Review of Chicken Tikka Masala at Yak & Yeti

Restaurant Reviews By July 18, 2022 No Comments

The food offerings within Disney’s Animal Kingdom vary from high quality to below average theme park cuisine. Many bad dining choices call to guests as they experience the theme park. Some of the counter service options rank as best in Walt Disney World theme parks, like Satu’li Canteen. Sure, the standard below average burgers and pizza can be found at counter service options. However, Animal Kingdom also offers some of the best table service options within the Walt Disney World theme parks. Of course, Rainforest Café exists here also. Poor Rainforest Café must compete with Tiffins and Tusker House in this park.

The other table service option at Animal Kingdom is Yak & Yeti. Ironically, both Rainforest Café and Yak & Yeti are run by same third-party company. However, Yak & Yeti might provide the best table service overall value at Animal Kingdom. Yak & Yeti, according to Disney’s website, serves American, Asian, Chinese, and Seafood style dining. Usually when a restaurant tries to provide a wide variety of cuisine, they fail. Yak & Yeti presents many solid options. I would suggest ordering the Asian style food here. Though, the Kobe Beef Burger tastes great

A popular entrée here at Yak & Yeti is the “Chicken Tikka Masala.” This entrée costs $25.99. The menu description reads “boneless chicken breast marinated in yogurt and freshly ground herbs cooked in a traditional Masala sauce (with) jasmine rice.” This menu item also comes with garlic naan bread.

Photo by Jon Self

Chicken Tikki Masala comes from an Indian cultural origin even though other cultures have modified it a bit for their purposes. Traditionally, the chicken gets marinated in a spicy curry sauce with plain yogurt. The cooking preparation involves tomatoes, more spices, and perhaps a few more vegetables. This dish generally comes with rice. If you are familiar with a version of Indian Butter Chicken, this one function usually as the slightly spicier cousin.

So how does this menu item measure up? Well, that depends on your perspective. For theme park dining, the portion size exceeds expectation. If desired, this dish could be shared. This hearty dish comes in a larger than normal bowl. When the meal arrives at your table, the aroma helps prepare guests for their dining experience.

Photo courtesy of Main Street Magic Podcast

All components of this dish come well prepared. The chicken offers solid flavor and tenderness. The spice level fits well for this dish in a theme park setting. For those looking for some spice, you will find it in this tikka masala. Now, if looking for a proper amount of spice for this dish, you will be disappointed. However, the compromise level should work for most guests. The quality or grade of chicken could be higher but functions well within this tikka masala.

As you can see, you can get the rice on the side. I do not recommend this.

For some guests, the bread shines as the star of this dish. The bread dipped in the sauce works very well for flavor. I have heard more than a few guests express a desire for more bread. Also, as you would expect, the rice helps balance out the strong flavors overall.

Personally, I see this entrée as a safer option for guests concerned about spice level at an Asian themed place. When dining here, I seek out dishes with a more authentic spice level. For example, I would order the Malaysian Seafood Curry. That might be a perfect choice for me. Now, I just need them to remove the zucchini. However, most guests will enjoy the Chicken Tikka Masala. Of the many good choices here, I hear the most positive statements about this and the Ahi Tuna Nachos. I suspect if you give this menu item a try that you will be a satisfied customer also. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Comfort Food at 50’s Prime Time Café

Restaurant Reviews By July 15, 2022 No Comments

Sometimes I hear people speak about the good old days. I appreciate the sentiment. However, I often remind people that the good old days were not as good as you might sentimentalize. Do you remember warming up leftovers without a microwave? What about party line phones? Speaking of phones, can you imagine going back to no mobile phones? Perhaps, the greater torture would be going back to the bag-style car phones.

If you are too young to remember any of those scenarios being possible, please forgive me. My real vocation often causes me to remind people that with every positive in life comes some negatives also. The sentiment to go back to the good old days forgets about the difficulties of those good old days.

Yes, the nostalgia of Formica counters reminds many people of simpler times. Yet, if you want old-fashioned comfort food during your day at Disney’s Hollywood Studios, then 50’s Prime Time Café should be on your short list. Of course, 50’s Prime Time café offers many features of that era, including Formica counters. As you might expect the best dining reservation timeslots for table service dining options at Hollywood Studios disappear quickly. Now, they fail to disappear as quickly as Genie+ slots for Slinky Dog Dash. Yet, table service reservations at Hollywood Studios disappear quickly. If you want to eat during peak hours for 1950’s comfort food, you should prioritize 50’s Prime Time Café.

Waly Disney World marketing tells us that at 50’s Prime Time Café we will find classic USA comfort food. Disney proclaims we will experience “50s kitsch and a good old-fashioned family gathering take you back to a bygone era.” A signature comfort food item shines here as “Aunt Liz’s Golden Fried Chicken.” Since the theming revolves around a traditional old school family gathering, the touch of naming this menu item after a relative adds to that. Based on your server, your waitress may come over to introduce herself as your “aunt.” Did she make this chicken? Guess we will never know.  Usually, waitresses will remind you that “mom” is hard at work back in the kitchen making dinner.

This chicken entrée costs $25. The menu describes it as chicken served with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, chicken gravy, and seasonal vegetables. Having not grown-up in the 1950s, I cannot evaluate the authenticity of this fried chicken. However, based on my experience growing up in the southern area of the USA, this tastes like I remember, good and bad. The sides also match the comfort food idea, good and bad.

