E
erikthewise
Guest
Other than myself, my family are not adventurous eaters, so we usually stick with mainstream dining. I like seafood, but DW does not! DS13 now orders exclusively from adult menus, but DS10 sticks to traditional kids menu items he was allowed to order from the childs menu without exception (but of course had to pay adult price at fixed price meals). We ate all breakfasts in our room. We did not have a single incident of bad food and only one harmless example bad service.
Keep in mind Im a fairly tough grader, As mean truly exceptional food or service. An asterisk means this was the first time wed eaten at that restaurant. So you can compare our prices, we dont drink alcohol but typically order 2-4 beverages other than water. Totals given do not include tips or discounts. We actually had a 20% discount on each table service meal with our Disney Dining Experience card, so the amount we paid (including tip) was usually slightly less than amount shown.
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12/02 Sat Lunch: Sci-Fi Dine-In* (MGM) Server: ??? (lost the receipt)
Our reservation was at 12:40 on arrival day, and thanks to a record-fast checkin at Boardwalk Villas we were actually able to arrive here on time. It turned out the greeter (Lindsey) was working in the college program, from the same university I teach at!! It took about 20 minutes to get seated. DW had the caesar salad with chicken, DS13 and I had burgers, and DS10 ordered macaroni and cheese from the childrens menu. I substituted cole slaw in place of fries. DW enjoyed her salad, and my burger was excellent as usual; there are few places in WDW where one can consistently get a burger as good as at Sci-Fi, though it is a bit pricey at $12.
The film clip is about 45-50 minutes long and contains a lot of nostalgia, including some great 50s music such as Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis and Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley. There is a Tom and Jerry cartoon, and a Disney cartoon concerning life on Mars that had me hysterical with laughter when I was ten. But most of the clip consists of trailers for super-low-budget sci-fi films shown in drive-in theaters in the 50s and early 60s. The plots, acting, and special effects are so bad it is sometimes funny and other times merely unbelievable, and the only sensible explanation is that nobody actually watched the movies in drive-ins anyway. As a fan of legitimate science fiction literature and films, I feel obligated to point out there is no connection between them and these atrocities; in particular real science fiction never uses beach parties as a plot device!
Total: $47. Food: B, Value: C, Service: B, Atmosphere: B+
Summary: Good thing we enjoy this place since our boys wont let us skip it.
12/02 Sat Dinner: Yachtsman Steakhouse* (Yacht Club) Server: Suzan
I had avoided this restaurant for several years because I dont have much interest in $30 steaks. But DW said she wanted to try it, and since we usually stay at Beach Club Villas it was time to do just that.
DW and DS13 had the 8oz filet mignon, and I had the lamb shank. DW also ordered a side of spinach. DS10 had a hot dog and vanilla smoothie from the childs menu. The bread service consisted of two varieties of rolls with their signature giant slab of butter. My lamb shank was a generous portion, tender and flavorful, and came easily off the bone; the goat cheese risotto that came with it was excellent. I also had a taste of the filet; it seemed to be very good but not outstanding.
The atmosphere is not at all dark or stuffy as steakhouses often are. Service was friendly and competent. Our server offered to have DS13s filet butterflied, that is cooked as two 4oz half-thickness filets. Actually I think both came that way.
We didnt have any dessert, but still ended up spending about as much as we did at Artist Point last year when we all had dessert. You can get just as good a filet at Le Cellier for $7 less, and lamb at Marrakesh for $9 less that is as good or better. We had a fine meal and Im glad we tried it, but you can get better value for your money at any number of other Disney restaurants.
Total: $126. Food: B+, Value: C-, Service: B+, Atmosphere: B
Summary: A nice steakhouse somewhat spoiled by being overpriced.
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Interlude: Wonder Cruise Dec 3 Dec 7
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12/07 Thu Lunch: Garden Grill (Epcot) Server: Shawn
We eat here every year, and have never been disappointed in the food. Wed come here even without the characters. Eating here for lunch instead of dinner takes some of the sting out -- $7 cheaper and all you lose is the salad.
Since we had 11:30 reservations we had no problems getting a booth on the outside, which results in a unique atmosphere. You are nearly in a private room, with a changing view of the Living With The Land boat ride as the restaurant revolves.
