The 2009 pamphlet detailing all of the Food and Wine Festival goings-on is now available for PDF download from Disney: Click Here!
The official CMS page isn’t quite updated yet, but you can see it here.
Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: Part II
Here’s the second in this week’s Round-Up series! Thanks to everyone out there covering such great Disney Food topics!
Main Street Gazette bids farewell to Spoodles: Main Street Gazette designer Eric Hoffman provides a tribute to Spoodles and memories of his family’s most recent meal there.
Scott Joseph discusses Party for the Senses changes and Paradiso 37: Legendary food critic Scott Joseph gives his view on this year’s Epcot Food and Wine Festival Party for the Senses updates as well as his review of Paradiso 37.
The Orange County Register analyzes Big Thunder Ranch Barbecue menu changes in Disneyland: Scroll down through the article to catch the info about the barbecue. It follows some other interesting info about Disneyland’s recent changes and construction.
SoloFriendly recaps her trip to Tangierine Cafe: SoloFriendly reviews the very popular counter service restaurant in World Showcase’s Morocco pavilion — and explains why the name has that weird spelling!
StitchKingdom shares the new Cap’n Jack’s All-Day Menu: WDW’s Downtown Disney has added Cap’n Jack’s to its list of all-day eateries.
Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: Part I
There were so many good food posts this week that we’re splitting the blog into two parts! We’ll cover the first half of the round-up today, and the second tomorrow. Onward!
etckt discusses Dining Options at Disney’s Hollywood Studios: A hearty look at restaurants in the studios, complete with etckt’s remarkable photography.
The Orlando Sentinel notes some suggestions for Cheap Eats in Disney World: Good budgeting and money-saving tips from readers, including my favorite: eat a late breakfast and schedule a late lunch to take advantage of restaurants’ lower prices.
SoloFriendly reviews the WDW Downtown Disney’s Planet Hollywood: SoloFriendly contributes two reviews this weekend (one today, one tomorrow). Here, see inside the giant globe that is Planet Hollywood!
Main Street Gazette posts a new look at Victoria and Albert’s: The Grand Floridian’s (and Disney World’s) flagship restaurant is known for its precision…until today!
Recipe: Potato & Leek Soup, Rose and Crown Dining Room
I have every intention of using this photograph again in a blog post about soup at Disney World. (Because I. Love. Soup.) But, for now, it’s serving its purpose as your motivation to add this recipe to your dinner plans as soon as the Fall chill sets in!
The soup is so rich I could barely finish (but I persevered). You can find it at the Rose and Crown Dining Room in Epcot’s World Showcase.
I’m finding two recipes on the internet, so I’ll post both:
The most common version, which I’m finding in several locations; usually dated 2007:
Ingredients:
3 pounds Idaho potatoes
3 cups onion, diced
3 cups leeks, diced
1 TB butter
1 quart heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Bake the potatoes in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes.
2. Saute onions and leeks in butter on low heat until clear.
3. Add heavy cream.
4. Once potatoes are done, scoop the center out with a spoon.
5. Once the heavy cream comes to a simmer, add the potatoes you scooped out.
6. Let simmer for 10 minutes, then pull off stove and puree the soup in a blender.
7. Next, strain through a fine mesh strainer. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Cook’s Note: You must cool as soon as possible. If you cook the soup too long afte adding potatoes, the soup will come out brown.
From AllEars, dated 2008:
Makes 1 gallon, 16 8-ounce portions
Ingredients:
6 potatoes
4 quartts heavy cream
1 onion, diced
2 bunches leeks, white parts only, cut up
1/4 cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
Cut up potatoes and cover with water to keep from turning brown. Wash the leeks (white part only). In a heavy pot, melt the butter, then add onion and leeks. Cook 5-10 minutes. Add potatoes and cream, simmer until potatoes are soft. When potatoes are done, puree with hand blender until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Dessert Aux Chefs de France
It’s chocolate profiterole week at the food blog! My French may be abysmal, but we get to make another quick visit today to Epcot’s Les Chefs de France with guest poster and photographer extraordinaire, James Chapman, from DisneyfotoBlog.com. Thanks for sharing, James!
Chefs de France (c)FJFuchs
“Eating a pastry at the Les Chefs de France restaurant in Epcot is an experience and pleasure far beyond simply finishing the dessert at the end of a good meal. The French pâtissier has provided an exceptional dessert menu that offers items ranging from rich chocolate delicacies, to sorbet with elephant ear and fruits, to their signature crème brulée.
Garde Manger Caramelizes Creme Brulee
Both my wife and I enjoy dark chocolate, ice cream, and fruit, so we decided to order and share two different desserts, Profiterolles au Chocolat and Assiette de Sorbets du jour et son palmier. Both were excellent, especially on a warm (hot) summer day in July, and we would highly recommend both desserts with a slight emphasis on the Profiterolles au Chocolat for those who really crave a chocolate treat!
