tinksmom02
10-06-2007, 10:44 PM
Here's a bonus meal! Mark's great-aunts live about an hour away from WDW, so I sent them a copy of our itinerary. They chose to share our Epcot day with us.
Cast:
Me, 31
Mark 37
Jenna, 5
Aunt Marlene and Aunt Gig (a LOT older than us LOL)
Upon meeting up with them, Marlene asked me where we were eating dinner. I just stared at her blankly, then tried to explain free dining. We headed to Guest Relations to find out what was available. To my surprise, some restaurants did have some tables available, they were just really late. The ones that were available when we wanted to eat were Nine Dragons and Marrakesh. Marlene didn't enjoy ND (and no offense, but I feel like we can get Chinese anywhere), so we made ADR's for Marrakesh for 4:30. Marlene was very nervous about eating here, but I know that many people here on Icot love it, so I was excited.
Just about 4:30, we arrive to check-in and are told at the front desk that all the computers are down. There’s a binder out front with photos of the menu items, so we take turns seeing what looks good.
Surprisingly, our name is called after only a few minutes, and we’re seated in the nearly-empty dining room. The people sitting at the table next to us are a couple with two small children who sleep in their strollers throughout the parents’ entire meal. Lucky them! I hope they enjoyed that break!
Marlene is feeling a little more reassured about the menu after seeing the pictures outside. We order drinks (Gig wanted to sample a Moroccan beer, but sadly, they hd run out)--Mark and I ordered specialty drinks, I can’t remember what they were, but we enjoyed them. Gig and Marlene ordered soup as appetizers. For dinner Marlene and I ordered the lemon chicken, Mark got chicken kebabs, and Gig gets the shish kebabs. Nothing on the children’s menu appealed to Jenna, so I politely asked if she can get a plate of plain pasta, with butter. Our server is happy to oblige.
While we wait for our food, we enjoy the live entertainment. There’s Moroccan music, and, as promised, a belly dancer comes out to entertain the crowd. We’re enjoying the atmosphere, and then our food comes. Everyone enjoys their meal--Marlene and I agree that the Lemon Chicken is absolutely huge (we could have easily shared one between the two of us) and practically boneless. We’re almost completely finished with the chicken before we find a bone. Gig and Mark enjoy their kebabs, as well. Jenna eats some of her pasta, but surprise! She tastes my chicken, and decides she likes that more (she fights me tooth and nail every time I serve chicken at home), so she helps me with my meal.
I’m almost too stuffed for dessert, but Marlene and Gig are ordering, and I don’t want them to feel bad for eating by themselves ;), so I order as well. They order the Marrakesh delight, which isfruit salad topped with mint ice cream, toasted almonds and orange blossom water. I order the Bastilla, which is pastry sheets topped with vanilla oce cream and toasted almonds. Delicious! The pastry was almost like phyllo dough, thin, crispy sheets. By themselves they didn’t have much taste at all, but adding the ice cream and toasted almonds made this a wonderful dessert. Jenna enjoyed it, too LOL Marlene and Gig enjoyed their desserts, as well. Again, they could have shared--the portions were huge!
Marlene and Gig graciously offered to pick up the tab for dinner (actually, they weren’t very gracious at all. We were told they were paying, and we could fight them if we wanted, but we would lose. LOL), so I don’t really know what it cost, but I’m guessing it had to be around $150 before tip. So a bonus free meal ROFLOL
I know Marrakesh has been recommended highly by many people, but it’s not a restaurant I would have picked if I had my choice. Still, I’m very glad that we ended up here. It was good to branch out a little. We were all pleasantly surprised, and I can see why it’s considered an unknown treasure.
Cast:
Me, 31
Mark 37
Jenna, 5
Aunt Marlene and Aunt Gig (a LOT older than us LOL)
Upon meeting up with them, Marlene asked me where we were eating dinner. I just stared at her blankly, then tried to explain free dining. We headed to Guest Relations to find out what was available. To my surprise, some restaurants did have some tables available, they were just really late. The ones that were available when we wanted to eat were Nine Dragons and Marrakesh. Marlene didn't enjoy ND (and no offense, but I feel like we can get Chinese anywhere), so we made ADR's for Marrakesh for 4:30. Marlene was very nervous about eating here, but I know that many people here on Icot love it, so I was excited.
Just about 4:30, we arrive to check-in and are told at the front desk that all the computers are down. There’s a binder out front with photos of the menu items, so we take turns seeing what looks good.
Surprisingly, our name is called after only a few minutes, and we’re seated in the nearly-empty dining room. The people sitting at the table next to us are a couple with two small children who sleep in their strollers throughout the parents’ entire meal. Lucky them! I hope they enjoyed that break!
Marlene is feeling a little more reassured about the menu after seeing the pictures outside. We order drinks (Gig wanted to sample a Moroccan beer, but sadly, they hd run out)--Mark and I ordered specialty drinks, I can’t remember what they were, but we enjoyed them. Gig and Marlene ordered soup as appetizers. For dinner Marlene and I ordered the lemon chicken, Mark got chicken kebabs, and Gig gets the shish kebabs. Nothing on the children’s menu appealed to Jenna, so I politely asked if she can get a plate of plain pasta, with butter. Our server is happy to oblige.
While we wait for our food, we enjoy the live entertainment. There’s Moroccan music, and, as promised, a belly dancer comes out to entertain the crowd. We’re enjoying the atmosphere, and then our food comes. Everyone enjoys their meal--Marlene and I agree that the Lemon Chicken is absolutely huge (we could have easily shared one between the two of us) and practically boneless. We’re almost completely finished with the chicken before we find a bone. Gig and Mark enjoy their kebabs, as well. Jenna eats some of her pasta, but surprise! She tastes my chicken, and decides she likes that more (she fights me tooth and nail every time I serve chicken at home), so she helps me with my meal.
I’m almost too stuffed for dessert, but Marlene and Gig are ordering, and I don’t want them to feel bad for eating by themselves ;), so I order as well. They order the Marrakesh delight, which isfruit salad topped with mint ice cream, toasted almonds and orange blossom water. I order the Bastilla, which is pastry sheets topped with vanilla oce cream and toasted almonds. Delicious! The pastry was almost like phyllo dough, thin, crispy sheets. By themselves they didn’t have much taste at all, but adding the ice cream and toasted almonds made this a wonderful dessert. Jenna enjoyed it, too LOL Marlene and Gig enjoyed their desserts, as well. Again, they could have shared--the portions were huge!
Marlene and Gig graciously offered to pick up the tab for dinner (actually, they weren’t very gracious at all. We were told they were paying, and we could fight them if we wanted, but we would lose. LOL), so I don’t really know what it cost, but I’m guessing it had to be around $150 before tip. So a bonus free meal ROFLOL
I know Marrakesh has been recommended highly by many people, but it’s not a restaurant I would have picked if I had my choice. Still, I’m very glad that we ended up here. It was good to branch out a little. We were all pleasantly surprised, and I can see why it’s considered an unknown treasure.