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

[jabead]

Welcome Home to the DISboards, Donald!

And thanks so much for the pics!

 

[DisneyMomFanatic]

Welcome Home, so glad you are back and I will have some more interesting reads before I leave!

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

I arrived at about 11:50am and was seated immediately - cool! I didn't even realize that lunch started before 12.

Since a drink was included with the buffet, I decided to splurge - I ordered both a water and an unsweetened iced tea.

After placing my drink order, I made my way over to the buffet and picked out some things to try. On this plate is the Cobb salad, buffalo mozzarella flatbread, chicken, rock shrimp crab cake with salsa, and tomato salad. I honestly liked everything. The salad had a creamy dressing and a slightly bitter flavor from some watercress. The tomato salad was also delicious, thanks to the juicy tomatoes and the saltiness of the capers and olives. The chicken was very good and surprisingly moist (for food that had been sitting on a buffet) - the sweet corn was a very nice addition.

On my next plate, I got some more of the chicken, as well as a pork pot sticker, a quesadilla, and some penne pasta. The quesadilla was a flavorful vegetarian option, filled with veggies, cheese, and tofu. The pasta was another classic combination - I loved the chunky tomatoes and fresh basil on top. The pot sticker had a delightfully crispy exterior (without being overcooked).

One of the things I liked about the buffet area was seeing the decorations scattered around the buffet line. They really reinforced the concept of The Wave as a restaurant focused on rustic preparations and local, seasonable, and sustainable cuisine.

Last but not least, dessert! A Disney buffet wouldn't be complete without a collection of sweet treats, and for The Wave's lunch buffet, there are three different desserts to try. Each of these desserts was previously included in the "Creamy Indulgence" trio.

The first one I tried was the white chocolate crème brûlée with a raspberry macaron. The custard was super creamy, and I liked how there were visible vanilla beans scattered throughout it. The sugary crust was delicious, but what really made this dessert for me was the macaron. It had a perfect texture - crunchy and flaky on the outside, yet soft and creamy on the inside.

The vanilla cheesecake with summer berries surprisingly tasted like lemon to me. I didn't finish this dessert, but I'm happy I got to try it. And to be fair, it definitely lived up to its label as "creamy".

Finally, the olive oil-infused chocolate truffle mousse with salted caramel sauce and edible gold on top. For a mousse with such a light texture, I was impressed by the bold chocolate flavor of this dessert. In addition, there was a crunchy, nutty layer on the bottom that added another layer of flavor to this dish.

I was so close to ordering the Creamy Indulgence in July, but instead I opted for the summer sorbet trio. As such, I'm happy that they chose to feature the Creamy Indulgences on the buffet. All of these desserts were worth trying, and I actually got seconds of the chocolate mousse and the crème brûlée (mainly for the macaron!).

Interestingly enough, although the à la carte menu is now smaller, it seems that many of the buffet items come from the previous à la carte menu. The crab cake, seasonal soup, Cobb salad, chicken with corn and tomato, penne pasta, and vegetarian quesadilla were all featured on the July menu, so it's nice that these menu items are still around in some form.

Overall, the new lunch buffet offered some tasty food and was a very good value (dessert alone would've cost $8, and that's without seconds!). While the dishes on the buffet might not have "wowed" me as much as the summer salad or some of The Wave's other offerings, I still think the buffet is a great choice for a quick lunch with some variety and interesting choices. Now we just have to wait and see how long this new offering lasts...

 

[jmm476]

That seems like a pretty nice buffet for lunch. Did you have a reservation or were they taking walk-ups?

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Great DR Title!!! I'm sure Jabead can appreciate it!!

WL looks lovely. Thanks for the well wishes for our travel tomorrow. I'm doing much better than you with the sleep thing... I think I will get about 5 hrs. sleep before we leave!!

Take care!

I know I'm too late to post a relevant reply, but I'm glad to know that you got there safely and that you're currently having a great time at WDW! It was so much fun meeting you all, and I can't wait to read your reviews soon enough. The review of my last dinner/your second dinner is going to be fun to write.

Beautiful pic of the WL lobby! How late did you take it that there are only 2 people in the picture? Hope you're enjoying your trip and lots of delicious food!

I took that picture at about 11:30, so it wasn't too late - MK and DTD were probably still open.

Your photos are stunning! Can't wait for more!

Thanks so much! I have a lot to share from August, and can't wait to add it all very soon!

Love the new title!

Thank you! This title is definitely much more reflective of the trip (especially since many of our plans ended up falling apart completely).

Your photography is very artistic, you must have been studied art. Can't wait to read and see your trip report.

Love the pool slide photo!

Well, I took a semester of art in high school if that counts. I wish I could've fit in more (my school offered a photography class, but I never had time to take it)!

Love the new DR title!
Makes me excited for what is to come !!
Thanks for the WL Lobby picture, it took me right back there

Thanks so much! I'm glad you really liked the WL photo - it's the best my phone could do, but I really wanted to upload something while there (I had left my computer at home).

I hope you are having a great time!

