Mmmmmmm....5 Nights with Shameless Pics! *Updated with California Grill!

Minnie has been writing a trip report with me. She prepared a fairly detailed summary of Boma from her point of view. (Who says a trip to Disney can't be educational?) I thought you might enjoy reading what a 9 year old with a pretty curious palate thought of her dinner:

After visiting our room, we went downstairs to the restaurant, Boma. We sat down, ordered our drinks (I had lemonade.), and headed towards the buffet. I started with a Carrot-Ginger soup which was a little sweet, (but not too sweet)and tasted as if it was meant for dessert. It was fabulous! With it I had salad with mango vinaigrette, pineapple, cantaloupe, and honeydew. The fruits were all very fresh.

My second helping of food consisted of Coconut Curry Stew (AWESOME!) and flatbread. The stew is delicious! It has a little spice towards the back of your throat at the end though. I f you love curry, then this is definitely for you.

Then it was off to dessert. I had Coco Mi Su. It is like white chocolate mousse. I also had regular chocolate mousse. I think it has a bit of a bitter taste. This may be because of the dark chocolate used or because of the liquor in the mousse. Next, I had a zebra dome. It is a soft white chocolate dome drizzled in milk chocolate and filled with chocolate mousse. It also has a round piece of plain, white cake on the bottom. The pineapple upside-down cake was nothing to be excited about. It is good, but not fabulous. The warm banana pudding is fabulous. It is bread pudding made with banana bread. And rounding up the desserts is the chocolate chip cookie. It’s not JUST a chocolate chip cookie though. It is soft and chewy and cooked just perfectly. So don’t pass by the cookies when you’re looking for a good dessert.


What a fantastic review! :goodvibes Well done, Minnie!

You are a great writer like your mom, and you've made me want to visit Boma even more now...I wonder if the warm banana pudding is similar to one we had at Tusker House?? This was excellent too, and had a yummy sauce to accompany it.
 
Just found your reviews, they are great. I love the detailed description of the buffet at Boma. And I agree with your conclusion about it: it offers new tastes, but nothing "difficult". Oh, and it was good to hear that I am not the only person who is disappointed by Boma's falafel. But still, Boma is one of my favourite restaurants, there are many other great things to eat there.

And it is great to hear that Minnie liked being adventurous, too. Her review is very good!!
 
Thanks for the recipe!

Great review, Minnie! :thumbsup2 I will definitely try go to Boma for dinner sometime soon. I will have a chocolate chip cookie and think of you! :)
 
Just found your reviews, they are great. I love the detailed description of the buffet at Boma. And I agree with your conclusion about it: it offers new tastes, but nothing "difficult". Oh, and it was good to hear that I am not the only person who is disappointed by Boma's falafel. But still, Boma is one of my favourite restaurants, there are many other great things to eat there.

And it is great to hear that Minnie liked being adventurous, too. Her review is very good!!

Minnie and I both thank you for reading!

Thanks for the recipe!

Great review, Minnie! :thumbsup2 I will definitely try go to Boma for dinner sometime soon. I will have a chocolate chip cookie and think of you! :)

You're welcome and thanks from Minnie.
 

After a fun morning at Hollywood Studios, I had no specific plans for where to eat lunch. Nothing I had read inspired me, so we basically stopped at ABC Commissary because it was along our way.

I was happy to discover that they had a small variety. Because we were eating at Beirgarten for dinner, DH and I decided to split the Chicken Curry with Rice. The kids each got a kids hamburger meal (plain, no cheese) with fries and applesauce. DH was happy to get a Yuengling beer as well. Here is a picture of our tray:

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The appearance of the curry is pretty unappetizing. The attempt to improve the plating with the cilantro garnish was pretty pathetic. Surprisingly, however, the dish was pretty good. The sauce had nice flavor, the rice was a decent texture, and the chicken was good. Overall, I would say it was a good alternative to a hamburger and fries.

The hamburgers were nothing special, but both Minnie and Baloo loved them. Minnie gave them 2 thumbs up, and Baloo said it was so good that all fingers were up:

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Minnie thought her applesauce was not sweet enough, but Baloo ate his. I don't remember much about the fries except that they were good, not great.
 
