Eating like we're going to prison - June 2024

[2xcited2sleep]

Terrific reviews and love your title. I think we'd get along well - we seem to have the same tastes in food/restaurants. By the way, I've not done it myself, but have seen posts from people who were successful in ordering just a side of the yuca fries at Nomad so file that away for next time! So sad to hear your experience at Chefs. It has historically been a favorite of mine too, but I have noticed the last few times just how fast the food comes out, which gives me pause. Haven't been to Topolino's in quite a while and you've reminded me it's time to go back. I love that pasta dish and, like you, I generally don't like mushrooms. Also agree with you on Via Napoli pizza - good tip to pace the ordering b/c I usually wind up with my pizza arriving before I've finished my arancini. I understand that probably most parties are anxious to get back out into the parks but I like taking a relaxing break ... and if they let me stay longer I'll drink more and that's where the money is. Thanks for sharing your reviews!!

 

[lankman]

My wife and I spent a couple weeks in southern Florida in June. On June 22 we checked into AKL Kidani for 6 nites and proceeded to eat and drink like we are going to prison.

Our first stop was NOMAD LOUNGE

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Tiffins is one of our favorite restaurants and we tried Nomad Lounge for the first time in Nov of 2022.

We checked into the walk up list at about 11:00 asking for an outside table. There were no tables available outside so they sat us in the back room behind the bar. When they seated us there was only one other table occupied, when we left the room was about full.

We love the bread service there, my wife doesn't like one of the breads, I think it's a cheese bread, because it has kind of an elastic y texture to it. Luckily I like it so I ate all of that one. I forgot to take a pic, so, here's a bread pic from a previous trip.

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I like the unusual drinks here and I'm a little lame because I find things I like and always order them again and again. This time I branched out and had a Snow Leopard. Very nice and refreshing. The pineapple and black olives went very well with it.

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I must have been ignoring my wife that day because I have no idea what she ate, but I had the sliders with Yucca fries. I love these fries and if they had a side order of just them, I'd have been all over it.

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Nomad Lounge has become one of our faves and we'll be back.

$104.27

Next up - Summer House on the Lake.

We love the Nomad Lounge & will visit there every time we are at AK.
Always sit outside as it's covered.

 

[lankman]

Columbia Harbor House

We've always liked the Columbia Harbor House. To us, food at MK has always been pretty much a barren wasteland. We usually leave MK and go elsewhere if we're hungry.

We had a LL coming up for Haunted Mansion in about an hour, so we figured CHH would be easy.

We went in shortly after opening and the crowds weren't there yet. We sat upstairs in the overpass so we could see the hot, sweaty crowds suffering below us.

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My wife had shrimp skewers and green beans and I had chicken fingers. Everything was great as usual.

$27.14

This is the Wife's favourite spot at MK & she will always purchase the chicken pot pie.
Our favourite spot in there is upstairs at a window overlooking the area outside HM.
Great little location to chill & people watch

 

[lankman]

MARA

Tonight we went to the QS place at AKL Jambo, Mara. We had been there once before years ago when we stayed at Jambo House.

We took the shuttle from Kidani to Jambo, it pulled up just as we got out front and only took a couple minutes to get there.

It started raining as soon as we got there and the pool was closed. That meant maybe a lot more people than normal we in the Mara, but it wasn't that crowded.

The ordering and service here was pretty discombobulated. Plus there was only 1 cashier working so even after waiting quite a while for food, you then had to wait to check out.

My wife had a wine and some kind of bowl mixture type of thing that was actually served on a plate. To me it kind of looked like vomit but she said it was pretty good.

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I had a beer and a bacon burger. In years and years and years of going to Disney I have had shockingly few QS burgers. There was nothing memorable about this. The only thing memorable about this place was the sound the chairs made on the floor when they were moved. The metal bottoms to the chairs and the hollow metal legs made an excruciating noise when they were pushed around. The person cleaning the room and constantly sliding chairs around must be immune to this sound. Honestly we had to stop talking when this noise happened.

