Disney Dining Reviews with Pictures-Completed!

[swankybeth]

DH and I just returned from a 10 day trip to WDW, January 20-30. We stayed at Pop Century and had the Disney Dining Plan. It was our first trip back in over 2 years and we were super excited for our trip! :banana: Feel free to post any comments or questions that you have.

Day 1-
Lunch at Pop Century Everything Pop food court. This was our first experience using the DDP. I couldn't believe that you could get a whole fruit bowl as your dessert option with a counter service meal. :thumbsup2 DH and I decided to split two flatbreads for our meal. We had the Beef, Bean and Bleu and the Chicken Mediterranean. We enjoyed both of the them, but the chicken had the slight edge over the beef. The flatbreads were served more like pita sandwiches, than actual flatbreads with toppings. The beef was shaved sirloin with bleu cheese, beans and onions. It was tasty, but I felt that the different flavors did not really meld together, it was more like you were tasting each individual item rather than a blend of the different flavors. The chicken was grilled pieces of chicken with artichokes, roasted red peppers and feta cheese. The flavors went really well together and I really enjoyed it. We both got bottles of water to take to the parks later on as well as fruit bowls for our dessert. We were way too full to eat the fruit, so we put it in the fridge for later.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0122.jpg

Dinner at Garden Grill. DH and I had never had dinner here before and we were both looking forward to our first sitdown meal of the trip. We had 4:30 pm reservations for when the restaurant opened. We checked in a few minutes early and were seated about 10 minutes after our ADR time. We had a nice table on the lower level. We started with a delicious salad of mixed greens with a raspberry viniagrette with sweet potato chips on top. The salad was delicious. It was very fresh tasting and the dressing was nice and light, it wasn't too sweet as a lot of raspberry viniagrettes tend to be. The sweet potato chips on top were so delicious and addicting. We could have eaten a whole bowl of just the chips. We were served yeast rolls and biscuits with honey orange blossom butter. The rolls were just okay, the biscuits were good, but also nothing spectacular. The butter had a nice sweet flavor to it. We were then served a platter of turkey with orange cranberry relish, flank steak with mushroom cabernet sauce, stuffing, fried catfish strips and veggies as well as a bowl of mashed potatoes. The turkey was pretty good, I didn't really care for the relish as I would have preferred just a plain cranberry sauce instead. The steak was delicious, it was nice and tender as well as flavorful. The stuffing tasted like Stove Top, so we pretty much skipped it. The potatoes were delicious and creamy. The catfish was delicious, it was probably our favorite of the proteins. The veggies were good, if slightly undercooked. We ordered a second platter and then it was time for dessert. We received an iron skillet with a portion of vanilla bread pudding with "Bailey's hard sauce" on it. The bread pudding was delicious. The sauce was kind of like a cross between whipped cream and ice cream and was very tasty. Overall, we were very impressed with our meal and we would definitely return. We had great service and tipped extra beyond what the dining plan covered. The characters were fun and they all came around at least once.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0130.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0136.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0138.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0141.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0144.jpg

Day 2 coming soon! :)

[basketrn]

Excited to read more!

I really want to try Garden Grill, and those pictures just sealed the deal!

[Daisy14]

Garden grill looks so good...can't wait to read more!

[DisneyJo]

Great review such detail, can't wait for more.

[bop28]

Your reviews are very interesting to read, and the pics are great!:wave2: Thanks!!

[swankybeth]

Day 2
Breakfast at Captain Cook's.
I'd read in someone else's report that they served Tonga Toast at Captain Cook's now, so we were definitely in! We arrived early and parked at the TTC and walked over the Polynesian for breakfast. DH and I both had the Tonga Toast, he also had a side of scrambled eggs (sorry no picture of the eggs). The Tonga Toast was so good! It was just as good as eating at Kona Cafe, but a lot cheaper. For the uninitiated, Tonga Toast is large pieces of sourdough bread stuffed with bananas and then fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar. It was surely a yummy start to our day! :goodvibes

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0152.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0151.jpg

Lunch at Columbia Harbour House. We arrived at a peak lunch time (we usually like to try to eat early to avoid crowds) and had a bit of a wait to order and then get our food. We were easily able to find a nice quiet table upstairs and enjoyed the respite. DH had the Lighthouse sandwich, which was hummus and broccoli slaw with tomatoes. It was served on multigrain bread. It is normally served with chips, but DH was able to get carrots instead. I ordered the half sandwich and cup of soup meal. I had the Anchors Aweigh sandwich and the vegetarian chili. We both had sugar free jellos for dessert. The Lighthouse sandwich was really tasty, the slaw and tomatoes added sweetness to the sandwich. The Anchors Aweigh was a tuna sandwich with tomatoes on the same multigrain bread. It was an excellent tuna sandwich, not too much mayonnaise. The vegetarian chili was also good and had a nice flavor to it. The jello was strawberry flavored and a nice light dessert.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0164.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0165.jpg

Dinner at Wolfgang Puck Cafe. We had an early reservation at 5 pm and we arrived a little bit early and were seated immediately. It was a really nice evening and we wanted to sit outside, but we found out that they had enclosed all of the outdoor seating, so we sat inside. We had a nice table with a view of the water and Saratoga Springs across the way. There were just a few restrictions using the dining plan here. One restriction was that sushi could only be ordered as an entree, but they allow you to order any one item from the sushi menu and they have a couple of different sushi samplers, so it really isn't too bad. Another restriction was on dessert, there were a couple of items that were not eligible on the DDP. One item was a sampler of different gelatos on ice cream cones. We asked if we could order that one dessert for the both of us, but they were unable to do it. We had a really nice meal with excellent, attentive service. We tipped our waiter extra beyond what the plan covered. I started with Asian Vegetable Spring rolls, which were 2 fried spring rolls cut in half. They were served over plum and mustard dipping sauces. The rolls were very good, they were fried to an excellent crunch which gave a nice mouth-feel and stuffed with an ample amount of vegetables. There was just the right amount of salt sprinkled on top, which was a tasty contrast to the sweet plum dipping sauce. The mustard sauce really didn't stand up to the flavor the spring rolls and you couldn't taste it too much. There was a pickled cucumber salad served as an accompaniment, which didn't really add anything to the overall dish. It was pretty plain. DH had the blue lump crab cakes which were excellent. There wasn't too much filler and you could taste the crab beautifully. They were served with a red pepper sauce which was very good as well as a basil aioli on the plate which really went well with the dish. There was a corn relish in the center of the plate which was good, but not memorable. I had the rainbow roll for my entree which was a California roll topped with tuna, salmon, shrimp and whitefish. The sushi was very good, it was nice and fresh and I enjoyed the flavor. It doesn't look like a big meal, but I found it very filling and DH had to help finish it. DH ordered the Asian Hoisin BBQ ribs which came with slaw, and inexplicably, a seared tuna roll. We were really confused about the tuna because it wasn't mentioned on the menu, so we don't know if it was a mistake or not. The tuna roll wasn't good because it was too overcooked, it should have been a lot more raw in the center. DH and I each had one piece of it and that's it. DH really enjoyed his ribs, I didn't taste them because I don't like ribs. The slaw that accompanied the ribs was pretty good as well. For dessert I ordered the vanilla creme brulee and DH had the warm dark chocolate souffle cake. I was disappointed in the creme brulee because it was too thick and custardy rather than being light and creamy as it should have been. DH's cake was amazing! It had a wonderful intense chocolate flavor and it was very well prepard. Even the strawberry on the side was just so sweet and fresh.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0169.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0168.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0172.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0170.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0174.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0173.jpg

Day 3 coming up! :)

[momofdbsdc]

Great reviews and pictures!!! Thanks!

