5 adults spend 8 days making pigs of themselves!

[Lizziejane]

Let me start by saying that at first, I thought I probably wouldn’t bother with a food report. Mostly because there is no food porn. Not a single food pic, I’m afraid.

What’s that I hear? The stampede for the exit?! Were you only here for the food porn?!

Well for those of you sticking around, despite what you’re probably thinking, I actually take LOTS of pictures at Disney. I’m a bit of a click-a-holic, but it seemed only fair to allow my family some private time, where I wasn’t clicking away as they shoveled food in their faces. Ok…I’ll come clean…they threatened to feed me my camera if I dared to pull it out in a restaurant. So you can blame them for the lack of porn.

Hopefully though, some of you will still get something out of the report. And if nothing else, this will just be a permanent reminder for me of our wonderful week at DW!

Before beginning, I should introduce the “piglets” – myself (Jane) and DH Kevin, along with our two sons Matt and Chris (both in their early 20’s), and Chris’s girlfriend, Sophie. I spent months going back and forth on the regular dining plan vs. deluxe dining plan argument, and settled on the regular plan. So glad to have made that decision! We stayed at BWV and were eagerly looking forward to all the great dining options both on the BW and at Epcot.

Reviews will include:

Kouzzina - Dinner (post #2)
Electric Umbrella - Lunch (post #10)
Teppan Edo - Dinner (post #15)
Liberty Tree Tavern - breakfast (post #16, page 2)
Columbia Harbour House - lunch (post #20, page 2)
Main Street Bakery - snack (post #22, page 2)
Raglan Road - Dinner (post #23, page 2)
Starring Rolls, HS - (post #25, page 2)
50’s Prime Time, HS - lunch (post #30, page 2)
BW Pizza Window
ESPN
Belle Vu Lounge
Cooks of Dublin
Le Cellier
Boardwalk Bakery
Chefs de France
Tony’s Town Square

So....without further adieu...

 

[Lizziejane]

Kouzzina by Cat Cora

This was not in our plan for the evening we arrived– we had been travelling for 14 hours, it was now 7 pm, and ESPN was packed with a huge line snaking down the Boardwalk. Big River Grille had a 45 minute wait, Kouzzina only 15-minutes. We were so tired and hungry that I didn’t even care that I had previously reviewed the menu many times on-line and decided against eating here. Oh well… if they were hungry enough…they’ll eat it…

The restaurant itself still looks very similar to the days of Spoodles (at least from what I recall). It was far noisier than I recalled though!

Our server was Maryann, and she wasted no time in getting our drink orders. The two boys ordered drinks from the bar while the rest of us had virgin strawberry daiquiri’s that were covered by the DDP. They were delicious and hit the spot instantly! The right amount of icy-ness and flavour (Gees, is that even a word?!)

Everyone decided to order some calamari as an appetizer to share. I don’t eat it myself but apparently it was very fresh. I munched on the bread, which after a day of airport fare, was like heaven. It was especially good dipping it into the dips that came with the calamari.

We all ordered the special of the day – flank steak, served with mashed potatoes and some kind of green veg (sorry, none of us figured it out!). The steaks were great – juicy, tender, cooked perfectly over a wood fire, and seasoned just right. I’m not normally one for eating a lot of beef, but I finished every morsel! The potatoes were creamy and still quite warm (I often find mash cold before it even gets to the table). The one thing we all commented on – there was just a little too much oil on those green veggies – there was literally a pool of it on the plate. Still, it wasn’t enough to detract from the overall dish itself and we all gave the entrée 2 thumbs-up.

By the time we got to desert, the restaurant had cleared out quite a bit, and it was much quieter and relaxing - a perfect way to finish off the day. 4 of us ordered the loukoumades. These are mini donuts drizzled with honey and comes with a side of creamy dip. I was kind of stuffed after the big steak, but there was NO way I was leaving any of these behind! They are cooked when ordered, so they were warm, obviously fresh, and just downright sinful! Wasn’t a crumb left from any of the 4 of us! Matt ordered the chocolate budino. He said it was good, but after sharing a little of my desert, he wished he’d ordered the loukoumades.

