Look Honey They are Unshrinking Cooke's Menu - A Nov. 2019 Dining Report updated 5/03 Homecomin dinner

[luvpoohandcompany]

Onion rings make everything better lol

 

[ncc1701]

Sorry to hear that Yachtsman wasn't completely up to par. We've found it hit or miss too, especially the service. But yes that potato gratin is s thing of beauty!

Have you all tried Shulas before? We found it to be a far superior experience in both quality and service

I do love the potato Gratin. It was exceptionally great this visit. Unlike our server this time. We haven't done Shula's. I will have to check it out when we visit again.

 

[ncc1701]

11/15 Day 4 Off to Star Wars Land & Mama Melrose

We got and headed down to the food court for breakfast. This morning we went back to a favorite from our last trip , their version of French Toast. Baguette french toast, coated in cinnamon sugar .As with the Mickey Waffles it came with the fruit compote & a meat.


This is so good .It should replace any regular French toast at the other food courts. Even if it wasn't coated in cinnamon sugar, the quality of the bread makes it a star.
After breakfast we caught a bus to DHS, although it will always be Disney-MGM Studios to us.
We did a few shows and then went to checkout Star Wars Land. I have been & always will be a Star Trek fan, but I did see the first three Star Wars movies in theaters. I have only seen the second trilogy on TV and haven't checked out the last three. This puts me ahead of DH who has yet to see any of them.





That said we agreed that TPTB / Imagineering did a great job with the theming & made it feel like you were not part the rest of DHS.

After we did our stroll it was time for lunch at Mama Melrose. We have been having lunch here on most of our visits. We did try dinner once about 5 -6 years ago but had a sub-par experience unlike our lunch visits.

We started with the roll with olive oil & herbs for dipping along with some beer.


These were great, nice chewy crust but soft inside. As much as I love bread & butter, olive oil with herbs work just as well with the right bread.

As our starter we got the Tomato & Mozzarella . They're drizzled with Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar with Basil leaves. An example of the proper use of small greens in a dish .



The tomatoes were fresh , not at all mushy . Everything went well together.

For our main we shared the Carne d'Italia Flatbread with pepperoni, house-made sausage, pancetta, and spicy marinara sauce.


You would think with all that meat it could be a soggy , greasy mess but it is not . We have had it our last two trips & in our experiences the crust held up & there was no grease running off the side. I am not a big fan of super spicy food but the spice in this sauce is just right.
And of course we couldn't leave without the Cannolis.



Three mini Cannolis with a Chocolate Chip filling dusted with Powdered Sugar & shells ends dipped in chocolate . This was icing on the cake for our meal. After Cheesecake & Creme Brulee this is a dessert I am always tempted to order at WDW.
I have to give a shout out for our server Mackenzie. She was great , the fact we were just doing some appetizers ( flatbreads are no longer entrees) & sharing a dessert had no effect on her service. We both agreed she was much better than our server at YSH the night before.
After lunch we checked out some stores & headed back to POFQ.
Up next we try a new DS restaurant from a favorite Chef's company.

 

[ncc1701]

Onion rings make everything better lol

I agree 100%

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Mama Melrose's is a favourite of my family and I usually have that flatbread and the cannoli though I'm a greedy guts and don't share my flatbread lol It tastes so good. Love the ambiance there and bar 1 visit where the server spent his whole time with us trying to make us take the fantasmic package, we've always had great service

 

[DaisyNY]

Haven't been to Mama Melrose's in years but that looks like a yummy lunch!

 

[ncc1701]

Mama Melrose's is a favourite of my family and I usually have that flatbread and the cannoli though I'm a greedy guts and don't share my flatbread lol It tastes so good. Love the ambiance there and bar 1 visit where the server spent his whole time with us trying to make us take the fantasmic package, we've always had great service

Depending on what I have had for breakfast or dinner plans I don't share either . We have only had one so-so server in our 10 visits. Everyone else has been good to fantastic.

 

[ncc1701]

Haven't been to Mama Melrose's in years but that looks like a yummy lunch!

We really enjoy the flatbread pizza at lunch. We aren't using the DDP so ordering Appetizers at lunch , which what the pizzas are considered , works great for us.

 

[Niki Andiokno]

Wow that French Toast looks fantastic.

I have Yachtsman planned next trip, so I am glad the food was good.

 

[ncc1701]

Wow that French Toast looks fantastic.

I have Yachtsman planned next trip, so I am glad the food was good.

