Three Veggies Take on a lot of food. One Veggie slipped for Mollusks!

[disneydreamkate]

Hi all! DH, DS (5), and I recently returned from a wonderful stay at POFQ. We were there from 10/21-10/29. I will be reviewing the following restaurants...some with pictures, but most without! We were on the DDP, which I will never do again. It is just way too much food and while we used to do many character meals, this trip we did not do any. The value just isn't in it for us. We had it this time because we took advantage of the FD promo...

Where we ate:

10/21 Raglan Road
10/22 Mama Melrose
10/23 Ate around the World at F&W
10/24 Boma
10/25 California Grill
10/26 Artist Point
10/27 The Wave
10/28 Chefs de France

We have eaten at a couple of these on past trips, but most were new to us! We had some very pleasant surprises as far as really wonderful dinners, and we also had a couple of not-so-good experiences that left us underwhelmed...and dare I say, hungry at the end of the night! Stay tuned!

 

[disneydreamkate]

Raglan Road: I was so excited about this restaurant! I had seen many wonderful reviews of the food, and scanned the menu a multitude of times, mouth watering, and unable to decide what I might order when we ate here. I was also very much looking forward to the entertainment. I made sure to make our dining reservation later than we normally eat so that we could really experience all this restaurant has to offer.

We arrived at 7:15pm, 30 minutes prior to our ADR. I gave the hostess our name and asked if we could have a table where we could see the band and dancers. She said, "Sure, but you may need to wait a little longer." No problem. We grabbed our buzzer and went to check out the gift shop.

8:00pm. Check back in with hostess since I have seen many people get seated in the large room off the bar. Man in front of me is complaining because they had a 7pm ADR. Uh oh. Hostess says they are just waiting for some tables to clear.

8:20pm. Ask DH if he want to go to bar and have a drink. DS sits on floor to play with new Lego guys. Watch more people get seated. Hmm. Up to Hostess again who tells me "We cannot guarantee you a table if you asked to be seated there." Really?! So you expect us to just stand around all night? I politely said we would take a seat anywhere and that I wished she would have told me that initially. NOT very nice.

8:45pm DS falls asleep on floor. Do you know how LOUD it is in this place? Poor little dude puts his head down on DH's backpack and just passes out. So sad. Steam begins to erupt from my ears. Do they not know they have a little hot tempered Irish girl here?! I send DH to podium because I am unable to stay composed. I am starving and now have a bit of a buzz from drinking on an empty stomach.

8:50pm DH steps up to podium. I do not ask what was said.

8:51pm We are seated.

Me: I ordered the Heritage Tomato Salad.Heritage Tomato Salad - Heirloom tomato & rocket salad with shallots, parmesan crisps & balsamic reduction. It was very good. The tomatoes were perfectly sweet, and I loved the parm crisps. I also ordered the Mussels. Mighty Mussels - 1/2lb of fresh Blue Hill bay mussels in a coconut infused curry broth. Oops. I know, I know, not vegetarian, but sometimes I can't help myself. They were amazing...tender, mild, and just yum.

DH: Ordered the Risotto. Raglan Risotto - Risotto with shiitake mushrooms, garden peas, shaved parmesan & rocket lettuce. The server asked him, "The special risotto?" And DH, not knowing (or hearing, since it's so loud), nods yes. So it comes out and has chicken or something in it. He wanted the Raglan Risotto, and explains to our server, who is very insistent that this was all my DH's fault. Hmm. Again. My DH is a very soft spoken, kind person, BTW...and really doesn't like to make a stink about dinner (more on that later). Begrudgingly, our server brought him the other risotto. It was a bit too salty (this will become a pattern throughout the trip).

We also split the Skinny Chips and Parm and Truffle Oil. They were good too...as was the soda bread.

DS: Ordered nothing. Slept through dinner drooling on my leg.

Overall experience: 6 out of 10. If it weren't for the awful wait time and the very mediocre server it would have been one of the highlights of our trip.

