Tink Tested: Crossroads at House of Blues Dinner

Location: Main dining room inside House of Blues Orlando, at Downtown Disney West Side 

Parking/Transportation Situation: General Parking in Orange Garage or parking lot behind Cirque du Soleil. Bus service from all parks and resorts.(If using Disney Transportation, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time.) See comments on parking situation below.

Meals Served: L, D, Gospel Brunch on Sundays only

Characters/Entertainment: Live music on the outdoor porch and inside, nightly

Type of Cuisine: Southern/Cajun

Type of Menu: A la carte

Pricing/Dining Plan: $/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: Crossroads at House of Blues Dinner Menu

Atmosphere: Eclectic, funky blues club
Dress Code: Theme park casual

Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Music lovers and fans of foods with a "kick"

Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Easy

Fun Stuff for Kids: The live music is entertaining, however, it typically starts later in the evening, and with the concert venue attached, this restaurant tends to draw in a mainly adult crowd.
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: Are we done yet???

Stand out dishes: St. Lois Ribs, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Juicy Lucy Burger
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: NY Strip, Jambalaya with Shrimp, or Full Rack of Ribs, with any dessert

Experience: How did I pick this totally random destination for today's Tink Test? Restaurant.com. I bought a certificate on their sight for this location. Because it's an "operating participant" or "third party operator", they are non-Disney and sometimes offer coupons and other deals. When all is said and done, I paid $3 for the certificate on sale and it was good for $50 off when you spend $100. Sounded like a great deal to me, and we figured we could easily spend $100 on the four of us, so we decided to try it out. My husband and I had been to the House of Blues to eat once before, but it was only for appetizers at the bar, so we were looking forward to trying a full meal.
     Because of our weirdo work schedules, we again opted for a late lunch/early dinner and made a reservation just prior to arrival, for 4pm. Now, here is a very important factor to consider when opting to dine at a Downtown Disney restaurant: arrive plenty early, and with plenty of patience. You have probably heard that Downtown Disney is in the process of being transformed into Disney Springs, a more modern, sleek and bustling version of the shopping, dining and entertainment marketplace. When done, it's going to be an amazing destination, with fabulous new places to visit. The latest arrivals include The Boathouse Restaurant, (stay tuned for a review after we dine there for Father's Day!), a vegan bakery, an Italian gelataria, amphicars that drive right into the lagoon, and cool new stores like Chapel Hats and APEX, by Sunglass Hut. Once complete, it will easily add a full day's worth of touring to anyone's Disney vacation schedule, but for the next couple of years, it's kind of a mess. There is no parking available at the old "marketplace" side, as there is a large garage under construction down that way. There is parking available accross the street, by Disnwy Casting and the Hess Station. There's also a lot of roadwork being done, so traffic is miserable! On Friday and Saturday nights, it is not uncommon for I-4 to be totally backed up at the Downtown Disney exits and for all of Buena Vista Drive to be at a standstill. There is a garage at the West Side, called the "Orange Garage". (Side note, coolest garage EVER! I wish all garages in the universe implemented the technology that shows you how many spaces are available on each level, in each row, and even illuminates available spaces with a green light above them. I want to see Disney use this for things like the monorail. Think about it... a sign above each car that tell you how many people are in it, so you know which to walk to, in order to get a seat? GENIUS! Disney, you can pay me later. Or name a monorail after me or something.) There is also a large parking lot back behind Cirque du Soleil and House of Blues. That is where we parked, and had an easy walk into the restaurant. 
     Once inside the rather dark and eclectic venue, we were greeted and sat almost immediately. Our table was right next to the stage, which, luckily for my eardrums, was not in use this early. D declared that it must be there for her to dance. Obviously. We had plenty of time to peruse the menu, as we were not greeted by a server for at least ten minutes. It seemed like eating at this "off time" was throwing the staff off. The one server we saw was rushing around, and seemed frazzled. Ten minutes in, she rushed by our table and sort of snapped, "I'll be right there." Don't mind us. We'll just wait right here. Trust me, honey, I've been in your shoes. I was a server too, (though I do try to block those memories out as best as I can), but I know that when you're oversat and in the weeds, you'll get waaaaay more understanding from your guests with an, "I'm so sorry. Give me one sec and I'm all yours," than you do with a snappy comment, which seemingly places blame on your guests. We were cool, though. We knew she was a little freaked out, and we realized this wasn't a place that had as many kids dining there as other places in Downtown Disney might. The server returned to the table when things calmed down a bit, and asked if we had questions about the menu. We informed her of K's egg allergy and she left to get a chef for us. The chef was very helpful and friendly, and stayed with us until all of our questions were answered.
     We ended up ordering a BBQ Chicken Grilled Flatbread as a starter. It came to the table after about 12 minutes. The crispy, flat dough was covered in a smoky barbecue sauce and held pieces of grilled chicken, gouda and mozzarella cheese, cilantro and red onion. It had a nice flavor, and since it was egg free, K enjoyed digging in too. Before we were done with the flatbread, our entrees came out. The hubby went for the full rack of St. Louis Ribs with mashed potatoes and fries. (He likes carbs with his carbs.) I got the Applewood Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf with mashed potatoes and veggies, and D and K shared a kid's hot dog, fries and veggies. The ribs were tender, with a heavy smoky flavor. A bit on the drier side, but not unreasonably so. The Red Rose Garlic Mashed Potatoes were flavorful, despite being rather runny. The veggies were a delicious blend of peapods, asparagus and carrots in a buttery sauce. I even managed to get the kids to eat a few. I wasn't thrilled with my meatloaf. It was tasty, for sure, the only problem is that it tasted exactly like a spicy Italian sausage and NOT meatloaf. Basically I was eating a mushy, spicy Italian sausage, in loaf form. Not exactly appetizing. I didn't end up eating most of it. The kids liked the hot dog and fries, so there was that. 

