Prawn Heads & Cupcakes & Soups, Oh My! 10/5 Complete (now with my Dining Wish List)!

[basketlacey]

That Territory Lounge menu looks amazing! I would like to try all of those items!

I am guessing the lounges don't take the Ddp, right?

 

[GoBirds]

Great reviews! We're heading down at the end of the month and our first ADR is Artist Point. Now I HAVE to stop by the Territory Lounge for a tuna appetizer!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I think I am in love with their entire menu!! I would like to go visit with enough people in the party to get one of each item to try!! What a wonderful looking 'snack' that was!

Great idea! Everything on that menu sounds like it's worth trying IMO (except the edamame. you can get salted edamame elsewhere for a much better price).

Just catching up with your reviews and I have to say my mouth is watering over the cupcakes at Gasparilla Grill, especially the Florida Orange one, mmmm! Sounds like you had a very satisfying snack at the Territory Lounge and I have to agree with ShortStuff, their entire menu looks very tempting! Glad you had such a positive experience there and thanks so much for posting about some of the lesser known places in the World.

I'm glad you like the reviews of lesser-known locations! They definitely make dining at WDW more fun and interesting.

This place is on my radar as well!!

The Fondue sounds good as well as the cheese and charcuterie plate! And Bonus. I am staying at VWL for a week so will be nearby!!

Sounds like a perfect opportunity to try Territory Lounge! The charcuterie plate sounds really interesting - in another review, someone mentioned that it includes venison sausage, buffalo sausage, liverwurst, cranberry mustard, and similar cheeses as Artist Point's cheese plate!

Until I read this review, I had no idea that the Territory Lounge existed. But, WOW, the menu looks great! The fondue sounds yummy and I would have had to have tried charcuterie/cheese platter!

I want to try that fondue as well - it sounds awesome in so many ways.

I love the rustic look of the lounge. Better yet, I really like the menu. I am eyeing the cheddar beer fondue with pretzel sticks and the chicken lollipops....I've sat in there once but not even seen an appetizer menu. Thanks for sharing! This is what I love about various dining reviews, people who veer off the path of mainstream dining and showcase some great alternatives.

The table next to me ordered the chicken lollipops - apparently they're wings with the most delicious sauce. And I agree about dining reviews - it's so interesting that after all this time, there are still so many food locations that aren't on the DIS's 'radar', so to speak.

Same here! I love learning about different places! Thanks!

No problem - I'm glad you enjoyed reading about Territory Lounge!

I have to say the beef on your salad doesn't even look good! I can't believe they served it like that

That Territory Lounge menu sounds yummy and your tuna looked great!

The salad definitely wasn't their best work - I know for a fact that Gasparilla is capable of better. Hopefully the refurbishment will include some positive menu changes. And Territory Lounge was great - I wish I could've ordered something else.

I've stayed at WL and I didn't know this place existed either! The menu looks fantastic! I can't believe that's "bar food" I love that we can still be surprised even after all of the dining reviews that we've read here. Your dish looks lovely!

Agreed - tuna tataki is definitely not what comes to mind when I think of bar food! But the wings, chips and dip, fondue, pork buns, and edamame would all work perfectly in a bar/lounge setting (and they fit the theme so well!). I was very impressed.

Territory lounge looks so interesting and tuna titaki is one of my favorite dishes. I really need to make it over to WL on my next visit. I've never eaten at any of their restaurants (blasphemous, I know).

Never? That has to change! Between Territory Lounge, Roaring Fork (awesome Mickey waffles for breakfast), and Artist Point (one of my favorite signatures ), I would happily go back to all of the places I've tried at WL (I still haven't tried Whispering Canyon). If you can fit in at least one of these places, you might be pleasantly surprised.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

The tatami looks amazing. It was the first thing that caught my eye on the menu. I'm glad you ordered. Makes for a light fulfilling protein, yes?

Yep, it was light but satisfying - exactly the type of food I usually like.

I was thinking the same thing. I never saw this place when I was there.

Very interesting - Territory Lounge isn't hard to find (it's between Whispering Canyon and Artist Point), but it's definitely easy to skip over. We had only been in there once before this trip (while waiting for an Artist Point ADR), and I remember that the menu wasn't as impressive as it is now. I'm certainly quite happy with the menu changes.

