Just got back from five awesome days at RPH. Enjoyed IOA/US and Seaworld.
Had some absolutely fantastic meals. Let me preface my reviews by sharing that I live an hour from Manhattan and dine in the city at least three times a month so i consider myself a bit of a food snob. I was a little concerned about the quality and price of meals in Oralndo, but ended up being pleasantly suprised. The trip was me 43 and my DS 11. Following are my reviews in no particular order:
Wed night- NBA City.
Atmosphere is good if you are a BBall fan. My son was in heaven as he lives and breathes basketball. There is a great arcade area for shooting baskets. The wait was posted as 40 minutes, but we showed our room key and were seated within 10 minutes.
Dinner for DS was a cheeseburger. This trend will continue through almost every review with one major exception. We decided on the sampler platter for an appetizer. Chix wings, quesidilias, and pecan crusted chicken fingers, with assorted sauces. Very tasty! For dinner I had the blue cheese pasta. It was a bit heavy, but very delicious. No room for dessert. Dinner with tip and AAA discount was $50.
Thursday night- Islands Dining Room at RPH
We had a busy day and night and were stuck looking for dinner around 9:30. We tried to get into Jake's (which had a more simple menu) but they were packed with a 30 minute wait, plus the sounds of the karioke were making my ears bleed. I don't find tone deaf 5 year olds singing Brittany Spears entertaining.
We walked into Islands and sat down. The restaurant is very spacious and has a real South Seas feel. The menu reflected that theming. Entrees were between $20-$30 which I felt was a bit steep. Son didn't see anything on the menu he would eat, so we left explaining to the hostess the problem. She promptly produced a kids menu. I guess I should have asked on the way in. DS had a cheeseburger. I had a bowl of soup which had a coconut milk base, infused with chilis and had lots of rock shrimp and fresh clams. Very light and full of flavor with just the right amount of spice. Dinner was NY strip steak on a bed of fried shoestring potatoes drizzled with a terriyaki reduction and crumbled gorganzola cheese. Managed to finish three quarters of it before giving up. Dinner with one Polynesian cocktail was $60. A good meal, but had problems justifying the price.
Friday night- Mythos
Before the trip I had resigned myself to the fact that I probably would not get a chance to eat here as I forgot to make reservations before I left. Friday afternoon there were wicked thunderstorms moving throught the area, and my son and I watched thousands of people streaming from the parks as i sipped my Maragrita on the porch of Jimmy Buffets. After an hour, the rain let up and we decided to go to IOA to ride the Hulk multiple times. The rain started again, but we picked up some ponchos and pressed on. Around 7pm we passed by Mythos. I figured with the weather that I would at least inquire about the wait. To my suprise the wait time was 30 minutes. We went across to see Posiedons Fury, and by the time we got back the table was ready.
Nothing can prepare you when you first walk into this restaurant. It is with out a doubt the most unique restaurant I have ever been in. The detailing is spectacular and I spent most of the meal staring around the room. I returned the next day just to take pictures, because verbal descriptions can't do justice.
I started to get nervous that maybe Mythos was all show and that the food would be average. Nothing could have been further from the truth. The meal was truly unforgetable. Started with the shrimp tempura sushi appetizer. WOW!!!! I would go back to Orlando just for this dish. The sushi was well prepared, but they dipped the entire roll in tempura batter and then cut in into pieces. It was served over a criss-cross of wasabi cream sauce and teriyaki sauce. The rice inside was barely warm and the sauces were the perfect compliment. What a unique concept. DS decided on an appetizer and settled on the wood-fired 4 cheese pizza. It had mozzarella, asiago, parmesean and brie. DS was disgusted by the brie so I had no choice but to pile it on my slice. The pizza was great.
Dinner for DS was...you guessed it cheeseburger. I had grilled Mahi with a citrus glaze. It was nice to eat something light for a change. The fish was perefectly cooked and beuatifully presented. For dessert we had something called warm gooey cake with bananas and peanut butter ice cream. Sugar overload but out of this world. I also treated myself to a glass of 100 year old Grand Marnier. Only on vacation would I spend $20 on an after dinner drink, but I am a hardcore Grand Marnier fan...and yes there was a big difference. Smooth barely begins to describe it. Dinner with tip was close to $100. I did not mind paying the check. The meal was amazing!!! On par with any dining in NYC. It was hard to believe when we left that we were in IOA. Go to this restaurant!!!!
