LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — With drinks like the Antioxidant Cocktail, entr?es such as whole-wheat linguine with clams, rock shrimp and fresh thyme in chunky tomato broth, and crispy almond-raisin “baklava” for dessert, The Wave brings a surge of new dining ideas to Walt Disney World Resort.

Located in Disney’s Contemporary Resort, the new restaurant is “bold cooking inspired by fresh markets,” said Dieter Hannig, vice president of new concepts for Walt Disney World Food & Beverage. “America is more and more a melting pot, and The Wave features American cooking with world flavors.”

Guests enter the stylish new space on the first floor of the hotel through a brushed steel arch “tunnel” into The Wave’s lounge, one of the largest at Walt Disney World Resort. The sleek, serene d?cor is earthy browns and golds, with frosted glass lamps for soft ambient light and a copper-colored metal ceiling. Banquettes and booths line the perimeter of the dining room, and wooden tables are set with white linen napkins. A large central table is draped in sheer fabric in purples and golds.

Open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the 220-seat restaurant takes casual dining into the health-conscious 21st century. The classic American breakfast menu includes plenty of egg creations, but guests also can make their own Wave muesli or sip a Beta Berry Smoothie with raspberry puree and non-fat yogurt blended with Odwalla Berries GoMega (a great source of Omega-3). The Pure Sunshine breakfast cocktail features organic vodka and orange juice topped with Vitamin Energy Drink. Coffee is organic Colombian (fair trade and “Smithsonian-certified bird-friendly”) and teas are whole leaf Pyramid bags in flavors from chamomile blossoms to monsoon chai.

At lunch, light eaters might enjoy lettuce wraps with saut?ed lamb and bay scallops, or a lump crab cake with crispy papaya slaw. Entr?es include oversized salads and a vegetarian sandwich with grilled tofu, roasted veggies and herb goat cheese on multi-grain bread, but guests also can chow down on an Angus chuck burger with cheese and Applewood smoked bacon, or a classic grilled Reuben.

The dinner menu offers a delicious spin on comfort classics such as pan-seared Alaskan black cod with corn and edamame (soybean) stew with cilantro chutney; braised lamb shank with bulgur lentil stew and red wine sauce, and a nouvelle chicken pot pie with thyme pastry. Sides at both lunch and dinner include braised greens and roasted sweet potatoes and carrots.

“Lots of stocks, lots of broths and seasonal ingredients keep the menu well balanced,” said Chef Frank Brough. “We are sourcing ingredients locally and regionally to create fresh flavors, and our fresh catch of the day features sustainable seafood.”

Desserts continue the theme with a dozen choices for mixing and matching three mini-favorites for one price. From chocolate mousse with chocolate ganache, to yogurt sorbet with blueberry compote and coconut panna cotta with passion fruit, guests can indulge their sweet tooth without a big hit in calories. Or go overboard with a dessert cocktail like the Mudslide martini: Baileys Irish Cream, vanilla vodka, Kahl?a and vanilla ice cream.

Wine ‘With a Twist,’ Innovative Spirits Menu

The wine program, with only screw cap wines, is cutting-edge and supports sustainable agriculture, says Master Sommelier John Blazon, manager of wine sales and standards for Walt Disney World Resort.

“The surge in the use of the screw cap is nothing short of a revolution in wine packaging,” says Blazon. Industry experts say that the screw cap is the most significant technical evolution in the wine industry since the glass bottle was introduced 250 years ago.

And the options for screw cap wine are growing, said Blazon. The Wave serves no California wines (California Grill on the resort’s 15th floor has a corner on the California market), but instead focuses on bright-style New World wines from the Southern Hemisphere, including Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

Sparkling wines from Tasmania, Rieslings from South Australia, floral New Wave whites from Argentina and pinot noirs from New Zealand are among the interesting choices, with 50 available by the glass. A flight of 3-ounce samplings and dessert wines, ports and sherries round out the wine list.

For beer fans, certified organic ales from Orlando Brewing are on the menu. Produced in Orlando, these handcrafted ales use only American-grown certified-organic barley malt. Three Orlando Brewery ales are available on tap, including Blonde Ale, Pale Ale and Blackwater Dry Porter. Also on the menu is gluten-free Redbridge lager.

Trendy cocktails are served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Start the day with a Pomegranate Splash (vodka, pomegranate liqueur, cranberry juice and soda water) or the Ultimate Bloody Mary (organic vodka, Bloody Mary mix and a dash of red chili sauce).

“Natural and flavorful are the buzzwords for cocktails,” said Stuart McGuire, director of beverage sales and standards for Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. The Pure-tini mixes organic vodka with organic mango and passion fruit liqueur. The Antioxidant Cocktail features wild berry vodka, black raspberry liqueur, a?ai juice with agave, lychee, aloe juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice.

