Mickey's watching! Christmas week dining with foodies, allergies, and kiddies.

[Mainemama]

12/24 Ohana Breakfast

When staying at the Polynesian, Ohana breakfast is a must do for us. My kids could care less about most characters, but they all love Mickey and Stitch. They also do not want to meet characters in the parks, so a character breakfast is a nice and easy way to get on a hug and get on our way.

Our family also has a tradition of going out to eat breakfast on Christmas Eve. Morning, so I booked Ohana for this day. Later, I realized my error (TIW blackout day), but I was never able to find another ADR, so I stuck with it. Incidentally, I did see dinner times available during our trip... Pretty interesting that breakfast was harder to get than dinner!

The POG juice, coffee, and fruit came right away. We had efficient service and good character interaction. A nice change for us was the addition of a Photopass photographer with Stitch. We got some great photos! This breakfast was very good, but eating it the day after Garden Grill made it pale slightly in comparison. There was noticeably less variety and quantity. Still plenty of good food to eat, but I would not recommend eating in those two restaurants in that order back to back. We enjoyed the Mickey and Stitch waffles, eggs, potatoes, and sausage. The bacon was Disney bacon... Limp and greasy. The allergy plate did have Mickey waffles and Stitch waffles, a very exciting thing for my ODD. We requested more regular waffles, as our first plate only had 3. It was a good meal, and we will definitely return, but if not staying at the Poly, I think we will do GG instead!

 

[pumba]

I dont ever do Disney bacon..I like my sausage..as greasy as they are...do you carry an Epi pen with you thru the parks and goign to the food courts?? My nieces little one has an allergy to peanuts and she has one that she carries ...her oldest daughter is now 14 and outgrew the allergy ..but the doctor said..always be prepared cause it can make a turn around and come on back...Thanks for the updates on your reviews

 

[Mainemama]

I dont ever do Disney bacon..I like my sausage..as greasy as they are...do you carry an Epi pen with you thru the parks and goign to the food courts?? My nieces little one has an allergy to peanuts and she has one that she carries ...her oldest daughter is now 14 and outgrew the allergy ..but the doctor said..always be prepared cause it can make a turn around and come on back...Thanks for the updates on your reviews

We do carry an epi-pen, but thankfully have never had to use it. My ODD has had 3 reactions in WDW, but her reactions are relatively mild... Hives and itching to vomiting. These reactions helped us identify an allergen we had never tested for. Buckwheat! (It is in the allergy friendly cookies they serve). We avoided the cookies this trip, and she had no problems! Also, when we did have the reactions other years, with very public episodes, the CMs were immediately attentive.

 

[Mainemama]

12/24 Christmas Eve. Dinner 1900 Park Fare

This was a relatively last minute switch up for us. A couple days before we left on our trip we got cold feet about dining with our toddler at Hollywood Brown Derby at 7:00 pm. Since that is her usual bedtime at home, we figured we were taking too big of a chance on what would undoubtably be a crowded night at Hollywood Studios. An early (4:30) Park Fare opened up and it was actually more in line with my own childhood's Christmas Eve. Traditionally dinner. We had initially not considered it, as we don't normally care for buffets, but thought it was perfect for a festive night.

We walked leisurely over to the GF along the beach path from the Poly. This is such a nice walk, and on the 24th, we were welcomed into the GF with chestnuts roasted on an open fire! These were actually barely edible, but fun and put us in a holiday mood! This was our first glimpse of the GF lobby this trip, and we were all amazed by the magnificent tree and gingerbread cottage. We were among the first several families to arrive at PF. Apparently, we were their first seating. This is always a good thing for service, and we had a fabulous CM. He was a total character, and has been there for decades. It was sort of all about him, but he was great and made our dinner extra fun.

We had a chef walk DH and ODD through the buffet so they knew what they could eat. I was attempting to walk the other 2 kids through. This quickly turned into a bad idea... The kid buffet is just the right height for 3 year olds, and my YDD decided she would like all of the hot dog buns. With nothing in them. I quickly maneuvered her back to the table, and my 8 year old was set free to serve himself. He handled this well. My DH and I then took turns getting our food. Between the (hilarious) sisters and having to tag team, we did not feel as relaxed as you might hope, but the food was fantastic, and it really was a great match for a holiday dinner.