Food: 7 out of 10 Everything but the risotto was really very good, fresh, and well seasoned. The risotto was actually too salty to enjoy.

Would we eat here again? Maybe. But definitely not on a Weekend night. I am a forgiving person. Or maybe it was the wine...

 

[Jonesloonybin]

I am in!!

We also did Raglan Rd on a weekend night. It was also our arrive night (after driving 9 hours from NC. The food was good, but everything else was not great. We may go back but not on a weekend and not on our arrival night. Even my teenage daughter was in tears before we were done.

I cannot wait to hear more!

Terri

 

[MickeyNicki]

I'm in! We were there the same time, supposed to stay at the POFQ too but they didnt have any AP discounts

That really stinks about RR...to wait that long and have the waiter blame your husband on the error with his risotto...my DH is a mild manner one too but you can only push him so far

 

[disneydreamkate]

Thanks you two! Nicki, I actually read a whole bunch of your reviews before we went. Where the heck do you find the time do live reports? I am impressed. I will definitely be reading your recent review!

On to Mama Melrose...

DH wanted to go to DHS for Star Tours, so I made a last minute reservation here. I was definitely not expecting much. So, I went in with very low expectations.

We were seated within 5 minutes of arriving. I think DH had time to take DS to the restroom, and by the time they came back they called our name.

We started off with drinks. I had the Sangria: Superfruit Sangria
Eppa SupraFruta Red Sangria made from organically grown grapes and an organic blend of antioxidant-rich Pomegranate, Blueberry,
Açaí, and Blood Orange juices topped with VeeV Açaí Spirit and DH had some sort of bottled beer. I loved my Sangria! Our server was attentive and pretty much all business. The restaurant wasn't too busy, and compared to many of our other meals it was actually quiet and relaxing! And maybe I was comparing it to the circus we were part of the previous night at RR.

DH: He had the Vegetarian Minestrone. Too salty, but not as salty as the risotto the night before. It was still definitely edible. DS ate some of this too and enjoyed it. He also had the Wild Mushroom and Arugula Flatbread
with Balsamic Sweet Onions and Goat Cheese Pesto, which he loved! I had a some of this too. It was good and crispy with just a little char from the wood ovens. The amount of toppings was just right.

DS: Cheese Pizza. He ate the whole thing. Not your average doughy, cardboardy, Disney's kid pizza, but a flatbread like the one DH got.

Me: Fresh Mozzarella and Vine-ripened Tomatoes with Marinated Sweet Onions, Balsamic Drizzle, Basil-scented Olive Oil, and
Sweet Basil Leaves. This was also yummy! Tomatoes were perfectly ripe and the onions added another depth of flavor to an otherwise...plain 'ole Caprese Salad. DH ate some of this too and enjoyed it.

We all ate the Italian bread they serve with Olive Oil and herbs/spices. That was your standard Italian bread. Good, and accompanied my salad quite well.

Overall experience: 8 out of 10

Food: 8 out of 10

This meal was a pleasant surprise! It was definitely up there in the top 3 as far as meals go for my DH. We would most definitely eat here again. It was by no means gourmet, but IMO a cut above Olive Garden...which I don't like at all.

 

[disneydreamkate]

Hi there! Before I move on to Boma, I will give my take on the F&W Festival from a vegetarian's view...Or two vegetarians and one who can't help but eat mussels and clams when presented with the opportunity (that would be me)!

First, let me say, I researched what would be available at all the booths before we left for our vacation. I already knew that there was going to be a very limited number of items that the three of us could eat. This was quite a disappointment. I could think of so many of the items that they could have served a vegetarian option for...including the ravioli in Italy. We are just so fascinated by eating meat here. I think that the booths really cater to that, even countries who have cuisines that are much more vege-centric.

DH and I split the cheese plate from the cheese booth. It was very, very good. We also split the fondue, which was so runny and well-weak tasting. There was a slight taste of wine in there, but (IMO) when you are eating a good fondue, the cheese should kind of be in competition with the Wine and the Kirsch should definitely be present. So it was pretty blah for my taste.

