June 4 - 11, DDP dining...Insert catchy title...NOW With PICTURES!

[cosmicrays]

wonderful reviews sa far.

 

[queenmum2]

I used to know how to hyperlink my posts in my initial thread post, but I can't for the life of me remember how to do it... I know as a review reader, I appreciate being able to click on the link and get to the restaurant I'm interested in...

Any help?

Tracie

Never mind...it came back to me...

T

 

[gardengirl628]

Count me in! Enjoying your reviews!

 

[eventamy]

Great reviews! I can't wait to see how you liked Spoodles (our favorite last time) and Sci -fi!

 

[queenmum2]

So the one place DD REALLY wanted to go this trip was back to Whispering Canyon Cafe. See, I wanted the family to have a hand in the planning, so I asked each one which ONE restaurant they wanted to be sure to go to. Boma was high on DH and DS's lists (mine too), but DD's first and ONLY request was - and I quote - "KETCHUP!!!!".

Sadly, I ended up scratching DH and DS's other requests (Coral Reef and Les Chefs); but somehow, DD won out and we made an ADR for WCC. We'd been to WCC once before and I liked it OK, but I was not really interested in returning. Nonetheless, the rest of the family was gung ho so we went.

This was another place that had a long check-in and a wait past our ADR time. No worries - the kids really enjoyed the Lincoln Logs table (funny - I got Lincoln Logs for the kids one Christmas after they had enjoyed them at the WCC in 06, and the never played with them...).

We experienced a "magical meltdown" of another Mom while waiting here...apparently they wanted to dine at WCC but didn't have a reservation. Upon being told it would be 9:30 before there was an available seating, the Mom jerked her kids out of the place exclaiming "where does anyone get FOOD around here? What the H*^^!" (That phrase became an inside joke between DH and I, by the way, whenever we experienced any level of frustration...)

Anyway, while waiting to be seated, we watched some shenanigans in the restaurant - two brothers were graduating HS, and the whole family was there celebrating. The MC had these two boys up front doing some kind of routine where they stood up whenever a word started with b, then sat down at the next occurance of a b word. Eventually the whole restaurant was obligated to participate.

When we were finally seated, our server Bree did the straws and napkins routine (I actually missed that while I was in the bathroom). We ordered drinks: milkshakes for the kids (which I asked to be brought out WITH dinner rather than before), sweet tea for DH and unsweetened tea for me. Last time, we ordered milkshakes all around and were almost full before our dinner even came. Tyler had ordered vanilla and Sarah had ordered chocolate...when they came out, both were chocolate. That was "error" number one. Our server was quite entertaining, but there were several lapses in service - that was just the first.

DD ordered the kids burger with fries and a salad. Apparently, she ordered that ONLY so that she could ask for ketchup! For the rest of us, we ordered the skillet. I had soooo planned on ordering something else from the menu -- but with the DDP not including an appy, and me wanting a salad, well - it just worked out better to order the skillet.

The salad was really tasty. Then the skillet came. There's no sausage this time - I don't know when the sausage was cut, but that was fine by me. I prefer breakfast sausage, anyway. There was pulled pork (very tasty), beef brisket (tasty, but not terribly tender), ribs (a mixed bag) and roasted chicken (pretty good). There was also cornbread, corn "niblets" and mashed potatoes and beans.

The ribs were hit or miss. DH and DS both got some to start and DH said that they were really good - fall off the bone tender. I got some and they were really tough. The pulled pork was really tasty, and the chicken was almost a tad bit dry, but very flavorful. The mashed potatoes were really, really good. The beans were not really my favorite...I like beans, but the seasoning on these was just not my cup of tea. The corn niblets looked like those mushy ones from the freezer section...but they weren't mushy at all. They tasted good and were crisp - like fresh corn. I actually ate seconds on the corn because DS couldn't eat his (braces...).

DD's burger was gone in a flash - I guess she liked it. But she didn't like the fries for some reason (DS took care of them for her). She ate all of her salad, so I wasn't going to complain about not finishing her fries. Surprisingly, when it was time for dessert, she declined to order dessert. Bree gamely suggested that she might just want some cookies or something, but DD said "No thanks". Bree then said that she would "come to the table and eat the cookies in front of her." But, again, Sarah said she didn't want dessert. (I briefly considered whether DD was sick -- she almost never turns down sweets!). DH ordered the apple caramel pie, DS ordered the same and I picked the bourbon pecan pie. We were all so full that we really shouldn't have ordered dessert, but we wanted to taste it anyway.

