Erik Eat World 2007: Jiko, Tusker, Le Cellier, Puck, and Many More

[erikthewise]

No photos here folks! If you want food porn, you know where to find it.

Cast: Self(omnivore), DW(hates seafood), DS14(burger & cheesecake fiend), DS11(picky eater)
We’ve been making annual trips this time of year since 2001. Other than myself, my family are not adventurous eaters, so we usually stick with mainstream dining. DS11 still orders from the kid’s menu about half the time – he was never refused one when ordering from a menu. We ate all breakfasts in our room. We did not have a single incident of bad food and only one relatively harmless example of poor service.

We were not on the dining plan, but we did use a Disney Dining Experience card. More about that later. Keep in mind I’m a fairly tough grader; A’s mean truly exceptional food or service. A “C” does not mean poor food or service, but it does represent something a little below the usual Disney standard. An asterisk means this was the first time we’d eaten at that restaurant.

 

[erikthewise]

12/01 Sat Lunch: Garden Grill (Epcot - Land) Server: Barry

We eat here every year, and have never been disappointed in the food. We’d come here even without the characters. Eating here for lunch instead of dinner takes some of the sting out -- $7 cheaper and all you lose is the salad.

I requested seating on the first level, which means a booth on the outside. I was warned that might result in a delay being seated, but I said “that’s OK”, and we ended being seated quickly anyway. Sitting on the lower level results in an atmosphere unique at WDW. You are in a booth which is nearly a private room, isolated from both the other first level booths and the second level. You have a changing view of the Living With The Land boat ride as the restaurant revolves. When the characters come by, it feels like you have them all to yourself.

Character interaction was better than in recent years. Since we don’t do signatures or photographs at meals, sometimes the characters don’t spend much time with us, but this year the boys got several big hugs. Mickey was into wiggling his nose, which I’d never seen before. He even invited the boys to “twang” his nose!

The food this year was not quite as good as in the past – the turkey and beef were a little tougher, but just a little. The catfish, cheese potatoes, and veggies were as good as ever. I wouldn’t call it disappointing, and it was still a relatively good value and a good choice for our arrival day lunch. I like it better than the Liberty Tree Tavern dinner or Biergarten. DS11 got the kid’s stuff, including macaroni & cheese, chicken tenders and fries, and DW asked for the vegetarian option, which was some butternut squash dish. She didn’t eat much of it, but no harm done as she just returned to the standard adult fare, which is all-you-can-eat family style.

The dessert was an apple crisp dish, served with a small scoop of what should have been vanilla ice cream, but was in fact butter! As apple crisp goes it was pretty good, but there have been better desserts in the past.

Barry was one of the better servers we’ve had there, a “second career” CM who to appearances was a little older than myself. There was a mistake on the check, which was not his fault but he apologized and had it corrected when I pointed it out. We were overcharged by $8 because the vegetarian dish was priced at $28.99 instead of the $20.99 fixed price for adults. Barry said it had to do with the $4 price increase for buffets over the Thanksgiving holiday. This didn’t make any sense as the increase ended a week earlier and didn’t start again for another two weeks, and would have made the price $24.99 in any case. But it was easily resolved.

We were there a little over an hour and the restaurant still had not made a full revolution. My estimate is that it would have taken about 80 minutes to get back to where we started. This is definitely slower than it revolved a few years ago.

Food: B-, Value: B, Service: B+, Atmosphere: A
Summary: You don’t have to go to World Showcase for a table service lunch!

12/01 Sat Dinner: San Angel Inn (Epcot - Mexico) Server: Dani

We had not eaten here since 1992, so it was time to give it another try

I had “Pescado en Salsa de Aguacate –Grilled filet of Tilapia fish served over a bed of white rice topped with sautéed poblano pepper strips, onions, and spicy avocado sauce”. I am familiar with poblano pepper but I didn’t notice any here; perhaps I had already eaten it before I started looking for it? In any case there wasn’t enough to make an impression. The dish was saved by the avocado sauce, but there wasn’t really enough of it, and I ended up eating a substantial portion of plain tilapia and sticky white rice with little flavor.

