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*Sigh*. *Double Sigh*. *Triple Sigh*... Once again, we were relegated to eating at a restaurant in Downtown Disney. Other than Earl of Sandwich, the only 2 words that can describe eats here are expensive and mediocre. I wasn't sure what was more painful, waiting in line to see Elsa or eating "only-if-you-have-no-choice" food. This time around, we paid a visit to Naples Ristorante e Pizzeria which was at the very least something the kiddies would eat. Besides, we were seated outside in the shade where it was a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Disneyland.
After starting with some complimentary bread with olive oil and balsamic, we moved onto more carbs in the large Popette Neapolitan pizza comprised of meatballs, roasted peppers and onions, tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan. This featured a fairly thin crust that was soft in the middle and crispy along the edges. We would've liked to see more leoparding though. The tomato sauce was rather bland with some tail-end tartness (the peppers really helped add more zip). Ultimately, it was okay and served its purpose. We also tried the Lasagna consisting of eight layers. Even with the promise of creamy béchamel and Bolognese meat sauce, the whole thing was dry. It was like eating a cake made with noodles that tasted like Parm and nutmeg. A bit disappointing for $20.00.
For the kiddies, they tried the Penne with cream sauce. Believe it or not, this was better than the previous 2 dishes combined. At least the pasta had the right al dente texture and there was enough sauce to keep things moist. With that being said, the sauce was a bit watery and lacking in overall effectiveness. But with the sprinkle of Parm, there was at least enough saltiness to go around. Of course, the requisite Mac n' Cheese made its appearance at the table. Again, this was okay with not-overly-soft pasta and just enough sauce that clung onto each piece of macaroni. It was sufficiently cheesy, but again, it wasn't totally bursting with flavor either. Bottom line, the kids ate it willingly.
I added a side of Creamy Polenta with Parm just because I love polenta (no, I'm not turning vegetarian here). As much as the texture was fine, it wasn't creamy as advertised. Rather, it was more porridge like with very little seasoning and not enough cheese to make an impact. And really, this would probably best describe the food at Naples - acceptable but lacking in flavor. Naturally, they have the advantage of being located really close to the front gates of both theme parks, hence business will always be good. Don't get me wrong, it did the job and the kiddies enjoyed themselves, but the prices are really too high for what you get.
The Good:
- Convenient for those who don't want to eat inside Disneyland
- Good for the kiddies
The Bad:
- Food lacking impact for the price
- Service was okay, but somewhat snooty
Oh wow, has it been 6 years already??? (actually I jumped the gun last year... apparently I can't count). Once again, this couldn't be possible without the support of Viv (putting up with everything I do) and the loyal readership. What started out as a little diary of my gastronomical adventures has now morphed into something a bit more. It certainly takes up a lot of my time and really is another job. But at the very least, I still enjoy it enough to continue. Let's see what is in store for year 7! Oh and as per usual, if you leave a comment with your first name and last initial, I will put you in a draw for a $100 gift certificate for a restaurant of your choice!
For the love of... Really? Really really??? Despite my pleas to leave California Adventure for some better eats outside the park, it fell on deaf ears. This trip was beginning to outright destroy any interesting eats for the foreseeable future. I might as well start blogging strictly about fast food and free restaurant bread because theme park food ain't much better. Egads! We couldn't even find a place without a lineup to eat at in the park! Everything was conspiring against me! Finally, we found a quiet place in Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta.
Now just because we "found" a place to eat didn't necessarily solve anything in terms of quality eats. But at the very least, we had something green that wasn't a boring Chicken Caesar (see Disneyworld). The something green happened to be the Italian Chef's Salad consisting of salami, capocollo, fresh mozzarella, pepperoncini, roasted red peppers, marinated olives, cucumbers, tomatoes and fresh greens with a red wine vinaigrette. Although not attractively put together, the salad wasn't bad. There was no shortage of meat nor cheese. The vinaigrette was sufficiently tart and impactful which made the dish appetizing. Although the kiddies were already enjoying their mini-sized version of the Spaghetti & Meatballs, we got an adult one anyways. Not to be confused with a gourmet offering, this was acceptable with al dente pasta (actually a bit dry) and a bright-tasting pomodoro sauce. Meatballs were not too dry and meaty-tasting.
Costanza tried out the Campanelle Pasta with chicken and tossed in sundried tomato pesto cream. This one was so-so as the pasta was soft. Furthermore, soft pasta plus creamy sauce equals heavy and mushy. Flavor was alright though with a slight zestiness as well as the taste of basil. There was a decent amount of chicken, but it was a bit stiff. Lastly, we tried out the Cheese Flatbread Pizza partly because the kiddies didn't want pepperoni and certainly didn't want vegetarian. Yah, we didn't like this as the flatbread was stiff and dry. However, they did deliver on the promise of tomato sauce and lots of cheese. This ate more like cheese bread with a touch of tomato. Yah, I bet you had as much fun reading about this as we had eating it. Well, at the very least, it wasn't shockingly expensive and was a better value than the $8.00 hot dog...
