Nine Dragons Epcot

Location: Nine Dragons- Epcot’s China

Meals Served: Lunch and Dinner

Reservations?: It is recommended that you make a reservation by calling (407)WDW-DINE (at least 180 days in advance). We showed up one busy night in December and were able to find a table without a reservation.

Price Range: $ 15 to 35.99 per person

Type of Food: Chinese

Review:
Nine Dragons is a beautiful restaurant. Like much of China it is very ornate. I would have liked to walk around and looked at the amazing detail in the place, especially the little statues recessed into the wall of the dining area, but it was really a fast paced busy atmosphere. The dining room is very large and can accommodate many guests and although the restaurant was not that crowded (there were still tabled open) it was very loud and the waiters were running around quickly.
The food was great! Norwood tried the family meal with honey sesame chicken and I had the wheat tofu and veggies. With the meal Norwood received soup an entrée and dessert. Here is a look at what we ate…









Norwood enjoyed his meal and his only compliant about it was that there were not many vegetables. I really enjoyed my meal. The sauce and the tofu were wonderful and the veggie choice was a nice compliment to the flavor of the sauce. The portions were large; in fact I could not finish all my meal.

I would give Nine Dragons 6 out of 10. The food was fantastic but my personal preference for a less lively atmosphere keeps me from rating it higher.

Kimonos Disney’s Swan and Dolphin

Location: Swan- Epcot Resort Area

Meals Served: Dinner and late night snacks

Reservations?: It is a lounge so walk right in and take an available seat or table. If you are a party of 6 or more they will make a reservation for you if you call (407)WDW-DINE

Price Range: Varies on what you choose to eat it can be anywhere from $8 (for a roll- rolls come in pieces of 5-8) or $50 for a large meal for two

Type of Food: Japanese

Review:
If you are traveling with the kids or you do not like Japanese food (lots of sushi on the menu) then you might want to look elsewhere in the Swan. Just down the hall is the Garden Grove which is an all-you-care to eat character dining restaurant (dinner is buffet style and with characters). Those with kids or seeking American cuisine headed past Kimonos to the Garden Grove. Now if you are a fan of a dark intimate atmosphere and Japanese food you will be in heaven like Norwood and I were. It is a dark lounge with a lovely Japanese decor. Look up and you will see bamboo ceiling lights and the most gorgeous kimonos. When we stopped in for an early dinner (around 6pm) there were few people and the atmosphere was quiet. Our waitress did tell us that around 9:30pm every night the rock stars roll in for Karaoke and it tends to become livelier. One thing I noticed many were confused about was the seating. Since it is a lounge you are welcome to sit wherever you want whether it is at the sushi bar a plush couch or the bar at the back of the lounge.

The food was perfect! Norwood and I have eaten at many Disney restaurants and we have never left so satisfied both with the food and the price. There are many vegetarian options so if you are not a sushi fan have no fear. I highly recommend the asparagus roll. It is cooked asparagus and cream cheese wrapped in rice and seaweed. It is absolutely wonderful! Although the menu does not list deserts there are several to choose from just ask a friendly waitress what deserts they have available.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 being the best) I give Kimonos a 10. I recommend this lounge to those seeking a night away from the kids (although there were kids at the lounge enjoying the food) it is geared a little more towards adults. I can guarantee that you will find Norwood and I there when we want dinner near Epcot.

Captain’s Grille- Yacht Club

After the Mega Mouse Meet, Norwood and I decided to walk around and look at the lovely decorations. It was during that time that we found a nice little place to have lunch. We settled in for hours and had a great conversation with each other and the waiter.

