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Category: Table-Service

First Look and Food Review: Splitsville Menu in Downtown Disney

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It’s finally time to bring you a sneak preview of Walt Disney World’s newest entertainment complex — Splitsville Luxury Lanes! Located at Downtown Disney and opening officially on December 19th, the bowling chain has created its biggest and best location, yet…

Splitsville -- Outside View

Located in the old Virgin Megastore across from Wolfgang Puck Cafe, the brand new space is a welcome addition to Downtown Disney’s WestSide. And with the promise of upscale bowling alley food — sliders, pizza, and sushi taking center stage — we were anxious to finally get a peek behind those construction walls.

Atmosphere

OK, so basically…this place is massive. Boasting two floors of bowling, dancing, and dining, you’ll be blown away by how much space there is here.

And both inside and outside of Splitsville, the vibe is completely retro chic. Owners wanted to bring back the golden age of bowling, so you’ll see a lot of mid-century modern touches throughout the space.

Locker Decor

Even the shoes make a statement.

Bowling Shoes

Cool “nuclear” chrome light fixtures mix with bold red, black, and white color schemes to make a decor statement. And speaking of red, black, and white, plan on seeing a lot of that in the merchandise here, too.

You can even purchase your very own [Read more…]

New Fantasyland Grand Opening Eats and Treats

By 11 Comments

If you’ve been following my twitter, instagram, and facebook streams, you’ve been inundated with photos and reports from this week’s New Fantasyland Grand Opening!

And, of course, I was busy trying all of the goodies you can now find in New Fantasyland! Let’s take a peek…

New Fantasyland Cupcakes

During this Grand Opening weekend, guests will be able to find lots of fun eats, treats, and memory-making merch to indulge in. A couple of my favorites? These New Fantasyland cupcakes!

These can be found at Big Top Treats and Main Street Confectionery.

Find these at Main Street Bakery!

Gaston’s Tavern

Over at Gaston’s Tavern, they’re open for business serving up Pork Shanks, Le Fou’s Brew, and cinnamon rolls among other eats.

LeFou's Brew

Gaston's Tavern Cinnamon Roll -- with extra icing

And commemorate your visit with one of these fun Gaston t-shirts! [Read more…]

New Celtic Brunch — and more! — at Raglan Road in Downtown Disney

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Downtown Disney’s Raglan Road has announced a new Sunday brunch, holiday eats at Christmas, New Year’s Eve fun, and more!

Learn About:Raglan Road Irish Pub
Disney Springs
Disney World Restaurants

New Raglan Road Celtic Brunch Menu and Hours

Raglan Road is now offering a swanky Celtic Sunday Brunch from 11am until 3pm!

It’s the perfect mix of breakfast and lunch tastes created by Master Chef Kevin Dundon. Brunch menu options will include traditional Full Irish breakfast, Eggs Benedict, Oatmeal, Smoked Salmon Omelet, and much more.

On Sunday afternoon, live entertainment from the Irish Dancers will be featured from Noon until 3:30pm.

Dancing Podium and Live Music Stage

Raglan Road Christmas Menu

For a memorable Christmas day, dine at Raglan Road! The holiday menu will feature a roast turkey dinner.

In addition to a delicious Bunratty Mead glazed turkey, trimmings will include [Read more…]

Chef Interview: New Kids’ Menus Debut in Downtown Disney Orlando

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Can healthy kids’ menus also be fun and interesting?

Recently I had the opportunity to speak with Steve Richard, executive chef of Downtown Disney’s Portobello Trattoria in Walt Disney World. Portobello and its sister restaurants, Fulton’s Crab House and Wolfgang Puck Cafe, have debuted some brand new children’s menus that aim for healthy as well as fun.

Since healthier — and more grown-up — kids’ eats is a growing trend among Disney-area restaurants (for example, check out the kids’ menu at the new Be Our Guest Restaurant in Magic Kingdom), I was interested to hear all the new menus and the impetus behind them.

