Highs, Lows & Lobster Rolls: a brief holiday dining report. 1/10 More reviews added!

[MrsB1228]

Yay!! So exciting to see another DDW dining review!

So many things to comment on so I'll just dive right in.

First of all, your photos of the WDW holiday decorations and fireworks are fantastic, as always.

The gingerbread ice cream from L'Artisan des Glaces looks wonderful! I love gingerbread and it sounds like it hit all the right notes as an ice cream. So sorry it's a seasonal flavour and won't be around on my next trip but glad you enjoyed it.

Sorry the hot salted caramel drink was a disappointment. It was an item that intrigued me, mainly because I love caramel but if it isn't anything special, why bother?

Sorry your Mexico experiences were abysmal, that tamale just looked nasty!

Your dinner at Artist Point looked so good! It's exactly the type of dish that I would choose.

The meatballs from the Superstar Catering truck look wonderful. This is not something I would have normally considered but you've definitely opened up new possibilities here.

The view from your hotel is lovely!

Narcoossee's is the one Signature we missed on our last trip and I'm now seriously regretting that after looking at the meal you enjoyed. I don't often order chicken when out at a restaurant because it's something I regularly cook and enjoy and home, but that dish looked seriously amazing. And that apple dessert? Heaven!

I was so happy to see your review of the fruit plate at Kona, since that's something I've often considered ordering. Sorry it wasn't good, the kiwi really does look mushy ... yuck.

I'm sorry to say none of the lobster rolls you tried appeal to me at all. Like a previous poster, I'm a purist and I'm used to lobster rolls that are comprised of fresh lobster meat and drawn butter on a lightly toasted roll. I'm glad you found one you liked however and I give you all kinds of credit for trying as many as you did.

Everything from Captain's Grille looked sooo good!

Cronut? Sign me up!

Glad you finally got to try Kimonos and that you enjoyed your selections. Thanks too for reviewing a restaurant not often mentioned on the dining boards.

Thanks once again for taking the time to share your experiences and beautiful photos!

 

[JZCubed]

Hi everyone, and Happy New Year! I'm back with a 'relatively brief' dining report, since there are some experiences I really wanted to share here.

My mom and I are currently in WDW, staying at the Swan. Today we're moving offsite to stay with friends - since I don't know how much time we'll be spending at Disney (or if I'll want to take food pictures in front of them), I decided to post the entire report right now. I hope you enjoy it!

To kick things off, I headed to Epcot and began sampling some of the special Holidays Around the World offerings. My first stop was L'Artisan des Glaces, which is nicely decorated for the holidays.

I had to try the gingerbread ice cream, and it was great. Combining the flavor of orange zest and flavorful spices, this snack is one of the best things I've eaten on this trip.

Next was Germany, where I got the hot salted caramel drink. Surprisingly, it was a huge disappointment, since it tasted exactly like Werther's original caramel candies. It just wasn't special enough to be worth the calories, and half of it ended up in the trash.

The rice cream from Norway was being promoted as their seasonal holiday item. Even though it's available throughout the year, I happily ordered one and enjoyed it very much. This has always been a favorite of mine.

Finally, I headed to La Cantina de San Angel to try the sweet tamale with guava filling and a strawberry glaze. While the flavor was good, the texture of my tamale was off - it was distractingly grainy and dense.

After some hits and misses in Epcot, I left the park and checked out the Christmas decorations at Yacht and Beach Club. The model of Atlantica in BC's lobby was very impressive!

Dinner was at Artist Point. I had a pretty basic salad as my appetizer, but my main course was much more interesting: Applewood Smoked Cornish Hen with Savory Fall Bread Pudding, Duck Confit, Fried Quail Egg, Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash, and Port Cassis Reduction. The ingredients paired together marvelously, and it tasted like the holidays on a plate.

A beautiful wreath in Wilderness Lodge:

That night, I headed to DHS to see the Osborne Lights. They're as beautiful as ever!

The following day, we had breakfast at Boma. It was great as always, and this meal was a good excuse to see AKL's beautiful decorations.

Here's one of my plates at Boma. While the buffet has plenty of 'normal' items like waffles, pancakes, breakfast meat, and pastries, I love that they also offer some interesting vegetable preparations. Also, those black grapes were perfect!

Then I headed over to DHS to hit up some rides and try a food truck. I'd heard that the trucks would be at DHS during lunchtime, and sure enough, 2 of the new Disney food trucks were serving food in the Osborne Lights area. (Normally, these trucks are at Downtown Disney.)

To be honest, I'm pretty disappointed in the menus at some of the trucks. In particular, I can't believe the Animal Kingdom food truck is Indian-inspired yet doesn't serve anything vegetarian. The Epcot truck is also a disappointment to me. Inspired by the Food & Wine Festival, it seems like they picked the least interesting dishes to serve year-round. Hamburger sliders? Pierogies and sausage? Another lobster roll variant?

That said, there's one food truck that I've been seriously excited about trying. And oddly enough, it's inspired by the park whose quick service eateries are most frequently criticized.

