I haven't been this excited about my birthday since I turned 21! COMPLETE

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

Hi Rachel! Have you already taken your summer trip? If so, how was it? Did you enjoy your first stay at the Wilderness Lodge?

Anyway, I definitely recommend that you give the Scotch egg a try. Even my son (a very picky eater) enjoyed it.

Barb,

Thanks so much for asking about our trip. We had a great time and LOVED the WL! It's probably my favorite MK resort now. Hoping to do a DR if I can get myself motivated because we had mostly good meals this trip.

Loved your Le Cellier review. I haven't been back since they took my beloved burger off the menu. But the green pea risotto looks interesting to me as I wasn't a fan of the mushroom risotto either.

 

[Avery&Todd]

fabulous review Barb!!

I'm all torn up about what "steak" dinner to book for our trip next June (even though I do have 11 months to ponder it...)

We ate at Yachtsman last time and LOVED it, but I've heard soooo many folks complaining that they're having issues..

and we haven't been to Le Cellier since our first trip in 2009....

BUT, I am NOT a fan of pea risotto...do you think I can order the mushroom one intead???

I have a feeling that LC might eek out Y by a hair for the next trip....

and that soup is so darn tasty too!

 

[Couchy]

Great review Barb. I love steak but it is too heavy for me at lunch. How did it compare to the steak at Shula's?

 

[BlackSwan]

BUT, I am NOT a fan of pea risotto...do you think I can order the mushroom one intead???

The filet mignon is now served with spinach & bacon risotto, parmesan butter sauce, heirloom tomatoes, and micro greens. The mushroom and pea risottos are both gone.

I seriously doubt that they can or will accommodate requests to make the mushroom risotto to order. It takes almost 40 minutes to make from scratch and needs to be attended. Even one request would back up an already busy kitchen.

 

[vettegirl]

Nice review of LC. I would go back for a bowl of soup, but my hubby doesn't want to go back because of the removal of those delicious potatoes. Maybe if I do a future trip with just out son I will go back alone. However info have the soup recipe and made it one time and it was spot on. However making it at home you realize how fattening it is hahHa!

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[jabead]

I have to say, though, that dessert menu looks really good to me. I'd love to try the citrus-olive oil cake or Meyer lemon curd torte!

I think my mind was already set on something else, so I probably didn't give the dessert menu a fair shake.

Barb,

You have me intrigued about the Not Live reporting. Do I post direct or send the entries to you? I looked at the thread and have seen both.

I like the idea of highlights too. My sister and I tend to return to old favorites. That way, I could focus on new items!

--Rosemary
AKA pennyplanner

If you have a Photobucket account (or another free photo hosting site) then feel free to post your highlight reviews and photos directly to the thread. But if not then you can email them to me and I can help you out.

I too mourn the loss of the cream cheese mashed potatoes, they were addictive!

Another thing we have in common, Carol. Weren't those mashed potatoes heavenly? Luckily they aren't difficult to make, so once I found the recipe online I started making them at home.

So glad your lunch at le Cellier didn't succumb to the yachtsman curse. Your steak looks heavenly and what a novel concept to cook it as you requested ; ) can't wait to see what French goodies await

I'm really hoping that the curse is broken during my next visit to YSH in October, since it was once one of my WDW favorites.

Your LCD is making me hungry! I'd be willing to try a new risotto, but I told you about my love affair with mushrooms in general....

Mushrooms were not totally absent from this dish, as there were some in the delicious sauce that topped the filet.

My October planning is going well. We have our La Hacienda ressie and I can't wait to share a margarita with you. I have ressies for all but one day, though I am sure they will change before the trip. They always do. I have my tickets for the food and wine classic on October 31. Do you think people will dress up that night?

Ready for more of your reviews.

I assume that you mean "in costumes" and not in dresses and heels. I actually hadn't even thought about this possibility and since this has never been held before on Halloween there isn't any previous experience to go by.

Your entree looks really fabulous ... And overall a great meal : ) I haven't been there in years so I might just add it for our next stay ... I have a few reservation I'm not sure of at this point, but still time to make changes of course! A great day at Epcot : )

I would say that you should go ahead and make your ADR (since this is still a fairly popular restaurant) and then take a look at the online menu when its closer to the time of your trip. If nothing appeals to you, then cancel your ADR and try another restaurant.

Barb,

Thanks so much for asking about our trip. We had a great time and LOVED the WL! It's probably my favorite MK resort now. Hoping to do a DR if I can get myself motivated because we had mostly good meals this trip.

Loved your Le Cellier review. I haven't been back since they took my beloved burger off the menu. But the green pea risotto looks interesting to me as I wasn't a fan of the mushroom risotto either.

