Picks and Pans

     Previously I mentioned the myriad of seemingly endless possibilities of food options at Walt DisneyWorld in Florida.  On my most recent visit I enjoyed a mere baker's dozen meals while there. But some were decidedly better than others.  First, let me begin with my picks:



     You can hit the ground running at WDW and I did with breakfast reservations each morning at 7:30am.  My absolute favorite place is the Kona Cafe located in the Polynesian Village.  Despite the fact that the entire atrium of the building is shrouded in construction tarps (that seemed to be a reoccurring theme all over the parks), the Kona Cafe was welcoming with a cheerful and friendly staff.  It was more than the standard polite greeting.  The head hostess chatted it up with us for some time as we awaited our order.  Even though normally pancakes are not at the top of my list I couldn't help but choose their pineapple macadamia nut fluffy stack.  Served with Kona coffee and a sausage link it was the fuel I needed to prepare for the day.



     Another breakfast spot that I would recommend is the Whispering Canyon Cafe in the Wilderness Lodge, a recreation of the famous Old Faithful Lodge at Yellowstone National Park.  While some of their menu items can be overwhelming, there is an interesting a la carte menu that is kinder on the stomach (and the wallet).  So I ordered up some gravy and biscuits and shared an order of sausage.  Even with a smaller breakfast I still carried one of the biscuits with me.  And again the service was cheerful and friendly.  



        And given my penchant for buffets, one of my favorite dinner destinations was Boma- Flavors of Africa located in the Animal Kingdom Resort.  A bit pricey (and even more so with a seasonal bump) it was worth the splurge with authentic dishes like Mater Paneer, Bobotie and Harira Soup.  And for the less adventurous there were more familiar dishes like mac and cheese, salmon, roast beef and chicken.  It was an all you can eat event and in order to say I had tried a little of everything I cleaned 3 plates of African (and American) fare, not including desserts.



     Another good evening meal was to be had at the 50's Prime Time Cafe located in Disney's Hollywood Studios.  The decor was like going back to my mother's kitchen!  And all the menu items were the comfort foods that we enjoyed growing up.  I couldn't help but order the fried chicken with mashed potatoes and green beans.  And it was as good as mother used to  make!