Selva Rosa Cocina & Bar Maitland

ANOTHER MONET

@theselvarosa

Beautiful from a distance… but once you get closer, the illusion starts to fade.

That was my experience at Selva Rosa.

There’s no denying the presentation. The food is beautiful, the restaurant is beautiful, and the ambiance sets expectations pretty high. But unfortunately, the flavors never quite caught up with the aesthetics.

The lobster flautas were generously stuffed, especially surprising at only $16. Unfortunately, the lobster had a noticeably fishy taste, which might explain that surprisingly low price point. Personally, I’d rather pay more and get a better-quality lobster. Generosity only matters when what you’re being generous with tastes good.

The steak was the standout and genuinely very good. I loved the flavor and texture of the fried leeks, but the dish felt like fat on fat with nothing acidic, fresh or bright enough to play the balancing role. A great steak that deserved better supporting actors.

Then came the salmon.

They somehow managed to kill the fish twice!!

It was so overcooked and hard that we actually sent it back. The salsa felt like something anyone could easily whip up at home, and surprisingly, the white rice was solid. Ironically, I ended up eating the white rice with the steak… and those two actually worked better together.

Selva Rosa is a great-looking restaurant with good decor, energy and ambiance, but for me, that experience simply didn’t translate onto the plate.

Sometimes a big menu gives you more options. Sometimes it spreads the kitchen too thin. I think a shorter, more focused menu here could allow them to execute fewer dishes at a much higher level.

There’s definitely potential. The steak proved that.

Don’t believe me. Go try it yourself and let me know what you think. 👇

#mexicanfood#peruvianfood#orlando#lobster#birria Less