Fantasia Sam
I've been here so much longer!
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2000
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It's long but I hope you enjoy it 
This is a full foody report of our land based part of our vacation. We went on the Wonder for 4-nights towards the end of our holiday but that will be covered in a separate report.
Now I should add here that Paul (my DBF) and I love to eat and therefore I spend months planning our vacation around where exactly were going to eat. This is so hard to do as there are always favourite restaurants that we want to go back to but we also want to try new ones ::sigh::. The other thing with us is that we have no qualms about eating 3 times a day whatever the size of the meal !!!
WHERE WE ATE:
Breakfasts
Cape May Café
Spoodles
Crystal Palace
Donalds Breakfastaurus
Lunch
Tonys Town Square
Beaches and Cream
Chefs De France
Liberty Inn
Tangierine Café
Margaritaville - Universal
Pecos Bills
Ghiradellis
Dinner
Beaches and Cream
Ohana
California Grill
Fultons
Liberty Tree Tavern
Cape May Café Clam Bake
Hollywood Brown Derby
Spoodles
Flying Fish
Concourse Steakhouse
Arrival Day Thursday 8th May
Paul had managed to accumulate a lot of miles so we decided to fly out on British Airways Club Class. We started the flight off with Champagne aperitifs, I had a Kir Royale and Paul just stuck to the Champagne. We both had the Prawn and Crab cocktail to start and then Paul had the Grilled fillet of beef (look for the beef trend this sets for Paul) with tarragon butter, wilted spinach, sautéed mushrooms ( I got these as hes not so keen on mushrooms) and potatoes fondants. I had the four cheese ravioli with pesto cream sauce, wilted baby spinach and Buffalo Mozzarella cheese I felt like something different and it was wonderful Im a sucker with anything that has Pesto in it. I finished with Cheese and Port and Paul went for the Summer pudding with Mascarpone cream. This set us up just right for the holiday.
We were pretty tired by the time we arrived at the resort after our long flight so decided not to head into a park and that way we wouldnt have to buy Pauls Annual Pass until the next day, so we figured wed stop by Beaches and Cream as it was only next door. It was about 7.30pm and it was pretty busy but we managed to get a couple of seats at the counter. We ordered 2 cokes and set about trying to decide what to eat. We both had a burger each with fries and a side of Onion rings between us. The onion rings are great here, as you can take a bite of one without all the onion coming out at once. Burgers were nice and theyre pretty good but still not as good as Pecos Bills in our opinion.
Friday 9th May
We went across to the RipTide in the Beach Club Lobby to get a snack breakfast. A snack breakfast usually includes for Paul; a Blueberry Muffing, OJ and Coffee; and for myself; Chocolate milk and a Danish. At the RipTide you can get your coffee mugs refilled at breakfast and they have a selection of fresh muffins, Danish and bagels. There are toasters available to toast those bagels should you so desire. Fresh milks of different varieties and OJ is also available and possibly cereal if my memory serves me correctly.
For lunch we headed to the MK specifically for our PS at Tonys Town Square. This was a new restaurant for us. When we arrived we were asked to take a seat and wait to be called. Well I have to say that the girl that called us could hardly muster any motivation at all. She was so quietly spoken even when she was shouting her attentione attentione We hoped that she was covering for someone who was sick. Anyway we were taken to our table which was in the main dining room area you can ask to sit in the conservatory area if you wish. Sodas were ordered straight away and then we decided on what to eat. Once we ordered some fresh focacia bread was placed on the table with cold Marinara dipping sauce. This sauce was one of the best Ive ever tasted, I think it had parmesan cheese in it as well. Paul ordered the Panini con Pollo (grilled chicken, smoked bacon and cheese served in focacia bread) and I ordered Tonys Pizza (smoked chicken, caramelized onions, fontina, spinach and red pepper sauce) we shared both and they were really nice. They were good portions so what with the complimentary bread we were quite thankful that we hadnt ordered the Calamari to start
Aloha cousins, dinner was another first for us as we headed to the Polynesian and Ohana (means family and no-one gets left behind). Shocker!!.... we were not disappointed here. A family style all you can eat. Appetizers are brought to the table first on a lazy susan and consisted of stir fried veggies (nice), Salad with some zingy but sweet honey lime dressing, shrimp and veggie wontons, honey and coriander chicken wings (Paul wished hed left more room to finish these off) and stir-fried rice. Then your server comes along with massive long (3ft) skewers of grilled tiger shrimp, sirloin steak, mesquite seasoned turkey breast and some BBQ pork loin, which have been cooking on a massive fire-pit in the middle of the restaurant. To go with the meats were dipping sauces of Fruit, peanut and BBQ they were all good, I particularly liked the peanut with the turkey breast. Oh and the Banana Bread as well was yummy, fresh and warm. Although we were on our own and we had a lovely window seat there were lots of activities for the kids which were fun to watch. The meal is $23.99 per adult including your sodas and we topped it off with a Coconut Snowball to share($4.99 coconut ice cream rolled in toasted coconut) and what with the fresh complimentary pineapple they bring with hot towels this rounded off the meal perfectly.
Tradewinds Cocktail at 'Ohana - nice start to the meal
The firepit where all the meat is cooked
3ft skewers I kid you not !!
Saturday 10th May
Started off the day with our favourite buffet breakfast Cape May Café at the Beach Club. We love the breakfast foods on offer here and it always looks and tastes so fresh. They also do the best caramelized banana blintzes (I know theyre on the kiddies counter but I cant resist). Having goofy, Chip & Dale and Minnie on show also makes it a great show as well. We ate here 3 times for breakfast over the course of our vacation because we just love it so.
Lunch was taken from around the World showcase at EPCOT. We first split a chicken tender meal at Liberty Inn in USA and then we split a Lamb sandwich at the Tangierine Café in Morocco. Both were great for fast food and the Lamb Sandwich made a pleasant change.
