A Wedding, A Honeymoon, and Lots of Disneyland Dining Updated 7/22

[DLFan123]

Wow, that fried green tomato sandwich looks awesome!!!!! Wish the world had something like that

Hi Kari,
There is a new fried green tomato sandwich at HS...at least it was new to us anyway. It's at the big eating venue on the road to Tower of Terror...the one right across from the Beauty and the Beast stage show entrance. It doesn't hold a candle to DL's version (which DL has dc'd!!! ), but still it is something worth looking into. I actually liked it more than my better half.

Our house drama is finally settled. We moved into our new house in August right before I got so sick. Now that I'm feeling better, we are able to begin loving this new home. It's great not having to sell a house, move twice, and buy one in 2016. Hopefully that will help keep things a little smoother sailing for us this year LOL. More time to focus on Disney!

 

[DLFan123]

Aloha!
The next morning, we were up early, and we munched on leftover dessert, cheese and grapes in our room before heading over the DL for our last theme park day.

We started our morning at Toad Hall, one of my very favorite places!


Because it was early, it wasn't long until we were on our way to...


We enjoyed several more attractions with minimal waiting. By mid-day, we were getting hungry, and it was the perfect time to finally indulge in one of our favs, the Dole Whip!

In the past, we'd always just split a whip. I can't remember when we finally made the leap to try the float, but after that, all sharing was over. If I recall correctly, this time, we started with these:


I don't know why I was so stubborn and insisted on getting just the whip. I really wanted the float! These were both delicious, and I was quite pleased with the portion of my whip. I felt like I got a little extra.

As usual, these were perfectly cool and refreshing, sweet and tangy at the same time. I just love how airy the whip is. It's not so airy to feel too light to be satisfying, but it's not as dense as ice cream or soft serve.

We ate these waiting for the Enchanted Tiki Room. This is one of our favorite things to do, to eat our whips during the waiting and also during the show (permitted at DL). Unfortunately since we finished these so quickly, we didn't have anything to eat during the show.

That meant it was the perfect time to order a third treat. We opted for the float and then we had plenty to eat during our tropical adventure with the birdies.

 

[kastoney]

Thanks for the info on the green tomato sandwich, I hadn't heard this and will have to file it in the brain vault for our next trip. When were you all there? We were just there from the 15th-24th of April.

Weird they do the boxes and not the buffet in Disneyland. Looks like you get plenty, but I think I'd prefer to get what I want vice just one of everything. And I'm such a DL novice, I had no idea they even had fantasmic there. We are thinking about going next summer so I'll have to bone up

 

[DLFan123]

Thanks for the info on the green tomato sandwich, I hadn't heard this and will have to file it in the brain vault for our next trip. When were you all there? We were just there from the 15th-24th of April.

Weird they do the boxes and not the buffet in Disneyland. Looks like you get plenty, but I think I'd prefer to get what I want vice just one of everything. And I'm such a DL novice, I had no idea they even had fantasmic there. We are thinking about going next summer so I'll have to bone up

We were there April 17-25! Our paths probably crossed at least a lil.

I actually think fantasmic is best at DL. It's dark right now for a major refurb (while they build the Star Wars land I think) but should be back up by next summer. There's just something about seeing it at the rivers of America, and the story line is cleaner with better flow. Personally I find that long Pocahontas segment a bit distracting and out of place...besides that, as my good friend dawn, who really is a wdw fan, always says about the DL version, "you guys get the pirate ship!"

Make sure it's up before you plan your trip. They have new dining options for reserved viewing at DL now, and these will most likely expand when the show is back.

 

[superme80]

Nice to see you finishing the report. I love your reports. Great job!

 

[anniebean]

Glad you're back!

Holy Cow! Tortilla Jo's tableside guacamole is amazing! We had it for our honeymoon trip, too. We actually found a good recipe on food.com for it--just google tableside guacamole and it should pop up.

 

[DLFan123]

After our tasty treats, we enjoyed the Enchanted Tiki Room, did a little shopping and then headed for lunch at one of our favorite places on Main Street, the Carnation Café.