DW had the “Mole Poblano - Grilled chicken breast served over a bed of chicken morsels, carrots, chayote chiles, with the classic sauce of spices and hint of chocolate”. She left a lot of it, and I had a chance to try some of it. It was interesting but a little strange; I’m not sure how I would have reacted to eating the entire serving. DS14 ordered the Combinacion Cozumel, a steak and shrimp dish with similar spicing (but no chocolate), and DS11 had the Quesadilla de Pollo (chicken) from the kid’s menu, which he was happy with.

The atmosphere is interesting as it simulates an outdoor café after dark, with a Mayan pyramid and volcano in the background. (Kind of ironic actually: a simulated pyramid inside a simulated pyramid, and simulated night inside when it really is night outside!) The boats from the Gran Fiesta Tour boat ride go past the restaurant but you don’t see them unless you have a table near the water (we didn’t). The downside is that the tables are too close together.

Our service was indifferent, and included the mortal sin of not refilling our water glasses for a long interval; DW and I were pouring some of our water into DS14’s glass so he would have some. That’s a major deduction anywhere, but is especially a problem in a Mexican restaurant! I only tipped 15% instead of the usual 20%, and would have tipped less except I felt it was not a case of willful neglect or goofing off, just a lack of concentration.
Food: C+, Value: C, Service: D, Atmosphere: B-
Summary: It’s not as bad as many have suggested. But we will not hurry back.

12/01 Sat Snack: Kringla Bakeri* (Epcot - Norway)
One advantage of not being on the dining plan is that we don’t have to have dessert at the same place we dined. So we walked next door to Norway and picked out a cappuccino cheesecake, a rice cream, and 2 cinnamon buns, Yum!
Food: B+, Value: B, Service: N/A, Atmosphere: N/A

 

[erikthewise]

12/02 Sun Lunch: Tusker House* (Animal Kingdom) Server: Neil

OK, we have eaten at Tusker House before. But it has been remodeled into a table service buffet, so it is effectively a new restaurant. I had planned to eat lunch at Yak & Yeti, but when it became clear we would be in Africa at lunch time, it made sense to try the new version of Tusker House.

I liked the old Tusker House as much as anyone, and was disappointed to hear about the conversion. But the new format is a welcome addition to the park, and after all there’s still Flame Tree Barbecue for good counter service. The food is somewhat similar to what is offered at Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge, but with fewer African dishes and more concessions to American tastes. In addition to some (mostly North) African couscous, curry, and salad offerings, there are rotisserie chicken, pork loin, beef tenderloin, and salmon. There are also standard children’s offerings, and a cold-cut sandwich offering that is completely out of place, looking like it came straight out of your mom’s fridge.

Unlike Boma, which says it has “pods” but really comes down to a buffet line in practice, Tusker House has widely separated stations that you can easily wander between. There is plenty of variety. I was able to fill my plate twice with interesting choices, taking only the beef tenderloin from the “American” food. Then to the desserts! There were several good ones, though their identity is lost in a haze. There were a half dozen or more different selections, and I took at least three.

One definite improvement is that you no longer have to deal with dozens of families “saving” tables when they didn’t have their food yet. In the past it seemed like almost half the tables were pre-saved and it was hard to find a place to sit down. This time it wasn’t crowded at all; there were a lot of empty tables even at 12:10.

We had excellent service. I had a nice discussion with Neil about the coming change to forced 18% gratuity for meals using the Disney Dining Experience card. He said he would rather see people free to make their own choice about the gratuity.

Food: B, Value: B-, Service: B+, Atmosphere: B
Summary: Imagine Boma for lunch, though it’s not quite as good, it’s still a positive change.

12/02 Sun Dinner: Jiko* (Animal Kingdom Lodge) Server: Hassan

In 2002 we spent three nights at Animal Kingdom Lodge, with a PS for Jiko the first evening. But DW was put off by the darkness of the room, and its smallness compared to Beach Club Villas. She felt “trapped” and wanted to get away somewhere. So we put the kids in Simba’s Cubhouse and went to Downtown Disney for what turned out to be an excellent dinner at House of Blues. But I was disappointed that the one “fancy” restaurant I had reserved had been scuttled. The last couple years we ate at Boma, and (finally!) this year we made it to Jiko.

There was a moment of concern when DS11 announced that he wanted the Filet Mignon from the adult menu! He’s a picky eater who had never before ordered an adult entrée at WDW, and here he was attempting to set a record for most expensive entrée ever ordered by our family! Fortunately we managed to talk him down by suggesting he order the kid’s filet with macaroni and cheese instead of the mashed potatoes, and if he liked it he could order a “real” steak at Le Cellier. He was happy with that.

