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

[Faline]

I can't believe all the detail you went into, especially on the buffets. Really enjoyed reading. Thank you

 

[butiflfeet]

Thanks for your reviews! I loved the detail you gave when describing the dishes. Great job! Hopefully you'll do more after your future trips

 

[vettegirl]

I totally agree with the zebra domes, very let down by these. What is so darn good about these???

 

[cg83109]

great reviews

 

[cdtommie]

Thanks for all the reviews, I think Boma is hands down the best buffet at Disney. Sorry you weren't too impressed with CG. I really think the strength of this restuarant is suishi and fish entrees (plus the cheese plate) - these are pretty much the only things we order there (we were there 11 times in the past two years).

 

[Gingerg11]

I did thumbnails that you can click on to view larger if desired. Some of them were too blurry when they were that big.

Thanks for all the kind words!


@ cdtommie:Holy cow! You were at Boma 11 times or WDW?

re: CA Grill- I am a big fish eater and hubby does enjoy sushi, but I think we were all in a meat mood that night. I have to agree, the cheese board was fantastic. They are slowly starting to make a comeback at the upscale restaurants in NYC...

Jennie

 

[Faline]

I was not impressed with the zebra domes when I had them at first. Then I tried them at Mara from the refrigerator case, and they were delicious. I definitely like them better cold.

 

[Gingerg11]

I could be mistaken but I think they were served cold at Boma...were they frozen when you had them?

My best dessert is still the Magic cookie bar. Even my sister wanted one when she saw the picture. Awesome!

Jennie

 

[cdtommie]

@ cdtommie:Holy cow! You were at Boma 11 times or WDW?

re: CA Grill- I am a big fish eater and hubby does enjoy sushi, but I think we were all in a meat mood that night. I have to agree, the cheese board was fantastic. They are slowly starting to make a comeback at the upscale restaurants in NYC...

Jennie

Hi Jennie, 11 times at CG during six WDW trips - sometimes we stop at CG just for suishi and the cheese plate...I've had the filet at CG that the meat only eaters seem to rave about (which is their best seller)...was nothing special. When they have the occasional game dish there it is usually worth trying.

Boma is is great breakfast value especially if you have TIW and avoid the peak surcharge seasons - the dinner has been getting pricey but the food is really good for a buffet especially those soups. We also love Kona for breakfast.

 

[Gingerg11]

@cdtommie: Let me guess, adults traveling alone? Lol.

After reading my review someone posed to me this question: You do know they have rides in WDW, right? I didn't have the heart to tell her they don't, only attractions...

I need to start traveling with Foodies! Most people just don't understand that you must talk about what you want for lunch at breakfast and what you want for dinner at lunch!

Have you eaten at Flying Fish? Would you say it's better than CG?

Jennie

 

[cdtommie]

Hi Jennie, actually at least 3-4 times out of the 11 we had a party of around 14 including 5-6 kids (not mine...some of the 26 nieces/nephews). Adult trips this year but had two of three trips last year with with 4+ kids. Since we spend about 30 days each year at the world we hit almost every signature restaurant at least once a year.

It's funny re. the rides (or attractions) comment...people say the same thing to us...we've been to Disney so many times that we know how to very efficiently hit the key attractions and allow plenty of time for some umm adult drinking activities.

I prefer the entrees at FF to CG. CG wins on apps (except to the fantastic pesto chile mussel app at FF). You can't beat CG for suishi (we always order at least something...wife loves the kazan roll) and we always time reservations to the fireworks (esp in oct/dec given the silly prices they charge for the halloween and xmas parties these days).

 

[Gingerg11]

You are very fortunate to be able to travel so much.

If you had to plan a day of perfect meals in WDW, where would you eat?

Breakfast, lunch, dinner? CS or sitdown, combination, doesn't matter.

Jennie

 

[cdtommie]

Hi Jennie, for breakfast it would be either the Kona Cafe for sit down or if you prefer a buffet, Boma. I'm a coffee nut so there are few WDW breakfast places that qualify and Kona has the 100% Kona coffee press pot. I usually get the macadamia pancakes or the shrimp omelette (it is not on the menu but if you ask they will make it for you usually)...my wife has been ordering the Samoan lately which is Kona's take on eggs benedict. And sharing a wasabi bloody mary is a great way to start the day.

Boma has a great, nicely diverse breakfast buffet and Joffrey's coffee which is decent.

We usually do just breakfast (2-3x times a trip out and the rest in the DVC room) and dinner - not many lunches. When we do lunch Chefs De France is a nice spot for a break and has probably been our most frequent sit down location.

