Special Diets at Disney

Falafel from Mr. Kamal's (Animal Kingdom)

This post is returning to my favorite topic: FOOD! We all need it to survive, but that doesn't mean it's an easy conversation to start. Preferences make it difficult to discern if what I have recommended is something that you will like and vice versa. Today I will seek to provide information about different dietary options at Disney for anyone that may be vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, or otherwise intolerant of certain foods. Here we go!

From the beginning, I want to make it clear that Disney is probably the most allergy-friendly place I've ever been. They keep service animals in designated hotel rooms/floors so as not to disturb guests with pet allergies, they label consumable goods meticulously, and they even have separate menus for guests with special needs. Their holiday events are allergy-friendly too; the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party at Disney World had allergy-friendly options for individuals that needed them. If you're unsure of the ingredients in an item, just ask for a chef consultation and the Cast Member will be more than happy to accommodate. 

For parties with very restrictive diets (4+ allergies in one individual or multiple allergies in a group of individuals), consider making your dining plans at least 14 days in advance and connect with Disney directly at special.diets@disneyworld.com or special.diets@disneyland.com. I'm aware of many cases where the executive chef contacted the families to ensure s/he could create a delicious and enjoyable meal for the family on their reservation date.

Vegetarians and carnivores rejoice! Half quattro formaggi / half pepperoni pizza from Via Napoli (Epcot)

Here are some restaurants with allergy-friendly menus in case you're stumped on where to start:

Magic Kingdom

Cinderella's Royal Table

Columbia Harbour House

Cosmic Ray's Starlight Cafe

Crystal Palace

Liberty Tree Tavern

Peco Bill's Tall Tale Inn & Cafe

Pinocchio's Village Haus

Plaza Restaurant

Skipper Canteen

Tony's Town Square

Epcot

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall

Biergarten

Coral Reef

Electric Umbrella

Garden Grill

La Hacienda de San Angel

Le Cellier

Liberty Inn

Rose & Crown

Sunshine Seasons

Hollywood Studios

ABC Commissary

Backlot Express

Catalina Eddie's

50s Prime Time Cafe

Hollywood Brown Derby

PizzeRizzo

Rosie's All-American Cafe

Sci-Fi Dine In

Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbecue

Harambe Market

Pizzafari

Restaurantosaurus

Satu'li Canteen

Tiffins

Tusker House

Yak & Yeti

Disneyland

Blue Bayou

Cafe Orleans

Hungry Bear Restaurant

Holly Holiday Bakery Cafe

Rancho del Zocalo

Red Rockett's Pizza Port

Village Haus

California Adventure

Cocina Cucamonga Mexican Grill

Flo's V8 Cafe

Lucky Fortune Cookery

Smokejumpers Grill

Wine Country Trattoria

Dole Whip Float (various locations)

There are also some fantastic snacks to be enjoyed by all! The famous Dole Whip is dairy-free (although it is susceptible to cross-contamination with the vanilla soft-serve machine); the beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter are gluten/dairy/egg-free and vegan, Mickey pretzels are tree nut/peanut/dairy-free, and popcorn is vegan and gluten/dairy/egg-free. Erin McKenna's Bakery NYC in Disney Springs also serves a wide variety of allergy-friendly treats and is definitely worth the hype! There are plenty of other options out there to enjoy, and I am happy to help you find them. Comment below if you need assistance with finding an allergy-friendly restaurant or snack stop and we'll look for solutions together!

Disney World Dining Review - Epcot Food Part 2!

As part of an ongoing series of Disney reviews, today's post will cover the food experiences we gained on our most recent trip to Disney World. We will be discussing the dining options at my favorite park - Epcot! I try to add new locations to my itinerary each trip so that I can bring back a new report and keep the reviews fresh, however, this trip we had to repeat a favorite (Via Napoli) because it's a year-long craving that we can't kick! I'll report on our second experience at this location as well as a few new stops.

