Posh Noshing: the big 4-0 and the DXDP Update x 3 and completed 4.14

I love that you know these facts! Do you have a culinary background? Since the trip, I have bought some Mahi Mahi, which is individually frozen. Not the same I know, but I thought I would try experimenting with cooking with fish at home. :)
No, not a pro--just food junkie in a restaurant mecca and avid home cook. But some of my friends are part of the fine dining world and I've been fortunate to have enjoyed a lot of incredible meals over the years.

Some of my best memories have been dining with a well-known chef or owner at another's restaurant and they just kept sending out their latest and greatest creations.

Keep trying new things at home and at restaurants!
 
I like your sentiments. :) I like how the memory of your extravagant Bellagio dinner has stayed with you nearly 20 years later. Very cool. Since that first experience, have you done many since? Have you ever done V&A?

Oh it was that special as everything was top notch, from not having to park the car, to the second we entered the restaurant, to the bathroom attendants, to the new napkins with each course, to new bread everytime we took some from the basket to the food, oh that food, could not even pronounce half of the dishes but they were so darn good! Honestly we have not been back to such a place but do indeed intend on going back, no I have not been lucky enough to part take in V&A but it is on our bucket list! Great review and love the pics, thanks for taking the time in posting, looking forward to what you have left!!!
 
Food nerds unite, indeed!! Fantastic reviews thus far! I agree the brunch at California Grill is outstanding. I also had the chicken and waffles and it was fine but not great so I’m looking forward to trying something different next time (July). I’ve only been to Tiffins once and it was a special dinner so I didn’t order off the menu but it was fantastic. And Nomad Lounge never disappoints either. Unfortunately, I think people are “scared” by the menu as it seems to always have availability. Wow, wow, WOW on your meal at V&A’s. It looks and sounds incredible!! I was lucky enough to dine there several years back and took a similar approach, being open to trying new things. And I was pleasantly surprised to find I really enjoy a couple of things I could have sworn I hated. Can’t wait to hear about more of your food adventures!
 


Food nerds unite, indeed!! Fantastic reviews thus far! I agree the brunch at California Grill is outstanding. I also had the chicken and waffles and it was fine but not great so I’m looking forward to trying something different next time (July). I’ve only been to Tiffins once and it was a special dinner so I didn’t order off the menu but it was fantastic. And Nomad Lounge never disappoints either. Unfortunately, I think people are “scared” by the menu as it seems to always have availability. Wow, wow, WOW on your meal at V&A’s. It looks and sounds incredible!! I was lucky enough to dine there several years back and took a similar approach, being open to trying new things. And I was pleasantly surprised to find I really enjoy a couple of things I could have sworn I hated. Can’t wait to hear about more of your food adventures!

Thanks for following along! Where else are you planning to eat in July? I am planning a December trip with my family and am working on figuring out what restaurants we might want to do.
 
Tuesday: Epcot-Festival of the Arts

Breakfast: Norway Princess Breakfast (aka Akershus)

I scheduled this pre-park opening breakfast to use it as a “fastpass” for the Frozen ride, which worked. We did not stick around to meet all of the princesses for this reason, but we did get photos with Cinderella and Aurora at our table. When you first enter the restaurant, they have you do a posed photograph with Cinderella. Later, the rest of the princesses stop by the table. The breakfast was a buffet, as well as shared plates brought to your table. We both got Mimosas. I really liked the potato casserole. At the end, our waitress noticed that Mr. J had a birthday pin hidden away, so she brought him a birthday cupcake with a candle and a container to go, as well as a signed birthday card.

I was bad about taking food photos here. The first photo is Mr. J’s buffet plate. He focused on fruit. I didn’t take a picture of my buffet offerings, but I chose things like fresh strawberries, Norwegian pastry and cheeses. We also had additional drinks, at no additional cost with our meal. I had diet coke and Mr. J had OJ.

