MrToadsWildRide
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2009
- Messages
- 106
I got a chance to check out Morimoto's last night. I checked for a reservation and all they had was 8:30. But I walked in and it seemed pretty empty. I didn't bother asking for a table, since any of the bar sections were available. They have one downstairs (where I ate), one upstairs and a sushi bar upstairs.
You can find all kinds of great stuff about Morimoto on the awesome new Disney Springs website. Unless you want to see their menu, read some reviews and make a reservation. If it's on the awesomely new Disney Springs website, I couldn't find it. But the websites awesome. (probably just me) Open Table has all that stuff.
I was reading their menu, all excited about some Dim Sum, until I saw they had Nasi Goreng. (nasty go-what?) Having Asian food in 'Merica is like having American food in Asia. Stuff gets localized. Such as, crab flavored potato chips, from Lays no less. (yes I've had them, yes they're crapy, I mean crabby) I've had Nasi Goreng here in the US, but it's more like you're basic fried rice, which is not what Nasi Goreng tastes like.
Nasi Goreng (at least what I've experienced) is a fried rice, but with a unique flavor, unlike Terriyaki or Soy Sauce based. For me, it's the unique flavor that does it. That and the fact that they put a sunny side-up egg on top.
Mori (not sure if you should call him Mori) kicks it up an notch by adding duck to the mix. This took one of my favorite dishes to a new level. It was awesome. I would have licked the plate, had I not been in a restaurant full of under dressed Disney guests.
Really? Untucked t-shirts, cargo pants (do they still make those? no, they looked really old), flip flops I can both see and hear and that "I haven't found my razor yet" look. I guess there's resort casual and then there's "I'm single, why do you ask?" look.
You might say "Hey Mr. Toad, $21 is a lot to pay for funky fried nasty rice and an under cooked chicken on top." To which I'd reply, "That's MrToadsWildRide, to you." But you'd be right. I don't speak Japanese, but I think Morimoto translates to "how much you got?"
I look at it this way. $21 is a lot to spend on rice, so it better be good. This Nasi Goreng was fantastic. (I'm trying not to use the word amazing, as most of the reviews on Open Table are of Mori's mom posting amazing, I counted the word 8 times)
I was still liking my chopsticks when the waitress brought over the desert menu. If you think I'm odd for liking Nasi Goreng, then you won't be surprised when I tell you I Flan. I actually love flan. (though not in an American Pie way) I think I like it so much because I rarely find it. Morimoto did not have flan they had Creme Caramel. Which will work as a decent substitute. So I was pretty excited, until it showed up.
Their Creme Caramel is not really creme caramel. At least not like any creme caramel I've ever had. It was really more like a Creme Brûlée (look at me I can write in German), without the flamed up sugar on top.
First of all, any good Creme Brûlée uses real Vanilla. Meaning, they scrape all the bean's pastey goodness out of a real vanilla bean. You know you're getting the real thing if the bottom of your dish looks like someone used it as an ashtray before they poured in your brûlée.
They top it off with fresh fruit and some Black Sesame whipped cream? It looks like whipped cream made with blackberries. And if you want to hold that awesome thought, don't taste it. Cause it tasted like, well, black. I never thought the color black would have a taste, but now it does.
I should back up.
I came alone. No reservation. Sat in the bar. Ordered some weird stuff. Really liked it. Gee, do think anybody is thinking "Look at the odd, lonely guy with no family or friends. How sad. Waiter, can our family get another table?"
So the guy comes over to clear my plate as I contemplate licking it. (that would surely seal it for the weirdo-of-the-vacation award) He asks how I liked my nasty rice. So I go into my long dissertation of Nasi Goreng. Ate it in Singapore, how the duck really changed my favorite dish, blah, blah, blah. When I notice (for once) I'm not the only one who's enjoying what I'm saying. This (young) guy actually looks impressed. (finally!) He says, "Wow, you must be a food critic." I'm like "Yeah, I am." (on the inside)
Fast forward and out comes my desert. Although it wasn't brought out by the new (and only) member of my fan club. It's a really nice young woman who is clearly one of the chef's. She sets it down and goes into her pitch all about the dish, how it's prepared, can she answer any questions, do I need my car washed?
Wait. These people don't think I'm an actual food critic? I did take a photo of my food, but what looser doesn't? Though I did arrange the table and take several shots from several angles, cause I was bored. And (more importantly) my significant other wasn't with me to provide gentle constructive guidance on whether or not one should photograph their food public.
So now I'm staring at that big pile of purple-ish black foamyness thinking I really can't do what I'd normally do. Act like a 4 year old (no offense to 4 year olds) and scrape it all off while saying "Yeee-uuuuuuuck."
But what if they think I really am a food critic? All I can picture is Mori in the kitchen looking like John Belushi in his Samurai outfit, holding up his Samurai sword waiting for my response.
Then again, maybe it's not as bad as it looks.
Nope. It was bad. Not terrible bad. But bad like you're ruining all the creamy goodness underneath. So I ate it. And I smiled and went mmmmm. I might as well at least play the part. So I take another big scoop and smile at the family that tried to move away as if to say, "That's right. I don't need friends or family. I'm a food critic."
As for the Creme Caramel itself (black swan paste aside) it was very good. Lots of vanilla ash. Plus the Caramel part was in a little Caramel pot infused with Yuzu. What's Yuzu? Pull-eeeaze. Does a food critic have to explain everything? (I don't know) But it was really good.
The Nasi Goreng was excellent and the Creme Caramel (brulee) was amazing. (sorry) I rate it: I will definitely be back.
