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Seasonal Menu Debuts at The Hollywood Brown Derby

Restaurant Reviews By Courtney Harris May 19, 2023 No Comments

The Golden Age of Hollywood has gotten some additions because The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios recently launched its seasonal menu. The culinary team has masterfully put together dishes featuring the freshest of ingredients for the summer and created a menu that will leave you and your taste buds wanting more.

This fan-favorite location nestled within Hollywood Boulevard is quite the popular spot and for good reason. The contemporary American cuisine speaks for itself, and this summer menu is no different. With several delicious additions from the kitchen, you’ll want to come back again and again to try them all.

Whether you’ve been here before or want to try this restaurant for the first time, The Hollywood Brown Derby has something for everyone to enjoy.

We think it’s time we break down these tasty new and returning bites and see what’s cooking over at The Hollywood Brown Derby this summer!

Collage of food at The Hollywood Brown Derby

The appetizers have several eats that are packed with flavor. Starting off, we’ve got some seafood options resurfacing for you. The Crab Louie features crispy olive bread, citrus blend, fried capers, and Louie sauce. For those shrimp fans out there, the Shrimp Cocktail is topped with shaved fennel cucumbers and a traditional cocktail sauce.

If you’re a cheese lover like me, then there are two items that will spark your interest. The Heirloom Tomato and Burrata Salad combines shaved onions, Thai basil, gremolata, and a delicious citrus vinaigrette into a can’t-miss dish, while the Charcuterie Board features the Chef’s selection of cured meats, cheeses, and accompaniments.

For the more adventurous eaters, the Escargot is accompanied by roasted garlic béchamel and crispy prosciutto and the Roasted Bone Marrow is composed of braised beef, pickled mustard seeds, and a fig bread crostini. How delicious do these all sound? And we haven’t even gotten to the main course yet!

The entrée menu is packed with flavorful delights with a variety of options for everyone to enjoy. Let’s start with some new ones for the land lovers out there. The classic Filet Mignon is paired with glazed carrots, potato pave, horseradish cream, and a tasty peppercorn sauce to finish it off. The Lamb Shank is accompanied with summer vegetables, harissa vinaigrette, and nasturtium chermoula.

Free-Range Chicken and Dumplings at The Hollywood Brown Derby at Disney’s Hollywood Studios

Do you love chicken? What about dumplings? How about them together? If that sounds good. then the new Free-Range Chicken and Dumplings is the dish for you. It brings together these two classics with a lemon-ricotta Gnudi, shishito cream, and a gooseberry jus. If you like pork, the recently added Grilled Pork is right up your alley with a mouthwatering lavender-sage polenta and local corn salsa, complete with a huckleberry barbecue sauce. Now that’s a dish!

The seafood aficionados have a couple options to choose from as well – the new Sustainable Fish and the Seafood Cioppino. The Sustainable Fish with white bean ragout, derby summer vegetables, and roasted tomato emulsion is a lovely addition to the menu while the Seafood Cioppino brings together favorites from the sea with shrimp, sea scallops, seasonal fish, mussels, a toasted baguette, and aromatic tomato broth – yum!

Shepherd’s Pie at The Hollywood Brown Derby

Last, but certainly not least for the new items, we have The Hollywood Brown Derby’s latest rendition of a classic comfort food dish – Shepherd’s Pie. This option combines roasted garlic mashed potatoes, mushrooms, peas, corn, and carrot Romesco into a plate that will warm your soul and ignite your taste buds. Did I mention this one is plant-based?

For those repeat diners, don’t you worry, because some fan-favorites are still here to stay for both lunch and dinner. The Famous Cobb Saladis a classic, and for good reason. This famous dish is made up of spit-roasted turkey, bacon, egg, tomatoes, blue cheese, avocado, and a classic dressing. If you want to enhance this dish even more, you can add chicken or shrimp.

The sweet tooths out there will be pleased to know that the sweet staple, the Grapefruit Cake, isn’t going anywhere. This Brown Derby original combines a moist vanilla sponge cake, grapefruit syrup, and cream cheese icing into a dessert that’s as delicious as it is beautiful.

