Chayote Barrio Kitchen — Restaurant in Winter Park

Overall Impression: Chayote Barrio Kitchen offers a compelling Latin-French fusion concept with flashes of brilliance, though inconsistencies in execution and service prevent it from reaching the Michelin star aspirations it boldly claims. While the culinary creativity and some standout dishes demonstrate potential, refinements in hospitality, seating strategy, and beverage service are necessary to compete at the highest level.

Ambiance & Service: The restaurant’s cozy, thoughtfully designed interior sets an inviting tone, though the seating arrangement revealed an immediate misstep placing a reserved party near the restroom is an avoidable oversight for an establishment targeting fine dining accolades. Service was attentive and knowledgeable, with our waiter thoroughly explaining the menu. However, the rigidity in drink customization (specifically the refusal to upgrade tequila in a "semi-premade" cocktail) felt at odds with the premium dining experience Chayote aims to deliver. Prebatched cocktails, while efficient, detract from the artisanal ethos expected at this level.

Culinary Highlights & Shortfalls: Bread Service: The coconut milk bread with house-made butter was a standout, hinting at the restaurant’s potential for memorability. Starters: The pulpo (octopus) was a triumph - perfectly textured, visually striking, and well-portioned. The empanadas, though flavorful, suffered from excessive breading and a disappointingly small filling. The tartare was forgettable, lacking the boldness or finesse to distinguish itself. Mains: Both the churrasco (hoisin skirt steak with Manchego mash) and cordero (lamb confit with goat cheese risotto) were executed with skill, balancing robust flavors and technical precision. These dishes showcased the kitchen’s ability to elevate fusion cuisine. Dessert: Tres Leches was a solid offering with a fusion of pistachio and meringue

Areas for Improvement: Seating Strategy: Avoid placing guests in undesirable locations, especially when reservations are made in advance. Attention to such details is critical for Michelin consideration. Beverage Program: Reevaluate premixed cocktails; premium pricing should equate to fresh, customizable offerings. Portion & Balance: Refine starter portions (e.g., empanadas) to ensure value and harmony between components. Consistency: Elevate weaker dishes (e.g., tartare) to match the excellence of the pulpo and mains.

Final Rating: 7.5/10 Chayote Barrio Kitchen is a promising contender with a distinct vision, but it must address operational and experiential gaps to truly compete for Michelin recognition. For now, it remains a solid if inconsistent option for fusion enthusiasts. A return visit in 6-12 months to assess progress would be warranted.

Recommendation: Worth a visit for the pulpo, coconut bread, and mains, but temper expectations for a flawless fine dining experience. Ideal for adventurous diners seeking creative flavor combinations in a relaxed yet...

I ate here for magical dining. It was fun to try at a value price and I was happy to support a good cause.

My wife and I shared:

Beef tartare with plantain chips. My first time having it. It was like if you removed the browned portion of a steak and minced it up and put it together in a tidy pile. It was good, and the meat had enough fat in it to make it taste just a little creamy.

The camarones were very good. They taste like what Panda Express shrimp probably dreams about tasting like one day.

Chilean Sea Bass. I'm told it is the flag ship entree. I really enjoy fish and have had this type of fish before but it was a little underwhelming in flavor. To be honest I couldn't even find a distinct flavor of the meat itself, although the light seasoning was good. The fish was not bad although I honestly couldn't really taste a flavor. It was on a bed of I believe mashed yucca with maybe some kind of white colored cheese, the flavor had notes of Pizza Hut's stuffed crust from my childhood.

Beef short ribs. They seemed to to be slightly braised, and there was a little bit of a sauce with a sweet flavor. It was served on a bed of mashed potatoes which were pretty flavorful with I think butter and a little garlic.

Chocolate Torta cake. This was very moist with a large, flat, golden piece of salty caramel, topped with banana ice cream. The ice cream's flavor was good - not overwhelming. The cake itself was warm and very moist. It was surrounded by a chocolate sauce.

My wife's sangria was sweet and fruity.

I tried the Reposado, "Ilegal" brand Mezcal. It was delicious. It had notes of agave and oak, a smokey flavor could not be mistaken, nor could a strong but delicious flavor of leather. I was glad I splurged to try it.

The waitress was attentive and professional. She communicated a lot about a kitchen backup which I honestly would not have noticed because we were talking, but if I had to get back to a baby sitter or something maybe I would have.

The atmosphere is upscale which you would expect at the price point. I do want to note that the volume of the music made conversation across the table with my wife difficult and I couldn't make out every other word the waitress said. It wasn't as loud as a bar but it wasn't far off.

The bathrooms were all single occupancy and labeled "Cualquiera" (Whoever). Probably the nicest public bathrooms I've been in. The wallpaper and tile were beautiful and you could tell great care went into installing them by the way the paper was installed over the electric plates and whoever did it took care to take a piece of the exact spot of the pattern that matched the spot. The paper towels felt almost like you could have laundered and reused them. There is a hand lotion dispenser next to...

At the bottom is my original review, and here is my update. The GM called me, and apologized for how things transpired. He accommodated our party of 10 for the Saturday. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Jean Pierre was our waiter and he was a gem. Very personable and knowledgeable. We had some delicious cocktails, appetizers, and main courses and were not disappointed. Things don’t always run smoothly and rectifying the situation when they don’t is how to measure any place of business. I very much appreciated how the GM handled the situation, and the subsequent wonderful experience.

I wish I could review the food, but my family and I never got the chance. I called just after 12 on a Tuesday afternoon to make a reservation for 10 people for that Saturday. I called because I couldn’t make a reservation online for more than 7 people. Fine, no problem, that is actually common… So I call, and get a really nice young lady, and make my request for the reservation. She tells me that she does have availability for 10 guests @6pm for that Saturday, but that she can’t make the reservation for me. I instead need to send my request to a special reservation email. She assures me I will get a response within 24hrs. So I’m thinking “ok?”, but I go ahead and do it…24hrs comes and goes and I receive no response. I call back saying that I have followed the instructions, but have received no response. I receive an apology, and told to provide my email, and that the manager will “immediately” send me an email with the information I need regarding the “minimum”. I wasn’t sure to which “minimum” she was referring to, but I assume a deposit for the reservation of time kind. I’m fine with that. So again, I’m a little lost, but I say “ok” I hang up the call and I patiently wait for the email with this information I apparently need to have in order to make this reservation. 40mins passes and so much for the manager emailing me “immediately” so I call back, and run through the entire spiel. I get a young man this time, he goes into his system, and says there is now no availability on Saturday @6pm. Only between 4-5pm. Since we aren’t in the habit of eating dinner at 4pm, I passed on that option. That put pain to that… Very disappointed to not have been able to go to this restaurant, the menu looks incredible, and we were all very excited to go. For the record, as a party of 10 which is already a good number of people, we are quite the extravagant bunch, in the respect that, we order a great deal more things than what one would expect per person. We are also big supporters of cocktails. Oh...