'Ohana new menu that bad?

[NotUrsula]

there were legs on my shrimp ! nuff said ! ewwwww

Um, why wouldn't there be? Shrimp cooked in the shell have legs.

I liked the grilled shrimp *concept*, but at Ohana they tended to badly overcook them; all too often they were downright rubbery. A properly grilled shrimp has to be grilled with the shell still on, or it will not cook evenly, especially when grilled over an open flame rather than coals. I'm hoping that they are having better luck wth sauteed shrimp.

What strikes me about the new menu is that it seems to have a decided New Orleans bent. I haven't tried the new menu yet, but what has been described sounds very like the typical "barbequed shrimp" recipe from New Orleans, with the addition of ginger and sweet chili sauce to make it a bit more asian and take down the "bite" of the garlic a little bit. ("Barbequed shrimp" is never grilled, btw; it is a saute dish, and it is considered de rigueur in Louisiana to use french bread to sop up every last drop of the sauce it is cooked in. Horribly fattening, but incredibly yummy.)

Bread pudding is also very traditional in New Orleans, probably the most traditional restaurant dessert you will find other than Bananas Foster -- which WDW ironically decided to combine with the bread pudding by using a variation on it for the sauce, rather than the whiskey sauce you normally find with bread pudding. New Orleanians do not often make scalloped potatoes, as rice is much more popular with most folks, but au gratin dishes in general are found frequently in New Orleans -- usually containing some seafood or another -- the French influence coming up again.

Technically, in at least PART of Polynesia, French influence is very correct, but New Orleans "French" is probably not the variation you would find. Maybe they just think that a slightly Creole twist will prove popular, as it has at DL's Blue Bayou.

 

[juliehry]

Wow! I am wondering if Ohana's is still worthy of a trip, or if U should just pick another restaurant? I loved the skewered shrimp! Any thoughts?

 

[Peter Pirate]

juliehry, my main love at 'Ohana was the skewered shrimp and that's the main reason I'm not going back (I did once and found little more than generic food). I only found the skewrered shrimp unacceptable on one occasion (of probably 12 visits, btw).

Interesting take on BBQ shrimp there NotUrsula, I cook a great BBQ shrimp and it is peeled, covered with bacon then bbq sauce and grilled. Oh, I'm getting hungry.

Also, I have grilled shrimp on skewers without the sauce and bacon and never had problems getting them cooked properly, either. I'm either lucky or know what I'm doing, I guess.

As for the Creole twist, perhaps this is what they're doing but it's still a Polynesian restaurant in a Polynesian resort so even though Creole and Polynesian do share French influences it makes no sense for Disney to further muck up the water, IMO.

 

[NotUrsula]

Interesting take on BBQ shrimp there NotUrsula, I cook a great BBQ shrimp and it is peeled, covered with bacon then bbq sauce and grilled. Oh, I'm getting hungry. Also, I have grilled shrimp on skewers without the sauce and bacon and never had problems getting them cooked properly, either. I'm either lucky or know what I'm doing, I guess.

Well, either that or you like them overcooked

Here is a pretty standard recipe for the New Orleans classic called Barbequed Shrimp (it is called that because the shrimp LOOK like they have been bbq'd when it is done): http://www.jfolse.com/recipes/seafood/shrimp41.htm
I've even known vegetarians to cave and eat BBQ'd shrimp -- the sauce just smells THAT good.

 

[chamonix]

As someone who knows and LOVES New Orleans style barbecue shrimp, peter pirate, what you describe is absolutely not the same. You may have technically "barbecued" your shrimp (cooked on a grill with BBQ sauce on them), New Orleans style barbecue shrimp is nothing like that--see the recipe notursula posted for an example.

That being said--the 'Ohana shrimp is definitely not the New Orleans style type of barbecue shrimp. The old version was barbecued as peter pirate style on the grill, but the new version is simply a sauteed in the shell dish. A bit bland actually, but OK--just not as spicy as I like! I prefer the old version cooked on the grill, but agree it was often "overcooked" a bit and kind of dry. Still yummy though, with the wood fire taste. (charcoal) Either way is fine though--I still ate it in the new version. (now if they really made it the New Orleans style, that is all I would eat when we are there!)

