Recipe: Spanakopita from Chef Cat Cora, Kouzzina

Kouzzina Spanakopita

I haven’t seen any Kouzzina recipes floating around since its grand opening last fall, so I found this Cat Cora Spanakopita recipe on the Food Network site. I figure, since the restaurant is Cat’s first signature restaurant, the Disney version can’t be too far from this one, right? 😉

The main difference I see is that this recipe is in pie form, where Disney’s portions are clearly made individually. @gbastian suggested via twitter to swap out the pie crust for puff pastry, or you can go Greek and use phyllo.

We sampled Spanakopita when we visited Kouzzina last September, and, [Read more…]

Memory Lane: 1955 Disneyland Restaurant Ads

By AJ 7 Comments

Like Adventureland and Fantasyland, the “Kingdom of Good Eating” at Disneyland is another great attraction.

PaleoFuture

recently published on scribd a scan of the July 15, 1955, Souvenir edition of the Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram. This is a Disneyland edition, on the front of which Walt Disney himself introduces Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom to the readers:

Presented in this special newspaper section are a few of the many delights and wonders that are yours to enjoy in Disneyland.

The paper includes stories about Disneyland’s new attractions, along with ads for Disneyland’s contracted landscapers, gas company, electric company, roofers, bra shoppe (??), and more. Of course, what we’re interested in is the food.

The following are several ads for the new Disneyland restaurants, along with one of a few journalistic stories about the dining options. If an image is too small to read, just click and enlarge.

Intro to the “Kingdom of Good Eating” in Disneyland

An intro to Eating Land at Disneyland

[Read more…]

Disney World Ghirardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop

By AJ 22 Comments

Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Girardelli Soda Fountain and Chocolate Shop!

Ghirardelli Soda Fountain Downtown Disney

I hope you’re hungry, because we’ve got a lot of ground to cover. But let’s talk about atmosphere first:

Atmosphere
I know, I know — you want to see ice cream. Okay…you can be naughty and scroll ahead to see the photos, but come back up here when you’re done to read all about the place or [Read more…]

New Angus Burgers at Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe

By AJ 13 Comments

Update!@marcomboy

tweeted to me the following regarding his Pecos Bill’s Angus Burger review!:

Tried the new Angus burger @ Pecos Bill. Manager was going around and asking for opinions on its first day of being served.

The burgers are pretty lean. Not too greasy. They had a decent char on them, like you would over BBQ at home. Good stuff.

Then, based on comments I’d received on this post, I asked him if the buns were falling apart. He responded:

I don’t remember them crumbling like I know wheat buns can. Both my wife and I took full advantage of the condiment bar. Onions, mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, the works — and they seem to hold up just fine.

______________________________

WDWInfo is reporting that there are two new burgers on the menu over at Pecos Bill’s! They will now be serving a one-third pound Angus burger and a one-third pound specialty Angus burger.

No word yet on price, or on what, exactly, differentiates a “specialty” angus burger from a regular angus burger, but I just figured I’d let those of you who like some serious meat know about the change!

Thanks to Kelly Tressler for the heads up!

Restaurant Review: Yak and Yeti

By AJ 25 Comments

Today, guest blogger Shayne Newell, author of Shayne’s Project 365, has kindly contributed a great review and some gorgeous photos from Animal Kingdom’s Yak and Yeti Restaurant! Take it away, Shayne!Background and Restaurant Atmosphere

Yak & Yeti is one of only two full service restaurants completely within the gates of Disney’s Animal Kingdom. My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Walt Disney World (without our kids!). In my research leading up to the trip, I had heard a number of good things about Yak & Yeti, but also saw a few not-so-favorable reviews. As we started to plan our vacation and realized that we would be spending one morning at Animal Kingdom, with our main goal being to ride Expedition Everest a couple of times, Yak & Yeti seemed like a natural choice. We actually ended up eating there twice during our vacation and so were able to try a variety of dishes. [Read more…]

Disney Parks Blog Confirms Epcot Pizzeria

By AJ 11 Comments

Construction From Front of Pavilion

The Disney Parks Blog has confirmed information about the Italy pizzeria that we already knew…:

There will be a pizzeria in Epcot’s Italy
It will open later this year (DFB Note: we’ve heard September 1st floating around)
It will have authentic Neapolitan pizza and other Italian dishes
The restaurant will be run by the Patina Group, who also runs Tutto Italia

BUT — they’re also telling us some things we didn’t know:

The restaurant will seat 300
It will have “traditional Florentine architecture,” including vaulted ceilings and outside dining
The pizzeria will be “family style,” which could mean several different things
The pizza will be from a wood-burning oven
They’re…um…importing the water — though they don’t say from where they’re importing it…

It’ll be imported from a source where the composition most resembles water used in Naples, Italy, to make the authentic Italian dough.

