9/19/2010
La Fiesta is located in a strip mall on Everly Brothers Blvd in Central City. The restaurant is not fancy, but the food is good and the waitstaff is friendly. The chips and salsa at La Fiesta were really good. The chips were served warm (but needed a little more salt) and the salsa was a nice thick consistency with a bit of heat but not too much.
Neil had the chicken fajitas. This was served sizzling on a hot skillet with chicken, green peppers, onions, and tomatoes. Another plate included rice and refried beans and all the fajita toppings: guacamole, pico de gallo, and sour cream and warm tortillas. The fajitas were really good. The chicken was juicy and there was plenty of it. The only thing not to my liking is the hot tomatoes served on the skillet, but Neil liked them.
Lauren had chicken, cheese, and rice. This is exactly what it sounds like - a plate of rice topped with chicken and queso. There was way too much for her to eat, but a half-order can be made, and she would do that next time.
I had the Cancun special. This dish was like the chicken, cheese, and rice but with California blend vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots) as well. The vegetables add another nice layer of flavor and I felt like it was a little bit healthy (even with all the queso sauce). Excellent!
Overall rating: Really good, especially the Cancun special
Would you return: Yes
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Jasmine Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar, Paducah, KY
9/18/2010
We went to Jasmine for lunch because 1) I love Thai food and 2) I had heard that they had good sushi. The restaurant did not disappoint on either front.
We went to Jasmine for lunch because 1) I love Thai food and 2) I had heard that they had good sushi. The restaurant did not disappoint on either front.
The location in a strip mall doesn't seem very inviting, but once inside, the feel is that of a classy restaurant. The decor is very dark and polished and sleek - really nice. There is an open sushi bar where you can watch the chefs prepare your order.
We started with the crunch shrimp roll ($7.99). This was excellent - I wish I had it all to myself! It was shrimp and avocado on the inside, sesame seeds, masago, and crunchies on the outside, topped with eel sauce.
We all ordered from the lunch specials menu, so our items came with a salad. The salad was nice, but the dressing wasn't good - I thought it would be more like the dressing at a Japanese restaurant (don't know why??) but it wasn't to my liking - too gingery. There were other dressings available (Lauren had plain old ranch) so I would get a different dressing next time.
I had the red coconut curry ($8.99) with bamboo shoots, basil, and bell peppers served with white rice. It was nice and spicy and really good.
Lauren ordered the orange chicken, which came with broccoli ($9.99). It wasn't exactly as she expected it to be. It was more like chicken strips rather than smaller pieces, but she liked it.
Neil ordered the stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts, carrots, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and celery. This was also very tasty.
Overall rating: Excellent: great food, nicely plated, and a pretty restaurant
Would you return: Definitely
Moonlite Bar-B-Q, Owensboro, KY
9/18/2010
Moonlite is known for its mutton barbecue and for burgoo stew, also made with mutton. I don't go for mutton, but the buffet has a lot of other offerings, so I thought I would be able to find something to my liking.
The lunch buffet is served from 11-2 ($9.99) and includes a salad bar with the basics: lettuce, dressings, toppings, a few pasta and vegetable salads; burgoo; amazing corn bread; hot items like baked beans, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, pulled pork, mutton, chicken; and desserts.
I wasn't impressed with many of the offerings. The corn bread was amazing and was my favorite item along with the pork barbecue. The dessert offerings were skimpy for a buffet - only a few different items were available.
Another thing that bothered me at this restaurant was a sign on the buffet reminding customers to eat what they take so the management wouldn't have to raise prices due to food waste. I find negative signage to be a real turn-off at a business and that just rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall rating: Not a fan, especially because of the skimpy dessert offerings
Would you return: Yes, to try dinner and see if it's better
Moonlite is known for its mutton barbecue and for burgoo stew, also made with mutton. I don't go for mutton, but the buffet has a lot of other offerings, so I thought I would be able to find something to my liking.
The lunch buffet is served from 11-2 ($9.99) and includes a salad bar with the basics: lettuce, dressings, toppings, a few pasta and vegetable salads; burgoo; amazing corn bread; hot items like baked beans, mashed potatoes, corn, green beans, pulled pork, mutton, chicken; and desserts.
I wasn't impressed with many of the offerings. The corn bread was amazing and was my favorite item along with the pork barbecue. The dessert offerings were skimpy for a buffet - only a few different items were available.
Another thing that bothered me at this restaurant was a sign on the buffet reminding customers to eat what they take so the management wouldn't have to raise prices due to food waste. I find negative signage to be a real turn-off at a business and that just rubbed me the wrong way.
Overall rating: Not a fan, especially because of the skimpy dessert offerings
Would you return: Yes, to try dinner and see if it's better
Tony Maroni's, Central City, KY
9/11/2010
Tony Maroni's is located downtown in Central City. When we visited the restaurant, it had only been open a short while. The restaurant is small but neatly decorated. We found the staff to be really friendly and helpful.
We had heard about their pizza crust being really delicious, so we ordered a medium pizza, half barbeque chicken and half with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, and banana peppers. Our waitress came by several times to refill our drinks and see if we needed anything. Then she came up to our table with a sheepish look on her face and apologized, but when the cook removed our pizza from the oven and set it on the counter, half the pizza slid off the pan and fell on the floor! She offered to serve us the pizza that had been caught before it slipped off the pan, and then they made us another entire pizza.