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The 2nd photo is the family style food, the potato casserole, scrambled eggs, bacon, and sausage. I am not a big breakfast sausage person, but I liked the sausage there. It was weirdly soft textured, like it
had been overground.

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Mr. J’s free birthday cupcake. Our waitress gave us a plastic container to put it in so we could get to our ride. We were out of there a couple minutes before 9 AM, and there was already a line to Frozen, which surprised me. Luckily, it was not a long wait. I think this line was people who were let into the park early and booked it to the ride.

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Our sweet Norwegian waitress presenting the birthday card.

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2 Adult Breakfasts: $104

2 Mimosas: $22.50
Cost: $134.73 ($67.37 each)


Although I am not a breakfast person, I thought that the food was decent and would eat breakfast here again. If you are into princesses, this would be heaven. I did it for the ease of getting into Frozen with a pre-park opening breakfast, which worked only because we did not meet all of the princesses (which we did not care about). Even though we were an early breakfast, they were slow to come around. So if you were hoping to see all the princesses and make it to the Frozen ride before park opening, I think it would be hard to do.

 
Continued Festival of the Arts:

First a couple of photographs of artwork I liked and the interactive mural.

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I had plans to do a lot of snacking at this festival, but did not. Same thing happened at the Flower and Garden Show. I get disappointed in the food and don’t feel like continuing to eat. At the time, I had plans to use my snack credits on more expensive items, so I ended up paying with a gift card instead of using my credit. Jason used 2 or 3 snack credits on what he got.

  • Lemon and Blood Orange Tart- I liked this and shared it with Mr. J. I thought it had a lovely presentation and a nice citrus taste that was not too overpowering. $6.50

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  • Beef Brisket Poutine: French Fries with Beef Brisket, Beer Cheese Sauce, and Poutine Gravy topped with Crispy Onions - $8.99
I was really excited for this, and greatly disappointed. It was obviously plentiful, but the fries were not that great, the beer cheese sauce was so-so, and it just didn’t work for me. I shared it with the birds and learned that birds eat meat. I then threw away the rest. I felt super wasteful throwing away most of it, but I did not want to get full off of stuff I did not like.

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  • Jason got a scallop with sausage. I wasn’t standing with him when he used a credit, so I am not sure how much it was. I know that it was over $7. He seemed to like it.
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  • Gallery Bites: A Trio of Hors d’Oeuvres- Chilled Shrimp with Cucumber Cream Cheese on a Crostini,Traditional Deviled Egg with Candied Bacon, Crispy Truffled Risotto Ball with Truffle Aïoli $7.50
This was nothing to write home about. The egg was rubbery. The other food was fine, but not good enough for me to order again.

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  • Jason got the other trio plate, which he used a snack credit for. I think it was also $7.50
Trio of Savory Croissant Doughnuts:
  • Whipped Boursin® Garlic & Fine Herbs Cheese with Fresh Herbs (V)
  • Chicken Salad with Shaved Fennel and Fresh Herbs
  • Spicy Tuna with Wasabi and Seaweed Salad
Same deal. Fine, but not great. It did not vibe croissant doughnuts. More like soft bread.

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  • He also got a Moroccan Pastry that was fried twisted dough with rosewater, honey, and sesame seeds. I like baklava made with rosewater, so I thought this would be good. However, I thought it was horrible and couldn’t eat it. A group of older individuals asked Mr. J if he liked it, which he responded that it wasn’t bad. *shrugs* $7.00. Sorry no photo.

  • Festival of the Arts White Chocolate Painting with Chocolate Easel –I bought this as a gift for my boss. $7
She thinks it is too pretty to eat, so it sits on her desk. I will say, carrying this thing around was a pain in the butt. I asked for something to put it in, like a plastic cupcake container, but was told they did not have any (and this was inside a food place, not at a booth). The woman was like, “Yeah, these break SO easily!” They break so easily, yet they don’t sell it in a protective container? So then I asked for a cup of water, which they did not have (was going to use the cup). Sigh. I located container some place else and super wrapped it in napkins. It made it all the way home. :) I think she felt bad and gave Mr. J a free bottle of water, which he shared with me.

