A RunDisney Wine & Dine Dining Report

[gosalyn_mallard]

Welcome to my dining report!

DH and I headed to Disney to run the RunDisney Wine & Dine weekend 10k and Half Marathon. We stayed at Port Orleans French Quarter for the first time.

Jumping in...
Breakfast at the airport! We split a sausage, egg, and cheese croissant, plus Bloody Mary and Mimosa. Nothing says "welcome to vacation" like drinks before noon!




Around lunch time we found ourselves at ESPN Wide World of Sports for the RunDisney expo, so we decided to eat at the quick service there - ESPN Wide World of Sports Grill.

I got the Shrimp Chile Mango Ceviche. It wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but I enjoyed it... fresh tasting and a unique dish. I don't remember the name of what DH got, but it was a fun take on a buffalo chicken sandwich. It tasted exactly how you would expect it to taste and he was quite happy. For drinks, he got a bitter apple cider and I got a Playlinda berry-something ale which was too sweet for me.



Overall, a good lunch! We'd eat here again if the timing works out with a future expo.

Next up... Dinner at Scat Cat's Club Lounge.

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Looking forward to reading more!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Dinner at Scat Cat's Club Lounge:
This lounge is at French Quarter and has a food menu of just appetizers that was easy to make into a full meal. There was a ton of seating available.

1st round:

Southern Hurricane​

Plantation Original Dark Rum, Bayou Silver Rum, and Tropical Juices topped with a float of Southern Comfort
And

Sazerac​

Knob Creek Rye Whiskey, Agave Nectar, and Peychaud’s Bitters with a splash of Pernod

I hadn't had a hurricane in a very long time and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this! It wasn't too sweet and was perfectly on theme. DH enjoyed his drink too.

Mardi Gras Fritters​

House-made Pimento Cheese Fritters with Pepper Jelly

We really liked these! They were pure gooey cheddar-like cheese. The jelly and arugula elevated the flavors nicely.

Bayou Wings​

Smoked Chicken Wings tossed in a Sweet-and-Spicy Barbecue Sauce served with Cajun Fries


These were good. Wings had a nice crisp to them but the sauce was a little too thick for me. The fries were too thick and just OK.

Vegetarian Sliders

These were new to the menu and not on the website, so no description. We liked them. One was a jack fruit like pulled pork. One was "fish". One was fried green tomatoes. They were tasty, but the buns tasted a little stale.

2nd round:

Abita Turbo Dog Ale​

Dark brown ale brewed with Willamette hops and a combination of British pale, crystal, and chocolate malts, giving it a rich body and a sweet chocolate-toffee-like flavor.
DH asked for an old fashioned made with Captain Morgan's. It was so good! Orange and cinnamon and super yummy.


Starting at 7:30 pm a jazz band played. The live music added a unique touch and energy to the dining experience. They played (what sounded to me) classical jazz songs, plus a Disney tune and a Harry Styles song. We really enjoyed it and would definitely come back if staying at French Quarter or Riverside.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

The next morning we headed to Fort Wilderness for the Wilderness Back Trail Adventure Segway tour and brunch at Trails End. It was our first time eating there. Breakfast is served family style.

Started with pastries.

These were really good, especially since it was after 11 am and we were hungry! They also served strawberry yogurt with fresh berries.

Breakfast Skillet

This included eggs with brisket, cheesey potato casserole, bacon, sausage, and Mickey waffles. It was all really good. I liked the eggs with brisket and potatoes as they felt unique and not something you can get on a standard QS bounty platter. We got a 2nd platter of everything but the waffles.

Overall, we enjoyed Trails End. I wouldn't travel to Fort Wilderness just to eat here, but it worked out perfectly to do it after the tour.

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Off to a great start! Looking forward to hearing more. Good luck with the races!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Dinner at Wine Bar George
I was excited to eat here as I'd heard great things. Starting with apps...

Miso Roasted Vidalia Onion
calabrian chilis / crispy quinoa

This was really wonderful. It tasted like french onion soup without the cheese. Super soft and flavorful onion. The quinoa gave it great texture.

Saganaki On Fire
 Vlahotiri / Metaxa / crostini

This tasted like saganaki. Nothing special.

Roasted Pork Belly
roasted pumkin / bourbon honey glaze / pepitas

I've had some really tasty, melt in your mouth pork belly. This was nothing like that - it was terrible! It was dried out and had a normal pork loin type flavor. It was cut in thin strips and reminded me of the pork belly you can buy in Costco. Total fail!

