food IS a theme park
Fun news for anyone heading to Disney World soon!
Citricos at the Grand Floridian Resort has announced monthly wine dinners for 2013.
At this time, the first four wine dinners have been confirmed. For a special evening, book one of these fabulous events!
Jan 23rd- Willamette Valley VineyardsFeb 8th- Foxen VineyardApril 11th- Santa Barbara/Lafond WineryMay 2nd- [Read more…]
2012 draws to a close today, and what a year it’s been!! Here at Disney Food Blog we’ve been following every bit of Disney Dining and Food News, and we’ve narrowed down the list to 10 amazing stories we’d like to share with you!
Check out The Top 10 Disney Food News Stories of 2012!
In a move that shocked most and delighted many, Disney announced that it would begin serving alcohol within the gates of Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom for the first time in the park’s 41-year history.
Be Our Guest Restaurant Wine Menu -- click for larger image
At the brand new Be Our Guest Restaurant in the Magic Kingdom’s New Fantasyland, guests are now able to indulge in their choice of several French and Belgian beers and wines!
According to Disney Imagineers, it was important to complement the French menu of the restaurant with an excellent beer and wine list.
Kronenberg Beer at Be Our Guest
However, while adult beverages are now being served in the shadow of Cinderella’s castle, they will only be available during Be Our Guest’s Table Service dinner and will not be available “to-go.” So you won’t see anyone strolling around with a cocktail or a glass of wine awaiting their turn on the teacups. 😉
It’s no secret that Disney has never been known for fantastic coffee — until now! In 2012 Disney and Starbucks announced a partnership to bring the iconic siren behind the main gates and into the parks.
Mickey and the Siren Unite
Starbucks has already opened its first stop in Disney California Adventure’s Fiddler, Fifer and Practical Cafe and five more locations are planned in the near future.
Fans of the chain will welcome the first Walt Disney World Starbucks locations to the Main Street Bakery in Magic Kingdom and Fountain View Cafe in Epcot in 2013.
Starbucks Sign in Disney California Adventure
A location on Disneyland’s Main Street U.S.A. is planned for the Market House in late 2013.
You spoke, and Disney listened! One of the biggest stories of 2012 was the return of the Citrus Swirl to Magic Kingdom’s Sunshine Tree Terrace.
Citrus Swirl
This refreshing treat hearkens back to the early days of Magic Kingdom, when Disney and the Florida Citrus Commission partnered to have orange treats in the park. The original soft serve was a [Read more…]
Although I do prefer the ambiance of dinner at Club 33, one thing that dinner doesn’t offer is the dessert buffet. The desserts are so pretty that I couldn’t resist sharing some photos of them! Note that the dessert buffet changes up regularly.
Lunchtime Dessert Buffet
Mini Cherry Pies
Fruit Torte
This one was a [Read more…]
We’ve got exclusive details from the operator of Disney World’s Morocco pavilion restaurants about a fantastic new development that has been green-lighted for Epcot’s World Showcase in 2013!
We all know about that lovely waterfront event space next to the Mo’Rockin’ stage, right? Well guess what — this gorgeous real estate might soon house a brand new RESTAURANT!
Morocco Pavilion Waterfront along World Showcase Lagoon Might Soon Be Home to a New Restaurant
Reportedly breaking ground in January 2013, the new Tapaz Restaurant would join Restaurant Marrakesh and Tangierine Cafe to offer authentic Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine in one of Epcot’s most exotic pavilions.
The Tapaz waterfront restaurant complex plans combine 120 outdoor terrace seats with 60 indoor seats to offer guests another incredible option for dining in the World Showcase (and another amazing view of Epcot’s Illuminations, Reflections of Earth, fireworks show).
Looks Like Tapaz Guests Would Have a Great View of Illuminations
The food and drink offerings were described to me as a “Food and Wine Festival all year round.” The menu would include [Read more…]
It’s been quite some time since I’d been over to the Big Thunder Ranch BBQ. My rib-loving son had been begging to go over there for some time, so it worked out that we were able to squeeze in a lunch date with a friend about a month ago.
Big Thunder Ranch BBQ
The menu is basically the same, minus the BBQ sausage in the meat bucket; but there are some new dessert options that I was not familiar with. Hello S’mores Bake!
S'mores Bake on the Menu
Warm chocolate brownie topped with roasted marshmallows, graham crackers and hot fudge? Seriously? No twisting my arm necessary for this one and it wasn’t hard to get my kid and my friend Katherine on board either.
The only downfall is that this dessert takes at least 20 minutes to prepare, so just go ahead and order it when you sit down. That way it will be ready for you before your feast begins to settle and you get too full to eat dessert.
You wouldn’t want that to happen because this situation is worth eating yourself sick for…
The S'mores Bake: Isn't it gorgeous?
The S’mores bake is served up in a HOT skillet. The brownie underneath is moist and gooey, the marshmallows are perfectly caramelized, the graham crackers are crunchy, and the hot fudge is [Read more…]
Walt Disney World is gearing up for festive celebrations on New Year’s Eve!
With the announcement of two specialty dinners at Monsieur Paul and La Hacienda de San Angel, guests wanting to ring in the New Year at Epcot may want to check out these events. Why choose one of these restaurants? They both provide Epcot guests with a view of fireworks!
Or perhaps you’d rather enjoy the evening knocking down some pins and great eats at Downtown Disney’s Splitsville!
Formerly Bistro de Paris, the newly opened Monsieur Paul Restaurant experienced extensive renovations and the unveiling of the Monsieur Paul menu.