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I did not photograph the following:

  • Frosé: Frozen Côtes de Provence Rosé Wine with Grey Goose Vodka and Peach Purée - $12.50
This was super yummy.

Le Glaces Ice Cream:

We both used a snack credit to get ice cream. I think Mr. J got an ice cream macaroon, and I got the same thing I have gotten in the past because I like it so much, the Cinnamon, Caramelized Apple, Crumble Crunch in a cone. This was my 3rd time having this flavor and something was off this time. The caramelized apple was overcooked, which gave it a burnt flavor and you could not taste the cinnamon. I was really bummed. Still ate it like the good little piggy I am, but if I got it again and it tasted that way, I think I would return it and I am not a food returner.

Overall, I know I am in the minority of people who are not in love with the food from the food booths. My problem is if I start having so-so food that is overpriced, it makes me not want to continue to keep trying the other booths. That said, I enjoyed our day at Epcot. The weather was gorgeous and not cold like all the other days had been. The sun was out, the air was fresh, and it was not crowded. It made for a nice day. While Mr. J went and watched movies about Canada etc., I opted to walk around and sit on benches near the water and enjoy the peace.

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Tuesday continued: Dinner

We had scheduled dinner at the Monsieur Paul’s, which I was really excited to try, but Mr. J’s ankle was bothering him and it had been a long day. We were tired and hungry. Dinner was not scheduled until 8:30 PM, so we opted to change the reservation to something sooner. We hopped on the monorail and went to the Polynesian and ate at Kona’s. I think this was the meal that helped offset the fact that I used 2 credits at Tiffins instead of sharing.

Now my last trip, back in May/June, my family stayed at the Poly. We ate at Kona and really liked it. And I had eaten there on a previous trip and really liked it. I feel like something has happened since then, like they are cutting corners. Our waitress, while nice, was slow as molasses. Like to the point that I did not tip her 20% because it was ridiculous. The dessert options are now stupid little shooter glass desserts, which I feel is a cheap cop out to what they used to serve.

Drinks:

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My Rum Swizzle $11.25 and Mr. J’s Alcoholic drink (it had rum and was probably a similar cost) est. $11.25.
I always like a fruity rum drink.

Appetizers:

We received complimentary fresh rolls and butter, but I forgot to take pictures of that.

Pickled Vegetable Salad: I was in the mood for veggies, so I opted for a salad. I got a really weird salad. Like sooooo weird. I can’t even tell you what was going on because it was bizarre. It was presented nicely and the veggies were all very fresh. Texture wise, the weird black stuff was kind of gravely, but I ate it mixed in with my salad. On point for freshness and presentation. It was not too pickled. $13.00

Presenting Bizarro Salad

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Mr. J. got Seafood Coconut Curry Soup- shrimp, scallop and Crab. $10. He didn’t voice any complaints.

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Dinner:

I got Prime NY Strip, which did not come with a side. It bugs me when you don’t get a side with your meat, especially since this isn’t a fancy place. I don’t consider the arugula a side, at least a side I would want ha ha. $42 The steak was good.

We paid OOP for the asparagus, of which they gave us an ample portion and we shared. $8 They cooked it just right and I like that it was blackened in some spots.

Mr. J got 10 oz Verlasso Salmon Steak (28) and an add on of hollandaise sauce ($3). $31 He said it was good.