We arrived in Orlando on a Tuesday evening and knew we would be hungry so we booked a reservation at Tokyo Dining for Patrick's favorite: sushi. Tokyo Dining is located above the Mitsukoshi store in Japan and shares the space with Teppan Edo. Upon checking in at the hostess stand downstairs, we waited just five short minutes before being buzzed in for seating. We were placed at a table in the middle of the dining area with the perfect view of the sushi chefs. Many people rave about Tokyo Dining's view of Crescent Lake for IllumiNations but we were mostly excited to eat after a long day of traveling. The first thing we noticed is that our server bowed to us upon introduction; there is something very humbling about this kind of service and it was really unique to experience. We ordered sushi,  vegetable roll for myself and volcano roll for Patrick, which was delivered maybe 20-30 minutes after our order was taken. I felt the time was a little long for just a sushi order but I overheard a large group near us that was placing their order at the same time and several individuals had food allergies so I can understand and appreciate the care that Disney takes to accommodate such needs. I'll gladly wait an extra 10 minutes for my food if it means everyone leaves the restaurant healthy! The sushi itself was fresh and delicious; I couldn't finish my vegetable roll but our server insisted on treating us to a complimentary piece of ginger mousse cake for our honeymoon! Who can say 'no' to cake? Looking back, I get a little teary-eyed thinking about the gesture because it was the only pixie dust we witnessed on this trip.

Vegetable Roll

Volcano Roll

Ginger Mousse Cake

I've already mentioned Teppan Edo so this is an easy segue to the next Epcot dining experience. I booked Teppan Edo in secret because I wanted to surprise Patrick with an early birthday celebration. We checked in at the same hostess stand and again only waited about five minutes for our turn to be seated. Unfortunately the dining area for Teppan Edo is very cramped with several grills lined up in a small room and eight people crammed around a table. There is barely any room to scoot your chair back without bumping into the wall, which makes bathroom breaks a nightmare for anyone that needs to scoot past several tables. Thankfully, the food more than makes up for the atmosphere and we walked away from this meal with full tummies! The first thing I'll say about this teppanyaki experience is that it's probably not going to compare to what you've got locally; most teppanyaki restaurants drown the rice, noodles, and protein in teriyaki or some other sugary sauce and Teppan Edo does not. Additionally, Teppan Edo is pretty light on the carbs and opts to give a lot more green veggies than you might otherwise see at an Americanized location. If you can appreciate a 'lighter' (read: healthier) teppanyaki experience then you'll definitely enjoy this meal!

Teppan Edo

Let's shift gears to a different meal: breakfast. If you're anything like us, then you probably plan most breakfasts in the room because it's cheaper to pack/buy a box of granola bars than to eat out every morning. We mostly stuck to that same routine on this trip except I had heard so many great things about Les Halles Boulangerie-Patisserie and finally needed to put it to my own test. The awesome thing about this bakery is that it opens earlier than the rest of World Showcase so it's a great little place to visit between 9am and 11am when the crowds are light. We snagged some great photos of the Flower & Garden Festival topiaries as a result of this plan! The variety of options inside the bakery are endless - there are savory sandwiches, chocolate, fruit, cheese, custard, and the list goes on and on. We selected three items to share, which was definitely more than we needed for breakfast but soooo worth it! We had the Brie aux Pommes, Roule Lard and Fromage, and the Duo. The Roule Lard and Fromage was definitely the best item on our tray but the Brie aux Pommes was a close second! The Duo was also pretty tasty but a little too sweet for our morning meal preference.

Clockwise from top: Duo, Roule Lard and Fromage, Brie aux Pommes

And finally, our trip to Disney World wouldn't be complete without a stop at Via Napoli. We've reported on this restaurant before and nothing has changed from then to now. We ordered the arancini and a full quattro formaggi pizza to share, as well as an order of garlic bread knots. It was still too much food but the best end to our trip and a cherished experience. I think Via Napoli will be a must-do meal for us every vacation!

Epcot remains our favorite park largely because of the culinary options but also because of the cultural experiences and educational opportunities. We look forward to trying many more Epcot restaurants on future trips!

Flower & Garden Festival Plan of Attack

Epcot's Flower and Garden Festival (F&G) just happens to be my most favorite event at Disney World. I've only been to F&G once before and was inadequately prepared, to say the least. Although many people would consider it to be the younger sibling to Epcot's Food and Wine Festival (F&W) in the fall, it still has its merits and should be given proper consideration.

Just a couple of reasons to visit F&G:

1. Low crowds: avoid spring break, Easter, and Memorial Day but the rest of the dates are golden!
2. Mild weather: less heat, lower humidity - overall better weather than summer and even fall!
3. Family fun and education: F&W is still fun, but the seminars and learning activities are somewhat more adult-themed. F&G offers tons of gardening seminars and facts, a play area for kids, and a butterfly house!
4. Food: there are specialty kiosks set up around World Showcase and offer food that is often only available during F&G. While the total number of food kiosks is less than F&W, I would argue that the quality of the food is a little better.

