No calories in a picture, unless you eat the picture -COMPLETED 12/8/14

[AllyinWonderland]

Thanks for the AOA review, sounds like I not missing much on the breakfast side of things

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I wish we tried lunch or dinner there but we didn't get around to it I really wanted to try the cheesy pesto bread. To be fair, there might be awesome breakfast options there, but the bounty platter did not fall into that category for us.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

Until this trip I had somehow never been to La Cava del Tequila before. On our second Epcot day I made a point to go there right when they opened. About 10-15 minutes before they opened, I got in line without DH, because he doesn’t share my love for margaritas. I patiently waited in line while chatting with a fellow first timer who is also married to someone who doesn’t like tequila. We both agreed we could spend all day in a booth there drinking margaritas and eating chips and salsa. I’ve added that to my Disney bucket list…now I just need to find someone to join me.

Making a decision here was tricky because they all sounded so good. Finally, I settled on the Maelstrom Margarita as a tribute to the beloved ride. The description is: Premium Ambhar Tequila blanco, mango puree, orange liquor, and agave nectar served with blueberries, habanero peppers, basil and Tajin chili powder on the rim. This margarita was very sweet and the mango flavor came through stronger than any of the others. The spicy rim was definitely necessary to cut the sweetness of the drink. It was a strong drink, but did not taste that way. I definitely enjoyed this drink but did not think it was worth the $14.50(I think)+tip. Next time I will probably try something different even if this is still available. I also think it would have been better if I could have enjoyed some chips and salsa with it, but that day it was not an option.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

Since I have a major sweet tooth, and so many people rave about Karamell Kuche, I knew we had to make a stop there. In 2012 we tried a cookie there and found it to be dry and flavorless…like barely could swallow it because it was so dry. It was gross. I figured this trip we would try something different. When we stopped in, there was barely anyone in the shop so it made it easy to check out all of our tasty options. Finally we settled on a brownie with salted caramel. Unfortunately, we had the exact same issues with this brownie. It was horribly dry and flavorless. The caramel was good but it could not make up for the disaster that was under it. We also did not get a salt flavor at all, which drives me crazy. So many items claim that they are “salted” caramel and more often than not, I do not get that punch of salt that should come with it.

I really want to try Karamell Kuche again but right now they are 0 for 2 with us. I am sure I will go back but next time I will probably try a dark chocolate covered caramel. I realize there have been some very negative reviews so far, I assure you there are some rave reviews coming very soon.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

Our plan on Monday was to hit up the rest of the Food and Wine Festival Booths that had items we wanted to try. It ended up being way more crowded than we anticipated and we were kind of over crowds at that point, so we decided to change our plans a bit. We strolled through gift shops and just enjoyed the less crowded parts of World Showcase. Since we didn’t want to put up with Food and Wine chaos, we decided to split a few things from Les Halles. DH and I consider this one of the best hidden gems on Disney property. It is tucked in the way back of the France pavilion, you could easily miss it if you weren’t looking for it. Thankfully we knew better.

When we arrived it was not terribly busy, so we were easily able to see the display cases. It was very difficult to decide what we wanted. Since we had several snack credits left, we decided to order a few snack items. We finally decided on a savory item: Croissant Jambon Fromage: ham, cheese and bechamel in a croissant. This hearty sandwich is an awesome use of a snack credit. I was trying to avoid the embarrassment of mispronouncing the name, so I tried pointing to order it. The cast member was able to pull off being an arrogant French man in the best way possible…I mean that lovingly, I really do. When I tried pointing he informed me that he had no idea what I was talking about. He clearly wanted me to butcher the name. I politely asked him for help pronouncing it. He sarcastically said in his French accent,” I don’t know, I’m not French.” It was hilarious, because we knew from his name tag and accent that he was definitely from France. I gave it my best shot, he laughed, said it far better than I ever could, and then asked if I would like it toasted. We definitely wanted it toasted.

This is one of the best sandwiches I have ever tasted. The croissant was airy, buttery and delicious. The whole sandwich was just unbelievable, it was SO good. The croissant got slightly burned in the toaster, but that is the only negative thing I can say about this.

We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try some delicious desserts from the display case, the tough part was choosing which one(s) to try. While DH and I were pointing and saying, “Oooo, that looks good, or that, or that…..”, the cast member from earlier said, “Ooooo that looks good.” At first I thought he was mocking us, which would have been fine. But then he said, “No really, this looks really good.” We asked what it was because there was no sign, he said he didn’t know. I looked at him like he was kidding and he said, “No, they just put it out, I really don’t know.” A cast member nearby informed us it was some kind of blackberry chocolate thing and that it was very good. Obviously I can’t remember the details. It looked pretty, so we decided to try it. I am so glad that we ordered this and I feel awful that I don’t even know how to describe it. The crust was a crumbly texture with a very subtle chocolate flavor. On the inside there was a rich chocolate mousse and some kind of blackberry filling. The flavors paired beautifully together. On top there was a blackberry macaroon that was absolutely delicious.

