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Jon Self

Jon Self is an avid theme park fan. He has been writing and editing in the theme park media arena for several years. You can follow him at @pastorjonself on Twitter. Jon also writes for a few "foodie" sites and in the faith-based world for faithelement.net.

Disneyland Dining Update Arrives for Advance Reservations

News By August 9, 2023 Tags: , , , , , No Comments

Not long ago, Disney announced that the dining reservation systems at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort would receive an update. The Disneyland dining update to advanced dining reservations is rolling out, allowing guests to see more time options.

The main advantage of his Disneyland dining update revolves around seeing all the dining time slots available. This should make things easier for guests looking for a particular restaurant but have flexibility on time.

Before this, guests could only see a few reservation times pop up if they specified a specific time frame when searching for reservations. With the new update, guests see four timeslots as the default option. However, people can scroll to the right or hit the link for more time now. Depending on if you are using the Disneyland mobile app or a web browser determines what options you have to view more times. We found this very easy to use via both methods.

Disneyland dining update

We chose to search for advance dining reservations at Carthay Circle Lounge at Disneyland Resort. To start this process, we located that restaurant on the Disneyland mobile app. After that, we hit the link to see more times. At this point, we saw all the lunch and dinner times.

You can also “check dining availability.” We were asked to select our party size, date, and time desired when we did this.

Dsineyland dining update

You will be required to log in to search for dining reservations. When you select dining availability this way, you will see all available advance dining reservations for that time period. We found that guests might see up to four timeslots per restaurant based on availability this way. At this point, you should see a way to check for ALL times.

Advance Dining Reservation Options with Disneyland Dining Update

At this point, you should see all the advanced dining reservation options for the day selected for a particular restaurant. In addition, if some special dining events are happening at that restaurant, like Disney Princess Breakfast Adventure, you see those also. Once you select a specific reservation time, the Disney system will present you with an “Add Ons” page for items such as Celebration Cakes. You will also be asked about dietary and accessibility requests.

In order to complete an advance dining reservation, guests must enter their email and phone number. These are required for complete the reservation. A credit card number must be entered to make this dining reservation. As a result, be careful not to cancel the reservation if you change your mind or you will most likely be charged a fee for this error.

While making your advanced dining reservation, a ten-minute holding time will be placed on your attempt to reserve slot. if you wait or take more than ten minutes, you will need to start over. Ten minutes is plenty of time so do not let that concern you. However, if you get distracted by real life, your desired timeslot might disappear. Fortunately, you can set alerts on MouseDining.com, if this happens to you.

System Looks to Be Rolling Out Slowly

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Paddlefish Blackened Catfish Sandwich with a Surprise

General, Restaurant Reviews By January 31, 2023 Tags: , , , , , , , , , No Comments

Poor Paddlefish, you get overlooked so often. How can this happen? Your restaurant looks like a huge boat. This restaurant located in The Landing at Disney Springs often plays second fiddle to The Boathouse when it comes to seafood at Disney Springs. As Walt Disney World’s own website says, “Turn lunch or dinner into a unique occasion! Board an iconic steamboat anchored on Lake Buena Vista to feast on sensational seafood and savory steaks.” Despite that description, Paddlefish restaurant ranks slightly below average in terms of Disney Springs restaurants searched for. Yes, the competition will always be tough with 21 table-service dining options in Disney Springs currently. Still, this place offers some good options for your dining dollars. For example, during my October 2022 trip, I ordered the “Blackened Catfish Sandwich” at Paddlefish.

paddlefish

The catfish sandwich entree costs $18. This sandwich can only be bought during lunch hours here though. The standard lunch hours are from noon to 4 pm each day, The sandwich comes with a large portion of fries. The components of this sandwich qualify as simple. On a brioche bun, you receive lettuce, tomato, onion, and some remoulade sauce on top of the catfish.

paddlefish

As someone who grew up in Arkansas, I have enjoyed many catfish meals in my life. The catfish for this sandwich came well prepared. This type of fish blackens nicely. I found the seasoning to be solid. Yet, I would have preferred more seasoning of the catfish itself. The catfish offered a flaky texture without too much batter. The flavor overall of the catfish matches what one would expect at a table service restaurant.

The bun offered some additional positive flavor. However, this sandwich struggled to hold together. In addition, I failed to really taste the remoulade sauce included with this sandwich. After having the “Crab Topped Fries” as an appetizer, this condiment functioned in an understated way compared to the sauce with the appetizer. Maybe it is just me, but I expected remoulade sauce to announce its presence with authority.

As mentioned, the side of the fries provides plenty. The fries brought the right amount of crispiness. I found they lacked enough seasoning though. They also lowered in quality noticeably as you got near the bottom of the container.

Overall, I found this sandwich a reasonable lunch entrée at Disney Springs. I would order this again. Yet, I enjoy catfish. If you are not a catfish fan, then this might not appeal to you. However, if looking for a lighter style lunch, you should consider this sandwich.

