Doug S
Por favor manténgase alejado de las puertas
- Joined
- Jun 7, 2016
I've just returned from several days at WDW solo. Most of my eating was done at the Food & Wine festival, but I had 3 meals that were all spectacular. All were absolutely wonderful and I'll share my thoughts on all 3:
Tokyo Dining, Dinner (Japan Pavilion, Epcot)
I arrived a few minutes early for my 6:40 reservation and was able to get a table just a few minutes after I checked in. It wasn't too busy, but I'm still glad I had the reservation. My table was a 2 seater located a row out from the windows. I still could see the spectacular views of the lagoon. This would be indeed a great place to watch Illuminations. The volume inside was average. It certainly wasn't dead quiet, but it wasn't Via Napoli loud.
For the appetizer, I went with the vegetable miso soup. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it certainly wasn't terrible. All the vegetables were crunchy which is very uncommon for soup where they've usually turned into mush (which I hate). Bowl size was perfect.
For my main course I had the Omakase nigiri. The dish came with 6 pieces, wasabi and ginger. All the pieces were wonderful and I found the salmon to be my favorite. My least favorite was the sea bream, which was incredibly spicy, although I may have put too much wasabi on top myself (I always add a dab on nigiri to make it a little more interesting). The variety was great and I absolutely love being able to try so many different seafood types in one sitting. Beats ordering one roll type and finding out you don't like it.
Service was outstanding and took an average amount of time. I'm comfortable eating with chopsticks, but they asked when I was seated and I saw several around me using forks and knives. Overall I felt the meal was great and the price was fair. The Omakase was $20, which is about what I pay for good sushi here in Denver. If you're a fan of Japanese food, I'd definitely stop by, especially if you can snag one of the coveted tables next to the windows to watch Illuminations.
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Be Our Guest, Lunch (Magic Kingdom)
With all the hoopla about this place I had high expectations. For a solo diner, it was fairly easy to get an 11:20 reservation about a week or so out for a party day. I opted to pre-order, which I highly suggest doing. Upon arrival they saw I had preordered and gave me a special gold rose that I took to a separate cashier away from the main line of ordering screens. I had a little trouble paying with my festival wrist gift card since it doesn't have a stripe, but they got it figured out in less than 2 minutes.
The venue is absolutely spectacular. Take a few minutes before/after eating to enjoy the detail as you cannot re-enter once you leave. I did not find it to be as loud as others have said. I thought it was fairly average considering how huge the main ballroom is. I got a table right next to the window and my food arrived about 5 minutes after I sat down. You will need to keep out your receipt, as the person delivering the food checks it to make sure they've gotten everything to you.
I started with the french onion soup which was absolutely great. Melted cheese is about my favorite thing to eat, so I could've probably ate 2 or 3 more of these. The presentation was wonderful too with the cheese bubbling over the edges.
Next up was the braised pork and it was hard to believe it was from quick service. It was very tender, the vegetables were crunchy with great seasoning and the mashed potatoes were perfectly creamy. About one of the best dishes I've ever had at WDW. It was a bit on the pricey side for quick service at $17, but it was honestly more of a counter service level dish which makes the price more fair.
I closed out with the master's cupcake. The grey stuff does indeed taste like cookies and cream and the chocolate cake it was filled into was very moist. I'm very sensitive to sweets, especially chocolate, and I did not find my teeth trying to run for the hills. I thought the cupcake was the most disappointing part of the meal. It was average and not any better than a cupcake from the Main Street bakery.
Now having dined there I can agree with the masses that it is well worth the trouble to try to get in. I wouldn't say it's a vacation ruined to not get into it. It's very spectacular venue wise, but there are much better food choices around property. You will also pay to eat here, so if you're on a tight budget I'd suggest skipping and saving the money for a table service meal.
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Flying Fish, Dinner (Boardwalk)
I'll start off by saying that I have only ate a handful of table service around WDW. When I say Flying Fish is the best dining experience I've had at WDW, it should be taken with a word of caution. With that out of the way, let's move on.
I arrived around 6:15 and was seated at the end of the bar closest to the kitchen. My attire was tan chinos, a short sleeve button down and tan sneakers. I didn't feel over, or under, dressed. You certainly couldn't walk here looking like you came from the pool, but as long as you are wearing a respectable t-shirt and shorts you wouldn't be turned away. The man next to me at the bar was wearing a runDisney shirt and shorts and was quietly watching his phone with earbuds and nobody had a problem. It seems like Flying Fish has quite a following of regulars that (obviously) have some pretty deep pockets which I envy. While it is an open kitchen, I did not think it was that loud. They were very courteous to diners by not yelling and trying to keep noise to a minimum.