     Things got a little weird when D asked me if "the people on the ceiling are dead". Huh? Are you seeing things, child? Ok, I get what she's asking. There are plaster tiles on the ceiling, depicting various Blues "greats", like Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles. They do look a little headstone-like, so I saw where she was going. We did get a chance to talk a bit about the great things that many people have done for music, especially people with challenges, differences and setbacks. Yes, friends, we made the House of Blues into a teaching moment. Anyway, she quickly lost interest, and went back to her hot dog. 

     Despite more than half of my meatloaf being left behind, the server did not ask if it was ok, or if I wanted anything else, which seemed about par for the course. Since we knew we had to spend at least $100 in order to use the coupon I had, and we weren't quite there, we had to order dessert, (Ow, ow! Would ya quit it with the arm-twisting?). The hubby and D decided to share a piece of Key Lime Pie, which they were thrilled with. Not overly puckery and just sweet enough. Despite not finishing my meal, I was not in the mood for dessert, so I got my Triple Chocolate Cheesecake to go. It was fair, but no better than what I can get at Publix. The kid's dessert, "fresh baked chocolate chip cookies", may have been fresh baked, but it was yesterday. In a grocery store. Ok, maybe not, but they were not fresh, delicious cookies.
     The good news is that with the Restaurant.com coupon being taken off, it was a reasonably priced meal. We still spent about $75, but that was with tax, tip and eating 3 courses. The bad news is, we were not fans. The service was on the generous side of "fair". And I totally get it... servers have bad days, stuff happens, etc, but other than the friendly seater and the helpful chef, we were disappointed that our experience was not a welcomed one. I think I would have enjoyed the food more, had I ordered the amazing looking fried chicken that I saw pass by me. (Damn it, Tink! Just ORDER the fried chicken next time! This is the second time you passed it up, and second time you regretted it.) 

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl) Hi, D. What did you think of House of Blues?    "I liked it. I liked the food. The hot dog and chips."     I don't think you had chips.     "Oh, ok. So the hot dog. Oh, and the ceiling with the things."     You liked that?    "Yeah. I learned about the music."   (I stare blankly.) She WAS listening after all! Squad goals achieved! 

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  K, do you remember House of Blues?     "Yeah."     Did you like it?    "Yeah. (sings) Huss of Boooos, Huss of Boooos."   So I take it you wished they had music?     "Yeah. With a moo-moo hear an a moo-moo there..."    Here a moo, there a moo, kid. I get it. You're saying that all restaurants are the same. They bore you. You've seen one "moo", you've seen 'em all. They really gotta do something to WOW you, right?     "Nooooooooo."   I feel ya, kid.

Will we be back: Glad we tried it, and I'd happily come back for a date night some time and sit on the porch and listen to the live music, but I won't be back to eat again. 

Tink Tested: Boatwright's Dinner

Location: Just off of the main lobby of Port Orleans: Riverside

Parking/Transportation Situation: General Resort Parking. No valet available. Bus service from all parks. Boat service from Downtown Disney. (If using Disney Transportation, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time.)

Meals Served: D

Characters/Entertainment: No characters, no entertainment

Type of Cuisine: New Orlean's Style Cuisine

Type of Menu: A la carte

Pricing/Dining Plan: $$/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: Boatwrights Dinner Menu

Atmosphere: Mississippi River Boat Club 

Dress Code: Theme park casual

Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Couples, Families with a taste for Southern Cuisine

Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Easy

Fun Stuff for Kids: Though the restaurant itself does not offer much in the way of engaging things for kids to do, they do occasionally hand out balloons, and before or after dinner, for a fee, you can grab a horse-drawn carriage ride around Riverside. 
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: Are we done yet???

Stand out dishes: Sweet Tea Brined Pork Chop, Chicken and Waffles, Etouffee, Jambalya, Red Velvet Cheesecake, Mocha Mug Cake (Brew du Krewe)
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: The Big Easy NY Strip, or Prime Rib, plus Bananas Foster

Experience: Get ready to be "goin' down the bayou, goin' down the bayou...", a la Tiana and her froggy prince. Don't get me wrong. The theming and atmosphere here don't have any "Princess and the Frog" nods, but the menu looks very much like what I imagine is served at the fictitious "Tiana's Palace" restaurant in the movie, minus the piles of minced veggies. (In fact, it really is a shame that they didn't re-theme it when the film came out and give Tiana the credit she deserves.) Why doesn't Disney just drop everything and follow through on all of my ideas? Ugh. Moving on...
     The hubby and I have been to Boatwright's before, pre-kid, and enjoyed it, though it didn't quite make it onto our normal rotation of Disney favorites. For this meal, K got some two-on-one attention, since D was not able to join us. By the time we walked into the lobby of Port Orleans Riverside for our 5:30pm reservation, (which I had made pretty much on the drive from our house), Mamma and Dadda's arms were exhausted from swinging the little dude between us, while he giggled like a lunatic.
     Huge shout out to Boatwright's for an amazing pre-arrival experience! Before I booked the reservation, I called over to their podium, because the last time the hubs and I ate there, they had many balloons in the dining room. Since my husband has a crazy latex allergy, and balloons would make him be dead, we needed to see if that was always the case, or just that one time. The seater I spoke to was SO fantastic! She not only said she would clear the room of balloons before we got there, she put notes on all of their helium tanks, asking fellow seaters and servers to refrain from blowing up balloons until we were gone. Now THAT, my friends, is old-school Disney guest service! Bravo!
     When we arrived early, at 5:00pm, as promised, there was not a balloon in sight. Despite being early, we were seated within ten minutes. The dining room here really looks like a cross between a boat-making warehouse, and a yacht club. The high ceilings hold the hanging hull of an old river ship, and the walls are covered in antique tools and boating items. K looked up at the riverboat hull and asked, "Anna-Elsa?" Apparently K felt that it looked more like a Viking ship than a riverboat and of course, when you think Vikings, you now think of Anna and Elsa... clearly.