However, my meal came with a special surprise. With some expected chicanery by my dining companion on the day, Tom from Vacationeers Podcast, our server, Sandra, brought me one of their New York-style cheesecakes. Tom qualifies as a large fan of cheesecake so we both enjoyed this dessert. This simple, but well-made, cheesecake comes with some whipped cream and fruit. The fruit tastes great. Of course, fruit just tastes better in Florida compared to many other places. We found this cheesecake to be a good dessert. The Paddlefish menu says it costs $10 coming with farm-fresh strawberry compote. Well, we got strawberries but also two lonely blackberries also. If dining here, this dessert deserves consideration for the completion of your meal.

Paddlefish

I have another cautionary tale about Walt Disney World’s technology and website. The Disney website lists this dessert as $9. I confirmed with the staff that the cheesecake has cost $10 for some time. As always, when possible, search the official restaurant website when planning a visit to Disney Springs for accurate information on menu items and prices.

 

If looking to visit here, I suggest making a reservation here. Of course, MouseDining’s service helps with that. Whatever you decide, enjoy your vacation. As always eat like you mean it!

 

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Rainforest Cafe Disney Springs Dining Review: Trying to Find a Good Sandwich

General, Restaurant Reviews By January 20, 2023 Tags: , , , , , , , , No Comments

One of the most straightforward patterns in the theme park dining reviews involves mocking the chain-type restaurants on theme park property. You can rant about why anyone would eat at that place when you can find those restaurants in other locations away from the theme park resort. After you do that, then you rant again about the low quality of food offered at many of these highly themed chain restaurants. For example, those valid criticisms apply when writing a review about Rainforest Cafe. Since the main reason to visit Rainforest Cafe revolves around kids loving animatronics, the food often takes second place (and sometimes third place). What should you order here if you want something decent instead of overpriced (even for Disney Springs) food? Visitors have tried to solve this mystery for so long. Yet, I decided to give it a try also.

Rainforest Cafe

Rainforest Cafe in Disney Springs consistently falls in the top five most searched-for advanced dining reservations in Disney Springs. Despite the weaknesses of this place, reservations can be tough to acquire. I used MouseDining, of course. I received an alert about two weeks before my latest trip to Orlando. Some reservation drama with Rainforest Cafe involves this being a Landry’s restaurant. The Landry’s restaurant group holds back reservations for their club members and holds walk-up spots for them. If you really need a reservation here, you should consider joining Landry’s Select Club.

Rainforest Cafe

However, the food quality rarely earns high marks if you obtain a reservation. People become frustrated before eating when you add in the awkward check-in process, even with a reservation. For example, with my 11:00 reservation, I waited in a queue from 10:50 am until 11:13 am just to move to another line to wait five more minutes to be seated. This pattern is typical here. We even have circumstantial evidence during my visit that they knew to expect a food blogger, which still happened.

Rainforest Cafe

Eventually, I reached my table. I wanted to try out one of their sandwiches for this dining review. The sandwich choices led me to the “Blue Mountain Chicken Sandwich.” Before I could order that, my server started aggressively pushing the alcoholic beverages before noon. I know a few weeks of theme park research during the daytime hours and typing all night can be challenging, but maybe he thought I needed a drink. Once we moved passed that awkwardness, I ordered the sandwich. This sandwich cost $21.99. This sandwich consists of lemon grilled chicken, bacon, Swiss cheese, roasted red peppers, lettuce, and Rainforest Cafe’s Zesty Safari Sauce. Like most entrees, this comes with fries.

You are not alone if you find that price point a bit high for a table service sandwich. This place often gives guests sticker shock. The price point indicates that most guests expect a higher quality of food. Yet, Rainforest Café tends to produce food at Applebee’s or Chili’s level for far more money. For the record, I enjoy chain bar & grill places but would not expect to pay $21 for a sandwich and fries there.

Rainforest Cafe

While I waited for my lunch, I gazed at the animatronics nearby. The fact that a simulated tropical storm happens within this restaurant every so often is noticed by me. The real tropical storm, of a different sort, Nicole approached Florida on the day I had this lunch.

Rainforest Cafe

When my lunch arrived, the presentation lacked any natural flair. I tried one of the fries first. They tasted better than average Walt Disney World fries to their credit, so I found a positive there. The first few bites of the sandwich offered a better-than-expected flavor. The chicken itself faces being overwhelmed a bit, however. As I continued to eat this sandwich, I discovered that the flavor mainly came from the pepper jack cheese and peppers. When I tasted the chicken, I found it lacked an upbeat flavor. This may be why my server brought some yellow mustard.

Since adding mustard seemed odd with the zesty sauce already on the sandwich, I had to see if mustard helped. I cut off a sandwich section and then placed mustard on it. I found the mustard to be a neutral factor. Still, I spilled some mustard on my favorite generic Marvel shirt when visiting theme parks in the Orlando area. Since I sometimes do not know which major theme park resort, I will be visiting when packing my clothes, I prioritize Marvel clothing since it is appropriate at both major Orlando area theme park resorts. It says something about my weaknesses, but I despise seeing Disney shirts at Universal and Universal shirts at Disney. Yes, that counts as a “me” issue but back to the sandwich.