It used to be you could almost always eat at this table service restaurant without a reservation. These days, with more and more folks planning ahead, there are some days you can't get in without one. Luckily it was hot enough this day that the patio had some open seats, and we were a little past the lunch crowd.

DP wasn't all that hungry, so she just decided on the fried pickles:



Well this is a good pic lol! The pickles were spears, which caught her off guard. She thought they'd be sliced rings. They were ok. Personally I like a crispier pickle when it's fried, and these were a little on the warm and soft side. They were also a bit tangy to be fried IMO. They are served with a spicy remoulade I think it is.

I chose what I always choose at lunch time, their spin on a cobb salad:


This review is just filled with one winning picture after another! Sorry I had apparently eaten a good portion of this before I photographed it.

It really is a large portion salad, served with the nice parmesan toasts on the side, and it is delicious. I always request no bacon for mine, but it normally comes with bacon. It also has tasty grape tomatoes, plentiful fresh blue cheese, and ranch dressing! You can get this with chicken I believe, but I chose shrimp for mine. I requested my shrimp well done, because it bothers me when they are translucent inside.

I shared my shrimp with DP, but not my salad because she hates blue cheese. More for me!

We had a nice lunch. Even when it's hot, if you are in the shade, it's still so quaint sitting right on Main Street.

We will always go back to CC. I'm thinking it's time to try a breakfast soon! Need to catch up with the famous Oscar, DL's longest employee.

 

[DLFan123]

Nice to see you finishing the report. I love your reports. Great job!

Thank you so much. You are so sweet.

Glad you're back!

Holy Cow! Tortilla Jo's tableside guacamole is amazing! We had it for our honeymoon trip, too. We actually found a good recipe on food.com for it--just google tableside guacamole and it should pop up.

Wow thanks! I will look for that. We already make guacamole at home, about once a week as a rule. The issue is getting the really good avocadoes in Denver. Nothing beats a California avocado. Ours here are typically brought in from Mexico. I will check out the recipes over there! Thanks for the tip.

 

[kastoney]

Fried pickles for lunch sounds like a great lunch to me

 

[DLFan123]

That day we watched the Soundsational parade from Main Street (again) and saw the Frozen float that was added for the first time. I know we had snacks, most likely popcorn if not something else, but apparently I didn't take pics of that or make notes about it.

Whatever we ate must have tided us over, because we ate a late dinner because we weren't hungry early. I know DP would have been hungry earlier if all she had was those pickles!

That night we decided to try one of the newer dinner items at the French Market. The French Market is always one of my favorite spots, because the ambience is so appealing and the food is generally good.

This pasta made a short run on the menu and has already been removed. I guess it wasn't that popular.


This was fusilli pasta with a spicy tomato cream sauce and a combo of cheese along with shrimp.

This was tasty and a big size. We split this. The variety of cheeses had nice, rich flavors, and the spice was just enough. The roll was a good compliment since we were splitting.

I don't know why they've taken this off the menu already. We enjoyed it and would have returned. Maybe there was a preparation issue. I've noticed they've also removed the shrimp salad from the menu (a confusing but yummy item, but everyone always expects a salad and really it is an open-faced sandwich), but now they have a shrimp po-boy. Surprisingly, they no longer have even one vegetarian option for either lunch or dinner. (They've reduced their menu to just one menu for both lunch/dinner.)

We also shared one of these favorite drinks, knowing it was our last night there:


Yum yum! Always delicious and refreshing! I wish I could have these at home in Denver. Such a special treat that I've been enjoying since I was a kid, when I did not care for it but my mom used to get one every year on our annual trip to DL!

 

[DLFan123]

After our late dinner, we left DL sad that it was our last night, but still with plenty of our honeymoon vacation ahead of us.

The next morning, we slept in and then headed out from the Disney's Grand Californian Hotel for our next stop, lunch in OC at Mission San Juan Capistrano. This is a great half day trip from Anaheim if you want to do something touristy that's not Disney. The Mission itself is amazing and beautiful and rich with history.

There is also a lovely little lunch or brunch spot right across from one side of the mission. It's called L'Hirondelle. This was not our first visit there. It's one of those places you want to return to over and over again.

