Monkeyhouse's 6 Days of Dining - 09/25-09/30 - with pics

[monkeyhouse]

DW and I were down for the Expedition Everest Challenge, but we also managed to fit in all the parks and plenty of food. I'll apologize in advance for some of the pictures. We picked up a new lens for the camera just before we left and apparently we needed to spend a little more time with it before our trip.

I'll start of with a rundown of our meals and a day 1 review and fill in the rest over the next few days.

Day 1
- Lunch/Snack - The Mara
- Dinner - Boma

Day 2
- Breakfast - The Mara
- Lunch - The Mara
- Dinner - Food & Wine Festival

Day 3
- Breakfast - The Wave
- Lunch - The Mara
- Snack - AKL Culinary Tour
- Dinner - Restaurantosaurus

Day 4
- Breakfast - Sleeping
- Lunch - Raglan Road
- Dinner - Pecos Bill's Cafe

Day 5
- Breakfast - Boma
- Lunch and Dinner - Food & Wine Festival

Day 6
- Breakfast - Kona Cafe

Now on with the Day 1 review.

We arrived at Animal Kingdom Lodge after 4 pm and inquired what time the Culinary Tour was run. We found out that is was at 4 pm so we were not going to get any samples that day. Our dinner reservation at Boma was not until after 8pm so we needed something to tide us over until then.

For our Lunch/Snack we got the Pepperoni Pizza to share and a couple of refill mugs of soda. The pizza crust was nice, thin and not too crispy or too soft. The sauce, cheese and pepperoni were also good. Overall it was a great appetizer for our later dinner. We were going to get a Butternut Squash Soup, but passed on it since we thought we would be having some for dinner anyway.

It was still fairly busy when we arrived at Boma and unfortunately we were seated in what seemed to be in the darkest table in Boma. So no photos for this meal since I felt it would be like taking flash photography in the Haunted Mansion.

For drinks DW had the Lava Smoothie which is raspberry puree and pina colada mix. It was tasty but it was way too sweet. I would guess the sweetness is due to the pina colada mix being made to be mixed with alcohol . I had the Passion Fruit Mojito. Lots of fresh mint and very tasty.

Nothing that we had for dinner disappointed. It was disappointing that Butternut Squash Soup was not on the menu that night though. Our least favorite item was the Potato Bacon Soup. Perhaps we were holding a grudge, but it just seemed kind of bland. Highlights of our dinner were the Peanut Rice, Geelrys Rice, Bobotie, Prime Rib with "The orange colored sauce farthest to the left in front of the prime rib".

Finally, dessert. The highlights were the Pineapple Upside Down Cheesecake, , Zebra Domes, and Cocomisu. We had had the first two on our previous trip but the Cocomisu was new to us. Basically it was like Tiramisu + Coconut and for me the result was great. DW found the alcohol in it a little strong though. There was one dessert that we did not like at all though. We don't recall what it was called, but it was dark brown and shaped kind of like Horizons.

 

[Evan&Kimberly]

Delightful start!!!

 

[frdeb1999]

Great start!

 

[TigerKat]

I'm in.......

 

[MickeyNicki]

I'm in! We will be at the AKL for a 5 night stay in about 2 weeks so I am very interested in your meals there

 

[HonnyDipp]

I'm in!

 

[John's Mom]

Great start!

 

[CanadianPaco]

I'm in!!!!

 

[monkeyhouse]

Day 2 was our park hopping and EEC packet pickup day.

Just incase you are not familiar with the EEC, here is a link to the web page http://disneyworldsports.disney.go....s/detail?name=EnduranceEverestEventDetailPage

We started off with an early breakfast at The Mara so we could make it to Hollywood Studios for the opening and Toy Story Mania. We both had breakfast croissants and shared an apples and caramel sauce.

Croissant with eggs, bacon and cheese. Not too healthy, but they were tasty.

Apples with caramel sauce. The apples were fresh and the caramel sauce was good if you didn't take too much. Too much sauce was very sweet.

Off to HS for a couple of rides on TSM and it was time to go to Disney's World of Sports for our packet pickup. We thought about going to the All Star Cafe for lunch while there but decided to just head back to AKL to drop off our packets and lunch at The Mara.

DW went for the Pepperoni Pizza again and I thought I would try the Cheeseburger and fries. Lucky for us they were serving the Butternut Squash Soup again so we got a cup to share.