The Good:
- Decent kid's meals with drink and 2 healthy sides
- Better than the $8.00 hot dog
The Bad:
- Not as good as the smoked turkey leg nearby
- It's the usual "meh" theme park stuff
Another day in Anaheim meant another visit to the happiest place on Earth... Yes, I guess we were happy most-of-the-time (when not in line, when the kiddies weren't whining about something or when I wasn't paying $8.00 for a hot dog). As we were discussing our dinner options for the night, I went on about my visit to The Boiling Crab back in San Jose. Then, it donned on me that Costanza and Elaine had never been to a seafood boil before. With all the available options in the OC, we decided that their Seafood Boil virginity would be lost at Claws (somehow that didn't sound right...).
We decided to go for their $40.00 deal which included 2 appies, garlic fries and 3 lbs of seafood. We tacked on 3 more pounds of seafood for good measure. Our appies arrived pretty quickly and we dug into the large basket of Fried Oysters first. These were crunchy while not too greasy. Inside, the oysters were of a fair size and still juicy. We weren't that impressed with the Fried Butterfly Shrimp as they were dry and didn't exhibit any shrimp texture. They were crunchy though. We liked the crispy Garlic Fries as they dumped a whole head of garlic on top. The kiddies had the Chicken Strips and Fries which were decent. The seemingly house-made strips were comprised of breast chicken tenders that remained moist while crunchy on the outside.
As for the seafood boil, we had 2lbs each of Crawfish, Clams, Mussels and Shrimp with the addition of corn, sausage and potato. Initially, we wanted crab and lobster, but they didn't have any. As for the seasoning, we had the mild Cannonball and it was plenty garlicky and gingery with only a slight spice. This was greasy, but not as much as The Boiling Crab. The clams were remarkably large and plump while the Kiwi mussels were pretty typical (as in the frozen, precooked variety). We would've liked to see honey mussels (hard to come by I suppose) instead. The crawfish were quite small and we gave up trying to eat them while the shrimp were plump and large. On the overcooked side, but still sweet, the corn segments soaked up quite a bit of the seasoning. The cuts of potato were soft, but still firm enough to retain their shape while the sausage was meaty and slightly spicy.
For good measure, Costanza added a Garlic Butter Pasta with shrimp, baby scallops and calamari for his kiddies. For a non-pasta joint, this was actually okay. The noodles were a bit past al dente, but not remarkably so. It was indeed garlicky and buttery with properly cooked seafood including meaty shrimp and buttery scallops. The side of zucchini and carrots were not overcooked. Overall, we thought our visit to Claws was pleasant. We liked how the sauce was less greasy than The Boiling Crab while the prices were okay. I personally still like The Boiling Crab more, but Claws is still a decent option for a seafood boil.
The Good:
- Okay pricing
- Decent eats
- Spacious
The Bad:
- Service was okay, but a little indifferent
- Wasn't a huge fan of the Green Lip mussels for the purposes of a seafood boil
With Costanza and his son out-of-commission due to illness, we had to change up our eating plans (no fried stuff for them!). As if my taste buds hadn't already suffered enough from expensive mediocre theme park food and even more expensive sub-standard Downtown Disney food, I had to think fast on my feet. Hence, I went back to the well and remembered our 2 visits to Sweet Tomatoes in Florida. It was an out-of-body experience where I saw things that are not normally seen during Theme Park vacations - vegetables and lots of it. Sure, the food was standard fare, but it was healthier, inexpensive and all-you-can-eat.
So that was the plan, eat something lighter and cheaper in the likeness of Sweet Tomatoes. Well, it was if we planned it all along as we were only minutes away from a location of Souplantation. To my son's horror, the sight of endless veggies almost made him turn around and run. He, of the "I love junk food" variety, had to suffer watching us stack our plates full of salad before we even hit the other options. And really, the selection was impressive, fully stocked and fresh. We could choose from pre-made Salads, made-to-order Caesar and build-your-own. He ended up taking a few croutons, so to not be left out.
With the same setup as Sweet Tomatoes, we paid at the end of the salad bar. There, we added drinks to our bill which was quite reasonable ($9.00 for adults and $5.00 for the kiddies over 5). After that, I headed straight to the Soups which included Big Chunk Chicken Noodle, Deep Kettle House Chili, Santa Fe Black Bean Chili, Yankee Clipper Clam Chowder, Split Pea & Potato Barley and Seven Vegetable. Although nothing was particularly awesome, they did the trick while not being super salty. Right beside this section, there were some pastas including the kid-friendly mac n' cheese. Directly across, there was a selection of flat breads, baked goods and baked potato with all the fixin's.
Off course there was also a dessert section consisting of a few simple items that included fruit gelatin, grapes, rice pudding, oranges, chocolate mousse and soft serve ice cream. As you can clearly see, the food at Souplantation ain't exactly gourmet nor exciting. But for a family on vacation that hasn't seen much in the way of vegetation (other than in the park), it is a great way to get a relatively healthier meal at a great price. Naturally, being kid-friendly is another draw as well.
