“The idea is that you customize your choice,” says Chef Ed Wronski, Director, Food & Beverage Concept Development, Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “From burgers to pasta, salads, ethnic flavors, omelets, even parfaits and gelatos, everything is made fresh as you order.”

There’s a big focus on beverages, too. Fresh fruit smoothies are made to order, ditto for lemonade and pomegranate limeade. They’re stocking organic teas, beer (including gluten free), wine, coffee and juices. You can get a plain cup of coffee or a French vanilla or mocha iced. And half bottles of wine are paired with cuisine from the food shops.

We got a sneak peek at the menu, and here are some of the highlights:

• The Soup-Salad-Sandwich Shop lets you create your own salad (with beef or chicken) and offers a caprese sandwich with fresh mozzarella and tomatoes on focaccia, or a Buffalo-style turkey sandwich with arugula and a blue cheese-Buffalo sauce-mayo spread. Both are served with delish house-made potato chips.
• The World Flavors Shop adds Indian-African flair to breakfast, too, with scrambled eggs, tandoor potatoes, Portuguese sausage, slab bacon and a mini-naan; or a veggie flatbread sandwich on naan with cauliflower, spinach and paneer. Lunch and dinner is a choice of tandoori chicken or shrimp, Mongolian beef with vegetables, mahi mahi, Portuguese sausage or roasted acorn squash served with sides and naan bread.
• The Pizza Shop features make-your-own pasta, cheese and pepperoni pizzas and meatballs on ciabatta bread. Room delivery is an option, too.
• The Burger Shop includes a breakfast burger with chicken breakfast sausage, cheese and scrambled eggs on a multi-grain bun, and a steak-and-eggs breakfast burger with a burger topped with fried eggs, cheese and bacon. Besides the traditional burgers, lunch and dinner includes a surf and turf burger with crab cake and fried popcorn shrimp, and a pastrami cheeseburger topped with pepper jack cheese and a slice of fried green tomato.
• The “grab ‘n go” Market Shop offers drinks, yogurt, bagels, pastries, gourmet cupcakes, cookies and gelato.

The food court will be part of the Disney Dining Plan, details to follow.

Landscape of Flavors at Disney’s Art of Animation Resort at Walt Disney World by Pam Brandon: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog

TONGA, TONGA, TONGA!  This is the chant I generally hear every time I talk about Disney's Kona Cafe at the Polynesian Resort.  The Tonga Toast is a very popular breakfast menu item, but I think people forget that Kona Cafe also serves lunch and dinner.  Many guests have mentioned that Kona makes an excellent substitute for O'hana when they can't get in at the "family" buffet.  Some guests even prefer Kona to O'hana (blasphemy!).

As for the Tonga Toast, I know it's the most popular breakfast item on the menu, I really liked the Samoan.  The Samoan is poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce served over smoked pulled pork hash.  The smoked pork is wonderful and really makes you feel like you're in the islands of Polynesia.  

Kona is also one of the few places at Disney World where you can get real coffee.  It's a bit pricey, but it's much better than that coffee colored water they try to pass off as coffee known as NesCafe.

For lunch and dinner, Kona offers lots of Polynesian inspired dishes that include a lot of meat and seafood options.  I like the Polynesian Plate Lunch and the Coconut Almond Chicken.

Here's a video tour of the Kona Cafe:

Regardless whether it's lunch, dinner, or the fan favorite; breakfast, check out Kona Cafe the next time you're at Disney's Polynesian Resort.

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“If I had two hours at Walt Disney World Resort, I would put on my Walt Disney World Moms Panel hat and drive over to Disney’s Port Orleans Resort – Riverside for an early morning breakfast at their food court, Riverside Mill. I would get the freshly made waffles or a create-your-own omelet. I would make the rest of the breakfast perfect by adding nice, rich espresso.

Then I would go cane pole fishing for bluegill and perch at the Ol’ Man Island, a fully stocked catch and release pond near the main swimming pool at Port Orleans Resort – Riverside.”

What special Disney Parks activity would be your pick to create a lifelong memory? Let me know in my comments section below!

Moms Panel: If I Had Two Hours at Walt Disney World to Make a Lifelong Memory I Would… by Laura Spencer: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog

There’s something delicious at every restaurant in the Downtown Disney District at the Disneyland Resort. But our go-to spot when we want a sublime taste of California cuisine is Catal Restaurant & Uva Bar. Stylish digs, outdoor tables and creative cuisine are the trifecta for delectable dining.