On the positive side, they call this comfort food for a reason. If you grew up eating fried chicken often, this would bring back some of those memories. When combined with the old school TVs, vinyl seating, and kitschy decor, the setting for old school comfort rises to prominence. Though I would choose Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’ fried chicken menu items over this, the chicken quality rates high. Still, this fried chicken offers a good outer coating. In addition, the chicken meat hidden within tastes juicy and tender. Of course, this theme park entree comes with vegetables. Actual vegetables to create a balanced meal at a theme park can be hard to find sometimes. This restaurant makes sure you eat your “veggies” but more about that later. The sides with the chicken work very well in terms of theme and balance.

On the negative side, this chicken stays on theme by being greasy. However, good thing you must put your mobile devices away here (or mom will be very upset). I doubt most phones could survive the grease factor if you eat this fried chicken and then play on your phone at same time. Though many disagree with me, I find the portion size small for a $25 menu item.

One more thing, the chicken and sides will be hearty and filling. Despite portion size, your will experience a solid mela that might weigh you down. Plan accordingly since your Tower of Terror Genie+ lightning lane time slot might follow this meal. If you want to enjoy one of the old school desserts here, the hearty nature of food should be evaluated when ordering.

No discussion of this place will be complete without a warning about the theme. Though some people see this as a negative, you may see this aspect as glorious. Unless your “relative” serving your food is told differently, they will enforce “mom’s” rules. That means no elbows on the table. That means not phones at the table. You will also be admonished if you fail to eat your vegetables or make other poor nutritional choices. The antics involved with this might be worth the price of dining depending on your group. Parents often love this since someone else is “yelling” at their kids to behave and eat their vegetables.

Yet, if your group hates being “that guy” over at the Magic Kingdom, have someone politely inform your servers that you are not interested in the friendly family-style banter. If you want to surprise a friend (or maybe lose a friend) take a timid person here but fail to warn them about the rules. That plan presents potential enjoyment for many. Yet, you might lose a friend, so be careful. Still, I have heard several stories of people who are still angry about being taken to 50’s Prime Time Café and being picked on for their table manners.

Overall, the theming and food explain the reason this place has difficult to get reservations. If you would love “family” interaction, simple comfort food, and a place to sit down to enjoy a meal, this place merits consideration. The fried chicken provides a great example of quality here. Though, I may squawk at the $25 price tag, the menu item and theming build on a good them park day. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Foodie Guide to DOLE Whip Day 2022 at Disney

Foodie Guide By July 14, 2022 Tags: No Comments

Are you ready for DOLE Whip Day? We sure hope so because July 21 is just around the corner. To celebrate this momentous foodie occasion, We’ve put together each and every place you can get your hands on this classic fan favorite, including some exclusive offerings just for DOLE Whip Day being offered from July 21 through 24. Going forward we will be enjoying this day on the third Thursday in July – so mark your calendars for next year!

From Aloha Isle at Magic Kingdom Park to The Tropical Hideaway at the Disneyland park, even on the high seas aboard a Disney Cruise Line Ship, there are plenty of goodies to enjoy. Your appetite better be ready because your taste buds won’t be able to get enough of this classic Disney delight. With multiple flavors and concoctions of DOLE Whip to try, there’s truly something for everyone.

If you’ve got a sweet tooth and want a refreshing snack, you’re going to love this Foodie Guide. We present to you all the DOLE Whip you can imagine at Disney locations across the globe!

DOLE Whips from Aloha Isle

Walt Disney World Resort

Magic Kingdom Park

Aloha Isle (Located in Adventureland)

  • Pineapple Float: DOLE pineapple juice served with a choice of DOLE Whip, vanilla soft-serve, or swirl (available with Tiki Sipper for additional cost) 
  • Raspberry Swirl Float: DOLE Whip and raspberry swirl served with DOLE pineapple juice
  • Pineapple Upside-Down Cake served with choice of DOLE Whip, vanilla soft-serve, or swirl
  • DOLE Whip Cup: Choice of DOLE Whip, vanilla soft-serve, or swirl
  • Coconut Cup: Choice of coconut or coconut and DOLE Whip swirl
  • Raspberry Swirl Cup: DOLE Whip and raspberry swirl

Storybook Treats (Located in Fantasyland)

  • Soft-serve Cup: DOLE Whip lime, chocolate, or vanilla soft-serve, or swirl in a cup
  • Snow White Cone: DOLE Whip lemon in a blue cone garnished with a chocolate bird and sugar bow
Items from Sunshine Tree Terrace

Sunshine Tree Terrace (Located in Adventureland; Mobile Order available)

  • DOLE Whip Orange Cup
  • Orange Cream Soft-serve Cup: DOLE Whip orange and vanilla soft-serve swirl
  • DOLE Whip Strawberry Cup
  • DOLE Whip Float: DOLE Whip or vanilla soft-serve with your choice of Coca-Cola, Barq’s Root Beer, Diet Coke, Fanta Orange, Fanta Strawberry, POWERADE Mountain Berry Blast, or Sprite
  • I Lava You Float: Fanta Strawberry Soda and passion fruit flavor served with DOLE Whip orange and topped with popping candy
Items from Tamu Tamu

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

Tamu Tamu

  • Scar’s Lair: DOLE Whip and sour apple
  • Lion’s Lair: DOLE Whip topped with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum and sour apple
  • Simba Sunset: DOLE Whip with strawberry
  • King’s Cooler: DOLE Whip with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum and strawberry
  • DOLE Whip Float: DOLE Whip with DOLE pineapple juice (available with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum)
  • DOLE Whip Cup (available with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum)
DOLE Whip orange with vanilla soft-serve from Trilo-Bites Twist

Trilo-Bites

  • Trilo-Bites Twist: DOLE Whip orange with vanilla soft-serve

EPCOT

Refreshment Outpost (Available through November 19)

  • DOLE Whip: Watermelon, pineapple, or swirl (New)
Items from Swirls on the Water

