September/October 2009 Dining Reviews - Updated 11/1

[whogirl'smom]

I'm in! F&W looks good so far!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I had been interested by La Cava del Tequila ever since I heard Mexico was getting a tequila bar, and after reading TDCNala's reviews, I knew I had to stop there during my trip.

The bar is small, maybe about ten tables, and a dozen or so seats at the bar. It also wasn't crowded at all, and I am thinking most people don't know it's there.

The menu is very extensive, lots of "regular" margaritas, as well as a bunch of speciality ones. I decided on one of the specialty ones. Unfortunatly I don't have a copy of the menu with me, and I can't even remember what it was called, but this is the blood orange margarita.

This was so good, a nice balance of sweet and tart. The foam was kind of weird the first few sips, but then I was used to it, and I ended up just mixing it up by the time I drank some down anyway.

I had really wanted to try the guacamole, and I saw it being served to other tables, but I just wasn't hungry enough. But it looked wonderful, and the serving was huge.

I give the margarita a;

It was the best drink I had all week, and probably the best margarita I've ever had. I can't wait until my next trip, and hopfully I'll be able to try some of the appetizers as well next time.

 

[onelilspark]

I'm so with you on the salad at Sunshine Seasons! My major gripe was that there was virtually no dressing on it. Other than that it was perfectly fine...just no dressing Kind of glad to see it wasn't just me!

Can't wait for more reviews!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'm in! F&W looks good so far!

Thanks for reading!

I'm so with you on the salad at Sunshine Seasons! My major gripe was that there was virtually no dressing on it. Other than that it was perfectly fine...just no dressing Kind of glad to see it wasn't just me!

Can't wait for more reviews!

I had read such good things about the salads at Sunshine Seasons before I went that I think that made it an even bigger dissapointment. I may give the beet and goat cheese salad a try next year, but after that salad, I think I'd rather eat in World Showcase.

 

[natalielongstaff]

ooh that margarita looks so good

 

[disneyfav4ever]

After my margarita in Mexico I headed back into Future World, where I rode Soarin, Journey into Imagination, Spaceship Earth, and Mission Space, before heading to the Boardwalk resort for my dinner at Kouzzina.

Kouzzina had just opened officially less then two weeks ago, and I was very excited to try it.

I checked in at 5:00, even though my ADR wasn't until 6:00, and even though they were telling walk-ups it'd be a wait, (though they were taking walkups,) I had no sooner gone to wash my hands and come back, then I was ready to be seated.

The service here was good. My waiter made good recommendations, had small and plesant chit chat, and kept my drinks refilled, and plates cleared.

I started my meal with one of the speciality cocktails; Cat's Ouzo-tini.

It was a mix of absolut vodka, mextaxa ouzo, pineapple juice, lime juice, and pomegrante. I really liked it. It had a very strong licorice flavor, which might turn some people off, but I really enjoyed it. It was also a very generous serving, since I was able to refill it from the shaker twice.

The drink gets an;

I was also served the bread basket;

The bread was some type of wheat bread, and it was very good. The butter was sprinkled with black sea salt, which made it very yummy.

The bread and butter gets an

For my entree I choose the oak-fired pork t-bone, which I hadn't considered at all before my trip, but that sounded really good at the time.

It was served with "farmhouse" greens and citrus-fennel marmalade. The piece of meat was very large, and more than an adequate portion. It was seasoned well, and cooked perfectly. The citrus-fennel marmalade was very good as well, with a nice sweet-savory taste to it. The greens I didn't like, they were kind of bitter, and really didn't go with the rest of the dish.

It gets a;

would've been a

if the greens had been better.

With dessert I got a cappacino.

It was good, I wished I had asked if there was anyway they could've made it vanilla. I think I've been spoiled by Starbucks and all of the drink options there.

For dessert I ordered the galaktoboureko.

It was semolina-custard in baked phyllo dough with vanilla-praline ice cream. I did not like it at all. The custard was lumpy and kind of dry, and the phyllo was soggy. It was a mess. The ice cream was good, and is the only reason this is getting a;

instead of a

 

[disneyfav4ever]

ooh that margarita looks so good

It was! I could so go for another one of those right now.

