Dining Reviews (Long) May 18-22

kayeandjim00

<font color=purple>Now living in Onderland!<br><fo
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Nov 10, 2002
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Note there are a couple of Universal places here but I'm sure we aren't the only ones who go to both parks so maybe it'll help someone :)

May 18, 2006

Pepper Market - $63.00 apx
We were starving after having only the snacks on the plane. It was about 1:00 and the food court was not busy at all. I found the atmosphere here fun and really kept to the market theme. Big bowls of spices sitting around at the various stations and a very open feel added to the feel of the Pepper Market. The set up here is that you are seated by a host or hostess and given a menu of sorts that includes a map of the stations as well as cards that you take to the various stations and have stamped with whatever you order. It’s a unique process. A server came by to get our drink orders, which was the only time we saw her. We got the souvenir refillable mugs and she filled those up and brought them out. She stamped our cards and we never saw her again. DH went to the Mexican food station and ordered a chicken fajita meal. He remarked that you had to know what you wanted and be sure to say it loud or the chefs would yell at you. He did wait about 15 minutes from the time he got in the short line until he had his food. In the meantime I ordered the chef’s special at the grill section. It was a flatbread with shrimp and chicken, peppers and Monterey jack cheese. The sample display looked yummy so I ordered up. Again a short line but approximately a 15-minute wait from beginning to getting my food.
Now on to the food, I tried a few bites of DH’s and we agreed it was very good. Quite a large portion of chicken and vegetables along with guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, beans and rice. Mine on the other hand was very bland and not good at all. I was really disappointed. I’m not a very adventurous so this was a departure choice for me. I should have had fajitas like DH. Overall thoughts on this venue: big variety, very pricey for counter service, extremely slow especially considering that this was a slow period, not crazy about the 10% surcharge just to have someone fill our mugs which we could easily do ourselves. Definitely a different type of food court. If it was “tweaked” a little I could see it being a great option considering the variety available. Food would get a B. The fajitas would be an A but that flatbread brought the grade down quite a lot.

House of Blues - $46.27

The atmosphere here is great and we have yet to have a bad meal. Tonight was no exception. WE arrived at about 5:00 PM after strolling through Downtown Disney and shopping. Our waitress was great – our experiences usually run from a waitperson that’s “too much” or “too little” this one was just right. She didn’t hurry us but was always right there when we did need something. One notable change was the music. In the past it was strictly blues but now they are playing blues, 80’s, etc. This change I was not crazy about. We went with our “usual”. For years this has been our first restaurant and we’ve eaten pretty much the same food. And it is fabulous! We have catfish nuggets, shrimp po boys and cokes. The catfish nuggets were served in a Chinese food box with sweet potato fries layered underneath. They were very good as always. The shrimp po boys are comprised of fried shrimp, mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato on thick bread. It is served with mashed sweet potatoes, fries, or sweet potato fries. I always ask for mine with the mashed sweet potatoes because they make them so well and as a southern girl I can appreciate that! DH went with the standard fries and he loves the fries there so we were both happy. I have had my eye on the key lime pie on their website for months but when the time came I was just stuffed so there was no room for that! Maybe next time. A+ Excellent food, great restaurant!

May 19, 2006
Food Cart River Adventure - $7.00 Approximately
I picked up a large coke and a Nathan’s hot dog for us to share for breakfast. Total vacation food – hot dogs for breakfast – life is good! This hot dog was excellent! I have heard of Nathan’s but never had one. I’ll definitely be having more – DH and I shared this one and it was just great! A+

Food Cart Universal Studios - $7.71
We finally tried a turkey leg! We shared this sitting on the waterfront at Universal Studios absolutely relaxing and a perfect snack. The turkey leg was great and so much fun to eat even though we felt a bit like Neanderthals. Luckily no one was around while we were eating so we could take goofy pictures and enjoy this without worrying how we looked! B

NBA Café - $33.06

This is a really fun place if you are a basketball fan and the food is good even if you aren’t. We are big basketball fans so we love everything about this place. The last time we were here it was awful. The waitress was terrible – she drove us nuts and the food wasn’t good and we were so disappointed as it had been a favorite for a long time. We were browsing the store and I commented that they still had my favorite appetizer – a mozzarella and tomato salad. With that DH and I decided to just have a quick bite of something we knew we liked. So we gave NBA Café a second chance and we are glad we did. This restaurant has a fun atmosphere with large screens showing basketball clips and vintage basketball pictures. We ordered up drinks right away DH got a chocolate milkshake and I had a coke. Our waiter appeared to be new and struggled a bit but was a very nice guy who was obviously trying very hard. DH’s milkshake looked really good and was served in a frosty metal glass with chocolate swirled on top. Now for the food – I had the mozzarella/tomato salad that I love and the waiter encouraged me to add “protein” as he called it but I thought the salad alone sounded really good. It was fresh mozzarella served with sliced tomatoes, and field greens with a balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top. It was excellent and exactly what I wanted on a warm day. DH had the Philly cheese steak with peppers, cheese, and onions and that was served with fries. DH thought it was delicious. While I didn’t try it did look very good. We passed on dessert but we were really happy with our meal here. A case for giving restaurants a second try sometimes. B

