What Do You Mean It's Time To Eat Again? A DxDDP Pictorial Upd. 11/1 Chefs de France!

[JasonsPrincess]

Subscribing Love your reviews and you have great pics !!

 

[Nicole721]

Day 5: The Big Kahuna's Take On Breakfast at Kona Cafe

Ahhhh finally this much anticipated day has arrived: sleep in day! We planned this day to resort-hop and rest and recharge for our last few days, but we upgraded our tickets so we slept in, recharged, and did a few go-rounds on Test Track (hey, it was only $6/pp to add two more days on our tickets!). But we did get to sleep in, especially since our ADR at Kona Cafe wasn't until 10:30!

We left the Grand Floridian at 9:45, not wanting to leave anything to chance, especially since the monorail was having problems our entire stay. We were at the Polynesian 20 minutes later and checked in early and we were immediately seated. It was almost EMPTY in the restaurant! I think it's probably because most people are in the parks by 10:00 am.

Kona Cafe is an interesting area. It's on the same floor as Ohana but is a fraction of the size. It's a really open area (it opens up to the second floor of the Great Ceremonial House) and it really has the ambiance of a small cafe instead of a traditional restaurant. Well, for breakfast, at least

Our server came over to take our orders rather quickly. She was a bit flighty- we had to explain to her that breakfast credits give us two drinks each. DM, DSis, and DGM all got orange juice. I assumed it was pulpy and just didn't bother.

Kona is another restaurant where you can order anything non-alcoholic to drink, so DGM also got a strawberry-banana smoothie that she really enjoyed.

I started with the Lilikoi juice (passion fruit, orange and guava blend), hoping it wouldn't be pulpy (it wasn't!) and it was pretty good. I thought it would be better than it actually was because it reminded me of this Orange-Pineapple juice DM used to give me when I was little with a little less sweetness. DSis split the Pressed Pot of Kona Coffee and it was phenomenal. Really. I'm a coffee fiend and kona coffee was the first coffee I ever had (it's still my preference) and this did not disappoint. It was really flavorful and it went down rather smoothly. It was more than enough for the both of us: she only wanted one cup but if I'm remembering right, I had three.

DGM had the Tonga Toast on my urging. She loves bananas, loves french toast, perfect match. She ordered hers with a side of sausage and those babies were HUGE. She really enjoyed it.

DM had the Fresh Fruit Plate (fresh seasonal fruit served in a pineapple with banana nut bread ) and thought it was very satisfying, but that the muffin wasn't the best she's ever had. She likes her breakfasts lighter anyways and this was perfect for her. I thought the presentation was beautiful.

DSis and I both tried to tackle the Big Kahuna (French toast, Macadamia-Pineapple pancakes, eggs, home fried potatoes, ham, bacon, and sausage). Being the picky eater I am, I ordered it with no ham (I've never been a fan) and with the butter and pineapple on the side. DSis followed suit. It was...definitely big. Lots of food. It was all very good. The bacon was crispy. The sausage was delicious (but way too heavy, as they're overstuffed). The pancakes were DELICIOUS. The macadamia nut butter really enhanced the pancakes. I tried it with a bit of the pineapple but I really didn't care for it (it was too...pulpy...for me). DSis really enjoyed the pancakes with the pineapple and just a little of the macadamia butter. The potatoes were a bit over seasoned for DSis's liking, but I love my carbs so they were good enough for me. I liked how they were a bit spicy. The only thing I didn't care for was the french toast. It was soggy, relatively flavorless, and average at best. But there was more than enough food to compensate for the french toast. Oh yeah, and there were eggs, too. Scrambled for us. They were fluffy and good, too. This might have been the biggest non-buffet breakfast I've ever had. I was certainly more than full until lunch came around.

So we headed for Epcot for a few hours to take in a few rides in Future World before our next culinary adventure.

Up next: Riding the Wave over to the Contemporary Resort for Lunch!

