First time Dining trip report Aug 6-13th-Boma CA Grill pics

[Gingerg11]

Hello All!

Been lurking here a while, drooling over all the food porn while planning my own trip to the World. We are veteran Disney goers so we are always looking for some ways to "change up" our visits to the Mouse. I hope you enjoy the report.

Here is the Cast of Characters:

DW-Me, myself and I. 43 yo, DW, trip planner and listmaker extraordinaire, Disney obsessive, food lover-will try anything

DH-Darling Hubby, 44 yo. Dad, energetic, go getter, claims to be a foodie, but can be particular about fish

DS23-Darling Son, 23 yo, fairly picky eater, believes there are only 2 food groups, salad and pizza, but he does enjoy a good steak

DN20-20 yo, Darling Niece, regular on our trips, as a 3 year old ordered Pasta salad at Pinocchio Village Haus

We stayed at the Wilderness Lodge from Sat, Aug 6 to Sat Aug 13th. We purchased the Tables in Wonderland card because you get $25.00 off with an annual pass. We figured it would be worth it for us with all the meals we had planned.

Here is a list of where we ate:
Kona Cafe
Roaring Forks Cafe
Auntie Gravity's
Cosmic Rays
Starring Rolls
Min & Bill's Dockside Diner
Liberty Tree Tavern
Boulangerie Patisserie
Via Napoli
Kringla Bakeri Og Cafe
Chick Fil-A (off property)
Pizza Planet
Territory Lounge (Wilderness Lodge)
Boma
Pinocchio Village Haus
Pizzafari
Earl of Sandwich
California Grill
Plaza Restaurant
1900 Park Fare
Plaza Ice Cream Parlor (no pix)
Goofy's Candy Company (no pix)
T-Rex (no pics)

This is long, I will try to break it up into multiple posts.

There are some pics here now. All different sizes, I have no idea what I am doing...

Have fun!

Jennie

 

[Gingerg11]

Saturday, Aug 6, 2011

Breakfast-Kona Cafe

We had an ADR for 10:30am and we actually arrived there about 1 hour earlier and they seated us within 10 min. Our server was very nice and efficient. Everything arrived promptly, but no one warned us that the Kona Press Pot is very difficult to press down. There was no way I could do it and even hubby had a hard time.

DW-Macadamia Pineapple Pancakes - with macadamia nut butter, pineapple sauce and your choice of ham, bacon or sausage $9.99- I ordered it with sausage. It was very tasty. There were big chunks of macadamia nuts and the crushed pineapple on top was not overly cloying. The sausage was delicious, not greasy but not dry either. I just wished I had some toast...



DH-Big Kahuna - French toast, Macadamia-Pineapple pancakes, eggs, home fried potatoes, ham, bacon, and sausage $11.99 -He felt the pancakes and the French toast were delicious, but the ham was tasteless and the bacon he said tasted like, "bacon flavored paper."


DS23-Pancakes - with choice of ham, bacon or sausage $8.99- He ordered it with the bacon on the side and passed it along to his father, as he doesn't eat any of the sides available. He said the pancakes were the best he ever had -this from a pancake connoisseur! They were very fluffy and light and the syrup soaked right through. He loved them.


DN20-Ham and Cheese Omelet - with home-fried potatoes and a biscuit $10.49-She thought the omelet was just good, nothing special.

Kona Press Pot -100% Kona Coffee 7.49-excellent but hard to push down the press

Overall-We would eat here again and recommend it to anyone looking for a simple sit down breakfast.

Lunch-Roaring Forks Cafe-Wilderness Lodge

We still had to unpack so we figured we'd mosey down the counter service and purchase our refillable mugs and grab lunch at the hotel. We like Roaring Forks, having stayed here before but still feel the food area is way too small for the amount of people here. We were lucky to avoid regular mealtimes for the most part but the lines do tend to back up here...alot.

DW-Tuna Salad Sandwich - with vegetable salad or House-made chips $9.29-The tuna salad is served on wonderful bread and the sandwich is made in front of you as you order. You have the option of lettuce and tomato. I chose the vegetable salad and the cast member making the sandwich said it was light and refreshing. I was expecting a mixed vegetable salad but what I got was a cucumber and red onion salad in vinegar. It was fantastic. I can't say enough about this salad. The sandwich was very good, the bread very fresh and the tomato was very ripe.


DH-Cup of Chili $3.29 and Kid's Turkey Sandwich Choice of two: grapes, applesauce or carrot sticks Choice of beverage: 1% Mickey Milk, small bottled water or apple juice $4.99- DH wanted the chili but did not think he could finish an adult size meal, so he ordered the Kid's meal. He ordered the grapes and the water as the side. He said the sandwich was the perfect size after the chili, the turkey was served on a plain but fresh roll. The chili was excellent, loaded with chopped beef. He grabbed some onions from the fixing bar to mix in.


DS23-Individual Cheese Flatbread $6.99- He thought it was good. The flatbread was nicely done with a fair amount of cheese on it. He thought the sauce had a strange texture but he would order this again.


DN20-Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich - with French Fries or Vegetable Salad $8.59- She thought the chicken breast was overly dry and the bread was stale. She would not order it again. The French fries were standard.


Overall-We like Roaring Forks and think it's a decent option for quick food.


Snack-Auntie Gravity's-Magic Kingdom

DW-Tropical Smoothie-tropical fruit (orange-pineapple-mango fruit -all smoothies served with non-fat yogurt) $4.19 Love this smoothie. We have been getting these for years, ever since they started serving them in the little reusable Mickey head cups, which alas is no more. It is the ultimate refreshing cooler on a hot Florida day. We have had the other flavors but prefer this one. Unfortunately, this time, mine was not the correct texture, it was frozen over or the end of the batch, because it was all ice. At first I thought it was because I was holding it with a bunch of napkins so the heat from my hand was not melting it, but DH mentioned that he saw the cast member banging the cup down on the counter, so there was a problem even before they served it.
DH- Tropical Smoothie-tropical fruit (orange-pineapple-mango fruit-all smoothies served with non-fat yogurt) $4.19 He loves this smoothie.

DN20-Tropical Smoothie-banana/strawberry--all smoothies served with non-fat yogurt) $4.19 Loved it

Overall- Great smoothies here. An annual favorite.


Dinner-Cosmic Rays at the MK

DW-1/2 Rotisserie Chicken - with Mashed Potatoes and a seasonal vegetable $9.69-The chicken was very moist and flavorful but I found it difficult to cut it off the bone with the plastic knife so I ended up ripping it apart with my fingers which was messy. It came with green beans as the vegetable, which were bland, but also fantastic garlic mashed potatoes. The skins were mixed in and it was slightly chunky. Probably the best mashed potatoes I had on the entire trip.


DH-Caesar Salad with Chicken $7.79- The Caesar was just okay, a lot of grated cheese on top and a decent amount of chicken for the size of the salad. However, it doesn't come dressed and the Ken's salad dressing was too strong. He felt the best part was the chicken. A food service manager we spoke in the restaurant said it was being taken off the menu soon and being replaced with fresh made in front of you salads.


DS23-Chicken Breast Nuggets (8 pieces) - served with apple slice or French fries $7.89-We waited a long time for the chicken nuggets to be served with no explanation given. The breading is very thick, but seaDS23ed well and the chicken breast was not dried out.


DN20-Chicken Breast Nuggets (8 pieces) - served with apple slice or French fries $7.89- They both chose the French fries as the side. They are standard Disney fries.

Overall- Cosmic Rays is usually open until park closing so it is a great place to grab a meal if you find yourself in the MK during Extra Magic Hours.