We stopped in at Territory Lounge for a little over an hour before our AP ressie last week. We had the GREATEST bartender. In that pic you showed of the bar, we sat at the first 2 full in view chairs on the right at the bar. Brucie, the bartender, made some mean drinks! I had a Mai Tai, I believe and DH had 2 Tennessee Honey's. We eyed up the menu in there but knew we had quite the meal ahead of us so decided next time, instead of a restaurant, we are going to put the kids in the kids club and hang out at Territory Lounge with a few of the snacks and some good drinks!! That tuna looks good - I really wanted to try the fondue, the steamed buns, and the chips!
Overall, Territory Lounge is a quiet and relaxing escape, and its menu offers some interesting finds - I can only imagine how awesome the cheese fondue or potato chips are. Whenever we stay at WL again, I'm hoping to make another stop at Territory Lounge, since I'd love to try another one of their unique dishes.

[/QUOTE]
Glad you had a good experience at Territory Lounge! I'm hoping that your experience at Artist Point was also very good!

I love the Territory Lounge. It's second on my favourite Walt Disney World lounges list, beaten only by the Belle Vue Lounge.

I can't believe I never knew they had that wonderful bar snacks menu though. The chicken lollipops sound great.

The bar menu hasn't always been so wonderful - I remember the menu being more 'ordinary' last year, so we didn't order anything there. I'm very thankful to whoever thought of making these menu changes.

That tuna looks delicious! The charcuterie and cheese plate also looks intriguing. I love me some good charcuterie.

The charcuterie plate sounds really interesting - the meats on it are venison sausage, buffalo sausage, and liverwurst! I don't think I like liverwurst, but I'd still be willing to try it.

The lounge looks really cute! The portion looks big & the selection looks good.

Agreed - the tuna was a really great choice, and the lounge has a really nice, pleasant atmosphere.

Thanks for reviewing the Territory Lounge. We stopped in there the night we had our AP ADR, but we only ordered drinks. I had no idea there was a food menu. I will definitely have to remember that if we ever stay at WL again.

The lounge definitely is worth a try! I'm still drooling over some of the dishes on the menu - chips with huckleberry honey and truffle aioli? Yes please

That Territory Lounge menu looks amazing! I would like to try all of those items!

I am guessing the lounges don't take the Ddp, right?

Nope - they don't take the DDP, but they do take TIW.

Great reviews! We're heading down at the end of the month and our first ADR is Artist Point. Now I HAVE to stop by the Territory Lounge for a tuna appetizer!

Territory Lounge has a great menu, but remember to save room for your food at Artist Point! It'll be worth it.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

On the fourth day of our trip (the 17th), I ended up sleeping in. After waking up before 6:45am on the 15th and 16th (and not sleeping at all on our travel day), I knew this was bound to happen eventually! As a result, my first meal of the day was a walk-up lunch at Kona Cafe. This was my first time having lunch there, and I was seated right away (after showing up at 1:40).

I was seated at the back of the restaurant, very close to the monorail station and coffee island/sushi bar.

Like at San Angel Inn, there were two appetizers and a dessert that I wanted to try - my first course was the sweet potato and lemongrass bisque. I thought the fragrant lemongrass and fresh cilantro helped take this soup in a unique direction. Packets of saltine crackers were served on the side, but I didn't touch them - why add salty blandness to something that's already enjoyable on its own?

Next up were the pork belly lettuce wraps with fragrant vegetable slaw and pineapple sambal. I had a few issues with the pork belly, but these were mostly examples of personal preference. For example, I'm not a fan of charred meat (these were heavily charred), and I don't like eating the fat on pork belly (these had a lot of fat, which many people would enjoy). As such, after heavily mutilating the pork belly to find the parts I was willing to eat, I tasted everything together. These were really good! The pork belly had a nice savory flavor, while the slaw was super refreshing and the pineapple sambal had a flavor reminiscent of cinnamon. The sauce on the side was actually very spicy, and it had a strong heat level that reminded me of Southeast Asian condiments.