A note on the atmosphere... I was a little surprised at the feel of the restaurant. It felt a bit more cafeteria like than I expected, having eaten often right next door at GFC. As it is a child centered venue, I was okay with it, but somehow expected a bit more ambience.

My first plate: Caesar, peel and eat shrimp, shrimp avocado salad (this was a standout), pear salad, ciabatta.

My 2nd plate: macaroni and cheese, ravioli (this was sweet and also a standout), beef with chimichurri. The beef was so good that I did not touch the slice of turkey I had picked up. I also had mashed potatoes, which were so-so.

My YDD wanted pizza, but the slices were so saucy that they needed to be eaten with a knife and fork, so she turned it down. She ate about half of a hot dog. And 1 cube of cheese. Very expensive hot dog! She did have a fantastic interaction with One of the stepsisters who thought she was Santa Claus (she was wearing a Santa hat.) the sister went on and on about what she wanted for Christmas and how although she had been very naughty, she blamed everything on her sister, so she should still get presents.

My DH was only able to get 1 plate before the kids were on to dessert. He also loved the shrimp avocado salad, and had salmon as his main protein.

My DS loaded up on Caesar, cheese pizza, macaroni and cheese, and bread. He had about 3 plates and undoubtably tried other items, but I was busy keeping the toddler from racing away from the table (she did this once), so I didn't pay close attention to what he had!

My ODD had beef (this was rare to the point of dripping, which she wasn't crazy about), salmon, and some plain green beans.she also had ciabatta, and dinner rolls, which she sliced open and stuffed with taco meat from the kids' buffet. This was not our most mannered meal.

The chef brought sorbet for the two allergy diners, and my ODD also got a bowl of gummy bears from the buffet. Disney buffet gummies are amazing! These were the same as Club level gummies we had in the past.

There were ample desserts, but they were mostly prettier than tasty. There was a little chocolate mouse torte that was very good. Bread pudding was not good, key lime and pecan tarts were okay, but mostly crust. The star of dessert was the strawberry soup. I had two bowls, and my DS was thrilled when he tried it. I know it is on the buffet with the entrees, but it is dessert to me.

The meal ended on a high note when my YDD stared at the many desserts, vaguely pointed at a few, which I put on her plate. She looked at me in shock and said, "but you gave me 3." To which I was able to reply, "it's Disney World! And it's Christmas!"

I would definitely return to Park Fare for a holiday. It was pricy, and I would consider returning for a regular meal if we could use TIW.

 

[Mainemama]

12/25 breakfast Kona Cafe

My family's traditional Christmas meal is breakfast. We normally eat a fancy dinner the night before, have first breakfast, second breakfast with extended family midday, and then sandwiches for dinner. So, it seemed important we do a sit down Christmas breakfast. We opened our stockings, then strolled the short walk to the GCH (we were in Rarotonga, which we always request at the Poly, just love the convenient location and monorail view!). Our ADR was for 8:30. Kona breakfast is a repeated favorite for our family.

ODD ordered an adult portion of the allergy friendly mickey waffles and bacon. These were perfectly cooked (no blackened waffles today!) and she of course ate them all.

YDD got her own order today. She loves eggs, so I convinced her to try the scrambled egg and cinnamon toast from the kids menu. The toast is what ended up being the big hit. She tried to order it for dinner and was fairly put out when it was not available on dinner menus! We did have a runaway toddler moment mid breakfast. She gets far fast (she almost made it into the kitchen), but once caught stayed put for the rest of the meal.

I typically order the fruit plate at Kona. It is such a beautiful presentation. However, in an attempt to try something new and eat something closer to my Christmas tradition (eggs), I braved the Samoan. This was very much a mixed dish in my mind. I loved the lemony hollandaise and arugula (is it just me or is arugula present in almost every meal of this trip?), the poached eggs were good, but had been left to sit too long, so the yolks did not run. (The hollandaise also had a skin, as if it had been waiting to be served. I tried to love the hash, but couldn't do it. I do not really like hash, so it wasn't a surprise. I did like that it had chunks of bread in it, and the smoked pork was good, not overly smoky, but I would have much preferred a traditional English muffin. It won't be a repeat for me.

My DS ordered the macadamia pancakes (soooo good!) and made it through half of them before I happily took them over. This is another great pancake combination... Chopped pineapple, macadamia nut butter.

My DH also had the gluten free waffles with (very good) sausage.

DH and I also shared the French press. This was very good. As a side note, Disney restaurants always had soy milk available for his coffee.

