Deluxe Dining Reviews-May 2010 (lots of pictures)*Updated with Yachtsman*

The pictures are great! Especially the ones from Tokyo Dining! You have piqued my interest!
 
Rock on Clare! I can't wait to read more !! We're trying FF for the first time in sept, so it's awesome to hear you ate there 3 times! can't wait for the reviews!! :cool1:

I really did love FF, I know reviews can be very subjective, but I'd like to think that 3 consecutively great meals wouldn't be a one-off.

The pictures are great! Especially the ones from Tokyo Dining! You have piqued my interest!

Oh yes, give Tokyo Dining a go, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Great reviews! I can't wait to read the rest:thumbsup2

Terri

Thanks, working on the next instalment now.
 
Let me start off by saying I had a fabulous lunch here in May 2009, despite a lacklustre lunch in 2006, so I had high hopes of a good meal again.

I was dining with some more Dis friends tonight who I'd dined with the previous year. We started off have a 'drink' in the Rose & Crown pub, I love the theming here, it reminds me of years back when all pubs at home (i.e. the UK) were like that, unfortunately most are now contemporary affairs.

We didn't have to wait long and our pager went off, we were shown to an inside table which we were happy with, it was so hot outside being inside was very welcome! We also know that we could go outside to the viewing area to watch Illuminations later, so no problem at all.

Tonight was only my second night in Orlando so I was feeling very tired due to the time difference and therefore opted to stick with water as my drinking choice. Maybe if I'd had something alcoholic it might have improved my taste buds!

To start I chose the cheese platter, containing mature cheddar, cropwell bishop stilton and a brie, accompaniments included sliced apple, quince jelly and candied walnuts. All in all this was a very good starter and I would have no hesitation in having this again, a very good appetiser.

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For my main I went with the cottage pie, and this is where things took a decidedly bad turn for the worse.

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The pie looked appetising, it smelt appetising, unfortunately the first mouthful was terrible - fatty gristly mince, I really couldn't even swallow it and had to spit it out. However, after spitting it out, I took another mouthful as I didn't just want to make a judgement on one mouthful, the next mouthful was an improvement on the quality of the meat, I took a third mouthful but by time I got to the fourth mouthful I realised something was not right, I had the most horrible heartburn and my mouth was on fire. I called the waitress over and without me even going into too much detail she took the meal away and agreed it was not great (!), it appeared there was an issue with the seasoning that night. :confused3

I was offered an alternative and went with the roast beef. What turned up on my plate, and I didn't even bother to take a photograph, was a black (yes, seriously black) piece of 'meat', a burnt yorkshire pudding (which I couldn't have anyway as it wasn't gluten free), 4 tiny little roast potatoes in the yorkshire pudding, which were also black, a few boiled potatoes and some carrots and greens - it reminded me of being back at school!

All my dining companions loved their meals, including the roast beef, maybe I was just over tired from the jet lag I don't know but it really wasn't good.

Unfortunately that was the end of my meal at Rose & Crown, it was very disappointing, the saving grace was the excellent starter and going out onto the patio to watch Illuminations.

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I'm not one for writing off a restaurant due to a bad meal so I decided I would return for lunch later in the week, review to follow.
 


Another meal with friends, John & Brandy, who are locals and I've known for years, each visit we meet :)

They're getting married this year and as I'm not going to be able to join them I treated them to dinner, they're both (very) fussy eaters, and don't like anything too fancy, so I decided Captains Grille would suit them. Captains Grille is another tradition of mine, it never fails to disappoint, and I eat there at least once every trip.

As my friends 'understand' that I have to take photos of the food they were very accomodating lol

For starters:

Brandy and I went with the caesar salad - fresh crisp lettuce, just the right amount of parmesan and dressing. Brandy requested extra dressing and this was provided 'on the side' in a separate little jug.

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John went with the crab cake and pronounced it the best crab cake he'd ever had - praise indeed from a fussy American! Plenty of crab meat but not overpowering or stodgy.

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Onto the mains.

John and Brandy had the grilled NY strip with herb potatoes, seasonal vegetables and red onion jam, now, when an American declares this steak 'awsome' you know it must be good! Not a scrap was left on either plate at the end.

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I'm just going to do a quick comparison of a meal I had later in the week at the Yachtsman (another restaurant I've visit each trip since 2004), full review to follow, but a sneak peak - it was rammed to the rafters, noise level was so high you couldn't really hold a decent conversation, the food very disappointing, service started out well but then just 'disappeared', by comparison, Captains Grille, service faultless, food amazing and ambiance, more relaxing than the Yachtsman.

Back to the food ....

I stuck with my old faithful, something I have every time, roast chicken with a chicken juis on the side and french fries. It's such a simple dish but very flavoursome and the chicken was perfectly cooked. This dish never fails to disappoint.

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I was so full I really couldn't eat anything else but John and Brandy shared some housemade gelato, a scoop each of chocolate, strawberry and vanilla.

