Mar 13

Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant – Orlando FL

351 S Studio Dr

Kissimmee, FL 32830

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Located inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant serves up a variety of American food while being seated in a convertible car booth facing a large screen showing Sci-Fi related cartoons to patrons. We attempted to check in early for dinner, but we were turned away and told to come back when it was closer to our reservation time. We did come back closer to our reservation time to check in, and we were seated after waiting for a few minutes. The hostess showed us where the restrooms were before bringing us to our car in the front row. We reviewed the provided menus and quickly decided on what we wanted to order.

Today, we decided to order the Sci-Fi appetizer sampler and the drive in BBQ burger. The Sci-Fi appetizer sampler came with fried pickles, hot wings, and spinach & artichoke dip. The hot wings were boneless and not dry, but the hot sauce tasted quite generic. The fried dill pickles went well with ranch. The spinach artichoke dip was actually really tasty with the provided chips. The drive in BBQ burger was juicy and delicious. I really like how they not only had fried onion straws, but also included fried jalapenos. However, the included fries tasted quite bland.

Overall, Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant serves up decent tasting American food in a great setting. During this whole process, the server checked on us frequently, and even offered to take our pictures in the car. The menu is a bit limited, and prices seem to be on the higher-side in true Disney fashion. The experience of being in the car booth with the screen rolling was pretty cool, so this would be something to check out if you are going to the park.

Mar 10

50’s Prime Time Café – Orlando FL

351 S Studio Dr

Kissimmee, FL 32836

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

Located inside Disney’s Hollywood Studios, 50’s Prime Time Cafe brings you back to the 50’s with vibrant decor and friendly service. We arrived early for our reservation, and they still allowed us to check in. We were able to wait in a large waiting area near the bar where we could watch various old TVs. Within twenty minutes or so, a hostess called us and brought us to a table. Menus were provided before the server arrived. Before the server comes, be sure you remember to keep your elbows off the table for the duration of the meal or you will end up doing homework. After we reviewed the menu, we were ready to order.

Today, we decided to order grandma’s chicken pot pie and a sampling of mom’s favorite recipes. Grandma’s chicken pot pie arrived hot and open on a dish. I was expecting more of a pie shape, but this open soup style still looked appealing. The combination of chicken, pie crust, and soup did go well together, but there wasn’t any extravagant flavors. With that said, the dish did taste good. The sampler did come with a nice variety of items. The fried chicken was very crispy, but I was hoping for more flavor from the breading. The pot roast was very tender and flavorful. The meatloaf was also very flavorful, and I wish the piece of meat was larger. The mashed potatoes tasted OK with the gravy, but was nothing special. The veggies were fresh, and you also need to make sure you finish all of your vegetables and preferably clean your plate so that the server does not scold you.

Overall, the food at 50’s Prime Time Cafe tasted decent, but was nothing really special. The ambiance and service were great and you really get brought back in time. If you were to use the restroom, make sure you wash your hands and remember what color the soap was, just in case the server asks. Prices for the food leans towards the higher end, but the quality and flavors are more mediocre. If you are looking for a great experience, then you should definitely give this place a try, but just have lower expectations for the food itself.

Mar 06

The Daily Poutine – Orlando FL

1674 E. Buena Vista Drive, #A

Orlando, FL 32830

Rating: ★★★☆☆ 

Located in Disney Springs near World of Disney, The Daily Poutine serves up fries with various toppings. There was some outdoor seating available in the near vicinity of the food booth. After we quickly reviewed the menu board near the cashier, we were ready to order. Today, we decided to try the Italian and the French versions of poutine. After a short wait, the food was ready, and we located an available table. The Italian poutine resembled what you would  have expected with Bolognese sauce and mozzarella cheese, and it tasted very much like a pasta dish, but with fries. Unfortunately, it was not flavorful, and was a bit salty. The French poutine had a whole lot more depth of flavor and tasted a whole lot more appealing. It was also not as salty as the Italian version. Overall, the overpriced concoctions from this poutine shop tasted OK, but were not amazing. If you really wanted some flavorful fries during your shopping trip in Disney Springs, then you can opt for the French poutine here, but with so much food available in Disney Springs, you should probably go elsewhere.

Mar 03

Be Our Guest Restaurant – Orlando FL

Magic Kingdom Dr

Orlando, FL 32836

Rating: ★★★½☆ 

As one of the most popular restaurants in all of Walt Disney World, Be Our Guest Restaurant serves up a variety of French dishes in the theme of Beauty and the Beast inside the Magic Kingdom. Due to the popularity, guests really need to book their dining reservations 180 days in advance, especially for dinner, if you want to give this restaurant a try. We ended up eating here for both lunch and dinner, so we got to see and taste both menus and both experiences.