The pizza was really delicious. The crust had a nice chewiness, and the toppings worked really well together. We were only able to eat the half that we were served, so they prepared the second pizza for us to go. The cook came out and apologized for our trouble, which I thought was nice. It was no big deal - just an accident, but we appreciated the way the staff tried to make up for the problem.
Overall rating: Good pizza, and good customer service
Would you return: Yes
Tony Maroni's is located downtown in Central City. When we visited the restaurant, it had only been open a short while. The restaurant is small but neatly decorated. We found the staff to be really friendly and helpful.
We had heard about their pizza crust being really delicious, so we ordered a medium pizza, half barbeque chicken and half with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, black olives, green peppers, and banana peppers. Our waitress came by several times to refill our drinks and see if we needed anything. Then she came up to our table with a sheepish look on her face and apologized, but when the cook removed our pizza from the oven and set it on the counter, half the pizza slid off the pan and fell on the floor! She offered to serve us the pizza that had been caught before it slipped off the pan, and then they made us another entire pizza.
The pizza was really delicious. The crust had a nice chewiness, and the toppings worked really well together. We were only able to eat the half that we were served, so they prepared the second pizza for us to go. The cook came out and apologized for our trouble, which I thought was nice. It was no big deal - just an accident, but we appreciated the way the staff tried to make up for the problem.
Overall rating: Good pizza, and good customer service
Would you return: Yes
Panera Bread, Bowling Green, KY
9/11/2010
We like to eat at Panera Bread when we are looking for something a little lighter and healthier for lunch or dinner. The Bowling Green location is much like all other Panera Bread locations - free WiFi, comfy booths and tables, and always clean.
Lauren was hungry for a bagel, so she had the cinnamon crunch bagel with raspberry cream cheese. This is my favorite bagel at Panera Bread. It has a cinnamon roll flavor but in bagel form. Really good!
I had the "You Pick 2," which allows you to choose any two from their salads, sandwiches, and soups. I like this option because you get a taste of a couple of different items. The portions are slightly smaller than if you were to just order a salad (about half the size), sandwich (half vs. whole sandwich), or soup (cup vs. bowl). I had the chicken noodle soup and Asian sesame salad. The soup was good - lots of good thick egg noodles and a tasty broth. The salad is one of my favorites at Panera Bread. It has thinly sliced chicken, almonds, sesame seeds, and wonton strips topped with a delicious Asian vinaigrette.
Neil also had the "You Pick 2" with a cup of chicken noodle soup and the cobb salad with chicken, tomatoes, bacon, Gorgonzola, hard-boiled eggs, and an herb vinaigrette. This salad is also good, but he said he preferred the Asain sesame salad. He is used to a cobb salad with blue cheese dressing, so the vinaigrette didn't fit with what he expected.
Overall rating: good food and healthy options
Would you return: yes
We like to eat at Panera Bread when we are looking for something a little lighter and healthier for lunch or dinner. The Bowling Green location is much like all other Panera Bread locations - free WiFi, comfy booths and tables, and always clean.
Lauren was hungry for a bagel, so she had the cinnamon crunch bagel with raspberry cream cheese. This is my favorite bagel at Panera Bread. It has a cinnamon roll flavor but in bagel form. Really good!
I had the "You Pick 2," which allows you to choose any two from their salads, sandwiches, and soups. I like this option because you get a taste of a couple of different items. The portions are slightly smaller than if you were to just order a salad (about half the size), sandwich (half vs. whole sandwich), or soup (cup vs. bowl). I had the chicken noodle soup and Asian sesame salad. The soup was good - lots of good thick egg noodles and a tasty broth. The salad is one of my favorites at Panera Bread. It has thinly sliced chicken, almonds, sesame seeds, and wonton strips topped with a delicious Asian vinaigrette.
Neil also had the "You Pick 2" with a cup of chicken noodle soup and the cobb salad with chicken, tomatoes, bacon, Gorgonzola, hard-boiled eggs, and an herb vinaigrette. This salad is also good, but he said he preferred the Asain sesame salad. He is used to a cobb salad with blue cheese dressing, so the vinaigrette didn't fit with what he expected.
Overall rating: good food and healthy options
Would you return: yes
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Culver's, Owensboro, KY
8/28/2010
We stopped at Culver's for a late lunch on a Saturday, around 2:00, and it was full of customers. One thing I love about Culver's is the workers are always friendly and helpful. We didn't want to eat too much (it was, after all, almost dinner time!), so we each ordered a kid's hamburger, each a little bit different ($4.79) and they all came prepared just as we had ordered them. The burgers have that hand-pattied texture, and the fries were nice and hot. I am not a huge fan of Culver's fries only because I do not like crinkle-cut fries, but Neil and Lauren love them dipped in lots of ketchup. My only complaint was that I ordered a chocolate milk, and it wasn't icy cold like I like milk to be.
The best part of getting a kid's meal is that the bag has a coupon for a free scoop of custard. We all had the flavor of the day, which was turtle - vanilla custard with caramel, chocolate bits, and pecans. If you have not tried the custard at Culver's, you need to get some. It is so amazingly good. It is richer and creamier than ice cream, and they have a different flavor of the day that is usually phenomenal.