Friday lunch- Shark's Underwater Grill - Seaworld
Had lunch surrounded by sharks. Totally cool!!! The food was aslo very good. DS had chicken fingers (finally sick of CB's). I had the conch chowder, spicy and filling. For lunch I had citrus grilled scallops seved over a vegetable napolean. The lunch was above average. The atomsphere is worth the ticket, but once again the food rose to the occasion. Make reservations ahead of time if you can. We got to the park when it opened, and by the time we rode Kraken and Atalantis it was 10am. Earliest resevation available was 3:30, but the hostess said that when the restaurant opened at 11am they do first available seating. We were first on that list and were seated by 11:15.
Saturday dinner - Tschop Choup
On Saturday night I died and went to heaven and it's name is Tshoup Choup. I had been looking forward to this meal for months (that's how far out I made the reservations) By far the best dinner out EVER!!!
The restaurant is gorgeous. Beautiful colors and a lily pond smack in the middle of the restaurant. Service was oiutstanding throughout the meal. Started with complimentary shrimp chips and a peanut/chili dipping sauce. Even DS was into it. Drinks were unusual. I finally settled on a Sake Mohito.
Tasted like Sake, sugar and fresh mint leaves. What cocktail, and very fitting withn the flavors of the evening. I had a peanut crusted scallop appetizer with a citrus galze, DS had flash-fried calamari with a garlic ginger sauce. The dish also came topped with crumbled feat cheese which we got on the side. I sprinkled it on my calamari and it tasted pretty darn good. Feta is not something I would normally associate with calamari, but it worked!
I never asked if there was a kids menu (turns out there was) so DS was forced to order off the real menu. He ordered the teriyaki glazed NY strip steak with garlic mashed potatoes and Vidalia onion rings. I had the combo platter. Forgive me if I can't remember everything on it. Ribs, chicken, sweet poatoes, sauteed brocolotini, and pork lo mein. Each item had a distinct and unique flavor. the portion was huge. All courses were served in unison as three servers would descend on the table when serving. My entree was brought out by one of the chefs himself. He said, "this is my favorite platter and I hope it is yours too" What a great touch!!!
DS said " Wow that's alot of food, I don't think I can eat it all. Ten minutes later, "Dad, this is the best food I have ever had!!" And yes he did eat it all!!
There is life after cheeseburgers!!! We couldn't leave without having dessert.
DS had Emeril's banana cream pie, which looked to be a mile high!! I had a chocalate peanut butter layer cake enrobed in bittersweet chocolate. Another winner!!! Dinner with tip was a whopping $135, but like Mythos paying the bill was a pleasure. Fine dining at it's best and I even got to wear shorts to dinner. Highly recommened!!!
Sunday night - Hard Rock Cafe - Citywalk
The largest HRC in the world. WOW!!! What a great space. RocknRoll memorobilia everywhere. The best HRC I have been to. We had the chix wing appetizer. DS had chesseburger and I had a cold roast beef sandwhich with garlic mayo and chili marinated onions and cheddar cheese. A great sandwich.
I found the HRC OK. The food was good, but the atmosphere is well worth the trip. Once again the posted wait was 50minutes, but the room key got us seated in 20 minutes. HRC is worth it just to look around and of course buy your Hard Rock T-shirt.
Thank you for reading my reviews. I wanted to return the favor to the many of you who posted your reviews of dining at Universal as i found them helpful in making my plans. Overall the dining at Universal was outstanding and I cannot recall any meal that didn't at least pass muster. Mnay have complained about the prices. Compared to NYC the meals are a bargain, with the exception of Tschoup Choup which is in a league of its' own. Feel free to ask any questions you might have. We aslo had some fast food lunches in the park...and of course i tracked down two Starbuck's on Universal property.