"Um, duh, Mamma, that's Anna and Elsa's ship, obvs."

    Our server was a fabulous woman from Moldova, who could not have been more friendly, professional or accommodating. While we looked over the menu, and she got us an allergy menu for K, she brought out a basket of warm, sweet cornbread. The menu was full of fantastic Southern fare, but since I am not a spice person, my eyes immediately went to the steak option. The hubs loves a good jambalaya, so that's what he was eyeing.      Boatwright's is one of the locations on property that has already switched over to having an allergy menu, instead of needing to call the chef for every allergen concern. The allergen menus are versions of the regular menu, with each item listed as being 'ok for those with an egg allergy, milk allergy, etc.' The positive side is that it speeds up the ordering process for those with allergies, and puts everything in front of you, in black and white. The negative is that I found the menu confusing and the hubs and I even 

questioned whether or not we were reading it correctly.

 Personally, rather than seeing: 'Macaroni and Cheese' - For egg allergies', I would rather see it listed as, 'Macaroni and Cheese - Contains wheat and dairy'. This makes more sense to me, since it is how I am used to reading labels on most packages. Now, I can't say that this is how ALL allergen menus are written at Disney, because this is the first full service allergen menu that I have seen, but I will definitely let you know when we get to see another one!
     We settled on The Big Easy for me, (12 oz. NY Strip w/ Peppercorn Cream, served w/ Crawfish Mac and Cheese), Voodoo Chicken for my husband, (boneless fried chicken and waffles, served w/ maple-bacon gravy), and a kid's Jambalaya for K. The coloring pages K was given were not holding his interest, so while we waited for our food, K resorted to his favorite pastime - watching videos of himself on my phone. The hubby and I enjoyed the cornbread while we tried to keep K's uproars of laughter at how funny he finds himself to a minimum. (He is clearly my kid.)
     In about 15 minutes, the entrees arrived at the table. I was instantly disappointed that I hadn't read the menu more carefully. "Voodoo Chicken" was not in any way spicy, as I assumed it was. It was fried chicken deliciousness, on top of fluffy waffles! That's not to say that my steak didn't look good. It just wasn't as inviting as the chicken and waffles that were staring me down from my husband's plate. Now, he did let me taste the dish, of course, and it was , in fact, delicious. The chicken was tender, with a crispy golden crust and the waffles were a fantastic accompaniment. I wasn't a fan of the smoky bacon flavor in the maple glaze that came with it, though. I would have preferred straight up maple syrup, but the hubs thought the bacon flavor added a lot to the dish. My Big Easy steak was unfortunately over-cooked to a medium well, (I had ordered medium rare), so the server took my steak back to the kitchen and had me keep my mac and cheese, so that I could have that while I waited. I was not impressed with the Crawfish Mac 'N' Cheese, mainly because it had almost NO seafood in it, (I literally found two tiny bits of crawfish), but it also was quite bland for Disney mac 'n' cheese. Typically I find that even the kid's m&c sides at Disney are pretty good, but this one was disappointingly lacking in flavor. When my steak came back, it was cooked perfectly, and the peppercorn sauce was on the side, as per my request. (Told ya, I'm a plain Jane.) Again, the meat was good, but nothing to write Mickey about. On a side note, regarding sides, I was surprised that the entrees did not also come with a veggie side. Seasonal veggies could be added to any plate, for about $5 more, but for the $35 price tag, I would have enjoyed some greens or carrots on the plate. 

     K decided that there was no need to bother eating his jambalaya when Mamma's steak was available, so the hubs dug into K's rice, sausage and shrimp entree. For a kid's meal, the portion was decent and my "big kid" really liked the flavor. It had a light kick to it, but nothing too off-putting for a little one. 
     Well, now it was time for my favorite thing about eating in ANY restaurant... DESSERT. I don't know about you, but this gal frequently makes restaurant selections based on the dessert menu alone. Your entrees may be boring as all hell, but you temp me with a flashy dessert and I'm all yours! Boatwrights has the Southern standards you'd expect, like red velvet cheesecake, pecan pie and bananas foster, but the Brew Du Krewe is what caught my attention. Described as a chocolate espresso cake, with mocha ganache and fresh whipped cream, I was all in! And man, did I not regret that decision! It came to the table looking like a decadent coffee drink, served in a cappuccino mug, overflowing with whipped cream and cocoa dust.

The cake inside was warm and started melting the whipped cream into it. The ganache had a nice coffee flavor to it, without tasting like Folgers crystals were ground into it, as many coffee desserts often do. I truly enjoyed the dessert and the hubs was lucky that I let him grab a spoonful or two. And luckily for me, K was totally captivated by his ice cream sundae dessert, served as a bowl of ice cream, with small cups of chocolate sauce, mini chocolate chips, and Mickey sprinkles on the side. Seeing as he's 2, K promptly ate the sprinkles as an appetizer, before moving on to the rest of the dessert. Overall, I'd say he was a happy man by the time the check came.
     So, did I love Boatwrights? No, not really. But I can tell you this... if you like Southern cuisine, and fantastic Southern-style hospitality, you'll be way more into this place than we were.  And the good news is, it's relatively easy to get a reservation at last minute, so for sure, keep it on your radar!
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  K? Hey, K? Was Boatwrights good?   "K ride boat?"   No, Boatwrights. The restaurant we ate at. Did you like it?   "Boat? Now?"   You know the place we ate at? With the boat on the ceiling?   "Yes, boat. Please. Boat."  
I give up. It's my own fault. Never mention a boat, car, train or plane to a 2 year old and expect them to hear anything else you say after that. 