The Wave is part of a revitalization at Disney’s Contemporary Resort that includes a makeover of the hotel’s fourth floor with a new game arcade and new quick-service eatery for salads and sandwiches (replacing Concourse Steakhouse). The popular Chef Mickey’s restaurant and the monorail station anchor that family-friendly area.

? 2008 Disney

Hello everyone!

I finally got around to posting the pictures of the Boma buffet from our September trip.? You can check it out by clicking here:

http://www.diningindisney.com/animal-kingdom-lodge-boma-flavors-of-africa/

Just a quick story about our dinner at Boma (which was back at the end of September.)? We arrived for our 4:40pm advanced reservations about 20-minutes early and there was a little bit of a crowd already waiting so I had to stand in a short line to get checked in.? We ended up waiting for about 10-15 minutes before they actually opened up the restaurant so I was able to walk through and get some pictures of the untouched buffet!? (before all the hungry crowds jumped on it.)?

Of all the times we’ve eaten at Boma we never experienced buffet lines like this before.? At one point, while waiting for 15-20 minutes in line for the Spit Fired Prime Rib, I looked back and counted 40 people in line!? It stretched from the right side of the restaurant near the Prime Rib table all the way back to about mid-way through the dining area.? Mind you this was a Sunday night, but holy cow was that a long time to wait in.? It was like the “Perfect Storm” of buffets because as the night went on the crowds dispersed from the Prime Rib area and slowly moved to the dessert tables like a Hurricane moving up the East Coast.? Everyone must have been eating the same things at the same time as you could see the lines forming at the next logical area of the buffet. It moved from salads, to soups, then to meats, then finally over to the coveted dessert bar.? It was almost like a herd of cattle gradually moving from one area of the buffet to another as the night went on! Sure enough towards the end of dinner we looked back and the lines were building at the dessert bar!!? OH NO!? I will not lose out on Zebra Domes without a fight!? My wife immediately dispatched me to the dessert area with orders to stand in line and not come back until I had enough desserts?for both of us (well, she was much nicer about it than that but I’m in BUFFET BATTLE mode so that’s what it felt like!)? I immediately walked very briskly (and yes, I?contemplated running through the crowds of women and children?but figured I would look like a nut and would end up knocking over a few tables which wouldn’t go over too well with the staff) to grab a plate of whatever I could get my hands on.? I was in luck……..I ended up getting some tasty?treats?including the zebra domes, cookies, yummy fruit tartlets and a very good Peach Crumble.?Success!

Looking back I’m not sure if it was the mere thought of getting to an empty dessert bar (which I now know is a near impossibility in Walt Disney World) or whether I was just locked in the moment of feeling like I was in a Buffet Battle with hundreds of other hungry people (a battle I was NOT going to lose.) But it was one crazy night at the buffet which felt more like a Hot Dog eating competition with?Takeru Kobayashi?to eat as much as you can as fast as you can so you don’t miss out on the Zebra Domes at the dessert bar!

I can’t be the only one who feels this way……..hmmmm……or am I ??

Bottom line is that Boma still takes the cake in my book for best buffet in Walt Disney World.? Long lines or not.

Enjoy the pictures and try not to salivate on your computer keyboard too much!?

Technorati Tags: Boma, Disney Dining, Buffet, Walt Disney World, pictures

The new chef for Jiko - The Cooking Place, the featured restaurant at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, has been announced. Chef Brian Piasecki has previously been head chef at another top Disney World restaurant, Le Cellier at Epcot.

Arguably one of the best restaurants in EPCOT, Le Cellier is very popular for their outstanding steaks and probably the best Cheese Soup you’ll find anywhere. Let’s see if Chef Brian can take his success to the next level at an already successful and popular JIKO in the Animal Kingdom Lodge. Read more HERE.

Technorati Tags: Jiko, Animal Kingdom Lodge, EPCOT, Le Cellier

Largest Single-Site Purveyor of Wine in the World:
Disney’s Wide World of Wine

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — As baby boomers — the first generation to grow up with Disney theme parks — return to Walt Disney World Resort, they’re demanding a new level of sophistication, especially in the realm of dining.

In the past 10 years, world-class restaurants have been introduced — California Grill, Flying Fish Cafe, C?tricos, Artist Point, Jiko-The Cooking Place, and with each new dining room, wine choices have increased dramatically.

“We’re always listening to our guests,” said John Blazon, manager of Wine Sales and Standards, “what’s selling, what’s not, what should we add?” And as the largest single-site purveyor of wine in the world, it’s pretty easy to spot trends, from up-and-coming vintners to the rise in single-serving bottles. “We’re always learning,” Blazon continued.

Blazon and his team start with a solid list of 250 wines that’s updated annually, 65 percent New World (from the U.S., Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) and 35 percent Old World (from Spain, France, Germany and Italy). At a resort with more than 300 places to dine — more than most cities — that scrutinized list insures quality and consistency in pricing no matter where guests are dining, said Blazon.

