Pandora is One Hot Planet FINAL UPDATE 8/31 Morimoto Asia'

[Niki Andiokno]

The cost is $35. Make sure the cast member finds I can't tell you how many times I've been told it doesn't exist, only to find out that the cast member just didn't know about it. It is held all year round. You will need to find someone to watch Casey. I've never seen anyone with a child. I have seen children at The Culinary tour though. That is the best Disney freebie ever.

 

[ariane37]

I love Boba Balls. I need to try that margarita out in October.

Definitely try the margarita It's delicious!

Ariane, I'm just happy you didn't forget about me and posted.

Aw I totally didn't forget and I was reading but then just wasn't in a time position to post unfortunately. The summer has been nuts with driving Ricky around to all his sports, and work has been busy (which is a good thing!) and I could barely keep up with my PTR! But I'm definitely here Things are calming down as summer is wrapping up so I should be around more!

 

[Niki Andiokno]

Later that night we picked up the crew and headed to the Swan for one of my favorite places, and the best Italian restaurant on Disney property by far. IL MULINO!! We really love it here. The ambiance is cool, though a bit loud because of the wood floors. We love the bustle.

We started off with the eggplant, sausage and bread service. I could fill up on this stuff. One thing I noticed was that the portion we got was the same for 6 as when we are just 2. Maybe I am mistaken. I love the foccacia bread. Yum.


For appetizers we got Calamari Fritti - Lightly Fried Calamari with a Spicy Marinara Sauce. This is so good. I want that sauce over pasta. Mike and I also got Tortellini in Brodo - Meat Tortellini in Chicken Broth. Since I slurped up half of mine before taking the photo here is one from the internet. My broth was a little lighter in color. Really good, but I am not sure I will get it again unless I am foregoing a pasta entree. It was very hearty.



Onto the entrees. Note that you can order a half order of pasta for half the price. As the pic will show the half order is a lot of pasta. I never finish the half order. Great breakfast the next day. Z (I think) and I had the Rigatoni Con Funghi - Rigatoni with Wild Mushrooms, spicy cherry peppers, garlic and truffle oil. I really like this dish. The pasta is a perfect al dente. The sauce is light, with a hint of the truffle oil. Awesome.

I paired this with an Antinori Toscana Reserva. This is a great wine. A bit of cherry, dry and full bodied red. Totally worth the $18 price per glass. Sorry, I didn't take notes of what everyone else drank. I was so enthralled with mine.

Mike went with his favorite Costolette Di Maiale - Pork Chop with Cherry Vinegar Peppers and Mushroom sauce. I have to admit I am a little envious every time he gets this, but I never order it for myself. This is one of the best pork chops ever. It is thick cut with a bit of vinegar in the mushroom sauce. It is always perfectly moist and flavorful.

The other dish at our table was Tortellini Alla Panna - Meat Tortellini and Peas in a Cream Sauce. I recall everyone liked the meal, and these were the only entree choices we made. So, this must have been good. I just don't recall what anyone said about it.


What trip to IL Mulino is complete without one of the best desserts ever, Tartufo - Italian Gelato encased in Chocolate and served with Whipped Cream and Zabaglione? What the description doesn't tell you is that the center has a big surprise, a brandy soaked sweet cherry. This is a little ball of heaven to me. That night the Gelato was hazelnut. I prefer the sweet cream zabaglione flavored Gelato they sometimes have here, but hazelnut was exceptionally good too. Apparently these are made off site and brought to the restaurant every few days. They get the cream and hazelnut. What the patrons get is a bit of a chance each time. I love them both.


Another great meal from IL Mulino!! This is one of my favorites at WDW. It's on our must do list.

 

[Niki Andiokno]

After dinner we decided to walk off all that wonderful food at the Boardwalk. Of course at Boardwalk I had to stop at Boardwalk Bakery. I got Mike a cream cheese Danish. I got a Chocolate Civered Strawberry Cupcake. It was the end of the night so we were all given Mickey pretzels. I love this place.

 

[sleepydog25]

Great read! You enjoy some of the same things we do (wine) and go places where we've been (ones with wine) and enjoy, well, wine. We've enjoyed breakfast at TE, though it's been a couple of years since we've been. Never been to dinner there, and we likely won't now. As for Homecomin', it was underwhelming for us. The chicken, while juicy, had a lightly sweet batter along with powdered sugar on top. The mashed potatoes were heavy and gravy on those gloppy. The order of fries we got weren't any better than Wendy's for twice the cost. The famed deviled eggs were uneven--a couple were good but the other four were bland. Finally, Il Mulino. Love it! I had the rigatoni con funghi in May, and it was lovely--very earthy. I may have had a Ripasso vice the Toscana, but it's hard to go wrong with a nice Italian red.

