E
erikthewise
Guest
Restaurant Report 12/07-12/15
You wont find any gourmet experiences here! Other than myself, my family are not adventurous eaters, so we tried to stick with mainstream dining. DW does not like seafood (I do!). DS9 and DS6 stick to traditional kids menu items, though DS9 will often eat an adult portion. We ate all breakfasts in our room. Im pleased to say we didnt really have any bad experiences; I gladly give credit for that to all the great advice I got here on DIS! Keep in mind Im a fairly tough grader; As mean exceptional food or service, B's mean good, C's mean mediocre.
12/07 Lunch: Big River Grill
This was 12:30 just after arrival and I was starving, not having eaten since 6:30.
I had a turkey sandwich on focaccia with avocado cream cheese spread. It came with chips (as did most items on the lunch menu). It was a little disappointing; the only hint of avocado was that the focaccia had taken on a bit of a greenish tinge on the inside, and I had to look to make sure the cream cheese was really there. I left hungry. We shouldve gone to Beaches and Cream. Total: $36.
Food: C; Value: C-; Service: B-
12/07 Dinner: Cape May Café
With recent price increases this is now a hyperexpensive buffet ($24 adults), but I wanted to try it, feeling it was part of the Beach Club Experience.
The logistics of this restaurant are miserable. There is a four-sided serving area at the center of the restaurant, holding salads, entrees & side dishes, desserts, and seafood respectively. There is equipment inside the square with some room left over but it doesnt seem to be used by the staff. There are railings behind each side of the square, there is not much room to maneuver at the small gaps between the railings which form the entrances and exits to each side. Lines form on each of the four sides, and if the lines extend beyond the serving area (which they always do since the square is not that large), they block the exit to one of the other sides. The restaurant was not even full when we ate; it must be difficult to get at the food when it is. As if that werent bad enough, the staff must barge into the lines when bringing more food. The person who designed this setup should be bound and gagged and left to starve inside the square.
Fortunately the food is pretty good once you get to it. The seafood available is clam chowder, salmon fillets, peel-and-eat shrimp, clams and mussels. I had healthy helpings of the first three items but skipped the other two. There was a broccoli slaw with kalamata olives that I couldve eaten a pound of. The desserts were good for a buffet but nothing to die for. There is a small kids buffet where you can get macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, etc.
Aside from the fact that (like all the Disney buffets) this costs $5 more than its worth, I like it, and well probably go back next time we stay in an Epcot resort. In spite of not eating much here, DS6 kept asking if we were going back! Total: $70 (with DVC 10% discount)
Food: B+; Value: C; Service: B
12/08 Snack: Main Street Bakery
We did early entry this Sunday so needed a mid-morning snack. We saw some people eating tasty-looking cinnamon rolls at a table outside the Plaza restaurant and they pointed us to the Bakery, saying its a long line but it moves fast, which was true. While we were inline a barbershop quartet gave a short performance; it must have been the Dapper Dans. When we got to the counter there was a short wait for cinnamon rolls. It was worth it! There is a lot of yummy stuff here; if you are lacking in self-control, dont even get in line!
12/08 Lunch: Cinderellas Royal Table
We had an 11:35 PS and showed up at 11:30. I was at first disconcerted to see so many people waiting in the lobby, but then realized that they started serving lunch at that time. We were seated quickly and given a window seat! DW and I both had the Royal Poulet, a chicken and pasta dish which was very good. The childrens meals here come with mashed potatoes and corn. (There were no french fries in medieval times!) Even though it is part of the theming, being treated like royalty is very nice! Not only our server, but all of the servers throughout the restaurant, seemed to have just the right blend of formality and friendliness, and all seemed to be providing top-notch service. Because we didnt order anything other than entrees, our bill came to only $48 inclusive. I highly recommend CRT for lunch, whether or not you care about eating in the castle!
Food: B+, Value: B, Service: A
12/09 Lunch: 50s Prime Time Café
Comfort food is the order of the day here. I had the meatloaf, DW the pot roast, and DS9 the adult fried chicken; all came with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans (fresh, not canned!).