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Dessert:

Le sigh. Shooter desserts. While these were not bad tasting, I do not like shooter desserts. If I want pudding in a shot glass I can do that at home, and I don’t. I had the Banana Trifle. It had a surprise malt ball tucked away inside. Mr. J. had a chocolate shooter dessert. I think it was Smores. $5 each

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Dining Plan Cost: I only have a photo of my receipt, which was $75.89

OOP: Asparagus- Total 8.52 ($4.26 each)

Mr. J estimate: 57.25 before tax

Prior to this meal, I loved Kona Cafe for any meal. After this experience, I will be taking a break from it until maybe the menu changes again. I thought the entree was overpriced, which is saying something considering it was Disney. I was bummed with the direction they went with dessert and did not like the slow waitress making us sit around forever. I also don’t like it it when a server is not attentive to offering a drink refill or another beverage. It might seem strange to take a break from it when the entrees and aps were not bad (aside from no sides). But there are just too many other places to eat and spend money at Disney to invest in a just okay meal. I did buy my kids some stuff from the gift shops and then we opted to take a Uber to our resort.
 
Tuesday continued: Dinner

We had scheduled dinner at the Monsieur Paul’s, which I was really excited to try, but Mr. J’s ankle was bothering him and it had been a long day. We were tired and hungry. Dinner was not scheduled until 8:30 PM, so we opted to change the reservation to something sooner. We hopped on the monorail and went to the Polynesian and ate at Kona’s. I think this was the meal that helped offset the fact that I used 2 credits at Tiffins instead of sharing.

Now my last trip, back in May/June, my family stayed at the Poly. We ate at Kona and really liked it. And I had eaten there on a previous trip and really liked it. I feel like something has happened since then, like they are cutting corners. Our waitress, while nice, was slow as molasses. Like to the point that I did not tip her 20% because it was ridiculous. The dessert options are now stupid little shooter glass desserts, which I feel is a cheap cop out to what they used to serve.

Drinks:

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My Rum Swizzle $11.25 and Mr. J’s Alcoholic drink (it had rum and was probably a similar cost) est. $11.25.
I always like a fruity rum drink.

Appetizers:

We received complimentary fresh rolls and butter, but I forgot to take pictures of that.

Pickled Vegetable Salad: I was in the mood for veggies, so I opted for a salad. I got a really weird salad. Like sooooo weird. I can’t even tell you what was going on because it was bizarre. It was presented nicely and the veggies were all very fresh. Texture wise, the weird black stuff was kind of gravely, but I ate it mixed in with my salad. On point for freshness and presentation. It was not too pickled. $13.00

Presenting Bizarro Salad

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Mr. J. got Seafood Coconut Curry Soup- shrimp, scallop and Crab. $10. He didn’t voice any complaints.

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Dinner:

I got Prime NY Strip, which did not come with a side. It bugs me when you don’t get a side with your meat, especially since this isn’t a fancy place. I don’t consider the arugula a side, at least a side I would want ha ha. $42 The steak was good.

We paid OOP for the asparagus, of which they gave us an ample portion and we shared. $8 They cooked it just right and I like that it was blackened in some spots.

Mr. J got 10 oz Verlasso Salmon Steak (28) and an add on of hollandaise sauce ($3). $31 He said it was good.

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Dessert:

Le sigh. Shooter desserts. While these were not bad tasting, I do not like shooter desserts. If I want pudding in a shot glass I can do that at home, and I don’t. I had the Banana Trifle. It had a surprise malt ball tucked away inside. Mr. J. had a chocolate shooter dessert. I think it was Smores. $5 each

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Dining Plan Cost: I only have a photo of my receipt, which was $75.89

OOP: Asparagus- Total 8.52 ($4.26 each)

Mr. J estimate: 57.25 before tax

Prior to this meal, I loved Kona Cafe for any meal. After this experience, I will be taking a break from it until maybe the menu changes again. I thought the entree was overpriced, which is saying something considering it was Disney. I was bummed with the direction they went with dessert and did not like the slow waitress making us sit around forever. I also don’t like it it when a server is not attentive to offering a drink refill or another beverage. It might seem strange to take a break from it when the entrees and aps were not bad (aside from no sides). But there are just too many other places to eat and spend money at Disney to invest in a just okay meal. I did buy my kids some stuff from the gift shops and then we opted to take a Uber to our resort.
That “salad” is unacceptable. What the heck is that? No way worth $13, even at Disney prices. Sorry. The drinks look lovely though!
 
