Review of Yak and Yeti on Allears!

[swandiverpatt]

The decor is just exquisite -- would love to spend time just poking around in there and looking.

The bar is downstairs across from the main entrance and I suspect it's fine to just hop in for a drink. I tested the Everest Avalance (sans alcohol) and it was very good even without the rum!

It's a beautiful place.

 

[ElizabethB]

What I can't figure out -- what in the world does Chinese food have to do with Anandapur and that quasi-Indian restaurant decor? I agree with Uncleromulus -- it's not on our list.

 

[Brian Noble]

And I find it even funnier than in a day and age of cell phone cameras and wireless internet...

So which is it? Do you want obsessed fan reviews, or don't you? Because I have to imagine that anyone that runs right to the nearest available broadband connection just to upload pictures to DIS is probably 24/7 obsessed.

 

[MOM POPPINS]

I love the look of the restaurant from what I see in the photos. Exactly as I imagined it might be. (Does that make me an Imagineer?) ;-)

However, I'm very disappointed in the menu. Where's the Indian food? Where's the vegetarian food? I'm just non-plussed by it.

Although I would like to meet Joe Rhode. :-D

I knew the guy in the picture looked familiar... I googled the name and see that he is the main imagineer in charge of Disney's Animal Kingdom. They say his name is Joe Rohde.. I am not sure which spelling is correct. On allears it also has Joe Rhode. I remember seeing him on the travel channel in the past on specials about Disney's Animal Kingdom.

 

[Rivercat]

What I can't figure out -- what in the world does Chinese food have to do with Anandapur and that quasi-Indian restaurant decor? I agree with Uncleromulus -- it's not on our list.

Agreed! High-end Chinese is an interesting addition to the dining options at AK, but has nothing to do with yaks or yetis, unless it's some kind of bizarre comment on relations between Nepal and China???

 

[beachblanket]

What I can't figure out -- what in the world does Chinese food have to do with Anandapur and that quasi-Indian restaurant decor?

You've got a good point, albeit I suspect the reason Disney skewed the menu towards China is the fact both true Indian and/or Nepalese cuisine would not appeal to the less-than-adventureous pallets of the majority of WDW visitors.

As example, the somewhat limited diet in Nepal primarily consists of "Dhal bhat," a dish of steamed lentils and rice, usualy with a vegetable curry on top. They do also eat "momos", meat or vegetable dumplings that are fried or steamed (which yes Yak and Yeti does give an homage to). And that all gets washed down with Lassi, a yogurt and water beverage. If that isn't your taste, try some Nepalese beer ("Tchang") usually made from rice.

 

[engle]

Don't be so bitter....it has to be at least better than RFC!!!

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Shouldn't expect it to be anywhere near authentic...Look what they (Disney) did to 'Ohana.

I'm sure the restaurant is beautifully decorated, like Everest but still, it's Landry's...Better than McDonald's but, geesh...

As for Joe Rhode Maybe the guy should have asked him what they were smoking when they came up with Dinorama...

 

[KirklandTutu]

You've got a good point, albeit I suspect the reason Disney skewed the menu towards China is the fact both true Indian and/or Nepalese cuisine would not appeal to the less-than-adventureous pallets of the majority of WDW visitors.

As example, the somewhat limited diet in Nepal primarily consists of "Dhal bhat," a dish of steamed lentils and rice, usualy with a vegetable curry on top. They do also eat "momos", meat or vegetable dumplings that are fried or steamed (which yes Yak and Yeti does give an homage to). And that all gets washed down with Lassi, a yogurt and water beverage. If that isn't your taste, try some Nepalese beer ("Tchang") usually made from rice.

Which is sad, because Dhal and Lassi are two of the most delicous things people on earth have ever created. It's too bad that most aren't willing to try them...and even if they were, they're not given the chance.

 

[beezerdave]

As for Joe Rhode Maybe the guy should have asked him what they were smoking when they came up with Dinorama...

You made my day Peter Pirate.

 

[my3disneygirls]

As for Joe Rhode Maybe the guy should have asked him what they were smoking when they came up with Dinorama...

Animal Kingdom is such a beautiful park and very well designed, but for the life of me I don't get that hokey dinoland nonsense. There must be some reason for it, but I walk through lovely areas and get hit in the face with that tacky carnival. It's like going out for a fine dinner and getting served a twinkie for dessert.

