Orlando’s burgeoning food scene has finally made it to the fringe and this foodie has her hands raised ?? in celebration because she lives on the outskirts of The City Beautiful.
Say hello to Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen
Located minutes off of 417 and 528 near Orlando International Airport is Lake Nona’s newest dining concept.
A few of my girlfriends met me for tapas and cocktails recently and I have a smorgasbord of food photos to show you from our GNO.
Ready?
Here we go…
First…a look around the place.
THE SPACE
Tavistock describes the food and vibe inside Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen as “Modern American”. I’d say they nailed it.
There’s a great mix of seating options in both the bar and lounge area as well as the indoor outdoor main dining space.
We decided to dine al fresco.
BEVERAGES
Craft beer, wine and hand crafted cocktails dominate the bar menu. My favorite was this Darkened Peach Martini (Peach Nectar, Lemon, Stoli Vanil, Amaro Averna, Titos Vodka).
We also sipped on Chroma’s non-alcoholic hand crafted lemonades and sodas.
My favorite was this Ginger Lime Rickey!
BITES
Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen is unique in that plates here are tapas style and meant to be shared. The menu is divided into nine distinct sections. Each section containing small bites with the exception of the “For the Table” section.
I only sampled one item from the “Five Bite Salads” section of the menu but that one item was LYFE!
Obvi more than five bites…unless maybe you share…which I definitely DID NOT… Chopped Heirloom (Blue Cheese, Romaine, Red and Yellow Beets, Beefsteak Tomato, Cucumber, Rainbow Carrots, Brioche Croutons, Honey-Almond Vinaigrette).
We ordered multiple courses from the “This and That” section of the menu.
The standout for me was this Flash Fried Goat Cheese (Fresh Thyme, Organic Honey).
And continuing on with the goat cheese theme…Guava and Goat Cheese Flatbread (Speck Ham, Marcona Almonds, Red Sorrel).
We also enjoyed Quail Egg Croquettes (Yuca, Micro Greens, Mustard Sauce).
The Roasted Edamame (Pomegranate Molasses, Smoked Salt) was the perfect marriage of sweet and salty.
How about these Deviled Eggs (House Aioli, Smoked Spanish Paprika, Micro Greens)? You can also order them with crab meat.
When our cocktails were finished each of us opted for a glass of wine and shared a selection of cheeses. There are three different size options for the Cheese Board (Daily Selection, Rustic Bread, Preserves, Almonds, Honey).
After finishing up with the “This and That” portion of the menu we moved on to selections from the “Seafood” section.
The standout here was the Wild Tuna Poke (Crispy Wontons, Toasted Sesame Seeds, Avocado Crema, Ponzu Sauce).
We also split the Tempura Fish Tacos (Local Catch, Zesty Slaw, Soft Flour Tortilla, Chipotle Aioli) and Sautéed Mussels (Almond Romesco Sauce, Rustic Bread).
Here’s a look at the Florida Shrimp de La Plancha (Spicy Garlic-Árbol Chile Glaze, Micro Cilantro) and Crab Spring Roll (Corn, Pickled Ginger, Daikon Radish, Ponzu Sauce) which I sadly couldn’t sample because of a shellfish allergy.
I could however sample the Fish and Chips (Local Catch, Hand-Cut Fries, Sea Salt, Malt Vinegar). The “local catch” that day was mahi-mahi and it was on point. And how cute is the presentation?
From the “Beef” section we selected the Wagyu Skirt Steak (Fried Shallots, Gem Lettuce, Baby Tomatoes, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Buttermilk Dressing). There’s also a “Chicken, Lamb & Pork” section of the menu…where my meat eaters at?!?!
The meats are fantastic dishes to have along side something from the “Veggies” section of which we ordered Patatas Bravas (San Marzano Sauce, Garlic Aioli, Lime Zest).
…and…
Charred Shishito Peppers (Lime Zest, Buttermilk Dressing). DO NOT skip out on these little beauties. They are one of the most popular items.
Further down on the menu you will find the “Three-Bite Sliders”. Make sure you save room! I was swooning over these Chroma Burgers (Short Rib Patty, Cheddar Cheese, Bourbon Onions, Bacon Jam, Dill Pickle, Brioche Roll).
And of course we couldn’t leave without a round of “Desserts”.
Chroma Key Lime Pie (Whipped Cream, Graham Cracker Brittle)
White Rum and Citrus-Spiked Fresh Berries (Whipped Cream).
Butterscotch Bread Pudding (Brioche, Brown Sugar Sauce, Salted Caramel Ice Cream)
There is also a Chocolate Pot de Crème and Heritage Apple Crisp.
OMG! The bread pudding. I’m normally the chocolate girl but I’ll fight you for this bread pudding.
If the weather is nice sit out on the patio and as day turns into night watch the digital show on “The Beacon and Code Wall”, Lake Nona Town Center’s public art installation.
You can see the full Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen menu at ChromaLakeNona.com. I will most definitely return to sample some more of the menu items we missed. Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen is located at 6967 Lake Nona Blvd, Orlando, FL 32827.
Special thanks to Chroma Modern Bar + Kitchen for hosting us at this dinner. As always, all opinions are my own.