Will we be back: Not unless we get a craving for Jambalaya. Too many other good restaurants where we enjoy the atmosphere and cuisine more. 

Tink Tested: Ohana Dinner

Location: Second floor lobby in the main lobby of the Polynesian Village

Parking/Transportation Situation: General Resort Parking or Valet Parking available. Bus service from all parks. Boat and monorail service from Magic Kingdom, Grand Floridian, Contemporary and Transportation and Ticket Center. (If using Disney busses, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time. For monorail or boat, allow about 30-45 minutes.)

Meals Served: B, D

Characters/Entertainment: Characters at breakfast only. At dinner there is a strolling ukulele player/singer, hula lessons and coconut races for the kids. Also, if you can plan to dine during the Magic Kingdom's fireworks show, you will have a great view from most spots in the restaurant, and the accompanying music is piped right in.

Type of Cuisine: Hawaiian grilled meats and sides

Type of Menu: Family-style, all-you-care-to-eat

Pricing/Dining Plan: $$$/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: 'Ohana Dinner Menu

Atmosphere: Tropical, tiki-filled dining room
Dress Code: Theme park casual

Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Kids, Families, Couples

Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Hard

Fun Stuff for Kids: For about 15-20 minutes, every hour, the strolling ukulele player comes around the restaurant. He or she encourages the kids to get up and learn the hula with them, and occasionally they even offer a coconut race, where the kids are given a coconut and a broom and they race around the restaurant, pushing the coconut like tiny, tropical hockey players. "Kids" of all ages will be smitten by the fireworks view and glimpses of the Electrical Water Pageant floating by, if you time your visit right.
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: What rides?????

Stand out dishes: Pineapple-Coconut Bread Pudding with Banana Caramel, Honey Coriander Chicken Wings, Grilled Steak, Chicken and Shrimp
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: Only one option here, but all-you-care-to-eat options are always a great use of your Dining Plan Point.

Experience: So, remember how I had said that there was no arm-twisting involved in getting the fam to go to Whispering Canyon? Well there WAS arm-twisting with 'Ohana, but only in the form of my hubby twisting MY arm to get this one in ASAP. 'Ohana has been my husband's hands-down favorite restaurant on Disney property for years now. So much so that I think we have eaten there on every single trip we did together as guests before we moved here. So much so that I learned how to make his beloved Honey Coriander Chicken Wings so that when we lived up North, he'd still get to enjoy them. (It's actually pretty easy to do and I will gladly share the recipe if anyone wants it.) So, 'Ohana was a no-brainer. Especially when a 5:10pm reservation happened to show up one Friday afternoon. You should know that booking 'Ohana is a challenge. My husband is far from being the only Guest to love this place, and so it is a highly coveted, and very challenging reservation to nab. Book as far out as you can, (180 days out is the furthest you can go), or be flexible and steadfast in looking for a cancellation. If you're looking for a truly special experience here, research what time "Wishes" is at The Magic Kingdom on the night of your visit, and try to get a reservation that would place you in the restaurant for the show. (NOTE: Not all tables have fireworks views. If this is important to you, check in early and let the host know you are willing to wait a little extra for a fireworks view table.)
     We valet parked at the Polynesian Village around 4:45pm and made our way through the newly-refreshed lobby, and upstairs to check in at the podium, for our 5:10pm reservation. We were given a pager and asked to stay on the second level of the lobby. There is a large seating area, as well as a the tropical Tamu Tamu bar available, so if you want to sip from a pineapple, or just take a load off while you wait, you can. We waited about half an hour to be paged, which is not unusual for 'Ohana. They tend to seat in rounds, so you'll notice the seating area getting quite full, and then several parties' pagers going off, all at one time.  
     We were given the little mini-tour of the fire-grilling area as we walked to our table. Normally, the server would stop at the bread station and grab you a loaf of 'Ohana's Pineapple-Coconut Friendship-Love-BFF's Forever Bread. (Ok, ok, it's really only called Pineapple-Coconut Bread. The previously used name is what we affectionately refer to it as.) Due to K's egg allergy, Disney is very strict about not placing any food on the table until a chef has visited and filled you in on what the person with the allergy can and cannot have. Our server would bring our bread once the chef had been over. We lucked out and got a great castle-view table, but since it was only about 5:30pm, we knew we would not be around for the 10pm fireworks.    
     Our head server was one of the better we have had at 'Ohana. Very accommodating, friendly to the kids, and on top of things. She took care of our drink orders and would help clear plates. Each table also has an assistant server, who handles food delivery. Within ten minutes, the chef came over to visit. We have been to 'Ohana so many times at this point, though, that we did not require a review of the items that K could and could not eat. We were able to simply request an egg-free dessert and avoid the bread. Everything else on the menu is already egg-free.
     Now that we were cleared by the chef, the server brought out our Pineapple-Coconut Friendship-Love-Happiness and Sunshine Dust Bread, 



The Magical Mystical Pineapple Coconut Bread

and our assistant server brought a large bowl of salad. This one looked like a new version since the last time we dined here. There were mixed greens, edamame, radicchio and, I believe, Jicama, all in a Lilikoi dressing. It was tasty, but had some bitterness to it because of the veggies, so after a couple of bites, I put it aside. Next, we were given warm hand towels, (which I always think is a nice touch), with our skillet of Honey-Coriander Chicken Wings, (the hubby's favorite), and Pork Dumplings, (my favorite). We also got our Teriyaki Noodles, (K's favorite), and Stir Fried Veggies, (really no one's favorite). Like usual, this was the time that my normally VERY loud family, became silent. No, we weren't bowing our heads in prayer. We were busy shoving food in to our yappers. D and Daddy both loves them some wings, so they were elbow deep in sticky sauce within minutes. I pretty much go to 'Ohana for the dumplings alone, so I can do some damage. The only thing I did not care for was that they have started serving the dumplings covered in a sticky-sweet sauce. Since I liked them plain much better, I asked the assistant server for a bowl of plain dumplings and promptly got some sans-sauce.

