Going out to dinner can be a problem in my house. Its not the going out part (we all like to get out into the world), or even the dinner part (Lord knows I enjoy a good meal
entirely too much to be sure, but I enjoy it). No, the problem comes in deciding where to go. You see I absolutely h-a-t-e picking a restaurant. The fact of the matter is that my single favorite place to sit-down and have a meal is any good dining establishment that I did not pick. Literally anything will do just so long and someone else picks it, or pulls the name out of a hat, or a book or as a suggestion box, or in an attempt to spite me
I really dont care. Ill find something on just about any menu; I just hate picking the spot.
Now most of the folks that Ive explained this situation to will say back to me something like: So, your wife gets to choose any place and youll take her there? Ill bet shes rather pleased with that arrangement. Well
youd be wrong. Nearly twenty-two yeas Ive been re-explaining to her that I really dont care
she still doesnt believe me. While she could pick anything at anytime, she worries that it may be something that I wont like (which is virtually imposable). This is because she spends the better part of her time trying to spoil me rotten (while Im attempting to do exactly the same thing back to her
yah, I know
were pretty sickening). Net result
we have such a hard time deciding where to go that were my Southern Bell more hot tempered, shed likely be threatening me with bodily harm on a regular bases
Given our more sedated temperaments though, well either end up somewhere very familiar, or we often just give up and stay in.
Except
at Disney World.
Here we normally have no trouble at all picking a place. If theres an issue here, its just figuring out whether or not we can afford it (this time). I did say normally back there didnt I? Well good, because this day we actually didnt have a plan, and thats usually where the trouble begins. Oddly though, not having any ADRs would help the process, because wed be limited in our options and would need to find something where walk-ups were feasible. And if you cant go to one of the parks (and we couldnt), then youre left with only the choices of a resort QS, or Downtown Disney.
We chose option two and decided to head on over to this sot on the map
and, wed start off over on the West Side with the intention of just wandering around until something struck our fancy.
Well the first decision had been made at least.
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The Three States of Water
At the end of the last episode, our Wilderness Explorers were exploring the Wilderness (go figure). Specifically, the lower edge of the property near the shores of Bay Lake. Well, even more correctly near the local watering hole. This place right here
The Trout Pass Pool Bar is the place to be if youre enjoying the water but are in need of something a bit more icy to quench your thirst. Now, since weve got time, we might as well take a peek at something else that can be found down here; water in a somewhat more volatile form
Firerock Geyser
Not much to look at just now, but give it some time and youll end up with something more like this
This particular geyser is more faithful then Ol Faithful, and puts on a rather thermo dynamic display near the top of every hour. You gotta love Imagineering. I took a number of pictures of this five or six-minute tantrum, but they all look rather similar. Thats not to say that these aqueous eruptions arent worth bothering with, no sir
more rather its to say that photographs really dont do it justice. I should have taken a video, or better yet, you need to go see it for yourself.
From here we decided to walk down to the beach for a quick look-see. On the way there is a spot for renting bikes, surrey bikes and other such paraphernalia.
And one of these here first days I need to rent me one of these new fangled contraptions
Had I been thinking, one of them might have come in handy later on in the trip, but thats a story for latter on. Just beyond this hut is water in its more natural form
the actual beach
OK
it the man made shore line of a man made lake (and you cant swim in it), but still
Obviously theres also a nice little playground down here (and most guests are blissfully unaware of this fact, so keep it in mind if you got youngens that are needin to burn off a little bit of energy. The Disney folks also set up an outdoor theater down here in the evenings showing family oriented movies (Disney properties of course). Quite often they are even films that were only recently in the theaters. Just check with the desk and theyll let you know whats playing. Lastly youll find plenty of seating for just whiling away the afternoon and watching the goings on about the lake
These are also useful for another evening spectacle, but Ill save that for a little later on as well. Needless to say
well be back.
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Going Downtown
It was getting about time to start off toward our next adventure for the day. Of course where we needed to be (that being the bus stop) was clear across the grounds and up the hill. Time to start making a move in that direction. We headed up the path between the Lodge and a more recent addition to the area
The Villas at the Wilderness Lodge
As the CMs like to say: Welcome Home!
