Two parents, one tween, and SO much good food!

[bleeps]

Sigh. I had every good intention of doing these reviews sooner; we took our trip in November 2010 and, well, really -- I have no good excuse. I was just going to let it go by the wayside when my family nudged me to just go ahead and do it, so here we are!

We were in the World from 11/5 to 11/13 -- our 8th visit in 8 years. We were on the deluxe dining plan -- that's usually the way we roll. We get up early on that 180-day mark to get our ADRs booked, after having planned them out for months! We enjoy signature restaurants, so we usually have a number of "snack" breakfasts (that is, we use snack credits for coffee, tea, milk, bagels, yogurt, etc.) to round out our credits. We didn't buy any oop meals, and we brought back 17 snack-sized bags of pretzels because we had so many snack credits left to use up on our last day.

Other practical matters:

Dean is our 12-year-old son. He's a pretty adventurous eater; normally an avid carnivore, he was trying to eat a little less red meat on this trip.

Ken is my husband. He didn't grow up in a food family, but 22 years of marriage to me has converted him from a meat and potatoes guy to a man who opens a menu with an open mind and a spirit of adventure.

I have always loved great food, and am always eager to try new things. I love to cook, and I spent time in my youth as a waitress (so I appreciate the challenges of the job).

We are very easy going people; we go to WDW to have a great time and we are never disappointed. Oh sure, there can be setbacks or things that we wished worked out differently, but we don't go to find fault; we go to find fun. We'll share our impressions of our meals with you, but know in advance that we are *glass is half-full* kinds of people so we're generally quite happy with our experiences.

Here are the meals we'll be sharing with you:

Teppan Edo (dinner)
Mama Melrose's (lunch)
Epcot Food & Wine Festival
California Grill (dinner)
Yak 'n' Yeti (lunch, twice)
Artists' Point (dinner)
Kona Cafe (breakfast)
Shark's Reef (SeaWorld, lunch)

Brown Derby (dinner)
Jiko (dinner)
Sunshine Seasons (breakfast)
Coral Reef (lunch)
Le Cellier (dinner)
Kouzzina (breakfast)
The Wave (dinner)
San Angel (lunch)
Yachtsman's Steak House (dinner)
Min and Bill's Dockside Diner (lunch)
Crystal Palace (breakfast)
Beaches and Cream (lunch) (But we did not have ice cream, so this is hardly even a review....

 

[bleeps]

Teppan Edo

We always have a dinner at Teppan Edo; we love the Japan pavilion, we don't have a similar kind of restaurant in our area, and we all really enjoy the food. Our chef this time was a lot of fun and very into his performance (this does vary, and although the food is always good the personality of your chef does make a big difference in your overall experience).

We all started with miso soup, but I wasn't in the groove yet and forgot to take a picture! It's a lovely, simple broth with small diced tofu and a little seaweed; definitely give it a try (you can skip eating the seaweed, but as I always say, if you don't try everything then you may never discover your REAL favorite food!)

Dean went with the chicken; cooked beautifully, and great with the various dipping sauces they offer.

I had the filet mignon and it's my favorite here -- tender, juicy, delicious, and cooked to order.

Ken had the scallops and he, too, wasn't quite in the groove yet because he had the nerve to start eating before I took the picture....

And we all had the green tea pudding, which is very custard/flan like and utterly delicious.

I tried to keep track of the dollar value of our meals as we went along; the food total was about $107. Ken and I had sake; we learned here several years ago that the Japanese typically drink cold, not hot sake before a meal (at least that's what our CM told us!) and so we generally choose from the cold offerings. It's a bracing rice-based alcoholic beverage that we find very refreshing.

