Foodie Friday: The Smokehouse

Foodie Friday this week presents a review of

The Smokehouse

outside of House of Blues at Disney Springs.

The Smokehouse is a Quick Service barbecue stand in the West Side of Disney Springs, at the far end near Cirque du Soleil. Serving options like ribs, brisket, and smoked turkey legs, this is definitely worth the walk down. It's a walk-up counter with several tables in a nice courtyard-like area to the left of the building.

They open for lunch and stay open long enough for those who may eat a little on the later side. Oh, and Happy Hour is every day from 3-5pm. Can't beat that!

Craig got the smoked beef brisket sandwich which had a bbq sauce served on the side. He's of the mind that you don't have to have sauce on good meat, but he said the sauce did have good flavor. (Me? I just love a good bbq sauce!) Our little dude went with the all beef hot dog, though I think he wished he'd gotten the kids' pork slider instead.

Tessa and I shared the smoked pulled chicken nachos. They come covered in a delicious house-made cheese sauce and an avocado lime crema. Jalapenos and cilantro jazz it up a bit, but that chicken... smoked to perfection. I'd have to say, I'm typically into traditional Mexican nachos- taco meat, beans, yum. But man! I seriously think about these nachos. Like, I'm counting down the days til our next trip for these nachos. Like, it's a pretty sure bet I will not be sharing the next order. Seriously. I definitely recommend!

So, obviously we were pretty pleased with our selection for lunch that day. I think you will be, too!

All Disney Dining Plans are accepted here for a Quick Service meal credit. While the candies were sufficient when a QS meal included dessert, I would certainly opt for dessert elsewhere in Disney Springs rather than use a snack credit for it.

If you've eaten here, please let me know what you thought in the comments!

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Foodie Friday: Palo Brunch (DCL)

This week's Foodie Friday is switching gears a bit. We're heading out to sea to cover

Palo

(adult dining) on all four of the Disney Cruise Line ships.

Craig and I had the pleasure of dining here on our last cruise in April. We were aboard the Disney Dream where Palo is located on Deck 12 Aft/Starboard across from Remy. It's a beautiful Italian, adult-only restaurant aboard all 4 of the DCL cruise ships.

Palo requires a reservation and is an additional charge not covered in your cruise fare. A charge of $30 per adult will show up on your stateroom bill. Dinner is served nightly, and if you're on a cruise 4 nights or longer, brunch is served on sea days.

It may seem a little silly to pay for an additional meal when all of the food is included on a Disney cruise, but I have to tell you- it's worth it!

We are Silver Castaway Cay Members, so we were able to make reservations at 90 days out. We did so promptly as I did not want to miss out on the chance to have brunch here on our one sea day. There were still a few openings by the time we boarded the ship, so luckily we were able to snag an earlier time that day, so we could also attend another event that afternoon.

Our stateroom host delivered our invitation that Thursday.

 Palo is located right next door to the Meridian bar which has a beautiful view and outdoor seating area.

 We arrived early, ordered drinks and went outside for a moment. The weather was just fabulous, and the scenery was breathtaking. To be out there in the never-ending ocean with those wide open skies... wow.

It wasn't long before we were seated. There's not a bad seat in the house. All tables face the ocean. Brunch is the time to go! I wouldn't want to miss the bright blue out those windows. (Apologies those photos didn't turn out!

Your server will bring you a complimentary beverage (mimosa or prosecco).

When you're ready, they'll show you to the buffet to give you a little tour of the offerings. They have several tables set up with a wide variety of brunch options, including fruits, veggies, baked goods, seafood, meats and cheeses, and more.

Oh, and the service was outstanding. Our waiter even offered to fix our plates for us. I wanted time to peruse the options, so I politely declined. We gathered our first plates and headed back to the table. Everything we sampled was delicious. Oh, with the exception of the caviar. Not to say it was bad, but this was our first time having caviar. I don't at all enjoy seafood of any kind, but I wanted to try it anyway. As anticipated, I was not a fan. Craig, on the other hand, went into with a more open mind. He wasn't impressed. he said it tasted like a mouthful of tiny olives, salty. He said he probably wouldn't ever pay for any, but he'd eat it again.

In addition to the buffet items they have several items they prepare to order. 

*Note: When we went they had them displayed in carts for you to see, and you simply ordered with your server when you were ready. Since April 2016 they implemented a printed menu of these items which your server will present to you.

There were several we wanted to try, so we decided to order a few to share. 

We went with the parmesan-crusted chicken (oh my goodness, it was every bit as good as everyone said!)

This was a pesto pasta of some sort (I apologize I don't remember the name exactly), but it doesn't appear to be available on the new printed menu. That's a shame, because this was also delicious.

The Italian sausage flatbread was just "okay" in my opinion.

Last, but not least, Craig loved the veal.

And, yes, after all that we still went for dessert. Remember, there is no judgment on a Disney Cruise. you're among friends :-)

I am very sad to see the Strawberry Soup is no longer on the menu. This was absolutely delicious. I am a fan of the dish at the Grand Floridian (1900 Park Fare), but somehow this was even better.

Champagne jello and fruit? Yes, please!

As if it weren't apparent by now, we had a fabulous time and really enjoyed this experience. The food was great, the service was wonderful, and the setting and ambiance were impeccable. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for something special on their next Disney Cruise. It was well worth the "upcharge". 

