Cantina de San Angel Refurb?

[glasslipper]

the quality there was OK, but it wasn't anything special.

I agree with that!

 

[bicker]

Of course, after three margaritas, anything could seem special.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yeah but if I'm going to have margaritas now it'll be in the Ditch and they actually have awesome food. Those little shrimp cocktails...

 

[sters]

Ditto - we ate there in November. We each got something different for lunch and planned on sharing. Each of the three of us managed to gag down two bites of each item and threw the rest in the trash. It has to be the most inedible food in the entire place.

Actually, no. That particular distinction belongs to the American pavillion.

 

[henrylovespooh]

We were there last week, and it was under refurbishment. They had a smller booth with nachos, quesadillas and other things - probably kept from F&W.

 

[bookgirl2632]

I heard that the Cantina is undergoing refurbishment. Is it still going to be a CS or are they switching it over to TS?

 

[TDC Nala]

According to the reports that are out now, it will be both (apparently a TS upstairs and a CS downstairs).

 

[Golf4food]

I heard that the Cantina is undergoing refurbishment. Is it still going to be a CS or are they switching it over to TS?

The answer is Yes.

 

[jasonpicken]

anyone been able to use ddp at the temporary location?

 

[saradela]

Wow...it's obviously very early. I skimmed through this and at first read "12,000-square-foot waterSLIDE restaurant." Now wouldn't that be something...

I can't believe how fast they're planning on tearing this thing down and bringing it back up for service! Perhaps I'll pay it a visit for our 2011 trip to see how things have gone. Now I know I'm spoiled having such access to the real thing, but the food...BLECH! Worse than Taco Bell, which is its own low-water mark. Considering I can get cheap, kick-rear carnitas from a trailer for petes sake, you'd think Disney could manage something better. Though to be fair, I really don't think the complaints have to do with "authentic" vs. tex-mex vs. CA-baja, whichever, it's just a flat out quality issue overall. I hope we see some changes/improvements: a new building with the same old food is just slapping perfume on a skunk.

Ok, let me explaine a little about San Angel Inn Restaurant. First, here in Mexico City we have a Restaurant San Angel Inn, which is the MOST expensive restaurant of Mexican Food in Mexico, in fact, the people who go to have dinner usually are politicians , or Private Parties that have a lot of money (remember that we have some of the wealthiest men in the planet, which in fact is a shame when we are a 3 world country), this people have dinned all over the world, so they know what service means...you usually pay around 100 dollars per person for dinner only, no alcohol, but you can ask for it, and they have the best wines, anyway, this is the Same Restaurant owners who are the ones who are the providers of the restaurant at Epcot. I have seen the menu ,and it have wonderful dishes, and let me tell you, just an example, El Mole is a paste done with 18 spices , all of them done by hand, there are some moles that they do in Industrial way, but to have good Mole, they have to do it by themselves, it has chocolate and peanuts etc. So San Angel Inn has its own Mole, but then , people come and think that Mexican food is beans and red rice, and Nachos and Burritos,and tamales, when in fact, each of the states of Mexico, have their own dishes, like China, that they have Hunan, Beijin Food, Cantonese food, Sichuan etc. So many people get to the Restaurant and think, where is the rice and beans, while the more traveled people know that there are so many different dishes. So I bet, that San Angel Inn, is traying to please everybody and sometimes is difficult. Now, I dont know if the taste is the one is mediocre, but is supossed to be good chefs, because San Angel Inn is an Upscale restaurant over here, but then I go,they give me rice, and i think , I can Have it at home. So please try to get more adventures, you never know, if there is something that you can really enjoy.
if you want to check the Mexican Restaurant and their menu, here is the Link:

http://www.sanangelinn.com/inicio.php?idioma=2

 

[jasonpicken]