When Bree brought out our desserts, she made good - bringing out a bowl with two cookies on it and placing it at DD's place. DD, meanwhile, had returned to the Lincoln Logs at the entrance, so DS went to get her. Bree pulled up to the table and started (very dramatically) eating DD's cookies. Fortunately, DD REALLY didn't want the cookies and was entirely amused at the server eating at her place.

THe apple caramel pie was really good. The bourbon pecan pie was pretty good, but the bourbon flavor was a little more than I liked.

All around, it was a pretty tasty meal. Not the best we had at WDW, but not the worst by far. However, I'm still not enamored of this place. It seems that the antics have been kicked up a bit. WE sang happy birthday, which as fine. But TWICE we were entreated to stand up and do the hokey pokey. We just wanted to eat our dinner! The kids did the stick-pony race (and there was no wooden nickle this time as there was in '06). The ketchup thing was way over the top -- when the ketchup came to us, the bottles completely filled up our table AND there was a case of ketchup in a box that had to be carried to the next table as well. Then there was the crayon thing...first of all, DD didn't get crayons to start with so we were puzzled when the announcement came that everyone should bring one purple crayon to table "x" because princess needed a purple crayon. After hearing that announcement a couple of more times, we realized that we were supposed to have some crayons. Sarah requested crayons and Bree shouted for everyone to bring one crayon of every color to our table. Buckets of crayons showed up. This led DS to suggest that she should shout that every table should bring a DOLLAR. Which led to a humorous exchange with another table: the kids at that table "made" a dollar bill and brought it over, then DD "made" money and took it to them...this went back and forth for a bit before that table left. Anyway - what I'm saying is that it was difficult to actually EAT dinner here with all the interruptions.

One complaint I had was with the service. Our server -despite being fun and personable - totally dropped the ball with drink refills. I drank my tea fairly quickly as I was thirsty...and our meal was kind of salty so I needed more to drink. Twice she came by and promised to bring tea, but never did. Then when she took our dessert order, she asked if we needed anything else. Tea, please! She finally brought out my tea refill (regular size..not the huge one I had last time and saw at another table this time) after our desserts were delivered. It took a bit long to get the bill and have it returned for signature, too.

So - in closing:

Food:
Atmosphere: (ok, but over the top)

Tracie

 

[queenmum2]

Day 4 - Sunday - was our first trip ever to Typhoon Lagoon (I'll write up our CS lunch in another post). What great fun we had there...until lightning forced our exit. Good thing, actually, because bus service the way it is (it took over 30 minutes for the bus to come - one came and left without stopping!; then we had to stop at the Contemporary first), we might not have made it on time to Spoodles. After quick showers, we hoofed it over to the TTC and took the monorail over to EPCOT. We blazed through EPCOT to the WS and from there picked up a boat over to the Boardwalk.

We got to Spoodles more or less on time and were seated within 10 minutes (enough time for the kids to drool over all the candy in the shop ajoining). Our server was Sandy - she was personable and did a great job overall.

Atmosphere-wise, Spoodles isn't anything really special. I get almost a Shoney's or Cracker Barrel vibe - minus the vinyl seats. OK it's not that bad. I just don't really "get" the theme here. Given that it's on the Boardwalk, I could easily see it having a white iron and marble soda-fountain vibe; or being that it is a mediteranean menu, I could see it with lots of green plants and white table cloths. But the wood floors and tables just make me think of "down home" cooking.

Now on to the dining: To start with, Billy and I ordered cocktails (our first of the trip!): Billy got the "Mysterious....something or other" which had a glow cube. I got the "Mediteranean Sunrise" or somesuch, which didn't have a glow cube. Both drinks were excellent...mine was fruity and delicious; his was tart and tangy. The cube was a huge hit with the kids (and later proved to be a marvelous nightlight for our dark bathroom at the Poly).

For entrees, DD ordered the kids pizza with salad. DS ordered the Lemon-Garlic Shrimp Linguini. DH ordered the Braised Lamb Shank with parmesan polenta. And I ordered the Snapper with Israeli couscous. I had been dreaming of this dish ever since DH had it in '07. I was so torn...other things sounded so good, but I knew I'd probably be unhappy with myself if I didn't order the snapper. For drinks, DD ordered a milkshake and DS ordered a tropical smootie - once again, I asked for them to be brought out WITH the meal instead of before, and this was accomodated.