My drink of choice was the Maple Bacon-Peach Manhattan. It was a very strong drink that lasted me through the end of meal. Simple and elegant presentation with indeed a piece of maple bacon along with a grilled peach as the garnish. I thought it was a great deal at just under $11. Probably the best cocktail I had on my trip. While I drank and waited for my appetizer I had a few pieces of the complimentary bread and butter. The bread had a crispy crust and soft dough. Great way to start my meal.
Following the words of the DIS Unplugged's review, I went with the Kurobuta Pork Belly as my appetizer. My God. You cannot come here without having it. It comes out with an impressive presentation. The pork lays on top of a apple slaw and is topped with a croquette perched on top with a quail egg yolk. It absolutely melts in your mouth. It's hard to believe it was a solid piece of meat. I could eat several of these just as my meal. I would also pay double the $15 price tag. I don't think I'll be able to find any better pork ever again.
About 15 minutes after my pork belly had melted away, my main course arrived. It was a very hard choice from such a diverse menu, but I went with the Wood-fired Carabineros Prawn, Chilean Sea Bass, and Key West Shrimp. My main reasoning was for the variety of seafood. The prawn rested atop the sea bass with the shrimp sitting around the outside, all of which were place on top of bomba rice. Be forewarned: the prawn comes with the entire body. It is dead and cooked, but the squeamish might want to pass. My favorite of the three was the sea bass, followed by the prawn and the shrimp. The sea bass was very tender and grilled perfectly. The prawn was very good, but I felt the portion that could be actually eaten was disappointing in size. The shrimp were average and nothing spectacular. I loved the bomba arroz that was under the meat. The sauce was wonderful and the rice was cooked perfectly.
On the verge from having to loosen my belt by 4 holes, I passed on dessert. It took about an hour from the time I was seated to when I had my check. My Disney Visa gave me 10% off my food so my total was $68 before tip. Certainly not cheap, but I thought it was well worth it. Service throughout my dinner was great and is some of the best I've received at WDW. This is a great place to have your special meal of the trip. If you get there early enough, it should be pretty easy to get a bar spot for 1 or 2. Otherwise, a reservation is a requirement. The tables get a view of the stunning new interior while the bar seats look towards nothing more than a wall with liquor bottles. I hope to return to Flying Fish with others so I can share the fabulous experience I had with them.
----------------------------------
I hope these reviews help anyone that's on the fence about either 3. Time to start making a list for what to try on my next trip!
Tokyo Dining, Dinner (Japan Pavilion, Epcot)
I arrived a few minutes early for my 6:40 reservation and was able to get a table just a few minutes after I checked in. It wasn't too busy, but I'm still glad I had the reservation. My table was a 2 seater located a row out from the windows. I still could see the spectacular views of the lagoon. This would be indeed a great place to watch Illuminations. The volume inside was average. It certainly wasn't dead quiet, but it wasn't Via Napoli loud.
For the appetizer, I went with the vegetable miso soup. It wasn't anything to write home about, but it certainly wasn't terrible. All the vegetables were crunchy which is very uncommon for soup where they've usually turned into mush (which I hate). Bowl size was perfect.
For my main course I had the Omakase nigiri. The dish came with 6 pieces, wasabi and ginger. All the pieces were wonderful and I found the salmon to be my favorite. My least favorite was the sea bream, which was incredibly spicy, although I may have put too much wasabi on top myself (I always add a dab on nigiri to make it a little more interesting). The variety was great and I absolutely love being able to try so many different seafood types in one sitting. Beats ordering one roll type and finding out you don't like it.
Service was outstanding and took an average amount of time. I'm comfortable eating with chopsticks, but they asked when I was seated and I saw several around me using forks and knives. Overall I felt the meal was great and the price was fair. The Omakase was $20, which is about what I pay for good sushi here in Denver. If you're a fan of Japanese food, I'd definitely stop by, especially if you can snag one of the coveted tables next to the windows to watch Illuminations.
----------------------------------
Be Our Guest, Lunch (Magic Kingdom)
With all the hoopla about this place I had high expectations. For a solo diner, it was fairly easy to get an 11:20 reservation about a week or so out for a party day. I opted to pre-order, which I highly suggest doing. Upon arrival they saw I had preordered and gave me a special gold rose that I took to a separate cashier away from the main line of ordering screens. I had a little trouble paying with my festival wrist gift card since it doesn't have a stripe, but they got it figured out in less than 2 minutes.
The venue is absolutely spectacular. Take a few minutes before/after eating to enjoy the detail as you cannot re-enter once you leave. I did not find it to be as loud as others have said. I thought it was fairly average considering how huge the main ballroom is. I got a table right next to the window and my food arrived about 5 minutes after I sat down. You will need to keep out your receipt, as the person delivering the food checks it to make sure they've gotten everything to you.