Know Before You Go: 

• Palo is an adult-only dining experience. 
• Brunch is $30 per person and will be added to your stateroom bill.
• Reservations are required. They can be made online (after your booking window opens) or aboard the ship.
• There is a strict dress code "to preserve the elegant ambiance of this restaurant," which is enforced. Dress pants or slacks and a collared shirt for men, and a dress, skirt or pants and a blouse for women. While the website does now say that jeans with NO holes are allowed, I wouldn't push it. (Again, this is enforced, so if you're questioning something I probably wouldn't go with it.)

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Foodie Friday: La Cantina de San Angel

La Cantina de San Angel

in the Mexico Pavilion of Epcot

I don't know about you, but I love Mexican food. Tacos, burritos, nachos, chalupas... you name it. So, on our trip in September I had to stop in Mexico and grab a bite to eat. Seeing how we could eat "anywhere in the World (Showcase)" my husband opted for fish'n'chips from the UK.

This is a popular Quick Service restaurant located on the lagoon side as you walk around World Showcase. Tables can be hard to come by because of its popularity. It's a good idea to have someone grab a table while someone else does the ordering.

Here are some shots of the menu (click on them to enlarge)

Oh, and we can't forget about the margaritas!

I wish I'd been able to snap some pics of the food coming out of the window before mine. They not only looked delicious, but the portions were huge. This is definitely a QS meal to share!

I went for the nachos (minus the tomato) and a sangria. You get plenty of chips, a heaping helping of nacho cheese with seasoned beef and beans, and they add some sour cream and jalapenos... I'm in heaven. Handling my tray I wasn't able to get a picture of the salsa bar, but they have an area where you can help yourself to various salsas to spice up your dishes.

These were pretty good for what they were, but after having seen some of the other items come through the window, I wished I'd have tried one of the taco meals or the Pollo Cascabel. The sangria wasn't the best I've ever had, but it was certainly refreshing on a hot September afternoon.

These nachos could definitely have been shared, as could all of the dishes I saw. Actually, I would quite recommend sharing all QS meals you might have walking around the World Showcase. This little tip not only saves you money or a QS meal credit, but this way you can also sample fare from multiple countries as you make your way around.

Being a QS restaurant, these items (minus the alcoholic beverages) are covered by all of the Disney Dining Plans. Those churros would make nice use of a snack credit, too!

Enjoy!!

Let me know if you've been in the comments. What did you get?

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Foodie Friday: Beaches & Cream Soda Shop

Foodie Friday this week is a review of

Beaches & Cream Soda Shop

at the Beach Club Resort.

This restaurant is themed after a nostalgic soda shop, featuring malted shakes, classics like onion rings and burgers, and of course, some great sundaes! The old-timey juke box really makes the place! This is a small restaurant featuring a couple booths, a few small tables, and counter with bar stools. Due to its size reservations book very quickly! This is a Table Service meal on the Disney Dining Plan.

I've always wanted to eat here. The place is just adorable, and it doesn't hurt that they have a reuben on the menu. As I've mentioned, reservations go quickly, and while it's possible to get a walk-up, I've never been so fortunate. They do have a To-Go counter though for ice cream and beverages. This is what we did in April. Even at 10pm, the line was out the door. We got some ice cream cones as we took a stroll over to Boardwalk.

Fast forward to just days before my husband and I took a quick, last minute weekend trip to Disney to see the Main Street Electrical Parade one last time (yes, I'm devastated), I lucked into a reservation for a late lunch/early dinner the Saturday we arrived!! I was so excited to finally get to try this reuben!

We got there a few minutes early for our reservation and waited about 10 minutes. We were seated at a booth along the wall, which had its own adorable juke box on the table.

The menu is pretty limited- sandwiches, burger, hot dog, fries, onion rings, etc. and desserts, of course! My husband got the burger, and I got the... you guessed it, reuben. We also ended up ordering a side of onion rings, and I forgot to get a photo!! They were big, and golden, and beautiful, and perfectly fried! So good!!

My reuben was everything I had hoped it would be! The fries were okay. I wish I'd had more of those onion rings instead. I'll be honest though, my husband was not impressed. His burger was okay, but he didn't understand why I'd tried so hard for so long to get in here... especially after having made him leave Epcot in order eat here instead. (That was a hard point to argue there.)

It was a really hot day and my reuben and rings were pretty heavy, so, I'm shocked even at myself here, we skipped dessert. We enjoyed watching the table next to us indulge in the "Kitchen Sink" though. It's 8 scoops of ice cream covered in every topping they offer! Can you imagine?! This isn't a great photo, but here's one I snapped from the time before when someone ordered it.

All in all I enjoyed the experience, even if my hubby didn't get it. My reuben was really good, as were those rings, and you just couldn't beat the nostalgic atmosphere. I probably won't book it again for a while, but I'd certainly try for a walk-in or the to-go window if we were in the area. If you were celebrating a birthday or something while on property this would be a great place to have a little dessert party for sure!

This counts as a Table Service credit on the Disney Dining Plan, as mentioned before. However, it is one of the cheaper meals, so I would probably opt to pay out of pocket here. That way you can use the credit for something more substantial. The ice cream cones, ice cream sandwiches, floats, etc. do count as a snack credit though! Those are totally worth it!

If you've eaten here before, I'd love to know your thoughts. Share them in the comments below or find the post on my Facebook page.

This post carries a disclosure Level of 0. Please see my disclosure page for more details.