MissyPrissy
Mouseketeer
- Joined
- Aug 6, 2006
Okay on to the next chapter of Disney Dining!! We woke up late...again...and so did not have breakfast before we went to Animal Kingdom. We thought we could stop at Tusker House once we got into the park b/c they DO serve breakfast! (Note to anyone who wants to avoid arguing with their significant other while at WDW...EAT BEFORE YOU LEAVE YOUR RESORT!!!) It was SWELTERING this day and just grody humid. We went to Tusker House right away and found that they were NOT serving breakfast until 9:30. It was 8:45. I don't think that the park was even officially open yet! So we decide to go ride some stuff and then come back. Well it didn't happen that way and after many wrong turns and getting lost several times and some VERY un Disney language and a few tears...we found ourselves at Flame Tree BBQ. DH decided that for the sake of our marriage we would be eating there. Foot down. (It's SO cute when he thinks he is in charge!)
Okay So...we both had the Smoked Pork Sandwich. It came with baked beans and corn on the cob. I also had a bottle of water and the Frozen Lemonade for Dessert. DH had the Chocolate cake...of course...and he thinks I'M the one who doesn't try new things!!!
We both really liked the food. Even if we hadn't been starving to death, it would have been great! The baked beans were a little spicy-ish, but good. Corn on the Cob was a bit mushy, but still okay. DH of course loved his chocolate cake. The Frozen lemonade was great for the hot day! I will say that if you are looking for a place to eat out of the weather, do not go here as all the seating is outside. (Oh and they also do not have straws or lids for soda cups as they can harm the animals...some moms seemed very annoyed at this, so plan ahead if you have little ones who tend to spill!) Also be forewarned, you WILL be stalked by very insistent DUCKS! They are like ill trained dogs who are begging at the table! I would think a duck would get a VERY upset tummy if they ate BBQ anything...a bit more spicey than grass and other...duck food. One duck plopped his feathery little bum down at my feet and made very quiet quack noises. He took off in a hurry though when my husband arrived at the table!
Overall this food really hits the spot. Especially if a you are a BBQ fan.
Our next report worthy meal was Artist Point!! I was SO EXCITED for this ADR. I had heard such wonderful things about it...and it did NOT disappoint! This was our "date" night while we were at Disney! DH got all spiffed up...even SHAVED...put on cologne...too cute! He even spent a half hour trying to get a knot out of the chain of a necklace I wanted to wear(got all tangled on the flight)...he was very cute about it!! Anyhow...after I found the heels that went with my very cute skirt we were off!! We arrived at WL early (after bumping into some people that DH treats at his practice in NEW JERSEY...small world much?!) and walked around for a bit. We decided to check in a little early and we would wait in the bar, but they seated us as soon as we checked in. We had a lovely table next to a window and our menus said "Congratulations on your honeymoon" on the bottom!!! Very nice!!
Our waiter brought us some very good bread and we ordered some wonderful Willamette Valley white wine along with our appetizers...I got the Smoky Portobello Soup (with Roasted Shiitakes and Chive Oil). This soup was absolutely fantastic. I grew up on Campbells Cream of Mushroom soup...the Smoky Portobello blew that out of the water!! Amazing...
DH had the Crispy Venison Rolls. He said they were good. I took his word for it!
Now as this is a review of the overall dining experience I feel I must report this next bit. About half way through our appetizers, a very large group arrived. About four sets of parents and nearly 10 kids, (all looked well scrubbed and dressed in their best)...probably between the ages of 2 and 11-ish. They were seated at a very large table in the middle of the room, right near us. The parents immediately went to one end of the table and shooed the kids to the other end. There is one word to describe this scene...BEDLAM. Four of the boys all dashed for the same chair. The one that got the chair was promptly pulled out of the chair. He started HOWLING. The other three boys continued to fight over that chair until it got knocked over...KNOCKED OVER. That chair hit a little girl that was sitting next to it so she started screaming, the boys were shouting and there were cries of "MOMMY I WANT THAT CHAIR". The noise was unbelieveable. My husband and I couldn't hear each other across the table. The parents did absolutely NOTHING. They were looking on with bemused expressions and one woman kept rolling her eyes at her boys as if to say "Oh boys...how silly of you..." The wait staff was standing around looking shocked and unsure of how to handle the situation. It was clearly a time for the parents to step in. Finally one of the "dads" got up and righted the chair. The boys all found a place to sit...the noise didn't lessen at all. One loud little boy kept screeching to his mother "WHAT CAN KIDS EAT HERE AT THIS STUPID PLACE?!" He said this about 10 times in a row until another child told him to shut up. These kids didn't talk, they shouted and screeched. The adults just ignored them...they were discussing how much wine they could drink b/c of the free dining. One by one all the tables around the chaos were asking to be reseated. DH and I were the fourth couple to be reseated. The wait staff was very apologetic. At least one of the parents at that table had the sense to look a little embarrassed as she realized that people were picking up their drinks and half finished food and moving away from THEIR table. Not one table around the noise stayed in that section of the restaurant. They were totally alone when all was said and done.