[swankybeth]

Day 3
Breakfast at Everything Pop food court. I had oatmeal and a banana and DH had the Western omelet without cheese. The oatmeal was good, it was made with water, not milk (I asked about it beforehand). It came with little cups of raisins and brown sugar to add in. DH enjoyed his omelet which came with a side of potatoes.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0179.jpg

Lunch at Coral Reef. We had an early reservation at 11:30 am for when the restaurant opened. We checked in early and waited just a few minutes before being seated a table right next to the tanks. DH and I both started with frozen drinks. I had the strawberry and DH had the pina colada. For my appetizer I had the braised barbeque beef with polenta. It was quite tasty. There were two small pieces of beef with polenta and a barbeque sauce. The sauce was very strong, but it had a good flavor, so I enjoyed it. DH had the shrimp cocktail which was served in a martini glass with a noodle salad. He didn't like it at all. It was very flavorless and the shrimp were not good. I had the blackened catfish for my entree. It was served over pepper jack cheese grits and had a smoked tomato compote on top with a balsamic glaze. I have to say I was quite disappointed with this dish. The flavors were overpoweringly strong and you couldn't taste anything after just a couple of bites because of the intensity of the spicy grits with the strong taste of the smoked tomatoes. I tried the fish by itself without any sauce and it did not have a good flavor at all. DH had the grilled NY strip steak which came with au gratin potatoes and veggies. The steak was well prepared and tasted good. The potatoes were excellent, they were creamy and delicious. The veggies were a bit undercooked and crunchy. DH also had another freeze with his entree, this time he got a mix of the strawberry and pina colada. The freezes were really good and quite a treat for us. We never order drinks like that OOP, but they were included on the DDP. For dessert I just had to have the chocolate wave. It was amazing! It was a warm chocolate cake with a liquid grand marnier center. The cake was so yummy. It was accompanied by white chocolate ice cream, which I tasted but didn't eat much of because it was very plain and not worth the calories! DH had the butterscotch creme brulee. It was excellent, it had a great texture and flavor. Overall we don't think we would return to Coral Reef. I was excited to try it out, but it was pretty lacking as an overall experience. Both DH and I ordered items that just were not good. Also we found that the food came out ridiculously fast. We got our appetizers very quickly and we barely finished them when the entrees came out. It was definitely factory-like and obvious they were just preparing mass amounts of each entree in the kitchen to turn over the tables. The service was just okay and this was one of the only times we didn't leave an extra tip for the server.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0204.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0200.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0198.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0193.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0185.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0186.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0188.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0187.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0197.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0196.jpg

Dinner at Everything Pop food court. DH had a serious hot dog craving, so we both ordered chili cheese hotdogs which came with french fries. We both got water to bring to the park later, DH had Perrier and I had Dasani. For dessert I got apples with caramel dipping sauce and DH got a fruit bowl. The hot dogs were pretty disappointing. I really didn't like the way mine tasted, so DH finished it off for me. He didn't really enjoy it either, but he can never turn down food! :rolleyes: To me the hot dog was pretty rubbery and it was also thick so it was pretty unappealing. The apples with caramel were really yummy. It was granny smith apple slices with a sweet caramel sauce. The fruit was good too, it was grapes, honeydew and cantaloupe.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0208.jpg

Dessert from Boulangerie Patisserie. DH got a slice of the cake of the day, which was a chocolate cake. We weren't allowed to use a snack credit, so we paid oop. The cake was okay, nothing special. It looked better than it tasted.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0223.jpg

Day 4 up next! :)

[myosotisd]

Great review!!popcorn::
thanks

[jbmom]

Great reviews. Thanks!

[oybolshoi]

Hey SwankyB, Great reviews so far! I really enjoyed the Wolfgang Puck review - those crab cakes looked especially tasty. :thumbsup2

Looking forward to more - thanks for sharing! :goodvibes

[alwayspooh]

Thank you for the great reviews :thumbsup2. We have never eaten at Garden Grill and they weren't getting great reviews there for awhile but I am glad that you really enjoyed your meal. This will be a place that I will be adding to our trip in September :flower1:

[seetheworld]

Your reviews and pictures were so perfect and so wonderful - thank you VERY much!

[lisaj]

Excellent reviews, can't wait for the rest. Love the photos, I'm soooo hungry.

[lissawynn]

Great reviews! Thanks for sharing!

[mom2cookies]

yes, i have to agree with the above posters, your reviews and photos are quite interesting. We ate at the Coral Reef in September of 06. I didn't care for the shrimp cocktail either. My three daughters and a friend just LOVED the chocolate lava cake ( that the right name for it?) that you enjoyed.
I cannot wait to read more of you posts as I am learning alot of information and am seeing some great suggestions for our next trip! ;)

[DisneyJo]

Great reviews again, I've heard mixed reviews about the CR but as we're on the DP feel as though we would like to do it just once!

[mommyaof2]

Wonderful reviews!!! Keep em coming!:)

[Disfan3]

great pics and reviews~~

I too had the delicious Tonga Toast from CC in August of 2006! It was about 4 dollars I think...anyway it was super yummy and fyi all...even tho the bananas may get a little brown, you can keep the toast in the fridge and it tastes good cold...for a desert too!! :cool1:

[Enchanted Tiki Bird]

Thanks for the reviews. This is very helpful for planning our honeymoon.

Could you tell me more about the tuna roll from Wolfgang's that came with your DH's meal? You mentioned that it was cooked. I am used to tuna rolls being served as maki where the tuna remains uncooked. This is just for curiousity sake. We do plan to eat there though.

I think we have safely taken CR off our list. There are too many other places in EP that we wanted to try. I'm amazed by the number of people who go there and don't order the seafood. This speaks volumes about a restaurant that is housed in an aquarium.

The Tonga Toast sounds yummy but not for breakfast.

[Mrs.Reese]

That toast just looks awesome! Thanks for all the pictures. :thumbsup2

[dawgfan]

Thanks for the review.

[swankybeth]

Thanks everyone for all of the comments and kind words. I'm going to try to post the next day tomorrow. :)

Thanks for the reviews. This is very helpful for planning our honeymoon.

Could you tell me more about the tuna roll from Wolfgang's that came with your DH's meal? You mentioned that it was cooked. I am used to tuna rolls being served as maki where the tuna remains uncooked. This is just for curiousity sake. We do plan to eat there though.

I think we have safely taken CR off our list. There are too many other places in EP that we wanted to try. I'm amazed by the number of people who go there and don't order the seafood. This speaks volumes about a restaurant that is housed in an aquarium.

The Tonga Toast sounds yummy but not for breakfast.

The tuna roll was a piece of seared tuna, it tasted like it was just seasoned with salt and pepper. It was fully cooked on the edges and medium rare in the center, which I think should have been rare. I think calling it a tuna roll is probably not correct. I don't really know what it was to be honest. It wasn't in the description on the menu, so we didn't know why it had come. It didn't seem to really go with the ribs at all. Hope that cleared it up a little! :)

[Enchanted Tiki Bird]

That is a weird thing to serve with the ribs. Interesting though.

[missmun52]

:thumbsup2

[TruBlu]

Great reviews! Can't wait to read more...popcorn::

[Minniespal]

Enjoying:thumbsup2

[FormrCastMbr]

I have not read the entire report...but from what I have read you are doing a wonderful job!!! :thumbsup2 Thank you!

[Tinkerbell's Mom]

Great report, can't wait to hear more!!!

