Mouse Extra

The Orlando Sentinental is reporting the following

“E-Brands, the multi-concept Orlando based restaurant group, will launch its newest location and concept at Walt Disney World in 2009. The eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty tequilas, premium wines and live music.

“We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to build upon our portfolio of 15 successful restaurants across the country — including such brands as Timpano and Samba Room — and our 25-year relationship with Walt Disney World Resort,” said Rashid Choufani, CEO/Owner of E-Brands Restaurants and operator of Epcot’s Morocco Pavilion. “We look forward to sharing our unique dining experience with Walt Disney World guests from around the globe.

E-Brands Restaurants newest concept will come to life with a boldly colored hacienda-style interior featuring rustic beams that contrast against modern fixtures, stone floors and windows that open to create an open-air environment. The 5,000-square-foot, two-story facility will have a tequila bar and outdoor seating along Village Lake.”

Disney has not announced where this is going exactly other than to say it will be on Village Lake. I can guess that it may be part of the Pleasure Island overhaul. I can also assume it will much be like Raglan Road in that there is no cover charge. Frankly, Disney is going to the chain restaurant well a little too much recently with, in my opinion, mixed results. Having said that, South American cuisine is notably absent from Walt Disney World and this is a place I will definately try. We’ll see if it works out.

Today’s article is by Mike, contributing writer to Mouse Extra.

The Orlando Sentinel is reporting this morning about the ongoing changes happening at Pleasure Island in Downtown Disney.  The site that revolutionized Walt Disney World by being the first major project geared only to adults has since been in a transformation to redefine itself.  What exactly it will become is hard to say.

The slow evolution of Downtown Disney’s Pleasure Island continues with the recent opening of a second specialty apparel shop, the impending shutdown of a live-music nightclub, and the anticipated reuse of a long-closed building.

The live music nightclub is the Rock n’ Roll Beach Club, which has been a mainstay at the Island for years.  Officials have not said yet what exactly will go in that spot, though rumors have been swirling for a while now.

Disney spokeswoman Zoraya Suarez declined to elaborate on plans for the Beach Club building, which features a panoramic view of Village Lake, though she dispelled rumors that the building would be torn down.

Most of what I have heard is that this will be another third party restaurant.  Considering the water view the building has, that is not at all surprising.  I have yet to hear anything regarding what exactly it might be, but this will sort itself out sooner rather than later.  It seems as though Pleasure Island is getting more and more “family” oriented as time goes by.  Putting in a big restaurant on a prime piece of real estate would make all the sense in the world.

Scott Powers of the Orlando Sentinel reported yesterday in his blog that construction has begun on the T-Rex restaurant over at Downtown Disney.  I mention this because in the paragraph below, Mr. Powers echoed a conversation I was just having yesterday about the lack of good food at Downtown Disney.

T-Rex is to become a full-menu, full-service family-oriented restaurant, a genre that’s oddly scarce at Downown Disney. Marketplace has Rainforest Cafe, and there’s Planet Hollywood sort of off on its own at Downtown Disney, but everything else at Marketplace, and most of what’s spread across Pleasure Island and the West Side, is either counter-service or something more along the lines of adult-oriented themed restaurants such as the Portobello Yacht Club, Raglan Road and Wolfgang Puck.

This is something I only recently realized.  I often stay at Saratoga Springs, and one of the selling features about the resort is that you can just hop a boat or even walk to all the food at Downtown Disney.  But in reality, there isn’t all that much.  The Rainforest Café is okay, but that’s about the best you can say.  Planet Hollywood is somewhat overbearing and Raglan Road can be rather noisy.  Hopefully the T-Rex does the job and turns around this trend.  Downtown needs a really good eatery.

I’ll take some photos of the construction next week and report on the progress.

It is not secret that Walt Disney World is a massive place, filled with more things then one could possibly see on a normal vacation.  So even after going dozens of times, I still occasionally find something that has been there for years and I never bothered to try.  The Earl of Sandwich is just one of those places.

I can’t even count how many times I’ve been to the Downtown Disney Marketplace and passed by this eatery, normally giggling about picture of the Earl that adorns the entrance.  I was just never there when I needed something light to eat.  I was either there late at night, or going to one of the many restaurants in the area for dinner 

Lord Sandwich did not invent the sandwich, but his love for them gave it the name we use today.  Legend has it, he liked the food because he could either continue to work or play cards, whichever story you believe, and not get his hands greasy.  I can only imagine how happy the good Earl would be if he was able to lunch at this place.

The specialty here is hot sandwiches, and the quality far exceeds hot sandwiches you get at various fast food sub shops.  These are as inventive as they are delicious.  The All American, with turkey, cheese, ranch dressing and cranberries, was better than I could have ever thought.  There are also offerings with French, Italian, and even Caribbean flare.  There’s also a selection of salads.

Don’t forget to save room for dessert.  They have some fresh cookies and brownies.  I had an ice cream sandwich of vanilla ice cream inside two brownies.  They also have some interesting muffins and other sweets.

There is no great theme to this place.  No immersive story.  There is an attempt to put some nice British flavor to the dining area, but it can be easily overlooked.  However, you won’t miss the aroma of these fabulous sandwiches.  Next time you’re at Disney World, give it a shot.  It is a great meal and doesn’t cost a small fortune.

To me, the House of Blues is what Downtown Disney is all about. Its a nightclub, music venue and themed eatery all wrapped into one. Plus, its got that great brand name, the Blues Brothers, behind it. I previously did a review of Boatwright’s at the Port Orleans resort wherein I criticized its “toned down” version of Creole cuisine. That’s not the case at the House of Blues. The food is very good and is complemented by its surroundings. After the Hard Rock Cafe opened years ago, we saw a plethora of themed chain restaurants like Planet Hollywood, the Rainforest Cafe, and the All Star Cafe. In my opinion, the House of Blues may very well be the best of the lot.

To give you an idea, the appetizers include pan-seared voodoo shrimp with rosemary cornbread (more on that later), crispy catfish nuggets, and parmesan fried artichoke hearts. These range from $9 to $11. For more substance, there is the “Elwood”, a blackened chicken sandwich with chili garlic mayo, green chilies, and sour cream- sounds good right? Entrees include Creole jambalaya, penne (with roasted red peppers, spinach, and roasted garlic in parmesan and a white wine sauce), and wild mushroom pasta. Cajun meatloaf is a specialty as is the grilled chicken with andouille-corn bread pudding and pinot noir sauce. There are also the typical Creole choices like gumbo, seared catfish and po’ boys.

Ambience is a key component to the House of Blues. The decor is fun in a voodoo sort of way- try to imagine the largest bayou hut you will ever find covered in folk art from the region. We ate one night at around 9PM and got to enjoy a very talented blues rock band. There is also a performance hall attached which very well may be showcasing a performer you know. The music runs the gamut of rock, folk, jazz, and, of course, blues. Also, there is a popular gospel Sunday brunch here. The cost is $30 for adults and $15 for kids.

Besides the music, my favorite part of the House of Blues is the cornbread (told ya I would get back to this). The skillet baked rosemary cornbread with maple butter is outrageously good and I can easily scarf down the entire pan myself. As you can tell, I highly recommend the HOB. Its remarkably authentic in both cuisine and vibe for a chain restaurant. I suggest you go a little later to improve your chances of seeing a talented band play in the main dining area. There is something enjoyable when you combine cornbread, andouille sausages, and good blues music.