Then, select “fine dining” restaurants in both theme parks and resorts have the latitude to expand and refine the core list. For instance, Artist Point at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge has a wine list that’s exclusively from the Pacific Northwest, while Jiko-The Cooking Place at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge offers only wines from South Africa — the largest South African wine program for any one site in the United States. Narcoossee’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa can add favorites to accompany seafood, while the sommelier at Yachtsman Steakhouse at Disney’s Yacht Club Resort looks for first-rate pairings for beef. AAA Five-Diamond winner Victoria & Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa has 700 selections on the menu and 4,200 bottles in its cellar.

And with wine such an integral part of the Disney dining experience, Walt Disney World Resort has more sommeliers than any other company in the world, according to the Court of Master Sommeliers, the governing board for certification.

“The certification has sparked an entire culture in our company,” said Blazon. “Our sommeliers are friendly, passionate and listen to our guests so they can recommend creative choices for matching wine with food.”

More than 625 sommeliers have been awarded the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory Certificate at Walt Disney World Resort, with more than 300 sommeliers currently in restaurants. Walt Disney World Resort has one master sommelier, John Blazon, and one advanced sommelier, Bridget Sherren.

Beyond wine, Walt Disney World Resort also offers a two-day seminar to cast members — the first of its kind for a major company — focusing on distilled spirits and cordials and covering history, production, food pairings and more. A written exam and “Disney Spirits Diploma” completes the class.

? 2007 Disney

Here are some great Walt Disney World Fun Food Facts!

? 2007 Disney

?A few weeks ago we were fortunate to be at Walt Disney World where we saw some of the HUGE pumpkins being grown in the “Living With The Land” attraction.? These are grown in the Production Greenhouse section of The Land where a lot of different vegetables are grown for use in the Garden Grill Restaurant just upstairs as well as many other EPCOT restaurants.?I have no idea what these weighed however they were some of the biggest pumpkins I’ve seen.?In addition they’re also growing the Mickey shaped pumkins in the hanging molds which are really neat (see picture below.)

So, in honor of the season, I wanted to post a Disney recipe with this tasty ingredient that you can make right in your own home. This recipe comes from the restaurant BOMA in the Animal Kingdom Lodge.? It’s a PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE recipe that I’m sure you’ll enjoy.? Here’s how you do it:

Pumpkin Cheesecake (Boma, Animal Kingdom Lodge)

Yields (1) cheesecake

1 2/3 lb Cream Cheese
5/8 tsp Coriander
5 oz Sugar
5/8 tsp Ginger
3 Eggs
1 ? oz Heavy Cream
1 tsp Orange Zest
1 ? oz Sour Cream
1 tsp Lemon Zest
5/8 lb Pumpkin Puree (canned is fine)
1/8 tsp Ground Cinnamon
4 Tbl Bourbon Whiskey
? tsp Fresh Ground Nutmeg
5/8 tsp Cloves
5/8 tsp Anise Seed

Crust Topping
? lb Graham Cracker Crumbs
? oz Black Sesame Seeds
4 oz Melted Butter
4 oz Heavy Cream
2 oz Sugar

Prepare graham cracker crust by mixing graham cracker crumbs, melted, butter, and sugar in a bowl. Sprinkle into the bottom of the round flexipan mold. Set aside.

Prepare cheesecake mix by creaming sugar, zests and cream cheese.

Add all the spices, then the rest of the ingredients, while constantly scraping to make sure there are no lumps.

Pour the cheesecake mix in the pan all the way to the top. Set the flexipan mold on a sheet pan and bake in a hot water bath at 275? for about an hour. Place in freezer to cool and then un-mold.

Sprinkle black sesame seeds on a sheet pan and bake at 350? until golden brown.

Whip heavy cream with sugar until stiff peaks. Pipe small dollops of whipped cream on cheesecake. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

That’s all there is to it!?

Happy Halloween everyone!

Per a press release from Disney:

“Two new themed restaurants. Walt Disney World guests will have two new restaurants to choose from when they visit Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney.? The restaurants will be operated by Landry’s Restaurants, which operates the Rainforest Caf?s at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Downtown Disney.?

This November, guests who travel to the land of Asia in Disney’s Animal Kingdom will get a real taste of that exotic part of the world with Yak & Yeti Restaurant. Inspired by the western Himalayan foothills in India and Nepal, this Asian-fusion establishment will offer table-service dining and a full-service bar, as well as quick-service food and beer-garden options, and retail offerings from Pan-Asia ranging from silk purses, incense and saris to fine teapots. It will seat 250 inside for table-service dining and 350 in a quick-service courtyard.

Later in 2008, Downtown Disney guests will be able to dine face to face with a dinosaur at T-Rex: A Prehistoric Family Adventure, A Place to Eat, Shop, Explore and Discover, which combines table-service dining and retail in an interactive prehistoric environment built around water, fire and ice.”

?More to come on these two restaurants over the coming days as more information is being released!!