In evaluating the rest of the sandwich while sitting with mustard on my shirt, the bread worked well as a palate for this sandwich. The quality of bacon ranks as average to below average. When I consumed the second half of my sandwich, I found it lacked as much cheese and peppers as the other half, so the quality dropped dramatically.

My initial reaction to this sandwich would be to declare it a decent lunch option. Yes, even in Disney Springs, the price point exceeds a reasonable level by at least a few dollars. However, this could work for you if you want a chicken sandwich with flavor but not an overwhelming amount of spice. Yet, be prepared for inconsistent levels of flavors with this sandwich. However, when you can order the new Britton’s Chicken Salad Sandwich at Chef Art Smith’s Homecoming for less money, this sandwich should be a low priority for most guests.

One last thing, the interior of Rainforest Cafe will be dark to allow special effects to be maximized. When you leave, be prepared for the bright Florida sun. For the record, I forgot about this. Please learn from my mistakes. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Review: Chipotle Chicken Flautas Frontera Cocina Disney Springs

Restaurant Reviews By January 11, 2023 Tags: , , , , , , , No Comments

Have you ever had a craving for some cheese-filled, sour cream-covered Tex-Mex food? What about some chips and salsa? Some queso sounds good with a side of rice and beans, too. If you have lived in areas with a prominence of Tex-Mex style food, you can relate a little. However, when I crave Tex-Mex-style cuisine, I never think I am enjoying authentic Mexican cuisine. Authentic Mexican food shares some traits with Tex-Mex, but it looks and often tastes very different. Rick Bayless, the celebrity chef, knows this difference very well. His Disney Springs restaurant, Frontera Cocina, offers authentic Mexican cuisine. During a recent visit, I ordered the “Chipotle Chicken Flautas” from there.

Frontera cocina

Rick Bayless could be declared famous in the culinary world for many reasons. His primary connection with the theme park world would be his restaurant, Frontera Cocina, in Disney Springs. This restaurant offers flavors from all over the regions of Mexico. A dining experience at Frontera Cocina Mexicana allows guests to explore all types of Mexican food. Guests will also experience that the cuisine here will look different from the Tex-Mex described earlier. Guests should expect more upscale Mexican dining. While I appreciate the world of Tex-Mex Dining, a meal here will be at a different level and price point.

Frontera cocina

On one trip to Disney Springs, I looked for a table service option for a light meal. After examining my options this weeknight, I decided to visit Frontera Cocina. Being a solo diner, I found a seat at the bar. I perused the appetizer menu for a light meal. I ordered the Chipotle Chicken Flautas for $15. These consist of crispy chipotle chicken tortilla flautas, Chihuahua cheese, red beans, and roasted tomatillo-avocado salsa. They are then garnished with crema, Cotija cheese, and fresh herbs. A serving of salsa verde accompanies these flautas also.

Frontera cocina

Like most items here, the presentation earns high marks. When this plate arrives, you know you are not at some average Tex-Mex place but an authentic Mexican restaurant. These flautas come with plenty of extra toppings. One should expect something other than a basic flauta when ordering here. Due to the toppings, these flautas might be challenging to eat without silverware.

The salsa verde tastes excellent. Yet, guests who expected a red Tex-Mex style salsa might not enjoy this. You receive three flautas with your order. These flautas will be corn tortilla based. Some guests dislike corn tortillas in terms of texture and taste so prepare for that. I found the corn tortilla flavor to be enjoyable. The flautas contain a well-constructed flavor-bursting filling. Mixing the cheese, sauce, tortilla, and other components displays solid Mexican table service quality. The right amount of crunch and creaminess balances these out nicely. One should not have complaints about the multiple excellent flavors with these flautas. The topping, tortillas, and filling create a wonderfuil dining adventure.

Frontera cocina

The critical issue with Frontera Cocina rarely involves the quality of food. The price point raises questions about the value of the meals here. For example, I received three flautas. Do those offer enough value for $15 plus tax and tip? When you factor in that these might not be easily sharable, one wonders about the worth of purchasing these. Frontera Cocina struggles with this price point negative image since they charge $5 for chips and salsa. Most people associate this type of cuisine with complimentary chips and salsa, so for first-time guests, this creates confusion. However, everyone around me ordered chips and salsa on the night I went. In a previous review, I purchased chips and salsa.

