Stomachs Sufficiently Stretched, DxDDP in Dec! 3/27 - Flying Fish Cafe

[annnewjerz]

I'm getting a late start, but subscribing now! You'll be reviewing alot of the restaurants we have reserved for our upcoming trip in May. We're also staying at the Boardwalk Villas!

That's okay---I'm getting a late start too! (Obviously, since the reviews were from December ) Have you ever stayed at BWV before? If not, you will LOVE IT. The easy access to the parks, the themeing, the pool, the restaurants, it's all great.

Great start! We stayed at BWV a few weeks ago and tried several times to get into the Boardwalk Bakery. Never made it in, the lines were insane.

The line definitely got a little long some mornings, but most times for us it went quickly. Seems like most people were just getting a mug of something to drink and a pastry, which were veeeeeery good by the way.

I want to go to Bluezoo SO BADLY for the scallops- they always get such high praise on this board! And I might have to find a way to try that pb Chocolate cake from BWB- I'm not so into sweets, but PB & Chocolate- well, that's it's own special category, huh? My favorite combo, too.

I have a kind of weird question for you- does your Mom have a sister named Linda? She looks alot like someone I went to college with- at Rider. It's your Mom's eyes- they are just like this person I'm thinking of! I know it's a longshot, but I thought I'd ask!

Looking forward to the rest-

You should definitely go to bluezoo next time you're in The World. Because it's not a Disney owned restaurant and doesn't take the dining plan, it's much easier to get a reservation than many other comparable restaurants (like Flying Fish for example). My Mom gets that a lot---people asking if she's related to so and so. She does have a sister whose middle name is Lynn, but she didn't go to Rider.

Great reviews, you've got me hooked!

I love blue Zoo too, it's a must every trip - I've never been disappointed

Thanks for stopping in, hope you enjoy the rest of them!

Mmmm, those scallops looked amazing!

They are! Is it sad to say I've had dreams about them? They were sooooo yummy!

 

[annnewjerz]

So onto Day 2---our first full day in WDW and first day in the parks!

The day started out rough. We took a boat ride to DHS, which was enjoyable, but upon reaching the turnstiles got a call that Erik's Grandfather passed away. Needless to say, this changed our plans for the morning. We still needed to get breakfast, so we sent my Mom to get fastpasses for Toy Story Mania and we headed to Starring Rolls Cafe to sit down and talk about what we were going to do regarding the rest of the trip.

We decided to stay until we heard news on the arrangements and try to enjoy the vacation as much as we could and with the decision, it was time for breakfast at...

Starring Rolls Cafe!

I had passed Starring Rolls by in the past, but after hearing about the Butterfinger Cupcake and that you could get it as a snack credit---we decided to head there for breakfast.

Unfortunately, no pics for this review. After getting the news about DH's grandfather, I wasn't interested in picture-taking.

I got the Butterfinger Cupcake. My first impression was, it's HUGE!! The cupcake itself was pretty normal sized, but there had to be at least 3-4 inches of icing piled on top, covered in chocolate and then rolled in Butterfinger crumbs. I cut the cupcake open to reveal the icing and took my first bite. I thought this would be the most heavenly thing on Earth and unfortunately I was mistaken. Who thought something could be so rich and sickeningly sweet? The cupcake was just okay, the icing on top was kind of uh....greasy? It wasn't what I expected from normal bakery buttercream icing. The chocolate tasted like (for lack of better comparison) Magic Shell that you use on icecream. The best part was probably the Butterfinger crumbs. I think it's safe to say that I took about 3 bites and was done. Erik and my Mom both tried it and agreed that Crumbs Bakery has MUUUUUCH better cupcakes.

Erik got a turnover of some sort. He really liked it! It was flaky, the filling was nice and sweet and again, for a snack credit this was a great value.

Can't remember what my Mom got, shame on me, I know.

We'd definitely go back to Starring Rolls Cafe again for breakfast, but stick with the normal breakfast foods. No more yucky cupcakes for me!!

 

[annnewjerz]

Up next, we had lunch planned for the...

Hollywood Brown Derby.

I really wanted a lunch ADR for the Brown Derby after hearing about their wonderful Cobb Salad. I knew what it wasn't the best use of two of our meal credits, but with the Deluxe Dining Plan I knew we wouldn't be using all of them anyway, so might as well go somewhere we were interested in trying.

