Robert P
GLOBEX - taking over your world one country at a t
- Joined
- Oct 24, 2002
- Messages
- 2,550
2/13/3 Dinner:
Ended up at Bongo's while meandering around DD area, checking wait times for walk-ups elsewhere. (RFC was 35-45, and PH was 25-30). Instead of hoofing it all the way down to HOB, we ducked in to the pineapple to check the wait. They had a seating for 2 available immediately upstairs, so we took it.
Were seated on the rail, overlooking the floor below, right in front of the restroom hall. Waited for our server. I checked my watch, as this was our last night at WDW, and we were trying to get into the early shows at PI.
At just under 5 minutes (I glanced down), our server appeared. Took our drink orders, while we put in the appetizer order (to speed things along). Never told her we were in a hurry. Drinks come a minute or 2 later. Bread appears for dinner soon after, but it looks (and tastes) like regular dinner rolls. Not what we were expecting, but hey, it's just the bread.
I just over 4 minutes flat, our appetizer appeared. Huge plate, small table, so they put it up on this metal serving rack, which is a great idea.
Now how, do you ask, does an appetizer combo plate get magically prepared and deliver to the table that quickly. Well, I don't know, but after trying every item on there, I wish we had skipped it. It just wasn't good. Not saying it didn't appeal to us, it just wasn't good, period. We ate less than 1/2 of it. Bland, deep fried (mostly), and tasteless. While we didn't expect it to be spicy hot, we did expect some flavor to be hidden in the food somewhere. Nope.
The entrees arrived about 15 minutes later. DW had shrimp (camarones ajillo ??), and I had beef cooked in red sauce (ropa vieja). The camarones were okay, again not much on flavor. And since there were only 6 of them (yes, I said it, 6 medium shrimp, with a bucket full of rice on the plate, for $21.95). Possibly the greatest shrimp rip-off of all time, except for the San Angel Inn a few years ago. The beef cooked in a tomato base was passable if: a) it was coming from a K&W cafeteria, b) it costs $3.25 instead of $12.95, or c) if it was being served in a hospital, to patients just recovering from stomach surgery.
No flavor, barely even tasting the tomato. Lots of rice though.
After the wonderful experience of the cuisine this place had to offer, we skipped dessert.
In fairness, the service was lightning fast (in and out in under 40 minutes - enough to make Planet Hollywood envious), and our server Maria was one of the most likeable and enthusiastic people we met our entire trip. However, this food was not acceptable for a $63 (pre tip) meal that did not include any alcohol. We actually left hungry.
I would compare eating here to National Lampoon's European Vacation, where they are all sitting at the sidewalk cafe in Paris. After they order, the scene switches to the kitchen, where one guy is opening frozen food, and putting it in the microwave. A few seconds later, another guy is handing the plate to the head chef (biggest hat), who promptly pops a French flag in the middle of the pile of food, and makes some finishing hand gesture like 'voila'.
I do not feel that this food, in any way, fairly represents the possibilities of Cuban cuisine that I have seen and read about. The word tourist trap comes to mind. We will not go back for a sit down meal at this place. Worst meal we had all trip, and not the way to spend your last night at WDW. I can't recommend this place to anyone.
D- (both in food quality and overall value)
Ended up at Bongo's while meandering around DD area, checking wait times for walk-ups elsewhere. (RFC was 35-45, and PH was 25-30). Instead of hoofing it all the way down to HOB, we ducked in to the pineapple to check the wait. They had a seating for 2 available immediately upstairs, so we took it.
Were seated on the rail, overlooking the floor below, right in front of the restroom hall. Waited for our server. I checked my watch, as this was our last night at WDW, and we were trying to get into the early shows at PI.
At just under 5 minutes (I glanced down), our server appeared. Took our drink orders, while we put in the appetizer order (to speed things along). Never told her we were in a hurry. Drinks come a minute or 2 later. Bread appears for dinner soon after, but it looks (and tastes) like regular dinner rolls. Not what we were expecting, but hey, it's just the bread.
I just over 4 minutes flat, our appetizer appeared. Huge plate, small table, so they put it up on this metal serving rack, which is a great idea.
Now how, do you ask, does an appetizer combo plate get magically prepared and deliver to the table that quickly. Well, I don't know, but after trying every item on there, I wish we had skipped it. It just wasn't good. Not saying it didn't appeal to us, it just wasn't good, period. We ate less than 1/2 of it. Bland, deep fried (mostly), and tasteless. While we didn't expect it to be spicy hot, we did expect some flavor to be hidden in the food somewhere. Nope.
The entrees arrived about 15 minutes later. DW had shrimp (camarones ajillo ??), and I had beef cooked in red sauce (ropa vieja). The camarones were okay, again not much on flavor. And since there were only 6 of them (yes, I said it, 6 medium shrimp, with a bucket full of rice on the plate, for $21.95). Possibly the greatest shrimp rip-off of all time, except for the San Angel Inn a few years ago. The beef cooked in a tomato base was passable if: a) it was coming from a K&W cafeteria, b) it costs $3.25 instead of $12.95, or c) if it was being served in a hospital, to patients just recovering from stomach surgery.
No flavor, barely even tasting the tomato. Lots of rice though.
After the wonderful experience of the cuisine this place had to offer, we skipped dessert.
In fairness, the service was lightning fast (in and out in under 40 minutes - enough to make Planet Hollywood envious), and our server Maria was one of the most likeable and enthusiastic people we met our entire trip. However, this food was not acceptable for a $63 (pre tip) meal that did not include any alcohol. We actually left hungry.
I would compare eating here to National Lampoon's European Vacation, where they are all sitting at the sidewalk cafe in Paris. After they order, the scene switches to the kitchen, where one guy is opening frozen food, and putting it in the microwave. A few seconds later, another guy is handing the plate to the head chef (biggest hat), who promptly pops a French flag in the middle of the pile of food, and makes some finishing hand gesture like 'voila'.
I do not feel that this food, in any way, fairly represents the possibilities of Cuban cuisine that I have seen and read about. The word tourist trap comes to mind. We will not go back for a sit down meal at this place. Worst meal we had all trip, and not the way to spend your last night at WDW. I can't recommend this place to anyone.
D- (both in food quality and overall value)
With such mixed reviews, I think I'll just stick to the other DTD restaurants.