Superstar Catering serves up three unique takes on meatballs. I think it's a brilliant idea, since the concept is straightforward yet allows plenty of room for creativity. I don't eat beef or lamb, so my default choice was the turkey meatball dish with soft polenta and arugula-fennel salad.

This was easily the best quick service meal I've had in DHS. The meatballs had a slight sweetness from golden raisins, the polenta wasn't too stiff, and the fennel added a great flavor. If anything, I would've liked some more greens on the plate, but that's just a personal preference. This was an extremely satisfying lunch.

While in DHS, I also stopped at a new Joffrey's Cart to get a drink. My choice was the iced chai latte, which was milky and sweeter than I prefer. It tasted good, but I don't think it needed to be so sweet (unfortunately, it's presweetened).

From DHS, I headed back to Epcot and returned to L'Artisan des Glaces.

This time, I got the strawberry sorbet and mint chocolate chip ice cream. The strawberry was good, but the mint chocolate chip was awesome! Mint chocolate chip is hit-or-miss for me, since sometimes it tastes artificial (almost like toothpaste). This stuff tasted like actual mint, and there were plenty of chocolate chunks scattered throughout.

Then it was back to the Swan for a break. This is the view we've been enjoying:

For dinner, we headed over to Narcoossee's so we could watch the pre-New Year's Eve fireworks at MK (Fantasy in the Sky is shown on both the 30th and the 31st). Here's the tree in the Narcoossee's waiting area:

We split the cheese plate to start. I really enjoyed 3 of the cheeses, since they were quite firm and salty (didn't try the other 2).

We both chose the same entree: Pan-seared Heritage Breed Poulet Rouge Chicken with House-made Chicken Sausage, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, Carnival Cauliflower, Salsify, Potatoes, Cheddar-Ale Fondue, and Roasted Chicken Reduction.

This was amazing! It's probably the best thing I've eaten on this trip. The chicken was cooked perfectly, and the sausage, vegetables, fondue, and chicken reduction combined to create an incredible savory dish.

For dessert, we shared an Apple Tart with Vanilla Ice Cream, Siesta Key Spiced Rum-Caramel Sauce, Cocoa Nib Tuile, and Cranberries with Cinnamon and Sugar. This was very good, largely thanks to the caramel sauce and cranberries.

Half an hour later, it was time for Fantasy in the Sky. Narcoossee's isn't the best place to view this show (as the roof was sometimes in the way), but I still enjoyed seeing this show from a different angle. This was a great finale to a great meal.

Part Two is coming up right now.

WOW!

I hope that everyone enjoyed those pictures again.

Had I taken that many photographs, y'all would be seeing many pictures of the ends of my fingers.

I enjoyed most of your food choices, but I certainly enjoy your daily menu:

-Small breakfast.
-Desserts all day, with focus on L'Artisan des Glaces. I'm partial to the Pistachio as well. I had not noticed the Cafe Leigois, but did not care for mediocre coffee gelato.
-Snacks include Lobster Roll. I avoid the one at Columbia House. Great knowing Lobster Roll at Boardwalk Bakery is worth a try (we also stay at nearby Swan & Dolphin). By the way, lobster roll at Fresh was not good either (go figure), but Crab Salad w/ Watermelon at Cabana is sublime.
-Fish/Fowl Dinner w/ Fruit Dessert - we could double date.

Eat well.

 

[CanadianPaco]

It was a pleasure reading through your report! Thank you for taking the time to share!!!!

 

[ciera321]

I really enjoyed your review! Thanks for sharing!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for reading, and I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed the updates.

Unfortunately I don't have time to reply to individual posts right now, but I just wanted to stop by and say I'm hoping to write another update with select experiences from the second half of the trip. Hopefully I'll have time to do that over the weekend, but in the meanwhile, here are some teaser pics.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Great reviews! Have a great time on the rest of your trip.

Jill in CO

Thanks so much, Jill! The rest of the trip was very interesting, but we definitely had a great time overall.

Followed you over from the live thread.
Thanks for the updates as always. I have got to get myself to l'artisan des glaces one of these days!

Thanks so much for following along, and I hope you get to try L'Artisan des Glaces sometime soon!

YUM, YUM, thank you for the reviews. Everything (especially the ice cream sandwich with the macaroon looks so good)

I'm glad you enjoyed the reviews, and the macaron sandwich is highly recommended! While I strongly hope that they add more flavor options, the chocolate one is still fantastic.

Love the look of the Cornish Game Hen from Artist Point, even more than the chicken from Narcoossee's.

That Cornish Game Hen dish was really unique. Even though it's unlikely to stay on the menu beyond the holiday season, I hope Artist Point keeps up the creativity as it changes up the menu!

I am also intrigued by the crab cakes at Captain's Grille - but what in the world did they put in that succotash underneath the crab cakes? I guess I'm a purist: I expect corn and lima beans and no extraneous ingredients.

I'm no succotash expert, which must be why it didn't bother me at all. I didn't dislike it, even though the other components were more memorable me.