The fireworks were on at MK that evening and I had managed to get a PS at the California Grill. Our PS was for 7.45 and we arrived just about 7.15, I asked for a seat by the window and if they couldnt accommodate us then wed go into the Wine Room. We went and sat in the Lounge Bar area and ordered a couple of drinks whilst we waited. I went out onto one of the balconies and got some great shots of the MK, ferry boat and Grand Floridian. Just before 8.00 we were buzzed and were taken to our table which was by the window with the most magnificent view over the MK I couldnt believe how lucky we were. Raub (pronounced Rob) was our server and he was so courteous and attentive but not too attentive. He went through the menu with us tempting us with items that we werent really interested in but from his description we soon changed our minds. We decided to start with the Sushi Sampler Paul to try it for the first time and me to be a little more adventurous than my usual California Rolls. I left the cooked and California roll type sushi to Paul but he still wasnt that keen I loved mine and cant way to try more sushi. We then split a flatbread of BBQ Pork and Coleslaw which was different and very tasty. I was going to have the pork tenderloin or the filet minion but Raub had described the Mahi-Mahi so wonderfully I couldnt resist and it was the best entrée I had all vacation. It was pan-fried on a bed of grilled corn salad with roasted potatoes, smoked onions and pancetta. The Mahi-mahi was cooked perfectly and I didnt leave a morsel. Paul had the center cut beef filet which he said was very, very good and to cut into it was like cutting butter. Now of course we had dessert Trio of crème brulee for myself (butterscotch, vanilla & orange) and the Hazlenut-Chocolate crunch pyramid with hazelnut ice-cream for Paul, very sickly but incredibly moreish. The fireworks went off at 9.30 and it was the most wonderful thing being able to see them from our seats and not having to move. All in all it felt like such an occasion, California Grill has yet to disappoint me and I hope it never will
showing off our desserts at California Grill
Sunday 11th May
After all the feasting the the day before we settled for a snack breakfast and then headed out to Universal Studios for the day.
Lunch was taken at Margaritaville in CityWalk a Bacon Cheeseburger for Paul and Triple Decker Club Sandwich for me both served with fries and they were very good too. Would like to go back here and try some of the other things on the menu sometime but these days I get so caught up in WDW I forget theres life outside it.
We had decided on Fultons at Pleasure Island for dinner. It was Mothers Day and I thought it was a nice touch that every woman dining that night received a carnation. We sat in a very, very quiet bar whilst waiting for our table. Once upstairs it became a little more hustle and bustle. Hard decisions faced us again. I started with Shrimp in the Raw which consisted of over a dozen fresh jumbo shrimp I love to peel them myself. Paul went for the Fried Calamari and said it was the best hed ever tasted he swears he could taste the sea in them they were so fresh and plenty of them too, we could have split the Calamari in all reality but our eyes really are bigger than our bellies LOL. Well I splashed out on the entrée and went for the Cut Alaska King Claws so tender and sweet served with red skinned potatoes. Paul had the Ribeye with Jumbo Shrimp. How we managed to finish these Ill never know but needless to say no dessert for us. I never understand how this restaurant gets panned so much, this is the second time we have eaten here and we really enjoy just how simple they serve the seafood.
Monday 12th May
Breakfast was to be at AK at Donalds Restaurantosaurus. It was your typical Disney Breakfast Buffet but firstly the plates and mugs are plastic (I guess this has something to do with the animals) the buffet was OK it was different to have sausage patties but we felt that the main thing that let this meal down for us was the lack of refilling things. There was hardly any choice of donuts left when we went to get one. Not a lot of fruit and it all looked a bit sparse almost like if you hadnt got there first you didnt get the best of the food. Its a given that we wont be eating here again we felt that there were better character breakfast buffets in the World for the same price.
Believe it or not we didnt again that day until dinner, unusual for us. Dinner was at one of our favourite restaurants Liberty Tree Tavern. We think the family style meal here is good value and again we love the characters. We made a PS for as the park closes that way we get to have lots of interaction with the characters and we get to leave the park when no-one else is around. The meal starts with Declaration Salad of tossed mixed greens, served with the special strawberry vinaigrette dressing. Ive said it before and Ill say it again Paul and I think this is the best salad dressing in the whole real world. On the side are bread rolls served with honey butter mmm divine. This is followed by the Patriots Platter of turkey, beef and smoked pork Loin Chops, mashed potatoes (very good), market veggies, Herb bread stuffing and Macaroni Cheese with turkey gravy on the side. I think they must have thought we looked hungry because they served us a very big platter we couldnt even manage to split a dessert. Now this would have been a great meal on its own but the characters were in high spirits. I couldnt help but mention to Dale that he sure was looking a cutie and he lapped up the compliments and paid me some back. Then he went off and got a pen and wrote on the back of my menu love ya more than nuts. A little while later he came back and asked me (I dont remember how he did bearing in mind he cant talk) if I was single I said I was, this was all in front of Paul then he got down on one knee and proposed I told him I couldnt accept as I thought there were laws against that sort of stuff in Florida. I told him that I would love him all the same. At this point Paul decided to pretend to get angry and so they had an armwrestle over me Paul swears he let Dale win.
Afterwards Dale and I tangoed together.
It was a great evening and it ended up with all the characters getting together and posing for a CM so I managed to get a piccy of all of the characters together. A real hoot of a meal.
Now the food didnt end there that evening because by the time we got back to the Epcot Resorts we decided to stop in at Beaches and Cream for a sundae. Paul had a hot fudge sundae and I just had some chocolate ice cream with hot fudge sauce. We didnt really need them but we couldnt resist. I managed to get some coke on my white top and our server went and got me some seltzer and a clean white towel to help me get the stain out which worked a treat, so thanks again Darlene.