Now I understand that WDW is a place for families. I understand that kids make noise and they forget to use indoor voices sometimes...My DH has two kids, we both work with kids, but COME ON. There is a line. Those children were so beyond out of control it was disgusting. They continued to shout and scream until one of the waiters actually took it upon himself to ask the children to please use indoor voices. Finally one of the Dads got up and told the kids to "QUIET DOWN", but the evening continued to be punctuated with "DON'T!" "STOP THAHT" "MOMMY!!!! HE TOOK MY NAPKIN"...followed by a furious "SHHHHHHHHH" from the whole table which then became a game... one child would shout and then they'd all hiss SHHHHHHHHHH and laugh hysterically.
The manager came to each table that was moved and apologized for the noise, as did our waiter several times. He said that there was an inordinate amount of people coming to AP that didn't seem to be used to "signature" dining etiquette. He was sort of joking...but not really. So please people, if you are going to take your kids to a place that is more formal than other dining options at Disney, make sure they are well behaved and reasonably quiet. We are all here to enjoy...lets not allow your enjoyment to trample on everyone elses good time. No matter what you may think your kids are not the center of the universe and they don't have the right to be rowdy just b/c it's Disney. (which is what we kept hearing..."It's Disney Bob, leave them alone" )
Anyhow, public service announcement over...flame suit firmly in place...on to the next course!
We both ordered the Hatfield Pork Chop (on Tillamook Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Maytag Crust) It was the most heavenly bit of food I've ever had the pleasure to eat. It was perfect. The Tillmook Mac and Cheese was to die for!!! The whole meal was cooked to perfection. Even the noise was drowned out by this wonderful food!!! FABULOUS!!!!
I had been making it a point to order something different from DH most of the time so we'd be able to try a bit of everything, but that just didn't happen on this night. We both ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Truffle Cake with Soarin' Honey-Blood Orange Coulis. (sorry the pic is a little dark) It was beyond any chocolate experience I've ever had. I wasn't so sure about the blood orange coulis, but it was wonderful! I wasn't overly fond of the marshmellow addition, but it was okay.
The only little hiccup with this is that when I took a bite, I bit into what I thought was a walnut but I wasn't sure. The menu didn't say there were walnuts in the cake. I am allergic to walnuts and pecans. Very allergic. DH called the waiter over and asked the waiter if there were walnuts in the cake. He wasn't sure but when he heard that I was allergic to walnuts there was a sudden flurry of activity. He took my plate immediately. Suddenly the manager was at the table with the Chef in tow!! The Chef told me that the crust was a hazelnut brittle and had no walnuts. He wanted to know if I had any problems with hazelnuts or hazelnut oils. They both seemed quite concerned. I assured them that I was fine with hazelnuts and I had been pretty sure right away that they were not walnuts as I had not started wheezing! The Chef commented that the kitchen should have been told before hand that I had a nut allergy. (They DID ask when we arrived) But I think that all the chaos may have interfered with message relays...perhaps they couldn't hear very well in the kitchen either! I really appreciated their concern though. Another little Disney touch!! The chef asked if I would like a different dessert. I told him no, the chocolate cake would be fine. At that point though it had gotten late and we wanted to make Wishes at MK, so they wrapped up my cake for us to take home!! DH and I shared his cake. (the slice is HUGE, he'd have been sick had he tried to eat the whole thing!)We actually ended up seeing Wishes from the boat from WL to MK...even though we couldn't hear the music, it was a wonderful way to end the evening. The boat captain ask if would be okay with everyone to stop the boat so that we could get a good view of the fireworks! I love Wishes!!!