You need to remember, though, that different parts of New England have very different definitions of a 'lobster roll'. Where I come from in southeastern Connecticut, a lobster roll is served warm with lobster meat and melted butter and absolutely nothing else on the bun. I wouldn't touch any of those cold nasty mayonnaise-y things. That's a lobster salad, not a lobster roll!

Oh, the lobster rolls with warm lobster and butter are my absolute favorite! Whenever I see lobster roll options on a menu, that'll always be my choice. Since I'm not a New Englander, my standards are admittedly lower and I'll accept mayo-based variants if I have to. But the Contempo lobster roll and the food truck lobster roll had too much mayo, even for a mayo-based lobster roll. Boardwalk Bakery's is the only one that might be passable in certain parts of New England, but as you point out, that doesn't mean all New Englanders would accept it as decent.

By the way, Contempo's menu does describe the lobster roll as containing "lobster salad," so I can't say I wasn't warned. But there's absolutely no excuse for the atrocity being served at the food truck.

Glad you're having a great Christmas break. Thank you for taking the time out to post the pics and reviews!

Thanks so much for the wishes, and I'm really glad you enjoyed the pics and reviews. I'm still hoping to continue with the reviews soon (just to cover some things from the second half of the trip).

Wow! Fantastic report! Where to start...

First of all, the view from your room is amazing! Great pics of all the fireworks and holiday decorations too. I just said to Rob as we were watching fireworks on tv New Years Eve that I was jealous of everyone in WDW that night because I'll bet the fireworks were spectacular. Sure enough!

The New Year's Eve fireworks are always incredible in WDW. Not sure if they're worth the crowds, but I'm glad at least one or two pics turned out okay. Watching MK's show from outside the park was definitely a smart idea! (Although admittedly, the view of the perimeter fireworks is a bit better from CR and Poly)

Your entree at Artist Point looks really delicious! Every single component on that plate looks fantastic.

I was so surprised to see that dish on the menu - it was ambitious, seasonal, and fun! I would've been willing to pay for that dish in a real world restaurant (the price was $29, and I was able to use an Annual Passholder discount on it).

Two of those lobster rolls looked nasty. I can't deal with that much mayo on mine either. At least the Boardwalk Bakery one was good.

If you think those lobster rolls look bad (which I completely understnad), you should see the thing currently served at Columbia Harbour House.

A cronut? How am I just now hearing about these? I must try one.

Cronuts have developed a huge following over the past few months, but many bakeries don't actually refer to them as cronuts. Instead, they'll use names such as "doissant," "doughsant," or (as Disney has chosen) "croissant doughnut." Sometimes they have crazy frostings and fillings, but I think WDW's simple version worked perfectly.

Sorry your torta was so disappointing. That description is very misleading. I would have been upset with that nasty cheese on there too. Especially since there is no mention of it in the description.

Yeah, that torta was such a disappointment. Admittedly, the bread was perfect for a torta, but everything else kind of ruined it.

Your entire Captain's Grille meal looks fantastic! I am so happy you enjoyed the crab cakes too.

It was a great choice! I definitely wouldn't have chosen that dish if I hadn't seen it in your reviews, since I usually assume that crab cakes will have too much breading for my liking.

Okay, I think that covers everything. So glad you had a wonderful trip! And if you're already back in the northeast, enjoy this lovely snowstorm that is raging outside right now!

Thanks so much! Missed the snowstorm but am back in Philly right now. It's a bit chilly, but the cold never bothered me anyway. (That's a total lie, but I'm listening to Frozen's soundtrack right now and wanted to use that line.) Speaking of which, Frozen's soundtrack just hit #1 on the Billboard album chart! It's the first soundtrack from a Disney animated film to do so since Pocahontas, and it's perfect timing (considering these temperatures).

Thank you for the report!!!! I cant wait to try the lobster rolls at the board walk bakery they looked sooooo good.

I never knew disney had cronuts. I am sooooo getting one my next trip.

Enjoy the lobster roll at Boardwalk Bakery! Of the three, it's the only one I'd actually recommend trying if you want a lobster roll. The cronut is definitely recommended!

Thanks for the great quick review! You posted about several things I have never seen before, which was really cool. Gingerbread ice cream, food trucks at DHS, etc&.

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

Thanks so much for reading, and I'm glad you enjoyed the more uncommon reviews! WDW is so large that there's always something different to try, and I'm excited to see that they've tackled the food truck concept (even if some of them could be improved).

Cronut? Wish I'd thought of that. It looks delicious.

Cronuts have quickly become a worldwide trend, and I'm impressed to see WDW add their own respectable version of it. Even though it was simple, it still hit the spot!

So glad to hear the great reviews of Narcoosees lately. We haven't been there in a couple of years but that chicken could tempt me to go back.

That chicken dish was great - it had so much flavor and was perfectly prepared. Even if that dish is removed, hopefully they can keep it up, as we were both extremely impressed!

And your moms Portuguese stew from Captains Grille looks wonderful too.

Sorry the lobster rolls and the Mexican didn't work out so well.

It's okay - sampling a few disappointments is worth it so I can discover some unexpected food gems (such as the cronut!).

