Something good with Disney food

[soontobehoyt]

It seems like for the past few years all we hear are negative things about the food quality at WDW. But surely it can't ALL be doom and gloom. So I thought it would be fun to start a thread where everyone can post their favorite new or improved thing (be it an item, restaurant, or anything else food/drink related,) in recent years, or at least an old favorite that has been able to maintain!

For mine, I nominate Kouzina. While I miss Spoodles, I think they did a good job revamping the menu. It isn't my favorite restaurant in the World, but they kept almost everything I loved about it while providing some excellent new options.

 

[TDC Nala]

Bread service and South African wine at Sanaa. I picked Kidani for a future trip partially because that's where Sanaa is.

 

[chimo2u]

Maybe I'm in the minority.....but I really like Disney Food I find it no worse than any other restaurant food, and I really enjoy my experiences there. Even CS food I've had has been yummy!

Some of our family faves have been:

Teppan Edo
Le Cellier
Biergarten
50's Prime Time
OHana
Counter Service: I really enjoyed my veggie grilled panini type sandwich at Back lot express...it was yummy
I also loved Wolfgang pucks QS in DTD

A couple new ones I am looking forward to in February are:

Hoop De Doo dinner show
Rose and Crown

Overall, I think Disney food is pretty yummy

 

[lovethattink]

The stuffed phyllo at the Coral Reef is wonderful! The first time I ate it, I hated it, until I realized it was the sauce I didn't like. From now on, I get it without sauce. While the vegetable lasagna will be missed this is a great replacement, sans sauce!

The cheesecake with treats at Sci-Fi isn't new, but it is the most wonderful thing on their menu!! Cheesecake, paired with carmel corn, caramel sauce, "M&M"s, can't go wrong!

 

[Mrs. Charming]

We pretty much go to Disney for the food. Do I miss getting an appetizer on the dining plan? Sure. Other than that, eh, I think the food is just fine. I think for the most part they have to keep the bulk of it "mainstream" to satisfy everyone. Chef Mickey's, Crystal Palace off the top of my head do this in particular. Can you imagine how many "picky eaters" go through that place in a day?!!

As far as something a little different, Marrakesh is great. Their beef brewat... yum! We're also big fans of Biergarten. Jiko is another great one, love their filet! (I don't like the sauce, but that's personal choice, I just order it without). A lot of people complain about Ohana, but I particularly like Ohana, but I'm a big fan of grilled meat. Mmmm...

I'm dying to try Sanaa, maybe next year. I can't stuff our trip with another darned ADR! lol

I no longer worry about all the complaints and gripes, everyone is different, you sure as heck can't satisfy everyone. And that old adage about the squeaky wheel getting the grease? Well, in DIS terms, a squeaky wheel gets a lot of attention!! lol.

 

[Nadjalu]

I so agree with PP talking about the squeaky wheel! It does seem like these threads take on a "pack mentality" and kill any positive around.

Personally I love the food I have had at WDW. We didn't like Boma but that wasn't due to bad food, it wasn't our taste. For some it will be great.

We love Crystal Palace and Chef Mickey's. For buffets they are very good. No they aren't 5 star steakhouses in New York, but for what they are they are excellent.

Whispering Canyon has one of the best steaks I have ever tasted anywhere. That ribeye is so tender and tasty, get it everytime we go and have never been disappointed.

Ohana, once I learned to ask the server to bring med/rare beef to the table before he/she even gets it, I have saved time and food. Other than that, LOVE that food. The dessert, well nothing beats it in my opinion and I hate bread pudding!!

There are others I love, and can't wait to try Tony's and LTT this time around. And I am SURE I will love them as well.

 

[Brocktoon]

I love the addition of La Cava del Tequila. It's nice to a have a little oasis to grab a great margarita and relax during the afternoon in the World Showcase.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

Ohana, once I learned to ask the server to bring med/rare beef to the table before he/she even gets it, I have saved time and food. Other than that, LOVE that food. The dessert, well nothing beats it in my opinion and I hate bread pudding!!

You can ask for med rare beef??

 

[soarinup]

Well I certainly do appreciate knowledge, it is after all power. There have been some very informative reviews on these boards, I take them as they are, and I have been better armed to attack my ADR's because of it.
However, you must admit, WDW is subject to the same tightening of the money belt, and therefore will make cuts where it can. And I have seen these cuts in quality of food presented, as well as human resource cuts. If you can bake something once a week and freeze it for 6 days, you will save money instead of preparing fresh every day.

 

[Nadjalu]

You can ask for med rare beef??

Yes you can.

And to fellow posters, can we keep this thread about the GOOD things we have had a Disney?

 

[lovethattink]

In my opinion, the butternut squash soup at the Animal Kingdom Lodge's restaurants is THE BEST squash soup on property!! While the other soups taste more broth base, this one's is more creamy and SWEET!! (At least that's compared to the butternut squash soup at Coral Reef and Wolfgans.) It's almost always on the menu at Mara! They also have a killer chicken corn chowder, though it's not on the menu often enough to suit my son!!

The parmesan crusted chicken dinner at Pop Century is absolutely amazing if you ask them to put some alfredo sauce on it. (It can be dry otherwise, and the sauce really enhances the flavor, especially in contrast to the vinegrette dressing the salad comes with.)

 

[Mrs. Charming]

The Lo Lein at the Pop Century food court. I think Capt Cook's had this too.

Delicious!!

