Follow me to the Boardwalk! 10/23 - 11/7 UPDATED 4/13 BEACHES & CREAM

[pumba]

thanks for the awesome photos of all that food at Park Fare...sometimes we should follow our gut and do what we need to do...we are doign that on our next trip..reservations at O hana...hope it is as good as it has been...thanks again for your reviews

 

[kastoney]

Love it when a plan b works out so well. Love the idea of just having a drink, app, and dessert. Especially when the drink is an avocado margarita. I'm going to have to try those tingas one of these days. They look and sound delicious. And if they are one of your favorites, I know I'd love them : )

 

[Wood Nymph]

On the day after Christmas, we hosted our annual Christmas Around the World party with 22 family members and friends in attendance. This year, at the 6th annual party, wines, cheeses, entrees & side dishes, and desserts were served from 7 different countries of the world. Emily took some photos from our first course, which included 13 different wines, at least a dozen cheeses, along with various accompaniments.

This looks like a lot of fun. What a great way to extend the Christmas celebrations.

Sadly I didn't make it to any of the 7 Marketplace kiosks located in Future World. I had planned to try something from the two booths inspired by ABC's t.v. show, The Chew, but failed to carry out my plan. Hopefully they will be back next year so that I will have another opportunity. Did anyone get to try any of their offerings? What did you think?

I had heard that the truffle dessert was the thing to try there. I'm really sad I didn't get to taste it.

Someone told us this was the best thing they had eaten at the festival so far, so we tried it. We didn't care for it at all.

Last year I had the Fisherman's Pie here and really enjoyed it so wanted to have this again...

This was the first time I tried this dish and I really liked it. If we ever get back to Food & Wine I'm going to have it again.I don't think we'll be able to make it back in October, though. Work is too busy that time of year.

You might also be at WDW right now, munching on some fish and chips in the Florida sun instead of the Illinois snow. I hope so!

We were in Disney when you posted this update. We had our fish and chips and the lobster bisque on Saturday. I wasn't going to miss out on some of my favorite foods.

But anyway, this was a tasty dessert and a good ending to a great meal...one of my favorite dinners of the trip!

We ate at the Wave in Dec 2013 and it was really good. I had the pork tenderloin and DH had the same dish that you did. We have wanted to return but haven't managed to fit it in.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Then it was time for the Main Street Electrical Parade to begin. Not sure if this is always the case, but on this evening the FP+ reserved area was in the Town Square area in front of Tony's restaurant. I found myself a spot which had a direct view of Main street and the castle.
This would have been a perfect location for taking parade photos with the castle in the background had the parade started that night in Frontierland. But sadly it started on Main Street, went around the circle (where I was standing) and then down Main Street toward the castle. So in other words, most of my photos are of the back end of everything. But I'll show some of these anyway.

That is where they usually put the fastpass area, but it is crazy that they put you here when the parade went backward.

But when I left the restaurant and walked past the entrance to the Grand Floridian Cafe, I couldn't help but feel some pangs of regret. Though I thought I might be able to fit in a visit to the GFC to have my much-loved French toast sometime later in my trip, it never happened. So I guess the moral of my story is never assume, as you know what they say about the word "assume".

The buffet looks pretty good. It's too bad they didn't have the good french toast that you were looking for.

Oh, I had forgotten that they serve the soup at dinner too. After tasting it, I'm surprised it is that popular. I guess it's a case of "different strokes for different folks."

I wasn't impressed with the strawberry soup, but my three year old granddaughter loved it.

I was easily able to get in here without a reservation, as the restaurant was mostly empty at around 2:00 or 2:30 in the afternoon.

It is empty around 1pm, too. It must be popular for dinner.

The green salsa is fine but I've never cared for their red one. It tastes more like a smokey barbecue sauce than a red salsa.

I love the green salsa. I could eat the whole container.

I really love these! In fact, this could very well be my favorite WDW appetizer, as of now anyway. The chicken is always so moist and flavorful. Combined with the other ingredients, this makes for a delicious shared appetizer or in my case, can serve as an entree.