Finally, dessert. For some reason, I haven't seen an up-to-date Kona dessert menu anywhere online (not even on Disney's website), so I made sure to take a picture of this menu:

Looks like there are a bunch of good choices! I was interested in trying the pineapple upside down cake, ginger trifle, and apple stack, but one dessert sounded even better to me: the Kona coffee panna cotta, with candied pecans and vanilla tuile.

Yum! The panna cotta was thick and tasted like coffee with lots of cream in it. With the crunchy pecans, mild vanilla tuile, and chocolate sauce beautifully spread on the plate, this dessert was full of flavors and textures that went well together.

I enjoyed my lunch at Kona Cafe very much. It was a solid meal overall, with unique and tasty dishes.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

We were supposed to have lunch at Kona this trip and I ended up cancelling it. That soup sounds really good! I don't think DS and I will be eating too many sit dowdn meals on our quick November trip but I am going to try to keep Kona on my radar for next August!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

We were supposed to have lunch at Kona this trip and I ended up cancelling it. That soup sounds really good! I don't think DS and I will be eating too many sit dowdn meals on our quick November trip but I am going to try to keep Kona on my radar for next August!

I can't argue with your November plans - that trip will be such a great opportunity to sample the F&W booths! If the Hawaii booth is still open, you could always stop there for a tropical snack and drink.

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

I can't argue with your November plans - that trip will be such a great opportunity to sample the F&W booths! If the Hawaii booth is still open, you could always stop there for a tropical snack and drink.

I have a whirl-wind three days planned for us! Food & Wine plus Christmas! It is my perfect Disney weekend!

 

[emmysmommy]

Mr. DDW from your description I can almost taste the soup. It really looks good. I love the freshness of cilantro.

I forgot that Kona Cafe offers a pineapple upside down cake for dessert - I need to search the boards for any reviews of that. However, your coffee panna cotta looks lovely!

I have to say that you always preface a not so great food by saying that it is personal taste - which is very nice. However, have you ever had anything at WDW for which you don't make excuses and call them out on their bad quality? I don't mean in a punative way but in an honest and candid review? You are just so darn nice.

Again your review that makes me think about taking a break from MK one day and trying their lunch menu AND dessert!

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

Kona lunch- your choices are surprising me this trip.

I've always wanted to have lunch at Kona but it's never worked out. Soup sounds great. Love your table too. We've always sat on the other side of the restaurant. I didn't even know there were window tables.

 

[sushi candy]

The soup looked sweet and light. I would never think of pairing sweet potato with lemongrass. As for the pork belly, I also think that too much fat ruins it. A little fat is good but in chunks, it makes the belly too greasy. Great choices for lunch!

 

[smile4stamps]

The pork belly app is the reason I want to do Kona lunch!! Honestly it doesn't look quite as good as I was picturing though...

Maybe I will be fine with dinner!

 

[rachel09985]

That panna cotta looks amazing. I would love that.

I always want to go to Kona but I have a feeling I would only like the bread and dessert! Their entrees don't wow me!

Maybe I can try out the Sushi bar instead because I think they serve bread and dessert!

 

[ShortStuff]

I now have a plan!! I need to be the same group of people to both Territory Lounge for 'dinner' and Kona for dessert!!! One of each item to share please!

 

[BlovesC]

KONA! Yay! That ginger trifle is brand-spankin' new, I assume it's a seasonal addition...which makes me wonder if those pumpkin pancakes are back for breakfast....

What a flawless meal! Well, aside from the pork. Although I do love meat that's charred, hmmm! But I've wanted to try that sweet potato soup for awhile now and the new coffee panna cotta looks SO GOOD. I love coffee flavor! I'm sure it makes up for the removal of the white chocolate cheesecake, which was SO boring yet I LOVED it anyway.

Great review as always!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I have a whirl-wind three days planned for us! Food & Wine plus Christmas! It is my perfect Disney weekend!

Sounds like a real dream trip - the best of two special times to visit WDW!

Mr. DDW from your description I can almost taste the soup. It really looks good. I love the freshness of cilantro.