We didnt take any time to explore the building, but I know from my reading that the folks, who chose to spend their DVC points here, are pretty much satisfied with their decision. I did take a quick moment to grab a picture of the Villas pool (since it was on our way up to the bus pavilion).
Looks quite relaxing if I do say so
considerably less hustle and bustle then at the main water feature. But then again, calmness is one of the driving forces behind DVC in the first place (and one reason why I hope at some time in the future to be able to acquire a contract or two).
Once we made the top of the hill a bus was along to scoop us up in no time at all. After a pleasant enough ride the three of use hopped off at the far end of DTD right near Planet Hollywood. On the way past this attraction, we noticed this little bit of film memorabilia
If perchance you dont recognize this humble vessel (which played a small part in generating my Dis-Name), Im sure there are several of my regulars who can enlighten you.
The plan was to wander around this far end of Downtown (which we generally dont get over to that often) and see what was available. There were plenty of places to grab a bite, knock back a drink, and drop a buck or fifty on a garment or some other type of doo-lolly. Its pretty much the way I remember it (but with fewer Disney touches then youd find at the other end of the venue). Another aspect of this area that makes it different is the generous smattering of live performers. Like this fella
Ive seen living statue performers a number of times (usually at Epcot and usually around the Italy pavilion), but I hadnt encountered one in a good while (Im not certain they still do this in the WS actually). These cats are fun to watch as they surprise, embarrass and outright startle the passers by and those brave enough to stop for a picture.
A little farther along, I saw this gent setting up his gear.
The presence of a didgeridoo certainly caught my eye, but not knowing exactly when hed be getting started, we didnt stay. I later learned that as decisions go, this one was a mistake (and that is why Im telling you about this bloke in the first place). His name is
Dominic Gaudious and hes a regular performer at DTD. As guitar players go, hes very, very good and someone worth listening to (or at least googleing) if you get the chance. Here, Ill even give you a link to one short performance that somebody thought to put up on the web (there are plenty others as well).
If I see this picker anywhere on property the next time were down that way, Ill be buying a drink from somewhere and finding a spot to grab a seat so that I can stay and listen for a while.
From here we crossed over into the Pleasure Island part of Downtown and encountered this sad site
A moment of silence if you please while we pass by the memorial for one of the most missed and revered of the lost attractions in DTD (or anywhere else within WDW). May someone in Imaginering find some why to resurrect this little gem.
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Thirty-Seven
Well wed done a good bit of exploring and general walking around thus far today and the dinner hour had crept up upon us. Of course, and as I said earlier, that was actually a problem. Now we had to make a decision. Not wanting to have to think about it, we decided let fate make the call (cause we just werent in the mood). Wed stop at the next restaurant we came to and if the wait was under thirty minutes
that was where wed be dinning, otherwise wed move on down to the next one and so on.
Well the next thing we encountered along the way did happen to be a restaurant and it also happened to be one that wed not heard of: Paradiso 37
It was open
we were there
we gave it a shot. At the door the word was that itd be a while before a table would open up, but
if we didnt mind sitting outside on the porch, theyd seat us right now. That option didnt take much effort to weigh.
Dining al fresco it is; lead on garcon.
Dining on the porch turned out to be a very pleasant experience. It was starting to cool down, there was a nice breeze, and the view from our table was excellent
Better yet
there was more live music out here (and live music is almost always a win).
We had no idea what the specialty of the house was, but considering the chosen name of the establishment our suspicions were that there would be some type of Latin influence. As it turns out, their shtick is to celebrate all the nations of the American continents. All thirty-seven of them. Given this info, youd expect the menu to be rather broad, and youd be right. Heres what it looked like while we were down there
Paradiso 37
Starters
Caribbean Crab and Fish Fritters
Crab Meat, Shrimp & Fish Combined with Bell Peppers & Cilantro.
Coconut Lime Dipping Sauce
North American Corn Dogs
Bite-sized Corn Dogs Fried to a Golden Brown.
