WDW Resortloop Quick Service – Contempo Café

RM-Mary-Blair-MuralAs I’ve mentioned before, we love the Contemporary Resort!  We love the expansive, soaring Grand Canyon Concourse with the monorail station inside, the shops, the Mary Blair mural (Hello, Five Legged Goat!), and the restaurants.  Chef Mickey’s has always been our favorite character dining experience.  Right next to Chef Mickey is a counter-service restaurant we’d seen and heard of, but had never tried until our most recent visit to Walt Disney World.  We ate there twice – Lunch on our arrival day and breakfast on our last day of vacation.  We were quite pleased with our meals, so I’m sharing this review with you today…

WDW Resortloop Quick Service – Contempo Café

The first impression of this eatery is that it’s both wide open and, in keeping with the theme of the Contemporary, quite modern.  Orders are placed at automated, self-service kiosks that print out a ticket for you to carry to the checkout counter, along with any extras you select from the self-serve sections for bakery items and bottled beverages (I chose beer at lunch).  After you pay for your meal, you then wait for your ticket number to be called so you can pick up your tray(s) and find a seat.RM-Contempo-Cafe-Interior RM-Contempo-Menu RM-Contempo-Cafe-Self-Serve

The bakery items looked good and the menu offered a broad selection.  The beer selection was a bit sparse, but didn’t keep us from enjoying lunch.  We ate right after we arrived and checked in, so I took care of ordering and getting our table, while Raymond took some things to our room.

For Raymond I ordered the Caprese Flatbread ($8.49) and I chose the expensive Lobster Roll  ($16.29).  Normally, I wouldn’t spend that much on lunch, but I was thinking of you.  So in the interest of culinary research, I sprung for it.  Both orders looked tasty and weren’t heavy, which was important since we had a dinner reservation later at the Kona Café (Polynesian Village Resort).  The food was good!  We were both pleased with our lunches (if not the price) and decided the Contempo was convenient with good choices and needed to be added to our list of quick-service favorites.RM-Contempo-Cafe-Flatbread RM-Contempo-Cafe-Lobster-Roll

On the last day of vacation, we had some time to spare before our Fort Wilderness Back Trail Adventure tour, so we decided to see what the Contempo Café had to offer for breakfast.  We already knew about the bakery counter, but ended up ordering off the menu.  I ordered the Breakfast Burrito ($6.49) and Raymond had the Breakfast Sandwich ($6.49), we also decided to share an order of grits ($3.19).  RM-Contempo-Cafe-Breakfast-Sandwich RM-Contempo-Cafe-Breakfast-Burrito-and-GritsIt’s a thing we do, like a test.  See, living in Louisiana, we eat grits just about every weekend.  I make some pretty amazing garlic cheese grits and they’ve become a staple on our weekend breakfast lineup.  We often try grits in restaurants to see if we can find anyplace that does them well.  I’m happy to report that so far, the Contempo Cafe’s grits are the best we’ve had at Walt Disney World!!!  They’re served with white cheddar cheese, which makes them taste great!  We will most definitely be visiting the Contempo Café again.

See the complete Contempo Café Menu here.

Which Resortloop Quick-Service restaurants do you like best?

Disney World Snacks, Sweet and Savory

RM-Joe-With-Mickey-PretzelI’m not sure there’s a more hotly debated food topic among Disney fans than which Disney World snacks are the best.  For many years, I was not a big Disney vacation snacker.  I chose instead to save room for the all important table-service meals.  Then I started blogging.  It’s pretty hard to blog about Disney and have no game where snacks are concerned.  So I, as is my nature, embraced my new endeavor whole-heartedly.  Needless to say, once I “researched” Disney snacking, there was no going back.  Sadly, no matter how many miles you walk in a day at Walt Disney World, you cannot burn off all the calories you consume snacking with abandon.  Trust me on this.  I know.

What did I learn?  That there seem to be many more sweet snack choices than savory ones.  I must confess, I’ve never purchased or even tasted Disney World popcorn or a Citrus Swirl (Adventureland, Magic Kingdom).  If you are a huge fan of either of those, I’m sorry I cannot include them in this post.  RM-Dole-WhipMy dislike of the wildly popular Dole Whip is unfortunate, but nevertheless factual and I cannot, with a clear conscience, bring myself to tell you to rush out to get one with a guarantee that you’ll love it.  I will, as a gesture of good will, offer you this article on the Dole Whip versus the Citrus Swirl for your review.

My list is in no way all-inclusive – I simply wish to offer choices and recommendations based on my own personal experiences.  In other words, I ate a heck of a lot more snacks than I’m talking about here.  Bear in mind that I don’t have much of a sweet tooth and can literally go for weeks or months at a time with no cake, cookies, candy, ice cream or pie.  I did, for you, kind readers, consume an unprecedented number of sweet treats at Walt Disney World in the past 12 months, just so I could tell you what snacks I found worth trying.  With all disclosures made, I give to you…

Disney World Snacks, Sweet and Savory

Sweet Treats!