Tuesday 13th May
We just had a snack breakfast from the Ale and Compass Bar in the Yacht Club lobby.
Lunch was at Pecos Bills in Magic Kingdom. I decided to be a bit different and thought Id have a chicken wrap I wish Id had my usual burger. I was really disappointed with the wrap. I dont think there was anything wrong it, but it didnt have a lot of taste to me. Still my fries were great. The burgers here are really good as Paul very kindly confirmed for me. He had a Double Cheese and Bacon burger and then went and added onions from the fixings station. They have great fixings; lettuce, tomato, raw chopped onion, fried onions, fried mushrooms, pickles, and sauces.
As I hadnt enjoyed my lunch so much later in the afternoon we headed to Adventureland for Dole Whips from the Aloha Isle counter - we both had pineapple floats which were lovely and refreshing on such a hot day. But you dont have to have pineapple they do twists of pineapple and vanilla or you can have just vanilla.
Back to the Yacht & Beach club for dinner. We finally got to eat the Clam Bake Buffet at Cape May Café and we were not disappointed. Paul had done this buffet some time ago but Id never dined there before. Tony was our server and he was very nice. We decided to go through the buffet course by course. We started off with Soup, I had the clam chowder with lots of chewy clams and Paul had the tomato soup. A plate of salad next there was such variety. Then we moved onto our seafood course we shared plates of mussels, steamed clams and very fresh shrimp in the raw. We were a little disappointed with the clams as they were so gritty but the mussels were huge and tasted very good, and you so cant go wrong with shrimp. Then we moved onto the hot bar and had some succulent prime-rib, ribs, chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, snap peas and red skinned potatoes. Finally we managed to have some dessert but cant remember what they were but they were scummy. At $23.99 per adult you cant beat a 5-course meal like that
Wednesday 14th May Dont know how we didnt manage to roll all over the place after the amount we ate today
Breakfast and we found ourselves at the Yacht Galley restaurant. Now they do have a limited buffet style breakfast on offer here but wed decided to go a la carte. I knew Paul wouldnt be able to resist the Steak and Eggs (hes obsessed with having this at least once when were on vacation) I stuck to Two Eggs Your Way (over easy for me) with a side of bacon both dishes were served with breakfast potatoes. Paul said the steak was just right for breakfast just done well enough with no blood oozing out which he doesnt feel appropriate for breakfast but the steak was still tender.
Now youd think we wouldnt be interested in lunch but we couldnt help ourselves we found ourselves in Beaches and Cream yet again and this time split a burger and fries and I had a chocolate malt on the side. Burger was just as good as the other day and it made up for the chicken wrap thingy Id had at Pecos Bills the day before.
And if that wasnt enough we had booked a Fantasmic Dinner package at Hollywood Brown Derby for that night. Now I have eaten here a number of times and the last time I went I wasnt so impressed with the service. Paul had never eaten here so we thought wed give it a try. Now it nearly didnt start off so well, our server Bev (originally from the UK) disappointed me a little as our appetizers came out before wed even been served our drinks so I asked her to slow the meal down and she started to tell me in a very patronizing way that it was the American way, so I very politely (I promise) told her I was well aware of what the American way was as I had visited MANY times before but would still like to savour the food Im eating and to receive our appetizers before our drinks I thought was a little too rushed. What I couldnt believe was she almost started to argue with me and started talking about Fantasmic which was on at 9.00 and guests like to make sure they have a good seat so dont like to linger, well folks it was 6.20 when she was telling us this and if shed had her way we would have been out of there at 6.45 didnt seem a lot of point in that when we had reserved seating with the package. Having been a server myself when I was younger I would never even have entered into a debate with the customer but just said sorry Ill slow it down, she finally, after shed had her say, told us that she hadnt put the entrees through the computer yet anyway so the meal would be slowed down good grief why couldnt she have just said that in the first place !! Rant over and back to the food, Paul had the Potatoe Crusted Lump Crab Cakes and they were sooooo good, lots and lots of fresh crab meat. I had the soup but LOL I cant remember what soup it was it was creamy but thats all I can remember. We both had the Grilled Filet Mignon which was very good and Paul said it was just as good as the one hed eaten at Californian Grill. As dessert was included in the Package price of $36.99 each we went for it. I had the signature Grapefruit Cake which is so refreshing and moist and Paul had the White Chocolate Cheesecake served with Strawberry Soup, also very good.
Thursday 15th May
Breakfast at Crystal Palace in MK. Paul had never eaten here before for breakfast and compares everything to the Cape May Café and he thought that to date this ran a close second place to it. Normal breakfast buffet with the characters Tigger, piglet and Eeyore coming round to meet you with Pooh at the entrance. They have a great omelette station here where they make the omlettes in the shape of a Mickey head, cool. We had lots of interaction with the characters and it is a lovely venue to eat in.
We were supposed to go to Bomas for an early dinner but it was so hot that we could only be bothered to go across to Spoodles. Now we ate here last year and I saw that we were put with the same server from last year and when he came over to the table he looked at me in a really odd way and said that I looked really familiar to him, we told him that he was our server last year. He insisted on knowing our names so that hed know for next time, sweet. They served really nice Sangria in Spoodles but I managed to just stick to the one. We started with appetizers but you dont need them really, Spoodles serves up some really nice Mediterranean breads with hummus. Paul had the Sesame Caesar Salad and I had the Roasted Peppers with Mozzarella Cheese and Basil. Pauls was better than mine I felt that they served too many peppers and the dish got a bit boring after a few mouthfuls. Still the entrees were very good. Paul had a featured special with was a Veal Chop served on Goats Cheese Mashed Potatoes and roasted Mediterranean Vegetables, it must have been good as he kept mentioning it for the rest of our stay and since weve been back home. A young girl on one of the buses had recommended the Medallions of Filet Mignon to me so I couldnt resist. Well I couldnt believe the size of them, at home it would have been like ordering 2 filet steaks. The steaks were cooked to perfection and tasted so meaty and juicy but velvety at the same time, divine. No dessert for us
Friday 16th May
We couldnt resist we had to go back to Cape May Café for breakfast.
