Symbol Key

In order to best understand my reviews, here's how to decode the symbols that I have used:

PRICING:
$= Entrees average less than $20
$$= Entrees average $20-$29
$$$= Entrees average $30 or more

LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY IN GETTING A RESERVATION:
Easy= Can book within the week of travel or possibly walk-in
Moderate= Tough to get desired time, but usually some availability
Hard= Must book 180 days out, or luck into a cancellation

RATING OF APPEAL TO KID-DINERS:
Are we done yet???= Little to offer in terms of exciting atmosphere or entertainment
This is cool! = A moderatly entertaining environment, that should keep your littles entertained for the majority of the meal.
What rides??? = Will entertain and delight your child enough to make them willing to forfeit another go-around on Dumbo


Showing posts with label Disney restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney restaurants. Show all posts

Friday, October 9, 2015

Extra! Extra! Tink All About It!: New Restaurant Announced for Disney Springs!

Good morning, Tinkers!

     Happy FRIDAY! Congrats! You made it to the weekend!

Photo Credit: DisneyWorld.com
     This morning, there's some fun news out of Disney Springs! In Summer of 2016, Chef Art Smith will bring us Homecoming: Florida Kitchen and Southern Shine. The award-winning chef has appeared on many cooking shows, and has been preparing food for celebrities and politicians for years. Being a native Floridian, he has a special love for down-home Southern cuisine, with a Florida twist, and that's just what Homecoming will be about. The menu will feature items like Shrimp and Grits, Deviled Eggs and Mockingbird Cake, and I am sure the atmosphere will be fun and welcoming, though details have not been revealed yet, other than the setting being described as "rustic-chic". The Southern Shine Bar will surely have some outstanding summer punches, cocktails and elixirs.

     Disney Springs is sounding more and more awesome every time something new is announced! What do you think? What are you the most excited about experiencing at the all new Disney Springs?

Thursday, October 1, 2015

Tink Tested: Sanaa Lunch

Location: Lower floor, Kidani Village side of Animal Kingdom Lodge
Parking/Transportation Situation: General Resort Parking available in the garage, underneath the buildings. Bus service from all parks.(If using Disney Transportation, allow 1-1.5 hours transportation time.)
Meals Served: L, D
Characters/Entertainment: None
Type of Cuisine: African Infused/Inspired with Indian flavors
Type of Menu: A La Carte
Pricing/Dining Plan: $/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu:Sanaa Lunch Menu
Atmosphere: Indian spice market



 Dress Code: Theme park casual
Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Those that like unique dishes and flavors, as well as animal lovers
Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Easy
Fun Stuff for Kids: Talk about a meal with a view! The huge, floor to ceiling windows look out upon the resort's savanna, where you can watch giraffes, zebras, ankole cattle, wildebeests, cranes and more, grazing on grasses and trees. Most kids are enthralled with watching the incredible animals, but be aware that not all tables will have a view. If the view is high on your priority list, check in early, and tell the seater that you are willing to wait for a window-side table. That's no guarantee that you'll get one, but it's your best shot. 
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: This is cool!!!
Stand out dishes: Naan bread service, Tandori Chicken, butter Chicken, Grilled Beef Sirloin Steak, Tanzanian Chocolate Mousse
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: Potjie Inspired (23.99) + Dessert Trio (7.49) + Smoothie (4.99) =  36.47
Experience: The Hubs and I took K and our friend, KC, to Sanaa for lunch without really pre-planning. We were hungry, and wanted to go someplace that would be fun, but involved very little walking and being out in the heat, so this was perfect.  We booked the reservation as we pulled into the parking lot. 
     The Hubs and I have been to Sanaa several times before and had brought K once before. KC had never been, and we always love bringing Disney fans to new places. Sanaa is in the newer side of the Animal Kingdom Lodge, Kidani Village. This is also known as the DVC side or the Disney Vacation Club side. One of the nice things about Kidani is that they have garage parking right underneath the rooms and the lobby, so you don't have to walk outside much at all. Their main lobby is not as vast and impressive as the one at Jambo House, but it is still authentic to the regions of Africa that it is designed to represent, and it is gorgeous. I do feel that Kidani has the better animal viewing savanna. Every time we go there, we see more animals and they tend to be closer to the windows and balconies, which is perfect, since a huge plus to dining at Sanaa is the breathtaking view of the animals on the savanna outside of the large windows. 
     We checked into Sanaa about twenty minutes before our scheduled reservation time and were sat about 15 minutes after we checked in. Now, not all of the tables in the restaurant have views out of the windows, and only a handful of them are actually next to the windows. We lucked out and got a table that was just to the side of one of the large windows. The restaurant is gorgeous, with many African and Indian touches throughout. I love the ceiling, which looks like the canopy of a big tree, with the trunk growing down into the middle of the dining room. There are lots of warm, earthy touches, and even the floor is designed to look like caked and cracked clay. Outside of the windows, we could see Ankole Cattle laying on the ground, (they are the ones with the impossibly large horns), and zebras munching on grass in the distance. 