RM-CronutCroissant Doughnut (Refreshment Port, Epcot):  Is it a croissant?  Is it a doughnut?  Who cares!?!  It’s covered in cinnamon sugar and served warm.  What’s not to like?IMG_5064

Chocolate Croissant (Sunshine Seasons, Epcot):  I love the not-too-sweet attitude of this treat.  Best as a second breakfast or mid-morning snack, in my opinion.  Flaky, buttery goodness.RM-Epcot-Italy-Gelato-Affogato

Espresso Gelato “Affogato” (Italy Pavilion, Epcot):  It has to be the strong coffee flavor with the sweet, smooth gelato and the crunch of the cookies and coffee beans in this Italian delicacy that make it indescribably wonderful.  Raymond and I shared one and thought it was perfect.  Next time, I’m not sharing.RM-Cinnamon-Glazed-Almonds

Cinnamon Glazed Almonds (Animal Kingdom):  I love these!  Crunchy, sweet, but not too sweet and served in a cute paper cone.  Great for sharing and convenient for eating while strolling along and soaking up Animal Kingdom’s amazing atmosphere.RM-Churro

Churro (Various Locations):  This is going to sound weird (you should be used to that about me by now) but I think churros that have been under the heat lamp in the snack cart for a while taste better than when they’re freshly made.  I like them super crunchy and I think that extended heat lamp thing makes them extra crispy.  Anyway they’re served, though, these are about as perfect a sweet snack as you’ll find.  Easy to eat on the go, not too messy, not overly sugary.

Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar (Various Locations):  It’s vanilla ice cream covered in a chocolate shell, shaped like Mickey’s head.  There’s nothing not to love about that.  On a warm day, you’ve got to eat fast or you’ll drip all over your shirt, but this does not detract from this snack’s simple goodness.RM-Disney-Olaf-Cupcake

Cupcake (Starring Rolls Café, Disney’s Hollywood Studios):  Butterfinger, red velvet, character-themed – doesn’t matter.  These are good, if you like cake and icing.  Big enough for sharing…or not.

Savory Snacks!

RM-Mickey-PretzelClassic Mickey Pretzel (Various Locations) – I like mine in Tomorrowland for a Magic Kingdom day snack break.  I also like to enjoy one in the Studios with a beer.  Salty, chewy, filling when your hungry, AND shaped like Mickey.RM-Jalapeno-Cheese-Pretzel

Jalapeno Cheese Pretzel (Animal Kingdom) – NOT shaped like Mickey, but these pretzels are excellent.  They’re not too spicy, but there’s enough jalapeno flavor to not disappoint.  A very nice choice when looking for something satisfying on the go.  Also good with beer!RM-Gaston's-Pork-Shank-and-Lefou's-Brew

Roasted Pork Shank (Gaston’s Tavern, Fantasyland, Magic Kingdom):  If you know the nutritional facts about this snack, please, PLEASE do not tell me.  It’s slow roasted pork, simply seasoned with salt and pepper.  Fall-off-the-bone tender, our whole family loved it.  I daydream about this snack.  I must have it again.

Smoked Turkey Leg (Various Locations) – Even though I’m not a fan, I felt I needed to mention the Turkey Leg.  While I may not understand the draw, Joseph loves them and this hunk o’ poultry has a huge and very loyal following.  This bad boy’s nutritional info is enough to make me swoon – at about 1000 calories and 50 grams of fat, I just can’t justify its consumption.  The pork shank probably has as many calories, but I don’t care (or want to know for sure).

A Little Bit of Everything!

RM-Sweet-&-Spicy-Chicken-Waffle-SandwichSweet & Spicy Chicken Waffle (Sleepy Hollow, Liberty Square, Magic Kingdom) – While I wished the waffle itself would have been be a little less soggy and a lot more crispy, this was an excellent snack!  The chicken is surprisingly very spicy, which I found terrific with the coleslaw and the sweet syrup topping.  It’s an amazing combination!

Which snacks are your favorites?  Which ones have you tried?  Are there any you don’t like?  Which ones are on your to-try list?

 

More Love for Raglan Road

Raglan-Road-InteriorWith all the new shops and restaurants opening in Disney Springs/Downtown Disney, it’d be easy for most people to pass up an old favorite and try someplace new, I suppose.  Not for us, though.  We’d have to put aside a many-years-long vacation tradition to visit Disney’s shopping and nighttime entertainment center and not stop at Raglan Road.