As we were spending the day at the Resort and Stormalong Bay it seemed only natural to go to Beaches and Cream again for lunch. This time I had a Caesar and fries but Paul had a burger again. Couldnt resist the Chocolate Malt again, I love these.
For dinner we back over to the Boardwalk. After drinks at the Belle Vue Lounge in the Boardwalk Inn we headed to the Flying Fish. Whilst perusing the menu I had one of their speciality Sparkling Bellini Cocktails. Appetizers followed the complimentary bread, Paul had the Peeky Toe Crab Cakes which were even better than the Hollywood Brown Derby. I had the Foie Blonde Pate on Croutons with baby greens, cornichons and sherry vinaigrette very delicate and smooth. Paul couldnt resist the sound of the Char Crusted New York Strip it was huge and he was determined to finish it as the guy on the next table couldnt and Paul wanted to show off to him .typical. I had the signature Potato Wrapped Red Snapper with creamy leek fondue and red wine reduction, Ive had this before but couldnt help but order it again and I wasnt disappointed. Id never dream of cooking this fish with red wine but it goes soooo well. Couldnt manage dessert but I did have a Tia Maria Coffee to round the meal off.
Saturday 17th May
Back to the Boardwalk and breakfast in Spoodles. However their menu had changed which was a bit of a disappointment, no bread pudding and no Italian Breakfast which Id loved the last time. Still we just went for 2 American Breakfasts and juice and coffee which did the trick.
For lunch we just went toGhiradellis and had a sundae each. Paul just has to have their World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae, two scoops of premium vanilla ice cream overflowing(and their not kidding) with their fresh home-made hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, chopped almonds and a cherry. I on the hand went for the healthy option of a Domingo . OK, OK its just the same as Pauls but served with a banana, well that is fruit!! LOL
We had gone to spend the night at the Radisson at Port Canaveral before our Wonder Cruise started the next day so we ate at the hotels restaurant that night. They had a Seafood buffet on and we couldnt resist. Snow Crab legs were a plenty, steamed and cold as well as lots of shrimp and some humongous mussels. There was prime rib, pork ribs, chicken curry, blackbeans and rice. A selection of salads and then sword-fish and mahi-mahi cooked to order with different seasonings. I had lemon cracked pepper on my mahi-mahi. A dessert bar to follow but we only ate a little from their as we were pretty full. It was a great buffet and Id recommend it to those that decide to stay here before cruising.
Then we went Cruising but that's whole other Report
Thursday 22nd May
We came back to WDW for just one more night. We had checked in early so decided to spend the day milling about at EPCOT. We chose to have lunch at Chefs De France as Nine Dragons no longer serve the Taste of China but more a scaled down set lunch for two, we were disappointed but went on to France. We shared a flat bread of pancetta and crème fraiche and then I had the Quiche and Paul the Croque Monsieur. I wished Id also had the Croque Monsieur it was delicious and I didnt like my Quiche that much, not that there was anything wrong with it, its just mine tastes better
For dinner we met up with our friends Bob, Katholyn and Joe and we went to the Concourse Steak House at the Contemporary. I had picked this restaurant mainly because Kath is on the Atkins Diet but it turned out that none of us had eaten there and as Kath and I are pretty talkative we thought with Chef Mickeys in the background we wouldnt disturb the tables next to us Joe and I started with the Baked 5 onions soup which came in a bowl just covered in melted cheese which you had to break open to get to the soup. It was deliciously rich and very moreish. Kath had the buffalo mozzarella and beefsteak tomato salad and I think Paul had a small Caesar. Bob stuck to the bread, wise man We then went on to steaks, Kath went for it with T-Bone but I remember she was a little disappointed that it was cooked more medium than she would have cared for, she liked it all the same. Bob and Paul both had the Kansas Strip steaks which were served with gigantic onion rings and Joe and I stuck with the filet mignons, a bit boring but cooked just right. All entrees were served with the house garlic mashed potatoes except Kaths she switched hers for asparagus. Our server Jimmy was good and we had an enjoyable meal. We never made dessert but I would go back to the restaurant but not really a place you could have a romantic meal for two in my opinion.
Friday 23rd May
Flying home that afternoon so it had to be done Cape May Café for breakfast, no we really cannot get enough of this place, even Cindy on the podium was beginning to recognize us.
We decided to grab a bite at the airport it was only supposed to be a snack at McCoys at the Hyatt but I got tempted by the sound of the Cuban Style Chowder, very good and not too spicy but a bit of a kick. I then ordered the BBQ Chicken Pizza Id had this before and remembered it being a LOT smaller than the one that was served to me on this day. I only managed 3 pieces of it. Paul was sensible and stuck to the usual Burger.
And if that wasnt enough we were served dinner on the plane after our champagne aperitifs. A Trio of Loch Fyne salmon, smoked salmon, gravlax and Bradan Rost with a dish of fresh seasonal saad served with vinaigrette. Followed by Herb crustes fillet of beef with potatoes dauphinoise. I finished with cheese and Paul had the Almond torte with fresh berries and Marscapone. BA really served some great food.
The Best of the Best at WDW
Favourite Breakfast Cape May Café
Favourite Appetizer Peeky-Toe Crab Cakes at Flying Fish (Paul)
Favourite Entrée The Mahi-Mahi at California Grill (Sam) ; The Filet at CG or the Veal Chop at Spoodles (Paul, he couldnt decide)
Favourite Desserts both the Crème Brulee and the Hazlenut Pyramid at CG were our favs
This is a full foody report of our land based part of our vacation. We went on the Wonder for 4-nights towards the end of our holiday but that will be covered in a separate report.