We have had the new menu on at least two trips--October and March--and we usually eat there two nights each trip. (since we stay at the Poly it's quite convenient) I think the new menu is still quite good--just different. I did like the old rice and the green beans, and the pineapple and caramel--but I also like the new veggies, the potato dish is quite yummy if uninspired, and the bread pudding is really awesome! (if I could just have room for it!) I try not to compare the two--the menus are different, but both have plenty to enjoy.

I don't care for the sausage, and don't choose to eat it-no big deal, there is more meat to choose from than I can eat anyway. The old wontons were simply mass produced, purchased frozen, so not much to miss there--although good, not anything I miss particularly. The sauces make whatever you dip in them good, so they could pretty much give me cardboard and I would dip it! LOL!! (The wontons were a tad stale the last meal there though, perhaps since we were dining early they served us wontons from the day before??)

We will continue to eat at 'Ohana, and look forward to more menu changes--it would be pretty boring if it was always exactly the same. Now, if they ever get rid of the wings and the peanut dipping sauce, all bets are off----!!!

edited to add, whomever said they had the recipes for the dipping sauces, please post them or PM them to me, please!

 

[LuluLovesDisney]

I'll give you my opinion dish by dish


Bread

No more bread, no replacement, nothing to judge

Salad

Mixed greens with honey lime dressing- same- yummy, sweet flavorful dressing

Starters

Wonton chips- different- the worst replacement- 1 ate exactly two bites, stale, flavorless greasy huge chinese noodles, nothing like the old crispy shrimp and veggie wontons

Dips- different- all were good, esp. the peanut, which came in handy for the meats

Shrimp- new- delicious, but awkward to peel shell-on shrimp coated in a sticky sauce

Wings- same- still yummy, good coriander and honey flavors in sauce


Skewers

Steak- good, but you could tell it's not a high quality cut of meat

Pork- so-so, dried out

Turkey- good

Sausage- horrible, bland, tasted like soy bologna, ate one bite


Sides

Scalloped Potatoes- okay, nothing special, tried a few bites, but decided not to waste my calories, they just didn't go with the skewers or Polynesian theme at all, much preferred the fried rice

Vegetable Stir Fry- hard and inedible, practically a salad of hard raw veggies in a warm sauce

Dessert

Bread pudding and ice cream with bananas foster caramel sauce- the only improvement- actually better than the pineapple and caramel. I ate it all!! (I give credit where credit is due!)

IMO, the wonton chips, sausage and potatoes should be replaced immediately. The veggies seem hit or miss, so they need to get their technique down with length of cooking time. ( I do miss those green beans, though! They were a favorite dish!)

I know some people like the potatoes, even though I think rice or even lo mein would be much better, so I would be willing to go back if even just the 2 most horrible items- the sausage and wonton chips- were replaced. I think they need to negotiate with a better provider for the sausage, because there are some great sausages out there. As far as wonton chips, they need to brong back the old shrimp and veggie ones! Or at least give us spring rolls, or egg rolls or crab rangoon , or something that has something more to it than fried flour and water paste.

I did love the dessert, and I used to adore 'Ohana before the change, but it's just a big disappointment right now.

 

[Peter Pirate]

Good post Lulu. I've noticed the quality of the skewered meats as declining, but the make or break for me is still the skewered shrimp (plus my daughter won't go back without the 'real' wontons). I too have always agreed that the pudding is a good change. It fits the type of cuisine though personally I liked the pineapple/caramel.

chamonix, I didn't intend to say what I cook as bbq shrimp is what cajun's might cook as bbq shrimp, only that the term "bbq shrimp" doesn't mean one thing in particular. I live in the Florida Keys and we do like our bbq shrimp.

 

[kimberh]

We were really disspointed. There is no comparison in the shrimp or the vegetables. I don't like bread pudding and I love pineapple so it was always a must eat and now it's not. I guess we have made room for more people to fill oor spot and we went 3 times a year and took many with us.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

We have been to 'Ohana several times over the years and been through several menu changes. Overall we actually like this new menu better. We would like the wontons back instead of the wonton chips but the kids like the chips better.