Snack-Roaring Forks-Wilderness Lodge

DW-Strawberry Fat Free Frozen Yogurt- $3.50- It was very good. Much creamier than some other frozen yogurts I have had and it had a real strawberry taste, not the artificial taste you sometimes get.

DN20- Gluten free chocolate brownie $3.29- Very good. Moist, with good chocolate flavor. They have regular brownies there also, frosted and unfrosted but they are HUGE. She decided she wanted something smaller and was very happy with her choice.


Overall-There is a decent selection for a sweet tooth here. There is regular ice cream besides the yogurt and prepackaged frozen confections. There is a good size selection of bakery goods here also.

 

[Gingerg11]

Sunday Aug 7, 2011

Breakfast-Starring Rolls-Hollywood Studios

DW-Assorted Muffins $2.59- I chose a Blueberry Muffin, it was large and quite moist, loaded with blueberries.


DH-Bagel with Cream Cheese $2.29- He chose a rye/pumpernickel swirl bagel. Said it was a typical Disney bagel, not bad, not great.


DS23-Assorted Muffins $2.59 Split a chocolate chip muffin with DN20. It was very moist with lots of chocolate chips, had a light texture, not heavy or cakey.


DN20-Assorted Muffins $2.59-Enjoyed the muffin also, would order it again.

Overall-Good place for quick breakfast, however there is only outside seating (albeit with umbrellas) but they fill up fast and it was really, really hot there.

Snack-Min and Bill's Dockside Diner-Hollywood Studios

DW-Frankfurter in a Pretzel roll - with Dijon Mustard $7.59- This is a hotdog encased in a hot pretzel roll with the Dijon Mustard already inside. The roll was very tasty, it had the nice pretzel crust on the outside (no salt). The first few bites had no mustard whatsoever and the hot dog itself was bland. But as I bit down towards the middle, there was a ton of mustard. I ended up squeezing a lot of it out and then actually dumping the rest of the roll (and mustard) and just eating the hot dog. I was a bit disappointed with this since it was something different I really wanted to try. This would be 100% better without the mustard inside. They should just let the consumer dip it into mustard or ketchup as they please.


I also had a Frozen Lemonade $3.69 here and it was excellent. These are not like the already frozen in a cup, this is like a slurpee. It was wonderfully refreshing. As a matter of fact, a guest stopped at our table and asked what it was and where I got it from.


Note about Frozen Lemonades: My DN20 discovered a Disney anomaly about the Frozen Lemonades on the trip. Any stand that describes the Frozen Lemonade as Minute Maid is not the same as the Frozen Lemonades that don't say Minute Maid. It seems to make no sense as it should all be standard throughout Disney property but it is not. The MM lemonade is chunkier ice and it almost tastes effervescent. It is definitely not as good as the other, smoother Frozen Lemonade. It is the strangest thing and I did not believe it at first but it's absolutely true.

DS23-Vanilla or Chocolate Shake $3.99- He ordered the Chocolate Milk Shake. It was very good and very thick, he said it tasted just like a Frosty from Wendy's.


DN20 - Frozen Lemonade $3.69- Same great Frozen Lemonade-again avoid the Minute Maid!

Overall- The shake and the lemonade were awesome. I would choose something else besides the hot dog. I saw someone at another table had the Italian Sausage and they seemed to be enjoying it.

Snack-Starring Rolls-Hollywood Studios

DH-R2D2 Dessert Cup $10.49-This is a 8-10" plastic R2D2 whose head flips open like a stein. You get your choice of either Tiramisu or Strawberry Parfait which I assume you can sit inside the head but hubby chose not to do that. He chose the Tiramisu and said he could barely taste the espresso at all. He rated it as just okay but really just wanted the mug anyway.

Overall- Starring Rolls seems to be hit or miss.

Lunch-Roaring Forks Cafe-Wilderness Lodge

DW- Chef Flatbread of the Day -BBQ Pork Flatbread $8.19 (split with DH) The flatbread was excellent. The pork was smoky and tender, not chewy or fatty. The BBQ sauce was not too sweet.


I also had a Magic Cookie Bar $3.59, which is similar to a blondie but it has coconut, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and possibly oatmeal in it. I have had this bar on previous trips where it was referred to as a "Sand bar" but there was no name for it in the snack display. It is listed on my receipt as a Magic Cookie Bar. And boy, is it Magical! This is a wonderful dessert bar.


DH- Cup of Chili $3.29 and half of the Flatbread- The chili seemed a little more watery today than yesterday but it is still excellent. DH loved the flatbread also and wished he had gotten one of his own.

DS23- Individual Pepperoni Flatbread $7.39-It was just pepperoni pizza. The edges of the flatbread tend to get really hard, dry and crunchy. He keeps saying the sauce was a strange texture, thick and chunky, but not chunks of tomato. It was just a thick sauce, not your usual pizza tomato sauce.


DN20- Pasta Creation of the Day-Penne Chicken Alfredo $8.39-The Penne was excellent, the pasta was cooked perfectly and the sauce was not too thick. The chicken was nicely seasoned. She said she would definitely order this again.



She again ordered the Gluten free chocolate brownie $3.29. The brownie is fudgy with a nice chocolate flavor. You would never know it is Gluten Free.


Overall- Nice, satisfying lunch.


Dinner-Liberty Tree Tavern-Magic Kingdom

When I was planning our trip, I asked everyone if they had anywhere in particular they wanted to eat. The only response was the Liberty Tree Tavern. We have been eating there since the kids were small, as everyone in my family is a big fan of turkey and Thanksgiving. As we hadn't eaten there in a couple years, we thought we would give it a try. I had a couple of reservations about booking there. First is the price, it seems an exorbitant amount for turkey and mash, and secondly, due to the Dining plan, it is usually impossible to get an ADR for a sit down in the MK. I was afraid it would be crowded and we would be rushed, etc. Well, one fear did come true, it was packed! We waited a while for our table and the poor server was spread so thin, he was running around like a marathon!
Positive: All food was replenished quickly and efficiently. We asked for more dinner rolls and they appeared. We asked for more turkey only and it was brought right away.
Negative: Empty drink glasses were left on the table even after refills were delivered. Also, the mostly empty gravy boat stayed on the table all the way to the end of the meal (including dessert!) We were also never asked if we wanted coffee or tea with dessert.

Note: This is now "Hosted by Ocean Spray Craisins Brand" so the dessert is no longer cobbler. I was initially disappointed because I love the cobblers there, but actually the cake was very nice and had that vanilla cobblerish taste to it. Also included on the meat platter was some sort of Craisin relish. No one liked it.

Bill Of Fare
Declaration Salad - Tossed Mixed Greens, served with our special Tavern Strawberry Vinaigrette Dressing (The general consensus was that there was hardly any dressing on the salad.)


Patriot's Platter - Roasted turkey breast, carved beef, and pork brisket, with mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, herb bread stuffing, and Macaroni and Cheese. (The turkey breast was very moist. The beef was a beautiful medium rare and the Pork was especially delicious.)




Rolls and gravy also included. (Great rolls, gravy standard. I made a couple of turkey sliders with the last two rolls and wrapped them to take back to the hotel for later. I embarrassed the kids but boy, were they good!)


Desserts-Homemade Apple Craisin Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream (Surprisingly good, both DW and DH liked the dessert-both kids skipped it)


Beverages-Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Minute Maid Light Pomegranate Lemonade, Barq's Root Beer; Coffee, Hot Tea; Hot Cocoa; Milk, Whole, Low-fat, Skim or Chocolate; and Nestea Iced Tea. (DN20 had the Pomegranate Lemonade and thought it was the best she ever had.)


Overall- We like the LTT and the food is consistently good, albeit a bit expensive for what you get. We will return on future trips, hopefully at a quieter time of year.

