Hotspots readers know that I am a big fan of Parliament House Orlando’s Rainbow Café. Located inside the Parliament House Orlando complex at 410 N. Orange Blossom Trail, the Rainbow Café serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week. Recently I had the chance to eat there for breakfast and for dinner, and I must share my experience with you.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and it’s not just for the morning anymore: you can order breakfast at the Rainbow Café from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (and even later for special events). If you’re looking for dishes that taste good, are very filling, and don’t break the bank, the items on the breakfast menu are for you. I ordered a three-egg omelet with ham and cheese ($7.95); if you love a good Denver omelet, you can request tomatoes, onions and green peppers (even mushrooms!) as well. I’m a Southerner so I couldn’t let breakfast go by without ordering a half-order of biscuits and gravy ($3; full order $4.45).
Everything was made to order and prepared very quickly. The biscuits and gravy came out first, and I was immediately hooked by the fluffy biscuits and the savory sausage gravy. It was definitely a great way to start the morning! Then the omelet came out with home fries and toast (you are given a choice of white or wheat toast as well as a choice of home fries or grits). I immediately cut up the omelet and combined the eggs, cheese and ham with the potatoes. Their three-egg omelet is very big, so bring your strongest appetite! After a breakfast of champions like the one I had, I was ready to tackle anything the day had in store for me.
Just before sunset, I stopped by once more to have dinner. This time I ordered the Southern fried chicken dinner ($12.95), which consists of four pieces of chicken, fried to a golden brown, and served with mashed potatoes, gravy, and vegetables. (The vegetable selection changes regularly; I was served cauliflower.) It is also served with a choice of soup or salad; I requested a side Caesar salad.
I was very pleasantly surprised at how much food there was. The four pieces of chicken were all fairly large pieces, and I noticed that all of the pieces of chicken were white-meat, even though I didn’t have a preference. The meat was very tender and the seasoning and breading paired particularly well with the brown gravy on the mashed potatoes. (I may have dipped a piece of chicken in the potatoes and eaten them together that way…don’t act like you haven’t done it!) The cauliflower was fresh and was a good complement to the meat and potatoes.
I also ordered buffalo wings to go, which I ate later in the evening. The wings could have been a little dinner in and of themselves (eight wings, with celery and choice of ranch or blue cheese dressing, $6.45). The buffalo sauce was the perfect mix of spicy and buttery, as buffalo wings should be, and I found myself dipping the celery in the leftover buffalo sauce.
If you’re staying at Parliament House or its sister timeshare, The Gardens, you don’t even have to leave your room to try the dishes at the Rainbow Café. All you have to do is pick up your room phone and dial 711. From there, room service will answer and you can place your order directly with them for pick-up or delivery to your room. I prefer eating in the Rainbow Café dining room, though, because the servers are very friendly and I always end up conversing with fellow resort guests while dining.
What else is on the menu? You’ll find a whole list of burgers (priced from $6.95 to $8.45), various salads ($2.75-$8.95 depending on portion size), appetizers ranging from chips and salsa ($3) to a large shrimp cocktail with five jumbo shrimp ($7.75), and that’s not even mentioning dinner faves like chicken parmesan ($12.95) and filet mignon ($16.95)! In fact, filet mignon is the dinner special each Friday. Other dinner specials include Yankee pot roast ($10.95, Thursdays), prime rib au jus ($15.95, Saturdays) and baby back ribs with corn on the cob and cole slaw ($11.95, Sundays).
No matter what you’re in the mood for, Parliament House Orlando’s Rainbow Café is ready to serve you, and you’ll leave feeling happy, satisfied, and most importantly, full!
For more information on Parliament House Orlando’s Rainbow Café, visit parliamenthouse.com/rainbow-cafe.
