Dining Reviews Sep 2008 & Feb 2009 Update 8/13 - Complete!

[larsson7]

The GF Cafe is one of our favourites, never busy during park hours.
Thanks for the great review.

 

[Condorman]

Fantastic pix. Nice descriptions.

And I'm sorry, but why did you get (2) desserts at GFC because you were on the DDP? Is it because they were only around $3.29 each, or were you dining with somebody else, or did you have your imaginary friend with you?

Incidentally, according to the Disney website and the lunch menu for the GFC, they no longer serve the shrimp trio. Instead, it is sauteed shrimp with a corn cake and brandy cream. Not sure if that's anything like what you had, or how up-to-date their site is, but that's what it says.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Your pictures are gorgeous! We have tried GFC for breakfast and dinner and loved both, now I need to get my butt in there for lunch too! Seems like that would be a great break from the park!

 

[Disneymama5816]

I hate it also when a server "fishes" for a tip. One thing to keep in mind though, is that 2008 was the first year that gratuties were subtracted from the mealplan, so the word is just getting out. As a TA, I am still reminding my clients about this relatively new policy. I still get a surprised reaction on this about 50% of the time. I am sure there are some servers who are a little more vocal than others, but most of the ones that we have encountered just make a note on the bill, which IMO is perfectly acceptable.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

The GF Cafe is one of our favourites, never busy during park hours.
Thanks for the great review.

Thank you for reading!

Fantastic pix. Nice descriptions.

And I'm sorry, but why did you get (2) desserts at GFC because you were on the DDP? Is it because they were only around $3.29 each, or were you dining with somebody else, or did you have your imaginary friend with you?

Incidentally, according to the Disney website and the lunch menu for the GFC, they no longer serve the shrimp trio. Instead, it is sauteed shrimp with a corn cake and brandy cream. Not sure if that's anything like what you had, or how up-to-date their site is, but that's what it says.

I got two desserts because that's what was included with the plan. Though I think that changed this year since I only got one in February.

And no imaginary friend here, I never had one when I was little, let alone when I was in my twenties, LOL.

And I'm not suprised that the menu's changed since September. That new dish sounds like something I'd like to try as well.

Your pictures are gorgeous! We have tried GFC for breakfast and dinner and loved both, now I need to get my butt in there for lunch too! Seems like that would be a great break from the park!

I think it was actually your reviews of the Grand Floridian Cafe that made me really want to eat there.

I hate it also when a server "fishes" for a tip. One thing to keep in mind though, is that 2008 was the first year that gratuties were subtracted from the mealplan, so the word is just getting out. As a TA, I am still reminding my clients about this relatively new policy. I still get a surprised reaction on this about 50% of the time. I am sure there are some servers who are a little more vocal than others, but most of the ones that we have encountered just make a note on the bill, which IMO is perfectly acceptable.

I think the whole situation is just messy. On one hand I think guests should do a little more reasearch when they book, and find out what the dining plan does and doesn't include. But Disney does have info given with every dinner bill that tips are not included. Of course the one server I had did cross out the word optional on one of the bills I got. I thought that was tacky.

 

[Flossbolna]

Thanks for the reviews and beautiful pictures! I think the tuna from FF looks great, I might consider that and I like mushrooms and radishes!

 

[CubanaMama]

I absolutely LOVE your reviews...I really enjoyed all the details you put into them!
Especially like the drinks reviews, since they're aren't too much of those around. Do you by chance remember around how much the drinks at the Poly were?

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I absolutely LOVE your reviews...I really enjoyed all the details you put into them!
Especially like the drinks reviews, since they're aren't too much of those around. Do you by chance remember around how much the drinks at the Poly were?

They were like $7 or $8. Almost all cocktails in the lounges seem to be around the same price, with the exception of the Lapu Lapu, which is $11 or something.

 

[torsie24]

Wow!!! I love love LOVE your reviews so far!! Thank you for being so detailed and taking great photos!!

 

[Golf4food]

Great reviews. Can't wait for our trip in September. We're doing a breakfast and a lunch at the GFC based on all of the reviews that have said how under-rated it seems to be.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Thanks for the reviews and beautiful pictures! I think the tuna from FF looks great, I might consider that and I like mushrooms and radishes!

You'd probably really like the dish then. It was really good to me, even with picking through the mushrooms and radishes.

Wow!!! I love love LOVE your reviews so far!! Thank you for being so detailed and taking great photos!!

Thank you so much for reading.

Great reviews. Can't wait for our trip in September. We're doing a breakfast and a lunch at the GFC based on all of the reviews that have said how under-rated it seems to be.

I really want to try breakfast there sometime. I never seem to book resort restaurants for breakfast though, even though there are many I want to try.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

That night I had an ADR at Citricos for dinner. I had been there once before, in 2006, and had loved meal, with the exception of the dessert, that I'd had there.

I really like the dining room of Citricos. It's a bright airy room with lots of windows.

I could go on and on about how lovely the whole resort is, but I won't. But it is a gorgeous resort, and I hope to have my wedding there someday. And Citricos is one of the places I'm seriously considering for my reception.

My server that night was Ray, and he was awesome. He was friendly, and also very witty.

I was served an amuse bouche. That was a nice little surprise.

