Hong Kong Disneyland – Explorer’s Club Restaurant – Quick Service Counter Restaurant

[Hong Kong Disney Rob]

Hong Kong Disneyland  Explorers Club Restaurant  Quick Service Counter Restaurant

I went to Hong Kong Disneyland yesterday, and I again went back to the Explorers Club Restaurant to have another meal, trying the restaurant a second time. I checked the line for Mystic Manor dark ride attraction, now open not even one week. This is now just a walk on attraction with a less than 5 minute wait time. I wish they had went with a haunted theme with Mystic Manor, no not Haunted Mansion, but a haunted theme as Chinese people love ghosts, and especially magical ghosts. Disney has really dropped the ball on Mystic Manor.

I walked in at around lunch time, and the restaurant was 95% empty. Shame really as the seating area is huge. I walked up to the counter, there are four different cuisines, all cooked from the same open kitchen right behind the kitchen. I started to ask about where the different ingredients were from for the different cuisines, no one knew, thus we have to think that everything is frozen from Mainland China. Then I noticed that all of the people from the four different cuisines are all local or mainland Chinese, Im sure most have never been to any of the countries they are representing, let alone cook the food of that country.

I went to the Japanese counter, thinking that the Beef Short Ribs was my next choice. I found a table outside where I enjoyed the sounds of Toy Story Land from the restaurant within the Explorers Club Restaurant. At least it was quiet, not one other table at lunch time was occupied in the area I was seated in. I asked for salt and pepper, and there is no salt or pepper anywhere to be found.

I started in on my soup, it was okay, and I finished most of my soup. I had a bowl of rice, rice is rice, but stone cold again. I then tucked into the beef short ribs. The meat was dry, and like rubber to cut through. I ate about two ribs, and gave up. The food is not seasoned as no Chinese food is seasoned during the cooking process, the ribs were tasteless. There was a tiny plate with what was supposed to be two pickled vegetables as what the Japanese would call a side dish. In my opinion these supposed pickled vegetables were just a few raw veggies, no taste at all.

I have eaten here two times now and I have to conclude that this restaurant is a waste of time, a rip off, some of the most terrible food that Disney is representing. I have visited and lived in the countries that are represented, and the food served in the Explorers Club Restaurant is nothing like those countries at all, except for the names of the dishes. Over all food rating is zero (0).

Miss The Explorers Club Restaurant at all cost even if you are starving to death!

 

[CaliBear]

Thanks for the review. What restaurants do you like at HKDL? Other than the Disney dim sum at Crystal Lotus and some desserts from the bakery, I found a lot of the food lacking. I had some of the worst food of my life at the HK Hollywood Hotel.

 

[Hong Kong Disney Rob]

You are most welcome. Your question is a good question, but a very hard question for me to answer. The main issues are that Hong Kong Disneyland is trying to cater to every Asian countries food, but they do it very poorly in every case. I see it that they have lost sight of the fact that Hong Kong Disneyland is An American Theme Park. Any food is good food if the ingredients are fresh, and the food is prepared freshly.

The ingredients at Hong Kong Disneyland are not fresh, but all frozen, cooked, then reheated under a light bulb, waiting for us to reorder whenever no matter how long the food has been sitting under the light bulb. A couple of days ago I was in one restaurant where the sell hamburgers (terrible)! There were piles of pre made hamburgers sitting under the light bulb, with all of the kitchen staff peering out the service window doing nothing. It was like they felt that if they make hundreds of hamburgers, then they can stand around and not work. Even the hamburgers sold from under the light bulb are cold, and tasteless.

I will do a review of every single restaurant in Hong Kong Disneyland. Right now Im working Main Street U.S.A. by the way this is my second time to review every restaurant in HKDL. Check back here often, more will be up soon. Yes, there are a few things that I do like at HKDL, but these items are brought in, and HKDL does not make them.

Cheers & Enjoy Hong Kong Disneyland.

 

[CaliBear]

oh, that is an interesting observation about them trying to cater to every Asian country's food. I loved the dim sum at HKDL and I had excellent roast meat at Ocean Park. It seems they would do better to focus on their local specialties. and yes, I had a hamburger too and it was awful!

 

[Hong Kong Disney Rob]

I went to the park yesterday, no improvement at the explorers club restaurant. This is a miss for sure.

Have fun and enjoy the magic at Hong Kong Disneyland!