Good Values & Gooder Splurges! w/ Pics! (3-Trips-in-1-Report) - UPDATE 11/7

[SlightlyGoofy]

So many people keep reporting on the same things over and over again. It is understandable since so many of those items are the best things ever but it is so great to see reviews and pictures of some new items as well. Thank you for expanding our horizons.

Slightly Goofy

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Oh I am REALLY enjoying your reviews! As a rib addict I can't believe I have stayed at POFQ twice and never tried them there!!!!

 

[NorweJenNY]

I'm back to my reviews now! And now that I've had a busy last couple of weeks, I am happy to report that I am almost officially partially employed! A step in the right direction... glad that many of you have been enjoying my reviews!

you aren't helping my sweet tooth i'm not sure if i want chocolate, flan,
cheesecake or a cookie oh wait or a cupcake! enjoying your reviews!

See... that's why we need long trips! So much to try! Gotta try it ALL!

I'm drolling over the pictures. Great updates. We never had Cape May clam buffet, we always go for breakfast buffet and I need to put it on must to do.
Thanks for the reviews and loving it.

*Passing napkin*

Glad you're enjoying!

So many people keep reporting on the same things over and over again. It is understandable since so many of those items are the best things ever but it is so great to see reviews and pictures of some new items as well. Thank you for expanding our horizons.

Slightly Goofy

I really was trying to experience a lot of new stuff, especially this last May trip. Glad you appreciate it!

(And my apologies for the one thing that may appear and reappear throughout my reviews... ribs! Ok... nevermind... maybe I'm not so sorry for that one... hehe)

Oh I am REALLY enjoying your reviews! As a rib addict I can't believe I have stayed at POFQ twice and never tried them there!!!!

Shame on you! Now you gotta go back to POFQ!

 

[NorweJenNY]

May 2010
Day #5 (cont.)

This next meal is perhaps one of the best values I've found at Disney, especially with the Tables in Wonderland Discount - with the discount, before tax and tip, it was just $16 for a three-course meal at a TS restaurant... the Prix Fixe lunch menu at Chefs de France.
*Note: I've seen reports of an increase in price here since I was there. I'm not sure if that's a permanent change or if it was a summer increase.

For my appetizer, I started with the lobster bisque...

This was a massive portion, and it was very good. I would've gone with the french onion soup, but I was trying to broaden my horizons and try another item that was completely new to my tastebuds. It did not taste terribly fishy, just a hint of knowing that it contained lobster. It was very smooth, thick, and creamy. The richness kept me from finishing it completely... there was just so much! Half a bowl would've been plenty. It was enjoyable.

Grandmom and Hubby had the french onion soup topped with gruyere cheese...

Oh my! Heavenly! They both loved it, and the bite I tried made me think that this is what I am going to have to have next time - whenever that may be... The onion soup itself had so much more flavor than other onion soups I've had... and the cheese was just perfect!

We also had a French baguette on the table, which was super fresh and delicious, especially with butter (packets here though, for some strange reason)... my boys enjoyed the bread without butter - and it was nice they had something to enjoy while we were consuming our appetizers that they had no interest in.

The kids shared the pasta and chicken kid's meal - as they'd done in the past. It's perfect when Little Guy loves chicken fingers but not pasta and Big Guy loves pasta but isn't wild about chicken fingers.

It may not look like terribly much for them (Little Guy already ate one chicken strip before I took the picture), but when you add the bread they ate (we got a second baguette) and dessert, it was plenty.

Grandmom got the quiche lorraine with salad.

It was decent quiche, just seemed a little overcooked.

Hubby and I both opted for the gratin de macaroni...

The cheese in this macaroni was absolutely phenomenal! Certainly far above your typical mac 'n cheese... this gratin de macaroni tastes like it should be reserved for the royal family! The only complaint I had was that mine did not have as much of the creamy cheese as hubby's had, so I did have some dry pieces of pasta, but hubby had plenty - and I even got to scrape some extra off his plate. Hubby said he'd definitely order it again, and this is a possibility for me too, except that I've heard good things about the croque monsieur, and I might want to try that one next time.

Lots of good stuff... but wait, there's more!

First of all, we got to interact with our friend again...

Then it was time for dessert!

The kiddos had ice cream... they're always happy with that.

Grandmom ordered the creme brulee, which she absolutely adored.

Hubby and I found a new item (at least at the time) on the menu for dessert and couldn't say no (even though we're big profiterole fans)... we got the gateau au chocolate (chocolate mousse cake)...

