4 Rivers Smokehouse

Eating in and around Walt Disney World was beginning to get on my nerves and really going against my food blogging ideals.  Not only were we subjecting ourselves to expensive fare, the food was as creative as a stick figure drawing.  I can only talk about mediocre touristy food that much without losing my lunch literally and figuratively.  Hence, I decided to drive North up towards Orlando (not really, more like NW to Winter Garden) to experience some BBQ at 4 Rivers Smokehouse.

I decided to get a taste of as much as I could handle with the 1/2 rack of the St. Louis Style Ribs and adding Angus Brisket as well as Burnt Ends.  This meal also came with 3 sides and a biscuit.  I thought the ribs were pretty moist considering the cooking process.  They fell off the bone and there was still fatty portions left.  I liked the exterior bark as it was flavorful and aesthetically-pleasing.  There was a subtle smokiness which was a nice compliment to the balanced BBQ sauce which was tart, sweet and slightly spicy.  Sufficiently moist was the beef brisket as it was smoky and meaty.  Again, the bark was fantastic.  I wasn't a huge fan of the burnt ends as they were presented like pulled pork.  I prefer mine to be in chunks.  It was good though with lots of caramelized flavors packed in every bite.  For my sides, I had the Fried Pickles, Fried Okra and Baked Cheese Grits.  The fried pickles were on point being crispy and crunchy.  The fried okra was cardboard type crunchy which I wasn't particularly fond of.  Loved the cheese grits as they were cheesy and just really good.

Viv ended up with the Pulled Pork Sandwich with 2 sides.  I thought the pork was again, sufficiently moist and slightly smoky.  It wasn't oversauced so we could still taste the natural meat flavor.  Besides, one could add as much BBQ sauce as they wanted.  The bun was soft and held up to the last bite.  She went with bacon-wrapped Smoked Jalapenos and BBQ Beans where the former was indeed very spicy.  She thought the baked beans were too sweet though as if she were eating liquid candy.  For my daughter, she went for the well-priced kid's Smoked Turkey Slider with a side of Mac n' Cheese and a fountain drink.  Great deal for $4.49 in my books.  Presented on a similarly soft bun, the slices of white meat were lean and a touch dry.  Good smokiness and exterior rub though.  The mac n' cheese was creamy in a Velvetta way, but still decent.  

My son went the boring route and had the Hot Dog with Fries.  It was a standard BBQ'd hot dog with crispy fries on the side. I'm beginning to doubt he's related to me...  But one things for sure, 4 Rivers serves up good food for a reasonable price.  There was more than enough food for 6 people, let alone 2 adults and 2 kids.  Sadly, I'd have to travel all the way to Florida to pay them a visit again.

The Good:
- Well-priced
- Lots of choice
- Solid eats

The Bad:
- Some dry items (but it wasn't meant to be juicy either)
- Limited seating inside, hence you sit outside where it can be hot

Hanamizuki

There are positives and negatives in squeezing every ounce of time in a theme park.  The value-side of the argument would imply that you got everything out of the day while the saner person would reason that health and well-being (of the adults, with tired whining kids) are more important.  Well for me, the main problem is eats afterwards - most places are closed!  Hence, that led us to a lil' Japanese joint right behind our hotel.  Hanamizuki was open late and run by Japanese people!

Viv ended up going for their dinner combo where you pick one entree and then add $12.00 for soup, salad, appetizer, tempura or sashimi, chawanmushi, rice and dessert. As evidenced in the picture, the Green Salad was fresh and we loved how they gave us a bottle of dressing (so we could regulate the amount ourselves). Viv chose the Appetizer Tempura and it was pretty much sub-par with soggy and limp ingredients encased in even soggier batter.  It was thick, pale-looking and not very appetizing.  As much as miso soup can be pretty boring, this one was actually quite good where the flavors weren't predominantly of salt.

For $21.00, the Chirashi Don was lacking a bit in substance.  Not that there was not enough ingredients nor were they lacking in quality either, but they were sliced rather thin.  As for the sushi rice, it wasn't bad with a chewy texture.  It was on the bland side though. The Hanamizuki Roll consisting of tamago and eel was okay with decent sushi rice, but there seemed to be very little substance to it.  All I got was egg.  We also got an order of Chicken Karaage which was meaty and crispy but also a touch dry.  I liked the tang from the lemon though.

The Teriyaki Chicken was nicely charred, but remarkably dry. It was a big portion though.  I did appreciate the light teriyaki sauce though as it was not the thick syrupy type nor too sweet.  I liked the rice vinegar hit.  As part of the combo, the Chawanmushi was very good being silky and not very watery.  Loved the subtle flavors from the mushrooms too.  For the kiddies, we got them the Tempura Udon which suffered from the same crappy tempura, but the high quality udon made up for it as it was chewy and had bite.  The soup was sweet and mild. Ultimately, Hanamizuki fulfilled a need - to fill our tummies with real Japanese food.  It was not cheap, but at least it wasn't burger and fries.