Monsieur Paul Restauarant in Epcot's France
Cost for the New Year’s Eve event here is $195 per person for food only; $275 per person with wine pairings. See the four course dinner menu to be prepared by chef Francesco Santin below:
Amuse-Bouche
Champagne
Hors d’Oeuvre
Tarte Aux Truffes Noir: Warm black truffle and artichoke tart OR
Salade De Homard: Maine lobster served cold with tomato confit, lime vinaigrette
Pouilly-Fuisse, P. Bouchard 2008
Poisson
Bar Sauvage Americain, Sauce Au Champagne: Seared wild strip bass with [Read more…]
It’s been grilled cheese weather for us out there, and I’m pretty sure it has been for many of you as well! So it’s time to put together our list of the Best Grilled Cheese in Disney Restaurants…and I can’t wait to hear your additions!
You know we love cheese around here, and Disney has found lots of different ways to be creative with this particular recipe for success. Let’s take a look at our favorites in Disney World and Disneyland!
Craving sushi or just need a relaxed and elegant spot for lunch or dinner? It’s time to book Tokyo Dining!
Although we have recommended Tokyo Dining a number of times as a decent spot for catching Illuminations, I’ve never posted my own review of this restaurant. So we made it a priority to head over and dig in — for the sake of the blog. 😉
This spot is located on the second floor of the Mitsukoshi Department Store building in Epcot’s Japan, adjacent to the Hibachi-style Japanese steakhouse, Teppan Edo.
And while we know it’s a terrific place to stop by for sushi (and it’s rarely crowded), they’ve got plenty on the menu for non-seafood palates as well. Let’s take a look!
Like a growing number of World Showcase restaurants, Tokyo Dining and Teppan Edo now have an outdoor check-in area for busy days. On our visit, it wasn’t that crowded; so the cast member told us to head on upstairs to check in.
Check-in Desk Outside Teppan Edo and Tokyo Dining
We were met by two very gracious Japanese cast members, signed in, and directed to wait in the lobby of the two restaurants.
The quiet, sleek, and spacious waiting area is a welcome respite from the relative activity of the theme parks. It’s very restful.
Waiting Area
Once your name is called to be seated, you’ll be directed to one of two main dining rooms at Tokyo Dining.
The first room features an on-stage sushi kitchen, where you can watch chefs as they prepare dishes for guests.
Additional Seating and Open Sushi Kitchen
The other dining room features some seriously cool indirect lighting, plus plenty of natural lighting and panoramic views of World Showcase.
Here’s a weird tip: the tables by the windows have super cushy padded chairs, while the others are less comfortable. Just an FYI…and one good reason to request a seat by the window.
Another good reason? Illuminations. Yep; you really can see the fireworks from here (albeit they can be slightly obstructed by trees or people standing on the balcony outside).
Dining Room Seating
We were here during the day, however, so I was happy to take in the views from my cushy window seat. 😉
View From Dining Room
We had lots of items to choose from, so after taking in our surroundings, it was time to settle down and decide [Read more…]
On a recent trip to Disney World, we headed over to one of our favorite stand-by restaurants — ESPN Club at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn — for some grub.
But this visit brought something a bit unexpected…and because I write this blog I absolutely HAD to try it and share it with you!! But first, let’s set the stage…
If you love sports and are at Disney for any amount of time, you will eventually make your way to ESPN Club. 🙂
And why wouldn’t you? This is everything you want a sports bar to be. And more.
ESPN Club -- Outside
Once inside, you can choose from two main seating areas. Both the bar and the dining room feature plenty of seating — and lots and LOTS of televisions!
Bar Seating
The dining room also features a HUGE screen and sound booth. Check out the broadcast desk and the big comfy lounge chairs! Someday I will eat my wings there…
Dining Room Seating
Sound Booth
There’s a taste of the atmosphere, and you should be sure to check out our most recent ESPN Club Review for even more photos of the restaurant!
But this post is about something completely unexpected, like I said…
Yep, as soon as I got my menu I knew I had a mission that needed to be tackled.
Don’t worry; I still ordered my ESPN Dingers, but this next one was the main entree… [Read more…]
Update:Monsieur Paul will be a signature restaurant requiring two Disney Dining Plan credits per person. Guests with the Disney Dining Plan may order the Prix Fixe menu with two dining plan credits plus a $30.50 per person surcharge when using the standard dining plan; deluxe, premium, and platinum dining plan guests will be charged $14.50 per person plus the two table service credits. In addition, the regular menu does not feature vegetarian options. Please note your special diet information when making your reservation.
As we reported earlier this year, Bistro de Paris closed to undergo renovations. The table-service restaurant will re-open on December 11th with a new name — Monsieur Paul — which is a well-deserved nod to Chef Paul Bocuse!
Monsieur Paul Restauarant in Epcot's France
While Monsieur Paul will be less formal than Bistro de Paris, the restaurant will still maintain an upscale and elegant atmosphere by capturing classic French architectural elements as well as personal mementos of Chef Bocuse’s culinary achievements in a contemporary setting. Servers will approach guests in crisp white shirts, purple ties, and long black aprons.
The restaurant will not only greet guests with a new name and decor, there will also be a redesigned menu featuring classic Bocuse entrees recreated with American ingredients. Let’s take a look!
Raviole d’escargots, crème au persil
Escargot raviole, cream of parsley $16
Saumon mi-cuit mariné, salade de concombre
Lightly cooked marinated salmon, blinis, cucumber salad $17
Our handy (and portable!) ebook guides make sure you get the best deals and can plan a vacation of a lifetime.