     Our server came over to welcome us and get our drink order. I let him know about K's egg allergy and he gave me an allergy menu to look at. We decided that rather than order K his own meal, he could share off of my plate, so I checked out the allergy-friendly options. The Hubs looooves the Bread Service at Sanaa, so he immediately placed that order. The naan is amazing! Naan is a flat, doughy bread, sort of like a pizza crust, which is baked carefully in a clay oven. It comes in various flavors and styles, and with the bread service, you can pick three types of breads and three accompaniments. We went with the Traditional Naan, the Paneer Paratha (a cheesy bread), and the Onion Kucha and for accompaniments, we picked the Coriander Chutney, Tamarind Chutney and Roasted Red Bell Pepper Hummus. 
     When the drinks came, The Hubs remembered that for animal safety, Animal Kingdom Lodge, (as well as Animal Kingdom Park), uses paper straws, which he hates. I don't LOVE them, since it's sort of like drinking out of an empty toilet paper roll, but I can tolerate them. Lucky for The Hubs, I keep an extra Mickey silly straw in K's backpack, just in case we need one, so yes, my husband, as a grown man, sat in a restaurant, drinking from a kid's silly straw. The Bread Service came out shortly after and looked and smelled fantastic. I'm not a condiment person, so I took a plain, Traditional Naan and dug in. KC and The Hubs really enjoyed the various sauces, with the Coriander Chutney being the clear favorite. We were accidentally given a Spicy Naan, and the server apologized and said we could keep it anyway. The Hubs actually liked that one too. We aren't big fans of spice heat, but this bread wasn't overly spicy. K liked the Traditional Naan, though he thought it was pizza, and ate a bunch of it. 
     We placed our orders right after receiving the drinks and the entrees came out within 10 minutes of ordering them. In fact, we were still digging into the bread when our plates were delivered, and we had to clear room on the table. KC got the Sanaa Burger, which is a burger on a naan bun, with spiced mustard, goat cheese, pickled shallots and piquante peppers. She said it was delicious. I used to always order the burger at Sanaa, but it also used to be much more simple and plain. It used to be served open faced, on a piece of fresh naan, with minted greens and tomatoes. The newer version is too fancy for me, but KC really loved it and was glad she ordered it. 



The Hubs had ordered the Tandoori Chicken, which is served like the old version of the burger, open-faced on fresh naan bread with minted greens, tomatoes, onion and then a cucumber riata sauce. He absolutely loved it and was actually quiet for the majority of the meal, because he was so engrossed in his dish. The flavors all worked really well together, the chicken was tender and the naan was right out of the oven. 


I chose the Grilled Beef Sirloin Steak, since the whole dish was egg-free and K could share with me. It came out looking SO delicious, with bright colors from the roasted veggies, and it was plated very nicely. 



Unfortunately, the meat was overcooked to a medium well, when I had ordered medium rare. I informed the server, and he apologized. He had me put the steak on a side plate for him to bring back to the kitchen, and allowed me to enjoy the flavorful veggies and the delicious mashed potatoes, while a new cut of steak was cooked. I gave K some carrots and "white broccoli" (aka cauliflower), and he gobbled them up. Luckily, I also had a few snacks in his bag to keep him busy while we waited for the new steak. It did take another 15 minutes to get my steak, but the second cut was prepared perfectly, and it was served with a whole new plate of veggies and potatoes. The server also told me that it would not be on our bill, which was very kind and generous of him. K and I both thoroughly enjoyed the beef and I would order it again in a heartbeat. 
     When it was time for dessert, K opted for the lollipop he had spotted in his backpack when we went to use the potty. Oh! Speaking of which... Can we just look at this potty.. I mean, bathroom

It's gorgeous! Do yourself a favor and make a stop off at the restroom, just to enjoy the decor! Ok, back to dessert...
     Everyone else passed, but I decided on the Tanzanian Chocolate Mousse, which is flavored with Kenyan coffee and topped with caramel. I mean, what about THAT doesn't sound awesome? I was NOT disappointed in any way. Firstly, it was gorgeous, and came with a chocolate butterfly, and a quote stenciled onto the plate in cocoa powder. 