I love the tostadoes and it is the reason we keep coming back here. We also tried the tortilla soup for the first time and it was really good. I love the way they serve it, with the ingredients sitting in the bowl and the broth poured over them at the table. It has the same ingredients that I like to put in my tortilla soup.

 

[jabead]

Yum!!! I have contemplated going here for some time - we just never get there, especially since our most recent visit was during Food and Wine.

We do have Narcoossee's planned for our next trip so I cannot wait to hear about that one.

I should have the Narcoossee's review posted later tonight or in the morning so please stay tuned!

I agree with you on that avocado margarita. I have tried local ones here in San Antonio and they don't compare to the one there. Your appetizer looked really good. I too had a nice solo lunch there last month, I didn't like it the first time I went with a friend. Now I can't wait to go back!

Yes, the Austin avocado margarita actually tasted like avocado. Not sure what the La Cava/SAI tastes like but it sure tastes good!

I think am going to have to include San Angel in my dining plans, even if it's just for the dessert and ambiance! LOL That cheesecake looks super yum!

While the nighttime "ambiance" of SAI does not make for great photos, it really is a beautiful restaurant. And then there is the added incentive of their margaritas, tostadas, and now the cheesecake.

The pics of you with the characters are adorable! SAI is making me hungry! Looks so fresh & we just love the atmosphere there too.

I think SAI has become a must-do for me!

I love San Angel, I agree I am not sure what is up with the red salsa but it is not good
The new dessert menu looks great and yay for an uncrowded restaurant!

I had never really paid much attention to the dessert menu at SAI before. Was this a new menu? If so, then I approve!

Great reviews! I am not an avocado person, but all these reviews make me want to try that drink! Also, DH and I are headed to Disney at the end of Sept. beginning of Oct. for our 15th Anniversary trip. We are hoping to catch our first Food and Wine festival, do you or anyone else have tips for us F&W newbies?

My advice would be to allow at least two or three of your meals to be eaten at the booths if you are able to fit that into your schedule. While these meals will not be the most economical, it is so much fun to try so many different things from around the world. The booth menus will be posted online well before the start of the festival which will allow you to form a plan and make a budget, if need be. Enjoy!

thanks for the awesome photos of all that food at Park Fare...sometimes we should follow our gut and do what we need to do...we are doign that on our next trip..reservations at O hana...hope it is as good as it has been...thanks again for your reviews

I haven't been to 'Ohana for dinner since I had a bad experience there with service back in 2011. Perhaps it's about time to "forgive and forget" and give it another go sometime. Anyway, I hope your gut is right and you have a great dinner there.

Love it when a plan b works out so well. Love the idea of just having a drink, app, and dessert. Especially when the drink is an avocado margarita. I'm going to have to try those tingas one of these days. They look and sound delicious. And if they are one of your favorites, I know I'd love them : )

Oh yes, I highly recommend that you try the tostadas. I've had them several times now and they've never let me down.

This was the first time I tried this dish and I really liked it. If we ever get back to Food & Wine I'm going to have it again.I don't think we'll be able to make it back in October, though. Work is too busy that time of year.

Oh no, I was hoping to meet up with you again in late October.

 

[jabead]

I had originally left this night open on my dining schedule because I had thoughts of maybe going to the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party which was held on Tuesday, Oct. 27th. However, when I finally decided that I would go to the party, I discovered that it was sold out...as were all the remaining nights of the party. So I began looking for a place to have dinner. After considering several options I finally decided on the Grand Floridian Cafe, as I've only been to breakfast here. But then on a whim I checked online to see if Narcoossee's (where I had had my favorite dinner on my last trip) to see if they might have any openings. I was surprised when a time popped up, albeit a late time for dinner as it was for 9:15. So I could either stick to my self-imposed dining rules for this trip and have dinner at a new (for me) restaurant or I could break all the rules yet again and return to a restaurant that I had just been to a little more than 5 months ago. Which did I choose?








So would breaking my own rules pay off for a second time in one day? Read on to find out.