Value: A+ (Maybe because we don't have this style of hibachi restaurant in our area, I particularly value this offering. I think that all the little details of not only the meal itself but also the service AND the meal prepared right in front of you make this place a great value.)
Atmosphere: A+ (these are communal tables; a very lovely young couple from Britain sat next to us and we chatted a bit. The family at the end of the table was a *little* out of control [well, the kids were] but we've dealt with worse)
Service: A+ (In addition to the chef, there's one primary CM who waits on the table and she's usually assisted by a second person -- the service is as formal/traditional as it can be under the circumstances, and is very lovely. Please do give your CM the time and attention she deserves and feel comfortable returning her bows to you!)
Food: A (We've always found the meats/proteins to be of very high quality, and then perfectly cooked with terrific little sauces, tasty noodles and veg, perfectly cooked rice along side.)

 

[bleeps]

Mama Melrose's

This was a new restaurant for us this trip. I had been avoiding this place for years -- it had a lot of negative reviews, it seemed, and we have plenty of Italian food options in our area. But we got kind of burned out on Sci-Fi Drive In and 50's Prime Time so we gave this a try.

I am SO glad we did!

This was a surprise highlight for us. The atmosphere inside is lovely -- it's much more relaxing than I had imagined, and the food was very good.

Dean started with the Caesar salad, which is something he gravitates toward. He liked this one because the dressing wasn't too heavy and he likes when the parmesan is shredded finely like this.

Ken had the mixed greens salad with dried cherry vinaigrette, candied walnuts, gorgonzola cheese and pear. Given that he's not a walnut nor a gorgonzola fan I was surprised he ordered it, but he loves cherries and pears and declared this a winner. (I, too, was a winner given that I got a good portion of the walnuts and cheese delivered to my bread plate!)

Oh. Oh my. I am trying not a salivate AND not to cry -- my appetizer was the clams oreganatta and it doesn't appear to be on the current menu any more! Oak-fried clams, with Italian sausage -- so rich, so flavorful, SO delicious!

For his entree, Ken had the chicken pipette (wood grilled chicken, tossed with pasta, artichokes, roasted peppers and onions in a cream sauce). I thought for sure he'd get the chicken parmesan, but he really liked this dish.

Dean went with the goat-cheese filled ravioli; he loves cheese, and he really loves goat cheese, so these were a big hit.

I had the wood-grilled tuna which I ordered cooked exactly how it came out -- essentially cooked through and just barely pink in the middle. This was flavorful and very filling; I enjoyed it but had trouble finishing and barely put a dent in it (this is probably attributable to the fact that I practically licked the bowl clean on my clams and sausage appetizer...).

But no matter how full, who can say "no" to chocolate gelato? I can't, certainly. This is a dense ice cream that's got less butterfat than traditional ice cream -- not as much air in it so it's dense even though it's less fat. Dean was too full for dessert (a common event for him) but was gracious enough to let Ken and I enjoy without TOO many requests to get going....

Food ran about $98. (We all had iced tea -- almost always our beverage choice)

Value: A
Atmosphere: A
Service: A
Food: A+

 

[DefLepard]

That wood-grilled tuna looks yummy

love this review

 

[bleeps]

A quick word about the Food and Wine Festival:

We love to go to WDW in the fall; October and November are our favorite months. We've yet to make really good use, however, of the Food and Wine Festival. Dean's still really in it all for the attractions, although in another year or two he might be up for doing some of the festival events. We do find that on the deluxe dining plan we are getting MORE than enough food, so we don't really need to snack or make meals out of the festival offerings.

You hear a lot about how the festival impacts crowds at Epcot; we find that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights ARE pretty packed but that the booths during the day are pretty accessible.

We arrived on a Friday afternoon and did indulge a little:

No, I am NOT a two-fisted drinker -- I am holding Ken's champagne while he takes the picture! We LOVE the Moet Chandon Rose Champagne and wish it were a regular item at the champagne booth that's always in France. Dean's having a churro from Mexico...

...but first we all had the incredible maple-glazed salmon from Canada. Can you believe this goes for one snack credit? As I write this I am feeling the need to really plan a trip around the festival and to take advantage of all the amazing offerings.

If you've ever considered it, I highly recommend going during the Festival -- and it is an amazing way to use dining plan snack credits!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Love the reviews so far ... really fantastic pictures! I make our ADR's tomorrow for our August trip and we are eating at many of the same places.

