So where are we eating next? A January 2017 Dining Report *Update 3/2 Nomad Lounge & Jiko

[ShelbyWagon]

Hello everyone! Just got back from a wonderful visit to the World. I'm already missing it! So, I figure the best way to combat the post-Disney blues is to relive it with a Dining Report. This is my first full Dining Report so bear with me if there are any technical difficulties I was also not always the best about taking pictures so there will be many assists from our good friend Google. Alright, logistics out of the way, it's time for introductions:

Who: ShelbyWagon and Mr. ShelbyWagon aka Allison and Rob. We're both 30 and will have been married 2 years in April. We went to Disney on our honeymoon and have been back every year since! Unfortunately, this year our anniversary fell the week after Easter and prices were outrageous. So we decided to move our trip up to January to enjoy the lower prices, crowds, and temperatures. We may be hooked on January now!

Allison

Favorite Park: Magic Kingdom
Favorite Ride: Splash Mountain


Rob

Favorite Park: Hollywood Studios
Favorite Ride: Tower of Terror​

Where: Beach Club Villas for 6 nights, Polynesian for 1 night
When: January 22-29, 2017

And now on to the best part, the food! Where did we eat? Here's a preview of things to come:

• Teppan Edo
• Yak & Yeti
• Flying Fish
• Crew's Cup
• ESPN Club
• Cape May Cafe
• Jiko
• Rose & Crown
• Boathouse
• Garden Grill
• Via Napoli
• Art Smith's Homecoming
• Beaches & Cream
• The Wave lounge
• Raglan Road

As you can see, we both love eating! And drinking, for that matter. Before we started going, we had no idea Disney had so many amazing drink options! We've enjoyed discovering new favorites in the parks. Stay tuned for our many adventures eating and drinking around the happiest place on Earth!

 

[ShelbyWagon]

*Arrival Day*
​

The day to leave had finally arrived! I had a hard time getting to sleep, feeling like a kid on Christmas Eve. I tried to convince Rob to leave that night and get there early but since he had worked the whole day, that was a no go. We compromised by getting up very early Sunday morning. Rob is so not a morning person so this was a big deal! He told me I'd have to drive first. No problem! I bounced out of bed at 5 AM and got us on the road by 6. There was no one on the road at that time of the morning so the first half of our drive was smooth sailing. We ran into some rain crossing the Georgia/Florida line but that was not going to damper our Disney spirits!

We arrived at Beach Club around 1:30. Understandably, our room was not ready yet. We rented points for a studio in the Villas, which don't guarantee check in until 4 pm. We dropped our bags with bell services and headed to Epcot! Rob was already really excited to see how short the walk was to the park. We love exploring the World Showcase! We entered through the International Gateway and turned right in to France. And what do you need when you arrive in France? That's right, Grey Goose and Grand Marnier slushies!

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Thanks Disney Food Blog for the photo! I guess I was too excited about finally being there that I forgot to take a picture. These were delicious as usual.

We had some time to kill before our ADR at Teppan Edo so we continued around the World Showcase. The park wasn't really crowded at all. We had an easy time navigating through a few shops and discovering the nooks and crannies in the different pavilions. By the time we reached Mexico, it was time for a snack and, of course, margaritas! We headed into the pyramid to one of our favorite spots - La Cava del Tequila.

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It wasn't too busy so we grabbed a seat inside and perused the menu. I always have a hard time deciding what to get. Everything looks so good! I ended up going with the cucumber margarita and Rob chose the blood orange one. The cucumber margarita is so refreshing. I love that it's not overly sweet. Rob loved the blood orange. It's been his favorite since having it on our honeymoon. It's a bit sweet but still yummy. You can hardly taste the tequila in either so be careful. These can sneak up on you!

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We also ordered the Trio Combo, chips served with cheese dip, guacamole, and salsa. This was a perfect mid-afternoon snack. The cheese dip is your standard melted queso, always a crowd pleaser. The guacamole was very fresh and had a bit of a kick to it. Rob and I disagreed on the salsa. He loved it while I thought it was a little canned tasting. I like bigger tomato chunks while he likes his smoother. He's not a big fruit/veggie person so I think he likes to pretend salsa doesn't have tomatoes haha! The Trio is a great option as everyone can find something they like.

