Tuesday night we were going to go for a crawfish boil, but didnt get around to it, instead off to near the airport for High Tide Harry's, a hole in the wall that was pretty good. I had A.Y.C.E. snow crab, and a cup of Blue Stu(blue crab stew). The snow crab was what it was, served with garlic butter for dipping, I figure I ate about5 lbs. The Blue Stu was excellent, tasting of old bay, tobasco, and loads of blue crab.




High Tide Harry's
925 N. Semoran Blvd.
Orlando, FL.

www.hightideharrys.com

Wednesday was the planned blow out dinner @ THe Palm @ the Hard Rock Hotel @ Universal. We were not disappointed. We started with clams casino which were excellent, with the rich broth the clams were bathing in to be the hit. Rich, creamy, and packed with clam, and garlic flavor. It was sopped up with bread.



I went with a surf and turf, a 12 oz. Prime, dry aged strip steak cooked to a perfect rare, paired with 1/2 of a lobster. The steak was perfect, not the best I have had(Saloon's Dry aged K.C. strip gets that honor), but very good. The lobster was very good as well. The claw was the size of my hand.



Overall a great meal with great service.

The Palm Orlando
5800 Universal Blvd.
Orlando, FL.

www.thepalm.com

Thursday, and then Friday we went to a place called Johnnies Hideaway near downtown Disney. I was looking for some stone crab, and knew Florida stone crab season was over. I was told these were fresh stone crabs, but not Florida stone crabs. Either way they were so good we went 2 nights in a row.

Thursday we had some char grilled mussles(cant find my picture of this right now) served with a garlic oil, some stone crab claws, lobster mac-n-cheese, and a couple king crab claws. They also serve some housemade pickles that were excellent, sweet, sour, and a little heat.

1# Stone crab:


pickles:
[img]http?;;i717.photobucket.com/albums/ww177/jimswside/2009_06200292.jpg[/img]

lobster mac-n-cheese:


king crab claw:

Friday as mentioned above was a return trip to Johnnies, I needed more stone crab. This visit we ordered 2-1/4 Lbs of stone crab, and the "Florida Cracker Platter"(fried shrimp, fried green tomatoes, fried clamari, and fried frog legs). All were very good, especially the frog legs, and fresh fried shrimp. The star was of course the heaping portion of stone crab, as good as the night before, but in larger quantity.

Florida Cracker Platter:


stone crabs:




good service and good food on these back to back visits.

Johnnies Hideaway
12551 State Road 535
Orlando, FL.

www.talkofthetownrestaurants.com

Recap:

Overall I was very happy with the food and service we had in Orlando, and the area. We limited our eating on Disney property to as few meals as possible, and I think was the correct gameplan for us. The lunch we had at Cinderella's table was about $60 per person for a sandwich, and some average salmon, but it was more about eating in the castle, getting the photos, and phot op's, as well as the interaction with the princesses for our daughter. The other (2) restaurants on the Disney property were good, Sanaa - the food was good, but the views were incredible. Kimonos, since Dolphin and Swan are not Disney hotels, the food, was probably better than what we could have gotten elsewhere.

I think with enough research, and enough effort there is good, if not great food to be had in Orlando, I researched menus for months, as well as read as many reviews as I could from every source there is. The food worked for me, but then again I am kind of easy, give me a good steak, some fresh shrimp, some frog legs, some crab, lots of tequila, and beer and I am set, but then again I am not a "foodie", just a grub seeker.

Side Trips:

We also made day trips to Daytona Beach, where we had a non memorable lunch, as well as a day trip to the St. Petersburg beaches on the way home. We also got to eat @ Chick-Fil-A, which was very good, we definitely need a Chick-Fil-A around Chicagoland for sure. Last stop, we had lunch at a place called The Hurricane in St. Pete Beach which was very good for a last Florida meal, some crab and shrimp bisque which was as good as any I have had anywhere, a pound of fresh peel and eat shrimp, and a couple grouper po'boys which were good as well. Plus the view of the ocean was unbeatable.








The Hurricane
807 Gulf Way
St. Pete Beach, FL.

http://www.thehurricane.com

I'm not sure anyone goes to Orlando strictly as a food destination. When we have gone it has been to visit WDW and we have stayed on property. This fall we will be returning with the Deluxe dining plan (3 meals a day, including appetizer and dessert, 2 snacks). Note: it is during free dining,we upgraded to Deluxe.

The food on Disney property is horrible-excellent. You have to do your homework. We have had excellent meals at Citricos, California Grill, Artist Point, Jiko, Brown Derby, and Flying Fish. Also good, less upscale eats at Wolfgang Puck Express, Earl of Sandwich, lunch buffet at Crystal Palace, lunch and breakfast buffets at Boma. Breakfasts generally are terrible. I would recommend either buffet at Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom, or Boma buffet at the Animal Kingdom Lodge.

This time we will try the Wave, new in the Contemporary, and hopefully Todd English's Blue Zoo (not on the dining plan) at the Swan (Dolphin?).

For full menus check out allearsnet.com. For tons of food pics (including way too many of chocolate dipped things with sprinkles from Goofy's Candy Factory ) check out disboards.com, in the restaurants section.

BR wrote:I was in Orlando a couple of months ago, and while my meals were generally average or bad (really, really bad at Bice), I enjoyed a particularly good meal at Cedars, a Middle Eastern restaurant. It's been a while so I cannot recall in particular what we ordered but my group was universally pleased with the quality of both the food and service. It's more upscale than your usual Middle Eastern restaurant, but certainly child friendly and there is a good size outdoor patio.