Disney Springs

Swirls on the Water

  • Peach Bellini Float: Peach Bellini topped with DOLE Whip orange (New)
  • Orange Bird Cone: DOLE Whip orange atop an orange cone with sprinkles
  • DOLE Whip Flight: DOLE Whip orange swirled with DOLE Whip watermelon, DOLE Whip lemon swirled with blue butter cookie soft-serve, and DOLE Whip and Vanilla soft-serve swirl
DOLE Whip Cupcake from Contempo Café

Resorts

Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Contempo Café (Available July 21 through August 20; Mobile Order available)

  • DOLE Whip Cupcake: Yellow cupcake filled with DOLE Whip mousse and garnished with a cherry (New)
Items from Good’s Foods to Go

Disney’s Old Key West Resort

Good’s Foods to Go (Mobile Order available)

  • Key Lime Swirl: DOLE Whip lime and vanilla soft-serve swirl topped with graham cracker crumbs
  • DOLE Whip Key Lime Martini: DOLE Whip lime served with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum and garnished with a lime (New) (available July 21 through 24)
Items from Pineapple Lanai

Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort

Pineapple Lanai

  • “Tamatoa-inspired” Dipped Cone: DOLE Whip raspberry swirled with DOLE Whip orange in a white chocolate-dipped waffle cone and coated with “shiny” gold sugar (available July 21 through 24)
  • 50th Celebration DOLE Whip: Your choice of DOLE Whip with a 50th white chocolate medallion, umbrella, and EARidescent glitter
  • Pineapple Float: DOLE pineapple juice served with a choice of DOLE Whip, vanilla soft-serve, or swirl
  • DOLE Whip with Rum Floater: DOLE Whip with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum

Barefoot Pool Bar and Oasis Pool Bar

  • Frozen Margarita with DOLE Whip Lime: Corazón Blanco Tequila blended with DOLE Whip lime and chili-lime seasoning
  • Frosty Pineapple: DOLE Whip with Captain Morgan Private Stock Rum

Trader Sam’s Tiki Terrace

  • Spikey Pineapple: Barbancourt Pango Rum blended with DOLE Whip
Items from The Tropical Hideaway

Disneyland Resort

Disneyland Park

The Tropical Hideaway (Located in Adventureland; Mobile Order available)

  • DOLE Whip
  • DOLE Whip Float: DOLE pineapple juice topped with DOLE Whip
  • DOLE Whip Swirl Float: DOLE pineapple juice topped with choice of two different DOLE Whip flavors: mango, watermelon, or pineapple
  • DOLE Whip Swirl: Swirl any flavors: mango, watermelon, or pineapple
Items from Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill

Disneyland Hotel

Tangaroa Terrace Tropical Bar & Grill (Mobile order available)

  • DOLE Whip
  • DOLE Whip Float: DOLE pineapple juice topped with DOLE Whip (available with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum)

Disney’s Vero Beach Resort

  • DOLE Whip Cup: Choice of DOLE Whip, vanilla soft-serve, or swirl (available with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum)
  • DOLE Whip Lime topped with Graham Cracker Crumbs (available with Parrot Bay Coconut Rum)
Items from Little ‘Opihi’s

Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa

Little ‘Opihi’s

  • DOLE Whip pineapple, mango, watermelon, and vanilla soft-serve
  • DOLE Whip Fresh Fruit Sundae with sprinkles in a waffle bowl topped with fresh pineapple (Moana-themed) or watermelon fruit (Stitch-themed)
  • Mickey and Minnie Waffle Bowl featuring DOLE Whip with sprinkles

Ulu Cafe

  • Churro Pineapple DOLE Whip with Li Hing fresh pineapple (New) (available July 19 through 21)
  • DOLE Whip (available with vanilla soft-serve swirl)
Items from Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line

Indulge in DOLE Whip at the following locations across the Disney Cruise Line fleet:

  • Frozone on the Disney Magic, Disney Dream, and Disney Fantasy
  • Sulley’s Sips on the Disney Wonder
  • Wheezy’s Freezies on the Disney Wish

I hope you enjoy all these tasty treats for DOLE Whip Day, from July 21 through 24, and every single day of the year too. Be sure to try all the flavors and combinations at Disney parks, resorts, and Disney Cruise Line. Happy snacking!

(Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.)

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Cooking Up The Magic: Famous Fried Chicken Recipe from Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

Cooking Up the Magic at Home By July 13, 2022 No Comments

When you think of comfort food,  does fried chicken immediately comes to mind? The talented culinary team at Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue was kind enough to share their fried chicken recipe. This popular dinner show reopened last month, bringing back some favorite menu items, including fried chicken. “Our team was so excited to get back in the kitchen and whip up our beloved fried chicken once again,” Julie Hrywnak, chef at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground, said. “They really bring the culinary magic to the whole experience and enjoy the guests’ smiles and the energy in the room when the fried chicken is presented to the tables during the show.”

Julie Hrywnak, chef at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground

Over 800 pounds of fried chicken is prepared by the cast each night for the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue dinner show and teams from entertainment to food and beverage work together to keep guests entertained and fed.

Famous Fried Chicken from Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue

How do they make sure they bring out the star of the meal at exactly the right time? They listen for its cue of course! In fact, the music of the show runs through the kitchen speaker so the cast knows the exact timing in the show to plate the food and send it out to our hungry guests. “Our cast love to sing along to the show as they prepare the country feast,” chef Julie said. “And the fried chicken is definitely a guest favorite that keeps them coming back for more!”

Chef Julie shared her top tips for making fried chicken with us:

  • Don’t over-bread the chicken, all it needs is one really good coat
  • Make sure your oil is between 325-350 degrees to get the chicken nice and crispy
  • Have fun with it! Fried chicken is a comfort food and is meant to be enjoyed!

