Best Appetizer-as-light-meal for light eaters

[Lisa F]

Calling all light eaters who actually like to eat, just have small appetites...

What are your favorite WDW appetizers that eat like a meal without being a tremendous portion?

Skipper Canteen has

Orinoco Ida's Cachapas
And you thought our jokes were corny! House-made Corn Pancakes, Mojo-braised Pork, Black Bean Salad, Avocado Cream

This was delicious and just right for lunch for me when I was there.

Anyone else have any favorites?

 

[mousegear]

Yak and Yeti has dim sum basket for two or dragon roll for two which should more than fill you up. I like food but also have small tummy and it filled me up and DS has a few pieces also. It's not appetizer but Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge have small plates which were perfect meal for me as well. Jiko has flat breads which is a meal for me also. Cali Grill's rolls are so huge, usually one is more than enough to make a meal. Flying Fish's Tour of the Coast was also a decent size.

 

[eastendlights]

BOG-mussels
HBD-Cobb salad
The Wave-crab cakes
Kona-sticky wings, pot stickers and pork buns-my daughter and I will often order all three to share for dinner and then have dessert later on
Sanaa-bread service
Sci-Fi-appetizer sample

Most (okay, okay, almost all) of these are not the healthiest things on the planet but as we all know, Disney calories don't count

 

[amberpi]

I usually just eat apps, so that's a really hard question...

I agree on CG - a dragon roll is a huge portion of food and my go to meal there.

I also agree on FF - tour of the coast is great, but I usually do the tuna and the bisque or a salad.

Spice Road Table - always do it tapas style, but their grape leaves, hummus, calamari are all very well done.

Bluezoo - where do I begin? I actually try to save my appetite for this and always get some oysters (I have an extra oyster stomach), the tuna, scallops, beet salad, are all excellent. Sometimes my entire meals aren't exactly proper oysters followed by tuna or scallops probably seems odd, but man, everything there is delicious.

Il Muliano - mussels and caprese salad.

Restaurant Marrakesh - I always get the med salad (for 2) for my dinner, and still share it AND its still super cheap.

Rose and Crown - cold smoked salmon.

San Angel Inn - tostadas or tlyacoyos (I don't know about the spelling). Both are yum.

Now I'm super hungry!

 

[amberpi]

How did I forget the HDB lounge? Love the sliders and shrimp and grits - perfect portion for lunch.

 

[Lisa F]

Yak and Yeti has dim sum basket for two or dragon roll for two which should more than fill you up. I like food but also have small tummy and it filled me up and DS has a few pieces also. It's not appetizer but Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge have small plates which were perfect meal for me as well. Jiko has flat breads which is a meal for me also. Cali Grill's rolls are so huge, usually one is more than enough to make a meal. Flying Fish's Tour of the Coast was also a decent size.

Just to clarify, I am looking for things that are appetizer portioned but fun and interesting enough to make a meal. Some of these suggestions are great, but an entree sized appetizer is not really a huge selling point for me Not sure if I was clear about that! I'm not planning to go to HS on my next trip and not sure the lounge is really kid friendly but the various lounges and small plate options are on my "adult only bucket list". Agree about CA Grill, that was our highlight meal last time and the spicy kazan roll is big enough to be a main meal. I've never been able to eat that much sushi, I used to go to this cheap all you can eat place with my ex and it took about 3 times there before I realized I was leaving there feeling sick and still could not eat enough to justify the price and ended up just ordering a la carte from then on out. duh! sushi really blows up in my stomach for some reason!

BOG-mussels
HBD-Cobb salad
The Wave-crab cakes
Kona-sticky wings, pot stickers and pork buns-my daughter and I will often order all three to share for dinner and then have dessert later on
Sanaa-bread service
Sci-Fi-appetizer sample

Most (okay, okay, almost all) of these are not the healthiest things on the planet but as we all know, Disney calories don't count

The mussels are on my list already. I love mussels and it is a relief to find some at Disney with no fennel (i don't like fennel and it appears in almost every other mussel app)

the Sanaa bread service is delicious but huge.

