t ravelerf o o die.wo rdpress.co m http://travelerfoodie.wordpress.com/2014/04/07/latin-explosion-at-melao-bakery/

by Traveler Foodie

Latin Explosion at Melao Bakery

There is a smorgasbord of happenings here. Relax, we are on Island time. Everything moves at the pace of theCaribbean sea. There is no amount of t ime spent on f amily, breaking bread and enjoying each other ’s company.

At f irst entrance it appears chaotic. People milling around. A couple of lines, some people ignoring the lines andcutting in f ront. Watch out f or children dashing around your ankles. Grandma screaming her order f rom a tableto people in line. Music blasting, smells waf ting in the air. Stop. See this is why this place is special.

The aromas of love, joy, togetherness, f amily, f riends, a culture that transcends f rom f ood to music, to f amily.Yes, my f riends this is the essence of Melao Bakery. It should be the essence of every eating place. With thiskind of energy everything just slows down and people start to enjoy living.

Af ter you take a f ew salsa steps and sway to some merengue, realize that there are three areas of ordering.As you f ace the counter, f ar lef t is the sweets and desserts section. Order in that line, pay in that line. Centeris the take out cooked to order f ood. All the mof ongo is delivered f rom here. Order there, pay there. Right isthe hot f ood buf f et line. Join line, let the attendant know if you are taking out of dining in, order away and payat the end of the line.

From the Buffet Line- Beans, rice, sweet plantains, and roast pork. The f lavors and textures are moretantalizing than a reggaeton track. This is stick to your ribs goodness that just keeps hitt ing until the last bite.

Cow Heel Soup – Every great culture has one of these hearty blends of love in a bowl. This is a thick wellseasoned and balanced dish that really just sooths the soul. The cow heel is tender and melts in your mouth.Nourishment f or the soul.

Mofongo with Shrimps and Garlic Sauce – This is a delicate balance of ripe and green plantains with porkf at to create a luscious silky mold that still has large enough chucks of bits to recognize what you are eating.Everything is not pulverized into a smoothie, rather each ingredient stands out yet they are combined.Incredible. Full f lavored garlic just announces who is the boss. Notably one of the better mof ongos aroundOrlando.

Assorted Pastries – I am not going to attempt to f igure this all out. Honestly, I walked up to the counter andstarted pointing at anything that looked delicious. How did I do? Guess the price f or this entire box? $10. Best$10 ever spent. The pastries were f resh, with f ull f lavors. There was an understated sugariness that allowedthe items to f lourish and not induce a diabetic shock. I’ll make the drive back just f or this.

Flan – I did not expect this lit t le thing, but it is convenient. The taste was a smooth blend of sweetness.

Tres Leches – Anything with milk is great, three times the milk and there is a treat. Lusciously sexy.

Even though this is primarily a f ood establishment, I’ll venture to say that this place allows f or a culturalgathering in Kissimmee. It f eels like a warm embrace f rom grandma as she welcomes you home. For that kind ofunconditional love, I’ll make the hike again.