I had the Mussels from Belgium. The were nice, mild, fresh and cooked perfectly...not chewy or dry.

We split the Bunny Chow from the South Africa booth. This had literally no seasoning what-so-ever. Too bad, because the vegetables were cooked well, not mushy and not too crisp, and the little bread bowl they served it is was a good idea...unfortunately it didn't translate into something that tasted like anything more than cardboard.

Sadly, that was the extent of our F&W experience.

We ate Nachos in Mexico and subbed beans for meat. They were good. This is something the three of us always get and split as soon as we arrive.

We shared the Veggie Platter in Morocco twice and loved it as much as the first time we had it last year. Everything is so fresh tasting, perfectly seasoned, and they happily sub out the olives (which I hate) for more of something else-I choose the lentils which are amazing!

OT, while we were enjoying our platter at a table outside, a woman sat down with (maybe) the Shwarma platter? Which ever one has Chicken. She was with her daughter who looked to be about eight or so. Her man was kind of lagging behind and ended up standing more in the courtyard. The woman was explaining to her daughter what everything was, and eventually turned to her man and asked him if he was going to join them at the table. "There's chicken here" she said. He refused to even sit and eat with the two of them. He quite obviously wasn't interested in even trying the food...which is fine. Why hadn't he picked something up in America or Germany on the way over and eaten that? Instead he pouted, and huffed and hurried them along, by refusing to sit with them and shooting them looks of disgust. Wow.

We had an interesting experience when eating in France our last day too. More on that when I review our dinner there.

We also had the cheese plate in France with a couple of glasses of wine from the shop. My DH had a Bordeaux and I had a Chardonnay. There is just waaaay too much cheese on the cheese plate. We ate less than half and carried the rest back to the resort. I also had a glass of Champagne. It was outside, and I forgot the name, but I wasn't that impressed for the $12 or $14 price tag.

We didn't get to try the Griddled Cheese w/Pistachios from the Greek booth, but other than that there really was nothing else for us to eat.

While I am glad we experienced the Festival, I would not do it again unless we had mad money to spend on some of the tastings and meals they offer. It just wasn't worth it for us to brave those kinds of crowds to try two or three things.

So, there's my .02 on eating around the world!

 

[oceanrose]

Thanks for your reviews so far! I was interested to read the F&W review. Pretty much clinched me never going, the concerts always sound so fun but I eat a plant based diet and don't drink. So sounds like the rest of it would be a waste. Too bad, veggies are in reality so much more complex than meat, that dishes with them are fascinating.

 

[disneydreamkate]

Thanks for your reviews so far! I was interested to read the F&W review. Pretty much clinched me never going, the concerts always sound so fun but I eat a plant based diet and don't drink. So sounds like the rest of it would be a waste. Too bad, veggies are in reality so much more complex than meat, that dishes with them are fascinating.

Thanks for following. As I said, I knew that it would be a disappointment. I really wanted to see Howard Jones though, and I also wanted my youngest to experience MNSSHP...I have no idea why I let myself continue to be disappointed with the selection of food available to us since I knew it going in. Plus, the crowds were a pain. We have been very spoiled with our normal dates (Jan 30-Feb 5). It was awesome being able to let the little guy swim every day though. We too, it tons of produce!

 

[disneydreamkate]

Alright, I thought I had EP all out of the way with my last post, but I forgot one of my favorite places (and must eats) Sunshine Seasons!

We arrived in FW close to rope drop and followed pretty much the same exact plan of attack we always do...but added in Test Track! By the time we had finished with Soarin', Nemo, and TT, it was time for lunch. We headed to SS and I was excited to try the Vegetable Sandwich they have. Plus, it was our first day of our DP, so the desserts there were calling my name.

DH and I always order different meals so we can share. In the real world we never order two entrees. We usually split an appetizer, salad, and entree...so SS was no different.

