Overhyped Disney Restaurant Tour Live From Kidani Village 8/29-9/7
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TigerKat
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TDC Nala
1937, what a year that was
- Joined
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Friday, September 4 – Universal Studios
I hope a break to add some Universal food porn is in order. Because there’s a lot of it here.
Mythos, Islands of Adventure
Mythos has a big banner out front that says “Best Theme Park Restaurant” but I forget who awarded it that. It’s possible the awarder has not eaten there in awhile. Because while it’s still pretty good, I have had better meals at Disney – maybe not inside the parks, but certainly outside them.
First order: The Mythos Martini.
It’s a few kinds of fruity liqueurs, some vodka and a cherry in the bottom of the glass. Sweet, but pretty good. Gets a Lisa
Here is my entrée:
The Roman Panini.
I do not have any idea whether or not they eat these in Rome. It’s a steak sandwich with mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers, and supposedly pepperoni. Darned if I could tell there was any pepperoni in it. I don’t mind a steak sandwich – there usually isn’t much fat in sandwich meat. This one was pretty good. Another Lisa
The fries accompanying it, however, get their own category. I paid the 50 cent upcharge for what the menu referred to as “parmesan fries.” What I ended up getting was a regular order of fries with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Universal doesn’t have a dining plan – at least, not a table service dining plan - so what’s the excuse for cheaping out like that? Yeah, okay, I ate the fries. But Mythos made me mad. So mad I am releasing the hounds on them for their astoundingly cheap french fry upcharge.
Special Guest Food Reviews from Mythos:
Posted here you’ll find the tortilla soup and shrimp caesar salad ordered by ImprovGal who will quote the photos and add her own reviews:
Stay tuned.
I hope a break to add some Universal food porn is in order. Because there’s a lot of it here.
Mythos, Islands of Adventure
Mythos has a big banner out front that says “Best Theme Park Restaurant” but I forget who awarded it that. It’s possible the awarder has not eaten there in awhile. Because while it’s still pretty good, I have had better meals at Disney – maybe not inside the parks, but certainly outside them.
First order: The Mythos Martini.
It’s a few kinds of fruity liqueurs, some vodka and a cherry in the bottom of the glass. Sweet, but pretty good. Gets a Lisa
Here is my entrée:
The Roman Panini.
I do not have any idea whether or not they eat these in Rome. It’s a steak sandwich with mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers, and supposedly pepperoni. Darned if I could tell there was any pepperoni in it. I don’t mind a steak sandwich – there usually isn’t much fat in sandwich meat. This one was pretty good. Another Lisa
The fries accompanying it, however, get their own category. I paid the 50 cent upcharge for what the menu referred to as “parmesan fries.” What I ended up getting was a regular order of fries with parmesan cheese sprinkled on top. Universal doesn’t have a dining plan – at least, not a table service dining plan - so what’s the excuse for cheaping out like that? Yeah, okay, I ate the fries. But Mythos made me mad. So mad I am releasing the hounds on them for their astoundingly cheap french fry upcharge.
Special Guest Food Reviews from Mythos:
Posted here you’ll find the tortilla soup and shrimp caesar salad ordered by ImprovGal who will quote the photos and add her own reviews:
Stay tuned.
TDC Nala
1937, what a year that was
- Joined
- Jun 22, 2001
- Messages
- 59,190
Emeril’s Tchoup Chop All Seafood Degustation Menu
If you’re really into the whole food thing, you can go to Tchoup Chop (which is a beautiful restaurant by the way) and ask to sit at the show kitchen. This gives you a view of what the chefs are up to.
The guy standing right in front is the sushi chef. Right behind him, at the pass, is Tchoup Chop’s head chef, Greg Richie. He’s the guy some of us already spent $5-$8 to go to his culinary demonstration at Epcot on October 17. The guy with his back to the camera grilled all the meat. The one behind him was apparently in charge of fried stuff. And the guy in the back, don’t know what his job was, but he was very talented at twirling tongs.
All of Emeril’s restarants give you not one server, but three. One takes the lead and the others take turns bringing stuff. Our lead server brought up the tasting menu. They had a five course menu for $55 and a six course menu for $65. You could add wine pairings for another $45. I passed on the wine pairings and ordered a couple of glasses of wine myself. The lead server outlined the courses for us and they sounded great except that ImprovGal does not eat red meat, so she asked to do something else with the beef course. I had beef for lunch so I asked for the same. The server tried to sell us a duck course but when we expressed an interest in seafood he offered a six-course with all seafood. THAT was too good to pass up.
