Flame Tree Barbecue in Disney's Animal Kingdom

By Nick

We all have our favorite attractions at Walt Disney World. Rides or shows that are a must every trip. There are also beloved eateries that we frequent more often than others, and of course favorite foods we eat on every visit.
But there are those restaurants that you really enjoy while eating there, but for some reason or other, you don't get back to for a very long time.
In Walt Disney World, there are sooooo many options that these really great food spots just get lost in the sauce, so to speak.
One of these spots is Flame Tree Barbecue in Disney's Animal Kingdom.

We ate here on our first trip back in September of 2006. Every time we pass it, I say "That was some great barbecue, we really need to get back there." and then proceed to go elsewhere, sometimes to another restaurant in Animal Kingdom, or more often to another restaurant in a different park, or even back to our resort for a bite.

On our trip in January, I consciously made the decision to eat at Flame Tree.

The menu is not overly extensive.

I had the 1/2 Slab of St. Louis Ribs which were $11.69. They were as good as I remembered them. Tender and juicy. I love a good cole slaw, and this is very good. The beans were delicious as well.

Barbie had the Smoked Chicken Salad for $9.49, which she described as okay. She wished she had gotten the ribs after trying mine!

Prices are reasonable, and the portions are large enough to share.
They accept Tables in Wonderland and are a quick service credit on the Disney Dining Plan.

There are several spots to sit, each offering a relaxing and cool spot to escape the heat, which really wasn't an issue in January.

The grounds are lush, and well themed with fountains and statues.

The condiments bar is conveniently located in the pavilion where we chose to sit, which is the same place we sat way back in 2006.

By the water, it offeres a great view of Expedition Everest.

There are a few pavilions by the water if you want to get a different vantage point of Everest.

Another wonderful thing about sitting by the water, you might have an encounter with local wildlife!

So, will we return to Flame Tree Barbecue? Yes, certainly. But it still isn't a must do every trip.

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Epcot's Le Cellier Steakhouse

By: Nick

Back on March 2nd, my wife Barbie and I took a day excursion from a family cruise to visit Epcot. We chose Epcot over other parks primarily to photograph the topiaries for the International Flower and Garden show. We decided to have lunch at a restaurant we hadn't visited in a while.

Arguably one of the most popular restaurants in all of Walt Disney World is Le Cellier Steakhouse, located below the Chateau in the Canada Pavilion in Epcot, and for good reason. The food is delicious.

Le Cellier translates into "The Cellar", and that is what the stone arches, windowless walls, and intimate lighting make this restaurant feel like, the wine cellars of 2 of Canada's grandest château-style hotels: Fairmont Château Laurier and Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.

Wine bottles are displayed behind beautiful wood and glass showcases further adding to the ambiance.

Our friends Laurie and Angelo joined us.

Left to Right: Laurie, Barbie, Nick and Angelo

I've always found the service at Le Cellier to be very friendly and this visit was no exception.

We started with bread. Specifically, perhaps my favorite bread in all the World, the Pretzel Bread.

There are other breads, each representing a different area of Canada, and there is a story behind them. I'm not proud to admit it, but I really never hear this explanation, as I'm too busy drooling over the Pretzel Bread. And the butter comes with salt and a hint of Maple sugar! Excellent!

This is wonderful to enjoy while perusing the menu. And that little bit of sugar on the butter may help the medicine that is the appetizer and entree prices go down easier!

Let's address the elephant in the dining room now. This is not an inexpensive meal. At one time lunch was only 1 credit on the Disney Dining Plan, now it is 2, and to justify this, prices have gone up accordingly. It has been several years since I've eaten here, but I am pretty sure I didn't pay $10 for a bowl of one of Le Cellier's signature dishes, the Canadian Cheddar Cheese Soup, made with Moosehead Beer and Smoked Bacon.

Don't get me wrong, it's delicious, though my wife remembers it as being better, but I still love it, and it is very hearty. Laurie describes the soup as divine.

I tried a bite of Laurie and Angelo's Kurobuta Pork Belly, Braised Pork Belly, Apple Butter, Jicama, Lucky Sorrel, Maple Gastrique, and it was absolutely amazing. Moist and juicy, and what I had hoped the pork belly at Citricos would taste like, but didn't. This appetizer is $14.

For his entree, Angelo had the Five Spiced "Maple Leaf Farms" Duck: Roasted Duck Breast, Confit of Leg, Blended Rice, Edamame, Grilled Baby Bok Choy, Roasted Duck Jus, for $42, and he was very satisfied with his choice, saying he would absolutely get it again.

Please note, certain menu items, such as the duck, rotate in and out seasonally, and may not be available when you visit.

My Angus New York Strip, a 12-oz Strip Steak with Potato Pavé, Wilted Spinach, and Vin Rouge Reduction - $44 was tasty, a good solid choice. But I'd ordered it medium rare, and it was delivered more medium than I was happy with, which in my opinion makes it much less juicy and takes away from the flavor. I'm sure they'd have cooked me another, but as I wanted to eat with my dining companions, and Barbie and I only had a few hours to enjoy Epcot, I didn't send it back.

Barbie and Laurie both had the other signature dish, the “Le Cellier” Mushroom Filet Mignon - 8-oz AAA Canadian Beef Tenderloin with Wild Mushroom Risotto, White Turffle-Butter Sauce, and Micro Chervil, for $44.
Both described it as tender, juicy, and flavorful, Barbie adding it was cooked to perfection.

We were all too full for desert.

Overall, Le Cellier's food is still very good, but, as previously mentioned, very pricey. Each couple paid over $120 for lunch, and that was with a 20% Tables in Wonderland discount, which, to be fair, does include an automatic 18% gratuity.

Would we eat here again? Absolutely! But I'd order the soup and pork belly, rather than an entree, and Barbie said she would forgo an appetizer and just get the filet.