We hit town after a long drive down from our home in Tennessee and were able to get a res at The Boat House at Disney Springs and try this place we were so curious about. The result was a mixed bag and here's our analysis:
First, the place itself is truly beautiful with all the boat models and the "regatta room" section we were seated in at the back is even more clubby with the wood paneling decor. Our service was first rate from front desk to finale--no problems there at all.
We ordered appetizers and drinks and were VERY happy--the carpaccio (which I got because I'm a fan and saw the photo on the website) was just plain superb in every way--tender beef, nice caper quotient, fresh olive oil, cheese, arugula--the classic done proud with little toasts to help it along. The lump crab with half an avocado in a tangy tarragon remoulade was absolutely fresh and delicious--and between that and our drinks we were EAGER for the mains to arrive when....
...well, they were a bust. We ordered from the nightly specials--she the scallops and I the black grouper with a wonderful sauce...but both of the seafood cores of these dishes were WAY overcooked and dry--an unforgivable sin with seafood which, as my late friend and noted chef beyond his comedic talents Danny Kaye once told me a Chinese chef told him, "seafood should be warmed, not cooked." HERE is why I think this happened and a word to the wise about a big, bustling, high-capacity, many-tables-turned restaurant like this 450-seater at a theme park venue.......LACK OF PRACTICE: The starters (and desserts too, to come) they do all the time. The specials? Notsomuch. And while an exec creates them, clearly the folks here are not SUPERVISING the line cooks enough to make sure they arrive just right for the diners. IF we go back (and we still loved the rest of it) we'd perhaps make a dinner OF appetizers of various kinds and/or try some regular menu items for entrees--but never again try the "specials" since sadly Boat House proved to us they can't do either of the two we ordered right in the most basic of ways.
Anyhow, bummed out by that we moved on to dessert. Her blueberry cheesecake was good, my really amazingly well-done strawberry shortcake was better because the shortcake biscuit was just right--not overly sweet and NOT a soda biscuit but the perfect shortcake version we all remember from childhood IF mom or grandma could cook.
SO...again, a mixed bag experience--great service, drinks, starters, and finales but in the middle? A crime what they did to the scallops and fish. Damn shame. So it goes.
First, the place itself is truly beautiful with all the boat models and the "regatta room" section we were seated in at the back is even more clubby with the wood paneling decor. Our service was first rate from front desk to finale--no problems there at all.
We ordered appetizers and drinks and were VERY happy--the carpaccio (which I got because I'm a fan and saw the photo on the website) was just plain superb in every way--tender beef, nice caper quotient, fresh olive oil, cheese, arugula--the classic done proud with little toasts to help it along. The lump crab with half an avocado in a tangy tarragon remoulade was absolutely fresh and delicious--and between that and our drinks we were EAGER for the mains to arrive when....
...well, they were a bust. We ordered from the nightly specials--she the scallops and I the black grouper with a wonderful sauce...but both of the seafood cores of these dishes were WAY overcooked and dry--an unforgivable sin with seafood which, as my late friend and noted chef beyond his comedic talents Danny Kaye once told me a Chinese chef told him, "seafood should be warmed, not cooked." HERE is why I think this happened and a word to the wise about a big, bustling, high-capacity, many-tables-turned restaurant like this 450-seater at a theme park venue.......LACK OF PRACTICE: The starters (and desserts too, to come) they do all the time. The specials? Notsomuch. And while an exec creates them, clearly the folks here are not SUPERVISING the line cooks enough to make sure they arrive just right for the diners. IF we go back (and we still loved the rest of it) we'd perhaps make a dinner OF appetizers of various kinds and/or try some regular menu items for entrees--but never again try the "specials" since sadly Boat House proved to us they can't do either of the two we ordered right in the most basic of ways.
Anyhow, bummed out by that we moved on to dessert. Her blueberry cheesecake was good, my really amazingly well-done strawberry shortcake was better because the shortcake biscuit was just right--not overly sweet and NOT a soda biscuit but the perfect shortcake version we all remember from childhood IF mom or grandma could cook.
SO...again, a mixed bag experience--great service, drinks, starters, and finales but in the middle? A crime what they did to the scallops and fish. Damn shame. So it goes.