 

[Gingerg11]

Monday, August 8, 2011

Breakfast-Roaring Forks Cafe-Wilderness Lodge

DW, DH and DN20- all ate cereal we brought from home. We did purchase milk from the refrigerator case and they have skim, 1% and whole milk.

DS23-Pancakes-served with bacon $5.19- He said the pancakes were just okay, nothing like the Kona Cafe. We won't talk about the paper-flavored bacon again.

Overall- Meh. Sometimes you just can't face food so early in the morning.

Lunch-Boulangerie Patisserie-France Pavilion-Epcot

We split up from the kids in Epcot and when they caught up with us in France they had already eaten.

DW- Ham and Cheese Quiche $4.95-Although my receipt says Quiche Lorraine, I definitely had the ham and cheese quiche. It was very good, the crust was quite flaky and there was a good amount of tasty ham inside and it wasn't at all greasy.


Pithivier $3.70 -DW and DH split this for dessert. It is a triangle almond puff pastry. It is filled with almond paste and covered with powdered sugar on the outside. It was not called a Pithivier in the display case and since they got the quiche wrong, I am not sure this is the correct name either. Regardless it was so good! Flaky with delicious almond filling, it is so hard to find almond filled desserts anymore...


DH- Turkey and Brie Baguette-$5.25- This is not listed on the Allears Menu but they have it in the bakery. DH loved this one. The roll was super fresh and the turkey and cheese were wonderful. He said it was good, he wished he had another one. A really great choice for lunch.


Overall: Fantastic choice for a light lunch or snack. Would highly recommend a stop here. The only negative is that there is limited seating outside and inside the store next to the bakery. We saw quite a few people walking around with trays waiting for seats to open up.

Snack-Espresso Cart between Canada & the UK-Epcot

DS23/DN20-Chocolate-chocolate chip muffin $2.59 and Frozen Lemonade-$3.69 They both said the muffin was very moist, very chocolately and very good. I am not sure the lemonade came from the same place or not.



Dinner-Via Napoli-Italy Pavilion-Epcot

We had a 6:25pm ADR here and we arrived a little early. We were seated within about 5 min, although I don't know why there was any wait at all since there were a ton of empty tables when they took us through.

DH- Eggplant Caponata-eggplant salad with olives, capers, tomatoes, and raisins $6.00-DH was the only one to order an appetizer here. He was a little concerned about the raisins in the caponata, but there was no reason to be. It was a fantastic appetizer. The raisins were yellow and you could barely taste them but for a bit of sweetness they lent to the dish. This was one of the best things we tried the entire trip.


DW-DH & DS23-Mezzo Metro Pepperoni Pizza-$41.00- We all shared the big pizza that serves 3-5 people and it is huge. It is a rectangular pie about 18-24" long and about 10-12" wide. There was a ton of pepperoni on it that was particularly tasty. It was not oily at all, as pepperoni tends to be sometimes. The cheese on it was extremely thin. And it was very thin pizza, as advertised. However, it was limp. I expected the crust to be crisp but it was not at all, so it was slightly disappointing. It wasn't bad, it was just good.. DS23 said he thought our homemade pizza is better, and did not think this was anything special. Worth $41.00? No. We three also ordered the pitcher of Sangria $18.00. DW and DH really liked it, (DW liked three glasses worth, ahem) but DS23 did not really care for it. He is not really a wine drinker though, so I was surprised he wanted to try it in the first place.


DN20-Pollo Parmigiana- traditional preparation with tomato sauce, parmesan and mozzarella, served with spaghetti torta $24.00 -She thought she was ordering a pasta dish, so the chicken parmigiana came as a surprise. I was not paying attention when she ordered so when the dish came and it was not what she wanted I asked if she wanted to change but she said no. The chicken breast came on the bone, yet it was pounded flat like a cutlet, which we have never seen before. Also it came with a small side of roasted potatoes and 1 tiny carrot. There was no spaghetti torta in sight. She thought it was just average.



Overall: The restaurant is large and loud. Not the place for a quiet meal. While we liked the Caponata, we are not sure we would go back just for that as the prices are pretty high here for the food.

Snack-Kringla Bakeri og Cafe -Norway Pavilion-Epcot

DH-Veiled Maiden-$2.29- DH gets this every time we go to Epcot. It is an applesauce/apple compote type parfait alternating with whipped cream or some type of cream. He thinks it's the best dessert in Epcot.


DN20-Apple Danish $2.39- Swirls of apple filling and drizzled with icing. DN20 loved this. She said this was the best thing she had eaten so far on the trip.


Overall-This is another great place for a snack. They have sandwiches besides the desserts here also. And the prices are quite reasonable! We love this place.

 

[Gingerg11]

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Breakfast-None

DW and DH skipped breakfast this day, as we left property super early to travel to Venice to hunt for Shark teeth.

Lunch-Off Property-Chick Fil-A

DW and DH- Original sandwiches, boneless breast of chicken seaDS23ed to perfection, hand-breaded, pressure cooked in 100% refined peanut oil and served on a toasted, buttered bun with dill pickle chips. Also available on a Golden Wheat bun. We chose honey mustard sauce and Polynesian sauce and ordered a side of waffle fries. If anyone has never tried a Chick Fil-A sandwich, you don't know what you are missing. Get in your car and drive there immediately. They are super.

DH wanted to mention the Diet Lemonade here. It was tangy and refreshing. It was so good that we questioned whether it was actually diet!

Overall- Wish I lived around the corner from a Chick Fil-A


Lunch-Pizza Planet-Hollywood Studios

DS23- Cheese Pizza with side Caesar Salad $7.79- This is regular pizza not flatbread like at the resort. DS23 thought the pizza was fine. The Caesar salad was good, it is consistently good throughout the property.



DN20- Cheese Pizza with side Caesar Salad $7.79-DN20 thought the pizza was similar to Pizza Hut but the pizza connoisseur (DS23) said no way. She said the Caesar was fine, nicely dressed with just the right amount of shredded cheese on it.


Pre-dinner Drinks-Territory Lounge-Wilderness Lodge

DW-P Black Cherry Twist $9.50-This is how it is listed on the receipt. I can't recall the exact name of the drink but I know it had Black Cherry Bourbon in it, along with Sprite and Sweet and Sour mix. It was recommended to me by the server but it was just okay.

DH-Bloody Mary- $6.50- He loves the Bloody Mary from the Wilderness Lodge. He swears they do something different from anywhere else he has ever had it. You can definitely taste the horseradish in the drink. If you are a Bloody Mary fan, you must try one at the Lodge.

Overall- Bloody Mary good, Black Cherry Twist not so much.

Dinner-Boma-Animal Kingdom Lodge

This was a surprise dinner that DH picked as a romantic meal for just the two of us. I had asked him to pick us a restaurant for a romantic dinner as we never, ever have gone to WDW sans children and besides I was tired of trying to make all the dining decisions. The only 2 things I requested were that it was a restaurant we had never eaten at in the past and that it is a sit down meal. Well, one out of two is not bad! We attempted to try a little bit of everything, except the "American food" they offer.

DW- Salad-Field greens with Apple Vinaigrette Dressing (excellent-the dressing was fantastic! The other options were mango vinaigrette and chili cilantro vinaigrette)


Salad-Marinated Artichoke & Olive Salad-loved it, it was a vinegar based marinade, but it reminded me of an Italian antipasto salad.

Soup-Coconut & Curry Seafood Soup-This was one of the best soup/stews I have ever eaten in my life. The seafood was not overcooked or rubbery. It was similar to a French bouillabaisse. The flavors were incredible. Subtle, light but full of flavor. Fantastic.


