And Now For Something Completely Different (UPDATED - Fresh)

[Robert P]

Dining Reviews from a short trip Labor Day Weekend 2009.

About the title:
Yes, I got this line from Monty Python. If you didn't immediately know that when first reading the title, you may be:
a) too young for this review
b) living in a cave, on Mars, with your fingers in your ears
c) really confused right now, and probably won't enjoy this at all

Seriously, if the title was not a giveaway, then I can 'Say no more'.

Disclaimer: All are welcome.

So, what makes this report Something Completely Different?? Well, it is completely different for us in that we are:
1 - going on a Holiday weekend, while it is still hot and humid at WDW
2 - staying far away from DDP restaurants to avoid the free dining crush
3 - without our trusty TIW card (though its still DDE to me)
4 - changing our usual dining stops


Forthcoming are the following reviews, few they may be:

Fulton's Crab House (lunch) - with pix
Garden Grove (dinner) - no pix
Il Mulino (dinner) - with pix
Fresh (breakfast) - no pix

and some general comment posts in these areas:
Lobby Bar (Dolphin - breakfast)
Splash Bar & Cabana (Swan poolside - drinks)
Yak & Yeti CS (AK - lunch)
Swan & Dolphin restaurants, current specials

First up later today - Fulton's Crab House at DTD (lunch):

 

[Dizny Dad]

. . . . the Larch . . .

 

[TDC Nala]

MONTY PYTHON FOOD QUOTES

"Hello, I'm the special. Try me with some rice."
"Good thing I didn't say anything about the dirty knife."
"Have just one. It's wafer-thin."
"The sausage rolls, the crisps and the ginger biscuit remained unscathed."
"They mean to eat the blancmange!!!"

(Actually it would be some food review if any of these quotes show up)

 

[BriarRosie]

I'm looking forward to this. I like your reviews.

 

[Robert P]

In the spirit of this trip, we decided to try something completely different, and walked into Fulton’s at 11:45 for lunch. Seated upstairs, near the front of the boat, with maybe 6 other tables of diners. Our view was: The river leading up to POFQ, and the big yellow balloon repeatedly rising and falling over the building next door. Not a bad view at all really. Kaitlin was our server, and she was excellent. She knew the menu, and was even able to tell us what on the menu we shouldn’t order (due to food allergy). And when asked about what she would recommend, she didn’t just mention the most expensive items. (Note: We’ve had servers do this in the past, sometimes even looking at the menu with us and skipping along, hitting only the priciest items.)

The meal started with a chefs appetizer of a boursin and cracker combo, which was very tasty. The recipe for this was provided on the back of our seating card, and we got to keep it if we wanted to.

Due largely to the heat and humidity, we decided against a major appetizer, but instead got 6 oysters on the half shell. Of the 6 in the picture, we had 3 blue points (on the left), and one each of the remaining ones being offered, which I did not note, since the blue points were the best of the group. The cocktail sauce was very good, and the weird looking optic green stuff was a jalapeno basil sorbet (maybe it was a granita). Refreshingly cold and spicy at the same time, though we didn’t try much of it, in fear of taking away from the taste of the oysters. (And no, the blue crayon was not part of the appetizer).

Also, note the neat loaf of bread. It was very good while still warm, but just regular good after it cooled for awhile.

For drinks, Mrs. P got a Blue Moon (they have it on tap), and I got the Bloody Mary. The girls each chose root beer, which came in a bottle. As you can see by the picture, the garnish of a cherry tomato, a lime wedge, and 2 medium size shrimp was unusual, but the drink rocked!! One of the best mixes I have tried, with grated horseradish giving it the perfect something extra. I would have gotten a second (and a third), but I was the driver today, and that car just won’t get back to the resort by itself.

The girls each got the kids menu fish of the day, which was Wahoo. A nice white meat fish, with a dense texture, and cooked perfectly. The pieces in the pictures look small, but were very thick. The corn was just okay, nothing memorable there, but not bad either.