Once again... no ordinary dish... this was the chocolate cake to be served to royalty. And the BEST part was adding the raspberry sauce to each bite... they should serve this with raspberry sauce over the entire thing instead of just as a pretty garnish on the plate. Fantabulous combination! The chocolate was insanely rich, and the cake was insanely moist, and the raspberry sauce was perfectly sweet and mildly tart to enhance the flavor of the rich, but not overly sweet, cake.

So here's my summary from this lunch... aside from the the insane bargain of a meal this was price-wise, I'll focus just on foods here...

Good: Gratin de macaroni - "mac 'n cheese" for royalty

Gooder: French onion soup au gratin - onion soup with cheesey goodness for royalty

Goodest: Gateau au chocolate - chocolate mousse cake for royalty

I must say, Remy is quite the talented chef! Chefs de France remains our family favorite in Epcot!

 

[NorweJenNY]

May 2010
Day #5 (cont.)

Grandmom was kinda tired, and made her way back to her private studio at the Boardwalk, but the rest of us were ready to get dinner when we got back to the Beach Club.

Well... if you're gonna be staying at the Beach Club, and you've already done dinner at Cape May... where else must you visit?

Beaches and Cream.

It is a quaint little place, and I mean little! We were there mid-week some time after 9pm, and we were told the wait would be 45 min. (No ADRs here.)

It was conveniently next to the arcade, where hubby and the boys opted to play. I just sat on the peaceful porch area outside. It was a nice evening... see for yourself...

Well, the guys came out after about 30 min, and it was just in time as there was space available at the counter for us.

The counter was a fun place to sit because we got to see them make everything, including these bad boys...

The infamous kitchen sink. I regret to inform you, however, that we appeared to be the only group in the restaurant that didn't get one of these for ourselves.

But it's ok! We got lots of other good stuff!

And Mickey just kept popping up everywhere... as you'll see in the pictures to follow...

We all got burgers, though hubby and the kids had fries with theirs, this is my plate with onion rings...

Onion rings... great choice! And oh my, these are great burgers! Juicy, and freshly made right there in front of you... perfection!

Dessert... a must do here... the kids had Mickey Mouse sundaes... Little Guy with chocolate, Big Guy with vanilla...

And hubby and I shared a Fudge Mud Slide, described as "A gooey chewy Brownie, Hot Fudge, Three Scoops of Vanilla Ice Cream, Oreo Cookies, topped with Whipped Cream and a Cherry."

We opted to get two scoops of chocolate and one of vanilla. This is really rich, creamy ice cream... you know this is the really good stuff... probably packed with double the calories and fat of typical ice creams, because let's face it - calories and fat taste good! We kept eating and enjoying every bite, but as we reached the bottom, we were shocked! We forgot about the brownie! There was a huge chunk of brownie at the bottom! It was hard for two of us to finish it all! But oh so good!

As good as it was though, as soon as I get a chance to eat here and have a sundae all to myself (or to share with someone with similar tastes to mine), I will get the No Way Jose. I still can't believe I didn't get it yet... but hubby doesn't do peanut butter... nor do the kids... and since Grandmom wasn't with us, I didn't have anyone to share it with. There was no way we were going to have our own sundaes after those burgers and onion rings (and fries). But this was the one chocolate peanut butter dessert that I did miss out on this trip... oh well, all the more reason to go back!

So here's my summary of Beaches and Cream...

Good: Burgers. Best burgers I've tasted on property thus far.

Gooder: Onion rings. For a traditional style of onion ring, these are top on the list!

Goodest: Ice cream. I know, cheap answer... but really, any dessert here is served with ice cream, and the ice cream is just really, really good and creamy... of course the various toppings don't hurt... plenty of options for everybody's tastebuds... I doubt you could go wrong!

 

[DebbieT11]

*sigh*.... I'm so going back to Chefs de france now.... thanks so much for your time, words and photos! I love reviews.

 

[plutosgirl]

Loving this report! Thanks! Signing on!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Great updates, I love Chefs de France and we are going to try Beachs&Cream for first time in December.

 

[gardengirl628]

The burger at Beaches and Cream looks delicious....will have to put that on the list! But can't believe the wait after 9 pm!

 

[NorweJenNY]

*sigh*.... I'm so going back to Chefs de france now.... thanks so much for your time, words and photos! I love reviews.

My pleasure...

Loving this report! Thanks! Signing on!

Great!

Great updates, I love Chefs de France and we are going to try Beachs&Cream for first time in December.

Have fun! I love Disney in December! Even better is Disney in December with a great restaurant line up!