I have also avoided Mama Melroses for years. We ate there in 2004 or 2005 and weren't super impressed but I usually give most restaurants at least two tries. This is the year I decided to give MM that 2nd try. Hoping we enjoy it as much as you did.

Looking forward to the rest!

 

[bleeps]

California Grill.

This was our first favorite signature restaurant, and we've had amazing meals here over the years. We've seen it change, with new chefs and some uneven quality in the wait staff. We've also seen some favorites on the menu remain, and we never get tired of arriving here just before sunset -- we think that's even more spectacular than the fireworks view (although that IS pretty awesome, too).

We skipped it last trip (didn't have great service the time before and the food was lovely but not spectacular) but found we missed the experience and so headed back.

The meal got off to a rocky start. We were seated quickly (never had a problem with being seated within a few minutes of our ADRs), and our waiter introduced himself and brought the bread basket. He then left us sitting for nearly 30 minutes. Um, hello? What's going on here?

When he FINALLY came over (after artfully avoiding eye contact, and just before we were ready to look for a manager) he explained that he'd been slammed at his station -- that he'd asked to have his next table (us) NOT seated right away. So, here's the thing: if he had SAID that to us up front, and asked if we were in a hurry or anything (which luckily we weren't), and had just gotten us our drinks, we would have been absolutely fine. If I'd been cooling my heels with bread AND a glass of wine, and had known what was going on, all would have been right in the world. We had a gorgeous table with a stunning view -- we would have been even happier under the circumstances if a glass of wine had come without charge or even been a generous pour....

But moving on.

The meal itself was truly wonderful.

Ken and I usually start with sushi here because it's just one of the very best places for fine sushi (beautifully prepared, unusual options) but I think we were a little put-off by the weird wait so I went with the calamari/salad. It was crispy, tender, and delicious -- I know it will sound funny when I say that there was just too much of it! I could have made a meal out of this and felt bad that the appetizer portion was so large since I knew I had to save room for my dinner.

Ken had this gorgeous fresh crab salad and loved it -- fresh, cold, tasty.

Dean loves sashimi and this was an appetizer option included in the dining plan. He loved that it was served on the big salt block, too.

Ken and Dean both had the pork tenderloin served over polenta which has been the signature dish here since forever. They both managed to clean their plates!

I had the veal chop, which was delicious. I don't cook veal at home and I rarely order it (given the cruelty factor in the production of veal); I was not disappointed and managed to get over my guilt about it. This was falling-off-the-bone tender, and the wine reduction sauce was rich, deep, and perfectly matched to the dish.

I didn't write down the description of this dessert, and since the menu here changes so frequently it's a good idea not to get too fixated on a particular thing -- but this combination of the marshmallow, Valrhona chocolate molten cake, and nut brittle was terrific; Ken and I split it and Dean was just too full to take another bite. (They always seem to have the Valrhona molten cake in one form or another.)

Value: B I think the food total was about $182; I think it's a good use of 2 dining credits but the concept of *value* starts to get a little warped when you're spending this much money on a meal (IMHO).
Atmosphere: A
Service: C
Food: A

 

[bleeps]

Yak 'n' Yeti

Since it opened, we've been going here for lunch, and it's not unusual for us to have two lunches here during the course of a vacation. We like Asian/fusion food, and we appreciate the attention to detail that went into the design of this restaurant. To keep it simple, I'm just going to put all our food from two separate lunches into this one review.

These are the Thai Chili Chicken Wings, with pickled cucumbers. YUM! We eat a fair amount of spicy foods, although Dean's fairly sensitive to heat and doesn't like anything TOO spicy. These were very nice, not too hot, and the pickled cucumbers were outrageously good.

This is probably their most talked-about appetizer, and it does NOT matter how you feel about green beans -- these are addicting! Crunchy, with none of the waxy texture that you can get with cooked green beans, and the dipping sauce is tremendous; zesty but not too spicy.

This is Ken's favorite -- the lettuce cups with minced chicken. You assemble your own little lettuce packages with some chicken, sprouts, sauce, and there's more than enough to have and to share.