We had a reservation for the first lunch seating and had to wait a few minutes upon check-in because the restaurant wasn't officially open yet. Once it opened, we were seated right away in a comfy semi-circle booth.

We got our menus and even though I knew what I wanted, I decided I should probably take a look-see anyway juuuuuust in case. This was our first real meal on the Deluxe Dining Plan and I was excited to see just how much food this really was.

Well, regardless of all of the additional yummy options on the menu, I still ordered what I had originally planned on.

For an appetizer, Erik and I each got the crab cake.

Wow, this was way better than I originally expected. The outside coating was potato, which was nice and crisp. The inside of the crab cake was great---lots of bit pieces of crab and not a lot of the filler that a lot of crab cakes are full of. The cole slaw underneath was a nice cool compliment to the warm crab cake (and that's coming from someone who doesn't even like cole slaw!) Overall, this was a very good start to the meal and if you are looking for a good crab cake, I would recommend this one.

My Mom got Butternut Squash soup as an appetizer.

She really liked her app. The presentation was nice (they poured it into her bowl at the table). She said the soup was creamy and had a nice fall flavor. It was light and a nice start to her meal.

For our entrees, my Mom and I both got the Cobb Salad.

The salad comes out to the table unmixed and includes tomato, avocado, egg, bacon, chicken/turkey, cheese and lettuce with Cobb dressing. I started drooling as soon as I saw it.

Again, the presentation was nice, they mix the salad at the table for you. It made it feel a little more special than your typical salad.

Mmmmm, this was so good. It was light, cold and very refreshing. I could have eaten the whole salad by myself but I knew that we still had dessert to come, so I only finished a little over half. My Mom agreed that this was a great salad and was happy that she chose it as all of the other options on the "All Day Menu" seemed a bit too heavy for a lunch option.

Erik decided on the filet. He's a meat and potato kind of guy.

He got it cooked medium and it came out cooked just right. He said the steak was seasoned nicely, the potatoes were nice, but he wished there was just a littttttle more sauce.


So after eating all of those wonderful goodies already, it was time for dessert. We were all pretty stuffed but decided hey---it's our first meal, let's to it right, so we got dessert. None of us finished more than half of our dessert, but a nice taste was just enough to end the meal and get us ready to go back out into the parks.

I got the Shortbread Cheesecake.

While most would consider this to be a pretty safe selection, it's a huge departure for me. I don't eat cheesecake at home, just not a huge fan of the flavor. However, before leaving I read a review of the Hollywood Brown Derby on the DIS and saw a picture of the cheesecake and decided someone HAD to try it. Surprisingly, it was really tasty! I loved the shortbread crust, the cheesecake was very light in flavor and the strawberry sauce was very complimentary. I would get this again!

Erik and my Mom decided to be boring and get something that is offered at EVERY Disney restaurant---Creme Brulee.

Both of them ate about half of their dessert and agreed that while it was very good, it was probably a little heavy to end the meal with. My Mom really liked the chocolate dipped biscotti and Erik didn't even try his.

Generally, Hollywood Brown Derby was a great lunch. I probably wouldn't go back if we were on the Dining Plan because a salad is a bit of a waste cost-wise, but if we were paying out of pocket I'd go here for lunch again in a heartbeat for a light lunch and a little rest from park touring.

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

joining in and loving your reviews. We need to try BlueZoo....it really looks yummy

 

[podsnel]

So sorry about DH's Grandfather- what sad news to receive on vacation. Or anytime, for that matter. Hope everyday is a brighter day for you.

I really like HBD. I've had dinner and lunch there, and enjoyed them both. I love that salad, too. Thanks for writing another wonderful update!

 

[oybolshoi]

Thanks for the Brown Derby lunch review ... we were supposed to do that on our last trip but were distracted by booze at Epcot. We hope to try it this Fall and your review and pictures makes me think it will be a good meal!

Sorry to hear about Erik's grandfather - hard news to hear any time.

 

[DisneyCrafter]

I'm sorry for your loss. My DH lost his grandfather in last August and it was devastating.

On a brighter note, we were there the same time as you!

 

[Redwitch]

Help! I have Cobb Salad cravings!!

 

[ShannonMB]

So sorry about Erik's grampa.