Today, we felt like indulging so we started with some cocktails.

I chose a bellini:


How could there possibly be anything wrong with sparkling wine and peach puree???

DP chose a mojito. I don't really know why she chose this:


She seemed to enjoy it, but I think she envied by bellini.

We even went for it and ordered an app today:


The crab stuffed mushrooms. OMG were these delicious. So far we've never had anything here that we didn't really love.


They also brought bread for the table. This was warm and good. We tried to eat very little of it since we were already ordering more than usual.

Next came our meals.

I chose the smoked salmon benedict. I love a good hollandaise, and I love smoked salmon with capers and onions. This was a new combo for me:



This was indeed a good hollandaise, but the smoked salmon taste for me overpowered the sauce and I missed the decadence of a true benedict. There was nothing wrong with the dish, but it's something I learned about myself. I really prefer when the hollandaise can shine.

The eggs were poached well, and the salmon was tasty and tender. This also came with very good breakfast potatoes and a cup of fruit. So much food!

DP chose an open-faced ahi tuni sandwich:


Huge!

She loves the ahi here, and the homemade tarter is supreme. The fries are tasty and delicious, more like European frites, and she got fruit too!

Unfortunately there was lots left on our plates, but we thoroughly enjoyed every bite. This restaurant is just so wonderful, although you tend to do some waiting for the waitstaff. The meals arrive in a more timely fashion, though, and everything is always unique and decadent, tasting homemade. (I really think the food IS homemade here, which is a nice change from the frozen and mass-produced items you find at most restaurants these days.)

With our bellies full and sunshine on our minds, we headed down the coast to our next stop, Carlsbad.

 

[kastoney]

Looks like a great first non-Disney stop. I'm a huge benedict fan myself, though i don't think I'd care for it with salmon either. Sounds like an odd and overpowering combo.

 

[DLFan123]

Looks like a great first non-Disney stop. I'm a huge benedict fan myself, though i don't think I'd care for it with salmon either. Sounds like an odd and overpowering combo.

Thanks it really was. It's always such a nice experience from start to finish. Overpowering is a great word for smoked salmon, though, isn't it.

 

[DLFan123]

After our delicious lunch, we headed down the coast and after just a short drive, we arrived in the little town of Carlsbad. We checked into the hotel and this was the view from our room:


Pretty beautiful I think!

The Beach Terrace Inn is great, because it is directly on the sand and all you have to do is just walk right down.

After enjoying the town, our room and the beach a bit, we headed to one of DP's most favorite spots, Harbor Fish. This place has been there since before she was born, and as a kid her family used to eat here every year on their visits to the beach.



An old historic photo showing the original structure back in 1950, which at that time was a service station.

We both started off with a nice, cold, light beer:


Am I the only one who thinks Corona tastes better at the beach?

We ordered two meals, but somehow I only took one picture:


This is the fried fish meal, which is served with fries.

This is DP's favorite item here, and she just raves about it the entire time. The batter is good, and the fish is fresh. The fries are just fries, and the condiments are just premade condiments.

We also ordered a side of coleslaw and some fried jumbo shrimp, which were delicious.

The restaurant itself is not much to look at it, and you definitely don't go here for the dining experience. It's very casual and beachy. You could show up in a cover up and be just fine. The plates and silverware are all disposable, and the facility itself is a bit ramshackle. For this setting, the food is somewhat overpriced. Most fish or shrimp meals run around $10-14 I believe, which I think is steep for such a casual place. However, it most likely will be the best fried fresh fish you'll find in town, and the atmosphere is totally appropriate for the casual beach town of Carlsbad. They also have some menu items that aren't fried for the more health conscious.

I know we'll eat here every time we visit Carlsbad until they close this place down, and that day will be a terribly sad day for us and many others who return to this classic eatery over and over.

 

[DLFan123]

The next morning, up to the sound of the waves, we watched some dolphins play in the surf, drinking coffee on our balcony before we headed to the complimentary breakfast. It really is a great breakfast, with croissants, muffins, bagels, hot and cold cereal, fresh fruit salad and whole pieces of fruit, some other breakfast breads, coffee, tea, juice...I'm trying to think if I missed anything. I did not really get great pictures, so I'm using some of the pics from our other visits to this hotel.