Glad to hear that you had a great trip and enjoyed your stay at the Wilderness Lodge. Oh, and I totally agree with you about the LC burger...sooo good!!!

fabulous review Barb!!

I'm all torn up about what "steak" dinner to book for our trip next June (even though I do have 11 months to ponder it...)

We ate at Yachtsman last time and LOVED it, but I've heard soooo many folks complaining that they're having issues..

and we haven't been to Le Cellier since our first trip in 2009....

BUT, I am NOT a fan of pea risotto...do you think I can order the mushroom one intead???

I have a feeling that LC might eek out Y by a hair for the next trip....

and that soup is so darn tasty too!

Since they have already changed the risotto again, I have a feeling that this is something that they will be changing frequently. Hopefully it will be to one of your liking if you end up choosing Le Cellier for your June trip.

Great review Barb. I love steak but it is too heavy for me at lunch. How did it compare to the steak at Shula's?

Sorry Beth, you will just have to wait for my Shula's review for the answer to that question.

The filet mignon is now served with spinach & bacon risotto, parmesan butter sauce, heirloom tomatoes, and micro greens. The mushroom and pea risottos are both gone.

I seriously doubt that they can or will accommodate requests to make the mushroom risotto to order. It takes almost 40 minutes to make from scratch and needs to be attended. Even one request would back up an already busy kitchen.

This answer sounds like it is from someone who knows the inner-workings of the kitchen. I would have just said that a substitute (unless it was a side dish listed on the current menu or something which accompanied another entree) would probably not be possible but your answer and logical explanation was much more informative.

Nice review of LC. I would go back for a bowl of soup, but my hubby doesn't want to go back because of the removal of those delicious potatoes. Maybe if I do a future trip with just out son I will go back alone. However info have the soup recipe and made it one time and it was spot on. However making it at home you realize how fattening it is hahHa!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

Ahh...so Peter is another fan of the cream cheese mashed potatoes? Have you ever made them at home? I can personally vouch for this recipe on AllEars. http://allears.net/din/rec_ccmp.htm

 

[jabead]

I passed on having dessert at Le Cellier because I was craving something in particular for dessert...



No Way Jose (smaller version with only 2 scoops of ice cream)
Peanut Butter and Hot Fudge delight featuring Chocolate and Vanilla Ice Cream, Peanut Butter and Chocolate Morsels, Whipped Cream, & a Cherry

I didn't make it to Beaches & Cream for this delicious sundae during my December 2013 trip, so I was determined to get there this time. Sadly though when I left the windowless cellar I found that it was still raining outside. So my plan to walk to Beaches & Cream at the Beach Club (and hopefully walk off some of my lunch to allow room for this rather large dessert) was thwarted by Mother Nature...again!

I decided that I needed to downsize, both on my dessert choice and the distance that I would have to walk in the rain in order to obtain it. So where can one get ice cream when you are in the UK (as I had to stop in at the Crown and Crest for some shopping )?





One answer would be, across the pond in France at...




L'Artisan was pretty busy so I didn't want to hold up the line by taking photos. But even if I had, I'm sure my photos would not have been as great as this one recently taken by DonaldDoleWhip and posted on the No Longer Live Thread...



Photo credit to DonaldDoleWhip

As the previous host of the Live Thread, I saw many photos of the L'Artisan offerings but this one with the Mickeys is my all-time favorite. Great photo, DDW!!



And speaking of Mr. DoleWhip, on my first visit to L'Artisan in Dec. 2013 I copied an idea that he presented to us on the Live Thread and tried the...



Coupe Arrosee (name per my receipt) - Pineapple Sorbet, Coconut White Chocolate Ice Cream, and Rum

Though I love pina coladas, sadly this did not do it for me. I regretted my choice even more when I saw Rachel's (rachel09985) report from her visit to L'Artisan during our December DISmeet trip. And so, this time I copied Rachel and had the...



Croque Glace - Any flavor ice cream in a warm brioche with chocolate or raspberry sauce (I chose vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce)

Sadly, just like with the "pina colada-like" martini, I was disappointed with this. While I liked the ice cream and I liked the brioche, I didn't like eating ice cream and bread together. The flavor/texture combination just seemed weird to me.


So I have yet to find my Holy Grail of L'Artisan des Glaces, but my quest will no doubt continue during my October trip. Perhaps the third time will be the charm!


And now for a real life update...

Last week I noticed my daughter Emily's post on Instagram/Facebook asking if any of her friends were interested in spending the holiday weekend with her in Chicago. Since I have not seen my daughter since she moved to Chicago nearly a month ago for her summer internship, I was sad to learn that she was not planning to come home to celebrate the 4th with her family. Knowing that her mother's disappointment would probably not be enough to change her mind, I had to use a more powerful tactic. So I followed her Instagram post with one of my own ...



