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- Mar 7, 2010
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Back in December I had suggested that Id be offering my professional critique of Disney restaurants. I am late to that party. However, I have included my thoughts from then and my recent excursion
enjoy
..
Narcoossees - We started our first annual Disney family vacation with dinner at Narcoosses in the Grand Floridian. This was an easy choice because my parents (Dad & stepmother) love lobster and it is always on the menu here. After standing in the entryway and watching the delicate handling of those crustaceans getting cooked and unshelled inside the open kitchen, I almost jumped into the pot myself.
That night was the first opportunity for my parents to witness the benefits of a portable DVD player. Last time we had dined together, my child was unruly and I, being a lover of eating out, would never stand for this again. To test my theory, we knew that by the time my folks arrived from Arizona and sat for the earliest reservation possible, that my nearly two year-old child was going to be tired. We were more than pleased to see that not only could she be well behaved with her own personal Toy Story movie, but so to were the kids sitting at the table behind us. I was hoping their folks would buy us a dessert or something.
Anyway, we started with what was likely the best Calamari I have ever eaten. In no uncertain terms, the delicate taste and texture was not the typical rubbery faire that is all too common elsewhere. As for entrées, the whole fish Red Snapper from the Gulf was calling my name. I will admit that my wife was not impressed with the sweet sauce that she found to be a bit cloying (shes the person always asking for, Sauce on the side.), but the menu offered an accurate description and the portion was worth the money. To say the least, my parents enjoyed their lobster almost as much as seeing their granddaughter sit quietly throughout the entire meal. They also found the meal more palatable when they saw the 20% discounting benefit of the Table in Wonderland (TIW) program offered to Annual Pass Holders. I am making reservations for our return this coming December.
Le Cellier Im a sucker for the prix fixe meal packages that gain easy access to Disney entertainment. Since we were traveling at holiday, Le Cellier was one of many places which offered the free tickets to the Candlelight Processional. We decided to go here because the pictures made it look quite festive. It would be easy for me to pick on the shortcomings of the meal, but the menu has since been updated to reflect the fact that Le Cellier is now a Signature restaurant. Suffice it to say, I hope the portion size of any of the pasta dishes are within a persons ability to finish. When we ate here last December, the gummy gnocchi were not only drowning in pesto, but no human could possibly eat so much of the potato dumplings that were served to both my Dad and me. However, being able to walk right into the Candlelight performance narrated by Corbin Bersen was lovely and nearly masked my disappointment. And I will always remember my leaning into to my Dad and whispering, Their music is much better than ours. Were both Jewish.
Grand Floridian Café Its not easy finding a good place for lunch outside Epcot and we were avoiding entering the Parks because Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party was on our agenda after dark. To keep things simple, we wanted to stay close to our hotel, Bay Lake Tower, and decided Grand Floridian Café would give us another opportunity to shop and adore the amazing Gingerbread House inside the lobby of the Grand Floridian. The party of 20 in front of us caused a very long wait of 30 minutes and I was disappointed that the Cast Members didnt offer us an opportunity to get a soft drink when they knew of the problem. But once seated, our waiter initially rushed us along before that party of 20 put their food into the queue and slowed our day even further. There were no complaints from the Sautéed Shrimp with Corn Cakes, Crab Cakes, Tuna Nicoise Salad, and Reuben or Chicken Sandwiches we ate that afternoon. Our waiter made it all work because he knew to get our order in before that large table. It goes to show you that good service can make the food taste better.
50s Prime Time Café Both my Dad & I love kitsch and Prime Time Café is on the short list of places that meet the test. However, my in-laws have no sense of humor and found nothing funny about the rules to, Keep your elbows off the table. Nobody likes an Elbow Queen. And my wife and stepmother find nothing funny with the greasy style of homemade food that is the hallmark of a bad diner and 50s Prime Time Café. For those disappointed with the meal, our first experience with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights put a fresh taste of something special in our hearts. But I do love the kitsch .
California Grill Grandparents volunteering to baby sit while parents enjoy Date Night should be on everyones list. Being able to enjoy a fireworks display at California Grill makes it all the better. A simple thought - I found it amusing being reminded of the strict dress code when I made my ADR. First of all, once in the dining room, I was the only gentleman under 70 wearing a jacket who did not work there. Second, there was one fellow in a hockey jersey and this does not remind me of proper dress for dinner (and no, it was not the Mighty Ducks). More over, the child laying on the floor in his pajamas and clutching his pillow does not remind me of anything Ive ever seen in a fine dining restaurant. Ill chalk it up to, Only at Disney. But you ask, What about the food? Who cares! Enjoying the company of my wife without the worry of how much we drank or getting the babysitter home meant you could have served me Onion Rings from 50s Prime Time Café with a side of Rolaids and I would have been happy. But in all seriousness, the professional service, the fireworks from both Magic Kingdom & Epcot (I think), a good meal, some value wines, and the flight of Gran Marnier with dessert, made for the perfect end to our first family vacation at Disney.