 

The dining experience at Frontera Cocina always succeeds in being a good event. However, I cannot assess if dining here is good value for you. Yet, if you are looking for authentic Mexican food, you will have a tough time beating this place. The question involves whether you desire authentic Mexican cuisine or if “Americanized” Mexican food will suffice. If you are looking for the flavors of the regions of Mexico, these flautas will provide that. Just be prepared to pay more than you do in your local town for Mexican cuisine. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Review: Fried Chicken & Doughnuts Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Disney Springs

Restaurant Reviews By January 8, 2023 Tags: , , , , , , , , No Comments

On Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ website, you can learn important information about the Disney Springs restaurant. On that website, they declared that “THE COMFORT FOOD IS CALLING YOUR NAME. OR MAYBE IT’S THE MOONSHINE.”  If it is comfort food, then the chicken here calls to many people. Since this is Walt Disney World, we know “the magic is calling.” I suspect some version of Disney magic happens with the Homecomin’ kitchen. Clearly, Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ generates some delicious chicken. If you desire comfort food, they also offer their own play on chicken and waffles. Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ offers “Fried Chicken & Doughnuts.”

Photo courtesy of Main Street Magic podcast

Yes, you read that correctly. The concept of fried chicken & doughnuts can be found in many places. Yet, one of the best versions resides at Homecomin’. Of course, people claim the comfort food style at Homecomin’ calls their name. Once again, that could just be the moonshine talking. The “Fried Chicken & Doughnuts” entrée here consists of two pieces of Chef Art Smith’s famous fried chicken served with house-made sugar doughnuts and a choice of side item. This item comes with a price tag of $32.

The server suggested side usually is mashed potatoes. I recommend mac and cheese, but you have numerous choices here. This entrée comes with syrup mixed with your chicken and Everglazed doughnuts. I have also seen it come out with some sawmill gravy, especially when having mashed potatoes as a side. Depending on when you order this, you may get one large doughnut or two small doughnuts.

Fried Chicken & Doughnuts

Okay, before discussing the pros and cons of this entrée, I need to mention an essential detail for your planning. Always be careful since Disney’s online menu for this place tends to lag far behind the actual in-person menu. For example, I know one appetizer no longer appears on the menu at the beginning of August. Yet, I can still find it on Disney’s online menu as of mid-December. I suggest always going to the official Homecomin’ website for menu information, especially pricing. That one tends to be very accurate.

So how does this version of comfort food taste? As you might expect here, the meat brings high-quality preparation and flavor. The breading offers excellent flavor based on the preparation method. In addition, the skin remains light and crispy. For fried chicken, this variety creates a limited greasy feeling. Sure, there is some greasy feeling but less than you would expect. The breading is light and crispy. The doughnuts bring the desired Everglazed flavor. They arrive soft and warm. Some guests like to combine a bit of chicken, some doughnut, and syrup in every complete for a whole experience. Whichever way you choose to enjoy this entrée, expect plenty of flavors.

Fried Chicken & Doughnuts

On a less positive note, the price point might lead one to doubt if this is worth it. In fairness, I generally choose other entrées here over this one based on price point. Still, the high quality and uniqueness of this entrée might be worth the price point. In addition, everything comes out very warm. I struggle to decide which part t, fearing it might cool down too much. Maybe that explains why people suggest eating all components of this savory and sweet entrée together.

I have three other reminders for when you visit Homecomin’.  First, the service here is very polite and thoughtful but can be slow even by southern USA levels. Second, this place offers a military discount, even on alcohol. Third, reservations can be tough to get here. Please be ready at 5:45 am Florida time 60 days in advance and/or use an advance dining reservation service like MouseDining..

Fried Chicken & Doughnuts

Sure, the moonshine could be calling you. Yet, comfort food like Fried Chicken & Doughnuts attracts many people also. Whatever calls you here, enjoy your time at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Rock and Roll Brunch at City Works Disney Springs

Restaurant Reviews By January 2, 2023 Tags: , , , , , , , , , , No Comments

With the demise of the ESPN club in the Boardwalk area of Walt Disney World Resort, guests ponder where they can find a place to watch the game when on property. Though many options exist, the best one currently resides in Disney Springs. The City Works Eatery & Pour House restaurant offers plenty of screens to view whatever game you desire. This sports bar-style table service dining option often goes unnoticed based on its location on the West Side of Disney Springs. During my most recent trip to Orlando, I decided to review some weekend brunches. The Rock and Roll Brunch at City Works earned a visit.

Due to my primary profession, that opportunity eludes me often. With an unexpected change in my work schedule, I found myself available for a weekend in the Orlando area. City Works, like many Disney springs restaurants, offers a weekend brunch menu. Thus, I decided to scope this out and explore the environment of this sports bar.

 

 

City Works offers indoor and outdoor seating. The outdoor seating provides a pleasant dining setting. However, these seats will not be able to view the large screens within the restaurant. When I visited this location the following week when my trip received an extension due to Tropical Storm Nicole, I scheduled another visit here seated indoors. Yet, for this brunch dining review, my dining companion, Seth Kubersky of The Unofficial Guides, elected to dine outdoors for brunch. The pleasant outdoor setting increased the quality of the dining experience.