Portobello Trattoria

Portobello

continues to offer freshly-prepared rustic Italian fare, with an emphasis on slow cooking and local ingredients. And the family-friendly atmosphere provides a cozy-yet-refined alternative where families with children can relax.

Portobello

Though I’ve seen some negative reviews for Portobello, my experiences here have pretty positive. And the new kids’ menu focuses on freshness and whole foods, without sacrificing kid pleasers, like pizza.

It seems that choice really was the driving motivation for the recent updates to the menus at all three restaurants. “We wanted to offer choices,” said Chef Steve. “People are on vacation and they might be inclined to be indulgent. With all the menus, we feel it’s important to offer healthy choices as well.”

Portobello Dining Room Seating

The choices emphasize a balance between indulgence and smarter eating. “We think the best approach is to offer healthy meals for kids as well as something that mimics the adult dining experience,” he explained.

“We are trying to offer things that are indulgent, like the option to have an ice cream sundae made with locally-made gelato at Portobello. But then we also have grilled meats and fresh fruits, as opposed to things we normally see on children’s menus.”

Chef Steve and his team have also included fresher choices for beverages, like 100% juice options and low-fat milk.

Portobello Kids' Menu -- Click to Enlarge

Fulton’s Crab House

Fulton’s Crab House

has retained many of their classic dishes, while offering a new flair featuring sustainably and responsibly harvested [Read more…]

Review: New Menu at Beaches and Cream in Disney’s Beach Club Resort

By 12 Comments

Recently, we told you about about a new menu at one of my very favorite spots in all of Disney World: Beaches and Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort.

Learn About:Beaches and Cream
Disney World Restaurants

With so many loyal fans, many of you expressed concern for the changes and wondered if the new options would measure up. I was right there with you! So does Beaches and Cream still rate as THE place to go for burgers and sundaes at Walt Disney World?

Time to find out! We headed over ASAP to try out the new menu…

Atmosphere

Walk into Beaches and Cream, and you’ll feel that you just traveled back in time to that beach side soda fountain of family vacations gone by. From the tall and frosty Orange Sunshine to the flavored cokes, this place will definitely bring back memories.

Don’t you love the beach balls decorating the booths? They’re a completely awesome pop of color and immediately make me smile every time I see them.

Seating and Beach Balls!

Seating is comfortable (snag one of the three booths if you can!). And don’t forget to check out the ice cream cone-shaped lights…

Seating -- Up Close

Pastel musical notes and beach towels romp alongside some of the fun dishes served at the restaurant in this colorful mural.

Mirrored glass shelves host a collection of Coca Cola in glass bottles, as well as an impressive array of glassware. This is a great reminder that you can still get your “soda pop” as a fountain drink, or in a cool “nostalgia bottle.”

Murals and Vintage Coca Cola Bottles

It’s always fun to [Read more…]

Guest Review: Crystal Palace Restaurant in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom

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Join us in welcoming guest author Katie McFarland with a guest review of the Crystal Palace in Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom!

Learn About:The Crystal Palace
Magic Kingdom
Disney World Restaurants

The Crystal Palace is a restaurant that holds a special place in many Disney fans’ hearts.

For me, it was where I discovered Breakfast Lasagna, had dinner with my husband right before he proposed, and where we ate the very first night of our honeymoon.

For many people this is where they first met Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, and Piglet.

Atmosphere

The décor is Victorian elegance with a 1904 World’s Fair-feel. It’s “old fashioned” without feeling stuffy, which is probably in direct relation to the enormous amount of windows in this restaurant.

Crystal Palace Signage

They offer wonderful views of Cinderella Castle, Main Street USA, and the entrance to Adventureland (and also lots of ducks if that’s your thing).

Outstanding view from our seat of Cinderella Castle

In addition to the soaring windows, there are stained glass windows all around the restaurant, most notably in the buffet area. And be sure to check out the bathroom – it’s very [Read more…]

News! ‘The Mickey Check’ Introduced at Walt Disney World and Disneyland

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The ability to provide more nutritious meals for your children while on vacation just became a little easier!