Location: Yacht Club Resort- Epcot Resort Area

Meals Served: Breakfast (buffet style), Lunch and Dinner (a la Carte)

Reservations?: Not a bad idea call (407)WDW-DINE

Price Range: $15- 35.99

Type of Food: American

Review: It is a lovely little place just inside the Yacht Club lobby. Norwood and I discovered it while we were walking around looking at the Yacht Club holiday decorations. It was busy but it was not very noisy. We had lunch there for $40.00 with tip, drinks and desert, very reasonably priced. We both had the soup and sandwich meal. The soup of the day was a gorgonzola clam chowder which was awesome! If you are looking for a quite, intimate place to have breakfast, lunch or dinner at a really great price I highly recommend the Captain’s Grille. Normally I am not a soup person but you must try the soups they offer and have a desert while you are at it. They have an impressive desert menu (my favorite was the blueberry tart).

As for the service, of course it was great. For example when my pickle flipped off my fork and onto the floor the waiter laughed with us and then brought me another. After our meal was complete we sat for hours and talked and our waiter came over to ask if we wanted water or anything to drink. We had already paid and he continued to come by and interact with us. He was great and made the meal that much more enjoyable.

Biergarten Restaurant- Germany

Location: Epcot – Germany

Meals Served: Lunch and Dinner

Reservations?: Probably a good idea (407)WDW-DINE

Price Range: $19.99 Adults, $10.99 Children (Lunch) and $28.99 Adults, $13.99 Children (Dinner)

Type of Food: All- you- care to eat German Food (Biergarten Menu)

Review: If you are a vegetarian you might want to eat somewhere else. There are not many choices (unless you love bread) for the non meat eaters out there. If you love sauerkraut and bratwurst you will be in heaven. And of course there is lots of beer to sample and enjoy. The best thing about this restaurant is that it is a buffet, which means you can sample a little of everything. I recommend taking a look at the desert bar… trust me you will not regret it. Also there is a neat little dinner show while you eat.



While we were there last week it was not only Oktoberfest but also a Christmas celebration. With Christmas carols and dancing it was a festive time. It is worth seeing but I have to admit I will probably not go back personally, only because I am not too fond of meat.

The Writer’s Shop

Location: Hollywood Studios – near the Commisonary

Meals Served: Snacks

Reservations?: Naw… it is counter service just walk right up

Price Range: $14.99 and under (way under… you can get snacks for less than $2)

Type of Food: Coffee, cookies, muffins, candy, generally all things yummy

Review: The cookies and such are awesome at the Writer’s Shop. The coffee is decent (made on a small espresso machine). I particurlary like the frozen latte (although there is also a frozen cappacino on the menu it is exactly the same thing as the frozen latte). The best thing about the Writer’s Shop is the low prices on snacks for a toffee bar two frozen lattes and a HUGE sugar cookie we spend less than $5. The bad thing about the Writer’s Shop is that there are really only three places to sit and once those are full you are out of luck. Good news is that you can walk outside and sit in the outside seating of the commisnary (not recommended for non-smokers) or inside the commisanary.

If you want to see some of the items that they sell check out the Writer’s Shop Menu.

The Brown Derby- Hollywood Studios

Location: Hollywood Studios – Hollywood Boulevard

Meals Served: Lunch and Dinner

Reservations?: Although we walked right up and received a table, it is suggested that you serve a table by calling 407-WDW-DINE

Price Range: $15-35.99 per person

Type of Food: American Served A la Carte

Review:
The service was fantastic. Our server knew all there was to know about the history of the actual Brown Derby in Hollywood and how the Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios replicated the original. He also knew about all the food that they served and was happy to offer his opinion on the different dishes. I decided on the Coconut Tofu which was a block of coconut covered tofu served over Asian stir fry veggies and noodles with a spicy sauce…



Although I thought the thin noodles were a little strange in the dish (typically Asian style noodles are the thicker egg noodles) it was delicious. It was the perfect mix of spicy and sweet and neither were too spicy or two sweet.

Norwood had the famous Cobb Salad with French dressing. It features four types of lettuce, tomatoes, poached turkey, bacon, avocado, chives, bleu cheese and a special French dressing. ..



Norwood thoroughly enjoyed his meal and in fact could not eat it all. It was a very generous portion. He liked it so much that the waiter brought him a recipe card so we could make the salad at home.

