Mom & Dad - But Where's the Son? Empty Nest F&W Trip! - Update 1/12 - Frontera & Jocks!

[GoofySon'sMom]

Sunday we went to the French Family Traditions Meal at Monsieur Paul -











This ended up being the best experience of our trip. In part because the food was amazing but also because the family we were seated with were just fantastic. We felt like old friends by the time the meal ended.

First up Lillet Servir Tres Frais with a strawberry





A toast -



And this amazing cheese stick



It was crispy and light. Perfect way to start our meal!

Soon after we received a roll with a glass of Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais-Villages. Our table mates helped create an 'artsy' shot ...



This was the wine paired with the Warm pork and poultry pate with pistachios and Bordelaise sauce



I was nervous about this but it was really good! Very, very rich. Not at all gamey tasting like I was expecting. I definitely enjoyed it.

Part 2 in the next post ....

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Next artsy wine picture - Macon Villages, Albert Bichot



Served with what was probably the best plate of food we had all week ...





Described as chicken breast in a creamy sauce, with wild mushrooms and rice



The pictures do not do this magnificent plate of food any justice. The sauce was so decadently creamy and buttery. The chicken literally melted in your mouth. The rice was perfectly al dente to add a bit of chew. Absolutely, perfectly, delicious!

Next up the cheese course served with Chateau De Bon Ami Bordeaux





This was a tasty break between the main meal and dessert. I love all things cheese and this was a nice creamy brie. I enjoyed it very much!

Last wine was Cremant de Bourgange



Here are all of the wines we were served



And dessert ... Tarte Tartin with homemade crème fraiche and lime ice cream



Again, perfect. Not real sweet and really quite light.

After the last course, the kitchen and wait staff paraded thru the restaurant to a standing ovation



And we had the opportunity to chat with the meals "master of ceremony"



I cannot rave enough about this meal. This is the one event we will plan next year's trip around. Worth every penny spent!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

After our very delicious and rich lunch with I think 9 glasses of wine (did I mention they gave refills!), we headed back to the hotel for an afternoon of watching football (for DH) and a nap (for me). We had plans to head to Disney Springs to try Blaze Pizza and some shopping. After the nap, we just didn't have the energy.

So after our amazing lunch, we hit the Pop Food Court for dinner ...

Chicken soup with a tuna salad sandwich with a side of mashed potatoes, grapes and milk for me



And sausage pizza for DH





For me, the box was the best part of the pizza. Typical Disney fast food pizza - blech. DH didn't mind it though.

My soup was surprisingly tasty ...



I like that there were elbows rather than noodles. They kept some of their chew rather than turn to mush.

The tuna sandwich was surprisingly satisfying. It was a multigrain croissant that made the sandwich. It was very crunchy and didn't get soggy at all from the tuna. And yes, mashed potatoes is a weird side to a sandwich but I didn't feel like potato chips so when offered, I accepted!

All in all a surprisingly satisfying meal!

 

[kristie73]

Wow! That chicken and sauce sounds heavenly. Did you eat it mixed with the rice? It seems the sauce would be really good soaked in the rice. Yum!

Sounds like some great meals!

 

[kastoney]

Rave seems like an understatement. Free refills, amazing chicken, pate, cheese and dessert!!!!!!!!! Looks like a truly amazing and one of a kind experience. We haven't eaten at Chefs since I was pregnant with Casey so that gives you an didea of how long ago it was. We weren't all that impressed then, but if their regular meals comes anywhere close to what you experienced we may have to give it another look. Though I have to laugh a little at the dichotomy of your lunch in France than quick service at PoP

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Wow! That chicken and sauce sounds heavenly. Did you eat it mixed with the rice? It seems the sauce would be really good soaked in the rice. Yum!

Sounds like some great meals!

Yes! Definitely had the rice mixed with the heavenly sauce!

Rave seems like an understatement. Free refills, amazing chicken, pate, cheese and dessert!!!!!!!!! Looks like a truly amazing and one of a kind experience. We haven't eaten at Chefs since I was pregnant with Casey so that gives you an didea of how long ago it was. We weren't all that impressed then, but if their regular meals comes anywhere close to what you experienced we may have to give it another look. Though I have to laugh a little at the dichotomy of your lunch in France than quick service at PoP

It really was amazing! The French meal with at Monsieur Paul, not Chefs. We had never eaten there but definitely have it on our bucket list based on this meal!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Monday our only objective was to snack around Food & Wine!

First up the Greenhouse Guru



We tried the heirloom tomato salad, duck confit and tomato gazpacho



These were all tasty. The tomato salad was my favorite of the three. Very fresh tasting.

Next up The Chew Collective



We had the beef skewer and the ravioli with the wine pairing



The skewer was very good. Very tender with good flavor. The ravioli was flat for me. Not a ton of flavor.

Next up was the Islands of the Caribbean



For the Mojo Pork



This was really good. One of our favorites. Super flavorful pork. And I loved the theming of the booth



Next Patagonia



For the empanada, beef skewer and the wine pairing



The empanada was good but a bit dry. The skewer was another of our favorites. Again, super tender and the chimichurri was just perfect.