We were planning to just order the two items above but after he put the mysterious blackberry chocolate dessert on the tray, the cast member asked us what else we would like. And with that we were sold on the chocolate mousse. Selling sweets to us is obviously very challenging. This was the best mousse that I have ever had in my life. It was rich, creamy, and absolutely perfect.

Overall, we had a fantastic experience at Les Halles. The cast member took some getting used to, but once we picked up on his personality, he really grew on us. I wish I could have all of this food in front of me right now because my mouth is watering just thinking about it. Les Halles is now a must do for us.

 

[keahgirl8]

I have never had that issue with Karamell Kuche! My favorites are the chocolate covered caramel and caramel corn. Then there is a cookie thing that is a cookie on the bottom with caramel and a pecan on it. I'm not sure what it was called, but it was good!

 

[superme80]

Hey I just met you
and this is crazy
but I love your report
so margaritas and salsa maybe????

I would be so down to drink margaritas and eat chips and salsa all day! I love your report. Your daughter is adorable!

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I love Les Halles and I am looking forward to trying it again now that there is more seating

 

[ksack]

Okay... I'm drooling here!!! Definitely need to torture myself and read more!!!

 

[AllyinWonderland]

Hey I just met you
and this is crazy
but I love your report
so margaritas and salsa maybe????

I would be so down to drink margaritas and eat chips and salsa all day! I love your report. Your daughter is adorable!

Can I say something even crazier? Yes!

Glad you're enjoying the report so far! I have to agree that she's pretty adorable, but I'm biased

 

[AllyinWonderland]

I love Les Halles and I am looking forward to trying it again now that there is more seating

The expanded space really is awesome! We were trying to figure out what to have for lunch today and may or may not have discussed how much it would cost to fly to Orlando, buy a ticket to Epcot and eat at Les Halles. We could have ordered lunch for a reasonable price, it's just the pesky plan ticket and park admission that get in the way

 

[AllyinWonderland]

Okay... I'm drooling here!!! Definitely need to torture myself and read more!!!

A few of these reviews were torture to write because it makes me want to go back so bad, I'm looking at you Les Halles and Whispering Canyon Cafe. Stay tuned- I'll probably at least have a Boardwalk Bakery review up soon and spoiler alert: It was amazing!

 

[starousse]

Great updates!

 

[Guatemommy]

Love your report - subbing!

 

[kastoney]

Just finding your report and loving it so far. I'm with you, my daughter only eats what we eat. #nokidsmealsforus. Can't wait to read more.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Sickness keeps getting passed around my house and holiday preparations are in full swing so things have been crazy around here. Now I’m back with a review of Boardwalk Bakery. I somehow had never stopped here before but after hearing rave reviews, it was a must do for this trip. If you remember from earlier, we spent most of this day sharing a variety of different things instead of eating actual meals.

When we arrived I was overwhelmed by all of the delicious looking options. To make matters worse, we had to agree on something because neither of us was hungry enough for our own meal. Finally we agreed on the fresh mozzarella focaccia (I think that is what it is called, I didn’t write it down and I am guessing based on online menus). On the dining plan we were also able to get a cup of soup or salad, a beverage and a dessert with it for 1 quick service credit. It was one of the best values on property!

The first thing we tried was the soup, which was a corn chowder. This was DH’s pick as he let me choose our entrée. The soup was flavorful and delicious, definitely the best corn chowder I have ever eaten. It was even served with three generous slices of bread. The bread was fresh and warm.

Next, I tried the fresh mozzarella focaccia. I was a bit worried that this would be simple and bland, but that is not the case at all. The bread was light and fluffy. The tomatoes, mozzarella and basil paired beautifully on top. It just had the perfect balance of flavors. This was definitely one of the best things that I have eaten on Disney property.

We finished our meal with the salted caramel ganache. It starts with a crumbly crust that adds a unique textue but not much in the flavor department. Once you break through the crust there is a super rich and thick chocolate ganache. Beneath the ganache is a creamy salted caramel. There was the perfect amount of salt to offset the sweetness of this dessert. I can not possibly explain in words how delicious this was.

I had high hopes for Boardwalk Bakery and it absolutely delivered. The service was fantastic and the food was delicious. This is now a must do on all future trips.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I'm glad you liked Boardwalk Bakery. We are staying at The Boardwalk next month and Plan to eat there at least a couple of times.

 

[MrsJobba1]

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Sickness keeps getting passed around my house and holiday preparations are in full swing so things have been crazy around here. Now I’m back with a review of Boardwalk Bakery. I somehow had never stopped here before but after hearing rave reviews, it was a must do for this trip. If you remember from earlier, we spent most of this day sharing a variety of different things instead of eating actual meals.

When we arrived I was overwhelmed by all of the delicious looking options. To make matters worse, we had to agree on something because neither of us was hungry enough for our own meal. Finally we agreed on the fresh mozzarella focaccia (I think that is what it is called, I didn’t write it down and I am guessing based on online menus). On the dining plan we were also able to get a cup of soup or salad, a beverage and a dessert with it for 1 quick service credit. It was one of the best values on property!