Just came from a highly enjoyable lunch at Cedars. As BR noted, Cedars is a more upscale Middle Eastern (Lebanese) restaurant. They make their pita (the best I've had) onsite, serve homemade harissa, and have beautiful pickled radishes. Every component of the pedestrian vegetarian combination I had (baba ghanouj, hummous, fatayar, tabbouleh) was thoughtful (hummous/baba ghanouj wasn't doused in cheap oil, use of fresh parsley for the tabbouleh, and a well-crafted and tasty pastry for the spinach pie) and was visionally quite pleasing as well. My friend also greatly enjoyed his bemieh (stewed okra w/ lamb). Our waiter claimed that everything there, besides the basturma, is made onsite. Cedars is doing a lot right.

If you have extra time and any interest in cigars (even if you don't smoke them), walk down a few storefronts and get a free stogie education at the Corona Cigar shop. No doubt, this place has the largest selection of high-quality cigars I've seen anywhere. They offer numerous rarely seen premium/limited reserve cigars from many highly-touted makers. Sitting in one of their cozy chairs, smoking a quality cigar, and sipping a café con leche was clearly the highlight of my brief stay in the Orlando area. I think any place that is thoughtful enough to put a cigar ashtray in their restroom can’t be all bad.


Cedars Restaurant of Orlando
7732 West Sand Lake Road
Orlando, Florida
(407) 351-6000

Corona Cigar Company
7792 West Lake Sand Road
Orlando, Florida

PIGMON wrote:

BR wrote:I was in Orlando a couple of months ago, and while my meals were generally average or bad (really, really bad at Bice), I enjoyed a particularly good meal at Cedars, a Middle Eastern restaurant. It's been a while so I cannot recall in particular what we ordered but my group was universally pleased with the quality of both the food and service. It's more upscale than your usual Middle Eastern restaurant, but certainly child friendly and there is a good size outdoor patio.

Just came from a highly enjoyable lunch at Cedars. As BR noted, Cedars is a more upscale Middle Eastern (Lebanese) restaurant. They make their pita (the best I've had) onsite, serve homemade harissa, and have beautiful pickled radishes. Every component of the pedestrian vegetarian combination I had (baba ghanouj, hummous, fatayar, tabbouleh) was thoughtful (hummous/baba ghanouj wasn't doused in cheap oil, use of fresh parsley for the tabbouleh, and a well-crafted and tasty pastry for the spinach pie) and was visionally quite pleasing as well. My friend also greatly enjoyed his bemieh (stewed okra w/ lamb). Our waiter claimed that everything there, besides the basturma, is made onsite. Cedars is doing a lot right.

Cedars Restaurant of Orlando
7732 West Sand Lake Road
Orlando, Florida
(407) 351-6000

Glad to hear you enjoyed it as much as I did. I would absolutely return on my next visit to Orlando.

Can't believe I started this thread 5 years ago, and there were so many posts after I gave my recap. Woo hoo, we are going again in March!! My now-college-aged daughter wants to do Disney and I want to hit some beaches so we're compromising but it means we will have a car and will probably head to both coasts at least once. Thanks to everyone (JIM!!!!) for your comments, any updated thoughts, new places/closed spots, etc. will be appreciated.

sujormik wrote:Can't believe I started this thread 5 years ago, and there were so many posts after I gave my recap. Woo hoo, we are going again in March!! My now-college-aged daughter wants to do Disney and I want to hit some beaches so we're compromising but it means we will have a car and will probably head to both coasts at least once. Thanks to everyone (JIM!!!!) for your comments, any updated thoughts, new places/closed spots, etc. will be appreciated.

Man, thanks.

I had kind of forgotten the food from our last trip down. Fun time..

With Shay being 6 now a return trip is in the cards later this year, i hope.

Because I just returned from the 2013 version of spring break in Orlando, I wanted to add a place we went for brunch called White Wolf Cafe. In downtown Orlando it was about 20 minutes from Sea World (we stayed in that area), just blocks off I-4. While the service wasn't great (didn't get setups until well after our food came )their cinnamon rolls were excellent and the grits, eggs, bacon and pancakes were really good. Plus on Sundays they have $3 mimosas and bloodies, we sat at the bar waiting for a table and the people just never stopped coming.

Hostess said it is frequented mostly by locals, she was surprised we were from Chicago, and I'd definitely go back if I was in Orlando again.

http://www.whitewolfcafe.com/

Also had dinner one night at Pio Pio, which is mentioned upthread. It was good, chicken fresh and juicy and the sides (ripe and green plantains especially) were good. Only problem was finding it...with an I-Drive address it actually faces and appears to be on Sand Lake, we drove up and down I Drive looking for it.

Steak at Vito's was pretty much as expected, dining at Disney was pretty much as expected too. We were at Epcot for the start of the Flower/Garden Show and in the world showcase each country had a kiosk type stand with temporary food menus. Nothing spectacular (though the biscuit/smoked salmon at Englad was surprisingly good) but nothing horrible.

Heading back in March, made a promise to Shay. - Plus this allows me to get to visit Macon, GA for a day, and St. Augustine Fl. for lunch and sun before Orlando.... And who knows where when heading back North

We are only doing Disney World Parks for one day, reservations at California Grill for supper the day we are there. So we have 2+ days in orlando to rest and eat.

