After hearing so many good things about the Brown Derby at MGM, Mike and I finally took the chance to go there for dinner since we were going to MGM one last Star Wars weekend. I had thought about going for lunch, but because we were going to Boma for breakfast that morning, we pushed it back to dinnertime.
We had a long, exhausting day in the heat, so it was a relief to walk into the lobby to check in. We were told we could check in around 30 minutes before our priority seating (which was at 7 PM), so we walked around through the new version of the Starring Rolls Café, and came back to check in afterwards. The lobby area is fairly small, with only a few seats available. We were given a buzzer and grabbed the two last available seats. We were called quickly, and brought into the dining area.
Im putting this in a separate paragraph because of how important my point is. Whatever you do, if you want to be able to have a conversation, or a peaceful dinner in any way, ask to be seated in the upper tier area. The lower dining area is LOUD. It was cacophonous. We were seated at a tiny table for two in between 4-5 tables of eight and couldnt even think straight. I finally convinced Mike to ask one of the hostesses to move us to another table. Gratefully, an older woman came back with Mike and led us to a different table. We were still seated up against the lower room, but could actually hear each other.
A server named Kevin visited us at the first table, and took our drink order. I ordered a watermelon martini ($8.75. I LOVE funky martinis), and Mike had a diet Coke ($2.00). I asked first whether the Cobb salad could be prepared for one (I had heard it could be), and he said that hed ask the chef. While Mike was asking one of the hostesses about moving to another table, he came back with Mikes soda and some bread and asked if we were ready to order. He never mentioned anything about the Cobb salad, which I didnt realize until after wed moved because I was so upset about the noise in the dining room. I answered that we werent and that I was waiting until Mike came back. After that, Mike and the hostess came back and we moved. Kevin didnt seem to have much personality, but our second server did. Molly was friendly and accommodating, and said she was happy to have us in her section. Kevin came by at that point with my watermelon martini, and that was the last we saw of him.
The watermelon martini was very good it was made with watermelon Jolly Rancher infused vodka! It was also a decent strength, and I was happy to find a good alcoholic drink in MGM. The rolls were warm with a slightly crusty outside, and a soft inside. They were brought with softened butter, which I always appreciate much easier to spread. Mike had decided to share the Cobb salad appetizer ($12.99) with me, if I kept the blue cheese on the side. The salad was brought out with the turkey, eggs, avocado, bacon, and tomatoes in layers on top of finely chopped greens, with the blue cheese on the side. The salad was mixed at the table, and we served ourselves. I adore finely chopped salads, as I love to be able to have some of each ingredient in one bite. This was an excellent Cobb salad, as I expected it to be, and I will drag Mike back here for lunch the next time were at MGM. The blue cheese was very mild, actually, though Mike tried it and still didnt like it. Everything went so well together, and other Cobb salads Ive had pale in comparison. I believe there was already a dressing on the finely chopped greens, but I couldnt tell exactly what it was.
For our entrees, I ordered the pork tenderloin ($21.99), while Mike ordered the center cut beef filet ($26.99). On the menu, my entrée came with a tomato Napoleon and butter bean succotash, but I asked if I could have a different side. Molly let us know that we could have any side we wanted off the menu instead of what it came with! I was happy to hear this, and asked for the polenta instead. Mike was happy with the sides that came with his beef, mashed red potatoes.
When we ordered the entrees, I asked about the Wine Flight of the Stars ($16) that was listed on the drinks menu. Molly was happy to tell me about it: a placemat came with the wines, to let you know about the wines while you were drinking them. This sold me on the flight, and I ordered it. It consisted of two whites (a pinot gris and a chardonnay), and two reds (a merlot and a cabernet sauvignon, from the Disney winery). I enjoyed all of the wines on the flight, especially the chardonnay and the Disney wine. I would definitely order this again, especially because it was a good deal for four medium sized glasses of wine. They seemed larger than the 2 ounce pours they were supposed to be.
Our entrees were brought out shortly after the wines were. All of our dishes were brought out with enough time between courses, neither too slow or two quickly. The pork tenderloin was a normal sized portion on top of a large bed of soft polenta. Molly had told us she loved the polenta at the Brown Derby, and I definitely agreed with her. It was mildly flavored, and a fine texture. It went very well with the pork, and Im surprised that its not the porks side dish. The pork itself was wonderful: tender, juicy, flavorful, and lean. Im on a roll with great pork dishes at Disney, finally. The butter bean succotash was supposed to be a garnish, but I was apparently given a larger portion as it was on a different dish than the pork and polenta. The corn kernels were tiny and sweet, and the dish had a small amount of a brown sauce. I usually dont like succotash (normally made with lima beans), but I liked this version. Mikes beef was a filet on top of mashed red potatoes, with a horseradish sauce on top, garnished by a single taro chip. He liked the taro chip so much that he wished there was an appetizer made of them. He liked the horseradish sauce as well, and it wasnt very spicy at all. I didnt get a chance to try the potatoes, but he raved about both the beef and the potatoes. I believe he liked his entrée as much as the mushroom filet at Le Cellier, which is saying a lot. We went for Valentines Day this year, and he still talks about the filet.