I will say that Il Mulino has been our go to Italian spot at Disney, but I'd be remiss to say we may have found a new fave: Bice at, gulp, Universal's Portofino resort. Dare I say we enjoyed it more than IM? I dare.

Looking forward to more reviews and pics!

 

[ariane37]

Later that night we picked up the crew and headed to the Swan for one of my favorite places, and the best Italian restaurant on Disney property by far. IL MULINO!!

I so agree! We've only been to Il Mulino twice so far but we definitely feel it's the best Italian on property.

We started off with the eggplant, sausage and bread service

Oh man, that eggplant is heaven Steve lets me eat it all!

Rigatoni Con Funghi - Rigatoni with Wild Mushrooms, spicy cherry peppers, garlic and truffle oil. I really like this dish. The pasta is a perfect al dente. The sauce is light, with a hint of the truffle oil. Awesome.

This is what I've gotten both times we've gone. I wanted to try something different the second time but I loved this so much, I couldn't NOT have it again lol.

As for Homecomin', it was underwhelming for us

Wow, you're the only other person besides us that has said this "out loud" The menu wasn't one we were dying to try but because so many people were raving about it, I felt we needed to give it a try. So we did in May. Nope, not for us. We didn't hate anything about it and I did actually love the fried green tomato app, but that was it. Our entrees were no different than what we can get at an Applebee's

 

[sleepydog25]

Wow, you're the only other person besides us that has said this "out loud" The menu wasn't one we were dying to try but because so many people were raving about it, I felt we needed to give it a try. So we did in May. Nope, not for us. We didn't hate anything about it and I did actually love the fried green tomato app, but that was it. Our entrees were no different than what we can get at an Applebee's

I know--I fear for my life criticizing Homecomin'! Like you, we didn't hate anything, yet nothing stood out, either. No hate, just underwhelmed.

 

[DaisyNY]

After dinner we decided to walk off all that wonderful food at the Boardwalk. Of course at Boardwalk I had to stop at Boardwalk Bakery. I got Mike a cream cheese Danish. I got a Chocolate Civered Strawberry Cupcake. It was the end of the night so we were all given Mickey pretzels. I love this place.View attachment 265543 View attachment 265544 View attachment 265545

We tried Il Mulino the first time this May and loved it...for pasta and authentic Italian dishes definitely the best on property and lucky you...a surprise Mickey pretzel!

 

[Niki Andiokno]

The next day we finished up Hollywood Studios. Lunch was Mama Melrose. We have eaten here previously and had pasta. The food was always good, but you just can't beat IL Mulino. So we hadn't been here in years. Recently a client had suggested we go there for steak,. He said the steak he had here was the best he had on property. We figured that we hadn't really planned a steak house so we would give it a try. We wanted to start with appetizers and wine, but we were literally melting. Although we should have been hungry, I don't think any of us really were. By this point in the trip, we had been so hot for so long we were all exhausted. Mama Melrose was at least cool. We all got either coke zero or ice tea.

Mike and I both got the steak.Charred Strip Steak - with four-cheese macaroni with pancetta, aged balsamic-shallot butter, and Chianti Wine Reduction. The steak was definately NOT the best steak at a 1 TS reataurant, and certainly not on property. I was looking forward to the steak and was sorely disappointed. The steak looks great. It had a lot of gristle running through the middle. I had a huge vein running through the center. The vein had blood in it. So wierd for a strip steak. I ate around the offensive parts. The rest of the steak tasted good, but wasn't the most tender. The butter gave the steak a good flavor. The Chianti sauce was good as well. The steak was huge, so I couldn't finish it. The star of the dish was the Mac n' cheese. I would have been happier with a big ole plate of this creamy cheesy goodness. Let me tell you this is high praise from me who loves nuclear Mac n' Cheese from the kids menu, but is picky about high end mac. This was fantastic.


Ray got Vegetable Lasagna - layers of grilled vegetables and spinach ricotta topped with mozzarella. He liked this. I think A might have gotten this as well. I think everyone who got it liked it.


Sandra got Penne alla Vodka - with Pancetta and Sweet Onions finished with Tomato-Basil Sauce, Cream, Vodka, and Pecorino Romano . I think she added chicken, but my brain was a fried egg at this point. I also believe they made this vegetarian for Z. I heard this was very good.


I guess my mistake was getting the steak here. With IL Mulino right around the corner I am not sure we will be back.

