Authenticity of Rose and Crown?

[FelisLachesis]

I was led to this forum by someone in the Dining forums; I actually titled this thread the same as the one there. I've got a question for the fine people on the other side of The Pond. I've never been to The UK (actually, I've never been to Europe at all), so I'd have nothing to compare the food at Rose and Crown in Epcot to the food there.

I have been to Irish and English pubs in The States, and one I love in Delaware. I'll admit I got a bit tipsy there while watching a Manchester Derby. I almost got thrown out of one in Columbus, Ohio, for ordering something whose name the owner found offensive. Fun times, but I digress.

So my question to you, how does the food at R&C compare to what is served in The UK? Does it remind you of home? Does it remind you so much of home that you wonder why you flew thousands of miles to eat this? Is it quite different?

 

[Elise79]

We haven't eaten there but the menu isn't what I would consider "traditional" apart from the fish and chips.

We would rather eat in different places than eat somewhere that is trying to be like home but not really.

 

[wilma-bride]

I agree with Tracy's post above. Although I haven't eaten there, I don't consider the menu to be representative of food you would traditionally find in an English pub. here, you would be looking at things like steak and ale pie, fish and chips, gammon and pineapple, some kind of roast dinner, possibly salmon. I have rarely seen a Scotch egg on a menu here in the UK.

I know there are those people who love it but, like Tracy, I am not keen on the idea of eating somewhere that is 'British' when there are so many other (better?) options, particularly around World Showcase.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

So my question to you, how does the food at R&C compare to what is served in The UK? Does it remind you of home? Does it remind you so much of home that you wonder why you flew thousands of miles to eat this? Is it quite different?

Some of the dishes (fish n chips, bangers and mash) remind me of home but not enough to wish I was back there! For someone who has never been or may never come to the UK its a good substitute, as you get to be served by British people. Although you probably won't see Scotch Eggs on the pub menus here anymore it's readily available in all UK grocery stores and is something we eat on summer on picnics or as a snack.
I think as an experience for a tourist of everything British it's not bad.

 

[wayneg]

I have eaten there. I believe it does reflect what we eat in the UK, its bits taken from all over the country. If you goto a bar around here you would be able to buy a pork pie or a scotch egg as a snack but a few miles down the road possibly not, they are regional things.

We have eaten there once. Eaten around 80 Table service meals in Disney and it was certainly in the top 5 for us. We all found the food excellent, service was outstanding, firework viewing fantastic, only thing that let it down was mushy peas, they were nothing like they should have been. I sent them back and the server discounted our check.

Saying that, as with every Disney restaurant, next visit could be a totally different experience.

 

[Pootle]

We all found the food excellent, service was outstanding, firework viewing fantastic, only thing that let it down was mushy peas, they were nothing like they should have been. I sent them back and the server discounted our check.

Saying that, as with every Disney restaurant, next visit could be a totally different experience.

Ah Wayne so you could be the reason why they don't offer mushy peas with the fish and chips .

We ate there 2 weeks ago for the first time and we were not impressed. Had a great table, good server and just average fish and chips at an anything-but-average price. Everything, barring the fish and chips, seems to have been 'tweaked' for the American market. We also had the sticky toffee pudding, which was poor in my opinion.

I agree with Wayne's statement though that the next visit could be a totally different experience with any Disney restaurant - other choices may have been better suited to me ..... except in the case of this place, there won't be a 'next visit'

 

[FelisLachesis]

So the quick consensus I'm seeing is that it's passable, or better, but nothing that wows you. It's also heavily Americanized, which is a shame. Sounds like the same problems with all of the restaurants in Epcot.

Talking about regional cuisine. I know here in The States, there's a lot of distinction between food from the South vs the Midwest vs California, etc. What's big in Florida may not work in Minnesota. Does that happen in The UK, also? Is there food that's big in Manchester that is unheard of in Portsmouth?

 

[disneyholic family]

i had the salmon there last year and it was very good...
and as i noted in the other thread, the service was outstanding...
as was our view of illuminations...
it was the second most enjoyable meal we had at WDW last year (the most enjoyable last year being dinner at BOG)...

in both places, what put the meal over the top for us was the friendliness of the CMs......

i'll let you in on a little secret....
while the servers are all brits (in our experience anyway), the chefs are americans....
at least all of those we've encountered...
out of a sample of 5 head chefs working there, all 5 have been american...

in any case, for us, it's a very enjoyable meal, with a lovely view of epcot...

and since my favorite thing is dining al fresco, rose & crown is perfect.....
nothing i like better than a long leisurely meal outdoors....

.