Overall rating: One of our favorite fast food restaurants
Would you return: Absolutely
Overall rating:
We stopped at Culver's for a late lunch on a Saturday, around 2:00, and it was full of customers. One thing I love about Culver's is the workers are always friendly and helpful. We didn't want to eat too much (it was, after all, almost dinner time!), so we each ordered a kid's hamburger, each a little bit different ($4.79) and they all came prepared just as we had ordered them. The burgers have that hand-pattied texture, and the fries were nice and hot. I am not a huge fan of Culver's fries only because I do not like crinkle-cut fries, but Neil and Lauren love them dipped in lots of ketchup. My only complaint was that I ordered a chocolate milk, and it wasn't icy cold like I like milk to be.
The best part of getting a kid's meal is that the bag has a coupon for a free scoop of custard. We all had the flavor of the day, which was turtle - vanilla custard with caramel, chocolate bits, and pecans. If you have not tried the custard at Culver's, you need to get some. It is so amazingly good. It is richer and creamier than ice cream, and they have a different flavor of the day that is usually phenomenal.
Overall rating: One of our favorite fast food restaurants
Would you return: Absolutely
Overall rating:
The Oasis Southwest Grill, Madisonville, KY
8/28/2010
The Oasis Southwest Grill is an expanding chain of restaurants with locations in Franklin, Kuttawa, and Madisonville, Kentucky. The restaurant in Madisonville had only been open for a few weeks when we went for a friend's birthday. We part of a large group of 14. Because of the newness of the restaurant and our group size, we waited over an hour for a table. Once we were seated we waited between 45 minutes to an hour for our food to be served. We were all starving, so that may be why everything tasted so good!
The Oasis Southwest Grill is an expanding chain of restaurants with locations in Franklin, Kuttawa, and Madisonville, Kentucky. The restaurant in Madisonville had only been open for a few weeks when we went for a friend's birthday. We part of a large group of 14. Because of the newness of the restaurant and our group size, we waited over an hour for a table. Once we were seated we waited between 45 minutes to an hour for our food to be served. We were all starving, so that may be why everything tasted so good!
The menu has a wide variety of items, ranging from steaks, ribs, chicken, seafood, and pasta to salads, burgers, and sandwiches. Neil had the half order of wild salmon served on a bed of rice with a sweet potato as a side ($8.99). He said everything was delicious. The sweet potato was cooked completely and soft inside.
I had the half portion of Knob Creek salmon ($8.99), which is marinated in bourbon and spices. I ordered mine with steamed broccoli. The salmon had a nice amount of the marinade on it. It was nicely cooked and tender. The broccoli was a little over-cooked, but at that point I was so hungry I didn't really care!
Overall rating: Good food, long wait
Would you return: Yes
Giovanni's Pizza of Prestonsburg, Prestonsburg, KY
7/12/2010
We were hungry for pizza and the clerk at our hotel recommended Giovanni's. It is a small restaurant and really casual. You place your order at the counter and then seat yourself. Our waitress was very pregnant - she looked like she could go into labor any minute! She was really sweet and gave us some good recommendations.
Lauren had an individual cheese pizza:
We were hungry for pizza and the clerk at our hotel recommended Giovanni's. It is a small restaurant and really casual. You place your order at the counter and then seat yourself. Our waitress was very pregnant - she looked like she could go into labor any minute! She was really sweet and gave us some good recommendations.
Lauren had an individual cheese pizza:
It has a nice thick yet crispy crust and plenty of cheese, not too heavy on the sauce. The sauce was tangy and good.
I had the calzone with pepperoni:
The crust on this was just perfect. It was sooo good. And it was huge - I had to leave almost half of it behind. Our total for both these items and two waters was a reasonable $11.52.
Overall rating: Really good
Would you return: Yes
Reno's Roadhouse, Prestonsburg, KY
7/12/2010
Reno's Roadhouse has five locations in eastern Kentucky and two in West Virginia. It is a casual restaurant with a western theme that serves burgers and sandwiches, steaks, chicken, etc. While you wait for your meal you can help yourself to a basket of peanuts.
She liked the burger but it was just your average burger. The onion rings were too breaded and not that great.
So the food was average to good, but there were a few things we did not like about this restaurant. For one, everything was sticky - the door handle, the table, the booth seats. We weren't there at a busy time, so the workers certainly had time to wipe things down properly before we were seated. Secondly, there were four or five pesky flies around us while we were trying to eat. That made the meal less than enjoyable.
Overall rating: Pretty good fare for a casual restaurant, but the atmosphere was lacking
Would you return: 50-50
Reno's Roadhouse has five locations in eastern Kentucky and two in West Virginia. It is a casual restaurant with a western theme that serves burgers and sandwiches, steaks, chicken, etc. While you wait for your meal you can help yourself to a basket of peanuts.
After we placed our order, our waitress brought us a basket of rolls. They were soft and hot and amazing!
I ordered based on the waitress's recommendations. I had the Texas steak and cheese sandwich with steak fries ($7.49 plus $.99 to have the fries loaded).
The sandwich was good. The roll was soft and the steak was super-thinly sliced. There was a lot of gooey cheese and onions. The onions were a bit crisp and could have used some more time caramelizing. The pickle on the side was good, too.
The loaded fries were really good. They were covered in cheese, bacon bits, and green onions and served with a side of ranch for dipping. Yum!
Lauren had the bubba burger with onion rings ($6.49).
She liked the burger but it was just your average burger. The onion rings were too breaded and not that great.