I'm really enjoying your reviews so far Ann, but I hate to point out, I'm not seeing your Griswold pics with each review, and I was really looking forward to that. Did you forget? Oh, and BTW, REALLY good pics!

 

[TigerKat]

So sorry to hear about Erik's grandfather.

 

[sue and co]

Sorry to hear about Eric's grandfather. Loving the reviews so far and look forward to the rest.

 

[annnewjerz]

Sorry for another delay in the dining report writing, everyone! Life (once again) got in the way, but I'm going to try to at least get done the next few meals cause we had some good ones!

joining in and loving your reviews. We need to try BlueZoo....it really looks yummy

I would definitely give bluezoo a shot, it was awesome both times we've been there so far.

So sorry about DH's Grandfather- what sad news to receive on vacation. Or anytime, for that matter. Hope everyday is a brighter day for you.

I really like HBD. I've had dinner and lunch there, and enjoyed them both. I love that salad, too. Thanks for writing another wonderful update!

Thanks for the condolences and compliments on the reviews. While I don't think I would go back to HBD using the dining plan, I would 100% go back and pay out of pocket for a salad---which was HUGE and yummy and reasonably priced for lunch.

Thanks for the Brown Derby lunch review ... we were supposed to do that on our last trip but were distracted by booze at Epcot. We hope to try it this Fall and your review and pictures makes me think it will be a good meal!

Sorry to hear about Erik's grandfather - hard news to hear any time.

HBD was really a nice meal---especially when you consider what is offered in the Studios for lunch. While your booze-fueled adventures sounded like a lot of fun (I'm a big-time lurker on your report), ya gotta eat sooner or later, right?!

I'm sorry for your loss. My DH lost his grandfather in last August and it was devastating.

On a brighter note, we were there the same time as you!

Do you guys go in December regularly, or was this your first time? It was nice, but if it weren't for the Christmas decorations we would much prefer going in September/October when the crowds were lower.

Help! I have Cobb Salad cravings!!

I tried a Cobb Salad at a local chain for dinner the other night and it just wasn't the same. Instead of avocado in the salad and cobb salad dressing they had avocado dressing----it was, in a word, weird.

So sorry about Erik's grampa.

I'm really enjoying your reviews so far Ann, but I hate to point out, I'm not seeing your Griswold pics with each review, and I was really looking forward to that. Did you forget? Oh, and BTW, REALLY good pics!

I did NOT forget the Griswold pics. When I first started the reviews, I posted a disclosure that I probably wouldn't be using them. I want to get the reviews up for anyone that needs them for informational purposes---doing them to be amusing at this point just seems like one more hurdle.

So sorry to hear about Erik's grandfather.

Thanks!

Sorry to hear about Eric's grandfather. Loving the reviews so far and look forward to the rest.

More on their way...or at least one!!

 

[annnewjerz]

Okay! For any of you that are still hanging in there, I will again give you my apologies for being such a slacker---but I am determined to get this dining report completed!!

So, for our next meal, we had decided that dinner at our hotel would be good and after an awesome meal we had at The Flying Fish Cafe last trip, figured it would be our best bet.

We arrived right on time for our ADR at 5:35 and were seated after about 5 minutes, nothing too bad. We requested that we be seated at the Chef's Bar so we could watch the food being prepared and have something to keep us entertained during dinner. Normally, conversation is the entertainment, but with the news we had just received that morning I thought that soaking in the atmosphere of the restaurant and enjoying the food would probably be best.

After ordering some diet cokes, we decided to order some drinks. I got (IIRC) a blood orange margarita that was goooooood. DH got a Yuengling and my DM got something like a Cosmo.

Before it was time for apps, our wonderful waiter Rogerio from Brazil came over and gave us an amuse from the kitchen. What a great little surprise! It was butternut squash soup in a tiny little tea cup. I don't have a picture, but I can tell you the soup was aweeeeeesome. It was smooth, creamy and just a little spicy. It was the perfect start to our meal and even though the weather was warm, having a nice little taste of a cold-weather soup hit the spot.

Now was time for the good stuff, our appetizers!

I decided on the Yellowfin Tuna Tartar sushi roll.

This was a little piece (or, three little pieces) of tuna heaven. It was crispy, it was light, it was filled with flavor and just enough for me to eat without having to feel mad about sharing a piece with DH.

