Food Snobs come forth!

[MagicalMomAZ]

I have no problem admitting our family is snobby when it comes to our dining. We have our occasional trips to McD's for Happy Meals of course but my DD has a liking of the adult meals in finer restaurants....She's against chain restaurants as much as her parents, makes a mother proud - just kidding.

I remember DL not having a great selection, or maybe a great selection but poor product... the pics listed on the above post were a great help, the burger at Ariels Grotto looked so much more appetizing than the burgers I was subjected to growing up & visiting the park.

DH & I weren't impressed w/ Blue Bayou tho the atmosphere is worth it for the lunch menu. I'd be happy to have our main meals at the hotels & then snack at the park here & there.

So to the fellow food snobs who have dined at DL or the DL Resort hotels - what do YOU suggest?

 

[Bubbles32]

Not sure if you know, but the Napa Rose at Disney Grand Californian Hotel has been named by Zaggat at the best Restaurant in Orange County. Excellent California wine country cuisine. Recommend making priority seating a week or so in advance. Have enjoyed every dining experience that I have had at Napa.

 

[Master Mason]

I think the food in amusment parks are as whole much better than they were 10-20 years ago... Everyone has upgraded their menus in that time. Just look at MickyD's, they have chicken sandwiches etc that were unheard of 10 years ago.

And also, while food is always a part of most experiences, to me it is a minor part of Disney

 

[hlbtimes2]

The food in the parks is WAY better then it was 10 years ago. My mom and I were just talking about that the other day. My x-BIL used to manage the blue bayou, in the early 90's. We took a few trips during that time. The hot dogs were skinny little turkey dogs. The burgers were always cold little dry thin peices of meat. Just gross!

The burgers are all served on nice soft kaiser buns now. If you go to Taste Pilots in DCA you get to add your own toppings. White water snacks in the GC is pretty good as well. The pasta and salads at Red Rockets is one of our favorites. My kids love going there because its not the standard chicken nuggets you get everywhere else in the park. Lets face it, a kid can only eat so many chicken nuggets. LOL The fried chicken at French Market and Plaza are both good as well. Oh, and the bbq at Riverbell is good as well. We have found that meal sharing works well for our family. It gives our kids a chance to eat foods they actually like and enjoy rather then alway having the kids meals.

While to food in the parks isnt top of the line, fine dinning quality, its very good for theme park food. We dont mind eating in the parks at all. And, there is always down town disney and the hotels if you are looking for a little better quality and service. We dont typically want to take the time to leave the park to eat.

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

Will definately look into Zaggat, thanks.

I agree things have changed over 10 yrs, I was there 4 yrs ago & we had ok food & by no means is the food the biggest factor, however if I am on a vacation, mini or not I want everything to be worth it. I love DL & always will, but as I have grown my taste buds have matured & I'd like to treat them to something special if possible.

Thanks for the help!

 

[MagicalMomAZ]

Linda - I replied before i read your post...

What you said makes sense as far as meal sharing, we may do that when we go again with all 4 of us. I read your reply on the Fantasmic show too, I think it is steep for a family of 4 but if I go with just my DD this year it might be a fun treat!
Thanks for mentioning certain establishments you liked - that always helps! LOL on the chicken nugget comment - too true!!

 

[stampinshauna]

There are some fun places in Downtown Disney to eat.

We like the Pacific Wharf Cafe at DCA. They have fresh sourdough breadbowls with soups & salads, which are the same price as a burger & fries.

Carnation Cafe on Main Street is good. Most things are only $2-3 more than burgers & fries and they have great sandwiches, salads, & soups.

The pasta at Redd Rockets Pizza Port isn't bad. They seem to have a good variety of food there.

I try to go to DL and not ever get a burger & fries.

 

[SamIAm21]

The Blue Bayou and French Quarter are both sit down venues now and apparently have upgraded their menus considerably since their recent refurbishment. You might want to give them another try.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I would say the vineyard room or the Wine Country Trattoria

 

[minnietoo]

Well I must be a food snob also. I find the food at DL and DCA to be mediocre at best and pretty much in line with the quality found in FF places or Dennys or Millie's.

The only exception I have expereinced is the Blue Bayou - which I felt was over priced for the quality. It is good - but not really over the top enough to warrant those prices (except for the desserts - now they were great). I have yet to eat at Napa Rose and the French Quarter (is that the one?) in NOS - when I do I am hoping for great food.

