Location: Disney’s Polynesian Resort
Cuisine: Asian / Tropical (menu from AllEars.Net)
Price Range: moderate (entrees $12 – $16)
Overall Verdict: great food, relaxing atmosphere
Finally!
Much like my last review of Yak & Yeti was a long time coming, I’ve also been looking forward to this month’s review for quite a while, although for a very different reason – that’s how long it’s taken me to actually get into the place! And mind you, it’s not necessarily anything against the restaurant itself, per se – sometimes they weren’t accepting walk-ups at the time I showed up and others we simply got sidetracked and ended up eating elsewhere, but nonetheless I’m happy to say that I finally managed to get in for a meal at this famed Disney eatery…
I think it pretty much goes without saying that the Polynesian is one of the most iconic resorts in Disney’s collection, and that authentic themeing most certainly carries through from the two-story lobby of the main building right into the restaurant as well. Now I’ve never been to Hawaii or really anyplace more tropical than Florida, really, but nonetheless when I walk around the grounds of this resort, it feels like you’ve been transported to a far off land where the ladies all wear grass skirts and life in general just runs at a much more easy-going pace. It’s easy to relax around this place, and when we factor in a great meal like the one I had to boot, now that’s what I call a vacation!
The ambience to be found at Kona Café is quite peaceful. The restaurant seats a decent number of people, but it isn’t huge, so I wouldn’t imagine the noise from other patrons being too unbearable, although in the interest of full disclosure I should mention that the place was nearly empty when we actually sat down to eat. Compared to other Disney eateries, it’s actually a fairly small dining room, but more in a cozy than cramped kind of feeling. If you’re looking for a nice, relaxing lunch getaway just outside the Magic Kingdom, this seems like the perfect place to grab a good bite to eat along with a much-needed break from all of the crowds…
But onto the food – I’ve got to tell you that my one single regret about coming here for lunch instead of dinner was simply that I’m not nearly as ready to stuff my self when I’ve got a whole afternoon’s worth of park touring still ahead of me as I might be with a dinner at the end of a long day! The menu that was placed before us had a whole lot of items that I’m going to have to go back again later to try, not to mention the mouth-watering desserts that our server paraded us past on the way to our table. This is clearly not a one time does the trick kind of restaurant!
After a fair amount of hemming and hawing, I finally settled on the Chicken with Peanut Sauce Polynesian Plate Lunch, whereas my wife opted for the Teriyaki Fried Steak version of the same plate lunch and our friends respectively chose the Beef Teriyaki Salad and the Angus Chuck Kahuna Burger. And mind you, I didn’t bother to take pictures of their meals as well, considering that while Sara was well used to it, outsiders might find it kind of weird for someone else to be taking photos of their lunch, but for what it’s worth, both of their meals did look pretty good as well!
Aside from having a copious amount of vegetables that I wouldn’t normally eat (lots of peppers), the flavor in my dish was totally on par with what I was expecting, which was a nice Asian-style chicken with that same peanut sauce that I’ve come to idolize over at Yak & Yeti … man, what is it with the Disney chefs and peanut sauce?! Mind you, it wasn’t necessarily as thick as the dipping sauce that I love from Yak & Yeti, but it had the same flavor and frankly, my only wish would’ve been less veggies and larger portions of the chicken. And coupling the rice with some of the leftover sauce remnants, well, let’s just say that it wasn’t too difficult for me to clear my plate this time around.
As for everyone else’s meals, they all seemed to enjoy their food as well – I know that I never even got a bite of my wife’s teriyaki steak because by the time I thought to ask, it was already long gone! I think a close second behind the atmosphere at Kona Café is the food, which is about what I expect when I dine at restaurants at Walt Disney World, and the fact that their menu has enough offerings that I’m already looking forward to the next time we get to eat there certainly speaks well for the food itself!
While I can’t guarantee that my next meal at Disney World will definitely be here simply due to the vast variety around the World to select from, I do think that it’s safe to say that my next visit to Kona Café is going to consist of one of two things – either a) a late dinner after Wishes ends at the Magic Kingdom, possibly watched from the beach at the Poly; or b) that same idea, only skipping straight to dessert instead of eating a full meal. Either way, I’m happy to profess that my suspicious were correct about this peaceful, Hawaiian hideaway and the next time I’m looking for a quiet getaway for a relaxing lunch, I’ll know that paradise is merely a monorail ride away…
Review based on a dining experience from February 2009.