Me: Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad - with Honey Sherry dressing. The beets were yellow and red and there was a very generous portion of them. There was also a generous portion of goat cheese...too much for my liking, but better too much than not enough! I swear this salad was better than the last time I had it. It was just so good, and fresh, and Mmmm. DH split this along with...

DH: Oak Grilled Vegetable Flatbread Sandwich - with a side $8.59. This was huge. We could have easily split half of a half. It was okay. There were olives (which I definitely don't care for) on it, eggplant, zucchini, and red peppers on it. I carefully inspected my half and picked all of the olives off. The zucchini still had a bit of a crunch...which was fine, but so did the eggplant-which was totally not fine. I just really do not like undercooked eggplant. Plus, it was cut pretty thick which made that worse. I was not a fan of the flatbread. It was dry and tasteless. Eh. My DH didn't seem to be a huge fan either, but I think he was very hungry so he didn't complain.

DS: Mac and Cheese, carrots, and chocolate milk. He ate some of it, but he really has to be in the mood for mac and cheese to eat it.

Dessert: DH and I split the Strawberry Shortcake and the Pumpkin Cheesecake. You know, the desserts at SS just never, ever disappoint! I was secretly happy that I hadn't much liked the flatbread. I ate more than half of each of the desserts. The were both SO GOOD. I usually don't ever order cheesecake because it is so rich. DH loves it though. This was so creamy and light and fluffy and I loved the graham cracker crust. The shortcake was equally delicious-moist, fresh, not too much whipped cream.

Overall rating: 8 out of 10. That darn flatbread.

We would most definitely eat here again. We just love it. We have eaten here on every one of our trips. So there you have it! Next up will be Boma now. Another must do every trip! Stick around to find out if it was as good as always.

 

[mamaboogie]

Really great reviews!

I can't believe your wait at Raglan Road! You expect to wait a little longer to be seated in a particular area - but not that long!

Glad you like Tangierine Cafe in Morrocco - it's one of my favourite counter service locations. That grumpy man doesn't know what he was missing by not sitting with his wife and daughter. Not the Disney spirit!

We also love Sunshine Seasons - I've had the roasted beet salad and really enjoyed it too.

Can't wait to read the rest of your reviews!

 

[disneydreamkate]

Really great reviews!

I can't believe your wait at Raglan Road! You expect to wait a little longer to be seated in a particular area - but not that long!

Glad you like Tangierine Cafe in Morrocco - it's one of my favourite counter service locations. That grumpy man doesn't know what he was missing by not sitting with his wife and daughter. Not the Disney spirit!

We also love Sunshine Seasons - I've had the roasted beet salad and really enjoyed it too.

Can't wait to read the rest of your reviews!

Hi mamaboogie!

I cannot believe we actually waited! In the real world, we would have left and found somewhere else to eat. I am not exactly sure what I was thinking...I had just heard so many great reviews about RR that I was insistent on staying the course.

Thanks for joining me.

 

[disneydreamkate]

Monday night we headed to Boma for dinner. I had gotten an early ADR and we ended up dropping our little guy off at Simba's Cubhouse because he requested it. We also thought it would be nice to relax and take our time through dinner instead of jumping up and down for three people instead of two.

Our service was prompt, friendly, and attentive. He was the only server our whole trip who offered to bring out the chef.

DH ordered an African beer...it escapes me what it was now. I ordered the white wine flight. I was a bit apprehensive to try the Riesling since I'm not too keen on sweet wines, but it wasn't too bad! I very much enjoyed the Chardonnay, which is what I usually drink.

DH and I both had: African Breads, Hummus, Mixed Field Greens w/ Mango Vinaigrette, Avocado, Grapefruit and Papaya Salad, Watermelon Rind Salad, Pap, Couscous Marrakesh, Chakalaka, and the Butternut Squash soup.