Now I should add here that Paul (my DBF) and I love to eat and therefore I spend months planning our vacation around where exactly were going to eat. This is so hard to do as there are always favourite restaurants that we want to go back to but we also want to try new ones ::sigh::. The other thing with us is that we have no qualms about eating 3 times a day whatever the size of the meal
!!!WHERE WE ATE:
Breakfasts
Cape May Café
Spoodles
Crystal Palace
Donalds Breakfastaurus
Lunch
Tonys Town Square
Beaches and Cream
Chefs De France
Liberty Inn
Tangierine Café
Margaritaville - Universal
Pecos Bills
Ghiradellis
Dinner
Beaches and Cream
Ohana
California Grill
Fultons
Liberty Tree Tavern
Cape May Café Clam Bake
Hollywood Brown Derby
Spoodles
Flying Fish
Concourse Steakhouse
Arrival Day Thursday 8th May
Paul had managed to accumulate a lot of miles so we decided to fly out on British Airways Club Class. We started the flight off with Champagne aperitifs, I had a Kir Royale and Paul just stuck to the Champagne. We both had the Prawn and Crab cocktail to start and then Paul had the Grilled fillet of beef (look for the beef trend this sets for Paul) with tarragon butter, wilted spinach, sautéed mushrooms ( I got these as hes not so keen on mushrooms) and potatoes fondants. I had the four cheese ravioli with pesto cream sauce, wilted baby spinach and Buffalo Mozzarella cheese I felt like something different and it was wonderful Im a sucker with anything that has Pesto in it. I finished with Cheese and Port and Paul went for the Summer pudding with Mascarpone cream. This set us up just right for the holiday.
We were pretty tired by the time we arrived at the resort after our long flight so decided not to head into a park and that way we wouldnt have to buy Pauls Annual Pass until the next day, so we figured wed stop by Beaches and Cream as it was only next door. It was about 7.30pm and it was pretty busy but we managed to get a couple of seats at the counter. We ordered 2 cokes and set about trying to decide what to eat. We both had a burger each with fries and a side of Onion rings between us. The onion rings are great here, as you can take a bite of one without all the onion coming out at once. Burgers were nice and theyre pretty good but still not as good as Pecos Bills in our opinion.
Friday 9th May
We went across to the RipTide in the Beach Club Lobby to get a snack breakfast. A snack breakfast usually includes for Paul; a Blueberry Muffing, OJ and Coffee; and for myself; Chocolate milk and a Danish. At the RipTide you can get your coffee mugs refilled at breakfast and they have a selection of fresh muffins, Danish and bagels. There are toasters available to toast those bagels should you so desire. Fresh milks of different varieties and OJ is also available and possibly cereal if my memory serves me correctly.
For lunch we headed to the MK specifically for our PS at Tonys Town Square. This was a new restaurant for us. When we arrived we were asked to take a seat and wait to be called. Well I have to say that the girl that called us could hardly muster any motivation at all. She was so quietly spoken even when she was shouting her attentione attentione We hoped that she was covering for someone who was sick. Anyway we were taken to our table which was in the main dining room area you can ask to sit in the conservatory area if you wish. Sodas were ordered straight away and then we decided on what to eat. Once we ordered some fresh focacia bread was placed on the table with cold Marinara dipping sauce. This sauce was one of the best Ive ever tasted, I think it had parmesan cheese in it as well. Paul ordered the Panini con Pollo (grilled chicken, smoked bacon and cheese served in focacia bread) and I ordered Tonys Pizza (smoked chicken, caramelized onions, fontina, spinach and red pepper sauce) we shared both and they were really nice. They were good portions so what with the complimentary bread we were quite thankful that we hadnt ordered the Calamari to start
Aloha cousins, dinner was another first for us as we headed to the Polynesian and Ohana (means family and no-one gets left behind). Shocker!!.... we were not disappointed here. A family style all you can eat. Appetizers are brought to the table first on a lazy susan and consisted of stir fried veggies (nice), Salad with some zingy but sweet honey lime dressing, shrimp and veggie wontons, honey and coriander chicken wings (Paul wished hed left more room to finish these off) and stir-fried rice. Then your server comes along with massive long (3ft) skewers of grilled tiger shrimp, sirloin steak, mesquite seasoned turkey breast and some BBQ pork loin, which have been cooking on a massive fire-pit in the middle of the restaurant. To go with the meats were dipping sauces of Fruit, peanut and BBQ they were all good, I particularly liked the peanut with the turkey breast. Oh and the Banana Bread as well was yummy, fresh and warm. Although we were on our own and we had a lovely window seat there were lots of activities for the kids which were fun to watch. The meal is $23.99 per adult including your sodas and we topped it off with a Coconut Snowball to share($4.99 coconut ice cream rolled in toasted coconut) and what with the fresh complimentary pineapple they bring with hot towels this rounded off the meal perfectly.
Tradewinds Cocktail at 'Ohana - nice start to the meal
The firepit where all the meat is cooked
3ft skewers I kid you not !!
Saturday 10th May
Started off the day with our favourite buffet breakfast Cape May Café at the Beach Club. We love the breakfast foods on offer here and it always looks and tastes so fresh. They also do the best caramelized banana blintzes (I know theyre on the kiddies counter but I cant resist). Having goofy, Chip & Dale and Minnie on show also makes it a great show as well. We ate here 3 times for breakfast over the course of our vacation because we just love it so.
Lunch was taken from around the World showcase at EPCOT. We first split a chicken tender meal at Liberty Inn in USA and then we split a Lamb sandwich at the Tangierine Café in Morocco. Both were great for fast food and the Lamb Sandwich made a pleasant change.
