Keep Calm and Go to Disney! 10/21 - 11/4/14 COMPLETE

[Li Li]

Yay for scary clown being blocked by the tree, lol!!

I keep telling DH I'd rather try Beach Club over Boardwalk solely due to the scary clown pool!

 

[LindseyJo22]

I love the details on the Boardwalk studio. We are staying in one in September, so it's nice to get a heads up and know a little bit about what we'll be getting. I am jealous of the F&W booths though! We just missed being able to get our room during that period, even though we called as early as we could! So F&W will have to be saved for another year. And really, that sundae looks phenomenal. I might have to hop over to the Beach Club to check it out some time!

 

[kastoney]

We had that burger last trip too and were also disappointed. We make pimento burgers at home fairly regularly (especially during the summer with a green tomato, yum) so we had high hopes. Oh well.

The rest of your food looks great though. I'd never even noticed the creme brule on the menus before. Too bad, cause I love me some salty desserts

 

[auntfrannie]

Someday I am going to try the No Way Jose. It always looks so amazing on reviews but it's one treat I've never had. What is wrong with me!!

 

[goofy4prez]

[QUOTE="jabead, post: 53408536, member: 16158

.





Anyone know what this dessert is?

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Next up: A DIS meet at the Crew's Cup Lounge?? [/QUOTE]

It sure does look like one of my favorites at Beaches and Cream; The No Way Jose. One of these days once my DD is in college in a couple of years, I'm going to have to head down to Disney for the Wine & Food Festival. Love your TR, Barb!

 

[jabead]

That would be the amazingly wonderful No Way Jose!

You are correct on all three counts. It is the No Way Jose and it is both amazing and wonderful!

Yay for scary clown being blocked by the tree, lol!!

I keep telling DH I'd rather try Beach Club over Boardwalk solely due to the scary clown pool!

I myself have no problem with the clown, but there seems to be many who suffer from "coulrophobia" (I just learned that word today ). However, if the pool is of importance to you then it's hard to beat Stormalong Bay.

I love the details on the Boardwalk studio. We are staying in one in September, so it's nice to get a heads up and know a little bit about what we'll be getting. I am jealous of the F&W booths though! We just missed being able to get our room during that period, even though we called as early as we could! So F&W will have to be saved for another year. And really, that sundae looks phenomenal. I might have to hop over to the Beach Club to check it out some time!

Yes, I highly recommend going sometime during the F & W Festival. It is my favorite time of year to go! My second favorite is the first two weeks December to see all of the holiday decorations, etc. As for the No Way Jose, you definitely need to give it a try sometime!

We had that burger last trip too and were also disappointed. We make pimento burgers at home fairly regularly (especially during the summer with a green tomato, yum) so we had high hopes. Oh well.

The rest of your food looks great though. I'd never even noticed the creme brule on the menus before. Too bad, cause I love me some salty desserts

So I guess it wasn't just me who was not impressed with the slider. Sorry to hear that you missed the creme brulee though. Hopefully it will be back next year.

Someday I am going to try the No Way Jose. It always looks so amazing on reviews but it's one treat I've never had. What is wrong with me!!

Just a minor flaw, one that can be easily fixed. Get yourself to Beaches & Cream ASAP!

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It sure does look like one of my favorites at Beaches and Cream; The No Way Jose. One of these days once my DD is in college in a couple of years, I'm going to have to head down to Disney for the Wine & Food Festival. Love your TR, Barb!

Ahh...we are in agreement once again, Bob. The No Way Jose is great, isn't it?!?!

 

[jabead]

As I was about to return to the Ireland booth for the Warm Chocolate Pudding, I received a text from a DIS friend saying she had just arrived and was checking in at her resort, the Beach Club. So the idea came to me to meet her at Beaches & Cream, where she could get some lunch and I could have my much-loved ice cream dessert, the No Way Jose. Brilliant plan, right? Well, I thought so until I reached Beaches & Cream and was told the wait for a table (or even two seats at the counter) would be more than an hour. So when Beth (Couchy) arrived we decided to seek some lunch for her next door at the Yacht Club's lounge...