 

[tink too]

I'm late in joining your food-fest, but I'm really glad I found it! I'm really loving your reviews and pics.

BTW - you think you're picky - you haven't met me! I don't like pizza, will only eat plain pasta, and I don't like veggies or nuts.

Looking forward to hearing what you did with all those snack credits.

 

[ChelleinNC]

It all looked really good Did DGM order her Tonga Toast without the strawberry sauce or did the flighty waitress forget it? Personally, I don't think the sauce is necessary

 

[frdeb1999]

Loved your reviews and pix!

 

[Nicole721]

I'm late in joining your food-fest, but I'm really glad I found it! I'm really loving your reviews and pics.

BTW - you think you're picky - you haven't met me! I don't like pizza, will only eat plain pasta, and I don't like veggies or nuts.

Looking forward to hearing what you did with all those snack credits.

Oh, this review doesn't even touch the extent of my picky eating LOL. But I'm glad to know I'm not the only one out there

It all looked really good Did DGM order her Tonga Toast without the strawberry sauce or did the flighty waitress forget it? Personally, I don't think the sauce is necessary

She brought it on the side and I think DGM dipped a piece in it and then decided she liked it better without. It was interesting...I was expecting traditional strawberry sauce (almost opaque, chunky, bright red) and this almost looked like strawberry soup (creamy and pink).

Loved your reviews and pix!

Thanks!

The Wave will be up tonight or tomorrow

 

[mickeysgirl17]

Can't wait for the Wave.

 

[Pooh's-Honey-Pot]

Really enjoying your reviews!

 

[Nicole721]

Day 5: Riding the Wave over to the Contemporary Resort for Lunch!

It was hot, humid, and drizzling by the time we left Epcot, so we hopped on a crowded monorail. DGM really wasn't in the mood to eat again (since she was in a wheelchair and not exerting all the food energy by walking, all the eating was making her tired) and the weather wasn't doing her arthritis any favors, so we all took her back to the hotel for what was becoming an almost daily activity (her afternoon nap) and settled her in before heading to the Contemporary for lunch at The Wave.

We stayed at the Contemporary during our mini-trip in May and we were looking forward to heading back for a little bit. We did a bit of shopping and then I realized between DM and DGM skipping various meals (we paid for some of their meals at Gasparillas OOP because we thought they were a waste of a dining credit) we had extra credits! I don't care for Chef Mickey's, but DSis *loves* it there so she hightailed it over to see if they had an ADR for breakfast the next day (we were planning on skipping breakfast and sleeping in or using a snack credit). They weren't open. So DM called Disney Dining from her cell phone right there! The only ADR they had was for 7:20 am. Yikes! We took it, but it was going to take a lot of coffee for me to function THAT early...Disney or no Disney.

We found our way over to the Wave. It's a very contemporary look (which makes sense given it's in the Contemporary Resort ). It's very soothing tones of blue and the entrance almost looks like that of a cool new club instead of a restaurant.

The restaurant was almost empty and we were seated immediately. Our server was very nice and explained to us that we could order anything on the menu and explained that any drink was available to us (non-alcoholic, of course) and explained the desserts (you can choose a set-trio or choose your own).

DSis started with, of course, a diet coke. DM started with a bottle of Evian, which is my bottled water of choice (I think it's the cleanest tasting). I ordered (and I apologize for not remembering the name of this) some sort of raspberry energy smoothie (did I ever mention I'm addicted to Jamba Juice? I won't drink OJ with pulp but I love fruit smoothies. Go figure). It was absolutely delicious. It was cold and refreshing and not chunky. And it had an energy boost in it, which I would need because we had a REALLY late ADR at Narcoossees tonight.

http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg304/Nicole7218/Disney Food 2/P8130733.jpg

DSis started with the Navy Bean Soup (with smoked ham hock and crackling). She really enjoyed it. She said it was very heavy and hearty and it would be the perfect cold-weather soup. She didn't get too far through it, though, but it tasted good.