After Orlando we are heading to Daytona for a day or so, quite a few fish camps, & crab and shrimp shacks on the radar - almost too many to visit.

I currently have reservations at Cask & Larder for one night and plans for Ravenous Pig for lunch. Ive got a pretty long list of other joints to try. but always looking for what else might be new or under my radar.

jimswside wrote: another day+ on the Gulf

Care to be more specific ?

Jim,

I hope you're eating dinner late enough at California Kitchen to see the fireworks show over the Magic Kingdom. You have a birdseye view and they dim the lights and pipe in the accompanying music. It's pretty special. The food was excellent when I was there about 5 years ago.

RevrendAndy wrote:Jim,

I hope you're eating dinner late enough at California Kitchen to see the fireworks show over the Magic Kingdom. You have a birdseye view and they dim the lights and pipe in the accompanying music. It's pretty special. The food was excellent when I was there about 5 years ago.

thanks for the info, glad to get a lth account of what I had heard of the view, etc. elsewhere.

jimswside wrote:Heading back in March, made a promise to Shay. - Plus this allows me to get to visit Nashville for lunch & Chattanooga for dinner on the drive down. And who knows where when heading back North

We are only doing Disney for one day, reservations at California Grill for supper. So we have 2+ days in orlando & another day+ on the Gulf.

I currently have reservations at Cask & Larder for one night and plans for Ravenous Pig for lunch. Ive got a pretty long list of other joints to try. but always looking for what else might be new or under my radar.

My wife and I drove down to Orlando for Christmas 2013 so I thought I would share some food highlights. We found a dive Oyster & Seafood bar that was so good that we ate there twice. They had fried lobster that was awesome! I was skeptical at first fearing that the lobster would be overcooked. Boy was I wrong! Lobster was succulent with a light crispy batter. Even the hush puppies were delicious and I normally dislike them.

On our drive back we stayed overnight in Chattanooga, TN and Louisville, KY. In Chattanooga I highly recommend Easy Bistro & Bar. It was so good that we ate there for dinner and for brunch the next day. For dinner I had their Wagyu Rib eye and my wife had a steak with Gorgonzola cheese. For brunch we both had their lobster roll with double fried french fries that were crispy and delicious.

In Louisville, we had hoped to eat at 3 time semi-finalist James Bead nominee Chef Anthony Lamas' Seviche. Unfortunately, they closed early that night so we were unable to go. One of his staff member recommended Wild Eggs for breakfast. One of the best breakfasts I have ever had.

I will try and upload pictures later of some of the food I had.

Gary's Oyster Bar & Seafood House
http://www.garysoysterbar.com/
660 E Alfred St, Lake Alfred, FL 33850
(863) 956-5055

Easy Bistro Bar & Grill
http://www.easybistro.com/
203 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 266-1121

Wild Eggs
http://www.wildeggs.com/
4 Locations in Louisville

Sergio wrote:

jimswside wrote:Heading back in March, made a promise to Shay. - Plus this allows me to get to visit Nashville for lunch & Chattanooga for dinner on the drive down. And who knows where when heading back North

We are only doing Disney for one day, reservations at California Grill for supper. So we have 2+ days in orlando & another day+ on the Gulf.

I currently have reservations at Cask & Larder for one night and plans for Ravenous Pig for lunch. Ive got a pretty long list of other joints to try. but always looking for what else might be new or under my radar.

My wife and I drove down to Orlando for Christmas 2013 so I thought I would share some food highlights. We found a dive Oyster & Seafood bar that was so good that we ate there twice. They had fried lobster that was awesome! I was skeptical at first fearing that the lobster would be overcooked. Boy was I wrong! Lobster was succulent with a light crispy batter. Even the hush puppies were delicious and I normally dislike them.

On our drive back we stayed overnight in Chattanooga, TN and Louisville, KY. In Chattanooga I highly recommend Easy Bistro & Bar. It was so good that we ate there for dinner and for brunch the next day. For dinner I had their Wagyu Rib eye and my wife had a steak with Gorgonzola cheese. For brunch we both had their lobster roll with double fried french fries that were crispy and delicious.

In Louisville, we had hoped to eat at 3 time semi-finalist James Bead nominee Chef Anthony Lamas' Seviche. Unfortunately, they closed early that night so we were unable to go. One of his staff member recommended Wild Eggs for breakfast. One of the best breakfasts I have ever had.

I will try and upload pictures later of some of the food I had.

Gary's Oyster Bar & Seafood House
http://www.garysoysterbar.com/
660 E Alfred St, Lake Alfred, FL 33850
(863) 956-5055

Easy Bistro Bar & Grill
http://www.easybistro.com/
203 Broad St, Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423) 266-1121

Wild Eggs
http://www.wildeggs.com/
4 Locations in Louisville

thanks for the tips, Garys sounds good.

Also thanks for the chattanooga rec. spending the night there on the way down, have reservation at St. Johns Meeting Place for dinner, but always interested in other tips.

St. Johns Meeting Place menu:
http://www.stjohnsrestaurant.com/index. ... g_place/01

jimswside wrote:Heading back in March, made a promise to Shay. - Plus this allows me to get to visit Nashville for lunch & Chattanooga for dinner on the drive down. And who knows where when heading back North

We are only doing Disney World Parks for one day, reservations at California Grill for supper. So we have 2+ days in orlando to rest and eat. Maybe squeeze in a water park.

