Mom & Son with Dad + One - Going to say Goodbye to the Lights! Kona Cafe & now Complete!

[ALEXandFAB]

French onion soup is my weakness...this looks so deliciously cheesy. YUM.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

After a rainy afternoon, we were meeting the "kids" at the Boardwalk for dinner. We stopped at the Belle Vue Lounge for a drink while waiting for them



DH tried the Side Car Noir



And I just had to have a Magic Star Cocktail





And the color mine should be ...



I really didn't care for DH's drink but as always mine hit the spot!

Off for dinner at Flying Fish!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

In anticipation for the refurb, I took may pictures inside the restaurant ....







Even the rug!



I can't wait to see what they do with the theme. And really hoping that it doesn't slip like Cali seemed to!

Ok, I have to apologize for the pictures here. My camera was doing some weird double click thing on the auto setting and some of the pics are blurry. This is the only time it happened so I am not sure what was up.

First the place setting ...



And the menu

Cheese plate



Appetizers





Entrees



Sides



Wine Flights!



My choice ...





DH had a half carafe of:





Iced Teas & Water all around -- love that they serve both lemons and limes



And one of my rain soaked kids!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

First up ... the bread which I know is infamous with some of my Dis friends ...



This was actually quite good. Crunchy crust, soft in the middle.

A very blurry picture of the cheese plate



This is probably my favorite WDW cheese plate. The cheeses are room temperature which I think really brings out the flavors. We ate every crumb of this

We all really shared most of the apps ... here is the caprese salad



Again very good -- fresh tomatoes, nice salty mozzarella

A&J shared most of the mussels



I do like mussels but just didn't feel like them. The kids loved them and were sopping up the broth with the bread

Julia really wanted to try the crab cake



I am not a big fan of crab but I had a couple of bites and it was pretty good. Julia & DH ate most of these.

A couple of blurry entrée pics ... Julia wanted the pasta Bolognese



This was really good. I was a bit surprised how good since the restaurant is more know of seafood & steak.

I had the signature potato wrapped snapper



As good as always. I have had this a few times and really love the slightly crisp potato and perfectly cooked fish. I do not like the leeks and am not sure why I never think to ask if I can swap a different side. Not that I needed it. I had more than enough.

DH had the other signature dish - the charred steak



I love a good char on my steak and FF does this perfectly. The steak was a prefect medium in the middle.

DS had the scallops and risotto ..



The scallops were perfectly cooked but the risotto was our only complaint of the meal. It was more than slightly undercooked. Had a bit of a crunch to the rice not the perfect al dente chew. It was seasoned well and flavored perfectly though. DS ate it rather than send it back so it wasn't awful just something to point out.

Nothing on the dessert menu thrilled us



But while everyone had tea & coffee, I had to try the Peanut Butter Freeze after reading Barb's (Jabead) review





Oh my! I really hope they keep this on the menu after the refurb!

I was the perfect just sweet enough ending to a nearly perfect meal.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

After dinner we had planned a trip to Scat Cats at Port Orleans



I had read about a jazz performer that I thought Julia would really enjoy has she has family in New Orleans. Turns out that gentleman was not performing but to my very pleasant surprise, two affiliated members of Off Kilter were performing ... Jason & Billy! (I had seen Jason play fiddle with the band several times. I never saw Billy perform with them but I guess he would fill in for Randy or Mark)



They were so amazing! I was happy to hear some of the Off Kilter songs - Danny Boy, Loch Lomond. They took requests from the audience and if they didn't now a song Billy pulled it on his phone and they would sing it. I loved them so much DH and I planned to see their entire set on Monday night while the kids stayed in the MK for Wishes.

Oh, and I did have a glass (Or two) of White Sangria~

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Monday morning we went back to the Grand Floridian Café so the kids could try it. This time I had the Eggs Benedict. DS had it as well.



DH has the breakfast plate



Julia had the egg white omelet.



Once again everything was very good. This is definitely a place I hope to return to every trip! Definitely in October with DH, possibly in March with DS. He's a bit hard to get up for breakfast!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

We headed over to a very crowded Magic Kingdom. Definitely the worst crowds all trip which surprised me. I had thought people would be leaving on Sunday.

