This post will make a lot more sense if you first read the Day Zero explanation here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2587491.
Because the The Dis Uplugged inspired this endeavor, no one should be surprised that Kevin Kloses restaurant reviews hold some prominence in my thoughts as I contemplate the potential consequences of letting the universe select the venues for my dinner. So my dining adventure began with a perverse mixture of delight and dread when, entering the Downtown Disney Marketplace bus station, I read the legend Caribbean Beach on the first bus I spied. For it had not been very long since I had listened to Kevins review of Shutters, in which he and John Magi declared the meal to be their worst-ever Disney dining experience.
Now, never once did I consider cheating the rules I had set for myself. Indeed, my interest was very much piqued. I had never before visited the CBR (nor any moderate resort other than Port Orleans French Quarter) and felt quite the daredevil in my quest to have a good meal where others had found only poor service and disgusting fare.
No way, however, would I order the skirt steak.
An early lesson learned in random resort dining: go to the restaurant first. Alighting at Old Port Royale, I immediately began to explore the visually captivating surroundings. I spent at least 20 minutes perusing the pool area and nearby lodgings before approaching the podium at Shutters. There, I was handed a beeper and told that my wait for a table would be 25 to 35 minutes. I asked whether it was possible to eat at the bar and felt surprised when the hosts answered no. Amusingly, they did make clear that the beeper would work as far away as the pool bar, as if my principal aim were to drink rather than to eat.
I should say that I also felt a little taken aback at the number of questions they asked when I first requested a table. Are you on the dining plan? Are you a guest at CBR? At another Disney resort? Are you with a convention? Perhaps they knew exactly what foolishness I was up to and were trying to make me admit it. To be sure, I never felt unwelcome; I just did not want to have to explain what exactly I was doing at that resort at that time. I would probably enjoy regaling cast members with tales of my creative touring, but the podium at my first restaurant did not seem the right place for such brag.
I passed the next 30 minutes looking again at the facilities of Old Port Royale and purchasing some pins for my daughter. The décor and ambience at CBR certainly attract and gratify. The lighting could stand to be brighter and more festive, though I suppose such brightness at night could annoy people in nearby rooms.
When the time came to be seated, I was a little bemused by the seating. Three or four small tables for two were grouped very closely together, so that they could appropriately be used by separate couples or by a single party. The hostess seated another solo diner, an older woman using an ECV, directly next to me. So the situation pretty much forced me to be sociable. I wasnt feeling unsociable, but did not like to feel compelled into conversation with this unexpected dinner date.
I began taking notes on my smart phone. This activity had the unintended effect of sealing me off from conversation with my neighbor. It occurred to me that I might appear churlish, like someone on an airplane who responds to conversational overtures by putting on headphones. Oh well, I cant do this thing without taking notes on-site.
My server (and my neighbors) was bright and bubbly Brooke, full of smiles and unoriginal small talk. She had an assistant whose name I didnt catch. They quickly brought out bread, which came with a very addictive chimichurri butter. I ordered a Beaulieu Vineyards cabernet sauvignon, perhaps a bit overpriced at $11. The flavor did grab my attention, with a spicy bite that is not common in cabs Ive tried.
Brookes attentive service included a lot of friendly overtures of the isnt-that good-its-my-favorite variety. My appetizer selection was the shrimp fritters, one of the better values on the menu at $8 for about a half-dozen large shrimp fried in cornbread. My favorite of the three dipping sauces was the mango chili, surprisingly earthy, with heat that hits you late. The lemon aioli provides a nicely fatty counterpoint. The tamarind dip probably sounds the most exotic to average Americans, but its flavor cannot easily be distinguished from the sweet and sour sauce at any Chinese takeout joint.
Jerk-crusted tuna ($23) was my entrée selection. The first bite disappointed, because the crust was not at all crispy. But then, when I began to chew the sushi-quality tuna, its deep flavor made me forget that the crust lacked the crunch I had hoped for. Wisely, the chef had toned down the jerk seasoning so that it never overwhelmed the flavor of the fish. Sides included a tasty squash julienne and cherry tomatoes, prepared with a hint of curry. The fried plantains were competent but bland.
Mentioning jerk and curry reminds me that, unlike my entrée, the dining room did not successfully evoke a Caribbean ambience. Perhaps louder music and more vibrant lighting would help. But then Id be complaining about how hard it is to hear.
I did not order desert, mainly because I knew Id be shopping at Downtown Disney and figured I wouldnt be able to resist indulging in some sweet treats. Shutters dessert menu is very short and uninspiring key lime pie, cheesecake, tres leches, and something else I don't remember.
Note that the bus to CBR also serves as a (one-way) interior bus for the resort.
Ill try to be quicker with my Day 2 post than I was with this one.