The food this year was as good as ever same old stuff but well prepared. There were generous portions of flank steak, catfish and turkey, accompanied by stuffing, mashed potatoes (in a separate dish), and carrots and snap peas. The turkey came with a generous helping of cranberries, which I think may have been new this year, and was very welcome. There was also a lot of mac & cheese, chicken tenders, and fries for DS10; he got some help from his big brother.
The only thing that was at all disappointing was dessert, which was bread pudding with Baileys hard sauce. The bread pudding was fine and suffered only by comparison with last years dessert, which was a great dessert tray with three selections. It would have been better with some vanilla ice cream. Only DW used the sauce I dont like alcoholic sauces.
The character interaction was a little weaker than in previous years but we didnt mind. Sometimes characters dont pay much attention if you dont have a camera or autograph book. Shawn was the best server weve had here in a while, somewhat quiet but helpful and humorous. When I initially forgot to present our Dining Experience Card he gracefully accepted it and made the correction with no fuss.
Total: $89. Food: B+, Value: C+, Service: B+, Atmosphere: A-
Summary: Well be back next year!
12/07 Fri Dinner: Tonys Town Square* (Magic Kingdom) Server: Marie
Tonys was the only table service restaurant in Magic Kingdom we hadnt visited, so it was time to do that. Weve eaten dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern a couple times but it has gotten pretty expensive, especially now that our youngest is 10. In any case it would have been nuts to go to Liberty Tree for dinner after lunch at Garden Grill as the offerings are very similar.
We were going to Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party that evening, so I snagged a 5:25 reservation at 180 days. I was happy with that until they announced later in the year that there would be a Wishes fireworks show at 6:00! I tried a number of times to move our reservations back to 5:00 but there were no openings. But experience paid off I know that if we simply showed up 30 minutes early, there was a reasonable chance we would be seated early. And thats exactly what happened we were seated right about 5:00!
DW had the chicken pasta and dinner salad, DS13 the spaghetti with Italian sausage and dinner salad, and I had the beef cannelloni. DS10 had the spaghetti and meatball kids meal; it said meatballs but came with one large meatball. We were also given sliced white sourdough-style bread served with both butter and a tomato-based dipping sauce. Everything was well-prepared, but the food is average Italian-American food as you might find in Olive Garden or similar restaurants. DW and DS13 had far more than they could eat (typical of pasta dishes), which was good because my beef cannelloni wasnt particularly filling. I ate a lot of Italian sausage from DS13s plate but eventually gave up trying to eat all of it, let alone the huge pile of spaghetti.
And yes, we did finish in time to walk down toward the castle for Wishes!
Unfortunately price is the big issue here you pay a big premium for dining in the Magic Kingdom. If the entrees were $5 less Id have no problem with Tonys. Some alternatives:
-- Columbia Harbor House: an excellent counter service spot
-- Plaza Restaurant: a sandwich/ice cream shop with same prices for dinner as for lunch
-- Kona Café (Polynesian Resort): prices about the same as Tonys, but much better food
Total: $86. Food: C+, Value: D, Service: B, Atmosphere: B
Summary: An acceptable but overpriced choice for table service in Magic Kingdom.
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12/08 Thu Lunch: Flame Tree BBQ* (Animal Kingdom) Server: N/A
Yum! In the past we had eaten at Tusker House or left Animal Kingdom before lunch. In the future I wont hesitate to eat here if were nearby at lunch, though Tusker House remains my favorite. One possible disadvantage of Flame Tree is that there is no indoor seating its all at covered outdoor pavilions.
DW was not with us she elected to rest up rather than come with us to AK, not her favorite park. DS13 and I had barbecue beef sandwiches and DS10 the kids hot dog. We also got a basket of fries to share and a large bottled water. The sandwiches came with baked beans and a small corn on the cob. The hot dog came with two sides (we chose carrot sticks) and a small bottled water. There are only a couple non-barbecue items on the menu, a smoked turkey sandwich and a fruit plate.
The basket of fries was somewhat of a ripoff. There werent very many fries for $3.49, and they werent that good anyway. But everything else was fine. The corn was surprisingly fresh for counter service, the beans had a bite to them -- better than anything Ive had out of a can, and the barbecue was moist and tasty. The sandwich buns were fresh and substantial, not standard burger buns.
We had actually asked for sandwiches only (without the corn and beans), which knocked $2 off the price. But when they came out, they had the corn and beans anyway! Also our Dining Experience card gave us 20% off here. It usually doesnt apply at counter service locations, but it does at Animal Kingdom, presumably because there is no table service location in the park (yet). So we ended paying only $17 for the three of us! As usual I have added the discount back in for the total.
