The food and beverage options at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort shine as an impressive group, This deluxe-level resort has something for any taste. The current most-searched-for advance dining reservation, Ohana, serves as the flagship of the dining options. Whereas people line up for hours just for the opportunity to enter Trader Sam’s. Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort contains numerous pool bars. Of course, the Tambu Lounge calls to others. Capt. Cook’s provides a decent counter service option within this resort. However, a fan favorite Kona Café has been closed since August 15th. Yet, the Kona Café reopened on November 1st.
This reopening was lauded as coming with a new and improved Kona café. Disney’s website said, “We will reopen on November 1, 2022, with an enhanced table-service experience.” What would be enhanced about it? Would the menu change? What would happen to the highly regarded Tonga Toast, if anything?
Disney Parks Blog gave us a bit of an update about the menu on October 18th. They reassured fans that some breakfast favorites have cemented their place on the menu. These included the Tonga Toast and Pineapple Macadamia Nut Pancakes served at breakfast. Disney stated that these two are fan favorites for a reason. In addition, guests can see new lighting fixtures, better seating, improved signage, and plenty of tropical flowers decorating Kona Café now. This more open concept aids in dining enjoyment.
Kona Café did “soft open” two days early with a limited new menu. This provided some test runs with the new menu in addition to the special private events held there in the days leading up to the official reopening. A small glimpse into what reopening day would look like was gained on those days. Yet, the official reopening day functions as the real test.
Well, lucky people including me, enjoyed breakfast at Kona Café on November 1st. Thus, I can give you my perspective on the changes and some of the menu items in this updated Kona Café. Since the Tonga Toast and Pineapple Macadamia Nut Pancakes remained on the menu, I selected some other options for my breakfast. Also, I requested help from Knights Treks in evaluating some of the new breakfast options. I appreciate them joining me.
I ordered the new Spice Rubbed Salmon Plate. This costs $17. This unique breakfast item arrives with an incredible presentation. The appearance of this entrée will lure diners into this dining experience. The menu description sounds very plain. I suspect that it is to allow chefs to change recipes after guest feedback since is a new item. The description simply reads that the salmon comes with pan-Asian accompaniment. That description undersells and oversells certain aspects of this breakfast entrée.
Regarding the taste of this breakfast entrée, the salmon was good quality. The cheese wrapped in it complimented it nicely, adding a good flavor. Despite the appearance of my photo, I thought the portion size of the salmon to be adequate for this type of entrée. Yet, the other components do not add as much to this entrée. Also, I found the cheese and thin bagel-like bread failed to match all the powerful flavors of the rest of the entrée. In fairness, those may have been intended to be a balancing feature for this entrée. I just did not think it worked very well on this day
As mentioned, I feel this new item served today will be tweaked as time goes on. Yet, I suspect some guests will find the texture difficult. This breakfast item offers some excellent distinctive flavors but may be far too unique for most theme park diners. I found this to be an excellent departure from the standard eggs and sausage breakfast though.
My dining companions ordered the signature Tonga Toast and the Ham & Cheese Omelet as entrees. They also ordered the “Freshly Brewed Joffrey’s Coffee™ Hawaiian Kona Maragogype Press Pot.” They found the pressed pot wonderful. We even spent some time looking for that coffee blend in the gift shop. The Tonga Toast continues to be a wonderful breakfast entrée if you do not mind a heavy sugar-filled breakfast. The omelet serves as one of the “safe” dining choices. My dining friends said that the omelet and potatoes provided a solid flavor.
The newly reopened Kona Café fulfills a need a Disney’s Polynesian Resort for breakfast. This table-service dining option will not kill your budget. All our entrées were $17 each. For a breakfast of this quality at a deluxe-level resort hotel, this makes reasonable value. In fairness, this place is not Ohana. Yet, Kona Café does not try to be Ohana (or cost as much as Ohana). The adjustments to the breakfast menu, at Kona Café, and the old favorites provide guests with some outside-the-norm breakfast dining options. All three of us dining together on reopening day agreed that we would eat here again. Since it is too early to determine the demand for advanced dining reservations here yet since reopening, I suggest making an advance dining reservation to enjoy this food and setting. As always, eat like you mean it!