Overall, the food at Artist Point is world class. The wait staff is wonderful and very attentive. They try to accommodate everyone...*ahem* and make it a point to continue to check on your comfort throughout the meal. I would suggest Artist Point as a MUST DO over every other place WDW!!! Even with all the chaos, we loved every second of our meal!!! Don't miss it!!!
Up next Part IV--Eating at MGM!!!
Okay So...we both had the Smoked Pork Sandwich. It came with baked beans and corn on the cob. I also had a bottle of water and the Frozen Lemonade for Dessert. DH had the Chocolate cake...of course...and he thinks I'M the one who doesn't try new things!!!
We both really liked the food. Even if we hadn't been starving to death, it would have been great! The baked beans were a little spicy-ish, but good. Corn on the Cob was a bit mushy, but still okay. DH of course loved his chocolate cake. The Frozen lemonade was great for the hot day! I will say that if you are looking for a place to eat out of the weather, do not go here as all the seating is outside. (Oh and they also do not have straws or lids for soda cups as they can harm the animals...some moms seemed very annoyed at this, so plan ahead if you have little ones who tend to spill!) Also be forewarned, you WILL be stalked by very insistent DUCKS! They are like ill trained dogs who are begging at the table! I would think a duck would get a VERY upset tummy if they ate BBQ anything...a bit more spicey than grass and other...duck food. One duck plopped his feathery little bum down at my feet and made very quiet quack noises. He took off in a hurry though when my husband arrived at the table!
Overall this food really hits the spot. Especially if a you are a BBQ fan.
Our next report worthy meal was Artist Point!! I was SO EXCITED for this ADR. I had heard such wonderful things about it...and it did NOT disappoint! This was our "date" night while we were at Disney! DH got all spiffed up...even SHAVED...put on cologne...too cute! He even spent a half hour trying to get a knot out of the chain of a necklace I wanted to wear(got all tangled on the flight)...he was very cute about it!! Anyhow...after I found the heels that went with my very cute skirt we were off!! We arrived at WL early (after bumping into some people that DH treats at his practice in NEW JERSEY...small world much?!) and walked around for a bit. We decided to check in a little early and we would wait in the bar, but they seated us as soon as we checked in. We had a lovely table next to a window and our menus said "Congratulations on your honeymoon" on the bottom!!! Very nice!!
Our waiter brought us some very good bread and we ordered some wonderful Willamette Valley white wine along with our appetizers...I got the Smoky Portobello Soup (with Roasted Shiitakes and Chive Oil). This soup was absolutely fantastic. I grew up on Campbells Cream of Mushroom soup...the Smoky Portobello blew that out of the water!! Amazing...
DH had the Crispy Venison Rolls. He said they were good. I took his word for it!
Now as this is a review of the overall dining experience I feel I must report this next bit. About half way through our appetizers, a very large group arrived. About four sets of parents and nearly 10 kids, (all looked well scrubbed and dressed in their best)...probably between the ages of 2 and 11-ish. They were seated at a very large table in the middle of the room, right near us. The parents immediately went to one end of the table and shooed the kids to the other end. There is one word to describe this scene...BEDLAM. Four of the boys all dashed for the same chair. The one that got the chair was promptly pulled out of the chair. He started HOWLING. The other three boys continued to fight over that chair until it got knocked over...KNOCKED OVER. That chair hit a little girl that was sitting next to it so she started screaming, the boys were shouting and there were cries of "MOMMY I WANT THAT CHAIR". The noise was unbelieveable. My husband and I couldn't hear each other across the table. The parents did absolutely NOTHING. They were looking on with bemused expressions and one woman kept rolling her eyes at her boys as if to say "Oh boys...how silly of you..." The wait staff was standing around looking shocked and unsure of how to handle the situation. It was clearly a time for the parents to step in. Finally one of the "dads" got up and righted the chair. The boys all found a place to sit...the noise didn't lessen at all. One loud little boy kept screeching to his mother "WHAT CAN KIDS EAT HERE AT THIS STUPID PLACE?!" He said this about 10 times in a row until another child told him to shut up. These kids didn't talk, they shouted and screeched. The adults just ignored them...they were discussing how much wine they could drink b/c of the free dining. One by one all the tables around the chaos were asking to be reseated. DH and I were the fourth couple to be reseated. The wait staff was very apologetic. At least one of the parents at that table had the sense to look a little embarrassed as she realized that people were picking up their drinks and half finished food and moving away from THEIR table. Not one table around the noise stayed in that section of the restaurant. They were totally alone when all was said and done.
