Follow me to the Boardwalk! 10/23 - 11/7 UPDATED 4/13 BEACHES & CREAM

[jabead]

On Saturday, October 31st I had made no ADR for lunch. After I suggested a few restaurants in the Epcot resort area, my DH chose the Yacht Club restaurant where we had had breakfast the day before...so I guess he must have liked it!






To my surprise, without an ADR we found that we had to wait quite awhile for a table. Even more surprising was that when we were finally seated, the restaurant was nearly empty at 12:30. I guess the reason for our long wait was something other than there weren't any open tables. Possibly short on waitstaff or kitchen staff??? It was not a big deal for us though since we had no set plans for the afternoon.


So anyway, here are photos of the Captain's Grille lunch menu as of October 31, 2015...







I was tempted to try the clam chowder but decided that I should skip the appetizers since we would be eating a lot at the Swan & Dolphin Classic that evening. So we each just ordered a sandwich, with my choice being the...


New England-style Lobster Roll served chilled on a Butter-toasted roll served with a choice of Vegetable Orzo Salad or French Fries



And a close up shot of the sandwich...



​

The french fries were fine but I was disappointed with the amount of lobster in my sandwich. For $18.99 I was expecting a little more than a few small pieces of lobster, a couple of giant lettuce leaves, and a hot dog size bun. While the lobster itself tasted fine, there just wasn't enough of it, IMO.



So my husband made the better choice here when he ordered the...

Shaved Beef Sandwich with Roasted Shallot Mayonnaise, Pickled Peppers and Onions, Beef Jus Reduction, Vermont Cheddar and Watercress served with choice of Vegetable Orzo Salad or French Fries​

And a close up shot...






This sandwich cost $5.00 less than mine but was much more substantial. The beef was good quality and flavorful...and there was plenty of it. My husband enjoyed both the sandwich and the orzo salad that he chose for his side.


We passed on dessert here and even forgot to take a photo of their dessert menu. I had had thoughts of sharing some ice cream at Beaches & Cream next door at the Beach Club, but my DH said he was too full and I couldn't manage it on my own.


Though I had been to Captain's Grille four times now for breakfast, this was my first experience with lunch there. I wouldn't be opposed to trying it again for lunch sometime, but I'd rather first give dinner a try...and will definitely return there for the breakfast buffet.

​

Next up: Swan & Dolphin Food and Wine Classic

 

[Misha72683]

How did you find the soecial events on your own? I'm gong back in 2017 and will likely be there during F&W. Right now it's looking just my mom, the kids and I. I could leave my mom with the kids and go to a special event, but I'm pretty shy and wonder how awkward it is.

 

[vettegirl]

Well that is a shame on that lobster roll. I had breakfast there a few months ago and it was quiet nice. I have heard good things about dinner.

 

[jabead]

How did you find the soecial events on your own? I'm gong back in 2017 and will likely be there during F&W. Right now it's looking just my mom, the kids and I. I could leave my mom with the kids and go to a special event, but I'm pretty shy and wonder how awkward it is.

I've done 4 of the special F & W lunches solo during my last two fall trips to WDW and was paired with great dining companions at all of them. The only time I felt a bit awkward on my own was when I attended the Party for the Senses in 2014 as general audience. This meant I didn't have a reserved seat, so I spent a lot of valuable time searching for a table, most of which were standing tables. When I attended the PFTS in 2015 I paid the extra $$ to have a reserved table and it was totally worth it!!!

Well that is a shame on that lobster roll. I had breakfast there a few months ago and it was quiet nice. I have heard good things about dinner.

I too have heard good things about dinner at Captain's Grille. It is definitely on my bucket list to try!

 

[jabead]

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Food & Wine Classic
- Part 1 -


This was the second time that my husband and I attended the Swan & Dolphin Food & Wine Classic. In 2014 we went on Friday of the two night event, but this year the menu for the food booths was just a bit more to our liking on Saturday night. The food offerings were different on the two nights, except for the Shula's booth, so I'm sure there are some who attend both nights so that they can try it all.

