Spoodles Used To Be Our Favorite

[DISNEYDEVOTEE]

This used to be our favorite restaurant. NOt ANY MORE. The change in menu, the change in style are terrible.

The restaurant is no longer a Tapas set up. It has gone traditional to appetizers first then entree's. I can understand that the vacationing public may not appreciate the Tapas style, but that was what set Spodles apart from every other restaurant on property.

They replaced the lamb cigars with a lamb patty - the waiter said the chef wanted to make his mark! Well he missed the mark.

The entree selections were reduced to include fettucini alfredo- this was cheese sauce and noodles - no peas or procuitto - it was 1 step above the quality of a kids meal.

The riggatoni replaced the orrichette pasta - good but this one spice away from franco american.

I had my own Tapas meal - the shrimp appettizer - I will say that this was good - the lamb kefta - terrible as noted earlier - then the 3 cheese flat bread - this was good also.

We have 3 days to go - but I usually visit Spoodles at least 2x, my money will spend better elsewhere!

Bob at the BWV's

 

[CoolDisneyCat]

Spoodles has been our favorite for years. We have an ADR there in just a few weeks.

They still have my favorite 3 cheese flat bread on the menu. I do hate to hear of the changes in the pasta .. that was one of my favorites.

I never thought American tourists understood about tapas. They have been sliding away from that for several years.

I am keeping an open mind. I have enjoyed every dish I have eaten at Spoodles and doubt that will change.

Perhaps if this menu receives bad feedback it will change, like Garden Grill.

 

[unixadm]

Sorry to hear about your experience. Spoodles was one of our favorites in September (after the menu change, I believe) and we will be going back in April.

I guess when you are used to things one way, it is hard to accept the change, but we ate at lots of TS in September and Spoodles was by far the BEST!

Read all of my reviews in the link in my sig....

Here is the one for Spoodles:

Spoodles - Boardwalk - DINNER ***** (5 Stars)
WOW...just WOW! So far, the BEST meal we have had....in presentation, taste of food, and friendliness of wait staff and Chef (yes, I said Chef).

The Chef came out and went around talking to people. He sat down at our table and got our son to eat more of his dinner! He chatted with us for a little while. He did the same with many others as well. I was VERY impressed with this.

Our Waitress was friendly and helpful as well and she got an extra special tip because of her fantastic service.

Myself: Shrimp Appetizer, Fettuchini with add-on Scallops (they let us do the add-ons with the meal plan with no additional charge), Excellent....the Shrimp was to die for...only 4 shrimp, but they were HUGE, and the Fettuchini/Scallops were fantastic. WAY too Much food, though...had to leave about 1/4 of my plate.

Wife: Shrimp Appetizer, Seafood Stew (Paella) - She LOVED it. She said that it was by far, her favorite meal of the week so far (and favorite dining out meal for at least the past year or so).

Kids: Mickey Mouse Mac and Cheese.....they both ate a good amount and liked it.

Photo of the Shrimp Appetizer:

Photo of the Fettuchini with HUGE scallops:

Photo of the Seafood Stew:

Photo of the Mickey Mouse Mac and Cheese:

Desserts:

We wanted the Sampler to share with the family like we did at Italy, but they said that it wasn't included in the plan

We both ended up with the Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee......mmmmmm . LOVED it! I ended up pairing it up with the recommended Grand Manier

TOTAL BILL: $98.69

2 TS Credits Used: 18 TS Credits Remaining.

OOP: After a bottle of wine, some dessert drinks and the kid's meals and drinks, it was $61 after the DDE discount!

 

[LukenDC]

This used to be our favorite restaurant. NOt ANY MORE. The change in menu, the change in style are terrible.

The restaurant is no longer a Tapas set up. It has gone traditional to appetizers first then entree's. I can understand that the vacationing public may not appreciate the Tapas style, but that was what set Spodles apart from every other restaurant on property.

They replaced the lamb cigars with a lamb patty - the waiter said the chef wanted to make his mark! Well he missed the mark.

The entree selections were reduced to include fettucini alfredo- this was cheese sauce and noodles - no peas or procuitto - it was 1 step above the quality of a kids meal.

The riggatoni replaced the orrichette pasta - good but this one spice away from franco american.

I had my own Tapas meal - the shrimp appettizer - I will say that this was good - the lamb kefta - terrible as noted earlier - then the 3 cheese flat bread - this was good also.