Served with Honey Dijon Mustard Dipping Sauce
Chorizo & Beef Skewers (serves 2)
Spicy Chorizo & Marinated Beef Skewers. Served with Chimichurri Pita Bread,
Marinated Mushrooms & Citrus Yogurt Sauce
Quesadillas
Flour Tortillas Stuffed with your Choice of Steak or Chicken.
Topped with Imported Cheeses and Served with Sour Cream and Pico de Gallo
Shrimp Ceviche
lime juice, tangy tomato sauce, fresh chilies, cucumber and Avocado
Mac & Cheese Bites
crisp on the outside, creamy on the inside,
served with a jalapeno and cilantro dipping sauce
Chili Con Carne
slow cooked ground beef with onions, peppers and Chiles.
Topped with Imported Cheeses and served with corn tortilla chips
P-37 Nachos (serves 2)
corn tortilla chips, queso fundido, chili, queso fresco, sour cream,
pico de gallo, jalapenos
Central American Crazy Corn
Fire roasted corn on the cob topped with a
spicy yellow pepper sauce and importedl cheeses
P-37 Salads, Sandwiches and Burgers
Skewered Shrimp & Jicama Orange Salad
Three Jumbo Skewered Shrimp with Mixed Greens Tossed with Orange Segments,
Jicama, Dried Apricots, Raisins, Toasted Almond and Pumpkin Seeds
in a Prickly Pear Vinaigrette
Grilled Chicken Tortilla Salad
mixed greens tossed with roasted corn, diced tomatoes, crispy tortilla chips
and Queso fresco in a citrus vinaigrette $13.99; side salad without chicken
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
a crispy romaine lettuce tossed with toasted croutons, parmesan cheese and
homemade Caesar dressing. Topped with seasoned grilled chicken breast
Bacon and Pineapple Burger
8 ounce grilled and topped with smoked gouda, grilled pineapple, honey glazed bacon,
borracho beans, serrano slaw . Served on toasted bun with P-37 fries
Grilled Chicken Sandwich
grilled chicken breast, bacon, P-37 guacamole, queso fresco, Borracho beans,
serrano slaw, toasted bun, with P-37 fries
Jalapeno Burger
8-oz. Burger Grilled & Topped with Cheddar Cheese, Guacamole,
Marinated Jalapenos & Pico de Gallo. Served on a Toasted Bun with P-37 Fries
Blackened Mahi Mahi Sliders
Lettuce & Tomato, Aji Amarillo, toasted Brioche Buns with P-37 Fries
Paradiso 37 Cheeseburger
8-oz. Burger Grilled & Topped with Cheddar Cheese, Onions, Lettuce & Tomato,
Borracho beans, serrano slaw, toasted bun, with P-37 fries.
Platters from the Americas
Enchiladas
chicken or beef, corn tortillas with your choice of guajillo or mole verde sauces.
Served with cilantro rice and black beans.
Baja Fish Tacos
crispy seasonal fish, roasted corn salsa, lime crema, spicy slaw, tortilla salad
Burritos
Choice of Grilled Chicken or Beef, flour tortilla, Sauteed Peppers, Squash, Red Onions,
Imported Cheeses, Sweet Chipotle BBQ Sauce, Cilantro Rice and Black Beans
Chilean Style Salmon
Fire Roasted Salmon Served with Roasted Potatoes and Seasonal Vegetables
Colombian Style Crispy Hen
marinated with onions, garlic, lemon and cilantro, fresh Citrus Marmalade and
Served with Grilled Corn Cakes and Roasted Seasonal Vegetables
Char Broiled Filet Mignon
roasted seasonal vegetables, grilled corn cakes
Seared Seasonal Fish
lemon vinaigrette, shaved garden vegetables, grilled corn cakes
Citrus BBQ Pork Ribs
Slow Roasted, Fall-Off-the-Bone Ribs Topped P-37 Tangy BBQ Sauce.
