So the blog has definitely seen better days back when I was spending like a madman without trouble, back when I truly believed that our darn YouTube channel had a chance. My how time changes things. My New Year’s Eve visit to the Coral Reef Restaurant demonstrated why my blog is a good idea, and why I can’t continue in the same pace I used to run back in early 2011. The Coral Reef Restaurant is a mildly popular restaurant in Epcot that’s away from the drinking and dining marathon of the World Showcase. Nestled nicely inside the Living Seas (there’s no Nemo in my vision of that building darn it!), this restaurant contains the sophistication and detail of your higher-scale restaurants, while also throwing a nice twist to the entire experience.
The main appeal of the Coral Reef Restaurant besides the food is the fact that you have the massive aquarium of the Living Seas in the background. As a child, that’s what drew me in. But now, a bit older (and hopefully wiser) individual, I decided to make a return trip and try their food and finish off the year of 2011 with some dignity intact. I ordered the lobster soup and went with my favorite fish mahi-mahi as the main dish. The prices are definitely way up there but so are the presentation and the service. Everyone there is very friendly and always willing to help out. If there’s something Disney has done right is the service amongst nearly every single table-service eatery in the area.
The lobster soup consists of thick lobster flavor with some brandy. While it lacks the incredibleness of South-South Florida lobster bisque, it’s still quite tasty and very satisfying. As an added bonus, it goes excellent with the bread that they give you at the beginning of the meal. So when you get your bread, hang on to it until you get the soup. The Mahi-mahi I ordered comes with jasmine rice, some cilantro, and its all topped with a coconut-lime sauce. Basically, it’s a supposed to be a sweet seafood delight.
Now, the other reason why I picked the mahi-mahi is to see what Disney can pull off with seafood that isn’t thrown in the kitchen directly after catch (like in the beach coasts). The best seafood I’ve ever had have been all in restaurants within inches of the beach. The mahi here was quite thick and fresh, but lacked that off-the-beach bite that you usually experience from the locals joints on the ocean. Not their fault, it’s the fault of Orlando being so far. Small portion however, as the fish was larger than the portion of rice. The sauce was good but doesn’t make up for the fact that it’s not a very filling dish.
Here’s where the blog hits the crosshairs. This meal, which included soup, Mahi, a drink, dessert, ran up to over 50 bucks. Even if I skipped the drink and dessert, I am still looking at past 30 dollars. I can’t do that on a consistent basis anymore. I do believe in paying good money for good food, but when the window of payment opportunity is small, you can’t indulge yourself on a weekly basis like the celebrities and chefs you see on television. I know there is a lot of great food and great restaurants out there, and the food here was quite decent. But…..financially its quite tough and quite a heavy toll on my checking account. So like I said, I like my blog and believe in it, but it’s an impossibility to update it on a consistent basis.
Bottom Line: Back to the food. The Coral Reef Restaurant is a grand experience marred by smaller portions and a heavy set price. While the atmosphere, service, and ambience is part of the high-class price system, it’s still a tough sell if you are just looking for good food. With Epcot being the best park in terms of dining in Disney World, there’s plenty of other, cheaper, better options to eat good food—and I am even including seafood. Makes for a great romantic dinner, but if you are flying solo, fly your way to the World Showcase for other restaurants.
Final Verdict: Lightly Recommend
Coral Reef Restaurant
Walt Disney World, Epcot
Lake Buena Vista, Fl