And this is my go-to appetizer, the one I dream about. Cool, refreshing, SO tender and delicious! Seared ahi tuna with a wasabi sauce.

Dean usually goes with these pot stickers -- dumplings filled with pork and a tangy sauce for dipping. The wonton skins are a little thinner than the ones we usually get from restaurants in our area (which tend to be doughier); it's nice because it keeps these light.

I love fish, and this preparation of mahi mahi is absolutely one of my favorites. The crispy outer coating is crunchy but not too heavy, the fish is cooked perfectly, and the jasmine rice and vegetables are just the right textures and flavors for accompaniments. The red sauce is spicy but, again, not overly so.

I'm laughing now because even though Dean said he was cutting down on red meat this trip (and he did, to a degree), it does seem as though he had quite a bit of beef! This is the stir-fry beef and broccoli, and it's one of the rare preparations where Dean actually eats some of the broccoli along with the beef. The meat is tender and the brown sauce is lovely.

Ken always gets the miso salmon at least once. I cook salmon pretty often at home, but this miso glaze along with the stir-fry of vegetables (bok choy and mushrooms) isn't something I've ever been able to quite re-create. Again, the fish was cooked perfectly.

This is the maple-tamarind chicken; Ken had it and enjoyed it thoroughly. Very generous portion, chicken moist and flavorful.

Chocolate cake with raspberry sauce -- a nice moist cake, killer frosting, and light on the raspberry (to Dean's great relief).

Being too full to eat another bite never seems to stop me from going for the fried wontons with cream cheese, pineapple, and ice cream. I particularly like this because it's not something you encounter elsewhere. As delicious as it is, it's another example of a time when a smaller portion would be a good thing in my book (simply to avoid wasting food -- I could never finish this after a meal).

Ken loves the fresh fruit sorbets -- mango, lemon, and raspberry. He doesn't care for the mint or coconut toppings but those are easily scraped off!

Each lunch ran about $120.

Value: A
Atmosphere: A (we always get seated upstairs for some reason; this time we had a window seat once and that was really lovely)
Service: B
Food: A

 

[clothesmindedmom]

Fantastic reviews!! I'm so excited to try Cali Grill when we go in August I look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip!

 

[hannahdrewmom]

Mama Melrose looks so good... it didn't make the cut for us and now I'm second guessing it! Keep going! I can't wait to hear more!

 

[bleeps]

Artists' Point

Before I begin, I'm going to say a few things about our family and the dining plan.

The first time we tried the dining plan (on our third trip, I believe), I was all crazy-nutty about how we were going to ring the most value out of it. I did up spreadsheets, priced out meals (thank you, allearsnet for those menus!), and generally made myself crazy.

We've gone with the dining plan option ever since, and once they split it and created the deluxe plan we've gone that route. I don't worry about how much each meal will cost anymore; I know we get good use out of the plan.

But the real reasons we keep going with it are:
1. For us, it's great to have the trip pretty much all paid for in advance. It's one less thing to worry about while we're on vacation.
2. It allows me to relax and order what I really want. I have a tendency when we eat out to chose the less expensive of the options I'm considering, or to pass on an appetizer, and I rarely if ever get a dessert normally. It is incredibly freeing to look at a menu and pick the things that I most want to eat and not worry over the prices. I realize it's a bit wasteful (with so many three course meals, and so rarely cleaning plates), but it's certainly a special part of the treat of a WDW vacation.
3. But we don't necessarily order the most expensive items. Again, the first time around I was a little weird about that whole value thing. Now, it's just about what looks good and I do believe that the plan still makes sense financially.

Bottom line is a WDW vacation can feel like you're in a runaway taxi cab -- the meter just keeps running! Taking that feeling away is incredibly relaxing for us, and for me in particular.

Anyway, on to Artists' Point!