Thanks for sharing-

Thanks for following along, and I'm glad you enjoyed!

Thanks for sharing! Look forward to trying out the sushi sometime!

The sushi is definitely worth a try, and you don't need ADRs to dine at Kimonos!

Great report. I wasn't wild about Narcoosees last time but your dish looked great and I'm now thinking about giving it another chance.

I don't want to push Narcoossee's one way or the other (since that chicken dish might not remain on the menu), but that dish showed me there are still pleasant surprises to be found at most Disney restaurants - even the ones that receive inconsistent reviews.

Yay! This was a short but very sweet review!! I love your photos as always.

Thanks so much, Brenda! I'm hoping to add one more update from the second half of the trip, but overall this is still my shortest review in a long time. It's honestly somewhat refreshing!

I'm glad that you enjoyed Narcoosees! You have influenced my choices in the past so that chicken dish is on my radar now.

If you give Narcoossee's another chance, I hope you have better luck with your entree choice! I still remember how disappointing your pasta looked, especially since I'd loved the summer ravioli dish there.

You were on a lobster roll - roll. Too bad about the food truck version that didn't look good at all!

Yeah, the food truck version was the most expensive and the biggest miss. It would've been less disappointing if it actually resembled the stock photo used on the menu!

Ok, that torta de polla at La Cantina just looks horrid let alone it being confirmed as un-tasty. Ugh! Sorry about that miss.

It's okay - I suppose it was worth a try, even if it wasn't good at all. And now I say with certainty that La Cantina does nothing for me as a food establishment.

Loved the NYE fireworks photos.

Thanks for taking the time to share! And Happy New Year to you.

Thanks so much, and again, Happy New Year to you!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Wonderful reviews as always
Very interesting to hear your views on the various lobster rolls
Isn't the gingerbread ice-cream divine? it was my fave treat of the trip in December
I really have to try the mint choc chip next time
Oh and HAPPY NEW YEAR

Agreed on the gingerbread ice cream! A perfect creation for the holiday season, and the mint chocolate chip is also delicious.

Happy New Year to you too!

Thanks for the brief - yet, as always, entertaining and informative - reviews.

I'm glad to hear that the cronut was not greasy - it is only list of snacks to try on our March trip after I read about it on the Disney Food Blog.

Greasiness was a huge concern of mine when I ordered it, but it wasn't a problem at all. Hopefully that's a consistent thing with the cronuts at Refreshment Port, because then they're absolutely worth trying!

I am also keen to try the macaron ice-cream sandwich (or maybe the brioche) at L'Artisan Des Glaces, although the macarons at Les Halles were particularly disappointing when we tried them so I'm hoping the one used for the ice-cream sandwich is not as bad.

Agreed on the macarons at Les Halles - the texture was off (too dense, not 'pillowy' enough, etc.) and the flavors weren't very good, except for the pistachio. The macaron sandwich is completely different, though - I've had it twice and enjoyed it both times! The brioche sandwich also sounds intriguing, and at least with that one, you can choose the ice cream flavor.

How great that you were at Disney for New Year's - I would love to see the fireworks there but could not cope with those crowds. Even the thought of Spring Break crowds is freaking me out a little bit.

The crowds were honestly awful, but I think the week between Christmas and New Year's is in its own league of craziness. Good luck with the Spring Break crowds!

Thanks for doing a dining report...great job DDW, as always! Oh, and thanks again for sending me some preview pics for the live thread. We seem to be experiencing more delays with our joint report so it was really nice to have your great photos to post there.

I'm so glad you enjoyed the updates, and it was fun to send pictures to the live thread one last time! Plus, it looks like reviews on the live thread have gotten moving - I'm excited to see what's coming next!

Thank you for sharing these reviews!

I always enjoy your commentary -- I think we have similar viewpoints on a lot of menu items, so I enjoy hearing your input on new things!!

I'm glad you enjoyed the reviews! Of course, I completely understand that not everyone will agree with my opinions, but if the reviews are informative or helpful to anyone, that makes me feel really good.

That dish at Artist Point makes my mouth water! It has so many things I love-- brussel sprouts, fried eggs, cornish game hen. Yummy!!

Definitely a memorable entree choice! I love Artist Point, so it was fun seeing their unique take on the holiday season.

That chicken sandwich from La Cantina though-- GROSS! A traditional Mexican sandwich has chicken tenders on it?? Yeah right! That being said, I LOVE La Cantina. I stick with the carne tacos, though, which I think are delicious!

Yeah, that sandwich was bad - beyond what I could've imagined. It's nice to hear that La Cantina serves decent steak tacos, though. They have to do something well, considering how popular the place is.

Great reviews as always!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Thanks so much! More reviews are hopefully coming up soon.

Great food photos and descriptions! I have never had a lobster roll before, so I will have to check them out next time we are at the World in 2015. And the cronut looks Ahhhh-maaazing!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

The cronut was great! As for the lobster rolls, hopefully Boardwalk Bakery's will be around for your next trip, as it's definitely the one I'd recommend most.

Yay!! So exciting to see another DDW dining review!

