Flying Fish Cafe
Our trip up to Disney left a little after we originally expected. I had customers in at work and S hit traffic on her way home from work as well. I picked up S a little before 5PM and we headed up to Estero, FL to pick up E from her home. I was really glad I had taken my husband’s Jeep Cherokee as for a 3 night weekend trip, we had a lot of stuff between the three of us, since both S and E totally overpacked. I felt under packed with my one suitcase and purse!
Our drive to the Boardwalk was uneventful. For once I didn’t hit horrible traffic in Sarasota! That totally deserves a win! We did get the text message around that time that our room was ready and what the room number was! At least we didn’t have to go to the front desk when we arrived at the hotel. I was happy to see that we were on the 3rd floor and not overlooking the main feature pool! We arrived a little after 8PM and somehow managed to get all our stuff out and get it to the room in one trip with some creative stacking. This was difficult but we managed, especially since I was able to get the 24 pack of water S brought balanced on top of my luggage!
In the room, I was happy to see we had gotten one of the refurbished rooms! This meant each of us had our own beds - I would get the Queen (my DVC points, my bed!) , S got the pull out and E got the lovely Dumbo Bed! We decided to get settled into the room before making a decision on dinner. S was determined to hit the gym first though and would meet us where we decided to go or where we could get into without having a reservation.
Dumbo Bed
During the drive up, we were talking and I totally realized I didn’t pack my gus for my long run I had scheduled for this weekend. As a Gu isn’t something that is easily found on Disney property outside of RunDisney Race Weekends or a visit to Disney Springs to visit Fit2Run, I decided that I should be able to find some type of hard candy at the General Store. I’ve used Jolly Ranchers before during races for the sugar and figured I could get something similar. S was going to complete her 30 minute run before joining us for dinner.
S going to Gym, E coming with me
At the general store, I was actually shocked at my inability to find some type of hard candy that wasn’t a lollipop. I wasn’t about to run in the morning with a lollipop in my mouth. I ended up deciding on going with miniature jawbreakers as that was the closest I could get to something normal for race fuel. I felt like such a jerk for having to charge the $0.70 bag of jawbreakers to the room but I had no cash on me.
After buying my ‘fuel’ for the next morning run, E and I were left with the task for deciding on dinner. It was now almost 9PM and we had no ADR. I really wanted to try the new Flying Fish menu and was hoping we could walk in. E didn’t care where we ended up so she was fine to see if we could get in. Walking in, we were happy to be told we could get a seat at the bar!
The bartenders here were awesome and very attentive. E and I looked over the menu and I was hungry enough to know i would need either an appetizer and entree or two appetizers to fill me up today. E had eaten snacks on the drive up so she wasn’t as hungry and would wait to order her salad when S joined us. I knew S had snacks as well so she wouldn’t need as much either. I ordered an appetizer and my first cocktail while we waited for S to get done with her run before we ordered more food.
Maple Bacon-Peach Manhattan - Bulleit Rye Whiskey, Averna Amaro, Maple Bacon-infused Grilled Peaches, Candied Bacon
It wasn’t hard for me to decide on this as my first drink. I love whiskey. I really love Manhattans. I
REALLY LOVE BACON! I only like peaches. I was so happy with this drink! So happy in fact, I was super offended when I posted my love of the drink on facebook that evening, I was shocked at my friends that thought I was crazy for loving it!
Kurobuto Pork Belly - Shank Croquette, Royal Gala Apple Slaw, Bing Cherry Gastique, Shirred Quail Egg
This dish wasn’t a hard selection for me either. I love pork belly as well (I mean, I do
REALLY LOVE Bacon and Pork Belly is just uncured bacon. This was so tender you didn’t need a knife to pull it apart. The apple slaw was a nice lightness to balance out the richness of the pork. The shank croquette was the perfect crunchy porky bite! I offered to share some with E but she passed as she knew I loved it more than she ever could!
As I finished up with this dish and it was cleared, S joined us at the bar having finished her run. The bartender was having some fun conversations with us along with recommending some dishes to her. She ended up going with a glass of sparkling wine and the seafood appetizer that he raved about (Tour of the Coast - Local Middleneck Clams, Rock Shrimp, Icy Blue Mussels, Florida Coast Group Cheek). E went with the Mesclun Salad (Petite Lettuce, Market Vegetables, Fine Herbs, Barrel Aged Feta, Torn Focaccia) which sounded good to her. I was the more difficult one. I told him to surprise me with a cocktail with anything but gin. He said that made him really want to make me a gin cocktail so I agreed if he could make me one that didn’t taste like a pine tree like so many of them do.
Cucumber Martini - Hendrick's Gin, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, House Made Cucumber Water from EPCOT Land Pavilion
I admit, he impressed me! This was a gin cocktail I truly enjoyed! The elderflower liqueur and cucumber water brought out the cucumber notes of the gin rather than the piney notes I usually find in it. It was really refreshing as well!
Corn Encrusted Wild Gulf Shrimp - Spiced Hearts of Palm, Orange Supremes, Piquant Aioli
As it had been enough time for the bread and the pork belly to settled in my stomach, I decided to go with another appetizer for my meal. I was really happy with this shrimp dish. The corn meal encrusting the shrimp had a decent flavor to it and I really liked the sauce on the dish.
We looked at the dessert menu but decided against getting anything and decided to walk the Boardwalk and see what we might find!
and then put alcohol in a normally non-alcoholic drink 
If not - you could always just put it in Sprite and watch it disappear! (and now I miss Maelstrom again)