BlueZoo Seafood The family returned to Disney this Spring and decided to stay at Dolphin because I could redeem points for the necessary hotel rooms. BlueZoo was an easy first choice amongst the Boardwalk area restaurants. Besides, I am familiar with celebrity chef Todd English since I have eaten at Olives in Union Square, NY. Our starters included a fantastic bread basket with superior Fennel Butter, Low Country Jumbo Shrimp with Grits, a cold Lobster with Melon, Coconut Powder & Curry Broth, Oysters on-the-half shell, and a truly beautiful Salad with Beets, Walnuts and Goat Cheese. We also had an order of Tempura String Beans that are a must for everyone. You might recall that my parents love lobster and this place has an interesting preparation with a sweet & sour Sticky Cantonese-style served with wok sautéed vegetables, steamed bok choy, rice and pea shoots. And for those of you really paying attention, I had the delicious whole Dancing Fish served with a bland Chorizo Hash. On this night, the DVD player could not inspire my child through dessert. Instead, The Fountain next door gave my Dad his daily fix of ice cream later that evening. Regardless, BlueZoo may be my new favorite at Disney.
Yak & Yeti We eat the small treats of dim sum all the time from the traditional rolling carts. The menu at Yak & Yeti gave us encouragement that we could at least enjoy some authentic dumplings while at Disney. Unfortunately, I have had better from the frozen food section in my grocery store and the greasy chopstick take-out in the shopping mall. Other than the Lettuce Cups appetizer, none of us enjoyed our plates of Lo Mein, Tamarind Chicken, Seafood Curry, or Duck. What was also disappointing was the waiter informing me that Yak & Yeti do not participate in the TIW program since they are not a Disney restaurant. All I could say was, Huh? But my Annual Pass did get us a 10% discount for the food portion of our meal. We will never return.
Brown Derby Again, Im a sucker for the easy access to Disney entertainment and Brown Derby gives no-hassle tickets to Fantasmic. The Crab Cake was a huge portion for the money and no place does Cobb Salad better. The Duck & Chicken dishes were also very good, but nothing special. My one complaint was the frozen Grouper. The preparation was lovely, but the rubbery texture of the fish had me wondering why a busy place could not serve a fresher piece of fish. The dessert Chocolate Three Ways was misleading since it was really one cake, but the Grapefruit Cake and Banana Tower with Bananas Foster were better received. What made the meal for me the entire check was calculated at 20% TIW discount I did not think that the Fantasmic Package would be included for discounting. Yea!
Shulas Steakhouse - We were gathered at Disney not to celebrate Easter or Passover, but rather my wifes birthday. So for this meal, my in-laws joined us and we celebrated with an Illuminations Boat Ride later that evening. It was late in the season, but that did not mean that I was not disappointed that Stone Crabs were not available. I felt so bad that I broke my rule of only eating fish while on vacation. OK, I would have ordered the steak anyway; after all, I was at a steak house. But what really got me upset was a stupid thing on the menu - Barbecued Shrimp Stuffed with Basil. First of all, they are not stuffed. Second of all, the menu does not say Wrapped in Bacon - so the waiter makes certain to let you know. Plainly and simply, this dish should be renamed Good Luck Tasting the Basil Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with pedestrian BBQ Sauce. The huge steamed lobsters and everything else were fine ..Yawn .But the Chocolate Soufflé was so good that my wife went to the bar the following evening to have another sample.
Kouzzina by Kat Kora Flying Fish is next door to Kouzzina and may have better food, but even my Dad knows about Iron Chef Kat Kora preparing Greek food along the Boardwalk (where Spoodles used to be). When in Rome we started with the Kouzzina Sampler with skewers of Shrimp and Lamb Meatball served with Marinated Olives, Spiced Cashews, Dolmades - stuffed grape leaves, Tzatziki - cucumber in yogurt, Hummus - chickpea spread, and Grilled Pita flat bread. We also had tasty, yet unmemorable, Calamari and Ouzo Mussels. One entrée was the Kouzzina Trio of tasting size portions of Greek-style Lasagna, Char-grilled Lamb Burger, and Cinnamon-stewed Chicken with Orzo with the chicken being the hit for this trio. We also had a large Pork Tenderloin and bowl of Fisherman's Stew. And last, you might have guessed, I had the Whole Fish - Pan-roasted with Braised Greens, Greek Olives, Fennel, and Smoked Chili. No complaints, no dessert (ice cream for my Dad @ The Fountain), good food, and good value for Disney. Well try Flying Fish next.
