Guest Review: Quick Bites at Friar's Nook and Pinocchio Village Haus

Guest Review: Quick Bites at Friar’s Nook and Pinocchio Village Haus

The amazing Sarah Holodick is back with more mouth-watering food reviews!! Sarah stopped by the Friar’s Nook and Pinocchio’s Village Haus on a recent trip to the Magic Kingdom in Disney World. Stay tuned next week for another review from Sarah of a spot not too far from these two… . Take it away, Sarah!Friar’s Nook: Freshly Made Potato Chips

When I heard about Friar’s Nook serving freshly made potato chips, I knew I had to give them a try. I was very happy to find out that they are available with toppings as well. There are two varieties available: chili and cheese; or cheese, bacon, and ranch. They had me at bacon, so here are the chips in all their cheesy, bacony, ranchy glory!

Chips with toppings

These chips were delicious! The potatoes are cut a bit on the thick side and fried to crunchy, golden brown perfection. They are lightly salted then smothered with plastic cheese, tasty ranch, and crispy bacon.

Needless to say these chips didn’t last very long! They were a perfect snack — non-greasy, and surprisingly light. I think it will be difficult to take a trip to the Magic Kingdom without placing an order for these!

Editor’s Note: Some say these are the replacement for Figaro Fries…yay or nay?

The Pinocchio Village Haus: Mediterranean Salad
After seeing Bill Iadonisi’s review last month here on DFB, I couldn’t stop thinking about that Mediterranean Salad. I was in Magic Kingdom and wanted a quick, light lunch, so I headed over to the Haus to [Read more…]

2011 Swan and Dolphin Food and Wine Classic

By AJ 1 Comment

Purchase Room and Ticket Packages plus seminars and event tickets at: http://www.swandolphinfoodandwineclassic.com/

Foodie fans of Epcot’s International Food & Wine Festival will find more culinary delights at the Second Annual Swan and Dolphin Food & Wine Classic!

When:
Mark your calendar for October 7-8, 2011.

This year’s beverage seminars include Riesling Rendezvous, Beer, Please!, Spanish Wines, Modern Mixology and Beer, Wine Blending, All Things Sake and Base to Bubbles. Offered each day from 4:30-5:30 p.m. These classes will be taught by certified experts in hour-long sessions.

Award-winning restaurants from the Swan and Dolphin resorts will host tasting stations on the [Read more…]

Guest Review: Kona Cafe Breakfast

By AJ 23 Comments

Learn About:Kona Cafe

Polynesian Resort
Disney World Restaurants

Aloha! Let’s travel with Bill Iadonisi to the South Seas at Disney’s Polynesian Resort where we start our day in the Kona Cafe. Take it away, Bill!

As many times a month as we dine here at Walt Disney World, we are still astounded by the culinary choices offered. Where else can you sample the cuisines of eleven different countries, chow down on home country barbecue at a hoe-down show, savor the finest steaks and chops, or just sit down at a counter-service restaurant and enjoy simple fare? Nowhere but at the World!

And all diets and concerns are covered. Allergies, vegan, or just plain picky eaters can have their way at any of the eateries here. But few restaurants can cover the three dining fronts, i.e.… Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, with aplomb as well as the Kona Café at Disney’s Polynesian Resort. The restaurant has much going for it… convenient location, wonderful atmosphere, fine food and good value for your money. So today’s review is on the breakfast front!

Welcome to the Kona

Podium

Atmosphere
I have found that even if the fare is just “OK,” service and atmosphere can still save the meal. In fact even the best food just doesn’t cut it in a noisy, crowded dining room, especially if the décor is bland or just too loud.

But the Kona shines in this department. Located on the Mezzanine level of the [Read more…]

Snack Series: Flavored Popcorn

By Kim LaPaglia 11 Comments

It’s delicious! Popping up all over Walt Disney World and Disneyland, this popular snack item also makes a great take-home souvenir. The Confetti version is naturally and artificially flavored. Sold for $3.95 and only 100 calories per serving, grab a bag of popcorn to munch during a Main Street parade!

Confetti!

Check the ingredients!

They’re sold in 8 oz. bags in various flavors. How about some Cinnamon Toast? While the calories and price are bumped up, they still make a [Read more…]

Why Disney World Needs An Automat

By AJ 41 Comments

Automats are 1. Fun, 2. Out-of-the-Ordinary, and 3. Nostalgic. Wouldn’t that fit right into what you’d expect in Disney World? But let’s begin at the beginning…

What’s an Automat?
What’s an automat, you ask? Nope — it’s not a laundromat. It’s a construct of the first half of the 20th century — a restaurant + vending machine combination. Automats offered individual servings of freshly made food that were placed behind little windows. If you wanted one of the items, you dropped your nickels in the slot, opened the little window, and took out the plate. The ultimate in “fast food” before fast food joints existed!

