We're off to WDW in May and by then, we'll have finished our crash diet.
We know where we'll be eating most evenings but I want to get a rough idea of counter service places at WDW that offer something different from the normal fast-food/burger type places.
I know most counter service restaurants offer at least one salad or sandwich but I'm tryingto find somewhere with more of a choice.
Not everything has to be health conscious but I am trying to avoid burger overload!
So far on my list I have:
Columbia Harbour House at MK (sandwiches)
Flame Tree BBQ at AK (ribs/sandwiches)
Salad bar at POR food court (gorgeous beef salad with orange dressing!)
Orange Blossom Cafe at Epcot
Tangierine Cafe at Epcot (I have to try Curious Alice's veggie selection thing!)
Yorkshire County Fish and Chips at Epcot (ok, not healthy but a change from burgers)
We don't mind a few places at other resorts. We're at WDW for 2 weeks so will have days when we're not in the parks at lunchtime.
Can anyone suggest any other "different" places that you'd recommend for a healthier (or just non-junk food) option?
OK Winky,my man, or should I stick to Winkster?
Anyway, Columbia Harbor House and Orange Blossom are good choices. We do Columbia Harbor House at least once during our trip. But my number one counter service recommendation is for the Pepper Market at the Coronado Springs resort. They have different stations you can walk up to and place your order. Steak, fajitas, chicken, pasta, you name it. And this is a counter service!!!! Best pick for me. This is good enough that if you wanted to you could eat dinner here and use two dinners at one of the more fancier places. Where are your dinner reservations for?
OK Winky,my man, or should I stick to Winkster?
Anyway, Columbia Harbor House and Orange Blossom are good choices. We do Columbia Harbor House at least once during our trip. But my number one counter service recommendation is for the Pepper Market at the Coronado Springs resort. They have different stations you can walk up to and place your order. Steak, fajitas, chicken, pasta, you name it. And this is a counter service!!!! Best pick for me. This is good enough that if you wanted to you could eat dinner here and use two dinners at one of the more fancier places. Where are your dinner reservations for?
LOL!
Winky is just fine - I answer to anything.
The Pepper Market is a great suggestion - thanks! I do recall now that someone mentioned the Pepper Market on here a while ago and it did sound good. That's definitely going on our list to try.
We're not actually on the DDP although we will spend a lot (but not all) of our lunch-times in WDW.
Having said that, the plans for evening meals so far are to eat at:
Spoodles (maybe)
Yak & Yeti (never tried but menu looks great)
Le Cellier (maybe - we need somewhere in Epcot and I haven't eaten here in a while)
Bongo's Cuban Cafe (never tried but menu looks great)
Kona Cafe (never tried but it seems to come well reccomended on TD)
T-Rex (looks fun)
Jiko (love, love, love this place! Last day special meal)
Outside of WDW, I'm looking at:
Red Lobster (Crossroads - cheap and close by - and we've never had a bad meal here)
Olive Garden (I-Drive - again, cheap but never had a bad meal here)
Bahama Breeze (Lake BV - love the atmosphere outside. Listen to the music, eat - and drink lots of Aruba Red!)
Texas de Brazil (I-Drive - looks interesting)
Bubba Gump's (Universal City Walk - as we're there that day)
Charley's Steakhouse (I-Drive - man, I loooove steak!)
Cool, this sounds good. And yes, Kona is a real good choice. I love eating here, the mood, smells, the view, it's all good. We usually plan it so that we can walk down to the beach and watch the fireworks.
And we are definitely trying T-Rex. They have a Build-A-Dino store in there and we have to do one for our little boy.
We have always seem to miss getting reservations at Le Cellier but not this year. I plan on taking the day off work and getting on the phone at daybreak. I've always heard nothing but great things about it so MUST try it. I did try the cheddar soup one year at the Food and Wine Festival. Now that is one you should try. Found out that our snacks on the dinning plan can be used for the food booths. No alcohol though.
I've wanted to try Jiko but my wife does not want to use two dinners on one restaurant. I told her we could just pay out of pocket but she says that defeats the whole purpose of the dinning plan. Oh Well, I'll keep at it.
Make sure you let us hear your trip report. I like that you go into such detail about everything. Good reading.
TTFN
I've wanted to try Jiko but my wife does not want to use two dinners on one restaurant. I told her we could just pay out of pocket but she says that defeats the whole purpose of the dinning plan. Oh Well, I'll keep at it.
