SBETigg
09-14-2007, 12:17 PM
Friday, August 24th. 5 pm.
I’m so looking forward to a relaxing time at the Polynesian. Even though we have Pirate and Princess Party later in the evening, it’s thunderstorming and we’re in no rush to get over to the Magic Kingdom. The Polynesian is to my kids what the Grand Floridian is for me: their WDW home. Our last trip was a Poly trip and my kids fell in love with the resort.
We’re seated just a few minutes after check-in, right near the door with a view of the lobby. Our server seems a little lackluster and he pushes us to order almost as soon as we take our seats. We tell him we want a little time with the menu but make drink orders.
He comes back quickly and pesters us to order again. No problem for me. I’ve known what I wanted for weeks. Everyone else decides on starters, so we order those and ask for more time on the entrees. Does our server have any recommendations? Our server is tongue-tied, as if he’s never even heard of the food he serves. He checks a menu and shrugs. No, no recommendations. “I guess it’s all good.” I hope he’s not counting on an extra tip.
The DS orders the pot stickers, wok-seared duck dumplings with creamy ginger soy sauce and pickled cucumbers. They’re tasty, though not as good as the ones at our favorite Asian restaurant at home. The DS and I try the Lump Crab Cakes, pan-seared and served with Asian tartar and pineapple relish. The crab cakes are good, though a little over-fried and not as lumpy as I hoped. I’m also surprised at how small they are, but there are three of them and served with plenty of accompanying greens. My DD gets the Sticky Wings, and now we’re talking. The wings are fantastic. Crispy, in a garlic glaze with a tangy mustard drizzle and toasted sesame seeds. She only has a few bites, but the rest of us are more than willing to snap up her extras. Messy, but worth it.
We ordered our main dishes shortly before our appetizers came and now the main dishes are out before our starter plates are even taken away. I feel rushed and not happy with it at all. But I’m still counting on good food. "Everyone" at INTERCOT raves about the place.
The DH orders the Vegetable Rice Bowl with chicken. It’s a stir-fried mix of chicken chunks, vegetables, asparagus and sticky rice in a crispy wonton bowl. The rice is overcooked, not sticky. The vegetables are soggy, not crisp. The dish has a flavor not unlike the seasoning on packaged ramen noodles, and my husband isn’t thrilled with it.
My daughter gets the Pan Asian Noodles with chicken, which is not unlike the rice bowl only with noodles. The vegetables are equally disappointing and the flavor is the same, only milder. Milder, as in, the noodles may as well be soaking in water. There’s hardly any flavor to the dish, and it’s another disappointing choice.
My son’s Char Crusted Filet Mignon with mashed yukon gold potatoes, asparagus and a 5-spice mushroom sauce is lacking sauce, and it’s too char-broiled for his taste. Too char-broiled for anyone’s taste, I would think. It’s black and chewy, yet manages to be almost red on the inside.
We’re all hoping for better with my choice, the Macadamia Mahi Mahi served with mushroom rice, sauteed bok choy, lime-butter sauce and crispy fried onions. The fried onions are wispy as floss on top, and so greasy I can barely manage them. Not many of them, thank goodness. My mushroom rice looks congealed and tastes like rice cooked in Campbell’s low salt mushroom soup. The fish, a small bit of mush on the plate, is limp and overcooked. Not much trace of macadamia. It’s all so bland and mushy I feel as if I’m dining in a hospital cafeteria. Not good.
And true to form, the waiter comes to clear our plates before we’ve barely had a chance to whip out the salt shakers and try to make it work somehow. He doesn’t notice we’ve barely eaten. He doesn’t care. He’s ready to hustle us through dessert. And now, I’m at least hoping the Kona Café can’t ruin good ice cream.
Clearly, the waiter has tried a few of the desserts. When I can’t make up my mind which will be the lesser evil, he’s ready to make suggestions. In fact, he’s ready to give me a taste of everything on the menu. I decline and choose his recommended favorite, the Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart, a chocolate tart shell with chunks of macadamia nut and chocolate served with vanilla ice cream and caramel rum sauce. If I don’t like it, I’m given the promise that he will bring me something else. It’s a little late to redeem himself with me, but I do appreciate the new attempt to make an effort. And aha, the tart does not disappoint! It’s moist, dense, rich, and delicious with the ice cream and caramel sauce.
But not all desserts are created equally delicious. The DH gets a banana topped crème brulee which tastes as if it has gone bad and has brown bananas (caramelized, fingers crossed?) on top. The son gets an ice cream cone, which is acceptable. The DD gets the much bally-hoed Kilauea Torte described as an explosion of warm liquid chocolate inside a brownie volcano, it turns out to be more of a drizzle of chocolate syrup from a dense, chewy brownie chunk. Edible, but by no means the dazzling treat we’re expecting. I’ve had better chocolate volcano cake at Applebee’s, and I am no fan of Applebee’s.
What a tremendously disappointing meal! And it’s still pouring out and dinner took less than an hour. There’s only one thing to do to save this meal- send the kids to explore the lobby and head for the Tambu Lounge for a conciliatory Lapu Lapu.
On a scale of:
-Highly Recommended: Must try
-Recommended: A good one to try.
-Not bad: You might give it a try.
-Unsatisfactory: I can’t recommend it.
An off night? I hope so. But It’s the only Unsatisfactory: I can’t recommend it of the stay. Try ‘Ohana or Grand Floridian Café instead.
