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High End Mediterranean Dazzles

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Yara Koteish
(Above) The atmosphere inside AVA was very loud, unlike other fancy restaurants. The people seemed to be enjoying the vibe of the restaurant and were dressed in formal attire.

AVA MediterrAegean is a fine-dining, Mediterranean restaurant located on Park Avenue in Winter Park. AVA is a fairly new restaurant that opened to the public on February 4th, 2022, making it almost two years old. AVA’s only location is in Orlando, Florida, but it is part of a restaurant chain by Riviera Dining Group. AVA MediterrAegean also has a private members club located in the restaurant called MM which was also made by Riviera Dining Group. MM is a fine-dining membership club that offers last-minute table bookings, exclusive treatments, private access to members-only areas, and more. MM has one other location in MILA, a restaurant located in Miami, Florida. MM also has a private beach club called CASA NEOS which is opening in 2024. The dining experience at AVA was very different from the usual “fancy restaurant” experience. The environment was Mediterranean-themed but was more exotic, modern, and minimalistic. The food in AVA was more east Mediterranean, focusing on Greek and Laventine-Arab food.

(Above) Lamb skewers were one of the dishes that were available to order on the menu but have been taken off of it. Its flavors are similar in taste to the meatballs, and served with the same tzatziki under the dish. (Yara Koteish)
(Above) This is the “1/2 Dozen Oysters” with both East and West Coast oysters from the Mediterranean Sea. These oysters had a very salty taste to them that I did not enjoy, but many people would disagree and say these oysters are delicious. (Yara Koteish)
(Above) This “Grilled Haloumi Cheese,” served with sesame seeds and honey, is a traditional cheese that is often served with breakfast. The cheese was lit on fire before being set on the table which added the grilled flavor to the cheese. (Yara Koteish)
(Above) “Keftedes Meatballs,” was served with fresh herbs, lemon, and tzatziki presented underneath the meatballs. This dish reminded me of my home country, Lebanon, and was very original, sticking to the culture. (Yara Koteish)
The “Athenian 1.25 lb Whole Lobster Pasta” is a linguine pasta garnished with heirloom baby tomato, fresh basil, and bisque that also comes with a whole lobster cut in half. It was a bit tedious to pick out each piece of lobster and put it into the pasta, but the taste profile was amazing, making it one of my favorite dishes from AVA. (Yara Koteish)
(Above) When ordering the Branzino dish at AVA, it is prepared in front of the customer. The Branzino was surprisingly very tasty since personally, I do not like the taste of fish. (Yara Koteish)
(Above) AVA has a wide variety of fresh juices on their drink menu. There is also an extended dessert menu with some unique desserts like their “Lavender Olive Oil Cake” and “Baklava.” (Yara Koteish)
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About the Contributor
Yara Koteish
Yara Koteish, Director of Archives
Yara Koteish is the Director of Archives of Lake Highland Preparatory School's Upper School newspaper class. Yara is on the swim team and has been swimming for 12 years. She also plays club soccer at Windermere Orlando City Soccer. When not in school or sports, Yara enjoys traveling around the world and going to the beach.

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