The menu is full of interesting dishes. In spite of being a signature restaurant (2 credits on the dining plan), most of the entrees are under $30. And I was pleased to see that only one of them uses an alcohol sauce, my pet peeve. I had the “Durban Curry Shrimp”, and DS14 the “Chermoula Roasted Tanglewood Chicken”. (Really – who cares where a chicken comes from?!) DW chose the “Grains, Peas, and Vegetables”. I had a chance to try a couple forkfuls from her plate, and it was interesting but unusual. My dish was very good; I love curries and could tell this was somehow different from a typical Indian curry.

We all had dessert. DS11 had the kid’s Jiko Puzzle w/sundae, DS14 the Tanzanian Chocolate Cheesecake, DW the Pistachio Crème Brulee, and myself the Madagascar Vanilla Bean Mousse. I think everyone was very happy with their choices but me. Mine was described as being served “with cardamom-spiced pound cake, macerated strawberries and strawberry sauce”. When I think of “pound cake” I imagine a substantial portion, but it turned out to be 10-20 molecular layers worth underneath the mousse. I would have missed it altogether if I hadn’t looked for it. The serving of mousse was skimpy too, so although it tasted fine, my dessert was considerably smaller than the others. I hate when that happens! I should have taken more seriously our server’s dessert recommendations, as he mentioned the cheesecake and crème brulee but not mine.

Service was quiet and unobtrusive, but he was there when he needed to be, and we never waited for anything. Unlike several other restaurants the tables were pleasantly spaced. Although the theming is subdued here, the décor is very nice.

Food: A-, Value: C, Service: B+, Atmosphere: B+
Summary: Fine dining in an elegant setting. Don’t miss it!

 

[erikthewise]

12/03 Mon Lunch: Nine Dragons* (Epcot - China) Server: Ji Hui

We’ve come to the point in our quest to eat at nearly all WDW table service restaurants where there are reasons why we haven’t eaten at the remaining ones. The reasons are “expensive”, “seafood” (DW hates it), and “poor reviews”. We keep chipping away at the expensive ones, and sometimes we try one with poor reviews, e.g. Nine Dragons. The knock on Nine Dragons is that it is overpriced and not as good as what you can get at the corner Chinese take-out back home.

I have to report that this analysis is right on the money. In order to minimize the effect of the predicted poor value, we ate here for lunch rather than dinner, ordering the Lunch Sampler for 4. We asked to substitute the Honey Sesame Chicken in place of the Stir-fried Shrimp with Garden Vegetables, since I’m the only one who really likes shrimp and I’d had it for dinner the previous night. The other selections were Cantonese Sweet and Sour Pork, General Tso's Chicken, Canton Pepper Beef, Stir-fried seasonal vegetables. Soup (hot-sour or wonton) was also included. Sounds like a feast, but it disappeared quickly and we still went next door for dessert. And guess what? We can get a lot more food (more than we can eat for dinner), and better tasting, for less than half the price, less than a mile from our home.

It’s not that the dishes are poorly prepared, it’s just that they represent the worst of Americanized “Chinese” food. Two of the dishes consisted of fried breaded nuggets of meat in syrupy sauces. Fortunately the restaurant was mostly empty at our 12:30 lunch, since the tables are much too close together. I wouldn’t say we had a “bad” experience, and it certainly didn’t spoil our day, but it was a disappointment.

The good news is that Nine Dragons will be closed for most of 2008. Not only will you not be tempted to eat there, but we can hope that a quality Chinese restaurant will rise from the ashes. It is not just the kitchen and dining area that need remodeling, it’s the menu and kitchen staff as well.

Food: C-, Value: D+, Service: C, Atmosphere: C-
Summary: Wait until 2009.

12/03 Mon Snack: Kringla Bakeri* (Epcot - Norway)

One trip to Kringla is never enough! This time we had a waffle, a fruit tart, a rice cream, and a cinnamon bun. You guessed it – I’m the rice cream fan!
Food: B+, Value: B, Service: N/A, Atmosphere: N/A

12/03 Mon Dinner: Le Cellier (Epcot - Canada) Server: Lauren

This was our second visit to Le Cellier; the first was in 2005. I called at 180 days before departure and asked for an ADR for the third day of out trip. The earliest I could get was 6:40, so I took it. That’s how popular it is – many of the slots had already been taken by people reserving for later in their trip! Of course a lot of slots were held back for Candlelight Processional packages.