Rock and Roll Brunch

Chimi Hendrix
Photo By Jon Self

The City Works brunch menu is available from 10 am to 3 pm on weekends. A wide variety of options appear on this Rock and Roll Brunch menu. The menu reflects a “Rock N’ Roll” theme with items such as the “Jon Bun Jovi” cinnamon roll and “Sweet Child O’ Mine” French toast. We asked our server, Jenna, for recommendations. She recommended the “Chimi Hendrix”, the French toast, breakfast tacos, and “Mother’s Little Helper”, a “hangover bowl.  Being a sucker for any merging of breakfast items and Tex-Mex style food, I went with the Chimi Hendrix.

The Chimi Hendrix costs $19. This chimichanga also comes with a side of cheesy potato casserole. That casserole makes a nice addition to the entrée. However, the flavor of it serves more as a cheesy palate cleanser when enjoying the chimichanga. The “Chimi Hendrix” features scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, green onion, pico de gallo, smoked cheddar, and chipotle salsa Roja. This fried flour tortilla looks and tastes as you would expect. The appearance matched my expectations for this style of entrée. The chipotle sauce provides some kick and real flavor though. Some guests will find this sauce a bit too spicy. The rest of the components simply serve their role in this chimichanga.

Rock and Roll Brunch

Photo by Jon Self

This chimichanga falls in the category of a good brunch meal. Yet, this entrée should also face the criticism of some Americanized Mexican food where it’s just a bunch of stuff thrown on top to mask ingredients. As a fan of Tex-Mex food, I enjoyed this. However, this chimichanga consists of several powerful ingredients carrying the show. Yet besides the chipotle salsa roja, nothing qualified as a high-quality component. This does, however, make a solid breakfast burrito if not looking for Rick Bayless Frontera Cocina-level cuisine.

Rock and Roll Brunch

Seth ordered the “The Clash Smash.” This avocado toast presented several strengths. The eggs came well prepared, and the avocado tasted fresh creating a delicate taste balance. The pickled red onions make sure you know they are there also. Yet, those same onions with their acidity perk up the corn and radishes. Though this could have been better, the major flaw, on this day, relates to the toast. The challah bread offers a reasonable flavor. Yet, this morning, the bread was cold even though toasted. This preparation error hindered the overall quality of this entrée during the Rock and Roll Brunch. “The Clash Smash” costs $17.

Rock and Roll Brunch

Overall, my evaluation of our brunch leads to a very non-specific conclusion. This brunch makes a good option. Yet, nothing that we experienced classifies as a great meal. Still, this is a brunch at a table service sports bar after all. I would gladly visit again. Still, Disney Springs offers so many quality brunches. I suspect I will prioritize the other ones before coming back here again for the Rock and roll Brunch. Well, that is unless I crave a “Jon Bun Jovi.” As always, eat like you mean it!

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New Britton’s Chicken Salad Sandwich from Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ Disney Springs

Restaurant Reviews By December 28, 2022 Tags: , , , , , , , , No Comments

Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ often pays homage to his ancestor, Britton Smith. Britton Smith might be known more for his moonshine recipes, but apparently, he also had some solid food recipes. In a recent addition to the menu, we found one of those recipes being used. Britton’s Chicken Salad Sandwich would be the name of that new menu item. During a December visit, I ordered this unique sandwich. This sandwich started being served along with several other new menu items at Homecomin’.

Britton's chicken salad

Britton’s Chicken Salad Sandwich costs $19. The menu description informs guests that the recipe includes pulled chicken, celery, grapes, Duke’s Mayo, and savory spices. This chicken salad mix also comes with lettuce and tomato on artisan bread.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

 

This sandwich comes standard with BBQ chips. Those chips tasted solid, as usual. I prefer more sauce drizzled on them, however.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

The presentation of this sandwich reflects what you would expect from Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. As you might have expected, the portion size of this sandwich exceeds standard sandwiches.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

Yet, in unexpected fashion, my sandwich came with some circumstances that should be considered. I sat at the bar and ordered this sandwich to avoid my name coming up in the Walt Disney World reservation service. Yet, I failed to consider how often I walk into this place to have my refillable sipper cup filled with diet soda. That gave me away.

A guest sitting near me stated, “Your sandwich came out fast! You must know what to order.” They ordered well before me, and their appetizer arrived after my sandwich. When the talented server knew I preferred Coke Zero Sugar over Diet Coke, I realized I had been made and probably got my meal moved up in the kitchen queue. If you do not know, Diet Coke is behind the bar, so easy to provide. The bar does not have Coke Zero Sugar, so the server must go to another station for that.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

However, I do not think the staff knowing me as a theme park food blogger influenced the quality of my sandwich. Yet, it never hurts a restaurant to avoid having a food blogger wait too long.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

 

So how was the sandwich? As mentioned, the portion of chicken salad overflowed from the bread. You will need a fork for this one at some point in your meal. A new food challenge would be eating this sandwich without any chicken salad falling out. The bread must be sturdier to support a large amount of chicken salad between the two slices. Still, I enjoyed the flavor of the bread. The bread compliments the chicken salad nicely.

britton's chicken salad sandwich

However, I expected a more robust flavor in the chicken salad mixture. In fact, with Duke’s Mayo listed in the menu description, I expected far more “twang” with this sandwich. In this case, I did not find that.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

Despite that, I found the chicken salad provided a great texture. In addition, the flavor of the chicken salad was consistent and pleasant. Britton’s chicken salad offers a positive experience for your taste buds.

britton's chicken salad sandwich

My initial reaction to this sandwich did not match my expectations. Therefore, I often only read menu descriptions after a review. Yet, I had already written about the list of new menu items, so I expected “twang.” This chicken salad recipe focuses on the chicken more than depending on the mayonnaise.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

 

The tomatoes tasted very fresh. The lettuce was good quality and helped balance the sandwich.