Open breakfast, lunch and dinner, the morning menu offers a simple taste like yogurt, muffins, oatmeal, berries and toast – or a substantial plate such as smoked salmon hash with poached organic eggs, bell peppers, onions, home fries and lemon-dill hollandaise. Our favorite is the chilaquiles, a toss of tortilla chips, ranchero sauce, cheese, cilantro, two fried eggs and crema. Yum!

If that doesn’t hold you until dinner, stop at Uva Bar where you can eat lightly (tempura fried zucchini blossoms, tuna tartare tacos or an heirloom tomato flatbread) or dig into a fab burger with white cheddar cheese, arugula, applewood smoked bacon, aïoli and caramelized onions. A smaller menu than Catal, but diverse choices.

For dinner, we love a seat on Catal’s outdoor balcony, where people watching is de rigueur with a cocktail and tapas such as roasted prawns, or the generous charcuterie platter with two meats and four cheeses, toasted bread, guindilla and piquillo peppers. We often share an entrée, like the hearty bucatini pasta with roasted wild mushrooms, oxtail, crème fraiche, chives and mahon cheese; suckling pig with baby beets, pistachio emulsion and crispy cracklings; or the simple roasted half chicken with baby green peppers, onions and polenta. If you prefer all-American steak and potatoes, try the prime rib, ribeye, filet or New York strip with Fontina cheese mashed potatoes, asparagus and roasted mushroom red wine jus.

Sweet endings run from an indulgent chocolate tasting that includes fudge, panna cotta, ice cream and more to a lo-cal housemade seasonal sorbet. Then sit back, relax and watch the world go by.

Do you have a favorite Downtown Disney District restaurant?

See other dining favorites from around the Disneyland Resort:

• Why We Love the Village Haus Pretzel Roll at Disneyland Park
• Quick-Serve Dinner Favorites at Disneyland Resort
• Favorite Disneyland Resort Lunch Spots

Catal Restaurant: A Downtown Disney District Favorite by Pam Brandon: Originally posted on the Disney Parks Blog

The Sunshine Seasons food court, located inside The Land pavilion at Epcot, provides an upscale decor and atmosphere that you don't find at many of the food courts at Disney World.  It's set apart a bit from the standard Disney food court with several stations to choose from.

The four stations in the Sunshine Seasons include an Asian wok shop, a sandwich station with fresh baked Artisan breads, a soup and salad shop, and a wood-fired grill shop that features rotisserie chicken, beef, and salmon.

While prices are subject to change, you'll spend about $10 for an entree/meal at Sunshine Seasons.  About the same as any food court at Disney.

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Since we talked about Bongos Cuban Cafe, yesterday, I thought we'd mention some of the other great dining locations on the Westside of Downtown Disney.

Downtown Disney Westside offers some great options for dining that many people miss because they never wander outside the main Downtown Disney Marketplace.  My favorites include the House of Blues, Bongos Cuban Cafe, and Raglan Road.  You can also find Wolfgang Puck's and Paradiso 37.

House of Blues

House of Blues is a live music club and restaurant, serving Southern cuisine for lunch, dinner and Sunday brunch.  The Sunday brunch is really fun with an all-you-can-eat Southern food buffet and live Gospel music!

House of Blues offers Cajun and Southern favorites such as Voodoo shrimp, slow-smoked baby back ribs, creole seafood jambalaya and Louisiana crawfish grace the menu, along with sizzling steaks, beefy burgers , gourmet pizza and homemade banana bread.

House of Blues fills your soul with good feelings, music, and food!

Bongos Cuban Cafe

The idea behind Bongos Cuban Cafe is that you're in the courtyard of an old Cuban home, with music playing in the background, tables set up to sample the homeowners cooking, Sangria flowing, and more. It's a very open restaurant with lots of outdoor seating and a beautiful bar. You can even find a stage for live bands right in the middle of the restaurant.  They also offer a shop on your way out to get your own copy of the cookbook, as well as many other Bongos souvenirs.

See yesterday's post for more info about Bongo's Cuban Cafe.

Raglan Road

Raglan Road Irish Pub & Restaurant, open for lunch, dinner and late-night light meals in the center of what used to be Downtown Disney Pleasure Island, serves authentic Irish food created under the direction of Kevin Dundon, one of Ireland's celebrity chefs.

Dinners at Raglan Road include modern twists on classics, like creamy colcannon soup, beef stew with a hint of Guinness, and fish 'n' chips, as well as traditional English cuisine like bangers and mash.