One of the interesting things about this restaurant to me is that where you get seated in the room has a huge impact on how you feel about the place. First of all, the promotional photos always show people seated at a table next to the huge windows with the waterfall feature from the Wilderness Lodge pool right outside. BUT, if you're here for dinner, it's likely to be dark out (at least when we usually visit in the fall). There are some tables that really give you a sense of the grandeur of the room, and others that make you feel as though you're eating in a pretty run-of-the-mill establishment. It's not a reason NOT to go, but it's something to keep in mind when you read reviews because it can have a big impact.

We had a lovely table and a delightful CM. She was knowledgeable and friendly without being overbearing. (Quickly -- there is a CM who has been there a long time; he's a good person but is just over-the-top chatty and kind of in your face with his opinions, suggestions, ideas. Not our cup of tea and we were relieved not to have him this trip.)

Dean started with a cheese platter (the guy loves cheese!). He especially enjoyed the section of honeycomb that was served alongside one of the cheeses.

I asked our CM for her suggestion and she said the mussels were outstanding -- no lie! Garlicky but not too overpowering, and beautifully cooked.

Ken had the fresh tomato stack salad with fresh mozzarella. The yellow tomatoes were amazing! The CM said it was going to be the last night of the season for the dish (or close to it, at least) because the tomato season was over; these were at their peak.

Dean went with the buffalo! The CM asked him how he wanted it cooked and he looked at me; I suggested he ask her how the chef recommends it (always a good tip if you're offered a choice that you're not sure about making!). It was quite rare, as you can see, and just so meltingly tender! Dean talks about this meal pretty often and was thrilled with his choice.

Ken and I both had the signature cedar-planked salmon. It's roasted on the cedar and that really does impart a lovely flavor. Four thumbs up!

I went with the coffee trio for dessert; coffee ice cream, coffee mousse, and a little coffee cake. Dean skipped ordering a dessert but helped me with the ice cream. I love these kinds of desserts that give you a few different little bites of things to try.

Doesn't this look pretty? It's Ken's berry cobbler and it was...awful. The fruit on top was terrific, but the cobbler part underneath was completely dry and overcooked. Well, can't win them all I guess!

This came in at about $186. Ken and I both had the wine that was recommended with the salmon (I didn't write it down, unfortunately); if you enjoy wine, the list here is great (all Pacific Northwest vineyards) and we've always found the CMs to be knowledgeable about the offerings.

You know, if you like wine but don't know a lot about it, WDW is a great place to put your faith in your CM. You can be very upfront about what you do and don't like, and about how much you do or don't want to spend, and they will really set you up. At the signature restaurants they will also happily give you a taste and then bring something else if you don't care for what they've suggested.

Value: Again, when food costs this much it starts to get a little hazy for me in the value department, but I go with my feeling that this is a solid use of 2 dining credits!
Atmosphere: B We liked our table, but as I said it can vary at this place.
Service: A+
Food: A (with the exception of the cobbler...)

 

[bleeps]

Love the reviews so far ... really fantastic pictures! I make our ADR's tomorrow for our August trip and we are eating at many of the same places.

I have also avoided Mama Melroses for years. We ate there in 2004 or 2005 and weren't super impressed but I usually give most restaurants at least two tries. This is the year I decided to give MM that 2nd try. Hoping we enjoy it as much as you did.

Looking forward to the rest!

I hope you love Mama Melrose's, too -- I'd go back there again in a heartbeat! I think that with the staff turnover, the menu changes, and the way an experience can vary on any given day, it's always worth trying and re-trying places. Tony's was off our list for a long time but we re-tried it on our prior trip and really enjoyed it.

Have a great time in August!!

 

[bleeps]

Fantastic reviews!! I'm so excited to try Cali Grill when we go in August I look forward to hearing about the rest of your trip!

Thanks, and I'm glad you're going to Cali Grill -- it really is a lovely place!

 

[momtwoboys]

loving your reviews!! We are excited to try Yak N Yeti this trip and I'll have to show my DS 12 the pics of the food. I noticed you are 1 hour from Boston...we are about 1 hour 10 minutes west of Boston can't wait to read more reviews! Its helping pass the time before our April trip

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

I hope you love Mama Melrose's, too -- I'd go back there again in a heartbeat! I think that with the staff turnover, the menu changes, and the way an experience can vary on any given day, it's always worth trying and re-trying places. Tony's was off our list for a long time but we re-tried it on our prior trip and really enjoyed it.