Our service was not memorable, which on Christmas Day is a good thing. The meal was timed well and we happily returned to the room to open gifts!

 

[Vernie822]

YUM, we did Kona for the first time and we loved it! Those pineapple pancakes are the best. I'm sorry you didn't love the Samoan, I keep wanting to try it but I loooooved those pancakes. Sounds like a great Christmas breakfast. Christmas at the Poly sounds WONDERFUL!

 

[pumba]

thanks again for these updates...I am thinking again...1900 park fare for two adults????? Very interesting...I read or see someones food reviews and my head starts spinning...thanks again

 

[Mainemama]

YUM, we did Kona for the first time and we loved it! Those pineapple pancakes are the best. I'm sorry you didn't love the Samoan, I keep wanting to try it but I loooooved those pancakes. Sounds like a great Christmas breakfast. Christmas at the Poly sounds WONDERFUL!

Christmas at the Poly was wonderful! You can't help but feel like you are in paradise! I seem to be alone in my dislike of the Samoan, based on other reviews. Give it a try if you like hash.

thanks again for these updates...I am thinking again...1900 park fare for two adults????? Very interesting...I read or see someones food reviews and my head starts spinning...thanks again

we actually were seated next to an older couple on Christmas Eve. They seemed to enjoy themselves. The character interaction feels more adult than some places. I was surprised I enjoyed it, considering princesses and buffets are low on my list.

 

[Mainemama]

12/25 "Dinner" Rose and Crown

I say dinner in quotes, as we had a 3:20 reservation, but were considering this our dinner. At 180 days, Epcot restaurants had limited reservations open, as CP reservations had not yet been released. Although I wasn't looking for a mid afternoon dinner originally, in the end, this was a great time for us, as it allowed the older kids and DH to head to Disney Springs for a screening of the Force Awakens after our meal.

This was the one meal of the trip where the weather really messed with my vision. I never imagined it would be in the high 80s when I booked our meal. We approached the restaurant with Kakigori in hand, because we needed to cool down after walking from future world. I also did not realize that so much of Rose and Crown was outdoor dining. I picked Rose and Crown for Christmas dinner, because the interior seemed relatively festive. I love (actual) English pubs, and with menu items like Yorkshire pudding and sticky toffee pudding, thought it would make for a merry meal.


Let me say that we did have a good meal, but it was not the meal I had pictured. The restaurant was running behind, which was to be expected on Christmas. We checked in and let our server know that our YDD had just fallen asleep in the stroller, so we would like to be seated with room for the stroller. The host assured us hat was not a problem. We sat on the curb, and waited sweating. 30 minutes later, we were called for our table. DH and the kids got ahead of me as I tried to maneuver the stroller through the outdoor porch, my heart sinking as I realized we would be eating outside. Then, I saw that he family was sitting at a table down a flight of stairs. I had to chase down the hostess and wave my DH back up to remnd them we needed a table on he upper level at least, or preferentially inside. Back to waiting. 10 minutes later, we were led to a different outdoor table, his time on the top level. 1/2 was acceptable, but we all ordered cold drinks fast, as we were so hot! I tried the Black and Tan. I am a huge Guiness fan, and somehow had never tried this. It was excellent, refreshing and not too heavy in the heat. My DH stuck with ice tea.

Looking at the menu, which did have a special Christmas meal which sounded fabulous and way too hot and heavy. I scrapped my vision of a Christmas dinner and ordered fish and chips. In fact, both awake children ordered them. These were wonderful. They chips were a good representation of British chips, and tthe fish was served in one large fillet. This was much better than what we had ordered at the stand outside, as it allowed he batter to be fully cooked and not quite so thickly slathered on. No like taste o. This batch, either. The fish and chips were also on the allergy menu (egg and dairy free), so my ODD was enjoying her first taste ever. Where we live fried fish always has egg in the batter. She loved these, and they looked and tasted exactly like mine, so I wonder if it is the same recipe on the regular menu.

My DH could not get the fish and chips, as they did have gluten in them, so he tried the chicken curry masala. This was very good, and surprisingly was a whole, bone in breast in curry sauce (not the pulled chicken we were expecting.) it was served with basmati rice. My 2 girls ended up sharing this. This was a flavorful, not too spicy curry. Just could have used a little mint chutney! Really good though, and we would order it again.

