I Have No Impulse Control - Last Minute Easter Weekend Trip - Update 4/23 (La Hacienda)

[Dis_Yoda]

Outdoor Kitchen: Taste of Marrakesh

My next stop around the World Showcase was for another cocktail.

Desert Rose - Sparkling Wine w/ Pomegranate Liqueur

It was such as refreshing as the Kir Imperial just with a slightly different flavor profile to it.
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[Dis_Yoda]

Outdoor Kitchen: Hanami

As I continued my walk around the World Showcase Counter-Clockwise, I stopped in Japan to have a look at their booth.

Teriyaki Curry Bun - Steamed Bun filled with chicken, vegetables, curry and sweet sauce

Not the prettiest thing to photograph, is it?

While not being pretty, it sure did taste great! There was just the right amount of curry to play off the teriyaki to provide a really flavorful experience. I wouldn't recommend it to someone that doesn't like curry though as the taste is definitely there. It also is a huge portion! I felt bad throwing half of it away but I wanted to save room to try some more items around the showcase.
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[Dis_Yoda]

Outdoor Kitchen: Smokehouse: Barbecues & Brews

My next stop around the World Showcase was in America to see what the Smokehouse was offering. I actually debated between three different items foodwise to try but I ended up deciding on what would be a little different than normal for me to get.

Beef Brisket Burnt Ends Hash w/ White Cheddar Fondue & Pickled Jalapenos
Maple Bacon Stout - Shipyard Brewing Company (Festival Exclusive)
R.C. Sweet Tea made from Twinings Cold-Brewed English Classic Tea

I normally would never order hash to eat but the sound of the white cheddar fondue made me change my mind. The burnt ends of the beef brisket were tough but crispy and when covered in the fondue, I was in heaven. The jalapenos were not at all spicy thanks to be pickled. I left most of the potatoes behind but that was more a stomach space issue as I had some more booths to visit. This was the overall winner of this booth!

The Maple Bacon Stout was um, interesting. I'm not really a Stout drinker with beer so that could have played a part in my opinion of it. It didn't feel really like it has much maple or bacon flavor but was just a normal dark stout. Not bad, but not something I would get again and something I didn't feel bad throwing half of it out.

As for the Sweet Tea, that was the disappointment. I have no idea where they learned to make Sweet Tea but they need to fire that person and go somewhere else. It tasted like Cold Unsweetened Twinings Earl Grey. This would be fine if I was wanting unsweetened tea but when eating southern food, I wanted it to be what it claimed to be.

When my husband & I return here in May, I think for drinks we'll stick to the Frozen Lemonade and the Hefeweizen. I know he'll really enjoy the hash as well!
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[Dis_Yoda]

Outdoor Kitchen: Primavera Kitchen

The next area I hit was Italy for their Primavera Kitchen.

Cheese Manicotti - Egg Pasta Stuffed w/ Mozzarella, Ricotta, Parmesan, Tomato Sauce, Béchamel

I think at this point I wasn't exactly making smart choices with food as selecting such a large item might have been too much as it would end up being wasteful.

The manicotti was nothing special. It tasted exactly how a decent homemade manicotti would taste with a ton of cheese inside. As a lover of cheese, I enjoyed this but I could have also just made my stuffed lasagna roll ups at home and had the exact same experience.​

 

[AndiMarie]

Your desert rose looks delicious!

The manicotti was nothing special. It tasted exactly how a decent homemade manicotti would taste with a ton of cheese inside. As a lover of cheese, I enjoyed this but I could have also just made my stuffed lasagna roll ups at home and had the exact same experience.

My daughter and I tried this and had the exact same thoughts you did! LOL!

 

[kastoney]

While it may not look delicious that steam bun looks great. But I'm a sucker for any kind of steam bun.

That burnt end hash looks similar to the hash they were serving at food and wine in what I think was called the farm fresh booth. We loved it too.

 

[Mom2m&k]

I love your trip reports! Excited to read your dining review!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Your desert rose looks delicious!

My daughter and I tried this and had the exact same thoughts you did! LOL!

The desert rose was a nice refreshing alcoholic beverage!

I think Italy just continues to disappoint me with their options at their special event booths as its never amazing. I think I'm going to save my money come F&W Time. Always good to know my thoughts are similar to others!

While it may not look delicious that steam bun looks great. But I'm a sucker for any kind of steam bun.

That burnt end hash looks similar to the hash they were serving at food and wine in what I think was called the farm fresh booth. We loved it too.

I love steam buns too! The duck bun at F&W was probably my favorite item last year.

Come May, I'll have to ask my husband which hash he liked better between the Farm Fresh or the Smokehouse one. I remember not trying the Farm Fresh one as I believe it had egg or corned beef in (I can't remember which) but he sure loved it!

I love your trip reports! Excited to read your dining review!

