Let's see some of your dining review entries!

[ADP]

Excellent review Dave!! It was entertaining to read and very creative.

 

[DVC Kathy]

Fantastic review, Dave. They sure did pick a winner there.

Now I want to go to IHop for those pancakes. Mmmmm, chocolate......

I wonder how many Weight Watchers points they are?????

Kathy

 

[Minnie Lor]

Great review Dave! So cute. And ADP, I may consider adding the dining with Shamu to our plans next October when we go to SeaWorld. Sounds and looks really cool!

 

[jimmiej]

On Friday, February 8th, my wife & I dined at TGI Friday’s in San Antonio, Texas. We were celebrating her birthday, & this is the place she wanted to go. TGI Friday’s is similar to Chili’s, Bennigan’s, or Applebee’s.

TGI Friday’s currently has a unique option called the “Three-Course Meal”, where you choose an appetizer, entrée, & dessert from a set menu, all for one inclusive price. You have two choices as far as price & size of your meal. The $12.99 menu includes items such as Fish Tacos or Jack Daniel Chicken. The $16.99 menu had items such as Steak or Ribs.

We arrived at the restaurant about 5:45 pm, hoping to avoid the usual Friday night crowds. Although the parking lot was near full, we were seated immediately.

The host was friendly & mentioned a few items on the menu, including some of his favorites. We waited 4-5 minutes for our waiter to show up. I felt that was a bit too long to keep us waiting, but maybe that was because we had looked at the menu on-line earlier, & we already had a good idea what we wanted to order.

One thing about this menu option we did not like was that the waiter asked us to order all three items at the same time. As this was unexpected, my wife said she felt rushed. I had my mind made up, so it didn’t bother me. I was hoping all three would not arrive at the same time! That could get crowded, LOL!

Again, we waited about five minutes for our appetizer. No problem there. My wife ordered the Green Bean Fries, which came with a Cucumber-Wasabi Ranch dip. It had just a little kick to it; just right in our opinion. The green beans were coated and deep-fried. This was excellent & we both enjoyed it. There was enough to share.

I ordered the Parmesan-Crusted Sicilian Quesadillas. There were four on a very odd-looking rectangular plate. The Quesadillas contained sausage, bacon, chicken, & Monterey Jack cheese. They were drizzled with a balsamic glaze. Visually, they did not look appealing. The underside looked burned & it appeared they could have been sitting under a heat lamp for awhile. My wife was unimpressed, but I thought they were OK. Oddly enough, the last two I ate were better tasting than the first. Our waiter brought the entrees about two minutes after he took our empty appetizer plates. Perfect!

For her entrée, my wife ordered the Chicken Tostada Salad. It contained Romaine lettuce, corn salsa with mixed cheeses, & avocado Chipotle Ranch dressing. It was topped with a honey-glazed chicken breast, pico de gallo, & tortilla chips. When it arrived, I thought it looked rather lame. The chicken breast was rather small, & the salad looked dry. However, after she cut up the chicken & mixed it all together, it looked much more appealing. She enjoyed it & upon tasting some, I agreed it was quite good & moist. The honey glaze & pico on the chicken was ample to mix with the lettuce.

I ordered the Fish Tacos. I have ordered this item at other restaurants with mixed results. When this is done right, it’s something I really enjoy. There were three flour tortillas filled with a piece of crusted tilapia, lettuce, corn salsa, & a creamy lemon dill remolaude sauce. It was served with a side of tortilla chips & salsa. Again, visually, it didn’t look well-put-together. Upon first taste, I immediately noticed the tortilla was cold. I realize it’s difficult to keep tortillas warm very long, but cold food (that should be hot) is a turn-off. However, the fish was at least warm. Overall though, I really enjoyed the fish tacos. When eating fish tacos, I want the fish to be dominate. It was, & the other flavors blended in well. Mixed with the sauce, the taste was very good. I also thought the salsa was excellent, spicy but not killer-hot. However, there wasn’t enough salsa for the amount of chips offered. The chips were tasty, crispy, with just the right amount of salt. My wife agreed the tacos were good.

