WHERE: Animal Kingdom
WHAT: Yak and Yeti
WHEN: Sept 2009
Review...
This is by far at the top of my list!!! Very rarely do I ever do any restaurant twice at Disney. Our goal was every restaurant in all the parks, and we were EXTREMELY close. But i LOOOOOOOOOVE this place!!! It's also one of the few places I can get one of my all time favorite foods on God's Green Earth.... PHO!!!
The ambiance is great. Lots of statues, great decor, interesting tables, some more interesting than others.
I was AMAZED at how fast this place fills up!!! We were early for our ressies, and we were (drumroll please................) the FIRST family seated on our day. As we walked in the restaurant was completely empty, so I got a few pictures:
As you see the place was empty. Within a few minutes couples and families started being seated, and within 15 minutes the place was wall to wall PACKED!!!
They are VERY efficient with seating!!! I got a real sense of the business side of the restaurant while watching the whole thing come together to a busy restaurant in such a short time span.
We ordered the drinks which were (for the wife and children) Sprite mixed with Fruit Punch, and for myself Mango Tea. The tea was drinkable. I have discovered that I'm not a tea fan at WDW. My opinion of tea at every place we ordered it during the trip was that it was just too weak. We drink a lot of Celestial Seasonings teas at home. It tasted just like what we make at home, only much more watered down. I asked to get a sprite/fruit punch instead after half a glass. Much better.
Once again I have to complain that Disney
DDP SUCKS for juices selection!!!
Dozens of mixed alcoholic drinks on the menu (available off DDP), but not one single plain ole juice listed. None available for DDP. Disappointing. Very Disappointing. This was an almost $200 meal and I couldn't get something as simple as a freakin juice???
Sprite & Fruit Punch mixed (no juices available. bummer.)
For my entree I ordered what i ordered last time (something I NEVER EVER do!!!) But try to understand that in my town you just can't buy Pho. I have to drive to Greensboro to find Pho, and I avoid Greensboro. So since I can get steak or shrimp ANYWHERE... Pho is an ONLY HERE option for me. So Pho it is...
Pho - Lemon grass scented broth, poached shrimp, rice noodles, tranditional Vietnamese garnishes $17.99
First the BEFORE MIXED pic...
After Mixed!!!
OK, disclaimer here... as a BIG fan of the TV show Man vs Food... this time FOOD WON!!! I was hungry when I arrived, but that bowl is MONSTROUS!!! It was by far the largest portion I was served alone all week. There is just no way a person could eat the whole bowl. If it were available locally (at these portion sizes), I'd order one order of Pho, and we'd split it 4 ways and maybe order an eggroll each on the side and we'd all 4 leave fat and happy.
This is the picture after I had eaten all I could possibly eat. The bowl wasn't even half empty!!!
NOTE TO CHILEHEADS: They bring you like 3 Jalapeno slices with your Pho. trust me, It's enough. it's already spicy. I added in all the Jalapenos PLUS an extra order which were to my dismay just cheap nacho slices, not the fresh ones as came with it. Fresh beats pickled any day. I also added in some special sauce (LOL I have the same sauce in my Frige! Its a popular chile sauce...) and I added a little of it in there too. It was actually too hot and I later picked the Jalapenos all out. Too late, damage done. But still very good.
My wife ordered the:
Shaoxing Steak and Shrimp - skirt steak, tempura-battered shrimp, jasmine rice, stir-fried vegetables, chili plum dipping sauce $24.99
I'm sure it's pictured here a dozen times already (or will be...) but here's mine as well:
This was my wife's second time ordering this... once again, it was that good.
I tasted it as well, and Yep... that good.
My son ordered this:
Seared Miso Salmon - miso glazed Atlantic salmon, jasmine rice, baby bok choy and shiitake mushroom stir-fry $22.99
I tasted his salmon and side as well, and it was REALLY GOOD!!! I really don't think you CAN order anything here that isn't delicious!
For dessert:
Fried Wontons - Skewers of fresh pineapple and cream cheese wontons, vanilla ice cream, honey vanilla drizzle $7.99
Which as before were HEAVENLY!!!
My DD ordered this:
Chicken Bites
All items served with choice of carrot sticks, applesauce cup, fruit punch gelatin or chicken fried rice.
I tasted a piece of the chicken with some of my hot sauce. Pretty good!!! I love chicken fried this way!
My daughter also ordered this:
Desserts
Ice Cream Sundae $1.49
Which my wife added a few fresh strawberries to. She like it of course.