Disney has started rolling out The Mickey Check on counter service menus across both Disney World and Disneyland resorts.

The Mickey Check will give parents a recognizable shortcut to identifying meals that meet the Disney Nutrition Guidelines, and expands upon the Disney Magic of Healthy Living initiative. This aims to provide nutritious options and kid-appropriate portions.

The first menu to feature The Mickey Check is the brand new Be Our Guest Restaurant lunch menu, which will feature a counter service format.

Kid's Menu at Be Our Guest will Feature the New Mickey Check

Following the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the Disney Nutrition Guidelines also encourage the limitation of sodium, sugar, and saturated and trans fats.

Turkey Meatloaf at Be Our Guest Restaurant Earns the Mickey Check

To meet these guidelines, meals carrying The Mickey Check must contain at least [Read more…]

Disney Recipe: Rice Cream with Strawberry Sauce from Epcot’s Norway

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Today, we are happy to share with you the recipe for a fan favorite — Rice Cream with Strawberry Sauce from Epcot’s Norway Pavilion!

Learn About:Kringla Bakeri og Kafe
Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

This classic Norwegian dessert can be found on the Akershus Royal Banquet Hall menu in the dessert section. But fans who aren’t interested in booking a table for the princess character encounter can also find this sweet treat at Kringla Bakeri Og Kafe.

Because Rice Cream is a chilly, rich dessert, it makes a fun alternative to ice cream. And it’s also a good choice if you aren’t in the mood for sugar shock; the sweetness here comes from the beautiful, bright red strawberry sauce, which complements the creamy rice pudding perfectly.

You can find my review of Epcot’s Rice Cream here!

Norway's Rice Cream in Epcot

This adapted recipe does not require fresh strawberries, making it a perfect option for an autumn dessert when the summer berries aren’t in season. 🙂

I’m thinking this would make a lovely addition to a holiday dinner, no?

Rice Cream with Strawberry

Serves 4-6
Ingredients for Rice Cream:
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup short-grain white rice
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Ingredients for Strawberry Sauce: [Read more…]

Guest Review: New Breakfast Offerings Come to Trail’s End at Fort Wilderness

By 2 Comments

Today, we bring you news of a fun update to one of our favorite spots in all of Walt Disney World — Trail’s End Restaurant at Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground!

Learn About:Trail’s End Restaurant
Disney World Restaurants

Thanks to DFB reader Stephanie for sharing with us a couple of new (and very welcome!) additions to the breakfast buffet at this much loved Fort Wilderness restaurant!

Normally, we stay at Port Orleans when we visit Walt Disney World, and we absolutely love heading over to Trail’s End for their breakfast buffet on our “no-park days.” But this weekend, we actually stayed in one of the Fort Wilderness cabins following the Wine and Dine Race weekend.

For breakfast, we took our rented golf cart over to this family-favorite spot.

We were thrilled to find two new items on their buffet, including a brand new Build Your Own Yogurt Parfait Station. I thought other DFB readers would enjoy seeing them as well!

Build Your Own Yogurt Parfait Bar

First, they have both Plain and Blueberry Yogurt in jelly jars ready to grab.

Yogurt in Jelly Jars

Next, they offer both a [Read more…]

Christmas Meal Options at Walt Disney World

By 5 Comments

Dining at Walt Disney World during the holiday season

offers the chance to sample special entrees, desserts, and entire menus geared to Christmas travelers.

Disney restaurants often open up extra options — from counter-service to table-service to buffets — during the holiday season, and especially on Christmas Day.

We’ve got three ways that Disney dining changes during the holidays, and a few specific suggestions for you!

Disney Specialty Holiday Meals

Many Disney restaurants announce specialty Christmas Day menus! There are three different types of “options” offered during the season…

Extra Counter Service Options Open Up

A few of Disney’s oft-shuttered restaurants like Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland, Tortuga Tavern in Adventureland, and the Diamond Horseshoe Saloon in Frontierland open their doors for counter-service eats during [Read more…]

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