Once again the Degrees of Burns scale is being brought into action here.
1. Amuse Bouche
I can’t say what exactly this was – it’s Asian spiced chicken rolled in a leaf. No, you don’t light it and smoke it. You eat the whole thing, leaf and all.
(An amuse bouche is a little appetizer the chef throws in to whet the appetite – it’s not part of the actual courses.)
The chicken was beautifully spiced and I am sure there was soy involved. First-degree Burns.
2. Wasabi Cured Lomi Lomi Salmon Napoleon with Avocados, Crème Fraiche, and Crispy Wontons
This is on the regular appetizer menu. Creamy, crunchy, some spice from the wasabi (I would have liked a little MORE wasabi), nice sushi-like salmon chunks. Two Burns
3. Baby Wedge Salad with Bacon, Avocado, Tomato, Blue Cheese, and Creamy Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
It’s cute, isn’t it? Although I am not sure about the Baby Wedge thing. Wasn’t Wedge the guy in Star Wars who always shot someone down when Luke Skywalker was in trouble? This was just a nice little salad, nobody in trouble, not even the guy with the tongs in the kitchen picture. Besides the dessert, this was the only one of the actual courses that did not involve seafood.
First-degree Burns
4. Thai Basil Seared Mahi Mahi with Edamame Fried Rice Cake, Roasted Vine Ripe Tomato Fumet
The fish and cake were served in the bowl, and the tomato broth poured in by the server. Fish want to be caught so they can end up in this dish. It was FANTASTIC. This is easily the best thing I have eaten all week (and I don’t think Sanaa and Ohana are going to surpass it). It COULD…GO…ALL…THE…WAY. Third-degree Burns for this baby.
5. The Scallop That Ate Cincinnati
Okay, it’s actually Pan Seared Maine Jumbo Sea Scallops with Shrimp and Fire Roasted Sweet Corn Risotto, Creamy Yellow Thai Curry Lobster Sauce. But take a look at that scallop. It’s frickin’ HUGE. And the one on top is even bigger. These are the scallops that tested positive for steroids and got kicked out of the Scallopian Olympics. Not only that, but these suckers are cooked perfectly. This was better than the creepy langostine from Jiko. Another third-degree Burns
6. Pepper Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Steak with Wild Mushroom-Pea Tendril Stir Fry, Fingerling Potatoes, Charred Scallion Ginger Reduction
There was lots of pepper on the fish, and it went really well with the soy based reduction sauce they used and with the pinot noir I was drinking with it. Three more Burns coming up
7. Dessert course: Rum cake with caramel ice cream and chocolate bread pudding.
Awesome. What’s even more awesome is: it’s not a crème brulee. Yes, I know the chocolate bread pudding looks like a glob of unhardened asphalt. Doesn't taste like it though. Second-degree Burns for the dessert.
Cocktail:
Canteloupe Martini
Swung back and forth between tasting like canteloupe and tasting like orange. On the specialty drink menu. It was only a little less expensive than margaritas from the Ditch. Very very nice. One Burns for you
Coming Up: Contempo Cafe, Sanaa, Ohana and more margaritas
If you’re really into the whole food thing, you can go to Tchoup Chop (which is a beautiful restaurant by the way) and ask to sit at the show kitchen. This gives you a view of what the chefs are up to.
The guy standing right in front is the sushi chef. Right behind him, at the pass, is Tchoup Chop’s head chef, Greg Richie. He’s the guy some of us already spent $5-$8 to go to his culinary demonstration at Epcot on October 17. The guy with his back to the camera grilled all the meat. The one behind him was apparently in charge of fried stuff. And the guy in the back, don’t know what his job was, but he was very talented at twirling tongs.
All of Emeril’s restarants give you not one server, but three. One takes the lead and the others take turns bringing stuff. Our lead server brought up the tasting menu. They had a five course menu for $55 and a six course menu for $65. You could add wine pairings for another $45. I passed on the wine pairings and ordered a couple of glasses of wine myself. The lead server outlined the courses for us and they sounded great except that ImprovGal does not eat red meat, so she asked to do something else with the beef course. I had beef for lunch so I asked for the same. The server tried to sell us a duck course but when we expressed an interest in seafood he offered a six-course with all seafood. THAT was too good to pass up.
Once again the Degrees of Burns scale is being brought into action here.
