It Takes Two, Baby; a 2017 Flower and Garden dining report *NEW dining report!*

[ariane37]

Both DW and I don't eat veggies so we always have it left on our plates. But everyone knows the green stuff is just there for decoration, right?

Exactly! Make the plate prettier

I'm adding Citricos to my list of restaurants for my 40th bday trip next year with DH. He doesn't know that I'm planning an adult only trip yet!

I hope you enjoy! LOL "Guess what you're giving me for my 40th bday honey? A trip to WDW!!" Seriously, that's going to be an awesome trip, adults only ones are great!

Haha, you remove the kale because you're smart

Kale is evil

I had never tried asparagus until I started dating Luke. He made me try it, and it's a vegetable I actually like now! Although, whenever we have it at home, I have to fight off one of our cats for it - he loves it and gnaws on it if he gets the chance...

That's funny about your cat, my 22lb cat eats pretzels and gold fish crackers. Yup, I've had cats eat cream cheese, ice cream, and of course different meats like tuna but never have I had one chew up and swallow people pretzels and crackers. He's a monster

Haha - I've never tried a scallop before, I'm like you and don't eat any seafood, but I know from watching Gordon Ramsey cooking shows that they are difficult to do properly.

And Beef Wellington! Apparently it's hard to cook that right also lol! Ever since "Hell's Kitchen" I want to try Beef Wellington so bad..................

I love you anyway, LOL!!

thank you

Aww!! I love seeing DisFriend DisMeets!!

One day it'll be you and me

These guys crack me up! I notice they often catch guests off guard, and the guests seem so confused and aren't sure if it's a weirdo person or a Disney act, LOL!

I've noticed that, too! They look like scruffy, possibly drunk, not to be trusted park goers lol and it takes guests a minute to realize they're characters. Kids seem to pick up on it quicker!

It's spices! Glued to...those foam flower arranging things??

Ah, thanks! See, if I had paid more attention to poor Morocco I would have actually stopped and looked at the arrangement and known they were spices.....yes probably glued to big styrofoam balls? Disney F&G artists take a trip to ACMoore!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Everything looks so good!

 

[dnllmz]

I will also say that I totally thought that was Darth Vader leading it until someone recently set me straight

Soft, warm, and fluffy like a kitty but more acceptable to eat

I needed these 2 comments in my life today!

 

[Neverland_Girl]

Steve enjoyed the shrimp and also liked the grits! This was as you guessed still second to the sugar cane shrimp. Nothing can come between him and that sugar can shrimp

How upset is he going to be if the shrimp aren't there next year?

OMG I can't even say if the macaron is still my favorite dessert from the festival because this was heavenly!! Warm Wild Berry Buckle: served with Pepper Berry Gelato
It looks like a cobbler and that's what it tasted like but it was the best cobbler-type dessert I'd ever had. We sat on a wall across from the jumping water area for kids to play in between FW and WS and ate this, and then caught a bus back to Kidani. Another awesome visit to the Flower and Garden festival booths in the books! Come next year I know there's no way I'll be able to pass up visiting during the festival at least once.

Yours looks different from the one we got. Ours was more of a shortcake, but whatever it was I want more of it.

 

[ArielSRL]

Look @ArielSRL, she has our skort lol!

Yay! Twinning....or is that Tripleting....lol.

Instead, our first stop was at the Berry Basket

This menu looks so good!

Now it was my turn; I got the House Made Potato and Cheddar Biscuit which is served with Smoked Salmon Tartare:

Totally something I would try...and try it together. But, as you may remember, I'm a huge seafood fan!

And La Vie En Rose,

I can excuse skipping the food here...but the La Vie En Rose??? Unacceptable!

Carne Asada: Served with Black Bean Cake And Cilantro Lime Sour Cream. This was another hit with me! The meat was very flavorful and the black bean cake had a little bit of a kick to it. I also didn't mind the cilantro sour cream even though to me, cilantro normally=dish soap.

I am getting way too hungry for 11:28 at night... Oh and dish soap...

Steve ordered the alcoholic Watermelon Cucumber Slushy served with Tamiami Florida Gin:

Sounds right up my alley!

And since I insisted on being up front, Steve got pulled into their act and was given a drum to beat:

Love it!