At first glance, Irish Pub and family friendly seem a strange and unlikely combination, but that’s the draw of Raglan Road to us.  It really is a great place to enjoy excellent food and fantastic entertainment – for the whole family!  If you’ve read my dining reviews before, you know I want a good place to sit, decent service (at a leisurely pace), and great food.  Raglan road has never let us down on any of those criteria plus they have the added bonus of some fun and wonderful entertainment.Raglan-Road-Pub

A couple of months ago, we visited Raglan Road once again and, to me, we had the best seats we’d every had.  We got there early and stayed late – our only goal for the evening was to be back in the Magic Kingdom for Wishes and the Main Street Electrical Parade.  Plenty of time with an early 5pm ADR (advance dining reservation) to relax, eat too much, and enjoy some excellent music and watch some fun and lively Irish Dancing.Drink-Menu-Raglan-Road

We arrived to find we were a few minutes early and there was plenty of room open at the bar.  We checked in at the reception desk first, picked up our pager, and selected a couple of beers to enjoy while we waited.  Beer-Raglan-Road Beer2-Raglan-RoadIn no time at all, we were being shown to our table…and an excellent table it was.  To the right of the stage, we had excellent seats to see and hear the live music and dancing.Raglan-Road-Singers

Our server arrived promptly and (let me just disclose now that we were hungry…very hungry) took our appetizer order.  If you’ve never had the ribs at Raglan Road, I feel sad for you.  “Heaven on Earth – Baby back ribs tossed in a Guinness glaze.” – they are both sweet and savory, tender and crispy, perfect bites of meaty goodness.  Raglan-Road-RibsWe also enjoyed (we always do) the bread and dipping sauce.  This sauce, like the ribs, makes use of a Guinness reduction.  Words cannot describe, so trust me when I say, the hearty bread and the slightly sweet, dark sauce combine perfectly.  If I could only duplicate it at home…wait, no, that would be bad and counterproductive to my weight management goals. Raglan-Road-Bread

We ordered a salad to share.  Did I say we were hungry? “Cashel Castle – Crumbled Cashel blue cheese, caramelized pecans, grape tomatoes, raspberries, pancetta crisps, crostini’s & raspberry vinaigrette.”  You can add shrimp or chicken, but we just wanted the salad as is.  The flavors sounded like a wonderful combination – and they were!  Ribs, bread, salad, and still hungry.  Time for the main course!Raglan-Road-Salad

Raymond chose the ham and I chose the lamb.  Honestly, I was totally shocked by my sweet, but kind of picky, husband’s decision to order something with cabbage in the description:  “Kevin’s Heavenly Ham – Irish Mist glazed loin of bacon with savoy cabbage, colcannon potatoes, parsley cream sauce and a raisin cider jus.”  Must have been the description of the ham that sealed the deal and, sure enough, he was quite pleased with his choice.  Raglan-Road-Entree-HamUpon our server’s recommendation, I ordered the lamb – ” Lambo – Lamb shank braised in rosemary jus with mash, leeks, shitake mushrooms & baby carrots.”  This absolutely yummy dish did not disappoint.Raglan-Road-Entree-Lambo

Full as can be, don’t ask me why, we got a little crazy.  Must have been the music, but we decided to stay for dessert.  We still had plenty of time to spare, so with dessert we ordered up a couple of Irish coffees.  Raglan-Road-Irish-CoffeeI’m so sad I could not do justice to my selection!  The menu said, “Ger’s Bread & Butter Pudding  Like no other pudding you have ever tried.  Believe us.” – and the menu was right!  Holy Moly – that concoction was nothing short of amazing!!!Raglan-Road-Bread-Pudding Raglan-Road-DessertIn fact, I took a picture of Raymond’s chocolaty plate, but I have absolutely no idea what he ordered.  I wasn’t sharing mine, so I certainly wasn’t going to ask for a bite of his.

I’m not exaggerating when I say we could barely waddle out of Raglan Road that night, but we had an absolutely wonderful dinner.  AND we made it back to Magic Kingdom in plenty of time to lower our overly-full selves down onto a Main Street curb in plenty of time to see both Wishes and the Electrical Parade.

Have you eaten at Raglan Road?  What did you enjoy most about it?

Disney Dining and the Two-Strike Rule

RM-French-Regional-Lunch-DessertI believe everyone deserves a second chance, including restaurants.  With Walt Disney World dining, if my first experience in a restaurant isn’t all I’d hoped for, I’ll gladly give the place another try.  I have come to realize though, that two tries is my limit – if a table-service eatery cannot make me happy after a couple of meals, it’s unlikely that I’ll ever darken their door again.  I’ve come to think of it as the Two-Strike Rule.