I selected Biergarten for our Thursday night dinner for a few reasons. First, I wanted to dine somewhere in Epcot because we had an Illuminations Cruise booked that evening. Next, Grumpy enjoys good beer and has fond memories of his high school trip to Germany. He likes German food as well, but it is rare to find an opportunity to eat it. Lastly, I thought the music and dancing would be fun for the kids. I hesitated because I knew our trip was very weighted toward buffets, but I also knew that buffets are fun for our kids.

We had an ADR for 5:35pm. When we checked in, we were provided a pager. We waited in the courtyard, took some pictures, and were seated in about 10 minutes. Our table was to the far right of the stage, on the second level. At Biergarten, you are seated with other families. Our table sat 8. My family sat along one side, while a friendly family from Baltimore sat across from us. They had a cute daughter who was wearing her updo and tiara from the Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique, and a 9 or 10 year old son who I didn't hear much from. The dad happened to work at Biegarten, helping to run the band, many years ago. We had a pleasant time with them, especially as their daughter opened up and chatted more.

At Biergarten, one attraction is the beer! Here is the beer menu:

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DH started out with a liter of the Oktoberfest and finished with a liter of the Optimater. How he can drink 2 liters of beer and eat dinner as well is beyond me.

I don't drink beer (I just don't like its taste) so it is hard for me to evaluate the beers.

When I was researching Biergarten, I asked on the DIS about the wine selection there. I got no responses, so I was sure to take a picture of the wine list:

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I usually prefer red wines (Pinot, Cabs, or interesting varietals and blends), but Biergarten had a bigger selection of whites. I let DH choose for me. I started with the Villa Wolf Pinot Gris. This was a nice, refreshing white wine and having a nice crisp white wine after the day in the park and the brisk walk to the restaurant (from the International Gateway entrance to Epcot) was perfect. I didn't take notes, so I won't try to describe it further.

I then had a glass of the Von Keselstadt Piesporter Reichsgraff Riesling. Can you say delicious? This danced on my palate with fruit but not too sweet.

(Side note: does anybody read Dorothy and John's wine column in the Wall Street Journal? They have the best job, especially as a couple, and are truly talented at writing about wines in an accessible way. They describe wines so well that you can practically taste it, yet they seem so down to earth and know that wine is very personal. I learned so much from them. They have occasionally written about wines at Disney and that is truly a fun column.)
 
Fabulous reviews so far! Haven't been to Boma yet but hoping to try it one of these days.

Please tell Minnie thank-you for her point of view. As a family with kids with curious palates also (mostly the 9 and 13 year olds) we are always looking for opinions of kids who like to branch out from the norm. :thumbsup2
 
Enjoying your reviews and pics. Minnie did an amazing job with her review. I can only hope one day my 11 year old will try 1/3 of what Minnie does! He is much more like Baloo!! Burgers and fries with some chicken nugget thrown in for good measure. He loves the chocolate chip cookies at WDW.
 
Great start for your Biergarten review, I am really looking forward to this since I am German :goodvibes

The wine list looks great, but a bit "oldfashioned". Still Riesling is what Germany is best known for. And I am glad that you enjoyed the wines my country produces! :goodvibes

I then had a glass of the Von Keselstadt Piesporter Reichsgraff Riesling. Can you say delicious? This danced on my palate with fruit but not too sweet.

Reading the wine list, I noticed that you omitted two words: "Kabinett" is a classification of wine which demands a certain sugar content, so a Kabinett will allways be a bit sweeter, but not as sweet as a Spätlese. :goodvibes

But the fun word is "Goldtröpfchen" which actually means little golden drop :goodvibes

Oh and by the way, the area your wine came from was already used by the Romans to cultivate wine.
 
I have just now been able to say love the reviews! I can't wait for the rest of Biergarten as it is one place I have been dying to go to myself.
 
Fun to read about Biergarten! I love your take on the wines...I prefer reds myself as well, but am slowly beginning to learn more about and enjoy whites. :thumbsup2

Your Riesling choice sounds fabulous!