I forgot that Kona Cafe offers a pineapple upside down cake for dessert - I need to search the boards for any reviews of that. However, your coffee panna cotta looks lovely!

I have to say that you always preface a not so great food by saying that it is personal taste - which is very nice. However, have you ever had anything at WDW for which you don't make excuses and call them out on their bad quality? I don't mean in a punative way but in an honest and candid review? You are just so darn nice.

Again your review that makes me think about taking a break from MK one day and trying their lunch menu AND dessert!

Let's see...I've really enjoyed the food at WDW this year, which explains why my reviews have been so positive overall. But you do raise an interesting point.

I guess sometimes when I read other peoples' thoughts on restaurants (more in the Restaurants section than the Dining Review section), I find their language to be overly 'certain' and somewhat offensive. They'll say that people who like Yachtsman probably haven't experienced nice, real world steakhouses (which would be incorrect ), or they'll insist that Il Mulino is better than any of the Disney signatures (basic, overpriced Italian food over my Jiko prawn dish? No way ). It's almost like you have poor taste if you disagree with their viewpoint. So I guess that's why I try my hardest to separate subjective preferences from objective quality/preparation issues. Even then, results can still vary. I've seen multiple positive comments about that cajeta dessert, none of which mentioned any 'goaty' flavor. And I had seen a negative review of the pork belly lettuce wraps before ordering the dish, but I still went with my gut and ended up loving the flavor combinations.

To answer your question: during our August 2008 trip we were extremely disappointed with the food overall. Marrakesh was blander and more expensive than ever (we haven't been back since). Spoodles served up a chicken entree that was not only bland, but the chicken itself tasted processed and almost 'metallic'. I was quite happy to see Spoodles close shortly after that horrible last meal (even though it had once been a favorite of ours). We actually tried Artist Point for the first time that trip and loved it. Then we made another booking at AP for later in the trip (which happened to fall after free dining had begun), and we were less pleased with the meal (even though we ordered the exact same dishes). Portions were smaller and details were off, such as the fresh berries on the cobbler. Speaking of AP's cobbler, I hated the new version of that dish in 2010 - it was gummy, unappealing, almost 'canned' in flavor/texture, and a huge embarrassment for their signature dessert. At The Wave, I once had a piece of fish that was improperly prepared (my mom insisted on sending it back), and at Citricos I once had a seafood appetizer where the seafood didn't taste fresh. We've had extremely oversalted dishes at Flying Fish and Bluezoo. A pavlova dessert at Raglan Road was too sugary and crunchy - I'm a fan of soft pavlovas, but that dessert hurt my teeth when I tried to eat it. Also, I love strawberry and rhubarb together, but a strawberry-rhubarb dessert at California Grill was too unpleasantly bitter for me (I don't think the rhubarb was handled correctly). Of course, the omission of the pistachios in Sanaa's salad turned that dish into an overly sweet, one-note waste of money. And then there are dishes at quite a few restaurants that I think are fine, but mediocre - Coral Reef, Il Mulino, and everything I've tried at Yak and Yeti (aside from the wontons) come to mind here.

I can definitely be scathing when the situation calls for it. But most of the time, it hasn't been necessary.

Kona lunch- your choices are surprising me this trip.

I've always wanted to have lunch at Kona but it's never worked out. Soup sounds great. Love your table too. We've always sat on the other side of the restaurant. I didn't even know there were window tables.

While there was a metal railing separating my table from the window, it was still nice being able to watch the monorails coming and going. Kona lunch was actually one of the meals I really wanted to do - since so many of the plans ended up being cut, I was able to fit it in!

The soup looked sweet and light. I would never think of pairing sweet potato with lemongrass. As for the pork belly, I also think that too much fat ruins it. A little fat is good but in chunks, it makes the belly too greasy. Great choices for lunch!

Both dishes were really satisfying and had great flavors! And I'm happy to see someone else isn't a fan of the fat - I know many people who think the fat is the richest, most decadent part, but my taste buds simply disagree.

The pork belly app is the reason I want to do Kona lunch!! Honestly it doesn't look quite as good as I was picturing though...

Maybe I will be fine with dinner!

