Quick Trip Dining Report - completed!

[gosalyn_mallard]

I've loved reading Dining Reports for years and finally want to try one of my own! Also my first time starting a thread - hope I do it correctly!

Who: DH and I (we left kids at home)
What: Drinks and some food
Where: Four Seasons and MK
When: 2 nights in December
Why: DH work trip. I wasn't about to pass up a first stay at the Four Seasons for free!

First up: PB&G at the Four Seasons. It's their "pool bar". It reminded me of the Three Bridges at Coronado. Really pretty atmosphere on the water. Great service.
We started with a spicy watermelon margarita and a spicy mojito. Both were refreshing.


Shareables Mango Habanero wings, plus extra hot sauces cause our server caught on that we like spice.

These were good but not great. Some wings were nice and crispy but others had mushy skin. Best wings at Disney award still goes to Bar Riva.


More drinks. Their draft IPA and wheat beers. They were beer. Served in plastic glasses so we took them to go and enjoyed walking around the pool grounds with them.
Lazy river-

Splash pad-


Next up - dinner at Capa!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

I wouldn’t pass up a trip to the 4 Seasons either!! The resort is so gorgeous. I’ve heard good things about the pool bar. Sorry the wings weren’t great. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts on Capa. I really loved it and hope you did too!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Dinner at Capa...

Capa is located at the top of the Four Seasons on the 17th floor. We were excited to dine here for the first time. We arrived about 30 minutes before our reservation and requested to sit in the outside lounge for a drink before dinner. Fast forward 3 hours... we never left the lounge because of the views!

Castle in the distance! California Grill obviously has the better view, but I still loved this.


Epcot the other direction.


First round of drinks.

Capa GinTonic: Caorunn Gin | Fever Tree Mediterranean | Apple | Key Lime | Botanicals

Rubellite: Belvedere Pear & Ginger | Cranberry Syrup | Lemon | Cava

My Rubellite was good. Fizzy, little sweet, little tart. DH said the gin and tonic was the best he's ever had. So smooth. Cool presentation where they pour the tonic water from a little bottle into the glass table-side.

Onto tapas...

ACEITUNAS:
Traditional Basque Marinated Olives

DH loves good olives. He said these were outstanding. I hate olives, but gave them a try... still nasty. Not even a fancy restaurant can make an olive taste good to me.

PAN CON TOMATE:
Grilled Bread, Tomato Pulp with MANCHEGO.

These were so good! The bread had an amazing char flavor. The tomatoes had such a deep, rich flavor. Loved it!

CERDO:
Beer Brined Pork Belly, Apple Butter, Pistachio Jazz

This was really good pork belly. The Apple butter sauce was sweet but not overpowering. The pork fat was melt in your mouth good and the edges were nice and crispy. And I love pistachios.

PATATAS BRAVAS:
Potato, Chipotle Aioli, Paprika Tomato Sauce, Cornichons

I'm such an amateur food photographer! Why didn't I move that spoon?!?
This dish was good. The potatoes were so crispy and delicate. But I think I like Jaleo's version of this dish better. The Jaleo version has a spicier and smokier sauce, but not as crispy potatoes.

JAMON DE BELLOTA:
Acorn Fed Black-Hoof Jamon Iberico

Another head to head comparison with Jaleo and sad to say that Jaleo wins! There was a lot of variability in these slices... some had a lot of fat while others barely had any and were a little dry. It was still really good though and I don't regret getting it. DH loved it and made some questionable noises as he let the pork melt in his mouth taking in the acorn, nutty flavor. Haha.

It was time for more drinks!
For DH...Jefe Jerez:
Papa’s Pilar Dark Rum | Amontillado Sherry | Lime | Egg White

This was amazing! One of the best cocktails we've ever had. It was a little limey, kind of like a Key Lime pie in a really sophisticated way, but also deep and smoky kind of. So good.

I'm at the picture limit, so stay tuned for more of Capa!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Continuing Capa...

My second drink was a glass of: Carinena Blend, Celler Vinos Pinol ‘L’ Avi Arrufi’, Terra Alta, Spain

This was fantastic! It was super dry, no sweetness, and packed a punch of flavor. I'd love to be able to buy a bottle at home.

Onto entrees:

FILET - CREEKSTONE (ARKANSAS CITY, KS):
8oz, Prime, Piquillo Salsa

DH got this. It was a really good filet. Better than Shulas in my opinion. Super good seasoning, though some bites had a little too much salt. Cooked perfectly.