Flossbolna's comments were so interesting too...nice to have an expert on German wines reading. :goodvibes

I'm tuned in for more ;)
 
I have never even been remotely tempted by Biergarten. You are starting to tempt me. You've caught my attention with the wines... now what did you think of the food?? :)
 
Fabulous reviews so far! Haven't been to Boma yet but hoping to try it one of these days.

Please tell Minnie thank-you for her point of view. As a family with kids with curious palates also (mostly the 9 and 13 year olds) we are always looking for opinions of kids who like to branch out from the norm. :thumbsup2

Thank you for reading! Minnie is enjoying this ongoing project.

Enjoying your reviews and pics. Minnie did an amazing job with her review. I can only hope one day my 11 year old will try 1/3 of what Minnie does! He is much more like Baloo!! Burgers and fries with some chicken nugget thrown in for good measure. He loves the chocolate chip cookies at WDW.

Thanks for reading! Don't give up on your 11 year old. I don't know if it is true, but I read that you should have children try new foods up to 7 times before deciding for sure that they don't like them. I am fortunate in that both of my children are at least willing to try many foods, but it is usually Minnie who appreciates any of them.

Great start for your Biergarten review, I am really looking forward to this since I am German :goodvibes

The wine list looks great, but a bit "oldfashioned". Still Riesling is what Germany is best known for. And I am glad that you enjoyed the wines my country produces! :goodvibes



Reading the wine list, I noticed that you omitted two words: "Kabinett" is a classification of wine which demands a certain sugar content, so a Kabinett will allways be a bit sweeter, but not as sweet as a Spätlese. :goodvibes

But the fun word is "Goldtröpfchen" which actually means little golden drop :goodvibes

Oh and by the way, the area your wine came from was already used by the Romans to cultivate wine.

So nice to have your comments, Floss. The "Goldtropfchen" (don't know how to add the umlaut is a perfect description for that wine- little golden drop!

I have just now been able to say love the reviews! I can't wait for the rest of Biergarten as it is one place I have been dying to go to myself.

Thanks!
 
Fun to read about Biergarten! I love your take on the wines...I prefer reds myself as well, but am slowly beginning to learn more about and enjoy whites. :thumbsup2

Your Riesling choice sounds fabulous!

Flossbolna's comments were so interesting too...nice to have an expert on German wines reading. :goodvibes

I'm tuned in for more ;)

The last time I enjoyed a white wine as much was when I ate some fabulous cheese fondue and drank a Dr. Loosen riesling. The cold wine was magical with the hot traditional swiss cheese and crisp green apple. My good friend chose the wine that night and explained that it helped the cheese "not get stuck in the throat," so drink up! Tonight, I couldn't remember the name and just asked my husband about it. He responds- oh I have a bottle of it right here! He has been holding out on me. Actually, he has a bottle of Chateau St Michelle Erocia Dr. Loosen Riesling which Chateau St. Michelle made in collaboration with Loosen in the Kabinett style. We were at a Chateau St. Michele wine dinner a few months ago and were served the Eroica. When I tasted it, it clearly reminded me of the Dr. Loosen I had had last year with the fondue. The fact that I so clearly remember the taste of the first wine at all (I know what I like but then I tend to forget the details) and that the Eroica so clearly evoked the memory of the first is a testement to the deliciousness of both. (Does that sentence make sense?)

Floss- is Dr. Loosen enjoyed in Germany as much as I have enjoyed here?

I have never even been remotely tempted by Biergarten. You are starting to tempt me. You've caught my attention with the wines... now what did you think of the food?? :)

Info about the food coming up!
 
Here is my first plate of food from Biergarten:

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This includes the potato leek soup, the cucumber dill salad, and the Bavarian Cabbage salad. The soup was thin and uninteresting, especially compared to the soups from Boma. Minnie, however, loved it (I will let her write about this herself.) The cabbage salad was crisp and a bit tart. It reminded me a bit of what my dad used to call "health salad", a dish that was served in some delis in the New York/ NJ area along with the pickles. I especially enjoyed the cucumber salad. The dill complemented the fresh cucumbers, there was a slight bite from the red onion, and the light mayonnaise dressing balanced all the flavors. The famous pretzel bread was very good, but it seemed to have a hint of caraway or rye, a flavor I do not enjoy.

