Dreamfinder2
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2000
At least, that's what it felt like we were doing last week. We were a "Grand Gathering," a group of 10, with 4 adults and 6 teenage girls, all at varying degrees of pickiness. Places like California Grill, Flying Fish, V&A's weren't options. So, in planning on eating a broad swath through the World, buffets seemed the order of the day.
We were in BWV, so we did do breakfast in the room. My impressions?
Hoop-De-Doo - obviously, you don't go here for fine cusine, but the ribs were much better this visit than they were in the past - much more tender. My only dissapointment was the corn - had a "canny" taste, in spite of seasonings. Everything else was plenty tasty; I could've eaten my weight in strawberry shortcake.
Sunshine Season Food Fair, Epcot - Can't vouch for my party, but I had a perfectly acceptable Italian sub. Its "house dressing" was a nice oil and vinegar, just enough, not too soggy. DD's linguini got a thumbs up, but another one of the girls said her gazpacho soup (sp?) was like eating salsa. Picky child, that one.
International dinner and dessert buffet, Epcot - Glory be! Available to Grand Gathering parties, this was splendid. The old Odyssey restaurant was set up with several individual buffet tables, with food from China, Morocco, Germany, and Italy, with an "American" table for the kiddos - mac and cheese, chicken fingers, etc. I especially liked the tangine chicken (sorta crispy, with a hint of cinnamon) and the penne pasta alfredo (the alfredo sauce was being made fresh by a chef at the table). Other goodies included chicken schnitzel and duck pot sticker dumplings. I'll run out of adjectives if I try to describe the dessert buffet, served outside at lagoon's edge - cakes, pies, parfaits, mousses, just sheer decadence.
Pecos Bill's, MK - still one of the best burgers on property; it's the fixin's bar that gives it the edge. In partial compensation of my sin the night before, I had a grilled chicken salad, plenty generous, with a tangy lime vinegarette.
Liberty Tree Tavern, MK - a real hit with all the girls. It was strictly "Thanksgiving food," with the ham and turkey being the best of the meats. The flank steak was a little tough, but that's part of the nature of the cut. It was nicely seasoned, and the character interaction was the best. And the apple cobbler a la mode just about made me want to rend my garment. It was FINE.
50's Prime Time Cafe, Studios - Again, having a big party made this one a blast. Our cousin Eric played the part to the hilt, and I had to go in time out because of my elbows on the table a 2nd time. I had meat loaf, a signature dish. It was denser and more complex than your average meat loaf, but I think the pot roast was better - fork tender with a nice blend of veggies. Coming from a part of the country where fried chicken is its own food group, I was surprised to see that the chicken got good reviews all around. A warning - if you plan on getting 'smores, understand you can feed 6 on this dish, easily. The PB & J shake continues to be a favorite.
Hollywood and Vine, Studios - First time visit, as part of the Fantasmic dinner package. It was a lot more upscale than I'd anticipated, and packed with guests. I thought the salad offerings were plentiful; there was a flaked salmon salad that really hit the spot. DD ate a pile of seafood pasta that would do most grown men in. The best thing I found that evening was a side called creamed corn spoonbread; a descriptive term, with wonderfully sweet creamed corn over crumbled corn bread. Mercy me! Among other carved meats was sirloin steak with a couple of intriguing sauces, one being a bernaise cousin. Yummy - a pleasant surprise, and a good bang for the buck.
Pizzafari, AK - I went in here kicking and screaming; on my only other visit, the pizza tasted like the frozen stuff. So I got a hot Italian sub, with a pesto dressing, and it was huge. Probably one of the best sandwiches I've had at Disney. I sampled the pizza, and it was better than I had remembered, but still nuthin' special. BUT - it's worth a stop here for the breadsticks. Light, garlicky, cheesy, and would be a great with a salad for a simple meal.
1900 Park Faire - this was our character breakfast. Food was fine. Anytime I can get close to an omelet station, I'm set. Good breakfast breads, waffles, pancakes, and even grits (made by someone that knows how to do grits - not everyone can, y'know). Talk about an eclectic group of characters! - Mary Poppins, Pooh, Tigger, Belle, the Mad Hatter. Hmmm. Our server seemed harried and distracted.
'Ohana - A real favorite, and such fun with a group! If you're a carnivore, it's hard to beat. I noticed the grilled shrimp were exceptionally spicy this time, but that suited me fine. The pork was the proclaimed favorite; and the peanut dipping sauce is good on everything. I didn't remember the cilantro-based sauce from my last visit, but it complemented the steak nicely. And whoda thunk simple fresh pineapple with caramel could be so yummy?