For drinks, we got the Kings Experience which included four 1 ounce pours of 4 really expensive wines.
Lafite-Rothschild, Pauillac, France '08
Penfolds, "Grange"
Harlan Estate, Napa, California ‘17
Grand Cru Clos Saint Denis, France ‘18

It was a really fun experience and we learned a little bit about each wine and the vineyard's history. The wines were really amazing. But definitely not going to splurge for a bottle of one! We got glasses of more reasonbly priced wines.

Skirt Steak
roasted potatoes / grilled bok choy / mushrooms / bacon / chimichurri

They said this served 2-4 people. We ate 75% of it! The steak was well seasoned and the chimichurri was fantastic. Loved the bok choy and potatoe sides. The left overs eaten cold the next morning were amazing too!

Olive Oil Cake
candied olives / lemon mascarpone

This cake was a good way to end the meal. I've never had a candied olive before. They were interesting and I'm not in a hurry to have them again! The mascarpone was so yummy.

Didier Dagueneau Experience

We also had a white wine tasting of Sauvignon Blanc wines plus a dessert wine. It was fun to try after all the red wine.

Overall, we were happy with Wine Bar George. The tasting experiences were super fun and felt unique. I'd love to return for brunch in the future.

 

[TwingleMum]

Great report. Thinking about trying WBG in December.

 

[DLo]

following along. looking forward to reading more .

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

The next morning we finished the 10k and DH surprised me by getting beignets from Scat Cat's Club Cafe while I was showering after the race.

How could we stay at FQ and not get these!? They were super fresh, soft, and everything I wanted them to be. Dipping sauces - strawberry, chocolate, and carmel were tasty, but not necessary.

After napping, we ate lunch at Sassagoula Floatworks and Food Factory, which is the French Quarter quick service.

Garlic Bread Sticks
Served with Marinara

These were so basic. They lacked any flavor. Not even the sauce could save them.

Jambalaya
Chicken, Andouille Sausage, Vegetables, and Rice simmered in a Spicy Sauce

This was good. It had the perfect amount of spice. I wished it was a little more saucy as it was a tad on the dry side. I appreciated that it is a unique dish for a QS.

Gumbo
Rich Stew with Chicken, Sausage, Okra, and Spices served with Rice

This totally exceeded my expectations. Tons of tender chicken and sausage. Good flavor and heat. It totally hit the spot!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

For dinner we dined at Boatwright's at Riverside. This was a leisurely 15 minute walk from French Quarter. We have previously stayed at Riverside, but didn't dine at Boatwright's. This trip was the perfect opportunity to try it.

Southern Hurricane​

Bayou Silver Rum, Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Orange, Pineapple and Lime Juices with Grenadine and a float of Myer’s Dark Rum

Plus a beer for DH.

Boudin Balls​

A mix of Andouille Sausage, Smoked Sausage, and Dirty Rice Breaded and Fried. Served with Remoulade, Creole Mustard, and Pickled Vegetables.

These were good. They were super crispy. They were super heavy on the rice and very little meat. But still, we liked them.

Crispy Cajun Chicken​

Spicy Battered Chicken Breast, Red Beans and Rice, and Collar

DH really liked this. It was mostly boneless. Good flavor, moist, and good spice.

Deep South Shrimp and Grits​

Sustainable Shrimp and Andouille Sausage served with Spicy Cream Sauce over our Creamy Charleston-style Grits

I really enjoyed this. Great flavor and spice. Lots of rich sauce that I wanted to bath in. My only complaint is that the serving was smaller than I expected.

2nd round:
Chocolate Martini
Mozart Chocolate Liqueur, Stoli Vanil Vodka, White Crème de Cacao, and Frangelico Liqueur
Smoked Turkey
Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon, Red Stag Black Cherry Bourbon, Grenadine, and Minute Maid® Premium Lemonade with a hint of Hickory Smoke, garnished with Luxardo Gourmet Maraschino Cherries

Yummy! Perfect dessert drinks.

Mississippi Mud Crème Brûlée​

Milk Chocolate Crème Brulee with a Sable Breton Cookie and Fresh Fruit

This was really good. Rich and creamy. Creme Brulee was one of my Grandma's favorite dessert. It always makes me smile when we get it.

