Orlando Dining

Four Flamingos: A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen is Now Open in Orlando (Photos, Video)

Denise ,  ,  ,  , 

Hi everyone!

Four Flamingos: A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen is now open at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando. The resort is just a few miles from Disney Springs, very convenient to Walt Disney World. Four Flamingos will be open from 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m each night. This is the first Florida restaurant by Chef Richard Blais, who was the first winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars. The restaurants cuisine is inspired by Florida’s seasonal flavors and leans heavily into seafood but includes other items as well. Here is a look from yesterday,  with the press release at the bottom.

First is our interview with Chef Richard Blais and then photos.

The “four” in Four Flamingos “is a nod to the four species of flamingo native to the Americas and the bird’s tendency to gather and feast in groups.”

All photos by Denise Preskitt, Mousesteps

The canopy on the way to the restaurant is lit pink.

The restaurant name is on the door.

Artwork of flamingos can be found around the restaurant.

Chef Blais gave us a tour of his new restaurant, which is included in the video.

Hand crafted cocktails feature ingredients made or infused in-house. The cocktails are unique and delicious and the glassware used is too. Blais said he didn’t used to like the ornate crystal like what his grandmother had but as he gets older, he appreciates it.

Mango del Fuego includes Jalapeno-Infused Maestro Dobel Tequila, Cointreau, Mango, Hibiscus Syrup and Grapefruit Salt. All of the drinks shown I tried and I don’t have a favorite – they were all really great cocktails.

The Fifth Flamingo includes Siesta Key Rum, Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyeaux, Guava, Pineapple and Raspberry-Orgeat Syrup.

Get Toasted includes Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum, Tempus Fugit Banana Liqueur, Coconut Cream, Pineapple and Cinnamon Bark Syrup. The glass is gorgeous!

Key Lime in the Coconut includes Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Midori, Key Lime Shrub, Pineapple and Coconut Foam.

Samples were available for us of some of the items. This is the Florida Shrimp, Guava & Horseradish Cocktail. Jeff enjoyed this quite a lot.

To show the uniqueness of the dishes, this is the Tuna Tostones Passion Fruit Yolk.

There is a live lobster tank.

The chandelier is a holdover from the previous restaurant, Hemingway’s.

It was nice to get to preview this new restaurant before the opening today! We look forward to visiting for a full meal.

Here is the press release from today!

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Dec. 3, 2021 – Acclaimed Chef Richard Blais opens his first Florida restaurant today, Four Flamingos: A Richard Blais Florida Kitchen, located adjacent to Walt Disney World at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. The whimsical, tropical venue will serve up fresh Florida favorites for dinner nightly, from fresh-caught surf to fire-grilled turf.

“It’s thrilling to open a new concept,” said Chef Blais. “Playing with these iconic seasonal tropical flavors from Florida has been exciting, and we’re ready to share the excitement of Four Flamingos!”

Guests will experience a tropical environment while being immersed  in the preparation and kitchen experiences with an open kitchen, raw bar and live lobster tank. Oversized windows and screened wrap-around porches surround diners with lush greenery while they enjoy flavors of coconut, mango and passion fruit incorporated into dishes of Tuna, shrimp and crab and much more.

“Four Flamingos was inspired by a lot of nostalgic elements from when I was young, like peering into a lobster tank or watching the action in an open kitchen,” said Chef Blais. “It’s been so rewarding to incorporate those elements and hopefully pass those memories along to the next generation who might find their passion for food here.”

Highlights from the Four Flamingos kitchen include:

  • Conch Hushpuppies with curry & honey
  • Tuna Tostones with passion fruit yolk
  • Swordfish Prime Rib “Neptune’s Cut,” 16 oz., with black lime, black pepper and garlic
  • Bacon-Wrapped Filet with boniato mash and truffle demi
  • Chef Blais’s signature Dry Aged Beef Ribeye, “Thor’s Hammer,” 22 oz., with jalapeno chimichurri

The menu also features a “Feast of the Day” for the entire table to share and a whole or half lobster straight from the tank prepared to order from a selection of three tasty options.

Specialty cocktails combine classic flavors and signature Richard Blais flair, with each featuring ingredients made or infused in-house. Highlights include:

  • Florida Old-Fashioned: Knob Creek bourbon, orange blossom bitters, spiced orange blossom honey syrup, smoked
  • Key Lime in the Coconut: Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Midori, key lime shrub, pineapple, coconut foam
  • Ponce’s Punch: Orange-infused St. Augustine gin, Licor 43, passionfruit, sage syrup

Dessert also brings in the Florida flavors with a Key Lime Blossom, Passion Fruit Flan and Chocolate Banana Caviar among the selections.

Guests can expect menu items to change based on the commitment to using the best seasonal ingredients, always providing a reason for a return visit.

“We can all use a break,” said Blais. “We want Four Flamingos to be a fun vacation experience whether you are away on a two-week getaway or a local taking a break for just a few hours.”

Four Flamingos will be open nightly for dinner from 5-10 p.m at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress. Private dining and group events can be hosted in one of the restaurant’s private dining spaces. Guests can visit www.FourFlamingosOrlando.com to make reservations via OpenTable.

Blais is widely recognized as the first winner of Bravo’s Top Chef All-Stars and recently announced co-star of the new Gordon Ramsay / FOX cooking competition, Next Level Chef. He is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and trained at The French Laundry, Daniel, Chez Panisse and el Bulli. Blais currently owns and operates Trail Blais, a forward-thinking culinary consulting company that has consulted on, designed, and operated popular eateries across the country. He is the James Beard Award-nominated author of Try This at Home: Recipes from My Head to Your Plate, as well as his second cookbook, So Good. Most recently, he opened Ember & Rye at the newly renovated Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, California and took on the role of Culinary Director at the newly opened San Diego Symphony performance space, The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park.

For more information or to make reservations, visit FourFlamingosOrlando.com. Fans can follow the restaurant via Four Flamingos Instagram, Facebook and TikTok pages.