Here is their menu, from 12:00 noon - 5:00 p.m.





After seeing the menu, I kind of wished I hadn't just eaten at the Food & Wine Festival...especially that slider from the Hops & Barley booth! The lobster roll sounded especially appealing to me, but I also would have been okay with again having the Buttermilk-fried Rock Shrimp that I had gotten on my last visit to the Crew's Cup in December 2013...





But I really was just craving something sweet. Seeing no desserts on the menu, I ordered only a soda to satisfy my sweet tooth...well, sorta. Beth, however, had not had lunch yet so she ordered the Grilled Chicken Sandwich, minus the bun...




Grilled Chicken topped with Aged Parmesan, Serrano Ham, Roasted Garlic Aioli, and Seasoned Greens with French Fries

Check out the size of that fry...I think it might have been 10 inches long!! Beth enjoyed the chicken and commented that the fries were really good. She offered me some of them but I declined, as I still had the hope of maybe getting some ice cream to go from Beaches & Cream afterwards. It was great though to relax and get caught up with Beth (who I had not seen since my May trip) while sitting in the quiet lounge (there were only a handful of other guests there), plus it was nice and cool...a definite bonus when it was quite warm outside.

Beth and I had already made plans to have dinner together that night at one of her favorite WDW restaurants, Flying Fish Cafe. So once Beth had finished eating we parted ways, with her going back to her room to unpack and me to continue my quest for dessert...or perhaps just take a nap.
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Next up: Dinner at Flying Fish Cafe

 

[1stTimeDisneyer]

Oh I cannot wait for you Flying Fish review. It is your reviews along, with Paula and Hunter's that made my DH & I try FF. It is now one of our favorites and a must do for us.

 

[kastoney]

The crews cup menu looks pretty good. Are those truffle fries I spotted yum? And even better if they are 10 inches long ; )

Looking forward to seeing how Flying Fish went for you all...

 

[SimplyGoofy]

I've been quietly following along reading your wonderful dining reviews, but am speaking up to ask about this sundae. This looks like a smaller version of the No Way Jose? How do you order this smaller size and is it any less expensive? (I was planning on splitting one of the big sundaes with my sister on our upcoming trip, but it would be far more fun to get two smaller, different ones and share those!)

Your reviews are great as always, Barb!

 

[rteetz]

Crews cup looks nice. That fry does look really big and looks pretty good. I've only been to beaches and cream once and that was to do the kitchen sink, would love to try other things there though. Can't wait t hear about flying fish.

 

[jabead]

Oh I cannot wait for you Flying Fish review. It is your reviews along, with Paula and Hunter's that made my DH & I try FF. It is now one of our favorites and a must do for us.

I'll try to finish up my FFC review and post it momentarily.

The crews cup menu looks pretty good. Are those truffle fries I spotted yum? And even better if they are 10 inches long ; )

Looking forward to seeing how Flying Fish went for you all...

While Beth's fries were just regular ones, I have had the truffle fries that are on the menu at Crew's Cup and they are really good. Here is a not so great photo...

I've been quietly following along reading your wonderful dining reviews, but am speaking up to ask about this sundae. This looks like a smaller version of the No Way Jose? How do you order this smaller size and is it any less expensive? (I was planning on splitting one of the big sundaes with my sister on our upcoming trip, but it would be far more fun to get two smaller, different ones and share those!)

Your reviews are great as always, Barb!

Yes, it most certainly is a smaller two scoop version of the No Way Jose. I don't have my receipt here with me at the office, but it was definitely cheaper than the full size version. It will be making an appearance again later in my report, so hopefully I will find the receipt by then. If so I will include the price in my review.

Crews cup looks nice. That fry does look really big and looks pretty good. I've only been to beaches and cream once and that was to do the kitchen sink, would love to try other things there though. Can't wait t hear about flying fish.

Oh, you've had the Kitchen Sink?!?! I saw one being made during my last visit to Beaches & Cream and it looks wonderful. It made me wish that I was there with other people so that I could justify ordering one.