I'm glad we went to Boatwright's. Would I go back? Probably not.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

After the half marathon on Sunday, my plan was to QS again at FQ, but instead we spontaneously decided to go to Disney Springs.

We went to Cookes of Dublin as DH had a hankering for Fish and Chips.

The fish was good, but for $14.99 the serving size was a bit disappointing.

Beer! Tasted like beer.


Next, we headed to Morimito Asia. We requested to sit at the bar and were seated upstairs. We've dined here several times, but never sat upstairs so this was fun to see a new perspective of the restaurant.

First round:

SHIRAYURI (WHITE LILY)​

house-infused citrus haku vodka, calpico, and yuzu served with a twist

JAPANESE OLD FASHIONED​

suntory toki whisky, simple, angostura bitters

Yumm-o. My drink was super lemony and really good. DH said his tasted like a typical old fashioned.

MORIMOTO SPARE RIBS​

pork ribs, cilantro, hoisin sweet chili glaze

We've gotten these ribs before. They are what dreams are made of. So crispy. So fall off the bone tender. Sauce is perfect balance of sweet and spicy. They are the gold standard of ribs that I judge all ribs against. My only complaint is that the size of each rib seemed much smaller than in the past. They did give us 8 instead of the stated serving of 6, so that's good.

BLISTERED SHISHITO PEPPERS​

flash fried shishito pepper, maldon sea salt and wasabi crème fraiche

We'd never gotten these before. They weren't what I expected, but they were fun. One in every ten peppers is spicy and the spice level was no joke. It was fun not knowing for sure what you were going to get.

2nd round

PUMPKIN SPICED & EVERYTHING NICE​

espolon tequila, monin pumpkin spice, giffard ginger, agave, lime, togarashi salt rim

FOX'S WEDDING​

knob creek rye, cointreau, aperol, campari, angostura bitters

I loved my pumpkin drink! Strong ginger flavor and the rim salt added great flavor. I would order this again. DH liked his drink too.

We'll definitely be back to Morimito Asia. Those ribs are one of my most favorite things ever.

We almost decided to walk down to Jaleo to get another of our most favorite things - the Jamon Iberico! But our feet were hurting (despite the cocktails!) and it's a long walk! So we headed back to FQ for a nice long nap!

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

In the evening we attended the RunDisney weekend After Party at Epcot. The party started at 10 pm, but we could enter as early as 5:00 pm.

For dinner, we dined at Coral Reef for the first time. We were seated right next to the aquarium and enjoyed the view throughout dinner.


Parker house buns were basic but we still enjoyed them.

Drinks...
I chose a random red wine that I liked the name of. DH got the Captains Mai Tai.
Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum, Bols Amaretto, and Tropical Juices topped with a float of Myer's Original Dark Rum


We skipped appetizers since none of them sounded interesting.

Shrimp and Grits​

Sautéed Shrimp, Cheddar Grits, Local Corn Succotash, Andouille Sausage, Creole Spice Emulsion

Yes, I ordered shrimp and grits for dinner for the 2nd night in a row! I consider myself somewhat of a shrimp and grits connoisseur. I like trying different takes on the dish since there's often variability. This, like the Boatwright's dish, was in the top 50%. Not the best, but no where near the worst. Lots of tender, well seasoned shrimp. Lots of flavor. Super yummy.

Seared Mahi Mahi​

Jasmine Rice, Coconut and Cilantro-Lime Sauce, Caribbean Shrimp Salsa

DH really liked this. Rich, creamy sauce. Bright, fresh flavors. Satisfying spice level. Really good.

Admittedly, I had really low expectations of Coral Reef. We are running out of table service restaurants at Epcot that we haven't tried, which is how we ended up there. I was so pleasantly surprised by the food quality and taste. I'd come back some day for sure.

Later in the night we enjoyed beer flights at several Food and Wine booths. As expected, some were winners and some tasted like nasty cough syrup. We got the cheese soup in Canada, which we've had before. It was every bit as delicious as I remembered. I love that soup. We also got the corned beef chips from Flavors of Fire. We've gotten it multiple times in previous years. It tasted really good, but not quite as mind-blowing as I remember. Our serving included a 1x1x1 cube of pure fat, which was nasty. Plus, the serving size seems fastly smaller. But I'll still get it again in future years. It's so good, I'm willing to forgive 1 off year. I have so many fun memories of Food and Wine festival. Love this time of year at Epcot.