Once we decided on a date to visit Disney World this year, I realized that I had to bring my "A" game to be prepared for F&G. The entirety of our trip is planned around this festival and I can't wait to see how much more I can enjoy this go 'round! 

Location

Our resort for this trip is Boardwalk Inn. It's a short walk to the International Gateway and will offer prime access to the festival while also allowing us to shut the park down at night and quickly escape to our room. If you want to know how you can make the most of your visit to F&G, just take a look at the Epcot resort area map:

(map courtesy of Robo from disboards forums)

Epcot's World Showcase is displayed in the upper right corner of the map with the Epcot International Gateway prominently marked. Crescent Lake is positioned to the left of the park with three deluxe Disney resorts surrounding it: Yacht Club, Beach Club, and Boardwalk Inn. Slightly farther to the left is Swan & Dolphin, which are both only part-owned by Disney and do not offer amenities such as MagicBand usage. However, these properties are typically MUCH more affordable than any Disney deluxe resort and they are amazingly themed with an abundance of dining options! There are several pros and cons to weigh when staying at Swan or Dolphin but they are certainly contenders as far as location to Epcot is concerned. 

The best part about being close to the International Gateway entrance is that it puts you right in the middle of the F&G action - wedged between the UK and France pavilions, the entrance provides immediate access to Les Halles Boulangerie Patisserie in France which opens at 9am for breakfast instead of the World Showcase standard of 11am. We definitely intend to make at least one stop at this location for breakfast! Also, there are lots of tours and seminars available during F&G. One of the free tours offered is for the English Tea Garden but it requires an early sign-up at the Tea Caddy Shop in the UK pavilion. We plan to make this a priority for our full Epcot day!

Budget

Arguably the most important part of any vacation is to determine exactly how much to spend. We've discussed this a bit with the resorts located near Epcot, but sometimes it's a difficult choice to spend extra on the resort and sacrifice a few dining reservations or settle for a moderate/value resort and allot extra transportation time to the parks. For us, the answer was clear because location was the most important factor for this trip. But the great thing about life is that we all have different priorities and preferences! You will have a great time at F&G regardless of your budget.

Dining

There are two approaches to food at F&G: schedule dining reservations and sample just a few F&G food kiosk items or forego the reservations and snack all day at the kiosks. From my experience in multiple Disney forums and groups, most families opt for the second option but there isn't a right or wrong answer! This is the one detail of our trip that brings me the most anxiety because we are a foodie couple and we want to try everything. In order to limit our indulgences, I've schedule three days at Epcot to spread out the fun and also scheduled (for the most part) just one dining reservation per day to help us slow down a bit. It's always nice to get out of the crowd for an hour or two and a dining reservation is a good way to escape. 

The easiest way to decide which option to pursue is to take a look at the F&G food kiosk options and determine how many items will interest you and your family. Don't be afraid to prioritize selections into a Good/Better/Best list to keep track of how interesting each menu looks. The 40 food and drink items on our list are divided among the three days we have scheduled at Epcot so that we can rush to the kiosks that are most interesting and save the less interesting options for another day.

The map above is my own personal creation - click to zoom in if you like. I've taken the current Epcot park map for F&G and highlighted the food kiosk locations around World Showcase. Next, I typed up the items we want to try from each kiosk along with the priority/day (1, 2, or 3) of when to try them. This map corresponds with my touring plan for the park and will hopefully help us to stay organized. This is A LOT of food so we are planning to order just one of each item to share until we determine our favorites.

There's plenty of inspiration out there to get excited about F&G! If you're still on-the-fence about visiting Disney World at this time of year, check out a few vlogs on YouTube for a lively approach, read reviews on Disney Food Blog, or join a Disney forum (disboards) to interact with other fans.

It's time to start packing but I'll leave you with a few of my favorite pictures from the last F&G I attended in 2015!

Frushi from Hanami in Japan

Lion King topiary

Beijing-style Candied Strawberries from Lotus House in China

I've heard Captain Hook is no longer on display this year :(

Universal Orlando Dining Review

Universal is foodie paradise in many ways - City Walk is especially important for this reason because it has something for everyone! Our time at Universal spanned just three days so I think it's best if I put all of our dining experiences in one post. This will be a mix of resort, City Walk, and park food but I'll present the dining experiences in that order to keep things organized.

We only enjoyed one meal at our resort (Cabana Bay) but it was pretty decent for what I would consider "food court" food. If you haven't experienced Bayliner Diner, it's a multi-counter venue with a different theme to each option. In this case, we chose the burger and sandwich counter because it was the least busy.