For dessert, my wife ordered the Oreo Cake. It was an ample portion & presented very well. It was a chocolate cake, with a whipped topping, covered with crushed Oreo cookies. It tasted good, & was very moist.

I ordered the Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. It was a graham cracker crust with a layer of chocolate, peanut butter, & a whipped topping. A nice touch was a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup on top. This also was presented very nicely, with a little cocoa powder on the plate. I thought it was a perfect portion size & not too rich to finish. It tasted excellent, & was my favorite part of the meal.

One thing…the desserts arrived before we finished our entrees. It wasn’t a problem because they were cold desserts & there was no worry they would lose their proper temperature.

Our waiter was busy, but mostly attentive, friendly, & helpful. Our first glass of tea arrived with insufficient ice, which drives me crazy! Upon a re-fill though, he added more ice.

With two iced teas, our bill came to $32.00. After adding tax & an 18% tip, the total bill was ~$40.00. On a scale of 1-10, we agreed on a 7.5 for this dining experience.

Thanks for your consideration!

 

[nenner1]

Congrats Dave.....great review, I can't wait to hear what you & Kevin have to say.

I too knew I was doomed when I heard about the "creative" entries. Plus mine was just too long. I probably put poor Kev to sleep!

Here it is:

PALO

Palo is the exclusive adults-only restaurant located onboard both the Disney Wonder and Disney Magic cruise ships. Featuring an elegant atmosphere, exceptional Northern Italian cuisine, and top-notch service, this restaurant has a tremendous reputation amongst those cruisers seeking an elite dining experience.

Palo is not included in the regular dining rotation, and reservations are required. You can make reservations online or by phone through Disney Cruise Line or with your travel agent once your booking window opens (75, 90, or 105 days in advance of sailing depending on your stateroom category and Castaway Club Membership). Disney only sets aside a certain number of reservations to be available prior to departure and given the well-deserved popularity of this restaurant, many are not successful in obtaining a reservation in this manner. There is another opportunity, however. Upon boarding the ship, check your Personal Navigator as additional reservations are made available at sailing. If you are still unsuccessful, you can request to be added to a waiting list for cancellations.

Palo offers three unique experiences for dining. In addition to dinner, Palo also features an upscale Champagne Brunch (not offered on 3-night cruises), and a High Tea which is only available on cruises of 7-night or longer duration. Disney’s policy is that each stateroom can have only one Palo reservation per cruise but it is our experience that we have been able to obtain both brunch and dinner reservations. There is also a per-person “service charge” of $15.00 for both dinner and brunch to dine at Palo. High Tea is $5.00 per person. While Disney has indicated that the service charge is intended for future development and also gratuity, keep in mind your server does not receive this full amount and you may find an extra tip to be justified. The servers in Palo are the most superb on the Disney ships.

In an attempt to preserve the upscale and unique atmosphere offered here, Disney has instituted a dress policy that is strictly enforced. Women must wear a dress or pantsuit. Men should wear ties and/or a jacket. Casual attire is not permitted for dinner, including jeans for both sexes nor are polo or camp-style shirts for men. As noted above, this is an adults-only experience, and no guests under the age of 18 will be permitted.

On our most recent cruise aboard the Wonder, we had the opportunity to dine at Palo for a romantic, relaxing dinner. Not unlike any restaurant at the Walt Disney World resort, eating at Palo requires doing a little bit of homework. Since it is not part of the regular dinner rotation, you will miss one restaurant (and/or menu). You might want to take into account certain things like cuisine available at the other restaurants, special menus and themes (i.e. Pirate night) prior to selecting which night you will dine at Palo. Other things to consider might be the ships itinerary and timing. Palo’s exclusive location offers gorgeous, panoramic views. Depending on your preference, you may desire a sunset dinner as opposed to the darkness of a starry night. Some might prefer to gaze over the sights of the port, or possibly instead a sweeping view of the endless ocean on an at-sea day. All of these are things to consider when deciding the timing of your reservation.

On our 3-night cruise, we opted to forego the “Pirates in the Caribbean” night. Since this was a spontaneous vacation, we had not planned in advance and had to settle for whatever reservations were available upon embarkation. We found on our night of choice, the only available time was 6:00 (Palo’s dinner hours are 6:00 pm to 11:00pm nightly). This was a little early for us, especially since we planned an active day in port, but we didn’t have a lot of options and Palo is an experience not to be missed.

