Yo Ho Yo Ho a Tipsy Life for Me - A November '17 Dining Adventure - Complete 5/27

[NJlauren]

You'll just have to sell the hubby on an annual pass then

It’s actually in the 2019 budgeted vacation plan!

Maybe 3 trips DD started kindergarten in 2019 and DH won’t pull her out for more then a day or two here and there so no week long trips in the off season for us soon

 

[kastoney]

Donuts for Dinner

After our lunch Casey wanted to go to MGM but ultimately decided against it in favor of the Swiss Family Treehouse. We also got our jingle cruise on, hitchhiked with a few ghosts. and contributed some laughter to a couple of monsters before we headed out for the day. Our destination: Disney Springs

This was really Casey's first time seeing it and she was in shopping heaven. As some of you know I detest shopping, but somehow got a kiddo with the gene. Thankfully we were able to contain her to just World of Disney so the damage was minimal.

Eventually we made it to our dining destination: Homecoming (still refusing to drop that g Chef Art Smith). We ended up waiting about 20 minutes to be seated, but these two seemed to be able to amuse themselves.


We felt a bit odd as its rare that we go out to dinner with our park clothes on, but ended up not feeling too out of place. Of course some of this may have helped take the edge off.

That's the Moonshine Mash with Watermelon-infused moonshine, fresh watermelon, lime juice and simple syrup. With the moonshine I expected this to be way boozier than it was, but it had great watermelon flavor and went down way to quick.

Jason was also feeling the moonshine, but in a much different way.

He went for a moonshine flight and let our server pick his options. I don't recall what he got, but I did note he liked the 125 proof one best. It did come with some yummy spiced pecans that we all munched on. It also came with a pickle juice chaser I got nothing on that.

For an appetizer we all shared the Bunch of Puppies which are House-made hushpuppies served with pimento cheese and red jalapeño jelly.

The puppies by themselves were nothing special, but the red pepper jelly it was served with was ah-maz-ing!!!! Now I don't even like red peppers, but the sweet and spicy combo really put it over the top. The pimento cheese was good too, but our local grocery store makes a much creamier one that has spoiled me for all other pimentos to come.

For entrees, Jason mixed it up a little and ordered the thigh high chicken biscuits from the appetizer menu along with the kitchen plate, which is a sampling of your choice of sides. He went with kale & collards, sweet potatoes, and mac and cheese.

Jason and I had the chicken biscuits on a previous trip and again they did not disappoint. The biscuits are dense yet delicate and the perfect foil to the fried chicken thighs with hot honey on them. He also detected a piece of cream cheese in the biscuits, that he thinks is their "secret" ingredient. The sides were all good as well. Starting with my favorite the collard greens & kale had a slight sweetness to them, but also some good heat which offset the sweet. Speaking of sweet, the sweet potatoes tasted straight off a Thanksgiving Table. He also really liked the mac and cheese, but I found it too cheesey if that even is a thing. I tend to like a mixtures of cheeses in mine vice just cheddar.

Casey and I split the Fried Chicken and Donuts and let me just tell you the prospect of donuts for dinner had this toothless wonder like...

The chicken was two pieces of fried chicken served with house-made sugar doughnuts and creamy mashed potatoes

First and foremost the chicken was fab-u-lous!!!!! The skin was insanely crispy and it was juicy throughout. I put tons of their homemade hot sauce on top and it really made it perfect. The mashed potatoes were also on point. I'm not normally a gravy fan, but their sausage gravy was phenomenal and went perfect with the country style potatoes. My disappointment though was the donut. I don't know why but I was expecting a hot, yeasty donut and what came out was of the cold, cake varietal. They did have a nice maple syrup to dip it in, but I would have much preferred their delicious biscuits. Casey however was in heaven!

While we had our entrees I enjoyed a nice Sauvignon Blanc and you can see Jason's Jai Alai in the back.

