EPCOT is a park of two unconnected halves, the future and the world. The thread that ties them together is food. Year round there are delicious offerings in unique settings. Plus Epcot’s Food & Wine Festival, which this year marks it’s 15th anniversary brings crowds… Read More »EPCOT adds dining capacity for expected crowds
Continuing my series on what’s coming next from the Disney Cruise Line, today we look at the new, and the classic, dining options that will be available on the Disney Dream when it sets sail in 2011.
So what will the first set of passengers find? How about elaborately themed restaurants, distinctly Disney touches, and world-class cuisine. All of which promise guests of the Disney Dream a memorable entertainment experience for families and guests of all ages.
Find out all the details, along with concept art, below the jump:
I’d like to welcome Kevin Yee as a guest author to The Disney Blog. Opened in 1989 as an inaugural part of Pleasure Island, the Portobello Yacht Club maintained the backstory of shipping magnate Merriweather Pleasure, whose warehouses were decimated by a storm, prompting him… Read More »The New Portobello Restaurant: Deceptively Simple
We’re getting our first look at the new African dining experience that is part of the Kidani Village expansion of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Two new photos and the official logo for the new restaurant reflect the African heritage of the lodge while providing a… Read More »First Look at Sanaa Interior and Logo
If you’re a Fan of Jiko-The Cooking Place and Boma-Flavors of Africa you’ll soon have a new reason to dine at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. Sanaa will debut May 1 in the resort’s new Kidani Village expansion and feature a blend of Indian and African… Read More »Sanaa brings new flavors to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge
A couple days ago, a food blogger at the Orlando Sentinel commented on how Iron Chef Cat Cora, who sometimes is a celebrity chef for Walt Disney World, had mentioned on her blog that she and her partner were both pregnant with boys. Then today,… Read More »Did Cat Cora let the cat out of the bag about her new restaurant at WDW?
Those who were following my short tweetfest from Downtown Disney last night probably caught my mention of the new look, and lovely scent, of Portobello. The restaurant, which sits between Pleasure Island and the Downtown Disney Marketplace, has recently completed a transformation from the old stuffy ‘Yacht Club’ theme into an eatery reminiscent of the Italian countryside.
Chef Steven Richard
According to Executive Chef Steven Richard, the change is a natural one. “America has had a love affair with Italian food for decades,” Richards said. “What we’re seeing now is more and more people knowing the regional nuances of the cuisine – having more vivid notions of what Italy feels and tastes and smells like. More families have been there themselves, and the ones who haven’t, want a life-like recreation of that trip they haven’t taken.”
The space, inspired by Italy’s trattorias and hidden corners, features warm tones of red, orange and yellow, with terracotta tile and rustic irons designed to make guests feel transported to the Italian countryside. Guests can also enjoy dining outdoors with the new alfresco patio. The revamped trattoria will offer authentic regional fare and warm rustic décor with a reinvigorated wine list.
Portobello’s new menu was developed by the culinary trio comprised of James Beard award-winning Chef Tony Mantuano, of Chicago’s noted Spiaggia restaurant, John Radcliff, Regional Chef of Levy Restaurants, and Steven Richard, Executive Chef of Portobello.
As it turns out Orlando Food Critic Scott Joseph recently visited Portobello and found the experience a pleasurable one (which is saying something considering what he writes about the other restaurants run by Levy in Downtown Disney). Now, I am really looking forward to my first opportunity to dine there.
Portobello is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. and accepts all major credit cards. Visit www.portobellorestaurant.com to learn more.
Finally, Portobello has also been kind enough to share its recipe for Ravioli Gigante which you can find below the cut in case you want to try it at home:
Read More »Portobello at Downtown Disney Remakes its Image & Menu (plus a recipe!)
Tuesday night we made it over to Downtown Disney’s Marketplace to experience “T-Rex” the latest addition to the food and entertainment options. Lines were long, but moved fast as guests were entered into a virtual queue to wait for their tables. Inside the place was loud, but everything seemed surprisingly well run for the first night open to the public.