Here is our recipe to help you celebrate! Call up a few friends or family members and offer them some of this delicious fried chicken — if they bring a few side dishes to share.

Famous Fried Chicken from Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue
Serves 4

BRINE

  • 3 cups cold water
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 4 tablespoons coarse salt
  • 1 medium chicken, cut into 2 legs, 2 breasts, 2 thighs, and 2 wings

FRIED CHICKEN

  • Canola oil, for frying
  • Reserved brined chicken
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon coarse salt
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons ground white pepper

FOR BRINE:

  1. Combine cold water, garlic powder, and coarse salt in a large glass bowl. Add cut up chicken.
  2. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours.

FOR FRIED CHICKEN:

  1. With caution, heat 3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches 350°F.
  2. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry.
  3. Whisk flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika, onion powder, and white pepper in a shallow bowl or pie plate. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour, making sure to fully coat each piece.
  4. Carefully place chicken in hot oil, working in batches if necessary. Cook chicken, turning once, 13-14 minutes for breasts, 9-10 minutes for thighs, 7-8 minutes for legs and wings, until all meat reaches an internal temperature of 165°F.
  5. Carefully remove from oil and drain on paper towels.

Always use caution when handling sharp objects and hot contents.
Please supervise children who are helping or nearby.

This recipe has been converted from a larger quantity in the restaurant kitchens.
The flavor profile may vary from the restaurant’s version.

Be sure to download the recipe here!

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What’s Cooking at Disneyland Resort In July

Special Events By July 11, 2022 Tags: , , No Comments

If you find yourself at Disneyland Resort this month, you’re in luck because there are some tasty treats coming your way. In July, there are a few celebrations happening and some summer flavors to try across the resort. Not only can you celebrate the 67th anniversary of Disneyland Resort, but you can also join the festivities for Oga’s birthday in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Disneyland park!

In addition to delicious dishes cooking up at the resort, you can also get your hands on some exciting novelties, including Mighty Thor’s Hammer to hold your beverages and the Birthday Mickey Ear Hat Bowl to enjoy all your ice cream dreams. What could be better?

Let’s get into all you can expect coming up. You won’t be disappointed.

Disneyland Birthday Cupcake

To celebrate the anniversary of Disneyland Resort, this year there are plenty of delights the whole family will love. And what better way to commemorate a birthday than with food! Now through July 17 at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa, there are plenty of desserts to indulge your taste buds. At GCH Craftsman Grill, you’ll uncover the Mickey-shaped Chocolate Donut, a tasty Mickey-shaped chocolate donut, and the Disneyland Birthday Cupcake, a vanilla cake with sprinkles and frosting.

Sweet treats located at the GCH Holiday Cart

You simply must check out the GCH Holiday Cart, located in the lobby, as well, because it has plenty of items for the anniversary excitement, including the Birthday Cookie Box filled with assorted cookies, the Mickey Shorts Sugar Cookie, and Birthday Cake S’mores Cookie with marshmallow filling.

If you’re a whoopie pie fan, you must treat yourself to Mickey-shaped Whoopie Pie, a chocolate Mickey-shaped delight with buttercream filling. If you love cake, then the Birthday Cake Layered Cake Pop is right up your alley. This item is adorable and features layers of confetti cake with colorful buttercream filling in honor of the mouse himself. The Holiday Cart will also be offering a Birthday Waffle Shot that can be enjoyed with your choice of a variety of milks or alcohol, for those over 21.

Walt's Chili Cheese Fries located at the Red Rose Taverne

For a limited time on July 17, the anniversary of Disneyland Resort, Red Rose Taverne at Disneyland park will be serving up the brand-new Walt’s Chili Cheese Fries. This entrée will feature seasoned fries topped with Walt’s signature chili, cheddar cheese, and green onion. Just take a peek at how good they look!

Birthday Mickey Ear Hat Bowl and Mighty Thor’s Hammer

Let’s take a look at the novelties, too! The Birthday Mickey Ear Hat Bowl is another great way to join in on the birthday festivities. At Disneyland park, this bowl can be found at Gibson Girl Ice Cream Parlor. Over at Disney California Adventure parkAward Wieners will be offering up their mouthwatering Peaches and Cream Funnel Cake Fries in this adorable dish. The only thing that could make these funnel cake fries better is being served in the Mickey Ear Hat.

Mighty Thor’s Hammer is quite the unique piece. This novelty opens up on top to hold a contour bottle or cup and includes your choice of a Coca-Cola bottled beverage when your purchase it. This mighty must-have can be found in Disney California Adventure park at Shawarma PalaceShawarma Palace Too, and the Outdoor Vending Cart at the entrance to Avengers Campus near Guardians of the Galaxy –Mission: BREAKOUT!

Blue Citrus Mule and Pasaana Punch

From July 18 through 20, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge will be celebrating the birthday of everyone’s favorite cantina owner –Oga Garra. To honor her, treat your taste buds to some yummy options that can’t be missed. At Oga’s Cantina, there are a few items to try. For beverages, the Blue Citrus Mule features citrus vodka, blue curaçao, pure cane syrup, mule mix, and club soda garnished with a lime wheel and candied ginger and the non-alcoholic Pasaana Punch includes orange juice, white grape juice, red passion fruit, and hibiscus– how refreshing!

Mygeeto Roll at Oga's Cantina

If you’re looking for a snack at Oga’s Cantina, the Mygeeto Roll has tuna poke, zhu cucumber, green onion, enoki, eel sauce, fried garlic, vermicelli, and sea bean rolled in rice paper and garnished with ponzu foam.