I was definitely looking forward to dessert after reading about the apple tart with black pepper ice cream on the lunch menu. I was very happy to see it on the dinner dessert menu, as well. There were also a bananas foster mascarpone cheesecake, vanilla and blueberry crème brulee, a flourless chocolate cake, and the grapefruit cake, of course, among other things. One thing that excited me was the Grand Mariner flight - $22, with Grand Mariner, Grand Mariner 50, and Grand Mariner 100. I asked if it was available at lunch, and it is another reason to come back for lunch! There were also very many loose leaf teas listed on the back of the menu, including chai. I will have an interesting lunch when we return. We ended up choosing the apple tart ($6.75) and the vanilla and blueberry crème brulee ($6.75. Were trying to have all of the different kinds of crème brulee around the World). The apple tart consisted of thin slices of apple on a thin, flaky crust, with the black pepper ice cream in a cup made of a thin cookie, and a piece of white cheddar. The ice cream was divine (I love spicy ice cream!), and a spoonful of the three elements together was just wonderful. I now understand why some people like cheddar cheese with their apple pie. The apple tart itself was just ok, but the dish as a whole was great. The crème brulee unfortunately left much to be desired. It had custard that didnt seem quite set with some blueberries throughout, and a too-thin caramelized sugar crust. The custard wasnt very flavorful, and the biscotti that accompanied it wasnt crispy, as if it didnt have its second baking (biscotti are supposed to have one baking, sliced, and then a second baking to crisp them). The crème brulee was the only disappointment in the food during this meal.
After we were moved, service was wonderful. Molly was cheerful and friendly, as our server Kelly had been that morning. She was excited to describe the wine flight, and also was happy that we were so interested in the black pepper ice cream.
Ive heard it said that the restaurant is different since it became a Fantasmic restaurant, and even though I hadnt been before, I can see what is meant by that. I was hoping for a quiet, peaceful dinner with how high the prices were, but there were more families with loud children than not. Again, if youre there for a quieter experience, asked to be seated as far from the lower dining area as possible. Another option is to go during a later time we were there for about two hours, and it died down around 8:30 pm.
We both really enjoyed our meals here, after we were moved to a different area of the restaurant. If we hadnt been moved to a different area, I doubt we would have enjoyed our experience. The food was excellent, however, and we will definitely return for lunch another day. Well know this time to go during an off time of the day!
Photo gallery
We had a long, exhausting day in the heat, so it was a relief to walk into the lobby to check in. We were told we could check in around 30 minutes before our priority seating (which was at 7 PM), so we walked around through the new version of the Starring Rolls Café, and came back to check in afterwards. The lobby area is fairly small, with only a few seats available. We were given a buzzer and grabbed the two last available seats. We were called quickly, and brought into the dining area.
Im putting this in a separate paragraph because of how important my point is. Whatever you do, if you want to be able to have a conversation, or a peaceful dinner in any way, ask to be seated in the upper tier area. The lower dining area is LOUD. It was cacophonous. We were seated at a tiny table for two in between 4-5 tables of eight and couldnt even think straight. I finally convinced Mike to ask one of the hostesses to move us to another table. Gratefully, an older woman came back with Mike and led us to a different table. We were still seated up against the lower room, but could actually hear each other.
A server named Kevin visited us at the first table, and took our drink order. I ordered a watermelon martini ($8.75. I LOVE funky martinis), and Mike had a diet Coke ($2.00). I asked first whether the Cobb salad could be prepared for one (I had heard it could be), and he said that hed ask the chef. While Mike was asking one of the hostesses about moving to another table, he came back with Mikes soda and some bread and asked if we were ready to order. He never mentioned anything about the Cobb salad, which I didnt realize until after wed moved because I was so upset about the noise in the dining room. I answered that we werent and that I was waiting until Mike came back. After that, Mike and the hostess came back and we moved. Kevin didnt seem to have much personality, but our second server did. Molly was friendly and accommodating, and said she was happy to have us in her section. Kevin came by at that point with my watermelon martini, and that was the last we saw of him.
The watermelon martini was very good it was made with watermelon Jolly Rancher infused vodka! It was also a decent strength, and I was happy to find a good alcoholic drink in MGM. The rolls were warm with a slightly crusty outside, and a soft inside. They were brought with softened butter, which I always appreciate much easier to spread. Mike had decided to share the Cobb salad appetizer ($12.99) with me, if I kept the blue cheese on the side. The salad was brought out with the turkey, eggs, avocado, bacon, and tomatoes in layers on top of finely chopped greens, with the blue cheese on the side. The salad was mixed at the table, and we served ourselves. I adore finely chopped salads, as I love to be able to have some of each ingredient in one bite. This was an excellent Cobb salad, as I expected it to be, and I will drag Mike back here for lunch the next time were at MGM. The blue cheese was very mild, actually, though Mike tried it and still didnt like it. Everything went so well together, and other Cobb salads Ive had pale in comparison. I believe there was already a dressing on the finely chopped greens, but I couldnt tell exactly what it was.