Welcome! I'm glad you enjoy my reports so much I like doing Dining Reviews on these super short trips over full Trip Reports as it doesn't take as much effort to get it done.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Outdoor Kitchen: Florida Fresh

My next booth I stopped at was Florida Fresh.

Key Lime Sparkling Wine - Florida Orange Groves, St. Petersburg, FL

As I had been enjoying sparkling wine on many of the booths, I decided to stick with that selection. The first sip of this was really enjoyable. The next few sips were good. Then it turned to ok. Then it was nasty. The rest of it got thrown out. It had a key lime flavor but I personally got sick of the taste as I kept sipping it. I should have known I would have done that though as I do the same thing with Key Lime Pie.

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[Dis_Yoda]

Outdoor Kitchen: Lotus House

The last Flower & Garden Booth I visited this trip was Lotus House.

Kung Pao Chicken Bun
Bottle of Water

As I had enjoyed the steam buns so much during Food & Wine last year, I had high hopes for this steam bun. Too bad the Kung Pao tasted like Bland O. There wasn't much flavor in the sauce or the chicken. Most of it went in the trash.

The water was needed as it was hot out & staying hydrated is key.​

 

[kastoney]

Bland kung pao, how disappointing. And the open face steam "bun" seems strange. Is it really a steam taco ; )

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Bland kung pao, how disappointing. And the open face steam "bun" seems strange. Is it really a steam taco ; )

I know right? I expect a kung pao to have some POW to it but nope.

The China Booth at Food & Wine also has it as an open face steam "bun" - I'm guessing because they rather cook the buns at their non-booth kitchen and cut them open to fill as the day goes on. This probably helps keep the ingredients separate rather than it becoming a mush inside of the bun. Japan wins the Steamed Bun Battle this trip!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

La Cava del Tequila

It was hot out and I still had some time to kill prior to wanting to head over to the Polynesian to wait for Trader Sam's to open. I headed to La Cava where I was quickly given a table to sit back and people watch while I had another cocktail and something to snack on that would be better than the last two items I had from the booths.

Queso Blanco - Warm White Nacho Cheese w/ Pico de Gallo Sauce & Tortilla Chips
Horchata Margarita

I'll preface this that a Horchata Margarita does not pair in anyway with Queso Blanco but I ordered what I felt I wanted rather than what works together.

The Horchata Margarita was cool and refreshing. It had a nice kick in it from the Fireball Whiskey that was quickly put out from the Horchata Rum.

The queso was better than what they attempt to call queso here in Naples at our local places. (It is so bad that I pretty much only eat the Queso at Moe's as that's the only decent option from the places I've tried) I had about half before I called it quits as I wanted to be able to try an appetizer or two at Trader Sam's later.

La Cava del Tequila is one of my favorite places to people watch at Disney. There was a group of 20 people starting out on their Drink Around the World in their matching shirts. Not quite sure how long one of them was going to make it after already acting buzzed from the two margaritas they had. One guy there just to get a shot of something expensive and then run away after throwing money down on the table as he obviously was in a hurry.

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[auntfrannie]

Looking at your reviews makes me realize I really need to get myself to Disney...soon! I'm glad you have no willpower as I can then live vicariously through your reviews. Thanks!

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Looking at your reviews makes me realize I really need to get myself to Disney...soon! I'm glad you have no willpower as I can then live vicariously through your reviews. Thanks!

You should totally get yourself to Disney!

My coworkers think I'm a little crazy I went by myself as to them thats weird. I would probably have a lot more in the savings account if it wasn't for the Disney addiction but such is life. Whats the point of working if I can't enjoy life?

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Trader Sam's Grog Grotto

When I first heard that Trader Sam's was going to be opening at the Polynesian, I was super excited. At the time of this trip, it had only been open less than 1 Week so it was still very new with a very high demand for people that wanted to enjoy the bar. I was determined to get in at opening even if it meant I was going to wait outside at the Polynesian for over an hour prior to the 4:00PM Opening. I was more than willing to entertain myself for that time with my cell phone. The people that were among the first there with me provided a decent amount of entertainment to pass the time as well.

Crowd Pre-Opening

About 15 Minutes prior to 4:00PM, one of the hostesses for the bar came out to provide a stamp for the first group that would be allowed in. I was actually the first one for the night. Those not in the initial group of 50 guests were told it would be at least a 90 minute wait.

Stamp!

At exactly 4:00PM, I was ushered in & was the first one in for the evening & had my choice of seats.

I decided to take a seat at the bar as I was alone and I wanted to be entertained by the bartenders as I spent the next couple of hours there.

Before I get to my review of cocktails & foods, I'll post some of the pictures from the bar.

Bartender Making an Uh-Oa!

Light Decoration

Wall Decoration

Shell(y) - The Pearl for the Pearl Drinks comes out of here!