I left my room at the Boardwalk a bit later than I had planned, so despite not having to wait very long for a bus to Magic Kingdom, I still feared that I would be a little late for my 9:15 ADR at Narcoossee's. But then on my way to the monorail from the bus stop, I noticed the small boat that runs between the Grand Floridian, Polynesian and the Magic Kingdom was pulling up to the MK boat dock. SCORE! Not only is the boat a faster way to get to the Grand Floridian from Magic Kingdom, as it goes there directly versus the Resort monorail which first stops at the Contemporary, the Transportation & Ticket Center, and the Polynesian before reaching the Grand Floridian, but the boat docks right next to the restaurant. This saves more time plus several steps for already tired feet, since it is a pretty good distance from the GF's monorail platform (on the 2nd floor of the main building) to outside and down the path to Narcoosse's, which is located waterside.







So I ended up being about 15 minutes early for my ADR rather than being late. However, as luck would have it, I still was not seated until about 9:30. But this gave me a little more time to get hungry, so perhaps it was a good thing.

Now on to the food, starting with photos of their menu from the night of October 27th along with some of Narcoossee's sourdough bread to feast (your eyes) on while you peruse them...













Though there were several entrees on the menu which appealed to me, I really wanted to try something new. During my last visit to Narcoossee's my son had ordered (and I tasted) the Pork Chop...




One of my daughters had the Scallops (and again I tasted)...




And the other daughter had the filet...




As for me, I loved the Halibut that I ordered...




And on my previous visit to Narcoossee's in October 2014 I really enjoyed the Shrimp & Pasta entree...





While I like lobster, I didn't like its $72 price tag. So that left the chicken (which I had had two nights ago at California Grill) or the ahi tuna (which was probably very good, but I'm generally not a fan). What did I do???


I ordered a salad and an appetizer instead!


At that time, Narcoossee's had two salads on their menu. The first was their Aunt Debby's Romaine salad, which I believe remains on their menu year round. But instead I chose their seasonal salad...





Vine-ripened Heirloom Tomatoes with Goat's Milk Feta Cheese, Tiny Mustard Greens, Central Valley Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Concord Grape Vinegar, Sunflower Sprouts, and Sunflower Seed Brittle


This doesn't look very pretty in the photos, however it was pretty...DELICIOUS!! Though I'm generally not a fan of frisee, it went well with the tomatoes (I believe there were at least three different kinds of tomatoes), the feta cheese, and the grape vinegar and olive oil dressing. Oh, and the very tasty things which look like croutons made from pumpernickel bread were actually the sunflower seed brittle. This salad was a hit with me!


I wish I could say the same about my appetizer choice...





Crispy Rhode Island Calamari with Peppadew-Banana Pepper-Olive Relish and Tomato Coulis


I love calamari that is crispy, but despite its description, this calamari was not crispy. Since it was covered with tomato sauce, the calamari ended up being rather limp and rubbery. So while I liked the taste of the sauce and the relish (especially the green olives) was good, the calamari was overall a disappointment for me.


Between my salad course and the calamari (which I asked to be served separately), it was time to go outside on the restaurant's deck to watch HalloWishes. I only took a few photos, of which most didn't turn out that well, but here is one so that you can get an idea of the vantage point of this location.





After I was finished with the calamari my server asked if I would like to see a dessert menu, which of course I did, if only to take a photo for my review...




I remembered that Jeri (jerseytinkerbell) had once written in a review that she was able to get the cheesecake dessert to go here, so I succumbed to my temptation and ordered this...


Almond-crusted Cheesecake with Lambert Cherry Sauce

Though this didn't look nearly as pretty in a to-go box as when presented on a dessert plate, it was still incredibly delicious...when I ate a bite back at my hotel room that night, a few more bites the next morning for breakfast, and the rest for breakfast the morning after that. Two days old and it was still wonderful. Narcoossee's cheesecake is one of my favorite WDW desserts!!



So if you were keeping score, you know that this dinner had two successes and one failure. And as the musician Meat Loaf would say,

"Two out of Three Ain't Bad"




... especially when combined with good service and a great view of the fireworks.

​

Next up: Breakfast from the Boardwalk Bakery

 

[vettegirl]

That is too bad that the calamari wasn't that good. Normally its crispy, as it's one of my fav apps on property. Your salad looks delicious. I agree with you that cheesecake is downright amazing! I normally get mine to go as well.