I decided to get what I'd wanted from the Berry Basket: the Warm Berry Buckle!

So yummy!!

 

[thumper*]

I want to say try Citricos but just don't blame me if it doesn't live up to my review! And ask for Rony because he's a big tall drink of awesomeness.

You make me want to try it. Too bad we only have time for Narcoossees.

Look @ArielSRL, she has our skort lol!

Where can I order that skort?

This looks delish.

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

One more booth we'd missed in March and earlier this trip! I'd read a few good reports about the Carne Asada as well as the Shrimp and Stone-Ground Grits so that's what we got:

This looks soon good!

The noise, the intensity, it's really very cool. I will also say that I totally thought that was Darth Vader leading it until someone recently set me straight

Ha! Phasma has a cape, which apparently in Star Wars world makes her a girl! And I guess the super shiny silver armor... DH was telling me there is some special story about the shiny armor coming from a ship or something. I like Star Wars but that is when I start to glaze over...

the alcoholic Watermelon Cucumber Slushy served with Tamiami Florida Gin:

That Watermelon Slush looks good. I think there was a Watermelon slush in AK. Probably not the same...

.not Tangerine Cafe sangria cup small, but small lol.

OMG! I remember getting a glass of wine from Tangerine Cafe once... It was so small and they filled it to the brim! There is just something not right about drinking wine like that.... It just doesn't taste as good.

.so since I felt bad for them, I took a picture of the pretty potted....thing outside the food booth:

I thought you were going to say, you went and ordered something. HA! What were they serving?

 

[Wood Nymph]

Oak-Grilled Beef Filet: with Potato Puree, Asparagus, Cipollini Jam, and Bordelaise

This is what Dana ordered and it was amazing. We are very particular about our steak and most Disney restaurants serve steak that is nowhere as wonderful as this was. I had the halibut and it was pretty good. All in all we had a lovely meal here and plan to return.

But we did not get a server as good as Rony. Our server "assumed" we were lightweights and started to take our dinner order without asking if we would like something to drink. I had to interrupt her to tell her that we would each like a glass of wine. I don't know what she was thinking. But other than that, we really enjoyed our dinner.

 

[Tracy161]

and as we waited for our FP window to open up for VotLM - HS today was a last minute decision and some rides weren't available, leave me alone

All in all we saw each other 4x on that trip

YAY!

It was hard passing by France without stopping at Fleur de Lys and getting another macaron.

Oh I hear that.

It was also like, the hottest day of the trip so far and walking around WS was like walking on the surface of the sun, if the surface of the sun had food and drink kiosks every few feet.

I'd love to offer some sympathy here, but I'm too busy laughing at your amazing word-smithing

OMG I can't even say if the macaron is still my favorite dessert from the festival because this was heavenly!! Warm Wild Berry Buckle: served with Pepper Berry Gelato

I. NEED. THIS. Though I'm partial to chocolate desserts 95% of the time, this looks absolutely amazing

 

[disneyAndi14]

I am not missing F&G next year, I switched our February trip to early April because I missed this so much! The cobbler dessert with the ice cream looks wonderful, yum.

 

[wdwnut61]

You're right about the music from March of the First Order very intense we love it.
Another great picture of you and Su-Lynn. I thought that skirt looked familiar. I love both your tops.
Glad you got to visit some food booths you had missed.
You showed great will power not stopping at France for another La Vie en Rose.
The heat was oppressive in May glad we both got to enjoy the festival in March first.
Going to have to try that cobbler next year.

 

[gardengirl628]

That berry buckle looks delicious! Hoping it's there next year.

 

[kastoney]

Looks like another great trip to F&G. You are so getting me excited or F&W!!!! If you loved that berry cobbler, have you ever had the one at WL? It is pure heaven. Jason and I had a tradition on our one CL stay wherein we'd head up every night, load up on cobbler and wine, then sit on our balcony and enjoy in all our indulgences. Still to this day one of my best disney memories every.

 

[ariane37]

Everything looks so good!

It was a perfect F&G day

I needed these 2 comments in my life today!