After that probably heading to the Gulf for a day or two and then Birmingham, AL. and Memphis on the way home.

I currently have reservations at Cask & Larder for one night and plans for Ravenous Pig for lunch. Ive got a pretty long list of other joints to try. but always looking for what else might be new or under my radar.

Jim thanks for those mentions. Hit C & L on Sunday for brunch it was great. They have a beer sampler so I got to taste a few of their beers. Had the oysters which were nice and briny, Had the Pig muffin real good but the Brussel sprouts, well they were.... well if everyone made them that good they would not have the reputation they do. Did Ravenous Pig for lunch and loved, loved, loved it. Had the Truffled egg, Gatherer Salad (really good) and the rock shrimp Tacos. Got a seat looking into the kitchen, as I was alone it was a good spot to watch the show.

Was there for a show so many meals were company events did Capital Grill, Ocean Prime, but the favorite was Chatham's Place. I tend to eat Seafood when down there and of the three the best food and service, especially if you are not paying.


http://chathamsplace.com/

I have already map quested the route to Gary's on our way into town on Monday thanks for the rec. we have to drive up from Miami, should arrive perfect timing.

2146 north wrote:

jimswside wrote:Heading back in March, made a promise to Shay. - Plus this allows me to get to visit Nashville for lunch & Chattanooga for dinner on the drive down. And who knows where when heading back North

We are only doing Disney World Parks for one day, reservations at California Grill for supper. So we have 2+ days in orlando to rest and eat. Maybe squeeze in a water park.

After that probably heading to the Gulf for a day or two and then Birmingham, AL. and Memphis on the way home.

I currently have reservations at Cask & Larder for one night and plans for Ravenous Pig for lunch. Ive got a pretty long list of other joints to try. but always looking for what else might be new or under my radar.

Jim thanks for those mentions. Hit C & L on Sunday for brunch it was great. They have a beer sampler so I got to taste a few of their beers. Had the oysters which were nice and briny, Had the Pig muffin real good but the Brussel sprouts, well they were.... well if everyone made them that good they would not have the reputation they do. Did Ravenous Pig for lunch and loved, loved, loved it. Had the Truffled egg, Gatherer Salad (really good) and the rock shrimp Tacos. Got a seat looking into the kitchen, as I was alone it was a good spot to watch the show.

Was there for a show so many meals were company events did Capital Grill, Ocean Prime, but the favorite was Chatham's Place. I tend to eat Seafood when down there and of the three the best food and service, especially if you are not paying.


http://chathamsplace.com/

Good to hear the feedback on cask and larder and ravenous pig, can't wait to get out of Chicagoland.

Hit Gary's last night, they were totally out of oysters which was a little disappointing. We enjoyed the fried lobster and the hush puppies a lot. Found the broiled platter ok but not exciting. The fried platter was good, the alligator and frog legs almost indistinguishable. Our server was great but the food came out in three separate distinct waves...first my daughter's, then mine, and finally her friend. The waitress was very sweet and comped us a piece of key lime pie to apologize for the kitchen's timing. We got lost on the way (went through some cool orange groves though) but ultimately found it. Glad we went.

With my kid at Disney all day today, I finally had my chance to try Ravenous Pig at lunch today. This was the best meal I've had in ages and ages. I absolutely LOVED the gatherer salad, (I don't think I've ever been quite so endamored of a salad, it was fantastic). The shrimp and grits were amazing, the pigtail dessert was so much better than I expected. Had an awesome waiter who brought me the dinner menu to look at, and when I told him I wasn't ever going to leave he brought me some biscuit "ends" with smoked salt butter and strawberry basil jam to-go. I would go back tomorrow and tell everyone I know how amazing my meal was.

Had cocktails at Johnnies Hideaway (cantaloupe martinis) and dinner at Portobello Yacht Club. My friend is a frequent diner there, they treat him well and their arancini remains a gold standard for me. Tony Mantuano is supposedly guest-chefing this month but I wasn't able to see him. I enjoy their bolognese sauce as well.

Will probably stick to fruit and salad the rest of the week after today!

sujormik wrote:
With my kid at Disney all day today, I finally had my chance to try Ravenous Pig at lunch today. This was the best meal I've had in ages and ages. I absolutely LOVED the gatherer salad, (I don't think I've ever been quite so ends mores of a salad, it was fantastic). The shrimp and grits were amazing, the pigtail dessert was so much better than I expected. Had an awesome waiter who brought me the dinner menu to look at, and when I told him I wasn't ever going to leave he brought me some biscuit "ends" with smoked salt butter and strawberry basil jam to-go. I would go back tomorrow and tell everyone I know how amazing my meal was.

nice, really hoping to squeeze Ravenous Pig in for a visit when I am down there.

Got into Orlando a bit late on Tuesday, had a dinner reservation at Tchoup Chop - I know... but the menu looked good, Not gonna rip em' too bad, but it was our least favorite meal of the trip.

Next day was pretty much spent at the MK - didnt want to drop the coin for California Grill so cancelled that reservation and we took a few hours away from the Magic Kingdom to swim and get some dinner. Had some good meals at Johnnies Hide Away so since it kept us close to get back for fireworks it was the call.