Had some absolutely fantastic meals. Let me preface my reviews by sharing that I live an hour from Manhattan and dine in the city at least three times a month so i consider myself a bit of a food snob. I was a little concerned about the quality and price of meals in Oralndo, but ended up being pleasantly suprised. The trip was me 43 and my DS 11. Following are my reviews in no particular order:
Wed night- NBA City.
Atmosphere is good if you are a BBall fan. My son was in heaven as he lives and breathes basketball. There is a great arcade area for shooting baskets. The wait was posted as 40 minutes, but we showed our room key and were seated within 10 minutes.
Dinner for DS was a cheeseburger. This trend will continue through almost every review with one major exception. We decided on the sampler platter for an appetizer. Chix wings, quesidilias, and pecan crusted chicken fingers, with assorted sauces. Very tasty! For dinner I had the blue cheese pasta. It was a bit heavy, but very delicious. No room for dessert. Dinner with tip and AAA discount was $50.
Thursday night- Islands Dining Room at RPH
We had a busy day and night and were stuck looking for dinner around 9:30. We tried to get into Jake's (which had a more simple menu) but they were packed with a 30 minute wait, plus the sounds of the karioke were making my ears bleed. I don't find tone deaf 5 year olds singing Brittany Spears entertaining.
We walked into Islands and sat down. The restaurant is very spacious and has a real South Seas feel. The menu reflected that theming. Entrees were between $20-$30 which I felt was a bit steep. Son didn't see anything on the menu he would eat, so we left explaining to the hostess the problem. She promptly produced a kids menu. I guess I should have asked on the way in. DS had a cheeseburger. I had a bowl of soup which had a coconut milk base, infused with chilis and had lots of rock shrimp and fresh clams. Very light and full of flavor with just the right amount of spice. Dinner was NY strip steak on a bed of fried shoestring potatoes drizzled with a terriyaki reduction and crumbled gorganzola cheese. Managed to finish three quarters of it before giving up. Dinner with one Polynesian cocktail was $60. A good meal, but had problems justifying the price.
Friday night- Mythos
Before the trip I had resigned myself to the fact that I probably would not get a chance to eat here as I forgot to make reservations before I left. Friday afternoon there were wicked thunderstorms moving throught the area, and my son and I watched thousands of people streaming from the parks as i sipped my Maragrita on the porch of Jimmy Buffets. After an hour, the rain let up and we decided to go to IOA to ride the Hulk multiple times. The rain started again, but we picked up some ponchos and pressed on. Around 7pm we passed by Mythos. I figured with the weather that I would at least inquire about the wait. To my suprise the wait time was 30 minutes. We went across to see Posiedons Fury, and by the time we got back the table was ready.
Nothing can prepare you when you first walk into this restaurant. It is with out a doubt the most unique restaurant I have ever been in. The detailing is spectacular and I spent most of the meal staring around the room. I returned the next day just to take pictures, because verbal descriptions can't do justice.
I started to get nervous that maybe Mythos was all show and that the food would be average. Nothing could have been further from the truth. The meal was truly unforgetable. Started with the shrimp tempura sushi appetizer. WOW!!!! I would go back to Orlando just for this dish. The sushi was well prepared, but they dipped the entire roll in tempura batter and then cut in into pieces. It was served over a criss-cross of wasabi cream sauce and teriyaki sauce. The rice inside was barely warm and the sauces were the perfect compliment. What a unique concept. DS decided on an appetizer and settled on the wood-fired 4 cheese pizza. It had mozzarella, asiago, parmesean and brie. DS was disgusted by the brie so I had no choice but to pile it on my slice. The pizza was great.
Dinner for DS was...you guessed it cheeseburger. I had grilled Mahi with a citrus glaze. It was nice to eat something light for a change. The fish was perefectly cooked and beuatifully presented. For dessert we had something called warm gooey cake with bananas and peanut butter ice cream. Sugar overload but out of this world. I also treated myself to a glass of 100 year old Grand Marnier. Only on vacation would I spend $20 on an after dinner drink, but I am a hardcore Grand Marnier fan...and yes there was a big difference. Smooth barely begins to describe it. Dinner with tip was close to $100. I did not mind paying the check. The meal was amazing!!! On par with any dining in NYC. It was hard to believe when we left that we were in IOA. Go to this restaurant!!!!
