With the ongoing expansion of the Yacht and Beach Club Resort Convention Center at Walt Disney World, it only makes sense that other enhancements around the hotels would also be taking place to coincide with this ongoing work. The first of those major enhancements will be a remodeling of the Captain’s Grille restaurant at the Yacht Club Resort beginning in early 2017.
Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club
While no dates have been provided as of yet, the refurbishment will likely last for around 6-8 months and include a major remodeling of the restaurant’s interior and a pretty significant overhaul of the existing menu. It is unknown what the menu changes might be exactly, but one would assume that the popular (yet mostly unknown to the average guest) breakfast buffet will return.
Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club
Servers at the restaurant have been made aware of the closure over the last few weeks, but that information has not been deciminated to guests through any official avenues by Disney as of yet.
Captain’s Grille at Disney’s Yacht Club
While Captain’s Grille continues to be a hidden gem of Walt Disney World dining, the interior of the restaurant is undoubtedly aging, a product of early-1990’s design. The restaurant has never undergone a significant remodeling in that time and has, for the most part, looked the same for over 25 years now.
The restaurant will likely see a surge in customers as the nearby convention center is expanded over the coming years. Guests at the facility will be in need of dining options, and Yacht and Beach are fairly short on dining capacity and counter service options. Captain’s Grille typically does not require an advance dining reservation (as it is rarely busy), but it does get a fair amount of foot traffic from the current convention center already.
Stay tuned for more information on this story as it becomes available.
Remember a few months ago when I positively reviewed Pizzafari at Disney’s Animal Kingdom? With a revamped menu and pizza-making-process, it seemed as if Disney was on the right track to fixing counter service pizza everywhere at the resort. Well, they undid all of that progress with a new menu over the weekend…
New flatbread and pizza menu at Pizzafari
New Pasta, Salad, and Sub Menu at Pizzafari
Kid’s menu at Pizzafari
Desserts and drinks at Pizzafari
We decided to try the most interesting of the items from new menu, which was obviously the Cheeseburger Flatbread. We took a short video as we dug into the new offering, so watch the clip below to see what we thought…
Sad that the edible Pizzafari menu was replaced with this…
Cheeseburger Flatbread from Pizzafari
This was bad, unbelievably awful in fact. I would rather eat the now-retired Shrimp Alfredo from Village Haus in all honesty. The flavor was bad as noting on it blended together well, and there was way too much lettuce on it. The pickle flavor overwhelmed so much of it that it was like eating a pickle flatbread, not something meant to taste like a cheeseburger. Steer clear of this offering at all costs…
I would be embarrassed to put up my menu if it was that bad…
Here at WDWNT, we often never travel beyond the borders of the Disney theme parks, but a tremendous opportunity presented itself last week. The Toothsome Chocolate Emporium and Savory Feast Kitchen opened at Citywalk at the Universal Orlando Resort and we decided we should check it out. Luckily, I went armed with my video camera so we could share the experience with all of you:
Whenever Disney has closed a restaurant for remodeling, you can typically expect it to return with some of the menu offerings and other elements that were once loved about it. In the case of the Flying Fish at Disney’s Boardwalk, they did neither. Despite Disney promising that the once-famous snapper dish would return with the restaurant, it did not. So, does the Flying Fish improve despite not really retaining any of the items that guests visited for? Let’s find out…
The G was burnt out and ruined my pictures and I don’t want to talk about it…
First off, the interior could not be any more different. Gone is the gaudy style of the previous Cafe that hardly evoked the feel of a signature restaurant, replaced with an elegant interior filled with subtle nods to the Flying Fish and boardwalk amusements. The hand blown glass fish swimming above the restaurant are one of the most striking design elements I have ever seen and is quite breathtaking.
Despite the AbracadaBar opening next door, there is also a bar inside of the restaurant.
We also have a short video tour of the restaurant to share, including a look at the private dining room courtesy of the manager at the restaurant:
Quite frankly, my one previous experience at the Flying Fish Cafe wasn’t anything special. The infamous snapper dish was fine, but not worth the hype it had been given in my opinion. We had some good appetizers and drinks, but nothing that made me feel like I would need to come back until there was a drastic menu change. Those changes did indeed come with the remodel…
Before you even have a chance to say it, let me beat you to it: it is really, really expensive. Yes, this is a signature restaurant, and yes, it isn’t necessarily one of the first ones that comes to mind when you think signature dining at Walt Disney World. I will say I was a bit skeptical when I opened the menu, but I was willing to try it and see if anything was worth the price on the paper.
