Coming to you Live from Disney World!-Take 2 AUG/SEPT WINNERS ANNOUNCED

[goofy4prez]

Hi Barb and fellow Disney food lovers!


Hotels:
Beach Club
AKL (concierge level)

ADR's:
California Grill
Flying Fish (we haven't been in a few years and DH is still skeptical since we had a bad experience last time...but all of your reviews convinced him to give it another try!)
Citricos
Jiko (a first for us!)
Via Napoli (or La Hacienda de San Angel possibly)
Sanaa

I cannot wait to hear all about your reviews and see what I believe will be some amazing pictures. With the exception of Sanaa (we are doing Monsieur Paul), all your ADR's are the exact ones we have for our upcoming trip this Nov/Dec. I also can't wait to hear all about your AKL-CL stay; we will be staying at the AKL-CL next June for the first time.

 

[DisWishes720]

I cannot wait to hear all about your reviews and see what I believe will be some amazing pictures. With the exception of Sanaa (we are doing Monsieur Paul), all your ADR's are the exact ones we have for our upcoming trip this Nov/Dec. I also can't wait to hear all about your AKL-CL stay; we will be staying at the AKL-CL next June for the first time.

That's awesome! It looks like we have some pretty good taste if I do say so myself . Hopefully the pics don't disappoint and I can't wait to see yours in the months to come!

 

[chocolateMinnie]

I'm so sorry but I'm planning on taking the month of December off (from receiving live updates), as there is a large group of us from the Dining Review board who are meeting up at Disney World in early December. (I myself will be there from 12/5 - 12/12) It is my hope that we will collaborate in doing a report of our many dining adventures together here on the live thread immediately following our trip. At this time, I believe that this will serve as my grand finale for the live thread, but I haven't completely ruled out the possibility of starting it up again sometime in 2014. Perhaps on a more limited basis?? And just until my Photobucket account is full, that is.

But of course, you (and anyone else going in December) are welcome to post live updates to the thread directly while you are there or shortly after your trip.

I'm sure I'm not the only person who will be gutted when this thread ends but I can understand it must have taken over your life. thank you so much for the hard work you have put into it - it's been the highlight of my day for months. Have an amazing December trip

 

[jabead]

Good morning everyone! We received just a few more updates yesterday so let's start out with those this morning.


First up is an update from Debby (Marblies) & daughters from DHS'...





Here's what they had...




Asian Chicken Salad


"The salad was refreshing, but a little over dressed."






Surf & Turf Burger - 1/3 Pound Angus Cheeseburger topped with Fried Shrimp


"It's a good burger! Shrimp were big and yummy!"



And for dessert...



"The always great chocolate mousse!"






Chocolate cherry cupcake


"Very rich and yummy!"
​

5 September Game Points Earned + 1 Bonus Point for sign

 

[jabead]

Next we received ness0905's update from Downtown Disney's...











She said, "We split a classic cheese pizza."















"Never had pizza here before...it was another great meal."



ness also snapped a pic of the menu at Downtown Disney's QS restaurant...









"We then went to DisneyQuest and DH had a great time playing fix it Felix Jr. They had about 8 machines."






​

2 September Game Points Earned + 5 Bonus Points for sign, menus, and pics of ness0905 & DH

 

[Eureka]

I wonder how frequently they change the cheese board menu at Narccoosee's? We were there in August and our cheese menu was completely different. Still fantastic though!

 

[jabead]

Maiky and Iván graciously honored my request that they do a synopsis of their 10 days of Disney dining by choosing their favorite and least favorite signature meals and non-signature meals. I've added a few pictures from those meals, for those of us who like to have visual aids to jog our memories.



Maiky said, "So after a fantastic time at Walt Disney World and its wonderful choices of food and restaurants, Iván and I sat down to try to select our favorites and least favorites. It was not an easy task because we had a lot of great food and good service. This selection does not necessarily represent the best food but the best total experience, which consists of a balance of good food, great service and ambiance."



First regarding their signature dining experiences, of which there were 9...Artist Point, Jiko, Hollywood Brown Derby, Flying Fish Cafe, Citricos, The Dining Room at Wolfgang Puck, Le Cellier, Narcoossee's, and California Grill (our 1st and only update from there so far):

"In the signature restaurants category, we both agree that the best experience was...










"For our entrées Iván ordered the Slow Braised Beef Short Ribs (white bean bacon puree, tuscan kale, pickled cipollini onions)."





"And I chose the Sichuan NY Strip "Au Piovre"(broccolini, shiitake mushrooms, caramelized shallot sauce, crispy potatoes)."




"It was a great experience with great service and excellent food. We have no idea why this restaurant is not more popular."





"We also agree on second place and it belongs to...





"We both chose the Madeira-braised Short Ribs, every bite was delicious!!"



