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Reports and Reviews for Dining and Restaurants Trip Reports |
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16 Dec 13, 05:10 PM |
#211
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Guest
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Hollywood Brown Derby – Hollywood Studios
We almost always come here for an early lunch, but today we were using the Fantasmic Package and the earliest reservation I could get was 2pm, which meant we were eating a couple of hours later than usual. When we arrived we were shocked at how busy the check in area was. The lobby was loud and packed full and there were more people arriving by the minute. I get edgy in a noisy crowded atmosphere and I was getting worried we’d made a mistake. I’m used to enjoying a calm leisurely lunch at the Derby. Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait too long to be called to our table. I was relieved to see that although the restaurant was full it wasn’t hideously noisy, and I began to relax once settled in the relative privacy of our booth. I relaxed even more when my Cosmo arrived! As I said earlier we had the Fantasmic Package this time, so appetizers were included. I had the Crab Cake. Blue Lump Crab Cake - with Potato Crust, Green Cabbage Slaw, Cognac-Mustard Sauce. A small portion I thought, but it turned out to be quite rich. There were some good chunks of white meat in the crab cake and the shredded potato crust was golden and crispy. The slaw was refreshing and the mustardy dressing provided a tangy contrast. A chilled glass of Cakebread Cellars Chardonnay from the Napa Valley complemented my food nicely. I was happy! Paul had the Cobb Salad. He was not so happy... Brown Derby Cobb Salad - with Finely Chopped Greens, Turkey Breast, Egg, Bacon, Tomatoes, Crumbled Blue Cheese, Avocado, Chives and Cobb Dressing Paul has always said he’d never order the Cobb Salad, but his original choice turned out to have a chicken stock base. (Thank you Carlos for double checking with the Chef) He wasn’t sure what to pick so I encouraged him to give the iconic salad a go. Without the turkey and bacon obviously. Bad move, he hated it! Hated the baby food texture. Hated the deluge of dressing. Hated the “unnatural fluffynesss” of the eggs... I on the other hand, love BD’s Cobb Salad so it didn’t go to waste. After devouring two starters I’m pleased to report that I still had room for a main course. Pork Chop please! Sterling Silver Pork Chop - topped with Smoked Gouda and Apricot Preserve served over Napa Cabbage, Bacon and Potato Hash with Apple Cider Jus The pork chop was delicious, really tender and juicy, but the seasonings in the sauce were out of balance. Too much acidity created a sweet and sour flavour that I found jarring. It was OK, but I didn’t love it. What I did love though, was the glazed Gouda cheese and apricot topping on the pork chop. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy that even half as much as I did. Paul unsurprisingly, went for the Coconut Tofu dish. Unsurprisingly, he loved it! Noodle Bowl - with Wok-fried Coconut Tofu, Soy Beans, Sugar Snap Peas, Bok Choy, and Shiitake Mushrooms in a Red Curry Broth He never gets fed up with this spicy noodle dish and would be crushed if they ever took it off the menu. Time for dessert - I chose something chocolatey and Paul went with cheesecake. Chocolate Three Ways - Dark Almond-Buttermilk Cake Layered with Milk Chocolate Truffle Créme and White Chocolate Chambord Citrus Honey Nest filled with Candied Ginger Blueberries over a Lemon Cheesecake My Chocolate Three Ways was scrummy and satisfied my cocoa cravings, but Paul’s Cheesecake was the winner. The blueberries were bursting with flavour and the cheesecake was just the way we like it - not too sweet with an almost dry, dense texture. We’ve always enjoyed our meals at the Brown Derby and we’ll definitely be returning next time. I don’t think the Fantasmic Package particularly suits us though. The inclusion of an appetizer added value (especially for me) but the restaurant was much busier than we are used to and we were too tired that evening to make use of our Fantasmic passes anyway. Glad we tried it, but we prefer a quieter laid back lunch. Back to the tried and tested Plan A next time! |
17 Dec 13, 10:09 PM |
#212
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Imagineer
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Ok I'm going to be uncouth like Karen
Yummy, rubs tummy So interesting about hbd Cobb salad made veggie...I was thinking of ordering it, but following Paul's description I'm going to give the fluffy baby food and eggs and dressing a miss Also time to confess, I have never had a cosmopolitan. I need to rectify that! Keep it coming Su |
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17 Dec 13, 11:13 PM |
#213
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Imagineer
Join Date: Mar 04
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Except Ruth goes for not only uncouth, but also poet
Su, lovely review of HBD. Did you know they have an outside terrace now, for cocktail delectation?
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19 Dec 13, 09:45 AM |
#214
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Guest
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23 Dec 13, 12:44 AM |
#215
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Imagineer
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Oh wow you're back! I haven't been in here much lately either, but I'm glad I swung by for a peek. I've got a month to decide on 11 restaurants for next July
The Tokyo dining sushi combo looks right up my street! Yum!