Assiette de Sorbets du jour et son palmier
Profiterolles au Chocolat
The Garde Manger shown in the photo above plated each dessert expertly, and after watching her caramelize the crème brulée, I knew that there would be many visits to Les Chefs de France in our family’s future! Bon appetit!”
Help! I Need a New Favorite Drink!
Friends of the Food Blog, I need your guidance. My favorite alcoholic drink in Disney World is being phased out, and I need a replacement. Stat.
Born at 8 Trax Dance Club in the now-defunct Pleasure Island, the Leisure Suit was everything delicious all in one glass:
Leisure Suite Drink Recipe
Leisure Suit and Disney World's CURRENT Pool Bar Drink Menu
Now, a combination of 8 Trax closing and the “standard” drink menu being ushered into all Disney restaurants and bars a few years ago has meant that my beloved Leisure Suit is fading fast.
Luckily, as you see above, some of the more experienced Disney bartenders (this one’s from Petal’s Pool Bar at Pop Century) do remember the drink and can find the recipe in the hard-copy rolodex behind the bar. But I can’t always rely on the kindness of strangers…and I’m getting tired of explaining the long list of ingredients 😉
So it’s become clear that I’m going to have to find a new favorite drink in Disney World — preferably one that’s still readily available somewhere — and I’m coming to you guys for suggestions.
What’s your favorite? It can be from anywhere: World Showcase, your favorite Resort restaurant, a Pool Bar, a theme park Restaurant…anywhere! Let me know via email, facebook, or twitter! Hopefully I’ll get enough suggestions that I can post a “top three” list next week!
Thanks in advance!
Epcot’s Italy Pavilion: Tutto Italia
Pinvestigator Cody, who writes the Global Disney Pinvestigation blog, has graced us again with another round of incredible food photos and a great restaurant review. This time, we get insight into lunch at Tutto Italia, the restaurant that recently replaced Alfredo’s in Epcot’s Italy pavilion. Thanks again, Pinvestigator!
Epcot's Italy Pavilion
Arriving at the quaint little Italian restaurant in the back of the pavilion I was a bit nervous…for many reasons. One: I am very picky about my Italian food, because I’m not a HUGE fan of tomatoes. (I was worried, along with my mother, that there were going to be giant chunks of tomatoes in the sauce.) And two: I’ve heard mixed reviews in general of the Italy pavilion food, about both the previous and this restaurant. But I was pleasantly surprised.
We were right on time, arriving at Tutto Italia at 3:10 with a 3:15 ADR. We checked in and sat down right away. The waiting room was not full, but the seating area (dining area) was! Lunch was ending at 3:30, and dinner beginning 4:00.
Tutto Italia Dining Room
After being seated, we had to wait a bit for our waiter. While we were waiting, the host brought us a basket of bread and a plate of oil, which he poured for us right there. There were two types of white bread, several HARD breadsticks, and a curved, cracker-like bread. We enjoyed them all.
Bread and Oil
The oil was very spicy! It looked normal, so I drenched my bread in it and took a huge bite. (This was BEFORE our waiter came and took our drink order!) The oil was fine at first, then hit the back of my throat with the spiciness. It was OK, just surprising.
Tutto Italia Bread-Making Room
The waiter came to take our orders, and within about 15 minutes our food arrived. I got the Lasagna al Forno, which had meat ragu, bechamel, and parmesan. It was delicious…and BIG — about 5in by 5in square in the dish. And although I was skeptical about the sauce (as I mentioned before) the tomatoes were small, and I could hardly taste or feel them. The dish was SOOOO cheesy and surprisingly really good.
Tutto Italia Lasagne
My dad had a Bucatini Gratinati dish with Italian prosciutto, peas, and parmesan cheese. He really will eat anything, but he really liked it.
Bucatini Gratinati
But the real deal breaker on whether we would ever come back is my mother. She just got Spaghetti with Veal Meatballs and Pomodoro Sauce. It came in a BIG dish with about six, one-inch round meatballs. She liked it, and felt the same about the sauce as I did. So overall, the meal was good.
Spaghetti with Veal Meatballs
As I sat in the restaurant during lunch, I saw MANY different desserts pass by. I got the Profiteroles, which were puff pastry with vanilla gelato and hot chocolate syrup. It arrived quickly with two CMs; one gave me the dish, then the other poured the GRAVY BOAT full of chocolate syrup on the three profiteroles.
Profiteroles with Hot Chocolate Sauce
While I’m not a very adventurous eater, I definitely would go back…but Tutto Italia is NO Le Cellier!
Rating: 4 of 5
Accepts Tables in Wonderland Dining Discount Card?: yes
Food: 4 of 5
Thanks, Cody! Click here to see our review of Carnivale at Tutto Italia!