Soup-Lentil & Sausage Soup-Heavy. It was thick and hearty. The sausage is a smoked sausage, like a kielbasa and the soup had a smoky taste to it. It was not bad, but not what you want to eat in Florida in August. As hubby said, there is not much you can do with lentils.


Soup-Zanzibar Katoga Soup-It was a tomato based fish stock soup. Smooth and flavorful, it was very creamy. I would eat it again if they were out of the Coconut & Curry Seafood Soup or the Butternut Squash soup.


Entree-Prime Rib-This was smoked or something, because you could taste it when you ate near the exterior of the slice of meat. Disney usually has decent Prime Rib but this was strange. It came with an option of regular or creamy horseradish sauce; I chose the creamy and it was just perfect, however it could not overcome the strange taste of the meat.


Entree-Braised Pork Shoulder-This is carved into 4" chunks and you just help yourself to what you want. It is not cut to order as the beef is. There were a couple of options for the side sauce. Tamarind BBQ sauce or Boma mustard. I put both on the plate and both options were excellent to cut down on the richness of the pork. You do have to pick through the pork because there were some pieces that have a lot of fat, but I prefer that to the drier lean pieces. I mixed up my plate because I wanted to try some pork with the outside of the roast on it and all were delicious.


Entree- Salmon- I did have a bit of the Salmon. I don't believe it was Nut Crusted but I can't recall exactly what was on it. It was fine. I am not a big Salmon eater, but whenever I have it at Disney it is never too fishy and always moist.

Entree-Spicy Durban Chicken-The chicken was really good. Moist and flavorful, the skin was nicely seasoned and not too spicy. However once you got past the skin, it just tasted of roast chicken. I would skip the chicken next time.


Side dish-Fufu-(Mashed Sweet Potato & White Potato)-Excellent, if you like mashed or candied sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving, you will like these. They taste exactly the same.

Side Dish-Couscous with dried fruit and nuts-Meh. Not a big fan of Couscous anyway, the little balls get stuck all around my mouth. This was waaaay too dry for my taste.

Dessert-Banana Butterscotch Bread Pudding with choice of Rum Sauce or Vanilla Sauce-I put both sauces on the plate so I could try them. The vanilla is definitely the better choice. I thought the Rum sauce would be like the sauce for Bananas Foster but it was much, much stronger. Hubby said he thought they probably used dark Rum. It was too strong a flavor for the bread pudding. By the way, the Bread Pudding rocked. Awesome.

Dessert-Kenyan Coffee Tart-Nice coffee flavor, typical Disney dessert tart.

Dessert-Passion fruit Panna Cotta with Apricot Gelee-This was nice. Very refreshing, light and fluffy with a slight tartness. Welcoming after eating rich foods. Second best dessert.

Dessert-Zebra Dome- Ah the Zebra Dome. I had read sooo much about these that I couldn't wait to try one. It is like a firm chocolate coffee mousse with Kahlua covered in chocolate ganache. Hmm. Well. No. I just can't understand what everyone has raved about here. I was not impressed and I love chocolate, coffee and Kahlua. Oh well.


DH-Starter-Flatbread with hummus (Sundried tomato hummus or Black olive hummus) He loved the Sundried tomato hummus. We both expected the Black olive hummus to taste of well, black olives, but really it tasted of nothing.)

Salad-field greens with Mango vinaigrette- He enjoyed the vinaigrette but agreed that the apple was better and said he would try the Chili Cilantro next time instead.

Salad-Curried Pasta Salad-Very good. The curry was not overwhelming at all. We would love to make this at home for a cook out!



Salad-Tomato & Eggplant Salad-DH said this is a little like the Caponata in Via Napoli (see Epcot dinner) except without the golden raisins and capers.

Salad-Watermelon rind salad- This is the most unusual salad that we tried. The watermelon is sliced super thin, like on a mandolin. When you eat it, it has an initial taste of watermelon as you would expect, but it is super crunchy. The ginger gives it a slight heat, but the Grenadine tones down the vinegar to make it slightly sweet. DH said he would definitely like to try it again.

Mealie Bread-Known to you and me as Cornbread.



Soup-Butternut Squash Soup- DH had this as his soup choice and could not stop raving about it. He insisted I try it. I have had butternut squash soup in the past, and think it is just okay, but he insisted, so I tried it. OMG! This is not regular butternut squash soup. This is warm melted pumpkin pie! Fantastic. I went back and had a bowl before dessert. We both agreed this is the best Butternut Squash soup we ever had. You could eat this as dessert like the Strawberry soup at 1900 Park Fare. Excellent.


Entree- Bobotie-Ground meat (beef and/or lamb), raisins, curry powder, pumpkin seeds, onion & cinnamon mixed together and topped with egg custard-Not so much. The meat mixture wasn't bad but it was strange to have the custard on top. Neither of us liked it. It was just a strange combination. DH says it was "as dry as the Kalahari."


Entree- Spicy Durban Chicken-DH really liked the chicken. He thought the spices were perfect and the chicken was moist and flavorful. He would get it again.

Side-Corn & Spinach pudding-pureed corn with small amounts of spinach leaves throughout. Very tasty, if you can get past the strange texture. Both DH and DW thought it was quite good.

Side- Zaalouk-(Peas, tomatoes, carrots & chickpeas)-DH said this was light, but still substantial, nicely balanced.

Side-Couscous (with dried fruit and nuts)- DH really liked the couscous. He thought it was flavorful especially with the dried fruit bits in it.

Side-Geelry's Rice-Basmati rice, onions and raisins with cinnamon-This was really good rice. DH loved this rice. You might think it would be strangely flavored with the raisins and the cinnamon but it was great.


Dessert-Kenyan coffee tart-DH thought this was just a typical Disney dessert tart. It had a coffee flavor, but using Kenyan coffee does not an African dessert make. I agreed. But are there many African desserts?

Dessert- Passion fruit Panna Cotta with Apricot Gelee-DH liked this little tart very much. Light and flavorful, we both thought it was an appropriate ending to the meal we just had.

Dessert-Caramel Cheesecake-He was very impressed with the little cheesecake. Creamy and delicious, DH is a big fan of cheesecake.

Dessert-Peanut butter mousse with a Peanut Brittle Crust-There was something else in this dessert, but he is drawing a blank as to what it was. DH really liked this, he thought it was very peanut buttery!


Overall-This is a crowded restaurant. We waited past our ADR of 8:10pm to be seated. However once inside there is no crowding at the food stations, so go figure. We have never eaten here before, but had heard great things about it and we were not disappointed. We shared from each other's plates and tried practically everything there. I don't think either of us have eaten that much food in one sitting ever. Even though we only had little tastings of each, it was a ton of food. We would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone. If you are at all adventurous, willing to try new things, then you must eat here. There is nothing overly spicy or offensive, just really good food. Boma is especially good if you are tired of the same old, same old. This will be a must do for us on all future trips.

Dinner-Pinocchio Village Haus-Magic Kingdom

DS23- Penne Pasta - served with meatballs $8.19- He liked the pasta, thought it was done perfectly, thought the sauce had a bit of heat to it. The meatballs were not great, he said they tasted like Salisbury Steak. Also, you can tell they were, "commercial" as when he cut into them, they sliced perfectly flat and smooth.

DN20- 8 Chicken Breast Nuggets - served with fries or apple slices $7.89- She ordered the nuggets with fries. The nuggets are basically the same everywhere. DN20 said they were good.



Overall- The Village Haus is fine for a quick meal. The only place to get pizza in the MK now, it gets crowded. I was hoping to stop here one day to try the meatball sub sandwich but I never had a chance. Typhoon Lagoon used to have an excellent meatball sub...

 

[Gingerg11]

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Brunch-Roaring Forks Cafe-Wilderness Lodge

Late for Breakfast, early for lunch...

