WDW Cravings Countdown: Day 5 - Via Napoli

WDW Cravings Countdown

Day 5 - Via Napoli

When we were visiting in September 2010, we were fortunate enough to have lunch at Via Napoli while it was still in the "soft opening" phase: in other words, it was not accepting reservations.

I love Via Napoli. The building itself looks as though it has always been a part of the Italy pavilion. The interior is spacious, bright and airy. The pizza ovens are amazingly fun to watch and the servers from Italy always seem to enjoy joking with guests.

My Dad traveled to Italy as a teenager and he lived off of 2 things: gelato and pizza. He swore that this was a near exact replica of the pizza he tried in Naples.

Exterior of the restaurant

Venetian glass chandelier in lobby

View of restaurant from lobby

Large communal table running the length of the restaurant

Wood-burning pizza ovens (named after three Italian volcanoes: Stromboli, Vesuvio and Etna)

When this restaurant first opened, there was some speculation that the pizzas would not be authentic. In fact, there were some who were skeptical enough to believe that the pizzas would be pre-made. This could not be further from the case. You see the pizza chefs constantly making dough, tossing it by hand, adding fresh ingredients such as imported San Marzano tomatoes and Fior di Latte mozzarella cheese. These pizzas are not your typical "Disney pizza", in fact, they aren't even traditional "American pizza".

Marghertia - the original pizza, simply tomatoes, mozzarella and basil

See how the crust is slightly blistered and dark brown in spots? See how it is lovely and think and not piled with toppings? True Naples style pizzas are thin crust with a crunchy exterior and a chewy interior, they are dressed perfectly with a light coating of toppings so that no one element of the pizza outshines another.

Pepperoni

The pepperoni itself is very small, slightly spicy pepperoni, that imparts its oil onto the pizza making every bite flavourful.

Quattro Fromaggi - mozzarella, parmesan, fontina and provolone

Wow…just wow. This pizza, with a combination of mozzarella, parmesan, fontina and provolone was cheese heaven. However, as it is a true "white pizza" with no tomato sauce it was way too rich for 1 person to finish.

 

All the pizzas above were the "individual" portion and that was far too much. For 3 adults, I'd say 2 individual pizzas is more than enough.

For dessert, we had to try:

Chocolate Gelato

Sadly, this was nowhere near as good as authentic gelato should be. It wasn't as airy as traditional ice cream, but it was far from the silky, rich, creamy experience of real gelato.

Our first night at Epcot this coming trip, we are making a beeline for Via Napoli (after sampling some Food & Wine festival items of course) to split some of the best pizza we have ever tasted.

WDW Cravings Countdown

Day 6 - Alcoholic Drinks!

Like many others, our family loves drinking around WDW. While I still wish that the lounges and bars had unique menus, I think there are lots of amazing drink options at WDW.

Here are some of our favorites:

Dad's Electric Lemonade, 50's Primetime Cafe

Frozen Margarita, Margarita Stand, Mexico Pavilion, Epcot

Margarita, Kona Cafe

Sparkling Wine with Strawberry, Garden View Tea Room, Grand Floridian

Sunken Treasure, Ohana, Polynesian

Mt. Fuji, Tokyo Dining, Japan Pavilion, Epcot

Lapu Lapu, Tambu Lounge, Polynesian

Grand Marnier Orange Slush, Les Vins de Chefs de France, Epcot

Pomegranate Kir, Les Vins de Chefs de France, Epcot

Longboard Lager, Kona Cafe, Polynesian

Beer Flight, Raglan Road

Bellini and Rosa Regale, Via Napoli, Italy Pavilion, Epcot

Original and Lime Raspberry Margaritas, La Hacienda de San Angel, Mexico

Sol Beer, La Hacienda de San Angel, Epcot

Only 6 days until we get to sample more of these delicious drinks!

WDW Cravings Countdown Days 9, 8 and 7 - Sushi, Snacks and Signature Dining

WDW Cravings Countdown 

Day 9 - Sushi

I absolutely love sushi. I can't get enough of it, really. I eat it every other week at home, but sadly, all the sushi I eat here in Toronto absolutely pales in comparison to the sushi I eat in Florida.

At least once a week, someone in my house will say "You know what I'd really like to eat right now?" and the response is always "California Grill Sushi?"

That isn't to say that we ONLY eat sushi at the California Grill. We also love the Kona Island Sushi Bar and Tokyo Dining. On our trips to WDW, it isn't uncommon for us to eat sushi 3 or 4 times in the course of the week.

1. California Grill

The California Grill is sushi heaven for us. Yoshi is simply magical. Her flavor and texture combinations are out of this world. Her sushi rice is the best I've ever had. Even her accompaniments (sauces, pickled cucumbers, seaweed salad) are to die for!

We started dining at the California Grill in August 2007...and we ate there 3 times in that single trip. I have lost count of the number of meals we have enjoyed here,, but it is safely over a dozen.

