There's always room for dessert! - 8 days of DxDP -updated 4/12 Sci-Fi

[MrsPumpkin]

My mouth is watering just reading and looking through your post - the food at Sanaa looks delicious! It's on our list for next year

 

[Ron from Michigan]

Thanks for the great reviews. I'm so glad you enjoyed Via Napoli and Sanna. We have eaten at both and really enjoyed them. We have been to Via Napoli on our last 4 trips and have loved the pizza every time. I' m sorry to read about your experience at 50's Primetime. There is no excuse for cold food and slow service. I agree with you about the waiter, it is his job to make sure the dishes come out in the right order. We dine there on most trips and have never had a bad meal. It a shame how it went for you. Looking forward to reading more of your reviews.

 

[DisDreamsAshley]

Well more time got away from me than expected. But here I am! With more food posts from this trip.

The Flying Fish. This seemed to be the trip of restaurants where we'd always talked about going but hadn't for some reason. This had been on our lists many times and due to location...we just hadn't gone. But since we had a car this time, we were going to check this out! So we parked at The Boardwalk and went to Epcot for a bit, and then came back for a late dinner. We were seated right away, and had a wonderful waiter who's name I forgot. He recommended several of our dishes and they were all on mark.

Here'e our view of the dinning room. I thought the restaurant was beautiful.

Crispy Togarashi-scented Calamari and Florida Rock Shrimp
Spiced Green Papaya, Wakame, and Vegetable Julienne with an Asian-inspired Dipping Sauce 15.00

This was my appetizer, and something the waiter recommended as I couldn't decide. It was very good. I'm not a huge calamari fan, but I'll admit I haven't had it very often. I could eat this calamari all day long, and the asian dipping sauce was amazing!

Yellowfin Tuna Tartare and Crispy Tempura Tuna-Vegetable Sushi Roll
Hijiki and Wakame Seaweed, Yuzu Tobiko, and Wasabi Foam with a Sweet-and-Spicy Sauce 18.00

DH got the sushi. It was pretty yummy as well.

Entrée Duo: "Char-crusted Angus New York Strip Steak" and "Potato-wrapped Red Snapper" 47.00

We both opted to try this. Steak and fish! Best of both worlds! And boy, was it amazing. This was probably the best steak of the trip for me. I loved the red wine sauce that came with the fish as well. DELICIOUS! I'd highly recommend this to anyone and everyone.

Caramelized Banana Napoleon
Crisp Phyllo, Banana Mousse, Crème Caramel, Exotic Fruit Coulis, and Bitter Chocolate 8.00

I love things banana, so this was perfect for me. It was fairly light, and the phyllo was fluffy like. It was heaven in my mouth. Perfection.

Frangelico-laced Dark Chocolate Mousse Creation
Rich "Brownie" Torte, Chocolate Sorbet, Salted Chocolate Caramel, and Caramel Glaze 8.00

DH got the mousse, because well, he has a thing for chocolate mousse.
He said it was pretty good, and it really looked pretty.

So there ya go, our trip to Flying Fish. We really enjoyed eating here and would definitely go back.

 

[Dislover1991]

Your review sold me on Flying Fish

 

[Deanie1]

Wow! Looks delicious! Now I want something to eat.popcorn

 

[nutz2notz]

Wonderful report!

What a bummer about 50's Prime Time.

Both Via Napoli and Sanaa are some of our favorite places to eat. Flying Fish looks great, will have to see if I can convince the kids to go on our next trip.

Thank you for your report and your great pictures.

 

[DisDreamsAshley]

We had dinner at Le Cellier while in Epcot one night. This became a favorite of ours during our first Deluxe Dinning. I know some people either love it, or hate it. We happen to love it.

We've always had good service here. We didn't have to wait but 5 minutes to be seated. There were a lot of kids around us this trip and a lot of tipsy adults which made for an interesting environment.

After a bit we had our bread brought out and drinks. This was a good thing as we were hot and starving!

