My wife Yomari doesn't get a birthday. She gets a birthday month. So when it was time to pick a spot to keep the celebration going, we drove to the ette hotel in Kissimmee for dinner at Salt & the Cellar by Akira Back. Walking out that night, we looked at each other and said the same thing: we chose right.
First Impressions: Impeccable
The lit-up ette sign out front sets the tone before you even walk through the door. The living green wall running along the exterior, tall cypress-shaped topiaries lining the facade, the warm lobby, the dining room with its arched antiqued mirrors, mustard velvet banquettes, cane-back chairs, and the marble bar stocked floor-to-ceiling with every spirit you could want. Everything here is impeccable and well appointed. The ambience is excellent.
And I'll say it plainly: even the bathrooms are amazing. Deep teal subway tile floor to ceiling, brass-framed arched mirrors, a marble vanity, geometric patterned floors. When a place gets the restroom right, you know they sweat every detail. Salt & the Cellar sweats every detail.
A Michelin-Starred Chef, Right Here in Osceola County
The kitchen carries the vision of Michelin-starred Chef Akira Back, who blends Mediterranean and Asian flavors in bold, unexpected ways. The ette hotel itself holds a Michelin Key award, which tells you this property is operating at a level most of Florida hasn't seen yet. Every dish is made from scratch, prepared to order. You don't have to fly to Vegas or Seoul for that level of cooking. It's on Sherberth Road.
For the curious: the restaurant serves breakfast daily from 7:30 to 11:00 AM, lunch from 11:30 AM to 3:00 PM, and dinner from 5:30 to 11:00 PM. Weekend brunch runs Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, and if you want something truly different, Sunday afternoon tea goes from noon to 4:00 PM. The address is 3001 Sherberth Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34747. You can reach them at (407) 288-1919 or info@saltandthecellar.com.
Order the Taurus in Retrograde First
Start with a cocktail called the Taurus in Retrograde. Order it for the presentation alone. It arrives poured from a hand-blown glass bull decanter, and every head at the next table turns. The drink itself is served in a faceted rocks glass with an orange peel and a single dark cherry. It's a moment, and this restaurant knows how to create moments.
What to Order at the Table
The Hamachi is the plate to start with and the plate to finish on. Our favorite by far. When it came to the table, Yomari said it was her favorite of the night and that she should have ordered the ten-piece. Make that call upfront. Order the bigger portion from the start.
The Chilean sea bass was a close second, beautifully plated. The photos we took at the table tell the story: a cast iron pot arriving still steaming, a plate of fish that looked almost too good to eat. The kitchen treats every plate like it matters, because it does. If serious Japanese technique in the Orlando area is already on your radar, Salt & the Cellar belongs in that same conversation.
The Moment That Made the Night
Here's the part I'll be telling people about for years. Our server Connor overheard Yomari say the Hamachi was her favorite and that she should have ordered the ten-piece. He didn't bring out the usual birthday dessert. He brought out more Hamachi. It made her night and, honestly, it made mine.
There was still a birthday dessert too. A single-serve cake arrived on a white plate with a gold candle, the Akira Back monogram printed across the top in a chocolate wrapper, a handwritten "Happy Birthday" message on the plate. It was perfect. But the extra Hamachi is the move I'll remember.
That's not a script. That's someone who actually listens. Service here is top notch, and Connor outdid himself. It's the kind of thing you can't train someone to care about. Either they do or they don't. Connor does.
Why I'm Featuring Salt & the Cellar
As LIVIN.in Governor of Florida, my job is to point you to the places across our state that are worth your time and your money. Plenty of restaurants near the parks serve tourists. Salt & the Cellar treats a local couple's birthday dinner like it matters. That's the kind of business I want you to support. The region already has places worth driving for, and that kind of consistency is what earns recognition. Salt & the Cellar is earning it.
Your Move
Got a birthday, an anniversary, or a reason to celebrate coming up? Book a table, order the Hamachi and a Taurus in Retrograde, and when you sit down, stop in and tell them Jorge from LIVIN.in sent you. Then let me know: did Connor take care of you too?
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