I’m so looking forward to a relaxing time at the Polynesian. Even though we have Pirate and Princess Party later in the evening, it’s thunderstorming and we’re in no rush to get over to the Magic Kingdom. The Polynesian is to my kids what the Grand Floridian is for me: their WDW home. Our last trip was a Poly trip and my kids fell in love with the resort.
We’re seated just a few minutes after check-in, right near the door with a view of the lobby. Our server seems a little lackluster and he pushes us to order almost as soon as we take our seats. We tell him we want a little time with the menu but make drink orders.
He comes back quickly and pesters us to order again. No problem for me. I’ve known what I wanted for weeks. Everyone else decides on starters, so we order those and ask for more time on the entrees. Does our server have any recommendations? Our server is tongue-tied, as if he’s never even heard of the food he serves. He checks a menu and shrugs. No, no recommendations. “I guess it’s all good.” I hope he’s not counting on an extra tip.
The DS orders the pot stickers, wok-seared duck dumplings with creamy ginger soy sauce and pickled cucumbers. They’re tasty, though not as good as the ones at our favorite Asian restaurant at home. The DS and I try the Lump Crab Cakes, pan-seared and served with Asian tartar and pineapple relish. The crab cakes are good, though a little over-fried and not as lumpy as I hoped. I’m also surprised at how small they are, but there are three of them and served with plenty of accompanying greens. My DD gets the Sticky Wings, and now we’re talking. The wings are fantastic. Crispy, in a garlic glaze with a tangy mustard drizzle and toasted sesame seeds. She only has a few bites, but the rest of us are more than willing to snap up her extras. Messy, but worth it.
We ordered our main dishes shortly before our appetizers came and now the main dishes are out before our starter plates are even taken away. I feel rushed and not happy with it at all. But I’m still counting on good food. "Everyone" at INTERCOT raves about the place.
The DH orders the Vegetable Rice Bowl with chicken. It’s a stir-fried mix of chicken chunks, vegetables, asparagus and sticky rice in a crispy wonton bowl. The rice is overcooked, not sticky. The vegetables are soggy, not crisp. The dish has a flavor not unlike the seasoning on packaged ramen noodles, and my husband isn’t thrilled with it.
My daughter gets the Pan Asian Noodles with chicken, which is not unlike the rice bowl only with noodles. The vegetables are equally disappointing and the flavor is the same, only milder. Milder, as in, the noodles may as well be soaking in water. There’s hardly any flavor to the dish, and it’s another disappointing choice.
My son’s Char Crusted Filet Mignon with mashed yukon gold potatoes, asparagus and a 5-spice mushroom sauce is lacking sauce, and it’s too char-broiled for his taste. Too char-broiled for anyone’s taste, I would think. It’s black and chewy, yet manages to be almost red on the inside.
We’re all hoping for better with my choice, the Macadamia Mahi Mahi served with mushroom rice, sauteed bok choy, lime-butter sauce and crispy fried onions. The fried onions are wispy as floss on top, and so greasy I can barely manage them. Not many of them, thank goodness. My mushroom rice looks congealed and tastes like rice cooked in Campbell’s low salt mushroom soup. The fish, a small bit of mush on the plate, is limp and overcooked. Not much trace of macadamia. It’s all so bland and mushy I feel as if I’m dining in a hospital cafeteria. Not good.
And true to form, the waiter comes to clear our plates before we’ve barely had a chance to whip out the salt shakers and try to make it work somehow. He doesn’t notice we’ve barely eaten. He doesn’t care. He’s ready to hustle us through dessert. And now, I’m at least hoping the Kona Café can’t ruin good ice cream.
Clearly, the waiter has tried a few of the desserts. When I can’t make up my mind which will be the lesser evil, he’s ready to make suggestions. In fact, he’s ready to give me a taste of everything on the menu. I decline and choose his recommended favorite, the Chocolate Macadamia Nut Tart, a chocolate tart shell with chunks of macadamia nut and chocolate served with vanilla ice cream and caramel rum sauce. If I don’t like it, I’m given the promise that he will bring me something else. It’s a little late to redeem himself with me, but I do appreciate the new attempt to make an effort. And aha, the tart does not disappoint! It’s moist, dense, rich, and delicious with the ice cream and caramel sauce.
But not all desserts are created equally delicious. The DH gets a banana topped crème brulee which tastes as if it has gone bad and has brown bananas (caramelized, fingers crossed?) on top. The son gets an ice cream cone, which is acceptable. The DD gets the much bally-hoed Kilauea Torte described as an explosion of warm liquid chocolate inside a brownie volcano, it turns out to be more of a drizzle of chocolate syrup from a dense, chewy brownie chunk. Edible, but by no means the dazzling treat we’re expecting. I’ve had better chocolate volcano cake at Applebee’s, and I am no fan of Applebee’s.
What a tremendously disappointing meal! And it’s still pouring out and dinner took less than an hour. There’s only one thing to do to save this meal- send the kids to explore the lobby and head for the Tambu Lounge for a conciliatory Lapu Lapu.
On a scale of:
-Highly Recommended: Must try
-Recommended: A good one to try.
-Not bad: You might give it a try.
-Unsatisfactory: I can’t recommend it.
An off night? I hope so. But It’s the only Unsatisfactory: I can’t recommend it of the stay. Try ‘Ohana or Grand Floridian Café instead.