Our server was Cousin Jenn (too young to pass for an Aunt) and filled us in on the rules: say please and thank you, elbows off the table, and eat your vegetables (not ordering them is acceptable). She enforced the rules; I was caught with elbows on the table more than once. She gave us each pet names: I was Scooter, DW was Sunshine, DS9 Skippy, and DS6 Spanky. The couple seated next to us turned out to have had her on an earlier visit and showed a picture taken with her. So of course we asked to have a picture taken with her too.
The portions were large, but mercifully not so large as to preclude dessert. We split a Dads Super Sundae four ways. The woman next to us ordered smores, which turns out to be a phalanx of about two dozen marshmallows with chocolate drizzle on a graham cracker base; she was already stuffed and couldnt eat more than a few of them. This is a fun restaurant and holds up well to repeated visits. You know you wont go away hungry. Total $68.
Food: B, Value: B-, Service: A-
12/10 Dinner: Garden Grill (CP Package)
We had a 4:30 PS in connection with our Candlelight Processional package. We had the same time for the package last year. The difference this year was that serving hours are now 12:00-3:30 for lunch and 5:00-8:00 for dinner, whereas last year it was continuous service from 11:00 to 7:00. That meant that only other CP package and Ice Cream Social diners were in the restaurant until 5:00, so it was less crowded. As a result (I assume) we got a lot of attention from the characters right away. Chip sat down and played several games of tic-tac-toe with DS9, and Dale signed DS6 menu with even being asked. The characters were begging us for attention and photos instead of the other way around!
Our server was Annie; her badge said Amanda but she didnt want to be called that. The food was excellent, as it was last year. The salad was so good we made sure not to leave any behind in the serving bowl. The flank steak was especially flavorful; I asked for extra even though Im not usually a big meat eater. And the pumpkin cheesecake for dessert was much better than last years bread pudding. The only minor disappointment was the pumpkinseed bread; they had better bread last year. Total: $80 (about $4 less if not in CP package).
Food: A-, Value: C+, Service: B+
12/11 Lunch: Sci-Fi Theatre
We had no advance PS for this day, so when we ended up at MGM we made a lunch PS for Sci-Fi. DW, DS9 and myself all had (adult) burgers. DW and I declined fries; our server gave us credit toward house salads, and we ordered onion rings as well. DSs got a big kick out of sitting in a car. My big thrill was seeing a cartoon in the film sequence which was originally shown on the Wonderful World of Color, c. 1960. A scientist was studying the question of life on Mars. While he smoked his pipe and thought of profound equations, his secretary was transformed into a superhero, somehow rode a rocket ship to Mars, and encountered a collection of truly ridiculous monsters there. When I saw it as a child I broke into hysterical laughter at the monsters! Its one of my favorite TV memories, and only at this restaurant have I seen it since.
Anyway the food is fine but expensive. Dont pass up the onion rings! Total $67.
Food: B, Value: D, Service: B-
12/12 Lunch: Columbia Harbor House
This out-of-way MK counter service location is easy to miss; it lies in Liberty Square just south of the Haunted Mansion. It has some interesting choices and nice seating in small separate rooms. I had the clam chowder in a bread bowl, DW had a Garden Galley Salad, mixed greens with chicken, pecans, pineapple and feta cheese. One quirk: DS6 ordered a childs macaroni and cheese for $3.49, which came with a beverage. He asked for water, and ended up getting a $2.49 bottle of Dasani at no extra charge!
The clam chowder is a good value if you eat the entire bread bowl as I did. If you dont intend to eat the bread you may be disappointed as there is definitely not $5 worth of chowder. Tip: they dont provide butter, but you can grab some dijon sauce packets (intended for chicken strips) and dip your bread in them. Total $26.
Food: C+, Value: B, Service: N/A
12/12 Dinner: House of Blues
I really like this place. DW and I ate here leaving the boys in Simbas Cub House. The New Orleans cuisine is refreshingly different from anything Disney offers, and the music and atmosphere are great. We arrived about 6:00 (Thu) and were seated immediately. I had the Jambalaya and DW had the Portobello mushroom sandwich. Our server suggested the skillet cornbread with maple butter as a side dish; usually I ignore such suggestions but this time I said yes. I was very glad I did. It took the cornbread and three lemonades to get down that Jambalaya -- its really spicy! Total $44 for the two of us.
