This Was the Feast-A Most Certainly True Lutheran Food Review-4/26-The End

[ChefMickey123]

This Was the Feast—A Most Certainly True Lutheran Food Review


Welcome to my second thread of dining reviews. Some of you may remember me from my April 2009 food reviews from my solo trip to the World on the Deluxe Dining Plan. This time, I brought my fiancée along. I am now a theology student (and ran Bible Camp all summer to afford this trip).

I spent the time I was fourteen until age 33 working in the chef business. I graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. They conferred upon me two degrees, the best base knowledge and skills any fledgling chef could ever ask for, and a very, very discerning palate. I am also a veteran of the U.S. Army. Although I was not a cook in the Army, when I was stationed in the U.S.A., I cooked for lots of officer’s parties and worked on the side at local hotel near my Army base.
I have very strong opinions about food and restaurants. I don’t believe in asking for substitutions, and would rather die than ask a fellow chef to alter his or her creation. I am allergic to salmon and trout, and therefore don’t order it. Although I love them, I believe other tasty side dishes exist besides potatoes and green beans, please give them a chance. There are good reasons chefs use sauce. I don’t ask for them to put it on the side.
I believe in tipping 20%, and if service is lousy, I’ll speak with the manager, and leave a tip anyway. Servers have bad days too-even Disney ones. If a restaurant is short-staffed, it is never the server’s fault. Kitchen delays are not the server’s fault either. Bad food is never the server’s fault. Cold food sometimes is if they mess around and let is set someplace.


I like wine to drink with dinner. I also drink water too-a lot of it.
My fiancée is a beautiful, mid-western young woman. She has certain likes and dislikes about food. She does not like salad greens, but eats other vegetables raw, and actually likes turnips and radishes. She like sweet, fruity alcohol drinks and is willing to try wines. She tried lots of different foods on this trip that she has never tried before. I tried most of her dishes to be objective in the review process, and because I am a greedy little piggy.


We stayed at the Caribbean Beach Resort, Martinique, 2316. It was fabulous. Mousekeeping was great. We even got a towel animal.
Our 8 night stay had a 40% off room nights PIN 7-night package, 8-day park hoppers. We added Deluxe Dining Plan, and we paid cash for our dinner the first night.

I promise praise where praise is due, and criticism where required in this report. I also managed some good food pictures, which I will post with the reports when possible.


There were scant few exceptions, but in general, we had excellent food and service throughout our 9 days in Orlando.

I hope you enjoy reading this and possibly find it helpful. Please leave comments, it motivates me to finish and post further reviews

The following is a list of place where we ate & drank:

Universal Islands of Adventure Jurrasic Park Pizza Take-out.Page 1 Post #6
Narcoosee’s-Page 1 Post#7
Tony’s Town Square-Page 2 Post #21
The Belleview Room at Boardwalk Resort-Page 3 Post #31
Flying Fish Café- Page 3 Post #39
Teppan Edo-Page 5 Post #61
California Grill- Page 5 Post#62
Coral Reef- Page 5 Post #67
Citricos- Page 6 Post #76
The Butterbeer Cart- Page 6 Post #90
The Three Broomsticks- Page 6 Post #90
Chocolate Frogs-IOA Traders/Hasbro- Page 6 Post #90
Emeril’s at CityWalk- Page 7 Post #92
Yachtsman Steakhouse- Page 7 Post #98
Main Street Bakery-Page 8 Post #111
50’s Prime Time Café-Page 8 Post #115
Kringla Bakery & Germany Werther's Store-Page 9 Post#123
Cava des Tequilas (pardon my Spanish)-Page 9 Post #123
Hollywood Studios Chili-Dog-Page 9 Post #125
Caribbean Beach Resort Bakery (Snack Credits)-Page 9 Post #134
Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party Snacks-Page 10 Post #140
Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue-Page 10 Past #147
Fulton’s Crab-Page 10 Post #147
Jiko-Page 10 Post #147
Cinderella’s Royal Table- Page 10 Post #147

 

[dalepool]

I have been patiently waiting for your DDP reviews. The reviews are so well written I feel as if I am dining with both of you. Congrats on your engagement .



Patty

 

[ChefMickey123]

I have been patiently waiting for your DDP reviews. The reviews are so well written I feel as if I am dining with both of you. Congrats on your engagement .