I'd like to think this was artsy, but it really was just tipsy coincidence

We were too full for dessert, but got some to go for later. Overall we really like Homecoming. Despite living in a southern state, we're in the northern part of it so finding good southern food is a real treat for us. And Homecoming certainly does it well!

We just missed a bus back to CBR, but eventually we made it back to our pirates abode for the night. The next morning we broke into our dessert - Hummingbird Cake - for breakfast.

I clearly got this photo after a couple of forks had been in it This was a banana flavored cake with carrot cake like cream cheese frosting and it was glorious. Especially at 8am. #BreakfastofChampions

Up next, we head back to the Springs
​

 

[PollyannaMom]

And for all my seafood lovin' friends - The Shrimp Have Eyes!

And that's where you lose me. Skipper Canteen is definitely on my list of places to try, but I'll have to skip the shrimp. My food simply cannot stare back at me.

You've convinced me to try Homecoming too, though!

 

[2xcited2sleep]

Love, love, love Homecomin’. I am strangely fascinated by the dropping of the last g - and resulting re-do of all marketing material and signage. Those chicken thigh biscuits are so good. I love the idea of that and the sides as an entree. Sorry your donut was disappointing. I’d have expected a hot & fluffy one as well.

 

[Mrsbird1129]

Thank you for your review of homecoming. Heading there in two weeks!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Just popping in to wish everyone a very Happy St Patrick’s Day ( and to ask what are hushpuppies ?)
Homecoming looks tasty that’s for sure ( even if I don’t know what some of the food is lol).

 

[pepperandchips]

Okay so I was like 7 pages behind in my method of "oh gawd I'm so far behind on Kari's report, I will just save the catch up until I can savor it"... so here are comments coming at you from the time machine since I'm living in the past. Also apologies in advance as I will probably have like 5 posts

This is also where Steve and Jason were attempting to eat the dumplings, while Ariane and I held them in our laps, and the conversation went south very quickly. #TipsyFriendship

SO MANY INAPPROPRIATE JOKES, MY LITTLE DUMPLINGS!

The lentils were one of my favorite items of the festival and were chock full of flavor.

yes! I feel like Disney usually shies away from such bold flavors at the festivals but this one was fantastic!

The hanwich was a great alcohol sponge and reminded me of hamburger helper, which I hadn't eaten in at least 20 years, likely when I was also tipsy.

hahaha I thought the same thing, but occasionally you just need some noodley ground beef carbohydrates to help your body rebound from those lovely libations!

Someday I will make it there at the same time as you and Ariane and I fully expect Dismeet debauchery!

 

[pepperandchips]

Between Casey sleeping and the long wait for the bus we'd already missed our Mission Space FP

Probably a blessing in disguise given the previous evening's shenanigans!

Looking no worse for the wear after our long night, we were able to snag a 4th FP for Figment and then a 5th FP for Test Track for later in the day, so despite a rough start the FP gods were looking out for us.

I have never been able to get a decent 4th (much less 5th) fastpass in Epcot!

The tart ended up being my favorite item of the festival. First, the potion size was huge so it was a great value, but the crust was exceptionally flaky and the cheese creamy with just a slight onion flavor. The richness of the tart was cut through nicely by the arugula and balsamic, making this pretty dang close to perfect.

I can't believe I missed this! I guess I need to go back this year and hope it returns...

I much preferred the spam hash, which was full of spicy peppers and offset nicely with the creamy mayo.

I clearly should have given this another shot at the festival. When i had it at the preview it was just WAY TOO SALTY! But it seems to have gotten universally great reviews at the festival so maybe they remedied that (or I just got one bad one)

He was kind enough to model for me as he had picked up a few treasures along the way.

Jason looks amazing in that purse and popcorn bucket.

We had a bit of a wait so we amused ourselves in Mitsokoshi and found these gems.

What in the actual....????