For dessert we had their famous Grapefruit Cake…

It was the best desert that I have had at a Disney restaurant to date. It was sweet but not sickly sweet and it went well with the cappuccinos (real coffee made on a real espresso machine!).

The entire meal (including tip) ran about $80. Our meal was well worth the money and the service could not have been better. We both highly recommend the restaurant. If you would like to see what they serve for lunch and dinner check out the Brown Derby Menu.

If you want to see more photos of Hollywood Studios check out my Hollywood Studios Slideshow.

San Angel Inn

Location: Epcot- Mexico Pavilion

Meals Served: Lunch and Dinner

Reservations?: Yes, they are often busy so make sure that you book a table for yourselves before hand by calling 407-WDW-DINE

Price Range: $15-35.99 per person

Type of Food: Mexican Cuisine, beer, wine and margaritas. You can view a dinner menu here.

Review:
The food was good. And the service was excellent. We had a new server (his first night) named Aldo. Whatever our request he made sure that if he did not know he, he would ask his manager. For example, I wanted to have a virgin margarita and he was not quite sure if they could do that so he went and asked (turns out you can get a virgin margarita!)

I ordered the Mahi-Mahi and Norwood ordered the Mole Pablano. The Mahi- Mahi was a large piece of fish that was served on some of the best rice I have had at Disney. I enjoyed the dish (although the fish was just a little dry). Norwood loved the Mole Pablano. He said the sauce was fantastic and that alone made the dish worthwhile.
We also had the Crab tostadas. We both highly recommend these. The greens on the crab with a chipotle mayo were fantastic!

And for the first time in our Disney eating adventures they actually had an impressive dessert menu! Two favorites at our table were the flan and the white chocolate mousse with fresh berries. The white chocolate mousse was awesome! If you eat at San Angel, you must order one, you will not be disappointed.

For the two of us we spent about a $100 with a 20% (the service was great!).
One thing that you might consider though… we had 7:15 reservations and were hoping to catch Illuminations after our meal, but we ended up leaving the restaurant around 10pm and missed the show. Aldo mentioned that if you are in Mexico and you want to have a late dinner and still watch the fireworks, you may want to take a seat at the Cantina across the way.

For more pictures of San Angel check out my flickr set.

Yak and Yeti Restaurant – Animal Kingdom Asia

Located near the Kali River Rapids is a hidden gem, the Yak and Yeti Restaurant. The Yak and Yeti serves pan-Asian food and is home to some very unique and interesting artifacts. They offer full table service and a full service bar. Like many of Disney’s restaurants it is recommended that you make reservations for Lunch and Dinner which you can do by calling 407-WDW-DINE.

The Perks:
The Cast Members are fantastic! Meet James who was our waiter…



When we arrived for lunch at Yak and Yeti we were hot, tired and incredibly thirsty. James noticed this so he gave us a few minutes to settle in and brought us ice cold water with lemon. He also answered all our questions and brought back the menu when we decided to order more drinks and food. In addition he encouraged us to walk around the restaurant and take a look at all the artifacts that the Yak and Yeti houses. If you eat at the Yak and Yeti be sure to tell James hello.

Besides our wonderful waiter there are some other perks that the Yak and Yeti offer. Another is the great artifacts that surround the dining areas here is just one dining area…


And of course what you are all waiting for… the FOOD! It was fantastic! I highly recommend the Crispy Mahi Mahi; I have never tasted fish so good! Also you must try the Glacier Water. It is a coconut and Sprite drink that is both sweet and refreshing. We spent about $90 with tip for our Lunch and we left stuffed and happy. It was fantastic food with great service and well worth our $90.

The Downfalls:
Like many of the Disney restaurants the desert offerings are slim and the Yak and Yeti also has a small desert menu (four items to be exact). But the Glacier Water is sweet enough to be desert so it was not too disappointing that the desert menu was lacking in variety.

Do I recommend it?
Yes! I also recommend you make reservations as I hear they can get quite busy for late lunch and dinner.