"I miss you Emily!"

And my "trick" did the trick...Emily is coming home tomorrow night. What can I say, a mother will do what she's gotta do to see her kids.

So anyway, I'll be taking some time off from the boards to enjoy the holiday weekend with my family. I'll be back with another update Sunday or Monday, but until then...

HAPPY 4th of JULY!!!​

Next up: A Visit to Karamell Kuche

 

[Couchy]

Barb

The puppy is growing up and still adorable. Glad the pic convinced Emily to visit

 

[Orph]

Faboulous review! Thank you for taking your time to do it!

 

[Linda67]

Oh Barb, Bailey is just adorable. No wonder Emily is heading home!
L'Artisan Glacé ..... Yummy!
In December they had a seasonal Gingerbread flavor that was AMAZING!
Honestly, I think their ice cream is so good, it's best enjoyed as just a regular scoop (or two, or three!)
I shall most certainly be heading there in October!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Aw, it's so nice to see that photo here. I'd never seen the ice cream Mickey heads before, so it was a cool surprise on the last day of my AP.

However, I'm sorry you were still disappointed with L'Artisan des Glaces. I agree with Linda - go for something simple next time! As fun as the combinations and 'gimmicky' treats can be, they don't always work for everyone. Even I found myself disliking the vanilla ice cream and pineapple sorbet together, but enjoying them separately (especially the pineapple).

Interestingly enough, my visit to Paris has seriously decreased my interest in certain WDW treats (such as many of the options at Les Halles - that napoleon is an even bigger insult than we first realized!), but I still think L'Artisan holds up surprisingly well.

 

[disney meema]

I'm more of a simple ice cream eater and not a fan of combining flavors. I have to say I don't think I would like the brioche ice cream sandwich either ... It looks so thick and like it would get mushy or ??? I love the picture of the Mickey head ice cream case before service starts so fabulous! I just got home from Las Vegas today and the ice cream case at Sugar in the Paris hotel was very similar in flavors ect. I went with a simple vanilla boring yet yum!!
And your puppy get cuter and cuter ... Nice touch sending your daughter a picture!

 

[vettegirl]

Thank you so much for the recipe link for the potatoes!!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[tdashgirl]

I'm really looking forward to your Shula's review! So far I have not been impressed with either LC or Yachtsman from various reviews

That black and cider looks fabulous. And what a perfect getaway from the rain.

 

[jabead]

Barb

The puppy is growing up and still adorable. Glad the pic convinced Emily to visit

While it was great celebrating the 4th at home with my family, it would have been even better if we had celebrated together at Disney World...like someone else I know.

Faboulous review! Thank you for taking your time to do it!

Thanks for reading and commenting, Orph!

Oh Barb, Bailey is just adorable. No wonder Emily is heading home!
L'Artisan Glacé ..... Yummy!
In December they had a seasonal Gingerbread flavor that was AMAZING!
Honestly, I think their ice cream is so good, it's best enjoyed as just a regular scoop (or two, or three!)
I shall most certainly be heading there in October!

Maybe you can come with me Linda and help me decide what to get???

Interestingly enough, my visit to Paris has seriously decreased my interest in certain WDW treats (such as many of the options at Les Halles - that napoleon is an even bigger insult than we first realized!), but I still think L'Artisan holds up surprisingly well.

Yes, after seeing your latest update from Paris on the No Longer Live Thread, I can now understand this statement.

I'm more of a simple ice cream eater and not a fan of combining flavors. I have to say I don't think I would like the brioche ice cream sandwich either ... It looks so thick and like it would get mushy or ??? I love the picture of the Mickey head ice cream case before service starts so fabulous! I just got home from Las Vegas today and the ice cream case at Sugar in the Paris hotel was very similar in flavors ect. I went with a simple vanilla boring yet yum!!
And your puppy get cuter and cuter ... Nice touch sending your daughter a picture!

Yes, I'm thinking I need to "simplify" my order the next time I go to L'Artisan.

Thank you so much for the recipe link for the potatoes!!!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

You're welcome, Lori! I decided that it had been too long since I'd made the cream cheese mashed potatoes and ending up making them over the holiday weekend. Yummy!

I'm really looking forward to your Shula's review! So far I have not been impressed with either LC or Yachtsman from various reviews

That black and cider looks fabulous. And what a perfect getaway from the rain.

Prior to my last two visits to YSH (Dec. '13 and April '14), it was my favorite of the three steakhouses and my second favorite WDW signature restaurant, behind only California Grill. Stay tuned to find out my current favorites.