Served with Serrano Slaw
Argentinean Skirt Steak
grilled skirt steak topped with caramelized onions and Chimichurri sauce
served with P-37 fries
Combo Plates
Surf & Turf Paradiso 37 Style
grilled BBQ shrimp and Argentinean skirt steak, corn on the cob,
roasted seasonal vegetables, grilled Corn Cakes
From the Sea Platter
ire roasted salmon, baja fish taco, shrimp ceviche, tortilla salad
From the Land Platter
Grilled Skirt steak, spicy chorizo skewers, chicken flauas, black beans,
and cilantro rice
Chips, Dips and Queso
Mexican Dipping Trio
Chunky Guacamole, Chili con Carne & Spinach Queso Dips.
Served with Corn Tortilla Chips
Guacamole
homemade, chunky fresh avocado with Fresh Tomato, Lime & Cilantro.
Served with Corn Tortilla Chips.
Chips and Salsa
crn torilla chips with housemade fire roasted tomato salsa
[/u]Salsa Trio[/u]
pineapple salsa, tomatillo salsa Verde, and fire roasted salsa diablo.
Served with corn tortilla chips
Paradiso 37 Queso
Imported Cheeses Flavored with Spinach, Cilantro, Peppers, Chiles & Onions.
Served with Corn Tortilla Chips
Street Bites for Little Tykes
PB & J Triple Stack
built with layers of creamy peanut butter and grape jelly on crustless bread.
Served with applesauce
Double Dog
grilled hot dog and corn dog bites served with creamy mac & cheese
and fresh carrot & celery sticks
Mexican Crispy Corn Shell Tacos
Stuffed with Chicken or Beef with Lettuce, Tomatoes & Cheeses.
Served with Black Beans and Cilantro Rice
Kids Mini Cheeseburgers
Served on a Fresh Baked Buns and Topped with Cheddar Cheese.
Served with Fresh Carrot and Celery Sticks
Chicken Fingers
Lightly Breaded and Fried to Golden Brown.
Served with Applesauce and Fresh Carrot & Celery Sticks
Grilled Fish
Served with Creamy Mac & Cheese and Roasted Carrots
[/u]Grilled Chicken[/u]
Served with Creamy Mac & Cheese Roasted Carrots
Sweets from the Americas
Paradiso 37 Chocolate Stack
Layers of Decadent Chocolate Cake and Creamy Chocolate Mousse
Served on a Bed of Warm Caramel Sauce.
Topped with Vanilla Ice Cream and Rainbow Sprinkled Whipped Cream
Churros & Sopapillas Combo
Dusted with Cinnamon Sugar and Served with Caramel & Chocolate Sauces
Mini Ice Cream Cones
four waffle cones of vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and cookies &
cream ice creams, topped with sprinkles
Tres Leches
Layers of White Cake Soaked in Sweet Milks and Layered with
Fresh Strawberry Mousse. Topped with Meringue and
Served with Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Seasonal Fruit Empanadas
Housemade Bite Size Empanadas Filled with Seasonal Fruit and
Dusted in Powdered Sugar. Served Warm and Crispy with Caramel
and Fresh Fruit Marmalade Dipping Sauces
Now yall have been reading along with me for a good while now, so you might be able to figure out what I would normally have chosen. But this evening I was in an odd mood and decided to try something a bit different from my normal beef tendencies: the
Baja Fish Tacos, and they were right good I might add. Tamara went lighter with the
Mexican Dipping Trio which she then shared with the rest of us while trying little bites of the other goodies that Max and I had ordered. As for the boy
he is far more consistent:
Paradiso 37 Cheeseburger, without the rabbit food. The Borracho beans and serrano slaw that came along for the ride were used to round out his parents dinners.
All in all
an excellent meal.
Since we were there I have read some mixed reviews on this these folks. The worst ones called it mediocre (although nearly all of them praised the bar), but Ive not yet read where anyone flat out hated it. We were pleasantly surprised and will certainly keep it in mind for a future visit. Paradiso 37 turned out to be an excellent decision. Thats a good thing seeing as when you just randomly chose an unknown place for dinner, you can never really be sure just what youre getting yourself into.