 

[jabead]

As I was exiting the Yacht Club, I noticed a boat approaching the nearby dock. The boat was heading towards Epcot, which meant the next stop was the Boardwalk. After getting up at the crack of dawn that morning to go to Fort Wilderness, I suddenly felt really tired...or perhaps just really lazy. So I boarded the boat and headed back to my room. I guess the desire to take a nap trumped my need for dessert. Therefore my next review is not about my sundae from Beaches & Cream. However, I promised myself that I would get back over to the Beach Club for a No Way Jose sometime during the remaining 5 days of my trip.


So anyway, following my nap, I was getting ready for dinner when I received a text from Beth. She was not feeling well and would not be able to join me for dinner. So what was originally planned for 4 (Linda67 and her DH were to join us but did not make it to WDW after their cruise due to Linda's injury) had now become the Jabead party of 1 for dinner at...






Eating solo once again, I wish that I would have thought to request a seat at the counter which overlooks the restaurant's open kitchen...

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But instead I was seated at a two-top table in the circus tent room, which is a smaller room off of the main dining room...





Here is a photo from the Disney Food Blog which gives you a much better idea of what this room is like...




My table was one of the small two-tops in the middle, back of the room. I wasn't really thrilled that I had been seated here because of a past experience with this room. During a December 2013 DIS meet dinner here, our group of 6 was seated in this area and I remembered it being very loud. But since I didn't have to worry about having to carry on a conversation with my dining companion, I decided to just go with the flow. On a positive note, I was rewarded for sticking with this table by having the same great server who we had had at that December dinner.


Here is the menu I was presented with that night...










And here is the bread basket that arrived with my drink...




I couldn't help but chuckle when I looked at the bread...




It appeared to be the same bread that resulted in the most unusual dinner I have ever had, not only at Flying Fish but anywhere. It was a dinner which ended with the entire meal for 6 being comped by the restaurant's manager. If you don't recall this DIS meet dinner from my May 2014 trip and wish to refresh your memory, here is the LINK. So anyway, I couldn't resist immediately posting the above photo on Facebook and tagging my five dining companions from that crazy dinner...Paula (smile4stamps) & her DH, Hunter, Brenda (emmysmommy) & her DH, Michael, and Beth (Couchy). The replies from them were quite amusing.


Now getting back to this meal, starting with my appetizer choice. Just as I had had on my last three visits to Flying Fish, I again had their Signature Appetizer Duo...



Flying Fish Cafe Signature Crab Cake with Vegetable Slaw, Roasted Red Pepper Coulis, and Ancho Chile Remoulade & Caesar Salad with Hearts of Romaine Leaves, Roasted Garlic Dressing, Parmigiana-Montegrappa Frico, and Pesto-Ciabatta Croutons


Here is a photo which better shows the salad that is hiding beneath the large Parmesan crisp...




While the salad is good, it's pretty ordinary except for that Parmesan crisp, which is delicious. Next time though I might just get the full-size crab cake appetizer, as I really love it. It is one of my favorite Disney World appetizers!


Now for my entree choice. On two of my last three visits to Flying Fish I have shared the Signature Duo of the NY Strip Steak and the Red Snapper, with me eating only the snapper part of the duo. For my very first dinner at Flying Fish back in 2010, I had ordered the steak and didn't like it. But knowing how much everyone else seems to like this steak, I decided that I should give it another try so I ordered the Signature Entree Duo of...



Char-crusted Angus New York Strip Steak served with Toasted Fregola Sardo Pearl Pasta, Young Rainbow Carrots, Haricot Vert, Zellwood Corn, and Cherry Tomatoes with Fresh Herbs and Classic Sauce Foyot & Idaho Potato-wrapped Red Snapper served over a Rich Leek Fondue with a Veal Glace de Viande and Red Wine-Cassis Butter Reduction

Ok, so I will begin with the better of the two, which was the red snapper. Now normally I love this, but this time the potato crust was overcooked and tasted slightly burned. But even so, it still tasted much better to me than the steak. To me, the one bite that I tried of the steak tasted like a mouthful of ashes. So I quickly discovered that I do not like charred meat. When my server came around to check on me and noticed I wasn't eating the steak, I admitted to him that I didn't really like the charred flavor. He was super nice about it and offered to have them cook another steak without charring it. I really didn't want to wait for another steak to be cooked so I graciously declined his offer. Next though he offered to get me another of the duo-size pieces of the snapper. This time I accepted and within a few minutes, this was brought to me...