Even though Disney Parks says the restaurant doesn’t officially have a name, we still think it’ll be a lot like Naples 45 in New York and Disneyland, and that the menus will be close to what we reported last week. But, Disney’s been known to pull the old switcheroo, so we’ll keep our ears open and our eyes peeled! Click here for Epcot Italy Pizzeria construction pics.

Free Tortillas in Disneyland

By AJ 4 Comments

The OC Register recently reported a fun fact about the Mission Tortilla Factory next to Paradise Pier: free tortillas!

If you’re hungry during your California Adventure touring, duck over into the Factory for Disneyland’s very own tortilla tour! At the end of an interesting tour about California’s tortilla history and the inner-workings of a tortilla factory, guests are sent off with a fresh tortilla for free!

Valentine’s Day Treats (and One Super Bowl Treat!) in Disney World

By AJ 9 Comments

Disney World is already gearing up for the sweetest holiday of the year and pushing the heart-shaped goodies to the front of the store! A huge thank you goes out to the wonderful Ms. Erin Foster, who snapped some sugary photos on her recent MLK weekend trip. And a big hug goes out to my Dad, Papa Food Blog, who contributed a few more while on a last-minute escape from snowy western New York.

Erin also grabbed a shot of the one Super Bowl treat she found — a lonely (but yummy looking) rice krispies treat. (I know; we need more Disney edible goods that celebrate the wonderfulness that is American Football. But this is a start!)

Go Saints! Go Colts! (Not sure who I’m rooting for, yet… ;))

Since the Super Bowl comes first chronologically, we’ll start with that treat and follow it with the pink and red ones! [Read more…]

Disney Food Round-Up: January 24, 2010

By AJ Leave a Comment

Eat here

Welcome to a brand new week with a whole lot of Disney food news! Let’s recap of the news covered right here on the Disney Food Blog, just in case you missed it:

Pizzeria News: Suspected name and menus for the Epcot Italy Pizzeria
Epcot Construction Pics: Italy Pizzeria and Cantina de San Angel
Speculation: Disney’s Aulani restaurants and Saratoga Springs quick-service spot
Refurb and Re-opening: Disneyland Wine Country Trattoria and wine bar
Interview: D23 Expo and F&W Festival Official Artist, Tim Rogerson

Also, Disney food fans should check out the latest WDWToday Podcast — I got to sit in and talk about eating healthy in WDW!

WEEKLY ROUND-UP
Scott Joseph’s Orlando Restaurant Guide, restaurant critic extraordinaire, reviews San Angel Inn.

SamLand’s Disney Adventures visits the Tiki Room Lanai in Disneyland and shares his Dole Whip. Did you know the Tiki Room was envisioned by Walt as a dinner theater restaurant?

Daveland takes us to the Hollywood Brown Derby. (Amazing photos, yet again.)

Main Street Gazette takes us on Epcot’s World Showcase Wine Walk!

Duckman’s Blog shares a fantastic story about a custom cake at the Polynesian.

TouringPlans.com goes to Kouzzina! Opa!

AllEarsNet has an incredible report about a vegan meal at ‘Ohana. Chef TJ does it again!

All Things Cupcake spotted some great cupcakes at Disney World!

Only WDWorld shares a delicious look at Epcot’s Tangierine Cafe.

Orlando Sentinel’s Daily Disney shares a blast from the past with six recipes from Spoodles, and also asks Is Rainforest Cafe or T-Rex better for kids?

Speaking of Rainforest Cafe and T-Rex, WDW Central wonders if the entertainment justifies the expense.

Thanks again for all the great food posts! Looking forward to this week’s delicious Disney posts.

Disneyland Wine Bar Re-opens During Wine Country Trattoria Refurb

By AJ Leave a Comment

The OC Register is reporting that a long-closed wine bar in Disneyland has been reopened for a few months.

The bar is open while the Wine Country Trattoria restaurant is closed for refurbishments. Workers are expanding the seating area and kitchen, which is being renovated, said John McClintock, a Disneyland Resort spokesman.

The Trattoria will re-open in April or early May, and the renovations will provide more seating in the upper-level Vineyard Room area.

Robert Mondavi operated the Golden Vine Winery area during the first eight months of Disney’s California Adventure’s existence, but the wine maker pulled out of the restaurant and wine bars because of losses at the time.

Cheers!

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