I'm glad you could give you a lift and a laugh

How upset is he going to be if the shrimp aren't there next year?

lol he'll probably spend half the day wandering around looking like a lost puppy and then reading the little booklet they give you from front to back making ure he isn't missing it. Actually then he'll probably grab another booklet, just to make sure they didn't accidentally leave it out of the first one he read!

ours looks different from the one we got. Ours was more of a shortcake, but whatever it was I want more of it.

That's weird I suppose since the pepper berry sorbet was so good as was the crumble it would taste good on a shortcake also, but I liked mine the way we got it

Totally something I would try...and try it together. But, as you may remember, I'm a huge seafood fan!

I remember! And since it's made to go together I think eating the tartare WITH the biscuit would help with what I perceived as some biscuit dryness.

You make me want to try it. Too bad we only have time for Narcoossees.

Well we've always had great meals at Narcoossee's, too!

Where can I order that skort?

Um, I believe it was Academy Sports? Renee @ArielSRL am I right? Renee got it in multiple colors like 2 years ago; then I ordered it in black and white. She wanted to get more colors this year but they only had the black so hopefully they still do!

Ha! Phasma has a cape, which apparently in Star Wars world makes her a girl! And I guess the super shiny silver armor..

Once I found out it's her and not Darth Vader I did notice the silver rather than black lol, but to someone who is fairly clueless they look the same

OMG! I remember getting a glass of wine from Tangerine Cafe once... It was so small and they filled it to the brim!

My sangria back in March was SO tiny, it was like a F&W booth pour!

I thought you were going to say, you went and ordered something. HA! What were they serving?

Nope! I can't remember without looking at the booklet but it was all extremely similar to what they sell at their normal kiosk/Tangerine Cafe. I know there was baklava...........which I enjoyed at Restaurant Marrakesh but again, too many other things to eat. Maybe some Kefka? And Moroccan sangria I think which you can always get at the permanent booth near Spice Road Table.

This is what Dana ordered and it was amazing. We are very particular about our steak and most Disney restaurants serve steak that is nowhere as wonderful as this was. I had the halibut and it was pretty good. All in all we had a lovely meal here and plan to return.

But we did not get a server as good as Rony. Our server "assumed" we were lightweights and started to take our dinner order without asking if we would like something to drink. I had to interrupt her to tell her that we would each like a glass of wine. I don't know what she was thinking. But other than that, we really enjoyed our dinner.

I think it's a very romantic, elegant restaurant. I'm so happy you enjoyed your meal but I'm sorry your server left something to be desired; Rony always asks what we want to drink even after bringing us our complimentary champagne I hope you get him next time!

I'd love to offer some sympathy here, but I'm too busy laughing at your amazing word-smithing

I do try me best

I. NEED. THIS. Though I'm partial to chocolate desserts 95% of the time, this looks absolutely amazing

Normally that's me; if there's something chocolate to be had I get it. And if not I'll save my sweets calories for chocolate elsewhere. However I enjoy a good cobbler and this one looked dang good in the picture and luckily it didn't disappoint!

I am not missing F&G next year, I switched our February trip to early April because I missed this so much! The cobbler dessert with the ice cream looks wonderful, yum.

I have to make every effort to get there again at least once! Besides the awesome booths it's just such a gorgeous time to be in Epcot and the weather in general is awesome.

 

[ariane37]

PEER PRESSURE GETS THE BEST OF US
​

Coming off another great afternoon at the Flower and Garden festival, we were heading to Disney Springs for the first time since last November. I had been shopping there back in Feb. with my newfound TA friend Cathy when I was at Universal for a TA training and I'd wanted to get back to do some shopping. Therefore, I looked at finding somewhere there to eat. Cathy and I had eaten at the Boathouse in Feb. and I loved it so I kind of wanted to take Steve there, but after reading so many awesome reviews of Homecomin' I talked myself into trying that instead.
Steve wasn't too excited as neither of us are big fried chicken eaters and the menu didn't wow him. But there was an app that I NEEDED to have, which is what pushed me to make Homecomin' a definite.



There are a number of things I don't like about the new, improved Downtown Disney, but I do like the area around Homecomin'.