We don’t know about you, but our mouth is watering just thinking about all these new items. We can’t wait to drop on into The Hollywood Brown Derby this summer to try our fair share of these eats.

New Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya Opening at EPCOT This Summer

Restaurant Reviews By Courtney Harris May 9, 2023 No Comments

Foodies know that one of the best places to explore a variety of global cuisines is at EPCOT, which will soon be home to a new location at the Japan pavilion – Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya. This table-service restaurant will offer a festive dining experience in a sharable Izakaya-style for you to create memories and good times through flavors.

Here, you’ll be able to experience the essence of Japan’s seasonal festivals, where each month brings a new celebration to your table. From hanging tanzaku to celebrate Tanabata in July to savoring moon-viewing dumplings in September, a cultural representative from Japan will guide you through each unique festival experience, one bite at a time. The atmosphere also embraces the festivals of Japan, with the atmosphere featuring beautiful, hand painted artwork and lanterns highlighting some of the natural wonders that Japan offers as well. Each and every visit is designed to create unforgettable memories that capture the spirit of Japan’s vibrant seasonal festivities.

In addition to a full menu filled with mouthwatering Japanese delights like sushi and teppan items, there will be an open sushi bar and grill. Located on the second floor of the Japan pavilion, Shiki-Sai offers stunning views of EPCOT, the World Showcase Lagoon, and, of course, fireworks!

Sushi lovers will marvel at the first-hand look at sushi being made right before their eyes by the chefs when sitting at the sushi bar. This unique spot provides a can’t-miss dining experience along with a magnificent trellis inspired by the roof of the Phoenix Hall in Kyoto that will mesmerize your eyes while the food captivates your taste buds.

Speaking of taste buds, let’s take a look at some of the dishes that will be served up at Shiki-Sai.

Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya at EPCOT - food

If you fancy yourself a sushi aficionado or you’re looking to expand your palate to a new bite, this menu has no shortage of delicious bites for you to try. Some highlights from the sushi bar include the Kobore Sushi, Tokyo Negi Roll, Funamori, and The Monster Roll.

Kobore Sushi translates to “overflowing sushi” and this item is “overflowing” with flavors. It features negi toro and nakaochi tuna elegantly paired with salmon roe and green onion. The Tokyo Negi Roll combines green onion tempura rolled with tuna tataki and topped with jalapeno aïoli, shredded carrot, and sliced jalapeno for a delightful roll that you simply need to try.

The Funamori features sashimi and sushi arranged on a boat-shaped platter. This iteration of Funamori is even served with the festive pomp and the boat procession of the famous Tenjin Matsuri!

You’ll also be able to sample dishes from the delicious world of Japanese Izakaya, a type of casual pub-style restaurant. One of the main highlights of Izakaya culture is the emphasis on sharing plates of food while enjoying drinks and conversation with friends. The menu at an Izakaya typically features a wide range of small dishes, and here is no different. From savory Karaage Chicken to succulent Salmon Misoyaki, even a refreshing Tomato Salad with Avocado, Izakaya cuisine is all about offering a variety of delicious small plates that can be indulged in a social and relaxed atmosphere.

Not only can you get dishes from the sushi bar, but the grill will also be serving up delicious options commonly found in Japanese cuisine. Among the grilled items to enjoy, Okonomiyaki is a highlight. This Japanese savory pancake is made with a batter of flour, eggs, and water, and then filled with shredded cabbage and bacon, and topped with tangy okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, aonori, bonito flakes, and pickled ginger.

Welcome to EPCOT, Shiki-Sai: Sushi Izakaya. I hope you’re as excited as I am for this new location to open its doors this summer!

As you can see, the tasty adventures to be had are truly endless at Disney Parks.

MouseDining Community Review: California Grill

General, Restaurant Reviews By Alison Haselden April 5, 2023 No Comments

Ever wondered if Disney’s California Grill is actually worth the hype? Real life MouseDining user, Ashley recently used MouseDining to score a prime time dining reservation to enjoy the special 50th Anniversary 3-course tasting menu and fireworks show with a friend. And lucky for you, she gave us a play-by-play of her experience!