I had the Sci Fi wings on my last trip and they were quite tasty! And I'm a bit of a wing snob being from NY (not buffalo but still).

I usually just eat apps, so that's a really hard question...

I agree on CG - a dragon roll is a huge portion of food and my go to meal there.

I also agree on FF - tour of the coast is great, but I usually do the tuna and the bisque or a salad.

Spice Road Table - always do it tapas style, but their grape leaves, hummus, calamari are all very well done.

Bluezoo - where do I begin? I actually try to save my appetite for this and always get some oysters (I have an extra oyster stomach), the tuna, scallops, beet salad, are all excellent. Sometimes my entire meals aren't exactly proper oysters followed by tuna or scallops probably seems odd, but man, everything there is delicious.

Il Muliano - mussels and caprese salad.

Restaurant Marrakesh - I always get the med salad (for 2) for my dinner, and still share it AND its still super cheap.

Rose and Crown - cold smoked salmon.

San Angel Inn - tostadas or tlyacoyos (I don't know about the spelling). Both are yum.

Now I'm super hungry!

yum, lots of good suggestions here. Except where I live we have tons of oysters (i could get a license to get my own if I wanted but I am not nature girl lol). They can't be better than the ones here! I won't tell you how many we go through when the local brew pub does $1 oysters and $0.25 wings (sounds like a weird combo but it works) so I usually wait for that January event and then indulge the heck out of myself I have never been to the swan dolphin but maybe need to check out some of those places.


Keep 'em coming, I am cross referencing with kid menus (but not necessary for you to do that with this thread, I think it will be good info to have in the search!)

 

[Lisa F]

How did I forget the HDB lounge? Love the sliders and shrimp and grits - perfect portion for lunch.

I am crazy for shrimp and grits. an app portion would be just right!

 

[Tigger's ally]

I was going to suggest the buckets at the Boathouse (shrimp or clams) but after your last post I won't because they probably are too much food.
So, the Scallop Forest at Raglan is probably next on my list.

If neither of them work, I sometimes just drink my appetizer??????

 

[MiracleCream]

I am crazy for shrimp and grits. an app portion would be just right!

Too bad you can't order kids sized of meals like people can order adult sized kids meals! Did that make sense?

 

[Lisa F]

Too bad you can't order kids sized of meals like people can order adult sized kids meals! Did that make sense?

Yes, there are some restaurants here that do a plate splitting charge or half portion if you're just one person. These portions are still enormous though!

Looking for some options that will feel like a "real meal" and enjoy my meals at disney but be more like my beloved skippers canteen Cachapas in portion size.

 

[CarolynFH]

At Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar last week, DH, DSis and I shared some lamb sliders, a flatbread and some loaded French fries that were all out of the ordinary and very tasty. I just checked the menu on All Ears and the descriptions are different, so they must change seasonally! Anyway, you might check it out next time you're in DS.

 

[amberpi]

Too bad you can't order kids sized of meals like people can order adult sized kids meals! Did that make sense?

This is a dream for me!

 

[thepicklebee]

The ribs at Nomad Lounge were a nice option, although I did share a bread service there as well which did help round out the meal.

If you're in to charcuterie, the boards at Trattoria al forno and Homecoming were both delicious.


Now I really want the HBD lounge sliders... adding that to my May Anniversary trip list.

 

[Mikka]

Citricos mushroom flatbread was delicious and could easily be a small entree. So was the one at Trader SAMs. Let's just say flatbreads in general, really. Perfect size and tasty.

 

[loves to dive]

Brown Derby Cobb Salad
Nomad Lounge Sliders
Spice Road small plates

 

[Lisa F]

I was going to suggest the buckets at the Boathouse (shrimp or clams) but after your last post I won't because they probably are too much food.
So, the Scallop Forest at Raglan is probably next on my list.

If neither of them work, I sometimes just drink my appetizer??????

oh yeah. That scallop Forest is on my short list too, if I ever make it to Raglan Road!!!