Here are some of my favorite sushi items & pictures:

Place Setting

Custom Sushi Platter

Shrimp Tempura Roll & Hurricane Roll

Snake in the Grass, Spicy Kazan Roll, Shrimp Tempura Roll

Shrimp Tempura Roll, California Roll, Spicy Kazan Roll

Spicy Kazan Roll, Tempura Banzai Roll, Ahi Tuna Three Ways

As you can see, while we experiment occasionally, we have found our favorites! The group favorite is the Shrimp Tempura Roll. Technically, this isn't listed on the menu. However, it is an item made every night as it is part of Yoshi's Deluxe Sushi Platter. If you request it as a roll on it's own, the servers at the California Grill will gladly accommodate you. The price in May 2011 was $22/roll.

The roll itself is a tempura shrimp, with slivers of mango and watermelon, wrapped in a soy paper and served with an orange ginger dipping sauce. This is crunchy, cool, sweet and tangy.

My personal favorite, however, is the Spicy Kazan Roll. This roll is wrapped in traditional nori, and filled with crab, shrimp and tuna. While the crab and shrimp are cooked, the tuna is raw, for those of you that don't like raw sushi. On top of the sushi roll, Yoshi places a mixture of her fireball sauce (clearly this is spicy) and bay scallops. Then, everything is topped off with tempura crunch and slivers of nori.

This roll is so complex. You get tender crab, sweet shrimp and rich tuna, spicy sauce, perfectly cooked scallops and crunchy tempura. I nearly lick the plate clean each time.

2. Kona Island Sushi Bar

The Kona Island Sushi Bar was Walt Disney World's first experiment in "flex" dining. Pre-2008, the Kona Island Sushi Bar was simply the Kona Island Coffee Bar. In the mornings, guest could get yummy Kona coffee and a variety of pastries as they headed out to the parks.

Then, someone realized that the space could be used in the evenings. After some minor renovations (namely, adding a sushi counter), the bar reopened with a dual purpose. From 7am till 11am (I believe) it serves coffee and pastries. At 5pm, it reopens and serves sushi (as well as any item off the full Kona Cafe menu).

We tried the sushi bar for the first time in 2008 and fell in love. It has become a "first night" tradition on the majority of our trips since.

Our favorite rolls are:

Shrimp Tempura Roll and Cali Luau Roll

Volcano Roll

The Shrimp Tempura Roll here is a bit different than the California Grills. The shrimp are larger and are breaded in panko as opposed to a true, light and airy tempura batter. The roll has only mango slivers and the sauce is lilikoi, or passion fruit. It is very refreshing.

The Cali Luau Roll is Kona's take on a California Roll. In place of cucumber, they use pineapple. The tangy taste is unexpected, yet the texture is reminiscent of the cucumber it replaces.

Lastly, the Volcano Roll. This is easily the most interesting variation on a Spicy Tuna Roll that I've ever tried. The roll itself is simply fresh tuna and pickled vegetables. All the spice comes from the spicy mayo and the shrimp salad scattered around the plate. The pleasant acidity from the vegetables helps balance the spicy sauce. The shrimp salad is addictive and is topped off with tempura crunch and edible flower petals.

Day 8 - Snacks 

There are so many amazing snacks to partake in at Walt Disney World! As I sit at my desk, eating a boring granola bar, I can't help but think of all the yummy calorie-worthy treats that I get to have in 8 days!

1. Sleepy Hollow (Liberty Square), Magic Kingdom

Now, I know that the majority of you just went "Mmmm...funnel cake!" in your heads. Nope, that's not the snack that I'm thinking of. Sorry, I'm just not a big funnel cake fan... blasphemous you say? Well...not when my snack is:

Mickey Waffle

I recently discovered that they sell these at Sleepy Hollow! You see, I far prefer the big Mickey waffles to the mini ones (in a pinch, I'll eat either...come on, it's a mickey waffle!). During my March 2010 birthday trip, Mom and I were wandering Liberty Square mid-morning and we saw someone walk away from Sleepy Hollow with one of these icing sugar coated beauties!

I'm not a huge syrup fan either. Give me simple powdered sugar (or powdered sugar and cinnamon blended) and I'm happy!

2. Aloha Isle (Adventureland), Magic Kingdom OR Captain Cook's, Polynesian

What would a WDW snack post be without:

Dole Whip Pineapple Soft Serve

Dole Whip Pineapple Soft serve is easily my favorite snack at WDW. It is cool, tangy, light and refreshing. The Poly is our favorite resort for many reasons, one of which is the fact that you can get a dole whip pretty much any time you want. I am a bit ashamed to admit that I've never tried the pineapple float! Maybe this coming trip!

3. Make Your Own Treats, Goofy's Candy Company

While I haven't made one of these in years...I still think they are among the coolest snacks at WDW. What kid doesn't want the opportunity to pile chocolate, caramel and like 5 types of candy onto a rice crispy treat or pretzel rods?