Wednesday: Magic Kingdom


Pre-Park Opening Breakfast at Be Our Guest

We shared a credit here. We pre-ordered and Mr. J opted for the Cheese/Meat plate as I told him to choose. I didn’t eat any of the meats, but did enjoy the bread and cheese and marmalade. The pastries were good. We didn’t feel like alcohol so went with a basic pop (soda). This was prepaid so I don’t think I got a receipt. We ate in the room with rose (west wing?), so it was very very dark. Mr. J enjoyed the ambiance, but did complain that it was too dark to see what you were really eating.

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Cost: 28 + 3.99 before tax

As I previously stated, we did this solely for PPO Seven Dwarves access, which worked out well for us. Because we shared a credit, I was okay with what we got for it- a ride and food. That said, I think the meal is grossly overpriced. If I came here with my family of 5, I would have to do 2 meals for everyone to have enough to eat.


Lunch: Skipper Canteen


I don’t have a copy of Mr. J’s receipt, but based on photos and the Disney website I can estimate the pretax version of his meal.

Drinks:

I had a glass of wine. $11

Mr. J’s alcohol drink estimate 11

Appetizer:

I had the Shiriki Noodle Salad. I have had this before and like it a lot. It is light, flavorful, and fresh tasting. Noodles, Edamame Beans, Mushrooms, Green Mango, and Cucumber tossed in
sweet chili sauce. $11

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Mr. J had Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas. Housemade corn pancakes, mojo-braised pork, black bean salad, and avocado cream. $11 He liked it. My husband has also eaten this before and liked it.

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Entrees:

Sankuru Sadie’s Seafood Stew-Shrimp, sustainable fish, octopus simmered in fragrant coconut sauce served with jasmine rice. I asked them to leave off the mussels and I hid that creepy faced sea creature behind my bowl so I wouldn’t have to look at it. I enjoyed this. It was light and not fishy tasting.I wish the coconut flavor was a little stronger. It had an abundance of seafood in it. I would get this again. $27

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*See, my seafood bravery with this one!

Mr. J had Baa Baa Berber Lamb Chops- Berber-spiced lamb chops, roasted carrot puree, and arugula-cauliflower salad tossed in a citrus vinaigrette. He liked it, but avoiding eating the pureed carrots, I think because he equates puree with baby food. $28.

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Dessert:

Jasmine Rice Pudding. Oh woe is me. It was a sign that when our waiter came back to take our dessert orders he automatically stated, “2 kungalooshes for dessert,” instead of asking. This was so blah I didn’t even finish it and I am a girl who loves dessert. It was pretty though and I am not sure if Rice pudding is supposed to be bland, but if it is, then this dessert is for you. $8

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Kungaloosh! Chocolate cake with caramelized bananas served with cashew-caramel ice-cream topped with coffee dust. Mr. J liked this as well. I had a nibble of the chocolate cake part and it was moist. $8.

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Cost: My receipt was $60.71. Note how much better my food was here in presentation and quantity vs Kona’s and how much cheaper!

Mr. J’s estimated receipt: $58 before tax


I really like Skipper Canteen and will continue to return here, but know now to avoid the rice pudding.

Magic Kingdom Snacks:

2 Dole Whips with Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Snack Credit: $13.98 (before tax, no receipt)

This was so good! The cake was moist and flavorful, not too sweet. This was Mr. J’s first time having Dole Whip. He approved. We mobile ordered this while watching the parade and then popped over to grab it where it was ready for us.


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Wednesday continued....

Dinner: Liberty Tree Tavern

We had a reservation, but had to wait a really long time to get seated, way past our reserved time. I should have timed it, because it was that bad. And there was nowhere to since seats were full, so you had to stand for 80,000 years. Then, after being seated, we had to wait forever to get food, even though everyone eats the same thing. It was ridiculous, and I don’t mind slow dining if it is reasonable.

