Dining Reviews 9/5-9/11 (Updated 9/15)

[DCpoohfan]

Hi Everyone-

Just got back on Monday from a six night stay. It was just me (25) and my Dad (age not important).

The places we ate were:
Big River
Jiko
Sci-Fi
Le Cellier
Concourse Steakhouse
Kimonos
Chefs de France
Rose & Crown
Grand Floridian Cafe
Flame Tree BBQ
Narcoossee's
Prime-Time
Citricos
Biergarten

We definitely didn't plan on eating that much table service, but we found we really wanted the break for lunch. We usually just got light appetizers or salads for lunch, and it was all pretty manageable. We weren't on the dining plan (stayed at the Swan), but it felt like everyone else was.

First off:
Big River Grille & Brewing Works: My flight got in about an hour before my dad's, so I checked into the hotel and then sat at the bar here to wait for him. I had the Greenhouse Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing, and the Hummus, which came with fresh veggies and pita chips. Oh, and abour a gallon of Diet Coke. The portions here are HUGE. Everything was very fresh, and the pita chips were baked with some parmesan cheese on them, which was really good. My only complaint would be that the hummus was very bland, no seasoning or anything. When my dad arrived he had the soup special, which was potato and bacon chowder. He's a soup man, and he really liked it. The service was just ok. I was the only person at the bar, and the bartender seemed less than thrilled to see me, but he took good care of me, even if he wasn't overly attentive.

More to come...

 

[DCpoohfan]

Jiko: This place is an old favorite of ours. I really think it might be the best kept secret in WDW, and it definitely didn't disappoint this time. I had a glass of really great South African Sauvignon Blanc, and my dad had some kind of girly martini, as usual (He's been married for 27 years and fathered 2 children. He says he doesn't need to prove his manliness with his alcohol choices). I started with the Butternut Squash Soup which was garnished with what I think we toasted squah seeds. It was very good, simple, and fresh. No starter for Dad. For my main course, I had the Oragnic Field Greens with Buttermilk-Carrot Dressing, and Lamb Patis, an appetizer. The greens were great. I wish I could afford to always eat organic- the flavors are always so much better. The Patis was interesting. It was ground lamb mixed with veggies and spices wrapped in phyllo dough. It looked kind of like sushi on the plate. It tasted exactly like meatloaf. It was good, but not at all what I expected. My Dad had the maize-crusted halibut. It was served over sauteed vegetables with a tomato butter sauce that was to die for. It really ties the whole dish together, and again the freshness of the food was apparent. Dessert was cardamom-cinnamon sorbet with late summer fruit salad and pound cake for me. It was good, the sorbet was a little tart, but the sweetness of the other stuff balanced it out. My dad had the pistachio creme brulee, which was AMAZING. It was so creamy, the pistachio flavor wasn't too strong, and the brulee dish was lined with chocolate. There are not words for how good this is. Just go there and order it!

 

[Minniespal]

Enjoying reading your reviews ~ Can't wait for more.

 

[DCpoohfan]

Sci-Fi: Ok, this is a place where you have to adjust your expectations slightly, especially after eating at Jiko. Gourmet this is not, but it is a decent meal in a really cool atmosphere. This is the second time in a row my dad and I have been "hitchhikers" riding in the back of a car with another family ahead of us. It's a little uncomfortable because I know they can hear every word we say, but then again we don't have anything important to talk about anyway! On to the food... Dad had a chicken ceasar salad, which he said was basic and good, and I had a turkey sandwich on multigrain with Swiss, arugula, and tomato. It came with some kind mustard-mayo concoction that I left off. On the side was a cucumber-melon salad. These meals, washed down with about a gallon of Diet Coke, of course, were a perfect light lunch! Nothing memorable, but a nice break. I'll be back here.

 

[kidsister]

Hi..just got back from 6 nights on the dining plan and ate at : Le Cellier, Wolfgang Puck, WP Express (CS), Pepper Tree (CS), Rose N Crown, Boma and Les Chefs. Interested in hearing your reviews of both our 'in common' restaurants and the new ones (for me...Citricos and Jiko)