Food Cart – Islands of Adventure $3.50

We stopped in for frozen lemonade here after seeing people walk around with them. It really hit the spot and was so good! Best one I’ve ever had. Downtown Disney used to serve something similar at a food cart that I was totally hooked on. I’m already looking forward to going back so I can have another one! DH and I agreed that it was perfect for a warm day and it lasted a long time. Great snack! A++

Virgin Mega store Café - $23.00 appx
This was an unexpected gem and I don’t need all of you going there and making it crowded so I’m hesitant to even post this J. We found ourselves in Downtown Disney on a beautiful spring night looking to eat al fresco. We considered Bongos but the menu just didn’t appeal to us. We started looking around for other outdoor dining and noticed that the Virgin Mega store had a seating area. We were expecting just coffee but figured we would check. Sure enough they served sandwiches and chips – perfect just what we were looking for. We ordered a chicken salad sandwich for DH and a rare roast beef and cheese sandwich and salt and vinegar chip for myself. We shared a piece of 1,001 chip chocolate cake and bottles of water. We ate outdoors on their outdoor seating area high above the West Side of Downtown Disney. What a view! It was a perfect warm night with no humidity and the food was surprisingly good! We were both very impressed. We shared our sandwiches and both thought they were equally good. These were restaurant quality sandwiches with a café price tag. The cake – now that was the best chocolate cake I have ever had. I find chocolate cake either too sweet or too dry usually. This cake was perfection! I could have eaten a whole cake by myself I think. This was very casual dining but the food and view made it one of my favorite food experiences on this trip. A++

Pepper Market - $13.05
We stopped in for a late night snack and mug refills. DH got some chocolate cake and we split a cheeseburger. Very good burger and fries. Standard fare nothing fancy but good food. DH’s chocolate cake can’t really compete with the earlier cake but it was very good he said. B

May 20, 2006
Sunshine Seasons Fare - $5.52
While DH went to ride Mission Space I hang out here and had some breakfast. Not a lot of variety only cereal and bakery items. I think a hot breakfast area with more variety could be a great addition. As it was there is tons of seating and it’s a very nice area. A great place for hanging out waiting to meet the rest of your party if you are going to different places. I had a cheese Danish and a large coke. The Danish was average nothing fancy but OK.C

Food Cart - $5.75
Today was the first day that it was humid so ice cream was in order. I had the Minute Maid frozen lemonade and DH had a Mickey Ice Cream Bar. We ordered a water to go with our snack. DH is an ice cream connoisseur and a Dove Bar fanatic. He pronounce these heads and shoulders above Dove Bars and that he’d need to eat 10 more before we left. The Minute Maid lemonade on the other hand was horrible. We ate a couple of bites and tossed it in the trash. A for the Mickey Bar/F for the Minute Maid Lemonade

Tangerine Café -$25.99
I had read a couple of good reviews on this place so on our way through the World Showcase we chose to eat here. We both had the lamb wrap which came with couscous and hummus. The food was very good except for the couscous however this was my second time trying it and I have decided I just don’t like couscous whomever is making it. The restaurant is nice and though I would have preferred a cold place to eat it was still a good counter service meal. I wouldn’t rush to eat there again as it wasn’t anything special for me but if you are looking for a departure from a burger or hot dog it would be a good choice. B

Bob Marley’s A Tribute to Freedom - $
I’m not a very adventurous eater and it was a hot humid evening so it is a very good thing that this was a spontaneous choice that DH made for dinner. After 6:00 there is no charge for parking at Universal and we made it in about 5 minutes after 6:00. A Tribute to Freedom has a regular restaurant front, which gives no indication of what the actual restaurant is like. Past the hostess area to the left is an outdoor seating area with big fans blowing. There is a bar in this area as well as a small stage. This restaurant is VERY casual; we are talking about plastic silverware, wicker tables, and paper cups. When we got the menus we both were a little nervous. This was oxtails, curry, things I’d never eaten before. We decided to just order two appetizers Buffalo Soldier – spicy chicken drumsticks served with celery and carrots and dressing and I had Simmer Down – seasoned peel and eat shrimp served with cocktail sauce. We intended to just have that and eat something later. We settled in and relaxed and it didn’t take long for the reggae to relax us. As we began to relax the restaurant started to really grow on us. Then the food came. This might have been my favorite meal of the trip. The shrimp was perfectly seasoned and cooked and was a very large portion. DH and I shared and the chicken was equally delicious. The chicken was spicy but not overwhelmingly so; this too was a large serving. The service here was good, the food excellent, and the atmosphere perfect for remembering what vacation is all about. Good company, good food, relaxing atmosphere with a some great music thrown in for good measure. We will be back! As a side note the store there is also great and we picked up quite a few things. This is a case for not always going with your first impression – be adventurous! A+++