On the negative side, this sandwich will make a mess as you eat, so be careful with the chicken salad falling out. Also, they gave me two pickle spears. They may know I write food reviews but did not appreciate my preference for no pickles. Yet, as a food reviewer, I tasted them. They were good-quality pickle spears, for the record.

Britton's chicken salad sandwich

This is what fell out of one half of my sandwich

 

Overall, this sandwich matches the high expectations for one at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. The portion size surpasses other comparable sandwiches. Even without the expected excessive mayonnaise, the chicken quality brings excellent flavor. The bread could hold up better, but this sandwich would be worth your time if you are not looking for fried chicken here. If you are looking for more than the Thigh High Chicken Biscuit appetizer, this sandwich might be large enough to be shared. As always, eat like you mean it!

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How Would I Describe the Vegan Breakfast at Ohana Restaurant?

Restaurant Reviews By December 18, 2022 Tags: , , , , , No Comments

I have a confession to make. I listen to lots of podcasts. Some of them are faith-based podcasts. However, most of them revolve around theme park discussions like dining vegan at Ohana for breakfast. As you might imagine, I tend to focus on the theme park podcasts that discuss theme park food the most. My confession relates to something more embarrassing than that obsession with podcasts. Apparently, I accidentally deleted a podcast during a rather hectic week in my life, when it was released. In between returning from a “work” trip to Orlando and discovering an employment change regarding my “real job”, I deleted an important podcast in my tiny little world of theme park food. I discovered after checking my social media feed that I must have deleted a podcast episode released on September 28th, 2022. I accept all the blame and criticism for this debacle.

If you are still reading this, you must wonder if I will ever get to talking about theme park food. Please stay with me. The reason this deletion possesses great embarrassment revolves around the fact that the guest for that show mentioned that Ohana, at the Polynesian Resort, recently became the most searched-for advance dining reservation according to users of his product. What product would that be? I suspect you can guess. Yes, Dustin Checketts, co-founder of MouseDining.com served as a guest for that episode. I joked in a social media group that this mistake would lead to an awkward conversation.

Since Ohana serves as focus of this dining review, I should mention that I noticed the same change that Dustin mentioned on the podcast about Ohana being most searched for advance dining reservation via MouseDining. Obviously, that relates to the fact that I use data supplied to me by Dustin to plan dining reviews. Based on that data, I have been testing over the last few days whether the reservation demand at Ohana involves just dinner or breakfast also. Using MouseDining, I saw some very limited reservation availability for breakfast as well as for dinner at Ohana. In fact, I have a reservation alert set with MouseDining right now or Ohana for breakfast and dinner. Because of that data, I wrote a recent article suggesting Sebastian’s Bistro as a less expensive alternative. Also, on MouseDining blog, I previously wrote about my recent experience at Ohana for breakfast.

During my most recent all you care to eat dining adventure, I ordered every vegan dining option available. Yes, I knew at some point I would write about the vegan breakfast at Ohana. This article serves as the fulfillment of that plan.

So how was breakfast at Ohana in terms of vegan dining? As someone who often dines vegan when doing theme park food reviews, I found the breakfast quite good. Of course, some weaknesses emerged as evident during that segment of the meal.

The vegan breakfast version here opens with fruit as the standard option does. Yet, instead of pineapple-coconut breakfast bread, vegan diners get a vegan/gluten free cinnamon sugar donut. I enjoyed the donut. However, many of my vegan and gluten free friends do not think highly of this donut.

Vegan Breakfast at Ohana

The vegan skillet comes with scrambled “eggs”, “sausage”, fried island-style potatoes, and character-shaped waffles. Overall, I enjoyed this vegan skillet. Yet, my dining companions disliked it considerably. The vegan eggs came well prepared but lacked the cream that the non-vegan ones possess. The “eggs” worked fine in combination with everything else though. The vegan waffles tasted about as good as the non-vegan waffles. However, on this day, the vegan waffles only came in Stitch shape not Mickey. There seemed to be confusion about if that was always the case. I found the potatoes with the vegan skillet offered more flavor than the ones within the non-vegan skillet. The “sausage”, a vegan chorizo, functioned as only true disappointment for my dining experience.

Vegan Breakfast at Ohana

All in all, even as someone not dining exclusively vegan, I felt this breakfast offered enough merit to be considered for vegan diners without hesitation. In fairness, I have several vegan exclusive dining friends that do not have as high of an opinion of this vegan meal as myself. I apologize for that detail adding confusion but want to state all facts available at the time.

