We're bringing DoleWhip back...again! COMPLETE: Sanaa and Yachtsman!

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Oh dear I am drooling on the keyboard over here!
I love Jiko and both those meals look amazing. I especially need to try one of those flatbreads! I've only had the BBQ Chicken one.

Thanks for the double dose of reviews.

Both flatbreads were really good - I hope they're still on the menu, since they were basically brand new when we had them in late August.

I love your Jiko reviews!!! All dishes look excellent and delish~~~ I have to also say that we would get rooibos teas whenever possible b/c it was so hard to find here in the states but am glad that it's getting so popular! We drink it daily so you know we love it.

I went back to read all your reviews and what an excellent choices! Love your description and pictures. I really enjoyed reading all.

Thanks for reading the reviews! Rooibos tea is really great, and it's healthy too - plenty of antioxidants without the caffeine of green tea.

I was so happy to see your positive reviews of Jiko and the scrumptious looking photos! My DD14 and I just ate at Jiko a week ago. It's been on my list of Signatures to try for so long, we have just never made it. In the past, we've done California Grill, Artist Point, Citricos, Flying Fish and Hollywood Brown Derby. Jiko is now at the top of my list in favorites!....by a mile!

DD and I both have food allergies, and as always, they were very accomodating. The chef came out to talk about what was ok~ she was not so warm and fuzzy, but accomodating just the same. Our server was awesome! DD had the flatbread with the chicken that you had the second dinner and a simple salad. She is not a very adventurous eater and is very picky but loved, loved her meal. She is usually not able to eat the bread at most other restaurants, but she was able to eat it here which was a pleasnat surprise!

I really wanted to try the Bobotie roll as an appetizer, but wanted dessert too, it was just too much, so I skipped the appetizer and had the pork tenerloin with the grits and mustard greens with a tomato coulis and jus. I asked for it more well done and it was cooked perfectly! It was amazing.

DD had the coconut bread pudding and I had the perfect cup for dessert. Mine was ok, loved, loved the coconut bread pudding and ice cream. We got such a kick out of the tiny coconuts!

On our upcoming trip in January, I had Yachtsman Steakhouse on the list to try, but I'm so, so tempted to go back to Jiko!!

Thank you so much for sharing your reviews, it's so nice to see and read about the dishes they offer and to visualize the deliciousness!

I'm so happy that Jiko lived up to your expectations. I think it's proof that you have to take any review with a grain of salt (including mine ). After all, many people have posted positive reviews of California Grill while our food experience was negative, while many others have recently posted negative reviews of Jiko while you and I both had positive experiences. I guess anything can happen.

Jiko looks fabulous!

It definitely was fabulous! When we go there, we try not to expect 100% authentic like we're used to, but rather we just are hoping to have some excellent food with an African twist. Jiko definitely delivers on that (and in fact, some of the dishes are pretty authentic, such as the peri peri chicken).

 

[SweetSpot]

Love your dining reviews! You write so well and have a great knowledge of food and a very adventurous palate which allows your readers to see a vast variety of restaurants and dishes. Based on your mentioning being held back by midterms I assume you are fairly young which makes your experiences and writing ability even more amazing.

Thank you for taking the time to write these reviews, I've really enjoyed them over the years.

 

[Euphoria027]

Mmmmmm, the maize crusted corvina looks just as good as it did when I had it in January. It was a different kind of fish (don't remember the name) but the sauce looks the same! I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did. Yum!

 

[Linda67]

Wonderful reviews as always
I love Jiko and your reviews have made me want to go back as soon as possible

 

[TanzUnited99]

Have just read all your reviews using the links. I skipped the comments.

on being upgraded to club level - love the offerings. Your AP dinner looks yummy! We ate here as well and I have it coming up later on.

Love the sunrise photo. What a way to start the morning with all those CL yummy treats.

I didn't know Le Cellier had changed its bread offerings I keep hearing mixed reviews of Le Cellier - may have to try it one day.

Oh no on your review of California Grill - we loved our meal here and would have to say it was one of our favourites of the whole trip.

Wow the desserts at Raglan Road look soo yummy!

Your Epcot snacks make me wish I was back there trying some right about now.

Have enjoyed reading your reviews - thanks for sharing them.

 

[vettegirl]

Enjoying the reviews. Just a question for you, does the bread basket at Jiko cost anything? If not our server didn't bring us any when we dined their in May.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Enjoying the reviews. Just a question for you, does the bread basket at Jiko cost anything? If not our server didn't bring us any when we dined their in May.

The bread at Jiko is complimentary, like at the other signature restaurants. They definitely should have brought it to you - sorry that you didn't get to try it.

So sorry that I haven't really had time for this anymore. I still want to 'finish' my reviews, which I'll try to do right now.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Sanaa frequently receives incredibly high praises. Many people consider it to be one of the best Disney restaurants, and easily the best one-credit location. I don't know if I agree completely as I've been underwhelmed there in the past, but still I decided to have another meal there.