DD enjoyed her pizza and salad. DS seemed to like his linguini well enough, but he couldn't finish it. I tasted it and it was really good. My fish was really delicious: cooked perfectly (tender and juicy, not even a touch dry) and seasoned well. I also adored the greens on top and the couscous, which was in a seasoned tomato broth. I'm glad I ordered it, since whenever we go next to WDW, Spoodles will be no more. DH's dish won the prize, though. The lamb had been cooked all day, according to Sandy, and was so tender it was falling off the bone. The polenta was creamy and delicious as well. The kids both tasted it - and my fish - and thought both were yummy, too.

Once again, we had no business ordering dessert. But since it came with the meal (yes, yes...wasteful, I know), we ordered. DD ordered the make-your-own dessert "pizza" which was a good-sized sugar cookie with little dishes of cherry compote "sauce", white chocolate "cheese" and sliced strawberry "pepperoni". It was cute, and DD thoroughly enjoyed making it - but couldn't finish eating it. DH ordered the Marscapone Cheesecake with seasonal fruit (which was strawberries....alas, I'm allergic). I didn't want anything toooo sweet and rich, however since I'm allergic to strawberries and the sesame lemon pound cake didn't sound good to me...and the gelato of the day was something weird...I can't remember...I asked Sandy about the Semi-Fredo. She said it wasn't too sweet... DS ordered the Chocolate-Cherry Semi-Fredo after hearing Sandy's description.

Well, I found it to be too sweet. Now, DS loved it and actually ate some of mine. And maybe in another mood, or if I wasn't so full, I would enjoy it. But it really was too much for me. It was really cool looking: toasted merangue covered the outside, a silky chocolate mouse-like mass on the inside...it was like a bombe. It also had a wedge of dark chocolate - like a flag - stuck into the top. The chocolate had Spoodles written in gold leaf.

DH's cheesecake was light and delicious...probably what I should have ordered, minus the strawberries. A perfect ending to a delicious dinner.

I've heard mixed things about what will happen when Cat Cora takes over. I had heard that some of the more popular items on the menu would stay, and that some newer things on the menu now were dishes that were transitional - new things from the new menu that would stay. But when I asked Sandy, she said that when Kouzina (spelling?) opened, it would have an entirely new menu. So, I guess we'll see in a couple of months, right?

In conclusion:

Food: ++
Atmosphere:
"Libations": +

Next up...Sci-Fi Dine-In for lunch...

 

[queenmum2]

Great reviews! I can't wait to see how you liked Spoodles (our favorite last time) and Sci -fi!

Thanks, Amy ...in short, enjoyed them both very much...Spoodles is up and Sci-Fi will be next.

Tracie

 

[PrincessTrisha]

I really enjoyed your Spoodles review.

For the dessert - is there cherries in the dessert or is it just on the plate under the bombe?

The dessert sounds good but I can't eat cherries.

 

[queenmum2]

Here we are at Day 5 already...aaack...we're past the half-way mark! Today's schedule is EE at DHS, with lunch at Sci-Fi, then dinner at 'Ohana (which will be reviewed in a separate post).

As to the DHS part of the day, I had planned on having something small to eat for breakfast, then splitting something with DH for lunch. We were doing Sci-Fi OOP for one thing, and for another, I wanted us to be GOOD AND HUNGRY for 'Ohana. Alas, in actuality, I left the cereal bars back at the room; and once we got to DHS, the rush to do TSMM was the order of the day. (BTW - TSMM isAWESOME! - with standby and 2 FP, we managed to ride it three times and it never got boring!)

So by the time our 11:00 lunch at Sci-Fi came around - and we managed to FIND it again (DHS is the one Disney park I haven't mastered getting around) - we were all STARVING! Again, the line to check in was out the door and there were throngs of folks sitting in the check-in area waiting to be called. It does make me wonder about the restaurants over-booking... Anyway, when we finally got to check in, we were offered a "guaranteed" car if we were willing to wait a bit or we could sit immediately at a table. Since this was our first experience at Sci-Fi, we wanted the whole experience so opted for a car. I think we waited about 15 minutes (though, since we were so hungry it seemed like HOURS).