Chill out mon,
Lee
Because the The Dis Uplugged inspired this endeavor, no one should be surprised that Kevin Kloses restaurant reviews hold some prominence in my thoughts as I contemplate the potential consequences of letting the universe select the venues for my dinner. So my dining adventure began with a perverse mixture of delight and dread when, entering the Downtown Disney Marketplace bus station, I read the legend Caribbean Beach on the first bus I spied. For it had not been very long since I had listened to Kevins review of Shutters, in which he and John Magi declared the meal to be their worst-ever Disney dining experience.
Now, never once did I consider cheating the rules I had set for myself. Indeed, my interest was very much piqued. I had never before visited the CBR (nor any moderate resort other than Port Orleans French Quarter) and felt quite the daredevil in my quest to have a good meal where others had found only poor service and disgusting fare.
No way, however, would I order the skirt steak.
An early lesson learned in random resort dining: go to the restaurant first. Alighting at Old Port Royale, I immediately began to explore the visually captivating surroundings. I spent at least 20 minutes perusing the pool area and nearby lodgings before approaching the podium at Shutters. There, I was handed a beeper and told that my wait for a table would be 25 to 35 minutes. I asked whether it was possible to eat at the bar and felt surprised when the hosts answered no. Amusingly, they did make clear that the beeper would work as far away as the pool bar, as if my principal aim were to drink rather than to eat.
I should say that I also felt a little taken aback at the number of questions they asked when I first requested a table. Are you on the dining plan? Are you a guest at CBR? At another Disney resort? Are you with a convention? Perhaps they knew exactly what foolishness I was up to and were trying to make me admit it. To be sure, I never felt unwelcome; I just did not want to have to explain what exactly I was doing at that resort at that time. I would probably enjoy regaling cast members with tales of my creative touring, but the podium at my first restaurant did not seem the right place for such brag.
I passed the next 30 minutes looking again at the facilities of Old Port Royale and purchasing some pins for my daughter. The décor and ambience at CBR certainly attract and gratify. The lighting could stand to be brighter and more festive, though I suppose such brightness at night could annoy people in nearby rooms.
When the time came to be seated, I was a little bemused by the seating. Three or four small tables for two were grouped very closely together, so that they could appropriately be used by separate couples or by a single party. The hostess seated another solo diner, an older woman using an ECV, directly next to me. So the situation pretty much forced me to be sociable. I wasnt feeling unsociable, but did not like to feel compelled into conversation with this unexpected dinner date.
I began taking notes on my smart phone. This activity had the unintended effect of sealing me off from conversation with my neighbor. It occurred to me that I might appear churlish, like someone on an airplane who responds to conversational overtures by putting on headphones. Oh well, I cant do this thing without taking notes on-site.
My server (and my neighbors) was bright and bubbly Brooke, full of smiles and unoriginal small talk. She had an assistant whose name I didnt catch. They quickly brought out bread, which came with a very addictive chimichurri butter. I ordered a Beaulieu Vineyards cabernet sauvignon, perhaps a bit overpriced at $11. The flavor did grab my attention, with a spicy bite that is not common in cabs Ive tried.
Brookes attentive service included a lot of friendly overtures of the isnt-that good-its-my-favorite variety. My appetizer selection was the shrimp fritters, one of the better values on the menu at $8 for about a half-dozen large shrimp fried in cornbread. My favorite of the three dipping sauces was the mango chili, surprisingly earthy, with heat that hits you late. The lemon aioli provides a nicely fatty counterpoint. The tamarind dip probably sounds the most exotic to average Americans, but its flavor cannot easily be distinguished from the sweet and sour sauce at any Chinese takeout joint.
Jerk-crusted tuna ($23) was my entrée selection. The first bite disappointed, because the crust was not at all crispy. But then, when I began to chew the sushi-quality tuna, its deep flavor made me forget that the crust lacked the crunch I had hoped for. Wisely, the chef had toned down the jerk seasoning so that it never overwhelmed the flavor of the fish. Sides included a tasty squash julienne and cherry tomatoes, prepared with a hint of curry. The fried plantains were competent but bland.
Mentioning jerk and curry reminds me that, unlike my entrée, the dining room did not successfully evoke a Caribbean ambience. Perhaps louder music and more vibrant lighting would help. But then Id be complaining about how hard it is to hear.
I did not order desert, mainly because I knew Id be shopping at Downtown Disney and figured I wouldnt be able to resist indulging in some sweet treats. Shutters dessert menu is very short and uninspiring key lime pie, cheesecake, tres leches, and something else I don't remember.
Note that the bus to CBR also serves as a (one-way) interior bus for the resort.
Ill try to be quicker with my Day 2 post than I was with this one.
Chill out mon,
Lee