This picture shows the salad and our drinks. I really liked the salad, as I was in a veggie mood. I almost asked for more salad because I liked it so much, but our server whisked it away and I decided not to ask for more. My drink was the alcoholic Warm Washington Cider, $9. My glass was so hot I could not hold it. I waited about 5 minutes to see if it would cool down, but it didn’t. I could never find my server to flag him to see about putting in a cooled glass. I ended up wrapping napkins around it to drink it. I maybe drank a half. It wasn’t that it was bad, but just not a flavor I could drink a lot of. I love cider, but this tasted unnatural and strongly of alcohol. I prefer my alcohol to be not-in-my-face, typically opting for fruiting concoctions that masks the taste of the booze.

Mr. J got a White Wine Spritzer, $9 This was a weird choice for him, because he doesn't drink wine. It looks like he also got some tea too, but I don't think we were charged for that. I just noticed that I also had a pop, which would have been Diet Coke because they did not have Coke Zero.

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My plate. I opted not to eat the mac n’ cheese, so it isn’t pictured on my plate, but you see it peaking behind the gravy boat. Our server stopped by once to see if we needed anything else so I ordered more of the pork, which I liked. I think Mr. J ordered more mac n' cheese.

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Now the whole reason I always wanted to go here was for the Ooey Gooey Toffee dessert that everyone raves about. I have wanted to go here for 4 years, but could never fit it properly into our plans. Dessert was three things, the toffee, a fried doughnut/fritter, and banana cake with ice cream. I was so bummed by dessert. It ended up just seeming like a very sweet warm chocolate chip cookie with ice cream. Maybe I hyped it up too much in my mind based on gushing reports, but I was disappointed. I didn’t like the fried ball, which was not surprising considering I don’t like funnel cake either. It just tasted like fried dough, not like apple (if it was a apple fritter). The banana cake was okay, but only worth a bite to try. I was not expecting it to be banana. I did like the ice cream with it. I think it may have been pecan.

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2 adult Dinners: $76
Alcohol: $18
Total Cost: $100.11

I won’t be rushing back here, especially because the wait to be seated WITH a reservation was so long and then the wait to get food was also too long. The food was fine, but did have the mass quantity processed vibe going on (lots of sodium). If your family has a bunch of voracious eaters, they would love the all you can eat aspect of this place. In my book, Skipper Canteen will always beat this place for 1 TS credit in MK.
 
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Thursday: Disney Springs & Hollywood Studios

When planning our trip, I asked Mr. J too look at the signature restaurants located in the Disney Springs area and pick one for lunch. He opted for Paddlefish. I didn't tell him, but I felt a little apprehensive about this meal because I am not a big seafood person. Worry not! This meal was awesome and I cannot wait to go back! We had a fantastic server who was so friendly and helpful, he really enhanced the experience.


Jumbo Lump Crab Topped Fries-Skin-on french fries, lump blue crab, Louie dressing $14
Wow! These were good. I have no idea what Louie dressing is, but it worked! The fries were great, hot, and fresh. I would order these again, but ask for extra green onions.

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Lobster Corn Dogs with Sweet Chili Aioli $16. Our server recommended these, so we got them. Now I am not a big corn dog fan, but let me tell you, these were delicious! I would definitely order these again! Yum!

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Mr. J was so stoked to learn that he could get the largest crab combo on the plan. He got the King Crab for $65. He educated me on crab a bit, like how to know if they cooked it right, etc.


