California Grill, the DDP, and more reviews! (WORDY!)

[Dreamfinder2]

We just got back from a week at the Beach Club Villas ... mostly, this trip was about checking out Expedition Everest (a glorious attraction! - rode it 3 times) and a 50th birthday meal for moi at the California Grill, which we'd never tried. Just three of us - DW (pickiest eater in creation), DD (tiny little 19-year-old sorority girl who'll eat anything not fastened down) and Yours Truly, now eligible for AARP discounts.

First, the DDP. As DVC members, this little perk hasn't been available to us that long, so we were anxious to try it out.

Short version: It worked for us splendidly. You *could* use it as an excuse to eat yourself into a stupor, but it saved us so much money - and I was so surprised at its flexibility - that I can't imagine a shorter trip without it. A longer trip ... we might just depend on the DDE card. (We've got every discount we can wrangle, with DDE, discounts as a DVC and AP holder, etc.) I've got to admit to something of a rush when I got the receipt for our meal itemizing costs, and that 2nd receipt with all zeros. It worked out to be an economical plus for us, and gave us the guilt-free opportunity to eat a variety of things.

Regarding, then, the CG on the plan: Holy cow. We were seated about a half-hour past our ADR time - there was a HUGE rehearsal dinner going on, and when those folks finally called it a night, a boadload of us were seated simultaneously. We had a window seat, gazing down at the MK right at sunset. Picture perfect.

Our server, Becky, was prompt, helpful, and attentive. DW had the four cheese flatbread, which we all sampled - just enough pesto, a pleasingly chewy crust. Thumbs up all around. When DD found out she could have sushi as an ap, she went into holy raptures. She took a safer route with a California roll, and I had the "spicy sensation." Note to self: Anytime a menu description includes "spicy" and "fireball" in the same sentence, be aware that it's gonna light you up. DD's sushi was a traditional California roll, but seemed exceptionally fresh - the dungeness crab was moist and had a more "crabby" taste than usual, really taking center stage beyond the avocado and cucumber also in the roll. Mine was four-alarm stuff, but not unpleasantly so ... I could really taste the tiny scallops. Mine had just a hint of tempura batter, making for a dainty crunch. We swapped plates while DW just glared at us (she calls sushi "devil's snot.")

Entrees. Yeah, babe! I had the black grouper, which was prepared with olive-oil wrapped potatoes. Un-fresh grouper can be too fishy, but this was just right - pristine white, flaky, and not overwhelmed by potatoes and olive oil. It was sort of surrounded by merguez sausage, which seemed strange on the menu, but worked alongside the fish - quite a contrast in flavor and texture. The little fried rock shrimp didn't add much one way or another.

DW had the signature grilled pork tenderloin. She LOVED it, picky thing that she is. It was prepared medium, which gave it a tiny pink tint in the center, but was moist and fork-tender. The goat cheese polenta was silky smooth, but she picked off the mushrooms and gave 'em to us. A winner.

DD had something I hadn't seen on any of the posted menus ... as I recall, it was handmade tortellini, stuffed with goat cheese and covered with truffle oil, morel mushrooms, and little green peas. It was a beautiful dish, with a translucent green sheen. DD, the pasta queen, was as pleased as could be. The truffle oil and mushrooms gave it an earthy quality, and the goat cheese was soft and decadent.

And desserts? DD had the strawberries forever, which was goat cheese cheesecake (I think goat cheese is its own food group at the CG) with a strawberry glaze. She announced that all cheesecake should be made from goat cheese, and it was blissfully creamy. It looked like it had been dumped from a little ramekin, like you typically get creme brulee in, instead of a slice of cake. DW and I had the bananas and butterscotch "buzz" - the bananas were caramelized, sort of like you'd find in bananas Foster, and were layered with what seemed to be a phyllo dough (kind of reminded me of the pastry in a napoleon), with a butterscotch custard - like a rich ice cream. Boy, it was good, although the fried plantain chip was pretty useless.

This made for a terrific evening, and we saw Wishes from our perch. I was glad we did, but seeing the fireworks from "off center", rather than from behind the castle, stole just a little bit of the magic.

Gonna share some more reviews of our other DDP experiences. Stay tuned!

Oh, yeah ... I might just add they were taking walk-ups at the CG for that evening.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Enjoyed the reviews!!
THose entrees were exactly what Mrs U and I had there last month!!
Did they dim the lights and pipe in the music while you watched the fireworks from your window table??

 

[jimmiej]

Enjoyed reading your review. DW & I will be at CG July 2nd to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Looking forward to it!

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Unc, they did dim the lights and pipe in music... we had actually just finished our meal, so we went outside to watch the fireworks. But our meal was among our best Disney meals.