By the way (are you still reading this?), Morimoto is in the old Mannequins. When I heard that I was pretty excited. Sadly, there is no spinning floor of tables in Morimoto.
SFN (sayonara-for-now)
You can find all kinds of great stuff about Morimoto on the awesome new Disney Springs website. Unless you want to see their menu, read some reviews and make a reservation. If it's on the awesomely new Disney Springs website, I couldn't find it. But the websites awesome. (probably just me) Open Table has all that stuff.
I was reading their menu, all excited about some Dim Sum, until I saw they had Nasi Goreng. (nasty go-what?) Having Asian food in 'Merica is like having American food in Asia. Stuff gets localized. Such as, crab flavored potato chips, from Lays no less. (yes I've had them, yes they're crapy, I mean crabby) I've had Nasi Goreng here in the US, but it's more like you're basic fried rice, which is not what Nasi Goreng tastes like.
Nasi Goreng (at least what I've experienced) is a fried rice, but with a unique flavor, unlike Terriyaki or Soy Sauce based. For me, it's the unique flavor that does it. That and the fact that they put a sunny side-up egg on top.
Mori (not sure if you should call him Mori) kicks it up an notch by adding duck to the mix. This took one of my favorite dishes to a new level. It was awesome. I would have licked the plate, had I not been in a restaurant full of under dressed Disney guests.
Really? Untucked t-shirts, cargo pants (do they still make those? no, they looked really old), flip flops I can both see and hear and that "I haven't found my razor yet" look. I guess there's resort casual and then there's "I'm single, why do you ask?" look.
You might say "Hey Mr. Toad, $21 is a lot to pay for funky fried nasty rice and an under cooked chicken on top." To which I'd reply, "That's MrToadsWildRide, to you." But you'd be right. I don't speak Japanese, but I think Morimoto translates to "how much you got?"
I look at it this way. $21 is a lot to spend on rice, so it better be good. This Nasi Goreng was fantastic. (I'm trying not to use the word amazing, as most of the reviews on Open Table are of Mori's mom posting amazing, I counted the word 8 times)
I was still liking my chopsticks when the waitress brought over the desert menu. If you think I'm odd for liking Nasi Goreng, then you won't be surprised when I tell you I Flan. I actually love flan. (though not in an American Pie way) I think I like it so much because I rarely find it. Morimoto did not have flan they had Creme Caramel. Which will work as a decent substitute. So I was pretty excited, until it showed up.
Their Creme Caramel is not really creme caramel. At least not like any creme caramel I've ever had. It was really more like a Creme Brûlée (look at me I can write in German), without the flamed up sugar on top.
First of all, any good Creme Brûlée uses real Vanilla. Meaning, they scrape all the bean's pastey goodness out of a real vanilla bean. You know you're getting the real thing if the bottom of your dish looks like someone used it as an ashtray before they poured in your brûlée.
They top it off with fresh fruit and some Black Sesame whipped cream? It looks like whipped cream made with blackberries. And if you want to hold that awesome thought, don't taste it. Cause it tasted like, well, black. I never thought the color black would have a taste, but now it does.
I should back up.
I came alone. No reservation. Sat in the bar. Ordered some weird stuff. Really liked it. Gee, do think anybody is thinking "Look at the odd, lonely guy with no family or friends. How sad. Waiter, can our family get another table?"
So the guy comes over to clear my plate as I contemplate licking it. (that would surely seal it for the weirdo-of-the-vacation award) He asks how I liked my nasty rice. So I go into my long dissertation of Nasi Goreng. Ate it in Singapore, how the duck really changed my favorite dish, blah, blah, blah. When I notice (for once) I'm not the only one who's enjoying what I'm saying. This (young) guy actually looks impressed. (finally!) He says, "Wow, you must be a food critic." I'm like "Yeah, I am." (on the inside)
Fast forward and out comes my desert. Although it wasn't brought out by the new (and only) member of my fan club. It's a really nice young woman who is clearly one of the chef's. She sets it down and goes into her pitch all about the dish, how it's prepared, can she answer any questions, do I need my car washed?
Wait. These people don't think I'm an actual food critic? I did take a photo of my food, but what looser doesn't? Though I did arrange the table and take several shots from several angles, cause I was bored. And (more importantly) my significant other wasn't with me to provide gentle constructive guidance on whether or not one should photograph their food public.
So now I'm staring at that big pile of purple-ish black foamyness thinking I really can't do what I'd normally do. Act like a 4 year old (no offense to 4 year olds) and scrape it all off while saying "Yeee-uuuuuuuck."
But what if they think I really am a food critic? All I can picture is Mori in the kitchen looking like John Belushi in his Samurai outfit, holding up his Samurai sword waiting for my response.
Then again, maybe it's not as bad as it looks.
Nope. It was bad. Not terrible bad. But bad like you're ruining all the creamy goodness underneath. So I ate it. And I smiled and went mmmmm. I might as well at least play the part. So I take another big scoop and smile at the family that tried to move away as if to say, "That's right. I don't need friends or family. I'm a food critic."
As for the Creme Caramel itself (black swan paste aside) it was very good. Lots of vanilla ash. Plus the Caramel part was in a little Caramel pot infused with Yuzu. What's Yuzu? Pull-eeeaze. Does a food critic have to explain everything? (I don't know) But it was really good.
The Nasi Goreng was excellent and the Creme Caramel (brulee) was amazing. (sorry) I rate it: I will definitely be back.
By the way (are you still reading this?), Morimoto is in the old Mannequins. When I heard that I was pretty excited. Sadly, there is no spinning floor of tables in Morimoto.
SFN (sayonara-for-now)
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