Tuesday 5th May
We started off with another hotel breakfast bit dull for you, sorry! Breakfasts do get a bit more exciting soon!
So we had beignets and cereal again and they were lovely again! You cant go wrong with these puffed pieces of heaven! Tony was a 10/10 and I was a 9!
Mid morning we had some popcorn at DHS this wasnt as good as usual. It seemed a bit dry and less buttery definitely a bit of a let down. We both give it 7/10.
As we were having a very late lunch we then had time for an ice-cream from the belly of Dino Gertie! Always a favourite stop of ours. We shared the choc and vanilla swirl. This was lovely and refreshing, but the ice-cream was a bit too icy too many ice crystals had formed! Still, nice and I give it 8/10. Tony is a 7!
On to lunch at Cookes of Dublin at DTD. I had been dying to go here forever we had to miss our lunch here last year when a rogue Tonga Toast put my stomach out of action
! I ordered the mini battered sausages and chips, and Tony went for fish and chips. Dessert wise she told us we could have anything off the menu (we were on the dining plan). I asked for the mini donuts . . . NOPE, they are not on the dining plan.
Is it me?! There wasnt much choice in the dessert line, so I went for the snickers ice-cream, and Tony went for the Doh Bar (deep fried snickers bar!!). They are happy to hold the desserts until you have finished eating your meal, so you dont have to sit there with an ice-cream melting over you!
Now Im not one to moan . . . but they had the doors propped open (dont know why as the air con was working) but because of this the place had loads of flies buzzing around. Luckily I had my anti-bac wipes and much to Tonys horror insisted on wiping the table down before we started eating
! It was very empty in here, with just one other table occupied, so you will always be able to get a table here at lunchtime should you want to!
The meals took less than 5 minutes to be ready. We both agreed the chips were nice fresh and chunky. Tonys fish was quite nice; it was fresh enough and cooked well, but not the best ever. But the battered sausages oh dear!! They were
slightly overcooked the batter was literally rock hard to bite in to. So much so that it scraped the flesh off the roof of my mouth and it was days before it healed and I could eat without pain again! I tried to dig a couple of sausages out of the batter to try them, but the rock hard batter was too much of a challenge for the plastic cutlery, so I gave up. They were training a new cook up, so - being kind - I think I may have got his first attempt at sausages and they are probably not usually that bad but I wouldnt have them again!!!
Fish and chips
Sausages of mass destruction
The snickers ice-cream was nice huge serving but by now I was starting to get a bit snickered out, after having it in some form at most of my meals so far, so I only ate a bit! Tonys doh-bar was nice better than I remembered from last year. He took it off the stick, covered it with my ice-cream, and ate them both together! A little sickly, but he seemed to like it
! I give the whole meal 6/10, and Tony 8/10. I would try it again one day - just not the sausages! To be fair if you fancy fish and chips without heading over to Epcot then this does the job just fine.
Doh Bar
Ice-cream
On to dinner and I had been waiting for this one!! Our first trip to California Grill! We had a 7.30 ADR which I was hoping we could stretch out to Wishes at 9pm! Arrived at 7.30 and were told there would be a bit of a wait, so we went to the bar. I was pleased about the wait as it would help us get nearer to Wishes. Well no sooner had the drinks arrived than our buzzer went! Now I was praying for a table that overlooked MK but I hadnt requested anything in particular I like to leave it to fate. So we are walking through the restaurant and there was a table for 4 free, overlooking MK . . . well no way would we be lucky enough for a large table and a view I thought . . . well DING DONG thats where she led us!
I was so excited! I spent about 10 minutes explaining in great detail to poor Tony how incredibly lucky we were
! I was a little surprised by the inside of the restaurant I had thought this would be a quiet, intimate place instead it was massive, brightly lit, and as loud as any other Disney restaurant! This didnt affect us though, and my photo taking was definitely less obvious than I had thought it was going to be!
This was our view!
We had a very nice server not overly chatty, but very efficient and polite. First she brought out some soda bread which was gorgeous really soft and warm. Loved it!
Now believe it or not I really had to force Tony into an appetiser; there was nothing he liked the sound of, but I really wanted a long, relaxing night here so in the end he said he would try something. He went for the duck confit and he LOVED it he said it was really tender and tasty. I tried a bit and it was good. He gives it 9/10. I can't find a description for it online, but I know it had pasta with it as well. I went for the spring vegetable salad as it included goats cheese and asparagus two of my favourite things. That was also very nice; - the dressing was superb - though I could have done with a tiny bit more goats cheese another 9/10.
Duck
Spring vegetable salad
For entrée Tony went for the filet steak, with mash and asparagus (I mentioned before we are not that much into steak, but my one at Le Cellier yesterday, which he had deemed the worlds best steak, had wetted his appetite for it). Well, move over Le Cellier, because he now rates THIS as the world best steak ever! Moist, tender and tasty, and a resounding 10/10! He even loved the asparagus, and he will never eat that at home
I went for the pork tenderloin, served with mash and button mushrooms. To be honest when it first came the portion looked a bit small but there was loads of meat once I got going and I couldnt even finish it all! The pork was really moist and tasty, and the mash was excellent. I give this 9/10.
Now before we went away I had decided I wanted to arrange a surprise for Tony . . . and with us two it had to be food! So I arranged a cake to be brought out (chocolate frosting and chocolate filling!!). I couldnt think of a message, so I just signed it from our dogs (I thought this might reduce him to a flood of tears, but no such luck!!). At this point the server brought it out! We just shared a slice and asked for the rest to be boxed up. It was nice enough I was hoping it would be like our wedding cake which was the moistest cake EVER! It wasnt quite that good, but was OK, and Tony tucked in to it in the room over the next couple of days.
The server probably thought we wouldnt want dessert after that
but we soon explained we werent amateur eaters and so the menus appeared! I knew what I was going for The Original (Butterscotch crème brulee with a duo of banana cakes and caramelised bananas). Tony had Sweet Celebration Cashew nut dacquoise cake with roasted with poached pears, berries, lychee cream and ginger caramel ice cream
Sweet Celebration
Creme Brulee
Mine came with two banana breads which were good very moist and bananary! One was chocolately which was good, but I actually preferred the plainer one. The crème brulee was Ok . . . whilst there was nothing wrong with it, it didnt knock me off my feet with joy. I gave this 8/10 as there was nothing wrong with it, but I probably wouldnt order it again to be honest. Tony gave his 8/10, and again said it was good, but he wouldnt have it again. As we were eating them, Wishes came on, so it was perfect!
We both give the meal 9/10 as a whole. This was our first signature meal, and we were very impressed. I would happily come here again, but equally may try one of the other signature restaurants instead next year instead!
Up next . . . Port Orleans breakfast AGAIN, Wolf Gang Puck Express lunch, Ohanas dinner, and a few snacks!
I'm sure I could sue my parents for deprivation!
And the best thing about it is, I don't even like chicken nuggets! 
We are nowhere near a Tony Roma's here in hicksville Illinois, but I am drooling on myself. Sometime I need to venture off Disney Property and check out the rest of Orlando...but Mickey has a strange hold on me and my pocketbook to where I can't bear to leave!!! 
)
you are one of the best reviewers ever!!
!!! We've visited twice during the holiday season (1999/2000 and 2004/5) and I would like to visit again at that time in the future. 
The weather can be changeable (and remember, this is coming from a Scots lass used to 4 seasons in a day) but makes touring the busy parks more manageable. 
I can't wait to read more!!
