, while giving space for growth. Kaya shows that when chefs are allowed to innovate they can truly create something special.

I was impressed with the flow at the bar. The bartender, Daniel, walked me through the innovative menu that feature a variety of classic and inventive cocktails as well a variety of wine and beer options. The Ube, That’s Good features ube-infused vodka, falernum, banana du brésil, angostura bitters. It’s unique and has a really strong ube flavor. It’s hard to capture Ube well and I think the cocktail does it well. It comes close to matching the pure root flavor versus the more taro-like powders you will find nearly everywhere today (heck ube is even at Starbucks).

My favorite drink was the Otso Otso featuring cachaça, rosé vermouth, pandan, coconut water, koshihikari rice milk, shio goji, poblano liqueur. It’s probably the first time in my life that I have enjoyed cachaça and the rice milk and shio goji really made it shine as well as the pandan. These flavors don’t often interact with each other on a menu, but it works. Cachaça has this really grassy flavor and the other ingredients soften it and make it palatable. I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a unique flavor that showcases exemplary mixology.

Back to the food, I had to make another choice with the wagyu sold out and I eventually settled on an order of lumpia and Kaya’s version of Kare-Kare Filipino Oxtail. The lumpia pieces were big and full of flavor and filling.You only receive three but it is quite enough.

The Kare-Kare was not what I expected at all with the oxtail cooked more like a smoked brisket and a sweet potato puree with a side of garlic rice. It was delicious and surprisingly filling despite being a smaller plate of food. I was impressed with the overall sauce and meat mixture of peanut sauce and shrimp that you mix yourself at the table that has a nutty texture without being too thick. I would recommend it. It’s clear the chef spent time thinking about how to capture the essence of Kare-Kare in a different way. Kare-Kare is normally this really thick sauce and stew, this one is lighter while still diving deep into the flavor of the meat.

This level of intentionality and focus from the chef to the bar to management makes it easy to say how Kaya caught the eye of Michelin and the James Beard Foundation. Kaya sources approximately 90 percent of its produce from Central Florida farms, serving a hyper-seasonal menu based on farm availability.

The atmosphere at the restaurant has a jovial environment with friendly staff and customers who seem to be enjoying themselves. Service was quick for both food and cocktails and the restaurant has a good flow to it overall despite being busy the entire evening. It’s nice to see everyone in their natural elements. Everyone at Kaya seems to be genuinely happy to be there. Service is automatically included, but that doesn’t stop staff from being top-notch.

I highly recommend Kaya.

Kaya Orlando 618 N. Thornton Ave., Orlando, FL 32803 Mills 50 District (407) 627-9117 kayaorlando.com

Hours Tuesday–Thursday: 5:30–9:30 PM Friday: 5:00–10:00 PM Saturday: 9:30 AM–12:00 PM (brunch) | 5:00–10:00 PM (dinner) Sunday: 5:00–8:45 PM

Reservations Recommended, especially on weekends. Book via Resy at kayaorlando.com or walk in for à la carte seating at the bar.

Follow Instagram: @kayaorlando

About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a writer and journalist with over 15 years of experience. I write the food and travel blog Carlos Eats (https://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines on numerous topics.