Eating ALL THE THINGS! 1/9 - 1/17

[ElizaDoesDisney]

I’m solo at Disney for the next eight nights - staying off-site. My initial plan was to not make any reservations. But I failed and somehow this morphed into a foodie extravaganza. I have reservations for Morimoto omakase, Monsieur Paul, Takumi-tei, and Victoria and Alberts. #NoRegrets.

So I thought I’d document the meals here so I can remember them (and maybe others will find it useful too). The only way this will ever happen is if I keep it up to date as I go - so I’ll do my best.

 

[mickey916]

I’m solo at Disney for the next eight nights - staying off-site. My initial plan was to not make any reservations. But I failed and somehow this morphed into a foodie extravaganza. I have reservations for Morimoto omakase, Monsieur Paul, Takumi-tei, and Victoria and Alberts. #NoRegrets.

So I thought I’d document the meals here so I can remember them (and maybe other will find it useful too). The only way this will ever happen is if I keep it up to date as I go - so I’ll do my best.

Sounds extravagant! Looking forward to your reviews.

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

Was at Legoland/Peppa Pig World for three days with family. They flew home this morning. I went back to sleep and then finally headed up to Orlando. Got to Animal Kingdom around 12:30. Saw the new Finding Nemo show (cute) and road Dinosaur (rawr). And then put myself on walk up list for Nomad. It was 45 minutes, but I wandered over and was able to get an immediate seat at the bar. Sometimes being solo has its perks. I have Morimoto tonight so wanted something smaller to tide me over until dinner.

Nomad Lounge
Jenn’s Tattoo - Ketel One Vodka, Watermelon, Hibiscus, and Lime Juice

Refreshing and sweet without being sickly.

Honey-Chili Glazed Pork Belly - Chorizo and Cheese Biscuit, Soft-poached Egg, Tasso Gravy


This was excellent. The egg was done perfectly. Pork belly was melt in your mouth. Note the pickled onions which aren’t listed on the description but really pulled the whole dish together.

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

You’re off to a good start! Can’t wait to read the rest. You have an impressive line up!

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

What started off this whole foodie adventure was getting a reservation for the omakase dinner at Morimoto Asia. I’ve tried on my last few solo trips but have never been able to get in - was very pleasantly surprised when they called back and offered me a spot. That led me to wonder how many last minute foodie reservations I could score and I was unprepared for my success.



Got to Disney Springs just a bit early. I walked back and checked out the outdoor bar at BoatHouse - looks like a great place for a meal. I can’t believe I didn’t know it existed. I’ve been killing time walking around and looking at the decorations and taking in the live music. About to head in for dinner - I hope this lives up to expectations.

 

[Lehuaann]

Sweet! Looking forward to seeing all of it!

 

[Counting Stars]

Love reading these review because they are so helpful when planning our trips, so thank you for taking the time. Looking forward to reading more!

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

The omakase at Morimotos was fabulous. It’s super intimate. There was only one other guest also doing the dinner and we had a dedicated chef the entire time along with a waiter who put together a beverage pairing and made sure we had everything we needed. I guess it could be awkward to dine with a random person, but I lucked out and had a great companion who was in town for the marathon and had completed the Dopey challenge - impressive.

The chef prepared all of the dishes right in front of us. And was very gracious in answering any questions we had about the ingredients and techniques. The "show" really elevated the experience and made it feel bespoke.


Started with a Sparkling Rose


The chef seared salmon using a blow torch and then made a seafood salad out of lobster, seared salmon, and marinated salmon eggs. This was well balanced, but huge. This is also when I realized I was going to have to be careful pacing myself (I failed) because this was not a one bite per course kind of dinner.


Next course was a striped bass carpaccio prepared by spooning hot sesame and rapeseed oil over thin cuts of fish.

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

A pour of sake to accompany the next round of dishes. I know nothing about Sake - should rectify that - but this was very good particularly with the nigiri.



Trio of Oysters - This was a very interesting preparation. Chef steamed the oysters, topped with osetra caviar, and then smoked the whole thing. I usually prefer raw oysters, but this was fabulous. Smokey with a pop of salt from the caviar.