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Being that I had never had crab legs before, I didn't want to go all out and get the biggest one, so I got this one, the King Boil, $42. I opted to get mine cooked in old bay season to add flavor to the veggies and stuff. I don't think it added that much seasoning to it. My amazing server (did I mention that he was a super cutie too??!!) was very kind and showed me how to crack the crab legs open to get larger pieces. He wore gloves to do it, so no worries about his hands touching my food. I really liked them! I had only had crab in dishes, not by itself like this. I found I really liked it with lots of lemon juice squeezed on it, but not with butter. After this trip, I ate some crab legs at Red Lobster. They were Snow Crab. I learned that I prefer King Crab, and I prefer having a waiter who helps me open them, ha ha. Because I was slow as molasses trying to eat a couple of legs at Red Lobster. So slow, my husband finished his meal long before I was done.

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Mr. J got the Brownie Milkshake with Chocolate ganache, caramel popcorn, whipped cream $10. He said it was good. We asked the server about how much do the kitchen staff hate this dish because of the chocolate ganache plastered to the side (Jason had tried to scrape it off to eat it and could barely remove any). The server laughed and admitted that it is a really hard dish to clean.

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I got the cheesecake, $9.00. It was kind of whipped, instead of being dense like cheesecake can sometimes be. It was good, but not the best cheesecake I ever had. I would still get it again if I was wanting cheesecake.

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We also got two alcoholic drinks called the Mayan Empress (no photos) at $16 each. It was good. It had Santa Teresa Anejo rum, passion fruit, and fresh lemon.


My total: $88.40
Mr. J's total: $111.83

I felt like this was a great use of our credits. I am already planning to return here on my trip with my family. I enjoyed the food and the server made the experience great. We were seated directly across from the crab pots, so we got to watch the kitchen staff work, which was interesting.
 
I'm really enjoying your reviews, lots of places I've never been before. We love Kona Cafe, but were disappointed in the current menu change after our last trip.
 
Wednesday: Magic Kingdom


Pre-Park Opening Breakfast at Be Our Guest

We shared a credit here. We pre-ordered and Mr. J opted for the Cheese/Meat plate as I told him to choose. I didn’t eat any of the meats, but did enjoy the bread and cheese and marmalade. The pastries were good. We didn’t feel like alcohol so went with a basic pop (soda). This was prepaid so I don’t think I got a receipt. We ate in the room with rose (west wing?), so it was very very dark. Mr. J enjoyed the ambiance, but did complain that it was too dark to see what you were really eating.

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Cost: 28 + 3.99 before tax

As I previously stated, we did this solely for PPO Seven Dwarves access, which worked out well for us. Because we shared a credit, I was okay with what we got for it- a ride and food. That said, I think the meal is grossly overpriced. If I came here with my family of 5, I would have to do 2 meals for everyone to have enough to eat.


Lunch: Skipper Canteen


I don’t have a copy of Mr. J’s receipt, but based on photos and the Disney website I can estimate the pretax version of his meal.

Drinks:

I had a glass of wine. $11

Mr. J’s alcohol drink estimate 11

Appetizer:

I had the Shiriki Noodle Salad. I have had this before and like it a lot. It is light, flavorful, and fresh tasting. Noodles, Edamame Beans, Mushrooms, Green Mango, and Cucumber tossed in
sweet chili sauce. $11

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Mr. J had Orinoco Ida’s Cachapas. Housemade corn pancakes, mojo-braised pork, black bean salad, and avocado cream. $11 He liked it. My husband has also eaten this before and liked it.

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Entrees:

Sankuru Sadie’s Seafood Stew-Shrimp, sustainable fish, octopus simmered in fragrant coconut sauce served with jasmine rice. I asked them to leave off the mussels and I hid that creepy faced sea creature behind my bowl so I wouldn’t have to look at it. I enjoyed this. It was light and not fishy tasting.I wish the coconut flavor was a little stronger. It had an abundance of seafood in it. I would get this again. $27

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*See, my seafood bravery with this one!

Mr. J had Baa Baa Berber Lamb Chops- Berber-spiced lamb chops, roasted carrot puree, and arugula-cauliflower salad tossed in a citrus vinaigrette. He liked it, but avoiding eating the pureed carrots, I think because he equates puree with baby food. $28.