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But, the fries were decent.

$53.55

Loved the MARA when we stayed at AK in 2014. We tried the breakfasts & a few flat breads. Always good food cooked well.

 

[Robber Baron]

Time for a Vanilla Frappuccino at Trolley Car Cafe

 

[Robber Baron]

At Epcot in the afternoon it's time to look for lunch.

The crowds were not huge, but, I thought a 2 person walk up with a short wait would have worked anywhere, we just had to decide where to go.

Le Cellier, out, in the past we've given them 3 strikes and now they were permanently out. Last time we were there I ordered a steak sandwich and it was impossible to find a bite without gristle, pretty much inedible.

Rose & Crown? Such a small menu, the only thing I really want there is a Scotch Egg, that's not lunch.

France? Walked by Les Halles and EVERY.SINGLE.TIME we go in there it's standing room only.

Japan? I've wanted to try the new restaurant, Shiki-Sai, but my wife doesn't like sushi. Teppan Edo? Nah, you've got to be in the right mood for that place.

Italy? Thought about Via Napoli again, but, didn't want a repeat.

Biergarten? Ate there once years ago and since then I have developed a strong buffet aversion.

China? Ate at Nine Dragons once with the kids and really enjoyed it.

Nine Dragons



Started with a delicious beer.



Very good, not sure if I had 2 or 3.

Started with Pot Stickers. Very good filling with a nice sear on one side. Could have eaten a couple orders of these.



Spicy Honey Crispy Chicken

This is my favorite entree at my local Chinese restaurant so I figured I'd give it a shot here.

Really good, chicken cooked well, still moist with a crispy exterior. Delicious sauce with a little spice to it. I started on it before I took the picture.



We really like this restaurant. Service is always great, as is the food.

We'll be back.

$107.26

 

[Robber Baron]

Later in the day went to MARA again.

I had a chicken Caesar that was pretty good.



I also pointed out the Zebra Domes to my wife and she actually bought them. I remember years ago Zebra Domes were talked about as being some kind of magical dessert from heaven. Back then, when I tried them I couldn't believe what everyone was talking about, it was dense, not sweet at all and was kind of a chore to eat. After getting them today I look back and think I somehow got a sugar free one the first time. These were really good.



$23.13

Before leaving I also picked up a muffin and a little loaf of banana bread. This bread was awesome and I had a few bites of it for a couple mornings before leaving the room. No picture, but.....

$9.14

 

[Robber Baron]

The next morning we went to Early Entry at Epcot with the plan of riding the Rat at opening. Big lines, as we walked over the bridge past United Kingdom we merged with the people entering from International Gateway and we figured the line would be over 60 minutes. So, we jumped out of line to take advantage of being first in line for

LES HALLES

Finally we are going to be able to get a seat here. I swear, looking at the cases and cases of food makes choosing really difficult.

We settled on a Bacon, Egg & Cheese croissant each.



I picked up some type of pastry that had almonds on top and a thin layer of chocolate inside. So flaky and chocolaty and delicious.



Within minutes every sitting and standing table were filled and I'm sure they would remain that way all day.

I want to go back and try everything here. From now on Les Halles will be our Early Entry first stop at Epcot.

$27.43

 

[Robber Baron]

For lunch we just wanted something relatively small as a prelude to our Jiko ADR tonight.

We took the monorail to TTC and switched to the resort monorail to go to the Contemporary to hit the bar at

Steakhouse 71

The Wave used to be regular for us, and on our Thanksgiving trip in 2022 we had turkey dinner at Steakhouse 71 that was phenomenal. I always wanted to go back and hit the bar with the intent of having the Stackburger.



Let's start with this. Jai Alai on tap.



I flipped the script on the burger because I thought it might be too big for the small lunch we had planned. I ordered some onion rings.



These are big rings. I hate an onion ring when you take a bite and the entire onion comes out from the breading. These were cooked perfectly and had a nice spicy ranch dipping sauce.