The fireworks were on at MK that evening and I had managed to get a PS at the California Grill. Our PS was for 7.45 and we arrived just about 7.15, I asked for a seat by the window and if they couldnt accommodate us then wed go into the Wine Room. We went and sat in the Lounge Bar area and ordered a couple of drinks whilst we waited. I went out onto one of the balconies and got some great shots of the MK, ferry boat and Grand Floridian. Just before 8.00 we were buzzed and were taken to our table which was by the window with the most magnificent view over the MK I couldnt believe how lucky we were. Raub (pronounced Rob) was our server and he was so courteous and attentive but not too attentive. He went through the menu with us tempting us with items that we werent really interested in but from his description we soon changed our minds. We decided to start with the Sushi Sampler Paul to try it for the first time and me to be a little more adventurous than my usual California Rolls. I left the cooked and California roll type sushi to Paul but he still wasnt that keen I loved mine and cant way to try more sushi. We then split a flatbread of BBQ Pork and Coleslaw which was different and very tasty. I was going to have the pork tenderloin or the filet minion but Raub had described the Mahi-Mahi so wonderfully I couldnt resist and it was the best entrée I had all vacation. It was pan-fried on a bed of grilled corn salad with roasted potatoes, smoked onions and pancetta. The Mahi-mahi was cooked perfectly and I didnt leave a morsel. Paul had the center cut beef filet which he said was very, very good and to cut into it was like cutting butter. Now of course we had dessert Trio of crème brulee for myself (butterscotch, vanilla & orange) and the Hazlenut-Chocolate crunch pyramid with hazelnut ice-cream for Paul, very sickly but incredibly moreish. The fireworks went off at 9.30 and it was the most wonderful thing being able to see them from our seats and not having to move. All in all it felt like such an occasion, California Grill has yet to disappoint me and I hope it never will
showing off our desserts at California Grill
Sunday 11th May
After all the feasting the the day before we settled for a snack breakfast and then headed out to Universal Studios for the day.
Lunch was taken at Margaritaville in CityWalk a Bacon Cheeseburger for Paul and Triple Decker Club Sandwich for me both served with fries and they were very good too. Would like to go back here and try some of the other things on the menu sometime but these days I get so caught up in WDW I forget theres life outside it.
We had decided on Fultons at Pleasure Island for dinner. It was Mothers Day and I thought it was a nice touch that every woman dining that night received a carnation. We sat in a very, very quiet bar whilst waiting for our table. Once upstairs it became a little more hustle and bustle. Hard decisions faced us again. I started with Shrimp in the Raw which consisted of over a dozen fresh jumbo shrimp I love to peel them myself. Paul went for the Fried Calamari and said it was the best hed ever tasted he swears he could taste the sea in them they were so fresh and plenty of them too, we could have split the Calamari in all reality but our eyes really are bigger than our bellies LOL. Well I splashed out on the entrée and went for the Cut Alaska King Claws so tender and sweet served with red skinned potatoes. Paul had the Ribeye with Jumbo Shrimp. How we managed to finish these Ill never know but needless to say no dessert for us. I never understand how this restaurant gets panned so much, this is the second time we have eaten here and we really enjoy just how simple they serve the seafood.
Monday 12th May
Breakfast was to be at AK at Donalds Restaurantosaurus. It was your typical Disney Breakfast Buffet but firstly the plates and mugs are plastic (I guess this has something to do with the animals) the buffet was OK it was different to have sausage patties but we felt that the main thing that let this meal down for us was the lack of refilling things. There was hardly any choice of donuts left when we went to get one. Not a lot of fruit and it all looked a bit sparse almost like if you hadnt got there first you didnt get the best of the food. Its a given that we wont be eating here again we felt that there were better character breakfast buffets in the World for the same price.
Believe it or not we didnt again that day until dinner, unusual for us. Dinner was at one of our favourite restaurants Liberty Tree Tavern. We think the family style meal here is good value and again we love the characters. We made a PS for as the park closes that way we get to have lots of interaction with the characters and we get to leave the park when no-one else is around. The meal starts with Declaration Salad of tossed mixed greens, served with the special strawberry vinaigrette dressing. Ive said it before and Ill say it again Paul and I think this is the best salad dressing in the whole real world. On the side are bread rolls served with honey butter mmm divine. This is followed by the Patriots Platter of turkey, beef and smoked pork Loin Chops, mashed potatoes (very good), market veggies, Herb bread stuffing and Macaroni Cheese with turkey gravy on the side. I think they must have thought we looked hungry because they served us a very big platter we couldnt even manage to split a dessert. Now this would have been a great meal on its own but the characters were in high spirits. I couldnt help but mention to Dale that he sure was looking a cutie and he lapped up the compliments and paid me some back. Then he went off and got a pen and wrote on the back of my menu love ya more than nuts. A little while later he came back and asked me (I dont remember how he did bearing in mind he cant talk) if I was single I said I was, this was all in front of Paul then he got down on one knee and proposed I told him I couldnt accept as I thought there were laws against that sort of stuff in Florida. I told him that I would love him all the same. At this point Paul decided to pretend to get angry and so they had an armwrestle over me Paul swears he let Dale win.
Afterwards Dale and I tangoed together.
It was a great evening and it ended up with all the characters getting together and posing for a CM so I managed to get a piccy of all of the characters together. A real hoot of a meal.
Now the food didnt end there that evening because by the time we got back to the Epcot Resorts we decided to stop in at Beaches and Cream for a sundae. Paul had a hot fudge sundae and I just had some chocolate ice cream with hot fudge sauce. We didnt really need them but we couldnt resist. I managed to get some coke on my white top and our server went and got me some seltzer and a clean white towel to help me get the stain out which worked a treat, so thanks again Darlene.
Tuesday 13th May
We just had a snack breakfast from the Ale and Compass Bar in the Yacht Club lobby.