DM had Avocado and Citrus Salad (with local greens and orange vinaigrette) and thought it was okay. I had some and I thought it was very good, but I like complex tastes more than she does (she prefers her salads to be a bit more simple). But she also ordered a salad main course so maybe she didn't want to out-salad herself. The salad was huge, the avocado was perfectly ripe and the smooth taste of the avocado worked well with the sharp tartness of the citrus fruit and vinaigrette. This was definitely something we could have all shared and had an ample starter portion.

I started with the Seasonal Soup (with chef's accompaniment), which was a roasted tomato bisque with mini grilled cheese sandwich bites. The soup was very hearty and tart and I prefer my tomato soup to have a bit more sweetness to it (if anyone has ever had the tomato bisque at Cafe Nordstrom, that's probably one of my favorite foods). It was also quite a bit spicy and tangy. It was good, but it was more of a fall/winter soup than a soup for the middle of a summer day. The grilled cheeses were filled with goat cheese and were delicious because I love goat cheese (another "go-figure" with my picky-eating self) and they were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. I would have loved to order a little tray of these as a starter.

For her main course, DSis ordered the Classic Reuben sandwich (grilled on grain bread) with potato wedges. She didn't think the sandwich was the best she's ever had, but thought it was very good. We're from Chicago where we have access to great Jewish deli's and amazing sandwiches so we might be a bit biased when it comes to sandwiches She liked the potato wedges a lot. She only got through half of the sandwich and intended to eat it as a late-night snack, but DGM wanted it! So she ate the rest when we got back and she LOVED it.

DM ordered the Spice-Crusted Chicken Salad (with local greens, apples and crispy polenta croutons) and picked at it a bit. I think she's had enough salads to last her a lifetime and that's the reason, but I also think the chicken had a bit too many spices and that might have turned her off of the salad (again, she likes her food kind of simple). DSis had some of her salad and thought it was very tasty.

I was on a goat-cheese fix so I ordered the Vegetarian Sandwich (with grilled tofu, zucchini, eggplant, roasted red pepper and herb goat cheese served on grain bread) and roasted potatoes without the tofu and red pepper and I ended up picking off most of the eggplant. Absolutely delicious! The bread was soft and a bit earthy and worked well with the herbed goat cheese and the zucchini and eggplant (before I picked it off, not because I didn't like the taste but because it was making it hard for me to taste the goat cheese). My only gripe was that onions were not listed on the menu and appeared with my sandwich. Onions are something I have to crave to want and I didn't crave them so into the pile of rejected eggplant they went. I also thought the potatoes were delicious.

Then came the best part of the meal: DESSERT! I have to admit the impetus for the ADR at The Wave was the desserts. I wanted us to all try different things but DSis didn't like that idea and ordered some of the same items I did to get me to "loosen up."

We all ordered "a la carte" instead of the traditional sets. DSis had the cheesecake with raspberry coulis, the lemon cornbread with vanilla panna cotta, and almond-pineapple-raisin baklava. She liked the cheesecake, didn't like the cornbread, and loved the baklava.

DM ordered the strawberry sorbet, zucchini-carrot cake with vanilla panna cotta, and the cheesecake with raspberry coulis. She liked everything, but really liked the cheesecake the best. I tasted her sorbet and thought it was very light and fresh. DSis tried some of the zucchini-carrot cake and really enjoyed that.

I ordered the cheesecake with raspberry coulis, the lemon cornbread with vanilla panna cotta, and the chocolate mousse with salted carmel sauce. I really enjoyed everything. I thought the lemon cornbread was too dry but otherwise enjoyable. I thought the chocolate mousse was the best dessert of all of ours. Chocolate lovers heaven!

