solo dining review 1/6 coral reef
Just got back from a week of solo bliss - loved it! Am planning next year's solo trip already!
Dining review #1:
Sunday 11/29 Coral Reef: sat at the tank window! Dining plan included an appetizer (this was dinner), mixed field greens - wonderful; an entree - grouper, not so good, but edible. I'm not a fan of tough fish so this may have been a great meal but won't be getting it again; a dessert - almond gelato - refreshingly pleasing! This was a CP package so used up two DDP credits but the ambience was nice, the fish were being fed while I was being fed and the server was lovely.
Caveat: as had been said before on these boards, be prepared to have little ones running by your table to get to the tank window! Otherwise, a bit noisy but I recommend it!
My ressie was for 3:30 and I was seated at 3:30on the dot.
solo dining review 2/6 Akershus
11/30 Ressie for 11:50. I go to Akershus for the food and continue to be disappointed that EVERY meal is a princess meal, makes it very noisy.
Had the koldtbord which I love. Asked to be seated directly and bypass the picture. Ordered the salmon burger, very good, came with a soup, vegetable barley, very good as well and the chef's dessert. Chocolate moose, apple strudel type school bread and rice cream. My server was Trine who taught me 'tusentaag' as thank you very much!
Funny side bar, as the little kids were having meltdowns all around because a princess had not come to see them yet, a young mother of two girls, maybe 7 and 9, looked over at my peaceful table for one and said "I envy you!" "And you don't have to share desserts!" There is something to be said for travelling alone!
I always recommend Akershus in Norway and encourage parents to have their children try non-"Amercian" food. It's very good. Three of my counter service meals were at the Kringla Og Cafe! Best deal in town! Soup or salad, entree, dessert and beverage.
solo dining review 3/6 Biergarten
12/1 Dinner at the Biergarten at 4pm. I was seated with a lovely couple from the Villages who come to Disney each week. Our table also included a family of 5 from the West. The drinks are plentiful, the buffet very filling, though confusing for some folks, and the dessert selection was lovely. Try the berries and cream! The Musicanten performend and for the holidays, which I love, they invited everyone to sing along and gave gold coins to each child!
This is a great meal with a great festive atmosphere! A must do each time! This was also a CP package but I paid OOP for this one rather than use 2 more DDP credits.
solo dining review 4/6 Sci Fi Dine In
12/2 I hitchiked with a family from Michigan! The DDP included an entreet, beverage and dessert. The beverage could be a milkshake. Knowing the portions are huge here, I opted for iced tea, the turkey club - huge and scrumptious, and a hot fudge sundae! So filling and so good! You don't have to get an appetizer because you'll burst if you do! The clips, as usual, are a hoot and the atmosphere is quite "real"!
Try it! My ressie was for 12:50 and I was seated by 12:55.
solo dining review 5/6 Le Cellier
12/3 I know people often write on here that Le Cellier is overrated and that local steakhouses are better. Well, maybe your local steakhouse is better - but Le Cellier is always my best meal of any place I eat! I was seated within five minutes of my ressie and except for a rather obnoxious table next to me, the experience was lovely. I ate the pretzel and multigrain breadsticks, had the mushroom filet - done to perfection over creamy risotto, and ended with the maple creme brulee! A dream. The chance to sit alone gave me the unexpected luxury of watching the "choreography" of the restaurant. Le Cellier is the smallest eatery on property so the service and turnover have to work like a well flexed ballet! My compliments to the staff and management. Even when something unexpected happens, like an obnoxious table for four deciding to add one more half way through their meal and taking my extra chair and placing it squarely in the lane of server flow, the servers gave little away of their irritation and just rerouted themselves quickly and smoothly.
I will agree with previous posters, that the extention of the free DDP has lessened the experience of some of the places, including Le Cellier. It was noisier than usual and more families which almost automatically means, someone, namely a youngster, will have a meltdown half way through dinner. I'm hoping "free" dining goes away soon and is only offered at the end of the summer season.
Le Cellier is a must do every visit!