Delighting the Senses at The Osprey Tavern in Baldwin Park

Chef de Cuisine of Osprey Tavern Joseph (Joe) Cournoyer-Burnett, who graduated from Clark University in Atlanta, formerly served as Chef De Cuisine at Norman’s New World here in Orlando from 2001 to 2010, and then Chef De Cuisine at Loews Hotels before joining the Ravenous Pig.

Drawing inspiration from the available seasonal and local seafood, owners Sue and Jason Chin tell us the most popular dishes Osprey Tavern include the oysters, pizzas from the stone hearth oven and the delmonico steak out of the Josper, which is a wood burning oven/grill from Spain. Their craft cocktails have also been hugely popular.

What are your favorite dishes on the menu right now?

Chef Joe: The Dutch Baby found on our newly released brunch menu. It is a brunch pastry that is baked to order, and it could be described as a cross between a popover, Yorkshire pudding and crepe. We bake it with blueberries and top it with maple syrup

Jason Chin: The Porchetta and Charred Peel & Eat Shrimp

When people think of The Osprey Tavern, what do you think should come to mind?

Chef Joe: An escape from the “touristy places” in Orlando; a local, go-to place that still has a very metropolitan feel

Jason Chin: Comfort in a classy setting with everything done in a thoughtful way, from preparation of the food to the layout of the dining room, the wine and cocktail list and style of service. We want our guests to feel like they have been transported to a different city, not that there is anything wrong with Orlando, haha.

What is popular right now at the Tavern?

The Grouper, Peel & Eat Shrimp, also the Blue Jacket and Rye or Die cocktails

What excites you most about the dining scene in Orlando?

The vibrant and growing culinary scene. It is exciting to see how far it has come in the last several years and how much potential it still has.

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I was invited to Osprey Tavern for a media dinner the other night and have to say I was immediatetly left impressed by the decor -there’s a sweet rustic and homey ambience to the dining room.

…and a high contrast between whitewalls and black seatings, with plenty of windows to allow natural lighting to seep through.

There’s an open kitchen that allows the guest to observe the process of their dishes being made and expedited.

The space is more welcoming with an island bar in front of the restaurant.

We started off the meal with a simple, yet elegant oyster shooter.

Amuse
Oysters with paddlefish caviar. Smooth, clean, and bit creamy while withholding the true taste of the oysters.

Heirloom Beet Salad
One of my most favorite salads ever.

You have marinated beets with a shallot vinaigrette along with gooseberry, hazelnut. goat cheese, and salmon roe. It all looks so simple but it is filled with incredible flavours of earthiness, a sight tang, and bursts of natural sweetness.

The goat cheese really tied the entire dish together, it’s more mellow than most goat cheese I’ve had, but nonetheless smooth and rich like how goat cheese should be.

Alaskan King Salmon – Gnudi, black radish, artichoke, shellfish broth.

The salmon was cooked nicely, with a pink center. For me, the most flavour in this was from the bone marrow foam and shellfish broth. Quite savory with a comforting familiarity.

Whole Roasted Chicken

Organic whole chicken, duchess potatoes, peas, and carrots. The chicken was incredibly tender and juicy and wasn’t overpowered by seasonings, only enhanced by the bit of salt and pepper.

Standing Rib Roast

Standing Rib Roast

Incredible tender cut of primal rib with a minerally essence from the beef.

Paired with tomatoes, romaine, morel mushrooms, rutabaga puree.

Note: I was quite full by this point, but forced myself to finish off the rest of the beef, it was delicious. I have no regrets.

Chocolate Caramel

Of course there’s always room for dessert.

So I indulged myself in their flourless chocolate cake, salted caramel, caramelia cream, roasted cocoa nib ice cream.

The Osprey Tavern is a modern interpretation of the classic American Tavern. Owners Sue and Jason Chin created a place that would serve as a cornerstone of the community, where neighbors could commune.

Osprey Tavern is a must try in the Baldwin Park neighborhood, a welcome addition to the Central Florida food scene.

Osprey Tavern