I thought The Wave gets an (undeserved) bad reputation. This place isn't for picky eaters with simple tastes (I only fit half that bill). Every taste here is complex and bursting with flavor. The food here is served in some pretty large portions and the staff here is very knowledgable and helpful with their suggestions. Dessert is obviously where they excel. The desserts are two or three bite portions but they are rich and flavorful. The Wave is more for the dining adventurous and not for the dining faint of heart (which is probably why I really liked it, my sister was so-so on it, and my mom didn't dislike it but didn't really care for it, either).

After lunch, we went back to the GF to get DGM some lunch. After that, we part ways: DGM and DM went on a little off-site adventure to Wal-Mart to get some medical supplies for the rest of the trip and ride home and some snacks and DSis and I went back to Epcot.

Up Next: A Snack at Sunshine Seasons

And on a not-so-related-but-kinda note: I just got the mail and we have a code for Free Dining for the next few months and probably can't use it I guess we have good code karma, as this trip was booked on a 30% off code!

 

[Michelle_and_Aaron]

Your dessert plates at the Wave look awesome! The meal looked good too and we have that on our list for dinner in April but wow dessert! Yum! Thanks for all your great pics and the review!

 

[Candice30]

OMG...i think that i am too full to read more. but don't worry, i'll make room. keep it coming!

 

[ChelleinNC]

I am a chocolate lover and that looked wonderful!!!

 

[TPCShauna]

Loved the Wave review. I'm adventurous and DH is "kinda" so I am looking forward to our Wave ADR.

Great reviews! Looking forward to more!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

The Wave looks awesome!!!!

 

[Nicole721]

Sorry for the delay, everyone! I took an impromptu trip downstate this weekend to visit DSis

Day 5: A Snack at Sunshine Seasons

So after lunch, while DM and DGM were running off to Wal-Mart, DSis and I headed back to Epcot for a few hours. We had a very late ADR at Narcoossees tonight (we booked it late so we could see Wishes) and we passed the time by waiting in line for TT and SSE. Soarin had a whopping 180 minute wait and, I kid you not, we waited in line for SSE for a half-hour. Lines were still outrageous, despite my thinking that since kids would be back in school in mid-August, we'd be in the clear.

After a ride on Living With the Land, which oddly enough had NO wait throughout our entire trip, DSis decided she wanted a snack. You might wonder why there haven't been any snack pics yet. Well, that's because we really didn't eat many. DSis had popcorn once and a diet coke as a snack (despite my telling her it wasn't worth a snack credit ) a few times and DGM got a few water bottles, but other than that, we really didn't use them (that is, until they accumulated on the last day of our trip and we had to make an impromptu trip to DTD to use them up...but more on that later ). I had plans to get a snack in every country in WS and have a Dole Whip Float every time I was in MK, but I was just SO full from all of our meals (and DSis didn't want to go to WS until our last day...and that was just to placate me...she didn't want to go to WS at all).

Since we were already in The Land Pavilion, we stopped at Sunshine Seasons. Sunshine Seasons, IMO, is probably one of the best CS places in WDW. There's such a vast array of foods that'll please everyone. Even this picky eater can find something to eat everytime we go there. There's different stations, all with many offerings, and a bakery that's guaranteed to make your mouth water.

I wasn't hungry so I just followed DSis through SSS as she looked at all the various options. Each counter station had options, there were options in the fridges between the stations, and there was the bakery. DSis got a side of pasta salad and then hit the bakery, where she couldn't decide between the Key Lime Pie and the Chocolate Cake, so she got both for us to share.

The pasta salad was good, but it wasn't anything you can't make at home (rotini pasta + italian dressing + chopped bell peppers + sliced olives). It was an ample portion for a snack credit that really could have served as a meal for someone who wasn't all that hungry for a full meal. I'm not a fan of Key Lime Pie (and neither is DSis...she's never had it before and ordered it because it looked good) so I can't speak of this one, but DSis liked it. She thought it was very flavorful and not too tart.

The chocolate cake was rich and sinfully delicious. It was layers of super moist chocolate cake alternating with layers of deliciously rich chocolate mousse. Again, a very ample portion that DSis and I (mostly me) barely capped off...and I thought I wasn't hungry.