[swankybeth]

Day 4
Breakfast at Everything Pop food court. I had a kid's breakfast platter, it came with scrambled eggs, a slice of bacon, a sausage patty and a container of unsweetened applesauce. DH just had a banana. The eggs were okay, I wouldn't call them bad, but there was nothing special about them at all. The bacon was nice and crispy. I didn't touch the sausage patty, I should have asked for extra bacon instead. The applesauce was good, I prefer it unsweetened. DH's banana? I think this pretty much sums it up: :banana: :teeth:

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0243.jpg

Lunch was at Tusker House. We ate pretty early, a little after 11 and there was no line at all to order and plenty of open tables both inside and outside. We chose a nice little table outside in the sun. :beach: I had my all time favorite counter service entree-the salmon with veggies and rice. DH had the Tusker House chicken salad and a side of veggies. We both had sugar free jello for dessert. The salmon was so yummy. It was so well prepared, especially considering it's from a counter service restaurant. It was served with rice and veggies. The veggies were string beans, mushrooms and carrots and tasted like they were cooked in a lot of butter. :thumbsup2 DH's salad was really good, I liked that they used mixed greens instead of iceberg. There was a generous amount of grilled chicken on the salad along with some sort of a cooked grain on top, like a couscous or something. The salad was dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. DH's veggies were the same as came with my dish.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0246.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0247.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0248.jpg

Dinner was at Boma. Our ADR was for 5 pm when the restaurant opened. We got there a few minutes early and were probably seated about 15 minutes later. The restaurant was pretty busy right from the start. This is DH's favorite buffet and one of his overall favorite WDW restaurants. I love it too, but not as much as DH as you'll soon learn. We were at Boma for 2 hours. Yes, 2 hours. DH tried practically every item from the buffet at least once. I quit about 3 plates through and hung out until dessert time. Most of these reviews are from DH's point of view. I didn't even make it to the meat course before I got full! I also want to note that I did make notes about what we ate/enjoyed, but I lost them, so hopefully I'll remember everything. We both started with plates of salad, we tried the mixed field greens (I had mango vinaigrette and didn't like it, DH had chili cilantro vinaigrette and deemed it okay, he said it lacked flavor, watermelon rind salad (we both liked this, it had a very gingery flavor), corn salad with fried plantains (this was great, our favorite salad), calamari salad (DH had this, he enjoyed it) and apple jicama salad (neither of us enjoyed it). Next we got small bowls of the 5 different soups they were offering that night and shared them. We had crab soup, chicken corn porridge, sausage and vegetable soup, butternut squash soup and coconut curry seafood stew. Hands down the favorite soup was butternut squash, it was insanely good. It was so creamy and light tasting. The crab soup was pretty good, it was also creamy. It wasn't fishy at all. The chicken corn porridge was our least favorite. It reminded me of a mushy version of pot pie. The sausage and vegetable soup was good and surprisingly light. It was very brothy. The coconut seafood stew had a really nice light flavor to it. I tasted the soup only because I don't tend to like seafood stews, but DH ate the whole thing and loved it. Next we had a variety of different foods from the buffet. We both had the bobotie, a lamb quiche type of dish (it was excellent and better than we had remembered), rice with raisins in it (the rice was really good and went well with the bobotie, it wasn't too sweet despite the raisins in it), blackeyed peas in ginger broth (these were interesting, not too flavorful, though), potatoes with afritude (spiced potatoes and definitely skippable), falafel with a sweet, creamy sauce (excellent falafel, the sauce was very interesting since we're used to having tahini with our falafel) and DH snagged a chicken wing from the kid's buffet (he said it was plain). That was it for me with the Boma food, my next trip to the buffet consisted of a plate of fruit. The fruit that I tried (strawberries, pineapples and cantaloupe) was all very fresh and lush. DH got a plate of prime rib (it was spiced with an herb rub and he enjoyed it), flank steak (he enjoyed this), cornbread (this was interesting and had some herbs in it) as well as Boma mustard, tamarind BBQ Sauce and one other dipping sauce for the meats. Next DH had chicken (he liked it), banana leaf wrapped tamarind salmon (he said it was too fishy) and fufu (mashed sweet potatoes-very light and insanely good). DH's next stop was to the kid's section. He tried with penne and meatballs (he said it was actually pretty good, the meatballs were light), mac n cheese (surprisingly bland) and french fries. He then got a plate of hummus (kalamata olive, sundried tomato and plain) with pocket bread and lavosh for dipping. The hummus was very good, but the flavors were just a little strong. His next plate was African fruit salad (this was in a creamy, milky sweet dressing and he absolutely loved it), kool slaai (cole slaw, nothing special) and pasta salad (just okay). Finally time for dessert and I was back in the game! :woohoo: I have to say the desserts were a little disappointing. Nothing really wowed us. We skipped the zebra domes as we've had them numerous time and really aren't enamored with them. We tried the chocolate banana cannoli (pretty disappointing that we didn't enjoy this), fruit tarts (these were yummy, they were custard ensconced in phyllo pastry with fruit on top), peach cobbler (pretty dry and not memorable), bread pudding with vanilla sauce (just okay), chai tea flavored rice pudding (just okay, I was expecting more flavor), milk tart (DH tried this, didn't like it), chocolate crunch mousse (this was excellent, slightly bitter chocolate mousse with crunchy chocolate pieces), flourless chocolate cake (DH tried this, said it was dry) and Snickerdoodles (I had 2 of these, they were actually very good and probably my favorite dessert). We paid out of pocket for this meal instead of using the dining plan. We had a really great meal and our server was excellent, he never tried to rush us. He always had drinks for us and cleared our plates efficiently.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0273.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0274.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0275.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0277.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0278.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0280.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0282.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0283.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0284.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0285.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0287.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0288.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0289.jpg

[Disney owl]

Great photos thanks for sharing

[mkross]

Love these reports....keep them coming!

[PrincessTrisha]

Great report and great pictures.

Really a pleasure to read. :hippie:

[Blaynexox]

Your reviews are amazing! I am really enjoying them! The Boma review was wonderful and extremely detailed.. it made me very excited to eat there next week! :goodvibes

[swankybeth]

Day 5
Breakfast at Everything Pop food court. DH had his usual banana. How can you just eat a banana for breakfast? I don't get it, I would be starving! I had the kid's Mickey waffle platter which came with the ubiquitous sausage patty, slice of bacon and unsweetened applesauce. Skipped the sausage (when am I going to remember to order bacon only?). The waffles were so yummy, I love WDW waffles. :cloud9: They had sugar free syrup in the condiment area, so I used that on the waffles.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0294.jpg

Lunch at Pinocchio Village Haus. DH and I used a snack credit and split an order of Figaro Fries. If you haven't tried these, run to Pinocchio's a grab an order! It's an order of french fries topped with crumbled bacon, ranch dressing, lettuce, tomatoes and cheese sauce. Sooooo good. For my lunch I had the veggie pizza combo. It was served with a small side salad. The pizza was actually pretty good, it sort of reminded me of Pizza Hut. I usually can't stand Italian food at WDW, so this was a pleasant surprise. The salad that accompanied the pizza was pretty good and came with a vinaigrette dressing. DH had the turkey and bacon panini with carrots instead of fries. He enjoyed the sandwich, but picked off the bacon because it was really mushy. We both had sugar free jello for dessert.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0325.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0327.jpg