On to Farm Fresh



For the loaded mac and cheese and the chicken & dumplings!



Both of these were good but very heavy. The macaroni was a bit overcooked for me but the flavors were spot on.

Nothing I really wanted at the next booth - New Zealand



But Jay had the mussels and the wine pairing



Those mussels were way too big for me so I didn't try them. The enjoyed them though

Continued .....

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

While DH had the mussels, I moved on to Argentina



For the Lamington



This was very good. I was jonesing for a sweet snack and this hit the spot. I love coconut and the cake was super moist. This was something I had planned to get again later in the week but never did

We had decided to skip some of the more crowded booths and ended up at the Refreshment Outpost



For the spicy hot dog and Mango Starr



I was amazed at how much I enjoyed the hot dog! I don't eat a lot of hot dogs so it was a real treat. The flavors blended perfectly. The drink was fine. A bit sweet for me.

We were both fairly full at this point but we had a nice shady table so we took advantage and tried Africa



The Berbere Tenderloin and Butter Chicken



Neither of these worked for us. We are not a huge fan of that spice palette and we weren't really hungry so these were not a success.

We took our time and ended up in Italy for a beverage ... wine for DH and a Bellini for me



These hit the spot. I do love the Bellinis but which you got more bang for the very expensive buck!

We next decided to check out the Chase Lounge



Boring water and ginger ale for me, another glass of wine for DH



This was a nice place to relax. We ended up chatting with a couple from the town DH grew up in so it was nice.

Rested up we moved on to Hops and Barley



For the brisket with pimento cheese



This was good, not great for me. I am not a HUGE pimento cheese fan but it blended well with the smokey meat

Next up was one of my favorite things of the entire week ...



The hummus fries ...



with the Moroccan Sangria and more wine. I loved the freshness of the hummus fries. We had these 3 more times during the week.

Yes .... we kept going, on to Belgium



For the braised beef and the waffle with chocolate ganache



Both of these were favorites of ours. The beef was super, super tender and the gravy had so much flavor. Another favorite that we had again later in the trip

We decided to compare the beer braised beef with some wine braised beef in France



Where we also tried the French onion soup and chocolate crème brulee



These were all pretty good for me but DH only liked the beef. He thought the soup had too much sherry. I didn't mind it at all. The crème brulee was like a super rich pudding. Very good. And while we really enjoyed the beef, if forced to choose the beer braised beef was the winner.

We next went to our last stop - Canada



For the always amazing cheddar cheese soup and mushroom filet



O-M-G. Both were perfect. Nothing else to say. We plan to recreate these for our Christmas dinner this year. I know that mine won't be quite as good but hoping for a reasonable facsimile!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

After spending some time in Future World, I really wanted something sweet so we headed over to the Boardwalk



I love that they now have an ice cream flight!



We tried PB Wins the Cup Ice Cream - Vanilla Ice Cream with Peanut Butter Chocolate flakes and House-made Peanut Butter Cups, Nonna D's Oatmeal Lace Ice Cream - Dark Brown Sugar Cinnamon Ice Cream with Housemade Oatmeal Lace Cookies, Baked/Unbaked Ice Cream - Vanilla Ice Cream with pieces of Housemade Chocolate Chip Cookies and Brown Butter Cookie Dough, Ooey Gooey Butter Cake Ice Cream - Vanilla Ice Cream made with Cream Cheese and gobs of House-made St. Louis-Style Ooey Gooey Butter Cake, Malty Salty Pretzel Punch Ice Cream - Vanilla Malted Ice Cream with Chocolate-covered Pretzel Pieces and Strawberries and Cream Ice Cream - Smooth and Pure Strawberry Ice Cream.

All were delicious! Nonna D's was my favorite. Jay loves Strawberry anything so that was the winner for him

Knowing we would be hungry later, we stopped at the Pizza Window to get a pizza to go



This was slightly better than the one from Pop but being from New York, still not great. We didn't want to end up at the Pop Food Court again so this worked for us. The poor cab driver had the smell the smell the whole way to Pop though. We offered him a slice but he declined!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

The next day (Tuesday) we headed to Disney Springs where I promptly bought this ...



With the chaos of the holidays and having the tree up, I haven't started it yet. It will be my January 'get me thru the winter' project!

While shopping I needed a little snack before lunch so we tried ...



The very cool Cupcake ATM!









Such a fun experience! And the cookie was really good! Nice and chewy with that sweet/salty taste. Again, I had planned to come back but never made it

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Lunch was one of my favorite of the trip ...



The Boathouse!





It was really a beautiful day!



First up the bread



This was fine. Soft rolls with cold butter. I prefer warm crunchy rolls but these were fine.

Iced tea for me



Beer for DH



He enjoyed this a lot. I am not a beer drinker but he said this was nice and light but still had a nice flavor

I had the same meal that I had when I was last here with DS. Started with The Wedge Salad - Iceberg, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Blue Cheese, Heirloom Tomatoes, Red Onions



As simple as this is, I dream about this salad. Every ingredient is the best that it can be. Thick smokey bacon, crisp lettuce, perfect tomatos and tons of blue cheese.