Disney World Rivalry: ‘Ohana Potatoes vs. Noodles
One thing that’s constant about Disney World is that it’s always changing, and that goes for restaurants as well. One in particular that can’t ever seem to maintain a dinner menu is the Polynesian Resort’s ‘Ohana. Over the many years I’ve been frequenting the World, ‘Ohana’s menu has been re-vamped at least four times.
I was there for the lazy susan with the fried rice. I was there for the pineapple with the caramel. I was there when they had the shrimp, and then they didn’t have the shrimp, and then they had the shrimp as an appetizer, and then they had the shrimp on the skewers again. I was there when the sausage came and went and came again, and when the chicken turned into turkey. Usually I just go with the flow. As long as I can get unlimited meat, I’m good to go.
But one of the recent changes was jarring. Nay…it was painful.
The loss of the scalloped potatoes.
RIP Scalloped Potatoes (photo courtesy Brett Young)
In around 2005 (correct me if I’m wrong), a new sheriff (i.e. chef) came into town (i.e. ‘Ohana) and changed up the whole service of the restaurant. The lazy susan, on which appetizers had been served family style, was replaced with white ceramic bowls of food. The pineapple bread briefly went AWOL. There were suddenly fried wonton chips instead of dumplings. The pineapple and caramel was gone. It was a massacre.
But then the potatoes came.
It was as though the heavens had opened. I was a huge fan of scalloped potatoes — always had been — and these were incredible. ‘Ohana suddenly gained a permanent spot on my Priority Seating Arrangement list. We started requesting that they just bring two dishes of potatoes at the beginning of the meal, because we knew we’d polish them off.
So you can imagine our displeasure when, just about a year later, we arrived to find this instead of our beloved potatoes:
'Ohana Noodles
Inquiring as to the absence of our potatoes, our server made it very clear that 1.) She was tired of answering questions about the potatoes, and 2.) The reason was because the potatoes had trans fats, and the NON-trans-fats version the chef had tried was not as well liked as the original.
Now, she didn’t explicitly state that the disappearance of the potatoes was New York City’s fault, but we all know it is. Bloomberg and his team are clearly to blame for this abomination. Sigh.*
So, folks, I know that many of you actually prefer the noodles to the potatoes. And I, too, agree that they’re fine, and that we’ve been guilty of eating our fair share of the healthier dish. But every once in a while I miss that scrumptious, buttery (i.e. lard-y) bowl of starch and onions. Yes. Yes I do.
Let me know what you think about ‘Ohana’s changes — and about other dishes you miss at Disney World — by sending me a message or commenting on this blog post.
*Of course, in reality, I have no idea if this had anything to do with the decision. Or if the potatoes actually had trans fats. But it all made perfect sense at the time.
Potatoes photo courtesy @MrBrettYoung
Disney Food Post Weekly Round-Up: July 26
There has been SO much Disney food news this week! Free Dining Offer extensions, 2009 Epcot Food and Wine Festival details announced, and an opening date for Cat Cora’s new Kouzzina restaurant (book your ADRs now), among other items! You can always catch up by visiting our Disney Food News section (you can get there by clicking on the little newspaper icon in the right sidebar).
In the meantime, there have also been some great Disney food posts on the web! Here we gooo!
SoloFriendly reviews Downtown Disney’s Wolfgang Puck Cafe: Another balanced review from SoloFriendly about her recent WDW trip. Great detail…and a scrumptious photo of some cobbler a la mode!
The OC Weekly highlights Disneyland’s Club 33: Few of us know the real deal on this membership-only club in Disneyland; this blog takes a look at the length of the waiting list and the cost to be a member…if that’s even an option anymore!
TheDisneyChick shares the recipe and photos of her foray into making Boma’s Melktart: Anyone who’s tasted this yummy dessert at Animal Kingdom Lodge’s Boma restaurant knows that it’s yummy and likely none-too-easy to make! TheDisneyChick is always kind enough to provide photos of the process for anyone brave enough to tackle the recipe. (And, yes, it’s technically from July 15th, but it’s awesome, so it’s here.)
The TouringPlans.com Blog reviews Epcot’s Biergarten: Kristen shares insights into the decor, food options, and entertainment at Epcot’s Germany Pavilion table-service restaurant — and a photo of her companion’s liter of beer! (FYI. That’s a lotta beer.)
MissKim highlights here some Disneyland dining reviews from her recent family vacation: This is part three of her reviews section, so be sure to scroll back through the posts to catch parts one and two!
ScottJosephOrlando is polling for the best pizza in Orlando!: Okay, not really “Disney,” but for any of us who have tried to find a good slice in the World, you KNOW we need this information! Head on over and check the stats!
Have a great week all! I hope to see you over on our DisneyFoodBlog Facebook Page!
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