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Just got back from a wonderful Disney vacation. As usual, the staff - "cast members" as they are called - were unbelievably friendly, happy and courteous. The upbeat attitude resonates throughout every location with the Disney stamp on it - from the Magical Express shuttle that picked us up at the airport to the resort, parks, shops, etc. This of course holds true in the restaurants as well, and an added bonus is that most of the food is actually really good.
We had a free Dining Plan as part of our package - a snack, quick service meal and full service meal a day for each of us - so our choices were limited to what was included in the plan, but it was really ok. My only suggestion to Disney would be to allow folks to sub the dessert that comes with the full and quick service meals for an appetizer or salad instead. Even the kids were having trouble eating the dessert after awhile. Many times my husband and I just opted not to get it as we were so full.
Two meal experiences really stood out. First was a restaurant called Kouzzina by Cat Cora located in Disney's BoardWalk area which is an entertainment, dining and shopping area (kind of like a mini Downtown Disney) but modeled in the style of early 1900s boardwalks such as Coney Island and Atlantic City. Kouzzina, which means kitchen in Greek, features contemporary Mediterranean recipes selected by Food Network celebrity chef Cat Cora. The ambiance is pleasant - there is an open kitchen with a wood-burning grill and oak-fired ovens, but we had a lovely romantic table on the other side of the dining room with a great view of the boardwalk area. Our children were safely being taken care of by fun Disney cast members in a nearby Child Activity Center while we dined.
Our waitress was friendly and knowledgable, pointing out the entrees that were part of the dining plan, but explaining that of course we could order anything, it just would be priced as listed on the menu. She also described in full detail the three different olive oils we were served as a complimentary starter alongside some rustic bread for dipping, including the types of olives they were made from and the growing region. For drinks (alcoholic beverages are an additional price to the Dining Plan), I ordered the Greek Isles wine flight - three very tasty Greek whites (see photo). They were all delicious but I especially liked the Lefkos. My husband ordered a Cat Cora-recommended Cabernet Saviognon - also very good. We picked the Kouzzina Sampler as an appetizer (also an additional cost) - Choice of two Skewers (we picked Spicy Gulf Prawns and Sesame Lamb Meatballs), Marinated Olives, spiced cashews, Dolmades, Tzatziki Hummus and Grilled Pita. All were excellent. For our meals I chose Traditional Whole Fish - Pan-roasted with Braised Greens, Greek Olives, Fennel, and Smoked Chili. It was out of this world! My husband picked Slow Cooked Lamb Shank - Served with Oven Baked Gigantes Beans and Pepper Sauce. He loved it as well - so much that he didn’t have room for dessert. I did, however and chose a trio of Greek yogurts - large rich dollops of thick, rich Greek yogurt topped with different intrigiung taste combinations - a rose-petal jam (heavenly!), a thyme-honey sauce and halva sesame crumbles. Outstanding - not too sweet and a perfect finish - it even paired well with the little bit of wine I had left.
The other really neat meal was at Marrakesh, located in the Moroccan pavilion at Epcot. My husband and I love Moroccan and Middle Eastern food but we weren't sure how our children would fare. We were happy to discover
the restaurant offers chicken fingers and other kid-friendly choices, so they were fine and also enjoyed the experience, which included an ornate, beautifully tiled dining room, traditional Moroccan musicians and even a belly dancer! I started with some very refreshing mint tea, and for my meal ordered the vegetable couscous - a perfectly seasoned variety of vegetables which included carrots, squash, turnips, sweet potatoes and chick peas. My husband got beef shish kebab - grilled tenderloin with vegetables over rice. He enjoyed it very much as well! This time we both got dessert - Marrakesh Delight - fresh fruit salad topped with mint ice cream, toasted almonds and orange blossom water -delicious!!!
We had a free Dining Plan as part of our package - a snack, quick service meal and full service meal a day for each of us - so our choices were limited to what was included in the plan, but it was really ok. My only suggestion to Disney would be to allow folks to sub the dessert that comes with the full and quick service meals for an appetizer or salad instead. Even the kids were having trouble eating the dessert after awhile. Many times my husband and I just opted not to get it as we were so full.
Two meal experiences really stood out. First was a restaurant called Kouzzina by Cat Cora located in Disney's BoardWalk area which is an entertainment, dining and shopping area (kind of like a mini Downtown Disney) but modeled in the style of early 1900s boardwalks such as Coney Island and Atlantic City. Kouzzina, which means kitchen in Greek, features contemporary Mediterranean recipes selected by Food Network celebrity chef Cat Cora. The ambiance is pleasant - there is an open kitchen with a wood-burning grill and oak-fired ovens, but we had a lovely romantic table on the other side of the dining room with a great view of the boardwalk area. Our children were safely being taken care of by fun Disney cast members in a nearby Child Activity Center while we dined.
Our waitress was friendly and knowledgable, pointing out the entrees that were part of the dining plan, but explaining that of course we could order anything, it just would be priced as listed on the menu. She also described in full detail the three different olive oils we were served as a complimentary starter alongside some rustic bread for dipping, including the types of olives they were made from and the growing region. For drinks (alcoholic beverages are an additional price to the Dining Plan), I ordered the Greek Isles wine flight - three very tasty Greek whites (see photo). They were all delicious but I especially liked the Lefkos. My husband ordered a Cat Cora-recommended Cabernet Saviognon - also very good. We picked the Kouzzina Sampler as an appetizer (also an additional cost) - Choice of two Skewers (we picked Spicy Gulf Prawns and Sesame Lamb Meatballs), Marinated Olives, spiced cashews, Dolmades, Tzatziki Hummus and Grilled Pita. All were excellent. For our meals I chose Traditional Whole Fish - Pan-roasted with Braised Greens, Greek Olives, Fennel, and Smoked Chili. It was out of this world! My husband picked Slow Cooked Lamb Shank - Served with Oven Baked Gigantes Beans and Pepper Sauce. He loved it as well - so much that he didn’t have room for dessert. I did, however and chose a trio of Greek yogurts - large rich dollops of thick, rich Greek yogurt topped with different intrigiung taste combinations - a rose-petal jam (heavenly!), a thyme-honey sauce and halva sesame crumbles. Outstanding - not too sweet and a perfect finish - it even paired well with the little bit of wine I had left.
The other really neat meal was at Marrakesh, located in the Moroccan pavilion at Epcot. My husband and I love Moroccan and Middle Eastern food but we weren't sure how our children would fare. We were happy to discover
the restaurant offers chicken fingers and other kid-friendly choices, so they were fine and also enjoyed the experience, which included an ornate, beautifully tiled dining room, traditional Moroccan musicians and even a belly dancer! I started with some very refreshing mint tea, and for my meal ordered the vegetable couscous - a perfectly seasoned variety of vegetables which included carrots, squash, turnips, sweet potatoes and chick peas. My husband got beef shish kebab - grilled tenderloin with vegetables over rice. He enjoyed it very much as well! This time we both got dessert - Marrakesh Delight - fresh fruit salad topped with mint ice cream, toasted almonds and orange blossom water -delicious!!!
Next time we go back to Disney I'd like to go during the autumn Epcot International Food & Wine Festival – an opportunity for food and wine lovers to “dine around the world,” sampling specialties from the various countries represented at Epcot from vendor carts located around the park. What a great way for people of all ages to learn about cuisines and cultures from around the globe!
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