Patty

Thanks Patty for your kind words and congratulations. I should have a couple of installments out later on this evening.

 

[jabead]

Definitely count me in on this one! I loved your last dining reviews...such great descriptions. We were also at WDW recently (Nov. 9 - 16) and ate at some of the same places. Can't wait to hear about your experiences and your expert opinions.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Definitely count me in on this one! I loved your last dining reviews...such great descriptions. We were also at WDW recently (Nov. 9 - 16) and ate at some of the same places. Can't wait to hear about your experiences and your expert opinions.

We might have been in the same place at the same time. I hope you enjoy my ramblings.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Toto, we’re not in Disney anymore…Universal Jurrasic Park River Adventure Pizza Restaurant (can’t remember the real name)
Lunch, 11/13/2010

This quick service location is adjacent to the entrance of the Jurassic Park River Adventure. We were feeling hungry, and I was feeling depressed (because my eating habits caused me to be too big for the Harry Potter rides and other roller coasters at U.S./I.O.A), so instead of wandering back to the WWHOP, we ate pizza and hot wings here.

The eating area is large and shaded with arbors and tropical vegetation. It was very clean with large picnic tables.

Although well-staffed, this quick service location was very, very slow for the amount of people in line. When it was finally our turn, I ordered the pepperoni pizza for me, hot wings for my fiancée, and a bottle of Zepherillis (sp.?) Spring Water for each of us.

The pizza was topped with good quality cheese and pepperoni, but not cooked on the bottom enough to pick up and eat out of hand. The crust was the thin-almost-wood-fired type. The diameter of the pizza was that of the standard-sized paper plate it was served on. Those who served the pizza knew this and provided a plastic knife and fork to aid the eating process.


The hot wings were not wet with sauce, which made them easier to handle. The wings were served with ranch dressing and celery sticks that had seen the heat lamp. The wings were tasty and fairly large (about 6 to an order, mixed upper and lower parts of the wing) though. The spring water was cold and did not taste of salt or minerals-it was clean and refreshing in an approximately 24 ounce bottle. The hot food was served hot.


This location also serves beer, fountain drinks, Caesar salad, and Chicken Caesar salad. Combo meals are available. There is a souvenir cup option for both beer and soda with refills being slightly less pricey. Our food & water was about $22. If there is no one else around, grab a quick bite here, but otherwise it is not worth a long wait. I hear the Mythos restaurant is excellent, though.

 

[ChefMickey123]

I wanted to try Narcoosee’s on this trip. The menu appealed to me from the time I was given a copy of a Disney cookbook when I was a teen-ager. We were not disappointed. We paid cash for the meal because our package did not begin until the following evening, and it was worth every single penny.
This restaurant is located on the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa property in a building separate from the main Grand Atrium. It is fairly easy to find-just ask a Cast Member for directions. Since we stayed at Caribbean Beach we had to transfer a lot for our dinner reservations at night. Allow 75-90 minutes for resort to resort service on Disney transportation, unless you are going from one monorail route resort to another monorail route resort. We took cabs home a few late nights because we just did not feel like waiting on the buses.
We arrived early, so we got drinks at the Bar. My fiancée ordered a Midori sour, and I had a glass of Albariño-a wonderful white wine. We both enjoyed our drinks and were seated in no time. They serve the full menu at the bar if you can get to it. It was Saturday night (11/13/2010) and very busy. We had a table on the lower level of the restaurant with a view of the lagoon. Our engagement was celebrated with a heart of Mickey confetti on the table and the first of many “Congratulations!” by very sweet, very well-instructed cast members.

Our meal began with the Calamari with Pepperocini, Caper and Green Olive Relish. The plate was coated with a layer of very yummy tomato sauce. The calamari arrived so quickly, I barely buttered my bread before it arrived. While the bread was fantastic, I am glad I did not use up all of my stomach space with it.

The Calamari was more than adequate for two to share and the relish topping was a perfect complement to the crispy, subtly sweet and very fresh tasting calamari rings. I have no complaints whatsoever about this thoughtful and creative presentation & execution of what can be a boring, overcooked, overwrought dish.
I switched to Cabernet Sauvignon for my dinner wine and had the Oak-Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce.