DW- Chef Flatbread of the Day -BBQ Pork Flatbread $8.19- Still so darn good. The pork is perfectly done and the BBQ sauce is excellent. Magic Cookie Bar $3.59 Picked the "end" one by mistake. I am normally not a fan of the chewier ends of brownies and such, but this was still awesome. The edge was slightly browned and roasty. DH- Cup of Chili $3.29- The chili is excellent. Add some onions from the fixing bar and you are all set. DH is a big fan of this chili and he has entered a local chili cook-off here at home. He is a chili fiend.


DS23- Kellogg's Cereal - Rice Krispies, Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, Raisin Bran, or Corn Flakes $3.19- He got the Frosted Flakes which is the new one made with "whole grains" Said it is less sugary tasting, he would have it again. However, if you can bring cereal from home, do it. $3.19 for a small cup of cereal is insane.

DN20- Roast Beef and Blue Cheese - with vegetable salad or House-made chips $9.39- She again ordered this without the blue cheese. She also stuck with the cuke and onion salad. She said it was excellent.


Overall- We are loving the counter service at Wilderness Lodge. There are not a lot of choices but we are happy as long as we find something we love...

Late lunch/Snack-Pizzafari-Animal Kingdom

DH-Child's Cheese Pizza $4.99 All meals served with Grapes, Carrot Sticks, and Choice of Beverage: 1% Mickey Milk, small bottled water, or apple juice. DH chose the grapes and the water. The pizza was the perfect size for a snack and the grapes were very fresh, not mushy at all. This is the second time he chose to get a "kids meal" instead of an adult entree and no cast member questioned him. A few years ago, CM's were pretty strict about people ordering kids' meals for adults. I am glad to see that has changed. He said sometimes a kid's meal is perfect when you have a larger meal planned later in the day.

DS23- Cheese Pizza with Caesar Salad $8.39- The pizza was good, the crust was thick and there was plenty of cheese. DS23 wishes that there were more pizza around instead of the flatbread craze. He has loved every Caesar salad on property so far. It had just the right amount of dressing and plenty of croutons.




Snack-Safari Coffee-Animal Kingdom

A cart on the right side as you near the Tree of Life from the Oasis. Don't get the Frozen Lemonade here, it is the wrong one!



DW-Frozen Lemonade $3.69 Ick. It almost tastes like a kitchen cleaner.

DS23- Frozen Lemonade $3.69 His first frozen lemonade on the trip. I felt bad it was the yucky one.

DN20-Frozen Lemonade $3.69 She told me so...

Overall- Pizzafari is great for lunch. The pizzas are consistently good and there is always tons of seating available. And it is super air conditioned. There is a snack stand when you first approach the gates from the parking lot on the right side. DN20 said that is the proper Frozen Lemonade.

Dinner-Earl of Sandwich-Downtown Disney

DW- Tomato Soup $2.99 Love the creamy tomato soup. My brother and his family turned us on to it one trip down a few years ago. Hot soup in the summer in Florida? Crazy? Maybe, but it is so good! They make the croutons out of the leftover bread from the sandwiches and the bread is fantastic, so then are the croutons!



The Original 1762 - fresh roasted beef, cheddar and creamy horseradish sauce. $5.99 I cannot accurately describe the bread. It is a small loaf/roll but the consistency is more like a bisquick roll. It works. The sandwich is served warm with the cheese all melty and the horseradish sauce is delicious.


DH- Tomato Soup $2.99 Cannonballs - meatballs, mozzarella and parmesan cheese and marinara sauce $5.99- DH felt the sandwich was excellent. The meatballs are seasoned nicely and the sauce is excellent. The Cannonballs and the Original are our favorites, we lways order them and split them each getting half. The soup was excellent as always.



DS23- All American - roast turkey, buttermilk ranch, cranberries, cheddar cheese, lettuce, and roma tomato $5.99- He really liked this sandwich. . He said the cranberries really complemented the sandwich and the bread is outstanding.


DN20- Chicken Tortilla Soup $2.99 The Italian - salami, capicola, roasted ham, mortadella, mozzarella cheese, roma tomato and Zesty Italian dressing (peppers optional) $5.99- DN20 felt the sandwich was too spicy hot. I didn't have a taste, so I don't know if it was the dressing that was hot or if she was just moody, because she didn't care for the chicken soup either. It looked thick and smelled wonderful but again, I didn't try it. She thought the bread was good.





Overall- We wish we had an Earl near our home. The food is good and relatively inexpensive for Disney property. Last year we found out that there are Earl locations at the rest areas on the Florida turnpike. Nice.

 

[Gingerg11]

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Breakfast-Roaring Forks Cafe-Wilderness Lodge
We just made it to breakfast this day. Since we did the speedboats and had an early seating at the CA Grill ADR 5:35pm we skipped lunch.

DW- Side eggs $2.59 Potato $2.49 Bacon-$2.49- I asked Hubby to get me eggs and potatoes so this is what he came back with. I have no idea why he didn't just order the Bounty platter, then my DS23 could have eaten the pancakes but this is how it is listed on the receipt. The eggs were very good and there was a lot of eggs. The potatoes were overcooked on one side and barely cooked on the other. Ah well. The bacon is unmentionable.

DH- Mickey Waffles with Strawberries, with Bacon $6.69- DH loved the waffles, he thought they were quite tasty and wonderful with the fresh strawberries which were nicely ripe. We have found in our experience that Disney does have really nice fruit. He said the whipped cream was a refreshing change from syrup. However, I did catch DH chewing on a Disney napkin that he thought was a strip of bacon!



DS23- Pancakes - served with bacon $5.19 He said the pancakes were fine. He passed the bacon along to his DH.

DN20-not hungry, still moody.

Overall- Breakfast. It was fine.

Dinner-CA Grill-Contemporary Resort

I chose this restaurant over the Flying Fish Cafe because we had always wanted to try it and it always got great reviews for the food's freshness and flavors. Also I wanted something the kids would want to try and I knew they wouldn't be happy at a seafood restaurant. DN20 chose to opt out of this meal and go to Epcot for some touring instead.

We were the first seating so I got a couple of nice pictures of the empty restaurant. If you have never been to the CA Grill, they check you in at a special desk specifically for the CA Grill on the 2nd Floor of the Contemporary. Then a CM escorts you to an elevator exclusively for the restaurant. It is all very pooh-pooh and it does have the intended effect of making it seem like you are in for a special event. The lounge is open and beautiful with comfortable chairs and sofas. There are beautiful views from the 15th floor. You have the option of choosing your seat in the lounge and we chose to sit away from the window due to the sun pounding down. There are blinds covering the windows to prevent overexposure but it was glaring. A server promptly came over and asked us if we wanted anything to drink while we waited. DW and DH chose the Twisted Mai Tai $9.00

but decided we would split it. When the drinks came, it was a single drink split into 2 separate glasses, a nice touch! Then two servers came around with a sample of the Triple cheese flatbread. DS23 declined but DW and DH both tried it and thought it was fantastic.

We were seated at a table next to the window. The view is incredible, I sat next to the window so I could take some pictures but I could feel that heat coming through from the sun. It must be a spectacular view at night with everything lit up and the fireworks...The server told us that if we held onto our receipt, we could come back up later and watch the fireworks from the viewing platform outside, but we had plans to see Illuminations before we left so we did not go back.

The meal began with a sourdough bread basket with a small dish of European butter and sea salt on top. Both DH and DS23 really liked the bread. I just thought it was ok.


DW-Started with the Cheese Board -Five cheeses for $20.00 We all split each of the cheeses so we could try them. Here are the descriptions for each of them.


