Disney World gives Pho a bad name

Excerped from the menu of "Yak and Yeti" - a newly opened restaurant in Animal Kingdom:

Pho - Lemon grass-scented broth, poached shrimp, rice noodles, and traditional Vietnamese garnishes. - $16.99

Pho with shrimp and lemongrass??? Sounds like Tom Yum to me!!

Anyway, here is the review from someone just came back from Orlando:

"Maybe I’m not as adventurous an eater as I have always thought but we found this to be truly bad. The traditional Vietnamese garnishes included a bowl of fish oil. This was new to me and the smell was so strong and unpleasant that we asked something I have never asked before in a restaurant. I asked that this entrée be removed from the table.

I have to commend the staff. This was done without fanfare and I was offered a new entrée. I apologized for not liking the dish and offered to pay for it as it was my error in ordering it, but it was replaced with out charge. Our server did note that this entrée was not proving to be well liked, so I am guessing that I might not have been the first to have this reaction."

Out of curiosity, did the menu offer anything that would in anyway justify the name Yak and Yeti -- such as, for example, Nepalese curry. It seems odd to name a place for creatures associated with the Himalayas and then attempt dishes from Southeast Asia

Cynthia wrote:Out of curiosity, did the menu offer anything that would in anyway justify the name Yak and Yeti -- such as, for example, Nepalese curry. It seems odd to name a place for creatures associated with the Himalayas and then attempt dishes from Southeast Asia

It might be onomatopoeic, not (crypto)zoological.

Cynthia wrote:Out of curiosity, did the menu offer anything that would in anyway justify the name Yak and Yeti -- such as, for example, Nepalese curry. It seems odd to name a place for creatures associated with the Himalayas and then attempt dishes from Southeast Asia

The restaurant is located near the Mt. Everest Expedition roller-coaster ride, thus the reference to Yak and Yeti.
Below is the full menu description:

Lunch (Updated: 11/07)
Appetizers/Starter

Dim Sum Basket - Pork pot stickets, shrimp siew mai, cha su bao & pork siew mai steamed on a banana leaf and served with soy lime dipping sauce. - $12.99
Lettuce Cups - Minced chicken breast, chopped veggies, maple tamarind sauce, and crisp lettuce cups. - $10.99
Pork Egg Rolls - Served with chili plum dipping sauce. - $7.99
Pork Pot Stickers - Pan seared or steamed with soy lime dipping sauce. - $7.49
Prawn Flavored Crisps - Served with peanut sauce. - $4.99
Seared Ahi Tuna - Chilled, sesame-encrusted ahi tuna, wasabi aioli, and sweet chili slaw. - $9.99
Steamed Mussels - Fresh Prince Edward Isle black mussels, white wine, lemon grass, and Thai basil-scented broth.
Wok-Fried Green Beans - Battered green beans with sweet Thai chili sauce. - $6.99

Soups/Salads

House Salad - Romaine and iceberg lettuce, almonds, sesame seeds and sesame dressing. - $5.99
Mandarin Chicken Salad - Chilled chicken, romaine and iceberg lettuce, Mandarin oranges, almonds, sesame seeds, rice noodles and plum dressing. - $11.99
Wonton Soup - Pork wontons, clear chicken broth and veggies. - $4.99

Entree/Main Course

Baby Back Ribs - Slow-roasted ribs, hoisin BBQ sauce, chicken fried rice, and sweet chili slaw. - $22.99
Crispy Honey Chicken - Tempura chicken, broccoli, carrots and honey sauce. - $15.99
Crispy Mahi Mahi - Filet of mahi mahi, Japanese bread crumbs, Cantonese sweet and sour sauce, jasmine rice and stir-fried veggies. - $19.99
Duck With Anandapur Glaze - Roasted half duckling, orange wasabi glaze, jasmine rice, and stir-fried veggies. - $21.99
Lo Mein - Lo mein noodles, carrots, cabbage, green onions and bean sprouts. Served with chicken $14.99 or with Shrimp $16.99
Maple Tamarind Chicken - Seared chicken breast, Indonesian tamarind glaze, coconut-ginger rice, baby bok choy, and shiitake mushroom stir-fry. - $17.99
Pho - Lemon grass-scented broth, poached shrimp, rice noodles, and traditional Vietnamese garnishes. - $16.99
Seared Miso Salmon - Atlantic salmon in a miso glaze, jasmine rice, baby bok choy and shiitake mushroom stir-fry. - $20.99
Shaoxing Steak & Shrimp - Skirt steak, tempura-battered shrimp, jasmine rice, stir-fried veggies, and chili plum dipping sauce. - $22.99
Stir-Fried Beef & Broccoli - Flank steak, broccoli and a brown sauce. - $16.99
Sweet & Sour Chicken or Pork - Tempura chicken or pork, ginger, garlic, bell peppers, and pineapple. - $15.99
Tempura Shrimp - Chili plum sauce, coconut-ginger rice, and stir-fried veggies. - $18.99