I am not a picky eater and I don’t think my restaurant requirements are all that stringent.  All I want is a decent table location (not near the kitchen and a window seat is a nice bonus) and a server who paces the meal well and is attentive without hovering.  I’m usually not in a hurry and prefer a leisurely dinner.  The food has to be fresh and well prepared – hot foods hot, cold foods cold; and I’m hoping for a good, moderately-priced red wine selection, but will make do with beer if necessary.  I don’t have any allergies or special dietary needs and will eat nearly anything but black licorice and tuna-noodle casserole.  See?  It’s really not hard to make me a happy restaurant consumer.RM-Brown-Derby-Outdoor-Seating

When we ate at Disney Hollywood Studios’ Hollywood Brown Derby the first time, the service was poor and slow (we were basically ignored except when our order was taken and our food delivered).  The food was good and we loved the Derby’s atmosphere, but strike one.  Poor service has a major impact on overall dining satisfaction!  The next time we ate at the Brown Derby we were on the patio for wine and cheese and loved everything about it.  SAFE!  We’ll be going back!RM-Kona-Entrance

I fully expect the next time we eat at Kona Café (Polynesian Village Resort) to be a better experience than our first.  All the components of a great meal were there, but the execution left us dissatisfied.  I’m also willing to give Tutto Italia (Epcot’s Italy Pavilion) another try, but not for a LONG time since we used to love it, but found our last meal there to be a disaster on every level.

Same thing with Le Cellier (Epcot’s Canada Pavilion) – we were, until this year, staunch supporters with years of happy family meal memories there.  RM-Le-CellierSadly, the reports you hear now about it being over-hyped, over-priced, and over-booked are absolutely true.  We ate there in February and I was absolutely miserable.  Bad food, so-so service, and the bill was staggering for what we experienced.  We were crammed in the middle of three tables-for-two, so close to the ladies sitting next to us, we at least had their entire dinner conversation to entertain us – we had no choice but to hear every single word.  We might as well have been sitting at the same table.  RM-Le-Cellier-Entree-2015The servers appear to have a hard time making their way between tables and really have to stretch to deliver plates to some guests.  Now we’ll just leave Epcot and eat at Yachtsman Steakhouse (Yacht Club) if we want an excellent steak dinner.  If I hear things have changed for the better, I will absolutely try Le Cellier again.RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Waterfall

Has anyone struck out?  Have we tried a restaurant twice and decided we’re through forever?  As a matter of fact, we have.  I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I believe in total honesty.  I’m allowed to dislike a restaurant and still love the resort where it’s located, aren’t I?  I love Wilderness Lodge!  The grandeur, the beauty, the massive lobby and fantastic details – yes, indeed, Wilderness Lodge is wonderful!  RM-Artist-PointArtist Point?  Not so much.  It’s not for us.  There.  I said it.  Artist Point struck out and we will not be going back.  We tried it for the first time in 2010 and thought…meh.  For the price, we just didn’t feel the love.  Everything was extremely mediocre.  There are so many restaurants at Disney World that we think are extraordinary, we don’t need to spend money on mediocre.  But, the Two Strike Rule, right?  We had to give Artist Point another try.  And we did in February.RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Exterior

We arrived at Wilderness Lodge with enough time before our reservation time to stroll around, take some pictures, explore the lobby, and stop by the Territory Lounge for a glass of wine.RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Lobby RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Lobby-Totem RM-Wilderness-Lodge-Territory-LoungeSo far, so good!  We soaked up the atmosphere and felt hungry, but relaxed and ready for a great meal.  The dining room was as I remembered it – nothing remarkable, but cozy.  Our server was clearly overworked – we noticed that at once.RM-Artist-Point-Artisanal-CheesesWe ordered the artisanal cheese platter appetizer and a bottle of wine.  After we ordered our entrees, things went downhill fast.RM-Artist-Point-Swordfish RM-Artist-Point-Entree

I won’t bore you with every detail, but I, the non-picky eater, ate about three bites of my burnt, dry fish and was ready to get back to Bay Lake Tower for dessert at the Top of the World Lounge.  You can see in the picture that my fish was black – I don’t mean blackened – I’m from Louisiana and I love blackened fish. RM-Artist-Point-Burnt-Fish I wasn’t going to utter a word of complaint, but the experience was truly awful and we had to wait so long to catch the server’s attention to get our check.  When he looked at my plate and asked me if he could box up my leftovers, I couldn’t be quiet.  I said, “No, thank you, but for the folks that come after me, please let the kitchen know that this was the driest, most burnt piece of fish I’ve ever been served.”  Here’s the key part of this story – he never made eye contact, never said he was sorry, he just mumbled, “I take that off your ticket” and that was it.  He did!  My entrée was not on our bill and it seemed like a normal, regular thing.  THAT, friends, was what caused strike two.

Have you tried a Disney World Restaurant that you want to visit again and again?  What about one that you can live without?  If you have a bad experience, will you return?

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