We were seated in a car to the left side of the screen. We hopped in - kids in the front, parents in the back - and studied the menu (in the dark...) to figure out what we wanted. I already knew what I wanted - in my research, I discovered that while the rest of the food was "hit or miss", the burgers were a safe choice. But I still wanted to look at the menu. Our server came around to take drink orders - cokes for DH and I, a shake to split for the kids (didn't want them filling up on milkshake). Our server...I can't remember her name...Lisa, maybe?...was nice enough to split the shake into two tall glasses so that there would be no fighting over who got more. Thanks!

DH, DS and I all ordered the Angus burger and fries, while DD ordered the kids hot dog, with salad and fries. The Angus burger comes with sauteed mushrooms and onions which was fine for DH and I; however DS doesn't like mushrooms, and strangely, he prefers raw onions to sauteed ones. So he made sure to tell our server that he wanted raw onions - and he also wanted mayo. Well, the mayo and onions came out a good bit before our meals did. At one point, DS groaned "When is our food going to come???" and DH jokingly said "Shut up and eat your mayonnaise and onions." I knew then that THAT would be a review title.

A word about ambience. What Chef Mickeys lacks in atmosphere, Sci-Fi has in spades. This place is worth it, just for the experience of being there. Now, I've never been to a drive-in movie in my life. Unfortunately, by the time I was coming up, there was only one drive in movie anywhere near my town and it showed only "adult" fare. But I've seen "Grease" and have a pretty good idea what it must have been like at the drive-in. When you walk into Sci-Fi, it is night. The "sky" is dark, with shining stars all around. The "cars" are all arrayed in semi-circular rows facing the screen. The screen shows some of the hokiest, mock-scariest, movie trailers and "futuristic" commercials I've ever seen. My only wish was that Disney owned the rights to the old Bugs Bunny "Marvin the Martian" cartoons, because those would have made the reel perfect. Our server merely walked around in shoes, but there was at least one server on skates. This place is a gold-mine of atmosphere and is totally worth it in my book.

Anyway, the food finally came and it was filling and delicious. I didn't taste DD's hot dog, but she devoured it so it must have been fine (and no grill marks). As hungry as we were, DH and I STILL could have split the burger and been entirely happy. As it was, we each ate MOST of our burger and many of our fries and then were terribly stuffed. DS ate half of his burger, then disassembled the rest of the burger and ate the meat and veggies, leaving the bun.

Service was a little slow here, but our server was nice and even took a photo of us in our car. I'll get pics posted a little later once DH is done downloading them (he took hundreds of pics!). Overall, I'm so glad we dined here. It was a really unique experience.

Food:
Ambience:

Next up: "Yes! We have no potatoes..." - our dinner at 'Ohaha.

 

[queenmum2]

I really enjoyed your Spoodles review.

For the dessert - is there cherries in the dessert or is it just on the plate under the bombe?

The dessert sounds good but I can't eat cherries.

There were cherries, in sauce, on the side. As far as the rest goes, I think it was only cherry flavor. Just to be safe, I'd ask the chef to come out. I'd hate not being able to eat cherries. Strawberry allergy is bad enough!

Are you going soon?

Tracie

 

[MickeyNicki]

We loved our Sci Fi lunch too, the atmosphere is the coolest we have seen at WDW, well that and Cali Grill (the view cannot be beat!)

 

[queenmum2]

We've never been to Cali grill...I hear marvelous things about it, but I just haven't bitten the bullet budget-wise. Maybe one day when the kids are grown (and hopefully WORKING at WDW!), DH and I can take a "seniors" trip.

Tracie

 

[queenmum2]

So it is Day 6 and we finally are going to eat at 'Ohana. We've peeked in many times on our way to the monorail, and been envious of those enjoying the restaurant. Today is OUR day to be envied...

Today we reached a breaking point with the kids jockying for position for EVERYTHING...who gets first in line...who gets to ride with Dad (or Mom...whoever is favored at the moment)...who gets to push the elevator buttons...who gets to open the door of the room...who gets to stand in whatever place seems most advantageous....seriously, it was fierce, and tonight was when DH and I really boiled over. I had gone to the bar for Lapu Lapu while DH waited in line (a looonnng line) to check in. DS came with me to ask for a Shirley Temple. I said I'd order it but he'd have to share with DD (who really doesn't like STs that much, so I didn't think it would be a problem). DD comes over and tries to occupy the same EXACT space DS is standing in. DS tries to recover his position...all the while, we're at the bar and folks are trying to order their drinks...I send DS and DD back with the Shirley Temple to where Dad is waiting in line and apparently the jockying takes on a new level as they fight over the cherries in the drink. DH checks us in, then jerks up our jerky kids and puts them in "time out" on separate benches, daring them to even LOOK at one another.

