KatMark
09-23-2008, 01:19 PM
We were at the World September 1 - 9 for free dining and here are our table service reviews.
1. LeCellier. We had raved about this for months to our friends who joined us for this special trip and LeCellier did NOT let us down. By far, the best meal of the trip. We all had the Cheddar Cheese Soup as an appetizer (paid out of pocket). Let's just say as soon as Shelley and Tom got home (they left two days earlier than us), Shelley researched and found the receipe! Loved the pretzel and sourdough bread...we had 2-1/2 baskets worth. Shelley had the New York Strip Steak with Roasted Yukon Potatos and Tom had the Prime Rib with Yukon Potatos. Both said the meat was superb--so tender they only used their fork to cut it. My husband and I had the Mushroom Filet (me minus the mushrooms--don't like them) with the cream cheese mashed potatos. Cooked to perfection--tender, no fat and simply delicious. Tom doesn't like cream cheese and took a taste of my potatos--didn't know they were made with cream cheese; well, he kept trying to steal my potatos all night. I had the heavenly Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake for dessert--the best dessert in my eyes in Disney. The others all had the Chocolate Moose.
2. Yak & Yeti. I was a little leary of this place because I had read mixed reviews. However, my DH really likes this type of food (I'm not crazy) for it, so I said we'd give it a try. I am so glad we did. If it had not been for LeCellier, it could have taken #1 in our favorites. Shelley & Tom had the Shaoxing Steak & Shrimp and gave it two thumbs up (I tried a piece of the steak and it was great). DH had the Duck with Anadapur Glaze with Jasmine Rice and Stir Fried Vegtables and cleaned his plate. I had the Sweet/Sour Pork with White Rice and Stir Fried Vegetables. I wish there had been more Sweet/Sour Pork--it was that good and I finished the entire plate (excpet vegetables--not a big vegetable eater--especially stir fried).
We had the Mango Pie and Chocolate Brownie Sundaes for dessert (we boxed three of them to take back to the CSR because we were stuffed).
3. Fulton's Crab House. This was paid out of pocket as it is not on the dining plan. Beware: VERY EXPENSIVE. But it has sentimental meaning for us as it is first Disney restaurant my DH ever took me to and we wanted it to be our 25th anniversary special dinner. Three of us had Clam Chowder Soup (excellent) and my DH had the ceasar sald with those little fishes on it (UGH--fishies on a salad!). Shelley had the Grilled Shrimp with sauteed brococolini which she devoured; her husband and I had the Alaskan King Crab Claws which were out of this world heavenly. They came with the boiled red potatos (I gave my potatos to DH because he really likes them and I took his baked potato). My DH had the Grilled Tiaplia which was a special that evening. Mark has had Tiaplia cooked in all ways and many, many times. He said this was the best he ever had! The desserts were nothing to write home about and probably why this didn't make #2 on the list. They did write Happy Anniversary in chocolate sauce on the plate for us for our special occasion.
4. Crystal Palace for breakfast with Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends. This is one of three places we go every year (the others being LeCellier and The Plaza Restaurant). I love Pooh and friends, plus the puffed french toast is heavenly--I must have eaten four pieces. And love the potato casserole (three helpings!!!). The only thing I was dissatisfied with this trip was the bacon. To me, it just wasn't cooked enough (I like mine crisp, but this was really soft).
5. Plaza Restaurant. After all the heavy meals we eat on our trips, we enjoy this meal for the simple food--and it is really good. DH had the Plaza Club Sandwich with German Potato Salad and I had the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger with French Fries. Both were excellent (my cheeseburger was cooked perfectly). The portions are huge, so we shared a Hot Fudge Sundae for dessert. Can you say I'm in heaven after dessert?
6. Mama Melrose. The last two years, this was much higher on our list, but I was a little disappointed this year. I don't know if it is just because we went on arrival day and we were really all very tired from early morning flights and from the heat (we toured our resort early afternoon and then sat and watched Indiana Jones and it was like 105 in there), but it just didn't seem as good as the last three years. We had calamari for appetizer--it was okay--but way too many peppers for me. The men had salads. Shelley and I both had the Four-Cheese Flatbread Pizza which has always been my favorite and this is where I was disappointed. It just didn't seem to have the same good flavor as years past and it was a little overdone in spots. Tom had the Spaghetti Fra Diavolo which he liked a whole lot and my DH had the Pork Marsala which was really good (he gave me some of the pork and I wish I'd had that). For dessert, Creme Lemone, Chocolate Gelato and Chocolate Truffle Cake were ordered...they were all pretty good. Even though I was not as happy as in years past, we will be going back next year for the Fantasmic Package because we refuse to go to H&V--awful service and food on two occasions and we aren't big fans of Brown Derby and definitely don't think it is worth two table service credits.