Total: $21. Food: C+, Value: B, Service: N/A, Atmosphere: C-
Summary: A good choice if you find yourself in the Asia/Dinoland area at lunchtime; it helps if you like barbecue.
12/08 Fri Dinner: Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge) Server: Axxxxxx
Last year we tried Boma for the first time and were very impressed, so we decided to come back this year. It didnt seem quite as good, but Ive noticed that about several restaurants the second time around, so I wont hold it against Boma. The second time seems to bring heightened expectations and gives you more of a chance to see the warts.
One disappointment is that there was no African Village Christmas display built out of chocolate and other foods, as there had been in previous years.
The food was every bit as good as last year, though it impressed me less since I knew what to expect. I only made it half-way through the buffet line the first time, as it was hard to pass up anything. As last year I asked for and received frunch as a beverage, a combination of fruit juices which is served at the breakfast buffet. In addition to an interesting variety of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes, there were five different soups! This is one of a very few restaurants in WDW that uses curry in their dishes. (Rose and Crown in Epcot has a nice vegetable curry.)
One problem with the buffet, as with nearly all buffets at WDW, is that there are no vegetables for children. All Im asking for is some plain cooked broccoli or carrot sticks or something. The only vegetables are in fancy adult vegetable dishes. The desserts were good but I think the desserts at Cape May are better.
Our server was pretty scarce, apparently taking more than one break during our meal. We had to wait almost 15 minutes for her to return so we could ask for our check. Hopefully this was just a bad night, otherwise she needs to look for a different job.
Total: $109. Food: A-, Value: B-, Service: D, Atmosphere: B+
Summary: A great buffet with many unique dishes, but you have to be somewhat adventurous to eat here.
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12/09 Sat Lunch: Biergarten* (Epcot) Server: Julia
As the asterisk indicates, this was our first visit to Biergarten. The restaurant was somewhat different than I imagined. The seating is in a semicircle with several levels so that everyone has a good view of the stage. Each table seats eight; we were seated next to a nice couple from Texas with the threat of two more people to be seated soon, but it never happened.
The buffet was not as good as Boma or Cape May, but it is also less expensive, and nobody went hungry. There were plenty of good salads and desserts, but it was a little weak on entrees. There was rotisserie chicken and pork schnitzel, and maybe some kind of beef dish but I dont remember.
Our server was an absolute delight. Julia was full of enthusiasm and spent lots of time talking to us. Unfortunately you will probably miss her as she is returning home to Dresden at the end of Christmas week.
Four musicians put on a show playing some traditional German beer-barrel polka style music, with a couple Christmas songs thrown in. But they also played one song on alpenhorns (the long ones, about twelve feet) and one on cowbells! It was not loud or raucous at all as I had feared, just a lot of fun.
Total: $84. Food: C+, Value: C+, Service: A, Atmosphere: B
Summary: In the middle of the pack of Epcot restaurants, but definitely worth a try!
12/09 Sat Dinner: Marrakesh (Epcot) Server: Chakir
We had eaten here in 2003 and the food quality had been a little spotty, but I wanted to come back and give it another try.
DS13 had an appetizer of beef brewat rolls and chicken couscous, DS10 had the kids chicken tenders with fries, and DW had vegetable couscous. I had the Royal Feast, a $35 combination meal that included harira soup, a single beef brewat roll, lamb meshoui, lemon chicken, couscous with seven vegetables, and assorted Moroccan pastries. Yes this is different than the May 2006 menu currently on AllEarsNet, but trust me, I remember! I do not recall seeing a Moroccan Feast on our menu.
The bread we had was my favorite of all the restaurants we ate at, and thats saying a lot! Its hard to describe; it was like a very thick flatbread that was like homemade whole wheat yeast bread inside.
My lamb meshoui was great! Very tender, very tasty, even better than the lamb at Yachtsman Steakhouse, though the goat cheese risotto there would win the comparison. The vegetable couscous was also quite good, better than one might expect. The lemon chicken was, well, chicken breast with lemon juice. But the chicken was not dry, tough, or rubbery, as so often happens when chicken breasts are prepared en masse. Only the harira soup was a mild disappointment, having neither sufficient spice nor ingredients to keep my attention. The pastries all seemed to be close cousins to baklava, which was fine with me!