Dinner at Concourse Steakhouse. DH and I were waffling back and forth about whether we should keep this ADR or not. We had heard so many mixed reviews, but didn't think of another restaurant we would rather try, so we kept it. We had a 5:30 ADR for when they opened. We arrived a few minutes early and there was already a long line to check in. We checked in, then received a pager and waited about 15 minutes to be seated. We requested and received a table on the opposite side of the room as Chef Mickey's, we didn't want to have a loud meal due to the noise from CM. The restaurant was pretty loud and bustling anyway, but we appreciated not having the added noise of CM. For my appetizer I had the French Onion soup. It was pretty good, I liked that it wasn't overly salty. The cheese, however, didn't really melt and it was hard to eat it with the soup because it was basically a big blob. DH had the honey sesame chicken wings, which were accompanied by coleslaw. The wings were good, just be prepared for mustard flavored wings rather than the honey wings from 'Ohana or someplace like that. We were also served a basket of rolls, which were really good. I ordered the 7 oz filet mignon with came with mashed potatoes and a gorgonzola butter on the meat. The filet was tasty, it was prepared medium as ordered. The butter was really flavorful and I enjoyed it. The potatoes were yummy and quite creamy. DH ordered the 14 oz chipotle glazed ribeye, which came with onion rings. The ribeye had a really nice flavor from the glaze and the onion rings were really good too. For dessert I had the Butterfinger cheesecake. This was really good, it was light and creamy and had crumbled Butterfinger on top. DH had the triple chocolate cake which came with chocolate and caramel sauces on the plate. It was a very rich, tasty piece of cake. Overall we had a good meal, but it wasn't anything spectacular. Nothing on the menu was a real standout, so we probably won't return anytime soon. We had excellent service from our server and tipped him extra beyond what the dining plan covered. BTW, just want to apologize for the quality of some of these pictures. The restaurant wasn't very well lit, so we couldn't get good pictures.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0350.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0337.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0338.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0341.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0343.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0345.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0348.jpg

[oybolshoi]

That chocolate cake looks pretty tasty. :thumbsup2

[WETWHISTLE]

Wondeful reviews!! Thanks so much for the pics! I wrote the places down and will probably incorporate them into our trip :)

[TheDisneyGirl02]

Thanks for the reviews! I LOVE the tuna sandwich at Columbia Harbour House...that's one of my favorites at WDW! The pictures from the POP food court made me so hungry for a Disney breakfast!

:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

[S.Poppins]

Your pics are great! You made the food at POP look pretty good! The Garden Grill dessert looked yummy! I want to try the Coral Reef just for the Chocolate Wave! I loved Boma! Especially the delicious soups and salads! It is after midnight and now I am hungry! I must find some chocolate!

[swankybeth]

Day 6

Breakfast at Pop Century food court. DH and I split a Western omelet. We had them make it for us with no cheese and egg beaters instead of whole eggs. It came out really good. It was served with a side of potatoes.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0373.jpg

Lunch was at Earl of Sandwich. There was a crazy long line, but it moved pretty well. We both decided to get salad wraps. I had the Mediterranean Tuna. It was tuna tossed with greens, balsamic vinaigrette, tomatoes, olives and cucumbers. DH had the Cobb wrap which was turkey, bacon, swiss cheese cubes, cranberries, tomatoes, cucumbers and mixed greens. His was supposed to come with Ranch dressing, but he had it without. We both thought our sandwiches were just okay. They certainly weren't bad, but they weren't great either. It was pretty disappointing because I was really looking forward to trying it. I almost got a Tuna Melt instead and I wonder if the hot sandwiches are better than the cold wraps. We paid oop for our sandwiches instead of using the dining plan.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0380.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0378.jpg

Snacks from Goofy's Candy Company. Once I heard about those wonderful dipped treats, I couldn't wait to go there! I had a Mickey rice krispie treat dipped in dark chocolate and rolled in peanuts, Reese peanut butter cups and crushed Oreos. DH got the pretzel sticks. All dipped in dark chocolate. One had pecans with caramel drizzle, one was crushed Reeses peanut butter cups with milk chocolate drizzle and the last was peanuts with caramel drizzle. We loved making our treats and they were sooo yummy. Definitely a great use of a snack credit! :thumbsup2

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0374.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0375.jpg

Dinner was offsite at Sweet Tomatoes.

Day 7 coming up! :)

[missmun52]

Great reports:thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

[silverangel879]

Nice pics...Thanks for sharing:yay:

[DisneyJo]

It always makes me laugh how Americans eat bacon with their waffles, with us it can only be sweet toppings! :rotfl:

[phisigprincess]

Thanks for the reviews! I forgot the krispie treats from the candy co. could be a snack. I'm all about that for the next trip!!

[disneymom06]

Awesome Report and I love all of the pictures. I think that we will try Boma's now, Thanks

[momof2disprincesses]

Swankybeth, your reviews and pics are excellent! Thanks for sharing them!! :thumbsup2

I have to say your descriptions and pictures of Boma are the best I've ever seen here on the dis.

I've always wanted to try Boma, but was very unsure of what the food would be like. Between your words and pics, I have a better idea and I do want to try it now.

Thanks!! :)

[swankybeth]

Thanks everyone for reading along and posting such nice responses. I'm going to try to post Day 7 by tomorrow if I have time. :)

[lillygator]

great reviews!

[shovan]

Great Pictures!!!:thumbsup2

[CourtneyandRyan]

What a great report you have so far! Your pictures are amazing! I can never remember to take pictures because by the time I get my food, it's gone in like two seconds b/c I'm always so hungry!popcorn::

Thanks for sharing your dining experience with us!:banana: :banana:

[TigerKat]

Just read your entire review - great pics, great reviews. Can't wait for more!!

[Patty3]

Great report, your pictures are making me hungry!

[swankybeth]

Day 7

Breakfast was just a protein bar in the room. All of the food we'd been eating all week was starting to catch up and I was losing my appetite. DH got his usual banana from the food court.

Lunch was at ABC Commissary. We got there pretty early, around 11:30 am. There were no lines to order and plenty of open seats. I ordered the fish and chips. DH had the Cuban sandwich, which came with plantain chips. He also had a side of stir fried veggies. We both got fruit bowls for dessert. My fish and chips were really good. The fish was crisp and the fries were good. DH enjoyed his sandwich, which came with a really huge portion of plantain chips. The chips were okay, they were just not very flavorful. His veggies were pretty plain, but they had packets of soy sauce, so he added the flavor to them. I know ABC Commissary always gets bad reviews, but it was a decent lunch and we will be back there. I think MGM just lacks good food in general, so for us there aren't too many choices at that park.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0397.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0396.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0398.jpg

Dinner was at Le Cellier. We had a 4 pm dinner ADR for the first dinner seating. We checked in a few minutes early and waited for about 15 minutes to be seated. They did not start seating at 4 pm, they started calling table a few minutes after. Our table wasn't the greatest, the whole restaurant is pretty cramped, so we didn't request to move or anything. The table was so close to the one next to it that we ended up chatting with the ladies to our right. They were really sweet, so it turned out not be a bad table at all. :) I had already decided what I was going to order a long time before we even got to WDW just from reading all of the reviews and menus. DH didn't know what he wanted, so we ordered our appetizers first and he looked through the menu to decide on his entree in the meantime. I had the Prince Edward Island mussels which were served 'chowder style' with applewood smoked bacon and potatoes. The mussels were delicious, they were very plump and tasty. The bacon and potatoes added a really nice smoky flavor to the dish. I was glad it wasn't a huge portion. It was about a dozen mussels, which was good because I wanted to save room for my entree. DH had the Vine Ripened Tomato Stack. This was thick-cut slices of tomato layered with spinach and mushrooms and drizzled with a balsamic glaze and a touch of olive oil. This was an excellent appetizer. The flavors were really great and went well together. For my entree I had the Le Cellier Mushroom Filet which came with mushroom risotto and fried parsnips on top. The menu description said there was white truffle in the sauce, but I didn't taste any. I was a little disappointed because I love truffles. The filet was great, it was prepared medium as ordered and was very tender. The fried parsnips on top were tasty and the risotto was also good. Even though it wasn't a large piece of steak, I only managed about half. The dining plan was definitely taking it's toll! DH was not in the mood for steak, so he took a gamble and ordered the Sauteed Shrimp with linguine and Black Diamond cheddar cream sauce. The reason I say he took a gamble is because he normally doesn't like creamy sauces, so he wasn't sure if he would like his dish. He did ask the server if there were any other sauces and the only other choice was marinara sauce, which would not have gone with the dish. The pasta had sun dried tomatoes, bacon and arugula in it. DH loved his dish. We were both expecting a sharp cheese taste and it was really much more mild than that. I tasted a bite and I liked it as well. For dessert I had the creme brulee duo, which was vanilla and maple. I loved both of them. The maple maybe had a slight edge, but they were both so good. My only complaint is that it was a really small portion and I wanted more! :thumbsup2 DH had the duo of sorbets which were cherry and mandarin orange. He enjoyed the sorbets. I tried them and thought they were good. Overall, it was an excellent meal. Le Cellier is a must do for us every trip and despite a lot of mixed reviews lately I can't complain about our meal. I was a little wary based on some reviews, but luckily we had a great experience. :)