Food: B+, Value: C+, Service: B
12/13 Lunch: Olivias Café
Id heard a lot of good things about this restaurant and also wanted to visit Old Key West where its located. I was not disappointed. I had a garden veggie wrap accompanied by conch chowder, and key lime pie for dessert. DW had the club sandwich and shared my dessert. (Next time Im getting one for myself!) The boys split a fudge cake for dessert. I could see eating many meals here if you stayed at OKW. Total $48.
Food: B, Value: C, Service: B
12/13 Dinner: Pizzeria Uno
This was our token off-site meal at Crossroads shopping center. I had wanted to try this chain for some time. The deep-dish pizza was fine but surely not authentic Chicago-style pizza. We also got a regular cheese pizza for the boys. Total $30.
Food: C, Value: B-, Service: B
12/14 Lunch: Sunshine Season Food Fair
This is counter service inside the Land pavilion at Epcot. The setup here is inconvenient in that you have to choose what you want from several different stations and get in line separately for each station. If you have children that complicates things as you must get in line to get their food then each adult one at a time can go back to get their own food.
I had hoped to get by eating leftovers from the boys chicken strips and DWs veggie wrap. However I ended up having to go back to get more food for myself. Because of that hassle I didnt really enjoy the food, which was of reasonable quality.
Food: C, Value: B, Service: N/A
12/14 Dinner: Hollywood & Vine (Fantasmic Package)
This is a nice basic buffet. The selections are mainstream but well-prepared. There are seafood and vegetarian choices in the mix. Dessert includes a sundae bar with soft ice cream and several toppings. The other dessert selections are mostly cakes; I would like to see more variety there. Layout is sensible and convenient; lines dont seem to be a problem and staff can replace the food from the other side of the buffet line.
Food: B-, Value: C+, Service: C+
You wont find any gourmet experiences here! Other than myself, my family are not adventurous eaters, so we tried to stick with mainstream dining. DW does not like seafood (I do!). DS9 and DS6 stick to traditional kids menu items, though DS9 will often eat an adult portion. We ate all breakfasts in our room. Im pleased to say we didnt really have any bad experiences; I gladly give credit for that to all the great advice I got here on DIS! Keep in mind Im a fairly tough grader; As mean exceptional food or service, B's mean good, C's mean mediocre.
12/07 Lunch: Big River Grill
This was 12:30 just after arrival and I was starving, not having eaten since 6:30.
I had a turkey sandwich on focaccia with avocado cream cheese spread. It came with chips (as did most items on the lunch menu). It was a little disappointing; the only hint of avocado was that the focaccia had taken on a bit of a greenish tinge on the inside, and I had to look to make sure the cream cheese was really there. I left hungry. We shouldve gone to Beaches and Cream. Total: $36.
Food: C; Value: C-; Service: B-
12/07 Dinner: Cape May Café
With recent price increases this is now a hyperexpensive buffet ($24 adults), but I wanted to try it, feeling it was part of the Beach Club Experience.
The logistics of this restaurant are miserable. There is a four-sided serving area at the center of the restaurant, holding salads, entrees & side dishes, desserts, and seafood respectively. There is equipment inside the square with some room left over but it doesnt seem to be used by the staff. There are railings behind each side of the square, there is not much room to maneuver at the small gaps between the railings which form the entrances and exits to each side. Lines form on each of the four sides, and if the lines extend beyond the serving area (which they always do since the square is not that large), they block the exit to one of the other sides. The restaurant was not even full when we ate; it must be difficult to get at the food when it is. As if that werent bad enough, the staff must barge into the lines when bringing more food. The person who designed this setup should be bound and gagged and left to starve inside the square.
