Review: Todd English's bluezoo | the disney food blog

Review: Todd English’s bluezoo

Incredible seafood and stylized “under-the-sea” decor is the impression most people have of Todd English’s bluezoo at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin Resort before they go…but there’s a lot more to it than that!

Celebrity Chef Todd English is the nameplate on many restaurants, but is best known for the original “Olives,” opened in Boston in 1989. Since then, he’s gone on to master the gamut of cuisine, from steakhouses to seafood to Italian and more, and even holds court over a restaurant on the Queen Mary II cruise ship.

But as he’s based in Boston, the Swan and Dolphin is lucky to have another incredible Chef overseeing bluezoo — Chef Chris Windus. A rising star in his own right, Chef Windus is still dedicated to the art of food. Through his personal blog and interaction in foodie circles, it’s clear to see that he’s a perfectionist and strives for the ideal plate from ingredient choice to preparation to service. Since I began this blog, it’s been a joy watching how he runs the bluezoo kitchen, and I was eager to head to the restaurant to experience it myself.

Atmosphere

Situated across the lake from the Boardwalk Resort — with our table offering a gorgeous evening view of the Boardwalk and the Illuminations fireworks in Epcot — bluezoo is upscale, trendy, and fun. The decor [Read more…]

New Restaurants Coming to Pleasure Island…I Mean, “Hyperion Wharf”

By AJ 14 Comments

Concept art and details were released today about the new Hyperion Wharf, the name of the project formerly known as Pleasure Island in Disney World’s Downtown Disney, and they look pretty stunning.

While the plans are vague and don’t seem to include a central theme, yet, we do know that the 120-acre “waterfront complex” themed after an old-fashioned entertainment pier will include “diverse eateries, [which] will expand dining availability at Downtown Disney by more than 25 percent.”

A couple of the new dining options will take place somewhere you’d least expect them: the AMC Movie Theater! The Disney Parks Blog promises that the theater will add a “Concession Stand of the Future” along with “Florida’s first Fork & Screen Theater” (think Studio Movie Grill to get an idea of what [Read more…]

Disney Food Pics of the Week: Funnel Cakes

By AJ 6 Comments

Thanks to all who have contributed their photos to the Disney Food Blog Photo Extravaganza! Keep sending them along! This week, the Disney Food Pics of the Week feature everyone’s favorite fried dough — the Funnel Cake!

A Disney California Adventure sweet treat! Photographer: Jobber99

Next, a classic cake — found in Magic Kingdom’s [Read more…]

Disney Food for Families: Where to Find Baby Food in Disney Parks and Resorts

By AJ 9 Comments

Disney Food for Families columnist, Erin Foster, takes a look at baby food options in Disney parks and resorts. You can read about Erin and read her other columns on our Disney Food for Families page!

Many families make their first trips to Walt Disney World while at least one of their children is in the baby mush stage of eating. A question I often hear from these families is, “What do I do about baby food while on my Disney vacation?” This information may not be as exciting as news about the latest gonzo cupcake creation, but it can be of critical importance to those traveling with a toothless crew.

Magic Kingdom Baby Care Center

Where to Find Baby Food on Disney Property
Baby food is not a menu item at any of the Disney restaurants. However, you are welcome to serve your baby food purchased elsewhere while you dine. Disney stocks a limited selection of baby food products in the resort gift shops, always Gerber brand. The flavor assortment may vary slightly, but generally you can expect to find [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland: Holiday Treats

By AJ 8 Comments

Our Disneyland columnist, Heather Sievers, is back with some photos of Holiday treats in Disneyland! Be sure to check out her other posts in her Dining in Disneyland column.

Here are some fun things I found today at Disneyland! Baked goods were from the Blue Ribbon Bakery on Main Street and the candy items were found at the Candy Palace on Main Street.

Holiday Cupcakes

Homemade Peppermint Bark

Holiday Drinks in Disneyland

My son devoured the Gingerbread Man! I did have a bite, and while [Read more…]

Review: Bull and Bear Steakhouse at Waldorf Astoria Orlando

By AJ 14 Comments

Orlando’s new Waldorf Astoria is a sister hotel to the legendary Waldorf in New York City. We were lucky enough to dine at the hotel’s steakhouse, The Bull and Bear, which is patterned after The Bull and Bear Steakhouse in New York’s Waldorf.