1. Amuse Bouche
I can’t say what exactly this was – it’s Asian spiced chicken rolled in a leaf. No, you don’t light it and smoke it. You eat the whole thing, leaf and all.
(An amuse bouche is a little appetizer the chef throws in to whet the appetite – it’s not part of the actual courses.)
The chicken was beautifully spiced and I am sure there was soy involved. First-degree Burns.
2. Wasabi Cured Lomi Lomi Salmon Napoleon with Avocados, Crème Fraiche, and Crispy Wontons
This is on the regular appetizer menu. Creamy, crunchy, some spice from the wasabi (I would have liked a little MORE wasabi), nice sushi-like salmon chunks. Two Burns
3. Baby Wedge Salad with Bacon, Avocado, Tomato, Blue Cheese, and Creamy Peppercorn Ranch Dressing
It’s cute, isn’t it? Although I am not sure about the Baby Wedge thing. Wasn’t Wedge the guy in Star Wars who always shot someone down when Luke Skywalker was in trouble? This was just a nice little salad, nobody in trouble, not even the guy with the tongs in the kitchen picture. Besides the dessert, this was the only one of the actual courses that did not involve seafood.
First-degree Burns
4. Thai Basil Seared Mahi Mahi with Edamame Fried Rice Cake, Roasted Vine Ripe Tomato Fumet
The fish and cake were served in the bowl, and the tomato broth poured in by the server. Fish want to be caught so they can end up in this dish. It was FANTASTIC. This is easily the best thing I have eaten all week (and I don’t think Sanaa and Ohana are going to surpass it). It COULD…GO…ALL…THE…WAY. Third-degree Burns for this baby.
5. The Scallop That Ate Cincinnati
Okay, it’s actually Pan Seared Maine Jumbo Sea Scallops with Shrimp and Fire Roasted Sweet Corn Risotto, Creamy Yellow Thai Curry Lobster Sauce. But take a look at that scallop. It’s frickin’ HUGE. And the one on top is even bigger. These are the scallops that tested positive for steroids and got kicked out of the Scallopian Olympics. Not only that, but these suckers are cooked perfectly. This was better than the creepy langostine from Jiko. Another third-degree Burns
6. Pepper Grilled Yellowfin Tuna Steak with Wild Mushroom-Pea Tendril Stir Fry, Fingerling Potatoes, Charred Scallion Ginger Reduction
There was lots of pepper on the fish, and it went really well with the soy based reduction sauce they used and with the pinot noir I was drinking with it. Three more Burns coming up
7. Dessert course: Rum cake with caramel ice cream and chocolate bread pudding.
Awesome. What’s even more awesome is: it’s not a crème brulee. Yes, I know the chocolate bread pudding looks like a glob of unhardened asphalt. Doesn't taste like it though. Second-degree Burns for the dessert.
Cocktail:
Canteloupe Martini
Swung back and forth between tasting like canteloupe and tasting like orange. On the specialty drink menu. It was only a little less expensive than margaritas from the Ditch. Very very nice. One Burns for you
Coming Up: Contempo Cafe, Sanaa, Ohana and more margaritas
Ciciwoowoo
DIS Veteran
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- Jan 25, 2007
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Oh my goodness!!! I should not read this before bed... 
oybolshoi
DIS Legend
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You can make reservations 60-90 days out using OpenTable . Com ... we use them for both of Emeril's restaurant's at Universal. I would definitely make a reservation to eat there - it's very popular.
Tchoup Chop was great when we dined there for our anniversary back in 2006 and I'm so happy to know that it's still as good today as it was then.
Great review Catherine!
Shenanigoat
I shall call him squishy. And he shall be mine. An
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Mythos won for best theme park restaurant at Theme park insider. It's a shame you had to release the hounds for the first time there. But at least you didn't have to release the bees. Or the dogs with bees in their mouth and when they bark, they shoot bees at you.
Tchoup Chop looks amazing. I won't go there till Harry Potter land or whatev opens over there, but at least I know where to get good grub now. Great reviews!
Tchoup Chop looks amazing. I won't go there till Harry Potter land or whatev opens over there, but at least I know where to get good grub now. Great reviews!
Wants2Live@WDW
Mouseketeer
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Happy belated birthday!
HILARIOUS commentary and great reviews!!! Thank you SO much for doing this! (and I never knew about the Universal restaurants).
Hope that you are enjoying your vacation!
I'll stay tuned for any additions. Thanks again for this!