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0404.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0406.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0407.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0408.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0415.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0414.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0416.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0417.jpg

[hmp2z]

The Earl of Sandwich hot sandwiches are WAY better than the cold wraps. That bread is AWESOME! It lures us back at least twice a month.

Definitely try it next time :)

Cheers!
Heather W

[meloneyb21]

I just looooove your report and pics. I'm so hungry now and I can't WAIT to go back....I have a whole darn year to wait though :guilty: .

[kimisabella]

I had the exact same dinner as you at Le Cellier when we were there in sept!! The mussels were delicious and I can't wait to get them again. I agree that the creme brulee was small, but good. Great reviews!

[meloneyb21]

That Sauteed Shrimp Pasta looks soooooo good. I love those types of dishes :).

[jjk1107]

I know this answer is probably posted somewhere, but it has been a long week and do not feel like searching for it, so I will go ahead and ask here. I was under the impression that alcoholic drinks could not be purchased with the DDP, but you mentioned that you were able to get drinks at Coral Reef with it. Are we allowed to use the DDP for alcoholic drinks???

[S.Poppins]

Your pics and reviews are great! That shrimp pasta at Le Cellier looks great!

[missmun52]

:thumbsup2 Nice review
I also had the shrimp pasta at Le Cellier and enjoyed it very much.

[Enchanted Tiki Bird]

That all looks really great but my DFi (the cook) says that that is a bad brulee job. He's a "bruleier" apparently.

[swankybeth]

That all looks really great but my DFi (the cook) says that that is a bad brulee job. He's a "bruleier" apparently.

I can see what he means. Did he say it wasn't carmelized enough? It sure did taste yummy, though. :thumbsup2

[Enchanted Tiki Bird]

I can see what he means. Did he say it wasn't carmelized enough? It sure did taste yummy, though. :thumbsup2

He said that all those speckles on the dish shouldn't be there. So whatever that means . . . your guess is as good as mine. I thought it looked delicious myself.

[TigerKat]

I also had the mussells at LeCellier, I thought it was the best thing I ate all week! DH also ordered the shrimp pasta and loved it. Another great review!!:thumbsup2

[swankybeth]

Day 8

No breakfast today, we just weren't hungry. :sad2:

Lunch was at Pepper Market at Coronado Springs. This was the first WDW hotel DH and I stayed at back in 1999 on our first trip. :love: We wanted to check it out again and eat lunch at Pepper Market because we knew it was a really good value with the dining plan. We got there around 11:30ish and there was a small line to get seated. We were seated and given cards for our meals. You bring the card to the station you are eating from and they stamp your meal on the card. You pay later on when you leave and they have servers who get your drinks for you and clear the tables. I went to the Mexican station and I ordered the steak fajitas. While that was cooking I went over to the bakery section and picked out my dessert. It's somewhat limited on the dining plan, you have a choice of some bakery items such as danishes, cookies, muffins, etc. I chose a large peanut butter cookie for my dessert. DH went to the Grill station and he ordered the ribeye steak. For his dessert he selected some kind of flaky pastry with a blueberry center. My fajitas came with a side of rice and beans as well as guacamole, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes for topping. The fajitas were delicious, I loved the guacamole that it came with. The rice and beans were really good as well. DH enjoyed his steak which came with rice and veggies. The cookie was really delicious and I devoured the whole thing without even letting DH taste it. Sorry honey! DH saved his pastry for breakfast the next morning. Overall, the Pepper Market was an insane value for the counter service credits. DH's steak alone was $18.95! :earseek: The service was nice too, our server offered to refill our sodas for us before we left, got DH a to-go box and cleared our table. I think it's worth the 10% service charge. After lunch we walked around Coronado Springs, laid in a hammock and made the decision that we were going to stay there on our next trip! :woohoo:

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0437.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0433.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0435.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0434.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0436.jpg

Dinner was at Artist Point. We had a 5:30 ADR for when they opened. We got there around 5:30, maybe a couple of minutes late. There was a line to check in, but once we checked in we were seated immediately. We were seated next to a patio, so it was almost like a window view because the patio was not in use at the time. I was not super hungry, so I wanted to try to order something somewhat light. I decided to start with the Fresh Field Greens, which came with roasted beets, blue cheese, hazelnut gremolata and a blackberry vinaigrette. It was an excellent salad, the flavors were all very good and worked well together. It didn't know what gremolata was when I ordered the dish, it was like a crunchy garnish that you can see on the sides of my dish. It added a nice texture and flavor to the salad. DH decided on the Artist Point cheese plate, which was a goat cheese, a cheddar and a sharp cheese. I don't know the exact cheeses, sorry. It was accompanied by walnut toast, figs and riesling poached raisins. He also ordered a glass of wine, but I do not know what kind of wine it was. I believe it was a white wine, but I don't know the name of it. For my entree I was torn between the tenderloin and the scallops. I decided to order the scallops because it was lighter. The scallops came with 3 scallops, pan seared to perfection over a puree of apples and parsnip and shiitake shallot ragout which was surrounding the scallops on the plate. The scallops were so delicious, they were cooked perfectly, they were crisp on the outside, but not overly cooked in the middle. The shiitake ragout was delicious and the apple/parsnip puree was interesting. I wasn't expecting quite that texture, which was akin to an applesauce, but the flavors were nice. DH ordered the grilled buffalo sirloin steak which was served with an onion jam and a sweet potato/hazelnut gratin. DH ordered his steak medium rare and it came prepared as ordered. The flavor was really nice and the sweet potatoes were delicious. Neither one of us had ordered drinks with our meal (besides DH's wine), so we ordered cappuccinos with our dessert. I had vanilla syrup in mine, DH's was plain. The cappuccinos actually were quite good. I'm such a coffee snob, especially at WDW. I'll never forget going to Citricos and finding out that they serve Nescafe. Shameful. I decided on the berry cobbler for my dessert. The cake portion was like a biscuit, similar to correctly prepared strawberry shortcake. It was topped with raspberries, blackberries and blueberries and drizzled with what tasted like creme fraiche, but it wasn't noted on the menu, as well as a scoop of raspberry ice cream. I loved it! The cake was delicious, the berries were very fresh tasting, the creme fraiche added a balance to the sweetness and the ice cream was very tasty. DH ordered the apple tart, which came with a white chocolate ginger ice cream. The tart was good, the ice cream was good too, but did not taste very strongly of ginger. Overall, it was an excellent meal. We enjoyed everything and had great service. We did leave our server an additional tip beyond what the dining plan covered.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0453.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0449.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0450.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0457.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0458.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0459.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0460.jpg

Day 9 is coming up! :)

[DisneyJo]

I'm glad you liked PM as we're staying at CSR in August so I love to hear good reviews! :thumbsup2

[oybolshoi]

Artist Point looks and sounds yummy - the scallops looked especially tasty. DH and I are hoping to try this restaurant in October.