Got a table at the bar and got the Johnnies Classic Platter - 3 medium stone crab claws, 1 monster king crab claw, some large chilled shrimp, and some split king crab legs. for $39 it was a good deal. Also went with some fried shrimp. Got in and out and had a good meal.

Johnnies Hide Away
12551 State Road 535
Orlando, FL.

http://www.johnnieshideaway.com/

Read about a spot away from the tourist area in the warehouse district that was doing a good lunch. Bar Harbour Seafood.



$6.99 whole lobsters is their game:



served with butter for $6.99 , $7.99 if you want some fries

Cant beat it.

Also did a lobster roll, yeah I liked it:



I have to give a thumbs up for their clam chowder as well, chock full of fresh clams, really enjoyed it.

They are only open for lunch and they get busy. they have some outdoor seating.

Bar Harbour Seafood Retail Market
2000 Premier Row
Orlando, FL.

http://barharborseafood.com/

Still hungry I knew of a Cheesesteak/Hoagie spot about 20 minutes away. Heard the owners transplanted from Philly. LaSapada's



Got to try a cheesesteak from here, thought it was ok, really wished I would have tried a hoagie - got the word they were as good as they looked from DaBeef.

LaSpada's
1010 Lee Road
Orlando, FL.

http://laspadas.com/

Hit a Happy Hour at Big Fin, some good stuff on there, pork belly tacos, cheap seafood, etc. Cheap drinks as well, and in Orlando that can be tough.

Big Fin Seafood
Dellagio Plaza
Orlando, FL.

http://www.bigfinseafood.com/

Dinner, called around some local seafood joints and found out who had the live crabs and crawfish. Happened to be in their Vietnamese section of town.

joint across the street:



LA Boiling Seafood:



LA Boiling seafood was a pleasure, friendly owners and fantastic seafood.

Bugs were did up garlic style:



Crabs, all females, out of Louisiana. THese crabs were packed with that tasty orange roe..




LA Boiling Seafood
1242 E. COlonial Dr.
Orlando, FL.

http://www.laboilingseafood.com/

Really made the best of Orlando.

jimswside wrote:Really made the best of Orlando.

Looks like it! Thanks for taking the time to put this and the rest of the trip together. These are the type of spots that I imagine will still be around when I'm down there making the rounds with my yet to be born rug-rats. No Magic Kingdom food for them, ok maybe a funnel cake.

Went to WDW for a wedding, and spent a week there with extended family. Food was not a focus of this trip, but I thought I’d report back on what I found. We ate only on Disney property and did not have access to a rental car. Some meals were very pressed for time, or part of wedding festivities, or in the parks with a very large group of people (ten), with three squirrel-y kids under the age of 6, which somewhat limited where we could go, especially during a crowded time of year. We did not do the Dining Plan either and avoided all buffet/character meals.

BREAKFAST - OK

Breakfast was typically quick service meals at the small cafe (Cafe Contempo) in our resort. These meals were efficient and fine for what they were. Cafeteria level scrambled eggs (unseasoned), bacon (salty), sausage (ditto), all as takeout eaten in the villa for convenience. The most annoying thing was probably people staring at the giant printed menu deciding what to order, blocking access to the touch screens for those who already knew what they wanted.

GROCERY DELIVERY / SNACKS - GOOD

Most snacks were from groceries we had delivered, or were food we brought from home. We stayed at a DVC Studio Villa at the Bay Lake Tower and had access to a coffee maker, microwave, fridge, but not a stove or oven due to it being a studio. WeGoShop.com grocery delivery went to both local locations of Whole Foods and Publix in Orlando to find some organic/obscure, perishable items we wanted. Pricey service due to delivery fee & gas fee but totally worth it if you didn’t rent a car and needed specific things. Some very, very nice folks, and this service seemed like the only option if you wanted anything out of the ordinary. (GardenGrocer.com did not have what we needed.)

COFFEE - MEH

Seems like the best you can hope for on property is Starbucks (with very, very loooooong lines). There is no FastPass+ at Starbucks, unfortunately. One morning at Epcot the line was literally out the door on both sides.

Joffrey’s coffee was mediocre but at least it was served hot and at least they had real cream & milk out; all other places in the parks that serve coffee only have Coffeemate single serving cups out (ugh). Additionally, I had a lot of trouble finding unsweetened, non-flavored iced coffee anywhere else but the Starbucks and Joffrey’s locations. All of the other restaurants and food stands had a pre-mixed tank of different sugary iced flavored coffee beverages. Bleh.

Another minus, the baristas at the Contemporary Resort’s Joffrey’s are the slooooooooowest in the entire World. Probably quicker to walk to the Magic Kingdom, get coffee there, ride a loop on the Railroad, and walk back before they finished your order!

COCKTAILS - DOUBLE MEH

The majority of the cocktails we ordered were pretty bad despite the commitment to “mixology” (ha ha) listed on WDW menus. Almost nowhere did bartenders jigger / measure ingredients while making cocktails, or taste the drinks to ensure they tasted correct before sending them out. Poor quality ice (“cheater ice” with holes in the center), and canned juices, most of the time. Tons of free pouring by the bartenders.

We are huge tiki fans and have studied the history of tiki and tiki drinks in the USA (and know what a proper tiki drink should taste like), but Tambu Lounge was an epic fail for us. Everything was too, too, too sweet. My Island Sunset was light on the booze and heavy on the diabetes; I felt like I was going into a coma afterwards. The Lapu Lapu my husband ordered was slightly better. Fun presentation, strong cocktail, but also a bit too sweet.