 

[ChelleinNC]

I'm late, but I'm here off to catch up

 

[ChelleinNC]

I'm already awake and up this morning. I'm usually not really functional at all until noon, but I guess my mind and body is still in Disney time, since I'm always up by like 7:00 AM at the latest there. Seems like a good time to start my dining reviews to me.

Copying TDCNala's idea, I am also using a picture rating system. Mine is based around the characters from Ratatouille, since it's Disney, and it's a "foodie" movie.

The critic will be given to any item that is excellant, and I'd have to order again.

Remy stuffing his face, will be given to any food that is very good, and I was perfectly happy with, but was slightly less memorable then anything with a critic's rating. I still highly recommend any of these dishes though.

The Remy approved rating. It was good, I was happy with it, but it wasn't so good that I would have to order it again, but I would still recommend it.

In the movie, Emile will eat anything, for this rating, food is edible, but either kind of boring or tasteless, and is not something I'd really recommend, or that I'd get again.

This one is probably pretty self explanatory. It was horrible, I wouldn't recommend, or ever think about getting it again, and could only eat a bite without throwing it away.

Love the rating system

After lunch at Sunshine Seasons I checked out the Festival Welcome center, but there wasn't much going on, but it was early on a Tuesday afternoon, and it was crowded there on the weekend. I can also report that there are no more of the special bags from last years signs, but hopfully they'll do the same with this year's signs next year, as that would be a cool item to have. They do have red tote bags, and I did buy one of those, served well as my carry on going home. I also bought this years cookbook, the Tinker Bell pin, and a set of wine glass charms.

After a bit I wandered into World Showcase, where my Food and Wine Festival snacking begun. I had gotten one of the Festival's gift cards, and kept it around my wrist the whole time. Those things made it so easy to get stuff from the booths, too easy as a matter of fact, as I never felt like digging in my bag for my key to the world card for my snack credits which I had intended to use first.

My first stop was the Dessert and Champagne booth, where I got the Grand Marnier parfait.

The parfait part, which reminded me slightly of cheesecake, I thought was pretty good. It was nice and cool and creamy. The sauce was very tangy, and I thought it was decent.

I'm giving this an;

I just didn't like it quite enough to give it a Remy shove your face full of food rating.

I then ended up in Mexico, where I rode the boat ride, which I have to say I hate since they added Donald and the other characters. Nothing against Donald, but it made a somewhat decent ride, despite it being kind of lame, into something completely stupid. I could see how they could just sneak Donald into one scene, and make it like a hidden Mickey game, like they did on It's a Small World, which would be cute. But this ride has nothing going for it, except for a few minutes out of the Florida heat.

I also have to say something about a comment I overheard. I was right outside by the Cantina, and overheard a man say to his wife, "look Mexico," and his wife said, "it's just a building, there's nothing inside." Completely bypassed the whole Mexican pavillion. I think a lot of people just don't know how much there is to World Showcase, or any of the parks for that matter, since I encountered a few people over the trip who had no idea what a lot of stuff was.

My next stop was the Thailand booth, which was all the was over by Germany, so I walked by quite a few of the booths before stopping again. There I had the shrimp and green papaya salad.

I really liked this. The papaya salad was very cool and refreshing, and the shrimp were cooked and seasoned perfectly.

I'm giving it an

since it was one of the better things I ate all day, though know that the only reason it's getting above the Remy approved rating is because those shrimp were so good.

My next stop was the Hops and Barley booth, and I got the crab cake.

This was the best crab cake I ever had at the Festival, though it wasn't as good as others I've had in actual restaurants. The slaw was tasty, but nothing special. Still, it was a decent snack, so it's getting a;

The only other booth I stopped at that day was the Ireland booth, where I got both the fisherman's pie, and the chocolate lava cake.

