Vittles A Go-Go: Hicks on Holiday - Update 2/14/09, pg 18 COMPLETE!

[DisneyMom5]

Man, you do not have a clunker in the whole bunch. Nothing but cute and cuter. Must take after their parents.

Thanks! We always say that God makes them cute so they survive childhood. LOL
We love them.

Isn't it interesting how much we will put up when the Dining is 'free'? If cold hard cash had been plunked down there would have been a riot. Ummm,wonder if that is why Disney is giving FD often?

True. But, of course, we really don't eat out much, so we think that all WDW food is pretty good.

I would rather have the gift certificate. If I had a dozen or so mouths to feed I would feel differently though.

We could eat a lot with $500, but definately as much as we do on free dining.

Do you guys go out to eat often at home? If so what restaurants have you found that everyone can agree on?

SG

Well...no, we don't eat out much. We occasionally get McDonald's or Burger King, but if we want food out of the house we usually go to the local Chinese Buffet, because they are pretty reasonably priced, and we can fill up.

But we are trying to NOT eat out, because it helps pay for Disney trips when we don't.

Which is also why Disney is such a treat for us.
They are nefarious with their Free Dining, because it has lured us into the good life and we don't want to give it up now.
I had never had filet mignon until I had free dining. I want more.


Later!

 

[DisneyMom5]

Electric Umbrella...Because that's where people go when it rains?

Sorry, no pics of the food at this one.
I think I was hungry, and didn't stop long enough to take some.


We ate at Electric Umbrella back on our first family trip in '04.

At the time, they had some variety,
and we had a great roast beef sandwich with some sort of fancy toppings,
and a turkey sandwich with a red pepper mayo.

Then, in '05, we made a quick trip in to use the restroom (ahem) and to avoid the deluge of a torrential thunderstom.
As did everyone else on that end of Epcot.
We didn't eat anything, as the only available seating was the hallway to the bathroom.

So, still going on the good memories from the first trip,
and trying to erase the memories of the second,
we decided to give it a try again.

How was it?

Meh.

Typical burgers, and not good ones at that.

We had ADRs for Rose and Crown later that day, so we decided to get a "light" lunch.

Apparently "light" for us was full blown double cheese burgers and fries.

That was mistake number one.

Mistake number two was getting everyone their own meals instead of sharing.

We rolled out of there,
and later regretted it when faced with some very yummy food options at Rose and Crown.
Sigh.

John and the Chef had dbl cheeseburgers. They liked them.

I and Mom had regular cheeseburgers. We were not impressed.

Disneygirl had a chicken sandwich. Also not impressed.

I'm not sure how we worked the credits to get Danger boy a salad,
but he had the tropical salad.
And he wasn't too impressed either.
There was fruit and coconut in it.

The rest of the kids had chicken tenders, which were a big hit.

Then we waddled back out into Epcot to bide our time until our Rose and Crown dinner.

If we had it to do all over again,
we would have eaten MUCH lighter, and shared.

Unless Electric Umbrella changes their menu to include something a bit more exciting, we will not be back.

Next up: Rose and Crown, Black and Tan, Bangers and Mash...and other phrases containing and...

 

[TPCShauna]

Great updates. I remember eating at Electric Umbrella back in 1992 and thinking the food was really good. I've been hearing that is so not the case anymore. I wonder what happened?

Cute pics of the kids!

 

[DisneyMom5]

Great updates. I remember eating at Electric Umbrella back in 1992 and thinking the food was really good. I've been hearing that is so not the case anymore. I wonder what happened?

Cute pics of the kids!

Thanks!

Yeah, I understand the need for some basic food choices at the Counter service places, but really!

Thanks for reading!

 

[BriarRosie]

Sarah, your group is so cute! I'm glad I finally dragged my butt over here. I'd like to put in an application to be Princess K's Fairy Godmother, mostly because she had the sense to wear an Aurora dress.

Heck, throw the rest of the kids in there, too. They are too cute to resist. John, on the other hand, well....I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley. I want to call him The Enforcer.

And I'd gladly throw down one of those big beers with Mom!