The burger at Beaches and Cream looks delicious....will have to put that on the list! But can't believe the wait after 9 pm!

The burger really was good! They say they serve the same burgers at Hurricane Hanna's which is outside near Stormalong Bay, easily accessible from the walkway along the beach. So if you're looking to try the burger, you can get it cheaper at that counter service. On the other hand, if you're looking for the ambience of an old-fashion ice cream parlor, plus super desserts, opt for Beaches & Cream, even if there is a wait. Enjoy your next trip!

 

[NorweJenNY]

May 2010
Day #6

We were off to Magic Kingdom today, and started out with a cheese omelet croissant sandwich from the Beach Club Marketplace. Sorry I don't have a picture, but we were on the run to catch the bus... but that's one good thing about this sandwich - easy to just grab and go! There was no long wait in the Marketplace, and the sandwich was made with a one-piece omelet instead of a scoop of scrambled eggs that could be difficult and messy to eat when you're on the move.

It was lunch time, and we had an ADR at Liberty Tree Tavern. We kept this to a simple meal, as we were seeing our limited funds dwindle and we still had some big meal plans left on our trip. So we didn't bother with appetizers or desserts.

The kids had their usual pasta (Big Guy) and turkey (Little Guy), with only one side of apples - so we were not charged the full price of the kids' meals - only the entree, one side, and a drink... saved a couple bucks there too.

Hubby got the pot roast...

This is becoming his usual!

It's always a toss up to me between the pot roast and the turkey, but ultimately my mom and I decided to share the turkey...

It was a nice size pile of meat, plus green beans and mashed potatoes... and note the extra gravy in the back... it was for Little Guy's turkey, but we liked adding it to our potatoes and he doesn't do gravy. We ordered extra gravy on the side and they gave us a small silver gravy boat... could've stuck a straw in it! Best turkey gravy ever! Ok... the potatoes weren't to shabby either!

So here's my summary of this meal...

Good: Mashed potatoes! Yummy!

Gooder: Pot roast or Turkey - it's a tough decision which is better! Just home-cooked goodness!

Goodest: Turkey gravy!!! Stick-a-straw-in-it good!!!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

thanks for the update, we never tried LTT for lunch we used to go for dinner when they had the characters.

 

[NorweJenNY]

thanks for the update, we never tried LTT for lunch we used to go for dinner when they had the characters.

It's such a nice sit-down restaurant... no lines to wait on... love the colonial feel... escape the crowds... plenty of options that won't break the bank (especially if you share)... not all that different in price than doing a CS... and much better food!

Give it a try next time! My whole family highly recommends it!

 

[basketlacey]

I am so glad you are back doing your reviews! Congrats on the almost job!

I need to figure out how to fit that kitchen sink into my trip! With all of the dining plan desserts and snacks, I just can't imagine going to get yet one more!

 

[NorweJenNY]

I am so glad you are back doing your reviews! Congrats on the almost job!

I need to figure out how to fit that kitchen sink into my trip! With all of the dining plan desserts and snacks, I just can't imagine going to get yet one more!

Glad to be reviewing!

And the "almost job" is now officially a job - just 16 hrs, but I enjoy it and the people I work with! I've got a second potential job for which I'm awaiting my official interview... that would help tremendously if it comes through - an additional 12 hrs or so. Forget about getting back to Disney, we're just trying to keep up with daily life at this point! So yeah, even if job #2 comes through, my job search is still not complete unless hubby can get a sudden and drastic raise - I'd be fine with either... but that'd be the point that we can hopefully be re-establishing Disney funds.

In the mean time, if someone knows of anyone hiring in the Charlotte area - or if someone needs a tutor in the area - I'm all ears!

And now... continuing memories of when I actually had a semi-decent income...

Desserts and snacks are everywhere! So many to try that sometimes I think you just have to make a meal on dessert! (While on the DDP in the past, I often saved a dessert from the previous day to have for breakfast the next morning.) If you've got a large group, then attempt a kitchen sink, but otherwise I say just go for any of the extreme "smaller" sundaes at Beaches & Cream. (They by no means are small! Only in comparison to the Kitchen Sink!)

 

[NorweJenNY]

May 2010
Day #6 (cont.)

We had a fairly laid back afternoon... Grandmom took advantage of a few hours of peace and quiet back at her private quarters at the Boardwalk. (It probably meant she had some coffee - not NesCrape - and a book.) Hubby, me, and the boys explored Stormalong Bay... so nice to have a sand-bottom pool and lots of areas that were not too deep for the kiddos.