For our entrees, I ordered the pork tenderloin ($21.99), while Mike ordered the center cut beef filet ($26.99). On the menu, my entrée came with a tomato Napoleon and butter bean succotash, but I asked if I could have a different side. Molly let us know that we could have any side we wanted off the menu instead of what it came with! I was happy to hear this, and asked for the polenta instead. Mike was happy with the sides that came with his beef, mashed red potatoes.
When we ordered the entrees, I asked about the Wine Flight of the Stars ($16) that was listed on the drinks menu. Molly was happy to tell me about it: a placemat came with the wines, to let you know about the wines while you were drinking them. This sold me on the flight, and I ordered it. It consisted of two whites (a pinot gris and a chardonnay), and two reds (a merlot and a cabernet sauvignon, from the Disney winery). I enjoyed all of the wines on the flight, especially the chardonnay and the Disney wine. I would definitely order this again, especially because it was a good deal for four medium sized glasses of wine. They seemed larger than the 2 ounce pours they were supposed to be.
Our entrees were brought out shortly after the wines were. All of our dishes were brought out with enough time between courses, neither too slow or two quickly. The pork tenderloin was a normal sized portion on top of a large bed of soft polenta. Molly had told us she loved the polenta at the Brown Derby, and I definitely agreed with her. It was mildly flavored, and a fine texture. It went very well with the pork, and Im surprised that its not the porks side dish. The pork itself was wonderful: tender, juicy, flavorful, and lean. Im on a roll with great pork dishes at Disney, finally. The butter bean succotash was supposed to be a garnish, but I was apparently given a larger portion as it was on a different dish than the pork and polenta. The corn kernels were tiny and sweet, and the dish had a small amount of a brown sauce. I usually dont like succotash (normally made with lima beans), but I liked this version. Mikes beef was a filet on top of mashed red potatoes, with a horseradish sauce on top, garnished by a single taro chip. He liked the taro chip so much that he wished there was an appetizer made of them. He liked the horseradish sauce as well, and it wasnt very spicy at all. I didnt get a chance to try the potatoes, but he raved about both the beef and the potatoes. I believe he liked his entrée as much as the mushroom filet at Le Cellier, which is saying a lot. We went for Valentines Day this year, and he still talks about the filet.
I was definitely looking forward to dessert after reading about the apple tart with black pepper ice cream on the lunch menu. I was very happy to see it on the dinner dessert menu, as well. There were also a bananas foster mascarpone cheesecake, vanilla and blueberry crème brulee, a flourless chocolate cake, and the grapefruit cake, of course, among other things. One thing that excited me was the Grand Mariner flight - $22, with Grand Mariner, Grand Mariner 50, and Grand Mariner 100. I asked if it was available at lunch, and it is another reason to come back for lunch! There were also very many loose leaf teas listed on the back of the menu, including chai. I will have an interesting lunch when we return. We ended up choosing the apple tart ($6.75) and the vanilla and blueberry crème brulee ($6.75. Were trying to have all of the different kinds of crème brulee around the World). The apple tart consisted of thin slices of apple on a thin, flaky crust, with the black pepper ice cream in a cup made of a thin cookie, and a piece of white cheddar. The ice cream was divine (I love spicy ice cream!), and a spoonful of the three elements together was just wonderful. I now understand why some people like cheddar cheese with their apple pie. The apple tart itself was just ok, but the dish as a whole was great. The crème brulee unfortunately left much to be desired. It had custard that didnt seem quite set with some blueberries throughout, and a too-thin caramelized sugar crust. The custard wasnt very flavorful, and the biscotti that accompanied it wasnt crispy, as if it didnt have its second baking (biscotti are supposed to have one baking, sliced, and then a second baking to crisp them). The crème brulee was the only disappointment in the food during this meal.
After we were moved, service was wonderful. Molly was cheerful and friendly, as our server Kelly had been that morning. She was excited to describe the wine flight, and also was happy that we were so interested in the black pepper ice cream.
Ive heard it said that the restaurant is different since it became a Fantasmic restaurant, and even though I hadnt been before, I can see what is meant by that. I was hoping for a quiet, peaceful dinner with how high the prices were, but there were more families with loud children than not. Again, if youre there for a quieter experience, asked to be seated as far from the lower dining area as possible. Another option is to go during a later time we were there for about two hours, and it died down around 8:30 pm.
We both really enjoyed our meals here, after we were moved to a different area of the restaurant. If we hadnt been moved to a different area, I doubt we would have enjoyed our experience. The food was excellent, however, and we will definitely return for lunch another day. Well know this time to go during an off time of the day!
Photo gallery
You make me want to try restaurants I never considered before. Thanks for posting. 
