Thanks again for your replies!
Thursday, 8-9
After spending the day at Epcot, we had a 7:30 reservation for Rose and Crown at United Kingdom. I had read that this was the perfect time to be seated out on the patio before Illuminations starts at 9. Well, we checked in at about 7:35 and waited maybe 10 minutes or so. The CM said they could not guarantee us a patio seat, but to ask the person that seats us. So we did that and nope, it wasn't to be. We were seated inside. Bummer.
We had an exceptional waitress named Jenni, who was more than helpful with our menus, our
DDP and with taking us out to their private viewing area to see Illuminations at 9 pm. She held our dinners back for the perfect timing to eat--and then to go out and watch the show, and then come back in and eat our dessert. The restaurant wasn't crowded at all, but apparently the patio was.
For starters, I ordered the Fruit and Cheese Plate ($8.99) Irish Cheddar, Mushroom Brie, and Stilton Pastry with individual accompaniments. Which included walnuts, grapes, pastry, and cold caramelized onions (?) Ok, I'm a hick, so I didn't know quite what to do with this fancy food in order to eat it properly, so I managed my way around it and found it to be something I probably wouldn't order again. I left most of the cheese, and ate the fruit, nuts and pastry. I really tried to like it, but I couldn't get the feel for these things going together in my mouth. Here's the pic:
DH ordered the Mixed Greens Salad (5.49)---Mr. Living on the Edge, huh. He was concerned about Stilton Cheese Dressing, but said it was good. No pics---it was your basic salad. DS ordered the potato leek soup and beef and macaroni. (7.49)
For our entrees, I ordered the Harry Ramsden's Fish and Chips ($15.99) which was battered fresh cod and french fries. I was looking forward to trying this and was ready for a change and something different from what we had been eating all week. It was good, but not over the top good. It was sort of really greasy and I ended up not eating most of the batter. I only ate a few fries as I was saving up for dessert. Here's the pic:
DH ordered the Steak and Fish ($23.99) Grilled steak with demi glace sauce, green beans and mashed potatoes and a piece of Harry's fish. I still don't know how these two go together, but whatever. He didn't even eat the fish, he said it wasn't anything special. Sorry, I didn't get a picture as this is where my camera ran out of room. I didn't even get the pictures of our desserts. In which mine was the sticky toffee pudding ($4.99) steamed pudding cake with warm vanilla custard and hot butter rum sauce. I asked the server which she thought was better, that or the chocolate torte---she said she recommended the pudding. I think I should have opted for the torte, because the cake was soooo dry with not much sauce on it at all. It was like a spice cake in a little miniature Bundt pan, turned upside down with a little warm vanilla sauce on it. Sorry, I just didn't care for it much. I left 3/4 of it.
DH ordered the Warm Apple Crumble, which he said was ok, but nothing extra special about it either. DS had the build your own sundae. ($92.57 + 4.97)
I don't think we would return to Rose and Crown. It really wasn't that great of a meal. The service was outstanding, but the seating arrangement has to go. Maybe I was supposed to slip someone a $20? Ohhh and the preferred standing location was a hoot too. I got placed (I'm 5'2") in the back row behind a man that was over 6' tall, so I saw nothing. But at least the crowd was kind enough to let my little son go to the front of the row so he could see. I did appreciate that.
Friday, 8-10
We spent the day lounging by the pool and hotel and then made our way to Whispering Canyon Cafe at Wilderness Lodge. We had a 5:00 reservation and arrived shortly before. They are closed from 3:00 - 5:00. We checked in and got seated in about 10 minutes. Back by the fireplace again and away from the antics and the main reason we had gone there again. We ate here 2 years ago and sat by the fireplace then too and were disappointed, so here we are again, totally disappointed. Why does this always happen to us? Are we that unfun looking??
Anyway, we weren't even hungry before we sat down for this meal, so that's a bad sign already. We had eaten a late lunch at the hotel, and I tried to change the reservation, but there were not open spots. I guess we could have cancelled, and we should have.
We were at the point of the week where we just didn't know what to order anymore. So we both just opted for the skillet ($22.49) (which is what we had 2 years ago). DS ordered a cheeseburger and fries came with it--why don't they tell you that so your child can order something else instead? He doesn't even like fries that much and didn't even touch them.
We started out with a mango smoothie which was very good (4.29 each). DS had an apple juice. She brought the skillet out and I'm sorry, but we both think this is the biggest ripoff if 2 people order it. It comes with Mixed greens with apple vinaigrette dressing, fresh baked cornbread with mashed potatoes, coleslaw, cowboy beans and seasonal vegetables.
Smoked pork ribs, pulled pork, oven-roasted chicken, Peel-n-Eat shrimp.
Ok, the coleslaw is in a little tin cup, that is MAYBE 2 small forkfuls. There is very few mashed potatoes, and the beans are about 1/2 cup in the center of the skillet (that taste like they have taco seasoning in them). The "seasonal vegetables" are 2 small ears of corn (like those mini Green Giant ones). The ribs were so black and dry you couldn't even chew them. The pulled pork was ok. DH said the chicken was excellent, I didn't have any, because I ate the shrimp. I had a few shrimp in there that were questionable---and later that night I think that's what had me praying to the porcelain Gods. I won't be eating shrimp for quite awhile.
If I were a large eater, I could probably have eaten this whole skillet myself. So when 2 people order it, they are definitely making out on the customer. I guess if I were wise and REALLY hungry, I could have ordered a meal and he could have ordered the skillet and we could have shared. We just feel this is overly priced for the contents of it.
Dessert was smores cheesecake for myself ($5.49) (which was very good) and a nice break from all that meat. DH ordered a Banana Dustbowl ($5.49) and he said it was ok, but didn't eat it all. DS ordered worms n dirt ($1.75).
There were lots of pony riding and hollering going on, but we could only hear it, not see it. I'm sorry to all of you WCC fans out there, but we are crossing this place off for next time. The server was not friendly at all either and would come by our table and ignore us while waiting on the other table that was connected to the same bench as ours. This was one of those meals where the 18% tip was definitely not warranted, sorry. Yes, she carried our food out, but she did not ask for any beverage refills (with empty glasses sitting in eyes view), she acted like it was just a bother to wait on us. If you hate your job that much at Disney, you should just stay home. ($87.50 + $4.97)
Next will be Le Cellier--MAYBE with pics, as I used my video camera to take some still ones, but not quite sure if they came out. It was soooo dark in there and I had my night shot on.
We both ordered the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup ($4.99) which was very good and the 5 oz. Filet Mignon which was served over cream cheese mashed potatoes finished with a roasted garlic demi-glace ($21.99) DS ordered the steak dinner also which came with steak fries. We all thought the meal was excellent. The service was fast and friendly and they couldn't have been nicer to us. Oh and btw, the breadsticks that they brought out were very good also. Multigrain, sourdough and 2 pretzel sticks. Yum yum.
