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Food Post Weekly Round-Up: Sept. 13

Animal Kingdom eat here

Howdy, all! I’ve been on vacation this week and might have missed a few food posts; if you’ve caught some that aren’t mentioned here, drop me a line and I’ll add them! In the meantime, these ones are pretty fantastic:

Jim Hill Media essays about Cap’n Jack’s Menu Change and La Cava del Tequila: As we’ve come to expect from Jim Hill’s site, there are some fantastic photos here, along with pics of the new menu at Cap’n Jack’s Restaurant in Downtown Disney!

The Disney Chick whips up some Guinness Stew from Rose and Crown Dining Room: This favorite from Epcot’s local pub is another Disney Chick hit. As usual, she includes photos of each step of the recipe (great for all the visual learners out there, like me!).

Theme Park Mom lists Four Sandwiches To Try at Disney World: Nom, nom, nom! Put these on your list to grab on your next trip!

Best Disney World Restaurants When You Don’t Have A Reservation!

By AJ 29 Comments

It’s happened to all of us — you need some eats and have no advanced dining reservation (ADR) for a meal at Disney World. No matter if it’s on purpose or by accident, sometimes those nights you have to “wing it” can end in a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter from the Hess Station if you’re not prepared (speaking from experience!). DisneyFoodBlog readers have pulled together their suggestions for the best Disney World restaurants they count on when they’re starving and minus a reservation (thanks again for everyone who contributed)! Quick reminder, though, when Disney World’s busy, you’re probably going to have a wait everywhere. These might get you in a little quicker…

Restaurant Marrakesh, Morocco, Epcot’s World Showcase
Coming in strong at the top is Restaurant Marrakesh, serving authentic African Mediterranean dishes in a beautiful setting. Wind through Morocco’s medina to the back of the pavilion to find the small door of the restaurant. The King of Morocco sent his own artisans and tile-workers to create the Morocco pavilion, and Marrakesh’s decor is stunning. (Even if you’re not dining there, head in to take a picture or two!)

Marrakesh Dining Room

Marrakesh Decor

The Dinner Menu at Marrakesh includes plenty of couscous, the National dish of Morocco, along with chicken, mussels, and other authentic cuisine.

Atlantic Salmon

Sampler Platter

For more food photos, just visit the umbrella’d podium at the front of the Morocco pavilion; they’ve set up a cast member with a large photo album of food pictures of the dishes at Restaurant Marrakesh in hopes of driving more traffic to the establishment.

Bonus: There’s some great entertainment — belly dancers! — at Restaurant Marrakesh!

Biergarten, Germany Pavilion, Epcot’s World Showcase
Biergarten in Epcot’s Germany was a shock to me when it came in at the number two spot for places to go without an ADR (good to know that I can head over there anytime!)! Every review I’ve seen of Biergarten has been positive, and with family-style seating (meaning you’ll probably be seated at a long table with one or two other parties) and some fantastic entertainment, the restaurant offers great opportunity for fun.

Celebrating With Steins!

Christmas Entertainment

Dancing the Night Away

Riiiiiiiicolaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Not sure the menu will agree with you? Biergarten is a buffet, which means there’s something for everyone! Lots of spaetzel, wurst, pretzel, and sauerkraut, but there’s mac n cheese, too, just in case!

Famous Pretzel Bread Rolls

Wurst and More

Carving Board

Maya Grill, Coronado Springs Resort
Maya Grill came in a distant third in the poll, but it was mentioned several times and deserved a spot in the blog. This restaurant is located in Coronado Springs Resort and serves dishes representative of the resort’s southwestern USA and northern Mexico theme.

Maya Grill

As a general rule, restaurants at Disney’s moderate-level and Disney Vacation Club resorts don’t fill up as fast as the theme park and regular resort restaurants, so these are good spots to stop for an unplanned meal.

