One day, one train, one car, and more food than we had any business eating. Welcome to the Orlando edition of The Asian Table Series.
If you have ever driven down Colonial Drive in Orlando and thought it was just another busy road. I need you to stop what you are doing and plan a trip. Because what is happening on that stretch of road, from the east side all the way to the west, is one of the most quietly incredible concentrations of Asian food, culture, and community I have ever experienced in Florida.
We did it all in one day. One very full, very delicious, very intentional day.
This is the Orlando edition of The Asian Table Series and honestly, it set the bar high.
How We Got There — The Brightline Way
We took the Brightline from Fort Lauderdale. Early — like 6am early. But here is the thing about an early start — by the time we pulled into Orlando around 9am, we already felt ahead of the day. No traffic stress, no parking chaos, just a smooth ride and a full itinerary waiting for us.
Now here is something worth knowing if you are planning this trip. The Brightline station in Orlando is located inside Orlando International Airport at Terminal C. I was not sure how far the walk was going to be to the car rental counters and my mom cannot do long walking distances right now, so I was a little nervous about that.
I did not need to be. A Brightline team member stepped in immediately with wheelchair assistance and brought us all the way out to the car rental area without us even having to ask twice. That kind of service is the difference between a stressful travel day and a smooth one and I want to give them their flowers for that.
The kind of service that makes you want to tell everybody about it. Brightline handled us with care and I will not forget that.
And here is the other thing that made Terminal C a genuinely pleasant experience the car rental counters are right there. We are talking about a six minute walk from the train platform to the rental desk. I booked through Enterprise as usual and we were in the car and on the road by 10am.
Important travel tip: If you are doing a day trip to Orlando from South Florida, rent a car. Uber pricing from the airport with all the added fees has gotten expensive and you will be moving around a lot throughout the day. For about $90 for the day with insurance it is absolutely worth it for the freedom and convenience alone.
First Stop — HMart Orlando, and We Did Not Leave for Three Hours
HMart Orlando
7501 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32818
Our first destination was HMart on West Colonial Drive and I want to be very clear about something. We did not pop in for a quick browse. We were there for three hours. Three full hours. And we used every single minute of them.
If you have never been to an HMart, let me set the scene. This is not your average grocery store. Yes there are aisles and we walked down every single one of them, including the frozen food section even though we both knew full well we could not bring anything frozen home. We walked through it anyway because that is just the commitment level we were operating at.
But here is what makes HMart Orlando genuinely special — it is a whole world inside one building. Inside you will find a Paris Baguette bakery, multiple drink stations covering everything from coffee to boba, walk-in vendor booths, a full food court with even more vendors, an arcade, a claw machine section, and a photo booth area with multiple booths and props you can use for your session. There is also a spa and salon inside. I am not making any of this up.
On the shopping side the food and grocery items were either comparable in price or cheaper than the Asian grocery stores we have closer to home in South Florida. The small appliances and kitchen items ran a little pricey but honestly that section was fun to browse regardless. The variety across every department was impressive.
We walked the frozen food aisle knowing we could not buy a single thing from it. That is how good this store is.
HMart is Korean-based, which means the selection skews heavily Korean but the range is wide enough that you will find products from across Asian cuisines. More on why that distinction matters a little later.
Lunch — Huong Viet, and the Dishes We Had Never Tried Before
Huong Viet
5286 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808
By the time we left HMart it was nearly lunchtime and we had made a pact before this trip when we sat down at a Vietnamese restaurant we were going to order dishes we had never tried before instead of defaulting to our usual. No playing it safe. New dishes only.
We ordered four dishes and a dessert and every single one delivered.
First up — the Banh Beo ($10.99). These are steamed rice cakes topped with shrimp and crispy fried pork skin. Now as someone who grew up Singaporean, this dish hit differently for me personally in Singapore we have something similar called Che Khui, which is also a steamed rice cake but topped with sweet and savory radish instead. Same concept, completely different flavor profile. I loved discovering that connection across two food cultures through one dish.
Then came the Banh Xeo ($13.99) a savory Vietnamese crepe filled with bean sprouts, noodles, shrimp, and served with fresh herbs and vegetables on the side. I had a mini version of this in Houston and fell in love with it immediately. This one confirmed that love. It comes with fish sauce for dipping but honestly I did not even reach for it the crepe was that good on its own.