Maryann was a delightful server – attentive, fast, friendly and offered lots of explanations/advise when we were trying to make our selections. I asked if there were refills on the daiquiris, and was told no, so decided to leave it. Maryann came back a minute later to remind us that the boys had ordered from the bar, therefore, technically we still had two drink credits to use. So I got my free refill!

Overall, would definitely return here, and highly recommend it. As an aside, Chris works in a steakhouse, and is a huge fan of Iron Chefs. Needless to say, he was thrilled to eat here and had high expectations. He wasn’t disappointed!

Total cost of everything came to $235.99.
DDP covered $185.22
OOP expenses $49.77 for appetizers and drinks, with an additional $40 as a tip.

Total OOP so far - $89.77

 

[Linda67]

Joining in - loving it so far and you have a great line up of reviews

 

[MickeyNicki]

Pics or no pics I am in to hear all about your oink fest!

 

[Symans3honeybees]

Pics or no pics I am in to hear all about your oink fest!

I was going to say the same quote...can I get some twilight zone music here please???

 

[tinkerbell48]

Joining in on your feast

 

[pumba]

sounds like an outstanding meal.....Were your veggies like GREENS.....either collard greens or spinach greens? We had some "greens" at Tutto Italia and they were not bad....Hubby doesn't touch things that are that color but I liked mine.
Thanks for your review .......it sounds heavenly

 

[Lizziejane]

Joining in - loving it so far and you have a great line up of reviews

Welcome Linda - I hope you enjoy the rest of the reviews! I see you are a bit of a night owl too?!

Pics or no pics I am in to hear all about your oink fest!

Hi Mickey - funny how the words "pigging out" actually appeals to people, huh?! LOL I can't imagine a visit to the World without the pleasure of oinking out!!

I was going to say the same quote...can I get some twilight zone music here please???

Hey Symans - I don't have the music, so just look at this and go "doo, doo, doo, doooooh..." in your head. Unless you're a really good singer, then you can do it out loud

Joining in on your feast

Hi Tink, welcome aboard! wow - I can't people are joining and there's no porn! My faith in humanity has been restored

sounds like an outstanding meal.....Were your veggies like GREENS.....either collard greens or spinach greens? We had some "greens" at Tutto Italia and they were not bad....Hubby doesn't touch things that are that color but I liked mine.
Thanks for your review .......it sounds heavenly

Hey Pumba - you're right on - the greens were collard's now that I think of it. I have to come clean here - no one even tasted them! They were swimming in way too much oil, and, well....they just didn't look very appetizing. I suppose next time I'll have to be adventurous and try them.

 

[suse66]

Your dinner sounds fabulous, can't wait to read the rest of your reviews!

Susan

 

[Lizziejane]

Electric Umbrella - Lunch

We spent our first full day at Epcot, and because we had only a light breakfast at the villa before rope drop, we were starving for lunch by 11:00 am! I had originally planned on trekking everyone over to WS for a QS lunch, but we literally ran into the nearest restaurant, we were that hungry! The place was completely empty which meant that we were able to get a nice big table by the window. It was a little too chilly to sit outside.

Sophie and I decided to eat healthy and ordered greek salads. I have no idea why I expected something a little more authentic, but we ended up with a huge bowl of lettuce with some feta, olives and a slice or two of tomato thrown in for good luck. There may even have been a hint of cucumber. Don’t get me wrong – the lettuce was fresh, but there was soooo much of it that it was impossible to mix in the dressing without sending half the lettuce flying across the table. I was craving a large bowl of cucumber , tomatos and feta but instead I got mostly lettuce. Oh well. Good thing I ordered fries as a side, instead of a desert. Yeah, my idea of healthy only goes so far!

The boys had cheeseburgers and Kev had a toasted turkey sub. I have to say, the cheeseburgers looked a little greasy to me. But then I’m probably not a good judge. I almost never order burgers in a restaurant, I’m paranoid about them not being cooked properly and I hate it if they’re fatty or greasy. These burgers looked exactly what I hate! LOL But the boys said they were ok, not great, but adequate. They each had the cheesecake and said they were surprised at how good they were. Kev’s turkey sub was adequate too. As he said, it’s pretty hard to mess up processed turkey in a bun!