We tried a snack that was new for us ... the pulled pork and BLT waffle fries



Why have I never had these before?! I love, love, LOVED the BLT ones. Reminiscent of the Figaro fries from Pinocchio's. We will definitely be having these in March!

A bit later we decided to see if we could walk in to Skippers Canteen. We were told 30 minutes but it was really only about 20. And we had a comfy place to sit while waiting















We were seated in The Mess Hall





DH tried the soda from Thailland



Iced tea and water for the rest of us



I wasn't a fan of the bread ... DH and Julia enjoyed it



DH ordered the falafel and the shui mai



The falafel was pretty good. I would order it on a future trip. He and Julia again enjoyed the Shui Mai.

Julia had the mac & cheese



I only tried a bite. I liked the mac & cheese part but was not a fan of the meat part. She enjoyed it.

DS and I both had the noodle bowl (pho). My picture is way to blurry to post. I have to say that this may have been my favorite thing that I ate all trip. I took out the mint as I don't care for that flavor. The soup was well flavored, a bit spicy. Again, I look forward to trying this again but probably in October with DH as DS was less impressed than I.

On to dessert



and .......



Nice touch in theming





I had to try the caramel rooibos tea



This was good. Slightly sweet.

We all shared the coconut bar



and Kungaloosh cake



Both were quite good. Neither were too sweet which we all enjoyed.

So our experience here overall was good but we really didn't try the entrees. I would go back for lunch to again try the appetizers and that soup. Not sure I would try dinner.

 

[jabead]

Wow, 5 great updates at once...quite impressive! I had a very good experience at Flying Fish on my last visit there so am anxious to return there in October. Your GFC breakfast review of course made me sad, since I forfeited that breakfast (and my much loved french toast) to try the character buffet at 1900 PF. I will not be making that mistake again in October. And I was glad to read your favorable review of the Skipper's Canteen, as the reviews seem to be not so great lately. But since I've never been there, I do of course want to give it a try. I've lost track of how many times I've stayed at the Boardwalk resort, but would you believe that I've never had a drink at the Belle Vue?? So now I've added that to my Disney World bucket list. And speaking of my list, your visit to the Scat Cat Lounge again reminded me that I have yet to get over to the River Roost to see Yehaa Bob perform. I am determined to get over there sometime during my next trip!!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Wow, 5 great updates at once...quite impressive! I had a very good experience at Flying Fish on my last visit there so am anxious to return there in October. Your GFC breakfast review of course made me sad, since I forfeited that breakfast (and my much loved french toast) to try the character buffet at 1900 PF. I will not be making that mistake again in October. And I was glad to read your favorable review of the Skipper's Canteen, as the reviews seem to be not so great lately. But since I've never been there, I do of course want to give it a try. I've lost track of how many times I've stayed at the Boardwalk resort, but would you believe that I've never had a drink at the Belle Vue?? So now I've added that to my Disney World bucket list. And speaking of my list, your visit to the Scat Cat Lounge again reminded me that I have yet to get over to the River Roost to see Yehaa Bob perform. I am determined to get over there sometime during my next trip!!

Hopefully we can do some of these things together in October!!

 

[vettegirl]

Great updates! FF is so good, your pics of the snapper are making me hungry! Glad you were able to try Skippers Canteen, but too bad your entrees were a flop. I don't think we will eating there next trip as my DH isn't too keen on the menu.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Our last dinner was unfortunately our most disappointing ...



We haven't been in a few years not because of a bad experience just because we tried other things.

The menu ...









First up some sushi ... the volcano roll and a veggie roll





These were both quite tasty!

I had the Kona Salad.



This was disappointing. Very little blue cheese or almonds. Dressing was kind of blah, more oily than flavorful.

We all shared pot stickers ...



These were Ok. Not even close to Ohana or Yak & Yeti.

A&J shared the pork buns



I didn't try them but the kids said they were just 'ok'.

I had the steak for my entrée



Again this was Ok. Not bad, not great. Maybe like a steak at Applebees.

DS shared the steak with me and just wanted the wings as his meal



He enjoyed these. I don't eat wings so I didn't try them.

DH and Julia both had the noodle bowl - Julia's with chicken, DH's with shrimp





Again, this was Ok. I did try some of the noodles. Typical lo mein tasting.