DH had the Fried Wild Caught Atlantic Surf Clam Strips - served with Tartar Sauce, Lemon, and Fresh Cut Fries



These were clam strip perfection. Light crunchy batter, crisp salty fries. Another dream worthy dish!

We intended to share the Filet Mignon Sliders - Maitre d' Butter served with fresh Cut Fries





But DH loved the clams so much he ate most of them and I had both of these. Again I say O-M-G. Perfectly seasoned tender filet on a toasted bun with the maître d'butter. What more can you ask for!

All in all a super good lunch and one that we really want to repeat when we go back for our quick March weekend trip! (See how I snuck that in there?)

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

From Disney Springs we headed to the MK to watch the Festival of Fantasy Parade ... my favorite pic ...



After the Parade, we stop at the Confectionary for a snack







I had the Mickey head brownie



This was nice and chocolatey. It hit the spot for me.

We were spending the evening at MNSSHP so it seemed appropriate to meet a ghost ...



Decided to have a quick meal at Columbia Harbor House before the Party got started ....



Anchors Aweigh Sandwich - White Tuna with Lettuce and Tomato on Toasted Multigrain Bread with a side of broccoli for me



New England Chowder for DH

With iced tea in the very cute cup



This hit the spot for us. We had a so-so experience last year with DS and his DGF so I was happy that this meal redeemed it self

Had a blast at the Party! This is something I had not done before. Loved the Parade, the fireworks & the Hocus Pocus Show. And of course these guys



Needed a quick snack at the end of the night so we stopped at Casey's for corn dogs and a hot dog



Despite the blurry pic, this was a perfect tasty snack.

One last pic on the way out ....



All in all a great day!

 

[disneyAndi14]

Wonderful updates, we loved the hummus fries as well, so good. We are trying the Boathouse in February so loved seeing the review. The salad looks so good and I also love clam strips. Nice magic shots from the party!

 

[kristie73]

Love these updates. I really wish we would have just waited in that long line at Canada for the cheddar cheese soup and mushroom filet. I guess I have to plan for a next time. I wish I knew about that cupcake ATM, that looks so cool. That's so awesome that you bought the Lego castle!

 

[Disney_Mama]

Great pictures and reviews. Thanks for sharing

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Yum! You are making me really want to try Boathouse. And I am so jealous of your Lego castle! I told my DH I wanted it and he just rolled his eyes at me

 

[pepperandchips]

Great updates! We are doing a lunch at the Boathouse too on our next trip (unless Paddlefish opens to great reviews here shortly ) so I was so glad to see your glowing review! Looks like an awesome lunch spot.

 

[AZMermaid]

Loving your report. We were planning on doing T-rex on our Disney Springs day... but now I am totally eyeing The Boathouse!

 

[kastoney]

Awesome update!! Loving all the food and wine goodies. They just announced the winter art food booths or something to that effect. I have no idea what it is, but it will be going on when we are there and I'm hoping it can at least channel some of the food and wine magic.

The Boathouse looks great too! We were supposed to get there on our last trip but never did. Hopefully this time and those sliders or clams are definitely in my future.

Love your MNSSHP pic!

 

[GoofySon'sMom]

Wonderful updates, we loved the hummus fries as well, so good. We are trying the Boathouse in February so loved seeing the review. The salad looks so good and I also love clam strips. Nice magic shots from the party!

Thanks - The Boathouse has definitely become a favorite!

Love these updates. I really wish we would have just waited in that long line at Canada for the cheddar cheese soup and mushroom filet. I guess I have to plan for a next time. I wish I knew about that cupcake ATM, that looks so cool. That's so awesome that you bought the Lego castle!

We lucked out with a fairly short line but yes, we had seen some crazy lines there!

Great pictures and reviews. Thanks for sharing

Thank you!

Yum! You are making me really want to try Boathouse. And I am so jealous of your Lego castle! I told my DH I wanted it and he just rolled his eyes at me

Definitely try it! I didn't really give DH a choice with the Castle! LOL

Great updates! We are doing a lunch at the Boathouse too on our next trip (unless Paddlefish opens to great reviews here shortly ) so I was so glad to see your glowing review! Looks like an awesome lunch spot.

Looking forward to Paddlefish as well!

Loving your report. We were planning on doing T-rex on our Disney Springs day... but now I am totally eyeing The Boathouse!

I would definitely take the Boathouse over TRex!

Awesome update!! Loving all the food and wine goodies. They just announced the winter art food booths or something to that effect. I have no idea what it is, but it will be going on when we are there and I'm hoping it can at least channel some of the food and wine magic.

The Boathouse looks great too! We were supposed to get there on our last trip but never did. Hopefully this time and those sliders or clams are definitely in my future.

Love your MNSSHP pic!

When will you be there? Going with my sister mid January ... maybe our paths will cross?