Elsewhere, I tried a Smoked Turkey, and thought it was like cough syrup with a weird aftertaste that didn’t go away even with a glass of water. Waaaay too much grenadine. I barely touched my cocktail and the bartender didn’t even notice! Ugh. What a waste of three good Luxardo cherries and Wild Turkey bourbon.

My Moscow Mule was better, if only because the strong ginger-y ginger beer cutting through the excess sugar.

The “best” cocktail I had was probably a San Angel Inn margarita at La Cava de Tequila in Epcot after specifically telling the bartender that I didn’t want my drink too sweet (and it was still a touch too sweet anyway). The Jalapeno margarita was fairly tasty as well, with spiciness to offset the sugar. (To quote frequent Chowhound poster ipsedixit, this is the proverbial tallest midget at the circus.)

Whiskey lists tended to be all the same & very meager except at Ragland Road and Le Cellier (Epcot). Hard to find my husband’s favorite bourbon (Bulleit) on property (they only had the rye), everywhere kept offering the same perfunctory Jack Daniels and Jim Beam when we asked for bourbon. Some places had a decent list on paper, but none of it actually in supply. After a disappointments, he stuck mostly with Woodford Reserve or Wild Turkey.

RESORT DINING - GOOD

Our dinner at California Grill at the Contemporary Resort w/ a view of the “Wishes" fireworks was somewhere between good to very good. A few mis-steps but we’d return. Excellent service who bent over backwards. Loved the decor, the loud drunk people at the table next to us taking flash photography, not so much. California Grill is very, very busy especially about an hour before Wishes is set to start.

We started with appetizers of tuna tartare and poke. The raw ahi poke was served with seaweed salad & tasted very fresh, with a little bit of spiciness to it that built up as you ate. The tuna tartare was served with apples and thinly sliced cucumber pickles, an interesting combination of flavors and textures. We enjoyed some enormous wood fired prawns as an appetizer, all three pieces were perfectly cooked, and very meaty and flavorful. Yuzu-marinated sashimi on a big pile of more seaweed salad was next. Knife work and presentation were a bit sloppy, with huge piles of fish roe on top of pieces of fish, all draped in a row on a long plate. Cumbersome to eat but the taste was fine. One of the sashimi pieces was actually two smaller pieces, composed to look like one big piece. It also made me sad to see pre-rolled maki in the case, waiting to be cut! Next time we wouldn’t order any sushi dishes after seeing this.

We shared one main: bison tenderloin, cooked to medium rare, served with roasted baby brussels sprouts, crispy bacon, and a perfectly paired cherry sauce. This was the best part of the meal. The components and textures were balanced and flavorful. We ended with the five cheese plate, which had a good variety of selections as well as toast, a slice of date cake, a piece of honeycomb and honey, a fruity jam, and more on the side to go with the cheese.

Unfortunately, it was very cool and quite windy that night, so we watched Wishes from inside, near the bar area, as the fireworks were being blown over to above Space Mountain. I loved the perspective from California Grill, as well as the soundtrack that they pipe in (so the lulls in the fireworks actually make sense), and the dimming of the lights during Wishes. And it was extremely convenient to the Bay Lake Tower, where we were staying.

Dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort before a wedding related activity at Epcot was also very good. We scored a primo table with a view of the pools and boardwalk, just in time to see the sun setting. It was also another cool and windy day, so very few people in the pools. Skipped appetizers and went straight to the steak! We shared the porterhouse for two. Dry-aged, and flavorful, especially with a huge smear of garlic butter on top. This steak was excellent. Cooked bone-in to the desired medium rare. The sides were also very good. Delicious sautéed mushrooms, cheesy and rich creamed spinach, and sweet caramelized onions. We skipped dessert as we were on our way to a dessert party at Epcot anyway (where we froze our butts off outside during IllumiNations, in cocktail dresses, in 40 degree weather).

Dinner at Jiko at Animal Kingdom Lodge was the best meal we had the entire trip. The atmosphere was amazing. Loved the hanging lights that looked like a flock of flying birds, as well as the lighted back wall that slowly changed color as we dined. The food was also excellent. Complex, interesting flavors. We loved the wild boar tenderloin, served with stewed onions and tomatoes, with a bit of truffle oil and micro cilantro. I could probably eat two of these on my own. We also shared Caren’s Durban seafood curry, which was chock full of fish chunks, chopped mussels, shrimp, and bits of pineapple, in a wonderful and spicy pineapple-coconut curry. Big, spicy flavors packed into a small bowl. We also shared the Lamb Two Ways for our main course. Two delicious, perfectly cooked, charred lamb chops, with spaghetti squash, brussels sprouts, and what I thought were radishes? parsnips? or some other other root vegetable. Oh, and a luscious, falling-apart braised lamb shoulder. Best thing we ate on property. We would definitely go back to Jiko, probably multiple times, just to try other items on the menu.

DOWNTOWN DISNEY

Dinner at Ragland Road at Downtown Disney was loud but fun. Great atmosphere, tons of people, lots of bustle and live entertainment (live music and dancers). Just wish they’d shut the doors — it was freezing inside due to unseasonably low temperatures outside. Most people in the restaurant were wearing coats and hats indoors. Freshly steamed mussels in a spicy coconut curry broth were great. We also enjoyed the garlic & chili lemon butter sauteed shrimp. Meaty and spicy, and good for a cold night. The mixed grill plate was a mixed bag. The steak was overcooked and dry, the lamb chop was fine but really unmemorable, but the chicken leg, blood sausage, and bangers were all interesting & tasty. I actually thought the seafood items were better than the meat items.