The architecture is wonderful, and the music and belly dancer add a lot to the atmosphere as well. There is also sufficient lighting to read your menu, which isnt true at many WDW restaurants.
Total: $100. Food: B+, Value: C+, Service: B, Atmosphere: A-
Summary: Im glad we went back!
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12/10 Sun Lunch: Beaches and Cream (Beach Club/Yacht Club) Server: Jane
As owners at Beach Club Villas we try to come here each year. Last year we were caught off guard by an unanticipated refurbishment which began in the middle of our stay, so we couldnt go! Im not sure what if anything they changed while it was closed last year. The restaurant doesnt seem any larger but does seat a few more people than it used to. There are now four booths (4 each), seven tables (4 each), one small table (2) and 13 counter seats for a total capacity of 59. (A few years ago it was only 49, so theyre trying, people!) One change is there is now an opening so you can walk directly between B&C and the adjacent arcade. This is unwelcome as sound from the arcade now leaks into B&C.
We had our usuals, a couple burgers for DS13 and myself (mine with fruit instead of fries) and a grilled cheese for DS10. DW pushed the envelope by ordering a roast beef sandwich. I didnt hear any complaints so I guess it was alright. We then split a No Way Jose sundae four ways. Not the greatest food (Ill take Sci-Fi burgers over B&C burgers anyday), but its good and its cheap and the small ice cream shop atmosphere is hard to beat. Its also one of the cheapest table service meals available at WDW.
Total: $47. Food: C+, Value: B+, Service: B, Atmosphere: B+
Summary: A Beach Club tradition. Well keep going back as long as its there.
12/10 Sun Dinner: Chilis Too (Orlando Airport) Server:
OK this isnt Disney World, but it is of interest to WDW travelers. We typically have an 8:00PM flight home, and have been frustrated by the lack of decent food at our terminal after going through security. So the last few years weve arrived at the airport somewhat earlier to eat at Chilis Too, an airport version of the Chilis chain with a reduced menu. Its hard to find as its not in the food court. Ask someone how to get there; its all by itself at the top of an escalator on level 4 .There is also a Macaroni Grill at the airport if youre looking for something a little nicer.
Total: $32. Food: C, Value: B, Service: C+, Atmosphere: D+
Summary: Beats eating at the food court.
Keep in mind Im a fairly tough grader, As mean truly exceptional food or service. An asterisk means this was the first time wed eaten at that restaurant. So you can compare our prices, we dont drink alcohol but typically order 2-4 beverages other than water. Totals given do not include tips or discounts. We actually had a 20% discount on each table service meal with our Disney Dining Experience card, so the amount we paid (including tip) was usually slightly less than amount shown.
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12/02 Sat Lunch: Sci-Fi Dine-In* (MGM) Server: ??? (lost the receipt)
Our reservation was at 12:40 on arrival day, and thanks to a record-fast checkin at Boardwalk Villas we were actually able to arrive here on time. It turned out the greeter (Lindsey) was working in the college program, from the same university I teach at!! It took about 20 minutes to get seated. DW had the caesar salad with chicken, DS13 and I had burgers, and DS10 ordered macaroni and cheese from the childrens menu. I substituted cole slaw in place of fries. DW enjoyed her salad, and my burger was excellent as usual; there are few places in WDW where one can consistently get a burger as good as at Sci-Fi, though it is a bit pricey at $12.
The film clip is about 45-50 minutes long and contains a lot of nostalgia, including some great 50s music such as Great Balls of Fire by Jerry Lee Lewis and Purple People Eater by Sheb Wooley. There is a Tom and Jerry cartoon, and a Disney cartoon concerning life on Mars that had me hysterical with laughter when I was ten. But most of the clip consists of trailers for super-low-budget sci-fi films shown in drive-in theaters in the 50s and early 60s. The plots, acting, and special effects are so bad it is sometimes funny and other times merely unbelievable, and the only sensible explanation is that nobody actually watched the movies in drive-ins anyway. As a fan of legitimate science fiction literature and films, I feel obligated to point out there is no connection between them and these atrocities; in particular real science fiction never uses beach parties as a plot device!
Total: $47. Food: B, Value: C, Service: B, Atmosphere: B+
Summary: Good thing we enjoy this place since our boys wont let us skip it.