Fortunately the food is pretty good once you get to it. The seafood available is clam chowder, salmon fillets, peel-and-eat shrimp, clams and mussels. I had healthy helpings of the first three items but skipped the other two. There was a broccoli slaw with kalamata olives that I couldve eaten a pound of. The desserts were good for a buffet but nothing to die for. There is a small kids buffet where you can get macaroni and cheese, hot dogs, etc.
Aside from the fact that (like all the Disney buffets) this costs $5 more than its worth, I like it, and well probably go back next time we stay in an Epcot resort. In spite of not eating much here, DS6 kept asking if we were going back! Total: $70 (with DVC 10% discount)
Food: B+; Value: C; Service: B
12/08 Snack: Main Street Bakery
We did early entry this Sunday so needed a mid-morning snack. We saw some people eating tasty-looking cinnamon rolls at a table outside the Plaza restaurant and they pointed us to the Bakery, saying its a long line but it moves fast, which was true. While we were inline a barbershop quartet gave a short performance; it must have been the Dapper Dans. When we got to the counter there was a short wait for cinnamon rolls. It was worth it! There is a lot of yummy stuff here; if you are lacking in self-control, dont even get in line!
12/08 Lunch: Cinderellas Royal Table
We had an 11:35 PS and showed up at 11:30. I was at first disconcerted to see so many people waiting in the lobby, but then realized that they started serving lunch at that time. We were seated quickly and given a window seat! DW and I both had the Royal Poulet, a chicken and pasta dish which was very good. The childrens meals here come with mashed potatoes and corn. (There were no french fries in medieval times!) Even though it is part of the theming, being treated like royalty is very nice! Not only our server, but all of the servers throughout the restaurant, seemed to have just the right blend of formality and friendliness, and all seemed to be providing top-notch service. Because we didnt order anything other than entrees, our bill came to only $48 inclusive. I highly recommend CRT for lunch, whether or not you care about eating in the castle!
Food: B+, Value: B, Service: A
12/09 Lunch: 50s Prime Time Café
Comfort food is the order of the day here. I had the meatloaf, DW the pot roast, and DS9 the adult fried chicken; all came with mashed potatoes, gravy, and green beans (fresh, not canned!).
Our server was Cousin Jenn (too young to pass for an Aunt) and filled us in on the rules: say please and thank you, elbows off the table, and eat your vegetables (not ordering them is acceptable). She enforced the rules; I was caught with elbows on the table more than once. She gave us each pet names: I was Scooter, DW was Sunshine, DS9 Skippy, and DS6 Spanky. The couple seated next to us turned out to have had her on an earlier visit and showed a picture taken with her. So of course we asked to have a picture taken with her too.
The portions were large, but mercifully not so large as to preclude dessert. We split a Dads Super Sundae four ways. The woman next to us ordered smores, which turns out to be a phalanx of about two dozen marshmallows with chocolate drizzle on a graham cracker base; she was already stuffed and couldnt eat more than a few of them. This is a fun restaurant and holds up well to repeated visits. You know you wont go away hungry. Total $68.
Food: B, Value: B-, Service: A-
12/10 Dinner: Garden Grill (CP Package)
We had a 4:30 PS in connection with our Candlelight Processional package. We had the same time for the package last year. The difference this year was that serving hours are now 12:00-3:30 for lunch and 5:00-8:00 for dinner, whereas last year it was continuous service from 11:00 to 7:00. That meant that only other CP package and Ice Cream Social diners were in the restaurant until 5:00, so it was less crowded. As a result (I assume) we got a lot of attention from the characters right away. Chip sat down and played several games of tic-tac-toe with DS9, and Dale signed DS6 menu with even being asked. The characters were begging us for attention and photos instead of the other way around!
Our server was Annie; her badge said Amanda but she didnt want to be called that. The food was excellent, as it was last year. The salad was so good we made sure not to leave any behind in the serving bowl. The flank steak was especially flavorful; I asked for extra even though Im not usually a big meat eater. And the pumpkin cheesecake for dessert was much better than last years bread pudding. The only minor disappointment was the pumpkinseed bread; they had better bread last year. Total: $80 (about $4 less if not in CP package).
