Paella House Restaurant, Orlando

Born in the Andalusia region of Spain, siblings Jose and Bernie grew up watching their mother prepare traditional Spanish dishes. Their fondness for her cooking lasted into adulthood, prompting them to leave their respective careers and open Paella House to re-create those flavors together. In the restaurant's kitchen, chefs infuse rice with saffron and mix in meats and seafood to create platters piled with enough paella for two people to share or build a fort with. The paella Negra blends scallops, shrimp, clams, and mussels with a black squid-ink sauce that gives the dish its signature hue, and the paella Valenciana harmoniously melds chicken, chorizo, and pork. The chefs also whip up tapas to share, such as aged serrano ham with manchego cheese, sausage, and olives and empanadas filled with spinach, as well as entrees such as the San Jacobo—a breaded sirloin steak stuffed with manchego and mozzarella cheeses and drizzled with a creamy blue-cheese sauce.