 

[Niki Andiokno]

Great read! You enjoy some of the same things we do (wine) and go places where we've been (ones with wine) and enjoy, well, wine. We've enjoyed breakfast at TE, though it's been a couple of years since we've been. Never been to dinner there, and we likely won't now. As for Homecomin', it was underwhelming for us. The chicken, while juicy, had a lightly sweet batter along with powdered sugar on top. The mashed potatoes were heavy and gravy on those gloppy. The order of fries we got weren't any better than Wendy's for twice the cost. The famed deviled eggs were uneven--a couple were good but the other four were bland. Finally, Il Mulino. Love it! I had the rigatoni con funghi in May, and it was lovely--very earthy. I may have had a Ripasso vice the Toscana, but it's hard to go wrong with a nice Italian red.

I will say that Il Mulino has been our go to Italian spot at Disney, but I'd be remiss to say we may have found a new fave: Bice at, gulp, Universal's Portofino resort. Dare I say we enjoyed it more than IM? I dare.

Looking forward to more reviews and pics!

We do have a lot in common, especially the live for vino. A friend keeps recommending Bice, as I quite often venture to the Dark Side (aka Universal). Whenever I venture there I can't seem to break away from the Royal Pacific Resort. Bula's is the best pool bar ever. Tchoup Chop is my favorite Emeril Lagasse place. As for Homecomin' I will try it for dinner. It was a good chicken sandwich for carryout. Maybe I was just hungry.

I so agree! We've only been to Il Mulino twice so far but we definitely feel it's the best Italian on property.


Oh man, that eggplant is heaven Steve lets me eat it all!


This is what I've gotten both times we've gone. I wanted to try something different the second time but I loved this so much, I couldn't NOT have it again lol.


Wow, you're the only other person besides us that has said this "out loud" The menu wasn't one we were dying to try but because so many people were raving about it, I felt we needed to give it a try. So we did in May. Nope, not for us. We didn't hate anything about it and I did actually love the fried green tomato app, but that was it. Our entrees were no different than what we can get at an Applebee's

I am so happy others like IL Mulino, as we love it so much. If you like fish, try the Cernia (grouper). It is heavenly. The risotto is also good. Everything we have had here is great. I went with the Ceria for a long time, then moves to the Rigatoni. I need to branch out again, or maybe go back to the fish. Decisions are so hard.

We tried Il Mulino the first time this May and loved it...for pasta and authentic Italian dishes definitely the best on property and lucky you...a surprise Mickey pretzel!

I was so happy with the Mickey pretzel. I love BW Bakery. I can't wait to stay there again in October. Another IL Mulino fan. YAY!! I think people pass it up because it isn't owned by Disney, and rumor has it this place is geared toward convention-ears. (Ha) I don't feel that way. Honestly I think many non-Disney owned restaurants are some of the best on property.

 

[Niki Andiokno]

So I am down to my final review. I always hate the last day at Disney. I hate packing. I hate leaving the resort. I hate the 18 hour drive home. But alas, all good things must come to an end. Some of us have to work you know.

Our last meal was set at Morimoto Asia. We really like this place, and couldn't wait to share it with our friends. First order, a big carafe of sangria. This sangria is orange juice based, has a bit of sake in it, and your typical sangria fruits. I used to say this was the best deal on property when it opened at $18 a carafe. Now it is $35. The serving is a little larger, but not that much larger. This is still worth every penny in my opinion. You can taste both the white wine and the sake. It is perfectly refreshing on a hot hot hot day.

This is a very beautiful restaurant. I wish I had taken photographs of the inside. Even the place settings are pretty.

Mike and I started out with Spider Roll - tempura soft shell crab, spicy mayo, cucumber, asparagus. We love soft shell crab in any form. The spider roll is almost always our favorite. This was really good, although a couple of sushi places near home have better Spider Roll

A tried the Miso Soup - miso broth, silken tofu. I am not a miso soup fan, so I didn't try it. A said it was really good.



For entrees, I went with my tried-and-true favorite. I am a Ramen Girl. I swear that's all I ate from the time I was a baby until I graduated from college. Who knew that Ramen could be so good? I now eat ramen various different ways, and have learned that spicy Korean Ramen is the best. Chicago is full of really great Ramen noodle restaurants, but the noodles here are really excellent.Duck Ramen - egg noodle, duck meat, scallion, boiled egg. This dish incorporates two of my favorite foods, Peking Duck and ramen noodles. I can't tell you how much I love this Slurpee goodness. Best ramen from a restaurant ever. The Peking duck is so succulent. It makes me want to order the Peking duck, but this bowl is filled with it and is under $20.


Michael also ate this and loved it. Z got a noodle bowl of ramen, but made with vegetable broth and lots of vegetables if I remember correctly. I don't have a photo.