Overall, this place was ok. Got the job done but definitely wouldn’t go out of my way to return here. I think there are far better options for a QS lunch on the other side of that pond!

Total cost $66.93, all of which was covered by the DDP.

 

[Lizziejane]

Your dinner sounds fabulous, can't wait to read the rest of your reviews!

Susan

Welcome aboard Susan! Lucky you - you get to go in a month!! I hope some of these reviews can help you for your upcoming trip

 

[gallmcduck]

I'm so hungry now loving report so far.

 

[sue and co]

Just subscribed.Great reports even without piccies.

 

[Lizziejane]

I'm so hungry now loving report so far.

I know what you mean about being hungry...ever since we got back I've had to put myself on a strict diet. It's so hard to write this now...just the thought of those meals makes my mouth water!

Just subscribed.Great reports even without piccies.

Thanks Sue! I just discovered that I do in fact have a few pics for my next report !!

 

[Lizziejane]

Teppan Edo, Epcot – Dinner

I picked this restaurant because while we have restaurants here that are similar, we never go to them. And I wanted to try places that were just a little different for us. The 2 boys are so not into character dining, so Teppan Edo offers a little entertainment of a different kind.

We arrived on time, but had to wait about 10 minutes. Something we’d forgotten about WDW since our last visit – there is no such thing as a quiet restaurant here. Man, this place was LOUD, even as we waited for a table. I was immediately struck by how many people let their kids run wild. I know this is Disneyworld, but really…this just didn't seem like the place to let your kids run wild.

We were eventually led to our table where two other tables were already half-way through the cooking process. Lots of ooooo-h’s and a-hhhhh’s coming from them! We were seated with a Japanese mom and her two daughters. I have to say – those two little girls were so well behaved all through dinner. Another group was led in behind us – 8 loud, ready-to-party adults – who filled up the last table in the room. It’s surprising how quickly you get used to the noise and we had no problem blocking out the other tables.

We all ordered soft drinks of one kind or another, then appetizers. Kev and Matt had a shrimp cocktail. The shrimp were huge and deemed great. I had the edamame. It was good. Chris and Sophie had the assorted tempura and loved it so much they didn’t share!

I forgot to mention that Chris has an allergy to some varieties of fish. So his dinner was cooked first because others had ordered the steak and shrimp dinners. He’s actually ok with shrimp, but we appreciated their concern.

Everyone agreed that this dinner was outstanding. The chef put on a great display for us (although the chef on the next table was doing better – flipping stuff into the air and catching it in her hat!) Oh! This is the one time that I took some food porn pics! I had my point and shoot in my bag instead of lugging around the SLR, so I got a few shots

I was eagerly awaiting the steaming onions – I wasn’t expecting the Mickey! Very cute! Unfortunately, the P&S camera just wasn't fast enough to capture the antics of the chef - I really wish I'd brought the SLR to this meal!

The food itself was delicious. Everyone else had steak and something – whether it was chicken or shrimp. I just had the chicken.

The veggies and noodles were served first, and we were encouraged to start with those as well as the steamed rice, while waiting for the meat. We were each given a little tray with 3 dipping sauces. Each was delicious but I can’t recall now what they were exactly. The meat soon followed and I think that was perhaps the best chicken I’ve had in a long time. There was a ton of meat too. I think by about ¾’s of the way through, we were all beginning to complain of getting full, but it was so good, we had to keep going. There wasn’t a thing left on anyone’s plate. I was surprised by the noodles. I didn’t think I’d like them as I had imagined they'd be kind of mushy, but they were great.