So the food was average to good, but there were a few things we did not like about this restaurant. For one, everything was sticky - the door handle, the table, the booth seats. We weren't there at a busy time, so the workers certainly had time to wipe things down properly before we were seated. Secondly, there were four or five pesky flies around us while we were trying to eat. That made the meal less than enjoyable.
Overall rating: Pretty good fare for a casual restaurant, but the atmosphere was lacking
Would you return: 50-50
Bojangles
7/11/2010
Bojangles is a fast food chain specializing in chicken and biscuits. They have locations mostly throughout the southeastern US, from Florida to Pennsylvania.
We had never tried Bojangles but always saw them alongside the road as we travelled, so this trip we decided to give it a try. Neil and I split the two-piece dinner (white meat only) with creamy slaw and a biscuit ($6.59). The chicken was okay, but the outer breading was chewy rather than crispy, and also quite greasy. The slaw was okay but really peppery. The biscuit was good - light and fluffy and buttery. Lauren had the chicken leg kids meal with fries and a lemonade ($3.25). Her chicken was the same as ours. The fries were okay but nothing special.
Overall rating: Below average for fast food chicken
Would you return: No
Bojangles is a fast food chain specializing in chicken and biscuits. They have locations mostly throughout the southeastern US, from Florida to Pennsylvania.
We had never tried Bojangles but always saw them alongside the road as we travelled, so this trip we decided to give it a try. Neil and I split the two-piece dinner (white meat only) with creamy slaw and a biscuit ($6.59). The chicken was okay, but the outer breading was chewy rather than crispy, and also quite greasy. The slaw was okay but really peppery. The biscuit was good - light and fluffy and buttery. Lauren had the chicken leg kids meal with fries and a lemonade ($3.25). Her chicken was the same as ours. The fries were okay but nothing special.
Overall rating: Below average for fast food chicken
Would you return: No
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Disney's Beach Club Resort, Orlando
7/3/2010-7/11/2010
The Beach Club is one of Disney's deluxe resort hotels in the style of a New England seaside resort. It is located a short 5-minute walk from the World Showcase entrance of Epcot and a 10-minute boat ride from Disney Studios. It is across the water from the Boardwalk and its shops and restaurants. This prime location makes it a great place to stay when visiting Walt Disney World.
The resort is connected to the Yacht Club and shares buses to other Disney destinations as well as a huge swimming pool complex, Stormalong Bay.
The Beach Club is one of Disney's deluxe resort hotels in the style of a New England seaside resort. It is located a short 5-minute walk from the World Showcase entrance of Epcot and a 10-minute boat ride from Disney Studios. It is across the water from the Boardwalk and its shops and restaurants. This prime location makes it a great place to stay when visiting Walt Disney World.
The resort is connected to the Yacht Club and shares buses to other Disney destinations as well as a huge swimming pool complex, Stormalong Bay.
Restaurants at the Beach Club include Hurricane Hannah's, serving burgers and snacks poolside; the counter service Beach Club Marketplace, serving sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, and snacks; Beaches and Cream, a soda shop with great burgers, sandwiches, and ice cream treats; and Cape May Cafe, a breakfast buffet in the morning and a seafood buffet for dinner. The connected Yacht Club also has Captain's Grill, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and Yachtsman Steakhouse, open for dinner only.
Our room at the Beach Club was in a great location. It was on the first floor in the wing closest to Epcot near the quiet pool. This made the trip to Epcot quick. We also use the quiet pool more than Stormalong Bay, so this worked out great. The laundry facility is next to the pool, and this was perfect for throwing in a load of clothes then relaxing in the sun until the cycle was finished (I had to do laundry often during our visit since my daughter was playing in the AAU national basketball tournament and needed a uniform washed pretty much every day). The room itself was nice with 2 comfy double beds and a daybed. Another nice feature is the mini fridge.
Overall rating: Great location, nice rooms
Would you return: Yes
Cape May Cafe, Disney's Beach Club, Orlando
7/11/2010
On our checkout day, we decided to eat breakfast at Cape May Cafe before we left for home. This is a character breakfast featuring Goofy, Minnie, and Donald in beach attire. We had really enjoyed the dinner buffet earlier in the week, and found the breakfast buffet ($24.99) to be equally good.
Offerings included cold cereal (Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, and Raisin Bran), a variety of breads and English muffins with jam and butter, bagels (with cream cheese, tomatoes, red onions, capers, and lox), fresh fruit and berries, yogurt with toppings, oatmeal and grits with toppings, danishes, croissants, cornbread, muffins, Mickey waffles, biscuits and gravy, breakfast pizza, scrambled eggs, frittata, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage links, and asparagus.
On our checkout day, we decided to eat breakfast at Cape May Cafe before we left for home. This is a character breakfast featuring Goofy, Minnie, and Donald in beach attire. We had really enjoyed the dinner buffet earlier in the week, and found the breakfast buffet ($24.99) to be equally good.
Offerings included cold cereal (Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, and Raisin Bran), a variety of breads and English muffins with jam and butter, bagels (with cream cheese, tomatoes, red onions, capers, and lox), fresh fruit and berries, yogurt with toppings, oatmeal and grits with toppings, danishes, croissants, cornbread, muffins, Mickey waffles, biscuits and gravy, breakfast pizza, scrambled eggs, frittata, breakfast potatoes, bacon, sausage links, and asparagus.
