Disney's best hidden cuisine gem

My love towards the Polynesian Resort should not be a secret. Of all the resorts in the Walt Disney World, I strongly believe that with Poly, it is as good as it gets. The ambiance, the view of the castle, and especially (especially), the food. Ohanas to this day has the best food I’ve ever had in Walt Disney World. But, the menu extends farther than that in the tropical resort. There’s a luau, a sushi bar, a second neighboring sit-down restaurant, and the eatery I am about to discuss.

Now, the point of this blog is to not only visit the entire expansive state of Florida, but to also discover hidden treasures amongst the 65,755 square miles. Captain Cooks is the quick-service cornerstone of the Polynesian Resort, and the best quick-service location in all of Disney. After 7 years of work for the Mouse, I have yet to find a single quick-bite eatery that comes even close to the quality this place. Whomever came up with the menu is a genius, and whomever are the cooks maintaining the place are amazing at what they do.




There are four main reasons why this place is the pinnacle of good fast Disney food---these are not in any order. The first reason is their chicken salad. Saying this now, I am not a salad person in the least bit. However, my two favorite salads are from the Polynesian Resort. First place is the salad in Ohanas, and the chicken salad from Captain Cooks is a close second place. Despite the heftier price, this salad is heavy on the quantity, and the quality. You get a massive bowl full of fresh greens, chicken, and just the right amount of dressing and cheese. The chicken was heavy enough to turn this from a healthyish appetizer into a heck of a dinner. But if greens aren’t your cup of tea, then we have the spectacular turkey club.





While the cheeseburger and the aloha pork sandwich are also very good, the turkey club is a superb work of art. In between pieces of great multi-grain bread is fresh turkey, honey-dijon mayonnaise, bacon, and fresh lettuce. They come in multiple little sandwich pieces, and always leave you asking for more. Every time I order this, it always tastes fresh, always tastes top-notch, and never feels like they just threw the meal together. Joining the club is whether a small salad, cole slaw, or the third reason why Captain Cooks is the best of the best in quick service-----the Polynesian chips.


My first time in Ohanas, their starter wasn’t the sweet bread, it used to be the chips. These spectacular chips introduced me to the world of Polynesian cuisine. While the chips (and potatoes and chimichurri sauce, but that’s another story) no longer exist in Ohanas, they still have life in the food place downstairs. These chips come in many different types, styles, and sizes, and they are all tasty to the absolute core. They are some of the only chips that work well by themselves, and taste good with nearly any type of dip you have for them. These chips have just the right amount of salt and oil to maximize the flavor, without making you think of the calories. To make an extremely long story short, these chips rock your socks off.


Then there is the dessert. While Captain Cooks does offer some of your usual ice cream that you can find in the parks, they do have the spiritual nirvana known as the pineapple dole whip. While this masterpiece of a dessert is available in the Magic Kingdom, the fact that this ice cream can be found outside the hustle and bustle of the Kingdom is something worth cheering about. The pineapple ice cream is among the best desserts you’ll ever have in your life. The ice cream is very creamy, very rich in flavor, and just a pure delight from start to finish. Existence of a higher being makes sense, because there’s no way us simple humans created such a delight. I can’t describe it better. You just have to come down to taste it. There should be poetry made about this ice cream.

Bottom Line: If you are vacationing in Disney (or living closeby), you must give this place at least one visit. It is not just a great assortment of Disney food, it has become the best of the quick-service locations in all of Walt Disney World---and I am indeed including the quick service spots in the theme parks themselves. While the Sunshine Seasons and Casey's Corner are classics and cornerstones of Disney, Captain Cooks is a hidden gem of pure quality that is supported by a beautiful atmosphere and close distance to the beach. Not only can you enjoy a great dinner, but you can take some delicious ice cream with you a mere few feet to the shorelines of the resort, where you can get a great view of the fireworks in Magic Kingdom. Captain Cooks is as good as it gets for fast Disney food.

Happy Thanksgiving! Have some videos. On me.