Being a lunch meal, we weren’t looking for a huge seafood feast, so we each just ordered what sounded good. Though I had wanted to try the seafood platter, it was just too hot for a heavy fried plate of seafood, so I got the Mahi Mahi fish tacos. Mrs. P got the trio of sliders, which were 3 small sandwiches on small burger buns. One angus beef burger, one lump crab cake, and one blackened Mahi sandwich. We split these two meals, so we both tried them all. We both found the burger to be okay, not as good as Raglan Road or the Fountain, but fine. The lump crab cake was good. We split on the blackened Mahi – I thought it was delicious, Mrs. P found it to be too spicy. The fish tacos, I felt were excellent, though a touch dry, but I didn’t put the lime cilantro sauce on mine. Mrs. P had hers with the sauce, and raved about the taco.

For dessert, the girls got the kids meal sundaes. No pictures of this sorry. One scoop of vanilla ice cream, with three toppings they could apply themselves. Good ice cream, the girls liked it, but the price (4.95 each) didn’t seem to be a good value, especially with Ghirardelli’s just a short walk away. This was about the only part of the meal that I felt where the value was questionable.

Excellent service. Very good food, with a solid kids menu that hasn’t been dumbed down (unlike so many of the restaurants at WDW). Excellent drinks, namely the Bloody Mary with the wild garnish. They do offer a 20% DVC discount at lunch. We agreed we will be going back in the near future, and kicked ourselves on the way out for not giving it a try sooner.

P.S. I'll try to update this post later tonight with the total bill, and pictures of part of the menu (namely the drink part).

 

[iluvpluto27]

I'm in, enjoyed your review of Fultons. We've never got round to trying it (mainly because Dh is vegetarian, so all that fine seafood would be wasted on him) but it always looks really good to me.

Looking forward to the rest.

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

I am waiting for the reviews of the Spam dishes!!!



No Vikings please!!!!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Fulton's looks good. Maybe I'll give it a try next trip.

 

[MickeyNicki]

I cannot wait to hear about Fresh (as much as you can tell me would be great!) we are going to try breakfast here in Oct.

 

[oybolshoi]

Been waiting eagerly for these reviews to start ...

And I love the title!

 

[Shenanigoat]

Those little sliders looked great. And that Blue Moon is defidently something completely different. I look forward to reading reviews of the off the beaten path restaurants.

 

[TigerKat]

Thanks to Brenda for pimping this!!!!!! I'm here and excited. That Fulton's bloody Mary can't be beat...I'll be having one next month!!

Can't wait for the rest!

 

[jeminni]

I agree with Laura, those little sliders with the toppings look great.

I love the tic tac toe games too.

 

[kabuki]

Great start and I'll take the Bloody Mary right now please! Looks wonderful!

 

[BriarRosie]

Fulton's, WOW.

I have never been there, either. But there were a few things that grabbed my attention:

• Soylent Granita - jalapeno basil for the oysters sounded amazing.
• Sliders in a variety pack - I would liked trying them for the sauces and not just burgers
• Bloody Mary with shrimp garnish - and a kick! I want to try one.
• Lime cilantro sauce - I bet that made the fish tacos a contender

 

[PNO4TE]

Thanks to Brenda's pimping I am here to read too!

 

[disney_princess_85]

Great so far, thanks!

 

[DLo]

love me some fish tacos. those look great. We have never eaten at fulton's - may have to consider it for next year. (this years trip already booked up)

Looking forward to more. love your sense of humor!

 

[Robert P]

I'll add this here, as it may be of interest:

Next up: Commentary on Splash Bar & Cabana at the Swan, and dinner at Garden Grove (also at the Swan).

 

[oybolshoi]

You, sir, know your audience. That list of cocktails looks perfectly drinkable ... right now!

Eagerly waiting for your comments about Splash & Cabana ... but I have to leave for work so I guess I'll check back in about 12 hours.

Thanks!