12/02 Sat Dinner: Yachtsman Steakhouse* (Yacht Club) Server: Suzan
I had avoided this restaurant for several years because I dont have much interest in $30 steaks. But DW said she wanted to try it, and since we usually stay at Beach Club Villas it was time to do just that.
DW and DS13 had the 8oz filet mignon, and I had the lamb shank. DW also ordered a side of spinach. DS10 had a hot dog and vanilla smoothie from the childs menu. The bread service consisted of two varieties of rolls with their signature giant slab of butter. My lamb shank was a generous portion, tender and flavorful, and came easily off the bone; the goat cheese risotto that came with it was excellent. I also had a taste of the filet; it seemed to be very good but not outstanding.
The atmosphere is not at all dark or stuffy as steakhouses often are. Service was friendly and competent. Our server offered to have DS13s filet butterflied, that is cooked as two 4oz half-thickness filets. Actually I think both came that way.
We didnt have any dessert, but still ended up spending about as much as we did at Artist Point last year when we all had dessert. You can get just as good a filet at Le Cellier for $7 less, and lamb at Marrakesh for $9 less that is as good or better. We had a fine meal and Im glad we tried it, but you can get better value for your money at any number of other Disney restaurants.
Total: $126. Food: B+, Value: C-, Service: B+, Atmosphere: B
Summary: A nice steakhouse somewhat spoiled by being overpriced.
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Interlude: Wonder Cruise Dec 3 Dec 7
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12/07 Thu Lunch: Garden Grill (Epcot) Server: Shawn
We eat here every year, and have never been disappointed in the food. Wed come here even without the characters. Eating here for lunch instead of dinner takes some of the sting out -- $7 cheaper and all you lose is the salad.
Since we had 11:30 reservations we had no problems getting a booth on the outside, which results in a unique atmosphere. You are nearly in a private room, with a changing view of the Living With The Land boat ride as the restaurant revolves.
The food this year was as good as ever same old stuff but well prepared. There were generous portions of flank steak, catfish and turkey, accompanied by stuffing, mashed potatoes (in a separate dish), and carrots and snap peas. The turkey came with a generous helping of cranberries, which I think may have been new this year, and was very welcome. There was also a lot of mac & cheese, chicken tenders, and fries for DS10; he got some help from his big brother.
The only thing that was at all disappointing was dessert, which was bread pudding with Baileys hard sauce. The bread pudding was fine and suffered only by comparison with last years dessert, which was a great dessert tray with three selections. It would have been better with some vanilla ice cream. Only DW used the sauce I dont like alcoholic sauces.
The character interaction was a little weaker than in previous years but we didnt mind. Sometimes characters dont pay much attention if you dont have a camera or autograph book. Shawn was the best server weve had here in a while, somewhat quiet but helpful and humorous. When I initially forgot to present our Dining Experience Card he gracefully accepted it and made the correction with no fuss.
Total: $89. Food: B+, Value: C+, Service: B+, Atmosphere: A-
Summary: Well be back next year!
12/07 Fri Dinner: Tonys Town Square* (Magic Kingdom) Server: Marie
Tonys was the only table service restaurant in Magic Kingdom we hadnt visited, so it was time to do that. Weve eaten dinner at Liberty Tree Tavern a couple times but it has gotten pretty expensive, especially now that our youngest is 10. In any case it would have been nuts to go to Liberty Tree for dinner after lunch at Garden Grill as the offerings are very similar.
We were going to Mickeys Very Merry Christmas Party that evening, so I snagged a 5:25 reservation at 180 days. I was happy with that until they announced later in the year that there would be a Wishes fireworks show at 6:00! I tried a number of times to move our reservations back to 5:00 but there were no openings. But experience paid off I know that if we simply showed up 30 minutes early, there was a reasonable chance we would be seated early. And thats exactly what happened we were seated right about 5:00!
DW had the chicken pasta and dinner salad, DS13 the spaghetti with Italian sausage and dinner salad, and I had the beef cannelloni. DS10 had the spaghetti and meatball kids meal; it said meatballs but came with one large meatball. We were also given sliced white sourdough-style bread served with both butter and a tomato-based dipping sauce. Everything was well-prepared, but the food is average Italian-American food as you might find in Olive Garden or similar restaurants. DW and DS13 had far more than they could eat (typical of pasta dishes), which was good because my beef cannelloni wasnt particularly filling. I ate a lot of Italian sausage from DS13s plate but eventually gave up trying to eat all of it, let alone the huge pile of spaghetti.