Lotus Blossom Café Epcot- China

Lotus Blossom is a Quick Service restaurant in Epcot’s China. They offer different types of stir-fry egg rolls and more. Here is their menu (click the picture if you would like a bigger view)



The Perks:
When they say Quick Service, they mean quick service. The only slow thing about our experience at Lotus Blossom was us. We spent a little time trying to decide what we would try. We ordered two vegetarian stir fry meals and two egg rolls, and a Jasmine Green Tea. For quick service food, the food was excellent. I particularly recommend the Jasmine Green Tea. It is not sweetened and very strong; it was my favorite part of the meal.


(please note the food above narrowly escaped being devoured quickly by Norwood and Amanda and is not in original served condition)

The Downfalls:
None. The service was great, the food was excellent, and seating was both inside and outside so you could get out of direct sun if you wanted to.

Do I recommend it?
Absolutely. Great food, reasonably priced and quick service what more could you ask for when you are running around Epcot.

Resort Food Courts and Markets

Each Disney resort no matter what level (value, moderate or deluxe) offers a food court and market for snacks and drinks. They all have similar food such as burgers and fries, pizza and specialty sandwiches. It is also in the food court market areas of the Disney resorts where if you buy the Disney mugs you can fill up (for free after purchase of your mug) with soda, coffee, or tea. They are a great place for families who would like a quicker meal than a sit down restaurant. While staying at three different levels of resorts last month and early this month we sampled the service and food at each of the food courts. As I mentioned earlier all have similar food and the dinner options were are favorites. At Caribbean Beach and Animal Kingdom we had no problems with service or the food. The line wait was reasonable and the food was served fast and hot. The only food court where we experienced dissatisfaction was at the All Star Sports Resort.

First let me say that the All Star Sports Resort was packed. There were lots and lots of teenagers there. Norwood and I like to eat vegetarian as much as possible so when we saw that the grillers section that they offered veggie burgers we selected that line and ordered two. We ended up waiting a half hour for two veggie burgers. The line wait just to get our order in was around ten minutes and the rest of the wait was for two veggie burgers that should at most have taken 7 minutes. Surprisingly all the cast members were friendly and prompt when I asked for the manager but we still waited a half hour for two veggies burgers which is horrible for quick service food. When I approached the manager Nathan about the problem of waiting he actually handled it very well. He checked to make sure the burgers were being prepared and then offered to pay for our deserts.

Overall the food courts are a great for families that want a quick meal, but beware if you have an item request that is not commonly ordered (veggie burgers or the case of the lady in front of us a child’s burger who waited just as long as we did) you will have a longer wait then the others in line.

Here is a look at some of your food options at Disney’s Resort food courts…

A Taste of Boma

Boma is a buffet style restaurant that offers an American take on African Flavors. It is located in the Animal Kingdom Lodge and it is strongly suggested that you make reservations for both breakfast and dinner in advance. You can make reservations by calling 407-WDW-DINE. A Taste of Boma is a Private Dining option that you have at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Norwood and I made reservations for Boma in the morning of the day that we stood at AKL and were lucky to get an 8:45pm reservation. Hungry at 6pm we decided to call and have the vegetarian Taste of Boma and the regular Taste of Boma delivered to our room. Here is what we received just a half hour later…



The Perks:
No crowds, just you and the people you are staying with which is really nice after a long day at the parks. The amount of food! When it was delivered to our room I could not believe the large amount of food and the great selection! Also it was a really good price. We paid for our two tastes and coffee $70 with tip.

The Downfalls:
The coffee! We ordered two cappuccinos thinking that such a nice restaurant would have a barista make cappuccinos. Boy were we wrong! It is machine coffee that tastes more like sweet milk with just a tiny bit of coffee flavor. I do not recommend the coffee. Also there is an 18% gratuity already included in the bill. We were unaware of it and tipped the woman who brought our food twice (once with the cash tip upon delivery and once with charge included). Your taste of the Boma buffet is limited to their selection. It is more food than one person could possibly eat so you will not go hungry but if you want to sample everything (including deserts) you might want to make a reservation at Boma.