Chicken Strips and Fries

Baja Chicken Sandwich and Fries

I'm pretty certain the young lady behind the counter gave me too many chicken strips but she really didn't seem bothered by food service policy at the time. As you can probably tell, these meals are somewhat standard fare for a quick option and it definitely filled us up. The price isn't bad either - about $20 for both meals and two drinks. The best part about Bayliner Diner isn't the food, though; the dining area has several large screens playing clips from old tv shows and movies which totally matches the theme of Cabana Bay and emits a sense of nostalgia. 

Another important point about Cabana Bay - I previously mentioned the amazing pool drinks from Hideaway Bar & Grill in this post and I'm ecstatic to let everyone know that the souvenir cups are now provided with lids so that they can be taken in the pool or lazy river! This was a major game-changer for me because I hated spending $10 on a drink and then leaving it at the table when I wanted to swim.

There are so many dining options at City Walk that you'll probably need to take a look at the options first to decide where to go. For this trip, we decided to try two new restaurants and we weren't disappointed at all! First up, Cowfish. It may have a funny name but the food is really delicious - it's a burger/sushi fusion with a fun theme and great curb appeal. The views from the balcony are pretty great as you can see both Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure from its perch. 

California Roll

Black Truffle Cheeseburger

The Cowfish Has Officially Left the Building Burger

We started our meal pretty safe with a California Roll (Patrick is the sushi master, not me) and it was better than average. I have to admit that this trip was a little unfair on the sushi side of things because nothing can live up to the standard of Disney's California Grill. Our entrees are where things got a little crazy - Patrick selected the Black Truffle Cheeseburger which is a beef patty with black truffle cheese, roasted shallots, sauteed mushrooms, and roasted garlic aioli. I ordered The Cowfish Has Officially Left the Building Burger and if you know anything about Elvis then you're probably aware that the King of Rock n Roll loved his peanut butter and bananas - which is exactly what adorned my beef patty. It was surprisingly delicious!! If you are an adventurous eater and you can take some weird toppings on your burger then you should definitely look at the Cowfish menu and consider it for your next trip!

Marshmallow Crisp Milkshake

Gimme More S'more Shake

A major theme for desserts on City Walk is the colossal milkshake - you'll see more of these in the next review (scroll down for a spoiler!) We enjoyed these huge shakes but they were a little too much for a post-meal treat.

Our other City Walk selection was the brand-new Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen (try saying that five times fast!) We were quoted an hour wait but it only took about 10 minutes to get seated on the patio. Please take this review lightly because we visited Toothsome in its first week open and I'm sure they've made improvements since our visit.

If you opt to sit outside, make sure to at least walk indoors to take a gander at the theme and decorations. I'm a fan of anything related to steampunk so this place totally tickled my funny bone. It's really awe-inspiring! I followed the construction on this restaurant really closely and I still can't believe it's finished. They made a remarkable amount of progressive in what I thought was a short amount of time.

We weren't very hungry when we sat down for a late lunch at Toothsome but we ordered an appetizer, entrees, and dessert anyway because - duh - it's Toothsome.

Kettle Chip Nachos

We started with the kettle chip nachos, which could have easily fed four or five people. We didn't finish the plate but they were a great start to our meal and the homemade chips were salty and crisp. 

Croque Monsieur

Reuben

We took the entrees easy with two selections from the sandwich menu. The Croque Monsieur is not something that can be found at your local deli so I try to order it whenever possible (ham and Gruyere cheese topped with bechamel sauce). It was so rich that I couldn't eat the whole sandwich in one sitting but it was just as good warmed up in the hotel room later that night! Patrick is a fan of the Reuben, in general, and he said that Toothsome's rendition was worthy of ordering again. It was loaded with corned beef, Swiss cheese, red cabbage, and 1000 Island dressing which is just the way he likes it.

Heavenly Hazelnut

Cinnamon Fantasy

The real draw at Toothsome is their milkshakes - in fact, they've started a major trend in Orlando with these over-the-top concoctions! I don't think it's possible to go wrong with any selection, but we settled on the Heavenly Hazelnut (think, Nutella) and Cinnamon Fantasy. Again, both shakes were too much for us to finish after such a big meal but we definitely appreciated the presentation and the souvenir mugs.

Finally - Universal park food. I've saved the best for last! The quick service options are nothing to write home about but the Wizarding World of Harry Potter has the BEST signature drink ...do I really have to tell you? Butterbeer. I would drink in a mug, on a rug, wrestle a thug, then take a chug...you get the idea. It's amazing and I will forever hold this drink sacred in my heart.