So many things to comment on so I'll just dive right in.

First of all, your photos of the WDW holiday decorations and fireworks are fantastic, as always.

Thanks so much! The holidays are so beautiful at WDW - it's a great time for photographing the parks and resorts.

The gingerbread ice cream from L'Artisan des Glaces looks wonderful! I love gingerbread and it sounds like it hit all the right notes as an ice cream. So sorry it's a seasonal flavour and won't be around on my next trip but glad you enjoyed it.

Even if L'Artisan des Glaces is serving up different flavors on your next trip, I still recommend a stop there.

Sorry the hot salted caramel drink was a disappointment. It was an item that intrigued me, mainly because I love caramel but if it isn't anything special, why bother?

Agreed - the drink sounded so much better than it actually was. Maybe if they bring the drink back, they'll update the recipe a bit, since it shouldn't taste exactly like something I can buy in any supermarket or drugstore.

Sorry your Mexico experiences were abysmal, that tamale just looked nasty!

Not sure what's up with Mexico, but my experiences at all the dining locations there have been so mixed.

Your dinner at Artist Point looked so good! It's exactly the type of dish that I would choose.

That dish was great - even though it's probably gone from the menu already, hopefully Artist Point will keep up the quality and creativity!

The meatballs from the Superstar Catering truck look wonderful. This is not something I would have normally considered but you've definitely opened up new possibilities here.

I loved that turkey meatball dish. To my surprise and disappointment, the truck seemed to be a less popular than Epcot's and MK's, but that just means shorter lines.

The view from your hotel is lovely!

Swan is great! It provided the value of 'off-site' with the convenience of on-property. We even watched Epcot's fireworks from up there one night - it was so nice to see the show from a different perspective.

Narcoossee's is the one Signature we missed on our last trip and I'm now seriously regretting that after looking at the meal you enjoyed. I don't often order chicken when out at a restaurant because it's something I regularly cook and enjoy and home, but that dish looked seriously amazing. And that apple dessert? Heaven!

Many people don't like ordering chicken at restaurants (for the same reason you mentioned), but that makes a memorable chicken dish all the more impressive. I can't speak for the rest of the menu, but we didn't regret our decision to dine at Narcoossee's at all.

I was so happy to see your review of the fruit plate at Kona, since that's something I've often considered ordering. Sorry it wasn't good, the kiwi really does look mushy ... yuck.

I've seen much better reviews of that fruit plate, so maybe Kona was having an off-day. Still, too much cantaloupe is never a good thing in fruit salads, IMO. The kiwi should have saved it (as I love kiwi), but obviously that didn't pan out.

I'm sorry to say none of the lobster rolls you tried appeal to me at all. Like a previous poster, I'm a purist and I'm used to lobster rolls that are comprised of fresh lobster meat and drawn butter on a lightly toasted roll. I'm glad you found one you liked however and I give you all kinds of credit for trying as many as you did.

I'm totally with you on lobster rolls - even though I'll settle for mayo-based versions, the versions with warm lobster and butter are so much better.

Everything from Captain's Grille looked sooo good!

Captain's Grille is a hidden gem, IMO. Very solid food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Plus, it's rarely crowded! We honestly picked the worst night of the year to have dinner there, but it was still good.

Cronut? Sign me up!

Glad you finally got to try Kimonos and that you enjoyed your selections. Thanks too for reviewing a restaurant not often mentioned on the dining boards.

Kimonos has been a place I've wanted to try for at least 10 years. It's off the beaten path compared to Epcot's sushi locations, Kona, and California Grill, but it was definitely worth a try. Very solid rolls and a cool atmosphere - I'd happily go back.

Thanks once again for taking the time to share your experiences and beautiful photos!

I'm really glad you enjoyed!

WOW!

I hope that everyone enjoyed those pictures again.

Had I taken that many photographs, y'all would be seeing many pictures of the ends of my fingers.

I enjoyed most of your food choices, but I certainly enjoy your daily menu:

-Small breakfast.
-Desserts all day, with focus on L'Artisan des Glaces. I'm partial to the Pistachio as well. I had not noticed the Cafe Leigois, but did not care for mediocre coffee gelato.
-Snacks include Lobster Roll. I avoid the one at Columbia House. Great knowing Lobster Roll at Boardwalk Bakery is worth a try (we also stay at nearby Swan & Dolphin). By the way, lobster roll at Fresh was not good either (go figure), but Crab Salad w/ Watermelon at Cabana is sublime.
-Fish/Fowl Dinner w/ Fruit Dessert - we could double date.

Eat well.

I've seen pics of the CHH lobster roll - yikes. As for my daily menu, I wish things could be like this in the real world. Lunch today consisted of a tuna salad sandwich on some sad white bread - speaking of CHH, their tuna sandwich is far superior! (Wow, I never thought an item at CHH would be at the top of my 'craving list').

Sad to hear that about Fresh's lobster roll, but good to know Cabana has some good eats. Just looked at their menu and it looks quite interesting for a poolside spot, so I'm hoping to try it next time. Thanks for the tip!