I started with the french onion soup which was absolutely great. Melted cheese is about my favorite thing to eat, so I could've probably ate 2 or 3 more of these. The presentation was wonderful too with the cheese bubbling over the edges.
Next up was the braised pork and it was hard to believe it was from quick service. It was very tender, the vegetables were crunchy with great seasoning and the mashed potatoes were perfectly creamy. About one of the best dishes I've ever had at WDW. It was a bit on the pricey side for quick service at $17, but it was honestly more of a counter service level dish which makes the price more fair.
I closed out with the master's cupcake. The grey stuff does indeed taste like cookies and cream and the chocolate cake it was filled into was very moist. I'm very sensitive to sweets, especially chocolate, and I did not find my teeth trying to run for the hills. I thought the cupcake was the most disappointing part of the meal. It was average and not any better than a cupcake from the Main Street bakery.
Now having dined there I can agree with the masses that it is well worth the trouble to try to get in. I wouldn't say it's a vacation ruined to not get into it. It's very spectacular venue wise, but there are much better food choices around property. You will also pay to eat here, so if you're on a tight budget I'd suggest skipping and saving the money for a table service meal.
----------------------------------
Flying Fish, Dinner (Boardwalk)
I'll start off by saying that I have only ate a handful of table service around WDW. When I say Flying Fish is the best dining experience I've had at WDW, it should be taken with a word of caution. With that out of the way, let's move on.
I arrived around 6:15 and was seated at the end of the bar closest to the kitchen. My attire was tan chinos, a short sleeve button down and tan sneakers. I didn't feel over, or under, dressed. You certainly couldn't walk here looking like you came from the pool, but as long as you are wearing a respectable t-shirt and shorts you wouldn't be turned away. The man next to me at the bar was wearing a runDisney shirt and shorts and was quietly watching his phone with earbuds and nobody had a problem. It seems like Flying Fish has quite a following of regulars that (obviously) have some pretty deep pockets which I envy. While it is an open kitchen, I did not think it was that loud. They were very courteous to diners by not yelling and trying to keep noise to a minimum.
My drink of choice was the Maple Bacon-Peach Manhattan. It was a very strong drink that lasted me through the end of meal. Simple and elegant presentation with indeed a piece of maple bacon along with a grilled peach as the garnish. I thought it was a great deal at just under $11. Probably the best cocktail I had on my trip. While I drank and waited for my appetizer I had a few pieces of the complimentary bread and butter. The bread had a crispy crust and soft dough. Great way to start my meal.
Following the words of the DIS Unplugged's review, I went with the Kurobuta Pork Belly as my appetizer. My God. You cannot come here without having it. It comes out with an impressive presentation. The pork lays on top of a apple slaw and is topped with a croquette perched on top with a quail egg yolk. It absolutely melts in your mouth. It's hard to believe it was a solid piece of meat. I could eat several of these just as my meal. I would also pay double the $15 price tag. I don't think I'll be able to find any better pork ever again.
About 15 minutes after my pork belly had melted away, my main course arrived. It was a very hard choice from such a diverse menu, but I went with the Wood-fired Carabineros Prawn, Chilean Sea Bass, and Key West Shrimp. My main reasoning was for the variety of seafood. The prawn rested atop the sea bass with the shrimp sitting around the outside, all of which were place on top of bomba rice. Be forewarned: the prawn comes with the entire body. It is dead and cooked, but the squeamish might want to pass. My favorite of the three was the sea bass, followed by the prawn and the shrimp. The sea bass was very tender and grilled perfectly. The prawn was very good, but I felt the portion that could be actually eaten was disappointing in size. The shrimp were average and nothing spectacular. I loved the bomba arroz that was under the meat. The sauce was wonderful and the rice was cooked perfectly.
On the verge from having to loosen my belt by 4 holes, I passed on dessert. It took about an hour from the time I was seated to when I had my check. My Disney Visa gave me 10% off my food so my total was $68 before tip. Certainly not cheap, but I thought it was well worth it. Service throughout my dinner was great and is some of the best I've received at WDW. This is a great place to have your special meal of the trip. If you get there early enough, it should be pretty easy to get a bar spot for 1 or 2. Otherwise, a reservation is a requirement. The tables get a view of the stunning new interior while the bar seats look towards nothing more than a wall with liquor bottles. I hope to return to Flying Fish with others so I can share the fabulous experience I had with them.
----------------------------------
I hope these reviews help anyone that's on the fence about either 3. Time to start making a list for what to try on my next trip!
Did they tell you this when you ordered? My kids would die if that came to the table.
