Dining Trip Report Oct 16th-23rd: Part 1

[BklynChick]

CAST OF CHARACTERS:
Me - 30something and a true Disney freak, ready for a long-overdue trip!
Mom - 60+, loves Disney, but content to let me do all the planning

Saturday 10/16:
LUNCH: POFQ Food Court
We wanted something quick before going to the pool. Unfortunately, our Grilled Chicken Sandwiches were a dud - there was only chicken and a bun. No lettuce or tomatoes like in the picture. The food court was busy and we didn’t feel like getting back on line, so we put some sauce on it and it was OK. Mom had hers with fries which were fresh and crisp, and I got mine with the pasta salad which was really nice - I wish I had more of it.

DINNER: Kouzzina
I was really looking forward to this meal - I love watching Food Network and Cat Cora is a favorite. I ordered the Spanakopita which was excellent. Mom had the Kouzzina spreads which she really enjoyed, especially the Kalamata Fig spread. For my entree, I ordered the Pastitsio. It was a huge portion and really delicious! Mom ordered the Wood Grilled Flank Steak. The restaurant left off the herb saltsa at her request. She said the steak was tender and cooked perfectly, and the potatoes were tasty. I highly recommend this restaurant. The open kitchen makes it a fun place to eat.

Sunday 10/17:
BRUNCH: Sweet Sundays
This was the first time we did a special ticket event at the Food and Wine Festival and based on this, I would gladly do it again. The buffet featured fresh fruit, croissants, assorted muffins (the banana nut were amazing, with real banana chips), cherry cheese danish, a spinach & red pepper frittata, a vegetable souffle, Mickey Waffles, breakfast potatoes with leeks, plus ham and bacon. For the pastries, there was orange marmalade and raspberry preserves along with two types of butter (regular and Kerrygold). At the table was orange juice, coffee or tea, and Prosecco wine (after all it is sponsored by Martini). The only thing I didn’t like was the bacon - it was greasy and overcooked. I actually stained my shirt with oil from it. Everything else was delicious.

For the dessert demonstration, Stanton Ho prepared the following:
Chocolate Passion Fruit and Pineapple Tarts (very rich with a strong chocolate taste, I ended up leaving some)
Mandarin Cheese Cake with Frangipan (my favorite of all the desserts)
Lemon Fromage Blanc Mousse (nice and refreshing) and Chocolate Fantasy (mousse on top with a crunchy biscuit bottom - too good for words!)

DINNER: Pecos Bill
Since we had a huge brunch that morning, and had MNSSHP that night, we opted for a quick meal. We both had the Angus Cheesburger with fries. I loved the toppings bar - for me, the more stuff on a hamburger, the better. It was a good quality burger and the fries were good too. The taco salad also looked very good - I would try that on a future trip. All in all, this was a good choice for a CS dinner.

Monday 10/18:
LUNCH: Flame Tree Barbeque
We both ordered the ½ slab of St. Louis Ribs. They were delicious but I wish they had cut them at least partially - I had a hard time getting mine separated and ended up pulling the meat off. It came with baked beans (really tasty, definitely not out of a can!) and cole slaw (crisp and delicious). Mom also ordered the basket of onion rings to share, which were perfectly done. The portions are generous here. Keep in mind, all seating is outside and so you will have birds hanging around the seating areas while you eat.

DINNER: Sanaa
We love Indian food and were excited when we heard this had opened. It is a bit of a trek out to Animal Kingdom Lodge but it was worth the trip. We both started with a Mango Lassi Smoothie (which had a nice yogurt tang to it). Next we shared an appetizer: Potato and Pea Samosas. These were comparable to those found in our favorite Indian restaurants back home. I suggest getting the tamarind sauce with them. For entrees, I had the Tandoori Chicken and Mom had the Tandoori Shrimp so we could share. The chicken was a little different from what I was used to having. Normally it is served on the bone, but this was boneless pieces and they didn’t have the usual red hue from the spices. Even so, this version was good too. The chicken was so juicy and tender and it had a nice flavor. The shrimp was a generous portion and also nicely flavored. We both had the basmati rice which went nicely with the tandoori dishes. We also ordered the Indian Style Bread Service and had it served with dinner rather than as an appetizer. The naan bread was the best choice, but the Paneer Paratha was also tasty (although you couldn’t taste the paneer cheese very well). The Onion Kulcha was a disappointment, it ended up getting soggy very quickly. I recommend you double up on the naan. For accompaniments, we ordered two of the Cucumber Raita, as we always enjoy this with our Indian food. We ate both of them and probably could have finished a third one. The mango chutney was also very nice, not overly sweet. I heartily recommend this restaurant. If you love Indian food, you will not be disappointed. If you are not familiar with it, this is a good way to try it out. The wait staff is extremely helpful and willing to explain dishes or make recommendations.

Tuesday 10/19:
LUNCH: Toy Story Pizza Planet
Nothing extraordinary here, but it was pretty decent for fast food pizza. I had the veggie and Mom had plain cheese. I did think the Caesar Salad was a nice touch.

DINNER: Mama Melrose’s
We ate here many years ago and I think the food has improved since then. This was not my first choice but I am glad we ate here. We started with the Crispy Calamari for Two. It was indeed more than enough for two, and the pepper and onion topping was a nice variation. Mom had the Penne alla Vodka and practically licked the plate clean. I ordered the Chicken Pipette but substituted shrimp for the chicken. I had read very good reviews on both the chicken and shrimp versions, and I have to agree with them. I loved the combination of the shrimp with all the vegetables. I sometimes hesitate to order cheesy/creamy sauces for fear they will be too heavy, but this sauce was just right. Only at the very bottom did I find that the sauce became too much to eat. Don’t worry, the pasta portions are large so you will be full anyway. If you haven’t eaten here in a while, give it another chance.

[BabyBun]

Thanks for the dining report. At POFQ you have to add your own lettuce, tomato, pickles or onions. Sometimes there is a small spot to the left of the order window to do it yourself and other times they will gladly hand you a container with those ingredients. While you are waiting for the food, look around and see if the spot is set up.

[2MuchWDFun]

Thanks for the great reviews--Sanaa and Kouzzina are favorites for our family, too!

[HoosierDisneyFan]

Love the QS options of Flame Tree Barbeque & Pecos Bill!

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

thanks for the reviews I think we are going to retry Mama's next trip too

[ElenitaB]

Thanks for the reviews!

[BklynChick]

Thanks for the dining report. At POFQ you have to add your own lettuce, tomato, pickles or onions. Sometimes there is a small spot to the left of the order window to do it yourself and other times they will gladly hand you a container with those ingredients. While you are waiting for the food, look around and see if the spot is set up.

Thanks for pointing this out!

[faline]

We have a couple of the spots you're reviewed on trips next year. Sanaa will be new for us and am glad to read your good review. Mama Melrose's has been mixed for us - sometimes I've really liked it; at other times, I've found it lacking.

[RedSoxFan]

Great reviews. We will be eating at Mama Melrose in December --- one of our favorites!!

[KAT1811]

Love dining reviews! Thank you for the feedback!!!