Food: A-, Value: C+, Service: B+
12/11 Lunch: Sci-Fi Theatre
We had no advance PS for this day, so when we ended up at MGM we made a lunch PS for Sci-Fi. DW, DS9 and myself all had (adult) burgers. DW and I declined fries; our server gave us credit toward house salads, and we ordered onion rings as well. DSs got a big kick out of sitting in a car. My big thrill was seeing a cartoon in the film sequence which was originally shown on the Wonderful World of Color, c. 1960. A scientist was studying the question of life on Mars. While he smoked his pipe and thought of profound equations, his secretary was transformed into a superhero, somehow rode a rocket ship to Mars, and encountered a collection of truly ridiculous monsters there. When I saw it as a child I broke into hysterical laughter at the monsters! Its one of my favorite TV memories, and only at this restaurant have I seen it since.
Anyway the food is fine but expensive. Dont pass up the onion rings! Total $67.
Food: B, Value: D, Service: B-
12/12 Lunch: Columbia Harbor House
This out-of-way MK counter service location is easy to miss; it lies in Liberty Square just south of the Haunted Mansion. It has some interesting choices and nice seating in small separate rooms. I had the clam chowder in a bread bowl, DW had a Garden Galley Salad, mixed greens with chicken, pecans, pineapple and feta cheese. One quirk: DS6 ordered a childs macaroni and cheese for $3.49, which came with a beverage. He asked for water, and ended up getting a $2.49 bottle of Dasani at no extra charge!
The clam chowder is a good value if you eat the entire bread bowl as I did. If you dont intend to eat the bread you may be disappointed as there is definitely not $5 worth of chowder. Tip: they dont provide butter, but you can grab some dijon sauce packets (intended for chicken strips) and dip your bread in them. Total $26.
Food: C+, Value: B, Service: N/A
12/12 Dinner: House of Blues
I really like this place. DW and I ate here leaving the boys in Simbas Cub House. The New Orleans cuisine is refreshingly different from anything Disney offers, and the music and atmosphere are great. We arrived about 6:00 (Thu) and were seated immediately. I had the Jambalaya and DW had the Portobello mushroom sandwich. Our server suggested the skillet cornbread with maple butter as a side dish; usually I ignore such suggestions but this time I said yes. I was very glad I did. It took the cornbread and three lemonades to get down that Jambalaya -- its really spicy! Total $44 for the two of us.
Food: B+, Value: C+, Service: B
12/13 Lunch: Olivias Café
Id heard a lot of good things about this restaurant and also wanted to visit Old Key West where its located. I was not disappointed. I had a garden veggie wrap accompanied by conch chowder, and key lime pie for dessert. DW had the club sandwich and shared my dessert. (Next time Im getting one for myself!) The boys split a fudge cake for dessert. I could see eating many meals here if you stayed at OKW. Total $48.
Food: B, Value: C, Service: B
12/13 Dinner: Pizzeria Uno
This was our token off-site meal at Crossroads shopping center. I had wanted to try this chain for some time. The deep-dish pizza was fine but surely not authentic Chicago-style pizza. We also got a regular cheese pizza for the boys. Total $30.
Food: C, Value: B-, Service: B
12/14 Lunch: Sunshine Season Food Fair
This is counter service inside the Land pavilion at Epcot. The setup here is inconvenient in that you have to choose what you want from several different stations and get in line separately for each station. If you have children that complicates things as you must get in line to get their food then each adult one at a time can go back to get their own food.
I had hoped to get by eating leftovers from the boys chicken strips and DWs veggie wrap. However I ended up having to go back to get more food for myself. Because of that hassle I didnt really enjoy the food, which was of reasonable quality.
Food: C, Value: B, Service: N/A
12/14 Dinner: Hollywood & Vine (Fantasmic Package)
This is a nice basic buffet. The selections are mainstream but well-prepared. There are seafood and vegetarian choices in the mix. Dessert includes a sundae bar with soft ice cream and several toppings. The other dessert selections are mostly cakes; I would like to see more variety there. Layout is sensible and convenient; lines dont seem to be a problem and staff can replace the food from the other side of the buffet line.
Food: B-, Value: C+, Service: C+