After another hour in line for TT and one more go-round on SSE, we headed back to the hotel. DM wanted to take a nap so DSis and I took DGM around the hotel lobby. This was one of our favorite things to do throughout our stay- when we needed a few quiet minutes or just had nothing to do, we'd walk around the grounds, shop, and always end up in the GF lobby people watching and listening to the music.

Up Next: Dinner and a Private Fireworks Show at Narcoossees!

 

[ChelleinNC]

Glad you're back

 

[milmore104]

Great reviews and pix. Can't wait for more.

 

[Nicole721]

Day 5: Dinner and a Private Fireworks Show at Narcoossees

After a day full of food, waiting in lines, and enjoying our resort, what a better way to end the day than with...more food!

When we were making our ADR's, we knew we wanted to eat at one of the signature restaurants in our resort. DSis wanted Narcoossees. I wanted to try Citricos (because I hate seafood and Narcoossees specializes in seafood). She won...again

We had a really long day (despite sleeping in) and our ADR wasn't until 8:30. We booked it late so we could see Wishes from the restaurant and it was a perfect time for us because it gave us plenty of time to rest before dinner. And...since the restaurant was a three-minute walk from our room in the Big Pine Key building, we could guarantee we wouldn't be late this time!

Narcoossees is located near the boat launch to the MK. It's a beautiful, cosy area. At night, it's very dimly lit and very romantic. But because the restaurant is very dark at night, it's not a place for sleepy kids (or adults!). The lighting won't do you any favors to keep you awake.

We entered the restaurant and were handed a beeper (again), but had a short wait (around 10 minutes). The waiting area has a view of the open kitchen and it was interesting to watch what goes on in there.

While we were waiting, I was looking around and I noticed how dressed up everyone was! Many people, especially here, seem to talk down how dressy this place is, and just because you can wear jeans or shorts doesn't mean you should, or that you won't feel out of place. I wore a simple skirt and a dressy tank with some nice gladiator sandals and I felt a bit underdressed. Every man I saw was wearing a jacket or a very nice polo and I didn't see many women who weren't wearing sundresses or skirts. Narcoossee's has a very upscale feel to it, and I think that's why we enjoyed it so much. We do a lot of fine dining at home in Chicago and we love a good dining experience with good food. And, I love dressing up so dress codes never deter me, but rather they encourage me. I also didn't notice many kids in the restaurant. It really is a quiet, romantic place and I'm glad our experience went uninterrupted by screaming babies or kids running around.

After our beeper went off, we were seated at a table next to the window, looking out onto Bay Lake and the Contemporary. We had a perfect view of the Electrical Water Parade, too! The hostess handed each of us a personalized menu! This was a bit of a surprise, as we hadn't requested it, but the personal touch was so nice. They even brought us an envelope (without any prompting) so we could bring them home. I don't know if they do this for everyone, but little things like this really set Narcoossees aside from other restaurants on property.

Our server appeared quickly and took our drink orders. DM had an iced tea, DSis had a diet coke, and DGM and I both had a (I think) chocolate raspberry smoothie, which was very yummy and cooling on such a hot night. Our server also brought me out an ice water with my smoothie (which I appreciated).

She also brought over some hot, crusty bread and butter topped with sea salt. I was the only one who really liked the salt with the butter. I thought it really enhanced the flavor of the bread. Everyone else thought it was too salty.

DSis and DGM both started with the Heirloom Tomato Salad (with cantaloupe, prosciutto, house made mozzarella, creme fraise and aged balsamic). DGM loved it, DSis did not like it. She ate the tomatoes and the mozzarella, but she hated the texture of the proscuitto (I tried some and thought it was fantastic...she's never liked proscuitto before so this wasn't surprising). It was an interesting combination of flavors (the saltiness of the proscuitto and balsamic with the smooth mozzarella and creme fraise and the sweetness of the cantalope and tomatoes).

