Ceviche, Short Rib, and Earthquakes

We're sure we've found the perfect off-property dining spot for you. Executive Chef David Roldan and the amazing culinary team at American Kitchen located in B Resort and Spa have created a spectacular menu for a romantic dinner this year. Welcome to our brand new series as we talk about off-property hotels. Our first hotel is the B Resort and Spa. B Resort and Spa is about a twenty(20) minute drive from Universal Orlando Resort. The Resort features a pool, fitness center, bar, and valet service. We'll talk more about the Resort and its amenities in the future, but today we're talking about American Kitchen Bar and Grill. ​

For Valentine’s Day weekend (Feb 11 and 12th, 2022), American Kitchen served a multi-course menu. The first course consists of fresh sushi and nigiri made in a Western style. The second course is a passion fruit ceviche, made up of locally caught fish, bay shrimp, lump crab, leche de tigre, sweet potato confit, and lavish crisps. The third course is surf and turf made up of A3 Wagyu steak, a citrus mojo silk, main lobster with a bay shrimp al ajillo salad, and a mashed tri-color plantain. The culinary journey then comes to a close with a vermillion layer cake.

Our team had the chance to visit B Resort and Spa. We toured the property and dined at the newly reopened American Kitchen Bar and Grill. We started our meal with Ceviche made with Atlantic Salmon Scallops, Carrots, and Calamari. The presentation of the ceviche was stunning, and so was the taste. I am not the biggest ceviche fan, but the team at the American Kitchen made a follower out of me. It contained some of the freshest fish I've ever had. Keep in mind that fish used does change based on the season. The Lead Bartender, Branden, paired the Ceviche with the B Margarita, American Kitchen’s spin on the classic.

First, let me start by saying all the beef at B Resort is certified Angus beef, sourced through Buckhead Beef. Our next course was the Beef Short Rib. The short rib is braised bone-in with a demi-glace finished with red wine. The Beef Short Rib sits on top of smoked Yukon mashed potatoes, arugula salad, and baby heirloom tomatoes. All produce used in American Kitchen is sourced locally, and we could really tell with our meal. Our amazing bartender, Branden, paired our entree with a Gascon Malbec for the evening. Gascon Malbec is a full-bodied wine with deep violet color, showcasing aromas of blackberry, blueberry, and cherry. Gascon Malbec was paired well with the short rib. The only complaint we had all night was that we didn't feel like we got enough of the great Yukon potatoes. ​

To end our dinner, we tried two desserts. The First one is the vermillion layer cake. Vermillion layer cake was described as a South American Flancocho(cake with flan) typically made with chocolate. To go with the theming of American Kitchen Chef David Roldan, put some B Resort flair on the Flancocho. We were presented with a Red Velvet Flancocho with a raspberry glaze grapefruit tuile, topped with vanilla custard and served alongside marshmallows, wildberries, and pixie dust. Never missing a beat, lead bartender Branden served us a shot of red velvet Baileys. As many people know, I'm not a chocolate fan, but this Red Velvet Flancocho was absolutely incredible. The dessert is just decadent enough to satisfy anyone's sweet tooth. The cake-inspired liqueur treat is made of. Red velvet cupcake flavor that pairs well with the Flancocho.

Lastly, we tried the Chocolate Earthquake cake. This enormous cake is made with chocolate ganache, brownies, and chocolate cake. But wait, there's more. This thing is then topped with pieces of Snickers, Twix, crumbled biscotti, and chocolate sauce. The Earthquake cake is big enough to share between two or three people, but why would you want to share? As I mentioned earlier, I'm not a chocolate person, but Wow! This creation was really good. . We would have tried to finish it if we had any room left. We felt this would be paired well with a scoop of ice cream. The Chocolate Earthquake is a chocolate overload, so a scoop of ice cream would help you finish this dessert. ​

Executive Chef David Roldan at the American Kitchen Bar and Grill, located inside B Resort and Spa, has put together an excellent menu for their grand reopening. The staff inside of American Kitchen is friendly and very informative. The food served to us was influenced directly by the culinary team's culture and experiences. We recommend visiting American Kitchen as a superb off-property option.

This incredible meal is only available at American Kitchen Bar & Grill. Guests can reserve their table by calling (407)828-2828 ext. 3019. ​

Xavier.H.

​​​​I'm Xavier- a food enthusiast and full-time blogger, theme park lover(especially Universal), and Halloween Horror Nights fan. I do happen to also lead the Universal Food Blog team on our trek to find the best dishes around Universal Orlando Resort to report to you!