Leaving behind a blizzard for Florida sun - A Week of Disney Dining UPDATED 4/2 Tangierine Cafe

[EvilQueenT]

I try to take the service issues with a grain of salt...you never know when you're going to get a dud for a server or if a normally good server will just have a bad day at work but I've noticed in general many of the dining venues from qs to signature at wdw has been really hit or miss in terms of service (and I'm not including those who go above and beyond just what I'd expect from any normal venue anywhere). So I'll usually give a place a second try if the food was worth it. Your pics are really good. Can't wait to see more.

 

[peteykirch]

Sorry to hear about the sub-par service. Food looked good though as did the view.

I thought it might be the case of that, I even posted a topic on the DIS asking if dining solo leads to poorer service, but most people stated that it should have no bearing on the quality of service.

What a great report! Thank you for taking the time to post the awesome pictures, you have such a great eye, and that must be some camera - - I usually only bother with my cell phone camera, but I'm thinking I should rethink that!

Also, you seem to have made some choices that we're considering for our trip - which is what drew me in to your report, the pictures and your descriptions have a lot to offer! Its been so long since we've been, I can't wait to try the German Karmel, and the French Sandwich also is now on the list! But I love you took the time to post pictures from the Boardwalk Bakery - there is a long Cake thread and people talk about getting a cake from the bakery, and you did get a few cakes in your pictures - but there are so many choices there! Why get one cake when there are so many choices! Thank you for posting!

Thanks for the compliments, I'm glad I was able to open someones eyes into trying something new.

See, I disagree. While yes, someone celebrating a special occasion merits special treatment, that should not in any way diminish the quality of service for the waiter's other tables. I have to wonder if the poor service was due to you dining alone and not being a drinker (and therefore less tip for the waiter)? It's highly unprofessional, but I can't think of any other reason why a server would treat you so differently from one of his other tables.

I agree that everyone should receive quality service, but I just tried to find a way to justify things. The only place I ate at as a solo diner where I knew a definite change in service after I told the server that I'm not drinking was at Artist Point. As soon as I said oh I'll just have an iced tea it was like the server just mailed it in.

Its a shame that your service was so bad. I've had consistently bad service my last 2-3 trips both as a solo and in a group. It's a shame since the food is so good. I love that pork belly nigiri!

Jill in CO

I still dream about that pork belly nigiri, it truly is one of the best things I ever eaten.

Great photos once again! Love the one of the sunset over the Grand! I wonder if substandard service is a common downfall of dining solo?

I don't know if it's standard. I had people suggest I should eat at the bar, but since I don't drink I think that would just lead to ever worse service. I'm taking up a seat at a bar and not ordering any booze. I don't know, maybe next time if I go down solo I'll try that option.

 

[peteykirch]

Well, after my delicious dinner I awoken the next morning feel like complete and utter death. I don't know if it was something I ate, or my hectic running around for the previous three days finally caught up to me, but I was out of it.

I decided that maybe I should eat something and hope it'll make me feel better. I strolled down to the Boardwalk Bakery to see what they had for a true breakfast option, and I came away with this;

It was the Breakfast Bread Bowl.

In a hollowed out bread bowl was breakfast potatoes, scrambled eggs, covered in sausage gravy and two strips of bacon.

This was actually pretty good, it looks like something Patton Oswalt would make fun of, see his stand up on KFC's Sadness Bowls. This was perhaps the best bacon I had the entire time down in Disney. It was thickly cut, and cooked nice and crispy.

I know Josh on EasyWDW spoke very badly of the Meatball Bread Bowl they offer for lunch/dinner at the Boardwalk Bakery, but I'd say this one warranted a try.

I was feeling good after eating, and decided to make the trek to Downtown Disney. Let's just say this didn't last very long. I made it through about 2 stores before I just felt like I was going to pass out. It was the longest bus ride ever back to the Boardwalk. Plus it didn't help that I forgot aspirins, so I had to spend 6 bucks on one of the smallest bottles of aspirins I ever saw.

I pretty much made it back to my room, and just passed out. I didn't wake up until well into the evening and decided to try something different for dinner and would head to the Wilderness Lodge for that.

It was sad, I only took a handful of pictures while at Downtown Disney, but this two came out pretty nicely;

 

[dj1028]

Sorry you were under the weather...looking forward to your report on Wilderness Lodge.

 

[KathyM2]

Sorry you weren't feeling well. At least you got to go for a rest and head back out when you felt better!

 

[Dentam]

Bummer that you didn't feel well - hope you felt much better after resting at your hotel!

 

[kel585]

I'm really enjoying you DR. But I need to ask where your Mom got the material for these pillows??? They're amazing.

Sorry for the lack of updates. It's been a busy weekend with valentine's day and what not.

However a slight update my Mom made me these sweet pillows

 

[shezfrombermuda]

I am enjoying your reviews. Great photos!

 

[peteykirch]

Sorry you were under the weather...looking forward to your report on Wilderness Lodge.

Yeah it wasn't the best way to spend a vacation, but a nap throughout the afternoon did the trick.

I am enjoying your reviews. Great photos!

Thanks for the kind words.

I'm really enjoying you DR. But I need to ask where your Mom got the material for these pillows??? They're amazing.