The fisherman's pie was filled with lobster and scallop's, and a very rich sauce, that was very yummy, and tasted just like lobster bisque. It was also really thin and runny, and could've been thicker, but that was the only negative. The mashed potatoes on top were good, but nothing special, still, the seafood part was wonderful, so it's getting a;

The chocolate lava cake was great as well, though the portion was small, it was very chocolaty and rich, and the Bailey's gananche was wonderful on it, so it's getting a;

So that was my first day at the Food and Wine Festival, and I have to say the Ireland booth was by far my favorite this year, and a lot of the samples were really downhill from here. Though there was only one thing I had that I absolutly hated from the booths, there were very few really good things after today.

I've seen very mixed reviews on the Ireland booth. I wonder how much is personal taste & how much is "off day"

Same with Kouzzina I'm hoping that's just because they're still working out the kinks.

Looking forward to the next update

 

[BriarRosie]

Ok good, you did create a Ratatouille rating system.

I'm surprised by how beautiful the seared tuna salad looked, that it didn't have enough dressing. I'd probably want to order that and ask to get extra dressing on the side. That might work.

Good start!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'm late, but I'm here off to catch up

Glad to have you here.

I've seen very mixed reviews on the Ireland booth. I wonder how much is personal taste & how much is "off day"

Same with Kouzzina I'm hoping that's just because they're still working out the kinks.

Looking forward to the next update

I could see how the fisherman's pie could be off very easily since seafood is tricky to cook "just right." Same deal with the shrimp at the Thailand booth, I'd read reviews that the shrimp have been overcooked, but the ones I had were perfect.

Ok good, you did create a Ratatouille rating system.

I'm surprised by how beautiful the seared tuna salad looked, that it didn't have enough dressing. I'd probably want to order that and ask to get extra dressing on the side. That might work.

Good start!

If there's a next time I would definatly order extra dressing.

 

[vettegirl]

Great rating system I love Chef Remy!

 

[Shenanigoat]

At the risk of besmirching other rating systems, I have to say that this is my favorite. Oh how I love Remy!

I got the same blood orange margarita as you and I agree that it was dance your pants off awesome. Did you find the food booth dessert sizes to be small? I didn't order any of them because they all looked to be about quarter sized to me.

 

[jeminni]

I'm in.

Great review so far. I wanted to try Kouzzina's this time but decided to wait til my next trip since they have just opened and are probably still working all of the kins out. Your pork dish looked delicious though.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Great rating system I love Chef Remy!

I do too! I picked him since he was Disney and food related. It makes me want to watch Rataouille again, which I haven't seen in ages.

At the risk of besmirching other rating systems, I have to say that this is my favorite. Oh how I love Remy!

I got the same blood orange margarita as you and I agree that it was dance your pants off awesome. Did you find the food booth dessert sizes to be small? I didn't order any of them because they all looked to be about quarter sized to me.

The two I already posted, the parfait, and the lava cake, I'd say quarter size is accurate. I did have the creme brulee from the Spain booth later in my trip, and that was a decent size. I don't think I had any more desserts then that from the booths.

I'm in.

Great review so far. I wanted to try Kouzzina's this time but decided to wait til my next trip since they have just opened and are probably still working all of the kins out. Your pork dish looked delicious though.

I think next year I may go to Kouzzina just for appetizers, the ones I saw looked delicious, and I love me some spanakopita.

 

[englishrose47]

Love the rating system!!!

 

[dizneeat]

That rating system is too cute!!!

Great reviews so far!! Thank you!!

 

[Flossbolna]

Ah, I really need to get this blood orange margarita!! I will be travelling with my sister who has a lot of food intolerance issues, and one is lemon juice. So she won't be drinking any cocktails, but I am determined to drag her to the tequila bar - she will just have to drink the tequila as it is! Pure spirits aren't any problem for her...

 

[disney_princess_85]

Thanks for the reviews, you're doing a great job so far!

 

[cckovach]

I completely agree about the Sunshine Seasons' seared tuna salad. It was horrible last year during Lent (hey Catholics!) on a Friday while being on a protein diet. I got the salad and my husband went to England and got Fish and Chips. I was so miserable. Lack of dressing and lack of appetizing flavor left me still hungry and wishing I wasn't on the stupid diet. However, I did lose 20 pounds and won a Biggest Loser contest at work only a few weeks after the trip!