French Fry Diary 168: Parrot Cay, Disney Wonder 2010

Our first foray into Parrot Cay on this Disney Cruise trip was on Day Two for breakfast. Now of course, like many of the restaurants on the DCL, I'd been here before, but every dining experience is different with Disney, and especially with the cruise. The breakfast potatoes this time around were red bliss potatoes halved and quartered and simmered in a succulent sauce, tender, hot and just right.

Day two's dinner returned us to Parrot Cay. And just for kicks, I did not order any fries. I bet I caught you off guard with that one. There were fried and potatoey stuff on the agenda however. My appetizer, a delicious island jerk chicken came with tasty dried and deep fried shredded carrots, and my entrée came with a yummy twice baked potato. Good stuff, and a nice change of pace.

Day three's lunch got me back to Parrot Cay, and that burger and fries you'll read about in a future entry. The burger I had been hankering for since the previous morning was my Parrot Cay lunch. While ninety-nine percent of the ship was ashore at Disney's private island Castaway Cay, it's my favorite time on the boat. No crowds, just rest and relaxation, peace and quiet. Maybe I'm just a freak, but that's how I vacation. So I had much of the restaurant to myself as well that lunch time.

The burger was a half-pound slab of succulent Angus meat on a toasted roll. Wow. This was the best burger I had eaten in quite some time. The fries were slightly larger than regular cuts, similar to those that first night at Animator's Palate, but not quite. Still very very good.

If I had to say anything negative at all, it had to be that the fries were a bit dry, but that's my fault, because I'm not a ketchup guy. I did surreptitiously slip a few under the bun and on top of the burger (like I might sometimes do at McDonalds), and that was terrific. What a treat, and a wonderful lunch.

Dinner for day three was also at Parrot Cay, which was also Pirate Night, a great event on board the Disney Cruise. Folks, passengers and cast members alike dress up like pirates, sing, dance, eat, drink and shoot off fireworks - not necessarily in that order. Fun all around, but I wish that carried over to the dinner.

Scrapbookers might be upset at one corner Disney has cut in that the Pirate Night menu is no longer a rolled up take home treasure map dealie. That was a bit of a disappointment but I had ordered a side of fries with dinner so I thought things were all good. Don't count on it.

The French fries were regular cuts, and nothing at all what I got just a few hours earlier for lunch. These fries were just bad in comparison with the usual excellent quality on board the cruise line, but just bad, period. We're taking Old Country Buffet under a heat lamp for a week bad. On a good note, the beef ribs that I got as my entrée (and were only just okay) came with a barbeque sauce that was excellent for dipping and made the fries just a bit better.

All in all, despite one off night for dinner, Parrot Cay does remain my favorite of the Disney Cruise Line restaurants, and I do look forward to coming back.

Potato Patch Animals

These animal-shaped potatoes were the Photo of the Day over at the Coast to Coast AM website.

Coast to Coast AM is a late night radio program hosted by George Noory that deals with the paranormal and the unusual. Being an insomniac, I listen to Coast a lot, and not just because I can't sleep. It's informative, insane, and always entertaining.

Here's what Diane P., the listener who sent in the photo had to say about it:

"These are potatoes I dug up from my garden. I think they look like animals...... I see a turtle, a duck, a pig, a rat, and a short-necked giraffe. Weird, huh? Yes, I see things in the clouds too, don't you???"

See the full story here.

French Fry Diary 167: The New Gino's

After hearing about Gino's reopening in King of Prussia PA, I quickly put together a French Fry Diary road trip. The Bride's folks, her aunt and her friend came along, and after seemingly endless hours on the horrendously packed and unmoving Schuylkill Expressway we finally made it.

The new Gino's is an oasis of nostalgia, between the giant photos on the walls of days gone by and the vintage WFIL-style oldies (interspersed with newer oldies and old Gino's commercials) on the overhead sound system. There was a steady stream of folks coming in and out, but it was not crowded by any means. Busy, yes, packed, no. The atmosphere was very upbeat and happy, the staff pleasant, quick and helpful. The kitchen, as advertised, was open, but you really couldn't actually see anyone cooking.

The counter area was set up as a line, starting at a wall with a simplistic menu, like the fries visually at least, very similar to the simple menu at Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Honestly, not a bad successful business to emulate, but shouldn't Gino's be trying to rebuild or build their own brand? There was always a bottleneck at this menu before the line went to the 'order' and 'pick-up' stations.

We were eating in, so we took a number to our table and waited for our food to be brought to us. Take-out fries were served in cups (also like Five Guys) but eat-in orders were poured into a basket with your sandwich. But there's no way to really know whose fries are whose in this concept. It was almost like eating family style despite the fries all being ordered individually. Imagine my frustration when my burger arrived alone in a basket with no fries.