They are cloth napkins that Disney sells as part of the push of Adventureland merchandise in the last couple years. She also made this one for me;

Disney could make a fortune if they offered something like this.

Bummer that you didn't feel well - hope you felt much better after resting at your hotel!

Yeah the afternoon nap worked wonders.

Sorry you weren't feeling well. At least you got to go for a rest and head back out when you felt better!

Yeah feeling under the weather while on vacation has to be one of the most upsetting things. Luckily it passed pretty quickly.

 

[peteykirch]

So I finally awoke much later in the evening, and was feeling human once again and decided to try to go out and find something for supper. There was one place that I always wanted to try but never got around to. I headed out towards the Wilderness Lodge to try once and for all the Territory Lounge.

This little lounge is tucked right in front of Artist Point and boasts quite an interesting menu when it comes to food, especially for a lounge.

Just a heads up these are perhaps the worst pictures I've taken throughout my trip. If you think Le Cellier is a dark place, the Territory Lounge takes it to 11. These are a mix of DSLR and cell phone pictures, as I didn't want to use the flash.

This menu combines a few signature items from Artist Point, and the rest are unique takes on classic bar food.

I will say as a Non-Drinker I was a bit worried about coming here and trying to enjoy a light meal while not drinking. I have to say this was bar-none the best service I received during my entire trip. I never had a server more attentive and looking to cater to my needs and wants.

I decided to start with;

"Banh Mi" Flatbread
House Smoked Bacon, Sweet Chili BBQ, Kimchi and Citrus-Garlic Crema​

This was perhaps the best flatbread that I ever had on Disney property, ousting the BLT flatbread I had a few years back at the California Grill. The smokey bacon, the sweetness of the chili bbq sauce, and the tart acidic nature of the crema all worked together to make this a symphony of deliciousness.

I was still a bit hungry so I decided to try another option, this time the;

Pulled Pork Nachos
In-house Smoked Pulled Pork, House-made Tortilla Chips, Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Cilantro Sour Cream, Hard Cider Apple-Cranberry Salsa, and Pickled Hot Peppers
​

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but this was a massive serving of nachos that I couldn't finish. I was shocked to the amount of pulled pork that was included in this, especially for the 12$ price point. I thoroughly enjoyed the sweetness of the apple cranberry salsa to go along with the kick of the pickled hot peppers.

I was truly amazed with the quality of everything I had at the Territory Lounge. It's an intimate, quaint area to grab a small bite or drink. It's very inviting, and the staff does so much more to make it so.

Some random pictures from the Lounge and around the Wilderness Lodge;

The ceiling is an old-timey map outlining the exploration of the Northwest territories.

I'm glad that I was able to be well enough to go back out and try something that I always wanted to try. I cannot suggest enough for people to go out and give the Territory Lounge a shot.

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

Just found your review and have enjoyed reading it very much. I love your pictures, especially of the Boardwalk. It's just a gorgeous place.

You've reminded me how much I need to try the Blueberry Croissant Pudding at Sunshine Seasons.

Who knew you could order half portions at Il Mulino? That looks like a delicious perfectly sized portion.

Sorry you've had neglectful service at signature restaurants. At least the food has been spot on.

Hope your illness didn't last any longer than the one day.

 

[kel585]

Such a clever idea. They're awesome.

Yeah it wasn't the best way to spend a vacation, but a nap throughout the afternoon did the trick.



Thanks for the kind words.




They are cloth napkins that Disney sells as part of the push of Adventureland merchandise in the last couple years. She also made this one for me;

Disney could make a fortune if they offered something like this.

 

[KathyM2]

Those nachos look awesome. I love bar food!

 

[vettegirl]

Wow that food at WL looks good. I will put that flatbread on my WDW dining bucket list! My DH and I had a beer there a few years ago there and it was a nice atmosphere. Love that they have moose heas beer on tap as well.

 

[athumann]

Thank you for the reviews. I am taking my first solo trip in about 72 days and am a little nervous about eating at table service restaurants alone. Do you think any of the poor service you received was because you were a single diner?

 

[eeyore45]

Wow! Thank you for sharing your mother's "fabric" Now I must look for napkins!!

Love the review of the Territory Lounge

 

[dredick]

Love the reviews and pictures!

 

[peteykirch]

On the way back to the Boardwalk I could feel my sweet tooth beginning to crave something, so I decided to make my way to Epcot, and finally give L'Artisan des Glaces a try.

I showed up near closing, so as you can see they were nearly out of everything. I noticed they had to change Coco-White Chocolate to Coconut White Chocolate, apparently people got confused and upset when they got it weren't thrilled to taste coconut.

I decided upon 2 scoops, on the bottom the sea salt caramel, and on top the profiterole. I have to say I never had ice cream so rich, dense, and decadent before. You could totally feel the immense amount of milk fat in the ice cream coat your mouth with each spoonful. It's so rich that even though it doesn't look like a bunch of ice cream, you could barely finish this sweet treat. The profiterole ice cream had a lot of chunks of the cream puff pastry inside. Though I will admit that these two flavors really didn't blend together. On their own they were amazing, but combined it was a bit of a gaffe on my behalf.

 

[KathyM2]

Yum. Profiterole ice cream sounds devine!

 

[vettegirl]

I have gone in and admired the wonderful ice cream in there. Sounds like hubby and I need to split one next time we go just to get a taste