MONKEY CHOW -- 8 days of dining! **updated pg 4 - post #56 w/ pix (10/15)**

[7beasley]

MONKEY CHOW

We chowed our way around the world for eight days from Saturday September 13, 2008 through Saturday, September 20, 2008 and it was great! We were on free dining – the basic plan. In this dining report I will be reviewing the following monkey chow meals:

Table Services:
1. Ohana (pg 1, post #11)
2. Marakesh (pg 2, post #20)
3. Mama Melrose (pg 3, post #43)
4. Kona (pg 4, post #56)
5. Tusker (lunch)
6. Trails End
7. Mythos (at Universal)
8. Beaches and Cream
9. Spoodles

Counter Services:
1. China at Epcot (pg 1, post #14)
2. Wolfgang Puck’s Express (pg 3, post #36)
3. POFQ Food Court (pg 1, post #14 and pg 3, post #36)
4. Pepper Market (pg 4, post #52)
5. Columbia Harbor House
6. Backlot Express
7. Flame Tree BBQ


Introduction of the monkeys doing the chowing:

NC: Me -- wonderful wife to TC and mother of an 11 month old little girl named Izzy (Isabella) [who did not come to WDW with us -- I know -- blasphemy…] and our furbaby Porker, loves to eat, planned all my meals out in advance, super disappointed that the appetizers were taken out of the basic dining plan – ordered them anyway but paid cash, and all in all had a great week of dining!

TC: My husband – a terrific guy and father of Izzy and primary caregiver to our furbaby Porker the bulldog. Also loves to eat, did not plan out his meals in advance despite multiple proddings by me asking what he was going to order, encouraged off dining plan food eating because this was vacation and we were going “deluxe” and all in all had a great week of dining!

Before I start the reviews – I should answer the question I know you are all asking - why is my report called “Monkey Chow”? Well, while at a zoo this summer with our daughter – there was a coin operated feeding station where you could get food to feed the monkeys…and that food was called “monkey chow” and for whatever reason – that struck us as very funny. We had already been calling Izzy “our little monkey” or “the monkey” and after seeing that – food and meals in our house were renamed “monkey chow” and we carried that saying over to this trip.

My reviews will therefore be rated on the “banana system” as follows:

Zero Bananas = Gross - food not even fit for a monkey!

One Banana = Passable - better than eating dirt but not much better!

Two Bananas = Fair - you won’t get sick eating it but its not worth eating again!

Three Bananas = Good – enjoyable and would eat there again!

Four Bananas = Excellent – a wonderful meal – will definitely return!

Five Bananas = Outstanding - monkey squealing, plate licking fantastic!


Okay – enough introductions – let's get to the reviews!

Up next: Ohana.

-Nicole

 

[TigerKat]

Can't wait to see who rates the most bananas!!

 

[HappyCamper87]

Thanks for taking the time to review.

Looking forward to it!

 

[MickeyNicki]

I'm in, cannot wait to drool all over your review

 

[MarieA]

I'm in too!!! Can't wait to read your reviews.

 

[HonnyDipp]

I'm in! Looking forward to it!

 

[KatMark]

I'm in....anxiously awaiting.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Yum!!! Get writing!!!

 

[John's Mom]

I'm in! Bring on the bananas!

 

[LilMinnie]

 

[7beasley]

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Breakfast: Granola bars eaten in the car on the way to the airport with a quick stop for some steaming hot delicious dunkin donuts coffee (as we knew that not another single drop of coffee would be had until we got home).

Lunch: Italian grinders on fresh Italian bread purchased at our favorite sub shop at home on Friday night and eaten on the plane with some Pringles. We were certainly the envy of many who tried to squelch their hunger with a tiny bag of cheese-its offered by Southwest while we happily tore into our sandwiches.

Dinner: OHANA – Polynesian.

This meal is our traditional first meal and it was excellent as usual. I ordered a diet coke and TC had an ice tea. The meal starts with Hawaiian bread. My DH loved it – I was not a fan because I don’t enjoy coconut.

Followed by salad which I do love – I think I ate most of the whole bowl myself.

Then out come the potstickers – they were good.

Then the chicken wings – a big hit with both of us.

Next came the peanut noodles and stir fry vegetables (broccoli and pea pods). The noodles were just okay. I did not find them very peanuty. The vegetables were fine – a little under cooked for my liking but good none the less.

