Yep, the Disney Food Blog train is headed to California next month to cover Disney’s fifth annual California Food and Wine Festival at Disney’s California Adventure Theme Park!
We’re pretty excited around here and wanted to share a little pre-trip “Dining Line-Up” for those of you who might be interested. Feel free to shout out your suggestions for dishes to try, counter service to sample, and your favorite snacks we shouldn’t miss. Here’s where we currently have reservations:
We’re excited to take you all with us to the Festival! In the meantime, be sure to check out our Disney’s California Food and Wine Festival Guide. If you’re headed to the festival, click on our nifty “Reserve Now!” links to go straight to the Disneyland Website and reserve spots at your chosen events.
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
You’ve got to try the Crawfish Mashed Potatoes at Ralph Brennan’s. I’d eat there again just for those!!
Wow! That sounds decadent!!
Wow, have a blast! Here are my dish recommendations:
Carnation Cafe: If breakfast, I definitely recommend the Cinnamon Roll french toast.
Plaza Inn: The fried chicken here is a must have! This is also a great place to watch the fireworks from if you get one of the outside perimeter tables. We always found the place relatively empty at that time because people didn’t think you could just go inside.
Blue Bayou: Here, my hand’s down favorite is the Buccaneer’s Beef Short Ribs. So tender, and tasty. The Bayou potatoes that come with the meals are delicious too.
Ariel’s Grotto: I really enjoyed the Santa Maria Tri Tip here.
Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen: Everything I have had here is wonderful, as is the service. Highlights for me at the Black and Blue Filet, Caramelized Pork Chop, and of course the Chocolate Bread Pudding you have to order early because it takes 25min to make.
And lastly, my favorite food spot in all of Disneyland…
Cafe Orleans: The Pomme Frites are wonderful, the Monte Cristo is yummy, the Chicken Gumbo Crepe, and the Mickey Beignets.
As for snack spots and other stuff:
– The chocolate chip cookies from any of the bakeries (Disneyland or Cali Adventure) are great!
– Rancho Del Zocalo is actually pretty cool. Good atmosphere and the enchilada plate is tasty.
– The Corn Dog at the Farmer’s Market in California Adventure is a MUST. I miss then alot since I have moved back east.
– A Make Mine Mocha at Schmoozies is always a nice pick me up on a hot day.
– The skewers at Bengal BBQ are also must do’s, the bacon wrapped asparagus is divine.
– And no Disney day would be complete for me without a freshly made Vanilla coke at the Coca Cola Refreshment Spot.
Hope you have a great trip!
I’m excited for you! I can’t wait to read about your trip (and the food, of course).
I have 11 days until our trip. I’m so excited!! We’ll be eating at the Jazz Kitchen our first night, Storyteller’s for breakfast, and Cafe Orleans for lunch. I’ll have to keep an eye on the comments to this entry 🙂 There’s been some tasty suggestions so far!
Looks like it should be an awesome trip.
Glad to see you will be eating at Napa Rose. We had the fixed-price menu selection (with wine pairing) back in 2007 and thought it compared very favorably to V&A.
Also — The lounge adjacent to Napa Rose offers any of the same appetizers. We thought it was a wonderful spot to relax and sample more of their tasty offerings.
Have a great time!
Mykelogan — I knew you were a rockstar, but now you’re my favorite rockstar. Thank you so much for stopping by the blog and giving such tasty suggestions!!
Gray — Lots of tasty reviews to come, I’m hoping.
Kelly — I had no idea you were going! Hope you do some reviews for us on your site!
Chris — Thanks for posting; I’m a fan of your blog! We’re really excited about heading to Napa Rose; considering the Chef’s Counter after some great suggestions on twitter.
You lucky duck! You gotta get a mint julep to drink only because they do not serve them at WDW. I also love the mickey shaped pancakes and the meatloaf was really good at Carnation Cafe. My husbands favorite meal was dinner at Storytellers. Have a great time and I can’t wait to read all about your adventure at Disneyland!!
You have to try the Nachos at Whitewater Snacks in the Grand California. Those are the best nachos I have ever had. Also, try the mozzarella sticks at State Door Cafe – they’re huge!
You should absolutely sit at the Chef’s Counter at Napa Rose. Go for an early seating and you will probably be sampling stuff all night. If you are really brave you can ask the Executive Chef to go off-menu. Tell them your preferences and restrictions and they will whip up something amazing course after course. And the Sizzling Beach Rock appetizer while sitting around the fire circle just off the lounge is a very pleasant spot.
Enjoy your trip.
Heidi — Thank you, Miss White Glove! Great suggestions. I’ve seen photos of the Mint Juleps — they’re so pretty!
Anderson — Nachos: check! Mozz Sticks: check! Those are two dishes my husband and I devour, so we’ll definitely try to fit them in.
Samland — I really thing that’s what we’re planning to do — go off menu at the Chef’s Counter. I’m having a hard time believing that you could get that kind of experience for close to the same cost as a regular on-menu meal; seems like a steal.
another note…i’ve had the chefs prepare/choose a menu for me…it was like five courses at the same price as the vintner’s table. everything was already on the menu, however it was tasting portions. have fun
Anderson — Thanks for the info. I can’t believe it’s the same price! I really think I’m going to have to talk my husband into doing the Chef’s counter…
Big thumbs up to Samland for mentioning the Sizzling Beach Rock appetizer at Napa Rose.
I tried to remember that name before and came up short.
I’m trying to stop drooling after reading the comments to this post! I am really looking forward to your reviews so I’ll have some clue where we should make reservations for our Labor Day weekend trip to DLR!
I wonder if Ralph Brennan’s is related to the Brennan’s family that owns Commander’s Palace and Brennan’s in NOLA and Houston, respectively?
Yup, the custom menu option at Napa Rose’s Chef’s Counter is the same price as the Vintner’s Menu. It’s wonderful! If you request to sit on the right side (seats 5-8), you get a view of the meat and dessert stations, which I think is more interesting than the left side for salads and garnish/appetizers. Our favorite server there is Saucy (yes, that’s really his name!).
I second the recommendations for the bacon-wrapped asparagus at Bengal BBQ, the fried chicken at the Plaza Inn, and the Monte Cristo at Cafe Orleans. Do *not* get the seafood gumbo crepe at Cafe Orleans though. It was terrible when I tried it last October. The chicken gumbo crepe is much better. Go figure.
At Blue Bayou, the salmon is good, and I like the gumbo without the rice on top. The pepper-crusted steak is really more like a slice of prime rib. Tasty, but a bit misleading. Be sure to request a water-side table. They may tell you it will take an extra 30+ min to discourage you, but I have usually gotten seated within 15 min anyway. The experience is worth the wait though, as long as you’re not already starving when you check in.
If you can find the hot link corn dog at DCA, don’t miss this! Corn Dog Castle is temporarily closed, but they may still have this treat available elsewhere in the park. I know for sure that the regular corn dog is still served.
I can’t wait to hear about your trip! 😀
Gator-Chris — Thanks for second-ing the beach rock app!
Shayne — You and me both! I’ll see if I can dig up some history on the Ralph Brennan’s to share on the review.
Madoka — Yum, yum, yum! Thanks for the info on seat requesting at Napa and on waiting for the water table at Blue Bayou. I am extremely picky about table choice, and I’ll surely take your suggestion.