CRAVE is all the RAVE

There’s some talk about one of the newest additions to the Orlando dining plate, Crave, now situated in the Millenia area on Conroy Road right off of I-4. The new proprietors definitely dropped a dime at this chic new restaurant. You can feel like the Pope in the glass-enclosed wine cellar seating in the center of the restaurant. Or you could also have a private booth in the main dinning room at table #707 where the curtains wrap around from opposite sides of this ovular table. I would personally feel like a patient enclosed in an MRI machine, but I’m sure most others would feel like movie stars behind the red curtain.

The tagline for Crave is “Fresh, Vibrant, American,” and that it is. The menu features innovative cuisine that includes locally grown, organic, and all natural products. The meat is either free-range or 100% natural. From Steak and seafood, pasta and flatbreads, to a full sushi bar, Asian and Mediterranean tastes have definitely inspired Crave’s menu.

I started my meal off with a bowl of their Hearty Tomato Pesto soup garnished with parmesan and pistachios. I’m positive that it was the best tomato soup I’ve ever had. After the soup, I moved on to the Roasted Beet and Walnut salad dressed with orange-cilantro vinaigrette. I’m a sucker for blue cheese crumbles, which just makes almost any salad worth it. Then for the entrée, a Pistachio Crusted Salmon accompanied by a local goat cheese risotto, and grilled asparagus. I was excited for the goat cheese risotto, which ended up being slightly too herby, and not enough goat cheesy. Overall, it was still pleasing to my palate. I ended the meal with the Blondie Bar Sundae. The blondie was made with butterscotch chips topped and sandwiched with vanilla bean ice cream, house caramel, and candied pecans. I should have stuck to one of those mini desserts, eating that dessert by myself was nearly impossible due to its giant size. My husband was full and determined not to help. What self-control.
The prices range from $17-37 for an entrée, pasta dishes from $13-20, and sushi from $6-20 for a roll. For those friends who just want a pepperoni pizza or a burger, you’re looking at around $12.

To view the full menu, visit www.craveamerica.com

- Gabriella Allen