Overall the food was ok. The problem is that I expect more at Disney both because it is Disney and because of the prices. And the service could not have been slower. Our waitress was very nice but the restaurant as half empty and we waited forever for refills and between courses.

I don't think I will be going back to Kona for dinner any time soon. I do plan for DH to have breakfast in March as he really loves the Tonga Toast and we haven't been for the past several trips.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Our last Disney food item was at Scat Cats. We went back to listen to Jason and Billy and after several glasses of Sangria I wanted a snack ...



Spinach Artichoke dip to the rescue!

This was very good. Very creamy, cheesy, flavorful. It hit the spot.

We really loved POFQ. DH and I had stayed there in 1993 and 1994 but then we hadn't gone back. We went this time because of Julia's family living in NOLA. I am glad we did. It is a nice size, I loved the music throughout the resort and especially enjoyed Jason & Billy at Scat Cats. I hope they stay on long term. Regardless, we decided to stay here in October rather than the Boardwalk. The money we save will allow us to do a few more F&W events!

So that's it. A little over 3 weeks til DS and I return to POP!

 

[Redwitch]

Thanks for sharing and I'll be looking for your next report!

 

[kastoney]

Had lots to catch up on, but got it all in and looking forward to your next trip.....

These were so very good! Possibly worth a trip to try even if we were not staying there. Light, fluffy inside. Just perfect.

We loved these during our POFQ trip too. Love that they make them fresh to order too.

Despite the cold rainy day, after playing in Future World for a bit, we headed to France for a Grand Marnier slushie!

Love this picture of you!

I was desperately craving a burger and with it being a chilly day, soup seemed in order. Soooo ... Chefs de France it is!

Chefs de France and craving a burger. Too things I wouldn't have put together, curious to see how it turned out.

I had this burger once before and it is maybe the best burger I have ever had. The mushroom duxelle is so good. The fries were perfect and crispy. This was an awesome burger.

Wow, mushrooms (my food nemesis) aside, this looks amazing. What kind of cheese is that? Brie?

A couple of blurry entrée pics ... Julia wanted the pasta Bolognese



This was really good. I was a bit surprised how good since the restaurant is more know of seafood & steak.

My very italian mother ordered this there three years ago and I thought she was crazy ordering pasta at a seafood restaurant. Needless to say as you all saw it was amazing. Both my mother and chef hubby have declared this the best bolognese they've ever had. Glad Julia loved it equally as much.

DS had the scallops and risotto ..



The scallops were perfectly cooked but the risotto was our only complaint of the meal. It was more than slightly undercooked. Had a bit of a crunch to the rice not the perfect al dente chew. It was seasoned well and flavored perfectly though. DS ate it rather than send it back so it wasn't awful just something to point out.

Too bad the risotto wasn't good, as this looks divine. So sad flying fish will be closed for most of the year. We are huge fans.

Why have I never had these before?! I love, love, LOVED the BLT ones. Reminiscent of the Figaro fries from Pinocchio's. We will definitely be having these in March!

I have always wanted to try these, but we typically go during "value" season so its never open. Fingers crossed that will change in April. Looks amazing.

DS and I both had the noodle bowl (pho). My picture is way to blurry to post. I have to say that this may have been my favorite thing that I ate all trip. I took out the mint as I don't care for that flavor. The soup was well flavored, a bit spicy. Again, I look forward to trying this again but probably in October with DH as DS was less impressed than I.

Wow, glad to hear you enjoyed this so much. I'm a huge pho fan and am looking forward to seeing how Skppers does it on our next trip.

These were both quite tasty!

Sushi looks amazing. Sorry the rest of the meal was a bust.

Overall the food was ok. The problem is that I expect more at Disney both because it is Disney and because of the prices. And the service could not have been slower. Our waitress was very nice but the restaurant as half empty and we waited forever for refills and between courses.

I don't think I will be going back to Kona for dinner any time soon. I do plan for DH to have breakfast in March as he really loves the Tonga Toast and we haven't been for the past several trips.