We arrived a bit early for our 6:30 reservation and were seated right away. They seated us in the room that you can see the corner of in the above picture so that was our view, which was nice. However they at first put us right by a huge a/c unit on the floor and it was blowing HARD, and they were reluctant to move us. Steve insisted so they did but kept us in that room.
I had wanted to try some moonshine but after the sweetish drinks I had at F&G, I was more in the mood for a beer so I got a Blue Moon:



I couldn't remember what Steve got but as you can see in this picture, it was a beer of some sort also.
Next came the app I was super dying to try: Bee Haven Bay Fried Green Tomatoes: Shaved Ham, Remoulade Sauce, and dressed local greens:



These were delicious. I wasn't sure about the ham because I've never had ham on my fried green tomatoes before but it went perfectly. Added a nice bit of saltiness to them instead of having to add salt myself, and the breading was light rather than heavy. So far so good!

And here's where our experience differs a bit from everyone else's. If you LOVE Homecomin' - or Homecoming if you can't handle the dropped "g", you may want to stop reading my review while it's good!

As I mentioned neither of us are huge lovers of fried chicken, and I also wasn't starving. Besides being in a beer mood I was in a salad mood so I ordered a salad that does not seem to be on the menu currently:



This was fine. It had cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. It was a salad with crispy chicken on it and ranch dressing. Everything was fresh and it was a good size, the chicken tasted good but I don't think it tasted any different than Friendly's fried chicken tender salad and I would assume it's the same recipe as the rest of the fried chicken they serve?
Steve got something a little more exciting than a salad but still not their signature fried chicken meal; he ordered the Fried Chicken Sandwich with BBQ Chips: Buttermilk marinated and double-battered served with hot sauce aioli:



He loved the chips. As for the sandwich.............he felt it was "eh". Not bad but nothing different from something you'd get at a Disney QS place. He didn't even finish it. Again, I assume since it was a fried chicken sandwich it was the same recipe as their fried chicken dish but maybe not.
As an afterthought but before our entrees came we put in an order for a side of their mac and cheese, something we don't normally order or eat but again, something I'd read was fabulous. I do like a mac and cheese with breadcrumbs on top so I thought that would be a plus. It came out about 2 minutes after our entrees and looked great!
Momma's Mac and Cheese:



Look at all that bread crumby goodness! I couldn't remember exactly what people here had said about it other than it was almost heavenly but I expected it to be pretty creamy.

IT WAS NOT
​

It was bone dry:



Now I might make some of you mad with what I'm about to say and I also might be wrong so feel free to correct me; I'm certainly not a mac and cheese expert. I think this is more of a southern food? So at first I thought maybe in the south, people make and eat their mac and cheese dry, and the reviews I'd read were written by southerners. We thought this was the worst M&C we'd ever had; Kraft is better. NO cheese whatsoever except the barely melted cheese near the top. All we ate was what's missing in the above picture,and when our server asked if we liked it we told her absolutely not and told her it was 100% dry. She just said "ok" and walked away. I can't remember her name but she was a cute young girl with black pigtails and she was from Ga.
I've read a couple more reviews of the mac and cheese since our visit and they were written by folks who live in the south (or at least more south than NY lol) and they said how awesome and creamy their serving was, so there goes my theory of dry southern M&C!! I guess maybe we got a crappy batch. REAL crappy.

As you may have guessed we weren't that impressed with Homecomin'. Part of it was probably what we ordered maybe, with the exception of the fried green tomatoes. The table next to us ordered the Moonshine Sampler and I wish I'd tried that, so at some point I may go to their takeout window (they have this right?) and try some. Otherwise, this is probably a one and done for us; sorry! However if you like fried chicken don't listen to my review because so many people who are fans of southern cooking love this place; I think it's just not for us.

After dinner we walked around a bit and stopped to watch a bunch of entertainers all around. I love that they have evening entertainment now. Over by the Christmas store they had a DJ who kept playing different music from different eras, or songs that had specific dances that went with them. Kids were dancing and the kid that had the "best" dance would get a prize. It was adorable. We also went by this sign:



This is one place I'm totally excited for! It looks very interesting. When Cathy and I were here in Feb. the sign read "opening Spring 2017" which obviously didn't happen. I'm curious to see what it says when we're there next month!

UP NEXT: OUR LAST DAY.........​

 

[Raeven]

These were delicious. I wasn't sure about the ham because I've never had ham on my fried green tomatoes before but it went perfectly. Added a nice bit of saltiness to them instead of having to add salt myself, and the breading was light rather than heavy.