Cold (not frozen) butterbeer and butterbeer ice cream

And last, but never ever least, is Mythos. A trip to Islands of Adventure is not complete until I've had a meal at Mythos and I will probably keep that tradition the rest of my life. There is a reason it's consistently voted one of the best theme park restaurants and if you have a meal here then you'll understand what I mean! 

Spanakopita Dip with Pita Chips

Falafel Burger

Gnocchi Bolognese

We started with the Spanakopita dip with pita chips - it looks like a lot of food but we devoured it in a matter of minutes! I was truly expecting to be on-the-fence about this appetizer but it blew me away and I instantly wanted more. I think I've talked about my love of falafel enough already, but I couldn't walk away from Mythos without trying their falafel burger - O.M.G. It's ruined me for regular burgers the rest of my life! The feta-olive aioli on the side was absolutely divine and there was enough to spread on my burger as well as my fries. Patrick didn't stop talking about the Gnocchi Bolognese for days. He was truly enamored with this dish and said the flavor was out of this world! Cowfish and Toothsome were pretty great but Mythos is definitely the best dining option on Universal property. 10/10 would make myself look like a glutton all day every day again and again

So there you have it - our indulgences from Universal and its associated properties. We won't be fitting Universal into our next Orlando itinerary but I'll continue to drool over these pictures until our return (which I hope is sooner than later!) 

Disney World Dining Review - Animal Kingdom Food!

It's a sad day when we've reached the end of the Disney parks food reviews, but I assure you we are stopping on a high note! And there is still Disney Springs and Universal food to share so be sure to stick around for those!

Animal Kingdom is magical. There's something special about a park that is literally its own living, breathing organism. I love being surrounded by nature and especially animals. Oh, and food :)

There are plenty of unique dining options at Animal Kingdom with some of the finest restaurant and quick service themes in all of Disney World property. We didn't make it to Tiffins on the last trip but it's certainly on the list and I would really love to hear your comments and reviews if you've been there! 

Our Animal Kingdom day started with a hearty lunch at Yak & Yeti. This location, similar to Rainforest Cafe, is not wholly owned by Disney and can sometimes offer promotions and accept third party gift cards. If you're active in an employee recognition program at work, check to see if Yak & Yeti is an option for redeemable rewards. I've found that the program my employer uses offers gift cards starting at $25 and it's something I'll be sure to use on future visits!

Wok-Fried Green Beans at Yak & Yeti

We love all Asian food and this Americanized restaurant did not disappoint. We started with the Wok-Fried Green Beans served with Thai chili dipping sauce. The green beans were perfectly crispy and I wish I had the recipe for the dipping sauce because it was fantastic! The portion is huge for two people and could easily feed three or more as an appetizer.

Boneless Rib Eye with Wasabi Mashed Potatoes/Veggies (off-menu item)

Patrick ordered the special of the day, which was a boneless rib eye with wasabi mashed potatoes and vegetables. This was a visually appealing dish but tasted even better than it looked! If we hadn't already experienced the steaks at Le Cellier then this plate probably would have ranked at the top of the list. The steak was cooked perfectly and the mashed potatoes had really great depth of flavor. Don't let the single scoop fool you, this was more mashed potatoes than one person could handle!

Crispy Honey Chicken

I am crazy about honey chicken and order it whenever it's an option on any menu. Yak & Yeti was no exception. The chicken had the perfect amount of sauce to give it a sticky texture, which is exactly how I prefer it. The carrots and sugar snap peas were a little crunchy for my liking but they were a great accompaniment and added a fair amount of freshness to the dish.

Garlic Noodles

Honestly, we were just curious about the garlic noodles so I ordered them as a side. I had no idea that it would be enough food for four people! This side dish was delicious and had wonderful flavor. I could easily eat these noodles every day for the rest of my life.

Yak & Yeti also has a quick service option, which is super convenient for families in a hurry. I have not heard any complaints regarding quality from one location over the other. If you like Americanized Asian food, give this place a try!

We didn't snack much in Animal Kingdom because it was a humid, hot day and nothing really caught our eye but Tamu Tamu Refreshments is a fantastic place to stop for a Dole Whip (with or without rum) and my favorite chocolate-covered espresso beans! Make a stop here before heading over for the Lion King show if you'd like to take a snack into the auditorium with you.