Here’s what Ashley of Pixie & Magic had to say about her experience dining at Disney’s California Grill restaurant:

“Now my experience at California Grill was absolutely amazing! For this being my first time it definitely gave me a good impression! The service from the Cast Members were exceptional! Our waiter, Walter, was so much fun and helped us picked some yummy dishes! Right now they have a 3-Course Meal to celebrate the 50th Celebration! From the drinks to the main course and ending with dessert everything was to perfection! And it didn’t hurt that you saw Space Mountain (my fave) and Cinderella’s Castle as your view.”

Ashley ordered the Rainbow Roll (Tuna, Salmon, Hamachi, Avocado, Mango, Pickled Watermelon Radish) for her California Grill appetizer:

For her main course, she ordered the Cast Iron-grilled Pork Tenderloin (Goat Cheese Polenta, Forest Mushrooms, Lacquered Pork Belly, Root Spinach, Corn, Zinfandel Glaze):

For dessert, she enjoyed the California Grill’s Meyer Lemon Chiffon Cake (Chevre Whip, Meringue, Blueberry Foam, Blueberry Gel):

Here’s a quick rundown of the California Grill restaurant highlights:

This restaurant is located in Walt Disney World at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.
On the 15th floor of the hotel, guests enjoy a view of the Seven Seas Lagoon and Magic Kingdom park while they dine. This dining experience is known as one of the best for catching the Magic Kingdom fireworks display.
Only dinner reservations are available at California Grill.
The dress code for the California Grill restaurant is described by Disney as, “Sophisticated and upscale aesthetic. Clothing should be clean, neat and in good condition. Please no swimwear.”
The 3-Course Tasting Menu at California Grill is $89 for adults and $39 for children.

Ashley said that using MouseDining has transformed her Disney planning experience into a more peaceful one.

She said, “I was finally able to mark California Grill off of my Disney Dining Bucket List all thanks to my beautiful friends over at MouseDining. They are an online service that set alerts for when when certain dining, tours, special events are available for the time & date that you want! Especially for the rare places we want to try; once it’s available MouseDining will send you that alert immediately and you’ll be able to book. No need to pound the app (which I used to do in the past a lot). Now this has me covered & I can book in peace.”

Want to plan your very own California Grill dinner date night? Try MouseDining today.

Paddlefish Blackened Catfish Sandwich with a Surprise

General, Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self January 31, 2023 Tags: blackened catfish sandwich, catfish, cheesecake, crab topped fries, Disney dining, Disney Springs, lunch, paddlefish, seafood, walt disney world 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.

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.

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.

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!

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

General, Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self January 20, 2023 Tags: animatronics, Blue Mountain Chicken Sandwich, Disney dining, Disney Springs, Landry's Select Club, Rainforest Cafe, reservations, walt disney world, zesty sauce 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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

Review: Chipotle Chicken Flautas Frontera Cocina Disney Springs

Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self January 11, 2023 Tags: authentic Mexican cuisine, chicken flautas, chipotle chicken flautas, Disney dining, Disney Springs, flautas, Frontera cocina, rick bayless 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self January 8, 2023 Tags: advance dining reservations, chef art smith's homecomin, Disney dining, Disney Springs, fried chicken, fried chicken & doughnuts, homecomin, table service dining, the magic is calling 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.

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.

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..

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!

Rock and Roll Brunch at City Works Disney Springs

Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self January 2, 2023 Tags: brunch, chimi hendrix, City Works, City Works Eatery, city world eatery & pour house, Disney dining, Disney Springs, Jon Bun Jovi, rock and roll brunch, tex mex, The Clash Smash 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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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

Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self December 28, 2022 Tags: britton's chicken salad sandwich, chef art smith's homecomin, chicken salad, chicken salad sandwich, Disney dining, Disney Springs, duke's mayo, homecomin, sipper 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 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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

How Would I Describe the Vegan Breakfast at Ohana Restaurant?

Restaurant Reviews By Jon Self December 18, 2022 Tags: breakfast, dining review, ohana, Polynesian Resort, vegan, walt disney world 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 28^th, 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.

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.

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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