And it tasted incredible! The mousse was rich and smooth, with enough coffee flavor for it to be noticeable, but not overpowering. The chocolate was the star flavor. The caramel was a nice, salty compliment to the sweet dessert, and the portion was big enough for The Hubs to have a couple of bites. Perfection!
     As we wrapped up, the restaurant had emptied out, and I went over an took a look out some of the other windows, at the other animals that were grazing about. We saw giraffes, wildebeest, cranes and more. All of the animals were close to the windows and just going about their business, totally unfazed by us tourists, staring at their every move. 


Although, is it just me, or does this zebra on the right seem pretty convinced that he is hiding behind that tree?


I also peeked in at the bar, which was really fun and beautifully decorated. It'd be a nice place to grab a drink or a dessert and sit for a bit. Overall, I was really pleased with our lunch. It's impressive to me when a restaurant that has a rather exotic menu and offers many foods rich in spices and seasonings can still offer me, a rather plain eater, something delicious and straight forward, but with their own twist on it. Kwaherini, Sanaa! Until we meet again...
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (3 yo boy)  K, did you like eating with the animals?   "Yah, Mamma. I eat the nanimals."   Well, technically you did eat cattle, so you DID kind of eat the animals. Didn't think of that while we were there though. Interesting.   "In-tes-in. Hee-hee-hee." (Mini-maniacal laugh.)
Will we be back: We will be back at some point. I wouldn't say it's in my favorites necessarily, but Sanaa is definitely unique and when you combine the food with the view and the atmosphere, it's irresistible. 

Tuesday, September 22, 2015

Tink Tested: Hollywood and Vine Lunch

Location: Echo Lake Area in Disney Hollywood Studios   
Parking/Transportation Situation: General Parking available. Boat service available and/or walking paths from The BoardWalk, The Yacht and Beach Club, The Swan and Dolphin and the back entrance of Epcot. Bus service from all other resorts, The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney. 
Meals Served: B, L, D
Characters/Entertainment: At breakfast and lunch only, appearances are made by Doc McStuffins, Sofia the First, Jake of Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and Handy Manny. Multiple times an hour, entertainers appear and do a sing-a-long song and a dance with the characters. Kids are welcome to join in. 
Type of Cuisine: American fare
Type of Menu: Buffet
Pricing/Dining Plan: $$$/ 1 Table Service Point Per Person
Full Menu: Hollywood and Vine Lunch Buffet Menu
Atmosphere: An Hollywood themed cafeteria