PARK DINING - BETTER THAN EXPECTED

At the Magic Kingdom, lunch from Columbia Harbour House was much better than I had expected, reading that the Magic Kingdom has the worst food out of the four parks. Grilled salmon and steamed broccoli were not dried out or over cooked despite being in a theme park. However, the broccoli peppercorn salad was swimming in dressing. Portions were very generous, and sitting upstairs was much more calm than downstairs.

Dinner at Be Our Guest at Magic Kingdom had great atmosphere (we were in the main dining room with cute snow falling outside, a very pretty painted ceiling with cherubs, etc) and the kids loved meeting the Beast afterwards. And yes, the “grey stuff” is pretty good. We tried a variety of mains, and between the strip steak, herb encrusted lamb, and braised pork, the general consensus was that the lamb was the best dish. Vegetable side on each dish were surprisingly well done, with cauliflower puree, sautéed asparagus, buttered celeriac, and etc. all being winners. This meal was worth the 180+ day Advance Dining Reservation chase, especially as we observed the number of disappointed walk-up patrons, as the restaurant was fully reserved that night.

Lunch at Sunshine Seasons at Epcot was also better than expected. We had done The Land ride beforehand to see the greenhouses and to show the kids what they were about to eat. Tried to keep it healthy and light with oak grilled rotisserie chicken and green beans. The chicken was pretty good (for a theme park) and once again, we received a lot of food and had leftovers.

Dinner at Le Cellier (Canada) in Epcot was one of our best meals as well. I can see why some think it’s not worth the wait/effort and cramped quarters, though. The tables are quite close. Regardless, we loved the tea dusted scallops served with roasted fennel and parsnip puree. The Canadian mussels with vegetable ceviche and yellow pepper butter were recommended by our server and she was spot on. Fabulous dish with a bit of heat. We also shared the dry-aged boneless ribeye between the two of us, cooked to the desired medium rare. This steak was good but just a notch below what Yachtsman had offered. Still, not bad for being in the parks.

Lunch at Pizza Planet at Hollywood Studios was fine. We were nearby and it was very convenient to some of the shows and character meet and greets. The kids had pizza & subs while I had the antipasto salad with salami, pepperoni, kalamata olives, tomatoes, mozzarella, chopped romaine, and Italian dressing. Actually not bad for a pizza joint, where the pizzas did not look that great.

Dinner at Sci-Fi Dine-In at Hollywood Studios was better than anticipated. I’d read lots of negative reviews beforehand. But our burgers were perfectly serviceable and I enjoyed the sauteed onions on offer. The park was already near closing and this restaurant was dark, soothing, and quiet, which is very much appreciated after your fifth straight day at the parks. And of course the kids love sitting in the “car” tables.

We avoided eating at Animal Kingdom park entirely.

OVERALL

I’d say that it did seem true that the resort dining is the best, with Epcot being the best of the theme parks overall. We unfortunately didn’t get to anywhere in the Grand Floridian.

I would say that our best meals were at Jiko (#1 with a bullet), then Yachtsman Steakhouse, with California Grill and Le Cellier (at Epcot) falling closely behind. Quick service lunches in the parks seem to be serviceable if you don’t have high expectations and know where to go. Hope this helps someone in the future!

On the other hand, we did most of our dining at Animal Kingdom last (chilly) Friday. At just after 9AM, the scent of cinnamon rolls as you walked into Africa was intoxicating. $9 for a cinnamon roll seemed a bit excessive even if it is Mickey-shaped, but it was very tasty, and warm, which we needed. Much lighter than a cinnabon-style roll, less 'goo' and more of a caramel than brown sugar flavor.

For a lighter lunch we had Mr. Kumal's, a small vegetarian stand west of most of Asia, but not quite to Africa. The samosas with mango salsa were tasty, as was the falafel sandwich, although the latter wasn't crisp enough and the pita was served cold -- a brief warming would have improved the sandwich immensely. Note: this place does not have many people working it, service can be slow.

Later, we'd hopped over to Epcot, and realized we wouldn't get to dinner outside the park until close to 9, so we grabbed a Mickey-shaped soft pretzel between Imagination and The Land. Pretty decent: good chewiness and saltiness.

Dinner that night was at a favorite of my sister-in-law, Dexter's of Windermere. It didn't impress me much: I was in the mood for a good burger, and it was decent, but the bonus 'wild mushrooms' were just buttons (and scant at that). Cooked right and juicy, though. MrsF had enchiladas which were served over rice and beans, a little weird -- made it more casserole-like. Would probably have enjoyed it all more if the band wasn't SO DAMN LOUD.

Dexter's of Windermere
4757 The Grove
STE 100
Windermere FL
(407) 258-7028
http://windermere.dexwine.com/

The previous night, we had BBQ at Yellow Dog in Gotha. I was a little nervous about the lack of smoke aroma when we walked in, but their pulled pork and ribs are quite good (no brisket, but there is some smoked chicken which we didn't try). They have a number of interesting over-garnished sandwiches -- for a first try I should have gone with the plain 'cue, but the Rufus, with brie, cherry peppers, raspberry 'melba' and Fish's Gold Sauce (sort of a mustardy cross between a Carolina and a KC-style) was quite tasty. I also had a bite of my nephew's ribs: good meatiness, didn't fall off the bone but quite tender. Highly recommended.