One of my criticisms of the Sanaa was that the food is super tame. So watered down that anyone could enjoy it (which thus loses some of the heat and intensity, even at a mild level, that makes me especially enjoy Indian flavors and curries). However, a few months ago Sanaa added two new slow-cooked dishes (spicy Durban chicken and spicy Durban shrimp) to its selection of slow-cooked items. I decided to try them both.

Chicken

Five-grain pilaf

Shrimp

Everything poured onto the plate

Wow! Any complaint I had about a lack of spicy options was completely negated. The shrimp dish was especially spicy, and after every bite I wanted to take a sip of water. The chicken was milder, and in fact I think I might have received the wrong dish (regular red curry sauce instead of spicy curry sauce). That said, I don't mind. I loved the spiciness that really came out in the shrimp. My tongue and lips felt it, and I was in heaven. Next time I go to Sanaa, I'll probably order the spicy Durban chicken and the shrimp with green curry sauce, so that way I can get the best of both worlds (intense spices and subtler flavors). I was very impressed with this entree.

Finally, for dessert I went with a tested favorite: the chai cream. I've previously had this in the dessert sampler, but it's a smaller portion. This time, I was so happy to have a full portion of it! The warm spices are such a great contrast with the cold temperature and creamy texture. Plus, it was served with a chocolate-dipped spoon for an extra layer of flavor! I love this dish - it's probably up there with the grapefruit cake as one of my favorite classic Disney desserts (yes, I consider this a classic even though it's only been around for 2 years ).

Along with dessert, I had a cup of piña colada rooibos. I love rooibos tea, as it reminds me of (what I consider to be) my second home, South Africa. I never have it sweetened or with milk because I want to be able to taste the tea itself. This was one of the most enjoyable rooibos teas I've ever had - the tropical note was unique and brightened my day. I love regular rooibos and the relatively common vanilla rooibos as well, but piña colada rooibos is definitely something that you can't find everywhere. Sanaa actually has six flavors of rooibos, which is among the most I've seen at any restaurant (including in South Africa).

I still can't say if Sanaa is one of my favorite restaurants or not. I don't know why, as I love Indian food, but I feel biased against it for some reason (I used to feel the same way about Flying Fish, but that recently began to change). That said, I'm starting to really warm up to Sanaa (both literally and figuratively). The Durban curries are an excellent addition to the menu IMO, incorporating a South African take on Indian curry while turning up the spice level (curry is very common in South African cuisine, as there's a large British, Indian, and Malaysian influence). The chai cream is also one of my favorite Disney desserts, and combined with an awesome cup of rooibos (available in an overwhelming variety of flavors), I really had nothing to complain about this time.

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Okay, my last review from the late August trip is from our dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse. This past summer, Yachtsman catapulted from our least favorite signature into our top 4, which is odd because I'm more of a seafood person. Still, I find that everything about our meals here is usually close to perfect (with the steaks being the smallest reason why we return).

The rolls at Yachtsman (especially the soft onion rolls) are delicious.

They're perfect with some butter with Hawaiian sea salt, or delicious, aromatic roasted garlic.

My mom ordered the cheese plate, with Cypress Grove Creamery Lamb Chopper (paired with local Tuscan cantaloupe):

Beecher's Flagship Reserve Cheddar (with sweet quince membrillo):

Cowgirl Creamery's Mt. Tam (with house dried raisins on the vine):

And King Island Roaring Forties blue from Australia (with roasted pine nut brittle):

It was also served with toasted sourdough baguette:

I went with the charcuterie plate.

It included smoked duck sausage:

Chicken pâté:

Soppressata:

Don't know what it is :

Mt. Tam cheese and raisins:

Some type of sausage:

And cornichons:

My mom and I made an excellent team with both of these appetizers. I tried the chicken pâté and Mt. Tam cheese and didn't love them, so I traded them for some of my mom's milder cheeses. The cheese pairings that I tasted (with cantaloupe and quince) were excellent, and the charcuterie plate was of very high quality and beautiful presentation. I'm happy I tried chicken pâté, but I think it's something that I'm not ready to enjoy (just like stronger cheeses).

For an entree, my mom went with the filet, mashed potatoes, and red wine sauce. She really liked it.

I chose the New York Strip with peppercorn brandy sauce and potato gratin. I also really liked it. The steak was perfectly cooked, I love a good peppercorn sauce (steak au poivre is one of my favorite things), and I thought the creamy, slightly cheesy potatoes were a good accompaniment to the sauce.

Finally, for dessert, neither one of us could resist ordering the stone fruit and cream: nectarines, bavarian cream, and peach-champagne espuma (foam).

Just look at it, it's like a work of art.

It was the perfect ending to our meal. Fruity, refreshing, cool, creamy, with a slight tangy flavor from the fluffy espuma on top. There was even a few pieces of crumble on the plate, making me think this dessert was supposed to be some kind of modern take on peach crumble. Whatever the inspiration, it was perfection. It's one of those things that I know will be removed from the menu eventually (if it hasn't been already), but I'm so happy I got to taste it. Another example is California Grill's strawberry trio dessert (RIP: 2008-2008 ).