Then onto the meats!! Excellent!! I love shrimp and TC doesn’t. But TC loves the turkey and pork and I don’t – so our little system is that when they come around with those things – he takes shrimp and I take turkey/pork and then we give them to the other person. I must have had about 10 shrimps. They were so good. And in addition to the shrimp I had one piece of steak. It was a little too rare for me. DH ate a ton of turkey, some pork and one piece of steak as well.

We were both stuffed and happy - as you can see from the picture of the aftermath of monkey chowing!!

Although not big bread pudding fans, we had the dessert. TC actually thought the bread pudding was great. I did not have any but enjoyed some of the ice cream and the bananas foster sauce. It was a nice ending to a wonderful meal.

Banana Rating:

Four Bananas

We had a very nice and attentive waiter named Chris. We were also given a fabulous window table over looking the castle.

So that was nice. This will continue to remain our traditional first night meal. I will say that the place was packed! We waited in line about 15 minutes just to check in for our ADR. Once checked in though – we were seated within about 10 minutes. There was someone checking in next to us without an ADR and they were told it was a 2.5 hour wait! Frankly, I think it would have been worth it!!

OOP cost: $12 tip.

Up next: China CS at Epcot

-Nicole

 

[quixoticvalue]

I agree. That salad with honey-lime vinaigrette is amazing!!

 

[Lynn5700]

That is the best salad ever!

 

[7beasley]

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Breakfast: Port Orleans French Quarter Food Court

NC: King Creole platter which was a biscuit, one piece of sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, some potatoes and scrambled eggs. A counter service meal for breakfast on the dining plan is weird. Instead of a dessert you get an extra drink. This is a change from the last time we ate breakfast CS on the dining plan. You used to be able to get a muffin or fruit as your dessert and I liked that much better. We had bought refillable mugs when we arrived and I used that for hot chocolate and used my 2 drinks for an Orange Juice (drank with breakfast) and an Apple Juice that I brought back to the room.

TC: Mickey waffles and bacon. In his refillable mug TC had coffee and got an Orange Juice (drank with breakfast) and a Cranberry Juice to bring back to the room.

Banana Rating:

Two Bananas

It was certainly convenient having breakfast at the hotel before leaving for the parks and the refillable mugs are great but this breakfast was just okay. You are severely restricted on the dining plan for breakfast because you can’t get a dessert in the form of fruit or something. Two drinks is fairly useless – especially if you have mug. But we had some counter services to spare so we figured we might as well use them!

Lunch: China Counter Service – Epcot

This was a good meal. We both had the same thing – orange chicken with rice. The meal is basically chicken fingers with sauce and white rice. The white rice is pretty flavorless and it would be better if they offered fried rice instead. But, we put some soy sauce on the rice and that made it better. We each had a large raspberry ice tea to drink and for dessert each got one of the ice creams (it comes in 2 flavors). I had strawberry vanilla bean and TC had ginger caramel. Both good. TC also had a side of egg rolls ($3.99). I tried a bite of one and they were tasty!

We like to eat at one of the countries every trip and enjoyed China. It was certainly better than a hamburger.

Banana Rating:

Three Bananas

Up next: Marakesh

-Nicole

 

[HonnyDipp]

The Ohana salad looks good! I can't wait to try it in November!

 

[exwdwcm]

enjoying your report Nicole- can't wait to read more. i am a big Ohana fan too. but man, i miss those au gratin potatoes!

 

[MickeyNicki]

I cannot wait for Marrakesh!

 

[sandybobandy]

more please!

 

[7beasley]

Hi all...

Exwdwcm -- I agree with you about missing the potatoes - me too!!

MickeyNicki -- see below - I don't think you are going to like my Marakesh review (preview - it stunk!)

Fellow Ohana Salad lovers -- I agree with you - the salad is awesome! Bow down to the salad...salad lover unite!

All who are in for this monkey chow journey -- Hi - glad you could join me!

Okay -- on to more reviews!

-Nicole

 

[7beasley]

Sunday, September 14, 2008


Dinner: MARAKESH – Epcot

Neither words nor pictures can really convey just how awful and truly disgusting this meal was!

My DH is a big fan of Marakesh. It is a must do restaurant for him. And usually, he loves it and I find it okay. So you can imagine our shock and disappointment that the meal completely and totally sucked.