And yes, we did finish in time to walk down toward the castle for Wishes!
Unfortunately price is the big issue here you pay a big premium for dining in the Magic Kingdom. If the entrees were $5 less Id have no problem with Tonys. Some alternatives:
-- Columbia Harbor House: an excellent counter service spot
-- Plaza Restaurant: a sandwich/ice cream shop with same prices for dinner as for lunch
-- Kona Café (Polynesian Resort): prices about the same as Tonys, but much better food
Total: $86. Food: C+, Value: D, Service: B, Atmosphere: B
Summary: An acceptable but overpriced choice for table service in Magic Kingdom.
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12/08 Thu Lunch: Flame Tree BBQ* (Animal Kingdom) Server: N/A
Yum! In the past we had eaten at Tusker House or left Animal Kingdom before lunch. In the future I wont hesitate to eat here if were nearby at lunch, though Tusker House remains my favorite. One possible disadvantage of Flame Tree is that there is no indoor seating its all at covered outdoor pavilions.
DW was not with us she elected to rest up rather than come with us to AK, not her favorite park. DS13 and I had barbecue beef sandwiches and DS10 the kids hot dog. We also got a basket of fries to share and a large bottled water. The sandwiches came with baked beans and a small corn on the cob. The hot dog came with two sides (we chose carrot sticks) and a small bottled water. There are only a couple non-barbecue items on the menu, a smoked turkey sandwich and a fruit plate.
The basket of fries was somewhat of a ripoff. There werent very many fries for $3.49, and they werent that good anyway. But everything else was fine. The corn was surprisingly fresh for counter service, the beans had a bite to them -- better than anything Ive had out of a can, and the barbecue was moist and tasty. The sandwich buns were fresh and substantial, not standard burger buns.
We had actually asked for sandwiches only (without the corn and beans), which knocked $2 off the price. But when they came out, they had the corn and beans anyway! Also our Dining Experience card gave us 20% off here. It usually doesnt apply at counter service locations, but it does at Animal Kingdom, presumably because there is no table service location in the park (yet). So we ended paying only $17 for the three of us! As usual I have added the discount back in for the total.
Total: $21. Food: C+, Value: B, Service: N/A, Atmosphere: C-
Summary: A good choice if you find yourself in the Asia/Dinoland area at lunchtime; it helps if you like barbecue.
12/08 Fri Dinner: Boma (Animal Kingdom Lodge) Server: Axxxxxx
Last year we tried Boma for the first time and were very impressed, so we decided to come back this year. It didnt seem quite as good, but Ive noticed that about several restaurants the second time around, so I wont hold it against Boma. The second time seems to bring heightened expectations and gives you more of a chance to see the warts.
One disappointment is that there was no African Village Christmas display built out of chocolate and other foods, as there had been in previous years.
The food was every bit as good as last year, though it impressed me less since I knew what to expect. I only made it half-way through the buffet line the first time, as it was hard to pass up anything. As last year I asked for and received frunch as a beverage, a combination of fruit juices which is served at the breakfast buffet. In addition to an interesting variety of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes, there were five different soups! This is one of a very few restaurants in WDW that uses curry in their dishes. (Rose and Crown in Epcot has a nice vegetable curry.)
One problem with the buffet, as with nearly all buffets at WDW, is that there are no vegetables for children. All Im asking for is some plain cooked broccoli or carrot sticks or something. The only vegetables are in fancy adult vegetable dishes. The desserts were good but I think the desserts at Cape May are better.
Our server was pretty scarce, apparently taking more than one break during our meal. We had to wait almost 15 minutes for her to return so we could ask for our check. Hopefully this was just a bad night, otherwise she needs to look for a different job.
Total: $109. Food: A-, Value: B-, Service: D, Atmosphere: B+
Summary: A great buffet with many unique dishes, but you have to be somewhat adventurous to eat here.
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12/09 Sat Lunch: Biergarten* (Epcot) Server: Julia
As the asterisk indicates, this was our first visit to Biergarten. The restaurant was somewhat different than I imagined. The seating is in a semicircle with several levels so that everyone has a good view of the stage. Each table seats eight; we were seated next to a nice couple from Texas with the threat of two more people to be seated soon, but it never happened.