We showed up 20-25 minutes early in the hope that would help get us seated on time, but it was not to be. The hostess wouldn’t even check us in until 10 minutes before our ADR. Then we waited another half hour until 7:00 before we were seated. Twenty minutes late really isn’t too bad for such a popular place, though the rest of the family was miffed at having to wait so long, as we seldom have to wait more than 5-10 minutes at WDW.

For appetizers, DW ordered the Steakhouse Caesar and I the Beefsteak Tomato Stack. Both were fine but were poor values even for an appetizer. In the case of my tomato stack one might plead artistry. The top half of the tomato was diced with some onion and presented on top of the sliced bottom half. Two tiny melon balls of mozzarella cheese stood guard. The caesar though was just several stalks of romaine and number of large croutons on a flat plate.

We all had filet mignons, even DS11 by previous agreement (see Jiko above). I had the mushroom filet and the others the maple barbecue version. Mine was ordered “medium” but was gray throughout; I expected some pink in the center. It was tender but not especially flavorful. (I should have asked for some A1 sauce.) The mushroom risotto was delicious as I remembered.

Because we were going to an Illuminations Dessert Party that night, we didn’t order dessert. It’s just as well since the Maple Crème Brulee I fell in love with two years ago was no longer on the menu! This is inconceivable – it was the best nonchocolate dessert I have ever had! And now it’s gone… There was some other flavor of crème brulee and who knows, it may be almost as good.

Lauren was an amazing server in some ways. She was very efficient and hard-working, as it appeared she needed to be to keep up with her workload. She had a “spiel” she needed to deliver and did so at breakneck speed. When she filled our water glasses, with two quick flicks of her wrist she filled mine exactly to the top, like it was an Olympic event. At the end of our meal she did finally find a little time for some pleasant conversation. I’d like to give her an “A” for service, but even though it was not her fault they were short-staffed, obviously rushed service is not “A” service.
Food: B, Value: C, Service: B+, Atmosphere: C+
Summary: A good steakhouse but not the Second Coming that some would have you believe.

12/03 Mon Snack: Illuminations Dessert Party (Epcot – UK)

We had the opportunity to join a group of about 30 others at an Illuminations Dessert Party. This was something I’d always wanted to do, and it was everything I hoped for. Ours was held on a small overlook to the right of Rose and Crown restaurant in the UK pavilion. It had an unobstructed view of the lagoon and the Illuminations show. Several large trays of desserts were brought, and there was a small beverage service which included tea, fruit punch, and a couple other choices. A tray of cannoli was set at our table. We all went around and selected from each of the trays, but for some reason the cannoli were not as popular as they deserved to be. I never had cannoli before but made up for years of neglect as I slowly consumed a substantial fraction of the cannoli tray (in addition to selected other desserts). Illuminations was as good as ever, my favorite show/attraction in all of WDW. This was the first time DS11 had seen it. This was a bit of a splurge, but I’d do this again in a minute!

 

[erikthewise]

12/04 Tue Lunch: Columbia Harbour House (Magic Kingdom)

Time out for a token counter service meal. I’d like to claim this is my favorite counter service spot in Magic Kingdom, but the truth is I’ve never tried any of the others! (except for Aloha Isle.) An Anchors Aweigh for me, Garden Galley for DW, two Chicken Strips with fries for the boys, and four waters. Virtually no wait and good food for under $30. What’s not to like?
Food: B, Value: B+, Service: N/A, Atmosphere: N/A
Summary: If all counter service were this good, we’d do it more often!

12/04 Tue Dinner: Crystal Palace (Magic Kingdom) Server: Bridget

We ate lunch here in 2001, and having tried all the other table service restaurants in Magic Kingdom, decided to come back for dinner. Once again we had a 20 minute wait past our 5:00 ADR to be seated. I’m less forgiving about that here than I was at Le Cellier. When we checked in I was told “10-15 minutes”, but when the time came and went, I asked and was told it meant that long past our ADR time, not past check-in time! Sorry, but that’s not what it means at any other restaurant! We specifically booked a 5:00 so we would be finished in time to see the 6:00 Wishes fireworks. Last year we had a 5:30 ADR for Tony’s, showed up around 5:00 and were seated immediately, so we did make the fireworks. It’s pretty sad that we actually have a 5:00 reservation here and might not.