With such a big lunch, we decided to go easy on dinner and picked Pizzafari. This quick service option has recently changed up its menu from standard pizza to flatbreads, which has been met with mixed reviews. We didn't have high expectations but this place really blew us away! First of all, the service was excellent; the cashier noticed our "Just Engaged" pins and struck up a lively conversation with genuine interest. He then offered to carry our tray to the dining room, which was a very thoughtful and kind gesture. Take a look at what we ordered:

Mediterranean Flatbread

Meatball Sub

Garlic Knots

Tiramisu and Tomato/Cucumber Salad

So we didn't really take it easy for dinner - our eyes were bigger than our stomachs! Patrick loved the Mediterranean Flatbread and said he would definitely be back to order it again someday. The Meatball Sub was pretty average but the garlic knots were an absolute winner! We didn't take the word "basket" seriously when we read the menu but six garlic knots was a bit too much for us. At $6.99, it would be a great addition to a family meal. The flatbread was served with a tomato and cucumber salad, which Patrick didn't enjoy, and the sub sandwich arrived with chips. I set these aside to be used as a snack on another day. We're major fans of tiramisu and Pizzafari's take on it was pretty tasty for a quick and cheap option. We probably won't order dessert again because the entrees are quite large on their own. While the food was better than most quick-service locations, it was the Pizzafari staff that won us over and we'll be back for sure!

On another note, I've heard nothing but great things about the dining options at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Jiko and Sanaa frequently receive rave reviews and we'll be planning to dine at one of these locations on our next trip. Check out the Jiko and Sanaa menus when you get a chance and let me know what you think!

Disney World Dining Review - Hollywood Studios Food!

I hate to admit that our day at Hollywood Studios did not boast any fantastic foodie finds but I'm eager to share what we ate, as well as a few tips for future trips!

For starters, there are a lot of great little kiosk choices at Hollywood Studios and plenty of counter service options. I'm in the minority when I say that I'm less than impressed by some of the table service restaurants (I'm looking at you, Sci-Fi Dine-In) but I'm not going to spend time on this blog telling you to avoid these places because I fully believe that each person should make that determination on their own. So what do I do for food when I'm at Hollywood Studios? Well, PizzeRizzo wasn't open for our September trip but I'll definitely be trying it when we're back next May! Typically, we focus on snacks and light meals. We don't make any dining reservations at Hollywood Studios anymore but I'm hoping that will change with some great new additions in the Star Wars and Toy Story expansions.

Carrot Cake Cookie

The Carrot Cake Cookie has a huge following among Disney foodies and I think Disney must realize its appeal because they've managed to keep it in the bakeries even through the construction at Hollywood Studios. It was primarily found at Writer's Stop but also moved over to Sweet Spells when its former home had to close down temporarily. It's exactly as it sounds - two slices of carrot cake surrounding an ooey gooey cream cheese frosting center. Sorry for the picture of the half-eaten portion, but it was too good to not devour immediately! The cake is super moist and I didn't notice any nuts or raisins for all you picky people out there. Also, we paid only $3.99 for this massive treat and it was easily shared between two adults. Give it a try!

Red Sangria at Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge

The Hollywood Brown Derby is easily considered the most chic place to dine in Hollywood Studios. It's sports old American charm paired with fantastic food and it has a lounge! The best part about Hollywood Brown Derby is that the main restaurant requires reservations but the outdoor lounge is walk-up and rarely full. We stopped by during peak lunch rush and easily found a table with quick service. I started with a Red Sangria, which was pretty standard as far as sangria is concerned, but it was very refreshing on a hot and muggy day.

Crispy Bites at Hollywood Brown Derby Lounge

The only drawback of the lounge is that it does not serve the full restaurant menu, but we didn't see any issues with their offerings. We primarily selected the lounge for convenience and because we wanted to try the famous Cobb Salad (see below), which IS offered at both locations. The Crispy Bites were selected as an appetizer and they were quite delicious. Parmesan goat cheese risotto sticks, fried Brie cheese, and corn/shrimp fritters with a host of dipping sauces made this savory starter a winner in our book!

The Famous Hollywood Brown Derby Cobb Salad

This salad is famous for two reasons: the original Hollywood Brown Derby is where it was created and it's incredibly delicious! The kitchen staff at Disney are more than accommodating of preferences so they will happily remove any topping upon request, but I think it's pretty amazing as-is. I prefer this salad because the lettuce is chopped and very easy to handle with a fork (no big chunks of iceberg lettuce to wrestle!)