The buffet was not as good as Boma or Cape May, but it is also less expensive, and nobody went hungry. There were plenty of good salads and desserts, but it was a little weak on entrees. There was rotisserie chicken and pork schnitzel, and maybe some kind of beef dish but I dont remember.
Our server was an absolute delight. Julia was full of enthusiasm and spent lots of time talking to us. Unfortunately you will probably miss her as she is returning home to Dresden at the end of Christmas week.
Four musicians put on a show playing some traditional German beer-barrel polka style music, with a couple Christmas songs thrown in. But they also played one song on alpenhorns (the long ones, about twelve feet) and one on cowbells! It was not loud or raucous at all as I had feared, just a lot of fun.
Total: $84. Food: C+, Value: C+, Service: A, Atmosphere: B
Summary: In the middle of the pack of Epcot restaurants, but definitely worth a try!
12/09 Sat Dinner: Marrakesh (Epcot) Server: Chakir
We had eaten here in 2003 and the food quality had been a little spotty, but I wanted to come back and give it another try.
DS13 had an appetizer of beef brewat rolls and chicken couscous, DS10 had the kids chicken tenders with fries, and DW had vegetable couscous. I had the Royal Feast, a $35 combination meal that included harira soup, a single beef brewat roll, lamb meshoui, lemon chicken, couscous with seven vegetables, and assorted Moroccan pastries. Yes this is different than the May 2006 menu currently on AllEarsNet, but trust me, I remember! I do not recall seeing a Moroccan Feast on our menu.
The bread we had was my favorite of all the restaurants we ate at, and thats saying a lot! Its hard to describe; it was like a very thick flatbread that was like homemade whole wheat yeast bread inside.
My lamb meshoui was great! Very tender, very tasty, even better than the lamb at Yachtsman Steakhouse, though the goat cheese risotto there would win the comparison. The vegetable couscous was also quite good, better than one might expect. The lemon chicken was, well, chicken breast with lemon juice. But the chicken was not dry, tough, or rubbery, as so often happens when chicken breasts are prepared en masse. Only the harira soup was a mild disappointment, having neither sufficient spice nor ingredients to keep my attention. The pastries all seemed to be close cousins to baklava, which was fine with me!
The architecture is wonderful, and the music and belly dancer add a lot to the atmosphere as well. There is also sufficient lighting to read your menu, which isnt true at many WDW restaurants.
Total: $100. Food: B+, Value: C+, Service: B, Atmosphere: A-
Summary: Im glad we went back!
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12/10 Sun Lunch: Beaches and Cream (Beach Club/Yacht Club) Server: Jane
As owners at Beach Club Villas we try to come here each year. Last year we were caught off guard by an unanticipated refurbishment which began in the middle of our stay, so we couldnt go! Im not sure what if anything they changed while it was closed last year. The restaurant doesnt seem any larger but does seat a few more people than it used to. There are now four booths (4 each), seven tables (4 each), one small table (2) and 13 counter seats for a total capacity of 59. (A few years ago it was only 49, so theyre trying, people!) One change is there is now an opening so you can walk directly between B&C and the adjacent arcade. This is unwelcome as sound from the arcade now leaks into B&C.
We had our usuals, a couple burgers for DS13 and myself (mine with fruit instead of fries) and a grilled cheese for DS10. DW pushed the envelope by ordering a roast beef sandwich. I didnt hear any complaints so I guess it was alright. We then split a No Way Jose sundae four ways. Not the greatest food (Ill take Sci-Fi burgers over B&C burgers anyday), but its good and its cheap and the small ice cream shop atmosphere is hard to beat. Its also one of the cheapest table service meals available at WDW.
Total: $47. Food: C+, Value: B+, Service: B, Atmosphere: B+
Summary: A Beach Club tradition. Well keep going back as long as its there.
12/10 Sun Dinner: Chilis Too (Orlando Airport) Server:
OK this isnt Disney World, but it is of interest to WDW travelers. We typically have an 8:00PM flight home, and have been frustrated by the lack of decent food at our terminal after going through security. So the last few years weve arrived at the airport somewhat earlier to eat at Chilis Too, an airport version of the Chilis chain with a reduced menu. Its hard to find as its not in the food court. Ask someone how to get there; its all by itself at the top of an escalator on level 4 .There is also a Macaroni Grill at the airport if youre looking for something a little nicer.
Total: $32. Food: C, Value: B, Service: C+, Atmosphere: D+
Summary: Beats eating at the food court.