Here is DH's first plate (aren't the colors of the food vibrant?):

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It includes sausage, sauerkraut, the cucumber dill salad, pickled red beet salad, and a tomato salad. Grumpy said the beets and the sauerkraut were the best he has had in quite some time (not that he eats either frequently.) Unfortunately, he liked them so much that he didn't share and didn't suggest I try them! I usually don't care for sauerkraut, as I find it sort of mushy and too tart. (When I was in college, a friend with German heritage prepared a kraut with apples that I loved. The cabbage was not cooked down as much as we typically see here on American hot dogs, and the flavor was a bit sweeter.)

Here is a picture of the plate DH helped fix for Baloo:

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There is a small piece of pork schnitzel, some cold sausage, macaroni salad, macaroni and cheese, a basic dinner roll, and, or course, and apple. (Still no guesses about the apple? No fair if you read my post on another thread). Baloo had filled up on the very chocolaty milk served in a huge mug (do you see it in the background?), so he didn't eat very much.

The next picture is a bit unappetizing as I forgot to photograph my plate before eating:

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On this plate, I sampled a potato dumpling with bread crumb butter, braised red cabbage, schnitzel with a mushroom sauce (I seem to recall it being called a Hunter's Sauce, but I could be wrong), a piece of the braised beef roulade, roasted potatoes, some assorted sausages, and another try of the pretzel bread. I enjoyed the potato dumpling. This is comfort food, soft and simple. While my husband was raving about his schnitzel, I found myself with a piece that seemed a bit tough and overdone. I did enjoy the sauce. The beef roulade was uninspiring. The beef was tender and flaked away with a fork but it lacked much flavor. I tend not to enjoy sausage and these did not change my attitude.

Alas, there was still more food at the buffet so I returned with another plate. I finally discovered the carving station! We were told that the buffet at Biergarten was identical on both sides, but our server neglected to mention anything about the carving station, so I did not even know it was there at first.

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On this plate, I sampled a slice of the roast pork with apricot compote (to the right of the porrk) and German mustard (to the left) and some spaetzle (there is only a bit left in the picture). I also gave the schnitzel another chance with more of the delicious sauce, and tried the warm German potato salad.

Dear readers, please know that I only took a bite or two of most of my food til this point. Not much said "more!" If you see my last dinner plate of the evening, you will be able to conclude what the winning dishes were:

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The pork! Juicy and flavorful especially with the accompanying apricot compote. I hope others find the carving station sooner than I did as this was the highlight of the meal. I also enjoyed the German potato salad (warm) enough to get another helping. Carbs are clearly my comfort foods, and the warm tender potatoes in a vinegary but not too tart dressing hit the spot. I also enjoyed the spatezle which are a small, almost pasta like dumpling.

I will have to write about the desserts tomorrow. I was up early this morning and put in a hard workout trying to get rid of some of the pounds from all those potatoes!
 
Excellent reviews . . . can't wait to read more! We're staying AKL CL for the first time on our upcoming trip and I'm anxious to see more of the CL offerings. Thanks for sharing!
 
Floss- is Dr. Loosen enjoyed in Germany as much as I have enjoyed here?

To be honest, I had to do a search on Google for Dr. Loosen, so this answers your question in a way :goodvibes But I have actually heard about them before, they are one of the vineyards where the next generation took over to dramatically change the the way of producing wine. While German whites were really good wines and well known, in the 50s or 60s they started to really focus more on quantity than quality by using all the "wonderful" inventions of the chemical industry. They had a well known name abroad and just lived on that without producing the same high class product it used to be. Recently there is the trend with the new generation of owners to go back to producing high class wines and I think Dr. Loosen is one of the prime examples for this trend.

Actually Germans don't drink much German wine, unless they are from a wine producing region. And then, most buy at a local vineyard they like, not from a big name. Therefore the German wine sold abroad is very much different from the German wine sold in Germany.

Sorry, I did not mean to take over your review by writing an essay on German wines... :rolleyes2

Your Biergarten review is really interesting. The food actually looks very authentic, but the plates are incredibly funny! I am glad to hear that you found something you liked in the end!
 
yum! We've always been interested in Biergarten, so I love seeing the pictures! The wine looks delicious!
 














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