 

[rteetz]

That's nice that you were able to get an ADR for Narcoossees so late. Maybe some day I'll eat there.

 

[Wood Nymph]

And on my previous visit to Narcoossee's in October 2014 I really enjoyed the Shrimp & Pasta entree...

This is the dish that I would love to try. It looks really good.

ut instead I chose their seasonal salad..This doesn't look very pretty in the photos, however it was pretty...DELICIOUS!!

I'm glad that you ordered this so I could find out if it was good or not.

Almond-crusted Cheesecake with Lambert Cherry Sauce

This also looks good. I guess two out of three isn't too bad.

 

[suse66]

Glad to hear a good report of Narcoosees. We are eating there on the our March trip and are really looking forward to it. We have not been there since our trip in 2009! Are they pretty flexible on splitting portions? The twins love lobster but would not be able to manage 2lbs of it.

 

[momof3princes]

That cheesecake looks amazing, I read so many good reports about it! I do not like raw tomatoes, I wish I did since that salad looked great. Bummer the calamari was mushy. I love calamari with the peppers and olives too. Maybe it was an off night for that...

 

[Vernie822]

Narcoossee's looks FABULOUS!! I know for a fact I am getting that cheesecake!

I'm thinking that pasta looks delicious as well, though I was thinking of doing filet since we'll be on the dining plan this time.

 

[WildGinger]

Yum, I love Narcoossees! I just love the Almond Cheesecake! I had the filet and lobster tail...that was beyond good. I have never had such amazing lobster and we live in NH and get Maine lobster whenever, lol!

 

[jabead]

That is too bad that the calamari wasn't that good. Normally its crispy, as it's one of my fav apps on property. Your salad looks delicious. I agree with you that cheesecake is downright amazing! I normally get mine to go as well.

Hmm...does the calamari usually come with that much sauce? I suspect the abundance of sauce was the reason for my soggy calamari.

This is the dish that I would love to try. It looks really good.
I'm glad that you ordered this so I could find out if it was good or not.
This also looks good. I guess two out of three isn't too bad.

The shrimp and pasta was very good. A very close second to my favorite entree that I've had at Narcoossee's, the halibut.

Glad to hear a good report of Narcoosees. We are eating there on the our March trip and are really looking forward to it. We have not been there since our trip in 2009! Are they pretty flexible on splitting portions? The twins love lobster but would not be able to manage 2lbs of it.

I don't think splitting would be a problem there, as long as you are not on the Dining Plan.

That cheesecake looks amazing, I read so many good reports about it! I do not like raw tomatoes, I wish I did since that salad looked great. Bummer the calamari was mushy. I love calamari with the peppers and olives too. Maybe it was an off night for that...

According to Lori's response (vettegirl's) it sounds like the calamari is normally crispy so I think it might have been just an off night.

Narcoossee's looks FABULOUS!! I know for a fact I am getting that cheesecake!

I'm thinking that pasta looks delicious as well, though I was thinking of doing filet since we'll be on the dining plan this time.

Well the filet or the lobster (or the steak and lobster tail combo) would be a better value on the dining plan. But sometimes you have to stop crunching the numbers and just go with what you feel like having.

Yum, I love Narcoossees! I just love the Almond Cheesecake! I had the filet and lobster tail...that was beyond good. I have never had such amazing lobster and we live in NH and get Maine lobster whenever, lol!

I would love to try the filet and lobster tail sometime. I just have a hard time swallowing that $75 price tag. But it sounds like it might be worth it.

 

[jabead]

Just a short update from the Boardwalk Bakery this time, since on the morning that I was there (Wednesday, Oct. 28th) it was busy so I didn't want to slow up the line by taking a lot of photos. Since I thought I would be back sometime for my much-loved Napoleon, I figured I could take more photos then.




However, my remaining week at the Boardwalk Inn came and went without me ever again setting foot in the Boardwalk Bakery. I'm not sure how that happened, but I suppose there was just too much good food to be had elsewhere.

NOTE: If you'd like to see a review which has more photos from the bakery, here is the LINK to my May visit there.