Madeira-braised Short Ribs with Hominy-Cheddar Potato Puree and Wild Mushroom Ragout




"For dessert Iván ordered the Lemon-scented Cheesecake...




... and I ordered the Tiramisù."









"For third place Iván chose Narcoossee's for the ambiance, music, great service and the view of Wishes from the veranda."





"For our entrées Iván chose the Grilled Filet Mignon (Roasted Potatoes, Grilled Spring Onions, Velvet Pioppini Mushrooms, and French Green Beans with Herbed Cabernet-Oxtail Sauce and Smoked White Truffle Oil)."







"And I ordered the Grilled Black Angus 12-oz New York Strip (Applewood-smoked Bacon Potato Gratin, Organic Summer Vegetables, and Salsa Verde)."







"For dessert we both chose the Almond-crusted Cheesecake (finished with Lambert Cherry Sauce)."











"I chose Brown Derby because how often you get the chance to be Celebrities of the Day and be treated like royalty?"






"For my appetizer, I chose the Cobb Salad...







"For my entrée, I chose the Charred-glazed Filet of Beef...



Charred-glazed Filet of Beef with a Red Wine Reduction, topped with a Cabernet and Roasted Shallot Butter, over Truffle Oil Wild Forest Mushroom Mashed Potato, and Sautéed Haricot Verts



"As celebrities of the day they gave us a Fastpass to be used in the attraction of our choice."​

​

To be continued in next post...

 

[jabead]

Now for the category of non-signature TS restaurants, of which Maiky and Iván dined at 10 (I believe)...Via Napoli, Boma (breakfast), Yak & Yeti, Maya Grill, Rose & Crown, La Hacienda de San Angel, Tutto Italia, Kona Cafe (lunch), Les Chefs de France, and Raglan Road.

Maiky said, "In the non-signature restaurants category Iván chose Via Napoli (great sangria and appetizers)."











"For the appetizer I ordered the Fritto di Verdura (crisp fried vegetables, marinara piccante) and Iván ordered the Arancini (fried risotto balls filled with mozzarella and meat ragu)."











"We also ordered two individual size pizzas; the Piccante (Italian spicy sausage) and Carciofi (white pizza, artichoke, fontina, mozzarella, truffle oil).













"And Raglan Road (the food was great, especially the risotto) was Iván's other favorite."







"Iván chose the Soul Soup (tomato soup)."




"We both agreed that the soup one of the best things we tasted during this trip."




"And for his entree, Iván chose the Raglan Risotto with chicken (Risotto with shiitake mushrooms, garden peas, shaved parmesan & rocket lettuce)."







"For dessert Iván ordered Ger's Bread & Butter Pudding."








"I chose Tutto Italia (the best service in WDW) as my favorite."







"For our appetizers we both ordered the Tortino Di Zucchine which we both thought was delicious and light."




Tortino Di Zucchine - baked zucchini, pomodoro, mozzarella, parmesan




"For our entrées I ordered the Lasagna alla Bolognese...




Lasagna alla Bolognese - traditional preparation with Emilia-Romagna beef sauce, bechamel and parmesan




"For dessert I enjoyed the Sicilian Pistacchio Panna Cotta...



Sicilian Pistacchio Panna Cotta - Pistacchio custard, raspberry. (Gluten free)






"And my other favorite was Les Chefs de France (great service and we got to meet the chef)."





"For our appetizers I chose the Alsace specialty flatbread (with crème fraîche, onion and bacon)."






"And I chose the Quiche Lorraine - Ham & cheese (The famous ham & cheese quiche served with a mixed green salad)."







"Then the chef visited our table to check if everything was to our liking."






"For dessert I enjoyed the Crème Brulee."



"We liked everything here, especially dessert."
​

​

Part III coming up!

 

[jabead]

Maiky said, "And now the sad part....we agree that the worst experience in terms of food was Maya Grill, it was nothing special and my entrée was a little cold. Also, the service was just average."

Maya Grill


"For our appetizers I ordered the Queso Fundido (melted cheese with poblano peppers, chorizo and flour tortillas)."





"And Iván chose the Southwest Spring Rolls (A medley of black beans, sweet corn, roasted red peppers and Monetery Jack cheese rolled into crispy spring roll wrappers served with a tangy BBQ dipping sauce)."






"For our entrées I chose the Three Amigos (Chicken Tinga Enchilada, Seasoned Beef Enchilada and Cheese Enchilada served with rice, refried beans, and corn soufflé)."





"And Iván chose the Filet Mignon (Fire-grilled with roasted fingerling potatoes, haricot verts, and a port reduction)."






"On the other hand, the worst service was at California Grill. After Iván was done eating his main course (I didn't eat mine because it was not served to my liking) we spent 50 minutes between ordering dessert and getting the bill, which we had to ask for. If this had been the first time we visited this restaurant we would not go back again....luckily we have been there before and know the level of service they are capable of."




