At this point, my three year old woke up and shared the rice. The older gang left for DS (I believe it was after 5 and they had tickets for the 7:00 show). I could not handle the toffee pudding I had planned on, but went ahead and ordered the child's trifle, as it was included with my son's fish and chips children's meal. I thought the 3 year old would like this, but it arrived topped with whipped cream, which she thinks is poison, for some reason. I have never discouraged his belief, as I am happy to eat her cream. Under the confetti sprinkled cream was cliced strawberries and a light English custard. If you have ever tried Bird's custard, which is really a sauce, not what Americans call custard, it was more like that. I ended up eating, and loving the trifle. It was a light, sweet end.

I headed out if Epcot the long way, to pick up another Kakigori (alternate thread title was " A Kakigori Story") for YDD who slept through the last one and Schofferhoffer for me. I then asked my 3 year old what she wanted to do for the rest of the night. This was a big deal, because a toddler third child never, ever gets to dictate where we head in Disney. It was a total joy for me to be able to go exactly where she wanted: Dumbo. Hoppers/ APs were worth it to me just for this particular freedom. We did not hop very often, but when we did spontaneously, it was well worth the extra cost. We finished our Christmas food experience with popcorn in New Fantasyland, and actually rode 6 rides in MK, I believe the most of the trip. We ended up dealing with sickness affecting most of the rest of our MK days, so I was really happy that the two of us got this magical experience.

 

[Mainemama]

12/26 Dinner Hoop-de-Doo

This was a rest day for us. A couple of pre-dinner notes:
We had quickly found that eating space in our room at the Poly was awkward. The kids always wanted to eat in the same space, but there were not enough chairs to go around, so, we headed to the outdoor patio. This day, we tried the Trader Sam's patio. All the tables and chairs are wet in the morning, so we dried one off. The setting of this patio is beautiful, but during our trip, the speakers there were much too loud. The Captain Cook's patio music was reasonable, but Trader Sam's was blaring. That was likely why it was empty! We ate breakfast from a garden grocer order. I underestimated how much my kids would eat for breakfast, and our order ended up only lasting 2 days. Oh well!

We did not lunch this day, as we had reservations for the 4:00 show and wanted to be hungry! I had gotten a Hawaiin flatbread from Captain Cooks the night before when we returned to the hotel, and we ate the leftovers for a snack. This flatbread was not great. The cheese seemed to have cheddar, or something too heavy, greasy and strong for the crust. The pineapple was good, but I did not care for the ham. Too smoky.

Back to Hoop-do-Doo. We love this show. This was our third time. We actually went just last February, and our kids laughed hard enough that I will never forget it! We knew they would love to go back, so this was one of our Christmas presents. We had a category 1 seat, and were on the right side a couple tables back from the stage.

Last year, we were lucky enough to be served by Chef TJ, a Disney Chef with a well earned reputation for spoiling vegetarian and allergy diners. I knew the night we were here was his night off (you can google Chef TJ for websites that keep track of this level of info!), but we were planning to go to Trails End later in the trip (he oversees both restaurants, as it is a shared kitchen), so we were okay with that. That said, the food my DH and ODD received was fine, but not as generous as TJ's preparation our last visit.

The cornbread was fabulous, but no bread served for allergy diners. The salad was very good. I found the chicken was too hard to chew. The coating was difficult to bite into. The ribs were okay. I am not a huge ribs fan, but my YDD and DH are, and they didn't go crazy, either. The beans were delicious. I pretty much eat the beans and cornbread when we go. The regular dessert is good, though it seemed we did not get a very large portion for the 3 of us who could eat it. My YDD skipped it (whipped cream, aka poison, see previous post!), but we still ate it all, and would have had more if offered.

DH was brought grilled chicken, and a delicious baked potato (from Trail's End buffet). This is baked in course salt. Yum! He could eat the ribs, too. Special corn was brought out, without butter, but the corn is right out of a can, so nothing to get excited about. My ODD can't eat the chicken, bread, or beans, but no alternatives were offered, so she just had corn, ribs, and a baked potato. The dessert for the allergy dinners was just fruit. We have had sliced strawberries another visit, which my daughter preferred. TJ actually brought a plate with fruit and brownies, which was certainly better than the standard melon mix we got this time. We really go for the show, though, so still worth it!