     Now, kids here do have the option of ordering a kid's meal, with choices like chicken nuggets or mac and cheese, however, our kiddos like the food here so much that there's no need to order them something different. In fact, at this point in the meal, K was dangling the long, curly noodles from his mouth and grinning ear-to-ear.
     Almost right after receiving our appetizers, the servers started coming around with the skewered meats. We weren't quite ready for that, since we didn't even have room on our plates for meat, so we politely declined and asked them to return later, which was no problem. D was showing food in her mouth, partially because she was actually hungry, and partially because she wanted to be "ready" when it was time for hula dancing and coconut races. It's always tough for us when we happen to be sat right as the musician is starting up, because then she won't eat because she wants to go dance. This time worked well for us because the singer didn't appear until more than halfway through the meal, so we had plenty of time to fill her belly first.
     When my husband deemed the pile of chicken bones to be high enough, we signaled the "meat guy", (according to D), to come over with the delicious steak, chicken and shrimp skewers. Now, those of you that have eaten at 'Ohana in the past may be realizing that meat choices are fewer now. I remember when they used to have grilled turkey breast, pork loin, sausages, and other options in various years passed. The variety has been limited, however, I do have to say... it's not a bad thing. It seems to me that limiting the selection has allowed them to perfect the three options that they do still have. The chicken was juicy and covered in a delicious sweet and sour glaze. The steak was cooked to a perfect medium, and had fantastic flavor. The shrimp, (though I didn't eat them), were D's favorite and she accumulated a pile of tail shells on her plate as she devoured them. Bravo, 'Ohana!
     Just after the meats were served, the male singer came out and serenaded the restaurant. He then called for all the kids to go up and learn the hula and the Huki Lau song, so D ran off to have some fun. K was engaged in a battle with a tricky pile of tangled "noo-doos", so he didn't mind being left behind. The performers here are fun, talented and very sweet with the kids. K is a particular fan of the female singer who has been there for years and years. She always stops by out table and sings right to him, which makes him cover his face and giggle.
     By the time D came back to the table, it had gotten dark enough out that we were able to see the Electric Water Pageant floating by the windows and that kept the kids entertained as the table was cleared and dessert was brought out. People LOVE 'Ohana's dessert, a warm bread pudding made from the Pineapple-Coconut Best Friends In Love For Life YOLO bread, and served with a banana-caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Personally, I think it's very good, but it doesn't "send me". Give me a chocolate lava cake and I'm thrilled. Cinnamony bread pudding? Eh. The hubs loves it, though, and always manages to squeeze some in, no matter how full he is. D was psyched because they brought her the "kid's dessert", which was a dense chocolate cupcake, with a gooey marshmallow fluff frosting, and mini- M&M's on top. Mr. K of course got a grand, egg-free dessert brought out... vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, egg free cookies and fresh raspberries. The whole family was happy. And full. Very, very full.

     We paid our check and rolled on out of 'Ohana as content as we always are when we eat there. It may be tough to make a reservation, but it's totally worth it!
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl) D, did you like Ohana?  "Yah, I liked the foods." What was your favorite thing to eat?  "Oh, I liked the chicken and the shrimps. Dessert was good too. The marshmallow fluff on the cupcake was good."  Do you think other kids would like it?   "Oh, they'd love it! The coconut races are so fun and I liked to learn the hula dance." (Proceeds to give me a demonstration of her hula skills, which look a bit like she's dancing to Taylor Swift's "Shake It Off".) Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  Hey, K, you liked Ohana, right?  "Hana? Eat."  What was your favorite thing to eat?  "Noo-doos" (Noodles)  Yeah, you loved those noodles. You ate a ton. Did you like your ice cream for dessert?  "Yes. Ice keem. Ooooo... Hana, peez? Dinna, peez? Eat, peez?" (Translation: Yes, ice cream. Ooooo. Ohana please? Dinner please? Eat please?) Dude, you are always hungry. I feel ya.

Will we be back: We probably shouldn't have done Ohana so early in the review process, since there's no way the hubby is going to be ok with it not being in rotation again very, very soon. We may have to do a double-check on this one!

Tink Tested: Boma Dinner

Location: First floor of the Jambo House at Animal Kingdom Lodge

Parking/Transportation Situation: General Resort Parking or Valet Parking available. Bus service from all parks.(If using Disney Transportation, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time.)

Meals Served: B, D

Characters/Entertainment: None

Type of Cuisine: African Infused/Inspired

Type of Menu: Buffet

Pricing/Dining Plan: $$$/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: Boma Dinner Menu

Atmosphere: African marketplace

Bright, beautiful atmosphere, with tapestries hung from the ceilings. Oh, and hey! Look at the Hidden Mickey that the lights made in this picture!