But anyway, here are the 1/2 dozen photos that I did take in October. I apologize that they are not very good, as again I took them hurriedly so that I wouldn't hold up the line. The first one is of their Holiday cupcake at that time...



Unfortunately I know nothing about this cupcake. I tried looking for it online but found nothing. Is anyone familiar with this cupcake? Anyone try it?


I spotted a dessert in the display case that I don't recall seeing here before so I snapped a quick photo of it...



Has anyone tried the Tres Leches dessert from the Boardwalk Bakery? It looks pretty good.


I was there though in search of a muffin and coffee so the remaining photos that I took were of the muffin choices offered here. First there were these Chocolate Chip Mickey muffins...


​

Then three flavors of regular muffins, Cranberry-Orange and Chocolate Chip...






And my favorite, Blueberry...




I took my blueberry muffin and coffee back to my room and enjoyed them along with a few bites of my Narcoossee's cheesecake.




This was the perfect breakfast, especially considering I had a 5 course lunch ahead of me.
​

Next up: Italian Regional Food and Wine Pairing Luncheon

 

[vettegirl]

Great pics of the offerings at the bakery. Also to answer your question on the sauce on the calamari, it is normally not as heavy as you experienced. However I have not had it in like 4 years.

 

[jabead]

My day began at Epcot with a visit to the Innoventions East building to get my F & W passport stamped for the 3rd day. I was there when the special area set up for Annual Passholders opened at 11:00, so was able to get my 3rd stamp and collect my 20th Anniversary port wine glass...

It was raining when I left the building and started toward World Showcase for my 12:00 lunch at Tutto Gusto. It began raining very hard as I approached World Showcase Plaza and even though I had both a rain poncho and umbrella, I was afraid I would be soaked by the time I reached Italy. So I had the idea (along with several others who were attending the lunch) of boarding the Friendship boat to take me across WSC lagoon to the Germany/Italy dock. I had just missed the first boat trip of the day across the lake so I got in line under the boat dock awning to wait for the boat to return. And there we waited, and waited, until we realized that they had docked the Friendship boats (probably due to the lightning). After waiting as long as I possibly could, I started my fast walk/slow run towards Italy. While I did manage to get there before noon, I was very wet. Of course, so were most of the lunch guests that were already waiting in the lobby of Tutto Italia. The CM's were well-prepared though for their rain-soaked guests, handing out towels and plastic bags for placing your wet ponchos and umbrellas. And so began my Italian Regional Food & Wine Pairing Luncheon at...




I was surprised when I was seated at the exact same table (for 6 guests) as last year. Here is a photo of my place setting, which looked rather intimidating...




Yes, there were six glasses...five of them for wine and one water glass.


Five wine pairings for the five courses which were to be served...





But before the antipasti course is the bread (focaccia and crispy thin breadsticks)...




This year the focaccia was a little different than last year as it had red pepper flakes. It was very good.


Another difference this year from last is that each of the five courses served included a trio of foods, beginning with the Trio di Antipasti...




The two meats were prosciutto (my favorite of this course) and dry salami. The cheese was Parmigiano Reggano with just a drizzle of honey, which is always good. This was paired with a very good pinot grigio wine. Though I enjoyed this course, I couldn't help but compare it to the delicious first course served at this lunch last year...





Last year the first course was a caprese salad consisting of a chopped tomato compote and Fior di Latte mozzarella cheese, which I loved.


Next up at the 2015 lunch was the First Course Trio of pastas...









The three pastas served were Risotto with Radicchio and Pancetta, Braised Beef Ravioli, and Potato Dumplings with an Arugula and Basil Pesto. These were paired with a cabernet wine. Being a big fan of ravioli, when the trio was placed in front of me I thought the Braised Beef Ravioli would be my favorite of the three. However, after tasting all of these, it seemed a little boring compared to the other two. The potato dumplings were actually my favorite, as I really enjoyed the taste of the pesto. But even though it was nice to have three different great pastas to try, none of these were quite as good as the one pasta that was served last year for the Pasta course...



This was Lobster Ravioli with Truffle Butter and was incredible...one of the best pastas I've had in my entire life!