 

[DisneyMom5]

Sarah, your group is so cute! I'm glad I finally dragged my butt over here. I'd like to put in an application to be Princess K's Fairy Godmother, mostly because she had the sense to wear an Aurora dress.

Heck, throw the rest of the kids in there, too. They are too cute to resist. John, on the other hand, well....I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley. I want to call him The Enforcer.

And I'd gladly throw down one of those big beers with Mom!

Thanks!
I don't think you'd be disappointed with being Princess K's Fairy Godmother.
She is ALL sparkly-eyed enthusiasm about EVERYTHING.
[Wait till you see what she's getting for Christmas! Tee hee.]

They are too cute to resist. Thus, I have seven of them! LOL

He is a bit of an Enforcer. LOL
He is also a big mushy teddy bear.
All I have to do to get something is to have one of the little girls bat their little eyelashes.

I don't think I've ever seen my mom "throw down" anything.
She's too dainty. LOL
My kids are convinced she's a fairy,
because in the book Ella Enchanted they say that you can identify a fairy
by her small feet and the fact that everything she cooks tastes good.
That's mom.

I tried to talk he into going back with us, but so far no go.
Perhaps travelling with us is an acquired taste, not to be over done. LOL

Thanks for coming over and reading!
[I'm still marvelling over your Robert Irvine pic.
He's much more handsome in person than on tv, I guess.]

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

MOM, I just love folks who use words like 'nefarious'. The only thing memorable about the Electric Umbrella is the fact that you can get drink refills and can hide out from the rain. I prefer the turkey legs across the way. There used to be so much to love about DW food but it is getting downright boring now. Of course if it is a choice between eating DW food or cooking for 9+ people I would even opt for the McD Value Menu.

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

MOM, I just love folks who use words like 'nefarious'. The only thing memorable about the Electric Umbrella is the fact that you can get drink refills and can hide out from the rain. I prefer the turkey legs across the way. There used to be so much to love about DW food but it is getting downright boring now. Of course if it is a choice between eating DW food or cooking for 9+ people I would even opt for the McD Value Menu.
SG

Amen sister, Amen! LOL

How was your Thanksgiving?

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I am \curious as to what size turkey(s) you had for your Thanksgiving. My dad used to go out and shoot one for our holidays. We had 8 kids. lol

My Thanksgiving was stress free. My favorite bil invited us down there and I bought some things and did nary a lick of work. He would not even let me clean up. I keep telling him that I am not quite that fragile. Quite being the operative word.

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

I am \curious as to what size turkey(s) you had for your Thanksgiving. My dad used to go out and shoot one for our holidays. We had 8 kids. lol

My Thanksgiving was stress free. My favorite bil invited us down there and I bought some things and did nary a lick of work. He would not even let me clean up. I keep telling him that I am not quite that fragile. Quite being the operative word.

SG

My mom had a 22 lb one, and I'm not sure about my MIL,
but it was around 20 lb, I think.

Yup, you read it right, we had Thanksgiving twice. Not that I'm complaining.

I didn't have to cook a single thing.
Weirdly enough, I was asked to bring food, and then the request changed to "Can you just bring the groceries to make those dishes ahead of time?"
I told John that years ago that would have offended me.

Now, not so much.

Guess I'm getting laid back or lazy in my old age. LOL

I've got to get back to updating this and my trip report. You should be appearing in that one soon!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

I no longer do Thanksgiving since the year that my sil sat, complaining, at the dinner table about 'having' to come here for another Thanksgiving dinner. He has a large and close knit family and does have a lot of dinners to attend, poor baby, but only one for our side of the family. Just took the fun out of it. If I find that there are folks who have nowhere to go I do a dinner but they like it.

Not having to cook gave you time for more important things. Does your family all have lots of children? I am imagining the scene at the holidays and enjoying it.

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

I no longer do Thanksgiving since the year that my sil sat, complaining, at the dinner table about 'having' to come here for another Thanksgiving dinner. He has a large and close knit family and does have a lot of dinners to attend, poor baby, but only one for our side of the family. Just took the fun out of it. If I find that there are folks who have nowhere to go I do a dinner but they like it.

Not having to cook gave you time for more important things. Does your family all have lots of children? I am imagining the scene at the holidays and enjoying it.