One last note, character breakfast with Stitch and friends returned in September. When I visited, character dining had not returned for breakfast. My meal cost $25 plus tax and tip before characters. Now, the price has risen to $45 with characters included. If considering this solid breakfast option bear that in mind. If it were me, I would opt for Topolino’s Terrace breakfast over this one at that price point. Also, if expecting the old-style parade where your kid joins in with the characters, they currently do not do that. If going for a character breakfast, expect about a minute each with Mickey, Pluto, Stitch, and Lilo during the breakfast.

Could the return of characters be a reason for high demand in terms of advance dining reservations at Ohana? Does the variety of breakfast and dinner options lead to demand? Could it be some combination of both? I think all these work as factors. I would gladly go back and pay for breakfast here without characters at $25 I struggle to be thrilled to pay $45 for this breakfast no matter how cool Stitch and friends might be. However, if someone in your family is a big Lilo and Stitch fan, then the money may well be worth it. Stitch qualifies as a hard-to-find character in the parks, except for special events. Lilo pretty much only appears here. I hope this helps you understand the situation if searching for Ohana reservations. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Review: Eggs Benedict Grand Floridian Cafe at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa

Restaurant Reviews By December 13, 2022 Tags: , , , , , No Comments

Have you ever walked into a place wondering if you belong there at all? This could be because you feel under-dressed. Maybe you feel underqualified. Perhaps you feel you made a wrong turn and accidentally entered a restricted area. Did you know any person may visit a deluxe-level Walt Disney World Resort hotel? I feel most readers will know that, but I am always surprised by the number of people that do not realize resort hopping is a real thing.  I hear Walt Disney World visitors state that they do not belong at those deluxe resorts. However, sometimes I relate to that feeling of not being worthy when doing dining reviews at Walt Disney World Resort deluxe-level hotels. The hotel that gives off that vibe to me the most would be Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Can you imagine eating eggs benedict at the Grand Floridian Cafe one morning?

Grand Floridian Cafe

See, they will let anyone visit at Grand Floridian Resort

Trust me, they will let anyone dine there. Of course, as Walt Disney World’s website says, “Victorian elegance meets modern sophistication at this lavish Disney Resort hotel.” When you read those words, what do you think? Do you hear fancy and maybe too elite for you? Okay, maybe that is just me. In fairness, this hotel features some of the best and highest prices restaurants on Walt Disney World property. However, the Grand Floridian Café offers elegant dining that will not damage your budget quite as much. During a recent Orlando area trip, I dined for breakfast at this table service option. An advance dining reservation eluded me for a few weeks. Yet, eventually, MouseDining set me an alert for breakfast here.

Grand Floridian Cafe

I showed up for my early morning breakfast reservation time. My server Jenny greeted me at the entrance and guided me to my table. As usual, I scheduled several other food and beverage reviews for this day. Thus, I preferred not to partake in a full breakfast. I decided to order the “Traditional Eggs Benedict” for $17. Grand Floridian Café also offers a Lobster Benedict for $5 more. Based on my plans for the day, I decided to play it safe with the traditional version. Of course, I faced temptation since the Lobster Thermidor Burger here might be the best burger on the property.

grand Floridian cafe

Menu November 2022

Speaking of burgers, Grand Floridian Cafe offers a hybrid breakfast and lunch menu each day. In other words, you can buy a traditional lunch menu like a burger at 7:30 am for breakfast. The breakfast and lunch hybrid time happens from 7:30 am to 2:00 pm each day.  For the record, they do not call it brunch here but breakfast and lunch have separate times according to their online menu.

grand Floridian cafe

Back to my breakfast, my meal started with complimentary USA-style biscuits. I found these to be a great start to my morning. These small biscuits did arrive at my table smelling quite good. They were very soft and warm for my early morning dining experience.

Soon after, my breakfast entrée arrived. The “Traditional Eggs Benedict” consists of two poached eggs, Canadian bacon, and hollandaise sauce served on toasted English muffins. This entrée also comes with a marinated tomato salad. The eggs benedict arrived at my table very warm and fresh looking. Grand Floridian Cafe should earn high marks for that. Though when I ordered it, I was perplexed about how the salad would balance with the eggs benedict. However, the salad brought light refreshing flavors to this entrée. The salad fails to be the star of this breakfast but makes a good sidekick. Still, the dressing and onions in the tomato salad may be a little off-putting to some theme park resort diners. Yet, I enjoyed it.

grand ffloridian cafe

My reaction to the eggs benedict creates a mixed review. My notes say in bold letters that the portion size rates as small. However, the hollandaise sauce tasted almost perfect. This sauce will make or break an eggs benedict dish. The skill of doing this properly should not be undervalued. Those factors canceled each other out in my opinion.

