Best/Worst lunch entree at Ariel's Grotto...

[LalaCoop]

Our trip is getting so close, I'm SUPER excited! We have very adventurous palates, so I'd love to hear opinions on AG lunch. Is the lobster salad tiny? Yea or nay on the tri-tip? Is the chicken dry, the shrimp bland? How bout those corn cakes? Is the fish fresh? Would you choose soup or salad to start? Us the salad really basic? Does the soup taste homemade?

 

[ehrawn]

I've only been to AG once for WOC dinning with a large group. The best way I could put it is the company was better than the food. I had the tri tip. It wasn't worth the money. My wife had the catch, which was a crusted mahi. We're from Hawaii so it was hard to find it special. Don't get me wrong. Everything was fine for what it was. Just go into it knowing that it isn't a culinary adventure.

 

[LalaCoop]

Oh! totally going for the princesses, not the food, but if one choice is better or worse than another...

 

[krispin41]

I thought the tri-tip was delicious. My husband had a chicken dish and thought it was good too. This was in 2012

 

[ehrawn]

Oh! totally going for the princesses, not the food, but if one choice is better or worse than another...

Ha! Yes, great attitude! It's no help to say, but I think it's accurate: nothing is worse than another. I just consulted DW. Her words, "I can't remember anything about the food."

 

[cmpeter]

We were there for the WOC lunch in October. My dd had the tri tip, she liked it but wasn't a super big fan of the BBQ sauce, but she's not a sauce person. I had the fresh catch of the day. It was OK. We both had the soup (crab chowder I think) and thought it was great. We had some trio of small desserts...really liked the chocolate mousse/cake thing and the chocolate dipped strawberries.

 

[rms123]

I had the fresh fish - a macadamia encrusted halibut and it wasn't edible. Really gross.

 

[meagus]

In October for lunch I had the trip trip and thought it was delicious! I started with the soup, which was pumpkin, and it too was lovely. The meal rounded out well with a yummy platter of little desserts, including a sensational creme brûlée! (We too totally went for the princesses, so with the joy my little girl got out of that, it was a completely enjoyable and memorable occasion for us!!)

 

[Vala]

In October for lunch I had the trip trip and thought it was delicious! I started with the soup, which was pumpkin, and it too was lovely. The meal rounded out well with a yummy platter of little desserts, including a sensational creme brûlée! (We too totally went for the princesses, so with the joy my little girl got out of that, it was a completely enjoyable and memorable occasion for us!!)

Early October lunch and I'm with you on the tri tip. I found it delicious. My friends had the angel hair pasta with shrimp and liked it very much too.

EDIT: silly me... I had photos in my trip report.





The pasta with shrimp.



Tri Tip.



Dessert - last year we still got a shared platter, but that's what each person seems to get now.

 

[LalaCoop]

Thanks for the pics! so far I'm a no on the fish, maybe the tri tip or shrimp, anyone try the lobster salad?

 

[tink3kids]

I went over the summer with my 6yo - The experience was fantastic as was the dessert platter. The main course (I had the angel hair pasta/shrimp) was ok - not great, not awful. It is really more about the experience

 

[bouds]

The tri tip is good. I also had the chicken with noodles dish, which I did t like.

 

[tiggeroo42]

My mother in law had the lobster salad when we went last month. It was A LOT of greens and a little bit of lobster, but she said it was tasty. It just didn't look that filling to me. My DH and I had the fish. We thought it was pretty good, but nothing extraordinary, just like most everyone else has said. I went in with low expectations and actually thought everything food-wise was pretty good and a nice change from other park offerings!

The thing I didn't like was how rushed the service felt. Every time I tried to take a bite, a princess came by, and we had to pull out the autograph books and camera and struggle to rush the kids out of the booth to take a picture. They seemed like they were in such a hurry and interacted very little with our children. The wait staff was great, but I also felt like they were in a huge rush to move everyone along through their courses so they could clear the dining room. It wasn't a leisurely dining experience AT ALL, and for that (not the food), we won't be back.

 

[DharmaLou]

I've eaten there twice, and this last time I had the pasta with shrimp which was just fine and filling. It wasn't out of this world, but it was good. I also had the soup, which I thought was good. I would put the pasta dish in line with the pasta dish I had at WCT in January.

The food is MUCH better than Minnie's or Goofy's.