My burger was very, very good, better than Five Guys, and not conjure their specter again, it had two patties, just like they do. The two hand-formed beef patties on the sesame seed bun made for perhaps the best burger I have had in quite a while. Coke products were offered as was locally produced Hank's root beers and sodas.

The fries were not great at all. My Aunt Ellen nailed how I felt about the fries with her initial assessment of them - greasy, but at least you can taste the potato. These thick natural regular cuts were unimpressive, and tasted of peanuts, possibly from the oil, but if that was so, where were the warnings for those allergic?

The Bride liked that the cheese for the cheese fries was Cheez Whiz. My mom-in-law was surprised (as was I) by the lack of coffee or tea on the menu. We didn't try the chicken, or the milkshakes made with Edy's ice cream, and unfortunately the fries don't have enough pull to bring me back.

The fries were less than satisfying, but all in all, it was a great fun day out with the family, and a successful French Fry Diary road trip.

French Fry Diary 166: Animator's Palate, Disney Wonder 2010

Just when I thought that after a dozen or so visits to this fun but gimmicky Disney Cruise Line restaurant, I have been surprised. Animator's Palate has black and white images and animations all over the walls that slowly as the meal progresses begin to gain color until the entire restaurant is alive with vibrant full color and music. It's a great trick the first time, and fun a few times after that but after a while it becomes old hat. This time however, was as good as the first time, and the best meal of our Disney trip so far.

Much of this goes to our serving team Stafford and Myriam who were fabulous taking care of us. And with the Disney Cruise, your serving team stays with you throughout your cruise, following you from restaurant to restaurant, so I foresee a wonderful carefree few days ahead of me. I require very little usually on these cruises. Don't give me a look when I ask for French fries, and keep my Coke filled. I got aces from these two, and their end of trip tip will show that.

The side order of fries that came with my beef tenderloins were without peer, and easily the best I've had on this entire trip so far. These were thick steak fries both in width and girth and shape, very similar to the British chips I would have gotten at Cookes of Dublin or Yorkshire County Fish and Chips, had I gotten there this trip. These fries were seriously damn good, baked and not deep-fried, golden brown, crisp outside and soft and hot on the inside. Near perfection, baby.

French Fry Diary 165: The Crystal Palace, Magic Kingdom

I've mentioned before how good breakfast is at Walt Disney World, and one of the pinnacles of that breakfast is the character breakfast phenomenon. While you're munching on pancakes, Mickey waffles, bacon and the favorite fried breakfast food - Disney characters (folks in costume, usually of the big furry variety) come and visit with you, sign autograph books and pose for photographs. It's fun for kids of all ages.

On our honeymoon The Bride and I pretty much hit all of the Character Breakfasts at WDW, except for one, the one at the Crystal Palace in the Magic Kingdom. It's special, and features only the Disney characters of Winnie the Pooh and other residents of the Hundred Acre Wood. Unfortunately we couldn't get reservations this time for breakfast, and ended up there for dinner.

Dinner at the Crystal Palace is much like the breakfast, same characters wandering around, and the food is served buffet style. It's not bad, maybe Old Country Buffet quality, but as always with Disney, you are paying for the experience. And this was quite an experience.

When Winnie the Pooh came to our table, that was the exact moment I had a piece of turkey go down the wrong way, and I began to choke. Seriously choking, not playing around here, I was not breathing and doing the whole holding my throat and mouthing 'can't breathe' here. Pooh just stood there, and actually started to pose for pictures and do schtick. That evil bear was just going to let me die.

I managed to get the turkey down, and drink about half a Coke to clear my airway, but Pooh was still standing there as if I had interrupted him. Just wait, Winnie, you'll get yours. Guess who's not lifting a paw next time you choke on some honey, you evil silly little bear.

The fries at the Crystal Palace aren't out in the buffet area by the way, not like the garlic mashed potatoes, which for the record, aren't bad either. If you ask for fries, they will bring you quite a large portion, probably from Casey's Corner which is right next store as they look just like theirs, Disney standards. Not a bad dinner out, but watch out for that bear. Hey, at least Tigger would have Heimliched me.

French Fry Diary 164: Cosmic Ray's Starlight Café

This is set right between Tomorrowland and Fantasyland in Disney's Magic Kingdom, and serves as not only one of the easier counter service restaurants, but also as fun and mostly unknown Disney show and a great place to take a load off and relax. You're treated to a lounge act by an alien while you eat, and that lounge lizard is the animatronic Sonny Eclipse. Imagine Richard Cheese as a cartoon doing originals and telling jokes.