Anyway, it looks as if they have already posted their menus for the 2016 F & W Classic at http://www.swandolphinfoodandwineclassic.com/eat/menu/all.html You can also buy your tickets there in advance, which is what I did again in 2015. The cost for a Causeway ticket (with unlimited food and beverages from more than 50 food & beverage stations) was $98.85 plus tax & service fees (total ended up being $105) and I believe the price will be the same this year. A La Carte ticket booklets containing 25 tickets were also available for purchase that night at the event at a cost of $50. The food offerings at most stations were 3 or 4 tickets per item (or $6 - $8), except for the station hosted by Chef Todd English (which was 5 tickets or $10) and the Shula's steak was 6 tickets (or $12).


My husband and I arrived at the Swan & Dolphin causeway at around 5:15 (the official start time of the event was 5:30) but there was already a good size crowd there so I think that several of the stations had opened early. We checked in at the Will Call table and were each given a plastic tray and wine glass, along with a guide book.




We immediately found an empty table towards the end of one leg of the causeway, not far from the Shula's station (Letter "L" on the map).





The Shula's steak had been one of our favorites last year, so we decided that that was where we wanted to begin. It seems that many others had the same idea, because a line had already formed at the Shula's station and it wasn't even quite 5:30 yet. After getting a glass of pinot noir from one of the nearby wine stations, I sat and held our table while my DH got in the Shula's line. Thankfully the line moved quickly and he was soon back with these...



Carved Prime New York Strip, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Sauce Bordelaise




This was delicious, and just like last year Shula's was one of our favorites. I'm pretty sure my husband had a second of these, maybe even a third. The pinot noir that we had randomly chosen for our first wine taste actually paired pretty well with the steak too. I don't recall from what winery this was from, as I estimate there were about 15 different pinot noirs available to taste that night at the 40 beverage stations. Nearly 50 different wineries were represented from 7 different countries. About half of these were U.S. wineries from the West Coast states of Washington, Oregon, and California (some familiar names to me were Coppola, Kenwood, Rodney Strong, 14 Hands, Robert Mondavi, and Avalon). And though Pinot Noirs seemed to be quite prevalent, I think there were actually more Chardonnays there. But no worries if you weren't a fan of either Pinot Noir or Chardonnay because there were also several Cabernets and Sauvignon Blancs, as well as a few Merlots, Malbecs, Pinot Grigios, Proseccos, and Chiantis. Rounding out the wine offerings were a Cabernet Shiraz from the Australia station, a Torrontes from the Argentina station, a Moscato from one of the four Italy wine stations, and to my surprise...only one Riesling from a California winery. Also, in addition to wine, there was a Chandon Champagne station, 3 beer stations, and a Japan station which served sake.

As for the food stations, there were 12 (Letters A - L on the map) plus four carnival-style food trucks in the Carnival Corner area. All 9 of the Swan & Dolphin restaurants were represented, plus Chef Robert Ciborowski and Chef Laurent Branlard (the executive chef and executive pastry chef of the Swan and Dolphin Resort) each had their own station (Cib's Smokehouse and the Laurent Branlard Dessert station). The 12th food station was hosted by the renowned chef, television star, and owner of over 20 restaurants (including bluezoo at Walt Disney World's Dolphin Resort), Todd English. And in case you were wondering, the very handsome Chef Todd English was actually there and I took a photo of him with my DIS friend Niki (Niki Andiokno).




And speaking of Niki, we were able to meet up with her and her DH a couple of times during the night. We enjoyed sharing our table and comparing notes with them...




Ok, now let's get back to the food. Todd English was serving a seafood dish, of course...​

​

Bay Sea Scallops, Fall Squash, Citrus Fruits, and Hobb's Applewood Smoked Bacon



Next up for us was the Cabana Bar & Beach Club station, which was serving...