Atmosphere

The Bull and Bear feels like an exclusive club, and it’s not a place to go if all you want is a quick meal — this is where you go when you want a meal to treasure. The entryway is stacked with the best wines, the cozy dark woods and brass decor will immediately make you feel as though you’ve walked into a Rockefeller’s library, and attentive and smoothly-running service will ensure that you feel like the most important person in the room. Dining here means being pampered, and everyone deserves that once in a while.

Entryway

But, surprise, you’re not in an upscale vintage Steakhouse in Manhattan; you’re in the middle of Walt Disney World property! That’s right — when you get a “theme park view” at the Waldorf, you really can see the theme parks…and Downtown Disney, and Pop Century Resort, even. [Read more…]

Dining in Disneyland: Thanksgiving Treats

By AJ 5 Comments

Our Disneyland columnist, Heather Sievers, is back with some photos of Thanksgiving treats in Disneyland! Be sure to check out her other posts in her Dining in Disneyland column.

Let’s be Thankful!

Although I LOVE LOVE LOVE Christmas time at Disneyland, I do feel sort of bad for Thanksgiving. Halloween pretty much turns into Christmas overnight. Today, at The Blue Ribbon Bakery and The Candy Palace, both on Disneyland’s Main Street USA, I found two treats that made me THANKFUL.

I know AJ recently posted a photo of the pumpkin muffin, well guess what? I got to taste one today and let me tell you this, if you like pumpkin desserts, you need to get your hands on one of these before they are gone for the season.

Pumpkin Muffin

Honestly, this “muffin” seems more like a cupcake to me. It size is enormous, it’s super moist, and it has the perfect amount of pumpkin flavor. Not too overpowering, just [Read more…]

Snack Series: The Mickey Premium Bar

By AJ 31 Comments

Can you believe it? I’ve written over 1,000 pages for this site and I’ve never given the Mickey Premium Bar its very own dedication. Let’s change that right now, shall we?

For those who haven’t tried one, a Nestle Mickey Premium Bar is basically vanilla ice cream on a stick dipped in chocolate. Think Dove bar or Klondike bar, but Mickey shaped. Plain, simple, delicious.

What makes it so good? I have no idea. Maybe it’s just better than a [Read more…]

Guest Review: Babycakes NYC Cupcakes at Disney World

By AJ 27 Comments

Thanks to Leigh Caldwell for putting together this great review of Babycakes NYC, Disney World’s newest cupcake shop, which opened in Downtown Disney this weekend. Leigh writes about Walt Disney World and theme parks in general on her site, ThemeParkMom.com, and for AOL’s travel blog, Gadling.com.

My love of all things cupcake is pretty well documented online and on Twitter, so of course I was excited to hear that a branch of Babycakes NYC had opened at the Downtown Disney Marketplace.

Atmosphere
Babycakes NYC is a vegan bakery on New York’s Lower East Side. A downtown L.A. outpost opened recently, and now a third outpost has appeared at Walt Disney World.

It occupies a corner of the former McDonald’s building, sharing space with [Read more…]

Guest Review: Disney World’s Pollo Campero

By AJ 20 Comments

Thanks to Leigh Caldwell for putting together this great review of Pollo Campero, Disney World’s newest quick service restaurant, which opened in Downtown Disney this weekend. Leigh writes about Walt Disney World and theme parks in general on her site, ThemeParkMom.com, and for AOL’s travel blog, Gadling.com.

My daughter and I made a visit to the Festival of the Masters at Downtown Disney this weekend, and we had to stop in to try the new Pollo Campero restaurant for lunch.

Pollo Campero is a counter service restaurant, which shares space with two other eateries – Fresh A-Peel and Babycakes NYC. It’s part of a chain of chicken restaurants that serve up Latin flavors.

The new restaurants opened Nov. 12 at Downtown Disney, in the building formerly occupied by McDonald’s, in between T-Rex Cafe and the Lego store.

Atmosphere
At Pollo Campero and Fresh A-Peel guests order at the counter, get their food and proceed to a central bank of cash registers to pay, much like the Sunshine Seasons set-up. There was a long line when [Read more…]

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