Other Suggestions
While these three were the most-suggested, there were several others mentioned that you should keep in the back of your mind as “just-in-case” locations. Thanks again to everyone who contributed ideas!:

Captain’s Grille, Yacht Club Resort
Olivia’s, Old Key West Resort
Rainforest Cafe, Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Kona Cafe, Polynesian Resort
San Angel Inn, Epcot’s World Showcase, Mexico
Yak and Yeti, Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Turf Club, Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa
Mama Melrose, Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park
Nine Dragons, Epcot’s World Showcase, China
Trails End, Fort Wilderness Resort
Grand Floridian Cafe, Grand Floridian Resort and Spa
ESPN Zone, Disney’s Boardwalk
Big River Grille and Brewing Works, Disney’s Boardwalk
Fulton’s Crab House, Downtown Disney
Raglan Road, Downtown Disney
The Plaza Restaurant, Magic Kingdom Theme Park

Let me know your thoughts (and YOUR top spots for grabbing an unplanned meal!) via facebook, twitter, or email!

Check out the other “Best Disney World Restaurants” in our series!

Disney Food Weekly Round-Up: September 6th

By AJ Leave a Comment

Animal Kingdom eat here

It’s so much fun to see all the food posts each week. There are some great photos this week, too!

Also, just a reminder that the Lucky Fortune Cookery opened in Disney’s California Adventure on the 4th! Head over and check it out — there have been some cool menu changes!

Now, on to the Round-Up!

LoadedCouchPotatoes review La Cava del Tequila, complete with amazing photos!

Main Street Gazette walks us through his re-creation of 50’s Prime Time Cafe meatloaf! Again, lots of photos for you visual learners!

Disney and More guides us through the re-imagineering of the Theme Building Encounter Restaurant at Los Angeles airport. This is some concept art you’ll want to see. Absolutely incredible stuff.

Progress City USA remembers the Melvin the Moose Breakfast Show from Fort Wilderness.

Home by the Sea reviews Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand Californian Resort. Some really beautiful food shots here!

TouringPlans takes an end-of-summer look at the two “lounges” of the Polynesian Resort Tambu Lounge and Barefoot Pool Bar. Nothing like summer by the sea!

Orlando Sentinel reminds us that there will be trick or treating this halloween — for free! — at Disney World’s Downtown Disney!

Have a great week and Labor Day holiday everyone! Enjoy these amazing blogs, and be sure to let me know when you come across a good Disney food post this week!

Pool Bar Series: Petals at POP Century Resort

By AJ 7 Comments

POP Century sign

I’ve mentioned on the food blog before how much I enjoy Petals Pool Bar at POP Century Resort, and I thought it’d be fitting to dedicate a colorful TGIF blog to this great place.

Petals Pool bar

Again, there are some truly wonderful bartenders here (I don’t know how Disney finds so many of these top notch CMs), and Petals rivals Banana Cabana at Caribbean Beach Resort, Uzima Springs Pool Bar at Animal Kingdom Lodge Jambo House, and Trout Pass at Wilderness Lodge for my “favorite folks” award.

Frozen Drink Machines and Flat Screen TV

POP Century Resort is themed around the pop culture of the past half century, and giant, two- and three-story icons represent nostalgic items and characters from the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. Petals is located at POP’s Hippy Dippy Pool, which is shaped like a giant flower and plopped down in the center of the two 1960’s buildings. This is the resort’s main pool, situated right behind the building housing the lobby, food court, and gift shop.

I really like the ability to stop into the food court or gift shop to get any items that might be needed, then stroll outside to grab a cocktail and have a seat in the shade. Because the pool is so close to the main building, you really don’t feel out of place having a cocktail at the pool bar when you’re not swimming. This is a great feature at value and moderate resorts, which don’t have indoor lounges.

There are no food offerings at Petals, but there’s a good variety of frozen, on-the-rocks, and non-alcoholic drinks. If you need something to nosh on, just pop into Everything POP Food Court for a snack, and bring it back out to the pool area!