Now I understand that WDW is a place for families. I understand that kids make noise and they forget to use indoor voices sometimes...My DH has two kids, we both work with kids, but COME ON. There is a line. Those children were so beyond out of control it was disgusting. They continued to shout and scream until one of the waiters actually took it upon himself to ask the children to please use indoor voices. Finally one of the Dads got up and told the kids to "QUIET DOWN", but the evening continued to be punctuated with "DON'T!" "STOP THAHT" "MOMMY!!!! HE TOOK MY NAPKIN"...followed by a furious "SHHHHHHHHH" from the whole table which then became a game... one child would shout and then they'd all hiss SHHHHHHHHHH and laugh hysterically.
The manager came to each table that was moved and apologized for the noise, as did our waiter several times. He said that there was an inordinate amount of people coming to AP that didn't seem to be used to "signature" dining etiquette. He was sort of joking...but not really. So please people, if you are going to take your kids to a place that is more formal than other dining options at Disney, make sure they are well behaved and reasonably quiet. We are all here to enjoy...lets not allow your enjoyment to trample on everyone elses good time. No matter what you may think your kids are not the center of the universe and they don't have the right to be rowdy just b/c it's Disney. (which is what we kept hearing..."It's Disney Bob, leave them alone" )
Anyhow, public service announcement over...flame suit firmly in place...on to the next course!
We both ordered the Hatfield Pork Chop (on Tillamook Cheddar Mac & Cheese with Maytag Crust) It was the most heavenly bit of food I've ever had the pleasure to eat. It was perfect. The Tillmook Mac and Cheese was to die for!!! The whole meal was cooked to perfection. Even the noise was drowned out by this wonderful food!!! FABULOUS!!!!
I had been making it a point to order something different from DH most of the time so we'd be able to try a bit of everything, but that just didn't happen on this night. We both ordered the Valrhona Chocolate Truffle Cake with Soarin' Honey-Blood Orange Coulis. (sorry the pic is a little dark) It was beyond any chocolate experience I've ever had. I wasn't so sure about the blood orange coulis, but it was wonderful! I wasn't overly fond of the marshmellow addition, but it was okay.
The only little hiccup with this is that when I took a bite, I bit into what I thought was a walnut but I wasn't sure. The menu didn't say there were walnuts in the cake. I am allergic to walnuts and pecans. Very allergic. DH called the waiter over and asked the waiter if there were walnuts in the cake. He wasn't sure but when he heard that I was allergic to walnuts there was a sudden flurry of activity. He took my plate immediately. Suddenly the manager was at the table with the Chef in tow!! The Chef told me that the crust was a hazelnut brittle and had no walnuts. He wanted to know if I had any problems with hazelnuts or hazelnut oils. They both seemed quite concerned. I assured them that I was fine with hazelnuts and I had been pretty sure right away that they were not walnuts as I had not started wheezing! The Chef commented that the kitchen should have been told before hand that I had a nut allergy. (They DID ask when we arrived) But I think that all the chaos may have interfered with message relays...perhaps they couldn't hear very well in the kitchen either! I really appreciated their concern though. Another little Disney touch!! The chef asked if I would like a different dessert. I told him no, the chocolate cake would be fine. At that point though it had gotten late and we wanted to make Wishes at MK, so they wrapped up my cake for us to take home!! DH and I shared his cake. (the slice is HUGE, he'd have been sick had he tried to eat the whole thing!)We actually ended up seeing Wishes from the boat from WL to MK...even though we couldn't hear the music, it was a wonderful way to end the evening. The boat captain ask if would be okay with everyone to stop the boat so that we could get a good view of the fireworks! I love Wishes!!!
Overall, the food at Artist Point is world class. The wait staff is wonderful and very attentive. They try to accommodate everyone...*ahem* and make it a point to continue to check on your comfort throughout the meal. I would suggest Artist Point as a MUST DO over every other place WDW!!! Even with all the chaos, we loved every second of our meal!!! Don't miss it!!!
Up next Part IV--Eating at MGM!!!