Bistro De Paris and more! Updated 2/06/12 with the Plaza!

[Skipper Justin]

Dined there during last March, but just wrote the view on my blog: http://disneyworldshowcase.wordpress.com/ and thought I would post it here too! Pictures are on the actual blog, and I Hope you enjoy!


Bonjour!

I have to admit that one of my favorite things to do at a theme park, Epcot especially, is to partake in some tasty food. Epcot is my favorite theme park for the sole reason that it allows for anyone to experience food and drinks from around the world without hopping on a plane.(Well unless you are not from Florida). Last March, I decided to have a dinner at the Bistro de Paris which is located in the France Pavilion in Epcot. This meal was one of the best meals I have ever had in my life, and blew any expectations I had for theme park food out of the water. It was delicious, however a bit expensive. I will break it down into sections:

Theming- This place was awesome! One of my favorite aspects was that the entrance was almost hidden at the back end of Chefs de France. The moment you walk over to check in you can see the huge staircase in front on you. It was a really neat moment because it gave the restaurant a sense of bestowed elegance. Mucho fancy. Once you are seated you will definitely feel like you are in France. There are wine bottles everywhere, the waiters are all wearing Tuxedos , and the large windows that overlook the lagoon are give a wonderful view to the surroundings. Our table was located near the back, so we did not get the best view of the lagoon. Side note: One of the best aspects of the whole evening was that we had our reservation for 9pm, so we were finished eating around 10:30. Once we left the restaurant the park had been closed for over an hour, and the world showcase was empty. It was an awesome experience being able to walk around without the usual hordes of people milling about.

Food: As soon as we sat down I knew I was in for a treat. I had read reviews online before eating at the restaurant so I knew pretty much what I was going to choose.



These were the napkins that were on the table. Looked like a little coat. Pretty neat.

I chose the pre-fixe meal($49.99) with butternut squash soup, Stuffed Pork Tenderloin, and the creme brule dessert sampler.

The first thing we received was a amuse bouche sent from the chef.



This is a chilled gazpacho with a avocado cream. It was creamy and delicious. It had a very fresh tomato taste, and the avocado cream reminded me of the most delicious guacamole that I’ve ever had. A great start to the meal.



I then received my butternut squash soup. This was seriously the best soup I have ever had in my life. There was a refined richness to this soup that put it above the rest. I was impressed that they were able to impart so much flavor without including any meat. The soup contained nuts that gave an interesting contrast to the texture.



My main dish was definitely the best thing that I had that night. It was a pork tenderloin wrapped in bacon with a wine sauce. There was also black truffled potatoes gratin. The pork on pork action was definitely an adventure for the taste buds. The pork was so tender, and the sauce really had a great flavor. The sauce was so good I was practically wiping my plate clean when I was finished. The pork had a great semi smokey flavor from the bacon, and the mushrooms that were stuffed inside were great. I am usually not a huge pork fan, but this really made me rethink my views on that meat. The potatoes gratin were wonderfully creamy, cheese, and the truffles added such a depth of flavor. GREAT side dish. The only sad point is that it is no longer offered on the menu.



For desert I chose the creme brule sampler. It was very delicious. Each component felt necessary, and I would definitely order each on their own. My favorite was the custard in the center because it had a very excellent perfectly burnt sugary taste. I love the taste of caramel, so this was perfect for me. The only one I did not love was the ice cream because while it was very good, it did not measure up the excellence of the rest.

The Bistro is a wonderful restaurant and I personally know that I will be back eventually. It provides a fine dining experience in Epcot, and offers a chance to try delicious authentic French Cuisine. Writing this review makes me hungry….

 

[rznhal]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

You had me drooling there, Skipper Justin!
Thanks for a great review. Now I'm off to check your blog.

 

[Skipper Justin]

Thanks a lot! I plan on writing about a review per week and adding it here and the blog. I plan on reviewing: The Plaza, The Brown Derby, Sci Fi Diner, Prime Time Diner, Raglan Road, Tony's, and Biergarten. I also have a trip coming up and am eating at Marakesh, Le Cellier, La Hacienda, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and Mama Melrose's. So be on the look out!