903 Mills Market: featuring the Thanksgiving-in-your-hand sandwich



Thanksgiving Special



Thanksgiving Special Part 2



Happy Thanksgiving!

"I'll have the $hrimp and the lob$ter"

Somewhere in the midst of the Little Havana scene lies a place known for its extensive and expansive selection of delicious seafood. Open since the early 1960s, La Camaronera has become a staple to the Miami area since its opening, starting as a fish market and rising into a popular restaurant. While I am a huge fan of seafood, I have never had Southeast Florida seafood. If anyone says that there is no difference, stop reading now. West coast seafood has quickly become my favorite type, with places like Whiskey Joes and Crabby Bills in the Tampa/Clearwater zone. Now, seeing that I am in a hotel that charges 20 bucks for parking a day, I decided to walk there instead. Three miles of walking is very different from three miles of driving, by the way. Nonetheless, after about an hour of walk, I found the spot. Like Viva Chile before it, its a very small location tucked in the corner of a plaza. That corner also was the only part of the plaza with cars parked.





Inside, its an interesting scene. Let's just say bringing a date here is not the best idea, unless you've known her for a while. This place lacks tables, and lacks chairs. This place consists of a very long counter, an area to buy fresh fish, a massive mirror, and an ATM machine (they only take cash). The locals that visit here often are known as "Los Paraditos" because of their constant standing while devouring their lunch. At least the food can now digest faster. Their most popular items include the fried shrimp, the fried lobster, and also their seafood sandwiches. I ordered the fried lobster (which is market price) and the fried shrimp, skipping out on the sandwiches. The staff was very nice and patient with me, as the locals noticed it was my first time and offered their tidbits.



The fried shrimp was delivered first. This was very good, although it wasn't as filling as the shrimp in the west coast. It was nicely breaded, did pack plenty of shrimp meat, but the portion (and the pieces themselves) were a lot smaller than I've had recently. At 6.50, its not a bad price for the amount given. Their tartar sauce was also very good. And then came the fried lobster. This was a tougher one to chew, literally and figuratively. The plate was $17, and offered the same amount as the fried shrimp. I know that lobster is always more expensive, but the portion definitely did not match the price tag, I personally thought it wasn't enough. The meat itself was quite good, but also not very filling. The crust conquered the flavor, as the lobster was quite tough to chew. It was good, but hard to swallow because of how much it was. Now, while some places charge a little more for presentation, the lack of tables and chairs definitely disproves that potential theory.




Was I disappointed? No, not at all, this seafood was good, it definitely was fresh. But once you've gone to the Tampa area and sampled their inexpesive yet incredible seafood, then it will be hard for these places to truly stand out. For example: I had a meal called a Key West Platter in a seafood place in Clearwater: This dish had mahi-mahi, shrimp, mashed potatoes, hush puppies, and fritters. All this, and it was a cent cheaper than one order of fried lobster. Nowadays, you strive to get as much as you can for each buck you spend. That Key West Platter was not only filing and good, but at a mere $17 I was full to the brim. Then there's the masterpiece seafood pizza in Ricky T's Bar and Grill---which was a $17 pizza with lobster AND crab AND shrimp. I spent nearly $30 at La Camaronera (after tip) and I wasn't really full. If they reduce some of their prices, then it would have been a more satisfying experience. Nonetheless, its good Miami seafood. Now that I think about it, yea, I was slightly disappointed.


Bottom Line: La Camaronera deserves its local underground success, because of its offering of fresh seafood amongst its diverse menu. But as someone who has traveled a lot and has seen/tasted it all, I've had better, and I've seen better-priced. I recommend it as long as you have plenty of cash, but it definitely lags when going up against the Tampa seafood joints. The shrimp was good, but it was much better in Whiskey Joes. The fried lobster was good, but was nasty on the price tag. La Camaronera I am sure can receive better acclaim if one of three things happen: they drop some of their prices, increase their portions, or if the economy explodes and all of a sudden Little Havana has Las Vegas money.

Until then, it hurts to pay, no matter how good it might be.

La Camaronera
1952 West Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33135
(305) 642-3322

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"That's a lot of pie!"