We also had the Com Tam Suon ($15.99) broken rice served with grilled pork chop, shredded pork, Vietnamese meatloaf, and egg. The meatloaf was my personal favorite thing on that plate. It is one of those dishes that sounds simple but the flavor just lands perfectly every time.
And then the dish that surprised us most the Com Ga Hoi An, a chicken salad with turmeric rice Hoi An style. This was a newer menu item and we ordered it specifically because we wanted to try something different. It was light, fragrant, and the turmeric rice had this beautiful warm color and flavor that tied the whole plate together.
For dessert we ordered the Che Ba Mau the three bean dessert for $5. Honestly a steal. And to wash everything down, fresh coconut water served in a whole young coconut. The Vietnamese coconut water is naturally sweet, perfectly refreshing, and had young coconut meat inside. It is one of my favorites and this one did not disappoint.
We made a pact before we sat down, new dishes only. No playing it safe. Huong Viet made that decision very easy.
The Plaza Discoveries — Sun Pearl, Enson Market, and a Hidden Score
After lunch we were not done with the West Colonial corridor. Not even close.
Our next stop was meant to be Sun Pearl Bakery an OG-style Asian bakery known for traditional bao, classic desserts, and cakes. We had heard great things and were genuinely excited.
Sun Pearl Bakery
5082 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808
They were closed on Thursdays. We were there on a Thursday.
I am not going to pretend that was not a little heartbreaking but this is exactly why I am including it here. Check their hours before you go. They are on the list for next time and based on everything I have heard they are absolutely worth the visit.
What we did find in the same plaza was Enson Market and this was a discovery worth making.
Enson Market
5132 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808
Here is the thing about HMart versus Enson that I want to explain because it actually matters when you are grocery shopping in this area. HMart is a Korean-based grocery store incredible but it skews toward Korean products. Enson is Chinese-based, which means it carries things you simply will not find at HMart. Different brands, different products, different sections. If you are doing a serious Asian grocery run in Orlando, you want both. We bought more things we could not find anywhere else and honestly the suitcase situation was already getting complicated.
Right next to Enson we also wandered into a discount store and found some genuinely cool finds. Always look in the stores next to the stores you planned on visiting. That is where the surprises live.
Sweet Stop — Kori Bakery & Dessert
Kori Bakery & Dessert
721 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
After all that exploring and a full lunch, it was time for something sweet. We had heard so much about Kori Bakery and Dessert that it was a non-negotiable stop on this trip.
I will say this plainly I wish we had one of these closer to home. And I am genuinely not sure if that would be a good thing for my wallet or my waistline, but I want it anyway.
Kori gets busy. There is a reason for that. The space itself has great coworking energy the kind of place where you could pull out your laptop and settle in for a few hours without feeling out of place. But we were there for the desserts and we did not hold back.
I ordered the Thai Iced Tea to start because obviously. Then the Matcha Pistachio Mochi Cube at $6.80. If you are a matcha person this one is for you the pistachio adds a nuttiness that balances the earthiness of the matcha beautifully and the mochi texture makes the whole thing feel indulgent without being heavy.
They also have Deep Dish Mochi Cookies which were new on the menu another reason to go back because we were already at capacity and I refuse to order something new without giving it my full attention.
The showstopper was the Coconut Mango Snow Signature Bowl at $16.80. This came with mochi dango, coconut pudding, jasmine tea jelly, and crystal boba all layered into one bowl. Every component serves a purpose and the flavors work together instead of competing. If you want something more manageable they also offer a create-your-own snow ice bowl in a smaller size.
And then there is the mochi ice cream. Made to order. Fresh mochi wrapped around housemade ice cream not something sitting in a freezer waiting for you, but made right when you order it. That detail alone tells you everything you need to know about the standard Kori holds itself to.
Kori is the kind of place you tell people about and then immediately regret because now they know about it too.
A Quick Detour — Bakery 1908
Bakery 1908
2021 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
Since Bakery 1908 was not far from Kori we swung by to pick up pastries and baked goods to bring home. At this point I need to be transparent about the state of our luggage situation.
The suitcase was full. The extender had been unzipped. We had graduated to the XL insulated Trader Joe’s bag as our overflow vessel. And then we bought more things at Bakery 1908 and put those in there too.
I have no regrets. Zero. The pastries were worth every cubic inch of packing space.