The first thing we tried was the soup, which was a corn chowder. This was DH’s pick as he let me choose our entrée. The soup was flavorful and delicious, definitely the best corn chowder I have ever eaten. It was even served with three generous slices of bread. The bread was fresh and warm.

Next, I tried the fresh mozzarella focaccia. I was a bit worried that this would be simple and bland, but that is not the case at all. The bread was light and fluffy. The tomatoes, mozzarella and basil paired beautifully on top. It just had the perfect balance of flavors. This was definitely one of the best things that I have eaten on Disney property.

We finished our meal with the salted caramel ganache. It starts with a crumbly crust that adds a unique textue but not much in the flavor department. Once you break through the crust there is a super rich and thick chocolate ganache. Beneath the ganache is a creamy salted caramel. There was the perfect amount of salt to offset the sweetness of this dessert. I can not possibly explain in words how delicious this was.

I had high hopes for Boardwalk Bakery and it absolutely delivered. The service was fantastic and the food was delicious. This is now a must do on all future trips.

I love salted caramel - can't wait to go to boardwalk bakery in May 2015

 

[AllyinWonderland]

I'm glad you liked Boardwalk Bakery. We are staying at The Boardwalk next month and Plan to eat there at least a couple of times.

Staying at Boardwalk would be dangerous for me. I would eat at Boardwalk Bakery every day and probably make frequent trips to World Showcase as well. We were planning to stay at Boardwalk last trip but 9-10 months out all of the studios were booked. Oh well, Pop worked just fine once again, and we were able to add an extra night.

 

[AllyinWonderland]

On Monday we headed back to our resort sometime in the afternoon with no major plans for that evening. We figured we would take it easy around the resort and maybe head downtown for a bit. When dinner time rolled around we decided that nothing at Everything Pop sounded good and since our breakfast at Landscape of Flavors that morning didn’t wow us, we weren’t dying to go back there either. After a lot of back and forth, we decided to head to Wolfgang Puck Express in Downtown Disney.


When we arrived at WPE, the line was to the door and with a cranky toddler, that made me very nervous. For those of you who are not familiar with WPE, you order your food at the counter like a regular QS restaurant, but then your food is delivered to your table. The line moved surprisingly fast and during our wait I was able to scope out all of the delicious food coming out of the kitchen. The salads looked amazing but on a cool evening I was craving something warm and comforting. Eventually I settled on the Half Rotisserie Chicken with Garlic Butter and Mashed Potatoes. This was a huge portion! The chicken was fairly moist, although the breast was a tad dry. I found the garlic butter to be flavorful and a perfect accompaniment to the chicken. The mashed potatoes were creamy and flavor. I would absolutely order this again.

DH ordered the Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes, Port Wine Sauce and Onion Rings. I did not take good notes on this but DH loved it. He is not a huge fan of wine sauces (he’ll eat them when I make them but they are not his first choice), but he loved this one. I also would like to add that this a beautiful presentation for meatloaf.

For dessert DH and I both ordered the Vanilla Bean Cheesecake. I absolutely loved this. It was creamy and had good flavor to it. The strawberry sauce was excellent, although I would have been happy with a bit more of it. While we were eating it, DH pointed out that there really wasn’t a vanilla bean flavor and I have to agree. It seemed like a pretty basic cheesecake, a very good one, but we didn’t feel that the menu title was justified.

Overall, we loved Wolfgang Puck Express. This is debatably the best quick service credit value on property. The food was outstanding and we had great service. We loved it so much that we returned two days later for lunch. Would we order the same meals again or would we try something different? Stay tuned to find out!

 

[AllyinWonderland]

I feel like there are two kinds of people at Magic Kingdom, Cosmic Ray’s fans and Pecos Bill fans. Typically we go to Cosmic Ray’s when we are looking for generic quick service at MK but since we were on the opposite side of the park on Tuesday, we decided to try Pecos Bill. We arrived early, around 10:30/10:45ish if I remember correctly. The place was dead which was really nice.

I decided to try the taco salad, which I heard was removed from the menu a week or two later. When you receive your entrée, all you get is meat in a shell, everything else is added at the toppings bar. I was prepared for this because I read way too many dining reviews in my spare time, but if I didn’t know that in advance, I probably would have been disappointed. I loaded up my salad with lettuce, cheese, salsa and a few peppers. I’m pretty boring but there are more options available for people who would like additional toppings. This was exactly was I expected, mediocre but edible and a nice change of pace from standard theme park food. The shell was crisp and toppings were fresh. The meat was fine, nothing special, but definitely not bad.

DH ordered some kind of burger, unfortunately I didn’t take notes on this and it is not listed on the online menu. I do remember that it had a giant onion ring on it. He said that this was a standard Disney burger and just okay, but the onion ring was a nice touch.

I didn’t even take pictures of our desserts because we ordered the standard Disney chocolate cake again.

Overall, Pecos Bill was fine. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat there but I wouldn’t avoid it either. The quality was about the same as Cosmic Ray’s, so from now on I will make my decision based on where I am in the park when it is time to eat. While the taco salad was nothing special, it was nice to order something slightly different, so I hope that it does come back.