Zombie Family

Behind the Bar

Behind the Bar

Back of Bar

When certain drinks are ordered, there are some awesome special effects around the bar. I didn't take a video of all of them as I only had so much battery life left to get me through the rest of the evening. Here are two examples:

https://vid.me/YZqs
One of the Special Effect Videos (High Pitched) for Dark & Stormy

https://vid.me/Ju2D
Uh-Oa! Special Effect Video

Now onto what I sampled:

I started with a cocktail as I looked at the food menu to make a decision for the first of the appetizers I would trying.

Shrunken Zombie Head - Reserve and Aged Rums, Tropical Juices, Falernum, and Cinnamon.

I really liked this drink! It was definitely a strong one and I loved the glass! This is the glass I decided to keep as a memento for my first trip to Trader Sam's. I think each time I go, I'll get one glass until I have a full set of all the options.

I ordered the first appetizer as I was sipping this drink:

Pan-Fried Dumplings w/ Soy-Sesame Dipping Sauce

These were ok. It tasted like a standard potsticker you could get at any ordinary Chinese restaurant for half the price.

As it didn't take me long to finish the Zombie Head, I went to another one of their speciality drinks -

Krakatoa Punch - Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, Pyrat XO Reserve Rum, Orgeat (Almond), Sam's Gorilla Grog & Hibiscus Grenadine

This was super fruity and also strong. I really enjoyed it as well and it had less of a fruit salad on top than the Zombie Head did.

As the dumplings weren't really enough for a dinner, I got another appetizer off the menu:

Kahlua Pork Tacos w/ Cabbage & Pickled Vegetables

So much better than the dumplings! The vegetables with the peppers were enough of a kick to really play off of the pork. The pork was properly cooked and had a nice amount of flavor to it.

Dark & Tropical Stormy - Gosling's Black Seal Rum, Fresh Lime Juice, Ginger Beer & Falernum

I went with a drink that didn't have a speciality glass option and one that wasn't as strong as the others. It was light especially with the ginger beer to offset the rum.

One of the awesome things is all the souvenir mugs you could potentially buy. At the time I was there, there were 3 Souvenir Glasses that were not yet available - Nautilus, Hippotomai-Tai, & the Rum Flight. I'm hoping the Rum Flight will be available in May when I return as I love the look of those shot glasses! You don't keep the exact glass you drink in but rather when you are given your receipt, you stop by the desk at the front door and are given a new one that is boxed up already & sent on your way.

The amount of special effects are awesome as there is always something to entertain you between the special effects and the bartenders.

Overall, I ended up spending over 2 hours in the bar enjoying my cocktails and the two appetizers I ordered. I think I'll skip eating food there again though as it really wasn't worth giving up a decent Signature Meal for. I will totally return for all of their wonderful cocktails though. We are staying at the Polynesian DVC in May for Star Wars Weekends & I plan on trying to get to Trader Sam's at least twice in the evenings during that trip since it will be in walking distance to the room. This will be happening after we have dinner someplace else in the Magic Kingdom Area. I hope they have some of the new glasses then too! Just to note, you cannot get a TiW discount here.​

 

[kastoney]

Trader Sams looks like complete and utter tropical heaven. Any chance I can bum along in your May trip? Don't think Septmber will roll along soon enough

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Trader Sams looks like complete and utter tropical heaven. Any chance I can bum along in your May trip? Don't think Septmber will roll along soon enough

It is a tropical heaven! I can't wait until I get to go back in about a month. My May trip is all of 3 Nights so probably not worth it for you to bum along We'll get in super late that Thursday and leave really early Sunday.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Mizner's Lounge

As I had spent 2 hours at Trader Sam's, I felt it was time to give some others a chance to get inside & to visit my favorite bartender at Disney - Tammy at Mizner's Lounge. When I had last visited her in December, I was rushed out halfway through a story due to some drama with my friend I was at Disney with & the other people we were with.

I wasn't hungry so I didn't order any additional food. I was here for the amusement of a great bartender and her great cocktails.

Manhattan

I started with a classic Maker's Mark Manhattan. It was mixed correctly and was a great balance after all the sweeter drinks at Trader Sam's.

I found the people watching here to be much better than at Trader Sam's as there are no theatrics. There were 3 cast members doing a drink around the Monorail and having a great time. A very awkward political young woman who kept making the 3 cast members and myself look at her like she was crazy (Disney isn't the time or place)

The bar wasn't busy at all. I made mention of this to the bartender as I'm used to having to wait for a seat & she mentioned that with Easter being such a family holiday, they tend to be less filled as people won't leave their families for a drink as much.

Grand Cocktail - Ketel Citroen Vodka, Pomegranate Liqueur, Cranberry Juice & Soda Water

This was a decent cocktail. I probably should have stuck to Whiskey but by the end of this, I was definitely feeling some effects of the alcohol.

I left to head to Downtown Disney as I had a very expensive Lego Set to buy and then take back to the room.​

 

[kastoney]

Your drinks at Mizner's look great. And of course a good bartender makes all the difference. Cant wait to see what kinds of lego's a trip to Trader Sams and Mizners is going to induce ; )