Cheesecake Factory – Disney Quest - $10.55
DH and I stopped in for a snack and probably should have had their famous cheesecake but went with the cream cheese brownies that looked really good. They were topped with chocolate chips and looked yummy. We ordered a coke for me and a glass of milk for DH to go with it. The desserts were good but very rich I could only manage about ¼ of it. DH finished mine off but was sorry afterward for eating that extra piece. B

May 21, 2006
Earl of Sandwich- $14.28
We came to do some last shopping before spending the evening at the Magic Kingdom.
The food was good and the theming good but this is a LOUD restaurant. Even on a Sunday morning it was very loud. The seating is at a premium inside but there’s plenty outside. DH and I shared a Caprese sandwich and an Ultimate Grilled Cheese. Both were very good. I preferred the Ultimate Grilled Cheese – it had plenty of cheese and crispy bacon yummy! DH preferred the Caprese – fresh mozzarella cheese, basil, vinaigrette, and sliced tomatoes. We had no sides and this was a very cheap meal. We also ordered a coke and an Earl’s Grey Lemonade. I was not brave enough to taste the lemonade after DH’s face when he tasted it. Truly awful he says. B

Pop Century Food Court - $16.52
We stopped in to tour this resort with the intent of possibly staying there next time. We decided to get a snack here and try the food. I ordered chicken fingers, which were served with fries and DH, tried the chili cheese hot dog also served with fries. We picked up a bottle of water and found a seat. This was mid afternoon and there was no problem finding seating. They had cocktail tables featuring retro games, which were neat, and the seating appeared very adequate – I’m not sure how it handles crowds but at this slow time it was only about a ¼ full. This was typical food court fare and not very good at that. Very “blah’ food. I don’t expect a lot from chicken fingers and fries but this meal just nothing special at all. I didn’t try the chili cheese dog but DH said it was not very good and he spent the better part of the evening with a stomachache and greatly regretted this food choice. We would not eat here again. C-

Pepper Market - $25.82
After an evening at the Magic Kingdom we decided to call it a night in anticipation of a very early morning (4 AM). We stopped in to fill our mugs and got a beef wet burrito and chicken quesadila. The burrito was served with guacamole, lettuce, and tomato. The quesadilla was served with rice, beans, guacamole, lettuce, and tomato. I also picked up the key lime pie from the bakery. The quesadilla was OK. The rice and beans were very good but the actual quesadilla could have used more spicing. I’m sure they are trying to appeal to a wide variety of palates so that makes sense. The burrito however was WONDERFUL. I really enjoyed this and kept sneaking bites from DH since this was his choice. It had a slightly sweet sauce and just tasted great. The key lime pie was OK. I wouldn’t order it again but it wasn’t awful. I am a key lime pie lover so my standards are pretty high and I think the frozen Sara Lee version was much better than this. B overall

We had PS for other places but cancelled them all after our vacation started as we were realizing this was a “go with the flow” type of vacation and we didn’t want to keep to any schedule. The Disney Dining Plan has undeniably changed things – we tried twice to get into Boma and both times the only ADR available was 9:45PM. So if there are any “must dos” definitely make reservations. You can always cancel if your plans changed but it helps to have that option.
 
Thanks for the great reviews:

oh and your ginger kitten looks just like mine - so cute!!!
 
Enjoyed reading your reviews ~ Thanx for sharing.
 
Hi and thanks for your great reviews post! I have totally made up my mind now that I have to eat at the "House of Blues" my next trip. Somehow we always manage to miss this place. I have heard many good things about it.


glad you had fun and ate well,
Esmerelda :banana:
 

Thanks for the great reviews! Sorry you had a bad meal @ POP, we've always enjoyed nearly everything. Please don't let that meal deter you from staying @ POP or trying something different @ the food court, it's a great resort @ a great value IMO>
 
Thanks for the reviews.
I must say I'm a little mad at you ;) , I had no idea there was a Bob Marley themed restaurant at Universal :confused3 . We won't be going to Universal this trip, but I'm a huge Marley (it's pure coincidence that our daughter is named Marlee ;) ) and reggae fan and this is now on my "future-must-do-list" :thumbsup2

Seriously, thanks for bringing this up, it just gives me another reason to start planning our next-next trip.
 
Thanks for taking the time to post your reviews, I enjoyed them. Great tip about Virgin Megastore, never would have considered eating there before.
 
Thanks for the great reviews! You did make the Virgin Mega store Café appear a hidden gem!
 
Thanks Everyone :goodvibes: it was fun to write the reviews. :)
 
House of Blues has always been on my list of "gotta trys". If we can fit it in, I think we might go. :)
 
Try House of Blues you won't be sorry!! Eat some mashed sweet potatoes for me :teeth:
 
What a fun trip you had! I'm glad you ate at some places that aren't the usual suspects; it's nice to read reviews of "different" spots in Orlando =)
 
I've enjoyed reading your great reviews. My family also likes quite a lot of the restaurants in Universals City Walk.
 






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