Ok, let me explaine a little about San Angel Inn Restaurant. First, here in Mexico City we have a Restaurant San Angel Inn, which is the MOST expensive restaurant of Mexican Food in Mexico, in fact, the people who go to have dinner usually are politicians , or Private Parties that have a lot of money (remember that we have some of the wealthiest men in the planet, which in fact is a shame when we are a 3 world country), this people have dinned all over the world, so they know what service means...you usually pay around 100 dollars per person for dinner only, no alcohol, but you can ask for it, and they have the best wines, anyway, this is the Same Restaurant owners who are the ones who are the providers of the restaurant at Epcot. I have seen the menu ,and it have wonderful dishes, and let me tell you, just an example, El Mole is a paste done with 18 spices , all of them done by hand, there are some moles that they do in Industrial way, but to have good Mole, they have to do it by themselves, it has chocolate and peanuts etc. So San Angel Inn has its own Mole, but then , people come and think that Mexican food is beans and red rice, and Nachos and Burritos,and tamales, when in fact, each of the states of Mexico, have their own dishes, like China, that they have Hunan, Beijin Food, Cantonese food, Sichuan etc. So many people get to the Restaurant and think, where is the rice and beans, while the more traveled people know that there are so many different dishes. So I bet, that San Angel Inn, is traying to please everybody and sometimes is difficult. Now, I dont know if the taste is the one is mediocre, but is supossed to be good chefs, because San Angel Inn is an Upscale restaurant over here, but then I go,they give me rice, and i think , I can Have it at home. So please try to get more adventures, you never know, if there is something that you can really enjoy.
if you want to check the Mexican Restaurant and their menu, here is the Link:

http://www.sanangelinn.com/inicio.php?idioma=2

well said, i love the authentic dishes at san angel inn.

 

[TDC Nala]

I like the San Angel Inn as well. However, food quality at the counter service recently has been passable at best. Not sure about the temporary CS. They have DDP snack logos on their menu, although I did not ask if they will accept DDP for entrees. If they'll accept it for snacks, likely they will for entrees and drinks. There is no children's menu.

 

[branv]

Ok, let me explaine a little about San Angel Inn Restaurant. First, here in Mexico City we have a Restaurant San Angel Inn, which is the MOST expensive restaurant of Mexican Food in Mexico, in fact, the people who go to have dinner usually are politicians , or Private Parties that have a lot of money (remember that we have some of the wealthiest men in the planet, which in fact is a shame when we are a 3 world country), this people have dinned all over the world, so they know what service means...you usually pay around 100 dollars per person for dinner only, no alcohol, but you can ask for it, and they have the best wines, anyway, this is the Same Restaurant owners who are the ones who are the providers of the restaurant at Epcot. I have seen the menu ,and it have wonderful dishes, and let me tell you, just an example, El Mole is a paste done with 18 spices , all of them done by hand, there are some moles that they do in Industrial way, but to have good Mole, they have to do it by themselves, it has chocolate and peanuts etc. So San Angel Inn has its own Mole, but then , people come and think that Mexican food is beans and red rice, and Nachos and Burritos,and tamales, when in fact, each of the states of Mexico, have their own dishes, like China, that they have Hunan, Beijin Food, Cantonese food, Sichuan etc. So many people get to the Restaurant and think, where is the rice and beans, while the more traveled people know that there are so many different dishes. So I bet, that San Angel Inn, is traying to please everybody and sometimes is difficult. Now, I dont know if the taste is the one is mediocre, but is supossed to be good chefs, because San Angel Inn is an Upscale restaurant over here, but then I go,they give me rice, and i think , I can Have it at home. So please try to get more adventures, you never know, if there is something that you can really enjoy.
if you want to check the Mexican Restaurant and their menu, here is the Link:

http://www.sanangelinn.com/inicio.php?idioma=2

Thank you for the info on the origin of San Angel, I had no idea. For the record, however, I wasn't speaking of San Angel Inn when I referenced "Taco Bell", I was speaking of La Cantina de San Angel. Quite different foods. I apologize for the confusion. I am lucky enough to be very familiar with different regional cuisines of Mexico (believe it or not, it's not all just Tex-Mex here). Heck, in my family alone my mother in law lives part time in the southern interior of Baja, SIL is from Durango...ah the adventures of them making my bro help with ummm, let's just say "prepping" the pig, spent some time in the peninsula. We're just a big melting pot, lol. But you're right, they are quite different and that only touches on a few regions I think it's too bad that too many people don't have access. There's a great place here called Fonda San Miguel for interior Mexican food, but like you mentioned with Epcot having to please the masses, even at this grand institution I've noticed a slight dumbing down over the years . Guess the outside world isn't immune. But I digress