The Pepperoni Pizza a little underdone compared to the previous day. It got busy after we ordered so they were pulling the pizza off the conveyer belt before the pizza had actually left the oven. Overall still good.

The Cheeseburger was a little bland and the fries were fries. I would have preferred DW's undercooked pizza.

Highlight of the meal was the Butternut Squash Soup. Perhaps it was good they didn't have this @ Boma when we went.

From AKL to AK to take a safari and look around in preparation for the EEC scavenger hunt. While there, I picked up a Chai Freeze from the Royal Anandapur Tea Company. The only problem with this was the AK paper straws. By the time I got near the end the straw was too wilted to mix up the remaining slush.

Back to HS for our Fast Pass on TSM, Rockin Roller Roaster and Tower of Terror. We also picked up another slushie drink @ Hey Howdy Hey! Take Away. We both had a Wheezy’s Breezy Freezy which seemed to be a Coke slush and was good. No straw issues either.

Finally off to the Food and Wine Festival @ Epcot. We were heading back for a full day of Epcot later in our trip so we didn't do a thorough tour.

First stop was San Juan, Puerto Rico for Plantain and Beef Casserole and a Frozen Mojito. The problem with this was the Mojito machine was broken

Plantain and Beef Casserole seemed a little light on the beef but was overall good.

No stops til San Francisco where we tried the Seared Beef Medallion with Cheddar Cheese Polenta. The polenta was a nice change from mashed potato. The beef was ok, but not memorable.

It was almost time for Illuminations so we stopped at Bololgna, Italy for Baked Ziti, Pizza with Sausage and Cream Puff with Mascrapone and Gianduja Chocolate.

The Baked Ziti was good with lots of tasty overcooked cheese on top. This was DW's favorite. Pizza with Sausage was ok, but didn't seem that special. The Cream Puffs were very nice. Not soggy or dry, just right.

Off to Munich, Germany for a Regensburger Sausage w/ Sauerkraut in a Pretzel Roll and a Becks Oktoberfest.

The Sausage itself was good, but the Pretzel Roll was ruined by too much Sauerkraut juice.

Becks Oktoberfest was a smooth dark beer.

Last stop of the night was Mexico City, Mexico for Chilaquiles and Quesadilla con Chorizo.

The Chilaquiles was great. Layers of chicken, tortillas, and green chili sauce. Best item of the night for me. Quesadilla con Chorizo was also good but could have used a little more Chorizo.

Going through the review I noticed I didn't make note of some of the basic beverages such as water, juice, soda, coffee, etc that we had. In case you thought we were dehydrating, we weren't

 

[monkeyhouse]

Day 3 was EEC day.

We started the day off with a later breakfast at The Wave.

DW had the Multigrain French Toast with bacon. Without the fruit compote or syrup, she found the toast too dense and firm (almost stale like). But once she started dipping into the fruit she liked it. The bacon was good and had a nice smoked flavor.

I decided to try the Spinach and Feta Cheese Scrambled Eggs. Strangely enough the eggs were loaded with tomato pieces and feta, the spinach was on the side. I'm not a fan of tomato pieces, but in this it worked. Sausage, biscuit and potatoes were also good.

I also had this adult beverage, the Pure Sunshine (Purus Organic Vodka, Orange Juice, and Vitamin Energy Drink).

Lunch was also later and was back at The Mara again.

DW decided to try the half chicken dinner. The chicken was lightly spiced and at least one of the spices was curry (or a component of curry). DW enjoyed it, but half a chicken was too much for her. The sides were couscous and a vegetable "stew". DW doesn't like couscous, and this didn't change her mind. I tried a bit and found it to be fine. The "stew" was ok as well.

I went for the chicken nuggets and fries. There was a lot of chicken in this and they were good. In my Boma review I didn't mention that I had some chicken nuggets with the chipotle based paste(rightmost sauce in front of the prime rib). The BBQ sauce here didn't quite compare.

Shortly after our lunch we went on the ALK Culinary Tour. Starting off at Jiko we learned a little about the restaurant design and menu and then were treated to sharing the Taste of Africa appetizer. The appetizer is breads/crisps and 3 dips. The tikka masala dip was excellent and the olive hummus was also good. I don't recall what the 3rd dip was, but I do know that it wasn't bad tasting.