[princesstigerlilly]

I just read your whole thread! First it made me hungry, but now I'm sort of full, lol. You had some really nice looking meals, and some VERY nice looking meals. I can't wait for Day 9 :goodvibes

[Belle5]

Thanks so much for posting your excellent reviews and photos!

[jimenyfan]

Thanks for the great reviews and pictures!!!

[2Pirates_1Princess]

I can't wait to eat at Le Cellier. It looks so tasty. Does anyone know where I can find a review of Tony's. I would like to see pictures, but can't seem to find anything. Thanks..

[Alice28]

I'm dying, just dying reading your reviews and looking at the pictures!

Strangely enough, I really want some WDW scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes and a biscuit now! :rolleyes:

[PrincessNED]

Great review - looking forward to more!!

[dawgfan]

Thanks for the review.

[Ilovemyprincesses]

Am I the only one that can't see the pictures?:confused:

[Terry's Angels]

Great reviews - for some reason I can't see the pictures, but the writing is so good, I read the entire post and could imagine the food just as well. Thanks for the sharing. :goodvibes

[MINNIEBOWSER]

I can't see the pictures either.:sad1: But I am really enjoying the reviews. They are awsome :thumbsup2 .

[swankybeth]

It should be fixed now. Let me know if you still can't see the pictures. :)

[swankybeth]

Day 9

Breakfast-In the room we decided to share a creation I made from Goofy's Candy Company. It was a Mickey gingerbread cookie dipped in dark chocolate and covered in M & M's and sprinkles. It was so good, the cookie was soft and slightly chewy.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0462.jpg

Then we decided to go down to the food court. DH had his blueberry pastry from Pepper Market plus a side of bacon. I had the kid's chocolate chip pancake platter w/bacon. A very nice man who had extra DDP meals left on his card graciously paid for our food for us. It was so nice and unexpected! Thank you! The pancakes were not good. I look at the pictures now and I still think they look yummy, but they didn't taste good. Very dry and almost flavorless despite the chocolate chips. The bacon was good of course, and DH enjoyed the pastry.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0463.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0464.jpg


Lunch was at Beaches and Cream. We were at MGM and weren't feeling the selections there. We decided to take a walk over to Beaches and Cream for some lunch. We decided to pay oop for this meal because we didn't think it was a good value on the DDP. We were seated immediately. I decided on the single cheeseburger and DH ordered a hot dog. Both were served with fries. My burger was delicious and DH loved his hot dog, which had requested they grill well done. For dessert we decided to share a banana split. We had them add peanut butter topping instead of the butterscotch and skip the marshmallow topping. We enjoyed the dessert, but felt that the ice cream itself wasn't anything special. Next time I don't think we would order ice cream. We'll probably try Ghiradelli's instead. Overall, a really nice meal. We love the food there and it's so cute inside. It was also a really nice walk to and from MGM.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0482.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0483.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0484.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0485.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0486.jpg



Dinner was at Raglan Road. We were both looking forward to trying this restaurant, as the menu seemed so good and the reviews were usually good. It turned out to be the biggest disappointment of the whole trip! We had an 8:15 ADR and we arrived just before. We were seated immediately. We decided to share a beer sampler. I don't remember the exact beers that were included, but I know that they weren't all new to me. I liked the hefenweisen the best out of the four. DH liked the Stella Artois the best. I just can't remember the other two beers, sorry. For our appetizer we decided to share the Dalkey Duo. This was listed under appetizers for sharing, so with the DDP we were only allowed to get one. The appetizer was battered and fried cocktail sausages with a mustardy dipping sauce. I didn't really care for this at all. I didn't like the way the sausages tasted and the breading was just very thick. I did like the dipping sauce, though. DH liked the sausages better than I did, but he didn't really like the sauce. For my entree I ordered Sod...The Stew. This was described on the menu as "beef stew infused with a hint of Guinness". I love beef stew, I love Guinness, I thought I was set. It turned out to be chunks of meat in a beef broth with carrots and potatoes with a side of string beans. I was not impressed. The best part of the dish were the carrots. The meat was very chewy and I didn't like the fact that the dish was brothy. I thought it would be a dish of stew with a thick tasty sauce. I barely touched my dish. DH ordered Kevin's Kudos, an oven roasted loin of bacon which was supposed to have some sort of glaze on it, with cabbage and potatoes. The glaze seemed to have been added after the dish was cooked and didn't add anything to the dish. Overall the meat was very bland. DH felt it tasted like ham you could buy in any supermarket. For a signature dish, that doesn't really say much about the chef, does it? For dessert we were allowed to get the dessert sampler, so that is what we had. It included the Bread and Butter pudding, Dunbrody Kiss and raspberry riot. The bread and butter pudding was excellent, the best part of the meal. The Dunbrody Kiss was okay, it was just very chocolately and un-original, I felt. The Raspberry Riot was okay. DH also ordered a glass of mead (honey wine). The mead was good, it was stronger than other ones we've tasted. Overall the meal did not meet our expectations at all. We were looking forward to trying this restaurant and it was just "eh". The restaurant itself is beautiful and we enjoyed the music, but the food came up short. The service was okay, nothing extraordinary. I don't know if we would try this one again. It's really too bad, because I thought we would have loved it.


http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0514.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0516.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0520.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0519.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0523.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0528.jpg

[jess98ac]

Thanks for the pic of Sod...the Stew. We're planning to try RR this may (despite mixed reviews) and that sounded like something DH or I would love...now seeing it I think we'll try something else!!

[TMB1203]

subscribing.

[Motherofboys]

Wow, great pictures and reviews! I'm so glad I found this thread. I'm with you on going off site to visit Sweet Tomato's, it's a must do for us :love:
It's too bad you didn't try one of the hot sandwiches at the Earl, we loved all of the hot sandwiches we tried there last year (we tried like 5 of them) and the Earl's Lemonade :cheer2:

[MeetingMickeyin2006]

Awesome reviews! Thank you for posting these!

[swankybeth]

Day 10

Our last full day at WDW. :sad1:

Breakfast-we skipped breakfast because we weren't hungry.

Lunch was at Sunshine Seasons Food Fair. We were both looking to try this after the renovations. We had booked a 12 pm Behind the Seeds Tour, so we ate lunch around 11:30 am. The lines weren't bad, but the seating area was pretty full. DH and I decided to split a meal because this was just part one of lunch time! We got the 2 entrees, 2 sides meal from the Asian section. We had shredded beef, Thai chicken, broccoli and noodles. Our dessert was a Butterfinger brownie. The food was so tasty, the chicken was slightly spicy and the beef tasted good and came with string beans, which were good. The broccoli was good, if not slightly undercooked, and the noodles were also good. The brownie was okay, it had the consistency and taste of fudge, not really a brownie. We would try a different dessert next time. It was enough food to fill us, but not make us overly full.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0569.jpg

After our tour we decided to head over to the World Showcase. DH really wanted food from Tangierine Cafe in Morocco. At that point I really wasn't hungry, but I'm such a good sport I decided to tough it out. ;) We got the chicken and lamb shwarma platter, substituting the Moroccan bread for pita bread. It came with chicken and lamb with a yogurt sauce, couscous salad, tabbouleh salad, hummus, pita bread and baklava for dessert. The food was all delicious. I loved the lamb the best and I don't normally like lamb. The salads were very fresh and well prepared. The hummus was good, we used the pita to dip into it. The baklava was good too, it just wasn't as good as others I've tried. It's one of my favorite desserts, so I managed to polish it off with no problem. :)