What can I say? The whole dish was in a word, perfect. Quality ingredients were the hallmark of this and many other Disney Signature Dining Restaurants. I dove in so fast I almost forgot pictures. The steak was cooked perfectly (medium-rare as requested) and was juicy. The oak-grill adds a great dimension to the meat that hearkens back to the days when all food was homemade and meats were gently roasted over the family hearth. The demi-glace based sauce was very well balanced in flavor, color, and consistency. The green and wax beans were quickly char-grilled, yet cooked enough to be hot and chewable throughout. The gratin of potatoes which accompanied the dish were the sublime conclusion to the entrée-soft and cheesy, browned on top, not at all runny or greasy.
My fiancée ordered the Grilled Sea Scallops. They were huge, plentiful, fresh, and grilled on one side only to avoid over-cooking. The scallops were served with a basil emulsion sauce (similar to Hollandaise Sauce and a very pretty shade of green), and wild mushroom-farro risotto. Farro is an heirloom grain with a flavor and shape akin to barley. I enjoyed this thoroughly. My fiancée said that she did not like the surface texture of the grilled side of the scallops. But in general, she enjoyed them thoroughly.

They were cooked perfectly, and I tasted the emulsion sauce, it was great. Do not be fooled by a seafood dish-it was a lot of food.
Dessert was on the horizon now, and we shared the Almond Crusted Cheesecake with Moreno Cherries. This dessert was creamy and loaded with toasted almond slices. The cherries and chocolate cream which accompanied it were of excellent quality.

We both appreciated the chocolate silk-screened “Congratulations” on our plate and the chocolate twist ornaments. We battled spoon against spoon and the plate was clean when we were done. This dessert is a contender for ‘Dessert of the Week’.
The bill was a reasonable $160 including tip tax, and one drink. Our cocktails were $22 with tip on the Disney Dream Rewards card. Our server was excellent, and service was quick, but not rushed. I felt relaxed the whole time.
For those of you lobster lovers and those who want to try it here: the lady at the next table ordered it and it looked fantastic. She said she loved it. Please, though, heed the menu’s warning: Tail meat, even when perfectly cooked has some bite to it-kind of like the snap of a shrimp cocktail, but hot. Claw meat is very easy to chew. This firm texture will apply to the warm water lobster tail that is server with the surf and turf as well. It is not the cook’s fault. They must have had quite a few lobsters come back for Disney to allow this to be printed on their menus. If the meat of the tail is dry or mushy on a lobster, it is way overcooked, or spoiled-this is probably not the case with Narcoosee’s lobsters.
Please, go to Narcoosee’s-the restaurant offers some of the best ingredients the U.S.A. has to offer. It’s as practically perfect as Mary Poppins.

 

[EeyoreEma]

Great start! I'm really looking forward to your reviews, and congratulations to you and your fiancee.

 

[jabead]

We might have been in the same place at the same time.

We were at Narcoossee's that very same night Gotta love that almond cheesecake!

 

[ksack]

This sounds so promising... Gonna keep an eye on your reviews!

 

[kayrosek]

I'm so excited to read the rest of your reviews. I loved your last DR. Your tastes seem similar to mine and my husbands and I'm thrilled to see such a good review of Narcoosees. It's top on my husbands list.

 

[Principessa]

Enjoying your report so far. I wonder if you'll have time to write about Tony's before we leave on Thursday! Thanks in advance.

 

[ChefMickey123]

Hi Everybody,

I am going out of town for Thanksgiving, and will be back in class on Monday. If I have some time and an internet connection while I am out of town, I will try to post some things.

Otherwise, have a Happy and Blessed Thanksgiving.

-J

 

[MickeyNicki]

Hi there! I think we sat acorss from you at Narcoossee's...we had a 4 top window table in front of the castle, were you at a 2 top table, part booth and part chair across from that? Lower level, more in front of the bar?

I agree, the place was packed that night and it was a bit chilly too

How wild! Todd had the filet and tail too and enjoyed the tail but the filet was a terrible cut of meat and he didnt like it at all, too much fat and too tough to cut

Excellent reviews...cannot wait for more!

 

[butiflfeet]

I'm so excited you started your reviews! I loved the reviews from your last trip. Have a great holiday!

 

[Schoolbread]

You're speakin' my language! Love the detail in your comments, especially your descriptions of the finer points of the dishes. I'm SOOOO subscribing!!!!

