An Orlando resident for more than 25 years, Michael Lit is the executive chef for Central Florida Regional Hospital and also has extensive experience in both casual and fine dining.

Located inside The Alfond Inn and, like its host, owned and operated by Rollins College, Hamilton’s Kitchen is a Southern-inspired restaurant using modern techniques and preparation. I’d been hearing good things about Executive Chef Jason Klingensmith, who took over the helm in June 2016, and wanted to try his cooking for myself.

Quick verdict: If you have eaten here previous to Klingensmith’s tenure, you must experience Hamilton’s Kitchen all over again. He has fused locally sourced ingredients with a rustic and open-table charm to give guests an unforgettable dining experience that brings together friends, family and our chic Winter Park community.

Also worth mentioning is the fact that, while Hamilton’s and the inn are relatively new ventures, the restaurant houses many artifacts from Rollins’ history and is named in honor of Hamilton Holt, president of Rollins College from 1925 to 1949.

Hamilton’s offers seating indoors and out. The outdoor seating is as well-crafted as the cocktails, and sitting out there during the winter months is a culinary must. As this was summer, though, my wife and I opted to sit inside. As we were guided to our table, we passed by the open kitchen to see the chefs preparing Klingensmith’s culinary vision with precision. What’s more, when I asked Klingensmith if I could take pictures of the beautifully laid-out kitchen, he was very welcoming.

Their menu has some playfully named items that correlate with Rollins. For instance, my cocktail was called the MBA ($12), a fusion of Woodford Reserve Bourbon, blackberries and orange with a splash of ginger ale, and it graduated cumma sum laude when it comes to delicious bourbon drinks. It was smooth with a little sweetness from the blackberries and a nice acid overtone with the orange.

My wife had the Classic Ford ($13), featuring Ford’s Gin, cucumber water, lemon, cilantro syrup, prosecco and Himalayan pink salt. The cucumber water smoothed out the gin, the cilantro syrup gave it a wonderful earthiness, and the pink salt pulled out all those flavors to match nicely. My wife really enjoyed this cocktail, and I would certainly order one for myself next time.

For our appetizer, we chose the Wild Mushroom Arancini ($12). It is a rolled risotto fritter with a bleu cheese fondue. It was crispy but creamy and smooth inside, making for a very nice contrast in texture and flavor. My only issue was that a spoon was not served with the fondue, so it was a bit hard to get the fondue on my fritter without it breaking. First-world problems, huh?

Our salad course had me even more excited than my appetizer. My wife needed a good Caesar Salad ($11), and Hamilton’s took on the challenge. The dr

essing was house-made, and the croutons were delicate but hearty. The white anchovies even added the spark of saltiness that every good Caesar should have. I ordered the Compressed Watermelon Salad ($13). The watermelon was topped with crispy prosciutto, local greens, candied walnuts, feta and a blueberry vinaigrette, resulting in what was quite possibly the best watermelon salad I have eaten to date. It was executed and plated beautifully, and the many textural elements and sweet earthiness rounded out the dish.

Our entrees included my wife’s Braised Kurobuta Pork Shank ($29), served with Bradley’s North Florida cheese grits, fried green tomato and a black cherry gastrique. The blend of sweet pork and cheesy grits mixed with the gastrique s

ent my taste buds on a trip. This wonderfully balanced dish is phenomenal, with all the flavors joining together harmoniously.

I ordered the Crab Crusted Scallops ($35) and received three huge, U-10 scallops with sautéed haricot vert green beans. The dish was plated with exceptional care and thought. I had not seen scallops done this way before, and I can’t believe I never thought of it. The seared scallop sat on top of a round potato sautéed in olive oil, and it was topped with crab and a Dijon-tomato butter. If you enjoy scallops, this is the Ph.D. of all such dishes. The downside is that it was so creative and inspiring that I unfortunately had no leftovers.

Dessert was a hard choice, but we decided on the house-made Chocolate Truffles ($10) rolled in mini chips. Delicious chocolate and the creamy inside closed this dinner with a pop of over-the-top decadence.

If you are visiting Rollins or just taking a walk down tony Park Avenue, Hamilton’s should be a loyal stop along the way. Amazingly crafted food and drinks, atmosphere you’d expect from a hotel in Winter Park, and a chef who executes flawlessly all help Hamilton’s Kitchen stand tall and proud amongst the best Greater Orlando has to offer.

Hamilton’s Kitchen
Winter Park | (407) 326-2623