Next Up: Teppan Edo​

 

[CrazyDisneyWife]

We love to eat, too! We always go with the deluxe dining, and you have some places on your list we will be visiting. Have fun! Following along...

 

[TinkerKeeks]

Yum my two fave drinks grey goose slushes and margaritas. Sounds like a perfect start to your trip.

 

[Nvrgrowup]

Love the grand Marnier slushies!! A must do every trip. Looking forward to following along!!

 

[ShelbyWagon]

We love to eat, too! We always go with the deluxe dining, and you have some places on your list we will be visiting. Have fun! Following along...

fellow food lover! We had some great meals so I hope you'll get some good ideas!

Yum my two fave drinks grey goose slushes and margaritas. Sounds like a perfect start to your trip.

I pretty much love all alcohol in slush/frozen form. Starting out with those two really got me into vacation mode!

Love the grand Marnier slushies!! A must do every trip. Looking forward to following along!!

Glad to have you! I'm fairly certain my husband is physically incapable of passing the France pavilion without picking up a GM slush The best way to cool down in Epcot for sure!

 

[MeganS721]

That cucumber margarita looks amazing!

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Your review is off to a great start! We are all about the food and drinks at WDW as well, and the Grey Goose slush is always a must do for me

Can't wait to read the rest!

 

[Disneyhayes]

Joining in and looking forward to what lies ahead!

 

[ShelbyWagon]

*Teppan Edo*
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After finishing up at La Cava, we headed out to find a crowd of people rushing in the pyramid. Apparently it had started to rain and everyone was afraid of getting wet. The horror! Being of heartier stock , Rob and I continued to explore the World Showcase. We stopped in Canada for the film. Neither of us had seen it before. What a beautiful show! I've added Canada to my bucket list of places to visit now. Once the film was over, it was getting close to our ADR time at Teppan Edo. We strolled over to the Japanese pavilion and spent a few minutes in the garden.

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This is one of my favorite quiet spots in Epcot. The waterfall is so calming. Even noisy children seem to calm down around here. If you need a quick escape from the madness that can be Disney crowds, grab a nice beverage and head up here!

We also checked out the department store under Teppan Edo. This is one of Rob's favorite places. I often have to drag him away from all the DragonBall Z and Pokemon stuff. I'm mostly amused by all the cute cat things they have. Finally, we checked in at Teppan Edo. We were sat within about 5 minutes along with another couple who would be joining our table.

Our waitress came around and took our drink orders. We both just got diet Coke since the slushes and margaritas already had us buzzing Once we ordered our food, she brought out our salads. I didn't grab a picture of this simply because it was incredibly underwhelming. Just a clump of iceberg lettuce and dressing. The dressing was good but the lettuce clearly came out of a bag. Fortunately, there were much better things to come!

The chef came out shortly after and started cooking our food. I really enjoy watching the food being prepared. I'm not much of a cook myself but I'm trying to learn. It's interesting watching someone who knows what they're doing haha! To get us started, the chef prepared udon noodles with vegetables. These were delicious! The vegetables were just the right amount of crunchy and the noodles really soaked up the soy sauce for a nice flavor.

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The waitress also brought out bowls of sukiyaki beef rice. At our hibachi grill restaurants at home, they normally just have fried rice. Somehow, this rice was so much better. Less greasy and super flavorful.

​

Unfortunately, this is the last of my photos from this meal. For our entrees, I got the shrimp and steak. Rob got the steak and chicken. Both were very good. Word of advice I got a long time ago, when ordering steak at a Japanese steak house, ask for the temperature under what you normally get. So if you normally order medium rare like I do, ask for rare. Due to the time it sits on the grill being seasoned and cut up, it always comes out a little more done than you'd think. Following this advice, our steaks were perfect. Very tender! Overall, a high quality meal with fun entertainment with the food being cooked right at the table. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes hibachi style food.

Up next, Ample Hills Creamery and Abracadabar!

 

[Ms.Mouseketeer]

*Teppan Edo*
​

After finishing up at La Cava, we headed out to find a crowd of people rushing in the pyramid. Apparently it had started to rain and everyone was afraid of getting wet. The horror! Being of heartier stock , Rob and I continued to explore the World Showcase. We stopped in Canada for the film. Neither of us had seen it before. What a beautiful show! I've added Canada to my bucket list of places to visit now. Once the film was over, it was getting close to our ADR time at Teppan Edo. We strolled over to the Japanese pavilion and spent a few minutes in the garden.