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

I read your last Food reviews and enjoyed it...I'm so glad you are writting another one. We have eaten at Narcoossee's a few times and had enjoyable meals.

Happy Thanksgivinging

 

[ChefMickey123]

Lunch at Tony’s Town Square Tavern, Magic Kingdom. 11-14-2010
This is a hidden gem of a restaurant at the Magic Kingdom. Some people fear Magic Kingdom table service restaurants for whatever reason, but there is no reason to fear Tony’s.

The restaurant is bright, airy, and the cleanest place in the Magic Kingdom, and that is no small feat. It is also tucked away neatly to the right of the park entrance when facing the castle. Tony’s is an Italian restaurant of the trattoria variety. Do not expect Mario Batali type foods at Tony’s. Do expect gracious people and delicious food presented with simplicity and cleanliness.

My mother, my fiancée and I had early reservations right when the restaurant opened. We were the first ones seated after the restaurant opened. There is a nice waiting area with pink couches (sort of a darker pink, not neon) and a T.V. that plays clips from “Lady and the Tramp” plus a large gift shop to entertain while waiting for your table.

In the center of the restaurant there is a water fountain with a statue of Lady and the Tramp. A computerized espresso machine graces a sideboard. The floor is a tile type with a marble (could have been real) appearance. Light pours in from the large front windows.

The menu is simple, good pasta fare. We did not get a breadbasket before our meal. Garlic cheese bread is available as an appetizer, though, and all pasta dishes are served with a parmesan cheese crostini across the edge of the bowl. This is not the Olive Garden, so don’t expect it to be like any other chain Italian restaurant, it is unique.

I ordered the Garlic bread for my appetizer and the fiancée ordered the zucchini fries. The garlic bread was about 8 inches long by 3 inches wide on a crusty Italian roll. It was topped with lot of garlic, cheese, and butter, which was broiled. After the cheese melted, there were balsamic vinegar marinated tomatoes sprinkled generously on the top. The garlic bread arrived sliced in three pieces.


The bread was crunchy on the outside and hot, soft & chewy on the inside. The tomatoes made for a nice touch and the garlic flavor was pronounced without tasting raw or astringent. It was a great appetizer for one or good to share with another person.


The zucchini fries were 4 inch long strips of zucchini breaded and deep fried with a creamy sundried tomato dipping sauce. The fries were delicious and plenty to share with one or two other people. The zucchini cooked through, but not mushy.


For her entree, my mother ordered the chicken parmesan, which was a large portion of breaded chicken breast with marinara sauce and cheese over spaghetti with more marinara sauce. It looked good and tasted even better.


My fiancée and I both ordered the shrimp scampi. It was a delight to the eyes, palate and the stomach. About 6-7 large shrimp were tossed with garlicky olive oil and butter-based sauce, sundried tomatoes, and chopped asparagus. Our server grated fresh parmesan cheese over our dish until we were satisfied. It was probably the best pasta dish I have ever had in a restaurant.


Dessert were pumpkin cheesecakes with Lady and the Tramp cocoa silkscreened plates for my mom and fiancée and pistachio crème brulée for me. The cheesecakes were dome molded and exquisitely presented. They were also very yummy and creamy. My pistaschio crème brulée was creamy, green, and delicious. It came with a tuile cookie filled with fruit and candied pistachios.

There was not a crumb of any dessert left. We used our non-alcoholic beverage credits to get coffee with our meal. I was not in the mood for fancy coffee, and neither was my fiancée. The coffee was very hot and of a high quality.


There are lots of choices for lunch at Tony’s, including calamari, dinner salads, sandwiches, a multi-grain meatless pasta dish, and a salmon salad entrée. It is a one credit restaurant, and the full lunch menu and prices are available on the WDW official website:


http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/me...ysTownSquare/tonys-town-square-menu-lunch.pdf


I thought it was an excellent meal, and the only negative I can think of is that since the restaurant kitchen gets very busy when they load the dining room at opening, it took a few more minutes than I would expect to wait for appetizers. The wait was worth it. I will be back to Tony’s in the future and recommend it to you.

 

[dalepool]

Another great review. I read your DDP reports and feel as if I am dining with you and your fiance. I hope to one day try this restaurant.

Patty

 

[Pooh&OurHunny]

Thanks for the update, We ate at Tony's 2 years ago and had an enjoyable meal there...