 

[Condorman]

I once read about the whole conceptual, production and post-construction story that went into DAK. Bottom line, when it came to Camp Minnie-Mickey they were going to do Beastlie Kingdomme but went el-cheapo instead. As for Dinoland, U.S.A... Disney had a $150-$200 million movie called "Dinosaur" being released around the same time and wanted to promote the film via its latest theme park. They never said what the original plans were but Joe Rohde was apparently not happy with the Chester & Hester thing. Can't say that I blame him or anyone. If it were up to me, out with the camp and in with the mythological creatures. And I'd chuck Dinoland in favor of Latin/South America. Change the Dinosaur ride to Indiana Jones (how easy would that be?) and make the carnival into Carnival... Rio-style. Of course the kidnapping and crime rates would be high in that section of the park.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Animal Kingdom is such a beautiful park and very well designed, but for the life of me I don't get that hokey dinoland nonsense. There must be some reason for it, but I walk through lovely areas and get hit in the face with that tacky carnival. It's like going out for a fine dinner and getting served a twinkie for dessert.

Amen.

 

[nbodyhome]

I knew the guy in the picture looked familiar... I googled the name and see that he is the main imagineer in charge of Disney's Animal Kingdom. They say his name is Joe Rohde.. I am not sure which spelling is correct. On allears it also has Joe Rhode. I remember seeing him on the travel channel in the past on specials about Disney's Animal Kingdom.

I was within 5 or 6 feet of him, he was with friends/colleagues at the restaurant. I did take one photo of him as I was there, but didn't want to bother him as he was with other people. I was SO excited to see him.

I had put up a full review with 100 pics, but here is my feelings:

The restaurant is worth seeing even if you aren't dining there. A lot of money was put into it, with authentic items from Indian, China, etc.
The staircase is beautiful, I was told it was made in China.

Menu - too heavy on Chinese food. My maple chicken was very good, though. The food really isn't themed for the area it's supposed to be in.

We were told a short story about the restaurant (it used to be someones residence, then a hotel, etc.) but she didn't seem to believe what she was saying.

There aren't many counter service options, and the seating is all outside. So on a rainy or very hot day, there would only be one counter service option in the park to go to (to get inside). I talked to the manager about that and the menu.

DDE. They weren't taking it.

That is it in a nutshell. I was there first thing on opening, and they did a great job for a new restaurant. But many of the people dining were DDE holders and some were very upset. I have DDE, but the friend I was with had DVC and they did take that for 10%.

 

[TDC Nala]

Maybe someone who has been there can answer this, maybe Denise can.

They have a bar at Yak & Yeti. Can you sit there and order off the menu?

I'll haul it over there for lunch in December if I can do that.

I think they had some kind of misunderstanding with DDE, because I believe the DDE office said they'd be taking it. They've gone back on that now.

And I don't think Landry's restaurants are known for adventurous cuisine. Some curry wouldn't have hurt. And they serve lentils in Epcot, why not here?

There are actually two inside counter services if you count Restaurantosaurus (which I admit I generally don't)

 

[nbodyhome]

Maybe someone who has been there can answer this, maybe Denise can.

They have a bar at Yak & Yeti. Can you sit there and order off the menu?

I'll haul it over there for lunch in December if I can do that.

I think they had some kind of misunderstanding with DDE, because I believe the DDE office said they'd be taking it. They've gone back on that now.

And I don't think Landry's restaurants are known for adventurous cuisine. Some curry wouldn't have hurt. And they serve lentils in Epcot, why not here?

There are actually two inside counter services if you count Restaurantosaurus (which I admit I generally don't)

I didn't see anyone ordering off the menu at the bar at Yak and Yeti. I do not know that you CAN'T, but I only saw guests ordering drinks. I don't think I'd want to eat over there, it'd get kind of cramped (I'd think).

I think a chicken curry, chicken korma, etc. dishes would have been fantastic. We were kind of scratching our heads over the "Prince Edward Mussels". People do eat curries, and a lot of British tourists visit Disney - and Indian food is HUGE in London (probably elsewhere in the UK too). I think a wider variety would have been nice.

Perhaps the DDE didn't ask Landry's whether they would accept the card.

I don't count Restaurantosaurus for much. Not at all, really.

 

[TDC Nala]

If I'm over there by myself, I won't eat at a table. However, I'll eat at the bar.

If anybody finds out if you can do that, please post.

 

[my3disneygirls]

Change the Dinosaur ride to Indiana Jones (how easy would that be?) and make the carnival into Carnival... Rio-style. Of course the kidnapping and crime rates would be high in that section of the park.

 

[Mainebound]

This is just too expensive for our family for a lunch (we're there for 12 days and have to watch it!). I'm not sure why, but while an expensive lunch at Epcot WS makes sense, I can't see breaking our day at AK to spend that kind of money. Probably because by the time we have lunch at AK we are both sweating from the heat and still damp from Kali! We'll stick to RFC which is cheaper, albeit not exactly fine dining, or counter service.