How much can a solo eat? A lot! April '18 Dining Report - COMPLETE! F&G Updated 6/21

[auntfrannie]

I had a great experience at Tiffin's the first time but the second time, while the service was great, the food just wasn't anything to go back again. Nomad's Lounge was great both times I went, but I was able to sit outside both times. I thought the small plates at Nomad's lounge were much better than what is offered at Tiffin's.

Sorry you experience wasn't the greatest. I hate when something is hyped and ends up being a fail for me.

 

[L_MD]

I had a great experience at Tiffin's the first time but the second time, while the service was great, the food just wasn't anything to go back again. Nomad's Lounge was great both times I went, but I was able to sit outside both times. I thought the small plates at Nomad's lounge were much better than what is offered at Tiffin's.

Sorry you experience wasn't the greatest. I hate when something is hyped and ends up being a fail for me.

I'm glad to hear about the Nomad small plates, I'm definitely going that route next time.

 

[L_MD]

A quiet day at AKL this time around.

Day 6, 4/14: Animal Kingdom Lodge

Started my day with breakfast at Boma- my first time! Loved it. Here's my first plate with some bobotie, scrambled eggs w/ spinach and goat cheese, and my favorite...a grilled tomato! I tried other stuff (you can see the biscuit with gravy and a lone sausage) but the bobotie and tomatoes were the standouts to me.

Also some POG juice in the background which didn't live up to the type for me.

I also tried the highly-rated french toast bread pudding with pecan praline sauce but didn't take a good pic. Only so-so! Give me 20 grilled tomatoes instead.




Later on I got a drink from the Jambo pool bar. Some sort of strawberry margarita, I can't remember the name. But it was really good and it was a perfect sipper to pair with animal-watching from my balcony. Sorry about my fingers, I only had selfies of this drink!




And to end out the evening I had yet another Signature ADR, this time at Jiko. I liked it MUCH better than Tiffins, but it was nowhere near Flying Fish. Not pictured is a pinotage flight that I ordered - yum! Wish I had tried some more wine.

To start out I had the Indugay Tibs in Brik. I would so get these again. Mushrooms/spinach/cheese inside the most delicate and tasty phylo I've had. Plus crunchy slaw something on the side...the whole dish was great.



For my entree I had to get filet mignon with the bobotie mac. The filet was very tasty but I think my Yachtsman filet from 2016 eclipsed this one. I also think I got regular mac instead of bobotie, because I thought it was really plain and disappointing.



And for dessert - spiced peanut butter mousse. This was the only thing I didn't like...the main PB mousse was good, but that ribbon across the top isn't caramel but mango, and I did not appreciate the fruity taste mingled with the PB.



Overall I thought all of Jiko's flavors came together really well. I'd happily come here again and try a different things...flatbread, maybe the beef short ribs. So, not a super winner but a solid dinner.

Next up: Sunday with CALIFORNIA GRILL BRUNCH which was just all around amazingly phenomenal.

 

[Raeven]

I finished off with their Flying Fish exclusive coffee. Including it so you can see how precious the silverware is.

Cute spoon!

This is the part of the review that I don't really want to write because it was a huge let-down. I have read literally nothing but good things about Tiffins and I thought for sure it would be my favorite restaurant. The experience was less-than-stellar, and I can't even totally articulate why

We also had a less than stellar meal at Tiffins, I wrote about it in my DTR from last May. The food was okay, it just wasn't as good as I expected from all the great reviews.

Then for my entree I got the Pork Belly Ramen. I should say that this restaurant would have been saved if I had gotten a different entree, and I'm not sure why I went with this. At the last moment I knew I didn't want a huge plate of meat (like the venison or filet) so I got this. And...it sucked. The prevailing flavor was 'salt'

My entree was also a mistake at Tiffins. I got a smoked waygu bolognese with feta, and the feta was so overpowering I couldn't taste much else. Josh got the wagyu beef but compared to the one he had tried at Jiko on the same trip he wasn't impressed.

Some sort of strawberry margarita,

Ooo yum.

For my entree I had to get filet mignon with the bobotie mac. The filet was very tasty but I think my Yachtsman filet from 2016 eclipsed this one. I also think I got regular mac instead of bobotie, because I thought it was really plain and disappointing.