Raglan Road also has a great Irish gift shop attached where you can purchase all kinds of items from Ireland.  They also have lots of live music and activities that add to your meal.

Wolfgang Puck's

Not my favorite place on the Westside, but many absolutely love this place.

Wolfgang Puck Café offers a lively and casual restaurant open for lunch and dinner and serves the famous chef's unique fusion of Asian and California cuisine.

Signature dishes at Wolfgang Puck Café include vegetarian dishes, wood-fired gourmet pizzas, hand-tossed salads, piquant pastas, savory sandwiches and decadent desserts.

The sushi bar features tender fish creations prepared by talented sushi chefs.

Paradiso 37

Paradiso 37 is a newer waterfront dining spot in what used to be Downtown Disney Pleasure Island.  Not exactly the Westside, I know, but still falls into that "often missed" category.

This high-energy restaurant and bar serves up unique cuisine inspired by the Taste of the Americas. Menu items from North, South and Central America will be featured for lunch and dinner. Paradiso 37 features an international wine bar and a one of a kind tequila tower bar with 37 kinds of tequila and a selection of signature frozen margaritas.

So, the next time you find yourself at the Downtown Disney Marketplace, try one of these "Westside" attractions for your lunch or dinner....or even your Sunday brunch, alleluia!

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Bongos Cuban Cafe in Downtown Disney is one of the Disney World dining options found in the Westside portion of the Downtown Disney complex. One Orlando's Cuban restaurants, it features Cuban food, music, drinks and atmosphere by Gloria Estefan.

The idea behind Bongos is that you're in the courtyard of an old Cuban home, with music playing in the background, tables set up to sample the homeowners cooking, Sangria flowing, and more. It's a very open restaurant with lots of outdoor seating and a beautiful bar. You can even find a stage for live bands right in the middle of the restaurant.  They also offer a shop on your way out to get your own copy of the cookbook, as well as many other Bongos souvenirs.

Owned and operated by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Bongos Cuban Cafe offers great cuban food, a very relaxing atmostphere, and the best sangria I've ever had.

Bongos first opened in 1997 in Downtown Disney at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.  The building's Old Havana architecture is dominated by a massive pineapple-shaped adobe structure that fills the skyline of Downtown Disney.  You can find more Bongos Cuban Cafes in Miami.

We tried several items on the menu, including the Combo a lo Bongo, the Cuban coffee, and the Bistec de Palomilla.

The Combo a lo Bongo included several appetizer items that made the dish more of an entree.  It includes Tamal en hoja (spiced pork stuffed polenta), papa rellena (breaded mashed potato stuffed with ground beef creole), croquetas de jamon (minced ham rolls lightly breaded and fried), masitas de puerco (fried pork cubes) and mini tostones (stuffed green plantain cup with spiced beef or shrimp).  Everything on this dish was very good!  My favorite was the papa rellena.

Although I sampled from the above appetizer, I ordered the Bistec de Palomilla.  This is a Bongos specialty that's a thin, tenderized steak seasoned with garlic salt and mojo topped with onions and parsley served with white rice and green plantains.  I'd never had green plantains before and they were super yummy!  Would definitely get those, again, if even as an appetizer.  The steak, however, was found lacking...badly...  Palomilla is known for being full of flavor, yet this one was dry, bland, and overpriced.  The onion/parsley mixture on top of it allowed me to choke the steak down, as it was really good, but the steak...not so much.  Normally, I really like Bongos food, but this is not a menu item I can recommend.

On the drink side, though, I highly recommend the Cuban coffee and the sangria.  The Cuban coffee offered a rich, dark flavor more like an expresso and may be only for those true coffee drinkers, like myself (you can't fill your coffee with a bunch of other "stuff" and still call it coffee, IMHO).

The sangria is by far the best I've ever had (sorry to all my friends that think they serve the "best" sangria at their parties).  Very flavorful, good hints of the alcohol and just the right fruit combination.  Yum!  The only complaint I might have about the sangria is that it goes down too easy!

Bongos Cuban Cafe offers one of those hidden gems that often gets missed due to it's location.  Don't make that mistake on your next Disney vacation.  Come over to the Westside and sample this Orlando Cuban restaurant!

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The Waldorf Astoria Orlando sits next to the Orlando Hilton in the Bonnet Creek area of the Walt Disney World Resort.  While it's not technically a "Disney" resort, it is located on Disney property, near the Caribbean Beach Resort.