Inside, the restaurant was a madhouse. A lot of young children of course, not a problem in itself. It seemed like there were a lot of table turning over near ours, so a lot of dirty dishes and coming and going. Plus the restaurant is very noisy, so when it comes to atmosphere these factors have to be balanced against the nice architecture and Pooh characters. It took a while (more than five minutes) for our server to show up, but once she did everything went smoothly.

The buffet IS good, and that helps makes up for the noise. The ancho chili salmon was wonderful, and the prime rib was good too. There are a lot of interesting dishes, and the desserts were especially good. Key lime pie (my favorite) and spoon-it-out tiramisu and Boston cream pie – you don’t get these at other buffets!

The characters? Yes they were there, and we did see all four in timely fashion, but that’s not why we went. And yes, we did get to see most of the Wishes fireworks after missing the first 3-4 minutes.
Food: B+, Value: C-, Service: B-, Atmosphere: C
Summary: A fine buffet, second only to Boma at WDW.

 

[erikthewise]

12/05 Wed Snack: Wetzel’s Pretzels (Downtown Disney – West Side)

Today was Disney Quest day – the boys and I went to Disney Quest while DW rested up back at the resort. We arrived at the West Side about 11:00 looking for something to eat before the 11:30 opening. House of Blues was supposed to open at 11:00 but they were a little slow getting started so we looked elsewhere. We eventually found Wetzel’s Pretzels, open with yummy-looking pretzels, but nobody behind the counter! After a few minutes of trying to get attention, I had to go into the back room and rouse somebody to get service. DS11 had a Wetzel Dog, and DS14 and I had pizza pretzels. All yummy, and we could walk back to Disney Quest while eating!

12/05 Wed Lunch: Food Quest/Wonderland Cafe (Downtown Disney – Disney Quest)

Summary: This restaurant is inside Disney Quest, so you need admission to eat there. It’s operated by the Cheesecake Factory. We had burgers, which were very good and very economical – a little better than those at Beaches & Cream and less expensive! Fries and other sides are offered a la carte, and we skipped them in favor of dessert. We should have shared desserts, but we each had one, DS14 and I each having cheesecakes and DS11 a chocolate mousse cup. The cheesecakes were huge and deadly – I had to struggle a little to finish mine after the pretzel and burger, but it was so good I couldn’t bear to leave any! The total for the pretzels, burgers and desserts was only $45!

Warning: Food Quest comes in two parts, and twice we’ve ordered before finding the other part! So look around before ordering. Wonderland Café is on a different floor.
Food: B, Value: A-, Service: N/A, Atmosphere: C
Summary: If you’re going to Disney Quest, definitely plan to eat there!

12/05 Wed Dinner: Spoodles (Boardwalk Inn) Server: Onsy

The boys and I ate here in 2004 when DW was tending to some nasty blisters, but this was the first time we’d all been here. DS14 and I had the Beef Kebabs, though he asked for fries instead of the usual rice pilaf. DW had a Greek Salad and White Bean Moussaka. DS11 had a kids meal featuring macaroni and cheese. About this time we noticed that grilled cheese had disappeared from all the kids meals.

I also ordered the Mediterranean Dips appetizer with the intention of sharing. But since no one else was interested, I ate nearly all of it myself. I’m glad I did as the pita bread that came with it was better than the foccacia that came with the meal. Several restaurants offered foccacia or similar spongy bread this trip, and I wish they wouldn’t. I’d much rather have an ordinary sourdough roll if given the choice.

The Beef Kebabs were excellent. In fact they were better than the Filet at Le Cellier! Very flavorful, and a larger portion too. DW didn’t seem to enjoy her Moussaka though.

The dining room is large and the tables nicely spaces, so it wasn’t noisy or crowded at all, even with all tables occupied. Although I didn’t notice it until leaving, the Boardwalk Pizza Window operation is inside Spoodles, so you may have a view of it while eating.

Food: B, Value: B, Service: C+, Atmosphere: C+
Summary: A nice family restaurant with reasonable prices, if you get along with the Mediterranean cuisine.