It only took a minute to figure out we'd need something else so I ordered some wings.
I asked these to be cooked a little extra crispy and they came out just right.



The bar here is great, friendly staff, good food, great atmosphere.

$72.11

 

[Robber Baron]

At some point this afternoon we hit the

Sanaa Bar

again.



I love a resort that has a convenient friendly bar. Granted it's a long walk from our room. My wife wears a fit bit and informed me after the first trek to our room that it's 1/3 mile from the lobby, that's a long hallway.

Walking from the room to the lobby I counted off the steps and discovered it was 509 yards. As a golfer I just thought of it as walking a par 5 hole and the walk never bothered me again. AND, after the walk the view was always worth it.



But, I digress. Afternoon drinks....

$34.22

 

[Robber Baron]

After getting ready for dinner we again took the shuttle to Jambo House to hit up

Victoria Falls

Somebody moved down so we could have 2 stools together. Everyone from staff to patrons were in a great mood, talkative, it felt like a neighborhood bar in here.

My wife had an African wine flight while I quaffed a few Casablanca beers.



A good time was had by all.

$51.60

 

[Robber Baron]

After Victoria Falls it was time for the main event at

Jiko

This was our 3rd? maybe 4th? time staying at AKL and we had never eaten at Jiko before.

We were seated at a great table with a nice view outside. We had a fantastic waiter who was knowledgeable, friendly, had great recommendations and took great care of us. I can't remember his name right now, I knew it at one time because I turned in a positive comment card on him. My confusion is probably that he reminded me of Mike in Breaking Bad, and, every time he was away from the table I referred to him as Mike.

We ordered some wine and drinks then perused the appetizers.

We decided on the Diver Scallop & Pork Belly to split, it was made for us because my wife likes scallops and I like pork belly so it worked out great.



My pork belly was great and apparently so was the scallop.

We also split the Jiko salad. Very unusual fruit in this and the flavors were fantastic.



At some point we were served some of this delicious Giraffe Bread. Very good with the salted butter.



My wife had the sustainable fish, which I believe was Halibut, but don't quote me on that. She said the cook was perfect and she really enjoyed it.



I had been looking at the short rib on the menu and it wasn't a hard decision.



I was a little worried about the hash in this sauce, but, the mouth feel was great and this was an awesome dish.

We followed this by ordering a press pot and asked "Mike" to pick us a dessert.





Jiko was our last meal on this trip and it was one of our favorites.

$247.34

After trying Topolino's and Jiko for the first time on this trip, they are now in our top 3 and we'll be back to both of them.

That's all folks.

 

[Stacybaeasm]

Loving all of your reviews. Little hint for Les Halles - whenever it is super busy, I just take my food out to the fountain ledge and sit there. It's actually nicer than being inside at the tables because I can people watch and get misted a little from the fountain. And if you are ever looking for a snack to take back to your room, I highly recommend the baguette. I was so nauseous on my last trip and that baguette was the only thing I could eat for a couple of days.

 

[summerlvr]

I ate a few bites of mine and I was done. I couldn't even fill up on the linguini because it was in a pool of that Alpo juice.

She got 3 shrimps and 2 scallops. The scallops were average and she described the shrimp as rubbery.

Did you mentioned the poor food quality to your server? I see lots of reviews from people about food not being good, but no one ever says whether they say anything while in the restaurant. I would think that if no one complains, then the restaurant has no incentive to improve. Not trying to stir the pot, so to speak, just genuinely curious.

 

[KenyaSierra]

Loving all of your reviews. Little hint for Les Halles - whenever it is super busy, I just take my food out to the fountain ledge and sit there. It's actually nicer than being inside at the tables because I can people watch and get misted a little from the fountain. And if you are ever looking for a snack to take back to your room, I highly recommend the baguette. I was so nauseous on my last trip and that baguette was the only thing I could eat for a couple of days.

I’m a big baguette fan too. Learned about it on DisBoards! Cheapest snack there is and it’s GOOD

 

[buteraa]

Time for a Vanilla Frappuccino at Trolley Car Cafe

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Love these!