It might not have looked great, but the flavors of that dish were fantastic (especially if you like spicy - that side sauce was amazing, and I even ate it on its own!). But yeah, that appetizer was the main thing I wanted that's only on the lunch menu.

That panna cotta looks amazing. I would love that.

I always want to go to Kona but I have a feeling I would only like the bread and dessert! Their entrees don't wow me!

Maybe I can try out the Sushi bar instead because I think they serve bread and dessert!

I know what you're saying - I didn't see any entrees (on either the lunch or dinner menu) that sounded like a must-do to me. Just so you know, you can eat in the regular dining room at Kona and order from the sushi bar menu (during dinner hours).

I now have a plan!! I need to be the same group of people to both Territory Lounge for 'dinner' and Kona for dessert!!! One of each item to share please!

Great idea! Kona's dessert menu really has some treasures on it.

KONA! Yay! That ginger trifle is brand-spankin' new, I assume it's a seasonal addition...which makes me wonder if those pumpkin pancakes are back for breakfast....

What a flawless meal! Well, aside from the pork. Although I do love meat that's charred, hmmm! But I've wanted to try that sweet potato soup for awhile now and the new coffee panna cotta looks SO GOOD. I love coffee flavor! I'm sure it makes up for the removal of the white chocolate cheesecake, which was SO boring yet I LOVED it anyway.

Great review as always!

Yay for seasonal additions! Of course, I didn't know that the ginger trifle might be seasonal (since I haven't seen a truly up-to-date dessert menu since 2011). Otherwise, I might've been more tempted to order it. Oh well.

The meal was great overall. And it sounds like you would've enjoyed the pork belly largely as it was - I liked it too, once I cut off the edges and most of the fat. And I'm glad you're okay with the dessert menu changes, even though you happened to like one of the casualties.

 

[happy2012]

Sounds like a real dream trip - the best of two special times to visit WDW!


Let's see...I've really enjoyed the food at WDW this year, which explains why my reviews have been so positive overall. But you do raise an interesting point.

I guess sometimes when I read other peoples' thoughts on restaurants (more in the Restaurants section than the Dining Review section), I find their language to be overly 'certain' and somewhat offensive. They'll say that people who like Yachtsman probably haven't experienced nice, real world steakhouses (which would be incorrect ), or they'll insist that Il Mulino is better than any of the Disney signatures (basic, overpriced Italian food over my Jiko prawn dish? No way ). It's almost like you have poor taste if you disagree with their viewpoint. So I guess that's why I try my hardest to separate subjective preferences from objective quality/preparation issues. Even then, results can still vary. I've seen multiple positive comments about that cajeta dessert, none of which mentioned any 'goaty' flavor. And I had seen a negative review of the pork belly lettuce wraps before ordering the dish, but I still went with my gut and ended up loving the flavor combinations.

True.

 

[Quin]

Kona seating: isn't that seating along the outside window really a ghost of the original coffee shop that was in that location?

And I think you made the right decision about the dessert (although that ginger cake trifle would appeal even more to me). Last year I had the pineapple upside down cake and while the flavor was good it was terribly dry. It would have been lovely if it had actually been drenched in the sauces listed on the menu, but I think it had been pre-cut and had long since absorbed any sauces and then dried out by the time I got it at dinnertime. I suspect that if you got a slice from a fresh pan it might have been a much better experience.

And I know Kona is much-beloved here on the DisBoards but while our entrees were OK they were not spectacular enough to put Kona on any kind of a must-do list. I would not have any problem with eating there again but I wouldn't go out of my way to plan for it either; too many other good places yet to try.

 

[smile4stamps]

I don't DO spicy unfortunately. I love flavor in my food but don't like to feel like my mouth is on fire!

 

[auntfrannie]

Kona Cafe. Yum! Everyone raves about it for breakfast and while it's good, breakfast always feels a bit heavy there. Dinner has not impressed me yet.

But lunch at the Kona has always been a winner for me. Food and service have always been a hit wtih me. The soup looks amazing as well as the dessert. The other dessert that looked good was the Pineapple Upside Down Cake but the reviews that I've seen so far have all been lackluster. The panna cotta looks heavenly!