However, the pattern was finally broken with the Second Course Trio served in 2015...




This included a Porcini-rubbed Lamb Chop...





A petite Beef Filet with Sweet and Sour Sauce...





And my favorite of the this trio, Pheasant Breast with a Pomegranate Glaze...





Also on this plate was a dollop of very tasty mashed potatoes, and all of this was paired with a red Bordeaux blend. Though the pheasant was my favorite, the other two meats were no slouches. I generally prefer a good filet or lamb chop (and these were both very good) over any kind of poultry dish, so I was actually surprised that the pheasant was my favorite. I think it was the delicious pomegranate glaze which tipped the scales in its favor. Anyway, with the exception of the wine (which was a bit too full body for my taste), this was my favorite course of this lunch. And so I could finally say that I enjoyed this course more than the duck breast served last year...




While I liked the pureed squash and pomegranate sauce which accompanied this, I'm not really a fan of duck so this course was a bit of a let down for me last year after the two wonderful courses which preceded it. However, this goes to show that their change to a trio of items for each course this year was probably a wise decision. With three choices it greatly increased the chances that everyone would find something that they liked with each course.


Now for a comparison of the cheese course. First this year's Trio of Formaggi...




I generally love blue cheeses, so the Gorgonzola Dolce was a big hit with me. The Fontina cheese and the Taleggio were both very good as well. I had never tried Taleggio cheese previously so it was nice to discover a new Italian cheese to add to my list of good cheeses. Like last year, this course was paired with the same very sweet dessert wine (Passito Montegrande). This wine was way too syrupy sweet to drink on its own, but was much improved when paired with the cheese.


Overall I would have to say that I enjoyed the three cheese choices served in 2015 a bit more than those served the year before...




Here was my description of these from last year's review: Two of these were soft cheeses (La Tur and Robiola) and the third was hard (Parmigiano Reggiano). I would have enjoyed the Parmigiano Reggiano with some honey, but since there was none it was probably my least favorite of the three. The Robiola seemed similar to Brie. I liked it but the creamy La Tur was my favorite.

It was interesting to read my suggestion (wish) last year that they add honey to the parmigiano reggiano.


So that just leaves the Dessert course, which in 2015 was this Trio di Dolci paired with a sweet red sparkling wine (Brachetto) that was similar to the popular Rosa Regale...




This included a tasty Mocha Tiramisu...





An even tastier chocolate lava cake, Tortino Caldo al Cioccolato...





And my favorite of the three, a ricotta cream puff (Delizia alla Crema Ricotta)...






I really enjoyed the addition of the fresh strawberry slices, soooo yummy!


But speaking of cream puffs, the dessert course last year was awesome...


Gianduia Profiterole - Vanilla Cream Puffs with Gianduia Chocolate


These were heavenly, so unfortunately none of the desserts in this year's trio were able to top this.


And then with a final toast with my dining companions, my lunch came to an end...





For me, this year's lunch was not quite as fantastic as the one I attended in 2014, however it was still an exceptional dining experience. Though it didn't work out quite as well for me, generally speaking I applaud their decision to serve a trio of items for each course this year. Also, the service was again wonderful, the food was very good, the wine pours were fairly generous, and like last year my tablemates were all friendly so overall I felt that the Italian Regional lunch was well-worth its $94 (plus tax) price. This luncheon is definitely on my wish list of F & W special events to attend next year!


​

Next up: Dinner at La Hacienda de San Angel

 

[vettegirl]

Great review of the luncheon! It does look nice and the variety they give is exceptional.

 

[Xclusive2WDW]

You give such wonderfully descriptive reviews. Just like last year's, your review causes me to consider the additional special offerings of F&W

 

[samsteele]

Your luncheon pics are wonderful! The F&W special events are always a bit of a gamble and I've been horse shy of them save for the inexpensive deminars. Very helpful to see your photos and to have your previous year experience to weigh. Glad you enjoyed despite the terrible weather. I think I was in Epcot the same day - braving the rain and thunderstorms. I ended up finding shelter in the France pavilion and watched the film for the worst of the storm. Nasty day. I had a dinner ADR at Chefs and the duck was good as always.