Seahive-is hand rubbed with Beehive wildflower honey and local Redmond salt. The honey is harvested from a local farm where the bees visit wildflowers and local orchards. The salt is from an ancient seabed near Redmond, Utah and contains unique flecks of color. This artisanal gourmet cheese indeed bursts with flavor: sweet, floral notes of the honey, salt and sharpness of the cheese; a real adventure in flavor.

They paired it with a cranberry bread and we all found it quite nice. This was DS23's favorite cheese.

Mt. Tam-is an elegant, handcrafted triple-cream cheese from California, named after the Mt. Tamalpais just north of the San Francisco Bay. This organic gourmet cheese is made with pasteurized cow's milk and is firm, yet buttery with a mellow, earthy flavor reminiscent of white mushrooms. It is a smooth, creamy cheese with a thick, snow-white bloomy rind you can eat.

This was paired with Medjool dates. None of us really cared for this. We are not big fans of triple cream cheeses. The oozy texture with the firmer rind just is too weird for us, although I agree with the description, it did taste mushroomy. The Medjool dates however, were excellent.

Drunken Goat Cheese-"Queso de Cabra al Vino" a pasteurized goat's milk cheese from the village of Jumilla, in Murcia, Spain. The cheese is soaked in red wine for 2-3 days, giving the outside a thin purple rind. The rind typically remains fairly soft and pliable and is edible. The paste is nearly pure white and has a sweet, smooth and delicately grapey flavor with a gentle, pliable texture.

Paired with a honeyed nut (chestnuts?), DW found this quite good. I am a big fan of goat cheese and while this was more firm than I usually experience it was very good. I don't recall anything especially grapey about the rind. DH felt the tang of the cheese complimented the sweetness of the nuts perfectly. He really liked the Goat Cheese.

Petite Agour-is a pure unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese "Pur Brebis" and a winner of two gold medals at the Paris Salon de L'Agriculture. The semi-firm paste is sharp, deep and earthy with notes of butter and toasted nuts. The rind of the cheese is rubbed with spices to help protect the interior and to the exterior a rusty hue.

This was paired with honey and comb and I thought was unremarkable. Nothing really stood out about this cheese to me. The texture of a provolone, it was slightly rubbery and bland.

Roaring Forties Blue-King Island Dairy Roaring Forks Blue is a full flavored pasteurized blue with a sweet, slightly nutty character, a rich mouth feel and good aftertaste. The rindless cheese is matured in its wax coating, which cuts off the oxygen supply, promoting its sweet and fruity flavor. The wax also assists in retaining the blue's moisture, creating a smooth and creamy texture.

The winner for DW and DH. Both of us thought this was the best cheese offered. A big fan of blues, we love the stinky penicillin! It was smooth and creamy and it did leave quite an aftertaste in your mouth. This was paired with a square of something like cranberry sauce from a can. I cannot recall exactly what it was, so to me that means it was insignificant.

DH- Triple Cheese Flatbread-Pecorino, Asiago and Provolone with Sundried Tomato and Arugula Pesto $12.00- This was very good. We all had some of this and myself and DH thought the flavor was excellent. The Arugula pesto was not overly strong tasting, but just added that little something to it. Very nice choice. DS23 didn't really care for it. He is not a big fan of multi-cheese pizza, feels it is overwhelming and thought it had a weird bite to it.


DS23-Hearts of Romaine with Roasted Garlic Dressing, Marinated Anchovies, Olives, Aged Parmesan and Croutons $11.00 (read: Caesar salad) He said it was excellent, although the marinated whole anchovies were too much for him and he took them off. DW ate them with the sourdough bread and thought they were a bit over the top for her too. He pushed aside the olives too.


DW-Sonoma Goat Cheese Ravioli with Sundried Tomatoes, Pesto, Shiitake mushrooms and Basil. $14.00 Just okay. The pasta was very thin and delicious but nothing stands out from this. It tasted exactly like you would expect a Goat Cheese Ravioli to taste. DH split it with me and he concurred. Also they brought this out while we were still eating the cheese platter and other appetizers.


ENTREES

DW-Cast iron seared Veal Tenderloin with Marble Potatoes, California Blue Lake Beans, Morel-Vegetable Vinaigrette $44.00-The server asked if medium rare was okay and I said it was. The veal came sliced on top of the vegetables, but in big chunks, so I had to move it aside to cut it down smaller. Well, as I moved it I saw something blue underneath. You can see it in the picture. It was a piece of a rubber band. I pulled it out and called the server over. She apologized and said that some of the vegetables come into the restaurant wrapped in rubber bands. She said she would speak to the manager and asked if I wanted another plate. She came back a couple minutes later and said the manager apologized and said there would be no charge for my entree, however she also said the manager said he didn't know how that could have happened since there is nothing that has rubber bands on it in the kitchen. Wait a minute, did I hear her correctly? Was the manager saying that I put the rubber band in there? It was awfully strange to hear her say that after she initially told us herself that the vegs come wrapped up...I asked DH if he heard the same thing I did and he did. Now we were pissed. I have three issues here, first, did the manager really accuse me of putting a rubber band in my entree? Are you kidding me? That is ridiculous. Secondly, my husband and DS23 are now waiting to begin eating until my new entree arrives and thirdly, don't you think the manager should come over himself? My new meal arrived (it was probably about a 7-10 min wait) and then the manager came over himself and apologized. He reiterated that the green beans do come wrapped up in rubber bands. I thought of mentioning what the server said he said, but decided to let it go. I felt better then, and was thankful we were not celebrating a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary where it could have ruined the entire meal. And while they did do the right thing by taking care of the cost of the entree, I feel it was pretty sloppy of someone in the kitchen to let it go out like that, especially at that price. Anyway, the veal was very tender, but bland and the vegetables were nothing spectacular.


DH-Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Goat Cheese Polenta, Roasted Mushrooms, Zinfandel Glaze and Sage. $34.00- DH thought this was delicious. The pork was spot on, perfectly seasoned and grilled, and very moist. The mushrooms were excellent and smoky. And the cheese polenta was creamy with a great texture. The Zinfandel glaze hit all the right tastebuds. He can see why this never comes off the menu.



DS23- Oak fired Filet of Beef, Mascarpone potatoes, California Blue Lake Beans, Arugula Oil, Teriyaki Barbecue $44.00- DS23 thought the filet was good. Very tender but you needed the sauce because it was dry, not juicy. The mash was great, the mascarpone making them very creamy tasting. Beans are beans and the arugula oil was not much of a factor in this dish. He took the frizzled onions off the top and did not eat them, he said they looked like onion skins.


DESSERT

DW- Bananas & Caramel-Crispy baked Phyllo Squares layered with bananas, caramel, mascarpone mousse and caramelized banana. $12.00- This was very nice. It came with a caramel or butterscotch candy but it tasted like it had been in the fridge too long (like the plastic it was sitting on). Anyway, I just didn't eat that part.


DH- Tanzanian Chocolate Creme Brulee-Creme Brulee with a Citrus Financier and Chocolate Hazelnut bark $12.00- DH said it was the best Creme Brulee he ever had. The chocolate was a darker intense chocolate, but not at all bitter. It had a beautiful crust on top, and was super smooth inside. I tasted it and totally agree. It was fantastic. The Citrus Financier tasted just as you would think, like a lemon pound cake. But the raspberries struck a perfect balance with the Chocolate.


DS23- Valrhona Chocolate Cake- Warm chocolate cake with Molten Center, Macerated California strawberries and Grand Marnier $13.00 Cake was just okay. It was more of a dark chocolate-not what he is used to (the fake stuff!). The molten center was very thick. The strawberries were very fresh, very good but you couldn't taste the Grand Marnier.