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando lives up to it's heritage with beautiful interiors, rooms, and a fantastic pool.  You'll also find the Bull and Bear Steakhouse -- a top-notch steakhouse.  In fact, the Bull and Bear was the first steakhouse on the Eastern seaboard to offer USDA-Certified Angus Beef Prime; the highest quality grade available in the US and it came through in the steak!

We had the Tomahawk -- a 36 oz. Angus Prime steak, dry aged 28 days with the bone still in, hence the "tomahawk" look.  It was fantastic!  Don't forget to ask for the bone, too -- it's the best part!  At 36 oz., this one's really meant to be shared and the price tag indicates that, as it's about twice the price of all the other steaks.  However, I'm pretty sure I could have eaten my wife's portion, too.  It brought out the latent caveman in me as I gnawed away at the final bits of goodness from the bone.

Some other areas lacked the attention to detail that I was expecting more from the Bull and Bear.  We were greeted, but I've had better hostesses at Ruby Tuesday's.  I know we were a bit early, but we weren't offered a drink, a seat or anything.  My wife pointed out when we were seated that they gave her a white napkin over her black dress -- apparently not proper fine dining attention to detail.  Finally, most steakhouses like this one have a few waiters to cater to your every need while my wife and I waited for quite some time for our drinks to be re-filled.

As I noted, the steak was fantastic, including the presentation by the waiter.  I just expected a little more from a Waldorf Astoria steakhouse.

We'd love to hear what you think.  Have you stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Orlando?  Eaten at the Bull and Bear?  Let us know in the comments.

Escape from the crowds at the Disney Parks to a polynesian dinner at 'Ohana restaurant. 'Ohana sits on the top floor of the Ceremonial House at Disney's Polynesian Resort. The word, 'Ohana, means “family,” so your meal will be served by your “cousins.” From the moment you arrive to check in to this restaurant, your “cousins” will take great care of you, greeting you with a cheery Aloha and a flower lei.

'Ohana has large windows that surround most of the restaurant. You get an incredible view of the volcano pool, Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom, the Seven Seas Lagoon, and even Disney's Grand Floridian Resort. When you check in with the host/hostess, I always recommend asking for a window seat to get the best view.

The food at 'Ohana is amazing!  All-you-can-eat turkey, chicken, pork, and more for dinner and they have a great Disney character breakfast.  Side dishes include stir-fried vegetables, fried dumplings, lo mein noodles and a salad starter. The full bar in 'Ohana offers select wines and tropical alcoholic drinks.

My favorite part of the meal then begins with the skewers prepared by the chefs over the oak ?re pit in the middle of the restaurant. The skewers include your choice of grilled chicken, Char-Sui Port Loin, marinated sirloin steak, or spicy grilled shrimp. You can try one or them all! The servers bring the meat right to your table and pull them right off the skewer, onto your plate. Each skewer is specially prepared and served with tasty dipping sauces including peanut, ?Ohana mustard, and sweet-n-sour sauces. Your entree of skewers is accompanied by noodles that are tossed in a Teriyaki Sauce with fresh vegetables and stir-fried vegetables.

Activities for the kids continue throughout the meals and you look out over the 7-Seas Lagoon.  Time your dinner right and you may see the Seven Seas Lagoon Parade or the Magic Kingdom fireworks!

'Ohana for dinner is an incredible value with or without the Disney Dining Plan. On the Disney Dining Plan, it is only (1) sit-down meal per person. If you are paying for this dinner, it is $36.99 per adult and $17.99 per child plus tax and tip. This restaurant does take Advanced Dining Reservations and it does book up early. Be sure to call 407-WDW-DINE or your travel agent to book your reservations for 'Ohana restaurant.

• Price: $$ ($15 to $35.99 per person)
• Cuisine: Polynesian and American
• Breakfast: 7:30AM-11:00AM (Includes Characters -Lilo, Mickey Mouse, Stitch, Pluto)
• Dinner: 5:00PM-10:00PM (Does Not Include Characters)

While the Disney Dream cruise ship has an Animator's Palate of it's own, the show doesn't resemble to original on the Wonder and Magic at all.

The "old" version is more a history of Disney animation with a finale that includes all of the wait staff.  I really enjoy the old version, especially the construction of the walls -- they're basically walls within walls that allow for some amazing lighting effects.  The new one is very cool, also -- they're just different.  I thought you'd appreciate the opportunity to see both versions of the Animator's Palate dinner show, so here's a video of the "old" one.