Blue Milk Chia Pudding and Peka Wheat Gear Puffs which are crispy wheat puffs in a savory and spicy seasoning blend

At Docking Bay 7 Food and Cargo, you’ll find the tasty Blue Milk Chia Pudding. This treat is made with a coconut milk and chia seed blend, fresh berries, pepitas, and shredded coconut. For a sweet and savory combination, Jat Kaa’s Coolers has Peka Wheat Gear Puffs, crispy wheat puffs in a savory and spicy seasoning blend. I don’t know about you, but these all sound incredible!

Summer flavors coming to both Salt & Straw and Sprinkles

Downtown Disney District also has some foodie fun for you with summer flavors coming to both Salt & Straw and Sprinkles. Salt & Straw will be having a Berry Series featuring fresh flavors of marion berry, blackberry, wild berry, boysenberry, and raspberry. What a perfect way to celebrate summer.

Circus Animal birthday cake cupcake and Cookie cupcake both at Sprinkles

Sprinkles will be having various seasonal flavors coming up. From July 11th through July 24th, the Circus Animal birthday cake cupcake features pink sugar cookie crust, topped with strawberry buttercream frosting, and finished with rainbow nonpareils and an animal cookie. From July 25 through August 7, indulge in the Cookie cupcake, a chocolate chip studded yellow cake lined with a cookie crust and topped with brown sugar frosting and dusted with cookie crumbles.

Don’t forget to check out the Disneyland mobile app to help you plan ahead and secure some of these amazing items on mobile order.

I hope you and your taste buds are excited for what’s coming at Disneyland Resort. Which are you anticipating most?

(Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.)

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Drive-in BBQ Burger Worth Your Time?

Restaurant Reviews By July 9, 2022 No Comments

Disney’s Hollywood Studios offers some incredible attractions. With the addition of Toy Story Land and Galaxy’s Edge, this theme park returns to being a standout in the industry. Even the counter service dining increased in terms of quality with the addition of those two new areas. As of time of writing, neither of those areas added a table service dining option to Hollywood Studios. We know one will arrive later this year though. For now, the crowds have increased but table service options stayed the same. Not only are park reservations often challenging to get here, but so are table service dining options.

On the evening I am typing this, I checked for advance dining reservation options in Hollywood Studios for 60 days from now. On this evening, Hollywood Brown Debry offered no timeslots. Even Hollywood and Vine showed limited dining timeslots. The other three table service dining option only had a few timeslots left even 60 days in advance. If you want to take a break from the crowds and warm weather for table service dining, options can be hard to find. If you want a calmer themed table service dining experience, then your options become smaller at Hollywood Studios. Now, if you want a sit-down dining level burger, you have only one choice here. With the demise of the burger at Hollywood Brown Derby, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre offers your only table service burger option at Hollywood Studios. Even their menu currently offers a limited number of burgers.

Photo courtesy of BrianAndAmanda.net

Despite that, Sci-Fi Dine-in Theatre provides guests with a well themed dining experience. Also, the Drive-in BBQ Burger there offers a solid burger. In a previous article, I ranked it as the best burger at Hollywood Studios. Still, the competition literally disappeared in that contest.

The Drive-in BBQ Burger costs $22 and comes with fries. The menu description reads “Our Signature Blend of Beef and House-made Seasoning served on a Brioche Bun topped with 9-hour Smoked Pork, Bourbon-Bacon Jam, Cheddar, Lettuce, and Barbecue Sauce.” That description alone should convey that this burger functions as more than a standard Disney below average frozen burger patty. Sometimes, you just want a good burger, right?

Besides the quality of the burger, your dining experience revolves around a trip to the old school drive-in theatre. Once you are checked in, your parking attendant takes you to your car. You will dine in a classic style car. The setting offers low light like a drive-in movie theatre. Guests will view classic movie trailers, concession ads, and cartoons from a bygone era on a movie theater type screen.  The carhop will take your order. I suggest you have a good plan of what you intend to order before you arrive at your seat. The low lighting of a drive-in theatre setting creates a problem looking at the menu. Theming within the restaurant shows off what old school Disney magic can do.

So how is the burger? The burger comes well prepared. Yet, this burger falls short of the top burgers on property. However, remember this was my table service burger suggestion for Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Yet, the quality of beef could be higher here, but preparation generally ranks high. The burger patty itself offers a nice portion size. The BBQ sauce compliments the burger patty nicely without taking over the burger. I prefer a different style of BBQ sauce for a burger though. Still, the sauce works well with this combination of ingredients. The pork and bacon jam serves as supporting cast in this burger presentation. Of course, lettuce and cheese play their role well also. This burger is not messy as prepared which is a plus when eating with limited light. Of course, a brioche bun adds to the quality.

Photo used with permission from BrianAndAmanda.net

Before moving on to the potential negatives about the burger, I need to mention one additional variable. The fries provided with this burger get high marks. In fairness, these fries will not change your world. However, they exceed the quality of most fries on Disney property. Ful disclosure, when it comes to fries here, I lack proper luck. My experiences with the fries here have been disappointing. Yet, a vast majority of guests enjoy the fries here.

On the negative side for this burger, my largest disappointment revolves around the pork. The menu advertises it as 9 hour smoked pork. The pork presents a decent flavor. However, the flavor falls below the buildup. Additionally, this burger, as currently prepared, suffers a potential texture issue. The pork and lettuce are supposed to add crunchy texture. Yet, they taste good but go wrong in terms of crunch. Ideally, I would add a touch of slaw to this burger. Yes, I know that would probably make it cost $2 more. We could use crunchy bacon but that might cost $5 more.