Dress Code: Theme park casual

Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Those that like unique dishes and flavors

Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Moderate

Fun Stuff for Kids: Though there isn't really any entertainment for kids in the restaurant, other than coloring pages, before of after dinner, make time to take the kids out to the animal viewing paddocks around the resort to catch some up-close-and-personal time with zebras, giraffes, antelopes, wildebeests and more.
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: Are we done yet???

Stand out dishes: Zebra Domes (dessert), African Carved Strip Loin, Orange Almond Emulsion Crusted Salmon
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: Only one option here... buffet and all-you-care-to-eat options are always the most bang for your buck on a Dining Plan point.

Soup Bar

Experience: So this was probably like my, I don't know, maybe 20th time eating at Boma, but probably only my 5th or 6th time for dinner. We usually do breakfast here. (On a side note, it's one of the best breakfasts on Disney property, but we will get to that another time.) This was also the kiddos' first time eating at the Lodge. We had an early reservation, (4:30pm), which I was able to book day of, without any trouble, though all of the later times were full, up through about 8:30pm.

     We showed up at about 4:25, and valet parked, (again with the free valet because we have Tables in Wonderland... and the laziness), and walked into the lobby of the Animal Kingdom Lodge. I LOVE DAK Lodge! I really do. It smells fantastic because of the wood burning fireplace, it's airy and bright and it truly transports you to another world. Now, admittedly, despite only being Floridians for 8 months, my kids are already Disney-spoiled. K remembered that there were drums being played in the lobby last time we were at Kidani Village, the other side of the Lodge, and since "dums" are his FAVORITE, he started looking for them as soon as we stepped into the lobby at Jambo House. Sorry, K, no "dums" here. D remembered that there were animals outside to see, so she wanted to head out to one of the many balconies to look for zebras, but Mamma and Daddy had some eatin' to do, so we dragged them on to the elevators and down to Boma.

     We checked in and were sat within ten minutes. Because the restaurant had just opened, it was pretty much empty, which was fine by us. That meant fresh food on the buffet, which is a big plus of having an early dining time at this type of restaurant. Our server came over and welcomed us, with a friendly, "Jambo!" She was very attentive to the kids, and right away acknowledged K's egg allergy. She said the chef would be out momentarily, to walk us through the buffet, so we placed our drink orders and I went up to grab the gremlins a bowl of fruit before they started snarling from hunger. The chef came out just a few minutes later and he was fantastic! He walked me through the buffet line, telling me what K could and could not have. The good news was, there weren't a lot of items that we needed to avoid, but since there were almost no desserts that were egg-free, Chef said to let him know when we were ready for dessert and he'd make K something special.

     Then it was off to the races! First I took D up to fill her plate. She's an awesomely diverse eater and will try almost anything, (except for peas, which will clearly KILL her if she eats them), so we loaded her plate with small pieces of salmon, beef, chicken, and pasta from the "regular" section of the buffet, and mac and cheese and chicken nuggets from the "kids" section. Next I filled a plate for K and went back to the table, THEN I was able to go back and get food for me, before I sent Jay up. I'm sure all of you with small kids can relate to the odd method that is eating your meals in rounds, but this is especially difficult at a buffet. It's a dance, really. A carefully choreographed cycle of who can eat when, how we can fit potty breaks in, and a specifically planned out time that desserts can be brought to the table, since none can appear before we are done force-feeding the littles their veggies. I know #disneypeopleproblems, huh?

     So, Boma does a pretty great job of incorporating African flavors, cooking methods, and recipes, without scaring away those with a less-than-diverse pallet. I would say I fall into the category of being a non-adventurous eater. I don't like hot spices, I can't stand certain meats and fish, like veal, lamb, sushi, and some others, and I am NOT a condiment fan. Getting mayo or mustard on my hand is like, one of my worst nightmares. I don't know why, they just freak me out. I did just fine at Boma, though I will say, I really only ate the few items that I truly enjoyed, and stuck with those. I loved the salmon, which was cooked perfectly and covered in a creamy, orange-infused sauce, and a layer of crunchy almonds. D liked it a lot too. Her favorite was the Durban Spiced Chicken. My husband tried some of the ribs, (which were shockingly spicy), and the strip loin, (the "big boy" buffet items), but his favorite part of Boma is the all-you-can-eat kids chicken fingers. He feels that there's something magical about Disney chicken fingers, so he enjoyed the unlimited access to them. K liked the meatballs and pasta, and the mac and cheese the most. (Yay, carbs!) And he ate about a pound of grapes too, so he was happy.

An African Dish, Bobotie, and Durban Spiced Chicken

Yum!!! Desserts! The middle, green tray has the Zebra Domes on it.

     Boma is heavy on side items, salads and soups. There's pretty much one whole buffet table each for salads, soups, fruits, and rice and vegetable dishes. If this is your type of thing, Boma is totally worth your money. Especially if you like trying different things, like watermelon rind salad, and multiple types of couscous. Since none of those things really appeal to my family, we found ourselves eating mostly meats and desserts. Delicious meats and desserts, but we didn't exactly feel like we were enjoying all of the spoils of Boma. I could tell that other guests were getting more out of it than we were.  

     Speaking of desserts, there were a good amount to pick from. The Key Lime Cheesecake was tasty and not too tart. The Warm Apple Cobbler was egg-free, so K gladly gobbled up some of that. There was Guava Panna Cotta, and a great selection of kid-friendly brownies, cupcakes and cookies. The real showstopper at Boma though are the Zebra Domes, which are something of a Disney legend. If you've never had one, and you like coffee flavors, make it a point to try these. (NOTE: If eating at Boma doesn't fit in your schedule or budget, you can now buy Zebra Domes in little to-go containers in DAK Lodge's quick service location, The Mara. You're welcome.) But, hold up a minute...I gotta say, Zebra Domes, you're good and all, but the Kenyan Coffee Tarts outshined you. Tiny little chocolate cups, filled with rich, mocha mousse..... Get. In. My. Belly.