Then came a series of freshly prepared nigiri. The chef talked a bit about each selection as he was preparing it. I've had lots of decent sushi before. And a few times have been lucky enough to have very good sushi. This experience blows the others away - partly because of the quality of the ingredients and partly because of the joy of seeing an expert craftsman prepare something in front of me for my immediate consumption.

Fresh wasabi was used in all of the sushi presentations - I don't know if it was because it was real wasabi or because it was ground right before use - but it was excellent.


Blue Fin Tuna Nigiri


Yellowtail Belly Nigiri


Sea Bream Nigiri


Salmon Nigiri


Blue Fin Tuna Belly with Caviar

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

Sauvignon Blanc - This was fruity and floral and paired well with the next two seafood dishes.



Chef prepared a version of Morimoto's signature buri bop using blue fin tuna collar. I've had this preparation before - both the yellowtail and duck versions, this one topped them all. The tuna was so fatty and wonderful - it essentially melted in the mouth.



Then a hot pot style dish with prawn, scallop, and fish (I can't remember what kind of fish this was and my notes are silent - the pairings must have been catching up with me). A hot broth was poured over and sterno underneath kept things boiling to finish cooking the seafood. You dunked the veggies in the broth shabu-shabu style to cook them. This dish was the least successful to me. I loved that it was simple ingredients, but it was way too bland for me palate. (This may be proof that my palate isn't sophisticated enough - but I thought this was crying out for salt or some sort of seasoning.)

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

Pinot Noir to accompany the meat course.


And the piece de resistance of the meal - A-5 Wagyu grilled in it's own fat served with caviar, grilled vegetables, and a hoisin based dipping sauce. This was amazing. The marbling on the wagyu was beautiful to behold. I was so full at this point, but I couldn't bear to leave any wagyu behind - amazingly tender with concentrated beef flavor. A cut of beef, topped with caviar, and dipped lightly in the sauce was perfection. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

The meal closed out with a Peach Sake - this was fruit-forward and very good. I really do need to learn more about sake - this one tasted entirely different than the one earlier and I have no idea why that was/how to pair these with food on my own.



Dessert was a matcha tiramisu. I was so full, I only managed about half. This was a lovely end to the meal - light and mild.


We were each given a to go box with rice and blue fin collar (a ton - enough for a couple lunches this week - nom) and a parting gift.


The damage. The omakase dinner was $250 - which is a pretty solid deal considering the A-5 Wagyu is on the menu for $32/oz with a three ounce minimum. With pairings, taxes, and tip the meal came to right around ~$415.


Everything was truly fabulous. And while this isn't an every-day kind of meal, I would 100% book this again. Especially since it sounded like the meal is customized each seating based on available ingredients and the chef's whims.

This was by far the best meal I've had in Disney to date. And up there in terms of the best meals I've had - competing with é by Jose Andres and L'Atelier Joel Robuchon. And now I can't wait to see how my other planned meals stack up - especially Takumi-Tei given the similar concept of a kaiseki/omakase meal.

I was originally planning on dinner at Jungle Skipper's Canteen tonight, but I have to work later than I expected and I'm just not feeling it. I think I might do a monorail crawl for a progressive dinner while exploring the resorts. We'll see where the day takes me.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I'm so glad you're doing a dining report!! Isn't Boathouse's dockside bar amazing? It's one of my absolute favorite spots in WDW. Morimoto omakase sounds absolutely AMAZING. Did they ask you ahead of time about any allergies or preferences? The majority of your meal looks right up my alley but I don't do oysters - no allergy just a texture thing. That said, I'd be fine just skipping that course given everything else presented. How awesome that you had a fun dining companion. As Julia Child said, people who love food are the best people. And I'd add love of Disney to that. I've met so many fantastic people both here on the boards and at various Disney Food & Wine events.

Your plans as is sound phenomenal but if you're looking to make any foodie additions, I'd suggest Bull & Bear at the Waldorf Astoria and/or Capa at the Four Seasons - both have lounges as well.

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

WOW. That meal at Morimoto looks truly amazing. I don’t even think the price was excessive given the amount and variety and quality of what you were served, not to mention leftovers and the gift. What an incredible experience!