Petals Pool Bar Menu

Once you’ve settled in with your drink, pass the time by watching a ping-pong match on the nearby table, or ponder which Disney tattoo or hair wrap you might treat yourself to — those kiosks are just across the pathway from Petals!

Ping Pong Table

Hair Wrap Station

Overall, Petals is a great place to comfortably relax. Even when I’m not staying at POP Century, I love popping by the resort for a bite to eat in the food court (one of the best on property in my opinion) and grab a drink at Petals. Good drinks, good people. I’m a big fan.

Secret Spots: Contemporary Grounds

By AJ 1 Comment

Contemporary Grounds

There are lots of Disney World dining spots that are well-known to Disney-goers. Everyone knows about Cinderella’s Royal Table and Chef Mickey’s, right? But there are also a few hidden gems of which you may not have heard! One of these great little spots is Contemporary Grounds, located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Ordering and Serving Area

While the Magic Kingdom bakery is sure to have a line out the door every morning, Contemporary Grounds (just a short walk away from the Magic Kingdom) offers similar coffee drinks and pastries, minus the line! (It’s also a great way to convince your spouse to go check out the new Bay Lake Tower Disney Vacation Club property…)

Contemporary Grounds Menu

Situated in the lobby of the resort, right next to the entrance to the Conference Center (natch), sits unassuming little Contemporary Grounds. The area is bright, sunny, and surrounded by comfy couches and chairs for relaxing. This makes it a perfect place to kick back for a mid-afternoon rest — you’re still close enough to the park to get back for the 3:00pm parade! Best of all? No reservations necessary!

Contemporary Lobby Seating Area

Now, doesn’t that look more comfy than fighting for a table outside the Plaza? Enjoy!

Photo Credits: Thanks to DisneyContemporary.com for the photos!

Epcot’s La Cava del Tequila

By AJ 20 Comments

Tequila Variations ©Disney

It’s finally open! I’m so thrilled that the Cava is ready to serve (and even more thrilled that I get to share with you all the info about my tequila tasting at the Food and Wine Festival later this Fall!). This will be a welcome addition to the beautiful Mexico pavilion — especially for us foodies. Be sure to pick up your sombrero on the way out.

To peruse the Epcot Tequila bar menu, click on the link!

Here’s Disney’s official press release about La Cava del Tequila in Epcot’s Mexico. Enjoy!

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – Tasty tequilas and mouthwatering margaritas are on tap at La Cava del Tequila, a new offering for Epcot guests to explore the heritage and tradition of tequila-making in Mexico.

Cava del Tequila munchies ©Disney

Tucked away in the Mexico pavilion at Epcot, La Cava del Tequila beckons guests with more than 70 types of authentic tequila, ranging from the simplest to the rarest of them all, aged to perfection and made from the finest distilled spirits from the agave plant. Tequilas range in price from $8 to $50 for a specialty tequila.

Amid warm décor, art work and original artifacts all celebrating the Mexican heritage, a “Tequila Ambassador” is on hand to educate Walt Disney World guests on the history of tequila-making.

Also on the drink menu: Exotic and uniquely blended margaritas, introducing a variety of flavored salts, spices and tropical fresh fruits masterfully prepared by experienced mixologists.

Drinks de Tequila ©Disney

A variety of quick tastes, tapas style, will be available, including freshly made guacamole and ceviche as well as mahi mahi tostadas with diced mango and avocado and blue crab tostados with chipotle mayo and Valentina sauce.

The 30-seat La Cava del Tequila is open from noon until Epcot park closing time. It is connected to the famous San Angel Inn as part of the Mexico pavilion, a popular stop for Walt Disney World guests.

Latest Disney World Food News and Rumors

By AJ 3 Comments

Head over to the Diamond Horseshoe for some grum...at least for now

Head over to the Diamond Horseshoe for some grub...at least for now

Too much happening to do individual posts on each! Just wanted to give you a run-down!

News and Reminders:

1. The Tomorrowland Terrace Cafe in the Magic Kingdom is open (and available for online booking) August 16, 23 and 30; and September 6, 13, 20 and 27. Click the link to book online and see sample menu items.