Lunch was at Pecos Bills in Magic Kingdom. I decided to be a bit different and thought Id have a chicken wrap I wish Id had my usual burger. I was really disappointed with the wrap. I dont think there was anything wrong it, but it didnt have a lot of taste to me. Still my fries were great. The burgers here are really good as Paul very kindly confirmed for me. He had a Double Cheese and Bacon burger and then went and added onions from the fixings station. They have great fixings; lettuce, tomato, raw chopped onion, fried onions, fried mushrooms, pickles, and sauces.
As I hadnt enjoyed my lunch so much later in the afternoon we headed to Adventureland for Dole Whips from the Aloha Isle counter - we both had pineapple floats which were lovely and refreshing on such a hot day. But you dont have to have pineapple they do twists of pineapple and vanilla or you can have just vanilla.
Back to the Yacht & Beach club for dinner. We finally got to eat the Clam Bake Buffet at Cape May Café and we were not disappointed. Paul had done this buffet some time ago but Id never dined there before. Tony was our server and he was very nice. We decided to go through the buffet course by course. We started off with Soup, I had the clam chowder with lots of chewy clams and Paul had the tomato soup. A plate of salad next there was such variety. Then we moved onto our seafood course we shared plates of mussels, steamed clams and very fresh shrimp in the raw. We were a little disappointed with the clams as they were so gritty but the mussels were huge and tasted very good, and you so cant go wrong with shrimp. Then we moved onto the hot bar and had some succulent prime-rib, ribs, chicken, corn, mashed potatoes, snap peas and red skinned potatoes. Finally we managed to have some dessert but cant remember what they were but they were scummy. At $23.99 per adult you cant beat a 5-course meal like that
Wednesday 14th May Dont know how we didnt manage to roll all over the place after the amount we ate today
Breakfast and we found ourselves at the Yacht Galley restaurant. Now they do have a limited buffet style breakfast on offer here but wed decided to go a la carte. I knew Paul wouldnt be able to resist the Steak and Eggs (hes obsessed with having this at least once when were on vacation) I stuck to Two Eggs Your Way (over easy for me) with a side of bacon both dishes were served with breakfast potatoes. Paul said the steak was just right for breakfast just done well enough with no blood oozing out which he doesnt feel appropriate for breakfast but the steak was still tender.
Now youd think we wouldnt be interested in lunch but we couldnt help ourselves we found ourselves in Beaches and Cream yet again and this time split a burger and fries and I had a chocolate malt on the side. Burger was just as good as the other day and it made up for the chicken wrap thingy Id had at Pecos Bills the day before.
And if that wasnt enough we had booked a Fantasmic Dinner package at Hollywood Brown Derby for that night. Now I have eaten here a number of times and the last time I went I wasnt so impressed with the service. Paul had never eaten here so we thought wed give it a try. Now it nearly didnt start off so well, our server Bev (originally from the UK) disappointed me a little as our appetizers came out before wed even been served our drinks so I asked her to slow the meal down and she started to tell me in a very patronizing way that it was the American way, so I very politely (I promise) told her I was well aware of what the American way was as I had visited MANY times before but would still like to savour the food Im eating and to receive our appetizers before our drinks I thought was a little too rushed. What I couldnt believe was she almost started to argue with me and started talking about Fantasmic which was on at 9.00 and guests like to make sure they have a good seat so dont like to linger, well folks it was 6.20 when she was telling us this and if shed had her way we would have been out of there at 6.45 didnt seem a lot of point in that when we had reserved seating with the package. Having been a server myself when I was younger I would never even have entered into a debate with the customer but just said sorry Ill slow it down, she finally, after shed had her say, told us that she hadnt put the entrees through the computer yet anyway so the meal would be slowed down good grief why couldnt she have just said that in the first place !! Rant over and back to the food, Paul had the Potatoe Crusted Lump Crab Cakes and they were sooooo good, lots and lots of fresh crab meat. I had the soup but LOL I cant remember what soup it was it was creamy but thats all I can remember. We both had the Grilled Filet Mignon which was very good and Paul said it was just as good as the one hed eaten at Californian Grill. As dessert was included in the Package price of $36.99 each we went for it. I had the signature Grapefruit Cake which is so refreshing and moist and Paul had the White Chocolate Cheesecake served with Strawberry Soup, also very good.
Thursday 15th May
Breakfast at Crystal Palace in MK. Paul had never eaten here before for breakfast and compares everything to the Cape May Café and he thought that to date this ran a close second place to it. Normal breakfast buffet with the characters Tigger, piglet and Eeyore coming round to meet you with Pooh at the entrance. They have a great omelette station here where they make the omlettes in the shape of a Mickey head, cool. We had lots of interaction with the characters and it is a lovely venue to eat in.
We were supposed to go to Bomas for an early dinner but it was so hot that we could only be bothered to go across to Spoodles. Now we ate here last year and I saw that we were put with the same server from last year and when he came over to the table he looked at me in a really odd way and said that I looked really familiar to him, we told him that he was our server last year. He insisted on knowing our names so that hed know for next time, sweet. They served really nice Sangria in Spoodles but I managed to just stick to the one
. We started with appetizers but you dont need them really, Spoodles serves up some really nice Mediterranean breads with hummus. Paul had the Sesame Caesar Salad and I had the Roasted Peppers with Mozzarella Cheese and Basil. Pauls was better than mine I felt that they served too many peppers and the dish got a bit boring after a few mouthfuls. Still the entrees were very good. Paul had a featured special with was a Veal Chop served on Goats Cheese Mashed Potatoes and roasted Mediterranean Vegetables, it must have been good as he kept mentioning it for the rest of our stay and since weve been back home. A young girl on one of the buses had recommended the Medallions of Filet Mignon to me so I couldnt resist. Well I couldnt believe the size of them, at home it would have been like ordering 2 filet steaks. The steaks were cooked to perfection and tasted so meaty and juicy but velvety at the same time, divine. No dessert for us Friday 16th May
We couldnt resist we had to go back to Cape May Café for breakfast.