Nachos and Pulled Pork Sliders at Min and Bill's Dockside Diner

Our dinner option was a little place called Min and Bill's Dockside Diner. It's a quick service location with only outdoor seating so beware on super hot days. The food was fairly lackluster and, for lack of a better term, DRY. The nachos could have used some queso and the sliders really needed a sauce. Also, the wait was incredibly long for what should have taken just a few moments to prepare but the kitchen seemed fairly under-staffed at the time of our visit.

The final stop of the day was the Star Wars Dessert Party. I debated whether to include this review here, but I think the relatively light options at Hollywood Studios warrants a little excitement. I'll end the suspense - the dessert party was amazing! We will definitely return to this option in the future because it not only offered delicious sweet treats, but there were beverages (including alcoholic options) and exclusive access to Stormtroopers and Jawas. There were also a few savory snacks on the dessert menu so there's something for everyone.

Beverages; alcoholic options reside with the bartender to the left (not pictured)

Frozen Fried Nutella

It seems like things are always changing at Hollywood Studios so I hope that means we will see more picture-worthy food options in the future!

Disney World Dining Review - Epcot Food!

Mediterranean Falafel Wrap - Tangierine Cafe

If you're a foodie and you've never been to Epcot, then you're in for a big surprise! Epcot is divided into two sections, Future World and World Showcase, but many families choose to spend most of their time in Future World where most of the attractions are located. World Showcase houses the 11 country pavilions arranged in a semi-circle around the Showcase Lagoon and is full of restaurants and shops. There are a couple of attractions (Gran Fiesta Tour in Mexico and Frozen Ever After in Norway) but it's mostly a cultural experience. This is actually what makes Epcot my favorite park! I love interacting with Cast Members from other countries and immersing myself in the environment. It doesn't hurt that there is plenty of alcohol in the area, as well ;-)

For this post, we'll be focusing on the standard Epcot food offerings and we'll save the Food & Wine Festival for separate post. I wish I could put them together but, trust me, it's just too much information to share at once! I'll be giving a review of four locations in this post but we dined at these places over the course of two days.

Via Napoli Ristorante e Pizzeria

This restaurant is usually referred to as just "Via Napoli" and was probably our most anticipated meal of the trip. We read a lot of reviews, most of which were positive. Every once in a while we would run across a negative review that basically summed the experience up like this: "I live in XYZ city and our pizza is so much better than this 'authentic' stuff." Something I try to do every time I visit a new place is forget what I'm accustomed to eating at home and keep an open mind. 

We already knew what we wanted to order because we had been salivating over the menu for months, and the food did not disappoint! We were slightly discouraged to wait for nearly 15 minutes even though we had a reservation but the service was otherwise impeccable. The wait staff offers water to start the meal and there are a couple of options: tap water, still water, and sparkling water with American and Italian versions of both the still and sparkling choices. We opted for the still Italian water. Next, we ordered the Arancini, which are fried risotto balls filled with mozzarella and meat ragu. Just take a look:

Arancini

It may look like a small appetizer but we were almost too full after eating just these risotto balls! There is extra sauce on the plate so you should definitely try to pour a little extra on top for extra flavor.

Via Napoli was our lunch option and we really should have kept our portions smaller but we were undecided on the pizza toppings and ultimately ordered a large pizza with 1/2 quattro formaggi (4-cheese) and 1/2 pepperoni. 

Large pizza: 1/2 quattro formaggi, 1/2 pepperoni

This was honestly the BEST pizza I have ever had. I can't even end that sentence with an exclamation point because I am so serious about this pizza. The crust is hand-tossed and wood-fired so it is slightly uneven and charred in some spots but, for me, that's perfect. I loved the slightly chewy crust on the bottom with the fresh tomato sauce and authentic toppings. You can even see the places where the slices of fresh mozzarella melted out of their circular shape. And the best part - this pizza is not greasy except for the natural release of fat from the cheese. The pepperoni was not like typical American offerings because it was much smaller and less fatty. Via Napoli deserves a 10/10 and has earned its place as my favorite restaurant on Disney property.

Le Cellier

The second signature meal of our trip was at Le Cellier located in the Canada pavilion. It is a steakhouse that is well-known for its filet, cheese soup, and poutine. That's right, poutine! While they don't offer the standard poutine, they have a signature dish with fries, Canadian cheddar, truffles, and red wine reduction that is ahhh-mazing. It was so good that we ate it without taking any pictures :-(

The restaurant is quite dim and the dining area is tiny. I was happy with our table because we had a partial booth in a corner with ample overhead lighting but the table next to us didn't have much room between our table and the table next to them and it was a challenge to get out of their seats at the end of the meal. The small size of the restaurant might make it seem more romantic but it mostly feels like we've all been ushered into a tornado drill and they offered us some great food to make up for the disturbance.

