Mickey&Donald
<font color=blue>Por favor mantenganse alejado de
- Joined
- May 28, 2006
Wife and I just returned from our trip to Disney World! We planned the dining aspect more carefully this time around (second trip for me)... last time we had half reservations and half just winging it. This time we were on the DDP, and made reservations for every dinner, a lunch and a breakfast. Here are our dinner favorites from best to least-best 
:
Top of the top: Le Cellier
We both agreed this was the best restaurant we've been to on any Disney trip. We checked in 15 minutes early and were seated almost immediately. Server was Patrick, from near Michigan, and who had a great sense of humor His recommendations were spot-on. We had the cheese soup (amazing, especially with the bread sticks!) and a salmon/crab/marscapone concoction that was just delicious. For entrees, I had the mushroom filet - probably the single best steak I've ever had, you could slice it with your fork and it just melted in your mouth, hardly any chewing needed - and my wife had the BBQ filet, which was also top-notch. For desert we had a seasonal blueberry tart with huckleberry ice cream, and I had the whiskey cake. Every element was 10/10.
Next, a tie: Chefs de France and Coral Reef
Coral Reef was our first night, and after checking in we were almost immediately seated directly next to the aquarium, which was a real delight. For some reason, one fish continuously swam diagonally upward past my wife throughout our entire meal! We started with the calimari (very lightly fried, with a great cocktail sauce) and a lobster soup which was also delicious. We also ordered a bottle of wine (off-DDP), which proved very very good. We saved half for the hotel room! For entrees, I had the crabcakes and my wife had a delicious tuna, served rare. Food was just amazing. For desert, wife had the chocolate wave, I had the California gold - we shared liberally, and were very happy with both.
Chefs de France was also wonderful! Checked in a little early, waited five minutes at the most until we were seated on the inside, next to the window facing the water. Waitress was Guillaumette, who was both charming and friendly. We started with the escargot - steaming hot and very very garlicky (a big plus for us!), had a great taste - and also the French cheese platter, of which all were delicious. For entrees I had the flank steak with shallots and fries - excellent cut of meat, served perfectly, and the fries were surprisingly tasty. Had it with a Kronenberg 1664 bottle of beer, which was not bad at all. Wife had the seared tuna with olives and capers, and loved it! For desert we had the creme brulee, which was quite good, and something else I'm blanking on.
Coming in third: Kona Cafe, at the Polynesian.
This was our second night, we were really impressed by the Polynesian's atmosphere. Checked in and were seated almost immediately. We were introduced to the chef right after our drinks were taken! He was both friendly and informative, but clearly in a hurry - and no surprise, the place was totally packed. We started with the pot stickers - good but not overwhelmingly wonderful - and the mini-crab cakes, which also didn't make one explode in delight. Still, they were good. My wife had a positively delicious filet mignon for her entree, which we both agreed was superior. I was swayed by the chef and waiter to get the beef teriyaki, which was good but not in the same league as the filet. Probably the worst cut of meat I saw on the trip, it had quite a bit of fat and marbling, and made getting to the actual meat rather difficult. Meat itself was somewhat tough for medium-rare. Still, a good solid steak. For desert we had the Kilauea torte and macadamia nut torte - but could barely eat half of each, we were so stuffed! Definitely the largest portions of any of our dinners, almost too much food.
Fourth, and still very good: Tony's Town Square
This was our sentimental favorite, as we ate here on our honeymoon trip and had exceptional food and service, plus a special table and all sorts of perks. It was still good, but the menu has changed significantly and not necessarily to my liking. We were seated with maybe a 5-10 minute wait (it, too, was packed to the brim) and were served by the very friendly Nathalie. To start with we had the calimari (perfectly fried and served piping hot with some delicious sauce - I loved it!!) and the spinach and artichoke dip, which had too little bread with it, but tasted quite good. For an entree I had a hard time finding something I really wanted, but ended up with the strip steak with potatoes, gorgonzola butter and various other delicious things - it was great! Very tasty. My wife had the chicken florentine, which was enthusiastically recommended by Nathalie - and to good measure, my wife LOVED it, and I admit it was wonderfully prepared. For desert we had the traditional three-desert sampler, and though we were told we could have more, we were so stuffed after the first round we passed on anything else. I felt this experience outclassed Kona by a bit, but the wife liked Kona more, and I'm giving her preference.
