Emeril's Orlando Restaurant on Universal Studios CityWalk

Are you looking for a nice meal for you and your family while enjoying the park and rides at Universal Studios in Orlando? Well right on the CityWalk is Emeril's Orlando Restaurant.Yes, this is the restaurant named after the one and only Emeril who saw his popularity soar with his television shows on The Food Network. His New Orleans style cooking does well at Universal Studio's CityWalk, and it is located in a great spot for vacationers in Orlando. It is located near the lagoon at Universal Studios CityWalk.

Plan to arrive ahead of time at Emeril's Orlando Restaurant. The average wait for four guests is over an hour on weekends, and sometimes close to an hour during the week. Don't worry though, you can enjoy the scenery while you wait. One of the biggest attractions at Emeril's Orlando Restaurant is the "wall of wine" which is visible as you enter the restaurant. It's a great conversation piece.

Once you are seated, there is good news you won't have to take long going over the menu like at some restaurants in the Orlando area that try to offer way too many entree choices. Emeril's Orlando Restaurant offers a reasonable sized menu that highlights what the restaurant does best. One item that is a great choice as an appetizer is the BBQ Shrimp. This is one of Emeril's signature dishes that gained popularity at his original New Orleans restaurant. The shrimp has a nice smoky and sweet flavor and is cooked just right without being overdone.

For entrees you have about 7-10 selections. My favorite is the glazed pork chops. These are nicely flavored with an essence of tamarind glaze. The side dishes are very nice as well. The caramelized sweet potatoes are the perfect vegetable to go along with the nice thick cut of pork chops you receive. For an interesting sauce with your pork chops, try the green chile mole. I have had standard mole's before, but this green chili version was unique and a bit sweeter than other versions of mole sauces.

Speaking of sweet, don't forget about dessert. Emeril's Orlando Restaurant doesn't offer Emeril's famous Bananas Foster Ice Cream Pie, but it does offer a very good banana cream pie. The crust even has a banana flavor as well, and is topped with a caramel sauce that is not overly sweet. The flavors combine well and are topped off with slivers of chocolate.

You might be surprised to find the free parking available at Universal Studios parking garage, but yes it really is free after 6 pm. This is great in a resort town such as Orlando. Emeril's Orlando Restaurant is open on Sundays through Thursdays from 5:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. for dinner. It is open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. If you are looking for lighter fare, you might want to try Emeril's Orlando Restaurant for lunch, which is offered daily from 11:30 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.