The Good:
- Authentic
- Friendly people
- Lots of choice

The Bad:
- Expensive
- It's authentic, but doesn't mean everything is good

Three Broomsticks (Universal Islands of Adventure)

Initially, we were scheduled to stay at Disney World for a whole week as our original plans did not include Universal Studios.  However, during the time between planning the trip and actually going on it, my son developed a love for Harry Potter.  Therefore, we had to shoehorn one day at the Islands of Adventure in order to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  I must say that they have done a really good job with the place, especially the Forbidden Journey ride.  But after almost losing my breakfast on the ride, we decided to try some of the food at Three Broomsticks.

I decided to get The Cornish Pasties which were okay, especially considering the reasonable price of $7.99 with side salad.  These were filled with a slightly dry ground beef filling which was more or less quite mild.  The pastry itself was not exactly flaky and airy, but it was okay nonetheless.  The kid's Fish & Chips were surprisingly decent with a nice crunchy exterior while there was relatively flaky halibut inside.  This portion was enough for an adult as there were 2 pieces (as opposed to the 3-piece full sized version).  The wedges were forgettable though as they were soggy and limp.  Not gonna say much about the Mac n' Cheese as it was pretty typical.

Now for the good stuff...  The Pumpkin Juice was pretty refreshing as it was a citrusy fruit juice with pumpkin puree.  It was sweet with very little tang and it definitely was better cold.  Not much in the way of pumpkin flavour though (which was a good thing).  How about Butter Beer?  Well, one could have it one of two ways - either in liquid form or frozen.  We had it frozen which would keep colder for a longer period of time.  Both versions were topped with a marshmallow foam to emulate beer head.  The overall flavour profile of the drink was somewhere in between vanilla and very weak root beer (without the fizz).  It was definitely sweet, but not overly so.  Not bad. Once again, we were subjected to theme park food, albeit reasonably-priced and decent.

The Good:
- Didn't feel ripped off
- Interesting drinks based on Harry Potter

The Bad:
- Gets busy at peak times, seats fill up
- Food is priced okay, but specialty drinks are pricey

Popeye's Louisiana Kitchen

Not wanting to do the overpriced theme park food thing again, we decided to rely on snacks to make to the end of the day - not particularly the best idea when dealing with 2 hungry and tired kiddies. So we sustained ourselves on Cheez-Its and Blue Diamond almonds when we really should've been eating dinner.  Therefore, we took the easier route possible when returning to our hotel and stopped by Popeye's for some takeout.

I've had the stuff before at home (before they closed it) and in San Jose.  I can't say it was all the memorable despite their loyal following.  Since it has been awhile, it was as good of a time to try it again. We ended up with the family meal that came with 6 Biscuits.  These were a bit crisp on the outside and fluffy within.  They were a bit salty though.  In addition, I got a side order of Popcorn Shrimp which was a bit small for the price.  They were crunchy though with a slight kick.  Not bad, but hardly worth it.

Onto the main event, the Fried Chicken pieces were a mix of white and dark meat.  All were pretty big in size and fried until super crunchy.  Naturally, the white meat was not as juicy as the dark meat, but at the very least, it wasn't completely dry.  I thought the chicken as well as the batter was properly seasoned.  For the included sides, we got Coleslaw and Mash Potatoes & Gravy.  I particularly liked the gravy as it had nice meaty bits and had some spice.  If my memory serves me right, this was a far better experience than the last time and at the very least, Popeye's is a good alternative to KFC (in my opinion).

The Good:
- Chicken skin is crunchy and well-seasoned
- Chicken is not dry
- Good sides

The Bad:
- Not exactly cheap
- A bit salty

Sweet Tomatoes

Often, whilst on vacation, the likelihood of running into a fresh fruit or vegetable is as good as another meaningful American Pie movie (or a tasteful Miley Cyrus performance).  Hence I was on a mission to rid ourselves of this unhealthy condition.  Enter Sweet Tomatoes.  No, we didn't go down to the nearest grocery store and pick up some raw tomatoes to eat (my son would have an immediate gag reflex in that case).  Rather, we made our way to a unique buffet that could be considered somewhat healthy.  With all the soups, salads and other items you can eat for under $10.00, it was refreshing to find a meal that would not be in a shade of brown.

The first thing to great us was an extensively long line of freshly made salads, veggies and fruit. In fact, the Caesar Salad dressing was somewhat freshly made (the creamy Worcestershire was pre-prepared).  After I loaded up my plate with these strange things called vegetables (really fresh and aesthetically-pleasing), I was pleasantly surprised to see a house-made blue cheese dressing.  It was chunky, fresh-tasting and thick. I also liked how they kept everything stocked all-the-time.

Prominently featured, the 8 different soups available were made from scratch.  I tried the Chicken Noodle and unlike many restaurant versions, it was not yellow with dried parsley floating around.  Instead, it was clear with big chunks of chicken and noodles.  It was not salty at all and had the natural taste of...  wait for it...  chicken.  Novel concept eh?  Chicken soup tasting like real chicken soup! I also thought the Creamy Corn Chowder to be pretty good as well.  It was rich, but not overly so and full of plump sweet corn and tender potatoes.  The Spicy Sausage with Orecchiette was probably my favourite as it was flavourful without being salty and had a definite kick.  The sausage was both plentiful and meaty while the pasta could've been a little less dense.  I liked how they skimmed the grease before serving. In addition to soups and salads, there was a section with some heartier offerings such as Baked Potato, Flatbread and Pastas.