At this point, one of the other tables had a mishap. The servers and the cooks repeatedly told us to be careful of the grill. The parents on another table were allowing their little girl to run freely amongst the 4 different tables, and sure enough, she put her hand on a grill. Of course, the next 10 minutes were chaos as everyone was rushing around seeing to her. I don’t think it was too bad, as they didn’t leave. They did, of course, grumble about how dangerous it was, not kid friendly, etc. etc. I’m not sure how many times they needed to be told that the grills were hot! They left about 20 minutes later, with the little girl still upset. I felt so bad for her.

Anyway, for dessert, I ordered the chocolate ginger cake as I’d read great reports about it. M-ehhhh. Definitely wouldn’t get it again. It wasn’t bad, just very forgettable. Kev and they boys had a bowl of ice-cream (you’ll see this a lot throughout the week!) and Sophie ordered the green tea pudding. Hers was hands-down the better choice. The name just put me off. I’ll know better next time!

As we left the restaurant, Illuminations was just starting. There crowds here were very light and we had no problem finding a good spot to stand and watch.

Our overall impression: Teppan Edo is a “must-do” for future trips!

Total cost on the bill: $218.22
Covered by DDP: $188.98
OOP for appetizers: $29.24
Tip: $37

 

[Lizziejane]

Liberty Tree Tavern, MK – Character Breakfast during CP refurb.

Ok, I already mentioned that my sons are NOT into character dining. Ooops…did I forget to mention to them that this breakfast had characters?!

I wasn’t particularly bothered about eating here specifically. If I’m honest, I booked breakfast solely to get into the park early and get some shots on Main Street without the crowds. Of course, that was before the clan let me know that they weren’t into having their picture taken! We were also looking forward to being front-of-the-pack for rope drop to Big Thunder.

We arrived just in time at 8:05 and were seated within 3 minutes. Our server was perhaps not the most exuberant of people. I think perhaps the kindest way to put it is that he didn’t have a lot of personality compared to other servers in the immediate area. He was slow and inattentive.

We were seated in a corner booth that was dark and out-of-the-way. Out-of-the-way means you miss all the fun going on around you. I think we were stuck there because we were all adults and no kids.

Our waiter started by bringing us some orange juice and coffee. Juice was really good – obviously fresh squeezed. Coffee was disgusting. Completely undrinkable. Which is bad, because I’m a coffee junkie.

The food followed shortly. There was a fruit plate, which was ok – I don’t even recall what was in it, so obviously nothing remarkable.

The “real” food soon followed – scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, potatoes, and monkey bread. The eggs and potatoes were very good. Eggs were creamy and hot, not at all dry but not undercooked either. Absolutely perfect! The potatoes were creamy, and had onion in there. Very flavourful. The bacon was crisp the way I like it, but as the boys commented, how is it possible to have completely tasteless bacon?! To be fair, it reminded me of that instant cooked-bacon you can buy – you know, the one that you zap in the microwave for 10 seconds. So the bacon was a little disappointing. I’m told the sausage was really good, and the ham too dry. We were supposed to get biscuits, but we didn’t get them until we were almost done and reminded the waiter to bring them. They were good – fresh and hot from the oven – the butter melted nicely!

We finished off everything but the moneky bread (can’t recall why we didn’t eat that – too sweet maybe?), and we were asked if we wanted more. Heck, yeah!!! So out came another order of eggs, sausage and potatoes. Ok, this is where our eyes were beginning to get bigger than our bellies. I have no idea why we ordered more, as everyone mentioned they were already getting full. But the eggs and potatoes were so good, we just had to do it! 10 minutes later, we were stuffed to the gills and ready for our first ride! We didn’t know it at the time, but this first meal this day was the true beginning of our oink-fest.

Overall impression: the food was much better than expected, and even though we were 5 adults and no kids, we weren’t completely ignored by the characters. Just enough not to annoy the guys, but enough to keep me and Sophie happy. I’m not sure there’s ever enough justification to spend this kind of money on a breakfast that costs $5.99 at Denny’s, but there is something magical about an early morning ADR in the MK. So, pretty good food, early entry, head of the line at rope drop = worth every penny!

Total cost for 5: $111.78. I paid cash as was saving our TS credits for dinners.
Tip: $20 (not sure why I tipped this much – didn’t deserve it!)