“Le Cellier” Lobster Chopped Salad
Mixed Field Greens, Haricot Verts, Avocado, Tomatoes, and "Lake Meadow" Egg 17

For an appetizer I had the Lobster Salad. It was really refreshing after the hot day, and quite yummy. You can't really see it in the picture, but there were big chunks of lobster.

Seafood Ravioli

It doesn't look like this is on their regular menu anymore. This is what DH got for his appetizer. He enjoyed it just fine.

“Le Cellier” Mushroom Filet Mignon
AAA Canadian Beef Tenderloin, Wild Mushroom Risotto, Pickled Pearl Onions, White Truffle-Butter Sauce 46

I got my usual and it was delicious as always. I will always recommend this dish to any first time diners here. Its amazing!

Dry-Aged Bone-In Rib-Eye
Aged for 21 Days, Fingerling Potatoes, Roasted Garlic Butter 64

This was DH's dish. I'm sure he liked it, he loves steak. But I was far too interested in my dish to care!

Maple Crème Brûlée 8

We both got the creme Brulee. It was super yummy. I'm a big fan of a good creme brulee. The whip cream and berries were a perfect touch with the maple.

As always we had a delicious dinner. We'll be going back on our upcoming trip this May and I can't wait!

 

[DisDreamsAshley]

Every trip during our planning phase, we talk about trying one of the restaurants in Mexico but decide against it, since we have access to good Mexican food here in Texas. This time, we decided to go for it. We opted for La Hacienda based on reviews I read for San Angel being bad, and because we'd noticed how crowded it looked the last time we were there.

Our ADR was at 5:15, and I don't think we waited very long at all. We were seated in the middle of the dinning room in a cute little booth with wooden seats. I wish I would have taken a picture of them! The sun was very brightly coming threw the windows and it was a little warm in there. We had a very nice server but nothing exceptional, yet nothing to complain about.

Let's get started with the good stuff!

Queso Fundido - melted cheese with poblano peppers, chorizo, and flour tortillas $12.75

This was DH's choice. He's never one to turn down some good queso! It was pretty yummy. We asked for some more tortillas for it and were given some no problem.

Gorditas - corn cakes, stuffed with chorizo, potatoes and arugula, topped with chipotle sauce and sour cream $10.50

I really wanted to try these. I don't think DH was particularly thrilled with my choice, but I had seen so many pictures and read great reviews. It was just ok. There wasn't a lot of chorizo in them. The cakes themselves were nice and fluffy and yummy, but I probably wouldn't get them again.

Parrillada La Hacienda (serves 2) - Mixed grill offering New York strip, chicken al pastor, chorizo and vegetables, served with beans and fresh salsas $55.00

This was part of the Prix Fixe Menu. We decided to go with this instead of individual entrees. We really liked this! My favorite part was the chorizo and Chuck's was of course the steak. The chicken was a little spicy but the corn was a nice mix with it.

Crema de Chocolate "Abuelita" - Chocolate custard served with crunchy bunuelo strips and caramel syrup $7.95

Another thing DH can't resist? Chocolate custard or mouse! So of course he got this. He enjoyed it. It was a good dessert after a meal with some kick, nice and cool.

Empanada de Manzana - puff pastry filled with sauteed caramel apples, served with dulce de leche ice cream and cajeta (caramel sauce) $7.95

This was mine. I'm normally not a caramel fan, but I love empanada's. The ice cream was delicious! The empanada was yummy and reminded me a little of apple pie. I didn't eat it all because I was pretty full, and it was a hot day and hot in the dinning room. It just felt too heavy to keep eating it.

Would we go back again? Probably. It was good, but it didn't wow us, ya know? Everything was good, the food, the atmosphere, the service. But with so many fantastic places to eat that we enjoy, this won't be an every trip place.