Yellow Dog Eats
1236 Hempel Avenue
Gotha, FL 34786
407.296.0609
http://yellowdogeats.com/

We're doing our "mouse trip"" in Nov. I've got the touring plan almost solidified. Have the books, seen the blogs. Barring rainstorms, I'm pretty confident. Need to start planning meal options. We're staying at the Swan. We will not be able to purchase the dining plan - but, we don't care. Already priced it out, and we're probably better off NOT doing the plan. In looking at prices of some of the Swan restaurants, I don't think I HAVE to struggle to find food in the parks, because our touring plan is basically to be at the hotel for lunch, and the prices for casual spots are pretty equal between the hotel and the parks. SO, we are staying inside the Disney Resort area the entire trip, no car. What I'm looking for is ideas for can't miss snacks or quick service foods. I've researched, and came up with:

Magic K - Columbia Harbor, better than decent seafood, upstairs eating area.

Animal Kingdom - Flame tree bbq. Ribs. Supposedly an awesome spot very close to sit and eat that not too many ppl know about too.

Animal Kingdom - Boma Buffet. Pricey, but intriguing.

Animal Kingdom - The Mara for a snack called "Zebra Domes." Food is also supposed to be quite decent.

Epcot - Some Taco quick serve joint is supposed to be totally serviceable.

Epcot - Tangierene Cafe quick serve

Captain Cooks for Tonga Toast in the Polynesian.

The Coronado - Pepper Market for the Aztec Burger (if it's feasible to actually get there.)

So, we're pretty much "quick service" people. Only one reservation for a sit down made so far - The Italian joint at Hollywood for a lunch so we can get the vip Fantasmic deal.

We're also gonna hit up Amazon for delivering some stuff to the hotel, but I can't really think of anything from Amazon that would be better than Disney food, so it'll mostly be for drinks at the hotel and good snacks for the parks, like jerky, peanuts, and juice boxes for the younglings.

Just wondering if there's any new intel for quick service stuff you wouldn't hesitate to try to work in at any of the parks - mainly the parks, but for something really special in one of the resorts...if it's really special, then maybe. I'm pretty confident we can do ok at the Swan for casual meals.

There's a vegetarian Indian stand in Animal Kingdom that's quite good. I don't recall the name.

We just did Disney for the kids' first time this past spring. Meals were mostly super quick though since the kids were 4 and not quite 2 at the time. Either quickie hot dogs and similar or character buffet type lunches since they'd be distracted and happy enough to actually eat.

That said, Richa and I did a trip to Disney by ourselves around 10 years ago. We really enjoyed the Boma buffet, and I'd recommend it - among the better meals we've had at Disney. Just keep in mind that it's in the Animal Kingdom Lodge rather than the park itself.

The sit-down restaurant in the Morocco pavilion at Epcot is solid if you find yourself wanting more than a quick meal. Haven't tried the quick meal option there but I imagine it would be worthwhile as well.

Dole Whip is the best soft-serve ice cream I've ever had, and we made more stops for it than I'd like to admit since we'd been missing it badly since our year in Hawaii. There's a stand for it in Adventureland in the Magic Kingdom near Aladdin's Flying Carpets, and it's also available somewhere in the Polynesian Resort. It's really the only sweet indulgence that comes to mind for me right now. Pineapple goodness.

A friend who actually works in the pastry kitchen at the Swan had given me a few other recommendations that I never managed to check out. One was the Cuban place at Downtown Disney for a quick bite if you end up over there. The LEGO displays by the LEGO shop are pretty cool if the kids are into that at all.

My daughter is currently in the Disney College Program and is working in Africa at the Animal Kingdom. So we get down to Disney quite often. In the Animal Kingdom Park Harambe Market is good, and the quick service at Yak and Yeti, and Flame Tree.
One of our favorites is Boma in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. The variety is wonderful and we've never had a bad meal there. You can get zebra domes there as well!! It's a buffet and it's pricey. We like to go for dinner and then take a walk outside to view the animals. The castmembers have night-vision goggles available. They also roast marshmallows, you can spend an entire evening there.

Columbia Harbour House is our favorite in MK. I always get the salmon with couscous. It's very good for a theme park!!

I was just at MK 2 weeks ago and had a snack that I'm still thinking about. At Sleepy Hollow they offer a waffle, spread with nutella and topped with fruit. I thought it was awesome!!! Dole whips are fantastic as well and you can get that in MK or at the Polynesian.

The food court at The Coronado is one of the best on property. Great variety.

At EPCOT, I really can't complain about a bad meal, but one of my favorites is the fish and chips in the United Kingdom. You can spend a day eating around the World Showcase, they have quick service at just about every country. Also, Sunshine Seasons in The Land in Future World is worth a visit. Don't forget a visit to Club Cool to try all the different Coke products.

At Hollywood Studios, they have decent sandwiches at Starring Rolls. And we also did the fantasmic package at Mama Melrose, and it was good.

At Disney Springs, Earl of Sandwich is always popular as is Wolfgang Puck Express. Also Ghiradelli's for ice cream of course. We had dinner at Ragland Road and we really enjoyed it!!!

We also really like breakfast or dinner at Trails End Buffet at Fort Wilderness resort.