And I'll never pass up a moment to compliment L'Artisan des Glaces (although sorry to hear that about the coffee gelato - haven't tried that flavor, and it doesn't sound like a must-do).

It was a pleasure reading through your report! Thank you for taking the time to share!!!!

Thanks for reading, and I'm really glad you enjoyed!

I really enjoyed your review! Thanks for sharing!

Thanks so much! And I'm seriously hoping to 'extend' the report with one more update over the weekend.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Here are a few more reviews from the second half of the trip, starting with breakfast at The Wave. I arrived at CR super early for my meal - the sun was still rising over Bay Lake!

As for the food, I went for the buffet and enjoyed it as usual. The multigrain Mickey Waffles and the sweet potato pancakes with honey-pecan butter are particularly delicious! In addition, the fruit seemed fresh and the smoked salmon came with a variety of accompaniments.

From The Wave, I headed to MK for some park time. No food was consumed in the park, but here's a picture I took from Splash Mountain.

Lunch was at Contempo Cafe, where I chose the chicken chopped salad. This salad has actually received an upgrade since the last time I ordered it - the chicken is now freshly grilled and warm (it used to be cold, chopped up, and somewhat unappetizing, IMO). This was a really pleasant surprise!

I also saw CR's holiday gingerbread display, which was still selling seasonal goodies.

This chocolate-coated gingerbread shingle was calling my name, so I got one and brought it back to the room for us to share. It was chewy but tasty, and I was happy to enjoy one last taste of the holidays.

I also stopped by Typhoon Lagoon to walk around and explore (it was too chilly to swim).

Having never eaten anything in the park, I decided to try the 'signature snack' of the Disney water parks - mini donuts! These were warm, fluffy, and very tasty.

On this trip, I also spent an unusual amount of time at Downtown Disney.

Besides trying the remaining two food trucks (which I just reviewed here), I also enjoyed meals at two of DTD's most popular eateries, including Earl of Sandwich. I actually don't remember eating here previously, but this place receives such positive reviews that I really wanted to try it.

My choice was the Caprese sandwich, and it was very good. Warm bread, soft mozzarella, tomatoes, balsamic, and basil - it's just a classic combination. Also, it was a great value - much cheaper than the typical Disney quick service meal.

Another meal I enjoyed was at Wolfgang Puck Express, where I chose my favorite item on the menu (it's actually the only thing I've tried there, but I love it!). The oven-roasted salmon with fennel, tomatoes, arugula, roasted potatoes, and horseradish cream is absolutely delicious. It's so flavorful and light - it doesn't even need the cream sauce.

We also enjoyed a few more WDW dinners, including a stop at Flying Fish Cafe. Our appetizer choices were the beet salad and the Caprese salad, which the kitchen split for us. Both salads were flavorful and delicious, with the beet salad offering plenty of sweetness from the pecans and the blood orange vinaigrette.

The mozzarella & tomato starter was excellent as usual, and the tomatoes were particularly juicy.

My choice was the Fragrant Asian Spice-crusted Yellowfin Tuna Filet with Scallion-laced Bamboo Rice Cake, Stir-fry of Bok Choy, Salsifis, Snow Peas, Tiny Shiitakes, Sea Beans and Sesame with a Lemongrass-Ginger-Kaffir Lime and Coconut Dashi Infusion.

This dish was delicious. "Fragrant" really is the perfect word to describe it - everything had so much flavor, the fish was cooked well, and the sauce was delectable. This was probably my favorite entree I've had at Flying Fish.

Another night, we dined at Grand Floridian Cafe. I ordered an Asian-style salmon dish, and while it was relatively simple (especially compared to my Flying Fish entree), it was still a satisfying plate of food. The rice was topped with crunchy bites that tasted like wasabi, and the veggies (green beans and mushrooms) were delicious as well.

At GFC, we actually ran into a manager that we'd first met at Narcoossees in July 2012. She doesn't normally work at GFC anymore, but she was filling in for someone else that night - it was such a nice surprise to see her again! We asked her not to do anything special for us (since we knew we didn't need more dessert). Instead, she cleverly brought us some fruit.

It was the seasonal berry gratin from Citricos, complete with a Couverture Chocolate crown (also from Citricos)! The berries and Champagne-Grand Marnier sabayon were delicious together, and the chocolate crown didn't go to waste.

Overall, GFC is a restaurant that I really enjoy, even ignoring the surprise we received.

Our last dinner was at Sanaa, where we split the bread service with all 9 accompaniments. This is always a standout, as the accompaniments pack so much flavor. I especially enjoyed the spicy ones (the three on the left), as well as the coriander chutney and the coconut chutney.

The seasonal butternut squash soup was also a great appetizer, with extra flavor from the spiced cottage cheese and pumpkin seeds in the middle.

For my main course, I chose the Spicy Durban Chicken and Spicy Durban Shrimp with multigrain pilaf. This was exactly what I felt like: spicy, warm, and filling.

My mom was also happy with her choice - the sustainable fish (corvina). It looked good, but I was getting too full from mine to try any!

