Bolay Fresh Bold Kitchen - Winter Park — Restaurant in Winter Park

It actually breaks my heart to give only three stars to Bolay Kitchen. I started coming here when it opened locally, and was so thrilled because the only time I've ever tried it was in South Florida... And I Loved it! It was healthy, fresh, great options (Love the Sweet Potato Noodles!) and the entire restaurant is Gluten-free. However, I experienced several very disappointing issues on this visit. The amount of food was less than before, and when I was surprised by this, they offered to charge me more for "double base" to get more sweet potato noodles. I understand charging for more protein, and I always have to, because I love the shrimp. But even paying the up-charge, it was six shrimp... Not sure if you are paying for a large bowl with two proteins, plus extra for the shrimp, that I should also need to pay for a few extra noodles... Anyway, the food seems a little less fresh than usual today. The broccoli and mojo pork were tasty, but they were not warm. The sweet potato noodles are different, they must have a new sauce? They tasted okay, not as delicious as before, but they seemed too soft, they were Not the springy freshness that I've had previously. Which means they must have been sitting around for a very long time. The other extremely disappointing aspect, is the absolutely filthy interior. There were Both Flies And Gnats swarming all over the whole restaurant. I had decided to dine in because I needed to get caught up on a little computer work, and I was inundated with little black gnats and flies. Which of course got much worse if you got near the beverage station. Management REALLY need to get a handle on this issue, ASAP! Reading through all the reviews, it sounds like this has been an ongoing issue. Unfortunately (because I was able to watch for over an hour), at any given point there was only four to six tables of people inside the restaurant. But there were dirty tables the Entire Time. I watched one employee come out and wipe One table down and walk away, even though there were six or eight other tables that were dirty. Then a manager came out to sit down and talk with another employee, he took his mask down during the talk, and when done he asked her to clean up the area. She did a little around the trash bins to pick up the dirty dishes. But did Not clean any of the tables or the beverage area with the swarming bugs. And then another manager sat down for a few interviews, and he did not have a mask on his face, he pulled it down below his chin to do his interview the young man. BTW, That manager did not clean up the restaurant either. Cleanliness is Paramount in any restaurant, at any time, every time, always and forever. Period... However, in these current times of the COVID-19 Pandemic, wiping down the tables Every Time should be mandatory, much less with utilizing some type of disinfectant to be in compliance with the health codes! Good Grief, this is sad and Scary! How clean is the kitchen? if no one is ever cleaning anything out in the dining area? I'm afraid to know... Definitely worried about ever eating here again. The other issue that's been mentioned by previous reviews, the music is still Way Too LOUD. Outside it is eardrum blasting. Completely unnecessary. To the point that it almost made me turn away and not walk in the door in the first place. My only hope, that it wasn't as loud inside... It was loud, but not as bad as outside. Overall, the experience was very disappointing. I really hope they can get themselves together sometime soon. Otherwise they'll probably be closed for health code violations. Or maybe even noise...

My friend posted that this place was worth trying, on Facebook. My husband and me decided to go on our weekly date night outing (parents night out woo!), and I am in love! We usually go to Fresh Kitchen, which is great and what I would put Bolay into as a category, but this place was honestly a step-up from Fresh Kitchen! The owner spent quality time with us telling us about the gluten-free food and letting us taste any options that we wanted! He took the time to tell us how everything is made fresh including sauces and marinades. He gave us combination suggestions too which was really helpful I often have trouble picking good combos at FK and often feel rushed there. The food was incredibly delicious with excellent season and texture (juicy chicken not dry at all!) as if I just cooked it myself (not that I can make anything taste that good haha). Danny, the owner, gave us quality service and assured us that this is standard, and some delicious cookies! The juice was delicious too 💗 overall, we were really impressed and look forward to the new location that will open in a couple of months by our home in east Orlando on Alafaya and University! We will...

Bolay has become a bit pricey in recent years. The salmon bowl I ordered costs $19.99 on their website, and that's before adding any extras like avocado or cheese. That's a lot of money for a bowl of food, especially when you consider that you can get a similar meal at other restaurants for a lower price.

However, I also think that Bolay's food is generally pretty good. The salmon is cooked perfectly, the Brussels sprouts are crispy, and the pesto is flavorful. The black rice is a bit of a strange choice, but it's not bad. Overall, the bowl is filling and satisfying, but it's definitely not worth $20.

If you're looking for a healthier and more affordable option, I would recommend trying one of Bolay's build-your-own bowls. You can choose your own protein, grains, vegetables, and sauce, so you can customize the bowl to your liking. This will usually save you a few dollars, and you'll still get a delicious and healthy meal.

Here are some other healthy and affordable restaurants that you might like:

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