Overall rating: Excellent - everything I tried was tasty
Would you return: Yes
Ponderosa, Hwy 192, Orlando
7/10/2010
What a mistake! Every time we ate at a Disney restaurant, Neil mentioned that when he was a kid, his family always ate off-property at cheap buffets that surround the Disney area. He talked Lauren into trying one for breakfast, so they went to Ponderosa and had the buffet, which was around $5 each. It included the usual eggs, bacon and sausage, potatoes, pancakes, etc. When Lauren was getting a scoop of potatoes, she saw a hair on the potatoes that she had scooped up with the serving spoon. They told a worker, who simply removed the spoonful with the hair, but left the rest of the potatoes out on the buffet! That was it for her. I mean, I know you can find a hair in the food at any restaurant, no matter where you are, but leaving the food out that had been contaminated was just beyond belief!
Overall rating: Bad food, bad customer service
Would you return: No
What a mistake! Every time we ate at a Disney restaurant, Neil mentioned that when he was a kid, his family always ate off-property at cheap buffets that surround the Disney area. He talked Lauren into trying one for breakfast, so they went to Ponderosa and had the buffet, which was around $5 each. It included the usual eggs, bacon and sausage, potatoes, pancakes, etc. When Lauren was getting a scoop of potatoes, she saw a hair on the potatoes that she had scooped up with the serving spoon. They told a worker, who simply removed the spoonful with the hair, but left the rest of the potatoes out on the buffet! That was it for her. I mean, I know you can find a hair in the food at any restaurant, no matter where you are, but leaving the food out that had been contaminated was just beyond belief!
Overall rating: Bad food, bad customer service
Would you return: No
Columbia Harbour House, Magic Kingdom, Orlando
7/10/2010
Columbia Harbour House is a counter service restaurant located in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom. The restaurant serves chicken, fish, chowder, salads, and sandwiches. There are two floors of seating, and I recommend making your way upstairs for a quieter dining experience, and if you get a seat near a window you can watch the crowds as you enjoy your meal.
I had the anchors aweigh sandwich with chips ($8.09) and a Sprite ($2.49).
This is a really good tuna sandwich with lettuce and tomato on multigrain bread.
Overall rating: Good counter service sandwich
Would you return: Yes
Columbia Harbour House is a counter service restaurant located in Liberty Square in the Magic Kingdom. The restaurant serves chicken, fish, chowder, salads, and sandwiches. There are two floors of seating, and I recommend making your way upstairs for a quieter dining experience, and if you get a seat near a window you can watch the crowds as you enjoy your meal.
I had the anchors aweigh sandwich with chips ($8.09) and a Sprite ($2.49).
This is a really good tuna sandwich with lettuce and tomato on multigrain bread.
Overall rating: Good counter service sandwich
Would you return: Yes
Beach Club Marketplace, Disney's Beach Club Resort, Walt Disney World, Orlando
7/10/2010
We had seen people eating sandwiches from the Marketplace during our stay and decided to give one a try. Lauren and I each had a smoked ham and black diamond cheddar cheese sandwich on a multigrain bun ($6.39) and Lauren also had a chocolate milk ($2.19):
We had seen people eating sandwiches from the Marketplace during our stay and decided to give one a try. Lauren and I each had a smoked ham and black diamond cheddar cheese sandwich on a multigrain bun ($6.39) and Lauren also had a chocolate milk ($2.19):
As you can see, the sandwiches had lots of ham. Too much, in fact - I ended up picking about half off of mine. The bun was okay, but overall this wasn't a great sandwich.
Overall rating: Okay
Would you return: No
Beaches and Cream, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, Orlando
7/9/2010
We ate here again! It was so convenient since we were staying at the Beach Club, and we really like the food. This time I had the roast beef sub ($11.49):
We ate here again! It was so convenient since we were staying at the Beach Club, and we really like the food. This time I had the roast beef sub ($11.49):
I usually get the burger because I like it so much, but I decided to try something different and was not disappointed. The meat is sliced super-thin, like the meat on a cheesesteak. Then it is topped with lots of melted provolone cheese, peppers, and onions. The roll tasted nice and fresh, and the fries were great as usual.
Lauren had the burger, this time with a side of fruit ($8.99):
She liked the burger, as always, but was disappointed that the fruit was just cantaloupe and honeydew.
Overall rating: Great burger as always, and the roast beef sub is a new favorite
Would you return: Definitely
Giordanos of Orlando
7/9/2010
Giordanos is well-known for its Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. It has over 50 locations in Illinois and Florida. We were craving pizza and haven't found a pizza on Disney property that we like, so we ventured off-site to Giordanos.
We ordered a medium deep dish pizza: half pineapple/Canadian bacon, half pepperoni, mushroom, and jalapeno ($22.50).
Giordanos is well-known for its Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. It has over 50 locations in Illinois and Florida. We were craving pizza and haven't found a pizza on Disney property that we like, so we ventured off-site to Giordanos.
We ordered a medium deep dish pizza: half pineapple/Canadian bacon, half pepperoni, mushroom, and jalapeno ($22.50).
This was so good. The crust was crispy and this, the sauce was slightly sweet, and the cheese - oh, the cheese! It was sliced into 8 slices, and we took 3 slices back to our room with us. It is really filling. It also takes over 30 minutes to bake once you place your order. Since we were starving, we had started out with Caesar salads and a house salad ($2.49 each). The Caesar was nice and crisp with parmesan cheese, croutons, and Caesar dressing. The house salad included tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, black olives, and pepperocini peppers. Drinks (Sprite, lemonade) were $2.79 each.