DM had the Romaine Salad (Caesar dressing, croutons and Parmigiano-reggiano cheese). It was a caesar salad that tasted, well, like any other caesar salad.

I had the Artesian Cheeses (Humboldt Fog, Rogue River Oregon Blue, Aged Canadian White Cheddar). The Humboldt Fog and the Aged Canadian Cheddar were excellent, but the Oregon Blue was very musky and heavy. The cheeses were accompanied by cranberry crisps, sticky candied walnuts, cranberries, and dried fruit, and they worked very well with the cheeses. The sticky candied walnuts neutralized the blue cheese very well, I thought.

For her main course, DM had the Surf and Turf (Grilled Filet Mignon and Butter-Poached Lobster Tail, potato gratin and bearnaise sauce). Her filet was cooked perfectly and her lobster was so good she barely used the drawn butter.

DSis ordered the Free Range Chicken Breast ("loaded" mashed potatoes, baby spinach, Nueske's Bacon vinaigrette) and really enjoyed it. The chicken was tender and flavorful and the potatoes were very good (I snuck a taste and agreed), but she didn't dig the spinach.

DGM and I both ordered the Grilled Filet Mignon (potato gratin and bearnaise sauce) and it might have been one of the best filets of beef I've ever had. It was tender, cooked perfectly, and the creamy bearnaise sauce enhanced the tenderness of the beef. The potatoes were a bit better than the ones we'd had at the other restaurants (ahem Coral Reef), but were still not all that great. DGM and I both cleaned our plates. It was really a fantastic dish.

After dinner, we got our dessert menus, but since Wishes was starting, we headed outside to watch. I'm sure the couple whose table was looking out at the castle was a bit dismayed that everyone was standing in front of their table, but on such a warm, beautiful night, this was an experience that is really best outside. There weren't that many people out on the deck and as the music played on the deck, watching the fireworks at that distance over the water, was truly a magical experience.

We came back in to order our dessert and there were so many choices that we all had trouble choosing what to order!

DGM had the Strawberry Shortcake (vanilla bean whipped cream and strawberry sauce) and loved it. She loves fruity desserts and this really satisfied her, especially since the strawberries were fresh and not the canned or frozen kind.

DSis ordered the Warm Chocolate Almond Gateau (with vanilla bean whipped cream). She thought it was rich and heavy, but delicious. She loved the flavor and texture of the melting ice cream with the warm cake, but she couldn't finish it.

DM and I both ordered the Almond Crusted Cheesecake (with Lambert Cherry Sauce) and Oh.My.Gosh it was the best dessert I had on my trip. The toasted almonds, the almond flavored cheesecake, the tart cherries...SO good. DM agreed. She couldn't finish (it is a heavy dessert), but it was so good that I couldn't not finish.

After dinner, our server brought us the check and inside was a card to remind us not to forget to tip. I thought it was a bit tacky, but I suppose it's better than the server verbally reminding us to tip (which I had read about here). I know that with the changes to the DDP, people had been forgetting to tip, or not tipping intentionally. We always tip (we left cash gratuities at every meal as to not rack up many charges on our KTTW) so the reminder was unnecessary, but again, I understand why. The service at Narcoossees is outstanding, the food is amazing, and the ambiance is unmatched. It's an upscale, quiet experience and the fireworks just enhance an already lovely experience.

After dinner, DM and DGM went back to our building to get ready for bed. DSis and I walked the grounds a bit and sat in the lobby enjoying the music for a little while before heading to bed, ourselves. We'd need the rest- we had a 7:30 am meeting with Mickey!

Up Next: An Early Morning Breakfast with Mickey and Friends!

 

[myladyisatramp]

Can't wait will be dining here in November it looks so yummy

 

[janloz]

So glad to read a good review of Narcoosees, DH & I will be eating there in Dec and I was getting a little nervous after seeing some bad reviews lately. Thanks.