There is a vegetarian menu available, despite claims that the restaurant had no vegetarian options… Josh…
The kid’s menu looked pretty solid…
Pacific Island Punch ($10.75) – This reminded me a lot of the Leaping Lizard drink from Nomad Lounge, only less juice flavor and more alcohol. It was good, not great. I like sweet drinks and based on the description I expected this to be sweeter.
Blood Orange Margarita (10.75) – Nothing out of the usual, but a tasty take on the blood orange margarita if you typically enjoy such drinks.
Maple Bacon Peach Manhattan ($10.75) – Smoky and unique, this was highlight of our meal. I’m not sure I’ve ever tasted anything quite like this. The peach taste isn’t strong, but the bacon sure is and that’s a good thing.
The bread offered was pretty unique, a combination of seaweed and sesame seeds in a wheat bread, fitting the location and theme of the establishments. We ate two baskets, so I guess we liked it…
Blue Crab Bisque ($15) – My favorite dish of the night, this soup not only had great flavor, but there was a TON of crab in it. Likely the most crab I’ve ever had in a soup, so definitely worth the price on the menu. The aged Sherry dropped in table side was also a nice touch.
Corn-Encrusted Wild Gulf Shrimp ($16) – Not the largest portion for $16, but good flavor from the corn breading. If you like shrimp, you will likely enjoy these, but likely not be the best appetizer on the menu.
Kurobuta Pork Belly ($15) – Absolutely fantastic. So tender and the sauce accompaniment was heavenly.
Crispy Feta Dumplings ($32) – We decided to try one of the vegetarian options to see if they were worth the hefty price tag. This was good, but in no way can be a value at $32. Now, none of us are vegetarians, but I imagine in a world without meat that this is still overpriced, while still being rather tasty. Overall, it felt like it was an appetizer priced as an entree.
Wagyu Filet Mignon ($55) – Possibly the best steak at Walt Disney World, defying any and all logic since this is a seafood restaurant. Prepared medium rare as the chef suggested, the inside was so tender and flavorful, accompanied by the sauce underneath which added the perfect flavoring. Again, I’m not joking, this was THE best steak at Walt Disney World, topping Jiko and Tiffins in my book.
Maine Lobster Nero Pasta ($64) – This was expensive, but I feel like it lived up to the price point. There was a lot of lobster in here, and the pasta over giolden tomato sauce was pretty much near perfection.
Alright, let’s move on to dessert:
Boardwalk Cafe ($7.75) – A solid caramel coffee offering, but still one of the better specialty coffee drinks around WDW.
Chocolate Martini ($10.25) – Chilled, very sweet, and rather enjoyable. If you like chocolate martinis, this is a viable option and a nice take on it.
Peanut Butter Freeze ($10.25) – I know it is a drink, but likely one of my favorite desserts in all of the resort. A very sweet peanut butter and chocolate flavor which basically tastes like a frozen (alcoholic) peanut butter cup milkshake.
Under the Sea ($12) – Just OK, very reminiscent of a similar offering at Tiffins. I would skip this for a Peanut Butter Freeze next time…
Cherry, Peaches, and Sea Shells ($9) – Again, this was fine for cheesecake with fruit, but nothing to write home about. A good option if you want something light, but there’s always Ample Hills Creamery just a few steps away if you really aren’t too excited about anything here. Did I mention the Peanut Butter Freeze?
Overall, I was beyond impressed by Flying Fish. My previous experience with the restaurant was surpassed tenfold, in both the interior design of the restaurant, and the overall quality of the food and beverage. This is one of the best re-imaginings of any restaurant at Walt Disney World, completely changing what it was and was perceived as before and making it something entirely new.
It is expensive, in fact, it is one of the most expensive restaurants in all of Orlando, but the quality is there. I feel the prices will hurt the restaurant in the present, just because the Flying Fish name doesn’t mean a whole lo to many people based on it’s previous lackluster run. However, if the quality remains as it is now (maybe with a slightly revamped dessert menu), I think good word of mouth will spread and those looking for a fine dining experience at Walt Disney World will find their way here. Flying Fish is an expensive signature restaurant, but if you are going to spend the money, this is probably one of the places you will want to do it.