:Top of the top: Le Cellier
We both agreed this was the best restaurant we've been to on any Disney trip. We checked in 15 minutes early and were seated almost immediately. Server was Patrick, from near Michigan, and who had a great sense of humor His recommendations were spot-on. We had the cheese soup (amazing, especially with the bread sticks!) and a salmon/crab/marscapone concoction that was just delicious. For entrees, I had the mushroom filet - probably the single best steak I've ever had, you could slice it with your fork and it just melted in your mouth, hardly any chewing needed - and my wife had the BBQ filet, which was also top-notch. For desert we had a seasonal blueberry tart with huckleberry ice cream, and I had the whiskey cake. Every element was 10/10.
Next, a tie: Chefs de France and Coral Reef
Coral Reef was our first night, and after checking in we were almost immediately seated directly next to the aquarium, which was a real delight. For some reason, one fish continuously swam diagonally upward past my wife throughout our entire meal! We started with the calimari (very lightly fried, with a great cocktail sauce) and a lobster soup which was also delicious. We also ordered a bottle of wine (off-DDP), which proved very very good. We saved half for the hotel room! For entrees, I had the crabcakes and my wife had a delicious tuna, served rare. Food was just amazing. For desert, wife had the chocolate wave, I had the California gold - we shared liberally, and were very happy with both.
Chefs de France was also wonderful! Checked in a little early, waited five minutes at the most until we were seated on the inside, next to the window facing the water. Waitress was Guillaumette, who was both charming and friendly. We started with the escargot - steaming hot and very very garlicky (a big plus for us!), had a great taste - and also the French cheese platter, of which all were delicious. For entrees I had the flank steak with shallots and fries - excellent cut of meat, served perfectly, and the fries were surprisingly tasty. Had it with a Kronenberg 1664 bottle of beer, which was not bad at all. Wife had the seared tuna with olives and capers, and loved it! For desert we had the creme brulee, which was quite good, and something else I'm blanking on.
Coming in third: Kona Cafe, at the Polynesian.
This was our second night, we were really impressed by the Polynesian's atmosphere. Checked in and were seated almost immediately. We were introduced to the chef right after our drinks were taken! He was both friendly and informative, but clearly in a hurry - and no surprise, the place was totally packed. We started with the pot stickers - good but not overwhelmingly wonderful - and the mini-crab cakes, which also didn't make one explode in delight. Still, they were good. My wife had a positively delicious filet mignon for her entree, which we both agreed was superior. I was swayed by the chef and waiter to get the beef teriyaki, which was good but not in the same league as the filet. Probably the worst cut of meat I saw on the trip, it had quite a bit of fat and marbling, and made getting to the actual meat rather difficult. Meat itself was somewhat tough for medium-rare. Still, a good solid steak. For desert we had the Kilauea torte and macadamia nut torte - but could barely eat half of each, we were so stuffed! Definitely the largest portions of any of our dinners, almost too much food.
Fourth, and still very good: Tony's Town Square
This was our sentimental favorite, as we ate here on our honeymoon trip and had exceptional food and service, plus a special table and all sorts of perks. It was still good, but the menu has changed significantly and not necessarily to my liking. We were seated with maybe a 5-10 minute wait (it, too, was packed to the brim) and were served by the very friendly Nathalie. To start with we had the calimari (perfectly fried and served piping hot with some delicious sauce - I loved it!!) and the spinach and artichoke dip, which had too little bread with it, but tasted quite good. For an entree I had a hard time finding something I really wanted, but ended up with the strip steak with potatoes, gorgonzola butter and various other delicious things - it was great! Very tasty. My wife had the chicken florentine, which was enthusiastically recommended by Nathalie - and to good measure, my wife LOVED it, and I admit it was wonderfully prepared. For desert we had the traditional three-desert sampler, and though we were told we could have more, we were so stuffed after the first round we passed on anything else. I felt this experience outclassed Kona by a bit, but the wife liked Kona more, and I'm giving her preference.
Thanks for the reviews...How was the seasonal blueberry tart with huckleberry ice cream? I might be going here soon and this sounds refreshing.
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The ice cream, interestingly, wasn't very sweet, but it was creamy and delicious and really set went well with the blueberry.
Great reviews, thanks for sharing.