However, the worst part of this entrée by far involved the English muffins. They tasted just okay. In my opinion, they did not complement the rest of the entrée. After eating half of my entrée, I decided to experiment. I asked my server for some more biscuits. I moved everything off one of the English muffins onto one of the biscuits. Maybe I lived in the southern portion of the United States of America for too long, but this made the entrée eight times better. The English muffins, on this day, failed to provide a strong enough starch to balance the other components. Yet, the biscuit fit that role perfectly.

Yes, I know eggs benedict should not be made with biscuits. However, after this experience, I would vote we try that for a while. The excellent flavor combination this way enhanced the meat, sauce, and egg dramatically.

This made a wonderful breakfast in an elegant setting. Clearly, this breakfast would not pass the test if desiring a full hearty breakfast for a long theme park day. In my case, this well-balanced meal worked perfectly (even if I prefer it with a biscuit) for my “work” day. Under similar circumstances, I would order this again. Yet, I cannot give this a full endorsement since many theme park resort guests will want a larger breakfast than I did on this day.

Even though I often wonder if I belong when visiting Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, this breakfast option provides a pleasantly relaxing dining experience. Advance dining reservations here rate as sometimes hard to get like the morning I visited. You should plan accordingly.  Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa offers so much to see. Your group could have a fun morning visit here, especially during the holiday season with the large gingerbread house display. As always, eat like you mean it!

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“New” Me Ma’s Best Chicken Raglan Road Disney Springs

Restaurant Reviews By December 11, 2022 Tags: , , , , No Comments

Once upon a time, I sat in a chain restaurant having lunch. On that day, I looked much younger for a simple reason—I was much younger. On that day, an elderly couple sat down in the booth next to me. They discussed loudly what to order that afternoon. After some loud discussion, the gentleman said he did not see anything he thought he would like. At this point, the lady voiced obvious frustration saying “Just get the chicken. You like chicken.” As insignificant as that encounter might seem, I have never forgotten it. Thus, some days when I do not know what to order, I simply order the chicken. To facilitate this, Raglan Road in Disney Springs consistently offers excellent chicken entrees. A recent addition to their menu would be “Me Ma’s Best Chicken.” During my visit, I ordered this chicken entrée.

Me Ma’s Best Chicken will cost you $28. Included with that price, you receive an entrée described this way, “roasted Bell and Evans chicken breast with a chicken, spinach, wild mushrooms, and a leek pie in roast chicken jus, topped with herb stuffing crumble with champ mashed potato.” The overall presentation of this entrée should receive high marks. Now, the one I received when I dined there did not look like the promo photo. Still, when does dinner look like the promo photo? Anyway, I felt the presentation was good even though my photos may not reflect that. We were seated very close to the stages, so I did not want to endanger the performers with flash photography.

me ma's best chicken

Promotional Photo from Raglan Road

On that evening I enjoyed this entrée, I had a 6:45 reservation on a rainy night. The organizational system at Raglan Road lacked the normal pattern. Eventually we were seated after waiting some time. Of course, when we were seated, we quickly got some of the Raglan Road soda bread.

After some appetizers, the main entrees arrived. As always here, the special brand of chicken served here comes very well prepared. I guess that is why I order chicken often here. In fact, I found all aspects of this entrée very well prepared. Any issues I may have with this entrée relate to ingredient choices not preparation by chefs.

Me Ma’s Best Chicken

The most unique facet of this entrée revolves around the leek pie. When ordering new items for a dining review, I scan the menu description briefly. Before dining, I do not usually examine menu description too intensely. This allows me to avoid anticipating certain flavors based on what I read in the description. However, when typing the review, I examined the menu description very carefully. The leek pie offered some of the best flavors at our table that evening. In fairness, when I tasted this that evening, i could not tell this was a leak pie. The pastry like shell holding it together looked and tasted good. I did not expect that before ordering this new menu item.

On the less positive side, this dish lacked a solid flavor profile. The chicken and potatoes were well prepared though. Yet, they lacked enough seasoning to be a stellar entrée. In simple terms, everything tasted a bit bland outside the leek pie. For perspective, I am comparing this to other entrées at Raglan Road. I respect the fact that this style of food might seem bland to some. However, I am comparing it to similar entrees on the same menu. Also, just so you do not think I am simply hiding behind a keyboard, I discussed this with staff there. Our table discussed this with the manager on duty, Steve, that evening. For the record, he showed great appreciation and interest in our thoughts.

Me Ma’s Best Chicken

I think a simple adjustment of adding the au jus directly on the chicken would enhance this entrée significantly. That goes against the usual preparation pattern at Raglan Road for their chicken though. All the components functioned nicely. This needed more power to the overall flaor profile. Once again, the entree preparation was great. In fact, the chicken tasted perfect for standard chicken but lack seasoning as its downfall. I desired more from Me Ma’s Best Chicken.

Even though I joked about the appearance of the promotional photo, that photo reflects a change in presentation and probably preparation. If you go visit Raglan Road deciding to order this, I would be curious what you think. Please leave a comment below if you do. As always, eat like you mean it!

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