Narcoossees - We started our first annual Disney family vacation with dinner at Narcoosses in the Grand Floridian. This was an easy choice because my parents (Dad & stepmother) love lobster and it is always on the menu here. After standing in the entryway and watching the delicate handling of those crustaceans getting cooked and unshelled inside the open kitchen, I almost jumped into the pot myself.
That night was the first opportunity for my parents to witness the benefits of a portable DVD player. Last time we had dined together, my child was unruly and I, being a lover of eating out, would never stand for this again. To test my theory, we knew that by the time my folks arrived from Arizona and sat for the earliest reservation possible, that my nearly two year-old child was going to be tired. We were more than pleased to see that not only could she be well behaved with her own personal Toy Story movie, but so to were the kids sitting at the table behind us. I was hoping their folks would buy us a dessert or something.
Anyway, we started with what was likely the best Calamari I have ever eaten. In no uncertain terms, the delicate taste and texture was not the typical rubbery faire that is all too common elsewhere. As for entrées, the whole fish Red Snapper from the Gulf was calling my name. I will admit that my wife was not impressed with the sweet sauce that she found to be a bit cloying (shes the person always asking for, Sauce on the side.), but the menu offered an accurate description and the portion was worth the money. To say the least, my parents enjoyed their lobster almost as much as seeing their granddaughter sit quietly throughout the entire meal. They also found the meal more palatable when they saw the 20% discounting benefit of the Table in Wonderland (TIW) program offered to Annual Pass Holders. I am making reservations for our return this coming December.
Le Cellier Im a sucker for the prix fixe meal packages that gain easy access to Disney entertainment. Since we were traveling at holiday, Le Cellier was one of many places which offered the free tickets to the Candlelight Processional. We decided to go here because the pictures made it look quite festive. It would be easy for me to pick on the shortcomings of the meal, but the menu has since been updated to reflect the fact that Le Cellier is now a Signature restaurant. Suffice it to say, I hope the portion size of any of the pasta dishes are within a persons ability to finish. When we ate here last December, the gummy gnocchi were not only drowning in pesto, but no human could possibly eat so much of the potato dumplings that were served to both my Dad and me. However, being able to walk right into the Candlelight performance narrated by Corbin Bersen was lovely and nearly masked my disappointment. And I will always remember my leaning into to my Dad and whispering, Their music is much better than ours. Were both Jewish.
Grand Floridian Café Its not easy finding a good place for lunch outside Epcot and we were avoiding entering the Parks because Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party was on our agenda after dark. To keep things simple, we wanted to stay close to our hotel, Bay Lake Tower, and decided Grand Floridian Café would give us another opportunity to shop and adore the amazing Gingerbread House inside the lobby of the Grand Floridian. The party of 20 in front of us caused a very long wait of 30 minutes and I was disappointed that the Cast Members didnt offer us an opportunity to get a soft drink when they knew of the problem. But once seated, our waiter initially rushed us along before that party of 20 put their food into the queue and slowed our day even further. There were no complaints from the Sautéed Shrimp with Corn Cakes, Crab Cakes, Tuna Nicoise Salad, and Reuben or Chicken Sandwiches we ate that afternoon. Our waiter made it all work because he knew to get our order in before that large table. It goes to show you that good service can make the food taste better.
50s Prime Time Café Both my Dad & I love kitsch and Prime Time Café is on the short list of places that meet the test. However, my in-laws have no sense of humor and found nothing funny about the rules to, Keep your elbows off the table. Nobody likes an Elbow Queen. And my wife and stepmother find nothing funny with the greasy style of homemade food that is the hallmark of a bad diner and 50s Prime Time Café. For those disappointed with the meal, our first experience with the Osborne Family Spectacle of Lights put a fresh taste of something special in our hearts. But I do love the kitsch .
California Grill Grandparents volunteering to baby sit while parents enjoy Date Night should be on everyones list. Being able to enjoy a fireworks display at California Grill makes it all the better. A simple thought - I found it amusing being reminded of the strict dress code when I made my ADR. First of all, once in the dining room, I was the only gentleman under 70 wearing a jacket who did not work there. Second, there was one fellow in a hockey jersey and this does not remind me of proper dress for dinner (and no, it was not the Mighty Ducks). More over, the child laying on the floor in his pajamas and clutching his pillow does not remind me of anything Ive ever seen in a fine dining restaurant. Ill chalk it up to, Only at Disney. But you ask, What about the food? Who cares! Enjoying the company of my wife without the worry of how much we drank or getting the babysitter home meant you could have served me Onion Rings from 50s Prime Time Café with a side of Rolaids and I would have been happy. But in all seriousness, the professional service, the fireworks from both Magic Kingdom & Epcot (I think), a good meal, some value wines, and the flight of Gran Marnier with dessert, made for the perfect end to our first family vacation at Disney.