LAMB RACK - (OPAL VALLEY, AUSTRALIA):
14oz, Grass Fed, Piquillo Salsa

Omg. Best lamb I've ever had! It was a huge portion. Often times at restaurants, I feel like the lamb serving is underwhelming. Not this! It had a fabulous char on it. I wanted to lick the bones, but didn't. DH hates lamb, but thought this was amazing. Kudos to Capa for that!

A-5 WAGYU BEEF - MIYAZAKI WAGYU BEEF (MIYAZAKI, JAPAN)

For a special treat...we also shared a couple ounces of the Wagyu. It's what dreams are made of. I don't have the words to describe it any more.

BROCCOLINI:
Broccolini, Capers, Chili Flakes, Garlic

This was good brocolini, but nothing special.

Surprise side -

Our server also brought us this. It was a Tomato and cucumber salad. The bites of fresh tomatoes were nice in between all of the meat! It was the only thing we didn't finish.

Onto dessert...

CHURROS DE MADRID:
Chocolate, Dulcey

These were good. The chocolate sauce was surprisingly thick and rich. It was quality! I really liked the other sauce too. The churros tasted fresh, not too sweet, and they were soft.

We had a final round of cocktails while viewing the MK fireworks. We were really pleasantly surprised by the cocktails at Capa. They were all so well made and somewhat unique. Normally we tend to prefer beer or wine, not cocktails - especially DH. So the fact that he got 3 cocktails is really saying something!

In Spanish Fashion:
Rittenhouse Rye | Torres 10yr | Walnut-Vermouth Ice | Gold

Sorry it's upside down! I don't know how to flip it.

Capa VodkaTonic:
St Augustine Vodka | Fever Tree Mediterranean | Orange | Lemon | Botanicals


Fireworks!


Parting thoughts on Capa...
We really enjoyed our meal here and are glad that we went. Looking back at it, I'm impressed that we ate so much! Not every dish was a grand slam, but some definitely were. We would dine here again if ever staying at the Four Seasons again. I don't think we'd come out of our way to dine here if staying elsewhere on Disney property though - or at least not for a couple years.

Up next... lunch at the Grand Floridian!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Hurrah! So happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Isn't that rooftop deck amazing? LOVE it up there and totally agree that their cocktails are unique and SO good. Overall, it sounds like a perfect evening.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Hurrah! So happy to hear that you enjoyed it. Isn't that rooftop deck amazing? LOVE it up there and totally agree that their cocktails are unique and SO good. Overall, it sounds like a perfect evening.

The rooftop deck was so nice. That lamb will be what I judge all future lamb dishes against. Service was perfect as well!

 

[Mich123]

Great reviews! I’m looking forward to reading more!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Onto the next day! In the morning DH did his work thing while I enjoyed a massage at the Four Seasons spa, which was quite lovely!

For lunch we went to the Grand Floridian Cafe. It was our first time dining there.

Sadly they had no beers on draft. This picture shows off my bad pouring skills.


None of the appetizers spoke to us, so we went straight to entrees.

Buttermilk-fried Chicken and Waffle:
Hand-breaded Chicken Breast and Malted Waffle with Sriracha-Honey Drizzle

Nicely fried chicken and what's not to love about a mickey waffle! I wish the sauce had a little more flavor.

Lobster 'Thermidor' Burger:
Artisanal 7-oz Burger Patty and Lobster-Parmesan Thermidor Sauce on a Seared Brioche Bun served with Cafe Signature Seasoned French Fries

DH said this burger was just fine, nothing special.

Grand Floridian Cafe was a one and done restaurant for us. Their menu was underwhelming. The best thing about eating there was its location! We had fun shopping after lunch and buying tons of treats from the gingerbread house. I also stocked up on Basin soap!

After all that shopping, we stopped for drinks at Enchanted Rose. It was pretty crowded but there were some empty seats at the bar.

Floral Bitter Beauty:
Hendrick’s Gin, St~Germain Elderflower Liqueur, Campari, Aperol, Lemon, and Soda

DH liked how bitter this was.

Garden Daisy:
Don Julio Reposado Tequila, Midori, Lime, and Cucumber. *Contains pasteurized egg whites

I didn't like this one. It had a weird vacant flavor.

Round 2...
Rye Not?:
Whistle Pig 10yr Rye Whiskey, Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge, Cinnamon, Pineapple, and Lemon

DH said this was a good Whiskey drink.