Once the Jiko tour ended, it seemed as though the tour was over. Thankfully we knew that the tour should have included Boma as well. Three other people from the tour also knew this and led the charge to Boma. I'm not sure if they wanted to do the Boma tour on this day or not. We waited for a long while before one of the chefs came and gave the tour. Important things we learned was that there is a 3 menu rotation and Sunday's are open menu. The chef highly recommended Sunday as the night to visit since the chefs get the chance to try out new things or bring out their specialties. At the end of the tour we were able to sample Zebra Domes and Cassava Cake. By looking at the Cassava Cake, we were not really interested. From the description (tapioca based), we were not really interested. But after tasting it we thought it was great.

Finally at the EEC after party we went to Restaurantosaurus for a late dinner. DW and I both had cheeseburgers and apples. These burgers were much better than the one I had at The Mara. They actually had flavor and tasted like they were cooked over fire.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

subbing

 

[Disney owl]

Great reviews

 

[jinkies04]

Thanks for the mouthwatering pics and good reviews!

 

[monkeyhouse]

We had a late start on day 4 as we wanted to make sure we made it to the end of MNSSHP that evening.

We made it to Downtown Disney by about noon and headed over to Raglan Road.
DW has been waiting since March to have the Fish and Chips again so that is what she ordered. The fish she still loved, but unfortunately the fries seemed a little old. Old RR fries are still ok, but no match for fresh ones.

I had been thinking if I should get the beef stew or the bangers and mash since March. To my dismay the menu had changed and they didn't have either items. They did still have Sheppards Pie which DW had had on our last visit and I sampled, so I thought I would try the whole thing this time.

Oddly enough, the Sheppards Pie came with a side. Since I enjoyed the fries last time, I went for them. Like DW's, they were a little old.

To wash down my lunch I ordered the Jay'Gail Sangria (Strongbow Cider, Peach Schnapps, fruit liqueurs and squeezes). It washed down my lunch well.

After lunch we did some shopping which included Goofy's Candy Co. DW was able to hold off and saved them until we returned home three days later. Mine lasted until we left for home. All of them held up very well until they were actually eaten and tasted great.

DW got two Mickey Krispy Rice Treats. One dipped in Milk Chocolate and topped with Chopped Pecans, Crushed Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, and Caramel Drizzle.

The other one dipped in Dark Chocolate and topped with Chopped Pecans, Crushed Oreo Cookie Crumbs, White Chocolate Drizzle, and Caramel Drizzle.

I went for a Gingerbread Mickey dipped in Dark Chocolate and topped with Chopped Pecans and Caramel Drizzle...

...and the Pretzel Rods all dipped in Dark Chocolate and drizzled with Milk Chocolate. One topped with Chopped Pecans, one topped with Crushed Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, and one topped with Crushed Butterfingers.

With all our treats safely in the fridge it was time to be off to MNSSHP.

First stop, Aloha Isle for Dole Whips. DW went for the classic and I went for the float. We should have stopped off for these on our park hopper day as well.

After a few rides we thought we should have something to eat before more rides, fireworks, parade, and trick or treating. Since we were in area we went to Pecos Bill's Cafe.

DW had the Chicken Wrap with a side apples. DW enjoyed it despite it being a cold chicken wrap. She really prefers warm chicken in her wraps. As you can see below, the wrap was also rather large.

I had the BBQ Pork Sandwich with a side apples. Easily my favorite QS meal of the trip. Pork, sauce and bun all great.

 

[AussieAngel]

Ooh, yay!! Yours is the first ever review I've seen of The Wave for breakfast!!

DH and I are going there in January for breakfast. Not sure if you were on the dining plan or not... If you were, did you have the option of having an appetizer for breakfast? I like the sound of their fresh fruit plate as an appetizer!

Thanks for your great reviews so far!

 

[monkeyhouse]

DH and I are going there in January for breakfast. Not sure if you were on the dining plan or not... If you were, did you have the option of having an appetizer for breakfast? I like the sound of their fresh fruit plate as an appetizer!

Sorry, we were not on the dining plan so I'm not sure about the appetizer.

Another thing I'll mention about The Wave. It was the least busy dining we did the whole trip. Not sure if it is always like that, but it was a nice change in pace.

 

[monkeyhouse]

A quick, half day 5 update today.

When planning for our trip we were not planning on going to Boma for breakfast, but decided to try it out on our 2nd day. We attempted to get early reservations for this day at the reservations desk in the AKL lobby but the earliest they had was 8:45. However they suggested we just go down a few minutes before they opened and put our name in. We did this and a very short wait.