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

I'm so glad you're doing a dining report!! Isn't Boathouse's dockside bar amazing? It's one of my absolute favorite spots in WDW. Morimoto omakase sounds absolutely AMAZING. Did they ask you ahead of time about any allergies or preferences? The majority of your meal looks right up my alley but I don't do oysters - no allergy just a texture thing. That said, I'd be fine just skipping that course given everything else presented. How awesome that you had a fun dining companion. As Julia Child said, people who love food are the best people. And I'd add love of Disney to that. I've met so many fantastic people both here on the boards and at various Disney Food & Wine events.

Your plans as is sound phenomenal but if you're looking to make any foodie additions, I'd suggest Bull & Bear at the Waldorf Astoria and/or Capa at the Four Seasons - both have lounges as well.

They asked several times about allergies and preferences. During the initial call to book they asked about both and even pushed a little into my preferences when I said I'd eat anything. Then again in the email confirming the reservations they encouraged me to reach out in advance if I had allergies or restrictions or just things I didn't like. And, finally, the chef asked us both about allergies and restrictions before the meal began. I don't think they'd have any problem customizing the meal to suit preferences.

I had a couple dishes at Bull and Bear last year as part of the progressive dinner they do during Food and Wine. It was fabulous. Going back and getting to Capa are both on my list, but not sure if I'll make it this trip.

WOW. That meal at Morimoto looks truly amazing. I don’t even think the price was excessive given the amount and variety and quality of what you were served, not to mention leftovers and the gift. What an incredible experience!

I agree. I thought it was a pretty good value compared to other tasting menus I've done. Given the quality and quantity of ingredients - especially the wagyu, generous portions of caviar, and blue fin tuna - not to mention the chef's time and attention, it feels like a steal at $250 + drinks/tax/tip. I've paid more for less many, many times.

 

[DLo]

Following along. looking forward to reading more. I have gone several times solo but have never tried a signature restaurant by myself. You have given me the idea that it might not be too awkward .

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

Parked at TTC and then made my way to the bar at Citricos for stop #1.

Cucumber Vodka Martini


Bread Service

I was pleasantly surprised they brought bread when I only ordered an app. The olive bread tasted briny and salty (although olives aren’t my favorite). The butter is fabulous. They claim they make it in house, but wherever they get it it’s top notch.

Smoked Duck Breast - Fresh Tagliatelle Pasta, Celeriac Purée, and Duck Confit

This was very good. My only quibble is I wish they had rendered the fat on the duck breast more - thank goodness it was such thin pieces that it wasn’t too off-putting. I was a member of the clean plate club for this one.

ETA: Oops. Forgot receipt. Bartender reminded me of the AP discount. I miss tables in wonderland.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I miss Tables In Wonderland desperately. I hope it comes back some day. Glad you enjoyed Citricos. That cucumber martini is like a spa visit but with vodka.

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

Walked over to Polynesian. Put my name in to Trader Sam’s and was told 2.5 - 3 hours. Went up to Tambu and it was packed. So I jumped in monorail to Contemporary and took a seat at Steakhouse 71 (Cali Grill bar was full). Of course, as soon as I sat down I got a text that they were ready for me at Trader Sam’s. After 35 minutes. Womp womp. May try again later.

Heron Gimlet - I love a vodka gimlet and this is a pretty good dressed up version. A little sweet, a little tart, but goes down smooth. Dangerously good.



Onion Rings - hand-breaded with spicy ranch dipping sauce.


These were very good, but very heavy. Probably would be better shared among a couple people. But I was a champ and finished them. Twist my arm.

 

[ElizaDoesDisney]

Back to Polynesian where I put myself back on the Trader Sam’s list. They quoted an hour this time. We’ll see. Grabbed a seat at Tambu where I’m currently working my way through.

Hawaiian Mule - Pau Maui handmade vodka, lychee-citrus reduction, and Fever Tree ginger beer

This is good but right on the edge of too sweet for me.

O’Hana noodles.

These have been on my bucket list for a while but are kind of meh. Noodles in a semi-sweet sauce. Not bad, but very one note. I think they’ll end up on my glad I tried it, but I don’t need it again list.