2. DVC members, Annual Passholders, and Tables in Wonderland members can now register in advance and at a discounted rate for 2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival seminars and culinary demonstrations.

3. Epcot’s Mexico is scheduled to open its Cava del Tequila on August 28th (Friday!).

4. You can book the Magic Kingdom’s Diamond Horseshoe (temporary table-service location) from now through October 3rd. Click the link to book online.

5. 8/27 Update: The Wishes Dessert Party has been extended through November 1st, 2009!

Rumors:

1. I was on the phone with a Tables in Wonderland cast member who mentioned that the discounted Food and Wine Festival seminar registration rates would become available to the general public on Friday, August 28th. Rumor only, folks, but this would be great, as those of us who want to experience several of the seminars can save a bunch of cash!

Disney Pool Bars: Hurricane Hanna’s

By AJ 5 Comments

Hurricane Hanna's Sign

After a truly amazing recent stay at the Yacht Club, I really wanted to share some info about Hurricane Hanna’s as the second installment of the Pool Bars series.

Stormalong Bay

This is the pool bar for Stormalong Bay, that mini-water-park nestled between Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club Resorts. I’ve spent many lovely afternoons lounging by this pool, taking advantage of the super-duper long shipwreck slide, and greatly enjoying the poolside service by Hurricane Hanna’s waitstaff.

Hurricane Hanna's Bar and Grill Sections

But even though you need a wristband proving that you’re staying at Y&BC to swim in Stormalong, you can visit Hurricane Hanna’s even if you’re not a resort guest! Strolling on the Boardwalk? Head over to Hanna’s for a hot dog or a Mai Tai! There are several tables with umbrellas available for guests to sit and relax.

Arrows Point You to the Correct Side of the Queue

Hurricane Hanna’s menu includes your standard Disney Pool Bar drinks (though I think I remember, back in the day, they had a drink called the Hurricane Hanna — anyone recall this?)

Disney Pool Bar Drink Menu

Frozen Selections

On the Rocks

And Hanna’s also has a varied food menu. You’ve even got a well-stocked condiments bar situated in a “canoe!”

Hot Items and Kids' Picks

Cold Selections and Snacks

Beer, Beverages, and Ice Cream

Condiments Canoe

Don’t forget that you can pop behind Hanna’s and play some ping pong!

Stormalong Bay Ping Pong Table

If you’re not at the pool, pop over to the Yacht Club beach to get a hair wrap, pick a pearl, or just relax on a lounge chair.

Yacht and Beach Club Hair Wrap Station

Pick a Peark Station

Hurricane Hanna’s, because it’s situated properly to be rather available for use by those just visiting the Boardwalk, is definitely one of the more accessible pool bars on Disney property. It’s also a great way to grab a glimpse at the largess of Stormalong Bay!

The next time you’re out and about between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, take a stroll over to the Yacht and Beach Clubs and enjoy a nice, relaxing beverage on the beach. You’ll thank yourself!

Tables in Wonderland/DVC/Annual Passholder: 2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival Discounts

By AJ Leave a Comment

dining Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival offers Tables in Wonderland, Disney Vacation Club, and Annual Passholder Member discounts:
Members have a special opportunity to purchase discounted advance tickets to the culinary demonstrations and wine/beverage seminars at the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival, taking place September 25 – November 8, 2009.Beginning Wednesday, August 26, a limited number of discounted tickets will be available for Members to purchase online in advance of the general public. The discounted rate is $5 a person (regularly $8 a person) while they last. (Events are expected to sell out.) Please note that the discount won’t be available at the event, so advance purchase is required to get the discounted rate. Discounted tickets, if available, may be purchased until 24 hours before the start of any individual session.

The culinary demonstrations and wine/beverage seminars, which last about 45 minutes, let participants learn from featured chefs and wine presenters, pick up a few tips and taste the featured items. Everyone must have a ticket to attend, and attendees must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages.