 

[Tinkerbellah]

Nice review!! The soup looks great! I'll keep this place in mind. I seem to read more about Chefs de France.

 

[gretchenohar@hotmail]

Thanks a lot! I plan on writing about a review per week and adding it here and the blog. I plan on reviewing: The Plaza, The Brown Derby, Sci Fi Diner, Prime Time Diner, Raglan Road, Tony's, and Biergarten. I also have a trip coming up and am eating at Marakesh, Le Cellier, La Hacienda, Whispering Canyon Cafe, and Mama Melrose's. So be on the look out!

I'll be on the look-out! Thanks!

FWIW - we loved the Sci-Fi with kids - probably not if we hadn't had them along.
50's PT - the same - was a BLAST w/ the kids - & the fried chix was great; but wouldn't have gone if not for the kids.
None of us liked Biergarten! Food was dried out (sat under heat lamps for who knows how long?) Entertainment was OK...
We actually didn't mind the food at Tony's despite the poor reviews it usually receives - tho the service was WAY sub-par...
WCC was far too chaotic & noisy for our taste, and I can't say I enjoyed the food... Tried to engage the waiter to elicit some "antics" - but nothing doing.
MM's was OK - no complaints. Food wasn't spectacular, but it was "OK". That's a sad commentary considering the price...
We enjoyed LC - had both lunch & dinner there (before price changes last year to a Signature Restaurant dinner) and we have no complaints.

Looking forward to your reviews!!!

 

[Skipper Justin]

Again posted on http://disneyworldshowcase.wordpress.com/ with the pictures. Be sure to follow our blog!

Hello again, This weeks restaurant review will be a double feature because they will both be a little shorter than the usual ones. I have dined Twice at the Sci-Fi Dine in Theatre, one time in March and once in December. I dined at the Yakitori house during my spring break trip last march, and it has been rethemed since then to Katsura Grill. The Katsura grill still offers nearly the same menu with a few more Japanese goodies added, such as Okonomiyaki. Both of these places seem to excel in themeing and not so much in the food area.

Sci-Fi Dine in Theater-

Themeing: The best thing about this restaurant is definitely the dining area. It is basically modeled after a 1940-1950′s Drive in Theater. It is really striking the first moment you walk in and see all the car tables, the darkness, and the huge screen in the middle playing all the different clips of classic “B” movies. All the waiters and waitresses are also dressed like Carhops. Another interesting tidbit is that the “Cars” usually sit around 8 people, so more than likely the end of your car may be home to another family. The restaurant is very dark which is really nice if you are wanting to relax during lunch or dinner, and the clips they are show range from hilariously bad to hilariously funny. It is an awesome experience just being in the dining room, and if there was a way just to sit there without ordering I most likely would. It is a great place to cool off, watch some clips, and enjoy one of Disney’s more elaborately themed restaurants.



Service/Food- The service I had there both times has been very good. My drinks were never empty too long and the food was quick to come out . They also were never obtrusive when we were trying to enjoy the different video clips, and gave us ample time. The only downfall I would say for this place would be the food. Now the Sci-Fi Drive In Theater is not outright terrible or horrible, it is just mediocre. I chose the Reuben the first time I ate there, it was tasty but reminded me of something I could have gotten at lower end sub shop. I had the onion rings with it, after reading rave reviews, and was disappointed by them. They were much too greasy for my liking, and I could not finish them. The onion rings also cost extra is you got them instead of fries. The second time I went I ordered the burger with fries, and this was a lack luster burger with standard fries. It didn’t taste bad necessarily, it was just kind of “meh.” It reminded me of the overpriced burgers at one of my University’s restaurants. The fries were good but I received them lukewarm which did not make them as appetizing as they should have been. On the positive side, I left both times feeling full and refreshed from the atmosphere. Like I stated earlier, the food is not bad, it is just very boring, nothing really amazing there.



Overall- I really do like the Sci-fi Dine in Theater because of its elaborate themeing and great service. I will most likely go again because I do enjoy it, but plan to order appetizers instead so I can enjoy the surroundings and save some money. This restaurant would be awesome for families! Side Note: Be sure to book this place early because this restaurant tends to be the most sought after in Hollywood Studios.