The food is of the standard American fast food type, and the French fries appear at first to be the Disney standard, but not quite. Yes, they are natural cuts, but slightly skinnier (but not shoestring skinny) and much crispier. There's a good golden brown crunch to these babies, at least when they're made right.

It's an enjoyable show, lots of puns and lots of good electronic jazzy sounds, and as I said, good to get off your feet on a busy hot day at the park. Also, if you get the right seat, you can see where the characters come out for meet and greets and get a head start on everyone else. Check it out.

French Fry Diary 163: Gino's Is Back!

When folks think of the first fast food restaurant they were exposed to, the answer is usually McDonald's, but for me, and I suspect quite a few folks my age in the vicinity of Berlin NJ, the answer would be Gino's.

Gino's is long gone -until just a few days ago- but that building in Berlin, next to the old now also gone Acme, that was since been an Arby's, a Roy Rogers and now just a regular Jersey diner, will to some folks be forever known as Gino's. It was the first place we all got fast food. It was where most of us had our first fast food hamburger - the Gino's Giant, not the Big Mac or the Whopper. It was the place we first had Kentucky Fried Chicken. It was where we went for lunch after grocery shopping at the Acme on Saturday mornings. It was where the food came from for birthday parties when we were little. And for some of us, it was where we had our first part-time jobs. Gino's left that Berlin location in the seventies, but there was still one or two around, but they all closed in the early eighties.

Imagine my surprise to find that a new Gino's had opened just a week ago in King of Prussia. Opened and looking to franchise by founder Gino Marchetti and his partners the new Gino's is known as Gino's Burgers and Chicken, and you can check them out here at their website, or here at their blog, and shortly I'll be reviewing their fries right here at French Fry Diary. And don't forget to 'like' them on Facebook. Welcome back, Gino's!

And just for the sake of nostalgia, here's one of their commercials from the swinging seventies...

French Fry Diary 162: Flame Tree Barbeque, Animal Kingdom

Flame Tree Barbeque is a place in Disney's Animal Kingdom that I have always wanted to try, but have been kept from doing by my hatred for Disney's Animal Kingdom. Sorry, guys, do not make a park where you have to walk a mile uphill no matter where you want to go. It sucks. Disney World likes to brag about how Disneyland could fit inside their parking lot, and they say it like it's a bad thing. Um no, that's called a good park, because everything is close together. Sorry, no one's ever going to convince me Animal Kingdom has merit as a place I want to go - simply because of how big it is.

And unfortunately, Flame Tree Barbeque did not change my mind much. The French fries are the Disney standard, more regular cut than natural cut, but they are the latter. The portions are very generous but that's because it costs $3.99 and it's a basket meant for sharing. There is a delightful barbeque sauce excellent for dipping, and the baked beans can be used for the same as well. But, good luck finding the barbeque sauce as their outside seating area (and where their condiments, napkins and utensils are as well) is within a jungle labyrinth.

They also have a similar sharing basket for the onion rings. They are gigantic beer-battered onion rings. Either one of these sharing baskets could easily be a whole meal for two or three or four. Also, Flame Tree is very green, so lots of rules about where and how you eat, and no plastics, and no feeding the animals. Also, ever notice how folks seemingly have to quack when a duck walks past? Weird.

Who Has the Best BBQ Potato Chips?

It's Election Day here in the States, and I want to urge everyone to get out there and vote. I know that a lot of choices suck, but please get out there and vote today, even if you have to vote against rather than for, still, make sure your voice is heard.

Speaking of voting, and more on topic, voting for the favorite fried food, I cam across this recent survey by Slashfood about Barbeque Potato Chips. As barbeque is my favorite style of chip, I was immediately interested. I have to say that I don't necessarily agree with their findings, as I think the best bbq chips are by Wise and Herr's, but what do I know? I'm just the French fry guy.

You can check out their results here.

French Fry Diary 161: The ABC Commissary

The ABC Commissary can be found at Disney's Hollywood Studios. It is sort of like a lunchroom, or more accurately a commissary. Yeah, the name is kinda on the nose. One of the first times I visited Disney I got sick here so it's not one of my favorite places, but it was convenient and the folks in my party were hungry, so there we were.

The French fries were the typical natural cuts with heat lamp flair found in the parks, so nothing special, but not bad either. We got to watch clips from ABC programs on overhead screens, some interesting interaction between characters of some of their new shows, but they weren't that new as "Lost" was included.

I got an ice cold Coke that was absolute heaven in the ninety degree tropical Florida October weather. I love Disney but I like the weather in New Jersey much better.