I will say in regards to San Angel Inn that I don't think people can assume that if people didn't like it, it's because they don't understand the different cuisines of Mexico. With some WDW restaurants (and their cruise lines) there seems to be an increasing issue with what is shown on the menu doesn't seem to quite make its way onto the plate in terms of quality. Understandably so I guess, given their need for very quick turn-over combined with a constant grinding away at cost vs. profit. Many of the complaints I've read had more to do with poorly cooked/over cooked items (dry chicken, etc) rather than a "where's my combo plate?!" sort of scenario. But that comes solely from my own observations of dining reports, which are by no means all inclusive.

I think what SAI really needs is to go into some kitchens and hire away the little grandmothers like my SIL's. Now those are REAL chefs. Though they may be a little stymied by the whole anti-trans-fat thing

 

[saradela]

I hope than in a few years, they will introduce at The San Angel Inn in Epcot some prehispanic dishes, like Chinicuiles ( Cactus Worms ) in tacos with Guacamole, or ants eggs (escamoles), they sell them in San Angel Inn Mexico, expensive, but they taste really good, with a tequila and Sangrita. Here in Mexico you drink tequila with a shot of Sangrita and lime. We have a WONDERFUL dish, called Barbacoa, it is Lamb that has to be done on the ground with banana leaf, and cooked for 8 hours similar to the Luau in Hawaii,but different taste), or Chiles en Nogada, made around September for Holidays. Of course you have to have some digestion pills, because your stomach will not be acostumed to that, but you wont die, it only seems that way the first days, then , everything will be all right.

 

[branv]

I hope than in a few years, they will introduce at The San Angel Inn in Epcot some prehispanic dishes, like Chinicuiles ( Cactus Worms ) in tacos with Guacamole, or ants eggs (escamoles), they sell them in San Angel Inn Mexico, expensive, but they taste really good, with a tequila and Sangrita. Here in Mexico you drink tequila with a shot of Sangrita and lime. We have a WONDERFUL dish, called Barbacoa, it is Lamb that has to be done on the ground with banana leaf, and cooked for 8 hours similar to the Luau in Hawaii,but different taste), or Chiles en Nogada, made around September for Holidays. Of course you have to have some digestion pills, because your stomach will not be acostumed to that, but you wont die, it only seems that way the first days, then , everything will be all right.

Maybe at the Food & Wine Festival!

This restaurant opened here last year, and one of the items on the menu was Chapulines Taquitos. Yeahhhh, that didn't last very long. Chirp, chirp.

 

[TDC Nala]

There's no way Disney, with its catering to the American masses, is ever going to sell ant eggs and cactus worms...I'm kind of surprised (but glad) SAI still has the menu it does and hasn't gone the taco/burrito route already.

Sangrita is available with shots at La Cava del Tequila.

 

[2Tiggies]

I'm obviously not as picky as I thought. I dont think CSA is that bad. We ordered from there last April and it was fine. CS in general has a habit of slapping food all over the plate at times, as opposed to "putting" it on if you know what I mean. I ordered a few kids meals there for myself so that DD (food allergy) could have my adult salad/meal from elsewhere. Okay, I did learn after the first time to ask them to hold the icky cheese sauce (??) that was slapped all over the plate. But it was fine. For $3.99 or a kids CS credit which included a juice, it wasn't something that left me really unhappy. It also may have helped that each time I was absolutely starving, it was late at night (evening EMH) and poor lighting meant that lack of presentation wasn't really noticeable. Nonetheless, it filled the gap with leftovers to spare and I would order there again. Unless there was a severe decline in quality over the last 10 months.

 

[JDUCKY]

I hope they design huge windows and wouldn't mind paying a premium of sorts for a window table to watch Illuminations.

 

[WEDWDW]

There is going to be a Pier over the water for the Counter Service seating section!How cool!

 

[LaurenT]

Any scoop on when this is scheduled to reopen? Any chance for early November?