SG

Nope. John's sister has two, a boy and a girl, my brother has two, a boy and a girl, and, up until November, my sister had two, a boy and a girl, but she just had another little girl.
My mom has 4 siblings, so I have many cousins. My dad has 3 siblings, but two have passed away.
We are the biggest family among any of our relatives.

Now in our homeschool group there are several with equal or more. That really helps us to feel at home! LOL

I'm contemplating a spring trip if they keep coming out with sweeter deals, but it would have to be equal to our free dining or better.

Hope you have a great week!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

If things go well on the 19th I am going to start looking for a good deal as well. I have someone who is interested in meeting me down there, okay, several folks. lol Might drive alone this trip and not share a room either. Would be an interesting variation. It would be great if you guys were there then too. Let's see what the fates will allow!

I think homeschooling groups are a fantastic idea. No one knows it all and sharing knowledge is such a fun thing to do. What is your area of expertise? I am guessing it would be word related.

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

If things go well on the 19th I am going to start looking for a good deal as well. I have someone who is interested in meeting me down there, okay, several folks. lol Might drive alone this trip and not share a room either. Would be an interesting variation. It would be great if you guys were there then too. Let's see what the fates will allow!

I think homeschooling groups are a fantastic idea. No one knows it all and sharing knowledge is such a fun thing to do. What is your area of expertise? I am guessing it would be word related.

SG

Well...for the most part we do social activities with some edutainment mixed in, BUT we do have a co-op 1 day a week for 10 weeks in fall and spring.

I did Hamlet, and Composition. Next term I'm doing Poetry.

Can you guess I'm an English major? LOL

RE: Spring - I just refigured for my SIL, and they'd have to offer free dining with the 4/3 deal for it to help her out. We'd be good with including dining in the 4/3 (pay for 4 days of dining, get three free.) She's only staying 6 nights, in one room, so it would cost her more.

I love Disney Fuzzy Math. LOL

 

[DisneyMom5]

Rose and Crown, Black and Tan, Bangers and Mash...and other phrases containing and...
Epcot
Sept. '07

First - let me just say, we LOVED this place. Loved it!

Second - we would have loved it even more
had we not still been FULL from our Electric Umbrella lunch.

Oh the sadness of being full of inferior food when superior food presents itself.


They didn't mention the allergies, and I didn't bring it up either, so no report on that.
I just tried to order them non-breaded options.

Our waitress was Sarah, with our waiter trainee being Andrew (from Scotland).
Andrew did most of the work, and did a GREAT job.
Sarah was outstanding also.
There was another waiter that helped deliver our food
who was really friendly and helpful,
and he played with Babycakes who was uncharacteristically flirty that day. Can't remember his name.

John ordered a Black and Tan, upon Andrew's recomendation,
and was thrilled with it.
He has had many since!

The man singing in the bar area was very entertaining,
and not too loud.

The interior (bar area)

Interior - doors

Interior details (and Mom)

Us goofing around

Me and Bitsy:

The girls and Mom

John and the Inquisitor (is he not John's Mini-me? LOL)

The Chef and Danger boy

The boys and Princess K

Babycakes entertaining herself (notice the tiny Babycakes in the spoon)

We first ordered appetizers, but I neglected to take pics of those.

Mom had a mushrooms over puff pastry,
which surprised me because it didn't seem like her kind of thing,
and she seemed to like it quite well.

I had the chicken leek tartlet.
Why?
I have no idea, except maybe I was feeling adventurous that day.
It was really good, but I think it has been removed from the menu.

John, and I think the rest, had potato leek soup.


Hands down the VERY best potato soup we had the entire trip!
You could taste the real cream in it. Mmmmm.....

I kind of wished I had ordered that,
but everyone had enough that I got several tastes.

Then we ordered our dinners:

Bitsy and The Inquisitor -

Kid's Shepherd's Pie, with an obnoxious amount of peas on the side

She didn't eat much of it, I think he did, but it seemed pretty good.

Danger Boy -

Kid's Bangers and Mash (sausage and mashed potatoes) w/ an amazing LACK of veggies on the side.

Also not very well eaten, but also ok. Sausages were a little spicy.