Disney has been quite vocal about the addition of the Taste of Tiffins lunch options at Tiffins at Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park as of late. The new table service offering has had a really hard time drawing people in, based on both the location and the depressing outcome of the nighttime offerings this summer at the park. These lunch offerings and the addition of the restaurant and its Nomad Lounge to Table in Wonderland discounts are a desperate plea by Disney to persuade guests to eat at the only signature dining experience at Animal Kingdom. Personally, I love Tiffins, and it is typically the reason I even go to the park as of late, so I was pretty ecstatic to try the new lunch menu.
Tiffins at Animal Kingdom – Lunch Menu
Taste of Tiffins is the star of the lunch menu, but some of the appetizers from the main menu get featured here as well. The full menu is available during lunch as well.
APPETIZERS
Complimentary bread at Tiffins
Complimentary Bread
One of the three breads that arrives with the $10 Bread Service is delivered to each table complimentary. The Pomegranate Olive Oil is a departure from the bread accompaniments elsewhere on property, and certainly an acquired taste you’ll want to sample before spreading.
Selection of Artisanal Cheeses
Selection of Artisanal Cheeses ($12)
The only new appetizer is a selection of cheeses which I found enjoyable. Certainly a better value than most offerings at the neighboring Nomad Lounge.
The Taste of Tiffins ($28.00)
Choose two from the list and includes a side of Jade Blend Rice. Two of us ordered this, so what you will see below are the 72-Hour Beef Shortrib, Chermoula-Rubbed Chicken, Crispy Yellow tail Snapper, and the Chilled Shrimp and Noodle Salad. For a review of the full-size entree version of these dishes, please refer to my first review of Tiffins.
Chermoula-Rubbed Chicken at Tiffins
72-Hour Beef Shortrib
The shortrib is still one of my favorite steak dishes anywhere, but the cut we had at Flying Fish was somehow better…
Side of Jade Blend Rice
The rice was a unique blend and I felt it is a nice choice no matter what two entrees you pick for your Taste of Tiffins meal.
Chilled Shrimp and Noodle Salad
Bean Thread Noodles, Vegetables, and Ponzu was an interesting ix, a nice chilled dish to battle the Florida heat with. The noodles did a good job absorbing the flavor from the rest of the dish.
Crispy Yellow tail Snapper
The portion sizes were good. Those two small plates plus the side of rice should be more than enough to fill-up anyone, and if not there is certainly an appetizer or dessert or two I might recommend you follow this up with.
Szechuan Green Beans ($5)
These were crunchy, flavorful, and plentiful. A really good value for $5, this might be my favorite vegetable side item at the Walt Disney World Resort.
OVERALL
In review, Tiffins is everything this park needed in a table service restaurant. The addition of a signature restaurant to the existing line-up was much needed (although I’m hoping for a lower-end table service addition to the park in Pandora next year). I appreciate that the theme and menu were not regurgitated from Jiko, and also that we truly have the first restaurant ever designed for designers. Who would have ever thought we would get a restaurant about Imagineers designing a theme park?
The menu has some really top notch offerings you really can’t find anywhere else (a few could use some work of course) and the drink menu might be the best from top to bottom of any location on property. Same as Skipper Canteen, I’m proud of Disney for letting the chefs create a menu like this for theme park consumption, and I feel like Tiffins will succeed where Skipper Canteen couldn’t being located in the Magic Kingdom.
As far as pricing, it is a signature restaurant, so the prices are as you expect. That being said, I felt like the prices here were slightly more reasonable than Brown Derby (which I would most closely equate as the only signature in a park of limited options). Of course, I always feel like Brown Derby is worth the price, but I think Tiffins boasts a stronger menu…
That was my review of Tiffins dinner, and lunch is no different. The Taste of Tiffins is a phenomenal, and more affordable way to try many of the main dishes offered here. The addition of the Tables in Wonderland 20% discount is another nice addition, overall I feel that it makes Tiffins an even better option than it already was for those looking for good food at Animal Kingdom. The portions for a $28 signature restaurant offering are great, and there isn’t much on the menu that I don’t think that you will enjoy.