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Dessert:

Jasmine Rice Pudding. Oh woe is me. It was a sign that when our waiter came back to take our dessert orders he automatically stated, “2 kungalooshes for dessert,” instead of asking. This was so blah I didn’t even finish it and I am a girl who loves dessert. It was pretty though and I am not sure if Rice pudding is supposed to be bland, but if it is, then this dessert is for you. $8

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Kungaloosh! Chocolate cake with caramelized bananas served with cashew-caramel ice-cream topped with coffee dust. Mr. J liked this as well. I had a nibble of the chocolate cake part and it was moist. $8.

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Cost: My receipt was $60.71. Note how much better my food was here in presentation and quantity vs Kona’s and how much cheaper!

Mr. J’s estimated receipt: $58 before tax


I really like Skipper Canteen and will continue to return here, but know now to avoid the rice pudding.

Magic Kingdom Snacks:

2 Dole Whips with Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Snack Credit: $13.98 (before tax, no receipt)

This was so good! The cake was moist and flavorful, not too sweet. This was Mr. J’s first time having Dole Whip. He approved. We mobile ordered this while watching the parade and then popped over to grab it where it was ready for us.


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Jasmine Rice Pudding. Oh woe is me. It was a sign that when our waiter came back to take our dessert orders he automatically stated, “2 kungalooshes for dessert,” instead of asking. This was so blah I didn’t even finish it and I am a girl who loves dessert. It was pretty though and I am not sure if Rice pudding is supposed to be bland, but if it is, then this dessert is for you. $8

Try the rice pudding at Sanaa, I LOVED it. Anything but bland, so sweet, with coconut in it, and stewed fruit, and a mango puree. Best dessert of my trip! And I agree about the Toffee cake at Liberty Tree. I tried it for the first time at Thanksgiving week, and it was meh. I'd much rather have a pineapple Dole Whip float!
 
Try the rice pudding at Sanaa, I LOVED it. Anything but bland, so sweet, with coconut in it, and stewed fruit, and a mango puree. Best dessert of my trip! And I agree about the Toffee cake at Liberty Tree. I tried it for the first time at Thanksgiving week, and it was meh. I'd much rather have a pineapple Dole Whip float!

Thanks for the suggestion! I actually plan to eat at Sanaa for the first time on our next trip. :) Also glad to know that I am not the only one who felt that way about the Toffee Cake. :)
 
Thanks again for taking so much time and going into such detail in your reviews. It's really appreciated!

Happy to see a positive review of Paddlefish...I haven't been there since it was Fulton''s. Those lobster corn dogs are a holdover and I'm glad to see they're still on the menu...sooo tasty. Mr. J's portion of king crab looks pretty generous considering how expensive it has become, even at Costco!

Oh, dear...that salad from Kona! It's the William Hung audition intepreted as food. Or a first-round elimination dish on one of those Food Network challenges featuring pre-teen cooks. Your critique was so polite. WWGRS (What Would Gordon Ramsay Say)...or Pete Werner, for that matter.
 
OOh dear...that salad from Kona! It's the William Hung audition intepreted as food. Or a first-round elimination dish on one of those Food Network challenges featuring pre-teen cooks. Your critique was so polite. WWGRS (What Would Gordon Ramsay Say)...or Pete Werner, for that matter.

This comment had me laughing. You are hilarious
 
I'm loving all your reviews! We are taking a couples trip for my big 4-0 in January so you've got my wheels turning with lots of great ideas! I also have 3 kids with similar age gaps to yours (mine are 12, 9 and 3). It's weird to think of a Disney trip without them but I honestly can't wait! I think you've officially sold me on doing Victoria & Albert's. Just need to convince my husband! I did it once with family in my early 20's and it was such an incredible experience. I think we'll steer clear of Kona but you've got me intrigued on Paddle Fish. We loved when it was Fulton's. I have wanted to try Akershus breakfast so thank you for the photos! Looks yummy. Looking forward to hearing more about your trip!
 

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