Sanaa was a solid last meal before our flight the following morning. It's only been a few days, but I'm already missing WDW dearly. I'm hoping we'll go back soon, though. With Spice Road Table opening on Saturday (according to Disney Food Blog), there's already something new for us to experience!

 

[DaisyNY]

Great photos and reviews...never tried Sanaa...looking at the yummy pictures, I am going to need to do so!

 

[jerseytinkerbell]

Thanks so much! Missed the snowstorm but am back in Philly right now. It's a bit chilly, but the cold never bothered me anyway. (That's a total lie, but I'm listening to Frozen's soundtrack right now and wanted to use that line.) Speaking of which, Frozen's soundtrack just hit #1 on the Billboard album chart! It's the first soundtrack from a Disney animated film to do so since Pocahontas, and it's perfect timing (considering these temperatures).

Don't even get me started on the Frozen soundtrack! I am obsessed!

Glad you missed the bad weather. I will be in Philly a little more than a week from now to partake in an evening of dining during Restaurant Week. We will be having dinner at Twenty Manning Grill, which is one of my favorites. Unfortunately our new work schedules are only going to allow for one meal during Restaurant Week, but I hope you get the chance to enjoy it this month!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Great photos and reviews...never tried Sanaa...looking at the yummy pictures, I am going to need to do so!

Thanks so much for reading! Sanaa is definitely worth a try, as it's easily one of the best 1-credit dining locations at WDW.

Don't even get me started on the Frozen soundtrack! I am obsessed!

Completely understandable - I've already watched this scene way too many times. Kristen Bell is also delightful as Anna - I actually like her singing voice more than Mandy Moore in Tangled!

Oops - I didn't mean to get you started.

Glad you missed the bad weather. I will be in Philly a little more than a week from now to partake in an evening of dining during Restaurant Week. We will be having dinner at Twenty Manning Grill, which is one of my favorites. Unfortunately our new work schedules are only going to allow for one meal during Restaurant Week, but I hope you get the chance to enjoy it this month!

Enjoy your meal at Twenty Manning Grill! Restaurant Week is such a great deal (and it happens twice a year!), so I'm hoping to partake in it at least once or twice.

 

[Disney_Mama]

Great pictures and reviews. Thanks for sharing.
That jalapeno roll at Kimonos is on my list for must try.

 

[pumba]

thanks so much for your great reviews and great photos...I, being from Maine, also know a yucky looking lobster roll when I see it...to much mayo is the right way to say it...
We love the mini donuts from Typhoon Lagoon...I always ask for no sugar on them and THEN they taste like my grandmothers many years ago...they are delicious..
Earl of Sandwich is another great fast food...we always make sure we go there and enjoy them..

Thanks so much again for your reviews..

 

[vettegirl]

The Wave breakfast buffet looks so nice and healthy compared to some of the other buffets out there! I also really enjoyed your Sanaa review and the picture of all 9 chutneys! Sanaa was our last meal too of our trip back in September and it remains one of my favorite restaurants at WDW.

 

[goofy78]

Hi DDW! I love reading all your reviews, long or short! I would like to ask your opinion since you have eaten at so many different restaurants and seem to be
adventurous with trying new things as am I and DH. Thinking about dining at Jiko for the first time and would like to know your opinion. We are only going for three nights. The other two nights we were thinking V&A and FF. We have been to FF and loved it but have not been to V&A. With only three nights, we are looking for something that we would not ordinarily eat especially with no kids this trip. Thanks!

 

[smile4stamps]

Wonderful pictures and reviews as always Mr. DDW! I never got around to trying any of the holiday treats around Epcot and am sad about that!

That chicken Torta from La Cantina looked AWFUL! I would be ashamed to be serving such a thing!

The lobster rolls all looked interesting... I've actually only ever had one lobster roll and it was from Disneyland so I would have no idea how it compares.

I'm glad you were able to fit time in for a holiday trip! It's a special time of the year at WDW!

Happy New Year to you! (Yes I'm late! Sorry!)

 

[alex9179]

I just wanted to chime in and thank you for your reviews. They are nicely complete, with why you enjoy something or not. I've relied on your judgement quite a few times, keeping in mind that individual experiences are just that.

Thank you! Never stop

 

[Quin]

Really, Mr. DoleWhip. Was it really necessary to include that link to Elsa's "Let It Go"?

Do you know how much time I've wasted today watching that one song? I had some vacation time to use up before Christmas, so on a day DH was also off work we snuck off to an afternoon matinee of Frozen and I was absolutely smitten with it.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Great pictures and reviews. Thanks for sharing.
That jalapeno roll at Kimonos is on my list for must try.

The jalapeño roll was really good, even though it wasn't very spicy. I'm glad you enjoyed the reviews!

thanks so much for your great reviews and great photos...I, being from Maine, also know a yucky looking lobster roll when I see it...to much mayo is the right way to say it...

Since you're from Maine, I can't imagine that any of WDW's lobster rolls would be worth trying. All that mayo still doesn't stop me from ordering the lobster rolls (even though I think mayo is disgusting), so my standards clearly aren't the highest.