Automat Photo (c) National Geographic

Automats were prevalent and prominent in New York City and Philadelphia — primarily run by Horn and Hardart; they popped up in [Read more…]

News: Wine Tastings and Wine Dinners at Jiko

By Kim LaPaglia 10 Comments

South African Wine at Jiko

Where do you go to enjoy one of the finest South African wine collections on the North American continent? Jiko-The Cooking Place at the Animal Kingdom Lodge in Walt Disney World! Sommeliers at Jiko have great reason to boast about their vintages!

Thankfully, they enjoy sharing their knowledge (and wine!) with guests.

Jiko Wine Tastings
On Wednesday afternoons from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., stop by Jiko to sample three South African wines paired with cheese and fruit.
The cost is $25 plus tax and gratuity and you should make a reservation by calling 407-938-7149.

Jiko Wine Dinners
Looking for South African wines paired with incredible cuisines? There are six dinners planned where guests will savor their meals while the winemakers and chef are on hand to describe each course!

May 4 – Post House Winery with Nick Geber. The Post House farm is part of a popular winery in South Africa’s Stellenbosch region.

June 8 – This meal features winemaker Alex Dale, founder of [Read more…]

Review: Epcot’s Bistro de Paris

By AJ 21 Comments

Learn About:Bistro de Paris

Epcot Restaurants
Disney World Restaurants

One of Disney World’s “signature” restaurants, Bistro de Paris is a truly elegant getaway from stereotypical theme park dining.

The restaurant is the concept of French chefs Roger Verge, Paul Bocuse, and the late Gaston Lenotre; these three also created concepts for — and originally ran — Chefs de France downstairs from the Bistro and the Boulangerie Patisserie next door. Today, Chef Bocuse’s son keeps an eye on the proceedings here.

Bistro is expensive and high-end, and service is usually excellent. I’ve heard raves about this restaurant, but I’ve also heard that it can be disappointing. My review lands somewhere in the middle.

Atmosphere

The entrance to the restaurant can be tough to find! Guests must walk into the France pavilion and all the way around Chefs de France before coming to a small, residential-looking door marked with a small Bistro sign and menu. I can imagine wandering around the pavilion for quite some time if I were looking for this place in the dark!

Once you enter, things become much more…refined. The general feeling of the Bistro lobby is one of richness.

Entryway Ceiling

Lighting

The deep red carpeting, brass fixtures, milk-glass light treatments, and drop-dead gorgeous art nouveau staircase and “chandelier” are [Read more…]

Tables in Wonderland April 2011 Events

By Kim LaPaglia 3 Comments

Click on image for larger version

click on image for larger version

Cairo Buffet Dinner Show

Date and Time:

Saturday April 30, 2011 7:30pm – 9:30pm
Location: Disney’s Hollywood Studios at Indiana Jones™ Epic Stunt Spectacular
Cost: $160 per person, plus tax. Gratuity is included.

Indy and Marion need YOU to be on the set for this live show featuring awe-inspiring action and adventure!

Thrill to the pulse-pounding explosions, crashes, clashes, and death-defying stunts of Indiana Jones’ onscreen adventures. Enjoy a close-up view to this stage spectacular that reveals some of the moviemaking magic responsible for Indy’s triumphs over deadly traps, bad-guy battles and epic-scale obstacles. Inspired b [Read more…]

Review: Disneyland’s Rancho del Zocalo

By AJ 17 Comments

In an effort to finally finish out my reviews from my trip to Disneyland last year, you’ll see a few of my own Disneyland-related posts alongside Heather’s over the next few weeks/months! Today, we’re visiting Rancho del Zocalo in Disneyland Park!

This gorgeous counter-service restaurant is found in Disneyland Park’s Frontierland features Mexican favorites that rival anything you’d find in [Read more…]

Disney Food for Families: The DVC Villa Kitchens, Part 2

By Erin 12 Comments

Erin Foster, our Disney Food for Families columnist, is back with another useful post about making food when staying in the Disney Vacation Club villas!

In part one of The DVC Villa Kitchens series, I showed you the tools you’ll have to work with if you’re cooking in a Walt Disney World Vacation Club villa kitchen. Here in part two, I’m going to show you what foods you’ll have ready access to cook.

Beach Club one-bedroom villa kitchen and dining area

If you have a car, your own or a rental, you can easily make a stop at a local supermarket to get any of your favorite food items. There are also a number of local Orlando area services that will deliver grocery items to your hotel. Among the most popular of these is Garden Grocer at gardengrocer.com. I’ll get to exploring those options in my next post. For now, I’m going to go over what types of foods you’ll typically find for sale at your WDW resort hotel.

What Groceries Will I Find At My Disney Vacation Club Resort?

The good news for guests wanting to do some bare bones cooking during their vacation is that the resorts that house the villa-style rooms all have a mini convenience store section in their gift shops and all DVC resorts also offer guests the chance to order groceries ahead of time to be in the room when they arrive.

The foods and supplies listed below can be found at [Read more…]

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