Photo courtesy of BrianAndAmanda.net

The theme of this restaurant shines as the star of this dining experience. However, be careful not to stay too long because the video on the big screen starts repeating portions you have already seen while seated. Still, the cars themselves create a great atmosphere but seating can be awkward. If you are a group of 4 or less, you may be seated in a “car” with other people. With some people sitting so close to you, you may have a tendency not to talk. Now with the movie theatre theming, I get the being silent and watch the move thought process. However, if you are a small group, you may be seated in a “car” with people in front and behind you. Once again, expect very low lighting so it may even be hard to read the menu or even pay your bill at the end of a meal.

Despite that, the Drive-in BBQ burger here offers a nice experience at Sci-fi Drive-In. MouseDining could be a lifesaver if you want a reservation at Sci-Fi Drive-In Theatre. Remember, advance dining reservations go very quickly here. If you miss out, maybe MouseDining can help. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Funny Thing About Reservations at House of Blues Orlando

Restaurant Reviews By July 8, 2022 No Comments

In preparation for one of my upcoming trips to the Orlando area, I asked my spouse which of the Disney Springs restaurants she wanted to visit. Since we will be staying at the B Resort, located in the Disney Spring/Hotel Plaza area, those restaurants would be easiest for us to visit. The walk from those hotels to Disney Springs works as very relaxing and helps burn off calories from too many Everglazed Doughnuts.

Unsurprisingly, she desired to dine at places that reservations will be needed. As expected, she wanted to eat at Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’. She has never dined there. I, of course, have visited there several times (see reviews of chicken biscuits, fried chicken salad, and deviled eggs). I have a few more reviews of menu items there planned for upcoming weeks. Also, my talented spouse requested to dine at Raglan Road. Ironically, I have never eaten there. Of course, I made a reservation with the assistance of MouseDining for a 7pm seating there. She also asked to see the inside of The Edison.

Yet, the one dining request that surprised me was to dine at the House of Blues. I have visited the House of Blues in Orlando before. Being a theme park food blogger with a request from their spouse, I quickly tried to make a reservation there. I knew I was within the magical sixty-day window at Walt Disney World for advance dining reservations. I went to book a table only to see there were no timeslots available fifty days in advance.

Based on my recent partnership with MouseDining, an expert in getting advance dining reservations at Disney theme parks, a failure would look tragic. Sure, I acquired reservations for Raglan Road, Homecomin, “Skipper’s Canteen”, and The Boathouse already. Yet, I could not figure out why a less difficult reservation to acquire would derail my spouse’s plans.

For full disclosure, since I started working on this article/review, I got a reservation at Ohana. Sorry, House of Blues loses to Ohana. Thanks to MouseDining reservation alerts for finding that reservation at a time I wanted 13 days after the magic 60-day window. However, inquiring minds needed to know the reason no reservations were available. Did House of Blues have a big event happening? Did this place become far more popular without my knowledge? Was all the data showing the most sought-after reservations wrong? I could understand if I wanted a reservation for the weekend brunch, but I just wanted a table during the week.

Photo used with permission from Main Street Magic Podcast

Photo used with permission from Main Street Magic podcast

If you have made it this far in this article, you probably want to know also. Showing my ignorance, the reason for the lack of reservations available was obvious. House of Blues Orlando does not take reservations more than 30 days in advance. As of time of writing, I cannot book a reservation there because my August trip is still more than 30 days away. Just so you know, I have been confirming this 30-day rule with the restaurant via phone and checking reservation availability each day.

So, what does this mean for you? First, if you want the jambalaya at House of Blues, my go-to order there, the reservation window will open later than other Disney Springs places. In addition, reservation availability historically will last longer here. Second, if you put in a reservation alert for this with MouseDining.com, expect plenty of options 30 days in advance. Third, many people interested in going here might assume no reservations are available when they check around 60 days in advance. Now, walk-up availability functions as more likely here. Yet, if someone in your group must eat here, get a reservation.

So, what should I order here? I suggest the jambalaya. Some people always order shrimp and grits if it is on the menu. Some always order chicken parmigiana wherever they go. Of course, some people just get the burger or the chicken. I always order the jambalaya if it is on menu (and currently not assigned to review something else). The jambalaya here costs $21. The menu description tells us to expect sautéed chicken, andouille sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery. This comes served with Cajun style rice. Guests may add Cajun shrimp for $7 more.

Would I classify this jambalaya are one of best I have ever enjoyed? I cannot say that. Did the chicken and sausage taste tender and well-seasoned? That gets a positive response. The overall flavor of this menu item lives up to the theme of deep southern USA cooking. The spice level rates higher than normal at Walt Disney World but nothing overwhelming. I would prefer more spice in fact. The portion size meets standard expectations for a sit-down restaurant at a theme park resort. Of course, this potion size matches the size at the other locations of this chain.

Photo Credit: House of Blues

The jambalaya here provides exactly what guests should expect for their money. Still, this will not rank as a must-do entrée for most people. Would I order it again? Well, yes, I have already ordered it more than once. Remember, I am the person who selects jambalaya. However, if this place falls back on my dining schedule, I might select a burger or the pulled pork sandwich next time. The menu even offers some great salads with some of the best tasting dressing you have ever enjoyed.

House of Blues offers quality food. The food here cannot compete with the heavy hitters of Disney Springs. However, it easily defeats the lower quality table service options in Disney Springs. When you factor in the quality level and the weekend brunch options, this place merits consideration. However, a meal at Ohana won out in my case. For your trip, things may be different. As always, eat like you mean it!

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First Look: More Character Dining to Return at Walt Disney World

News By July 7, 2022 No Comments

Do you love interacting with characters? Have you been waiting patiently for that special hug as you feast on delicious eats? Well, you’re in luck because the time has come for even more character dining experiences to make their grand return!