Have a great time in August!!

Funny, we are giving Tony's a try again this trip as well. Loved the AP review ... it was our favorite meal last trip and the one we are most looking forward to in August. We want to try new restaurants this trip but AP is a must! Great to see the pics of your meal!

And we feel the same way about the DxDP. No other way to go to WDW for us. We love good food and I love the idea of it basically being pre-paid!

 

[bleeps]

Kona Cafe

We've come here for breakfast each and every trip. We stayed at the Beach Club this trip -- we usually go Yacht Club but they were booked for the particular rate that I had but we enjoyed the BC just as much. We've stayed at the Poly, Contemp, and Wilderness Lodge. We don't mind the hassle of getting to the Poly for breakfast, although I generally don't do a lot of out-of-our way dining.

I started with the press pot of Kona coffee -- even though Ken's not a coffee drinker and this serves 2, the beauty is that on the deluxe dining plan you get 2 beverages with breakfast so this counted as my 2! You can also ask for a to-go cup if you've got some left at the end of your meal.... (When, oh when will WDW wake up to the coffee culture in America and start offering better coffee everywhere on the property and in the parks? Sure there are a few outposts where you can find the good stuff, like here at Kona, but it shouldn't be such a challenge!)

It's probably a good thing that we only go here once a year, because I'd probably burn out on eating this too often. It's the Samoan -- poached egg with hollandaise sauce over smoked pork hash. I like it very, very much. Overall we feel that WDW restaurants are getting too standardized; you find the same stuff over and over again. I really treasure the places that have their specialty items, especially when they taste this good.

Ken and Dean both went with the french toast. They enjoyed it, but we were all kind of taken aback at how quickly the food arrived after ordering. My Samoan was hot, but the two orders of french toast were a little cool and there's just no way these were cooked after they were ordered....

We talked about perhaps giving the Kona a break for our next trip, whenever that may be. I'm not sure if we'll hold to that, but it was strange to be served food that so clearly was prepared ahead of time. We were seated at opening time -- our ADR was for 7:30 -- so maybe if we'd been a little later we wouldn't have encountered the issue.

Cost was about $38

Value: C -- I know this isn't the best use of a dining plan credit (for breakfast) but we didn't mind.
Atmosphere: B- I do like this place, but this time we were seated in the row of tables that lines the path where you walk into the restaurant and it did feel a little like eating in a train station. If we come back, I'd ask to sit elsewhere if they wanted to seat us here again.
Service: B
Food: B+/C- Samoan, good; cold french toast, bad. But I have a feeling we'll be back just the same....

 

[rlduvall]

WOW - Here I am sitting in front of the computer on a lovely Saturday night with my family in the other room missing me . . . but I am enjoying your reviews so so much. Thanks for going to all this effort for us grateful dis'ers. Your descriptions and photos are outstanding. I AM LOVING IT!!!

 

[bleeps]

loving your reviews!! We are excited to try Yak N Yeti this trip and I'll have to show my DS 12 the pics of the food. I noticed you are 1 hour from Boston...we are about 1 hour 10 minutes west of Boston can't wait to read more reviews! Its helping pass the time before our April trip

Are you taking advantage of the April vacation week? I hope you have a great time; anything to get away from the mountains of dirty snow (although I suppose that's better than more fresh snow!). I hope you and your family love Yak 'n' Yeti as much as we do!!

 

[bleeps]

WOW - Here I am sitting in front of the computer on a lovely Saturday night with my family in the other room missing me . . . but I am enjoying your reviews so so much. Thanks for going to all this effort for us grateful dis'ers. Your descriptions and photos are outstanding. I AM LOVING IT!!!

Thank you SO much -- it's comments like yours that make it worth the effort!

 

[momto2inKC]

Enjoying your reviews!