I've eaten at Citricos three times, and this was the only time I've ever been served a amuse bouche here, or in any Disney restaurant for that matter.

It was a small piece of pear, stuffed with a fig, blue cheese, and port mixture. It was very good.

Then I was served the bread basket;

The bread was good, but I absolutly loved the butter it came with, which was a salted citrus-flavored butter. It was very nice, with a very subtle citrus flavor.

For my appetizer I had the tuna carpaccio.

Now, if you don't like sushi, you won't like this, since it is raw fish, but I do like sushi, and I did like this.

It was served with orange slices and a fruit vinaigrette, as well as some edible flower petals. I've had edible flowers before, and they're interesting.

For my entree I had the braised veal shank.

It was served with carrot and potato puree and roasted vegetables, and topped with citrus germoloda.

The veal was so good. It was cooked perfectly, and I didn't need to use my knife at all. But my favorite part of the dish was the carrot and potato puree. It was so yummy!

For dessert I had the chocolate and banana torte.

I have to say, Citricos has some of the prettiest dessert plate presentations ever. Even with the dessert I had in 2006, which I didn't like, looked wonderful. I was slightly worried that this would be another, "looks great, but doesn't taste so great dessert," but this was wonderful.

It was so rich and chocolatey and wonderful, and I was only able to eat about half, but it was so good.

Overall, I highly recommend Citricos, and next to California Grill, it is probably my (current) favorite signature restaurant.

Coming up next; my last full day in Disney, with my lunch at Tokyo Dining, and my first meal ever at Narcoossees.

 

[MickeyNicki]

Oh thank goodness I am going to book Citricos for Oct, that meal looks heavenly!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

Oh thank goodness I am going to book Citricos for Oct, that meal looks heavenly!

I think you'll love it.

 

[butiflfeet]

I have to say that dessert you had at Citricos is one of my most favorite desserts ever

Thanks for sharing your reviews!

 

[jeminni]

That tuna looks amazing. Loving all of your reviews so far. I can't wait to read about Tokyo Dining and Narcoossees.

 

[TigerKat]

I'm booking Citricos for the first time in October, can't wait!!!!

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I have to say that dessert you had at Citricos is one of my most favorite desserts ever

Thanks for sharing your reviews!

It was so good.

That tuna looks amazing. Loving all of your reviews so far. I can't wait to read about Tokyo Dining and Narcoossees.

They should be up in the next couple of days, that and my breakfast at Ohana, then I can start on my February reviews.

I'm booking Citricos for the first time in October, can't wait!!!!

I hope you enjoy. I have another review of Citricos coming up in my February reviews, be sure to read that too.

 

[katiebelle21]

I have been waiting for your Citrico's review. It looks fantastic! It is definitely a place that I want to try.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

This was my last full day in Disney, and my last day in the parks. I was in a kind of weird mood this day, since this was the first time I was leaving Disney, not knowing when my next trip would be. I wasn't upset exactly, but there it was a somewhat depressing thought of not knowing when I'd be back.

I had spent the morning in Future World, and ended up having to run to make my ADR. I know I was a few minutes late, but when I got there, I saw there had been no need to rush as much as I had. And when I said I rused, I really did, I was out of breath, and my leg had a killer cramp, which turned out to be completely unnecessary.

The restaurant was virtually empty, and this was at 12:30 too, which I consider a peak dining time. It seems that more people eat at Teppanyaki then at Tokyo Dining.

I had been to neither before, and considered both, but I didn't want to eat solo with a bunch of strangers, and I do like sushi, and Tokyo Dining had the edge with that from the research I'd done, so I had made the ADR there. I do hope to try Teppanyaki at some point in the future however.

The dining room was very pretty;

As you can see, it was virtually empty, and I should have thought to request a window table, since I do enjoy people watching, but I ended up sitting near the tv screen, and the kitchen window, which turned out to be nice.

There is a large tv screen in the restaurant, which plays a video of Japanese landscapes, very relaxing. And it was fun being able to watch the chefs.

My server today was Mihoko, and I have to say that the service here was very attentive.

For my appetizer I had the assorted tempura.

The picture makes it look like it's a much smaller portion then it actually is. There was a piece of chicken, a shrimp, and several pieces of vegetables. It was actually too much, in my opinion, for an appetizer portion, and just the vegetables would have sufficed, and perhaps maybe the shrimp.

It was good. The batter was tasty, and it was even better when dipped in the soy-based dipping sauce.

For my entree I had the bento box.

This had a nice sampling of four different dishes, a vegetable croquette, seaweed salad, tuna, and a small portion of grilled steak.

The croquette was not very good, and it was somewhat bland, so I was really glad I hadn't gotten that for my appetizer. The seaweed salad, I enjoyed, it had just the right amount of seasoning to it. The tuna was good, but just that, tuna, it was nice and fresh though, and the steak was a nice "American," taste from the rest of a very authentic Japanese meal.

For dessert I had the chocolate ginger cake.

This was all right, but nothing spectacular. The mousse part was nice, but I found the cake part to be a little dry.

Overall I liked Tokyo Dining, and I'd eat there again, but it's not a must-do for me, since I have similar at home, it was a good meal though.

Next up - Narcoossee's, followed by my final meal of the trip, breakfast at Ohana.