Ever since the chef left I've heard the quality of food at Jiko has gone down which is disappointing. You're mac and cheese does look different than the bobotie one I was served last year too, sorry to hear it wasn't good, mac and cheese should always be delicious.

 

[suse66]

Boma + Jiko in the same day = perfection!

Started my day with breakfast at Boma- my first time! Loved it. Here's my first plate with some bobotie, scrambled eggs w/ spinach and goat cheese, and my favorite...a grilled tomato!

I tried Boma breakfast last summer for the first time and loved it too. Lots of great options to be sure. My favourite was also the grilled tomato! I could have eaten my body weight in those!

And to end out the evening I had yet another Signature ADR, this time at Jiko. I liked it MUCH better than Tiffins, but it was nowhere near Flying Fish. Not pictured is a pinotage flight that I ordered - yum! Wish I had tried some more wine.

To start out I had the Indugay Tibs in Brik. I would so get these again. Mushrooms/spinach/cheese inside the most delicate and tasty phylo I've had. Plus crunchy slaw something on the side...the whole dish was great.

Great minds think alike again! Indugay Tibs in Brik were my appetizer last August and I loved it. The curried apple slaw was fab too!

 

[DLo]

Joining in a little late. Enjoying your reviews. I have done a couple of solo trips and luckily , for the most part have had good service but know what you mean about a bigger table taking precedence. I actually had worse tables and service - stuck up against a wall - next to a big loud group - when I was with my husband a couple of years ago .

Way back to the beginning of your report - I had the s’more from the Ganachery last month and loved it .

Also , with you on feeling like you waste food/drink as a solo traveler. I wanted to try so many different things but didn’t want to be too full so ended up throwing things away whether I liked them or not.

 

[L_MD]

We also had a less than stellar meal at Tiffins, I wrote about it in my DTR from last May. The food was okay, it just wasn't as good as I expected from all the great reviews.

My entree was also a mistake at Tiffins. I got a smoked waygu bolognese with feta, and the feta was so overpowering I couldn't taste much else. Josh got the wagyu beef but compared to the one he had tried at Jiko on the same trip he wasn't impressed.

See, I would have been tempted by your entree too! Oh well. Some things are too expensive to keep going and trying to find the perfect dish.

I tried Boma breakfast last summer for the first time and loved it too. Lots of great options to be sure. My favourite was also the grilled tomato! I could have eaten my body weight in those!

Great minds think alike again! Indugay Tibs in Brik were my appetizer last August and I loved it. The curried apple slaw was fab too!

Glad to meet another tomato and tibs fan! My server at Boma kept talking about the POG juice, the bread pudding, the goat cheese scramble...and all I wanted were tomatoes!

Joining in a little late. Enjoying your reviews. I have done a couple of solo trips and luckily , for the most part have had good service but know what you mean about a bigger table taking precedence. I actually had worse tables and service - stuck up against a wall - next to a big loud group - when I was with my husband a couple of years ago .

Also , with you on feeling like you waste food/drink as a solo traveler. I wanted to try so many different things but didn’t want to be too full so ended up throwing things away whether I liked them or not.

Thank you for the nice words!

I've also been sat at pretty shabby tables (against a pillar at Artist Point, near the kitchen/service area at Yachtsman), but never had bad table PLUS bad service. And yours, being next to a large, loud group...ugh!

The food waste is also particularly galling to me because I am a person that will eat the last little bit of everything if I love it...no crumbs, metaphorically licking the plate, so on. So the fact that I throw away huge portions of things makes me so sad. But you'd never know what you like if you don't try it. I'd just love to be able to split something!

 

[L_MD]

Day 7, 4/15: CA Grill Brunch

Edit: sorry guys, my photos are being weird and I don't have time to finish this review since I'm due at a meeting in about 4 minutes. I'll do this tomorrow and hopefully I'll be able to see my pics.

 

[L_MD]

Day 7, 4/15: CA Grill Brunch

Let's try this again! This was my first time doing this brunch and I was so excited. I had the earliest possible reservation, 10:00am, and they took an elevator of us up a few minutes beforehand. I had a nice seat around the edge of the room...not by the super amazing windows with a view of MK, but close enough to stand up and see it.