Yes this French Toast should be served at every food court & the buffets. So much better than the prior POFQ version .
The food was good at YSH, the menu changes on things like the salad & soup were minor things & not deal breakers. Hopefully next time we will get a server who measures up to the restaurant.

 

[ncc1701]

11/15 Back to DS to checkout a new Puck restaurant

We went back to POFQ & got a few beverages from Mardi Grogs while deciding on dinner. We were debating between Boathouse ( which we liked our last visit) or the new (since our last visit) Wolfgang Puck Bar and Grille. Both were available on OpenTable.com.
We had enjoyed the old Puck TS on our first couple of trips but after Levy's took over they ran it into the ground IMHO. We like his restaurant in Atlantic City & try to visit a couple of times a year. After reviewing the menus DH preferred Puck's so we rolled the dice & I booked Puck's on OpenTable.

We were a little early but got seated quickly. I ordered a Puck Chardonnay , same one at WPE, & we made our choices.
To start we shared a Casear Salad which our waiter had split for us.



This is my half. It may look by the photo that there is a lot of dressing but that wasn't the case. The dressing had a lemon flavor to it which went with the black pepper. It was good with plenty of shredded cheese .



This is my entree , Chicken Weinerschnitzel with Fingerling Potatoes, Dilled Cucumbers, Marinated Tomatoes & some field greens. On this dish the greens did not look out of place. There was also a lemon pepper butter sauce in the little dish. The crust on the chicken was crisp & the chicken was tender .The lemon butter sauce went nicely with the chicken. The potatoes , which I expected to be roasted or steamed, were like those in warm German Potato salad. Since I like that version of Potato Salad I was happy.


DH's Spaghetti & Meatballs. Flat spaghetti in a tomato basil sauce with 3 pretty good sized meatballs. The pasta & meatballs were very good. I got some in exchange for a bit of my chicken. It reminded me of the Spaghetti a neighbor made when I was a teenager. Mrs. L was from Italy & when she made a large batch she sent a dish over to our home. Here's is still the best I have every eaten.



For dessert we share the Creme Brulee with mixed berries . In keeping with the lemon theme, which fortunately didn't apply to the spaghetti, the berries were mixed in a lemon sryup. This was the among the best Creme Brule I have eaten. The crust was warm but not burnt & the custard was creamy but not runny.
Our waiter was very good , made sure we had what we needed and was quick in getting my a second Chardonnay. The only mark against the restaurant was no free bread. It's definitely a Puck run operation nothing like the mess the Levy location became.
We headed back to POFQ and stopped at Mardi Grogs for a nightcap before turning in for the night

Up next who said it could get cold again & what will Cooke's have on the menu this trip ?

 

[kastoney]

We went to the old Puck restaurant once and really enjoyed it. Glad to see the new one lived up to the same good expectations.

 

[tweetylori]

Mmmmm Puck's looks really good!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

WP looks great

 

[ncc1701]

We went to the old Puck restaurant once and really enjoyed it. Glad to see the new one lived up to the same good expectations.

Mmmmm Puck's looks really good!

WP looks great

It was even better than it looks

 

[guinness408]

Fun stuff! Joining in

 

[ncc1701]

11/16 Who said it could get cold & what did they do to Cooke's menu this trip

As it was a Saturday morning it meant my Mani/Pedicure at Senses in the Grand Floridian. It was also the morning another Cold Front came , which would hang around the last 2 days of our visit ending of course on checkout day.
After breakfast at the food court at POFQ we taxied over to the Grand Floridian . In addition to tea, infused water & some small snack things the treatment also came with



A glass of Sparkling wine & a Ghirardelli chocolate square. Being a good wife I gave DH the candy.
After finishing up at the Spa, which I highly recommend, I caught up with DH. We didn't feel like eating at the Grand Floridian Cafe this visit . So we decided to bus over to DS & see what was on Cooke's menu this visit.




The menu from Cooke's in 2017



And now for the 2019 menu. As you can see they are Unshrinking , not as much variety as they had during our visits prior to 2017 , but a big step in the right direction. Now just bring back the shrimp & salmon.

To eat of course I got Fish & Chips along with a Harp lager from the adjoining outside bar.



This was very good. Batter was thinner than the one at Rose & Crown , but the fish was still Cod. Fish & Chips were both hot & crisp. The tarter sauce again was not used, just give me some Malt Vinegar.