 

[erikthewise]

12/06 Thu Lunch: Lunch With an Astronaut (Kennedy Space Center)

12/06 Thu Dinner: Yacht Club Galley (Yacht Club) Server: Christa

The Yacht Club Galley is a coffee-shop style restaurant right next door to the Yachtsman Steakhouse. It is open three meals a day, and there is often availability here when other places are booked up. This helped us out after returning from Kennedy Space Center when the shuttle launch was cancelled. We had not planned to eat dinner at WDW but were able to get a reservation here on short notice.

Both of our boys decided to order a smoothie to drink. DS14 ordered the pork chops, and DS11 an adult cheeseburger, which unfortunately he barely touched because the smoothie filled him up. DW had the Braised Beef Sandwich. I had the Crab Cakes and the Shrimp and Scallop Penne Pasta. The crab cakes were a generous portion with plenty of slaw and sauce, and prepared just the way I like them, a bargain at $10.49. The pasta was also supposed to include mussels, but I asked they be omitted. I don’t know if I got extra shrimp or scallops, but there was a very generous helping of each. As with any seafood & pasta dish, the sauce is critical (as I found out on DCL once when such a dish had no sauce at all!). The tomato-fennel sauce here easily passed the test.

I was so wrapped up in my own meal I’m not sure how the others fared, but I didn’t hear any complaints.
Food: B, Value: B+, Service: B, Atmosphere: C
Summary: Looking for a good meal at a reasonable price in the Epcot area? It’s here.

 

[erikthewise]

12/07 Fri Lunch: Sci-Fi Dine-In (MGM) Server: Drew

This is one of our favorites. Our reservation was at 11:40 and we were seated not too long after. DS14 and I had burgers as always, and DS11 joined us. DW had a turkey sandwich. As usual the burgers were the best we had on this trip. I’m sure there are places in WDW where one can get a burger as good as at Sci-Fi, but I don’t know where. We also shared an order of onion rings. (Unless you are underweight with low cholesterol, you don’t want an order for yourself!) DS11 had an Oreo cookie shake for dessert, DS14 a cheesecake, and I had a hot fudge sundae.

The film clip is about 45-50 minutes long and contains a lot of nostalgia, including some great 50’s music such as “Great Balls of Fire” by Jerry Lee Lewis and “Purple People Eater” by Sheb Wooley. There is a Tom and Jerry cartoon, and a Disney cartoon concerning life on Mars that had me hysterical with laughter when I was ten. But most of the clip consists of trailers for super-low-budget “sci-fi” films shown in drive-in theaters in the 50’s and early 60’s. The plots, acting, and special effects are so bad it is sometimes funny and other times just unbelievable. I guess they had to show something in the drive-in, and few patrons over 16 cared much about the quality even when they actually watched the movies.

Food: B-, Value: C, Service: B+ , Atmosphere: B
Summary: Good thing we enjoy this place since our boys won’t let us skip it.

12/07 Fri Dinner: Kona Café (Polynesian) Server: Jing
We try to eat at Kona whenever we can. If nothing else it gives us a chance to visit the Polynesian Resort. DW and I both had the Beef Teriyaki, while DS14 tried the Pan-Asian Noodles, and DS11 had a kid’s macaroni and cheese. Only DS14 and I had dessert: White Chocolate Cheesecake and Banana Crème Brulee respectively. In retrospect I wish I had chosen a more Asian dish such as the Ono or Pan-Asian Noodles, which looked and smelled interesting. The Beef Teriyaki was fine but the teriyaki flavor was minimal – it was basically just a strip steak. The Banana Crème Brulee was delicious but like any good brulee it goes down real smooth and is gone before you know it!

Kona has never disappointed us and this meal was no exception. But it’s getting a little harder to distinguish it from other good mid-range restaurants.
Food: B, Value: B, Service: C+, Atmosphere: C
Summary: Has slipped a little, but remains one of the best non-signature (1 credit) restaurants.

 

[erikthewise]

12/08 Sat Lunch: Plaza Restaurant (Magic Kingdom) Server: Rasa
We got up early this morning to do the Magic of the Steam Trains tour at Magic Kingdom from 7:30 to 10:30. I knew we’d be hungry when it was over so I made an 11:00 reservation for the Plaza, which opens at that time. As it turned out our tour ran until a little after 11:00 so we a bit late, but we were seated within 10 minutes of our arrival.