 

[MrsLS]

We did the deluxe plan again in April and loved most of the food. Then I came back on here after the trip and heard negative things. We had another trip this past November. I was getting scared but I knew I liked it. A few weeks ago was our trip and the food (we do mostly signatures at dinner) and regular TS for lunch was mostly very good. I don't believe the negative comments anymore. Taste is subjective, but for the most part, especially with the signature restaurants, I thought the food was outstanding, and good to very good to excellent in the 1 credit TS. there was only 2 places I tried for the first time I didn't like.
But after this trip, I now love Flying Fish and my favorites are still Cali Grill & Brown Derby.

 

[Pakey]

The mushroom risotto at Il Mulino is a new favorite.

The tuna at bluezoo is an old favorite.

 

[ElizabethB]

From our recent trip:

No noticeable change:
V&A -- amazing and delicious and truly a rare treat (as always)
Il Mulino -- wonderful food, great wine list with emphasis on Italian wines
Kouzzina -- fun and interesting food, some pretty decent wine choices
Sanaa -- surprisingly varied wine list with emphasis on So. Africa

Better than in the past:
Jiko -- new chef has made some tweaks that have ramped up the flavor (only exception is Jiko desserts, which are now going the way of desserts at all the signature restaurants -- that is, pre-made, inexpensive (to make, price for diners is high) and small [a result of DDP obviously])
Fulton's -- everything was really good, service was excellent, desserts amazing
Mama Melrose (surprisingly tasty)

Worse than in the past (actually much worse):
California Grill
Bistro de Paris

Places we wrote off a year or more ago (all places we used to like a lot):
Artist Point
Brown Derby
Coral Reef
Chefs de France
Cinderella's Royal Table
Yachtsman Steakhouse

Other very good non-Disney meals we've had recently:
Emeril's
Tchoup Chop
Mythos
Bice
Mamma Della's

Has there been a decline in food quality overall at Disney restaurants? Yes.

Has there been a decline in menu choices overall at Disney restaurants? Yes.

Have desserts really, really declined in quality and size and uniqueness? Yes, really, really.

Is food generally better at Universal these days (except for non-Disney restaurants on Disney property)? Yes, definitely.

 

[PoohsFan1]

Our family really enjoy the restaurants in Disney...we have started doing the DxDP because of it, of course we like some more than others, and then again we do have ones that we have tried and thought it wasn't for our family's liking. However, one restaurant that we don't like another family may really love. You have to be your own critic. With that said, we have many many favorite TS and CS restaurants that we really like, some of which we have to come back to each time and some we return every so often just because we want to try new experiences. The one thing thing that I really enjoy and can't wait to have time and time again is Le Cellier. From the Pretzel Bread dunked into the Cheddar Cheese Soup, to the Mushroom Filet with Risotto, to the Chocolate Moose dessert. This has really become my favorite meal in Disney.

 

[ChristaDeVil]

After hearing mediocre to bad reviews about the Rose & Crown, I finally gave in to my husband's pleas to eat there...and it is now our FAVORITE! We aren't staying on site next trip, so no dining plan and we are eating some meals off site, but our family had one requirement...ROSE & CROWN!

 

[farmermr]

We love the food at Disney. Lunch at Liberty Tree, and Breakfast at O'Hana are NOT optional whenever we make a trip to the World.

 

[WeLoveLilo05]

It is always getting negative reviews but I really enjoyed Coral Reef! I went in with very low expectations and honestly the only reason I booked it was b/c my Uncle wanted to try it and it turned out to be one of our favorite meals. I got the steak which was very nice and then I got the chocolate wave dessert and OMG...heaven! I just checked the menu and its no longer there?!? We are supposed to be posting positive stuff on this thread and now my positive thing turned negative b/c they don't have it anymore, what goes on?!? O wait its on the lunch but not dinner menu? Confused! anyway, here it is

I really really fell in love with Rose Regale @ Italy, I think I had 4 glasses during our stay.

O and Grey Goose slushies
And I like the regular non alcoholic lemonade slushies!

Kringla Sweet Pretzel and Schoolhouse bread= awesomeness!

Fiance always grabs a regular pretzel in Germany.

I tried Teppan Edo for the first time and LOVED it, so I'll be doing that our next trip.

We have always enjoyed 1900 PF dinner, so much to choose from, and the desserts here are just amazing! And Chef TJ was there on our last trip and made our DD who is allergic to peanuts this amazing dessert

WCC also gets a bad rap but we've enjoyed every meal here and the milkshakes are great!

Le Cellier's Canadian cheddar cheese soup and pretzel bread

And of course, the thing that we wait for all year....mickey waffles! (and the occasional cheese danish for breakfast )

And CBR's food court gets 2 thumbs up from me

 

[engle]

I too, love WDW food and go to WDW partially for the food!!! I grew up in a BIG city so I know good food...AND my sister is a chef (once upon a time a sous chef at a VERY famous Chicago restaurant!). With all of that said, I take each meal/snack for what it is. I don't expect a hot dog to have me raving all the way home. It is great when it does but....

I love it all...V&A, Cosmic Rays, Boma, Cape May, Sci Fi Dine In, GF Tea, Kona, Hoop Dee Doo....love it all. It all has redeeming qualities...some more than others!!

On my upcoming trip, I am looking forward to trying for the first time, 'Ohana. Can't wait!

Also, planning on visiting Pollo Campero and Babycakes!!!