Overall rating: Great pizza, good side salads too.
Would you return: Yes
Beaches and Cream, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, Orlando
7/10/2010
We've been going to Disney World on a pretty regular basis for about 10 years. We always try to go to Beaches and Cream for a burger and our favorite sundae, the No Way Jose. Almost every time we're there, a group will order the Kitchen Sink sundae, and we always talk about getting one sometime, but we never do because there are only three of us and the Kitchen Sink is just too big. How can a sundae be too big for three to split? Well, let me describe the Kitchen Sink to you. It is a huge sundae made with eight scoops of ice cream (some of each flavor in the house), every topping in the house (hot fudge, peanut butter, marshmallow, strawberry, pineapple, butterscotch, chocolate, sprinkles, nuts, Oreos, angel food cake, bundt cake, milky way candy bars, brownie, orange slices, cherries, etc.), and topped with an entire can of whipped cream. It is served in a dish shaped like a kitchen sink. When it is served, a siren sounds, the lights flash, and the waiter or waitress presents it to the restaurant customers with a description of its contents before placing it on the table.
This time, we were having our kitchen sink - for dinner. Here it is in all its glory ($23.99):
We've been going to Disney World on a pretty regular basis for about 10 years. We always try to go to Beaches and Cream for a burger and our favorite sundae, the No Way Jose. Almost every time we're there, a group will order the Kitchen Sink sundae, and we always talk about getting one sometime, but we never do because there are only three of us and the Kitchen Sink is just too big. How can a sundae be too big for three to split? Well, let me describe the Kitchen Sink to you. It is a huge sundae made with eight scoops of ice cream (some of each flavor in the house), every topping in the house (hot fudge, peanut butter, marshmallow, strawberry, pineapple, butterscotch, chocolate, sprinkles, nuts, Oreos, angel food cake, bundt cake, milky way candy bars, brownie, orange slices, cherries, etc.), and topped with an entire can of whipped cream. It is served in a dish shaped like a kitchen sink. When it is served, a siren sounds, the lights flash, and the waiter or waitress presents it to the restaurant customers with a description of its contents before placing it on the table.
This time, we were having our kitchen sink - for dinner. Here it is in all its glory ($23.99):
Was it good? Well, with all the different flavors and toppings going on, I can't really say it was delicious. Some bites were good, some not so much - just depended what you got. Like when I got a bite of coffee ice cream with hot fudge and an orange slice. Not so good. But it was worth trying once just to say we did it.
Overall rating: Good for a one-time experience, but I wouldn't order it again unless I was with other people who had never had one before.
Would you return: Yes, but I'm sticking with the No Way Jose!
Beach Club Marketplace, Disney's Beach Club Resort, Walt Disney World, Orlando
7/8/2010
We had great success with the Hawaiian flatbread at the Beach Club Marketplace, so we tried another flatbread, this time pepperoni ($7.39). This wasn't as good as the other flatbread we had tried. The pepperoni made it really greasy and the crust wasn't as crispy around the edges (maybe it hadn't been baked long enough?). We also added a Disney classic treat that we have to have at least once every trip: the Mickey bar ($3.29). This is a classic ice cream bar shaped like Mickey Mouse, and for some reason that just makes it taste better!
Overall rating: Not a fan of the pepperoni flatbread; can't go wrong with a Mickey bar
Would you return: Only for convenience
We had great success with the Hawaiian flatbread at the Beach Club Marketplace, so we tried another flatbread, this time pepperoni ($7.39). This wasn't as good as the other flatbread we had tried. The pepperoni made it really greasy and the crust wasn't as crispy around the edges (maybe it hadn't been baked long enough?). We also added a Disney classic treat that we have to have at least once every trip: the Mickey bar ($3.29). This is a classic ice cream bar shaped like Mickey Mouse, and for some reason that just makes it taste better!
Overall rating: Not a fan of the pepperoni flatbread; can't go wrong with a Mickey bar
Would you return: Only for convenience
Aloha Isle, Magic Kingdom, Orlando
7/8/2010
Aloha Isle is a snack stand in the Magic Kingdom that sells one of the tastiest, most refreshing snacks in all of Disney World: the Dole Whip. A Dole Whip is a pineapple flavored soft-serve treat that is sweet and tart at the same time. The pineapple vanilla swirl ($2.89) is the best - the vanilla soft serve swirled with the pineapple makes it a little bit sweeter. Aloha Isle also sells orange soft serve that is tasty with the vanilla swirl (like a creamsicle), floats with pineapple juice and your choice of soft serve flavors, pineapple spears, and soft drinks.
Overall rating: Delicious
Would you return: Every time
Aloha Isle is a snack stand in the Magic Kingdom that sells one of the tastiest, most refreshing snacks in all of Disney World: the Dole Whip. A Dole Whip is a pineapple flavored soft-serve treat that is sweet and tart at the same time. The pineapple vanilla swirl ($2.89) is the best - the vanilla soft serve swirled with the pineapple makes it a little bit sweeter. Aloha Isle also sells orange soft serve that is tasty with the vanilla swirl (like a creamsicle), floats with pineapple juice and your choice of soft serve flavors, pineapple spears, and soft drinks.
Overall rating: Delicious
Would you return: Every time
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Cape May Cafe, Disney's Beach Club, Orlando
7/7/2010
Cape May Cafe is a buffet restaurant located in Disney's Beach Club Resort. The restaurant is open for both breakfast and dinner and features Disney characters in their beach wear.