 

[jabead]

I hope everyone had a great weekend!! Mine was quite nice, with all the makings of a great 4th of July...parade, fireworks, beautiful weather, lots of grilled meats, and two out of three of our kids home to celebrate with us. But now it's time to get back to my dining report, and next up is my visit to my favorite place at Disney World to purchase take-home treats...





When I first arrived at Karamell-Kuche it was not busy so I stopped to take a few photos of some of their delicious offerings.

First were caramel apples, both with nuts...




...and without.




I can personally attest to their deliciousness. Oh, and by the way, they will slice these for you to make them easier to eat and/or share.



Next is another snack that I have tried, but it wasn't really my favorite...



Chocolate-caramel covered pretzel rods


Then we have my son's Karamell-Kuche favorite...



Chocolate-caramel covered strawberries

You have a choice of either dark chocolate or milk chocolate.



And also my favorite KK treat...



Caramel Rolls with Marshmallow Cream



Here is one that I have yet to try...



Caramel filled Chocolate Cookie and German Chocolate Chip Cookie

The cookies are on my Wish list to try someday, along with the brownies (which I failed to photograph). But at the top of my list to try next time is this delicious looking treat...



Chocolate-caramel covered pineapple

I'm not sure about the chocolate and pineapple combination but these look so good that I think I'm going to have to risk it. Has anyone tried this? If so, I'd love to hear what you thought.


Anyway, about this time some people got in line behind me so I put my camera away and got down to the business of choosing my many take-home treats. I began with my standard choice...



My whole family loves Karamell-Kuche's caramel corn so I always bring home a large bag...this time I got two.


Another KK treat that my family enjoys is the...



Chocolate-caramel covered Rice Krispie Treat

These are pretty massive in size so I only got one for us share.


I also tried something new and got a few of these...



Chocolate-Covered Sea Salt Caramel

These were a big hit, especially with my DH.


Oh, and I of course got my favorite Caramel Roll...




Ok, ok...so I actually didn't get one of these. Nope, I got three...one each for me, myself and I. When I get home I always hide "my precious" caramel rolls and nibble on one whenever I am in dire need of a little taste of Disney. And yes, I realize that this behavior might remind you of a certain Lord of the Rings character...



But anyway, two months after my trip I still had one untouched caramel roll stashed away. But then a few days ago my DH finished off the last of his Father's Day candy and began searching our kitchen for something to satisfy his sweet tooth. And you guessed it, he found "my precious" last caramel roll!!!



Oh well, I guess I'm lucky that he didn't eat the whole thing.


So in conclusion, while I do love Karamell-Kuche, I must admit that I always get a case of "sticker shock" when I pay my bill. This time was no exception. Luckily I did remember to show my Annual Pass, so with my 10% AP discount the damage to my credit card this time came to $34.92.
​

And if I haven't scared you off with my caramel roll obsession...

Next up: Dinner at Flying Fish Cafe

 

[kastoney]

Glad your 4th was great and your daughter got to come home.

I'm dying to try the brioche ice cream sandwich next visit but hadn't ready thought about the odd texture. Hopefully I like it, will have to see.

Great pics of all the caramel offerings. I'd never noticed the caramel creams before and now have a must do next trip. I'm a sucker for the goetzs variety so I can't fathom how good these must be. I'm also a big fan of the popcorn, but didn't love the salted caramel. This is usually one of my favs but last trip found that the caramel wasn't actually salted and it only had salt on top of the chocolate.

 

[PelletierBears]

I've been really enjoying your reviews!

I love the chocolate covered pineapple. It's messy though!! Make sure you have lots of napkins on hand. Kona Cafe has a desert... forget the name... a dish of melted chocolate, fresh fruit and a macaroon to dip. I always ask for extra pineapple instead of the macaroon! A delicious combo

 

[emmysmommy]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed your Holiday weekend - WITH your Emily present. Nice work with your bribery tactics!

I've missed that mushroom filet the last few trips to Le Cellier. As much as I love the mushroom risotto I wouldn't mind the pea version since I love peas. That pretzel bread just isn't the same without the soup.

I've found more than a few things that I completely justify leaving a little poorer at Karamel Kuche. Like those sea salt caramels and the caramel brownies. Oh man, I can feel a craving coming on!

 

[disney meema]

Yum those chocolate Carmel covered pretzels & marshmallow caramels look delicious a fun store for sure : ) I honestly don't remember going in that store and I'm sure I must have? So happy most of your kiddos were home fro the fourth ... Family, fireworks and grilled meat make it a perfect day : )