I know breakfast suffer from the same service issues, but I always figured dinner would do better. Sorry for you all it didn't. Think we'll continue to stick to breakfast. While service may be bad, love, love, love their breakfast food

Our last Disney food item was at Scat Cats. We went back to listen to Jason and Billy and after several glasses of Sangria I wanted a snack ...

Girl after my own heart ; )

So that's it. A little over 3 weeks til DS and I return to POP!

Can't believe you are going back already. And how special to get another Mom and son trip. Can't wait to eat all about it ; )

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Had lots to catch up on, but got it all in and looking forward to your next trip.....


Wow, mushrooms (my food nemesis) aside, this looks amazing. What kind of cheese is that? Brie?

Can't believe you are going back already. And how special to get another Mom and son trip. Can't wait to eat all about it ; )

Yup, brie. I am sure you could get the burger without the mushroom duxelle. I love mushrooms so for me that burger is perfection.

Less than three weeks til DS and I have (I think) our 6th Mom and Son trip. Guessing it will be our last at least for a while so I have planned all his favorite places. DH and I will be going back in October for Food & Wine. I am feeling very blessed (and spoiled!) this year!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

This sounds like such a great way to start off 2016! I’m also glad to hear you were fluid with your plans despite having a set one. Adjustments can always make for a better trip when going with so many different people.

Landing early is a great way to start your trip with getting to see all those fireworks! I bet that was awesome!

HBD’s Gingerbread House is so cute! Glad they went with such a classic look for it! Brie Soup sounds so different and tasty! They didn’t have that last time I went!

Sorry to hear the food at Merry & Bright wasn’t that good! At least it served its purpose of you being able to see the lights one last time in a nice dedicated spot!

Sorry you didn’t enjoy your meal at Bongo’s as much as the kids did! The dishes look nice though but I’m with you against mushy rice! Yuck!

The French Onion Soup at Chefs De France is one of my favorites! Perfect for a Chilly Day! You can’t go wrong with warm cheese!

I do hope the Potato Wrapped Red Snapper returns when Flying Fish reopens! It’s a great dish. The last time I had the Peanut Butter Freeze there was no bacon in it! That looks awesome with the bacon!

Those pork fries look amazing! So much better than the protein bar at my desk now!

Glad you enjoyed Skipper’s Canteen as well.

I always love the appetizers more than entrees at Kona! I miss the Duck Potstickers they used to have years ago but they do have the best sauce there! We have it off our list of restaurants as there are so many other options to enjoy!

 

[vettegirl]

I am sad your review is over but I am so happy you shared your dining experiences with us all. That spinach and artichoke dip looks so good and I am sure it hit the spot!

 

[ALEXandFAB]

Thanks so much for your reviews! Very much enjoyed

 

[jabead]

I was thinking of getting that salad at Kona when I was there for dinner with my kids last May. We decided to all share the chicken wings so I didn't. Now I'm glad that I skipped it, since it sounds like it is pretty boring.

But anyway, thanks for another great dining report! I can't wait to hear about your upcoming spring break trip with Andrew. When do you leave for the World?

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

This sounds like such a great way to start off 2016! I’m also glad to hear you were fluid with your plans despite having a set one. Adjustments can always make for a better trip when going with so many different people.

Disney doesn't make it easy to be flexible with having to plan 6 months in advance but it is still possible! And sometimes it is a must!

I am sad your review is over but I am so happy you shared your dining experiences with us all. That spinach and artichoke dip looks so good and I am sure it hit the spot!

Yes, it was delish! Very happy to have two more trips planned this year! Feeling very spoiled!

Thanks so much for your reviews! Very much enjoyed

Thanks for reading!

I was thinking of getting that salad at Kona when I was there for dinner with my kids last May. We decided to all share the chicken wings so I didn't. Now I'm glad that I skipped it, since it sounds like it is pretty boring.

But anyway, thanks for another great dining report! I can't wait to hear about your upcoming spring break trip with Andrew. When do you leave for the World?

Well, we were supposed to be leaving on Friday but I have postponed our trip until May 24th. It was going to put a bit too much stress on Andrew to go over his break. Plus we have a weight watchers at work program going on that will end on May 17th. Hearing today that Rivers of Light is opening April 22nd cemented that I made the right choice in postponing. I am going to be pretty grumpy at work on Monday but I know we are still getting to go, just waiting a bit.