The dinner buffet ($34.99) is a seafood buffet that includes crab legs, mussels, clams, and carved meat and ribs. There are so many items on the buffet that I think even a non-seafood eater could fill up here.
The salad selections are numerous: fruit salad (mostly cantaloupe and honeydew), Caesar salad (really good), house salad (with walnuts, cranberries, blue cheese, and a citrus vinaigrette), plain salad greens and fixings (cheese, chopped egg, veggies, awesome homemade croutons), pasta salad, tomato salad with cucumber and onions, coleslaw, orzo pasta salad, couscous salad, marinated olives (yum), and peel-and-eat shrimp.
Cape May Cafe is a buffet restaurant located in Disney's Beach Club Resort. The restaurant is open for both breakfast and dinner and features Disney characters in their beach wear.
The dinner buffet ($34.99) is a seafood buffet that includes crab legs, mussels, clams, and carved meat and ribs. There are so many items on the buffet that I think even a non-seafood eater could fill up here.
The salad selections are numerous: fruit salad (mostly cantaloupe and honeydew), Caesar salad (really good), house salad (with walnuts, cranberries, blue cheese, and a citrus vinaigrette), plain salad greens and fixings (cheese, chopped egg, veggies, awesome homemade croutons), pasta salad, tomato salad with cucumber and onions, coleslaw, orzo pasta salad, couscous salad, marinated olives (yum), and peel-and-eat shrimp.
Hot seafood selections included meaty crab legs (awesome), baked mahi mahi, steamed clams, mussels, seafood pot pie (not good), and lobster tortellini (tasty). Other hot buffet items were barbecue pork ribs (great), marinated chicken, hand-carved beef and roast pork loin, corn on the cob, basil mashed potatoes (wish they would leave out the basil - not good), steamed potatoes, and vegetables. There is also a kids section with mac and cheese, pizza, and chicken nuggets. Also, don't miss the terrific corn bread and yeast rolls.
Finally, there is a wide variety of dessert options: Oreo bonbons (pretty good), cheesecake, key lime tart (really good), flan, cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and sugar), brownies, peanut butter blondies (yum), and mini lava cakes. They are all on the small size, which is great because it allows a lot of sampling.
Overall rating: Excellent variety of really great seafood and non-seafood items, and great desserts.
Would you return: Yes
Goofy's Candy Company, Downtown Disney, Orlando
7/7/2010
Goofy's Candy Company is a huge candy store at Downtown Disney. The store offers all kinds of pre-packaged candy, plus other treats like cookies, Rice Krispies treats, and fudge. But the best is the make-your-own treat station.
You can choose to start with an apple, Rice Krispies treat, marshmallows, pretzel rods, or gingerbread cookie. Your item can be dipped in caramel, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate. Next, you can add toppings like peanut butter chips, mini M&Ms, sprinkles, Butterfinger crumbs, crushed peanut butter cups, Oreo crumbs, nuts, coconut, etc. Finally you can add a drizzle of white, milk, or dark chocolate. Yum!
We chose the pretzel rods (3 for $5.95):
One was dark chocolate, peanut butter chips, and dark chocolate drizzle. Another was caramel, Butterfinger crumbs, and dark chocolate drizzle. The last was milk chocolate, crushed Oreos, and milk chocolate drizzle. All were delicious!
Overall rating: Great tasting and fun to create
Would you return: Yes
You can choose to start with an apple, Rice Krispies treat, marshmallows, pretzel rods, or gingerbread cookie. Your item can be dipped in caramel, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate. Next, you can add toppings like peanut butter chips, mini M&Ms, sprinkles, Butterfinger crumbs, crushed peanut butter cups, Oreo crumbs, nuts, coconut, etc. Finally you can add a drizzle of white, milk, or dark chocolate. Yum!
We chose the pretzel rods (3 for $5.95):
One was dark chocolate, peanut butter chips, and dark chocolate drizzle. Another was caramel, Butterfinger crumbs, and dark chocolate drizzle. The last was milk chocolate, crushed Oreos, and milk chocolate drizzle. All were delicious!
Overall rating: Great tasting and fun to create
Would you return: Yes
Earl of Sandwich, Downtown Disney, Orlando
7/7/2010
Earl of Sandwich is a chain that serves a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, and soups. The line at this location can be long because of the restaurant's popularity, but it moves quickly.
This is filled with grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar and swiss cheese, Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, cranberries, and buttermilk ranch dressing. It was really good but really big. She ended up sharing part of this wrap with Neil, who also ordered the chicken noodle soup ($2.99):
Earl of Sandwich is a chain that serves a wide variety of sandwiches, salads, and soups. The line at this location can be long because of the restaurant's popularity, but it moves quickly.
Lauren ordered the Earl's cobb wrap ($5.99):
This is filled with grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar and swiss cheese, Roma tomatoes, cucumbers, cranberries, and buttermilk ranch dressing. It was really good but really big. She ended up sharing part of this wrap with Neil, who also ordered the chicken noodle soup ($2.99):
It was a pretty small portion but was tasty.
I had the Caribbean jerk chicken sandwich ($5.99):
This sandwich is filled with chicken, roasted red peppers, hot banana peppers, and spicy jerk sauce. I don't know why I decided on this sandwich - I don't like diced chicken in sandwiches normally. The combination of red peppers, banana peppers, and jerk sauce just took the flavor in too many different spicy directions. I didn't like it at all. Love the bread though!