It's kind of like CL but only in the morning.

In the breakfast dining area, there is this blast from the past, the original structure of the Beach Terrace Inn, which still stands in the current location, only with additions and modifications.


Some choices:



Coffee by the sea...





Certain pastries seem to be fresher than others, but overall it's a great selection and a nice way to start the day. This means we can get to the beach even faster, without needing to think about where to get breakfast!

 

[Happyclarabelle]

The next morning, up to the sound of the waves, we watched some dolphins play in the surf, drinking coffee on our balcony before we headed to the complimentary breakfast. It really is a great breakfast, with croissants, muffins, bagels, hot and cold cereal, fresh fruit salad and whole pieces of fruit, some other breakfast breads, coffee, tea, juice...I'm trying to think if I missed anything. I did not really get great pictures, so I'm using some of the pics from our other visits to this hotel.

View attachment 167722

View attachment 167723

It's kind of like CL but only in the morning.

In the breakfast dining area, there is this blast from the past, the original structure of the Beach Terrace Inn, which still stands in the current location, only with additions and modifications.
View attachment 167724

Some choices:

View attachment 167726

Coffee by the sea...

View attachment 167727

View attachment 167728

Certain pastries seem to be fresher than others, but overall it's a great selection and a nice way to start the day. This means we can get to the beach even faster, without needing to think about where to get breakfast!

Awesome reviews! I might have to try some of these other southern California restaurants/hotels. The beachfront hotel must have amazing views!

 

[jesswindsor]

Great reviews!! Thanks for sharing!!

 

[kastoney]

What perfection that hotel is on the beach. And add in breakfast to boot. Looks like a great place. The fish looks delicious too, love the no frills atmosphere. Hoping we can do DL and SoCal next year so I'll totally have to pick your brain on that one.

 

[DLFan123]

We spent that day by the beach, and I don't think we ate any lunch. What I can remember is eating chips...lots and lots of chips.

By afternoon we were hungry for a little snack, so we walked over to Cold Stone for a cool treat.

I chose the Peanut Butter Cup Perfection: Chocolate Ice Cream with Peanut Butter, Reese's® Peanut Butter Cup and Fudge



This was oh so delicious.

DP chose the Churro Caramel Crave: Warm Churros, French Vanilla Ice Cream, Whipped Topping, Caramel, Cinnamon and Sugar



She liked hers, but she said it wasn't enough ice cream, and it was too much churro. Plus, she pointed out that these churros don't hold a candle to DL's churros.

 

[DLFan123]

After our Cold Stone, we spent some time resting and relaxing in the room before getting ready to head out for dinner.

Maybe we're stuck in a rut, but we are just so happy with all the dining experiences we've had in Carlsbad that we just keep going back for the same things over and over.

For dinner this evening, we were excited to return to a place we'd first tried the year before, Jay's Gourmet Seafood.

The name is really quite misleading. This is actually an Italian restaurant.

It's a bit small and cramped with a bustling environment, but it's a dark and appealing little restaurant with delicious food!

The first year we ate here, we didn't know about their portion sizes. The pasta dishes are huge, so this year we knew we definitely needed to share.

We both started with a glass of wine. I had the house pinot grigio, and DP chose the house chianti. For house wines, these are both adequate and good.

They start you out with yummy bread and salad:


The house salad is served with creamy Italian. Until this place, I never really understood the role of creamy Italian dressing, but I sure do now!

For our meal, I was lucky enough to win, and we decided to split my choice, the shrimp parmigiana:


This dish really could not be better (sorry for the photo-it was so dark; it's hard to get a good picture without blinding others with my flash).

You can literally taste the quality of the ingredients in this dish.

The shrimp are huge and fresh, with a delicate breading. They are pan fried and served with red sauce and melted mozzarella. The red sauce is some of the best red sauce I've ever eaten, and the linguine is cooked to perfection. You can even taste the quality of the mozzarella..

We can't wait for our next visit to Jay's. If you ever find yourself in Carlsbad, you must try it.