Le Cellier Filet Mignon

The filet mignon is what most people order when they visit Le Cellier; the AAA Canadian tenderloin is served on a bed of mushroom risotto with asparagus-tomato relish and truffle butter sauce. Patrick ordered this dish and thoroughly enjoyed it, although he would have preferred more asparagus on the plate. The steak was cooked perfectly and the mushroom risotto lived up to its hype.

Angus New York Strip

I ordered the Angus New York Strip, which is served with potato-turnip gratin, crispy paprika onions, and three peppercorn butter. I don't eat much steak at home but I will absolutely order this dish every time I visit Le Cellier! The gratin was creamy and delicious; I could barely taste the turnips. There were a lot of crispy onions on the steak, most of which I couldn't finish, but I ate nearly the entire steak and that's quite a feat. I like my steak medium-well and this cut of beef was just as juicy as Patrick's medium-rare filet. I have zero complaints about this dish.

While the food was perfect, the service was not. Our server could not answer my questions about a Pinot Noir on the menu and had to bring the bartender to the table (much, much later) to help me out. The recommendation was for the most expensive glass of wine they offered, which felt like more of an up-sell than an attempt to help me pick a wine that I would enjoy. Also, due to the limited space in the dining room, we had to wait 30-45 minutes beyond our reservation time to be seated. We will return to Le Cellier in the future but probably not on our next trip. 

Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe

SNACK STOP! The bakery in the Norway pavilion is a must-do for many Disney travelers. I've been there before but I had never tried the famous School Bread. I know the name doesn't give much away, but this pastry is anything but basic. 

School Bread

The menu says it's a "sweet cardamom bun filled with vanilla creme custard and topped with glazed and toasted coconut" ...but really all I am reading is "YUM". The bread itself is slightly sweet with the perfect amount of spice. The custard in the middle balances the flavors nicely and the toasted coconut adds extra texture to each bite. I will make a special stop at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe to order the School Bread on every trip!

Katsura Grill

Our second day at Epcot was mostly devoted to Food & Wine Festival but we wanted to try a couple of quick service options, as well, and decided to head to Katsura Grill for lunch. This restaurant is largely praised for its scenery because it is tucked behind another building in the Japan pavilion and is a quiet place to dine during most times of the day.

Top: Spicy Roll, Bottom: Veggie Roll

I'm still pretty new to the sushi game since I discovered vegetables rolls, but I think Katsura Grill delivers a pretty decent meal. We paid less than $20 for both rolls and two drinks, which is basically highway robbery at Disney. Patrick was a little more critical of his spicy roll and likened it to "upscale grocery store sushi" but I'm pretty sure that was the expectation when we chose to eat here. We plan to try Tokyo Dining at the Japan pavilion on our next trip so we'll have more sushi items to compare in the future.

Tangierine Cafe

I'm going to end this post with the restaurant that broke my heart. I love falafel and was really looking forward to Tangierine Cafe, especially since I had heard some pretty great reviews. We decided to make a stop at this restaurant for dinner and I quickly realized that I must be a serious falafel snob because my meal (picture at top of post) did not come close to my expectations. 

Mediterranean Chicken Wrap

We both ordered wraps with lentils and couscous on the side, but Patrick picked the chicken while I opted for the falafel. Neither of us were impressed. The lentils and couscous both had great flavor but the couscous had raw chunks of peppers that were slightly off-putting. As you can see from the picture of the chicken wrap, there was a lot of lettuce but not much meat. Patrick is a proud carnivore and would have been happier with a bit more chicken and sauce. The falafel was pretty big so I don't think my wrap had any issues with too much lettuce but it was very dry and I would have preferred more tzaziki sauce or hummus.

The food wasn't great but the service was excellent. While waiting for our meal, I met a very friendly man that struggled to speak in complete English sentences but was eager to practice conversation. I enjoyed spending several minutes with him and hope he learned as much from me as I learned from him. These are the moments in World Showcase that make Epcot so special.

Overall, our days at Epcot were fantastic. We enjoyed the table service meals and will visit Via Napoli and Le Cellier on future trips. Katsura Grill was an average quick service option and Tangierine Cafe didn't meet our expectations so we'll probably try new quick service locations next time.