We also split two small bags of salt and vinegar chips ($1.29 each), and had a milk ($1.99) and fountain soda ($1.99).
Overall rating: Below par. Usually we really like this place, I just ordered the wrong item this time.
Would you return: Yes, for a different sandwich. The cobb wrap was a hit - Lauren would order that again.
Captain Cook's, Disney's Polynesian Resort, Orlando
7/6/2010
Captain Cook's is a counter service restaurant located on the lower level of the main building at the Polynesian.
Captain Cook's is a counter service restaurant located on the lower level of the main building at the Polynesian.
The ordering system can be confusing if you don't know what you're doing. Here's how it works: You make your selections from a touch-screen kiosk. After you order you get a receipt and pay the cashier. Once you pay, you take your receipt to the counter and wait for your food.
Our food took a while to be prepared - maybe 15-20 minutes. It wasn't a difficult order, but two girls working behind the counter were busy chatting and didn't tend to business. I thought this was an excessive wait at a quick-service restaurant, especially since it was due to inefficiency.
On to the food. Neil ordered a fountain drink ($2.19) and the chicken noodle soup ($3.09):
It was good and tasted fresh. The noodles were cooked just right. He really liked it. He also had an orange ($1.29).
Lauren tried the stir fry noodles with chicken ($8.49) and a Power Ade ($2.89):
This was really good. There was a lot of tender, juicy chicken and tender-crisp vegetables. The wonton strips on top added a nice crunch.
I had the aloha pork sandwich with poly chips ($8.69):
What a great sandwich! It is warm pulled pork with a sweet barbecue sauce, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, and slaw on a delicious roll. So good! I highly recommend this. The poly chips on the side were crisp and tasty too.
Overall rating: Good counter service option, especially the aloha pork sandwich
Would you return: Yes
Sommerfest, Epcot, Orlando
7/6/2010
Sommerfest is the counter service restaurant in Epcot's Germany. The menu is limited: brats or frankfurters with sauerkraut, black forest cake, Bavarian cheesecake, apple strudel, and the best item of all: the pretzel ($4.29). This was a huge pretzel, soft and warm, and perfectly salted. It was so filling!
Overall rating: Great
Would you return: Yes
Sommerfest is the counter service restaurant in Epcot's Germany. The menu is limited: brats or frankfurters with sauerkraut, black forest cake, Bavarian cheesecake, apple strudel, and the best item of all: the pretzel ($4.29). This was a huge pretzel, soft and warm, and perfectly salted. It was so filling!
Overall rating: Great
Would you return: Yes
Morocco kiosk, Epcot, Orlando
7/6/2010
It was hot. I was thirsty for a cold drink. As I walked around World Showcase, I came upon a kiosk in Morocco selling refreshing slushies. The non-alcoholic options included the Marrakesh Sunset (watermelon), Desert Rose (pink lemonade), and Royal Blue (blue raspberry). I chose the Desert Rose ($3.99). It was tart and sweet and cold, just what I needed.
Overall rating: Delicious and refreshing
Would you return: Yes
It was hot. I was thirsty for a cold drink. As I walked around World Showcase, I came upon a kiosk in Morocco selling refreshing slushies. The non-alcoholic options included the Marrakesh Sunset (watermelon), Desert Rose (pink lemonade), and Royal Blue (blue raspberry). I chose the Desert Rose ($3.99). It was tart and sweet and cold, just what I needed.
Overall rating: Delicious and refreshing
Would you return: Yes
Boulangerie Patisserie, Epcot, Orlando
7/6/2010
Boulangerie Patisserie is a counter service bakery in France in Epcot's World Showcase. This bakery features several delicious choices, particularly the Napoleon (creamy layers of goodness), the chocolate eclair, the chocolate croissant, and the fruit tart. This time the three of us decided to split a small bag containing three macaroons ($3.20). I love coconut and anything with coconut flavor, so this was a good choice. The macaroons were sweet and chewy, but a little on the dry side. They hit the spot for a small bite of something sweet.
Overall rating: Average
Would you return: Yes, for other pastries
Boulangerie Patisserie is a counter service bakery in France in Epcot's World Showcase. This bakery features several delicious choices, particularly the Napoleon (creamy layers of goodness), the chocolate eclair, the chocolate croissant, and the fruit tart. This time the three of us decided to split a small bag containing three macaroons ($3.20). I love coconut and anything with coconut flavor, so this was a good choice. The macaroons were sweet and chewy, but a little on the dry side. They hit the spot for a small bite of something sweet.
Overall rating: Average
Would you return: Yes, for other pastries
Monday, March 7, 2011
Beaches and Cream, Disney's Yacht Club Resort, Orlando
7/05/2010
A trip to Disney World isn't complete for us without a visit to Beaches and Cream for our favorite sundae ever, the No Way Jose ($7.99).
A trip to Disney World isn't complete for us without a visit to Beaches and Cream for our favorite sundae ever, the No Way Jose ($7.99).
This monstrosity easily feeds the three of us. It is made of several scoops of chocolate and vanilla ice cream, hot fudge and peanut butter sauce, tons of whipped cream, chocolate and peanut butter chips, and topped off with a cherry. Words can't even describe how delicious this is!
Overall Rating: A favorite! Don't miss this!
Would you return: Yes!
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