My personal favorite was a rice crispy, dipped in chocolate, covered in butterfinger and drizzled with caramel. But I think they did away with the caramel drizzle.

4. Boulangerie Patisserie (France Pavilion), Epcot

There is a reason that this bakery ALWAYS has a line: Everything in this adorable little shop is heavenly.

A tip for those going for the first time - both counters have the exact same offerings.

Our favorites tend to be the creme brulee, chocolate mousse, chocolate filled eclair and the palmier (or elephant ear cookie).

Lastly, some honourable mentions (of which I cannot find photos)
- School Bread, Waffles and Rice Cream from Kringla Bakeri in Norway
- Pecan Chocolate Caramel Cluster from Karamel Kuche in Germany
- Churros with Milk Caramel from Cantina de San Angel in Mexico
- Carrot Cake Cookie from The Writer's Stop at Disney's Hollywood Studios
- Popcorn from the Magic Kingdom (it tastes best there!)
- and many many more!

Day 7 - Signature Dining

With a week to go the meals that I am most looking forward to are the signature dining experiences, in particular Victoria & Albert's but I'll save that to do a full post on.

So, while I wait for the next 6 days to pass, I'm going to reminisce about my favorite signature dining experiences.

1. California Grill

This is easily our favorite restaurant at Walt Disney World. Since 2007 we have dined her dozens of times. In fact, we even have a regular server when we go now.

Here are some of my favorite shots:

Place Setting at Sunset


Firecracker Peach Salad


Spicy Kazan Roll


Shrimp Tempura Roll


Sourdough Bread with Sea Salt Butter


Glass of Conundrum


Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Goat Cheese Polenta


Amuse Bouche - Pumpkin Soup


Cheese Plate


Amazing Dessert Platter!

2. Jiko

While some have had hit and miss experiences with Jiko, every time we have dined there it has been fantastic. This coming visit in October will mark our 6th meal at the restaurant and we are looking forward to it.

Place Setting


View from our "usual" table


Bread with the out-of-this-world Tandoori Butter


Ostrich


Wild Boar


Short ribs


One Last Cup

Looks like I've passed midnight, so I am technically 6 days away from my next trip now. I'll be back with more cravings tomorrow!

WDW Dravings Countdown: Day 10 - F&W Festival Items

Typically, I don't start my WDW Cravings Countdown until 7 days before a WDW vacation, but as this is F&W my mind is all about food & WDW right now.....so I give you....

Day 10 - F&W Festival Items

  Today, you get several items that are on my current cravings list.

 
1. Canada

This is our traditional first stop at the Food & Wine Festival. Maybe it's patriotic? Maybe it's because the location is near the International Gateway? Maybe it's because this soup is liquid gold? Whatever the reason, our first stop and our first item for the past 4 festivals is the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup at the Canada booth. We will absolutely continue this tradition! And the maple glazed salmon is fantastic as well!

 
2. Ireland

Again, maybe our ancestry has an influence on our palates but we adore everything at the Ireland booth. The fisherman's pie is a bit rich for my taste, but it definitely merits a try each year. The cheese plate is simply delicious and....the holy grail of F&W dessert items....the Chocolate Lava Cake with Bailey's Ganache! I swear, angels sing when you eat this! It is dense, fudgey and has just the right hint of irish cream. Even my Mom, who isn't a chocolate lover, practically inhales this cake.

 
3. France

Undeniably the booth we frequent the most. We are french food lovers and this booth often serves up some of our top ranking F&W items. The escargot en brioche are buttery light bites of goodness. Don't like escargot? Have you ever tried it? No? Well you should! No preparation is more approachable than this. Think of it like super yummy garlic bread with a mushroom in the middle. That is pretty much exactly how it tastes, but imagine that 10x better!

We will miss the cabernet braised short ribs this year, but I am absolutely excited to try the Coq au Vin over macaroni & cheese!

 
4. Japan

I could eat sushi several times a week and be a very happy person, so I am always going to love a booth that offers sushi. Spicy Tuna and California Rolls are two of my favorites, but I'm also interested to try the Tuna & Salmon Sensation (cubes of tuna & salmon with avocado and soy sauce) and the Pork Kakuni (which is supposed to be braised pork belly! Yum!)

5. Hops & Barley/ U.S.

We absolutely love the Hops & Barley Market and U.S. booth! I think it's because we only get 1 or 2 types of Samuel Adams beer in Canada and its so much fun to try a bunch in the small 3 or 4 oz cups! While I have enjoyed the previous renditions of the lobster roll, I am a purist and I like lobster with a light amount of dressing and not much else. This year's lobster roll sounds closer to that description. Plus the "claw cuddlers" are just downright intriguing. Who wants to cuddle a lobster claw? Not me, but I sure like eating them!

Well, that's all for now. Does anyone have suggestions to make time go faster?