We were not offered the Teas, and when we asked the server seemed surprised. We had to ask to see the Loose Leaf Tea Selection menu. I am not sure if many people know about the teas options here, because I don't ever see it mentioned in the reviews. But if you are a fan of tea, be sure to check it out.

DW- White Tea-Silver Leaf-Harvested South of the Yangtze River, this white tea is named for the silver downy hairs that cover the young unopened buds. Ancient tea connoisseurs, always on the lookout for the ultimate tea, discovered that the buds picked before they opened had the most delicate flavor. $6.89- This is very, very light, but there is no bitterness at all.


DS23- Imperial Earl Gray-Strong enough for an Earl, but refined enough for his Lady, this connoisseur-grade Earl Gray blends Ceylon India and China Estate teas with just a hint of Bergamot. $6.89- Slightly bitter and stronger tasting than regular Earl Gray, DS23 said he will stick with English Breakfast tea.

Overall- there is no disputing that the food here is very fresh. DW and DH enjoyed their meals much more than DS23 did. Even if we pretended that we didn't have that problem, we all agreed that for the price, we would not go back. Perhaps we caught them on a bad day, or perhaps they are slipping a little but the meal was not worth the money.

NOTE-With Tables in Wonderland, you get free Valet Parking while dining. It was great and we used it every time. So much better than hunt-park-hike.

 

[Gingerg11]

Friday, August 12, 2011

Breakfast-Skipped

Lunch-Plaza Restaurant-Magic Kingdom

DW and DH had taken the "Marceline to the Magic Kingdom" tour early this morning while the kids slept in. It ended about 10:30 and we decided to see if we could sit down for a nice bite to eat after running around the park for 3 hrs. There was no problem getting in. We just walked up and they seated us immediately.

DW- Ice Cream Floats (Made with Vanilla Ice Cream) Coke Classic, Diet Coke, Sprite or Root Beer $4.69- I had the Coke Float. It was awesome.


Meatloaf special-Meatloaf with corn and mashed potatoes with brown gravy-$16.99 There were two huge pieces of meatloaf, with brown gravy and tomato sauce or ketchup on top, which was strange to have both. The sides were plain corn, and mashed potatoes. The mash had the red skins mixed in (nice!) and some horseradish. The sides were pretty bland but once we mixed it all in together it was fine. The meatloaf was quite good. I believe it had oats in it, but since there was no written description for the Special, I can't tell you what else. It was a nice hearty meal. Huge portions though.


DH- Ice Cream Floats (Made with Vanilla Ice Cream) Coke Classic, Diet Coke, Sprite or Root Beer $4.69- DH had the Root Beer Float. Said it was excellent. He also ordered the Meatloaf. Meatloaf special-Meatloaf with corn and mashed potatoes with brown gravy-$16.99 He loved it. I think he would have licked the plate afterwards if it wouldn't have embarrassed me. As we were expecting sandwiches here, this was a nice surprise.


Overall- We would definitely eat here again.

Lunch-Roaring Forks-Wilderness Lodge

DS23- Chicken Breast Nuggets (8 pieces) - French Fries or Vegetable Salad $7.89- He ordered the French fries. Standard Chicken Nuggets, but this is a large portion. The breading is well seasoned but thick and heavy. The chicken stays moist though.

DN20- Roast Beef and Blue Cheese - with vegetable salad or House-made chips $9.39- She asked for the Blue Cheese to be held. She really liked this sandwich very much. The roast beef is not fatty at all. She loved the side salad of the cucumbers and red onion-we all did!


Overall- They were satisfied with their lunch. Although DS23 feels the Chicken Nuggets portion is too big.

Dinner 1900 Park Fare, Grand Floridian Resort

COST: Adults $42.59 Children $21.29 includes tax NOT gratuity
Non-Alcoholic, non-specialty beverages INCLUDED in the price

We picked 1900 Park Fare because we had eaten here multiple times in the past (although not in the last 5 years) and we LOVE the Strawberry Soup.

STARTERS

DW- Spring Greens with Ranch dressing- the greens were fresh but I can make better Ranch dressing (the only option) at home from a package. Seafood Salad-red onions, red and yellow peppers, shrimp, scallops, mussels. Excellent flavor, seafood not overcooked or rubbery from sitting. Very good-wish I had some right now. Tomato and Marinated Mozzarella salad- decent, the tomatoes were fresh



DH- Tomato and Marinated Mozzarella salad-thought the mozzarella was about to go over, but I didn't have that impression. Caesar salad-DH thought it was great, the best on the property. Other than dessert he felt this was the only bright spot of the meal.

DS23-- Spring Greens with Ranch dressing- thought the Ranch dressing had a bit of a kick to it

DN20- Caesar salad-She thought it was too fishy tasting.


ENTREES

DW-Salmon with Dill Cream Sauce-very nice, moist, not too fishy tasting. Boneless Chicken Marsala-tender chicken but way too salty, Chicken in Red Wine-bone in it was just okay, again salty. Prime Rib-very tender, nice but even though I asked for a rarer piece, the carver tried to give me an end piece. After the other salty entrees, I asked for a different piece. Sides: Mashed potatoes-nothing special, green beans-quite good.



DH-Prime Rib- He said it would have been great, except it was way too salty Boneless Chicken Marsala-the chicken was nice but again a little on the salty side Side-Mashed Potatoes with brown gravy- your standard.



DS23-Chicken Soup- good but hardly any chicken in it. (He had a cold starting this day, so the chicken soup was exactly what was needed!)

DN20-Boneless Chicken Marsala-was just okay, Pasta w/ Marinara-good, pasta itself was tasty. Sauce was good but salty


DESSERTS

DW-Strawberry soup- Fantastic, just as I remembered. Cheesecake tart-very good, best of all desserts, not counting the soup. Chocolate Mousse tart with chocolate shell- Nice and smooth, decent chocolate flavor, Tropical Fruit tart-bland, bland, bland.


DH-Fruit- Honeydew, Pineapple and Watermelon chunks- Very good, bursting with juice. Disney always seems to have fantastic, ripe fruit. Strawberry soup and Bread pudding-Per DH they never disappoint!


DS23-Chocolate chip cookies-good, Brownie-nice, chocolately and moist, Rice Krispie Treat-Light and delicious


DN20-Strawberry soup- Excellent as always. Rice Krispie treat- not enough marshmallow flavor


Overall- We were quite disappointed with the selections and quality of the food here. Everything we had was decent enough, but this restaurant used to really shine. The options here always seemed to be a step up from Chef Mickey's but it has really fallen, as has the food at Chef Mickey's. However the characters here are wonderful, the Stepmother and stepsisters are hilarious, and this is a much cheaper option to see Cinderella than CRT.

Snack Plaza Ice Cream Parlor- Magic Kingdom

DS23- Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Double Scoop Fat free Chocolate & Vanilla Swirl in a cup $3.89- DS23 liked this, it was very creamy and very good, couldn't even tell it was fat free. It was unusual because he thought it would be a soft serve.

DN20- Hand-Scooped Ice Cream Double Scoop Cookies and Cream in a cup $3.89- She said it was really good. She loves Ice Cream.

Overall- They were both happy with the Ice Cream.

 

[Gingerg11]

Saturday, August 13, 2011-Check out day-

Breakfast-Cereal in the room

Snack-Goofy's Candy Co-Downtown Disney

DN20-Selma cookie-$3.95 This was a chocolate chip crunch cookie with mixins, such as M&M's, caramel, peanut butter chunks, peanuts, etc. Huge, as well it should be for $4.00 for one cookie. However she said it was fantastic.