I have eaten at Storytellers and found the food good - but again nothing spectacular. I would recommend that as a choice for a better meal (better than the parks) - runs about the same as some of the resturants in DTD for quality. DTD has far better quality of food than the parks. THe quality for these is like a Cheesecake Factory or an Elephant Bar - so its not full upscale but higher scale than Marie Callendar's, HOf's Hut, or Mimi's.

I find it overall hard to eat in the parks - I find the hamburgers dry and tasteless, the fries nothing to write home about, the salads horrible, the pizza usual take-out pizza, the sandwhiches pretty pathetic, the Mexican resturant is over priced for FF type meals that remind me of Pollo Loco, the chicken fingers or fish something similar to what comes from my grocers freezer, and the breakfasts to be just like any other breakfast buffet at Marie's or the like.

What we usually do is eat breakfast at home, and bring lunch foods that carry easily (protien bars, tortilla wraps, etc.) - and then eat an early dinner at DTD.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

oops I forgot one...I dont like most of the food for breakfast at the different hotels but I do like Plaza Inn breakfast and Carnation Cafe...food is good and River Belle Terrace has a great fruit plate

 

[lulubelle]

Well, since you asked, I will give you the opinion of our family...

We are two adults and one teen DD (who has fairly sophisticated tastes)

Best food that is fast, fresh, delicious and reasonable: White Water Snacks

Best Meal Anywhere on site: Napa Rose (we are eating there Friday night for the third time, I simply cannot wait!) Pricey but worth it

Best Character Meal: Goofy's Kitchen for character interaction, Storyteller's for the food...yummm

Best Fast Food/Snack: Corn Dog Castle at DCA. Wow those things are huge and tasty

Family Favorite: Hooke's Pointe. Really good seafood, although the menu is limited, as they say "it's all good!".

We are very excited to try the "new" Cafe Orleans, we will be there this Sunday for lunch. We do not care much for BB, just a matter of taste, I guess.

Many good choices in DTD as well, have a wonderful time and good luck deciding!

 

[Rella Bella]

We LOVED the Vineyard Room and Catal... wonderful food, attmosphere and service.

 

[Amy&Dan]

I agree with others about Whitewater Snacks, Taste Pilots, Plaza Inn and Carnation Cafe as good choices for something above and beyond the average burger. I have also gotten some nice sandwiches at Blue Ribbon Bakery in the past and the Boudin Bakery at DCA has some nice salads and sandwiches as well. We are not food snobs at all (haven't found a burger anywhere on the planet I haven't been able to consume ) however my son does not like hot dogs, chicken nuggets and other typical kids fare. For us, the Plaza Inn works very well since he can order a side salad that is made with nice, real, greens, not iceberg lettuce. The fried chicken meal there is huge, we generally split one of those plus a few side salads for four people. In fact we split meals at every place we dine at DL except the buffets. I think decent food can be found at Disneyland but if I was someone who needed my food to be a huge part of my experience, I'd probably vacation in New York or Europe and only go to themeparks near home where I could do very short trips that didn't require much eating. Mass producing enough food to feed tens of thousands of people, every day of the year, does not necessarily go in hand with a great culinary experience.

 

[Disneyanajc]

One Word..."Granville's" Great atmosphere, great California wines, (they have a wonderful wine selection,) food cooked to perfection, Superior service. We have had numerous dinners there. For the first time last week we did breakfast at Granvilles, same great service and the food was more than plentiful. I had an omelet....so good, and DH had the Eggs Benedict, this he said, was the best he ever tasted.
Granville's Steak House is in the DisneyLand Hotel, try it!
JC

 

[Ella1]

We have eaten at most places around the parks and can honestly say that we have never had a bad meal. Our favourite though are the ribs at Taste Pilot, thye are excellent.
Out of the parks, you can't beat the Outback Steakhouse!
Love Ella

 

[ScooterL]

I think, for a theme park, Disneyland/DCA has pretty good food - I think most of the quick service type restaurants there are much better than those at WDW, though I'd give WDW the edge on table service restaurants - mostly because there are just so many MORE of them!!!

And I would agree with a previous post that the food is a lot better than it was 10 years ago. There's a much better selection available than just burgers and fries.

But, for "food snobs", while you're in the parks you might want to stick with the table service restaurants - Blue Bayou, Cafe Orleans, Carnation Cafe (though that menu selection isn't much better than a Denny's), Ariel's, Wine Country Trattoria, and Vineyard Room. (That last is only open for dinner).

Laura

 

[Judy from Boise]

Just a reminder....we now have a stickie thread for food pictures....please add to it after your trips, along with a little review!