Do I recommend it?
Yes! Just not the coffee, really it was very bad!

Teppan Edo- Epcot

The picture above is of our chef at the Teppan Edo restaurant in Disney’s Epcot. Eating at Teppan Edo was not just a meal but an experience. Before I get into the details of the meal and our experience as a whole I want to strongly suggest that if you want to eat at this restaurant you make reservations which you can do by calling 407-WDW-DINE and that you plan to spend at least two hours to dine here. We had 5:30 reservations and did not leave until around 7:30. Okay those little tips aside now into the details…

The perks:
The food was fantastic! It is prepared fresh just for you and reasonably priced. You are invited to start off with appetizers (Norwood had the sushi sampler and I had the block of tofu on a green salad with ginger dressing- both are highly recommended) and then for your main course you have the choice of beef, chicken, shrimp or vegetarian. The main course is prepared for the group in front of everyone so that in addition to great food you also get a dinner show. Here is just a clip from our main course preparation…



After the chef makes the main course for everyone the group eats their meals and then you are invited to order desert if you so choose.

We spend around $70 with tip for the two of us and we had drinks (cold green tea and beer for Norwood) appetizers and our main course (which I think was around $18.00 each).

The downfalls:
At first I thought it was a downfall because when you are brought over for your reservation you are introduced to another party that you will be dining with (they seat in parties of eight), but as it turns out we were paired with a great family from Connecticut.

The desert menu left a lot to be desired. They offered 3 different deserts (green tea pudding, chocolate cake and one other item that now escapes my memory).

Although this is often an issue at many of the Disney World restaurants I want to mention it just in case people are seeking a quite sit down dinner…Teppan Edo is a loud experience. There is so much going on that at times I could not hear the person next to me.

Do I recommend it?
Absolutely!! Besides the desert menu and the noise we really enjoyed our meal, felt thoroughly stuffed when we left and had a great time getting to know our dining partners. Norwood and I will be eating at Teppan Edo again and often.

Akershus Royal Banquet Hall -Epcot

This restaurant in Norway has always been our favorite restaurant. The last time we went was back in the winter of 2003. Back then the atmosphere was strictly adult with a few scattered families. In the craziness of the parks it felt like a retreat. We were shocked to find out last week that you now need reservations and they are booked solid for two months! Luckily the manger was up front at the time and since there were only two of us he was able to get us a table. That was fantastically nice, and there are some interesting things now at Akershus but it also has its downfalls.


The perks:

If you like character dining, especially the princesses this is the restaurant you want to go to. I am not sure when they started the princess dining but now you get a free photo packet with your meal. My husband and I took a picture with Bell and just minutes later we received a clever little portfolio (designed like a story book) with a 5x7 and 4 4x8.Take a look at ours...



Although it is the worst picture ever taken of us, it is a nice little reminder of the meal. Too bad Norwood's eyes are closed and I had flat hair from the rain, but at least we can look at it and laugh about the time we ate at Akershus!


In addition to the pictures taken by a Disney employee you also have the opportunity to meet all the princesses (the only one we did not meet was Ariel). The all go around to each table and talk to your party. They will sign autographs and take photos with you.


The downfalls:

It is insanely busy. You must have reservations and apparently you have to have those months in advance. Here is a little tip we found out though… let them know at check in that you want to wait for the next time they check in all the reservations (they have blocks of time) and if people do not show up you will have a table. Not the best way to approach it, since there are no guarantees but an option for us spur of the moment folks. I noticed that when it is raining people do not show up.
In addition to the busy loud atmosphere there is also the price. The food was good (a lot of the traditional dishes that they used to serve are now replaced with kid friendly menus) but overpriced. On their website it states that dinner ranges from 14-35.99. Not true. For both our entrees we paid (each) $39.99. I had the stuffed mushroom pasta. It was good but if I had known the price ahead of time I would have skipped the meal. Total price for the two of us including the recommended tip was around $100.


Do I recommend it?

I do. Although it has its downfalls it is a neat thing to experience, but as a regular rotation in our Disney diets, probably not.