Our server Rasa was from Lithuania. Of course we’ve seen many international cast members but it is rare to see one from the former Soviet Union. I had the tuna sandwich, DW the veggie sandwich, and the boys had burgers. DS14 had cheesecake for dessert, and DS11 and DW split a sundae. I left early to go to a Mousefest event, so no dessert for me.
Food: B-, Value: B, Service: B, Atmosphere: B
Summary: Beaches and Cream look-alike, conveniently located in the Magic Kingdom.

12/08 Sat Dinner: Wolfgang Puck Café* (Downtown Disney) Server: Rashid
We have eaten at House of Blues several times, so I thought we’d try something new in Downtown Disney. In the same building on the West Side, Wolfgang Puck has the “Express” (counter service), the “Café” (table service), and the “Dining Room” (fine dining).

DS11 ordered “Wolfgang’s Meatball”, bucatini pasta (hollow spaghetti) with sauce and one huge meatball about the size of an orange. The rest of us ordered appetizers and two pizzas to share among us, which worked out well. DW had a caesar salad, DS14 had vegetable spring rolls, and I had the California roll. I am not into sushi but I do like California roll. This was a larger serving then I expected; I think it was a dozen pieces. The pizzas were quite good, of the style made famous by Wolfgang Puck (the person), thin crust with upscale ingredients. Tasty, but not so heavy as to dominate the meal.

Because of the large serving of California roll, I reluctantly agreed to share a Key Lime Pie with DS14. Ordinarily I would never do this, but it’s a good thing I did. The pie was large and very rich, almost like a cheesecake, and if I’d had it all to myself I would have been uncomfortable afterward. DS11 had a kid’s sundae.

Rashid was one of our top two servers on this trip. He was full of energy but never made us feel rushed. He made us feel he was working for us rather than for the restaurant!

Food: B, Value: B-, Service: A-, Atmosphere: C
Summary: If you’re dining at Downtown Disney, Go West! House of Blues and Wolfgang Puck are both great places to eat.

 

[erikthewise]

A free cheesecake goes to the first person to answer this question: How many cheescake portions did DS14 eat?

Without getting into gory details, with our Disney Dining Experience card this all cost us a little less than $100 more than using the 2007 Dining Plan. But instead of 8 table service, 8 counter service, and 8 snacks, we had 14 table service (counting Jiko as 2), 2 counter service, and 3 snacks. I think this makes the Dining Experience card by far the better deal for our eating habits.

 

[quixoticvalue]

Hmmm.. your son had... SIX cheesecakes?? Right right?

Great reviews! Especially the review of tusker house.

 

[erikthewise]

Hmmm.. your son had... SIX cheesecakes?? Right right?

Great reviews! Especially the review of tusker house.

OK, I've got your prize right here in the fridge, ready to Fedex overnight in its insulated pouch.

Hey, wait a minute! JON, DID YOU EAT THE CHEESECAKE IN THE FRIDGE!
You did, huh.

Sorry about that! No prize after all.

 

[my3disneygirls]

I agree about Nine Dragons. We ate there once out of necessity and were disappointed. I can throw a rock and hit a restaurant that serves better Chinese.

 

[familyS]

Thanks for writing dining reviews.

I really like your rating system because I agree, there are varying degrees of "Disney" service.

 

[John's Mom]

Thanks for posting your great reviews. I thought you had to be a Florida resident in order to get the DDE card.

 

[lexmelinda]

Great detailed reviews! Thank you!

Who needs pictures?

 

[bekkiz]

Those were AWESOME reviews, thank you so much for all of the detail (and I like the grading system..no grading on the curve )

We're only eating at a few table service spots this next trip, but when I read reviews like these, it makes me want to add a few more!

 

[erikthewise]

Thanks for posting your great reviews. I thought you had to be a Florida resident in order to get the DDE card.

It used to be that way. But I think it was 2005 when they started allowing AP holders to buy them.

 

[Disneyfriend]

Thanks for taking the time to post! You wrote excellent reviews. We're thinking about buying the DDE card ourselves for the next trip . . .

Thank you again!

Disneyfriend

 

[Melissa_E]

Thank you for the great review!