BlueZoo Seafood The family returned to Disney this Spring and decided to stay at Dolphin because I could redeem points for the necessary hotel rooms. BlueZoo was an easy first choice amongst the Boardwalk area restaurants. Besides, I am familiar with celebrity chef Todd English since I have eaten at Olives in Union Square, NY. Our starters included a fantastic bread basket with superior Fennel Butter, Low Country Jumbo Shrimp with Grits, a cold Lobster with Melon, Coconut Powder & Curry Broth, Oysters on-the-half shell, and a truly beautiful Salad with Beets, Walnuts and Goat Cheese. We also had an order of Tempura String Beans that are a must for everyone. You might recall that my parents love lobster and this place has an interesting preparation with a sweet & sour Sticky Cantonese-style served with wok sautéed vegetables, steamed bok choy, rice and pea shoots. And for those of you really paying attention, I had the delicious whole Dancing Fish served with a bland Chorizo Hash. On this night, the DVD player could not inspire my child through dessert. Instead, The Fountain next door gave my Dad his daily fix of ice cream later that evening. Regardless, BlueZoo may be my new favorite at Disney.
Yak & Yeti We eat the small treats of dim sum all the time from the traditional rolling carts. The menu at Yak & Yeti gave us encouragement that we could at least enjoy some authentic dumplings while at Disney. Unfortunately, I have had better from the frozen food section in my grocery store and the greasy chopstick take-out in the shopping mall. Other than the Lettuce Cups appetizer, none of us enjoyed our plates of Lo Mein, Tamarind Chicken, Seafood Curry, or Duck. What was also disappointing was the waiter informing me that Yak & Yeti do not participate in the TIW program since they are not a Disney restaurant. All I could say was, Huh? But my Annual Pass did get us a 10% discount for the food portion of our meal. We will never return.
Brown Derby Again, Im a sucker for the easy access to Disney entertainment and Brown Derby gives no-hassle tickets to Fantasmic. The Crab Cake was a huge portion for the money and no place does Cobb Salad better. The Duck & Chicken dishes were also very good, but nothing special. My one complaint was the frozen Grouper. The preparation was lovely, but the rubbery texture of the fish had me wondering why a busy place could not serve a fresher piece of fish. The dessert Chocolate Three Ways was misleading since it was really one cake, but the Grapefruit Cake and Banana Tower with Bananas Foster were better received. What made the meal for me the entire check was calculated at 20% TIW discount I did not think that the Fantasmic Package would be included for discounting. Yea!
Shulas Steakhouse - We were gathered at Disney not to celebrate Easter or Passover, but rather my wifes birthday. So for this meal, my in-laws joined us and we celebrated with an Illuminations Boat Ride later that evening. It was late in the season, but that did not mean that I was not disappointed that Stone Crabs were not available. I felt so bad that I broke my rule of only eating fish while on vacation. OK, I would have ordered the steak anyway; after all, I was at a steak house. But what really got me upset was a stupid thing on the menu - Barbecued Shrimp Stuffed with Basil. First of all, they are not stuffed. Second of all, the menu does not say Wrapped in Bacon - so the waiter makes certain to let you know. Plainly and simply, this dish should be renamed Good Luck Tasting the Basil Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with pedestrian BBQ Sauce. The huge steamed lobsters and everything else were fine ..Yawn .But the Chocolate Soufflé was so good that my wife went to the bar the following evening to have another sample.
Kouzzina by Kat Kora Flying Fish is next door to Kouzzina and may have better food, but even my Dad knows about Iron Chef Kat Kora preparing Greek food along the Boardwalk (where Spoodles used to be). When in Rome we started with the Kouzzina Sampler with skewers of Shrimp and Lamb Meatball served with Marinated Olives, Spiced Cashews, Dolmades - stuffed grape leaves, Tzatziki - cucumber in yogurt, Hummus - chickpea spread, and Grilled Pita flat bread. We also had tasty, yet unmemorable, Calamari and Ouzo Mussels. One entrée was the Kouzzina Trio of tasting size portions of Greek-style Lasagna, Char-grilled Lamb Burger, and Cinnamon-stewed Chicken with Orzo with the chicken being the hit for this trio. We also had a large Pork Tenderloin and bowl of Fisherman's Stew. And last, you might have guessed, I had the Whole Fish - Pan-roasted with Braised Greens, Greek Olives, Fennel, and Smoked Chili. No complaints, no dessert (ice cream for my Dad @ The Fountain), good food, and good value for Disney. Well try Flying Fish next.