I have been to Boma a number of times and the Butternut Squash soup has never been in rotation the nights we dine there. Every server we have had has always offered to bring it out to us. Awesome for me because it is one of my favorites.

So, allow me to back track a bit. The chef came out and spoke to us too...I asked him about a tofu dish that had been on the buffet the last time we were there. He looked at me like he had no idea what I was talking about? He offered to make us a tofu dish and I said sure!

We very much enjoyed all the offerings on the buffet. For some reason I just love the pap and the chakalaka. It's so simple, and I could probably make it myself, but I'm scared I'll be disappointed.

The tofu dish...that was a different story. It was so heavy on sesame oil that DH and I couldn't eat more an a bite or two. I really tried to like it, but everything was completely overpowered by the sesame oil. Oh well, my fault for requesting something special. I won't do that again. (Or will I? )

We somehow managed to eat desserts. I tried them all except the Zebra Domes. I'm just not very fond of them for some reason.

Service: 10/10. Really very good. As stated before...attentive, prompt, friendly...

Food: 7/10. The tofu dish really dragged down this rating. If I don't factor that dish in the meal would rate higher. Plus, I don;t really care for the desserts at this buffet.

Overall: 8.5/10. I love the ambiance at this restaurant. Our service has been consistently good, our wait time to be seated is never long, and the food has always been more than a cut above any other buffets on property that we have tried. This is one of my favorite resorts, which also gives this restaurant an edge.

OT: On our way out, there was a woman relaxing in the lobby with her shoes off. She was laying on one of the couches, with a pillow behind her head, and one under her bare feet. Ick. Call me crazy, but why would you put your bare feet on a pillow in a hotel lobby? It was so strange. We saw a few of these scenes...all at the Deluxe hotels?! No flames, please, but I wouldn't want my back against a pillow some stranger had there stinky, sweaty, dirty feet all over.

 

[disneydreamkate]

This was our first of two signatures we tried this trip. This was also our first meal ever at the Contemporary.

We arrived early for our 5:30 ADR so that we could walk around and check out the resort. We meandered through the gift shops and DS decided he wanted a stroller. Now...I had wanted to bring a stroller for him "just in case" but DH thought he would be fine to walk. So, we went back and forth about the purchase of one and I made an executive decision. DH admitted 8 hours into owning it that it was a great idea. We aslso bought him a set with Indiana Jones and three other figures. He had seen the Stunt Show the day before at DHS was enamored with it. Those little guys were a God-send during dinner!

We checked in at the podium on the fourth (?) floor. There was a couple on the couch kind of behind us. The man had his head back and was snoring rather loudly while his wife slept had her head in his lap, shoes off, and feet up on the couch...shades of Boma!

We were taken upstairs to the restaurant and waited in the lounge to get our seat for dinner. What a great view! We had some wine and relaxed and enjoyed looking at the MK, GF, POLY, the Ferry on the water....it was lovely.

We were seated rather quickly-I don't think I even finished my glass of wine. So, our table was like-four feet from our spot in the lounge. I didn't realize *that was the whole restaurant up there.

Our server, Steve, was awesome. Prompt, attentive, friendly, and very well versed in the California wines. He suggested a red to my husband based on his description of the type of wine he likes...and DH loved it. He called our DS by name, and was quick to tell us all of our options because of our dietary needs.

What we ate:
California Grill's Cheese Board (frequently changes) all 5 for $20

SeaHive - SeaHive is hand- rubbed with Beehive wildflower honey and sea salt. The honey is harvested from a local farm where the bees visit wildflowers and fruit orchards. The salt is from an ancient sea bed near Redmond, Utah and contains unique flecks of color. This artisanal gourmet cheese indeed bursts with flavor: sweet, floral notes of the honey, salt and the sharpness of the cheese; a real adventure in flavor.

Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert - Nancy's Hudson Valley Camembert is a pasteurized cow and sheep's milk cheese from Old Chatham Creamery in New York. This creamy, soft-ripened cheese is smooth and buttery with the texture of a triple-creme. It is sweet with a buttermilk depth and a little tang.