"And I chose the Oak-fired Filet of Beef (Heirloom Tomato Risotto, Marinated Baby Vine Tomatoes, Petite Basil, Tomato Butter)."





"I asked for my steak medium well and they presented it too red for my taste."




"I didn't send it back because I didn't want to wait another 20 minutes for it. The flavors were good but I barely ate it."



"But overall it was a great vacation, especially food wise.....we are already planning our next one! Thank you Barb for all the hard work you put into this thread."



"Special note: We both think that the best drinks of the trip were served at La Cava de la Tequila, they were delicious and strong. We hope to see our drinking partner, Frida, really soon!"





The following is from their first visit to La Cava:


"I chose the Jalapeño Margarita....











... and Iván chose the Blood Orange Margarita."










"These were really strong, refreshing and delicious."



"Our drinking partners...



Frida is the lovely lady on the left.

​

10 Bonus Points for Dining Summary

 

[jabead]

And since we have received Maiky's final update, it's now time to say...




Thanks so much for being a Live Reporter... Outstanding Job!!!





Maiky's Total Aug./Sept. Game Points Earned = 266
​

 

[rachel09985]

I sure hope California Grill gets their act together before December! There is another negative review on touring plans!

 

[Linda67]

what a great round up of Maiky's trip

 

[disneynanacat]

And since we have received Maiky's final update, it's now time to say...




Thanks so much for being a Live Reporter... Outstanding Job!!!





Maiky's Total Aug./Sept. Game Points Earned = 266
​

Great job Maiky! Enjoyed your reports very much!

 

[smile4stamps]

Love the wrap-up from Maiky and Ivan! I'm so sad CA Grill was a let down..
I've never looked into the Wolfgang Puck Dining room because we dined at Spagos once and everything was so salty we couldn't even eat it. We do love some WPE pizza though!

I sure hope California Grill gets their act together before December! There is another negative review on touring plans!

I hope they have their act together next month!

 

[jabead]

Now for our First Update of the Day, sent to us this morning by ness0905.


She and her DH had breakfast this morning at the Saratoga Springs Resort's...












She said, "We had a Bounty platter and a Country Wrap to start the day after my DH made a mad dash back to the room to get our gift card to pay."









Country Breakfast Burrito - whole wheat tortilla stuffed with eggs, onion, peppers, potatoes, sausage and cheddar and served with a side of salsa.





"We can say that this was just ok." ​

3 September Game Points Earned + 4 Bonus Points for sign, menu, pic of ness0905, and First Update of the Day

 

[jabead]

Next in this morning was a breakfast update from Paul (GrandCalifornian) and family.


He said, "We had a wonderful breakfast this morning in the WL lobby at:"












"We chose not to go for the "all you can eat" deal because we loved our other entrees last year."



"Paul chose the Western Omelet..."



Western Omelet - three egg omelet with ham, cheddar, bell peppers and onions. Served with Western Home Fries and a biscuit




"And Melissa chose the Belgian waffle..."



Belgian Waffle with maple butter, candied pecan topping and choice of bacon or sausage


"She also had a berry smoothie." (no pic)



"Allie got the pancakes she had been asking for all week."





"The food was exceptionally good, probably the best tasting breakfast of the trip."




"Allie had fun playing with Lincoln Logs before, during, and after the meal."





"We think that is her rendition of the Wilderness Lodge, or "home" as Allie calls it."


"We have one more meal to report on, which is WCC dinner from last night, but the pictures are on the packed camera so we will send them tonight."​

5 September Game Points Earned + 3 Bonus Points for sign, menu, and pic of Allie

 

[jabead]

Then we received a cupcake update from a new reporter who arrived at Disney World today, seasidespences.


Starring Rolls Cafe



She said, "Finally here! Grabbed some sweet but yummy snacks..."




Chocolate Cherry Cupcake (Chocolate with cherry filling)





Butterfinger






Red Velvet



"These were more than enough to fill our bellies for now!"
​

1 September Game Point Earned

 

[jabead]

One more update was received earlier today, this one was a surprise from Chris (dvc4life).


She said, "Hi Barb! Guess where I am?"




"Yes. Downtown Disney. We came down for a long weekend at the beach and spending our last night here. Yay! We are staying at the Caribbean Beach resort. Going home tomorrow but will send you some updates before we leave."





"Entertainment here at noon. What a bonus!"



"Bobby had scallops..."





"He also had a Pinot Noir and I had a Miller Lite."​

1 September Game Point Earned + 2 Bonus Points for name and pic of dancers

 

[want2bminnie]

And since we have received Maiky's final update, it's now time to say...




Thanks so much for being a Live Reporter... Outstanding Job!!!





Maiky's Total Aug./Sept. Game Points Earned = 266
​

Thank you so much Maiky!!!

I loved reading your reports and you have me so much more excited for my trip!!!

.

 

[vettegirl]

Saw that new cupcake on Pinterest today, looks great!!