HILARIOUS commentary and great reviews!!! Thank you SO much for doing this! (and I never knew about the Universal restaurants).
Hope that you are enjoying your vacation!
I'll stay tuned for any additions. Thanks again for this!
BriarRosie
<font color=blue>Creator of Tag Fairy Haiku:<br>Cl
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- Mar 7, 2002
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Oh my. Your first Releasing of the Hounds. Well deserved, I must say. Pathetic. They opened a can of Kraft and dumped it on the fries. Sheesh.
I'm looking forward to Improvgal's review of her dishes.
But Tchoup Chop? Wow.
I really want to eat there now. I thought Emeril's was good, but that looked fantastic. Even the scallops and shrimp that appeared to me to have crab envy.
That is some gorgeous looking food.
I'm looking forward to Improvgal's review of her dishes.
But Tchoup Chop? Wow.
I really want to eat there now. I thought Emeril's was good, but that looked fantastic. Even the scallops and shrimp that appeared to me to have crab envy.
That is some gorgeous looking food.
iluvpluto27
DIS Veteran
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- May 25, 2008
- Messages
- 1,418
Wow, Tchoup Tchoup looks fantastic. We're eating there for the first time in October and now I can't wait!
Releasing of the Hounds - well deserved - if only they felt the bite! Sheesh a can of parm? even fresh parm on those dry looking fries ...
LOVE the Tchoup review - and I
wondering if you were going to get creme brulee - only to see the pic and your comments! asphalt not!!
Great Reviews!!
(Brenda thanks for the tip of open table.com!)
LOVE the Tchoup review - and I
wondering if you were going to get creme brulee - only to see the pic and your comments! asphalt not!! Great Reviews!!
(Brenda thanks for the tip of open table.com!
)
PNO4TE
I used to be the DIS Musician and a Jamborini...
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- Jul 14, 2001
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- 31,531
Tchoup Chop looks like a place that could entice me off WDW property. We will have our car with us in December. 
Is there a menu online somewhere? myBob wouldn't like offerings like this scrumptious line-up you had, but methinks there ought to be lots for him to choose from!
I look forward to ImprovGal's review too!
Is there a menu online somewhere? myBob wouldn't like offerings like this scrumptious line-up you had, but methinks there ought to be lots for him to choose from!I look forward to ImprovGal's review too!
ChelleinNC
Say "Hi" to Art the Greeter for me!
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OMG! Jiko & Tchoup Chop 
"Fish want to be caught to be put in this dish"
really makes me wish that I liked mahi mahi. The scallops though that looks to die for good!
Now I'll go pour myseld an exciting bowl of rainis bran for breakfast
"Fish want to be caught to be put in this dish"
really makes me wish that I liked mahi mahi. The scallops though that looks to die for good!Now I'll go pour myseld an exciting bowl of rainis bran for breakfast
oybolshoi
DIS Legend
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Tchoup Chop looks like a place that could entice me off WDW property. We will have our car with us in December.
I look forward to ImprovGal's review too!
Elin, if you google Emeril it will bring up a link that takes you to a webste that covers him, his recipes, restaurants, etc. If you find the section for his restaurants there will be a link for Tchoup Chop and the lunch and dinner menus will be available there.
cdtommie
Beerman, BWV/BCV/VWL/BLT, no slushies please
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Hey there beer man! Thanks for the recommendations ... can't wait to try both places next month.
Sounds like you had a good trip, too.
I survived the August humidity (barely) and also survived an 8 y/o in tow (our great friends Lynn and Larry and their son came along (thank God for Nintendo!) and that 1.75L bottle of Tanqueray that Mrs Cdtommie and I knocked off on the side over five days sure helped.
We did five signatures for dinner on the DxDP - concensus was CG and FF too close to call at top with Jiko and Citrico's next and Artist Point was clearly last (although it was good news that the buffalo strip has returned).
Beer wise Sam's O'fest on tap at Crew's Cup and at Backlot Canteen over at DHS - a Disney bargain at $6.25.
We'll also be Tchoup'ing it in December.
PNO4TE
I used to be the DIS Musician and a Jamborini...
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Aimeedyan
DIS Legend
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You can make reservations 60-90 days out using OpenTable . Com ... we use them for both of Emeril's restaurant's at Universal. I would definitely make a reservation to eat there - it's very popular.
Tchoup Chop was great when we dined there for our anniversary back in 2006 and I'm so happy to know that it's still as good today as it was then.
Great review Catherine!
Thanks!
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