Started out with a complimentary mimosa...one person said they were blueberry, but everything was distinctly red so...who knows. It was good and mostly straight champagne.


My most anticipated part: the buffet. I honestly didn't need an entree and could have just eaten this stuff for hours. I LOVE charcuterie and this was some of the best I've had on property. Cool pickled things too. And sushi! Fresh and pretty good quality from what I could tell. Here was my first plate...


My 2nd plate I attempted to somewhat move on from the meat and get some other stuff. The cold noodles were the only thing I wasn't really into, but that bacon an egg salad was so good.


My server talked me into getting the shakshuka for my main. I was torn between the shrimp and the pancakes, so decided on this...meh. I mean, it was delicious, but it was so much food. It's a tomato-y thick sauce, lamb meatballs, and egg, plus two big pita. The meatballs and the sauce were lacking flavor, which I thought was a strange oversight for CA Grill. I ate as much as I could, but I didn't bother taking the rest with me.



And then, of course, the pastries. I took bites of everything, but I simply could not eat another bite. I took these babies to go...and them promptly went to Magic Kingdom for a few hours where everything melted and I had to toss them. I'm sorry, delicious complimentary pastries! Sorry, nothing stood out enough for detailed reviews.



Day 7, 4/15: Victoria Falls Lounge
After MK I stopped at Victoria Falls Lounge for a drink. They were open a bit before posted time and I talked to the nice bartender. I wanted a drink I could only get there, and he recommended the Mt. Kilimarita: tequila, tangerine liqueur, sweet-and-sour and cranberry juice. Mostly tasted like your regular margarita with a bit of a fruity tang. I liked it!



Day 7, 4/15: Territory Lounge
I made a strange game-time decision at Epcot later that evening to leave and head over to Wilderness Lodge to get one of my favorite Disney dishes: the mushroom bisque from Artist Point, which Territory Lounge so nicely provides during AP operating hours. It was not as good as my first time, sadly! But it's still a creamy, delicious bowl of soup. I just won't make a special trip when I return.


One more day which will have minimal pictures, since I don't think I did any heavy food-eating. See you in a few days!

 

[L_MD]

Hi all, just wanted to say I added pictures to my first day and I'm in the process of updating the 2nd day with pics.

 

[L_MD]

Last day, Monday, 4/16!
I don't have a lot to post this day that's still relevant...I did most of my eating at Flower and Garden. But here was my breakfast: Cheshire Cat Tail at MK. Pretty much your typical chocolate croissant. Left some flowers in the shot to be artsy.


I was done with MK around 11am and headed to Epcot to get in a few favorites (Gran Fiesta, Impressions de France) and to finish up my Flower & Garden food.

First, I stopped at La Cava. Absolutely no line which is the reason I went in. First time there and got the Jalapeno Margarita. Yes, it came out of a jug, but I thought it was pretty tasty and had lots of 'stuff' to munch on.


Then was Smokehouse for the Maple Bacon Stout, the Burnt Ends Hash, and the Slider. Another downside to solo eating: carrying all of this stuff! I loved the beer...malty, chocolatey, flavorful. The hash was really good too. But the slider was a goopy fatty mess and I was not impressed.





Last place I had to check out was Florida Fresh. I had the watermelon slushy on my 2nd night but never got any food. I had the beer flight of which only one was any good (can you guess? It was the milk stout). For food I had the Carne Guisada (not pictured, my only one was all shadows) which I thought was a tasty, almost stew-like dish. Then had the Key Lime Tart for dessert...I don't remember much about this except I enjoyed the lime flavor. Doesn't hold up to my mousse from my first Epcot day!







So, that's it! My next trip is in October 2018 and I'm DOING MY BEST to stay away from Signature ADR's. It's my first time going to Food & Wine so I'm sure I'll stuff my face there.

Right now, I have ADR's scheduled for....

• CA Grill Dinner (I think I'm just going to get a few drinks and appetizers)...1st time
  
• Afternoon Tea @ Grand Floridian....1st time
• Sanaa for lunch (obviously getting bread service and maybe something else)....1st time
• Tokyo Dining (might cancel this, but they have a sushi roll that looks amazing)....1st time

Thanks for following along. See you on the boards!