Buffalo Chicken Wings, Pickled Celery, Petite Carrots, and Blue Cheese Fondue



Followed by the station for Il Mulino, the Swan's signature Italian restaurant, which was serving...




Mascarpone-Chestnut Ravioli, Italian Sausage, Celery Root and Bacon Jus



Then we moved on to the main causeway area between the Swan and the Dolphin hotels for Round 2. Our first stop was at the Fountain's station for this...


​

Soft Shell Crab Roll, White Bread, Old Bay Remoulade, and Tomato Fondue


Picabu was next for us, where they had a Taqueria station with a choice of a veggie taco...




...or a braised pork taco.




They had toppings to add, so we topped our tacos with queso fresco and pico de gallo...
​

Then it was on to check out the bluezoo station, where they were serving...
​

Ginger Cured Hamachi, Nitro Lime, Romaine Leaves, and Green Olives


I think we both passed on this one, as neither of us are fans of raw fish.


We did however both enjoy the offering at the Garden Grove station...

​

Fish 'n' Chips: Beer Battered Sustainable Bass topped with Tartar Foam & Sarson's Malt Vinegar Chips


The fish was pretty good, but the chips were delicious!


FRESH was up next, where we found this...​

Wild Shrimp, Young Bamboo, Crispy Yuba, and Plum Sauce



We then found another of our favorites of the night at Cib's Smokehouse...



​

Smoked Wagyu Short Ribs, Parsnip Puree, Melba Toast, and Pommery Mustard Sauce


Then we ended Round 2 at the Kimonos station with this...





Dragon Roll with Crispy Shrimp, Tuna, Avocado, and Japanese Mayonnaise


- Part 2 to follow in next post -​

 

[jabead]

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Food & Wine Classic
- Part 2 -

We took a break to listen to the live band which was performing on the stage in front of the entrance to the Dolphin hotel.





Then it was on to Round 3...Dessert!

There were four desserts being served at Chef Laurent Branlard's Dessert station and we took one of each of these to share.


S'more Sundae with White Chocolate Vanilla Ice Cream, Graham Cracker Streusel, Raspberry Compote, Raspberry Marshmallows, Vanilla Whipped Cream, and Caramelized Hazelnuts

This was very good!


The one dessert that I didn't care for though was the...


Lime Panna Cotta, Lime Gelee, Coconut Lemongrass Pineapple Soup

I'm not generally a fan of lime/lemon desserts, so it wasn't surprising that I didn't like this one. My DH thought it was okay though, so ate almost all of this one.


The third dessert was much better for me...


Chocolate Almond Crunch Cake


We both enjoyed the Chocolate Crunch Cake, but actually our favorite was this dessert...


Coffee Caramel Pecan Eclair


This was delicious and another one of our favorites of the night!


We were quite full at this point so were ready to call it a night, despite the fact that it was only about 8:30 and the event didn't end until 9:00. But as we were beginning to make our way out of the main causeway area I remembered that we hadn't yet checked out the Carnival Corner area. Much to my surprise I was actually able to get my husband to make a detour to this area, where four carnival food trucks were set up. An even bigger surprise was that he was willing to share with me the items which were offered at three out of four of these trucks.

So Round 4 began with a tasty snack from the Nitro Kettel Corn truck...




Popcorn with Caramel Foam, Honey Roasted Peanuts with Sea Salt, and Liquid Nitrogen


The next food truck was serving mini funnel cakes...




When I reached the front of the line I discovered that I had a choice of toppings: powdered sugar, three different fruit toppings, and Nutella. I hadn't realized that there would be a choice so I panicked a bit and ordered my funnel cake with all of the available toppings.





This turned out to be a mistake, as the flavors did not seem to go well together. Not a big deal though because the Cabot Creamery Pop-Up Bar's gourmet mac & cheese that we tried was awesome! It was so good that we each wanted one of our own.