Truffle Tremor - Cypress Grove's Truffle Tremor is made from pasteurized cultured goat's milk and Tuber Aestivum Vittadini, otherwise known as a black truffle. This bloomy-rind cheese has an earthy flavor with a slight tanginess reminiscent of fresh cream. Cypress Grove's Truffle Tremor cheese is rich, lush, and velvety.

Petite Agour - Petit Agour is a pure unpasteurized sheep's milk cheese 'Pur Brebis' and a winner of two gold medals at the Paris Salon de L'Agriculture. The semi -firm paste is sharp, deep, and earthy with notes of butter and toasted nuts. The rind of the cheese is rubbed with spices to help protect the interior and to give the exterior a rusty hue.

Roaring Forties Blue - King Island Dairy Roaring Forties Blue is a full flavored Pasteurized blue with a sweet, slightly nutty character, a rich mouth feel and good aftertaste. The rindless cheese is matured in its wax coating, which cuts off the oxygen supply, promoting its sweet and fruity flavor. The wax also assists in retaining the blue's moisture, creating a smooth and creamy texture.

**The Cheese Plate was very, very good. We enjoyed each cheese and the accompaniments. We ate the whole thing. Delicious!

Chef's Garden Heirloom Tomatoes - baby mozzarella, tomato jam and micro basil* $13. This very very good. We shared this. DH liked it too.


Me: Handmade Fettuccine - sauteed wild and cultivated mushrooms, buttermilk ricotta, tiny basil * $31 Yum, Yum, Yum. Perfectly seasoned, and a nice portion. The fettuccine was cooked just right, and the mushrooms were flavorful and delicious. The buttermilk ricotta was a nice compliment, as it didn't overpower the flavor of the mushrooms or the pasta. DH enjoyed this too.

DH: Vegetarian Unplugged. Eh. Four compartments on the plate-each with salad in them and something different underneath each one. I dunno. He wasn't all that impressed and neither was I. It wasn't bad, per say. Just kind of boring. For the price, I definitely don't expect boring! I can't really even describe it, as it tasted like nothing more that mixed greens. They weren't even dressed. And then a few different vegetables under each one. I didn't want to completely pick apart the meal to figure it out and our server did not describe it. Sorry I am of no help where this dish is concerned.

DS: Whole wheat pizza with Provolone. He loved it and ate it all.


Desserts


I had the Bananas and Caramel - Crispy baked phyllo squares layered w/banana, caramel, mascarpone mousse, and caramelized banana $12. It was super amazing. I don't remember what DH had for dessert as I was so fixated on my own.

Service: 9/10. He was all that I mentioned above. I wish he would have talked a bit about what DH was getting when he brought out his plate. He went back to the table after we had left to find the toy my son left behind...interrupting the party's meal to find Indiana Jones who was left under the table! SO, TY so much to that party for helping get that back to my DS! We are so grateful

Food: 8/10. The food was superb, sans the Unplugged. Next time we will know better.

Overall: 9/10. Spectacular views, great service, good food...we will definitely be back. Probably for a romantic dinner on a night we can watch the fireworks. This meal was one of two real highlights on our trip!

Next up for review is Artist Point. We had never been to WL and were so looking forward to checking it out. I lived in the Pacific Northwest for a number of years, so I was very anxious to try dinner at AP and take in the resort.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Thanks you two! Nicki, I actually read a whole bunch of your reviews before we went. Where the heck do you find the time do live reports? I am impressed. I will definitely be reading your recent review!

Its not always an easy thing to do, trust me

We checked in at the podium on the fourth (?) floor. There was a couple on the couch kind of behind us. The man had his head back and was snoring rather loudly while his wife slept had her head in his lap, shoes off, and feet up on the couch...shades of Boma!

If this was the night before I would have said that was Todd and myself We were sitting there for 30 minutes before checking in and we were so tired we almost feel asleep!