Ray got Kung Pao Chicken - carrots, shimeji, mushrooms, bell peppers, bamboo shoots, cashew nuts, stir-fried with spicy Szechuan sauce. I tried it. This was good, but again I prefer my local Chinese place better.


Sandra had Beef Lo Mein Noodles - stir-fried noodles, Napa cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, mushroom, scallions. She really liked this. I was torn. I liked the noodles and beef a lot, but the sauce was sweeter than I like.

A had Spicy Tuna - tuna, spicy mayo, scallion. He said he liked it. I can't find my picture, but it looked like the Disney Food Blog photo.


We love Morimoto Asia. This is another must do for us for the Ramen noodles and awesome Sangria.

We weren't ready to leave without a sweet treat, so we got Gelato at Vivoli Gelateria. This was creamy and super rich. I got dark chocolate.

So there you have it. We had a wonderful trip to Pandora, and plenty of great food.

Next stop Food & Wine Festival October 21 through 28. I'll be back with more great food and even more wine and cocktails.

 

[sleepydog25]

What a great way to end your trip! We enjoy Morimoto immensely. Next time, I highly recommend the buri bop. Without exaggeration, it's one of my favorite dishes at the World, and it's not something we can get anywhere near us. Yellowtail seared on the bowl they bring you; fresh egg mixed into steaming, fragrant rice. Not only is it lovely but it's one of the few dishes worth the price while at Mickey Land. Looking forward to hearing your reviews from F & W. Wife will be there at some point during the festival, as well.

 

[ariane37]

I may have to try Morimoto at some point! Definitely trying that gelato lol. I enjoyed your report and I'll look for your next one, enjoy F&W

 

[Niki Andiokno]

What a great way to end your trip! We enjoy Morimoto immensely. Next time, I highly recommend the buri bop. Without exaggeration, it's one of my favorite dishes at the World, and it's not something we can get anywhere near us. Yellowtail seared on the bowl they bring you; fresh egg mixed into steaming, fragrant rice. Not only is it lovely but it's one of the few dishes worth the price while at Mickey Land. Looking forward to hearing your reviews from F & W. Wife will be there at some point during the festival, as well.

The Buri bop sounds fabulous. Mike will try it next time we go, unless we make it to the Morimoto restaurant here in Chicago first. All of the reviews for the Chicago place claim this is their specialty and number one dish. We love Yellowtail, so that would be a great dish. It will be hard to pull me away from my Ramen though. Seriously it's that good. Thanks for following along. I had a great trip. I can't wait to go back to my happy place. Especially when there is wine everywhere!

 

[Niki Andiokno]

I may have to try Morimoto at some point! Definitely trying that gelato lol. I enjoyed your report and I'll look for your next one, enjoy F&W

Seriously, try Morimoto and the gelato. Both were so so good.
Thanks a lot for following along. Glad you enjoyed it. I really enjoyed the trip.

 

[kastoney]

Wow, how is your trip over already. Good thing you have another right around the corner

Thanks for sharing. Everything at Morimoto looks delicious. I'm hopeful we can get there again on our next trip as I love all things Asian food!

 

[pepperandchips]

Loved your reviews as always! You gave me the little push I needed to try Il Mulino and holy cow it did not disappoint! Thank you so much for taking the time to share about your trip.

 

[Niki Andiokno]

Wow, how is your trip over already. Good thing you have another right around the corner

Thanks for sharing. Everything at Morimoto looks delicious. I'm hopeful we can get there again on our next trip as I love all things Asian food!

I am glad I already have a new trip planned. I keep checking MDE. Just to go over plans. Everything at Morimoto was delicious. Squeeze it in for some really great Asian food.

Loved your reviews as always! You gave me the little push I needed to try Il Mulino and holy cow it did not disappoint! Thank you so much for taking the time to share about your trip.

I'm glad you liked IL Mulino. Sometimes we all need a little push to find something great. Glad I could help. Thanks for following aling.

 

[danandjackie]

We were celebrating our 26th wedding anniversary from the week before, as work had interfered with our actual anniversary. Bluezoo does this so well. The dessert was comped, and we were each given a glass of chanpagne. I can't find a pic of the champagne. Tasted fantastic. Once at the table, the server poured the sauce over the dome to reveal the chocolate sorbet. I can't find the after photo, but will post it when I do. The effect of the melting dome is so cool.

Once again, we were wowed by Bluezoo. I know it doesn't get as much love around here as Flying Fish, but for us this is da BOMB!! We will continue to come here every trip.

Have to agree with you re Blue Zoo - one of my favourite spots and beats Flying Fish for me (and isnt as freezing) >> my review >>