DH's Chicken & Chips , strips of chicken breast done in the same batter as the fish. He was happy with it.
We have enjoyed our meals at Cooke's & I am glad to see they are expanding the menu again.

After checking a few shops for a gift for my DSis's son we boated back to POFQ.
Here is a hidden Mickey from the ride.

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

We’ve enjoyed a fish supper from Cookes many’s a time while having a drink at The hole in the wall bar. Fish and chips always taste better eaten from the paper in the fresh air in my opinion!

 

[ncc1701]

We’ve enjoyed a fish supper from Cookes many’s a time while having a drink at The hole in the wall bar. Fish and chips always taste better eaten from the paper in the fresh air in my opinion!

Outside was sadly fulI. I prefer eating them outside too. It always reminds me of a trip when I was a teenager eating them on a bench at a beach town in Scotland ( no then just lukewarm Coke for this Yank) . It was a family trip , instead of a big 50th anniversary party, my folks took my Grandparents back to Scotland with DSis & I. The 1st visit for the four of us and only the 3rd time back for my grandparents.

 

[ncc1701]

11/16 Dinner at Boatwright's and the new Scat Cat's

Before getting back to the review I hope everyone is well . Shout-out to everyone who has to keep working during this crisis. Not only everyone in the healthcare field & first responders but truckers, essential retail , Utilities, branch banking and all the rest . Stay safe and well.

After getting back to POFQ from Disney Springs we wandered down to Mardi Grog's to watch some College football & enjoy a beverage or two . Tonight we decided to stay close to home as . So I made an ADR & we walked up to POR to eat at Boatwright's .We have enjoyed our dinners here & have had decent to great servers.
We got seated a few minutes early & I ordered a glass of Chardonnay. Didn't note which one but it was buttery according to my notes & DH liked it . With the wine our waitress brought out the wonderful Cornbread with Honeybutter . After YSH & Mama Melrose, this is our favorite bread service at WDW. The Cornbread is moist & sweet , not at all dry.



To start we got the French Onion Soup



This was very good. Broth was hot & wasn't greasy or too salty and had a good broth, onion & croutons ratio.
A good amount of gooey cheese on the top. DH , who worked in a kitchen one summer, always feels for the sorry for the person who has get these crocks clean.

Now for our entrees. DH got the Jambalaya. Shrimp, Andouille Sausage & Chicken over not so spicy rice . Our waitress let us know the dish wasn't very spicy & did offer hot sauce. DH was ok with it not being very spicy.


Unlike last time when the chicken was little diced pieces, they were now more nugget size which kept them from being dry. I took a piece of the sausage which spicy & very good.

For my entree I got the Shrimp & Grits.



Shrimp, Tasso ham with Pearl onions and peppers over " Creamy" Grits. First the very good, unlike last time with Small shrimp, these were Medium sized & had a really good flavor. The ham was a nice change from Andouille sausage and I liked having sizable pieces of onion & peppers. The only negative was that the Grits were closer to a cake than creamy. Somebody in the kitchen didn't pay enough attention . A 2nd glass of vino was ordered at this time.

I was feeling dessert tonight so went with the Bread Pudding with Vanilla Ice Cream & Carmel sauce. Bread Pudding isn't seen up here in NJ on most local restaurants so I went with for it. It was the only fail, ice cream was good but the pudding was dry. Either it was overcooked or didn't have enough custard in the mix.

I must give a up to our waitress Kerri. She was head & shoulders above the waitress we had at YSH.
We agreed she was in the top 3 servers this trip & should be working a Signature restaurant.

After dinner we went back to POFQ to checkout the new Scat Cat's. It is located in the old POFQ TS Bonfamilles. We ate there for dinner & breakfast on our honeymoon in 1998 & are still sad it is gone. Sorry my photos didn't turn out as it is super dark in there. Must be the new WDW lounge design idea ,i.e. Ale & Compass lounge and the Enchanted whatever at the Grand Floridian. The theme here is French Quarter jazz club. The group performing was good. They did some Pop/ Rock songs with a jazz feel but jazz isn't our thing. To make matters even stranger, the bar is a temporary fixture so no barstools, so no chatting with the staff when it is slow. And unless it has changed , this is not a place to watch sports on TV , as there are no TVs. Even at the old Scat Cat's when there was entertainment, the TVs were on mute showing a game. We chatted with a couple we met at Mardi Grogs the night before ( too cold this night) and headed back to our room before our last full day.