Lavender Fog:
Nolet’s Silver Dry Gin, Rothman Crème de Violette, English Breakfast Tea, Vanilla, and Cream

I really like this one. I couldn't taste any Gin - just creamy tea. Yum.

We had fun chatting with other parties at the bar and our bartender had a lot of personality! I wouldn't come out of my way to go to the Enchanted Rose, but it was a nice stop before heading into MK.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

For dinner in the MK we ate in style!... sitting on the ground while waiting for fireworks. DH got Casey's while I staked out our spot. We've eaten here many times and always like the hot dogs. With mobile order, DH had to wait about 15 minutes for the pickup window to begin, which isn't really that bad.

Walt's Chili-Cheese All-Beef Hot Dog:
Walt's All-Beef Hot Dog topped with Walt's Favorite Chili Recipe and Cheese

What a bad picture! This was yummy. You can't go wrong with a Chili cheese Hot Dog.

50th Celebration Hot Dog:
All-Beef Hot Dog topped with Strawberry-Bacon Jam, Crisp Funnel Cake Pieces, and Powdered Sugar

I love hot dogs with crazy toppings. The description of this one sounded wacky so I knew I had to get it! It was fabulous in its own special way. I got no bacon flavor, just sweetness. The Funnel Cake Pieces were very crispy and provided a nice texture. I wouldn't get this again, but it was fun to get once.

After fireworks we wandered around MK for quite a while. Then we strolled over to the Poly. It was a long walk, but a beautiful evening and we needed the exercise after all the eating/drinking!

We ducked into Trader Sam's at about 10:15 pm. They told us it wouldn't be a long wait. And they were right! About 15 minutes later I got the text. Our first and only time at Trader Sam's previously was in Nov 2017, so it had been a while! We sat at the long table in the middle of the restaurant and enjoyed watching the antics. It was great fun chatting with our tablemates.

Nautilus:
Barbancourt Pango Rhum, Appleton Estate Reserve Rum, Combier Crème de Pêche de Vigne Liqueur, Tropical Juices, and Falernum

We ordered this, not because the cocktail sounded good, but because I wanted to drink out of it! It was super fun and, of course, I had to purchase the glass.

Since it was after 10 pm, the only food we could get were these:

They were salty, crunchy and fun to munch on.

I love a good themed restaurant/bar. And Trader Sam's is one of the best! I'm glad we finally returned there. We caught a Lyft from the Poly at 11:59 pm!

Up next... airport food!

 

[Aerorad]

Can't wait for the airport food review update!!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Airport food!

Our quick 2 night trip came to an end! DH and I have a tradition of dining at Cask & Larder in MCO before our flight. We managed to find some new-to-us dishes.

First Beer! Porter and their seasonal brew - an oatmeal.


Smoked fish dip:

This was kind of like a subtle tuna fish. It was good but I wouldn't get it again.

BLT:

This tasted like a BLT. Nothing special, but exactly what I was in the mood for.

Heirloom Tomato BLT salad with chicken:

DH liked this. Chicken was cooked well. He'd get it again.

That's it! The end of my first dining report. Thanks for reading!

We are headed back to Disney for a week in January for RunDisney. Eating at Steakhouse 71, Sanaa, Boma, Space 220, and AKL CL lounge. I might do another report then!

 

[stace1214]

Sounds like you had a relaxing blast!! I really want to make time to go to Four Season's on our next trip!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Great report! I'm so sad that green drink at Enchanted Rose wasn't great. It looks amazing and that's my favorite color. Oh well. I like that lounge but miss the band that used to plan in the lobby. Agree with you on Grand Floridian Cafe. It's fine but I haven't had anything that I have loved. The Nautilus!! I am dying to get one of those mugs but somehow never seem to make it over there. Maybe the next trip. Cask & Larder is a great airport option. There's also a Wine Bar George outpost coming next year that will be another great spot. I really hope you do another review after your RunDisney trip -- you've got some great restaurants planned! Have fun!!!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

I like that lounge but miss the band that used to plan in the lobby.

I miss the band too! It set the perfect atmosphere in the lobby. There was live piano, which we enjoyed while waiting in the gingerbread house line. I'm glad that they haven't cut that!

There's also a Wine Bar George outpost coming next year that will be another great spot.

This news makes me excited! It will be a hard decision which to choose!