    

Oh, and the Chef didn't forget K. For dessert, they brought him a massive bowl of raspberry sorbet, with egg free cookies and fresh berries on top. He sat, QUIETLY, eating and swinging his feet in delight, for about 15 minutes. Happy kid.

     Overall, the experience was smooth. Plates were cleared quickly, drinks were refilled as needed. We did notice large lines at the buffet as the crowd got thicker, so we were glad we ate early. I can imagine that dining between 5-7pm would require a bit more patience. The food was fresh, tasty and certainly unique. But for Tink's family, I think that there was more "uniqueness" than we could handle. Give me a basic garden salad over Minted Greens with Watermelon and Feta, any day. (But that's just me. You may now be salivating over that last description. If you are... go to Boma!)

     After dinner, we had to go up to the lobby balcony, to look for zebras, as promised. We didn't see any, but K and D were psyched to see a giraffe and her baby eating from a tree right at eye level to them. We watched in awe, until the sugar from dessert kicked in and K yelled, "Hiiiii, Jaff!", at the top of his lungs, scaring the poor things, as well as a housekeeper who was sweeping the floor next to us. Go home, K. You're sugar-drunk.

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl) Hey, D... how was Boma? "Oooh, it was good! I liked it." What was your favorite thing that you ate?  "Ummm, that raspberry ice cream stuff that K had for dessert. That was SO good." I think so too. It was really good sorbet. What else?  "I liked that chicken that was like, spicy, but not like HOT spicy."  I think you mean the Durban chicken.  "Yeah, the urban chicken."  Close enough.Would other kids would like it at Boma?  "I don't know about that. I like the spicy stuff and not all kids do. They had a lot of weird stuff."

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  K, did you like Boma?  "Boma."  Yeah, did you like it?  "Ya"  What did you like about it?  "Jaf. K see jaf. Hi, jaf." (Aka, giraffe.)  Yeah, that was fun, but what about the food?  "Yum, eat."  I'm gonna go with Boma being a win for K. Then again, any place that gives him a massive bowl of dessert is a win in his book.

Will we be back: We will likely not to dinner again, at least not until the kids specifically ask to eat here, but I can't wait to make our breakfast reservation! They have the BEST roasted potatoes, egg dishes, and press-pot Kenyan coffee!

Tink Tested: Breakfast at Whispering Canyon

Location: Just off of the lobby in the Wilderness Lodge Resort

Parking/Transportation Situation: General Resort Parking or Valet Parking available. Bus service from all parks. Boat service from Magic Kingdom. (If using Disney Transportation, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time.)

Meals Served: B, L, D

Characters/Entertainment: No characters, wooden pony races around the dining room, boisterous and entertaining servers

Type of Cuisine: Hearty country breakfast and BBQ favorites

Type of Menu: Your choice of a la carte, or all-you-can-eat, family-style dining

Pricing/Dining Plan: $/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: Whispering Canyon Breakfast Menu

Atmosphere: Rustic, NorthWest lodge

Whispering Canyon's rustic dining room

Dress Code: Theme park casual

Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Kids and Families

Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Moderate

Fun Stuff for Kids: Waiting area has a play table with Lincoln Logs available for building, coloring pages are issued, kids are encouraged to take part in wooden pony races around the restaurant, and they are always included in the server's antics, by being asked to do things like loudly sing "Happy Birthday, Cha-Cha-Cha" to table mates, or throw napkins at their table. Kids LOVE it here!
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: What rides?????

Stand out dishes: Mickey waffles (on skillet), Chuck Wagon Pulled Pork Eggs Benedict, House-Made Banana Bread French Toast, delicious refillable milkshakes
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: All-You-Care-To-Eat Skillet (However, as a general rule of thumb, it is best to pay for breakfasts out of pocket, and use your points on more costly dinners.)

Experience: I should start by saying, we LOVE Whispering Canyon. There was definitely no arm-twisting involved in getting my family to eat here for one of my first reviews. My husband and I love the delicious country-style food, my daughter loves the loud, anything goes atmosphere and my 2 year old son thinks that all-you-can-eat anything is a dream come true. Though we frequently eat dinner here, I hadn't had breakfast at Whispering Canyon in many years, and my husband and kids had never had their breakfast. The whole family was excited to be partaking in some Whispering Canyon fun.
     I managed to get a reservation that morning, which isn't uncommon for breakfast. We valet parked, (since we have a Tables in Wonderland card, valet is complimentary and we only have to pay the tip....and we are lazy), and stepped into the gorgeous, spacious lobby around 10:25am, with our reservation being for 10:30am. If you've never been to the Lodge, it's a must-see! Especially if you can get there at Christmastime, when the decorations are amazing. We checked in and, much to the kids' delight, were told they were running a little behind. That meant that D and K had time to play with the Lincoln Logs while we waited. Our pager went off just about ten minutes later, and we were sat at a square table.
     For those of you that are familiar with Whispering Canyon, there was a relatively new twist. It used to be set up so that every table got the same treatment, and even those that were not into it, were subjected to their server's whacky shtick. There must have been some negative feedback, because now, you are given a coaster with green on one side and red on the other. If you are there for the food and not someone who likes to be messed with, you would put it on the red side, and your service will be just like any other restaurant. But, if you are a good sport, and are there to have fun, put your coaster on the green side, and be prepared for anything! I don't want to give away too much, so I'll only share what happened to us while we dined. (Obviously, we set our coaster to the green side.)
     Our server was a very sweet, and funny young man. He spoke mostly to the kids and really made them giggle. Though we did glance at the menu, we all went with the all-you-care-to-eat skillet, since it offers variety and we each enjoy many of the offerings on it. One thing that is unique and really nice about this location is that each family member can make their own choice as to whether they want the skillet or not. If one member of your party is not a big eater, or has a specific item that they want that it is not on the skillet, they can order a la carte, even if others are getting the skillet. Due to K's egg allergy, the chef came out to discuss what he could and could not eat. In 99% of our experiences in Disney restaurants, they have been fantastic about handling his allergy. The chef will verbally talk us through the menu, or physically walk us through the buffet, and tell us what we need to avoid. They also will usually make him his own special dessert, or meal, depending on how hard it is to avoid eggs there. I was surprised to hear that at this location, they could not make him egg-free waffles, as they had done in the past for us at places like 1900 Park Fare and Trail's End. The chef said he could make him some bacon, sausage and potatoes, separately from the rest of the skillet, to ensure that they were not exposed to eggs, but otherwise we would have to order him something. We ended up ordering a bowl of oatmeal for him, which he enjoyed.
     If the all-you-care-to-eat option doesn't appeal to you, the a la carte menu is chock-full-o delectable options, like chocolate chip pancakes, waffles, and egg dishes.
     When our drinks arrived in their mason jars, our server handed D a fist full of napkins and straws and told her to throw them at our table, which she did with glee. This confused K to no end.