Side Dish

Selection of Sides - Choose from House Stir-Fried Veggies, Pork Egg rolls, and Chicken fried rice for $4.99 each. Wok-fried Green Beans $3.99 and Steamed rice (jasmine or brown) $2.99.

Dessert

Chocolate Brownie Sundae - Chunks of brownie, vanilla ice cream, chocolate and caramel sauces, and fresh whipped cream. - $7.99
Fried Wontons - Skewers of fresh pineapple and cream cheese wontons with vanilla ice cream and honey vanilla drizzle. - $7.99
Mango Pie - Shortbread cookie crust, fresh whipped cream and a raspberry sauce. - $6.99
Sorbet - Choose from mango, lemon and raspberry. - $5.99

Ah, the salmon of Nepal...

Wasn't that a Kipling poem?

Hey...let's at least give them some credit for offering more than burgers and fries.

Yak burger anyone?

Oddly, all of the menu's prices end in .99 . . . as if it's a Wal-Mart rollback sale . . .

jesteinf wrote:Yak burger anyone?

Heh. Yak in the Box.

Not that it wasn't already something of a disturbing concept, but this does not bode well for Adventures by Disney. I find question 25 of the FAQ to be particularly amusing/depressing:

"25) Are there cultural differences I should expect when traveling outside the U.S.?"

Just checked out the Disney China tour -- and neither the price nor the accommodations (e.g. the Peninsula in Beijing) seem very family friendly. I wonder who their market is supposed to be. Most people traveling with small children aren't looking to sink $20-$30K into a summer vacation!

Cynthia wrote:Just checked out the Disney China tour -- and neither the price nor the accommodations (e.g. the Peninsula in Beijing) seem very family friendly. I wonder who their market is supposed to be. Most people traveling with small children aren't looking to sink $20-$30K into a summer vacation!

And that's airfare not included!

Mostly I love that you spend at least half your time in Hong Kong at Disneyland. 'Cause, really, after you've flown 6000 miles, why sample the local culture when you can hang out at a carbon copy of an American theme park instead?

Hi,

My sister's ex-husband had a personal mission to visit every Disney theme park around the globe. He did it.

Regards,

If you want good Chinese go to Nine Dragons @ Epcot. The best Peking Duck I have ever eaten. After a bowl of duck soup, a Chef wheels a cart to your table with your freshly prepared duck and carves it for you tableside. He first removed the crisp skin in one piece and laid it into fresh steamed buns.
He then carved up the duck and took it back to the kitchen to be stir fried. Lots of hot juice proving that it was freshly roasted.
I think the next time I will tell them to leave the duck and skip the stir frying.

Mikey wrote:If you want good Chinese go to Nine Dragons @ Epcot. The best Peking Duck I have ever eaten. After a bowl of duck soup, a Chef wheels a cart to your table with your freshly prepared duck and carves it for you tableside. He first removed the crisp skin in one piece and laid it into fresh steamed buns.
He then carved up the duck and took it back to the kitchen to be stir fried. Lots of hot juice proving that it was freshly roasted.

Wasn't that a Kipling poem?

You can talk of Yak and Yeti
And the Roman's red spaghetti
And the French who look at all your mess as shammin';
But put you up to climb Mt. Everest
And you'll know which bloke's the cleverest
When he hooks the deadly Nepal mountain salmon.

Mike G wrote:

Wasn't that a Kipling poem?

You can talk of Yak and Yeti
And the Roman's red spaghetti
And the French who look at all your mess as shammin';
But put you up to climb Mt. Everest
And you'll know which bloke's the cleverest
When he hooks the deadly Nepal mountain salmon.

Should that be recited to the Super Chicken theme song?

[golf clap]