Lunch- T-REX

DW- Asteroid French Onion Soup - Traditional sherry-based onion soup baked with a large crouton and bubbling Swiss cheese $6.99- Soup was very good. It was loaded with croutons, the broth was savory and there was tons of cheese on top. Also this comes with a side crostini. Bronto Burger - A 100% beef burger piled high with a fried onion ring, pickles, lettuce, tomato and your choice of cheese. $13.49- I chose cheddar, which basically melts away into the humongous burger and so you can barely taste it. This burger is truly massive and I don't know how anyone can possibly get the double burger. The burger was done perfectly to order, medium rare, but I don't think there is much seasoning on the meat as it was bland. It comes with a tomato and shredded lettuce. The tomato was fine but there was too much stringy lettuce and I pulled it off. It also comes with two giant onion rings on the burger and I pulled those off too and ate them separately. They were pretty good rings but there is no way I could have bitten into the burger with the rings on it. It was too darn big. I asked for mayonnaise and the server said it is in a bottle like ketchup. Sure enough she brought three bottles to the table, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise. I felt that was kind of tacky. You can order Waffle Fries as your side for an extra charge, but I declined and stuck with the potato chips.

DH- Colosso Nachos - Seasoned beef, pico de gallo, black beans, green onions, cheddar cheese, queso sauce and sour cream $15.99-They come with a ton of chips, and there is also a significant amount of beef buried underneath. The meat was not too spicy. The nachos were excellent, but this is the biggest plate of Nachos you have ever seen. We could not finish half of them! This is for sharing. Asteroid French Onion Soup - Traditional sherry-based onion soup baked with a large crouton and bubbling Swiss cheese $6.99- Soup was very good. The broth itself was nice but salty.

DS23- Melalosaurus Mozzarella - Seared Mozzarella with creamy marinara and mozzarella fingers $8.99-The mozzarella sticks were good. It also came with two squares of mozzarella that were just melted on the dish. We weren't exactly sure how you were supposed to eat them, since they were just mush on the dish. He tried a piece but it was just bleh. DS23 had the Bronto Burger - A 100% beef burger piled high with a fried onion ring, pickles, lettuce, tomato and your choice of cheese. $13.49- DS23 ordered his with American cheese. He requested his burger medium and it was cooked perfectly. He thought it was big also, but likes onion rings on his burgers and thought it was good. He thinks a man would not have a problem finishing the burger.

DN20- Brachiosaurus Bruschetta - Grilled eggplant, bruschetta tomatoes, herbed cheese and toasted focaccia bread drizzled with a balsamic glaze $8.99 DN20 really liked this, said it was excellent, but she said there was too much balsamic drizzled over the bread. I disagree with her and think it was perfect, but I am a balsamic addict. For her entree she had: Triassic Tortellini - Tri-coloured cheese tortellini with sun-dried tomatoes, peas and mushrooms tossed in an Alfredo cream sauce $17.49; with grilled chicken $18.99- She said she was very happy with this. The Alfredo sauce was very creamy, but she left the tomatoes, mushrooms and peas on the plate. There was a significant amount mixed in with the tortellini. She would order this again.

Overall- If you like the Rainforest Cafe, you will like the TREX as it is exactly the same except with Dinosaurs. Most of the food is the same also, which I expected since they are run by the same company (along with Yak & Yeti). The only negative is that we were seated in the Ice Cave room, which changes colors every few minutes and blinds you with its brightness. It alternates from blue to magenta to white and reflects on diner's faces and food. It makes the people look like they are wearing face paint, that is how bright it is. We will avoid that room if we ever eat here again.


Conclusion:

Food- We ate some great food and some mediocre food, but we never ate anything that was bad. Since we didn't always eat together and we all have different opinions, I asked everyone to give me their conclusions.

Best restaurant:

DW- Boma, the clear winner
DH-Boma, due to the value, the offerings, and freshness of the food
DS23-Kona Cafe
DN20- T-REX-overall her meal here was the best

Worst restaurant:

DW- 1900 Park Fare-limited selection, food just mediocre
DH-1900 Park Fare- everything too salty, lack of variety, just seems the quality went down. We had wonderful meals here years ago, don't know what happened here.
DS23-1900 Park Fare-nothing really interested him
DN20-Via Napoli-Felt the food was stuff she could make it at home

Best Entree:

DW-Coconut Curry Seafood Soup-Boma
DH- Butternut Squash Soup-Boma
DS23-None
DN20-Roast Beef Sandwich from Roaring Forks

Worst entree:

DW-Hotdog in Pretzel Bun-Min & Bill's Dockside Cafe
DH- Caesar Salad- Cosmic Ray's Cafe
DS23-Pizza-Via Napoli
DN20-Italian Sandwich -Earl of Sandwich


Best Dessert:

DW-Magic Cookie Bar-Roaring Forks-Wilderness Lodge
DH- Chocolate Creme Brulee-California Grill
DS23-Chocolate chip cookie-1900 Park Fare
DN20- Selma Cookie -Goofy's Candy Co


Worst Desserts:

Silly!There is no such thing!

I can't believe how much work doing a dining trip report is. You have to remember to take pictures of everything (we were unsuccessful) before you start eating it (also unsuccessful). Then you have to write down all descriptions of who ate what and what their opinions are of what they ate. Then when you actually start writing it, you have to try to elaborate on "good" and "alright" to make it seem a bit interesting. Then the organizing of the pictures and the posting of everything. Whew! While it was loads of fun, I give anyone who does this bunches of kudos!

 

[dsnyrn]

Thank you for the reviews, and YUCK about the rubber band!! Glad the manager came to speak with you.! We have never been to Cali Grill and are going in 2 weeks!!

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

Thanks so much for the wonderful detailed review!

 

[mullysisters]

Many thanks for a great review. I really liked that I could read straight through. You have a very good writing style.
I appreciated that you didn't really hate anything, using words like "yukky" and "nasty". Just like your family, we have had great meals at Disney and not so great but never anything inedible.
I really only want hot food (when required) and fresh tasting. Boma is our favourite restaurant- I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I read aloud your review of Boma to my family. Ah, such happy memories

 

[Gingerg11]

Thank you all for your kind words. I was hoping that I was going to be "readable." I personally love reading dining and trip reports!

We absolutely love BOMA and can't stop talking about it to everyone! The soups really are to die for and would be perfectly acceptable to serve in even the fancier restaurants.

Boma was the only totally packed restaurant we saw while down there...

Jennie

 

[saintstickets]

.... there are no pics because I haven't had enough posts here. Apparently you must post 10 times before you can put pics (links) into your posts...
Jennie

Loved the detail in your report. And now that you have enough posts, you can always go back and edit these posts to insert your pics!

 

[Gingerg11]

Great news! Now I will try to edit and add my pics!

Thanks for all your encouraging words!

Jennie

 

[Mom of 2 Wife of 1]

Nice reviews.

I'm not quite sure I understand how you came to the conclusion that the manager was implying you placed the rubber band in the food. It sounds like they were simply nonplussed as to how it ended up there in the first place. At least they took care of everything in the end.

 

[Linda67]

What an excellent review, really detailed

 

[Schoolbread]

Love the reviews--bummer about the rubberband. That was REALLY weird!

 

[Gingerg11]

We were pretty bummed out that we spent so much money there and had that experience. However, I would never advise someone not to eat there because of what happened to me. All kitchens have good days and bad days. It was just shocking because at that level of dining, you don't expect that type of thing.

I am attempting to post the pix now, if I am able to figure it out, you will be able to see the blue rubberband in the picture of my entree. I didn't even realize you could see it until after I got home.

Thanks for all your compliments!

Jennie

 

[Gingerg11]

I stopped posting pics from Photobucket cause they are coming over huge!

Help! What am I doing wrong?

Jennie