By this time, my Lapu Lapus are up and I'm toting two large pineapples out of the bar area. I don't know if it was the Lapu Lapu, the ambience of the bar or the fact that my kids were clammed up and out of earshot, but I soon had a "peaceful, easy feeling". After about 10 minutes, DH retrieved the kids who seemed to be at least a little chasened and willing to act like civilized human beings.

Let me tell you, the Lapu Lapu is my new favorite drink. It is quite tasty. DH and I ordered one more to share over dinner (though, truth be told, I probably got the lions share of that one).

We were finally buzzed to be seated, and our seats were in the back corner of the restaurant, away from the open grill and the entertainment. No problem, though, as the view from the window was gorgeous. The kids still hoofed it over for the different events: coconut races, limbo and hula dancing (Tyler wasn't up for that one). And the skewers of meat still made it around to us. It might have actually been better being away from the action, but having never been IN the action here, I cannot judge.

Our salad came out first and it was really delicious. I know - it is a SALAD...what can be special about that? But it was the combination of mixed greens (some sweet, some bitter) and the sweet dressing that was the knockout punch. Funny thing is, I make a honey balsamic dressing at home that is sweet and the kids don't like it. But they both devoured their salad and asked for more. The noodles, potstickers and wings came out pretty soon after the salad was delivered. I'll give my pronouncement on all three:

Noodles - yummy! Granted, I never had the potatoes so I can't compare; but I thought the noodles were very tasty.

Potstickers - at first they looked very dry as if they would be terribly tough and chewy. Well, they were kind of chewy, but the filling was GREAT.

Wings - not for me. The kids and DH seemed to like them well enough, but they were way too tough for my taste. I tried to eat just one and got only one morsel of meat off of it before throwing in the towel.

The vegetables came out and at first it looked like only broccoli, but as I dished it out, I found a couple of snow peas as well. The broccoli was cooked just like we like it - not mushy, but crisp-tender and well seasoned. The snow peas were nice an crisp too. DS LOVES broccoli and vowed to finish the whole bowl (and I seem to remember that he did).

Finally, the meats came around: beef and shrimp, then pork and turkey. I'll tell you that I was not very excited about grilled turkey, but as it turns out, it was really delicious. The beef was done a little more than I like it but it tasted good, and the shrimp were really good - especially with the different sauces ( I really can't pick a favorite...all were good in different ways). The pork was tender enough, but I thought the seasonings were too overpowering. As I said, the turkey was, for me, a stand-out.

As for the dessert: Let me start by saying that when I initially made this reservation, the dessert offering was off-putting to me. Neither my DH nor I are bread pudding fans - and since that is the case, I don't believe either of my kids have even had it. But I began to get excited about it as I had read reviews comparing the sauce to bananas foster which I have had once in my life and thought it absolutely divine! So it was with great anticipation that I tackled dessert. Unfortunately, I was really pretty full so I might not have enjoyed it as much as I otherwise might have. But it was tasty. Not exquisitly good, or even divine, but good. I think we all liked it pretty well, but we weren't licking the bowl, if you know what I mean.

I'll put up some photos as soon as I can get DH to do whatever he's going to do with them.

So in conclusion:

Atmosphere:
Food: +

and to answer the age-old question: YES, this is one place that we will feel compelled to return.

Tracie

Up next: Ticky Ticky Ticky Ticky Hoy! Hoy! Hoy! Big fun at Biergarten.

 

[queenmum2]

Day 6 (ACK! SIX?) brought us to EPCOT's Biergarten for fun, food, music and ...beer!

This was a new experience for us, because I am always in charge of the dining plans and I'm not a big fan of German food. However, in the spirit of trying new places (so far, we've gone two places we hadn't been: Chef Mickey's and 'Ohana for dinner), I put this one on the list. I'd also been nervous about dining at the Biergarten, not only because I feared the food would be too unfamiliar, but also because we were going in June and I feared the food would be way too heavy for the heat of the day.