We first visited for dinner and checked in five minutes before our reservation time. Once checked in, we waited outside the restaurant until we were called in by a hostess. When we were brought inside, the hostess gave us a tour of the different rooms before bringing us to the table. The restaurant has three rooms: the ballroom, west wing, and rose gallery. We had requested for the west wing since it is the most interesting with the rose in the glass and a slashed portrait of the beast was on the wall. The utensil setting came with a cloth napkin wrapped very tightly in the shape of a rose. The menu was fairly simple and items were priced on the higher end of the price spectrum. A server arrived shortly and offered to answer any questions and take our drink order. After quickly reviewing the menu we were ready to order.

Today, we decided to order the French onion soup, sautéed shrimp and scallops, grilled strip steak, the grey stuff, and lemon meringue cupcake. Warm bread and softened butter was provided first, which was a nice touch. The French onion soup came right after, and it tasted amazing. There was tons of gooey cheese all over the top of the soup. Underneath the delicious cheese, there was a delicious blend of onion, bread, and soup. This was the best French onion soup I have ever tried. The sautéed shrimp and scallops tasted very fresh and healthy. There were also tender pieces of lobster mixed in, which tasted delicious. The pasta was thin and went well with the sauce. The strip steak was tender and cooked properly. The garlic butter sauce made the steak even more tasty. The fries tasted OK, but they were nothing special. After eating our entrees, the server came back and offered us desserts by pushing a dessert cart to our table. At first glance, we wanted to order everything, but we decided to just order two. The grey stuff was delicious and went well with the simple cheesecake below. The lemon meringue cupcake was very light and tasted healthy while still being packed with flavor.

In terms of dinner, service was on point, and the dishes tasted delicious, but prices were definitely on the high side with entrees costing over $30 each with fairly small portion sizes. Each dessert was $5, which was reasonable. Dinner is also the only time when the Beast actually has a photo opportunity inside the restaurant. We also spent time visiting the other dining rooms to take a look at the art and decor.

On a later date, we returned to Be Our Guest Restaurant to try out their quick service lunch. We really wanted to check in early, but they still didn’t allow check in until five minutes before our reservation. After we checked in, we had to wait in another line that went inside the restaurant that lead to the self-order kiosks. After waiting over 20 minutes, we finally placed our order and were sent on our way to locate own table and fill our own drinks. Unlike other quick service restaurants, servers still bring the food to your table. When you make your kiosk order, you are given a rose tracking device that helps servers locate you when delivering your food. We had plenty of time in line to review the menu, so we ordered very quickly.

Today, we decided to order the French dip sandwich, croque monsieur sandwich, and French onion soup. Prices for lunch are much more reasonable at almost half the cost of dinner. We did have to wait over 20 minutes before the food arrived at our table in the rose gallery. The French onion soup was cheesy just like during dinner at the same portion size, but at a much better price. The French dip sandwich was quite underwhelming, and most of the au jus had spilled over the plate before even landing on the table. The croque monsieur sandwich tasted quite bland even with the ham and cheese. The fries were fresh, but many of my fries were soaked with au jus.

In terms of lunch, Be Our Guest Restaurant does serve up edible food at great prices, but the experience and quality do fall through. The best dish to order during lunch is the French onion soup since it is identical to the dinner version at a lower price. The same desserts were available for order during lunch,  but you do not get the experience of the table-side dessert cart.

Overall, Be Our Guest Restaurant does serve up some interesting food to Beauty and the Beast fans, but the lunch disappoints and dinner is expensive. The food definitely tasted better during dinner and you get to see the beast, so I would suggest going to dinner if you wanted to try out the experience. Lunch is definitely worth skipping especially if lines are long. Again, make sure you make the dinner reservation 180 days before your trip so that you can enjoy tasty expensive French cooking with great ambience.

Feb 27

Big Bowl – Denver, CO

8500 Peña Blvd

Denver International Airport, Concourse C

Denver, CO 80249

Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 

Located on one end of a very busy concourse C at Denver International Airport, Big Bowl serves up a variety of Chinese food and sushi. Since it was still early, they were still serving breakfast. After quickly reviewing the menu, I was ready to order. I decided to order the chicken, sausage, and egg rice plate. The tray came with ample amounts of rice and even larger amounts of egg mixed with chicken, sausage, and green onion. Although the egg dish was fresh and fulfilling, there really was no flavor at all. There were bouts of savoriness from the sausage, but I felt like I was just eating plain eggs that came out of a carton. If I were to end up at this airport again, I would not eat at Big Bowl unless I needed to grab something really quick before taking a flight. There are plenty of other food options throughout this concourse, and I suggest you take advantage of them.

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