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0615.jpg

Dinner was at Jiko. This is my favorite WDW restaurant. I've always had amazing meals at Jiko and this was no exception. We had a 5:30 ADR for when the restaurant opened and we arrived a couple of minutes late. We had no problem being seated immediately. We requested and received a table on the far side of the room, where the "birds" are. I don't know how else to describe it. We were originally going to have a table towards the front of the restaurant, near the windows, but we prefer the other section. Unfortunately I can't remember our server's name, but she was so excellent. She really made our meal special. She was knowledgable and enthusiastic about the menu and made a lot of great suggestions. I decided on the maize and sweet potato tamales, which were like little cakes of corn and mashed sweet potato served inside a corn husk boat topped with a little shredded goat cheese. One word-amazing! The corn cakes and sweet potatoes were delicious and the goat cheese on top was good too because it wasn't too overpowering. DH decided on the artichoke and peppadew flatbread. This came with goat cheese, yogurt cilantro drizzle and argula. This was so delicious. For my entree I chose the broiled filet of artic char with peppadew viniagrette. This was ridiculously good. Artic char is a meaty fish, similar in taste and texture to salmon. It was served over potatoes, edamame, braised beets and bacon. The viniagrette was served on the side like a dipping sauce. The fish was delicious and well prepared, the vegetables underneath were all delicious and the peppadew viniagrette was indescribably amazing. Such a perfect blend of textures and flavors was my dish. I loved it. DH had the tamarind braised short rib which was served with a Idaho/sweet potato gratin and an onion garlic sauce. The meat was falling-off-the-bone tender and was so tasty. The potatoes were also delicious. We both loved our entrees. For dessert I really wanted the green apple marscarpone trifle, but we found out it has a lot of citrus in it, and I'm allergic, so I couldn't get it. I had the pistachio creme brulee, which has a chocolate bottom. Delcious! It was really an exquisite dessert. The flavor was amazing, the texture was perfect and it was a nice ending to my lovely meal. DH had the Jiko dream pyramid, a white chocolate mousse and roasted fruit creation. He had debated getting it because he doesn't like white chocolate, but our server assured him it doesn't taste like white chocolate. It was a beautiful presentation and very delicious. There were fruits mixed in with the mousse as well as garnishing the plate. Very light and very satisfying. Our meal was perfect, it was the best way to end our WDW vacation. We tipped our server generously beyond what the dining plan covered. Jiko still stands as my favorite WDW restaurant-the food, atmosphere and service are all top notch.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0619.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0620.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0625.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0626.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0622.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0628.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0629.jpg

[swankybeth]

Day 11

Our last day. We had a half day planned because we had to leave at 2 pm to catch our flight.

Breakfast-Pop Century food court. We had been paying oop for our breakfast, using our Disney rewards card, but we had 4 CS meals left so we used the dining plan to pay for our breakfasts. I had the Pop waffle with strawberry topping. What is it about those waffles? I love them so much! :love: DH had a breakfast wrap, which had eggs, bacon,and cheese in it. It was served with a side of potatoes. He deemed it just okay.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0631.jpg

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t124/swankybeth/IMG_0632.jpg

Lunch was at Casey's Corner in the MK. We both used a dining plan credit and got the hot dog meal. It came with a soda, hot dog and dessert. I thought it would have been a better value if it came with fries also. I had Cracker Jacks for dessert and DH had a brownie. We were both disappointed with our hot dogs. They were pretty big and tasted rubbery. Definitely not the delicious Casey's dogs of the past. Have they changed the hot dogs at WDW? The one at Pop Century tasted like the Casey's one also. No pictures, we couldn't get a table and were eating on the bleachers in our laps!

We also used up our last 2 snack credits. We got an order of Figaro Fries-no picture because we already had one from the first time. They were delicious and sinful as usual. :thumbsup2 As we were leaving the park we also got a dole whip float made with diet coke and pineapple Dole Whip. No picture, we were too sad to be leaving. The Dole Whip was delicious as usual.

So that's it for my reviews. Hopefully you enjoyed reading along. Any questions or comments, I'd love to hear them. We just booked our trip for next year, January 27-February 4 at Coronado Springs. At least now I have something to look forward to! :woohoo:

[disneymcgraw]

I really enjoyed your reviews. Thank you so much for writing them and eating all of that wonderful food so we on the boards could enjoy!!!!! :thumbsup2

[princesstigerlilly]

Great reviews! Jiko looks devine :love:

[DisneyJo]

Thank you so much for a lovely dining review and great photos. Enjoy your next trip and of course all the planning. :laughing:

[scanne]

Thank you for sharing your food experiences. I loved your reviews and pics!

I was thrilled to read your review of the Garden Grill. I just booked that for our upcoming trip this July. I've always wanted to try it but never got a chance. Boy am I glad we got that ressie! Your review of it sealed the deal for me. And my DH will LOVE the sweet potatoe chips on the salad...maybe they will give us an entire bowl of just the chips...


Thanks again!!!

[D&R love Disney]

Great reviews! I love Jiko too, they have such a great menu.

[CourtneyandRyan]

Great reviews! Great pictures!

Thanks so much for sharing! I'm getting hungry now...

[PrincessNED]

thanks!!

[GraLaur07]

what a great review makes me very hungry reading all the nice food mmm cant wiat to try a dole whip missed out last year!:love:

[NMW]

Great reviews and pictures!!

[Uncleromulus]

Swankybeth: You have truly outdone yourself with these reviews--and the pics!!

[Cruz Family]

Thanks for the great reviews! Too bad about RR, we were thinking of trying it next trip. As for Caseys, last Oct. fries came with our meals :confused3 I just don't get why they make silly changes like that?? Jiko is our favorite as well! Next trip I am going to have to give those tamales at try, they sound and look wonderful!!
Thanks again!:thumbsup2

[jwfla422]

Your reviews and photos are just excellent. This thread is a "must check it out" especially for those who haven't been to the restaurants you reviewed. The photos are great!! JIKO is our favorite as well!!:thumbsup2

But, just one thing...NOW YOU MADE ME VERY HUNGRY!!! You should start your original post to "read at your own risk"...if you're hungry...don't read or "dare to read as you may be left salivating!!":rotfl2:

[disneyfan551]

Fabulous reviews!! Thanks for taking the time & effort to share with us!! :thumbsup2

[burberryplaid]

I just wanted to thank you for writing such detailed and well thought out reviews. It has definitely helped me decide to visit Jiko when we go in September..and I will try some Figaro Fries as well!

[Kimnicki]

What a fantastic review! I appreciate all of the time you put into writing this to share.... I especially enjoyed the pictures. It makes it so much easier for me to decide where to eat now!:goodvibes

Kim

[oybolshoi]

Thanks again for taking the time to post your reviews & pictures. Jiko sounds great - we'll be there in May, so I'll be sure to let you know if it lives up to the hype. ;)

[Pooh Girl 71]

Thanks for the fantastic reviews and pictures!

[donaldtutter]

Loved your review of Jiko.

[Busymom85]

Thanks for the reviews and the pictures. Its good to see what the food looks like.

[belle8306]

I really enjoyed your review. Your pictures were great! Will you be doing a trip report as well?

[swankybeth]

I really enjoyed your review. Your pictures were great! Will you be doing a trip report as well?