We have 3 days to go - but I usually visit Spoodles at least 2x, my money will spend better elsewhere!

Bob at the BWV's

I was disappointed in Spoodles when I visited in September. The Unofficial Guide had led me to believe that it was a tapas restaurant and that it what I was looking for when I made my reservation. Instead, it was much more traditional. I would have been better off going to another restaurant in World Showcase.

 

[Minnie824]

I just want to add that DH & I LOVED the pizza from the Spoodles take out window in 2000. We had it at least 3 times then. We were so looking forward to it, so we stopped there our first day and it was terrible!! The sauce was horrible, so spicy, and just not the same pizza.

 

[Forever42]

The Unofficial Guide had led me to believe that it was a tapas restaurant and that it what I was looking for when I made my reservation. Instead, it was much more traditional. I would have been better off going to another restaurant in World Showcase.

It used to be tapas style, and we would bypass the restaurants at Epcot just to head over to Spoodles for tapas - it's just about our favorite style of dining. We haven't been back since the menu change, and I honestly doubt we ever will. It seems that the flavor and spirit of the menu have been completely changed because of the dining plan.

 

[LibertyLover]

My husband and I ate dinner at Spoodles for the first time in October and while I enjoyed the meal, I had been expected the tapas. There is a nice tapas restaurant in DC - Jaleo's - at 480 7th Street, 2 blocks off Pennsylvania Ave. They have great tapas and I was looking forward to having some at Spoodles. We will go back to Spoodles, just not any time soon.

 

[LukenDC]

LibertyLover, I agree with you about Jaleo in DC. I have been there before and it's terrific! I had Jaleo in mind when I made the reservation at Spoodles and that is what contributed to my disappointment.

 

[mamacatnv]

Please excuse my ignorance - what is Tapas???

 

[bavaria]

It used to be tapas style, and we would bypass the restaurants at Epcot just to head over to Spoodles for tapas - it's just about our favorite style of dining. We haven't been back since the menu change, and I honestly doubt we ever will. It seems that the flavor and spirit of the menu have been completely changed because of the dining plan.

I had a lengthy chat with one of the CMs there recently. She expressed her own dismay in the homogenization of the menu. Even breakfast has changed - no more banana nut french toast, just plain french toast.

She felt that it was due to the dining plan that changes were made. There was also a lot of frustration about servers having to bus their tables, and the long wait times. I watched food sit for a long time on the line, with the expediter calling numerous times for it to be picked up.

Another sad part was that the restaurant was 2/3 empty on another night. I had called for a last minute ADR to be told that the whole night was booked. I walked in to take a chance, and was told that it had been empty all night. Sounds like some ADRs were no shows, but sad for the staff.

I find it sad that the CMs are really suffering as well as the guests who are disappoined in the menu changes.

 

[chrissyt27]

I had to look it up, this is what I found:

Tapas dining includes sampling a variety of appetizer-sized dishes.
The American interpretation of tapas, however, isn't quite the same. In Spain, tapas, which are known as small bites of many different dishes, are offered in bars. They help tide over grumbling stomachs before a 10 p.m. dinner.

That leads diners to think of tapas as easy on the wallet, an attractive idea in tough economic times. As a result, many consumers who used to think bigger was better can now be found grazing on small portions of shellfish, mouthfuls of grilled meats, or dipping triangles of pita bread into tiny bowls of tapenade, hummus, or eggplant spread.
The change in the economic climate has encouraged people to be more cost-conscious about their entertainment," said Wally Vincenty, manager of Café Ba-Ba Reeba, the first tapas restaurant in Chicago. "We are not by any stretch of the imagination expensive. The style of food, presentation, and cost makes it appear more affordable."

But buyer beware: Tapas for dinner can leave one not quite satisfied and with a big bill. Tapas are generally less expensive than entrées on an item-by-item basis, but because they are only snack-sized, costs for the hungry diner can add up quickly.

One more caveat: Don't expect to return home with a doggy bag. As an increasing number of diners place more value on quality over quantity, super-sized restaurant meals are gradually becoming a thing of the past.

 

[tortoni]

We ate there last week and had a wonderful meal. It is true that it is not really tapas style, but I think the food and service still great. They also had some "not on the menu items" which were wonderful.

 

[unixadm]

I think that people who never ate there will love it. Those who want the tapas style may be disappointed because it isn't that way anymore, but the food is truely delicious. Things changes....Those who went before should think of it as a new restaurant.....Enjoy it for what it is, not what it used to be.