Upon arriving at the restaurant, located on deck 10 aft (top deck at the back of the ship), we immediately entered the elegantly appointed “foyer” area. Warm birch woods, Venetian glass, and flowing curved architecture enhance the luxurious elegant atmosphere. Palo, in fact was named for the tall poles lining the canals of Venice, and the décor embodies all of the romance and splendor of Italy. The color scheme is buttery cream, rich brown wood, ebony and crisp white with pewter accents, enhanced by the soft lighting. The centerpiece of the restaurant is the grand exhibition kitchen. In fact, Palo was designed by the same man who created other notable upscale Disney restaurants, including California Grill and The Flying Fish.

We had arrived a few minutes prior to our reservation time (and also opening time) of 6:00 pm, and we had to wait in a short line of patrons waiting to check in with the Maitre’d. As we walked into the seating area of the restaurant, we were awed by the expansive 270 degree view of the ocean through the full-glass paneled walls. We were led to a table for two along the glass walls, and almost directly in the center of the semi-circular shaped room. Through the windows, and just past a small promenade of deck, sat the gorgeous scenery of the paling blue sky surrounding the port of Nassau, the Paradise Island Bridge and the Atlantis resort. The view would only improve as day faded into evening and the sunlight melted into the sea (and was only occasionally obstructed by oblivious cruisers circling the promenade outside).


Our table, though a two-top, was ample size to comfortably accommodate us. It was appointed with pressed white linens and beautiful fresh-cut flowers. Our friendly server greeted us and took our drink orders. Palo is known for its extensive wine list; however we are not wine drinkers so I cannot offer any expertise in that department, except that I can note that it includes the Disney-exclusive Fairy-Tale cuvee. There were several enticing cocktail recommendations, including a Limoncello Martini, Classic Bellini and the like. My selection was a decadent Toblerone Martini. It was remarkable…smooth as silk, not overpowering with alcohol, akin to drinking melted creamy chocolate.

My husband selected a more simple Budweiser draft. Since we also prefer to have non-alcoholic drinks with our meals, we also ordered an iced tea and diet coke, respectively. As is the case with everything in Palo, you can order additional items at no extra cost. Two entrees and multiple desserts are not a problem; in fact it is encouraged by the wait staff.

We were promptly brought a bread basket with Palo’s three signature dips and a plate of antipasto, which traditionally signifies the beginning of the Italian meal. The bread was fresh baked and warm and included a selection of Grissini sticks, olive rolls, six-grain whole meal bread, and ciabatta rolls. The dipping sauces included an olive tapenade (spicy and tasty), roasted red-pepper tapenade, and aioli. Aioli, made by combining olive oil, garlic and egg into a mayonnaise-like consistency was my least favorite. The antipasto platter had a generous amount of thinly sliced prosciutto, parmesan-reggiano cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and marinated olives. It was all very fresh and tasty.

Next we ordered our appetizers. Palo offers a generous selection of wood-fired pizzas, including Margherita, Barbecued Chicken, and Prosciutto. My husband ordered the Margherita, which is made with fresh sliced tomatoes instead of tomato sauce. It was amply sized as an appetizer, in our opinion certainly enough to serve two. The crust was thin, crispy, and richly flavored. The fresh mozzarella was thick and melted to perfection, sprinkled with fresh basil. The tomatoes inside were robust and not soggy or smashed. It was wonderful. I selected the Grilled Portabella Mushroom and Polenta with Shallot Sauce and Shaved Parmesan. The grilled mushroom was large and firm, covered in a creamy garlic polenta-shallot sauce and topped with parmesan. Sinfully rich and perfectly balanced, I highly recommend this as a starter. (I did not fail to notice that with exception of the phyllo, it is remarkably similar in taste to the Wild Garlic Mushroom appetizer offered in the Animator’s Palate restaurant).
Other available appetizers include calamari, warm shrimp salad, minestrone soup, and fish and seafood soup.