DH got the calamari.

He looooooved calamari and this was calamari done right. It was fried up nice and crisp, but wasn't greasy at all. The dipping sauce that came with it was fantastic and had a bit of an asian taste to it. Very nice and highly recommended by Erik.

My mom got the cheese plate for her appetizer, but got it boxed up to-go rather than brought out to the bar to eat. She wasn't extremely hungry and wanted to save room for her entree.

For dinner, I was a bit unadverterous and chose the same entree I got on our last trip---the potato crusted snapper. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

This entree is in my mind PERFECTION. The fish is pretty mild and nice and flakey. The potato is crisp and seasoned well, but again---not greasy at all. The red wine sauce is a little rich, but compliments the other ingredients so well and the leeks are so tender and creamy. Looking at this is just making me huuuuungry.

DH got his favorite fish, salmon. I believe he chose this last time and liked it so much he got it again.

Yummmmmmm. He loved this. It did not disappoint for the second time. He said it was cooked perfectly and he liked the veggies that went with it (which is HUGE for someone who doesn't eat a single vegetable other than peppers and onions). The portion size was good, enough to be filling but not roll-me-out-of-here stuffed.

My DM decided to step out of the box and get.......



honestly I can't remember what it was. It was a Chef's special and I can't remember the name of the fish or anything about it. But here it is anyway!

Although she isn't a huge fish eater, she really liked this. She said that the fish was good, the veggies that came with it were fresh and it was perfectly sauced so the fish wasn't drowning, but she didn't need to scrape her bowl either.

For dessert we all decided on this gingersnap cookie pumpkin cheesecake or something to that effect. It was seasonal and isn't on the menu anymore. Unfortunately, I have no picture. Because we had an ADR for adult milkshakes at Sci-Fi that night, we decided to get the desserts packaged up to bring back to our room. I never ended up eating mine, but my Mom did that night and gave it two thumbs up. Pumpkin is one of her favorite things and she said it was the perfect dessert for her.

So, all in all The Flying Fish Cafe was FREAKIN AWESOME. I love this restaurant, it may be my favorite in all of The World. For anyone that is looking for some good seafood, I would definitely recommend it. For anyone that is looking for some good any type of food, I would definitely recommend it. For great ambience, service and food---as well as a great atmosphere while you wait (the Boardwalk), FFC is the place for you.

 

[oybolshoi]

Great Flying Fish review ... your happy mouth from the chef sounds wonderful (I love butternut squash soup). Your pictures are terrific, by the way - they look very professional.

 

[vinotinto]

Okay! For any of you that are still hanging in there, I will again give you my apologies for being such a slacker---but I am determined to get this dining report completed!!

For dinner, I was a bit unadverterous and chose the same entree I got on our last trip---the potato crusted snapper. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?

This entree is in my mind PERFECTION. The fish is pretty mild and nice and flakey. The potato is crisp and seasoned well, but again---not greasy at all. The red wine sauce is a little rich, but compliments the other ingredients so well and the leeks are so tender and creamy. Looking at this is just making me huuuuungry.

So, all in all The Flying Fish Cafe was FREAKIN AWESOME. I love this restaurant, it may be my favorite in all of The World.

I love snapper! How am I going to fit FF into my trip???

My mom got the cheese plate for her appetizer, but got it boxed up to-go rather than brought out to the bar to eat. She wasn't extremely hungry and wanted to save room for her entree.

What a fantastic idea! Will have to remember that on our trip!

 

[klacey1]

So glad you started your reviews again!! FF looks so yummy, but DBF is not a fish fan, so we probably won't get there any time soon :-(

 

[Leshaface]

Beautiful Shots!!!! Makes me hungry...sigh...

Keep 'em coming!!

 

[martinolichfamily]

I'm in! Great reviews! Waiting to read more!

Sorry to hear about Dh's Grandfather.

 

[janloz]

thanks for the review of Flying Fish, that is our final ADR for our Sept trip and glad to hear it is worth it.

 

[mossyflossy]

really enjoying your reviews, can't wait to go to Flying Fish in August....was wondering what the tuna appetiser was, now having seen your amazing photos I know to order it, so thank you, and we will probably go for the snapper entree (minus the veal glace) and salmon too, so really helpful, thank you