Our table, post D's straw and napkin attack.

     In just a few minutes, our skillet came out, complete with fluffy scrambled eggs, smoky bacon and sausage, home fried potatoes, warm biscuits and the fam-MOUSE Mickey waffles. All of the items were fresh, served hot, and there was plenty to go around. Our server put D in charge of dispensing syrup, which she seemed to think was a special honor bestowed upon her. She became a small, syrup Nazi, carefully portioning out small amounts for everyone else, but huge gobs for herself. She thought this was phenomenal. My husband really liked the potatoes. They had little bits of bell peppers in with them, which gave them a roasted pepper flavor. I did not care for that flavor, and opted out of the potatoes. I love scrambled eggs and Mickey waffles, though, so I was all good. D didn't like the potatoes either, but she was more than happy to put some on her plate, because she knew that meant she was going to need...... KETCHUP!!!!! (For those of you that are familiar with Whispering Canyon, you know what I mean, but if you've never been, make a mental note to be sure and make someone at your table ask the server for some of the red stuff.) When our skillet was almost empty, our server asked what we would like refilled. We asked for more bacon, waffles and eggs, which were brought out about ten minutes later. It gave us enough time to digest and not overload ourselves on Round Two, which was challenging not to do, since the second skillet's bacon was far crispier and just the way I like it.

     D was also VERY excited when the announcement was made that there would be a wooden pony race. She had done this before when we had dinner here in the past and loved it. All of the kids, (and any adult that need some embarrassing), are invited to grab a wooden pony on a stick and gallop around the restaurant, whooping and hollerin' all the way! Lots of fun to watch the giggly, smiley faces of the little ones.
     When we were stuffed to the gills and K decided to start throwing things on the floor, we asked for the check, and headed out. Overall, we had a great meal, and left happy and full. Though we enjoyed the meal, next time, we will do dinner instead. We really enjoy the barbeque and smoked meats and K thinks corn of the cobb was sent straight from heaven. Can't wait to remind him of THAT when he is ten and won't eat a vegetable!

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl) What did you think of Whispering Canyon, D? Did you like it? What was your favorite thing? Do you think other kids would like it?     "I liked it. The taste was good. Especially the scrambled eggs and bacon." (I swear, this girl could exist on bacon alone and be happy. No shock that she is MY kid.) "I like the Lincoln Logs table at the front. And the server guy was silly. He had me throw straws at people and that was fun. Kids would like that."

Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  Hey, K, did you like breakfast at Whispering Canyon?  "Yeah"  What was your favorite thing to eat?  "Yeah"  No, what was your favorite food that you ate?  "Dadda hep me ee oh-meal." (Translation: "Daddy helped me eat oatmeal.")  Yes, I know. Did you like it?  "No."  Well, ok then. What about the restaurant? Did you have fun coloring and playing?   "Yeah. Mamma, I go pay in pay oom. Ba-bye." (Translation: "Mamma, I'm going to go play in the playroom. Bye.")   I'm impressed I held his attention for THAT long.

Will we be back: For sure, but next time, we're sticking with dinner. BBQ and cornbread? Yes, please.

To All Who Come To This Happy Place, Welcome!

     You are not the first to pass this way... Nor shall you be the last (hopefully)! Welcome. I assume you're here because you, like me, are a massive Disney fanatic. That, or you are planning a trip to Disney and, (aside from a large quantity of money), you're gonna need some help. Or you're lost. Very, very lost. Well, no matter why you're here, I am happy to have you!

     I hope that you will find my thoughts, feelings, reviews and observations about all things Disney to be helpful, amusing, relevant, fair, and that your sense of humor processes sarcasm well.

     Since we love eating on Disney property and dining is one of the most confusing and costly endeavors, I, Tink, volunteer as tribute. I will take my family and boldly dine at as many restaurants on Disney property as I can handle. We will fill up at the buffets. We will order dessert, despite being full. We will be online at 5am, 180 days in advance, to reserve our spot at Cinderella's Royal Table. We will snack, drink, eat and enjoy.... all in the name of research. Yes, dear readers, I will be blogging away reviews, as we dine around the "World".

     Grab yourself a Dole Whip and hold on tight! Coming soon... My review of Dinner at Boma and my review of Breakfast at Whispering Canyon!