Fried Chicken & Donuts – Chef Art Smith’s Homecomin’

Momma's Mac and Cheese -- Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'

Image: DisneyI’ll group these two dishes together since they share a commonality beyond the obvious one. Yes, they’re both served at Art Smith’s new restaurant. More importantly, they’re both comfort food, peasant dishes refined by a celebrity chef into something more elegant yet just as flavorful. Both dishes taste like a visit to Cracker Barrel wherein you discover that Tom Colicchio is running the kitchen that day. Disney Springs has so many wonderful restaurant options. When you have the blues and need some cheering up, however, there’s only one choice: go hang out at Art Smith’s joint. His food will lift your spirits!

Pork Tenderloin -- California Grill

Image: DisneyThis pork dish gets my vote as the overall best entrée at Walt Disney World. And I say that as a steak and burgers guy. The Pork Tenderloin recipe is so impeccably good that we bought a Disney cookbook to try to replicate it. Amazingly, the current version of this dish available isn’t the best one. Read the post-note at the bottom to see what I mean.

Zebra Domes – Boma

Image: DisneyGet between me and the Zebra Domes section of the Boma buffet. Go ahead. I dare you. I should warn you in advance that no fight that you’ve ever seen on Jerry Springer will equal the white trash throwdown that will ensue. Those Zebra Domes are the reason why I trek over to Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge every time I visit Walt Disney World. I don’t even like coffee or liquor, but the incongruous kalua-coffee flavor dazzles me.

The Grey Stuff – Be Our Guest

Disney had to get this one right, and whether we’re talking about the cupcake or the brownie, they did. Truly, it’s delicious.

Kona Kone – Kona Café

Image via Flickr user meshmar2
Image: Flickr (license)

You think it’s just ice cream in a cone, but that’s like saying that Hank Aaron was just a baseball player. You realize that it’s a next level dessert when you see the M&Ms on top of the ice cream…and the Mickey Mouse chocolate on top of the cone…and the cotton candy island base surrounding the cone. It’s an absolutely ridiculous dessert, almost like the people in the kitchen were trying to top each other one night and accidentally invented the best dessert at Walt Disney World.

Sticky Toffee Pudding -- Rose and Crown Dining Room

Image: DisneyIs this too many desserts? It’s probably too many desserts. I’m not trying to create a balanced meal here, though. I’m telling you my favorite foods. As you’ve certainly inferred, I have a sweet tooth, and the perfect capper for one of my favorite nights at Walt Disney World is to eat Sticky Toffee Pudding right as Illuminations begins. The marvelous servers at Rose and Crown can time the process perfectly, giving my family the ultimate combination of sparkling fireworks exhibition and decadent dessert. This dessert event has become an annual tradition for me and mine.

As I wrap this up, I’d like to give a shout out to three dishes that aren’t currently on Disney menus. If/when they return, however, I warmly recommend them. I’ve already mentioned the Pork Tenderloin at California Grill; it’s half of the legendary Pork Two Ways dish that doubles the pleasure of your meal. Next, Capt. Cook’s sells a ham and cheese sandwich that may seem ordinary at first blush. It’s specifically the reason that I now love pesto, though.

Finally, Kona Café already has two entries here, but it would have had a third. They actually cook my favorite steak at Walt Disney World. Due to a recent menu update, however, it’s not currently being sold…which kills me. Suffice to say that I adore every meal at Kona Café.