I'd suggest buying a cheaper snack lunch somewhere (not using the DDP) and then use the counter service credit that you've saved to buy dinner one evening at somewhere like the Lotus Blossom Cafe, Tangierine Cafe or anywhere else that serves more substantial counter service offerings. It sounds like the Pepper Market might be a good option for this too - maybe even fish and chips at Epcot?
That way, you gain a spare table-service dining credit to use at Jiko at minimal cost.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheGoofy1
Make sure you let us hear your trip report. I like that you go into such detail about everything. Good reading.
TTFN
Oh I will!!
I've just re-read my last report - I did go on a bit!
Winkster, I've gotta wave you off of the Yorkshire Fish & Chips place in the UK. It can be very hit and miss there. If you get there at the wrong time and the food isn't hot, it can be greasy.
Also, skip Spoodles. I've eaten there a few times, both for breakfast and dinner, and just don't feel that the prices are worth what you get. Esp. at breakfast.
Have you tried the Garden Grove Cafe at the Swan? It's got a nice buffet for a reasonable price. It's also a character spot with Goofy and Pluto circulating every so often. I don't think it's ever been crowded when I've gone, and the menu is different than others on site.
Finally, if you are looking for a lunch or dinner, my BF and I tried the Brown Derby this past trip. Expensive, but GOOD!
To be honest, we've always found Spoodles a bit hit and moss too but we couldn't really think of anywhere else we fancied on the Boardwalk.
We did toy with the idea of eating in Epcot and then leaving by the International Gateway and heading to the Boardwalk but it's a bit too much hassle for us.
I think we may opt for the Yachtsman Steakhouse instead as that then frees up another day too (I'd wanted to eat at a good steakhouse and was looking at Charley's so if we scrap Spoodles, scrap Charley's and go for the Yachtsman, we have a spare day - wohoo - thanks Sk8belle!).
Good to hear about the fish and chips. I think we'll probably have lunch at the Rose and Crown instead. We had pretty rubbish service there last time so we'll give it another go and hope for the best.
The Garden Grove Cafe does look good. We'll be playing mini-golf at some point which isn't far from the Swan so we can pop by.
Finally, I must admit to not being a fan of Brown Derby. We found average food and rushed service on our last trip so vowed never to return!
DH and I really like to share the "value" meal (I think that's what it's called??) at Cosmic Ray's in the MK. It's got chicken, ribs, beans and potatoes...it ends up being just enough for both of us, without either of us feeling sick. It's a nice break from burgers, and it's a much better deal than buying 2 seperate meals!
I also want to throw in that we LOVE Kona Cafe. It is probably our favorite TS in all of WDW!!
Glad to have been of assistance, Winkster! If you are looking for something to try at Boardwalk, check out Big River Grille. Flying Fish is supposed to be good, too, but I've never eaten there.
Oh, and just as a reminder - consider The Wave. I know I panned it a few months ago, but my experience seems to be an anomaly as other reviews I've seen since have all been good. The dessert was outstanding, even if my entree missed completely.
Not cheap at all with out drinks about $30 US per plate, great for proten overload and the food is good.
$30 sounds ok to me - especially as some steakhouses charge up to $45 for a porterhouse - and Texas de Brazil is pretty much all you can eat as I understand.
I'm really looking forward to that one - probably more than any other restaurant at the moment.
I don't like the counter service restaurants that just do burgers, chicken fingers, etc. Boring!
My faves are:
Columbia Harbor House for the hummus sandwich
Tangierine Cafe in Morocco for the veggie platter
Pop Century for the tie-dyed cheesecake (it's just too much fun eating green, red, orange, and blue food!)
Two that are good sometimes, and sometimes not:
Yorkshire County Fish and Chips in the UK (if I'm up for grease)
La Cantina de San Angel in Mexico (guacamole varies)
__________________
"Be what you would seem to be—or, if you'd like it put more simply, never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."— Alice in Wonderland
This really isn't a counter service restaurant in the true sense, but the Kona Island Sushi Bar at the Polynesian is fabulous and I highly recommend it. Especially the crab cake rolls. I'm drooling just thinking about them!
__________________
"Be what you would seem to be—or, if you'd like it put more simply, never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise."— Alice in Wonderland
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