At Jock Lindsey's Hangar Bar last week, DH, DSis and I shared some lamb sliders, a flatbread and some loaded French fries that were all out of the ordinary and very tasty. I just checked the menu on All Ears and the descriptions are different, so they must change seasonally! Anyway, you might check it out next time you're in DS.

this is on my "adult only short list" too. my short list is not so short!

This is a dream for me!

As I said above, we went to this place that has half portions or a plate splitting charge for full portions.. and they make them a bit bigger when they split them so what I ended up with was basically a massive "half order" of seafood risotto that lasted me two full meals. I was kind of like, what's the point? next time let's split a half order! it was insane! and I am not even the lightest eater on the planet, but the amount of food that some places serve is just way too much. I found that I felt best on my trip the first day when I had an appetizer for lunch and didn't overdo it, but I kind of gradually ate more and more as the week went by so looking for better sized portions where I feel like I am eating something decadent and vacation but where I don't end up stretching my stomach to hold a full turkey by the end of the vacation.

The ribs at Nomad Lounge were a nice option, although I did share a bread service there as well which did help round out the meal.

If you're in to charcuterie, the boards at Trattoria al forno and Homecoming were both delicious.


Now I really want the HBD lounge sliders... adding that to my May Anniversary trip list.

I love antipasto, YUM and the charcuterie looks more like an antipasto to me (looks like it has some fresh mozzarella and olives, yum yum and YUM). Actually an italian place sounds perfect with their app choices in general, thanks for the suggestion!

Citricos mushroom flatbread was delicious and could easily be a small entree. So was the one at Trader SAMs. Let's just say flatbreads in general, really. Perfect size and tasty.

Yeah I would agree on the size. I tend to stay away from pizza like things at Disney but there are lots of non pizza flavored type flatbreads out there too!

Brown Derby Cobb Salad
Nomad Lounge Sliders
Spice Road small plates

oh wow, I think we might actually have a winner for my Epcot dinner. Would like to try a new place and cross referenced with the kid's menu. One thing my picky kid loves is hummus and the other is grilled meat. Beef kebab with pomme frites and hummus (he won't eat the carrots but maybe I could get him a pita for his hummus or bring a baggie of pretzels in my purse lol). He will be in heaven and those small plates sound so yummy too. Hello spicy garlic shrimp, come to mama.

Loving all of the suggestions, if not for this trip then for another. Keep 'em coming. I see some sliders in my future too!

 

[amberpi]

I feel like I am eating something decadent and vacation but where I don't end up stretching my stomach to hold a full turkey by the end of the vacation.

The guy I'm dating now laughs at me for eating the worst things on the menu sometimes - and they're just apps, but so delicious! I can't help I never met foie gras, bone marrow, or squab I wasn't going to order. That stuff is AMAZING, and its not like I'm at home sauting up some foie gras and making organic fig compote with honeycomb, right?

Love your fun spirit girl! Get back to WDW and write up another report. Maybe I will. Gotta figure out May soon.

 

[Lisa F]

The guy I'm dating now laughs at me for eating the worst things on the menu sometimes - and they're just apps, but so delicious! I can't help I never met foie gras, bone marrow, or squab I wasn't going to order. That stuff is AMAZING, and its not like I'm at home sauting up some foie gras and making organic fig compote with honeycomb, right?

Love your fun spirit girl! Get back to WDW and write up another report. Maybe I will. Gotta figure out May soon.

I have to finish my last one first, lol.

We are going back in February for just 3 days at the parks then 4 days on the dream (with my parents, which is extraordinary... they will join us the last evening of our last parks day and have agreed to do an illuminations cruise in lieu of going into the parks so should be pretty nice... still have to figure out that dinner and logistics) and then one last day after we get off the ship. So I am working on the food plan for that. Need to finally get to BoG but eyeing the mussels. Skipper Canteen is back on the list, I loved what I had. We'll do a couple of character things too because the kid is still at that age. I've got nearly a year but my plan is crystalizing now!

also realized you were the first to list small plates at spice road table. in my research on the kid menu it seems like it is well loved by picky-ish kids. which I think is the category mine is moving into. I think this is going to be a win for us!