With only 24 days left to go, I’m increasingly panicking about how massively unprepared I am. But let’s deal with things one item at a time.
What are the must-have menu items from the following restaurants? I know some of them, but you may know others.
(I’ll add items as suggestions appear in the thread)
1900 Park Fare — strawberry soup
Tiffins
Jiko — wild boar appetiser
Kona Café — Tonga toast
Artist Point
Les Halles — croque monsieur
Teppan Edo
HBD — Cobb salad
1900 - Strawberry Soup!!!
Tiffins - haven’t been
Jiko - haven’t been
Kona - Mimosa Flight; Mickey Waffles with the Strawberry Sauce from the Tonga Toast
Artist Point - hated it, would not go back
Les Halles - gluten-free so I avoid
Teppan Edo - meh…I don’t bother since I’ve been to those kind of places
HBD - never been, I don’t go to Studios
That’s so tempting, but morning drinking is fatal for me. I’ll fall asleep in the middle of Space Mountain.
I have heard Tiffins = octopus
Eww 
Les Halles - their version of croque monsieur and the pistu poulet sandwich are both very delicious.
Kona - sushi at lunch time
HBD - sliders from the lounge menu
Tiffins - The duck entree was fabulous, and we really enjoyed their cheese board. The Annapurna Zing is a nice cocktail.
Kona - Definitely upgrade from a regular cup of coffee to a press pot of Kona coffee from Hawaii.
Les Halles - I always get the Roule Lard et Fromage (bacon cheese roll) and a raspberry-lime macaron for breakfast. It’s the perfect savory and sweet combo for me.
HBD - Save room for the dessert trio. You get to pick 3 mini desserts, which I think is more fun than one one big one. I find their entree options a bit rich fir me in the Florida heat, so I like to get an appetizer, the Cobb salad and the dessert trio.
Tiffins- I have had the octopus- to me it is ok. I have settle that I love the flavors in their soup. The wagyu beef is always amazing, the duck as @SallyEppcot says is wonderful. I personally cannot resist the dish with the forbidden rice (fish changes).
OK. It’s time to talk beef.
You crazy Americans seem to have some complicated beef thing going on. At Tiffins there’s Wagyu, at V&A there’s Australian Kobe-Style Beef (extra charge) and Miyazaki Japanese Beef (huge extra charge).
What does all this mean? And is any of it worth it?
And the Kona Coffee could counter balance the tired from the mimosa flight!
I have not had. I only report what I hear.
I’m glad to hear this about the duck. I am thinking about that for dinner in 20 days.
On the beef - Wagyu means “Japanese cow” and is from one of four specific brands: Japanese Black, Japanese Shorthorn, Japanese Polled and Japanese Brown. Miyazaki and Kobe are both Wagyu and come only from Japanese Black. If it’s marketed as simply “wagyu” it could be from any one of the four. Miyazaki is bred at only one co-op in Japan. The diet the cows are fed is very restrictive. The quality of Miyazaki is superior to Kobe, based on marbling, meat color & brightness, firmness and texture of meat, color and the luster & quality of fat. In short, it’s a super tender piece of meat full of flavor and so much better than what you can get at home. Kobe is great, Miyazaki is beyond amazing. V&A have Australian Kobe-Style. They can’t call it Kobe because it’s not from Japan. You know, being from Australia. Never, ever ever ever, ask for them well done. ever. The chef will come out and chop off one of your fingers.
Mostly I order off menu because of food allergies, but based on what I’ve been able to eat and what my family raves about, here are my recommendations for two of the three you have blank (I haven’t been to Artist Point): We liked the Nomad Lounge (attached to Tiffins) so much better than Tiffins itself. In fact, my chef-husband was super disappointed in Tiffins, we probably will never go back. It was a price/quality thing. It’s not that the food was terrible, we just didn’t think the price and signature status was justified. We do go to the lounge every time though. Get there early and sample the Pork Ribs and Vegetarian Pad Thai. So delicious! They used to have a chicken wing, but I don’t see it on the current menu. They were good too if they offer them again. At Tepan Edo the volcano roll was a big hit with my people.
Ragland Road…Ger’s Bread and Butter Pudding…with an Irish Coffee, of course.
The only problem is that it is big enough to share, but so good that you won’t want to.
Both times I’ve had it, it was shared…I think I could eat the whole thing by myself, but misery would follow…
Have to say that HBD’s Cobb salad did not live up to the hype for me. Have not been to the others, although 1900 & Les Halles are on my list for Dec.
I’ve been to HBD twice and was underwhelmed both visits. It is a decent restaurant with decent food, but in no way did I think it worth two dining credits…and I didn’t especially think the theming was all that.
I thought it was amazing. I’m also fairly sure it gave me food poisoning.
That being said, I’m risking it again.
Seconding this.
Also of note:
Tonga Toast is also available at Cap’n Cook’s counter service downstairs for a buck or two less (I think). That’s where we go. No wait, no need to do an ADR. I’m a Tonga Toast fiend.
Mickey Waffles are available almost anywhere for breakfast. And they’re fine – just saying I’d advise against Mickey waffles at an ADR … get something more unique. Unless you’re at a buffet, and then try it all.