 

[pepperandchips]

After Ariane and Steve arrived we learned we couldn't be with their beloved server Ronnie, and instead we got the worlds slowest server. Oh well, more time together!

Well, that's a positive spin on things! I love the food at Citricos but it seems the reviews on service are hit or miss. Hence our tendency to stick to the bar!

catch the subtle spanish undertones

I laughed aloud at this. Muy especial!

Jason enjoyed another Rye or as I said in my notes "J rye and greT". I'm gonna guess the big T connotes, like Tony the Tiger, it was GRRRRRRRR-EATTTTTTT!

GRRRRRRR-eat is right! I love the notes. They are killing me!

We are FAB

Truer words have never been spoken!

We had a wonderful cast member who freestyled some Christmas magic on our girl! #MoodSolved

Love the face painting and the shirt! I feel like I am missing out on something by never having had my face painted. Goals!

After that our bellies were rumbling so we filled up Pluto's butt

That ain't right, Kari!

Still feeling the hangry pains we invoked one of our favorite family traditions: Pretzels on the Pooper! (aka pretzels on the PeopleMover for those of you who don't speak Stone)

Basically my favorite thing ever and now our family says it too. Also I got really excited when you found me on fb and told R (of course he did not understand) so I had to explain "IT'S POOPER'S MOM!" (never tell Casey this, I don't want to affect her self esteem)

My little rule follower chastised me for sneaking it onboard, so she just stuck to water.

Oh Casey, poor little type-A buzzkill. I hope she keeps following all rules well into her late teens, Kari! Reminds me of something I would have done when I was small. I wouldn't let my parents put the car in gear if my seatbelt wasn't on.

Despite having to pick around those pesky mushrooms we all love this gingery and slightly spicy noodle combination with tons of fresh veggies.

wow that sounds AMAZING! I need to go back to Skipper's!

Sadly our only complaint was that for $25 there were only 4 of them!

What is with Disney doing this with shrimp? Jeez. Come on, they're not *that* expensive.

 

[pepperandchips]

Casey and I split the Fried Chicken and Donuts and let me just tell you the prospect of donuts for dinner had this toothless wonder like...

Be still my heart! What a cute toothless princess.

First and foremost the chicken was fab-u-lous!!!!! The skin was insanely crispy and it was juicy throughout. I put tons of their homemade hot sauce on top and it really made it perfect. The mashed potatoes were also on point. I'm not normally a gravy fan, but their sausage gravy was phenomenal and went perfect with the country style potatoes.

Oh my gosh I CANNOT WAIT to make my triumphant return to the land of deep fried and carbohydrate goodness! We are going to Homecoming in less than 3 weeks! I am definitely getting the fried chicken. It has been too long!

I still can't bring myself to drop the "G" either, but "Homecomin'" is better than our running family joke, which is to call it Chez Fart Smith's instead of Chef Art Smith's... yes we are 12 years old, maturity wise...

I'd like to think this was artsy, but it really was just coincidence

My kinda photography skills

I clearly got this photo after a couple of forks had been in it This was a banana flavored cake with carrot cake like cream cheese frosting and it was glorious. Especially at 8am. #BreakfastofChampions

#Genius
Totally going to have to do this! We love to take a dessert to go, this one seems like one that would save well!

And.. CAN IT BE?! I am caught up!

 

[Jenny Sanders]

The Moonshine Smash is EASILY one of my all time favorite cocktails, and I will be enjoying one a week from today at lunch (ok, maybe more than one). Joe was salivating over the sweet potatoes, and thinks he may order a side of them Saturday as well...

 

[Raeven]

First and foremost the chicken was fab-u-lous!!!!! The skin was insanely crispy and it was juicy throughout

Yum it looks so good

I'd like to think this was artsy, but it really was just tipsy coincidence

I actually love their wine glasses

I clearly got this photo after a couple of forks had been in it This was a banana flavored cake with carrot cake like cream cheese frosting and it was glorious. Especially at 8am. #BreakfastofChampions

Sounds like a good breakfast to me

 

[StarWarsMomofGirls!]