DW had a nice selection of fruit, eggs, bacon, sausage, croissant, corned beef bobotie , and probably something else hidden in there. Everything was good however the corned beef bobotie wasn't quite as expected. The corned beef was not like we had experienced before. It seemed more like spiced ground beef.

I had some bacon, eggs, sausage, french toast, corned beef bobotie, and curried sausage and biscuit (I think DW had some of this hidden on her plate too). The curried sausage and biscuit was surprisingly good for a breakfast item. My second plate of breakfast was mostly this dish.

Second half of day 5 (all F&W) and day 6 still to come.

 

[MemoryMakers2669]

Great report!

 

[monkeyhouse]

Finally I have time for the second half of day 5. Unfortunately my new job has kept me too busy since my last update.

So after breakfast, the rest of our eating was done touring around Epcot.

First stop was at San Juan, Puerto Rico to get my Frozen Mojito I was denied on our previous attempt. Not really like
other Mojitos I have had, but very tasty. I would have had more, but it seemed a little expensive for the size.

After that we toured around the World Showcase clockwise.

Santiago, Chile
- Spicy Beef Empanada – This was good, I could have had more spicyness though. DW was ok with the spicyness

Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Grilled Beef with Chimichurri Sauce - We could have used more beef. The sauce was excellent.

- Beef and Corn Pie – This ended up being DW’s favourite even though she wasn’t interested in it from the description. The top reminded her of Yorkshire Pudding and the bottom of beef stew.

Vienna, Austria
- Beef Goulash with a Bacon Dumpling – Very tasty. The Bacon Dumpling seemed more like a bacon cake though.

- Tafelspitz (Boiled brisket with a horseradish cream sauce) – Kind of bland, especially compared to the Beef Goulash. The beef was a little tough as expected since it was brisket and boiled. We could barely taste the horseradish in the sauce.

Shanghai, China
- Ginger Ice Cream – This was refreshing. Not too sweet and and plenty of real ginger chunks. From the label I would guess that this is also available at the Lotus Blossom Café.

- Plum Wine Green Tea Cooler – I was hoping to enjoy this, but it was just ok. It had the same saltyness to it as the Green Tea Plum Wine Slush I had had at the Joy of Tea Stand in March.

Bololgna, Italy
- Placido Chianti – Not much of a wine connoisseur, so to me it tasted like good red wine.

- The reason for the Chianti was that I needed something to go Baked Ziti and Cream Puff with Mascrapone we wanted to try again. And again they were both good.

Cork, Ireland
- Boxty with Bacon Chips and Kerrygold Garlic & Fresh Herb Butter – We were not sure what this was so we asked and were told it was like a potato pancake with bacon and butter. Mmmm, sounds good we thought. Oooops, they forgot to mention that it was loaded with onions. DW wasn’t really interested in trying this and I don’t like onions so big thumbs down for this. The pancake part by itself was bland and airy.

Hops and Barley
- 13th Annual Festival Lager – I’m barely a better connoisseur of beer than wine, but it was a nice a smooth dark beer. Yum.

Wellington, New Zealand
- Lamb Slider on a Brioche Roll - DW thought it was just ok, I enjoyed it. The roll was really good.

France
- Grey Goose Smoothy – DW had to suffer all the way from Mexico until she could have this. Of course it was excellent.

Lyon, France
- Milk Chocolate Creme Brulee – This was good however it wasn’t freshly bruleed.

Istanbul, Turkey
- Manti with Yogurt Sauce – This was beef (I think) dumplings. Good overall, but not overly exciting.

Montreal, Canada
- Cheddar Cheese Soup – This lived up to its reputation, though we wouldn’t make reservations for Le Cellier just to have the soup again.

Krakow, Poland
- Keilbasa and Potato Pierogies – Like the Manti, it was good overall, but not overly exiting. Perhaps we should have went around counter clockwise and these might have seemed better.

Mexico Margarita Stand - Fiesta Margarita – Lowest ranked for the shushie drinks of the day, but still great. I wonder if they would do a half and half so you could get more of the flavours.

To finish off our day of eating we each got one more sample of our favourites. Good thing they were both close together and close to the World Showcase exit.
DW went back to Buenos Aires, Argentina for a Beef and Corn Pie and I went to Mexico City, Mexico for Chilaquiles.

Only one more update to go. Hopefully I should be able to get back to do it quicker than this update.

 

[Mocharilla]

Wow. Read all your reviews so far. Great! Looks delicious!