​

This is one of my favorite quiet spots in Epcot. The waterfall is so calming. Even noisy children seem to calm down around here. If you need a quick escape from the madness that can be Disney crowds, grab a nice beverage and head up here!

We also checked out the department store under Teppan Edo. This is one of Rob's favorite places. I often have to drag him away from all the DragonBall Z and Pokemon stuff. I'm mostly amused by all the cute cat things they have. Finally, we checked in at Teppan Edo. We were sat within about 5 minutes along with another couple who would be joining our table.

Our waitress came around and took our drink orders. We both just got diet Coke since the slushes and margaritas already had us buzzing Once we ordered our food, she brought out our salads. I didn't grab a picture of this simply because it was incredibly underwhelming. Just a clump of iceberg lettuce and dressing. The dressing was good but the lettuce clearly came out of a bag. Fortunately, there were much better things to come!

The chef came out shortly after and started cooking our food. I really enjoy watching the food being prepared. I'm not much of a cook myself but I'm trying to learn. It's interesting watching someone who knows what they're doing haha! To get us started, the chef prepared udon noodles with vegetables. These were delicious! The vegetables were just the right amount of crunchy and the noodles really soaked up the soy sauce for a nice flavor.

​

The waitress also brought out bowls of sukiyaki beef rice. At our hibachi grill restaurants at home, they normally just have fried rice. Somehow, this rice was so much better. Less greasy and super flavorful.

​

Unfortunately, this is the last of my photos from this meal. For our entrees, I got the shrimp and steak. Rob got the steak and chicken. Both were very good. Word of advice I got a long time ago, when ordering steak at a Japanese steak house, ask for the temperature under what you normally get. So if you normally order medium rare like I do, ask for rare. Due to the time it sits on the grill being seasoned and cut up, it always comes out a little more done than you'd think. Following this advice, our steaks were perfect. Very tender! Overall, a high quality meal with fun entertainment with the food being cooked right at the table. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who likes hibachi style food.

Up next, Ample Hills Creamery and Abracadabar!

Somehow the beef rice really didn't live up to my fried rice expectations. I agree with the steak tip too!

 

[nco91590]

OMG your trip is giving me mega flashbacks to my trip last February with the hubs! We also stayed at the BC and ate at a lot of the same places. In fact, we ordered the exact same margaritas! So we're basically the same person lol.

Can't wait to read more!

 

[ariane37]

Well I'm in since you started off with a Grey Goose slush Thats been my Epcot go-to beverage for quite awhile, but recently the avocado margarita is trying to take its place lol. The cucumber marg looks very interesting.....might have to give that a try in March!

 

[tluvstink]

You're off to a great start!

That's how I order my steak at Hibachi restaurants

Terri

 

[ShelbyWagon]

everyone! I appreciate you following along!

OMG your trip is giving me mega flashbacks to my trip last February with the hubs! We also stayed at the BC and ate at a lot of the same places. In fact, we ordered the exact same margaritas! So we're basically the same person lol.

Well you sound pretty awesome then

Well I'm in since you started off with a Grey Goose slush Thats been my Epcot go-to beverage for quite awhile, but recently the avocado margarita is trying to take its place lol. The cucumber marg looks very interesting.....might have to give that a try in March!

The avocado margarita is another favorite. I made sure to get one later in the trip. You should definitely try the cucumber! It's very refreshing without being too sweet. It's like cucumber water but way better since there's tequila in there LOL

 

[ShelbyWagon]

*Boardwalk*
​

During our meal at Teppan Edo, I got the text that our room was ready. After we finished stuffing our faces, we waddled back to Beach Club to find our room. Unfortunately, it seemed whoever was in charge of room assignments looked at my requests and decided to go in the total opposite direction. I asked for upper floor and near lobby. They gave us room 175, which was 3 doors from the absolute end of the hallway and on the ground floor. Good thing Beach Club is not a huge resort! The room itself was very nice. I love how light and airy the decor is! We called bell services for our luggage and relaxed on the couch a bit. I may or may not have forced Rob to watch Stacy a bit even though he claims she is the most annoying person alive

Once our luggage arrived and we got unpacked, our food had digested enough to venture out across the lake to the Boardwalk. I'd seen several tasty looking reviews of Ample Hills on the boards and wanted to try it. You never have to twist Rob's arm too much to get ice cream anyway. I got a small cup of Baked/Unbaked, which is
Vanilla Ice Cream with pieces of Housemade Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brown Butter Cookie Dough.