Our server was admirably efficient, keeping our drinks refilled timely (though I noticed if you have other beverages such as soda or tea they tend to let the water glasses go without being refilled. However it seems for those who have alcoholic beverages or wine with their meals also always had a full water glass). He even scraped our table clean of bread crumbs between courses.

Since we did not know at the time that I would end up writing a review of the restaurant (and hence, the food), in poor review technique we ended up ordering the same entrée. The entrées are divided up on the menu into several categories “Il Pesce” (the fish), “La Carne” (the beef), and “La Pasta” (pasta). There are also Chef’s Specialties of the day, which are not annotated on the menu. Your server will describe them for you as you are seated. Some examples of the entrées available are Seafood Risotto, Lobster and Mascarpone Ravioli, Pumpkin Gnocchi, Prime Rib, Grilled Sea Scallops, Grilled Monkfish, Pan-fried Tuna, Veal Loin, Rack of Lamb, and “Beef Tenderloin Palo”.
Being huge steak fans, the tenderloin was obviously going to be our choice. Described as a grilled filet mignon with Palo signature Barolo Red Wine sauce or a Gorgonzola cheese sauce, it sounded rather simple compared to some of the extravagant and complex menu items. It has a reputation among Disney Cruisers and connoisseurs as a highly regarded choice. It did not disappoint. It was served on a sophisticated display of arranged vegetables, which also topped a side of garlic mashed potatoes. The steak itself was a prime cut, about 2 ½ to 3 inches thick, crisply seared on both sides, cooked perfectly (not always an easy task for medium-well preparation) and was so juicy and tender it could be cut with a fork. The red wine sauce was rich and a perfect complement. The potatoes were creamy, and did not have an overwhelming garlic flavor. All of the food came out fresh and steaming hot.


Our server always promptly removed the dishes from our table, but did not rush us in any way. In fact, the timing of the courses was very relaxed. While the restaurant became very busy, it was never overtly noisy. In fact, the intimate atmosphere was maintained regardless of the number of patrons inside. Our choice of reservation time could not have ended up any more perfect, as the sun set and dusk turned into evening, the view became exceptionally amiable and enchanting as the stars came out and the lights of Nassau twinkled in the background.

Right after we finished our entrées, the Wonder sailed slowly out of port, making the view even more sparkling and amorous. The next course was dessert, and again our selection was identical- Palo’s signature Chocolate Soufflé. The soufflé must be ordered earlier in the dinner, as it takes some time to prepare. Most of the servers are aware of this, however and will ask if you will be having the soufflé at the appropriate time. Our soufflé’s were brought to us steaming hot, tall and glorious looking. Rich dark creamy brown and dusted with powdered sugar, these were a delight. The server pokes a hole in the top of the soufflé in which to pour luxuriant dark chocolate and vanilla sauces inside. Even filled with warm sauce, the soufflé stood strong, towering over the ramekin. It was absolutely sinful. Soft, rich, and intense, this should not be missed. It is served with a small crisp filled with vanilla gelato. In contrast to the warmth of the soufflé, this accompaniment is palate cleansing and refreshing. In all one word can sum up the chocolate soufflé: decadent. Our server also brought us out an additional dessert, even though we did not order it. It was also in great contrast to the heaviness of our soufflés. This was an order of the Panna Cotta, which is sweet white (vanilla) cream custard served over mango and raspberry sauce alongside fresh strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. The Panna Cotta was also very good. The custard was creamy and thick, not at all gelatinous or gooey in consistency. Vanilla bean specks were visible in the custard, and the tart berries provided a nice complement. This is an excellent choice for those who prefer a lighter dessert. Other choices include the Sweet Pizza, Pistachio Torte, Pineapple and Almond Ravioli, and freshly made authentic Gelato.

As if that was not a great end to our meal, our server brought out a complimentary small serving of Limoncello, which is a light, tart, alcoholic frozen lemonade of sorts, made from Sorrento lemons. It was not unlike a spiked Polar Cup. It had a smooth frothy consistency, not at all icy. Cool and refreshing, it was the perfect end to a perfect meal.

In conclusion, Palo provides outstanding food for a minimal price and provides both romantic ambiance and attentive service. It is an un-paralleled experience not to be missed when sailing on Disney Cruise Line.