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Departure day! The four days went by so quickly!

Prior to checking out of FQ, we got the boozey beignets.

Baton Rouge Beignets​

Two-Beignets jazzed up with your choice of Baileys Irish Cream Liqueur and RumChata Liqueur

This was kind of fun, but I wouldn't get them again. The liqueur detracted from the amazingness of the beignets instead of enhancing them. Instead of injecting them, we found it worked best to just squirt the liqueur on the plate and dip them.

Overall, we enjoyed staying at FQ for the first time. The food options were great, just 1 bus stop was a dream, and the grounds were beautiful. I didn't love the rooms themselves as I couldn't find a single hidden Mickey! But we'd return for sure.

Final meal of the trip was at MCO. We always eat at Cask and Larder.
Southern Gatherer Salad

I felt like a salad because it felt healthier. This was a good salad with goat cheese, avocado, beets, and granola. They do have a shrimp and grits on their menu, but I'd gotten it before and it's in the lower 50% of shrimp and grits.

Nashville Hot Fish Sandwich

DH was intrigued by the sounds of a hot fish sandwich in place of the normal hot chicken. Turned out, it wasn't too great! DH won't be getting this one again. Oh well.

And that's the end of the trip. Lots of yummy food that totally negated all the running we did! It's been fun documenting everything we ate. Hope you all enjoyed following along. Until next time!

 

[ThreeBoyMama]

Those ribs look so good! The cocktails too!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Well, your trip went by far too quickly for my taste! I want more!! Thanks for sharing with us. Great to hear about Coral Reef. I've steered clear based on general word of mouth, but I have fond memories from way back in the day and I look forward to giving it another try. Wine Bar George and Morimoto are great Disney Springs options -- love them both. I've had that white lily drink and YUM-O, for sure! Random but I've never been to Boatwright's, and I swear I've seen those tabletops with the compass before. Maybe at Crew's Cup Lounge?

 

[EatMoreVeg]

Really enjoying your reviews so far! Not to detract too much from all the awesome food, I’d love to know your thoughts on the Segway tour? This has been on my list for awhile but we never get around to booking it when we’re there. I think the 8:30 AM start is a little tough. Pre-pandemic they also has a 10:30 option which would’ve been great to do on a non-park day but that hasn’t been offered since it came back. Did you think it was worth it?

 

[gosalyn_mallard]

Really enjoying your reviews so far! Not to detract too much from all the awesome food, I’d love to know your thoughts on the Segway tour? This has been on my list for awhile but we never get around to booking it when we’re there. I think the 8:30 AM start is a little tough. Pre-pandemic they also has a 10:30 option which would’ve been great to do on a non-park day but that hasn’t been offered since it came back. Did you think it was worth it?

The Segway tour was really neat, but was quite tiring! I think we had 7 or 8 people on our tour. I think it can go as high as 10. So it was an intimate group. Logistics of this tour aren't easy since once you arrive at the Fort, you have to take an internal bus to the middle of the property. We ended up waiting at least 15 minutes for that bus. If we ever stay there, we'd definitely get a golf cart!

The first 30 or so minutes was spent with a training video and demonstration. Then we all got on our Segways and spent about 15 minutes in the Segway parking lot getting comfortable on them. If you've ridden a Segway before, this part would probably be super boring. For us, it was our first time and fun.

Each person gets an earpiece and 1 tour guide leads the tour and narrates as you all drive the Segways in a single file line. There is a second guide that stays in the back. It starts from the middle of Fort Wilderness and goes to the shoreline of Bay Lake. We'd never stayed at the Fort and learned a lot about the property, wildlife, and plants. If you've stayed there a lot and are already familiar with it, you might not learn much and it might not seem worth it.

The tour takes a break at the new barn. It felt good to get off the Segway for 10 minutes and fun to see the horses. Then the tour goes through a camp site loop and "off road" on a dog walking path back towards the bike barn. I think we ended right on time at 10:30.

For us, it fit well into our plans as we had no park tickets and didn't want to sleep in since we had a race the next day. It was neat to ride a Segway and learn more about the history of Fort Wilderness. So fun, but definitely not a must-do.

 

[Counting Stars]

Enjoyed your report! Thanks for sharing.

 

[WalkingintheFog]

Ditto!
Always good to know not just if something is a pass or fail, but why!

Thanks for sharing! And congrats on the races!