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Delicious! Very creamy and soft. Actually, it reminded me a lot of Ben & Jerry's half baked ice cream, a favorite of mine. It was a lot of ice cream for a small cup!

Rob got a sundae with Ooey Gooey Butter Cake ice cream on top of a brownie. Alas, no picture as he had already dug into it by the time I got my cup and taken its picture. He absolutely loved the Ooey Gooey ice cream -
the creamiest Vanilla Ice Cream made with Cream Cheese and gobs of House-made St. Louis-Style Ooey Gooey Butter Cake. However, he the brownie on the bottom of his sundae actually took away from the overall flavor as it was a bit hard and stale. In the future, he would just get a cup of the ice cream like I did.

We finished up our ice cream while strolling around the Boardwalk. It was a bit chilly and misty outside so there weren't too many people out. We pretty much had the Boardwalk to ourselves. I love walking around this area. It's so pretty and has such a fun atmosphere! After a bit, the rain started to pick up so we ducked into Abracadabar. We had both been looking forward to trying this place. We both love old fashioned cocktails! Abracadabar did not disappoint. We actually ended up back here several times that week.

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On the left is Rob's choice, the Coney Negroni - Wild Turkey 101 bourbon, Campari, and Carpano Antica sweet vermouth. On the right is mine, the Collin's Double - Hayman's Old Tom Gin and House-made Sweet-and-Sour topped with Soda Water. Both were a hit. I'm normally not a bourbon fan but I took a sip of Rob's drink and wow! It was smooth! Perfectly mixed and the right amount of bitter. Of course, mine was better The house-made sweet and sour was the perfect balance of sweet and citrus flavors. Much better than any premixed stuff you find at your local grocery store.

While we were sipping on our drinks, one of the magicians that would normally be outside in nice weather was circulating around the bar and engaging some of the larger groups. He was doing card tricks and other psychological feats like asking someone to pick a number from 1 - 10 and then guessing it after asking them questions about themselves or the group. We had a blast watching him interact on a more individual level as opposed to a large group gathered on the Boardwalk! I think it would be fun if they kept that going at Abracadabar. Fits in perfectly with the theme (obviously) and was very entertaining.

We finished up our drinks and headed back to the resort. Driving all day and then walking around World Showcase had tuckered us out. Plus we had to be up early the next morning for AM Extra Magic Hours at Animal Kingdom!

Next up: Yak & Yeti

 

[momma2ethan]

And what do you need when you arrive in France? That's right, Grey Goose and Grand Marnier slushies!

​

I'll admit, I'm a France failure. Each time I go with every intention of getting one but I had just finished a margarita and just couldn't do another booze filled drink because the heat and humidity were getting to me. My trip last year was an epic EPCOT fail. I forgot to bring my ID with me on BOTH of our epcot days. Talk about serious face palm. I'll do better this year, I promise. Even if I have to trek all the way back to Pop for my ID, I'm getting some dang booze!

 

[nicoleakr]

Following ❤ your review

 

[RunningAriel]

Fantastic start to your first Dining Review! Can't wait to enjoy more!

 

[ShelbyWagon]

I'll admit, I'm a France failure. Each time I go with every intention of getting one but I had just finished a margarita and just couldn't do another booze filled drink because the heat and humidity were getting to me. My trip last year was an epic EPCOT fail. I forgot to bring my ID with me on BOTH of our epcot days. Talk about serious face palm. I'll do better this year, I promise. Even if I have to trek all the way back to Pop for my ID, I'm getting some dang booze!

You've just got to get a phone case that has slots in it for cards! I have one that is a wristlet that I carry when in Disney. That way I can make Rob be the pack mule carrying the backpack and I'm not also lugging a purse. It's fabulous!