GeminiAngel
Wherever you go, there you are.
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2003
Oh My that was the best update yet!!! I'm hungry now!
FOOD FRENZY: 21 Days of disney dining with pics! -COMPLETED!
- Thread starter taylorl25
- Start date
We spent the morning in Animal Kingdom today, savouring our last experience of the parks. As the CS choices are limited there, especially for a veggie, we came back and ate at POFQ.
I got a hot dog and fries, and a cookie for dessert. This was nice, hot dog was cooked fresh for you.
DH got the veggie burger (again!!) which was fine, and a slice of pecan pie for dessert. The pie was really good, you got a huge slice and it almost tasted homemade.
Sorry we forgot to take pictures.
Our last dinner was at Artist Point. We'd never been here before, or to the Wilderness Lodge at all, so I was looking forward to seeing it. Our ressie was at 8:00, and we checked in and were seated about 10 minutes early.
I liked the ambiance here, the tables were nicely spaced out and it wasn't too loud. We got a nice table by the window, but it was too dark to see much.
DH got a glass of Pinot Noir and I went for the wine pairings. At $28 dollars the pairings were slightly more expensive than citricos, and I didn't think you got quite as big a pour but they were still good.
For my starter I got the Mixed Green Salad - Roasted Beets, Hazelnut Gremolata, Echo Mountain Blue Cheese, Blackberry Vinaigrette. This was good, the beets were very sweet and paired well with the blue cheese and tangy dressing.
DH went for the Selection of Artisan Cheeses with riesling-poached raisins, dried cranberries and walnut toast. He liked this but didn't rate it quite as highly as Flying Fish's cheese platter, but there was a good selection of strong flavoured cheeses and the accompaniments were good.
Sorry the pictures didn't come out too good here as I didn't want to use flash.
For my entree I was torn between the salmon and the buffalo. I eventually went for the buffalo, simply because I'd never tried it before. This was good, I asked for it medium and it seemed tougher than a medium beef steak would be, the sweet potato gratin and onion jam though were absolutely fantastic.
The vegetarian options was Potato Chive Pot Stickers with edamame, spinach and soy vinaigrette. This was a different veggie option than the usual pasta/risotto offering and DH enjoyed it, it was very spicy and tasted like something you'd get from a very upmarket chinese restaurant, but it was very good.
For dessert I chose the hazelnut chocolate torte (mainly because it was paired with ice wine). This was a small portion but was very rich, it came with lavender ice cream which worked well with the chocolate, but I couldn't taste much hazelnut.
Being a coffee lover DH chose the coffee two ways. The bread pudding was tasty but didn't have a strong coffee flavour, while the creme brulee had a much stronger coffee taste. DH loved this pudding, it was a big portion and like getting two desserts for the price of one.
Overall we really enjoyed this restaurant, the service was good, atmosphere nice and food was really good.
Rating 4/5.
Just one review left to go now, Wolfgang Pucks!
I got a hot dog and fries, and a cookie for dessert. This was nice, hot dog was cooked fresh for you.
DH got the veggie burger (again!!) which was fine, and a slice of pecan pie for dessert. The pie was really good, you got a huge slice and it almost tasted homemade.
Sorry we forgot to take pictures.
Our last dinner was at Artist Point. We'd never been here before, or to the Wilderness Lodge at all, so I was looking forward to seeing it. Our ressie was at 8:00, and we checked in and were seated about 10 minutes early.
I liked the ambiance here, the tables were nicely spaced out and it wasn't too loud. We got a nice table by the window, but it was too dark to see much.
DH got a glass of Pinot Noir and I went for the wine pairings. At $28 dollars the pairings were slightly more expensive than citricos, and I didn't think you got quite as big a pour but they were still good.
For my starter I got the Mixed Green Salad - Roasted Beets, Hazelnut Gremolata, Echo Mountain Blue Cheese, Blackberry Vinaigrette. This was good, the beets were very sweet and paired well with the blue cheese and tangy dressing.
DH went for the Selection of Artisan Cheeses with riesling-poached raisins, dried cranberries and walnut toast. He liked this but didn't rate it quite as highly as Flying Fish's cheese platter, but there was a good selection of strong flavoured cheeses and the accompaniments were good.
Sorry the pictures didn't come out too good here as I didn't want to use flash.
For my entree I was torn between the salmon and the buffalo. I eventually went for the buffalo, simply because I'd never tried it before. This was good, I asked for it medium and it seemed tougher than a medium beef steak would be, the sweet potato gratin and onion jam though were absolutely fantastic.
The vegetarian options was Potato Chive Pot Stickers with edamame, spinach and soy vinaigrette. This was a different veggie option than the usual pasta/risotto offering and DH enjoyed it, it was very spicy and tasted like something you'd get from a very upmarket chinese restaurant, but it was very good.
For dessert I chose the hazelnut chocolate torte (mainly because it was paired with ice wine). This was a small portion but was very rich, it came with lavender ice cream which worked well with the chocolate, but I couldn't taste much hazelnut.