 

[vettegirl]

Sounds much better than San Angel. As a fellow Texan I have not been impressed with the offerings in Epcot, but your meal sounds pretty good.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[Nohal]

We are eating at La Hacienda for the first time this trip and plan on ordering the mixed grill. I was wondering what the green stuff is that is on top of the steak and what is on top of the corn?

 

[DisDreamsAshley]

We are eating at La Hacienda for the first time this trip and plan on ordering the mixed grill. I was wondering what the green stuff is that is on top of the steak and what is on top of the corn?

The corn had a couple different cheeses on top. I think the green stuff on the steak was a cilantro type sauce with green peppers, although it may have been a chimichurri sauce. I'm sure you could get it on the side or without it.

 

[DisDreamsAshley]

I was so excited to eat at the Sci-Fi. I remember eatting here as a kid on one of the trips my mom took us kids on. I remember it being so much fun! Chuck and I had been wanting to try some places at HS, because we love the park, but have no TS places that we were thrilled at trying after all these times. So I got him to try the 50's Cafe and Sci-Fi. Both went very poorly I'm sad to say. Not at all like I remembered them being.

I apologize for the bad pictures. They were very hard to get being so close to the food. First lets talk about the seating. While I love the idea of sitting in the little cars at the drive in theater, it didn't well for us. We requested a table but were told they were for larger parties only. The lady in front of me had very long hair that kept hanging down and crazy my food. Also, DH and I, well we aren't the skinniest of folks. And these booths just don't work well for those with a tummy. We found the table top where your food sits to be small and not enough room for everything. Second, while our server was extremely friendly, the service was extremely slow. We were constantly waiting. DH is a fast eater, and we don't like to spend a ton of time inside restaurants. We were here for almost 2 hours. Our drinks ran dry, our food was cold, and our server disappeared a lot.

Chicken Wings with Honey-Chipotle Barbecue Sauce, Blue Cheese Dressing, and Celery Sticks 10.49

DH had these for his appetizer. They were the only thing he really liked the whole meal. They were good and moist, and messy has wings should be.

Spinach and Artichoke Dip - A blend of Monterey Jack, Swiss, and Parmesan, Spinach, and Artichokes served with Corn Tortilla Chips 8.49

I decided on the spinach and artichoke dip for my appetizer. It was ok. It came out kind of cold, but her had been waiting a long time and I was hungry, so I didn't want to send it back. I only ended up eating a couple of bites though.

House-smoked St. Louis-style Pork Ribs
Lightly-brushed with Barbecue Sauce served with Baked Beans and Coleslaw 21.99

Chuck loves ribs so he decided to try these. They came out cold and were very dry and flavorless he said.

Shrimp or Chicken Pasta
Whole-Grain Penne Pasta with Garlic, Basil, Cream, and fresh Tomatoes topped with Parmesan Cheese 23.99

I decided on the pasta dish. I ate very little even though I was starving. It was cold, and this was where the lady's hair kept touching my food. I was just too grossed out to eat much. She kept try to tuck her hair in front of her but it just kept sliding back over her shoulder.

Out-of-This-World Turtle Cheesecake
with Heath Bar, Pecans, Chocolate Chips, Caramel Sauce, and topped with Whipped Cream 6.99

This was Chuck's desert. He loves cheesecake, but this was too rich for him. Too much stuff on it and again, we waited a long time.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate Cake - Warm Chocolate Cake with a creamy Peanut Butter center served a la mode $7.99

I got this. The cake was hard and almost stale. It wasn't warm. The best part was the ice cream.

So, would we go here again? Heck no! The food wasn't even good, we hated the seating, and our service was slow and nonexistent at times. I know a lot of people have good experiences here, but we weren't one of them.

 

[DLo]

darn it. we are gong to sci fi next month. my ds only request .

after seeing your via napoli review may try and switch my chefs de france for there .

thanks for takng the time to review. looking forward to the rest .