 

[SwanVT2]

At Epcot in the afternoon it's time to look for lunch.

The crowds were not huge, but, I thought a 2 person walk up with a short wait would have worked anywhere, we just had to decide where to go.

Le Cellier, out, in the past we've given them 3 strikes and now they were permanently out. Last time we were there I ordered a steak sandwich and it was impossible to find a bite without gristle, pretty much inedible.

Rose & Crown? Such a small menu, the only thing I really want there is a Scotch Egg, that's not lunch.

France? Walked by Les Halles and EVERY.SINGLE.TIME we go in there it's standing room only.

Japan? I've wanted to try the new restaurant, Shiki-Sai, but my wife doesn't like sushi. Teppan Edo? Nah, you've got to be in the right mood for that place.

Italy? Thought about Via Napoli again, but, didn't want a repeat.

Biergarten? Ate there once years ago and since then I have developed a strong buffet aversion.

China? Ate at Nine Dragons once with the kids and really enjoyed it.

Nine Dragons

View attachment 879220

Started with a delicious beer.

View attachment 879217

Very good, not sure if I had 2 or 3.

Started with Pot Stickers. Very good filling with a nice sear on one side. Could have eaten a couple orders of these.

View attachment 879218

Spicy Honey Crispy Chicken

This is my favorite entree at my local Chinese restaurant so I figured I'd give it a shot here.

Really good, chicken cooked well, still moist with a crispy exterior. Delicious sauce with a little spice to it. I started on it before I took the picture.

View attachment 879219

We really like this restaurant. Service is always great, as is the food.

We'll be back.

$107.26

We went to China last time and it was surprisingly delicious! All very fresh, lovely AC and fantastic service!!

 

[DLo]

Thanks for taking the time to review. I appreciate the honesty and your writing style .

 

[Justrose]

Chefs De France

We went to Chefs on our honeymoon and liked it so much we went back the next night.

We have eaten there on and off over the years, but, at this point we probably haven't been there in 7 or 8 years and were looking forward to it.

Once again from AKL we took a bus to HS and took the Skyliner to the International Gateway.

We were a few minutes early and were seated right away. The table next to us was seated just a minute after us. When the waiter came over we ordered a drink, the table next to us ordered entrees. The waiter walked to the kitchen and immediately walked back and served our neighbor their entrees. Pretty quick.

When they brought our drinks they asked if we wanted to order. My wife ordered a French Onion soup, her favorite soup. He asked if we wanted to order entrees we said we'd wait.

It wasn't 90 seconds before her soup was plopped in front of her,

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After a couple spoonfuls she decided Campbell's is better and she didn't finish it.

When that was taken away we ordered our entrees.

Beef Bourguignon for me, Shrimp and scallops for her.

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She got 3 shrimps and 2 scallops. The scallops were average and she described the shrimp as rubbery.

I don't know what the heck was up with my beef but it was awful. It tasted like I imagine dog food would taste, as a matter of fact it smelled like wet dog.

I noticed the lady next to me also had the beef and I'd guess she ate maybe 3 bites of it.

I ate a few bites of mine and I was done. I couldn't even fill up on the linguini because it was in a pool of that Alpo juice.

There was a couple sitting behind my wife that I just couldn't keep my eyes off because the husband was like a human garbage disposal. Everyone handed him their plates with food left over and he would finish them all off. I actually saw him licking out those little indentations on a escargot serving plate. Well, he also had the beef and that's the only thing on the table he didn't finish, ate less than half.

Nothing we ordered took more than a minute and a half to get to the table. They are really cranking out the dishes at this joint.

If we hadn't intentionally spaced out our dinner we would have been out of there in less than a half hour.

I've been going to Disney since I was in high school in 1971, this was the worst meal I've ever eaten on property and it's not real close.

We will not be returning.

$165.49

I feel bad you had a terrible meal, but I am at your description of the human garbage disposal guy.

 

[sue and co]

Great report, thanks for taking the time to write it.