So, here are the other two signature restaurant reviews:
Hollywood Brown Derby
We had a lunch ADR there and checked in a little bit early with a slightly grumpy CM. Not a god start if you are made feel like you are disturbing them when you want to dine there
We waited a few minutes and got a table in a booth on the upper level. We rather liked the location as we had a good view of the whole restaurant. However they somehow separated that larger booth table into two and at some point another couple arrived who got the other half of the booth and I thought that they were a bit too close to us.
I really wanted to try the Cobb Salad and ordered it despite it being an appetizer for two. I always thought I would really love it. However, it turned out that I didnt. First of all there was quite a bit of parsley in it if I remember correctly and after cilantro, this is my second least favourite herb. So that did take away from the experience. Also, all the ingredients were very cold and while I understand that things need to be refrigerated I just hate ice cold salads. And obviously the portion was far too large
I am glad that I tried it and now I know that I dont have to ever get it again.
Katharina had a tuna tartar appetizer which we both thought was excellent. However, a lady on a neighbouring table had a lot of trouble with it. It was advertised on the menu with a wasabi sauce. The lady thought that this sauce did not have enough wasabi in it and therefore requested more wasabi. The she thought that the wasabi killed the taste of the tuna and requested soy sauce. In the end I am sure she did not taste anything of the truly fantastic tuna which in our opinion did not need very much as an accompaniment, the hint of wasabi was quite perfect in our opinion. Well people have different tastes obviously.
We also shared the filet as an entrée. It was good, but not spectacular. I also think that we had trouble getting a second plate even though we had said that we wanted to share it.
I think Katharina enjoyed the meal there more than me, which shows that ones ordering does have a huge influence on how much you enjoy a restaurant. I also felt that because of it being inside a theme park it felt less like a refined experience there was a certain clash between the servers and the surroundings on one side and the guests (us included) on the other side.
I enjoyed the food very much and the location, but I remember that I was not so happy with our server who seemed care a lot more about other guest when we declined ordering cocktails.
Flying Fish
This is my favourite signature dining restaurant at WDW and I was so much looking forward to this meal as I was finally a local for this restaurant as we were staying at the Boardwalk. Also, my mother had given me a nice sum of money to use for a Birthday meal for me and Katharina during the trip and we had decided to use it here. We had an ADR for our last night of the trip and thought we would end on a high note!
But then we were off to a horrible start. We arrived a little bit before our ADR time and were told that they were running behind and it would be about a 30 minutes wait. We were told that the beeper would also work at the Belle Vue Loungs, so we went there. We were thinking about getting a drink, but really werent sure how that would work if our beeper went off while we were still waiting for the drinks, could we take them with us etc. Also, there never ever came a server to ask whether we wanted to order a drink whom we could have asked
Well, somehow time passed and the beeper did not go off. I think at about 40 minutes past our ADR time we ventured back to the Flying Fish. They had a podium outside the doors for check in and we asked there what was going on. They told us that they should have a table very soon, so we just waited around there. After a while the CM (who was very nice!!) said that we should go ahead and wait inside as they were going to call us any minute. We ended up waiting for another 20 minutes. So it was about a full hour after our original ADR time. I think it would not have bothered me as much if there had been a better place to wait, but it felt like we did not belong anywhere and were just sitting around without any purpose
And since it was our last evening it felt even more like we were being cheated out of valuable vacation time.
And then we ended up with a table directly next to the kitchen entrance next to a server station. It really was not a good table at all. However, we had a very nice server (only ever had very good servers at FF!) and he came out with a free glass of champagne for my birthday! That was very nice!
I think we even discussed whether we would ask for a different table, but decided we were too hungry to wait any longer.
I ordered exactly the same food as I had last year: a Caesar salad and the NY strip steak. Both were really fantastic again. Katharina had the same appetizer as last year again, the crab cakes. I think she really loves that dish. She also had a salmon dish which she was very happy with. I did? I mean, I did have a salmon dish? Yes, that's what the receipt says. And then I could not resist and got a dessert: Trio of Concession Sweets - Out on the Boardwalk - Popcorn Mousse and Caramel Corn, Cherry-limeade popsicle, Peanut butter-chocolate-marshmallow moon pie, and pound cake fries. It was very interesting and fun to eat. The popsicle was very sour, but I like that. My favourite was the popcorn mouse a great contrast to the popsicle!
So in the end we had an excellent meal with wonderful food, but because of the unfortunate start to the meal some of the happy mood we so much had hoped for for this meal was missing.
However, thinking about where I want to eat on my next trip to WDW, I am thinking that FF will be the one where I want to return to the most. Oh, and I already have an ADR for it for the spring!
) so Jiko is out this trip and California Grill is scheduled to be closed for rehab....
I'm just kidding...
(Mostly...
I guess because we're always going to Boma. One of these days though. And I've never been to Cali Grill either, but it's on the short list for next time. 
But I am glad that it all went well in the end and I am sure that this experience created an even stronger bond with their host family!