The other kids had Fish and Chips (though we are not sure now about what Princess K had.) Newsflash--they tell me Princess K had Bangers and Mash.
So Disney Girl and the Chef had Fish and Chips!

Harry Ramsden's Fish and Chips (Fish bigger than your HEAD!!!)

Please don't make me eat all that....

They hardly put a dent in the fish, but they liked it.

John, Mom, and I ordered the Fish and Steak -

Harry Ramsden's Fish and Steak, with mashed potatoes and green beans

I have had better steak, but the fish was delicious. Mom agreed with me. John loved it.

Then, against our better judgment, we ordered dessert.

The little kids all had vanilla ice cream.
The Chef was too full, and coming down with something, to have dessert.

John and Mom -
well...honestly, we can't remember what they had, and can't find the receipt.
But I think one of them had something chocolate, and the other had an apple thing. I don't remember either as being memorable.

DisneyGirl and I, having heard so many good things about the Sticky Toffee Pudding, decided to question the waiter:
Us - "We're too full for dessert."
Him - "Are you sure?"
Us - "Well...we have heard good things about the Pudding."
Him - "yes, it is really good. And very authentic."
Us- "Well, could we get it to go."
Him - "Sure."
Us - "But I bet it's better warm?"
Him - "yes, it really is."
Us - "Well, how about one for here, and one to go?"
Him - "Now THAT'S the right answer!!!"

Sticky Toffee Pudding.......Drooooooooooooool.......

It was soooooo good.
And it was even good at 11 pm that evening.

John LOVED this restaurant, and pronounced it one that he would return again, maybe TWICE!
That is high praise coming from him.

We really only regretted not being able to eat more.
We wasted a lot of food.

There seems to be not as many options here, but there are some different more adventurous foods that we just didn't choose.

If you just want basic good food, with a lovely atmosphere, and well-poured beers, this is the place!

So, the Hicks give Rose and Crown a very good review.
We WILL be back next trip.

Next up: Crystal Palace...Again...Because We Can....

 

[arieljasmine]

Finally I am catching up with your reviews - that's what a 12 week old baby will do to you!

Wow, that sticky toffee pudding looks good - that is one thing us English folks do well! Never eaten at the Rose and Crown, seems a bit of a waste for an English girl!

We like Pizza Planet too for an easy option. Agreed about Electric Umbrella - it used to be so good and is now just a sub standard version of every other burger joint.

Keep up the good work!

Laur's

 

[DisneyMom5]

Finally I am catching up with your reviews - that's what a 12 week old baby will do to you!

Wow, that sticky toffee pudding looks good - that is one thing us English folks do well! Never eaten at the Rose and Crown, seems a bit of a waste for an English girl!

We like Pizza Planet too for an easy option. Agreed about Electric Umbrella - it used to be so good and is now just a sub standard version of every other burger joint.

Keep up the good work!

Laur's

Thanks for checking in! How's that sweet baby! Growing like a weed, I am sure.

We're planning on going back to R & C. I'll probably just get the fish this time. But the sticky toffee pudding is well worth the visit!

 

[SlightlyGoofy]

arieljasmine, it is amazing just how much care a wee one requires and how much we are willing to give them. Congratulations on your baby!

MOM, I had read and read about the Sticky Toffee Pudding but it looked kind of nasty to me but I tried it last trip and it was fabulous!

BTW, my heart procedure went well and my heart is rebooted and doing nicely. For how long I do not know but I am hoping.

SG

 

[DisneyMom5]

arieljasmine, it is amazing just how much care a wee one requires and how much we are willing to give them. Congratulations on your baby!

MOM, I had read and read about the Sticky Toffee Pudding but it looked kind of nasty to me but I tried it last trip and it was fabulous!

BTW, my heart procedure went well and my heart is rebooted and doing nicely. For how long I do not know but I am hoping.

SG

Oh, Linda, I'm so glad you're ok. That's good news.

Hope you're back up to speed soon.

 

[DisneyMom5]

Merry Christmas Everybody!

Here is a little holiday cheer for you all!

(Sorry about the picture quality!)



Love, Mama Hick, Papa Hick, and all the Hicklings