 

[pumba]

thanks for the new reviews...we have been to HdH a few times and enjoyed it ...We made ressies again for Rose and Crown and for the second year in a row..we cancelled it.. first time was because we decided on another restaurant ..but this year ..cancelled because I didnt know if I could do the food...and then having a 8 pm ressie was to late also...oh well...I could of but we didnt..tahnks again

 

[kastoney]

Wow did I miss this until today!!!!! Sounds like some pretty good food was had so far. Can't imagine trying to wrangle with all the allergies. But kudos to disney for handling it so well.

 

[Mainemama]

thanks for the new reviews...we have been to HdH a few times and enjoyed it ...We made ressies again for Rose and Crown and for the second year in a row..we cancelled it.. first time was because we decided on another restaurant ..but this year ..cancelled because I didnt know if I could do the food...and then having a 8 pm ressie was to late also...oh well...I could of but we didnt..tahnks again

I often eye the later dinner reservations, but then get real. We eat early up here in Maine, ayuh Pumba? Even if my kids could handle a late reservation, I am much too hungry by 8. Rose and Crown was good, but not good enough to wait until 8!

Wow did I miss this until today!!!!! Sounds like some pretty good food was had so far. Can't imagine trying to wrangle with all the allergies. But kudos to disney for handling it so well.

You might have missed it, because I am going the lazy gal's route and not including pictures. Someday, perhaps I can photograph my food, when the 3 year old doesn't vanish when I take my attention off her at the table, and when my DH relaxes his discomfort with the strange need to document everything. The allergies were hard to adjust to when first diagnosed, but we are now pros. And Disney is much easier than home... It is so rare all 5 of us can eat the same meal. Honestly, the way Disney handles allergies is what has made us regulars. Dining out at home rarely feels relaxing, as most restaurants where we live are not very aware of how to handle them.

 

[iloveeeyore]

Hi! I am just joining your thread and I'm really worried about your HDDR review. We also love the show, but since the last time we visited, my 21 year old daughter has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I thought that HDDR would prepare GF cornbread and fried chicken for her, but it loots like you didn't get that. Did you notify them early of your family's dietary restrictions?

Thanks for your reviews. I look forward to more!

 

[Mainemama]

Hi! I am just joining your thread and I'm really worried about your HDDR review. We also love the show, but since the last time we visited, my 21 year old daughter has been diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I thought that HDDR would prepare GF cornbread and fried chicken for her, but it loots like you didn't get that. Did you notify them early of your family's dietary restrictions?

Thanks for your reviews. I look forward to more!

We did notify them early. We got a table side chef visit, as well, which stood out as Disney has begun to rely solely on allergy menus. This was a major shift from even our July visit. We could always request the chef, but I think this was the only meal where the chef came out immediately (likely because there isn't a menu.) Last I heard, (I checked in the summer), Chef TJ works in the HDDR kitchen on Sun.- Thu. Nights. He did provide a broader menu for our table, but we were never offered gluten free fried chicken (we visited in Feb. 2015 and December.) We did get some sort of bread with TJ, can't recall if it was cornbread. With the added dairy allergy, that may have affected what we were offered. If the night hinges on those two menu items, I wouldn't go. If your celiac diner can go in knowing she may need to supplement with more preferable foods later (my DH did this), the show is still worth it!

 

[GoinghometoWDW]

I love your reviews. No pictures needed. My DD had 15 food allergies as a toddler. Fortunately, we are now just down to a dairy allergy. I appreciate the insight as we are considering a couple of new places (for us).

 

[Mainemama]

I love your reviews. No pictures needed. My DD had 15 food allergies as a toddler. Fortunately, we are now just down to a dairy allergy. I appreciate the insight as we are considering a couple of new places (for us).

Thanks! That is fantastic to be down to just dairy! We actually had the huge break through of eliminating the dairy allergy for my ODD recently! We found out a week after our trip, after a food trial. So far, she is a huge fan of ice cream and milk based cocoa, and M and Ms. All other dairy has been spurned, go figure. One day, I hope she will outgrow more.