In addtion to some muffins, cornbread, brownies and other breads, there was a dessert section consisting of Chocolate Mousse, Tapioca Pudding, Fruit and Ice Cream. Although none of the food blew us away, we were impressed at the overall quality for the price.  Definitely a good alternative to expensive theme park fare or greasy fast food.

The Good:
- Somewhat healthier alternative
- Well-priced
- Fresh

The Bad:
- Could lack substance for big eaters

Padrino's Cuban Cuisine

Being in Florida for a good 3 days and all we had to show for it was a chain restaurant and Disney grub - not exactly an impressive array of eats.  Hence, we needed to find something more representative of the local cuisine.  However, staying at a theme park for the whole day left a black hole of options for food.  So we ended up at Padrino's Cuban Cuisine, which served to be a quasi-interesting dinner in comparison our previous meals (and yes, you don't need to point out that this was yet another chain restaurant...).

We were greeted by a friendly woman who was very pleasant to deal with throughout our meal.  Arriving as a complimentary starter, the Fried Plantains were pretty good in our opinion.  They were super crunchy, not greasy and nicely salted.  The accompanying garlic dipping sauce further amped up the flavours.  For my first dish (yes, I got another), I had the Cubano which was quite acceptable considering the type of restaurant.  The bread was crunchy and not too heavy while there was an ample amount of ham, roasted pork and cheese.  Personally, I would've liked more pickles and mustard, but that could've been easily rectified.

For my second dish, I had the Pollo Asado served with rice, black beans and sweet plantains.  Although the chicken was roasted with a well-rendered and attractively hued skin, the meat itself was rather dry (including the thigh).  I did like the sweet plantains though as they were nicely caramelized.  Viv opted for the Lechon Asado with arroz moro and yucca.  As much as the shredded pork was pretty dry, it was really flavorful and benefited from the light kiss from the flattop.  The acidity and garlickiness from the citrus mojo brought the dry pork to life.  We also liked the yucca as it was garlicky and soft (in its sticky way).

Another reason we picked Padrino's was that they had a reasonably-priced kid's menu.  Our kids were not very adventurous and decided to go with the Grilled Cheese (grilled cheese & ham pictured).  By looking at the picture, if you thought a quasi-Cubano without the pork and pickles, you'd be right.  In the end, Padrino's did the job in a comfortable environment.

The Good:
- Comfortable
- Friendly service
- Decent portion sizes

The Bad:
- A bit pricey
- Proteins were a bit dry

50's Prime Time Cafe (Walt Disney World)

With us being stuck at Disney's Hollywood Studios for lunch, we bit the bullet again and shelled out the big bucks to eat at 50's Prime Time Cafe.  At the very least, the kids were having a good time at the Toy Story ride which was essentially a glorified animated shooting corral.  Seemingly simple, this was one of our favourite rides at WDW. Back to the restaurant, the main draw is its 50's decor emulating "mom's kitchen" complete with black & white TVs playing the classics.  Furthermore, the menu featured some pretty typical 50's dinners.

Instead of ordering the boring kid's meals, we decided to get some items to share as a table.  We started with the Fried Herb and Garlic Cheese on raspberry sauce.  It wasn't stated on the menu as Boursin, but it sure tasted like they fried a puck of it with herb breading.  In that sense, it was good with it's signature taste and soft texture which contrasted the crunchy breading.  I'm still not sure about the sauce, but it didn't offend.  We also had the Chicken Noodle Soup which was nothing special.  There was the usual ingredients such as pasta, carrots, celery and chicken in a bouillon-laced broth.  Okay I suppose.

For Viv, she went for the Chicken Pot Pie that came as a very generous portion with big chunks of chicken.  The white meat was predictably chewier than the dark meat.  I found the gravy to be rather light for a pot pie as it was not too thick nor too floury.  In terms of taste, it was sweet and okay on the salt.  For myself, I couldn't decide, so I went for A Sampling of Mom's Favorite Recipes including fried chicken, pot roast and meatloaf.  It was served with veggies, mash potatoes and gravy.  The best item on the plate was the fried chicken in my opinion.  The meat was relatively moist (while not juicy though) and well-seasoned.  The skin was fried nicely being not-too-fatty and crispy.  It tasted somewhat like a watered-down KFC (which was a good thing).  The pot roast was pretty decent being moist and not too stringy.  Good rich meat flavour though.  The meatloaf was moist and meaty while being very easy to chew.  Flavours were muted though as I couldn't pick out anything other than salt and ketchup. Again, nothing ground-breaking but decent eats nonetheless.  This was a pretty expensive meal though.

The Good:
- Food is a bit more interesting than counter-service
- Loved the decor
- Loved the themed-service

The Bad:
- As expected, expensive
- Okay food, but not worth the price