Cabot Creamery Herb Mac & Cheese with assorted toppings


This was another favorite!

We were beyond full at this point and couldn't possibly eat another bite, even though the corn dogs that were being served by the fourth food truck, Texas Style Corn Dogs, sounded good...




So after the mac & cheese we finally left the Swan & Dolphin causeway...





...and took a much needed walk back to the Boardwalk, where they were having a Halloween party on the lawn.




Having just attended an awesome adult Halloween party, we passed on this one. ​

Next up: Breakfast at Trattoria al Forno

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

As if I wasn't already excited about the Swan & Dolphin Classic this year! OMG! Your pictures are awesome! I really hope we can coordinate spending some time together at this years Classic. Will your DH be joining you this year?

 

[pepperandchips]

Great review of the Food and Wine Classic! I love that you can do this event without park admission. I think I may have to start putting a few dollars aside for an October visit...

 

[AuroraMeansDawn]

I always seem to get to WDW in the Spring but this event looks fantastic. I am adding it to my "one day I will" list. Thank you for such a comprehensive report!

 

[kastoney]

Wow, even after reading about your Swan and Dolphin Classic experiences in the past, I still can't get over the quality of the food and wine for the price. What an amazing deal. Thanks so much for sharing. Gotta see if I can sneak a weekend trip in this year so we can enjoy.

 

[Wood Nymph]

Oh, you are probably at WDW right now?!?! I am soooo jealous! Enjoy!

We were at Disney when you posted this. And we ended up staying there an extra two days when our flight home got cancelled. We were able to add Trattoria al Forno and Cape May for dinner and a stop at Ghiradelli's to our list of restaurants because of the extra days. Trattoria no longer served my favorite shrimp dish but the lasagna was good.

I love this! Egg, sausage and mustard...the combination of these three flavors is surprisingly delicious. I say surprisingly because I don't generally like mustard on anything.

I almost added this restaurant with our extra days because I've wanted to try the Scotch egg since I read about it in one of Brenda's trip reports. But I think we decided to have lunch at Crews Cup Lounge, instead. They have the best Angus burger.

Saturday, October 31st was the half-way point of my trip, but more importantly it was HALLOWEEN!! And Halloween at the Boardwalk Resort means a Castmember Pumpkin Decorating Contest...

I love those pumpkins. Maybe when I finally retire we'll make it to Disney for Halloween.

If forced to choose, I would have to agree with Andrew and pick Kona over Captain's Grille. But it would be for their pancakes rather than the Tonga Toast. However, Captain's Grille is a solid choice for breakfast. I would be happy to tag along with you and Jay if you end up going there in October.

We went to Captain's Grille twice for breakfast. The first time was on Princess Half marathon morning and the place was really busy. We had the buffet and the scrambled eggs from the buffet were terrible. So when we went back there a few days later, I asked for custom made scrambled eggs. Oh my gosh, these were good. I am going to ask for these from now on.

Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin
Food & Wine Classic

The food looks really good. I would have skipped the raw fish, too. The Shula's steak looks really good. I'll have to add this to my "things to do when I retire and go to Disney at Halloween" list.

 

[momof3princes]

Wow the Swan and Dolphin Classic looked amazing! It is a good thing when most of the items were great. I would be mad at my stomach for not making enough room for all those yummy choices
You seemed like you had a good plan with a break in between to enjoy the music and make the most of it

 

[jabead]

As if I wasn't already excited about the Swan & Dolphin Classic this year! OMG! Your pictures are awesome! I really hope we can coordinate spending some time together at this years Classic. Will your DH be joining you this year?

He always says no, but I'm two for two so far in getting him to change his mind once the trip gets close so I have hope.

Great review of the Food and Wine Classic! I love that you can do this event without park admission. I think I may have to start putting a few dollars aside for an October visit...