I has the Watermelon Mash when we were there, it was so good!

Gwen ordered the hush puppies when were there but she thought they were too spicy... I thought they were delightful.

 

[kastoney]

And that's where you lose me. Skipper Canteen is definitely on my list of places to try, but I'll have to skip the shrimp. My food simply cannot stare back at me.

You've convinced me to try Homecoming too, though!

Well I guess fried chicken and donuts is more convincing that shrimp eyes

Love, love, love Homecomin’. I am strangely fascinated by the dropping of the last g - and resulting re-do of all marketing material and signage. Those chicken thigh biscuits are so good. I love the idea of that and the sides as an entree. Sorry your donut was disappointing. I’d have expected a hot & fluffy one as well.

I am totally fascinated by it too. I don't get spending what had to be 100's of thousands of dollars on a letter. Clearly it was important to them so clearly we must continue to use the g

Thank you for your review of homecoming. Heading there in two weeks!

You are most welcome! Hope you enjoy as much as we did.

Just popping in to wish everyone a very Happy St Patrick’s Day ( and to ask what are hushpuppies ?)
Homecoming looks tasty that’s for sure ( even if I don’t know what some of the food is lol).

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you!!!! Hope it was craic (yep, still trying)

Hushpuppies are a southern thing usually served with seafood (why I have no idea). I'm sure some southerners will revolt in my description, but its essentially deep fried corn bread balls.

Okay so I was like 7 pages behind in my method of "oh gawd I'm so far behind on Kari's report, I will just save the catch up until I can savor it"... so here are comments coming at you from the time machine since I'm living in the past. Also apologies in advance as I will probably have like 5 posts

Ah, time machine or not I'm thrilled my name and savor are even in the same sentence

SO MANY INAPPROPRIATE JOKES, MY LITTLE DUMPLINGS!

If you only knew

hahaha I thought the same thing, but occasionally you just need some noodley ground beef carbohydrates to help your body rebound from those lovely libations!

I couldn't have said it better myself!

Someday I will make it there at the same time as you and Ariane and I fully expect Dismeet debauchery!

That would be so awesome. We're both going in August. Just saying

I have never been able to get a decent 4th (much less 5th) fastpass in Epcot!

We seem to have pretty good luck in most parks with it. I usually make our fast passes in the 9,10, and 11 hours and then search for fastpasses when we're in line for the 11am ride. Not sure if that is it or not, but I tell myself by working through them early there are more options open.

clearly should have given this another shot at the festival. When i had it at the preview it was just WAY TOO SALTY! But it seems to have gotten universally great reviews at the festival so maybe they remedied that (or I just got one bad one)

It definitely wasn't salty at the festival, so they must have figured out what the issue was.

Jason looks amazing in that purse and popcorn bucket.

Doesn't he. Pluto is definitely his color

Well, that's a positive spin on things! I love the food at Citricos but it seems the reviews on service are hit or miss. Hence our tendency to stick to the bar!

Oddly the one time Jason and I sat at the bar, they lost our order. Must be us Though I most definitely prefer to eat at the bar!

GRRRRRRR-eat is right! I love the notes. They are killing me!

I am to please

Love the face painting and the shirt! I feel like I am missing out on something by never having had my face painted. Goals!

Don't worry, Casey has enough face painting going on for everyone!

That ain't right, Kari!

I ain't right

Basically my favorite thing ever and now our family says it too. Also I got really excited when you found me on fb and told R (of course he did not understand) so I had to explain "IT'S POOPER'S MOM!" (never tell Casey this, I don't want to affect her self esteem)

Dying here. I just shared this with Jason and now I may forever be know as Pooper's mom. 20 years from now when everyone is calling it the Pooper you'll have to attest that I am the mother of the originator

Oh Casey, poor little type-A buzzkill. I hope she keeps following all rules well into her late teens, Kari! Reminds me of something I would have done when I was small. I wouldn't let my parents put the car in gear if my seatbelt wasn't on.