Friday lunch- Shark's Underwater Grill - Seaworld
Had lunch surrounded by sharks. Totally cool!!! The food was aslo very good. DS had chicken fingers (finally sick of CB's). I had the conch chowder, spicy and filling. For lunch I had citrus grilled scallops seved over a vegetable napolean. The lunch was above average. The atomsphere is worth the ticket, but once again the food rose to the occasion. Make reservations ahead of time if you can. We got to the park when it opened, and by the time we rode Kraken and Atalantis it was 10am. Earliest resevation available was 3:30, but the hostess said that when the restaurant opened at 11am they do first available seating. We were first on that list and were seated by 11:15.
Saturday dinner - Tschop Choup
On Saturday night I died and went to heaven and it's name is Tshoup Choup. I had been looking forward to this meal for months (that's how far out I made the reservations) By far the best dinner out EVER!!!
The restaurant is gorgeous. Beautiful colors and a lily pond smack in the middle of the restaurant. Service was oiutstanding throughout the meal. Started with complimentary shrimp chips and a peanut/chili dipping sauce. Even DS was into it. Drinks were unusual. I finally settled on a Sake Mohito.
Tasted like Sake, sugar and fresh mint leaves. What cocktail, and very fitting withn the flavors of the evening. I had a peanut crusted scallop appetizer with a citrus galze, DS had flash-fried calamari with a garlic ginger sauce. The dish also came topped with crumbled feat cheese which we got on the side. I sprinkled it on my calamari and it tasted pretty darn good. Feta is not something I would normally associate with calamari, but it worked!
I never asked if there was a kids menu (turns out there was) so DS was forced to order off the real menu. He ordered the teriyaki glazed NY strip steak with garlic mashed potatoes and Vidalia onion rings. I had the combo platter. Forgive me if I can't remember everything on it. Ribs, chicken, sweet poatoes, sauteed brocolotini, and pork lo mein. Each item had a distinct and unique flavor. the portion was huge. All courses were served in unison as three servers would descend on the table when serving. My entree was brought out by one of the chefs himself. He said, "this is my favorite platter and I hope it is yours too" What a great touch!!!
DS said " Wow that's alot of food, I don't think I can eat it all. Ten minutes later, "Dad, this is the best food I have ever had!!" And yes he did eat it all!!
There is life after cheeseburgers!!! We couldn't leave without having dessert.
DS had Emeril's banana cream pie, which looked to be a mile high!! I had a chocalate peanut butter layer cake enrobed in bittersweet chocolate. Another winner!!! Dinner with tip was a whopping $135, but like Mythos paying the bill was a pleasure. Fine dining at it's best and I even got to wear shorts to dinner. Highly recommened!!!
Sunday night - Hard Rock Cafe - Citywalk
The largest HRC in the world. WOW!!! What a great space. RocknRoll memorobilia everywhere. The best HRC I have been to. We had the chix wing appetizer. DS had chesseburger and I had a cold roast beef sandwhich with garlic mayo and chili marinated onions and cheddar cheese. A great sandwich.
I found the HRC OK. The food was good, but the atmosphere is well worth the trip. Once again the posted wait was 50minutes, but the room key got us seated in 20 minutes. HRC is worth it just to look around and of course buy your Hard Rock T-shirt.
Thank you for reading my reviews. I wanted to return the favor to the many of you who posted your reviews of dining at Universal as i found them helpful in making my plans. Overall the dining at Universal was outstanding and I cannot recall any meal that didn't at least pass muster. Mnay have complained about the prices. Compared to NYC the meals are a bargain, with the exception of Tschoup Choup which is in a league of its' own. Feel free to ask any questions you might have. We aslo had some fast food lunches in the park...and of course i tracked down two Starbuck's on Universal property.
I have since done some reading and find many feel the 100 year old surpasses the 150. Have you tried both? We are heading to Mythos in May and I am so excited to try it!