Not sure if you can tell it from my pictures, but this piece was actually much better than the first so I'm really glad that I accepted my server's offer.


I had a FP+ for the Illuminations special viewing area and dinner had already taken a little longer than I expected. So consequently I had to skip dessert, and I apologize but I didn't even take the time to look at and photograph the dessert menu for my report. If I had had time though, I probably would have ordered the frozen dessert cocktail which I had and loved last time...




Peanut Butter Freeze with Kahlúa, Baileys Irish Cream, Crème de Banana, Dark Crème de Cacao, and Peanut Butter


I asked for my check and was pleasantly surprised to find that my server had charged me for the full-size Red Snapper entree (which was $40) instead of the Signature Duo price of $49. This was unexpected but greatly appreciated.


So overall, this meal was good but not great. The crab cake and second serving of the red snapper were up to par with what I've had there in the past. And the service was very good too. But the rest of the food was disappointing. Would I return here? Absolutely! Since the Boardwalk is my favorite resort, dining at Flying Fish is very convenient, plus I've had mostly good experiences there. As of now though, my kids have not chosen to eat there on our upcoming trip. However, we will be staying at the Boardwalk, so you never know.


After leaving Flying Fish, I walked to Epcot to use my FP+ for Illuminations. I'll just throw in a couple of the 100 photos I took of the show...
​

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Next up: Breakfast at Tusker House

 

[Wood Nymph]

We've eaten at Crews Cup for lunch or dinner on each of our last several trips. DH likes the Angus burger and I like the clam chowder. I've also had the short ribs which were excellent and the sirloin steak, which was pretty good, too. It is nice to have a place where there is good food and you don't need an ADR to eat there.

I remember the bread story from your May 2014. Talk about the server blowing a situation out of proportion. At least you got a free meal out of it and a great topic of conversation for the future.

 

[BlovesC]

Flying Fish, my faaaavorite~ You most definitely need to enjoy the taste of char to like that steak (which I do!) as it is strong, but oh that snapper is creamy and delicious and I'm glad you got to enjoy a full portion of it! It's great that your server was so accommodating!

 

[ursalita]

Really enjoying your reviews! Trails End breakfast looks awesome. I really wanted to try it this trip but you're right about the transportation. Since we're not staying at Wilderness Lodge this year I couldn't find a way to easily work it into our plans. Next time I hope. Thanks for the review of Crew's Cup Lounge. The menu looks great, I hope we get a chance to try it.

I'm am anxiously awaiting your review of bluezoo. After lots of back and forth I decided to book bluezoo over Flying Fish and I worry that I made the wrong decision. FF looks beautiful.

 

[bbak30]

That fish looks delicious at Flying Fish! Yummy.
Can't wait to hear about Tusker House!

 

[rteetz]

Flying fish looks good I've heard good things about it but have yet to try it. If I stay at the boardwalk on my next trip I just may have to. I love tusker house can't wait to hear about it.

 

[DLFan123]

Wow you have just been cranking out the reviews! I got way behind. Just catching up a bit...

I was excited to read your La Hacienda review, because that is one of my favorite meals in Epcot. It's disappointing about the margarita. I can personally vouch for the rose margarita they offer (on the rocks). It was the strongest thing I've ever tasted! (and had a bit too much rose taste for my liking, so I'll probably never get that again)

The seafood platter looks amazing. I'm not a huge fan of tilapia, but your endorsement might just convince me to try it one day.

 

[DLFan123]

Love the look of that entrée at Narcoosee's. Sounds right up my alley!

I have never stayed at Boardwalk but there is something very appealing about the room décor. Your view was incredible!

Oh and I could stand for those rock shrimp from Crew's Cup right about now. Looks like a wonderful trip, and you get to go back so soon!