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2011 - AKL/BCV ~ 2010 - VWL/SSR/BCV ~ 2009 - POP CENTURY ~ 2007 - VWL/BCV/SSR ~ 2006 - POP CENTURY ~ 2004 - LAKE BUENA VISTA SUITES |
23 Dec 13, 08:06 AM |
#216
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Imagineer
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Thanks for finishing off the report, better late than never Have you got any plans to return soon.
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2018 Vegas & San Diego 2017 Vegas/Arizona/Utah 2013 New York/Vegas/California 2010 California 2000 2004 2006 2008 2011 2015 Nov 24 in planning mode Florida 93 94 03 2023 DLP |
25 Feb 14, 06:12 PM |
#217
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Guest
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Artist Point – Wilderness Lodge
We don’t have a favourite server at Artist Point (well, not before tonight) so when we checked in our only request was to be seated at a table on the right hand side of the dining room, by the window. The restaurant is huge and the atmosphere seems a bit more intimate in this corner of the room. Our server Katy arrived with menus and asked if we had any questions. No thanks Katy. We’ve decided what we’re eating already! Didn’t stop us gazing at the menu for ages though, lest we miss out on something. Katy returned with a basket of warm sourdough bread and some butter sprinkled with black Hawaiian sea salt, along with our usual San Pellegrino. I knew I was having the Cedar Planked Salmon for dinner, so I went ahead and ordered a glass of the light fruity red wine I had enjoyed last time we were here. King Estate Pinot Noir, Oregon. I’ve always found the quality of the salmon served here to be first class. Fabulously fresh, firm and perfectly cooked to my taste - medium rare. Tonight was no exception. The light, slightly sweet lemon sauce and accompanying young vegetables were just divine. Perfection on a plate! Cedar Plank Roasted Wild King Salmon with Meyer Lemon Sauce, Confit Artichokes, Petit Zucchini, Fennel and Baby Carrots. The vegetarian option changes with the seasons at Artist Point. Paul was very pleased with this evening’s autumnal offering! House-made Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi with Heirloom Carrots, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Fresh Ricotta, English Peas and Sweet Corn Nage It was a savoury dish of pillowy soft, butter-burnished potato gnocchi sautéed together with fragrant Chanterelle mushrooms, fresh sweet peas, carrots and corn, dotted with dollops of creamy ricotta cheese... accompanied by lots of yummms. Dessert was an easy choice. The combination of chocolate, cherries, ice cream and more chocolate was irresistible. Chocolate Indulgence - Valhrona Chocolate Ganache with Salted Chocolate Ice Cream, Amarena Cherries and Dark Chocolate Crumble The flavours were fantastic but it was very, very rich. A cup of good strong coffee was needed to round things off. I’ve mentioned (moaned about) the coffee at Artist Point in the past. It’s never been very good. Tonight though it was excellent, so I’m guessing they’ve finally got themselves a new water filter system. Every single element of our evening at Artist Point was perfect tonight, helped along by our server Katy who was a little gem. We found her friendly, knowledgeable, always there when needed and chatty without being intrusive. We’ll ask for her on future visits, because we’ll definitely be returning. Maybe sooner than we think! |
25 Feb 14, 06:33 PM |
#218
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Guest
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Artist Point 2
Tonight we’d planned to eat at the Flying Fish, but stormy weather scuppered our plans once again. I love being on the Boardwalk on a warm balmy evening, but it’s not so much fun when it’s windy and pouring with rain. We wanted to enjoy the evening in a different setting now. Somewhere more suited to this wintry weather. Somewhere warm and comfy and cosy, with logs burning in huge fireplaces. Somewhere like Wilderness Lodge! We quickly switched our reservation from the Flying Fish to Artist Point. Our meal was so very good when we ate there last week. Hopefully it will be again! When we arrived at the restaurant there was a long queue to check in. The couple in front of us didn’t have a reservation and were actually turned away. Very unusual. The Territory Lounge was packed to the rafters too. Also unusual. Looks like we weren’t the only ones cosying up at the Lodge tonight! We scoured the room for an empty seat and managed secure a table just as a group were leaving. About ten minutes later a bubbly, slightly eccentric server made her way over to us. Paul ordered a Pellegrino (Wouldn’t you like a nice raspberry in it? No Thanks. Oh are you sure? Water is just so plain! I’m absolutely sure. Thanks. Well you let me know if you change your mind on that, honey. Errm Okay... ) and I asked for my usual tipple, a Cosmopolitan. I’ve never had a Maraschino cherry in a Cosmo before. Goodness knows what else was in it! I was tempted to send it back but could I see that the staff were overwhelmed with the unexpected crowd, and it actually tasted quite nice. It just wasn’t a Cosmo! Just as I finished the dregs of my mystery drink our buzzer went off and we left the busy lounge for an equally busy restaurant. I was happy and relieved to find that our requests to have Katy as our server and to be seated in our favourite dining area had both been met, especially as they