 

[edinburghlass]

So the quick consensus I'm seeing is that it's passable, or better, but nothing that wows you. It's also heavily Americanized, which is a shame. Sounds like the same problems with all of the restaurants in Epcot. Talking about regional cuisine. I know here in The States, there's a lot of distinction between food from the South vs the Midwest vs California, etc. What's big in Florida may not work in Minnesota. Does that happen in The UK, also? Is there food that's big in Manchester that is unheard of in Portsmouth?

Well Wayne's mushy peas aren't often seen in Scotland with fish and chips, equally in Edinburgh its salt and sauce as 'condiments' whereas in Glasgow its salt and vinegar!

Always enjoy the fish and chips from the Yorkshire County Fish Shop next to the Rose and Crown at least once during a visit.

 

[disneyholic family]

Well Wayne's mushy peas aren't often seen in Scotland with fish and chips, equally in Edinburgh its salt and sauce as 'condiments' whereas in Glasgow its salt and vinegar!

Always enjoy the fish and chips from the Yorkshire County Fish Shop next to the Rose and Crown at least once during a visit.

DD and her husband ate there last week....
their server was a scot - she said his accent was sooooo thick, they barely understood one word out of his mouth...
they didn't ask where he's from, but presumably not edinburgh
as always at R&C, he was as nice as can be!!

.

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

So the quick consensus I'm seeing is that it's passable, or better, but nothing that wows you. It's also heavily Americanized, which is a shame. Sounds like the same problems with all of the restaurants in Epcot. Talking about regional cuisine. I know here in The States, there's a lot of distinction between food from the South vs the Midwest vs California, etc. What's big in Florida may not work in Minnesota. Does that happen in The UK, also? Is there food that's big in Manchester that is unheard of in Portsmouth?

The biggest thing for me is you can go to a Fish and Chip shop or "chippy" in the North and get a meat gravy for your fish and chips or pie and chips,but you can't get gravy in London chip shops!
You can get most foods all over the UK but they can have different names eg a bread roll can be called a muffin in Manchester but travel 40 miles to Leeds and it's a Stottie. Haggis for example is very Scottish but you can get it pretty much anywhere.

 

[wayneg]

The biggest thing for me is you can go to a Fish and Chip shop or "chippy" in the North and get a meat gravy for your fish and chips or pie and chips,but you can't get gravy in London chip shops!
You can get most foods all over the UK but they can have different names eg a bread roll can be called a muffin in Manchester but travel 40 miles to Leeds and it's a Stottie. Haggis for example is very Scottish but you can get it pretty much anywhere.

Stottie is definitely not Leeds area, never heard of it til I read your post and Googled. Apparently its from the North East http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stottie_cake
We would say Teacake or Breadcake "In West Yorkshire, a large plain white or brown teacake, is often also called a breadcake and is used to make sandwiches."

 

[disneyholic family]

The biggest thing for me is you can go to a Fish and Chip shop or "chippy" in the North and get a meat gravy for your fish and chips or pie and chips,but you can't get gravy in London chip shops!
You can get most foods all over the UK but they can have different names eg a bread roll can be called a muffin in Manchester but travel 40 miles to Leeds and it's a Stottie. Haggis for example is very Scottish but you can get it pretty much anywhere.

best haggis i ever had was in london!

 

[ChipnDaleRule]

Stottie is definitely not Leeds area, never heard of it til I read your post and Googled. Apparently its from the North East http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stottie_cake We would say Teacake or Breadcake "In West Yorkshire, a large plain white or brown teacake, is often also called a breadcake and is used to make sandwiches."

Well I'll be having words with my Friends from Leeds who introduced me to the word

 

[edinburghlass]

Stottie is definitely not Leeds area, never heard of it til I read your post and Googled. Apparently its from the North East http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stottie_cake
We would say Teacake or Breadcake "In West Yorkshire, a large plain white or brown teacake, is often also called a breadcake and is used to make sandwiches."

I know what you mean by a teacake but in Scotland a teacake is a Tunnock's Teacake

 

[wayneg]

I know what you mean by a teacake but in Scotland a teacake is a Tunnock's Teacake

We have Tunnock's Teacakes here also but if you ask for Teacakes in Yorkshire you are asking for a breadcake.

In a Yorkshire Fish & Chip shop I believe we are also unique with our fishcakes, we don't get the mashed potato, fish & parsley variety.
I will copy and paste an explanation of a Yorkshire Fishcake from Nigella.com, perfectly worded.

In Yorkshire, if you happen to visit a Fish & Chip shop and ask for a "Cake" it means a fishcake, but not one with mashed potato and parsley. The Yorkshire "Cake" has two slices of potato with a piece of white fish mainly cod or haddock in the middle, covered in batter and deep-fried in lard or dripping. I know you maybe alarmed about using lard or dripping in deep-frying, but the taste it imparts to the end product is so astounding. Of course by all means, you may wish to fry the "Cakes"in vegetable oil, perfectly fine, although it will not provide such an authentic taste. Mainly these "cakes" are served with chips, mushy peas seasoned with salt and vinegar. So delicious.