But, my desire to try the Biergarten won out and we ventured over from the Poly. A transportation aside: getting to the EPCOT restaurants from the MK resort(s) isn't a real piece of cake. It took all week for us to figure out that we were better off WALKING over to the TTC - even from our long house which was clear on the other side of the Poly from the TTC (almost next door to the GCH and the monorail) - because taking the loop of the monorail took us all the way around the horn...once we get off at the TTC, the Poly is the next stop! That said, we forgot that this night and hopped on the monorail, rode it all the way around and got off at the TTC, transfered to the EPCOT monorail, made it through the turnstyles - no bags, so no bag check! and hoofed it around to Germany, which is almost smack-dab exactly on the other side of the WS lagoon from the WS pavillion.

Actually we had a little hold up on the way to Germany. We were walking over the footpath over to the WS when we noticed a small crowd gathering and a CM leaning over the railing. When we got there we noticed that there was a soft-shell turtle out of the water and digging furiously at the dirt right next to the railing. THe CM said that she (he?) had been working her way up from the pond for some time. I don't know much about these turtles, but here in Charleston, we have loggerhead turtles that lay eggs up in the sand dunes at the beach. In my mind, this was a she-turtle trying to find a suitable place to lay eggs; but since I know nothing about this kind of turtle, I may be way off base. Eventually, she (he?) seemed to recover her composure and trudged off back toward the pond and plunked back in.

So, now we're running late, so we're REALLY hoofing it around the WS. We arrive in Germany and the check in line is pretty short, though it seems that there are a fair number of folks waiting to be called. From check in to the time we're called is really short - maybe 7 minutes.

We were seated on the middle "tier" - not at the floor, but a couple of steps down from the buffet area. We are just to the right of the stage area. Much has been said about the table-sharing at the Biergarten. That didn't really bother me as we eat at the Japanese steakhouse often and sharing a table doesn't pose any problems there. And I was right. I guess no matter where you are (steakhouse or Biergarten) it's the luck of the draw and we COULD have gotten some awful people at our table. Luckily, we had a party of three adults who seemed to be here more on business than vacation. For example, they didn't seem to know that there were any rides at EPCOT. They were staying at one of the EPCOT resorts (probably the Swan or Dolphin) and had only seen the WS. They were nice enough - especially the woman, who politely endured the chattering of my talkative DS. They ate pretty quickly and paid and left before we had even had dessert.

Beverage wise: DH and I both ordered beer. He had the Spaten Optimater and I can't remember which one I had - maybe a Pilsner. I don't remember. The one thing I do remember is that I ordered the small and DH - being manly and all - ordered the large. Well, that large was HUGE. I'm pretty sure it was a liter.

So on to the food: In a word - delicious! I didn't eat much that was too foreign tasting. The cold cuts were reminiscent of bologna, the sausages were familiar tasting too. The salads were great, and while I hadn't planned on trying the wurst salad (weiner salad...that sounded just too weird), I was struck by a sudden desire to expand my horizons and try something outside my comfort zone. And it was decidedly delicious! Hmmm...maybe I DO like German food.

The potato leek soup was tasty and my DS begged me to get the recipe. The pork schnitzel - the one thing I figured would be familiar - was very dry. DH added a lot of the gravy (hunters sauce?) and said it was good. I did try some of the pork from the carving station and it LOOKED dry, but was actually good.

The pretzel bread was really good, too; and the kids thought the "EPCOT" butter balls were a hoot.

So we were pretty well done with eating when our server - Gesa - appeared. DH struck up a conversation, asking about the food and if it was really like back home in Germany. Gesa shared that she was from Northern Germany and the food here is more Southern. BUT, she said, one thing on the buffet reminds her of home - the herring salad. She said that it was a little different than her mom makes, but she likes it. She insisted that we try some and tell what we think. Well, the herring salad was probably the ONE German item on the bar that I had no intention of trying. But Gesa was so sweet and spoke so highly of it that I felt compelled to try some. I brought a small scoop back to the table and had a taste, and DH dipped his fork in for a taste as well. Sadly, I had a difficult time making the stuff go down my throat. I almost gagged on it. DH said it was OK - he didn't find it too bad. To be truthful, it was pretty close to our tuna salad - only the herring was in bigger chunks and was somewhat fishier - and the dressing was much sweeter than my tuna salad dressing. So that wasn't a successful try for me.

As to the kids overall opinions. DS didn't try a whole lot of things, but found plenty to eat. DD didn't try much at all - she did her patented "not hungry". I think she nibbled on an apple and some salad. Tried a bite of sausage, tasted (and liked) the soup, and ate some bread. She eventually ate a bit of some pudding, too.