We both ordered the Marakesh Feast. The menu said it was $42. We confirmed that it was part of the dining plan and were told “yes” but that there was a surcharge of $5.99 per person if you ordered the feast on the dining plan.

Now, I knew that was wrong. I just knew it.

I had not seen that information anywhere on this board and knew that there was no such
thing as surcharges on the dining plan. I wanted to complain but DH asked me not too. I did not want to fight with DH so I agreed to stay silent and we compromised that I could write Disney a letter complaining of the surcharge (and including a copy of my receipt showing same) after the trip.

However, still silently stewing – after we ordered I went outside and called the Dining number and spoke to a CM who confirmed that there were no surcharges on the dining plan and if the restaurant accepted the plan they their entire menu had to be part of it and there was no extra cost. I knew it!!

I ordered an orange soda and TC ordered the mint tea – which he loved!

The feast was as follows:

Appetizers which consisted of Harati Soup --- lentil, lamb and vegetables. I did not really like it – TC did. And one Beef Brawart Roll that came on the soup plate--- very good – alas it was only one and it was the best thing we ate that day at Marakesh.

And then the meal which was: Lamb Meshoui – both of our lamb shanks were all fat. Seriously – all fat. The lamb tasted spoiled almost – like it had gone bad. We both tried a couple of bites and that was all.

Lemon Chicken – the chicken comes smeared with this olive lemon sauce – it is thick and if you don’t like olives (which I don’t) – you won’t like this sauce. The chicken was okay. I did my best to scrape off the sauce and eat the inside of the chicken (not the skin) where the sauce taste wasn’t as strong.

And Cous Cous with Vegetables – I learned on this trip that I don’t like cous cous. It has a very sandy texture to it. I hated it. DH liked it and ate all his cous cous.

Then for dessert you get 3 small pieces of baklava. The pieces were walnut, peanut and pistachio. I gave all 3 to TC and he was happy! He loves baklava.

I did not eat much – couple bites of lamb, chicken and cous cous – my plate remained pretty much untouched to the point that the waiter offered me something else. Which I declined. But, that was pretty nice of him to do.

Although the food was terrible – the service was very good. The waiter was attentive and nice. Right after he brought our food – my husband offered to trade chicken with me because he had a leg/thigh piece and mine was white meat and he knows I prefer dark meat. So I put my chicken on his plate and as he reached across to put his chicken on my plate, he knocked into his mint tea and ended up spilling it on his plate and pants.

He jumped up to go the restroom to clean up and I quickly moved his lamb and chicken to the bread plate to try to rescue it from the mint tea. The waiter saw what had happened and came over. I asked him if he could bring us a clean plate and some more cous cous. Instead, he brought DH a whole new platter with a new piece of lamb, new piece of chicken and cous cous. My DH was happy that they did that and of course, as soon as he brought over the new plate – I knew that I would not be able to complain about the surcharge now!!

Even with the new plate of food – the lamb was still covered in a thick piece of yellow fat and the food still tasted terrible.

Thank god for the cous cous or DH would have starved! Unfortunately, I did starve. But some snacking after dinner helped!

Unfortunately, we won’t be returning to Marakesh. The food has gone seriously downhill and was barely even edible on this trip. Again, this is usually a must do for us and generally ranks in my DH’s top 3 meals for the week…this time it was dead last. Plus, when you factor in the scam of the dining plan “surcharge” which I know is bogus – that really ticked me off.

Plus – the waiter was trying to screw us a bit with the surcharge. On the dining plan now, at the bottom of the receipt prints out a suggested tip amount based on 18% and 20%. Our meals were $43 each ($86 total) plus 2 drinks ($5) for $91 total plus tax. An 18% tip would be about $16. Instead, because of the surcharge – the waiter brought us out a bill for $103 plus tax with a suggested tip of almost $20. So basically, if we had walked in and paid cash the feast would have cost $43 a person – but because we were on the dining plan the feast costs $49 a person and we were expected to tip on the higher amount. That seemed wrong to me. In addition, the receipt listed the surcharge as a “special appetizer” which is a scam way for Marakesh to hide the fact that it is surcharging its menu items.

I guess if the food had not been so horrible this might not have bothered me as much – but it did.

OOP cost: $28 ($12 surcharge plus $16 tip based on the cost of the meal w/o the surcharge)

Banana Rating:

Zero Bananas!!!

Up next: Wolfgang Pucks

-Nicole