Across Walt Disney World, some of our guest-favorite restaurants are gearing up to welcome popular pals back, including Stitch for breakfast at ‘Ohana at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Minnie and her friends for breakfast at Cape May Café at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, and Winnie the Pooh and friends at The Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom Park for both lunch and dinner.

Get ready for some hugs, laughs, and lasting memories because here are the places getting character dining back soon!

Let’s start with a trip to Magic Kingdom Park, where there are some special characters coming back for a friendship celebration nestled within Main Street, U.S.A. On September 20, some friends from the Hundred Acre Wood will be rejoining the celebratory feasting for lunch and dinner at The Crystal Palace: A Buffet with Characters featuring Winnie the Pooh and Friends. This greenhouse-inspired beauty is the perfect place to spend your day with some hugs and a feast, with options like Carved Prime Rib, Seasonal Ravioli, and Peel & Eat Shrimp.

Stitch at ‘Ohana Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch

At Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, get ready for some relaxing vibes as you treat yourself to some breakfast classics at the ‘Ohana Best Friends Breakfast featuring Lilo and Stitch, coming back on September 27! Nothing beats getting some love from everyone’s favorite mischievous friend, Stitch, to start off your day. Get your hugs in as you enjoy tasty treats like the Pineapple Coconut Breakfast Bread and Mickey Waffles and sip on the iconic Lilikoi Juice and the yummy Moana Smoothie.

Over at Disney’s Beach Club Resort, you’ll find Cape May Café, a New-England inspired spot serving up some tasty eats in an all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet! On October 4, the Cape May Café Minnie’s Beach Bash Breakfast will be making its exciting return. Have some fun with Disney friends as you enjoy your morning favorites at this feast, including the mouthwatering Salted Caramel “Beach Buns.” And what breakfast is complete without the famous Mickey and Minnie Waffles? Fuel up for your day the right way with these unforgettable characters and dishes.

I hope you’re excited for these exciting updates that will let you indulge in an all-you-care-to-enjoy fare and meet some of your favorite characters once again! These character dining locations join other newly returned experiences, like the Hoop-Dee-Doo Musical Revue and Chip ‘N Dale’s Campfire Sing-A-Long at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground. Check out our other blog post for more details about the recent debut of Mirabel in the “Disney Adventure Friends Cavalcade” at Magic Kingdom, as well as other characters who will start appearing later this month.

To book reservations, go to the Walt Disney World Resort website or the My Disney Experience mobile app.

(Note: All offerings are subject to change and availability.) 

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Suggestion For National Fried Chicken Day

Restaurant Reviews By July 5, 2022 No Comments

National Fried Chicken Day falls on July 6th. Even though I have been writing/editing theme park food blogs for some time now, I continue to be amazed by all the made-up food holidays. However, I have a suggestion for National Fried Chicken Day this year. Before I make that suggestion, I have a little story to tell.

A long time ago in what felt like a galaxy far away, I earned a contract to train athletically. When companies sponsor you, they tend to micro-manage your lifestyle. You sign contracts to avoid risky behavior like skydiving, motorcycles, skiing, and similar activities. Companies start to make strong suggestions about your sleep schedule. As you would expect, your food and beverage intake get supervised heavily. Next time you watch an Olympic athlete compete, remember most of them have gone through incredible standards to reach that point. On the other hand, I never even got close to that level of skill. However, I remember a meeting in Colorado Springs, CO, where they told us to eat a full salad each day.

For context, from the Olympic Training Center dorm rooms in Colorado Springs back in the day, many fast-food places could be seen. Now, several fast-food places were directly across a major road on the other side of a huge fence keeping athletes inside. I recall several fellow athletes telling their sponsors they had a salad every day. Of course, those salads came from fast food places. Those “salads” contained over 2000 calories at least. In my opinion, that might have defeated the point.

Why would I make you read about a memory from over 30 years ago? Well, today, we are looking at the “Fried Chicken Salad” from Art Smith’s Homecomin’. I formally apologize to Art Smith for using fast food salads to transition to this menu item. The quality in terms of preparation for this salad exceeds table service dining standards. However, I confidently declare this salad would not be approved by my former coaches or sponsors. For example, I cannot find a reputable source on the number of calories in this Art Smith designed salad. Still, it is a salad, right? It would be good for you, right? In fairness, this menu item offers some quality nutrition. Nutrition can be tough to find when dining at a theme park resort.

Photo courtesy of Main Street Magic Podcast

The “Fried Chicken Salad” at Art Smith’s Homecomin’ costs $19. For table service of this quality, that price rates as fair. The menu description of this salad brings thoughts of yummy goodness. This salad features crispy fried chicken pieces over mixed greens. In addition, the salad comes topped with pecan-smoked bacon, egg, heirloom cherry tomatoes, red onion, fresh herbs, and cucumbers. The salad can be prepared tossed with icebox dressing or dressing on the side. I suggest having it prepared tossed. For the final touches of this salad, guests enjoy cheddar biscuit croutons. A little extra spice comes from this salad via garlic and paprika.

Yes, you read that correctly. This salad presents guests with croutons made from the Art Smith biscuits. Guests sometimes take a crouton of their salad covering it in the dressing and just enjoy. Speaking of the icebox dressing, this adds a pleasant lemon flavor.  This light dressing nicely enhances the flavor of the chicken and other toppings.

When the salad arrives at your table, the aroma indicates you made a good choice by dining here. The produce on all menu items here tastes fresh. A good reason for that involves the 100-mile rule here. All produce, of any type, must come from inside a 100-mile radius for enhanced freshness. As always, better ingredients make better meals. Sometimes the key to being a good chef comes down to your ingredients. The chefs at Homecomin’ start with an ingredient advantage.