Dessert-wise, we didn't try too much because...well...we were STUFFED. DS went and came back with VANILLA PUDDING and raved about it. He wouldn't rest until I tasted it. It was fine, not anything spectacular. We tried the chocolate mouse cake thingie with the berry sauce. Again, it was fine - not to die for - just OK. Maybe had we not been so stuffed, the dessert would have tasted better.

Now - onto the entertainment. The band was terrific and really put the place in a party mood. The first set was somewhat shorter than I expected, and during that first set, I was disappointed to see that nobody was out dancing. My crew are not trendsetters. However, by the end of the second set - after we were all really full - the dancing was in full swing and DD had invited DH out to the dance floor where they really cut a rug. I couldn't get DS to dance with me, though, so I stood back and took pics. Music-wise, there was plenty to choose from, and the alpenhorn really was something!

So - to recap:

Atmosphere:
Food:
Entertainment: +
Service: +

I'd return here in a heartbeat! And for the rest of the week, the kids enjoyed chanting the phrase from the song they sang: Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Hoy Hoy HOY!

Tracie

 

[dd50]

Sounds like you have picked some good places to eat. It is always nice to try different places as there are so many to choose from.

We are going to go to Sci-Fi and can't wait. My kids have never been to a Drive-In and it should be fun.

Thanks for the great reports.

 

[SuzieN]

I have the recipe for the potato leek soup from Biergarten if you're interested. My sons insisted I get the recipe too and Disney e-mailed it to me about 6 months after I requested it! I love it! Super easy and really, really delicious!!!

 

[queenmum2]

I have the recipe for the potato leek soup from Biergarten if you're interested. My sons insisted I get the recipe too and Disney e-mailed it to me about 6 months after I requested it! I love it! Super easy and really, really delicious!!!

My DS would be eternally grateful!

Tracie

 

[queenmum2]

So our last evening in WDW (sniff, sniff) found us heading over to Restaurant Marrakesh. Finally, we remembered to WALK over to the TTC from our hotel, then boarded the monorail to EPCOT. Of course, the heat had ratcheted up quite a few notches, so our walk was a sweaty one.

Once we arrived at Marrakesh, we waited about 5 minutes to be seated. Our table was on the highest tier, and we had a column in front of us, providing an obstructed view of the entertainment. This was a bit of a disappointment, but we could see some so we didn’t complain.

For drinks, DH and I decided we couldn’t pass up the Marrakesh Express. It was tropical and tasty…mine disappeared in a hurry! It didn’t top the Lapu Lapu at ‘Ohana, but it was very nice. DS tried the Moroccan Sunrise and thought it was good. DD stuck with milk.

Ordering here was more of an adventure than anywhere else we dined, since not every entrée was available on the DDP. Nonetheless, we managed to order as follows: DS ordered the beef kebabs, I got the Roast Lamb and DH decided to go with the upcharge ($4.95) to order what I *think* was the Night in Casablanca. The reason I’m unsure was that the waiter recommended a substitution – the lamb for the beef, since I was having lamb, to provide a broader taste experience for us. The other point of confusion is that there was some kind of lamb sausage which doesn’t appear on the menu description. Finally, DD ordered the Moroccan spaghetti.
I’d really been looking forward to the food here. We have this great Middle Eastern place in town that I’ve come to ADORE. Also, DH’s mother was Syrian/Lebanese and so he grew up eating lots of great Middle Eastern food (she passed away before I knew him). Unfortunately, the food was a big disappointment. My lamb was really tough, as was DS’s kebab (though he didn’t have a problem at all with the flavor). DH’s plate was more successful, only because of the beef substitution, as the beef was really tender and flavorful. The lamb sausage was not my favorite flavor profile. The couscous that came on both DH’s and my plates was very bland. DD didn’t like her spaghetti, though DS was able to eat most of it.

For dessert, DS and I ordered the Moroccan Symphony – a sampling of pastries and DH ordered the Bastilla, which was really huge. I think the Bastilla was the tastiest of all.

Entertainment-wise, we were again a little disappointed as the sets were really short and far between. A set had just started when we were seated, then left pretty shortly after that. After a fairly long absence, they entered again to play happy birthday and such for celebrants. Finally, they entered again right about when our dessert came. I had hoped we'd see more of the belly dancer.

So in closing:

Atmosphere: +
Food: (plus an extra for the beef)
Entertainmnt:

This is one restaurant we can cross off of future plans. Still, I'd like to try Tangierine as the food there seems more like my taste.

Tracie