7. Rose & Crown for lunch. We have always enjoyed this restaurant over the years. This year we were regretting not going to Biergarten instead (another fav of ours). Maybe we are just in a rut with this one and are tired of the same food. Shelley wondered why the Fish & Chips was french fries and not chips. Three of us had the Fish & Chips--to me it was a lot greasier this year than it has in years past; my DH had the Ploughman's Lunch along with a Guiness Beer which he really enjoyed. Tom and I had the Chocolate Scotch Cake (almost everywhere we went, Tom and I had the "CHOCOLATE" dessert); Shelley and Tom had the Warm Apple Crumble. I don't think we'll be back next year. But I will say this was the second best in service--we had a terrific waitress.
8. Cape May Cafe for breakfast. I don't know if we are just so in love with CP that we won't give any other buffet an inch, but we were not all that pleased with Cape May. We did not find that the offerings were any better than the CP. In fact, we thought CP offered a lot more. DH did appreciate the fact that they had really good grits.
9. Whispering Canyon Cafe for dinner. We've been wanting to try this after a lot of reviews and suggestions from other people. But we were totally disappointed and will not go back. It took 30 minutes past our ADR to be seated; we were taken to the room way out in back away from all the action (and passed at least three or four tables that we could have sat at in the main room which were still empty when we left!) out by Artist Pointe. I don't know if our waitress was new or what, but she was absolutely horrible. It took her 10 minutes to take our drink order; 10 more to bring them back; then another ten to take our order; a good 10 minutes after we had been done with our salads to come with our main course and another 10 to 15 to get the check. She was not funny at all (she threw the straws at us--that was it). We never heard them yelling about ketchup inside the whole time we were there (and we were there a long time because our waitress was so bad). We shared the skillet and the only good thing on it was the corn on the cob and the pulled pork that I would eat; DH ate the chicken, pork, ribs and cole slaw but didn't care for any of them. He was sick the rest of the night once we left. Definitely not going back.
Hope these are helpful in some fashion.
1. LeCellier. We had raved about this for months to our friends who joined us for this special trip and LeCellier did NOT let us down. By far, the best meal of the trip. We all had the Cheddar Cheese Soup as an appetizer (paid out of pocket). Let's just say as soon as Shelley and Tom got home (they left two days earlier than us), Shelley researched and found the receipe! Loved the pretzel and sourdough bread...we had 2-1/2 baskets worth. Shelley had the New York Strip Steak with Roasted Yukon Potatos and Tom had the Prime Rib with Yukon Potatos. Both said the meat was superb--so tender they only used their fork to cut it. My husband and I had the Mushroom Filet (me minus the mushrooms--don't like them) with the cream cheese mashed potatos. Cooked to perfection--tender, no fat and simply delicious. Tom doesn't like cream cheese and took a taste of my potatos--didn't know they were made with cream cheese; well, he kept trying to steal my potatos all night. I had the heavenly Chocolate on Chocolate Whiskey Cake for dessert--the best dessert in my eyes in Disney. The others all had the Chocolate Moose.
2. Yak & Yeti. I was a little leary of this place because I had read mixed reviews. However, my DH really likes this type of food (I'm not crazy) for it, so I said we'd give it a try. I am so glad we did. If it had not been for LeCellier, it could have taken #1 in our favorites. Shelley & Tom had the Shaoxing Steak & Shrimp and gave it two thumbs up (I tried a piece of the steak and it was great). DH had the Duck with Anadapur Glaze with Jasmine Rice and Stir Fried Vegtables and cleaned his plate. I had the Sweet/Sour Pork with White Rice and Stir Fried Vegetables. I wish there had been more Sweet/Sour Pork--it was that good and I finished the entire plate (excpet vegetables--not a big vegetable eater--especially stir fried).
We had the Mango Pie and Chocolate Brownie Sundaes for dessert (we boxed three of them to take back to the CSR because we were stuffed).