 

[Kaycee]

Excellent review! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Sounds delicious! I'm looking forward to reading more of your reviews =)

 

[Princess4Eeyore]

Thanks for the great review - I cant wait to try this place on our next trip! I am glad the music is piped in

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Let me pass along just two counter service reviews out of several, representing two ends of the spectrum:

ABC Commissary @ Disney/MGM. What...were...we...THINKING? Hadn't tried this one in years. Those were good years! We are NOT fast food/counter service snobs - sometimes a Wendy's single just hits the spot, and when the sun and moon are aligned properly, I really enjoy a Waffle House. But this one was, frankly, a disappointment. DW had fish and chips, which she ate but said "Captain D's are better." I had a tabbouleh wrap, which was green confetti soaked in vinegar and wrapped in construction paper. I ate it, but I wasn't too thrilled. And poor DW, who had a cheesburger - how much more basic can you get? - called it a "school burger." The meat was gray and spongy - ack. Her fries came from Jiffy Lube, she said. So it'll be a while before we give the Commissary another chance, when there are some proven better options around. I wouldn't be so disappointed if I knew Disney couldn't do better. Too, too bad.

All was forgiven at Tusker House @ Animal Kingdom. This visit just cemented its kingpin status as our Disney-wide favorite counter service spot. I had salmon, which was moist and flaky, with a tomato-y glaze, yellow rice, and some nice sauteed veggies. Not gourmet quality, but head and shoulders over burger fare. DW had a turkey wrap, which she said was "good, basic turkey," but was really pleased with the corn chowder, wishing for seconds. I tasted the corn chowder, nice and chunky and flavorful, but wished for a cooler day. DD had a fried chicken sandwich, thick and not greasy at all. And carrot cake for dessert ... I have a special fondness for Disney carrot cakes around the parks, and with a great slathering of cream cheese frosting, I was a happy camper.

We had milkshakes one afternoon at Beaches and Cream, too ... absolutely no crowd at 4:30 p.m., and more than enough to satisfy us.

More coming ... Chefs de France, 50's Prime Time, Spoodles, and (drum roll, please) Raglan Road, even better this time than our first visit!

 

[swankybeth]

Great reviews so far! I had to LOL at your description of the tabbouleh wrap...guess I won't be trying that one! Salivating at the thought of the Tusker House salmon, my all time favorite counter service meal!

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks so much for your review! I just posted (a day or two ago) wondering if they still dimmed the lights/piped in the music for WISHES. I am happy to hear they still do and I am anxiously awaiting our ADR in Nov!

 

[deany]

Great reviews! We will be at CG for wishes in October and I loved hearing all the detail. I look forward to hearing about Chefs de France as we will be having a supper there also.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Here's my call on Chefs de France.

Again, it'd been a year or so since we'd been there, and had dinner our first evening.

It's a little thing, but I missed the white tablecloths from our last visit. Bare wood tables with paper placemats? *sigh*.

But beyond that, we had an enjoyable meal, not an "event," but still just fine. Special note goes to our server Leo, an older, VERY French gentleman, who was professional, suprisingly chatty, but still businesslike. He did a great job.

Again, on the dining plan, we all had aps. DW had the classic French onion soup. It was very rich, with a deep brown broth and a PILE of Gruyere cheese. I felt it was a cut above the norm. DD had the lobster bisque. It was of a thick, uniform consistency, no little pieces of lobster ... the soup was a butternut tan, and the flavor was definitely lobster-y, not too salty. I had a cheese plate ... four different cheeses served alongside some baby greens with a vinegarette dressing. The four cheeses weren't identified on the menu, but one, an especially sharp blue, just about froze the hinges in my jaw. It wasn't bad at all, but it was POTENT.

Main courses? Well, DD had sauteed sole with linguine and mushrooms in a cream sauce. Nicely presented, with the pasta al dente and the sole an alabaster white. DD is a pasta/seafood fiend, and had no complaints. DW, who was working on the menu-suggested "French Menu," had rotissiere chicken. Honestly, it's no different from rotissiere chicken anywhere else at WDW, but was a half-bird, not dry at all. She was actually more excited about the basil mashed potatoes ... and you'd better be partial to basil, because you can definitely taste it. On Leo's suggestion, I had the beef tenderloin (not at all what I'd intended to get, but he was insistent.) The little filet weighed in at about 6 oz., I'm guessing, but was grilled to my preferred temp of medium rare just "so." I was genuinely surprised... it was a nice cut of beef. The bordelaise sauce brought out the beefy flavor without hiding it, and the potatoes gratin puddled around the meat. The green beans were, well, green beans. But a very nice, if not exceptional, entree.

All three of us had creme brulee. This is DD's all-time favorite dessert. I know some others have had quibbles about Le Chefs creme brulee, but I thought it was good, although the texture was lighter than most I've had. I don't want anyone tampering with creme brulee - just the basics, thank you. Don't put pistachios or coffee or anything in it, puhleeeze!

All in all, I'd classify this as a typically good Epcot meal... the food won't knock your socks off, but the whole immersion atmosphere makes it something special. And if anyone is wondering about liking French food, I can just about assure you that you'll find something you'll enjoy.

Again, the DDP made it all so, so easy. We're fans.