Looking forward to the reviews starting. The pics are great, thanks for sharing from your past trips.

Thanks so much! I'm definitely hoping to get on top of those reviews (since I want to get through as much as I can before university starts again).

Ahhhhh Wilderness Lodge. I love it! I can't wait to see your new food reviews and hear about your DISmeet with emmysmommy!

Love the new title.

I can't wait to share more details - it was a very fun night!

Welcome Back! Looking forward to your DR!

Thanks so much for joining in! I really hope you enjoy the reviews.

Welcome Home to the DISboards, Donald!

And thanks so much for the pics!

Thank you very much - it feels good to be back!

And I'm always excited to share something new in the world of WDW food - maybe if this new lunch buffet at The Wave is popular enough, it'll stick around.

Welcome Home, so glad you are back and I will have some more interesting reads before I leave!

Thanks so much! I hope I'll be able to get through the first day of food before you're gone.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

That seems like a pretty nice buffet for lunch. Did you have a reservation or were they taking walk-ups?

I was able to get a walk-up table - I thought they opened for lunch at noon, but they seated me as soon as I arrived without a reservation (at 11:50am). Hopefully it'll remain relatively easy to score a table there.

 

[jmm476]

I was able to get a walk-up table - I thought they opened for lunch at noon, but they seated me as soon as I arrived without a reservation (at 11:50am). Hopefully it'll remain relatively easy to score a table there.

Nice! I'll have to keep that in mind on MK days as a possible lunch spot.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Nice! I'll have to keep that in mind on MK days as a possible lunch spot.

I highly recommend it! I haven't always been impressed by The Wave (and the atmosphere there isn't especially exciting or magical), but my recent experiences there have all left me satisfied from a food standpoint. Even if the buffet is discontinued, I still think the à la carte menu (especially the full menu) includes some great dishes.

 

[Linda67]

Welcome back home

Probably not so exciting for you to be back as it is for us, as we get a new batch of reviews

Love the look of the buffet at the Wave so thanks for the hot off the press news

It's cool that you got to say hi to emmysmommy

 

[BlovesC]

YAY, it starts!! We've all been so patient, don't you think?

I had no idea The Wave had a lunch buffet! For $20 that seems like quite a steal, especially when QS meals can easily run $15! I'm a little sad by their shrunken menu though. I've never eaten there but we have a lunch ADR in the future...now we might just have to go the buffet route. That quesadilla and those desserts look delicious!

Can't wait to hear more on your cupcake binge, since I'm all about them!

 

[deenbrad]

The Wave's buffet looks great. Some interesting items - not just the usual! That being said I guess they don't have a kid friendly section? I think the only thing my DS might eat on there is the watermelon!

 

[Smiling Cheshire Cat]

Buffet at the Wave looks wonderful. I like the several different salad choices and dessert of course. I'm curious, how busy was the Wave at lunch? Buffet is probably a good option for some of the conventioners that stay at CR so maybe it will be around for a while.

So glad you had a wonderful time. Crush n Gusher is one of my favorite rides at WDW.

Can't wait to see what's next!

 

[nanienamou]

Welcome back!

Great first review! I don't do buffets because of my limited stomach space, but I'm glad to see that The Wave kept a small menu à la carte.

Can't wait to read about your Dismeet!

 

[doitforlove]

Wow that buffet looks wonderful . I wish I could fit it in my plans!

 

[butiflfeet]

The lunch buffet at The Wave looks amazing! I'll have to try it sometime.

 

[Tracerr00]

Glad to have you back so you can provide us with some more reviews!!

Wow - I'm so impressed with the items on the Wave buffet. I think I would love everything on it! Very cool that we are the first to know too! disney food blog probably doesn't even know about it yet.

 

[doitforlove]

Oops double post?

 

[jabead]

Thank you very much - it feels good to be back!

And I'm always excited to share something new in the world of WDW food - maybe if this new lunch buffet at The Wave is popular enough, it'll stick around. :thumbsup:

Your food pics are great, but I actually meant the pictures of the non-edible variety! I wish I could have been there Sunday night to meet you both in person, but the pictures were the next best thing to being there. Thanks again!

 

[homeatssr]

Love your reviews! I've been following all of the threads, but not sure if I ever actually complimented you before. They are great pics, great details!

 

[minniebeth]

Welcome back Mr. DDW! It sounds like you had a great trip! The one thing I love about Disney that most people don't get is that you can make every trip unique and amazing every single time! Sounds like you do that and this trip was no different! I can't wait to read about the rest of it all!

The Wave for a lunch buffet~ ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Disney really should compensate you for your amazing reviews, finds and sharing of little gems.
We enjoy The Wave's breakfast buffet, and the lunch buffet looks like a great option! We are staying at the Polynesian in January for Marathon Weekend and usually stick around the resorts after the races. We get tired of eating at the Poly since we're there a lot. BUT DS17 is looking forward to Kona for lunch on our first day there. However, The Wave buffet for lunch looks like a great temptor! I may just have to switch them out if it's still offered in January. I'll have to show DS your photos and reviews!

Thanks for sharing as always!