New, but not in this review is the seared chicken breast.
Flatbread, Salad and Soup Menu
Fish Tacos ($9.29)
Fish Tacos ($9.29)
Before you even say anything, yes, we should have got the chips as a side but someone forgot to ask… anyway, these were surprisingly good. The two tacos are of a good size and heavily doused in the chipotle lime cream, which is a good thing. Everything about these was fresh and delicious, well, except for the awful Disney counter service fries which we should have not ordered.
Fish Tacos ($9.29)
Pork Fried Rice ($8.99)
Pork Fried Rice ($8.99)
A good price for a lot of food. The pork was very well prepared and very tender, the rice however was a little overdone but still tasted fine. This is a really good option, but I saw another reviewer call this their favorite quick service item at Walt Disney World, which to me seems like a bit much. It’s solid overall, not great though.
Pork Fried Rice ($8.99)
Pan Asian Noodles and Vegetables with Shrimp ($10.99)
Pan Asian Noodles and Vegetables with Shrimp ($10.99)
If you enjoy the delicious noodles upstairs at Ohana, this may be a good substitute for when you can’t go there. You can chose to add shrimp or chicken for an added charge, we chose shrimp. Overall it was a very good and a nice sized portion.
Curried Seafood Stew ($13.99)
Curried Seafood Stew ($13.99)
This was a weird dish, but I ended up eating all of it so I think I enjoyed it. There is a fair amount of seafood in here for a counter service dish, and the rice gets thoroughly soaked in the curry sauce which has a really good flavor to it which is not very spicy. While I would have enjoyed more spice, the dish was good as is and likely something I would order again.
Overall, these are great additions to the menu which are all solid options and fit the theme of the hotel nicely. Unique offerings are always a plus and these are very unique options for an already stellar counter service restaurant.
We’ve got a first look at the menu for the soon-to-be-open AbracadaBAR at Disney’s BoardWalk. The offerings include Curious Cocktails, Worldly Wines, and Baffling Beers.
There are some nods to Disney attractions and movies, including the “Pepper’s Ghost” and the “Magic Mirror.”
A variety of wines, available both by the bottle and by the glass.
While I’m impressed that there’s a Belgian sour available (albeit in a bottle only), what’s baffling to me is why they have Bud Light on the menu at all…
On a trip to the beloved Beaches & Cream at Disney’s Beach Club Resort over the weekend, I discovered that they are serving loaded fries now, similar in style to the Daily Poutine at Disney Springs.
For $6 each, you can get a rather healthy serving of one of three styles, or you can substitute them as a side with your entree for just $1.50 more.
Brown gravy isn’t my thing, but there were pretty good. The steak fries now gone from Plaza Restaurant live on here and any variety of these will be a better option than the Plaza Loaded Fries. SCORE: 4.5 out of 7.
There’s nothing crazy about the Chili and Cheese Fries but they are pretty good. SCORE: 4.5 out of 7.
The cheese and bacon fries were far and away our favorite, I would get these again in a heartbeat. I love the steak fries to begin with and they were just enhanced with some quality toppings in this case. SCORE: 6.5 out of 7.
So, on your next trip to Beaches and Cream, why not grab an alcoholic milkshake and some loaded fries?
After a major re-imagining, reservations open July 29 for dates beginning August 3 and beyond at Flying Fish on Disney’s BoardWalk. The entire interior, including the on-stage kitchen, has been beautifully redesigned, along with an all-new menu crafted by Chef Tim Majoras, a veteran of the Flying Fish kitchen.
The seafood-centric menu features entirely sustainable fish and shellfish, and includes Chef Majoras’ creations such as corn-crusted wild Gulf shrimp, wild Alaskan king salmon and plancha-seared Hokkaido scallops. For carnivores, there’s Wagyu filet mignon, Kurobuta pork belly and bison striploin. General manager and sommelier Stig Jacobsen has crafted a new wine list with nearly 80 selections by the glass.
Kurobuta Pork Belly from Flying Fish at Disney’s BoardWalkPlancha-Seared Hokkaido Scallops from Flying Fish at Disney’s BoardWalkS’more Time At The Beach from Flying Fish at Disney’s BoardWalk.
Here’s a look at the new menu:
For reservations, visit DisneyWorld.com/dine or call 407-WDW-DINE.
‘