I say, "go for it"!

I always seem to get to WDW in the Spring but this event looks fantastic. I am adding it to my "one day I will" list. Thank you for such a comprehensive report!

I have one of those lists too. The funny thing is, no matter how many things I manage to mark off, the list never seems to get shorter.

Wow, even after reading about your Swan and Dolphin Classic experiences in the past, I still can't get over the quality of the food and wine for the price. What an amazing deal. Thanks so much for sharing. Gotta see if I can sneak a weekend trip in this year so we can enjoy.

That would be great! Since I hope to be there again this year, I might have the privilege of meeting you in person, Kari!

We were at Disney when you posted this. And we ended up staying there an extra two days when our flight home got cancelled. We were able to add Trattoria al Forno and Cape May for dinner and a stop at Ghiradelli's to our list of restaurants because of the extra days. Trattoria no longer served my favorite shrimp dish but the lasagna was good.

I almost added this restaurant with our extra days because I've wanted to try the Scotch egg since I read about it in one of Brenda's trip reports. But I think we decided to have lunch at Crews Cup Lounge, instead. They have the best Angus burger.

Oh, bonus days at Disney World!! It sounds like you made good use of them. And I need to add that Crew's Cup burger to my list to try!

Wow the Swan and Dolphin Classic looked amazing! It is a good thing when most of the items were great. I would be mad at my stomach for not making enough room for all those yummy choices
You seemed like you had a good plan with a break in between to enjoy the music and make the most of it

We definitely stuffed ourselves! Thankfully the walk back to the Boardwalk helped.

 

[jabead]

On Sunday, November 1st my DH had scheduled a noon pickup for his ride back to the Orlando Sanford Airport so we decided not to stray too far from our resort for breakfast. Therefore we went with the closest full service option, the Boardwalk's...




My kids and I had had dinner here on my last trip to WDW in May 2015 but were not too excited with the food. However, I was still anxious to try it for breakfast, as there were at least 5 entrees on their menu that sounded good to me...





Though I had hoped to try two of these at this breakfast, in reality I was still not all that hungry after all the food that we had eaten the night before at the F & W Classic. In addition I had scheduled an ADR for lunch at a buffet restaurant. Luckily I was able to talk my husband into sharing an entree with me, and he even let me choose.



Scrambled Eggs with Tomato, Basil, and fresh Mozzarella served with Breakfast Potatoes, Choice of Bacon or Chicken Sausage, and a multi-grain croissant
​

Our reviews were somewhat mixed for this entree. The main item, the scrambled eggs, was very good. The potatoes though were not good. They were kind of cold and lacked seasoning. As for the bacon, it was very crispy (but not burned)...which is how I like it but my husband prefers it less crispy. So we shared the eggs, I had the bacon, and we pretty much left the potatoes alone after trying them.


This was enough to fill me up but my husband was still hungry. Plus he knew he wouldn't be getting anymore food until late afternoon when his plane landed back home since he was flying on Allegiant...where they even charge you for a glass of water!! Therefore, he also ordered this...


Vanilla-Blueberry Steel-cut Oatmeal

This was good "stick to your ribs" oatmeal and did its job to fill him up for several hours.


So overall, though almost all of our food was good, next time I would probably try one of the other four entrees (the frittata, breakfast pizza, waffle, or pancakes) that interest me. ​

Next up: Lunch at Biergarten

 

[Wood Nymph]

Our reviews were somewhat mixed for this entree. The main item, the scrambled eggs, was very good. The potatoes though were not good. They were kind of cold and lacked seasoning. As for the bacon, it was very crispy (but not burned)...which is how I like it but my husband prefers it less crispy. So we shared the eggs, I had the bacon, and we pretty much left the potatoes alone after trying them.

I've given up on eating breakfast potatoes at WDW. I haven't found any good ones yet. They are usually cold, dry and tasteless.

Did they only give you two slices of bacon or was someone nibbling?