 

[maclondon]

The Yorkshire "Cake" has two slices of potato with a piece of white fish mainly cod or haddock in the middle, covered in batter and deep-fried in lard or dripping.

ok I'm drooling now!

Scotch eggs are very popular in the more posher pubs (and street food markets) in london now
home made ones with the egg still runny in the middle

MMMMMMMMMM

 

[maclondon]

So reviewing the menu (note I've not been there)

House-made English Meat Pies
Pork and Apple Sausage Roll, with House-made Piccalilli

a sausage roll is not a pie - but I'm being picky, also apple isn't normally in there
Piccalilli is a traditional pickle served with any cold meat things and is ACE

United Kingdom Cheese Platter
with Stilton, McCall’s Irish Cheddar, and Cotswold Cheese

Stilton yep - the other two seem like american things

St. James Smoked Salmon
with traditional condiments and Lemon-Mayo

Lemon Mayo ?

Crock of Potato Leek Soup

Leek and Potato soup is fairly common - no idea what a crock is?
its called vichyssoise if your french or being posh!

Apple and Frisée Salad
featuring Ocean Spray ® Craisins® BRAND with Cashel Cheese, Toasted Almonds, and Cranberry Vinaigrette

OK you've lost me here completely - this has no place on the menu!!!

Scotch Egg
Golden-fried Hard-boiled Egg wrapped in Sausage Meat with Mustard Sauce

mustard sauce? whats that hot dog sauce? otherwise YES PLEASE.

Mains

Fish and Chips
“Rose & Crown’s Signature Dish” Beer-battered and served with House-made Tartar Sauce

yep

Bangers and Mash
Traditional English Sausages with Braised Cabbage and Bacon served with Mashed Potatoes and Shallot Gravy

well this is kinda a mash up (doh!) not sure where the cabbage and bacon comes from (some sort of irish fusion going on here)


Grilled New York Strip Steak
Loaded Yorkshire Pudding, Seasonal Vegetables, and Jameson Irish Whiskey-Peppercorn Sauce

New York, Ireland and Yorkshire cosying up here - this seems to be the ******* child of a roast dinner. also what is a 'loaded' yorkshire pudding? loaded with what?


Indian-style Chicken Masala
with Seasonal Vegetables, Basmati Rice, and Raita

Colonial influence here and well added, though not sure why there is seasonal veg on the plate!

Welsh Pub Burger
Angus Beef Patty with Bass Beer-Irish Cheddar Gratin, Bacon, and Battered Leeks

Welsh? Angus beef is scottish, Bass Beer is english, Gratin is french, battered leeks ?

Vegetable Cottage Pie
Seasonal Vegetables, Mashed Potatoes, and Cheddar

Vegetable cottage pie? does it have fake beef? wrongness on a plate

Shredded Corned Beef on Toast
Cabbage Slaw, McCall’s Irish Cheddar, and Branston Dressing

What is this abomination

Shepherd’s Pie
Ground Lamb, Seasonal Vegetables, English Peas, Mashed Potatoes, and McCall’s Irish Cheddar

yep pretty spot on

Pudding

Jaffa Tarts
Orange Cream-filled Cakes with Chocolate Ganache, Raspberry Sauce, and Orange Jelly

Jaffa cakes are small cakey biscuits not a pudding but erm ok

Banoffee Tart
Banana, Jameson Irish Whiskey-Caramel, Sweet Cream, and Chocolate

yep seems like the sort of thing you would see on a pub menu

Sticky Toffee Pudding
Steamed Pudding “Cake” served with warm Vanilla Custard and hot Butter-Rum Sauce

likewise minus the butter rum sauce

Warm Chocolate Bread and Butter Pudding
with Sauce Anglaise

OH yes - assuming sauce anglaise is custard

No Sugar Added Red Velvet Chiffon Cake
with Citrus Panna Cotta and Cherry Compote

WHAT!


So all in all its an Americanised version of traditional pub grub.

 

[wayneg]

I have not looked at the menu recently, looks to have totally changed since we ate there.

 

[disneyholic family]

that's the lunch menu ...
for dinner they have salmon as well, which is what i always order (and it's always excellent)

Pan-roasted Scottish Salmon -Mashed Neeps and Tatties, Braised Leeks, and Stone Ground Mustard Vinaigrette

i took this from the dinner menu on the disney website:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/epcot/rose-and-crown-pub-and-dining-room/menus/dinner/

.