Dress Code: Theme park casual
Guests Who Would Enjoy This The Most: Toddlers and Disney Junior fans
Level of Difficulty of Getting a Reservation: Moderate
Fun Stuff for Kids: Your kids will love meeting their Disney Junior friends, as well as singing and dancing along to the live performances! 
Rating of Appeal to Kid-Diners: What rides?????
Stand out dishes: Baked Chicken, Shrimp and Lobster Mac and Cheese, Roasted Pork, Chocolate Dipped Items, Key Lime Tart
Best Use of Dining Plan Point: The only option here is buffet, but generally speaking, any all-you-care-to-eat option will give you the most "bang" for your Disney Dining plan "buck"
Experience:  So, this story starts off a little oddly. We did not have reservations for Hollywood and Vine, nor did we have the intention of eating there. We were at The Studios to play and had made a reservation for the 50's Prime Time Cafe for lunch. Well, let's say, it did NOT go as planned. We ended up having a really terrible experience with a server, prompting us to decide to cancel our order, and go elsewhere. Yes, I do realize the the 50's Cafe is meant to be "shtick-y", and sometimes it is in the server's "act" to be grumpy and fake-abrasive, but this server's attitude was clearly NOT part of his act. He seemed inconvenienced by everything from K's allergy, to having to explain menu items to us, and us asking for "too many substitutions". (The Hubs asked for no gravy and no vegetables, not for them to recreate his grandmother's casserole recipe.) When the server made D feel badly for wanting the salmon with a different side than what it came with, we decided we were done. Make me feel uncomfortable, no big deal. Make my kid feel bad, it's on like Donkey Kong! Rather than get upset, we notified the manager to cancel our order and headed out. I do want to make sure I am clear about this.... I am NOT saying that Prime Time is in ANY way bad. Any place can have a bad server and any server can have a bad day. We will gladly return to Prime Time in the future... as long as we are not sat with the same server. 
     After that experience, the kids were about to loose their minds. It had been about an hour since we first checked into Prime Time and the Littles were HANGRY. I checked the podium at Hollywood and Vine, but they were not taking any more walk-ins for the day. Well, the very gracious manager from Prime Time helped us out, due to our snag, and got us on the list. We were sat within 10 minutes. (NICE way to recover, Disney!) 
     We had actually done this same lunch with the kids the very first time we brought them to Disney and D loved it. K was too little to enjoy it, but now he's totally into Disney Junior, so he was excited to see some of his favorite pals. At breakfast and lunch, your little Disney fans can meet Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, Handy Manny and Jake, (of Jake and the Neveraland Pirates), while you dine on a buffet-style meal. (It is important to note that THERE ARE NO CHARACTERS AT DINNER! Wouldn't want there to be any disappointed dudes and dudettes.) This is one of the ONLY places on Disney property to see these characters, other than their meet and greet locations, also in The Hollywood Studios. 
     The restaurant just sort of looks like a big cafeteria, with some campy Hollywood murals painted on the walls, but you're not really here for the atmosphere. You're here for the STARS! It's a huge bonus that the eats are delicious, as well!
     When we were sat, the Cast Member explained the "flow" of the characters, so that we would not miss any incoming photo ops. Our server came right over and got us drinks, plus noted that the chef would be over to walk us through the buffet for K's egg allergy. 
     Before we even had the chance to get up for food, Jake came to our table. K and D greeted him with an, "Arrrggghhhh!", possibly startling him. He made a quick recovery and posed for some pics with them, and gave them a cuddle before moving on. Before Sofia could get to our row, the chef was over and he took me up to the buffet to tell me what K could have and what we needed to avoid. I got plates for the kiddos and myself, and then sent The Hubs up. All of the items looked fresh and items that were running low were quickly replaced. There was a large assortment of breads and salad items, as well as two soups. The meat options included pork, beef, baked chicken, salmon and ranch chicken. There were plenty of tasty sides, including a sweet cornbread spoonbread, lobster and shrimp mac and cheese and sauteed green beans. The kid's area had chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, broccoli and tater tots. Both our kids dug into the baked chicken and tater tots. The Hubs favored the pork and the meatballs, (he, of course, made tiny sandwiches, as he always does), and I liked the ranch chicken and the salmon. And you have to have some of the spoonbread. Mmmmm.... Good stuff. 

 

 

Mashed Potatoes, BBQ Chicken and Corn
BBQ Meatballs and Green Beans
Plantains and Roasted Pork
Rice and Baked Chicken
Ranch Chicken, Vegetable Pasta and Salmon
Roasted Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Mixed Beans
Mac and Cheese, Tater Tots, Chicken Nuggets and Steamed Broccoli
     As we were eating, Sofia came by. There was no way she was sneaking up on anyone, since her pearls of her dress were clanging on the metal chairs as she walked. K said, "Mamma, Fia's dress play dums?" Apparently it sounded to him like her dress was playing percussion on the furniture. Then again, EVERYTHING sounds like "dums" to K. I think this dude is gonna be a drummer. But I digress... Sofia is a favorite of both of my kids and they fawned over her amulet and her tiara and she was very patient and sweet with them. Then it was time for the "Play" part of the "Play and Dine" experience. Every 20 minutes or so, they play some favorite Disney Junior songs, like "Time For Your Check Up", or "Talk Like a Pirate", and two entertainment Cast Members come out and sing and dance with the characters. Kids are encouraged to come up to the middle and join in the fun, unlike most other character meals where the kids are asked to stay in their seats at all times. They even did a conga line through the dining room! 

Playing and Dancing with Doc and Sofia
Manny gets down!

     When the singing and dancing portion was over, Doc, who was supposed to be headed to our row next, went to a different part of the restaurant. We waited, figuring she'd come back, but she didn't right away. Since the people sitting next to us were about the leave and hadn't seen her yet, they let the character greeter know that Doc had missed our row. She apologized and said she'd send her over as soon as possible, and she did. Doc came over and spent a little extra time with us, letting the kids play with her stethoscope and giving them extra hugs. 