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

This was the second time that my husband and I attended the Swan & Dolphin Food & Wine Classic.

I've never heard of this! It looks amazing!!! I would definitely pay the full price for AYCTE- don't know if both nights, but at least one!!
Do they have this every year? My next trip seems very far away right now

 

[vettegirl]

Well I am officially starving this morning reading your F&W classic reviews. It looks like an amazing time.

 

[Niki Andiokno]

Great review of the Food& Wine Classic. I knew I could count on you to fill in blanks I had missed. I already have Boardwalk booked for next year. Hope to see you there, as well as in Illinois before we get there.

 

[jabead]

Did they only give you two slices of bacon or was someone nibbling?

Yep, that's all there was. Absolutely no nibbling allowed before I take photos.

Do they have this every year? My next trip seems very far away right now

Yes, this was the 6th year that this event was held. And they have already set the dates for the 7th Annual Swan & Dolphin Food and Wine Classic. It will be held on October 28 - 29, 2016.

Well I am officially starving this morning reading your F&W classic reviews. It looks like an amazing time.

I hear ya! I just finished going through all my photos for my next review, Biergarten, and now I'm starving!!!

Great review of the Food& Wine Classic. I knew I could count on you to fill in blanks I had missed. I already have Boardwalk booked for next year. Hope to see you there, as well as in Illinois before we get there.

I've booked a room at the Wilderness Lodge, but I'm hoping to stay at least part of the time at the Boardwalk. Just waiting and hoping for a good Annual Passholder rate there.

 

[jabead]

I had not dined at Epcot's Biergarten in nearly 15 years. That first visit to this German buffet restaurant was with our three young kids who were picky eaters. All I can remember from that meal is that they hardly ate anything. Therefore we decided to put this restaurant on the back burner until the kids got older. But then it was just forgotten about...until now. Since my goal for this trip was to try new restaurants or return to ones that I hadn't visited in a long time, the Biergarten seemed to fit the bill. So after seeing my DH off I walked to Epcot for some shopping, followed by my solo lunch at Germany's...




Here is a photo of the menu which sat outside of the restaurant...





I was seated at a table (for I believe 8) along with a family of 5, which was on the upper tier with a a fairly direct view of the stage...



My ADR was for 1:35 (lunch is served from Noon - 3:00) and there were several empty tables. After placing my drink order with our server, I took a few photos of the band...







Then I headed to the nearby buffet line to take some photos, starting with the cold salads such as these Mixed Greens...




I think this was a Tomato Salad with Red Onion and Fresh Basil...




German Potato Salad...




Not sure on this one but I think this was a Pickled Red Beet Salad???...




Macaroni Salad...




And Cucumber-Dill Salad...




Another item in the cold section was this platter of Assorted Cold Meats...





And there was a huge basket of rolls, which included just a few pretzel rolls...




But don't worry pretzel roll lovers (like me), 'cause there was a whole basket of pretzel rolls on the other side of the buffet...




Next I photographed some of the many selections in the Hot Section of the buffet, starting with some side dishes like Pea Pods and Carrots...




Sauteed Green Beans...




Roasted Potatoes...


​

I think this was a Warm German Potato Salad, similar to scalloped potatoes...




Spaetzle...




White Rice and Chicken Fricassee...







And of course, Nudel Gratin (Baked Macaroni with Cheese Custard)...




Main dishes included Roasted Chicken...




German Sausages and Sauerkraut...





Meatballs...




Pork Schnitzel...





Roasted Chicken Legs...




Frankfurter Sausages...




Salmon with Lemon-Dill Cream Sauce...




And at the carving station was Roasted Pork...




I then filled a plate and returned to my table with this...




While all my choices were good, my favorites were the cucumber-dill salad, meatball, and roasted pork.


I also got a separate bowl of the Nudel Gratin, which was another of my favorites...





- continued in next post - ​