 

[Merriwind]

Thanks for the review. We'll be there on July 14--I can't wait!!

 

[nurseypoo5]

oh great reviews!!! Did you snap any photos? I'm a little afraid of Chefs...to foo foo for us i believe. We are going to CG tho, love the thought of the piped in music

Looking forward to more! What other CS did you eat that were good...this is a good thing to review as those get left out so often. I wont be eating at ABC!

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Fret not ... other than the fact that Chefs has a menu written in French (with translations, of course), it's really NOT foo foo. If you can eat steak and chicken, you'll do fine.

In the interest of brevity (which I can be capable of, in a pinch), and the fact that it's bedtime, here's some other CSers we did this trip, with a simple letter grade:

Pecos Bills (A-) - one of the better burger joints, the fixin's bar making it a cut above.

Sunshine Seasons (A) - a lot of freshly prepared items, very tasty, the best CS in Epcot.

Backlot Express (B) - more burgers, just nothing exceptional. It wasn't crowded at all.

Pizzafari (B-) - It's just not a favorite of mine, and I think it's due more to the fact that a single topping pepperoni pizza irritates me ... I want mine loaded with toppings. DD really likes it.

I will say that the ABC Commissary still bewilders me with its yuckiness. Perhaps others like it.

I'll post some more tomorrow, while I'm supposed to be working. 50's Prime Time next ... to prove our apparent lack of sophistication, I'll go ahead and tell y'all that we really like this place, and aren't ashamed to admit it.

 

[3princesses4us]

ABC Commissary @ Disney/MGM. What...were...we...THINKING? Hadn't tried this one in years. Those were good years! We are NOT fast food/counter service snobs - sometimes a Wendy's single just hits the spot, and when the sun and moon are aligned properly, I really enjoy a Waffle House. But this one was, frankly, a disappointment. DW had fish and chips, which she ate but said "Captain D's are better." I had a tabbouleh wrap, which was green confetti soaked in vinegar and wrapped in construction paper. I ate it, but I wasn't too thrilled. And poor DW, who had a cheesburger - how much more basic can you get? - called it a "school burger." The meat was gray and spongy - ack. Her fries came from Jiffy Lube, she said.

Okay the only thing I love better than food reviews are funny food reviews. The description of this meal had me literally laughing out loud. DH keeps yelling "What's so funny?". Thank you. I needed that.

 

[Tinkerbell10403]

So glad you enjoyed CG. DBF and I ate there last year....such a wonderful and memorable meal with Wishes to top it off. We will be dining there again this coming September.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Talkin' about 50's Prime Time...

I tend to be an apologist for this fun place. I've found the food to be consistently good, for "comfort food," which suits us plenty. This time around, DW had the pot roast, which she adores ... fork tender, plenty flavorful, but she picks out the onions. (She's like that.) DD had fried chicken, which is a hallowed dish here in my beloved South. It's not as good as my mamma's, but for something that is no doubt prepared in bulk, they do a better than decent job. Improperly fried chicken can be greasy on the outside, dry on the inside, and they pull it off. This time around, I tried the grilled pork tenderloin. Not too shabby! Again, a Disney restaurant honored my total disdain for dried-out meat. This tenderloin was perched on top of what has to be the single most unappetizing menu description on Disney property ... "root vegetable hash."

Say it with me: "Root vegetable hash." Is that something you'd really want to eat?

As it turns out, it was tiny diced cubes of potatoes and carrots, primarily, and wasn't bad. Needed some salt. And there was an apple-raisin chutney over the tenderloin, which did add some flavor. I don't know that I'd order it again, not because it was all that bad, but there are better things on the menu. I happen to prefer the meatloaf, but again, different strokes, y'know?

I forgot we split an order of onion rings, which were light and non-greasy, and split s'mores, which would feed a typical Roman legion. It's a HUGE dessert.

And to further cement our place as gluttons, we all had milkshakes. Methinks the PB&J milkshake here is the best on property ... tastes like a Reece Cup.

This was an OOP meal, too. But satisfying, and, as always, the server makes or breaks the experience. The more abuse my family gets at 50s Prime Time, the happier we are. Go figure.

 

[Dreamfinder2]

Spoodles breakfast...

This is an easy one. We'd eaten dinner at Spoodles a couple of years ago, when the menu was more edgy, and while I enjoyed myself, the rest of the fam struggled a bit.

But this was a very traditional breakfast. DW opted for the all-American breakfast, with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, and a biscuit. She cleaned her plate; it was a good, basic breakfast. I ate her sausage. DD had pancakes, a stack of three plate-sized buttermilk monsters. Thumbs up from her. And I had a ham and cheese frittata, roughly the size of my head. Again, simple and filling. Service was attentive, and our meals were delivered with a smile.

So Spoodles gets my endorsement for a no-fuss breakfast.

 

[phisigprincess]

Glad you liked CG! We did that in 2000 and it was one of my favorite Disney meals of all time. I remember even the coffee being stellar! Thanks for all of the reviews!!