We met back up with Grandmom on the Boardwalk as evening came... just for some inexpensive eats and good company.

We got some dinner from the kiosk on the Boardwalk...

Grandmom had... hmmm.... I can't remember?!

The boys shared a footlong hot dog. Here's Little Guy with his half...

What a fabulously large hot dog! I wish I had a better picture to show you the length! But it was also rather thick... definitely large enough for the two boys to share - this also made it one of the cheapest meals on property for them! They both scarfed them down. I believe it was only $4.50 for both of them to eat! (We had juice packs along for drinks.)

Hubby and I had meatball subs...

...with a side of chili cheese fries to share...

The meatball sub, I must say, was rather disappointing. First of all, it was served on a hot dog bun... Clearly, this kiosk's focus was on hot dogs. The meatballs were decent-sized... but screamed pre-packaged... Also, there was not quite enough sauce, and the cheese was pathetic - just a sprinkling... I prefer oozing cheese when I get something like this. Oh well... at least it was only $4.75 each.

The chili cheese fries were more enjoyable, though not quite up to the standard of these type of fries from Pecos Bill's. But they somewhat made up for the poor quality of the meatball sub.

Being vacation... and being on the Boardwalk... it only made sense to get a little dessert too.

Hubby and the boys got some candy from Seashore Sweets. (Sorry no picture... but just picture your typical candy store candies.)

Grandmom and I shared another chocolate-peanut butter concoction - the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake from Boardwalk Bakery...

This was the highlight of the night. This was a good chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting. It wasn't quite as good as the brownie from The Earl, nor the cupcake from Starring Rolls, but still quite enjoyable. As I remember it, this dessert just lacked peanut butteriness... had some, but not quite enough... and the chocolate cake was similar, as it was chocolatey, but not quite chocolatey enough. Still, the best part of this evening though.

So, to summarize our low-cost dining on the Boardwalk...

Good: Chili cheese fries - can't go wrong with this combination - comfort food, and fun food you'd expect on a boardwalk.

Gooder: Hot dogs - the kiosk is best for its hot dogs. You get a lot of tasty hot dog for very little money (by Disney standards) here.

Goodest: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake - chocolate and peanut butter are simply meant to go together, and the bakery here does a good job baking its goods!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

Congratulations on your new job NorweJenNY! I assume that you are a teacher of some sort? have you considered being a substitute teacher? Does not pay super well but many work enough hours to make it well worth the effort. My bil also tutors privately so maybe you could put up some ads in places. I work with students myself, totally volunteer though, as the parents of my students do not put a premium on education for the most part, even if they had the money. It is very rewarding work though, for the most part.

I am rooting for you be able to replenish your Disney coffers for entirely selfish reasons, more TR's!

Slightly Goofy

 

[NorweJenNY]

Congratulations on your new job NorweJenNY! I assume that you are a teacher of some sort? have you considered being a substitute teacher? Does not pay super well but many work enough hours to make it well worth the effort. My bil also tutors privately so maybe you could put up some ads in places. I work with students myself, totally volunteer though, as the parents of my students do not put a premium on education for the most part, even if they had the money. It is very rewarding work though, for the most part.

I am rooting for you be able to replenish your Disney coffers for entirely selfish reasons, more TR's!

Slightly Goofy

Thanks! It's exciting to be working again, even if only part-time. My only current job is doing admin work, my high-potential-but-not-definite-yet second job would be teaching in a preschool, and my third-not-sure-what's-happening-with-it-yet job is tutoring... I was approved as a tutor at a tutoring center, but they're waiting on more students before they officially bring me on (so I hope they get more students soon), and I'm hoping for some independent tutoring gigs, but my first one fell through (suddenly fell off the face of the planet apparently).

So I think I've lined up my ducks pretty well... just still playing a bit of a waiting game... I hope I can start that new Disney fund soon too... ya know, for your sake, Slightly Goofy.

 

[nessz79]

I just caught up with your report! Thanks for all the reviews- it was hard to find reviews of places we'd go with our kids. You all seem pretty laid back like my family. We like to eat at one TS a day and then CS and snacks the rest of the time. Looking forward to more!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

NorweJenNY, if I were going to teach I would lean toward private schools as you get more leeway to actually teach, however the kids that have the largest part of my heart are not likely to be given that option. Teaching is such a rewarding job, occasionally. I wish you well and know that you will accomplish your goal.

It is evident from your reports that you are erudite, organized, talented and very creative and those are the best traits for success.

Slightly Goofy