Being a coffee lover DH chose the coffee two ways. The bread pudding was tasty but didn't have a strong coffee flavour, while the creme brulee had a much stronger coffee taste. DH loved this pudding, it was a big portion and like getting two desserts for the price of one.
Overall we really enjoyed this restaurant, the service was good, atmosphere nice and food was really good.
Rating 4/5.
Just one review left to go now, Wolfgang Pucks!
Merylj- thank you for the compliment
Tigerkat - I'm probably not the best judge as I'm not a big meat eater, in fact the steak I had at Le Cellier was the first I've had in over a year! The main difference for me was the lack of fat in the buffalo steak made it slightly tougher than the Le Cellier one. Although I asked for both cooked medium, the Le Cellier steak came out dark pink, while the Buffalo was only a pale pink in the middle. However not being a big meat eater, I'm not sure if that was to do with the buffalo or with how the Chef cooked it!
Tigerkat - I'm probably not the best judge as I'm not a big meat eater, in fact the steak I had at Le Cellier was the first I've had in over a year! The main difference for me was the lack of fat in the buffalo steak made it slightly tougher than the Le Cellier one. Although I asked for both cooked medium, the Le Cellier steak came out dark pink, while the Buffalo was only a pale pink in the middle. However not being a big meat eater, I'm not sure if that was to do with the buffalo or with how the Chef cooked it!
Tink rules
<font color=teal>The kids in my family sometimes t
- Joined
- Dec 30, 2006
Buffalo along with Venison and Elk are a little more gamey than beef. I guess it's like anything else, if you like those kinds of meats, you may like it.
TigerKat
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2006
Thanks guys!! I love venison so I'd probably like to try the buffalo.
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2005
Wonderful reviews - I really enjoyed them 
whogirl'smom
<font color=royalblue>Any leftover grumpiness can
- Joined
- Aug 31, 2006
Love the reviews--sorry I got behind! AP looked especially yummy. I have had buffalo burgers, and could not tell the difference from beef; we also like venison.
Remember the little ketchup bottle I was jealous over?
I saw them at Wal-Mart in the deli section the other day. I might have to get one they're so cute!
Remember the little ketchup bottle I was jealous over?
I saw them at Wal-Mart in the deli section the other day. I might have to get one they're so cute!
PinkPrincessZ
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Sep 24, 2007
I sampled buffalo for the first time at the F&WF a few weeks ago and thought it was awesome! I have been on the fence about Artists Point for quite some time, but that cheese plate looks incredible. 
Was it worth the two dining credits?
Was it worth the two dining credits?
I sampled buffalo for the first time at the F&WF a few weeks ago and thought it was awesome! I have been on the fence about Artists Point for quite some time, but that cheese plate looks incredible.
Was it worth the two dining credits?
To us all the signature dining was worth the two credits. It's just a different atmosphere from the 1 TS restaurants, the foods a notch above and the pace of the meal is much more relaxed. I guess in terms of pure monetary value though, you're not maxing the value of the DDP by doing lots of signature restaurants.
Our last meal of the trip was a lunch at Wolfgang Puck Cafe. We'd checked in for our flight then spent the morning looking round DTD and trying to use up the leftover snack credits.
I'd made a 1pm reservation and we arrived about 10 minutes early. The restaurant was pretty quiet and we were seated immediately at a booth.
Our server greeted us straight away and explained what was included with the DDP, which was everything but sushi for an appetiser, coffee (?!) or speciality drinks.
I ordered the Artichoke and five cheese dip for my appetiser. This was absolutely huge and I didn't even finish half. The dip was good and creamy but was only hot around the outside. The crispy Parmesan flatbread was very cheesy, and although I like cheese the combination of bread and dip was too cheesy for me.
DH ordered the vegetable spring rolls. These were really good, flaky pastry which wasn't greasy with crisp vegetables inside, served with a sweet plum dipping sauce.
For my entree I ordered the daily sushi special. This was a spicy ahi tuna roll, with tuna tartare in the centre, slices of tuna on top with a sweet chili sauce. This was fantastic but unfortunately it was too spicy for me. The tuna was incredibly fresh, and the tartare in the centre literally melted in your mouth. If I wasn't such a wimp with spicy food, this sushi would have definitely beaten the California Grill sushi.
DH ordered the Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown butter sauce with fried sage, port wine glaze, toasted pine nuts and aged Parmesan. This was very good but very sweet, the sauce was good and complimented the pumpkin well. He liked this dish but said it was slightly too sweet for him, I had a small taste and thought it was fantastic, but I do like sweet dishes.
For dessert I ordered creme brulee. This was a very good plain vanilla creme brulee, with flecks of vanilla and a thick, creamy texture. It was probably as good as the Jiko creme brulee.
DH ordered the flourless chocolate cake. This looked quite a small portion but it was very rich. He described it as delicious, with a texture that was almost a cross between a mousse and a cake, the fresh fruit and ice cream were needed to cut through the richness.
Overall we both really enjoyed this meal, both the service and the food were good and it's definitely one we'd come back to.
Rating 4/5
That's my last review, but I'll add some final thoughts about dining in Disney World.