We love the mini donuts from Typhoon Lagoon...I always ask for no sugar on them and THEN they taste like my grandmothers many years ago...they are delicious..

Those donuts really were enjoyable - very cool to know they compare decently to your grandmother's! I'll have to try them without the sugar sometime - that's a good idea.

Earl of Sandwich is another great fast food...we always make sure we go there and enjoy them..

Now I can see why EoS is so popular - very good sandwiches at reasonable prices! I'm looking forward to returning and trying something else (but I'd be perfectly happy with the Caprese again).

Thanks so much again for your reviews..

Thanks for the kind comments!

The Wave breakfast buffet looks so nice and healthy compared to some of the other buffets out there! I also really enjoyed your Sanaa review and the picture of all 9 chutneys! Sanaa was our last meal too of our trip back in September and it remains one of my favorite restaurants at WDW.

The Wave's breakfast buffet has been one of my favorite WDW breakfasts since it began around January 2011 (Boma is probably #1, with Captain's Grille and The Wave rounding out my top 3). Agreed - it has plenty of lighter options, and it's only a short walk away from Magic Kingdom!

Sanaa's bread service with all 9 chutneys is amazing - it's one of the reasons why we haven't done lunch there recently (since lunch doesn't have the option to do all 9). Otherwise, the food seems to be similar (aka very good) during both meals.

Hi DDW! I love reading all your reviews, long or short! I would like to ask your opinion since you have eaten at so many different restaurants and seem to be
adventurous with trying new things as am I and DH. Thinking about dining at Jiko for the first time and would like to know your opinion. We are only going for three nights. The other two nights we were thinking V&A and FF. We have been to FF and loved it but have not been to V&A. With only three nights, we are looking for something that we would not ordinarily eat especially with no kids this trip. Thanks!

Even though we don't love everything on Jiko's menu at any given time, it's still one of our favorites at WDW (probably in our top 2) and I'd recommend trying it. My mom is actually South African, and we love that Jiko often incorporates flavors that remind us of the food there (as well as other parts of Africa). For example, the grilled wild boar appetizer is like an upscale take on "pap and wors" (a South African dish I used to love). While most of Jiko's dishes aren't too "out there" in terms of flavors, many of the dishes are interesting and worth a try.

Although I have to admit, it still pains me that their most popular dish is steak with mac n' cheese...years after removing mac n' cheese from the adult menu.

Whichever restaurants you choose, I hope you enjoy them!

Wonderful pictures and reviews as always Mr. DDW! I never got around to trying any of the holiday treats around Epcot and am sad about that!

Don't worry, I don't think you missed much. The only holiday snack I absolutely loved was the gingerbread ice cream at L'Artisan des Glaces, and their other flavors are also great!

That chicken Torta from La Cantina looked AWFUL! I would be ashamed to be serving such a thing!

Yeah, that sandwich was an embarrassment. Interestingly, the bread was perfect for a torta, but everything else ruined it.

The lobster rolls all looked interesting... I've actually only ever had one lobster roll and it was from Disneyland so I would have no idea how it compares.

I'm not sure what DL's lobster roll is like, but I think WDW's lobster rolls could be better. A butter-based version would be amazing if the lobster was fresh enough...but it might turn people off the mayo-based versions that are everywhere else. At least some of the mayo-based ones are decent.

I'm glad you were able to fit time in for a holiday trip! It's a special time of the year at WDW!

Happy New Year to you! (Yes I'm late! Sorry!)

Happy New Year to you too, Paula! And yes, the holiday season is definitely one of the nicest times to be at WDW (although it would've been even better if we could've gone a few weeks earlier).

I just wanted to chime in and thank you for your reviews. They are nicely complete, with why you enjoy something or not. I've relied on your judgement quite a few times, keeping in mind that individual experiences are just that.

Thank you! Never stop

I'm glad you like the 'completeness' factor in my reviews. I feel like the explanations are probably the most helpful part, since something that's "amazing" to me can be "terrible" to someone else, and vice versa. At least the attributes of a meal are relatively objective (such as the fact that Boma offers more vegetables than a typical WDW breakfast buffet, or the amount of mayo on those lobster rolls).

Really, Mr. DoleWhip. Was it really necessary to include that link to Elsa's "Let It Go"?

Do you know how much time I've wasted today watching that one song? I had some vacation time to use up before Christmas, so on a day DH was also off work we snuck off to an afternoon matinee of Frozen and I was absolutely smitten with it.

Sorry about that, but once the conversation shifted to cold weather, I couldn't resist the opportunity to discuss Frozen. Tonight, it became the first film from Walt Disney Animation Studios to win the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film! Pixar has won the award almost every year, so it's nice that Disney Animation has caught up with Pixar recently.

You can probably tell that I also enjoyed the movie. I've seen it twice in theaters, and I know someone who's actually seen it 5 times! (She's not an extreme Disney fan, but Frozen still won her over.)

 

[TX Momof2]

I love reading all your reviews! I'm visiting Artist Point in a few weeks and hope your dish is still on the menu! Yummy!