Eeyore1954
<font color=purple>A smart man who realizes that p
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2002
- Messages
- 5,327
My DW and I "discovered" HOB on our last trip -- actually we decided to go there for a meal prior to Cirque since it was the closest restaurant. We previously thought it would be "too cajun" or "not our style" -- once again we realized how wrong we were and how much we missed by not exploring new dining options!
We really enjoyed the decor of the restaurant, the menus and the music, although I thought at times the music was just a touch loud. Our server, Shannon, was prompt and well-prepared to explain the evening's specials and answer any questions about the menu. We explained we were using Discovery Magic wishes and she was great at helping us max out the value!
We decided on appetizers: DW got pizza with pepperoni and I ordered the chicken tender platter. Our eyes nearly bugged out when the dishes arrived. I explained that we ordered appetizers and Shannon patiently explained that's what she brought -- appetizers. OK -- but the pizza looked mighty large and there were a least a half dozen LARGE chicken tenders sitting on a basket (!) of fries. Now I can be a big eater, but to me these appetizers looked more like main courses!
Shannon laughed and said we didn't have to eat it all.
Word of advice: their appetizers could easily serve as an entree for most people. In fact, we saw a couple of tables eating appetizers as the entire meal.
The pizza was over-baked which gave the dough a nice crunch. The sauce was different than most tomato sauces -- it had some real "bite" to it; spicy and tangy but just short of being tabasco-hot. HOB was incredibly generous with the pepperoni and cheeses. The chicken tenders were, as I said, BIG. Shannon brought us 3 dipping sauces: a tangy honey mustard, a cajun-spiced jam-like sauce that would make you slap your knee and say "Howdy!" with every bite, and a somewhat tame barbeque sauce (think Bulls-eye brand with a tiny splash of cayenne pepper). Needless to say, we didn't finish the appetizers, but they were very good.
Entrees: DW went "cheap" and ordered the salmon (sauteed & stuffed) while I went with the beef medallions. We ordered a side dish of the skillet cornbread also (like we really needed it!). The salmon was unbelieveable: sauteed in butter and spices, it was very moist and flaky, so tender it almost fell apart with a fork. The stuffing included shrimp and eggplant we were told, and the two flavors really worked well together. The salmon had a very mild taste. My DW described it like a "party" in her mouth with each bite! BTW, this was a very large serving of salmon and it came with 2 large crab claws and asparagus.
The beef medallions were grilled medium and served with a mushroom sauce and pieces of goat cheese around them. Not a fan of mushrooms, I tried the sauce and enjoyed it. The medallions were quite big -- I realized that HOB is incredibly generous in its portions, beyond what most Disney restaurants do. Sides included mashed potatoes and asparagus. We both enjoyed the asparagus, which was sauteed, not cooked to death. The entire entree was wonderful and it was a shame we didn't have a kitchen in our room to doggie-bag the leftovers.
Despite being full, we decided to share/split a dessert and settled on the key lime pie. It was wonderful and 1 slice was more than enough for 2 people.
Atmosphere: A (the decor is fun and interesting; the music is a nice touch. I would love to go for a Sunday brunch sometime.)
Service: A+ (Shannon was every diner's dream server. She anticipated your need, she knew the menu front and back and was able to explain anything or answer any question; she was very attentive but not overbearing; friendly with sincerity.)
Food: There is no grade high enough for this meal! I can still remember the tastes and smells as I write this. I am also kicking myself for bypassing this wonderful place for so many visits. The food was superb, prepared very well, presented with a subtle flair. This was a real dining experience in a somewhat casual setting. I cannot wait to go back here and hope for Shannon to be there again!
We really enjoyed the decor of the restaurant, the menus and the music, although I thought at times the music was just a touch loud. Our server, Shannon, was prompt and well-prepared to explain the evening's specials and answer any questions about the menu. We explained we were using Discovery Magic wishes and she was great at helping us max out the value!
We decided on appetizers: DW got pizza with pepperoni and I ordered the chicken tender platter. Our eyes nearly bugged out when the dishes arrived. I explained that we ordered appetizers and Shannon patiently explained that's what she brought -- appetizers. OK -- but the pizza looked mighty large and there were a least a half dozen LARGE chicken tenders sitting on a basket (!) of fries. Now I can be a big eater, but to me these appetizers looked more like main courses!
Shannon laughed and said we didn't have to eat it all. Word of advice: their appetizers could easily serve as an entree for most people. In fact, we saw a couple of tables eating appetizers as the entire meal.
The pizza was over-baked which gave the dough a nice crunch. The sauce was different than most tomato sauces -- it had some real "bite" to it; spicy and tangy but just short of being tabasco-hot. HOB was incredibly generous with the pepperoni and cheeses. The chicken tenders were, as I said, BIG. Shannon brought us 3 dipping sauces: a tangy honey mustard, a cajun-spiced jam-like sauce that would make you slap your knee and say "Howdy!" with every bite, and a somewhat tame barbeque sauce (think Bulls-eye brand with a tiny splash of cayenne pepper). Needless to say, we didn't finish the appetizers, but they were very good.
Entrees: DW went "cheap" and ordered the salmon (sauteed & stuffed) while I went with the beef medallions. We ordered a side dish of the skillet cornbread also (like we really needed it!). The salmon was unbelieveable: sauteed in butter and spices, it was very moist and flaky, so tender it almost fell apart with a fork. The stuffing included shrimp and eggplant we were told, and the two flavors really worked well together. The salmon had a very mild taste. My DW described it like a "party" in her mouth with each bite! BTW, this was a very large serving of salmon and it came with 2 large crab claws and asparagus.
The beef medallions were grilled medium and served with a mushroom sauce and pieces of goat cheese around them. Not a fan of mushrooms, I tried the sauce and enjoyed it. The medallions were quite big -- I realized that HOB is incredibly generous in its portions, beyond what most Disney restaurants do. Sides included mashed potatoes and asparagus. We both enjoyed the asparagus, which was sauteed, not cooked to death. The entire entree was wonderful and it was a shame we didn't have a kitchen in our room to doggie-bag the leftovers.
Despite being full, we decided to share/split a dessert and settled on the key lime pie. It was wonderful and 1 slice was more than enough for 2 people.
Atmosphere: A (the decor is fun and interesting; the music is a nice touch. I would love to go for a Sunday brunch sometime.)
Service: A+ (Shannon was every diner's dream server. She anticipated your need, she knew the menu front and back and was able to explain anything or answer any question; she was very attentive but not overbearing; friendly with sincerity.)
Food: There is no grade high enough for this meal! I can still remember the tastes and smells as I write this. I am also kicking myself for bypassing this wonderful place for so many visits. The food was superb, prepared very well, presented with a subtle flair. This was a real dining experience in a somewhat casual setting. I cannot wait to go back here and hope for Shannon to be there again!