I'd made a 1pm reservation and we arrived about 10 minutes early. The restaurant was pretty quiet and we were seated immediately at a booth.
Our server greeted us straight away and explained what was included with the DDP, which was everything but sushi for an appetiser, coffee (?!) or speciality drinks.
I ordered the Artichoke and five cheese dip for my appetiser. This was absolutely huge and I didn't even finish half. The dip was good and creamy but was only hot around the outside. The crispy Parmesan flatbread was very cheesy, and although I like cheese the combination of bread and dip was too cheesy for me.
DH ordered the vegetable spring rolls. These were really good, flaky pastry which wasn't greasy with crisp vegetables inside, served with a sweet plum dipping sauce.
For my entree I ordered the daily sushi special. This was a spicy ahi tuna roll, with tuna tartare in the centre, slices of tuna on top with a sweet chili sauce. This was fantastic but unfortunately it was too spicy for me. The tuna was incredibly fresh, and the tartare in the centre literally melted in your mouth. If I wasn't such a wimp with spicy food, this sushi would have definitely beaten the California Grill sushi.
DH ordered the Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown butter sauce with fried sage, port wine glaze, toasted pine nuts and aged Parmesan. This was very good but very sweet, the sauce was good and complimented the pumpkin well. He liked this dish but said it was slightly too sweet for him, I had a small taste and thought it was fantastic, but I do like sweet dishes.
For dessert I ordered creme brulee. This was a very good plain vanilla creme brulee, with flecks of vanilla and a thick, creamy texture. It was probably as good as the Jiko creme brulee.
DH ordered the flourless chocolate cake. This looked quite a small portion but it was very rich. He described it as delicious, with a texture that was almost a cross between a mousse and a cake, the fresh fruit and ice cream were needed to cut through the richness.
Overall we both really enjoyed this meal, both the service and the food were good and it's definitely one we'd come back to.
Rating 4/5
That's my last review, but I'll add some final thoughts about dining in Disney World.
Ok so after spending three weeks dining around Disney World how did we rate the experience?
I enjoyed free dining and although I read a lot on these boards about the dining experience declining rapidly, I didn't notice any major change in quality compared to two years ago.
The restaurants were a lot busier than the same period two years ago, and we saw a lot more restaurants turning away walk ups, but even during the peak of free dining people were able to make same day reservations or walk up to some of the less popular restaurants.
Menus in the non-disney owned restaurants are a lot more extensive than in disney owned restaurants, but in 3 weeks there I never got bored with the menu choices, and certainly didn't feel I was eating the same thing over and over again.
We much preferred the signature dining to the one credit places, the food is much better and the atmosphere was a lot more sedate.
In the 1 TS restaurants we did often feel slightly rushed, and I really don't like the practice of them running through your check before or while you're eating dessert, as it contributes to the feeling they want you out the door!
In 3 weeks we had some great meals and some so-so meals, but I can honestly say we never had one meal that was terrible.
Our favourites were Citricos and California Grill, and our least favourite meals were probably Capt n Jacks and Mama Melroses.
The dining plan does give you a lot of food, we ended up wasting a couple of CS credits and brought loads of sweets back for work colleagues using left over snack credits, but I really enjoyed using it and got to try a great selection of Disney restaurants over the course of our trip.
Will we be using the DDP again? Nope, we booked for next year but this time with the Deluxe Dining plan (god even more food!). This way we can eat at a signature restaurant almost every night, and enjoy some of our favourite TS's from this trip at lunch time.
Thanks for reading and hope my reviews were useful to people.
I enjoyed free dining and although I read a lot on these boards about the dining experience declining rapidly, I didn't notice any major change in quality compared to two years ago.
The restaurants were a lot busier than the same period two years ago, and we saw a lot more restaurants turning away walk ups, but even during the peak of free dining people were able to make same day reservations or walk up to some of the less popular restaurants.
Menus in the non-disney owned restaurants are a lot more extensive than in disney owned restaurants, but in 3 weeks there I never got bored with the menu choices, and certainly didn't feel I was eating the same thing over and over again.
We much preferred the signature dining to the one credit places, the food is much better and the atmosphere was a lot more sedate.
In the 1 TS restaurants we did often feel slightly rushed, and I really don't like the practice of them running through your check before or while you're eating dessert, as it contributes to the feeling they want you out the door!
In 3 weeks we had some great meals and some so-so meals, but I can honestly say we never had one meal that was terrible.
Our favourites were Citricos and California Grill, and our least favourite meals were probably Capt n Jacks and Mama Melroses.
The dining plan does give you a lot of food, we ended up wasting a couple of CS credits and brought loads of sweets back for work colleagues using left over snack credits, but I really enjoyed using it and got to try a great selection of Disney restaurants over the course of our trip.
Will we be using the DDP again? Nope, we booked for next year but this time with the Deluxe Dining plan (god even more food!). This way we can eat at a signature restaurant almost every night, and enjoy some of our favourite TS's from this trip at lunch time.
Thanks for reading and hope my reviews were useful to people.
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