The suitcase extender was unzipped. We pulled out the XL Trader Joe’s bag. And then we kept shopping. This is who we are.
The Last Meal — Viet Nomz, and the Best Wings I Have Ever Had
Viet Nomz
We originally planned to grab food from Viet Nomz and eat it on the train home. But we had a little extra time and once I walked in I understood immediately why our friend had recommended this place so highly. We sat down.
Let me tell you about this restaurant concept first because it sets the context for everything we ordered. Viet Nomz is Vietnamese food done in a casual, fast-casual style but do not let that fool you. Everything is made fresh in house and they do not make you wait long for it. The menu is intentionally not huge, which is a green flag for me every single time. A focused menu means they do what they do very well.
They also have an herb bar a self-serve station where you can pick your own fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and vegetables to add to your pho or any other dish. I love this concept because it puts the customization in your hands and it signals that the kitchen cares about freshness.
What I also appreciate about Viet Nomz is that it bridges traditional Vietnamese flavors with familiar American comfort food in a way that feels intentional rather than gimmicky. And that makes it genuinely the place I would recommend to someone who has never eaten Vietnamese food before. The flavors are real and strong but the entry point is approachable. This is the kind of restaurant that converts people into Vietnamese food lovers.
We ordered the King Pho — their extra large signature pho bowl. If you are a pho person you could probably finish this alone. My mom and I split it alongside everything else we ordered and we still made a dent.
We also ordered the Banh Mi. It was so good that I ate half at the restaurant and took the other half with me for the train ride home. I needed that sandwich on the Brightline. It was not optional.
The Wapho Fries — waffle fries with a Vietnamese twist. You can get them loaded or choose your protein — fried tofu, chicken, and other options. We got the overloaded version. The kind of dish that sounds like a fun menu experiment and then actually delivers.
And then the Fish Sauce Wings. I need to give these their own moment because they genuinely deserve it.
Fish sauce wings are something I have ordered many times at many places. And my consistent experience has been that the sauce makes the wings soggy — the crust does not hold, the wings go limp, and what could have been great ends up just being wet. I had made my peace with that being the nature of the dish.
Viet Nomz changed my mind completely.
These wings were crispy. Actually crispy. The fish sauce had caramelized onto the skin in a way that made them sticky without sacrificing any of the crunch. Every bite had that perfect contrast of crispy exterior and sticky glaze that fish sauce wings are supposed to have but almost never do. Honestly the best wings I have ever had. That is not something I say lightly.
I had made my peace with fish sauce wings being soggy. Viet Nomz un-made that peace entirely. These were the best wings I have ever had.
The Ride Home — Brightline Does Not Miss
After Viet Nomz we packed up our very full bags suitcase, insulated Trader Joe’s bag, and all dropped off the car at Terminal C, and made our way to the Brightline check-in area.
Here is what I want to say about the Brightline experience on the way back. The lounge area is genuinely comfortable. If you have an hour to wait you are not sitting in an uncomfortable airport chair staring at a departure board. You can charge your phone, open your laptop, get some work done, decompress. It does not feel like waiting at all.
And then the train home banh mi in hand, good company, and a day’s worth of memories that are still making me smile.
The Full Orlando Asian Table Itinerary — Every Stop in Order
Brightline Fort Lauderdale to Orlando
Station: 10705 Jeff Fuqua Blvd, Orlando, FL 32827 (Terminal C)
brightline.com
HMart Orlando
7501 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32818
hmart.com
Huong Viet
5286 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808
Sun Pearl Bakery — Closed Thursdays, call ahead before you go
5082 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808
Enson Market
5132 W Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32808
Kori Bakery & Dessert
721 N Mills Ave, Orlando, FL 32803
Bakery 1908
2021 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32803
Viet Nomz
11798 E Colonial Dr, Orlando, FL 32817
Final Thoughts
Colonial Drive in Orlando is not a hidden secret to the people who live there but for those of us coming from South Florida it is absolutely an underrated destination worth making the trip for. The concentration of authentic Asian food, culture, and community on that stretch of road is something special and it deserves to be talked about more.
Take the Brightline. Rent the car. Walk every aisle of HMart even the ones you have no business being in. Order the dishes you have never tried before. Get the fish sauce wings at Viet Nomz. Get the snow bowl at Kori. Bring an extra bag.
You are going to need it.
Don’t blame me for your cravings, your car rental reservation, or your suddenly very full suitcase.
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