For the record, even with a large group, I thought the service we got was up to par all around, with just a little slippage at 1900 Park Faire.
We were in BWV, so we did do breakfast in the room. My impressions?
Hoop-De-Doo - obviously, you don't go here for fine cusine, but the ribs were much better this visit than they were in the past - much more tender. My only dissapointment was the corn - had a "canny" taste, in spite of seasonings. Everything else was plenty tasty; I could've eaten my weight in strawberry shortcake.
Sunshine Season Food Fair, Epcot - Can't vouch for my party, but I had a perfectly acceptable Italian sub. Its "house dressing" was a nice oil and vinegar, just enough, not too soggy. DD's linguini got a thumbs up, but another one of the girls said her gazpacho soup (sp?) was like eating salsa. Picky child, that one.
International dinner and dessert buffet, Epcot - Glory be! Available to Grand Gathering parties, this was splendid. The old Odyssey restaurant was set up with several individual buffet tables, with food from China, Morocco, Germany, and Italy, with an "American" table for the kiddos - mac and cheese, chicken fingers, etc. I especially liked the tangine chicken (sorta crispy, with a hint of cinnamon) and the penne pasta alfredo (the alfredo sauce was being made fresh by a chef at the table). Other goodies included chicken schnitzel and duck pot sticker dumplings. I'll run out of adjectives if I try to describe the dessert buffet, served outside at lagoon's edge - cakes, pies, parfaits, mousses, just sheer decadence.
Pecos Bill's, MK - still one of the best burgers on property; it's the fixin's bar that gives it the edge. In partial compensation of my sin the night before, I had a grilled chicken salad, plenty generous, with a tangy lime vinegarette.
Liberty Tree Tavern, MK - a real hit with all the girls. It was strictly "Thanksgiving food," with the ham and turkey being the best of the meats. The flank steak was a little tough, but that's part of the nature of the cut. It was nicely seasoned, and the character interaction was the best. And the apple cobbler a la mode just about made me want to rend my garment. It was FINE.
50's Prime Time Cafe, Studios - Again, having a big party made this one a blast. Our cousin Eric played the part to the hilt, and I had to go in time out because of my elbows on the table a 2nd time. I had meat loaf, a signature dish. It was denser and more complex than your average meat loaf, but I think the pot roast was better - fork tender with a nice blend of veggies. Coming from a part of the country where fried chicken is its own food group, I was surprised to see that the chicken got good reviews all around. A warning - if you plan on getting 'smores, understand you can feed 6 on this dish, easily. The PB & J shake continues to be a favorite.
Hollywood and Vine, Studios - First time visit, as part of the Fantasmic dinner package. It was a lot more upscale than I'd anticipated, and packed with guests. I thought the salad offerings were plentiful; there was a flaked salmon salad that really hit the spot. DD ate a pile of seafood pasta that would do most grown men in. The best thing I found that evening was a side called creamed corn spoonbread; a descriptive term, with wonderfully sweet creamed corn over crumbled corn bread. Mercy me! Among other carved meats was sirloin steak with a couple of intriguing sauces, one being a bernaise cousin. Yummy - a pleasant surprise, and a good bang for the buck.
Pizzafari, AK - I went in here kicking and screaming; on my only other visit, the pizza tasted like the frozen stuff. So I got a hot Italian sub, with a pesto dressing, and it was huge. Probably one of the best sandwiches I've had at Disney. I sampled the pizza, and it was better than I had remembered, but still nuthin' special. BUT - it's worth a stop here for the breadsticks. Light, garlicky, cheesy, and would be a great with a salad for a simple meal.
1900 Park Faire - this was our character breakfast. Food was fine. Anytime I can get close to an omelet station, I'm set. Good breakfast breads, waffles, pancakes, and even grits (made by someone that knows how to do grits - not everyone can, y'know). Talk about an eclectic group of characters! - Mary Poppins, Pooh, Tigger, Belle, the Mad Hatter. Hmmm. Our server seemed harried and distracted.
'Ohana - A real favorite, and such fun with a group! If you're a carnivore, it's hard to beat. I noticed the grilled shrimp were exceptionally spicy this time, but that suited me fine. The pork was the proclaimed favorite; and the peanut dipping sauce is good on everything. I didn't remember the cilantro-based sauce from my last visit, but it complemented the steak nicely. And whoda thunk simple fresh pineapple with caramel could be so yummy?
For the record, even with a large group, I thought the service we got was up to par all around, with just a little slippage at 1900 Park Faire.
! We are planning on trying many of the places where you ate when we go on our trip in November. Great job!