I'm glad you liked the review! :goodvibes Sorry, no trip report. Maybe next year I'll be ambitious enough to do both! :thumbsup2

[englishrose47]

Great reviews thanks

[ColleenS]

EXCELLENT! reviews! :thumbsup2

Thank you so much for sharing. All of the photos were great.

[Poohbear67]

Thank you for the great pictures and reviews of all those great places.

[ufgator]

Thanks for your reviews and pics!

[debdot]

hey fellow Long Islander - wow your reviews were fantastic - you could absolutely have a career as a restaurant critic - very informative, right to the point with great pictures

thanks

[KAC2005]

great reviews!

[KY Derby Girl]

Thanks for great reviews! I'm so excited that they now have Tonga Toast at Captain Hooks and we have to try the Figaro Fries!:cool1:

[swankybeth]

hey fellow Long Islander - wow your reviews were fantastic - you could absolutely have a career as a restaurant critic - very informative, right to the point with great pictures

thanks

Thank you so much, that's so nice of you to say that! :)

Thanks to everyone else who is reading along and enjoying the reviews. :)

[momofdbsdc]

I loved your reviews and especially your pictures!!!! Quick question,,,how long was your walk to Beached and Cream from MGM? We will be there next week and was thinking of doing this!!! How do we get there???:confused3
Thanks again for sharing!!!:hippie:

[swankybeth]

I loved your reviews and especially your pictures!!!! Quick question,,,how long was your walk to Beached and Cream from MGM? We will be there next week and was thinking of doing this!!! How do we get there???:confused3
Thanks again for sharing!!!:hippie:

It was about a 20 minute walk, we weren't walking at any great speed but we also weren't walking slowly. There is a path that runs from MGM to the Boardwalk. Just walk out past the bus stops, etc and you will see the sign. Just follow the water and pass the Swan & Dolphin on your left and the Boardwalk to your right. Hope this helps! :)

[SassyLassy]

Thanks for the great reviews! Nice pictures and well written!

BTW, next time when you go to Earl of Sandwich get the hot sandwiches! They are so much better than the wraps, I found that our the hard way. :thumbsup2

[seetheworld]

One of the best reviews that I have ever read! They were awesome and the pics perfect! Thank you very much!

[coconutsunshine]

I loved your review, it officially got me hooked on disboards :banana:

[Quasi123]

Great reviews! Loved your pictures. You've made me hungry.popcorn::

[averill94]

Wow what a great read it was so informative! It brought back some great food memories too.

Glad to see your review on Concourse- We have an ASDR there in Sept. I wanted to stay close to MK. Now I am thinking maybe I should go for Tonys instead (been there once and wasnt wowed- but would do it for the location!)
I would welcome your opinion if you have one-

BTW after reading your review have you tried the fabulous Indian restaurant on Sunrise in Rockville Centre? Thought you would enjoy it if you havent already. I daydream about their lunch buffett......

[burly]

Thanks for the great dining review and pictures. I love when they have pictures of all the food. Yours were wonderful. :)

[Kitten]

Outstanding pictures and reviews!! Thanks for all your time and effort to post!!

[swankybeth]

Wow what a great read it was so informative! It brought back some great food memories too.

Glad to see your review on Concourse- We have an ASDR there in Sept. I wanted to stay close to MK. Now I am thinking maybe I should go for Tonys instead (been there once and wasnt wowed- but would do it for the location!)
I would welcome your opinion if you have one-

BTW after reading your review have you tried the fabulous Indian restaurant on Sunrise in Rockville Centre? Thought you would enjoy it if you havent already. I daydream about their lunch buffett......


I'm glad you enjoyed the reviews. And yes I have tried that restaurant, thanks for asking. Definitely a great Indian buffet, especially in this area. :)

Thanks to everyone else who has been reading along and enjoying. :goodvibes

[maiziezoe]

Your reviews are fantastic!!

[Alisha's mom Sarah]

Great Reviews.. We're staying at Pop so it was nice to see the food. What were you talking about with a 10% service charge at Pepper Market?

[swankybeth]

Great Reviews.. We're staying at Pop so it was nice to see the food. What were you talking about with a 10% service charge at Pepper Market?

At Pepper Market it works a little differently than a regular food court. You get seated and given actual silverware. A server takes your drink order and brings it to the table. You are given a card to stamp at the different stations to show what food you ordered. You go back to your table, eat and then pay on the way out. They charge a 10% service charge because the servers will clear your table, get you drinks and get to-go boxes for you.

[Alisha's mom Sarah]

At Pepper Market it works a little differently than a regular food court. You get seated and given actual silverware. A server takes your drink order and brings it to the table. You are given a card to stamp at the different stations to show what food you ordered. You go back to your table, eat and then pay on the way out. They charge a 10% service charge because the servers will clear your table, get you drinks and get to-go boxes for you.

Thanks. That's good to know..

[Poohbear67]

At Pepper Market it works a little differently than a regular food court. You get seated and given actual silverware. A server takes your drink order and brings it to the table. You are given a card to stamp at the different stations to show what food you ordered. You go back to your table, eat and then pay on the way out. They charge a 10% service charge because the servers will clear your table, get you drinks and get to-go boxes for you.

This is at Pop right?? I haven't heard anything about this Pepper Market is it included in our free dining and is there a 10% service charge onto of that??

I am so :confused3 someone please help me:lmao:

[swankybeth]

This is at Pop right?? I haven't heard anything about this Pepper Market is it included in our free dining and is there a 10% service charge onto of that??

I am so :confused3 someone please help me:lmao:

Pepper Market is the food court at Coronado Springs. You can use the dining plan there even if you're not staying there. It's actually a very good value on the dining plan, free or otherwise. The portions are large and you can even get a steak as your entree. They charge a 10% service fee because they have servers who bring you drinks and clear your table for you. Pop Century's food court is Everything Pop and it's just a regular food court where you can order food from different stations. No bussing service there and no service charge either. Hope this helped! :)

[Poohbear67]

Pepper Market is the food court at Coronado Springs. You can use the dining plan there even if you're not staying there. It's actually a very good value on the dining plan, free or otherwise. The portions are large and you can even get a steak as your entree. They charge a 10% service fee because they have servers who bring you drinks and clear your table for you. Pop Century's food court is Everything Pop and it's just a regular food court where you can order food from different stations. No bussing service there and no service charge either. Hope this helped! :)

Okay I feel so dumb now:lmao:

[baby<3]

It's great to know that Captain Cooks has Tonga Toast since I'm staying at the Poly this August, and that tonga toast looks so amazing!:cloud9:

[Scornelius]

Terrific review!! Thank you so much for sharing!

[wilma-bride]

Thanks for the great reviews - definitely given me some ideas for our next trip.

[NCTWINSMOM]

Wow, I've enjoyed reading each review and now I'm hungry!

I can't wait till we go in October!

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

Pepper Market is the food court at Coronado Springs. You can use the dining plan there even if you're not staying there. It's actually a very good value on the dining plan, free or otherwise. The portions are large and you can even get a steak as your entree. They charge a 10% service fee because they have servers who bring you drinks and clear your table for you. Pop Century's food court is Everything Pop and it's just a regular food court where you can order food from different stations. No bussing service there and no service charge either. Hope this helped! :)

I will be staying at CSR in Nov and will be on the DDP, is the service charge at Pepper Market added into the dining plan or do you have to pay for it oop? Thanks!

Your reviews are excellent, and your pics are making me so hungry!

[swankybeth]

I will be staying at CSR in Nov and will be on the DDP, is the service charge at Pepper Market added into the dining plan or do you have to pay for it oop? Thanks!

Your reviews are excellent, and your pics are making me so hungry!

The service charge is included w/DDP. They treat it like a gratuity. :)