To register for the culinary demonstrations and wine/beverage seminars at the discounted rate, visit http://www.register123.com/profile/web/index.cfm?PKwebID=0x173908616f

Thanks to Pinvestigator Cody at the Global Disney Pinvestigation Blog for this info (DisneyFoodBlog has to renew its Tables in Wonderland, apparently!).

D23 Expo Foodie-centric Auction Lots

By AJ 1 Comment

The D23 Expo Live Auction lots were announced yesterday, and there are a couple that I think you foodies will enjoy! Looking forward to hearing feedback from all of you Expo-ers!

Napa Rose Chef Andrew Sutton

LOT 13: Private Cooking Lesson & Dining Experience with Chef Andrew Sutton
(Bidder, plus eleven (11) guests)

“La piece de resistance! Join Executive Chef Andrew Sutton of the award-winning Napa Rose as he leads a hands-on cooking and learning experience in the show kitchen of the beautiful Napa Rose restaurant at Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel® & Spa. Then enjoy a quintessential dining experience recounting your
day’s cooking accomplishments.

Also included in this auction lot will be six (6) bottles of wine provided and signed by John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios and Principal Creative Advisor for Walt Disney Imagineering. John and his wife Nancy purchased an historic Sonoma Valley winery and vineyard property back in 2002; since then they and their family have lovingly transformed the property into a state-of-the-art, ecofriendly, family-run winery.

(Experience must be completed by February 28, 2010, and must take place on a Saturday morning. Participants must be at least 18 years of age. For your safety, closed-toe shoes and long pants are required.)”

LOT 28: Progressive Dinner – Hotels of the Disneyland® Resort and Downtown Disney® District
(Bidder, plus five (5) Guests)

“Start off the night with cocktails and delicious appetizers at the famous House of Blues® Restaurant. Then let Catal’s executive chef and events team create a signature soup and salad duo plate featuring the freshest ingredients to please your palette.

catal logo Hungry for more? Choose from a menu of flavorful offerings at our renowned Steakhouse 55 restaurant at the Disneyland® Hotel. Their succulent menu will leave your mouth watering!

steakhouse55 Logo Then take your taste buds on vacation…Jazz on over to Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen, a savvy representation of New Orleans’ dual legacies – food and music – served up in a whimsical setting depicting the charm, ambiance and hospitality of historic and contemporary New Orleans. Enjoy the view from our Jazz Balcony as our chef prepares an assortment of petit desserts artfully displayed for your indulgence. Sip on a Jazz Kitchen coffee or enjoy from our selection of after dinner drinks as our staff roll out our signature dessert, prepared table side just for you and your guests. Jazz Kitchen Logo

(Experience must be completed by February 28, 2010. Experience is not valid on the following dates: 9/19/09, 10/1/09, 10/2/09, 10/31/09, 11/26/09, 12/4/09 – 1/3/10. Participants must be 21 years of age in order to consume alcoholic beverages. Package can only be redeemed with Disney’s package and cannot be used separately.)”

About The Auction…
Event Date: Saturday, September 12, 2009
Event Time: 7:00 PM
Event Location: Anaheim Convention Center – Anaheim, CA
Event Summary: Disney enthusiasts will have the opportunity to bid on unique Walt Disney Studio and Theme Park experiences, tours, artwork, props and more.

Ticket Sale Information:
Admission to the D23 Expo Live Auction is included in all D23 Expo tickets. There will be an additional “Auctioneers Package” fee required for guests who wish to participate (i.e. bid on items) in the auction. Tickets for the D23 Auctioneers Package are $40 each. With this pacakge, you will receive preferred floor seating, ONE (1) D23 Expo Live Auction Commemorative Catalog, ONE (1) D23 Expo Live Auction Paddle, and ONE (1) D23 Expo Live Auction Limited Edition Pin.

It does not look like this auction will benefit any charitable organization.

For more information on the auction and a link to other available auction lots at the D23 Expo, visit the D23 Auction 2009 web page.

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