 

[DisneyDreamerMN]

I am obviously joining in very late...but I am here! Just read your Tony's review and now I am tempted to kick The Plaza to the curb and book Tony's for our trip in 11 days! Looks like our trips will be overlapping!

 

[ericstac]

My next review is what many people consider a must do I think on their trips, The 50's Prime Time Cafe! I was extremely excited about eatting here. We hadn't tried many places in Hollywood before this trip simply because of lack of appeal to us. But, in our efforts to eat every where at least once, it was time to try this place out! I had eatten here long ago when I went to DW with my family as a child, but this was Chuck's first experience. He wasn't too thrilled with the menu, as he thinks it's something he could get at home.

So we arrived and checked in a few minutes early. We were starving, and it was hot. There was no one waiting basically, but we sat and waited in the lobby. We didn't wait too long before we were scooted off to our table. The room we were placed in was very busy and crowded. We were next to a table with about 6 kids. They were very noisy, but you could tell they were having a blast.

I don't remember our waiters name unfortunately. He was nice enough, but very rushed and a little forgetful. He explained since we were on the dinning plan I could get a shake AND a dessert. So I got this yummy Strawberry Milkshake. This was probably my favorite part of the meal. It was cold, and thick, and delicious.

We waited for quite awhile until our server came back to order. We ordered my shake, the appetizers, and the entrees all at once....which is what we usually do to be honest. Then we waited some more. Suddenly our entrees came out. Entrees? you might say....did you skip the apps? No, we did not. They simply came out after our entrees....way after. When our main meals were delivered we asked about the entrees, and the server, who wasn't our guy, said he'd check on them. They came out about 5 minutes later. Another 15 minutes later our server came out to apologize and blame the chef. I realize it could have been the chef's fault, but I found it unprofessional to try to place blame. Just apologize.

Fried Herb and Garlic Cheese 7.99

DH got the fried cheese. It was ok. It was cold. Not that hooey gooey cheesiness you love from fried cheese.

Beer-battered Onion Rings
and Horseradish Sauce 6.49

I ordered the onion rings. I'd read lots of good things about these and I love me some onion rings! I loved the presentation. I thought it was super cute to come out in its own little basket. But they were cold! And mushy!

A Sampling of Mom's Favorite Recipes
Crispy-fried Chicken, Fork Tender Pot Roast, and Traditional Meatloaf with all the fixings 20.99

Chuck decided the best way to sample things was to get the sampler! Even though this came out before our apps, it was cold. He ate a little of everything, but didn't finish anything. He said that the chicken was ok, but he wouldn't order this again.

Cousin Ann's Traditional Meatloaf
Blend of Beef and Pork topped with Tomato Glaze served with Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Green Beans 15.99

Mine was cold as well. i think I would have really enjoyed the meatloaf, as I normally love the stuff, if it would have been hot.

We chose not to send our food back since we had been waiting long enough and were anxious to get back out to the park for our Toy Story fast passes!

S'mores 4.99

We each got a S'mores and waited some more for it to come out. Sadly, I think I was too grumpy to enjoy this treat. I'd been looking forward to it for months! DH really enjoyed his though.

I'd also like to note, that in all the reviews I've read, and I remember some from when I went as a child, the atmosphere is supposed to be amazing. We got none of the 50's charm I've read about. Nothing. No veggies with whip cream, no questions about the soap in the bathroom, not even a joke or anything. It was really lacking for me. We won't be eating here again anytime soon. I'm sorry to disappoint all of you 50's fans out there! Our experience was just not up to par at all.

Loving the reviews

You know what's crazy though is how persistent the disney rep handling my food poisoning case was on how strict their policy is on serving the correct temperature food. I know they are trained to say this but seeing others experience cold food just shows how frequently it does occur and they really need to adjust some protocols or something.. My issue came from trails end..

 

[Iowajes]

Did you talk to a manager at Sci Fi? I think if a patron's hair had been in my food, I'd expect a new dish and a comp!!!!

Gross.


(Really enjoying your review- I mostly just lurk...)