 

     After two rounds at the buffet, we were getting full. We got a quick greeting from Handy Manny, and then D and I went and picked out dessert. They have an awesome chocolate fountain at Hollywood and Vine, which made me think they would have a chocolate fondue-type of thing, but it was items that a chef pre-dips and serves up once the chocolate has hardened. Still good, but not what I was expecting. Since they dip everything from fruit, to pretzels, to brownies in the chocolate, K couldn't have any dipped items. There was too much of a risk that there would be brownie or cookie crumbs on his items. The chef did, however, give him a whole bowl of plain marshmallows and Mickey sprinkles, which he couldn't have been happier about. He could also have ice cream, so he was good. D filled a plate with chocolate covered apples, strawberries, and other goodies. The Hubs and I tried out some of the pastries, and were very happy with the options. I was shocked to enjoy the Key Lime Tarts. I'm usually not a fan, since I find Key Lime stuff to be too sweet, but these were just tart enough and didn't overdo it on the sugar. Perfect! 

 

     We were there long enough that we got second visits from Jake and Sofia.  We left full, satisfied, and very pleased with our service. The server had done a good job of clearing plates quickly, and keeping our drinks filled. She was pleasant and interacted with the kids in a friendly way. Yes, our lunch ended up costing us almost double what we would have spent at Prime Time, but I'd always rather pay more and enjoy our experience, than pay less and leave unhappy. 
      Now, I can imagine that dining here WITHOUT small children would be a less than pleasant experience. It does get loud and crazy at times, and even though very few people would ever be unhappy with a hug and a visit from a character like Mickey, I could see an adult-only party feeling awkward about meeting characters who play to the preschool lot. With that said, if you're coming with toddlers, stand back! They'll be psyched out of their minds! But be prepared that they may not eat much due to their extreme levels of excitement. I mean, it is Sofia. SOFIA... THE FIRST
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl)  Ok, D... So, were you happy with the way lunch turned out?   "YES! I was so, so, so, SO happy to have lunch with Sofia and Doc and Jake! Oh, and Mandy!"   You mean Manny. Handy Manny.   "Yeah, Handy Mandy!"   Alllllright.... and what about food? What did you like?   "Oh, the salmon was delicious and the chicken was very nice and the marshmallows were chocolatey and good too."   Fair enough. Do you want to go back there sometime?   "YES! It was so, so, so, SO fun!"   But was it fun?    (super seriously, of course) "Yeah. It was fun. I said that."
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (3 yo boy)  K, what about you? Did you have fun with Fia and Doc and Jake and Manny?   "Ummmmm.... yeah, Mamma. I like Jake an Ein-signs."   Einsteins? Little Einsteins weren't there. You mean you like to watch them on tv?   "Yeah, I like them an rockit. BAST-OFFFFFFF!!!!!"   That's right! They tell Rocket to Blast Offffff!!! What about the food? Was it good food?   "Ummmmm..... yeah. Good food too."   What did you like?   "Ummmmm...... Mushellows. An Speen-kles."  Mmmm, marshmallows and sprinkles. Tasty. Totally worth paying a $25 buffet price for, huh?   "Yes! I like it!"   Of course you do, dude.  
Will we be back: We are actually booked for the Minnie's Holiday Dine special event that is coming up in November, so we will be back, but for dinner and with a different set of characters. If that were not booked, I would still be willing to return, but I think I'd try breakfast next time, just to mix it up. 

Saturday, September 12, 2015

Tink Tested: Cooke's of Dublin Dinner

Location: Next to Raglan Road in Disney Springs 
Meals Served: L, D
Type of Cuisine: Irish/English quick service
Dining Plan: Yes
Full Menu: Cooke's of Dublin Dinner Menu
Atmosphere: Casual pub/cafe
Fun Stuff: The many outdoor tables allow for great people watching, and you can even catch some live music on most nights. 
Stand out dishes: Fish and Chips, Hog-in-a-Box, Beef and Lamb Pie, Garlic and Parmesan Chips (Fries)

Best Use of Dining Plan Point: Meat Pie, Shrimp or Hog-in-a-Box ($11.95) + Any Dessert ($5.00) + Any Cold Beverage ($3.50) = $20.45