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A fantastic evening, great food, good company and of course the alcohol flowed in the form of pomegranite splashes, delicious!
 
I made an early ADR for 11.45 am and on arrival I was shown straightaway to my table, a prime one at that - a 2 top table right next to the large windows overlooking the lake. This was my first solo meal of the trip.

The restaurant was very quiet and no sooner had I sat down than my server came along, not big on the chat but very polite and efficient, every time my glass was empty she'd be along to see if I need a refill. Service was spot on.

The menu was not huge but there was a good variety, and more than enough to satisfy me for lunch.

To start I decided on the spinach & artichoke dip served with tortilla chips. When it arrived, it was more than enough for 2 people, I probably had only around 4-5 chips as the dip was quite rich, but very tasty. Sometimes spinach dips can be a little bland, tasting of spinach and nothing else, the dip was full of flavour and not overdone with spinach, very more'ish.

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I enjoy caesar salad, it's just not the same back in the UK, and as Cap'n Jacks offers 5 versions - plain, shrimp, crab meat, salmon fillet or chicken - I was spoilt for fish. I opted for the shrimp, minus the crutons (as I'm gluten free), the first version that came up unfortunately had crutons but no problem, my waitress removed the offending article (after I'd taken a photo), and went back to the kitchen who prepared a fresh version for me.

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The lettuce was crisp and fresh with just the right amount of parmesan cheese and dressing - I hate it when you have a caesar salad with either too little or too much cheese/dressing, this was perfect. The shrimp were tender and juicy and again just the right amount.

I was pleasantly surprised with Cap'n Jacks and it's on my must do list for next year, I think it's quite often overlooked in favour of the Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex but it's a hidden gem.
 
I was originally meant to be dining with a friend at California Grill but unfortunately she had to return home a day early so I thought as I was staying at the Boardwalk it would be handy to try Flying Fish for dinner - there was no availability through Disney Dining but I soon discovered one of the perks of staying CL at the BWI, one of the CL CMs was able to get me in by talking to one of the managers. This was my second solo meal of the trip.

I made the short walk downstairs from my room to the Flying Fish and was warmly greeted by the hostess, I was asked if I wanted to sit at the chef's counter (overlooking the kitchen) and I of course was more than happy with that option.

A slight hic-cup with my server - basically overlooking me for 15 minutes - so I got up to leave (I felt a little uncomfortable just sat there waiting), thankfully the situation was immediately remedied and I ended up with a fantastic server, Craig - this guy turned out to be the best server on my holiday.

I ended up having a wonderful night, excellent company joined me at the chef's counter, whiterabbit from the Dis (small world!), and what should have been a 1-1 1/2 hour meal turned into a 3 hour marathon, not only was my server great fun but entertainment was provided by my 'neighbouring' dining companions. One thing to note with sitting at the chef's counter is it gets very hot after a while, you are obviously sitting where they cook, right in front of the grills, but I overlooked it, and returned to the exact same spot a couple of days later.

Onto the food ......

The Chef (Tim Keating) came to see me to discuss the menu, he advised I could have absolutely anything off the menu and they would adapt it to a gluten free version if necessary, although the majority of the food on the menu was in fact gluten free due to Flying Fishe's 'innovative cooking techniques' (according to Chef Tim).

To start I had "our signature Flying Fish Cafe crispy maine coast jonah crab cake - savory vegetable slaw, roasted red pepper coulis, and ancho chile rémoulade" - Chef Tim modified the recipe by using tapioca instead of breadcrumbs - it was huge, at least twice the size of a 'normal' crab cake!

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It was beautiful, as I cut into the crab cake the crab meat just fell apart, it was melt in the mouth deliciousness.

For my main I went with the "Our Signature Flying Fish Café Char-crusted Certified Black Angus New York Strip Steak" with roasted fingerling potatoes, root vegetables, and pole beans, with classic sauce foyot on the side. Again, the meal was huge! It was minus the char crust, as that contained gluten.

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The steak was one of the best steaks I have had in the US, it cut like butter, and came up perfectly cooked (medium-well), and yet again, melt in the mouth deliciousness.

I also ordered a side of "truffle and herb-laced Idaho fries" with roasted garlic aioli on the side - delicious!

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I didn't even eat half of what was on my plate for these courses, it was physically impossible, yet I found myself being talked into ordering a dessert :rotfl:

"White chocolate Florida peach créme brulée - ginger-laced peach compote and fresh raspberries"

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Pure decadence - it was like a bellini in a dessert dish!

All this deliciousness was washed down by a couple of glasses of red wine - the evening was another roaring success and one to be repeated over the next couple of evenings as I returned twice. I really can't say enough good things about Flying Fish, for years I'd not been sure about giving it a go, now I've found it, it's going to be a 'must' for my next trip.
 