Note: The above quotation was an attempted catchphrase made in The Cosby Show that never caught on. However, it works in this scenario.

As a unofficial food blogger, I must also try new experiences in order to increase my knowledge of....food. Which brings me to my first experience with Chilean food. I've never had the stuff, but I had heard great things. However, online, I could not find a popular local Chilean restaurant within the entire Central Florida range. The closest one I could find, was a little place in Davie, Florida, on the heels of the Fort Lauderdale and Miami. Now, before making the trip to Miami for some other restaurants, I decided to sidetrack myself and give this place a whirl. And like most good restaurants, its hidden and a little tough to find. The Publix next door saved me.



Viva Chile is extremely small, and is located next to a seemingly-larger Little Caesars. On the inside, you'll see pictures, Chile flags everywhere, a little Chilean art, and a small assortment of tables and chairs. When I went, there were a few people already seated. For some odd reason however, they were playing Dominican music (Aventura, Juan Luis Guerra). The owner greeted me and offered me a table. I told him it was my first time eating Chilean food, and wanted to try a dish that screams "CHILE!!" His very fast answer was "Pastel de Chocllo." The menu described it as a corn pie with a layer of chicken, and a layer of ground beef with onions. While I definitely did not want the onions, the owner insisted I won't notice its existence. So I ordered some empanadas and then one order of that dish.




After a little bit of waiting, the empenadas arrived. They were delicious. These were among the best empanadas I've ever had, because the crust wasn't too filling, and because there was good amount of topping (in this case, cheese) inside. The outer texture reminded me of a popular Dominican snack known as a yaniqueque (fried awesomeness), which was an added plus. I also ordered a Chilean soda, which was a watered-down and not-as-good version as D.R.'s Country Club flavored soda. But it was still good, don't get me wrong. And then came the corn pie. Oh my goodness.


It was massive, it was nearly intimidating, it was quite possibly the thickest pie of any kind I have ever seen. My jaw nearly dropped as the pie arrived, steaming from the top. The top layer was pure corn, as you couldn't even see the meat that is tucked away inside. It is served in a huge bowl. Didn't even know where to begin. My strategy was to start on top, work my way down, and see what happens. Well, the top layer (after the corn) was the chicken. I must say, this combination of sweet and chicken is one I have never quite experienced before. But it works, perfectly. The chicken meshed in with the plethora of corn was like homestyle fresh chicken inside a delicious muffin. It was unlike anything I've ever had. My taste buds were not sure how to react, but I was enjoying the meal. It is not the prettiest dish I've ever eaten, but flavorwise, it packs a nice punch.

The ground beef on the bottom layer was even better than the chicken, as most of the broth could be found in the bottom. The mix of the juices from the eat and the meat (and the corn) and the eggs (that I was not aware was actually inside the pie) was even more insane than the chicken-sweetness combo. While I will never be a fan of onions (unless its onion rings from Burger King--I know, not a very cuisine expert thing to say), they did not deter from the fact that the meat was delicious. This place was legit. This food was legit. And there was no way I was going to finish this meal.



After a little more fighting against the dish, I gave up as I totally ran out of room---didn't even have room for Chilean dessert. Nonetheless, I was very satisfied with my meal. To give a few more details about this place, its been open only a couple of years and they have live Chilean music on the weekend. According to the owner it gets so crowded, you need reservations on the nights they have their live music. I believed him, as all the positive reviews online prove that in just two years, it has already developed quite a reputation. And with good reason too.

Bottom Line: If I ever make my way in that direction, I'll have to visit again. The menu has an extensive amount of food items, and most of them sounded very good. But I was happy with my pick as the Pastel de Chocllo is one of the most insanely delicious things I've ever eaten. It was like a corn muffin stuffed with meaty goodness topped by a layer of even more good corn. The service was great, the pricing isn't too heavy, the food was all grand, and you'll be satisfied with the amount of food and the quality of it all. I will be returning here, as this is as close to Chile as I (temporarily) will ever get.





Viva Chile
6013 Stirling Rd
Davie, FL 33314
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