were so full tonight. Katy welcomed us back with a big smile and pointed out a couple of changes to the menu since our last visit. She brought out our bread, butter and some water, then came back with a complementary cup of their signature smoky mushroom soup. Smokey Portobello Soup - with Roasted Shiitakes and Chive Oil A very kind gesture, but not one I imagined I was going to enjoy. I was already preparing to slip mine to Paul without even a sip. A tad ungrateful of me I know, but despite the rave reviews I’ve read about this infamous soup, I’d never in a million years order it for myself. I’m just too funny about mushrooms. I have an occasionally quite like, but usually detest the sight of, relationship with them. Depending on my mood. Paul persuaded me to be brave and at least try some. After all this soup is a Disney restaurant classic... (Payback for the Cobb Salad thing perhaps?) Well I’m so glad I did try it, because have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed every single drop. Yes it was mushroomy, but it didn’t have that earthy, in your face fungi flavour I find overpowering. It was velvety smooth and creamy and there was a distinct but delicate smoky undertone. Extra layers of deliciousness were provided by the garnish - a drizzle of fresh chive oil, a swirl of sour cream, crispy sourdough croutons and fine slivers of smoked, roasted shiitakes. Simply sublime. Consider me a convert! There was a new chicken dish on the menu tonight The description took my fancy immediately. Pan-seared all natural Airline Chicken with Pumpkin Fettuccini, Swiss Chard, Pumpkin Seed Pesto, Cranberry Jam and Pan Juices I don’t often choose pasta as I find it too filling and I tend to get bored with it after a few bites, but that was not the case tonight. Far from it. This pumpkin fettuccini was fabulous! The texture was light and silky soft and the flavour was amazingly good - rich, sweet and buttery, with a hint of those warm Thanksgiving-y type spices, like nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and ginger. The plump roasted chicken breast was topped with a herby pumpkin pesto and lots of nutty tasting, toasted pumpkin seeds, then dressed with the most delicious chicken gravy and some cranberry sauce. The faint bitterness of the Swiss Chard balanced out any sweet notes in the dish just perfectly. I really, really enjoyed this meal. It was full of comforting flavours and just perfect for my mood on this rainy night. A glass of fragrant Viognier from Kestrel Estates, Yakima Valley, Washington USA, completed my contentment. As for Paul - he was happy to have a second helping of the Potato Gnocchi dish he’d enjoyed so much last week. House-made Yukon Gold Potato Gnocchi with Heirloom Carrots, Chanterelle Mushrooms, Fresh Ricotta, English Peas and Sweet Corn Nage Somehow, we managed to resist the charms of the chocolate/cherry dessert we loved last time, in favour of something more traditional. Baked Apple Upside–Down Cake with Sweet-and-Sour Caramel Sauce and Brown Sugar Ice Cream This looked a bit too cakey for me but Paul was pleased with his choice. He likes a bit of cake! He really liked the brown sugar ice cream too. Sorry you can’t see it in the picture. It’s hiding under the crispy tuile biscuit. I went for another Artist Point classic - Berry Cobbler. Paul got a version of this dessert on a previous visit, but the Chef was experimenting with a new (disastrous) recipe at that time and we were terribly disappointed with it. We swore never to order it again. I found from reading more recent food reports though, that they’d junked the ‘experiment’ soon after. Things were back to normal so I was safe to give it another go. Artist Point Cobbler with Seasonal Berries and House-made Black Raspberry Ice Cream Ahhh... this was more like it! A hot delicious homely pudding, packed with heaps of dark, juicy, jammy berries, bubbling away beneath a buttery crumble. The topping of fresh ripe berries and the slightly tart black raspberry ice cream added a touch of sophistication. I promised Paul I’d save him half, but I struggled to save him a couple of small spoonfuls. That’s how good it was! Although the restaurant stayed busy for most of the evening, we didn’t feel rushed at all, quite the opposite in fact, we were encouraged to take our time. We relaxed for a bit longer with some coffee and as our meal was coming to a close Katy playfully presented Paul with a light-up Buzz Lightyear cup clip. Paul seemed delighted with his new toy. He’s still got the thing on his desk. Strange boy! So, as you can probably tell, we were very happy that we decided to come back to Artist Point tonight. The cosy ambience of the Lodge suited our mood perfectly, the food was once again excellent, and Katy was a little star! |
25 Feb 14, 06:45 PM |
#219
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Imagineer
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simply devine, looks delicious.
And Paul looks so chuffed... boys with their light up toys... |
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28 Feb 14, 08:03 PM |
#220
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Imagineer
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Ooo yummy! Artist Point looks great!
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WDW Feb 2007 Bahama Bay Beach Club/HRH/ Bella Piazza condo Oct 2010 New York April 2012 HRH and OKW August 2014. Boston, White Mts and Maine 2016 Planning for California Sept 2019 |
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