The Good:
- Kid-friendly
- Inexpensive
- Healthy options
The Bad:
- Limited selection
- Food is average
A vacation at Disneyland is not really a vacation at all, at least for the parents that is. All the walking, all the complaining, all the whining and all the crying... There is only so much one can take... and we're only talking about me here! I think Viv really wonders why she married me! Well, after another long day at "the happiest place on Earth" (happy for who?), we decided to do the "eat-at-a-restaurant-outside-our-hotel" strategy. So right beside our other "convenience" restaurant (Curry House), we tried out Sushi World.
Starting with the Nigiri, we had 2 each of maguro, salmon, seared albacore and hamachi. We found the sushi rice to be quite good with a balance of chewiness and moisture. It was seasoned with sugar and rice wine vinegar (being on the sweeter side). The fish on top had a nice sheen as well as a fresh taste. Next up was the Beef Tataki which appeared to be sliced too thick and sinewy. Alas, it wasn't true as the beef was really tender and nicely seared. It was flavorful with the ponzu and rub on the outside. However, it was a bit too peppery, which dominated the flavor profile.
For our 2 specialty rolls, we had the Black Dragon (spicy tuna with tuna, onion and pepper on the outside) and Crunchy Roll (ebi tempura, imitation crab and cucumber with tempura dust on the outside). We liked the black dragon more as it had effective flavors, in particular, the spiciness from the hot pepper. There was enough tuna to stand up to the heat though. With the crunchy roll, it was crunchy more or less, but it was a glorified dynamite roll. As part of the Karaage Combo, we had an appetizer portion of Tempura as well as miso soup, salad and rice. The tempura looked a bit dark and overly smooth in texture (in terms of the batter), yet it was ultimately crunchy.
The Chicken Karaage was also crunchy and a bit spicy on its own even without the equally spicy dip. Although it looked dry, the meat was actually juicy and fatty inside. For the kiddies, we had to get them the obligatory Tempura Udon. It was a little strange looking with only 2 ebi shrimp (and ultimately soggy since it was sitting in the broth). The soup itself was quite salty with lots of shiitake mushroom flavor. Overall, we were satisfied with the food, especially from a random Japanese restaurant nearby. I guess our expectations weren't very high due to convenience, but nothing was really amiss. We concluded that Sushi World is in fact, decent.
The Good:
- Decent eats
- Friendly service
The Bad:
- A little pricey
Okay, it is pretty much impossible to eat well for under $10.00 at any theme park. Take a look at Disneyland where a hot dog and chips will set you back $8.00. And we're not talking about a jumbo dog either. Unless you want to live on smoked turkey legs for the whole time, your wallet will be a lot lighter while your stomach might hate you for consuming food only in the shade of golden brown. However, we had a decently inexpensive meal at Earl of Sandwich at Downtown Disney at Disneyworld last year. Hence, we took a page out of that playbook and paid their location at Disneyland a visit.
Like last time, we got the Earl's Club with turkey, bacon, Swiss, sandwich sauce, lettuce and tomato. Of course, my son conveniently offered up the lettuce and tomato up for grabs. I'm not sure if there is a vegetable that he actually likes. Nicely toasted, the whole wheat bread held up to the ingredients without being overly dense. There was ample filling including a healthy portion of thinly sliced turkey along with crispy bacon. For myself, I went for the Italian consisting of salami, capicola, roasted ham, mortadella, mozzarella, tomato and Italian dressing. This was a zesty combination of meats which were salty, sweet and spicy. The tang from the dressing was a nice compliment, yet made the sandwich a bit wet and drippy.
Viv decided on the Holiday Turkey, but unlike the last time, it was totally devoid of gravy and stuffing. Instead, there was double the amount of turkey (which wasn't necessarily a bad thing|) and cranberry sauce. Hence, the whole thing was essentially a turkey sandwich with the addition of sweetness. We were pretty sure they screwed this up. Elaine ended up with the Chipotle Chicken Avocado consisting of grilled chicken, bacon, cheddar, avocado, lettuce and chipotle sauce. This was pretty tasty with an effective spiciness from the sauce. The ample chicken was sufficiently moist while the avocado added a smooth creaminess to go with the crispy bacon.
And for heaven's sake, Elaine's son didn't stick with the program and opted for the Mac n' Cheese... This at a sandwich shop? And I thought my son was a picky eater! Anyways, it was okay with soft noodles in a creamy sauce that wasn't necessarily all that cheesy. But it did the job for him... Hey didn't he just have this the day before??? Well, if we focus on the sandwiches only, Earl of Sandwich does it right and for a reasonable price. Basically it was a good break from all the crappy expensive theme park food.
The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Lots of ingredients (in particular the meat)
- Plenty of choices
The Bad:
- Somewhat of a wait usually
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