3. Fulton's Crab House. This was paid out of pocket as it is not on the dining plan. Beware: VERY EXPENSIVE. But it has sentimental meaning for us as it is first Disney restaurant my DH ever took me to and we wanted it to be our 25th anniversary special dinner. Three of us had Clam Chowder Soup (excellent) and my DH had the ceasar sald with those little fishes on it (UGH--fishies on a salad!). Shelley had the Grilled Shrimp with sauteed brococolini which she devoured; her husband and I had the Alaskan King Crab Claws which were out of this world heavenly. They came with the boiled red potatos (I gave my potatos to DH because he really likes them and I took his baked potato). My DH had the Grilled Tiaplia which was a special that evening. Mark has had Tiaplia cooked in all ways and many, many times. He said this was the best he ever had! The desserts were nothing to write home about and probably why this didn't make #2 on the list. They did write Happy Anniversary in chocolate sauce on the plate for us for our special occasion.
4. Crystal Palace for breakfast with Winnie-the-Pooh and Friends. This is one of three places we go every year (the others being LeCellier and The Plaza Restaurant). I love Pooh and friends, plus the puffed french toast is heavenly--I must have eaten four pieces. And love the potato casserole (three helpings!!!). The only thing I was dissatisfied with this trip was the bacon. To me, it just wasn't cooked enough (I like mine crisp, but this was really soft).
5. Plaza Restaurant. After all the heavy meals we eat on our trips, we enjoy this meal for the simple food--and it is really good. DH had the Plaza Club Sandwich with German Potato Salad and I had the Angus Chuck Cheeseburger with French Fries. Both were excellent (my cheeseburger was cooked perfectly). The portions are huge, so we shared a Hot Fudge Sundae for dessert. Can you say I'm in heaven after dessert?
6. Mama Melrose. The last two years, this was much higher on our list, but I was a little disappointed this year. I don't know if it is just because we went on arrival day and we were really all very tired from early morning flights and from the heat (we toured our resort early afternoon and then sat and watched Indiana Jones and it was like 105 in there), but it just didn't seem as good as the last three years. We had calamari for appetizer--it was okay--but way too many peppers for me. The men had salads. Shelley and I both had the Four-Cheese Flatbread Pizza which has always been my favorite and this is where I was disappointed. It just didn't seem to have the same good flavor as years past and it was a little overdone in spots. Tom had the Spaghetti Fra Diavolo which he liked a whole lot and my DH had the Pork Marsala which was really good (he gave me some of the pork and I wish I'd had that). For dessert, Creme Lemone, Chocolate Gelato and Chocolate Truffle Cake were ordered...they were all pretty good. Even though I was not as happy as in years past, we will be going back next year for the Fantasmic Package because we refuse to go to H&V--awful service and food on two occasions and we aren't big fans of Brown Derby and definitely don't think it is worth two table service credits.
7. Rose & Crown for lunch. We have always enjoyed this restaurant over the years. This year we were regretting not going to Biergarten instead (another fav of ours). Maybe we are just in a rut with this one and are tired of the same food. Shelley wondered why the Fish & Chips was french fries and not chips. Three of us had the Fish & Chips--to me it was a lot greasier this year than it has in years past; my DH had the Ploughman's Lunch along with a Guiness Beer which he really enjoyed. Tom and I had the Chocolate Scotch Cake (almost everywhere we went, Tom and I had the "CHOCOLATE" dessert); Shelley and Tom had the Warm Apple Crumble. I don't think we'll be back next year. But I will say this was the second best in service--we had a terrific waitress.
8. Cape May Cafe for breakfast. I don't know if we are just so in love with CP that we won't give any other buffet an inch, but we were not all that pleased with Cape May. We did not find that the offerings were any better than the CP. In fact, we thought CP offered a lot more. DH did appreciate the fact that they had really good grits.
9. Whispering Canyon Cafe for dinner. We've been wanting to try this after a lot of reviews and suggestions from other people. But we were totally disappointed and will not go back. It took 30 minutes past our ADR to be seated; we were taken to the room way out in back away from all the action (and passed at least three or four tables that we could have sat at in the main room which were still empty when we left!) out by Artist Pointe. I don't know if our waitress was new or what, but she was absolutely horrible. It took her 10 minutes to take our drink order; 10 more to bring them back; then another ten to take our order; a good 10 minutes after we had been done with our salads to come with our main course and another 10 to 15 to get the check. She was not funny at all (she threw the straws at us--that was it). We never heard them yelling about ketchup inside the whole time we were there (and we were there a long time because our waitress was so bad). We shared the skillet and the only good thing on it was the corn on the cob and the pulled pork that I would eat; DH ate the chicken, pork, ribs and cole slaw but didn't care for any of them. He was sick the rest of the night once we left. Definitely not going back.
Hope these are helpful in some fashion.