Yachtsman receives some inconsistent reviews. I used to be one of the people who never wanted to return. But now, it's one of our favorite Disney restaurants. My one word of advice: don't blame the restaurant for an ordering mistake. If you're a really picky eater, you probably won't enjoy every component on the charcuterie plate (I didn't, and I don't think I'm too picky). If you want an elaborate, innovative entree, the filet with mashed potatoes won't cut it (but the chicken or the salmon might). That was one of the things I used to dislike about Yachtsman: the food (the steak entrees in particular) just seemed so simple and boring. But as I've learned, there's a time and a place for simple, but there should also be some creativity, and no matter what, good execution. Yachtsman provides all three for us (simplicity, creativity, and execution), which is why we've grown to love it, even though we're seafood and chicken people on the surface.

Well that's where I'm going to wrap up my reviews. Thanks for reading, and I hope my perspective on the food was useful.

P.S. As always, please take my reviews with a grain of salt. You could go to Artist Point tomorrow and have a horrible meal, or you could go to Narcoossee's and have the best service ever. The restaurant industry is a volatile one, and while I definitely find reviews to be helpful, I don't want to raise anyone's hopes too much (or convince someone to never try Narcoossee's just because we don't want to go back).

 

[janabananas]

Thanks so much for all the info and "food for thought". Your reviews have been informative and entertaining. Hope to see more from you!!

 

[Linda67]

Your reviews have been wonderful

I have really enjoyed reading them and you have certainly helped me with my dining decisions

We are just trying to see if there is a way to fit in a lunch at Sanaa as we want to try Yak & Yeti on our AK day

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Thanks so much for all the info and "food for thought". Your reviews have been informative and entertaining. Hope to see more from you!!

Thanks so much for reading! I don't know when we plan on going back, but we're hoping to return to the Swan sometime within the next year. I'll definitely try to do more dining reviews.

Your reviews have been wonderful

I have really enjoyed reading them and you have certainly helped me with my dining decisions

We are just trying to see if there is a way to fit in a lunch at Sanaa as we want to try Yak & Yeti on our AK day

Thanks so much for reading - your reviews are also great! It's always nice to relive Disney memories (and so many memories can be formed in restaurants).

 

[MickeyNicki]

Incredible, just incredible!

How I missed the YM this trip but Shula's was excellent so I cannot feel that bad

We love Roobios tea as well, I usually get it from Teavana and I will have to look for pina colada, that sounds great!

So one more thing...when are you going back??

 

[DonaldDoleWhip]

Incredible, just incredible!

How I missed the YM this trip but Shula's was excellent so I cannot feel that bad

We love Roobios tea as well, I usually get it from Teavana and I will have to look for pina colada, that sounds great!

So one more thing...when are you going back??

We actually don't have anything definitively planned. This is the first time in a while where we haven't had a trip looming in the distance for us to think about.

All I can say is I already know some of the things I want to order (whenever that trip is).

-The obscene burger-hot dog combo at Sci-Fi (without cheese, fries, ketchup, or bun).
-The whole snapper at Narcoossee's (we had abysmal service there last time, but I really want to try that dish).
-The whole fish at Kouzzina (what can I say, I've recently started to enjoy whole fish )
-The amazing baklava French Toast that you described in your review
-Anything at Flying Fish Cafe
-Perhaps give Shula's a try (although we could do that in NYC even sooner)

And btw, based on your Shula's review it sounds like you didn't miss much by skipping Yachtsman. If you're looking for a good steak, it sounds like Shula's is the place to go (and your review confirms it). We love everything at Yachtsman, but the steak isn't the main reason why we enjoy it.

 

[cbg1027]

I'm glad you liked Sanaa more this time. Those Durban spice dishes sound great!
In the future, do you know you can tailor the spice level on some of your Sanaa food? Just ask them for extra of the spice paste and you can mix it in to your liking! I do that with the Red Curry Chicken.

Ohh I will have to order a full size Chai Creme one of these days so I can eat it with the Chocolate Dipped Spoon! I agree, it's one of the best desserts at Disney.

I love Rooibos too. The first place I ever tried it was Sanaa. I came home from that trip and started searching for Vanilla Rooibos everywhere! I finally found some very similar to the kind at Sanaa in World Market.

I finally made it to Yachstman on this past trip and it was wonderful! I could eat their bread basket for a meal....those rolls and roasted garlic were to die for! I bought the new Disney cookbook in part because they have the recipe for the Onion Rolls in it.

 

[TanzUnited99]

I'm glad you enjoyed Sanaa and the spices lived up to your expectations! That Chai Cream dessert sure looks great and your review of Yachtsman makes me want to try it on a future trip.

Thanks for your reviews - I have enjoyed reading them.