By Patty Enrado, Editor

ORLANDO, Fla. — Admit it, for those of you for whom Orlando will be your first visit, visions of family-friendly restaurants and theme or chain restaurants are dancing in your heads. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.

If you’re going to HIMSS08 to network, meet up with old friends or take care of your clients or woo new clients, highly rated restaurants nearby well-known International Drive and the Orange County Convention Center will exceed your business needs.

The Mobil Travel Guide has given Norman’s, within the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes Resort, a four-star rating. Chef Norman Van Aken has brought with him a culinary Fusion movement called New World Cuisine – a mix of Latin American, Caribbean and Asian culinary traditions – to his restaurant (407.393.4333, 4012 Central Florida Pkwy.).

Talking ROI with your clients? Take them to Manuel’s on the 28th (407.246.6580, 390 N. Orange), where you can enjoy international cuisine with a view from the 28th floor of a downtown bank.

Make reservations for a private dining room at Timpano Chophouse, where you can enjoy an atmosphere reminiscent of Chicago and New York clubs and classic restaurants of the 1950s. Timpano bases its reputation on such dishes as the grilled salmon filet, veal piccata and the 20-oz. bone-in filet. As you catch up with old HIMSS friends, celebrate your reunion with the black skillet-roasted mussels with lemon and drawn butter. Timpano Chophouse is located at 7488 West Sand Lake Road (407.248.0429).

Go to the highly rated Roy’s Restaurant (407.352.4844, 7760 West Sand Lake Road) for Hawaiian Fusion Cuisine, prepared by none other than the inventor of this cuisine, which brings together seafood, fresh local ingredients, European sauces and Asian spices. Roy’s accommodates private dinners.

Todd English’s bluezoo (407.934.1111, 1500 Epcot Resorts Boulevard) is a fairly new addition to the Orlando restaurant scene, but already it has garnered numerous awards, including the AAA Four Diamond award and Wine Spectators Award of Excellence. Chef Todd English prepares innovative dishes with fresh seafood in a vibrant and colorful atmosphere. His specialty is the “Dancing Fish,” fresh fish spit-fired over an open fire pit.

If your staff insists on red meat for dinner, take them to Jack’s Place (407.996.1787), located at the Rosen Plaza at 9700 International Drive. Along with seafood, Jack’s Place serves up steak so tender, it’s like “buttah” – soft butter, that is. While waiting for your meal, check out the gallery of 175 autographed caricatures of famous celebrities and other notables.

For USDA prime steaks and Australian cold-water lobster tails, Del Frisco’s Prime Steak & Lobster on 729 Lee Road (407.645.4443) is your best bet, although make your reservations way ahead of time. Del Frisco’s has been rated “Extraordinary” by a Zagat survey and is well known by locals and visitors. Enjoy your steak and lobster meal in a private dining room and select from more than 3,500 bottles of wine.

Are you hungry now?

HIMSS may be less than a month away, but you’d better pick up that phone and call in your reservations. Or suggest it to your boss.