 

[Mainemama]

12/27 Lunch at Yak and Yeti

We had switched up our AK day right before our trip and had no problem adjusting our reservation date. This was a 7 am EMH day for 3/5 of us (DH opted to get ready more slowly with YDD who can't do the rides we were hitting at RD anyway). We had a granola bar or something along those lines, and had our first real (aka Disney) food of the day at the fruit stand in Africa. I have learned to get a jalapeño pretzel just for me, as I do not like to share! This is my favorite Disney QS "breakfast." I always feel like I am a big game hunter trying to find one, as they are often not out yet when I am looking (we tried the pretzel stand on Discovery Island, but it wasn't open). There was a little dance of joy on my part when I saw the pretzels hanging just before 9 am in Arica. We also got a Mickey pretzel, chocolate soy milk for ODD, and apples and caramel. If you are looking for a relaxing place to sit I. The morning, the Harambe market area is empty, but colorful! We have enjoyed a morning snack picnic on our summer and this December trip. I even found an outlet to charge my phone.

After a safari and trip to Conservation Station, we were ready for an early lunch at Yak and Yeti. This restaurant does not take TIW, though they do offer a 10% discount for APs, but only on adult entrees. We did not know this limitation going in. We are really into Yak and Yeti for the appetizer menu. So, this made the 4th day in a row we weren't exactly maximizing our dining discounts, but we were enjoying our holiday!

We ordered a family favorite, the chicken lettuce wraps. These are a balanced flavor, with just enough kick from the sauce you add into the ground chicken mix. There are little crispy noodles hat add crunch, and herbs, as well. I need to try making these at home, as my son loves them.

I normally order he dim sum as my meal, but after ogling a review of the ahi nachos by @kastoney I asked DH if he wanted to try them, and he was game. Turns out my DS loved these, too! They are cheese less nachos, but do have a dairy drizzle. My DH doesn't mind picking around that, as his diet avoids dairy and gluten to help battle a disease, but those with actual allergy may want to leave that off. Also, the chips were mixed and appeared to have some with gluten. DH just ate the tuna and was perfectly happy. Please check out @kastoneys review, as the picture says so much more than my description can. If you like sushi and nachos, this is for you. It was portioned for "2", but this is more like an app for 4 or and entree for 2. We sent at least half back, unfinished, much to my dismay. We should have just stopped there and skipped our entree. And skipped DS's order. It would have been plenty of food!

We have been to Yak NAND Yeti a few times, but have not tried a lot of their entrees, as the ones we have tried have just been okay. Today, DH and I shared the shrimp tempura. It ended up in the okay category. The rice and sautéed veggies were actually amazing. Jasmine rice, and well seasoned mixed veggies. I wish we could just order this as a side. The shrimp was soggy, and it's dipping sauce was along the lines of bottled duck sauce. As a fan of typical Japanese shrimp tempura, this was a total miss to me. We each tried one, leaving a circle of shrimp on the plate. I would not order this again.

My DS also had a kids meal with chicken tenders and yogurt and rice. Yak and Yeti offers a wider range of sides than most Disney restaurants, which my kids enjoy.

ODD had a kids burger with applesauce and fries. She nibbled at the burger, but it was hockey puck blackened. I think the increased crowds at this time of year meant less attention/care on the part of servers to notice f things weren't eaten due to quality of dishes. We are not complainers, but in less busy times, servers have noticed if say the burger is black and not eaten and offered an alternative. This didn't bother us, but is something to keep in mind for those considering traveling around Christmas.

My YDD was not hungry and was ornery. We quickly ordered her a character sippy cup with a (gross) frozen ice. This successfully kept her in her chair, and was much cheaper than typical Disney kids special drinks. The ice was the kind that has fizz, which my kids don't like. The (much larger than expected) panda made up for that. We also got her a side of rice which she ate a bit of. We love that Yak and Yeti ends with fortune cookies. Even with the slightly mixed meal, and kind of chaotic crowd, we still loved our lunch and will keep this as our standard AK meal.

 

[pumba]

we could not get a reservation last May ..and we ate at the CS Yak and yeti..I have to say..that the container of beef and veggies and noodles was great...I am fussy and hubby does not like chinese food as a rule.but he ate his and didnt complain .this was plenty of food in the container and I was happy...thanks again for your reviews

 

[Mainemama]

we could not get a reservation last May ..and we ate at the CS Yak and yeti..I have to say..that the container of beef and veggies and noodles was great...I am fussy and hubby does not like chinese food as a rule.but he ate his and didnt complain .this was plenty of food in the container and I was happy...thanks again for your reviews

. We have never tried the CS. I guess it always turned me off... Fried food in sweet sauce. However, I wasn't interested in TS Yak and Yeti until reading great reviews here. We just avoid the fried stuff. Good to know the QS is a good back up. Their menu always seems to have generic kid options, too, which is necessary in our family.