If we do a counter service our favs in each park are Columbia Harbour House at MK (great tuna sandwich), Flame Tree at AK (Tusker House prior to becoming a buffet was excellent, really miss this), nothing at DHS (used to go to Brown Derby every trip but now the lunch and dinner menu are the same - way too pricey for lunch unless you're just doing the cobb salad) and Tangierine Cafe (Morocco) at Epcot (or if we are drinking lunch as we have been known to do at least once a trip, La Cava Tequila or fish & chips and a couple of drinks at Rose & Crown if we can find a table at the bar).

For dinner, excluding V&A which is the ultimate WDW dining experience, we prefer the signature restaurants with FF, CG and Jiko's our favorites (Citricos and AP close behind). Blue Zoo is quite good also and we are going next month for the first time in a couple of years. We have also popped over the two Emeril's restaurants at Universal (and if you are at Universal during lunch time go to Emeril's for lunch - great three course fixed price lunch for $18-$19).

A couple of late night spots (perfect after Fantasmic or Illuminations) are Raglan Road and Wolfgang Pucks Express if we are going to drive and if not (and we're usually staying around the Epcot resort area), the Blue Zoo lounge for appetizers/drinks, Kimono's for suishi or Big River Grill for a beer/burger.

Another thing we like for late eating is just appetizers and drinks at the bar at FF or CG or a stop at the Crew's Cup at Beach & Yacht or Kona Island Suishi bar.

A key for us is that we always rent a car every trip so we can get around to the hotels and DTD quickly which are the locations that have the places we usually prefer to eat.

 

[Gingerg11]

Some of your suggestions. We have not yet had breakfast at Boma or eaten at Jiko at all!

I agree with you about Tusker House. They used to have a Marinated Veggie sandwich on foccacia to die for!

We have never eaten at V & A's or bluezoo as the prices are terrifying to me.

Do you really like Chefs de France? I read the dining reports and look at the menu and think the options just seem, ordinary. Americanized. French onion soup, mac and cheese, roast chicken...The Bistro seems much more interesting. Have you eaten there? I don't see alot of reviews for the Bistro though and it makes me wonder why...

It's funny that you mention you don't have a favorite place to eat in DHS. I think this is the most difficult park to find somewhere decent to eat. We usually just skip eating here at all.

Did you ever have the Mighty Mixed Grill at Raglan? I am curious about the black pudding...

Jennie

 

[cdtommie]

Jennie, I would say Chefs is americanized but we like to do lunch (only) here once in a while and get a glass of wine, some onion soup, maybe some escargots (for DW) and just relax and take an Epcot break (maybe see Remy too ). I do consider their food towards the bland side. Place is just a guilty pleasure I guess. Bistro gets very good reviews (and we did dinner and a F&W lunch event there last year) but it just didn't wow me...especially the heavy handed use of some of their sauces. We have a great local french restaurant which I consider to be on the V&A level so maybe my standards are too high. Epcot for lunch has many choices but few that we really like (we are trying Cellier for lunch for the first time next month...have been there many times for dinner in the past but not since the changeover this year to signature).

Have never had the Mighty Mixed Grill at Raglan...love the scallop forest, salmon of knowledge and heavenly ham, DW likes the fish and chips) and the bread and butter pudding of course.

For the Blue Zoo, if adults only the lounge is great just for a flatbread or the seafood nachos or the insanely good scallop/short rib appetizer and a drink or two - keeps the price down vs. a full meal and they have probably the most creative drink menu on property - this is something we do after Fantasmic or Iluminations when we are back at BWV.

At DHS we'll hit Staring Rolls for a sandwich once in a while or try to grab a seat at Tune In for a liquid lunch.

 

[leahanne33]

Thanks so much for your excellent dining review! I love Boma, too and was trying to decide whether or not to take a group of 6 there on our upcoming trip. You convinced me that we should definitely make it to Boma!

 

[Gingerg11]

Run, run run to Boma! It was soooo good. We now consider this an every trip must do!

When is your trip?

Where else are you planning on eating on your trip?

Planning the trip is almost as much fun as being there, isn't it?

Jennie

 

[VrBchJ]

Thank you so much for your dining reviews. I also like your format of doing all your reviews at one time. I love Boma for breakfast and dinner and agree with you about the Zebra Domes. They are my least favorite Boma desserts. My friends always want to go to CG and I go along but I could do without it.

Since you enjoy food so much please try to make it to Victoria and Albert's someday. It's very, very expensive and this may sound odd, but you get great value for the money. It may be a once in a lifetime dinner but it is so worth it.

Thanks again for all your hard work on putting your reviews together. I really enjoyed them.

 

[Gingerg11]

Thanks for the compliments. It took a few days to type up the review in full in Word but then it was just a matter of cut and paste to post it. I think it makes for an easier read than scrolling through looking for the next installment. I am always disappointed when I start reading a fantastic trip report and it just stops midway.

Anyway, I do hope to try V & A eventually. Maybe when I am retired! This past trip was the first time my hubby and I ventured out sans children (Boma) and we had a great time! Maybe I can convince him for our 25th Anniversary!

Jennie