As we were spending the day at the Resort and Stormalong Bay it seemed only natural to go to Beaches and Cream again for lunch. This time I had a Caesar and fries but Paul had a burger again. Couldnt resist the Chocolate Malt again, I love these.
For dinner we back over to the Boardwalk. After drinks at the Belle Vue Lounge in the Boardwalk Inn we headed to the Flying Fish. Whilst perusing the menu I had one of their speciality Sparkling Bellini Cocktails. Appetizers followed the complimentary bread, Paul had the Peeky Toe Crab Cakes which were even better than the Hollywood Brown Derby. I had the Foie Blonde Pate on Croutons with baby greens, cornichons and sherry vinaigrette very delicate and smooth. Paul couldnt resist the sound of the Char Crusted New York Strip it was huge and he was determined to finish it as the guy on the next table couldnt and Paul wanted to show off to him .typical. I had the signature Potato Wrapped Red Snapper with creamy leek fondue and red wine reduction, Ive had this before but couldnt help but order it again and I wasnt disappointed. Id never dream of cooking this fish with red wine but it goes soooo well. Couldnt manage dessert but I did have a Tia Maria Coffee to round the meal off.
Saturday 17th May
Back to the Boardwalk and breakfast in Spoodles. However their menu had changed which was a bit of a disappointment, no bread pudding and no Italian Breakfast which Id loved the last time. Still we just went for 2 American Breakfasts and juice and coffee which did the trick.
For lunch we just went toGhiradellis and had a sundae each. Paul just has to have their World Famous Hot Fudge Sundae, two scoops of premium vanilla ice cream overflowing(and their not kidding) with their fresh home-made hot fudge sauce, whipped cream, chopped almonds and a cherry. I on the hand went for the healthy option of a Domingo . OK, OK its just the same as Pauls but served with a banana, well that is fruit!! LOL
We had gone to spend the night at the Radisson at Port Canaveral before our Wonder Cruise started the next day so we ate at the hotels restaurant that night. They had a Seafood buffet on and we couldnt resist. Snow Crab legs were a plenty, steamed and cold as well as lots of shrimp and some humongous mussels. There was prime rib, pork ribs, chicken curry, blackbeans and rice. A selection of salads and then sword-fish and mahi-mahi cooked to order with different seasonings. I had lemon cracked pepper on my mahi-mahi. A dessert bar to follow but we only ate a little from their as we were pretty full. It was a great buffet and Id recommend it to those that decide to stay here before cruising.
Then we went Cruising but that's whole other Report
Thursday 22nd May
We came back to WDW for just one more night. We had checked in early so decided to spend the day milling about at EPCOT. We chose to have lunch at Chefs De France as Nine Dragons no longer serve the Taste of China but more a scaled down set lunch for two, we were disappointed but went on to France. We shared a flat bread of pancetta and crème fraiche and then I had the Quiche and Paul the Croque Monsieur. I wished Id also had the Croque Monsieur it was delicious and I didnt like my Quiche that much, not that there was anything wrong with it, its just mine tastes better
For dinner we met up with our friends Bob, Katholyn and Joe and we went to the Concourse Steak House at the Contemporary. I had picked this restaurant mainly because Kath is on the Atkins Diet but it turned out that none of us had eaten there and as Kath and I are pretty talkative we thought with Chef Mickeys in the background we wouldnt disturb the tables next to us
Joe and I started with the Baked 5 onions soup which came in a bowl just covered in melted cheese which you had to break open to get to the soup. It was deliciously rich and very moreish. Kath had the buffalo mozzarella and beefsteak tomato salad and I think Paul had a small Caesar. Bob stuck to the bread, wise man We then went on to steaks, Kath went for it with T-Bone but I remember she was a little disappointed that it was cooked more medium than she would have cared for, she liked it all the same. Bob and Paul both had the Kansas Strip steaks which were served with gigantic onion rings and Joe and I stuck with the filet mignons, a bit boring but cooked just right. All entrees were served with the house garlic mashed potatoes except Kaths she switched hers for asparagus. Our server Jimmy was good and we had an enjoyable meal. We never made dessert but I would go back to the restaurant but not really a place you could have a romantic meal for two in my opinion.Friday 23rd May
Flying home that afternoon so it had to be done Cape May Café for breakfast, no we really cannot get enough of this place, even Cindy on the podium was beginning to recognize us.
We decided to grab a bite at the airport it was only supposed to be a snack at McCoys at the Hyatt but I got tempted by the sound of the Cuban Style Chowder, very good and not too spicy but a bit of a kick. I then ordered the BBQ Chicken Pizza Id had this before and remembered it being a LOT smaller than the one that was served to me on this day. I only managed 3 pieces of it. Paul was sensible and stuck to the usual Burger.
And if that wasnt enough we were served dinner on the plane after our champagne aperitifs. A Trio of Loch Fyne salmon, smoked salmon, gravlax and Bradan Rost with a dish of fresh seasonal saad served with vinaigrette. Followed by Herb crustes fillet of beef with potatoes dauphinoise. I finished with cheese and Paul had the Almond torte with fresh berries and Marscapone. BA really served some great food.
The Best of the Best at WDW
Favourite Breakfast Cape May Café
Favourite Appetizer Peeky-Toe Crab Cakes at Flying Fish (Paul)
Favourite Entrée The Mahi-Mahi at California Grill (Sam) ; The Filet at CG or the Veal Chop at Spoodles (Paul, he couldnt decide)
Favourite Desserts both the Crème Brulee and the Hazlenut Pyramid at CG were our favs
