Why do they discontinue menu favorites?

[franw]

Does anyone have absolute favorite menu items that you can't wait to have on your upcoming trip, just to find out that they discontinued it after YEARS of serving it? The worst ever was when they discontinued many favorite items at the Main St. Bakery. Anyone remember the wonderful lemon cake and seven layer chocolate cake. How about Aunt Selma's Salad at MGM's Prime Time Cafe. The servers always say they get thousands of complaints about missing items. Anyone had any luck at bringing anything back? Are they responsive to giving out recipes on the old favorites?

 

[Richyams]

I don't remember what Tony's Town Square restaruant was called back in the seventies and very early eighties. They had a Monte Christo sandwich. It was a deep fried ham and cheese, maybe turkey and cheese, maybe ham, turkey and cheese...well, it was dipped in a batter and deep fried. They gave you a bowl of strawberry currant jelly, it was really one of my favorite things ever.

Its been gone for a VERY long time.

 

[GoldenOldie]

There are several reasons why menu items disappear but the most frequent is the change of Head Chefs at each restaurant. Each new chef wants to put his or her own mark on the food. Usually the first step in doing that is trashing the existing menu that was assembled by the previous chef. Happens all the time in restaurants everywhere, not just at WDW.

 

[BCV23]

Richyams...it was the Town Square Cafe.

The pink leilani at the Polynesian is probably what we miss most. It was offered at Tangaroa Terrace, Coral Cafe and maybe even at Papeete Bay. A yummy strawberry breakfast beverage.

 

[Kitster]

The next time anyone visits Disneyland, be sure to eat at the Blue Bayou. They still serve a mean Monte Cristo for lunch. It's my favorite thing on their menu.

 

[Uncleromulus]

I guess the change of Chef's is the main reason. THo these days it's easy to keep track of what sells and what dosen't. Sometimes your (or my) favorites aren't that well liked by many.
Such as--the veal Ravioli appetizer at Citrico's!! I could hardly wait to order it in May when we ate there. But it was gone!!

 

[eeyore0062]

Could be one of several factors:
1) change of cuisine or restaurant...ie: Flaglers became Citricos
2) change of head chef... they do switch periodically, and new chefs like to put their own spin on things, and bring in their specialities, which may preclude something the other chef prepared.
3) popular menu items... what we like may not be popular, unfortunately, and they have to keep some sort of reign on the menu.

It is disappointing when you are looking forward to that special meal, though! That is why I really like being about to go to Deb's website and check the menus before deciding where to eat!

 

[Synonymous]

I was just complaining to my wife about this very thing. In February I had Tamarind Beef Filet at Contemporary and Cardamom Chocolate Drops at Jiko. Couldn't wait for both on our next trip and they're gone.

I was recently reading an article (somewhere) about the new chef taking over at Flying Fish. He came from another WDW restaurant, although I can't remember which. He talked about changing the menu. He mentioned that he couldn't get rid of the Potato-wrapped snapper because it was the restaurant's signature dish (he didn't sound too happy about it, either.)

 

[PrincessAurora]

"In February I had Tamarind Beef Filet at Contemporary and Cardamom Chocolate Drops at Jiko. Couldn't wait for both on our next trip and they're gone."


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Deep breath..)

The Cardamom Chocolate Purses won my personal "Best Dessert of the World 2001" award. They were INCREDIBLE!

I was sooooooo looking forward to them when I return next October.

I am broken hearted. Someone say it isn't so. Someone help deluded me get through the day. Maybe they will bring them back........

*sigh*

 

[eeyore0062]

Does anyone know if they still have the Sea Bass over Risotto and the mussells appetizer at Narcoosee's. I just LOVE them, and I really want to go back to Narcoosee's in October!

 

[beansmom]

Richyams

Bennigan's serves the Monte Cristo...with scrumptious raspberry jam and light dusted with powdered sugar.

Can't imagine why in this healthy, cholesterol conscious age that a restaurant would STOP serving a deep fried turkey, ham and cheese sandwich, can you?

 

[n2mm]

Franw...OMG, I loved Aunt Selma's Chicken salad at the 50s PT. I thought I was the only one. Everytime I go, I always say to my "sister" or "brother", "I see Aunt Selma hasn't come back from vacation yet."

Also loved the huge chef salad at the Plaza Restraurant (gone). The dumpings at Ohana's (gone) and the spring rolls (gone). The big bowl of salad you got at Boatwright's Dining Hall (gone). And Bonfamilles Restraurant (also gone). My choice of places to eat are getting less and less. I never complain, but do share my disappointment with the servers (knowing it's not their fault). Here's a biggie--the krispy kream donuts at the All Stars and the Moderates...gone, gone, gone, gone. Oh yeah, the Paralines at Dixie Landing (also gone--along with the name of the resort). Oh I long for the good old days.

 

[patsal]

I miss the Red Velvet Cake they used to have at the castle when it was King Stefan's Banquet Hall! I have never been able to find a Red Velvet Cake that matched it!

 

[slimplaw]

I also vote that changes are made when the Head Chef is changed. At the Biergarten, they had a Bee Sting Cake that was not listed on the menu. The chef had been out visiting tables one day and told us about the dessert. It was absolutely delicious. We had it in '98 and '99. When we went in 2000 it was gone and they had a new chef.