Yakitori House/Katsura Grill-

This is the quick service restaurant located in the Japan Pavilion in Epcot. We decided to eat there because we did not have a TS booked, and we happened to be in the Japan Pavilion at that time.

Themeing- This place is directly in the beauty of the Japan Pavilion. The outdoor seating is nestled in the middle of Japanese foliage, gardens, and a koi pond. There is a nice breeze around usually, and most of the seating is under a few trees so there is nice shade coverage as well. I love the look of the Japan Pavilion, and this provided a way in which we could sit, relax, and take it all in. It is just a nice tranquil place overall to eat. The inside of the building is nice as well, with distinctly Japanese architecture.

Food- The menu is rather limited but contains different uniquely Japanese dishes. Everything from Okonomiyaki, which is basically a cabbage pancake, to Sushi and of course udon soup. I choose the special that came with a tuna roll and udon soup. The sushi was prepackaged but was very fresh. I really enjoyed it, and it was the perfect temperature, although It was not the best sushi I have ever had, but was one of the better prepackaged sushi’s. The Udon soup, I thought was delicious. The noodles were cooked perfectly and the broth was flavorful, and It really reminded me of traditional Japanese cuisine, it also tasted very authentic. I would definitely go back again for the udon. JS got the teriyaki chicken which I thought was pretty bland, and tasted more like the Chinese restaurant incarnations. The Chicken also came with vegetables that too were watery and bland. I was happy with what I chose, and again the Udon was great!



Overall, The Yakitori House/ Katsura Grill is a great quick service location at Epcot. While some of the dishes seem to be more on the bland side, others are really quite authentic and delicious. It is a wonderful experience to eat outside and enjoy the natural beauty of the Japan Pavilion. Arigatou!

 

[Skipper Justin]

Pictures on the blog

Magic Kingdom does not have the best options for restaurants. It is definitely no Epcot. When I booked The Plaza, honestly I was not expecting much and not looking forward to it. I will say that I have completely turned around since then, and I had a great experience eating at this restaurant. The location at this place is FANTASTIC, and most tables actually have a great view of the castle. This would be a prime space to get dinner and watch the nightly shows. The Plaza is a place that I definitely would love to go back again eventually. The ambience is very nice (Chandeliers and a lot of gold), but the dining area is on the smaller side. This not a bad thing because it allows for a much more intimate dining experience.


From Disboards
Service: The service here was some of the best I have ever experienced at the Walt Disney World Resort. Our waitress was very prompt, friendly, and helped us with any questions about the menu we had. At one point she talked with us about her children and what they were interested in. She reminded me of a very nice aunt or a good friend's mom. I really enjoyed the service there, and it really made me forget how limited the actual menu was. I wish I would have written her name down, so I could have gone to Guest Services and told them of her excellent service.



Food: The Plaza is basically a sandwich and ice cream parlor, so the menu is very limited in that regard. That being said, the sandwiches were high quality and quite yummy. I chose the Rueben (which is one of their signature sandwiches) which came with fries. I also saw on the menu that they had broccoli slaw (I am a huge fan of coleslaw and wanted to try the variation) so I ordered that one as well. The sandwich was hot, tasty, and perfectly toasted. It was a great sized portion and the meat inside tasted fresh and of good quality. This was the best Rueben I have had in Disney. The fries were not the standard shoestring variety and I think I liked that better. They arrived hot and with the perfect amount of salt. They tasted much better than the Sci-Fi Drive In's incarnation. The Broccoli slaw was an interesting component. It did not taste like cole slaw like I assumed, and this reminded me more of a salad with a creamy vinaigrette dressing. It was very crunchy and the broccoli was seemed fresh. Overall, the food was some of the best I have had at the Magic Kingdom, but there is not downfall of the limited menu.



I really suggest giving The Plaza a try if you are looking for a Table Service restaurant at Magic Kingdom. I know typically the food around MK is not the best, but the Plaza is a shining example that not everything meets the eye. I heard the desserts are really great as well, and I look forward to trying them the next time I go. Side Note: I want to get a later reservation for this place, so I can watch the end of the day festivities; however, there never seems to be any reservations open. Drat!