Lake Mary eatery has inventive offerings
Heather McPherson: Chef at earlier restaurant nowhas own place.
Daily menu specials include grilled fresh fish and other seasonal items.
Lake Mary has an interesting mix of independent and chain restaurants. The local hub seems to be behind City Hall, around the short loop of West Lakeview Avenue and North Fourth Street.
I’ve driven this stretch of road many times on the way to Flippers Pizza (a Central Florida chain) or Fourth Street Bar & Grill (an independent bar with a nifty patio).
In 2011 I reviewed a sprawling place in the loop called Delano on the Park. The restaurant had a menu that could satisfy a variety of palates. Chef Lonnie Proctor was at the helm and the place showed great potential.
Proctor now is the chef-owner of Lonnie’s Fusion Cuisine. Not much has changed in this small, narrow space since it was Nico Globos, an eclectic European eatery. Large booths fill one side of the room. And outside a few bistro tables are lovely choices for spring or fall evenings.
But the menu showcases the strengths Proctor exhibited at Delano. The food is made fresh on the premises, so the aromas and subtle noises from the open kitchen add a vibrancy to the overall ambience.
Start with the tuna tempura sushi roll ($9.99) topped with a medium-heat wasabi mayo and soy glaze. The lightly fried appetizer is shareable. One quibble: The tuna was not present throughout the entire roll.
The three Vietnamese spring rolls ($9.99) were plump with sweet shrimp, tender rice noodles, cucumbers and carrots. The rolls were lightly drizzled with a sweet chili sauce and a soy glaze. The chili sauce was excellent and the plate would benefit from a small ramekin of it on the side.
For entrees the bulgogi pork tenderloin ($18.99), a twist on the classic Korean marinated beef dish, did not disappoint. Often spelled bulgoki on restaurant menus, the grilled meat had the correct essences of garlic and onions and a subtle kick of sweet and spice with every bite. The plate was finished with a generous mound of garlic smashed potatoes and slender sautéed green beans.
Our chicken picatta ($16.99) was served over angel-hair pasta with a buttery white-wine sauce, tangy capers, diced tomato and basil. The breast meat seemed to be nicely poached before being tossed with lemony sauce and plated. On the side, the chef’s mix of sesame broccoli with edamame and carrots was fab. The veggies were cooked but retained a crisp-tender texture, and the sesame seeds added toasty dimension. I detected a whisper of sesame oil as well.
Desserts are homemade and the selections change. We liked the moist, two-layer carrot cake ($6.99).
Also of note: Many menu items have vegan and vegetarian options.
Our server was knowledgeable and friendly. And from appetizer to dessert, the food was nicely paced from the kitchen to table.