Related to that, the chicken served here avoids being frozen. In addition, the chicken sits in brine for over twenty-four hours. This brine creates a more flavorful and tender piece of chicken. In my opinion, the chicken combined with some dressing and the pecan-smoked bacon extend a masterful flavor combination.  Your taste buds might prefer a different combination of flavors. Still, whatever mixture on this salad you lean towards, the freshness will shine.

Yes, I made an easy joke about calorie count at Homecomin’. However, if you want a taste of Art Smith’s special chicken without as much dietary guilt, this salad calls to you. Sure, you might be jealous of people ordering fried chicken and donuts here. However, Walt Disney World guests should pace themselves when it comes to meals. You want to survive to fully enjoy another great meal followed by another one. This salad will help. However, this salad works as one of many reasons that reservations can be tough to get at Homecomin’. MouseDining offers a variety of services to help you get those tough to find reservations.  Feel free if this salad, or any other menu item at Homecomin’ beckons you. A place where reservations are tough to get generally indicates quality food. MouseDining can help with that quality food acquisition.

If you choose to celebrate National Fried Chicken Day this year, Art Smith’s Homecoming should get strong consideration. As always, eat like you mean it!

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Best Table Service Burgers Inside Walt Disney World Theme Parks

Restaurant Reviews By July 1, 2022 No Comments

Many people turn up their nose when you start talking about dining within a theme park. They begin to describe some of the worst overpriced dining experiences ever heard by mankind. Of course, I have suffered through some awful theme park meals in Orlando area and at regional parks in the USA myself. Hopefully, you are reading this blog because you want to avoid the sinking feeling of wasting money on below average dining. When visiting Walt Disney World, below average dining can be found. However, some high-quality dining may also be found.

However, what if you just want a quality burger? Can those be located within the Walt Disney World theme parks? I suggest far better ones may be located on property but outside the theme parks. Yet, you can find a few decent burgers within the theme parks. For good reason, the counter service burgers inside Walt Disney World theme parks deserve ridicule. Though Disney dresses then up with some decent toppings the actual hamburgers fall flat in most cases.

So, what about the table service options within the Walt Disney World theme parks? Your options improve but in double-checking my facts, I noticed something interesting. To get a quality burger inside the theme parks, you will need to plan on spending $22 or so. Since the Lobster Thermidor Burger at Grand Floridian Café costs $25, you can see why taking a lunch break outside the parks looks appealing. Still, most visitors chose not to leave the theme parks for breaks.

What are my suggestions for a good burger within the parks? I will propose one for each Walt Disney World theme park.

Photo Credit: Disney Parks Blog

Magic Kingdom- The Main Street Burger at The Plaza Restaurant

This burger functions as one of the very few table service burger options at Magic Kingdom. Once again, Magic Kingdom continues to be the worst park in Orlando area to be hungry. The Main Street Burger costs $22 with fries. This 7oz beef patty comes topped with cheddar cheese, house-made bacon, lettuce, tomato, sunny-side up egg, and a beer-battered onion ring. As you can read, a significant amount of flavor resides within this burger. Then, roasted poblano-mayonnaise adds more flavor. All of this exists within a flour-dusted kaiser bun.  Make sure you ask for extra napkins. However, if you enjoy a burger with an egg on top, this burger provides decent flavor. However, of the four selections on this list, this burger ranks lowest—sorry Magic Kingdom.

Epcot- Welsh Pub Burger at Rose and Crown

This burger also costs $22. The menu description reads angus beef patty with beer cheese sauce, bacon and beer-battered leeks served with a side of Branston mayonnaise. If you enjoy pub-style burgers this one should be considered. The beef quality rates high. The leeks function as the best aspect of the toppings. The combination of saltiness, tangy mayonnaise, and a well-prepared burger offers guests a solid table service burger.

Hollywood Studios- Drive-In Burger at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theatre Restaurant can be a tricky reservation to obtain.  Also, most people, including myself, visit here for the experience not the food. Still, if you want a burger at Hollywood Studios, this place offers a wide variety. I suggest the Drive-In BBQ Burger. Guests who order the Drive-In BBQ Burger can enjoy a signature blend of beef, some house-made seasonings, a decent brioche bun, slow smoked pork, house-made BBQ sauce, bourbon-bacon jam, and cheddar cheese. Once again, the potential mess factor ranks high with this one. The flavors with this burger offer enjoyable bites all along the way.

Animal Kingdom- Kobe Beef Burger at Yak and Yeti

My strongest table service in-park burger recommendation goes to this burger. Yak and Yeti offers surprisingly high-quality table-service dining. This place can often present a challenge getting a table. However, my top suggestion breaks the trend of $22 table service burgers. These costs $22.99.

The Kobe Beef Burger here features a 10 oz. grilled American Kobe beef burger served with sesame-soy mayonnaise, crispy shoestring fries. You can then top the burger with either shiitake mushrooms, scallion compote, or Asian slaw. I suggest the Asian slaw but all three will do nicely. Yak and Yeti may be known for the quality Asian food and excellent appetizers, but this burger deserves some praise. You get 10 ounces of beef along with the quality toppings.

If you crave a decent burger (or have someone in your group that does), I strongly suggest making a reservation for these places. MouseDining can assist you in your quest to avoid below average dining. Many table service dining options at Walt Disney World fill up their reservation slots rapidly. If you do not have time to sit and refresh the Walt Disney World dining page hoping for a coveted timeslot, MouseDining can do that for you. Feel free to check out the options on the MouseDining homepage.

Finally, good burgers can be found in the parks. However, it takes a bit of planning and effort. Try to avoid the counter service burgers if possible. As always, eat like you mean it!

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