Experience: The night we went to Disney Springs to check in on all of the construction projects and see what was new, we hadn't eaten any dinner, and the gremlins, (K and D), were ravenous, so we picked one of our favorite quick service spots to grab a bite, Cooke's of Dublin. We discovered this place a few years ago, when we were on a vacation and using a dining plan. We were looking for some unique options. You know, something other than the standard burgers and fries. We knew we loved Raglan Road, so we figured Cooke's was a smart choice to try, since it is owned and operated by the same people. Since then, we have been many times, though we hadn't ever taken the kids there. 
     If you have never been, Cooke's of Dublin is a small counter service location, connected to the side of Raglan Road. They specialize in delicious dishes from the United Kingdom, like meat pies and battered fish and chips, but in a quick service format. It's a nice alternative to Raglan Road when you can't get a reservation, or you don't want to pay the prices of a full service dinner. 
     We were there on a Sunday night, and Disney Springs was relatively busy, so the line for Cooke's of Dublin was out the door. Now, that's an easy thing to have happen, since the location is on the small side, but it was still comparatively busy. Seating is a really tough thing here, since there are only a handful of tables inside the cafe, in the air conditioning, and not a whole lot outside either. It was a pretty hot night, so I grabbed an inside table while The Hubs placed our orders. He did run into some difficulty since they do not offer an allergy menu, and the staff seemed confused as to the difference between an egg allergy and a dairy/gluten allergy. They kept telling The Hubs that he was safe to order the chicken fingers for K, because the batter was dairy and gluten free. He would then say, "Yes, but are they EGG free?", and the gentleman behind the counter would say, "Yeah, dairy and gluten free." Huh? After much confusion, we finally got it confirmed that all of their standard batter for breading is not JUST dairy and gluten free, but also egg-free as well. Once that was out of the way, The Hubs took the number they gave him to place on our table, and got our refillable drinks from the fountain. We waited a very long time for our food... almost 30 minutes. They were very busy, so we understood, but keeping the hungry littles from melting down for 30 minutes while we waited wasn't easy. 
     When the food did come to the table, everything looked amazing. K and D would be sharing an order of chicken fingers and chips, which were cut similar to steak fries. The chicken was lean and the breading was not overly greasy. I got a Caesar salad. It looked fresh and fantastic, with a nice surprise of prosciutto crisps on top, but unfortunately, the dressing was flavorless and super oily. In fact, I said to The Hubs, "The only way to describe this salad is 'slick'." It just felt slippery and gross, with no flavor to it. I ended up not eating it. That was fine though, because we also had an order of my favorite: garlic Parmesan skinny chips. These babies are hot, delicious fries, covered in garlic and fresh grated cheese. SO good! I highly recommend you trying them! The Hubs got the "Hog in a Box", which we both found to be a hysterically funny name, but we both have the sense of humor of a 12 year old boy. It was a piece of pork shoulder, potatoes, sage and onion stuffing and applesauce, all in a Chinese-takeout-looking box. It was SO delicious! The pork was tender and flavorful, and the sweetness of the applesauce mixed so nicely with the savory stuffing. He was really glad he ordered it. He had planned on ordering his standard Cooke's of Dublin favorite, which is their Battered Burger. Yup. An actual battered and fried burger. He loves it. I find it to be too much grease for me. Because of this visit, though, he has a NEW favorite dish, and will likely order the Hog in a Box again. 
Chicken and Chips

Garlic Parmesan Chips

Caesar Salad

Hog in a Box

Hog in a Bo
   Even though the food took a long time and my salad was disappointing, the fries, the pork, and the chicken fingers all made the visit worthwhile. I find their battered items, like the fish and chicken, to be consistently delicious. Their chips are always flawless. You should, for sure, add it to your "Must Do" list for Disney Springs, just try and avoid weekend nights if you don't want to wait. Enjoy!
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to D (6 yo girl) What did you like at Cooke's of Dublin, D?   I liked the salad. I know you didn't like it, but I did.   Oh, you did? Ok. Well, I am glad you liked it.   Well, I liked it a little. I liked the fries and chicken too. They were good. And I liked that the little boy in the picture was a cook.   Huh? Oh! The pictures hanging in the restaurant were of The Cooke Family. The Cooke's of Dublin. He wasn't a cook, like a chef. Cooke was his last name.   Oh. (Looks down in a disappointed way.)
Tink's Tots Try It Out: According to K (2 yo boy)  K, did you have good chicken at the restaurant?   Yeah, I do. I sit wif Mamma.   Yes, we did let you sit on the booth instead of in a high chair. That was a mistake Mamma won't be making again soon.   Haha! I sit on the floor and up-down on seat.   Yup, all of that. You were all over the place. It was not cool.   K is us-um, Mamma.   I agree, kid, you ARE awesome. Next time, you will be awesome in a high chair.   Ok.
Will we be back: Yes! One of our favorite places for a quick service meal on Disney property!