Ooo I really want to try those but I've never had fried green tomatoes before.

This was fine. It had cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. It was a salad with crispy chicken on it and ranch dressing. Everything was fresh and it was a good size, the chicken tasted good but I don't think it tasted any different than Friendly's fried chicken tender salad and I would assume it's the same recipe as the rest of the fried chicken they serve?

Strange, although I never really get salads at restaurants except the Brown Derby I wonder if it is the same chicken in the salad. Btw my dad used to get that salad at Friendlys every single time we went as kids.

It was bone dry:

We thought this was the worst M&C we'd ever had; Kraft is better. NO cheese whatsoever except the barely melted cheese near the top.

I've read a couple more reviews of the mac and cheese since our visit and they were written by folks who live in the south (or at least more south than NY lol) and they said how awesome and creamy their serving was, so there goes my theory of dry southern M&C!! I guess maybe we got a crappy batch. REAL crappy.

Wow it does look dry. I think you did get a crappy one. The one I had was very creamy and cheesy. I wish I had a picture of the inside so I could compare, but I'm pretty sure yours looks very different.

some point I may go to their takeout window (they have this right?) and

They do have a takeout window!

 

[ArielSRL]

but after reading so many awesome reviews of Homecomin' I talked myself into trying that instead.
Steve wasn't too excited as neither of us are big fried chicken eaters and the menu didn't wow him. But there was an app that I NEEDED to have, which is what pushed me to make Homecomin' a definite.

Okay, so I keep thinking I need to try it because of all the reviews but there isn't a ton on the menu that piques my interest. I had this penciled in for our DS day for this June but I really want to try The Boathouse. So I guess we shall see.

Next came the app I was super dying to try: Bee Haven Bay Fried Green Tomatoes: Shaved Ham, Remoulade Sauce, and dressed local greens:

My momma LOVES fried green tomatoes. I don't know what she would think about the ham but otherwise, she would die for these.

I've read a couple more reviews of the mac and cheese since our visit and they were written by folks who live in the south (or at least more south than NY lol) and they said how awesome and creamy their serving was, so there goes my theory of dry southern M&C!! I guess maybe we got a crappy batch. REAL crappy.

Yeh...um no on the dry mac-n-cheese, and I'm from right there in GA! And I used to make a nice casserole tyoe mac-n-cheese with penne pasta, lots of miilk and butter and layered in cheese. Yum!

As you may have guessed we weren't that impressed with Homecomin'.

Yeh, like I mentioned before, I'm not all that interested. Part of my issue is, I am southern and I have been raised around Southern food all my life and its good, don't get me wrong, but when I go out to eat, I like to have other types of food. So who knows where we end up. I'll have to have Chad help me decide.

 

[Whit64130]

I will also say that I totally thought that was Darth Vader leading it until someone recently set me straight

I would've totally guess that myself! Im not a Star Wars fan either.

Watermelon Cucumber Slushy served with Tamiami Florida Gin:

Looks delish

So at first I thought maybe in the south, people make and eat their mac and cheese dry, and the reviews I'd read were written by southerners. We thought this was the worst M&C we'd ever had; Kraft is better. NO cheese whatsoever except the barely melted cheese near the top.

Ahh this makes me nervous about our reservation for December. Being from the south I hardly can't hardly eat anybody's fried chicken but my moms. The year we ate at 50's Prime Time I got the sampler platter and only had 2 bites of the fried chicken because it was horrible. I am hoping Homecomin has a better chicken than that. And on to the Mac and Cheese thing.... I don't eat it but I know it's not supposed to be dry. I may be one of the most unsouthern-southern woman you ever meet because I don't drink sweet tea either. Mom did teach me how to make Mac and cheese "right". It is very soupy and not dry at all. Nick eats it so I guess it works.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Hi there lady! I Loooooved the fried green tomatoes at Homecomin' too. I'm sorry you weren't that thrilled with the chicken or mac and cheese. Maybe the chef was on vacation and there was a lacky filling in for him/her... LOL!!! I just made reservations to eat there again in November, because Joe wants to try it...I just want another Monnshine Mash...

 

[Niki Andiokno]

Finally all caught up. Love the Coke bottle.