 

[Redwitch]

Your Teppan Edo picture....

I called in DD -
ME: "Look, they killed Mickey!"
DD: "No they didn't, look he's still breathing. (pointing the the steam.) That's cute, is that the Japan place?"
ME: "Yes. Cute, but strangely disturbing at the same time."

Teppan Edo will probably be our last WS restaurant as we have so many of this type locally. They are fun, especially with a group.

I'm enjoying your review, but you must get your family over to the dark side and do porn!

 

[butiflfeet]

I'm really enjoying your reviews and not missing the pictures too much! Keep em coming

 

[Lizziejane]

Your Teppan Edo picture....

I called in DD -
ME: "Look, they killed Mickey!"
DD: "No they didn't, look he's still breathing. (pointing the the steam.) That's cute, is that the Japan place?"
ME: "Yes. Cute, but strangely disturbing at the same time."

Teppan Edo will probably be our last WS restaurant as we have so many of this type locally. They are fun, especially with a group.

I'm enjoying your review, but you must get your family over to the dark side and do porn!

Oh, I wish I could! some of those meals were pure art-on-a-plate! Oh well, they've all been warned "....next time!"

I'm really enjoying your reviews and not missing the pictures too much! Keep em coming

Thank you! It's nice to know someone enjoying it, even if there are no visuals! I have to admit, that when I'm reading reviews, I prefer the pics too, so I'm surprised anyone is reading this!

 

[Lizziejane]

Columbia Harbour House, MK – lunch

We stopped for lunch at about 12:30. I think we did it out of habit, as I don’t believe anyone was really hungry after that huge breakfast. My dad used to say, you never wait for the car to run out of gas – you top it up before it hits empty. So we treated our stomachs the same way ☺ Which, by the way, was totally wrong!

We’ve never eaten here before but I’ve read lots of good reviews so I figured it couldn't hurt to try it. Again, this restaurant was not at all busy (should that make me nervous?!) and we got our orders placed and filled quickly. I ushered everyone upstairs, as I’d read that it was quiet and relaxing up there. You know how you picture something in your head, and then it turns out to be the exact opposite?! I had pictured a small, really, really quiet little space. It was actually huge, and Chris and Sophie had chosen a table that overlooked the cashiers downstairs, so it wasn’t the peace and quiet I expected. However, don’t let me lead you astray here – comparatively speaking – it was the quietest restaurant we’d encountered so far. It just wasn’t silent. Am I the only one who craves silence for just a few minutes, even at WDW?!

Kev and I ordered the tuna sandwiches. Loved the multi-grain bread, lettuce and tomato were fresh. If I could have made it any differently, I would have asked for just a tiny bit more mayo. I ordered a side of fries (again!) instead of dessert and didn’t realize that the sandwich came with a bag of chips. I only ate half my sandwich, the fries, and packed the chips to go. I had a lemonade which was cold and refreshing. Kev ordered a low-fat yogurt for dessert. I mean seriously, who orders low-fat yogurt for desert on an oink-fest?! Like those few calories saved are going to make any difference by the end of the week!

Chris had the BLT sandwich and really enjoyed it. Matt and Sophie had the chicken nuggets and rated them average. All three of them had the apple crisp for dessert, and once again, I wished I’d chosen that! They all loved it, but only Matt actually managed to finish it.

Personally, I’m thinking it was the soda that did us all in. My lemonade came in a 22oz (or thereabouts) cup. Their coke came in 34oz cups!!! They all complained about it being too much, but they all drank it anyway. I’m embarrassed to admit that I had defended my contemplation of the deluxe dining with the comment that we know when to stop eating – that we don’t just eat for the sake of eating or just because it’s on our plates. Ummm….WRONG! It turns out we have no will power at all, and this oink-fest was now taking a serious grip on all 5 of us!

Overall, I think this is one of my favorite spots for a QS meal. I can see how people like to grab a table upstairs by a window, and sit and relax looking down on everyone scurrying about. I will definitely return here.

Total cost: $49.87, all covered by the DDP