I'm so hungry right now that I really shouldn't be reading dining reports.....the tempura at Tokyo Dining looks awesome. I'm eating there in 2 and half weeks and can't wait!
 
Great reviews! I eat gluten free as well so that makes your reviews even more interesting. The steak looks fabulous!
 
That Flying Fish dinner is about THE MOST delicious looking thing I have ever had. I have found the next place my husband must take me on a date!:rolleyes1
 
I am thoroughly loving your dining reviews. Your Tokyo Dining has me convinced that I really need to add that to my list.

Also, I'm not a huge seafood lover (I'll eat shrimp, scallops, and crab - but no fish) so I'm wondering if Flying Fish is a great choice for a non-fish lover. From looking at your steak I'm thinking so!!

Can't wait for more!
 
Okay that peach creme brulee looks like the best dessert in the world! Creme brulee that tastes like a bellini? That must be paradise! Loving your report!
 
Thanks everyone :goodvibes

I'm really pleased to report that all my meals (apart from the Rose & Crown dinner) were wonderful, I felt the food had improved a lot since my last trip in 2009. :thumbsup2
 
After the previous night's amazing meal at Flying Fish, and the events of the day (read my trippie for full details, but the day was a write-off as it was spent at Celebration Health), I wanted something 'nice' for dinner, I was meeting a friend from the UK, so where else to go but Flying Fish. The same wonderful CM from the BWI CL rung down to Flying Fish and got us in without any problems.

Tonight we sat at a 2-top table, and our server was Danny - a very pleasant chap but not very talkative, he had his hands full with a table of conventioners next to us. :rolleyes1

I just concentrated on my meal tonight, it was so wonderful that's all I was interested in lol

Drink of choice was a bellini (or 2 ;) ).

To start I had "fresh mozzarella di bufala, "ugli ripe", beefsteak and tiny Florida grape tomatoes - balsamic glaze, exotic peppercorns, petite basil, and sicilian olio verde.

From the title I expected something very frou-frou and pompous, what emerged was delectable, the different flavours of the tomatoes (sharp & sweet) contrasted perfectly with the soft milkiness of the mozzarella, the balsamic glaze was delicate, just enough so you could taste a hint, but no more, the same for the peppercorns. I loved it .... so much so I had it the following night too!

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For my main I had something I had been wanting to try for months after reading the menu online, "our signature Flying Fish Café potato-wrapped red snapper on a bed of leek fondue with a veal glace, red wine, and cassis butter. OMG this was the best meal EVER, I was really in foodie heaven, the first mouthful was enough to reel me into it's deliciousness, the fish was cooked to perfection, softly falling apart when I placed my fork in it, delicately flavoured, the leeks and the sauce were amazing, I finished every last piece of the fish and sauce, nothing was left! I also had this again the following night!

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The restaurant has since emailed me the recipe and I'm keen to try it, I've just not been brave enough yet lol

We also had a side of the truffle and herb-laced Idaho fries with roasted garlic aioli - it would have a crime not to ;)

I won't do another review of the next evening's (yes, it was so good I went back a third time) Flying Fish meal as it was exactly the same as this meal, starter and mains, but I did have a dessert, the cheese plate, which I'll detail here.

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The cheeses for that night (and still currently) were:

Robiola Bosina - Italian cow/sheep milk cheese

Tete de Moine - Swiss cow cheese

P’Tit Basque - French sheep cheese - this was my favourite

Fleur Verte - French goats cheese

Fourme d' Ambert - French (blue vein) cows cheese - this was vile, I guess not to everybody's taste but I couldn't imagine anyone liking it! :lmao:

Flying Fish is now my absolute favourite signature restaurant, the service, atmosphere and sublime food made for a fantastic ding experience, hats off to Chef Tim Keating, this man is a marvel, no wonder he has won so many industry awards!

As an aside, I was of course using 2 TS credits for my meal, for my friends we had a Disney gift card, our server told us not to waste the gift card and that I could use some more credits - I didn't think this was permitted but he offered and it went through. :confused3 Another positive, I was able to have the cheese course as a dessert even on the DxDP even though my waiter didn't think it possible.
 
This place looks amazing. I did book it and will be there for the first time.
I was thinking that considering it has fish in its name that sea food is the only option but the meats look great. For steak I ate at LeCilliers, Yachtsman Steak House and Brown Derby. But this place looks like its as good. Maybe I should order a steak. But I love fish to. What about us first timers.... Any suggestions. All the pictures I am confused as it all looks good.
A desert "White chocolate Florida peach créme brulée - ginger-laced peach compote and fresh raspberries" aaahhhhhh. This can't be true... What about a suggestion as a full course meal..... They just sound good at this place.
 
That steak at Flying Fish is one of my favorite dishes!:thumbsup2 I agree it is our favorite of the signatures places!
 
Glad to see you've been posting again! The food from Flying Fish looks wonderful!

~Beka~
 

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