You and me both!!!!! She's totally the seatbelt police too. Last year her teacher called her the kindergarten cop!

What is with Disney doing this with shrimp? Jeez. Come on, they're not *that* expensive.

It was the heads. The expense is all there

Be still my heart! What a cute toothless princess.

Thanks. She's pretty dang cute if I say so myself.

Oh my gosh I CANNOT WAIT to make my triumphant return to the land of deep fried and carbohydrate goodness! We are going to Homecoming in less than 3 weeks! I am definitely getting the fried chicken. It has been too long!

3 weeks!!!!!!!! I had no idea you were going again. Aren't you supposed to be getting married or something

still can't bring myself to drop the "G" either, but "Homecomin'" is better than our running family joke, which is to call it Chez Fart Smith's instead of Chef Art Smith's... yes we are 12 years old, maturity wise...

Totally stealing Fart Smith's. Maybe that is how you'll become known in our house. Chez Fart Smith's creator.

And.. CAN IT BE?! I am caught up!

The Moonshine Smash is EASILY one of my all time favorite cocktails, and I will be enjoying one a week from today at lunch (ok, maybe more than one). Joe was salivating over the sweet potatoes, and thinks he may order a side of them Saturday as well...

Be sure to have one for me too! It was definitely good, but went down way to fast.

Hope Joe likes the sweet potatoes. They definitely filled our Thanksgiving dreams. Have a great trip!

I actually love their wine glasses

They were pretty nice. And the wine wasn't too shabby either!

Sounds like a good breakfast to me

We ended up doing this several times during the trip. We'd get something sweet the day prior and then hello, breakfast! It was much better than whatever they had going on at CBR

I has the Watermelon Mash when we were there, it was so good!

Gwen ordered the hush puppies when were there but she thought they were too spicy... I thought they were delightful.

We really liked them too. I don't recall Casey thinking they were spicy, but after the watermelon mash I don't recall too much

 

[Dis_Yoda]

Mmm...I need to go back to Homecomin'! Looks like a great meal of southern greatness. His fried chicken is so good!

 

[Tracy161]

MGM

Homecoming

I love your love for the OG version of things. As it should be!

I'd like to think this was artsy, but it really was just tipsy coincidence

Funny how many coincidence are the result of tipsiness

This was a banana flavored cake with carrot cake like cream cheese frosting and it was glorious.

YUM!

 

[luvpoohandcompany]

Lol St Paddy’s Day was great craic ( it can’t be just craic - it can be great/ good or not bad craic or the craic can be mighty lol). I’ll have you speaking like a native Irish woman in no time

Hushpuppies sound like little balls of deliciousness so if I ever get the chance to taste them I will

 

[areno79]

I came here to read your Cali Grill brunch review, and got sucked in by all the delish F&W photos. Yum! It also makes me more determined to complete my drink around the world challenge. Last time I attempted it Epcot won and I failed horribly and only made it to 5 countries.

 

[Tygerlilly]

So far this report has me putting Cali Grill brunch and Homecoming on our list for places to eat on our honeymoon trip. I think my fiance would love that moonshine flight!

 

[FSU Girl]

He went for a moonshine flight and let our server pick his options. I don't recall what he got, but I did note he liked the 125 proof one best. It did come with some yummy spiced pecans that we all munched on. It also came with a pickle juice chaser I got nothing on that.

This flight of drinks looks good. The pickle juice chaser sounds gross lol. I had pickles and many of my friends love this and try to get me to drink it.

This looks like a feast.

I clearly got this photo after a couple of forks had been in it This was a banana flavored cake with carrot cake like cream cheese frosting and it was glorious. Especially at 8am. #BreakfastofChampions

This looks delicious. This cake alone makes me want to go to this restaurant.