Shine Neighborhood Kitchen

Last night Kevin and I went out to dinner with our friends and neighbors Scott and Frank who are sadly moving, so we’re trying to get in all the time we can with them. They are one of the reasons why we love where we live so much, and I really hope someone lame doesn’t move into their house.

We headed to one of their favorite nearby restaurants, Shine Neighborhood Kitchen in Thornton Park. The restaurant is nestled amongst old houses and still looks like a house itself, so it literally is a neighborhood restaurant. Kevin and I went to this location on one of our first dates, but it was occupied by Bravissimo, who has since moved to Altamonte Springs. We had yet to try Shine Neighborhood Kitchen.

We arrived at Shine at almost 8, and the place was packed for a Thursday evening, which is always a good sign of the food. Upon walking in, you feel the neighborhood vibe. Everyone is very friendly and welcoming, and our service was great.

Scott and Frank each started out with salads: spinach and Greek, respectively. Kevin and I stole some bites, and they were both really delicious. The salad dressings on each were light and flavorful.

The salads were also a really decent size—perfect for sharing before your meal…or so I tell myself as I reach for more bites of their salads.

No one had a complaint about our main entrees either.

Scott ordered the bruschetta mahi, a special that evening that I was also tempted to order. It featured grilled mahi over pasta with tomatoes, mozzarella and basil. It sounds like a great flavor combination and something I want to try to replicate at home.

Frank ordered lamb chops served over mashed sweet potatoes and asparagus. This was also a special that day, and Frank got the last order! Clearly they are a hit. I’m not quite sure how they knew to pair one of my favorite proteins with two of my favorite vegetables.

Kevin ordered chicken marsala, of which I stole some bites. The chicken was incredibly tender, and the flavor of the sauce was great.

After much debate, I ordered the chicken and lobster cannelloni. Holy yum.

The chicken was nice and tender and balanced out well with the buttery bits of lobster. The pasta was also perfectly al dente making the dish filling but delicious. I cleaned my plate.

Scott and Frank told us about how the desserts are made in house and how amazing they are, so obviously, we had to witness this for ourselves. We ordered two desserts for the table: a chocolate bar creation whose name escapes me and New York style cheesecake.

Any chocolate lover would love this. It is the cross between a chocolate truffle and mousse. It’s slightly heavier than mousse but still has that soft, creamy texture. It was extremely decadent.

At first when they suggested cheesecake, I kind of thought it was a boring option. Not ordering that cheesecake would have been one of the worse decisions of my life. I’ve been craving it ever since. It’s extremely light. I’ve never had cheesecake so light before. You can actually taste the ricotta and fresh ingredients that went into the making of it. It really was the best cheesecake I’ve ever had.

I was so happy to be able to spend the evening with Scott and Frank before their move. Upon returning home, I promptly entered into a food/wine coma with cheesecake as my pillow and wrapped in my cannelloni blanket.

Are there any great neighborhood restaurants near you?