310 Restaurant Group Grows Again

You’ll find Lake Nona’s newest eatery — 310 Nona — tucked into the corner of a shopping plaza in front of a small lake. Located along Narcoossee Road, halfway between Moss Park Road and the Central Florida GreeneWay, the restaurant’s interior space has an airy, modern feel. It’s designed to take full advantage of the waterfront view, and rear doors open completely onto a lovely patio. Outdoor seating is available there or in the shade of a café umbrella along the side of the restaurant. This grassy area on the left of the entrance also hosts family-friendly lawn games.

Those who have called Central Florida home for a while will recognize the “310” moniker. The Lake Nona restaurant is the third location for 310 Restaurant Group. The Winter Park location, 310 Park South, has been a Park Avenue staple since 1999. And 310 Lakeside, located on Lake Eola, opened in 2008. The 310 menu is consistent across all three locales, offering specialty salads, sandwiches, burgers, steaks and pasta dishes.

310 Nona is open for lunch and dinner, and the restaurant serves a full menu from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Happy hour specials on beer, house wine and sangria can be enjoyed every day at the stylish dark wood and granite bar. Best-selling cocktails include the Espresso Martini, Ginger Mule and Rose’s Old Fashioned. Local musicians serenade dinner guests on Thursday and Saturday nights, beginning at 8 p.m. A pared-down menu of starters, handhelds and salads is available until 1:30 a.m. for night owls.

On weekends, those who visit 310 Nona between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. can tuck into brunch specialties like 310 French Toast, which is coated with a sweet crunch, or the California Scramble, a mixture of scrambled eggs, ham and veggies wrapped in a flour tortilla, all while taking in the lake breeze. For junior foodies, the kid’s menu mixes childhood favorites like Grilled Cheese and a side of fries with smaller portions of popular 310 entrées like Rib Eye Steak served with veggies. And a special events menu is available for parties and gatherings of all kinds.

A wide range of options make up the 310 menu, from comfort food to unexpected dishes. Appetizers include Baked Brie, Beef Tenderloin or Zucchini Flatbread, and the exotic Tuna Kobachi. Like its better-known cousin, tuna sashimi, the kobachi dish boasts pieces of raw ahi tuna. The 310 chefs cut the fish into delicate chunks before seasoning them with seven spice and sesame seeds, then it is served alongside cucumbers, wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger, allowing you to choose the level of heat you would like in the starter. The result is a fresh and flavorful way to kick off the meal … or wrap up an evening out, when chosen off the late night menu.

The most popular entrées at the Lake Nona location are the Fish & Chips, followed by the Linguini with Clams and Filet Mignon. But give the menu a closer look and you’ll discover new go-to dishes like the Stuffed Chicken Asiago, a juicy chicken breast bursting with the namesake cheese plus red pepper, spinach and tomato gravy. All entrées are served with a rotating starch and vegetable of the day, alternating fresh takes on sides like rice pilaf and broccolini. Each night the executive chef, a Lake Nona resident, flexes his culinary muscle by whipping up two feature entrées.

When you visit 310 Nona, be sure to save room for dessert. From the Key Lime Pie to the triple-layer Chocolate Cake, owner Joanne McMahon makes each one in-house. The decadent Toll House Pie arrives warm, flanked by curls of vanilla ice cream. The baked-just-long-enough consistency of the chocolate chip cookie filling will make you wish you hadn’t agreed to share a piece with your dining companion.

The restaurant, which has been open since mid-November, is planning a grand opening with its plaza neighbors for early 2016. McMahon wants the event to reflect the restaurant’s focus: family and community. She says, “We’re very focused on family. We saw a need for this kind of family restaurant in Lake Nona — I think it’s a great fit for this community. I used to live in the area before anything was here. The community is amazing – the people, the area … it’s just great. It was one of my goal places to expand to.”